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China's IP conference to focus new quality productive forces

Xinhua) 08:40, September 05, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The 13th China Intellectual Property Annual Conference will take place from Sept. 13 to 14 in Beijing, offering a platform for global innovation exchange and cooperation, the event's organizer said on Wednesday.

Themed "Intellectual Property (IP) Empowering New Quality Productive Forces," this year's conference will invite 150 guests from home and abroad to deliver speeches, said Liu Chao, head of the Intellectual Property Publishing House, at a press conference.

Liu highlighted an increase in participation from enterprises in patent-intensive industries, such as new energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, the Internet of Things, and those from emerging sectors, new business forms and models.

Multinational enterprises from the United States, Germany, Britain, Denmark and Japan will also participate in the conference to discuss topics on innovative development.

Topics on aligning with high-standard international IP protection rules, creating a market-oriented, law-based business environment that is internationally recognized, and promoting high-level openness will be discussed at the conference. Special emphasis will be placed on the international expansion of Chinese enterprises, particularly the challenges they face in protecting their IP rights while expanding globally, Liu added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Committee to sponsor second look bill that allows for reduction of lengthy prison sentences

(Photo: Michael Lyle/Nevada Current)

State lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would allow reconsideration of lengthy prison sentences for those deemed successfully rehabilitated.

Second look laws, as they are often referred to, allow for sentencing review boards or courts to re-evaluate a persons sentence after theyve served a significant period of time in prison.

At a hearing in late August, the Interim Judiciary Committee voted to sponsor a bill to bring a second look law to Nevada. The proposal was one of 15 bill draft requests the committee approved for the 2025 Legislative session.

Daniel Landsman, the vice president of policy for Families Against Mandatory Minimums, told lawmakers during a February committee meeting that California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington along with the District of Columbia have passed versions of the second look laws.

Nevada should join the list, he said.

Evidence supports the idea that Nevada should give judges or another determining body the opportunity to revisit old, lengthy sentences, Landsman said. They can determine if the sentence is still in the interest of justice and an appropriate use of Nevadas finite public safety resources.

There were 560 people serving life without parole and 1,892 serving life with parole in Nevada as of December 2023, Landsman said.

He added that 1,888 people are serving sentences longer than 15 years while 1,272 people currently incarcerated have already served 15 years in person.

Landsman said not all of those people might be ready for release but many will be.

Decision makers retain discretion to reduce the sentence, grant release or leave the existing sentence in place, he said in February.

Republican Assemblyman Ken Gray was the lone vote against the proposal advancing to become a bill draft request during the August hearing.

Advocacy groups and criminal reform organizers, who spoke during public comment at the committee meeting, have long been advocating the state to look at ways to reduce the prison population.

Those calls were underscored over the summer when record breaking temperatures made it hard for swamp coolers at High Desert State Prison to remain cool.

Leslie Turner, an organizer with the Mass Liberation Project, previously told Nevada Current that corrections officials need to look at reducing the prison population rather than just focus on repairing outdated systems.

Turner, who spoke during public comment at last weeks hearing, said the group has worked with those incarcerated as they work to bring a second look law to Nevada.

Weve been working on this over a year doing research with currently incarcerated people to understand who would specifically be impacted by this legislation, she said. Weve been meeting with the DAs office, weve been talking to victims of crime. We are headed to D.C. with a crime survivors network so we can really be able to be holistic in our approach to this bill.

Each state has adopted their own standards around eligibility requirements for second look laws to go into effect, Landsman said.

Laws have factored in age of the person at the time of the crime, consideration for the victim and their families and the ability to appeal denials in reasonable timeframes.

Landsman pointed to DCs law as one of the best in the nation. Originally the version was open to people who committed crimes before they were 18 but then was expanded to include up to age 25.

Once a person has served 15 years, they can have their sentences re-examined no matter what the crime, he said.

As of June 2023, 195 people have been released under this expanded second look law and only seven people or 4% have been rearrested, Landsman said. People released under this bill have found employment and success taking full advantage of the second chances with some dedicating their time preventing future violence in their own communities.

More BDRs

Another proposal approved by the committee would require the Nevada Department of Corrections to discharge certain medical debt owed by those incarcerated after they are released from prison.

The measure would build on other prison reforms passed in the 2023 legislative session, including legislation referred to as the cost of incarceration bill that ended medical copays and man down fees, when those incarcerated require emergency medical services.

Republican Assemblywoman Danielle Gallant said she was concerned about some of the fiscal ramifications of the proposal but ultimately voted in favor for it to advance to become a bill draft request.

Gray voted against the proposal.

The committee also advanced a bill draft request designed to bolster indigent defense, including removing a statute that prohibits state public defenders from taking private cases.

Democratic state Sen. Melanie Scheible, who is the vice chair for the committee, said rural committees are in crisis and anything we can do to get people counsel faster we absolutely have to do.

There are dozens of cases every single day where people are lacking appointed counsel, especially in rural areas, Scheible said. When there are not enough private attorneys who are willing and able to take on those cases, those people just wait for attorneys to be appointed.

The proposals advanced without opposition.

Other proposals the committee is looking to sponsor include:

Requiring institutions to adopt consistent policy standards for unclothed searches of youth at local detention facilities;

Amending state law to allow the state, rather than the county, to be billed for forensic medical exams for strangulation in sexual assault or domestic battery cases;

Eliminating a requirement for the district attorney to give written approval to place a child under informal supervision.
Dali, the ship that knocked down Key Bridge, to sail to China; effort to extend deadline to file claims against Dalis owner underway

The Dali was bound for Sri Lanka the day it instead struck and knocked over the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and now, nearly six months later, it will embark on another Asian voyage.

The 984-foot container ship, which has a gashed bow and is currently receiving repairs in Norfolk, Virginia, will sail directly to China on or about September 17, 2024 according to a letter filed in federal court by the Department of Justices civil division Wednesday. The letter states that the ships owner and manager have informed claimants of their intent to sail and that from Thursday through Sept. 14, the claimants will be able to perform inspections and testing.

That doesnt necessarily mean the ship will actually set sail by mid-September. Both times the Dali was moved since the disaster  from the middle of the Patapsco River to the Port of Baltimore and then from Baltimore to Norfolk  it departed a few days later than initially expected.

The Dali had just left Baltimore in the early morning of March 26, anticipating a monthlong journey to Sri Lanka, when it lost power. Tugboats had helped the ship leave the port, but they were no longer attached to the vessel, and although pilots ordered an anchor drop as the ship headed toward a Key Bridge support, that last-ditch effort couldnt alter the 100,000-ton vessels trajectory.

The ship plowed into the pier, toppling the bridge and killing six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the span. Steel and roadway littered the Patapsco River, temporarily closing the shipping channel and necessitating a salvage that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

For nearly two months, the Dali sat in the Patapsco River, amid the cleanup, but after explosives were used to cut up a huge piece of bridge sitting atop the vessel, the ship was refloated and towed back to the Port of Baltimore in May. In June, the ship, escorted by four tugboats, made a slow, 23-hour trip to Norfolk.

By late August, the ship was nearly unrecognizable as all of its thousands of containers had been removed, according to footage from Norfolk TV station WTKR.

The ships owners declared general average after the calamity, an ancient maritime law that requires cargo owners to chip in on the cost of salvage before they can receive their cargo. The Dali was being chartered by Danish shipper Maersk at the time of the disaster, and Maersk spokesperson Kevin Doell told The Baltimore Sun in an email Wednesday that the shipper has worked to achieve the release of its customers containers from the owners custody.

The Dalis Singaporean owner and manager  Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, respectively  have sought to limit their liability in the bridge calamity, but claimants, including the City of Baltimore and, more recently, a small propane distributing company, have filed suit against them.

People with claims against the ships owner and manager have until Sept. 24 to file claims in federal court, but an email reviewed by The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday shows an effort to extend that deadline by four months.

Several law and maritime firms  which stated they were representing roughly $42 million in cargo that was aboard the Dali at the time of the crash  have informally requested to push the claims deadline to Jan. 24 so they have time to assess damage to the ships containers and cargo, according to the email.

The majority of the containers were only discharged from the Dali at the end of August and a significant percentage of them will not be delivered to destination until after the current deadline for the lodging of claims against the limitation fund, the group wrote.

The firms asked parties to the litigation to indicate by Monday whether they object to a January deadline. The group is also seeking voluntary agreement from the Dalis owners, according to the email.

Asked why the ship is heading to China, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine spokesperson Darrell Wilson declined to comment. However, shipping experts have long anticipated that the damaged vessel would ultimately receive its most extensive repairs overseas.

When the Ever Given  the 1,312-foot vessel that got stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, stalling the international supply chain  needed repairs later that year, it received them in a dry dock in Qingdao, China.

Asked by The Baltimore Sun, Sal Mercogliano, a former merchant mariner who hosts the YouTube show Whats Going On With Shipping?, predicted that upon the Dalis arrival in China, there would be an entirely new bow fabricated to replace the damaged one on the current ship.

They will cut the bow off and put on a new one, he said.
How easily can you access and assess your child's school performance data? Wisconsin earns D

If you're having trouble making sense of how well your child's school performs, you're not alone.

Wisconsin scored a D grade in a new report ranking each state's K-12 report card system. Researchers with the Arizona State University's Center for Reinventing Public Education evaluated how easily a person could access and assess school performance data, and whether several years' worth of data were available to gauge post-pandemic progress.

"If the federal government is going to require states to provide report cards, and if states are going to spend money to create them, shouldnt they at least be usable?" the report asked. "What purpose are these report cards serving if an average parent or advocate cannot figure out how to use them to answer basic questions about school effectiveness?"

Here are four takeaways from the report published Thursday:

Wisconsin earned a D on school report card quality

For each state, researchers tried finding individual school-level data going back to 2018-19.

Wisconsin earned a D, scoring 11 of 21 possible points. Researchers easily found data on English, math and science test scores; as well as high school graduation rates. But they struggled to locate data on chronic absenteeism, and couldn't find data on social studies test scores nor growth in English language arts and math test scores.

DPI criticized the report, calling it a "narrow review." The agency questioned the researcher's methodology and said all of the data researchers sought was "readily and publicly available."

"Much of this report is based off of an internet search and then rolled into a point scale and could be seen as subjective," DPI spokesperson Chris Bucher said.

Wisconsin "is and has been a longtime leader in public availability of school data," he said. Wisconsin was among the first states to launch a system with multiple years of data, a system that received national recognition in 2017 by a national education nonprofit.

What grades did other states get?

Wisconsin was better than the 13 states that flunked the test: Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming.

Michigan had the best report card in the Midwest, scoring an A. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee also got top grades.

Illinois and Minnesota earned B's. Iowa tied with Wisconsin's D grade.

Researchers evaluated one Wisconsin report card, then pointed to a different one

Researchers initially evaluated a different Wisconsin report card system that pops up at the top of an online search. This system earned an F grade.

After reaching out to the state Department of Public Instruction, however, they learned of and evaluated a more comprehensive system known as WISEDash. This led to the slightly better "D" grade.

WISEDash isn't prominently featured on the state website or in searches, which prompted researchers to raise questions about how valuable it is if it's not easily accessible.

A few other states posed similar problems for researchers, offering different versions of report cards that are intended to fufill different purposes. Texas, for example, has three different report cards to meet various reporting requirements by the federal and state governments.

"I would say it's confusing for people because how are they supposed to know which one to use?" asked Morgan Polikoff, a University of Southern California professor of education, who led the report.

Asked how users should be aware of WISEDash, Bucher said DPI is always reexamining its practices. He also said the agency welcomes recommendations and funding to increase transparency.

Wisconsin report card website rated 'fair' in usability

The report also ranked the usability of each state website: great, good, fair and poor. While a few states got shoutouts, others were "sources of maddening frustration," the report said.

"Over and over again, we found ourselves lost in a sea of tabs, buried under piles of disaggregated data, or perplexed by confusing visualizations," the researchers wrote.

Wisconsin's WISEDash was rated fair. That's at least in part because it was a difficult website to find online. Polikoff also said the website could be clunky to navigate and buried some data.

In a recent interview on WisconsinEye, deputy state superintendent Thomas McCarthy acknowledged there is no "easy" way to assess a school's performance level and its change over time.

"I don't know of a perfect tool for a parent to pick and up say 'OK, I'm going to look at this really quickly and tell you exactly how my school is doing,'" he said. "We've engaged in this sort of oversimplification process for a long time to say let's roll up a bunch of data and make some scientific calculations and then hopefully that will amount to I can look at my school and say it's four stars instead of five stars or three stars or two stars. I think if you really want to have that conversation, it does require a parent (or) caregiver to get their hands a little dirty and look at the system and figure that out."

Why are school report cards important?

A report on report cards may sound overly academic. But the findings come at a critical time when students are still recovering from pandemic learning loss.

That's why researchers focused on whether states' data went back further than 2020. While year-to-year comparisons are imperfect, the comparisons "provide an important barometer" of how COVID-19 affected students.

Many of the lowest-scoring reports came from smaller, or more rural states. The report suggested states work together, perhaps with a national education organization such as the Council of Chief State School Officers, to improve report cards instead of leaving all 50 to figure it out alone.

More broadly, the report recommended state education departments invest in user experience testing of their websites. Researchers also wondered whether the federal goverment should push for, or even require, greater data transparency.

"Parents, educators, and community leaders cannot advocate for and solve problems they do not know exist," the researchers explained.

Not a fan of WISEDash? Try this tool

While DPI data may not be the most user-friendly, the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum pulls some state data into its own tool. This tool was not part of the study.

The organization's interactive School DataTool is updated annually. It includes information from each public school district but not individual schools. Still, it offers parents an easy districtwide snapshot on metrics ranging from chronic absenteeism to graduation rates to test scores and more. Some of the metrics include more than a decade of data.

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin scored D on school report card data accessibility
PANAMA CITY  The Panama City Rescue Mission teamed up with Florida Power & Light to make the shelter more energy efficient, allowing it to save money on heating and cooling. The results were unveiled on Sept. 4.

Ross Clemons, executive director of the Panama City Rescue Mission, shows off the new doors on the organization's men's shelter on Sept. 4, 2024, Panama City, Florida.

At FPL, we are powering strong communities by supporting organizations like PCRM that play a vital role in uplifting those most in need, said J.T. Young, vice president and general manager of the FPL Northwest region. This substantial reduction in energy costs means they can channel more resources directly into their mission, providing a safer and brighter future for their clients.

FPL has a program where it looks for nonprofit organizations that could benefit from an "Energy Makeover." When it chose PCRM, it sent a team from Pensacola to audit the facility and identify ways to reduce their power bill. The team discovered that the doors on the 69-year-old building weren't well-sealed. This allowing a good amount of conditioned air to escape.

This prompted FPL to give the shelter the funds for three new glass double-doors at a total cost of $15,000. Ross Clemons, executive director of PCRM, said that the new doors are already saving them around $450 a month on their electric bill.

Members of Florida Power & Light stop for a group photo with members of the Panama City Rescue Mission on Sept. 4, 2024, in Panama City, Florida

We are thrilled to see the immediate benefits from these facility upgrades, Clemons said. The savings on our energy bills are substantial, allowing us to better allocate our resources to serve the community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to FPL for their unwavering support and commitment to our cause."

Clemons said that this money saving will help with their goal to hire more staff. It's about an eighth of what they need to hire another person; however, between the energy savings and an upcoming sponsor banquet, he thinks they can make it happen.

The Panama City Rescue Mission's men's shelter as seen from the street on Sept. 4, 2024, Panama City, Florida

FPL is a regular financial contributor to the shelter and one of their management team members is a board member at the mission. The utility plans on continuing to work with PCRM in the future.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: FPL helps Panama City Rescue Mission cut costs on electric
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Multiple fatalities and injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved in the incident at Apalachee Wednesday.

No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Hosey said Gray was also suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school. An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school. Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, however he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy. The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured in from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

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Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a suspect is in custody, according to authorities. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

A 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting that killed two students and two teachers in Winder, a town of about 18,000 on the northeast outskirts of Atlanta.

Colt Gray was identified as the alleged shooter by authorities, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said. Winder is

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Gov. Brian Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when a public hearing was held for her gun storage bill, which would have established punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices such as safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lips  we must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

A time and place for policy discussion

Georgia Republicans were largely quiet, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.
House Republicans on Tuesday issued a subpoena for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify on the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan that was completed in August 2021. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Sept. 3 (UPI) -- House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul on Tuesday issued a subpoena for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify later this month on the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan, threatening to hold him in contempt if he refuses.

Republicans of the committee have been officially investigating the 2021 withdrawal of the U.S. military from Afghanistan since January of last year, and McCaul states he has repeatedly sought Blinken's testimony on the matter.

In a letter addressed to Blinken on Tuesday, McCaul said has asked the United States' top diplomat to sit for testimony since May and that the State Department has yet to provide any potential dates for him to do so.

McCaul said his testimony will be used to inform the committee on "potential legislation aimed at helping prevent the catastrophic mistakes of the withdrawal, including potential reforms to the department's legislative authorization."

"The Committee is holding this hearing because the Department of State was central to the Afghanistan withdrawal and served as the senior authority during the August non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO)," he said in the letter.

"As Secretary of State throughout the withdrawal and NEO, you were entrusted to lead these efforts and to secure the safe evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies."

Because of the State Department's "unresponsiveness," the committee has issued a subpoena compelling Blink to testify at a hearing scheduled for Sept. 19, McCaul said.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller rebuked the accusations in a statement saying that Blinken has testified before Congress concerning the Afghanistan withdrawal more than 14 times, more than any other Cabinet-level official, including four times before McCaul's committee.

"The Department has provided the Committee with nearly 20,000 pages of Department records, multiple high-level briefings, and engaged on transcribed interviews of nearly 15 current and former State Department officials with the Committee," Matthew said in the statement, NBC News reported.

The spokesman added that Blinken is not available for when the committee has compelled the secretary of state's testimony and that they have offered alternatives.

"It is disappointing that instead of continuing to engage with the Department in good faith, the Committee instead has issued yet another unnecessary subpoena," he said.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the ranking Democrat of the Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement last week responding to McCaul's threats to subpoena Blinken. He described the threat as a political stunt that shows "the Republican party's desperation to score headlines during an election season."

"After two years and no new facts, House Republicans are once again grasping for headlines at the expense of real substance," Meeks said.

The subpoena was issued a week following the third anniversary of the withdrawal.

The withdrawal from January 2020 to August 2021 was initiated by the administration of Donald Trump and completed under the Biden administration.

Some 124,000 Afghans, including 6,000 U.S. citizens, were evacuated from the country along with the exit of the U.S. military from the Middle Eastern country.

During the withdrawal, 13 U.S. service members and more than 100 Afghans were killed in the bombing of Kabul's international airport.

Amid the withdrawal, Taliban seized control of the country, which it still maintains.

An official report investigating the withdrawal published last month found fault with both administrations.

"The decisions of both President Trump and President Biden to end the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences for the viability of the Afghan government and its security," the After Action Review states.

"Those decisions are beyond the scope of this review, but the AAR team found that during both administrations there was insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow."
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney said Wednesday that she will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris for president because of the danger she believes former President Donald Trump poses.

Her remarks, during an appearance at Duke University, came after the Wyoming Republican briefly flirted with her own third-party bid for president. Once the No. 3 leader of the House Republican Conference, Cheney has long warned of the threat she says the former president poses to American democracy.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris, she said to applause and a standing ovation from the audience.

The former Wyoming representative, who had not previously said how she planned to vote in November, said that voters in swing states, like North Carolina, who dislike Trump need to do more than just not vote for him  but actively cast their ballots for Harris.

Because we are here in North Carolina, I think it is crucially important for people to recognize not only is what Ive said about the danger that Trump poses something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, she said.

Her announcement comes after more than 200 staffers for four Republican presidential nominees  former President George H.W. Bush, former President George W. Bush, former Arizona Sen. John McCain and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney  last week endorsed Harris for president.

Cheney, a fierce Trump critic, was ousted from her seat after she refused to temper her criticisms of Trump following the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. She served as the vice chair of the Jan. 6 select committee, which probed the attack.

The former presidents political operation was crucial to Cheneys 2022 primary defeat. Her opponent ran with Trumps support, was advised by those in his camp and was funded by his donors.

Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, criticized Cheney on Wednesday night during an event in Arizona, accusing her of sending other peoples children off to fight and die for her military conflicts and her ridiculous ideas.

Kamala Harris and Liz Cheney make very, very interesting partners, he said. They get rich when America's sons and daughters go off to die.

In a statement, Harris campaign chair, Jen OMalley Dillon, praised Cheney as a patriot and said the vice president is proud to have her vote.

In December, Cheney published a book, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, which details how her former Republican colleagues, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, laid the groundwork for the events that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.
Major rain headed for Panama City and Bay County into the weekend. Here's what we know.

Panama City can see some very heavy rainfall later this week.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management said 6 to 10 inches of rain are possible across the coastal Panhandle and west Big Bend area into the weekend. Some areas could see more than 12 inches.

A system that brought storms that drenched Texas over Labor Day weekend is expected to bring that same rain to the Florida Panhandle. While it disappeared off the NHC map after the weekend, storms associated with it continued to drift east. Now, forecasters are warning Gulf Coast residents to be prepared for heavy rain associated with the system.

"Impacts are expected from Southern Alabama, Florida's Panhandle and stretching to Jacksonville and into Georgia, with 4-8" of rain is expected between Friday and Saturday," said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva. "The rain won't be limited to North Florida. Most of the peninsula can expect rainfall, which decreases the farther south you go. Tampa and Daytona Beach could see 2-4", with Saturday being the heaviest. Farther south in Florida, expect rainfall amounts ranging from 1 to 3 inches."

 Track all active storms

 Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location

While the trough of low pressure has a low chance of becoming a named tropical storm, that doesn't mean it won't bring dangerous conditions to Gulf Coast states from Texas to Florida and as far north as North Carolina. Of special concern to AccuWeather forecasters is southern Louisiana, which could see 6 to 12 inches of rain. Some areas could see up to 18 inches, said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva.

"The system should move into into the Atlantic. There's the possibility of development in the Atlantic, although water temperatures aren't as warm as they are in the Gulf, but are still in the mid 80s," said DaSilva. "That's warm enough to support tropical development but there is more wind shear there so the environment is not extremely favorable for development. Even if there is development, there's no threat to the U.S. It would be pushed out to sea."

Here's what you should know.

Tropical tracker: National Weather Center highlights Gulf system

The National Hurricane Center said at 8 a.m. Thursday the trough of low pressure is producing widespread disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, including near the coasts of Louisiana and Texas.

 Tropics watch, Sept. 5: See all 5 systems being tracked by National Hurricane Center

Upper-level winds are expected to become less conducive for development by Friday and Saturday as a frontal boundary approaches the system.

Although development is unlikely, heavy rainfall is expected across portions of the northern Gulf Coast during the next day or so.

Formation chance through 48 hours: low, 10 percent.

Formation chance through 7 days: low, 10 percent.

Is there a hurricane coming to Florida?

Rainfall prediction from Sept. 5-8, 2024.

No. The system of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico currently has a low chance of development, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

"We've never seen the Gulf as warm as it is right now. Temperatures are mostly in the mid to upper 80s when averaged out. Tropical systems need 80 degrees to develop," DaSilva said.

"There's a low chance it can get its act together. Because of the warm water, it can try to spin up and it's not out of the realm of possibility it could get a name."

The next name of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is Francine.

Radar shows 'big blowup of thunderstorms' in Gulf of Mexico

Radar at 11 a.m. Sept. 5, shows system in the Gulf of Mexico that expected to bring heavy rainfall to the northern Gulf Coast into the weekend.

"Looking at the radar (shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday), there's been a big blowup of thunderstorms in the northwestern Gulf. It may be trying to get better organized, but there's a low chance of it getting a name. But that also means there could be more rainfall for Louisiana," DaSilva said.

"Its a very slow mover, which is contributing to heavy rain. If it gets its act together and tries to consolidate, there could be even more rain. We'll have to watch it very closely over the next couple of days."

Weather alerts issued in Florida, US

Track storms across southeastern US, Florida with NWS live radar

'Too scared to stop': Jacksonville roads flooded after 6-9 inches of rain

Flooded roads stranded motorists in Duval County on Wednesday. LaSalle Street and San Marco Boulevard stayed flooded late into the afternoon.

The National Weather Service Jacksonville said 6 to 9 inches of rain fell in Duval County Wednesday, with most falling during the morning rush hour.

Excessive rainfall forecast

Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text

What's next?

We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City and Bay County could see heavy rains this weekend.
Kim Jong-un's regime punishes minor mistakes with dismissals and even execution, according to a defector - STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

North Koreas elites are becoming disillusioned with Kim Jong-uns erratic behaviour, according to a high-level defector who has called for a greater push to destabilise the authoritarian regime.

Ri Il-gyu, 52, served as a political counsellor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba until he escaped last November, becoming the highest ranking defector since 2016. He is now a well-known media figure in South Korea.

The reclusive countrys upper, or cadre, class had experienced a significant shift in how they perceived the Kim family dynasty, he told the Global Korea Forum in the Souths capital, Seoul, this week.

Theyve become disillusioned with the regime due to Kim Jong-uns impulsive behaviour, Mr Ri said, explaining that the punishment of minor mistakes with dismissals and even execution had created an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty.

The North Korean leader was seen inspecting the performance of new drones - KCNA/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

Kim reportedly ordered the execution of 20 to 30 regional government officials over their alleged failure to minimise the devastation caused by extensive flooding in July that killed thousands.

The officials were charged with corruption and dereliction of duty, South Korean outlet TV Chosun reported, citing an unnamed North Korean official.

Kim had vowed in late July to strictly punish the officials for the severe neglect of their duties.

Mr Ri pointed out that citizens were hesitant to rise up against Kims reign of terror because of the draconian surveillance system and the brutal repression of any dissent.

Kims war on corruption had fostered a culture of bribery among North Korean officials, who saw it as a survival tactic, he added.

Mr Ri pointed out that citizens were hesitant to rise up against Kims reign of terror because of the draconian surveillance system and the brutal repression of any dissent.

He urged the South Korean government to step up efforts to stoke the Norths collapse from within through targeted information campaigns inside the country and a strategy to win over diplomats stationed abroad to build a force for change.

Seoul had to underscore the message that everyone living under the regime was a slave to the Kim family, he said.

Vladimir Putin drove Kim Jong-un around the North Korean capital in a luxury limousine in June - KCNA/KNS

Mr Ri has previously recounted  in his first interview with the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo  that his own defection was spurred by disillusionment and frustration that his career had been derailed by his inability to pay large bribes to his superiors.

He made the decision to defect in 2023 after he was denied permission for treatment for a spinal injury, but he only gave his wife and child six hours notice that they would be escaping abroad.

The one-hour wait at the airport felt like years, he said, adding: For the first time, I prayed earnestly for God to protect my family, understanding why people believe in religion.

Mr Ri also revealed in the same interview that he had had tea with Kim Jong-un.

In person, Kim Jong-un is just an ordinary human, he said. Up close, you cant help but think his blood pressure must be extremely high; his face is always red, like hes been drinking, even redder than on screen.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
PAWTUCKET  A Pawtucket man who worked as a corrections officer at women's prison in Massachusetts has been charged with sexually assaulting an inmate, Massachusetts' Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan announced.

Joao Gomes, 49, was arrested Wednesday at his home in Pawtucket without incident, Ryan said. Rhode Island State Police and the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section helped with the arrest, according to Ryan.

Gomes was indicted in Woburn, Massachusetts, Superior Court, for allegedly assaulting a female inmate in the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Framingham, Ryan said.

Gomes is charged with four counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault and battery for multiple incidents involving a female inmate, according to Ryan.

He is also charged with three counts of delivering articles to prisoners in a corrections institution, for allegedly purchasing underwear for more than one inmate, Ryan said.

Gomes's case is the first in Middlesex County since Massachusetts updated the law in 2020 regarding law enforcement engaging in sexual relations with people under their custody or control, according to Ryan.

A date for Gomes's appearance in Middlesex Superior Court has not yet been scheduled.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI prison guard charged with sexually assaulting inmate in Mass
BOSTON  After eight years as a ride share driver, Worcester resident Chiem Klot wants things to change.

When he first started driving for Uber and Lyft, he was excited by the new technology. But after filing his taxes, he realized that with the wear and tear on his vehicle and gas, insurance and maintenance costs, he didnt have anything to show for it.

Chiem Klot, a rideshare driver from Worcester, attended the Wednesday rally launching the campaign Yes on 3, the ballot initiative that would create a pathway for unionization for rideshare drivers.

"I realized I could do this for the rest of my life and the company would always take more than 50% of the ride," Klot said. He opted to join the unionization movement about a year ago when he was approached by organizers, hoping for change.

Recently married, Klot said his wife is still in Cambodia. He hopes to have a sizable nest egg for when she arrives for them to start their lives together.

Klot was one of more than 100 drivers who gathered at the Massachusetts State House Wednesday, joining with U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and union leaders to launch the campaign in support of the ballot initiative.

Yes on Question Three was on all lips as the organizers asked the drivers to campaign as hard as possible and to speak with friends, family and the public to ask them to support the ballot initiative toward a path to unionization.

It is one of five questions Massachusetts voters will be asked to decide in November.

Federal labor law regulates employment and grants private company and public employees the right to unionize. However, because drivers are classified as independent contractors by the technology companies that control the rideshare applications, they are excluded from federal coverage.

Roxana Rivera, assistant to the president of SEIU BJ32, urges drivers gathered at the State House Wednesday to discuss the ballot initiative "Yes on 3."

Massachusetts has disputed the companies' claims that drivers are independent contractors and recently reached a settlement with Uber and Lyft that paid Massachusetts drivers $175 million in back wages and unemployment benefits to the state.

The settlement also affords basic employment benefits to more than 200,000 Massachusetts drivers including a $32.50 minimum wage while they are engaged in picking up and driving clients. The settlement guarantees paid sick leave of one hour per 30 hours worked. Drivers will also receive a stipend to buy into the states paid family and medical leave program and will also be able to access a pooled health insurance benefit after driving for more than 15 hours a week. The companies will also pay for accident insurance of up to $1 million for work-related injuries.

Having a union will give us a voice, Klot said, adding that being at the bargaining table with company officials will afford workers better pay, increase their safety and protect them from unsubstantiated deactivations that bar them from working, as well as AI technology and driverless cars.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., shows support for rideshare drivers at the Wednesday rally to launch the campaign Yes on 3.

Drivers are the backbone of the states transportation system, said Manny Pastreich, president of SEIU BJ32, the union leading organization efforts.

'Yes on Three' is not about making a living, but about making a life, a good one, Pressley said. Unions are a path to the middle class.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Rideshare drivers, union rally for Yes on 3 initiative in Boston
St. Cloud Area School District 742 educators are looking to technology as they brainstorm how to improve standardized testing scores.

The Wednesday school board discussion follows results showing the district performed below the state average on standardized testing. The scores revealed roughly 25% of students reached proficiency in math and science, and in reading, it was 35%, according to Minnesota Department of Education data.

St. Cloud numbers compare to the statewide proficiency rate of about 50% of students in reading, 46% in math and nearly 40% in science.

Superintendent Laurie Putnam said the district, which has a high number of English as a second language learners, is looking toward its Modern Classrooms program as a solution. The program has been rolled out in an increased fashion since its inception roughly two years ago, with approximately 10% of St. Cloud teachers participating this academic year.

The districts Modern Classroom program provides a blended approach of both teacher and technology instructed content. Students absorb content through teacher-created videos, and will work through modules until they reach mastery in each subject area, Director of Innovation and Instructional Technology Katheryn Herrboldt said.

Herrboldt said traditional lecture-style teaching formats make it difficult for students at all learning levels. It makes it tough for teachers to engage high-performing students while still reaching those who are still grasping onto content. The Modern Classroom blended learning style, Herrboldt said, will give teachers more freedom to spend time with struggling students, pulling aside those falling behind for additional help in either an individual or in a small group setting.

For students blasting through material, Herrboldt said it provides an opportunity to dive further into subject areas with personalized interests in mind, alleging it fosters a more engaging experience for high achievers as well.

Putnam said this approach helps students tackle subjects that are difficult for them on an individual basis, saying each student has different strengths and weaknesses, and the program tailors learning toward those personalized tendencies.

The beauty of a program like Modern Classroom is that it gives kids the opportunity to excel when they are confident and prepared, Putnam said. But when the next unit doesn't click for them, they can spend more time in that (area).

The election: From Republican to Independent: Joyce Laceys Senate campaign against conservatorships

The Modern Classroom program makes it easier for teachers to understand and track how each student is grasping educational concepts on an individual basis, and students can see how their classmates are doing, which Herrboldt and her team of teachers said allows students to work together in filling in the gaps.

When asked by the St. Cloud Times if the public benchmark displays could discourage underperforming students, Putnam said nobody is perfect, and every student will struggle at some point or another. She said it provides students the opportunity to seek collaboration, as well as establish the grit and reality that everyone has their pain points, preparing them for a post-District 742 world.

If we can build up a classroom where people understand that we arent all good at things all the time, and we arent all bad at things all the time, that helps build the grit necessary to persevere, not just in a classroom, but also beyond, Putnam said.

The district saw positive feedback from teachers using "Modern Classroom," saying it helped them better assess student needs, create instructional videos and incorporate technology to boost learning.

When teachers make mastery checks that make students pause, and think about what theyve learned, and dig deep into their knowledge, then they can (evaluate student comprehension and application), South Junior High teacher Kate Klug said.

Klug said teachers can set benchmark dates for students to reach "mastery" in each unit, which prevents students from taking the individualized pace as an opportunity to avoid coursework.

District 742 teachers are also trained on generative artificial intelligence, what some may know as ChatGTP.

Herrboldt said the move comes as job postings referencing GPT or ChatGPT have increased by 21 times since November 2022. She said while there are concerns about potential AI risks, such as overreliance and societal bias, students should be equipped with how to responsibly use the platform before entering the workforce.

We want to make sure that our students are future-ready and job-ready, Herrboldt said.

This also comes as many online platforms accessible by students, such as Snapchat and X, formerly Twitter, are producing their own AI programs for young ones to use.

The St. Cloud Area School District 742 performed below surrounding central Minnesota school districts on state assessments. But its numbers resemble schools in larger urban centers with a similar student demographic base as District 741. However, the district is still falling behind several urban districts across the state.

Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: District 742 eyes AI, tech options after testing below Minnesota average
Suspect in Louisville Walmart shooting now in custody after being released from hospital

The man shot by a Louisville Metro Police officer outside a Walmart after he allegedly attempted to carjack a woman is now in custody at Metro Corrections after being released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

Randall Allen, 37, faces several felony charges, including resisting arrest, fleeing police and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. He is currently being held on a $50,000 bond and is next scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on Sept. 13.

At around 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 28, Officer Brandon Brinkley shot Allen, who was allegedly attempted to carjack a woman in a Walmart pharmacy drive-thru while armed following a vehicle chase by Kentucky State Police on Interstate 265, Interim Chief Paul Humphrey previously said.

Allen's vehicle, driven by Jeremy Bozarth, exited onto New Cut Road and reached speeds of 101 mph in a 65 mph zone before colliding with a red Chevy truck near Fairdale, court records show.

KSP troopers arrested Bozarth, but Allen, in the passenger seat, fled and ran into the nearby Walmart. When officers found Allen, he was in the front seat of a woman's vehicle in the drive-thru pharmacy line.

He was shot multiple times through the window and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Court records show KSP troopers began a pursuit after noticing an expired license plate, a suspended license and expired insurance and registration linked to Bozarth's car.

Humphrey said Wednesday morning that Brinkley is a transfer from Lebanon Junction. He was hired in November 2022 and has nine letters of commendation with no history of disciplinary action, according to department records.

"Outstanding officer," Humphrey said. "While he's fairly new here, the experience he had in Lebanon Junction, to get that time on the street and understand this job before he came over to us has made dividends."

Bozarth is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections on a $50,000 bond and also faces felony charges, including wanton endangerment, fleeing police and reckless driving. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday in Jefferson District Court.

A shooter tried to carjack a woman outside of a Walmart pharmacy but was shot by an LMPD officer and taken to the hospital. Aug. 28, 2024

Louisville officer shooting LMPD investigates police shooting in Southern Louisville near Fairdale

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Walmart shooting: Suspect released from hospital
The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star are finalists for a prestigious national journalism award for their combined coverage of a police raid on a small town Kansas newspaper.

The Eagle and The Star are together a finalist for the Scripps Howard Journalism Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment. The Scripps Howard Awards, now in its 71st year, honors excellence in breaking news and investigative reporting.

In August 2023 the Marion Police Department, led by then-Chief Gideon Cody, searched the newsroom of the Marion County Record. Officers also searched the home of editor and publisher Eric Meyer and his mother, 98-year-old Joan Meyer, who died shortly after the raid. Police also searched the home of a local councilwoman.

Cody raided the properties as part of an investigation into alleged identity theft by a Record reporter, but the basis for the searches quickly fell apart. A local prosecutor withdrew the search warrants and Cody resigned weeks after the raid. Several lawsuits have been filed over the raid.

Last month, special prosecutors charged Cody with interfering in the judicial process, a felony, over allegations he instructed a local businesswoman to delete text messages in the aftermath of the searches.

The highlights of The Eagle and The Stars coverage of the raid include exposing Codys checkered past at the Kansas City Police Department before leaving to become chief in Marion. The newspapers also reported on how Magistrate Judge Laura Viar, who signed off on the searches, had a history of DUI arrests. The editorial board of both newspapers also denounced the raid, and The Eagle produced a documentary on Joan Meyers death.

Were thrilled to have the collaborative efforts of The Star and The Eagle recognized by the prestigious Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. To be a finalist in this category is an honor, Greg Farmer, executive editor of The Star, said.

What happened in Marion was an attack on the First Amendment and all journalists, and were proud to have played a small part in ensuring those who infringed on the Marion Records rights are being held accountable.

The other finalists for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment include Hearst Connecticut Media Group for an investigation into how Bridgeport, Connecticut, ignored open record laws and by Open Vallejo into how Vallejo, California, destroyed evidence in multiple police shootings.

The Scripps Howard winners will be announced on Oct. 20.
TOKYO, Sep 05 (News On Japan) - Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on the 3rd that the mongoose, an invasive species known for preying on rare native species and disrupting the ecosystem on Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, has been officially eradicated.

The island is part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. According to the Ministry, "There is no precedent globally for the eradication of mongoose on an island as large and long-occupied as Amami Oshima," suggesting that this case could serve as a reference model for future measures against invasive species.

Source: Kyodo
Wakayama, Sep 05 (News On Japan) - Wakayama City has decided to tackle the stray dog issue in Japan's Amalfi with a firm approach, setting up early morning patrols and dog traps.

Wakayama Mayor Masahiro Obana expressed his strong determination, stating, "If large numbers of stray dogs gather, it causes anxiety. We need to take strong measures."

During a July interview in Saikazaki, Wakayama City, the reporting team encountered a stray dog about 1 meter long. The city estimates that around 40 to 50 stray dogs inhabit the area. Although no injuries have been reported so far, residents remain concerned.

Every evening, the dogs bark intensely for more than a minute, and as night falls, they form larger packs, their eyes glowing in the darkness.

Wakayama City has conducted patrols during the day and set traps, but capturing the dogs has proven challenging.

In response to the situation, on September 4th of this month, Mayor Obana announced new measures: "We will allocate funds for personnel costs to conduct early morning capture activities. Additionally, we will install improved traps that the dogs are less likely to avoid, even with minimal noise or discomfort."

The city has included approximately 1.6 million yen in a supplementary budget for early morning patrols and the installation of new traps with no steps, making them less intimidating for the dogs. The city also plans to warn against feeding the dogs unless it is for protection purposes. If approved by the city council in September, the measures will be implemented immediately.

Source: MBS
TOKYO, Sep 06 (News On Japan) - Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Japan's Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino, turned 18 on September 6, officially becoming an adult member of the Imperial family.

The Imperial Household Agency released a video of the high school senior strolling around the pond near the Akishino residence in the Akasaka Estate in July, observing the surrounding plants.

The plants, which include those where dragonflies lay eggs and their larvae transform, were personally planted by Prince Hisahito, who has taken an interest in observing these creatures.

Upon reaching adulthood on the 6th, Prince Hisahito shared his reflections on this significant milestone.

Prince Hisahito: "I feel as though my time in kindergarten, elementary school, and junior high school was just the other day, but now I find myself an adult. It makes me realize how quickly time passes. Over these 18 years, many people have supported me in various ways, and I am deeply grateful to them. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to my parents and sisters for raising me. As I enter my final year of high school, I want to focus on making the most of the remaining time, participating in school events, and working toward my future path. Going forward, I aim to continue learning from each experience, absorbing knowledge and growing as a person."

While adult male members of the Imperial family typically undergo a coming-of-age ceremony, the Imperial Household Agency announced that, as Prince Hisahito is currently preparing for university entrance exams during this crucial period, his coming-of-age ceremony will be held at an "appropriate time" after his high school graduation in March next year.

In the afternoon, Prince Hisahito plans to visit Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, as well as the retired Emperor and Empress, to offer his birthday greetings.

Source: ANN
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday confirmed two persons dead and two injured in a two-storey building collapsed at Nomans Land Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.

Dr Nuraddeen Abdullahi, NEMA Coordinator, Kano Territorial Office, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.

He said, The agency received a distress call today at about 2:00 a.m. from a good samaritan that a two-storey building collapsed at Nomans Land Quarters, Kano.

On receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team to the scene.

Four persons rescued by our team were husband, wife, and two children; out of the victims, the two children were confirmed dead, while the couple were rushed to Armed Forces Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment, Abdullahi said.

He noted that the search and rescue operations were still ongoing to rescue trapped persons in the building.

NAN reports that the Kano State Fire Service, Police, Red Cross, NSCDC, SEMA, and others were among the search and rescue team.
By Enioluwa Adeniyi

Burkina Faso has officially removed the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from its new biometric passports, a move that underscores the countrys decision to withdraw from the 15-member regional bloc.

This development follows the decision of Burkina Faso, along with Niger and Mali, to sever ties with ECOWAS after the organization imposed sanctions on them in response to military coups.

The bloc has consistently called for the return to constitutional order as a condition for lifting the sanctions.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Mahamadou Sana, Burkina Fasos Minister of Security, confirmed the move, stating: On this passport, theres no ECOWAS logo, and no mention of ECOWAS either. Since January, Burkina Faso has decided to withdraw from this body, and this is just a realisation of the action already taken by Burkina Faso.

Burkina Fasos decision to omit ECOWAS from its passports further signals the countrys growing estrangement from the regional organization.

All three nations  Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger  have accused ECOWAS of prioritizing selfish interests over the spirit of pan-Africanism.

ECOWAS has warned that the withdrawal of these countries could negatively impact the blocs common market and the freedom of movement for the 400 million people living within the region.

Despite these tensions, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, who serves as the current ECOWAS chairman, and his team continue to seek diplomatic avenues to bring Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali back into the fold.

Tinubu emphasized that the bloc remains open and friendly to the nations despite the current situation.

According to the Henley Passport Index, Burkina Fasos passport ranks 78th globally, with access to 60 visa-free destinations, including many ECOWAS member states.

Whether this change will affect Burkina Fasos visa agreements within the bloc remains to be seen.
By Ikenna Ngere

The ongoing crisis within the Labour Party (LP) took a new turn as National Chairman, Julius Abure voiced his opposition to the creation of an interim committee.

Despite recent efforts to reconcile party divisions, tensions heightened when Abure labelled the 29-member interim committee led by Senator Esther Nnenadi Usman as illegal.

The committee, formed during a stakeholders meeting convened by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti and the partys national leader, Peter Obi, was meant to oversee party operations temporarily.

Governor Otti, who is currently the only Labour Party governor in the country, emphasized the need for the party to avert an internal collapse, which he warned could hinder its future electoral prospects.

A former Minister of State for Finance, Nnenadi Usman, took on the task of leading the committee and promised to steer the party through a rescue mission.

However, Abure and the National Working Committee (NWC), which he heads, immediately declared the move unconstitutional.

According to The Nation, though Abure was invited to the stakeholders meeting, he chose not to attend.

He later asserted that the meeting and its resulting actions were legally unfounded, describing the committees formation as an overreach.

The interim committee includes representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), as well as senators, members of the House of Representatives, and former governorship candidates from across Nigerias geopolitical zones.

Their mandate is to organize the partys congresses and national convention within 90 days.

During the meeting, which was held at the Government House in Umuahia, Otti stressed that he had no personal stake in who becomes the next national chairman.

He argued that the survival of the party was more important and warned that failing to act could have dire consequences.

Peter Obi, addressing the gathering, called for unity within the party and threw his weight behind the caretaker committee.

He emphasized that the Labour Party, now the third-largest political force in Nigeria, needed to present a united front moving forward.

The NLCs National Vice President, Salamatu Aliu, also attended the meeting and urged all parties to follow legal procedures in establishing a transition team. He highlighted the need to learn from past mistakes and move forward with clarity.

In a communique read by the Labour Partys 2023 deputy governorship candidate for Plateau State, Edward Pwajok, stakeholders reaffirmed their support for Obi as the national leader and endorsed the caretaker committee to temporarily fill the leadership gap.

They also urged all members with court cases against the party to withdraw them in the spirit of unity.

Senator Usman, while accepting the responsibility to head the committee, promised to unify the party and ensure that they meet their objectives within the stipulated 90 days.

She expressed optimism that the Labour Party could be a strong contender in future elections, including the 2027 presidential race.

One of the partys leading figures, Senator Victor Umeh, dismissed calls for Obi to resign from his position as a national leader, labelling such demands as misguided.

The meeting was attended by notable Labour Party members, including Senators, House of Representatives members, and leaders from the NLC and TUC. However, the absence of Abure cast a shadow over the gathering.

Abures Rejection of the Caretaker Committee

In response to the developments, Julius Abure and his NWC firmly rejected the caretaker committee, calling it illegitimate and unconstitutional.

In a statement issued by the partys National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Abure declared that he remained the lawful chairman of the party.

The statement criticized the meeting in Umuahia, describing it as a charade and a waste of public resources.

Abure further argued that neither Governor Otti nor any other individual had the authority to call such a meeting under the partys constitution or Nigerian law.

Abure also challenged Otti to provide any official communication from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) backing his claims about the need for an interim leadership.

He asserted that there was no leadership vacuum within the Labour Party and that the so-called caretaker committee was merely a construct of the Abia State Government, not a recognized entity within the party.

The statement reads: As clearly stated in our previous statement, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, and all others who have converged on Umuahia have no power within the Party Constitution, the Electoral Act and even within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convene any meeting of the Party.

The combined reading of the two provisions show clearly that the so called meeting in Umuahia is a charade, a waste of time and resources of Abia People.

The premise on which Governor Alex Otti called the meeting is not only faulty but mischievous. Government business is not transacted verbally but through official communication and correspondences which are done in writing.

As we speak, there is no communication whatsoever from INEC to the Party as regards any objection to the conduct of the National Convention.

We challenge Alex Otti to produce the official letter addressed to him from INEC on the subject matter. There is no vacuum in the leadership of the Party.

Consequently, the so-called caretaker committee set up by the Governor of Abia State is not known to the constitution of the Party and can best be described as a department in Abia State Government House.

We are shocked to note that the so-called chairman of the caretaker committee is not a registered member of the Party. She surfaced during the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign to assist Peter Obi in his campaign.
Late Christiana Idowu

n a tragic turn of events, a 300-level student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, who was kidnapped between Ikorodu and Yaba in Lagos State, has reportedly been killed by her abductor.

Christiana left her home in the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu to travel to the University of Lagos in Yaba, where she was undergoing her industrial training when she was abducted by kidnappers.

The suspect has since been arrested after combined efforts from security agencies.

In a now-viral post on X, a user named @letter_to_jack shared that intelligence agents were able to track down the abductor using the BVN and bank account information associated with the ransom payments made by the family.

The tweet read, On the 19th of August 2024, Christiannah Idowu was declared missing after her parents were contacted by her abductors using her own WhatsApp contact.

The first contact with the parent was established around 8:49pm after which they sent photos of the victim in captivity to them using the WhatsApp view once feature.

The abductors requested for a ransom fee of N1,500,000. Christiannahs parents raised N350,000 immediately. The abductor then requested that the money be sent to a bet account through a bank deposit channel. (Info reserved for now)

After receiving the money, on the 22nd of August, the abductor requested that bank statement of the sender be forwarded to his email (withheld).

On the 23rd of August, family complied. Immediately after that, the abductor stopped communicating with the parents.

Meanwhile, on the 22nd of August, some amount was sent to the GTB account of Christiannah and the amount was then withdrawn into the wema bank account belonging to the main suspect ( Name withheld for now).

Investigation by intelligence operatives began on the 26th to unravel details of the account number.

By the 29th, intelligence operatives had confirmation from the bank that the BVN linked to the masked Betting account allegedly belonged to the account owner (name withheld for now) who also operates the Wema Bank (account no withheld for now).

Further investigation revealed that he was able to withdraw the sum of 100,000 from the betting account before agents got the bet company to lock the account.

Armed by these information, operatives began investigation into the suspect whom they observed to have a mutual relationship with Christiannah Idowu, especially judging by Instagram posts as they both commented on each others pages.

The crazy thing is: the same account number used to launder some amount directly from Christiannahs account has been posted on Twitter once to beg for a give away free money.

With all these information at hand, the operatives began to track down his cell phone activities and text messages. The cell phone tracking led them to his parents house, somewhere in IKORODU.

Operatives then got confirmation of his presence in the building through active tracking of his mobile device. Immediately, gallant personnel of the Nigerian army 174bn swooped in on the suspect to conduct arrest.

After the arrest, damning evidences were seen with the suspect and this includes the victim blue ITEL A56 with IMEI:35230.

Also, in his phones are details of the money moved and also details confirming he owns the Betting account that was locked. It was registered with his phone number.

On his phone, they found an interaction between his personal email and the email address that has been interacting with the family of the deceased.

After reviewing the evidence, the suspect was then taken into custody to enable the operatives conduct further investigations. Upon reviewing this evidence, suspect was successful taken into custody for necessary action.

On September 3, the suspect reportedly confessed to the father and the soldiers that he killed the girl and buried her in their house.

There is also a new story awaiting further confirmation that in 2018, the suspects ex-girlfriend was killed in same manner. Also that in 2020, the suspects own biological sister met the same fate, and the same thing has happened to Christiannah in 2024.

The horrifying incident has ignited widespread outrage across Nigeria, especially on social media. Many Nigerians have taken to Twitter to demand justice for Christiana, with the hashtag #JusticeForChristianah trending.
By Enioluwa Adeniyi

Russian President, Vladimir Putin has expressed readiness to resume peace talks with Ukraine, emphasizing that any negotiations should be based on the agreements reached in Istanbul in 2022.

Speaking at a forum in Vladivostok, Putin reiterated that Moscow has not refused negotiations but insisted on specific terms.

He highlighted that the earlier Istanbul agreement, initially accepted by Kyiv, could serve as the foundation for renewed discussions.

Putin said at a forum in Vladivostok, Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul.

Putins stance comes amidst ongoing conflict and political strain between Russia and Ukraine, with several conditions set for future peace talks.

These include Ukraine abandoning its intentions to join NATO, recognizing Russias sovereignty over the annexed territories in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, and agreeing to certain military limitations.

The Russian leader also accused Ukraine of being influenced by Western powers, specifically pointing to instructions from London and Washington as reasons for Ukraines reluctance to engage in peace negotiations.

Despite this, Putin expressed a willingness to sit down for talks, stressing that the situation on the battlefield could change, which might impact the conditions for negotiations.

The meeting between the two leaders, should it occur, could mark a significant moment in efforts to bring an end to the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

However, many hurdles remain, particularly surrounding Ukraines territorial integrity and geopolitical alliances.
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The restoration of flights between Libya and the United Kingdom, particularly to cities with significant Libyan communities was discussed at a meeting between Head of Libyas Civil Aviation Authority, Abdul Rahman bin Youssef, and British Ambassador to Libya, Martin Longden.

The British diplomat agreed to liaise with relevant UK departments to support the Civil Aviation Authoritys efforts and commended the progress made particularly in aviation safety and compliance with international standards.

The meeting addressed the performance in meeting international requirements to lift the European ban on Libyan aircraft. The Libyan Authority presented a detailed update on the nearly 90% completion of the comprehensive digital transformation project aimed at addressing civil aviation needs and shortcomings.

Additionally, the discussion covered the challenges posed by some countries negative assessments of Libyas security situation and its designation as a conflict zone, which have impeded efforts to restore flights to Libyan airspace.
Mali military rulers have sealed a military partnership with China amid heightened tension with the feckless neighboring Algerian regime, accused by Bamako of interfering in its domestic affairs and supporting terrorist groups threating its stability.

Under an agreement signed in Beijing on the sidelines of the ongoing China-Africa cooperation forum, China will provide the West African country drones, armored vehicles, military training, and defense technologies.

The deal was inked by Malis Defense Minister Sadio Camara and the head of the Chinese military firm Norinco in presence of Interim president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces Col. Assimi Goita.

Last week, Malis ambassador to UN clashed with Algerian peer, saying Algiers has no right to lecture Bamako on human rights or international law, denouncing Algerias support for armed groups in the Sahel region.

He also accused Algeria of providing safe haven to separatist groups that launch attacks across the border, underlining Malis right to defend itself.

The Mali government, which has been fighting various insurgencies in the north of the country for more than a decade, requested help from Wagner after a military junta took power in 2020.

In addition to Mali, Libya, Niger, Burkina-Faso and other Sahel countries decry Algerias ties with separatist movements, Tuareg rebels, and radical jihadists posing a serious threat to the entire sub-Saharan region.

Following the erosion of the French hegemony in Africa, the Algerian regime has lost its regional luster exacerbated by deepening political, economic and social crises, while Morocco emerged as regional economic and military power, playing a key role in countering regional security threats.

The shifting economic and security dynamics in favor of Morocco has enraged and shaken Algerias ruling junta which has become more paranoid than ever, standing on the cliff-edge.
Nigeria is in the grip of a severe fuel crisis, characterized by widespread shortages and dramatic price increases. The state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has raised fuel prices from 617 naira to 897 naira per liter, citing debts and rising global costs. This hike has triggered a domino effect, with private sellers pushing prices even higher, reaching up to 1,200 naira per liter in some states.

The crisis has paralyzed daily life across the country. Long queues have formed at gas stations, many of which have shut down due to fuel scarcity or to adjust their prices. In major cities like Lagos, commuters face extended waits at bus stations, while others resort to walking long distances as public transport prices have doubled.

This fuel shortage is part of a broader economic challenge facing Nigeria. President Bola Tinubus decision to remove fuel subsidies upon taking office has contributed to the worst economic crisis in a generation. The situation has sparked outrage among citizens and labor unions, who feel betrayed after recent negotiations on minimum wage.

Nigerians are now pinning their hopes on the newly operational Dangote Petroleum Refinery, though its unclear how quickly this will alleviate the current shortages and price hikes. As the crisis continues, it underscores the deep-rooted issues in Nigerias energy sector and the urgent need for sustainable solutions.
From left to right: Edward Caban, Sheena Wright, Timothy Pearson, Phil Banks. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty

On September 4, federal agents fanned out across the city with search warrants and subpoenas, seizing electronic devices belonging to at least half a dozen New York City officials, including top aides to Mayor Eric Adams and the senior leadership of the NYPD. Among the targets: First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright; her fiance, David Banks, the citys schools chancellor; Phil Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety; their brother Terence Banks, a consultant; and Tim Pearson, a mayoral adviser with significant influence within City Hall.

The Feds also seized devices belonging to NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, his brother, his chief of staff, and some precinct commanders in Manhattan. The searches were first reported by The City. The raids were reportedly part of two separate influence-peddling investigations by federal prosecutors at the Southern District of New York, though the full scope of the probes remains unclear, and so far no one has been charged.

The raids continue to reverberate. On September 12, Caban resigned as police commissioner. Just days after he stepped down, City Hall counsel Lisa Zornberg submitted her own resignation in a stunning development that has only raised more questions. And now, the head of the citys asylum-seekers operations, who works closely with Pearson, has been subpoenaed. Below is what we know about all the investigations into New York City officials so far.

The NYPD nightlife-enforcement investigation Edward Caban officially resigned from his role as NYPD commissioner on September 12 after his name emerged as part of an ongoing federal inquiry involving multiple NYPD officials in a corruption investigation regarding the departments nightclub enforcement, per NBC New York and the New York Post. Both the SDNY and the IRSs Criminal Investigation division are reportedly involved in the effort. In a letter to the members of the NYPD, Caban said that recent news has created a distraction for the department. I hold immense respect and gratitude for the brave officers who serve this department, and the NYPD deserves someone who can solely focus on protecting and serving New York City, which is why  for the good of this city and this department  I have made the difficult decision to resign as Police Commissioner, he wrote. In a brief address, Adams confirmed that he has accepted Cabans resignation, praising him for his 14 months of work and attributing a drop in citywide crime to his leadership. He concluded that this is the best decision at this time. I respect his decision, and I wish him well, he said. The mayor announced that he is appointing Tom Donlon, the former director of New Yorks Office of Homeland Security, as interim commissioner, calling him an experienced law-enforcement professional. A little over a week after he was tapped for the role, authorities executed a search warrant on Donlons residences. Its not yet clear that this latest search is related to these other ongoing probes. As part of the investigation, the FBI seized electronic devices from Caban and his twin brother, James, earlier this month. Caban is reportedly close to Mayor Adams and took over as the police departments first Latino commissioner in 2023, following the abrupt exit of Keechant Sewell, the first woman to lead the department. James Caban is a former NYPD cop with what the New York Post describes as a checkered past who did consulting work for New York nightclubs. Per NBC New York: Several sources tell NBC New York federal investigators want to know if James Caban profited from his ties to his powerful brother and the NYPD. Specifically, the investigation is looking into if James was paid by bars and clubs in midtown and Queens to act as a police liaison, and if those clubs were then afforded special treatment by local precincts, the sources said. Other questions being investigated are if officers were asked to crack down harder on clubs that did not do business with the commissioners brother or if promotions were given to officers who played along with the potential scheme, according to sources. Calls for Cabans resignation came from all sides of the political spectrum, including from progressives like City Councilmembers Lincoln Restler and Tiffany Caban (no relation to Edward) and from the traditionally conservative New York Post editorial board. The New York Times reported that City Hall was seeking Cabans resignation behind the scenes, but Adams later denied this to the press just one day before news of the commissioners impending exit went public. Previously, Caban himself described the reports as false rumors to CBS New York. The Daily News reports that other NYPD officials also had their devices seized on September 4: Sources also told the News that phones were confiscated from officers in the 10th Precinct, which includes nightlife-heavy Chelsea and Hells Kitchen. Assistant NYPD Chief James McCarthy, who oversees operations for the Manhattan South district that includes the 10th Precinct, got his phone taken by the Feds, as well, as did Raul Pintos, Commissioner Cabans chief of staff, the sources confirmed.

The investigation into the Banks brothers and other top City Hall officials According to NBC New York, the SDNY and FBI are also looking into possible dealings between City Hall and Terence Banks, a former Metropolitan Transit Authority official who now operates a consulting firm, the Pearl Alliance. Investigators are said to be looking into alleged bribery involving Terence Bankss firm and clients, who later received business contracts from the city government, per the Times. The Daily News reports that none of the employees of the Pearl Alliance were registered as lobbyists, including Banks. Terences brothers, Phil and David Banks, form their own sort of internal administration within City Hall, as Errol Louis has written. Phil, a former chief of the police department, stepped down in 2014 after being named as an unindicted co-conspirator in an NYPD corruption case. Adams nevertheless tapped him to be the deputy mayor for public safety, from which position he practically supervises the department. David, who oversees the nations largest school district, is engaged to First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. Tim Pearson also reportedly had his phone subpoenaed. Pearson served in the NYPD with Adams for decades and is said to wield a great deal of influence with the mayor. One former official described him to Politico last year as without a doubt the most powerful person in City Hall besides the mayor himself. Recently, he has been the center of controversy after facing a series of lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and retaliation against former subordinates. He was also under investigation by the city for an altercation last year in which he was accused of getting into a physical encounter with security guards at a migrant shelter. The Times reported this week that Pearson later allegedly threatened the guards, who were arrested following the incident, saying they could lose their jobs. On Friday, federal prosecutors issued a subpoena to Molly Schaeffer, the director of the citys Office of Asylum Seeker Operations. The Associated Press reports officials are seeking testimony from Schaeffer and did not seize her electronic devices. In her current role, Schaeffer works alongside Pearson, who has been tasked with handing out city contracts related to migrant shelters.

How have Mayor Adams and his administration responded?

Although the mayor has not been personally implicated, the people targeted by federal investigators this week are among the closest to the mayor, both politically and personally.

Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law, Lisa Zornberg, the mayors chief counsel, said in a statement.

Whatever information thats needed, were going to turn it over, and Im going to continue to be the mayor of the City of New York, Adams told reporters on Thursday, September 5, after the searches became public. He continued to try to keep his distance from the probes the next day:

NEW: @NYCMayor tells me I believe the information I turned over will prove I did nothing wrong, during our wide-ranging interview to air at 6:30pm tonight on our first prime-time edition of PIX on Politics. pic.twitter.com/7DxfYJz9Sm  Dan Mannarino (@DanMannarino) September 6, 2024

During the weekend following the raids, Adams surrounded himself with political supporters, attending services at two Black churches in Brooklyn. Speaking from the pulpit to one congregation, the mayor compared himself to the biblical figure Job. Job lost it all, and even his wife questioned him. Wheres your faith? Wheres God now? His friends rebuked him, he said, per the Times.

Adams fielded countless questions on the probe and the involvement of his inner circle from reporters on Wednesday. Asked if he still had confidence in Cabans ability to lead the department, Adams declined to defend him specifically. I have the utmost confidence in the New York City Police Department, he said. Days later, Caban would submit his resignation.

The mayor acknowledged having a long relationship with the Banks family but said, I hold them to the same standards that I hold myself to. He said he was less familiar with Cabans brother. I dont know James Caban that well. I know hes the brother of the commissioner, and we exchange pleasantries when we see each other, as I do with everyone, he said.

The fallout in Adamss inner circle

Caban stepping down from the NYPD was just the beginning of the fallout from the federal probes. Lisa Zornberg, Adamss chief counsel, submitted her own resignation late Saturday evening after initially issuing a statement in defense of her client in the wake of the raids.

In a letter to Adams, Zornberg wrote, It has been a great honor to serve the city. I am tendering my resignation, effective today, as I have concluded that I can no longer effectively serve in my position. I wish you nothing but the best.

News reports suggest that Zornbergs departure after more than a year serving City Hall was due to Adams declining to take her advice on how to combat the increasing scrutiny of his administration. The New York Post reports that the chief counsel had advised Adams to fire aides at the center of the most controversy, including Phil Banks, Tim Pearson and Winnie Greco, his City Halls director of Asian affairs who has been subjected to searches in connection to another federal inquiry. The Times reported further that Zornberg wanted Adams to fire all five officials whose devices were seized in addition to Greco, likely including Sheena Wright and David Banks.

Adams downplayed this reporting to members of the media on Tuesday, saying only he and Zornberg were involved in the discussion about her departure. And unless you were in that conversation, I dont know how any people can say whats the reason that she left or didnt leave, he said. So your speculations and your stories is based on your analysis and the noise that youre hearing. No one was on that conversation but the two of us.

What about the other federal probes involving Eric Adams? According to multiple reports, the new searches appear to be unrelated to the U.S. Attorneys Offices ongoing inquiry into the links between Adamss 2021 mayoral campaign and Turkey. Last month, Adams and his campaign committee were served with grand-jury subpoenas in connection with that inquiry. Specifically, prosecutors are said to be looking into whether Adamss campaign conspired with the Turkish government to direct illegal foreign donations into its coffers. Theyre also reportedly investigating whether Adams, who has long boasted of his relationship with Turkey and the Turkish community, received free flight upgrades while traveling on Turkish Airlines. That investigation first became public knowledge after the FBI raided the home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser for Adams, last November. On the same day, agents raided the home of Rana Abbasova, another City Hall aide who worked in the mayors Office for International Affairs. (Abbasova is now cooperating with the authorities.) That same month, Adams himself was stopped on the street by FBI agents who had a search warrant for his electronic devices, which were seized and later returned to him. A few months later, in February, FBI agents also raided homes owned by Winnie Greco, Adamss director of Asian affairs, as well as the New World Mall in Queens, where Greco hosted several campaign events for Adams when she worked as a fundraiser for his mayoral campaign. Greco was temporarily put on leave but has since returned to work at City Hall.

What will the investigations mean for Mayor Adamss reelection campaign? The growing legal entanglements around Adams and his administration are destined to become a major point in the upcoming mayoral race. Last Thursday, Scott Stringer, one of several Democrats running against him, criticized the mayor for the company he keeps. Eric Adams ran on curbing chaos and disorder, yet there is nothing more chaotic than a mayor distracted by his inner circle getting raided by the Feds. You cant clean up this citys problems when your own house is a mess, Stringer said. Comptroller Brad Lander, who recently announced his own primary challenge against Adams, said, Amidst an unending stream of stories about the Adams administration being raided and investigated by federal law enforcement, it is clear that New Yorkers are not getting the steady leadership we deserve. Zellnor Myrie, a Brooklyn state senator who launched a primary bid, said following Cabans resignation, As our citys housing shortage worsens and the cost of living rises, New Yorkers deserve steady, focused leadership from City Hall  rather than constant turnover and distractions. State Senator Jessica Ramos of Queens, the most recent addition to the race, explicitly referenced Adamss legal troubles in her announcement video, airing clips of news reports about the federal investigations. You never have to wonder who Im working for or whos paying me, she said. We need to bring that trust back to City Hall. Criticism of the ongoing controversy surrounding Adams and his inner circle extends beyond his current challengers. After Caban stepped down, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a longtime critic of Adams, said in a statement that New Yorkers have little trust in the administration, and little information from the mayor to help restore it.

This post has been updated throughout.

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Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty

On Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department unveiled a bombshell indictment in New Yorks Southern District, alleging that Russia was behind the funding of a United Statesbased right-wing media company and that it used the businesss influencers to push disinformation and Russia-backed propaganda. The company, Tenet Media, employs several prominent conservative commentators, including Benny Johnson and Tim Pool. None of the commentators have been implicated in any legal wrongdoing. Heres what we know so far.

What does the indictment say?

It charges two Russian nationals, 31-year-old Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and 27-year-old Elena Afanasyeva, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment alleges that they are employees of Russia Today, a state-controlled media organization that was forced to cease American operations in 2022 following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Prosecutors say that Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva helped to funnel nearly $10 million from foreign entities to an American right-wing media organization. The company, which went unnamed in the filing, has been identified in news reports as Tenet Media, a Nashville-based business that shares conservative content through Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.

Tenet is said to have received approximately 30 wire transfers from foreign entities totaling approximately $9.7 million from around October 2023 to August 2024, with the bulk of those funds directed to its paid commentators. The money was distributed through shell companies based in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Mauritius.

Per the indictment, the two suspects assumed fake identities that allowed them to work with Tenet Media, with Kalashnikov posing as an outside editor and proceeding to monitor Tenets internal communications and edited content. Under two false names, Afanasyeva sought out raw footage from Tenet commentators and actively urged employees to push RT messaging through the social-media platform X, even posting links to 841 video clips herself. Neither of them identified themselves as RT employees.

In one instance, Afanasyeva helped push one of the Tenet creators to post about a 2024 terrorist attack on a Moscow music venue, specifically that the attackers were from Ukraine rather than ISIS as had been reported. I think we can focus on the Ukraine/U.S. angle, she reportedly said in a Discord message. [T]he mainstream media spread fake news that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack yet ISIS itself never made such statements. All terrorists are now detained while they were heading to the border with Ukraine which makes it even more suspicious why they would want to go to Ukraine to hide.

What is Tenet Media?

Tenet Media was founded by Lauren Chen, a conservative internet personality, and her husband Liam Donovan. The company was officially incorporated in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2022, per reporting from the Tennessean. On its website, Tenet describes itself as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues, the same wording used in the indictment.

Chen and Donovan are clearly referenced as Founder-1 and Founder-2 in the filing, which describes the two as actively seeking funding from Russia for their company. Prosecutors also allege that they recruited influencers to their company while hiding the source of their funding through the use of an invented investor named Eduard Grigoriann, with the couple going as far as sharing a fake profile and biography to address any questions from potential hires.

On Thursday, Semafor reported that Chen has been fired by Blaze Media after the Justice Departments indictment. She worked as a host for BlazeTV, the companys premium subscription service.

Tenet has about 316,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel and tens of thousands more to its Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram accounts. The company counts prominent conservative names such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, and Matt Christiansen among its employees.

What have Tenets creators said?

Some of Tenets biggest names have spoken out following the Justice Departments indictment.

Tim Pool, who hosts the Culture War podcast on Tenet, denied any involvement with the alleged scheme. Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims, he wrote. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed.

Benny Johnson, the creator of The Benny Show, issued a similar statement on social media, claiming he had nothing to do with the allegations. A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated, he wrote. We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.
Photo: Hugo Yu

Walk into nearly any drugstore or supermarket and at least half an aisle is lined with different types of toothpaste. While its nice to have options for nearly any issue, sorting through them to find the best toothpaste is overwhelming. In the past, I have always gravitated toward any tube of Colgate or Crest  two brands my dentists have recommended  without a second thought. But after taking on this story a year ago and consulting a panel of dentists, Ive learned the importance of the ADA stamp of approval, the differences between fluorides (and which ones the gold standard), and other ingredients to look for or avoid depending on your specific needs. Read the What were looking for section for more details, then check out our expert-recommended picks whether youre looking for a toothpaste to brighten your pearly whites or help with sensitivity. And while were talking oral health, consider upgrading to an electric toothbrush or water flosser, too.

Update on September 23, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.

What were looking for ADA Seal of Acceptance The American Dental Association is the leading authority on dentistry in the U.S., which is why Dr. Lana Rozenberg, a dentist at Rozenberg Dental NYC, says, When in doubt, let ADA steer you in the right direction. If you see a label saying ADA Seal of Acceptance, then its been tested and will provide effective protection against tooth decay. This is the case for most of the toothpastes we listed, but we did provide a few natural alternatives that dont have the seal mainly because they dont have fluoride (more on that below). A note on fluoride for babies and children: Dentists note that its important for them not to ingest too much of it. Dr. Rashmi Ambewadikar, a dentist at Astoria Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, recommends children under the age of 3 should use toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice and children three and up should use a pea-size amount. Contains fluoride or fluoride free Fluoride was the No. 1 ingredient recommended by the dentists we spoke to. Thats because it remineralizes your teeth in the earliest phase of tooth decay, often replacing minerals that have become lost and might lead to a cavity, explains Rozenberg, adding that it also strengthens teeth for even more protection against tooth decay. There were a few non-fluoride options mentioned that we included, but its worth noting that most of the dentists we spoke to would not recommend a fluoride-free toothpaste. [Without fluoride] youre skipping out on the main thing doing the work in your toothpaste, says Dr. Mitch Zientz, a dentist at Wellspring Dental. Contains SLS or SLS free Sodium lauryl sulfate is found in most toothpastes: Its the ingredient that causes the toothpaste to foam. But some people are allergic to it or develop mouth sores from it. We included some SLS-free options here in case you have an intolerance, or if youre looking for something with less additives. Added benefits You might be on the market for a toothpaste that tackles a specific issue. Weve highlighted which ones have added benefits, be it whitening, for sensitive teeth, aiding with gum health, and more. Flavor This comes down to preference. Most toothpastes are mint-flavored, but in case youre mint-averse or just want to switch things up, we included non-mint options, too.

Best overall toothpaste

Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste $8 for 2 $8 for 2 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target Benefits: Gum health, bad breath | Flavor: Mint After reporting this story last year, I made the switch to Colgates Total Whitening Toothpaste. This leaves my teeth feeling squeaky clean after every brush, and the minty flavor is pleasantly strong without being overpowering. What was most convincing to me was dentists emphasis on the toothpastes ingredients. Dr. Ben El Chami, the co-founder and chief dental officer at dntl bar, says it has everything to improve gums and teeth health. Rozenberg mentioned stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride, and calcium phosphate, because these ingredients bond to weakened tooth enamel, forming patches, much like patches sewn into worn-out fabric. Dr. Golda A. Erdfarb, an associate professor of dentistry at Touro College of Dentistry, also calls out stannous fluoride because its antimicrobial, so it helps fight bacteria that causes bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Plus, Erdfarb says it tastes great. (And while this formula does have some whitening benefits, youll see below that a different toothpaste is my favorite for whitening. It has hydrogen peroxide, a more efficient whitener.) $8 for 2 at Amazon Buy $8 for 2 at Walmart Buy

Best less expensive overall toothpaste

Crest Pro Health Smooth Formula Toothpaste, Clean Mint $9 for 3 $10 now 10% off $9 for 3 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefits: Gum health | Flavor: Mint Crest Pro Health was another toothpaste repeatedly recommended by dentists. Zientz recommends the Crest Pro Health line at his practice for similar reasons as the best overall pick: It contains stannous fluoride. This not only helps with the bacteria-fighting and enamel-strengthening aspects that we expect all fluorides to do, but also with controlling plaque and biofilm buildup and contributes significantly to overall gum health, says Zientz. You can purchase a three-pack of Crest Pro Health for almost the same price as the two-pack above, making it our best budget pick. $9 for 3 at Amazon Buy

Best toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Sensodyne Pronamel Toothpaste $19 now 5% off $18 for 3 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Sensitive teeth | Flavor: Mint Tooth sensitivity happens when dentin, the water-filled layer underneath enamel, is exposed. Erdfarb explains that exposed dentin sends pain messaging to the brain. She, Rozenberg, and Ambewadikar all suggest Sensodyne Pronamel because its specifically formulated to block the exposed dentin. Its like closing off a body of water. If nothings touching the water, theres no ripple effect. If theres no vibration, theres no pain, says Erdfarb. Weve included Sensodynes Daily Protection Toothpaste, but the line also makes an SLS-free version, in case youre also sensitive to the ingredient. $18 for 3 at Amazon Buy $14 for 2 at Target Buy

Best SLS-free toothpaste

Best whitening toothpaste

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste - 3-Pack $15 now 20% off $12 for 3 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Whitening | Flavor: Wintergreen Colgate Optic White shows up in my guide to the best teeth whiteners, and Ive started using it myself about once a week in rotation with my daily Crest Total toothpaste. While other whitening toothpastes rely only on physical tooth polishers (like silica or calcium carbonate) to scrub stains off teeth, Colgates Optic White uses a chemical whitener (hydrogen peroxide) and works well, according to Rozenberg. Since bringing this into my oral-care routine, I noticed my teeth are slightly brighter after brushing with it. It hasnt fully replaced my daily toothpaste, however, because Dr. Elisa Mello of NYC Smile Design says everyday use can lead to sensitivity. Instead, she recommends using it judiciously. $12 for 3 at Amazon Buy $13 for 3 at Walmart Buy

Best whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Arm & Hammer Advance White Baking Soda and Peroxide Toothpaste - 3 $21 now 37% off $13 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Whitening | Flavor: Clean Mint For a whitening toothpaste you can use daily that wont cause as much sensitivity, Dr. Mello recommends Arm & Hammers Advance White. On the toothpaste-abrasiveness scale, it ranks much lower than Colgates Optic White, meaning it can help with both tooth sensitivity and staining in the long run. The problem with whitening toothpastes is that theyre very abrasive, and while being abrasive can remove superficial stains on the surface of your teeth, it also can remove enamel or scratch your teeth, says Mello. In the short term, youre seeing a great result, but in the long term, you may have a scratch on the surface thats easier to stain, and thats a problem. $13 at Amazon Buy $13 at Amazon Buy

Best SLS-free whitening toothpaste

Sensodyne Extra Whitening Toothpaste $20 now 5% off $19 for 3 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | SLS free | Target benefit: Whitening | Flavor: Mint Sensodynes Extra Whitening formula has the same dentin-blocking ingredients as the Pronamel option, making it beneficial for sensitive teeth. Ambewadikar also suggested it as an effective SLS-free option. It contains hydrated silica, a physical tooth polisher, but it doesnt contain a chemical whitener. It may not be as effective at whitening as the Optic White, but if youre sensitive to SLS or have tooth sensitivity, this is a good option to use in conjunction with a teeth whitener. $19 for 3 at Amazon Buy

Best non-mint-flavored toothpaste

Crest Cinnamon Toothpaste $23 for 2 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Whitening | Flavor: Cinnamon If you dont like the taste of mint, Zientz turned us to Crests cinnamon-flavored toothpaste. He likes that it contains fluoride, unlike other flavored toothpastes. Its worth noting though that unlike the other Crest toothpaste he recommended, this one doesnt contain stannous fluoride, only sodium fluoride (which still comes with benefits). $23 for 2 at Amazon Buy

Best fluoride-free toothpaste

Toms of Maine Fluoride-Free Rapid Relief Sensitive Toothpaste $18 for 3 $18 for 3 Not ADA approved | Fluoride free | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Sensitive teeth | Flavor: Mint As we mentioned, most dentists dont suggest a toothpaste that doesnt contain fluoride. However, Rozenberg did suggest Toms of Maine because it contains xylitol, a plus for fighting cavities, she says. It also contains SLS, which is thought to help remove debris through foaming saponification, or what we see as sudsing, bubbling, foaming texture, she explains. But as weve noted, SLS can be irritating to sensitive teeth and gums. $18 for 3 at Amazon Buy

Best toothpaste tablet

Bite Toothpaste Bits $48 $48 Not ADA approved | Fluoride-free and fluoride options | SLS free | Target benefit: Sensitive teeth | Flavors: Mint or berry Another fluoride-free toothpaste recommended by Rozenberg is this one from Bite. Rather than a conventional paste, it comes in a solid tablet form and is packaged in a plastic-free container. I took mine on a recent trip to Austin, and it was extremely convenient to travel with. The bits are easy to bite down on and turn into a subtle minty foam once you start brushing with a wet toothbrush. It is a strange sensation, especially if youre used to conventional toothpaste, but I got used to it after a couple of brushes. And while the mint flavor isnt as strong as my usual Colgate toothpaste, my mouth still felt clean afterward. Like the above, Rozenberg points out that its formulated with xylitol. You can get it in a traditional mint flavor as well as a berry flavor. And if you want the benefits of fluoride, Bite offers a mint-with-fluoride version, too. $48 at Bite Buy

Best toothpaste for babies

Best SLS-free toothpaste for babies

Best mint-flavored toothpaste for babies

Aquafresh Kids Cavity Protection Bubble Mint $11 $11 ADA approved | Contains fluoride | Contains SLS | Target benefit: Cavity prevention | Flavor: Bubblemint To get your kid more acquainted with mintier flavors, Ambewadikar also suggested this Aquafresh toothpaste. It combines the freshness of mint with the sweetness of bubblegum. And its made with kid-friendly packaging: Its stand-up bottle features a pump, so no squeezing is necessary, she says. $11 at Walmart Buy

Our experts

 Dr. Rashmi Ambewadikar, dentist at Astoria Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

 Dr. Inna Chern, dentist at New York General Dentistry

 Dr. Ben El Chami, co-founder and chief dental officer at dntl bar

 Dr. Golda A. Erdfarb, DDS, associate professor of dentistry at Touro College of Dentistry

 Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov, dentist at Dental House

 Dr. Lana Rozenberg, dentist at Rozenberg Dental NYC

 Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, pediatrician at Carnegie Hill Pediatrics

 Dr. Mitch Zientz, dentist at Wellspring Dental

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Oil prices will soon stabilize, Gazprom Nefts CEO Alexander Dyukov said on Thursday, despite current price woes that have cratered the price of Brent to below $74 per barrel.

OPEC+ could also choose to make changes to the current production cut deal, which is set to begin the process of unwinding in October, Dyukov said but added that there was no need to rush to any decision.

The current OPEC+ deal and the idea that the group could decide to add production back in as planned in October is precisely what is contributing to current oil price pressures. Although any increases to production quotasor unwinding of the production cutswould largely be offset by Libyas recent production outages, the mere mention of OPEC following through on its plan to add production back has sent prices downward.

Oil prices have dropped off more than $6 per barrel over the last week, with Brent crude sinking to $73.41 as of Thursday morning, from more than $80 per barrel this same time last week.

WTI is now trading just a hair above $70 per barrel, down from nearly $76 per barrel a week ago.

Russias Ministry of Energy communicates its quotas set out by OPEC+ to Gazprom Neft. Last year, Gazprom Neft reached its highest-ever sales revenue of 3.5 trillion rubles, with an EBITDA of 1.3 trillion rubles. This performance was achieved despite sanctions and price caps imposed by the West.

Russias Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said at the beginning of the year that the countrys oil production would stay mostly the same this year at roughly 10.6 million barrels per day.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
An oil tanker has been approved to dock and load crude oil at Libyas Zueitina port on Friday, engineers told Reuters as the rival governments in the east and west appear to be nearing a compromise in their dispute that has led to a crude production and export halt in the African OPEC producer.

The Kriti Samaria has been allowed entry to the oil export terminal of Zueitina, where she is expected to load 600,000 barrels of crude oil. The tanker is allowed to load crude from storage tanks and will be bound for Italy with the cargo, according to the engineers who spoke to Reuters.

Part of Libyas production and exports were halted at the beginning of last week due to a political standoff over the leadership of the OPEC producers central bank.

Oil production at several Libyan oilfields was halted on August 27 after the rival government in the east announced a stop to all oil production and exports from Libya.

Libya, which pumps about 1.2 million bpd of oil, was plunged into a deeper political crisis earlier in August over a row about the leadership of the Central Bank of Libya, the only internationally recognized depository of Libyas oil revenues.

The internationally recognized government in the capital city in the west, Tripoli, was trying to replace Sadiq Al-Kabir, the governor of the Central Bank of Libya. This has led to the latest controversy between the Eastern and Western governments and political factions, threatening again to reduce Libyas oil production and exports.

This week, Libyas feuding political factions reached an agreement on the mechanism and timelines for appointing the Central Bank Governor and Board of Directors in consultations hosted by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Discussions under UNSMIL supervision are set to continue until September 9.

The possible end in sight to the latest threat to Libyan oil exports contributed to the oil price rout earlier this week when Brent settled nearly 5% lower on Tuesday.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Two days ago, the U.S. Justice Department announced it had seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros Falcon 900EX plane, citing a possible breach of U.S. export control and sanctions laws. Washington claims the plane was illegally purchased for $13 million and allegedly acquired through a Caribbean-based shell company. The seizure of the plane is an ironic twist in Maduros crypto schemes to circumvent Western sanctions, having previously declared it legal to purchase jet fuel using Venezuelas controversial oil-backed cryptocurrency, the petro.

Six years ago, Maduro unveiled the infamous petro cryptocurrency under the so-called PdVSA-Crypto scheme. With Caracas strangled by Washington's economic sanctions, Maduro launched Petro as a last-ditch attempt to raise cash, vowing that Petro would "allow new forms of international financing." The embattled president revealed that 100 million Petro tokens worth around $6 billion would be issued. The petro was to be backed by Venezuelas vast oil reserves, prompting the Venezuelan parliament to label it an illegal attempt to mortgage the countrys oil. Not to be confused with Signal Capital Managements re-launched (and genuine) crypto the PetroDollar (XPD), Venezuelas petro crypto was valued at $60 or 3,600 sovereign bolivars, each. As part of commodity-backed cryptos, Petro was probably doomed to fail, mainly due to trust issues. Whereas Venezuela is home to the worlds largest oil reserves, few believed Maduros government would keep its word and actually maintain the necessary reserves to backstop the petro.

Related: Adnoc To Buy 35% Stake In ExxonMobils Blue Hydrogen Plant

It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when the petro crypto was shattered in January 2024 and all holdings liquidated amid poor adoption and corruption scandals. Petros darkest hour came after officials from PDVSA, the state-owned oil company, sold crude shipments and received payments of up to $20 billion in cryptocurrency and other fiat currencies channeled through Sunacrip, the national cryptocurrency watchdog. However, these funds were never reported to the national treasury. This resulted in the arrest of former PDVSA President Tareck El Aissami and former Sunacrip head Joselit Ramirez. Further, Sunacrip was forced to enter a restructuring period over a year ago. But Venezuelas crypto crisis did not end there. Back in May, the countrys National Power Ministry seized over 17,000 mining machines in a bid to lower power consumption as the country went through constant blackouts, forcing hundreds of crypto miners to pull the plug on operations.

Venezuela Sanctions To Continue

The seizure of Maduros plane comes just two months after the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) eased some sanctions on Venezuela but retained sanctions on PdVSA. OFAC issued a new license allowing certain transactions related to the export or re-export of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Venezuela until July 8, 2025. However, transactions with Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company in which PdVSA has a 50 percent or greater interest, remain prohibited under the sanctions imposed by various executive orders. The previous general license permitted transactions related to oil or gas sector operations in Venezuela but expired on April 18. Back then, Washington's position was that Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro and his representatives had failed to fully meet the obligations outlined in the electoral roadmap signed with the opposition in Barbados in October 2023.

Well, that was before Venezuelas disastrous presidential elections, meaning its highly unlikely that the U.S. will Venezuelas oil sanctions any time soon.

In last months elections, Maduro and his representatives tampered with the results of the election, falsely claimed victory, and carried out widespread repression to maintain power. Washington acknowledges that opposition contender Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia received the most votes, noting that the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) has failed to substantiate its announced results by producing original tally sheets, as it did following the 2013 and 2018 elections despite repeated calls from Venezuelans and the international community. A judge in Venezuela has even issued an arrest warrant for the 75-year-old Gonzalez, a former diplomat, for allegedly failing to appear three times to answer questions on charges including conspiracy and falsifying documents in relation to the election.

The sanctions have been inimical to Venezuelas oil sector: Venezuela's crude oil production has declined sharply from 3.2 million b/d in 2000 to 735,000 b/d currently mainly due to export restrictions and poor maintenance. In contrast, crude output by neighboring Argentina has been increasing with libertarian President Milei vowing to shake up the system.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Poland's foreign minister suggested that NATO members have a "duty" to shoot down Russian missiles approaching their airspace.

Another overnight Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine included major strikes on the far western city of Lviv, which lies hundreds of miles from the front lines, which resulted in seven people killed, according to Ukrainian authorities.

These stepped-up strikes are widely viewed as retaliation for Kiev forces' ongoing Kursk cross-border offensive. But given that missiles rained down so close in proximity to Ukraine's border with Poland, Polish aerial forces were scrambled during the attack.

Reuters reports that Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled for the third time in eight days to closely monitor the inbound projectiles, and were ready to intercept them in the event the missiles approached Polish airspace.

The incident shows how easily NATO aircraft could jump into the fight against Russian airpower on Ukraine's behalf. Warsaw has complained of recent airspace violations by Russian projectiles, including a drone that went down in its territory on Aug.26.

Earlier this week Poland's foreign minister sparked fresh controversy within the NATO military alliance by saying that member states have a 'duty' to shoot down incoming Russian missiles when they are in Ukraine's skies threatening the population below.

"Membership in Nato does not trump each countrys responsibility for the protection of its own airspace  its our own constitutional duty," FM Rados?aw Sikorski told the Financial Times. The comments showed little concern over the possibility that such action risks major escalation with Russia.

"Im personally of the view that, when hostile missiles are on course of entering our airspace, it would be legitimate self-defense [to strike them] because once they do cross into our airspace, the risk of debris injuring someone is significant," the Polish top diplomat had said.

Without doubt, Poland constitutes ground zero for NATO's 'eastern flank' and has been engaged in a massive defense spending drive and military build-up since the Feb.2022 Russian invasion began.

Below are some stats and recent defense spending developments via Al Jazeera:

On Tuesday, Warsaw announced new military deals worth $520m , the latest move in a drive to beef up its defence prompted by Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Poland currently spends 4 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense  the highest ratio of any NATO member  and hopes to boost the number to 4.7 percent next year.

Last month, Warsaw signed a $10bn deal to buy 96 Apache attack helicopters from US manufacturer Boeing. They will replace outdated Russian Mi-24 helicopters.

Warsaw has also announced a deal to buy hundreds of AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles , as well as a contract for 48 launchers for US-designed Patriot air defence systems .

Polands army has 200,000 soldiers, making it NATOs third largest after the United States and Turkey , and the biggest in the European Union.

As for Poland's push to get NATO leadership to sign on to new rules of engagement regarding Russian strikes, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is soon expected to retire from the top post, has issued some pushback.

Prior Russian aerial assaults have targeted a military base just tens of kilometers from the Polish border...

Stoltenberg rejected the Polish proposal and asserted that it presents too much risk of NATO "becoming part of the conflict." Of course, at this point this seems to be exactly what Zelensky wants--to drag the West deeper into the war on Ukraine's behalf.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
OPEC+ has reached a deal to delay the unwinding of its production cuts that were planned to begin in October, anonymous OPEC+ sources told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The group now plans to ease output cuts beginning in December.

OPEC+s existing plan is to begin the careful process of rolling back the current voluntary production cuts starting next month, which would see 180,000 bpd added back into the market in October. OPEC+ has long maintained that its plan to roll back the cuts was a tentative one and dependent on market balance. While the global oil markets are currently believed to be in deficit, oil prices are falling and are down nearly $7 per barrel in the last week alone.

OPEC+ members have given up oil market share in an effort to balance the market. Meanwhile, other non-OPEC+ members have snapped up what OPEC+ has given up. Some OPEC+ members have also received criticism for not fully adhering to its agreed-upon production plan.

News that OPEC will delay its plans to add production back at a time when oil prices are sinking has bolstered prices by more than 1%. The markets have seemingly been unconcerned with fundamentals as of late, which are indicated a slight deficit exists. Instead, the markets have been more in tune with poor economic data and the subsequent oil demand fears out of China and the United Statesand it appears OPEC+ is eyeing this economic data as well.

Oil prices crashed earlier in the week after the market began to anticipate additional production from the OPEC+ group, and on news that certain members like Iraq were continuing to increase, and August survey data showed that Libyas significant output decrease was partially offset by the groups quota violators.

Oil prices had perked up on Thursday morning, trading at a 1.21% gain as of 10:30 am.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Gambian President Adama Barrow, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cai Qi, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Thursday met with Gambian President Adama Barrow, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

At the opening ceremony of the FOCAC summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the elevation of the overall characterization of China-Africa relations to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, along with 10 partnership actions for modernization. This was warmly received by the attendees, said Cai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

The implementation of the summit's outcomes is a top priority for China-Africa cooperation at present and for the foreseeable future, Cai said, adding that China is willing to work with Gambia to implement the new measures unveiled during the summit and advance China-Gambia relations to a new level.

Barrow said President Xi's speech at the opening ceremony is of great significance, sending a strong signal to advance Africa-China relations and boosting the confidence of African countries. Gambia will firmly abide by the one-China principle and join hands with China to implement the summit's outcomes and further advance bilateral relations. 

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Gambian President Adama Barrow, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
Police in Asaba have arrested two men in connection with the kidnapp of an Egyptian Engineer, Reda Hasanin.

The victim was lured from Egypt with the pretence of awarding his firm a contract by a group of kidnappers led by one Sunny (surname unknown).

The arrest of the two suspects came as a result of alarm raised by people in the area.

According to the chief informant, Anthony Ibe (not his real name) he heard someone shouting for help on Sunday morning. He said he became worried at the persistance of the shout which prompted him to move in the direction of the shout.

He added that on locating the building where the south emanated from, he met other curious people from the neighborhood who demanded what was happening in the house.

One of the suspects came out and told them that it was a family affair. He said the noise was coming from his younger brother who went to Europe and came back with nothing after the family had expended over two million naira on him.

The informant revealed that he personally insisted on seeing the brother but the suspect pleaded for time. He later brought someone to them and claimed he was his brother who shouting.

Anthony said he alerted the police when he was not satisfied with the explanation given.

When the police arrived the scene, they discovered the Egyptian who was already unconscious and in a pool of blood probably from injury he sustained on his head for daring to shout for help.

He was however resuscitated and taken to hospital for more treatment.

The image maker of Delta state Police Command, ASP Chuks Orisewezie confirmed the rescue of the Egyptian when contacted.

He, however, revealed that the two suspects have been transfered to the Force Headquatres, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the informant, Anthony Ibe has cried out to well meaning nigerians to come to his rescue to relocate from the area.

He said his life is in danger as a result of the role he played in the rescue of the Egyptian.

While speaking to journalists, Anthony revealed that his family has fled home as a result of fear and advice from friends and relations.

 As I am talking to you now, my wife and children have left home for fear of being attacked because these suspects are connected. I believe their members are everywhere and everybody in the area already know I played a major role in the rescue and I also called the police, he said.

Other neighbours who spoke to our reporter revealed that shout for help from different voices from the building have been on for years and they expressed belief that with the arrest already made, such things would stop in the area.

Attachments area
Imo Government has announced a postponement of the planned working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state.

The postponement was contained in a statement issued in Owerri on Tuesday by Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Rochas Okorocha.

Onwuemeodo said that the visit earlier slated for Tuesday was postponed because of the presidents holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president was scheduled to visit Imo to commission some key projects executed by Okorochas administration.

Onwuemeodo, who pleaded for peoples understanding over the postponement, said, we regret the inconvenience that this development might have caused.

He said that a new date would be announced upon the presidents return to Nigeria.
NORMAL  Top Illinois State University administrators are declaring their commitment to inclusion and belonging on campus, and their plans to stay abreast of a hate crime investigation, after a Wednesday afternoon rally condemning discrimination of queer students on campus.

Dozens of students rallied 10 days after the ISU Police Department issued an advisory on Facebook stating that four suspects confronted a student and knocked him off his scooter in the early morning hours of Aug. 24 outside the Bone Student Center. Investigators said the student was repeatedly punched in the face and called offensive, homophobic terms, prompting the police department to investigate the incident as a hate crime.

Wednesday's march began with a gathering of 50 people at Shroeder Plaza. The crowd circled around the quad and stopped in front of the Hovey Hall administrative office, where speakers decried a lack of any statement from ISU President Aondover Tarhule since the hate crime was reported.

Rally speakers, however, sought further reassurance that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer students would be protected on campus.

In a statement provided to The Pantagraph on Wednesday evening after the rally, Tarhule said: "Inclusion and belonging are important to me, ISU leadership, and our students, faculty, and staff.

"The ISU PD has kept me apprised of this active investigation," the university president continued. "As officers continue to gather information, our Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer has been in communication with groups on campus following this reported incident to reinforce our values of equity, diversity, access, and belonging, and we will continue this engagement moving forward.

"Additionally, we will continue to work with our campus partners to determine how to best offer support to our entire campus community."

ISU PD had previously stated, "Understandably, a crime such as this creates significant concern on our campus. We are focused on the safety of our entire Redbird community. We care about you and your safety and are committed to ensuring a safe campus environment in which everyone can learn, work, and thrive."

Chants voiced at the rally included, No assimilation, trans liberation, Five, six, seven, eight, theres no place for queer hate, and, hey hey, ho ho, discriminations got to go.

The assembly had grown to about 75 people by the time they stopped outside Hovey Hall. The first speaker was Andrew Franson, who said he shouldnt have had to be standing there.

Never in my life could I have imagined the oppression that I faced at home would follow me here, said Franson, a freshman majoring in history education and who is originally from Mokena. Franson said it was hard to be openly gay at home because of the views of some extended relatives.

I hear slurs almost every time I'm at home. It shouldn't follow me here, he said.

When going to college, Franson said he hoped for once he'd be able to escape the battles he fought at home, and the memory of being glared at in high school for being proud of who he is. He said it hurts to be discriminated against, and to see students like himself get harassed on campus.

He emphasized that as of Wednesday afternoon, President Tarhule had not yet made a public comment on the alleged hate crime, and the suffering that followed among the queer community because of the crime.

It doesn't take a lot to say 'we do not tolerate hate here,' but for (Tarhule), it does, said Franson.

'Banding together'

Kassidy Wiskari spoke on behalf of rally organizers. The junior majoring in art education said last months hate crime occurred only 200 yards from where their rally concluded at Hovey Hall.

A student was attacked and called homophobic names and we just thought that that was unacceptable. Our (university) president hasnt made a comment on it yet, which is also unacceptable, she said.

Wiskari said the queer community at ISU should know they are supported and that there are resources for them to understand they have a right to be here, and they shouldnt fear for their lives.

ISUs queer student community is feeling a lot of anxiety and fright after the hate crime report, she said, but theyre very strong, and were all banding together over this."

We all want everyone to know that they have a place on this campus, and we're not backing down, we're not going anywhere, Wiskari said.

She said that in addition to demanding a comment from President Tarhule, they're demanding a statement on any plans to ensure students are kept safe on campus, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity.

We just want to know that our queer students are going to be protected, and how theyre going to do that, Wiskari said.

And if the suspects involved in the hate crime are identified, Wiskari said they want them to be brought to justice.

Also attending the rally was Lon Flowers, a university staff member. Flowers said he was excited to see representation from the campus community at the rally, but also saddened that more people in positions of power werent attending.

Representation is incredibly important, and allyship and solidarity are not practices that can be done in silence, said Flowers. And, silence in (and of) itself is a statement.

This article has been updated to include comment from ISU President Aondover Tarhule.

The Bistros Pridefest 2024 Sharon ShareAlike Frankie, Ava, Celexa and Sharon ShareAlike Thom Rakestraw, Pridefest organizer Jan Lancaster, Tom Smith Amelia and Laura O'Connor Kennedy and Kayla Thomas Donny B., Chrissy Singh, Larry B. Sporting their Pride colors Former Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner Kristy DeWall, Katie Reeter, Rishi B., Drew Hileman Kristen Krienert and Brian Pihl with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal Elle Lyons Ashly Muirhead Marita Landreth performing karaoke Kyle Walter creating street art Hannah Steck and Molly Clemente checking out one of the many booths Asante Anglade, Hannah Steck, Molly Clemente Costumed karaoke performer Christina Rogers, Jen Hooker Cory Dawson, Brian Paton, LaNell Greenberg Taking advantage of the Connect Transit cooling bus Shuga Beatz Don Tjaden, Christopher Thomas Josh Waggoner, Caleb Blumhardt Alexa Evans, Vicki Tilton, Jenna Pirtle, Murphy Tutter Rob Golliday taking a picture of Heidi Carr Sharon ShareAlike, Karla Bailey-Smith Steve and Julie Kubsch, Kris Kubsch, Tracie Noah, Erika Fiola Sporting the Specs wear: Pride Idol judges Julie Kubsch, Susan Saunders, Jonell Kehias Allison Nguyen, Lawrence Lair Karolina Carpenter, Mayaih Russell Brandon Watson, Chad Hill Mary Johnston and Leon Castaneda share a hug Em Emeritz, Melanie Yoeckel Erik Hansen and Cody Hendricks Eamon Shaw, Ashley Salisbury, Danny Bugg, Jazmine Tabili Pride Idol judges Susan Saunders, Julie Smith, Julie Kubsch Pride Idol host Celexa ShareAlike going over judging procedures with Julie Smith BN Pridefest Choir organizer Leslie Adams, Jan Lancaster BN Pridefest Choir BN Pridefest Choir director Deonte Mosley Judges give the BN Pridefest Choir a score of a perfect 10 Pride Idol judges with Pridefest organizer Jan Lancaster (3rd from left) Pride Idol host Celexa ShareAlike Pride Idol contestant Owen Pride Idol contestant Katelynn Pride Idol contestant Travis Pride Idol contestant Kelly Pride Idol contestant Star Lyht Bistro Holiday Idol winner Jay Jay awarding Pride Idol winner Kelly her prize basket DJ Rakestraw Chicago Gay Mens Chorus Members of the Chicago Gay Mens Chorus Nicole Adamson, Dakoda Neal Frankie ShareAlike Celexa ShareAlike Mahogany Knight reaching for tips from fans Mahogany Knight Rita Tarot thrills the crowd Rita Tarot Axel ShareAlike Foxie ShareAlike Foxie ShareAlike Jessie Jonze Jessie Jonze Artemisia Van Ho getting a tip from a young fan Artemisia Van Ho Bianca Bianca
Eric Tsiri, Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic Bank Ghana, has reiterated the banks readiness to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.



Mr. Tsiri said this on an X-Spaces discussion on the topic Access to Finance: Bridging the Gap for SMEs. He noted that contrary to the common misconception that banks are reluctant to finance SMEs, banks, particularly Stanbic Bank are rather eager to provide financial support to businesses despite the challenges as it is integral to their mandate.



Mr. Tsiri elaborated on some of the challenges in providing solutions for SMEs in Ghana. He mentioned that Opaqueness in business operations is one of the main challenges SMEs have. A significant number of SMEs operate with a lack of transparency, making it difficult for banks to understand their business models fully.



This opaqueness complicates the process of assessing the viability of the business for financial support. There is also the issue of the character and credibility of business owners which are critical in banking. If a business owner does not exhibit trustworthiness, banks are hesitant to provide financial assistance.



Many SMEs struggle with maintaining accurate financial records. Inadequate record-keeping makes it difficult for banks to assess the businesss financial health, further complicating the lending process. Also, the habit of issuing dishonoured cheques is a red flag for banks.



When SMEs regularly issue dud cheques, it raises concerns about their financial stability and reliability. Furthermore, access to finance is often contingent on the availability of collateral. Many SMEs, however, lack sufficient collateral to secure loans, limiting their ability to access necessary financing, Eric Tsiri added.



Speaking on the banks approach to SMEs financing, the Stanbic executive said the bank treats every case as a unique one in fashioning solutions. He said Stanbic Bank offers a range of financing options tailored to the specific needs of SMEs.



The bank does not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, we thoroughly assesse each clients business needs, cash flow, inventory, receivables, and payment terms before proposing a financing solution. Even in some cases, we may advise a client against taking a loan if it is not in their best interest.





Mr. Tsiri also mentioned some financing options the bank has available to SMEs. He mentioned



working capital support that is provided to bridge gaps in cash flow, such as when suppliers demand payment before the SMEs customers have settled their invoices and bridge financing, a short-term financing that helps businesses manage cash flow between transactions, particularly when waiting for payments on credit sales. Others are contract financing, which is offered to businesses that need funds to execute contracts, asset financing, a long-term financing that supports businesses in acquiring assets like vehicles or setting up infrastructure, with repayment structured over the useful life of the asset, and guarantees and letters of credit for international transactions.



Eric Tsiri also highlighted Stanbic Banks business incubator, which supports SMEs beyond just credit. The incubator, he said, provides access to information, markets, and networking opportunities. Additionally, the bank is exploring innovative ways to de-risk the SME sector through partnerships with fintech companies and the use of artificial intelligence.



Stanbic Bank remains committed to driving growth in Ghanas economy by supporting SMEs, which are seen as the engine of economic growth. The banks efforts in this regard are reflected in its position as the top provider of loan facilities in 2023. The bank also hosts SME clinics, such as the upcoming event in Kumasi, aimed at preparing businesses to access credit by addressing the challenges that typically hinder them.













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QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness company, acknowledges media reports regarding the arrest of 487 individuals in Kumasi. QNET is fully cooperating with the police investigation to unravel elements of misrepresentation.



However, we strongly emphasize that QNET is a legitimate direct selling business, not a Ponzi scheme, as falsely reported.



Unlike Ponzi schemes, QNETs direct selling model allows individuals to become independent distributors of QNET products, earning commissions based on sales rather than recruitment.



QNETs business model is built on product promotion and sales, not on recruiting individuals. The company has invested in educating key stakeholders, including security agencies and the public, about its business practices.



Additionally, QNET has recently launched QNET Against Scams, a comprehensive 360-degree brand awareness and anti-scam campaign to demonstrate its commitment to combating scams and addressing misrepresentation linked to the Ponzi scheme label.



Unlike ponzi schemes that typically collapse within a few months or years, QNET is 26 years old and our commitment to ethical standards remains unwavering, aligning with our mission to empower individuals through genuine opportunities and premium products.



QNET is also actively involved in empowering communities through initiatives such as FinGreen, our signature financial literacy programme that has benefitted over 2,700 individuals in Ghana, Nigeria, and Turkey.



QNET has set up a dedicated hotline on WhatsApp (+233256630005) and email [email protected] to receive reports of suspicious activities in its name for prompt action.

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BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo met on Thursday and announced the elevation of China-Ghana ties to a strategic partnership.

Akufo-Addo is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi said China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Ghana and to continue providing assistance to the best of its ability to Ghana.

China stands ready to expand cooperation with Ghana in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, energy, mineral resources and infrastructure, and hopes that Ghana will continue to offer relevant support and facilitation to Chinese enterprises and citizens, he said.

China supports Ghana in its work as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term, and is ready to enhance strategic coordination with Ghana on international and regional issues, Xi said. 
Astute medical practitioner and Board Chairman of The Trust Hospital Company Limited, Dr. Emmanuel O Addo-Yobo, has been honored for his remarkable contributions to the healthcare sector and for his significant achievements in administrative excellence at the 8th edition of the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame Awards 2024, held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on August 30th, 2024.



The initiative by the Business Executive Group, an executive association that includes top CEOs and Group Chairmen, provides a platform where members can more easily seek assistance in their respective fields without incurring costs.



This recognition affirms his tremendous contributions to the Ghanaian healthcare space, particularly his pivotal role in leading the administration of Ghanas largest private hospital.



This prestigious achievement also signifies Trust Hospital's commitment and rapid ascent in Ghana's healthcare landscape.



Dr. Addo-Yobo's exceptional leadership at the helm has ensured that all strategies are properly implemented for the growth and sustainability of Trust Hospital, leading to his induction as a member of the "Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame," the premier corporate network platform in Ghana.



Speaking with the media, Dr. Emmanuel O. Addo-Yobo mentioned that the award was a testament to the team's commitment to excellence in every aspect of their performance.



According to him, the company remains resilient in delivering on its core mandate of improving the well-being of all through its core values of sustainability, professionalism, innovation & teamwork, client focus, and excellence.



"I feel honored to be inducted into the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame. Being at the helm of affairs of an institution such as this, is a challenging task, and Im glad the hard work of the team is showing and being recognized. We are committed to giving our best even in the face of any difficulty.



Our focus is also to introduce additional services by the end of the year to increase our profitability and enhance patient outcomes.," Dr. Addo-Yobo noted.



In other news, The Trust Hospital was honored with the prestigious "Hospital of the Year" award at the Ghana Business Standards Awards ceremony, held on August 23, 2024, at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.



The Trust Mother and Child Hospital, which is the facility dedicated to women and childrens health will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on September 5th, 2024.



As they celebrate this milestone, the hospital takes pride in being the leading obstetrics, gynecological, and pediatric facility in the country, having recorded a zero maternal mortality rate in the last two years.



About Trust Hospital



The Trust Hospital operates nine facilities, including four hospitals and five clinics across Accra, offering a comprehensive range of services.



These include General Practice consultations, specialist care in Obstetrics and Gynecology, High-Risk Pregnancy Clinic, Labor Analgesia Services, Ophthalmology, ENT, Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Dental services (including teeth whitening and Invisalign), Orthopedics, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery as well as Chemotherapy and Dialysis.

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In line with the celebration of the 115th posthumous birthday of Ghanas first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, together with the Chiefs and people of Nkroful, have launched, Journey to Nkroful.



Journey to Nkroful is a remarkable experience for all Ghanaians powered by the Honourable Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, together with his colleague Members of Parliament in the Western North region, Chiefs and people from the Nzema land to celebrate the vision and tenacity of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.



In a colourful display of pomp and pageantry at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, the Journey to Nkroful was duly launched. In attendance were Members of Parliaments, Chiefs and Nzema indigenes domiciled in Accra.



As the Chief Conveyer of the event, the Ellembelle lawmaker said, Journey to Nkroful is a profound reminder of the enduring legacy of our founding father of modern Ghana.



According to him, the journey to Nkroful was started by men of valour, with the late Robert Tachie Menson, who at the time, was the Accra regional organiser of the Young pioneers, who mounted the first walk-a-thon by walking from Accra to Nkroful in one week together with other four hundred (400) young men.



Tachie Menson, together with other four hundred young men decided to make history by visiting the place of birth of one of Africas most cherished leader, popularly described as the doyen of Africas leadership, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.



Mr. Armah Kofi Buah said, The root of the Independence of Ghana, the birthing of good governance, good citizenship as well as the birthing of the collective union of African states; all these systematic features originated from Nkroful through the birth of the son of the soil, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.



Emphasising on the values, principles and aspirations of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, NDCs Parliamentary representative for Ellembelle who doubles as the Deputy minority Speaker revealed that Ghanas first President, Kwame Nkrumah played an exceptional and peerless role in the struggle for Independence with a clear vision of seeing a Ghana free from colonial rule thereby seeing to it that the dignity and self-respect of every Ghanaian is upheld and protected.



Through his tireless efforts, Ghana became the first of sub-Sahara African country to gain Independence from British colonial rule. This monumental achievement was just not a victory for Ghana but a clarion call for freedom across the African continent.



This initiative is not about resemblance but to rekindle the flame of Nkrumahs vision and to ensure that his ideals continue to illuminate his path forward.



The Journey to Nkroful is a two week long programme which seeks to have all Ghanaians throng the birth place of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah from the 14th of September, 2024 through to the 21st of September, 2024, which also marks the 115th birthday of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.



Let us be honest, Ghana has lost its way. A journey to Nkroful will ignite a certain passion for a physical, emotional and psychological renewal of the individual. With the spirit of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, we will find our way as a country again, with the values that matter, citizenship, humility, selflessness, looking out for your neighbor and a committed hard work.

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A professor of Accounting and Finance at the University for Professional Studies, Isaac Boadi, has asserted that no president is clothed with the powers to issue banking licenses since that is the job of the Bank of Ghana.



Speaking on Asaase Radios Forum Show on Saturday, August 31, 2024, the expert on finance and accounting said that the manifesto pledge of the opposition National Democratic Congress to the effect that the licenses of some revoked banks would be restored is only a wishful thinking.



It is not possible for any president to issue banking licenses or to restore revoked ones. That falls under the purview of the Bank of Ghana, and not the president of the day Professor Boadi indicated.



The Dean of Accounting and Finance at UPSA believes that pledge came from an uninformed position because it does not lie in the mouth of a president to revoke the revocation of the licenses of the defunct financial institutions.



The licenses of those banks were revoked based upon the laws governing banking operations. The law courts have affirmed the decisions of the central bank, thereby making it impossible for any president to review such decisions he added.



The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, at the launch of the partys manifesto on Saturday, August 24, 2024, promised that if given power, he will restore the revoked banking licenses to their owners to boost the sector.



His pledge, however, has been widely criticized by experts in the banking and financial sector. They have questioned him about the rationale behind the decision and the fact that such a decision cannot be taken by a president since it falls under the jurisdiction of the Bank of Ghana.



Is the former president saying that he will restore these licenses to these people for them to come and collapse the banking sector like they nearly did? This is not a wise proposition. In any event, he has no such right to restore those licenses a financial analyst had this to say.



Professor Isaac Boadi admonished the former president to desist from such pledges since the repercussions of same can cost the country much more than the current situation the sector finds itself.



We must not make such statements and promises just to win elections since there is no way such a promise can be fulfilled. The laws simply do not give the president that leeway to issue banking licenses or review the revoked ones Professor Boadi stated.





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The largest opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) has demanded a live broadcast of its meeting with the Electoral Commission (EC) to discuss findings and observations contained in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) ahead of the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.



General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, in a letter to the EC said a live broadcast of the meeting will ensure transparency of the engagement.



It is recalled that, on 27th August, 2024, the NDC, in a similar letter, demanded an arrangement to discuss what the party describes as serious discrepancies recorded during the Voters exhibition exercise.



The discrepancies emanate from analysis of the Provisional Voter Register (PVR) given to us by the Commission, and registers being exhibited at the centres, the NDC demanded.



The NDC and other groups raised concerns with some discrepancies they said were discovered when the voters register was exhibited between Tuesday, August 20, to Tuesday, August 27.



Below is the NDCs full letter.



REQUEST FOR LIVE BROADCAST OF PRESENTATION OF OBSERVATIONS FOUND IN PVR 2024



I bring you greetings from the NDC Party Headquarters, Accra and trust that this letter finds you well.



In connection with the upcoming meeting with your team slated for Friday, 6th September 2024, we request for a live broadcast of our presentation of observations found in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) to your team. This, we believe, will give true meaning to transparency as found in your motto.



We anticipate your usual attention and co-operation.



Thank you.

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Bernard Allotey Jacobs has lambasted his former party, the National Democratic Congress, for demanding a forensic audit into the Electoral Commissions voters register.



Director of Elections and IT of the National Democratic Congress, Dr. Edward Omane-Boamah, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, said without a forensic audit or parliamentary investigation of the register, it remains incurably defective.



He cited irregularities in the register during the voters exhibition exercise which ended on August 27, 2024 and maintained it is not fit for purpose.



The Electoral Commission of Ghana refused to release the voters register to the NDC on time ahead of the exhibition exercise, he said.



Dr. Omane Boamah added; Its obvious the register has deliberately been tampered with!



But the Commission has denied the allegations saying we call upon the Public to reject statements that the Register is not fit for the 2024 Elections or that it is incurably defective.



The Register is robust and credible. At the end of the day, the Final Certified Register will reflect corrections of all identified errors, it further said.



Allotey Jacobs, on Peace FMs Kokrokoo show, slammed the NDC saying the timing for their demand is wrong and at the same time, the party isnt using the appropriate approach.



To him, if the NDC feels the register is rife with irregularities, they should go to court.



He wondered why the NDC will make their demand without petitioning the court.



It wont augur well for us. My advice is with their polling agents and registration assistants at the registration centers, they should call them, sit them down and find out if it is true you have a case, the courts are there. So, a party cannot demand for a forensic audit; it is only when you pass through the law and the law courts are there, he stated.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker has warned the opposition National Democratic Congress against their unending accusations at the Electoral Commission.



The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded a forensic audit of the voters register, stating it is fraught with irregularities.



The Electoral Commission of Ghana refused to release the voters register to the NDC on time ahead of the exhibition exercise, Director of Elections and IT of the party, Dr. Edward Omane-Boamah said.



He further stated; Its obvious the register has deliberately been tampered with!



But Mireku Duker finds it unfortunate that the NDC would raise such allegations at a time when the EC says the current register is a provisional one.



They are preparing the grounds that if they lose, therefore then they have some basis to stand on that the election was rigged. That is what they are doing. Its a planned thing. Its a whole meeting theyve had, he said on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show.



He strictly warned the opposition party against their misconduct, stating its very unfortunate and we must watch them carefully because we have nowhere to go.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has castigated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for relaxing in the fight against illegal miners in the country.



Illegal mining (galamsey) continues to threaten the nation, destroying the water bodies and the environment.



River Pra and other water bodies have turned brownish in color, a vivid sign of the contamination resulting from galamsey activities.



These illegal mining has also adversely affected the operations of the Ghana Water Company with the company warning that about Sixty percent (60%) of the catchment capacity is silted as a result of illegal mining (galamsey) compromising the quality of raw water. We are currently recording an average turbidity of 14,000 NTU instead of 2000 NTU designed for adequate treatment.



Your assistance is crucial in helping us restore the quality of the raw water and ensure a reliable water supply of clean drinking water, the company urged Ghanaians.



Reacting to the galamsey menace, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah, a Governance lecturer, has laid the blame on the President as the buck stops with him.



He expounded that the President is the final authority and has the absolute power to curb this menace if only he is willing to tackle it.



Dr. Otchere-Ankrah found it extremely disturbing the negative impact of galamsey and called for an immediate action to end it.



"President of Ghana, with the greatest of respect, you have failed when it comes to galamsey. You should admit it; you have failed," he said during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Governance lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has lambasted parliamentary candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have chosen to paste their posters on the equipment for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).



There is video evidence of some aspiring NPP parliamentarians imprinting their faces and attaching their party's paraphenalia on the DRIP equipment aimed at influencing the electorates to vote for them.



Former President John Mahama has abhorred this practice and sent a message to President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to stop this practice immediately.



He argued that the DRIP equipment is not for partisan purposes.



Addressing a gathering at a mini rally in the Yeji in the Pru East District, Ex-President Mahama said; Its the governments money, funded by the taxes we all paywhether youre NPP, CPP, Christian, or Muslimeveryone contributes. Theyve used those taxes to import earth-moving equipment for road construction, and each district has been allocated some. But now, were seeing posters of NPP parliamentary candidates on the DRIP equipment."



I want to remind Akufo-Addo and Bawumia that they serve the entire country, not just the NPP. The equipment doesnt belong to the party; it belongs to all Ghanaians...No one has the right to place their posters on the DRIP equipment. They must order the immediate removal of these posters, or well be forced to take action ourselves, he emphasized.



Dr. Otchere-Ankrah backed John Mahama's assertions, also stressing it is inappropriate to fix a poster on the equipment.



"Buy your own car and paste your posters on it," he said on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Watermilfoil and and algae float near the waters surface where Dorn Creek Marsh flows into the northern edge of Lake Mendota during summer on July 29, 2015. The aquatic plants and the lakes ecosystem health are frequently studied as part of ongoing research conducted by the Center for Limnology at the University of WisconsinMadison. Credit: Jeff Miller

A report on more than 40 years of research on Wisconsin lakes is highlighting some of the lessons scientists have learned about aquatic invasive species, including that far more ecosystems are playing host to non-native species than previously thought.

However, the researchers note, those species aren't necessarily detrimental to their new habitat and, in some cases, the negative "impacts of invasive species control may be greater than the impacts of the invasive species" themselves.

That doesn't mean scientists aren't concerned about different species moving into new ecosystems, says Jake Vander Zanden, director of the University of WisconsinMadison's Center for Limnology and lead author on the report.

"There are many examples where an invasive species has remarkable ecosystem impacts. They can result in fisheries decline, water quality decrease and more, which negatively impacts humans and the environment," Vander Zanden says.

But ecological destruction is far from a foregone conclusion in invasive species stories.

The researchers, who recently published their analysis in the journal BioScience, highlight several lessons learned through four decades of data collection, research and experiments conducted by the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research program.

Research grants typically fund a few years of work, Vander Zanden explains, "But that would never allow you to detect these types of changes. It's only through long-term research that we can get insights into these big questions like where invasive species are, how they are changing our ecosystems and how it all connects to things like climate change."

One such insight is that the presence of non-native aquatic species in Wisconsin lakes is more widespread than scientists and resource managers initially thought.

The long-term research program has helped inform Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources maps and datasets on six target species since the 1990s: Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels, spiny water fleas, rusty crayfish, Chinese mystery snail and the banded mystery snail.

Combining long-term monitoring records on its 11 core study lakes with field-based research and community-based science on dozens of other water bodies, researchers revealed that existing estimates of about 8% of Wisconsin lakes containing one or more of the six species was way off. In fact, the number is closer to 39%.

Additionally, certain invasive populations have been in waters much longer than initially thought. For example, researchers detected spiny water fleas in Lake Mendota in 2009, but scientists combing through sediment cores and old samples discovered that the disruptive invasive species had been present in the lake at least a decade sooner, with populations only erupting due to favorable changes in climate that summer. These findings suggest that invasive species are often simply present in an ecosystem without triggering negative impacts.

What's more, when invasive species do result in negative impacts, those impacts are often tied to existing problems, according to Jake Walsh, a co-author of the new paper and postdoctoral associate in the University of Minnesota's Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology.

"Lake Mendota was especially primed for large, costly effects from spiny water flea," says Walsh. "They worsened water quality problems that were already present and tied to excess nutrients in the lake."

Seeing this fuller picture was only possible through long-term research, Walsh adds. "As long as we have this long-range program, invasions are experiments that can teach us about how ecosystems work and how we can best manage them," he says. This has given us a deep understanding of the water quality issues facing Lake Mendota and a 'road map' to follow for offsetting spiny water flea's impact."

Long-term science doesn't just help scientists piece together the history of environmental change, Vander Zanden adds. With it, researchers can also highlight looming questions and design studies to answer them. From using environmental DNA, to exploring long-term invasive species removal benefits, more discoveries are on the horizon.

And it's not just the science that benefits from this long-term, interdisciplinary approach. Undergraduate field technicians who spent their summers sampling the same sites over and over have gone on to become professors overseeing their own research projects and managing their own students. Data scientists and staff dedicate huge chunks of time to making their datasets publicly available and accessible to other researchers in the freshwater sciences.

It's a spirit of collaboration and exploration that, Vander Zanden hopes, can extend to other fields.

"I wonder if some of these patterns that we see from long-term data could be relevant to somebody who studies soil, or grassland flowers, or marine biology," he says. "If invasive species are already there and more widespread than we think they are, things like human activity and climate change could soon be triggering more population shifts."

More information: M Jake Vander Zanden et al, Nine Lessons about Aquatic Invasive Species from the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research (NTL-LTER) Program, BioScience (2024). DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae062 Journal information: BioScience
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Blue Origin has only 40 days to go to be ready for its first launch of its heavy lift New Glenn rocket, but has a lot of boxes to tick before liftoff.

That includes a test fire in the coming days of the rocket's second stage, which the company rolled out to the pad Tuesday at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36.

Jeff Bezos' rocket company is targeting Oct. 13 for liftoff of NG-1, a mission to send a pair of satellites built by fellow rocket company RocketLab on a mission for NASA to Mars called ESCAPADE, which stands for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers.

"We're looking forward to firing up those two BE-3Us on New Glenn's second stage in a few days," the company posted on X after the hardware's trip to the pad.

When it launches, the second stage and its engines will be tasked with deploying the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on an 11-month trip to the Red Planet where they will study Mars' plasma and magnetic fields.

The launch, though, will be the culmination of years of development for New Glenn, which is constructed at Blue Origin's nearby factory on Merritt Island.

"Still lots to do but progress," posted Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp on X last week. "A bunch of milestones coming up in quick succession (not an exhaustive list)engine integration, our landing barge arriving soon, hotfiring second stage And yes, lots of unique challenges as our first flight, but folks are excited and leaning in big-time."

Bezos' company has to date only flown its smaller New Shepard rocket from a West Texas launch site. Those are only suborbital flights, but feature reentry landings that save the rocket booster for reuse. New Shepard's booster engines are similar to those in New Glenn's second stage.

Similar to SpaceX, New Glenn is designed to recover its first stage on a recovery vessel that will be stationed downrange in the Atlantic.

Blue Origin expects that ship to arrive at Port Canaveral soon, and revealed this week the vessel's name: Jacklyn, named after Bezos' mother.

New Glenn rockets are more than twice as powerful than Falcon 9 with the first stage powered by seven of Blue's BE-4 engines, the same that are used on United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rockets. Vulcan uses only two, though, so New Glenn will produce nearly 3.9 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

The first stage measures 188 feet tall compared to Falcon 9's first stage at 135 feet. At full height, the entirety of the New Glenn rocket will rise to 322 feet. It has a bigger fairing for payloads compared to Falcon and Vulcan rockets, coming in at nearly 23 feet (7 meters) in diameter compared to its competitors' 16.4 feet (5 meters).

NASA awarded Blue Origin a $20 million launch task order for ESCAPADE in February 2023.

It's the debut for New Glenn that expects to compete alongside SpaceX and ULA for lucrative national security missions in the future, but already has a large manifest of commercial and civil customers ready to fly if the first mission goes well.

NASA is also relying on Blue Origin and New Glenn for one of the Artemis program's two lunar human landing systems, Blue Moon.

And Blue Origin has a spate of satellite customers, including several flights for Amazon's Project Kuiper constellation.

The first-stage boosters are designed to fly up to 25 times. They would land on Jacklyn and be transported back to the port.

The company has large-enough facilities at Cape Canaveral to process three New Glenn rockets at once. Blue Origin took over the lease for LC-36 in 2015, investing about $1 billion in the pad site alone. It was previously used for government launches from 19622005, including lunar lander Surveyor 1 in 1967 and some of the Mariner probes.

2024 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
VALLETTA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malta has joined other European Union (EU) member states to help Africa reduce further spread of mpox, the Health Ministry said on Thursday in a statement.

Malta has joined the European Commission's "Team Europe" initiative to donate vaccines and mobilize resources to help address the public health emergency, the statement said, adding that together European countries will be donating half a million vaccines.

Malta's Health Ministry reported the first case of mpox on Aug. 30, with the second case being registered on Sept. 3. The first case was identified as a less severe strain of the virus known as Clade II.

According to a press release issued by the European Commission, the first shipment of approximately 100,000 mpox vaccine doses will arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Thursday, with the second delivery of around 100,000 vaccines expected in the coming days. DRC is at the epicenter of the mpox outbreak.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared on Aug. 13 the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, activating its highest level of global alert for mpox for the second time in two years. 
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Southern Chinese cities suspended schools and cancelled some flights head of storm Yagi.

Cities in southern China suspended schools and cancelled some flights on Thursday as Super Typhoon Yagi headed towards the holiday island province of Hainan after strengthening from a tropical storm.

Yagi triggered floods and landslides on the main Philippine island of Luzon this week, killing 13 people, according to official figures.

It intensified into a super typhoon as it tracked west across the South China Sea, China's Xinhua news agency said, carrying winds of up to 209 kilometers (130 miles) per hour as it headed for Hainan.

"Hainan upgraded its emergency response to Yagi to the highest level at 11:30 am Thursday, according to the provincial disaster management authority," Xinhua said.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon in either Hainan or neighboring Guangdong.

Work, school and local transport services were suspended from noon on Thursday (0400 GMT) in Haikou, Hainan's capital.

Hong Kong's weather observatory issued the third-highest typhoon warning at 6:20 pm (1020 GMT), limiting public transport across the finance hub.

The city's stock exchange halted after-hours trading because of the typhoon warning, while 38 flights were cancelled at Hong Kong's airport Thursday.

Classes at primary and secondary schools will remain suspended on Friday, the Education Bureau said.

Yagi triggered floods and landslides in the Philippines, leaving at least 13 dead.

"Yagi will remain at super typhoon intensity and skirt around 300 kilometers (186 miles) to the southwest of Hong Kong tomorrow morning," the observatory said.

"Gale winds associated with Yagi are expected to affect the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary tonight and tomorrow morning," it said.

After southern China, Yagi will move towards Vietnam, on course to hit the northern and north-central regions around the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay.

Vietnamese authorities urged around 2,200 tourists on coastal islands to return to the mainland ahead of the storm's arrival.

They warned heavy rains may cause widespread flooding in mountainous and urban areas, including the capital Hanoi.

Vietnam's meteorological agency issued a storm warning earlier on Thursday and the government mobilized more than 2,700 military personnel in readiness.

Coastal provinces are planning a sailing ban on Friday, while Vietnam's mountainous provinces have also been ordered to prepare rescue vehicles.

 2024 AFP
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"Fatal Peril" researchers interviewed approximately 650 women serving time for murder and manslaughter in two California prisons. Credit: Stanford University

A new study provides extensive documentation of the "IPV-to-Prison Pipeline"the pathways through which women who are survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) find themselves serving long prison sentences for acts of survival.

The report, "Fatal Peril: Unheard Stories from the IPV-to-Prison Pipeline and Other Stories Touched by Violence," is the product of a multi-year study by the Regilla Project, a research initiative of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center that focuses on women incarcerated for homicide offenses growing out of their own abuse.

"Fatal Peril" gives voice to approximately 650 people serving time for murder and manslaughter in two California prisons, the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino.

Through surveys proctored at the prisons in July and November 2023, the researchers sought to better understand how people experiencing IPV are criminalized for actions they took to survive abuse. Stanford students contributed to the proctoring, data analysis, and drafting of the report.

A first-ever approach to IPV research

The study represents the first time the Composite Abuse Scale and Danger Assessment, two validated instruments used to assess intimate partner violence and intimate partner homicide, have been used in the study of a population who is incarcerated.

In addition to quantitative results, the report presents qualitative data collected from hundreds of study respondents who shared their experiences of abuse, the circumstances of the offenses, their experiences of the criminal legal system, and their feelings of regret, remorse, and healing.

The women's self-reported testimonies of surviving abuse are remarkably similar, according to Debbie Mukamal, executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, who led the study with Dr. Andrea N. Cimino, an expert in gender-based violence research. Mukamal and Cimino serve as directors of the Regilla Project, which released a companion report in 2023.

"The stories of these women reflect a persistent belief that their lives were in danger," Mukamal said, "often from an accumulation of their intimate partner's threats and attempts to kill them, their children, or other loved ones."

"These are a group of forgotten women," Cimino said. "Their experiences of violence were silenced in the courtroom and they have been neglected in IPV research which focuses on non-incarcerated populations." She hopes the study amplifies survivor's voices and creates change in the criminal legal system.

David Sklansky, Stanley Morrison Professor of Law and the faculty co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, said, "Our practices of criminal blaming and punishment have long failed to take adequate account of the realities of intimate partner violence, and of the ways in which abused women can be driven to violence by their own victimization.

"This new report, by giving long overdue attention to the accounts of women serving prison sentences for homicideand the high rate at which these women report extreme levels of IPV in the year prior to their offensesunderscores the pressing need for comprehensive reform in this area.

"It deserves urgent study from judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement officers, correctional officials, and policymakers."

The women's stories reflect lives lived in constant fear: "I was three days at the hospital because I lost my voice because he strangled me and my neck and throat was purple with bruises. And I couldn't talk for three days," reported one respondent. Another said, "He had us scared, both [my children] and me, that if I told anything to the police and they arrested him, he was going to get out and kill us."

"As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this month, this new study should embolden us to do more to prevent victimization and to help those who find themselves in abusive relationships," said retired U.S. Representative Jackie Speier, who represented California's 14th Congressional District until 2023.

"The findingswhile based in Californiahave broad national implications for how we treat some of the most vulnerable women in our communities. Our work is far from done."

Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey, agreed: "This is an urgent report, and it is well timed as we mark the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act," he said. "Most incarcerated women are survivors of sexual violence. We must do more as a society to prevent that violence and to help the survivors.

"Prisons cannot be substitutes for our failures to keep people safe. And for those who enter our prisons and jails, they must be places that do not compound trauma but help people heal from it.

"I am proud that VAWA Reauthorization includes provisions to address the specific needs of incarcerated women, many of which are highlighted through the study's stories of women incarcerated for crimes stemming from their histories of abuse. There is a moral imperative to address the issues in this report. To fail to do so harms and implicates us all."

'Stark and troubling' findings

Nearly three-fourths of respondents reported experiencing IPV in the year before their offense took place, a rate that is 10 times higher than women in the United States, according to the report. Fatal Peril acknowledges that while IPV exists for people of all genders, the researchers focused on women given their disproportionate rates of severe and lethal intimate partner abuse.

The respondents recounted physical, psychological and sexual abuse, including being hit, threatened with weapons, having partners who controlled all or most of their daily activities, and having to perform unwanted sex acts.

Nearly a third of all respondents said that in the year before their offense, they had been strangled or choked more than once or felt dizzy, confused or blacked out after being chokedinjuries that can cause a traumatic brain injury, according to the report.

Among the 464 respondents who were experiencing IPV, two-thirds of them were in "extreme danger" of being killed by their intimate partner, according to their Danger Assessment scores. It didn't matter who was killedstranger, intimate partner, child, family member, acquaintance, or friendthey all were at risk for intimate partner homicide. The data suggests that the risk of being killed due to IPV tragically extends to all of those around the survivor.

About half of respondents believed they were treated unfairly at trial due to gender, racial, and socioeconomic bias, according to the report. "Respondents who experienced IPV were more likely to perceive gender and income bias compared to those who were not abused," said Cimino. "Harmful courtroom stereotypes like being called masterminds, femme fatales, gang members, and bad mothers triggered beliefs about the survivor-defendants' culpability."

"Our findings are stark and troubling, and have implications for the entire criminal legal system, from policing to parole," Mukamal said. "It is particularly critical that the system considers the potential lethality of abuse suffered by these women and how traumatic brain injury from hits to the head and strangulation may affect survivor-defendants' testimony and experiences in prison."

Recommendations and IPV prevention

Kelly Savage-Rodriguez, who advocates for ending life-without-parole sentences through the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, said she "was not surprised by the findings" and was "grateful to see this new data being published."

"The results affirm my own experiences and those of too many others who have been criminalized for surviving abuse here in California and across the nation," Savage-Rodriguez said. "These survivors need support, not long prison sentences."

The report makes recommendations for addressing the impact of IPV on survivor-defendants, including urging the criminal legal system to take measures to more consistently screen for IPV and to better take into account how traumatic brain injuries as a result of intimate partner violence can affect survivor-defendants' ability to remember and communicate details relating to their abuse and alleged crimes.

The study also calls for enhanced attention to programs and policies that can prevent IPV in the first place, including strengthening access to mental health and substance use treatment to address cumulative trauma for survivors, their children, and their partners.

"Cross-sector collaboration between the criminal legal system, the domestic violence response system, and child welfare systems are critical to violence prevention," said Cimino.

The Regilla Project plans to convene a diverse set of stakeholders this Fall to identify concrete and viable legal and policy solutions to respond to the report's findings.

More information: Fatal Peril: Unheard Stories from the IPV-to-Prison Pipeline
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The Apalachicola River in Florida as seen looking downstream from Ocheesee Landing on September 3, 2024. Credit: Scott Holstein/FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

Near the Florida-Georgia border, the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers meet and become the Apalachicola River, which carries freshwater and nutrients downstream to the Apalachicola Bay.

New research led by FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Assistant Professor Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf examined how drought and water volume in the Lower Apalachicola River watershed affect nitrogen and phosphorous, crucial nutrients for a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The study was published in Water Research.

"In watershed systems like this, that are subject to regulations upstream, knowing how the ecosystem reacts to changes helps us manage it effectively," said Ahmadisharaf, who is also a researcher at the Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response Center, or RIDER. "We can regulate the system to avoid negative consequences, including some that have the potential to be long-lasting."

The research team examined 20 years of nutrient data collected by the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, a nationally protected natural organization funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The researchers also analyzed streamflow data from a U.S. Geological Survey gauge to characterize drought and river flow conditions, which they compared to records of nutrients in the water using statistical analyses. That allowed them to investigate the impact of droughts and river flow patterns on nutrients in different phases of droughts and in short- and long-term periods after droughts ended.

Phosphorous levels

One of the nutrients researchers examined was dissolved inorganic phosphorus. When droughts first begin, phosphorus levels tend to increase slightly, and the range of these levels usually narrows. As droughts continue and get worse, the variability in phosphorus levels increases and the average level goes down. After droughts, when water flow increased, phosphorus levels in streams bounced back quickly because of the "flushing" effect, in which nutrients washed into the streams from the land. Three back-to-back streamflow droughts within the 20 years posed long-term consequences for the export of phosphorus. For example, phosphorus level increased in high flows by 35% from 2003 to 2021, which threatened the downstream estuary with excessive nutrient levels, increased microorganism growth and lower levels of dissolved oxygen.

Nitrogen levels

Researchers also examined changes in dissolved inorganic nitrogen. The impact of drought on nitrogen levels varied more, with the changes more linked to the severity of the drought, and its timing in wet or dry seasons. Nitrogen levels bounced back after droughts finished, but their dynamics within the stream flow patterns changed. For example, nitrogen levels in low flows became higher than those in high flows. Before and during droughts, researchers saw the opposite pattern.

In an ecosystem, as in medicine, the right dose makes all the difference. Nitrogen and phosphorous are essential nutrients for the growth of plants and animals. But too much of those nutrients causes problems such as harmful algae blooms, which deplete dissolved oxygen and produce toxins.

The rapid increase in phosphorous after droughts could lead to a temporary excess in the downstream ecosystem that would cause algae blooms, fish kills, and lead to problems with human health, Ahmadisharaf said.

Their findings give researchers a more detailed understanding of the Apalachicola River and its watershed. The impacts of drought can be specific to a place, so examining the river in detail is key.

"These findings give us a better understanding of how to manage nutrient levels carefully, especially during and after droughts, to avoid ecological problems," Ahmadisharaf said. "Because climate change affects timing, severity and duration of droughts, this study is important for addressing climate resilience from the coastal water quality perspective."

More information: Sumon Hossain Rabby et al, Dynamic disparities in inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes into estuarine systems under different flow regimes and streamflow droughts, Water Research (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122238 Journal information: Water Research
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new training course on the WomSAT platform will help everyone learn how to treat wombats afflicted with sarcoptic mange in the field, enhancing conservation efforts for the species.

Sarcoptic mange, caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, affects wombats throughout their range, posing one of the greatest threats to their survival alongside roadside accidents. To address this, WomSAT (Wombat Survey and Analysis Tool)a collaboration between Western Sydney University, and Charles Sturt Universityhas developed a comprehensive training program designed to educate and certify wombat caregivers in field treatment techniques.

Since its launch in 2015, WomSAT has enabled the Wombat Warrior community to report over 23,000 wombat sightings and burrows across Australia, significantly contributing to the identification and mitigation of threats impacting wombats. The platform, which is part of a broader citizen science initiative, empowers everyday citizens to play a vital role in wombat conservation.

Associate Professor Julie Old, from the School of Science, highlighted the importance of the new training course.

"WomSAT empowers wombat caregivers and treaters to track wombat treatment in the field, providing critical data on the prevalence and treatment of sarcoptic mange. This course is a crucial step towards improving our understanding of this deadly disease and enhancing conservation efforts," said Associate Professor Old.

"By enhancing the knowledge and skills of wombat caregivers in treating sarcoptic mange, the training will not only improve on-ground care but also provide participants with the necessary accreditation to treat wombats in the field."

A recent upgrade to the WomSAT platform now includes features for tracking treatments in the field.

Upon completion of the trainingdeveloped in consultation with the Wombat Protection Society of Australia Inc. and supported by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Foundation for National Park's Curb Wombat Mange programparticipants will receive a certificate of accreditation. This accreditation can be used to gain official approval to treat wombats in the field through the Wombat Protection Society of Australia.

"By treating sarcoptic mange in wombats, we can improve their health and welfare and contribute to the conservation of an iconic Australian animal," said Dr. Hayley Stannard, from the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences.

More information: To learn more about the training course and how you can get involved, visit the WomSAT webpage.
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Copernicus Sentinel-2C takes to the skies. Credit: ESA

Europe's Vega rocket launched Wednesday from French Guiana, an AFP journalist said, carrying a satellite which will help combat natural disasters.

Delayed by a day due to "electrical issues on the ground links", according to French firm Arianespace, the launch in Kourou finally took place at 10:50 pm (0150 GMT Thursday).

"Successful lift-off for the last Vega mission from Europe's spaceport," the Guiana Space Center wrote on social media platform X.

The rocket is transporting the Sentinel-2C satellite, part of the European Union's Copernicus program.

Sentinel-2C will play a role in water quality monitoring and detecting methane emissions.

The satellite will also support the management of natural disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes and floods.

The mission will be the last for the Vega rocket, built by Italian aerospace company Avio and in service since 2012.

It is due to be replaced by the more powerful Vega-C, which has been grounded since 2022 following an accident which caused the loss of two Airbus satellites.

 2024 AFP
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In the past two months alone, the flaming carcasses of electrocuted birds have ignited at least three wildfires in Colorado.

While the phenomenon sounds straight out of a cartoon, it's actually more common than you'd think, experts said. It's a big enough problem that electric utility companies brainstorm efforts to mitigate bird electrocution, said Taylor Barnes, a Fort Collins-based biologist and geographic information systems specialist who co-authored a 2022 study titled, "Wildland Fires Ignited by Avian Electrocutions."

Researchers found no coordinated records or data illustrating how frequently electrocuted birds dropping off power lines spark wildfires, so they sifted through Google searches of avian-induced fires in the United States from 2014 to 2018 and found 44 reported cases.

California had the highest number of incidents at 15. Colorado had two in 2016one in Littleton and one in Berthoud, the study found.

However, in July and August of this year, Colorado's Front Range has been the scene of at least three reported bird combustions resulting in wildfires.

Investigators determined the flaming carcass of an incinerated bird sparked a July 13 brush fire in Arapahoe County that burned more than 1,100 acres and destroyed property southeast of Byers.

On July 31, the West Metro Fire District responded to a small brush fire in Jefferson County near Morrison after a bird was electrocuted by overhead power lines, caught on fire and fell to the ground, igniting the grass and brush below, the fire district said.

And on Tuesday, firefighters from West Metro and South Metro Fire Rescue responded to a 35-acre brush fire burning near a Denver Water treatment plant and Roxborough Park in Douglas County. Officials said the cause appeared to be a bird that hit a power line and fell to the ground, catching the grass on fire.

No humans were injured in these brush fires, and they were all contained.

"We're getting more grassland or wildland fires from birds than we normally do," said Mark Jurgemeyer, interim chief operating officer of CORE Electric Cooperative, which services more than 375,000 Coloradans with electricity.

CORE, which serves areas in Adams, Elbert and Douglas counties, was the provider for at least two of the recent avian electrocution incidents, in Byers and Roxborough Park.

Xcel Energy and CORE both serve the Morrison area, so that one is trickier to determine, Jurgemeyer said.

Xcel Energy was the first utility in the country to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to proactively address issues involving birds and powerline structures, said Michelle Aguayo, Xcel Energy media relations representative. The 2022 plan included developing a schedule for retrofitting high-risk electrical equipment with roosting deterrents or bird flight diverters.

"We understand our infrastructure can be attractive to birds for roosting and building nests and can post a collision or electrocution hazard to birds," Aguayo said. "Our facilities are designed to meet industry standards that prevent or reduce the likelihood of avian incidents."

Jonathan Ashford, fire investigator with the West Metro Fire Protection District, said that, during Tuesday's fire investigation, they found four birds with varying degrees of burn damage in the area of the fire's origin near an electrical line. Normally, a bird in the path of fire would fly away, Ashford said, so this was a good clue that the burned birds started the fire.

Ashford said he believed the birds likely would have been close enough together to face joint electrocution.

There are a couple of reasons why birds are increasingly meeting an end better suited for the "Final Destination" films.

It's partially because of climate change, Barnes said.

An electrocuted bird is more likely to ignite a fire if conditions are dry, he said. Nearly half of Colorado is now in drought or has near-drought conditions, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

In July, a series of wildfires burning along the Front Range foothills killed one person, destroyed structures, caused the governor to activate the Colorado National Guard and enveloped sweltering metro Denver in a heavy cloud of smoke.

In addition to climate, there is the human introduction of electrical utility equipment into the environment, Barnes said.

Birds can sit on one wire, no problem. But if a bird touches a second wire, it opens a path of electricity right through the bird's body, with a resulting zap that can be potent enough to send the bird up in flames.

Larger birds like hawks and eagles can be more at risk of electrocution, Barnes said, because their wider wingspans put them at greater risk of touching two different wires simultaneously.

There are ways to design power poles and their accompanying structures to make them less susceptible to bird electrocution, Barnes said.

Barnes works at EDM International, an electrical utilities consulting company, where the biologist tackles this very issue.

For new electrical poles, Barnes said designers can ensure enough space between "energized components" to allow birds to exist without touching two electrical components at once.

However, many utility companies can't rip out and replace all their infrastructure, Barnes said, so there are ways to retrofit existing equipment to make it safer for birds. For example, utility companies can cover problematic wires or exposed electrical equipment with insulating material or put cages around pieces they don't want birds coming into contact with.

"It's amazing how resourceful birds can be when they want to be," Jurgemeyer said. "We are constantly trying different products and different ways of working with vendors to come up with stuff that doesn't exist to figure out ways to keep animals away from those energized parts."

Sometimes smaller birds on the hunt for bugs will drive their beaks under insulated coverings in hopes of a snack, only to find an electrical jolt instead, CORE's Jurgemeyer said.

"Every utility in the country that has overhead power lines has the same, exact problem," he said.

EDM International prepared CORE's latest aviation protection plan, Jurgemeyer said, to go over what they're doing right and wrong to best protect area birds.

"It is more common than people realize," he said.

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Illustration of the tidal responses of two stars in a quasi-circular binary (not to scale). Credit: Nature Astronomy (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02323-7

A better understanding of the inner workings of neutron stars will lead to a greater knowledge of the dynamics that underpin the workings of the universe and also could help drive future technology, said the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign physics professor Nicolas Yunes. A new study led by Yunes details how new insights into how dissipative tidal forces within doubleor binaryneutron star systems will inform our understanding of the universe.

"Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of stars and densest stable material objects in the universe, much denser and colder than conditions that particle colliders can even create," said Yunes, who also is the founding director of the Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe. "The mere existence of neutron stars tells us that there are unseen properties related to astrophysics, gravitational physics and nuclear physics that play a critical role in the inner workings of our universe."

However, many of these previously unseen properties became observable with the discovery of gravitational waves.

"The properties of neutron stars imprint onto the gravitational waves they emit. These waves then travel millions of light-years through space to detectors on Earth, like the advanced European Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the Virgo Collaboration," Yunes said. "By detecting and analyzing the waves, we can infer the properties of neutron stars and learn about their internal composition and the physics at play in their extreme environments."

As a gravitational physicist, Yunes was interested in determining how gravitational waves encode information about the tidal forces that distort the shape of neutron stars and affect their orbital motion. This information also could tell physicists more about the dynamic material properties of the stars, such as internal friction or viscosity, "which might give us insight into out-of-equilibrium physical processes that result in the net transfer of energy into or out of a system," Yunes said.

Using data from the gravitational wave event identified as GW170817, Yunes, along with Illinois researchers Justin Ripley, Abhishek Hegade and Rohit Chandramouli, used computer simulations, analytical models and sophisticated data analysis algorithms to verify that out-of-equilibrium tidal forces within binary neutron star systems are detectable via gravitational waves. The GW170817 event was not loud enough to yield a direct measurement of viscosity, but Yunes' team was able to place the first observational constraints on how large viscosity can be inside neutron stars.

The work is published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

"This is an important advance, particularly for ICASU and the U. of I.," Yunes said. "In the '70s, '80s and '90s, Illinois pioneered many of the leading theories behind nuclear physics, particularly those connected to neutron stars. This legacy can continue with access to data from the advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors, the collaborations made possible through ICASU and the decades of nuclear physics expertise already in place here."

More information: Justin L. Ripley et al, A constraint on the dissipative tidal deformability of neutron stars, Nature Astronomy (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02323-7 Journal information: Nature Astronomy
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

An experimental Moderna mRNA vaccine for mpox has demonstrated greater effectiveness than current shots in reducing disease symptoms and duration, according to an animal study published in the journal Cell on Wednesday.

It comes amid an outbreak of the disease in Africapartly driven by a new variant that emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congowhich has been declared an international emergency.

Senior author and virologist Jay Hooper from the US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases told AFP that researchers were interested in exploring mRNA technology to find a "sweet spot"an mpox vaccine that is both highly safe and highly effective.

Vaccines for mpox, previously known as monkeypox, were originally developed to combat smallpox, which has since been eradicated.

The currently licensed JYNNEOS vaccine uses a "live attenuated" virus, meaning the virus has been weakened so it cannot cause disease in humans.

That attenuation also limits its protective efficacy compared to the older ACAM2000 vaccinewhich was however potentially infectious.

In contrast, the mRNA vaccine includes genetic instructions that train the host's immune system to recognize four key viral antigens, which are crucial for the virus to attach to cells.

Moderna uses the same mRNA technology in its highly safe and effective coronavirus vaccine.

In the study, six macaques were vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine, and another six received an equivalent of the currently licensed vaccine.

Eight weeks after their initial dose, all 12 vaccinated macaques were exposed to a lethal strain of mpox. A third group of six unvaccinated macaques was also exposed to the virus.

Researchers monitored the health of the animals over a four-week period, taking blood samples to assess their immune responses.

As anticipated, all vaccinated animals survived, regardless of the vaccine type, while five out of the six unvaccinated animals died.

"But if we focus specifically on the outcomes with the mRNA vaccine, what we saw was quite surprising and exciting," co-senior author Galit Alter, a virologist and immunologist at Moderna, told AFP.

Animals that received the mRNA vaccine experienced less weight loss and developed significantly fewer lesions compared to those given the live attenuated vaccine.

On average, the control group developed up to 1,448 lesions, the group vaccinated with the older vaccine had a maximum of 607 lesions, and the mRNA-vaccinated group had only 54 lesions at most.

Moreover, the mRNA vaccine shortened the period during which the animals exhibited lesions by more than 10 days compared to the MVA vaccine. It also resulted in lower viral loads in both blood and throat swabs, suggesting it could be more effective in reducing transmission.

First author Alec Freyn of Moderna told AFP that serum from the mRNA-vaccinated macaques was also tested against other viruses in the Orthopox family, and it effectively neutralized vaccinia, cowpox, rabbitpox, camelpox, and ectromelia virus.

The vaccine candidate, named mRNA-1769, is now being tested in an early-stage human clinical trial in the UK to assess its safety and immune response.

More information: Comparison of protection against Mpox following mRNA-1769 or MVA vaccination in NHPs, Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.043 Journal information: Cell

 2024 AFP
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Schematic of the composition and mechanism of action of a mRNA-expressed anti-DENV LbuCas13a drug. Credit: Nature Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01726-6

Dengue virus, a painful and sometimes fatal mosquito-borne infection well known in tropical countries, is surging rapidly across the planet. Now, 4 billion people live in places at risk for the disease, like the southeastern United States, which doesn't have an effective antiviral treatment yet.

A team of researchers led by biomedical engineer Phil Santangelo has developed a breakthrough therapy to target and kill the virus using the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas13. The team's systemic delivery of the treatment was successful in treating dengue virus in mice, as the researchers explain in a study appearing in Nature Microbiology.

Dengue is difficult to treat, in part because there are four different serotypes of the virus, which means four different targets for a vaccine. People infected with one serotype who then contract a second version of the virus can end up with a serious disease. That second attack can end up amplifying the first. Symptoms include fever, nausea, rash, aches and pains (including behind the eyes), and in some cases, internal bleeding, shock, and death.

"There are several challenges with trying to treat dengue, so we wondered, is it possible for us to produce an mRNA-based, CRISPR-based antiviral where one shot can clear the virus," said Santangelo, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. "And that's basically what we've shown."

New use for tech

With the global proliferation of the Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue and other viruses, the timing of such a treatment would be fortuitous.

"Unfortunately, climate change is enabling an increase of these virus-causing mosquitoes," Santangelo said. "So, it's a good idea to be prepared."

This is the first time an mRNA-based CRISPR treatment has worked against systemic viral infections in animal models. But Santangelo demonstrated its efficacy in earlier studies focused on lung diseases, including a treatment for coronavirus. That was an inhalable treatment using polymeric nanoparticleslarge, biodegradable molecules ideal for delivering medicine directly to the lungs.

For the dengue virus study, the team used lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which are like tiny fat bubbles that transport drugs through the bloodstream and into cells. The nanoparticles carried a custom-coded messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule.

The mRNA was encoded with Cas13a (a CRISPR protein that can cut viral RNA) and guide RNAs (to direct the Cas13a to the viral RNA to be cut). The process basically created a set of instructions. When the encoded mRNA was delivered to infected cells via the LNPs, the cell used those instructions to build Cas13a and guide RNAs, which degraded the viral RNA within those targeted cells.

Military precision

A single dose of the treatment was given to mice infected with lethal doses of two serotypes of dengue virus, DENV-2 and DENV-3. All the treated mice survived with no unintended damage to their RNA. Following treatment, the researchers also looked for evidence of the virus in the mice's brains but couldn't find any.

"It looks like our treatment precludes the virus from getting into the brain," Santangelo said. "This may not be super critical for dengue, which doesn't end up in the human brain. But this discovery could be really important for Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, and other viruses that do affect the human brain."

Santangelo's team is now testing their approach on dengue's other serotypes and will study the treatment in other viruses.

"We're very interested in trying these kinds of approaches to go after as many viruses as we can with one, potent treatment," said Santangelo, whose team included researchers from Georgia State University as well as Emory's Computational Core. "We're trying to find the most efficient way to kill these viruses. We're not quite there yet, but we're going to get there eventually."

More information: Mausumi Basu et al, mRNA-encoded Cas13 can be used to treat dengue infections in mice, Nature Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01726-6 Journal information: Nature Microbiology
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Technicians work to process the NASAs Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) observatory on a spacecraft dolly in a high bay at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

From sea to sky to orbit, a range of vantage points allow NASA Earth scientists to collect different types of data to better understand our changing planet. Collecting them together, at the same place and the same time, is an important step used to verify the accuracy of satellite data.

NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite launched in February 2024 and is collecting observations of the ocean and measuring atmospheric particle and cloud properties. This data will help inform scientists and decisionmakers about the health of Earth's ocean, land surfaces, and atmosphere and the interactions between them.

To make sure the data from PACE's instruments accurately represent the ocean and the atmosphere, scientists compare (or "validate") the data collected from orbit with measurements they collect at or near Earth's surface. The mission's biggest validation campaign, called PACE Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX), began on Sept. 3, 2024, and will last the entire month.

"If we want to have confidence in the observations from PACE, we need to validate those observations," said Kirk Knobelspiesse, mission scientist for PACE-PAX and an atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "This field campaign is focused on doing just that."

Scientists will make measurements both from aircraft and ships. Based out of three locations across CaliforniaMarina, Santa Barbara, and NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwardsthe campaign includes more than 100 people working in the field and several dozen instruments.

Members of the PACE-PAX teamfrom left to right, Cecile Carlson, Adam Ahern (NOAA), Dennis Hamaker (NPS), Luke Ziemba, and Michael Shook (NASA Langley Research Center)in front of the Twin Otter aircraft as they prep for the start of the campaign. Credit: Judy Alfter/NASA

"This campaign allows us to validate data for both the atmosphere and the ocean, all in one campaign," said Brian Cairns, deputy mission scientist for PACE-PAX and an atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City.

On the ocean, ships, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessel Shearwater, will gather data on ocean biology and the optical properties of the water. Scientists onboard will gather water samples to help define the types of phytoplankton at different locations and their relative abundance, something that PACE's hyperspectral Ocean Color Instrument measures from orbit.

Overhead, a Twin Otter research aircraft operated by the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, will collect data on the atmosphere. At altitudes of up to 10,000 feet, the aircraft will sample and measure cloud droplet sizes, aerosol sizes, and the amount of light that those particles scatter and absorb. These are the atmospheric properties that PACE observes with its two polarimeters, SPEXOne and HARP2.

At a higher altitudeapproximately 70,000 feet upNASA's ER-2 aircraft will provide a complementary view from above the clouds, looking down on the atmosphere and ocean in finer detail than the satellite, but with a narrower view.

The plane will carry several instruments that are similar to those on PACE, including two prototypes of PACE's polarimeters, called SPEXAirborne and AirHARP.

In addition, two instruments called the Portable Remote Imaging SpectroMeter and Pushbroom Imager for Cloud and Aerosol Research and Developmentfrom NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasedena, California, and NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, respectivelywill measure essentially all the wavelengths of visible light (color). The remote sensing measurements are key for scientists who want to test the methods they use to analyze PACE satellite data.

The NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft preparing for flight on Jan. 29, 2023. The aircraft is based at NASAs Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703 in Palmdale, California. Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas

Together, the instruments on the ER-2 approximate the data that PACE gathers and complement the in situ measurements from the ocean research vessel and the Twin Otter.

As the field campaign team gathers data, PACE will be observing the same areas of the ocean surface and atmosphere. Once the campaign is over, scientists will look at the data PACE returned and compare it to the measurements they took from the other three vantage points.

"Once you launch the satellite, there's no more tinkering you can do," said Ivona Cetinic, deputy mission scientist for PACE-PAX and an ocean scientist at NASA Goddard.

Though the scientists cannot alter the satellite anymore, the algorithms designed to interpret PACE data can be adjusted to make the measurements more accurate. Validation checks from campaigns like PACE-PAX help scientists ensure that PACE will be able to return accurate data about our oceans and atmospherecritical to better understand our changing planet and its interconnected systemsfor years to come.

"The ocean and atmosphere are such changing environments that it's really important to validate what we see," Cetinic said. "Understanding the accuracy of the view from the satellite is important, so we can use the data to answer important questions about climate change."

Provided by NASA
TOKYO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it has resumed production of the three models that had been affected by a recent vehicle testing scandal.

Production of the Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio and Yaris Cross restarted on Wednesday, about three months after the auto giant admitted to falsifying performance test data in order to obtain government certifications for its vehicles, Toyota said.

The Japanese automaker had initially planned to resume production on Monday, but delayed the move due to the impact of a typhoon that lashed Japan last week.

Japan's transport ministry issued a shipment ban on the three models following Toyota's admission in June that certification test data had been rigged, but lifted it in July after confirming the vehicles' safety.

Toyota submitted a report in August to the ministry setting out measures to prevent a repeat of the incident such as increasing the number of employees in charge of certification by 10 percent from the current 400. 
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These are far-ultraviolet Hubble images of Mars near its farthest point from the sun, called aphelion, on December 31, 2017 (top), and near its closest approach to the sun, called perihelion, on December 19, 2016 (bottom). The atmosphere is clearly brighter and more extended when Mars is close to the sun. Reflected sunlight from Mars at these wavelengths shows scattering by atmospheric molecules and haze, while the polar ice caps and some surface features are also visible. Hubble and MAVEN showed that Martian atmospheric conditions change very quickly. When Mars is close to the sun, water molecules rise very rapidly through the atmosphere, breaking apart and releasing atoms at high altitudes. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, John T. Clarke (Boston University); Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

Mars was once a very wet planet, as is evident in its surface geological features. Scientists know that over the last 3 billion years, at least some water went deep underground, but what happened to the rest? Now, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) missions are helping unlock that mystery.

"There are only two places water can go. It can freeze into the ground, or the water molecule can break into atoms, and the atoms can escape from the top of the atmosphere into space," explained study leader John Clarke of the Center for Space Physics at Boston University in Massachusetts. "To understand how much water there was and what happened to it, we need to understand how the atoms escape into space."

Clarke and his team combined data from Hubble and MAVEN to measure the number and current escape rate of the hydrogen atoms escaping into space. This information allowed them to extrapolate the escape rate backwards through time to understand the history of water on the red planet.

Their study is published in the journal Science Advances.

Mars was once a very wet planet. Scientists know that over the last 3 billion years, some of the water went underground, but what happened to the rest? Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center; Lead Producer: Paul Morris; Mars Animations Producer: Dan Gallagher

Escaping hydrogen and heavy hydrogen

Water molecules in the Martian atmosphere are broken apart by sunlight into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Specifically, the team measured hydrogen and deuterium, which is a hydrogen atom with a neutron in its nucleus. This neutron gives deuterium twice the mass of hydrogen. Because its mass is higher, deuterium escapes into space much more slowly than regular hydrogen.

Over time, as more hydrogen was lost than deuterium, the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen built up in the atmosphere. Measuring the ratio today gives scientists a clue to how much water was present during the warm, wet period on Mars. By studying how these atoms currently escape, they can understand the processes that determined the escape rates over the last four billion years and thereby extrapolate back in time.

Although most of the study's data comes from the MAVEN spacecraft, MAVEN is not sensitive enough to see the deuterium emission at all times of the Martian year. Unlike the Earth, Mars swings far from the sun in its elliptical orbit during the long Martian winter, and the deuterium emissions become faint. Clarke and his team needed the Hubble data to "fill in the blanks" and complete an annual cycle for three Martian years (each of which is 687 Earth days). Hubble also provided additional data going back to 1991prior to MAVEN's arrival at Mars in 2014.

The combination of data between these missions provided the first holistic view of hydrogen atoms escaping Mars into space.

A dynamic and turbulent Martian atmosphere

"In recent years, scientists have found that Mars has an annual cycle that is much more dynamic than people expected 10 or 15 years ago," explained Clarke. "The whole atmosphere is very turbulent, heating up and cooling down on short timescales, even down to hours. The atmosphere expands and contracts as the brightness of the sun on Mars varies by 40 percent over the course of a Martian year."

The team discovered that the escape rates of hydrogen and deuterium change rapidly when Mars is close to the sun. In the classical picture that scientists previously had, these atoms were thought to slowly diffuse upward through the atmosphere to a height where they could escape.

But that picture no longer accurately reflects the whole story, because now scientists know that atmospheric conditions change very quickly. When Mars is close to the sun, the water molecules, which are the source of the hydrogen and deuterium, rise through the atmosphere very rapidly releasing atoms at high altitudes.

The second finding is that the changes in hydrogen and deuterium are so rapid that the atomic escape needs added energy to explain them. At the temperature of the upper atmosphere, only a small fraction of the atoms have enough speed to escape the gravity of Mars. Faster (super-thermal) atoms are produced when something gives the atom a kick of extra energy. These events include collisions from solar wind protons entering the atmosphere, or sunlight that drives chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere.

Serving as a proxy

Studying the history of water on Mars is fundamental not only to understanding planets in our own solar system, but also the evolution of Earth-sized planets around other stars. Astronomers are finding more and more of these planets, but they're difficult to study in detail.

Mars, Earth and Venus all sit in or near our solar system's habitable zone, the region around a star where liquid water could pool on a rocky planet; yet all three planets have dramatically different present-day conditions. Along with its sister planets, Mars can help scientists grasp the nature of far-flung worlds across our galaxy.

More information: John T. Clarke et al, Martian atmospheric hydrogen and deuterium: Seasonal changes and paradigm for escape to space, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7499 Journal information: Science Advances

Provided by NASA
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A young, male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) chases an offscreen sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) at Ocean Networks Canadas NEPTUNEs Barkley Canyon observatory site off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Credit: Ocean Networks Canada

Northern elephant seals were repeatedly captured on camera in the deep Pacific Ocean using sonar from an Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) observatory as a dinner bell to forage for their next fish feast, according to a new study led by University of Victoria researchers.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, provides a unique, first-ever visual glimpse into the elusive mammal's deep-sea behaviors, with a focus on their sophisticated feeding strategies, prey preferences as well as resting habits.

Altogether, at least eight male elephant seals, ages 4 to 7, were observed on camera and detected by hydrophones during multiple visits to the 645-meter-deep research site at Barkley Canyon along ONC's subsea cabled observatory NEPTUNE off the British Columbia west coast between 2022 and 2023.

The findings came almost by chance; UVic, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC), a Barcelona-based research institute, and ONC researchers were studying the effects of light and bait on fish and invertebrate behavior at Barkley Canyon, using a high-definition camera, acoustic imaging sonar, hydrophone, pair of LED lights, and automatic bait release.

But a review of the camera, acoustic images and sound data revealed the surprise visitors.

"We suspect the seals have learned to associate sonar noise from the research instrument with the presence of fooda phenomenon known as the 'dinner bell' effect.

Seal catches sablefish. Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308461

"The seals appeared to use this sound to locate an area with prey and may take advantage of fish disturbed by the camera lights, particularly targeting sablefish, their preferred meal, as seen in the video footage," says Heloise Frouin-Mouy, lead author of the publication.

Frouin-Mouy, a visiting scientist at UVic in the department of biology and assistant scientist at the University of Miami, collaborated on this research with Francis Juanes, UVic biology professor and Liber Ero Chair for Fisheries Research, and adjunct professor Rodney Rountree. ICM-CSIC's Jacopo Aguzzi and ONC's Fabio De Leo Cabrera are also co-authors on the paper.

In one instance, the repeated visits over 10 days by four of the identified seals to the research site also demonstrate that they quickly learned to use the infrastructure to forage for food more efficiently, adds Frouin-Mouy.

"We became familiar with the mammals and ended up naming them in the paper after members of The Beach Boys to differentiate between the frequency of visits and observed habits," she says.

The adolescent males visiting the site predominantly targeted actively swimming sablefish, ignoring the over dozen other stationary or drifting prey options. Several individuals were interestingly recorded on camera and hydrophone bobbing their heads and producing low-frequency sounds while chasing prey.

A northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) attempts to catch a sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), captured by Ocean Networks Canadas high-definition camera at the Barkley Canyon NEPTUNE observatory site, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Credit: Ocean Networks Canada

Sonar videos also revealed seals power-napping on the seafloor at Barkley Canyon, another new and never-seen behavior from the adolescent male northern elephant seal.

NEPTUNE's real-time monitoring capacity allowed the researchers to adapt the use of ONC's subsea instruments deployed at the research site for the fish study to pick up on the presence of the seals and observe them for nearly a year.

Although northern elephant seal colonies are found as far north as Alaska and southern towards the Baja Peninsula, they are typically studied using biotags to track movement, or found primarily on land.

Results from the also-completed fish acoustics experiment study will be published in the near future.

More information: Heloise Frouin-Mouy et al, Deep-sea cabled video-observatory provides insights into the behavior at depth of sub-adult male northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308461 Journal information: PLoS ONE
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A: The experiment floated radioactive samples on a gas stream, then hit the sample with lasers at high temperatures. B: Initially, plutonium oxide samples were matte gray but they changed to shiny black after intense heating. C: The inset shows a sample after heating under pure O 2 gas. Credit: Argonne National Laboratory

The 2011 accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant in Japan inspired extensive research and analysis that elevated nuclear energy into a standard bearer for safety. It also inspired a number of studies at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. Scientists want to look more closely at nuclear fuel materials to better understand how they will behave at extremely high temperatures.

In 2014, using the bright X-rays of beamline 6-ID-D at Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility, a multidisciplinary team measured and published the structure of molten uranium dioxide (UO 2 ). This material is a major component of the fuel used in nuclear reactors around the world. In addition to providing answers, the experiment raised questions about how liquid plutonium oxide (PuO 2 ) and other mixed oxide fuels being considered for use in next-generation reactors would behave at similarly high temperatures.

Experimental study of PuO 2 raises many more safety concerns. However, the team at Argonne believed there was a fundamental need for data for actinide oxides. They took on the difficult task of designing an experiment that could overcome the complex challenges that accompany the study of PuO 2 .

The results of their work will help scientists and engineers model, design and construct clean nuclear energy systems that continue an impressive safety legacy.

The team of Argonne chemical engineers and physicists, in collaboration with Stephen Wilke and Rick Weber of Materials Development, Inc., and others, published the results of their experiment, "Plutonium oxide melt structure and covalency," in the April 2024 issue of Nature Materials.

"Argonne is probably the only place in the world capable of performing this very difficult type of experiment," said Argonne Senior Physicist Chris Benmore. "We demonstrated the proof of principle in 2014 with UO 2 , and it took us until now to expand the capability to PuO 2 . The experiments involve complex instrumentation operating at extreme conditions."

Benmore helped design the experimental X-ray chamber, perform the X-ray measurements, and analyze and model the X-ray data. Mark Williamson, division director of Argonne's Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies (CFCT) division, assisted in the chamber design and safety analysis for the APS experiments, and guided a CFCT team who synthesized the samples for the experiments. Materials Development, Inc. developed the instrument for the measurements and made necessary safety adjustments that made the instrument more suitable for the PuO 2 experiment.

Floated like a butterfly, then stung like a bee

Samples of PuO 2 measuring about 2 mm in diameter were levitated on a gas stream and then heated by a carbon dioxide laser beam until they melted. This allowed the team to measure the samples' structure at temperatures as high as 3,000 K without risking sample contamination from container interactions. Samples initially appeared matte gray. After heating, they were shiny black. Heating the sample at different temperatures on different streams of gas revealed changes in the volatility of the melt and structure in various atmospheres.

"We solved the structure of liquid plutonium oxide and found that some covalent bonding was indeed present," Benmore said. "We also discovered that the liquid structure was similar to cerium oxide, which can be used as a non-radioactive substitute."

Lead author Stephen Wilke, of Materials Development Inc., added, "People have used levitators to melt materials at extremely high temperatures, but to move this technique into studying nuclear fuel materials where there are other concerns required a much higher level of sophistication and safety review. I think it paid off in a large way."

Another exciting outcome of the experiment involved using the X-ray data to develop machine learning on a supercomputer at Argonne's Laboratory Computing Resource Center. The team was able to model what all the electrons in the system are doing with quantum mechanical accuracy. This work can shed further light on the nature of bonding mechanisms and help determine the safety parameters of using mixed oxide fuels in future reactors.

"The data from the combined set of experiments not only provides information of technological importance, it also provides insights into the fundamental behavior of actinide oxides at extreme temperatures," Williamson said. "This has been a fantastic collaboration of experts, and it's an excellent example of how we work together to continually improve nuclear energy systems."

More information: Stephen K. Wilke et al, Plutonium oxide melt structure and covalency, Nature Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-01883-3 Journal information: Nature Materials
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

New research from Hebrew University shows that how well parents understand their children and manage their own emotions greatly affects homework time. Parents who are good at understanding their kids are more supportive and help them become more independent and motivated to learn. On the other hand, parents who have trouble managing their emotions are more likely to act negatively, which can make it harder for children to stay engaged and do well in their learning.

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have uncovered new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to parental ability to support their children academically. Led by Dr. Naama Gershy and Ph.D. student Racheli Cohen from the School of Education, in collaboration with Prof. Maayan Davidov from the School of Social Work and Social Welfare, the study explored why so many parents struggle to support their children during homework.

The research shows that parents' emotional and cognitive processes can greatly influence their interactions with their children during homework time. By studying 101 Israeli parents and their elementary-aged children, the researchers identified factors that can either help or hinder the support parents provide at home.

The paper, titled "Why Things Can Go Wrong When Parents Try to Help Children With Their Homework: The Role of Parental Emotion Regulation and Mentalization," is now published in the Journal of Educational Psychology.

Children usually spend about one to two hours a day on homework, but this varies with age and school demands. Many parents find it challenging to balance their own responsibilities while supporting their children academically, which can lead to stress and conflict. Improving this dynamic is crucial.

One key finding is the role of parental mentalizationthe ability to perceive and interpret their children's thoughts and feelings. Parents who are good at mentalization are more supportive and less controlling, creating a better homework environment that can boost children's independent learning and motivation.

Conversely, parents who struggle with managing their emotions tend to express negative behaviors, like frustration or discouragement, which can make homework stressful and curtail their child's engagement.

"Our research sheds light on how parents' emotional and mental processes impact their involvement in their children's education," explained Dr. Gershy. "Understanding these factors can help develop strategies that improve parent-child interactions during homework, and hence increase parental ability to support and encourage their children's learning."

Practical applications of these findings could include parent training programs and educational strategies to improve parents' awareness of their emotional states and mentalization skills, aiming to enhance parental support and foster better academic outcomes and relationships.

More information: Racheli Cohen et al, Why things can go wrong when parents try to help children with their homework: The role of parental emotion regulation and mentalization, Journal of Educational Psychology (2024). DOI: 10.1037/edu0000873 Journal information: Journal of Educational Psychology
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ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider Space Tango worked with Luo's team to develop specialized CubeLab hardware to automate the study of bubble formation and behavior in microgravity. Credit: University of Notre Dame

Imagine a sensor so sensitive it can detect early cancer in a single drop of blood, enabling diagnosis and treatment before the first symptomspossibly before a tumor even forms.

Next, picture a device capable of identifying trace amounts of even the smallest plastic pollutants in ocean water, empowering scientists to mitigate the environmental impact of dangerous microscopic toxic waste like nanoplastics, a subgroup of microplastics between 1 and 1,000 nanometers in size.

The catch? Blood samples and vials of contaminated water undergo screening in space, where the absence of gravity leads to an unexpected occurrence: the formation of unusually large bubbles that more efficiently concentrate substances like cancer biomarkers for detection.

This is the futuristic vision of Tengfei Luo, a researcher at the University of Notre Dame who studies mass and energy transport at the molecular level. His concept is simple but has profound applications. By harnessing the unique properties of heat, fluid, and light and their interaction with bubbles, Luo seeks to create sensing technology that's useful on Earth but performs significantly better in the microgravity environment of space. These sensors measure biological or chemical content by generating signals proportional to the concentration of a substance.

Luo's technology uses bubbles to concentrate and extract the tiniest substances submerged in liquid samples, promising to achieve sensitivity and accuracy in detection several orders of magnitude better than what's currently possible. The key to this technology is freeing the bubbles from the constraints of gravity-induced forces, allowing them to act as the concentrator of targeted microscopic substances for a larger spatial extent and longer duration, making the substances easier to detect and analyze.

Luo says this biosensing method could ultimately improve the efficiency of cancer diagnostic tools reliant on highly concentrated sample extraction from liquids.

"The technology currently available to screen for early, asymptomatic cancer before a tumor is visible during imaging is very limited to just a few cancers," Luo said. "If cancer screening using our bubble technology in space is democratized and made inexpensive, many more cancers can be screened, and everyone can benefit. It's something we may be able to integrate into annual exams. It sounds far-fetched, but it's achievable."

The first in a series of International Space Station (ISS) Laboratory experiments aimed to study how bubbles form and grow on surfaces of different roughness when water boils in space compared with the process on Earth. The initial experiment examined bubble behavior on one surface, and a second iteration that flew on Northrop Grumman's 17th CRS mission studied four different surfaces.

A high-speed camera inside the flight hardware captured the bubble growth process, and then Luo's team analyzed the videos together with computer simulations. The experiment focused on two fundamental factors affecting bubble formation: the surface's texture and the surrounding liquid's movement. According to Luo, the results are promising, showing that the bubbles grew larger and faster in space than on Earth.

Understanding the mechanisms behind bubble growth in space will help Luo advance his technology to extract extremely low concentrations of substances from liquids, which he says is the next step in detecting cancer in blood samples or minute traces of pollutants in water. Beyond Earth applications, the technology could bolster the low Earth orbit economy and potentially accompany astronauts during deep space exploration to assess onboard water sources for contamination or monitor crew member health.

Surface bubble nucleation and growth dynamics. The snapshots showing the moments of surface bubble nucleation (upper), growth (middle) and the final phase (lower) at the end of the video in terrestrial a or space microgravity b condition. The measured surface bubble contact angle is provided in the middle panel of b. c The volumes of space (red) and terrestrial (black) bubbles as a function of time after nucleation. d The volume growth rates of space (red) and terrestrial (black) bubbles as a function of time after nucleation in log scale. Credit: npj Microgravity (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00352-0

Unraveling the physics of bubbles in space

Originally from China, Luo joined Notre Dame after completing a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and started the MONSTER (Molecular/Nano-Scale Transport and Energy Research) Lab in 2012 to study molecular-level energy and mass transport.

For a 2020 study published in Advanced Materials Interfaces, Luo and his research team used a laser to heat a solution containing nanoparticles coated with DNA biomarkers. They successfully lured the nanoparticles to the bubbles generated by the laser and deposited them on the substrate, creating what Luo calls a "high-density concentrated island."

Thanks to a phenomenon called the Marangoni flow, nanoparticles are transported to the surface of bubbles. The bigger the bubble and the longer it is maintained in a liquid without detaching from the surface, the more concentrated the substances attracted to it become. The biomarkers migrate along the bubble to the solid surface, where they bunch together and collect, ready to study. At that point, Luo uses microscopy to examine the bubbles and determine what's deposited on the surface.

To grow "larger bubbles that last longer on the surface" and make his biosensors more sensitive, Luo turned to the space station's unique microgravity environment and enlisted the help of Space Tango.

"Microgravity provides an ideal environment to explore physics fundamentals by removing one of our universe's fundamental forces," explained Twyman Clements, president and co-founder of Space Tango. "On Earth, bubbles are influenced by competing forces such as surface tension and buoyancy, but in low Earth orbit, these forces are removed."

Space Tango partnered with Luo's team to develop customized hardware to ensure the success of the spaceflight project.

"For this study, the team designed an automated experiment, from fluid containment systems to high-speed imaging tools, that function under microgravity conditions and heat the liquids under study safely on the space station," Clements said. "As we continue to improve our technologies, this effort underscores our commitment to pushing the boundaries of fluid dynamics research for applications that benefit humanity on Earth and beyond."

The experiment was housed in a novel CubeLab, an automated platform the size of a shoebox, developed by Space Tango. The hardware includes four specialized fluid chambers and high-resolution imaging systems specifically designed to observe and analyze bubble formation in microgravity. The experiment involved the controlled introduction of various fluids into the chambers, allowing researchers to study bubble formation, growth, and coalescence under microgravity conditions.

Top: Bubble formation in the Space Tango CubeLab on the space station. Bottom: Bubble formation during experimentation on Earth. Credit: Image courtesy of Luo Tengfei

"We found that bubbles form much quicker in space than on Earth. For instance, in one experiment, bubbles formed after 4 minutes and 35 seconds in space, but it took twice as long on Earth due to the movement of liquid cooling the area known as thermal convection," Luo said.

In space, without the presence of buoyancy and convective flow, the dynamics of bubble growth change drastically. On Earth, buoyancythe tendency of objects to rise or fall in a fluid due to gravityplays a significant role in bubble formation and growth. Additionally, convective flow, caused by the movement of hot liquid around the heating area, helps regulate temperature and slows bubble growth.

There's hardly any buoyancy in microgravity. This means bubbles aren't pulled away from the surface, allowing them to grow larger without being disturbed. Additionally, without convective flow, there's nothing to cool down the heating area. As a result, the heat energy is concentrated in a smaller area, leading to much faster and larger bubble growth than on Earth, Luo says.

The results from his space experiments successfully illustrated these concepts. The bubbles did not detach from the surface but burst at the end when they grew too big. "We still don't understand why," says Luo.

Turning dreams into tangible tech

After analyzing and quantifying the bubble volume, Luo and his team determined that space bubbles can be orders of magnitude larger than terrestrial bubbles. They published their results earlier this year in Nature Microgravity.

On Earth, Luo used his technique to find nanoplasticsincluding those from disposable coffee cups, water bottles, and fish netsin a vile of ocean water he collected off the coast of the United States, which he describes in another recent paper published in Science Advances.

"We find some kinds of particles 300 meters deep in the Gulf of Mexico in very, very low concentrations, but this gives us a look at what nanoplastic looks like in our ocean environment," says Luo.

Luo and his team will continue their research in an upcoming experiment scheduled for launch in August. This time, the team will conduct particle disposition to confirm that the larger bubbles do indeed increase the density of concentrated nanoparticles collected.

Inside the CubeLab designed by Space Tango. Credit: Tengfei Luo

The Space Tango CubeLab will also undergo some changes. Luo is working with Space Tango to implement a safe, inexpensive laser to heat the liquid; the nanoparticles absorb the laser light and convert it into heat. Heating the nanoparticle suspension with a laser allows better control of the Marangoni flow to improve biomarker concentration and collection.

"If the concentration ratio is proportional to the bubble size, we should be able to increase the sensitivity of our biosensors by another three orders of magnitude," says Luo. "So that would allow us to--theoretically--screen for early cancer."

Luo is starting to think about how to make this dream a reality. He estimates that sending around 10,000 blood samples to the space station costs a few hundred dollars. Of course, that doesn't cover the cost of flying a spacecraft. He hopes vehicles like Boeing's Starliner and future commercial space destinations may help reduce the cost of screening for diseases in space and further democratize access.

Still, scaling up this process to make space screening available to everyone is a significant hurdle to overcome. In the meantime, these experiments are improving our understanding of the physics of fluid around surface bubbles in complex environments. Validating this technology at the extremes of particle concentration, bubble size, and bubble growth rate could benefit all sorts of terrestrial screening. This translates to mapping out the scientific limits of cancer biomarkers or environmental pollutant detection.

And Luo says it's not just people on Earth who could benefit. Monitoring astronauts' health is crucial for prolonged space missions, where early detection of changes in health can ensure their well-being. Enhancing biosensor technology in space can lead to more accurate and reliable health monitoring, contributing to safer space exploration.

Dual-use applications, such as Luo's biosensing, have transformative potential, benefiting both space exploration and technology on Earth, says Jonathan Volk, business development director for Voyager Space, a commercial space company focused on advancing deep space missions, encompassing lunar and Mars exploration programs, and developing Starlab, a commercial space station.

"Increasing accessibility to space is pivotal to encouraging more projects like Tengfei's," Volk said, underscoring the ISS National Lab's role in translating visionary concepts into practical realities.

"To do science in the space environment, whether in physics or biology, innovative thinking is essential, and it's easy for an idea to sound like a pipe dream," says Volk. "But once we grasp the possibilities within the space environment, what may seem impossible can become possible."

Provided by International Space Station National Laboratory
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Study design and experimental heat pain model. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado3498

A study by the Medical University of Vienna has made important progress in understanding heat perception in humans. The research team was able to identify a specific cell structure that plays a role in recognizing heat. However, most of the protective recognition of heat in everyday life depends on other, as yet unknown structures.

The findings were recently published in the journal Science Advances. Recognizing heat is a fundamental protective function for all organisms. A research team led by Michael Fischer from MedUni Vienna's Center for Physiology and Pharmacology investigated the question of how the human body recognizes harmful heat.

In the study, 48 healthy test subjects were examined using a newly developed heat pain model in order to clarify the role of various cell components in heat perception. It was found that the perception of heat pain differs significantly from the way it works in mice, in which the cell structures TRPV1, TRPA1 and TRPM3 are redundantly responsible for heat perception and a role for ANO1 was also described. These are proteins that play an important role in detection of environmental and internal conditions.

It turned out that three of these four cell structures, which are responsible for recognizing heat in mice, play no role in humans. By developing a new heat pain model and conducting the comprehensive study in humans, MedUni Vienna was able to rule out a contribution of TRPA1, ANO1 and TRPM3 to heat perception. The fourth structure, TRPV1, which is also responsible for the perception of spicy food, proved to be the most sensitive for recognizing heat in humans.

Heat perception in humans not yet clarified

Thus, while TRPV1 remains as the central detector of noxious heat, interestingly, in humans, the majority of protective heat avoidance in everyday life depends on other as yet unknown molecular mechanisms. This was shown when the inhibition of TRPV1 reduced pain at harmful temperatures, but the majority of heat-induced pain was still perceived.

"These findings open up new avenues in research into recognizing and preventing heat damage and could lead to new therapies in the long term," explains study leader Michael Fischer.

More information: Stefan Heber et al, Human heat sensation: A randomized crossover trial, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado3498 Journal information: Science Advances
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Common dolphin off the coast of Australia. This species lives in the open ocean, can reach high swimming speeds, has more than 70 vertebrate and up to eight regions in their backbone. Credit: Amandine Gillet

If you've ever seen a dolphin swim, you may have wondered why they undulate their bodies up and down when swimming, instead of side to side as fishes do. Though they have a fishlike body, cetaceans (a group comprised of whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are mammals that descended from land-dwelling ancestorssame as cats, dogs, mice, elephants, cows, and humans.

However, unlike their land-dwelling relatives, cetaceans have undergone profound changes in their body and skeletal structure to thrive in aquatic environments, including the reduction of hindlimbs and the evolution of flippers and tail flukes, resulting in a streamlined body.

Despite these adaptations, cetaceans retain key features of their terrestrial origins, such as lungs and the ability to nurse their young with milk. And, as for those undulating movements, they also retained the similar vertical movements that allow land mammals to run really fast. But the mystery remains of how the transition from land to water, approximately 53 million years ago, impacted the construction and function of their backbone, a central element of the skeleton.

Now, in a study published in Nature Communications, an international team of researchers shed light on how these marine mammals' backbones were re-organized as their ancestors adapted to life in water.

The team found that, contrary to previous assumptions, the cetacean backbone is highly regionalized, despite being more homogeneous in shape along its length. The way in which the backbone is regionalized, however, is drastically different from terrestrial mammals.

"When their ancestor went back into the water, whales and dolphins lost their hind legs and developed a fish-like body," said lead author Dr. Amandine Gillet, Marie Curie Fellow in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard and in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, UK.

"But that morphological change also means the vertebral column is now the main part of the skeleton driving locomotion in an aquatic environment."

The vertebral column of terrestrial mammals moving on land must provide support to help the legs carry the body weight. When cetaceans transitioned from land to water, the forces of gravity shifted from air to buoyant water releasing the pressure to carry body weight. The new body structure and movements needed to move through water meant the backbone of these animals would have to shift in some way to fit their new environments.

Previous studies have looked at the backbone from a morphological view, eyeing changes in vertebrae morphology. In a 2018 paper published in Science, co-authors Professor Stephanie Pierce and Dr. Katrina Jones explored the complex evolutionary history of the mammalian backbone using a novel statistical method first developed to study the backbone of snakes.

Pierce and Jones revised the model to fit their study, which allowed them to demonstrate that the vertebral column of terrestrial mammals is characterized by numerous, distinct regions in comparison to amphibians and reptiles.

Nested Regions Hypothesis for cetacean backbone construction: The Nested Regions hypothesis proposes a model where the backbone of cetaceans is divided into precaudal and caudal segments with each further divided into a number of modules common to all cetaceans. Each module can be further subdivided into multiple regions, with a minimum of six and a maximum of nine post-cervical regions across all extant cetaceans. Credit: Amandine Gillet

"It's a challenge to understand how the regions of a terrestrial mammal can be found in whales and dolphins and one reason is because their backbone looks very different in terms of morphology, even though they evolved from them," said Pierce, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard and senior author of the study.

"They lost the sacrum, a fused string of vertebrae bracing the hind legs and a critical landmark needed to distinguish the tail from the rest of the body."

The vertebrae of cetaceans are further complicated in that they became more homogeneous in their anatomical features. So, the transition from one vertebra to another is gradual compared to the extreme transitions found in terrestrial mammals, making it more difficult to identify regions.

"Not only do they have very similar vertebrae, but certain species, in particular porpoises and dolphins, have many more vertebrae than terrestrial mammals, with some species having close to 100 vertebrae," said Jones, Presidential Fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Manchester, UK.

"This makes it really challenging to translate regions found in terrestrial mammals to the backbones in whales and dolphins."

Traditional statistical methods used to identify regionalization patterns require the exact same number of elements across specimens. The statistical method Pierce and Jones implemented (called Regions) allowed them to overcome this issue by analyzing the backbone of each specimen individually.

While the method worked well for the constrained backbone of terrestrial mammals, it proved computationally challenging for the high counts of vertebrae in cetaceans. Gillet collaborated with the Data Science Services team at the Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science to re-write the code, allowing the program to obtain results within minutes on a laptop. The researchers made the new program, called MorphoRegions, publicly available for the scientific community as a computational software R package.

"This is definitely one of the biggest advances of our study," said Pierce. "Amandine spent months refining the program so that it could analyze a system of high repeating units without crashing the computer."

Gillet applied the MorphoRegions method to the data she previously collected during her Ph.D. work. She visited six museums in Europe, South Africa and U.S. gathering morphological data on 139 specimens from 62 cetacean species, two-thirds of the almost 90 living species. In total, Gillet measured 7,500 vertebrae and ran them through the analytical pipeline.

Correlation between the number of vertebrae and regions with habitat: Picture of the backbone of a species living in shallow waters (left) and the open ocean (right) showing the differences in number of vertebrae, number of regions (represented by colored boxes), and number of modules (represented by colored lines under the regions). Credit: Amandine Gillet

"Our large dataset allowed us to demonstrate that not only does the organization of the cetacean backbone differ from terrestrial mammals, but also that the patterns vary within cetaceans as we identified between six and nine regions depending on the species," said Gillet.

"We then worked from there to find commonalities across regions and identified a pattern common to all cetaceans, which is summarized by our Nested Regions Hypothesis."

The hypothesis proposed by the team introduces a hierarchical organization of the backbone in which a precaudal and a caudal segment are first identified. The two segments are then each divided into several modules common to all cetaceans: cervical, anterior thoracic, thoraco-lumbar, posterior lumbar, caudal, peduncle, and fluke. Next, depending on the species, each module is further subdivided into one to four regions, with a minimum of six and a maximum of nine post-cervical regions along the backbone.

"Surprisingly, this showed us that, compared to terrestrial mammals, the precaudal segment has less regions, whereas the caudal area has more," said Pierce. "Terrestrial mammals use their tails for a variety of different functions, but not usually for generating propulsive forces, like cetaceans do. Having more regions in the tail may allow for movement in very specific regions of tail."

"Based on previous observational studies, we know that whales, dolphins and porpoises don't exactly swim the same way," said Gillet.

"One species might need to swim slow, but with more maneuverability to catch prey, or because it's living in a shallow environment with lots of obstacles. Other species living in the open ocean might need to be able to go fast in a straight line without requiring much body flexibility."

So, the team explored how regions in the backbone correlate to habitat and swimming speed. They discovered that species living offshore, farther from the coast, have more vertebrae, more regions, and higher burst swimming speed. Species living in rivers and bays, so, closer to shore, have less vertebrae and fewer regions, but their regions are more different to one another, potentially affording them greater maneuverability.

"It's a beautiful study," said Pierce. "You go from dusty skeletons in a museum to showing how the backbone of one of the most charismatic groups of mammals was repatterned due to their aquatic environment. And we can directly relate this back to habitat and swimming performance in living animals."

With a better understanding of the organization of the cetacean backbone, the researchers plan to next tackle understanding how these morphological regions correlate with function using experimental data on the flexibility of the vertebral column collected in the lab.

These data collected on modern taxa should allow them to infer swimming abilities of fossil whales and help inform how the backbone shifted from a weight-bearing structure on land to a propulsion-generating organ in the water.

More information: Amandine Gillet et al, Repatterning of mammalian backbone regionalization in cetaceans, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51963-w Journal information: Nature Communications , Science
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This undated image from a court document provided by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana shows golden eagle feet recovered by law enforcement officers from a Washington state man's vehicle. Credit: Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana via AP, File

A man helped kill at least 118 eagles to sell their feathers and body parts on the black market as part of a long-running wildlife trafficking ring in the western U.S. that authorities allege killed thousands of birds, court filings show.

Travis John Branson is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Sept. 18 for his role in the trafficking ring that operated on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and elsewhere.

Prosecutors say the Cusick, Washington man made between $180,000 and $360,000 from 2009 to 2021 selling bald and golden eagle parts illegally.

"It was not uncommon for Branson to take upwards of nine eagles at a time," prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montana wrote in a Tuesday court filing. "Not only did Branson kill eagles, but he hacked them into pieces to sell for future profits."

Eagle wings, tails, feathers and other parts are highly sought after by Native Americans who use them in ceremonies.

Prosecutors asked Judge Dana Christensen to sentence Branson to "significant imprisonment" and restitution totaling $777,250. That includes $5,000 for every dead eagle and $1,750 for each of 107 hawks that investigators said he and his co-conspirators killed.

Branson's attorney disputed the prosecutors' claims and said they overstated the number of birds killed. The prosecution's allegation that as many as 3,600 birds died came from a co-defendant, Simon Paul, who remains at large. Branson's attorney suggested in court filings that the stated death toll has fueled public outcry over the case.

"It is notable that Mr. Paul himself went from a 3,600 to 1,000 bird estimate," Federal Defender Andrew Nelson wrote in a Tuesday filing, referring to a statement Paul made to authorities in a March 13, 2021, traffic stop.

Nelson also said restitution for the hawks was not warranted since those killings were not included in last year's grand jury indictment. He said Branson had no prior criminal history and asked for a sentence of probation.

An adult golden eagle circles overhead in a remote area of Box Elder County, Utah, May 20, 2021. Credit: Spenser Heaps/The Deseret News via AP, File

Branson and Paul grew up in the Flathead Reservation area. Since their indictment, Paul has been hiding in Canada to evade justice, according to Nelson.

Paul's defense attorney did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.

Investigators documented the minimum number of eagles and hawks killed through Branson's text messages, prosecutors said. Two years of his messages were not recovered, leading prosecutors to say the "full scope of Branson's killings is not captured."

Government officials have not revealed any other species of birds killed.

Bald and golden eagles are sacred to many Native Americans. U.S. law prohibits anyone without a permit from killing, wounding or disturbing eagles, or taking their nests or eggs.

Illegal shootings are a leading cause of golden eagle deaths, according to a recent government study.

Members of federally recognized tribes can get feathers and other bird parts legally through from the National Eagle Repository in Colorado and non-government repositories in Oklahoma and Phoenix. There's a yearslong backlog of requests at the national repository.

Branson pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy, wildlife trafficking and two counts of trafficking federally protected bald and golden eagles. He faced a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the most serious charge, conspiracy. Under a plea deal, prosecutors said they would seek to dismiss additional trafficking charges.

Federal guidelines call for a sentence of roughly three to four years in prison for Branson, they said.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Planning group activities for your meeting, retreat, or conference can be a daunting task. You need a destination that accommodates large groups and offers a wide range of activities. The Lake George Area in the Southern Adirondacks of Upstate New York is the ideal choice.

Lake George has a diverse range of accommodations, from luxury resorts to cozy waterfront hotels, ensuring that you can find the right lodging to match your groups needs, budget and goals. Whether your group prefers to stay productive on-site or enjoy spacious areas for relaxation and reflection, the Lake George Area has flexible meeting spaces designed for gatherings and networking.

Its convenient location is within an easy drive from New York City, Boston and Montreal. You can also get there by air and train, making the area a practical choice for groups traveling within the Northeast.

Also, the stunning natural beauty of the area provides an ideal backdrop for team-building activities and outdoor recreation, offering a refreshing escape from the usual office environment. This blend of comfort, convenience and natural splendor makes the Lake George Area a fantastic destination for groups to convene.

Here are six notable attractions that can entertain your group of professionals.

Lake George Steamboat Company

The Steamboat Company operates historic steamboats like the Mohican and Minne-Ha-Ha, providing a vintage, nostalgic adventure with opportunities for dining, cocktail hours, and more. Your group will adore the historic charm of their boats and enjoy the scenic outing.

Lake George Waterfront Cruises

This company has modern boats and provides a range of cruise options for you to choose from. You can count on them for flexibility, tailored private charters and event-specific cruises that adjust amenities and activities to suit various groups.

The Morgan

This classic steamboat is an excellent choice for groups staying in the regions cornerstone, The Sagamore Resort who wish to enjoy an historic and elegant excursion on Lake George. This vintage steamboat, built in 1906, provides a unique backdrop for corporate outings and special celebrations.

Natural Stone Bridges and Caves

Natural Stone Bridge and Caves offers a thrilling Adventure Tour that is perfect for corporate and team-building groups looking for a unique bonding experience. This 3-4 hour guided tour involves exploring four different caves, including army crawls through sandy passageways, climbing over waterfalls, and floating through Garnet Cave. With options for varying skill levels, participants can challenge themselves while still enjoying the tour.

Adirondack Excursions

Adirondack Excursions specializes in boat tours and adventures. The Adirondacks encompasses various lakes and rivers beyond just Lake George. This excursions company offers a range of nature-focused activities, including fishing, wildlife watching and guided nature tours. You can turn to them for outdoor adventures.

The Original Tiki Tours

The Original Tiki Tours is ideal for groups wanting a festive way to explore Lake George. Their tiki-themed boats offer a casual, open-air setting perfect for celebrations and cocktail hours. Designed for various group sizes, the boats provide a playful tropical atmosphere.

The Floating Classroom

The Floating Classroom in Lake George offers a one-of-a-kind, educational experience on the water. They provide hands-on environmental and science lessons aboard. Ideal for corporate teams and organizations, The Floating Classroom accommodates various sizes and interests, combining learning with relaxation.

When youre ready to plan your next corporate outing on or near the water, consider the Lake George Area for your destination. For more information, please visit meetlakegeorge.com.

This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com.
In a landmark event, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant handed over the first Indian citizenship certificate under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to Joseph Francis Pereira, a 78-year-old Pakistani Christian. The ceremony, which took place on 28 August 2024, marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the controversial legislation.

Pereira, born in 1946 in Paroda village, South Goa, left for Pakistan in 1960 at the age of 14 to pursue his education. He subsequently took up employment there, acquiring Pakistani citizenship in the process. After a career spanning several decades in Bahrain, Pereira returned to India in 2013, settling in Cansaulim, South Goa, with his wife Martha.

The journey to citizenship for Pereira has been a long and complex one. Despite being married to a Goan woman and having Indian parents, he faced numerous hurdles in obtaining Indian citizenship. The couple made multiple attempts over the years, with applications either cancelled due to missing documents or left pending. It wasn't until the implementation of the CAA that Pereira's path to citizenship became clear.

Chief Minister Sawant, speaking at the event, highlighted the significance of the moment. "Though Pereira was married to a Goan woman, he faced hurdles in getting Indian citizenship until the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amended the Citizenship Act, 1955," Sawant stated. He added that many Goans could potentially benefit from the CAA in a similar manner.

The CAA, enacted in December 2019, aims to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2014. The act covers Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from these countries.

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For Pereira, the impact of the CAA has been profound. "I am very grateful to the CAA that was brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," he told reporters. "Within one month of applying, the approval has come."

Martha Pereira, Joseph's wife, shared the challenges they faced before the CAA. "From the time we got married, we have been applying, but nothing was coming out of it," she said. "We applied through CAA in June this year. Without CAA, there would have been a lot of hurdles."

For decades, Pereira led a life divided between his work in Bahrain and his family in Goa, visiting only for short periods due to visa restrictions. This arrangement meant missing significant family events and living under constant scrutiny, including regular police verifications.

His journey began when an uncle suggested he go to Karachi for higher education and training, citing limited job prospects in pre-Liberation Goa. He applied for a Portuguese passport and embarked on a week-long trip to Karachi by steamboat. In Pakistan, Pereira studied at a missionary school and later took a technical course in refrigeration and air conditioning.

During his time in Karachi, Pereira experienced significant political changes, including the beginning of dictatorships in 1965 and the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. These events complicated communication with his family, forcing him to route letters through a friend in Bahrain. Eventually, lack of job opportunities led Pereira to seek work in Bahrain.

As per the citizenship certificate, Pereira has been registered as a Citizen of India under the Provisions of Section 6B and fulfilling the conditions under section 5 (1)(c) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, effective from the date of his entry into India. Chief Minister Sawant announced that the Goa Home Department has begun surveying potential applicants for citizenship under the CAA and encouraged eligible individuals to contact the government.

The ceremony was attended by state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, highlighting the significance of this event for the Goan government. Pereira, visibly moved by the occasion, expressed his joy, saying, "I think you can see it on my face, I am so happy. I am free! Now I can just show them my citizenship certificate, and say, 'Please don't bother me.' God's blessing is upon me. I can now stay with my family peacefully until my death."
ALBANY  Some politicians representing Warren and Washington County are calling for an investigation into Gov. Kathy Hochul and her administration after a former aide to both Hochul and to then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo was arrested Tuesday. The aide has been charged with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government.

Linda Sun, who held several positions in New York state government, including working as deputy chief of staff for Hochul and deputy diversity officer for former Gov. Cuomo was arrested along with her husband Chris Hu Tuesday morning.

Federal prosecutors said Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to the governors office and shaped New York governmental messaging to align with the priorities of the Chinese government, among other things.

An AP story on the arrest says that Hochuls office saw wrongdoing by Sun, fired her in 2023 and alerted authorities to the issues they saw.

A number of politicians, including some who represent Warren and Washington County at the state and federal level, have spoken out since the allegations and are asking for an investigation into Hochul and her administration.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, said taxpayers deserve transparency.

Failed Far Left Democrat Kathy Hochul allowed Communist Chinese spy Linda Sun unfettered access to the highest levels of New York State government, Stefanik said in a statement. From allowing Chinese police stations, to maintaining a sister city partnership between NYC and Beijing, this is another example of New York Democrats facilitating the influence campaign of Communist China.

Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, called the situation with Sun a failure in state security which never should have happened.

The indictment of Linda Sun, a former top aide to Governor Hochul, as a foreign agent of the Chinese Communist Party highlights an appalling security breach in our state government, Stec said in a statement. The fact that an individual representing one of the most repressive nations in the world could rise to a high-ranking position in our states government should alarm all New Yorkers, and serve as a warning to officials from both parties.

Sen. Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, has said that everything from hiring practices, to security protocols to the governors administrative chain of command must be examined.

That the Chinese Community Party infiltrated the highest levels of state government is surreal, completely unacceptable and deeply unsettling. As Ranking Member of the committee overseeing homeland security, Im urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in calling for a bipartisan commission to find out how this happened, how we can prevent future catastrophic security failures and assist federal authorities in unmasking any other unregistered operatives of foreign governments to ensure they are brought to swift justice.

In a press conference Wednesday, Hochul responded to the case.

To think that any foreign agent, that any foreign government, has the audacity to infiltrate a government like the State of New York has to be addressed, Hochul said. We will be talking more about what we want to see happen later today. But, I will say this, everyone should be aware of who they are empowering with positions.

Hochul said Sun was in a position where she was handling things like outreach and proclamations, and that she did not have any access to security information or documentation, or cyber security information.

There was a limit to it, on the other end of it, it never should have happened, Hochul said. Were taking strong actions a this time.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  Stockton University on Thursday announced the swearing in of Tracy Stuart as the school's newest police chief.

Stuart, 53, of Ocean County, was sworn in Wednesday by Stockton President Joe Bertolino. She is the first Black sworn police chief at Stockton, according to the school.

It certainly will not be easy, but from the get-go, youre our person to lead, and we knew that right away, Bertolino said at the swearing-in ceremony.

Stuart earned her bachelor's degree in criminology and justice studies from The College of New Jersey and began her law enforcement career as a Class I and II officer in Avon-by-the-Sea, Monmouth County.

To rise through the ranks and have such tremendous support from so many wonderful people to entrust me with being the chief of police, its really a proud moment for me and my parents, she said. It shows that if you work hard, you will be rewarded.

Stuart thanked her mother, Cynthia, and mentor, retired Stafford Township Police Chief Thomas Conroy in her speech.

She credited her time working in a shore town like Avon-by-the-Sea with helping her engage with residents, especially young kids.

I knew, early on, that I liked that family setting, so when Stockton was hiring, I thought it would be interesting to work in an agency that was pretty small and also they were big on community engagement  getting to know the students, faculty and staff.

Stuart started at Stockton in security in August 2007. She rose through the ranks and became a fixture on campus, doing classroom presentations on emergency preparedness and educating students on how to protect themselves while on campus.

Stuart also worked as a K-9 handler with her partner, Hemi, from 2011-20, and with Freya since 2020. She won detection dog titles with the U.S. Police Canine Association National Detector Dog Trials in 2018 and 2019 with Hemi, and again in 2022 with Freya.

Stuart said her main priority as chief will be recruitment and retention. She hopes to increase personnel from 18 sworn officers "up to its highest potential and highest standards so we can be the best versions of ourselves," she said.

Parents entrust us with their kids en loco parentis, year after year, so we have to meet and exceed their expectations, she added.
DES MOINES  A University of Iowa employee  now fired  improperly collected more than $943,000 for work done for his private firm with university equipment, according to a three-year special investigation released Wednesday.

State Auditor Rob Sand, whose office published the 304-page report, said he expects Iowa law enforcement agencies to pursue legal action against the former employee.

Brian Busch, a former UI engineering specialist and manager of the Department of Physics and Astronomys Machine Shop, improperly collected $943,634.97 by contracting for services for a company he owned and completing the work in the Machine Shop from 2017 through 2021, according to the special audit.

Busch failed to disclose with the university that he owns D3Signtech, which was required under the UI Conflicts of Interest and Commitment policy, the audit said.

The UI said in a statement Wednesday said once it learned of possible improprieties by Busch, it conducted an investigation and then requested the audit from Sands office.

Busch was placed on paid leave in September 2021 after whistleblowers raised questions about his work. He was terminated Aug. 28 when the state audit was completed, according to the UI.

The university needs to improve their conflict of interest policies. They also need to do a better job of verifying them, Sand said Wednesday during a news conference in the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines.

Two more UI Machine Shop employees were put on paid leave as a result of the investigation, according to the universitys statement: William Crile was placed on paid leave Sept. 29, 2021; he left the university on July 17, 2023. And Spencer Kuhl was placed on paid leave on July 6, 2023; he was terminated on Aug. 2.

While on paid leave for three years, Buschs salary was $83,153 a year. Criles annual salary during his two years of paid leave was $67,570, and Kuhls salary during his one year of paid leave was more than $85,000.

The UI is investigating all potential avenues to recoup wages paid to all three former employees, the universitys statement said.

Sand said his office worked on the investigation with UI police and a federal agency he declined to name. The audit states that Busch declined to meet with a detective.

Mr. Busch stated he would consult his legal representation and provide an answer to the detective. Mr. Busch did not return communication confirming to meet with the detective with the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety, the audit report said. As a result, we did not attempt to interview Mr. Busch.

Sand said Iowas statute of limitations for the wrongdoing he found is three years, meaning state law enforcement agencies have until the end of this year to file charges.

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith said her office is reviewing the report. An Iowa Attorney General's Office spokeswoman said the office reviews all reports it receives to determine whether further action needs to be taken.

Neither the Iowa Department of Public Safety nor its Division of Criminal Investigation  which were not involved in the investigation but were sent the audit report by Sands office  are involved with the case, a spokesman said.

The federal statute of limitations is five years, Sand said, meaning the investigating federal agency could also take action.

If your focus is on accountability, the last thing you want to do is run into a situation where youve said, OK, were just going to let this timeline lapse on the state side because it sounds like the feds will take it. You don't want to do that because you could end up in a situation where something changes and then all of a sudden theres no accountability for it, Sand said. So we are getting this report out now because we do not want that state limitation to run before the report is released.

How it happened

The UI Physics and Astronomy Departments Machine Shop is described on its website as a source for custom part prototyping and machine part problem solving with services that include machining, fabricating, welding, design and precise measurement of mechanical parts and assemblies.

The Machine Shop is designed to be financially self-sufficient, Sand said. It charges for the services it offers: $77 to $86 per hour for UI projects and $100 per hour for outside projects, according to the audit.

According to the audit, Busch would contract to take jobs through various outside entities and perform the work using Machine Shop. The investigation tracked 587 jobs that Busch completed using Machine Shop equipment.

According to the audit, Buschs billing practices were first flagged by a UI employee in 2019, when Busch was ordered to repay the university $3,550 he had collected for his personal business, D3Signtech, for contract work through the online industrial parts marketplace Xometry using Machine Shop equipment.

A UI spokesman said at that point, a university review process uncovered the error and after the money was repaid, Busch was an employee in good standing.

But  he retained employment, his future transactions obviously did not receive any additional scrutiny, and here we stand today with $950,000 that went into his pocket rather than going to the university, Sand said.

The UI statement lays out steps taken to address the issues that were uncovered by the investigation and audit. According to UI:

To ensure proper documentation and accounting, the Machine Shop updated its job intake and tracking procedures, recording jobs as they are assigned, in-progress, completed or deleted.

UI will review its conflict of interest and employment leave of absence practices to determine if new rules or procedures are necessary to mitigate prolonged administrative leaves and protect university resources.

The University of Iowa is committed to managing its resources responsibly and expects all employees to follow the conflict of interest and purchasing policies outlined in the universitys policy manual, UIs statement says.

10 high-impact tips to protect yourself from fraud 10 high-impact tips to protect yourself from fraud
Chinese VP meets with Putin

Xinhua) 09:12, September 05, 2024

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

VLADIVOSTOK, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Russian President Vladimir Putin here in Russia's Far East city on Wednesday.

Han conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's warm regards and best wishes to Putin, saying that at this new historical starting point of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties, China-Russia relations in the new era continue to operate at a high level under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.

Han said China is full of confidence in the prospects of cooperation between the two countries. China highly values the role and influence of the Eastern Economic Forum, actively supports and participates in the development and cooperation of Russia's Far East region and stands ready to share development opportunities with Russia, so as to benefit the two peoples with more achievements and promote common development and revitalization.

Putin welcomed Han to Russia for the ninth Eastern Economic Forum and asked him to convey his cordial greetings and best wishes to Xi.

Noting that Russia-China relations are in the best period in history, Putin said Russia highly values bilateral cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, culture and local exchanges and looks forward to exploring more new development opportunities with China.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
At the 11th General Assembly of the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA) held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 7-12, 2024, approximately 200 participants from 23 national alliances and 20 mission organizations engaged in meaningful discussions under the theme Disciple or Die. This gathering, part of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), focused on how Christians and churches across Asia should approach fulfilling the Great Commission in the coming decade. The overwhelming consensus was that eective discipling in Asia requires collaborative eorts among national alliances and their partners. Given that Asia is home to just 7.9% of the worlds Christian population, the importance of discipling in this region cannot be overstated.

In comparison to other continents, Christians make up 8.6% of the population within Asia, while Africa has 48.5%, and Latin America boasts 92.7%. In Latin America, historical factors have shaped these gures significantly with colonialism, particularly through Roman Catholic missions, deeply inuencing the region, embedding Christianity into the cultural fabric of many countries. This strong Christian identity is further supported by religious freedoms that allow denominations to ourish.

In Africa, the initial spread of Christianity was fueled by missionary eorts during the colonial era, but the rapid expansion is largely due to the vigorous indigenous evangelism by local leaders. This growth is also supported by the eective integration of Christianity with local customs and traditions.

In contrast, the growth of Christianity in Asia has faced more obstacles. Although missionary work and social development initiatives have made an impact, challenges such as entrenched religious and cultural traditions, government restrictions, social and political pressures, and economic difficulties have hindered the spread of Christianity. Unlike Latin America, where Christianity is deeply woven into cultural identity, or Africa, where it has blended with local traditions, Christianity in Asia often remains somewhat disconnected from local cultural expressions.

Given these conditions, the national alliances of the AEA identified a need to disciple Christians in ways more suited to the Asian context and focused on several key areas to advance the Christian mission in Asia. These include:

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Nurturing indigenous Christians to develop their identity within the Asian context. Equipping them to eectively share and adapt their faith to local cultures. Raising up leaders who understand and can navigate local traditions while discipling new believers. Ensuring the church becomes more locally sustainable and culturally relevant.

It is crucial for Asian churches to be mindful of how discipleship occurs in their contextprimarily through relational or intuitive methods. Discipleship should be grounded in local cultural understanding rather than abstract reasoning. For the Great Commission to progress and the gospel to spread rapidly, Asian Christians must disciple, adapting and integrating their faith deeply into their local spirituality and cultural practices, leveraging indigenous leaders to communicate and propagate the message eectively.

Originally published by the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission. Republished with permission.

Chansamone Saiyasak is the founder/director of Mekong Evangelical Mission, focusing on mobilizing and training indigenous leaders for the gospel evangelization in Mainland Southeast Asia. He is a leader in the Asia Mission Association (AMA) and SEANET Buddhist Missiological Forum, providing training and networking for outreach to the Buddhist world. He serves as the President of Asia Society of Missiology (asianmissiology.org), Professor of Religious Studies & Missiology, Zinzendorf School of Doctoral Studies, Olivet University (California, USA), and a leader of AEAs national alliances: Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand and Evangelical Fellowship of Laos. Chansamone received his missiological training, DMin in Missiology from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Tennessee, USA, and PhD in Theological and Religious Studies from Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven, Belgium (etf.edu).
There's a new mentorship program at Central DeWitt High School and it was started by an ambitious 17-year-old.

Senior Katlin Truelsen is the organizer behind Ladies in Livestock, a group that meets one Wednesday a month and pairs students with mentors in agriculture. The program involves 10 girls from three different schools and 12 women who are professionals in the ag industry. Their careers range from veterinary science and ag business to animal nutrition, production and education.

"I wanted to help with livestock, but future planning for (the girls) as well," Truelsen said.

Truelsen said she got the idea to start the program from her ag advisor, Amy Grantz, who told her about the Uncommon Student Award by the Hoover Presidential Foundation.

The award, which honors the Iowa native and 31st president of the United States, is a scholarship program for Iowa high school juniors, designed to attract community-minded students. To be eligible, students must propose and then accomplish projects of their own design by demonstrating the values Hoover exemplified, according to the scholarship website.

Grantz said she thought of Truelsen right away when she heard about the opportunity because of her strong ambition and drive.

"She is always thinking outside the box and is always wanting to better herself," Grantz said.

A total of 15 students were chosen to receive a $1,500 cash award at the completion of their program. Four of those students then have the opportunity to go onto earn an additional $10,000 each in scholarship money.

Cory Carter, a Davenport West High School senior known for his popular produce stands, is also in the running.

During their monthly meeting, the Ladies in Livestock group splits its day into two parts: resume, cover letter and career building in the morning and production-based learning in the afternoon. Having grown up on a farm herself, Truelsen has known for a while she wants to continue a career in agriculture but also wanted to find a way to help other girls like her.

"I have always been around (ag) and have been involved in my FFA Chapter," Truelsen said. "I was thinking about college and this is the type of stuff you need when you go to college, so I was thinking it would be a good way to help other girls work on the same things and create their own (sources) as well."

When she originally came up with the idea, Truelsen thought she would have trouble finding women to act as mentors, but quickly learned that wasn't the case.

"Women are getting more into the industry. It wasn't hard for us to find mentors that had livestock and agriculture backgrounds, but its hard to be a leader in those male-dominated industries," she said. "It's nice that we can help each other and become leaders."

Grantz herself is teaching one of the courses on ag education. In February she will be instructing a workshop on birthing for different species.

"My plan is to put together a birthing kit for the 10 girls that are going and have some information and guidelines for them," she said, adding it will all be for future reference and not a live demonstration.

Grantz farms with her family but was still shocked when she was asked to be part of the program. She felt honored, she said, and that sentiment was shared among mentors who attended the first meeting in August.

Truelsen talked to the mentors at that meeting and gathered their feedback. Most asked for one-on-one time with the students, she said, in an effort to give them top-notch feedback and help them along their professional journeys.

"The mentors we invited are very professional and have experience in this type of stuff, so they really wanted to work with the girls more and have more time to talk with them and give them feedback on their resumes or their biographies," Truelsen said. "They wanted to make sure there was enough time for that as well as program time."

Truelsen has just started her senior year of high school, but already has big dreams ahead for college. She plans to attend Iowa State University next fall and major in ag communications.

With her Ladies in Livestock program, her resume will look great already, but the busy senior has a few more tricks up her sleeve: She's a regular contributor to an ag magazine and has a children's book coming out this winter.

While on assignment for Humps N Horns Bull Riding Magazine in Las Vegas she met two bull riders from Sidney, Iowa.

"They were both born on the same day and are best friends. They ride at rodeos together, so I wrote a children's book on their story and the goals they have for bull riding; working together to accomplish their dreams of being No. 1," she said.

The writing for Buckin' Bull Buddies is complete and the book is now at the illustrator and is expected to be published in December. Until then, Truelsen will have her hands full with senior year and her monthly luncheons.

Photos: Central DeWitt vs Pleasant Valley
Some members of Davenport City Council want to return to rules that gave the public more time to speak at council meetings.

In February, after a work session with council members, Mayor Mike Matson announced rules that reduced the opportunities for the public to address the council on any topic from four meetings a month to two and cut the length of time to speak from five minutes to three. Matson kept the five minutes allowed for each item on the committee of the whole and discussion agendas.

At the time, the rule changes were spurred by then-city legal staff and some council members' concerns that the city could be sued for allowing and publishing public comments seen as defamatory on the city's website. Matson also said the city would not livestream public comments and would edit out potentially defamatory comments from posted videos.

The collapse of a downtown Davenport apartment building, which killed three people, maimed a fourth, and caused dozens to lose their home and belongings, caused public uproar. Family members and the public directed harsh criticism toward Davenport aldermen and city staff, saying they failed to prevent loss of life in the collapse, among other issues.

The city also has seen personnel turmoil with at least two administrative staff and the former city administrator departing the city with settlements because of alleged harassment from elected officials.

The new rules for public comment were met with protest and condemnation from several regular council attendees, who have pointed to a 2015 resolution that established procedures for meetings that the council approved in a March 25, 2015, meeting.

That resolution outlines the "customary order of business," which includes public business in both the committee of the whole and regular meetings.

The resolution also states: "The mayor may set time limits and ground rules of process for public input for any given action item(s) appearing on the agenda; the default rules shall be one opportunity to speak with a 5 minute-time limit."

And it states that the council may override the decision of the mayor by a two-thirds vote of members present.

At-Large Ald. Jazmin Newton told council members at Tuesday's management update meeting that she constantly receives calls, emails and even has been stopped while shopping in Walmart by constituents  some of whom she's never met before  to complain about the lost public comment time in council meetings and feeling like no one was doing anything to restore it.

Newton said in February she asked the city's legal counsel, Lane & Waterman, for an opinion on whether the council should still be operating under the 2015 resolution until the council votes otherwise.

A legal opinion was returned to the council in May, Newton said, which recommended the council return to the 2015 rules.

"Included in that opinion is the following sentence, 'our advice is that the city council should continue to operate under the 2015 rules until the current city council decides to alter or abolish them through corresponding city council action slash vote,'" Newton said at Tuesday's meeting.

Newton said she had been waiting for a work session on the topic. According to a tentative schedule of work sessions given to aldermen on Tuesday, a work session on council rules wasn't scheduled until October.

"All I'm saying is until we have the time to pass something new, we should follow the legal advice that we paid for and go back to following the resolution," Newton said Tuesday. She added that she was prepared to motion for a return to the 2015 rules as soon as this week if it follows meeting procedures and laws.

At the council's Wednesday meeting, Newton said a council work session has been scheduled for Sept. 17 on council rules of order, and she looked forward to a discussion about it then.

Newton said the council's current rules seem to have some gray areas in whether the city should be following the 2015 rules or the mayor's rules announced in February, and supported establishing clearer rules that allow the public more opportunities to speak.

Matson defended on Tuesday his decision to limit public comment. He said Lane & Waterman's legal opinion also said that he made a decision as a presiding officer and that any other alderman could have made a motion to appeal his decision.

"I would look forward, from my perspective, to a vote on this to see where we stand," Matson said.

Ald. Tim Kelly, 5th Ward, said members of the council and mayor should reflect on why they wanted to limit public comment.

"We have to remember that we all took this position to serve," Kelly said. "So is this serving them or is it serving us?"

What do other cities do?

The city reviewed the public comment policies of 11 other local governments in Iowa and western Illinois for comparison  Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Moline, Rock Island, Scott County, Sioux City and Waterloo.

Davenport is one of four locales that allow public comment on individual items on agendas.

For public business on any topic, the governments have differing time limits per speaker. Of the 11 (not including Davenport), six local governments limit each speaker to three minutes, four have five-minute limits, and Bettendorf has a two-minute limit.

Five local governments require speakers to pre-register to speak.

Davenport's fact sheet states that those residing in Dubuque may comment on any city business, language that mirrors the City of Dubuque's website. That sparked some debate during the Davenport council work session in early 2024 about potentially limiting public comment to just Davenport residents, and council members generally were opposed to that idea.

However, Dubuque City Clerk Adrienne Breitfelder said Dubuque does not in actual practice limit public comment just to people who live in Dubuque. The city does require commenters to provide their name and address.

Photos: Davenport Central High School Marching Blue Devils
Dr. Travis Walker, associate professor in the South Dakota Mines Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has introduced the Accelerated Career Exploration Scholars program.

The initiative, funded by the Swindler Endowment, offers first-year chemical engineering undergraduates a research experience during the summer.

The program addresses the need for more internship and job opportunities for students with only one year of academic experience.

"We are trying to provide them with the opportunities that they seek," Walker said. "They want to build their resume, but few companies will hire them. We want to take that student population and provide them with experiences that will help assure their future success."

Four students participated in the program's inaugural year, conducting research under the guidance of faculty members and collaborating with Mines graduate and Ph.D. students. The ACE Scholars also mentored other students, including high school participants in the Army Educational Outreach Program.

Participant Allison Kahler, a sophomore chemical engineering major, worked with Dr. Tanvi Govil on optimizing the production of exopolysaccharides using two types of bacteria.

"Having this experience will undoubtedly help me when I apply for internships and jobs in the future," Kahler said. "This program has allowed me to develop my knowledge and skills with 300 hours of laboratory research. Its really exciting to get that kind of experience with only a freshman education. Not only do you get experience as a freshman specific to your degree, but you also get paid to do it.

Another participant, Evan Gran, a sophomore chemical engineering major, collaborated with Dr. Kenneth Benjamin on molecular simulations related to equilibria and transport properties of liquids in nano-confinement.

My favorite part of this experience was learning about a wide range of chemical engineering topics and being able to work one-on-one with Dr. Benjamin, Gran said.

The ACE Scholars presented their research at the South Dakota EPSCoR Symposium in Sioux Falls and plan to attend the annual American Institute of Chemical Engineers meeting this fall.

According to Walker, the program aims to expand, increase student participation, and establish a separate endowment for continued funding.

"We want the students to have an awesome experience and to be ambassadors for the CBE program. And when high school students come on campus, we can use this as a recruitment tool," Walker said.

Walker said that similar research experiences may be implemented in other university departments.

A program like this gives first-year undergraduates access to research labs, a paid summer job, and valuable experience that will give these students a head start in their career, Walker said.
Leonard Peltier was visited by Jose Francisco Cali Tzay, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People, on Aug. 27.

A special rapporteur is an independent expert appointed by the United Nations to report on human rights issues.

Tzay visited Peltier at Coleman 1 Federal Penitentiary in Coleman, Florida for a two-and-a-half-hour discussion of Peltiers health and imprisonment.

During the 22nd United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, International Indian Treaty Council Board President Ron Lameman presented a request on behalf of Peltiers spiritual advisor to visit him in prison.

Peltier asked Tzay to assist him in getting an emergency medical transfer to a facility like the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota.

In 2022, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention released a 17-page report condemning Peltiers detention. The report cited numerous factors including anti-Native American bias in Peltiers ongoing parole denials.

In a Sept. 3 press release, the Leonard Peltier Ad Hoc Committee said the Special Rapporteur's visit and the International Indian Treaty Council's resolute efforts both hold significant potential in getting Peltier medical attention.

The Ad Hoc Committee added that Peltier said he was honored by the visit and enjoyed his time with Francisco Cali and Seanna Howard from the University of Arizona who assisted the Rapporteur on this visit.

The U.S. Parole Commission denied Peltiers most recent request for parole on July 2.
Believers concerned about the rise of persecution against Christians covered the Swiss government plaza (Bundesplatz) in Berne in countless wooden crosses and constructed a mass grave in a symbolic gesture calling for governmental authorities to take more decisive action against the ongoing violation of human rights suffered by Christians in many parts of the world. Open Doors International estimates that globally 317 million Christians endure very high or extreme levels of persecution for their faith.

The mass demonstration involving 1,000 people held on August 31 was organized by a collaboration of evangelical and persecution organizations under the banner of persecution.ch.

Attendees laid roses on the symbolic mass grave and prayed in specially devised reproductions of prison cells. There were also worship songs and times of reflection with God, thinking about those suffering for their faith.

A statement by Reseau Evangelique Suisse (RES), representing 250 evangelical churches in French-speaking Switzerland, called the event a unique spectacle to behold in public.

A very unusual scene: instead of water games or market stalls, countless wooden crosses covered the Bundesplatz in Berne, read the RES statement. A symbolic mass grave and around 1,000 participants in the demonstration on the doorstep of Switzerland's political Mecca served as a reminder that religious persecution is on the rise throughout the world, particularly against the Christian community.

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Two victims of persecution spoke about their experiences at the public awareness demonstration in Berne.

Amin Afsharnaderi, a Muslim-background believer, suffered two jail sentences in Iran after he converted to the Christian faith. His first arrest happened at the home of the pastor of his underground church during Christmas festivities.

I was interrogated several times, insulted, humiliated and put under pressure to renounce my faith and denounce other Christians. I'm sure I wouldn't have survived that if Jesus Christ hadn't been with me.

Afsharnaderi shared during his public talk that the persecution he suffered was experienced by many other believers in Iran.

Christians in Iran live under constant pressure and fear. They lose their jobs or their property because of their faith, he said.

A second speaker was introduced without revealing his name and country of origin in Asia for security reasons. He now lives in Europe but previously suffered repeated imprisonment and torture in his home country. He had also seen the public execution of believers. Christianity is perceived as a danger to national security and every new law aims to eliminate Christians, he lamented.

However, the Christian faith continues in the country despite the crackdown, he said as he recalled the power of this faith, which has endured in my suffering, even in the darkest of prison cells.

Both men pleaded with those at the plaza to commit themselves as free citizens to campaign for those being persecuted for their faith in Jesus in other countries. Actions can include prayer, inviting believers who experienced persecution to local churches, helping organizations supporting persecuted Christians and increasing political pressure on governments violating human rights. The men particularly called upon the media to highlight the issues of persecution.

Laurent Wehrli, a member of the National Council of Switzerland and public advocate for the human rights of the persecuted, spoke about his advocacy work, which involved regular briefings on the sufferings of Christians in certain countries  and raising these incidents at relevant embassies.

Between 2019 and 2023, almost half of our requests were met, at least partially. Out of 54 prisoners for whom we intervened, 24 were released early.

Wehrli said that public events were essential to raise awareness on behalf of persecuted Christians. He noted the privilege of living in a country such as Switzerland where freedom of religious expression is officially protected.

Our history is marked by the Christian conviction that every human being possesses innate dignity, said Wehrli. We have a responsibility to preserve these values.
Does the Bitterroot still fit the bill for harlequin ducks?

A research project helmed by a University of Montana masters student, Holli Holmes, will determine harlequin duck status in the Bitterroot and might establish a more effective way of measuring their population.

This year were wrapping up the last surveys, Holmes told the Ravalli Republic, before departing on a field project on Monday, Aug. 23.

Holmes project that has been ongoing since 2021 aims to conclusively determine the status of harlequin duck populations in the region and evaluate the validity of previous testing methods.

The harlequin duck is a visually striking coastal bird that nests in and around white water streams. For millennia the harlequin duck has settled in streams along the Bitterroot during late spring and summer to lay their eggs. The males and females migrate to Montana from the various locations all along the Pacific coastline.

Harlequin ducks are a species of concern, Holmes said. Theyre also a species that people really care about because theyre really beautiful.

For years, studies have suggested that the harlequin duck, which is listed as a Species of Concern, had been a dwindling population in the Bitterroot. Bitterroot National Forest biologist Jorista Garrie said that in the last 20 years, there have been less than 15 harlequin ducks detected in Ravalli County.

This extensive wildlife project was undertaken by Holmes while she was a technician at Glacier National Park in 2021. Holmes said that she and her supervisor were bouncing potential project ideas around and focused in on recent reports of declining harlequin duck populations in coastal locations and Montana.

The project found its focus when Holmes realized harlequin duck genome mapping was done by the North Cascade National Park in 2019.

It opened up the possibility of using environment DNA (eDNA), Holmes said. The biggest hurdle was having their genome mapped and so the fact that North Cascades had already done it, it meant that it was available.

Holmes said that there was a shared concern amongst forest and wildlife agencies relating to the loss of harlequin duck populations in northwestern America, but that agencies individual resources could not entertain a serious exploration of this phenomenon.

Thats kind of when this project came to life, Holmes said. We were like, What if we pooled all our resources together?

Holmes said that Glacier National Park, the Forest Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Idaho Fish and Game, and numerous other agencies all provided support for the project, with Glacier National Park being the main proponent.

Essentially what were doing is evaluating this historic method that weve had for decades and seeing how effective it is, Holmes said. By understanding how well this method works, we could go back to our historical data and put it in a new limelight.

Holmes project intends to scrutinize past data collection and evaluate biologists current understanding of the species population in this region, which could legitimize recent claims of a loss in population, or not. This project could also potentially expand the realm of analysis for environment DNA (eDNA).

Now that we have a better understanding of what tools we have and how our tools work, Holmes said. This year specifically, were saying, OK now where the heck or they? Are we actually losing harlequin duck population?

Holmes said the project had expanded this year and that teams of researchers are now exploring less frequented areas to determine where harlequin ducks are located in northern Montana.

Garrie was one of the many biologists who ventured up and around the Bitterroot this summer to survey for harlequin populations.

We went out and sampled a bunch of streams, Garrie said. The East Fork, Big Creek, up Magruder and a few more of those.

Garrie participated in a study where students and biologists had to trek upstream for miles to reach reported harlequin duck habitats.

Its kind of crazy. Walking up streams for 5 kilometers, he said. Thats really the hardest part. Navigating the streams, up streams.

Garrie explained that when out on research trips, a pair of researchers walk on land and that another pair will walk in the streams (going against the current to avoid contaminating the sample water), keeping an eye out for harlequins around the river. She said that the two groups congregate every kilometer to collect samples and switch.

Its pretty neat, said Garrie, referring to eDNA. Hopefully you pick up skin cells or anything that is shed by the duck and its in the water.

Researchers surveyed 55 streams and creeks this year alone. This was the final week of surveys for the project and according to Holmes, eDNA results from this year would be made available sometime in December. Project updates can be found on the Bitterroot National Forest Facebook page.
NJ THAKURIA





Bangladesh remains in the international media for many days now, but as usual for the wrong reasons. Along with the Muslim majority nation with over 170 million population, the meagre Hindu community also finds space in the public domain as an oppressed community. Even though Bangladesh was born in 1971 with a strong commitment for Bengali language and culture, it could not unite all the Bangladeshis for a longer period. Linguistic unity has its own limitations and the south Asian nation emerges as a classic example, where the same Bengali speaking Muslims started pursuing the religious minority families to convert into Islam. Taking advantage of the situation many Islamists vandalized Hindu temples, grabbed lands belonging to the minorities and even physically assaulted them on various occasions. But they forgot that Hindus and other minority Bengalis also fought against the brutal West Pakistani forces during their freedom movement. Muktijoddhas achieved success with support from Indian armed forces and every Bangladeshi including those Hindus dreamed of a new nation with equal rights and opportunities for them. But after five decades of independence, Bangladesh has pathetically turned into a country of intolerance towards the minorities.





Recently, when Bangladesh's former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha came to the media and asserted that he was victimised by the Awami League-led government in Dhaka, it was clear that the first (and only till now) Hindu CJ was targeted by the recently ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After he was forced to resign as the sitting CJ in 2017 and leave Bangladesh by her autocratic regime, Sinha was compelled to live in exile for all the years. But the changing political situation in Bangladesh, after Hasina had fled to India and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus took charge of the interim government, Sinha finds hope to return to his motherland. Recently speaking to an Indian news channel, he firmly stood behind Dr Yunus and hoped that the visionary banker turned global preacher for social business will be able to stabilize the country and ensure security to minority communities. Congratulating Dr Yunus for assuming the new responsibility, Sinha opined that the first responsibility of the interim government will be to restore the law & order situation. The second priority should be to establish the rule of law. The third is to reconstruct the financial institutions and recover billions of Taka misappropriated by some supporters of Hasina. Another priority will be a total reform in the higher judiciary of Bangladesh. He strongly believes that Bangladesh will never slip into the hands of Islamists, if the rule of law is established on time. He recalled how a number of judges boycotted a sitting CJ following the direction of Hasina. Sinha also argued that many judges and judicial officers in Bangladesh are discharging their duties with all professional integrity and commitment to the law & justice.





Days back, the Amnesty International urged the Bangladeshi authorities to conduct 'a swift, thorough, impartial and independent investigation' into the crimes against Hindu, Ahmadi and other minority communities and associated incidents of mob violence to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in fair and transparent trials, without resorting to the death penalty. The interim government headed by Dr Yunus must ensure the rights to equality, non-discrimination and bodily integrity of everyone and bring an end to the revenge culture of attacking political opponents that Bangladesh has witnessed in the past, it added. Recently, the UN human rights chief Volker Turk also called Dr Yunus and agreed to send a fact-finding team to Bangladesh to investigate widespread human rights abuses in the populous country during the students' agitation from 1 July to the first week of August 2024. Incidentally it would be the first occasion when the UN sends a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. Dr Yunus thanked the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres for supporting the movement of Bangladeshi students for their legitimate rights. He firmly stated that protection of every citizen remains top priority for the caretaker government.












Even the middle aged Assamese nationals remember that Assam agitation was initially propagated as 'Bohiragata Kheda Andolan' (literarily meaning agitation to deport outsiders) and later redefined as an agitation against illegal migrants (from East Pakistan/ Bangladesh) by the intellectuals and media barons based in Guwahati. After decades, the issue of outsiders (read non-Assamese Indians) came alive with an incident in Sibsagar of eastern Assam, where a community was compelled to apologize for a crime committed by some individuals (belonging to that group). The accused individuals, who physically assaulted a minor female arm wrestler at Babupatty were already arrested but even then the entire community (read Marwari) was made responsible for the crime. Shockingly a responsible State minister was also present on the occasion, where some aged male & females were forced to kneel down to convey their apology.





The Sibsagar incident was enjoyed by a number of parochial Assamese individuals terming it as an example of Asomiyagiri (domination of Assamese community). They made it clear that anyone living in Assam must respect the Asomiya language and culture. Otherwise they have to leave the State, the exact narrative that inspired the people of Brahmaputra valley to join the students led agitation. Amazingly, some people in Assam still nurture a day-dream of crafting the State as a land of Assamese speaking people only. They bluntly defy the argument that hundreds of thousands of Assamese families (precisely students) today live outside the State as proud Indians. The development however annoyed a large number of logical Assamese personalities who outrighly denounced the attitude of the agitators to construct a strong divide between Asomiya and non-Asomiya nationals. Many social media users pointed out them as senseless and trouble makers in the society. Some urged them to raise voices against the illegal Bangladeshi Muslims, who have emerged as a threat to the locals of Assam where no Asomiyagiri will be allowed if those illegitimate foreigners start dominating the politics of Bharat in future.





The Sibsagar incident was immediately followed by a horrific rape incident of a minor at Dhing area in central Assam. The high school student faced the gang rape as she was returning home from tutorial classes in the evening hours. At least three youths belonging to the Muslim community on a two-wheeler chased the victim girl and finally overpowered her. Locals found her in an unconscious condition on a roadside and sent her to a nearby health centre. Later she was shifted to Nagaon town for better treatment. Expressing serious concern over the incident, hundreds of Assamese women spontaneously hit the street and condemned the police forces for its repeated failure to protect the women in their locality. They accused the habituated rapists as being suspected migrants and demanded justice for the victim girl.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also in charge of the State home portfolio, made a stern comment through his social media handling over the Dhing incident and directed the State police chief GP Singh to rush to the location and ensure swift actions against the monsters. He asserted that the Dhing incident was a crime against humanity and the government will not spare the perpetrators. Shockingly, the very next morning news broke that the prime accused in the gang-rape Tafajjul Islam died by drowning as he tried to escape police custody by jumping into a pond. He was taken to the location to recreate the crime scene. Tafazzul reportedly attacked the police personnel on duty and tried to flee. After two hours of search by State Disaster Response Force personnel, his body was recovered from the pond. Meanwhile, a number of protest rallies were organized in different parts of Assam supporting the demand of Dhing-lady agitators. A group of indigenous people's organisations even issued a deadline to Miya Muslims (indicating Muslims of Bangladesh origin) to leave upper Assam within a week. They were loud & clear that the Dhing rape was committed by the Miyas only and urged the government to do the needful to safeguard the indigenous population in Assam.
Germany's military put a first Iris-T air-defence system into service on its own soil Wednesday having delivered several of them to war-torn Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.





Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the surface-to-air system was part of a build-up of German and European defences launched after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the Ukraine invasion in 2022.





"Russia has been massively rearming for many years, especially in the field of rockets and cruise missiles," Scholz said at the inauguration ceremony at a base in Todendorf near the northern city of Hamburg.





Putin had broken disarmament treaties and "deployed missiles as far as Kaliningrad", a Russian exclave located some 530 kilometres (330 miles) from Berlin, he added.





"It would be negligent not to respond to this appropriately," the chancellor said. "A failure to act would put peace at risk. I will not allow that."





Scholz, who was joined by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, said the system was part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, which also includes long-range defences against ballistic missiles.





The German military has ordered six of the Iris-T SLM systems at a total cost of 950 million euros ($1 million) from manufacturer Diehl Defence, to be delivered by May 2027.





- Iris-T success in Ukraine -





Germany, the second-largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, has already supplied four Iris-T SLM systems to Ukraine and pledged another eight.





Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was visiting Germany on Wednesday, a day after a Russian missile attack killed at least 51 people in the Ukrainian city of Poltava, one of the single deadliest bombardments of the war.





The Iris-T systems sent to Ukraine feature truck-mounted launchers that fire missiles to intercept aerial threats at a range of up to 40 kilometres (25 miles).





Scholz said that "in Ukraine, Iris-T has shot down over 250 rockets, drones and cruise missiles to date and saved countless lives".





The German leader said that Europe, aside from defensive systems, would also need more precision missiles of its own "so that there is no dangerous gap with Russia in this strategically important field".





In July, Washington and Berlin announced that the "episodic deployments" of long-range US missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, to Germany would begin in 2026.








ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin received a red-carpet welcome to Mongolia on Tuesday, as the country ignored calls to arrest him on an international warrant for alleged war crimes stemming from Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.





The trip, which concluded Tuesday night, was Putins first to a member nation of the International Criminal Court since it issued the warrant in March 2023. Ahead of his visit, Ukraine urged Mongolia to hand Putin over to the court in The Hague, and the European Union expressed concern that Mongolia might not execute the warrant.





The warrant put the government in a difficult position. After decades under communism with close ties to the Soviet Union, it transitioned to democracy in the 1990s and built relations with the United States, Japan and other new partners. But the landlocked country remains economically dependent on its two much larger and more powerful neighbors, Russia and China.





The ICC has accused Putin of being responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine. Member countries are required to detain suspects if a warrant has been issued, but Mongolia needs to maintain its ties with Russia and the court lacks a mechanism to enforce its warrants.





The United States doesn't believe any country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression against Ukraine, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.





"We understand that position that Mongolia is in, you know, sandwiched between two much larger neighbors, but we do think its important that they continue to support the rule of law around the world, he told reporters in Washington.





The Russian leader was welcomed in the main square in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, by an honor guard dressed in vivid red and blue uniforms styled on those of the personal guard of 13th century ruler Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire.





A throng of people watched from behind barriers as Putin and Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa walked up the red-carpeted steps of the Government Palace and bowed toward a statue of Genghis Khan.





A few protesters who tried to unfurl a Ukrainian flag were taken away by police. Five others who gathered a few blocks west of the square held up an anti-Putin banner and Ukrainian flag but disbanded after hearing about the arrests.





As Putin was welcomed in Mongolia, his forces struck a military training facility and nearby hospital in Poltava, Ukraine, killing at least 50 people, the country's president said. The strike appeared to be one of the deadliest by Russian forces since the war began on Feb. 24, 2022.





The two governments signed agreements on a power plant upgrade in Ulaanbaatar and on the supply of Russian aviation fuel to Mongolia. They also agreed to carry out an environmental study of a river where Mongolia wants to build a hydroelectric plant that Russia is concerned would pollute its Lake Baikal. Putin also outlined plans to develop the rail system between the countries.





He invited the Mongolian president to a summit of the BRICS nations  which include Russia and China among others  in the Russian city of Kazan in late October. Khurelsukh accepted, according to Russian state media.





After leaving Ulaanbaatar, Putin arrived early Wednesday in Russia's major Pacific port of Vladivostok, where he is to take part in an economic forum.





On Monday, the EU said it had shared its concerns with Mongolian authorities.





Mongolia, like all other countries, has the right to develop its international ties according to its own interests, European Commission spokesperson Nabila Massrali said. But she added that Mongolia has been a party to the ICC since 2002, "with the legal obligations that it entails.





Given Mongolia's dependence on Russia and China for trade, energy and security, it was hardly possible to expect the government to arrest Putin, said Sam Greene, the director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis.





The overriding reason for this trip will have been to show that Putin can travel right now, he said.





But, Greene added, the warrant narrows the circle of possibilities for Putin, forcing any government thats going to think about hosting him to consider both the domestic and the international political consequences of that in a way they wouldnt have had to before.





Kenneth Roth, the former longtime director of Human Rights Watch, called Putins trip to Mongolia a sign of weakness, posting on X that the Russian leader could manage a trip only to a country with a tiny population of 3.4 million that lives in Russias shadow.





Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the trip wasnt about showing something to Western countries, but rather about developing bilateral relations between two countries rooted in history and wonderful glorious traditions. His remarks were made to state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin, who posted them on his Telegram channel.





Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy secretary of Russias Security Council, denounced the warrant as illegal in an online statement Tuesday.





Putin, on his first visit to Mongolia in five years, participated in a ceremony to mark the 85th anniversary of a joint Soviet and Mongolian victory over the Japanese army in deadly fighting over the border between then-Japan-controlled Manchuria and Mongolia.





I am very delighted about Putins visit to Mongolia," said Yansanjav Demdendorj, a retired economist, citing Russia's role against Japan. If we think of the ... battle, its Russians who helped free Mongolia.





Uyanga Tsoggerel, who supports the protests, said her country is a democracy that doesn't tolerate dictatorship and accused Putin of recklessly humiliating and shaming Mongolia in front of the world.





Putin has made a series of overseas trips to try to counter the international isolation he faces over the invasion of Ukraine. He visited China in May, made a trip to North Korea and Vietnam in June and went to Kazhakstan in July for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.





But last year, the South African government lobbied against Putin showing up in Johannesburg for the BRICS summit, which he ended up joining by video link. South Africa, an ICC member, faced criticism in 2015 when it didn't arrest then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a visit for an African Union summit.





Enkhgerel Seded, who studies at a university in Moscow, said that historically, countries with friendly relations don't arrest heads-of-state on official visits.




A Henrico County manufacturer of pumps and industrial valves is investing $25 million by more than doubling the size of its warehouse and adding 32 jobs.

KSB Inc. has operated in Henrico since 1988, manufacturing pumps, valves and mixers. The Henrico facility sells spare parts, and its employees service businesses in a number of industries, including water, wastewater, chemicals and energy.

The warehouse, at 4415 Sarellen Road in eastern Henrico County, will receive an additional loading dock, more office space and an update to its shipping and receiving area and common area.

The expansion is the latest example of manufacturings resurgence in Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement.

Virginia is a prime spot for international companies thanks to its location, its port and its talented workforce, said Caren Merrick, secretary of commerce and trade.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership will provide consulting and funds to support KSBs plan to hire 32 employees. The state funds an effort called the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, designed to reduce the human resources burden for new and expanding companies.
A few weeks after Virginia Commonwealth University adopted new campus protest rules, pro-Palestine students held a walkout to voice their opposition to the new guidelines while continuing to advocate for a free Palestine.

It 100% shows that the student movement is nowhere near stopping, VCU third-year student Sereen Haddad said. It shows that no policy and no tactic that the university tries to administer is going to stifle our voices.

In August, the university announced several changes regarding protests, including the banning of tents, requiring advance approval for encampments and requiring mask-wearers to present ID.

Wednesdays gathering was held at Park Plaza, in part because it is now one of the few locations on campus where students are permitted to write messages of support with sidewalk chalk.

Student speakers included representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine, a campus group that advocates for Palestinians with protests, boycotts and educational events.

Haddad, who is Palestinian-American, said 154 of her family members have died since October from Israeli attacks.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israel-Hamas war, according to the health ministry in Gaza. But Israeli officials in the past have questioned the accuracy of the figures because of Hamas control over government in Gaza.

They are not just numbers, they are not statistics; these are people with real lives, and theyve had real dreams and aspirations, said Haddad. We have been systematically dispossessed; our homes have been demolished and our land has been stolen and our voices have been silenced.

At VCU, pro-Palestine protesters previously gathered around the James Branch Cabell Library, including on April 29, when an encampment was broken up by police with riot gear and chemical agents. The protests resulted in 13 arrests.

When referencing the April confrontation, students delivered pointed criticism toward VCU Police, Richmond Police and Virginia State Police, as well as Gov. Glenn Youngkin, VCU President Michael Rao and other campus officials for deploying these brutal police forces.

This was a peaceful protest, part of a larger wave globally with the aim to pressure the university to divest from Israel, VCU student Zahra Jalajel said. This escalation by the administration resulted in the traumatic and violent brutalization of hundreds of people in the VCU community.

A small number of campus officers walked by the crowd during and after Wednesdays event without incident.

Joseph Friedman, a Jewish fourth-year student at VCU, said he has felt welcome by the Palestinian activists and community in Richmond while supporting their cause.

As a Jewish person, I feel responsibility to take part in this, even more so than other movements, because I feel like I want to show that there is a real Jewish opposition to whats going on in Palestine, he said.

Friedman said while he empathizes with Jewish community members who believe that the protests are antisemitic, he disagrees with their viewpoint.

I think a lot of people feel that way sincerely because of what theyve been taught and because of the real history of oppression, Friedman said. The feeling is real, even if I think its misplaced. People need to challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zone a little bit.

William Spencer, a second-year transfer student at VCU, has been involved with social justice protests for more than a decade, including Aprils protest where he said he got pepper-sprayed.

Spencer, who has studied protests from previous decades, said that he was not surprised by VCU changing the rules leading up to the new school year.

There was a pretty big change in terms of universities sort of realizing oh, we can just slowly encroach on students rights pretty easily, especially after last year. Spencer said. Its a pretty big and huge shift in terms of universities cracking down on student protests in ways that I havent seen in a long time.

A visual history of campus protests in the US A visual history of campus protests in the US 1933: Columbia University students strike in defense of 'academic freedom' 1940: Students for Peace protest America's involvement in WWII 1968: UC Berkeley's anti-draft 'Vietnam Commencement' 1968: Howard University students call for radical administration change 1968: Students for a Democratic Society occupies Hamilton Hall at Columbia University 1969: Black Student Strike at the UW Madison 1969: Central State University students assemble in Columbus, Ohio, to oppose admissions policies 1970: GW University students carry on anti-war demonstrations near Watergate complex in DC 1970: Protests erupt following Kent State shootings 1970: Students protest racial injustice at Jackson State College 1985: Students camp out at Columbia University's Hamilton Hall to protest apartheid 1999: University of Minnesota students demand action regarding sexual conduct investigations 2014: Washington University students protest to draw attention to police abuse 2017: Emerson College students walk out to protest on-campus racism 2018: Student activists lead 'die-in' protesting gun violence at NYU A visual history of campus protests in the US 1970: GW University students carry on anti-war demonstrations near Watergate complex in DC
Chesterfield County Airport will get $1.3 million in federal funding to extend runways.

More than $46 million was awarded to Virginia airports through the Federal Aviation Administrations Airport Improvement Program.

With the runway improvements, Chesterfield will be able to accommodate a larger number of aircraft.

Virginias airports help travelers get where they need to go and serve as critical economic development hubs by connecting us to the larger economy, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both D-Va., said in a joint statement. This funding will make important infrastructure upgrades and improve operations at airports across Virginia. We will keep working to rebuild Virginias infrastructure and grow our economy.

Lynchburg Regional Airport is receiving the most funding, gaining $14.6 million to improve runway lighting and pavement.

Other airports covered under the program include:

Norfolk International Airport  $8.6 million

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport  $7.7 million

Blue Ridge Regional Airport  $6.2 million

Winchester Regional Airport  $5.3 million

Middle Peninsula Regional Airport  $1.7 million

Louisa County Airport  $600,000

Mecklenburg Brunswick Regional Airport  $535,650

The $46 million marks the latest investment in Virginia airports. In August, Warner and Kaine announced more than $250,000 in funding for the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport, which also came from the AIP.

Since being passed in 2021, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has contributed more than $76 million each year toward improving 45 Virginia airports.

From the archives: Byrd Field
Leaders of the Conseil National des Evangeliques de France (CNEF) have reported back from a key conference looking at evangelical identity in Europe in anticipation of the Lausanne Conference in South Korea later this month, September 2024. They pointed to what they consider the most suitable definition for evangelicals, recognizing the diverse cultural and historical contexts in which they live across Europe.

Erwan Cloarec, president, Yann Antoine, vice-president, and Clement Diedrichs, general manager, all from CNEF, joined leading scholars for an event headlined Evangelical Identity in Europe Today: Unity in Diversity held in Hotel Olsanka, Prague, Czechia, from August 23 to 27.

The event was run jointly by Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians (FEET) and the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA), in partnership with Sdruzeni Evangelikalnich Teologu (SET), an evangelical body for Czech theologians.

Subjects explored included what unites evangelicals, how their diversity can be mapped and how they relate to the wider Christian world.

In a joint statement for CNEF after the event, the French leaders referred to The Cambridge Companion to Evangelical Theology, edited by academic and theologian Timothy Larsen, in defining an evangelical person as someone emphasizing reconciliation with God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross; giving a preeminent place to the Bibles divine authority; emphasizing the work of the Holy Spirit in justification and sanctification, including the mission of witnessing to the gospel; and someone who is part of evangelical church history.

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Although united by their common faith (at the theological level), the diversity of contexts colors the way of living the faith and practice of the evangelical protestant churches: the very catholic historical context in Spain, Italy and Portugal in particular, the post-Soviet and orthodox context in Eastern Europe, the context of the majority national church (Lutheran Church in Northern Europe, Orthodox in Greece, [and] Anglican in the United Kingdom), said the CNEF leaders.

Having reflected upon discussions at the Prague event, the CNEF leaders summarized the specificity of European evangelical protestantism within the parameters of four aspects.

Firstly, the fact that Europe is the historic cradle of evangelicalism. Secondly, the challenge of secularization of societies, which includes where state churches are located.

The third aspect noted the comparison between the minority of evangelical Protestants in societies set against the growth of churches due to the arrival of evangelical Christians from other continents and the ongoing development of the Pentecostal movement.

Meanwhile, the fourth aspect involved discussions about the role of evangelicals within the world of politics.

There is a shared concern about the risk of being exploited by populist parties, said the leaders in the statement. These issues call first of all for education, particularly on the biblical notion of nation, but also an effort to talk with people attracted by these political currents in a pastoral approach.

Overall, the event was summarized by the leaders as a time of exchange and welcome theological reflection between brothers and sisters in Christ, which allows a better understanding of the roots and common challenges of evangelical Protestants in Europe.

Asked why it was important to identify someone as evangelical or not, a spokesman for CNEF responded to Christian Daily International by referring to a Together on a Mission statement by the evangelical organization last year, 2023.

God's sons are not all included in the evangelical denomination, so why is it important to identify clearly who we are? Because we can easily work together, and make partnerships for a shared missional impetus.

The 2023 statement further highlighted the importance of unity in the Church so that it can seek to attain the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:13). CNEF in the statement also expressed the desire to foster new partnerships in missional work.

We want to encourage generous and fruitful collaboration at all levels: local, national, and international, in urban and rural areas, but also between evangelical actors: local churches of all cultures, church denominations, charities, centers of theological education, and workplace leaders.
VIRGINIA BEACH  Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears announced Thursday evening at a rally here that she will seek the Republican nomination for governor next year, setting up a potentially historic campaign in which she could become the first woman elected governor of Virginia.

Earle-Sears, 60, who lives in Frederick County, made history two years ago as the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Virginia. She could face Attorney General Jason Miyares next summer in a fight for the Republican nomination.

Little boys and little girls are watching us, from Fairfax to Fincastle, from Haysi to Henry, from Phoebus to Port Republic, and from Wachapreague to Wise, all over Virginia. Theyre counting on us to keep going, to win, to succeed for them, Earle-Sears told a lively crowd of about 150 at Chicks Oyster Bar in Virginia Beach.

We must do this. This is not about me. I dont make excuses. I never will stop working to get things done for you, Earle-Sears said. I am not the one who is saying, Give me an opportunity, and Ill show you that I will serve you. I have done so  I will not stop fighting. I will never let the little girls and little boys down, and that is why I announce today that I am running for governor.

Supporters at the rally sported Winsome Governor T-shirts, signs, drink koozies and buttons.

I'm not your typical politician, and I never will be. I don't make excuses. I'm tough, principled, and I never stop working to get things done for you.



I'm running for governor to make life better for EVERY Virginian. pic.twitter.com/abu1ZHAugD  Winsome Earle-Sears (@winwithwinsome) September 5, 2024

Earle-Sears, who took the stage to Bachman-Turner Overdrives You Aint Seen Nothin Yet, reflected her characteristic roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and touted her fathers work ethic, noting that he arrived from Jamaica in 1963 with $1.75 in his pocket.

America is not perfect, she said, but it has come a long way. In her remarks and in a campaign video, Earle-Sears said she is living the American dream and wants to help keep it alive for future generations.

The enslaved did not die in the fields so we can say in 2024 that we are victims, she said.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, is the only announced Democratic candidate for governor. Spanberger, who kicked off her candidacy in November, also would be the states first female governor.

Earle-Sears would be the first Black woman elected governor of any state. Five Black men have served as governors of one of the 50 states and three of them were elected: Virginias L. Douglas Wilder, the nations first elected Black governor; Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Wes Moore of Maryland.

The Trump factor

Earle-Sears once worked to boost Black voters support for then-President Donald Trump as national chairwoman of Black Americans to Re-elect the President PAC. But in November 2022 she broke with the former president days after Republicans failed to make sweeping gains in the midterm congressional elections. She told Fox Business that it was time for the GOP to move on.

The lieutenant governor did not attend Trumps March rally in Richmond ahead of the Super Tuesday primaries, or Trumps June 28 rally in Chesapeake, where the former president shook Miyares hand and invited him to speak.

At the rally Thursday, Earle-Sears encouraged the audience to support Trump.

We must support each other. We must share each others values and vision, and folks, first and foremost in 2024 that means standing with President Trump, she said.

Several GOP legislators spoke in support of Earle-Sears before she took the stage, including Del. A.C. Cordoza, R-Hampton; Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County; and Sen. Tammy Brankley Mulchi, R-Mecklenburg.

Im going to do everything I can to make sure Gods team continues to hold the governors mansion in Virginia, Cordoza said.

Earle-Sears has said for months that she would not seek reelection as lieutenant governor and that she was exploring a bid for the Executive Mansion.

Miyares has not yet stated publicly whether he will run for governor next year or seek reelection as attorney general. Stay tuned post November, Miyares said last month at the end of the Zoom conference call organized by Virginia FREE, a business organization.

Miyares said in a statement on Thursday that he is focused on November 2024 and electing as many Republicans in Virginia as possible.

It is clear that we cannot allow the Democrats to seize complete control of power in Washington or in Richmond, Miayres said. We all need to be focused on this Novembers elections before even thinking about next year.

Ofirah Yheskel, director of external affairs at the Democratic Governors Association, said in a statement: Instead of addressing the issues that Virginians care about most, Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears is only interested in pushing a dangerous agenda that will rip away freedoms and make life worse for working families. She said Earle-Sears entry into the GOP primary will ensure that it becomes a race to the far-right consumed by toxic culture wars and attacks on fundamental freedoms.

Earle-Sears held her rally Thursday in the city Miyares represented in the House of Delegates from 2016 to 2022.

A series of firsts

Earle-Sears, born in Jamaica, is a U.S. Marines veteran who in 2001 became the first Black female Republican elected to the House of Delegates, defeating Del. Billy Robinson, D-Norfolk, a 20-year veteran. She served a single two-year term in the House. In 2004 she ran for Congress and lost to Rep. Bobby Scott, D-3rd, by 38 percentage points.

In 2011, then-Gov. Bob McDonnell appointed Earle-Sears to the State Board of Education. In 2018, citing GOP nominee Corey Stewarts support of the Confederate flag, she mounted an unsuccessful write-in campaign for the U.S. Senate. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., beat Stewart by 16 percentage points.

In 2021, after 17 years out of elected office, Earle-Sears topped five rivals to win the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, then edged out Democrat Hala Ayala in the general election.

During the campaign Earle-Sears posted to social media photos of herself carrying an assault-style weapon at Clark Brothers range in Fauquier County. Marines know how to use guns and I wont ever support a red flag law! she posted.

Earle-Sears emphasized her Christianity in a memoir she wrote last year: How Sweet It Is, in which she reflected on her life in faith and politics.

She also discussed a personal tragedy in which her oldest daughter, DeJon, and two grandchildren were killed in a car crash in Fairfax County in 2012.

While in the Marines, she trained to be an electrician and a diesel mechanic. She also gave birth to DeJon. Once she was out of the Marine Corps, she wed Terence Sears, a Marine Corps officer, who adopted DeJon. The couple would have two additional daughters.

Outside politics, Earle-Sears has worked as director of a homeless shelter; sold used cars; worked as a program manager for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce; served as CEO of the Blue Ridge Association of Realtors; owned and operated an appliance repair, plumbing and electric company; and written a book called Stop Being a Christian Wimp!

As lieutenant governor Earle-Sears has promoted school choice, saying ZIP codes are the new redlining. She supported a bill from then-Del. Glenn Davis, R-Virginia Beach, that would have created a voucher system for parents to send their children to a school of their choice.

On Monday, Earle-Sears spoke from the stage in Buena Vista, in an annual political rite in which politicians speak after the citys Labor Day parade. Some Democrats in the pavilion heckled Earle-Sears, as they had Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The Democrats are telling a Black woman to get off the stage, Earle-Sears told the crowd.

In a post about the incident Tuesday on X, Earle-Sears wrote: Ill never back down. EVER FORWARD!

From the Archives: Election day fronts Take a look back at front pages the day after past presidential elections. For more, visit out digitized microfilm archive located here. From-the-archives Election fronts From-the-archives 1928 1928 From-the-archives 1936 1936 1940 1940 From-the-archives 1948 1948 From-the-archives 1956 1956 From-the-archives 1964 1964 From-the-archives 1972 1972 From-the-archives 1980 1980 From-the-archives 1984 1984
Heavily armed man with bullet proof truck taken down in Bacalar

Bacalar, Q.R.  Authorities seized drugs, firearms, live ammunition and an armored truck from a vehicle in the municipality of Bacalar after an armed confrontation. Police made the takedown during a search operation for missing persons in the town of El Gallito.

During that missing persons search operation, personnel were fired upon by subjects from inside a white truck in the middle of the woods. The attack took place outside the town of El Gallito near the Campeche border. After the attack, the men abandoned the truck and fled on foot, however, one of them was captured by police.

The arrested man, identified as Carlos Alberto N, is accused of his probable participation in possible acts of drug dealing, the State Attorney General (FGE) reported after a search of the vehicle revealed drugs and weapons.

The detainee and the seized evidence were placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutors Office, the Fiscalia General del Estado (FGE) said in a statement Thursday.
SSC reports on 101 newly trained police officers for Quintana Roo

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  The state has welcomed the addition of 101 newly trained police officers into the SSC. The officers completed a 1,080 training hours at the State Academy of the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC).

On Wednesday, they were awarded certification of completion during a ceremony at the C5 Security Complex in Cancun. Governor Mara Lezama said of the 101 officers, 67 are new recruits (44 women and 23 men) and 34 are active police officers (10 women and 24 men), all members of the Secretariat of Citizen Security of Quintana Roo.

Mara Lezama congratulated the graduates and expressed her hope that their work will dignify the profession and reward them with the satisfaction of a duty fulfilled and recognition from the population.

However, she noted that in order to connect with the community they will serve, it will be essential to gain the trust of its inhabitants based on their integrity, integrity, good judgment and effective performance.

Being trustworthy and effective will strengthen and increase the positive perception of the institutions in charge of protecting citizens. Through you, we will promote an image in accordance with the duty of your noble profession because each one of you is potentially a hero or heroine who safeguards public order and protects the integrity of people, she said.

Photo: CGC September 4, 2024.

Julio Cesar Gomez Torres, the Secretary of Citizen Security, explained that the newly trained cadet course included Regulatory Framework of the Police Function and Protocols for Police Action, Prevention and Social Linkage, Police Techniques and Tactics, Complementary Training, Physical Development and Conditioning, Deontological and Axiological Framework of the Police Function.

They were also given 40 hour courses on Pop Model Course, Masculinities Course and the Empowerment Course.

The primary objective is to train new police officers in the state of Quintana Roo so that they acquire knowledge, techniques, tactics and skills that allow them to respond efficiently in matters of public safety and thus guarantee the well-being of citizens.

During the ceremony, the Governor highlighted the fact that the first female director of the Police Academy, Jazivy May Azueta, a graduate of the same institution, is participating in the Conference of the International Association of Women Police Officers in Chicago, among 850 from different countries, putting Quintana Roo on the map.
State authorities issue four day weather warning for Quintana Roo

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  A four day weather warning has been issued by State Civil Protection for all areas of Quintana Roo. Starting Thursday, for the next four days, Civil Protection says heavy rains are expected due to a low pressure zone associated with a tropical wave.

That rain is expected to begin late Thursday afternoon or early evening as the system heads toward the Gulf of Mexico. Quintana Roo Civil Protection warns of intense to torrential rains of between 150 to 200 mms during that time. Thunderstorms and wind gusts of 50 kms/h are also expected to accompany the system.

On Thursday morning, Coordinacion Estatal de Proteccion Civil of Quintana Roo posted a public weather advisory regarding the arrival of the tropical wave.

NOTICE: During Thursday, September 5th and until September 10th, there will be a period of rain due to a low pressure zone associated with a tropical wave (number 21) that will approach and pass over the Yucatan Peninsula towards the Gulf of Mexico, causing an increase in clouds and the potential for rain over the state of Quintana Roo.

Intense to torrential rains (150 to 200 mms) are forecast during this period, accompanied by electrical activity and wind with gusts of 50 km/h. Therefore, appropriate measures must be taken to prevent possible flooding, mainly in low-lying areas.

State Civil Protection is also warning residents about strong winds that could knock down billboards or weak roofs of houses and trees, as well as the probable formation of waterspouts off the states coasts.

Photo: state civil protection

The state agency has made several recommendations for citizens including staying informed by checking the updated weather bulletins. They are also suggesting residents clean roofs, gutters and nearby street drains to prevent flooding and also, to avoid driving on flooded or heavily puddled streets.

For boaters, Civil Protection says to consult with the Port Captains before carrying out activities at sea and follow their instructions and restrictions. Take precautions when sailing and engaging in water activities due to strong winds and high waves on the coast of Quintana Roo.

An official weather update regarding the approaching tropical wave was provided early Thursday morning.

The approach of a low pressure zone with cyclonic potential associated with tropical wave number 21 and the influx of humid air from the Caribbean Sea towards the Yucatan Peninsula will cause cloudy skies over the state of Quintana Roo during the day and heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by electrical activity over most of the state.

The environment will be very hot and muggy during the day and warm at night and at dawn. Wind with gusts of 35 to 45 km/h over the coastal areas of the state, they reported.

The National Hurricane Centre (NOAA) is currently monitoring five systems in the Atlantic. Regarding the system posing the wet-threat to Quintanan Roo, the NOAA confirms the increase in rain and thunderstorm activity.

For the Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Southwestern Gulf of Mexico, shower and thunderstorm activity has increased slightly in association with a westward-moving tropical wave located over the western Caribbean Sea.

Significant development appears unlikely before the system reaches Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula by early Friday. Some development is possible late in the weekend into early next week after the system emerges over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
Without a sound basis for justice and wisdom, there is nothing to transmit from generation to generation, and so we become strangers even to ourselves.

There are no writers left in America: no impressive novelist, no essayist who commands prestige and popularity. This is true of Britain, too. Now as never before, the great modern empires of liberalism and democracy seem to have nothing to say for themselves. Twenty-first-century thought might as well not exist. Essayist Olivier Roy surveys this phenomenon in his latest publication, The Crisis Of Culture: Identity Politics and the Empire of Norms. He claims Progress has desiccated what we used to call culture. Our success has overwhelmed all the limits and forms that made ways of life and ways of thinking possible.

Roy reminds us that the interesting thinking is in France, the only other modern country with a democratic tradition. Moreover, its on the right, not the left. The classically educated read Pierre Manent, the educated read Chantal Delsol, and everyone reads Michel Houellebecq. There is in addition a plethora of insightful essayists on everything sociological or cultural who write confidently, as though immune to civilizational decline, including Roy. Even this group, featuring figures like Renaud Camus and Christophe Guilluy, is increasingly considered right wing. This is false, but what is true is that sociological concern with popular rather than elite problems threatens to restore nationalism to political discourse. Yet all these writers show their faces in public, on national TV, and the state honors them. In comparison, elite left-liberal celebrities seem to lack insight and influence, evidence of Roys claim that we live lives beyond or after culture.

A man of the left, Roy is nevertheless in search of a nonideological standpoint and seems especially suited for our times, which have reduced ideology to a kind of snobbery. In his latest essay, he insists on two aspects of our crisis of liberty: the collapse of culture and the rise of endless lawfare. As to our increasingly moralistic litigiousness:

How is it that Western societies that claim to be liberalthe remarkable extension of the domain of political, sexual, economic and artistic freedom over a half-centuryhave brought about an equally remarkable extension of the realm of norms? Thus, we have witnessed the judicialisation of everyday life as well as the normative scrutiny of different domains and an increased appeal to pedagogical authority to impose new norms, whether pertaining to secularism, sexuality or religious practices.

Its worth noticing, too, how little we talk about it. Roy argues that this new dispute about every aspect of human behavior follows the collapse, in the 60s, of our previous moral agreements. But this in turn follows a much more powerful modern transformation of the implicit into the explicit, of experience into argument, which amounts to a rationalization of being human that issued in the various ideologies whose failure we cannot help noticing.

The problem, as Roy puts it, with reducing language to codes, shared things turning into individual access, is not that the old culture is replaced by new cultures. Instead, Roy argues, its that the transformation of cultures into explicitly coded systems destroys the notion of culture itself.

Sociologically, this means that our technological and economic powers, together with our bodily desires, have evacuated politics and everything else that lies between the private and the universal, everything we used to call America, for example, which made it possible among other things to fight over what it means to be American and how he should go about being American. For Roy, the collapse is comprehensive:

Roughly, four levels of radical transformation have changed the world since the 1960s: 1) the transformation of values with the individualist and hedonist revolution of the 1960s; 2) the internet revolution; 3) neoliberal financial globalisation; 4) the globalisation of space and the movement of human beings, in other words deterritorialisation.

Somehow it is easier to prove the cultural collapse thesis than to say what culture is, perhaps because that would involve us in endless controversies. Roy thinks about culture in two senses: one is at least apparently scientific, taken from anthropology, meaning more or less way of life and leaving aside the value judgments, without which we cannot live. This is where the attack on the implicit through ideological articulation and lawfare hurts us mostwith nothing left to take for granted, its harder than ever to live together. Roy says, accordingly, that were merely strangers. But if so, how can we experience that conditionstrangers as opposed to what?

Roy doesnt attempt to prove that our rationalism has failed; its too obvious. He takes it for granted that being human requires a shared way of life and that individualism taken too far is our postmodern curse. Perhaps the problem becomes more obvious when we consider the second sense in which he uses culturea canon. Whatever the process of canonization, it involves hierarchies, it demands transmission, that is memory and affection, and it elevates mere individuals to a pantheon that comprehends the best rather than the typical of our way of life, those experiences of the higher possibilities of man that make us more than mere strangers, more than philistines.

Ultimately, Roy claims we have lost the basis for justice and wisdom, the two virtues concealed in talk of culture, the one bringing us all together in comity, the other making us all aware of the best among us, who far surpass what we can ever accomplish, yet remind us that such achievements are somehow borne of our society. These have been replaced by an excellence that consists in popularizing bits and pieces of cultures from around the world, an endless fusion of fragments of culture that inevitably degrade as they become globalized. The claim to know everything and have access to the rarest human experiences is somehow coeval with the debasement of taste; uniformity and endless complexity go together.

Roys criticism of this society is an attempt at liberation from the uniformity of a new taste in food, tourism, and the sacred. Postmodern man is even shallower than modern man was because he can afford to pursue his mania for hierarchies of pleasure or authenticity and he has accordingly fewer memories of a way of life holding him back from making experiments. The postmodern reconstruction of taste as democratic but expensive is a new philistinism.

But Roys liberation from the left is limited and leads to humorous consequences. One of the few American thinkers he quotes repeatedly is Allan Bloom, whom he mischaracterizes as a conservative devotee of authoritarian pedagogy enamored of the German research university, somehow unaware of its connection to the Nazis. Obviously, its always the Nazis. The intellectual impotence of the left is an effect of this tired moralism. But leave that aside, whats more important is how telling the misunderstanding is. Bloom was a better culture critic than Roy and understood the remarkable right-wing tilt of high culture, including modernism. The urgent question for us is: What understanding of culture makes it possible to overcome these mental handicaps and at least see clearly the thinkers and societies of our time? Roy offers many useful forays in the direction of liberation, but they are all merely tentative, early steps, as often stumbling as advancing, as confused as the civilization he describes.

Roys criticisms of neoliberalism as promoting deculturation and normativity spread through authoritarian pedagogy are unwise. He wishes for both the Progress the left offers and the Culture that the right offers, without showing how they might go together. His conclusion of this structural criticism that is ultimately unstructured is an exhortation that on his own terms is bound to fail to stand up to power:

We must leave our protected spaces behind and rediscover heterogeneity, difference, and debate. There is a clear demand for sociability. Things change when individuals seek to regain social connection in their real lives, in whatever remains of the social fabric.

One concurs in the sentiments while realizing this exhortation is futile. A reasonable man would focus on the core problem of the books last worda true crisis of humanismand support the opposition, whereas Roy is careful to always condemn both sides while reminding the reader that he is a Progressive, too. This is evidence that the left has collapsed, but not yet that the alternative is rising.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform all areas of science, energy, and security.

As part of the Cancer Distributed Learning Environment (CANDLE) project, Neeraj Kumar and his team, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, developed a method to improve the AI-based prediction of drug responses during cancer treatment. He presented his results at the Platform for Advanced Scientific Computing (PASC) Conference on June 3 in Zurich, Switzerland.

In his talk, titled "Foundation Models and Large-Scale Workflow for Cancer Comparing Metrics for Machine learning Models," Kumar described the Comparison Workflow for Cross Validation (CMP-CV) framework, which standardizes the training and evaluation of multiple deep learning models.

"Variations in how deep learning models are crafted, trained, and tested make direct comparison difficult," said Kumar. "The CMP-CV framework enables scientists to make this comparison, leading to the development of better models, such as those that can accurately predict drug responses."

Kumar also participated in a panel discussion, where he spoke about the uses of AI in personalized medicine to build cancer digital twins.

"The integration of AI, co-design, and computing helps scientists address grand challenges, like those in human health," said Kumar. "In the future of personalized medicine, AI can create digital replicas of individual patients to empower doctors to tailor treatments with precision, optimizing outcomes and transforming health care."

As the AI revolution continues to unfold, Kumar's work underscores the immense potential for AI to transform scientific discovery on a global scale. By fostering collaborative research and transcending domain boundaries, Kumar is at the forefront of the technologies accelerating the translation of scientific insights into real-world solutions.

His recent involvement in co-organizing the Trillion Parameter Consortium (TPC) European Workshop in Barcelona further demonstrates Kumar's commitment to advancing science and engineering through large-scale models, co-design, and cutting-edge computing systems. The workshop began with a tutorial on large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and AI agents, where Kumar provided deep insights into the expansive applications and development of LLMs within the scientific community. PNNL atmospheric scientist Po-Lun Ma also participated in this workshop by giving a lightning talk on data challenges from climate science.

Kumar's leadership extends beyond his research endeavors. He serves on the leadership team of the Center for AI @PNNL, which drives strategic initiatives and shapes the future direction of AI research at the laboratory. The Center is a crucial component in supporting the Department of Energy's proposed Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security and Technology (FASST) initiative, which will drive advances in AI-ready data, frontier-scale compute, and safe, secure, and trustworthy models, thereby accelerating discovery in science, security, and technology.

Provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
FLORENCE, S.C.  McLeod Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in South Carolina to perform the aquablation therapy procedure for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, is a non-cancerous condition in which the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. As the prostate gland enlarges, it can squeeze the urethra, causing symptoms like a weak urine stream or the need to push or strain to pass urine. If left untreated, BPH can cause significant health problems, including irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence.

BPH affects each man differently, and some men may not experience any major symptoms. For most, first signs are changes in bathroom habits with urination:

Frequent urination, as often as every one to two hours.

Weak or slow stream, or stream that starts and stops.

Feeling of bladder not emptying completely.

Delay in starting urination or straining to start.

Awakening frequently at night to urinate.

When symptoms are severe enough to require more than routine monitoring, urologists may recommend one of multiple treatment options for BPH. These include medicines, minimally invasive treatments or surgical procedures.

Aquablation therapy is a minimally invasive treatment using automated tissue resection for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms. Aquablation therapy combines real-time, multi-dimensional imaging, automated robotics, and heat-free waterjet ablation for targeted, controlled, and immediate removal of prostate tissue. By using a cystoscope, a thin tube-like instrument used to look inside the bladder and urethra, and ultrasound imaging, surgeons can create a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patients anatomy.

We are excited to be the first in South Carolina to offer a solution for men with BPH that provides significant, long-lasting symptom relief with lower risk to their sexual function or continence, said Dr. Ronald Glinski with McLeod Urology Associates. Being able to offer aquablation therapy as an additional treatment option is the next step to furthering the McLeod commitment in robotic surgery and mens health.
Monthly Carmelite Meeting

The monthly Carmelite Board Meeting will be held Monday, September 9, 2024 at the Carmelite Monastery, 2901 S. Cecelia Street with Mass at 7:00 am and refreshments at 8:00. Our business meeting will begin at 8:30, the rosary will start at 9:00 and prayers with the Sisters at 9:15. Honorary members are always welcome.

GriefShare

GriefShare will be held Sept. 10 through Dec. 12 (no Thanksgiving week) from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and from 6:30-8:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Calvary Lutheran Church, 4400 Central St. Participant books are free ($20 value). Register by going to calvaryleeds.com. If questions please call Diane Harris at 712-389-5226. GriefShare for the Holidays, 10:30-noon, Monday, Nov. 11, and 6:30-8:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9. There is hope for this journey.

Dad's Belgian Waffles

St. John Lutheran Church, 2801 Jackson St., will be serving a waffle breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. Waffles, sausage, coffee, and orange juice. Tickets are $10, and children under 5 eat free. Carryouts will be available.

Blue Mass

Bishop Walker Nickless and the Sioux City Cathedral Parish are hosting a Blue Mass at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, 1000 Douglas St. The Mass includes a procession of uniformed first responders. Father David Esquiliano, rector of the Cathedral, pointed out that the first responders will be prayed for during the Mass. Area first responders and those working in the emergency response fields (including law enforcement, fire, EMTs and others) and their families are encouraged to attend this Mass at the Cathedral.

Organizers hope that those working as first responders in every discipline will feel comfortable attending the Mass, whether they are Catholic or not. First responders and their families planning to attend are asked to RSVP to info@sccathedral.org. Anyone who arrives without an RSVP is still welcome to attend the Mass and the meal afterward.

LSI Donation Request

LSI Sioux City urgently needs help! The biggest needs are: bottles of shampoo and conditioner, body wash, large (kitchen) trash cans, small (bathroom) trash cans. Donations can make a huge difference in the lives of those LSI serves. Drop off items at the office at 1308 S Cleveland Ave., Sioux City, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. If unable to make it during office hours, reach out to Donations@LSIowa.org to arrange a drop-off outside of these hours or if you have any questions.

Food pantry

St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1200 Douglas St., will have its food pantry open from 10 a.m. to noon Mondays.
Eight people were sent to local hospitals on Aug. 31when a section of bleachers collapsed at the Kendall County Fair Grounds. Jeff B. Flinn, Boerne Star

A 79-year-old woman died Friday from injuries she sustained when bleachers that werent properly permitted or inspected collapsed at the Kendall County Fairgrounds, officials said.

Vera Smith died six days after the Labor Day weekend accident that injured 11 others in Boerne, according to the Kendall County Office of Emergency Management.

On Thursday, Boerne city officials said the bleachers that collapsed during the Kendall County Fair rodeo were installed without proper city permitting and were not inspected by the Boerne Fire Marshals Office before the event.

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The Kendall County Fair Association, a nonprofit that operates the fair, did not apply for a building permit for the work done on the bleachers, city officials said.

The bleachers were an old structure that was salvaged, and the new structure was made to house 8 VIP sections, the bar, and a common walkway. Additionally, welding work on the bleacher structure was still occurring up to the day before the event, the city said in a written statement.

The Kendall County Fair Association applied only for a carnivals and fairs permit, which requires a general grounds inspection of the fairgrounds by the fire marshals office, the city said. That process does not include inspections of structures, such as the newly constructed addition to the bleachers on the rodeo grounds which would have occurred with a building permit, the city said.

In light of this incident, city staff will conduct a thorough review of our permitting and inspection processes to ensure that best practices are followed for future public events, the city said in a written statement.

The city has hired an independent structural engineer to evaluate and determine why the bleacher structure collapsed, the city said. This inspection is scheduled to be completed in the coming week, and the city expects to receive a report within the next three weeks, according to city officials.

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Representatives for the Kendall County Fair Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Boerne Mayor Frank Ritchie declined to comment specifically on the bleacher collapse but didnt rule out the City Council taking some sort of action in response to the incident.

Everything is in discussion until the investigation is complete, he told the San Antonio Express-News on Thursday evening.

Eight people were hospitalized after the bleachers collapsed about 9:15 p.m. last Saturday at the Kendall County Fairgrounds, according to the city. About 100 people were on the bleachers at the time, the city said. The people taken to hospitals were two men and a 7-year-old boy, along with four women and a 12-year-old girl, the city said.

Smith died after sustaining critical injuries.

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We are particularly concerned for the 79-year-old woman who was critically injured, and our hearts go out to her and her family during this difficult time, Fire Chief Manny Casarez said. While we are thankful that most of the injuries were non-life-threatening, this tragic event has affected our entire community.

The collapse of the bleachers stunned attendees at the fair, a popular Boerne event that draws in thousands of people each year.

The fair was shut down for the remainder of that Saturday after the collapse.

The next day, city officials said, Fire Marshal Robert Lee, city planning director Nathan Crane and chief building official Steve Riggs and officials with the Fire Department met at the site with a representative of the Kendall County Fair Association.

During this visit, city officials concluded that the fair could continue but the rodeo arena would remain closed. Furthermore, no further activity in the rodeo arena could be conducted until the Kendall County Fair Association provided a report from a structural engineer evaluating the arena grandstand, the city said in a written statement.

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City officials say they have ordered the association to obtain a report from a structural engineer confirming compliance with the International Code Council 300 Standards for Bleachers and Telescopic Seating and Grandstands.

Until that report is submitted and approved, no activities will take place in the rodeo arena, the city said.

City officials said they will require the association to apply for a demolition permit before removing the damaged bleacher structure.

Additionally, due to failure to apply for the required building permits, the organization will be required to pay an additional fee when issued a demolition permit prior to the removal of the collapsed bleacher structure, the city said.
Watching The Perfect Couple, Netflixs new soapy, six-episode whodunit starring Nicole Kidman, its easy to feel like youre experiencing deja vu. Kidman playing a wealthy mother with a slew of secrets caught up in a murder investigation in a scenic coastal location? Wait, no, that was her other show, HBOs Big Little Lies. Kidman playing a wealthy New Yorker whose adulterous husband may or may not have committed murder? Nope, Im thinking of her 2020 series The Undoing. Kidman playing a wealthy, well-dressed, upper-class figure with housekeeping staff and a hot husband? Im confusing it with Expats, her Hong Kongset show from earlier this year. Kidman playing a wealthy writer with a foreign accent inexplicably different from that of her American family? Oops, that was A Family Affair, her recent Netflix rom-com with Zac Efron.

In this latest TV outing, Kidman stars as the snooty yet chic Greer Garrison Winburya name so WASP-y that you can feel the letters looking down their noses at you as Greer spits out lines like, Anyone who wears flip-flops out of the confines of their own house should be arrested. She married into a posh New England family three decades ago, raised three sons of varying degrees of awfulness, and still found time to churn out 28 bestselling crime novelsthe kind you buy last-minute at the airport in order to read on a beach vacation. But the fame and money have evidently gone to her head, because shes obsessed with keeping up a public image of marital bliss despite some obvious tension with husband Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber), a loafer whos always seen with a joint in hand and whos never had to work a day in his life.

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Its all smiles for the cameras as the couple host the marriage of their blandest child, Benji (Billy Howle), to the middle-class zookeeper Amelia (Eve Hewson, whose dark-brown hair is the first clue shes out of place in this family). The wedding is at one of Greer and Tags homes, Summerland, a $40 million estate on the shores of Nantucket, the Old Money island playground off Cape Cod that boasts an airport perpetually crowded with private jets and beaches as white as the residents. The house has a mini-fridge stacked with Fiji water and a gift-wrapping room, although the maid confesses that she does most of the wrapping in her own quarters. The family is rich, we are repeatedly toldrich rich. Child sex-ring on a private island rich, one character tells us, or Kill someone and get away with it rich, another says (forebodingly!).

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So when tragedy strikes and one of the wedding guests is found dead on the morning of the nuptials, long-held secrets threaten all that the family holds dearwell, you get the idea.

At its heart, The Perfect Couple wants to be The White Lotus, Mike Whites delicious skewering of the wealthy thats wrapped in a murder mystery. (The Perfect Couple also stars Meghann Fahy, from The White Lotus Season 2, and it tries to emulate the HBO show by holding offalbeit for just one episodeon revealing who has been killed; it also copies Big Little Lies by having police interviews with side characters serve as a framing device.) But this isnt prestige TV, its a soap opera, and The Perfect Couple doesnt have characters who are remotely interesting or even developed enough for the series to be the biting satire of the rich it wants to be. Its the kind of show where the characters get drunk at dinner (hardly anyone is ever seen without a blackberry mojito or a gin and tonic in hand) in order to confront one another Real Housewivesstyle, but then still somehow arise at dawn to stare mysteriously out a window. At one point as I was watching, a caption simply read [sighing wistfully].

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To put it plainly, The Perfect Couple isnt a particularly good show. Which prompts the question: What exactly is Kidman doing here? Why does this versatile, Academy Awardwinning actor keep gravitating toward TV roles that feel so familiar, if not in their substance, then in their style and aesthetic? Some of Kidmans TV characters are victims, some of them are villains, but most of them are glamorous, wealthy women with shitty husbands and secrets. If this time shes playing an author of actual beach readsthat unofficial genre of frothy, easy-to-consume, low-culture romances/mysteries marketed mostly to womenits worth asking how and why did Kidman seemingly become the go-to actor for what can only be described as beach TV?

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In the Beach-Read Cinematic Universe, Nicole Kidman is Madame Web: Her web connects them all.

Based on a novel by the real-life Queen of Beach Reads, Elin Hilderbrand, The Perfect Couple is directed by Susanne Bier, who was also behind the camera for The Undoing, which was based on a novel adapted for the screen by David E. Kelley, who also wrote the script for Big Little Lies, which was based on a novel by Liane Moriarty, whose very name has been used by the New York Times as an adjective to describe beach reads. In the Beach-Read Cinematic Universe, Kidman is Madame Web: Her web connects them all.

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Looking at her filmography, whats clear is that Kidman loves to work. In the past decade alone, shes been part of 30 or so different productions across film and televisionan impressive number for an A-list star who, at this point, doesnt really need the money. The numbers are similar for Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet, two actors with whom Id argue Kidman shares a lot of career DNA: non-American, Oscar-winning white female movie stars who have in recent years dabbled in television to much acclaim. For Winslet, that meant, most prominently, perfecting a Delco accent to play a gruff, beleaguered detective in Mare of Easttown and then transforming into a neurotic central European autocrat in The Regime (a show leagues behind her performance in it). Blanchett, meanwhile, portrayed the prim and cunning conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America and is also starring as a documentary journalist in Alfonso Cuarons upcoming Apple TV+ series Disclaimer.

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Related From Slate The Undoing Could Have Been Perfect Trash Read More

Kidmans biggest TV characters, though, have more of an obvious throughline. Theres an outward elegance to thema glamouras if her contract stipulated that her costumes would consist entirely of designer clothing. She looks like Nicole Kidman, or at least like the A-lister we are used to seeing on red carpets. Her hair is rarely out of place (the big exception being when she donned a curly gray wig, prosthetic nose, and set of fake teeth with a gap in the center in 2017s Top of the Lake: China Girl). Even in Hulus 2021 miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers, in which she played a bereaved Russian wellness guru (and which itself was also based on a novel by, who else, Moriarty), Kidman sported a lengthy blond wig and white robes, lending her an almost perpetual ethereal glow.

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Im not the only one who has noticed this fragile-housewife archetype that Kidman keeps drifting to. Writing for the Guardian about the little-watched Expats, in which Kidman played a mother grappling with the disappearance of her young son, Lucy Mangan describes the series as the latest in a long line of prestige television dramas in which she wafts about the place as an ethereal, privileged woman haunted by a secret sorrow that all the exquisite soft furnishings and beach views in the world cannot ameliorate. Joel Keller of Decider writes similarly in an Expats review: Kidman feels like shes in the phase of her career when shes playing one depressed, wealthy, touched-by-tragedy middle aged wife and mom after another, and while her performances are always terrific, the trope has gotten old.

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Thats not to say some of these roles didnt require some capital-A Acting from Kidman. In Big Little Lies, in particular, she won plaudits (and an Emmy) for her turn as a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. It was this shows first season, and its enormous success, that really launched Kidman as a television actor and relaunched her in the public eye as a respected thespian after a string of mostly mediocre or forgettable movies. In a 2017 piece for BuzzFeed News titled How Many Times Does Nicole Kidman Have to Prove Herself? writer Anne Helen Petersen notes what she describes as an undercurrent of sexism in the idea that a performance by an Oscar-winning actress with a career spanning decades could be seen as so revelatory. No woman with as much talent as Kidman should be forced to reargue, over and over again, that she is a force to be taken seriously, Petersen asserts.

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Kidman is one of our greatest living actors. She is capable of extraordinarily diverse work and is often willing to undergo a radical physical transformation for a role, such as when she morphed into Lucille Ball for Being the Ricardos (2021)a role many initially feared had been miscast, but for which she ultimately received her fifth Oscar nominationor played a vengeful detective with deep eye-bags and a moppy wig in Destroyer (2018). Her performance as a Viking queen in 2022s The Northman at first felt to me like a cameo, before she awed me by flashing her fangs in one electrifying, bonkers scene. And, if the reviews out of the Venice Film Festival are to be believed, she has turned in another incredible performance in the kinky erotic drama Babygirl, opposite Harris Dickinson. If anything, the occasionally vanilla work she does in these analogous TV roles may serve to make her star-making cinematic performances stand out and wow us even more.

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Just as Kidmans 2001 divorce freed her from the title of Mrs. Tom Cruise and propelled her to pursue a string of surprising, audacious projects that catapulted her to the very top of Hollywood, the success of Big Little Lies, and Kidmans celebrated performance in it, was also freeing in its own unique way. In a career that has ebbed and flowed between intensive bouts of public scrutiny and gossipon her marriage, her divorce, her children, her body, her weight, her face, her foreheadKidman proved herself once again in a new medium. And, by executive producing the series alongside co-star Reese Witherspoon, she proved to Hollywood she had the business chops to be a major behind-the-scenes industry force, too.

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Having conquered film, having conquered television, and having conquered the industry, things are now a lot simpler: Nicole Kidman has nothing left to prove. She coasts from time to time now because she can. If Netflix is willing to park a truck full of money in her driveway in exchange for turning in a campy performance on autopilot while still looking great, then fuck it, why not take the cash? Do one for them and one for you, the Hollywood saying goes. Male actors and directors do it all the time and rarely get any judgment. And, like the beach reads theyre based on, these shows are popular! People watch them, awards and critics be damned. Sometimes a job is just a jobeven for Hollywood legends.

And if my explanation of her motivations seems too obvious or glibif you think things must surely be more complicated than thatI can only offer as evidence one moment from The Perfect Couple in which Kidmans character is questioned by a cop about her all-too-apparent motive.

What makes it so obvious is what makes it so unlikely, she insists.

But maybe, the officer tells her, thats your cover: hiding in plain sight.
Update, Sept. 19, 2024, at 5:56 p.m.: On Thursday, CNN broke the news that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson had posted numerous inflammatory comments on a pornography websites message board under the username minisoldr over 10 years ago. The comments include statements that he was a black NAZI!; that he was a perv who liked transgender pornography; that he still fantasized about peeping on women in public showers as a 14-year-old; that he preferred Adolf Hitler to Barack Obama; and that Martin Luther King Jr. was a commie bastard. Later in the day, Politico reported that an email address belonging to Robinson was registered on Ashley Madison, a website for married people seeking affairs.

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson isnt actively courting controversy anymore. Since winning the Republican primary for governor, he has toned down his rhetoric in an effort to convince North Carolina voters hes a normal MAGA Republican. But after all the stories that came out this summer, Robinson should know hes chasing a pipe dream: As much as Robinson may try to appear like an unblemished candidate, he seems to have an unlimited number of absurd stories from his past just waiting to be dug up.

Take, for example, the big headline news this week. On Tuesday, the North Carolina publication the Assembly reported that in the 1990s and early 2000s, Robinson was a regular customer at two pornography stores in Greensboro, where he purchased hundreds of bootleg porn videos and came in as often as five nights a week to watch porn videos in a private booth. Robinson denies the story. (In a comment to the Assembly, he also called one of the porn-shop owners a freak show grifter and the reporters on the story degenerates.)

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There would be nothing particularly newsworthy about this if it werent for Robinsons tendency to condemn the sexuality of otherswomen and LGBTQ+ people specificallyand describe material and behavior he does not like as pornographic. In 2023, for example, while speaking at a Baptist church, he appeared to use the term to describe LGBTQ-affirming literature in schools. You ought to be nervous about the fact that we live in a society where some folks say its all right to give pornography to children, he said to the congregation. As far as Im concerned, thats the decline of Western civilization. This wasnt the only time he has accused public schools of providing children with pornography.

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And it was just the latest in a line of bizarre stories about Robinson this summerwhich followed a flood of bizarre and hateful opinions of his that surfaced, often through his own Facebook commentary, after he won the primary in March.

At a June rally, Robinson said, vaguely, Some folks need killing. (Its time for somebody to say it.) On Aug. 19, a North Carolina public-education blog published public records showing that Robinsons wife, Yolanda Hill, had, in 2003, been sued by the Girl Scouts. (The Tarheel Triad Girl Scouts were successful in small-claims court over $3,000 Hill had failed to pay the group; the documents give no further details.)

And in late July, a nonprofit run by Hill and her family was ordered to repay $132,000 in federal funding for, essentially, fraud. The nonprofit, Balanced Nutrition, was intended to help child care centers obtain federal funding for meals. But according to the Associated Press, it had drawn funding for nonallowed expenses while paying generous salaries to Hill, Robinson, and other family members. A Department of Health and Human Services investigation found claims made on behalf of child care centers that had apparently neither requested nor received the funds. (Robinson has said that the investigation, which Hill closed in April, was politically motivated.)

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Finally, reporting published in July also found that Robinson and his wife ran a child care center from 2000 to 2007 that was cited for dozens of sanitation, safety, and nutrition violations. Worse, according to DHHS records, the couple had presented falsified documents for training requirements and criminal background checks for the staff. (Robinson and Hill gave up the business in 2007.)

These kinds of financial shenanigans fit a pattern for Robinson: For many years, he failed to pay his taxes and repeatedly relied on bankruptcy court to avoid paying debts. This is all notable because his campaign persona is that of a man who emphasizes personal responsibility and criticizes government aid. (The problem is, we have people that have been abusing the system for far too long. And too many of these social programs have degraded our work ethic, he said in a 2019 podcast.) Guess he knows what hes talking about!

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But not all of Robinsons scandals this summer were dug up from his past by reporters; in one case, he unearthed the scandal himself.

Thirty years ago, my wife and I made a very difficult decision, Robinson says in an ad that aired last month. We had an abortion. Choking up, he adds, It was like a silent pain between us that we never spoke of.

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#NCPol: 30 years ago, my wife and I made a very difficult decision. We had an abortion. It was like this solid pain between us that we never spoke of. Its something that stays with you forever.



Mark Robinson is up with a new ad in #NCGov. He's spent or reserved $4.9M so far. pic.twitter.com/o3aXpKhbSC  AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) August 2, 2024

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The admission was shocking, given how the politician has talked about abortion before. In a Facebook Live video from 2019, Robinson spoke harshly of women who have abortions.

Its about killing the child because you werent responsible enough to keep your skirt down or your pants up, and not get pregnant by your own choice, because you felt like getting your groove thing on, Robinson said in the video. And now, instead of taking care of that child, you want to kill that child so your life can go on being on easy street and you can keep running to the club every Friday night.

The August ad tries to reframe his familys abortion decision as a reason Robinson is supportive of North Carolinas current lawan abortion restriction after 12 weeksand common-sense exceptions. The ad ends with Robinson saying, When Im governor, mothers in need will be supported. But these attempts to moderate himself dont seem to be making a difference. (It doesnt help that Robinson is on the record as saying that society is called to be led by men and that he has blamed women for sexual harassment and assault.)

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According to polling back in May, Robinson and his opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, had been in a virtual tie. But recent polling shows Stein leading, sometimes by as much as 10 points. Cook Political Report found a significant shift among non-college-educated women, who have swung dramatically toward Stein over the course of the summer.

There are still two months until the election, and Robinson is clearly hoping that voters have goldfishlike memories when it comes to his past. Its a strategy that would have held some promiseif there wasnt a strong possibility that there are even more scandals waiting to emerge.
Daniel Oliver Baker, Jr. (D.O.) of Port Republic, Maryland, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 1, 2024. He was born on December 23, 1943, in Washington, D.C., to Daniel O. Baker and Mary E. Baker.



D.O. grew up on Rhode River in Mayo, Maryland, with his mother and stepfather, Phillip Vail. He spent his youth on the river crabbing and fishing, a pastime that would remain close to his heart throughout his life. During this time, he joined the Woodland Beach Volunteer Fire Department, marking the beginning of his lifelong commitment to fire service.

After graduating high school, D.O. began his career at Bausum & Duckett Electric in Edgewater. In 1964, he married the love of his life, Phyllis Stallings Baker. Two years later, in 1966, he joined the Maryland State Police, which led him to Lusby in Calvert County. During his tenure with the Maryland State Police, he served as a road trooper, a K9 handler, and a medic in the aviation division. He later transferred to the Department of Natural Resources, where he worked as an arson and homicide investigator until 1974. D.O. then launched his own electrical business, eventually retiring in the early 2000s. He later resumed work as a Temporary Electrical Inspector with Calvert County Government and served on the Board of Appeals for Calvert County for 14 years.



In 1970, D.O. and Phyllis built their new home in Port Republic, where they planted their roots and raised their family. During his time in Port Republic, D.O. transferred to the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department, and in 1987, he joined the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department (SLVFD). He brought invaluable knowledge to the new fire department, and his insistence on rigorous training led SLVFD to win the Zembower Fire Service Training Award for three consecutive years, making them the first department in the state to achieve this honor. D.O. was instrumental in acquiring numerous pieces of apparatus and securing funding for the department's building expansion project in the '90s. During his time with SLVFD, he served as Chief, President, a member of the Board of Directors, and was honored as a Life Member.



D.O.'s dedication to the fire service extended beyond his local department. He served on the Maryland State Fire Prevention Commission and was inducted into the Calvert County Fire & Rescue Association Hall of Fame, the Southern Maryland Firemen's Association Hall of Fame, and the Maryland State Firefighters Association Hall of Fame. Additionally, D.O. was a member of the Calvert County Sportsmen's Club and the Calvert County Watermen's Association. His contributions to the fire service and his community are immeasurable, leaving a lasting legacy of dedication, leadership, and service that will be remembered for generations to come.



D.O. was preceded in death by his mother Mary Vail and his stepfather Philip G. Vail. Surviving is his wife Phyllis Baker, children Daniel III (Roberta), Natalie Garner (Troy), grandchildren Katie Brittain (Justin), Daniel IV, Taylor Dagle (Austin), Austin Garner (Ellen), great grandchildren Wesley Brittain, Charleigh Brittain, Camdyn Dagle.



The family will receive friends on Tuesday September 10, 2024 from 6-7:30 PM when there will be a Fireman's Prayer service to follow at the St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department and on Wednesday September 11, 2024 from 11-12 noon at Christ Church in Port Republic where a funeral service will follow at noon. Interment will be in the church cemetery.


Liz Teitz covers environmental news and the Hill Country for the San Antonio Express-News. She writes about the San Antonio Water System, news in New Braunfels and Comal County and water issues around Central Texas. She can be reached at liz.teitz@express-news.net.

Liz joined the Express-News in June 2023. She has been a reporter for eight years, covering housing, government, education and other topics for the Ouray County Plaindealer, Hearst Connecticut Media Group and the Beaumont Enterprise. Liz grew up in Rhode Island and graduated from Georgetown University.
What a teacher will find in a Slovak classroom.

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Slovakia's studenti have recently returned to school and thousands of long-suffering ucitelia to their despairing staff rooms. It's time to map out the battleground for the year ahead.

Sure, in Slovakia teachers will find a few apple-polishers (splhuni, lit. rope-climbers) among the ranks, a few bonzaci (snitches) to rat on the grazli (scoundrels), a biflos (brain) or two to leaven the ranks of the incurious, but it's still a tough old world in there.

If, as Martin Amis writes, the average press conference is no fortress of shrewd enquiry, the average Slovak classroom is a mass of education-resistant solidarity.
Popular events abound, offering rich programme and delicacies.

Grape harvest festivities take place in and around Bratislava every September. (Source: TASR)

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September is here and this also means the time of grape harvest festivities - vinobranie in Slovak - and fairs is back. Wine lovers have several events held in Bratislava and its vicinity to choose from. These range from smaller open vineyard events to large festivities accompanied by rich cultural programmes and street food stands.

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First grape harvest festivitity

This coming weekend already offers two events.

Just a quick ride from the capital will take you to the small town of Modra in the foothills of the Little Carpathian mountain range. Taking place between September 6-8, the traditional Modranske vinobranie festival is a celebration of the town's winemaking tradition.

In addition to great wines, you will also be able to taste a unique beverage known as 'burciak', a seasonal hard grape cider with a foam that can rival even the one on your beer.

In addition to fine drinks, visitors will be able to get a glimpse of crafts of times gone by, folklore, visit wine cellars, historic expositions. Expect a rich cultural programme featuring concerts of staple bands such as Bukasovy Masiv, Le Payaco, Billy Barman, as well as new acts in the form of Meowlau x Val for example.

Traditional grape drink called burciak is a must during the festivities. (Source: TASR)

Day in vineyards

If mass gatherings are not up your alley, then maybe check out this event also taking place on Saturday, September 7. Several dozen wine growers and makers of the Little Carpathian Wine Region will invite wine afficionados to taste their production - both the fruit of the land and the fruit of their labour, while allowing them to enjoy the view of the beautiful country.

Vineyards in Raca, Vajnory, Svaty Jur, Limbach, Pezinok, Senkvice, Modra and more will welcome you between 11:00-19:00; a ticket costs 20 and includes a 5 voucher for the purchase of wine.

Bratislava's Lamac borough will also host its own event in the form of the Rozalske hody festivities on September 6-8. The event will feature a slew of concerts for children and adults alike, as well as carousels, face painting, theatrical performances and more.

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Pezinok is the best

Next week on September 13-15, Bratislava's Raca borough will play host to the most popular grape harvest festivities in the capital.

There will be stands with typical delicacies such as ciganska pecienka (a bun with pork, onion and mustard), lokse (thin potato pancakes), roasted sausages, candy floss, as well as carousels. The local amphitheatre will once again provide the stage for concerts of popular Slovak bands and musicians such as Jana Kirschner, Billy Barman, Hex, Tublatanka and more. Admission is free.

Rounding up the September festivities is the picturesque wine-growing town of Pezinok. Taking place on September 20-22, the event draws visitors not only from the vicinity, but from abroad as well. In addition to a lot of concerts, you will see the celebration of grapes, learn about the harvest and the work of local winemakers and winegrowers, witness a historic procession, expositions, and more. Don't miss it, more details here.
The case is under embargo, but a published ruling by the judge offers a few new details.

The Fico shooting occurred on May 15 following a government meeting in the former mining town of Handlova, situated two hours drive away from Bratislava. (Source: TSS)

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Despite months of investigation, Slovak authorities have yet to determine whether the man accused of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico acted alone, or if, as the government suggests, he had accomplices.

The shooter, a 71-year-old pensioner named Juraj Cintula, remains in custody, but official updates from police and prosecutors have been scarce, leaving the public in the dark about key details  including the extent of the prime ministers injuries and the progress of the investigation.

The shooting occurred on May 15 following a government meeting in the former mining town of Handlova, situated two hours drive away from Bratislava. The premier will return to the town on Friday, September 6, for the first time since the shooting.

On Friday, August 23, the Specialised Criminal Court denied Cintulas request to be released from custody. The written explanation of this decision, recently made public, sheds some light on the situation, although many key questions remain unanswered.

Prime Minister Fico himself fuelled speculation about accomplices when he addressed the nation in a video on June 5, several weeks after the attack. I have no reason to believe this was the act of a lone madman, Fico said. A hundred days have passed since the assassination attempt, but there is still no mention of any possible accomplices in the case.
I.D.C. Holding produces legendary wafers such as Kavenky and Horalka.

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The Slovak food group I.D.C. Holding, owned by financier Pavol Jakubec, has announced its sale to Irelands Valeo Foods Group, backed by the global investment giant Bain Capital.

After 32 years of developing I.D.C. Holding from a local, traditional confectionary business into a major regional player in the category, it's the right time for a new chapter in this company's development, said Jakubec.

The deal, signed in early August, will see Valeo acquire 100 percent of I.D.C. Holding, the company behind some of Slovakias most beloved snacks, including the iconic Horalka and Mila wafers, which have been popular since the communist era.

I.D.C. Holding originated from the state-owned Pecivarne Sered, acquired in 1992 by Jakubec and his business partner Stefan Kassay for 400 million Slovak crowns in a competitive tender. A year later, they purchased the state-owned Figaro Trnava for 240 million crowns. Over the years, the pair invested heavily in the businesses, expanding production and resisting numerous offers from foreign investors.

Despite continuous interest from abroad, Jakubec and Kassay remained confident in their companys potential, preferring to invest in the future of the business. This strategy paid off, with I.D.C. Holding reporting record sales of over 163 million in 2022 and a post-tax profit of 16.4 million.

Profit

Sales

Valeo Foods, headquartered in Dublin, is a major player in the European food industry, boasting annual revenues of 1.5 billion and a portfolio of more than 80 brands, including Rowse Honey, Balconi, Barrat, Carstens, Poppets, and Jacobs. With the acquisition of I.D.C. Holding and its Sedita, Figaro, and Verbena brands, Valeo aims to strengthen its presence in Central and Eastern Europe and enhance its confectionery segment.

This is a transformative acquisition for Valeo Foods Group, said Chief Executive Officer of the Valeo Foods Group, Ronald Kers.

While Valeo already operates small production facilities in the region, including a plant in the Czech Republic acquired through its purchase of Pedro Candy Plus, this deal marks a significant step toward expanding its footprint in Eastern Europe. I.D.C. Holdings factory in Sered, which annually produces 35,000 tonnes of goods, positions the company among the largest players in Central Europe.

The transaction, pending regulatory approval, is expected to be finalised by the end of the year.

Jakubec will retain ownership of two other Slovak enterprises: Vestenicke gumarne Vegum and Damian Jasna Hotel Resort & Residences.
The animated documentary won an award at a Bratislava festival dedicated to children and youth.

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Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova, known for her outspoken stance against the LGBT+ community and migrants, has once again sparked controversy, this time over a film about sexuality. The film, which won the top prize at the 2022 Biennale of Animation Bratislava (BAB), an event hosted by the childrens gallery Bibiana, has drawn her ire.

Simkovicova took to Facebook to criticise the animated film Grannys Sexual Life, which she claims explores themes of masturbation, sexuality, and orgasms in older adults.

Bibianas flagship events, including competitions for the most beautiful illustrations and animations, were taken over by extremists under Zuzana Liptakovas leadership, the minister wrote.

Martina Simkovicova's post about the criticised Slovenian-French animated film, published on September 4, 2024. (Source: Facebook)

The short documentary, directed by the Slovenian-French duo Urska Djukic and Emilie Pigeard, portrays elderly women reflecting on their experiences with men.

Simkovicovas outrage follows previous controversies involving Bibianas exhibitions of books.

Her latest criticism targets the festivals former director, Zuzana Liptakova, whom Simkovicova dismissed in March 2024, replacing her with Petra Flach, a friend with no background in cultural management or work with children. Liptakova began her role at Bibiana in August 2022, with the Biennale taking place in October of the same year, writes Dennik N. According to Tomas Danay, then the festivals programme director, the festivals preparations were completed before Liptakovas tenure began.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/f6hgsSVvJYo

Danay explained that the film categories were reorganised to include a new category, XL, for young adults aged 15 and over. The film in question was placed in this category and won the Viktor Kubala Grand Prix, he told the daily. Danay emphasised that he and Liptakova did not influence the films victory; the decision was made by an international jury composed of esteemed filmmakers and animators, including an Oscar nominee.

The festival featured screenings divided by age groups, ensuring that the winning film was viewed primarily by secondary school and university students. A catalogue was provided for parents to choose appropriate films for their children.

The next Biennale of Animation Bratislava will take place from October 7 to 11, 2024. However, following Liptakovas dismissal, the entire BAB team resigned in protest.
Unveiling a new commemorative plaque, the city's mayor and visiting ambassadors stressed past generations' sacrifice for freedom.

A memorial plaque is unveiled in Banska Bystrica for British and American heroes of the Slovak National Uprising on September 5, 2024. (Source: TASR)

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The contribution of British and American special forces to the 1944 Slovak National Uprising (SNP) was marked at a ceremony in the central-Slovak city of Banska Bystrica on Thursday, September 5.

The Mayor of Banska Bystrica, Jan Nosko, alongside British Ambassador Nigel Baker and US Ambassador Gautam Rana, unveiled a commemorative plaque honouring special forces operatives from Britain's Special Operations Executive (SOE) and America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS) who were dropped into central Slovakia in September and October 1944 to assist the insurgents. Following the collapse of the SNP in late October 1944, most were captured by Nazi forces and later executed.

Also in attendance was SNP veteran Vladimir Strmen, 96, who gave an impassioned speech about the importance of the struggle for freedom.

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The OSS was the precursor of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Its 1944 mission to Slovakia was later described in an internal CIA publication as "the worst single defeat suffered by US spies in World War II".

The British and American officers were sent in as liaison missions. The US operation, which involved B-17 bombers flying from Allied-occupied Italy, was officially launched to evacuate downed allied airmen who had been stranded in Slovakia during the war, but also landed some 50 tons of military and other supplies. The British officers and their equipment were dropped by parachute.

By the time the SOE and OSS servicemen arrived, the uprising was already under severe pressure from German forces and would be defeated within a matter of weeks. After Banska Bystrica was occupied, the Americans and British, along with hundreds of Slovak partisans, retreated in small groups to the forests and mountains of central Slovakia at the start of what turned out to be a brutally cold winter. Most were eventually killed or captured.

The new commemorative plaque was unveiled at the Narodny Dom Hotel in central Banska Bystrica, where some of the operatives were based during the uprising.

In the photograph, from left to right: direct participant of the Slovak National Uprising Vladimir Strmen (seated), US Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam A. Rana, Mayor of Banska Bystrica Jan Nosko, and British Ambassador to Slovakia Nigel Baker during the ceremonial unveiling of the memorial plaque on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in Banska Bystrica. (Source: TASR)

In a speech at the ceremony, British Ambassador Nigel Baker paid tribute to the Allied servicemen's sacrifice and read a message from James Sehmer, the 81-year-old son of Major John Sehmer, MBE, the leader of the British mission. Major Sehmer was executed at Mauthausen concentration camp in January 1945.

"I believe that these memorials ... are very important. It is entirely appropriate that our young people are reminded of the sacrifices that their forebears made for the benefit of later generations. These historical events must not be allowed to be forgotten," James Sehmer wrote.

15-year push to get plaque installed

The SNP is a crucial but politically contested event in Slovakia's history. Banska Bystrica, which hosts a museum dedicated to its memory, embraces its role as the centre of the uprising. But in 2013 Banska Bystrica Region, which includes the city, unexpectedly elected a neo-fascist politician, Marian Kotleba, as governor, suggesting that popular opinions are less than settled. His party celebrates the regime of Father Jozef Tiso, president of the wartime Slovak State, which the insurgents were seeking to depose.

Ambassador Baker credited British expat and long-time Banska Bystrica resident John Skelton with proposing and then pursuing the project to place a plaque in the city.

Speaking to The Slovak Spectator, Skelton said the project had been more than 15 years in the making, and had sometimes been a struggle in the light of the resurgence of the far-right in local and national politics. Kotleba lost his bid for re-election as regional governor in 2017, but was elected to the national parliament in 2016, where he remained until 2022.

Skelton said the city administration had become more supportive in recent years, which along with the involvement of the British and American Embassies, helped to bring about the September 5 installation of the plaque.

In comments to The Slovak Spectator, Mayor Jan Nosko stressed the importance of explaining to young people the SNP's complexity as a historical event, and the hardships endured by those who participated in the uprising. He said that sparking people's interest in the events of SNP was crucial to ensuring the horrors of that time are not repeated.

In public remarks at the ceremony to unveil the plaque, US Ambassador Gautam Rana made a similar point, lauding the heroism of Vladimir Strmen and drawing a parallel between Allied support for Slovaks' struggle for self-determination in 1944 and today's support by America and its allies, including Britain and Slovakia, for Ukraine in resisting present-day Russian aggression.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/a-unique-kind-of-fascism-us-continues-clampdown-on-alternative-media-1120022422.html

A Unique Kind of Fascism: US Continues Clampdown on Alternative Media

A Unique Kind of Fascism: US Continues Clampdown on Alternative Media

Sputnik International

The Biden administration signaled that it would continue to clamp down on alternative media Wednesday with the announcement of several measures against figures connected to Russian outlets.

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wesley clark

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treasury departments office of foreign assets control (ofac)

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social media censorship

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The Biden administration signaled that it would continue to clamp down on alternative media Wednesday with the announcement of several measures against figures connected to Russian outlets.US Attorney General Merrick Garland claimed individuals connected to Russian media outlets were involved in a campaign to spread disinformation in the months leading up to Novembers election, a favored talking point the Biden administration has repeatedly used to justify its heavy-handed tactics in regulating social media.The account for RT on the video sharing giant YouTube was removed in 2022 and Biden signed legislation earlier this year likely to result in the social media app TikTok becoming unavailable in the United States after this falls election.Writer and historian Dr. Gerald Horne joined Sputniks The Critical Hour program Wednesday to discuss the surprising development, which he attributed to the United States concern over the rise of Russia, China and Iran and the emergence of an increasingly multipolar world.It's difficult to judge what you just described without judging simultaneously what's unfolding in the Tampa, St. Petersburg area of Florida, where Chairman Omali and his comrades and the African Peoples Socialist Party and the Uhuru movement are now facing trial in the halls of injustice for reasons eerily similar to these charges, said Horne, referring to the Biden administrations ongoing persecution of Black radical groups.Not to mention the funding and financing an army of the radical regime in Israel. We are also aware of what has befallen Richard Medhurst who is a frequent speaker on issues related to Iran in particular. He was detained in London summarily just a few days ago in a blatant violation of civil rights and civil liberties, causing some commentators to suggest that England, Great Britain is moving towards a unique kind of fascism.Horne claimed a hysteria is gripping the US political class over an emerging counterhegemonic bloc of countries increasingly able to challenge the political and economic might of the United States. Former US Army officer Gen. Wesley Clark reflected the anxieties of Washington officialdom in an editorial in USA Today recently, casting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping as enemies of democracy.But a recent survey found that almost half of Amercans believe there is not enough democracy in the United States while 57% of people polled said the US government only serves a minority of its population. Russia and China ranked higher than the United States on most questions regarding their citizens self-perception of their countrys democracy, with Chinese people being among the most likely in the world to consider their country democratic.Clark drew attention to improving relations between Beijing and Moscow, something the United States worked to undermine throughout the Cold War.Recall that the late national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, the national security adviser under Jimmy Carter in the 1970s, in one of his final books The Grand Chessboard suggested that US imperialism would justifiably be fearful if there was a de facto alliance developing between Russia, China, and Iran, and that is precisely what's happening as we speak, said Horne.The leadership of Iran has long been critical of the United States owing to the long history of US interference in the country. Recent polling reveals that people in countries throughout the Muslim world now overwhelming view the US negatively as the country backs Israels violent military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which has killed almost 41,000.Horne said the US is likely particularly disturbed by Beijings growing influence in Africa as dozens of heads of state from across the continent meet in China this week to discuss economic development.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240316/effort-to-ban-tiktok-shows-bipartisan-fear-of-china-influence-of-zionist-lobby-1117356333.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240904/jackson-hinkle-on-frightening-clampdown-on-alternative-media-in-us-all-thats-left-is-to-jail-us-1120016981.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/french-mps-sign-resolution-demanding-macrons-resignation-amid-deadlock-over-pm-1120024104.html

French MPs Sign Resolution Demanding Macrons Resignation Over PM Pick Deadlock

French MPs Sign Resolution Demanding Macrons Resignation Over PM Pick Deadlock

Sputnik International

Ever since the snap elections in July produced a hung parliament in France, President Emmanuel Macron has delayed appointing a new prime minister. Amid the... 05.09.2024, Sputnik International

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Over 80 lawmakers have signed a resolution demanding that French President Emmanuel Macron step down, according to French media reports.The MPs who put their names under the document are from the New Popular Front (Nouveau Front Populaire, or NFP) four-party alliance, 72 of whom are from the France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) party. The other lawmakers are reportedly from the French Green party (LE-EELV) and the Democratic and Republican Left group (Groupe de la Gauche Democrate et Republicaine).The resolution was prompted by Macrons rejection of the NFPs candidacy of Lucie Castets as prime minister, despite the leftist coalition winning the most seats in the parliamentary runoff in July. Macrons refusal is slammed in the motion as an unprecedented case in France's history.It is unparalleled in any of the nations of the European Union that entrusts the first party, even a minority, to form their government," the document is quoted as saying.The NFP alliance won the most seats in July, but none of the major factions  neither Macrons centrists nor the left- and right-wing opposition  control an absolute majority in the chamber.La France Insoumise (LFI) moved to initiate Macrons impeachment on August 31, citing his "serious failings" in his constitutional duties, and called on other political groupings to back it.However, a bid to impeach Macron would need to follow a long and arduous process outlined in article 68 of the constitution, and would eventually require two-thirds of members of the Assembly and Senate combined to approve it.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240831/protest-action-takes-place-in-paris-to-demand-macrons-resignation-1119973964.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/key-takeaways-from-president-putins-speech-at-eastern-economic-forum-1120038272.html

Key Takeaways From President Putin's Speech at Eastern Economic Forum

Key Takeaways From President Putin's Speech at Eastern Economic Forum

Sputnik International

Key Takeaways From Putin's Speech at Eastern Economic Forum

2024-09-05T13:43+0000

2024-09-05T13:43+0000

2024-09-05T13:43+0000

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vladimir putin

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The Far East has become Russia's stronghold in the new global economic reality, Vladimir Putin underscored in his speech at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).The Russian president used the EEF platform on Thursday to touch upon a broad range of important global and domestic issues, clarifying his country's stance.Ukraine ConflictRussia has never refused to negotiate with Ukraine, but the West sabotaged a potential peace deal in early 2022, the Russian leader said at the EEF plenary session, referring to a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul in March 2022.Putin said that Russia respects and welcomes the sincere interest of its friends and partners in resolving all issues related to the Ukraine conflict, first of all, the People's Republic of China, Brazil, and India.The Russian Armed Forces must expel the enemy from the country's territory, with the liberation of Donbass being a top priority, he underscored. Russia will always protect its interests and the interests of people in Ukraine who are prepared to defend their right to speak the Russian language and respect their national traditions, Putin said.Regarding the developments in Russias border region in Kursk, which witnessed an incursion by Kievs military on August 6, the president said Russian troops have accelerated their offensive operations, making significant gains, while the enemy is weakening in key areas.The Russian leader also decried Ukraines strikes on nuclear power plants as very dangerous terrorist attacks. He proceeded to warn that one can only imagine what could happen if Russia were to respond reciprocally to the shelling of the Kursk and Zaporozhye nuclear plants.While underscoring that the Russian Armed Forces are pushing the enemy out of Russia's border region, Putin pointed to the neo-Nazi Ukrainian regimes heavy losses in equipment and manpower. The Russian head of state also shared his personal impression that Ukraine was being led by aliens or foreigners who do not care about the fate of their own country.Saudi Role in Prisoner SwapThe Russian president thanked Saudi Arabia's crown prince for his assistance in the exchange of Russian citizens that took place last month.Many other countries in the Arab world also played a role in work on the prisoner exchange, Putin added.Palestinian-Israeli ConflictRussia backs a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, the Russian president underscored.Putin noted that "this stance is shared by many people in the world and, as strange as it may seem, by the United States as well." He went on to note that the issue has not been resolved and is "at the core of today's escalation of the situation, present-day confrontation."The Russian president also clarified that:US ElectionsWhile reiterating that it is not up to Russia to pick a favorite candidate in the ongoing US presidential race, Vladimir Putin allowed himself to briefly troll the Democratic Party.Russias Future Linked with Far East GrowthAs global business ties and trade routes increasingly shift to the East and Global South, the future development of Russia largely depends on how the Far East will develop, Vladimir Putin emphasized during his speech at the plenary session. He referred to Russia's Far East region as a gateway to the promising and developing markets of Asia and the Global South.Putin hailed the regions vast potential for increased geological exploration and linked it to the need to ensure Russias resource sovereignty.As Putin invited other countries to join in developing the regions transportation routes, he singled out the key importance of the Northern Sea Routes boosted capacity, "In particular, this refers to the Northern Sea Route as an international logistics route. We are going to boost its throughput capacity, in particular by exploring the Arctic mineral deposits, reorienting cargos and increasing the transit. We have ambitious plans for developing the Northern Sea Route, the Russian leader said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.Putin touched upon plans for a new deep-water port with the participation of Belarusian and Chinese companies, as well as proposed building nuclear power plants in the Russian Far East. The successful implementation of all these ambitious plans and the entire economy of the future depend first of all on people, the Russian head of state noted at the EEFs plenary session.Vladimir Putin took a moment to take pride in the impressive growth of the Russian economy despite the West's weaponized sanctions. He noted that Russia's growth rates exceed the global average.On the matter of Russian energy supplies, Putin emphasized that attempts to shut them down would backfire tremendously on the global economy.Putin noted that Russia will solve its problems even if a country refuses to accept Russian energy resources. Specifically mentioning Iran as having long been asking for Russian gas, President Putin suggested that could be a feasible project.While dwelling on the economy and trade routes being reoriented to the Global South, Putin touched upon the growing global de-dollarization trend, saying that Russia has never refused to conduct financial transactions in dollars, but has had to use other currencies in its trade exchanges after that option was denied.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240903/eastern-economic-forum-signals-russias-long-game-strategy-of-orienting-toward-the-orient-1120003148.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/misguided-approach-telegram-ceo-warns-french-crackdown-will-prompt-serious-tech-setbacks-1120048706.html

Misguided Approach: Telegram CEO Warns French Crackdown Will Prompt Serious Tech Setbacks

Misguided Approach: Telegram CEO Warns French Crackdown Will Prompt Serious Tech Setbacks

Sputnik International

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov spoke out on Thursday against the crackdown against his platform by French authorities, warning that the spate of charges could mark the start of serious setbacks for the tech industry as a whole.

2024-09-05T22:25+0000

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov spoke out on Thursday against the crackdown against his platform by French authorities, warning that the spate of charges could mark the start of serious setbacks for the tech industry as a whole.In a post shared on Telegram, Durov detailed that he had been questioned by French authorities over a period of four days, and that he had been informed he would be held "personally responsible" for criminal actions that occur on the platform due to past notifications that had gone answered."This," Durov went onto emphasis, "was surprising for several reasons." Not least of which was the fact that Telegram has an official representative in the EU that both "accepts and replies to EU requests.""Its email address has been publicly available for anyone in the EU who googles 'Telegram EU address for law enforcement,'" he pointed out, adding that authorities could have easily contacted him via the French consulate in Dubai."A while ago, when asked, I personally helped them establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France."Rather than pursuing criminal charges, French authorities should have instead opted for the "established practice" of filing legal action against an internet service to start proceedings.Durov underscored that Telegram would not be abandoning its principles on ensuring users' privacy and security, but that it was and will continue to hold open lines of communications with country regulators. However, if no balance can be made in any one nation, the company will opt to "leave."The CEO further rejected reports that painted Telegram as "some sort of anarchic paradise" and slammed them as "absolutely untrue." However, while the platform's user count has soared upwards of 950 million, he acknowledged the spike "made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform." Durov revealed that new internal measures were being implemented, and that such steps would be made public at a later time.The Russian-born tech entrepreneur was detained at a Paris airport on August 24 on charges related to criminal uses of his messaging app, including terrorism, child pornography, drug trafficking, money laundering and fraud. He was released on August 28 on a 5-million-euro ($5.5 million) bail and is barred from leaving France.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240901/durov-arrest-first-salvo-of-final-battle-in-the-30-year-war-on-privacy-1119974550.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240830/dangerous-platform-really-world-leaders-even-macron-still-use-telegram-despite-durov-arrest--1119957403.html

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Annasofia Scheve covers trending news for the Express-News. She can be reached at Annasofia.Scheve@express-news.net.

Annasofia has bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Missouri. She is an Ohio native, and wrote for Cincinnati Magazine and the Cincinnati Enquirer before joining the Express-News in 2023.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/moscow-on-us-sanctions-against-rossiya-segodnya-retaliatory-measures-being-worked-out-1120023426.html

Moscow Set to Respond to US Sanctions on Rossiya Segodnya: Tit-For-Tat Measures Coming

Moscow Set to Respond to US Sanctions on Rossiya Segodnya: Tit-For-Tat Measures Coming

Sputnik International

Moscow is preparing retaliatory measures to the introduction of US sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik on Thursday.

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"Of course, it will all be hammered out," Zakharova said, when asked if there would be any retaliatory measures in this regard. The sanctions extend beyond mere "listings" such as inclusion on stop lists, revocation of accreditation, broadcasting bans, or designations as foreign agents, the diplomat stated.On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group, RIA Novosti, RT, Sputnik, and Ruptly. The new measures also affected the editor-in-chief of the Rossiya Segodnya and RT media group, Margarita Simonyan.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240904/us-slaps-sanctions-on-rossiya-segodnya-media-group-1120019219.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/musk-says-ready-to-serve-without-pay-or-title-in-potential-trump-administration-1120042486.html

Musk Says Ready to Serve Without Pay or Title in Potential Trump Administration

Musk Says Ready to Serve Without Pay or Title in Potential Trump Administration

Sputnik International

US billionaire Elon Musk said on Thursday that he is ready to serve his country with no salary or title, amid reports that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump intends to accept his proposal to establish a government efficiency commission if he wins.

2024-09-05T13:53+0000

2024-09-05T13:53+0000

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"I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed," Musk wrote on X. Former President Trump is expected to outline his economic plan in a speech before the Economic Club of New York on Thursday. This plan will include creating a government efficiency commission proposed by Musk, media reported. In recent months, Musk has repeatedly expressed his willingness to take on government efficiency during a potential Trump administration. However, Trump expressed doubt last week that the billionaire could be part of his team, saying the SpaceX and Tesla CEO would likely be too busy to serve in his cabinet. At the same time, he suggested that Musk could play a consulting role in his administration if he wins the November election.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/political-witch-hunt-us-activists-go-to-trial-in-florida-accused-of-acting-as-russian-agents-1120019974.html

Political Witch Hunt: US Activists Go to Trial in Florida, Accused of Acting as Russian Agents

Political Witch Hunt: US Activists Go to Trial in Florida, Accused of Acting as Russian Agents

Sputnik International

The four activists are associated with the African Peoples Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement with locations in the US cities of St. Petersburg and St. Louis.

2024-09-05T02:34+0000

2024-09-05T02:34+0000

2024-09-05T02:34+0000

analysis

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jeremy kuzmarov

omali yeshitela

russia

ukraine

federal bureau of investigation (fbi)

fbi

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political censorship

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Four activists who have been accused of illegally acting as Russian agents to somehow help the Kremlin create political discord and interference in US elections will go to trial in Florida on Tuesday, CBS News reported. The four activists are associated with the African Peoples Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement with locations in the US cities of St. Petersburg and St. Louis. One of the activists is Omali Yeshitela, 82, whose organization focuses on Black empowerment and reparations for slavery.An attorney for the 82-year-old activist said that while the civil rights group shared many goals of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia, they were not acting under the Kremlins control. The judge handling the case said it is unrelated to claims of Russia interfering in the 2016 US presidential election. All four activists have pleaded not guilty.Jeremy Kuzmarov, a managing editor of Covert Action magazine, the author of several books on US foreign policy, joined The Final Countdown on Wednesday to discuss the US government's continued attacks on dissidents and independent thinkers in the states. Writing about the attack for Green Left, Yeshitela said that at 5 AM on Friday in July of 2022, about 30 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and police in armored vehicles used flash-bang grenades and broke down the door of his home. At the same time, other Uhuru Movement leaders also had their homes raided. Yeshitela said that the FBI agents did not show him any warrant, and said the raid was connected to the indictment of a Russian man who is in Russia who was supposedly spreading Russian influence in the US."With assault rifles pointed at my chest, they forced me out of the house along with my wife Ona Zene Yeshitela, a critical leader of our movement, said the activist, who acknowledged traveling to Russia and other countries for conferences. Even though we were not formally under arrest and faced no charges, they handcuffed us and told us to sit on the curb, which we refused to do.It was not until nine months after they raided their homes that the US DOJ announced indictments against the civil rights leaders.Prosecutors wrote in the 2023 indictment that Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov engaged with the four defendants for years and urged them to make pro-Russian statements while paying for their travel. He also allegedly paid for two unsuccessful political campaigns for St. Petersburg City Council and a protest tour to raise awareness of the genocide against African people in the US. The total amount of payments to the defendants seems to be at least $10,000, according to a report from the New York Times.Jill Stein, an American physician, activist, and politician as well as the US Green Partys nominee for the 2024 US presidential election, said the attack on the Uhuru Three is fundamentally an attack on free speech, on our right to oppose endless wars and economic oppression abroad. She added that the attack was on our right to oppose the cost of these endless wars at home, namely economic austerity and the war on democracy."The US Department of Justice began a broad criminal investigation into US citizens who have worked with Russian state television networks, according to a report released last month.Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, who is a critic of US foreign policy and Dimitri K. Simes, Russian TV Channel One presenter and founder of the US-based think tank Center for the National Interest, had their homes searched by FBI agents. Charges have not been made against either men. However, electric equipment was seized from Ritter, while Simes said agents removed artwork from his home in Virginia and froze multiple bank accounts.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230420/ridiculous-election-discord-case-meant-to-quiet-ukraine-pushback-restore-us-cold-war-climate-1109677467.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240904/us-slaps-sanctions-on-rossiya-segodnya-media-group-1120019219.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/putins-full-speech-at-eastern-economic-forums-plenary-session-1120039046.html

Putin's Full Speech at Eastern Economic Forum's Plenary Session

Putin's Full Speech at Eastern Economic Forum's Plenary Session

Sputnik International

The highly anticipated plenary session of this year's Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), held in Russia's Vladivostok, started with a speech, delivered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The high-level session was also attended Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.

2024-09-05T12:34+0000

2024-09-05T12:34+0000

2024-09-05T12:34+0000

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Ladies and gentlemen, friends.I am delighted to offer warm greetings to all the participants and guests of the 9th Eastern Economic Forum.It has become a tradition for Russia and the city of Vladivostok to host this event in early September, bringing together businesses, technology providers, research teams, senior executives from major corporations, government officials, specialists, experts and entrepreneurs who are interested in Russias Far East and recognise the immense opportunities this unique Russian region offers for launching creative undertakings and engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships.As you know, and as our moderator Aleksandra pointed out, we have designated the development of the Far East as a national priority for the 21st century. The significance and correctness of that decision have been confirmed by life itself, the challenges we have recently encountered and, most importantly, the objective trends that are gaining momentum in the global economy, when the main business ties, trade routes and the overall development are increasingly shifting towards the East and the Global South.Our Far Eastern regions offer direct access to these growing emerging markets, helping us overcome the barriers which some Western elites are trying to create worldwide. The most important thing, as I have already mentioned, is that the Far East is a huge area for implementing business initiatives, launching complex projects and creating whole new industries.This subject  the image of our future  is the key focus of nearly 100 events, panel sessions and roundtable discussions at the Eastern Economic Forum. Overall, representatives of more than 75 countries and territories are taking part in the forums events.It is extremely important that such discussions are complemented with substantive business dialogues and result in the adoption of investment decisions and trade agreements. I would like to say that over a thousand agreements worth in total more than 10.5 trillion rubles were signed during the previous three forums.In fact, the Far East has become a crucial factor for strengthening Russias standing in the world and our flagship in the new global economic reality. The further development of the Far East will largely determine the future of our country as a whole.In short, the Eastern Economic Forum has rightfully become a respected venue for establishing reliable business contacts and discussing the strategic development of the Russian Far East and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.In my address I will tell you about some of our planned actions in this sphere, our proposals for our foreign partners on strengthening investment, trade, industrial and technological cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as about our achievements and plans in the economy, infrastructure and social sphere of the Far East, including for improving the quality of life for our citizens in this region.Let me remind you that back in 2013 we launched a new strategic programme and a governance framework for promoting comprehensive development in Russias Far East. And this approach has proven its worth. Over the past ten years, over three and a half thousand manufacturing, infrastructure, technology and educational projects have been launched in this region. Over the same period, fixed capital investment has been gathering momentum in Russias Far East, with the growth rate exceeding the national average by a factor of three.This investment brought about tangible results. There are about 1,000 new enterprises here, and these efforts helped create over 140,000 jobs. In terms of industrial output growth, the region has been above the national average by 25 percent since 2013.Let me also remind you that there are currently 16 priority development territories in Russias Far East. There is also the Free Port of Vladivostok. We introduced a preferential regime for the Kurils, and established a special administrative district on Russky Island  this is where this meeting is taking place. By the way, this district has offered a pathway for re-shoring assets worth over 5.5 trillion rubles back to Russia from offshore and foreign jurisdictions. More than 100 companies are currently registered here.We will make sure to continue this advancement and will work tirelessly to improve the business environment in Russia in general, as well as in its Far East, including by relying on innovative and effective practices when working with foreign investors.For example, we announced the initiative to establish international priority development territories in the Far East at the 2023 Eastern Economic Forum. Foreign investors, primarily from the friendly countries, of course, must benefit from a globally competitive environment.We have plans to establish our first international priority development territory here in the Primorye region. Our Chinese partners, as well as the Republic of Belarus, have shown great interest in this undertaking. Belarus could even contribute to building a new deep-water port here. I would like to ask the State Duma and the Government to step up their efforts to draft a law for launching these international priority development territories.There is another regulatory solution designed to facilitate and expand our ties with our foreign partners. Starting on September 1, 2024, Russian law allows for the use of foreign standards in construction and design. Of course, this applies to countries where quality and safety requirements for permanent structures are just as high as here in Russia. I hope that this approach serves its purpose, including within the Far Easts international priority development territories.Developing Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island in the Khabarovsk region should serve as a model for working with our foreign partners, attracting investment in construction projects and creating jobs. This project provides for creating major logistics centres and border checkpoints, as well as expanding its road network.Last May, during the state visit to the Peoples Republic of China, we agreed to collaborate with our Chinese colleagues on this project. I am certain that it will provide a good powerful impetus to the development of Khabarovsk and the entire region. I am asking the Government to finalise all the organisational and financial issues in order to begin fulfilling this plan as soon as 2025.Of course, electricity supply is one of the key issues when it comes to launching business initiatives in the processing industry, in housing construction and in transport network upgrade, across all areas, in fact.The Russian Far East is experiencing an increase in energy consumption. The current rate is 69 billion kilowatt per hour annually, and by the end of the decade, we expect it to be around 96 billion. Even today, there are areas, residential areas and major Far Eastern investors who face the shortage of power and have to wait for the launch of new stations, which delays construction, the operation of industrial facilities and infrastructure.I have already instructed the Government, our major energy companies and business circles to develop a long-term development programme for energy capacity in the Far East, and work on respective project financing mechanisms.This programme aims to eliminate the expected deficit of electric energy in the Far East, primarily by launching new generation facilities like, for example, the Nizhne-Zeiskaya hydro power station in the Amur Region, which will not only provide electricity to the region and the Eastern Operating Domain but also help protect territories and residential areas from flooding. I am also asking you to consider building nuclear power plants in the Far East. We discussed this with our colleagues yesterday.I want to emphasise that the power development plan must consider both current and future needs of businesses and the public, as well as the long-term objectives of the constituent entities, cities and smaller residential areas.This also applies to strengthening transport and logistics capabilities of the Far East and the entire country. The largest and most significant project here is, of course, the expansion of the Eastern Operating Domain.In the past ten years, more than 2,000 km of railway tracks have been built and more than 5,000 km have been renovated on the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Mainline. We have built and renovated more than 100 bridges and tunnels, including those across the Lena, Bureya and Selenga rivers. By the end of this year, the carrying capacity of the Eastern Operating Domain railway network is expected to reach 180 million tonnes.This year, we launched the third stage of this highly important transport artery, and the works are currently underway.I want to emphasise that our objective is to eliminate railway bottlenecks and build over 300 facilities, including routes supplementing the Severomuisky, Kuznetsovsky and Kodarsky tunnels, as well as a bridge across the Amur River. This is a much more ambitious goal. It is crucial to start planning for the future today.For example, we will need to lay a second set of tracks along the entire Baikal-Amur Mainline and electrify this railway.Over the next eight years, we will lay 3,100 kilometres of tracks along the Eastern Operating Domain. To put this into perspective, this is the same volume of tracks that were laid during the first and second stages of expanding BAM and the Trans-Siberian Mainline combined. This is also comparable to the construction of BAM in 19741984.Today, we are implementing a project whose scale exceeds the largest Soviet-era infrastructure investment project completed by all Soviet republics pooling all their resources.Just like the Trans-Siberian Mainline, the new transport corridor between St Petersburg and Vladivostok will serve as a vital continental artery.Expanding freight traffic volumes and improving the quality of vehicle traffic are not the only goals. When completed, the new corridor will also promote inbound tourism: the entire route passes through numerous Russian regions.The corridor is being developed in stages. In December 2023, we opened a modern motorway between Moscow and Kazan. By late 2024, this route will reach Yekaterinburg and later Tyumen. We will also build bypass roads in Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Kansk.In the future, when the modern road reaches Vladivostok, the auto transport corridor will be over 10,000 kilometres long, including routes for accessing checkpoints on the Russian state border.In this connection, I would like to remind you of the objective set out in the Address to the Federal Assembly, specifically, the reduction of queues at the border and reducing the time in which lorries undergo checks, which should not exceed ten minutes.We aim to achieve this result at the first five Far Eastern border checkpoints by 2026. It is worth noting that railway checkpoints are already processing freight at the border promptly.Let me stress this: a truly large-scale effort has been launched at both the Eastern Operating Domains railway network and at all of Russias major road infrastructure facilities. This effort involves specialists, engineers, and designers from many regions of our country. They are proving through their hard work and responsible approach to business that Russia is ready and able to handle large-scale construction projects, and do it quickly and with high quality, and to implement infrastructure and transport projects on a national and global scale. These projects include the development of the Northern Sea Route as an international logistical route. Over the past decade, the freight traffic flow on this route has increased by an order of magnitude, from just four million tonnes in 2014 to over 36 million tonnes last year. This is 400 percent more than the Soviet-time record.We will continue to boost the freight traffic, including by developing actively Arctic deposits, rerouting cargo flows from west to east, and expanding the transit.The large-scale plan for the development of the Northern Sea Route is currently being implemented. We are building icebreakers, expanding our satellite cluster in orbit, strengthening the coastal infrastructure, and upgrading the network of emergency and rescue centres. Coastal cruises were launched on the Northern Sea Route two years ago to familiarise ourselves with new logistical routes. Today, this arrangement includes 14 ports in the Northwest, the Arctic, and the Russian Far East.It is worth noting that the capacity of Russian ports within the limits of the Northern Sea Route exceeded 40 million tonnes at the end of last year. However, we believe that this is just the beginning. We will continue to increase their capacities, upgrade the cargo transshipment mechanism, and expand the nearby and far-off rail approaches to these ports. One of our goals is to increase the capacity of the Murmansk Transport Hub to 100 million tonnes and potentially even higher.Let me note that our Eurasian integration partners are also interested in developing the Murmansk Transport Hub. For example, the colleagues from Belarus I have mentioned are giving careful consideration to the prospects for expanding the port infrastructure and their terminals on the Kola Peninsula. Of course, we also invite other countries to take part in this project. I know that there is an interest in this work.Let me add that Russia implements all its transport and logistical initiatives using advanced engineering, digital and environmental solutions. This creates additional demand for the output of Russian machine-building and iron-and-steel plants, and for services of the construction and other industries, research institutions, and hi-tech businesses.It is with this approach based on the latest solutions and the greatly improved technological, economic and educational capability of the country as a whole, that we must address the tasks of strategic development of the Far East, including the further strengthening of the regions basic mineral resources sector.Today, the Far East accounts for 100 percent of the countrys tungsten, tin, fluor spar and tincal production, 80 percent of diamonds and uranium, over 70 percent of silver, and 60 percent of gold. However, mining in the main production areas, including Yakutia and Chukotka, began long ago and their resources are objectively limited, while the demand for them is growing, both for export and on the domestic market.We must ensure the resource sovereignty of our country and provide a reliable basis for the sustainable supply of affordable raw materials and fuel to the national economy, to our regions, cities and towns, as well as create a foundation for the production of new materials and energy sources. As I mentioned earlier, we must accomplish this by utilising more effective domestic technologies and scientific solutions in the fields of ecology and mineral resources management.During our forum last year, we instructed the Government to prepare separate programmes for exploring the resources of the Far East and Siberia and to incorporate them into the Geology. Revival of a Legend federal project.These programmes have been prepared. According to our estimates, every ruble of federal funds invested in exploration will attract at least 10 rubles of private investment. But the main thing is that these investments will pay back and produce a huge profit, as well as have a comprehensive effect throughout the production chain. However, this job must be completed within the given timeframe and with due regard for the investment planning horizon.I ask the Government to include the funding of these programmes in the draft three-year federal budget in the amounts necessary for achieving our goals.As I said, the Far East has the potential to increase the state of geological exploration severalfold, including when it comes to the exploration for and production of high-tech raw materials such as titanium, lithium, niobium and rare earth metals, which we will need for the economy of the future. Most importantly, we have all these elements.These industries have a huge potential for the growth of our Far Eastern regions, for creating jobs, enhancing the availability of various services, strengthening ties and improving logistics efficiency.We will support the development of innovative and creative industries, and the infrastructure for the big data and AI economy in the Far East. In particular, we will establish a zone here where civilian purpose drones will be created.We will continue to build up the scientific and educational potential of the Far East so as to use the advantages of technological progress to full capacity. New projects to build university campuses in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Khabarovsk have been launched in the region, but this is clearly not enough for the Far East.I propose launching several more projects, namely, to build new campuses in Ulan-Ude, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Chita. We will also complete the second phase of the campus at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. These campuses will have all the necessary conditions for study, work and accommodation of the students, as well as youth entrepreneurship platforms and business clubs.We will also upgrade our Arctic universities. The project to build a campus in Arkhangelsk will be followed by a similar project in Murmansk.Innovative engineering schools will be created at university campuses. Two such schools have already opened in Sakhalin and Vladivostok. Their task is not only to train professionals for our industries, agriculture, transport, the services sector and AI spheres, but also to propose unique solutions for broad implementation in management, the social sphere and economic sectors.A RusHydro science and technology centre has been functioning efficiently on Russky Island for two years. It is focused on innovative global energy research, and its solutions are being actively used in the retooling and modernisation programme of the energy sector in the Far East.Our leading companies will contribute to the establishment of another major innovative science and technology center at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island. It will specialize in research and practical solutions in the fields of marine engineering, biotechnology, biomedicine and other promising spheres.I urge our colleagues in the Government and in the Primorye region to use the Far Eastern concession mechanism for the implementation of that project, as well as to explore ways to attract scientists from other research centers in Russia and other countries to that center. What I have in mind are competitive incentive programs and benefits packages for professionals and their families.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240424/infographics-legendary-baikal-amur-mainline-turns-50-marking-russias-presence-in-asia-pacific-1118086837.html

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Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum Sputnik International Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum 2024-09-05T12:34+0000 true PT43M56S

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/russian-military-effectively-attacking-foreign-instructors-in-ukraine---kremlin-1120023288.html

Russian Military Effectively Attacking Foreign Instructors in Ukraine - Kremlin

Russian Military Effectively Attacking Foreign Instructors in Ukraine - Kremlin

Sputnik International

The Russian military is increasingly effectively attacking foreign instructors in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

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Instructors from around the world are on the territory of Ukraine and take part in combat operations and training of the armed forces of Ukraine, the official said. It is preferable to achieve goals by peaceful means, but Moscow sees that neither the United States, nor Europe, nor Ukraine are inclined for dialogue now, the spokesman added. The Eastern Economic Forum began on Tuesday and will run through Friday. It is being hosted by the Far Eastern Federal University in Russia's Pacific coast city of Vladivostok. Sputnik is the general information partner of the EEF 2024.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/scott-ritter-says-ending-cooperation-with-rt-sputnik-due-to-us-sanctions-1120022824.html

Scott Ritter Says Ending Cooperation With RT, Sputnik Due to US Sanctions

Scott Ritter Says Ending Cooperation With RT, Sputnik Due to US Sanctions

Sputnik International

Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, who works as a political analyst now, said that US sanctions force him to end his cooperation with RT and Sputnik, and thanked his Russian colleagues for the professionalism they have shown over the past few years.

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The US Department of the Treasury issued a statement on Wednesday to announce sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group, RIA Novosti, RT, Sputnik and Ruptly. The sanctions affected Rossiya Segodnya and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan and a number of other senior executives. He said his work with Russian media organizations was legitimate journalism.However, he said, he is committed to obeying US laws."Nonetheless, I am fully committed to obeying US law, and as such will be terminating all contractual relationships with both RT and Sputnik effective immediately, as well as suspending my participation in any and all media interaction with sanctioned individuals and organizations until which time it is deemed lawful to do so by US authorities," Ritter said.He said he will continue to exercise his free speech rights.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting on the US sanctions imposed against the Rossiya Segodnya media group, told Sputnik that attacks on Russian media are the result of operations by Western security services to "sterilize" the information space.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240816/scott-ritter-biden-administration-declaring-war-on-journalism-1119794435.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/serbias-vucic-says-mulling-russias-invitation-to-brics-outreach-summit-in-october-1120044566.html

Serbia's Vucic Says Mulling Russia's Invitation to BRICS Outreach Summit in October

Serbia's Vucic Says Mulling Russia's Invitation to BRICS Outreach Summit in October

Sputnik International

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday that he had received an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the BRICS outreach summit in October.

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"I thank the people in BRICS and President Putin for the invitation. We have talks with at least six presidents and seven or eight prime ministers scheduled to take place in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly," Vucic told reporters. Putin asked Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, who came to the Russian Pacific port city of Vladivostok to attend the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), to convey his greetings to Vucic and invite him to the BRICS summit in Kazan. Russia will host BRICS leaders from October 22-24. Vucic said Serbia would engage closely with Russia in October when the Balkan nation celebrates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade by the Soviet army. He stressed that Serbia pursued an independent foreign policy and maintained traditional ties with Russia and other nations.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/shots-fired-near-israeli-consulate-in-germanys-munich---police-1120042795.html

Shots Fired Near Israeli Consulate in Germany's Munich - Police

Shots Fired Near Israeli Consulate in Germany's Munich - Police

Sputnik International

Shots were fired on Thursday near the Israeli Consulate General and the historical museum in central Munich, the capital of the German state of Bavaria, prompting police to launch a major operation involving a helicopter, the force said on Thursday.

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The Munich police told Sputnik that the shooter was found to carry a long-barreled weapon. The suspect was injured, they said, adding that there was no immediate information about the victims. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called the shooting in Munich "a serious incident". Faeser also expressed regret that the incident had occurred near the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism and the Israeli consulate. Later in the day, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann was cited as saying by a German newspaper that the armed suspect, shot by local police during a special operation, had died. The shooter's identity has yet to be established. Meanwhile, the Munich police said that the public was no longer at risk.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230228/two-seriously-injured-in-shooting-near-elementary-school-in-germanys-bramsche-media-reports-1107865682.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/they-cannot-afford-another-botched-operation-whistleblowers-reveal-us-secret-service-blunders--1120022176.html

'They Cannot Afford Another Botched Operation': Whistleblowers Reveal US Secret Service Blunders

'They Cannot Afford Another Botched Operation': Whistleblowers Reveal US Secret Service Blunders

Sputnik International

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has claimed that most agents who were present during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July were not USSS agents, but were in fact HSI agents.

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Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has claimed that most agents who were present during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July were not US Secret Service (USSS) agents, but were in fact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. The US politician told Fox News that the only training the agents received was a 2-hour online webinar training. Citing claims made by whistleblowers, he added that the agents who were protecting the former president that day had no prior experience in security detail.Hawley wrote the whistleblowers allegations in a letter to Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the USSS, and attached the letter to an X post.Tyler Nixon, an attorney, media relations specialist and political analyst, joined Rachel Blevins on The Backstory on Wednesday, and presented a rundown of the agency's long-standing failings. The lawyer disclosed that he represents the first Black Secret Service agent who served on presidential protection, who has threatened to be a whistleblower to the Warren Commission concerning the laxity, drinking and other things that the agents had perpetrated or done on the President John F. Kennedy detail, he said, adding that many argue [the laxity] contributed to their slow reactions [of JFKs assassination].And one of the other things was, which really stands out in the Trump affair was that they were assigning [...] based on apparently the status, let's just say, of the protectee, meaning Trump's not the president. He's a candidate, a former president. Versus what [American conservative commentator Dan Bongino] noted should be the criteria for assigning the resources, which is the threat profile, he added.Last month, Sputnik reported that US Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced legislation to expand the range of USSS security perimeters following the assassination attempt against Trump. The bill, dubbed the AR-15 Perimeter Security Enhancement Act, would ensure that perimeters around the person that USSS is tasked with protecting would be extensive enough to cover the area that a fired gun could cover, as well as to secure all elevated positions.And I don't think we will - [acting USSS Director Ronald] Rowe, who is the replacement, excuse me, for [Kimberly] Cheatle who resigned, which, you know, that was a foregone conclusion. I mean, she was sort of the sacrificial lamb, but he was more intimately involved in these, in these decisions to deny Trump the additional security that his, that the actual ground agents were requesting in addition to Trump's people. And, he's part of the problem, the attorney explained.It was reported in August that USSS had taken initial disciplinary action against multiple agents following the assassination attempt against Trump. According to a report from The Hill, the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office - which was responsible for planning the security for Trumps appearance in Butler - was on administrative duty. At least five agents had been placed on that status as well, the report added.Rowe, who took over Cheatles role following her resignation, said he would not fire any agents until internal investigations were completed. A bipartisan task force was created by the House of Representatives to investigate the security failures that occurred during the shooting.One person was killed and two others were injured before the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Hawley has asked Rowe, the acting director, to answer questions based on information he received from the whistleblowers, including: details on the training that Trumps protective detail received, and whether or not that training has been revamped since the shooting, as well as how many HSI agents were present at the time.The Secret Service absolutely, I think, also cannot afford, they know that one more thing like this, one more botched protective detail operation and they are done. I mean, there's no, there will be no, I mean, that will be the end of that agency. And I think it's like, you know, this is our survival on the line.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/western-media-frenzy-over-rehashed-claims-of-russian-meddling-in-us-election-1120041645.html

Western Media Frenzy Over Rehashed Claims of Russian Meddling in US Election

Western Media Frenzy Over Rehashed Claims of Russian Meddling in US Election

Sputnik International

The US Treasury Department announced a new raft of sanctions on the Rossiya Segodnya media group which includes RIA Novosti, RT, Sputnik and Ruptly. Russia has vowed to respond in kind.

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The Western media is whipping up a frenzy amid new allegations of Russian interference in US elections.Washington has taken its persecution campaign against journalists who work with Russian media to new heights by slapping sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group, RIA Novosti, RT, Sputnik and Ruptly.The move was presented as a response to Moscows malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 US presidential election."The claims invoke a sense of deja vu for the 2016 'Russiagate' conspiracy theory. The falsehoods peddled by failed presidential runner Hillary Clinton to excuse her loss Donald Trump have been dusted off, reheated and served to the public.The mainstream press is lapping up it all up, judging by the headlines.CNN used a spectacular image of Moscows Red Square to illustrate its story on how the Kremlins far-reaching media arm had tricked unsuspecting Tennessee-based company and its platform of independent content creators and influencers to fuel pro-Russian narratives, in part, by pushing content and news articles favoring Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and others who the Kremlin deemed to be friendlier to its interests.The Washington Post story ran with a photo of Donald Trump under a headline claiming right-wing conservative influencers were duped to work for a covert Russian influence operation.The unsuspecting major players, boasting millions of followers online, found themselves at the mercy of a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation.The newspaper repeated unfounded claims that it was the third US presidential election in a row where authorities had uncovered Russian attempts at interference.Newsweek echoed the same claims, accusing Russia of interfering in US presidential elections again.Noting that the latest 'red scare' comes eight years after Russia first emerged as a major player in US election interference, the newspaper speculated that the White House would take a more deliberate approach in combating misinformation and fake news specifically spread by Moscow and its affiliates.The Associated Press news agency also used the word duped as it alleged major social media figures were tricked into aiding Russias influence operation targeting the 2024 US electionBritains Daily Mail oozed sympathy for the duped conservative influencers that had been working for Russias covert sprawling $10 million media project.The newspaper claimed they were used by a shell company that raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars for churning out videos consistent with the Kremlin's interest in amplifying US domestic divisions.The Wall Street Journal repeated US Justice Department claims that Russian President Vladimir Putins inner circle has been directly involved in covert propaganda efforts.The Biden administration, it noted, had accused the Kremlin of "orchestrating a covert campaign to influence the coming US presidential election and erode international support for Ukraine."A Reuters story ran under an image of vans from Russias RT broadcaster near Moscows Red Square as it recounted the official US narrative.Russia's goal is to exacerbate US political divisions and weaken public support for American aid to Ukraine, it quoted Biden adminsitration officials as saying.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230925/shes-doing-it-again-clinton-claims-russia-seeks-to-meddle-in-2024-election-1113647329.html

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Animal Care Services officers and San Antonio police are investigating after a pack of dogs jumped a fence Wednesday and attacked a woman as she walked down a Southwest Side street. Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News

Animal Care Services issued 32 citations Thursday to a San Antonio couple whose dog bit a woman on the Southwest Side.

The citations include offenses for allowing the dogs to roam unrestrained and not having a rabies vaccination and failure to prevent bites.

The couple was involved in a separate ACS investigation three years ago after another one of their dogs bit a person, resulting in minor injuries. The couple was issued several citations, and the dog was euthanized following an investigation.

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Unfortunately, the owners didnt learn their lesson, said Mike Shannon, interim director of Animal Care Services. They created another situation by not following the rules, not following the law.

ACS officials said a 44-year-old woman was walking on West Southcross Boulevard near Priscilla Street shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday when eight dogs, all Lab terrier mixes, approached her and bit her right calf.

The woman was treated at the scene before getting additional treatment at the hospital. She has since been released.

Were currently working with her to ensure shes OK, but also to make sure we can do a full investigation and hold these owners of accountable, Shannon said. This is just an example of a very irresponsible pet owner that is creating a dangerous situation.

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As San Antonio police and ACS officers arrived, the dogs attacked their vehicles.

Lisa Norwood, an ACS spokeswoman, said animal control officers identified the owner of the roaming animals and took five of the dogs in custody to determine which animal bit the woman. They remain at ACS' animal shelter off Texas 151.

It is against the law for owners to let their pets roam, and the owner now faces multiple criminal citations for failing to secure their pets as well as other violations including the bite itself, no proof of rabies vaccinations or microchips, she said.

Shannon urged residents to call ACS if they witness any examples of aggressive dog behavior or irresponsible pet ownership.

Call it in so that we can start a case and hopefully prevent this from happening, Shannon said.

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The incident is the latest in a series of recent dog attacks and maulings in San Antonio.

In February 2023 on the West Side, dogs killed Air Force veteran Ramon Najera Jr., 81, of Leon Valley, and injured his 74-year-old wife. The couple was visiting a friend in the 2800 block of Depla when the two dogs escaped from a fenced yard next door. The couple that owned the pit bulls reached a plea deal last week.

Christian Alexander Moreno and his wife, Abilene Schnieder, both 32, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one of two charges against them: dangerous dog attack causing death, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison.

Animal Care Services is still unable to respond to thousands of critical calls. While the department is making progress, officials there say they wont be able to respond to 100% of the serious incident calls until 2026.

READ MORE: Animal Care Services still unable to respond to thousands of critical calls

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The city of San Antonio pumped millions of dollars into ACS last year after a string of gruesome dog attacks  including two that were fatal.

In October, ACS was responding to 44% of the critical calls, which report aggressive dogs, animal neglect or cruelty, injured or sick animals, and trapped or confined animals. The departments goal is to improve that response rate to 64% by this month. Its response rate is now 59% and that it is on track to reach 64% this month.

Two months after Najera was attacked, a pregnant woman was struck by a car on the North Side after a snarling, loose dog chased her into traffic. She was hospitalized with severe injuries, and the baby died. In August 2023, Max de Los Santos, then 76, was attacked by two dogs outside his home on the West Side. The injuries to de Los Santos legs were so severe that both were amputated.

In a Sept. 5, 2023, attack in a mobile home park on the Northeast Side, Paul Anthony Striegl Jr. was sitting in his yard when his next-door neighbors two American Staffordshire terriers slipped under a chain-link fence. Striegl died in a hospital less than a month later.

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Severe dog bites, those that cause death, broken bones or disfigurement, soared in fiscal year 2023, which ended Sept. 30, 2023, reaching a total of 297.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240905/zelensky-sacks-more-officials-as-he-pleads-with-west-for-long-range-missile-strikes-in-russia-1120016868.html

Zelensky Sacks More Officials While Begging West for Long-Range Missile Strikes in Russia

Zelensky Sacks More Officials While Begging West for Long-Range Missile Strikes in Russia

Sputnik International

On this edition of Fault Lines, host Melik Abdul and a panel of guests discuss the latest political developments from around the globe, including the shuffling in Ukraine's cabinet.

2024-09-05T04:11+0000

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Zelensky Sacks More Officials as He Pleads with West for Long-Range Missile Strikes in Russia Sputnik International On this edition of Fault Lines, host Melik Abdul and a panel of guests discuss the latest political developments from around the globe, including the shuffling in Ukraine's cabinet.

The show begins with political analyst and consultant Alisher Khamidov sharing his analysis of Putin's visit to Mongolia.The second hour starts with writer, journalist, political analyst, and author Caleb Maupin discussing members of the African People's Socialist Party on trial over accusations by the US government that they were acting as "Russian agents."Then, international relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda spoke about the recent shuffling within Ukraine's cabinet, including the resignations of four ministers.The show closes with political cartoonist and co-host of The Final Countdown Ted Rall sharing his perspective on how New York City is responding to the migrant crisis. He also touches on Governor Kathy Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo's former aide facing charges for acting as an "agent" to the Chinese government.The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comCatch us in the US at 105.5FM, 104.7FM, 102.9FM, 1390AM, 1140AM

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Horse Racing New Brunswick, for the second card in a row, will offer more than $50,000 in purse money with the running of the lucrative Milton Downey Memorial Stakes that will go in three divisions at Woodstock Raceway on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 7. There will be two divisions of two-year-old pacing fillies competing for purses of $11,200 and one colt division going for $21,200.

In all, there will be eight races on the matinee card, which gets underway at 1 p.m. There are five overnight races on the card, including a $2,500 top class that will feature Press Time looking to go back-to-back after an eye-popping 1:54.1 win last week for new owner Zach Cougle, trainer Averil Hunter and and driver Jason Hughes.

The annual Milton Downey Memorial Stakes, a staple on the New Brunswick stakes calendar, honours the memory of the owner, builder, breeder, trainer and well-known Atlantic Canadian entrepreneur. Milton operated a public stable in Saint John, N.B. for several years. Not only did he breed his own horses, but he also purchased several "Down Under" horses who made names for themselves in the Maritimes -- horses like Timely Robin, Scottish Heath N, Bright Breezy N, Glen Lustre and many more. He also campaigned horses in the top class from his own stable, including Christopher C Down.

In the first filly Downey division, Lady Hess has been given top billing by race secretary Brent Briggs. She has two wins and two seconds in six starts this year and $12,552 in purse earnings. Jamie Smith trains the daughter of Heston Blue Chip who was a $13,000 yearling purchase from the Atlantic Classic Sale. Adam Merner will drive the post five starter for owner Groupof7 Stable of Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Merner has another good shot in the other filly division with Woodmere Flojo (pictured above), another Jamie Smith trainee who is having a stellar year with $31,597 earned in just half a dozen starts. The Arthur Blue Chip filly, who has a record reading 3-2-1 in those six outings for owner the Charlottetown-based Gowiththeflo Racing, will also start from post five in her division. My Happy Place is undefeated in 2024 in two starts and is another top choice of the oddsmaker. The daughter of Shadow Play has banked $11,910 in her two stakes wins and comes from the high-producing Ron Matheson stable. Gilles Barrieau will drive the division's inside starter for Charlottetown's Patrick Morris.

In the colt division, post four starter One Wicked Man has been the valedictorian of the freshman boys this year in the Maritimes with a 1:56.2 win and only one loss. Kenny Arsenault trains and drives the colt by McWicked who is four-for-five this year with $21,027 in earnings for owner James Perrot of Stratford, P.E.I. The New Brunswick-owned Sergeant Crowley has been a nice surprise for the Ultimate Stable of Greater Lakeburn. The Sifroi Melanson trainee has $22,431 in earnings this season and a win in 1:58.1 with top three finishes in his seven other starts. Myles Heffernan Sr. gets the call to drive the gelded son of Arthur Blue Chip from post five.

New Brunswick moves to Saturday racing through the month of September.

To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Woodstock Raceway NB.

(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)
Orjan Kihlstrom will hope the third times the charm when he drives Swedens Hail Mary in Saturdays $1 million USD MGM Yonkers International Trot, but with a challenging starting spot, he readily admitted it might require a bit of good fortune.

Kihlstrom, who is making his third appearance as a driver in the International Trot, and Hail Mary will leave from post seven in the 10-horse field, which will go the distance of 1-1/4 miles on MGM Yonkers Raceways half-mile oval. Hail Mary, an eight-year-old stallion who was Swedens Horse of the Year in 2020, is the third choice on the morning line at 9-2.

In the seven editions of the International Trot since its renewal in 2015, the best finish by a horse starting from post seven has been fifth (twice). All seven winners in the invitational event have started from no farther out than post six.

The draw was no good for us, obviously, but you can do nothing about that, said Kihlstrom, who is a member of Swedens Trotting Hall of Fame. Well try to do our best with it, but its tough. The horses in this race are all good, so well need some luck. But its the same for all the horses with a bad post. I just hope the horse has managed the travel well so he can perform as good as he can.

Kihlstrom has finished fourth in both his previous International Trot appearances despite tricky draws each time. In 2015, he started from post 10 in the second tier with Oasis Bi and in 2016 he left from post eight with On Track Piraten.

Hail Mary, a son of Googoo Gaagaa-Dreams, heads to the race with 26 wins in 52 career races and $1.76 million USD in purses. He has won multiple Group 1 races overseas, including last years Hugo Abergs Memorial. This year, the Daniel Reden-trained stallion has hit the board five times in nine starts, winning twice. His victories include the Group 2 Jamtlands Stora Pris, which he also captured in 2023.

I think hes been racing better than it looks, Kihlstrom said about Hail Marys current campaign. He had some bad luck in many of the races. Maybe he hasnt been really as good as last year, but I think hes had some quite good races. Hes a good all-around horse. Even though we have a bad post, I think he can do a good race.

Kihlstrom has won many of the biggest harness races in the world, including four Elitloppet, a Prix dAmerique and a Breeders Crown (with Commander Crowe in the 2014 Open Trot at The Meadowlands). In 1990, he appeared in the International Trot as a trainer, sending out Mr Lucken, who finished fifth.

Known as the Iceman for his cool demeaner in the sulky, Kihlstrom followed in family footsteps getting into harness racing. He grew up just a half-mile from Solvalla Racetrack, site of Swedens Elitloppet, which is one reason his first win in the famed race there with From Above in 2003 ranks as one of his greatest moments.

Ive been watching the Elitloppet ever since I could start walking, Kihlstrom said in 2022. Ive seen all the great horses and drivers and trainers who came to the Elitloppet and won it. To be one of them myself was just fantastic. It was a horse Id been driving all the way up, so it couldnt be any bigger than that at that moment.

On Saturday, with a little luck, he could add the International Trot to his resume.

I hope so, he said.

Following the International Trot, Hail Mary will remain in the U.S. and head to the stable of trainer Ake Svanstedt, owner Mehdi Yazdanpanh (racing under the Stall Mary AB banner) announced recently on social media.

The MGM Yonkers International Trot is race five on the 11-race program and has an estimated post of 2 p.m. (EDT). Jiggy Jog S, a five-year-old mare, is the 5-2 morning line favourite. The full field, with country represented plus listed driver, trainer and morning line, is listed below.

$1 million USD MGM Yonkers International Trot

Post - Horse (Country) - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds

1. Eclat De Gloire (France) - Loris Garcia - Loris Garcia - 20-1

2. Ideal San Leandro (France) - Bjorn Goop - Richard Westerink - 20-1

3. Castor The Star (Sweden) - Mats Djuse - Jorgen Westholm - 10-1

4. Jiggy Jog S (Sweden) Dexter Dunn - Ake Svanstedt - 5-2

5. Logan Park (Canada) - Doug McNair - Rob Fellows - 6-1

6. Its Academic (USA) - David Miller - Ron Burke - 8-1

7. Hail Mary (Sweden) - Orjan Kihlstrom - Daniel Reden - 9-2

8. Vernissage Grif (Italy) - Alessandro Gocciadoro - Alessandro Gocciadoro - 7-2

9.] Get A Wish (Denmark) - Johan Untersteiner - Johan Untersteiner - 15-1

10.] Periculum (USA) - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander - 5-1

(USTA)
The Ontario Sires Stakes 50th Anniversary celebration tour is making its penultimate stop on Friday, Sept. 6 at Grand River Raceway.

The nine-race card will be highlighted by two $95,000 OSS Gold Series divisions for rookie male trotters and two Gold divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies with $95,000 on the line in each of those races as well.

Three-time defending Lampman Cup winning driver James MacDonald will be featured prominently on Friday, competing in three of the four Gold divisions.

MacDonald will be in the bike seat behind the Dominic Gladu-trained Chicago Hall (Muscle Mass-Caterina Hall) in the evening's first race for male trotters, trainer Francis Dumouchel's TH Monica (Green Manalishi S-Bluebird D Train) in the third race for trotting fillies and then back with the boys in race four with Call Me Parker (Musical Rhythm-Im Peekers) for the Ben Baillargeon stable.

[Chicago Hall] has been good, hes shown flashes of brilliance, but hasnt quite lived up to his full potential yet, said MacDonald of the maiden gelding. Hes a nice horse and if things work out, he can get a big chunk of it, for sure.

MacDonald also commented on TH Monica, who earned her first career win at the Grassroots level earlier this summer before taking on Gold foes.

TH Monica, Ive driven a bunch of times. A friend just took her over to Grand River last Wednesday and tuned her up and she qualified really well. So, theyre expecting a really good effort from her and hopefully she brings her 'A' game, and if she does, I think shes one of the horses to beat.

[As for Call Me Parker], hes been pretty good," said MacDonald of the maiden colt, who was a runner-up in a July leg of the Gold Series. "Hes coming into the race good and though its a tough bunch I think with a good trip he could definitely get a real good piece.

The final Gold division on Friday goes as race six for filly trotters.

MacDonald hails from Guelph, Ont., just about a half hour away from Grand River, and got his start racing at the now five-eighths-mile oval.

Ive had a lot of great memories [at Grand River Raceway], said MacDonald. Ive won the Battle of Waterloo, Ive won the Battle of the Belles three times now, Ive won a lot of Golds there and its one of the tracks I kind of started driving at and having some luck. So, I have some fond memories at Grand River and hopefully its just the beginning of the fond memories.

In advance of Fridays celebrations, noted Canadian harness racing writer and historian Robert Smith wrote a brief history of Grand River Raceway, which can be read by clicking here.

Post time for the Friday card at Grand River is 6:30 p.m. Click here for a copy of the program. Live streaming of the races is available on the GRR Video Youtube channel and HPIbet.

To view Friday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Friday Entries - Grand River Raceway.

(With files from Ontario Racing)
Trustee Victor Garza listens to public comments during an East Central ISD board meeting in 2023. Hes seeking reelection to the boards District 4 seat. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News David Santos Jr. is running for the District 4 seat on the East Central Independent School District board. Courtesy of David Santos, Jr. Sayda Mitchell-Morales is running for the District 4 seat on the East Central Independent School District board. Courtesy of Sayda Mitchell-Morales

In his 20 years on the East Central Independent School District board, Victor Garza has never drawn a challenger for reelection. Now he has two, a lifelong district resident and an educator who moved there in 2022.

Other board seats are uncontested, but the Nov. 5 ballot will include a special election on three bond proposals totaling $360 million and a separate property tax rate increase to build new schools and provide resources for the districts booming growth.

No one filed to run for the District 3 board seat held by John Massengale since 2013, who did not seek reelection, so the board likely will fill it by appointment. Trustee Emilio Carrasco, who represents District 6, did not draw an opponent.

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Here is where District 4 candidates stand on some of the issues.

Victor Garza

Victor Garza, 77, joined the board in 2004, replacing a trustee who retired. He has been reelected without opposition ever since, staying aware of whats going on and usually speaking at board meetings only if he has a question, he said.

Garza is taking a similarly low-key stance on the election, saying he is not campaigning because he is not going to try to buy this position.

An Air Force veteran and retired civil servant who oversaw budgets and logistics, Garza has three adult children, one of whom graduated from East Central ISD. A daughter went to Health Careers High School in Northside ISD because East Central didnt have a health science program at the time, he said.

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Since then, ECISD has done well opening non-college paths to students interested in military, law enforcement, EMT and nursing careers or in the building trades, Garza said.

His son left the district in middle school because of bullying, attending a Catholic school, he said, but he opposes the legislative effort to provide Texans with public money to pay for private school tuition. Garza said a voucher program would take resources away from an already economically disadvantaged school district.

Education should give students the skills and training they need to support themselves, so later on they will not depend on the support of others, he said.

Thats why Im still there, Garza said. Im an old man. I could be sitting at home watching television  but I take the time to go out the there. I like to see these kids succeed from the time theyre little bitty ones till theyre grown.

Garza said research that projects growth in ECISD enrollment from nearly 11,200 students to potentially 28,000 by 2030 makes it clear that the districts high school is going to burst. He said hes also seen the spread of rooftops, from the roughly 300 homes in his area in the 1980s to roughly 1,000 hes surrounded by now.

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Were growing by leaps and bounds, and were asking these folks, we need your support, Garza said. And were trying to space out our expenditures. Were not spending all at once. We send out the bonds as we need this money.

Sayda Mitchell-Morales

Sayda Mitchell-Morales, 31, lived on the South Side for four years, then moved to a subdivision in East Central ISD two years ago with her husband, attracted by the school system and the affordability of a house with a low down payment. Their son is about to turn 3.

Mitchell-Morales joined Teach for America right out of college, which placed her in Massachusetts for several years. She is currently the senior manager of community development and advocacy for KIPP Texas Public Schools, a major charter network. Her husband also was a Teach for America educator and now works at a KIPP school in San Antonio.

She said families need to make the right school decision for their kids and she hopes they choose neighborhood schools.

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What can we do to improve the ISD so that we can keep more and more of our families? Mitchell-Morales said. For me, ultimately, it always comes down to, can we make sure that families and students feel supported, make the best decisions that work for them? And for me, thats public education, whether its traditional ISDs or public charters.

To deal with rising violence in San Antonio area schools, she said, discipline requires partnering with families. As a teacher during the coronavirus pandemic and the following years, she saw success in student behavior when families were informed and had relationships with the school.

The proposed bond is an excellent strategy to address the districts booming growth, Mitchell-Morales said.

David Santos Jr.

David Santos Jr., 53, also said he supports parents choosing the best school for their children, but not vouchers or the political issues they bring up.

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Santos works remotely as a sales engineer for a Cincinnati-based company that produces raw material inventory. He married his East Central High School sweetheart and they have two kids who went through district schools.



He said its obvious the district needs to build new schools, whether with bond money or the short-term solution of portable classrooms, but he was not completely satisfied with the bond proposals.

Maybe it is as simple as, OK, they pay an X amount fee for developing (new subdivisions), but its certainly not enough to leave us holding the bag to have to go out to the community and ask for a large bond debt, he said.

On several questions, Santos said he plans to do more research. He said he has an old-school mindset on discipline and suggested staffing more specialized counselors to help out teachers in the classroom.
In recognition of National Recovery Month, held every September according to NAADAC (The Association for Addiction Professionals), Horizon Church is hosting Recovery Soldiers Ministries Womens Choir for a Sunday morning song and testimonial service at 316 Signal Hill Drive on Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. Angel Kolle, a certified alcohol and drug counselor for North Carolina, will also be on hand to give an overview of the counseling services she is able to provide.

Kolle, who is a daughter of area ministry leader Michael Maffucci, will also give a short update on programs and resources available within the county to those struggling with addiction, as well as the family members and friends who offer support to those addicted. The event is free and the public is invited. Anyone currently in need of, or already in recovery, and everyone giving ministry and support to those who are struggling are encouraged to come to this service. Immediately after the service, Horizon Church will be providing a potluck fellowship lunch for all who attend.

Its undeniable that addiction is an increasing problem in our society, Elizabeth Strugill, Recovery Soldiers Ministries Womens Choir director, said. Many people are either wrestling with addiction themselves or have someone they love who is in active addiction. Sometimes they give up but when they see us and hear our message that includes what we have been through and have been delivered from through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it lets them know that no matter how bad the situation may be, there is still hope for redemption and a life free from addiction. As such, we at RSM are on a mission to spread the word and do our part in stopping this epidemic.

Last year we were honored to host the Mens choir from RSM and their message was so inspirational, we wanted to bring their Womens Choir this year. We again decided to invite them to come in September, since that is National Recovery Month, Jason Bost, co-pastor at Horizon Church, said. Drug addictions, or any addiction for that matter is a terrible thing to find yourself bound in. Getting the right help is essential in finding your way out. Thats one of the many reasons our motto here at Horizon has always been a place for new beginnings. Everyone deserves a new beginning, and thats why we willingly support RSM and other ministries that give those caught in addictions a sure way out.

Recovery Soldiers Ministries (RSM) is a 12-month, residential, faith-based recovery and discipleship program based in Elizabethton, Tennessee. They teach the Word of God and biblical principles to help break the chains of addiction, while also offering licensed counseling, Christian recovery consulting and job-skill training. There are separate residential facilities for women and men 18 and older who have expressed the desire to change their lives through the power of Christ. The website for the ministry is www.recoverysoldiersministries.org and a short promotional video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/OYT0-p5aieI.

Kolle holds an associate degree in psychology from Liberty University and earned a bachelors degree in Christian counseling from Impact University in 2017. Kolle works with youth and adults who struggle with addiction and offers assessment services as well as warm, empathic, client centered counseling. In addition to her counseling practice, Kolle volunteers at Celebrate Recovery in North Winston-Salem, where she also manages a womens group for those struggling with addiction. At present, she is able to counsel people in the comfort of their homes via the internet and hopes to start her own treatment center in the future. Kolle can be reached by calling 704-437-3475.

Horizon Church is a nondenominational church located at 316 Signal Hill Drive in Statesville. Worship times are Sunday at 10 a.m. and Wednesday at 6 p.m. Services are a casual atmosphere, with contemporary music, and messages relevant to everyday living. Charles Williams is the founding pastor of the church, which was founded in 1999; and Jason Bost is co-pastor.

The church website is www.horizonchurch.net and can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/173104570006/. The Horizon Church phone number is 704-873-5250.
For Clint Taylor, for years the extent of his engagement in politics had just been filling in circles on ballots, he said. But now, hes active in political advocacy, encouraging people to shift support from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump this year  despite having voted for Trump in 2016 himself.

Taylor decided to back President Joe Biden in 2020 and will support Vice President Kamala Harris this year, he said. Its a move that some Virginia Republicans are making as they seek a candidate whose values align more closely with their own.

There must be other Republicans like me out there that are uncomfortable with Trump, Taylor said. I just want to tell them that you dont have to vote for him.

The Fairfax County lawyer also offered up a testimonial video for a campaign called Republican Voters Against Trump.

The website features videos from Republicans or former Trump voters around the country sharing why theyre not voting for Trump in this years presidential election, according to Rylee Boyd, a campaign representative. Some of the participants voted for Trump during his 2016 or 2020 campaigns, or both, before deciding they can no longer support him. The campaign is investing $50 million in digital advertisements and outreach with a focus on swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Jeff Ryer, a spokesman for Trumps campaign in Virginia, is skeptical of some of the video participants. He noted how Virginia doesnt have party registration when signing up to vote.

I am anxious to hear exactly what leads some of these individuals to identify as Republicans, he said. As was the case in 2016 and 2020, President Trump is the Republican nominee this year. Might I suggest that if theyve yet to vote for him and plan on voting against him this year, they may never have been Republicans in the first place.

Taylor once considered himself more of a Republican, having grown up in a conservative bastion in Texas, and he agrees with the partys fiscally conservative approach to governance. But he doesnt think Trumps plans to further cut corporate tax rates will be able to benefit people widely. More than policy, he is concerned about Trumps temperament as a national leader and his influence within the Republican Party.

Two pivotal moments for Taylor came when Trump appeared to refer to the Nazis and white supremacists that violently marched through Charlottesville as very fine people and when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after Trumps refusal to accept the 2020 election results.

I couldnt believe that this man said that, Taylor said in his video. It still gets me riled up today that he would defend those torch-wielding Nazis.

In a 2017 press conference after the Unite the Right rally, Trump told reporters that he thought there were very fine people on both sides but condemned the Nazis within the crowd.

Trumps connections to authoritarian leaders of other countries also concerns Taylor, a sentiment shared by Washington County resident Greg Hawley, who also submitted a testimonial to Republican Voters Against Trump.

As a military veteran and retired school teacher, Hawley wants to peacefully enjoy his retirement years. However, hes been fretting over this election.

Hawley said hes been concerned about Trumps growing influence on the Republican Party along with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and its influence on Trump.

The writings are on the wall, he said of the foundations presidential playbook, Project 2025, and of actions Trump has already taken that align with some of it.

Hawley points to how Trumps U.S. Supreme Court picks stemmed from Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society recommendations  all of whom upheld Roe v. Wade as federal law during confirmation hearings before ultimately ruling to undo the federal abortion protections.

Hawley sees the ability to get an abortion as primarily a health care issue, and he worries how much Trump might tap into the rest of the playbook. On abortion alone, Chapter 14 of Project 2025 entails employing a long-dormant federal law to further restrict abortion medication and mailing of abortifacients. Critics and reproductive rights advocates have said this could pave the way for a national ban.

Trump has distanced himself from the blueprint, despite his ties to several of its authors. The foundation has previously published presidential playbooks dating back to Ronald Reagan and touted how Trump used previous guidance during his first term as president.

Hawley is also worried about a statement Trump made this summer at a gathering where he told people that in four years, [they] wont have to vote again.

Hawley said that moments like that are where he believes Trump has let it slip that he would move towards a more strong-arm government.

Pushback from politicians

At the Democratic National Convention last month, a handful of Republicans, including former Trump administration officials, offered support for Harris campaign. Some high-profile conservative leaders in Virginia are backing Harris as well. Former Republican 10th District Rep. Barbara Comstock said earlier this month that she will be voting for Harris and former 5th District Rep. Denver Riggleman hosted a campaign event for Harris at his distillery.

After Jan. 6, after Donald Trump has refused for four years to acknowledge that he lost, and his threats against democracy, I think its important to turn the page, Comstock told the Virginia Mercury.

Riggleman told the Virginia Mercury he believes that independent and Republican voters feeling frustrated with Trump can help give her an edge.

What it comes down to is the moral depravity of that man  what hes done against our democratic institutions, Riggleman said. But also his treatment of women, his treatment of immigrants, and what he says about them, his words about military veterans. You get that feeling that this is just a narcissist who only cares about himself.

A new poll out of Roanoke College shows Harris has a slight lead over Trump in Virginia. Its among the first polling since Harris became the new Democratic candidate after Biden dropped out of the race. Democratic strategists see pathways to victory for Harris given her support for reproductive rights and past experience in politics and as a prosecutor.

Meanwhile, Ryer called Riggleman and Comstock lapsed Republicans that are endorsing Democrats to seek fawning press coverage and appearances on MSNBC.

Riggleman also said Trumps presence looms too large over the party he once represented. He noted how the GOP primary contest between his congressional successor, Rep. Bob Good, and Good's challenger, state Sen. John McGuire, hinged largely on whoever appeared to have the most fealty to Trump rather than policy debates. (McGuire defeated Good, an outcome confirmed after a lengthy recount process and extra court review of ballots in five precincts.) Riggleman also pointed to how Virginia U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao  who hopes to unseat Democrat Tim Kaine  emerged from a crowded GOP candidate pool with Trumps endorsement.

It goes to show where the Republican Party of Virginia is right now, Riggleman said. [Its] so damaged in this state that Cao could get through the nomination process.

Kaine and Harris will have Rigglemans vote this year, and while the 5th District is reliably Republican and poses an uphill battle for McGuires democratic challenger Gloria Witt, Riggleman said hes considering voting for her too.

This doesnt mean he always agrees with Democrats on policy, he said, but at least they dont want to overturn our democratic institutions.

This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
Seeks to amend No. 04/2022-Central Excise, dated the 30th June , 2022 to exempt export of Petrol and Diesel from the Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) when exported to Bhutan.

Summary: The Ministry of Finance, through Notification No. 23/2024-Central Excise dated 2nd September 2024, has introduced amendments to the earlier Notification No. 04/2022-Central Excise dated 30th June 2022. This amendment exempts the export of motor spirit, commonly known as petrol, and high-speed diesel oil to Bhutan from the Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED). The changes are implemented by modifying the entries in the original notification to explicitly include Bhutan as a country where such exports will not attract the excise duty. Specifically, new entries have been added to the notification, stating that petrol and diesel exported to Bhutan will be exempt from SAED. The amendment is made under the powers granted by the Central Excise Act, 1944, and the Finance Act, 2002, reflecting the governments intent to facilitate exports to Bhutan in line with public interest. The notification will come into effect on 3rd September 2024. The principal notification has undergone previous amendments, the most recent being Notification No. 09/2024-Central Excise, dated 29th February 2024.

MINISTRY OF FINANCE

(Department of Revenue)

Notification No. 23/2024-Central Excise | Dated: 2nd September 2024

G.S.R. 533(E).In exercise of the powers conferred by section 5A of the Central Excise Act, 1944 (1 of 1944) read with section 147 of Finance Act, 2002 (20 of 2002), the Central Government, on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, hereby makes the following further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 04/2022-Central Excise, dated the 30th June, 2022, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R. 492 (E), dated the 30th June, 2022, namely:-

In the said notification,-

(a) in the Table,-

(i) against S. No. 1, for the entry in column (3), the entry Motor spirit, commonly known as petrol, when cleared for export to countries other than Bhutan shall be substituted;

(ii) after S. No. 1 and the entries relating thereto, the following S. No. and entries shall be inserted, namely:-

(1) (2) (3) (4) 1A. 2710 Motor spirit, commonly known as petrol, when cleared for export to Bhutan Nil per litre;

(iii) against S. No. 2, for the entry in column (3), the entry High speed diesel oil, when cleared for export to countries other than Bhutan shall be substituted;

(iv) after S. No. 2 and the entries relating thereto, the following S. No. and entries shall be inserted, namely:-

(1) (2) (3) (4) 3. 2710 High speed diesel oil, when cleared for export to Bhutan Nil per litre;

(b) paragraph 2 shall be omitted.

3. This notification shall come into force on the 3rd September, 2024.

[F. No 190354/257/2023-TRU]

AMREETA TITUS, Dy. Secy.

Note: The principal notification No. 04/2022-Central Excise, dated the 30th June, 2022, was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R. 492 (E), dated the 30th June, 2022, and was last amended vide notification No. 09/2024-Central Excise, dated the 29th February, 2024 published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R. 149(E), dated the 29th February, 2024.
Let's Go Washington has been accused of illegally trying to sway voters to support four initiatives the group backs with offers of discount gas and burgers.

The complaint, filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission on Aug. 15, alleges that Let's Go Washington's offer of cheaper gas, and in one case food during promotional events for the four initiatives, ran afoul of the state's anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws.

"By giving voters discounts on gas and food, Let's Go Washington seeks to buy support rather than win it through the strength of the initiatives themselves," wrote attorneys on behalf of Defend Washington, an advocacy group formed to combat Let's Go Washington. "With voters standing in the shoes of legislators, these discounts have a corrupting influence on their ability to fairly evaluate whether the initiatives are good policy and should be enacted."

Let's Go Washington's lawyers argue the allegations are unfounded and misconstrue state law: The organization did not offer discounts in exchange for votes, they write in their rebuttal, but instead "demonstrate the hidden impact of Washington's policies" while providing discounts to anyone who attended regardless of whether they support the initiatives or were even registered to vote.

Let's Go Washington has held a number of events across the state offering heavily discounted gas, including an Aug. 21 event in Spokane.

For a few hours on Aug. 21, drivers pulling up to pumps at Towns Liquor Mart saw prices for a gallon of regular gas drop from $3.79 to the national average of $3.39, part of a bid for publicity from a political group hoping to persuade voters to support Initiative 2117 this November and kill the state's relatively new cap-and-trade system. That system, created by the state's Climate Commitment Act in 2021 and launched in 2023, caps how much carbon can be emitted in the state each year and requires businesses that emit the most carbon to bid for an "allowance" to emit a portion of that overall cap.

State officials say gas prices in Washington likely rose closer to 10 to 25 cents per gallon as a result of the Climate Commitment Act, not the 40 cents offered as a discount by Let's Go Washington at their Aug. 21 event.

Drivers were offered campaign literature by Let's Go Washington volunteers telling them to "vote yes, pay less," but weren't required to take them or agree to vote on the initiatives to receive the event discounts.

Defend Washington's complaint also points to an Aug. 10 event in Enumclaw, where Let's Go Washington offered $5-off vouchers to use at Burger Buds, a food truck, during a campaign event.

"This is akin to a campaign selling burgers at a fair booth," wrote Let's Go Washington's counsel in rebuttal. "The only difference is the use of a food truck instead of volunteers."

Let's Go Washington, sponsored by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, is also the driving force behind two other initiatives on November ballots that would end the state's nascent long-term care tax and capital gains tax, and is heavily promoting a campaign to stop the state from quickly transitioning large utilities away from natural gas.

Defend Washington also alleged in its complaint that Let's Go Washington had not properly reported its expenses for the discount events; Let's Go Washington's attorneys stated that the complainant misunderstood its reimbursement agreements with vendors such as Towns Liquor Mart and that the political committee would file the necessary reports once payments had been made.

In its Aug. 15 complaint to the state Public Disclosure Commission, Defend Washington asked for a prompt hearing by the commission and for its complaint to be referred to the state Attorney General's office for investigation. The PDC has been reviewing complaints against Let's Go Washington, primarily focused on accusations of improper or missing financial disclosure reporting ahead of the signature gathering effort that saw the initiatives make it onto this November's ballots, since July 2023.

In an executive summary of the complaints to the commission's board this July, agency staff noted concerns that Let's Go Washington had refused to open its accounting books to scrutiny or had failed to properly maintain those books, and had also been slow to amend its reports to accurately show the money spent on the signature gathering efforts, only doing so after the initiatives were certified.

The state Public Disclosure Commission voted unanimously during their July meeting against referring these earlier complaints to the state Attorney General's office without providing remarks explaining their votes. The commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Defend Washington receives its largest donations primarily from state unions and progressive advocacy groups such as Champion Advocacy and Fuse Voters. Let's Go Washington has received substantial funding from developer, builder, real estate, hospitality and fossil fuel interests.

Attorneys from Let's Go Washington did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
Esri India announced the availability of Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst, a location intelligence solution suite designed to aid government organizations in making data-driven smart decisions. Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst for India includes a variety of location-based datasets, such as points of interest; road network; administrative boundaries at various levels like village, PIN codes, district, state, etc.; socio-economic and demographic data; and data available from the Indian edition of ArcGIS Living Atlas, while providing the flexibility to the users to add their own data.

The solution has the potential to greatly enhance the efficacy of government departments by offering precise insights into spatial and demographic factors. Using the solution, government agencies can make data-driven decisions, optimize resource distribution, and customize efforts to achieve more effective outcomes in public safety, economic development, community assessments, city development, and more. They can make a greater impact on the lives of the citizens using the available data as the developmental efforts become more targeted and reach the maximum number of beneficiaries.

Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India, said, Location intelligence plays a crucial role in government decision-making by providing invaluable insights derived from geographic and spatial data. Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst is a unique solution that provides insights into population density, demographics, site suitability, and other critical factors. Using these insights, government stakeholders can enhance the impact of their functions around socio-economic development, emergency management, healthcare, public safety, workforce development, and more. By leveraging location intelligence, government departments can make more informed, data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, responsiveness, and overall quality of life for citizens.

The power of location intelligence and analytics is being recognized all over the world. Data availability and sharing are now easier in India. With enabling policies like the National Geospatial Policy and the Geospatial Data Guidelines in place, the availability of geospatial data has improved. Being a leader in providing solutions based on geospatial technologies, Esri India has launched Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst to enable Indian government organizations to optimally utilize Indian datasets for carrying out location-specific analysis and achieve high levels of efficacy in their initiatives.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

The European Union could decide within months to take action against X, including possible fines, as part of an ongoing probe.

Elon Musk's woes are hardly limited to Brazil as he now risks possible EU sanctions in the coming months for allegedly breaking new content rules.

Access to X has been suspended in South America's largest country since Saturday after a long-running legal battle over disinformation ended with a judge ordering a shutdown.

But Brazil is not alone in its concerns about X.

Politicians worldwide and digital rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about Musk's actions since taking over what was then Twitter in late 2022, including sacking many employees tasked with content moderation and maintaining ties with EU regulators.

Musk's "free speech absolutist" attitude has led to clashes with Brussels.

The European Union could decide within months to take action against X, including possible fines, as part of an ongoing probe into whether the platform is breaching a landmark content moderation law, the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Nothing has yet been decided but any fines could be as high as six percent of X's annual worldwide turnover unless the company makes changes in line with EU demands.

But if Musk's reactions are anything to go by, another showdown is on the cards.

When the EU in July accused X of deceptive practices in violation of the DSA, Musk warned: "We look forward to a very public battle in court."

The temperature was raised even further a month later with another war of words on social media between Musk and the EU's top tech enforcer, Thierry Breton.

Breton reminded Musk in a letter of his legal duty to stop "harmful content" from spreading on X hours before an interview with US presidential challenger Donald Trump live on the platform.

Musk responded by mocking Breton and sharing a meme that carried an obscene message.

EU ban 'very unlikely'

Despite the bitter barbs, the European Commission, the EU's digital watchdog, insists that dialogue with X is ongoing.

"X continues to cooperate with the commission and respond to questions," the commission's digital spokesman, Thomas Regnier, told AFP.

Experts also agree that a Brazil-like shutdown in the 27-country EU is unlikely, although it has the legal right.

The DSA would allow the bloc to demand a judge in Ireland, where X has its EU headquarters, order a temporary suspension until the infringements cease.

Breton has repeatedly insisted that "Europe will not hesitate to do what is necessary".

But since X has around 106 million EU users, significantly higher than the 22 million in Brazil, the belief is that Musk would not want to risk a similar move in Europe.

"Obviously, we can never exclude it, but it is very unlikely," said Alexandre de Streel of the think tank Centre on Regulation in Europe.

Regardless of what happens next, de Streel said the case would likely end up in the EU courts, calling X "the least cooperative company" with the bloc.

Jan Penfrat of the European Digital Rights advocacy group said a ban was "a very last resort measure" and that X would "probably" not close shop in the EU.

"I would hope that the commission thinks about this very, very hard before going there because this (a ban) would have a tremendously negative effect on the right to freedom of expression and access to information," Penfrat said.

EU's X-File

The commission in July accused X of misleading users with its blue checkmarks for certified accounts, insufficient advertising transparency and failing to give researchers access to the platform's data.

That allegation is part of a wider probe into X, launched in December, and regulators are still probing how it tackles the spread of illegal content and information manipulation.

X now has access to the EU's file and can defend itself including by replying to the commission's findings.

The list of governments angry with Musk is growing. He also raised hackles over the summer in the UK during days of rioting sparked by online misinformation that the suspect behind a mass stabbing that killed three girls was a Muslim asylum seeker.

The billionaire, whose personal X account has 196 million users, engaged in disputes with British politicians after sharing inflammatory posts and claiming a "civil war is inevitable" in the country.

Non-EU member Britain will soon be able to implement a similar law to the DSA with enforcement expected to start next year.

 2024 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

U of A researchers developed a new protective shirt geared to the needs of wildland firefighters, offering more protection for the shoulders, torso, neck and wrists  the areas most vulnerable to burns. Credit: University of Alberta

A new protective shirt geared to the needs of wildland firefighters has been developed by University of Alberta researchers. The prototype garment offers more protection than the current version commonly worn by workers who fight wildfires, says Elena Kosareva, who designed the shirt to earn a Ph.D. in textile and apparel science from the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences.

"It's been a long time since there was improvement in this design," she says, noting a 24-year-old study conducted at the U of A on garments worn by wildland firefighters in the U.S. Forest Service, which showed that certain areas of the body needed more protection than was being provided.

"Nowadays, wildfires seem to be more frequent, so as more people become involved in firefighting, it's crucial to provide better protection."

Currently, the upper half of the standard outfit consists of a thin cotton undershirt, which is then covered by the flame-resistant outer shirt. But because it's not possible to maintain an evenly distributed air gap inside the clothing, there are always some areas of the bodythe shoulders, front and back, torso, neck and wriststhat are in direct contact with the garment fabrics, making these areas especially vulnerable to burns from the fire's heat, Kosareva notes.

"Air acts as an efficient insulator against that thermal heat, so creating an air gap between the human body and the outer layer of the protective garment provides protection against the high temperatures these firefighters face."

Kosareva designed her shirt, which is being patented, by adding to the yoke and sleeves, a recently developed three-dimensional 'spacer' fabric made of flame-resistant fibers. The fabric also contains relatively thick, compression-resistant yarn that connects the upper and bottom layers of the material and traps air, creating an artificial gap in the areas of the garment that are in direct contact with the skin.

At the same time, the flame-resistant shirt also retains the lightweight, flexible and breathable qualities needed to help wildland firefighters do their job, adds Jane Batcheller, who supervised Kosareva's research and helped test the prototype as principal investigator of the U of A's Protective Clothing and Equipment Research Facility.

The clothing wildland firefighters wear differs from the much thicker, heavier suits worn by structural firefighters, she notes.

Credit: University of Alberta

Largely tasked with felling trees, putting out hotspots and digging firebreaks, wildland firefighters stay suited up for hours-long shifts and often hike long distances while carrying their gear in backpacks.

"It's very physically demanding work, so they can't wear heavy bunker suits," Batcheller explains.

Lab tests showed that adding the 3D spacer fabric provided approximately three times more protection against thermal heat than the current garment used by wildland firefighters.

When exposed to open flame, the fabric also withstood thermal energy for 14 seconds before second-degree burns occurred, compared with only five seconds with the standard shirt. Nor did the fabric decrease the breathability of the garment.

In a flash-fire manikin test, the prototype also reduced the total burn area on the body by about 6% compared with the standard shirt.

"That shows that even in the worst-case scenario, a firefighter would have more protection in the new shirt," Batcheller notes.

Now that she's successfully tested the prototype for protective properties, Kosareva plans to focus more closely on improving the shirt design for comfort, including range of motion around the shoulder area. The fabric's resiliency to compression could already provide more cushioning for wildfire fighters to carry their backpacks, she notes.

Further research would include human wear trials, and she hopes it can ultimately be used to manufacture better protective gear for firefighters.

"They need to be adequately protected, but at the same time, there could be improvements to make their lives easier," she says.

"This is a production-ready prototype," adds Batcheller. "The pattern could be taken up immediately by manufacturers, with very few changes needed."
Lee Woods, a longtime on-air personality at KONO radio who also worked behind the scenes managing and programming at local stations, has died. He was 75.

Woods, who died Monday morning at his home, had been receiving medical treatment for cancer, his daughter Kaycie Tyler said. However, he was in good spirits and had not been ill, she said, adding her father died suddenly in his sleep.

Im still trying to understand it, she said Thursday. I dont think its hit me yet.

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Woods, who retired from full-time work in 1998, remained active in local music and radio circles, participating in monthly gatherings of musicians and past and current radio station employees that he helped organize.

Lisa Bonanni, a weekend DJ at KEDA radio, said Woods was the first one out the gate sending notices about the monthly gatherings.

He was such a sweetheart, always upbeat, always joking and happy to see people, said Bonanni, who knew Woods since she was a young child. Her musician father and Woods were friends, she said.

Social media posts paying tribute to Woods started soon after news of his death began to spread. Many former colleagues and listeners shared memories of Woods and acknowledged his contributions to local radio.

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Lee was a true music pioneer with a lot of not only knowledge of music but also had met many music icons from yester-year, local DJ Robert Rivas wrote on Facebook.

Rivas, in a phone interview, said Woods was knowledgeable in many things, and served as a great mentor.

He loved music. He simply loved music, said Rivas, who hosts a Sunday night Cruising Classics show online.

Lee Woods, also an iconic name in S.A.'s golden era of radio, may have been best known during his KONO 'golden oldies' morning gig in the '70s and '80s. Courtesy Lee Woods

Some on social media called Woods the soul of San Antonio radio and a local star during a time when KONO was a top-rated radio station.

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Woods started his local radio career after graduating from the Elkins Institute of Broadcasting in San Antonio in 1974, according to his biography with the San Antonio Radio Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2016.

Woods studied broadcasting after serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1973.

His military service is what brought Woods to San Antonio, his daughter said. Woods was born March 12, 1949, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He grew up there and in nearby Montclair, she said.

His first radio gig was at KBER, before moving on to KITY radio.

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In 1978, Woods joined KONO AM, where he spent most of his broadcasting career working as a DJ, program director and operations manager. KONO eventually included an FM station, and continued as a station on the AM dial.

Woods left KONO in 1991 but remained active in local radio until retiring in 1998.

He spent the final years of his full-time radio career at KRIO, during a time when it played Texas music and switched to a Tejano music format. There, he served as operations manager. At the same time, he also served in that role at his former station KONO, where he briefly returned to oversee its oldies format that he helped develop years earlier.

READ MORE: Major Texas musicians are releasing new albums this fall

Even after retiring, Woods could be heard online doing talk radio gigs and hosting various music tributes, colleagues said.

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He also stayed active on social media, frequently commenting about music and politics on Facebook. A recent post by Woods lamented his former station KONO AMs recent switch from oldies to a news radio format.

He also used social media to stay in touch with former colleagues, they said.

Former DJ Rick Upton said he knew Woods for 40 years. The two met at KONO in the 1980s.

Ive never met a person with more best friends, Upton said. He was bigger than life. He was direct  always direct. He also was hilarious and generous. Just a great guy.

Woods is survived by a son and daughter, and five grandchildren.
e.Digital (OTCMKTS:EDIG  Get Free Report) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM  Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation and earnings.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares e.Digital and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Get e.Digital alerts:

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio e.Digital $700,000.00 0.04 -$1.27 million N/A N/A Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing $2,438.42 billion 0.34 $27.82 billion $5.25 30.63

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has higher revenue and earnings than e.Digital.

Profitability

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets e.Digital N/A N/A N/A Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 37.85% 25.54% 16.04%

Analyst Ratings

This table compares e.Digital and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for e.Digital and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score e.Digital 0 0 0 0 N/A Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 0 1 4 0 2.80

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has a consensus price target of $200.00, suggesting a potential upside of 24.38%. Given Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is more favorable than e.Digital.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

16.5% of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.3% of e.Digital shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.1% of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk & Volatility

e.Digital has a beta of 2.02, suggesting that its stock price is 102% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has a beta of 1.14, suggesting that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing beats e.Digital on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About e.Digital

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e.Digital Corporation engages in developing and marketing an intellectual property portfolio of context and interpersonal awareness systems, advanced data security technologies, secure communication technologies, and other technologies. It is involved in licensing and enforcing its Nunchi portfolio of patents related to context and interpersonal awareness systems; microSignet data security technology based on characteristics in semi-conductors; Synap security system, method, and apparatus to solve the issues of encryption key generation and exchange; and other technologies. The company was formerly known as Norris Communications, Inc. and changed its name to e.Digital Corporation in January 1999. e.Digital Corporation was founded in 1988 and is based in San Diego, California.

About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides a range of wafer fabrication processes, including processes to manufacture complementary metal- oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, embedded memory, bipolar CMOS mixed-signal, and others. The company also offers customer and engineering support services; manufactures masks; and invests in technology start-up companies; researches, designs, develops, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells color filters; and provides investment services. Its products are used in high performance computing, smartphones, Internet of things, automotive, and digital consumer electronics. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

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Bank Hapoalim B.M. (OTCMKTS:BKHYY  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $49.75 and last traded at $49.75, with a volume of 0 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.75.

Bank Hapoalim B.M. Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 0.92. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $47.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.87. The company has a market capitalization of $13.31 billion, a PE ratio of 6.78 and a beta of 1.07.

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Bank Hapoalim B.M. (OTCMKTS:BKHYY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The bank reported $2.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter. Bank Hapoalim B.M. had a return on equity of 14.41% and a net margin of 19.42%. Equities analysts anticipate that Bank Hapoalim B.M. will post 6.72 EPS for the current year.

Bank Hapoalim B.M. Cuts Dividend

About Bank Hapoalim B.M.

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 26th will be given a dividend of $0.4711 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 26th. Bank Hapoalim B.M.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.61%.

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Bank Hapoalim B.M., together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking and financial products and services in Israel and internationally. It operates through Household, Private Banking, Small businesses and micro businesses, Mid-sized businesses, Large businesses, Institutional entities, and Financial management segments.

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Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP (NYSE:SBS  Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday.

Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP Stock Up 1.1 %

NYSE SBS traded up $0.19 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $16.98. The stock had a trading volume of 1,181,702 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,082,064. Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP has a 1 year low of $11.29 and a 1 year high of $18.36. The stock has a market cap of $11.61 billion, a PE ratio of 16.02 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $16.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $15.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.21.

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Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP (NYSE:SBS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The utilities provider reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.08. Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 13.35%. The company had revenue of $1.30 billion during the quarter. On average, research analysts expect that Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP will post 1.06 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP

About Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SBS. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP by 1,279.2% during the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 33,100 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $445,000 after buying an additional 30,700 shares in the last quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP by 6.5% during the 2nd quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 1,465,000 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $19,704,000 after buying an additional 90,000 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP by 55.6% during the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 9,305 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $125,000 after buying an additional 3,324 shares in the last quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP by 483.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 226,173 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,042,000 after buying an additional 187,390 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in shares of Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo  SABESP by 61.8% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 54,146 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $728,000 after buying an additional 20,683 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 10.62% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo SABESP provides basic and environmental sanitation services in the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The company supplies treated water and sewage services to residential, commercial, and industrial private customers, as well as public. As of December 31, 2022, it provided water services through 10.1 million water connections; and sewage services through 8.6 million sewage connections in 375 municipalities of the Sao Paulo State.

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System1, Inc. (NYSE:SST  Get Free Report) major shareholder Cee Holdings Trust acquired 15,205 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1.24 per share, for a total transaction of $18,854.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 8,719,628 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,812,338.72. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Large shareholders that own more than 10% of a companys stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Cee Holdings Trust also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Tuesday, September 3rd, Cee Holdings Trust purchased 1,601 shares of System1 stock. The stock was bought at an average price of $1.23 per share, for a total transaction of $1,969.23.

On Friday, August 23rd, Cee Holdings Trust bought 37,477 shares of System1 stock. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1.21 per share, for a total transaction of $45,347.17.

On Tuesday, August 20th, Cee Holdings Trust purchased 1,500 shares of System1 stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $1.25 per share, with a total value of $1,875.00.

On Thursday, August 15th, Cee Holdings Trust bought 14,142 shares of System1 stock. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $1.08 per share, with a total value of $15,273.36.

On Tuesday, August 13th, Cee Holdings Trust purchased 965 shares of System1 stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $1.10 per share, for a total transaction of $1,061.50.

On Thursday, July 11th, Cee Holdings Trust acquired 6,749 shares of System1 stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1.45 per share, with a total value of $9,786.05.

On Tuesday, July 9th, Cee Holdings Trust bought 45,616 shares of System1 stock. The shares were bought at an average cost of $1.45 per share, for a total transaction of $66,143.20.

On Friday, July 5th, Cee Holdings Trust purchased 2,355 shares of System1 stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1.45 per share, with a total value of $3,414.75.

On Wednesday, July 3rd, Cee Holdings Trust bought 248 shares of System1 stock. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1.45 per share, for a total transaction of $359.60.

On Monday, July 1st, Cee Holdings Trust acquired 66,290 shares of System1 stock. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1.44 per share, for a total transaction of $95,457.60.

System1 Stock Performance

NYSE SST remained flat at $1.23 on Wednesday. The companys stock had a trading volume of 151,292 shares, compared to its average volume of 317,181. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1.33 and a 200-day moving average price of $1.55. The company has a market cap of $111.61 million, a PE ratio of -0.54 and a beta of 1.35. System1, Inc. has a 12-month low of $1.04 and a 12-month high of $3.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04.

Institutional Trading of System1

System1 ( NYSE:SST Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported ($0.38) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. System1 had a negative net margin of 53.92% and a negative return on equity of 53.12%. The business had revenue of $94.58 million during the quarter.

An institutional investor recently bought a new position in System1 stock. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new stake in System1, Inc. (NYSE:SST  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 24,160 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $37,000. 87.50% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

System1 Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

System1, Inc provides omnichannel customer acquisition platform services through its proprietary responsive acquisition marketing platform in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and internationally. It operates through two segments: Owned and Operated Advertising, and Partner Network.

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agilon health, inc. (NYSE:AGL  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $3.97 and last traded at $4.00, with a volume of 100274 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $4.08.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AGL has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $8.00 price objective on shares of agilon health in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of agilon health from $6.40 to $6.50 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, May 24th. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of agilon health from $5.50 to $7.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Benchmark reissued a buy rating and issued a $9.00 target price on shares of agilon health in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Baird R W raised shares of agilon health to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, agilon health presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $8.57.

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agilon health Trading Up 8.3 %

The businesss fifty day moving average is $5.76 and its 200-day moving average is $5.75. The firm has a market cap of $1.71 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.96 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a current ratio of 1.36.

agilon health (NYSE:AGL  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported ($0.07) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of ($0.07). The business had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.56 billion. agilon health had a negative net margin of 5.57% and a negative return on equity of 29.91%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 38.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.04) EPS. Analysts predict that agilon health, inc. will post -0.35 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. J.Safra Asset Management Corp raised its holdings in agilon health by 626.1% during the 2nd quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 4,204 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 3,625 shares during the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC acquired a new stake in agilon health in the 4th quarter valued at $45,000. Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new stake in agilon health in the 4th quarter valued at $47,000. CWM LLC grew its position in agilon health by 406.5% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,081 shares of the companys stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 7,288 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of agilon health during the second quarter valued at approximately $60,000.

agilon health Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

agilon health, inc. provides healthcare services for seniors through primary care physicians in the communities of the United States. It offers a platform that manages the total healthcare needs of the patients by subscription-like per-member per-month. The company was formerly known as Agilon Health Topco, Inc and changed its name to agilon health, inc.

Further Reading

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Shares of Associated British Foods plc (LON:ABF  Get Free Report) traded down 8.5% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as GBX 2,287 ($30.07) and last traded at GBX 2,289 ($30.10). 1,565,374 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 58% from the average session volume of 988,656 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,501 ($32.89).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have weighed in on ABF. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Associated British Foods in a research note on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut Associated British Foods to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the company from GBX 2,290 ($30.11) to GBX 2,190 ($28.80) in a report on Tuesday, August 27th.

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Associated British Foods Trading Down 8.5 %

Insider Buying and Selling

The firms fifty day simple moving average is GBX 2,475.78 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 2,488.14. The stock has a market capitalization of 16.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,476.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.71, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.79.

In other news, insider Dame Heather Rabbatts acquired 395 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 24th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,512 ($33.03) per share, for a total transaction of 9,922.40 ($13,047.21). 57.88% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Associated British Foods Company Profile

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Associated British Foods plc operates as a diversified food, ingredients, and retail company worldwide. It operates through five segments: Grocery, Ingredients, Agriculture, Sugar, and Retail. The Grocery segment manufactures and sells grocery products, including hot beverages, sugar and sweeteners, vegetable oils, balsamic vinegars, bread and baked goods, cereals, ethnic foods, and meat products to retail, wholesale, and foodservice businesses.

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9258 Wealth Management LLC lessened its holdings in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 6.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 65,507 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 4,378 shares during the quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $2,605,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of BAC. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Bank of America by 402.2% during the 1st quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 683 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 547 shares during the period. Livelsberger Financial Advisory purchased a new stake in shares of Bank of America in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. POM Investment Strategies LLC raised its position in Bank of America by 839.0% in the second quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC now owns 723 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 646 shares during the period. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Bank of America in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of America in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.71% of the companys stock.

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Bank of America Price Performance

NYSE BAC traded down $0.47 on Thursday, hitting $40.03. 13,138,993 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 39,144,973. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $40.30 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.45. Bank of America Co. has a 1-year low of $24.96 and a 1-year high of $44.44. The company has a market cap of $313.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.98, a P/E/G ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.35.

Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.79 by $0.04. Bank of America had a return on equity of 10.56% and a net margin of 13.28%. The firm had revenue of $25.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.22 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.88 EPS. The businesss revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Bank of America Co. will post 3.28 EPS for the current year.

Bank of America announced that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, July 24th that authorizes the company to repurchase $25.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to repurchase up to 7.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Bank of America Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a dividend of $0.26 per share. This is a positive change from Bank of Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.60%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.99%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Lindsay D. Hans sold 10,901 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.91, for a total transaction of $402,355.91. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 10,907 shares in the company, valued at $402,577.37. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Bank of America news, insider Lindsay D. Hans sold 10,901 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.91, for a total value of $402,355.91. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 10,907 shares of the companys stock, valued at $402,577.37. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc sold 12,690,693 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.07, for a total value of $559,278,840.51. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 1,020,161,313 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,958,509,063.91. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 99,607,967 shares of company stock worth $4,122,466,245. Corporate insiders own 0.29% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on BAC shares. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Bank of America from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Bank of America from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Cfra reiterated a sell rating and set a $39.00 target price on shares of Bank of America in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated an outperform rating and issued a $48.00 price target (up previously from $46.00) on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Bank of America from $39.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $42.22.

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About Bank of America

(Free Report)

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets.

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Slovenian July trade figures soar y/y as exports to China jump

Xinhua) 09:51, September 05, 2024

LJUBLJANA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian exports of goods jumped by 24.8 percent year-on-year to 5.5 billion euros (6.09 billion U.S. dollars) in July, while imports were 34.5 percent higher reaching 5.1 billion euros, boosted by a growth of exports to China, the country's Statistical Office said on Wednesday.

According to the office's preliminary data, Slovenian exports to China increased by 5.5 percent year-on-year in July to 46.46 million euros while imports from China decreased by 8.1 percent to 499.8 million euros.

The big jump of exports and imports is partly due to operations involving processing which are mainly done with Switzerland and include modification, manufacture, assembly, improvement and redesign of imported goods.

"In the period from January to July ... the value of exports of goods was 9.6 percent higher than in the same period previous year. The value of imports of goods increased by 16.5 percent," the office said in a report.

It said July exports to other European Union (EU) states increased by 11.3 percent and represented 49.9 percent of total exports, while exports to non-EU countries jumped by 41.8 percent.

On the other hand, imports from non-EU countries increased by as much as 74 percent in July, with imports from the EU states up by 10.6 percent.

According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), top imports from China in July included cars, video displays, semiconductor devices, electric batteries and nitrogen heterocyclic compounds.

Top exports to China comprised of motor vehicles and their parts, electrical lighting and signalling equipment, unpackaged medicaments, electric heaters and reaction and catalytic products. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollar)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Lucy Cleveland, 4, stands next to her father, Brian Cleveland, during the presentation of the colors at last year's Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

Facing bipartisan opposition from San Antonio-area members of Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs has backed off a plan to cancel this year's Veterans Day observance at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery  but it didn't commit to continuing the ceremony in future years.

The reversal came after Reps. Tony Gonzales, Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Chip Roy and Greg Casar sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on Thursday expressing "profound dismay" over the VA's decision to discontinue the annual ceremony at Fort Sam beginning this Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Gonzales and Roy are Republicans. Castro, Cuellar and Casar are Democrats.

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"For many years, this site in San Antonio has served as a primary focal point for families, veterans, service members, and citizens to gather on Veterans Day and pay their respects to the men and women who honorably served our country," the congressmen wrote, adding that more than 180,000 people are buried there, including Texas natives, military heroes and Medal of Honor recipients. "By discontinuing this ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, we fail to adequately honor their legacy and diminish the significance of those hallowed grounds."

Gerald Lefler, director of the Fort Sam Houston cemetery, told the San Antonio Express-News earlier in the week that he had decided to end the annual observance at Fort Sam and celebrate the holiday at the much smaller San Antonio National Cemetery on the East Side  and only there. Up to now, Veterans Day has been formally recognized at both sites.

The VA walked back Lefler's decision on Thursday.

"After listening to feedback from local veterans, VA will continue to hold Veterans Day ceremonies at both Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery and San Antonio National Cemetery this year," the department said in a statement issued in Lefler's name. "One of our top priorities at VA is to honor and remember our nation's veterans and these events are a key part of that effort."

Asked whether the holiday would be celebrated at Fort Sam beyond this year, VA officials did not address the question directly. Instead, they said in a statement, "We will continue to engage the local community about how to best celebrate veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the year."

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The 338-acre Fort Sam cemetery holds the remains of more than 185,000 veterans and their dependents. Lefler said he had decided to end the annual observance there because of dwindling attendance. He also said it was duplicative to stage Veterans Day ceremonies on the same day at two national cemeteries within miles of one another. Holding just one, at San Antonio National, makes the event "a little more significant," he said.

Hours after the Express-News reported on the decision Wednesday, Gonzales responded on social media.

"Unacceptable  this will be fixed," he wrote.

In a statement to the newspaper, Gonzales said he had spoken to VA officials "and expressed my strong opposition to this harmful decision." Gonzales, a two-term Republican and a retired Navy cryptologist, represents Texas' 23d Congressional District, which extends from San Antonio to the Mexican border.

As a twenty-year military veteran, retired Navy master chief, and the highest enlisted service member to ever serve in Congress, I know firsthand the importance of continuing the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Gonzales said. This event is an honored tradition at a sacred resting place for tens of thousands of Texas veterans.

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"It holds a special place in the hearts of military families in South Texas, including my own.

Gonzales said he told VA officials, "Y'all kicked over a hornet's nest."

On Thursday afternoon, Castro joined his Republican colleague in pushing back against the VA decision, noting that his office is part of the Fort Sam observance every year and that "from our perspective, it has always been well-attended." He said he had "already heard from constituents who are concerned about the VAs decision," and that he was working with other members of Congress to convey those concerns to the VA.

"I'm glad that Secretary McDonough and the VA moved quickly to acknowledge concerns from San Antonio's veterans," Castro said after the department's about-face. "The Veterans Day observance at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is sacred and discontinuing it would have been a loss for veterans and military families. As we move forward, I will press the VA to guarantee that Veterans Day ceremonies continue at both of our city's national cemeteries."

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From left to right: Vivianna Gonzalez, Alexianna Robles, Monic Morales, Alicia Gonzalez, Ursula Salazar, and Aria Salazar pay respects to family member Leopoldo Gonzalez Sr. on Veterans Day at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery last year. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

Fort Sam and San Antonio National are among 155 military cemeteries operated by the National Cemetery Administration, part of the VA. Lefler oversees the two San Antonio cemeteries, as well as a third in Kerrville.

For decades, Veterans Day has been marked with solemn rituals at both San Antonio burial sites. At Fort Sam, attendees listened to speeches by notables and performances of patriotic songs by the 323rd Army Band, called Fort Sams Own, the Texas Childrens Choir and other musicians.

A naturalization ceremony celebrating troops who had just earned their citizenship was a staple of the ceremony, as was a color guard often made up of high school ROTC students and a firing detail from the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment.

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The Fort Sam observance was always followed by one at San Antonio National, which placed special emphasis on the Buffalo Soldiers, African Americans who served in the U.S. Cavalry. Buffalo Soldier regiments served nearly 90 years, earning a reputation for selflessness and courage while fighting in every conflict of their era.

Observances at Fort Sam often drew large crowds. In 1997, an estimated 4,000 people turned out to hear then-Gov. George W. Bush deliver the keynote address. But in recent years, attendance declined. The VA suspended Veterans Day events at national cemeteries in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic. When they resumed, attendees at Fort Sam numbered in the hundreds or fewer.

The Texas Childrens Choir sings The Star-Spangled Banner during last year's Veterans Day Ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

Veterans Day was always "an all-hands-on-deck event" for the Fort Sam cemetery's 55 employees, Lefler said earlier in the week, before the VA's reversal. He said that most of them are veterans, and that staging the event exclusively at San Antonio National would give them a chance to enjoy the day rather than work through it.

He said another factor in discontinuing the Fort Sam observance is that it clashed with the cemetery's character as a memorial site. "Memorial Day is almost our raison d'etre," Lefler said. "Were here to memorialize and commemorate those servicemen who have passed and on Memorial Day, absolutely, we will." In contrast, he said, Veterans Day is a "celebratory event."

San Antonio National sits on 3.66 acres on the city's East Side and is home to 3,177 burial sites. It became a national cemetery in 1867, when the city gave the land to the federal government. The first burials there were principally the remains of Union soldiers, which were relocated from the city cemetery as well as from Austin, Indianola and other locations in Texas.

The cemetery is the final resting place for 281 identified Buffalo Soldiers. In addition, 314 unknown soldiers are buried in a common grave in Section H, marked with a monument inscribed To the Unknown Dead.

Fourteen Medal of Honor recipients are buried at San Antonio National, including Sgt. William H. Barnes, a Black soldier who earned the medal at the Battle of New Market Heights in Virginia in 1864.

Lefler's decision to cancel the Fort Sam observance came as a surprise to Manny Mendoza, commander of the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment, a group of volunteers who conduct burials with military honors for veterans.

I dont know how the public is going to relate to it, Mendoza, 75, of San Antonio, said Wednesday. I expect that on Veterans Day there will be people sitting out there at the assembly area.
Shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the fifteen brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $84.27.

WAL has been the subject of a number of research reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $70.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $78.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $80.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $76.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on WAL

Western Alliance Bancorporation Stock Down 0.5 %

WAL stock opened at $79.89 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. Western Alliance Bancorporation has a 12 month low of $38.81 and a 12 month high of $83.23. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $73.92 and a 200-day moving average price of $65.01.

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $771.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $737.97 million. Western Alliance Bancorporation had a net margin of 15.54% and a return on equity of 13.98%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 15.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.96 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Western Alliance Bancorporation will post 7.4 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 16th were given a dividend of $0.37 per share. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 16th. Western Alliance Bancorporations dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.57%.

Insider Transactions at Western Alliance Bancorporation

In other news, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total transaction of $160,710.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $267,344. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation stock in a transaction on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total value of $160,710.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $267,344. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Stephen Russell Curley sold 5,070 shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.43, for a total transaction of $387,500.10. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 36,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,806,356.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 18,269 shares of company stock valued at $1,452,472 in the last quarter. 2.75% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Western Alliance Bancorporation

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WAL. Truist Financial Corp grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 52.9% in the 4th quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 10,625 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $699,000 after purchasing an additional 3,677 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 5,918.1% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 763,459 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $50,228,000 after acquiring an additional 750,773 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 72.1% during the 4th quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 237,154 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $15,602,000 after acquiring an additional 99,386 shares during the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank boosted its holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 30.3% during the 4th quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 29,977 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,972,000 after acquiring an additional 6,968 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 130.7% during the 4th quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 11,736 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $772,000 after acquiring an additional 6,649 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.15% of the companys stock.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; demand deposits; and treasury management and residential mortgage products and services.

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California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT  Get Free Report) Director Thomas M. Krummel sold 555 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.09, for a total value of $30,574.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 21,951 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,209,280.59. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

California Water Service Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE CWT opened at $55.07 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $3.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.03 and a beta of 0.47. The stocks 50-day moving average is $52.40 and its 200 day moving average is $49.45. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. California Water Service Group has a 1-year low of $43.50 and a 1-year high of $55.48.

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California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.42 by $0.28. The company had revenue of $244.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $216.25 million. California Water Service Group had a net margin of 17.78% and a return on equity of 11.94%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 25.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.17 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that California Water Service Group will post 3.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

California Water Service Group Announces Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 12th. California Water Service Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.80%.

Separately, Wells Fargo & Company raised California Water Service Group from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $50.00 to $57.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, California Water Service Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $53.67.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on CWT

Institutional Trading of California Water Service Group

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of CWT. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its holdings in California Water Service Group by 1.8% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 16,147 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $783,000 after acquiring an additional 287 shares in the last quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd increased its position in shares of California Water Service Group by 4.6% during the first quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd now owns 6,661 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $309,000 after buying an additional 295 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in California Water Service Group by 109.9% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 823 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 431 shares in the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its position in California Water Service Group by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 69,575 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,609,000 after acquiring an additional 442 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lifted its stake in shares of California Water Service Group by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 32,828 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,526,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. 82.78% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About California Water Service Group

(Get Free Report)

California Water Service Group, through its subsidiaries, provides water utility and other related services in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas. The company is involved in the production, purchase, storage, treatment, testing, distribution, and sale of water for domestic, industrial, public, and irrigation uses, as well as for fire protection services.

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Equities researchers at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of China Pharma (NYSE:CPHI  Get Free Report) in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the stock.

China Pharma Stock Up 5.5 %

Shares of NYSE:CPHI opened at $0.20 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $0.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.24. China Pharma has a 12-month low of $0.17 and a 12-month high of $1.21.

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China Pharma (NYSE:CPHI  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported ($0.09) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $0.93 million for the quarter. China Pharma had a negative return on equity of 60.19% and a negative net margin of 70.47%.

About China Pharma

China Pharma Holdings, Inc develops, manufactures, and markets generic and branded pharmaceutical, and biochemical products to hospitals and private retailers in the People's Republic of China. The company provides products in the form of dry powder injectables, liquid injectables, tablets, capsules, and cephalosporin oral solutions.

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Chase Investment Counsel Corp trimmed its stake in shares of Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB  Free Report) by 14.1% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 5,492 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 903 shares during the period. Chase Investment Counsel Corps holdings in Chubb were worth $1,513,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of CB. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Chubb during the 4th quarter worth $957,756,000. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in shares of Chubb by 44.4% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,713,331 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,739,625,000 after acquiring an additional 2,064,730 shares during the period. Capital World Investors raised its holdings in Chubb by 6.6% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,997,092 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,849,677,000 after purchasing an additional 685,677 shares in the last quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Chubb in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $165,932,000. Finally, Bank of Nova Scotia increased its position in Chubb by 198.8% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 779,345 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $176,126,000 after purchasing an additional 518,535 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.81% of the companys stock.

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Chubb Trading Down 1.8 %

CB stock traded down $5.19 during trading on Thursday, reaching $285.75. 417,731 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,605,015. The firm has a market capitalization of $116.03 billion, a PE ratio of 12.91, a P/E/G ratio of 5.59 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.31 and a quick ratio of 0.31. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $267.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $260.25. Chubb Limited has a 52-week low of $198.67 and a 52-week high of $293.00.

Chubb Announces Dividend

Chubb ( NYSE:CB Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $5.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.04 by $0.34. The business had revenue of $13.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.04 billion. Chubb had a return on equity of 15.77% and a net margin of 18.14%. The companys revenue was up 11.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.92 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Chubb Limited will post 21.2 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.91 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.27%. Chubbs dividend payout ratio is currently 16.16%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CB has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. William Blair downgraded Chubb from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Barclays began coverage on shares of Chubb in a report on Wednesday. They set an overweight rating and a $349.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on shares of Chubb from $285.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. JMP Securities lifted their price objective on Chubb from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Roth Mkm increased their target price on Chubb from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $274.70.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Chubb

Insider Transactions at Chubb

In other Chubb news, EVP Peter C. Enns sold 8,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $266.06, for a total value of $2,181,692.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 45,853 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,199,649.18. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Juan Luis Ortega sold 3,921 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $273.06, for a total value of $1,070,668.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 44,632 shares in the company, valued at $12,187,213.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Peter C. Enns sold 8,200 shares of Chubb stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 45,853 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,199,649.18. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.86% of the companys stock.

Chubb Company 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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Churchill China plc (LON:CHH  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Thursday, September 5th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Investors of record on Thursday, September 12th will be given a dividend of GBX 11.50 ($0.15) per share on Friday, October 11th. This represents a yield of 1.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 12th. The official announcement can be accessed at this link.

Churchill China Price Performance

Churchill China stock traded down GBX 83 ($1.09) during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting GBX 997 ($13.11). The companys stock had a trading volume of 56,112 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,171. The stock has a market capitalization of 109.67 million, a P/E ratio of 1,407.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 0.96. Churchill China has a twelve month low of GBX 947 ($12.45) and a twelve month high of GBX 1,495 ($19.66). The stocks fifty day moving average price is GBX 1,166.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 1,181.18. The company has a quick ratio of 2.22, a current ratio of 3.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69.

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About Churchill China

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Churchill China plc manufactures and sells ceramic and related products in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the United States, and internationally. The company provides plates, bowls, trays and boards, crates and carriers, stands and risers, cookware, counter serving ware, cups, mugs, saucers, beverage pots, jugs, chip mugs, dip pots and sauce dishes, lids, glassware, cutlery, utensils, and accessories, as well as raw materials for the ceramics industry.

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Cozad Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY  Free Report) by 1.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 136,866 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,691 shares during the quarter. Cozad Asset Management Inc.s holdings in KeyCorp were worth $1,945,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in KEY. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC bought a new stake in KeyCorp during the first quarter worth about $25,000. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new position in KeyCorp in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. First United Bank & Trust bought a new position in shares of KeyCorp during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of KeyCorp in the 1st quarter worth $39,000. Finally, Quarry LP purchased a new stake in KeyCorp in the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.69% of the companys stock.

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KeyCorp Price Performance

KEY stock opened at $16.46 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85. KeyCorp has a 52-week low of $9.50 and a 52-week high of $17.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.84, a PEG ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 1.25. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $15.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $14.93.

KeyCorp Announces Dividend

KeyCorp ( NYSE:KEY Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.52 billion. KeyCorp had a net margin of 7.35% and a return on equity of 8.64%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.27 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that KeyCorp will post 1.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.98%. KeyCorps dividend payout ratio is presently 103.80%.

Insider Activity at KeyCorp

In related news, Director Carlton L. Highsmith sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.21, for a total transaction of $162,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 46,864 shares of the companys stock, valued at $759,665.44. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.61% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on KEY shares. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $17.00 price objective on shares of KeyCorp in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of KeyCorp from $17.50 to $16.50 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of KeyCorp from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on KeyCorp from $17.50 to $16.50 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on KeyCorp from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $16.65.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on KEY

About KeyCorp

(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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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of CPI Aerostructures (NYSEAMERICAN:CVU  Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Sunday morning. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the aerospace companys stock.

CPI Aerostructures Stock Performance

Shares of CVU opened at $3.01 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stock has a market cap of $39.19 million, a PE ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 1.67. CPI Aerostructures has a 1 year low of $2.15 and a 1 year high of $3.59.

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CPI Aerostructures (NYSEAMERICAN:CVU  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 13th. The aerospace company reported $0.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. CPI Aerostructures had a net margin of 19.86% and a return on equity of 14.87%. The firm had revenue of $20.81 million during the quarter.

About CPI Aerostructures

CPI Aerostructures, Inc engages in the contract production of structural aircraft parts for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters in the commercial and defense markets. The company offers aerostructure and aerosystem assemblies, including new production and repair/overhaul of fielded wing structures and other control surfaces, rudder island, engine inlets/nacelles, engine exhaust manifolds, aircraft doors and windows, aircraft steps and racks, other aircraft secondary structures, airborne pod structures and integration of internal systems, radar housing structures, panel assemblies, and mechanical door locking and canopy lifting systems.

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Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators raised its stake in L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX  Free Report) by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,071 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators holdings in L3Harris Technologies were worth $241,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bfsg LLC bought a new stake in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of L3Harris Technologies during the 4th quarter valued at $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 in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 77.7% in the second 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. acquired a new position in L3Harris Technologies in the second quarter valued at about $45,000. 84.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other L3Harris Technologies news, SVP Scott T. Mikuen sold 15,887 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.00, for a total transaction of $3,733,445.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 47,616 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,189,760. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Sean J. Stackley sold 3,354 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $216.73, for a total transaction of $726,912.42. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 14,186 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,074,531.78. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Scott T. Mikuen sold 15,887 shares of L3Harris Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $235.00, for a total transaction of $3,733,445.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 47,616 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,189,760. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 33,122 shares of company stock worth $7,612,739. Company insiders own 0.82% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on LHX. Wells Fargo & Company lowered 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 report on Wednesday, July 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded L3Harris Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $245.00 to $257.00 in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley cut L3Harris Technologies from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their target price for the company from $275.00 to $257.00 in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of L3Harris Technologies from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of L3Harris Technologies from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Five 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, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $247.08.

View Our Latest Analysis on LHX

L3Harris Technologies Trading Down 0.6 %

NYSE LHX traded down $1.43 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $235.07. 18,442 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 955,648. The stock has a market cap of $44.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.73. 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 one year low of $160.25 and a one year high of $245.60. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $230.36 and a 200-day simple moving average of $220.40.

L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. L3Harris Technologies had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 5.73%. The company had revenue of $5.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.30 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.97 EPS. The firms revenue was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that L3Harris Technologies, Inc. will post 13.06 EPS for the current year.

L3Harris Technologies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be paid a $1.16 dividend. This represents a $4.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. L3Harris Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 75.32%.

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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Chase Investment Counsel Corp raised its position in shares of Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET  Free Report) by 61.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 82,285 shares of the pipeline companys stock after buying an additional 31,246 shares during the quarter. Chase Investment Counsel Corps holdings in Energy Transfer were worth $1,338,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of ET. Northwest Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer during the first quarter worth $29,000. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Energy Transfer in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Energy Transfer in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, EdgeRock Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. Institutional investors own 38.22% of the companys stock.

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Energy Transfer Stock Performance

ET stock traded up $0.23 during trading on Thursday, reaching $16.15. 4,442,738 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,422,854. The firm has a market cap of $54.43 billion, a PE ratio of 14.80, a P/E/G ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. Energy Transfer LP has a 1-year low of $12.90 and a 1-year high of $16.50. The companys fifty day moving average price is $16.11 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.72.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

Energy Transfer ( NYSE:ET Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The pipeline company reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $20.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.01 billion. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 12.74% and a net margin of 5.19%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 13.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.25 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.4 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 9th. This is a boost from Energy Transfers previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.93%. Energy Transfers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 117.43%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ET has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Mizuho raised their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Energy Transfer from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, June 20th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Energy Transfer from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Energy Transfer from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, June 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $19.29.

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Insider Activity at Energy Transfer

In other news, EVP Gregory G. Mcilwain purchased 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $15.68 per share, with a total value of $313,600.00. Following the purchase, the executive vice president now owns 591,211 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,270,188.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Energy Transfer news, Director Kelcy L. Warren bought 3,000,000 shares of Energy Transfer stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $15.68 per share, for a total transaction of $47,040,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 123,385,650 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,934,686,992. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Gregory G. Mcilwain purchased 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $15.68 per share, for a total transaction of $313,600.00. Following the acquisition, the executive vice president now directly owns 591,211 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,270,188.48. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have purchased 3,040,000 shares of company stock worth $47,667,200 over the last quarter. 3.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Energy Transfer Profile

(Free Report)

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users.

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Range Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP  Free Report) by 3.4% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 88,917 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 2,940 shares during the period. Range Financial Group LLCs holdings in First BanCorp. were worth $1,626,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of FBP. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in First BanCorp. in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,114,000. Natixis Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of First BanCorp. by 4.7% during the second quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 48,460 shares of the banks stock valued at $886,000 after purchasing an additional 2,166 shares during the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. purchased a new position in First BanCorp. in the 2nd quarter worth about $880,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in First BanCorp. by 55.8% during the 2nd quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 656,855 shares of the banks stock worth $12,014,000 after buying an additional 235,156 shares during the period. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its stake in First BanCorp. by 13.6% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 40,584 shares of the banks stock valued at $742,000 after buying an additional 4,864 shares in the last quarter. 97.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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First BanCorp. Stock Down 0.6 %

FBP stock opened at $21.02 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a 50-day moving average of $20.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $18.28. First BanCorp. has a 52-week low of $12.72 and a 52-week high of $22.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.76.

First BanCorp. Announces Dividend

First BanCorp. ( NYSE:FBP Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The bank reported $0.46 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.41 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $304.28 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $230.26 million. First BanCorp. had a return on equity of 21.86% and a net margin of 25.91%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.37 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that First BanCorp. will post 1.76 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 29th will be given a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 29th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.04%. First BanCorp.s dividend payout ratio is 36.57%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on FBP. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of First BanCorp. from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Piper Sandler started coverage on First BanCorp. in a report on Monday, August 26th. They set a neutral rating and a $22.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James assumed coverage on shares of First BanCorp. in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $21.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Hovde Group boosted their target price on shares of First BanCorp. from $21.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, First BanCorp. presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $20.83.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on First BanCorp.

Insider Activity at First BanCorp.

In related news, EVP Michael Mcdonald sold 7,612 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.65, for a total value of $164,799.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 89,420 shares in the company, valued at $1,935,943. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other First BanCorp. news, EVP Michael Mcdonald sold 7,612 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.65, for a total value of $164,799.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 89,420 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,935,943. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Carlos Power sold 22,896 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.53, for a total transaction of $492,950.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 232,340 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,002,280.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 80,508 shares of company stock worth $1,748,251. Company insiders own 2.50% of the companys stock.

First BanCorp. Company Profile

(Free Report)

First BanCorp. operates as a bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico that provides a range of financial products and services to consumers and commercial customers. The company operates through six segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Mortgage Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations.

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Greggs plc (LON:GRG  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 3,200 ($42.08) and last traded at GBX 3,144 ($41.34), with a volume of 129656 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 3,170 ($41.68).

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on GRG. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an overweight rating and issued a GBX 3,335 ($43.85) price target on shares of Greggs in a report on Wednesday, May 15th. Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on shares of Greggs from GBX 3,340 ($43.92) to GBX 3,600 ($47.34) and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Shore Capital reissued a house stock rating on shares of Greggs in a report on Tuesday, May 14th.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Greggs

Greggs Stock Performance

Greggs Cuts Dividend

The company has a market capitalization of 3.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,361.76, a P/E/G ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 1.43. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 2,999.25 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 2,876.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 66.19.

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 5th will be given a dividend of GBX 19 ($0.25) per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. This represents a yield of 0.65%. Greggss dividend payout ratio is currently 4,850.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Roisin Currie acquired 58 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 2,846 ($37.42) per share, with a total value of 1,650.68 ($2,170.52). 5.96% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Greggs

(Get Free Report)

Greggs plc operates as a food-on-the-go retailer in the United Kingdom. It offers a range of fresh bakery products, sandwiches, and drinks. The company sells products to franchise and wholesale partners for sale in their own outlets. It is also involved in the property holding, non-trading, and trustee businesses.

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Gries Financial LLC lessened its stake in The Progressive Co. (NYSE:PGR  Free Report) by 34.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,347 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 1,227 shares during the period. Gries Financial LLCs holdings in Progressive were worth $487,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PGR. WR Wealth Planners LLC lifted its position in Progressive by 119.6% during the second quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC now owns 123 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new stake in shares of Progressive during the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. Sachetta LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Progressive in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Northwest Bank & Trust Co purchased a new position in Progressive during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Hilltop National Bank increased its position in Progressive by 126.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 165 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.34% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Progressive

In related news, CAO Mariann Wojtkun Marshall sold 650 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.11, for a total value of $135,271.50. Following the completion of 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 legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CAO Mariann Wojtkun Marshall sold 650 shares of Progressive stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $208.11, for a total value of $135,271.50. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,981 shares in the company, valued at approximately $828,485.91. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Philip Bleser sold 2,129 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.08, for a total value of $466,421.32. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 974 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $213,383.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 103,984 shares of company stock valued at $22,564,766 in the last three months. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have weighed in on PGR. Roth Mkm raised their price target on Progressive from $235.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Progressive from $210.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Progressive from $239.00 to $237.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Progressive from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of Progressive from $243.00 to $246.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $252.24.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Progressive

Progressive Stock Up 0.6 %

PGR stock opened at $253.91 on Thursday. The Progressive Co. has a one year low of $133.15 and a one year high of $254.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.31. The firms fifty day moving average is $223.88 and its 200 day moving average is $211.99. The firm has a market cap of $148.71 billion, a PE ratio of 25.99, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.35.

Progressive (NYSE:PGR  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The insurance provider reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.04 by $0.61. The firm had revenue of $17.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.54 billion. Progressive had a return on equity of 33.01% and a net margin of 10.17%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 21.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.57 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that The Progressive Co. will post 12.2 EPS for the current year.

Progressive Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 3rd will be given a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.16%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 3rd. Progressives dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.09%.

About Progressive

(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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Gries Financial LLC decreased its position in L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX  Free Report) by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,545 shares of the companys stock after selling 129 shares during the quarter. Gries Financial LLCs holdings in L3Harris Technologies were worth $1,021,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bfsg LLC bought a new stake in L3Harris Technologies in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. EntryPoint Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 70.4% in the first quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 167 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 77.7% during the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 183 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Family Firm Inc. bought a new stake in L3Harris Technologies during the second quarter worth $45,000. 84.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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L3Harris Technologies Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of LHX stock opened at $236.47 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.39, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.73. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $230.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $220.40. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $160.25 and a 1 year high of $245.60. 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 Dividend Announcement

L3Harris Technologies ( NYSE:LHX Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. L3Harris Technologies had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 5.73%. The company had revenue of $5.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.30 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.97 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that L3Harris Technologies, Inc. will post 13.06 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a $1.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend 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 currently 75.32%.

Insider Activity at L3Harris Technologies

In other L3Harris Technologies news, SVP Scott T. Mikuen sold 15,887 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.00, for a total value of $3,733,445.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 47,616 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,189,760. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, VP Sean J. Stackley sold 3,354 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.73, for a total transaction of $726,912.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 14,186 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,074,531.78. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Scott T. Mikuen sold 15,887 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $235.00, for a total transaction of $3,733,445.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 47,616 shares in the company, valued at $11,189,760. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 33,122 shares of company stock valued at $7,612,739. Corporate insiders own 0.82% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on LHX shares. Morgan Stanley downgraded L3Harris Technologies from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $275.00 to $257.00 in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of L3Harris Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $245.00 to $257.00 in a report on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of L3Harris Technologies from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of L3Harris Technologies from $245.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of L3Harris Technologies from $262.00 to $260.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, L3Harris Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $247.08.

View Our Latest Research Report on L3Harris Technologies

About L3Harris Technologies

(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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LHX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX  Free Report).

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Pzena Investment Management LLC raised its position in HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:HDB  Free Report) by 9.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 310,736 shares of the banks stock after buying an additional 26,676 shares during the quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLCs holdings in HDFC Bank were worth $19,990,000 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. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of HDFC Bank during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new position in shares of HDFC Bank during the 1st quarter worth $34,000. Janiczek Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of HDFC Bank during the 1st quarter worth $35,000. Ridgewood Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of HDFC Bank during the 2nd quarter worth $36,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of HDFC Bank during the 1st quarter worth $56,000. 17.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of HDFC Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, June 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of HDFC Bank from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd.

HDFC Bank Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HDB opened at $61.70 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $114.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.93, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.92. HDFC Bank Limited has a 52 week low of $52.16 and a 52 week high of $67.44. The companys 50-day moving average price is $60.99 and its 200 day moving average price is $58.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37.

HDFC Bank (NYSE:HDB  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, July 22nd. The bank reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.27. The company had revenue of $14.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.81 billion. HDFC Bank had a net margin of 14.69% and a return on equity of 12.64%. As a group, research analysts forecast that HDFC Bank Limited will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HDFC Bank Profile

(Free Report)

HDFC Bank Limited provides banking and financial services to individuals and businesses in India, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Dubai. The company operates in three segments: Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking, and Treasury Services. It accepts savings, salary, current, rural, public provident fund, pension, and demat accounts; fixed and recurring deposits; and safe deposit lockers, as well as offshore accounts and deposits, and overdrafts against fixed deposits.

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Hilton Food Group (LON:HFG  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reissued by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research note issued on Thursday, Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 1,105 ($14.53) price objective on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price target would suggest a potential upside of 17.30% from the companys previous close.

Separately, Shore Capital reiterated a house stock rating on shares of Hilton Food Group in a research note on Wednesday.

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Hilton Food Group Stock Performance

Hilton Food Group Company Profile

LON:HFG opened at GBX 942 ($12.39) on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 153.45, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.17. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 928.54 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 893.84. The firm has a market capitalization of 844.03 million, a PE ratio of 2,355.00, a P/E/G ratio of 17.31 and a beta of 0.57. Hilton Food Group has a 52-week low of GBX 634.03 ($8.34) and a 52-week high of GBX 996 ($13.10).

(Get Free Report)

Hilton Food Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the food packing business. It offers beef, pork, lamb, poultry, seafood, and vegan and vegetarian food, such as steak, roast, diced, mince, meatloaf, sausages, burgers, meatballs ribs, chops, bacon, gammon, schnitzel, pulled belly, rib rack, smoked loin, shanks, carcass, chicken kabab, chicken drumsticks, chicken tight, chicken wings, half chicken, duck leg, duck half, coated, salmon, white fish, shellfish, fish cakes, smoked salmon, strips, nuggets, pulled, and balls.

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Hohimer Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 427,910 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $4,583,000. Barclays makes up 1.1% of Hohimer Wealth Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 18th largest holding.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC boosted its stake in Barclays by 231.3% in the 4th quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 2,323,096 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $18,306,000 after purchasing an additional 1,621,896 shares in the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP boosted its stake in shares of Barclays by 65.9% during the 4th quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 1,750,257 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,792,000 after acquiring an additional 695,502 shares in the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI grew its position in shares of Barclays by 6,028.3% during the 1st quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 1,718,379 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $16,239,000 after acquiring an additional 1,690,339 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in Barclays by 20.9% in the 1st quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 1,533,600 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $14,493,000 after purchasing an additional 265,200 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Barclays by 1,502.3% during the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,346,178 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $12,711,000 after purchasing an additional 1,262,165 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 3.39% of the companys stock.

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Barclays Price Performance

NYSE BCS traded up $0.38 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $12.12. The stock had a trading volume of 9,867,003 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,976,179. The firms 50 day moving average is $11.58 and its 200 day moving average is $10.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.98, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.76, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.44. Barclays PLC has a twelve month low of $6.23 and a twelve month high of $12.49.

Barclays Increases Dividend

Barclays ( NYSE:BCS Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.40 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $7.98 billion during the quarter. Barclays had a net margin of 16.83% and a return on equity of 5.94%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.43 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Barclays PLC will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a $0.2684 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. This is an increase from Barclayss previous semi-annual dividend of $0.27. This represents a dividend yield of 3.6%. Barclayss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.64%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on BCS. Kepler Capital Markets initiated coverage on Barclays in a research note on Thursday. They set a buy rating for the company. StockNews.com raised shares of Barclays from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Barclays in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. They set a buy rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

Read Our Latest Analysis on BCS

Barclays Profile

(Free Report)

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through Barclays UK and Barclays International division segments. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.

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Shares of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:IRS  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $11.70 and last traded at $11.52, with a volume of 71829 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $11.34.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the company from $10.50 to $13.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 14th.

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IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima Stock Performance

Institutional Trading of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima

The company has a market capitalization of $862.30 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.63 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.52 and a quick ratio of 0.52. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $9.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $9.49.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new position in IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Stokes Family Office LLC lifted its holdings in shares of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima by 11.2% during the 1st quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 44,805 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $419,000 after purchasing an additional 4,525 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima by 65.9% during the 4th quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 22,900 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $197,000 after purchasing an additional 9,100 shares in the last quarter. Deuterium Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima during the 1st quarter valued at about $96,000. Finally, Advisors Preferred LLC bought a new position in shares of IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima during the 1st quarter valued at about $94,000. 45.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima

(Get Free Report)

IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anonima, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the diversified real estate activities in Argentina. It operates through five segments: Shopping Malls, Offices, Hotels, Sales and Developments, and Others. The company is involved in the acquisition, development, and operation of shopping malls, office buildings, and other non-shopping mall properties primarily for rental purposes.

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John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE:JHI  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, September 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.3134 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, September 30th. This represents a $1.25 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.10%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This is a positive change from John Hancock Investors Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.22.

John Hancock Investors Trust has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 13.8% annually over the last three years.

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John Hancock Investors Trust Trading Up 1.0 %

Shares of JHI opened at $13.78 on Thursday. John Hancock Investors Trust has a fifty-two week low of $11.63 and a fifty-two week high of $13.85. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $13.45 and a two-hundred day moving average of $13.33.

John Hancock Investors Trust Company Profile

John Hancock Investors Trust 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. It invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of corporate and government bonds, debt securities.

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Shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Get Free Report) traded up 0.6% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $167.02 and last traded at $166.92. 1,661,511 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 77% from the average session volume of 7,241,127 shares. The stock had previously closed at $165.86.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Daiwa Capital Markets lowered Johnson & Johnson from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $175.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $167.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. TD Securities reduced their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $185.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Johnson & Johnson from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, August 16th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $173.21.

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Johnson & Johnson Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $156.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $153.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a market cap of $397.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.52.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 17th. The company reported $2.82 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $22.45 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.33 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.80 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.02 EPS for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The company 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. This represents a $4.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.01%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 27th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio is currently 30.92%.

Insider Activity at Johnson & Johnson

In related news, VP Robert J. Decker sold 5,635 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.06, for a total value of $930,113.10. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 18,973 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,131,683.38. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Johnson & Johnson

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JNJ. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 4th quarter worth about $44,000. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the 2nd quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. boosted its stake in shares of 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 during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.55% of the companys stock.

About Johnson & Johnson

(Get 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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Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN  Get Free Report) shares shot up 3.5% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $5.60 and last traded at $5.57. 5,567,799 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 20,523,965 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.38.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LUMN has been the topic of several research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Lumen Technologies from a sell rating to a neutral rating and upped their price objective for the company from $1.00 to $4.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Lumen Technologies from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and upped their price target for the stock from $1.75 to $4.00 in a research note on Friday, August 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Lumen Technologies from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Moffett Nathanson upped their target price on Lumen Technologies from $1.00 to $3.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Bank of America increased their target price on Lumen Technologies from $1.00 to $2.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have given a hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Lumen Technologies has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $3.74.

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Lumen Technologies Trading Up 2.0 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 39.51. The firm has a market cap of $5.57 billion, a P/E ratio of -0.51 and a beta of 1.14. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $3.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.07.

Lumen Technologies (NYSE:LUMN  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The technology company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $3.27 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.25 billion. Lumen Technologies had a negative return on equity of 18.52% and a negative net margin of 15.06%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.10 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Lumen Technologies, Inc. will post -0.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Lumen Technologies news, Director James Fowler purchased 10,000 shares of Lumen Technologies stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $4.70 per share, for a total transaction of $47,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 384,056 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,805,063.20. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 1.68% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lumen Technologies

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Lumen Technologies by 1.7% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,303,220 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $187,673,000 after acquiring an additional 1,975,400 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Lumen Technologies by 28.2% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 26,304,001 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $48,136,000 after purchasing an additional 5,782,249 shares during the last quarter. Front Street Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Lumen Technologies by 30.1% in the 2nd quarter. Front Street Capital Management Inc. now owns 11,661,112 shares of the technology companys stock worth $12,827,000 after buying an additional 2,697,423 shares during the period. Palestra Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Lumen Technologies by 71.0% in the 4th quarter. Palestra Capital Management LLC now owns 11,167,585 shares of the technology companys stock worth $20,437,000 after buying an additional 4,637,585 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in shares of Lumen Technologies by 11.6% during the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 8,873,803 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $9,761,000 after buying an additional 919,300 shares during the period. 66.19% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lumen Technologies Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Lumen Technologies, Inc, a facilities-based technology and communications company, provides various integrated products and services to business and residential customers in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Business and Mass Markets. It offers dark fiber, edge cloud services, internet protocol, managed security, software-defined wide area networks, secure access service edge, unified communications and collaboration, and optical wavelengths services; ethernet and VPN data networks services; and legacy services to manage cash flow, including time division multiplexing voice, private line, and other legacy services, as well as sells communication equipment, and IT solutions.

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Shakari Briggs is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at shakari.briggs@houstonchronicle.com.

Before joining the Chronicle in November 2023, she worked for Spectrum News as a digital journalist based in her hometown. Shakari comes to the Houston newsroom with experience in broadcast reporting and producing as a former multimedia journalist and associate producer. The Dallas native has also worked at small to medium-sized newspapers throughout her career.

Her reporting on the rise and fall of a shopping mall won an Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors Contest award. She also earned an Arkansas Press Association award for freelance reporting.
Journey Advisory Group LLC decreased its stake in Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI  Free Report) by 11.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,205 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after selling 395 shares during the period. Journey Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Motorola Solutions were worth $1,237,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MSI. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its position in Motorola Solutions by 8.9% in the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 189,360 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $67,219,000 after purchasing an additional 15,488 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 15.6% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 24,237 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $7,589,000 after purchasing an additional 3,278 shares during the last quarter. First Foundation Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 37.7% in the 1st quarter. First Foundation Advisors now owns 354 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $126,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the period. BDF Gestion purchased a new position in Motorola Solutions in the second quarter valued at about $7,377,000. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Motorola Solutions by 29.8% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 20,036 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $6,273,000 after acquiring an additional 4,594 shares in the last quarter. 84.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

MSI has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $372.00 to $467.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $370.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of Motorola Solutions from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 30th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $460.00 to $510.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Motorola Solutions from $436.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Motorola Solutions presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $466.17.

Motorola Solutions Price Performance

Shares of Motorola Solutions stock traded down $2.03 on Thursday, reaching $435.42. 62,278 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 662,159. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.03, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.20. The firm has a market cap of $72.63 billion, a PE ratio of 54.08, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.94. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a one year low of $269.64 and a one year high of $448.98. The firms 50 day moving average is $406.57 and its 200-day moving average is $371.97.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The communications equipment provider reported $3.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.01 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $2.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.59 billion. Motorola Solutions had a return on equity of 337.36% and a net margin of 14.04%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.41 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 12.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Motorola Solutions Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.90%. Motorola Solutionss dividend payout ratio is presently 48.45%.

Insider Activity

In other news, COO John P. Molloy sold 23,985 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $407.50, for a total transaction of $9,773,887.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 46,821 shares of the companys stock, valued at $19,079,557.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, COO John P. Molloy sold 23,985 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 46,821 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,079,557.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Rajan Naik sold 5,274 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $373.81, for a total transaction of $1,971,473.94. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 8,939 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,341,487.59. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 29,949 shares of company stock worth $12,002,807 in the last quarter. 1.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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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Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) by 0.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 156,165 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 947 shares during the quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KSs holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $22,291,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 38.1% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 94,544 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,781,000 after purchasing an additional 26,067 shares in the last quarter. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 37.0% in the 4th quarter. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. now owns 60,356 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,244,000 after purchasing an additional 16,293 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New Hampshire raised its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 1,356.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 13,257 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,702,000 after purchasing an additional 12,347 shares in the last quarter. Cim LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter valued at about $23,547,000. Finally, Burford Brothers Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,045,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 11.54% of the companys stock.

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Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance

NYSE NVO traded down $3.42 on Thursday, hitting $131.11. The stock had a trading volume of 1,633,932 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,325,301. Novo Nordisk A/S has a one year low of $86.96 and a one year high of $148.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The stock has a market cap of $588.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.42. The companys 50-day moving average is $135.30 and its two-hundred day moving average is $132.43.

Novo Nordisk A/S Cuts Dividend

Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.71 by ($0.06). Novo Nordisk A/S had a return on equity of 87.43% and a net margin of 34.86%. The firm had revenue of $9.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.91 billion. On average, analysts expect that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.11 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th were given a $0.5126 dividend. 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 24.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on NVO shares. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of 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. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $125.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Monday, August 19th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They set a buy rating and a $156.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Novo Nordisk A/S currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $145.17.

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Novo Nordisk A/S 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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Pacific Life Fund Advisors LLC trimmed its position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWO  Free Report) by 4.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 118,215 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 5,717 shares during the period. iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF accounts for approximately 3.1% of Pacific Life Fund Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position. Pacific Life Fund Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF were worth $31,035,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. FineMark National Bank & Trust lifted its stake in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 8.7% in the 2nd quarter. FineMark National Bank & Trust now owns 7,495 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,968,000 after purchasing an additional 603 shares during the last quarter. Vance Wealth Inc. boosted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 3.2% during the second quarter. Vance Wealth Inc. now owns 9,631 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,528,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 19.5% in the 2nd quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 257 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 10,595 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $2,782,000 after buying an additional 370 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vawter Financial Ltd. increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 11.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vawter Financial Ltd. now owns 4,984 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,308,000 after acquiring an additional 522 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF stock traded down $1.85 during trading on Thursday, hitting $269.31. 167,024 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 466,500. The firms fifty day moving average is $272.09 and its 200-day moving average is $264.99. iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $203.42 and a 52 week high of $291.61. The stock has a market cap of $11.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.25 and a beta of 1.31.

iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell 2000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market.

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Pzena Investment Management LLC cut its position in Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL  Free Report) by 21.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,187 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 611 shares during the quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLCs holdings in Dell Technologies were worth $302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Accordant Advisory Group Inc bought a new position in shares of Dell Technologies in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 58.2% in the first quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 223 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Dell Technologies in the second quarter valued at $34,000. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. bought a new position in shares of Dell Technologies in the first quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Central Bank & Trust Co. bought a new position in shares of Dell Technologies in the first quarter valued at $34,000. 38.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Dell Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE DELL opened at $109.07 on Thursday. Dell Technologies Inc. has a 52 week low of $63.90 and a 52 week high of $179.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $77.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.26, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.92. The stocks fifty day moving average is $118.60 and its 200 day moving average is $123.06.

Dell Technologies Dividend Announcement

Dell Technologies ( NYSE:DELL Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 29th. The technology company reported $1.89 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.40. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 182.71% and a net margin of 4.32%. The company had revenue of $25.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.44 earnings per share. Dell Technologiess revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Dell Technologies Inc. will post 6.86 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 23rd were given a $0.445 dividend. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.63%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 23rd. Dell Technologiess payout ratio is currently 36.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

DELL has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $150.00 to $140.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Loop Capital raised their price target on Dell Technologies from $125.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 28th. Citigroup raised their price target on Dell Technologies from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 30th. UBS Group cut their price target on Dell Technologies from $164.00 to $158.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 30th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on Dell Technologies from $97.00 to $106.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $136.80.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on DELL

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Dell Technologies news, CEO Michael S. Dell sold 1,340,823 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.67, for a total value of $179,227,810.41. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 28,931,999 shares in the company, valued at $3,867,340,306.33. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Dell Technologies news, CEO Michael S. Dell sold 1,340,823 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.67, for a total transaction of $179,227,810.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 28,931,999 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,867,340,306.33. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Lake Group L.L.C. Silver sold 25,381 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.42, for a total value of $3,411,714.02. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 787,669 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $105,878,466.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,902,278 shares of company stock worth $942,086,320. Company insiders own 46.70% of the companys stock.

Dell Technologies Profile

(Free Report)

Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG).

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Range Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of McKesson Co. (NYSE:MCK  Free Report) by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 706 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 33 shares during the period. Range Financial Group LLCs holdings in McKesson were worth $412,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCK. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of McKesson by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,362,837 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,342,190,000 after buying an additional 46,659 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of McKesson in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,024,140,000. Putnam Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of McKesson by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 1,997,963 shares of the companys stock valued at $925,017,000 after buying an additional 62,242 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB bought a new stake in shares of McKesson in the 1st quarter valued at about $669,326,000. Finally, Boston Partners boosted its holdings in shares of McKesson by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,183,829 shares of the companys stock valued at $635,763,000 after buying an additional 47,140 shares in the last quarter. 85.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at McKesson

In related news, Director Maria Martinez sold 483 shares of McKesson stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.88, for a total value of $282,980.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, Director Maria Martinez sold 483 shares of McKesson stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.88, for a total value of $282,980.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Brian S. Tyler sold 3,753 shares of McKesson stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $626.03, for a total transaction of $2,349,490.59. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,339 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,546,684.17. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 8,589 shares of company stock valued at $5,163,981 in the last 90 days. 0.11% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

McKesson Stock Down 6.0 %

Shares of NYSE MCK traded down $34.49 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $536.79. 315,603 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 738,515. The firm has a market cap of $69.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.53, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.44. McKesson Co. has a twelve month low of $405.50 and a twelve month high of $637.51. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $577.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $557.63.

McKesson (NYSE:MCK  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $7.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.21 by $0.67. The business had revenue of $79.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $82.53 billion. McKesson had a net margin of 0.94% and a negative return on equity of 242.57%. The businesss revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $7.27 EPS. Research analysts expect that McKesson Co. will post 32.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McKesson Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.71 per share. This is a boost from McKessons previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.53%. McKessons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.69%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on MCK. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of McKesson from $590.00 to $670.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Argus increased their price objective on shares of McKesson from $570.00 to $670.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Evercore ISI decreased their price objective on shares of McKesson from $660.00 to $630.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of McKesson from $502.00 to $551.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of McKesson from $547.00 to $545.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen 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 price target of $620.29.

View Our Latest Research Report on MCK

McKesson Profile

(Free Report)

McKesson Corporation provides healthcare services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Pharmaceutical, Prescription Technology Solutions (RxTS), Medical-Surgical Solutions, and International. The U.S. Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded, generic, specialty, biosimilar and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, and other healthcare-related products.

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Rogers Communications (TSE:RCI.B  Get Free Report) (NYSE:RCI) had its price target hoisted by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from C$65.00 to C$67.00 in a research note issued on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. BMO Capital Markets price target indicates a potential upside of 20.31% from the companys previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on RCI.B. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Rogers Communications from C$80.00 to C$69.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on Rogers Communications from C$67.00 to C$65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered Rogers Communications from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their target price for the company from C$59.00 to C$57.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Cormark lowered their price target on Rogers Communications from C$74.00 to C$72.00 in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, TD Securities cut their price objective on shares of Rogers Communications from C$74.00 to C$70.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$69.29.

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Rogers Communications Stock Up 1.5 %

Rogers Communications Company Profile

Shares of TSE RCI.B traded up C$0.81 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching C$55.69. 766,554 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,485,112. The stock has a market cap of C$23.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.17, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 436.50. The firm has a 50-day moving average of C$52.69 and a 200 day moving average of C$54.31. Rogers Communications has a 1 year low of C$48.67 and a 1 year high of C$64.71.

(Get Free Report)

Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses.

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Shaker Financial Services LLC increased its position in shares of The European Equity Fund, Inc. (NYSE:EEA  Free Report) by 4.0% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 375,603 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 14,576 shares during the period. The European Equity Fund accounts for about 1.4% of Shaker Financial Services LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Shaker Financial Services LLC owned about 0.05% of The European Equity Fund worth $3,374,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wolverine Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of The European Equity Fund by 55.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 32,733 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $294,000 after buying an additional 11,723 shares in the last quarter. Matisse Capital acquired a new stake in shares of The European Equity Fund during the 1st quarter valued at about $330,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its stake in The European Equity Fund by 1.6% in the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 192,009 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,710,000 after acquiring an additional 3,098 shares during the period. Uncommon Cents Investing LLC raised its position in The European Equity Fund by 1.6% in the first quarter. Uncommon Cents Investing LLC now owns 305,063 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,718,000 after purchasing an additional 4,750 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in The European Equity Fund by 2.0% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 696,458 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $6,255,000 after purchasing an additional 13,335 shares during the period. 51.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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The European Equity Fund Stock Up 0.7 %

NYSE EEA traded up $0.06 during trading on Thursday, reaching $9.27. 6,505 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,869. The European Equity Fund, Inc. has a 1-year low of $7.45 and a 1-year high of $9.44. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $9.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $8.97.

The European Equity Fund Company Profile

The European Equity Fund, Inc is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched by Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc The fund is managed by Deutsche Asset Management International GmbH. It invests in the public equity markets of Europe. The fund seeks to invest in the stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Phoenix New Media (NYSE:FENG  Get Free Report) in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage set a hold rating on the information services providers stock.

Phoenix New Media Trading Up 4.9 %

Shares of NYSE:FENG opened at $2.69 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $3.25 and a 200 day moving average of $2.44. The company has a market cap of $32.46 million, a PE ratio of -3.31 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a current ratio of 2.86, a quick ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Phoenix New Media has a 12-month low of $1.10 and a 12-month high of $4.15.

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Phoenix New Media (NYSE:FENG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 13th. The information services provider reported ($0.06) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $23.16 million for the quarter. Phoenix New Media had a negative net margin of 6.60% and a negative return on equity of 3.95%.

Phoenix New Media Company Profile

Phoenix New Media Limited provides content on an integrated Internet platform in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through two segments, Net Advertising Services and Paid Services. It offers content and services through PC channel, mobile channel, and telecom operators, as well as transmits content to TV viewers, primarily through Phoenix TV.

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Strategy Asset Managers LLC decreased its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR  Free Report) by 58.2% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,884 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 2,620 shares during the quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLCs holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $371,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of BR. LifeSteps Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Manchester Capital Management LLC grew its position in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 57.1% in the 4th quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 165 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the period. Finally, New Covenant Trust Company N.A. acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 1st quarter valued at $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.03% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Broadridge Financial Solutions

In related news, President Christopher John Perry sold 162 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $210.00, for a total value of $34,020.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 67,267 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,126,070. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, President Christopher John Perry sold 162 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $210.00, for a total transaction of $34,020.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 67,267 shares in the company, valued at $14,126,070. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Leslie A. Brun sold 5,739 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $210.05, for a total value of $1,205,476.95. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 77,318 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,240,645.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 94,914 shares of company stock worth $19,815,248. Company insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE BR opened at $211.88 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.16 and a beta of 1.05. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a one year low of $166.73 and a one year high of $223.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 1.08. The businesss fifty day moving average is $208.02 and its 200-day moving average is $202.53.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The business services provider reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.49 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $1.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.96 billion. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 42.77% and a net margin of 10.73%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.21 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 8.51 EPS for the current year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, September 12th will be paid a $0.88 dividend. This is a boost from Broadridge Financial Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.80. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 12th. Broadridge Financial Solutionss payout ratio is currently 60.07%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BR has been the subject of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $224.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $239.00 to $246.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. DA Davidson reissued a neutral rating and issued a $185.00 price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, June 11th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 28th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $213.33.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on BR

Broadridge Financial Solutions Profile

(Free Report)

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.

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Shares of Teck Resources Ltd. (TSE:TCK  Get Free Report) have received an average rating of Buy from the four brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company.

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets raised Teck Resources from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Paradigm Capital upgraded Teck Resources to a moderate buy rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. TD Securities raised Teck Resources to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Eight Capital lowered shares of Teck Resources from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Teck Resources from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on TCK

Teck Resources Price Performance

Teck Resources Announces Dividend

Teck Resources ( TSE:TCK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported C$0.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$0.64 by C$0.15. The business had revenue of C$3.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$3.98 billion.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a dividend of $0.125 per share. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of . The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th.

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The historian running the memorial at Germany's former Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald is no stranger to hate crime and threats, but he fears more trouble ahead after the far-right AfD's election triumph.

Jens-Christian Wagner says the rise of the anti-immigration party, which won Thuringia state elections with 33 percent of the vote Sunday, reflects a hardening of attitudes that could spell new dangers.

"My colleagues and I have been upset and depressed since Sunday evening," said the director of the foundation that administers the site.

Wagner said he worries about worse to come after a spate of attacks in recent years, both on social media networks that have been "flooded with revisionist content" and on site, including swastika graffitis.

The Nazi symbol has also been scrawled into the Buchenwald memorial centre's visitors' book, and vandals have cut down trees planted at the site in memory of survivors of the camp.

"The opinions directed against our memorial will grow stronger and it will be more and more difficult to change people's minds," predicted Wagner, a grim expression on his face.

The state leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Thuringia, the former high school history teacher Bjoern Hoecke, is one of the party's best known and most radical figures.

He has urged a break with Germany's post-World War II culture of repentance for Nazi crimes and sparked public outrage in 2017 when he labelled Berlin's Holocaust Memorial a "monument of shame".

The Buchenwald site commemorates the deaths of more than 56,000 people between 1937 and 1945 out of around 280,000 prisoners there, among them Jews, eastern Europeans, political dissidents and disabled people.

Next April marks the 80th anniversary of the camp's liberation by US troops.

"Maybe nothing will go as planned," worried Wagner.

"Maybe we will have to re-install a police station," as was the case in the 1990s, when right-wing extremism flared in post-reunification eastern Germany, the historian added.

Wagner said he recently received four death threats, after sending a letter to 350,000 Thuringians to convince them not to vote for the AfD.

The AfD has little chance of entering government in Thuringia or elsewhere for now as all other political parties have refused to ally with it to form a government.

But Wagner fears the party, with its representation in the state parliament, could still work to reduce funding of the Buchenwald memorial, half of which is provided by the regional government.

In the event of a major budget cut, he said, it might have to limit the guided tours it offers.

Wagner also said that in future the memorial may use social media sites including TikTok to help spread its educational message.

Some local people may support the AfD, a decade-old party which opposes multiculturalism, Islam and environmentalism, while condemning historical revisionism and extremism.

Those who have defaced and vandalised the Buchenwald site "are idiots with no political motivation and do not represent the AfD," said pensioner Uwe Baumann, 63.

He had come to visit the former camp with Hungarian friends and was crossing a vast open area surrounded by barbed wire, near the camp's former crematorium.

"The AfD is seen as the black sheep, but it has no problem relating to the Nazi past," Baumann said.

Wagner, however, argued that "the AfD not only downplays Nazi crimes but also spreads positive references to Nazism".

The historian pointed out that Hoecke had included a song by poet Franz Langheinrich, one of the architects of Nazi cultural policy in the 1930s, in his election programme.

This year, courts have twice fined Hoecke for knowingly referencing a slogan once used by a Nazi paramilitary group at rallies.

German politicians and anti-fascist groups have voiced similar concerns.

"By downplaying the Holocaust, Bjoern Hoecke also denies the foundations of German democracy," said Lorenz Blumenthaler of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, an advocacy group committed to fighting the extreme right.

Germany's culture of remembrance, he said, was not "imposed by the government" but "comes from civil society".

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also voiced concerns about the shifting mood, speaking on Monday which marked the 10th anniversary of the creation of a memorial dedicated to disabled victims of Nazism.

"There are political forces that today are once again contesting (Nazi crimes), relativising or minimising them," he said.

"We are deeply ashamed of this."
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday after the company announced a dividend. The stock traded as high as $148.46 and last traded at $147.11, with a volume of 18738 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $146.99.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The Hanover Insurance Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 76.23%.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on THG shares. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $161.00 to $158.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $147.00 to $162.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. JMP Securities boosted their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $142.00 to $144.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, The Hanover Insurance Group presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $157.80.

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of $133.23 and a 200-day moving average of $131.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.03 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The insurance provider reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.88. The business had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.49 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a net margin of 4.44% and a return on equity of 12.42%. The Hanover Insurance Groups quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($1.91) EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 10.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Hanover Insurance Group

In related news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 8,468 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.01, for a total value of $1,219,476.68. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 36,281 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,224,826.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, SVP Warren E. Barnes sold 500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.25, for a total transaction of $69,125.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 3,013 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $416,547.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 8,468 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.01, for a total transaction of $1,219,476.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,281 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,224,826.81. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 10,852 shares of company stock valued at $1,541,491 in the last quarter. 2.40% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,623,766 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $439,998,000 after buying an additional 13,030 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 5.5% in the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,341,253 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $168,247,000 after purchasing an additional 70,161 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 1.6% in the first quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,008,866 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $137,377,000 after purchasing an additional 16,040 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 75.4% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 965,374 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $117,217,000 after purchasing an additional 414,993 shares during the period. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 802,033 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $100,607,000 after purchasing an additional 33,249 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.61% of the companys stock.

About The Hanover Insurance Group

(Get Free Report)

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, workers' compensation, and other commercial lines coverage.

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Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, June 7th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a dividend of 0.84 per share on Monday, September 30th. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.97%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th.

Trane Technologies has increased its dividend by an average of 12.3% annually over the last three years. Trane Technologies has a dividend payout ratio of 27.2% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Trane Technologies to earn $12.09 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.36 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 27.8%.

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Trane Technologies Price Performance

Shares of TT stock opened at $346.53 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $338.02 and its 200-day moving average is $319.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.17. Trane Technologies has a 52 week low of $184.02 and a 52 week high of $363.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $78.44 billion, a PE ratio of 37.02, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.01.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Trane Technologies ( NYSE:TT Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $3.30 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.08 by $0.22. Trane Technologies had a net margin of 12.33% and a return on equity of 33.97%. The firm had revenue of $5.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.68 EPS. The companys revenue was up 12.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Trane Technologies will post 10.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other news, CEO David S. Regnery sold 29,450 shares of Trane Technologies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $321.25, for a total transaction of $9,460,812.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 132,946 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,708,902.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Trane Technologies news, EVP Raymond D. Pittard sold 1,805 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was 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 approximately $27,447,862.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO David S. Regnery sold 29,450 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $321.25, for a total value of $9,460,812.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 132,946 shares in the company, valued at $42,708,902.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently weighed in on TT shares. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Trane Technologies from $360.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Trane Technologies from $310.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Stephens reiterated an equal weight rating and issued a $350.00 price target on shares of Trane Technologies in a report on Monday, August 5th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Trane Technologies from $330.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 3rd. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $385.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Trane Technologies presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $323.29.

View Our Latest Analysis on TT

About Trane Technologies

(Get 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.

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Vance Wealth Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF (NYSEARCA:IVLU  Free Report) by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 87,541 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,672 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF accounts for about 1.0% of Vance Wealth Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest holding. Vance Wealth Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF were worth $2,402,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of IVLU. Index Fund Advisors Inc. raised its position in iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF by 2.2% in the second quarter. Index Fund Advisors Inc. now owns 26,452 shares of the companys stock valued at $726,000 after purchasing an additional 571 shares during the last quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. boosted its position in iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF by 12.2% during the 2nd quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. now owns 8,237 shares of the companys stock worth $226,000 after buying an additional 896 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 25,722 shares of the companys stock worth $710,000 after acquiring an additional 785 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF by 13.5% in the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 29,477 shares of the companys stock valued at $809,000 after acquiring an additional 3,499 shares during the period. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF by 2.2% during the second quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 95,214 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,613,000 after acquiring an additional 2,092 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of IVLU opened at $28.77 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.80 billion, a PE ratio of 9.61 and a beta of 0.70. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $28.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.04. iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF has a 12 month low of $23.89 and a 12 month high of $29.30.

iShares MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF Company Profile

The iShares Edge MSCI Intl Value Factor ETF (IVLU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI World ex USA Enhanced Value index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap developed ex-US equities, selected using fundamental metrics, and weighted by these metrics and market-cap. IVLU was launched on Jun 16, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Weaver Capital Management LLC cut its stake in MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI  Free Report) by 8.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 634 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 61 shares during the period. Weaver Capital Management LLCs holdings in MSCI were worth $305,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Rise Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Crewe Advisors LLC acquired a new position in MSCI in the first quarter valued at approximately $34,000. American National Bank grew its holdings in MSCI by 1,300.0% during the 4th quarter. American National Bank now owns 70 shares of the technology companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the period. Finally, Ridgewood Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of MSCI during the 2nd quarter valued at $40,000. 89.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on MSCI. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $638.00 target price on shares of MSCI in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised MSCI to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on MSCI from $615.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Argus boosted their price objective on MSCI from $520.00 to $600.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of MSCI from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, MSCI presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $584.79.

MSCI Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:MSCI opened at $572.94 on Thursday. MSCI Inc. has a 12-month low of $439.95 and a 12-month high of $617.39. The companys 50 day moving average price is $532.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $521.88. The firm has a market cap of $45.06 billion, a PE ratio of 39.11, a PEG ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 1.10.

MSCI (NYSE:MSCI  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The technology company reported $3.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.55 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $707.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $696.41 million. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 143.09% and a net margin of 43.86%. MSCIs revenue for the quarter was up 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.26 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that MSCI Inc. will post 14.79 EPS for the current year.

MSCI Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th were paid a $1.60 dividend. This represents a $6.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 16th. MSCIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.69%.

MSCI Profile

(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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Jonathan Diamond is the business editor at the Houston Chronicle. He can be reached at jonathan.diamond@houstonchronicle.com.

Jonathan leads the Chronicle's business coverage and served as deputy business editor from 2019 to 2022. The former West Coast editor of CoStar News in Los Angeles, he was also previously editor of the Los Angeles Business Journal, leading it in 2016 to 16 national and regional journalism awards.

Jonathan holds a bachelors degree in journalism from Boston University and a masters in public policy from UCLA.
Top Southeast Asia exporter Vietnam needs more infrastructure investment: McKinsey

By Tri Duc Thu, September 5, 2024 | 9:25 pm GMT+7

As Southeast Asia's biggest exporter, Vietnam's projected infrastructure investment is below the optimum level required to match its trade growth, says McKinsey & Company.

Trade activities at Chu Lai port, Quang Nam province, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Thilogi.

In a Thursday commentary, the American consulting firm said Vietnam is currently the largest exporter in the region, with exports growing from $320 billion in 2019 to $440 billion in 2023, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2%.

The growth is largely driven by substantial FDI in the manufacturing sector, particularly in electronics. There are significant export flows between Vietnam and Europe, mainland China, and the United States, it noted.

Other major exporters in Southeast Asia are Indonesia, with value rising from $180 billion in 2019 to $290 billion in 2023, Malaysia from $280 billion to $370 billion, and Thailand from $257 billion to $314 billion.

China remains a dominant exporter. Photo courtesy of McKinsey.

However, McKinsey pointed out that even with all the expected exports and growth of production in Southeast Asia, China will likely stay the most important producer and exporter in the region.

The growth rate may be the same, but Chinas exports reached around $3.5 trillion in 2023, almost double the total of Southeast Asian volumes at $1.8 trillion.

Even as production ramps up in the region, China will continue to benefit from its achieved size and remain a major force in manufacturing, McKinsey added.

Investing in logistics infrastructure to meet export demand

The global supply chain is constantly changing, shaped by manufacturers around the world striving to limit risk, build resilience, manage costs, and explore new markets for production, McKinsey highlighted.

As many manufacturers seek to reduce their dependence on a single supply source, Southeast Asia is emerging as a prominent manufacturing hub. Indonesia and Vietnam are currently leading the manufacturing and trade flow shifts.

In 2023, Indonesia received about $33 billion in greenfield manufacturing FDI and Vietnam about $16 billion, the consulting firm stressed. The most prominent trend in Vietnam is increasing growth in electronics; and in Indonesia, in metals and chemicals.

The shift in FDI toward Southeast Asia underscores the strategic importance of these countries in the global supply chain. And for investors and logistics providers, this presents opportunities to capitalize on the growing demand for infrastructure and logistics services.

Governments in these countries have made significant infrastructure investments to support this growth. While substantial investments have been made or planned, McKinsey suggests that if trade continues on its current trajectory, there could be an additional $60 billion opportunity to provide trade infrastructure in the region.

Southeast Asia needs to invest more in infrastructure. Photo courtesy of McKinsey.

In particular, Vietnam announced infrastructure capital expenditure of $117.3 billion in 2025-2030, about $11.46 billion below the optimal figure. The country could hold potential for containerization of electronics shipments, McKinsey recommended.

In Vietnam, chemicals and electronics exports are growing fast and could represent areas of opportunity where logistics support may be needed.

Chemicals exports to mainland China have more than doubled since 2016, as have electronics exports to mainland China, Taiwan, and the United States. Overall, there has been increased containerization in Vietnams exports, suggesting another area for growth, McKinsey added.
A police officer died in the line of duty Wednesday, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

South Carolina State Transport Police Officer Mark Reynolds, a 43-year-old Florence native, suffered a medical emergency during training and died Wednesday night, Department of Public Safety officials said in a news release.

Reynolds cause of death has not been made public. Information about the type of training Reynolds was participating in when he suffered the medical emergency was not available.

The death of Officer First Class Reynolds is a profound loss, not only for the State Transport Police, but the entire Department of Public Safety, SCDPS Director Robert Woods said in the release. We are all hugging our families a little closer tonight and praying for Marks wife, children, friends and loved ones who are left reeling from this sudden loss.

After serving as a firefighter for more than a decade and working as a professional truck driver, Reynolds joined the State Transport Police in 2022, according to the release. He was assigned to Region 5, which includes Florence, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties, officials said.

Reynolds was the first State Transport Police officer to die in the line of duty since the division of the Department of Public Safety was created in 1993, according to the release.

Today is a very sad day for the State Transport Police. For anyone who knew Mark personally, he was well liked, respected and extremely dependable, STP Colonel Dwayne Wilson said in the release. He was committed to his job and lived a life of service to the state, through his years as a firefighter and most recently as one of our officers. He will be greatly missed.

The Department of Public Safety said information about a memorial service for Reynolds wasnt available, but it would be shared with the public when plans are made.
(TBTCO) - Gia xe SH moi nhat thang 10/2024 tai ai ly ang giam soc, mot so phien ban ang uoc ban re hon gia e xuat, ay la ieu hiem co cua dong xe Honda. Trong khi o, gia xe Vision tai ai ly ang o muc thap chua tung co, tinh trang oi gia cao gan nhu a khong con.
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PayTabs Group, Menas award-winning payments powerhouse, has revealed it is set to cross SR200 billion ($53.3 billion) in payment processing volumes by 2025.

This exponential growth is attributed to its payment orchestration platform, private labelling solutions and super app scaling businesses across the Mena region.

This aligns with the companys ambitious goal of achieving 200% to 400% year-on-year growth across established and emerging markets in the Mena region.

Expansion plans

PayTabs expansion plans include scaling its core payment and orchestration platform operations further in the region while working with central banks and large cards schemes this year. PayTabs orchestration platform has the ability to manage and process billions in payment volumes across the region, effortlessly per second through servers located inside Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and other Arab countries.

A glimpse of this orchestration technology has been showcased at the 24Fintech via a real-time live transaction feed with visitors curious to explore the platform and learn more about PayTabs secure, scalable, and frictionless payment processing capabilities.

Speaking at 24Fintech, Abdulaziz Al Jouf, PayTabs Group CEO and Founder, said: We are proud to be the leading partner for enterprises and governments, looking to streamline their payment processes and foster growth. We invite all businesses to visit us at 24Fintech to experience in real-time how our orchestration platform and super app is driving the regions payment economy.

Building and owning IP rights

The company has operated in the GCC & Middle East markets for a decade building and owning IP rights across payment core banking infra that enables governments and corporates to create its own independent and stand-alone payment platforms.

Business analysts at the 24 Fintech event are speculating that the company may be exploring new avenues to capitalise on its market-leading position via an Initial Public Offering, shortly.--TradeArabia News Service
A new whitepaper has stressed the critical need for greater public sector involvement to strengthen societal resilience in the event a catastrophic cyber event occurs.

The whitepaper is from Marsh McLennan, the worlds leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, and Zurich Insurance Group, a leading global multi-line insurer and provider of resilience services.

The whitepaper, Closing the cyber risk protection gap, emphasises the urgent need for innovative solutions to close the gap between risk and insurance  particularly for small and medium-size businesses that are often uninsured or underinsured  as rapidly-evolving cyber threats are outpacing the capacity of traditional insurance and risk management solutions to fully mitigate them.

Mass malware

It highlights mass malware and mass cloud outage as examples of cyber incidents that are currently considered insurable up to a certain level of financial loss, and events such as critical infrastructure failure, which are generally considered uninsurable.

John Doyle, President & Chief Executive Officer, Marsh McLennan, said: The severe threat presented by cyber risks requires collective action to bridge the protection gap. The insurance industry and the public sector must fully understand the spectrum of insurable and currently non-insurable cyber events. Through greater collaboration, we can develop innovative solutions, inform insurance buyers, enhance the cyber insurance market, and establish robust public-private partnerships that safeguard our society and economy from potentially catastrophic cyber events.

Mario Greco, Group Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Insurance Group, said: The threat of cyberattacks poses a significant risk to both societal and economic stability. As insurers, we can offer some degree of protection, but we must acknowledge that large-scale, catastrophic cyber events present substantial accumulation risks that cannot be borne by the private sector alone.

Therefore, enhancing cyber resilience is vital to addressing this protection gap. Achieving this requires strong public-private partnerships to develop comprehensive strategies that secure our digital future.

Protection gap

According to the whitepaper, establishing a common framework for data sharing, greater and more meaningful collaboration, and innovation between the insurance industry and public sector is required to help tackle this protection gap, strengthen resilience, and safeguard societies and economies from the escalating cyber threat landscape. This not only includes ransomware attacks and threats from bad actors, but global IT outages and other increasingly interconnected incidents.

The framework would include robust incentives as an alternative to further regulation, methods to measure quantifiable catastrophic cyber risk, and strategies to manage unquantifiable cyber risk through public-private partnerships.

The whitepaper asserts that these measures could help sustain the broader economy and create capacity for the insurance market to support society against the backdrop of severe financial accumulation risks.--TradeArabia News Service
Saipem has been awarded two offshore contracts in Saudi Arabia under its existing Long-Term Agreement with Aramco. The overall value of the two contracts is approximately $1 billion.

Saipems scope of work under the first contract involves the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of three production deck modules (PDMs), 33 km of subsea rigid pipelines with diameters of 12 inches and 16 inches, and 34 km of subsea power cables. The infrastructures will be installed in the Marjan oil and gas field.

The second contract involves the EPCI of three jackets, five PDMs (Production Deck Modules), 22 km of subsea rigid pipelines with a diameter of 16 inches, 5 kilometers of subsea flexible pipelines, and 35 km of subsea power cables. The infrastructures will be installed in the Zuluf and Safaniyah oil fields.

For the offshore component of the two projects, Saipem will deploy its construction vessels that are operating in the region.

The fabrication related to the projects will be executed at Saipems Saudi fabrication yard, Saipem Taqa Al-Rushaid Fabricators, aiming to increase and develop the capabilities of local industry.

The awards strengthen Saipems presence in Saudi Arabia and its longstanding relationship with Aramco. -TradeArabia News Service
The inimitable bio-exorcist Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton, with Bob, rear) returns in director Tim Burtons Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Parisa Taghizadeh/TNS Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is back in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," a sequel to the 1988 film "Beetlejuice." Warner Bros. Pictures Michael Keaton returns as the title character in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," Warner Bros. Pictures

Its hard to overstate the impact Tim Burtons Beetlejuice had on the culture in 1988  in fact, it feels like the rascally, wild-haired bio-exorcist memorably embodied by Michael Keaton has simply always been around, especially for a subset of millennials who grew up with the zany horror comedy on repeat. The Oscar-winning film was a critical and commercial success, it spawned an animated series and later a Broadway musical, and now, 36 years after Beetlejuice made young Winona Ryder a star, a sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, finally skitters into theaters.

The idea of a follow-up to the hit film has long been bandied about, with scripts for Beetlejuice in Love and Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian having been written, but it took three decades for something to come together, and this current cultural moment demands a lega-sequel, given the appetite for anything and everything nostalgic.

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Unfortunately, Beetlejuice fans will have to abandon the leis and board shorts, because this long-awaited sequel takes place right back where we started, in Winter River, Connecticut (and the afterlife, of course). Ryders iconic character, Lydia Deetz  who defined quirky-Goth Gen X cool with her spiky bangs and sarcastic sense of black humor  is now, like most women of her generation, a mom with a job. She hosts a paranormal talk show called Ghost House, and, karmically, struggles to parent a surly teen, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), who eye-rolls at moms new boyfriend, Rory (Justin Theroux), her producer, who is obsessed with overly sensitive therapy speak.

The Deetz women, including Lydias stepmother, conceptual artist Delia (Catherine OHara), are compelled to reconvene in Winter River upon the occasion of Lydias father Charles death. (Charles Deetz, played in the original film by Jeffrey Jones, is here rendered a particularly gruesome claymation death, by plane crash and shark attack, and his character wanders around the afterlife with his head and shoulders chomped off.)

Catherin O'Hara, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder and Justin Theroux star in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Warner Bros. Pictures

While the original film is a wacky family comedy about death and real estate, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice attempts to be a bit more, stretching to find emotional resonance in what it means to connect with the dead. Astrid is a cynic who refuses to believe in ghosts, but when she has the opportunity to visit the afterlife, she jumps at it, simply because she misses her deceased father (Santiago Cabrera) so much. Lydia, tormented by visions of ghosts and sensing the presence of Beetlejuice close by, needs to make peace with her hauntings.

Speaking of the old boy, hes got his own issues going on downstairs, namely an ex-wife (Monica Bellucci), stapled together and stalking him around his workplace, glowering beautifully. Belluccis stylish but underwritten role is indicative of some of the systemic issues that plague Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which is, namely, too many celebrities. Certain roles are nothing more than glorified cameos (Danny DeVito) while others feel shoehorned in and distracting from the main plot (Willem Dafoe as a dead actor turned noir-ish afterlife detective).

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'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Rated PG-13: violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use Running time: 105 minutes Where: Opens Friday throughout Houston  (out of 5)

After a first hour that feels somewhat forced and overly contrived, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice coheres for a brief moment in the middle, and we get to see some of the weird and wonderful chemistry that Ryder and Keaton still possess while inhabiting these characters. But the film then descends into hectic, harried chaos, as Burton and his Wednesday screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Seth Grahame-Smith has a story by credit) just toss characters, monsters and familiar set pieces into a blender and let it rip. Sandworms! Singing! Disco!

Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) return in Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," a sequel to the 1988 film "Beetlejuice." Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

Watching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is not an unpleasant experience, as it maintains a familiar irreverent tone, and a gorgeously morbid and imaginative look. The underworld is particularly well-designed, and Burton manages a blend of CGI and practical effects that maintains some of the charm of the original.

Certain qualities are undeniable, such as Keatons command of this character, OHaras unique wit and the presence of Dafoe, who can elevate any project, no matter the role. Ryder has the heaviest performance lift, transitioning her character from teen to mom, but she finds her elder Lydia groove in the back half of the film.

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Jordan and the UAE on Wednesday signed agreements to initiate a $2.3-billion railway project that will connect Jordan's Port of Aqaba to its mining sites of Shidiyah and Ghor Al Safi.

The project  signed between Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Railway Network, and the Ministry of Transport  is part of a broader investment package totalling around $5.5 billion, which was signed in late 2023 in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said a Jordan Times report.

The agreement aims at building, developing, and operating a Jordanian railway network spanning 360 kilometres, linking phosphate and potash mines to the Port of Aqaba, Emirates News Agency, WAM, said.

Furthermore, the company signed two additional MoUs with Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and Arab Potash Company to transport 16 million tonnes of phosphate and potash annually from mining sites to the Port of Aqaba via the Jordanian railway network.

This strategic connection aims to create a transformative shift in the transportation of essential materials, enhance export capabilities, and improve logistical efficiency, thus, creating job opportunities in the transport and mining sectors, and contributing to economic development in the kingdom.

During the signing ceremony, which was attended by UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Suwaidi, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh highlighted the strategic significance of the railway project, underscoring the solid relationship between Jordan and the UAE, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The prime minister said that the railway project is expected to be completed within five years, with operations beginning in 2030, adding that detailed studies on the railway routes and the handling of potash and phosphate will be finalised by the end of 2025, with construction tenders anticipated to be issued in early 2026.
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has discussed ways to enhance trade and investment cooperation between business communities in the emirate and Nepal, a report said.

Emphasising the UAE businesses commitment to diversify their investments, the discussions highlighted opportunities for strategic partnerships with Nepali companies at the private sector level, leveraging the robust ties between the two countries to unlock new commercial possibilities, Emirates News Agency, WAM, said.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Sheikh Majid Faisal Khalid Al Qasemi, First Vice Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Tej Bahadur, Ambassador of Nepal to the UAE.

The meeting delved into the potential signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster deeper trade ties between the UAE and Nepal's private sectors.

The MoU would seek to advance shared economic interests by increasing exports across sectors such as trade, handicrafts, gold, and agriculture.

The move is also expected to contribute to bolstering food security and promoting sustainable development in both nations.

During the meeting, Sheikh Majid Al Qasemi underscored the steady growth in economic relations between the UAE and Nepal, noting that the UAE is a key non-oil trade partner for Nepal.

He pointed to the importance of reciprocal visits in fostering deeper cooperation between the private sectors of both nations, while also exploring new opportunities in areas such as food security, tourism ventures, and investments in renewable energy.

Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, emphasised that Sharjah is known for its competitive investment advantages and strategic perks, citing the emirate's attractive business environment and the innovative facilities provided by the Sharjah Chamber.

These services are designed to help investors grow their economic activities and create a supportive framework for business growth and prosperity.

Al Awadi also encouraged Nepali companies to join the Watch and Jewellery Middle East Show and ExpoCulinaire, which are both hosted and organised annually by Expo Centre Sharjah.
Tenaui, a leader in digital commercial printing solutions in the Saudi Arabian printing market, recently inaugurated the largest digital commercial printing press in the Middle East.

Located in Ali Ibn Al Mufaddal, And Noor, Riyadh 14271, the state-of-the-art Tenaui Commercial Digital Printing Centre is the first-of-its-kind facility in the kingdom. The centre is powered by Canon's latest inkjet technology that meets the Saudi market's diverse and growing digital print needs.

This landmark facility represents a strategic investment in Saudi Arabia's printing industry, aligning with the kingdom's Vision 2030 goals for economic diversification and technological advancement.

Digital revolution

The Saudi Arabian printing market is experiencing a digital revolution, with exponential growth driven by increasing demand for personalised and short-run print jobs. Driven by growing consumer demand and a surge in businesses setting up base or relocating to Saudi Arabia, the Saudi imaging and printing market is set to quadruple in size by 2030, according to recent reports, historical sales data, prevailing market trends and local expert insights from Canon Middle East & Turkey.

This shift is accompanied by a growing emphasis on sustainable businesses solutions that reduce waste and energy consumption. To meet these evolving needs, the market requires high-volume digital printing capabilities that can deliver consistent image quality, efficiency, and productivity, along with cost-effective solutions that offer a lower cost per print without sacrificing quality.

The opening ceremony was attended by Peter Saak, Executive Vice President of Canon Europe's Developing Regions Business Group, Venkatasubramanian (Subbu) Hariharan, Managing Director, Canon Middle East, and Turkey, Shadi Bakhour, B2B Business Unit Director, Canon Middle East, General Manager, Canon Saudi Arabia & alongside Yasser Elfarra, CEO of Tenaui.

Strategically positioned

The new facility, equipped with Canon's cutting-edge technology, is strategically positioned to address these market trends, and drive the print market forward in the region. The centre is equipped with VarioPRINT i300 and VarioPRINT iX-3200 for high-volume digital commercial inkjet printing solutions. A fleet of Canon imagePRESS V1350 and imagePRESS V1000 Colour Production printers alongside online and offline finishing options to cater to different commercial printing applications.

Elfarra said: "With a rich two decades of deep sector experience, Tenaui is the Middle Easts leading printing supplier, and we have an innate understanding of the local market needs and growth trajectory.

The opening of this advanced printing centre marks a new era for the printing industry in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East region. With Canon's innovative technology, we are now positioned to meet the growing demand for high-quality, high-volume digital printing solutions across various sectors."

The new facility caters to a wide range of printing needs, from books and magazines to brochures and commercial materials, offering unparalleled quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. It can handle up to 10 million prints per month, making it an ideal solution for large-scale digital printing operations.

Hariharan commented: "Saudi Arabia is a strategic growth market for Canon, and our partnership with Tenaui exemplifies our commitment to empowering our valued customers and partners in the region, both existing and new, in this new world of technological behavior, and to achieve their business goals, by being a part of Canons ecosystem and cutting-edge technology products and services.

Advancing printing industry

Tenauis new state-of-the-art facility powered by Canons industry-leading technology is a testament to our belief in the Saudi vision for digital transformation and economic diversification. We're proud to play a role in advancing the kingdom's printing industry and contributing to its Vision 2030 goals."

Shadi Bakhour, B2B Business Unit Director, Canon Middle East & General Manager, Canon Saudi Arabia, said: "Launching this cutting-edge facility with Tenaui marks a significant development for the Saudi printing market. We've seen exponential growth in demand for personalised and short-run print jobs across the Kingdom, and this new centre is perfectly positioned to meet these evolving needs.

The new centre marks the first installation of the VarioPRINT iX-3200 in Riyadh, offering commercial digital printing solutions. Additionally, the presence of the LFP series further expands the range of advanced printing options available to businesses, offering unparalleled quality and efficiency to thrive in the digital age. We're excited to see how this technology will empower local businesses and contribute to the growth of Saudi Arabia's knowledge-based economy."

Canon's advanced print technologies offer a combination of high productivity, stunning image quality, and cost efficiency. The VarioPRINT series represents a breakthrough in commercial printing, supporting up to 10 million prints per month and handling a wide range of media. This versatility makes it ideal for producing books, magazines, flyers, and brochures. Meanwhile, the LFP series elevates fine art and photography printing with unbeatable image quality, colour precision, and long-lasting durability, catering to the needs of professional photographers and art print providers.--TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), the island nations investment promotion agency, is set to kick off a multi-city tour across India from September 9 to 14.

Led by Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain EDB, along with senior members of Bahrain EDB, the week-long visit will include a series of select events and meetings to showcase value-adding opportunities across priority sectors, namely manufacturing and information and communication technology (ICT), to targeted investors.

Designed to strengthen economic and trade ties between the two countries, as well as promote high-impact investment opportunities in Bahrain, the delegation will visit the cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai; reinforcing Bahrains commitment towards maintaining a favourable and innovative investment ecosystem, enabling Indian businesses to expand in Bahrain and beyond.

Strategic location

Alkhulaif said: Bahrains strategic location at the heart of the Gulf and proximity to India, coupled with our progressive policies and welcoming business environment, makes it an ideal hub for Indian enterprises looking at expanding their global footprint.

With a robust pipeline of projects and strong interest from Indian investors, we are eager to showcase the wealth of investment opportunities Bahrain offers. This visit is a testament to our commitment to deepening bilateral ties, and forming strategic partnerships that will drive mutual growth and prosperity for both Bahrain and India.

According to Bahrains Ministry of Industry & Commerce, there are close to 10,900 Indian companies and Indian joint ventures registered in Bahrain as of 2023 (including their branches), which witnessed a growth of 62% since 2019.

India is also Bahrain's sixth-top investing country, with Indian FDI stock growing by 36.6% between 2019 and 2023, adding an average of $102 million each year and inward FDI stocks from India reaching $1.52 billion in 2023, accounting for around 4% of Bahrains total FDI stock.

Prominent Indian companies

Many prominent Indian companies, which include Tech Mahindra, Chemco, Electro Steel, Parle Biscuits, JBF Industries, Ultra Tech Cement, ICICI Bank, SBI Bank, and Kim's Health, have established operations in Bahrain benefiting from its unmatched value proposition that enables business to expand across the GCC market and the wider Mena region.

Bahrain EDB has several offices in strategic locations around the world including Mumbai, to promote Bahrain as a destination for investment. Supported by its headquarters in Bahrain, the Mumbai office serves as on-the-ground location to provide businesses in India with market intelligence, guidance and connecting them with the relevant decision-makers for various processes.

Bahrain remains committed to fostering a supportive ecosystem for investors, with forward looking policies aimed at simplifying business operations, offering unique competitive advantages leading to success stories with local roots and global impact.

These factors, combined with a highly skilled, bi-lingual, and diverse talent pool, advanced infrastructure, and strategic location, continue to cement Bahrain as an attractive destination for global investors around the world.--TradeArabia News Service
Dubai was voted Worlds Best MICE Destination at the 5th annual World MICE Awards Gala Ceremony that took place on September 4, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where the best MICE brands from across the globe were revealed.

The strength of Dubais MICE sector was acknowledged with Dubai World Trade Centre taking triple honours, winning Middle Easts Best Convention Centre, Worlds Best Professional Exhibitions Organiser and United Arab Emirates Best Convention Centre.

Museum of the Future enjoyed a fruitful evening, claiming Worlds Best MICE Event Venue and Middle East's Best MICE Event Venue.

Destination winners this year included Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam awarded Asias Best MICE Destination and Asias Best Incentive Destination, Lima, Peru was named Latin Americas Best MICE Destination, while Saint Lucia walked away with the title Caribbeans Best Corporate Retreat Destination.

Lisbon retained the title of Europes Best MICE Destination and Los Angeles won North Americas Best MICE Destination.

In the aviation sector, Vietnam Airlines was voted Asias Best MICE Airline, whilst Qatar Airways took the titles Middle Easts Best MICE Airline and Worlds Best MICE Airline. Kenya Airways walked away with Africas Best MICE Airline.

Graham Cooke, Founder, World MICE Awards, said: What a magnificent event! It has been truly memorable celebrating with our winners here in Ho Chi Minh City. World MICE Awards has had the privilege of recognising brands that are stellar examples of excellence in their field. My congratulations to each of them.

Other winners include Venice, Italy (Worlds Best Incentive Destination); IMEX Frankfurt (Worlds Best MICE Tradeshow); Vietravel (Worlds Best MICE Organiser); InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (Worlds Best MICE Hotel Brand); and Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay (Worlds Best New MICE Hotel).

The results follow a year-long search for the worlds leading MICE brands. Votes were cast by MICE industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.  TradeArabia News Service
Edge Group entity Lahab, the UAEs sole ammunition manufacturer, have signed an MoU with the Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) to certify Lahabs Ballistics Laboratory to NATO standards.

Under the MoU, signed at Sofex 2024 in Aqaba, Jordan, Lahab and the JODDB will identify opportunities to cooperate in the testing, evaluation, and assessing of small-calibre ammunition in accordance with internationally recognised NATO and military testing standards.

The agreement to qualify Lahabs Ballistics Laboratory with NATOs small-calibre ammunition testing standards is the latest development in Lahab and Edge Groups effort to expand the UAEs advanced industrial manufacturing base.

Utilising advanced instrumentation and computers, Lahab also adheres to the rigorous small-calibre ammunition testing standards set out by Europes CIP (Commission internationale permanente pour l'epreuve des armes a feu portatives), and North Americas SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute).--TradeArabia News Service
FHS ... to celebrate the unique flavours of the UAE

Top chefs from across the UAE will come under the spotlight at the regions first Sustainable Cook-off contest, taking place at Future Hospitality Summit  FHS World at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, from September 30 to October 2.

The competition will celebrate the unique flavours of the UAE and culinary excellence while championing sustainability in line with government net-zero directives.

Being held in partnership with The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG), UAE Restaurants Group (UAERG), Fresh On Table and the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA), the contest will see locally-sourced ingredients transformed into innovative, gastronomic masterpieces to be presented to a panel of esteemed judges and served to FHS delegates.

Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of FHS World organiser, The Bench, said: We are absolutely thrilled to add the Sustainable Cook-off to our list of first-time event features and attractions at FHS World 2024.

This unique competition  a natural fit with FHS Worlds overarching theme of Invest in our Future  is the perfect platform for chefs to grow, develop and foster young talent.

And, with the spotlight on ESG like never before, its an ideal way to highlight and promote sustainable practices in terms of culinary, hotel, and event operations.

It is also very fitting that our Sustainable Cook-off is taking place at Madinat Jumeirah  the original home of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), now FHS.

Jumeirah, our host sponsor, has proactively led the way on sustainable practices over the last decade and continues to explore ways to innovate and make major events like FHS more sustainable.

The Sustainable Cook-off is themed The Sustainable 7 Emirates, with a focus on fresh produce from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Sharjah.

The ECG and UAERG is partnering with FreshOnTable to source and secure the local ingredients, which include Manchego cheese, honey, sea bream, exotic mushrooms and edible flowers.

Atul Chopra, Founder & CEO, FreshOnTable, said: At FreshOnTable, we are excited to have envisioned the concept of showcasing seven ingredients from seven emirates for this innovative event.

The Sustainable Cook-off is not just a competition; its a celebration of how local ingredients and creative techniques can unite to promote a more sustainable future in gastronomy.

We look forward to seeing how the UAEs top chefs will bring this idea to life, setting new benchmarks for environmental impact and culinary creativity.

The contest kicks off with a virtual format, where the chefs chosen recipe and photograph of the dish are submitted to judges for assessment.

The top 15 will then be invited to cook their dish live at FHS World, with five chefs recreating their culinary masterpiece each day of the event. And, to ensure that FHS World delegates get a taste of the action, each creation will be replicated by the Madinat Jumeirah Culinary Team and served to FHS World attendees.

Spearheading the work, creativity and forward-thinking approach of UAE chefs is Andy Cuthbert, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild, advisor to the UAE Restaurants Group and General Manager, Madinat Jumeirah Conferences and Events.

He said: The UAE is firmly established as a leading hub for culinary innovation and education, and a world-class destination for gastronomes. With that, comes a responsibility to help protect the environment in line with UAE government net zero objectives.

As sustainability becomes more and more important, the hospitality fraternity must continually think about how their actions today affect our planet of tomorrow.

The Sustainable Cook-off is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent, imagination and green-thinking approach among some of the countrys most renowned chefs.

Abdulla AlMulla, Chairman, UAE Restaurants Group, said: I am confident that the Sustainable Cook-Off will inspire not only the participants but also the entire culinary community to embrace sustainability and innovation.

It is through events like this that we can collectively elevate the standards of our industry and continue to celebrate the unique and diverse flavours that the Emirates have to offer.  TradeArabia News Service
The Best Chef said its 8th annual awards event will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 4-6, 2024. Set to be the largest edition, the 2024 instalment of the awards reflects the expanding influence of The Best Chef platform, and the growing significance of Dubai in the culinary world, it said.

Powered by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), this groundbreaking edition stands as the inaugural global culinary awards event to take place in Dubai and the Middle East, cementing the citys position as a hub for culinary brilliance in the international gastronomic scene.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: We are honoured that Dubai has been selected to host The Best Chef Awards for the first time outside Europe and the Americas, further reinforcing the citys position as an international events destination and culinary capital.

This also aligns with the aspiration of our visionary leadership and the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubais status as a leading global city for business and leisure.

Furthermore, the choice of Dubai as the venue for the events latest edition is a testament to the continued support of our stakeholders and partners.

With local and Dubai-based restaurants increasingly gaining acclaim on a global scale, we look forward to welcoming some of the worlds top culinary talents, while showcasing our citys innovative spirit and its vibrant and diverse culinary landscape.

The Best Chef Awards 2024 in Dubai will convene a lineup of global culinary figures, featuring renowned chefs such as Vaughan Mabee of Amisfield, Albert Adria of Enigma, Angel Leon of Aponiente, and Floriano Pellegrino & Isabella Poti of BROS, underscoring the event's status as a premier platform for international culinary excellence.

The event will shine the spotlight on Dubais leading chefs  including Gregoire Berger (Ossiano), Mohammed Orfali (Orfali Bros), and Himanshu Saini (Tresind Studio, Avatara)  who are key contenders for top accolades, reflecting their significant impact on the local gastronomic landscape.

Meanwhile, DETs annual gastronomy research found that 79% of UAE residents said Dubai is the worlds leading gastronomic hub, ahead of Milan and Paris. As a burgeoning food innovation hub, Dubai is also garnering recognition for exporting sought-after homegrown contemporary dining concepts and brands to leading destinations worldwide, including Kinoya, GAIA and Robertos.

The event will showcase Dubai's emerging culinary talents such as Wassim Orfali (Orfali Bros) and Christophe Devoille (The Royal Tea Room, Atlantis The Royal) in pastry, alongside Tetsuya Wakuda (Sagetsu) and Rita Sueidan (Maisan 15), who are set to enrich the city-wide programming with their innovative approaches.

Local award candidates Eva Halasa of Three by Eva, Kelvin Cheung of Juns, and Arianna Bundy of Arianas Persian Kitchen will further highlight the breadth of culinary expertise that Dubai has to offer.

The Best Chef Awards 2024 marks the events largest edition ever in addition to serving as a critical nexus for industry networking, collaboration, and recognition of both established and emerging culinary professionals on a local and global scale.

Highlights

Global Culinary Leadership: With the recent introduction of a new voting and ranking system, this years The Best Chef Awards is set to be the largest culinary event of its kind, attracting the world's top chefs. A diverse group of renowned international chefs, alongside prominent journalists and influencers from the food industry, will converge to engage in dialogue and shape the future of global gastronomy.

The Future of Food (R)evolution: 'Area Talks' and the 'Food Meets Science' conference will feature cutting-edge discussions on culinary innovation, led by renowned chefs and academic experts. These sessions are designed to explore the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of gastronomy, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of food science among attendees.

The Best Chef Awards Gala: The event will culminate in a grand Awards Gala where the worlds best chefs will be recognised, celebrating their contributions to the culinary arts. Set to host movers and shakers from across the globe, the gala will showcase a full spectrum of global talents, highlighting their contributions to the culinary world.

City-Wide Engagement & Networking Opportunities: Supported by Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), The Best Chef Awards 2024 will catalyse city-wide campaigns and industry activations, enriching Dubais culinary scene. These initiatives will include culinary pop-ups, interactive workshops, and business networking events, designed to integrate and engage both local and international communities.

Cristian Gadau, co-founder of The Best Chef Awards, said: "Dubai is the place to be and was a natural choice for expanding the global footprint of The Best Chef Awards. Its reputation as a melting pot of cultures and its burgeoning status as a culinary destination align perfectly with our vision of global gastronomic excellence.

By bringing The Best Chef Awards to Dubai, we aim to tap into its vibrant energy and innovative spirit, showcasing it as a central hub where culinary traditions from around the world converge and evolve. This move marks a strategic step in broadening our international reach and fostering a more connected global culinary community."

Joanna Slusarczyk, co-founder of The Best Chef Awards, said: "Hosting The Best Chef Awards in Dubai allows us to further our mission of fostering a knowledgeable community that not only celebrates culinary excellence but also prioritises the preservation of culinary traditions through scientific innovation.

Dubai's dynamic culinary landscape provides the perfect setting to highlight the role of science in elevating gastronomy on a global stage."  TradeArabia News Service
Radisson Hotel Group has announced further expansion of its footprint in Jordan with the signing of two new properties: Radisson Collection Residence, Amman Abdoun, and Radisson RED Amman Downtown with developer Thabat.

This significant development underscores the group's commitment to growth in key markets and the expansion of its core brands, it said.

Radisson Collection Residence, Amman Abdoun, is scheduled to open in 2028. The newly-built property will feature 128 keys, including 18 two-bedroom apartments. Radisson Collection is known for its luxury lifestyle, each property offering bespoke design and exceptional experiences.

The property will offer two dining outlets, including a pool lounge and versatile meeting spaces, making it an ideal choice for leisure and business travellers. Located next to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the high-end residential and diplomatic district of Abdoun and close to Taj Lifestyle Mall, the property will offer convenient access to the city centre via Pr. Hashim Street just a 15-minute drive away.

Radisson RED Amman Downtown, also set to open in 2028, will bring a vibrant, unconventional twist to the heart of Amman. The hotel will boast 197 keys, including seven suites and six two-bedroom apartments, offering a variety of accommodation options. Guests can look forward to a lobby lounge and bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant and a large co-working space with meeting facilities. Additional amenities include a fitness center and pool, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

Radisson RED hotels are designed to fit the guests' needs by giving them endless opportunities to tune in and out, effortlessly switching between business and pleasure. Strategically located next to Al-Hashemi Street, it is surrounded by popular tourist sites such as the Roman Theatre, Amman Citadel, Jordan Museum, and Rainbow Street. The business district, offices, and shopping areas are all within easy reach, making it a convenient choice for both leisure and business travellers.

The hotel's location ensures that guests can easily explore the city's renowned tourist attractions and enjoy the vibrant local culture while also providing a peaceful retreat from the city's hustle and bustle.

With a population of nearly 5 million, Amman is Jordan's economic, political, and cultural hub, making it a prime location for Radisson Hotel Group's expansion. The city offers a wealth of tourist attractions and cultural experiences, including the historic Citadel, Roman Theatre, Jordan Museum, Royal Automobile Museum, and the lively Rainbow Street. Jordan is home to some of the world's most iconic sites, including Petra, a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and the Jerash ruins. Queen Alia International Airport is the gateway for international arrivals, facilitating easy access to these treasures.

Radisson Hotel Group operates one hotel in Jordan: Radisson Blu Hotel, Amman Galleria Mall, which opened in December 2023 with 178 keys. In the Middle East, the group currently has 86 hotels in operation and under development.

Elie Milky, Vice President, Business Development, Middle East, Greece, Cyprus, and Pakistan, Radisson Hotel Group, said: "We are pleased to further expand our presence in Jordan and the Levant region with this rare dual opportunity to introduce the lifestyle Radisson Collection and Radisson RED brands to the Kingdoms capital in this strategic partnership with Thabat. These additions are evidence of our commitment to growing our portfolio in the region and enhancing our footprint in key markets such as Amman with key real estate investors. We thank Thabat as well as Bright Levant for their vision, their trust, this strategic opportunity and the teams admirable professionalism.

Haethum Al Buttikhi, Chairman of Thabat, expressed his enthusiasm for this partnership, stating: Thabat is thrilled to partner with Radisson in developing these two iconic properties in Amman. This significant capital investment will strengthen Ammans reputation as a premier international destination and showcases our commitment to economic investment in Jordan. We are dedicated to contributing to Jordan's growth and development, ensuring that our projects have a positive and lasting impact on the country.

Chris Orrell, the CEO of Thabats independent management company Bright Levant, commented: The hospitality and leisure sector is a core element of Thabat's real estate strategy. We see material growth prospects within this sector and are excited about the potential these investments bring. This partnership with Radisson marks a significant milestone for Thabat, and we plan to make further announcements within this asset class in the coming year, reinforcing our position as a leading player in the market. - TradeArabia News Service
Casey, a 3-month-old blue heeler mix, is recovering after he chewed his leg off at the Conroe Animal Shelter after receiving no emergency care for his badly injured leg in July. Conroe will not pursue criminal charges against Care Corporation following an investigation into a puppy that chewed off his injured leg at the city's animal shelter. Photo By Robin Arouty, Courtesy Of Joy Southhard Casey, a 3-month-old blue heeler mix, is recovering after he chewed his leg off at the Conroe Animal Shelter after receiving no emergency care for his badly injured leg in July. Conroe will not pursue criminal charges against Care Corporation following an investigation into a puppy that chewed off his injured leg at the city's animal shelter. Photo by Robin Arouty, courtesy of Joy Southhard

Conroe will not pursue criminal charges against Care Corporation following an investigation into a puppy that chewed off his injured leg at the citys animal shelter.

City officials said they are considering civil and administrative action against the company.

Despite our thorough review, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence to support criminal charges under the Texas Penal Code in this instance, Conroe police Sgt. David Dickenson said in a release. However, this conclusion does not diminish the seriousness of the situation or our commitment to ensuring that similar incidents do not occur in the future. Our commitment remains steadfast in ensuring accountability and upholding the highest standards of animal care.

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Concerns surface

Concerns about the treatment of animals at the shelter came to light after Casey, a 3-month-old male blue heeler mix, was brought to the shelter July 7 with a badly injured leg and provided an anti-inflammatory pill for pain but no other veterinary care. By July 9, Casey had chewed the leg off.

A citizen eventually rescued Casey and got him emergency care, including the removal of the rest of his leg.

Mayor Duke Coon launched the investigation into the puppys treatment and the shelter operations July 23 after being contacted by the Houston Chronicle.

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Care Corp. owner Sharon Hopkins said during an Aug. 8 council meeting that she was unaware of the shelters issues. She has not responded to requests for comment.

Council unanimously agreed to terminate its contract with Care Corp. within 30 days during an Aug. 22 meeting after the police departments investigation showed lack of emergency care for animals and no veterinarian on staff.

The city is exploring other options for the operation of the shelter.

New nonprofit launched

Joy Southard, who is fostering the dog which is now renamed Tripp, said she was not surprised by the outcome.

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Im disappointed, Southard said. I understand it is difficult to bring animal cruelty charges or neglect on numerous people. We dont know who was there and saw Tripp chew off his leg.

While Southard was hopeful that someone would be held accountable for Tripps treatment at the shelter, she said she was turning the incident into a positive.

I never thought (Care Corp.) losing the contract (with the city) was justice for him, Southard said.

She is launching a nonprofit called Tripps Paw that will raise money for rescue groups to help fund emergency care for animals that come to the shelter.

Tripp is in training and Southard said he will be a great addition to the right family.

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Hes going to be just fine, Southard said.
The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex) that will be held until September 8, is inviting visitors to explore some of the most breathtaking destinations and wildlife experiences globally, while also promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Tourism 365, the tourism arm of Adnec Group, is at the forefront of this exciting adventure offering, presenting unique and exclusive tourism packages at Adihex that is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Rulers Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

The packages are designed to captivate nature lovers, thrill-seekers, and cultural enthusiasts alike with special offers available to Zanzibar, Kenya and Maldives throughout the exhibition.

With a commitment to sustainable tourism, Tourism 365 connects visitors with some of the most sought-after destinations.

As new exhibitors at Adihex, the Fujairah Adventures Center and Sharjah Safari are set to captivate audiences with their unique offerings.

The Fujairah Adventures Center, nestled in the mountains of the UAE, provides a gateway to adrenaline-pumping activities such as mountain biking, rock climbing, and guided hikes, allowing visitors to explore the rugged beauty of the region.

Sharjah Safari, on the other hand, brings the experience of an African safari to the UAE, offering visitors the chance to encounter rare and exotic wildlife up close, all while promoting the importance of conservation and sustainable wildlife management.

Adihex also welcomes new international exhibitors, including the National Center for Wildlife (KSA), which highlights Saudi Arabias growing emphasis on wildlife conservation and sustainable eco-tourism.

Through its interactive exhibits, visitors can learn about Saudi Arabia's rich biodiversity, efforts to protect endangered species, and opportunities to experience the kingdom's unique landscapes.

From the African continent, African Frontier Safaris from South Africa and the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) are new exhibitors at Adihex.

African Frontier Safaris offers curated wildlife expeditions that provide a close-up look at Africas famed Big Five and lesser known but equally fascinating species.

Their tours emphasise responsible travel, supporting local communities and conservation initiatives. Meanwhile, TAWA showcases Tanzanias vast wilderness areas, including the renowned Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, providing a chance to witness the worlds greatest wildlife migration while promoting sustainable tourism practices that help preserve these magnificent ecosystems for future generations.  TradeArabia News Service
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Hyatt farse and outta place. The audacity of them. Saying that in this country they are not 
Taral Patel, the former chief of staff for Fort Bend County Judge KP George has announced his candidacy to serve as Fort Bend County Commissioner for Precinct 3. Taral Patel

Fort Bend County commissioner candidate Taral Patel has been indicted on four felony counts of online impersonation, court documents show.

Patel, the Democratic nominee for Precinct 3 commissioner, is accused in Fort Bend County criminal records of creating fake Facebook profiles using the images of real people, then using those fake profiles to post racist messages about himself.

The intent of the accounts, investigators allege, was to influence the result of an election and injure his political opponent, Republican incumbent Andy Meyers, according to the indictments from the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office. Patel was indicted on Tuesday.

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Patel did not respond to requests for comment.

He was first accused of creating a fake profile under the name of Antonio Scalywag, which became active online in September 2023.

Authorities allege that Patel pulled a photograph of another man and his family from a home design website then created a fake Facebook profile using the image to post, I am with Meyers ALL THE WAY unlike Patel and his followers who worship Monkey and Elephant.

Patel is accused of making screenshots of the comments and sending them to constituents via text message, asking for campaign donations to help fight racism in Fort Bend County.

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Meyers in October asked authorities to investigate Scalywag, court documents show, and investigators identified Patel as the profiles creator. Patel was arrested June 12 and charged with felony online impersonation.

Further investigation revealed more fake profiles allegedly created by Patel, leading to additional charges.

All of the profiles were used to either damage Meyers image or influence the election, court records allege.

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I will not tolerate racism, and I fight it whenever I encounter it, Meyers said. I was stunned when investigators with the District Attorneys Office and the Texas Rangers concluded that Taral Patel was personally responsible for fabricating these racist statements and directing them at himself and the community.

Patel has not stepped down as a candidate in the Nov. 5 general election. Fellow Democrat and Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter McCoy on Aug. 15 issued a public plea to Patel to withdraw.

Each felony indictment carries a possible two- to 20-year prison term and a fine up to $10,000, according to the Fort Bend District Attorneys Office.

Patels upcoming court date is set for Sept. 23.
On the white adobe wall of a small, one-story building on West Washington Street downtown, there is an aging mural now shaded by a large palo verde and partially hidden by cactus seemingly there to protect it.

It is easy to miss if you arent looking for it, but for a time  a long time  it was among the most familiar signs in Tucson.

It welcomed customers to El Rapido Mexican Food, which opened in 1933 and grew like the city around it for more than 65 years.

El Rapido evolved from a small neighborhood market to a popular tortilleria to a bustling lunch counter frequented by judges from the nearby courthouse and politicos from city hall.

We even delivered, Melani Martinez laughed. My brother and I would hop on our little bikes and take lunch orders all over downtown.

The business ultimately closed in 2000, but there is obviously a story there and who better to tell it than Martinez  a Borderlands writing instructor at the University of Arizona. Luckily for us, she does just that in The Molino, a loving memoir about a family that literally served our community for decades.

Scheduled for release Sept. 24 by University of Arizona Press, The Molino will be easy to spot. The cover is a photo of Martinez and her brother Ricky posing in front of that Washington Street mural in 1989.

It is a story about food, to be sure. More importantly, it is a story about family, the four generations of Perezes and Peyrons who managed and worked at El Rapido for 67 years.

Martinez introduces us to her great-grandparents, Aurelio and Martina Perez, who opened a small neighborhood market near the presidio during the Great Depression.

She describes the molino, a device that would grind and mix corn into masa.

She remembers the stores first tortilladora, a large black machine that would transform balls of dough into warm, ready-to-eat tortillas.

My job, and my brothers job when we were little, was to take the finished tortillas off the end of the conveyor belt and put them in bags so we could sell them, Martinez recalled. It was a family business. Grandparents, aunts, uncles  we all pitched in.

Still, The Molino is more than a nostalgic stroll down memory lane.

It also recounts Martinezs own struggles to find her place  and whether that place should be El Rapido.

By the time I was in high school and then college, I had pretty much decided to leave the restaurant behind, she confessed. I had worked there most of my life. I wanted to try something else, do something new.

Then, in the fall of 2000, UA Professor Alison Deming asked her creative writing class to submit personal essays.

It was the first time Id written anything about my life, about my family, Martinez said. It was the first time I really tried to make sense of all the things in my head. It was hard.

If writing the story was hard, reading it would become heartbreaking.

A week after submitting her essay, Martinez learned her father would be closing the restaurant for good on Christmas Eve. A week after that, she was asked to read her story in class.

When I had to read it out loud, I broke down crying, she recalls, tears again moistening her cheeks. By then, I knew we were closing. I finally realized how much that meant to me.

In time, Martinez decided to expand her original story into something more. Later still, she thought she might have a book. Now, more than 20 years later, she does.

Part of the reason I wanted to write the book was to help me understand how I got to the place I was in college, she said. How might the story have been different if I hadnt been so sure I wanted to leave the restaurant behind. It wasnt until I started writing it down that I started to see how much it all mattered.

The book, she said, is a hybrid memoir that weaves together history, stories, memories and poems.

I struggled with it for a long time, Martinez said. The people in my family didnt really want to talk about the history much. They didnt like me showing up with my recorder. But they all had stories  stories about food, beauty, love, faith. I finally decided to mix it all together  like you would with a molino.

The final touch was a decision to introduce a second narrator to the tale: the man napping beneath the saguaro on that Washington Street mural.

I watched my Uncle Alberto paint that mural, Martinez said. There was something about that image that I knew was important to my family, so in my book I let him tell his side of the story. He is the poet. He is the thought. When I could have a conversation with him on the page, thats when I knew the book was finished.

UA Press and Los Descendientes de Tucson will host a book-launch party for The Molino on Sept. 29 at the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave. The celebration is at 3 p.m. and is open to all. To register, visit uapress.arizona.edu/events.

FOOTNOTES

Tony Peyron, Martinezs father, was the kind of man who would take his work home with him. Literally. He cooked meats in a pit behind the house and served them at receptions and parties. Peyron, who managed El Rapido for more than 20 years, turns 80 next week.

Tucson author Jessica Elisheva Emerson will discuss her debut novel, Olive Days, Monday, Sept. 9, at Stacks Book Club, 1880 E. Tangerine Road in Oro Valley. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, which include a copy of the book, are $32 or $37 for two tickets. RSVP at, visit stacksbookclub.com/events

.

Poet Mark Wunderlich, whose latest collection is entitled God of Nothingness, will be on stage Thursday, Sept. 12, at the UA Poetry Center at 7 p.m. To learn more about the free event, visit poetry.arizona.edu

.
Jimmy McCain, a son of former Arizona senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, said this week he has registered as a Democrat and will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, a valuable nod of support for the Democratic nominee in a battleground state.

Meanwhile, Trumps running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, was scheduled to appear outside Phoenix Wednesday at a rally with the conservative youth organizing group Turning Point USA, which has been instrumental in remaking the Arizona GOP as a faithful organ of former President Donald Trumps Make America great again movement.

Jimmy McCains endorsement and Vances Turning Point USA appearance reflect the disparate segments of the GOP that Harris and Trump are trying to reach. Democrats are appealing to traditional conservatives disillusioned by Trumps takeover of the GOP, while Republicans are looking to shore up their base and ensure that their young supporters turn out.

Jimmy McCain said he had been an independent since leaving the Republican Party after Trump became its standard bearer in 2016. He decided during a nine-month overseas deployment that just ended to switch his registration to Democratic and announce it publicly.

His decision was first reported by CNN. He also talked to the Arizona Republic this week about his decision.

He said he was further fired up by the decision after seeing Trumps campaign visit to Arlington National Cemetery, a visit that Harris called a political stunt that disrespected sacred ground.

Trump has had a fraught relationship with the McCain family since he denigrated the senators status as a war hero during his 2016 campaign.

Jimmy McCain said it was personally difficult for him to hear his father disrespected, but he said his father chose a public life and Americans are allowed to criticize their leaders.

With Arlington, the people who are buried there gave their lives and the ultimate sacrifice, McCain said. They dont get a political opinion. ... We dont know what those people felt, thought, what they believed. We know they believed in their country and thats about it.

Trump said he was invited to Arlington by the families of Marines killed in a suicide bombing during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. His campaign released statements from the relatives accusing Harris of playing politics with the issue.

Jimmy McCain, 36, enlisted in the U.S. Marines as a teenager and served four years. He reenlisted in the Army National Guard and was later commissioned as an officer, currently holding the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

Ideologically, McCain said hes a moderate and harkened back to his fathers 2008 campaign slogan, Country first.

Im a center man who cares about his country more than anything, McCain said.

Cindy McCain, the late senators widow, endorsed President Joe Biden shortly before the 2020 election, a vote of confidence that helped the Democrat eke out a narrow win in Arizona with support from Republicans disaffected with Trump. Biden appointed McCain to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations food and agriculture agencies in Rome, where she is now executive director of the U.N. World Food Programme.

A Navy pilot, John McCain was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967. He was captured, beaten and held prisoner for more than five years, refusing to be released ahead of other American servicemembers.

Trump said of McCain, Hes not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who werent captured. McCain later angered Trump with his dramatic thumbs-down vote against repealing Obamas health care law.

McCain represented Arizona in Congress for 31 years until his death in 2018 from an aggressive brain tumor and built a national reputation as a maverick willing to buck his party. While he sometimes took flack from the GOP base and faced fierce primary challengers, he was overwhelmingly reelected and remains a beloved figure in the state.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

On Jan. 16, 1964, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service trapper in eastern Arizona killed a jaguar  likely the last of his kind to have been born free in the United States. Eight years later, after concern about extinction had led to the creation of a federal list of endangered species, the Service placed the jaguar on that list.

That listing should have served as the foundation for bringing jaguars back to the Southwest to resume their ancient role in our ecosystems. But unlike endangered wolves, which the federal government also exterminated in the west for the livestock industry, the Service has not reintroduced jaguars.

The Service should do so, especially considering this big cats growing imperilment in northern Mexico, which reintroduction to the U.S. Southwest could relieve. The jaguars in Mexico could increase their critically low genetic diversity if only they could mate with newly placed jaguars to their north.

Given the steep odds against jaguars recovering in the United States on their own, the Center for Biological Diversity, where I work, has provided the Service with extensive scientific and historic information that shows why and where jaguars should be reintroduced.

Studies identify the Gila National Forest in western New Mexico  dozens of miles north of the international border  as the most promising jaguar habitat in the United States.

Today just two jaguars, both born in Mexico, are known to live wild north of the border. Since 2016, motion-operated cameras have repeatedly photographed one of them in Arizonas Chiricahua Mountains. Middle-school students in Tucson named him Sombra  shadow in Spanish. On Dec. 30, 2023, a different jaguar was caught on camera, likely also a far-traveling male.

They could be among the last wild jaguars on U.S. soil, and not just because of the border wall that cuts off some places where their species had previously crossed from Mexico. Its also because jaguars in northwestern Mexico are persecuted and largely isolated from other populations because of habitat destruction. Its a recipe that could send jaguars in Mexico on a course to rarity and oblivion, just like in the United States.

This would be a profound ecological and historic loss for both Mexico and the United States. Ice age jaguar bones unearthed from Florida to Washington prove that the jaguar evolved in North America before wandering to Central and South America. Long ago, Native Americans from across todays United States painted spotted cats with long tails and described them in oral histories. And during European colonization, explorers reported jaguars from the Carolinas to California.

As settlers gunned down large herbivores, carnivores turned to livestock. As early as 1703, South Carolina enacted a bounty that paid 10 shillings for each dead wolfe, tyger or beare. By 1930, a federal policy formalized the targeting of all jaguars. Thirty-four years later, the last U.S.-born jaguar was killed, and the centuries-long eradication effort was complete.

Still, seven years after protecting jaguars under the Endangered Species Act, the Service delisted them in the United States with no justification. Our litigation restored their protections in 1997, but the Service sought to limit recovery only to Mexico, ignoring that jaguars are native to the entire U.S. Southwest and belong here.

The deer- and elk-filled Gila National Forest provides the perfect habitat for jaguars to return to. Large carnivores like jaguars help balance ecosystems and play an invaluable role that will only become more important as our world is altered by climate change.

Within cat-padding distance of where the last U.S.-born jaguar met a cruel death at the hands of a Fish and Wildlife Service trapper, that same agency should restore jaguars to finally help save this magnificent yet cryptic felid from extinction and to enrich the breathtaking Gila National Forest.
Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira Johnson Development Services will be releasing nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira in Tomball. Submitted by Amira

A 550-acre Tomball ranch style community that was once a farm for Egyptian Arabian horses is now starting its final phase.

Johnson Development Services will release nearly 200 lots to builders this year as they complete final homesites at Amira.

Amira, located north of the Grand Parkway and east of Mueschke Road, started in 2019 with builders Beazer Homes and Perry Homes.

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What first started out as the horse farm turned into The Resort at Amira. After Johnson Development Services purchased the land, the developer decided to keep some of the farm's history in the neighborhood. .

JERSEY VILLAGE RESTAURANT WEEK: Jersey Village hosts first ever restaurant week in September. Here are 8 places to try

Amira has sold almost 1,000 homes and within the next few years will have around 1700 in total, said Matt Banks, vice president of Johnson Development Services.

The development features a 7,000 square feet of clubhouse space, a resort style pool and a playground. The two dog parks, Pony Park and Derby Dog Park, are throwbacks to the ranch.

Banks said the location was ideal due to jobs in the area, easy access to the Grand Parkway and for Tomball Independent School district.

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"It's always helpful when there is a history to the tract that were buying," Banks said. "Oftentimes there isnt and its just a random piece of dirt but in this case, there was a history to it ... It ended up making sense to continue the link back to the original form.

Amira will also introduce new amenities to the community this year. Three new pickleball courts opened this summer, along with Amira Splash that includes a nature-inspired splash pad and a dry creek bed. A new pocket park will also open by the end of October.

Beazer Homes and Perry Homes' base prices are currently $300,000 to $690,000 in Amira.
James D. Watts Jr. Tulsa World Scene Writer Follow James D. Watts Jr. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Copper Dome, the new fine dining concept in the Silo Event Center, 4629 W. 41st St., will offer its first dinner service next weekend, Friday-Saturday, Sept. 13-14.

Chef Tyler Whitson, whose career in Tulsa has ranged from working with chef James Shrader at The Palace Cafe, operating the Rustic Kings Catering company and doing unique pop-up restaurants such as Naan-Stop, has released the menu for the restaurants opening weekend.

Diners will be able to select either a three-course or four-course meal from the menu, or opt for a chefs tasting menu that will feature about eight individual courses.

In the Facebook post to announce the opening weekend menu, Whitson said, Our vision is to use as many local products as we can and craft what is available seasonally. The late-season summer produce is abundant; in the later months, we plan to use products have preserved during these fruitful seasons.

Shareable items include a charcuterie plate ($45) with house-made cured meats, and a caviar plate featuring caviar from sustainably farmed Russian sturgeon, served with tarragon potato waffles and buttermilk yogurt.

Main menu items include a hasselback cucumber appetizer with goat cheese, chilis, fennel, yogurt and nuoc cham; a scallop and mushroom dish served with collard greens and bacon; a red bird chicken, with corn, Chinese long beans, squash, anasazi beans and a chicken glace; a New York strip steak from Creekstone Farms with figs, potato and thyme; and a mushroom char siu, made with king trumpet mushrooms, soy, Chinese long beans and coconut amino.

Desserts include the Copper Dome, a lemon cake with a bourbon mousse, pecan nougat and honey-apple jam.

The three-course meal ($60) includes a choice of appetizer, entree and dessert, while the four-course meal ($70) includes a mid-course. Cost for the chefs tasting menu is $90, with wine pairings an additional $45 per person.

Our mission, Whitson said, is to make sure our restaurant represents the next generation of restaurant and restaurateurs.

Copaneazis south location opens

The south Tulsa location of Copaneazis Pizzeria has opened in the Shops of Seville, 10051 S. Yale Ave.

The restaurant, which took over the space that once was home to Levain Kitchen and Pizza 313, features East Coast style pizzas, available by the slice ($5-$6) or as whole 14-inch pies ($20-$22).

The pizzas include such colorfully named offerings as the Casino (olive oil, mozzarella, fresh garlic, oregano, feta and Parmesan), the Fugheddabouttit (red sauce, mozzarella, green pepper, Roma tomatoes, onion, mushroom, and green and black olives), and the Bada Bing (red sauce, sausage, pepperoni, jalapenos and Calabrian chili hot sauce).

Other items include a variety of breadsticks topped with cheese, vegetables and sauces; four salads available as a side dish or as a meal; and made-to-order calzones. Most items can be made vegan if desired.

Copaneazis first opened in downtown Tulsa, as the third in a trio of restaurants owned by Tony and Emily Galvez that included the Local Bison and Sandos Rockin Deli. The three businesses occupied a stretch of Sixth Street between Boston Avenue and Main Street, in the ground floor of the Meridia apartment building. The couple closed the Local Bison and Sandos earlier this year, but the downtown Copaneazis remains open.

Boston Deli turns to apples

For its Chefs Special this month, the Boston Deli, 6231 E. 61st St., will be using apples in some form for almost every dish on the menu.

The meal has at its center a pan-seared North Coast salmon served with poached apple, crispy leeks and a red wine cider reduction.

It will be served with a creamy risotto made with grated apple, cider and Parmesan cheese; roasted Brussels sprouts with apple, red onion and agave nectar; and a shaved fennel and apple slaw with fig, yogurt and almonds.

Dessert will be an apple butter pie with meringue buttons.

The Chefs Special is available 5-8 p.m. each Thursday in September. Cost is $38 per person, and reservations are strongly recommended.

Velvet Taco to offer combo box

Beginning Sept. 9, Velvet Taco, 1444 S. Peoria Ave., will offer a special Say What? combo box, which will include a curated selection of (its) most popular and inventive offerings in one convenient package.

The combo box will include any two tacos (excluding some of the weekly WTF taco specials), a side such as queso, elote, guacamole, rice or salsa, along with the fountain drink, starting at $14.50. Adults may upgrade the drink selection to a margarita for $6 or a large Boozy Libation for $9.

For more information: velvettaco.com

Closings

Waffle That!, 2115 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., has permanently closed. Owner Roy Tillis began his business as a food truck in 2018, before opening his first brick-and-mortar location in 2019. A second location opened in 2020 at 5079 S. Yale Ave.; that location closed in 2023.

The Smashburger outlet in Tulsa Hills, 7392 S. Olympia Ave., has permanently closed. The southeast Tulsa location, at 10830 E. 71st St., remains in business.



The Tulsa World is where your story lives




A delay in opening free bridges across the Red River between Texas and Oklahoma touched off a controversy in 1931 that became known as the Red River bridge war.

Before the issue was settled, Oklahoma Gov. William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray had declared martial law, created a military zone extending into Texas, assumed personal command of his troops, defied a court order and dared a federal judge to cite him for contempt.

The controversy developed after a court order delayed the opening of the free spans built by the two states to replace privately owned toll bridges.

There wasn't much controversy over Murray's opening of the new free bridge on U.S. 81 between Terral, Okla., and Ringgold, Texas. And the new bridge on U.S. 77 between Marietta and Gainesville, Texas, remained closed because the approach on the Texas side hadn't been completed.

The war, fought mainly in newspaper stories, involved the new bridge on U.S. 69 and 75 between Durant and Denison, Texas. That span was the object of the injunction against Texas Gov. Ross Sterling and his highway commission obtained by the Red River Bridge Co., which claimed the Texas Highway Commission had promised to buy the span for $60,000.

In response to the injunction, Sterling ordered all three new bridges barricaded on the Texas side, pending settlement of the court action.

Within minutes after Murray ordered the three bridges opened on July 16, an Oklahoma Highway Department crew had gone to the Texas side of the Terral bridge and removed an old truck that barricaded the highway, acting on the theory that Oklahoma owned half the span lengthwise across the stream. Before evening, the action had been duplicated at Denison.

Asked about possible resistance at the Denison span, Murray said, "There is an old watchman there and I have instructed that he not be hurt. I directed highway officials to take his pocketknife and chewing tobacco away from him."

Murray also wired the Texas governor to advise him of his removal of the barricades and plans to have his highway department tear up the approaches to the toll bridges.

"I feel you have extended your authority beyond all reason," Sterling responded, and he directed Texas Rangers to erect new barricades at the Denison-Durant free bridge, where they stood guard armed with shotguns in front of a sign advising motorists that the bridge had been ordered closed by the U.S. District Court.

But Murray claimed that Oklahoma had jurisdiction over the Texas banks of the river by virtue of old Spanish treaties, claiming the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld that authority.

"So I wasn't exceeding my authority," Murray said in response to Sterling's criticism.

Several days later, Murray activated some units of the National Guard, placed the approaches leading up to the toll bridge under martial law -- an order he extended into Texas the next day -- and set up a military camp near the bridge.

An order obtained by owners of the toll bridge in federal court in Muskogee didn't faze the colorful Murray, who, wearing a large hog-shooter pistol on his belt, assumed personal command of his troops.

When the judge threatened Murray with a contempt citation, Murray responded, "He can't cite me; let him try it."

He also threatened to call out the entire Oklahoma National Guard if the federal court interfered. Guard Lt. Col. John MacDonald told an attorney he would accept service of a federal court order but he would pay no attention to it.

"I am taking orders from only one man and he is the governor of Oklahoma," the colonel, also a state senator from Durant, told the lawyer.

The governor said he would keep the free bridges open despite any order from any court or other authority except President Herbert Hoover. The controversy ended on Aug. 6 after the Texas Legislature, in special session, passed a law allowing the Red River Bridge Co. to sue the state and the federal court dissolved the injunction that touched off the "war."

That free bridge served the public well until 1995, when it was dynamited and traffic was shifted to a new bridge -- also free.

Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive.
The citys search for unmarked graves from Tulsas 1921 Race Massacre shifts to west of downtown on Thursday, officials said late Wednesday.

The Oklahoma Archaeological Survey will deploy its subsurface scanning equipment to an area known as The Canes between the Crosbie Heights bluffs and the Arkansas River.

The Canes have often been used for homeless encampments in recent years.

The Canes has been surveyed before, but according to a press release from the city, not in the same place as planned for Thursday.

The previous scans revealed no likely communal burial sites.

The press release said the area to be surveyed is on private property and that the press and general public will be barred from the area, although the work may be viewed from the adjoining Newblock Park.

The work is expected to take a few hours, with results not known for some time.

Researchers have spent most of their time the past four years in Oaklawn Cemetery, on the southeast edge of downtown. Some 50 sets of remains have been exhumed from what was known as the Black potters field. One has been identified as almost certainly a massacre victim, and several others show signs of gunshot wounds.

Historians identified The Canes area as a possible site for a rumored mass burial following the massacre, in which an unknown number of people were killed.

Mayor G.T. Bynum announced the initiative to locate unmarked burials from the massacre in 2018.

The Tulsa World is where your story lives
Green construction, featuring multiple steps from green material production to green buildings, is seen as a trend and might become a compulsory standard in the near future in Vietnam.

The increased use of green building materials for high-rises, apartment blocks, warehouses, and industrial parks is meant to cut carbon emissions.

As investors have been attaching much significance to green buildings, local producers are rushing to manufacture eco-friendly construction materials.

Rise of eco-friendly building materials

One of the positive signs showing Vietnams building material industry entering the green transition stage is multiple enterprises launching green products.

Fico Tay Ninh Cement JSC has introduced green-labeled cement to the local market, with carbon dioxide emissions reaching just 350 - 600 kilograms per metric ton, down up to 70 percent compared to the Portland cement.

Specifically, four bags of the eco-friendly cement will help reduce a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to that absorbed by a tree in a year, according to the producer.

Nguyen Cong Bao, director of Fico Tay Ninh Cement JSC, said that the firm had invested in automated production lines and machines as well as focused on the research and development aspect to manufacture the eco-friendly cement.

Apart from supplying low-carbon cement, the firm aims to set a competitive price for the product thanks to automation, machinery, and cost-saving methods, Bao stated.

Meanwhile, SCG Concrete Roof Company brought to the local market its green cement, which cuts 20 percent of carbon emissions during the production process compared to the common type.

A representative of the firm said that the product secured the Singaporean green certification, making it the first concrete roof brand in Vietnam to obtain the certificate.

Similarly, paint companies have quickly jumped on the eco-friendly production bandwagon.

Le Dong Lam, general director of PPG Vietnam, said that the firm had expanded its factory and improved technology to provide the market with green products to suit customers needs.

The companys new coating products have high durability and help cut carbon dioxide emissions.

We like to produce eco-friendly products with a roadmap until 2030, looking to book 50 percent of our revenue from these green products, Lam revealed.

Many firms are focusing on manufacturing green building materials to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This image shows employees producing Singapore-green certified roof tiles at a factory in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: SCG

How a green certificate is granted

Developing green buildings, especially trading high-rises, offices, and warehouses for rent, is becoming a trend of Vietnams construction industry.

In early 2025, an office and shopping mall tower with U.S. green certification will be put into service in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Naved Agha, project development director at Masterise Homes, the investor of Marina Central Tower, said that the sustainable trend is booming in Vietnam, which is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, so the firm prioritizes sustainability.

To receive the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the tower has met all of its standards, including optimizing green spaces, effectively using energy and water, and cutting carbon dioxide emissions, said Agha.

Moreover, in downtown Ho Chi Minh City stand two towers: The Hallmark and The Mett, both being granted the Green Mark Gold certification by Singapore.

The The Nexus office tower in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City was listed as an EDGE-certified green building.

In addition, social houses are being developed in line with green standards.

Investors in green building projects must adhere to strict environmental standards throughout the entire process, from location selection to design, construction, operation, and handover, aimed at conserving energy and water, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing environmental quality, according to Luu Thi Thanh Mau, general director of Phuc Khang Construction and Investment Corporation.

Industry accounts for 55 percent of green construction projects

Hardy Diec, CEO of KCN Vietnam Group JSC, noted that foreign investors are increasingly focused on green industrial zones, urging industrial park developers to prioritize investments in sustainable practices, including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

KCN Vietnam Group has commenced the second phase of its warehouse project at DEEP C  Hai Phong Industrial Park, with completion slated for the first quarter of 2025.

The investor has adhered to green standards in an effort to attract foreign capital, Diec said.

Le Thi Huyen Trang, senior director at JLL Vietnam, added that industrial park projects lead the way among green-certified buildings in Vietnam.

According to a recent survey made by the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction and International Finance Corporation, 55 percent of green construction projects in the Southeast Asian nation come from industry.

Data on projects certified with the LEED in 2023 showed that over 70 percent of these projects belonged to the industrial group such as factories and warehouses.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide.

Green roof tiles are widely used for many buildings in Vietnam. Photo: SCG

Green buildings cost a fortune, but generate lengthy benefits

Vu Linh Quang, a member of the board of directors at the Vietnam Green Building Council, said that nearly 500 buildings spanning a total area of some 11.5 million square meters have obtained EDGE, LEED, and Green Mark certificates.

These certification schemes feature various levels and different requirements, and quote different fees based on the function and scale of the building, said Quang.

Despite high costs, these green buildings can generate multiple benefits such as saving operation costs, saving water and energy, reducing noise pollution, and shortening the capital recovery period.

Quang noted that the trend of constructing green buildings is gaining momentum in Vietnam.

Naved Agha echoed this sentiment, highlighting that green buildings help optimize energy use, reduce operating costs, improve occupant health, and boost company productivity.

Dong Mai Lam, general director of Schneider Electric Vietnam and Cambodia, pointed out that 80 percent of carbon dioxide emissions stem from fuel consumption, stressing that technology plays a critical role in reducing 70 percent of those emissions.

Lam added that Schneider Electric has partnered with the World Economic Forum to promote the benefits of green buildings, such as lower operating costs, higher rental yields, increased competitiveness, and enhanced corporate reputation for sustainability and social responsibility.

While the initial investment in green buildings is four to six percent higher than that for conventional structures, Lam said the cost could decrease by 2030 as more advanced technologies become available.

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Da-Yeh University in Dacun Township, Changhua County, Taiwan signed cooperation agreements with some junior colleges and vocational schools from Ho Chi Minh City last month to train human resources for the semiconductor industry.

Research indicates a significant future surge in demand for semiconductor professionals.

In response, leaders from the International College of Ho Chi Minh City (ICH) visited Taiwan in May 2024 to explore scholarship opportunities for Vietnamese students and discuss joint ventures.

Nguyen Dang Ly, principal of ICH, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that their delegation had "visited thirty-two Taiwanese universities to explore semiconductor industry collaboration prospects. The trip was highly successful and led to discussions on a training partnership between Da-Yeh University and ICH."

Ly explained that the agreement allows for student exchanges between the institutions and focuses on three key areas: Da-Yeh University will help develop a semiconductor training program at ICH, support scientific research for students and faculty, and provide expertise for establishing a Chinese language department at ICH.

Universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools from Vietnam and Taiwan attend the signing event for semiconductor training cooperation. Photo: Ha Binh / Tuoi Tre

Khe Van Manh, principal of Ho Chi Minh Technical-Economic College, arrived in Taiwan with high hopes for collaboration.

Manh noted that his institution offers a range of disciplines, including mechatronics, among its twenty-four programs.

Ho Chi Minh City is poised to invest approximately VND250 billion (US$10 million) to develop a premier program in this field.

"Students in mechatronics are well-prepared for semiconductor engineering due to their strong background in electronics and robotics," Manh said.

"We identified training opportunities in Taiwan for this sector, and our mechatronics faculty are eager to gain expertise from abroad.

"During our visit, we explored interactions between faculty and students to access advanced semiconductor engineering programs."

Manh also expressed a desire for scholarships, benefits, and paid internships in Taiwan to help students advance their careers.

Nguyen Quang Tiep, chairman of Khoi Viet International College, visited Taiwan to examine the financial, infrastructural, and personnel aspects of semiconductor engineering.

"We plan to assess the demand for human resources in the semiconductor industry after our trip to Taiwan," Tiep said.

"Given future growth prospects, we are considering launching a training program to meet this demand."

Phan Hoang Dung, principal of Bach Nghe Ho Chi Minh City College, added, "The semiconductor industry will be crucial in the future. We are collaborating with Taiwanese universities to train students in this vital field."

Le Van Thinh (L), director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, and Nguyen Dang Ly, principal of the International College of Ho Chi Minh City, sign a cooperation agreement for semiconductor industry training with Da-Yeh University. Photo: Ha Binh / Tuoi Tre

Students have lots of possibilities

Jeng-shyong Hwang, board chairman of Da-Yeh University, emphasized at the signing ceremony that the institution "has substantial financial resources to invest in training, particularly in high-tech fields. With our origins as a technological school, we have significant experience in this area."

Hwang highlighted the universitys commitment to providing excellent student support, including comfortable accommodations and adequate facilities for effective study.

"We are equipped to collaborate and ensure high-quality cooperation with Vietnamese institutes in the semiconductor field," he stated.

Luu To Dieu, a representative from Taiwans education sector, noted that semiconductors and artificial intelligence are among the most prominent research topics at Taiwanese universities.

"We aim to support and advance the semiconductor industry for Vietnamese students," Dieu said.

"We will also offer numerous scholarships and incentives for international students, including those from Vietnam."

Dieu expressed enthusiasm about welcoming Vietnamese students to Taiwan, recognizing the benefits of focused study and the opportunity to adapt to Taiwans dynamic environment.

During the signing event, Taiwanese universities such as Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Kun Shan University, and National Chin Yi University of Technology introduced the International Industrial Talents Education Special Program (INTENSE Program).

This two-year program focuses on technological training, with Taiwan covering all tuition costs.

Corporate sponsors will provide students with NT$10,000 per month (US$311), and universities will arrange hands-on training aligned with the curriculum.

Upon completion of the program, international students are required to work for the sponsoring Taiwanese company for at least two years. Afterward, they may choose to return to Vietnam or continue their careers in Taiwan.

Khe Van Manh, Ho Chi Minh Technical-Economic College's principal, discusses semiconductor industry collaboration with universities in Taiwan. Photo: Ha Binh / Tuoi Tre

Top-tier instruction

Le Van Thinh, director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, stated at the signing ceremony for the training cooperation with Taiwanese institutions that the city is focusing on developing high-quality human resources to support the nations industrialization and modernization.

Thinh spotlighted Taiwans advanced expertise in the microchip and semiconductor industries and expressed a desire to offer this knowledge to Vietnamese students.

"This program will provide access to companies and colleges and facilitate future tours," Thinh said.

"Through this cooperation agreement, we aim to enable Vietnamese students to study at partner universities, enhancing their skills for future career development."

A semiconductor technology student at Da-Yeh University in Taiwan. Photo: Ha Binh / Tuoi Tre

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Draped in American and Palestinian flags, friends and family cried, hugged and recited prayers for Maher Husseini, a three-year veteran of the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office who was shot and killed on his way to work Tuesday in west Houston.

Scores of law enforcement officers joined his family and friends at the well-attended Salat al-Janaza, or funeral prayer, for Husseini at the Masjid Al-Salam Islamic Center in Spring.

He was an American by choice and a proud Palestinian American, Shaykh Abdurahman Hejazi, resident scholar, said ahead of the prayer. He loved the freedoms enjoyed here in America and wished for those freedoms all around the world.

MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Man charged with murder in fatal shooting of Harris County deputy constable

In a few words, the scholar described Husseini as a religious man, who taught both of his children how to pray and who worked every day to make his community a safer place.

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Jamila Al-Shami, wife of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini, walks with her sons, Amin and Jamil Al-Husseini, after friends, family and law enforcement gathered funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Sam Husseini, brother of slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini, hugs his brothers two sons after his brothers burial Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The casket of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini leaves Masjid Al Salem Mosque after friends, family and law enforcement gathered for funeral prayers, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer A man cries as slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini is lowered into the ground for burial Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The casket of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini leaves Masjid Al Salem Mosque after friends, family and law enforcement gathered for funeral prayers, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Yousef Awwad, front right, hugs Sam Husseini after the burial of Husseinis brother, slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini, on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constables greet each other as they gather for funeral prayers in honor of Deputy Constable Maher Husseini at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Mohamad Refaat prays during the burial of slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. JJS/Staff photographer Firefighters from the Klein Fire Department work to display a large American flag in honor of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini as community members and law enforcement gather for funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer The casket of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini arrives as family, friends and law enforcement gather for funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Harris County deputy constable salute as the casket of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini arrives for funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Friends and family embrace as they arrive for funeral prayers in honor of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Klein firefighters Steven Ray and Alberto Madina work to display a large American flag in honor of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini as community members and law enforcement gather for funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Jamila Al-Shami, the wife of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini, is greeted by friends and family as they arrive for funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Friends and loved ones lower the body of slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini into the ground for burial Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Friends and loved ones embrace after the burial of slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Imam Dr. Irhabi Mohamed Irhabi prays over the grave of slain Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini following his burial Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery in The Woodlands. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Jamila Al-Shami and one of her her sons Jamil Al-Husseini look at a wreath at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Jamila Al-Shami and her sons, Amin Al-Husseini, and Jamil Al-Husseini greet Houston Police officers at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Jamila Al-Shami greets guests at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Jamila Al-Shami hugs a guest as her sons, Amin Al-Husseini, left, and Jamil Al-Husseini watch at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Congressman Al Green speaks to the media with Farouk Shami at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Jamil Al-Husseini, son of Maher Husseini, greets guests at the Arab American Cultural Community Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Houston, as mourners gathered after the funeral of Precinct 4 deputy constable Maher Husseinis funeral. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Fellow Precinct 4 constables and representatives from a host of agencies around the region, including the Harris County Sheriffs Office, Fort Bend Sheriffs Office and Houston Police Department, presented the American flag and surrounded Husseinis casket as pallbearers escorted it out of the prayer service.

A caravan then was set to take Husseinis casket to a burial at Forest Park-The Woodlands Cemetery. Family were also set to host condolences from friends and loved ones at 6 p.m. at the Arab American Cultural & Community Center in southwest Houston.

The funeral came two days after Husseini was fatally shot at an intersection in west Houston. Earlier on Thursday, prosecutors in Harris County announced that they were charging the man suspected in Husseinis death, Athir Murady, with murder.

Husseini was shot and killed around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 8900 block of Richmond Avenue near Fondren Road in west Houston. Police found his personal vehicle with a shattered drivers side window and four bullet holes on the passenger side.

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An image of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Maher Husseini is seen following his funeral prayers at Masjid Al Salem Mosque, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Spring. Husseini was shot and killed in his vehicle while heading to work along Richmond Avenue on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in southwest Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Friends have described Husseini as a kind businessman and family man who immigrated to the United States 30 years ago after being born in Jerusalem to a prominent family. Husseini owned a private security business and had more recently opened an academy to train those interested in a career in law enforcement, in additional to his duties with the county agency, said Kamal Khalil, a friend of the Husseini family for more than 30 years.

Houston police have not yet released a motive for the shooting.
Ho Chi Minh City-based Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School, one of Vietnams oldest educational institutions, marked the start of the 2024-25 academic year on Thursday.

Founded in 1913, the prestigious institution celebrated its ongoing academic achievements, including city-level academic awards and a national first-place prize in the Students with Startup Ideas 2024 competition, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training in collaboration with the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

Students cheer during the new school year opening ceremony at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

In the 2023-24 school year, all of Nguyen Thi Minh Khais senior students graduated and secured places at universities, with several earning scholarships to study abroad.

The schools 10th-grade entrance exam results were also notable, with the second-highest admission scores citywide, and two students, both named Phuc, achieving top scores of 28 out of 30.

Students cheer during the new school year opening ceremony at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

Scholarships were awarded to these top scorers and 15 other students who excelled in the national high school graduation exams.

Le Dinh Luc, CEO of DOL English, a partner in providing English scholarships for Nguyen Thi Minh Khai students, explained that his company aims to improve students' English proficiency, empowering them to achieve their dreams both domestically and internationally.

A representative of DOL English presents scholarships to students at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

"This year, DOL English is thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with top schools [in Ho Chi Minh City] like the High School for Gifted Students [under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City], Le Hong Phong High School for Gifted Students, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School, Nguyen Thuong Hien High School, Phu Nhuan High School, and Nguyen Huu Huan High School, Luc said.

Students pose with DOL English scholarships at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

We are proud to support the talented and determined students of these institutions.

Our hope is to help improve their English skills so their growth can be more sustainable and well-rounded, ultimately enabling them to pursue their dreams both here at home and abroad."

DOL English awarded 20 online self-study scholarships, each valued at VND5 million (US$202), to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School students on this occasion.

A representative of DOL English presents scholarships to students at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

Meanwhile, in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, the Tran Chi Dao Hall hosted the opening ceremony for the 2024-25 school year at the High School for Gifted Students on the same day.

Principal Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai lauded the school's accomplishments over the past year, with 98.51 percent of its students achieving top academic rankings.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, principal of the High School for Gifted Students under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, delivers a speech at the school's new academic year opening ceremony, September 5, 2024.

All senior students were accepted into universities both at home and abroad, including one who achieved the highest score in Ho Chi Minh City on the Vietnam National Universitys aptitude test.

The school excelled in national competitions, with 58 students winning prizes at the national high school academic contest, including three first-place awards in mathematics, biology, and literature.

Tenth-grader Nguyen Hong Anh earned the top national score in literature.

The schools students also secured medals at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence and the National Science and Technology Contest.

Students and delegates gather at the Tran Chi Dao Hall in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City for the new academic year opening ceremony for the High School for Gifted Students under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

In extracurricular achievements, the schools students also shone in arts and sports, with several earning national and international accolades in chess, swimming, and other disciplines.

Despite these successes, principal Mai noted that the school faces significant challenges as the only specialized high school in the country operating under an autonomous model.

Le Dinh Luc (L, 2nd), CEO of DOL English, attends the new school year opening ceremony at the High School for Gifted Students under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024. Luc is a former math student from the schools specialized program and has always been proud of his alma mater.

However, she expressed confidence in the schools continued growth as a leading educational institution in both Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.

Following the ceremony, students gathered at Hoa Binh Theater in District 10 for a concert featuring popular Vietnamese rapper Den Vau, whose contributions to community service earned him the National Volunteer Award in 2023.

Popular Vietnamese rapper Den Vau sings during the new school year opening ceremony at the High School for Gifted Students under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

His story was included in an entrance exam for the High School for Gifted Students, highlighting the importance of kindness and volunteerism  a message that resonated with students and sparked widespread positive discussions on social media.

Popular Vietnamese rapper Den Vau poses with students at the new school year opening ceremony at the High School for Gifted Students under the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, September 5, 2024.

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Vietnam and Singapore reached a consensus on forming deeper partnerships in various fields such as education, culture, tourism, and digital and green economy, heard the 16th Vietnam-Singapore political consultation co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Albert Chua in the city-state on Wednesday.

The two officials both agreed to closely collaborate on the implementation of all agreements made by the two nations and prepare for high-level exchanges, especially an annual meeting between the two countries' prime ministers.

To enhance the connection between the two economies and push their ties to new heights, the two nations will strengthen their cooperation in education, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides were determined to join hands to quicken the deployment of the green economy - digital economy partnership and a framework convention on the connectivity between the two economies to create breakthroughs in new fields such as circular economy, digitalization, innovation, green energy, and sustainability.

The economic partnership remains a highlight of bilateral ties between Vietnam and Singapore.

Singapore is Vietnams second-largest investor, being involved in over 3,740 projects in the latter with a total pledged capital of over US$80 billion contributed by 18 Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) in 13 cities and provinces in Vietnam.

Apart from expressing his hope for more new-generation smart and green VSIPs in Vietnam, Deputy Minister Viet proposed Singapore continue supporting the latter to upskill its workforce and increase the number of scholarships awarded to Vietnamese students.

The top Vietnamese official also hinted at the city-state training workers active in digitalization and cybersecurity, data transfer, and artificial intelligence, and helping Vietnam build a model of an innovation center for national data science.

The Singaporean representative shared expectations that the two nations will continue to enhance cooperation in clean energy, including wind power, and heighten discussions about carbon credits.

Expressing his delight at seeing Vietnam become Singapores biggest rice supplier in the first half of 2024, Permanent Secretary Chua proposed the two sides boost partnership in farm produce export and import activities to ensure food security.

The top Singaporean official also suggested increasing air connectivity between the two countries to boost economic, trade, and tourism cooperation. He affirmed that Singapore will expand its management training programs for Vietnam.

In addition, the two nations agreed to closely collaborate with other ASEAN members in efforts to build the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and promote ASEANs role in the region and the world.

Both sides exchanged views on the situation in the East Vietnam Sea, expressing their commitment to maintaining it as a peaceful, cooperative, and developed region.

They insisted on adhering to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea and intensifying efforts to finalize a Code of Conduct in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Vietnamese official proposed that Singapore support the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 in Vietnam and send high-level representatives to exchange initiatives and perspectives on regional development.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet (L) meets with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Singapore, September 4, 2024. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

As part of his working trip to Singapore, Deputy Minister Viet met with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

During their meeting, Balakrishnan expressed his admiration for Vietnams fast economic growth.

He proposed the two ministries closely cooperate with relevant ministries and agencies to make the multifaceted partnership stronger and take the bilateral ties to a new height.

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Two hospitals have been tasked with uncovering the cause of the death of a student from Thai Nguyen Industrial College in the namesake province in northern Vietnam and the hospitalization of 12 others between Thursday last week and Monday this week.

All 13 victims had developed fevers, headaches, stomachaches, and nausea, with the cause still unknown.

Following reports of the situation, the Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health charged the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Vietnam National Children's Hospital, both in Hanoi, with identifying the root cause of the incident.

The two hospitals were also told to identify appropriate treatments for the patients and control the infection, if any, in medical units and at Thai Nguyen Industrial College to minimize the number of people likely to catch the disease.

The two hospitals can dispatch working teams to Thai Nguyen Province if needed.

The Thai Nguyen Central General Hospital and the Thai Nguyen Department of Health will be responsible for providing the patients' medical records and relevant documents for the two central-level hospitals.

The deceased student was diagnosed with multi-organ failure, acute heart failure, myocarditis, and hepatitis B.

One student is in a critical condition and is being put on a ventilator at Thai Nguyen Central General Hospital.

The 10 remaining students are having their health monitored at the hospital in stable condition.

Another is receiving medical treatment at the Vietnam National Children's Hospital.

A representative of the Vietnam National Children's Hospital said the patient was hospitalized and complained of a stomachache, chest pain, and slight fever.

According to the Thai Nguyen Department of Health, it has yet to be able to conclude if the disease is infectious as testing results have not been completed.

Despite a lack of information, the department has implemented prevention and control measures.

The department has tasked the medical center in Thai Nguyen City, the provincial capital, with sending an emergency team, including a doctor and two nurses, together with an ambulance, medicine, and emergency equipment to Thai Nguyen Industrial College to support potentially affected students.

The victims roommates have all been isolated.

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Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnam and Singapore reached a consensus on deeper cooperation in various fields such as education, culture, tourism, digital, and green economy, heard the 16th Vietnam-Singapore political consultation co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Albert Chua in Singapore on Wednesday.

Society

-- Vietnam was estimated to serve nearly three million tourists during the four-day National Day holiday, lasting from Saturday last week to Tuesday, up 20 percent year on year.

Business

-- Ride-hailing and delivery company Gojek will stop its operation in Vietnam from September 16, a representative of the firm told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday.

-- The ninth Electric & Power Vietnam 2024 exhibition and the 16th HVACR Vietnam 2024 expo kicked off at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday, bringing together over 350 major local and international firms.

-- Vietnams CME Solar Investments has entered a joint venture agreement with Vista Global, a unit of Samsung C&T under South Korean tech giant Samsung, to boost the development of rooftop solar energy in Vietnam.

Lifestyle

-- Ho Chi Minh City was named Asia's Best MICE Destination and Asia's Best Incentive Destination at the fifth annual World MICE Awards Gala Ceremony held in the city on Wednesday.

-- Online museum platform Google Arts & Culture, operated by Google, has launched an exclusive site for Vietnam called Vibrant Vietnam, which introduces people to the variety of Vietnamese cultures via high-resolution images and videos.

-- Hundreds of lion heads of all types and sizes are on display at several stores along Tran Hung Dao Street in Hue City, central Thua Thien-Hue Province, spreading the festive atmosphere ahead of the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival, also known as the 'Childrens Festival,' takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This year, it is due on Tuesday, September 17.

Sports

-- Vietnamese weightlifter Le Van Cong won a bronze medal in men's 49kg weight category at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Wednesday, marking the first medal for the Vietnamese Paralympic team.

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The Peoples Court in Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Wednesday opened a hearing against the director of a local company and his 17 accomplices for helping others illegally travel to Canada and forging documents.

On September 25, 2023, police at Da Nang International Airport found that Nguyen Tan Luc, 29, and Nguyen Van Phap, 30, both residents of Da Nang, had not qualified for family-sponsored visitor visas for travel to Canada despite having filed for such visas through the Canadian governments online portal.

Both Luc and Phap confessed that they had gotten their visas thanks to the support from Star Light Co. Ltd., headquartered in Quang Binh Province, north-central Vietnam.

Police at Da Nang International Airport transferred the case to investigators from the Da Nang Department of Public Security.

Star Light Co. Ltd. was established in 2008 and specializes in providing consulting in overseas study and labor export to Europe, Australia, and Canada. The companys director is Phung Ngoc Hung.

As the Canadian government allows visa applications to be submitted online, Hung and his staff counterfeited documents regarding the asset ownership of their customers to help them obtain visas.

The documents were later transferred to Star Lights partners who further adjusted them, forged more documents to prove customers financial capacity, and submitted the documents online.

The ring faked documents to legitimize visa applications for 36 Vietnamese people.

Global Reach Trading Company, a partner of Star Light, counterfeited documents for eight others who also sought to travel to Canada.

A group of three individuals, also partners of Star Light, illegally completed dossiers for travel to Canada for another customer.

In total, they forged documents to complete visa applications for 45 Vietnamese citizens.

After Luc and Phap were caught at Da Nang International Airport, Hung asked his staff to destroy data in his companys computers and phones, obstructing the investigation.

Investigators later found 42 out of the 45 visa applications.

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Typhoon Yagi, the third storm to strike the East Vietnam Sea this year, could reach super typhoon status on Thursday with sustained winds of up to 201 kph as it heads toward Chinas Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island, according to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting.

Yagi was located about 550 km east of Chinas Hainan at 4:00 am on Thursday with winds of up to 183 kph and gusts reaching over 220 kph.

The central weather agency reported that the typhoon was moving west-northwest toward Hainan-Leizhou at a speed of 10-15 kph and will likely upgrade into a super typhoon with sustained winds of 184-201 kph.

By 4:00 am on Friday, the super typhoon is forecast to be within 210 kilometers of Hainan with winds reaching 201 kph and squalls of up to 220 kph.

Over the following 24-48 hours, the storm is expected to continue moving northwest at 10 kph toward the southern part of Leizhou before entering the Gulf of Tonkin.

After passing Leizhou, Yagi will hit mainland China where its strength will decrease.

By 4:00 am on Saturday, Yagis will be centered in the northeast region of the Gulf of Tonkin with winds of up to 166 kph and gusts reaching 220 kph.

It will then continue moving west-northwest at 15 kph toward northern Vietnam before making landfall in the region between Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh Provinces on Saturday.

Yagi will continue on a northwestern trajectory before downgrading into a tropical depression and then a low-pressure system.

During the typhoon, the northern part of the East Vietnam Sea will see extremely rough waves of four to six meters high with powerful winds ranging from 150 kph to 201 kph, along with gusts reaching over 220 kph over the next 24 hours.

On Friday night, the Gulf of Tonkin will see rough seas and strong winds ranging from 89 kph to 166 kph with gusts blowing 220 kph, posing significant risks to vessels.

Over the next 24 hours, the northern area of the East Vietnam Sea will be extremely rough, with waves measuring seven to nine meters, even to 10-12 meters in the waters near Yagis eye.

From Friday through Monday, heavy rains will hit the northern and north-central regions with precipitation of 100-300mm, even up to 500mm in some localities.

Heavy rains from storm Yagi could trigger flooding in low-lying and urban areas, potentially leading to rivers overflowing and landslides in hilly and mountainous regions, the center warned.

At a meeting on Thursday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan requested that all coastal localities in northern and north-central regions take effective measures to cope with the coming typhoon.

Efforts should be made to minimize risks to life, property, industrial park infrastructure, telecommunications, electricity, river dykes, and other construction works, the minister asked.

Local authorities should evacuate people, especially tourists, from dangerous areas to safe places if necessary.

Depending on the situation, local governments may ban activities involving large numbers of people, Hoan said.

In an urgent directive on Tuesday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered the ministries, agencies, and local authorities from Quang Ngai to Quang Ninh Provinces, as well as in the northern region, to take immediate measures to respond to the approaching typhoon.

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Legendary film critic David Stratton AM (At the Movies, The Movie Show) is to be honoured by the Society of Australian Cinema Pioneers.

Stratton will be named the 2024 National Cinema Pioneer of the Year in recognition of his lengthy achievements and contribution to the Australian cinema industry including as a writer, reviewer, and former director of the Sydney Film Festival (1966-1983).

Society of Australian Cinema Pioneers president, Lori Flekser, said Stratton had made an extraordinary contribution to our industry and is the epitome of all this Award stands for.

He was feature film programmer for SBS, host of Movie of the Week and Cinema Classics on SBS (1981-2003), co-host with Margaret Pomeranz of The Movie Show on SBS (1986-2003) and At The Movies on ABC (2003-2014). He also presented David Strattons Story of Australian Cinema.

He also reviewed films for Variety (1983-2003) and The Australian (1990-2023), as well as contributed articles to The Age, The Bulletin, The Sydney Morning Herald, Cinema Papers and International Film Guide (UK).

He will be honoured at a presentation in Sydney on November 29.

Source: IF
Gunned down on her familys front door says the promo for Nines new crime drama Human Error.

They shot the wrong woman.

The series inspired by real events premieres next week starring Leeanna Walsman as a homicide detective assigned to a shocking murder case in a Melbourne suburb.

The press kit notes:

When a suburban mum, Sonia Matthews, is executed in her driveway in front of a child, it has all the signs of a brazen professional hit. Except that Sonia has no criminal connections at all. Initially, Hollys convinced the victims husband has organised the hitman and she puts her reputation on the line to prove it.

But while the series also carries the standard any similarities to actual persons is coincidental disclaimer Nine is declining to comment on any similarities to the tragic unsolved murder of Jane Thurgood-Dove in 1997.

According to Victoria Police, the 34-year-old mother of three was gunned down in front of her children in the driveway of her Niddrie home. She had just arrived back at her house with her three children, still seated in the back of her car, when a stolen car pulled up outside the front of her property and a gunman stepped out and shot her while she stood in her driveway.

Police still believe that Jane was sadly the victim of mistaken identity and not the intended target of the shooting. A $1m reward remains.

While it reads like a scene breakdown for Human Error, the series then explores other fictional subplots, both criminal and personal, typical of the genre in a post-Underbelly world.

But it is pretty disingenuous to promote, on the one hand, a Drama as being inspired by real events whilst, on the other hand, declining to acknowledge just what they are.

True life crime is a genre prolific the world over and one audiences flock to. As other families, including that of Shane Warne or even Baby Reindeers Fiona Muir-Harvey have learned, there is nothing to stop drama producers from fictionalising your life or parts thereof. A year ago media even speculated a story on mushroom-related deaths in Leongatha were ripe for a telemovie.

Human Error, a six part drama filmed by Roadshow Rough Diamond in early 2023, will finally see the light of day next week.

In a best case scenario, police might be hoping it motivates someone to come forward with evidence that leads to a conviction and brings a family some resolution.

8:40pm next Wednesday on Nine.
Nines Paralympics broadcast, ABC animated series Fizzy & Suds and upcoming Teenage Boss have all been certified as being Inclusively-produced by a newly-established screen venture, Inclusively Made.

So too have Bupas 2024 Paralympics ad campaign and Repcos 2024 Bathurst campaign.

Inclusively Made, founded by Bus Stop Films and Taste Creative, helps producers in film, television and advetising who want to be Inclusive, but dont know where to start, by offering consultation, an Inclusion plan, resources and ongoing support.

Co-founder Genevieve Clay-Smith, speaking last week at the Australian Childrens Content Summit told a room of producers and creatives, Being Inclusive is not difficult, I promise. Its not going to slow you down, and its not going to compromise on quality.

Inclusively Made is a new venture that helps you to do that. It gives you a framework on how to be Inclusive. It gives training and it gives certification as well. If you produce a project that is inclusive, we certify it, and we put the Inclusively Made logo on it. What that does is it holds us as an industry to a standard, because Im really sick of people saying Ive made something Inclusively, and its one person with disability in front of the camera, and theres been absolutely no Inclusion behind the scenes.

Theres a standard to this, and its a holistic approach.

Every production and campaign is different, and so too is Inclusion, said CEO Paul Nunnari. Thats why the Inclusively Made certification can be tailored to your production. So there is no reason why every production cant be truly Inclusive.

Productions are offered accreditation by amassing 100 points from actions across a range of Inclusion pillars.

These are:

Inclusive Casting

Accessible Auditions

Inclusive Mentoring

Inclusive Crew Roles

Accessible Documentation

Accessible Locations

Safe & Inclusive Environment

Accessible Broadcast

Single project accreditation is a $1500 flat fee.
Economic, cultural event held in New York to promote China's Zhaotong

Xinhua) 10:00, September 05, 2024

NEW YORK, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The city of Zhaotong in China's Yunnan Province is aiming to promote economic and cultural ties with U.S. cities and bolster the two countries' local-level exchanges and cooperation.

Addressing the China (Zhaotong) - USA Economic and Cultural Cooperation Conference in New York's Manhattan on Tuesday, Su Yongzhong, secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhaotong Municipal Committee, said that Zhaotong is a historic city with over 2,000 years, famed for its rich natural resources and colorful intangible cultural heritage.

Located in China's southwest, the city is a well-connected transportation hub between China and Southeast Asia and South Asia, he said, adding that Zhaotong is also a favorable destination with convenient business environment for foreign investors.

Su expressed his expectation of more and closer China-U.S. exchanges at the local level, and invited American investors and entrepreneurs to seek opportunities in Yunnan and benefit from economic and cultural cooperation.

Hou Lihong, counselor of science and technology section of China's Consulate General in New York, said that Zhaotong, located in the northeastern part of Yunnan Province, is an important section of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

In recent years, Zhaotong has shifted its focus to high-quality development, and its living environment and infrastructure construction have been significantly improved, he said, stressing that the development of Zhaotong is an epitome of China's pursuit of high-quality development.

China will continue to advance high-quality development, expand high-level opening up, share the progress of Chinese modernization with the rest of the world, and inject fresh impetus into the global economy, Hou said.

Hou also highlighted that China's pursuit of high-quality development will offer more opportunities for the win-win cooperation between China and the United States.

Jeffery Jones, former mayor of Paterson in the U.S. state of New Jersey and chairman of the Council for Trade and Investment Promotion (CTIP) of New Jersey, said that he traveled in many Chinese cities such as Beijing, Wuhan and Guangzhou before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Encouraged by the news that China is adhering to the opening-up policy and moving forward, Jones said he believes that the CTIP will engage with more areas in China in exploring business.

Zhaotong is a populous city in Yunnan Province and a significant node along the famous "Southern Silk Road" in ancient times, acting as a two-way corridor linking China's inland areas with South Asia and Southeast Asia, and serving as a gateway to the rest of China.

It is also one of the largest high-quality apple bases in China, and boasts of large produce of potato and Gastrodia elata.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Tow truck drivers pull a car belonging to the suspect in a fatal police shooting out of the Houston Ship Channel near Channelview and 81st Street on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 in Galveston. The owner of the vehicle, who got out of the car and swam, is suspected of shooting at and killing a Houston Constable in west Houston as he was making his way to work. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

The man accused in the shooting death of a Harris County constables deputy  who fled the scene and was plucked from the waters near the Houston Ship Channel hours later  is being charged in Houston and Galveston County, officials confirmed.

Athir Murady was charged Thursday with murder in connection with the shooting death of Precinct 4 Cpl. Maher Husseini, a three-year veteran of the office, according to a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors have filed a motion to set his bond at $5 million.

The charge in Harris County comes a day after Galveston County prosecutors charged Murady with evading arrest in connection with his alleged flight through Galveston County that culminated in deputies pulling him from the water, according to the district attorney's office. He was taken to the jail late Wednesday afternoon, according to Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset.

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Prosecutors announced they would seek to deny Murady bail.

Officials with the Harris County District Attorney's Office weren't sure when Murady would be moved to Harris County to face the murder charge.

MORE CRIME NEWS: HPD's Chicano Squad reflects on the changes they made to policing

Police have not released a motive for the shooting. An online search returned a Dallas address for Murady and a LinkedIn profile describes him as a security professional.

Husseini was shot and killed around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 8900 block of Richmond Avenue in west Houston. Police found his personal vehicle with a shattered drivers window and four bullet holes on the passenger side at the intersection near Fondren Road.

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Authorities quickly organized a search for the shooter, issuing a description of a man and the damaged vehicle he was driving. Within hours, as Precinct 4 leadership waited to inform Husseinis wife of his death as she stepped off a plane at Bush Intercontinental Airport, authorities in neighboring Galveston County tracked down a possible shooter in League City and chased him to the ship channel.

Galveston police received notice just before 3 p.m. that a suspect in the fatal shooting of a constable deputy might be on the island and then, around 4 p.m., Deputy City Marshal Sgt. Nick Yeley noticed a vehicle matching the fleeing one's description in the 6700 block of Broadway, officials said. He called dispatch and kept sight of the vehicle before meeting officers at a parking lot where they prepared to stop the vehicle.

The man then drove into the Channelview neighborhood where he took his vehicle into Galveston Bay, police said. He abandoned the car and ran into deeper water, where he was later retrieved.

Emergency medical personnel transport a handcuffed man to a waiting ambulance on 81st Street at Channelview Drive in Galveston on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. The man was wanted in connection to the fatal shooting of a Harris County constable earlier in the day. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News/Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News

Details remain scant on what transpired at the west Houston intersection where Husseini was shot.

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Newly hired Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said a man stepped out of his vehicle and shot the deputy in his car. Diaz noted, when asked at a news conference, that road rage could have played a role in the shooting, but he said investigators still had work to do, such as reviewing any surveillance footage from the intersection.

The deputy joined the office in 2021 and had been promoted to corporal last week, Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said. He previously ran for sheriff in Montgomery County, as a Democrat, in 2020, past Houston Chronicle coverage shows, while leading private company Jaguar Security and Investigations. His sheriff's campaign focused on creating mental health programs for those charged with crimes, remodeling jails and improving pay for detention officers.
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Maha NEET UG 2024: BAMS, BUMS, BHMS Admission Schedule Published

Maharashtra CET Cell had earlier released the Merit List of Candidates who have registered for admission in BUMS, BAMS, BHMS (AYUSH Courses) and Paramedical courses based on NEET UG 2024 score

Thursday September 5, 2024 12:37 PM , ummid.com News Network

Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 BAMS, BUMS, BHMS Admission: The Maharashtra CET Cell has published on its official website medical2024.mahacet.org Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 Counselling (CAP Round) Schedule to be conducted for admission in BUMS, BAMS, BHMS (AYUSH courses Group B) for the year 2024-25.

According to the NEET UG Counselling Schedule for BUMS, BAMS, BHMS (AYUSH courses Group B) the CET Cell will release on September 09, 2024 the Seat Matrix (State Quota) 2024 of CAP Round 1.

Choice Filling and Seat Allotment

The schedule further said that Online Preference Form (Choice) Filling process for these courses will be done from September 09 to 11, 2024 up to 06:00 pm.

"Based on choices and options filled and submitted by the candidates, CAP Round 1 Selection List of BUMS, BAMS and BHMS (AYUSH Courses/Group B) will be published on September 13, 2024, the CET Cell said.

Maharashtra CET Cell conducts MBBS, BDS, BUMS and counselling for other medical and dental course after the declaration of NEET result.

Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 Counselling

The CET Cell started through its official website cetcell.net.in from August 17, 2024 Online Registration for NEET UG 2024 Counselling conducted for Admission in Health Science Courses MBBS / BDS / BAMS / BHMS / BUMS / BPTh / BOTh / BASLP / BP&O /B.Sc (Nursing).

Accordingly, the CET Cell published the First Selection List for MBBS (Medical) and BDS (Dental) on August 31, 2024.

The Selection List for BUMS, BHMS, BAMS (AYUSH Courses/Group B) and BPTH, BOTH, BASLP, B P&O (Paramedical Courses/Group C) will be released separately as per the above schedule.

Candidates who do not get admission in CAP Round 1 or are not happy with the allotted seat can participate in the consequent rounds as per the published schedule.

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HA NOI  Shares declined on Wednesday, dragged down partly by global market trends. Meanwhile, foreign capital was withdrawn from the market after the long holiday.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index closed the trading day at 1,275.8 points, down 8.07 points, or 0.63 per cent. This snapped its four-day gaining streak.

The market's breadth was in negative territory, as the number of losers surpassed that of winners by 230 to 105.

Liquidity showed signs of improvement with a gain of 16.3 per cent from the previous session, but was hovering at low levels. Particularly, the trading value reached VN15.7 trillion (US$632.3 million).

The VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 biggest stocks in term of market capitalisation on the southern bourse, also ticked down 13.81 points, or 1.04 per cent, to 1,317.71 points. Twenty three stocks on the VN30 basket decreased, while six moved higher and one stocks stayed unchanged.

Leading the downtrend was the banking group with Vietcombank (VCB) being the biggest loser. Shares of the lender fell 0.76 per cent, contributing nearly one points to the index's loss.

Other large banking ticker symbols seeing significant falls were VPBank (VPB), down 2.37 per cent, MBBank (MBB) down 1.81 per cent, Techcombank (TCB) dipping 1.5 per cent and HDBank (HDB) plummeting 2.17 per cent.

Securities, technology, consumer and manufacturing shares also posted poor performances.

SSI Securities Corporation (SSI) fell 1.63 per cent, Saigon - Hanoi Securities JSC (SHS) declined 2.44 per cent, VNDirect Securities Corporation (VND) slid 1.61 per cent, FPT Corporation (FPT) slid 1.34 per cent, Vietnam Rubber Group (GVR) decreased 1.84 per cent, Petrolimex (PLX) was down 3.3 per cent and Masan Group (MSN) dipped nearly 1.6 per cent.

However, the index pared losses as some pillars rose sharply. Vinhomes (VHM) contributed most to the rally, up 2.41 per cent. It was followed by PV Gas (GAS), Vietinbank (CTG), Vincom Retail (VRE) and Vinamilk (VNM). These stocks increased between 0.54-2.6 per cent.

The HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) extended its losing streak to six days. It finished Wednesday at 236.14 points, down 1.42 points, or 0.6 per cent. On the northern bourse, nearly 51.5 million shares were traded, worth over VN1 trillion.

The domestic market tracked the global market's movements, with Japans Nikkei 225 posted its worst day since early August sell-off, down 4.24 per cent.

Meanwhile, foreign investors returned to net selling, they net sold VN773.55 billion on the HoSE and VN28.14 billion on the HNX.  VNS
HCM CITY  Innovative technologies and solutions in industries such as power, renewable energy, smart grids, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration are on show at the Electric & Power Vietnam and HVACR Vietnam that opened in HCM City on Wednesday.

The expos have attracted more than 350 exhibitors from more than 15 countries and territories, including China, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Turkey, and the US.

Electric & Power Vietnam 2024 offers solutions for measurement, testing, monitoring, and safety in the power sector, alongside smart solutions, automation technologies, electric vehicles, and environmental services.

HVACR Vietnam 2024 showcases products spanning the entire value chain of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, cooling and refrigeration for smart buildings and industrial parks.

The two events are expected to attract 7,000 trade attendees by offering a key platform for businesses to explore global industrial advancements, connect with partners and customers, and attend international conferences.

There will be international conferences and specialised seminars on topics like energy transition, smart grid, data centres, and advanced air-conditioning solutions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Peter Lundberg, executive director of the Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association (APUEA), said Viet Nam stands at a critical crossroads in its energy journey.

Like many other countries in the region, it is also faced with the dual challenges of meeting growing energy demands while addressing the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions.

Currently much of its energy comes from coal, a resource that, while abundant, has a significant carbon footprint, he said.

In response to these challenges, Viet Nam has set ambitious climate goals, committing to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, no small task but a necessary one, he said.

He said the potential for renewable energy in Viet Nam is enormous.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Viet Nam has an estimated 1.2 terawatts of renewable energy potential, 15 times the current installed capacity, he pointed out.

But the energy transition is not just about renewables. Its also about using energy smarter. The International Energy Agency has pointed out that energy efficiency is as crucial to this transition as the development of renewable energy.

By adopting energy-efficient technologies and practices, we can reduce our overall energy demand, lower costs, and decrease our reliance on fossil fuels.

At the two events top experts would present cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions that could help Viet Nam achieve its energy goals, he added.

Organised by Informa Markets Viet Nam, the expos, being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7, will run until Friday. VNS
VLADIVOSTOK  A business dialogue session between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took place in Vladivostok on Wednesday as part of the ongoing 9th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF 2024).

At the opening of the event, Daniyar Akkaziev, CEO of the Russia-ASEAN Business Council, affirmed that Russia values its cooperation with ASEAN, considering the region's rapid and diverse development potential in the Asia-Pacific.

With the sides signing a strategic partnership agreement in 2016 and Russia joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in 2004, he noted the moves are prerequisites for Russia to strengthen its dialogue with bloc member countries.

Sergei Katyrin, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reported that bilateral trade between Russia and ASEAN is on the rise, and expressed his optimism about strengthening their relations, particularly in the context of the digital era.

Myanmar Minister of Hotels and Tourism Thet Thet Khine suggested that to advance their relationship, both sides need to harmonise their systems, simplify import-export procedures, and promote exchanges in information technology and culture for better mutual understanding.

German Maslov, Vice President of the logistics division at the FESCO Transportation Group  a major Russian shipping company shared that two years ago, FESCO launched a maritime route between Viet Nam and Vladivostok, positioning the country as a transit hub for ASEAN. With demand growing significantly, three ships are now operating on the route.

Le Viet Hai, Founder and Chairman of the Vietnamese-based Hoa Binh Construction Group, added that promoting and maintaining peace is essential for sustainable development and cooperation.

Hai told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Russia that through negotiations with partners, he found that the Russian market currently has substantial demand for construction services, labour, and materials, with which his company seeks collaboration.

On Wednesday, he met with multiple businesses and local government representatives in Russia and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, Segezha Group, and Roscongress Foundation.  VNS
HA NOI  Indonesia-based ride-hailing and delivery service app Gojek has decided to exit Viet Nam from September 16 as a step towards focusing its operations in major markets with higher growth potential.

The decision to cease operations in Viet Nam is in line with Gojek parent company GoTo's long-term development strategy. GoTo is the largest technology firm in Indonesia.

We've decided to terminate operations in Viet Nam from September 16, 2024, the company said in an announcement.

The decision will allow the company to focus on activities that can have significant and sustainable impacts on the market, in line with GoTos commitment to achieve long-term sustainable business growth, a representative added.

Gojek entered Viet Nam in 2018 under the brand GoViet, providing motorbike ride-hailing (GoRide), car ride-hailing (GoCar), food delivery (GoFood) and courier (GoSend) services in the country.

Before leaving Viet Nam, Gojek has been operating in HCM City, Ha Noi, Binh Duong and ong Nai.

According to market research company Mordor Intelligence, Viet Nams ride-hailing service market is estimated at US$880 million in 2024 and is expected to reach $2.16 billion in 2029 with a compound growth rate of 19.5 per cent in the next five years.

The Vietnamese market is fragmented with Grab, Xanh SM, Be and Gojek.

According to Singapores Business Times, Gojek Viet Nam accounted for less than 1 per cent of GoTos gross transaction value in the second quarter, so the departure from Viet Nam will not affect the financial situation of the parent company.

Gojek left Thailand in 2021 and will now focus on Malaysia and Singapore.

In Indonesia, GoTo has established itself as a leading digital ecosystem in on-demand services (ODS) and financial technology through GoTo Financial. As the largest market in Southeast Asia, Indonesia still has a lot of room for growth, requiring more resources. In the second quarter of this year, Gojeks gross transaction value and number of completed orders increased by 18 per cent and 24 per cent year-on-year respectively, reaching all-time highs.

In Singapore, Gojek also saw its market share increase by three percentage points in the second quarter. The Singaporean market has a high average order value and continues to be a key market for GoTo.  VNS
HA NOI  An estimated 763,000 people passed through airports across the country during this year's National Day holiday, which lasted from August 30 to September 3. This number is 98 per cent of the figure for the same period last year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has announced.

Of the total figure, there were more than 406,500 foreigners, a year-on-year increase of 14.5 per cent. Meanwhile, the number of domestic passengers dropped by 15.6 per cent to over 356,500. Air cargo transport rose 11 per cent to some 13,000 tonnes.

Over 2,700 flights were operated by Vietnamese airlines during the four-day holiday, the CAAV said, adding that they transported over 531,000 passengers, a yearly decline of 12 per cent. Of the total, 174,000 passengers flew on international routes, down 4 per cent, while 356,500 passengers flew on domestic routes, down 16 per cent.

At the same time, they also carried more than 4,300 tones of cargo, up 18 per cent year-on-year, according to the CAAV.

The aviation authority said that Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City saw 407,000 travellers passing through its terminals, down 7.4 per cent year-on-year. The airport, however, recorded a modest yearly increase of 3 per cent in cargo transported at approximately 5,300 tonnes.

Meanwhile, approximately 2,000 flights with 314,000 passengers and over 8,700 tonnes of cargo passed through Ha Noi's Noi Bai International Airport, with passengers down 1 per cent but cargo up 17 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile the number at a Nang International Airport in a Nang city was over 111,000 passengers and 333 tonnes of cargo, marking a decrease of 13 per cent in passengers but a surge of 80 per cent for cargo.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Industry and Trade on Thursday discussed a proposal to develop a centre to create, store and trade raw materials for textile and leather footwear production in Viet Nam.

Deputy Minister of Trade Phan Thi Thang said that the centre should be launched in 2025.

The meeting highlights the need for Viet Nam to take control of the source of materials for textile and leather wear production and not only import them from other countries.

Textiles and leather footwear have always been Viet Nams major exports as their export turnover increases every year, on an average of a 10-per-cent rise per year, according to deputy director of industry Pham Tuan Anh.

In the last six months alone, the export turnover of the two fields combined reached nearly US$30 billion. They account for 16 per cent of the countrys total and create nearly five million jobs, accounting for 22 per cent of industrial jobs in the country.

However, their strength lies only in manufacturing, which creates little added value to the products, Anh added. Vietnamese manufacturers still have to import raw materials  cotton, wool, silk, linen, synthetic materials and leather  and accessories from China, South Korea and other ASEAN countries.

This dependence on imported materials will hinder the industrys growth, as several countries are putting more regulations in place to control supply quality in order to meet the global net-zero target in 2050. One of the requirements is that a high percentage of the supply needs to have an intra-bloc origin, which means it needs to come from the member countries of a trade bloc.

As Viet Nam has entered several free trade agreements such as the EVFTA, it has to follow the rules of origin specified in these agreements. Accordingly, heavy raw material imports will put the country at a disadvantage as it can no longer enjoy tax exemptions from these agreements.

Taking control of the source of materials is of utmost importance, the trade official said.

A proposal to develop a centre to create, store and trade raw materials for the textile and leather industry was submitted to the trade ministry last year by the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association and the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association.

It is in line with the Prime Ministers Decision 1643 in 2022, which gives direction to the development of the textile and leather footwear sector until 2035.

It is expected that the centre will be developed with funds mobilised from the private sector. Domestic and foreign suppliers will be welcome to display and introduce their materials, once the centre has been built.

The centre will also assist businesses in tracing the materials origins, ensuring that all trades operate to a high standard and high level of transparency.

The materials quality will also be assessed regularly. An information platform will also be developed to keep domestic businesses up-to-date with the latest production technology and fashion trends.

Some field trips are expected to take place next month, where Vietnamese businesses will have the opportunity to learn from businesses in China and some other countries that have succeeded in operating similar models.

Deputy Trade Minister Phan Thi Thang said: The centre was supposed to be developed a long time ago, but for some reasons we have not been able to.

We need to set the plans in motion as soon as possible so that the centre can be launched in 2025.  VNS
HA NOI  As Viet Nam and Brazil mark 35 years of diplomatic ties this year, their collaboration across various sectors, particularly agriculture, is on the rise.

Brazil's agricultural sector is progressing, aligning with the global shift towards environmentally-friendly practices. Similarly, Viet Nam is striving for sustainable growth in its agricultural industry, a significant contributor to the nation's GDP, to meet evolving export standards, notably from markets like the EU and the US.

Viet Nam News reporter Ly Ly Cao spoke to Brazilian Ambassador to Viet Nam, Marco Farani and CEO of the National Corn Ethanol Association (UNEM) Guilherme Nolasco, to shed light on the partnership between the two countries and explore avenues to support Viet Nams agricultural sector.

What is your view on the recent agricultural cooperation between Viet Nam and Brazil?

Marco Farani: Last year, bilateral trade reached the sum of US$7.1 billion, making Brazil the largest trading partner of Viet Nam in South America. It is a phenomenal figure for two countries on almost entirely opposite sides of the world. President Lula and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh agreed that the bilateral trade has the potential to increase even further, achieving $10 billion by 2030.

Our economies are in many instances complimentary, with Brazil being a well-developed agricultural economy and Viet Nam at the heart of global manufacturing.

With this in mind, Brazils key exports to Viet Nam are mostly agricultural: animal fodder, cotton, soy beans, maize. Nowadays, Brazil is the lead global exporter of sugar, orange juice, beef, poultry meat and soybean.

Brazil and Viet Nam celebrate 35 years of bilateral relations this year and it is really fortunate that this anniversary coincides with the new momentum bilateral relations have gained since President Lula took office in January 2023.

In September 2023, PM Chinh visited Brazil. On that occasion, Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and its Brazilian counterpart signed a Plan of Action for further development of our partnership in agriculture.

Following up on the PMs trip, the Brazilian Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock visited Viet Nam and presented specific proposals for the opening of markets for certain products.

One month later, in April, I had the honour to welcome to Ha Noi the Brazilian Chancellor, Mauro Vieira. Minister Vieira met with several Vietnamese authorities, with whom he reviewed the most important aspects of our bilateral partnership  agriculture included.

This year, Brazil leads the G-20 Group and invited Viet Nam to participate in two technical tracks, Agriculture and Science, Technology & Innovation. PM Pham Minh Chinh is set to return to Brazil in November for the G-20 Summit at the Brazilian Government's invitation.

What are the key difficulties hindering cooperation between the two nations?

Marco Farani: Despite the impressive numbers I have just mentioned, trade activities between Brazil and Viet Nam still face many difficulties, mainly due to geographical distance and high logistics fees. The outcome of negotiations towards the opening of our respective markets to some key products could also help deepen cooperation.

One of our main difficulties is that Brazil and Viet Nam still lack a bilateral agreement on technical cooperation. Such an agreement would provide an institutional umbrella under which we could develop a plethora of projects in the future. But, hopefully, this problem is going to be overcome soon. Negotiations are in their final stages and we are confident we will be able to sign the agreement very soon.

Guilherme Nolasco: Besides the formal matters, which are progressing through a partnership between the governments of Viet Nam and Brazil, we have some challenges mainly related to the distances that production needs to cover to reach the Asian consumer markets. Investment in logistics and energy infrastructure is essential to make Brazil more competitive.

A virtual meeting is planned for this coming December to begin preparing the activities outlined in the aforementioned plan.

Further bilateral agreements are also expected, which could be signed during the visit of Brazil's President to Viet Nam in December of this year. They include the basic technical cooperation agreement, the investment facilitation agreement and the agreement to avoid double taxation.

As a country with an advanced agriculture sector and notable success in sustainable development, how can Brazil support Viet Nam in advancing towards sustainable agricultural development?

Marco Farani: I think sustainable development, as you mentioned, is really a key expression. One of the priorities of President Lulas foreign policy is the promotion of sustainability  and I mean sustainability in all its three dimensions, environmental, social and economic.

Research and technology (R&T) have been an important factor in our country's agricultural performance. In recent decades, Brazil has been able to increase agricultural productivity without a corresponding increase in the use of land.

R&T is also being mobilised to recover degraded areas, making sure that no further native vegetation is destroyed in order to increase agricultural production. According to recent data, 68 per cent of the Brazilian territory is still home to native vegetation and the Brazilian Government intends to keep it that way - but without sacrificing economic growth.

Cooperation with partner countries is another aspect of Brazil's commitment to ensuring global food security and sustainability. As such, we are ready to establish a successful cooperation with Viet Nam in the area of agriculture.

The bilateral Action Plan for Cooperation in Agriculture, signed by President Lula and PM Chinh, constitutes the first foundation for our joint work. This plan contemplates five broad lines of action, two of which regard sustainability.

I would also like to add a few considerations about green energy. Eighty eight per cent of the Brazilian energy matrix is composed of renewable sources, positioning Brazil as one of the leading countries in the global efforts towards energy transition. The employment of ethanol as a fuel source for transportation has been an important contributor to Brazil's success in the advancement of the energy transition.

Guilherme Nolasco: One of Brazil's major challenges in pursuing sustainable development is reconciling environmental conservation with the socioeconomic needs of a developing country.

This issue has been partially addressed through the use of technology and agricultural productivity, which allowed for the orderly use of land. Since the 1970s, the country has undergone a profound transformation in the agricultural sector, positioning itself today as a major global player in products such as corn, soybeans, sugar, cotton and others.

By generating wealth and food without the pressure to open new agricultural frontiers, the country has kept sustainability at the core of its strategy.

Given the results we have achieved in the industry, I believe energy transition, environmental cooperation and agricultural cooperation are among the priority foundations for the partnership between the two countries. The Mercosur - Viet Nam agreement is also an important cooperation tool between the two countries.  VNS
MANILA  Very demure, very mindful is how content creator Jools Lebron aka @joolieannie describes her every move. You see how I come to work? she begins her now-viral TikTok video with 4.2 million views as of writing.

She then proceeds to describe her getting ready routine, which involves doing her makeup, laying her wig, doing a little braid, flat ironing her hair, and putting on her favourite perfume. She then reminds her viewers, Lets not forget to be demure, divas.

Since uploading her viral demure video on Aug. 3, Lebron has accumulated over a million followers. She then proceeds to describe, in her succeeding videos, how she does her makeup for work, how she orders her food, how she comes to her nail appointment, how she picks up the ID she left at a bar, how she shows up at her family vacationvery demure.

Her audio has been imitated by legions of TikTok users who use it to describe just about everything they do, pushing the word demure into the current conversation as a new vocabulary for the extremely online girls.

For her part, Lebron has coined even more words to complement demure. Theres mindful, not taking too much space, and even demuretesy, a combination of demure and cutesy. I mix them both because Im what? Very demuretesy. Im very cute with it but Im very mindful with it, very respectful with it. I dont do too much, I do just enough. I dont go overboard, I dont go underboard. Im not the basement, Im not the atticIm where you live. Im very demure.

Lebrons even done the Charli XCX Apple trend in a demure way. Of course. Doing the choreography ever so cutesy. Demure.

While she has been doling out demure content nonstop (understandably. You want to ride the ephemeral wave of TikTok stardom), Lebron has also been putting out actually mindful content about her weight loss journey, self-care during mental health episodes, responding to drama, good manners, normalizing midnight snacking(!), expressing her gratitude to hospitality staff, staying put after the plane lands, and going after your dreams.

And to the question of who the original demure is, Lebron acknowledges the dolls that came before her: TikTok creators Devin Halbal and Selyna, and the late Paris is Burning star drag queen Venus Xtravaganza, who paved the way for a girl like me to thrive.

Demure is just a way of life for the girls, for the dolls like me.

She says the original demure is all of us.

Being demure is thanking the people who have come before you, while you pave the path for the people who will come after you. And thats being demure, divas. -- Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
BANGKOK  For the first time in the relationship between Bhutan and Thailand, a unique collaboration between local and international designers has resulted in an exclusive collection that bridges the cultural heritage of the two kingdoms.

Thai jeweller Sarran Youkongdee, founder of the sustainable brand SARRAN, has partnered with Chuni Dorji Prive, a Bhutanese luxury fashion brand.

Inspired by the richness of Bhutanese culture as well as the natural environment, the fashion and jewellery collection will be showcased at the Zhiwa Ling Heritage Hotel in Paro.

This collaboration, supported by Bhutans Department of Tourism through the GEF Ecotourism project to mainstream biodiversity conservation into the tourism sector of Bhutan is the result of a year-long effort to highlight the exceptional craftsmanship of designers from both Bhutan and Thailand.

Chuni Dorji Prives clothing line beautifully complements the SARRAN jewellery collection, which is deeply rooted in the essence of Bhutans natural beauty, sacred sites, environment, and cultural heritage.

Interpreting the stories of the Thunder Dragon, SARRANs collection captures the purity of the environment, the intricate artistry of Bhutanese women, and the nations commitment to sustainability.

By incorporating elements such as recycled materials and traditional Kira fabric, SARRANs work celebrates Bhutanese culture and emphasizes the importance of environmental stewardship.

The partnership culminated in Bhutans first sustainable Fashion Show, which took place on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at the Zhiwa Ling Hotel in Paro, as part of Bhutans 50 years of tourism celebrations.

The show was more than just a fashion event; it was a platform to share Bhutanese creativity and craftsmanship with the world, reflecting our cultural heritage while embracing contemporary design.

Chuni Dorji Prive offers hand-embroidered and hand-painted creations that effortlessly blend Bhutanese tradition and modernity.

The pieces are crafted from fine velvet, pashmina, and Napa leather, sourced regionally.

With its distinct Bhutanese motifs and exclusivityavailable only within Bhutanthe brands products are unique and traditional, but also modern.

Bhutan has incredible artists and designers who deserve a platform to showcase their talents and their beautiful creations, said Damcho Rinzin, Director of the Department of Tourism, Bhutan.

After nearly a year of discussions, we are thrilled to see this partnership come to life. Partnering with SARRAN and Chuni Dorji Prive for this innovative project is a great opportunity for tourism. As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of tourism in Bhutan, this collaboration is a key step in sharing Bhutanese art and design with the world.

Sarran Youkongdee is a renowned Thai jewellery designer celebrated for his commitment to sustainability, with every aspect of his brand reflecting a deep respect for the environment.

For more information about Bhutans Department of Tourism visit www.bhutan.travel  The Nation/ANN
Kyliel Arceneaux, center, accused of shooting and driving over Nelson Beckett, a 90-year-old Navy veteran, during his first court appearance before Judge Lori DeAngleo in the 487th District Court at the Harris County Criminal Courts Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Kyliel Arceneaux, in orange, accused of shooting and driving over Nelson Beckett, a 90-year-old Navy veteran, during his first court appearance before Judge Lori DeAngleo, top left, in the 487th District Court at the Harris County Criminal Courts Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Kyliel Arceneaux, center, accused of shooting and driving over Nelson Beckett, a 90-year-old Navy veteran, during his first court appearance before Judge Lori DeAngleo in the 487th District Court at the Harris County Criminal Courts Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor

The man charged with murder over the death of a 90-year-old Navy veteran told police after his arrest he targeted the nonagenarian because he didn't think the man would fight back.

However, when Nelson Beckett was confronted in the parking lot of his apartment building, he did struggle and call for help, drawing the attention of at least two people from the building, prosecutors said. Beckett was shot once and then run over by the person who took his car, they said.

Kyliel Arceneaux, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged capital murder, two counts of aggravated assault and tampering with evidence in connection to Beckett's death. He was ordered held in custody on more than $7 million bond.

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MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Man accused in fatal shooting of Harris County deputy constable charged with murder, evading arrest

Arceneaux appeared in front of 487th District Court Judge Lori DeAngelo, who called him a "extreme danger" while setting his bond.

"As you can imagine, in a case involving gun violence we want to keep the community safe, that's the purpose of us making these requests for high bond," said Chief Chandler Raine, a chief prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's homicide division. "In a case like this where we see such senseless gun violence, it's important for us make sure that the entirety of our community is safe from a defendant who is wiling to commit acts such as this."

Beckett was walking through his apartment building's parking lot with the aid of a small grocery cart when he was approached from behind by Arceneaux, who had jumped a fence to get onto the property, prosecutors said.

Arceneux is accused of striking Beckett with a gun before shooting him, and then rifling through his pockets before taking his car. Arceneaux is also accused of pointing a gun at two witnesses who heard Beckett's calls for help.

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Reading from a probable cause documents, prosecutors said Arceneaux confessed to police after being arrested and was still in possession of the gun believed to be used to kill Beckett. Areceneaux told police he thought Beckett was "not going to fight too much"

Prosecutors said police also had video surveillance of Arcenaux both at the apartment complex and where Beckett's car was later found abandoned.

Prosecutors said that Arceneaux could be seen taking off a shirt and attempting to clean the car.

Beckett's death drew nationwide attention and highly publicized announcement of up to $15,000 in rewards for information leading to the identification and arrest of a suspect. Prosecutors didn't say how Arecenaux was identified. He was initially arrested Wednesday on suspicion of unlawful carry of a weapon, prosecutors said.

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To support the construction of water supply facilities in highland and water-scarce areas, the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation (NAWAPI), under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has been tasked with investigating and assessing underground water sources in these regions. It aims to provide a long-term solution to the shortage of clean water for ethnic communities. NAWAPI deputy director Trieu uc Huy speaks to Vietnam News Agency about the project.

In Viet Nam, 90 per cent of the urban and rural populations in lowland areas have access to clean water that meets the Ministry of Healths standards. However, nearly half of the population in mountainous, remote and isolated areas still lacks access to clean water. What is your assessment of this issue?

Access to clean water for people living in mountainous, remote and isolated areas is a significant concern for the Party and the State. Numerous programmes and projects have been implemented to support clean water in highland areas, but many people in these regions still do not have access to clean water. The reasons include the vast number of water-scarce areas, rugged terrain, a scattered population and difficult supply conditions.

Additionally, challenges arise from selecting and investing in appropriate water supply models that align with local water practices, technological solutions and the costs, along with issues in operating and maintaining water sources.

Given the difficulties with water resources in highland and other areas, what specific measures has NAWAPI implemented to establish sustainable water supply models?

NAWAPI has been assigned various tasks related to investigating, assessing and identifying water sources to support the construction of water supply facilities in highland and water-scarce areas.

For example, NAWAPI has discovered and evaluated the potential of several key water sources in challenging areas such as the islands and island clusters of Thanh Lan and Tra Ban in the northern province of Quang Ninh; Ly Son Island in the central province of Quang Ngai, Hon Tre and Hon Chuoi Islands in the southwestern province of Kien Giang; Bach Long Vy Island in Hai Phong City and in the provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Ha Giang; as well as 40 remote areas in ten southern provinces. These efforts directly address the needs of local communities and contribute significantly to the national target programme for clean water supply.



Notably, NAWAPI has recently completed the investigation and exploration of underground water sources in highland and water-scarce areas project. This project is one of three projects assigned by the Government to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The goal is to identify underground water sources with sufficient quantity and quality to ensure stability and longevity, thereby enabling the development of sustainable water supply models.

During the project's implementation, the islands' distance from the mainland and the scarcity of water posed significant challenges. However, when NAWAPI conducted water source exploration on the islands, the leadership, officials and residents provided strong support, making the construction on the islands relatively smooth and mitigating some of the difficulties presented by natural conditions.

How have local authorities and residents responded to these results, especially during the recent severe droughts and saltwater intrusion issues?

From the projects inception to the construction and handover of the facilities, the local residents and authorities were very eager and hopeful to quickly access sources to alleviate the water shortages they face during the dry season.

When viable water sources were found in some areas, even before water supply stations could be built, NAWAPI promptly handed over the findings to local authorities. This allowed for immediate extraction and distribution to address the urgent need for drinking water.

For instance, during the severe drought and saltwater intrusion in 2020 in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands, NAWAPI installed and handed over 13 water treatment facilities with a capacity of 4,300cu.m per day. These facilities provided safe drinking water to approximately 72,000 people, across nine provinces in these critical regions.

What plans does NAWAPI have to ensure water security and safe water supply for residents?

To proactively secure clean water and ensure a safe water supply for residents, NAWAPI is focusing on specific solutions, such as rotating and diversifying existing water sources to improve supply, restoring and rehabilitating depleted, polluted, or saline water sources for use and actively developing surface and groundwater storage facilities within aquifers to support water extraction and supply.

One of the challenges with water supply projects in highland and water-scarce areas is the cost of water that residents have to bear. Additionally, traditional water usage practices can lead to water supply projects becoming less effective and sustainable over time.

The revised Law on Water Resources has introduced preferential policies for water exploitation investment projects. Specifically, Clause 2, Article 4 of the 2023 Law on Water Resources prioritises State investment in the exploration and exploitation of water sources, offering incentives for water supply projects that provide drinking and production water to ethnic minority communities, mountainous areas, border regions, islands and economically disadvantaged areas with scarce freshwater. It also facilitates access to drinking water for the poor, women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

With these new provisions in the revised law, it will be easier to mobilise social resources for water supply projects. These projects will benefit from incentives such as tax reductions and exemptions, as well as waived or reduced fees for water resource exploitation rights, as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 73 of the 2023 Law on Water Resources.  VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary and President To Lam urged the Viet Nam Public Sector Union and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour to fully leverage human resources to build a team of civil servants who are competent, reputable, truly professional and dedicated to upholding discipline, integrity and public service ethics.

The officials were expected to serve the country and its people wholeheartedly, prioritising the interests of the Party, the nation and its citizens above all else.

Lam made the orders on Wednesday when he chaired the meeting with 150 representatives honoured for their contributions in the 'Excellent advisers, Good service' campaign for the 2019-24 period, launched by the Viet Nam Public Sector Union, in Ha Noi.

The call for enhanced performance came amid growing challenges, aiming at achieving the Partys strategic goals.

Lam said the 13th Party Congresss Resolution, which set a strategic goal for Viet Nam to be a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030, and a developed, socialist-oriented country with high income by 2045.

That was a national aspiration and aligned with late President Ho Chi Minhs directive for unity in building a peaceful, independent, democratic and prosperous Viet Nam, contributing significantly to the global revolutionary cause.

Lam said that late President Ho Chi Minhs guidance was: Civil servants are the servants of the people. They must do everything beneficial for the people and avoid everything harmful to the people.

Therefore, the civil servants should consider the guidance as their principle throughout their service, he added.

Lam expressed the desire for the civil servants to be devoted to the people in their daily tasks, whether in shaping macro policies or in administrative duties.

They should be committed to addressing issues affecting citizens lives and businesses promptly and effectively, he said.

In the context of globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which emphasised digital transformation, green transition and knowledge-based economy, the workforce must be dynamic and innovative.

Continuous learning, updating knowledge and skill development were essential to meet new challenges.

He also stressed the need for leaders and managers to actively encourage and protect proactive, innovative and accountable staff, while addressing issues of negligence and inefficiency among some officials, who avoided responsibility and are unprepared to tackle challenges head-on.

He told the Viet Nam Public Sector Union and other unions nationwide continue to promote patriotic emulation movements and the study and practice of late President Ho Chi Minhs ideology, ethics and style.

The Party and State will continue to focus on reforming the wage system to create a favourable environment for civil servants in the coming time, he said.

He said he hoped that the 150 exemplary individuals honoured on Wednesday, would continue to strive, overcome challenges and complete their tasks effectively, inspiring others, so that each agency and unit would have numerous exemplary individuals who embodied the excellent ethos.

Excellent advisers, Good service

Following the directive in the Resolution of the Viet Nam Trade Union's 12th National Congress' Resolution, since 2018, the Viet Nam Public Sector Union has implemented the 'Excellent Advisers, Good Service' campaign.

The Viet Nam Public Sector Union defines 'Excellent advisers' as those providing accurate, timely and creative advice that benefits the State, society and the public.

'Good service' are those who are diligent, responsible and show effective performance in line with assigned duties, ensuring satisfaction among citizens, businesses and clients. Service also encompasses contributing to the Partys noble cause and serving the nation.

Over the past five years, the campaign has deeply resonated at the grassroots level, with widespread participation and tangible outcomes in various agencies and units.

It has significantly impacted the quality of work, service attitudes and overall performance of civil servants amid global challenges and unprecedented issues.

At the meeting, Lam praised the Viet Nam Public Sector Union for its effective role in promoting and organising patriotic emulation campaigns among civil servants.

The 'Excellent advisers, Good service' campaign notably fostered a spirit of innovation and accountability, improving discipline and responsibility across the board.

He said that the campaign had been a catalyst for enhancing public ethics and developing a capable workforce that met modern requirements.

With numerous role models emerging, the campaign had demonstrated high productivity and commitment to public service.

He praised the dedication of many civil servants who, despite modest incomes and difficult conditions, continued to work diligently with integrity and respect for the law.

The individuals were seen as exemplary models of late President Ho Chi Minhs teachings and pioneers in fulfilling his legacy.  VNS
Sydney  A delegation from the Lao Embassy in Australia visited the Vietnamese Embassy on September 4 to extend their congratulations on the 79th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day (September 2, 1945  2024).

At the event, Lao Ambassador Sinchai Manivanh congratulated Viet Nam on its significant achievements over the past 79 years, and stressed the importance of the two nations great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation. Laos peace, stability, and prosperity are partly attributed to the collaboration with and support from Viet Nam, he affirmed.

With global challenges affecting the socio-economic conditions and the life of their people, Viet Nam and Laos are determined to assist each other, reflecting their deep fraternal bond and tradition of mutual assistance, he said.

In response, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Hung Tam expressed his delight at the rapid development of the nations cooperative relations in all fields. Viet Nam will continue to support Laos in its role as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, he stated.

The diplomat said he wishes the two embassies would strengthen their coordination and mutual support, contributing to deepening the sound relations between the two ministries of foreign affairs and promoting effective cooperation between each country and Australia, as well as within regional and multilateral frameworks. VNS
HA NOI  Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and his spouses official visit to Viet Nam from September 5 to 8, made at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse, marks the first-ever visit to Viet Nam by a president of the West African nation since the establishment of the sides diplomatic relations.

Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau set up diplomatic ties on September 30, 1973, shortly after the latter declared independence.

Viet Nam's foreign policy has always emphasised the importance of traditional friendships and a wish to develop multifaceted cooperation with African nations, including Guinea-Bissau. This serves as a crucial foundation for the two countries to build political trust and foster cooperation, serving mutual development.

Regarding Viet Nam as a priority partner in its foreign policy, the Government of Guinea-Bissau is willing to expand practical and effective collaboration across all fields in the coming years.

In bilateral exchanges, both sides agreed to enhance interactions and exchanges of delegations at all levels, particularly high-level visits by their leaders. In July this year, Secretary of State for International Cooperation of Guinea-Bissau Nancy Raisa Cardoso visited Viet Nam and paid respects to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at his state funeral.

Currently, trade is the main area of bilateral economic cooperation. Viet Nam is Guinea-Bissau's third-largest export market, while the latter has been one of the formers top five suppliers of raw cashew nuts from Africa for many years. In 2023, their total bilateral trade turnover neared US$170 million, with Viet Nam mainly exporting rice and textiles and importing raw cashew nuts.

The two countries signed an agreement on cultural, economic, scientific, technical, and trade cooperation in 1994 and a memorandum of understanding on trade and industrial cooperation between the Viet Nam ese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Guinea-Bissau Ministry for Trade, industry, and promotion of local products a decade later.

Moving forward, the sides have agreed to strengthen delegation exchanges, coordinate to support each other at international forums, and enhance cooperation with regional organisations such as the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Additionally, they aim to enhance the sharing of experiences in socio-economic development and policy-making.

To boost economic and trade ties, both sides have agreed to promote the exchange of information, cooperation opportunities, and business connectivity while strengthening key trade items like cashew nuts and expanding into other potential goods such as farm produce and textiles. They have also agreed to sign bilateral cooperation documents in agriculture, seaports, and trade, among other areas.

Viet Nam is ready to support Guinea-Bissau in agricultural development through bilateral or trilateral projects, gradually helping the country ensure and achieve food security and self-sufficiency.  VNS
HA NOI  The Presidents of two African nations, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, are visiting Viet Nam at the invitation of Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President To Lam.

President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo and his wife are paying an official visit to Viet Nam from September 5 to 9.

This marks the first time a president of the West African country has made an official trip to Viet Nam since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, said foreign ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang on Thursday at a press briefing in Ha Noi.

Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau share a longstanding partnership. Viet Nam is Guinea-Bissau's largest export market worldwide, while Guinea-Bissau is one of Viet Nam's top five suppliers of cashew nuts in Africa.

The two countries have maintained cooperation in various fields and signed multiple bilateral agreements, including in culture, economics, trade, industry and science and technology.

Both Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau also regularly collaborate and support each other in multilateral forums.

This high-level visit reaffirms Viet Nam's commitment to developing its partnerships with African nations, including Guinea-Bissau.

The visit also aims to lay the foundation for promoting cooperation between the two countries in various domains, including traditional areas of cooperation like politics, economics, trade, agriculture, fisheries and processing industries, while expanding into new areas, namely infrastructure, development, seaports and mining, the spokesperson told the media.

During the visit, President Embalo is set to have talks with Vietnamese top leader To Lam, meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and hold meetings with other high-level leaders of Viet Nam, as well as conduct other important state business, Hang noted.

Immediately following President Embalo's visit, Viet Nam will host President of the Republic of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi and his wife from September 8 to 10, at the invitation of Vietnamese Party leader and President To Lam.

This is the first visit by President Filipe to Viet Nam since his inauguration in 2015, and the first by the head of State of the East African country in 17 years, spokesperson Hang remarked.

The spokesperson said Mozambique and Viet Nam share a traditional partnership, with both sides maintaining good relations, both at the Party and State level. The two countries engage in regular delegation exchanges and high-level contacts as well as actively coordinate and support each other in multilateral forums.

Both nations maintain good economic ties as well.

Hang cited the example of the US$600 million telecommunications venture between Viet Nam's military-run telecom group Viettel and Mozambique's SPI company as a highlight in Viet Nam's foreign investment, which serves as a symbol of successful economic cooperation between Viet Nam and Mozambique.

The two countries also continue to collaborate in various other domains, primarily agriculture, healthcare and education.

According to the foreign ministry's representative, the Mozambican leader is scheduled for talks with Vietnamese top leader To Lam as well as a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other important activities.  VNS
HA NOI  Spokesperson for the foreign ministry Pham Thu Hang on Thursday said Viet Nam has communicated with China and the Philippines to help support Vietnamese fishing vessels when needed in the face of the incoming super typhoon Yagi.

Regarding the reporter's question about citizen protection efforts in the context of Typhoon Yagi making landfall in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea), Hang stated that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has today signed a directive urging ministries, sectors, and localities to urgently respond to Typhoon No.3 (Yagi), with decisive, timely, and effective preventive and responsive measures, emphasising proactive preparation at the maximum level.

"Immediately upon receiving the information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instructed Viet Nam's representative missions in China and the Philippines to proactively contact local authorities to facilitate the sheltering, rescue, and repair of Vietnamese vessels if necessary," Pham Thu Hang said.

She added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam also sent diplomatic notes to the Chinese Embassy in Ha Noi and the Philippine Embassy in Ha Noi, requesting coordination with their relevant authorities to support Vietnamese vessels if needed. The Ministry also arranged for officers to be on duty 24/7 to promptly assist with communications with domestic and international agencies in response to Typhoon No. 3.  VNS
HA NOI  General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse will pay a State visit to Viet Nam from September 10-13.

The trip will be made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse, announced the committees Commission for External Relations.  VNS
HA NOI  Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalos official visit to Viet Nam from September 5-8 holds important significance for both countries, Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco and Guinea-Bissau Le Kim Quy told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporter in Africa.

Quy said that welcoming the President represents a step in implementing Viet Nams foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress on independence and self-reliance for peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralisation and diversification, and comprehensive and extensive international integration. The visit also contributes to the implementation of the plan on developing relations between Viet Nam and Middle East-Africa nations in the 2016-25 period.

Notably, the trip marks the resumption of high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries after three decades, and it is also the first visit of a head of state since bilateral diplomatic relations were established in 1973, the diplomat said, adding that it will open a new and promising phase in the multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau, benefiting their people and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the regions and the world.

At the regional level, the reception for heads of state of African countries, including Guinea-Bissau, by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in the first months of his new positions underscores the importance Viet Nam attaches to and its close sentiments towards its traditional African friends.

Originating from mutual support during their past struggles for national independence, relations between Viet Nam and these African countries have continuously been consolidated and nurtured throughout the period of national construction and development, serving as a model and testament to the strength of South-South cooperation, Quy said.

The ambassador went on to say that Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau officially set up their diplomatic relations on September 30, 1973, just one week after the African nation declared its independence and while Viet Nam was in the midst of its struggle for national reunification.

Over the past five decades, the two countries have maintained a strong political relationship, reflected through the exchange of delegations. Guinea-Bissau has actively supported Viet Nam at various multilateral forums. In July, Guinea-Bissau was one of the two African countries sending a delegation to pay respects to late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

In the economic sphere, bilateral trade has been steadily increasing, from US$56.1 million in 2020 to nearly $170 million in 2023. Guinea-Bissau is currently one of the top five African suppliers of raw cashew nuts for Viet Nam, making the Southeast Asian nation the third largest export market of Guinea-Bissau.

However, cooperation between Viet Nam and Guinea-Bissau has not yet matched the needs and potential of both sides.

Therefore, the Presidents visit, the first to Viet Nam since he assumed his role in February 2020, is not only an opportunity for both sides to review their past achievements, but is also expected to mark a new turning point in their multifaceted cooperation, Quy stressed.

To further boost the bilateral relations, the ambassador proposed the two countries promote all-level delegation exchanges and meetings to enhance mutual understanding and seek cooperation opportunities in the fields that the two nations have strengths.

Both sides should also leverage their roles in supporting each other in enhancing cooperation at the regional level through organisations such as the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

It is necessary to define priority areas of cooperation that align with each other's needs and strengths, such as trade, agriculture, maritime transport, and infrastructure; and explore and promote cooperation in trilateral or multilateral models.

In terms of trade exchanges, in addition to the key product of cashew nuts, both sides should facilitate market access and diversify other goods such as agricultural products, textiles, and machinery for the agricultural sector.

Quy suggested both sides enhance the legal framework for cooperation by promoting negotiations and signing of important agreements relating to trade, agriculture, investment promotion and protection, and double taxation avoidance.

To support the implementation of these major directions, the two foreign ministries need to continue to actively and effectively play a leading role in supporting relevant ministries, businesses, and local authorities of both sides to advance cooperation efforts, she added.  VNS
THUA THIEN-HUE  Secretary of the Party Committee of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue Le Truong Luu on Thursday held a working session with a high-ranking delegation of Laos' Savannakhet province led by its Governor Bounchom Oubonpaseuth.

The two sides discussed socio-economic development, Party building, and government building in the two provinces as well as assessed the mid-term implementation results of their cooperation agreement for the 2022 - 26 period.

Luu said that the relationship between Thua Thien-Hue and Lao localities, including Savannakhet, continued to be strengthened, generating practical results.

He suggested that in the coming time, the two sides will continue to implement their cooperation agreement for the 2022  26 period, strengthen political and diplomatic cooperation, and improve the effectiveness of collaboration in all fields, especially tourism, trade, and investment.

He said he hoped that the two sides would effectively exploit the East-West economic corridor between Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam, and consider support policies to use services at Chan May Port to diversify export goods. They should also create favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers to do business and live in Savannakhet.

For his part, the Savannakhet governor appreciated the results of friendship and cooperation between the two localities as well as the support that Thua Thien-Hue has given to Savannakhet in the past time.

He said he hopes that in the coming time, the two localities will continue to promote cooperation in various fields, particularly agricultural and rural production. He called on Vietnamese agricultural enterprises to invest in Savannakhet and strengthen links to develop tourism.

Savannakhet always provides favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers, including those from Thua Thien-Hue Province, to work in the locality, he affirmed.

Under the cooperation agreement for the 2022  26 period signed in December 2022, the leaders of the two provinces have strengthened leadership and direction, and assigned relevant agencies to boost cooperation in a variety of fields.

The two sides have directed ensuring security and order on the Viet Nam-Laos border, making an important contribution to building a borderline of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation, and development.

Their cooperation in the fields of education and human resources training, culture, and health care has witnessed progress, contributing to the socioeconomic development in both localities. Since 2002, Thua Thien-Hue has provided Vietnamese language training and university/college courses for nearly 1,500 Lao students, including 248 from Savannakhet province.  VNS
VIENTIANE  Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Tan Cuong held bilateral meetings with some delegation heads on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting (ACDFM-21) in Vientiane on Thursday.

Meeting Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr, Cuong underlined the similarities in interest between the two countries, and the development of the bilateral strategic partnership in politics, economy, national defence- security, education-training, culture and people-to-people exchange.

Cuong highlighted the state visit to Viet Nam by Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in January, and its significance in consolidating political trust and comprehensive cooperation as both countries will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership in 2025 and the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2026.

For the bilateral defence ties, he proposed maintaining meetings and contacts at all levels, increasing exchanges and experience sharing, particularly among young officers, and maintaining coordination in response to non-traditional security challenges, as well as mutual support at multilateral forums and mechanisms in the time ahead.

In his meeting with Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee, Chief of Defence Forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Cuong stressed the importance of several key activities, such as the Viet Nam-Thailand defence policy dialogue at the deputy ministerial level and delegation exchanges. He encouraged further cooperation in areas like defence industry, logistics, military medicine, search and rescue, and the sharing of experience in border management, pandemic prevention, and drug trafficking control.

Discussing ties with Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, Chief of Defence Force of Singapore, Cuong lauded the effective cooperation between the two armies, which has contributed to celebrating the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries and the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties last year. He suggested fostering delegation exchanges, and maintaining annual dialogue mechanisms and training cooperation.

At the bilateral meetings, Cuong extended invitations to military leaders of the countries to attend the celebration of VPAs 80th founding anniversary, and send delegations to the ASEAN Military Music Exchange and the second Viet Nam International Defence Expo in Ha Noi in December 2024, aiming to foster understanding and cooperation. VNS
Crime scene tape surrounds a carport at the apartment complex where Nelson Beckett, 90, was shot and killed on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. Courtesy/OnScene.tv

A man has been arrested and charged in connection to the death of a 90-year-old Navy veteran during a carjacking.

Kyliel Denzel Arceneaux, 21, has been charged with capital murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one charge of tampering with physical evidence in connection to the death of Nelson Beckett, according to the Houston Police Department.

MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Man accused in Harris County deputy constable's death captured in ship channel

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Beckett died Saturday after being shot multiple times in the parking lot of a southwest Houston independent living community, officials said. The shooting happened around 12:45 p.m. in the 10680 block of Westbrae Parkway.

Investigators said Beckett was at his vehicle when he was assaulted by another man, who shot him, took his belongings and then got into Becketts car and ran the older man over.

Detectives found the stolen car in another apartment complex about 4 miles away from the shooting, in the 12500 block of Dunlap. The complex has been the site of a substantial number of calls since February, running the gamut from disturbances and suspicious persons to assault and auto-theft, according to Victor Senties, spokesman for the police department.

Prosecutors accused Arceneaux of dumping Beckett's vehicle and attempting to clean it as authorities searched for him. He ditched a blood-stained shirt he was wearing as well, according to court documents. Similar records contend Arceneaux threatened "two surviving complainants with the same firearm."

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Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.
HCM CITY  A heavy rainstorm, accompanied by strong gusts of wind, swept through HCM City on Wednesday evening, uprooting trees and injuring two people.

Around 3 p.m., the storm brought down several trees in Districts 1, 5, Tan Binh, and Binh Thanh.

In Binh Thanh District's Thanh a residential area, an ancient tree was uprooted and fell across the road, injuring a woman crossing the street and damaging a nearby parked car. The incident also caused a power outage in the area.

Strong winds also caused a tree at the Huynh Man at - An Duong Vuong intersection in District 5 to snap, with a falling branch striking a motorcyclist and injuring the rider.

Rescue teams and medical personnel promptly arrived at the scene to administer first aid and transport the injured to the hospital.

On Calmette Street in District 1, a fallen tree hit a moving car, but fortunately, no one was injured. Nearby, at the Pasteur - Le Duan intersection, another branch fell, blocking traffic.

Authorities quickly pruned and cleared the area, restoring traffic flow.

Le inh Quyet, Head of the Forecasting Department at the Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Station, reported that Typhoon Yagi's impact brought heavy rains to HCM City and the southeastern region.

The forecast predicts heavy downpours over the next three days, particularly in the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms may bring tornadoes, lightning, and strong gusts of wind.

In early August, a 10-metre branch fell on elderly exercisers in Tao an Park, killing two people and injuring three, despite clear weather conditions.

The Department of Transport noted that HCM City has over 122,650 trees, with 6,000 requiring urgent care.  VNS
HA NOI  More than 25 million students nationwide started the new school year on Thursday.

Amid nationwide excitement, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the opening ceremony at Nguyen inh Chieu Secondary School in Ha Noi.

Founded in 1982 to educate visually impaired children, the school now also admits non-disabled students and follows an inclusive education model for grades one to nine.

After reading a congratulatory letter from General Secretary and President To Lam, PM Chinh praised the school's achievements and resilience.

He stressed the importance of education, recalling President Ho Chi Minh's teachings on the value of educating people.

The PM said that the Party and State have always regarded education and training as a top national policy.

In recent years, numerous policies and mechanisms have been implemented to develop education and training effectively.

Viet Nam's education sector has achieved significant milestones, with ongoing fundamental and comprehensive reforms meeting the needs of industrialisation, modernisation, and international integration. This is particularly relevant in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution's widespread impact.

The PM called for continued reforms, improved teaching methods and support for students with disabilities.

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 academic year, PM Chinh emphasised the importance of continuing to build on past successes with a focus on students at the centre, teachers as the driving force, schools as the foundation, families as the support and society as the base.

He urged that any shortcomings be promptly addressed and that successes be built upon with greater determination and effort.

The Ministry of Education and Training, along with other ministries and local authorities, should create a healthy legal, cultural, and educational environment, particularly for students with disabilities and those in difficult circumstances.

The PM also directed the effective implementation of the conclusion of the Politburo on continuing educational reforms, focusing on enhancing teaching methods, assessment and integrating advanced educational technology.

He urged improvements in the quality of education and diverse training models, supporting community integration for people with disabilities and ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students.

He stressed the importance of maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment, free from violence and drugs.

He called on parents to support their children and emphasised the need for a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment.

PM Chinh also inspected the school's facilities, advocating for better investment and resources to enhance infrastructure and student welfare, ensuring that no student is left behind.

On Wednesday, the PM issued a directive to enhance the 2024-25 academic year. The directive focuses on a student-centred approach, with teachers, schools, families, and society each playing a crucial role.

The MoET is tasked with updating policies to improve education quality, manage textbooks, and drive digital transformation in schools. It will also prepare for the high school graduation exams under the 2018 General Education Curriculum.

In higher education, the emphasis is on quality improvement, university autonomy, investment attraction and innovation in technology fields such as semiconductors and AI.

The MoET must also ensure school safety, prevent violence, and address teacher shortages, especially in preschool and new curriculum subjects. The Ministry of Finance will allocate funds for education infrastructure.

Local governments are directed to reorganise schools, reduce class sizes, expand boarding schools in remote areas, invest in teacher training, and ensure financial transparency. They are also encouraged to improve disaster preparedness and continue digital transformation efforts in education.

At the Pham Hung High School opening in Vinh Long Province, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man reaffirmed the Party and States commitment to prioritising education as a key to national development. He praised the school's achievements and encouraged teachers to model ethics and inspire students.

Chairman Man highlighted the 2024-25 school year as the start of the new high school graduation exam under the 2018 General Education Curriculum.

He urged the MoET to ensure smooth implementation and support for students and families.

He called on Vinh Long authorities to prioritise education by securing financial resources, improving infrastructure, and developing a skilled teaching workforce.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that this years theme is innovation, quality, solidarity, and discipline, with the aim to meet and exceed educational targets.

Viet Nam now has nearly 54,000 educational institutions supported by about 1.6 million education professionals.  VNS
HA NOI  Teaching is a noble professionthat was the message from President To Lam to educators as schools across the country resumed after the holidays.

The Party General Secretary and President wrote an open letter to all those in education, urging the sector to focus on human development and human happiness, maximising the human factor and placing people at the centre, as the subject, resource and goal of development.

That would create a foundation for achieving the goal of a prosperous, powerful, democratic, fair and civilised country, President To Lam said in the letter of encouragement and messages he sent to teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees, parents and students across the country on the occasion of the new academic year 2024-25.

Viet Nam News is honoured to present the full text of the letter from the Party General Secretary and President To Lam:

Dear teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees, students and parents.

On the occasion of the start of the new academic year 2024 - 2025, I warmly extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all teachers, educational administrators and employees in the education sector, as well as to students and parents.

In his letter to students on the first day of school in the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, President Ho Chi Minh wrote "Whether Viet Nam's mountains and rivers become beautiful or not, whether the Vietnamese people advance to the pinnacle of glory to stand side by side with the great powers of the five continents, largely depends on your efforts in studying."

Former Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong also emphasised in a meeting with outstanding students on November 3, 2018 "Talents are the nation's vital force, if this force is strong, the country is strong, if this force weakens, the country is weak."

Our Party and State have always recognised education and training as a top national policy and have implemented prioritised policies for the development of education and training.

In the 2023 - 2024 academic year, after ten years of implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW dated November 4, 2013 by the Central Committee of the Party on fundamentally and comprehensively renewing education and training, our education system has made significant progress and achieved many important milestones.

These have greatly contributed to raising the people's intellectual level, developing human resources, and nurturing talent, playing a crucial role in the countrys socio-economic development and international integration.

On behalf of the Party and State leadership, I warmly commend the spirit of competition and effort of teachers and students nationwide, as well as the hard work and achievements of the entire education sector and the support of parents over the past time.

The new academic year 2024 - 25 marks the first year of implementing Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW by the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW and deploying the new General Education Programme for all grades from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

I hope the education sector will focus on effectively implementing this years theme "Innovative creativity, improving quality, unity and discipline."

Education and training should continue to aim at human development and human happiness, maximising the human factor and placing people at the centre, as the subject, resource and goal of development. This will create a foundation for achieving the goal of a prosperous, powerful, democratic, fair and civilised country.

With the spirit of the new academic year, I trust that students will strive to study, cultivate, absorb and master knowledge, develop core competencies and build grand aspirations to construct a progressively prosperous and happy nation.

I hope that teachers, educational administrators and education sector employees will always be passionate, dedicated, creative and overcome all difficulties to contribute even more to their noble profession.

I urge parents, for the future of our children, to collaborate effectively with schools and foster a close connection between schools, families and society in educational work.

I request that ministries, local Party committees and authorities pay even more attention to education by making timely, practical and correct decisions so that teachers and students can work and study in a healthy environment with all the necessary conditions to enhance their creative abilities and successfully carry out the country's educational reform.

I wish all teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees and students good health, happiness, success and even greater achievements in the new academic year. VNS
HCM CITY  The charity children's shelter Mai Am Hoa Hong (Rose) in HCM City has had its licence revoked after an investigation by Thanh Nien (Young People) Newspaper revealed sickening abuse of orphans living there.

The shelter's owner, Giap Thi Song Huong (50) and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Cam (47), the nanny who allegedly abused children, are being detained by the Police Department of District 12 (HCM City), according to the District 12 People's Committee.

Another nanny who was allegedly involved in the abuse, a woman named Tuyen, has fled the shelter. Police officers are travelling to a south-western province to look for her.

The acts of child abuse, mistreatment and fraud involving the misappropriation of assets at the Hoa Hong Shelter are also being investigated by the police.

On September 4, Thanh Nien began publishing an investigative series Crimes in a Shelter, reflecting on the frequent abuse and mistreatment of children by carers at the shelter at L52 To Ky, Trung My Tay Ward, District 12.

Following this, authorities and relevant agencies have promptly investigated and handled the case.

According to a report from the Peoples Committee of District 12, the Hoa Hong Shelter was established in 2023 under a decision by the District 12's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA). The legal representative of the shelter is Giap Thi Song Huong (from the northern province of Bac Giang, residing in Go Vap District).

According to its licence, Hoa Hong shelter is a non-public, not-for-profit social support facility tasked with assisting and raising homeless children, abandoned children and orphans.

The licence stipulated that the facility could not care for more than 39 children. However, during an inspection on September 4 in the wake of the abuse discovery, the facility was found to be housing 86 children. This included 15 infants, three children aged one to two years, 31 children aged three to five years (also attending Soc Bong Kindergarten), three children aged six to twelve years and one child receiving treatment in a hospital. The shelter also has fifteen workers.

This means the shelter violated regulations by accepting and caring for more children than the licensed capacity.

Notably, the District 12's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, along with relevant agencies, had previously inspected the shelter twice, but found no violations.

After the publication of Thanh Nien's investigation, which included video clips of nannies physically abusing and manhandling the very young babies along with proof of poor care standards, the Peoples Committee of District 12 instructed the district's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Trung My Tay Ward Peoples Committee to coordinate with a task force from the HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to arrange new housing for the 86 children in the shelter's care.

On September 4, the authorities relocated the children to social support centres under the management of the HCM City to continue care and upbringing in accordance with regulations.

Thirty-two children were sent to the Tam Binh Child Protection and Nurturing Centre, thirty-six to the Thu uc Teenagers Village, fifteen to the Go Vap Children's Village, two were returned to their families and ten were hospitalised due to pneumonia.

Regarding the Hoa Hong Shelter, the Peoples Committee of District 12 issued a directive to suspend and revoke the shelter's operating licence.

The District 12 Peoples Committee also directed the district police to bring the shelter's owner, nannies and related staff to the police station for questioning.

District 12 Police are currently detaining individuals and compiling legal documents on the case according to the law.

Regarding management responsibilities, the Peoples Committee of District 12 has assigned the Department of Home Affairs to propose measures for clarifying responsibility and strictly handling individuals and organisations involved in state management, which led to the violations at the shelter.  VNS
Making her mark in Germany

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Final-year civil engineering student Nguyen Linh Chi has recently become the youngest member of the Markkleeberg City Council. Born into a hardworking Vietnamese family in Germany, she balances her studies with a strong commitment to community service. Her journey reflects the growing contributions of young Vietnamese in German society.
HA NOI  Protecting national digital sovereignty in cyberspace requires a strong and capable information security force, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stressed at a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Authority of Information Safety (AIS) (September 9, 2014 - 2024) in Ha Noi on Thursday.

He said ensuring information security in cyberspace is as important as ensuring safety for people in the real world, but its scale is much bigger. Given this, the minister asked the national information security force in general and that of the authority in particular to stay stronger.

Digital technology should be the primary weapon of the authority, he said, asking it to gather outstanding personnel from national and global tech forces.

The AIS and the MIC needs to fulfill the tasks of safeguarding information security and contributing to protecting national digital sovereignty; and protecting the Party's ideological foundation, and the image of Viet Nam and its people in cyberspace, Hung emphasised.

AIS Director Le Van Tuan said the institutional framework for information security has been established and consolidated, from laws to decrees and guiding circulars, pointing to the improved awareness of information security among all-level authorities, the public, and businesses as well as the inclusion of information security in IT projects.

Over 100 Vietnamese information security companies have mastered most information security products, making up more than half of the market share of such products and services. Some have also ventured abroad and are competing globally.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ranking on cybersecurity, Viet Nam has advanced to the 25th place from the 100th over the past decade.  VNS
According to a report released by financial data providers FiinGroup and FiinRatings on August 30, the top three industries with the highest average CEO remuneration, significantly outperforming the market average, were real estate, financial services (mainly securities), and insurance. Notably, a number of companies in the top 15 highest-paying enterprises had foreign CEOs, including Masan and Nam Long Real Estate.

CEOs in the real estate sector toped the list with an average salary of $198,000. It was followed by CEOs in financial services with an average salary $182,000, insurance $120,000, and healthcare $120,000.

The IT, banking, and retail sectors showed better-than-average operational performance, with a high return on equity (ROE) exceeding 15 per cent in 2023. However, the average CEO remuneration in these sectors remains relatively low.

The primary reason for this is that the remuneration data do not account for the value of bonus shares received under the employee stock ownership plan, which the leadership received during the year.

CEO remuneration in state-owned enterprises at $56,000 is less than half that of private enterprises, even though their operational efficiency, as reflected by the ROE, is quite similar. This discrepancy is largely because the chairman in state-owned enterprises also holds an executive role under the current governance structure.

Businesses with a market capitalisation of $1 billion or higher paid an average salary of $153,000 for CEOs, which is approximately 52 per cent higher than the market-wide average in 2023. This is reasonable, given that the operational performance in the large-cap group is more positive compared to the other two groups.

The report covers 200 out of 1,647 public companies listed or registered for stock trading on the stock exchanges; the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange, Hanoi Stock Exchange and Unlisted Public Company Market.

These 200 public companies represent over 85 per cent of the total market capitalisation across the three stock exchanges at the end of 2023.

Global CEOs resolute in M&As Global merger and acquisition (M&A) activities will likely rise later in 2023 as investors and executives look to balance short-term risks with their long-term business transformation strategies, according to PwCs 2023 Global M&A Industry Trends Outlook.

PwC report reflects CEO's latest sentiments PwC Vietnam has just released its 26th Annual Global CEO Survey on What matters to CEOs in Vietnam based on PwCs 26th Annual Global CEO Survey  Asia-Pacific: Leading in the New Reality, which reveals striking data points that bring to life the challenges facing 1,634 CEOs in the region and their implications in Vietnam.
Foreign investment in Vietnam has come a long way. Initial projects often began in the early 1990s and are now reaching the end of their lifecycle. However, they face challenges in extending their investment licences due to various associated procedures, especially those related to land. This creates significant legal barriers, causing considerable difficulties for enterprises in maintaining and expanding their operations.

Tran Duy Canh, managing partner (left) and Hoang Mai Khanh, trainee associate

Many enterprises in industrial zones, export processing zones, and hotels and tourist facilities in Vietnam are also facing similar difficulties. These projects, after the expiration of the period recorded in the licence, are encountering struggles in extending investment projects and renewing land lease contracts.

This issue affects not only business operations but also creates an unstable investment environment, reducing Vietnam's competitiveness in attracting foreign investors.

In the current context, for cases where a project is amended to extend its operational term, the land user must initially adjust it before submitting an application to extend the land use. Extending initiatives, especially joint ventures using public land, face numerous difficulties due to overlapping and inconsistent legal regulations.

Although the Law on Investment stipulates the extension of ventures, for projects using public land, the extension also depends on the provisions of the Land Law and the Law on Management and Use of Public Property. Early projects often involved public land when the Vietnamese party contributed capital through land use rights.

Previously, Decree No. 43/2014/ND-CP dated May 15, 2014 guiding the Land Law 2013, stipulated that when an investment project is amended to change its operational duration, the enterprise must submit a land use extension application after adjusting the project.

Meanwhile, Decree No.167/2017/ND-CP dated December 31, 2017 of the government on disposition of public property and Decree No.67/2021/ND-CP dated July 15, 2021 guiding the Law on Management and Use of Public Property stipulate that after the end of capital contribution, joint ventures, or partnerships, public assets in the form of land will be handled by recovery and auction of land use rights, bidding to select investors.

However, in some cases, after the expiration of the investment project corresponding to the public land use period, enterprises still wish to continue the project. This raises the question whether they have to face the possibility of land recovery and incur the time and cost to participate in the auction of land use rights according to the regulations of the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets. And if they participate in the auction, they are not guaranteed to be the only participant or to win.

Although, Clause 3, Article 124 of the Land Law 2024 stipulates that the prime minister has the authority to allocate land with land use fees, lease land without auctioning land use rights, and without bidding to select investors to implement projects using the land. However, in reality, this authority of the prime minister has not been implemented in practice, leaving the enterprises uncertain about whether they will face the auction process.

The lack of clarity and consistency in these regulations causes confusion for authorities in handling land use extension applications, as enterprises cannot be assured of their chances in land use rights auctions. This leads to difficulties for authorities in processing the extension of investment project durations.

The lack of clarity and consistency in these regulations causes confusion for authorities in handling land use extension applications, as enterprises cannot be assured of their chances in land use rights auctions. This leads to difficulties for authorities in processing the extension of project durations.

The primary reason investment projects encounter difficulties is the lack of clarity in investment and land regulations. This ambiguity creates significant obstacles for enterprises attempting to meet the requirements for extending land leases and investment projects.

Additionally, delays in decision-making by authorities pose a serious issue. Prolonged processing times for extension applications not only risk missing out on new investment opportunities but also hinder Vietnam's economic development. This situation directly affects enterprises' operations and negatively impacts the overall investment climate, especially as Vietnam competes with regional countries to engage more foreign investors.

Many experts suggest that policy changes are necessary to create better conditions for enterprises. Specifically, simplifying administrative procedures and increasing transparency in investment and land-related processes are essential. To resolve the current issues, timely and decisive intervention from the authorities is crucial to ensure stability and sustainability in business operations.

Although the law grants the prime minister the authority to make decisions, there is a need for specific guidelines on conditions, procedures, and methods for determining land leases and assets attached to the land when extending investment licences. This will help address existing challenges and reassure investors to continue their current and future projects.

Meeting the needs of enterprises aligns with Vietnam's goals of economic development and attracting strong foreign investment.

EPLegal joins forces with Dentons LuatViet in Vietnam EPLegal, a leading Vietnamese law firm, has joined forces with Dentons LuatViet, enhancing client offerings across Vietnam and the ASEAN region.

Japanese players take domestic demand into account Japan remains in the top five largest foreign direct investors in Vietnam so far this year. Matsumoto Nobuyuki, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Ho Chi Minh City, talked to VIRs Bich Ngoc and gave his assessment on capital flows from Japan to Vietnam.
DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane is situated in the heart of Laos capital city with access to major transport hubs and iconic local attractions, making it a prime choice for business and leisure travellers.

The opening reflects Hiltons continued expansion in Southeast Asia, spotlighting the growth opportunities in the region, where Hilton is set to almost double its portfolio in the coming years.

Laos boasts a rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes. With the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane, we are honoured to bring Hiltons signature hospitality to the heart of this up-and-coming destination, said Alan Watts, president of Hilton in Asia-Pacific. With a growing desire among Vietnamese travellers to explore destinations in Asia and experience local culture, this latest addition to our portfolio underscores Hiltons commitment to being where our guests want to be, and to capturing the growing travel demand in this dynamic region."

Located at the intersection of Rue Setthathilath and Rue Manthatourath, DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane is close to That Dam, an iconic stupa in the heart of the city centre.

Several iconic cultural and historical attractions, such as the Presidential Palace and Sisaket Temple, lie within walking distance of the hotel. For business travellers, the hotel is also conveniently situated near the financial district and major transportation hubs in the city  about a 15-minute drive from Wattay International Airport and a half-hour drive from the high-speed Vientiane Railway Station.

The hotel boasts 188 well-appointed rooms and suites, with each room featuring uninterrupted views of the cityscape or the Mekong River. From stylish and contemporary guest rooms to spacious and residential suites, these accommodations guarantee feel-good moments throughout the stay.

Each room intertwines contemporary design with rich Lao cultural heritage, and comes furnished with modern amenities, including high-definition televisions and ergonomic work areas, so guests can relax, connect, and feel right at home.

During their stays, guests will be able to relax at the hotels rooftop pool, and the property also boasts a fully equipped 24-hour fitness centre with state-of-the-art equipment available for guests who wish to stay active.

In addition, DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane also offers adaptable spaces for events of all sizes and occasions. With over 550 sq.m of event space, the main ballroom can accommodate up to 600 guests for weddings and large-scale events or be divided into two separate spaces for more intimate events.

Corporate groups can also choose from two smaller meeting rooms, two boardrooms and a VIP room to suit their needs. All event and meeting spaces are outfitted with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, high-speed internet, and high-quality catering services.

The opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane is part of the upscale full-service brands growing portfolio in Asia-Pacific. Known for its contemporary accommodations, unpretentious hospitality, thoughtful amenities, and signature chocolate chip cookie presented to each guest at check-in.

The award-winning brand recently marked another significant milestone as it surpassed 100 properties in Asia Pacific. With nearly 80 DoubleTree by Hilton properties in the pipeline in Asia-Pacific, all offering a double dose of comfort and care, the brand will contribute to Hiltons target to surpass 1,000 hotels in the region by 2025.

Hilton Saigon brings prosperity with urban life A centrepiece in the heart of the metropolis with impressive views, Hilton Saigon embodies the essence of the locality, powered by a passion for service and hospitality. This marks the debut of its award-winning flagship brand and first hotel in this city.

Meet the renowned chefs behind Hilton Saigon's exquisite restaurants Hilton opened the grand Hilton Saigon Hotel in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City last March. Within its walls, four restaurants at Hilton Saigon offer unique, distinctive, and diverse dining options to its guests, features four separate culinary styles designed to highlight and honour the rich flavours of Vietnam as well as the world.
With more than 10 models at selling prices from $20,000 to over $52,000, the hybrid car market in Vietnam has become vibrant and diverse, according to a report from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) in mid-August.

Hybrid vehicles are strong step but not final answer

In contrast to cars with traditional engines, which are suffering from slower sales, the hybrid car market in Vietnam is in short supply. Models such as the Toyota Innova Cross 2.0 HEV, Corolla Cross 1.8 HEV, and Honda CR-Ve are of most interest.

This popularity has contributed to hybrid sales growth, although it has not achieved a full breakthrough, the VAMA reported. The total sales of the association members reached 28,920 vehicles in July, including almost 700 units in all types of mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full hybrid.

The number of hybrid cars sold in July increased by 119 units as compared to June, equivalent to 17.2 per cent. Although this figure is still modest compared to internal combustion engine cars and electric cars, mainly taxis, it reflects a significant increase in the popularity of hybrid cars in Vietnam, the VAMA reported.

Shortly, the Vietnamese car market is expected to become more exciting with the entry of many new recruits. Suzuki launched the XL7 hybrid model on August 20 to replace the Ertiga hybrid, for example, and is expected to become its flagship product.

At the Vietnam Motor Show in October, Honda will also release the 2024 Civic hybrid model and open deposits for this version.

In May, BYD Vietnam announced plans to launch a new pickup model, equipped with an advanced hybrid powertrain, which is expected to be available on the market soon.

Haval, another Chinese car brand, is launching a new B-size SUV in Vietnam called the Jolion Hybrid, aiming to create fierce competition with the Toyota Corolla Cross and Yaris Cross hybrid models.

However, hybrid cars still emit into the environment, while Vietnam has a clear net-zero roadmap in which, by 2050, all vehicles in transport and production must be electric and use clean energy with carbon emissions of zero.

Phan Le Hoang Linh, manufacturing head under the Department of Industry at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that with its fuel economy advantages, significantly reducing carbon emissions and noise - and not dependent on charging station infrastructure like battery EVs - hybrid cars are a reasonable alternative in the complete transition to electric cars.

The two types of hybrid cars, hybrid EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs with external charging, still use internal combustion engines and emit some carbon. However, these two lines are being developed worldwide in different ways.

China has enacted a strategy that half of all sales by 2035 will be hybrid EVs. Similarly, the United States also sets a target of half of all cars sold being hybrids by 2030. Japan will still focus on hybrid and fuel-cell EVs in the next 20 years, in addition to researching and developing some hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine vehicles.

Excepting the European market, at least for the next 10 years, most major markets in the world still have plans to develop hybrid e-vehicles as an intermediate solution towards battery EVs, and Vietnam is also following this trend, Linh emphasised.

Hybrid vehicles and battery EVs are rapidly changing the habits of Vietnamese people using green cars. This is also consistent with the nations roadmap for green energy conversion and emission reduction of the transport sector.

The roadmap said that the production, assembly, import, and conversion to EVs by 2030, including hybrid vehicles, will be promoted. In the period from 2031-2040, the production, assembly, and import of cars and motorbikes using fossil fuels will be gradually reduced and eventually stopped, while all road vehicles must use electricity and green energy by 2050.

In the context that EVs are struggling with charging station infrastructure and power sources, hybrid vehicles have a valuable opportunity for development and are considered an extremely effective intermediate step before starting to completely switch to using zero-emission EVs in 2040-2050, Linh said.

However, Vu Tan Cong, deputy general director of Vietnam Automobile Industry and Trade Consulting, noted that hybrid and EVs still cause environmental pollution.

Hybrid vehicles still discharge carbon, while the majority of power resources for EVs are causing a lot of environmental pollution. Of these, two-thirds of all power sources are coal-fired thermal power and gas turbine power, which cause a lot of environmental pollution now, Cong said.

In addition, when they reach the end of their useful life, the batteries must be properly disposed of to avoid polluting the environment. Thoroughly disposing of these expired batteries is costly and challenging, he added.

Chinese EV giant BYD posts 24.4 per cent rise in profit Leading Chinese automaker BYD posted on Wednesday a 24.4 percent rise in net profit for the first half of 2024, boosted by continuing strong demand for electric cars in its home and overseas markets.

BYD commits to convenient offerings for vehicle owners Greening the automotive industry in Vietnam involves companies like BYD Vietnam, which is making efforts to contribute to the process. Vo Minh Luc, CEO of BYD Vietnam, told VIRs Hara Nguyen about the companys plans to deliver the most convenient experience to users.
Michelle Colvard and her daughter Anja Colvard, 7, hold up signs as they join parents, teachers, students and community members and The Houston Federation of Teachers in protesting the current state of HISD schools in front of HISD headquarters on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

A statewide teachers union aims to bring an Educators Bill of Rights to the Legislature in 2025 that includes a call to repeal legislation that allows for hostile state takeover of districts by an appointed education commissioner as part of a right to democratic representation.

Texas AFT, representing 66,000 members, pointed to the initiative as a way to retain educators. Teachers departures make daily tasks harder for remaining staff and leave students without necessary support and services, the union said in its campaign. The union introduced its Educators Bill of Rights online petition Tuesday.

The union seeks to bring changes in law that fall under the 10 overarching rights it named in its petition, which includes a right to academic freedom, to a secure retirement, and to meaningful training and development.

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As part of what it called an educators right to democratic representation, the union in part cited the states takeover of B-rated Houston ISD. It also said districts fail to use campus- and district-level decision-making committees and that there should be a required annual certification by districts indicating decision-making committees were organized and consulted.

As part of a right to reasonable working conditions, Texas AFT seeks to limit the workday to no more than 480 minutes (about 8 hours) per a 24-hour time period in law. It also called for adequate school funding  amid stagnant funding after the last legislative session  so that more staff can be hired and educators have time to plan lessons.

It also seeks funding for certification programs so that existing school support staff can earn teaching credentials. Districts are increasingly hiring uncertified teachers  including in HISD with more than 1,000 uncertified teachers last academic year, according to data presented by the University of Texas at Austin UTeach.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES: Hear are the education issues to keep your eye on this school year

The unions initiative for working conditions follows its report with input from more than 100 Texas teachers, who largely indicated working conditions were more important to them than compensation when it came to retention.

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A dual language program teacher is teaching fourth grade science on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023 at Gregg Elementary School in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Texas AFTs demand for fair wages includes a state- or district-level minimum wage for paraprofessionals and support staff, as well as a requirement for districts to provide unemployment compensation to cafeteria workers and school bus drivers.

At a recent Houston City Council Labor Committee meeting, the Houston Federation of Teachers, affiliated with Texas AFT, described mass employee departures, skyrocketing number of employee grievances and a jump in the level of uncertified teachers in HISD under state-appointed leadership in the last academic year.

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HFT President Jackie Anderson said the statewide unions bill of rights can benefit educators in and beyond Houston.
Vietnamese partners must have managing and operations experience to be of use to Japanese groups, photo Le Toan

In early August, Cosmos Initia, a 50-year-old high-end real estate company and a member of Daiwa House Group, entered into a joint venture with Vietnams TT Capital Investment and Japans Koterasu Group to start construction of TT AVIO apartments in Di An city of the southern province of Binh Duong. This project focuses on affordable housing, providing around 2,000 apartments. Eighty per cent of these are 60sq.m and priced at under $83,000 per unit.

Additionally, Cosmos Initia and Koterasu Group plan to pump another $150 million in TT Capital over the next five years, with the aim of bringing about 1,000 affordable housing units to the market each year.

Samty Asia Investment (SAI), another Japanese real estate developer, partnered with Vinhomes in July to develop The Star in Ho Chi Minh City, which will feature four buildings with nearly 2,000 apartments.

The Star is a subproject of Vinhomes Grand Park, one of the largest housing schemes in Ho Chi Minh City, comprising over 70 buildings, schools, hospitals, supermarkets, shopping centres, office buildings, and large parks, with a total population of more than 80,000.

This is SAIs second venture in Vietnam. Previously, in 2021, SAI collaborated with Vinhomes to develop The Sakura residential scheme in a smart city urban area located in west Hanoi.

Japanese investors are also developing projects in areas outside of core urban zones. In April, Kim Oanh Group worked with three Japanese partners to jointly develop an urban area of nearly 50 hectares in Binh Duong province, with capital of more than $1 billion.

The three Japanese companies  Sumitomo Forestry Group, Kumagai Gumi Group, and NTT Urban Development Company  will hold 49 per cent of the capital, while the remaining stake belongs to Kim Oanh Group.

Historically, many large-scale Japanese enterprises have entered the Vietnamese market. Notable among them are Sumitomo Corporation and BRG Group, which have jointly developed a smart city project in northern Hanoi. Marubeni and Hung Thinh Group have also signed an agreement to develop ventures in Thu Duc of Ho Chi Minh City.

Other prominent investors include Nishitetsu Group and Nishi-Nippon Railroad, in cooperation with Nam Long Group for housing, Tokyu with Becamex IDC in housing developments, and Kajima in a joint venture with Indochina Capital in hospitality and industrial property.

Experts note that the Vietnamese real estate market is attractive to Japanese investors due to its potential for long-term growth. Factors such as a shortage of housing, rising incomes, and revised laws also contribute to a more transparent and sustainable real estate market.

If in the past, Japanese businesses primarily entered the market through mergers and acquisitions, they are now more actively seeking projects and directly participating in the implementation process. In particular, the affordable housing segment remains a priority in Japanese portfolios, Nguyen Hoa, an expert on Japanese investments, told VIR.

For Japanese financial backers, in addition to requiring a clean land bank with full legal compliance, the capacity and experience of the leadership of potential partners are highly valued.

Vietnamese partners do not necessarily need to own many projects in the market, but they must have substantial experience in managing, operating, and developing real estate, with a track record of success, Hoa added.

Nguyen Dinh Truong, a representative of TT Capital, said that partnering with Japanese investors in real estate comes with significant pressure due to their cautious approach when putting money into the Vietnamese market.

Japanese investors have high standards for selecting partners. Project standards are thoroughly evaluated, which may slow progress but, conversely, helps limit risks, Truong said.

Lawrence Lennon, director of Capital Markets at CBRE Vietnam, said that the countrys strong economic fundamentals indicate that the market remains resilient. For investors, the key was to strategise according to the current stage of each key sector in northern, central, and southern Vietnam, while adapting to the broader structural shifts occurring globally.

Were continuing to see strong appetite among foreign investors to enter the market, with a focus on the industrial and logistics space (spurred by the trade war), the hospitality market as the world re-opens post-pandemic, and core asset classes driven by the countrys unique supply and demand dynamics, he said.

Japanese investors catch the eye in real estate sector Many domestic real estate developers are expecting to cooperate with Japanese investors as strategic partners to receive capital and share the management capacity.

Vietnams stock market on the radar of Japanese investors Japanese investors expressed an interest in Vietnams stock market at a conference themed Vietnam  Investment Destination in Tokyo on March 12.

Japan to sponsor over 28 million USD for Can Tho city's smart city project The Peoples Committee of Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on July 24 held a working session with Fujitsu Limited of Japan on a project on providing technical support for the locality, aiming to build a smart city model through digital transformation in land management.
How do you assess the trend of Japanese capital flows into Vietnam over the past time, and how has it changed compared to previous years?

Although there has been a lot of investment in Vietnam via China+1, mainly in the manufacturing industry, recently more funding has been directed towards domestic demand than manufacturing, with merger and acquisitions (M&As) of domestic companies and establishment of joint ventures. Also, within the manufacturing sector, investment has centred on the food and beverage industry becoming more prominent.

In addition, infrastructure-related investment has continued to dominate the first half of this year, and is likely to remain the main focus of domestic demand and infrastructure funding going forward.

The global economy continues to be uncertain, and the recent changes in the domestic political situation has also contributed to a lack of positive news. In the meantime, interest in Vietnam continues to be high, and we have received many inquiries about the investment environment this year, as we did last year, so we expect to see some concrete activity as soon as the outlook becomes brighter.

Matsumoto Nobuyuki, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Ho Chi Minh City

Is the trend of Japanese businesses coming to the JETRO office to learn about Vietnam different from previous years?

There have been many inquiries for domestic demand this year, and companies that had previously utilised agents are now beginning to consider expanding directly into Vietnam. In particular, inquiries in the health food and beverages, baby care, and cosmetics sectors are particularly notable due to the high level of trust in the safety and high quality of Japanese products.

In order for companies like these and others to further attract investment to Vietnam in the future, the most effective way is to improve the business environment in the country, especially by simplifying and streamlining administrative procedures, which has been pointed out many times over the past few years, rather than the impact of the trade policies of the United States and other countries.

We hope that the agreement reached between Japan and Vietnam last December on a comprehensive strategic partnership will help to resolve these longstanding issues.

Since 2023, a new wave of investment through M&As has been forming, led by Japanese financiers with outstanding deals. What can you say about this trend?

Yes, a number of deals were carried out recently. Outstanding deals were Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation spending $1.45 billion to buy 15 per cent of VPBank, and Sojitz acquired the entire largest food distribution company in Vietnam of Dai Tan Viet JSC. Sojitz also invested in Vinamilk, AEON Malls Ministop store chain, and many more.

Vietnam has a population of over 100 million and a per capita GDP of more than $4,000, which is probably why the country is becoming more attractive as a market. As mentioned earlier, funding for new and expanded projects in the manufacturing sector has been somewhat weak, and investment for domestic demand, including M&As, will probably be the main focus in the future.

What does Vietnam need to do to promote more Japanese investment in the Vietnamese market in the coming time, and what does JETRO Ho Chi Minh City do to encourage the expansion of Vietnams startup ecosystem?

Simplification and streamlining of administrative procedures will be most effective. These issues are not unique to Vietnam, but are common to all emerging countries. This is why they are also a factor that differentiates Vietnam from other countries. In order for Vietnam to attract more investment ahead of other countries in the future, we hope to see improvements in the area of administrative procedures.

There is increasing funding in startups for domestic demand, and Vietnams high economic growth has led to many funding in startups that provide solutions to emerging social issues. Many of these social issues have already been experienced in Japan, and companies with rich experience have participated in business matching with local startups that are familiar with Vietnams realities, and concrete cooperation and partnerships have actually begun to take place.

Japan to sponsor over 28 million USD for Can Tho city's smart city project The Peoples Committee of Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on July 24 held a working session with Fujitsu Limited of Japan on a project on providing technical support for the locality, aiming to build a smart city model through digital transformation in land management.

Japanese 7-Eleven owner soars on takeover offer Shares in the Japanese operator of 7-Eleven soared on Monday after the firm confirmed it had received a takeover bid from Canadian retail giant Alimentation Couche-Tard.

Vietnam a key market for Japanese Japanese investors continue to bet on Vietnams market with rising strategic partnerships and greenfield investments.

Japanese investors pour over 1.3 billion USD into Ha Nam The Management Board of Industrial Parks in the northern province of Ha Nam on August 30 held a meeting with Japanese enterprises that are investing in industrial parks in the province.
Giang Do, advisory director at Savills Ho Chi Minh City, said that for a long time, the citys land price list has not been maintained and is often significantly lower than the actual market value.

This prolonged price difference has created a dual price system, leading to many serious consequences, Giang said.

Land price framework remains inefficient, Photo Le Toan

Foremost, this problem makes state land management difficult and complicated.

For instance, the discrepancy between the declared price on notarised contracts and the actual transaction price, often aimed at reducing land transfer taxes, has caused inefficiencies. In other cases, annual land lease payments based on outdated and lower-than-market prices have contributed to budgetary losses for the state, Giang said.

Secondly, the development of real estate projects has been fraught with challenges, particularly in the phases of land acquisition and clearance. Compensation based on undervalued price lists has frequently resulted in delays, dissatisfaction, and financial loss for affected residents, ultimately leading to protracted disputes and land-related litigation.

Given these longstanding issues, adopting a land price list that is aligned with market realities is inevitable, Giang said.

This progressive shift will address previous shortcomings, ensuring more transparency and fairness in the system. Crucially, a market-driven land price list is expected to facilitate smoother compensation processes, particularly in key infrastructure development projects, by fostering greater public consensus on compensation and support mechanisms, she added.

However Vo Hong Thang, investment director at DKRA Group, said that the land price framework will likely be adjusted to increase about by as much as 30-fold, and in some cases up to 50-fold in some districts in Ho Chi Minh City.

Therefore, it will have a profound impact on people and real estate businesses, Thang said. For the need to change land use purposes, especially from agricultural land to non-agricultural land, the conversion fee payable will be adjusted to be higher than at present. However, the level of increase is not guidelined by specific circulars or decrees for implementation.

For households affected by site clearance and compensation, being resettled will have certain advantages in the compensation price as well as in determining the resettlement price, which has been complicated and consumes a lot of time.

The application of land price lists to land tax calculations is also said to have certain impacts that increase non-agricultural land use taxes. However, the application of the new land price list will only be applied after the statute of limitations of the current land price list expires at the end of 2026.

Beneficiaries are those eligible for state compensation and resettlement support are likely to benefit from the updated price list. Households and individuals seeking land-use recognition or changing the purpose of land use, meanwhile, will face the most significant impact.

Under the 2014 Land Law, financial obligations were divided between land within and outside certain thresholds, with different pricing mechanisms applied. However, the 2024 Land Law eliminates this distinction. Now, all land will be calculated based on the updated price list, regardless of thresholds, and adjustments will be made at the onset of the lease period. As a result, while land outside the limit may remain unaffected, land within the limit will see a sharp increase in financial obligations, given the higher proposed prices.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the citys adjusted land price framework will bring specific benefits to both individuals and businesses.

The adjusted land price framework has been updated in accordance with the actual situation of land prices in the city, which will contribute to making the application convenient, easy, transparent, and at the same time, cutting down on real time and procedures for determining specific land prices are as before, said a source from the department.

In addition, the land price adjusted list does not affect the specific land valuation to calculate land use fees and land rents of real estate and commercial housing projects due to these projects are calculated using the residual method.

Furthermore, agricultural land prices have been adjusted to suit reality, so investors deductions will be more appropriate than before, thereby contributing to improving the business environment while adjusting the selling price of real estate products more appropriately.

Experts consider major changes to land valuation Drafts to amend and supplement Decree No.44/2014/ND-CP on land prices and Circular No.36/2014/TT- BTNMT on land valuation were discussed at a VIR seminar on the issue on July 27.

Amended land law can remove current limitations The Law on Land is an essential law, institutionalising the major guidelines of regulation on continuing to innovate and complete institutions and policies, and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of management and use of land, creating a driving force to help Vietnam become a high-income developed country.
Two weeks ago, the ministry (MoT) initiated a consultation process on a report outlining proposed policies for the transition to electric and green-energy vehicles in Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam said, We will continue to compile and refine these proposals and report to the government in the third quarter of this year.

Several companies are getting in on the action to develop EV charging infrastructure, photo Le Toan

On August 10, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha directed the MoT to collaborate with relevant ministries and local authorities to further review mechanisms and preferential policies. These efforts aim to support production and import activities, encourage the use of green energy vehicles, and submit a report by September 15.

The report proposes several main policy groups. Firstly, to encourage production, assembly, and import activities, the MoT recommends raising emission standards and limiting fuel consumption to reduce reliance on fossil fuel vehicles and promote zero-emission vehicles.

Additionally, the ministry suggests adding electric vehicles (EV) and battery manufacturing and assembly to the list of sectors eligible for special investment incentives. This could include exemptions and reductions in land rent, taxes, and fees for projects expanding into this industry.

To encourage and support consumers, the MoT proposes implementing emission fees for fossil fuel vehicles and establishing zero-emission zones in urban centres, where only zero-emission vehicles would be allowed.

The report also recommends offering subsidies of around $1,000 for EV purchases to encourage consumer adoption. EV users would receive priority in urban areas, including access to preferred parking and reduced fees during peak hours.

For the development of electric charging infrastructure, the MoT proposes the swift issuance of Vietnamese standards for electric charging stations, aligned with international trends.

To prevent monopolies in the charging station sector, the MoT plans to develop regulations governing the operation and sharing of charging stations or green energy supply stations for EVs.

Moreover, to expedite the expansion of charging infrastructure, the government is considering regulations that would integrate charging stations into urban technical infrastructure and residential areas. Public charging stations would be required at bus stations, rest stops, urban centres, car parks, shopping centres, hotels, offices, apartments, and restaurants.

Developers would be exempt from construction permits and investment policy adjustments when installing charging stations. For existing properties, land use purposes would not need to be altered to accommodate charging station installations, according to the MoT.

The incentives would apply to battery-powered cars, fuel cell EVs, and solar-powered vehicles.

The MoT acknowledged that while Vietnam has implemented preferential policies to promote EV adoption, the transition has lagged global trends and remains slow compared to some regional countries.

The policies outlined in this report aim to boost investment, production, and technological advancements, accelerating the domestic adoption of EVs, said Lam.

Supporting a green strategy for the automotive industry With 6.5 million cars and 74 million motorcycles, Vietnam is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from road transport in Southeast Asia, following Indonesia. Emissions from road vehicles in the country are rising rapidly, with an average annual increase of about 15 per cent over the past decade.

EV strategy must prioritise keeping the pace globally Under Vietnams vehicle industry development strategy, electric vehicles (EVs) require robust support from government policies to contribute effectively to the countrys net-zero commitment.
From a commercial standpoint, Argentina and Vietnam have developed a solid and enduring trade relationship. In 2023, Argentina became Vietnam's 29th largest trading partner, with total trade reaching $3.446 billion. In the first seven months of 2024, bilateral trade stood at $1.986 billion.

Francisco Jose Franco Martinez, deputy head of Mission Head of the Economic, Commercial and Investment Section, Embassy of Argentina to Vietnam

Within Latin America, Argentina is Vietnam's third-largest trading partner, following Brazil and Mexico. Conversely, Vietnam has consistently been among Argentina's top 10 trading partners over the past decade, solidifying its position as Argentina's leading partner in Southeast Asia.

A key strength in Argentina-Vietnam trade relations lies in the complementarity of their economies. This synergy has paved the way for mutually beneficial trade exchanges. Vietnam exports a diverse range of products to Argentina, including mobile phones, computers, electrical products, footwear, textiles, clothing, iron, steel and other products.

Meanwhile, Argentina is a significant supplier of agricultural products and raw materials, such as soybean meal, corn and wheat, which are crucial to Vietnam's growing economy, particularly its animal feed industry. These products not only satisfy local demand but are also exported to third countries.

Recently, high-quality products from Argentina, such as beef, wine, olive oil, seafood, and poultry, have gained popularity in the Vietnamese market, especially in high-end restaurants, hotels and coffee shops. Argentina also exports high-tech industrial products to Vietnam, including animal vaccines and biotechnological pharmaceuticals, contributing to maintaining the quality standards in animal and human health as required by Vietnamese law.

A key priority for both Argentina and Vietnam is the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement between Mercosur and Vietnam. Argentina is a strong advocate within the Mercosur bloc, actively promoting negotiations for this agreement. Such a deal is viewed as a crucial step in enhancing bilateral trade and unlocking new opportunities for both economies. This commitment to advancing negotiations underscores the strategic importance of the Argentina-Vietnam partnership and the shared vision of fostering even deeper economic ties.

Trade missions are vital in strengthening the economic relationship between Argentina and Vietnam. Business representatives from the Mercosur-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce will visit Vietnam in November to attend trade fairs and engage in business-to-business meetings with Vietnamese companies, exploring new business opportunities. This follows a series of Vietnamese missions in 2024, where companies, accompanied by institutional delegations, explore opportunities in Argentina.

Through the Embassy of Argentina in Vietnam, daily communication channels are maintained with numerous companies to facilitate connections between Argentine and Vietnamese enterprises. The embassy provides commercial matchmaking services, including virtual meetings, translation services and organising business agendas for companies from both countries. Additionally, it offers valuable commercial information for Argentine companies, including sectoral reports, data on tariffs, consumption, production, taxes, export and import data, sector fairs, regulations and other relevant commercial information.

The outlook for investment cooperation between Argentina and Vietnam is equally encouraged, driven by strong commercial complementarity and solid trade flows. These conditions create opportunities for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam, where products imported from Argentina are processed, manufactured and industrialised. These products are often exported to third countries, promoting the economic benefits of this partnership and generating employment and positive spillovers throughout the Vietnamese economy.

A prime example is the leather sector, where an Argentine leather processing company established a factory in Vietnam in May 2023. This facility imports leather from Argentina, processes it in Vietnam and exports the finished products to other markets, while also serving domestic demand. Another Argentine-owned leather processing factory is set to open in Vietnam in November 2024, further underscoring the economic complementarity between the two countries.

Both Argentina and Vietnam have introduced substantial government incentives and policies to encourage FDI. In Argentina, a recently launched incentive regime for large investments (RIGI Scheme) aims to attract FDI by offering benefits such as tax reductions, customs exemptions and enhanced investment stability in strategic sectors, including infrastructure, mining, technology and agriculture. This initiative highlights Argentina's proactive approach to creating a favourable environment for investors.

Both Vietnam and Argentina offer highly favourable environments for FDI due to these robust government policies. It is crucial for private companies from both countries to explore potential joint ventures and collaborative ventures in each other's territories to take full advantage of these incentives.

The Embassy of Argentina regularly engages with Vietnamese companies with substantial financial capacity to explore opportunities for FDI in Argentina or potential joint ventures with Argentine companies, particularly in sectors like lithium, telecommunications and energy.

Argentina and Vietnam are currently negotiating two critical agreements that could significantly boost reciprocal investments: a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and the renewal of the Bilateral Investment Treaty. Both countries aim to align these treaties with new international standards, providing a robust legal framework that will thereby encourage increased FDI flows in both countries.

Furthermore, high-level visits play a crucial role in promoting the bilateral relationship. In 2023, a significant visit from Vietnam to Argentina was led by the Chairman of the National Assembly, Vuong Dinh Hue.

Earlier in 2024, Argentina's Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino, visited Vietnam, and the Undersecretary of Agricultural Markets is scheduled to visit Vietnam in September. These visits reaffirm the political will on both sides to advance key issues of mutual interest, particularly in trade, and to establish future action plans.

Argentina hopes for strategic partnership with Vietnam: ambassador The new Argentinian Ambassador to Vietnam, Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino, has affirmed his countrys willingness to upgrade its relations with Vietnam to a strategic partnership, especially when the two sides are preparing to mark the 50th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2023.
As reported by Bloomberg News, ride-hailing provider GoTo Group is withdrawing from Vietnam, abandoning a country where its been struggling to reach profitability, aside from its main operations in Indonesia and Singapore.

GoJek, which offers ride-hailing, food delivery, and courier services, accounted for less than 1 per cent of GoTos gross transactions in the second quarter and the exit is unlikely to hurt the companys financials.

The unprofitable company, which battles stiff competition from Singapores Grab Holdings in markets including Vietnam, has slashed spending as user growth cools. It exited Thailand in 2021, and late last year relinquished control of loss-making e-commerce arm Tokopedia to ByteDances TikTok in a $1.5 billion deal.

Besides market leader Grab, Vietnams ride-hailing contenders include local player Be Group. The startup raised about $30 million this year to accelerate its growth from ride-hailing and deliveries.

Vietnam's ride-hailing market size is forecast to hit $880,000 in 2024 and $2.16 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 19.5 per cent, according to Mordor Intelligence.

Overall, the Vietnamese ride-hailing market is moderately consolidated, with players like Grab, Xanh SM (GSM JSC), Be Group JSC, and FastGo. The greatest threat to Grab may come from Xanh SM, Vietnam's first-ever electric taxi company. Xanh SM has been aggressively expanding its market foothold with its strong partnership growth. Several players in the market are engaged in mergers, strategic partnerships, and new product and service launches to stay ahead of the competition.

Vingroup's GSM to launch ride-hailing and electric motorcycle services Green and Smart Mobility Corporation (GSM) has announced plans to extend its electric taxi services to 27 cities and provinces in Vietnam, as part of the company's commitment to green mobility and sustainable transportation.

Ride-hailing companies defend pricing policies in face of spiralling fuel cost rises Driver-partners of ride-hailing companies such as Gojek and Grab are pleading for more help as the spiralling cost of fuel is turning them off from the occupation entirely.
Over the past three decades, Vietnams health sector has been adopting information communication technologies (ICTs) through three main periods: experimental, developing, and scaling-up periods. The establishment of an electronic health agency within the Ministry of Health (MoH) in 2012 marked the beginning of the latter, where the health sector strengthened the policy and institutional environment and mobilised resources for ICT adoption and digital transformation.

Le Minh Sang, senior health specialist at the World Bank Vietnam Office

The MoH has made remarkable achievements in adopting ICT for public health system administration such as the provision of administrative procedures through the public health service portal at the highest level, the national immunisation information management system, and the pharmaceutical database. Medical and pharmaceutical institutions have adopted ICTs widely to improve operational efficiency.

All public hospitals in Vietnam have installed and operated a hospital information system, and almost all (99.5 per cent) healthcare facilities nationwide have submitted electronic health insurance claims to Vietnam Social Security.

Struggling with delivery

Despite such efforts in ICT application, health facilities in Vietnam are still in the early stages of digital transformation. In 2019, 40.4 per cent of hospitals met Level 1, the lowest level in the MoHs seven-level hierarchy of ICT advancement; 32.2 per cent met Level 2; and 21.4 per cent hit Level 3. As of 2024, only 94 out of 1,500 hospitals nationwide (accounting for 6 per cent) have deployed an electronic medical record, equivalent to Level 6 of ICT advancement.

At the primary healthcare level, the adoption of ICTs in commune health stations has made good progress but the deployment of electronic health records for patients lagged behind schedule, failing to achieve the respective targets outlined in the national master plan for building and developing the grassroots healthcare network.

The World Bank has recently reviewed the digital journey for Vietnamese patients at the primary healthcare level. Unfortunately, there are not many digital health applications available for patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 74 per cent of the disease burden. Online health information and social networks are the most common applications for patients with NCDs to manage their health.

Numerous smartphone apps enable patients to update information, evaluate symptoms, look for services, book appointments, consult health professionals, and purchase over-the-counter medications, but there are not many dedicated to NCDs. Even short-message service intervention for NCDs is uncommon and lacks strong evidence of efficacy and sustainability.

The World Banks studies also provided a greater understanding of the challenges facing innovators, patients, and primary healthcare providers that have hampered the digital transformation of healthcare services. Digital health innovators work in a challenging environment that constrains research and development of digital applications for NCD works.

The entrepreneurship ecosystem in Vietnam remains nascent, with a non-transparent system and a weak regulatory framework. Weak collaboration between the public and private sectors poses another challenge in health data exchange and innovation development. Connecting to the public information system is difficult, especially for enterprises with limited ICT resources. Public facilities express weak demand for adopting digital innovations from the private sector, while clinicians tend to be uncomfortable with new digital tools.

In the absence of government financial support, entrepreneurs typically rely on their network to find funding resources. The question is whether digital health innovators have sufficient financial capacity and passion to endure and overcome market education and adaptation phases.

Many digital health applications for patients are struggling to scale. The MoH launched the Depression mobile app in 2012 and the Vietnam Cardiovascular Health mobile app in 2019 but received little public response. More recently, it launched another smartphone application on elderly health through a mass communication campaign but recorded a relatively low uptake.

At present, the uptake of official electronic services remains low (except for online health information sources), attributed to a lack of trust, limited digital capacity among primary healthcare professionals, and low digital literacy in the general population. Uptake is not simply a matter of having a digital health tool but depends on user acceptance and engagement.

The sustainability of digital health applications remains a major concern. Many digital applications are operating as a siloed technology to overcome specific challenges in the public health system. Patient-facing applications are not connected to or embedded in the current systems deployed in health facilities, making it impossible to maintain a seamless flow of health information along patient journeys across different healthcare settings.

Information-blocking practices remain common, such as restricting patient access to e-records, developing products with limited interoperability, charging high fees for health data exchange, and making third-party access to standardised data difficult. Other barriers to integration include insufficient guidelines on health data governance and weak coordination among stakeholders participating in health data exchange, particularly at the subnational level.

Moreover, it is very challenging to finance digital health applications for patients. Public procurement agencies in Vietnam are struggling to innovate due to unclear guidelines, limited experience, and fear of making mistakes. As a result, digital health applications for patients are adopted mainly in the private health sector, where providers can charge fees and users pay out of pocket.

Photo Le Toan

Action areas to move forward

The World Banks studies identified three problematic areas and proposed strategic actions to foster digital health innovation, enhance user engagement and uptake, and sustain digital health applications for patients in Vietnam. The first strategic action area is fostering digital health innovations for patients with NCDs.

The central and provincial authorities should utilise existing resources to strengthen health innovation exchange and support entrepreneurship. It is pivotal to facilitate collaboration between the ICT industry, consumers, and the research sector.

Innovators can receive the support they need and use data to identify opportunities to work collaboratively on designing digital health solutions. The government should provide incentives for impactful digital health applications, such as those improving the prevention or early detection of NCDs, allowing providers to monitor patients with NCDs remotely, and prescription medicines as patients with chronic diseases regularly need refills. For small, capital-strapped businesses or those in the early stages of growth, incentives in the form of small grants would encourage health-tech startups to continue pursuing research and development.

As digital health is evolving rapidly, policymakers should prioritise establishing a regulatory framework that supports innovations in healthcare without compromising privacy, security, and intellectual property.

Moreover, a sandbox policy will help create appropriate regulations that balance privacy and security concerns with support for innovation. Enforcing strong intellectual property rules is another effective measure.

The second strategic action area is enhancing user engagement and the uptake of digital health applications for patients. Providing useful information and practical guidance is a popular way to build trust with patients, as they are likely to trust providers who can give reliable educational content online.

Policymakers may consider a training curriculum, revisiting staffing assignments, and proposing incentives to support this transformation at grassroots level. Simultaneously, the government should make an effort to address low digital literacy and the digital divide. Priority should be given to older people, given they are high users of healthcare services and less engaged with internet use. People with disabilities and ethnic minorities are also digitally disadvantaged groups.

Sustaining digital health applications for patients is another strategic action area. A priority action is advancing integration and interoperability across digital systems deployed at grassroots level. The implementation of health registries through e-ID for facilities, workers, and patients is a key enabler for integrated, interoperable digital health systems.

The MoH should continue the development of data and interoperability standards to support broader and deeper types of health information flows and, in the meantime, ensure broad adoption of standards by health ICT vendors.

While promoting the development and adoption of core ICT systems, health system managers should allow patient-facing digital applications to be integrated into these common platforms to make data available for patients and health professionals whenever it is needed.

It is also necessary to address information-blocking practices among providers and ICT vendors in the near term and build a data-sharing culture in the long term.

Establishing a national reimbursement system for digital health applications would ensure financial accessibility in the long run, but also requires tremendous efforts to accomplish this goal. A starting point for government agencies is to review financing mechanisms and consider business models applicable to the Vietnam context.

Public funds for core health ICT systems should be allocated through innovative financing mechanisms, such as pay-as-you-use models that make common digital health platforms more accessible for patients, providers, and other stakeholders.

The common goal among key stakeholders is for digital health services to be covered by payer organisations, either public or private insurance. Policymakers should consider establishing procedures for digital health technology assessment to ensure that digital health applications are adopted in a safe, ethical, and cost-effective manner.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), rice exports have reached nearly $3.85 billion so far this year, a 21.7 per cent increase on-year. Exports hit 6.16 million tonnes, up almost 6 per cent. The average export price during this period stood at $542 per tonne, an 11.5 per cent rise.

The Vietnam Food Association attributed the surge in prices to the global food supply shortage, with cultivated areas in many countries shrinking due to weather and climate impacts.

India's ongoing rice export ban is also cited as a contributing factor. Domestic rice prices have seen steady growth as businesses ramp up purchases to fulfill export orders in the final months of the year.

According to VNA, Nguyen Nhu Cuong, director of the Department of Crop Production under the MARD, has forecast demand will remain high for rice imports from Vietnam's traditional customers such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Ghana, Malaysia, and Singapore for the rest of 2024 and beyond, according to vtcnews.vn.

Vietnamese rice exporters are expanding into new markets including the Middle East, Africa, South America, Japan, and South Korea. Consequently, the MARD predicts domestic rice production will reach approximately 43.4 million tonnes this year, with about eight million available for export.

Cuong said that the rice industry would meet the 2024 export targets and adequately address the country's food security needs.

"Supply constraints in some rice-exporting countries, coupled with Vietnam's improving rice quality meeting the demanding global market needs, have bolstered our position. Additionally, proactive negotiations by our businesses have yielded positive results with partners, leading to increased export volumes and stable prices for Vietnamese rice," Cuong said.

The Philippines' tax reduction policy is expected to boost rice exports, while supply uncertainties in competitor countries create significant opportunities for Vietnamese rice to penetrate deeper into the global market.

Cao Van Phong, CEO of Joint Venture Company for Rice Production, Processing, and Export, emphasised that Vietnam must continue to focus on enhancing product quality and improving the supply chain to maintain its position in the international market.

"We need to ensure that Vietnamese rice meets the required quantity and guarantees quality, food safety, and compliance with the stringent regulations of importing markets," Phong said.

Pham Van Thinh, chairman of Thuan Minh Import-Export JSC said, "The current high rice prices reflect the substantial demand from importing markets and the results of product quality improvements following Vietnam's rice value enhancement strategy. With export contracts already signed for the coming months, there's an opportunity to increase rice export volumes to levels higher than in previous years."

Vietnam exported 8.1 million tonnes of rice last year, a 36.6 per cent increase on-year, and the highest level in 16 years.

Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Industry and Trade said, "From being a food-importing country, Vietnam has achieved self-sufficiency in supply, balanced food resources, ensured national food security, and simultaneously become one of the few powerhouses in the exportation of rice."

Vietnam is the world's third-largest rice exporter, following India and Thailand.

Vietnam seizes gains from soaring coffee prices Vietnamese coffee prices are nearing historic highs on the back of a surge in global coffee prices, creating opportunities for farmers and export businesses.

Fruit and vegetable exports experiencing robust growth Fruit and vegetable exports are expected to hit record highs this year amid strong growth in the first seven months and abundant supply as harvest season approaches.

Philippines reduces rice import tax to 15 pc The Philippines, one of the world's largest rice buyers and biggest importers of the Vietnamese grain, officially announced a reduction in rice import taxes from 35 per cent to 15 per cent, effective in early August this year and lasting until 2028.
Michelle Williams asks a question to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists as they held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

A Houston ISD teachers union leader who was removed from her teaching job in March returned to the classroom this week, after a monthslong process to appeal the districts proposal to nonrenew her contract, in part, for allegedly posting on social media during school hours.

Houston Education Association president Michelle Williams said she started teaching second grade Tuesday at a school she declined to name in northwest Houston. The district declined to comment Wednesday.

The return to the classroom restores a sense of normalcy for Williams, who has been teaching for 25 years.

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I feel like I was trapped at home, Williams said, adding, Im a teacher. And I was unjustly removed, and that was proven. I wanted to be back where I was. That didnt happen for obvious reasons, but the next best thing is a decent school where Im at.

Her return to teaching follows an independent hearing examiners favorable recommendation to reinstate the teacher after a June virtual hearing.

Williams  who leads the local affiliate of the Texas State Teachers Association and the National Education Association  was dismissed in March from her role as a third-grade math teacher after the district accused her of taking part in a social media activity during work hours. However, Williams maintained in her hearing she keeps a decorated set in her home, not school, for her YouTube channel and she uses a scheduling app to post on X during the day.

Williams believed the districts attempts to dismiss her were retaliation for her public criticism of district leadership.

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She said neither she nor her attorney heard word from the district following the hearing examiners recommendation, and her attorney was waiting for a date to be confirmed. She said the district organized paperwork for her assignment after KHOU 11 ran a story about Williams receiving pay while not working.

Texas Education Code requires a school board to consider an independent hearing examiners recommendation within 20 days that recommendation and record of the hearing is received by the board president. Williams noted that the district could have considered her recommendation twice in August, ahead of its regular meeting and a special board meeting, but failed to place her case on an agenda.

Giana Ortiz, the attorney representing Williams, wrote in an email response she has not had this happen before.

But by failing to consider the IHE recommendation, the District has effectively abandoned the nonrenewal (i.e., IHE) process. Putting her back to work also signals an abandonment of that process, Ortiz wrote.

The smaller of HISDs two teachers unions, the Houston Education Association represents about 200 members.

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Houston Federation of Teachers union president Jackie Anderson said Williams' win signals hope for other teachers, union member or not, seeking recourse.
Claire Partain is a Houston ISD reporter for the Houston Chronicle covering student achievement. She can be reached at claire.partain@houstonchronicle.com.

She got her start as sports editor at Texas State University (go Cats!) before covering professional soccer team Austin FC and other Austin news at digital startup Austonia.

Claire has also freelanced with her hometown paper, appearing in the Fairfield Recorder, Teague Chronicle and Corsicana Daily Sun.
Its a topic that Republican candidates have brought up often in both the presidential and Wisconsins U.S. Senate race: the nations ongoing battle with fentanyl.

In Wisconsin, Madison business owner Eric Hovde has targeted his challenger, incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, on the issue, including while speaking with reporters in Madison after voting in the Aug. 13 primary, when he said Baldwin has done nothing to address fentanyl, an often-fatal synthetic opioid that was developed to treat intense pain from ailments like cancer but has increasingly been mixed with other drugs in the illicit drug supply.

I have never seen such a disingenuous campaign, making up lies, not only about me, taking things completely out of context, but also embellishing her record and what shes done, like talking about fentanyl and how shes done something about the fentanyl crisis, Hovde said. She has done absolutely nothing.

Hovde went on to acknowledge Baldwins support of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a federal bill that seeks to combat fentanyl and money laundering by targeting opioid traffickers, but he downplayed her involvement in the measure  noting that she was the bills 28th cosponsor.

The only reason she signed that is because I was talking about the fentanyl crisis, Hovde claimed.

Hovde conceded in his comments that his opponent signed onto a bill focused on addressing opioid abuse. In total, 68 U.S. senators co-sponsored the measure, which was signed into law earlier this year.

Baldwins campaign noted the topic of opioids is a personal issue for the senator, who has in the past shared the story of her mothers mental health struggles and addiction to prescription drugs, which led to Baldwin being raised by her grandparents.

In addition to co-sponsoring the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, Baldwin twice this year voted for the bipartisan border security bill, which was backed by the U.S. Border Patrol and several law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police. The bill proposed billions of dollars in funding for border security, including measures to detect and stop the flow of fentanyl into the country.

Despite months of negotiations on the bipartisan border bill, Republican senators rejected the proposal earlier this year after former President  and current presidential candidate  Donald Trump knocked the compromise.

Baldwin also introduced the Safe Response Act last year. The proposal would have provided first responders with training on how to properly use life-saving overdose reversal drugs.

In 2018, Baldwin introduced the bipartisan Restricting Entrance and Strengthening the Requirements on Import Controls for Trafficking, or RESTRICT, act, which aimed to give the Food and Drug Administration more tools to prevent illegal drugs from entering the country by mail.

Baldwin also co-sponsored the Search Now, Inspect for Fentanyl, or SNIFF, act, which would have trained U.S. postal workers to search mail entering the U.S. from foreign countries for opioids like fentanyl.

None of those measures passed.

Right now, illicit drugs, like fentanyl, meth and illegal opioids, are being mailed into America from other countries, Baldwin said in April 2019 while introducing the latter proposal. We need stronger tools to stop this, and our bipartisan legislation will help prevent the flow of these drugs, like fentanyl being shipped from China.

When contacted on Hovdes claim, Baldwins campaign also pointed to her work helping to craft the State Opioid Response grant program, which provides states with money for opioid treatment, harm reduction and overdose reversal drugs like naloxone.

Grant recipients have reported more than 550,000 overdose reversals from 2018-2023, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Asked for sourcing on Hovdes claim that Baldwin has done nothing on fentanyl, spokesperson Zach Bannon pointed to the continued high number of opioid-related deaths in the country and noted that, while Baldwin has introduced several proposals, many of those measures have not crossed the finish line.

For the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which did become law, Bannon criticized Baldwin for being the 28th cosponsor, offering no amendments and for not sitting on the committee that advanced the measure.

So whats the rest of the story?

Opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed over Baldwins two terms in office, from 2,628 in 2012 to 73,838 in 2022, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

But any bills fate comes down to a vote by the full chamber, if it ever gets that far. While some of Baldwins proposals  including those specifically targeting fentanyl  have not reached fruition, to say shes done absolutely nothing to address the problem is contradicted by the legislative record.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 3,323-acre Bear Fire is now 100% contained.

The Bear Fire was reported at 2 p.m. on September 2 off Bear Valley Road on the Tahoe National Forest, south of the community of Sierra Brooks in Sierra County.

More information and tips on water conservation are available on the Sierra County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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SEPTEMBER 6, 7:05 A.M. UPDATE

The Bear Fire, in Sierra County, is slowly growing in containment.

CAL FIRE says the 3,327-acre wildfire is 15% contained.

Some mandatory evacuation orders due to the fire have been downgraded.

Residents of the Sierra Brooks community were able to return home today after days of mandatory evacuations after the orders for their community were changed to warnings.

Entry to the community requires identification.

Sierra County has opened a dumpster at the Sierra Brooks Lodge to help residents get rid of any food that may have spoiled while they were away.

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SEPTEMBER 5, 7:15 A.M. UPDATE

The Bear Fire is now 3,327 acres and still 0% contained after starting early Monday afternoon south of Sierra Brooks in Sierra County.

Firefighters say they're made progress building lines around the perimeter of the fire in the last couple of days, but they're bracing for windier weather in the day ahead.

Evacuations are improving because of the fire, with the community Sierra Brooks now downgraded to a warning. However, some evacuations orders are still in place around the fire.

CAL FIRE, the Forest Service, and Sierra County Sheriff's Office will hold a community meeting on Thursday evening.

It will be in-person at Sierraville Elementary School at 7 p.m. - or you can watch it live on the Tahoe National Forest Facebook page below -

Hundreds of people in the Loyalton area were without power on Tuesday but it has since been restored to several areas.

The sheriff's office says Sierra County Social Services is available to address individual emergency needs at 202 Front Street in Loyalton or by calling 530-993-6700.

Sierra-Plumas Unified School District indicates they will continue to work with law enforcement, OES, and fire officials to make decisions about school one day at a time using all relevant information. They will continue to communicate school closure information through email and text systems, the District Facebook page, and the automated all-call system.

The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.

2:30 +2 Bear Fire prompts Air Quality Advisory for Reno-Sparks area Smoke from the Bear Fire is expected to have the greatest impact Thursday evening through Friday morning.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

SEPTEMBER 3, 10:15 P.M. UPDATE:

The Liberty Energy and Water website, which has been tracking outages related to the Bear Fire since they first began, currently shows no outages in the area.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 6:45 P.M. UPDATE:

The size of the Bear Fire has grown to 2,000 acres, 0% containment according to CalFire's website.

Utility outages should no longer be affecting anyone in Portola, according to Liberty Energy and Water.

Loyalton is still suffering outages - around 230 people are affected, and there are a small number of customers in South Lake Tahoe that are affected as well.

You can keep up with outage information using Liberty Energy's outage site.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 5:25 P.M. UPDATE:

The Sierra County Sheriffs Office has expanded evacuation warnings for the Bear Fire.

In a thread on X, the U.S. Forest Service says fire crews are working effortlessly to establish containment lines. Air support is also helping to contain the fire.

Winds throughout the night are expected to blow steadily from the west at around 10 miles per hour.

A complete and updated list of evacuation orders and warnings associated with the fire can be found at this link.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 3:40 P.M. UPDATE:

The size of the Bear Fire has grown to 1,578 acres, 0% containment according to CalFire's website.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 2:32 P.M. UPDATE:

NV Energy, in coordination with Plumas Sierra, will be attempting a re-energization of most Loyalton customers currently without power.

To complete this re-energization, NV Energy will have to temporarily shut down power to Portola for about one hour.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 1:51 P.M. UPDATE:

Outdoor watering is now suspended for residents of Sierra Brooks due to the Bear Fire.

Officials are asking everyone in the area to please conserve indoor use of water as much as possible while crews fight the fire.

For questions or to get additional information, contact the Sierra County Department of Public Works at (530) 289-3201.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 11:21 A.M. UPDATE:

NV Energy has turned off its line serving portions of Sierra County due to the Bear Fire.

Liberty Utilities Lake Tahoe customers in that area are experiencing a power outage due to the shutoff.

No restoration time is currently available. NV Energy is preparing teams to assess the area once fire officials deem it is safe to do so.

Liberty Utilities customers can view an outage map on the Liberty Energy and Water website.

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SEPTEMBER 3, 9:30 A.M. UPDATE:

The size of the Bear Fire has grown to 1,391 acres, 0 % containment according to CalFire's website.

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7:04 P.M. UPDATE

Evacuation orders and warnings have been updated for the Bear Fire per CalFire's website.

Evacuation orders are in place for the areas of SIE-E030, SIE-E031 and SIE-E032.

An evacuation order is an immediate threat to life - an order by law enforcement to leave immediately. The areas are lawfully closed to public access.

Evacuation warnings are in place for the areas of SIE-E022, SIE-E023, SIE-E027, SIE-E028 and SIE-E029.

An evacuation warning is for a potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately.

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6:47 P.M. UPDATE

The most recent update from the U.S. Forest Service says that sources are projecting the fire to be close to 800 acres in size.

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5:15 P.M. UPDATE
The Washoe County Sheriffs Office is urging the public to be aware of a recent increase in social media-based sextortion cases.

Deputies say over the past week, they have handled four separate cases involving online intimate images through various social media platforms.

In each case deputies say victims sent intimate photos or videos to people they believed they could trust, but shortly after sending the images, they received threatening messages demanding money. The suspects warned that if their demands were not met, they would distribute the explicit content to the victims contacts and social networks.

They say in some instances, the suspects also made threats by claiming they would also accuse the victims of involvement in child pornography manufacturing, further intensifying the pressure and fear on the victims.

"We urge community members to exercise extreme caution when communicating online, especially when engaging in conversations that may involve sharing personal or intimate content with individuals they do not know personally. It is crucial to understand that once an image is shared digitally, it can be exploited by individuals with malicious intent. Victims should not comply with the extortion demands but should, instead, report the incident to law enforcement immediately."

The Washoe County Sheriffs Office is actively investigating these incidents.

To report an incident, contact the Washoe County Sheriffs Office non-emergency line at (775) 785-9276 (WCSO). You can also call or text your anonymous tip at Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.

(The Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)
With so many world-class museums hosting blockbuster exhibitions in San Francisco, it can be easy to overlook the smaller independent art galleries tucked away in the neighborhoods.

But for art lovers, galleries can be the best place to discover new worktheir curators are often first to identify fresh talent and may be more likely to support boundary-pushing debuts and exhibitions.

This season, SF art galleries are presenting a full roster of shows exploring identity and cultural narratives. Here are some you wont want to miss.



Surreal, flower-filled scenes in 'The Trouble with Flowers' balance pleasure and sorrow. (Elizabeth Fox, 'The Roses Appear', 2024; Dolby Chadwick Gallery)

Dolby Chadwick Gallery: Elizabeth Fox, The Trouble with Flowers



Elizabeth Foxs collection of narrative paintings playfully blend pop culture and art history in bright, floral imagination. Influenced by sex icons of the 1950s and '60s coupled with contemporary drag and queer culture, The Trouble with Flowers centers on characters amalgamated from multiple influences who experience a full spectrum of lifes joys and sorrows.

// The Trouble with Flowers runs September 5 through 28 (by appointment) at Dolby Chadwick Gallery, 210 Post Street, Suite 205 (SoMa), dolbychadwickgallery.com . An opening reception will be held Thursday, September 5, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.





836M: Yaloo, Shininho Destiny

Yaloos residency at 836M promises the evolution of a multimedia maritime adventure centered on the character of Shininho, a pirate and elderly female Korean KPOP idol. The journey of her eponymous ship will layer historical events, cultural heritage, and contemporary issues to examine the citys Korean immigration culture and connection to Asian history. (Those obsessed with Korean art and culture, should also check out Hallyu! The Korean Wave at the Asian Art Museum this fall.)

// Shininho Destiny runs through January 3, 2025 at 836M, 836 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), 836m.org.





Cult Aimee Friberg: Nicki Green, Eye of the Fountain

In conjunction with her show at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Nicki Green examines the sacred ritual of a traditional mikveh, the Jewish ritual bath, in the context of queer and trans existence. Two life-size clay figurinestogether with a collection of new and recent ceramic sculptures and drawings anchor this exhibit, which is an exploration of movement, semiotic coding, and embodiment.

// Eye of the Fountain runs September 6 through November 16 at CULT San Francisco, 1401 16th St. (Potrero Hill), cultexhibitions.com .

Visual antidotes and pharmaceutical homages play a prominent role in Beverly Fishman's The Pursuit of Perfection, opening September 12 at Jessica Silverman Gallery. (Beverly Fishman, Pleasure, Liberation, Clarity, Choice, Ease, Self-Determination, 2024; Jessica Silverman Gallery)

Jessica Silverman Gallery: Beverly Fishman, The Pursuit of Perfection

Progress is at the center of Beverly Fishmans The Pursuit of Perfection in a vibrant, lustrous study on the impact of science and technology on the human experience. Through six new bas-relief wall paintings, along with previous acrylics and enamel works, Fishman positions art as a kind of pharmaceutical aide to a range of altered realities and selves.

// The Pursuit of Perfection runs September 12 through November 2 at Jessica Silverman Gallery, 621 Grant Ave. (Chinatown), jessicasilvermangallery.com . An opening reception will be held Thursday, September 12, from 5pm to 7pm, as well as an artist talk with Susie Kantor, associate curator at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, on Saturday, September 14 at 2pm.

Man's best friend is captured in poignant frames in a series of Elliott Erwitt's photographs spanning decades, on view at Robert Koch Gallery September 12 through November 1. (Elliott Erwitt, "England, Birmingham," 1991; Robert Koch Gallery)

Robert Koch Gallery: Elliott Erwitt, Dogs

The legend of the late street photographer Elliott Erwitt gets a whimsical homage with a series of black and white images that capture the unique bond between humans and dogs. With work spanning decades, Erwitts innate ability to capture the extraordinary in the ordinary is on full display.

// Dogs runs September 12 through November 1 at Robert Koch Gallery, 49 Geary St, 5th Flr. (Union Square), kochgallery.com .

The works of Chitra Ganesh's 'Tiger in the Looking Glass' blends the mythical with the contemporary in dreamy, complex landscapes. (Chitra Ganesh, 'Enter the Jungle', 2024; courtesy of Gallery Wendi Norris)

Gallery Wendi Norris: Chitra Ganesh, Tiger in the Looking Glass

Lush landscapes dominate Tiger in the Looking Glass as Chitra Ganesh explores themes of hybridity, double consciousness, and multiverses through portals, mirrors, and shape-shifting characters. The collection of intricate paintings reference the language of Surrealism, mythological iconography, and contemporary graphic references to bring visibility to Ganeshs queer and femme subjects.

// Tiger in the Looking Glass runs September 13 through October 26 at Gallery Wendi Norris, 436 Jackson St. (Jackson Square), gallerywendinorris.com . An opening reception will be held Friday, September 13, from 6pm to 8pm.

Object making in the Bay Area and community are at the center of the second edition of Works in Progress in the Mission. (Len Carella, 'Sculpture No.07', 2024; courtesy of Works in Progress.)

Works In Progress II

In a continuing series focused on the beauty of craft and community and the artistry of object making, this second exhibition further unfolds the idea of community. Fourteen artists and design studios paired together to make a single composition of a screen. Within a range of approaches to materiality, construction, and presentationincluding individual works from the collaboratorsthis exhibit studies how screens dictate what and how we perceive our surroundings, as well as the space between individual expression and creative intersection.

// Works In Progress II runs September 28 through October 11 at 198 Utah St. (Mission), @worksinprogress_sf. An opening reception will be held Saturday September 28 from 6pm to 9pm.

Familiar images are rendered in new mediums through the work of Kota Ezawa, whose first solo exhibition at Fraenkel Gallery opens October 23. (Kota Ezawa, 'Grand Princess', 2023;  Kota Ezawa, courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery)

Fraenkel Gallery: Kota Ezawa

In his first solo exhibition at Fraenkel Gallery, Kota Ezawa reimagines key images from the cultural canon to explore the concept of shared experiences through imagery. Complex visual images are stripped down to their most essential elements in the form of Ezawas striking animations, slide projections, light boxes, paper cut-outs, and collages that center on themes of freedom and democracy.
For years, the Old Sixth Ward Neighborhood Association saw no need for a role overseeing neighborhood crime protection. But after 30 cars were broken into over the course of one rainy night this March, that changed.

Adoni Vossos, the new protection chairperson, stood up on the stage May 29 at a meeting called to discuss the neighborhoods safety. The neighborhoods City Council member and the citys director of housing, who until recently had headed the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston and Harris County, were also in attendance.

We have seen a change for the worse in the past 18 months, Vossos said. How can we prevent  at least for our communities  the increase in the homeless population and opportunistic crime within our neighborhood?

Andoni Vossos, protection chair of the Old Sixth Ward, speaks as he and residents of the First and Old Sixth Ward meet with Houston officials to discuss the influx of homeless people since the city established a feeding program outside the Municipal Courthouse, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Houston. Organizers are calling for the initiative, Dinner to Housing, and a nearby encampment to be relocated. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

What came next was a case study in how troubling experiences within a community can land police officers with the mandate of decreasing the homeless presence in certain neighborhoods, even if its unclear that homeless people are responsible for an uptick in crime.

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Studies suggest that such complaint-based policing of homelessness can cause individuals to relocate, often to a location within a short walking distance, but is not effective in reducing a citys homeless population. Houstonians ticketed the most told the Houston Chronicle their repeated interactions with authorities had not led to housing but instead encouraged them to be less visible.

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A Chronicle analysis has found that ticketing the homeless tends to happen within more affluent and well-educated communities, where residents often complain the most about homelessness to HPD. Taxpayers usually foot the bill for increased overtime pay for police.

In Old Sixth Ward, residents walked away from the May meeting with $3,000 in funding for overtime police officers to patrol the area  which Vossos says has successfully led to fewer threatening encounters in the neighborhood. The association has not yet succeeded in pressuring the city to move the nearby site where it funds free meals four times a week and which serves many without homes.

Vines grow on a fence where residents say homeless people previously lived under an overpass Thursday, May 30, 2024, in the 6th Ward neighborhood in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Unresolved crimes

Originally, the meeting had been planned to convene near a flyover ramp two individuals had been using for shelter. But a rainy forecast had moved roughly 40 neighbors and city officials to gather instead inside Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, a nearby gas station from the early 1900s that had been converted into a pizza joint.

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There, neighbor after neighbor shared stories of disturbing incidents they attributed to homeless individuals. One discovered someone sleeping beneath her pier-and-beam house. One had someone threaten to burn down his house. One had a wildly high man on his back porch. One had a stranger enter his house while he was putting his kids to sleep.

The father, who declined to share his name after the meeting because he didnt want a target on his back, followed the steps he had learned in a self-defense class to take in the case of a home invasion: He called 911 and went downstairs, armed, and chased the intruder outside. The police, he said, never came.

A map of Houston police calls to the 2A40 area, that include the Old Sixth Ward and First Ward area, is seen as residents meet with Houston officials to discuss the influx of homeless people since the city established a feeding program outside the Municipal Courthouse, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Houston. Organizers are calling for the initiative, Dinner to Housing, and a nearby encampment to be relocated. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Neighbors, an HPD officer assigned to the area and city officials listened solemnly to the litany of disturbing experiences.

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Crime data in the neighborhood is mixed. Vehicular crime has risen in recent years, an analysis of police data shows. Trespassing and assault crimes have remained flat.

Homelessness in the ZIP code, on the other hand, was on the decline as of 2023. The ZIP code is for an area much larger than Sixth Ward, stretching west of downtown along Buffalo Bayou all the way down to the Loop.

Vossos viewed that data with a wary eye. It was in the spring of 2024, he said, that threatening encounters with individuals outdoors reached their peak in their small neighborhood, which spans about six blocks by four blocks. And he knows from speaking with neighbors that not every incident makes it into crime statistics because theyre not all reported to the police.

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When the man who had an intruder in his house was asked if there were signs the individual was homeless, he said he couldnt be sure. But he said that the incident had happened at the same time he noticed more individuals who appeared homeless in the neighborhood.

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To me, they are one and the same, he said.

David Hille, a resident of the Old Sixth Ward, listens to Houston City Councilman Mario Castillo as he discusses the influx of homeless people since the city established a feeding program outside the Municipal Courthouse, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Houston. Organizers are calling for the initiative, Dinner to Housing, and a nearby encampment to be relocated. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Historic echoes

Jay Hamburger, who has lived in Sixth Ward since 1979, was not at the meeting.

A bit too vigilante to me, he said. It wasnt his first time seeing blame for local crime fall on the shoulders of the homeless community.

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For over 33 years, hes delivered donated food to the homeless at least once a week. Often, hell pick up prepackaged salads from Pat Greers Kitchen or pastries from Three Brothers Bakery. But just as often, people who know about his work will bring food they wont have the time to consume. For example, after Hurricane Beryl knocked out power, people brought filo dough and salmon patties; he prepared them in his kitchen and delivered them right away.

Jay Hamburger, known as the Eggman, hugs a formerly homeless friend as he distributes food and toiletries Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

The week of the Sixth Ward meeting, he was handing out more everyday fare. On the streets, hes known as the Eggman, because one of his most popular offerings is hard-boiled eggs.

Its high protein, he said. They come in their own little package. Theyre easy to trade as a unit of commerce.  They fire on a number of cylinders.

Jay Hamburger, known as the Eggman, hands out food and toiletries to homeless people Tuesday, June 4, 2024, across the street from the Julia Ideson Building in downtown Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

The meeting this year reminded him of an incident more than two decades ago, when he said a neighbors car was keyed with a homophobic slur. Hamburger said the man was enraged, and so was he. But Hamburger was taken aback when the man asserted that the crime had been committed by someone homeless.

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(He) was just absolutely avid that he knew for sure that the homeless had done it, Hamburger said. He was like a snapping turtle holding on to this issue. Ultimately, his concerns led a property owner to cut down a small stand of trees where a handful of working homeless individuals lived, Hamburger said. Most of the people impacted moved to nearby Union Street.

Hannah Lebovits, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said that cutting down trees to make the area less hospitable to homeless people was an example of a larger pattern taking hold in the United States at that time.

In the 1980s and 1990s, she said, an emerging homeless crisis, the defunding of mental institutions and hysteria over urban decay led to an overwhelming fear of crime. That led to the widespread embrace of the idea that the environment should be designed in a way that controlled who spent time there as a way of preventing crime.

Elements such as bright lighting, gated entrances and benches with arm rails preventing people from lying down are examples of the movement. So is the belief that people who seem out of place are a crime risk, she said.

Jay Hamburger, known as the Eggman, hands out food and toiletries to homeless people Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in downtown Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Hamburger continued to bring meals to those displaced to Union Street, much to the displeasure of nearby business owners. He said he was once threatened by a business owner who believed the meals were responsible for bringing people there.

That was in the 1990s. Now, theres no one living in the area.

These days, the citys free meals, which began in November 2022 in a parking lot next to the municipal courthouse nearby, are bringing similar criticisms of attracting homeless people.

A homeless man eats a free meal as others wait in line for their own` Friday, June 2, 2023, at the Houston Police Departments Central Patrol station in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Citizens turn to tools provided

Following the principles of good civics, Sixth Ward residents organized to make their neighborhood safer. They asked officials questions  were there keywords that could be used during a 911 call to be considered more of a priority? Could more patrols help with response times?

Receiving no clear answer, they put forth their own solutions  moving the site where free meals were served farther away and clearing out people who lived under the flyover ramp.

And like good public officials, representatives from the city listened.

These are all things that are serious, said Council Member Mario Castillo, when he heard of the crimes the community had experienced. When you talk about what is causing the issues, its from mostly the homeless population.

Houston City Councilman Mario Castillo visits with Old Sixth Ward residents Dan Tidwell, left, and Jamie Mike about the influx of homeless people since the city established a feeding program outside the Municipal Courthouse, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Houston. Organizers are calling for the initiative, Dinner to Housing, and a nearby encampment to be relocated. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Mike Nichols, the housing director, tried to draw a distinction between people who dont have a place to live and those committing crimes. The data shows that people who are homeless are victims of crime much more often than they are perpetrators, he said.

Nichols argued that while he did not know how to solve the broader issue of crime, Houston could actually solve homelessness. The meals were the first step toward connecting people with resources to move them off the street, he said, and the city was exploring options with partners in the hopes of soon being able to provide people with a safe space indoors where they could sleep while awaiting their housing.

But when asked whether the security provided at the meals prevented patrons from drifting into Sixth Ward, he faltered.

Houston Housing Director Michael Nichols speaks during a meeting with residents of the Old Sixth Ward and First Ward to discuss the influx of homeless people since the city established a feeding program outside the Municipal Courthouse, Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in Houston. Organizers are calling for the initiative, Dinner to Housing, and a nearby encampment to be relocated. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Castillo had a more concrete answer. My thought is to work with HPD, he said.

He provided $3,000 of his city council district budget toward overtime officers, which he said would give the neighborhood more patrols and more presence. City Council district budgets show that council members this year have allocated up to $721,000 in funds to pay overtime officers to increase their patrols of certain neighborhoods, sometimes with the mandate of addressing quality of life issues.

By July, the overtime for Sixth Ward had been spent, HPD confirmed.

And for the neighborhoods protection chair, the area already feels safer, although he believes theres more work to be done.

The intensity of the homeless presence has decreased, Vossos said. Those that are mentally unstable and possibly violent has reduced. But the theft aspect is still happening.

On Aug. 8, after the crackdown, there was another spree of car break ins, in which someone attempted to break into about a dozen cars and successfully broke into four, he said. An analysis of HPD data for the neighborhoods crime reports from mid June through July did not show a decrease in crime compared to the same period in previous years.

We remain firm that the answer to our problem is the removal of the homeless feeding program sponsored by the city, Vossos said.
Whether youve just met or youve been together for years, every couple needs a vibey date spot now and again, the kind of place with a design perspective so strong, its transportive.

High-brow or low(er)-brow, San Francisco has plenty of atmospheric destinations for dinner. From the bite-sized romance of the Outer Richmonds Pizzetta 211 to the Moroccan embrace of El Mansour, these nine restaurants have moods made for falling (or staying) in love.

Robin (Courtesy of @robinsanfrancisco) Robin is a tiny restaurant with a mood all its own. Dark, artistic, urban-coolits a vibe that would be just as at home in Tokyo as it is in Hayes Valley. While design lovers will appreciate the collection of ceramics and Caroline Lizarraga's moody wall with metallic gold drips, its not just the atmosphere that makes Robin special. Chef Adam Tortosa's contemporary omakase restaurant uses pristine ingredients and both traditional and modern techniques to craft an ever-changing multi-course meal that can be personalized on a sliding price scale (from $109 to $209 per person). The sake menu curated by partner Michael Huffman is yet another reason to visit: Featuring both Japanese and local producers, the selection begs you to linger even after the last dish is served. // 620 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), robinomakase.com

LArdoise (Courtesy of @lardoisebistro) If romantic Parisian is the vibe youre going for, LArdoise Bistros got it. With its red-walled interior and classic European charm, this intimate French restaurant feels straight out of the 18th arrondissement. LArdoises menu is an exercise in decadence with dishes like duck leg confit, coq au vin, and scallops with risotto and white wine cream sauce, and if that doesnt transport your date night to Paris, the French-dominated wine list will. // 151 Noe St. (Duboce Triangle), ardoisesf.com

Boulevard (Courtesy of @blvdsf ) Seems like designer Ken Fulk cant help but drench everything he touches in cool, and every one of his SF restaurants have a unique vibe. But arguably his most atmospheric spot is Boulevard, the long-standing pioneer of California cuisine whose space he gussied up a few years back with modern Belle Epoque maximalism. Big, bold wallpapers, textiles, and textures create a mood thats both dramatic and sexy. Creative cocktails and aphrodisiacs like golden osetra caviar service and bone marrow and escargot, up the ante for an unforgettable evening. // 1 Mission St (Embarcadero), boulevardrestaurant.com

Pizzetta 211 (Courtesy of @thefoodburner) What is it about small restaurants that makes them so romantic? Case in point: Pizzetta 211. This pocket-sized space in the foggy Outer Richmond cant have more than four tables inside (and a few outside) and after dark, when the flames of candles softly glow, it feels magically intimate. The pizzas and wine are excellent and low key enough that they can hang on an early-stage date or a cozy night out with your lobster. Just be warned that, since they dont take reservations, the wait here, which can get lengthy at times, is a potential mood killer. Go early or late to avoid the inevitable awkward silences. // 211 23rd Ave. (Outer Richmond), pizzetta211.com

Moongate Lounge (Courtesy of Moongate Lounge) Brandon Jews Moongate Lounge wasnt just inspired by the luxury of mid-century Chinatown, it was once an iconic mid-century Chinatown destination. Theyve done an incredible job channeling that swanky, historic vibe, with high-backed velvet booths, blue carpets and pastel walls, restored Chinese murals, and color-drenched lighting after dark. Cocktails designed by bar director Garrett Marks like this summers Clear and Bright (duck fat-washed rye, single malt, apricot, lapsang) are seasonally inspired by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and snacks hail from the Mr. Jius team. // 28 Waverly Pl., Fl. 2 (Chinatown), moongatelounge.com

Aphotic (Courtesy of Aphotic) With its inky black decor and live fire ovens, Aphotic has a vibe thats as darkly mysterious as the deepest reaches of the ocean (which, coincidentally, is the meaning of its name). From amuse bouche to dessert, the 10-course tasting menu is packed with exquisitely prepared sustainable seafood served in a sunken dining room flanked by driftwood sculptures and under a canopy of exposed wood beams. More celebration dinner than a first date, Aphotics moody atmosphere is a world so enchantingly intimate, you wont want to come up for air. // 816 Folsom St. (SoMa), aphoticrestaurant.com

Cold Drinks Bar (Courtesy of Cold Drinks Bar) If youd rather your date night revolve around cocktails (with some excellent snacks to nosh on along the way), head to Cold Drinks Bar, which has just unveiled its newest seasonal menu. Its hard to explain how much drama this upstairs lounge has in store: dark and romantic, its a mash-up of mid-century Shanghai and industrial high design where the tuxedoed bartenders keep things classy with Scotch-leaning cocktails and whiskey flights. Part of the China Live complex, bites like Szechuan wok fried chicken wings and caviar Chinese donut with chili and creme fraiche come courtesy of the kitchen of celebrated Eight Tables by George Chen. // 644 Broadway (Chinatown), chinalivesf.com

El Mansour Restaurant (Courtesy of @elmansour_sf ) The quickest way to North Africa via San Francisco is straight through the Outer Richmonds El Mansour Restaurant. Draped in waves of fabric, cozified with rugs and pillows, painted and inlayed with Moroccan motifs, this place has a theatrical vibe unlike anywhere else in the city. The set five-course menu, which begins with a traditional hand washing, comes with choices (including vegetarian ones) and enough food for an army. Be prepared to learn some belly dancing skills, or at least to admire the talents of the pros. // 3119 Clement St. (Outer Richmond), elmansour.com
After wearing flip-flops, sandals, espadrilles and slides all summer long, its kind of a relief to put on a structured shoe or boot. Arch support, ankle support, a solid or low heel go a long way when it comes to comfort ... and confidence.

My footwear choices have evolved since I retired. After teetering around on high heels for decades (when I worked as a fashion editor in NYC), I am firmly grounded. I still embrace a graceful, leg-elongating pointy-toe pump, but it will probably have a kitten heel instead of a stiletto. I love a little bit of added height  again, to lengthen my silhouette  but my boot will likely have a sturdy block heel. A badass ankle bootie speaks of my self-assurance at this stage of my life. Comfy loafers nod to my newfound freedom to spend my days as I wish  sometimes loafing but often still running around. I have a lot on my schedule even if I no longer get a regular paycheck, and I need to be quick on my feet.

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Kitten heels

Jeffrey Campbell Womens Persona Calf Hair Slingback Pumps in Cheetah Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Bloomingdale's)

Thank goodness, this ladylike style is popular again. When I have an occasion to get dressed up, my go-to heel height is 1 to 2 inches. Look for pumps with a pointy toe and deeply cut vamp (the top part of a shoe) for maximum leg lengthening, such as this one: Talbots Erica Kitten Heel Pumps  Suede in Black ($149, talbots.com). Sam Edelman Womens Blanka Slingback Kitten-Heel Pumps in Black Suede ($140, macys.com) are a must.

Perhaps consider a pair close in color to your skin tone as an alternative, such as the Nine West Arlene Pointy Toe Pumps in Blush Leather ($71, ninewest.com). Choose a nude shade (close in color to your legs). They will make your legs look longer, and flesh tones go with almost anything. An animal pattern, such as Jeffrey Campbell Womens Persona Calf Hair Slingback Pumps in Cheetah ($116, bloomingdales.com) is surprisingly versatile too.

Block-heel tall boots

Blondo Tessa Waterproof Knee High Boot in Black Cow Leather (left); DV Dolce Vita Womens Finnegan Over-the-Knee Block Heel Boots (right) Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Nordstrom; Macy's)

The best thing about tall boots? You dont have to wear tights to stay warm especially if you choose a style such as DV Dolce Vita Womens Finnegan Over-the-Knee Block Heel Boots in Mushroom ($99, macys.com). In leather or suede, a tall boot with a solid stacked heel such as the Vince Camuto Sangeti Boot in Black ($229, vincecamuto.com), the Nine West Barile Boots in Dark Brown ($142, ninewest.com) or the Blondo Tessa Waterproof Knee High Boot in Black Cow Leather ($220, nordstrom.com) will give you a nice long line as well as comfort and support. Wear them with knee-length or midi dresses and skirts or wide-leg trousers.
Caring for a loved one while holding down a job isnt easy. When AARP and S&P Global surveyed 1,200 working caregivers at large U.S. companies in 2023, they found that more than two-thirds were struggling to find balance, with more than a quarter cutting back hours, 16 percent turning down promotions, and another 16 percent quitting work entirely at some point.



But before you quit your job or make other big changes, its important to know all your options, which may include taking leave time under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

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Since 1993, FMLA has protected the jobs of eligible workers who take time off to care for family members or themselves. But many people still dont know how it might apply to them, says Jessica Mason, a senior policy analyst at the National Partnership for Women & Families, a nonprofit advocacy group. Some think of it as a benefit only for new parents or for those managing their own health problems.

Heres a breakdown on how FMLA works.

Who can I take care of when I take FMLA?

When a loved one has a serious health condition, for example cancer, dementia, diabetes, the FMLA can help you take time off to care for:

Newborns

Children under 18

Adoption or placement of foster children

Spouses

Parent

Adult children who have a serious illness, a disability and are unable to care for themselves

Yourself, when you have a serious illness that requires time off

FMLA leave also is available if you need time to deal with the military deployment of a spouse, son, daughter or parent.

FMLA doesnt cover every caregiving situation. For example, it doesnt cover care for:

In-laws

Siblings (unless you are the primary caregiver for a sibling who is disabled or under 18)

Grandparents

Domestic partner (unless you live in a state with more expansive leave laws)

Who can take leave under FMLA?

The federal law doesnt apply to all workers; it depends on where you work, how long youve worked there and why you want leave.

Keep in mind, You dont need to be the primary caregiver, to take FMLA leave, says Marianne Bellesorte, director of programs and advocacy at the nonprofit Family Values @ Work.
In a critical race for U.S. Senate in Montana, Republican challenger Tim Sheehy is leading Democratic incumbent Jon Tester by 6 percentage points, according to an exclusive AARP poll released today. Fifty-one percent of likely voters prefer Sheehy in a head-to-head matchup, compared with 45 percent for Tester.

Among voters age 50-plus, Sheehys lead widens to 17 percentage points, the poll found.

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Democrat Tester is Montanas senior senator and a three-term incumbent first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006. He's being challenged by Republican Sheehy, a businessman and cattle rancher. The outcome of the race could shift the overall balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

Pollsters interviewed 1,064 likely Montana voters about the U.S. Senate and presidential races and the issues motivating people to vote. The bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward and David Binder Research conducted the AARP-commissioned survey from Aug. 25 through 29.

These are pretty strong numbers for the Republican challenger, said Bob Ward, a pollster with GOP polling firm Fabrizio Ward, of the Senate race. Clearly, Jon Tester has the fight of his life on his hands to remain a United States senator.

AARP (Source: Getty images)

Sheehys lead is driven largely by Montanas older and rural voters, who tend to be more conservative, said Seiji Carpenter, a pollster with Democratic firm David Binder Research. Tester is ahead with voters living in cities, but those make up only 19 percent of the electorate. More than half of Montanas voters say they live in a rural area.

Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, is also ahead with men and those without a college degree.

A significant lead in the presidential race

In the presidential race, more Montana voters said they would cast ballots for former President Donald Trump, a Republican, over Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, the poll results showed.

Among voters of all ages, 56 percent said they would vote for Trump, compared with 41 percent for Harris in a head-to-head match-up. Trump held a slightly wider lead among voters age 50-plus, with 60 percent favoring Trump compared with 37 percent for Harris.

AARP (Source: Getty images)

Fifty-two percent of Montana voters had a favorable opinion of Trump versus 45 percent unfavorable. For Harris, 38 percent of all voters had a favorable opinion and 58 percent had an unfavorable opinion. Among voters 50-plus, 57 percent had a favorable view of Trump, versus 40 percent unfavorable. For Harris, 37 percent of voters in the older age group viewed her favorably, compared with 60 percent unfavorably.
The Altar Stone, seen here underneath two bigger Sarsen stones. Credit: Professor Nick Pearce, Aberystwyth University.

Scientists search for the source of Stonehenges iconic Altar Stone has intensified, with a new paper ruling out Orkney as where it came from.

The new findings follow last months news that the largest bluestone at the heart of Stonehenge came from the Orcadian Basin of north-eastern Scotland, and not from Wales as previously thought.

Construction at Stonehenge began 5,000 years ago, with changes and additions to the ancient site happening over the next two millennia.

Although it is unclear when the Altar Stone arrived at Stonehenge, it may have been placed within the world-renowned central horseshoe of stones during the second construction phase at around 2620  2480 BC.

With many Neolithic monuments, and having the right geological features, Orkney seemed a likely candidate for the source of the Altar Stone.

Published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, the new research examined both the five exposed Neolithic-age stones at the Stones of Stenness and seven others at the Ring of Brodgar on mainland Orkney, similar in size and rock type to the Altar Stone.

The research concludes that the six-tonne Altar Stone at the heart of the ancient site was not sourced from Mainland Orkney but elsewhere within north-eastern Scotland.

Professor Richard Bevins from Aberystwyth University, the lead author of the new study, has been investigating Stonehenge for the last 15 years. He said:

The mystery of where the stone came from is becoming clearer and clearer as we begin to rule out specific areas in north-east Scotland. This research is radically changing our thinking about the origins of the Altar Stone. Its thrilling to know that our chemical analysis and dating work is slowly unlocking this great mystery.

The Altar Stone is anomalous in many ways to both the bluestones and the sarsens at Stonehenge. Whilst, at six tonnes, it is nowhere near the size of the sarsens, it is substantially larger than the bluestones, with which it has previously been classed. It lies in an unusual position at the monument, occupying a near central location and not within either the Bluestone Circle or the Bluestone Horseshoe. It is also grey-green sandstone, unlike all the other bluestone rock types.

As an academic, I have been fascinated by Stonehenge for decades. I and my other colleagues in the team will continue to work to pin down where exactly in the north-east of Scotland the Altar Stone came from.

The new research adds to findings by Aberystwyth University and other UK and Australian scientists published last month in Nature that concluded that the Altar Stone came from north-eastern Scotland.

In turn, this built on previous Aberystwyth University research that ruled out its Welsh origins and suggested that it should no longer be classified as a bluestone.
Rozan Munir Arafat's 12-hour Sunday flight from Istanbul Airport to Houston was the last stage of a journey that started months ago when she lost her parents, four sisters and a brother during a series of Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip in January.

Rozan, who had one foot amputated after the attack and exited the plane in a wheelchair, was all smiles Sunday as she was greeted by a sea of supporters who traveled from across the Houston region to wave Palestinian flags, hold signs that read "Welcome Rozan," and bear gifts and bouquets of flowers.

MATTRESS MACK: Mattress Mack is known for his larger than life persona but many know him for his philanthropy work

Twelve year old Rozan Munir Arafat, center in wheelchair, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family and her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war, covers her smile as she reacts to the throng of nearly 100 supporters gathered to welcome her arrival from Turkey as she is escorted through Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Supporters with signs and flags gather along the walkway dividers for the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Twelve year old Rozan Munir Arafat, center in wheelchair, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family and her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war, is given gift bags and flowers as she is greeted by a throng of nearly 100 supporters gathered to welcome her arrival from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Roshana Olomi, left, and Saleema Gul, right, try to organize all the signs and posters for the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Saleema Gul holds a welcome sign, written in Arabic, as she waits for the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Ayla Nasser, center left, age 13, and her sister in-law Mona Habib, center right and wrapped in a Palestinian flag, hand out small Palestinian flags to other supporters gathered to greet the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Amany Hajyassin, left, and Suhail Butt, center, tape Palestinian flags to the railings of the walkway for the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Twelve year old Rozan Munir Arafat, center in wheelchair, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family and her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war, begins to notice the throng of nearly 100 supporters gathered to welcome her arrival from Turkey as she is escorted through Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor

She is the 21st child affected by Israel's war with Hamas to benefit from the services of HEAL Palestine, a nonprofit that aims to provide essential healthcare, educational support, humanitarian aid and leadership development opportunities to Palestinian youth.

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"For a child that has endured so much  becoming an orphan in an instant and losing five siblings  if you see the smile on her face, you'd love her," said Dr. Farah Shah, executive director of HEAL Palestine in Houston. "It's a picture of resilience."

Twelve year old Rozan Munir Arafat, center in wheelchair, a Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family and her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war, is swarmed for photos with the throng of nearly 100 supporters gathered to welcome her arrival from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor

The group of more than 100 that gathered near Terminal E Sunday night celebrated together and took selfies to commemorate the memory. Kids jumped with excitement screaming "where is she," as they awaited the arrival of someone they've never met before.

Fatima Nasser said her family will open their home to someone else for the first time, hosting Rozan, her 17-year-old sister and her aunt as she is treated in Houston.

"What really compelled us was, you have all these resources, you have a nice house, you have all the money you could want, what's the use of it if you can't welcome someone into your home and make a difference in their lives," said Nasser. "It's time that we show our humanity and be there for people that have suffered."

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She said her family had seen the conflict between Israel and Palestine, which she referred to as a genocide, play out on their phones and felt honored to be able to play a part in a much bigger puzzle.

A woman holds a Palestinian flag next to posters and stuffed animals for the arrival of Rozan Munir Arafat, a twelve year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who lost her entire family, as well as her left leg in the Israel-Hamas war. Arafat finally arrived three hours late after a 13 hour flight from Turkey at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to a throng of nearly 100 supporters Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor

Protests erupting across the globe

Rozan arrived as the Oct. 7 anniversary nears for the Hamas-led attack at a music festival in southern Israel, which left 1,200 people dead, most of them were civilians. Hamas also took 250 hostages. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Israel estimates Hamas still has around 65 living hostages and the remains of 35 other people.

On Sept. 1, it was reported that six more hostages were killed, with three of the bodies discovered in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The recent news sparked protest amongst Israelis, who gathered outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem, demanding a cease-fire with Hamas to bring the remaining hostages home.

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Demonstrators are seen in smoke from a police fire extinguisher during a protest calling for a cease-fire deal and the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv, Israel on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Ariel Schalit/Associated Press

In Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza, more than 40,000 Palestinians were killed, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants. Among the dead are Rozan's parents and siblings. Around 70 percent of the dead include women and children, according to an estimate from the Palestine Health ministry as reported by Reuters on Aug. 15.

The Chronicle reported in Aug. that pro-Palestinian protests on Texas university grounds prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to enact an executive order calling on public universities to adopt the state's definition of antisemitism in their free speech policies, and enforce punishments, including expulsion for students who spread anti-Jewish sentiment. An advocacy group that sued the governor in federal court argued the definition was too broad and could have a chilling effect on constitutionally protected speech.

Texas state troopers in riot gear try to break up a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Jay Janner/Associated Press

What's next for Rozan?

Rozan will now receive medical treatment for her amputated foot with expenses paid by the Texas Orthopedic Hospital, said Dr. Greg Stocks, who works at the hospital and is Shah's husband. The hospital has also written a letter supporting her visa, he said. While being treated, she and her sister will also be given an education after being out of school for more than a year.

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Once her treatment is finished, Rozan and her family will be given an apartment in Egypt by the organization, and will stay under the nonprofit's care until they are able to return home in Gaza, said HEAL Palestine co-founder Steve Sosebee.
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The National Hurricane Center's Seven-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook on 9-5-24. National Hurricane Center

Five areas of interest in the Atlantic basin have caught the attention of the National Hurricane Center, with one storm system churning off the Texas Gulf Coast and another system in the Caribbean that is projected to push into the Gulf of Mexico as early as the end of this week.

These hot spots for tropical activity are systems of low atmospheric pressure, fueled by heat and moisture, and pushed westward by prevailing winds. The systems are not yet named storms and continue to have minimal chances of developing into something greater. Some activity worth watching is near the Texas Gulf Coast and has already brought rainfall and even street flooding to coastal areas near Houston.

A satellite image of the Gulf of Mexico taken on September 5, 2024 by the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The overall storm activity stands as a reminder to not let your guard down, as hurricane season doesnt end until Nov. 30. The summer produced five named storms, including Hurricane Beryl that made a Southeast Texas landfall on July 8. Although the summers last named storm formed back on Aug. 12, the lull in Atlantic activity does not mean the threat of tropical cyclones has ended.

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Texas Gulf Coast storms

The bands of rainfall and thundershowers harassing Southeast Texas on Thursday and Friday are coming from an upper-level system of low atmospheric pressure slowly heading north toward the Louisiana and Texas coasts. Heavy rainfall is still expected through Saturday, but the storm system is unlikely to become anything stronger as the boundary of a cold front approaches by the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center gives the system only a 10% chance of further development over the next seven days.

Caribbean tropical wave

Hurricane center forecasters are monitoring a tropical wave of low atmospheric pressure moving through the northwestern Caribbean Sea that is expected to push into the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The tropical wave could develop into something stronger and more organized over the weekend or early next week, but not before it reaches Belize and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula by Friday.

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Forecasters give the system a 20% chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next seven days.

Northern Atlantic off the East Coast

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a nontropical area of low pressure a few hundred miles east of North Carolina. The system is producing some rain and thunderstorms and could, acquire some subtropical characteristics over the next couple of days while it moves generally north-northeastward, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its expected to remain offshore and as it reaches cooler water by late Saturday, the system is not expected to continue developing.

Forecasters give this system a 30% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next seven days, which are the highest chances among the five tracked storm systems in the Atlantic.

Storms in the tropical Atlantic

Another tropical wave of low pressure is located a few hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles and is producing some rain and thunderstorm activity. If the storm system does develop, the National Hurricane Center predicts it will move west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph. But forecasters also say environmental conditions will limit development in the next few days but will become more favorable by early next week.

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Forecasters give this system only a 10% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next seven days.

Eastern Atlantic near West Africa
Aakash Institute, one of India's leading educational institutions renowned for preparing students for medical and engineering entrance exams, has launched a heartfelt video campaign to honor teachers on this year's Teachers' Day.

The video beautifully captures the essence of gratitude through a touching story centered around a father-daughter duo. The daughter, now a successful doctor, is shown grappling with nervousness but chooses not to share her concerns with her fatherwho has been not only her parent but also her greatest teacher. Despite sensing her unease, her father remains calm and supportive, driving her to the hospital where she works.

At the hospital, an unexpected moment of admiration unfolds. A senior doctor approaches the father, showering him with respect and appreciation for his role as a teacher at Aakash Institute. The daughter, witnessing this genuine display of gratitude, is struck by the profound impact her father has hadnot only on her life but also on the lives of countless others. This moment of realization highlights the unspoken bond and legacy that teachers leave behind.

The video shines a spotlight on the tireless contributions, guidance, and mentorship of teachers. It reminds us that behind every successful student is a teacher whose dedication and sacrifices pave the way for their accomplishments.

The campaign concludes with a heartfelt message from Aakash Institute, saluting all teachers and recognizing the crucial role they play in shaping the lives of their students. Their unwavering commitment, boundless knowledge, and selfless dedication are the foundations upon which countless futures are built.

As the nation celebrates Teachers' Day, Aakash Institute pays tribute to these unsung heroes, reminding us of the invaluable place teachers hold in our hearts and lives. Today, and every day, Aakash proudly salutes all teachers for their unwavering dedication to shaping the minds of tomorrow.
The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, accusing Prasar Bharati of violating the country's uplinking and downlinking guidelines. The industry body, representing multiple system operators (MSOs) like Hathway, DEN Network, and Hinduja Global Solutions, argues that Prasar Bharati's invitation to private satellite TV channels to join its upcoming OTT platform is unfair and detrimental to the existing distribution ecosystem.

In a letter addressed to Ministry Secretary Sanjay Jaju, the AIDCF highlighted that Prasar Bharati's move contradicts clause 11(3)(f) of the Uplinking & Downlinking guidelines, which stipulate that satellite TV channels can only provide their signals to licensed service providers like MSOs, DTH services, and internet protocol television providers.

The AIDCF also accused broadcasters of misinterpreting existing regulations, claiming that Prasar Bharati is exempt from TRAI regulations and the Cable TV Act. The industry body asserts that satellite TV channels cannot be part of Prasar Bharati's OTT platform and can only provide their signals to registered distribution platform operators (DPOs).

Furthermore, the AIDCF raised concerns about the growing number of unregulated streaming applications, which may escape regulatory oversight due to the lack of specific guidelines. The industry body urged the Ministry to intervene and ensure that these platforms are subject to appropriate regulations.

In response to the AIDCF's criticism, Prasar Bharati's Content Sourcing Policy, released on August 9, indicated that the pubcaster may explore the possibility of on-boarding linear satellite channels and FAST channels to its OTT platform. However, the AIDCF argues that allowing private broadcasters to join the platform would severely impact the business of distribution platform operators and urged the Ministry to direct Prasar Bharati to withdraw its office memo.
Ishaan Khatters appearance at the premiere of his debut series in Hollywood, The Perfect Couple, was nothing less than an eye-catcher. The premiere which was held in London on the 2nd of September, at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo, drew a large gathering of fans, and featured Hollywood stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber. Ishaan was seen posing for photos alongside his co-stars Eve Hewson, Jack Reynor, Sam Nivola and Billy Howle. He was wearing a three-piece suit, while swapping the traditional waistcoat for a fashionable corset, as he celebrated the series launch.

The Perfect Couple, will debut on Netflix on Thursday, September 5.The series centers around Amelia Sacks (played by Hewson), who is about to marry into one of Nantuckets wealthiest families. Her future mother-in-law, Greer Garrison Winbury (played by Kidman), is a renowned novelist who spares no expense in planning an extravagant wedding. However, the discovery of a body on the beach turns the wedding into a gripping murder mystery, putting everyone under suspicion.

The show also features stars like Dakota Fanning and Meghan Fahy. With its mix of suspense and drama, The Perfect Couple is all set to capture the attention of audiences with its storyline and its amazing performers.

The London Premiere was a glamorous event, and Ishaans presence at the premiere marks another milestone in his growing international career.
Kotak General Insurance has re-branded itself as Zurich Kotak General Insurance, following the Zurich Insurance Groups acquisition of a majority stake in the insurer, which was completed on 18 June 2024. Reflecting the shared vision of the Zurich Kotakentity, the new brand symbolizes the collective commitment to trust, innovation, integrity, and customer excellence. The legal name of the entity changes from Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited to Zurich Kotak General InsuranceCompany (India) Limited.

The rebranding to Zurich Kotak General Insurance represents a significant step in our shared journey to create a premier general insurer for the new India. This new identity is not just a change in name but a reflection of our combined strengths, values, and commitment to deliver insurance solutions tailored to the diverse needs of Indian consumers and businesses, said Tulsi Naidu, CEO Asia Pacific, Zurich Insurance Group.

Zurich Kotak General Insurance is fully committed to fostering the development and expansion of Indias insurance sector in keeping with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of Indias (IRDAI) goal of achieving Insurance for All by 2047. Combining Zurichs global scale and expertise with Kotaks deep local knowledge, the entity is poised to support the long-term development of Indias insurance landscape, fostering financial security and resilience across the country.

Suresh Agarwal, Managing Director & CEO, Zurich Kotak General Insurance said, "This is an important milestone in our journey to build a responsible, impactful, and leading general insurer as we launch the new brand in the market. We will continue to work towards enhancing insurance penetration in the country through technology, scale, and bringing global best practices to our business, keeping customers at the core of it.The company has also reconstituted its Board of Directors, bringing together seasoned industry leaders with a strong track record in driving growth and innovation to fulfill Zurich Kotaks vision of building a leading general insurer for the new India.

Srinivas Injeti(IAS) has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board, with D Sundaram & Ravi Venkataraman as Independent Directors. Tulsi Naidu (APAC CEO, ZurichInsurance Group), Mathew Reilly (APAC COO, Zurich Insurance Group), Pushan Mohapatra (former MD & CEO, SBI General Insurance), Gaurang Shah (Non-Executive Director  Insurance, Asset Management & InternationalSubsidiary, Kotak Mahindra Bank) and Jaideep Hansraj (former Managing Director, Kotak Securities Limited) have joined the board as Non-Executive Directors. Combined, the new board of directors brings a wealth of diverse expertise in global markets, risk management, and customer-focused strategies that will guide Zurich Kotak General Insurance in accelerating future growth and expansion in the market.

Also Read: Kotak General Insurance rebrands to Zurich Kotak General Insurance
In an initiative to closely link business payments & accounting systems with invoice discounting marketplaces, M1xchange, Indias leading TReDS (Trade Receivables Discounting System) platform has announced a strategic partnership with NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL) B2B Platform. This partnership will allow businesses to access low-cost invoice financing on TReDS directly from their accounting software. This new financing solution will enhance the efficiency of business payments across India for the TReDS registered companies. This partnerships live demo with Zoho accounting software used in conjunction with M1xchange via the Bharat Connect B2B platform was launched by Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor of RBI on Day 1 of the Global Fintech Fest 2024 held in Mumbai.

Under this integration, companies already registered on the TReDS platform can access invoice financing across multiple financiers directly within their accounting software such as Zoho Books, Easebuzz and Happay among others. When a business raises an invoice via their chosen accounting platform, they will now have an option to trigger a request for financing of the invoice(s). This request is instantly transmitted to TReDS (M1xchange), where a competitive financing rate after bidding between multiple financiers is provided back to the accounting software via the API framework managed by NPCI Bharat Connect B2B. The business can then accept the financing offer, and the funds are disbursed within 24 hours  all with the business user only interacting with their accounting software.

Sundeep Mohindru, Promoter & Director of M1xchange, said, " This collaboration with NPCI Bharat BillPay is a significant step forward in addressing the crucial challenges faced by businesses in managing B2B payments. By integrating invoice financing directly into the Bharat Connect platform, we are making it easier for buyers and sellers to access the working capital as and when they need without leaving their accounting applications. This seamless experience will empower businesses across India, particularly MSMEs, by enhancing liquidity, reducing payment cycles, and fostering financial inclusion. "

Noopur Chaturvedi, CEO of NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. said, "Partnering with M1xchange was a strategic decision for us as we recognize the critical role that timely access to working capital plays in driving business growth and sustainability. By integrating TReDS capabilities into the Bharat Connect for Business, we are addressing a significant gap in the marketenabling businesses, especially MSMEs, to streamline their payment processes without disrupting their existing workflows. This collaboration underscores our commitment to fostering innovation and enhancing financial inclusion by providing a comprehensive, secure, and efficient solution that supports the evolving needs of businesses across India."

The first transaction for the integration of Bharat Connect and TReDS platforms of M1xchange was demonstrated live at the Global Fintech Festival. This transaction, conducted in a live production environment, demonstrates the robustness and readiness of the solution for widespread adoption.
Indias elite, including Jeet Adani, Ananya Birla, Nithin Kamath, Jay Kotak, Shashwat Goenka, and Kishore Biyani, gather to celebrate entrepreneurship!

Mumbai, India, 5th September 2024: In a remarkable display of support for Indias entrepreneurial spirit, some of the countrys most influential figures, including Jeet Adani, Ananya Birla, Nithin Kamath, Jay Kotak, Shashwat Goenka, and Kishore Biyani, among many others, gathered in Mumbai to celebrate the launch of WTFund, Indias first non-equity grant fund. This exclusive summit, held on the 4th of September, marked a significant moment in Indias startup ecosystem, spotlighting the next generation of innovators poised to drive the countrys future.

Nikhil Kamath successfully integrated the best of every world at the summit, with a diverse and star-studded guest list that included talents from the artist industry as well. Their presence underscored the broad appeal and cultural significance of the entrepreneurial revolution taking place in India.

Nikhil Kamath Unveils the First Cohort of WTFund Grantees

During the summit, Nikhil Kamath announced the inaugural cohort of WTFund grantees. The fund, designed to empower entrepreneurs under 25, has selected fifteen exceptional individuals whose groundbreaking ideas are set to transform industries ranging from healthcare to AI, and sustainable consumer goods.

Empowering the Next Generation Addressing the gathering, Nikhil Kamath stated

Entrepreneurs are ageless; you can build the next big thing whether you are 25 or 80. But, let's face itthe energy, drive, and sheer audacity often come easier when you're young. Were deeply passionate about fostering this spirit in India's youth under 25. We went looking for the smartest, coolest kids who are daring to start something big, and we found our 15. But this is just the beginning. From our dream of funding 9 companies today to aiding 9,000 young companies one day, were committed to building an India that isnt afraid to take risks and step outside our comfort zones. The next decade belongs to India, and it will be driven by those who choose to build their own dreams rather than helping someone else realize theirs. Feel like you arent doing enough? Screw the regular job. Start something. All the resources you need are within your reach.

The First Fifteen Innovators

The inaugural WTFund grantees represent a diverse array of industries, from early detection of gastrointestinal cancer to sustainable pet food. The selected startups include:

- Pamawel: Plant-based, non-steroidal, FDA-approved pain relief formulations targeting menstrual pain.

- Mars: Virtual Workstations that eliminate hardware limitations, providing affordable solutions for creators and builders in AI and no-code spaces.

- Oh! Nuts: Premium, healthy nut-based snacks tailored for the growing Indian consumer market.

- Pawsible Foods: Sustainable, plant-based pet food utilizing Kavaka mycoprotein.

- RNT Health Insights: AI-assisted diagnostic software for gastrointestinal cancer detection.

- Biocompute: Affordable DNA data storage chips, revolutionizing data center efficiency.

- CallPrep: AI-based B2B SaaS for sales preparation, integrating LinkedIn, CRM, and buyer intent data.

- Urban Animal: Indias first dog DNA testing service, redefining pet care.

- Pixa AI: AI-enhanced plush companions, merging the toy and AI companionship markets.

Support Beyond Funding

WTFund offers up to INR 20 Lakh in non-equity grants, allowing founders to retain full ownership of their ventures. In addition to financial support, grantees gain access to mentorship from industry leaders, legal and accounting assistance, and strategic partnerships with top companies. These resources are designed to equip the young entrepreneurs with the tools and connections they need to scale their businesses and make a lasting impact on their respective industries.
Onsurity has partnered with DBS Bank India to offer CyberSure, a comprehensive cyber protection plan tailored for owners of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across India.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau[i] revealed that in 2023 alone, Indians suffered losses exceeding 7,488 crore due to cyber fraud. SMEs often lack the resources and expertise to implement robust digital protection measures, making them particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. To address this, CyberSure offers a suite of value-added benefits, with a sum insured of INR 10,000 per customer.

DBS Bank India will cover the cost of the first month for 10,000 eligible SME owners. After the initial free month, users can continue with the plan through an affordable monthly subscription.

Key features of the plan include:

Comprehensive insurance coverage for digital theft, available through a convenient monthly subscription plan for all users.

24/7 dark web monitoring to safeguard users' identities by scanning the dark web for signs of their private credentials being exposed in a data breach. If any credentials are found, CyberSure will promptly alert the user and provide clear instructions on how to protect their identity.

Engaging edutainment modules with videos and interactive content in regional languages to enhance cybersecurity awareness. These modules cover topics such as personal information protection, social engineering, phishing, and password safety, making cybersecurity an integral and effortless part of users' daily lives.

A thorough digital health check that offers users a quick evaluation of their digital well-being and a digital health score.

Speaking about the partnership, Kulin Shah, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Onsurity, said, SME business owners often juggle multiple responsibilities, but cyber safety demands specialised attention, especially given the sophisticated threats we face today. Our monthly subscription-based model offers SME owners peace of mind, allowing them to focus on growing their business while we handle their cyber protection. With DBS Bank Indias strong presence in the SME sector, we couldnt have asked for a better partner to bring this essential product to market.

Sudarshan Chari, Managing Director & Head  SME Banking, DBS Bank India, said, As cyber threats become more complex, SMEs need robust and accessible protection to secure their operations and data. CyberSure provides an additional layer of security, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on what matters most: growing their businesses. This aligns seamlessly with our brand promise of 'live more, bank less. Onsuritys expertise in providing tailored tech solutions complements our efforts, further empowering SMEs. We will continue to leverage our strong ecosystem partnerships to deliver solutions that go beyond traditional banking and address the unique challenges faced by SMEs.

The companies formalised this partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding at the recently concluded Global Fintech Festival, one of the largest fintech conferences in the world organised annually by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).
Pooja Duggal has stepped down from her role as Head of Human Resources at Zee Media, concluding her time with the company. Duggal, who began her journey at Zee Media in May 2023, brought over 20 years of extensive experience in HR across different sectors.

During her tenure, she led the HR department, focusing on areas such as recruitment, employee relations, and organizational growth. She was also associated with HT Media, JIndal Steel & Power Ltd, Raychem RPG Ltd and others.

Her last day with the organization is set for September 15, 2024.

Also Read: Versuni India teams up with Dolly Jain to Elevate Indian Drapes
The Body Shop, a British-born international ethical beauty brand, has partnered with Indian model and actress Diana Penty to showcase its much-loved Vitamin C skincare range. This collaboration highlights a simple yet effective routine that delivers a natural, radiant glowjust in time for the festive season.

In this exclusive video, Diana shares her personal glow-getting routine, featuring The Body Shops Vitamin C skincare must-haves for a luminous complexion that shines through every celebration:

Start with a Fresh Cleanse: Begin your routine with The Body Shops Vitamin C Daily Glow Cleansing Polish. This gentle exfoliating cleanser removes impurities, pollution, and makeup, prepping your skin for the benefits of the following steps.

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Lock in Hydration: Complete your routine with the Vitamin C Glow Boosting Intense Moisturiser. This rich, hydrating cream not only seals in moisture but also shields your skin from environmental stressors, leaving it soft, smooth, and glowing.

What sets this range apart is its use of ethically sourced Vitamin C from Camu Camu berriessmall in size but mighty in vitamin C content. Additionally, the products are enriched with Bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol, known for its ability to target pigmentation and provide 24-hour hydration.

Diana Penty shared her excitement about the collaboration, saying, Im thrilled to partner with The Body Shop to celebrate the festive season with glowing skin! The Vitamin C range, enriched with natural ingredients like Camu Camu and Bakuchiol, gives me a radiant, healthy glowperfect for the celebrations ahead.

Harmeet Singh, Chief Brand Officer at The Body Shop, Asia South, added, Healthy, glowing skin is a must for the festive season. Our bestselling Vitamin C range is designed to make achieving that glow simple and effective. Dianas passion for skincare aligns perfectly with our brand values, and were excited to showcase how easy it is to create a personalised skincare routine that leaves you looking and feeling radiant, even during the busiest times.

The Body Shops Vitamin C range is available across all stores and online platforms. Customers can take advantage of special festive offers on The Body Shops website or mobile app. Download The Body Shop app from the Google Play Store or the App Store to explore more and enjoy exclusive deals. Dont forget to join The Body Shops LYBC (Love Your Body Club) loyalty programme to earn points and unlock rewards.

So, what are you waiting for? Go. Get. Glow this festive season with The Body Shops Vitamin C skincare range The Body Shop

Your Beauty Faves are just a click away. Scan the QR code to download the App
Image: PTI

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said the Bombay High Courts order restraining any person or party from calling for a Maharashtra bandh over the Badlapur incident was a slap for the opposition, and the government will implement the directive.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress has called for a bandh on Saturday.

But the high court, in a directive in response to petitions challenging the call for a general strike, restrained any person or political party from issuing such a call, and asked the state government to take preventive steps.

Speaking at a gathering to launch the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, Shinde said the Badlapur incidentwhere two kindergarten girls were allegedly sexually assaulted in the school washroomwas a blot on humanity.

It also impacted the happiness we derived from transferring Rs 1500 into the accounts of beneficiary women under the Laadki Bahin scheme. But the opposition has been politicising the incident and maligning this scheme, he said.

The high courts order was a slap across the oppositions face, Shinde said, adding that his government will implement the directive.

The accused in the Badlapur case was booked under stringent provisions of the law, and the government will seek capital punishment for him, the CM said.

The opposition is doing politics but the government is committed to keeping bahin (sisters/women) in the state safe, he said.

The opposition should not take people for granted, the chief minister said, and he took a veiled swipe at Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray by adding that some people were so eager to get the CMs post that they were indulging in such politics.

This was perverse, Shinde said.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his speech at the function, also slammed the opposition for calling for a bandh.

This is for politics. You did not take a stand against the Mamata Banerjee government over the rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata. But here you are calling for a bandh for your selfish interests, said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.
Mehbooba Mufti Rejects BJP Alliance for Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti firmly ruled out any possibility of a tie-up with the BJP for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections, emphasizing that her party will play a crucial role in the formation of the next government. Addressing party workers on Tuesday, Mufti criticized the National Conference (NC) for prioritizing government formation over genuine political goals, accusing them of forming alliances solely for ministerial positions since 1947.

Mufti reiterated that the PDP is focused on contesting the elections with a clear agenda, rather than just seeking power. She confidently stated, No government will be formed after the assembly polls without the inclusion of the PDP. Recalling the PDPs previous government formation with just 16 MLAs in 2002, she expressed hope that her party would once again be pivotal in the next administration.

Despite her partys past coalition with the BJP in 2015, Mufti ruled out any future alliance with the saffron party, citing the BJPs actions that have undone previous efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue. She stressed that the PDPs previous dealings with the central government were conducted transparently, unlike the secretive approach of the NC, as alleged by former NC leader Devender Singh Rana.

Mufti also addressed concerns about police harassment in the region, urging the Lieutenant Governor to ensure that upcoming elections are conducted fairly, without undue pressure on citizens.

When asked about Rahul Gandhis upcoming visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti welcomed the Congress leader, acknowledging his right to campaign in the region.
Eufaula City Schools canceled all classes and after-school activities Thursday after receiving a threat of violence, officials said.

It is unclear what type of threat was made, but officials said it was targeted at the districts high school.

In a notice Wednesday evening, district leaders asked all students and staff not to report to school Thursday. Administrators were expected to report as normal.

Officials did not immediately respond to a request for an update Thursday morning. No other information has been released by the district since its original notice.

ECS is working with the Eufaula Police Dept. and will provide more information as soon as possible, the statement said.

The alert came on the same day that a 14-year-old shot and killed two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school, according to news reports. In recent months, several students have been shot and injured in Alabama schools.

In North Alabama, Walker County officials announced an increased security presence at Oakman area schools Thursday following threats made on social media.

Its unfortunate that we live in a world where we have to deal with these types of issues, Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith wrote in a statement Wednesday evening. We are not immune; however, Im thankful for the board of education who helps us have deputies in our schools and the tools they provide to keep our children and grandchildren safe. With the most recent school shooting, it serves as a reminder that having deputies on school campuses is very important in todays world.

Alabama schools have seen an increasing number of threats in recent years, according to a 2023 AL.com analysis. Schools reported 45 bomb threats in the 2022-23 school year and more than 6,000 instances of a threat or intimidation by a student.

Parents can view their school safety rules here, and hear from experts about how to talk to their child about school safety, here.
Schools are safe for most students, but shootings and violent incidents are increasing nationwide. And outside of school, guns are now among the leading cause of death of children.

A 2024 survey of incidents nationally since 1970 found increasing reports of deadly incidents in schools. Wednesday, a 14-year-old shot and killed two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school, according to news reports. In recent months, several students have been shot and injured in Alabama schools.

Many schools in recent years have increased security through school resource officers, bulletproof windows and whiteboards or metal detectors. A 2023 AL.com analysis of recent school safety and discipline incidents found increasing reports of guns, threats and fights.

Find more Ed Lab toolkits here.

Every school in Alabama is required to have a plan in place to address emergencies, whether a natural disaster, medical incident or an armed intruder. As a new school year begins, some already have practiced drills for different threats.

Talking with children about school safety

Experts say its a good idea to have a conversation with your child about school safety, or any other potentially tough topics, before a drill happens. Parents also shouldnt be afraid to ask their school administrators about their safety plans.

They need to know that the school district is taking safety very seriously, Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, told AL.com recently.

Parents can emphasize the importance of safety habits in everyday life. If a student is directly impacted by a traumatic event, The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has a list of suggested actions parents can take in response to various behavior changes.

Will I be notified about a safety issue?

In Alabama, its up to individual districts to decide exactly how theyll address and notify students and staff of any threats. For security reasons, those plans typically are only given to law enforcement and are not made public.

All schools, however, use the same four categories to designate different levels of an emergency:

1. Heightened Awareness: This means there may be potential for an unusual situation and parties should have heightened awareness to react as needed.

2. Secure Your Area of Responsibility: This means an incident has occurred, such as a threat to ones self or a medical emergency, and school staff should secure their areas to prevent further incidents from happening.

3. Secure Perimeter: This means a potential threat or danger does exist or has occurred within the community or neighborhood, and all parties should be aware to react as needed.

4. Lockdown: A lockdown is a recognition of potential immediate danger. School staff and students should take immediate action using the safest and best option for survival.

What to expect from a school lockdown

State law requires schools to conduct a lockdown, or code red, drill twice a year  typically during the first six weeks of the fall and spring semesters.

Principals also must hold an annual training session for employees on school lockdown plans and procedures.

Lockdown drills can vary by school. Most lockdowns will require students to shelter in place and keep out of hallways, while others may require additional precautions, like avoiding windows and doors, turning off lights, or designating a safe place in the classroom to hide from a potential intruder.

Guns in schools

In the 2022-23 school year, Alabama schools reported 139 incidents of a student possessing a firearm or handgun, and five incidents of a student using a handgun, rifle or other firearm on school grounds.

All Alabama schools must have a policy in place to prevent people other than authorized law enforcement from bringing deadly weapons or dangerous instruments into schools  and establish serious penalties for anyone who violates those rules.

School resource officers may carry a firearm if they successfully complete active shooter training approved by the state law enforcement agency, in addition to other firearm trainings.

A 2018 state law also authorizes schools without a school resource officer to allow a designated administrator to keep a firearm on school grounds if they pass required screenings and trainings.

New security measures

Several schools have added new security measures in recent years to detect weapons and provide additional shelter in the case of an emergency.

Recently, Cullman City Schools installed bulletproof, pop-out whiteboards in an effort to protect students from both active shooter events and natural disasters. In Gadsden, teachers can now lock down school doors with the touch of a button.

Several other districts have added new systems like metal detectors and X-ray machines, or have hired more school resource officers on campus.

Other changes could come statewide with the recent passage of the School Security Act this summer, which goes into effect Oct. 1.

The law mandates the following:

Periodic inspections of public schools to assess their security needs

Schools must provide local authorities with updated floor plans in the case of an emergency

School districts must designate a safety coordinator who is trained on best practices for lockdowns, threat assessments and other safety procedures.
Butler, Ala., has found itself as the unlikely setting of a psychological thriller novel after an author from Ireland fell in love with the small town despite never actually having been there.

Welz Bailey, of Coleraine, Northern Ireland, U.K., said she wanted to take a different approach to selecting the setting for her novel The Pawn, so rather than choosing a location familiar to her or well-known, she let chance -- with a little help from Google Maps -- do the work.

I have always been pulled towards writing a novel within an American state, said Bailey. Instead of deciding which state using a logical way, I chose a different route. I opened America on Google maps, closed my eyes and kept zooming in until I thought I would be up close to a location. Opening my eyes, I saw Butler. Not knowing where this was, I zoomed back out to find it sitting in the state of Alabama. Checking the streets, avenues and landscape from above gave me a good feeling that this was the place.

Bailey said she spent nine months researching the layout and history of Butler, which has around 2,000 residents and is located in the seat of Choctaw County. She quickly realized how ideal the small town, as well as Alabama as a whole, was for her novels setting thanks to the diversity of rural and suburban backdrops it offered.

I fell in love with the combination of small towns, forests and lakes, said Bailey. It gave me the best of three different options to base some of the story. I didnt want it to be all based in a town. I wanted to let the readers feel the different scenes unravelling before their eyes.

The Pawn is Baileys first novel and is a psychological thriller that follows FBI Agent Clara Strong as she finds herself at the center of a chilling game of forensic investigations and a race against time to catch a cunning serial killer. While some of the scenes are set in fictional places created by Bailey, others take place on actual streets and buildings in Butler, including the historic Choctaw County Courthouse.

Once The Pawn was released, Bailey shared her process of choosing Butler at random as her books setting on a Facebook group for fans of thriller novels and was surprised at how much support she received from Alabamians and the Butler community as the post became more and more popular.

I thought, who would want to know about a Northern Ireland author writing about a town, said Bailey. How I was wrong. I soon became aware of the strong community spirit of Butler and beyond. You could never Google that! Its not just the people of Butler but also the majority of people in Alabama.

When I placed my novel [on the] Facebook page, I was hoping for a few likes, a few shares and to let readers know that there are new authors out there, but to have nearly 100 likes within minutes blew my mind. I actually thought someone had hacked my phone and was scamming me, but then the comments started coming in, and thats when I knew that the people of Alabama are proud people and cared.

Bailey said she reached out to the people of Butler and soon became regularly in contact with many, including City Councilman Ron Mason, who had his daughter, Sophie, take photographs of The Pawn being held in the different places around the town that had been featured in the novel.

Butler resident Sophia Mason posing with a copy of "The Pawn," a psychological thriller novel by Irish author Welz Bailey set in the Alabama town. (Photo courtesy of Ron Mason)Ron Mason

I was excited to learn that the novel was set in our small town, Mason said. Although the plot is quite different than the events that usually occur in our Mayberry type town, it is interesting to read the work of fiction and see the references to the places in our town. We look forward to Welzs visiting our town. I am anxious to see her reaction to the reality of the place she has written about.

While Bailey has been to America twice, shes never been to Alabama or the South, but the Irish author plans to change that this spring when she travels with her husband to meet Mason and see Butler with her own eyes, rather than through Google Maps, for the first time.

Ive always had a love of the South and my husband and I have already booked our dogs into the kennels here so we can take a trip to Butler and Alabama next year in the spring, said Bailey. A lot of people from Alabama have already suggested places for us to visit, which I must write down. I definitely want to visit all the areas mentioned in my novel. I think it will be surreal to actually take a step into my book.

You can purchase The Pawn on Amazon now.
An imprisoned Alabama-born pastor is one of 135 political prisoners released by Nicaragua this morning in a deal brokered by the Biden Administration.

The New York Times is reporting that Jon Britton Hancock, founder and president of Mountain Gateway, and 13 people affiliated with the ministry, were released on humanitarian grounds. The prisoners were sent to Guatemala, where they will be processed as refugees, the paper reported.

No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

This is the day we have been praying and believing God for, Hancock said. Members of Congress, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security worked tirelessly to effect their release from their unjust imprisonment.

In December, the administration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega ordered the closure of Mountain Gateways 10 churches and arrested 11 of their pastors, accusing them of money laundering. The crackdown came after an eight-city crusade that was attended by nearly a million people.

The pastors were sentenced to 12 or 15 years in prison and fined a total of nearly $1 billion.

Two lawyers representing them were also convicted and imprisoned.

Hancock, who was charged but never arrested, enlisted Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) and Sen. Katie Britt, among others, to lobby for release.

Aderholt said in a statement he had already spoken to the Hancock family who are overjoyed.

I am thankful to God for the release of not only these pastors, but the other Christians being held as well, Aderholt said. As I have said many times throughout this ordeal that began late last year, they were simply preaching and sharing the Good News of Christs redeeming love to others.

In June, Britt called on the Biden Administration to exert diplomatic pressure to urge the ministers release.

The @StateDept has confirmed that the 13 wrongfully imprisoned Christians in Nicaragua affiliated with American nonprofit Mountain Gateway have been released. This is a tremendous victory for religious freedom and inalienable God-given human rights.https://t.co/JObENkQ8CE  Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) September 5, 2024

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, and U.S. Reps. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover), Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), Jerry Carl (R-Mobile), Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) also made efforts on behalf of the church.

The group of those released included Catholic laypeople, students, and others whom President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and the first lady and vice president, Rosario Murillo, considered a threat to their authoritarian rule, Sullivan said.
Birmingham police shot someone Wednesday afternoon after a traffic stop and foot chase blocked traffic on Interstate 20/59 near the Birmingham airport, police said.

The incident began just before 4 p.m. when an officer was conducting a traffic stop on I-20/59 northbound between Tallapoosa Street and Airport Boulevard.

The suspects vehicle veered off the interstate and came to a stop at a fence that separates the interstate from a neighborhood.

Chief Scott Thurmond said the suspect bailed from his vehicle and took off running. A foot chase ensued.

At some point, the suspect fired a shot at our officer and the officer returned fire, Thurmond said.

Video from a bystander on the interstate showed the suspect running, followed by three officers. The suspect scaled, and jumped over, a chain link fence and continued running toward the neighborhood.

At least one of the officers then fired multiple shots through the fence, hitting the suspect.

A call was broadcast over the police radio that an officer needed all possible assistance.

Dozens of officers flocked to the scene, both uniformed police and detectives. Alabama State Troopers and ATF agents also responded.

When we have an officer in a situation like that, all of our officers come out to assist, Thurmond said.

The suspect was struck one time. Witnesses said he was alert when Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service transported him to UAB Hospital.

Thurmond said the mans injuries dont appear to be life-threatening.

No officers were injured. Medics were called to the scene on the interstate for an officer in distress. Thurmond said that officer was taken to a hospital as a precaution and observation.

The chief said the shooting was captured on the officers body-worn camera and other surveillance video.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will lead the investigation, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
A second woman has filed a lawsuit against a well-known former east Alabama attorney and former state senator claiming he sexually coerced and assaulted her.

Saraland attorney Travis Johns filed the lawsuit against 78-year-old lawyer Doug Ghee this week in Calhoun County Circuit on behalf of the 27-year-old alleged victim.

The lawsuit claims that if she complied with his demands it would gain her favor in her pending divorce and child custody case.

It also lists as defendants Ghees law firm, Ghee Draper and Alexander, as well as partners Wendy Ghee Draper, Jennifer Ghee Downey, Laura Ghee Alexander, David C. Alexander, and Lindsey Ghee McDaniel.

Ghee earlier this week surrendered his law license pursuant to the Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure according to a document provided to AL.com by disciplinary clerk of the Alabama Bar Association. The license surrender was effective immediately.

Ghee launched his law career in 1975 and served in the Alabama Legislature from 1990 through 1998.

Efforts to reach Ghee, his partners and his attorney for comment have not been successful.

In August, a 28-year-old woman filed the first lawsuit against Ghee, who was her attorney in a criminal case, alleging that he sexually assaulted her while she was handcuffed in a Calhoun County Jail visiting room for lawyers and clients.

In that first case, the lawsuit states Ghee told the woman he was friends with the judge and assistant district attorney assigned to her cases and because of that, he could get her a better offer than the one that was on the table with her current attorney.

The offer was contingent on the woman hiring Ghee for $2,500 and agree to be his sex slave after she was released from custody, according to the lawsuit.

In the newest lawsuit, the 27-year-old woman said she became involved in 2022 in a divorce and DHR investigation after her child ingested a CBD gummy.

The woman and her parents first met with Ghee on Oct. 18, 2022, and paid him an $1,800 retainer.

The following day, Ghee called her back to his office where she learned her husband had filed for divorce.

She paid Ghee another flat fee of $3,500 to retain Ghee and the firm for the divorce proceedings.

In their first time meeting alone, the suit states, Ghee asked her if she was good at keeping secrets.

As the meeting progressed, she told Ghee she was not comfortable going to court yet because she believed she would fail a drug test due to her use of legal Delta 8/CBD products.

Again, the suit contends, Ghee asked if she was good at keeping secrets.

The woman said when she stood up to leave at the end of the meeting, Ghee blocked the door and sexually assaulted her.

Specifically, the lawsuit says, he grabbed her face and started kissing her, groped her and put his hand down her pants.

He told her, according to the lawsuit, Look, if you want to have the upper hand in court and get what you want, youll do what I say.

He went on to say he could talk to the judge off the record and get her what she wanted.

At this point, Doug realized that he had successfully converted his client into a controllable victim and began to further take advantage of her, the alleged victims lawyer wrote in the suit.

From October 2022 through February 2023, the two met at least eight times at his office or at undisclosed homes. The meetings were always after 4:30 p.m., and his office closed for the day at 5 p.m.

The suit alleges Ghee used his power at the law firm to send any remaining employees home and lock the doors. It also states he took medication she believed to be Viagra during the visits, and forced her to have sex with him.

No criminal charges have been filed against Ghee but in late July, Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade confirmed that an investigation was underway into an alleged incident in the Calhoun County Jail involving an attorney and a female inmate.

Wade said he could not identify the attorney, but said the investigation is ongoing by the sheriffs office and the Alabama Attorney Generals Office.

The sheriff said the case had expanded to include a large amount of digital evidence and multiple individuals.

This takes time, Wade said. As sheriff, I stand for justice and righteousness.

We will find the truth and I will fight for those who cant, he said.

After the alleged incidents, Seventh Judicial Circuit Court Presiding Judge Shannon Page issued an administrative order barring Ghee from being assigned to indigent defense cases.

Several complaints were made to the Alabama Bar Association which led up to the surrender of Ghees license to practice law.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is calling for the resignation of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis after she alleged that the agency mishandled a grant program through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Iveys request that Davis resign was provided in a one-page letter the governors office sent out to the media on Thursday. The letter also states that she removed John Kilpatrick from his position as a member on the State Board of Veterans Affairs.

Ivey called for Davis to resign by 5 p.m. on Thursday. That did not happen, prompting the governor to release the following statement, I am disappointed Commissioner Davis did not have the decency to respond and therefore, did not choose to do the right thing for the future of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans statewide. I am prepared to take further action.

In her letter to Davis, Ivey said there was ample cause for his removal.

For example, your agency mishandled an ARPA grant program by, among other things, proposing -- on a substantially delayed basis -- uses of grant funds that would be ineligible under U.S. Treasury rules and regulations and/or state law or policy, Ivey wrote to Davis.

Ivey said the handling of the grant money put in jeopardy Alabamas ability to fulfill its obligations under ARPA and your agencys ability to most effectively serve veterans. It thus seriously calls into question your ability to secure additional services for Alabama veterans and to cooperate with all other heads of the state departments as are your duties under state law.

The governors office did not provide specific examples to the grant programs.

Ivey also accuses Davis of failing to consult with the Office of Governor as required by Executive Order No. 726.

If Davis agreed to resign by 5 p.m. on Thursday, the resignation would have been effective by Sept. 30.

The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs did not provide a statement on Thursday.

The governors request for the resignation of Davis was not discussed during the Joint ARPA Oversight committee meeting Thursday in Montgomery.

State Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, chair of the Senate General Fund committee and a member of the ARPA oversight committee, said had heard there were plans to spend ARPA funds for purposes not allowed by the ARPA regulations and that those plans were stopped before the money was spent.

What Im aware of is that there were concerns about how are the means and the methodologies that the ARPA monies were not being distributed or being granted according to the federal regulations, Albritton said. Those were seen, as I understand it, by the finance director and those given the oversight authority. And those questions were raised and thats the result of where we went.

Albritton said he did not think any money was spent improperly because the problems were caught by the Finance Department. He said he thought Examiners of Public Accounts was also involved.

No monies went out the door, Albritton said. No monies were mishandled in that regard. Its my understanding that if the Finance Department had not caught it and had not taken the appropriate steps, money would have gone out the door, and then it would have been a significant problem. So, I think the system worked in this regard.

Iveys decision has the support of Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville. He said in a social media post late Thursday that a change in leadership within the agency was in the best interest of the states veterans.

Davis became the commissioner of the agency on Feb. 19, 2019, upon selectin by the State Board of Veterans Affairs. The commissioner is charged with managing the agencys operations and coordinating the work of approximately 1,200 state and contractor employees in 70 facilities throughout Alabama. The agencys budget is around $190 million.

Davis, an attorney, is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and is the seventh commissioner to head up the Department of Veterans Affairs. Before heading up the agency, he spent 14 years with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and served as a staff attorney for former Secretary Tom Ridge.

Davis retired from military service in 2016. He served for two years as the Director of Economic Development and as City Manager in Anniston. In late 2017, he served as the civilian director of communication and outreach at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, moving back to his hometown of Montgomery.

This story was updated at 12:06 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2024, to include remarks from Sen. Greg Albritton. It was updated at 6:17 p.m. to provide further comments from Ivey. It was also updated at 8:49 p.m. to include a statement from Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter.

Reporter Mike Cason contributed to this report.
Chinese envoy urges greater efforts towards "immediate" release of all detainees

Xinhua) 10:52, September 05, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for greater diplomatic effort towards the immediate release of all detainees, be they Israeli or Palestinian, so that they could go home without further delay.

"The six hostages who perished in Gaza are distressing. The tragic end that befell them evokes sympathy," Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said in remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

"China condemns all violence against civilians and denounces all violations of international law and international humanitarian law," said the ambassador.

He stressed that "the stark reality speaks volumes" about the futility of attempts to win a "total victory" by prolonging the war, which was at best "wishful thinking."

The use of force would not pave the way for hostage release, Geng pointed out, adding that it would only aggregate antagonism and make the confrontations more intense and the situation more volatile.

He called on the Israeli leadership to listen to the public's forceful appeals, give top priority to securing the release of hostages and saving lives, and do their utmost to make the ceasefire happen and end the war.

He also called on the countries that held sway over the parties concerned to show good faith and a responsible attitude by taking tangible actions "to put out the flames of war in Gaza."

Commending the World Health Organization and other humanitarian agencies "that are going against all odds" to provide polio vaccination for Gazan children, Geng said "These children have the same right to grow up healthily as their peers elsewhere in the world" and should not continue to face the deadly threat of lethal weapons after receiving vaccination.

"Every life matters, and no one deserves to be deprived of their right to live," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Former Mayor Sylvester Turner meets with the Houston Chronicles editorial board at the Houston Chronicles offices in Houston, TX on August 8, 2024. Turner recently announced his intention to run for the Democratic party nomination for Congress, in the historic 18th Congressional District in Texas. Sharon Steinmann Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner takes the tally while Harris County precinct chairs nominate a new candidate to replace U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee on November ballot during a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Dabbing at his eyes, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner recalled the final conversation he had with the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in an interview with KHOU11s Len Cannon.

I said Sheila, you have left it all on the field, Turner said choking back tears. Your work is done.

Turners, apparently, is not.

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When he joined a crowded slate to replace Jackson Lee, he quickly amassed the blessings of her children, this editorial board, and, eventually, the majority of about 80 Democratic precinct chairs tasked with choosing a candidate for the November general.

Why would he want to run? After nearly three decades in the Legislature and two terms as Houstons mayor where he missed no opportunity to shout out his Acres Homes roots, wasnt he done? He said as much in 2023 when he told the media he wasnt interested in heading to Congress. But given the sudden loss of Jackson Lee, the frantic timeline to find a replacement and the potential long-term consequences of anointing an incumbent in a heavily Democratic district where people tend to hold onto their seats, he felt he had to step in.

Ultimately, were glad Turner did decide to run, offering himself as a bridge, a lawmaker who can hit the ground running and see through a few projects under the bipartisan infrastructure bill and other bills before handing over the baton.

I can provide stability to the 18th, Turner said of the district served by legendary Houston figures Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland and Jackson Lee. And he promised to provide that familiar face as well, just as Jackson Lee did for nearly three decades showing up at parades, funerals, ribbon cuttings, and for her constituents when they needed her help navigating government bureaucracy or even getting a window air conditioning unit during a heat wave.

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He cited his perseverance through his own health challenges as proof that he still has the grit to tackle the job with the same energizer bunny zeal that Jackson Lee did.

I went to radiation Monday through Friday for six weeks, 7:30 in the morning, he said of his 2022 fight against bone cancer while mayor. We didnt change my schedule.

If anything, the experience energized him more, he says.

Ive had the best medical care someone can find, he told the editorial board. He contrasted that with his own fathers experience as a painter and yard man battling cancer without health insurance. Many residents of the 18th district share such experiences. Parts of the district have a roughly 20-year life expectancy gap compared with wealthier parts of Harris County and the district is also the site of a cancer cluster.

Thats what motivates me, he told us.

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His inspirational personal story, insight and soaring rhetoric made him a captivating speaker on the House floor of the Texas Legislature, where he served 27 years that he could put to work in Washington, D.C.  for one or two terms.

2024 ENDORSEMENTS: Browse all of the recommendations by the Editorial Board

Yes, we were critical of some of his actions as mayor but voters have an obviously qualified candidate in Turner that they simply dont have on the other side of the ticket. His Republican challenger, Lana Centonze, has a unique perspective as an immigrant and former federal officer working at Houstons international airport in the district but, during the primary, we found some of her policy ideas  when she was willing to share them  half baked. When we pushed for specifics during that race, for example, she said she'd do away with birthright citizenship.

In a separate special election on the same ballot, voters are choosing from candidates to fill the remainder of Jackson Lee's current term through the end of this year.

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In the future, we hope the voters will not only have a say in who shows up on the ballot but that theyll have a compelling field of candidates to choose from. For now, theres one clear option for future of the 18th and that is the man who can cupid shuffle with the best of them and get things done for this district.
The parents of a man shot by Birmingham police say they dont believe he fired on officers and are distraught by cell phone video showing him being wounded while running from police.

Jaylin Patton, 28, was shot Wednesday afternoon when police say he fled on foot during an attempted traffic stop and fired on officers.

His mother, Nicole Hillary, and father, Anthony Patton, said they havent been allowed to see or talk to their son but said they want the narrative changed about what led to him being shot.

Everyone who knows Jaylin knows hes a good-hearted person, Hillary said. Jaylin is very afraid of the police. He will run from the police, but as far as him shooting at the police, he would never.

A passerby on the interstate recorded part of the interaction.

That video, which was sent to Hillary, showed Patton running from police and scaling the chain-link fence that separates the interstate from a nearby neighborhood.

Patton was running toward the neighborhood when an officer fired multiple shots at him through the fence, the video shows.

It was awful, Hillary said. It instantly made my heart fall.

The incident began just before 4 p.m. Wednesday when an officer was conducting a traffic stop on I-20/59 northbound between Tallapoosa Street and Airport Boulevard.

Pattons vehicle veered off the interstate and came to a stop at the fence that separates the interstate from a nearby neighborhood, police said.

Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond said the suspect bailed from his vehicle and took off running. A foot chase ensued.

At some point, the suspect fired a shot at our officer and the officer returned fire, Thurmond said.

A call was broadcast over the police radio that an officer needed all possible assistance.

Dozens of officers flocked to the scene, both uniformed police and detectives. Alabama State Troopers and ATF agents also responded.

Patton was taken by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital.

Thurmond said the entire ordeal was captured on body-worn cameras. AL.com has submitted a request for that footage.

The chief also said the wounded suspects injuries are not life-threatening.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys State Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe, which is standard policy for officer-involved shootings.

Birmingham police declined comment on the parents claims citing the ongoing investigation.

Hillary said she a friend called her after spotting her car on the side of the interstate and Hillary rushed to the scene.

The police havent told me anything. No more than hes been detained, and they havent told me for what, she said. I havent seen him.

Hillary said hospital officials told her his name isnt in the system, which isnt unusual. Gunshot victims are often hospitalized under different names for security reasons.

Hillary, a medical assistant, said its breaking her heart to not be able to see him.

Im emotional because I cant reach out and touch him, she said.

Hillary said she is confident her son didnt fire any shots. He does have prior arrests, court records show, but none for violent crimes.

He doesnt want to go to prison for the rest of his life, Hillary said. He never fired at a police officer. He knows better than that.

If he would have shot at those officers, he would have been laying dead right by that car and my car would have been shot up, she said. They would have had the shell casings cones out there. None of that was out there.

It takes a lot to get any kind of anger out of Jaylin, Hillary said. Hes not a menace to society at all.

Both parents said they were shocked by what they saw in the videos sent to them.

It looks liked they were hunting. It was sad to see something like that, Anthony Patton said. They got mad because he got away and just started shooting.

Were going to find out from him exactly what happened, he said. I want every officer who fired a gun to be held accountable.
This column first appeared in Kyle Whitmires weekly newsletter, Alabamafication. Click here to subscribe for free.

Something has happened at my grocers deli counter, and it isnt the fault of Boars Head meats. Surely, the recent listeria outbreak and subsequent recall will keep many patrons at bay, but I gave up shopping among the counters offerings months ago. And since then, Ive dwelled over my loss.

Once, the deli counter was among my favorite weekly shopping pleasures. As a kid who grew up eating tasteless cold cuts sealed in shrink wrap, this is what I imagined the boucheries of Paris to be. There wasnt only smoked turkey and ham, but Black Forest, mesquite and Cajun flavors to choose from.

And the cheese! There, behind the glass, were provolone and Swiss and long blocks of yellow and white fromage, proud to be called American  something made from milk of happy cows and not extruded between sheets of sickly cellophane. When I made my choices, the kind man or woman behind the counter would happily hand me the first cuts from the deli slicer for my approval of their taste and thickness.

I didnt have to endure shopping to fill the cheese and meat drawers in my fridge. It was a small Saturday something that I loved.

And then, at some point, that changed.

Id like to attribute the change to the pandemic, although I cant argue COVID is to blame. Rather, its a convenient marker on the timeline between before and after.

The before time was all of the pleasures above.

The after was when they began to slip away.

First, the folks behind the counter seemed busier than before, even though there were about the same number of people working there. And despite their bustling between tasks, their efforts werent to meet the weekend desires of us casual shoppers. Rather, they filled online requests sent by customers not yet in the store as those in front of them tapped their feet.

To my horror, one weekend morning, my wife told me she had submitted such an order and asked if I would pick it up.

But its convenient! she argued over my protests.

I arrived at the counter at the appointed time, but the meats and cheeses were not there to meet me. Id have to come back in 15 minutes, the weary, apologetic man said from the other side of the countertop.

An appointment, it seemed, was not enough. Like Lucille Ball in the candy factory, the men and women there toiled in vain against time and the work expected of them.

On another visit, I asked for my weekly staples, this time for a bleary-eyed woman to point to a kiosk behind me. There, the meats and cheeses had been cut to satisfy the aggregate customer expectation and parceled into little plastic baggies.

I suppose I could have protested, but to do so would have been another aggravation of already exhausted store employees. It was clear, they were only following orders, marching under a banner of maximizing shopping convenience.

I didnt feel inconvenienced. My Saturday ritual was gone. I felt betrayed.

At first, I thought this was a failure of management at my neighborhood store, but wishful trips to the grocers other locations in town led to the same disappointment.

This isnt a complaint letter to customer service, however. Its more than that. You see, Ive had this experience in other places, too  little incidents of retail entropy, scattered signs of a system slowly breaking down.

Two young children prone to ear infections have made me a regular customer at the drug store drive-thru, where I dont believe Ive dealt with the same pharmacist twice. Frequently, I make a first pass there, knowing well that my childs prescription isnt ready, because if I dont, they wont bother to fill it until the next morning.

Then there was the department store that once was a shoppers wonderland, now littered with unsorted piles of loose merchandise like a Russian market.

And then there was the to-go order from the shopping mall Chinese bistro which was like watching the iceberg can-open the Titanic.

My wife put in the online order for Mongolian beef, and I arrived ready to speed the delivery home before it cooled. But when I arrived, I found a backlogged line of Doordash drivers, an open kitchen of panicking cooks, and a floor worked by apologetic servers, each with that dead-eyed look Id seen behind my grocery store deli counter. Rather than fume or fuss, I stood there for an hour (OK, I also had a drink at the bar) and watched this calamity play itself out.

What I witnessed was the convergence of several things, each of which promised convenience and a pleasant consumer experience  online ordering, curbside pickup, apps for reservations, apps for delivery  but when brought together with short staffing and just-in-time logistics resulted in disaster.

And thats the thing thats become common in American consumer culture. Too many corporations have turned staffing decisions over to algorithms, as Inc. magazine editor Bill Saporito recently wrote in the New York Times. Companies have set the dials to maximize profits at the cost of customer experience and employee satisfaction. Its a phenomenon Saporito witnessed at Starbucks, where drink combinations might soon outnumber the stars in the observable universe.

This is a problem Starbucks shares with many companies  drugstores, cosmetics outlets, airline check-in counters  that have decided that, should the algorithm get the scheduling wrong, they would rather risk having too little labor on hand than too much, he wrote. Pity that theres no accounting entry for lost revenues from customers who walked away.

To the companies making these decisions, its a matter of math  10 grumpy customers is better than five happy ones  and thats good enough to please shareholders. No app, no technological innovation will solve this problem.

But something here is being lost, something that cant be quantified on a balance sheet or managed by AI  the joy of fulfilling work, the simple pleasure of a happy customer experience.

And the taste of a perfectly sliced piece of smoked turkey passed between two people happy to be there.
A work release inmate was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured Thursday morning in Morgan County.

Priceville police said the incident happened at about 7:20 a.m. near the edge of Alabama 67, in the 600 block.

The inmate, taking part in a work crew, was struck by a passing vehicle.

The Morgan County Sheriffs Office identified the inmate as James Earl Bright, 58. According to authorities, Bright was alert when being transported to the hospital.

According to police, he was airlifted to a medical facility with severe injuries.

Sheriffs investigators responded to the scene to gather details. Priceville police is investigating the incident.

The driver of the vehicle involved was not injured.

It is unclear if any charges will result.
Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice and erstwhile U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore was too late in filing an appeal of his dismissed libel lawsuit against the Washington Examiner, a federal appeals court panel ruled Wednesday.

Moore sued the Examiner, three of its writers, its editors and owners for $40 million in 2020, claiming the outlet defamed him when Examiner columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher wrote in 2019: Roy Moore, famous for being banned from a mall because he sexually preyed on underage girls and losing a Senate race in an R+14 state, apparently wants another round at the rodeo.

The article, Moore claimed, also called him an accused sexual assailant and pedophile as well as a comic book villain and a skunk.

The lawsuit had already been dismissed twice before Moore filed his latest appeal in May.

But a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which oversees appeals of federal cases in Alabama, determined Moore was too late in filing his appeal.

Moore had 30 days from the April 3 final judgment dismissing the case to file the appeal, meaning he had to file it by May 3, according to the ruling.

But Moores notice of appeal was filed in an untimely manner, the panel decided.

The lawsuit was one of several Moore filed in the wake of his shocking defeat to Democrat Doug Jones in deep-red Alabama in the 2017 special election to replace former Sen. Jeff Sessions.

During the campaign, Moore was dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct involving girls as young as 16 years old decades before.

Moore denied the allegations and claimed they were malicious and timed to undermine his candidacy, coming in the final weeks of the campaign for the December 2017 special election.

In a related case, last week the Alabama Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling in another defamation case lodged by Moore.

The state Supreme Court upheld rulings from the Etowah County Circuit Court dismissing Moores defamation claims against Deborah Wesson Gibson and Richard Hagedorn. The lawsuit accused Gibson and Hagedorn of promoting a conspiracy to spread false rumors.

The Supreme Court also upheld the lower courts rulings dismissing counterclaims by Hagedorn against Moore, Moores Senate campaign, Janet Porter, a spokeswoman for the campaign, and Herring Networks Inc.










English News China contributes wisdom, strength to addressing global development challenges

Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 4 Septembre 2024



"Global South" is an important force in promoting world peace and development. As a member of the "Global South," China will continue to deepen South-South cooperation, enhance the voice and influence of the "Global South" in international affairs, and work together with all parties to actively implement GDI. It will promote deeper and more substantial international development cooperation, contribute wisdom and strength to addressing global development challenges, and make greater contributions to making global development more robust, greener, and healthier.

By Yu Zirong Development is a timeless theme for humanity. As the largest developing country, China has always been an active contributor to global development, providing new opportunities to the world through its own progress.



China has put forward initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative (GDI), actively promoting international development cooperation to higher quality and levels. This demonstrates China's strong sense of responsibility as a major country in deepening South-South cooperation and promoting global development.



Since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China has provided training to over 100,000 professionals from more than 120 Belt and Road partner countries and helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty.



In recent years, through mechanisms such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, the South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change, and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, China has continuously increased resource input, optimized cooperation methods, and expanded financing channels to support the common development of countries.



A large number of infrastructure projects, such as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge and the New Gwadar International Airport in Pakistan, have been successfully implemented.



Additionally, small-scale yet impactful projects like Juncao technology, hybrid rice production, the Luban Workshop, the Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages Project, and the "Bright Journey" Program of cataract surgery have become well-known brands.



These projects have significantly improved the livelihoods of local communities and empowered the economic and social development of the respective countries, and have been welcomed by developing countries.



In recent years, multiple crises have converged, with global economic growth slowing down and the development agenda facing setbacks. The implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been progressing slowly.



Faced with the deepening uncertainty in global development prospects, Xi has put forward the GDI, emphasizing the importance of common development for all humanity and actively bringing development back to the center of the international agenda.



The GDI aims to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on the most urgent livelihood needs of developing countries.



Drawing on its historic achievements in poverty alleviation, China shares its experience and provides poverty reduction solutions to other developing countries. It has established agricultural technology demonstration centers to help address food crises. It has built low-carbon demonstration zones to help other developing countries tackle climate crises and achieve green and low-carbon development. China mobilizes resources from various parties to contribute to the global development fund, with Chinese financial institutions launching a $10 billion special fund specifically for the implementation of the GDI.



Currently, China is comprehensively advancing 32 practical measures to implement the GDI, with over 500 projects completed or underway, injecting new impetus into addressing the global development deficit.



Under the guidance of the GDI, China is taking concrete actions to promote the building of a global community of development with a shared future and enhance the effectiveness of development cooperation among all parties, so as to achieve common development that benefits all of humanity.



China will continue to actively contribute to improving global development governance, further leveraging platforms and mechanisms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum.



It will strengthen cooperation with international organizations, regional organizations, and financial institutions, and mobilize government, business, and social forces to participate in international development cooperation.



"Global South" is an important force in promoting world peace and development. As a member of the "Global South," China will continue to deepen South-South cooperation, enhance the voice and influence of the "Global South" in international affairs, and work together with all parties to actively implement GDI. It will promote deeper and more substantial international development cooperation, contribute wisdom and strength to addressing global development challenges, and make greater contributions to making global development more robust, greener, and healthier.



(Yu Zirong is the deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.)

Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News Trade facilitation propels China-Africa economic and trade cooperation

Alwihda Info | Par People's Daily - 2 Septembre 2024



The unimpeded China-Africa trade will create more new opportunities for African countries' economic and social development, contributing to the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

By Jia Pingfan, People's Daily In the early morning at a flower farm in Kenya, freshly harvested roses, with dewdrops clinging to their petals, were ready to be shipped. In 48 hours, they would be put onto the shelves of the Hunan Gaoqiao Grand Market, Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province half a world away.



At the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in November last year, China announced the establishment of a "green channel" for African countries' agricultural products entering China.



According to Clement Tulezi, chief executive officer of the Kenya Flower Council (KFC), the "green channel" has helped shorten the time for inspection and quarantine and expand the exemption from customs duty, creating more market opportunities for Kenyan flowers and featured farm produce from other African countries, such as avocado, citrus and pineapple.



In recent years, African products have become increasingly popular in the Chinese market following the implementation of trade facilitation measures between China and Africa. Essential oil from Madagascar, gems from Zambia, coffee from Ethiopia, wood sculptures from Zimbabwe, wine from South Africa and cosmetics from Senegal are sought after by Chinese consumers.



Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has maintained strong vitality and achieved fruitful outcomes.



China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. According to statistics released by China's Ministry of Commerce, China-Africa trade reached a record high of $282.1 billion in 2023, up 1.5 percent year on year.



Apart from the record-breaking trade volume, the China-Africa trade structure has also improved, highlighted by China's surging agricultural imports from Africa. Last year, China's imports of African nuts, vegetables, flowers and fruits increased by 130 percent, 32 percent, 14 percent and 7 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year.



Besides, mechanical and electronic products have maintained a major force in China's exports to Africa. The rapid growth in China's exports of the three major tech-intensive green products, namely the "new three" - new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products, has offered strong support for Africa's green energy transition.



What sustains the vitality of China-Africa trade?



The high complementarity between Chinese and African economies has laid a solid foundation for trade and economic cooperation.



Such complementarity is manifested in a wide range of areas including industrial cooperation, technical assistance, market potential and human resource collaboration, be it in agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing or service sectors.



While working to synergize development strategies, China and Africa have constantly unleashed their development requirements, providing stronger momentum for economic and trade cooperation. While Africa's high-quality agricultural products and rich minerals reach the Chinese market, China is bringing to the African continent new technologies and business models in trade logistics, digital economy, clean energy, health, green development and finance.



The continuous efforts to promote trade facilitation between China and Africa are injecting momentum into trade and economic cooperation.



With the official establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, enhancing trade cooperation with China has become a consensus of African countries. Meanwhile, China is working to expand the channels for African products entering the Chinese market.



As of June 2023, 16 types of agricultural products from 11 African countries have accessed China through the "green channel," and 21 African countries have benefited from China's elimination of tariffs on 98 percent of their taxable products.



Apart from globally oriented exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Consumer Products Expo, China has specifically built platforms for African countries including the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, to enhance the market reputation of African products.



Trade development relies on well-developed transport infrastructure. In recent years, China and Africa have witnessed remarkable achievements in their infrastructure cooperation, which have significantly boosted trade facilitation between the two sides.



So far, Chinese companies have built and upgraded more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of highways, nearly 1,000 bridges, roughly 100 ports, and a large number of hospitals and schools in Africa. A number of signature projects and "small yet smart" livelihood programs have been launched by Chinese companies in Africa's transport, energy, power, housing and livelihood sectors.



The continuously improving regional connectivity in Africa has greatly boosted the continent's economic development and propelled China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.



China and Africa are constantly expanding their areas of cooperation, from traditional trade and engineering projects to emerging sectors such as digital economy, green development, aerospace and finance.



Thanks to a branding program launched by China, chili pepper and other exports to China from Rwanda have enjoyed brand incubation and customized packaging services, thus embracing a high-end development path. In Kenya, a high-yielding maize variety bred with Chinese technologies in a demonstration field reported a yield 50 percent higher than that in surrounding area. Besides, China has signed civil air transport agreements with 27 African countries, and built and launched communication and meteorological satellites for countries including Algeria and Nigeria.



The emerging areas, business forms and models have led to wide-ranging, multi-level and high-quality China-Africa cooperation. China has always been at the forefront of international cooperation with Africa.



The unimpeded China-Africa trade will create more new opportunities for African countries' economic and social development, contributing to the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
Every day, more information comes out arguing against the government narrative that a lone wolf attack lies behind the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump. The Biden Administrations feeble attempts through surrogates to deflect and deny have become standard and boring. The variations are endless but the content is the same:

 I cant comment at this time until we have more information.

 I cant comment at this time until all the reports are in.

 I will have to get back to you on that.

 I cant comment on an ongoing investigation.

Shortly after the shooting, a video surfaced showing a Canadian sniper unhesitatingly saying that the assassin did not act alone. Former Secret Service Agent Christopher McClenic said its impossible that Trumps security detail wouldnt have noticed the rooftop from which the gunman fired. He also said agents would have conducted walkthroughs before that Saturdays event, during which they would have stood at the podium location and looked for rooftops or other areas of concern. Per McClenic:

That said, I find it impossible to believe that a Secret Service agent, a supervisor, no one did not notice that the site, that area needed to be covered.

Bodycam footage from local police revealed that their requests to the Secret Service for more manpower went unheeded:

A local police officer is pacing in frustration and can be heard saying, I f*cking told them that they needed to post guys f*cking over there. Another officer responds to him, asking, Told who? The local officer said, The Secret Service, I told them that f*cking Tuesday. Someone responded, I thought you guys were supposed to do it. The local officer answered No, were inside. He added, I told them to post f*cking guys over there.

Lori Levi, a merchandiser who says shes attended all but ten of Trumps rallies, noticed major security lapses in both the setup and layout at the Butler rally:

I had a terrible feeling. I knew something was wrong. I kept waiting for them to fix the basic security problems, since there was a direct line-of-sight to President Trump. [snip] I knew something was wrong the day before when I came to set up in Butler, Pennsylvania. They werent blocking the line of sight like they have in every other location. Typically they would put cranes or heavy machinery, in the way to block a clear line-of-sight to Trump as a security protocol. I kept thinking that his security detail was going to bring it in later, but they never did.

Following the shooting, the Secret Service immediately tried shifting blame onto local law enforcement. Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes was not having it. This is a failure at the management or command level who failed to secure an obvious weakness. He further warned against Secret Service efforts to push blame down to local police for failing to secure the rooftop used by the shooter.

Another revelation was that the gunman was on authorities radar for more than 90 minutes before firing, information revealed in text messages between members of the Beaver County Service Unit. At 5:38 PM, 22 minutes before Trump took the stage, a counter-sniper took photos of the gunman and shared them in a group chat. Another officer texted that they should tell the Secret Service about the suspicious person with a range finder through which he was looking toward the stage.

Local law enforcement offered surveillance drones to the Secret Service. The Secret Service declined the offer.

This was also the first rally for which the Secret Service used snipers. Thats rather strange, given the otherwise lax security. Suspicious minds could easily believe that the counter-snipers, certainly unwittingly, existed to silence the shooter, not to stop him.

Immediately after the shooting, the FBI took control of the investigation. Within three days, they had scrubbed the rooftop from which the shooter fired. There is no more crime scene.

Within ten days of the July 13 shooting, the would-be assassins body was cremated. Now, both the body and the crime scene no longer exist. The FBI justified this by citing local Butler County law but we all know they could easily have retained it by claiming national security concerns.

Congressman Clay Higgins has tried to investigate the facts, but hes been stymied by both the FBI and the Butler County coroner. The day after the shooting, the medical examiner identified the shooter. However, no law enforcement official was there to take notes and confirm that the procedure was done properly. Moreover, because the autopsy was under Butler County jurisdiction, the next of kin control whether to release information. This clashes with state law:

But, and this is a very big but, Pennsylvania is one of 21 states that make the release of the autopsy mandatory. From Pennsylvania state law:

It shall be the duty of the coroner or the deputy coroner of any county in this Commonwealth, in all cases where death is sudden or violent or is of a suspicious nature and character, to cause a careful investigation of the facts concerning said death to be made, to ascertain whether the death was due to other than natural causes, and to make or cause to be made such an autopsy as the facts of the case may demand.

So why is every government official from the Feds down to state and local county officials failing to comply with the law? Maybe because theyve all got something to hide.

Former Secret Service agent Chris McClenic says its reasonable to believe that the rooftop from which the shooter fired was deliberately left open. If thats true, one must ask whether this was done hoping that an assassin would show up or knowing that one would.

My theory is that events on July 13 can be compared to the false claim that right-wing extremists were plotting to kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The truth was that the FBI hatched and put together the entire plot. Agents encouraged angry, disaffected people to do something they otherwise would not have done without the FBIs influence.

I suspect the same is true for the 20-year-old would-be assassin who suddenly appeared to kill Trump, only for newly assigned snipers instantly to kill him. Most of the players were pawns, of course. For the plan to succeed, only a few key people needed to act. And if you think Im too conspiratorial, the Secret Service refused to provide Congress with a list of all agents assigned to the protection detail that day. The FBI is now in charge and says it cannot provide any information on an ongoing investigation.

Every day, more information about the attempted assassination emerges. There remain many questions, including whether there was a second gunman. Maybe. There is not enough information available to thoroughly analyze. However, enough information exists to cast doubt on the FBI narrative of a lone 20-year-old outmaneuvering the Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police, and local Butler officers.

Prominent attorney Alan Dershowitz went on record in April saying Democrats want President Trump dead.

On July 8, only five days before the shooting, President Joe Biden himself called for targeting his political opponent, former President Trump.

Biden got his wish.

What Americans wish for is to know the truth!

Image: X screen grab.
Did you know that prior to Israels Declaration of Independence on May 15, 1948, that Gaza was part of the Palestine Mandate and the Jews were entitled to sovereignty over it?

UN General Assembly resolution 181 in 1947 divided the mandate land into two states; one for the Arabs and one for the Jews. It was called the Partition Plan. This plan was in violation of right of the Jews to all the land as provided by the San Remo Resolution and the Palestine Mandate.

Israels Declaration of Independence pertained to the land allocated to Jews. The Arabs made no such declaration and chose war instead, They were joined by Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon in an effort to annihilate Israel. An armistice could not be achieved until Israel turned the tables and started winning territory from the Arabs.

The Arabs decided to cut their losses and agreed to an armistice on February 12, 1949 in which they formally ended the hostilities of the 1948 ArabIsraeli War and also demarcated the Green Line, which separated Arab-controlled territory (i.e., the Jordanian-annexed West Bank and the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip) from Israel until the latter's victory in the 1967 ArabIsraeli War.

It was agreed that the Green Line was not to be construed in any sense as a political or territorial boundary, and is delineated without prejudice to rights, claims and positions of either Party to the Armistice as regards ultimate "settlement of the Palestine question".

"David Ben-Gurions Forgotten 1948 Land of Israel Proclamation for the Annexation of Judea and Samaria" by Howard Grief included the following:

Area of Jurisdiction and Powers Ordinance enacted on September 16, 1948 by the Provisional State Council and promulgated on September 22, 1948, but made retroactive to May 15, 1948, the date on which the Jewish state was reborn. This law, sometimes called Ben-Gurions law, was used by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in his capacity as Defense Minister of the State to annex areas of the Jewish National Home and Land of Israel recaptured beyond the frontiers demarcated in the UN Partition Plan of November 29, 1947. This was legally required to be done in June 1967, at the end of the Six Day War." [Emphasis added.]

In the spring of 1967, the Arab countries, led by Gamel Abdul Nasser of Egypt, decided to finish what they failed to finish in 1949. They began massing troops on Israels border, notwithstanding the Armistice Agreement,

But to their dismay, Israel pre-empted and defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria in six days. Thus Israel came into possession of all lands west of the Jordan River, including Gaza. As a bonus, she acquired the Golan Heights from Syria. President Trump recognized Israels sovereignty over same.

However, the National Unity Government of Levi Eshkol did not apply Ben-Gurions law aiming to bring all such areas freed in the Six Day War within the framework of the State. It decided instead, almost three weeks after the end of the Six Day War, to draft an amendment to an existing law, Section 11B of the Law and Administration Ordinance, that was enacted by the Knesset on June 27, 1967 and promulgated the next day. This amendment to the law, non-existent on June 7, 1967, when Judea and Samaria were repossessed and liberated by the IDF, gave the Government a choice whether or not to incorporate these areas of the Land of Israel into the State, while Ben-Gurions law left no choice as to what had to be done once the Minister of Defense defined in a proclamation that a particular area of the Land of Israel was being held by Israels Army.

Grief concluded:

The uncritical acceptance or lack of protest by any respected Israeli jurist in 1967 and in the ensuing decades against the issuance of the aforementioned military proclamations by Brigadier-General Herzog for Judea and Samaria that applied international law (i.e., the Hague Regulations and also the Fourth Geneva Convention) instead of Israeli law, as well as those proclamations issued for Gaza, the Golan and Sinai, is not only deeply shameful and scandalous, but also exposes an amazing ignorance of Israels legal rights and title of sovereignty to the whole of the Land of Israel and Palestine under both international law and Israeli constitutional law. 

UN Security Council Resolution 242 authorized Israel to remain in possession of all lands conquered until they had an agreement for secure and recognized boundaries. These lands included Gaza.

And so it remained until 2005.

In February 2005, the Knesset passed the Disengagement Plan Implementation Law pursuant to which PM Ariel Sharon disengaged from Gaza.

The disengagement was conducted unilaterally by Israel. In particular, Israel rejected any coordination or orderly handover to the Palestinian Authority. Despite the disengagement, the Gaza Strip is still considered to be occupied under international law.

If it is occupied, then we possess it.

And so it remained, until Oct 7, 2023 when Hamas invaded Israel and killed 1,139 people, including 815 civilians. A further 251 persons were taken hostage during the initial attack on Israel to the Gaza Strip.

Israel went to war against Hamas and is now in possession of all of Gaza, though there remain pockets of resistance.

By international law, Israel has the right to annex Gaza as she acquired it in a war of self-defense. But does she want it? She certainly doesnt want to annex it all and thus have to give citizenship to all its Arab residents. Nor does she want to take on the world and expel all Gazans from the land, though that would be a great idea.

According to UNRWA, over 70% of Gaza's population are Palestinian refugees. That is 1.7 million people out of a population of approximately 2.1 million.

Assuming for the moment that Israel isnt prepared to deport the Gazans, she could certainly annex the northern one-third of Gaza or perhaps the northern one-half of Gaza i.e. everything north of the Netzarim Corridor.

Starting wars have consequences and the loss of such lands would be what Gazans lose for doing so. It should not be cost-free.

Image: Library of Congress/CIA
Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing with her late boxer Ava. Jill Karnicki Houston Chronicle Columnist Joy Sewing appears with her rescue boxer dog, Ava, for Interfaith Ministries of Houston's annual pet fashion show and luncheon to benefit AniMeals. Interfaith Ministries Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing appears with her rescue boxer Ava at Neiman Marcus in San Antonio to debut her children's book,"Ava and the Prince," in 2019. Joy Sewing

Regarding: One last kiss for Ava, a superstar dog both in my book and in my life,"(Sept 1): Thank you, Joy Sewing, for such a heartfelt and emotional article. It was very timely, as I had to put my boxer to sleep, for the same reason as Ava, exactly four years ago.

It brought back memories of my dog Tyson, who was full of energy, had a dorky smile due to a few missing teeth, and sloppy lips with mouth drooling at the sound of cracking eggs or the smell of chicken. We called him an obedience school dropout as he didnt care to learn anything and ignored the trainer completely. He had a mind of his own, though. He knew exactly which directions to follow. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him, as his walks were no less than hilarious acrobatics. He would acknowledge every single creature that he came across.

After 10 joyful years, he developed a bump on his forehead that grew rapidly. During surgery, the vet discovered cancer that had spread too far for recovery. It was very difficult to let him be put to sleep. We bid Tyson a very tearful goodbye, praying that hed go to heaven and wed have him in our lives again as a reincarnation. After a long hard day, Tysons slobbering kisses were like a magical balm.

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With so much focus on politics, politicians and negativities, we heartily appreciate articles and essays that are both entertaining and informative. Joy, keep writing those stories that are so close to many of our hearts.

Asha Hooda, Houston

I thought I was over my grief for the dog I lost on July 2 of this year. Yet it is true, as Joy Sewing wrote of her loss, that the hurt you feel is an unyielding pain. And I do not regret that, upon reading the beautiful words of this column, my tears resumed.

David A. Jones, Houston

I enjoyed your tribute to Ava, your superstar dog. We also had an Ava. Zippy passed this year from a brain tumor diagnosed at Gulf Coast Veterinary Clinic.

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When I was growing up, my family had a fawn boxer named Bimbo. After my father died, when my mother could no longer live alone, she moved in with me and wanted a dog. I got Zippy, an energetic fawn boxer puppy. Yes, a boxer puppy for my mother, who walked with a cane at times and was almost 90 years old.

One could not have chosen a more protective and loving dog. Zippy would never jump on my mother, and if she were not feeling well, Zippy would never leave her side. Zippy loved to play rough with me and was a chewer, but she was a sleep mate to my mother. Zippys brown eyes gave her away at times, but who could be angry at those beautiful eyes?

She, like our first boxer, was protective toward the entire family. After my mother passed, Zippy stayed waiting for her each night for several months. She gradually understood our mother was not coming home, but that she still had us.

Zippy had numerous health issues, including four mast cell tumors with a recurrence, hemangiosarcoma, then a brain tumor at the end. She passed away in May at 11 and a half years old. We spent thousands of dollars on veterinary care, and I would do it again. I sent some of Zippys ashes to a friend in Evansville and placed Zippys remains at our parents headstone on National Dog Day.

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Deb Zygmunt, Missouri City
Lets trot out this cliche one more time: The 2024 presidential election is the most consequential in our nations history. Well, maybe, but its certainly the most consequential since 1860. That election blew apart the republic. Whether or not the 2024 election detonates the good ol U.S. of A. is TBD.

In 1860, Abe Lincoln, the Republican nominee, campaigned against the expansion of slavery. Thats right. He opposed slaverys expansion, not its abolition. He argued that the peculiar institution was constitutionally protected in the states where it existed. He was right. Lincoln was trying to get elected and hold the nation together. He failed in the latter.

As it was, the Democrats, being Democrats, lied. They charged that Lincoln would abolish slavery upon assuming office. Isnt it wondrous how history approximates? Now, Kamala Harris charges ad nauseum that Donald Trump will enact a national abortion ban should he capture the White House. He will not. Trumps position is definitive: the abortion question must be settled by the people in the states. In fact, where abortion referenda have appeared on state ballots, pro-abortion forces have fared better than pro-life factions. Thats complicating Harris narrative that abortion rights can only be protected nationally.

The lie about Lincoln wanting slavery abolished had some bite. To borrow from Mark Twain, in 1860, the Democrats lie traveled across the Union before the truth had a chance to put its boots on. Had the Party of Jackson not splintered over how to handle the slavery question -- had they united behind Stephen Douglas -- Lincoln would have lost. He certainly would have been crushed in the popular vote.

Democrats arent split on abortion like their forerunners were on handling slavery. Most favor blank check abortion thats guaranteed by Washington. Harris problem isnt the issue. Her problem is Trump. Hes making it difficult for Harris to credibly charge that hes out to impose a pro-life regime on women. Her bigger problem, unrelated to abortion, is that like Stephen Douglas, shes burdened by a Democrat presidents failures. While Douglas wasnt James Buchanans vice president, as his partys standard-bearer, he was saddled with Buchanans baggage.

Recently, Trump voiced concerns about Florida law limiting abortions to six weeks as too short a period. Claimed the Los Angeles Times back in 2021, most voters are OK with a 15-week limit, which is likely what Trump is in step with. He has come out against a pro-abortion amendment to Floridas constitution that would permit abortion up to the point of viability, which is generally estimated to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy. Corporate media is making a fuss. They mean to embroil Trump in an abortion-related controversy to help Harris campaign.

By endorsing the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, Trump has carved out room for himself to address issues that resonate as much with abortion-backing women as they do with most working class and middle-income wage earners. Top-of-mind, the cost of groceries, gas, and utilities, not to mention rents and mortgages.

Trump positioning on abortion is forcing Harris campaign to buy truckloads of advertising hoping to spook women. As with the black vote, Trump doesnt need a majority of pro-abortion women to support him. He needs to siphon off enough support to reduce abortion as a factor in swing states.

A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll suggests that women are coalescing around Harris. The poll is of registered, not likely, voters. Polls have been notoriously inaccurate since 2016. Landlines are almost extinct. Finding respondents has become difficult. Many voters decline to participate. Some may misrepresent their positions given their hesitancy to identify as voting Trump. Does abortion really matter more than paying bills?

Back in 1860, most voters rejected abolishing slavery. Ending its expansion went far enough for non-southerners. Voters dont want to end abortion, but they dont want it given a blank check either. Many will entertain limits -- no abortions past 15 weeks, no late-term abortion.

Trump would commit political harakiri by not embracing the Dobbs decision. Ironically, on abortion, Trump has adopted a variation of Stephen Douglas popular sovereignty doctrine. It works politically now.

Harris is adamantly hostile to life issues. If shes elected, efforts will be made to enshrine abortion as a national right. The ACLU has published a roadmap (August 6) for a Harris administration to secure federal abortion protection once and for all.

When we talk about protecting innocent human life, thats broader than lives in the womb, as rightly compelling as the latter is. With Harris in the White House fronting the same cabal that Biden does, the threats to our welfare, liberty, and lives grow. If you care to deep-dive the damage done to all three since Biden assumed office, and apprise yourself of the mounting risks, dip into Victor Davis Hansons library of tour de force analyses at his website, Blade of Perseus.

We face the prospect of major wars erupting in not one region, but three, across the globe: Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. In Washington, theres still glib talk about the feasibility of limited nuclear war. The Science and Security Board at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has the Doomsday Clock set at 90 seconds to midnight.

Bidens handlers ripped open the southern border for narrow political gain. Theyre flooding the nation with millions of illegals, among whom are untold numbers of criminals. Anyone remember Laken Riley? What about the Venezuelan gangs that are menacing citizens in Aurora, Colorado?

Among the illegals are terrorists and, surely, enemy saboteurs. Terrorists kill to instill fear and panic. Saboteurs -- likely military professionals or professionally trained -- destroy critical infrastructure and kill to achieve military objectives. According to Newsweek, August 5:

U.S. Border Patrol encountered over 250 migrants who were on the terrorist watchlist over a two-year stretch, with at least 99 of them released into the country, according to a Congressional report released Monday.

In Great Britian, the government is weighing changes to its Online Safety Act that would punish social media outlets for speech it disapproves. Arrests, related to the recent antiimmigrant protests and disturbances, have been made of social media users and others, charging hate speech or incitement or whatever can be cooked up. Londons detestable police chief Sir Mark Rowley has even threatened to arrest social media posters overseas for alleged violations of British law. What lessons are Democrats drawing from the Brits?

In Brazil, Alexandre de Moraes, the chief justice of Brazils Supreme Court is strongarming social media enterprises to comply with the governments censorship regimen or face fines, arrests, and closures. Elon Musk refuses to comply. Independent journalist Michael Shellenberger dropped this bombshell: "The Biden administration and Democrats have played an influential role in instigating censorship in Brazil[.]"

Our liberties are being imperiled in ways that would make a just resolution to abortion (guaranteed protections afforded the unborn to life) impossible. What once seemed fantastic doesnt anymore: the elite, despite their pro-democracy rhetoric, aim to impose some form of tyranny on us. You can bet abortion will be enshrined as bedrock law, and opponents who speak out and assemble in opposition will risk arrests.

In fact, its happening already. Ask 89-year-old Eva Edl, whos been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for violating the FACE Act. As she told Glenn Beck, she expects to die in prison for peaceful protesting abortion.

If youre pro-life, do you really have a serious reason not to vote for Trump?

J. Robert Smith can be found at X. His handle is @JRobertSmith1. At Gab, @JRobertSmith. He blogs occasionally at Flyover .

Image: Robert Marshall Root
Something just doesnt add up in the ascension of Kamala Harris to the Democrat partys presidential nomination. A key link is missing in the chain of events.

Consider the facts of the case:

(1) By no means was Harris the first draft choice to grab the nomination, having failed to distinguish herself as a presidential candidate in 2020 or subsequently as Vice President.

(2) Within minutes of Joe Bidens withdrawal from the race, she received his endorsement and was anointed as the putative nominee.

(3) Quotations attributed to Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama have appeared in the press expressing, in retrospect, a preference for having had an open convention, or, in Pelosis reputed words, a mini-primary.

How do we square (1) and (2), especially in light of (3)?

Image: Kamala Harris. YouTube screen grab (edited)

Heres my theory:

The first phase of the replacement intrigue is practically indisputable. Pelosi and Obama, in concert perhaps with Hillary Clinton and major party donors, arranged for intermediaries within the White House to goad Biden into debating his Republican opponent, Donald Trump, in July.

As expected, the incumbents performance was dismal. Biden, however, would not quit, believing that he would do better in the next debate.

His stubborn refusal led to phase two, the threatened use of the 25th Amendment. What does the amendment say?

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

The process requires the Vice Presidents active participation.

One of the party honchos, lets say Pelosi for arguments sake, consequently got in touch with Harris. We need you, she said, on the phone call or in the room with Biden. All you have to do is say youre prepared to initiate the removal process if he doesnt back out of the election.

What happens next? Kamala asked.

Well, well hold an open convention, a mini-primary.

No, Harris said.

What do you mean no?

I mean either I get the nomination or no 25th amendment.

But Kamala, you can compete in the open convention with Whitmer, Gavin, Pritzker, or anyone else.

Nothing doing.

The ghost of Joe Biden could hardly withstand the scrutiny of the campaign, much less function as chief executive for the next four years. But only a plausible threat of removal would persuade him to withdraw. Harris was indispensable to that threat. She knew it and held out for what she wanted.

Do you see the implications of this? If my analysis is correct, then the woman who would be commander-in-chief is so selfish a creature as to have allowed her party to enter the election with a discredited, incapacitated nominee had she not gotten her way.

Thats what shes really like.

Can I prove any of this in a court of law? No, not without taped conversations or witness testimony. But I predict that should Harris lose, you will hear rumblings from Pelosi and Obama more or less corroborating what Ive just written.

Meanwhile, take another look at the three facts posited above and review my theory of the case. As my favorite fictional detective, Nick Charles of Thin Man renown, would say, Its the only way any of this makes sense.
There are core cultural stories we keep in our minds, waiting for life to prove them true. For example, seeing the unaware gal adorned wearing the clothes of the Emperor or the hyperbolic guy finally struck by sky. It pleases me to say that Democrats, Progressives, and Liberals (DPLs) have finally given life to one such taleand it doesnt reflect well on them.

Heres the recognizable story:

One dark night, a police officer came upon a man who was frantically searching for something under a streetlight. What have you lost? the officer asked the man. My keys. I dropped them somewhere across the street, responded the man as he crawled around and examined every inch. So why are you searching here? asked the police officer. Well, this is where the light is, came the mans reply. This storyor joke, depending on how its toldhas taken many forms over many decades, dating back to the 1920s. In most versions, the searching man has had a bit to drink, which only highlights the folly of his searching for keys in a place they cant possibly be. Today, the streetlight effect is often cited in science circles, when researchers are cautioned not to pursue their inquiries only in clear, visible areas of study, but to look to hidden, unexplored places for the truth. In other words, if we are serious about finding the true solution to any problem, we need to be prepared to look for it wherever it may be hiding.

DPLs have proven in the past few years that they are the drunkards searching in all the wrong places for answers to problems whose solutions are obvious.

Here are a couple of examples.

Gun Violence. DPLs claim to support common sense gun control. Their proposals include:

Forgetting the issues associated with the phantom concept of assault weapons and the constitutional issues associated with Red Flag Laws and other weaknesses associated with the above approaches to seizing or penalizing legally obtained guns by law-abiding citizens, the fact is that available studies suggest that the majority of gun violence, particularly homicides, is committed with firearms that are not legally owned.

Adding more laws that impose greater restrictions on law-abiding citizens does not address the matter of guns obtained illegally. The obvious solution is to address illegally obtained weapons and the law-breakers who get them. It is, simply, a manifestation of the streetlight effect, which sees DPLs going to the light instead of where the problem is.

Violence in Gaza. Recently, Poseur Biden blamed Bibi Netanyahu, PM of Israel, for not doing enough to secure the release of hostages seized on October 7, 2023. Further, Poseur Biden and VP Kamala Harris have specifically called out Israel for causing the discomfort currently experienced by the Gazan Muslims.

The above, even though Hamas has, to date, rejected all ceasefire and hostage release proposals.

As with gun control, the terrorists, like the outlaws, are uncontrollable by Biden/Harris and DPLs. This Administration provides military aid to Israel, which it can control. This Administration provided military aid to the terrorists, which it cannot control, thanks to the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle and the Talibans distribution of US military equipment.

Dealing definitively with the terrorists is the obvious solution.

Instead, the Administration pressures Israel. Streetlight Effect.

These are but two examples. The same extends to the economy (e.g., price gouging), education (e.g., underfunded schools), etc.

The pursuit of the Streetlight Effect will never result in solutions. There is no way that the DPLs will ever improve any situation in the USA, much of which the DPLs caused.

A vote for Harris is, without a doubt, wasted if you want problems solved.

Image by AI.
Amazons Alexa just proved shes well and truly reflective of the political gender gap. When asked, Why should I vote for Trump?, her response was a boilerplate I cannot provide responses that endorse any political party or its leader.

When asked why someone should vote for Kamala Harris, she suddenly became verbose in her glowing praise, citing many reasons, including the fact that Harris is a woman of color fighting racial injustice.

This blatant A.I.-driven bias is unsurprising, but there are more insidious forms fabricated by outdated and corrupted data.

I dont interact with chatty Alexa, so I turned to Googles A.I. app Gemini with trepidation, inquiring, Does artificial intelligence bias favor liberals?

Geminis response was, The short answer is: yes, there's evidence that AI can exhibit a bias towards liberal viewpoints. Then Gemini listed several factors that contribute to liberal bias, including:

The data used to train AI models often reflects societal biases. If the data contains more liberal perspectives, the AI model is likely to learn and replicate those biases.

Developer Bias: The developers of AI systems may introduce their own biases into the models, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Algorithmic Bias: The algorithms used in AI systems can sometimes amplify existing biases in the data.

Developer and algorithmic biases are self-evident  the liberal mindset of the big tech companies and their employees, including the political candidates they contribute to, are well documented. But if the data used for training their models had more integrity, it would limit the leverage of developers and their algorithms to disseminate disinformation into the digital town square.

Unlike Alexa, Gemini is a bit more reticent, refusing to be goaded into discussions about elections or political figures. So, in order to get a sense of the data it mines, I prompted it with a simple request: describe liberals. Here are the responses, which must have been conjured from biased and outmoded data, since they are more reflective of classical liberalism than todays demented Dem version. The bolded items are particularly deceptive, as I explain below:

Individual rights : Liberals prioritize individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly.

: Liberals prioritize individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly. Equality : They advocate for equality of opportunity and oppose discrimination based on factors like race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.

: They advocate for equality of opportunity and oppose discrimination based on factors like race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. Economic liberalism : While liberals may support some government regulation, they generally advocate for free markets and limited government interference in economic affairs.

: While liberals may support some government regulation, they generally advocate for free markets and limited government interference in economic affairs. Social progress: Liberals often support social reforms, including same-sex marriage, abortion rights, and policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality.

Environmentalism: They tend to prioritize environmental protection and advocate for sustainable practices.

Government intervention: Liberals may favor government intervention to address social and economic issues, such as providing healthcare, education, and social safety nets.

Google released Gemini in December 2023, yet its responses to a simple describe liberals request are devoid of current liberal attitudes, particularly as they riddle todays demented Dems.

Liberals no longer prioritize individual liberties, but obedience to the socialist state. Neither do they advocate for equality of opportunity, but insist upon equality of outcomes. Their definition of equality is just a euphemism for soul-destroying equity.

As for economic liberalism  what a joke! Geminis Large Language Model needs more training on updated data to reflect all the companies the DOJ and FTC are suing for daring to be successful.

Contrary to Geminis propaganda, todays liberals interfere constantly in economic affairs and impulsively impinge on free-market mechanisms. Its not just Kamalas communistic-like diktats about price controls, mind you. Just this past week, the DoJ issued A.I. behemoth Nvidia subpoenas as it investigates potential anti-competitive practices.

Rather than promote economic liberalism, they choose winners and losers in their half-baked industrial policy. They are simply against success that conflicts with their central planning determinations. Heres a list of their antitrust case filings. Notice that not even Apple can escape their slimy socialist tentacles.

Googles Gemini is full of biases, all right, but recency bias is not one of them when it comes to describing liberals. Instead, it seems to be suffering from the opposite, something akin to vintage bias (if there is such a thing), in which too much weight is given to historical considerations. After all, as is often intimated with variations, todays liberals are not your grandfathers.

If the underlying data used in Googles LLM were infused with recency and integrity, the Gemini A.I. app would surely merge the key characteristics of liberals with leftists. Its time it catches up.

For example, when instructed to describe leftists, Gemini pointed out their proclivity for big government and offered this insight about leftist views on individual rights: While leftists value individual rights, they may place a greater emphasis on collective rights and social justice. That description is a bit more apt, and it greatly describes the vast majority of todays Dems  they are leftists masquerading as traditional liberals. Including the woman of color fighting racial injustice.

Gemini is supposedly an astrological sign associated with communication, logical thought processes, curiosity, and intellect. To thwart data bias, and the ripple effects on developer and algorithmic bias, its time Googles Gemini see the signs.

Image via Pexels.
Yesterday, I posited that John McCains son, Jimmy, had violated the military directive against partisan conduct when he gave an interview to CNN attacking Trumps appearance at Arlington and endorsing Kamala Harris. Today, I feel more strongly that hes violated the military directive. Adding to that, hes also run headlong into the problem of his own father engaging in the same conduct over which he attacks Donald Trump.

Responding to an invitation from the Gold Star families whose sons and daughters were killed during the Harris-Biden administrations botched pull-out from Afghanistan, Donald Trump appeared at a ceremony at Arlington. He did not campaign in any way. Instead, he stood respectfully silent and then helped place a wreath. His behavior comported perfectly with regulations holding that Arlington may not be used for political purposes. He was there as a guest, not a politician or a candidate.

Image: X screen grab.

Nevertheless, the Harris-Biden administration sought to politicize the event. This started before the ceremony when Arlington played scheduling games with the Gold Star families and then tried to ban Trump from joining them at the servicepeoples gravesites. When Trump ultimately arrived, a female Arlington employee tried to block him and his entourage (without which no presidential candidate or former president travels). Then, rather than letting the kerfuffle die down, the Army publicized it with an anti-Trump spin.

Kamala, who wasnt at the dignified transfer (where Biden kept checking his watch), never reached out to the Gold Star families, and did not bother to appear at the Arlington ceremony, immediately launched a political attack against Trump. The whole thing was a political hit job from beginning to end.

The attacks from the left were non-stop. Among those doing the attacking was Jim McCain, son of John McCain, the man who forced Americans to continue dealing with Obamacare because he didnt want Trump to have a political victory. There are few people in politics less deserving of respect, but it looks as if little Jimmywho dreams of a political career when he retires from the militaryplans to compete with Daddy for that no respect title.

Jimmy, who is an active-duty intelligence officer, gave CNN a print interview in which he attacked Trump for appearing at Arlington, echoing the Democrat chorus about how Trump was campaigning in graveyards. During the same interview, Jimmy explicitly endorsed Kamala.

In a post yesterday, I said that Jimmys print interview with a major media outlet to endorse a political candidate deserved to be investigated for possibly having violated Department of Defense Directive 1344.10. The applicable language is that military personnel may not

Participate in any radio, television, or other program or group discussion as an advocate for or against a partisan political party, candidate, or cause.

When I wrote that, it wasnt clear to me whether an interview with CNN was an other program. However, it was clear that Jimmy, an active duty officer, was advocating for a partisan political candidate. Notably, unlike many other prohibitions against partisan political conduct, this prohibition does not turn on whether the servicemember was wearing a uniform at the time.

Last night, though, Jimmy gave a live interview on CNN in which he again endorsed Kamala:

This is all coordinated. As clear a PR campaign as you'll ever see.



Jim McCain has never been someone you'd think of as a Republican.



Jake Tapper being in awe of him because he's a veteran that he can slobber over makes it all the more silly.



They hate Trump so much. pic.twitter.com/2gfkb5JDg6  Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 3, 2024

That conduct manifestly violates the Directive and should subject Jimmy to discipline, including a court martial with criminal penalties. We know that todays Pentagon, which orchestrated the whole Arlington set-up, wont do anything, but I sincerely hope that when Trump returns to office, an honorable Pentagon will act.

But theres more when it comes to Jimmys foray into partisan politics. It turns out that Jimmy crashed headlong into his fathers political conduct. Thus, while Jimmy took umbrage at Trumps merely appearing in Arlington, his daddy used footage of himself in Arlington in a political advertisement:

Did You Know:



John McCain filmed a political ad at Arlington Cemetery



Be a shame if this went viral pic.twitter.com/g2PjEcV9gU  Jack Poso  (@JackPosobiec) September 4, 2024

In other words, people whose revered daddies lived in glass houses shouldnt be throwing stones.
As a modern tyrant attains power, he wont just push back against opposing ideas; hell say they shouldnt be voiced at all. Once he holds some power, hell work with friends in the government, the media, and corporations to silence opposing ideas. Finally, once he gains complete power, as his ideas invariably fail when put into practice, he must use the governments police power to silence those who challenge him lest he be toppled. That trajectory is why its noteworthy (in a scary way) that, once in 2019 and again today, Kamala has stated explicitly that she believes that if she controls the government, she has the right to use its vast power to silence critics.

In 2019that is, even before the great silencing of 2020, when speech challenging COVID policies or raising the Hunter laptop was stifledKamala was already mourning the fact that social media companies werent silencing ideas with which she disagreed:

Sen. Kamala Harris: President Trump "has lost his privileges and [his Twitter account] should be taken down.... [Social media sites] are directly speaking to millions and millions of people without any level of oversight or regulation. And that has to stop." pic.twitter.com/blR3guE05Y  The Hill (@thehill) October 17, 2019

Five years later, Kamala is singing the same song, which is that the government and social media companies must determine what is right think and what is wrong thinkand then use the states police power to end all wrong think:

Kamala: I will direct the DOJ to censor "misinformation and hate" online



pic.twitter.com/EmH6MKaV1d  End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 5, 2024

The fact is that we already have several mechanisms that operate within constitutional parameters to limit factual lies or other narrow categories of speech:

The government can prosecute criminal speech, such as direct incitements to imminent unlawful activity, true and imminent threats, and certain types of fighting words. However, it should not be prosecuting so-called hate speech because that falls into the category of the government deciding what is good speech and what is bad speech. In a free country, no government should ever make those calls.

The government can prosecute speech that amounts to theft, which is the case with stealing intellectual property thats been patented or copyrighted.

Private citizens can sue for defamatory speech.

Lastly, assuming a true free speech environment, those who disagree with speech can push back against it with their own speech. This free speech environment, incidentally, is impaired when the authorities allow a hecklers veto. Thus, on a state-funded college campus, when the authorities allow mobs to silence conservative or pro-Israel speakers, this means that the government itself is engaging in censorship.

What Kamala wants to do is have the government decide what thoughts are allowed and what are not, a clear First Amendment violation. Weve seen and are seeing this in other countries but we dont have to look that far. This is what happened in 2020-2021 in America.

Across the country, federal, state, and local entities, as well as professional organizations (especially in the medical professions), silenced people who dared speak out against the COVID regime of masks, lockdowns, and vaccines. The greatest irony, of course, is that these silenced people were correct: None of the regime-approved COVID responses made a significant difference. Instead, COVID did what new viruses do: It mowed down the elderly and immune-compromised and made everyone else varying degrees of sick.

If it were me, Id go in another direction entirely (as I explained in 2019) when it comes to social media companies. The last thing we want is for the government to dictate to social media companies what users can or cannot say. Instead, the more appropriate way to view the governments role is to recognize that social media companies have become the modern public square. Thus, they are a form of public accommodation.

Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, they should be barred by law from imposing on their users any form of viewpoint discrimination. Rather than the government pressuring them to censor content, the government should be suing them for civil rights violations when they do censor content.

Image by AI.
Government, by virtue of being a business that pays its employees regardless of their aptitude or work performance, naturally draws a class of people who have few employment opportunities (if any) outside the public sector. Our public servants are just hopelessly stupid; who would hire them except government officials and uninformed voters?

Rep. Hank Johnson worried about Guam capsizing if too many people were on the island at one time, Jerry Brown, who said we needed more welfare and fewer jobs, AOC the barmaid, doesnt understand that illegally crossing the border is illegal, were still saddled with bottom-of-the-class Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and her Alpha-Bits word scrambles, peppered with explanations of school buses being yellow, may be sitting at the Resolute Desk in January, weve got way too many DEI hires to count, and now, Michigan Democrat Representative Haley Stevens is wondering why Hamas didnt release the hostages its terrorists took captive on October 7after all, the aid trucks went in, so why didnt the hostages come out?

Heres what Stevens said, during a conversation with CNNs Kasie Hunt, via a report at Breitbart:

[W]e [Congress] passed a foreign aid package earlier this year, Kasie, that was a foreign aid package for democracy around the world, support for Taiwan, Ukraine, Israel, and innocent Palestinians in Gaza who need that humanitarian aid. Those trucks are going in. Why arent the hostages coming out?

Like Napoleon Bonaparte purportedly said, In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. Not in the slightest.

Perhaps the Socratic method would be the best course of action, so I have a few questions for Ms. Stevens, or anyone else who might be as confused as she is (*cough* Democrat voters *cough*).

Would you expect resupplying terrorists with food, medical supplies, and building materials, to weaken their physical position?

If there are no serious consequences for taking hostages, what incentive do hostage-takers have to give up their criminals dealings? If the Democrats of worlds greatest superpower demand that Israel go easy on the terrorists, do they have much to fear?

Is it conceivable that the group of people, who routinely use their own children as human shields, didnt actually do the right thing and distribute the supplies to the poorest and neediest?

Would it be surprising to learn that the morality of the Koran is strikingly antithetical to the values of the Judeo-Christian West, and actually encourages violence upon infidels, which are those we Westerners would consider innocent?

What do you make of the fact that Hamas leadership lives like billionaires in foreign nations, far from the fighting?

Does it stand out to you that the Hamas fighters are frequently fat slobs? Do starving people have beer bellies?

I think we found out whose been stealing all the humanitarian aid rations. Allahu Snackbar!! #HamasTerrorists pic.twitter.com/5zGuuxVfak  Adam (@aSeegz) December 8, 2023

Where were you when media outlets reported on Hamas stealing (or complaining about) the aid coming into Gaza? Were you in the Democrat echo chamber, or did you actually try to get to the truth? ATs own Monica Showalter wrote at least two excellent essays on this topic, found here and here.

Did you ever wonder why Hamas fighters dont wear uniforms, and instead dress like ordinary Arabs? Could it be that its a strategic move to form a narrative that Israel is guilty of genocide and killing innocent civilians? Does this maybe point to the idea that these people are playing by deceit and manipulation?

Did President Trump ever send pallets of humanitarian supplies to terrorists, delegating them with the task of making sure it was properly doled out? Or, did he strike hard and mercilessly, and dare them to step out of line again? After youve figured that one out, Ive got a follow-up: Were the Trump years marked by historic peace, or endless wars and armed conflicts?

How strange that for many of us, those are rhetorical questions; for others, theyre legitimately thought-provoking queries; just think, Haley Stevens is in Washington, sponsoring and voting on legislation that affects and impacts us all. I want a refund, and I want it now.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
For anyone wondering how Lyndon B. Johnsons War on Poverty is going, allow me to provide an updatethings are just swell! After 60 years of big-spending, anti-poverty programs, the downtrodden and impoverished huddled masses who just needed a little help to get back on their feet are now so well-off, theyre living like the middle class, able to enjoy the conveniences of modern travel, landing in the tropical paradises of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, and even heading off to the wilds of Alaska.

I guess I should mention one minor detail thoughtheyre using their welfare EBT cards to foot the bill. Here are the details, from a report by Joe Dwinell at the Boston Herald:

Massachusetts welfare dollars spent in Hawaii, Virgin Islands, Alaska: What the hell is someone doing in Hawaii? Welfare recipients cant use ATMs in casinos and pot shops, but that didnt stop them from firing up EBT cards in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, California, Florida, and Alaska.  Data obtained by the Herald through a public records request shows taxpayer-paid economic assistance for Massachusetts residents cropped up from Alabama to Arizona, Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico, Utah to Wyoming and all the New England states.

(For anyone not tracking, EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer which is the welfare system that loads funds onto a recipients card.)

Of course, I take great issue with this, as this is my money. I earned it, and I need it to feed my family, pay my mortgage and utilities, and clothe my children. If someone can afford a plane ticket to visit family 4,000 miles away, then they can certainly afford to prioritize groceries and diapers. I myself havent visited Hawaii, or Alaska, because with a finite amount of money, private school for my boys and a stable roof over their head is more important.

So, maybe things arent so swell after all. I guess if the goal were to empower people to be self-sufficient (this is the stated mission of the states welfare agency), the big-spending, anti-poverty programs of the progressive Democrats kind of just trapped people in low-income lifestyles: perpetually rent in Section 8 housing properties, surrender your children to failing public schools, and work a dead-end job. But hey, get your hair and nails done, maybe a new sleeve of tattoos, and blow any extra cash on plane tickets to take a luxurious vacation to visit family, supplementing the expenses with your welfare card.

Remember the story about the young moms who participated in a cash-assistance program in D.C.? One used the $10,800 lump-sum to splurge on a glamorous trip to Florida with new outfits for her kids and frittered hundreds away for a personal glow-up; another blew $600 on a birthday bash for her toddler. Heres what the first mom had to say about the windfall:

Do you know how good I look in this picture? I didnt have to look like a working, stressed mom, she recalled.

We call this vanity.

When youre dead broke, the last thing you need to prioritize is brand-new clothes (I myself thrift my own wardrobe), or a weave, or a cruise along the waterways to see all the Miami mansions.

Poor people are poor because they make poor financial decisions.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
Like many people around the country, I have noticed that the roads and highways of my town have become more dangerous and that the number of fatal crashes and hit-and-run incidents seems to be more deadly and frequent. I became curious and dug into the data.

The information led to some obvious but unpopular conclusions. The local police, politicians, and news outlets have no interest in exploring the problem at its source and, instead, offer study groups and costly infrastructure solutions. This keeps them from having to address the problem with the indisputably best solution. I suspect that this dynamic is repeated in countless cities across the country.

So, heres what I found:

Last month, the Indianapolis city/county Council announced a program to eliminate traffic-related deaths within the jurisdiction by 2035. The ambitious program is expected to develop plans over the coming year to make the roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers and is expected to roll out improvements by 2026.

Image: YouTube screen grab (cropped).

Like most government programs, the goal is a good one. Also, like most government programs, it ignores data that both illuminate the cause and suggest the solution.

The number of traffic-related deaths, adjusted for population growth, remained relatively static for decades until 2014, when that number jumped by 20% and started a trend upwards. 2014 also marked a change in practice by the IMPD (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department) and many law enforcement agencies around the country following Michael Browns death in Ferguson, Missouri.

Michael Brown was killed while attacking police officer Darren Wilson. The early narrative was that he was shot while surrendering to the officer with his hands raised in the air. Despite being counterfactual, the early narrative was powerful and unrelenting. Subsequent public pressure caused police agencies to pull back from police initiating traffic stops and other common law enforcement practices. This rollback of law enforcement was termed the Ferguson Effect. The IMPD fell in line.

Traffic-related deaths continued to remain high until 2020, when they spiked another 65% to 118, more than double what they were in 2013.

In addition to being the first year of the Covid era, 2020 will also be remembered for the death of George Floyd and the centering of the Black Lives Matter movement in the American consciousness. The subsequent riots, arson, and looting were bolstered by the slogan all cops are bastards (ACAB), and there was another policing rollback.

The Ferguson effect can be observed in the difference between the number of traffic citations issued in 2013, before the Ferguson riots (45,700), and in 2014, after the riots (36,500). Traffic enforcement dropped 25% following the Ferguson riots, while traffic deaths increased 20%.

Another significant data point is observed in the BLM year of 2020, in which traffic deaths were more than double (110) what they were in 2013 (50), and traffic citations were down by 26% from 2013.

Image courtesy of Chris Boland

It seems clear from published reports that the 15-member government task force will propose a series of infrastructure improvements such as lower speed limits, better crosswalk markings, speed bumps, and speed feedback signs. The infrastructure approach forecloses the opportunity to address the cause of the increase in traffic deaths: lack of law enforcement.

In a discussion with an IMPD patrol officer with over 20 years of experience, I was told that the lack of traffic enforcement is a product of two related issues. He stated that there was a shift from traffic enforcement due to the Ferguson Effect and that re-establishing a robust traffic enforcement program is currently impossible due to department management philosophy and drastic recruitment shortfalls.

If the IMPD were to shift its priorities back to an enforcement model, the upper management should consider a program outlined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as High Visibility Enforcement. HVE concentrates enforcement in areas where traffic-related problems occur and uses enforcement techniques that maximize the results-to-resources ratio.

Logic and reason suggest that a 15-member task force spending a year studying the issue of traffic-related deaths is a waste of time and resources. The historical data provide a reference point of what went wrong and when. If the will exists to address the problem of traffic deaths, the path is obvious: do what works. Enforce traffic laws.
On Monday, Sept. 2, two U.S. Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit on board the USS Wasp, while on liberty in the Turkish port of Izmir, were attacked by a mob of some 15 people. The attackers were identified as members of an anti-American Turkish nationalist group called the Turkish Youth Union, a group with a history of attacking US service members.

Thugs in Turkey abduct a sailor from the USS Wasp and put a bag over his head yelling Yankee, go home



When his fellow sailor tries to rescue him, they assault him



This is what Bidens weakness has done to our military pic.twitter.com/EwmDyZXflb  DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) September 2, 2024

The Wasp is part of a large US Navy presence in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, deployed there to deter Iran from overt involvement in the war in Gaza and to support Israel should the conflict escalate and/or widen.

(The Biden/Harris regime supports Israel with a contingent of warships, even as it undermines Israel with rhetoric calling for a cease-fire and concessions and claims that Israel is not doing enough to free Israeli hostages and end the war. But thats another story.)

Relations between the US and fellow NATO member Turkey have been strained over the war in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken critic of Israel, accusing it of genocide and meeting in Istanbul with the leader of Hamas. Despite that, Turkish authorities rounded up and detained the 15 people involved in the attack (although theyve since released five of them). No Marines have been detained.

Its reported that the Marines, who were roughly held by the mob (one had a bag placed over his head), were rescued by fellow Marines and escaped the mob. They were examined at a local hospital and returned to their ship unharmed. Its said that local police and Navy personnel are cooperating to investigate the incident.

In its prior similar incidents, the Turkish Youth Union has used the same tactic of putting a bag or hood over their victims head while chanting Yankee Go Home! This is said to be a reference to an incident in 2003, shortly after the US invasion of Iraq, in which US forces captured Turkish soldiers and detained them with hoods over their heads.

The Navy reports that there are no changes to the USS Wasps mission or schedule but that all shore leave has been canceled.

I have never served in any military, but I know a few things. I know that the US Marine Corps is still, technically, a part of the US Navy, and as part of the mostly-friendly rivalry that still exists between the two, sailors like to needle Marines by reminding them that MARINE is an acronym for My Ass Rides in Navy Equipment.

Speaking of equipment, Marines feel that they never get first-line equipment but have to make do with hand-me-downs from the other branches, and if they grouse about it, theyre reminded that their unofficial motto is Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. Marines also feel that they are an elite force, and the other branches are jealous of the USMCs high standards, physical fitness, esprit de corps, and dress uniforms.

I also know that it was once common for personnel on liberty in a strange port to be targeted and victimized. And I know that the Navy used to have a traditional way of dealing with such incidents, and it didnt involve international diplomacy. It was called dungaree liberty or dungaree justice.

It involved a contingent of personnel going ashore, not in uniform but in dungarees or civvies, and seeking out and finding those who had victimized their comrades. And then they would Go Buford Pusser on their asses. The tactic inspired a novel by George Palmer.

And, while Im not saying that the sailors and Marines on board the USS Wasp ought to employ such a tactic, Ill bet theyd sure like to! And, in the absence of fear of such swift and sure retribution (not to mention a Commander-in-Chief whom the world correctly perceives as weak!), those who would attack our Marines are emboldened to do it again.

Authors Note: Stu Tarlowe has been contributing to American Thinker since 2010. His newsletter, Stus Stack o Stuff (the name is an homage to Rush Limbaugh) offers memoirs and even the occasional joke in addition to political commentary; subscriptions are currently free. He will also write for money, gasoline, groceries or dogfood.

Image: X screen grab.
Another presidential election year, and another campaign to shield the Democrat ticket from the medias cameras and microphones because their nominees are too incompetent to be trusted to ad lib; all this is of course aided and abetted by a complicit media. But, after Joe Bidens performance over the last four years, a humiliating reflection on Democrats, Id say its par for the course. Heres the story, from an item at Fox News:

A local Pennsylvania journalist revealed how reporters were not allowed to ask Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz questions during a campaign event in Lancaster County on Wednesday.  While Walz spoke with volunteers at the office, WPMT FOX43 reporter Alyssa Kratz wrote in a Facebook post how the campaign would not let the press speak with him. Gov. Tim Walz speaking to people calling into Lancaster County Democratic Committee field office. His daughter Hope is with him. Spoke to supporters here for about 6 or 7 minutes. Walz is not taking questions from the media while here. We were also not allowed to put microphones up by Gov. Walz while he was speaking, Kratz wrote. She added, One reporter tried shouting a question and we were told to not disrupt the program.

Didnt the Democrats and all their media operatives relentlessly denigrate President Trump as a man who undermined a free and independent media? How ironic. Youd never catch him not taking questions from the press.

But hey, Walz is in the middle of a photo op, posing for some handshakes with working class folk like a real salt of the earth kind of guy, he cant be bothered with pesky questions about policy, or platforms, or world affairs and eventshow dare we expect him to answer to anyone but his own delusional supporters!

As a reminder, it took more than a month and a half after Joe Bidens withdrawal from and Kamalas entry into the presidential race for her to actually conduct an interviewit was with CNN, wasnt live but pre-recorded, and she had Walz at her side. Furthermore, Harris has yet to hold a single press conference.

What can we deduce? Well, the Harris-Walz campaign is clearly not relying on substance, and this race isnt a battle of ideas. The Democrat party is obviously painfully aware that their selected candidates are a mess, unable to honestly coax voters to their side because they dont understand the issues and they arent strong and sacrificial leaders; instead, the Party is content to lean on the momentum of Trump hatred and Trump Derangement Syndrome, and rely on election rigging schemes like ballot-harvesting and mass mail-in voting.

Here is an excellent analogy, from someone in the comments:

Would you buy a car from a dealer that wouldnt let you take [it] for a test drive? The CarFax shows numerous accidents and there is video of most of the wrecks which shows the driver was at fault. Harris/Walz is that car.

Then, another person added even more to it:

We havent been able to test drive the car, but weve been sitting in the back seat for 3.5 years while someone else drives it. The alignment is off, one tire is flat, the car spits and sputters while putting out black smoke. They put a coat of paint on it without removing the rust first, but they [are] telling us its cherry and nothings wrong with it.

Whats really funny (and sad) is that the inability to respond to questions is a pervasive problem among progressives, politicians and voters alike; this is why we see Democrat voters either mouth agape or grasping for a legitimate answer when confronted by an inquisitive citizen journalist on the street, asking why theyre backing Kamala and Tampon Timmy. Is ignorance just an inherent part of being a progressive, or is it passed down from the upper echelons to the lower ones? Kamala doesnt know what she stands for, and surprise surprise, her supporters cant articulate what theyre voting for.

Now whats obviously more pressing is the fact that the media apparently went along with the censorship scheme, allowing Walz to finish out his meet-and-greet undisturbed.

Ive got one question for the Harris-Walz voters: Do you really find it appropriate to strengthen a ticket that never won an actual primary but was installed (against the wishes of many of your fellow Democrats), and that is de facto gagged by shadowy figures behind the scenes directing them not to talk to the media?

Seems pretty suspect, dangerous, and unbelievably irresponsible if you were to ask me.

Image: YouTube video screen grab, edited.
Every once in a while in the gaming industry, something comes along that delights the senses and sparks the neurons in your brain so they fire off like its the fourth of July, and thats what the Acer Project DualPlay does. A wild new gaming laptop concept that rethinks how you play games with friends.

Announced today at IFA in Berlin, Project DualPlay is a gaming laptop concept that comes with a built-in controller. Typically, youd connect your own controller to the laptop to play games. Like a DualSense controller from your PS5 or the Xbox Wireless controller. But Acer has envisioned a gaming laptop that comes as a total package. A laptop that has its own controller built-in. While not the only new gaming hardware Acer announced at the event, it is the most interesting.

The Acer Project DualPlay laptop concept touchpad serves as a controller

Heres where it gets really interesting. The controller is sort of hidden in plain sight. While not in use, the controller serves as a touchpad like the touchpad on any other regular laptop. When attached, all the buttons of the controller face downward, so it looks as if theres no controller there at all.

The magic of something like this is the ability to always have a controller with you. While also maintaining extra space in your laptop bag. Not to mention, something you probably dont have to charge separately. As the controller would likely charge while docked in its laptop housing. The Project DualPlay laptop also features pop-out speakers that jettison out from the sides a bit for increased immersion. Its like a wild new gaming laptop of the future.

Acer says it embedded an electromagnetic lock with a latch at the top of the keyboard that allows users to detach the controller. So should they ever want to use it, you just place two fingers on the release button. This button also has a dual function, just like the laptops namesake. It causes those speakers to pop out. These are small, 5-watt speakers, but Acer says they provide heart-pounding audio that brings every scene to life.

Its perfect for playing couch co-op games with friends

The other really neat thing about this laptop is that the controller promotes local couch co-op. Have you ever had a friend that wants to play something but you dont have an extra controller? That wouldnt be a problem with this thing. The controller that pops out actually separates into two controllers. So each person gets a joystick with a set of buttons. Not too unlike the way the Nintendo Switch controllers split up for playing with another person.

Now, while all of this is a pretty cool idea, its important to remember this is just a concept. Acer is likely never going to release this thing. But its fun to think about the possibilities of something like this existing in the consumer market.
Android has always been characterized by being a fairly open OS. This contributed to its enormous growth in a relatively short time. However, over time, Google has become more strict in terms of security filters for accepting third-party apps. While the situation with phones seems to be fine, Googles limits on Android Auto, which have prevented the arrival of certain apps, are not going down well with the EU.

Google limits the arrival of certain apps to Android Auto, and the EU is not happy about it

In 2021, Google did not allow the release of JuicePass on Android Auto. JuicePass is an Enel-developed app that provides map navigation and messaging while driving. In a way, it could be a direct rival to Google Maps or other Google navigation services (such as Waze). At that time, Italian anti-policy authorities fined Google 102 million euros.

Google appealed the ruling to the Italian Council of State. In response, the Italian authorities requested assistance from the CJEU (Court of Justice of the European Union). However, the response was not positive for Google. Googles refusal to provide third-party access to Android Auto platform may be in breach of competition rules, Court Advocate General Laila Medina said.

Google claimed that JuicePass raised security concerns as a reason for limiting access to Android Auto. The company also stated that the app did not have a specific template, which appears to be a requirement. However, Medina believes that the company could be abusing its dominant position. Preventing or delaying the arrival of third-party development on the platform without a compelling justification can lead to a legal case.

In the meantime, Google claims that it has been working to resolve the situation. We note the opinion of the Advocate General and await the final decision of the Court. Since this case started, we have worked to add the Enel template asked for, and many similar apps are already available globally on Android Auto, a companys spokesperson said. The next statement from the CJEU judges regarding Googles limits on Android Auto will arrive in the coming months.
Anker is launching several new products at the IFA 2024 event. The company is refreshing its popular audio product lineup with the Soundcore Space One Pro and Soundcore Select 4 Go. The former are premium over-ear headphones, while the latter are highly affordable and durable stereo speakers.

The Soundcore Space One Pro, Ankers latest premium headphones

Anker designed the Soundcore Space One Pro with comfort in mind. The wireless headphones boast a five-segment headband and three-joint separation, so you can find the perfect fit for you. The headband has a pressure-relieving construction, while the padded foam ear cups ensure you can listen to music for hours without discomfort to your ears. The foldable design of the Soundcore Space One Pro allows you to reduce its size by up to 50%, making them ideal for travel.

While comfort is great, one also expects premium headphones to offer premium sound quality. With that in mind, Anker used large 40mm triple-composite drivers with PEEK and polyurethane diaphragms. The implemented materials guarantee a super low THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) of less than 3% and a powerful yet detailed output. The headphones support the LDAC codec for lossless-quality audio from compatible sources. It also supports the classic AAC and SBC codecs, in addition to Bluetooth 5.3.

Theres a Soundcore app that offers some nice extra audio features. HearID 2.0 creates a sound profile tailored to your hearing preferences after a short test. Plus, the app offers customizable EQ settings. You can also set Dolby Audio and Google Fast Pair from the Soundcore app. Of course, theres ANC support with a 4-stage adaptive algorithm that works together with six microphones to reduce up to 45 dB of noise.

The Soundcore Space One Pro offers an impressive battery life of up to 60 hours of playback. That figure drops to 40 hours of playback with ANC enabled. Other features include Smart Chat, a system that pauses music playback when it detects a conversation and then automatically resumes it.

Anker packages the headphones with a carry pouch. However, for added protection while traveling, Anker offers a premium case made from synthetic materials with a smooth finish. The case uses an easy-to-use magnetic system with metal buttons. Its also lightweight, weighing in at 3.47 ounces (about 98 grams).

The headphones will be available in the US on September 5 for $199.99. Folks in the EU and UK will receive them on September 19 for 199.99/149.99. Anker will offer two colorways: Jet Black and Cream White. The optional travel case will be available on the same dates for $34.99/29.99/34.99.

The Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go, super affordable and durable portable speakers

Anker is also launching an audio product with a completely opposite approach to the previous one. The Soundcore Select 4 Go are very affordable stereo speakers focused on design, durability, and portability. The speakers boast a 5W sound output with deep bass, supporting TWS pairing to form a stereo setup with two units. You can customize the audio to your liking using a 9-band EQ through the Soundcore app.

The company integrated IP67 rating into the Soundcore Select 4 Go to ensure high durability. They can even survive immersion in water for 30 minutes. The speakers can offer up to 20 continuous hours of music playback. The Soundcore Select 4 Go will be available in the US in late September/early October for $24.99. Finally, it will be available in the UK on September 9 for 24.99.
IFA is going on right now. While not as immense as MWC, its still a notable event, and top companies are showing off their latest and greatest creations. ASUS is not letting this event slip through its fingers, as it just took the veils off of six new AI PCs at IFA.

ASUS just unveiled six new AI PCs

Theres not a lot going on in the way of phone announcements at IFA, but you can expect there to be a fair amount of AI goodness. Were starting to see what the AI computer can do. Controversial features (like Microsofts Recall) aside, this looks like its going to be a pretty popular platform. ASUS, being a computer company, is ready and set to take the AI computer market by storm.

The company announced several laptops along with a new mini desktop.

ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI

Starting off with the desktop, the ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI was built with AI in mind, and its a compact powerhouse. The computer is using the Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor (Series 2). It uses a multi-architecture CPU, GPU, and NPU setup, and this helps it achieve up to 120 TOPS of performance.

Its a powerful processor, so you can expect exceptional performance, but the company is focusing on AI performance. The NPU alone can deliver up to 48 TOPS, and this will give it top-of-the-line AI performance. Thats important for on-device AI processing. The ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI is so focused on AI that it actually has a Microsoft Copilot button on the front of the device. Thats a pretty odd addition, but hey, its there if you need it.

Whats as important as whats inside is whats on the outside. Starting off, the computer is pretty compact, coming in at only 130 x 130 x 34 mm. It has four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack.

The body of the computer is sturdily built, gaining a MIL-STD 810H protection rating. So, this is a well-built computer. Other features include a fingerprint scanner on the device, LPDDR5x RAM, Wi-Fi 7 support, Bluetooth 5.4, and a built-in speaker.

Zenbook S 14

Now, lets talk about some laptops. The Zenbook S 14 uses the same Intel Core Ultra i9 as the mini desktop, so youll be getting the same top-notch performance. This includes amazing AI performance. It also has a dedicated Copilot button, but this one is on the keyboard, where it makes a bit more sense.

But, youre not only going to use this computer for typing in prompts! Youre likely going to use this computer for some content creation and consumption. This is why it comes with a big and beautiful 3K Lumia OLED display that runs at 120Hz. Its one of the best displays you can get on a laptop, and it will give you an amazing viewing experience.

The media consumption experience is only made better by the set of four speakers. Theyll give you some great audio.

Moving onto the ports, this computer has a USB-A port (3.2 Gen 2) along with two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headphone jack. Unfortunately, theres no Ethernet port, so thats something to keep in mind.

The Zenbook S 14 comes in two colors (Scandinavian White and Zumuaia Gray), is 1.1cm thick, and also has the MIL-STD 810H protection rating.

Vivobook S 14

This computer isnt quite as powerful as the abovementioned computer, but its still a beast of a computer. The Vivobook S 14 comes with the Intel Core Ultra i7 (Series 2) processor. That doesnt mean that this computer is a slouch when it comes to AI processing. Its NPU is able to reach up to 47TOPS, so you wont see much of a dip in AI processing compared to the aforementioned computers. Just like the other computers, it has a dedicated key to summon Copilot.

If youre looking for longevity, youll find it with this computer. You can get up to 27 hours of battery life. Obviously, your mileage will vary, so you shouldnt expect to get quite that many hours.

As for the display, youre looking at a 3K screen (2880 x 1800) Lumius OLED HDR display that runs at 120Hz. It covers 100 of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Its a very sharp and colorful display for your video-watching needs.

Moving onto the ports, you have two USB-A ports (3.2 Gen 1), two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4), an HDMI 2.1 TMDS port, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack. Theres no Ethernet port, but these should suit your needs.

This metal laptop comes with the MIL-STD 810H protection rating, so you know that its going to survive throughout the years of usage. Thats impressive, as its only 1.39cm thick.

Vivobook 14/16 Flip

This is a computer for creatives. The Vivobook Flip series consists of the 14-inch variant and the 16-inch variant. Just like the abovementioned Vivobook computer, the Flip computers use the Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2). So youre not lacking in the power department.

The display on this computer isnt as impressive as the abovementioned computers, but its more impressive at the same time. These laptops come with FHD displays at 60Hz. So, theyre pretty standard displays, but they still use the same Lumia OLED technology. It still covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

The remarkable thing about the display is that it can rotate 360. This means that you can flip it to use as a tablet or use it in tent mode. This instantly makes it a great laptop for artists who want to draw on their screens. Its also for people who want to watch content with the keyboard behind the screen (stand mode) so it doesnt get in the way.

The large 70Wh battery can get you up to 25 hours of battery life, but dont expect to reach that number. As for the ports, youre getting a USB-A port (3.2 Gen 1), two USB-C ports (one Thunderbolt 4 and one 3.2 Gen 2), an HDMI 2.1 port, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack.

This laptop comes in two sizes. One is a 14-inch model and one is a 16-inch model.

ExpertBook P series

This is the computer to get if youre a professional whos looking for a major business partner. The ExpertBook P series consists of the ExpertBook P5, P3, and P1. The most powerful of the bunch is the P5. This computer comes with an Intel Core Ultra processor to power it. The model or processor you get will vary depending on your region. Either way you slice it, youre going to be getting some serious AI chops. Youll be getting at least 47 TOPS of AI performance.

The ExpertBook P5 comes with a 2.5K display with a fluid 144Hz refresh rate. Youll be getting a great viewing experience.

Theres no doubt that this is a business-grade device. It comes with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 3TB of storage. Along with that, it comes with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed and Wi-Fi 7 support.

You get two USB-A ports (3.2 Gen 1), two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4), an HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone jack, and a Kensington Nano Security Slot. This is the computer to get if you want it all.

The other models in the series will have a variety of specs like the Intel Core i7 and 1TB of storage for the ExpertBook P1.
TikTok has launched Elections Integrity Hub. Despite facing a ban in the US, the social media platform is attempting to protect American voters.

What is the TikTok Elections Integrity Hub?

TikTok has announced the launch of something called the US Elections Integrity Hub. According to the official page, TikTok claims it is trying to protect the platform from misinformation.

TikTok assures it is trying to uphold the integrity of election-related discussions. The social media platform has tied up with the non-profit organization Democracy Works.

Queries related to the elections include a link to TikToks election center with local ID requirements, early voting info, and reliable sources for election information. pic.twitter.com/Cbj405gl1h  Kristi Hines (@kristileilani) September 2, 2024

The TikTok Elections Integrity Hub is reportedly backed by a team of experts across democracy, civil society, security, and technology. These people, [will try] to prevent misinformation and ensure that users have access to reliable information.

The newly created hub will include feature updates on TikToks policies. There will be a micro blog which will highlight the platforms actions to protect the American Presidential elections from misinformation. Moreover, TikTok will try to help users better understand the steps being taken to protect political discourse.

TikTok reaffirms it wont allow politicians and political parties to advertise

In addition to creating the Elections Integrity Hub, TikTok has reaffirmed its long-standing prohibition on paid political advertising. In other words, TikTok wont allow political parties and politicians to promote political content or fundraise on the platform. TikTok claims this policy is essential for maintaining the authenticity and inclusivity of its community.

TikTok will rely on a combination of AI technology, human moderation, and 19 fact-checking organizations to combat misinformation. Unverified or unverifiable content will carry a label. Moreover, TikTok may reduce the reach, visibility, and exposure of such content, to prevent the spread of potential misinformation.

Some of the most viral disinformation campaigns are trying to mislead American voters on how to vote, register, or the qualifications of candidates. Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is being used very aggressively to run influence operations. AI-created campaigns are trying to misrepresent public figures or create false endorsements.
Verizon is reportedly negotiating the acquisition of Frontier. Less than a decade ago, Frontier acquired Verizons voice, video, and Fios wireline internet operations across three American states.

Is Verizon buying back its wireline business?

Reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg suggest Verizon is in advanced talks to acquire Frontier. The American company is a communications service provider, which means it offers wireline or fiber internet services.

Neither Verizon nor Frontier has officially acknowledged any discussion about the acquisition. However, the aforementioned reports suggest an announcement may come forth as early as this week.

Circle of life, Wall Street version:

1. Verizon sells Fios lines to Frontier

2. Frontier goes bankrupt

3. Verizon holds talks to take Frontier backhttps://t.co/fNIixpKB6Y  Drew FitzGerald (@DrewFitzGerald) September 4, 2024

Frontier has had a rollercoaster ride in the past decade. The flourishing company had acquired Verizons wireline operations. The acquisition includes Verizons Fios fiber internet connections in three states. Back then, the deal was valued at $10.5 billion.

Fast-forward to 2020, Frontier filed for bankruptcy. Some of the reasons why the company filed for Chapter 11 included its inability to service debt, manage legacy networks, and network neglect.

Although the situation seemed bleak, Frontier managed to bounce back. Barely a year after filing for bankruptcy, the company announced plans to expand its fiber connections.

Why is Verizon eyeing Frontier?

Frontier is currently active in 25 states in America. It offers a variety of plans suitable for a wide range of customers. According to its website, Frontier can offer a dedicated fiber line wired internet connection with a bandwidth of up to 7Gbps.

What this essentially means is that Frontier has not only managed to claw its way out of financial troubles, but it has managed to sustain its operations and grow. However, Verizon could be eyeing its past Fios fiber customers, and perhaps Frontiers physical operations equipment, and even its employees.

Some ten years ago, @Verizon sold my city's Internet/Cable contract to @FrontierCorp. Today, the @WSJ reports that Verizon is in advanced talks to acquire Frontier.  Phil Hulett (@philhulett) September 4, 2024

Across America, telecom and internet service providers are doubling down on wired internet service operations. AT&T is aggressively expanding its fiber internet operations. T-Mobile, on the other hand, is taking the inorganic expansion route. Recent reports confirm T-Mobile is trying to acquire fiber internet provider Metronet. Hence, it makes business sense for Verizon to regain the wireline business it had sold to Frontier.
Elon Musks X (formerly Twitter) has permanently stopped using EU users data to train its Grok Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). This exclusion applies to public posts of users in the European Union and European Economic Area only.

Elon Musk bows to pressure from European regulators

Launched earlier this year, Grok is Elon Musks answer to Google Gemini and OpenAIs ChatGPT. It can generate text and images based on text prompts.

These Gen AI engines have been scraping data from the internet, and several platforms have objected to this process. Although some Gen AI platforms are accused of ignoring these warnings, others, like Grok, seem to have obliged but not before it was dragged to court.

X has agreed to stop processing its EU users data for its Grok AI. It has done so after Irelands data privacy watchdog took it to court in Ireland. So Grok AI cant use Europeans tweets. https://t.co/w6dWEOhpz1  Adrian Weckler (@adrianweckler) September 4, 2024

Specifically speaking, X Corp. has agreed to stop processing the personal information of European users to train Grok. Interestingly, it is Irelands Data Protection Commission (DPC) that confirmed the development.

X Corp. will delete EU users data contained in public posts on its X social media platform that were collected between May 7 and Aug. 1, 2024, from the Grok training material.

Why is X avoiding EU users data to train its Grok Gen AI?

Ireland DPC office acts as the chief EU regulator for X. It has its European headquarters in the country. The commission stated it was the first time a lead EU agency has taken such an action against an online platform.

The DPC was referring to an official request it had filed in August this year. The commission had officially asked Irelands High Court to stop X Corp. from processing EU users data to train the companys AI model.

To back its complaint, Irelands DPC cited EU data protection restrictions. It reportedly claimed Xs actions risked jeopardizing users rights.

The Record by Recorded Future | European data privacy watchdog closes case against X over its Grok AI bot https://t.co/grqu3waUnF  Kimberly (@StopMalvertisin) September 4, 2024

X promptly agreed to temporarily suspend the use of the EU users data to train Grok. The company has extended the suspension to become permanent this week. Consequentially, the DPC has decided to drop the court proceedings.

X may have indirectly violated EU users privacy and EU data rules. This is because X offered EU users a choice to deny the use of their data. However, this was an opt-out choice and not an opt-in. In other words, X was using EU users public posts to train its Grok AI. EU users had to specifically deny X permission.
The BBC has removed the true story description of TV drama Dopesick, which explores opioid addiction in America, from the shows synopsis on iPlayer.

In a note posted on the broadcasters Corrections and Clarifications page, the BBC said while the Hulu series is inspired by actual events, certain details were imagined or invented for purposes of dramatisation.

It comes after Netflix hit Baby Reindeer came under fire for calling the show a true story from a woman who claims to have been depicted by the series.

The BBC statement said in the note: The BBC iPlayer page for Dopesick described the series as a true story.

Whilst the story is inspired by actual events, certain characters, characterisations, incidents, locations and dialogue were imagined or invented for purposes of dramatisation.

The programme description has now been amended.

The description for the eight-part miniseries now reads: Greed has side effects. A story inspired by the dealers, doctors and the billion dollar drug that fuelled Americas deadly opioid addiction.

The show, which stars Michael Keaton and Rosario Dawson, first aired on US streaming platform Hulu in 2021.

It later picked up a host of awards including Golden Globes for Keaton and Dawson as well as the lead actor Emmy for a limited or anthology series or movie for Keaton.

Last month, a Netflix boss said the company would be disappointed if the true story claim at the beginning of Baby Reindeer detracts from the importance of the series, which touches on issues of sexual assault and stalking.

Jessica Gunning and Richard Gadd (Lucy North/PA)

Created by Scottish comedian Richard Gadd and said to be inspired by his real-life experiences, the drama sees his Donny Dunn hounded by Martha, played by Jessica Gunning, after he serves her a free cup of tea in the pub where he works.

The show made headlines are Fiona Harvey came forward claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha, alleging the story is inaccurate, and filed a lawsuit against Netflix.

At the beginning of the first episode, text appears on the screen which says: This is a true story.

When asked about the controversy, vice president of UK content at Netflix Anne Mensah told the Edinburgh TV Festival what is amazing is that it really touched people, citing an increase in men ringing hotlines to see help.

She added: It was important for those reasons, and if you feel it detracted from that I would be absolutely disappointed, but I absolutely stand by all the show.

Its drama, not a documentary.
The head of the Governments new Border Security Command will be named within weeks, Downing Street said as the latest figures showed 257 migrants crossed the English Channel on Wednesday.

Officials insisted the Government was taking action, including boosting National Crime Agency (NCA) resources devoted to the problem, as the number of people making the journey in small boats reached almost 22,000 so far this year.

The Home Office promised a rapid recruitment process for the border security commander within days of Labours election win in July, but two months on there has been no announcement.

(PA Graphics)

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: One of the first things that the Government did was to launch the recruitment campaign for the border security commander.

We obviously want to have the most skilled person possible in the role.

The process has been thorough, and we expect to provide an update on that in the coming weeks.

The spokesman added: In the meantime, weve already put an extra 100 officers into the National Crime Agency to work with partners across Europe, on top of the 50% uplift in NCA officers stationed at Europol.

No 10 dismissed a suggestion from Frances interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, that migrants were risking the English Channel crossing because they could often work without papers and were rarely expelled.

Asked whether the UKs labour market was a pull factor, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: No, and lets be clear, the people responsible for this vile trade are the smuggling gangs who make profit and take advantage of vulnerable people and vulnerable situations.

And that is why this Government is so focused on dismantling their criminal operations and preventing these dangerous journeys taking place.

A group of people thought to be migrants being brought in to Dover from a Border Force vessel on Wednesday (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Home Office figures showed five boats arrived on Wednesday, which suggests an average of around 51 people per boat.

The arrivals came a day after a boat sank off the coast of France, claiming the lives of 12 migrants including a pregnant woman and six children.

The cumulative number of arrivals by small boats in 2024 now stands at a provisional total of 21,977.

This is 3% higher than at this point last year, when the total stood at 21,372, but 20% lower than at this stage in 2022, when the total was 27,409.

There have been 2,683 arrivals in the past nine days, from August 27 to September 4 inclusive  the highest in any nine-day period so far this year.

There were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 in 2022.

More than 30 people have now died in Channel crossings so far this year, compared with 12 who are thought to have died or were recorded as missing in 2023, according to the French coastguard.
Monthly sales of new cars have declined for the first time in more than two years, industry figures show.

Some 84,575 new cars were registered in the UK last month, down 1.3% compared with 85,657 during August 2023, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

It is the first monthly year-on-year decrease since July 2022.

(PA Graphics)

Registrations of new pure battery electric vehicles rose 10.8% year on year, which the SMMT attributed to heavy discounting by manufacturers over the summer and a raft of new models attracting buyers.

August is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year for the new car market ahead of the introduction of new number plates in September.

The overall new car market grew by 5.1% during the first eight months of the year compared with the same period in 2023.

(PA Graphics)

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: Augusts EV growth is welcome, but its always a very low volume month and so subject to distortions ahead of Septembers number plate change.

The introduction of the new 74 plate, together with a raft of compelling offers and discounts from manufacturers, plus growing model choice, will help increase purchase consideration and be a true barometer for market demand.

Encouraging a mass market shift to EVs remains a challenge, however, and urgent action must be taken to help buyers overcome affordability issues and concerns about charge point provision.

Year to date, BEV market share has edged up to 17.2% and is expected to rise further to 18.5% by the end of the year thanks to increasing model choice 364,000 BEVs registrations forecast for the yearhttps://t.co/rD4waDW7aa pic.twitter.com/dvXq86b34n  SMMT (@SMMT) September 5, 2024

Ian Plummer, commercial director at online vehicle marketplace Auto Trader, said: UK registrations were sluggish overall in August as buyers historically hold fire for Septembers plate changes.

Heavy discounting from manufacturers helped drive the electric share of new car leads on Auto Trader to 27%, the highest market share since the end of 2022.

The Government must maintain financial incentives for buyers of new EVs as well as cutting VAT on public charging to help support the electric transition.
British javelin star Dan Pembroke delivered on his word by twice breaking the world record en route to becoming double Paralympic champion in Paris.

The 33-year-old had made little secret of his intent of bettering the previous best global mark of 71.01 metres, set by Uzbekistans Aleksandr Svechnikov back in 2017, having been 51 centimetres away from it last year.

He initially stretched the record to 71.15m before producing a mammoth throw of 74.49m to emphatically retain the F13 title he memorably clinched with a then Games record of 69.52m on a rain-soaked day in Tokyo.

It's back to back Paralympic javelin GOLD for Dan Pembroke!!!!!! And a new World Record for the absolute showman. Love. It.#ParalympicsGB  pic.twitter.com/EBXtlCT1sW  ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) September 5, 2024

World champion Pembroke stood with his arms aloft as he absorbed the acclaim of the Stade de France crowd before blowing kisses to spectators revelling in his unprecedented achievement.

That was phenomenal, he said of the atmosphere. Ive never had anything like that ever before in my life, it was just such a feeling.

The crowd just got behind me and that was my secret weapon. It was incredible, an amazing day.

Ive got a taste of it and I want some more  LA ( Los Angeles 2028) here we come.

Pembrokes success brought ParalympicsGBs third athletics podium place on Thursday after wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn won her fourth medal of the Games with 400m silver following F35 shot put bronze for Anna Nicholson.

He was first up and led the contest throughout, having begun with a seasons best effort of 68.39m, which was more than seven metres superior to the rest of the field in round one.

The visually-impaired athlete, who was poised to represent his country at the London 2012 Olympics before a snapped elbow ligament ruined that dream and ultimately prompted his journey in Para sport, was just getting started.

After Svechnikovs seven-year record fell in round three, Pembroke again broke new ground with his next attempt, fuelled by Iranian rival Ali Pirouj providing food for thought with a throw of 69.74m.

I thought, wow, thats a bit too close for comfort and I realised then the job wasnt done, he said.

Ive been doing a lot more visualisation work and it really helps to clear the mind. I just thought of my process goals and hit them and bang out it went.

Dan Pembroke celebrates winning gold with a world record throw (Handout photo provided by ParalympicsGB)

Piroujs best was as close as anyone came to stealing the thunder of Pembroke, who celebrated gold by jubilantly running into the centre of the field and bowing to his supporters before performing laps of the track wrapped in the Union Jack.

Following his dashed Olympic dream, the Briton, who has retinitis pigmentosa  a genetic disorder which affects the retina and has left him with only 10 per cent vision, bade farewell to athletics in 2013 in order to see the world while he still could.

The lengthy sabbatical included meeting wife Martina in Sardinia before Pembroke made the successful transition to disability sport.

Tokyo, there was no one in the crowd; today, I didnt know what to expect, he said.

Ive been speaking to Sammi Kinghorn, shes clanging with medals at the moment and she just told me just go out there and enjoy it and thats exactly what Ive done.

I was bawling my eyes out when I hugged Martina  she knows how much it means to me to do to do that.

Earlier, Kinghorn, who became 100m champion on Wednesday, continued her unforgettable Games by clocking 53.45 seconds in the T53 400m, 1.85secs behind Swiss gold medallist Catherine Debrunner.

Im absolutely buzzing with it; four from four, I cant be disappointed in that at all, said the 28-year-old Scot, who has also won 800m and 1500m silver in France.

Its been amazing, Ive definitely done a lot better than I thought I would coming in.

Shot putter Nicholson produced a best throw of of 9.44m in the morning session to finish third in her event.
Tottenham have left Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon out of their squad for the Europa League group stage.

Ange Postecoglous team had to submit a maximum 25-man squad to UEFA by Wednesday night, but were only able to list 23 players due to a lack of club-trained options.

It means Spence, who has been reintegrated back into the first team this summer after loan spells at Leeds and Genoa last season, will miss out on European football during the first half of the campaign.

Djed Spence featured regularly for Tottenham during pre-season (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The absence of Reguilon is no surprise given the Spanish defender is deemed surplus to requirements and could still leave, with the Turkish transfer window open.

Spurs have allowed Alfie Devine to join Westerlo of the Belgian Pro League on a season-long loan.

Devine attracted plenty of interest this summer after spells with Port Vale and Plymouth last season, but no suitable domestic loan could be found before Fridays 11pm transfer deadline in England.

Westerlo already have 17-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic, who will officially join Spurs in 2025, in their ranks and he will now have Devine for company after the Antwerp-based club moved for the midfielder before the Belgian transfer window shuts on Friday.

Alfie Devine has joined Belgian Pro League side Westerlo on loan for the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Good luck, Alfie!   Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 5, 2024

This will be the third loan of Devines fledgling career after he first signed for Tottenham in July 2020 and became the clubs youngest scorer six months later with an FA Cup goal on his debut at Marine.

Devine has a contract with Spurs until the summer of 2027 and has made 44 professional appearances.
An MP has described great anxiety among Lincolnshire steelworkers who he said face losing their jobs by Christmas.

Martin Vickers told MPs that closing British Steel blast furnaces in Scunthorpe would affect the supply chain which comprises many thousands of people and many businesses throughout the wider region, including his Brigg and Immingham constituency.

At the House of Commons despatch box, Labour industry minister Sarah Jones vowed to spend 2.5 billion to rebuild the steel industry.

The money would sit alongside a separate 500 million package for Tata Steel in Port Talbot, South Wales, to build an electric arc furnace to replace the existing coal-powered process.

British Steel announced it would close its blast furnaces in Scunthorpe late last year, and unveiled plans to roll out electric arc steel manufacturing if it gets appropriate support from the UK Government.

Ms Jones said: The inheritance this Government received from the party opposite was nothing short of a disgrace on steel  over a decade of lurching from crisis to crisis, with no clear plan to safeguard the future of a competitive domestic steel industry.

But this Government is determined to change that. We have been working hard over the summer to set a clear forward direction on steel and resolve a number of complex issues only made worse by the indifference of the last government.

The minister added: This Government is clear, as the Secretary of State has made very clear, that decarbonisation must not mean deindustrialisation. Discussions regarding the transformation of Port Talbot have continued at pace over recent weeks, involving both the company, the workforce and the Welsh Government.

Mr Vickers replied from the Conservatives benches: I will ignore the political comments of the minister and focus on what is more important, and that is the future of thousands of workers, particularly at the Scunthorpe works, part of which falls within my Brigg and Immingham constituency and where many hundreds of my constituents work.

There have been widespread media reports suggesting that coke would stop being imported from October. That would mean production would be stopping in Scunthorpe by Christmas, and there are rumours concerning the fact that employees will be given notice very soon.

This is obviously creating great anxiety amongst those directly employed by British Steel, and also those in the supply chain which, particularly in northern Lincolnshire, extends to many thousands of people and many businesses.

The steelworks in Port Talbot (Ben Birchall/PA)

The minister said it was a statement of fact that the previous government allowed the steel industry to decline, and added: Its not political.

She said Mr Vickers was right in his analysis about the concern that people are feeling, the unease, the importance of these jobs, and the worry that people must be feeling.

Conservative shadow business minister Greg Smith pressed Ms Jones on whether the minister had discussed electric arc furnaces with British Steel, and whether the firm would switch to foreign imports from China to fulfil its UK supply chain obligations.

Now we see, quite clearly, Labours plans for decarbonisation do in fact mean deindustrialisation, that the drive for green steel will mean fewer jobs, not more, Mr Smith said.

Ms Jones said: This Government does understand the importance of steel. Thats why we are committing 2.5 billion from the national wealth fund on top of the 500 million set aside for Port Talbot, and we will be developing a strategy that will enable the steel industry to grow.

He knows that I cannot comment on commercial and confidential conversations that we are having.

North Lincolnshire Council granted British Steel planning permission for a new electric arc furnace in Scunthorpe last April.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has also given the green light to plans for an electric arc furnace at the firms Teesside site, as part of its 1.25 billion decarbonisation plan.

Our desire to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, coupled with current market conditions, means we cant wait and need to transform our business as quickly as possible, British Steel chief executive Xijun Cao said last November, unveiling the plan.

And while decarbonisation will not happen overnight, its imperative we take swift and decisive action to ensure a sustainable future for British Steel.
Greenpeace UK activists blocked access to Unilevers headquarters in central London on Thursday morning, claiming the consumer goods company is trashing the planet and harming communities through single-use plastics.

Members of the environmental campaign group locked themselves on to barricades made from giant Dove products, one of Unilevers biggest brands, with each products logo changed to a dead dove.

Greenpeace is calling on Unilever to remove single-use plastic from its operations and phase it out fully within a decade, starting with plastic sachets, which they say are near impossible to collect and recycle.

JUST IN: @GreenpeaceUK activists have unfurled a MASSIVE artwork at Unilevers HQ in London, that rips apart Dove's GREENWASHING LIES. pic.twitter.com/GYgy8kgMgu  Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) September 5, 2024

Will McCallum, co-executive director at Greenpeace UK, said: Unilevers plastic pollution is trashing the planet and harming communities.

They hide behind the clean, respectable face of brands like Dove but were here today peeling back this facade to show the ugly truth behind it.

He added: They must stop selling plastic sachets now, commit to phasing out single-use plastic within a decade, and advocate for this same level of ambition at the final round of UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in November.

Greenpeace UK is calling on Unilever to back a treaty that caps and phases down plastic production by at least 75% by 2040 at these UN negotiations.

Activists from Greenpeace UK blocked access to Unilevers London HQ, claiming the company is trashing the planet through single-use plastics (Kristian Buus/Greenpeace/PA)

A Greenpeace International report published in November last year claimed Unilever was the biggest corporate seller of polluting plastic sachets, small throwaway plastic packets of consumer products, selling 1,700 a second in 2023.

The protesters said they had enough provisions to allow them to block the entrances to the building for the whole of Thursday.

A spokesman for Unilever said: Our ambition at Unilever is clear: an end to plastic pollution through reduction, circulation, and collaboration. We recognise the important role that we play to help make this ambition a reality  which is why plastic is one of our four sustainability priorities.

Weve already reduced our virgin plastic use by 18% and increased our use of recycled plastic to 22%  recognised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as one of the businesses making the most progress to reduce its virgin plastic packaging footprint.

However, our work is far from over. Our updated plastic goals are stretching and focus on the areas that we know will have the most impact  such as continuing to reduce our virgin plastic use and developing alternatives to hard-to-recycle flexible plastic packaging, like plastic sachets.

We are fully committed to working with industry partners and other stakeholders to develop viable, scalable alternatives that reduce plastic waste.

But overcoming a challenge of this scale will require more systemic change. Thats why were calling for a UN treaty on plastic pollution that sets legally binding global rules and addresses the full lifecycle of plastic.
Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is to score a new version of Lord Of The Flies for the BBC.

William Goldings 1954 novel is being adapted for TV for the first time, and will consist of four 60-minute episodes.

The BBC has also announced the young cast, some of whom have no professional experience, who will portray the group stranded on a deserted island following a deadly plane crash.

Zimmer, 66, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Lion King in 1994 and Dune in 2021 and has been nominated a further 10 times, has already begun working on the music for the new series.

Jack Thorne has written the script for the TV version of Lord Of The Flies (Ian West/PA)

Filming for the drama  written by His Dark Materials Jack Thorne, directed by Marc Munden and executively produced by Elevens Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell  is now under way in Malaysia, ahead of further shooting in the UK later this year.

The cast includes David McKenna, who will play the loyal character Piggy, and Winston Sawyers as charismatic leader Ralph.

Noah and Cassius Flemyng, the sons of Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels actor Jason Flemyng, have been cast as the twins Sam and Eric, with Cornelius Brandreth as Maurice, Lox Pratt as hunter and bully Jack, and Tom Page-Turner as Bill.

Thorne said: I still cant believe we have been given the opportunity to film this beautiful book.

The first few days shooting show that our cast are extraordinary and that Marc is finding a whole new visual language in capturing the wonders of them and the beauty of Malaysia. He is an incredible storyteller. It is all so exciting.

The drama takes place on an unnamed Pacific island in the early 1950s, and the episodes will be titled Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack to give different perspectives on the groups predicament.

The programme is being made with the support of Goldings family.

George Ormond, Marc Munden, Jack Thorne and John Chapman with their Baftas for Best Mini Series won by National Treasure in 2017 (Ian West/PA)

Wilson said: Marc is a visionary. It is a privilege to witness his skill in working with our young actors as he brings Jacks scripts to life.

The visual language he has developed with Mark Wolf, our cinematographer, would be a thing to behold in any environment.

Here, capturing our excellent cast in the jungle, mountains and beaches of Malaysia, it is extraordinary.

Hans has already shared his first sketches for the score, which are hugely inspiring. We are honoured to be working with him.

Im writing this as I watch our cast of more than 30 boys (between the ages of five and 13) file up our mobile jetty on to the beach, feeling delighted we made this happen.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has discontinued its indecent assault case against Harvey Weinstein, saying there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

The 72-year-old former Hollywood film producer was facing two criminal charges of alleged indecent assault against a woman, who is now aged in her 50s, in London in 1996.

On Thursday, Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein.

Harvey Weinstein in currently in prison in the US after being convicted of unrelated charges (David Mirzoeff/PA)

The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties.

We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police at the time of the arrest said it had been alleged two offences were committed between July 31 and August 31 1996.

The alleged victim, a woman, is now aged in her 50s.

Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, told the PA news agency: We are grateful for the decision and to know that in some parts of Western society justice is indeed still blind.

Mr Weinstein is appreciative towards those who worked hard to come to this conclusion and is deeply saddened that any of his actions may have caused anyone difficulty.

He hopes that other jurisdictions can find their way clear to distinguish the difference between disappointment, sadness, regret and illegal, criminal behaviour. Harvey believes in his heart that he never crossed those lines.

Weinstein is serving a prison sentence in the United States following a rape and sexual misconduct conviction in Los Angeles related to an incident in 2013 where he appeared uninvited in a womans hotel room during a Los Angeles film festival.

He was sentenced to 16 years prison in February 2023.

In July, Harvey Weinstein was treated in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia and Covid-19 (Ian West/PA)

He is currently in custody in New Yorks Rikers Island jail complex while awaiting a retrial in Manhattan after a 2020 conviction for rape was overturned earlier this year in a majority decision from the Court of Appeal in New York.

The decision cited the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes which was an abuse of judicial discretion.

In July, Weinstein was treated in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, and Covid-19.

In 2020, the producer of hit movies including Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Gangs Of New York and Shakespeare In Love was stripped of his honorary CBE awarded for his contribution to the British film industry.
A plan to impose VAT on private schools is wicked, stupid and cruel, Parliament has been told.

In strongly worded criticism at Westminster, Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean accused the Labour Government of pursuing an ideological driven policy.

From January, the Government plans to remove the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools to enable funding for 6,500 new teachers in state schools.

Currently, independent schools do not have to charge 20% VAT on their fees because there is an exemption for the supply of education.

Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Parliament UK/PA)

But critics have warned over the short timescale involved and branded it a blunt instrument that risked unintended consequences, including the impact on children with learning difficulties who attend specialist independent schools and military families.

Lord Forsyth said: I will sum up my view of this policy in three words: its wicked, its stupid and its cruel.

He added: Who in this chamber can defend the idea of sending a child halfway through term, suffering from autism, to another completely different environment.

Anyone who knows anything about autism will know that would be a cruel and disgraceful thing to do and that is the consequence of this policy.

Rather than the part of education, education, education under Tony Blair it was now one of taxation, taxation, taxation, he argued.

Lord Forsyth said: I fear that this is an ideological driven policy of the kind the Prime Minister showed during the election when he was asked, If one of your family were desperately ill would you ever use the private sector? and he said no.

We dont want that kind of politics in this country.

Conservative peer Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie, who has a child at a fee-paying school and a sister who teaches at one, said: The draft Bill which has been published is to me a blunt instrument. It treats the sector as a homogeneous whole so causing unintended consequences.

Tory peer Lord Lexden, who is president of the Independent Schools Association and secured the debate on the Government proposals, warned they would have serious and far-reaching consequences for the sector and that it was being imposed with extraordinary haste.

He said: Acute concern has naturally arisen. Many parents are deeply worried. Many schools, particularly those of small size which account for the overwhelming majority in the independent sector, face an uncertain future.

I stress one point above all  the effect that the rapid introduction of the tax will have on thousands of children, their wellbeing and their life chances. They should surely be at the forefront of our minds and our hearts during this debate.

Independent crossbencher Lord Alton of Liverpool highlighted expert legal advice which argued the education tax could breach the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

He said: At the heart of this policy must be the impact on children. It clearly isnt. This taxation is punitive, unjust, unfair, may be in breach of the ECHR and will worsen educational inequalities. For all those reasons I hope that the Government will think again.

The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, said: I am a grammar school boy and I could not sing the Eton Boating Song if you paid me yet I am deeply concerned about the adverse and unintended consequences which this manifesto commitment will have, unless applied with much greater sensitivity and possibly also to be phased.

Conservative peer Lord Balfe said: I agree that this was in the manifesto, but its still a very vindictive policy, and the way in which its being introduced actually worsens things.

Labour peer Lord Hacking said: It is immoral and destined to bring about significant social and political damage to my party and to the country.

Tory peer Lord Lucas said: What Im most concerned about is the merciless decision to put VAT on in January to force children to move schools mid-year, in the middle of exam years, when theres no chance to negotiate proper provision for special educational needs.

I find it astonishing, given the years Ive been here and the respect I have for the party opposite, that it should contemplate treating children with such cruelty.

It really isnt in the blood of the Labour party I know and I really hope they will think again and make the start date September.

Conservative peer and historian Lord Roberts of Belgravia said: This measure unfairly penalises those incredibly useful people in our society, namely parents who pay for their education twice, once in their taxes for other peoples children and once in school fees for their own.

Instead of spending their money on luxuries, they invest in their childrens education.

This is essentially a tax on those parental sacrifices and one that comes fraught with myriad unintentional consequences.

Crossbench peer Baroness Butler-Sloss argued that people on modest incomes are being attacked by the policy.

The former top judge said she spent all her money on sending her children to private school, adding: We didnt take foreign holidays, things like that.

Tory peer Lord Black of Brentwood said it was a spiteful policy based on voodoo economics, as he accused the Government of heartlessly toying with childrens education.

He added: It is time to put children before party.

Labour peer Lord Winston said the amount of money raised by charging VAT on private schools would be trivial in comparison to the sum needed to fix the crisis in our schools.

Responding, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said: We are determined in Government to drive up standards in those schools for the overwhelming majority of the children in this country so that they may receive the opportunities which too often have been the preserve of the rich and of the lucky.

There has been an assumption from some contributors to the debate that only some parents have aspirations for their children.

That is not something that is confined to people who choose to educate their children in private schools and are able to do that.

She added: Private education is not an option for most of those people and unlike the last Government we wont build public policy around the expectation that public services will fail our children.

Lady Smith stressed the VAT change would not impact on children with acute needs being educated in independent special schools, but promised to listen to concerns raised.

The Government would also monitor closely the impact of the policy change on military families, she added.
Jeremy Clarkson at the opening of his new pub, The Farmer's Dog, in Asthall. (Getty) (Ben Birchall - PA Images via Getty Images)

Jeremy Clarkson and his team are looking into running tours in the Cotswolds, West Oxfordshire District Council councillor Liam Walker told Yahoo.

The tours would look at a trip to the Diddly Squat Farm shop, between Chipping Norton and Chadlington, and Clarkson's new pub The Farmer's Dog, in Asthall, near Burford as well as The Hawkstone Brewery, near Bourton on the Water.

Walker is the Conservative County Councillor for the Hanborough and Minster Lovell Division, as well as the West Oxfordshire District Council councillor for the Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield ward.

The councillor told Yahoo: "I think Jeremy's team are planning to do in the future tours. So they'll go to the farm shop and then go down to the pub and then his brewery by Bourton on the Water, so that it will be almost like a triangle of the Cotswolds which is great. It's a huge boost of tourism, particularly in West Oxfordshire."

We hope they get The Grand Tours off the ground!

It's true, the Cotswolds has always attracted the great and the good of showbiz from Kate Moss to the Beckhams thanks to its beautiful unspoiled countryside and pretty villages. But people from all over the country have flocked in their droves to visit the Cotswolds ever since the Grand Tour presenter launched his farm shop on Diddly Squat farm, where he films his hit Prime Video series Clarkson's Farm.

All eyes were on the opening of the TV star's new pub The Farmer's Dog over the Bank Holiday weekend in August. Since it first opened its doors, everyone has been talking about Clarkson's 'proper English pub' menu and what's missing as well as all the people banned from The Farmer's Dog.

The Grand Tour returns to our screens next week. (Prime Video)

Also in the interview ahead of the opening of the pub, local councillor Walker had high praise for Clarkson and everything he has done for the local area. He added: "I don't think the council has done any assessment but it wouldn't surprise me if hotels and other businesses in the area it's in had a huge boost, particularly around the farm shop. Chipping Norton is not far away. People are there for the afternoon, or for the day, and they make a trip of it to the Cotswolds which is quite nice."

Jeremy Clarkson's Grand Tours!

Diddly Squat Farm shop

Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chadlington. (Getty) (Gareth Fuller - PA Images via Getty Images)

Diddly Squat Farm shop first welcomed people in 2020. Clarkson was spurred onto set up the shop when he discovered potatoes grew very well on his farm, which features in the Clarkson's Farm series, and he accidentally had 40 tonnes of them.

It sells all fresh produce including cow juice, apple juice, vegetables as well as honey made from the bees living on hives on Diddly Squat Farm. The shop is open from Wednesday through to Sunday between 9.30am and 4.30pm. This includes Bank Holidays too.

Clarkson's long-time girlfriend Lisa Hogan works as the manager of the shop and she's in charge of the day-to-day running of the place. We often get fun glimpses of what's going on in the shop on Clarkson's Farm too.

The Farmer's Dog

A sign for Jeremy Clarkson's new pub, The Farmer's Dog. (Getty) (Ben Birchall - PA Images via Getty Images)

His latest venture The Farmer's Dog opened for the first time over the August Bank Holiday and it has proved already to be a roaring success. The Grand Tour star has a clear vision for the pub and he will only have British produce, with the exception of a G&T.

He wrote on his website: "I have tried my absolute hardest to make sure that every single thing you consume in The Farmers Dog was grown or reared by British farmers. And I have failed. Yes, the pork, the beef, the lamb and the venison are all British.

"And so is pretty much everything else. The milk, the butter, the eggs, the vegetables and the fruit. We even cook in British oils. But there have been some problems like, for instance, the simple G&T. You cant have a pub that doesnt offer a gin and tonic.

"But there is quinine in tonic water, and you cant grow that in Britain. Sure, I could have served gin and water instead, but I didnt think youd enjoy it very much. Especially as, instead of a slice of lemon, youd have been given a slice of turnip, or some potato peelings."

Ketchup, avocado and Coca-Cola fans will be disappointed though because none of these feature in Clarkson's pub. There are fizzy drink alternatives to Coca-Cola though that are grown from British fruit grown on Diddly Squat Farm.

The Hawkstone Brewery

Jeremy Clarkson at the Hawkstone lager launch. (Getty) (Dave Benett via Getty Images)

At Clarkson's pub he also sells his Hawkstone lager and cider. It is brewed nearby at The Hawkstone Brewery, near Bourton on the Water. Hawkstone lager and cider fans can visit the brewery where they can also get expert guided tours that teach them all about the history of Hawkstone and how it is brewed.

The tickets cost 24 per person for the two-hour tour at the brewery. There is a bar open serving Hawkstone lager and cider as well as independent food trucks on site every Friday and Saturday from 2pm.

Yahoo reached out to Jeremy Clarkson and Prime Video's representatives for further comment.
Northern Irelands Veterans Commissioner Danny Kinahan has resigned, saying he cannot provide the independent voice that veterans require.

Mr Kinahan, a former Ulster Unionist MP and a veteran himself, said he had left the post after four years after an open and frank conversation with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.

He also said that veterans in Northern Ireland do not enjoy the same protection as those in the rest of the UK.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the resignation raises serious questions for the Government.

In a statement, Mr Kinahan said: I can confirm that I have today resigned from my position as Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner.

Following an open and frank conversation with the Secretary of State, I have sadly concluded that I cannot provide the independent voice that veterans require.

There is a feeling among some veterans in Northern Ireland that they do not enjoy the same protection as their counterparts in Great Britain.

Veterans in Northern Ireland have particular needs and concerns which need to be addressed by the UK Government, which I have made very clear in our discussions.

Finally I would like to place on record my gratitude to all those who have placed their trust in me and assisted me with my work over the last four years.

I will continue to work in their interests where I can.

Mr Benn thanked Mr Kinahan for his dedicated work on behalf of veterans and families living in Northern Ireland.

He added: Over the last four years, he has worked on a range of important issues that affect veterans in everyday life, including health, housing and welfare and we will continue to engage with him on these issues.

We are committed to continuing to support veterans in Northern Ireland through the Veterans Welfare Service NI and the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

The Northern Ireland Office said the steps to appoint a new Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner would be set out in due course.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he hoped a new commissioner would soon be in place (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Robinson said: The creation of the NI Veterans Commissioner post flowed from the New Decade New Approach Agreement as we were aware of how veterans in Northern Ireland were disadvantaged when compared with veterans in the rest of the UK.

Danny Kinahans appointment in 2020 was a real breakthrough and signal that the Government was going to change course.

Danny has served in Office and our strong community of veterans, with genuine tenacity and integrity.

He added: I am deeply disappointed that such has been the breakdown between the Government and the NIVC (NI Veterans Commissioner) that today we have a resignation and a vacant office.

The NIO must urgently address the widespread concern of veterans who valued Dannys personal commitment and move quickly to assuage their concerns.

We need to see a successor not only appointed swiftly, but that they have the independence and support to do the job effectively.

Mr Kinahan is a former UUP MLA and won the South Antrim Westminster seat for the unionist party in 2015. He lost the seat to the DUP in the 2017 general election.

He was appointed Northern Irelands first Veterans Commissioner in September 2020.

Last year he gave a guarded welcome to the Conservatives controversial Act to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles because of the lopsided number of prosecutions against former members of the armed forces.

Since Labour came to power it has committed to repealing and replacing the laws.
The first several years of King Charles III's reign have been full of personal and political challenges. More recently, things are looking up for the monarch of the United Kingdom after his wife, Queen Camilla, shared a positive update regarding His Majesty's cancer treatment. This is a breath of fresh air for the Royal Family, to be sure, but King Charles has found joy in local wildlife since long before he took the throne.

In fact, he's been public about his love for these animals for years, and he even lets them run freely inside of his Scottish home. He inherited the Balmoral estate from his mother, the beloved late Queen Elizabeth II, but it has been a home to him and his woodland friends for decades. But what is it about these animals that captivates the King?

Royal Red Squirrels

In the UK, native red squirrels are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. Due to the arrival of invasive grey squirrels, they've even been placed on the endangered species list. Luckily, they have one of the world's most prominent leaders consistently advocating for their restoration. No one has been able to pinpoint exactly when his obsession with the critters began, but he's made many joyful comments about red squirrels--AKA the English kind of squirrels-- in interviews over the years.

Related: Tiny Red Squirrel's Winter Photoshoot Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving

In fact, he's more than the King of England--he's a Disney Prince, too! The scenes he described to Town & Country Magazine sound like they're straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

"They come into the house at Birkhall and we get them chasing each other round and round inside. If I sit quietly, they will do so around me," he shared. "Sometimes, when I leave my jackets on a chair with nuts in the pockets, I see them with their tails sticking out, as they hunt for nutsthey are incredibly special creatures." While he doesn't keep wild squirrels as pets, Prince William admitted that his father does name them!

Red Squirrel Conservation

In 2009, His Majesty (who was Prince at the time) was named the patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. This organization, like the monarch himself, is dedicated to the safety and conservation of red squirrels within the UK. Because the species is under threat because of the invasive grey squirrel species, King Charles (who's not to be confused with King Charles II, who was the namesake for the current monarch as well as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel species) has even proposed a unique plan to stop the larger, less colorful squirrels from repopulating: Nutella and contraceptives.

You read that correctly! This plan may be out there, but it could be an effective strategy for reducing grey squirrel populations in some areas. In the meantime, there's no doubt that King Charles will appreciate every red squirrel sighting he has! Other royal pursuits may make headlines more frequently than his love for the creatures of the forest, but it's reassuring to know that a King has a soft, animal-loving side, too!



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Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
A senior Army officer who drunkenly touched and tried to kiss a woman in a karaoke bar while leading an overseas military delegation has received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Major General James Roddiss career lies in tatters after being dismissed from the Army by the court martial board.

The 53-year-old married father-of-three had been drinking for several hours when he started touching the hair of the woman before kissing her on the lips.

A court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, heard the delegation were on the last night of their overseas trip in April this year.

Roddis had been required to resign from the Army in July following a misconduct investigation but as part of his punishment he was dismissed.

The board also ordered him to complete 30 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim 2,500 compensation.

Roddis had previously admitted a charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind.

Imposing sentence, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: As weve seen from the video over a period of some minutes you began touching her hair and you put your arm around her.

She was clearly not interested in your attention. You then pulled her hair bobble out.

It was apparent from another person at the table that the victim was uncomfortable about that.

This was only a few minutes after your physical attention started. About 10 minutes later you put your hand on her chin, pull her head towards your lips, and kiss her on her lips for about two seconds.

The disgraceful conduct in your charge encompasses both the unwanted touching of her hair and the kiss.
A migrant facing jail after raping a 15-year-old girl has been told he cannot change his plea to not guilty.

Anicet Mayela, 40, admitted to the attack of December last year at Oxford Crown Court in April.

The Congolese national, who was granted asylum in the UK following several failed attempts to deport him, appeared at the same court on Thursday in a bid to vacate his guilty plea after claiming he had not had proper legal advice.

But rejecting his request, Judge Nigel Daly said Mayela had made an unequivocal plea of guilty at the last hearing, which he could see no reason to vacate.

From the moment of his arrest he was firmly of the view that he was going to plead guilty. I will not accept the vacating of his plea, Judge Daly said.

Mayela, of Desborough Crescent, Oxford, was joined in the dock by a French interpreter.

Several family members watched the short hearing from the public gallery.

He is due to be sentenced on November 13.

After his court appearance earlier this year, The Sun reported several unsuccessful attempts had previously been made to remove him from the UK before he was given permission to stay in the country.

It is understood the Home Office initially refused Mayelas asylum claim in 2004 but he successfully challenged the decision in the courts and was eventually granted leave to remain on appeal in 2010.

According to an article published by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) in 2005, he was served three removal notices and left with a broken hand during one deportation attempt while another flight is said to have been grounded after the airlines cabin crew refused to carry him.

The IRR report said Mayela paid an agent to help him flee his home country in 2004 because his life was in danger and that he initially lived in Plymouth while his initial asylum claim was considered.

But this was refused and his first appeal was dismissed by the courts later that year. By 2005 he was being held in immigration detention centres while attempts were made to deport him but he was later released.

Mayela, thought to be a former economics student, also appears to have supported protests outside detention centres that same year.

He should expect a custodial sentence, the judge said.
Stephen Chamberlain, an associate of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, died in hospital three days after a car crested a humpback bridge and struck him while he was out running, an inquest heard.

Caroline Jones, area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said 52-year-old Mr Chamberlains medical cause of death was recorded as traumatic head injury.

She told an inquest in Alconbury: A vehicle travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 crested a humpback bridge and was presented with a runner crossing the road from the nearside to the offside between two parts of a bridleway.

She said the car struck Mr Chamberlain, causing him significant injuries.

Cambridgeshire Police said the collision happened on August 17, and an activity uploaded to the fitness app Strava indicated that Mr Chamberlain was around six miles into his run having set out from the cathedral city of Ely earlier that morning.

Stephen Chamberlain was running near the village of Stretham in Cambridgeshire (Sam Russell/PA)

Miss Jones said Mr Chamberlain was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and his death was formally confirmed at 3.50am on August 20.

Police investigations remain ongoing, therefore, no further date has been fixed for these proceedings to resume, Miss Jones said.

I adjourn todays hearing to a date to be fixed at the end of police investigations and any possible prosecutions.

I extend my condolences to the family of Stephen Chamberlain.

Tech tycoon Mr Lynch died after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in his US trial and, alongside Mr Lynch, was cleared earlier this year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

Relatives of Mr Chamberlain said in an earlier tribute released through police that he was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend.

He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible, his family said.

He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Stephen Chamberlain, who was hit by a car while out running, died in hospital three days later (Cambridgeshire Police/PA)

He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.

Cambridgeshire Police previously issued an appeal for witnesses after Mr Chamberlain was in collision with a blue Vauxhall Corsa car on the A1123 Newmarket Road near Stretham.

The force said the car was travelling between Stretham and Wicken when the collision happened at about 10.10am.

Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and was assisting with inquiries.

Gary Lincenberg, Mr Chamberlains lawyer, said in an earlier statement: Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car  while out running.

He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.

Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.

HP acquired Cambridge-based Autonomy, founded by Mr Lynch in 1996, for 11 billion dollars (8.35 billion), but later wrote down its value by 8.8 billion dollars (6.68 billion) and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud.

Mr Chamberlain, a former vice-president of finance at the company, was accused of artificially inflating Autonomys revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators in 2018.

Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.
The Government has been accused by former Conservative leader Michael Howard of grossly misleading Parliament over the suspension of 30 arms export licences to Israel.

Lord Howard of Lympne pointed out that the Government said international humanitarian law is not the only criterion in making export licensing decisions, and noted the exemption for F-35 fighter jets from this partial export ban.

Foreign Office minister Baroness Chapman of Darlington explained that this exemption is because the F-35 components are part of a global supply chain and stopping these exports could impact global security.

However, Lord Howard argued that, if other factors are able to be taken into account, the Government was not compelled to suspend the 30 arms licences, and could have made other exceptions for Israel  such as on the grounds of self-defence  but chose not to.

The Tory peer said: The Foreign Secretary in his statement said: Commitment to comply with international humanitarian law is not the only criterion in making export licensing decisions, and he justified the decision to exempt the F-35 equipment on other criteria.

So does it not clearly follow from that the Government could, had it wished, have decided against a ban on the grounds that Israel is acting in self-defence against an organisation committed to its destruction and recognised by our own Government as a terrorist organisation?

In the light of that, will the minister now accept that, when she told this House on Tuesday that the Government was required to suspend certain export licences, what she said was both factually inaccurate and grossly misleading?

Lady Chapman responded: No, I do not accept that.

The legal test that we have is that there is a clear risk and the advice that we received that in these 30 licences it could present a clear risk, thats not that it has done, not that there is a breach, but that there is a clear risk.

This is not an embargo on sales of arms to Israel.

On the issue of F-35s, as Im fairly confident the noble lord will know, that is different, because we supply components that are part of a global supply chain and were we to stop those components being provided it could cause very, very difficult disruption and there would be an impact on global security.

She added: Our licensing criteria state the Government wont issue export licences if there is a clear risk they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. We have concluded that there is a clear risk.

Lady Chapman also confirmed that the decision to suspend the 30 export licences was a matter of law, not of international Labour party politics.

In response to a question from Tory peer Lord Bellingham, she said: If he wants to talk about internal Labour party politics, hes come to the right place.

I have spent a lot of time on this topic and I can assure him, at this box, assure him, and he must hold me to this, that this decision had nothing to do with Labour party politics, and neither should it.
A mother was shot dead as she sheltered behind her front door hours after returning from a family holiday, a court has heard.

Lianne Gordon, 42, was the unintended victim of a dispute between two gangs when she was killed in her home in Hackney, east London, jurors were told.

A 17-year-old boy is charged with murdering Ms Gordon and the attempted murders of a youth aged 17 and a 21-year-old man on the same day.

The shooting was alleged to be the culmination of a series of incidents involving the teenage defendant and Elijah Seriki, 21.

It is alleged they threatened Ms Gordons son with a large knife as the victim smoked a cigarette on his doorstep on October 1 last year.

The defendants are charged with affray, having a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a bladed article during an alleged ride out of their territory the following day.

Opening their trial on Thursday, Mark Fenhalls KC said: Lianne Gordon was sheltering behind her front door at home when (the youth) shot and killed her on 5 December last year.

She was almost certainly not the target. But her tragic death was the culmination of an escalating dispute between two gangs. That dispute involved both (the youth) and Elijah Seriki.

The prosecutor said Ms Gordon had lived in Vine Close with her 16-year-old daughter and 21-year-old son Kaymound, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.

At the time of the shooting, Mr Gordon had been taking a shower while his sister emerged from her room to find her mother slumped on the floor and was with her when she died, Mr Fenhalls said.

She told police that she had come face-to-face with her mothers killer and recognised him, even though his face was covered.

She described how she went downstairs when she heard gunshots, thinking they were fireworks at about 6.10pm, the court heard.

She said: Mum had her hand on door handle and looked like she was trying to close it. I could see gun tip through open door. I saw her drop. I went to her.

As soon as my mum took her last breath and I was still hearing gunshots and that. I opened the front door and I was screaming at him and he stared me directly in my face.

He was wearing a balaclava or hood, but I could see enough of his eyes and nose area to recognise him. He did not say anything. Everything happened in slow motion. We were face on for a few seconds, maybe five, before he ran off. We locked eyes, knew it was him.

Ms Gordon died at the scene from a single gunshot wound to the head, and the two young victims outside were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds.

Mr Fenhalls told jurors they would be struck by the obvious devastation of Ms Gordons children and wider family but told them they must put any feelings to one side.

He added: The Gordon family were not the only target  they were abroad on holiday in Jamaica on 2 December, only returning on morning of the 5 December.

Mr Fenhalls said the shooting had resulted from a dispute between two Hackney gangs  the Pembury Gang with which the defendants were associated and the A-Road Gang with whom Ms Gordons son Kaymound was linked.

Jurors were told the young man had denied membership of the A-Road Gang but said problems began in 2019 when his friend Dotz was murdered.

Over the years each side would disrespect each other in music and on social media and there were revenge attacks, jurors were told.

Mr Gordon had admitted that he punched Seriki in a shop because he thought he was about to draw a knife, jurors heard.

On the incident on October 1 last year, he said the defendants literally tried to stab us on his doorstep with a large black blade.

Jurors were shown CCTV footage allegedly showing the defendants riding out of their territory last October 2 and audio of four loud gunshots.

The teenage defendant had travelled back to Hackney even though his family had moved away in June 2022 to try to distance him from the gang, the court heard.

He had a series of previous convictions dating back to when he was 15 years old.

Among them was a conviction for attempted murder relating to an incident at Hackney Central station on March 1 last year, the court was told.

Mr Fenhalls said the defendant had been involved in planning and passing on information, but not personally involved in the violence.

Seriki, from Hackney, also had previous convictions from the age of 15 relating to drugs and weapons, including a Zombie knife, the court was told.

Both defendants deny the charges against them and the Old Bailey trial continues.
A patient in a bed with a doctor holding their hand

Assisted dying has been brought a step closer after an MP won a ballot to bring forward a Private Members Bill legalising the practice.

Labours Jake Richards said that his first preference for a Private Members Bill would be to reform our archaic assisted dying laws after he secured one of the top 20 spots to introduce a proposal to the Commons.

The Rother Valley MP missed out on a top seven spot in the Private Members Bill ballot, which would have guaranteed him a days debate, but he was drawn in 11th position, meaning that he will probably secure parliamentary time on a Friday sitting to debate a Bill of his choice.

Assisting someone to end their life is a criminal offence in England and Wales.

Lord Falconer, the former Labour justice secretary, has introduced the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill in the House of Lords, which is expected to be debated in mid-November.

Lord Falconer, the former Labour justice secretary, has introduced the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill in the House of Lords - House of Lords/UK Parliament/PA

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has also previously acknowledged the need to debate the divisive issue, but said that he was uncharacteristically undecided on the topic.

Mr Richards tweeted: Happy to have made the Private Members Bill ballot.

Subject to procedure and those ahead of me, Ive made it clear that my first preference for a bill would be to reform our archaic assisted dying laws, working with @dignityindying and others.

The time has come.

Ross Hendry, the chief executive of Christian Action, Research and Education, which is opposed to a change in the law, said what he described as assisted suicide undermines human dignity and puts vulnerable groups at greater risk of abuse and harm.

He added: UK politicians should ensure that investment and infrastructure are in place to ensure high-quality palliative care for all people. The UK has huge work to do in this area, given a chronic underfunding of this aspect of health care.

Wed also emphasise the need to enhance suicide prevention, and work towards a society where all lives are considered.

But Nathan Stilwell, from the campaign group My Death, My Decision, said: This is likely going to be the first step in changing the law to give adults a compassionate and dignified choice at the end of their lives.

The prospect of legalising assisted death has increasingly been in the spotlight, with moves being made elsewhere in the British Isles, and the revelation from the television presenter Dame Esther Rantzen, who has cancer, that she has joined Dignitas.

Labour secured 15 out of 20 Private Members Bill spots in Thursdays ballot, leaving the Conservatives with none.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP for Spen Valley, has the first opportunity to table a draft law of her choosing.

Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, has the second opportunity, and told the PA news agency that the ballot might be the first raffle Ive ever won.

Also among the first seven MPs to be drawn were Clive Lewis, Labours former shadow defence secretary, and Jim Allister, the Traditional Unionist Voices sole MP.

A total of 458 MPs entered this sessions random draw.

The successful MPs are expected to present their Bills to the Commons on Oct 16.
The former prime minister said he was in favour of a scheme that would allow young people to live and work in the UK

Sir Tony Blair has backed the free movement of young people from the EU to the UK, piling pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to agree a deal.

The former prime minister said he was in favour of a scheme that would allow young people to live and work in the UK, as part of a reset of Britains relationship with the EU.

Labour has repeatedly insisted that it has no plans to agree a youth mobility scheme that could give young citizens of EU member states the right to work in the UK for the first time since Brexit.

But there has been mounting speculation since The Telegraph revealed that Sir Keir discussed a free movement deal for young people with Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, in private talks at Blenheim Palace in July.

Speaking to Lord Hague in The Story podcast, Sir Tony said: We do need to fix the European relationship, of that Im absolutely sure because in the future, Britains got to be part of the political relationships on its own continent.

He added: But I expect that what [the Labour Party] will do is try and work out, because this will all come to specifics in the end, specifics around trade, around things like the youth mobility scheme, which personally I would be in favour of.

Sir Tony, pictured with Sir Keir last year, says: 'We do need to fix the European relationship' - Stefan Rousseau/PA

The UK already has a youth mobility scheme visa that allows people from 10 countries including Australia, New Zealand and Canada to study or work here for up to two years.

While EU nations are not part of the scheme, the question of whether a post-Brexit deal can be struck has risen up the political agenda.

In April, the European Commission offered a pact that would make it easier for British people aged 18 to 30 to live and study in the EU and vice versa.

The Tory government at the time rejected the offer, as did Labour. A spokesman said there were no plans for a youth mobility scheme and the Labour manifesto promised no return to freedom of movement.

A bilateral deal with Spain would not strictly break that manifesto promise, even if it did allow the free movement of young people between the two countries. Such deals could help Labour deliver improved economic growth, said to be the partys top priority in office.

A Government spokesman played down the idea, saying: We have been clear that we wont rejoin the single market, customs union or reintroduce freedom of movement, and we are not considering a youth mobility scheme.

Germanys ambassador to the UK suggested in July that relaxing border rules for younger people would help Sir Keir renegotiate the UKs post-Brexit deal.

Miguel Berger told Politico that a new treaty should include areas which are in the common interest such as a youth mobility scheme.
Pursuing economic, social and climate justice will require forward-thinking legal and financial professionals. Photograph: Alys Tomlinson

Social justice hasnt typically been the first thing that comes to peoples minds when they think about the worlds of finance and the law. Indeed, the professions might well conjure up images of bankers and stockbrokers stopping at nothing to maximise profits  or perhaps corporate lawyers in sharp suits protecting the interests of their big-money clients.

But in more recent years, a shift has quietly been taking place as corporations are increasingly forced to consider their real impact on the wider world.

Corporate social responsibility is now being taken seriously by the financial sector, says Dr Richard Alexander, senior lecturer in financial law at the Soas school of finance and management. He highlights the recent rise of so-called ESG standards that factor in a companys environmental impact, social justice credentials and governance practices. For example, since 2022 the largest British companies have been obliged to make climate-related financial disclosures, taking stock of their environmental impact rather than solely financial metrics such as profits and shareholder value.

The motivations behind the shifts might vary. There are carrots and there are sticks, and its fair to say the new attitudes and priorities arent always just driven by pure goodwill. For instance, corporate action might be driven by new regulatory and disclosure requirements, investor concerns about financial risk, or marketing departments eager to appeal to increasingly socially-conscious consumers.

But Alexander notes that these industry-wide shifts have had an impact on the people working in law and finance, and their reasons for entering these professions in the first place. There are people in banks who genuinely want to do the right thing, he says. Were now seeing mainstream banks funding green energy projects.

While the buzz around ESG might have been tempered somewhat by a backlash from rightwing politicians, the fight against climate change remains in large part an urgent mission to reallocate financial resources. The same goes for the fight to improve social justice. The financial and legal professions have therefore woken up to the roles they can play in tackling urgent global problems.

Soass long-established concern with economic, social and climate justice makes it an ideal place for students trying to navigate these shifts. Moreover, its emphasis on fresh perspectives and a focus on the global south makes it a perfect place for thinking more ambitiously about the new roles and responsibilities of legal and financial professionals.

And thats why Alexander has dedicated his scholarship to exploring how the law can be used in novel ways to hold the largest companies in the world to account for their climate impact.

Prosecuting terracide

Alexander recently spoke at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime, and made the case for the creation of new international law for prosecuting what he calls terracide  the destruction of Earth.

The symposium has had regular sessions looking at issues of damage to the environment, and the idea of environmental crimes, not just minor regulatory offences, says Alexander.

If the terracide movement takes off, gross negligence towards the environment could no longer mean a financial penalty from the Environment Agency  but could see culprits prosecuted as international criminals. Alexander argues that there is in fact a sound legal basis for treating terracide as a crime, based on how the law already works. In the UK, we have a number of breaches of environmental law that are actually crimes, he says. Those crimes are committed in order to make money, because to do things cleanly, in a green way, is more expensive.

So in his view, existing criminal laws can apply, and the Proceeds of Crime Act (pdf) can be used to take on climate criminals. As the law currently stands, the criminal lifestyle provisions can be used to confiscate money and other assets acquired as a result of crime. For every crime that produces a profit or produces proceeds, those proceeds are criminal property for the purposes of our anti-money laundering laws and our confiscation and civil recovery laws. These rules could apply to polluting businesses, says Alexander, and be used against corporations.

Create that kind of environment, and very quickly, banks will start to decide that companies that play fast and loose with climate change are no longer worth having on the books, he adds. Theyre just too risky.

Islamic finance for social justice

It isnt just climate where big, bold ideas and legal scholarship are upending conventional financial industry thinking. One of Alexanders colleagues, Dr Jonathan Ercanbrack, a senior lecturer in transnational financial law and director of the centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern law, has dedicated his career to exploring how taking lessons from Islamic finance can help shift business in a more social justice-oriented direction.

At the heart of the Islamic approach to finance are several ideas that arent common in the west, such as the prohibition on charging interest, limitations on more speculative forms of investment, and a focus on shared prosperity and risk.

Essentially this is viewing economics differently, according to a global south [perspective], and understanding that the meaning of economics differs quite markedly from our global north understanding, says Ercanbrack,

Islamic finance wants to facilitate more equity investment, and more profit and loss sharing, so that we have an economy thats not based on winners and losers, but in fact is more equitable in the sense that we all have a stake in it, says Ercanbrack. Another way of describing the same thing from a less religious-inspired legal system is stakeholder capitalism.

And he believes that Islamic finance more deeply embeds some of these emerging social justice principles. The embedded values of our global financial system ultimately are part of the problem, says Ercanbrack. They are part of the reason why there is less social justice, because its more about individualism.

And it is something more like this approach that well need if we want to deeply embed new values into our financial system. Ultimately environmentalism or other social justice concerns reflect a greater concern for the public interest, and a growing consciousness that we need to give up some of our individualistic freedoms for the public good. We come up with environmental laws to protect the public interest, despite the infringement on an individuals liberty.

Related: What is the Soas ethos? Four scholars pick the art, music and books that bring the global mindset to life

In both cases, the bold ideas promoted by Alexander and Ercanbrack have emerged from their work at Soas, a university that centres the global south and alternative perspectives. Social justice famously goes to the heart of what Soas is about, says Alexander.

Ultimately, it is only by learning to think differently that we can expose ourselves to new ideas  and potentially find new ways to engage with and improve our world.

Soas is an institution that has been founded specifically with the purpose of the study of the developing world, says Ercanbrack. That collection of academic expertise produces a cultural and an academic context that is a wonderful resource to learn from and to grow, to help the United Kingdom navigate this increasingly complex world.

Find out how studying at Soas University of London could expand your mindset and your horizons
Whaledimir (also known as Hvaldimir), the Beluga whale - FRAT

When a lone beluga whale began rubbing up against Norwegian fishing boats in April 2019, a few alarm bells should have started ringing  not just for conservationists, but also among the suits on the top floor at the headquarters of the Norwegian Intelligence Service in Lutvann.

First, the whale didnt seem to have a pod. Toothed whales (which include beluga, dolphins and orca among other species) are not naturally solitary. They dont roam the high seas alone. They are pack animals  social mammals that move in pods and can sense how another member of their group is feeling (not just physically, but emotionally) through echolocation. Spot one alone and that should be your first indication that something is up. Second, pod or not, he was a good deal further south of the high arctic than he should have been. Third, he appeared to be wearing a harness, which was causing him some distress  enough that he seemed to be approaching boats which would ordinarily scare belugas (white whales have a bloody history of being hunted) to try to get the harness off.

By the time fisherman Joar Hesten donned a survival suit, jumped into the ocean and freed the whale from its harness, further questions had arisen. The harness was fitted with a camera mount. An inscription on the clip gave the first clue as to what the beluga might have been doing. Equipment St Petersburg, it read. And so began the worlds fixation with Whaledimir, the so-called Russian spy whale.

Norways domestic intelligence agency launched an investigation, later telling the BBC the whale was likely to have been part of a Russian research programme. A month after the animal was spotted, The Barents Observer, a Norwegian newspaper, reported satellite images had identified pens thought to house cetaceans at three different locations near Russian naval bases. Such creatures have long been used by Moscow, along with the United States and others, for military purposes. Five years later, on Saturday, a headline on their website read: Whaledimir is dead.

We have taken him out of the water now, Frederik Skarbovik, a maritime coordinator for Stavanger told Norwegian tabloid VG. I can confirm he is dead, unfortunately. Right now he is lying in a truck.

Whaledimir  or Hvaldimir as the Norwegians called him, in a nod to the Norwegian word for whale, hval, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin  had been found floating in the harbour at Risavika, a busy southwest port. He had no visible injuries. Its not immediately clear what the cause of death is, said Sebastian Strand, a marine biologist who has been monitoring the creature for non-profit organisation Marine Mind for the past three years. Strand told reporters he was devastated by Whaledimirs death. Its absolutely horrible, he said. He was apparently in good condition as of [Friday], so we just have to figure out what might have happened here. An ongoing autopsy may well reveal the cause to be entirely natural, but until then, the sudden death of a whale the world had dubbed a kind of useless but loveable James Bond has been met with speculation that he may have been assassinated.

On Wednesday, claims emerged that the creature had been shot dead. Two conservation groups, OneWhale and NOAH, filed a police report alleging that Whaledimir was killed by gunshot wounds.

The groups shared purported pictures of the whale with what appeared to be holes in its bloodstained, lifeless body, saying there was compelling evidence suggesting that Hvaldimirs death was caused by intentional human-inflicted injury.

One Whale manager Regina Haug with the carcass of Hvaldimir - OneWhale.org

Could Whaledimir have been punished for being a turncoat who escaped his Russian captors in favour of charming the tourists along the Norwegian fjords? Foolish to rule it out, perhaps, though if he ever truly was a spywhale, it has generally been agreed he was a pretty poor recruit.

Soon after he appeared in 2019, Whaledimir settled into the harbour of a small town called Hammerfest. He struggled to feed himself, approaching boats for food. He seemed to like playing fetch and being scratched around the blowhole. When a young woman who had come to see him dropped her phone in the water at the dock, Whaledimir fetched it and brought it back to her. Youd have been hard-pressed to describe him as enigmatic, let alone covert.

Whaledimir was friendly and was well-loved by the locals in the Norwegian harbours he frequented

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries urged people not to feed him. Belugas are more docile than orcas, but he was still a wild animal  there were fears he might become at worst aggressive, at the very least dependent on humans for food. Relocating him to a sanctuary in Iceland was debated. Eventually, it was decided he would be fed and monitored in Norway, and from the summer of 2019 the Norwegian Orca Survey deemed him a free-swimming whale, making his way from fjord to fjord, becoming a local celebrity every time he appeared. He made it as far as the west coast of Sweden before returning to Norway, where he died last week.

Russia has never confirmed where Whaledimir came from, though a retired Russian colonel, Viktor Baranets, retorted when asked if they had been using him for spying: do you think we would attach a mobile phone number with the message please call this number? He also told Reuters that scientists in northern Russia had been using beluga whales for tasks of civil information gathering, rather than military tasks. Civil information gathering. That does have a ring of espionage about it, even if Putin hasnt strictly been deploying whales as highly trained marine weapons.

If he was, he wouldnt be the first. There is a storied history of whales, dolphins and even sea lions being put to service, used as mine hunters during the Cold War and, in recent years, to protect Russian naval bases from Ukrainian assaults.

Whaledimir first arrived wearing the harness that sparked speculation that he was no ordinary whale - JORGEN REE WIIG

Writer Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan, or the Whale, which documents our societal fascination with whales, has long hoped to substantiate one claim that the United States used cetaceans during the Vietnam war as underwater assassins. The story which has been widely circulated, he says, is that they were employed to assassinate Viet Cong divers. They were actually using CO2 canisters fixed with a hypodermic needle to their snout which were used to inject Vietcong divers with a fatal dose of carbon dioxide.

Hoare studied whales on Cape Cod in the 1980s. At the time, a lone orca used to frequent the harbour. My landlady used to go out swimming with it. This orca was clearly habituated to human beings. Its likely he was an escapee from a military training camp. A US military training camp.

If you see a single dolphin or killer whale there is something weird because these are entirely social animals. Theyve been taken out of their pods for some reason and that was probably why. [...] Belugas are similar.

The US military has used cetaceans to detect mines, he explains. Sort of the way you train a pig to snuffle out truffles. They very quickly catch on what theyre being asked to do, says Hoare.

They were also used in the Gulf War, he says, and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq to locate mines in the harbour.

It was during the Vietnam War, he adds, that its likely they started to be used for espionage. Later on in the Sixties is probably when the Russians started using trained belugas, dolphins, orca. Its very difficult to tell what was happening there, but they definitely were. It was a kind of space race with cetaceans.

Whaledimir is, says Hoare, very clear evidence of what the Russians have been doing. Could he have been a spy? Impossible to know for sure, but he has definitely been trained to use a camera. So its not going to be for an oceanarium. I think its probably military use, yes.

A conspicuously bright, ivory coloured animal which lacks the killer instinct of an orca might seem an odd choice for espionage. But experts say a beluga could make a perfect recruit for the right mission. Their ability to navigate the murk makes them helpful spies, says Tom Foreman, a natural history television researcher who has spent years filming the animals in waters off northern Norway. Their echolocation is one of the things thats attractive for using them because they can navigate through muddy waters, being more of a coastal animal, he says.

Theyre not particularly deep divers and they are an ice whale.

In Norway, people found it rather entertaining, says Foreman that this supposed Russian spy was quite so friendly and useless. Whaledimirs friendliness could give some clue to his history, says Foreman. Theyre definitely social creatures, which could be why this one was seeking out people rather than other pods. If he was caught young and became used to people it could be he didnt quite recognise or wasnt able to communicate with other pods to join them or didnt have good wild hunting skills.

Fisherman Joar Hesten developed a close relationship with Whaledimir, who didn't seem covert enough to be a fully-fledged Russian spy

If Whaledimir was captured when he was young and deployed by the Russian military, he was simply the latest marine recruit of his kind. During the Cold War, both the Soviet Union and the US used dolphins to detect mines. The Soviet Navy operated its dolphin programme until the early 1990s, using them to defend ships against divers, find submarines, locate mines and attach homing devices to targets. A Soviet beluga whale called Tichka escaped twice in 1991 and 1992, crossing the Black Sea and ending up in Turkey.

The dolphin programme was passed to the Ukrainian Navy after the fall of the Soviet Union. In 2000, the BBC reported it had been relocated to Iran, which bought the animals. But two years later, there were reports Russia had deployed trained military dolphins at its main naval base in the Black Sea, with satellite analysis suggesting they may have been used to protect its fleet stationed at the port of Sevastopol, in Russian-occupied Crimea, from underwater attacks.

The US, meanwhile, has reportedly spent millions of dollars maintaining its marine troops of dolphins and sea lions. Around the time Whaledimir was captured in 2019, the US had about 70 trainable dolphins and 30 sea lions at its naval base in California.

Of greater use to Russia than a sea lion or a dolphin, arguably, is a beluga whale. Theyre used to cold water, says Hoare. That far north you dont get dolphins, so they can be used in colder waters, especially arctic waters. Thats why the Russians would use them.

Unlike an orca, it also has an unusual skill  a quirk of its anatomy that might make it useful to anyone wanting to shoot underwater footage of a stretch of coastline. The thing about a beluga whale is it can really articulate its head at a right angle. So it can look straight at you. A beluga can twist and turn in the water almost as if it were human. When you see them, they almost seem like mermaids, says Hoare. They have this astonishing division in their lower belly which almost makes it look as if they have their legs together.

When Whaledimirs lifeless body was spotted, one onlooker reported sadly: I thought it was sleeping at first. Sleeping with the fishes. A fitting ending for a spywhale.
Rayner

Arguably the biggest issue facing the Government is the housing crisis. There are not enough homes, they are too expensive, and they are too difficult to build, reducing productivity and holding back the economic growth on which Labour is relying to underpin its policy agenda.

It is perhaps hardly surprising that we face a shortage given that the population has risen by 10 million over the past 25 years with no building programme to match it. Migration has accounted for around 90 per cent of the 1.34 million increase in Englands housing deficit. There are also many more people living alone than used to be the case, either as a result of greater longevity or family breakdown. In addition, planning controls to preserve the green belts around major cities  a legacy of the 1945 Labour government  restrict where new homes can be built.

Labour has promised to build another 1.5 million homes without any apparent analysis of why we are in this mess or how to address it. Leaving aside whether there are enough builders to carry out such a massive construction project, where are the houses going to go?

The person entrusted to sort this out is Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister. So far she has reimposed house-building targets on local authorities, but mystifyingly reduced them for London where they are needed most. Now she is planning to scrap the Right to Buy scheme introduced by the Thatcher government. For this she has been accused of hypocrisy since she herself benefited from the scheme.

While local authorities say selling council houses is deepening the crisis because they are not being replaced by housing associations, there is an element of grandstanding in Ms Rayners position. She knows Right to Buy is unpopular in her party and is playing to the gallery. It will do little to improve matters to cut a programme that gets people on the housing ladder and gives them a stake in their communities.

The rental sector, especially in London, is overpriced because supply does not match demand, making it impossible for young people to save to buy a home. The worst thing that can happen now is for the Chancellor to put up capital gains tax and choke off the buy-to-let market. Landlords are already selling up in anticipation of an increase in the Budget.

Does Labour know what it is doing?
In this image taken from handout video provided by the Philippines, a Chinese Coast Guard ship collides with Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua near the Sabina Shoal at the disputed South China Sea on 31 August. Photograph: AP

Hopes that tensions in the South China Sea might ease have been short lived. Just weeks after the Philippines and China struck a deal to try to stop dangerous confrontations at Second Thomas Shoal, a new flashpoint has emerged.

Over recent weeks, Manila has accused Chinese personnel of ramming its boats, blasting them with water canon and firing flares at its aircraft, with incidents often centred on a new location, an atoll called Sabina Shoal. It comes as tensions in the South China Sea, a strategically important waterway that links the Indian and Pacific Oceans, were already at their highest in a decade.

Related: As long as were here, its ours: the island fishing community on the frontline of South China Sea tensions

A series of escalating incidents has provoked warnings that an error of judgment at sea could inadvertently spiral into armed conflict. This would risk drawing the US, a Philippine ally, into confrontation with China.

Analysts warn the political stakes for both Manila and Beijing around Sabina Shoal could lead to an even more drawn-out struggle.

Both countries have a lot to lose if they give up, in part because they both made such strong statements, said Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency project at Stanford University.

Tensions at Sabina have been growing since April, when the Philippines sent its coast guard ship the BRP Teresa Magbuana to monitor the area, in response to concerns China may be attempting to reclaim land at the shoal. In turn, China has steadily increased its presence at the shoal, with anywhere between two dozen to 40 vessels present at a time, said Powell.

Chinese state media reported suggestions the Philippines was trying to use the Teresa Magbuana to forge a quasi-military-grounding at the shoal  drawing parallels with the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting second world war-era ship that was deliberately grounded at Second Thomas Shoal by the Philippines in 1999.

Related: South China Sea: a visual guide to the key shoals, reefs and islands

The Philippines points out that both Sabina and Second Thomas shoals lie within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), giving it special rights to build and construct in the area.

However, China rejects this, and claims much of the South China Sea as its own, despite an international tribunal Hague judgment rejecting its arguments.

A de facto occupation of Sabina by another grounded ship would cross multiple lines that Beijing has tried to draw with Manila and present a real challenge in terms of how to respond without risking drawing in the United States, said Harrison Pretat, deputy director and fellow with the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Sabina Shoal is important to the Philippines because it is close to Reed Bank, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas, and because it is the main staging ground for resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal. Were China to take control of it, it could cut off resupplies from reaching Second Thomas, and potentially stop vessels reaching Thitu Island, a Philippine island in the South China Sea that is inhabited by about 400 civilians, said Collin Koh, senior fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Perhaps even more importantly for both sides, the shoal has huge symbolic importance.

With midterm elections next year in the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr does not want to risk losing the shoal. He has vowed not to cede one square inch of territory. Chinas leadership also does not want to be humbled by what it considers a much smaller and weaker adversary, said Koh. For the ruling Communist party, for Xi Jinping, that is clearly going to be unworkable because it carries with it huge political costs, he added.

The Philippines fears that, if it removes BRP Teresa Magbuana, Chinese vessels will take control of the site. The ghost of the Scarborough Shoal incident back in 2012 continues to hold a very vivid memory, said Koh. The Philippines withdrew from Scarborough Shoal more than a decade ago, as part of a deal reached after a two-month standoff with China. China, however, did not pull back and has in effect controlled the feature ever since.

You have to be prepared for the possibility someone will get killed

The Philippines has some advantages at Sabina Shoal. Its ship, BRP Teresa Magbuana, has a helipad, allowing airlift supplies. Its also harder for Chinese vessels to block access because the shoal is far more open than other features, said Powell. That means that China has to keep more vessels deployed at all times in order to watch all approaches, he added. Sabina is also further away from Mischief Reef, one of the main islands Beijing has occupied and militarised.

But, ultimately, Philippines has no permanent presence at Sabina Shoal, giving China far less reason to agree to a compromise.

As confrontations become more normalised, the likelihood of errors of judgment increases.

Marcos Jr said earlier this year that if any Filipino serviceman or citizen were killed by a wilful act in the South China Sea, this would be very, very close to what we define as an act of war, and therefore, we would respond accordingly.
The former federal Labor leader Bill Shorten is retiring from politics to take up the role of vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra.

The one-time union boss will begin his new role in February and will remain in cabinet until then.

Shorten said on Thursday my actions are my choice and after six terms and 17 years in parliament he believed it was time to go.

Ive got this opportunity [to take] the hard lessons taught to me by the workers of Australia, the constituents of Maribyrnong, people with disability  I have a chance to take that experience and tackle what I think is one of the big issues for the future, he said.

What really matters in this country is the people  and I have a chance to help people at a university fulfil that potential and thereby fulfil the potential of Australia.

Shorten said he believed a nation can choose its own path  that means choosing education, skills, choosing the reskilling of our Australians, choosing lifelong knowledge acquisition.

Shorten quoted Frank Sinatra when asked about his role in toppling the former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Regrets, Ive had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do but much more than this, I did it my way.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, initially announced the news at a press conference in Canberra on Thursday, praising his factional frenemy as someone who had left an indelible mark on the Labor party.

I want to make it clear that I have asked Bill to remain in cabinet until he departs in February because he and I agreed there is important work still to be done to put the national disability insurance scheme on a sustainable footing, Albanese said.

Related: Albanese government strikes crucial deal with states to pass contentious NDIS reforms

Shorten said he was driven by the belief that everyone, regardless of circumstance, deserved an equal opportunity to join the labour movement  and he carried that principle into parliament.

Shorten announced his resignation with his wife, Chloe, and daughter, Clementine, at the press conference.

Immediately after the announcement, politicians from across the political arena, including Peter Dutton, lined up to wish Shorten well.

The chancellor of the University of Canberra, Lisa Paul, said Shorten was selected after an exhaustive search and a rigorous merit-based selection process and the university was delighted he had accepted the role.

First elected in 2007, Shorten was catapulted into the public arena the previous year during the Beaconsfield mine collapse rescue, when he was the secretary of the Australian Workers Union.

Shorten rose to the Labor leadership by 2013 and gave the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull an electoral scare in 2016  taking 14 seats from the Coalition. The result led to high expectations that Shorten would lead Labor to a win in 2019 but by then Shortens popularity as leader had fallen and he lost to Scott Morrison.

Shorten maintained influence within the Labor caucus, but the change in leadership to Albanese after the 2019 election loss also saw power move from the Labor right to the partys left.

He led the charge against the Coalitions robodebt policy from opposition  an issue he continued campaigning on while in government.

Albanese said Shorten had taken over the Labor party in the wake of a demoralising 2013 defeat and rebuilt the movement after the Rudd-Gillard years.

He united the party, re-energised the caucus and saw off [outlasted] two prime ministers and rebuilt Labor into a strong opposition and a genuine alternative government, Albanese said.

Related: Australian government wont back public views of special envoys on antisemitism and Islamophobia

Through his years as leader, no one worked harder than Bill. No one brought more energy, enthusiasm, ideas and ambition to advocating the need for a Labor government.

It is a measure of Bills character that he channelled the disappointment of 2019 into fighting for justice for the victims of robodebt. His work made our government stronger.

Shortens colleagues had been expecting an announcement for some time, but were unsure of the timing. Shorten had reportedly been offered ambassador roles by Albanese earlier in the year but decided to refocus his career domestically.

Albanese would not confirm whether there would be a small gap between February when Shorten would depart politics  and the next general election which has to be held by May 2025. The PM said there was some precedent for there being a gap for a short period of time.

[February] happens to be when the academic year starts so I think it would have been unreasonable to say to Minister Shorten, It is terrific you have this opportunity, but can you just chill out for another year, Albanese said.
Gisele Pelicot, with her lawyer Stephane Babonneau in Avignon, has waived her right to anonymity for the trial to be held in public. Photograph: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images

A French woman whose husband has admitted drugging her and inviting more than 80 men to rape her over the course of a decade has said she was sacrificed on the altar of vice and treated like a rag doll.

Gisele Pelicot, 72, said police saved my life when they investigated her husband, Dominique Pelicots, computer in November 2020, after a security guard caught him filming up the skirts of women in a supermarket near their home in a village in southern France.

Police said they found a file labelled abuses on a USB drive connected to his computer that contained 20,000 images and films of his wife being raped almost 100 times.

Recounting the moment in November 2020 when police first showed her images of a decade of sexual abuse orchestrated by her husband, Pelicot, who had been drugged to the point of unconsciousness, told the court: My world fell apart. For me, everything was falling apart. Everything I had built up over 50 years.

She said she had barely recognised herself in the images, saying she was motionless. I was sacrificed on the altar of vice, she said. They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.

When you see that woman drugged, mistreated, a dead person on a bed  of course the body is not cold, its warm, but its as if Im dead. She told the court rape was not a strong enough word, it was torture.

She told a panel of five judges that she had only found the courage to watch the footage in May this year. Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me, she said.

Related: Daughter leaves French court during mans trial over recruiting dozens to rape wife

Referred to by her first name in court, Gisele Pelicot has waived her right to anonymity in order for the trial to be held in public, with the support of her three adult children. She said she was testifying for all women who had been assaulted while drugged and to ensure no woman suffers this.

Her husband this week answered yes in court when asked if he was guilty of the drugging and attacks. His lawyer said that after his arrest he always declared himself guilty, saying: I put her to sleep, I offered her, and I filmed.

Police have said that between 2011 and 2020, Dominique Pelicot crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication and mixed them into his wifes evening meal or in her wine at their home in Mazan, near Carpentras in Provence. He then enlisted men to rape and sexually abuse her, contacting them via an online chatroom, where members discussed preferences for non-consenting partners.

The accused men recruited by her husband were instructed to avoid smelling of any kind of fragrance or cigarette smoke to avoid alerting his wife and to leave if she moved so much as an arm, investigators said. Fifty men are on trial for allegedly taking part in the rape and abuse.

Speaking in a calm and clear voice, Gisele Pelicot told the court how she and her husband had married when they were 21, had three children and seven grandchildren, and had been very close. We werent rich but we were happy. Even our friends said we were the ideal couple, she said.

She told the court that without knowing she was being regularly drugged at night, she had begun to have difficulties remembering things and concentrating and even feared taking the train to see her adult children in case she missed her stop. She said she had lost weight and at one point had difficulty controlling her arm.

Worried she was suffering from the start of Alzheimers disease, she discussed the subject with her husband. She said he had supported her and booked an appointment with a specialist, who said it was not Alzheimers.

Asked by the judge if she had experienced gynaecological issues, Gisele Pelicot said yes. She said medical tests during the police investigation showed she had been infected with several sexually transmitted diseases.

Related: Man accused of enlisting strangers to rape drugged wife goes on trial in France

She said in the hours after being told by police what had happened to her she felt like dying. She described how she had to explain the trauma to her adult children, saying her daughters scream was etched into my memory.

She left the house with two suitcases, all that was left for me of 50 years of life together. Since then, I no longer have an identity  I dont know if Ill ever rebuild myself, she said.

Gisele Pelicot, who has been supported in court by her children, has been praised by lawyers for her strength and calm at the trial. She said she appeared solid but was in ruins and did not know how her body had withstood the abuse and now the trial.

The 50 men on trial with her husband include a local councillor, nurses, a journalist, a former police officer, a prison guard, soldier, firefighter and civil servant, many of whom lived around Mazan, a town of about 6,000 inhabitants. The men were aged between 26 and 73 at the time of their arrests.

Several of the accused have denied the charges, telling police they did not know Gisele Pelicot was not a willing partner, accusing her husband of tricking them. Detectives were unable to identify and trace more than 30 other men who were recorded.

Gisele Pelicot said she had recognised only one of her alleged rapists, a man who had come to discuss cycling with her husband at their home. I saw him now and then in the bakery; I would say hello. I never thought hed come and raped me, she said.

Gisele Pelicots lawyer, Antoine Camus, said she did not want a trial behind closed doors because thats what her attackers would have wanted.

The trial in Avignon is expected to last four months. Dominique Pelicot, 71, and the 50 other defendants face 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated rape.
The Government will on Thursday introduce legislation to remove the right of the final 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Upper Chamber - Tim Graham/Getty Images

All remaining hereditary peers will be removed from the House of Lords next summer, ministers announced as they said the accident of birth should not give people the right to make laws.

The Government will on Thursday introduce legislation to remove the right of the final 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Upper Chamber.

Ministers said it would complete the process started a quarter of a century ago to end appointments to the House of Lords based on the families select individuals are born into.

The new legislation has to pass through the Commons and the Lords before receiving Royal Assent, meaning it will not be until the end of the parliamentary session next July that they will be removed.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, minister for the constitution, said: This is a landmark reform to our constitution.

The hereditary principle in law-making has lasted for too long and is out of step with modern Britain. The second chamber plays a vital role in our constitution and people should not be voting on our laws in Parliament by an accident of birth.

This Bill shows this Governments commitment to delivering on our manifesto and is an important part of putting politics in the service of working people.

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Reductions to size of House planned

Ministers have also promised to further reduce the size of the House, such as by fixing a retirement age.

However, these reforms will be consulted on before being introduced in another bill later in Labours term of office.

Eventually, the Government wants to replace the Lords with an alternative second chamber that is more representative of the UK.

A separate House of Lords was created in the fourteenth century, made up of noblemen from throughout England, all of whom were male. Women were not admitted until 1963.

The State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords Chamber last year - Leon Neal/Getty Images

In 1999, Tony Blairs government reached a deal with the Tories to massively reduce the number of hereditary peers from around 800 to 92.

He was fearful of going further lest the Conservatives use their huge majority in the Upper House to disrupt his legislative agenda.

The Tories made no major changes to the set-up, meaning the 92 hereditaries have remained until now.

It has therefore fallen to Sir Keir Starmer to end the situation where the UK is just one of two countries in the world to retain a hereditary element in its legislature.

Baroness Smith, leader of the House of Lords, said: While recognising the valuable contributions many hereditary peers have made to Parliament, it is right that this reform is being brought forward now  completing work we began 25 years ago.

Removing the hereditary principle from the Lords will deliver on a specific manifesto commitment. It will also help deliver on our commitment to reduce the size of the second chamber, as we bring forward further reforms.

Ministers have already introduced a bill to increase the number of female bishops in the House of Lords.

It had been thought that the bill removing peers might keep two aristocrats  the Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain  in the House of Lords because of their positions in organising coronations and other major events.

But on Wednesday the Government said both would be excluded, vowing that it would not prevent them from carrying out their ceremonial functions.
Hunter Biden leaves court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, after pleading guilty to tax charges. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday, after a day of legal wrangling and in a dramatic move that will avoid a potentially embarrassing trial for Joe Bidens son.

Biden, 54, pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges on a day of courtroom twists and turns, after prosecutors earlier objected to his surprise intention to enter an Alford plea, an unusual legal maneuver where a defendant pleads guilty but does not acknowledge wrongdoing. Following prosecutors objections, lawyers said Biden was ready to change course and enter an open plea, where a defendant pleads guilty to the charges and leaves his sentencing fate in the hands of the judge.

In court on Thursday afternoon, Abbe Lowell, Bidens attorney, told Judge Mark Scarsi: Mr Biden will agree that the elements of each offense have been satisfied.

Biden quickly responded guilty as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years in prison, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence.

A sentencing hearing has been set for 16 December.

In an emailed statement after he entered his plea, Hunter Biden said: I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.

The presidents only surviving son had previously pleaded not guilty. The surprise back-and-forth unfolded on Thursday as Biden entered a Los Angeles courthouse for the start of his tax-avoidance trial.

After learning of Bidens earlier plan to enter an Alford plea, US justice department prosecutors said that would not be acceptable. Alford pleas are usually negotiated in advance, because prosecutors must get high-level approval before agreeing to them.

Its not clear to us what they are trying to do, one prosecutor told Scarsi.

[Hunter Biden] is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him, said prosecutor Leo Wise. Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty.

A trial, in the run-up to the November presidential election, could have aired embarrassing details of Hunter Bidens life. Lowell told the judge that the evidence against his client was overwhelming and that Biden wanted to resolve the case.

The son of the president was accused of failing to pay his taxes on time from 2016 to 2019, as well as facing two felony counts of filing a false return and an additional felony count of tax evasion.

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom for jury selection on Thursday morning holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, related to his taxes from 2016 to 2019, and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he did not act willfully, or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. But all that changed on a whirlwind day in court.

A guilty plea will head off a weeks-long trial that would have marked the second time in three months that Hunter Biden sat in a federal courtroom to face a slew of criminal charges.

Hunter Biden was found guilty in Delaware on three felony counts relating to his purchase of a handgun in 2018 because he wrote on his gun-purchase form, falsely, that he was not a user of illicit drugs. The Los Angeles trial was set to take place in the city where Biden has lived for years and where, according to the prosecution, he spent extensively on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes.

The most serious charges related to his 2018 return on which, according to the prosecution, he sought to claim his childrens college tuition fees and more than $27,000 in online pornography as business expenses.

Related:Hunter Biden tax trial: less politically fraught, but set to be just as lurid

It has been a whirlwind of a summer for Joe Bidens son, one in which he has been convicted of felonies, was rushed to Washington as pressure mounted on his father not to run for re-election, raised eyebrows by dropping into White House meetings  and, according to one report, acted as his fathers gatekeeper  then appeared on stage at the Democratic national convention to bask in his fathers reflected glory.

Now that Joe Biden has abandoned his re-election ambitions and thrown his support behind his vice-president, Kamala Harris, the political stakes of Hunter Bidens latest legal woes are lower. Still, his troubles take some of the sting out of Donald Trumps constant complaints that he is the target of a political witch-hunt and that Joe Biden has weaponized the justice system against him.

After Hunter Bidens June conviction, Joe and Jill Biden issued a statement saying they would respect the judicial process and not consider a pardon. The first lady attended court in Delaware most days.

The White House reiterated on Thursday that the president has no intention of pardoning his son or commuting his sentence.

No, it is still very much a no, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said in response to a reporters question about a potential pardon.

Joe Biden has previously said that he is extremely proud of my son Hunter, but that he would respect the outcome of the judicial process. He has overcome an addiction. Hes one of the brightest, most decent men I know. I said Id abide by the jury decision, the elder Biden said.
Hunter Biden leaves federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, on 11 June 2024. Photograph: Matt Slocum/AP

For the second time in three months, Hunter Biden will sit in a federal courtroom as a jury of his peers is assembled to assess whether he is guilty of a slew of criminal charges.

The son of the 46th US president stands accused of failing to pay his taxes on time from 2016 to 2019, as well as two felony counts of filing a false return and an additional felony count of tax evasion.

Three months ago, the younger Biden, who is 54, was found guilty in Delaware on three felony counts relating to his purchase of a handgun in 2018 because he wrote on his gun-purchase form, falsely, that he was not a user of illicit drugs. The new trial takes place in Los Angeles, where Biden has lived for years and where, according to the prosecution, he spent lavishly on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes.

The trial begins in Los Angeles on Thursday with jury selection expected to last two days, and opening statements scheduled for Monday.

The most serious charges relate to his 2018 return on which, according to the prosecution, he sought to claim his childrens college tuition fees and more than $27,000 in online pornography as business expenses.

In pre-trial hearings, lawyers for Biden have done little to challenge the documentary evidence behind the prosecutions case but have sought, rather, to argue that Bidens drug use and his failure to file his taxes correctly year after year were the result of a life marked by trauma from a very young age.

Judge Mark Scarsi has indicated, however, that he will have little patience for evidence introduced to suggest a specific cause of Bidens drug use and threatened Bidens lead lawyer, Mark Geragos, with stiff financial penalties if he attempts to bring such evidence before the jury.

Both the tax charges and the gun charges carry maximum sentences of more than 20 years in prison, although legal experts say that, as a first-time offender, Biden is likely to be punished far less harshly even if he were to be found guilty a second time.

Related: Hunter Biden tax trial: less politically fraught, but set to be just as lurid

It has been a whirlwind of a summer for Joe Bidens troubled son, one in which he was convicted of felonies, rushed to Washington as pressure mounted on his father not to run for re-election, raised eyebrows by dropping into White House meetings  and, according to one report, acting as his fathers gatekeeper  then appeared on stage at the Democratic national convention to bask in his fathers reflected glory.

Now that Joe Biden has abandoned his re-election ambitions and thrown his support behind his vice-president, Kamala Harris, the political stakes of Hunter Bidens latest trial will be lower. Still, his legal troubles will take some of the sting out of Donald Trumps constant complaints that he is the target of a political witch-hunt and that the president has weaponized the justice system against him.

After Hunter Bidens June conviction, Joe and Jill Biden issued a statement saying they would respect the judicial process and not consider a pardon for their son. The first lady attended court in Delaware most days but it is not clear whether she will do the same in California.
Fashion influencer Maria Rosaria Boccia - INSTAGRAM

Italys culture minister choked up on primetime national television as he admitted to having an affair with a fashion influencer who had been given access to the corridors of power.

Gennaro Sangiuliano, 62, appeared close to tears as he confessed to having had a sentimental relationship with Maria Rosaria Boccia, who filmed herself in government buildings using Ray-Ban smart glasses with cameras.

Mr Sangiuliano apologised to his wife and to Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, for having an affair with a younger female colleague.

The scandal broke a few days ago when Ms Boccia, 41, announced on Instagram that she had been nominated adviser to the minister for major events.

The minister denied that, saying he had initially offered Ms Boccia a consultancy role but then changed his mind after being told that it would present a conflict of interest because of their personal relationship.

Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano with Maria Rosaria Boccia - INSTAGRAM

He said he had first met Ms Boccia at a party in Naples in May but broke off the relationship between the end of July and the start of August.

Appearing on the verge of tears, he apologised to his wife, describing her as an exceptional person whom he had no intention of leaving, and to the prime minister for the embarrassment he had caused her and the government.

He made the confession on RAI, the public broadcaster, after being summoned by Ms Meloni to explain himself. He said she had turned down his offer to resign.

Mr Sangiuliano, a former journalist, denied that the affair had left him open to being blackmailed.

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And he dismissed concerns voiced by opposition MPs that Ms Boccia had been privy to security details about an upcoming G7 meeting of culture ministers, which will be held later this month in the southern region of Campania.

The minister said: She didnt have access to classified or confidential documents. Ms Boccia had only ever seen documents relating to marginal details of the G7 summit, he claimed.

Ms Boccia disputed that, publishing documents on Instagram that she said proved she had been involved in meetings, site events and consultations.

Mr Sangiuliano with his wife Federica Corsini at the Venice film festival - FABIO FRUSTACI/EPA-EFE-SHUTTERSTOCK

The story, described by one Italian newspaper as a Greek tragicomedy, has dominated the Italian press for days.

Ms Boccia claimed she had been appointed as a consultant by the minister and posted numerous photos of the two of them attending events, meetings, lunches and dinners.

The minister insisted that she had not received a single euro of public money. He admitted attending events with Ms Boccia but said he had paid for everything himself with his personal credit card.

As the mudslinging between the two became more intense, bizarre details of the affair emerged.

Ms Boccia said she had worn a pair of Ray-Ban Stories, smart glasses equipped with a tiny camera and microphone, and had used them to film herself walking through the corridors of the lower house of parliament, insisting: Theres nothing illegal about it.

Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses

Still from the video shot by Ms Boccia

Shortly before Mr Sangiuliano was due to appear on television on Wednesday night, she posted an image of a bucket of popcorn, saying she was looking forward to hearing what he had to say.

Prior to being elected prime minister nearly two years ago, Ms Meloni made much of defending traditional family values.

But within her government, those traditional values are looking a little tattered.

She herself dumped her long-term partner and the father of her daughter after he was caught making lascivious remarks to female colleagues at the television station where he worked.

Her sister Arianna, a trusted adviser, recently announced that she was splitting from her husband, Francesco Lollobrigida, who is a minister in the coalition government.

The culture ministers tearful admission of an affair reinforces the impression that members of the government are hardly paragons of virtue.
Nomcebo Zuma, the daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma - EMMANUEL CROSET/AFP VIA GETTY

The 21-year-old daughter of South Africas former president is marrying the 56-year-old king of neighbouring Eswatini for love not politics, the absolute monarchy has insisted.

Nomcebo Zuma, daughter of ex-leader Jacob Zuma, will become the 16th wife of Africas last absolute monarch, who has ruled the landlocked country formerly known as Swaziland since 1986.

The engagement of King Mswati III to Ms Zuma was made official earlier this week at the end of the traditional eight-day reed dance ceremony where hundreds of women and girls danced for the king.

The engagement has sparked discourse around the possible political benefits to Mr Zuma, who launched a new political party on the eve of this years general election and took nearly 15 per cent of the vote.

But Alpheous Nxumalo, an Eswatini spokesman, dismissed the suggestion that the marriage would be a political alliance, the BBC reported.

King Mswati III, who took the throne of Eswatini in 1986 - EMMANUEL CROSET/AFP VIA GETTY

He said: Love has no eyes to see or count age. Love happens between two people. It can happen between a person who is 100 years old and a person who is above the average of what is permitted constitutionally.

Mr Zuma, 82, was president from 2009 to 2018 when he was forced to resign as his African National Congress (ANC) government was engulfed in a corruption scandal.

He was accused of presiding over a process of state capture, where allies took control of ministries and state enterprises so they could loot budgets and assets.

Mr Zuma strongly denied wrongdoing, but he was ousted from power and then jailed for not testifying at a national inquiry.

He has in recent years, however, undergone a renaissance, using strong grassroots support in his Zulu homeland to build a new party and turn on his former ANC comrades.

Mr Zuma and the king are already relatives through marriage.

Critics of the king have accused him of leading an opulent lifestyle while most of his kingdom lives in poverty.
John Setka at a CFMEU rally in 2021. The former boss of the construction union addressed a crowd at the Footscray hospital project on Wednesday and attended a Metro Tunnel site on Thursday. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Jacinta Allan says the appearance of former Victorian construction union leader John Setka at two taxpayer-funded projects in Melbourne has been referred to police.

The premier on Thursday confirmed Setka had spoken to workers at a Metro Tunnel project site earlier that morning. It came less than 24 hours after he appeared at another government project  the Footscray hospital redevelopment.

Related:Former CFMEU official launches high court challenge over Albanese government law

Allan said Kevin Devlin, the director-general of the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority, had referred the incidents to police and alleged the appearances were unlawful.

She said Devlin had also communicated with Big Build contractors to reinforce the governments expectations about following processes regarding attendance on work sites.

It is not acceptable in terms of John Setkas attendance on these work sites, she said.

My message to John Setka is there is no place for him on Victorian government Big Build work sites.

Allan also said the government was open to strengthening work site attendance rules.

A Victoria police spokesperson said it had received a verbal briefing from the police ministers office about a pending referral regarding a former union official.

Victoria police will assess the matter once details are provided, the spokesperson said.

Setka, the former Victorian construction secretary, delivered a speech on Wednesday to workers at the $1.5bn Footscray hospital project.

The Fair Work Ombudsman on Thursday confirmed it was investigating allegations former CFMEU officials have attended construction sites.

The Fair Work Ombudsman encourages anyone with information relating to these alleged site visits to provide this, a spokesperson said.

Wednesdays speech, in which Setka attacked the Albanese government and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, came after he resigned from the union in July before Nine newspapers published allegations of criminal links within the union.

People sort of asked why I resigned and Im going to be honest with youse, fucking Albo, and his fucking bullshit, he told workers at the site in Melbournes west.

The Victorian government has asked construction company Multiplex, which is managing the project, about how the on-site rally unfolded.

We have asked the lead contractor for an explanation and sought assurances this does not happen again, a government spokesperson said.

A high court challenge has been launched after the CFMEU was placed into administration.

The CFMEUs national secretary, Zach Smith, has previously said the bill to appoint administrators was a sad indictment on the government and called the Labor-Coalition deal as shameful as it is unnecessary.

He said the allegations were very concerning and had been taken seriously by the union, pointing to an independent investigation and a governance review.

These allegations remain exactly that  allegations  completely untested in the legal system he said.

Related: Builders and the Fair Work Commission are delaying CFMEU members pay deals, union leader says

The Maritime Union of Australia will join other trade unions to help fund the CFMEUs legal battle, claiming the governments decision was unjustified, chaotic and reckless.

Putting the construction union into administration had short and long-term consequences, the maritime workers group warned.

Mark Irving was appointed as administrator and more than 200 elected CFMEU officers had their roles terminated immediately.

The administration period could last up to five years.
Liz Cheneys announcement was cheered by the audience at Duke University. Photograph: Rebecca Cook/Reuters

Liz Cheney, the Republican former representative of Wyoming, has endorsed Kamala Harris for president. The former legislator made the pronouncement on Tuesday at an event at Duke university in North Carolina. This move makes her the latest Republican to publicly say that they will not be supporting Donald Trump.

I dont believe we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, Cheney, daughter of former Republican vice-president Dick Cheney, told the crowd. And as a conservative, as somebody who believes in and cares about the constitution, I have thought deeply about this and the present danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, I am voting for Kamala Harris.

Cheneys announcement, which was met with cheers from the audience, puts her on the growing list of lifelong Republicans who will be voting against Trump. In March, former vice-president Mike Pence told Fox news that he will not be endorsing his former running mate in November, citing Trumps actions on 6 January and course reversals on issues such as forcing China to sell TikTok.

Related: Liz Cheney urges US supreme court to rule quickly on Trumps immunity claim

Other prominent Republicans to vote against the partys nominee include Adam Kinzinger, the former republican representative for Illinois; Olivia Troye, who worked in the Trump administration as homeland security adviser to Pence; and Stephanie Grisham, one of Trumps former press secretaries, all of whom spoke at the recent Democratic national convention in Chicago. These appearances follow years of establishment Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, known as Never Trumpers, decrying Trump and the risks they see him posing to the health of the nation.

On Tuesday, a day before Cheneys announcement, Jimmy McCain, son of former Republican senator John McCain, said that he would also be voting for the Democrats ticket due to what he sees as Trumps animus and disrespect toward the military.

I care about my family, I care about equal rights for everyone in this country. I care about all of this, and you know, as much as I stayed as an independent I decided it was time to move on and do what I believe in, McCain told CNN on Tuesday.

Cheney has long been a detractor of Trump. In 2021 she was one of ten republicans to vote to impeach Trump after the 6 January riot. Weeks later Cheney was voted out of her leadership role among House republicans. During a closed-door vote before her ousting, Cheney was reportedly booed after voicing criticisms of Trump.
Lucy Letby was sentenced to multiple whole-life terms for the murders of newborn babies - EPN/Newscom/Avalon

Lucy Letby has appointed a new barrister who will try to overturn her murder convictions on the grounds that evidence presented to the jury was unreliable.

Mark McDonald, of Furnival Chambers, a specialist in criminal defence, has taken over the case and told The Telegraph that he was gathering experts.

The Telegraph understands that Letby had been unwilling to lose Ben Myers KC, her original counsel, after developing a bond with the barrister.

It is understood Mr Myers will continue to lead the appeal against her recent conviction of the attempted murder of Baby K.

But on Thursday it emerged that Mr McDonald will take the case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), although the new team will not be arguing that the original defence team was deficient.

Mr McDonald says there is a 'strong case' that Letby is innocent and that 'juries get it wrong' - Elizabeth Cook/PA

In August 2023, Letby was convicted of the murders of seven newborns and the attempted murders of six other infants. A retrial which ended in July also found her guilty of the attempted murder of another child.

However, as revealed in The Telegraph, doctors, scientists and statisticians have now come forward to challenge how the evidence was presented to the jury.

The change to Letbys legal team comes ahead of an inquiry into the hospital where she worked, which is due to start next week.

Its accurate that I have taken over the case, said Mr McDonald. You dont win a case arguing that the defence was bad, but on the fact that the evidence which was presented was unreliable.

There are numerous experts who are coming forward to question the evidence.

Mr McDonald, who founded the London Innocence Project in 2007, regularly advises on appeals against conviction and is instructed in cases involving murder, organised crime and terrorism.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has also announced it will convene a meeting in the wake of the verdicts, stating that it was aware of concerns from members and the wider community regarding the use of statistical evidence in the case.

Since the trial, it has also come to light that the hospital unit was suffering from a deadly infectious outbreak and had staffing issues which could have contributed to the rise in deaths between 2015 and 2016.

Experts have called for an inquiry into the Countess of Chester Hospital to be postponed - Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

NHS nurses were also warned against giving character evidence by their trusts.

An inquiry led by Lady Justice Thirlwall into the Countess of Chester Hospital is due to begin next week, but many experts have called for it to be postponed until concerns about the Letby evidence are addressed.

Last week, two dozen scientists, statisticians and medics wrote to Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, and Lady Justice Thirlwall, calling for a postponement to allow for further investigation and to hear wider professional concerns.

We believe that legal systems are particularly vulnerable to errors when dealing with intricate scientific evidence, especially in cases involving statistical anomalies in healthcare settings, and the complex physiology of neonates, the letter said.

The experts said their goal was not to relitigate the Letby case, but to ensure that the inquiry was positioned to conduct a thorough and beneficial investigation for the future of neonatal care in Britain.

Letby was sentenced to multiple whole-life terms, meaning she will spend the rest of her life in prison and two separate applications to appeal against her convictions have been turned down.

However, the CCRC told The Telegraph: Applications to the CCRC can be made by anyone who believes they have been wrongly convicted or sentenced, or by their representatives.

Mr McDonald said there was a strong case that Letby was innocent and warned that juries get it wrong.

The barrister also represents Ben Green, a nurse who was jailed for life in 2006 for murdering two patients and poisoning two others.
The second ever Maori queen in the eight-dynasty reign of the Kiingitanga movement in New Zealand has ascended to the throne in an emotional ceremony attended by thousands at Turangawaewae marae.

On Thursday morning Maori leaders hailed her as the new dawn.

Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki, the only daughter and youngest child of the former Maori King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, was revealed as the new queen on the final morning of the six-day tangihanga (funeral) of her father, marking the beginning of a new generation in the resistance movement.

Kiingi Tuheitea died peacefully in his sleep on Friday, aged 69, after heart surgery.

At the Te Whakawahinga (raising up) ceremony in the small town of Ngaruawahia, Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki, 27, was ushered to the throne by the Kiingitanga advisory council, a group of 12 elders from assorted tribes who chose her as their queen. The role is not automatically inherited, and the late Kiingi Tuheitea also has two sons.

Tekau-Maa-Rua chairman Che Wilson said Te Whakawahinga was an important ceremony dating back eight generations. We follow the tikanga of our ancestors who created the Kiingitanga to unify and uplift our people and we have chosen Nga Wai Hono i te po as our new monarch. She was anointed with sacred oils and blessed with the Bible used to crown the first Maori king in 1858.

Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki has a masters of Maori cultural studies from Waikato University, and received her moko kauae (chin tattoo) at aged 19 as a gift to her father and the years he spent on the throne. The second-youngest monarch in Maoridom, Nga Wai hono i te po Paki had been close to her fathers side to many events in the past several years, and tears and joy greeted the news of her crowning at Ngaruawahia, Stuff reported.

The Kiingitanga was founded in 1858 as a force to resist colonisation and try to preserve Maori culture and land. It has no legal mandate and while the monarch role is largely ceremonial, it is also considered to be the paramount chief of several tribes.

Since the election of New Zealands conservative National party-led government in October, the Kiingitanga has played an increasingly prominent role in bringing Maori together in opposition to proposed policies considered by many to be a rollback of Maori rights. Kiingi Tuheitea called a series of nationwide meetings to protest these and proposed changes to the principles of the Treaty, and was considered to be a beacon of hope.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi lawyer Annette Sykes, who has spent her career fighting for the rights of Maori, said the new Queen represents the future she has been aiming for.

Shes inspiring, the revitalisation and reclamation of our language has been a 40 year journey for most of us and she epitomises that, it is her first language, she speaks it with ease. Political, economic and social wellbeing for our people is at the heart of what she wants and in many ways she is like her grandmother, who was adored by the nation.

Sykes said it was exciting that the council of men had chosen a woman to lead, which would not have been a foregone conclusion.

Shes the new dawn, and the deliberations that took part over a few days over a wise council of advisers that made the decision for the motu, for the Maori world, must be congratulated.

Weve all watched her grow up, shes very humble, Ive watched her mature into this woman who has this thirst for authentic knowledge and brings this into the modern world. Shes someone who wears Gucci, and she wears moko kauae. She is leading us into uncharted and turbulent waters, and she will do it with aplomb.

Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki met then Prince Charles in London in 2022, and told Re: News she had taken the trip to honour her ancestors, but that it had been difficult reflecting on the brutal impacts of colonisation on Maori in New Zealand. Ill be honest, my greatest desire of all is for all Maori land to be returned to Maori.

Kiingi Tuheiteas mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangitaaku, became the first Maori queen in 1966.

Kiingi Tuheiteas body was flanked by a guard of honour including local tribe Ngaati Maahanga and the New Zealand defence force to the Waikato river, where a flotilla of waka was taking him to the sacred Taupiri mountain for burial.
NaphCare's headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama. Photograph: Google Maps

When Isaiah Trammell experienced a mental health episode while detained at Ohios Montgomery county jail in February last year, he pleaded for a blanket, a mat and a phone call.

He was denied them because he was on suicide precautions.

Trammell screamed and banged his head on the jail cell door. He couldnt calm himself  the 19-year-old had autism spectrum disorder and was stimming due to the overwhelming stress of being confined in jail without access to his family or his medication. He told officers he had autism and ADHD.

In turn, they ridiculed him and told him he was behaving like an ass, forcibly placing him in a restraint chair twice.

Jails around the US regularly contract private healthcare companies that are oftentimes paid for by taxpayers to meet the needs of people in their care.

NaphCare, a $1bn company, has been paid tens of millions of dollars to provide medical and mental health care at the Montgomery county jail.

But they did not do that for Isaiah Trammell.

A sheriffs office information report found that an officer requested mental health officers to speak with Trammell to deescalate the situation. Video footage of the 10 hours that Trammell spent at the jail showed an on-duty healthcare worker attempting to speak with him  but gave up and was quoted as saying: OK, Im done.

Trammell died three days later after hitting his head against his unpadded jail cell wall. Officials ruled his death a suicide.

The doctors, the neurosurgeon [at the hospital where he was pronounced dead] said, Had we gotten your son sooner, we could have saved him, Brandy Abner, Trammells mother, said recently.

They could have saved my son if [the nurse] would have just said, He needs to be sent out. She didnt care. She was so cruel. He was dying. He was begging her for help.

Trammells experience forms part of a larger history of deaths, legal settlements and other substandard care issues involving NaphCare. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the company operates in dozens of jails in 32 states.

And jails where NaphCare is contracted have seen the highest death tolls compared with any healthcare provider in the country, according to a 2020 Reuters investigation. In 2022, the company was forced to pay nearly $27m to the estate of a woman in Washington state who died after being denied anti-seizure medication while in its care in a wrongful death settlement.

After a number of deaths in Massachusetts, California and Arizona, NaphCare has been penalized millions of dollars for failing to provide adequate staffing at jail facilities.

Other detainees in its care have suffered deadly cases of malnourishment and scabies.

The US justice department also found that the company overcharged jails for its services and forced it to pay back almost $700,000 in 2021.

A NaphCare spokesperson refused to answer questions from the Guardian, including why Isaiah Trammell was denied medication.

Instead, an emailed response said NaphCares clinical teams provide compassionate, comprehensive and proactive health care for every patient with integrity and transparency. The statement also said that NaphCare had staff at the Montgomery county jail 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Weve consistently adapted our service level and treatment to meet the changing needs of our patients, NaphCare said.

NaphCare isnt the only healthcare company accused of providing shockingly substandard healthcare. Corizon, another company contracted to provide healthcare and medical treatment at jails, has reportedly gone through corporate restructuring to form a new company, YesCare, in order to avoid paying tens of millions of dollars to creditors.

Related: Boom, bang! Tales from a cell below the crazy unit of a US prison

As Corene Kendrick of the American Civil Liberties Unions national prison project put it: County jails get talked into the idea that somehow a for-profit company is going to take care of all of the problems and responsibilities  Inevitably what happens is you have a for-profit entity that is determined to make a profit off of their work.

They need to be held to task to make sure they are actually providing the services that they are getting paid millions of dollars to do.

Montgomery county jail activists are concerned that their attempts to be included in plans for a $20m renovation there  meant to include 100 medical care beds  have been ignored.

If there will be 100 more medical beds in the renovated jail, we assume NaphCares contract will be expanded to include this massive increase in services delivered, the Montgomery County Jail Coalitions Joel Pruce said.

Weve asked how much it will cost. Weve asked what additional oversight would be in place too. Considering they are such an infamous company, the idea they will have more responsibility is frightening.

Isaiah Trammell was one of seven people who died at, or shortly after being held in, the jail in 2023. And an investigation by Ohios department of rehabilitation and corrections found the facility was not compliant with several applicable jail standards. However, the department also claimed that the jail had since enacted meaningful changes.

Despite the deaths and controversies, in January, Montgomery countys local government renewed its contract with NaphCare to the tune of $7.6m.

Trammells mother, Brandy Abner, said her son dreamed of moving to Alaska to become a park ranger and was a fanatic of the pro wrestler John Cena.

He was obsessed with wrestling, Abner said. He would learn everything about a particular animal  he wanted to be the next dog whisperer.

But instead, she said she was left mourning the death of her teenage son due to the failure of jail nurses to do their jobs.

They continued to let him stim for hours and hours, she says. My son would be alive if [they] had done [their] job.
Boris Johnson and Michel Barnier often found themselves at loggerheads

Michel Barnier, Frances new prime minister, was determined to teach Britain a lesson during the Brexit negotiations.

The EUs chief negotiator never missed a chance to school his rebellious Anglo-Saxon pupils on their error of leaving the bloc.

We intend to teach people, he said back in 2017 at the start of the Brexit talks, what leaving the single market means.

The Gaullist negotiated with no fewer than four British Brexit secretaries in a two-year stint from 2017 to November 2019, when Jean-Claude Juncker stepped down.

The tone was set early on at his first official meeting with David Davis, then Brexit secretary, in July 2017.

The European Commission tweeted a photo of Mr Barnier and two senior officials sitting opposite Mr Davis and his team. The Europeans had bulky folders on the desk in front of them, Mr Davis and company had apparently neglected to bring notes or even a notebook. The message was clear; only one side had done their homework and it wasnt the British.

Mr Barnier cultivated an air of wearied professorial patience in the years of lectures that followed.

When Boris Johnson, then foreign secretary, said the EU could go whistle over its Brexit bill demands, the man from Savoie moved to restore discipline. I am not hearing any whistling, just a clock ticking, he scolded in 2017.

The Brussels schoolmasters clock was always ticking while he taught his lessons by rote. Brexit was a lose-lose, he would recite, a zero sum game.

There could be no cherry-picking, Mr Barnier would intone as he repeated again and again the rules of EU membership in hundreds of press conferences.

Colour-coded charts and a ladder diagram showing different trading relationships on offer to Britain were deployed by Mr Barnier to make his point.

At one point, the British team started bringing out their own charts to counter the EU messaging in what was swiftly dubbed slide wars.

But the man with a PhD in Brexit had already won the argument and was giving Britain the third degree.

Mr Barniers lessons were swallowed without question in Brussels and hailed as Moses-like evident truths by the most zealous fringes of the Remainer community in Britain.

No one has ever managed to explain to me the added value of Brexit, Mr Barnier often mused as Europe sat at his feet, not even Nigel Farage. Mr Farage, the naughtiest of bad influences, was famously summoned to Mr Barniers office for a chat.

According to Mr Barnier, Mr Farage told him cheekily that other member states would copy Brexit Britain and leave. These people want to destroy the EU, Mr Barnier told reporters in Brussels.

Mr Barnier cultivated a calm, unflappable exterior. He unfailingly insisted he respected Britains sovereign decision to leave the EU, before listing the reasons why it was a massive error.

Only Lord Frost seemed to have the knack of getting under Mr Barniers skin. Otherwise, he was unfailingly courteous, even once telling the Britpack of British reporters in Brussels I dont really eat croissants and I prefer an English breakfast.

Michel Barnier in full Brexit flow in 2020

Mr Barnier is, as you would expect, extraordinarily charming, staunch Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said outside commission headquarters after meeting the Frenchman in Brussels in 2018.

The lithe Frenchman would often explain, at length, that as a young man in 1970s France, his first vote was to support Britain joining the EEC, the forerunner of the modern EU.

However, he also named Charles de Gaulle, the president who twice vetoed UK membership of the bloc, as his political hero.

And he never forgot that he was dubbed the most dangerous man in Europe in Britain after being named the commissioner for financial regulation and planning a cap on bankers bonuses.

Mr Barnier, 73, insists to this day that he was not looking to punish Britain for Brexit or for revenge. But there is no doubt he wanted to make an example of the UK to ensure continental eurosceptics didnt follow Britain out of the bloc.

During the Brexit years, he toured the EUs capitals; congratulating them (and himself) on their remarkable unity against the British.

Michel Barnier in the official handover ceremony with former French prime minister Gabriel Attal - STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP

He was greeted with standing ovations from Dublin to Denmark after speeches packed with EU theology such as single market access being conditional on accepting free movement.

Mr Barnier had achieved something very rare for an EU commissioner  he had become a household name across Europe, if not necessarily in his native France.

It was only after he left the commission and ran for French president in 2022 that he blotted his copybook.

The man from the Alps first became a French deputy for the centre-Right Republicans aged just 27, entering government for the first time in the mid 1990s under Jacques Chirac.

French Joe Biden

But, a man whose longevity is such that some call him the French Joe Biden, needed to grab Frances attention after spending 15 years as a commissioner in Brussels.

As the politician took over from the professor, Mr Barnier dismayed his admirers in Brussels by declaring France should not, in certain circumstances, be subject to the European Court of Justice or the European Court of Human Rights.

He demanded a crackdown on immigration and found himself accused of tearing pages from Mr Farages playbook.

To make matters worse, he failed to get the nomination from his beloved Republicans, which went on to post disastrous results in the presidential election.

Until today, Mr Barnier looked destined for the political wilderness, being wheeled out as a pundit on British political chat shows, plugging his secret diary of the Brexit negotiations.

The diary was called La Grande Illusion in France, which makes clear his view of Brexit has not changed, despite his flirtations with euroscepticism.

In an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year, he told Sir Keir Starmer the EUs red lines of free movement hadnt changed, amid Labours calls for a renegotiation of the Brexit agreements.

His comeback wont have a direct impact on French policy towards the UK, as foreign policy is a presidential responsibility. Mr Macron is perfectly capable of being tough on Britain without Mr Barniers help.

Emmanuel Macron is mired in a mess of his own making. After being handed a drubbing in European elections in June at the hands of Marine Le Pens National Rally, he called snap assembly elections.

Before the vote, the French centre-Left, greens and hard-Left patched up their differences to form the New Popular Front group to keep the hard-Right from power.

In the first round, Ms Le Pens party made big gains. In the second, Mr Macrons centrist camp and the New Popular Front stood down candidates in a pact to keep National Rally from forming a new government.

When the votes were counted,the New Popular Front was the largest faction but short of a majority in a hung parliament.

National Rally was the largest single party but also did not have an assembly majority. Mr Barniers Republicans were nowhere near a majority and neither were Mr Macrons centrists.

Michel Barnier and Ursula von Der Leyen with Boris Johnson who told the EU to 'go whistle' when he was foreign secretary - Andrew Parsons / No10 Downing Street

Mr Macron rejected the Lefts choice of Prime Minister. Mr Barnier emerged as a figure his party and the Republicans could accept.

It is thought the president could have a deal with the eurosceptic National Rally not to bring down the new Right-leaning government with a vote of no confidence.

Ms Le Pens party is making the most of the leverage already and saying it will wait and see the new government programme before deciding on its next move. Mr Barnier will hope his tough talk on immigration will be enough to ensure his immediate survival.

It helps that everyone knows he will not contest the next presidential elections in 2027.

The new prime minister will need all his powers to survive in post in the deeply polarised world of French politics. Earlier this year, he accused Ms Le Pen, who once called for a Frexit referendum, of not having learnt the lessons of Brexit.

Now, in the case of a pupil becoming the master, Ms Le Pen has the power to decide how long he remains as prime minister.
Ed Miliband in action in the Commons on Thursday

Im beginning to think that Ed Miliband might have been created as part of some sort of medieval alchemy test to distil the essence of purest cringe.

Today he was tasked with the second reading of the Great British Energy Bill  itself named from the Bake Off school of constitutional dignity  and did so with all the heft of a stand-in geography teacher trying to get the kids down with igneous rocks during a rainy period 7.

Get this, he lisped at the House of Commons, the City of Munich owns more of our offshore wind than we do.

Wow, Daddio, get you! Even if it was delivered with the unique Milibean charm that made him so electable in 2015, this was all absolutely standard Starmerist bilge.

Fourteen years of [insert synonym for horror here] the Milipede repeated again and again, each time delivering the words as if they were a hoick of phlegm he wanted to expel from his doubtless heavily congested nasal canal.

Great British Energy wasnt just the answer to our energy woes, it was also wildly popular with the general public.

I have a free idea for the not very Famous Five still left in the Tory leadership race, he snarked. Back an idea that voters support! An amorphous vision is one thing, but what happens when the bill arrives?

For all his insistence that this was the best thing since sliced Ed, Milibands trademark policy is already on the rocks.

Last week he wrote a dribbling incoherent letter to the National Grid, essentially admitting that he had no real clue about how to decarbonise the grid by 2030.

An incoherent letter for an incoherent policy: he might as well have sent them a guide to Apophatic Theology in Swahili.

The Milipede has clearly been smoking whatever it was the Caterpillar had in his hookah: the more we learn about Great British Energy the clearer it becomes that we are entering the realm of policy-making by Lewis Carroll.

Unfortunately for Ed, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho was on hand to provide an accomplished demolition job.

She reminded the Commons of his promise to save consumers 300 a year on their bills and various other impossible things to believe before breakfast. Coutinho mostly stuck to the lack of detail  a trickier complaint for a Government of Grown-Ups () to fend off. This bill is four pages long. Theres barely anything in it.

She feared the handing over of absolute authority, and a multibillion-pound budget, to a man with little experience of investment  or indeed, anything beyond Westminster.

Eds CV was allowed to speak for itself. His only period in the private sector was as a researcher at Channel 4, she crowed. (Thats very poor, harrumphed Ed.)

Determined to continue his supply teacher impression, Miliband flew off the handle whenever someone requested the most basic clarification.

Wera Hobhouse politely asked about private sector investment potentially being crowded out by GBE. Milibands eyes bulged dangerously.

Poor Wera was accused of being a slow learner, an Orange Book Lib Dem and a free-market ideologue  all in the space of about 30 seconds.

The Energy Secretary joins the ranks of his Cabinet colleagues who appear to be allergic to challenge. Were in power and questions will not be tolerated is the general mantra.

He may only have been an intern at Channel 4 but its clear hes a valedictorian from the Keir Starmer School of Dishing it Out but not Taking It.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is increasing in popularity for its flavour-enhancing qualities - Getty

Earlier this year Ryan Riley, the chef behind Life Kitchen, which designs recipes for those living with cancer, teamed up with Holland & Barrett to create a range of flavour-enhancing foods for anyone experiencing taste loss.

One is Sensation Salt, a blend of salt, white pepper and Monosodium glutamate (MSG), which work together to create a full sensory experience, said Riley.

Now Ocado is stocking Ajinomoto umami seasoning, arguably the worlds most famous MSG brand. Cookery writer MiMi Aye reacted with delight. OUR TIME HAS FINALLY COME, she wrote on Instagram, with chefs and food writers, including Nigella Lawson, filling her responses in appreciation.

This is middle-class acceptability, hallelujah, Aye, author of Mandalay: Recipes and Tales from a Burmese Kitchen, told The Telegraph. Meanwhile, Canadian Tiktok sensation Logan Moffitt, better known as the cucumber guy, has added to MSGs popularity, sprinkling it in his now-famous salad recipe.

I love that its being normalised, added Ana Da Costa, a recipe developer and cook. But its also a bit sad that it needs to take white people to use it to be an ok ingredient. Its been around for ages. Its obviously a big step for it now not to be a monster.

Canadian Tiktok sensation Logan Moffitt, better known as the 'cucumber guy', has added to MSGs popularity - TikTok

What is MSG?

Monosodium glutamate is an odourless crystalline additive used widely around the world. It can be found in soups, stock cubes, canned vegetables, crisps and more. It is essentially a synthetic production of glutamates which occur naturally in umami-rich foods including tomatoes, mushrooms and parmesan.

First extracted by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda from seaweed broth in 1908, it is now made by fermenting starch, sugar beets and sugar cane or molasses and crystallising the solution into a powder.

On its own it has little flavour, but is a powerful flavour enhancer, boosting the umami  or savouriness  of almost anything. Its basically a type of salt, the clues in the name, says Aye.

Why the controversy?

Initially more popular in the USA than Asia, mistrust of MSG largely stems from a 1968 letter to the New England Journal of Medicine describing sickness after eating a Chinese meal.

It led to an anti-MSG movement, and became associated with symptoms such as numbness, weakness and headaches, based largely on poorly conducted research. By the 1990s, studies had failed to find evidence MSG is unhealthy  but the stereotype has endured.

How to use MSG

MSG has long been popular in Asian cookery. In most southeast Asian communities its completely normal [to use it], says Aye. Its just another little shaker, alongside the tray of cooking ingredients at the side of the stove.

Ayes most recent book had an essay dedicated to MSG and in 2021 she guest edited an issue of Pit Magazine which focused on MSG. Its the most successful issue of the food publication to date.

MiMi Ayes guest edited issue of Pit Magazine, which was dedicated to MSG

Aye uses it similarly to salt, as an ingredient while cooking, primarily in savoury dishes. If I put a tablespoon of salt in, Id put in a quarter tablespoon of MSG. It makes stuff more savoury, the same way salt makes things saltier and sugar makes things sweeter.

And its not only for Asian dishes. Aye adds it to tomato sauce for a more rounded, richer flavour, or to salad dressings for depth. People are surprised, but it can work in everything.

Cookery writer MiMi Aye is a big believer in cooking with MSG: It makes stuff more savoury, the same way salt makes things saltier and sugar makes things sweeter

For Judy Joo, founder of Seoul Bird, a group of Korean restaurants in Britain and the US, MSG is a great shortcut when theres a limited time to pack as much flavour as possible into food.

MSG can be used as a seasoning after cooking for the likes of popcorn or chips. Da Costa, who grew up in Macau to Chinese and Portuguese parents, says MSG has always been normalised in our household, Ive never really thought it wasnt something people use. She adds it to almost anything, including desserts. Ive done a recipe for a flan with MSG in the caramel, it went down a treat.

A little goes a long way  if cooking for two, half a teaspoon will suffice. Da Costas mother would use it in Chinese recipes but not Portuguese ones, though Da Costa uses it in bacalhau a bras, a cod and potato dish, or feijoada, a bean stew. MSG is an awesome ingredient to have at home, says James Chant, founder of Matsudai Ramen in Cardiff. A shaker filled with two-thirds salt and one-third MSG adds a new layer of flavour to anything you cook.

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What are the alternatives?

For Joo, alternative ways to add umami to dishes include seaweed, tomatoes, mushrooms, anchovies, Parmesan, black garlic, and anything fermented, like kimchi, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang or doenjang, which is why Korean food is packed full of flavour.

Da Costa argues that umami-rich products like mushroom powder or Parmesan dont give the same umami taste. They are umami, but its not pure umami. You could put them in desserts or popcorn, but it would taste cheesy, or mushroomy. Umami simply boosts the flavours already there.

Is MSG bad for you?

MSG is a form of something called glutamic acid explains nutritionist Caroline Farrell. That amino acid is found in everything from mushrooms to cheese and tomatoes.

While MSG is made by fermenting and then crystallising glucose (a sugar-like molecule) extracted from plants, it breaks down in the same way as a natural glutamate, says Farrell.

MSG is a useful and flavour-enhancing addition to popcorn and chips - Getty

MSG vs salt

Contrary to popular belief, MSG may actually be less dangerous for your health than normal salt. Its the sodium content of salt that increases our blood pressure and our risk of heart disease when its consumed in high amounts.

Gram for gram, MSG contains a third of the sodium found in table salt, meaning that it may be safer to use as a seasoning. And, because MSG is more potent than salt, you dont need to use so much of it in your cooking.

MSG and headaches

Headaches are a major component of so-called Chinese restaurant syndrome, which was said to occur within hours of eating MSG-laden food and whose symptoms also include profuse sweating, stomach cramps and nausea.

Though it has long been blamed on MSG, Farrell says, I havent seen any studies which show that the amount you might consume in a typical takeaway or restaurant meal would result in these symptoms, Farrell adds.

Instead, the condition may result from other ingredients traditionally used in Chinese cooking. Natural compounds such as histamine, tyramine, phenylethylamine and glutamine figure heavily in black beans, prawns and soy sauce and all four have been linked to headaches.

MSG sensitivity

Around one per cent of people are thought to have a sensitivity to MSG. However, this occurs only when it is eaten in very large amounts of around three grams. Typically a food or dish enhanced with MSG contains just half a gram.
There is no place in Germany for antisemitism or Islamist extremism, the German chancellor has said after police in Munich shot dead a man carrying a long-barrelled gun following an exchange of fire near the Israeli consulate.

In a joint statement, the Bavarian state police and prosecutors said they believed the man had been planning a terrorist attack involving the consulate general of the state of Israel.

Ronen Steinke, a journalist from the Munich-based Suddeutsche Zeitung, posted mobile phone footage of the shooting on X that he had apparently recorded from his office. A flurry of gunshots was reported at just after 9am local time.

A police spokesperson said the man had a long-barrelled gun that proved to be an old rifle.

The Israeli consulate and the nearby Nazi documentation centre are under constant police watch, but have been under increased surveillance since conflict has escalated in the Middle East.

The suspect was reportedly a teenage Austrian national who had recently travelled to Germany and lived in the Salzburg area, according to the Standard and Spiegel news outlets, which also reported that he was known to security officials as an Islamist. Police in Munich declined to comment on the report and said they were not sharing information about the suspect.

In a post on X, Olaf Scholz praised the emergency services quick reaction for having perhaps prevented something terrible from happening. The chancellor added: Antisemitism and Islamism have no place here.

Local media outlets were quick to point out that the incident took place on the 52nd anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympic attack in which Palestinian terrorists killed two Israeli athletes and took as hostages another nine, who were subsequently killed in a botched rescue attempt. The terrorists had wanted the release of 200 prisoners in Israel, as well as the Red Army Faction terrorists Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof.

No immediate connection between the incident and the anniversary was made by police, although the Bavarian state premier, Markus Soder, said there was a terrible suspicion the attack had been planned for that day.

There was no indication of further suspects or of any injured persons.

In a statement, the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, expressed his horror at what he described as a terror attack.

I spoke now with the president of Germany, my dear friend Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the terror attack this morning near the Israeli consulate in Munich, Herzog said.

Police told the public to avoid the area around Karolinenplatz and urged those in residential and office buildings to stay put as the location was sealed off and a police helicopter patrolled overhead.

Benedikt Frank, the deputy director and chief executive of the annual Munich Security Conference (MSC), whose office is located in the area, said he and colleagues had been trapped in the building during the police operation.

Our office, which is right next to the Nazi documentation centre in Munichs city centre has been sealed off by the police. Our employees all find themselves in lockdown right now, he told the tabloid Bild.

He added: At 9.10am there was suddenly a loud bang. We heard at least a dozen shots. We dont know anything else at this stage. There is currently a large number of emergency personnel on the street.

The area in which the incident occurred is considered to be historically sensitive. The Nazi documentation centre, which was opened in 2015, was built on the ruins of the Brown House, the former party headquarters of the Nazis. The Israeli consulate moved into the former Nazi party quarter at about the same time. Both buildings are afforded special protection on the grounds that they are considered at high risk of attack.

According to Israeli media, the consulate was closed at the time of the incident and no staff were present, as a memorial ceremony to mark the Munich Olympics massacre was taking place at the time.
Equal treatment for all? NHS staff being vocal about their prejudices - Victoria Jones/PA

Some like to joke that the NHS is Britains national religion. But it is no longer a secular one. Sectarianism has become rife across the health service and perhaps the most frightening thing is that people are no longer hiding it. Some, like the Labour MP Jess Phillips, even revel in it.

I got through quicker, the Birmingham MP said last week of being whizzed through A&E, apparently because of her political views. The doctor who saw me was Palestinian ... and he was sort of like, I like you. You voted for a ceasefire.

It is probably best for her that she stepped away from X (Twitter) last month after a post in which she appeared to justify scenes of masked men intimidating a journalist. Because she may have been asked about a two-tier NHS and what might have happened had she dared to  God forbid  speak against the terrorist group Hamas. Or what her treatment might have been if she was a well-known Jewish MP.

The NHS  like the university, arts, charity and trade union sectors  no longer feels like a safe space for Jewish people. It is an organisation in which people like Dr Wahid Shaida, who gloried in the October 7 massacre as a welcome punch on the nose, is allowed to work as a GP. Where the Health Workers for Palestine hold demonstrations outside hospitals. Where nurses wear Palestine badges  with complainants told it is a free speech issue.

The General Medical Council has reported that the number of complaints about doctors subjecting Jewish colleagues to anti-Semitic abuse after October 7 jumped from eight to 60. According to one poll, three quarters of Jewish healthcare workers have suffered at least one anti-Semitic incident since October 7  and half reported feeling unsafe at work.

Jewish doctors and NHS workers have told me of their fear that, if they complain, it will only make things worse. One told me: I wouldnt tell any doctor or nurse treating me that Im Jewish because I hear what is said behind the scenes and its frightening.

Jews often have their ethnicity on their records because certain genetic diseases are more prevalent in the community. But some have become so frightened of experiencing anti-Semitism when they are most vulnerable that they have asked for their religion to be erased.

The NHS is aware of the problem but even its attempt to fight it causes problems, as it emerged this week. Online anti-Semitism training at the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust was subject to an attack before it had even started when an important notice in its weekly bulletin warned staff against attending, saying: We have determined that this training and its content may be inappropriate. Its chief executive Claire Murdoch later apologised.

Something has gone very wrong if the NHS  which controversially spends around 40 million a year on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at a time when it can ill-afford any wastage  is no longer safe for Jewish people. It is hard to say whether well-paid DEI executives are blind to the problem, or simply not up to the job of addressing it.

The NHSs noble history includes the time of the Troubles when, in Northern Ireland, Catholic doctors worked on Protestant Unionists and vice versa because politics was left at the door. No longer. Our healthcare service has a sickness, but is anyone willing to talk about a cure?
Botwnnog village council wants to ban non-Welsh speakers from moving into the new homes - WALES NEWS SERVICE

Non-Welsh speakers face being banned from a Welsh housing estate because they pose a danger to the community.

Botwnnog community council in Gwynedd, North Wales, is seeking to ban English-speaking families from an affordable housing development being built in the rural village.

Councillors claimed non-Welsh speakers moving into the 18 new homes would present a danger to the Welsh language and the fabric of the community and be a degenerative influence.

Botwnnog is a village of fewer than 1,000 people located in the Llyn Peninsula, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that juts out into the Irish Sea from Waless west coast.

Welsh is spoken at home by three-quarters of pupils at the villages two schools, which also teach in the native language, according to government statistics.

The plans to build a series of bungalows on farmland on the edge of the village have sparked controversy in the rural community.

The planned new homes are just four miles from a tourist hotspot popular for second homes - WALES NEWS SERVICE

It would be great if the availability of the proposed houses could be limited to Welsh speakers only, but despite that, it cannot be proven that a large number of these houses would not become non-Welsh speaking households, if not all of them, the community council said as it objected to the plans, which were submitted to Cyngor Gwynedd, the regions county council.

As we know, it only takes the presence of a few non-Welsh speaking people to turn the communitys language of communication from Welsh to English.

The applicant acknowledges this possibility but expects the community to do the necessary integration work. The lesson from the history of many Welsh communities is that this is not likely to happen.

The community council added: This degenerative force does not recognise boundaries.

In response, the applicants  a company called Cae Capel Cyf  said there would be nil or at most [a] very modest impact on the Welsh language in the village.

The occupiers can be expected to be local people, and thus the population of the development will have the same Welsh language characteristics as the local population as they will be drawn from it, the firm said.

As such, impact upon the language will be nil or at most very modest, and certainly not sufficient to be materially harmful to the language.

Locals also hit back at the councils attempts to ban English-speaking families from the new homes, calling them Welsh language zealots.

What nonsense, one pensioner said. Would they like language tests carried out to see who qualifies?

These are Welsh language zealots. Theyre doing more harm to community cohesion and the image of Wales.

The application is set to be considered by Cyngor Gwynedd at a planning meeting on Sept 9.

In 2022, the Welsh government announced measures to try to protect Welsh communities called A Fair Chance, which would enable providers to only advertise homes to locals for a certain period.
The Prince of Waless new look - SASMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE

The Prince of Wales has brought his summer beard back to work, as he returned from his holidays for an engagement about homelessness sporting a jawline of stubble.

The Prince, who recently revealed a full beard during a video message for the Olympics, visited the Saatchi gallery in London to see an exhibition of artworks created by people who have experienced homelessness.

As well as admiring the exhibits, which were curated as part of his Homewards project, the Prince turned heads with a new look  a short but distinctive beard.

He had grown a beard in August, while his family were enjoying a summer break in Norfolk and Balmoral, but appeared to have shaved it off ahead of a visit to Crathie Kirk on Aug 25, when he was photographed driving a car with the Princess and their children as passengers.

As he arrived at the Saatchi gallery on Thursday afternoon, fans waiting outside immediately noticed that his stubble was back.

The new beard drew many admiring looks - CHRIS JACKSON/via REUTERS

Some 64 per cent of Telegraph readers, who answered a poll via the Royal Appointment newsletter, said they liked Prince Williams new look.

Kensington Palace declined to comment on the future of his beard.

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Called Homelessness: Reframed, the exhibition has been staged by Homewards, the Princes charity which aims to change perceptions of homelessness and eradicate it.

In particular, it works to intervene earlier to stop people becoming homeless, from sleeping on the streets to sofa surfing.

The art exhibition, which runs until Sept 20 and is free to view, features sculptures, photographs and everyday objects given a new life by artists with personal experience of homelessness.

It includes a wall of handwritten cardboard signs once held by those seeking help on the streets, and also includes works from established artists including photographer Rankin.

The Prince used the exhibition to speak of his hopes of changing perceptions of homelessness.

During a visit which overran by one hour, he said he was really pleased, so pleased to hear that 25,000 people have visited the exhibition in the last 23 days, after organisers planned for 5,000.

He was said to be stunned at a life-sized shed-like structure sculpture made by former soldier and rough sleeper David Tovey, from an old Peugeot 206 he once lived in.

Award-winning social justice artist Mr Tovey created Home 2013 from scraps of metal and panels from the car he once lived in for six months.

Do you think weve got the right tone? the Prince asked Mr Tovey of the display in general. I really want people to feel this, experience it. To change perceptions.

Mr Tovey said afterwards: When I was first asked by him I was like Are you mad? Do you really want me to do this? So for me it is everything. Hopefully galleries will realise the impact and open their eyes.

He was pretty impressed. We mainly talked about the military and what I have been through. Its something he really cares about.

He spoke to me about how emotions are taken out of you in the military.

He said: They are sometimes really hard to get back, arent they? How are you doing? I was yes, Im still working on it.

He suggested maybe we could take it on tour, the whole thing. I think we are, in the six locations Homewards is working in. That would be amazing.

Prince William during a visit to the Saatchi Gallery - Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace

Uche Eneke, 42, spent 13 years in sub-standard temporary accommodation with her two young sons now aged nine and 16, which took a toll on their health, and has three of her photographs displayed.

I said to my group, wow, he really listened. He looked like he heard me and asked genuine questions, she said afterwards.

He wanted to hear my experiences and, crucially, learn what the solutions were. He wanted to know where I found support.

His backing means everything. Once you get backing from someone like himself, people really sit up. You get noticed.

Coming from his position he could not want to make a difference, but he does. He has all sorts of brickbats thrown at him and he takes on the chin and gets on with this.

Artist Robi Walters, who endured childhood trauma in care, also spoke with the Prince.

He talked to me about his idea, his vision, said Mr Walters. How he wanted to educate people about this whole, complex issue. Hes got such a huge public profile and platform and he could choose to focus on anything, but he chooses this. The fact that he has chosen to do this and put his money where his mouth is, well thats really remarkable.

The photographer Rankin told the Prince: Ive loved being part of it.

The Prince was also reunited with an old friend, Big Issue seller Dave Martin, whom he has previously teamed up with to sell the magazine on the street.

Dave, lovely to see you again. How have you been? the Prince asked

Mr Martin has contributed a piece of work featuring abstract geometric shapes which represent aspects of his life including pathways, a roof over his head and windows to see the light.

He said: He recognised my work straight away.

Afterwards, the Prince told him: If I dont see you soon, take care.

Mick Clarke, chief executive of homelessness charity The Passage which helped the Homewards team find artists for the exhibition, said: What I love about the Reframed exhibition is this gives an opportunity again to put a spotlight on how weve got to get homelessness away from something society thinks is inevitable and something that we manage, to something that can be prevented from happening.

You have this exhibition where its taking people on the journey of homelessness and the trauma people have been through, but also the positivity coming out the other end.

The attraction has three parts: a collection of mainly hand-drawn signs sometimes seen next to a person sleeping rough, artwork commissions, and doors turned into art by young people, from the six areas where Homewards is working, during workshops led by local artists who have been homeless.
A Merlin helicopter, like the one pictured, ditched in the Channel - UNPIXS/UNPIXS

An investigation has been launched into the death of a Royal Navy aviator who was killed in a helicopter crash off the Dorset coast.

A Merlin Mk4 helicopter ditched into the English Channel while conducting night flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday.

The Telegraph understands there were three crew members aboard the helicopter at the time of the accident, which happened around 8.45pm.

One was killed. The family of the deceased, who has not been named, have been informed. It is not known whether the body recovered from the scene was the pilot, co-pilot or an air crew member.

The two other crew members were rescued and taken to hospital. They did not suffer serious injuries, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

A second Merlin helicopter had also taken part in the exercise.

Specialist teams are working to recover the wreckage from the seabed and use any data salvaged to piece together the cause of the accident, which remains unknown. There are fears the helicopter suffered a highly unusual double engine failure during the exercise.

The aircraft was carrying out exercises with the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth - Chris Gorman/Big Ladder

John Healey, the Defence Secretary, confirmed that an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the crash.

Speaking on a visit to HMS Diamond in Portsmouth, said: This is very, very sad news. It is news that everyone connected with our Armed Forces dreads, and all my thoughts are with the family and friends and colleagues today.

I have been able to share my condolences with Navy personnel, and I am here with the First Sea Lord. A full investigation has already started, and that will be one of his first priorities.

He declined to comment further on what happened, saying: That will be for the investigation.

He added: Today is a day to mourn the loss of a valued Navy personnel and to think about his family and his friends and his colleagues, not just on the helicopter, back on base but the wider naval services feels his loss.

The Mk4 Merlin, currently used by Royal Marines, is considered one of the worlds most advanced amphibious battlefield helicopters, capable of carrying up to 24 troops.

David Learmount, an expert on aviation issues, said other Navy helicopters could be grounded and examined if a technical problem was found to have caused the ditching of the aircraft.

He said: If there was a technical aspect to this, they are going to check all the other helicopters that are like this one to make sure its not going to happen to them too. If they have a reason to do so, they will say wed better ground all the others until we know the reason why it happened.

Full investigation to take place

Asked how investigators would check whether there had been a technical problem, he said: They have a number of sensors on board. They dont have the full black box set up like civilian, commercial operations do, but they do have sensors that have memories so they can check.

They can also track where the helicopter was and what it was doing, and they also listen to tapes of all of the communications between the helicopter and their base and the helicopter and air traffic control. The crew may well have said something to either air traffic control or reported to their base about maybe they had some problems.

The last recorded crash of a British Merlin helicopter was in June 2010, when a pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, after he became disoriented.

The Royal Navy said in a statament: It is with great sadness that we must report a member of the Royal Navy has died following a training incident. Our thoughts are with the family  who have been informed  and all those affected at this sad time. A full investigation will take place.

The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter in the English Channel near Dorset that ditched while conducting night flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth. There were no other fatalities or serious injuries.
Dimitri Simes and his wife have left the US and are believed to be in Russia. Photograph: Alexei Danichev/AP

US investigators have indicted a prominent Russian state television personality and his wife for violating sanctions and for money laundering as the White House targets Kremlin influence operations before the US presidential election.

Dimitri Simes, a television presenter and producer for Russias state-owned Channel One, was charged with receiving more than $1m (759,000) in compensation, a personal car and driver and a stipend for a flat in Moscow, despite the television stations designation as sanctioned in 2022 by the USs Office of Foreign Assets Control. He and his wife, Anastasia, were charged with money laundering to hide the proceeds of his work for Channel One.

Anastasia Simes, 55, was also charged with buying arts and antiquities for a sanctioned Russian oligarch, Aleksandr Udodov, and then storing the works in their home in Virginia before they were shipped onward to Russia. The works were bought from galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe.

The couple faces 20 years in prison for each count if convicted. They left the US after Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and are now believed to be in Russia, the justice department said.

Joe Biden and his stooges are impotent cowards, wrote Dimitri Simes Jr, their son, on X. Our family is safe and sound in Russia. We will not be intimidated. In fact, were only going to get louder. Stay tuned! He claimed that the Biden administration wanted to jail his father for exposing its suicidal Ukraine policy.

Simes, who had had contact with a number of members of Donald Trumps orbit, also figured prominently in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 elections. He was never charged with a crime as part of that investigation.

The new allegations against Simes come one day after the US treasury department sanctioned Margarita Simonyan, who works for the state-controlled broadcaster RT, and nine other employees for running a covert disinformation network in the US that included well-known conservative American influencers who unwittingly took millions of dollars in Kremlin cash.

The US influencers Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson have addressed allegations that the US content creation company they were associated with had been provided with nearly $10m from Russian state media employees to publish videos with messages in favour of Moscows interests and agenda, including over the war in Ukraine.

On Thursday, the conservative media company Blaze Media said it had terminated its contract with the YouTuber Lauren Chen. Chen and her husband founded Tenet Media, which received as much as $10m from intermediaries to the Russian government, according to the justice department indictment and US media reports, and then paid out large sums of money to conservative figures to produce online videos meant to influence the 2024 election. The American influencers and media personalities acted unwittingly, according to the indictment.

Related: US files charges against Russian-born former Trump campaign adviser

Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RTs interference in the US elections, Simonyan quipped in response.

Simes, 76, resided until recently in Huntly, Virginia, and had established himself as a prominent Russian political commentator who frequently voiced pro-Kremlin views on television and in print in his accented but fluent English.

Simes is also the former president of The Center for the National Interest thinktank, which was established by Richard Nixon and calls itself Americas voice for strategic realism.

These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine, the US attorney Matthew Graves said in a statement. Such violations harm our national security interests  a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a US citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.
Ruslan Boshirov (left) and Alexander Petrov were believed to be responsible for the Salisbury poisoning - TASS

Russian military hackers linked to the Salisbury poisonings have been accused of conducting widespread cyber attacks against Ukraine and its Nato allies.

The UKs National Cyber Security Centre, along with the US, Ukraine and other allies, confirmed on Thursday that the perpetrators belonged to Unit 29155, one of the most shadowy special forces units of GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency.

As part of a campaign known as WhisperGate, six hackers are said to have carried out large-scale cyber espionage and sabotage efforts that targeted governments and critical infrastructure organisations around the world.

It is the first time the UK has publicly exposed Unit 29155 as being responsible for malicious cyber activity, which started as far back as 2020, according to the investigation.

Unit 29155 has operated for at least a decade, lurking in Europes shadows, but Western officials only recently discovered its existence and began connecting it to a series of incidents that bore the fingerprints of Russias intelligence services.

The unit has since been linked to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, the former GRU spy who acted as a double agent to the UK, with Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury in 2018.

On Thursday, the US charged five officers of Unit 29155 and one co-conspirator, all of whom are Russian nationals and residents, with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud.

The hackers were identified in a now-unsealed indictment as Col Yuriy Denisov, a commanding officer of cyber operations for Unit 29155, and four lieutenants, Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Dmitriy Goloshubov, Nikolay Korchagin, and civilian Amin Sitgal.

In May 2022, the UK and its allies attributed the use of WhisperGate malware in Ukraine to Russian military intelligence. However, until now it had not been linked to Unit 29155.

Paul Chichester, the director of operations at the National Cyber Security Centre, said: The exposure of Unit 29155 as a capable cyber actor illustrates the importance that Russian military intelligence places on using cyberspace to pursue its illegal war in Ukraine and other state priorities.

The UK, alongside our partners, is committed to calling out Russian malicious cyber activity and will continue to do so.

The US indictment alleges the Russian hackers attempted to hack into and destroy computer systems belonging to the Ukrainian government ahead of the full-scale Russian invasion.

The defendants did so in order to sow concern among Ukrainian citizens regarding the safety of their government systems and personal data, the indictment said. It added that later targets included governments that supported Ukraine, including the US, UK and 24 other Nato countries.

The news comes just one day after the US sanctioned a Russian state media network in a bid to combat the Kremlins alleged efforts to meddle in the 2024 presidential elections.
The sphere-shaped nanobots are directed to the site of an aneurysm using magnets and real-time ultrasound scans - Jian Wu/PA

Miniscule magnetic nanobots that can travel deep inside the brain to repair deadly aneurysms have been created by the University of Edinburgh.

The sphere-shaped nanobots, which are about a 20th of the size of a human red blood cell, are made from iron oxide, which becomes magnetic when placed in an external magnetic field.

They also carry thrombin, an enzyme crucial in blood clotting and inflammation.

Brain aneurysms are a bulge or ballooning in the weakened area of a blood vessel that can burst and cause dangerous bleeding if not stopped quickly.

In laboratory tests, several hundred billion nanobots were injected into an artery and the swarm was directed remotely to the site of an aneurysm using magnets and real-time ultrasound scans.

Once there, the nanobots clustered together inside the aneurysm and heated to more than 109F (43C) using an alternating magnetic field to melt their protective coating and release the clotting drug to the precise location.

Scans showed that after the clotting had happened, the aneurysm vanished, leaving a healthy blood vessel.

Dr Qi Zhou, of the University of Edinburghs School of Engineering,who co-led the study, said: Nanorobots are set to open new frontiers in medicine  potentially allowing us to carry out surgical repairs with fewer risks than conventional treatments and target drugs with pinpoint accuracy in hard-to-reach parts of the body.

Our study is an important step towards bringing these technologies closer to treating critical medical conditions in a clinical setting.

In Britain, about 2 to 3 per cent of people will develop a brain aneurysm, which is caused by weaknesses in the walls of the blood vessels in the brain. About one in 15,000 people suffer a ruptured brain aneurysm in the UK each year.

If the aneurysm leaks or ruptures, it causes bleeding in the brain, known as a hemorrhagic stroke, which can be life-threatening and needs immediate treatment.

The condition is treated by threading a tube along blood vessels and inserting metal coils to stem the blood flow, or a mesh tube called a stent, to divert the bloodstream in the artery.

But the body can reject the implanted materials, and patients must be given anti-blood clotting drugs that can cause bleeding and stomach problems.

For the new trials, the team tested the nanobots on arteries in vitro and animals, but are hopeful that they could soon move to testing in humans.

Experts also believe that the nanobots could be used to repair organs and other blood vessels, as well as moving medicines to precise locations in the body.

The team, which worked alongside clinicians from Shanghai Sixth Peoples Hospital, have also developed nanorobots to remove blood clots, which could one day be used to treat stroke patients.
Jonathan Meijer previously made headlines in the Netherlands after a court ordered him to stop donating his sperm - ANP/Alamy Stock Photo

A prolific Dutch sperm donor who was the subject of Netflixs The Man with 1,000 Kids documentary is suing the streaming service, insisting that he fathered only 550.

Jonathan Meijer, 43, will take the streaming giant to court over the documentary that alleged he fathered up to 3,000 donor children after deceiving dozens of women.

Mr Meijer announced the lawsuit on Wednesday night, saying that he wanted to protect his offspring from the medias lust to make some kind of spectacle out of this.

The Netflix documentary, which premiered in July, claimed he had fathered between 1,000 to 3,000 children since 2007 after donating to at least 13 clinics, 11 of which were in the Netherlands, and separately by approaching prospective parents online.

Five hundred and fifty, thats the number I know for sure. Anything above that is just speculation, he told the Dutch broadcaster NPO 1, accusing Netflix of not conducting proper research.

Mr Meijer continued: Thats why I have started a case to fight against these lies. I gave these parents what they couldnt get.

The Netflix documentary, which premiered in July, claimed Mr Meijer had fathered between 1,000 to 3,000 children since 2007 - CEN

The documentary also included allegations that he mixed his sperm with that of another serial sperm donor before giving it to a recipient in a bid to see whose would win.

Mr Meijer denies this claim and wants it removed from the show.

Asked why he refused to be interviewed in the three-part documentary, he said that he would not co-operate with such a shady company, instead preferring to share his perspective on his YouTube channel.

Mr Meijer, a musician, travel blogger and self-styled personal finance influencer, claimed that he stopped donating sperm in 2019, except to those who wanted a second or third child from him.

Last year, he made headlines in the Netherlands after a court ordered him to stop donating his sperm.

Dutch law prohibits sperm donors from fathering more than 25 children or impregnating more than 12 mothers, to prevent unintentional incest, inbreeding or possible psychological issues associated with having scores of unknown siblings.

Mr Meijer had circumvented the law by using pseudonyms at clinics and advertising his sperm on the internet, promising that his only intention was to fulfil peoples dreams of having children.

The court ruled that Mr Meijer had lied about his number of sperm donations and deceived couples whose children had become part of a huge kinship network with hundreds of half-siblings they did not choose.

Judges said it was sufficiently plausible that his actions could lead to psycho-social consequences for the children.
Meshawn Maddock, center, attends a Trump rally in Warren, Michigan, on 1 October 2022. Photograph: Emily Elconin/Getty Images

State Republican parties have nominated 14 of the 84 fake electors from the 2020 presidential election to serve again as Republican party presidential electors, an indication of the legitimacy that election deniers continue to hold in some quarters of the GOP.

The Republican parties of Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Nevada have each nominated one or more electors who attempted to submit themselves as electors for Donald Trump and Mike Pence in 2020 despite the former president losing in their states.

Presidential electors typically perform a rote but critical behind-the-scenes role in elections. Electors are first nominated by their political party, before voters choose their preferred candidate by casting a ballot. The National Archives explains the process: When you vote for a Presidential candidate, you arent actually voting for President. You are telling your State which candidate you want your State to vote for at the meeting of electors.

In 2020, despite a majority of voters in New Mexico, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan voting for Biden, Republican electors went ahead and submitted certificates for Trump, mimicking the process they would have performed if Trump had won there.

Related: Trump-backed Senate candidate caught on tape disparaging Native Americans

During a Michigan Republican party convention to nominate candidates for office last month, the party nominated six people who served as fake electors in 2020 to be presidential electors for Trump again in the 2024 general election, according to Detroit News. The nominees  Meshawn Maddock, Amy Facchinello, John Haggard, Timothy King, Marian Sheridan and Hank Choate  all face felony charges for attempting to falsely certify the Michigan election for Trump. Maddock, a former co-chair of the Michigan Republican party, drew condemnation the same week for using an anti-gay slur in a social media post on 23 August.

In Pennsylvania, the state Republican party submitted a list of presidential electors to the secretary of states office that included Bill Bachenberg, Bernadette Comfort, Ash Khare, Pat Poprik and Andy Reilly, the investigative outlet Spotlight PA reported in August. Comfort and Reilly serve in key elected positions within the Pennsylvania Republican party, and Bachenberg, a prominent local businessman, allegedly played a role in elevating sham election audits across the country.

During their convention this year, the Nevada Republican party nominated two fake electors to serve again in the 2024 election: Michael McDonald, the chair of the Nevada Republican party, and Jesse Law, chairman of the Republican party of Clark county.

The Republican party of New Mexico nominated one fake elector, Deborah Weh Maestas, the former chair of the state GOP, to serve again in 2024.

No fake electors will represent Arizona, Georgia or Wisconsin Republicans in the 2024 election. In Wisconsin, the 10 Republicans who served as fake electors in 2020 agreed to not serve as presidential electors again while Trump is on the ballot  the result of a lawsuit settled in December 2023.

False electors face criminal prosecution in Arizona, Michigan and Georgia for their role in attempting to overturn the presidential election. In Nevada, a judge dismissed a case against the states six false electors, and the people who submitted false electoral certificates for Trump in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Mexico have not faced prosecution.

Meanwhile, people who served as fake electors in 2020 have also continued to support the Trump-Vance ticket through campaign donations and served as delegates during the Republican national convention.

Across the country, pro-Trump Republicans who rejected the results of the 2020 election will serve in key roles administering elections this fall, from election-denying activists on the Georgia board of elections who have passed new voting rules to an effort by the Republican National Committee to flood the polls with election observers who are skeptical of the process.
Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in New York on Thursday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Donald Trump has quietly wound down his presidential campaign in states he was targeting just six weeks ago amid polling evidence showing that Kamala Harriss entry into the presidential race has put them out of reach and narrowed his path to the White House.

The Republican presidential nominees campaign has diverted resources away from Minnesota, Virginia and New Hampshire  states Trump was boasting he could win while Joe Biden was the Democratic candidate  to focus instead on a small number of battleground states.

Money is being poured into the three blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which were all carried by Biden in 2020 and are seen as vital to the outcome of Novembers election.

Related: Trump pleads not guilty to revised 2020 election interference charges

Special attention is being paid to Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral college votes, and where a new CNN poll shows Trump and Harris tied at 47% each.

Resources have also been transferred to southern and south-western Sun belt states  namely North Carolina, Georgia Nevada and Arizona  where Trump previously had healthy leads over Biden that have been whittled away since Harris replaced the US president at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Maga Inc, a Trump-supporting Super Pac, has recently spent $16m in adverts in North Carolina as polls have shown Harris close to drawing even in a state the Democrats carried just once in presidential elections since 1980.

The tactical shift is a graphic sign of how the dynamics of the electoral contest have shifted since the Republican national convention in July, when euphoric Trump campaigners talked confidently of winning Minnesota, Virginia and New Hampshire.

Democrats have carried all three in recent presidential polls but Bidens support showed signs of serious erosion following Junes calamitous debate performance in Atlanta  prompting bullish Republican forecasts that they would be in play in November.

An internal Trump campaign memo even before the debate posited ways that the former president could carry Minnesota and Virginia  partly helped by the presence of the independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr, whose campaign was initially thought to pose a greater threat to Biden before contrary polling evidence changed Trumps calculus.

As optimism surged, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, held a rally in Minnesota shortly after the Republican convention, while the campaign said it planned to open eight offices in the state and build up staff.

Since then, Harris replaced Biden and chose the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, as her running mate  helping her to shore up local support  while Kennedy has suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.

Harriss ascent has also infused the Democrats supporters with fresh enthusiasm, leading to a surge in popularity that has propelled her into a small but consistent national poll lead and a fundraising bonanza that saw her campaign raise $540m in August alone.

The predicted rash of new Trump offices and hires in Minnesota appears not to have happened, Axios reported.

In Virginia  the site of Vances first solo rally after being appointed to the ticket  Trump has not staged a rally for six weeks and the campaign has stopped citing memos claiming it can flip the state. Its apparent slide down the priority list is a far cry from 28 June, when the former president staged a rally in Chesapeake a day after his ultimately race-changing debate with Biden.

The clearest evidence of the switch in campaigns thinking has come in New Hampshire, which a former Trump field worker said this week that it was no longer trying to win.

Related: Kamala Harris will win election, predicts leading historian Allan Lichtman

Trump has not appeared there since winning the Republican primary in January and has not sent a major surrogate since the spring, despite New Hampshire being identified by Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee, after the June debate as one of the states the Trump campaign was targeting to expand its electoral wining map.

Recent polls have shown Harris leading outside the margin of error.

This election is going to be won in those seven swing states, Lou Gargiulo, the co-chair of Trumps campaign in New Hampshire, told Politico. Thats where the efforts got to be put.
Andrii Sybiha is a career diplomat who has worked in Zelenskiys office for several years. Photograph: Vitalii Nosach/EPA

Ukraines parliament has approved the appointment of Andrii Sybiha as its new foreign minister, replacing Dmytro Kuleba as part of the biggest government reshuffle since the full-scale Russian invasion.

The president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said of the reshuffle, which is taking place at a critical juncture in the war with Russia, that the country needed new energy.

Sybiha, a career diplomat, worked for several years in Zelenskiys office. He is one of eight new ministers expected to be appointed on Thursday.

Critics have said that the reshuffle represents a consolidation of power by a small group of Zelenskiy loyalists allied with Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidents office.

A former ambassador to Turkey, Sybiha had also served as Yermaks deputy.

Alexander Kamyshin, a popular figure feted for keeping Ukraines railways running through the war, is also being moved from the strategic industries ministry to the presidents office.

Others have raised eyebrows over the timing of the reshuffle, amid a recent increase in Russian missile attacks on Ukraine.

The appointments come as Zelenskiy is preparing to travel to the United States later this month to present what Kyiv has called his victory plan to the US president, Joe Biden, a key ally.

Zelenskiy has repeatedly called on allies to lift restrictions that ban Kyiv from using western weapons for long-range strikes into Russia.

Russian forces are inching forward in the east and have stepped up their campaign of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities far from the frontline, hitting the power sector and other infrastructure in almost daily attacks.

Related: Ukraine war briefing: Russia says it will change nuclear doctrine due to western escalation in Ukraine

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said on Thursday that Ukraines incursion into the Russian region of Kursk had failed to slow Russias own advance in eastern Ukraine and had weakened Kyivs defences along the frontline in a boost to Moscow.

That was countered by Natos secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, who told reporters in Oslo that Ukraine had achieved a lot in its Kursk offensive.

Putin, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, said that Russian forces were gradually pushing Ukrainian soldiers out of Kursk, where on 6 August Ukraine launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia since the second world war.

Ukraine had weakened its defences elsewhere and allowed Russia to accelerate its push into the eastern Donbas area, he said, reiterating that Moscows primary aim was to take full control of the Donbas.

Putin said: The enemys goal was to make us nervous and worry and to transfer troops from one sector to another and to stop our offensive in key areas, primarily in the Donbas. Did it work? No.

Ukraines top commander, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, has said that one of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from other areas, primarily in eastern Ukraine near the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

Though the Kursk incursion was an embarrassment for Putin and the top military brass, Russian officials are now portraying it as one of Kyivs biggest tactical mistakes of the war, saying it ties down thousands of troops for little real gain.

By transferring rather large and well-trained units to these border areas with us, the enemy weakened itself in key areas, and our troops accelerated offensive operations, Putin said.

Zelenskiy has said Kyiv plans to hold territory in Kursk and that the operation, which he says is part of a not fully disclosed victory plan, has brought the war home to Russians.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
NHS surgeons at work: Stand-alone hubs can carry out more procedures more quickly - Christopher Furlong/Getty

Wes Streeting has backed the rollout of production-line surgery hubs to boost NHS operations by a fifth.

Research published on Thursday showed that stand-alone centres carrying out simple surgeries  such as cataract or hip surgeries  dramatically increased productivity.

The findings comes ahead of an independent report on the health service which is expected to lay bare major inefficiencies in hospitals when it is published next week.

The Health Secretary said the hubs, run by 31 NHS trusts serving around one quarter of the population, were a shining example of innovation that should be rolled out more widely.

Wes Streeting said the NHS was 'broken' earlier this year - Jacob King/PA

Mr Streeting told The Telegraph: We want to take the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS, so it can be there for all of us when we need it.

Surgical hubs are a shining example of how we can use groundbreaking, innovative practices already happening in the NHS to speed up treatments and bring down the unacceptable waiting lists we have inherited.

We are urgently seeking to identify and replicate more productive ways of working across the health service, to get better value for taxpayers money and give all patients the care they deserve.

Beds ring-fenced

The stand-alone hubs are separate to hospital A&E departments, with beds ring-fenced so operations are less likely to be cancelled because a bed is needed for an emergency case.

They focus on simple procedures which can be done in high volumes, such as cataract operations; hip and knee replacements; gynaecology; ear, nose and throat procedures; and hernia removal.

The new research by The Health Foundation found that trusts which tested the hubs undertook 22 per cent more operations in their first year of operation than would previously have been expected.

Across England, the 31 trusts were able to carry out 29,000 more procedures than expected. The hubs were also associated with shorter stays in hospital, with production-line methods speeding up the throughput of cases.

Experts said new models which mean patients are less likely to have their care disrupted because of pressures on A&E could be key to to driving down NHS waiting lists.

In June this year, the waiting list stood at 7.6 million cases (6.4 million people), of which 1.2 million cases were elective surgeries.

More than 100 of the surgical hubs are already operating, with a further 26 due to open by the end of 2025.

Call for extra funding

The Royal College of Surgeons has been pushing for the rollout of the hubs, which began being introduced more widely during the pandemic. Tim Mitchell, the colleges president, welcomed the research and called for extra funding to turbocharge their expansion.

Charles Tallack, director of data analytics at The Health Foundation, said: Our research provides the first robust causal evidence that elective surgical hubs can significantly increase the number of patients treated and reduce the length of time they spend in hospital.

He said the research suggests surgical hubs could play an important role in reducing waiting lists.

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Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: Dedicated staff and resources in NHS surgical hubs can drive down waiting times, increase procedures and benefit patients.

But with waiting lists rising for the third month in a row, trust leaders know that they need significant investment  if theyre going to make a real dent in waiting times for patients.

Independent investigation

Mr Streeting has deployed surgeon and former Labour minister Lord Darzi to lead the independent investigation, with instructions to provide a raw and honest assessment.

The peer has expressed impatience at the way the health service uses its resources. Earlier this year, he argued that the NHS must perform operations seven days a week, saying: British Airways does not leave its planes on the tarmac over the weekend.

Ahead of the election, Mr Streeting announced plans to increase the number of staff working evenings and weekends, in order to cut waiting lists. Half of NHS hospitals close their operating theatres at weekends.
Police have arrested 18 people after Greenpeace UK activists blocked access to Unilevers headquarters in central London.

Chief Superintendent Bill Duffy, of City of London Police, said on Thursday: At around 5.30am today, we were made aware of protesters at the Unilever House on New Bridge Street. There is a proportionate policing operation in progress.

At this time, 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of locking-on under Section 1 of the Public Order Act 2023. A further seven people have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Members of the environmental campaign group locked themselves on to barricades made from giant Dove products, one of Unilevers biggest brands, with each products logo changed to a dead dove.

The protesters unfurled a banner across the front of the building, which had the phrase real beauty isnt this toxic printed on it, over an image of a Dove label.

Activists outside Unilevers headquarters in central London (Lucy North/PA)

Greenpeace demonstrators want Unilever to remove single-use plastic from its operations and phase it out fully within a decade, starting with plastic sachets, which they say are near impossible to collect and recycle.

Will McCallum, co-executive director at Greenpeace UK, said: Unilevers plastic pollution is trashing the planet and harming communities.

They hide behind the clean, respectable face of brands like Dove but were here today peeling back this facade to show the ugly truth behind it.

He added: We wont let up  todays action may be over but our campaign against Unilever will continue to escalate unless it puts a proper plan in place to phase-out single-use plastic.

Greenpeace UK called on Unilever to back a treaty that caps and phases down plastic production by at least 75% by 2040 at these UN negotiations.

Police remove activists outside Unilevers headquarters (Lucy North/PA)

A Greenpeace International report published in November last year claimed Unilever was the biggest corporate seller of polluting plastic sachets, small throwaway plastic packets of consumer products, selling 1,700 a second in 2023.

A spokesman for Unilever said: Our ambition at Unilever is clear: an end to plastic pollution through reduction, circulation, and collaboration. We recognise the important role that we play to help make this ambition a reality  which is why plastic is one of our four sustainability priorities.

Weve already reduced our virgin plastic use by 18% and increased our use of recycled plastic to 22%  recognised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as one of the businesses making the most progress to reduce its virgin plastic packaging footprint.

However, our work is far from over. Our updated plastic goals are stretching and focus on the areas that we know will have the most impact  such as continuing to reduce our virgin plastic use and developing alternatives to hard-to-recycle flexible plastic packaging, like plastic sachets.

We are fully committed to working with industry partners and other stakeholders to develop viable, scalable alternatives that reduce plastic waste.

But overcoming a challenge of this scale will require more systemic change. Thats why were calling for a UN treaty on plastic pollution that sets legally binding global rules and addresses the full lifecycle of plastic.
Reports that weapons were transported to Israel through Irish airspace without permission are a matter of concern, Irelands premier has said.

Irelands Department of Transport is engaging with an airline at the centre of the claims.

It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Tel Aviv have occurred since October 2023.

However, senior Government figures have consistently said that no requests to transport the restricted items had been received by the department.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Harris said he expected an update on the departments probe on the matter shortly.

He added: This is an issue of concern. Ireland has been steadfast  as has the Irish Government  in its support for international law, for human rights, for a cessation of violence.

I expect that our laws and our rules in relation to these situations and international ones would be respected.

But the Minister for Transport will provide an update as soon as he has received it and Ill follow it up then.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has claimed both current and previous governments obsession with net zero is killing UK steel jobs.

The MP for Boston and Skegness was joined by DUP MP Sammy Wilson who lambasted both Labour and the Conservatives for commitments to clean energy.

According to UK Steel, more than 33,000 people are currently employed by Britains steel industry, with a further 42,000 supported in the supply chain, contributing 1.8 billion to the overall economy.

In its election manifesto Labour committed 2.5 billion to rebuild the UKs steel industry, alongside net zero and decarbonisation targets.

Tata Steels Port Talbot steelworks (PA)

During an urgent question on steel in the House of Commons, Mr Tice said: The hypocrisy of this debate is utterly extraordinary.

Everybody agrees that steel is of strategic national importance, and yet it is both main parties, led by the Conservatives over there, whose obsession with net zero is leading to the removal of our blast furnaces, by both British Steel and by Tata.

That obsession is killing our steel industry. Its killing our steel jobs, and its leading to the inability to produce primary steel.

Now over 75% of all new steel generating capacity in the world is in Asia, and over 90% of that is blast furnaces.

He added: If you are obsessed with net zero, will you guarantee that if you subsidise Tata Steel with 500 million plus to produce new electric arc furnaces that that money will be linked to the construction?

Energy minister Sarah Jones said the Government has to go with the market.

She said: The market is now saying to us, we want to buy green steel. If you talk to big construction companies, if you talk to big companies, they say, we want green steel.

That is what they are demanding. That is what we will produce and if we dont then we will not be selling it on the same basis.

Mr Tice could be heard shouting because they have to, as Ms Jones discussed industry requests for sustainably produced steel.

Energy minister Sarah Jones said the Government has to go with the market on green steel production (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA)

Mr Wilson alleged tens of thousands of jobs were lost in steel under the previous Conservative government due to its obsession with decarbonisation and net zero.

He said: But the unfortunate thing is, I dont think were going to see any different approach by this Government.

Given that shes promised an industrial strategy can she assure us that in that steel will have and there will be provision for steel to have a supply of coking coal produced in this country?

And also that the decarbonisation requirements, which are damaging and expensive, will not further have detriment to the steel industry?

Ms Jones said: If we do not take the measures to decarbonise and tackle the climate crisis, the cost to this country will be infinitely higher. This is not a choice that we have.

She added that the Government will aim to support industry during the transition to clean energy.

Conservative former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson also pressed the Government on the provision of coking coal, a key ingredient in the steel-making process.

Sir Gavin said: In most of the plants in the United Kingdom, in order to make virgin steel, they need to be able to bring in coking coal.

The Labour Governments policy is to ban bringing in coking coal, which means that hundreds and thousands of jobs are going to be lost. Whats the minister going to do to reverse that decision so that jobs can be saved?

Ms Jones said the Government is looking at other ways of making virgin steel to which Sir Gavin protested theyre arent any.

Ms Jones continued: Im happy to have further conversations with the minister rather than shout across the house at each other, but I am happy to have conversations about how we can make sure we retain the virgin steel production and we also adhere to our climate commitments.
Sir Salman Rushdie has been longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for a book that describes the knife attack that left him blind in one eye.

If the author, 77, wins the non-fiction book award he would become the first Booker Prize winner to have earned both honours.

Sir Salman released Knife: Meditations After An Attempted Murder earlier this year, in which he recounts the attack on stage at the Chautauqua Institution in New York state in August 2022.

He won the Booker Prize in 1981 with Midnights Children, about the birth of India.

Australian author Richard Flanagan won 2014s Man Booker Prize for his novel The Narrow Road To The Deep North (Alastair Grant/PA)

Also in competition for the double is Australian author Richard Flanagan, who became a Booker winner in 2014 with his novel The Narrow Road To The Deep North, and is up for the non-fiction award for his memoir Question 7.

According to Baillie Gifford judges, Sir Salmans book doesnt back away from the knife attack that almost ended his life in 2022.

They added: Instead, he confronts it head on, with prose that is brutally clear, honest and, best of all, funny. Knife is a very personal statement for Rushdies own art  and art in general.

Sir Salman has faced death threats since the publication of The Satanic Verses, about the life of the prophet Mohammed, which is considered blasphemous by some Muslims.

In 2022 he was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour.

Hadi Matar, the man accused of attacking Sir Salman, maintains his innocence. He is due to stand trial in October this year and the writer is expected to give evidence.

Also on the Baillie Gifford longlist is Vietnam-born Viet Thanh Nguyen  who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with his debut novel The Sympathizer  for the memoir, A Man Of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial.

British authors who could win the 50,000 prize include: Rachel Clarke for heart transplant story The Story Of A Heart; Rachel Cockerells Jewish emigration story Melting Point; Family, Memory And The Search For A Promised Land; Sue Prideauxs artist biography Wild Thing: A Life Of Paul Gauguin; and Helen Scales ecology book What The Wild Sea Can Be: The Future Of The Worlds Ocean.

Clarke has been longlisted previously while Prideaux has appeared on the shortlist.

Isabel Hilton, chairwoman of judges, said: It is, of course, a list of remarkable and outstanding books, and they shed new and brilliant light on our contemporary world through explorations of history, of memory, of science and nature.

Collectively this wonderful reflection of creativity, of critical thinking and great writing left us in no doubt that the non-fiction world is overflowing with energy and talent.

The shortlist will be announced on October 10 at Cheltenham Literature Festival, with the winner to be revealed on November 19.

The Baillie Gifford Prize shortlisted authors will receive a prize of 5,000.

Last year, John Vaillants Fire Weather: A True Story From A Hotter World about the wildfires in Canada won the prize.
Royal Mail could be allowed to ditch Saturday deliveries for second class letters under an overhaul of the UK postal service being considered by the industry watchdog.

Regulator Ofcom, which has been consulting on the future of the universal postal service since January, said it is now focusing efforts on changes to the second class service while keeping first-class deliveries six days a week.

Under the plans being considered, second class deliveries would not be made on Saturdays and would only be on alternate weekdays, but delivery times would remain unchanged at up to three working days.

Ofcom said no decision had been made and it continues to review the changes, with aims to publish a consultation in early 2025 and make a decision in the summer of next year.

Royal Mail has urged the Government and Ofcom to review its obligations, arguing that they are no longer workable or cost-effective, given the decline in addressed letter post.

It proposed ditching Saturday deliveries for second class post and cutting the service to every other weekday in its submission to Ofcom in April.

But it comes at a time when Royal Mail is under intense scrutiny, with its owner International Distribution Services (IDS) having agreed a controversial 3.57 billion takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky in May, which is being reviewed by the Government under the National Security and Investment act.

Royal Mail also revealed last month that it once again failed to meet Ofcom targets for deliveries, with less than 80% of first class post on time in the three months to June 30.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcoms group director for networks and communications, said: If we decide to propose changes to the universal service next year, we want to make sure we achieve the best outcome for consumers.

So were now looking at whether we can get the universal service back on an even keel in a way that meets peoples needs.

But this wont be a free pass for Royal Mail  under any scenario, it must invest in its network, become more efficient and improve its service levels.

 The UK's postal service needs reform to secure its long-term future. We'll now assess whether changes to Second Class letter deliveries, while keeping First Class as it is, would meet people's needs  ahead of a consultation next year. Read more: https://t.co/xe0Vjl1MhD pic.twitter.com/SZ5bz3jZ2M  Ofcom (@Ofcom) September 5, 2024

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) hit out at Ofcom, claiming the union was being ignored in the debate over the postal reforms.

A CWU spokesman said: The voices of postal workers, the public and businesses must be heard.

The absolute priority of the regulator right now should be restoring quality of service, which is currently 13% below the agreed Ofcom targets. Royal Mail has a resourcing and staff retention crisis and we will not allow this to go unreported.

The Royal Mails universal service obligation (USO) stipulates that it must deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp  a requirement stipulated by law under the Postal Services Act 2011.

When Ofcom first said it was considering cutting postal delivery days, it sparked an outcry, with ministers quick to dismiss any suggestion that the Government would sanction the scrapping of Saturday deliveries.

But the current plans being looked at would not need a change in legislation, given Royal Mail would still be delivering first class post six days a week.

Royal Mail said its proposals earlier this year would also save it up to 300 million a year and lead to fewer than 1,000 voluntary redundancies.

Royal Mail owner IDS insisted change cannot come soon enough to the UKs postal service.

Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of IDS, said: Our proposal for the future of the universal service has been developed after speaking to thousands of people across the country, and is designed to protect what matters most for customers.

It can be achieved through regulatory change with no need for new legislation.

The universal service faces a very real and urgent financial sustainability challenge.
Steve Coogan has been seen as Dr Strangelove for the first time in new pictures.

The Alan Partridge star will feature in Armando Iannucci and Sean Foleys stage adaption of Stanley Kubricks 1964 film, which will be performed at the Noel Coward Theatre in Londons West End.

Rehearsals for the show began this week, with a picture showing Coogan pointing at the camera as the character, wearing a suit and glasses.

Steve Coogan will star as Dr Strangelove in the upcoming Noel Coward Theatre performance (Story House/PA)

Dr Strangelove is a black comedy which tells the story of an unhinged US Air Force general who orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, while the president and his advisers attempt to prevent the bomb from launching.

Joining Coogan in the cast will be John Hopkins as General Jack D Ripper, Oliver Alvin-Wilson as Jefferson, Penny Ashmore as Vera Lynn, Ben Deery as General Staines, Richard Dempsey as Frank, Mabli Gwynne as Swing, Mark Hadfield as Faceman, Tony Jayawardena as Russian Ambassador Bakov, Dharmesh Patel as Lincoln, and Ben Turner as Colonel Bat Guano.

Foley, who will also direct the play, said: I couldnt be more thrilled than to be working with such a talented and exciting cast on our version of Stanley Kubricks extraordinary nightmare comedy.

I know from their amazing collective experience that every character and every situation will not only be seriously dark and terrifying, but also seriously funny.

The production will see Coogan work with Iannucci once again, having worked with the writer throughout his career, including on early comedy series The Day Today, Knowing Me Knowing You With Alan Partridge, and Im Alan Partridge.

The show will begin in London on Tuesday October 8 and finish on Saturday January 25 2025, before it moves on to Dublins Bord Gais Energy Theatre from Wednesday February 5 to Saturday February 22.

More than 20% of tickets for the shows London performances are priced at 35 and under, with more than 1,000 25 stalls tickets available to under-30s, and additional stalls tickets available to select charities across the run.

The under-30s tickets will be released at 11am on Friday.
Stormont ministers have finally agreed a draft programme for government.

Ministers signed off on the delayed blueprint when they met at Stormont Castle on Thursday morning.

It will not be officially published until Monday as protocol dictates that it should be presented to MLAs in the Assembly first.

It will then be subject to an eight-week public consultation exercise.

The programme for government will set out the priorities for the devolved powersharing Executive for the remaining two-and-a-half years of the Assembly term.

Naomi Long, Michelle ONeill, Emma Little-Pengelly and Mike Nesbitt held a press conference at Stormont Castle (David Young/PA)

First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill, deputy First Minister and DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly, Justice Minister and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and Health Minister and UUP leader-elect Mike Nesbitt spoke to reporters at a press conference on Thursday following the agreement.

When asked why it had taken so long to get to this point, Ms ONeill said she was proud of the Executive coming together in a holistic way to address the fact that public services in Northern Ireland are at a crisis point.

She said the four parties had done a lot of work over many areas but coming together to form a programme of government was complex.

Ms ONeil said the government was content for the public to judge us in terms of delivery.

Ms Little-Pengelly said there would always be differences between parties but the programme was a piece of compromise that does not reflect the agenda of one particular faction.

Asked whether there was a risk the programme was simply a wish list, Ms ONeill said: I think we all recognise that we are bringing forward a programme for government in a very difficult financial circumstance.

We all equally recognise that since we have a new government in London, that Labour are continuing with a policy of austerity which makes it a very challenging environment for us all to operate, butthis is a very scalable programme for government.

Weve identified our immediate priorities. Weve also laid the groundwork to do more things tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after so its very much about immediate priorities and then also what we can do tomorrow around health, education, justice, safer communities, particularly given the summer that weve been in.

Ms ONeill added: None of us are naive, we know how challenging this is.

She said the battle for additional finances is top of our agenda.

The priorities within the programme for government include cutting health waiting times (PA)

Ms Little-Pengelly said that despite the difficult budget situation, the programme aims to improve lives for people in Northern Ireland in meaningful ways.

The DUP politician said there are nine priorities within the programme for government at Stormont:

 To grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy.

 Deliver affordable childcare.

 Cut health waiting times.

 Ending violence against women and girls.

Protecting Lough Neagh was named as a priority (PA)

 Better support for children and young people with special educational needs.

 Provide more social, affordable and sustainable housing.

 Safer communities.

 Protect Lough Neagh and the environment.

 Reform and transformation of public services.

The deputy First Minister said: Those of us in government have a responsibility to lead, a responsibility to listen and a responsibility to act and, despite the difficult budget situation, we can still improve lives in a meaningful way by focusing on a small number of prioritised actions that will make a real difference.

We have clearly set out in our programme for government the priorities for the remainder of this term, and well use the next number of weeks to engage with people right throughout Northern Ireland about our plan.

We genuinely want to hear from people about how we can act to improve lives for the better.

At Thursdays meeting, ministers also agreed a strategy and action plan aimed at tackling violence against women and girls and a three-year action plan for a domestic and sexual abuse strategy.

The Executive also extended the work of a programme designed to tackle paramilitarism and organised crime for a further three years.

Justice minister Ms Long said no-one in the Executive underestimated the challenge the administration was facing in the remaining years of the mandate.

It is not an exhaustive list of everything that this Executive will do, she added.

There will be many ordinary pieces of work that we do, our legislative programme and many other pieces of work that we do which will lie outside of it.

But what it does is prioritise certain aspects of the work of the Executive, particularly those elements that are cross-cutting.

It also will not all be able to be delivered in one go. It will be very much dependent on our financial situation. But it is scalable and it is realistic and I believe that it is positive.

Mr Nesbitt said it was important that the programme for government, once finalised, was closely linked to the allocations made in Stormonts budget.

There are huge challenges for health, but there are huge challenges for every minister and every department, he said.

And what is devolution about, if its not about four people, like the four people youre looking at, coming together, forming relationships and doing their best in terms of better outcomes for the people we serve.

SDLP leader of the Opposition Matthew OToole holds his partys alternative programme for government, which will be published on Monday (David Young/PA).

Leader of the Stormont opposition, SDLP MLA Matthew OToole, said the public was still none the wiser as to what the draft programme for government actually contained.

The SDLP will publish an alternative strategy when the Assembly returns on Monday, titled A Plan for Change, which it insists contains clear targets and goals.

Once again, the Executive has proved adept at PR but deficient at clarity or delivery, said Mr OToole.

Todays announcement contained no specific targets or actions but rather a press conference in which Executive parties patted one another on the back for agreeing on broad aspirations.

The public might have expected more clarity not just on vague aspiration but what exactly the Executive intends to do, how and when. What is the target for reducing waiting lists, how will that target be achieved and when can patients expect to see meaningful improvements in the failing health service.

Until the Executive gets into this level of detail and clarity, after years of collapse and dysfunction, they cannot expect the public to trust this as-yet-unpublished programme for government, they cannot expect to be hailed as heroes for simply agreeing vague aspirations.

Less waffle, more delivery is needed.
The Prince of Wales thanked artists for taking part in a groundbreaking homelessness exhibition as he sported his summer beard in public for the first time.

William debuted his new look in an online video with his wife Kate in August, when they praised the achievements of the nations athletes after the Paris Olympics.

The stubble was still in place as he toured Homelessness: Reframed, an exhibition that aims to give a fresh perspective on the issue, with sculptures, photographs and everyday objects given a new life by artists who may have slept rough.

William, sporting his new beard, speaks to artist Robi Walters as he tours the exhibition (Chris Jackson/PA)

Williams Homewards project, which aims to develop a blueprint for eradicating homelessness in all its forms, is the driving force behind the art exhibition which opened at the Saatchi Gallery in London in August.

The beard of the future King, who turned 42 in June, had flecks of grey and looked neatly trimmed to the same length as in his video appearance last month.

The Duke of Sussex has claimed his brother William was jealous of his beard and ordered him to shave it off before he married Meghan in 2018.

Harry wrote in his autobiography Spare how William became livid and raised his voice when the duke said he had already asked permission from their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, to keep his beard for his wedding.

The prince chatted to award-winning social justice artist David Tovey during his visit to exhibition (Chris Jackson/PA)

The duke said the argument went on for more than a week on the phone and in person, adding: He wouldnt let it go. At one point he actually ordered me, as the heir speaking to the spare, to shave.

He claimed William hated the idea that he was allowed to keep his beard  a perk denied to William.

Robi Walters said William was entranced by his work, two colourful circles made from collages of sprayed paper, with one representing the future and the other the present.

The artist added: He said it was mesmerising and he really, really liked it and he was also thanking me for being part of the project, saying it was really important the right people who have got authentic stories to tell are sharing this message  were trying to reframe what homelessness is.

William catches up with Big Issue seller Dave Martin (Chris Jackson/PA)

William also caught up with Big Issue seller Dave Martin who has sold the homelessness magazine with the future king in past years, and was commissioned to create a piece of abstract art for the project.

Photographer Rankin had captured the portraits of a number of former homeless people, blowing up their black and white images to create larger than life characters defying the stigma of once being without a home.

He said: The concept the organisers came up with was so much about flipping the narrative on what it is to be homeless.

The reason I made the pictures big was because I wanted them to be icons and larger than life. This person was homeless, that person was homeless but look at them now.
Pensioners are worried sick about how they will heat their homes following winter fuel payment cuts, ministers have been warned ahead of a Commons vote on the changes.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell said a motion to approve the changes will be debated on September 10, with the Government facing a possible Labour backbench rebellion.

Ms Powell said the Government has taken some really difficult decisions that it did not want to make, including means testing the payment, although it is not afraid to debate the cuts.

Opposition MPs voiced concerns over the changes on Thursday, with Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse saying many pensioners in her Bath constituency are worried sick that they will not be able to heat their homes this winter.

People in England and Wales not in receipt of pension credit or other means-tested benefits will lose out under the policy.

Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell said the Government had taken some really difficult decisions (Peter Byrne/PA)

It is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the up to 300 payment by 10 million, from 11.4 million to 1.5 million, saving around 1.4 billion this year.

Speaking at business question, shadow Commons leader Chris Philp welcomed the vote and said he has been contacted by Croydon South constituents desperate with worry at the proposed changes.

Mr Philp said 84% of pensioners in poverty will lose the benefit under ministers plans.

He told the Commons a pensioner who had had written to him had said: The allowance meant I could turn the heating on. Now I fear hypothermia during the coming winter months.

Ms Powell said the changes were necessary because of a Treasury audit finding a 22 billion black hole in spending, inherited from the Conservatives.

She said: The legacy they have left us means we have had to make some really difficult decisions, decisions we did not want to make, like means testing the winter fuel payment.

But we are doing all we can to support pensioners this winter: protecting the triple lock, which has seen the state pension go up by 900 this year and likely to rise by several hundred pounds next year; the Warm Home Discount worth 150; extending the Household Support Fund; and a huge campaign to get eligible pensioners onto Pension Credit.

And yes, we have scheduled a vote on the winter fuel payment next week, because we are not afraid to have the debate about how we have got to where we have got to, a vote that, quite frankly, would not have happened under his party opposite because we respect Parliament and we respect doing things properly.

Ms Powell went on to defend pay rises for public sector workers, saying the decisions on them had been sitting on the desk of ministers in the last government.

She said: They knew they were going to honour them but they didnt allocate the funds to do so.

Speaking for the Liberal Democrats, Ms Hobhouse said: Energy bills are set to rise again this winter and with the Government announcing it will means test winter fuel payments, Age UK has estimated that two million pensioners will struggle to pay their bills.

I know that many pensioners in Bath are worried sick that they will not be able to heat their homes this winter. Many of them are included in the one million pensioners who will just miss out.

Ms Hobhouse said her party acknowledged the Conservatives have left the countrys finances in a mess, adding: Pensioners should not be paying the price of Conservative incompetence.

Outside the Commons, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the Government would not play fast and loose with the nations finances as she defended the decision to means test the payments.

She told BBC Breakfast: We have to make sure that we can fiscally be responsible, so that we can grow our economy, so that we can pay for our public services.

And we said that in the run-up to the general election. What we didnt realise is that absolute mess the Tories had left the  state of the finances, and were having to make difficult decisions.

But we were very clear in the run-up to the general election, we wouldnt play fast and loose with the countrys finances because thats what the Tories did, and thats why were in this mess in the first place, and that we will do everything we can to grow our economy.

She highlighted Government action to support pensioners and acknowledged it was a difficult choice but it was because of the difficult circumstances because of the previous government and what they did.
For Abigail Martin and her dog Archie, life has been one big adventure. Martin, a digital content creator, first rescued the mixed-breed Archie when she was a teenager, and the two of them have been traveling the country in a van and even living overseas ever since. Despite all her journeys, the one constant in her life has been her soulmate dogthe pup who has been with her every step of the way.

Except recently, Martin had to leave poor Archie behind on one of her trips to Europe. She missed him a lot, but it was apparently nothing compared to how much he missed her, as you can see in this heartwarming video.

If youre given the opportunity to travel to Europe for two months, it can be a hard offer to resist. But its tough to leave your stateside life behind, especially if it means finding a caretaker for your beloved dog. Martin was lucky enough that her mom offered to watch her pup for her, but that didnt mean that she didnt miss her sweet Archie every day.

Related: Bernese Mountain Dog Reuniting With His Best Friend After 5 Months Is Melting Hearts

And when she returnedwell, it was certainly a homecoming to remember.

In the video, Martin sneaks into the house and up to the kitchen, where the dog is waiting. And boy is he happy to see her. Whining and barking in excitement, he rushes toward her, tail wagging furiously. He weaves around her, pressing his body against her and barely able to stand still for excitement. He scampers around, rolling and flipping and just not entirely sure what to do with himself now that Mom is home. Hes completely overwhelmed.

So happy to be home with my best friend, Martin writes in the caption.

After a few minutes, poor Archie gets a better handle on his emotions, and starts sniffing his beloved mom all over.

Do I smell like Europe? She asks him jokingly. Coffee and cigarettes?

But he doesnt care what smells she brought home, as long as shes there again.

Do Dogs Miss Us When Were Gone?

My vet was fond of saying that dogs dont necessarily understand the passage of time. They can get as excited to see you when youve been gone three hours as three weeks. But all you have to do is take a quick spin through dog-reunification videos online (make sure to have some tissues handy) to realize that even though dogs may not know exactly how much time has passed since seeing their beloved humans, they keenly feel the absence in their own, canine way.

Dogs have even been shown to recognize littermates they havent seen since they were puppies.

And this is not a new concept. In Ancient Greece, no less a poet than Homer himself wrote about the persistent love and devotion between Odysseuss dog Argos, and his beloved master. Argos waited twenty whole years to see his dad again, and promptly died.

Now thats devotion.

How to Prepare Your Dog for an Extended Separation

When it becomes necessary to leave your dog for an extended period of time, its important that their care arrangements suit their personality. Some dogs do well in kennels or doggy day care situations. Others find it extremely stressful. If your dog is used to being visited during the day by a dog sitter, it might work out to have them come over more often or even spend the night. But the best option may be the one Martin went withwhich is to have your dog stay with a trusted friend or family member they already know.

Make sure to give your dog plenty of love and attention before you leave, and leave something behind that smells like you. And, dont worryyoure coming back.

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos.

Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
Authorities have arrested 19 adults and three teenagers in connection to a retail theft operation at multiple Southern California Target stores, according to an announcement from the Ventura County Sheriffs Office.

The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force made the arrests the weekend of Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 and authorities recovered about $1,400 in stolen merchandise, along with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, the sheriffs office said in the news release.

Authorities are calling the bust a blitz operation, meaning law enforcement resources and team members focus on specific retail locations to cut down on theft.

The Target blitz operation took two days and involved the sheriffs office, Target, as well as personnel from the Simi Valley Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and more law enforcement California agencies.

Those taken into custody during the operation range in age from 14 to 61 years old.

Many of those arrested have court dates on either Friday, Monday or on Oct. 25, the sheriffs office said.

Arrests were made as part of retail theft task force

The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force was created after the sheriffs office received grant funding under the California Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program.

The sheriffs office oversees the program and allows law enforcement agencies in Ventura County to work together to prevent an estimated $10 million yearly loss from organized retail theft, vehicle and vehicle parts theft, as well as cargo theft.

The task force said it wants to work with businesses who have suffered significant retail theft and is interested in working with the group. To reach the task force, businesses can call (805) 383-8703.

People with information about organized retail theft, vehicle or vehicle parts theft or cargo theft can call as well, or call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line (800) 222-8477.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia  the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Target retail theft ring investigation leads to 22 California arrests
Totally worth the brain freeze.

Food & Wine / 7-Eleven, Inc.

Earlier this summer 7-Eleven brought us the Pumpkin Spice Slurpee, the cool drink we didnt know we needed, especially while temperatures outside were still topping 100 degrees.

Now, the global convenience store chain is adding another Slurpee flavor to its lineup: Coca-Cola and Oreo. No, those arent two different flavors. Were talking about the combination of Coca-Cola and Oreo in the same cup. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that the Coke is of the Zero Sugar variety.

We are thrilled to join forces with Coca-Cola and Oreo to create a one-of-a-kind Slurpee drink experience that delights and excites our consumers, Dennis Phelps, senior vice president of merchandising at 7-Eleven, said in a statement. Were bringing together the snack aisle and the Slurpee drink machine to give everyone a reason to head to our stores for a delicious, unforgettable moment.

Unforgettable indeed. The company describes the Slurpee as an exciting spin on the fan-favorite Coca-Cola Slurpee, combining the classic taste of a crisp and fizzy Coca-Cola with flavorful, Oreo sandwich cookie-inspired hints. We imagine the flavor is pretty similar to what it tastes like when you wash a cookie down with a swig of soda.

Related: Coca-Cola and Oreo Are Teaming Up to Bring You the Collaboration You Never Thought You Needed

The Slurpee flavor is inspired by the launch of two limited-edition treats that also combine the two flavors. Specifically, a Coca-Cola Oreo Zero Sugar and the Oreo Coca-Cola Sandwich Cookie. Yes, this is a taste sensation available not only in Slurpee form but also in bottled soda and cookie form. The cookies are Oreos classic chocolate cookie. One half has had Coca-Cola syrup and popping candies added to simulate the fizz of carbonated soda, while the other half is a Golden Oreo thats been given a Coke-inspired makeover.

Bringing together the playfulness of Oreo and the real magic of Coca-Cola is unexpected, but also feels right because our brands are alike in so many ways, Oana Vlad, Coca-Cola Companys global vice president of brand strategy, said in a statement provided to Food & Wine last month when the treats were announced. As a first-of-its-kind collaboration for both brands, we are thrilled for besties around the world to join us in celebrating new products, great experiences and unexpected moments of connection

Both the sugar-free soda and the sugar-full cookies, along with the unique Slurpees, will be available at 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores nationwide.

Related: How to Make Frozen Cocktails Without a Blender

And if youre looking for a party, 7-Eleven is celebrating the mashup by transforming one of its Dallas-areas stores into The Besties Restie Stop next weekend. On September 14th, the 7-Eleven store at 13635 Preston Road in Dallas will be offering travelers an opportunity to spend quality time with their bestie at the event and snag some unique Slurpee collectibles like cups with a Slurpee dollop lid and bestie straws from 2 to 10 p.m.

The idea behind the events is that 7-Eleven can serve as a rest stop when youre on a road trip with a bestie, and of course, Oreo and Coca-Cola are the bestest of friends, apparently.

And whether youre getting a Coca-Cola and Oreo Slurpee or sliding into fall with the Pumpkin Spice option, both can be delivered to your door using the 7Now app. The app also has real-time tracking, so you can keep an eye on that frozen wonder while its on its way to your door. If you miss out on that bestie party in Texas, Oreo and Coca-Cola have also joined forces on a new Bestie Mode line of merchandise that will be available later this month at Forever 21.

For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Food & Wine.
Apple (AAPL) will host its annual iPhone launch event on Monday, Sept. 9, at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

CEO Tim Cook is expected to headline the keynote, which will reportedly include the debut of the iPhone 16 lineup, the 10th anniversary edition of the Apple Watch, and updated AirPods.

Thats a lot of hardware, but Wall Street isnt banking on new iPhones or special edition Apple Watches to move the companys stock price. Instead, all eyes will be on Apples generative AI-powered Apple Intelligence platform.

Apple Intelligence is the companys big swing at bringing generative AI capabilities to consumers iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Wall Street wasnt very keen on how long it took Apple to announce its AI initiative, waiting impatiently as Microsoft (MSFT) and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) debuted their own AI services for enterprises and consumers.

But investors changed their tune when Apple showed off Apple Intelligence at its WWDC developer conference in June, sending the companys stock price up around 15% and putting it ahead of Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, and Google for year-to-date performance.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WDC) in Cupertino, Calif., on June 10, 2024. (NIC COURY/AFP via Getty Images) (NIC COURY via Getty Images)

Apple is setting up Apple Intelligence as one of the main selling points for its latest phones, as its software will only run on last years iPhone 15 Pro or newer phones. And analysts are banking on that exclusivity to reinvigorate iPhone sales.

Apple Intelligence remains the key to unlocking pent-up iPhone demand and accelerating replacement cycle, and we expect Apple's event to heavily feature AI integration on the new iPhone 16, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring wrote in an investor note.

But Apple Intelligence could prove to be something more important than a catalyst for iPhone sales. It will also serve as a make-or-break moment for generative AI in the eyes of everyday consumers.

Apples AI opportunity

Take one look at Apples invitation for its Sept. 9 show, and its clear the company is going all in on AI. From the Its Glowtime tagline to the multicolor Apple logo meant to evoke Siris revamped look, the company is sending the message that this show will be an AI showcase.

Apple is pouring AI into its software products with features that summarize text message threads, surface priority emails in the Mail app, provide an improved Siri experience, and enable access to OpenAIs ChatGPT.

Apple is also including AI staples like writing tools to help gussy up your emails and documents by proofreading your text or reworking it to sound more professional or concise. The company is also expecting developers to jump on board the AI train, building out new apps that take advantage of the technology through Apples devices.

We estimate this could result in incremental Services high margin growth annually of $10 billion for Apple as this all kicks in and will be the start of a new multi-pronged AI revenue stream that is both hardware and software driven, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in an investor note.

We believe AI technology being introduced into the Apple ecosystem will bring monetization opportunities on both the services as well as iPhone/hardware front, Ives added. And with that, a $30 to $40 per share bump  pushing the companys market cap to the $4 trillion mark.

Apple isnt the only company to bring generative AI to its smartphone line. Samsung has Galaxy AI software, combining its own AI with some of Googles AI smarts. Google also offers its own Gemini AI platform via its new Pixel 9 line of devices, including its Pixel 9 Pro Fold foldable phone.

Apple, however, has done a far better job explaining its AI offerings than either of its competitors. It made the software seem like a must-have for users during its June developer conference, explaining how it integrates across the companys various apps and services in a way that Samsung and Google havent been able to by making AI seem more personal.

The AI risk

But Apple is going to have to do more than that to get people excited about its AI efforts. Ive been using Apples beta software on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, and while I appreciate its ability to summarize long text message threads between friends  no one likes having to sift through 40 messages to find out what theyre doing for dinner  and find the priority email feature in Mail helpful, its difficult to say whether that will be enough to spark consumer interest in the technology.

Apple will also need to take great care to ensure that its Apple Intelligence is accurate and not prone to the kinds of hallucinations that have led to criticisms of AI software like Googles AI Overview, which famously told people to add glue to their pizza and to eat rocks.

Above all, Apple will need to ensure that Apple Intelligence is something that consumers actually want to use and not a feature the company had to shoehorn into its portfolio to placate investors fearing Apple would miss the boat on the next tech hype train.

Subscribe to the Yahoo Finance Tech newsletter. (Yahoo Finance)

Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

For the latest earnings reports and analysis, earnings whispers and expectations, and company earnings news, click here

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance.
It's a Chicago-based brand known for its outstanding corn tortillas.

Simply Recipes / Getty Images

Whether youre whipping up a big batch of chilaquiles for Sunday brunch or putting out a bowl of guacamole for a late summer BBQ, buying high-quality tortilla chips can make all the difference. Chips that are too thick, too oily, or easily breakable can greatly affect the crunch and flavor of dishes and dips, but with so many brands out there, it can be hard to decipher just which bag to buy.

I spoke with a number of Mexican chefs to get the inside scoop on what brand of tortilla chips they use both professionally and in their home kitchens. While most of the chefs I spoke with make their own tortilla chips whenever possible, it turns out many of them share the same favorite brand.

The Tortilla Chip Experts I Asked

Iliana De La Vega: James Beard Award-winning chef of El Naranjo restaurant

Laura Muller: Content creator, chef, and recipe developer at Food Deals by Laura

Alejandra Graf: Cookbook author and creator of the award-winning blog AleCooks

Simply Recipes / Amazon

The Best Tortilla Chips, According to Mexican Chefs

Among the chefs I spoke with, there was some variation in their answers, but one clear winner rose to the top: El Milagro Tortilla Chips. Some editors at Simply Recipes are already big fans of the brand, and thus cheerfully applauded the consensus.

El Milagro is a Chicago-based tortilleria that has provided the local community (and now the entire country) with fresh tortillas, tostadas, and chips since 1950. Fried from day-old tortillas, El Milagro uses this traditional method to produce perfectly crunchy chips packed with tons of flavor and made with just four ingredients. The chips are extra large, making them an ample vessel for heaps of cheesy beans, pozole, or pico de gallo.

Ive been on a mission to taste various tortilla chip brands, says Chef Laura, and the one that stays true to authentic Mexican flavor is El Milagro. With so many brands adding preservatives or filler ingredients to their chips, she truly appreciates its commitment to quality and genuine taste. Furthermore, when it comes to texture, Chef Laura finds that these chips offer a delightful crunch thats perfect for making chilaquiles or dipping in salsa.

Even though at Chef Iliana's restaurant, El Naranjo, she "buys good quality corn tortillas and fry them in-house daily, she always opts for El Milagro tortilla chips when it comes to store-bought: Ill often use them at home.

Chef Alejandra agrees with the other two chefs. She says that along with their top-notch tortillas, El Milagro makes tasty chips that are very good. She explains, A good tortilla chip should have that unmistakable corn tortilla flavor, giving you a taste of authentic Mexican cuisine in every bite.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
When I visited Rocklin Elementary school, I sat in on a lesson with a third-grade class  a lesson I would never have imagined as a father, a journalist or a trauma surgeon.

Chances are, youre never ever going to have to use this. If you do, its gonna be scary, Kate Carleton told the 20 or so 8- and 9-year-olds. But because weve taught you what to do, it makes it a little less scary.

She spent the next 30 minutes teaching them how to stop a wound from bleeding out. The lesson is appropriately titled Stop the Bleed.

Carleton is a trauma nurse at Sutter Roseville Medical Center, a level 2 trauma center in Rocklin, California, a northern suburb of Sacramento. At the beginning of her 17-year career, she saw a lot of car crashes, motorcycle accidents and falls. More recently, the number of gunshot wounds coming through her hospital has increased, most often from domestic violence or suicide.

Kate Carleton, center, teaches children at a California elementary school how to stop a wound from bleeding out. - CNN

On this day, she was kneeling on the ground to show these little kids the techniques paramedics often use in the field to stop bleeding. And as I looked around the classroom, I could tell that the kids were really listening.

Now, if youve got that bleeding to stop on that person, what did you do for their life? she asked the kids.

Hands flew up.

You saved their life, answered one little girl.

Born out of tragedy

A litt le more than seven years ago, Carleton was watching a special about the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, and like so many parents, she wondered about her own children, then in kindergarten and second grade. Was there anything she could do to make a difference and help keep them safer in a moment like that?

Carleton approached her daughters kindergarten teacher and asked whether it was possible to create a curriculum to teach them how to handle these injuries. She wasnt sure what the response would be because after all, these were young children.

But as the number of mass shootings continued to grow, so did the realization that anyone could suddenly become a first responder  even a child. The proposal was approved, and since then, she has been teaching classes to students throughout the Rocklin school district on the basics of bleeding control.

Carleton is part of a larger movement also known as Stop the Bleed, a campaign that was born out of the tragedy at Sandy Hook. Hartford Hospital trauma surgeon Dr. Lenworth Jacobs was tasked with reviewing the autopsies of the 20 children and six adults killed that day, to find any lessons that could be learned out of the horror.

You cannot imagine what the kinetic energy of an AR-15 does, or a bullet does, to a 6-year-old, Jacobs said. This is not civilized.

School shootings are rare, but gunshot injuries are not

Although a child dying at school in a mass shooting may be unlikely, a child dying from a gunshot is not. Firearms are the leading cause of death among people 18 and younger in the US, accounting for nearly 19% of all childhood deaths.

The most recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that both the rate and the number of children dying from gunshot wounds are the highest they have been since 1999, when data on childrens mortality and firearms was first collected. And although firearm mortality in the adult population is most often from suicide, for children, homicide is driving the deaths.

After poring over the autopsies, Jacobs gathered trauma specialists from across the country and developed a protocol for national policy to enhance survivability from active shooter and intentional mass casualty events, known as the Hartford Consensus. The nearly 100-page document included a letter from then-Vice President Joe Biden, who said the report was a call to action.

With very little training and equipment, the individuals closest to the scene of an accident or mass casualty situation can control bleeding until first responders arrive to take over treatment, Biden wrote.

Much of the Hartford Consensus was adopted from lessons learned in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the military, its known as buddy aid: the practice of fellow troops being trained in first aid to help wounded colleagues on the battlefield. The practices are basic, but stopping bleeding, using a tourniquet and putting these steps into practice before a wounded soldier reaches the hospital greatly improves their chances of survival. Those troops who had tourniquets applied before their bodies went into shock had a survival rate of 96%, compared with just 4% of those who got a tourniquet after blood loss caused them to go into shock.

A driving tenet of the Hartford Consensus was time. Pretty much all of these (mass casualty) events are over in 15 minutes, and it takes more than that to get the system to respond to you, Jacobs explained.

Experts say that the average response time for an ambulance in urban areas in the US is about eight minutes  more time than it takes for a person to bleed out from a gunshot wound.

Turning bystanders into first responders

To give a person the best chance at survival after being shot, the priority is simple. Stop the bleeding. Keep the blood inside the body, Jacobs said. The most efficient and quickest way to do that: turn bystanders into immediate responders by teaching them to pack a wound and use a tourniquet.

Eleven years after Jacobs and other experts first met to discuss what would ultimately become the Hartford Consensus, more than 3 million people worldwide have learned the basic principles of Stop the Bleed through a certification program developed by the American College of Surgeons and the American Red Cross.

According to the ACS, bleeding control kits containing gauze and tourniquets are now required in schools in at least 10 states, and teachers and staff are required to be trained in at least three states. Two states require schools to offer Stop the Bleed training to students: in Arkansas for students in ninth grade and above and in Texas for those in seventh grade and above.

After 19 fourth-graders and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022, a state representative introduced a bill proposing to lower the minimum grade for Stop the Bleed training to third grade. The bill never made it out of committee because of pushback.

Carleton says shes not surprised. Why it got started is frightening, she tells me, but I do think theres a way to teach the information where its not.

Meeting kids where theyre at

When Carleton speaks to the kids, she doesnt mention guns or violence at all. During the class I visited, she asked the kids how many of their parents use power tools or could be hurt working around the house.

If Im working in the kitchen and Im cutting vegetables, can I get cut? Can that cause me to bleed? she asked the students.

She uses language that kids can easily grasp: Look for when blood puddles or when it rains like a sprinkler. The first step, take any cloth you can find and stuff a corner of it into the wound as deep as you can. She was teaching them the basic principles of packing a wound. On the day I was there, she told the kids they could use anything to pack a wound, even a dirty, smelly sock.

Stopping the bleeding was most important, and they could give antibiotics later in the hospital to prevent infections, she said. Do whatever you can to just stop the bleed.

Its the same kind of approach that pediatric trauma nurse Missy Anderson takes when she teaches Scout troops and childrens groups in Denver. Anderson is the pediatric trauma program manager at Denver Health and describes the tourniquets as magical bracelets  a concept that most kids can immediately understand.

Carleton stopped bringing up gun violence after a handful of parents complained, but she doesnt shy away when someone raises it. In a sixth-grade class I visited, a student asked, if someone was shot in multiple places, where should they try to stop the bleed?

Carleton answered quickly, Where they are bleeding the most.

I try to acknowledge the kids on where theyre at, she told me. I acknowledge it and we move on so that we can continue to talk about how to get the bleeding to stop.

But the topic of gun violence gives her pause. It tugs at my heartstrings a little bit, for sure, she said.

Like Carleton, Anderson keeps the focus on safety, not violence.

What if no guns existed in the whole world? We wipe them all out, theres not a single gun in the whole universe? People still get hurt, and they still can have bleeding, Anderson said. This course should not be affiliated with gun violence. This is about helping people that are bleeding in any scenario.

The goal of the campaign has always been to train everyone, including children, said Dr. Kenji Inaba, chair of the Stop the Bleed Committee for the American College of Surgeons. Inaba said he taught his now-teenage son, an avid mountain biker, how to pack a wound and use a tourniquet by the time he was 10 years old. Hes always in the middle of nowhere, by himself or with some friends, and I want him to know that knowledge.

Inaba said that after discussion with pediatric surgeons, pediatricians and parents, the committee concluded that there really is no age limit on who should be taught these skills.

Every child is different in their development. Every child is different in their experience, he said.

One trauma nurse describes tourniquets as magical bracelets, a concept that most kids can immediately understand. - CNN

Inaba added that the group is in discussion with child development experts and teachers to create a curriculum for younger kids.

Reaching kids where they are means designing education that meets not only their emotional needs but their physical needs. For example, Carleton explained to me that younger kids can more effectively put pressure and stop bleeding by using all of their body weight.

She showed the kids how to put their knee directly on the wound. Itll make it a little bit easier for you, and you wont get tired, she told them.

I watched as she stood in front of the class and demonstrated how to apply pressure with a rubber dummy limb, the same kind used to train EMTs. Carleton explained that adults will typically use their hands and press down as hard as possible over a packed wound, because Im stronger than you, she said. One kid shouted out Mom power! and the class giggled.

Carleton then quickly divided the class into groups of four or five kids, led by volunteers from the fire department, to practice on dummy limbs.

If you were in that situation, do you think you could do it now? Does that make you nervous at all? I asked Harlow, a third-grader.

Just the feeling of how it would be an actual person instead of a fake leg. Thats scary, she said.

But you think based on what you learned, if it was an actual person, youd be able to do that? I responded.

Yeah, Harlow responded confidently.

Even young children know how to help

Studies find that young people can learn lifesaving lessons. Though they arent as young as the students I visited, a 2019 study of high school students found that more than 80% of them were able to position a tourniquet correctly after being taught either in person or online. A small 2022 study of 11- and 12-year-olds found that 97% of the students grasped the lessons of bleeding control and tourniquet use after Stop the Bleed training.

A recent study from the American Heart Association found that children as young as 4 know how to call for help in a medical emergency and that by age 10 to 12, children can administer effective CPR.

Harlows classmate Jeremy told me that the best part of learning all of this was that he was prepared to help anyone. Its that feeling you get when you get to see them go to the hospital and know that theyre OK and the feeling that youve saved someones life, he said.

And the lessons seem to stick with them. A sixth-grader, Piper, told me that although she would probably be nervous to apply these skills in a real situation when someone was actually bleeding out and there was a puddle, she was glad they had a trial run through the lessons in the classroom. It kind of loosens things up and doesnt make things so scary.

Carletons daughter and Pipers classmate, Quinn, agreed. When a situation comes for something like this, it wont be as scary, since we know what to do because weve already practiced it, she said.

A new stop, drop and roll

As impressed as I was with how quick and engaged the kids were, I couldnt help but feel sad that this is where we are as a country. A time when tourniquets and bleeding control kits are as routine as stop, drop and roll, the fire safety instructions that generations of children have learned in their classrooms.

When I shared that with Carleton, she told me that she felt the same way at first, but she had to change her approach.

When I would initially go into that with that kind of feeling, I just found that I couldnt teach the information in a way that it really resonated with them. It was being taught out of fear from me, and I dont want that, she said.

It is hard, however, to disentangle gun violence from the situations where these lessons could be most impactful.

Gun violence has become such a prevalent part of American life, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has now issued an advisory calling firearm violence an urgent public health crisis. The advisory notes that half of children ages 14 to 17 worry about school shootings and nearly 60% of them have thought about what would happen if a person with a gun entered their school. According to the Gun Violence Archive, last year alone, 1,682 children died and another 4,512 were injured by gun violence.

So a grass-roots movement to train elementary-age children continues, with people like Carleton leading the charge.

We can teach it, like teaching hands-only CPR or how to use an AED. It just becomes part of what we do, Carleton told me. It can be used in all situations, whether its a violent situation or not. But either way, its saving somebodys life.

CNNs Nadia Kounang contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Chinese envoy warns against repetition of humanitarian tragedy in West Bank

Xinhua) 11:16, September 05, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The international community must not allow the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza to be repeated in the West Bank, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), on Wednesday.

In remarks at a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Geng said that despite repeated international efforts and calls for a ceasefire and an end to all hostilities in Gaza, there is still no sign of easing or de-escalation.

"Rather, what we do see is the continued escalation of the situation in the West Bank in addition to what is going on in Gaza," he said, noting that next week will mark the 11th month of the Gaza conflict.

The ambassador urged the parties, Israel in particular, to show calm and restraint and fulfill its obligations as the occupying power, halt settler activities, stop attacks in the West Bank, and respect and maintain the status quo shaped by the history of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

"This war has been raging for too long. Ceasefire negotiations have been delayed for too long. And the suffering of the population has persisted for too long time," said Geng. "It's time to put an end to all these."

"We support the Security Council in taking further actions to implement the relevant Council resolutions, put out the flames of war without delay, and alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A person walks along landslide damage in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Sept. 3, 2024.

Rancho Palos Verdes, a coastal community in the Los Angeles area, could be described as a geological ticking time bomb.

The affluent city sits atop steep cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean that, for hundreds of years, have been slowly shifting and giving way.

Now, that movement is accelerating. Whereas the ground slid downward 8 inches annually in years past, it has lurched 13 inches per week in some places between July and August.

The resulting landslides have ripped apart seaside mansions, buckled roads and forced utility provider Southern California Edison to cut electricity to nearly 250 homes to avoid the possibility of fires.

Eight inches a year is measurable and they have had to do repairs to the road that crosses the area, but now its moving so rapidly that theyve had to just close a number of roads, turn off the gas supply and cut electricity, said Eric Fielding, a geophysicist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Its crazy but you cant keep re-installing electric wires every week.

In Rancho Palos Verdes Portuguese Bend neighborhood, 140 homes will be without power indefinitely, while around 60 in the citys Seaview section will be without service for a week or longer.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the city.

The situation is the unfortunate culmination of intense rainfall over the past two years, experts say. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is composed of weak rocks and beds of clay that prevent water from draining properly belowground. So during periods of heavy rain or high tectonic activity, the bluffs can slip, turning constant, slow-moving landslides into catastrophes.

Landslide damage in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Sept. 1, 2024.

Its not yet clear what, if anything, can be done to stop the land from moving.

Basic physics says that once a body is in motion, it wants to stay in motion, said Jonathan Godt, the landslides hazards program coordinator at the U.S. Geological Service.

The threat to Rancho Palos Verdes is not new. The land beneath the city has been moving for hundreds of years, scientists say, but it was mostly stable until a road construction project in the 1950s triggered the landslide to accelerate.

The landslide was moving even faster in the 1950s than it is today, Fielding said, but they managed to stabilize it to a large extent by drilling wells and pumping out water.

Now, heavy rains earlier this year and last year have caused the pace of the sliding to increase once again.

Fielding said its difficult to make a direct link between landslides and climate change, but rainfall is intensifying as a result of global warming because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, raising the chance of severe storms.

Even with the knowledge that heavier rain is more likely, it's challenging to forecast when major landslides will strike, Godt said. It can take months or even years after periods of heavy precipitation for the water to saturate deep rocks and clay and cause the land to deform.

Its also difficult to predict which slow-moving landslides may become problematic. Landslides that move at a glacial pace over hundreds or thousands of years are not uncommon in Southern California  and around the world, Godt said.

For many of those places, its not a problem over a human lifespan or even multiple human generations because thats just a blink of an eye from a geologic perspective, he said. But, there are instances where a series of heavy rainfall events, or shaking from earthquakes, or other geologic processes going on beneath our feet get those landslides moving again.

Aerial view of damage from landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., on Sept. 3.

Rancho Palos Verdes is already facing setbacks to potential efforts to mitigate the land movement. Last month, the city said it had uncovered an even deeper landslide in the area that is also active. Officials said that movement, at a depth of more than 300 feet, is too fast and too far underground to dig drains and pumps to extract water.

Now that a state of emergency has been declared, Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank said the money allocated will go toward helping the city government and landslide abatement efforts, but not to individual homeowners.

Homeowners whose power has been shut off will need to come up with tens of thousands of dollars or more to convert to off-grid alternatives, such as solar and battery technologies, Cruikshank told a local CBS affiliate on Wednesday. He hopes the state will help cover such costs.

Residents are already on the hook for damage to their homes, Cruikshank added, since typical home insurance policies dont cover landslides, hundreds of which are documented in California each year.

Tim Kelly, a mechanical engineer who moved to the Portuguese Bend neighborhood of Rancho Palos Verdes 30 years ago, said hes relying on his solar panels for power now, and remaining in his home. He attended a public meeting Tuesday in which residents pleaded with city officials for solutions.

Were resilient, Kelly said of the community. Were not going anywhere.

Kelly said that other homes in his area have shifted on their foundations, with some properties cracking and splitting in sections, but his house remains unmoved. He and his neighbors will not abandon their homes and expect government leaders and scientists to figure out how best to stop the slide, he added.

Kelly said that, for decades, the local government has failed to install long-term solutions to prevent water from saturating the canyon and divert it into the ocean. Now, the issue is coming to a head for the city and time is of the essence.

The patient is sick, Kelly said, "and something must be done to bring it back to life.
On the hunt for hearty vegetable side dishes that aren't bland? Scoop up a bowl of collard greens. This dish is a staple in the southern region of the United States and it's especially perfect for a New Year's Day dinner. A feast of black-eyed peas (coins), cornbread (gold), and brothy collard greens (money) are eaten to symbolize luck, health, and wealth respectively in the new year! Of course, these slow-simmered collards also make a terrific Thanksgiving side dish or addition to any Southern comfort food feast. Don't forget the corn muffins to sop up the deliciousness!

Why do collard greens take so long to cook?

Raw collard greens tough and somewhat bitter, but cooking them slowly tenderizes the leaves and mellows the bitterness. What you're left with is soft collards infused with rich, meaty broth. The longer the greens simmer, the better they'll taste!

Are collard greens vegetarian?

While the greens themselves are vegetarian, you would be hard-pressed to find any stewed collard greens in the Southern United States without a smidge of bacon fat or a smattering of smoked meat. This version calls for tender, meaty smoked turkey legs as the base, boiling them in water to yield a flavorful broth that the whole table will slurp up. If pork is more your thing, use the same amount of smoked ham hocks.

Do you need to wash bagged collard greens before cooking them?

If a bag of chopped collard greens says "washed," it's probably okay to skip washing them again, but it certainly never hurts to give your greens an extra rinse. Collards are notorious for clinging to soil! Dont worry too much about drying them thoroughly though; theyre going to be braised anyway! If a bag of pre-chopped collard greens is not available in the store, get a few bunches of collard greens, about 3 pounds total. They will need to be rinsed and soaked thoroughly for about 15 minutes to remove any dirt or debris. Some people even add a few tablespoons of vinegar to their soaked collard greens to get them extra squeaky clean. Dry them thoroughly and remove the greens from their tough stems, roll them up, and slice.

What does adding vinegar to collard greens do?

Far from making the collard greens taste pickled, the vinegar and sugar round out the dish beautifully, contrasting with the greens and fatty, rich broth. In fact, it's recommended to dab in even more in the form of pepper vinegar or hot sauce for a lip-smacking side dish!

Can you make collard greens ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great recipe to make a day ahead! The stewed collard greens will only grow more flavorful as they sit overnight. Once they're fully cooked, let the collard greens cool. Then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Reheat the collard greens in a pot on the stove over medium heat until heated through. Leftover collard greens will stay good in the fridge for up to three days.

Yields: 2 quarts

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

1 lb. smoked turkey legs (about 2)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 qt. chicken broth

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 (2-lb.) bag chopped fresh collared greens

Hot pepper sauce, to serve

Directions

In a large pot, cover the turkey legs in 2 quarts of water. Bring the turkey legs to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the turkey is tender and falling off the bone, about 1  hours. Remove the turkey legs from the stock and strain the stock into a large bowl through a fine mesh sieve. When the turkey is cool enough to handle, remove the bones and skin and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. In the same large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, vinegar, sugar, and the strained smoked turkey stock. Add the greens one handful at a time, stirring until wilted. Fold in the shredded turkey. Add water until it just covers the greens. Cover and cook until the greens are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the lid and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, 10 minutes. Taste for salt and vinegar. Serve hot, with pepper sauce, if you like.

Tip: Don't worry about simmering these greens too long! The longer they simmer, the better they will be in the end.

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Young men and women at a railway station in Hangzhou, China, in May.

HONG KONG  Chinas main intelligence agency has a warning for young people: Beware of handsome guys and beautiful women looking to turn them into spies.

University students with access to classified or sensitive research data should especially guard against foreign intelligence agents who might try to lure them into false romantic relationships and then manipulate them into spying against China, the Ministry of State Security said Wednesday in a post on the social media platform WeChat.

The agency has published a series of such posts since launching its WeChat account last August, urging the public to be alert to all manner of foreign threats as Chinese leader Xi Jinping prioritizes the strengthening of national security.

China has been trading accusations of espionage with the United States and its allies amid tense relations between the worlds two largest economies. The Chinese agencys latest warning comes as U.S. prosecutors allege that Linda Sun, a former top aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, acted as a secret agent for the Chinese government.

Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, who was also arrested, have both pleaded not guilty. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson declined to comment on the case but expressed opposition to any attempt to smear or slander China. In recent years, Chinese students have been targeted by schemes that aim to entice them into giving up information through job offers or online friendship, the Ministry of State Security said, without giving details.

Foreign agents, disguised as academics, researchers or consultants, begin by tempting students with limited financial resources with promises of high pay for little work, according to the post.

They exploit the curiosity and willingness of young people to try new things, the post said, and may also treat them to meals, give them gifts or help them make connections.

Then they get students to gather and share classified information by giving vague instructions, before trapping them with false affections, the post said, offering further training and guidance through social media, phone calls or video conferences.

They show care in daily life, offering help and solving problems, earning the students trust, the agency warned. Some even pretend to be affectionate handsome guys or beautiful women, trapping young students in false romantic relationships.

Lastly, recruiters will begin manipulating the students into engaging in more covert illegal activities, such as photographing sensitive military areas, the post said. If the students resist, they will drop their friendly facade and coerce them into continuing to spy.

The Ministry of State Security account features a host of content in almost daily posts, including comics and animated series.

Like the U.S. and other Western countries, it has also been disclosing details of alleged individual cases. On Monday, the agency said that employees of a Chinese company accused of illegally collecting railway data for an overseas client that serves foreign intelligence agencies had been jailed and deprived of their political rights.

In June, it said British intelligence had recruited a husband and wife who both worked for the Chinese government. A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister at the time, said it was the governments longstanding policy not to comment on the work of our intelligence agencies or security matters.
WASHINGTON  U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan set a timeline Thursday for debating whether former President Donald Trump is immune from election conspiracy charges that will not allow a trial before the November election.

Justice Department special counsel Jack Smiths team argued that Chutkan should decide whether Trump is immune from prosecution before making any other decisions in the case. The timeline she subsequently timeline laid out agreed with their request to handle the immunity question, while also considering Trump's other challenges to the charges.

The Supreme Court ruled in July that Trump is presumed immune from charges for his official acts in office. But prosecutors contend he is vulnerable to charges for unofficial acts that allegedly violated the law in his effort to overturn his 2020 defeat. Trump's lawyers contend the indictment covers official acts and should be dismissed.

Trump lawyer John Lauro argued it would be unfair to consider immunity before other disputes are resolved, such as about how much evidence is shared in the case. Chutkan set up deadlines for Trump's team to dispute whether they have received all the evidence before the the immunity arguments are due.

Lauro said former Vice President Mike Pences communications with Trump were immune and their inclusion in the indictment would lead to dismissal of the entire case.

We may be dealing with an illegitimate indictment from the get-go, Lauro said.

Lauro mentioned the sensitive timing of the case and encouraged Chutkan to move deliberately in the year-old charges, so as not to damage Trump's electoral prospects by presenting more detailed evidence against him in public before the election. But Chutkan said she would not be taking the election into consideration in setting deadlines.

This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule, Chutkan said. Thats nothing Im going to consider.

Even so, the legal debate over immunity could take months. Chutkan anticipates her ruling on whether the charges should be dismissed will be appealed to the Supreme Court, so she said she could not yet set a trial date.

Were hardly sprinting for the finish line here, Chutkan said.

Here's what we know about the hearing:

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a Fox News town hall hosted by Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pa., on Sept. 4, 2024.

Chutkan sets deadlines for written arguments on immunity, Smith appointment

Chutkan set dates for prosecutors and defense lawyers to submit written arguments about immunity, Smith's appointment and the statutes cited in the indictment despite the opposition from Trump's lawyers.

We can all walk and chew gum at the same time," Chutkan said.

The deadlines included:

Sept. 10 for prosecutors to share all required evidence in the case with the defense team. Windom said during the hearing prosecutors have already done that.

Sept. 19 for Trumps team to formally request any additional evidence they think might be missing.

Sept. 26 for prosecutors to file a written argument about Trumps immunity.

Oct. 3 for Trumps team to file their motion to dismiss the case by arguing the statutes are too vague.

Oct. 17 for Trumps team to respond to the governments immunity filing. Prosecutors must also respond to Trumps statutory filing.

Oct. 24 for Trumps team to file their motion to dismiss by arguing Smith was appointed illegitimately.

Oct. 29 for prosecutors to reply to Trumps arguments on immunity.

Oct. 31 for prosecutors to oppose Trumps argument about the legitimacy of Smiths appointment.

Smith offers to submit first argument on immunity, which Trump opposes

The customary path for written arguments before a trial is for the defense team to propose to dismiss the case, with the prosecution then responding. But Smith's team offered to file their argument against immunity first, to restart the case after it was halted since December during the appeal.

One prosecutor, Thomas Windom, said the government could file its argument within three weeks, with exhibits featuring transcripts from the grand jury and FBI interviews.

Windom acknowledged it would be unusual for the prosecution to file their argument first. But he said it would benefit the defense because Trump would see all the evidence laid out during the argument.

I dont think were in a typical situation," Windom said. The defense would know what the landscape looks like."

But Lauro had strongly opposed the proposal, saying it would allow the government to promote its case before the defense has a chance to pick it apart.

Its enormously prejudicial to President Trump," Lauro said. There are no special rules for the special counsel."

Trump lawyers contend Pence material voids the indictment

Part of the indictment deals with communications between Trump and Pence. The vice president served as president of the Senate as Congress counted Electoral College votes in the 2020 election, which Trump allegedly enlisted him to overturn. The Supreme Court ruled that arguments about Pence "present more difficult questions."

Lauro argued that the Supreme Court ruled that communications between Trump and Pence were presumptively part of official duties, which would shield Trump from any associated charges.

"The entire indictment is unlawful," Lauro said. "Theyre going to lose that bet, one way or another," he said of prosecutors.

But Windom disgreed, saying the high court allowed prosecutors to rebut the presumed immunity.

Its not an automatic dismissal of the indictment," Windom said.

Hearing features humor amid serious debate

Despite the serious subject, participants in the hearing occasionally shared humorous asides about the contentious debate.

The case was on hold because of Trump's appeal from December until the Supreme Court returned the case to Chutkan earlier this month. Chutkan welcomed Lauro at the start of the hearing by saying he looked well rested, but said he "should enjoy it while it lasts."

Prosecutors and defense lawyers disagreed about how quickly written arguments could be filed in the case. After Windom said defense lawyers filed a 52-page brief nine days after Trump's conviction in his New York hush money case, Chutkan commended Trump lawyer Todd Blanche.

"Congratulations, Mr. Blanche," Chutkan said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How far can Trump stretch his immunity? We're about to find out
WASHINGTON  Republican nominee Donald Trump played up Russian President Vladimir Putin jokingly endorsing his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, during a campaign stop on Thursday.

I dont know if Im insulted or he did me a favor," Trump said of Putin while outlining economic proposals to a group of New York City and Wall Street officials.

Four years ago, Putin said he preferred then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden over Trump, something he noted when he discussed Harris during an economic conference this week in Vladivostok.

"We will support her," Putin said ahead of the 2024 United States elections, according to published reports, adding: "She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her."

More: Putin jokingly supports Harris as US charges Russia with more election interference

The endorsement, real or not, came just hours after the Justice Department charged two Russian citizens with directing a $10 million campaign to influence the 2024 election through online platforms that promote Trump's candidacy.

Trump, who was investigated over Russian election interference in 2016, alleged without evidence after the charges were announced that the Biden administration is again trying to tie him to those efforts. In a Truth Social post, Trump said it is Harris and the Justice Department that are "trying to interfere in and suppress the Election in favor of the Democrats by resurrecting the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax."

What's true? What's false? Sign up for USA TODAY's Checking the Facts newsletter.

Trump also brought up Putin during a question-and-answer session that followed his Thursday economic speech to the Economic Club of New York.

Minutes before, Trump questioned the continuing value of sanctions against Russia and other rival nations, in Russia's case over its invasion of Ukraine. He said sanctions need to be used "very judiciously" because they can undercut the U.S. dollar. He added that he would try to negotiate a settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

"I want to use sanctions as little as possible," Trump said.

Critics have long taken aim at Trump's relationship with Putin. Harris campaign spokesman Ian Sams told CNN this week that "I think everybody knows who dictators and bullies around the world prefer in this election."

During a briefing on Friday, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Putin's support of Harris was part of a longstanding disinformation effort by Putin to publicly support political candidates and causes that he actually opposes.

The official said U.S. intelligence agencies do not take Putin's public statements as representative of Russia's covert intentions and said there are numerous examples of where his public statements do not align with Russian actions, including his comments that he would not invade Ukraine before invading Ukraine.

Contributing: Josh Meyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump jabs back as Vladimir Putin jokingly backs Kamala Harris
Editors Note: Examining clothes through the ages, Dress Codes is a new series investigating how the rules of fashion have influenced different cultural arenas  and your closet.

As students return to school, one patterned textile now synonymous with uniforms will make its seasonal reappearance on pleated skirts, jumpers and ties: plaid. The design has long been a mainstay in both classrooms and in pop culture, bringing to mind the hilarious Irish teens of Derry Girls, the bold 90s fashion of Clueless or the provocative outfits of the early 2000s pop duo t.A.T.u.

Plaid has become a catch-all term in the US, but includes patterns with distinct histories, including tartan, from Scotland, which is more associated with Catholic school uniforms, and madras, from India, which became a staple of American collegiate prep looks popularized by the likes of Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers in the latter half of the 20th century. Its a family of textiles with broad scholarly appeal, with both religious and secular schools worldwide incorporating plaid into uniforms, from Mexico to Japan to Australia.

But how did a cloth like tartan, once the symbol of Scottish Highlander identity and rebellion, wind up on the fictional American teen Cher Horowitz as the ultimate twist on schoolgirl fashion? The reasons for the wool textiles success as both a national identity marker and school dress code are one and the same.

It really communicates a sense of belonging, said Mhairi Maxwell, co-curator of the exhibition Tartan, which showed at the V&A museum in Dundee, Scotland, last year. Any club, any society, any school, can design their own tartan. Youre part of this larger club, but youre also your own little clique within it.

"Clueless" has become a touchpoint in 1990s teen fashion. - Paramount/Everett Collection/Shutterstock

The fictional teen nemesis Gogo Yubari became iconic in "Kill Bill: Volume 1" for her bloodlust and chic schoolgirl style. - A Band Apart/Miramax/Kobal/Shutterstock

Thousands of variations have been officially added to the Scottish Register of Tartans, making it a pattern that both follows strict rules and allows for infinite possibilities in design, Maxwell explained. Theres the highly recognizable red, blue, green, white and yellow weaves of the Royal Stewart (or Stuart) tartan  both the official tartan of the British monarchy and one of the most popular variations adopted by the punk movement  the blues and pinks of Vivienne Westwoods MacAndreas tartan, worn by Naomi Campbell in the 1990s; and the crimson, white and black pattern made official by the University of Alabama in 2011.

Japanese students photographed afterschool in Nara in 2013. - Zhang Peng/LightRocket/Getty Images

Possibly the earliest existing scrap of tartan known today is a 16th-century piece found in a bog in Glen Affric, Scotland, which the V&A Dundee studied before the exhibition. The Scottish Tartans Authority commissioned dye analysis and radiocarbon testing on the textile, which has now been dated to between 1500 and 1600. Its known that tartan existed for centuries before, though how long is often contested.

Tartans origins are so elusive  its really hard to pinpoint (their) origin story, Maxwell said in a phone interview, noting that many cultures around the world have grid-patterned textiles in their histories, leading to the differing claims of where and when tartan was first woven. The pattern has specific rules, however, that distinguish it from check or gingham patterns as well as madras.

Shifting associations

Tartans history within Scotland has been debated as well. Centuries of romanticizing Highlander clanship and identity has likely influenced our contemporary understanding of the textile, Maxwell noted. The popular idea that tartan designs, dyes or techniques were rigid identifiers of a particular community is dubious, she pointed out  the clans werent siloed off, but imported and exported their materials.

The exhibition "Tartan" traced the textile's history and cultural influence over the centuries. - Jane Barlow/PA Wire

However, it was the Jacobite military leader Charles Edward Stuart  known as Bonnie Prince Charlie  who made tartan a powerful symbol, leading his tartan-clad forces during an unsuccessful uprising in 1745 to restore his familys Catholic leadership to the British throne.

(He) made tartan the plaid of the people, and used it to create a movement to fight for his cause, Maxwell said. He was already capitalizing on that idea that it was a cloth of allegiance that bound people together to fight for something they believed in.

After Stuarts defeat, tartan was restricted in its use for decades in Scotland through Great Britains Dress Act, but it had a fashionable revival in the early 19th century that received royal support, particularly from Queen Victoria. The era saw an elite appropriation of Highland craft and lifestyle, Maxwell explained. Previously a formidable sight to encounter on the battlefield, it now represented a different kind of pride in the form of status and wealth, making it an ideal textile to use in schools promoting prestige and heritage.

Students in uniform in Puebla, Mexico with matching skirts, socks and shoes. - Thomas Trutschel/Photothek/Getty Images

I cant really think of another textile which has all this baggage with it, Maxwell said. Its a traditional cloth, but its super rebellious at the same time. It also became a fabric with imperial implications, as it made its way around the world through the uniforms of Scottish Highland regiments at war, British colonial exports and the transatlantic slave trade.

A collective identity

In the US, tartan was first introduced when the states were still British colonies. But the textile didnt become a fixture of school uniforms until the 1960s, according to historian and educator Sally Dwyer-McNulty, who authored Common Threads: A Cultural History of Clothing in American Catholicism in 2014. That decade saw the textile explode in popularity, she explained in a phone interview, brought to market by major Catholic school uniform suppliers at the time, including Bendinger Brothers and Eisenberg and OHara (now Flynn OHara), who often had contracts with entire networks of diocesan schools.

Its like virtuous consumption, where Catholics, like lots of other post-war families, had a little bit more money to spend, she explained in a phone interview. The companies that had exclusive contracts wanted to tap into the resources that families had and make the (uniforms) attractive.

The girl pop duo t.A.T.u adopted the Catholic schoolgirl look for their music videos and performances. - Bruno Vincent/Getty Images

Plaid already had ties to Catholicism, and it also visually stood out, she said. And, like across the pond, it allowed schools to brand themselves through their uniforms with a textile that allowed for a lot of variance without any external adornments.

It creates this collective identity thats important. It gives students this kind of embodied pride that they have regarding their school  or they can also express their rejection of that uniformity by letting their socks fall down to their ankles, she joked. (Dwyer-McNulty herself attended two different Catholic schools in Philadelphia, wearing plaid uniforms through high school).

Olivia Rodrigo in a punk plaid mini in 2022. - Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images

Jenna Ortega promoting "Beetlejuice" in a Thom Browne-designed tribute to the character Lydia Deetz. - MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Uniforms were only associated with parochial and private schools until the late 1980s, but public schools began piloting them as well, allowing plaids influence in American classrooms to spread. (President Bill Clinton was a particular proponent of them during his administration the following decade, believing they would help reduce student crime). By the 1990s, the styles were no longer just available by contracted uniform companies, either, Maxwell noted, as stores like Gap and The Childrens Place stocked up on plaid skirts and jumpers.

Globally, plaid has been revived, remixed and deconstructed any number of ways today, as designers, subcultures and television and film continue to play on the trope. For Maxwell, 1995s Clueless remains a favorite interpretation. Its also one that keeps giving, as the bright yellow plaid skirt-suit set worn by Alicia Silverstone is continually replicated, last year by Kim Kardashian for Halloween, and redesigned by Christian Siriano (and worn by Silverstone) for a Superbowl ad.

That Valley Girl appropriation of tartan is really cool, Maxwell said. Its playing off that heritage of preppy Ivy League, but flipping it on its head and making quite a feminist statement about what it is to be educated, young and aspirational.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A series of ex-government officials, law professors, and democracy groups are calling for Judge Aileen Cannon's removal from the classified documents criminal case against former President Donald Trump, based on decisions they say have created the appearance of bias.

The Cannon-naysayers include former Republican Missouri Rep. Tom Coleman, former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, and several former Republican presidential administration officials. They want the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which is hearing special counsel Jack Smith's appeal after Cannon dismissed the case, to listen to their arguments for not just reversing her decision, but also reassigning the case to a different judge.

In a brief submitted Tuesday by government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and others, they essentially accuse Cannon of suggesting through her rulings that she doesn't believe former presidents are equal under the law.

"Her rulings and other conduct create the appearance of an unshakeable conviction that subjecting a former president to ordinary criminal procedures represents an intolerable affront to his dignity," they wrote.

Aileen Cannon, the Florida judge initially assigned to oversee Donald Trump's classified documents case, answers questions during her nomination hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, U.S. July 29, 2020 in a still image from video.

Cannon, who was appointed by Trump. ruled on July 15 that Smith's appointment as special counsel by US Attorney General Merrick Garland was unlawful and therefore the entire case charging Trump with mishandling classified documents needed to be thrown out.

The ruling deviated from the rulings of every other court to consider the issue after both Democratic and Republican administrations appointed special and independent counsels to oversee politically sensitive investigations with greater independence. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurrence in the high court's July 1 presidential immunity ruling that questioned the lawfulness of special counsels.

'Pattern of unsupportable decisions'

In one brief, which Coleman and Whitman signed onto along with other ex-officials and democracy-focused nonprofit State Democracy Defenders Action, Cannon is accused of engaging in a "pattern of unsupportable decisions" that created the appearance of bias. The critics in that brief, which urged the 11th Circuit to reassign the case to a different judge, pointed specifically to Cannon's decision to dismiss the case and an earlier ruling that temporarily blocked investigators from examining documents seized from Trump's Mar-a-Lago club.

The 11th Circuit overturned the earlier ruling in a sharply-worded 2022 decision, calling it "a radical reordering of our caselaw" and a violation of "bedrock separation-of-powers limitations."

The second brief was submitted Tuesday by CREW along with former federal Judge Nancy Gertner and two law professors who have written on judicial ethics and conduct, New York University's Stephen Gillers and Hofstra University's James J. Sample.

That group targeted not just the two rulings highlighted in the first brief, but also the nearly a year that they said Cannon spent stalling the case by offering hearings for "nearly every theory that Trumps counsel could conjure up," before hastily dismissing the case following Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' July 1 legal aside.

It's not the first time Cannon's oversight of the case has come under fire.

Cannon rejected suggestions from two other judges to step away from the case when it was first assigned to her, according to a New York Times report. George W. Bush appointee and the chief judge for Cannon's Southern District of Florida federal court, Cecilia Altonaga, told Cannon it would look bad for her to oversee a trial in the case after the controversy around her overturned ruling hampering investigators.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-officials want Judge Aileen Cannon taken off Trump documents case
When a landslide destroyed an Alaska couple's home, the two began grieving their dogs who were buried under the rubble. One excruciating week later, their family is reunited now safe and sound.

James and William (Bill) Montiver's three-story house collapsed on Aug. 25 after a landslide leveled homes and businesses in Ketchikan, Alaska, a city facing the Inside Passage located in the southeastern part of the state. The married couple were lucky enough to have survived the disaster, which city officials said killed one person and hospitalized three others.

The landslide brought the couple's home down 47 feet into their neighbors home, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough wrote in a news release. James managed to escape the scene on his own, while Bill was rescued by first responders. However, their two dogs, Alani and Cassie, could not be found despite additional attempts to locate them throughout the next week.

Sisters Alani and Cassie were found and rescued by firefighters seven days landslide destroyed their three story house in Ketchikan, Alaska on Aug. 25, 2024.

By Sunday morning, geologist Travis Watkins heard whimpering from the tumbled down house, warranting search and rescue efforts. Fire crews assessed the property's stability and carried out an entry plan, eventually safely retrieving the sister pets.

Firefighter and EMT Crystal Schleiff said she shimmied through a three foot crawl space as well as foot and a half void when she saw blinking eyes, according to the news release.

She couldn't help to make a high pitch voice as she yelled "I found the dog, I see eyes and they're blinking." The dogs were returned to their owners and treated by a veterinarian.

Couple says they made 'private goodbyes' to their dogs

Following a suspenseful seven days, the Montivers, who have been together for 43 years, are beyond relieved to be with their dogs again.

We are humbled and blessed that Cassie and Alani have been returned to us, and our family is together again. We are so thankful to the first responders and to everyone who has helped us this week," James Montiver said in a news release.

Bill and James Montiver's dogs Alani and Cassie were rescued seven days after their home was destroyed by a landslide in Ketchikan, Alaska on August 25, 2024.

James told NBC News they were convinced their dogs didn't make it or someone else got a hold of them, adding that "we basically said our private goodbyes to them."

The sound of the landslide convinced Bill that a plane was about to crash into their house, he told NBC News.

James injured his shoulder and broke four ribs when the landslide threw him into the ceiling and down to his the sofa. Meanwhile, the pair believes Bill was protected by their Bosch dishwasher he was hiding behind when the wall collapsed.

"We owe a big thank you to Bosch," James said.

Landslide damaged roads, sparked evacuations

In addition to killing one person, injuring several others and leveling properties, the landslide also significantly damaged roads, caused power outages and required mandatory evacuations.

Ketchikan officials said the disaster began when land detached from a hill side on August 25 at about 4 p.m. local time.

"In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude," Mayor Dave Kiffer said in a news release. "The loss of life that we have encountered is heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes."

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster emergency declaration for the city that night adding that his "thoughts and prayers are with residents of Ketchikan tonight."

Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dogs found alive in house rubble one week after Alaska landslide
Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, made their first appearances in front of a judge at Georgia's Barrow County Superior Court on Friday morning to face charges in the shooting deaths of four people at Apalachee High School on Wednesday.

Shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, is being charged as an adult, and Colin Gray faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Colt Gray, who appeared in court first, was told by Judge Currie M. Mingledorff II that his penalties would not include death because he is under 18 years old. A preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 4.

His father was brought into court afterward and was told by the judge that he faces a maximum 180 years in prison if convicted, which includes a 30-year maximum sentence on each of the second-degree murder charges he faces. His preliminary hearing was also set for Dec. 4.

Both Grays have temporary attorneys and plan to obtain alternate counsel by later today. Neither of them is seeking bond at this time.

Questions about the gun

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Colin "knowingly allowed his son" to "possess a gun." Because of the active investigation, it could not provide further details, including whether Colin gifted the gun to his son, as some media have reported.

During a press conference on Wednesday, authorities said the weapon Colt allegedly used was an AR-style platform rifle, which is semiautomatic and frequently used in mass shootings.

The shooting Wednesday killed 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and educators Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie. Nine other people were injured in the shooting  two teachers and seven students  officials said Thursday night. Authorities said "all nine will make a full recovery and be able to leave the hospital."

Colin Gray, father of 14-year-old suspected shooter Colt Gray, was arrested on Thursday. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office via Reuters) (Reuters / Reuters)

Prior warnings

A Jackson County, Ga., police report obtained by Yahoo News found that users of the social media platform Discord had reached out to the FBI in May 2023 warning that someone was threatening to shoot an unspecified middle school in the area.

Hours after Colt Gray allegedly killed four people and injured nine others at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, the FBI Atlanta division said that it had received those anonymous tips and that Jackson County officials had looked into Gray as the suspect.

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father, the FBI wrote. The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online.

Investigators spoke to the Grays in May 2023

Following the tips from Discord users, authorities went to the Grays residence and spoke to both Colt, who was then 13 and a student at Jefferson Middle School in Georgia, and his father, Colin, according to the report. Colin denied knowing what Discord was, and Colt said he had deactivated his Discord account months prior. Discord is a free messaging app, predominantly used in the gaming community.

Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner, the report says. Colt stated he stopped using Discord because too many people kept hacking his account and he was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes.

The tip the FBI received about the Discord account said it had been created in April 2023  after Colt said he deleted his account. Screenshots of the Discord account showed that the username was in Russian and that the translation of the Russian letters spelled out the name Lanza. Authorities thought this referred to Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old who committed the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.

This booking image provided by the Barrow County, Ga., Sheriff's Office shows Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect in the Apalachee High School shootings. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Due to the inconsistent nature of the information received by the FBI, the allegation that Colt or Colin is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated, the report concluded. This case will be exceptionally cleared.

The threats were generic and not a specific location or time, a spokesperson for the FBI Atlanta division told Yahoo News on Thursday. At this time, we dont have further information to share other than what was in our statement on our social media channels.

New charges

While there is not a lot of precedent in charging the parents of minors involved in shootings, Michael Lawlor, a lawyer and associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven, pointed to the April conviction of Jennifer and James Crumbley, whose son, Ethan, killed four students at Michigans Oxford High School in 2021.

According to Lawlor, there are two key elements authorities had to consider when determining whether to criminally prosecute Gray's parents for the Apalachee shooting.

If it can be proven that the 14-year-old actually did have unfettered access to the AR platform weapon used in the shooting [which would mean they lied to investigators in 2023] and if it could be proven that the parents were aware of his homicidal postings, then a conviction would certainly be possible, Lawlor told Yahoo News prior to the announcement that Colin Gray had been charged.

The Crumbleys were accused of not properly securing their newly purchased gun at home, which Ethan later brought to school, and for not taking appropriate actions following signs of their sons mental health decline, even after being shown a violent and disturbing drawing Ethan had done.

The Crumbleys were the first parents to be convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting committed by their child and were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

The statute says anyone convicted of involuntary manslaughter can face up to 10 years in prison.

President Biden appeared to broach the issue Thursday afternoon in Westby, Wisc.

There are too many people who are able to access guns that shouldnt be able to. Lets require safe storage of firearms. I know I have mine locked up. How could you not have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house, not locked up and knowing your kid knows where it is? You gotta hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns, Biden said. Authorities have not said where Gray obtained the AR-style rifle he's alleged to have used in the shootings.
When their working days eventually come to an end, many retirees will think about the best place to spend their golden years. Figuring out the cost of living in different areas is an important part of the decision-making process, and taxes are also a key consideration. Not all states treat retirement income, such as pension payouts or distributions from 401(k) plans and IRAs, the same way.

Heres what you need to know about how different states tax retirement income, including the states where you wont pay taxes at all.

States with no income tax

Retirement distributions from 401(k) plans or IRAs are considered income for tax purposes.

Fortunately, there are several places with no state income tax:

Alaska

Florida

Nevada

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Washington

Wyoming

In addition to those eight states, New Hampshire also doesnt have an income tax, but it does tax interest and dividend payments, which are a staple of many retirement portfolios. You could avoid this tax by holding income-producing assets within a tax-advantaged plan such as an IRA, and then taking a distribution from the plan. Because the distribution would qualify as income, New Hampshire wont tax you on it. The tax on interest and dividends is set to be repealed in 2025.

Washington does have a capital gains tax, though there are exemptions and deductions that may eliminate or lower the amount that is owed.

States that dont tax retirement income

In addition to the nine states above that dont have an income tax at all, four states do not tax retirement income: Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. Heres what you should know about each one.

Illinois

Illinois charges a flat state income tax of 4.95 percent, but all retirement income is exempt from paying the tax. This includes pension payments as well as distributions from retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs. Social Security payments are also exempt.

Iowa

Beginning in 2023, Iowa residents over the age of 55 are no longer taxed on their retirement income thanks to a 2022 law. Iowa state income tax rates range from 4.4 percent to 5.7 percent in 2024, but the range will be narrowed each following year until a flat rate of 3.9 percent is implemented in 2026.

Mississippi

Mississippi state income tax rates range from 0 percent to 4.7 percent, but retirement income is not taxed as long as youve met the plan requirements. This means that early distributions from retirement plans may not qualify as retirement income and could be subject to tax and a penalty.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania charges personal income tax at a flat rate of 3.07 percent. Retirement income is not taxed in Pennsylvania as long as plan requirements are met. Withdrawals from retirement plans such as IRAs prior to reaching the necessary age (59 1/2) may result in taxes.

States that dont tax Social Security

Forty-one states plus the District of Columbia do not tax Social Security income for retirees.

Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska are three of the most recent states to eliminate taxes on Social Security and others are in the process of phasing out the tax.

Here are the 41 states that dont tax Social Security income:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington Wisconsin Wyoming

The 9 states that tax Social Security benefits include: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia. The amount youre taxed in some of these states is based on your adjusted gross income (AGI) and filing status. West Virginia is phasing out its tax on Social Security benefits and will eliminate it entirely in 2026.

Other retirement income tax issues

While the states listed above dont tax retirement income at all, there are other states that provide some exemptions. Several states dont tax military retirement pay, while other states treat pension income differently than distributions from retirement plans such as 401(k)s or IRAs.

Be sure to understand the tax implications of living in a state before deciding where to retire. Taxes on retirement income are one element of the equation, but youll also want to consider things like sales and property taxes to get a complete picture. You may ultimately decide that paying more in taxes is worth it to you if a state offers other benefits that make up for the higher cost.

Bottom line

If youre looking to avoid paying state taxes on your retirement income, youll have 13 states to choose from, while many others offer exemptions of some sort. Make sure to understand the tax situation in a state before deciding to relocate there. While lowering your tax bill may help you enjoy a more comfortable retirement, its not the only factor worth considering.
FILE - Graduates of the University of North Carolina take pictures at the Old Well on campus in Chapel Hill, N.C., June 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Some selective colleges are reporting drops in the number of Black students in their incoming classes, the first admitted since a Supreme Court ruling struck down affirmative action in higher education. At other colleges, including Princeton University and Yale University, the share of Black students changed little.

Several schools also have seen swings in their numbers of Asian, Hispanic and Native American students, but trends are still murky. Experts and colleges say it will take years to measure the full impact of last year's ruling that barred consideration of race in admissions.

The end of affirmative action isn't the only factor affecting the makeup of freshman classes. Some colleges are changing standardized test requirements, heightening their importance. And the federal government's botched rollout of a new financial aid form complicated decisions of students nationwide on where and whether to attend college.

Its really hard to pull out what one policy shift is affecting all of these enrollment shifts, said Katharine Meyer, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank. The unsatisfying answer is that its hard to know which one is having the bigger impact.

On Thursday, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported drops in enrollment among Black, Hispanic and Native American students in its incoming class. Its approach to admissions has been closely watched because it was one of two colleges, along with Harvard University, that were at the center of the Supreme Court case.

The population of Black students dropped nearly 3 percentage points, to 7.8%, compared with the UNC class before it. Hispanic student enrollment fell from 10.8% to 10.1%, while the incoming Native American population slid half a percentage point to 1.1%, according to the university. The incoming Asian student population rose 1 percentage point to 25.8%. The share of white students, at 63.8%, barely changed.

It is too soon to see trends from the affirmative action decision, said Rachelle Feldman, UNCs vice provost for enrollment. She cited the delays in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid application process as another possible influence on the makeup of the incoming class.

We are committed to following the new law. We are also committed to making sure students in all 100 counties from every population in our growing state feel encouraged to apply, have confidence in our affordability and know this is a place they feel welcome and can succeed, Feldman said.

Some colleges reported sharp declines in the percentages of Black students in their incoming class, including drops from 15% to 5% at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from 11% to 3% at Amherst College. At Tufts University, the drop in the share of Black students was more moderate, from 7.3% to 4.7%. At Yale, the University of Virginia and Princeton, the change year-over-year was less than a percentage point.

Many colleges did not share the demographics of applicants, making it impossible to know whether fewer students of color applied, or were admitted but chose not to attend.

Changes in other demographic groups also did not follow a clear pattern. At MIT, for example, the percentage of Asian students increased from 40% to 47% and Hispanic and Latino students from 16% to 11%, while the percentage of white students was relatively unchanged. But at Yale, the percentage of Asian students declined from 30% to 24%. White students at Yale went from 42% of the class to 46%, and Hispanic and Latino students saw an increase of 1 percentage point.

Colleges have been pursuing other strategies to preserve the diversity they say is essential to campus life.

JT Duck, dean of admissions at Tufts, emphasized the school would work on expanding outreach and partnerships with community organizations to reach underrepresented, low-income and first-generation students. He cautioned against reading too much into year-to-year changes in enrollment.

The results show that we have more work to do to ensure that talented students from all backgrounds, including those most historically underrepresented at selective universities, have access to a Tufts education. And we are committed to doing that work, while adhering to the new legal constraints, he said in an email. Weve already done a lot of work toward these ends and look forward to doing even more.

At UNC, Feldman said it is a priority to offer substantial financial aid to low-income families, along with retaining students through investments in undergraduate advising and other initiatives. She said there are no plans for dramatic changes in light of the new enrollment data.

The university wants to make sure "anyone from any background knows they can earn their way here, she said at a news conference.

Sharp declines in the number of students of color can impact how prospective students view schools, leading some to choose other colleges where they might feel a stronger sense of community, said Mitchell Chang, a professor of higher education at the University of California, Los Angeles.

If we're below a certain threshold, people who see themselves as having a more difficult time developing a sense of belonging will choose elsewhere, he said. That's especially true at selective colleges, where admitted students may be choosing between multiple top-tier schools.

So far, the drops in underrepresented minority students are smaller in scope than when states like Michigan and California passed bans on affirmative action decades earlier, Meyer said. But since those bans, colleges have developed more best practices for effective, non-race-based ways of recruiting and enrolling a diverse class, Meyer said.

___

The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
The 14-year-old suspect in the fatal mass shooting at a Winder, Georgia, high school will be booked Wednesday night, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at an evening news conference.

Colt Gray will be charged with murder in connection with the deaths of two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, authorities said.

The deceased victims were 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, 14-year-old Christian Angulo, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, according to Hosey. The schools website shows the two adults were both math teachers and Aspinwall was also an assistant football coach.

Gray is a student at Apalachee High School and will be handled as an adult as he moves through the court system, Hosey said at an earlier news conference.

Richard Aspinwall, Cristina Irimie, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo were all victims in the Apalachee High School shooting on September 4. - Apalachee High School/Family Photo/GoFundMe

Nine other victims  eight students and one teacher  were taken to hospitals following the Wednesday morning shooting, according to the GBI.

Hosey said the gun was an AR-platform weapon while a law enforcement official earlier told CNN it was an AR-15-style.

The gunfire sent students and faculty desperately scurrying for cover as schools across the county went into lockdown and parents scrambled for information.

During the shooting, 14-year-old Macey Right texted her mom saying she heard gunshots and asked her mother to come get her. Right and her friends held hands and prayed in their classroom, she said. Moments later, they were disrupted by banging and yelling, according to Macey.

I heard gunshots outside my classroom and people screaming, people begging not to get shot, and then people sitting beside me just shaking and crying, Macey said.

Follow live updates: Police respond to reported shooting at Georgia high school

Authorities spoke to suspect and his father last year

The suspect was interviewed by local law enforcement in May 2023 after the FBI received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time, according to a joint statement from the FBIs Atlanta office and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office.

The online threats included photographs of guns, the statement said.

The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have

unsupervised access to them, the statement said. The subject denied making the threats online.

The FBI said there was no probable cause for an arrest at the time.

Wednesdays shooting is the deadliest of the 45 school shootings so far this calendar year, according to a CNN analysis. It is one of 11 school shootings with four or more deaths since 2008, when CNN first started tracking school shootings.

Authorities said the first report of an active shooter came in at 10:20 a.m. ET. A school resource deputy assigned to Apalachee High confronted the shooter, who got on the ground and was taken into custody, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith told reporters.

Witness sat next to suspected shooter

Lyela Sayarath, 16, told CNN the alleged shooter sat next to her in an algebra class.

She said he left class early, around 9:45 a.m., but didnt take a bathroom pass. She thought he might be skipping.

Toward the end of class, someone told her teacher over the loudspeaker to check their email, she said.

Shortly after, Gray was outside the classroom door, which was shut, Lyela said. Another student who went to the door jumped backwards when she saw he had a gun.

I guess he saw we werent gonna let him in, Lyela said. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom.

At first, she told CNN she heard a burst of gunfire  maybe 10 to 15 shots  and then they were kind of just one after another.

Students dropped to the floor and crawled to the corner, Lyela said.

It seemed like this wasnt something he planned too well or that he wasnt really strong with the gun because he didnt try and shoot our door. Once he saw he couldnt get in our room, he just went to the next one.

Latest developments

 The high school had received an earlier phone threat, multiple law enforcement officials told CNN. The phone call Wednesday morning warned there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first. It is not known who placed the call.

 Investigators have spoken to the suspected shooter and have been in touch with his family, Smith said.

 It was not immediately known whether the assailant had some connection with his victims, the sheriff said, though officials stressed that will be part of the investigation.

 Schools in Barrow County will be closed the rest of the week.

 The US has suffered at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. Thats an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.

Student texted mom: Im scared

Erin Clark was at work Wednesday morning when she got a series of text messages from her son, a senior, who was attending class at Apalachee High School.

School shooting.

Im scared, he wrote.

pls im not joking, the flurry of messages said.

Im leaving work, Clark replied. I love you, her son, Ethan Haney, 17, wrote back.

Love you too baby, his mom texted before racing to the high school.

Clark told CNN her son heard eight or nine gunshots before he closed his classroom door and, with the help of another classmate, moved chairs and tables to block the door.

Clark told CNN she was absolutely terrified when she read her sons messages. Just kept praying hed stay safe, she said.

Schools in county went into lockdown

As emergency responders came from several counties, video from outside the school showed at least five ambulances and a large law enforcement presence at the campus, and at least one medical helicopter could be seen airlifting a patient from the scene.

At the football field, where authorities had students gather, people lowered their heads and formed a prayer circle in the end zone, standing on the letters for Apalachee as their classmates milled around the field.

All schools in the Barrow County School System, which includes the high school, were placed on lockdown and police were sent out of an abundance of caution to all district high schools, according to the sources, but there are no reports of secondary incidents or scenes.

Some of the critically injured were removed by helicopter, and additional helicopters are on standby.

Atlanta trauma center, other hospitals take patients

Grady Health System  a Level 1 trauma center in Atlanta, about an hour drive from Winder  received one gunshot wound victim from the incident who was transported by helicopter, a hospital spokesperson told CNN.

Earlier, a source with knowledge of the situation who is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in North Georgia received two victims from the shooting. The source said one victim is an adult with a gunshot wound to the stomach and was in surgery, and another is a minor with unspecified injuries.

Three gunshot victims were taken to nearby hospitals following the shooting, according to a hospital official, and five other patients reported to the hospital with symptoms related to a panic attack.

Two gunshot victims were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Barrow with non-life threatening injuries, Northeast Georgia Health System spokesperson Layne Saliba said. Four other patients came with symptoms related to panic attacks.

Another gunshot victim was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville with non-life threatening injuries, Saliba said, and an additional patient came to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton with symptoms related to a panic attack.

Law enforcement and first responders are seen at the scene following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday. - Christian Monterrosa/AFP/Getty Images

Georgia governor sends prayers and says he can send resources

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has directed all available state resources to assist at the scene, he said in a statement on social media. The governor urged all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, the White House said, offering federal support to state and local officials.

His administration will continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials as we receive more information, the White House said in a statement.

Attorney General Merrick Garland similarly said the US Department of Justice stands ready to support the community after the shooting.

We are still gathering information, but the FBI and ATF are on the scene, working with state, local and federal partners, Garland said at a meeting of the Justice Departments Election Threats Task Force.

Winder had a population of about 18,338 as of the 2020 census, according to the US Census Bureau. The Barrow County School System is the 24th largest school district in the state, per the districts website. It serves about 15,340 students, 1,932 of whom are enrolled at Apalachee High School.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNNs Isabel Rosales reported from Winder, while Nick Valencia reported from Atlanta. CNNs John Miller and Dakin Andone reported from New York. Taylor Galgano, Jaide Timm-Garcia, Holly Yan, Steve Almasy, Josh Campbell, Maureen Chowdhury, Amy OKruk, Alex Leeds Matthews, Shawn Nottingham, Rebekah Riess, Devan Cole, Hannah Rabinowitz and Mark Morales contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Ali Sawafta

TUBAS, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed six Palestinian militants in the town of Tubas and in a nearby refugee camp in the occupied West Bank early on Thursday, the military said, as a major operation in the territory stretched into a second week.

The incidents took place during raids in different areas of the West Bank that have involved hundreds of soldiers, police and intelligence officers backed by helicopters, drones and armoured vehicles - the biggest Israeli military action in the territory in months.

In Tubas, a city in the north of the Jordan Valley where 10 people have been killed over the past week, hundreds of mourners joined the funeral procession, including dozens of armed men firing into the air.

The Israeli military said three drone strikes hit a militant cell that posed a threat to soldiers in Tubas, killing a number of individuals including Mohammad Zakaria Zubeidi, whom it described as a "significant terrorist" in the Jenin area.

Palestinian health officials said the strikes killed five people and wounded three. The five were claimed as members by the armed wing of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad.

A heavily damaged car parked in a garage area was surrounded by blood stains where the men were killed in the strike.

A sixth Palestinian, identified as a 16 year-old by Palestinian health officials, was also killed in the area of Far'a, near Tubas, during an exchange of fire with Israeli security forces.

The military said he was armed with an explosive device but there was no claim from any of the militant groups that he was a member.

In the same operation around Far'a, the military said a drone strike hit a number of fighters who threw explosives and opened fire on security forces. However there were no reports of deaths in the incident from Palestinian authorities.

Israeli forces remained in Tulkarm on Thursday and in the flashpoint city of Jenin, historically one of the main centres of armed Palestinian groups in the West Bank.

The area was captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, and Palestinians envisage it as part of an eventual state also including Gaza and East Jerusalem.

The nine-day operation has left a trail of burned and damaged houses in Jenin and more than 20 km of roadway dug up by armoured tractors in what the Israeli military says is a tactic needed to neutralize buried roadside bombs.

Water and electricity services have also been disrupted, while thousands of people have been ordered from their homes in parts of the city. Health authorities have also said ambulances have faced problems getting through Israeli cordons around the city's main hospital.

At least 39 Palestinians have been killed across the West Bank during the operation, according to Palestinian health authorities. Most of those have been armed fighters but some uninvolved civilians have also been killed, including a 16-year-old girl. One Israeli soldier was also killed.

The West Bank has seen heightened unrest since the outbreak of the war between Israeli forces and Hamas in the Gaza Strip last October, with Israeli military actions, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis, and violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinian communities.

(Writing by James Mackenzie, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
WASHINGTON  When Congress returns from its summer break on Monday, lawmakers will have three short weeks to figure out how to keep the government's doors open before funding expires on Sept. 30, staving off a looming shutdown.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has a plan: Extend current funding through next March, avoiding a Christmas-time standoff or a messy spending fight ahead of a contentious election.

But to get to that, Johnson is also proposing Congress pass a bill that would require people to prove they're citizens in order to register to vote. It's a proposal that President Joe Biden has vowed to veto, arguing it's already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections and that the proposal would make it harder for Americans to register.

That bill passed the House in July with the support of 216 Republicans and five Democrats.

Now the question is will we attach it to a funding mechanism in September? said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who sponsored the bill, on the War Room podcast earlier this week. I believe we should, President Trump believes we should, Mike Johnson appears ready and willing to do it.

Have lawmakers agreed on how to fund the government?

Not so fast. Its not clear that the dual funding-and-voting bill could even pass the House, which Republicans control by a razor-thin margin. Some Republicans have already been hesitant about supporting the strategy, and it's surely dead on arrival in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.

Demanding outrageous partisan poison pills is a nonstarter, Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement. Weve seen this movie before and we know how it ends.

Democrats aren't the only ones putting up hurdles. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnells staff has also reportedly been pushing House Republicans not to attach the voting legislation to spending efforts. That's over concerns it would complicate the funding deadline and encourage Democrats to push for their own voting-related policy that Republicans don't necessarily want to fight over during an election year.

So how does it end? After all, neither side would benefit from a government shutdown just weeks before Election Day.

Acknowledging these political dynamics, Rep. Nick LaLota, a vulnerable Republican from New York who faces a tough election this fall, reportedly asked what would happen if the Senate refuses to play ball  but Johnson said he wouldnt publicize a plan.

Its been a common pattern in the bitterly divided Congress. Hardline Republicans in the House insist on policy changes that are sure to fail in the Senate and the White House, flirting with government funding deadlines before eventually succumbing to an extension that avoids catastrophe. Congress missed its own funding deadline in 2023 by months after passing what's known as continuing resolutions, legislative moves that can kick the can down the road for lawmakers.

But this year, the election is putting added pressure on everyone  leaving lawmakers with eyes out for the least dramatic way forward.

What happens during a government shutdown?

If lawmakers are unable to fund the government by the end of this month, all federal agencies except those that are "essential"  including U.S. Postal Service, Medicare and Social Security  will stop work.

Even Capitol Hill is not spared: While lawmakers continue to work and receive pay through a government shutdown, tens of thousands of congressional staff will go without a paycheck for the duration.

Other consequences of a total government shutdown include furloughs for federal employees, delayed government food assistance benefits and national park closures.

Air traffic controllers will continue working during a shutdown, along with customs and border agents. Passport applications may be halted, though. And without pay for working controllers or training for new FAA employees, the airline industry and travelers could still feel the impact.

Contributing: Savannah Kuchar

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Potential government shutdown depends on Congress clearing this hurdle
Carmen Van Huss, who was found deceased on March 24, 1993 in Indiana.

Authorities have made an arrest in a rape and murder case 31 years after the victim was found dead in her apartment.

Dana Shepherd, 52, was arrested Friday morning in Columbia, Missouri and charged in the death of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss, who was found dead in her apartment in March 1993.

Police made the arrest after obtaining a DNA swab that allegedly matches the DNA found at the crime scene.

Shepherd has been charged with murder, felony murder and rape, according to a news release from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department or IMPD.

According to officials, IMPD detectives went to Boone County, Missouri to speak to the suspect but he exercised his right to legal representation without speaking with detectives. Shepherd was visibly shaking as he read the warrant for his DNA, investigators wrote in an affidavit.

IMPDs Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said at a press conference earlier this week that the day was about the victim, Van Huss, not the man arrested in connection to her death.

Their work, he said, demonstrates the power of science, perseverance and never ending pursuit of the truth."

As of Thursday morning, USA TODAYs attempts to get comments from Shepherds lawyer were unsuccessful. No attorney was listed for Shepherd, according to the Marion County Clerk's Office.

How detectives used DNA to find the suspect

Detectives spent years interviewing people and following up on leads to no avail, then in 2018, an IMPD detective submitted DNA from evidence to a DNA technology company called Parabon to complete an analysis, the release said.

During summer 2023, detectives used information from the genetic genealogy analysis to identify Shepherd as the suspect in Van Huss death, the release said.

Once the Marion County Forensic Services Agency received DNA samples for traditional forensic testing in June 2024, the agency confirmed that Shepherds DNA profile matched DNA samples found at the crime scene.

Suspect faces three separate charges

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said at the conference that he has thought of the victims family and what theyve dealt with over the past 31 years while the person responsible for her death is walking freely.

Mears recited the three charges that Shepherd faces: murder, felony murder and rape, a Class A felony.

Mears said each charge carries a different penalty. For murder, suspects face 45 to 65 years, while Class A felonies carry 20 to 50 years.

Victims family wishes she had been able to graduate, live out her life

The victims family spoke at the press conference and said they are grateful for those who helped solve the case. Van Huss is missed by many people, her family said, including cousins who loved her like sisters and an aunt who loved her like a daughter.

Her family members said they are saddened that she wasnt able to graduate from college or get married. The family hopes that more cases will be solved thanks to DNA and genetic genealogy.

"She wasn't able to experience her college graduation or have a wedding or any life events," Jimmy Van Huss Jr. said of his sister, Carmen. "She was taken from me when I was a freshman in high school and I'm thankful that finally the man that did it is where he needs to be."

Van Huss Jr. recalled his father, James Van Huss Sr., who went to Carmen's apartment back in 1993 after her coworkers notified him she had been missing from work.

"For my dad to have to find his daughter after what was brutally done to her makes this day bittersweet. I wish he was here to see it," Van Huss Jr. said at the news conference Tuesday. His father died years back.

Adams, from the IMPD, said Van Huss is the reason authorities kept pushing forward.

Shes our why and the reason her family, friends, loved ones and IMPD never stopped looking for answers, he said. Today, we finally have some answers.

More on what happened in March 1993

Just after 7:30 p.m. on March 24, 1993, someone called deputies from the Marion County Sheriffs Office about an unconscious person, according to an affidavit for probable cause filed by a detective in the county.

Deputies found the victim, Van Huss, deceased and lying on her back, next to a bed. The door to the apartment was found partially open but investigators saw no sign of forced entry, the affidavit read.

Investigators spoke to the victims father, who said he last saw Van Huss on March 22, 1993, the affidavit said. She had dropped both her father and her brother off at their home. Two days later, the victims father received a call from his daughters coworker saying she hadnt shown up for work at Pizza Hut.

Her father tried to call to no avail, then went to her apartment to check on her. Thats when he found the front door unlocked and found his daughter lying on the floor, according to the affidavit.

While investigators saw no sign of forced entry, they did see signs of a struggle, including a table that had been knocked over, clothes thrown on the floor and a large pool of blood near the victims head. She had multiple puncture wounds to her head, face and body, according to the affidavit.

Investigators said the assault likely happened in the living room. The person who attacked the victim seemed to have gone into the kitchen to wash himself off, the affidavit said.

Neighbors say they heard disturbances, screams and crying the night of the attack

Detectives spoke to multiple people who lived near the victim, according to the affidavit filed in Marion County.

One neighbor said that on March 22, 1993, she heard a male and female voice laughing in the hallway around 11:00 p.m. They then went into the apartment, the affidavit said. Later on, between 1:00 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., the neighbor heard a female scream Get off of me, the affidavit read.

Another neighbor said they heard a disturbance on March 23, 1993, according to the affidavit. Once the sound stopped, the neighbor heard footsteps hurriedly leaving.

Lastly, another neighbor who lived in the apartment directly below the victim said that early in the morning on March 23, 1993, he heard screams and someone crying. He also heard slamming, banging noises and a male arguing for about 30 minutes, the affidavit read.

At the scene, investigators found a white paper sack with blood staining in the kitchen trash can, according to the affidavit.

Parabon, the company doing the DNA analysis testing, contacted the IMPD in June 2023 and said they may know someone related to the person who left the DNA sample.

Investigators used publicly available information, and social media accounts to determine that the person they were looking for could be related to Shepherd, the affidavit read.

In November 2023, an investigator from the IMPD used online records to find out who was living near the victim in March 1993. They came across Shepherds name, according to the affidavit.

Later, investigators looked at multiple arrest records dating from 1992 to 1996 to confirm he lived in the same complex and at one point, in an adjacent building to the victims.

Just two months before Van Huss death, the suspect reported that he lived in the same apartment complex. When detectives looked into how close his previous unit was to the victims, it took just 30 seconds to get there, the affidavit read.

Both apartments were connected internally by a shared common area, which included a laundry room, the affidavit read.

Eventually, DNA from Van Huss body matched the DNA profile of Dana Shepherd, the affidavit said.

Shepherd appeared in a Boone County, Missouri courtroom via video call on Wednesday, according to television station WTHR. His bond was denied and the judge set an extradition hearing for Sept. 26.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia  the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cold case: Dana Shepherd arrested in 1993 death of Carmen Van Huss
Meta and Apple are feuding over who should be in charge of age-gating teen users. Ljupco/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

Meta has suggested that Apple should be responsible for App Store age verification.

That's convenient for Meta, but Apple has lobbied hard to ax any legislation that would force this.

In the end, parents and kids lose.

Meta has a problem. Everyone, their mom, and their state attorney general is mad at them for their role in contributing to the mental-health crisis for teens.

Last November, Meta's head of global safety, Antigone Davis, published a blog post urging government regulation on the issue of children and teens accessing Instagram and other social media. She proposed that Apple and Google take charge of age-gating and getting parental consent through their app stores. She wrote:

Parents should approve their teen's app downloads, and we support federal legislation that requires app stores to get parents' approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps. With this solution, when a teen wants to download an app, app stores would be required to notify their parents, much like when parents are notified if their teen attempts to make a purchase. Parents can decide if they want to approve the download. They can also verify the age of their teen when setting up their phone, negating the need for everyone to verify their age multiple times across multiple apps.

It sounds like Meta is just trying to wiggle out of having to clean up its own mess.

But Meta does have a point: It would be a lot easier for Apple and Google to implement age-gating at the app-store level versus leaving this work to each individual app.

According to a report this week from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is not at all willing to entertain this idea. When state legislators in Louisiana were considering a bill that would make app stores responsible for age verification, Apple sent out a team of lobbyists to help shut it down. It worked  that part of the bill was dropped.

This is a new wrinkle in a low-key feud between Meta and Apple. Meta resents Apple for several reasons: Apple hurt its ad business with the "ask app not to track" feature; its App Store takes an onerous cut of up to 30% for some in-app purchases; and, worst of all, Apple gets away with a smarmy, holier-than-thou attitude about privacy.

You might imagine why Apple isn't excited to jump forward with a plan to be responsible for age-gating all social apps. Apple doesn't want to handle age verification, because that's a privacy nightmare. And it likely resents having to clean up Meta's and TikTok's messes. Plus, Apple already has parental controls and age ratings in the App Store that allow parents to block apps rated over a certain age.

So Apple and Meta are at a standstill.

Everyone seems to agree there's a big problem with young people and social media, but there is no one clear and obvious solution. Age verification isn't ideal (I certainly don't want to have to upload my driver's license to use Instagram), and simply keeping kids under 13 (or 15!) off these apps doesn't solve the thorny problems of how young people get miserable once they're on social media.

Meanwhile, individual states are making piecemeal laws about social media and teens. New York passed a bill this summer to prohibit "addictive" algorithms on young users' feeds. Other states, including California, Arkansas, and Utah, have also tried to pass their own laws regulating social media for teens, though these have faced scrutiny from courts on First Amendment grounds.

The best hope for an immediate change in policy, it seems to me, is for individual schools to ban cellphones from class. This would probably make teachers happy and get kids to pay more attention, but it's only one part of the larger issue.

Both Meta and Apple could be doing more to solve the problem of kids and phones  and so could the government. For now, parents are left struggling on their own.

Read the original article on Business Insider
With its ban of X, which went into effect on Saturday, Brazil joins a small club of countries to have taken similar measures against the social network, most of them run by authoritarian regimes.

The suspension was ordered by a top Brazilian judge after Elon Musk refused to name a legal representative in the country. Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Musk had been feuding for months over allegations X engaged in obstruction, criminal organization and incitement, namely the decision said, supporting a network of people known as digital militias who allegedly spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices.

Market research group Emarketer says some 40 million Brazilians, roughly one-fifth of the population, access X at least once per month.

Other countries restrict X

Beyond permanent bans, some nations have temporarily restricted access to X, formerly Twitter, which has often been used by political dissidents to communicate.

These have included Egypt in 2011 during the Arab Spring uprisings, Turkey in 2014 and 2023, and Uzbekistan around that country's 2021 presidential election.

Here is a list of some of the others.

Beijing banned Twitter in June 2009 -- before it secured the prominent place it enjoyed in Western media and politics for much of the 2010s.

The block came two days before the 20-year anniversary of the government's crushing of pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital's Tiananmen Square.

Since then, many Chinese people have turned to home-grown alternatives such as Weibo and WeChat.

Twitter was also blocked by Tehran in 2009, as a wave of demonstrations broke out following a contested June presidential election.The network has nevertheless been used since then to pass information to the outside world about dissident movements, including the demonstrations against Iran's repression of women's rights since late 2022.

Isolated Central Asian country Turkmenistan blocked Twitter in the early 2010s alongside many other foreign online services and websites. Authorities in Ashgabat surveil closely citizens' usage of the internet, provided through state-run monopoly operator TurkmenTelecom.

Pyongyang opened its own Twitter account in 2010 in a bid to woo foreigners interested in the country. But the application has been blocked along with Facebook, Youtube and gambling and pornography websites since April 2016. Internet access beyond a few government websites is under tight government watch in the hermit regime, with access restricted to a few high-ranking officials.

X has been blocked since February 2021, when authorities took aim at the app for its use by opponents of the military coup that overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government. Since then, the junta has kept a tight grip on internet access in Myanmar.

Some use VPN to connect to social media network X

Access to Twitter was throttled in 2021 by Moscow, which complained the site was allowing users to spread "illegal content".

A formal ban came in March 2022, just after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Many Russian users continue to connect to X via VPN services that allow them to get around the block.

X has been banned since parliamentary polls in February this year.

Pakistan's government, backed by the army, say the block is for security reasons. Former prime minister Imran Khan -- now in jail -- was targeted by widespread allegations of fraud spread via the platform against his opposition party.

Nicolas Maduro, who was declared winner of July's presidential election despite grave suspicions of fraud, ordered access to X suspended for 10 days on August 9 as security forces were violently putting down nationwide demonstrations. The block has remained in place beyond the expiry of the 10-day period.

The country's block on X has come from the judiciary, via Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. He has highlighted the reactivation of accounts that had been ordered suspended by Brazilian courts.

Users connecting to X via a VPN face a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) per day.

David Becker says those with concerns about election should "volunteer to join them"

Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas says he is writing his own bill amid immigration impasse

Migrants are quickly returned to Mexico under Biden's asylum crackdown
By Daniel Leussink

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) - BYD is rolling out electric-vehicle charging stations and ramping up marketing and customer incentives in Japan, aiming to boost sales in a market that has become a stumbling block in the Chinese automaker's global expansion.

Warren Buffett-backed BYD has become China's largest EV maker after years of breakneck growth at home. Now it is expanding overseas, including in Japan, one of the world's largest auto markets.

But Japan remains tough for foreign automakers to penetrate. Demand for EVs has long been sluggish and the government this year changed how EV subsidies are calculated, reducing them for BYD and several of its rivals, and raising concerns about protectionism.

To win over Japanese drivers, BYD has offered discounts on the first 1,000 cars sold of its newest model, and is airing TV commercials starring a Japanese actress.

The strategy has meant higher-than-expected marketing costs. BYD's overseas push is being closely watched, not least because the automaker is almost as valuable as GM and Ford combined.

Still, some Japanese are wary of buying big-ticket Chinese products due to quality concerns. Asia's two largest economies also share a complicated wartime history and years of political tension.

"The cars are great, but I don't think they'll sell in Japan," said 58-year-old Yukihiro Obata, who was visiting a BYD showroom in Yokohama, which neighbours Tokyo, in July with his son.

"Japanese people think Japan's manufactured goods are superior to Chinese and South Korean ones. We just can't believe Chinese products could be higher quality," he said.

Obata said he was not opposed to buying a foreign automobile and was also considering EVs from Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Hyundai.

Shenzhen-based BYD opened its first showroom in Japan in February last year and has so far sold over 2,500 cars.

By contrast, Toyota Motor sold just over 4,200 battery EVs in Japan over the same period, while nearly 17,000 Teslas were registered in the country as of end-March 2023, according to the most recent industry data available.

BYD offers three models and now has more than 30 showrooms.

"There are people in Japan who absolutely hate Chinese products, so it's not a good idea to try and force ourselves on them," Atsuki Tofukuji, president of BYD Auto Japan, said.

Instead, he wanted to win over people by BYD's affordability and performance, he said.

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES

EVs accounted for just a little more than 1% of the 1.47 million passenger cars sold in Japan in the first seven months of this year, according to industry data. That does not include the low-power "kei" mini cars made for the domestic market.

EV sales have been slow in Japan because Toyota and other domestic automakers have focused more on hybrid technology.

The government in April revamped its EV subsidy scheme, saying that will promote the spread of chargers and other infrastructure.

Subsidies, which were previously determined by the car's performance, now take into account criteria such as the number of quick chargers a manufacturer has installed, and after-sales service.

The subsidy on BYD's Atto 3 SUV, which sells for 4.5 million yen ($30,996.00), was cut by almost half to 350,000 yen, from 650,000 yen.

The subsidy cuts have dragged on sales, Tofukuji said at a company event in July.

BYD responded by offering 0% loans during April to June, and cashbacks on home chargers in July and August. It also plans to put a quick charger at 100 locations by the end of next year, Tofukuji told Reuters, a previously unreported plan that could help it qualify for bigger subsidies.

To increase its brand awareness, it started broadcasting television commercials starring Masami Nagasawa, a Japanese actress and model.

That has helped bring in more customers, although the automaker has now spent more than it originally budgeted for marketing in Japan, Tofukuji said, declining to give the size of the marketing outlay.

BYD's Japanese line-up includes the Seal sedan, which retails for 5.28 million yen for the rear-wheel-drive version and qualifies for a 450,000 yen subsidy. It also sells the Dolphin, priced from 3.63 million yen and qualifying for a 350,000 yen subsidy.

'JAPANESE WAY'

The subsidy change could reflect a government drive to safeguard the domestic industry, said Zhou Jincheng, manager of China research at auto research firm Fourin in Nagoya.

"They had to take some kind of measures to protect their auto industry," Zhou said.

An industry ministry official said the aim of the change was to create an environment where EVs were used sustainably and promoted "in a Japanese way".

Other car makers that saw subsidies cut included Mercedes, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Volvo, Hyundai, and Japanese maker Subaru.

Nissan and Toyota SUVs still qualified for the maximum 850,000 yen, and Tesla also saw equal or higher subsidies on the models it sells in Japan.

While overall EV sales are low, foreign auto brands accounted for almost 70% of the sales in the first seven months of the year.

The lower subsidy did not stop Kyosuke Yamazaki, a first-time car buyer in his early 30's, from buying a BYD Atto 3, though he missed out on roughly $2,000 in savings because he bought the car after April.

He said he liked the longer cruising range of the cars compared to Japanese rivals - and did not mind buying from the Chinese manufacturer.

"I used to work in Shanghai," he said. "I know BYD well."

($1 = 145.1800 yen)

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
As Covid-19 was spreading across New York in March 2020, state officials held a private conference call to discuss their response to the pandemic. But there was someone else listening in who had no business being on the call: a Chinese government official.

The official, according to federal prosecutors, had been surreptitiously added to the call by Linda Sun, who was then an officer in the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Keep your phone muted, Sun admonished the Chinese official in a written message during the call, according to prosecutors.

At the close of the 32-minute discussion, prosecutors say, the official sent Sun a two-word review: [v]ery useful.

The call was one of the episodes highlighted in a 64-page indictment accusing Sun of using her positions in New York state government to benefit the Chinese government. In return for shaping government messages to align with Chinese priorities and freezing out Taiwanese officials, she and her family received a range of benefits including millions in kickbacks, free travel and more than a dozen Nanjing-style salted ducks.

Former New York Governor Kathy Hochul aide Linda Sun leaves Brooklyn Federal Court after her arraignment on Sept. 3, 2024, in New York.

Sun, 41, who worked under Cuomo and his successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, has pleaded not guilty.

U.S. counterintelligence officials have long harbored concerns, publicly and privately, about Chinas elaborate efforts to try to spy and exert influence across American society, including bribing members of the military and the tech industry.

Part of Beijings long-term strategy has also involved targeting local and state officials with the hope of securing more support for China and gaining insights into political decision making as those officials rise to higher office, officials say.

The case involving Sun is typical of Chinas tactics, according to Dennis Wilder, a former senior CIA official who focused on China at the agency.

This is a classic Ministry of State Security operation, Wilder said, referring to Chinas main intelligence agency. You go after naturalized American citizens with large connections to China. They speak Chinese. They have family back in China. They want business opportunities in China.

A top priority for the Chinese intelligence services is to disrupt Taiwan in any location, including in Chinatowns in U.S. cities or state legislatures, Wilder said.

Somebody working for Hochul would be very useful in that regard. She would be in a position to press the pro-Beijing case and to muzzle the Taiwan case, said Wilder, now an assistant professor at Georgetown University.

Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, said the case illustrated how China tries to use covert actors to shape political decisions at all levels of government in the United States.

Just as TikTok has raised concerns about data collection and influence operations, this situation underscores the lengths to which China is willing to go to infiltrate and manipulate American institutions from within, Singleton said.

The charges against Linda Sun illustrate a broader strategy by China to infiltrate and exert influence at all levels of U.S. governance, from local to federal, by exploiting trust and access within political circles, he said.

A sustained influence campaign

Sun is the latest in a series of people living in New York to be accused by federal prosecutors of being a secret Chinese agent.

Last month, Yuanjun Tang, who gained U.S. citizenship after being granted political asylum, was accused of spying on Chinese pro-democracy activists and dissidents. Tang, 67, helped Chinese authorities infiltrate a group chat on an encrypted messaging application used by numerous Chinese dissidents, according to federal prosecutors.

Earlier in August, Shujun Wang, a Chinese American scholar who helped found a pro-democracy group in New York, was convicted of using his reputation to gather information on dissidents and share it with the Chinese government. Wang, 75, is set to be sentenced in January.

Chinese-American academic Wang Shujun after being convicted in Brooklyn, N.Y., on charges of acting as an illegal agent of China's government on Aug. 6.

Prosecutors said both men were acting at the behest of Chinas Ministry of State Security.

Last year, Chinese nationals Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, were arrested on charges of operating an illegal police station in New York to monitor and intimidate Chinese government critics, the Justice Department said. The station, located in an office building in Chinatown, was raided by FBI officers after it was closed in the fall of 2022.

The Chinese government has repeatedly denied the allegations leveled by federal prosecutors.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Wednesday declined to comment on the charges against Sun.

I wont comment on domestic cases of the United States, she said at a regular briefing in Beijing. However, we oppose any malicious attempts to implicate, smear or slander China.

Liu Pengyu, the spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said he was not aware of the details of the Sun case.

But in recent years, the U.S. government and media have frequently hyped up the so-called Chinese agents narratives, many of which have later been proven untrue, he said. China requires its citizens overseas to comply with the laws and regulations of the host country, and we firmly oppose the groundlessly slandering and smearing targeting China.

"Harry" Lu Jianwang, second from left, leaves Brooklyn federal court with his lawyer after his arraignment on April 17, 2023.

A naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in China, Sun worked in New York state government for roughly 15 years. She and her husband Chris Hu, who was also charged, lived in a $3.5 million home in a gated community in Manhasset on Long Island.

With the millions they made from the Chinese government, they also purchased a $1.9 million home in Honolulu, Hawaii and luxury cars, including a 2024 Ferrari, according to federal prosecutors.

Chinese-Americans with extensive family connections in China are potentially ripe for recruitment by the Chinese government because you can threaten families, you can incentivize families, said Wilder, the former CIA official. The message from Beijing, he said, is your family is going to have a lot better life back home if you cooperate with us.

The campaign is not focused solely on the U.S., experts say. There have been a series of allegations of Chinese espionage in Canada and across Europe, including in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. China has denied all the accusations.

Of course, Western states are also spying against and in China, thats just the normal old game, said Stephan Blancke, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, a London-based think tank.

The difference, he said, is that there are numerous cases in which people of Chinese descent or Chinese citizens are massively threatened, intimidated and pressurized by Chinese secret services.

Blancke added that the Sun case was extremely serious because it shows the political levels to which the Chinese secret services now have direct or indirect access.

In 2022, the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center, part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, released a report warning that China was stepping up its influence campaign in the U.S.

The PRC understands U.S. state and local leaders enjoy a degree of independence from Washington and may seek to use them as proxies to advocate for national U.S. policies Beijing desires, including improved U.S. economic cooperation with China, and reduced U.S. criticism of Chinas policies towards Taiwan, Tibetans, Uyghurs, pro-democracy activists, and others, the report said.

According to the indictment, Sun succeeded in getting references to the plight of Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group that has long faced persecution in China, removed from Hochuls public statements in early 2021.

Hochul, at an event Wednesday morning, called the allegations against Sun absolutely shocking.

To think that any foreign government has the audacity to infiltrate a government organization like the state of New York has to be addressed with, she added.
In recent years, the giants of European horology have been locked in a heated battle to design the worlds thinnest mechanical watch.

Luxury brands Bulgari, Piaget and Richard Mille have all, since 2018, held the coveted record, which was most recently broken by Bulgaris sleek 1.7-millimeter-thick Octo Finissimo Ultra Mark II, in April.

But now, an independent Russian watchmaker and inventor may have trumped them all.

Moscow-based Konstantin Chaykin says his new ThinKing prototype, which he debuted at the Geneva Watch Days fair in Switzerland last week, is just 1.65 millimeters (less than one-fifteenth of an inch) thick. He also believes it to be among the worlds lightest watches, weighing just 13.3 grams (less than 0.47 ounces), without its strap.

In an email to CNN, Chaykin said he has developed various innovations to make his design thinner without compromising its functionality, including a winding mechanism that is integrated into the barrel of the watch. The ThinKing also features a double balance wheel that allowed Chaykin to reduce the number of layers in the watch movement.

The stainless steel watch presented by Konstantin Chaykin in Geneva last week is the second prototype of his ThinKing model. - Courtesy Konstantin haykin

Mechanisms for winding the watch and adjusting its dials are, meanwhile, found in a separate 5.4-millimeter-thick carrier case, freeing up space (though the ThinKing can also be wound with a key). Chaykin said he has filed several patent applications, though none have yet been granted.

The watch is made using stainless steel and tungsten carbide, a light but exceptionally rigid compound. Chaykin, who is the only Russian member of the prestigious Academie Horlogere des Createurs Independants, said he is also considering using sapphires or diamonds in future versions of the watch, according to his brands website.

With the hour and minute displays separate from one another, the design resembles a face  a hallmark of the watchmakers signature Wristmons collection. The dials are each protected by 0.35-millimeter-thick (0.014-inch) sapphire crystals.

Thinner and thinner

Producing ultra-slim watches that are reliable, accurate and durable enough to wear has posed a major technical challenge to the worlds watchmakers. But the race to design ever-thinner watches appears to have accelerated in recent years.

Swiss brand Piaget debuted its 2-millimeter-thick Altiplano Ultimate Concept, then the worlds slimmest, in 2018, before putting it into production two years later. Luxury giant Bulgari then took the crown with the first iteration of its Octo Finissimo Ultra, which came in at just 1.8 millimeters.

Watchmaker Richard Mille soon went 0.05 millimeters thinner  a difference equivalent to a piece of printer paper  in 2022, with its RM UP-01 Ferrari. Bulgari then reclaimed the title this year with its aforementioned Octo Finissimo Ultra Mark II, a limited-edition model that was widely reported to cost over $500,000.

Whether Chaykins ThinKing can now be considered the record-holder, however, may be a matter of debate in horology circles. (Guinness World Records does not currently list an independently adjudicated record for thinnest watch.)

For one, the ThinKing is currently just a prototype  and its functionality and accuracy are yet to be independently assessed. Describing it as more of a design and engineering study at this point, James Stacey, lead editor of online watch magazine Hodinkee, wrote last week that he was sure any sort of record-setting will be with (a) for-production (rather than) than non-production timepiece.

The design is also so thin that it requires a special strap, featuring titanium supports and elastic inserts, to protect it from the shocks and stresses of everyday wear.

Konstantin Chaykin has applied for patents for his utra-thin winding barrel, double balance wheel and strap design. - Courtesy Konstantin haykin

Chaykin nonetheless believes his prototypes timekeeping accuracy and 32-hour power reserve qualify it as the new record-holder. He welcomed outside assessment, telling CNN that during the five-day Geneva Watch Days fair hundreds of people were able to inspect his creation.

Visitors were able to hold the watch in their hands, check the time and test its functionality, he said. It is quite a bold step on our part to show the prototype in this way. But the watch, to our delight, works perfectly, and to the delight of the visitors, it was possible to touch the watch However, we are prepared to carry out all the necessary independent tests.

The watchmaker said he will present a final version of his design at the Watches & Wonders trade show, also in Geneva, next April. By that time, the updated design should feature improved accuracy, power reserve and tightness, among other things, he told CNN. He added that the watchs price is not yet known.

In a separate statement, Chaykin, who founded his eponymous watchmaking brand in 2003, said he became interested in slim timepieces after encountering an ultra-thin 19th-century Bagnolet pocket watch around 20 years ago.

He was inspired to make one after being challenged by a client to design an ultra-thin watch of his own. I initially considered many possibilities and dedicated an entire Moleskine (notebook) to finding technical solutions, he is quoted saying.

Chaykins statement also compared the process of configuring the watchs inner workings to a puzzle. As with any good puzzle, I had to tinker, look for non-trivial solutions, choose the best options and calculate the energy flows, he added.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
At Lokl Haus coffee shop: Jammy seven-minuted boiled eggs on a thick hunk of bread, smeared with labneh and muhammara and speckles of Aleppo pepper and black sesame.

On a recent Saturday evening in Santa Monica, under a white tent, the lone server at Lokl Haus Kitchen pop-up hurried over to our table carrying three platters of doner kebab.

He had whisked them from an adjacent building that serves as a prep kitchen for Lokl Haus coffee shop, less than 300 feet away. Casual passersby might never notice, but the two spaces comprise a rare Los Angeles County locus for excellent Turkish food.

Inside the kitchen, chef Husnu Kahramanoglu stood in front of a vertical spit stacked high with layers of marinated beef shoulder, interspersed with marbled lamb fat cap to enrich the flavor. His right hand held a long, thin shearing knife to carve strips of meat, which he caught with the large wooden spoon in his left hand.

Husnu Kahramanoglu slices doner kebab from a vertical spit stacked with layers of marinated beef and lamb.

Lokl Haus Kitchen pop-up in Santa Monica offers doner kebab on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

Our first plate delivered doner kebab bundled in lavash with pickles, tomatoes and slivered onions tossed with roughly chopped parsley and sumac. Each bite chimed with crunching and snapping. Alternating swipes through two dips, roasted red pepper sauce and cacik (thick yogurt mixed with diced cucumber), adjusted the flavors like a guitarist tuning strings.

The second variation rearranged the same ingredients into separate heaps over and around buttered rice. It was satisfying to taste the meat on its own this way: some pieces crisped and browned, others velvety, with the scent of white pepper lingering from the marinade.

Then there was Iskender kebab, the richest and my favorite. A buttery tomato sauce blanketed the meat, followed by an additional splash of sizzling browned butter and a generous blotch of yogurt. Cubes of fresh pide (flatbread) lined the platter underneath the beef, absorbing all the sauciness. Sliced summer-ripe tomatoes and a slightly charred green chile, prizes from the mornings run to the Santa Monica farmers market, added freshness.

Halfway through demolishing our Lokl Haus Kitchen feast, Defne Karabatur nodded in appreciation. This tastes like home, she said.

Karabatur is an audience engagement fellow at The Times. She was born in Connecticut but grew up mostly in Istanbul, where her parents were raised, before returning to the United States to attend college at UC Berkeley.

Senem Sanli, the owner of coffee shop Lokl Haus and Lokl Haus Kitchen popup.

Poached eggs covered in garlicky yogurt and browned butter infused with Aleppo pepper.

Where are the good Turkish restaurants in L.A.? shed asked me during her time working with the Food team. It was an excellent question to which I had no gratifying answer. Among our citys culinary expanses, Ive pinpointed little representation of Turkeys vast cuisine.

A few weeks after our initial conversation, though, Karabatur heard about an under-the-radar pop-up, operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays, serving doner kebab and frequented mostly by Turkish expats. It turned out to be one aspect of a multipronged operation helping to fill in the gaps of our deficit.

Senem Sanli, also an Istanbul native, made her living as a local private chef before the pandemic. She and her husband regrouped after the shutdowns by opening Lokl Haus in November 2021. The tiny, stylish coffeehouse has one table, a window-facing counter and walls crammed with fun Pop Art prints in Santa Monicas Mid-City neighborhood. Its menu reaches for broad appeal: various sweet and savory toasts and a granola bowl, coffee cake ribboned with cinnamon, a properly oozing grilled cheese served during lunch hours.

Breakfast at Lokl Haus coffee shop: Try the menemen, poached eggs in tomato and pepper sauce.

But the biggest draw are the Turkish breakfast dishes.

Id direct you first to cilbir, poached eggs covered in garlicky yogurt and then doused in browned butter infused with Aleppo pepper (imagine chile crisp reconceived with dairy). Scoop it all up with sourdough toast and then finish whats left using a spoon. Menemen, poached eggs in tomato and pepper sauce, brings to mind shakshuka but with a denser, less soupy consistency. Both are rousing in flavor yet profoundly comforting.

Two other creations circle tradition. A thick hunk of bread holds smashed seven-minute boiled eggs, the yolks still transitioning from running to jammy as they sit, with smears of labneh and muhammara and speckles of Aleppo pepper and black sesame. A plate that Sanli dubs the self-care breakfast platter also includes a seven-minute egg alongside cubed feta, mixed olives, chopped tomato and cucumber and little piles of dried fruit and walnuts. I like this for extra nibbling if two of us are sharing cilbir or menemen.

A Turkish friend kindly didnt judge me for ordering fudgy, potent Turkish coffee, served in the small pot called a cezve, first thing in the morning. But she did remind me that its usually an afternoon beverage and tea is the more common choice for breakfast. Lokl Haus serves bolstering chai: tannic black tea boiled with cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and other sweetening spices.

Senem Sanli and her husband opened Lokl Haus coffee shop in Santa Monica in 2021.

Thick Turkish coffee for an afternoon beverage.

Inside Lokl Haus coffee shop.

Sanli originally leased the nearby commissary kitchen for baking and preparing other foods for Lokl Haus and for event catering. Missing the pleasures of carefully constructed doner kebab, she hired Kahramanoglu and began the Lokl Haus Kitchen pop-ups at the end of 2023, setting up spaces for seating in the driveway in front of the building. She rounds out the experience with other flavors of home: Uludag Gazoz (mineral-water sodas in flavors such as orange and mixed fruit) and desserts like chocolate-drenched profiteroles and a variation of muhallebi, a lightly spiced rice custard usually made by long-simmering milk but which Sanli speeds up by using cream.

Even better: sekerpare, cookies made with almond flour steeped in orange-scented syrup.

Serving these same drinks and desserts, which are also available at the coffeehouse, the pop-up recently added a lineup of skewered kebabs available only on Sunday afternoons. Ruddy flakes of Aleppo pepper are visible throughout adana kebabs, a combination of ground beef and lamb shaped in an undulating pattern; shish kebabs are threaded with pieces of lamb or chicken. Kahramanoglu mans the grill, the juices of the meat dripping onto binchotan charcoal and the billows of smoke sometimes engulfing him.

Peppers fire-roasted on the stove at Lokl Haus.

Pop-up doner kebab cooked on the vertical spit.

Senem Sanli, right, owner of coffee shop Lokl Haus in Santa Monica, prepares dishes with chef Husnu Kahramanoglu.

We have similar, superb styles of these kebabs, their appeal reaching across great swaths of continents and cultures, elsewhere in the city: at Mini Kabob in Glendale, Taste of Tehran in Westwood and Saffys in East Hollywood, for starters. Lokl Haus Kitchens efforts are compelling particularly for the whole of their composition: The kebabs arrive on platters crammed with earthy bulgur pilav, a crisp onion salad, grilled tomatoes and peppers straight from the market and squares of freshly baked pide.

They hit their juicy, smoky marks, but Ill nudge you to show up first on a Wednesday or Saturday for doner kebab. Between its distinct delights and Sanlis breakfasts, we have glimpses into the balanced salads, marinated and grilled meats and myriad vegetable dishes that only begin to define Turkish cuisine. It stokes my appetite for more.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Abortion rights are at the center of the Maryland Senate campaign featuring Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan, above, and Democratic Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is launching two new campaign ads Thursday, pushing back on attacks on the Republican Senate candidates reproductive rights stance and featuring his three daughters and four granddaughters.

When Larry Hogan married my mom, he became a father to three strong, independent women, and he gained our trust. He became our dad. Now, once again, theyre attacking him as anti-women, Hogans daughter, Jaymi Sterling, said in a new ad titled Trust.

He supports choice by restoring Roe in every state. As pop-pop to four granddaughters, we know you can trust him too, Hogan daughter Julie Kim added.

Hogans new ads come as EMILYs List, which backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, announced that it was pouring $2.2 million into the race on Thursday, with attack ads hitting the airwaves targeting Hogans stance on abortion. Democrats are leaning on abortion rights to help overcome Hogans personal popularity in the Senate race in deep-blue Maryland, which is not usually competitive.

Hogans new ads are the first of his campaign that showcase the women in his family defending his positions on reproductive rights  in what has become a theme for Republican candidates in the Dobbs era, many of whom have relied on female relatives to help win over skeptical women voters.

The second ad, titled Girl Dad, highlights Hogans record on protecting access to contraceptives and equal pay while serving as governor. The two 30-second spots are part of an $8 million media buy that will air on cable, broadcast and digital platforms across Maryland.

As Maryland governor in 2022, Hogan vetoed legislation that would expand abortion access in the state by ending a restriction that only physicians could provide the procedure. After his veto was overridden, Hogan withheld $3.5 million of funding set aside to train non-physicians to provide abortions.

EMILYs Lists super PAC, Women Vote!, highlighted his veto of the legislation in a recent ad.

Hogan spokesperson Blake Kernen said in response to the ad that the bill Hogan vetoed "threatened to lower the standard of care for Maryland women. It had nothing to do with access to abortion."

Hogan, a former two-term governor, will face off against Democratic Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks this fall in the election for Marylands Senate seat. A new poll from Gonzales Research conducted Aug. 24-30 shows Alsobrooks slightly ahead of Hogan but within the margin of error, with 46% of registered voters supporting Alsbrooks, versus 41% support for Hogan; 11% are undecided.

Still, the threat of Hogans candidacy has some Democrats nervous about maintaining control of the seat in the state. Alsobrooks and outside groups have worked to tie Hogan to the broader Republican Party, especially on the issue of abortion.

Angela Alsobrooks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on Aug. 20, 2024.

Hogan has consistently pushed back on attacks on his abortion record, telling NBC News in May that he would never support a national abortion ban. In recent months, Hogan has gone further, casting himself as a pro-choice candidate and vowing to restore Roe v. Wade if elected.

Hogan left the governors office in 2022 with one of the highest approval ratings in the country, and he has tried to distance himself from former President Donald Trump and national Republicans.

He can try to mislead voters all he wants, but the truth is in the way he exercises power while in office. Thats why Mitch McConnell recruited him. He would hand Republicans the Senate majority, and honestly, his anti abortion track record is clear. When he was in office, he vetoed legislation that would have protected abortion access and blocked millions in crucial funding for abortion provider training. So the truth is there. EMILYs Lists communications director Yari Aquino told NBC News.

Democrats have made abortion central to their messaging since the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. In turn, GOP ads have featured more wives and other female family members defending the candidates.

Montana GOP Senate nominee Tim Sheehy released an ad in July spotlighting his wife, Carmen Sheehy, and sharing the story of how they met. Nevada GOP Senate nominee Sam Browns wife, Amy Brown, has been front and center in his campaign. In an NBC News interview, Amy Brown opened up about her personal abortion story, and Sam Brown said that his wifes experience helped show him politicians have to lead with compassion.

Last election cycle, the male GOP candidates in Ohio, Arizona and Nevada all featured their wives in ads, amid campaigns that suggested the party was struggling to attract women voters. In 2022, Colorado GOP Senate nominee Joe ODea released an ad with his daughter touting his support for abortion access in the first five months of pregnancy.

The two ads are Hogans latest move to fend off Democrats abortion focused attacks that have been thrown at him since he entered the race in last year. Abortion has proved to be a mobilizing issue for Democrats, with a growing number of voters in swing states saying its central to their decision this fall, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released in August.
An argument that turned into a shooting left one man injured in Tacoma on Wednesday.

Tacoma police officers were dispatched at about 11:30 p.m. to a business in the 2500 block of Pacific Avenue for reports of a shooting. The injured man was lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the torso, Tacoma Police Department spokesman detective William Muse told The News Tribune.

The man reportedly got into an argument with another man, pulled out a handgun, shot the victim and left the area, Muse said. What prompted the argument is not immediately clear, he added.

Muse said the victim was taken to a local hospital with what was initially determined to be non-life threatening injuries. The shooting is an active investigation.
Pope Francis at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday.

Pope Francis and the grand imam of Southeast Asias largest mosque vowed to unite against religiously motivated violence and called for decisive climate action in a joint declaration Thursday during a visit by Francis to Indonesia.

In a religiously symbolic gesture, the interfaith agreement was signed in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta at the Istiqlal Mosque, which was designed by a Christian architect.

The declaration signed by Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar said it was particularly worrying that religion was being used to justify violence and cause suffering, especially to women, children and older people. It urged interreligious dialogue to be recognized as an effective instrument for resolving local, regional and international conflict.

It also called for action on the ongoing environmental crisis, which it said has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.

The interfaith gathering, a highlight of Francis 12-day trip to Asia and Oceania, was attended by representatives of Indonesias six officially recognized religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Before signing the declaration, the two religious leaders visited the Tunnel of Friendship, a 90-foot underpass that connects the mosque compound with Jakartas main Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.

The tunnel is considered a sign of tolerance in Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim-majority country, where religious freedom is constitutionally protected but there have been deadly instances of violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

We who belong to different religious traditions have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned towards the light, Francis said.

He warned the gathering that religion can be misused to justify wars, when it should be about promoting and safeguarding the dignity of every human life.

Umar, the grand imam, said the mosque regularly hosts interfaith activities and that it is not only a house of worship for Muslims, but also a great home for humanity.

At the end of the gathering, he leaned to kiss Francis on the head. Francis then took Umars hand, brought it to his face and kissed it as well.

Interfaith dialogue has been a closely held cause for Francis, 87, who became the first pope to visit Indonesia in 35 years when he arrived on Tuesday. He will also visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore during the trip, which was postponed from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Francis, who now regularly uses a wheelchair due to a knee problem, will travel over 20,000 miles during the journey, the longest and farthest of his pontificate. The Vatican said he would be traveling with a doctor and two nurses as is standard procedure.

Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, with Francis in Jakarta on Thursday.

About 80,000 people were expected to attend a Mass celebrated by Francis Thursday afternoon at a stadium in Jakarta. There are about 8 million Catholics in Indonesia, a nation of 280 million people where almost 87% of the population is Muslim.

Despite Indonesias professed commitment to religious freedom, religious discrimination and violence are not uncommon in the archipelago nation.

In 2021, a newlywed couple blew themselves up outside a packed cathedral during Palm Sunday Mass, wounding 20 people in the city of Makassar.

In 2018, a family of six, including a 9-year-old girl, carried out suicide bombings against three Christian churches during Sunday services in the countrys second-largest city of Surabaya. The attacks, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, killed at least 13 people and injured 40.

Lai Pan Chiu, director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said Francis emphasis on the common roots of modern Catholicism and Islam was helpful for improving interfaith relations.

However, in order to address the past violence, no matter whether it is Muslims against Christians or vice versa, an even more helpful approach is to dig deeper into the Abrahamic tradition of showing hospitality to strangers, including those of other religions, he said in an email.

After Indonesia, Francis will travel to the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea on Friday and meet with local religious leaders the following day. Then he will leave for East Timor, the only Catholic-majority country on his itinerary.

Francis last destination is Singapore, where three-quarters of the population is ethnically Chinese and he will have the chance to send an indirect message to Catholics in China as the Vatican tries to improve relations with Beijing.
Alec Baldwin attends his trial on involuntary manslaughter in First Judicial District Court, in Santa Fe, N.M., on July 11.

New Mexico prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey has asked the judge to reconsider dismissing criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin.

In court documents filed Wednesday and obtained by NBC News, Morrissey said the grounds for dismissing Baldwin's case in July were irrelevant.

NBC News has reached out to Baldwin's legal team for comment.

Baldwin was on trial earlier this summer in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was fatally shot on the "Rust" movie set in 2021.

Baldwin, who was holding the gun that fired the deadly live round of ammunition, was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter.

Baldwin has repeatedly denied pulling the trigger. The film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter and found guilty last spring. She's serving an 18-month prison sentence that is under appeal.

In a shocking twist at Baldwin's trial, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer determined that evidence had been suppressed by the prosecution, and she dismissed the trial on its third day.

There is no way for the court to right this wrong, Sommer said at the time. The sanction of dismissal is the only warranted remedy.

Her decision centered on live ammunition that had been turned over to the New Mexico sheriff's office during Reed's trial by Troy Teske, a friend of Reed's stepfather.

During the trial, it was revealed that authorities, with Morrissey's permission, filed the ammunition under a different case number and failed to notify Baldwin's attorneys.

Morrissey tried to reassure the judge that there had been no malfeasance by the prosecution and even called herself as a witness. But it was too late, and co-prosecutor Erlinda O. Johnson resigned.

Sommer dismissed the charge against Baldwin with prejudice, meaning the involuntary manslaughter case against the actor cannot be filed again.

But in Morrissey's latest court filing, she states that the mishandling of the live ammunition was not a "cover-up."

"Nothing about the details of how the live rounds were introduced to the set is relevant or material to the charges against Mr. Baldwin," Morrissey wrote in the court document.

"Human beings make mistakes  it does not mean they are lying or that they intentionally buried evidence as claimed by the defense."

At the time of the dismissal, Johnson said outside the courthouse that she did not believe the live ammunition was intentionally suppressed.

"I dont think it was intentional. I really do not believe that," Johnson said. I think it was just something that  it wasnt turned over, and it should have been."
The CEO of Steward Health Care told a Senate panel he wont testify at a hearing next week as part of an investigation into the companys bankruptcy, in defiance of a subpoena.

In a letter to the Senate Health Committee sent Wednesday, attorneys for Ralph de la Torre said it would be inappropriate for him to testify on matters related to Stewards bankruptcy while those proceedings are ongoing. They asked for a postponement until the proceedings are resolved.

Steward filed for bankruptcy in May and has been trying to sell all 30 of its hospitals across eight states. A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday cleared the way for the company to sell five hospitals in Massachusetts.

The letter further accused members of the committee of trying to turn the hearing into a pseudo-criminal proceeding in which they use the time, not to gather facts, but to convict Dr. de la Torre in the eyes of public opinion.

It is not within this Committees purview to make predeterminations of alleged criminal misconduct under the auspices of an examination into Stewards bankruptcy proceedings, the letter stated.

The committee in July issued a subpoena to compel de la Torre to testify about the failure of Steward Health Care. The committee voted on a strong bipartisan basis 16-4 to authorize the subpoena, the first in its history.

De la Torre for years has faced accusations that he has personally profited while Stewards hospitals across the country have been failing financially, but he has so far avoided any public response. He declined an earlier opportunity to testify, lawmakers said, and offered no counter date or alternate company official.

Last month, on the same day Steward announced it would close two Massachusetts hospitals that it could not find buyers for, de la Torre was attending Olympic equestrian events in Paris.

Steward took over a failing hospital system run by the Archdiocese of Boston in 2010, and backed by private equity company Cerberus Capital Management, converted it into for-profit institutions before buying up hospitals across the country.

While the hospitals were struggling, to the point where bills werent being paid and medical instruments were being repossessed, the owners paid themselves millions in dividends.

According to the committee, de la Torre owns a 190-foot, $40 million yacht; a $15 million sportfishing boat, as well as a mansion in Dallas. De la Torre also had a majority stake in a Steward affiliate that owned two corporate jets that committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) valued at $95 million.

I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Dr. Ralph de la Torre, the CEO of Steward Health Care, who has made hundreds of millions of dollars ripping off patients and health care providers, is refusing to testify in the HELP Committee in defiance of a subpoena, Sanders said in a statement.

Sanders and committee Democrats have characterized Stewards failure as an example of what happens when private equity firms get involved in health care.

Sanders said he is working with members of the committee to determine the best path forward. But let me be clear: We will not accept this postponement. This committee intends to move forward aggressively to compel Dr. de la Torre to testify to the gross mismanagement of Steward Health Care.

In a separate joint statement, Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D) and Edward Markey (D) also condemned de la Torres refusal to testify.

He owes the public and Congress answers for his appalling greed  and De la Torre must be held in contempt if he fails to appear before the Committee, the Massachusetts Democrats 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.
Jeff Walz alluded to "stories" about his younger brother in a recent Facebook post. Turns out, it was about car sickness. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

There's been a lot of fascination on the right over Tim Walz's conservative older brother, Jeff.

He wrote on Facebook that he had "stories" to tell about the VP candidate.

It turns out, there's not much there  and he's not interested in campaigning against his brother.

In recent days, Jeff Walz  the conservative older brother of the vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz  has become something of a fascination on the right.

It began last week, when the right-wing activist Laura Loomer called attention to Jeff Walz's Facebook post from March 30, 2023, when former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury over his role in a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels.

"We've just become a third world banana republic," Jeff Walz wrote that day.

He expanded on those views on Friday, writing on Facebook that he was "100% opposed" to his brother's ideology and he was thinking "long and hard" about endorsing Trump.

"The stories I could tell," Jeff Walz wrote. "Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future."

That generated speculation on the right that Walz's brother was prepared to reveal damning information about the Minnesota governor.

Republicans have been closely scrutinizing Walz since Vice President Kamala Harris chose him to be her running mate, focusing in particular on claims the Minnesota governor made about his military service and fertility treatments that his family used.

"Sounds like a great guy!" Trump wrote on Truth Social in response to a New York Post report about Jeff Walz.

But in an interview with NewsNation on Wednesday, the older Walz said he would not be campaigning for or against his brother and that it "wasn't my intent  to influence the general public" with his comments. He also indicated that he didn't want to continue to speak publicly about his brother.

And the "stories" that Walz alluded to, he said, weren't what some thought they might be. As an example, he said that his younger brother would sometimes "throw up" on his siblings during road trips because of car sickness.

"Nobody wanted to sit with him, because he had car sickness and would always throw up on us, that sort of thing," Jeff Walz said. "There's really nothing else hidden behind there. People are assuming something else. There's other stories like that, but I think that probably gives you the gist of it."

In an exclusive interview with NewsNation, Gov. Tim Walz's brother, Jeff Walz, says his Facebook comment declaring he's 100% opposed to all of Gov. Walz's ideology was never meant to influence the general public. More: https://t.co/qU3K0ept6f #VargasReports pic.twitter.com/81OMKhI9OY  NewsNation (@NewsNation) September 3, 2024

Jeff Walz added that he hasn't spoken to his brother since 2016, except for a brief conversation facilitated by their mother last month. He also said he found out about his younger brother's vice-presidential nomination through the radio.

"We felt bad that we found out about his being picked as the vice presidential candidate from radio," Jeff Walz told NewsNation. "And we felt like we probably should have been given a heads-up and some type of security, at least for a short time, because I guess that is a big thing."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Donald Trump shocked political observers last week when he appeared to change his position on legalizing marijuana.

But, it could become a political jackpot.

New surveys suggest voters in the Blue Wall states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania could be swayed by Trumps green opinion on cannabis.

Polling shows Americans broadly support marijuana legalization, and little downside for Trump endorsing it. Getty Images

Trump suggested he would be open to legalization with certain conditions on his Truth social account. truthsocial/@realDonaldTrump

The Ragnar Research Group polling of 1,000 likely voters between Aug. 18 and Aug. 21 shows broad support for cannabis legalization and very little political downside for Trump in embracing it.

Vice President Kamala Harris could be vulnerable. She supports legalization, but the Biden administration has been accused of slow-walking efforts to change how the federal government classifies marijuana.

Its currently a Schedule I controlled substance  the same as heroin, LSD and ecstasy. Per the Federal Register, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration are slated to hold a hearing in December on a potential move to the lower class of Schedule III.

But thats after the election, and too late for voters who care about the issue.

Marijuana is legal at the state level in some jurisdictions, but federal law classifies it as a Schedule I drug  which can come with harsher penalties. The Washington Post via Getty Images

A whopping 82% of voters in the three Blue Wall states, including 77% of the so-called persuadable voters who will decide the election, oppose the current Schedule I designation for cannabis, which lumps it in with the most dangerous drugs.

But just because these voters object to the current legal framework doesnt mean that they want the drug to be available without restriction. Nearly 80% of voters, and 73% of those who are persuadable support bans on recreational marijuana consumption for those under the age of 21.

VP Harris has the lead in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Getty Images

For Trump, who now says Americans can live with marijuana, his new position on legalization, which was forged in the context of Floridas Adult Personal Use of Marijuana ballot initiative, can help him break down the Blue Wall.

Thats given how close the races are in those states. Per Ragnars polling, Harris leads by 2 points in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and 1 point in Michigan. (Other polls have Trump up in both states.)

The 3 states have different cannabis laws. Michigan has one of the most open adult use markets in the country, while Pennsylvania has a medical program and Wisconsin has no legal weed at all.
By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it had charged Virginia-based Russian television contributor Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia Simes with two separate schemes to violate U.S. sanctions.

In one of two indictments, Simes and his wife are accused of laundering funds and violating U.S. sanctions for the benefit of Channel One Russia, a Russian broadcasting station that was sanctioned in May 2022.

In exchange for providing services as a presenter and producer, prosecutors alleged that Simes and his wife received over $1 million, a personal car and driver, a stipend for an apartment in Moscow and a team of 10 employees from Channel One Russia.

In a second indictment, Anastasia Simes is charged with violating sanctions to benefit Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov, a Russian oligarch who was sanctioned in February 2023. She is accused of purchasing art and other antiques for Udodov from various galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe.

The items were shipped to the couple's residence in Virginia where they were stored until they could be shipped to Russia, prosecutors alleged.

The two indictments were announced just one day after the U.S. took several legal actions against Russia to combat alleged efforts to meddle in the 2024 presidential elections, including charging two employees of the Russian state media network RT and sanctioning RT and its top network editor.

They also came on the same that day the Justice Department announced charges against five members of Russia's military intelligence agency and a Russian civilian over alleged efforts to launch cyberattacks against Ukraine and its allies.

Simes immigrated to the United States in 1973 and later became a U.S. citizen. Though he and his wife maintain a home in Huntly, Virginia, prosecutors said they both remain at large and are believed to be in Russia.

For many years, Simes was best known for his role as the former president and CEO of the Center for National Interest, a foreign policy think tank that has previously advocated for improving relations between the U.S. and Russia.

He stepped down from his role there in 2022 and began serving as a moderator of the Moscow-based show "Big Game" on Channel One Russia.

Simes' role at the Center for National Interest was previously scrutinized by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who was tasked with investigating whether former President Donald Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia.

Mueller's investigative report highlighted interactions between Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Simes, including one incident in which Simes provided Kushner a letter laying out talking points about Russia that Trump could use.

Simes was not charged with any wrongdoing following that investigation.

In 2018, Reuters exclusively reported that the Center for National Interest, with Simes at its helm, had secretly tried to arrange meetings between U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve officials and Maria Butina, who was later convicted for conspiring to influence U.S. conservative activists and infiltrate a powerful gun rights group.

She was deported after serving time in a federal prison in Florida and she now serves as a lawmaker in Russia.

(Reporting by Sarah Lynch; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Marguerita Choy)
By Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Andrew Mills and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan

WASHINGTON/DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) - The White House is scrambling to put forward a new proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas in the coming days, two U.S. officials, two Egyptian security sources and an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The new proposal aims to work out the major sticking points behind a months-long impasse in talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt seeking a truce in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the U.S. officials said.

Much of the deal has been agreed upon, a senior Biden administration official separately told reporters on Wednesday, but negotiators were still trying to hammer out solutions to two main obstacles.

Those are Israel's demand to keep forces in the Philadelphi corridor, a buffer zone in southern Gaza on the border with Egypt, and the specific individuals who would be included in an exchange of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners in Israel, said the administration official, who declined to be identified.

The first U.S. official said a new draft accord could be produced next week or even sooner. "The feeling is the time is up. Don't be surprised if you see (the revised draft) this weekend," that official said.

The administration official said Hamas' killing of six hostages, whose bodies were returned to Israel over the weekend, complicated the effort. "We all feel the urgency," the administration official said. CIA Director William Burns, the lead U.S. negotiator, heads the small group of senior U.S. officials working on the draft which includes White House coordinator for the Middle East Brett McGurk and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the first U.S. official said.

"There is a very strong perception on the part of the negotiators that the ceasefire is slipping away," the first U.S. official said, underscoring the urgency underpinning the effort.

Since Blinken's latest tour of the region last month failed to produce a breakthrough, mediators have kept up working-level discussions, and those talks are continuing, the first U.S. official said.

The Egyptian sources said the U.S. was shifting from a more consultative approach to trying to impose a ceasefire plan on the parties.

Both U.S. officials said the revised plan would not be a final take-it-or-leave it offer and that Washington would continue working towards a ceasefire if it fell through.

ISRAELI PRESENCE

On Tuesday, five Arab countries including regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia as well as the Palestinian Authority joined Egypt in rejecting Israel's demand to keep its troops deployed in the Philadelphi corridor. On Wednesday, Turkey issued a similar statement.

Parts of the three-phase agreement already accepted by both sides require Israel to withdraw from all densely populated areas of Gaza in the first phase of the deal. The senior administration official said the current dispute is whether the corridor qualifies as a densely populated area.

"So we're really talking here about Phase One, about what that configuration will look like," the official added.

The U.S. group is considering areas of the Philadelphi corridor where Israeli troops would have to withdraw and areas where they could stay, the first U.S. official said.

At talks in Qatar on Monday, an Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea told mediators that Israel was willing to withdraw its troops from the corridor after the first 42-day phase of a ceasefire, the official with knowledge of the talks said.

But hours later Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a news conference in Jerusalem and insisted that Israel retain control of the Philadelphi corridor, comments the official said were made after the delegation had returned home.

Netanyahu on Wednesday repeated his outright rejection of a withdrawal from the corridor in the first phase of a deal. Israel would only agree to a permanent ceasefire after that if there were guarantees the corridor could never be used as route for smuggling weapons and supplies into Gaza for Hamas.

"This has placed the mediating parties in a difficult position. If Israel remains in the Philadelphi corridor, neither Egypt nor Hamas would agree to any agreement," the official with knowledge of the matter said.

Netanyahu's office declined to comment.

Senior Hamas official Izzat Al Risheq told Reuters on Wednesday that the group would deal with a new proposal that "responds to the demands of the resistance and the demands of our people", without providing specifics. Hamas said in a statement there was no need for new proposals, and accused Netanyahu of seeking to thwart a deal.

Israel seized control of the Philadelphi corridor in May, saying it was used by Hamas to smuggle weapons and banned material into its tunnels to Gaza.

The Israeli advance resulted in the closure of the Rafah crossing, sharply reducing humanitarian aid entering Gaza, halting most medical evacuations and potentially depriving Egypt of its role brokering access to the only border crossing into Gaza not directly controlled by Israel.

Egypt says that tunnels used for smuggling into Gaza have been closed or destroyed, a Palestinian presence at Rafah should be restored and the Philadelphi corridor buffer zone is guaranteed by the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.

The 11-month-old conflict erupted on Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians and largely leveled the coastal enclave, displacing most of its 2.3 million people and creating a humanitarian crisis, Gaza's health authorities have said.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills and Imad Creidi in Doha; Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan in Cairo; Emily Rose and James Mackenzie in Jerusalem; Writing by Andrew Mills and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Cynthia Osterman)
Former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he plans to do swing state rallies with former President Trump, continuing his presence on the campaign trail in an effort to ensure the GOP nominee gets back into the White House.

Kennedy, who suspended his independent White House run late last month, said he would be campaigning in battleground states, particularly those where he might end up staying on the ballot.

Were planning a Make America Healthy Again tour where were going to visit almost all of those states, Kennedy said during his Wednesday appearance on NewsNations The Hill.

So I will be doing rallies in each of those states over the next 61 days, he continued. We want to, if were going to accomplish the mission that I set out to accomplish when I got into this campaign  end the censorship, end surveillance, get out of Ukraine war and unravel the war machine and the chronic disease epidemic.

The only way to do that is to get President Trump in the White House and me into Washington. So were going to pull out all the stops to make sure that happens.

Kennedy was tapped by Trump, alongside former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), both former Democrats, to be a part of his transition team shortly after they endorsed the ex-president.

After halting his presidential run, Kennedy threw his support behind Trump but stressed during the public announcement in Arizona that his name will remain on the ballot in most states. The environmental lawyer said he would look to remove his presence in swing states to avoid being a spoiler.

A judge in Michigan ruled Tuesday that Kennedy must remain on the presidential ballot there. Wisconsin, another key state, declined to remove his name. North Carolinas board of elections said it was too late for the candidate to withdraw his name. Kennedy filed a lawsuit to reverse that decision.

The environmental lawyer, who initially launched his White House bid as a Democrat, has ramped up his criticism of Vice President Harris, the Democratic Party nominee, saying she is not a worthy president and criticizing her for her lack of media appearances since replacing President Biden at the top of the partys ticket.

Kennedy said Wednesday that he will likely do rallies with Trump and his other campaign surrogates while spreading some messages he himself campaigned on earlier this year.

We havent worked out the entire schedule, but certainly Ill probably do rallies with him and with other surrogates where President Trump. Were hoping, were co-planning these rallies that make America healthy again, rallies and  drain the swamp, Kennedy said.

And we expect the Trump campaign to show up at the rallies, too, he added. So were going to  yeah, I will be campaigning side by side with the president and with members of his family and with other members of his campaign.

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During her sons birth via C-section in May, Jenna Jonaitis watched her baby come out of her body. She held him skin-to-skin afterward, then started breastfeeding right away.

If this all sounds uncharacteristic of a regular C-section, thats because it is. Jonaitis had whats known as a gentle C-section. Compared with standard onesin which the mothers view is blocked by a drape, she is mostly uninvolved, and the baby and mother often arent united right awaythis modernized version comes with the goal of making cesareans more humane.

This family- and patient-centered approach to surgical birth has been practiced in the U.S. for about 15 years but has only recently become more common. Cesareans account for almost one in every three births, and some women find the experience traumatizing or alienating, saying the surgery makes it feel more like a medical experience than a major life event. Gentle C-sections, on the other hand, can help women regain control and agency.

It was very powerful and emotional, says Jonaitis, a 36-year-old Michigan-based writer, who has had three previous C-sections that looked very different from this fourth birth. I was able to be present with this one.

What A 'Gentle C-Section' Entails

Developed in the early 2000s in the United Kingdom by an obstetrician, a consultant anesthesiologist, and a midwife, a gentle cesarean incorporates aspects of vaginal birth in order to emphasize the mothers participation in the experience and support her relationship with her newborn.

For starters, surgical teams swap out the opaque blue drapeerected to keep the surgical field sterilefor a clear drape, or a drape that has a clear window so the mother can watch the birth. (No, you wont see your insides with a clear drapejust the baby as it comes out, Jonaitis explains.)

And gentle C-sections often also include placing the baby skin-to-skin with the mother right in the OR, as well as helping mothers breastfeed as soon as possible.

JOE LINGEMAN

Why It All Matters

Skin-to-skin and early breastfeeding, which most often occur after vaginal births, can have significant positive health impacts for C-section mothers and their babies. Early physical contact with their baby reduces mothers chance of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a 2022 study , and the practice also promotes mother-child bonding and breastfeeding. For Jonaitis, holding her baby on her chest also just made that birth feel real. It made me feel like I really am a mother, she says.

Promoting breastfeeding is especially important for C-section moms because surgical birth can make breastfeeding more difficult. There appear to be a few reasons why this is the case, but experts dont have a full grasp on the exact cause. One factor that seems to come into play is that its often harder for women to move around after a C-sectionwhich includes getting into a good position for breastfeedingthan after a vaginal birth, and mom and baby are more typically separated during a C-section (which gentle C-sections seek to rectify). Some researchers also think the stress caused by a C-section, especially if the procedure was unplanned, might delay milk production (a.k.a. lactogenesis, or the initiation of milk production).



While a gentle C-section relies on the same surgical procedure as a regular C-section, the doctors and nurses emotional approach differs. What you need is a change of attitude, says William R. Camann, MD, director emeritus of obstetric anesthesiology at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Its just the way [we] behave in the operating room.

To this end, providers might put EKG leads on the mothers side, or on her back, rather than her chest, and place the blood pressure cuff on the mothers nondominant arm, so she can hold her newborn (again, getting that early skin-to-skin contact). A nurse might help to steady the baby in the mothers arms, or drape a blanket over the baby, because operating rooms are kept cold to inhibit bacterial growth.

And while some operating rooms are too small to fit more than one other person (like a spouse or partner), hospitals that practice gentle C-sections may welcome a second support person, like a doula, into the room.

Lauren Cross, who delivered her twins by planned gentle cesarean in 2018 at UC San Diego Health, had a doula who brought essential oils with her. Cross, whod previously had a traumatic cesarean, was determined to have a joyful belly birth this time. Still, she started to shake when she smelled the OR. Thats where the doula stepped in, putting peppermint oil on a cotton wool ball for Cross to inhale and giving her a massage through her gown. Cross says she appreciated having someone there who could support me while my husband was able to be present at his childrens birth.

JOE LINGEMAN

How To Advocate For Yourself

Not every hospital advertises gentle C-sections, even if providers are willing to adopt some of the practices that make a surgical birth gentle. But asking about them, and even specifying details such as what kind of music will be played in the OR, is important, says Emily Likins-Ehlers, a doula in Illinois who works with C-section mothers. Some mothers, Likins-Ehlers says, may feel that if you end up in the operating room, you have abdicated all of your power. But making these requestsand seeing them honoredcan restore a mothers sense of agency. Jonaitis certainly felt that way. These things helped the births feel more my own, she says.

And while you can plan for a scheduled cesarean, unplanned C-sections still happenwhich can be chaotic, scary, and overwhelming for a woman who wasnt planning on going into surgery. But it may still be possible to have skin-to-skin and early breastfeeding, provided mom and baby are both stable, Dr. Camann says.

Perhaps most critical is talking to your provider during prenatal care about what is most important in your birth experience, says Erica Holland, MD, an ob-gyn at Boston Medical Center, where gentle C-sections are her standard of care. She recalls a woman who underwent a planned C-section whod expressed concern about being physically exposed in the operating room. So, when Dr. Hollands surgical team placed the womans catheter, her gown was pushed only above her knees, rather than up to her waist. That small yet meaningful action represents a type of patient-centered care that should be the goal not only during gentle cesareans, but whenever possible, Dr. Holland says.

For moms who may find themselves needing a cesarean they didnt expect, and who may feel real disappointment and sense of loss that theyre not going to have the experience they wanted, Dr. Holland asks the mom which parts of the birth she thinks will feel important, and which of those elements can be carried into the operating room. Its a reminder that giving birth via cesarean can still be rich and meaningful, and that the mothers experience can play the central role.

Rachel Somerstein is a journalist whose new book, Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section, examines the state of maternal health care in the U.S. and explores alternatives to the current standard of care, including a new method of cesarean called a gentle C-section. Somerstein was inspired to research and write the book after her own experience with an unplanned, complicated C-section with her first child.

Photographed by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Andrea Bonin.

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The whale rose to fame in Norway after its unusual harness sparked suspicions the creature had been trained by Russia as a spy - AFP

A Beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy has been shot dead, two animal rights groups have claimed.

Two conservation groups filed a police report on Wednesday alleging that the animal, called Hvaldimir, was killed by gunfire, NBC News reported.

However, officials told the US outlet that a definitive assessment from an autopsy could take up to three weeks.

Hvaldimir was first spotted by fishermen not far from the Arctic city of Hammerfest in 2019.

The whale was wearing a harness that read Equipment St. Petersburg, lending to the theory that he might have been trained by Russia as a spy whale.

The highly sociable beluga was found dead last weekend in the harbour of Stavanger, a city in Norways southwest.

Almost as soon as he was found dead, rumours began to circulate and the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries ordered an autopsy.

OneWhale manager Regina Haug next to the carcass of the beluga whale Hvaldimir - OneWhale.org

On Wednesday, OneWhale and NOAH said there was compelling evidence suggesting that Hvaldimirs death was caused by intentional human-inflicted injury.

The groups shared photos with what appear to be streaks of blood and holes in the lifeless body of the whale and claimed preliminary findings suggested the whale was killed by gunshot wounds.

NBC News said it could not independently verify the nature of the apparent injuries.

Several veterinarians, biologists, and ballistics experts have reviewed photographic evidence, including close-ups of Hvaldimirs injuries, their statement said.

Their assessments strongly suggest that the whales death was the result of a criminal act, prompting the need for immediate police involvement.

Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, told NBC News that the whale knew and loved was a strong, capable and energetic animal yet so gentle, with a sweet and cheeky personality.

After seeing Hvaldimir lifeless, she added: It felt like my heart had fallen into my stomach. The pain of losing him to a senseless killing is an anguish which, right now, feels impossible to fix.

Norways Sr-West police issued a statement on Wednesday confirming they had received the groups report and would consider if an investigation is warranted.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute told NBC News in an emailed statement on Wednesday that Hvaldimirs autopsy was still ongoing and they could not yet comment on results.

We have, together with the Directorate of Fisheries of Norway, been in contact with the police ahead of the autopsy, and will of course involve them if we uncover anything indicating anything suspicious, the statement said.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has a lot of experiences working with forensic cases.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the island of Hispaniola on Thursday and Friday, where he will reaffirm the United States commitment to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the island.

In Haiti our goal is to recognize the positive progress made towards improving security and encourage efforts to appoint the Provisional Electoral Council so Haiti can move toward elections, Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, told reporters ahead of the visit to Port-au-Prince. In the Dominican Republic we will reinforce our shared priorities such as promoting democratic governance, supporting free and fair elections in the region, and fighting corruption.

Blinkens visit to the island comes amid tense relations between the two countries. The Dominican Republic, upset over the construction of a privately funded irrigation canal near its border in northeast Haiti that it claims is diverting water away from its farmers, has blocked most commercial air traffic from Haiti.

The tensions led Haitis leaders last month to boycott the swearing-in of Dominican President Luis Abinader, who was elected earlier this year to a second four-year term.

Blinken will arrive in Port-au-Prince on Thursday, where the multinational security force led by Kenya and largely funded by the U.S. has been hobbled by lack of money and equipment. And an ongoing bank bribery scandal is threatening the U.S.-backed political transition while undermining efforts to finally organize long-overdue elections.

Nichols said Blinken, who will meet with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and Edgard Leblanc Fils, the current head of the presidential council, plans to discuss Haitis return to a democratic path and the urgent need for elections.

Nichols said Haiti has come a long way since its dark moments earlier this year when a violent insurgency by armed gangs forced the closure of the international and domestic airports in Port-au-Prince for nearly four months, led to the escape of more than 4,000 prison inmates and blocked thousands of containers containing humanitarian aid at the seaport. The chaos also prevented the prime minister at the time, Ariel Henry, from returning to the country after he visited Kenya to secure the agreement for the missions deployment.

We have seen Haiti take important steps forward in the last few months, Nichols said, highlighting Aprils installment of the presidential council and its selection of Conille, a longtime U.N. technocrat, to head a new government. Weve seen tangible signs of progress on the ground, including the opening of the airport and resumption of commercial flights, increased economic activity and movement in pockets of Port-au-Prince and the deployment of the U.N. authorized Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission, which is working in close partnership with the Haitian national police.

The mandate of the security mission, which was authorized for a year by the U.N. Security Council, expires on Oct. 2. The council is expected to debate ts renewal on Sept. 30.

Though Haitians have been frustrated by the slow progress of the security mission and its lack of visibility on the streets, Nichols highlighted an ongoing joint operation involving members of the mission, along with specialized SWAT units of the Haiti National Police and soldiers in Haitis small army.

They are going after gangs and their leaders in a way that hasnt happened in eight years, Nichols said. From a security standpoint, that is a major step forward.

Nichols confirmed a Miami Herald and McClatchy exclusive report that the U.S is exploring transferring the mission, which relies on voluntary contributions for its operations, to a more formal United Nations peacekeeping force or some other hybrid that would allow for its financing and staffing to be more reliable.

Our challenge going forward is to make sure that theres a reliable, sustainable source of funding for the MSS to take it through stabilization, elections and the growth of the Haitian national police, Nichols said. We will be working and coordinating with our partners around the world, particularly in the Security Council and in the region, to figure out how we best address that.

Another concern is the slow progress on the political front. Haiti hasnt had an election since 2016, when late President Jovenel Moise was elected in a controversial vote. The current efforts to organize general elections have been hampered by arguments over which sectors of Haitian society should be represented on the electoral council, as well as the bank-bribery scandal.

On Tuesday, an effort by four of the seven voting members of the presidential council to take steps against three of its members who have been accused of shaking down the director of a state-owned commercial bank failed. The vote resulted in a deadlock because the council needs five out of seven votes for major decisions.

Blinken, who will meet with some of the political and civil leaders involved in forming the presidential council, is expected to discuss the scandal and the importance of having Haitian officials investigate the allegations.

The Haitian people deserve transparency and good governance, NIchols said.

Blinken will also travel to the Dominican Republic, where he will discuss three main priorities with Abinader: strengthening the U.S.-Dominican economic ties, respect for human and labor rights and promoting increased security in the region, particularly in Haiti, Nichols said. The two leaders will also discuss the 2025 Summit of the Americas, which the Dominican Republic is hosting.

Nichols said the U.S. hopes to see more normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The countries are inexorably linked, he said. Were very cognizant of the fact that the Dominican Republic is providing significant assistance to Haiti and to the MSS, and that we more broadly, hope to see the ties between the two countries operate in a normal fashion in the future.
The Springfield Police Department says a suspect in an earlier shooting was shot by a police officer after resisting arrest and firing in the proximity of officers.

The shooting involving the police department happened in the 1100 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just before 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The person, a 19-year-old man, was taken to HSHS St. John's Hospital. An SPD news release indicated the person had non-life-threatening injuries and is stable.

The police department said officers responded to a shots-fired call in the 1600 block of South 16th Street around 5:40 p.m. Wednesday. Witnesses reported there that a subject fired several rounds from a vehicle, striking an occupied residence.

Officers, according to the release, were able to identify the vehicle used as well as the suspect who firedfrom the vehicle. Further investigation into the suspect revealed that he is a current suspect in a recent robbery.

Around 11:30 p.m., officers located the vehicle in question with the suspect in the front passenger's seat. When officers attempted to take him into custody, the suspect resisted the officers' attempts. He then fired one round from a handgun, but it wasn't clear if anything was struck.

The news release didn't say how many shots were fired at the suspect, but the shots came from one officer.

Multiple officers on scene provided life-saving care to the injured suspect, who was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

Ring doorbell footage from a residence captured the shooting.

A family member gave the person's identity to The State Journal-Register, but it was not confirmed by the police department as of Thursday morning.

Sergeant Melissa Albert-Lopez, a spokesperson for the Illinois State Police, confirmed the agency is investigating the "use of force portion" of the investigation.

SPD officers on scene during the incident have been placed on administrative leave.

Police earlier blocked off King Drive at Stuart Street where a number of people were confronting officers.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Man shot by Springfield Police allegedly suspect in earlier shooting
The first ballots in the nation are scheduled to start going out Friday in North Carolina, but that could be delayed after a judge ordered a temporary pause on ballot distribution.

The ruling came in response to a request from former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove his name from the ballot.

North Carolinas Democratic-controlled State Board of Elections voted along party lines last week to reject Kennedys request, saying that it wouldnt be practical to reprint ballots and delay the start of voting.

Kennedy, who dropped out of the race last month and endorsed former President Donald Trump, then challenged that decision in court.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt denied the former candidates request Thursday but also ordered a pause to allow Kennedy to appeal.

In her written order, the judge ordered the state not to proceed with mailing absentee ballots before noon Friday.

Holt found that rejecting Kennedys request would lead to minimal harm to him but that removing his name would be a significant burden for elections officials.

The court can find no practical, personal or pecuniary harm to the plaintiff should his name remain on the ballot, Holt said from the bench The defendant, however, would have to reprint the ballots at considerable cost and effort and will likely find themselves in violation of the state mandated deadline for distributing absentee ballots.

After the hearing, Paul Cox, the general counsel for the state elections board, instructed counties to not send ballots out Friday morning.

However, Cox said ballots would need to be go out Friday afternoon, unless an appeals court ordered a further delay.

As CNN previously reported, since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has sought to withdraw his name from the ballot in competitive states in order to boost the former presidents chances of winning there. But he has encountered obstacles to those attempts beyond North Carolina.

On Tuesday, a Michigan judge ruled that he must remain on the ballot in the battleground state after Kennedy filed a lawsuit asking the court to remove him. The elections commission in Wisconsin  another Midwestern battleground also ruled last week that Kennedy will appear on the ballot despite a similar request to withdraw.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNNs Aaron Pellish contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Former President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday to have the endorsement of the estranged brother of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, as well as support from other members of the Walz clan.

I was so honored today, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during a town hall event in Harrisburg, Pa.

His brother endorsed me, the former president continued, referring to Jeff Walz, the brother of Vice President Kamala Harris running mate.

Trumps Fox News town hall was held in the capital of Pennsylvania, a key swing state. AFP via Getty Images

And his whole family [endorsed me], Trump, who often speaks in hyperbole, added. I saw the picture, and honestly It was a very nice-looking family.

Jeff Walz, however, has previously said he has no intention of endorsing Trump despite publically blasting his brother.

The Republican nominee was referencing a photo that went viral on social media purportedly showing eight relatives of Tim Walz posing in front of a Trump 2024: Take America Back flag while wearing navy blue Nebraska Walzs for Trump t-shirts.

A political operative who assisted in spreading the image told The Post the people in it were related to Walz through his paternal great-uncle, but declined to give their identities, claiming that they were overwhelmed by the attention.

Separately, the Minnesota governors older brother, 67-year-old Jeff Walz, caused a stir on social media when he declared in an Aug. 30 Facebook post that he is, 100% opposed to his brothers ideology.

Trump claimed to have the endorsement of Tim Walzs whole family. Getty Images

The stories I could tell, Jeff Walz added. Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future.

He also indicated that hes thought long and hard about endorsing Trump but is torn between that and just keeping my family out of it.

Aside from a two-minute conversation during the vice presidential vetting process, Jeff Walz hasnt spoken to his brother since 2016, he said in a recent interview with News Nation.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walzs brother, Jeff Walz. FaceBook Jeff Walz

In that interview, Jeff Walz indicated that he had no intention of campaigning with the former president or endorsing him.

There is going to be no further statements to anybody, and were not campaigning or anything for him or against him or anything like that, he said.

The Post has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

Trump, during a town hall in Pennsylvania, ripped Tim Walz for calling him weird. AP

Tim Walz, 60, has been credited with popularizing the notion that Trump and GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance are weird, an attack that has been hurled by many on the left since the Ohio senator was put on the ticket.

Trump, 78, argued Wednesday that Walz is the weird one.

Theres something weird with that guy, he said of Walz. Hes a weird guy. JD is not weird. Hes a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock.

Were not weird. Were other things, perhaps, but were not weird, Trump added. Theres something wrong with that guy, and he calls me weird.

Walz made remarks at Laborfest 2024, which was hosted by labor unions and union members of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, at the Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee, Wis. Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hannity noted during the town hall that Fox News had set up the event with the intention of hosting a debate between Harris and Trump, which the vice president declined to participate in.

The crowd was raucous and enthusiastic, with several chants of USA, USA and Fight breaking out during the proceedings.

Pennsylvania, a key swing state that could decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, has 19 Electoral College votes up for grabs in November.

Several polls show that the race in the Keystone State is essentially tied about two months out from Election Day.
By Alexandra Ulmer

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) -Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told Jewish donors on Thursday that U.S. universities would lose accreditation and federal support over what he described as "antisemitic propaganda" if he is elected to the White House.

"Colleges will and must end the antisemitic propaganda or they will lose their accreditation and federal support," Trump said, speaking remotely to a crowd of more than 1,000 Republican Jewish Coalition donors in Las Vegas.

Protests roiled college campuses in spring, with students opposing Israel's military offensive in Gaza and demanding institutions stop doing business with companies backing Israel.

Republicans have said the protests show some Democrats are antisemites who support chaos. Protest groups say authorities have unfairly labeled their criticism of Israel's policies as antisemitic.

The Association of American Universities, which says it represents some 69 leading U.S. universities, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the United States, the federal government does not directly accredit universities but has a role in overseeing the mostly private organizations that give colleges accreditation.

In his speech, Trump also said he would ban refugee resettlement from "terror infested" areas like Gaza and arrest "pro-Hamas thugs" who engage in vandalism, an apparent reference to the college student protesters.

Under both Trump and Biden, similar numbers of Palestinians were admitted to the U.S. as refugees. From fiscal year 2017-2020, the U.S. accepted 114 Palestinian refugees, according to U.S. State Department data, compared with 124 Palestinian refugees from fiscal year 2021 to July 31 of this year.

While Trump sketched out few concrete Middle Eastern policy proposals for a second term, he painted a potential Harris presidency in cataclysmic terms for Israel.

"You're going to be abandoned if she becomes president. And I think you need to explain that to your people ... You're not going to have an Israel if she becomes president," Trump said without providing evidence for such a claim.

A campaign spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, Morgan Finkelstein, said Harris was a lifelong supporter of Israel and stood against antisemitism. Finkelstein highlighted that Trump in 2022 dined with white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Mar-A-Lago resort and that in 2017 he said there were "very fine people" on both sides of a deadly rally by white nationalists in Virginia.

Harris has hewed closely to President Joe Biden's strong support of Israel and rejected calls from some in the Democratic Party that Washington should rethink sending weapons to Israel because of the heavy Palestinian death toll in Gaza.

She has, however, called for a ceasefire in Gaza, calling the situation there "devastating."

Health authorities in Gaza say more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli assault on the enclave since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

Some 1,200 Israelis were killed in the surprise attack and about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

The subsequent assault on Gaza has displaced nearly its entire 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.

WISH LIST FOR TRUMP

The Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund says it is spending some $15 million to support Trump by helping bring out Jewish voters in battleground states.

The network has been financially supported by Sheldon Adelson, the late American casino mogul, and his Israeli-born widow Miriam Adelson. RJC members gathered this week for their annual conference at The Venetian Resort, which was developed by Sheldon Adelson's company, the Las Vegas Sands Corp. Miriam Adelson is also the lead financier of a super PAC spending group that has said it is looking to raise over $100 million to support Trump.

In a half-dozen Reuters interviews at the conference, attendees broadly voiced three priorities for a potential second Trump term: Expanding the Abraham Accords, pursuing a tougher line on Iran, and either reforming or defunding the United Nations.

The Trump administration in 2020 helped broker the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations.

But U.S.-backed plans to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel were put on ice last year as war escalated between Israel and Hamas.

RJC chairman Norm Coleman, who is also a lobbyist for Saudi Arabia in Washington, told Reuters he was still hopeful the Abraham Accords could be expanded under Biden.

"But if it's not done, I would hope that President Trump would do what he did before and play a role in bringing the region together," Coleman said.

(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Additional reporting by Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke; Editing by Alistair Bell and Daniel Wallis)
In this handout photo provided by Photo host Agency RIA Novosti, Dimitri Simes, a Russian-American author, editor, and political pundit asks a question to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 16, 2023. (Alexei Danichev/Photo host Agency RIA Novosti via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department has charged a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign with working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.

Indictments announced Thursday allege that Dimitri Simes and his wife received over $1 million dollars and a personal car and driver in exchange for work they did for Russia's Channel One since June 2022. The network was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Simes, 76, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, have a home in Huntly, Virginia, and are believed to be in Russia.

These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves said in a statement announcing the charges. Such violations harm our national security interests  a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a U.S. citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.

The indictments come at a time of renewed concern about Russian efforts to meddle with the upcoming U.S. election using online disinformation and propaganda. On Wednesday federal authorities announced charges against two employees of the Russian media organization RT accused of covertly funding a Tennessee company that produced pro-Russian content.

Simes and the Washington think tank he led, the Center for the National Interest, figured prominently in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign.

The report chronicles interactions that the Soviet-born Simes, who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s, had with assorted figures in Trump's orbit, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Before one such meeting, according to the Mueller report, Simes sent Kushner a letter detailing potential talking points for Trump about Russia and also passed along derogatory information about Bill Clinton that was then forwarded to other representatives of the campaign.

Simess think tank, which was founded by former President Richard Nixon, helped arrange a foreign policy speech at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington at which Simes introduced Trump, according to the report. Among those present was Sergei Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

Simes was never charged with any crime in relation to the investigation.

After the report was released, Simes defended himself in an interview in The Washington Post: "I did not see anything in the Mueller report that in any way that would indicate any questionable activity on my part or on the centers part.

A second indictment alleges that Anastasia Simes, 55, received funds from sanctioned Russian businessman Alexander Udodov. Udodov was sanctioned last year for his support for the Russian government. He is the former brother-in-law of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and has been linked to business dealings with both of them. Udodov also has been investigated for money laundering.

It was not immediately clear if either defendant had a lawyer who could speak on their behalf. An attorney who previously represented Simes said he was no longer representing him. The Trump campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday.

In an interview with The New York Times before the charges were announced, Simes, who appears regularly on Channel One, defended the work he was doing.

I assumed that what I was saying on Russian TV would not be to the liking of the Biden administration, but I also assumed that as long as it was just my opinion and was presented as such, it was not something for which I could be prosecuted, he told the newspaper.
Commuters looking to drive into Manhattan should avoid the Queens-Midtown Tunnel at all costs, as a drilling mistake Wednesday led to water leaking into the tunnel and closing down both tubes for hours, snarling traffic for miles.

A contractor working for the New York City Economic Development Corporation mistakenly drilled a small hole in the outer casing of the tunnel while doing preliminary work on the East River Esplanade around 12:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson. From that 2.5-inch hole on the outside edge of the tunnel, water was able to get into the south tube via the ventilation ducts, the spokesperson said, and leak onto cars passing through.

A video posted by one driver to Facebook showed the leaking water splash across his windshield.

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Tell me why the tunnel is leaking. Whats going on here? the driver reacted on the video.

A sign reads "No Entrance To Tunnel" following the closure of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel in New York City, on Sept. 4, 2024.

As a result of the leak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority sent out alerts before 1:30 p.m. that all lanes in both tubes of the heavily trafficked tunnel connecting Manhattan and Queens under the East River were temporarily closed. It took about an hour and a half before the north tube could reopen to two-way traffic, officials said.

All lanes in both tubes finally reopened just before 6 p.m., and heavy traffic delays lasted for hours, not subsiding until later in the evening.

Engineers are on site to evaluate any damage and begin on repairs, and the northbound tunnel has been temporarily converted to handle two-way traffic while the southbound tunnel is closed, an EDC spokesperson said. We are working closely with City Hall, NYCEM, MTA, and other city agencies as we continue to respond.

The repairs being done Wednesday night would be interim fixes, an official said at a press conference, with a permanent fix expected to come at a later time. But a plug was in place and the leak had subsided, according to the official.

The contractor, working for company Warren George, had drilled 100 feet from the surface  50 feet through water and 50 feet through soil. Drilling company Warren George did not issue a statement in the aftermath of the leak.

An investigation into what happened was ongoing.

The MTA, which initially blamed the leak on a water main break but later deleted their tweet, had said all buses would be detoured and there were delays on the east side of Manhattan due to increased traffic. According to MTA.info, QM 1/2/3/4/5/6/10/12/20/24/31/32/34/36/40/42/44 buses will use the 59th St Bridge to proceed to the Long Island Expressway in both directions.

QM 7/8/11/25 buses will use the Williamsburg Bridge.

Meanwhile, the Queensboro Bridge is partially closed Wednesday through Saturday for the replacement of the upper roadway, according to the Department of Transportation. Single-lane Manhattan-bound north upper roadway will be closed 24 hours from Wednesday to Saturday. Double-lane will be closed through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Tuesday to Friday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning. Queens-bound south outer roadway will be closed Sunday to Saturday from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. next morning.

The Queens Midtown Tunnel was opened in 1940 to help relieve congestion on East River bridges.


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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has not opposed a regional mobile network and spectrum sharing arrangement between Optus and TPG.

Struck in April, the arrangement revolves around Optus providing TPG with access to its regional radio access network. At the same time, TPG will offer certain spectrum to Optus to supply mobile services.

Additionally, TPG will decommission most of its sites in the coverage area while some will be transferred to Optus.

Both telcos will continue to operate their respective mobile networks in metropolitan areas.

According to the ACCC, the arrangement is unlikely to substantially lessen competition.

The ACCC carefully considered the arrangement proposed by Optus and TPG, as it represents a structural change to the mobile services landscape, ACCC Commissioner Philip Williams said.

The agreements will allow TPG to provide better coverage in regional areas, which will likely enhance its ability to compete during the term of the agreements, improving choice for regional consumers.

The agreements are also likely to support Optus regional 5G rollout, particularly through access to TPGs spectrum.

Additionally, the ACCC also found that the competition aspects of the arrangement is likely limited to areas where TPG is not currently a significant competitor and is unlikely to become one in the future.

TPG currently has significantly less infrastructure and coverage in regional areas compared to Telstra and to a lesser extent Optus. The improvement in TPGs services during the term of this arrangement is likely to be greater than what TPG could have achieved on its own, Williams said.

During the review of the arrangement, the ACCC claimed market participants said that Optus and TPG should provide open wholesale access to their networks, divest certain spectrum and make commitments to regional investment.

Policies and regulations which promote competition for mobile services in regional areas can help deliver higher quality mobile services and lower prices for consumers, Williams said.

However, in the absence of particular competition concerns about the proposed arrangement, these proposals are better considered through other policy and regulatory processes.

The arrangement however is still subject to additional regulatory approvals and, if granted, would come into effect in early 2025.

In an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), TPG welcomed the decision, with its CEO, Inaki Berroeta, saying that the decision marks a new era for mobile services competition and consumer choice in rural and regional Australia.

With this arrangement, for the first time the TPG Telecom mobile network will cover most towns in Australia, he said.

In a separate statement, Optus interim CEO Michael Venter said the decision was a great outcome for regional Australia, with the rollout of 5G infrastructure to be completed by around two years earlier than previously planned.

This arrangement will allow Optus to press the fast forward button on 5G infrastructure roll-out to more regional communities. It will also provide Optus with access to more spectrum so regional customers can experience 5Gs fast speeds, low latency and increased capacity, he added.

The arrangement between TPG and Optus comes years after the former signed a network sharing deal with Telstra in February 2022. Then, 10 months later, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) refused to authorise the proposed deal, claiming a potential negative impact on coverage, network quality and innovation.

Six months after that in June 2023, the Australian Competition Tribunal agreed with the ACCCs decision and said it was not satisfied that the arrangements were not likely to substantially lessen competition.

In response to the Tribunals decision, Berroeta said at the time that TPG would not give up on regional Australia and will consider our options as well as advocating for policy reform that will deliver greater competition and choice in the regions that need it most.
The Egyptian president visits his Turkish counterpart, turning the page on a decade of divisions, that started with a clash over the Muslim Brotherhood. Yet, the two countries never fully broke relations. Some 17 agreements are signed. The realignment is also favoured by a shared vision on Gaza.

Ankara (AsiaNews)  On his first visit to Turkey, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was welcomed yesterday in Ankara with full honours by his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, putting to an end years of tensions and divisions.

The meeting between the two leaders of the Muslim world and the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) ended a decade of frosty relations, setting the stage for a new era in bilateral relations between, especially government-to-government.

Yet despite past tensions and hostilities, economic ties and trade were never cut. During this visit, the two countries signed 17 agreements.

Sisi arrived in Ankara with a large delegation for the one-day visit after the two heads of state held their first official meeting in Cairo last February after years of frost.

My first visit to this friendly country is an indication that the relations between the two countries will develop much further, the Egyptian president told journalists at a joint press conference after three hours of talks between the leaders and the two countries delegations.

Ankara and Cairo had broken off relations in 2013 after President al-Sisi, then defence minister, ousted President Mohamed Morsi, an ally of Turkey and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

At the time, Erdogan said he would never talk to "anyone" like Sisi, who a year later became president of the Arab world's most populous nation.

Deep tensions and divisions continued, but relations have improved in the last two years thanks to a realignment on several major issues, not least the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas on which there is a shared vision.

Despite a certain distance between previous leaders, trade between Egypt and Turkey never stopped in the last decade, so much so that Turkey is Egypt's fifth-largest trading partner, while Egypt is Turkey's first partner in Africa.

Returning to yesterday's meeting, the two countries signed agreements to deepen their cooperation on several issues, from energy to culture.

My visit to Cairo has marked a new turning point in our relations, Erdogan said. We are advancing our improving relations even further with the return visit of my dear brother, he added.

Erdogans language certainly represents a turning point for the Turkish leader, who in 2013 had vowed that he would never shake hands with Sisi after he cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Over time, however, economic reasons and business opportunities prevailed, prompting the two leaders of the Muslim world to boost political and diplomatic ties as well. This has brought Turkey closer not only to Egypt, but also to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Taking advantage of its strategic position, Turkey seeks to participate in regional energy projects of primary importance to deliver Egyptian natural gas to Europe, amid Western efforts to cut their dependence on Russia.

We are eager to enhance our energy cooperation with Egypt, especially in natural gas and nuclear energy, Erdogan said.

The Turkish leader also stressed the goal of boosting trade between the two countries to US$ 15 billion from the current US$ 10 billion, at a time when foreign direct investment by Turkish companies in Egypt rose to US$ 3 billion in the past year.

Finally, the two leaders signed a joint statement reiterating their willingness to increase coordination on a number of regional issues, including Gaza, Libya, and the Horn of Africa.

These are signs of a progressive rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo on various foreign policy issues, particularly in the Libyan conflict where the two have backed rival groups in the North African countrys ongoing civil war.

We must work together, especially in addressing regional issues, to prevent humanitarian crises, Sisi said.

To mend relations in the region, Ankara has also abandoned its overt support for the Muslim Brotherhood, designated as a terrorist organisation by Egypt and several Gulf states.
In front of thousands of people crowded at a local sports facilities, the pontiff called on the local Church to to put out to sea. Since The word of the Lord cannot remain a fine abstract idea, we are asked to change our gaze despite fears and mediocrity. Tomorrow morning Francis will bid farewell to Indonesia and depart for Papua New Guinea.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis spoke this afternoon to the Catholic community of Indonesia gathered in Jakarta for the solemn Eucharistic liturgy, the high point of his visit to the country.

In his address, the pontiff urged the faithful, do not grow weary of setting sail, do not grow weary of casting your nets, do not grow weary of dreaming, do not grow weary of building again a civilization of peace.

About 100,000 people crowded the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and the Madya Stadium (which the pontiff crossed before the service in popemobile, accompanied by Card Suharyo), while thousands more followed the rite in live-streaming in their parishes.

As he had promised, Indonesian President Joko Widodo also took part in the most important event for the Catholic community, which was also the pontiffs last public engagement before tomorrow morning's farewell ceremony at Sukarno-Hatta airport and departure for Papua New Guinea, the second stop on this trip.

Inspired by the passage from the Gospel of Luke in which Peter, listening to the word of Jesus, puts out into the deep again after a fruitless night and catches a multitude of fish (Lk 5:1-16), Francis invited the Indonesian Church to take a risk, betting on the Word of Jesus.

The word of the Lord cannot remain as a fine abstract idea or stir up only a passing emotion. It asks us to change our gaze and allow our hearts to be transformed into the image of Christs heart, Francis said.

The Lord, with the burning power of his word, also asks us, brothers and sisters, to put out to sea, break away from the stagnant shores of bad habits, fears and mediocrity and dare to live a new life.

Inviting the faithful not to be discouraged by hardships, Francis cited Saint Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta), whose liturgical feast falls today.

When we have nothing to give, let us give that nothing. And remember, even if you reap nothing, never tire of sowing, she said. Indeed, Always dare to dream of fraternity, which is a real treasure among you, the pope told Indonesian Catholics.

Guided by the word of the Lord, I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness with your characteristic smile. [. . .] Please, do not lose your smile, and keep moving forward! And be builders of peace. Be builders of hope!

In the morning, at the headquarters of the Bishops' Conference, after his visit to the mosque, the pontiff met privately with a group of sick people, people with disabilities, and the poor assisted by various charities.

One of the invited guests was Mikail Andrew Nathaniel, an 18-year-old man with autism spectrum disorder who said he was happy to be selected to participate in the local Paralympic Swimming Games.

Pope Francis congratulated him and invited everyone to become champions of love in the great Olympics of life!

Dear friends, we all need one another, and that is not a bad thing. It helps us to understand more and more that the most important thing in our lives is love and to realize how many good people there are, all around us.

It also reminds us how much the Lord loves us, each and every one of us, even with our limitations and difficulties (cf. Rom 8:35-39). Each one of us is unique in his eyes and he never forgets us, never. Let us always remember that, to keep our hope alive and to strive in turn, without ever tiring, to make of our lives become a gift for others.
5 September 2024 15:30 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Azerbaijan, with its increasingly prominent global stature, has forged robust partnerships on the international stage. The Republic consistently promotes effective and mutually beneficial cooperation through both bilateral relations and international organizations. It is not surprising that Azerbaijan is widely esteemed for its proactive role in international affairs, its pragmatic foreign policy, and its commitment to advancing relationships across diverse sectors.

The mutually beneficial relationship with the Republic of Italy holds a significant place in Azerbaijan's foreign policy. The two countries share strong traditions of friendship and cooperation, with their partnership grounded in mutual respect for each others interests.

Visits by the leaders of both nations play a crucial role in strengthening their strategic partnership. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently visited Italy on September 4, at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella. President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were warmly received by Italian officials at Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport, where an honor guard was present.

The partnership between Azerbaijan and Italy is characterized by longstanding cooperation, particularly in the economic sector. President Aliyevs visit underscores the advancement of both economic and political relations.

Trade is a central component of the economic relationship between Azerbaijan and Italy. With bilateral trade surpassing $6 billion, Italy is a key trade partner for Azerbaijan. The energy sector, particularly commercial relations, has reached an apex, with Italy investing over $770 million in Azerbaijan's economy since its independence, while Azerbaijan has invested $1.7 billion in Italy. This underscores a successful investment partnership. The energy trade is predominantly focused on traditional sectors, with Italy emerging as the largest importer of Azerbaijani crude oil and oil products.

The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), a key component of the SGC, play a vital role in enhancing bilateral energy cooperation and Italy's energy security. Through this project, Azerbaijanan important partner of the European Union in the South Caucasusplays a decisive role in transporting Caspian Sea gas to the European market. The TAP delivers Azerbaijani gas to Brindisi, Italy, marking a significant milestone as it transports gas to Italy for the first time. The Southern Gas Corridor is recognized as a major infrastructure project that addresses the European Union's gas needs and contributes to its energy security. The collaboration with Italy on this large-scale project is highly valued.

In discussing energy relations, it's noteworthy to highlight recent comments by Manuela Traldi, President of the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce. Traldi underscored the pivotal role of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in strengthening the bond between Azerbaijan and Italy.

"We established the Italy-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce in 2012 with the TAP project as a cornerstone of our collaboration," said Traldi. "I was confident that TAP would eventually come to fruition and bring our countries closer together."

She also mentioned that Azerbaijan and Italy are poised to create joint ventures across various sectors. "We've had productive meetings with our Azerbaijani counterparts and representatives from the private sector. We are planning a high-level round table with Italy's Minister of Entrepreneurship and Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy," she added.

Traldi emphasized the Chamber's role in attracting investments to Azerbaijan. "We actively promote Azerbaijan in Italy and leverage all available resources to attract investments from Italian companies," she explained.

While traditional energy remains a major focus, recent years have seen significant cooperation in non-oil sectors. Currently, 114 Italian companies operate in Azerbaijan across industries such as construction, trade, agriculture, and services. Additionally, Italian firms are involved in 277 projects worth $9.9 billion in Azerbaijan's oil and gas sector, and 37 projects worth $708 million in the non-oil sector. These figures highlight the strong economic ties between the two nations.

Italy continues to be a major trade partner for Azerbaijan. In the past year, bilateral trade reached $15.685 billion, with Azerbaijan exporting goods valued at $15.208 billion to Italy. In 2023, Azerbaijan exported $40 million in non-oil products to Italy and imported goods worth $477.903 million. Trade between the two countries has remained strong in 2024, with mutual transactions totaling $4.41 billion from January to May, accounting for 23.91% of Azerbaijans total trade turnover.

During this period, Azerbaijans exports to Italy amounted to $4.23 billion, representing 37.97% of Azerbaijans total exports. Imports from Italy totaled $180.689 million, a 1.3% increase from the previous year. Azerbaijan is Italys primary trade partner in the South Caucasus, constituting 85% of Italys regional trade. In 2023, Italy accounted for 30.65% of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover, including 2.76% of imports (7th place) and 44.86% of exports (1st place). From January to July 2024, trade turnover between the two nations reached $6.2 billion, with $5.9 billion in exports and $0.3 billion in imports.

Looking ahead, Manuela Traldi, President of the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, is optimistic about future developments. "We anticipate significant opportunities, including joint ventures that will introduce advanced Italian technologies to Azerbaijan, enhancing economic development and diversification," she added.

Traldi emphasized that priority will be given to sectors such as petrochemicals, metallurgy, and agriculture. "We have several projects aimed at advancing agriculture, healthcare, and other innovative sectors, including the food industry, leather processing, and textiles," she added.

The robust and evolving relationship between Azerbaijan and Italy dates back to January 1, 1992, when Italy recognized Azerbaijan's independence and established diplomatic relations, marking the beginning of a new phase in their mutual relations.

The evolving partnership between Azerbaijan and Italy, marked by significant trade and strategic collaborations, is set to advance further. With a strong foundation in energy and increasing investments in diverse sectors, both nations are exploring new opportunities for growth. The focus on joint ventures and the introduction of advanced Italian technologies into Azerbaijan's economy highlight promising prospects. As they continue to enhance their economic and diplomatic relations, Azerbaijan and Italy are poised to unlock new potentials in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, and industrial innovation, reinforcing their longstanding and multifaceted relationship.

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5 September 2024 12:12 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

First Deputy Minister of Economy, Elnur Aliyev, met with a delegation from the International Parliamentary Congress (IPC) to discuss Azerbaijan's efforts in promoting a green economy and addressing global climate issues, Azernews reports.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the decision to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan underscores the importance the country places on developing a green economy and tackling global climate challenges.

The ministry emphasized that cooperation with international organizations remains a priority in the lead-up to COP29. Special attention is being given to implementing measures that promote green energy and reduce the effects of global climate change in Azerbaijan.

The meeting also involved discussions on partnership opportunities within the framework of the IPC's Climate Change Think Tank initiative, further aligning efforts to promote sustainable development.

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5 September 2024 16:15 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has shown its readiness to support the "greening" of construction projects in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

This announcement came during a meeting between Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Urban Planning and Architecture Committee, and a delegation led by Ines Rocha, the IFC's Regional Director for Europe.

During the meeting, A. Guliyev highlighted the significance of collaboration with the IFC and emphasized the need to take joint steps to explore and implement leading global practices in "green" construction in Azerbaijan. Discussions also focused on the potential organization of certification work to promote environmentally friendly construction projects and reduce carbon emissions.

Ines Rocha, IFC's Regional Director, praised Azerbaijan's efforts in advancing the use of eco-friendly construction materials and low-carbon buildings. She noted, "We are ready to support these initiatives," and expressed the desire to share the advanced experience IFC has gained in implementing "green building" projects in 96 countries worldwide.

This cooperation is expected to bolster Azerbaijan's commitment to sustainable development and enhance its focus on eco-friendly infrastructure.

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5 September 2024 16:34 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

During the first four months of the current Iranian year (March 20 - July 21, 2024), Iran's non-oil exports to Azerbaijan increased by 56% in value and 18.9% in weight compared to the same period last year (March 21 - July 22, 2023), Azernews reports citing the Customs Administration of Iran.

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5 September 2024 16:55 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Documents establishing joint production and service areas have been signed between Azerbaijan and Italy, Azernews reports the post shared by Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov his "X."

He noted that these documents, signed during the Azerbaijan-Italy round table, focus on research and development projects and the exchange of expertise.

"The implementation of these documents will further strengthen bilateral relations, foster innovation, and boost economic growth," the minister added.

They discussed boosting business relations and enhancing cooperation in key sectors, including industry, renewable energy, infrastructure, transportation, textiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

As part of the head of state's working visit to Italy, one of Azerbaijans main trade partners, we participated in the #Italy-#Azerbaijan Round Table. Together with Adolfo Urso (@adolfo_urso), Italy's Minister of Enterprises and "Made in Italy", and other colleagues, we discussed pic.twitter.com/C2DjvCYW6o  Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) September 5, 2024

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5 September 2024 17:38 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

An electronic visa portal has been launched in connection with COP29, Azernews reports citing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat.

The government will issue special entry visas through this official e-visa portal, as well as through Azerbaijani diplomatic missions and consulates abroad.

COP29 visas will be processed within three working days of submitting a complete online application via the official portal or at diplomatic missions.

Additionally, on September 25, Azerbaijan will host a High-Level Dialogue on Global Climate Transparency during the 79th UN General Assembly.

The decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan this November was made at the COP28 plenary session in Dubai last December. Baku is expected to welcome approximately 70,000 to 80,000 foreign guests over the course of two weeks.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, established at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, aims to address human impacts on the climate system. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Convention. With 198 parties, the COP meets annually if no alternative solution is found. The first COP took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is based in Bonn.

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5 September 2024 17:48 (UTC+04:00)

The renowned European neurologist residing in Denmark, Mesud Ashina, is an active member of the Azerbaijani diaspora. As the President of the International Headache Society and a professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen, Mesud Ashina has been awarded the medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan "For Merit in Diaspora Activities." By a decree from the head of state on December 8, 2020, Mesud Ashina was elected to the Board of Trustees of the "Yasat" Foundation.

On the initiative of the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora and the "Yasat" Foundation, this European neurologist provides free neurological care to veterans who fought for territorial integrity and to the families of martyrs, while also actively participating in a number of other projects. Today, the prestigious medical journal New England Journal of Medicine published an article on a new method for treating migraines. This event is significant not only due to the development of a new drug for a condition long considered incurable, but also because the author of the article and head of the study is our compatriot, Danish-Azerbaijani neurologist Professor Mesud Ashina, one of the worlds leading specialists in this field.

Currently, Professor Ashina holds the position of professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen and senior consultant in neurology at Copenhagen University Hospital  Rigshospitalet. As of 2024, he is recognized as one of the worlds foremost experts on headache disorders, according to the Expertscape ranking. Mesud Ashina received his medical degree from Azerbaijan Medical University in 1988. He later completed his PhD and D.M.Sc. at the University of Copenhagen and completed his neurology residency at Rigshospitalet.

We interviewed Professor Ashina to discuss his discovery, research, and the future prospects for migraine treatment.

Professor, could you elaborate on migraines? They are often perceived as just severe headaches, but in reality, they are a far more serious condition. Could you dispel some myths, especially regarding the idea that they are incurable?

Migraine is not simply a severe headache, as many believe. It is one of the most common and underestimated conditions, affecting around one billion people worldwide, or roughly one in seven. Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder that, besides headache, includes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia. Attacks can last for several days, and any movement or sound can intensify the pain to an unbearable level.

Its important to note that about 20% of those suffering from migraines experience attacks at least twice a week. This means that nearly 200 million people live with this condition regularly, losing dozens of days each year to debilitating attacks.

Migraine significantly reduces work capacity and social activity. In terms of "years lived with disability," it ranks as the leading neurological disorder. It is a serious chronic condition that requires a thorough approach to treatment.

Professor, how has the science of migraine evolved, and how do modern medications influence its treatment? What new challenges do patients and doctors face in managing this condition?

Migraine has a unique neurobiology that dictates its course. Over the past 30 years, science has made significant strides in treating it. In the early 1990s, drugs specifically designed to stop migraine attacks were introduced. These medications target migraines only, without affecting other types of pain, which was an important breakthrough.

However, a new problem emerged: frequent use of these medications can lead to a paradoxical headache. This condition is called "medication-overuse headache"  a headache caused by the overuse of medications. Therefore, these drugs are effective for people with infrequent attacks, but when migraines are frequent, improper use can worsen the condition.

Given recent advances in drug development, can we say that migraines can now be effectively prevented? What preventive methods are most effective today, and are they suitable for all patients?

Yes, migraine prevention has become possible, though in the past it wasnt specific. Medications developed for other conditions, such as hypertension and epilepsy, were used to reduce the frequency of attacks, but they often had side effects and werent always effective.

With the advent of new drugs targeting the CGRP molecule, migraine prevention has become more precise. These drugs can reduce the number of migraine days for 40% of patients, cutting the frequency of attacks by 50% or more. However, they do not produce significant improvement for everyone, indicating that further development is needed to help a wider range of patients.

Thus, despite progress, migraine prevention is not effective for all, and new solutions need to be developed.

Could you please tell us about your own research on migraines? What is the focus of your work, and what prospects does it open for understanding the mechanisms of this condition?

My group has been researching migraines since 2006, focusing on molecules that play a key role in its development. We aim to identify molecules involved in triggering attacks to deepen our understanding of migraine mechanisms. Our research is conducted directly on people and examines molecules acting on nerves around the brains blood vessels, as well as on nerves responsible for pain conduction.

My hypothesis is that certain molecules can provoke migraine attacks in patients. This research could help develop new therapeutic approaches that block these processes, improving the quality of migraine treatment.

You mentioned that in your research, you induce migraine attacks in patients. Could you explain how this works and how this method is unique compared to other studies on neurological disorders?

Yes, the ability to induce migraine attacks in controlled conditions is a crucial part of our research. Migraine differs from other neurological disorders in that its attacks are episodicthey come and go. This allows us to study migraine in its active phase, which is not possible with chronic conditions like Parkinson's disease or dementia, where symptoms are always present.

The uniqueness of my approach lies in inducing migraine attacks in patients to observe their development and study the biological mechanisms in real time. Its similar to a situation where a person knows that wine might trigger a migraine but decides to drink it anyway. Patients in our studies understand the possibility of an attack, but they also know they are under medical supervision and will receive help if necessary.

We use certain molecules to provoke migraine attacks. In people without migraines, these molecules may cause only a mild, short-term headache, but in those who suffer from migraines, they trigger a full-blown attack. This allows us to better understand how migraines develop at the molecular level and aids in the development of new targeted treatments.

Thus, our method offers a unique opportunity to study migraines in the active phase, opening new avenues for effective therapeutic solutions.

Could you explain the role of molecules in the development of migraines, and how your experiments have advanced understanding of their impact on the disease's pathogenesis?

One of the key molecules involved in the development of migraines is PACAP (Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide). This molecule is present in structures associated with migraines, such as the perivascular nerves that innervate brain vessels and regulate their response to stimuli. During the activation of these nerves, mediators like PACAP are released, which can trigger migraine attacks.

In 2009, my lab conducted a study in which PACAP was administered intravenously to patients over a 20-minute period. The study included two sessions: one with PACAP and the other with a placebo. In more than 50% of patients, PACAP induced migraine attacks, confirming its significance in the pathogenesis of the disorder.

These findings led to the hypothesis that blocking PACAP or its receptors could become a new method of treating migraines. This study laid the groundwork for further developments in targeted therapy, aimed at blocking molecules involved in the onset of migraines, and opened up the possibility of creating more effective and precise medications.

*How do the approaches to migraine treatment using small molecules differ from those using monoclonal antibodies? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and how do they influence the choice of treatment strategy?*

Small molecules and monoclonal antibodies have different approaches to treating migraines. Small molecules, such as receptor antagonists, block the receptors responsible for migraine development, providing a short-term effect (6-12 hours). They are convenient to take, as they are available in tablet form. The downside is that they need to be taken frequently.

Monoclonal antibodies block the same receptors but provide a longer-lasting effect, which can last for weeks or months. However, they require injections, as they are broken down in the gastrointestinal tract when taken orally.

The choice between small molecules and antibodies depends on the need for quick symptom relief or long-term prevention, as well as patient preferences and the ease of administration.

Could you tell us about new approaches to treating migraines with antibodies, and how your collaboration with Lundbeck contributes to the development of these methods? What stages of research have been proposed to test their effectiveness?

New approaches to treating migraines include the development of antibodies against molecules like PACAP. One of these methods involves creating monoclonal antibodies that block PACAP itself, preventing it from interacting with receptors and thus neutralizing its effect. This approach is different from traditional ones as it works at an earlier stage of the pathological process, eliminating the action of the molecule that triggers the migraine.

Lundbeck developed an antibody targeting PACAP and approached me for collaboration, knowing about my research and interest in this hypothesis. Together, we proposed conducting a study to evaluate the effectiveness of this antibody in patients with migraines. This approach to treatment could represent a significant breakthrough, as it allows for direct targeting of a key molecule involved in migraine pathogenesis.

I suggested conducting additional studies on healthy individuals before moving on to clinical trials with migraine patients. Studies on healthy volunteers (Phase 1) help to test the drugs tolerance, identify side effects, and determine the optimal dose. My idea was to test the blocking effect of the antibody by administering PACAP intravenously to volunteers and simultaneously assessing the antibody's ability to prevent the physiological reactions caused by PACAP. This study will help better understand the effectiveness of the new method and pave the way for the next phase of clinical trials in migraine patients.

What physiological reactions were you expecting to see?

We expected reactions such as vasodilation, facial flushing, a drop in blood pressure, and an increased heart ratetypical effects of PACAP. If the drug could block these reactions in healthy individuals, it would increase the likelihood of its effectiveness against migraines.

The study showed that the antibody against PACAP successfully inhibited vasodilation, reduced heart rate, and diminished headaches. This confirmed the potential of the antibody as a treatment for migraines and other PACAP-related disorders. After this, I led Phase 2 trials, sponsored by Lundbeck, to study the preventive effect of the PACAP antibody in migraines.

How was the study with migraine patients organized, and what stages did it include?

The study included patients with both episodic and chronic migraines. We organized a multicenter study, where different centers and researchers were responsible for recruiting participants.

First, there was a screening to ensure that patients truly had migraines. After that, they were given electronic diaries to record all attacks and symptoms. This baseline phase helped confirm the patients suitability for the study and checked their readiness to follow the instructions.

Then, patients were blindly randomizedthey didnt know whether they would receive the active drug or a placebo. Over the next period, they continued to keep diaries so we could assess the drug's effectiveness. After the treatment ended, a follow-up period began to record any potential side effects. This is important for evaluating the drugs safety not only during treatment but also after it is metabolized.

In the end, we compared data from before and after treatment to assess its impact on the frequency and intensity of migraines.

What was the main goal of the study, and what results did it show?

The main goal of the study was to test the efficacy of high doses of the drug (750 mg) compared to a placebo. The study showed significant improvement in patients who received 750 mg of the drug, confirming its effectiveness in preventing migraine attacks. This result validated the concept and paved the way for the next stagePhase 3 clinical trials.

Phase 3 will include more patients and last longer to provide a final check of the drugs efficacy and safety. If the results are positive, the drug will become available on the market, offering a new tool for migraine prevention.

The significance of the study is that over 15 years, it has progressed from examining the effect of a single molecule on migraines to the development of a potential new drug. The drug is still administered intravenously, but work is underway to create a form for self-injection under the skin, which will greatly simplify treatment for patients.

How does this new drug differ from the recently registered drug that targets another molecule?

The difference between the new drug and the recently registered one is that they target different molecules and work through different mechanisms. Imagine that each drug acts on the "doors" of a cell, but each door leads to different parts of the system, activating different processes. These drugs use different receptors to prevent migraines.

This broadens the treatment options, allowing us to choose a drug based on the individual needs of the patient. In the future, combination therapy may reduce the number of migraine days even further if one drug proves insufficiently effective.

Its also important to understand which receptor is the key player in the pathway through which PACAP triggers migraines. This will aid in the development of new, more precise drugs. We continue to explore these mechanisms to offer more effective and specific migraine treatments in the future. At the moment, this drug is not available for clinical use, as it is still in the research stage.

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5 September 2024 14:17 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General, Kamran Aliyev, has discussed details of the criminal case initiated against the Garabagh separatists in an interview with the "News.ru" information portal, Azernews reports.

He stated that the investigation related to these individuals has been completed and the materials will soon be submitted to the court.

"The process of familiarizing both the accused and the victims with the case materials is ongoing  as you know, there are many victims in this case. Once all investigative and operational measures are completed, the case will be sent to court for a substantive hearing in accordance with international norms and Azerbaijans criminal legislation," the Prosecutor General said.

Over the years, the Prosecutor Generals Office of Azerbaijan has launched criminal cases against 15 Garabagh separatists, and they have been put on international wanted lists. Following the local anti-terrorist operation in September 2023, the separatists were detained, brought to Baku, and handed over for investigation. They face charges of terrorism, financing terrorism, forming unlawful armed groups and organizations, and conducting training for the purpose of committing terrorist acts. In June of this year, Baku announced the completion of the investigation into their case.

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5 September 2024 18:43 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

Russian Vice President Yuriy Ushakov announced that Turkey has applied for full membership in BRICS and that they will evaluate the application. President Erdogan will also attend the summit in Kazan on October 22-24. The 10-member BRICS, led by Russia and China, aims for economic cooperation.

Russia made a statement regarding Turkiyes possible membership in BRICS, which is seen as an alternative to Western institutions. In Russia, which is the BRICS term president, Vice President Yuriy Ushakov stated that Turkey has applied for full membership. Ushakov, who said that Ankaras request will be evaluated by the BRICS countries, said, Turkey has submitted its full membership application. We will evaluate it.

President Erdogan is going to the top

President Tayyip Erdogan will also attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October. In a statement from presidential sources, it was noted that Erdogan will be at the summit on October 22-24. Speaking to reporters at a press conference yesterday, AK Party Spokesperson Omer Celik said, Our President has repeatedly stated that we want to become a member of BRICS.

It will be the first NATO country

If Ankara is accepted as a member, Turkiye will be the first NATO member in the BRICS group. Azerbaijan recently officially applied for membership in BRICS after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Baku. BRICS, which is formed by the initials of the five largest developing world countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is an organization that emerged as an alternative to the Wests one-sided economic cooperation and aims for both economic and cultural cooperation among member countries.

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5 September 2024 12:41 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday welcomed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who arrived in the capital Ankara for an official visit.

The plane bringing al-Sisi and the accompanying delegation to Ankara landed at Esenboga Airport.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin, and other officials accompanied Erdogan at the welcoming ceremony.

"I express my great happiness with my first visit to the Republic of Turkiye, and my meeting with His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as our two ancient countries share deep-rooted historic and popular relations. They have also had strong political relations since the foundation of the Republic of Turkiye by the founding leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk," al-Sisi said in a statement on X.

"Perhaps my visit today, and before it the visit of His Excellency President Erdogan to Cairo, reflects the common will to start a new phase of friendship and cooperation between Egypt and Turkiye, based on their pivotal role in their regional and international environment, and in a way that meets the ambitions and aspirations of our two brotherly peoples," he added.

Erdogan and al-Sisi then moved on to the Presidential Complex, where the two leaders convened their bilateral meeting after a welcoming ceremony.

Following their bilateral meeting, they will co-chair the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the two countries.

The two leaders will also attend an agreement-signing ceremony and hold a joint news conference.

Al-Sisi's visit to Turkiye comes at Erdogan's invitation.

Erdogan had visited Egypt in February and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had paid a separate visit to the country in August. Al-Sisi's visit to Turkiye marks the first of its kind since the Egyptian president took office.

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5 September 2024 12:23 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay an official visit to North Macedonia on Thursday, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

During his visit, Fidan is expected to discuss bilateral relations as well as current regional and international developments with officials in the Balkan country, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Fidan will also meet the Turkish community and business representatives in the country.

Turkiye holds a significant position in North Macedonia's foreign relations, being the first state to recognize North Macedonia with her constitutional name and to appoint an ambassador to Skopje.

The visit underscores the strong ties between the two nations, with Turkiye currently ranking as the seventh largest foreign investor in North Macedonia.

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5 September 2024 19:30 (UTC+04:00)

ByAlimat Aliyeva

For the second day in a row, the DPRK launches balloons with garbage towards the Republic of Korea, Azernews reports.

The People's Republic started launching balloons again at around 09:00 local time (04:00 Baku time). The military recommended not to approach the fallen objects and report them to the authorities.

The night before, North Korea launched about 420 balloons with garbage. About 20 balloons were found in Seoul and its surroundings.

Before that, a similar action took place on August 10. From the territory of the DPRK, such balloons have been launched since the end of May in response to a request for propaganda leaflets by South Korean activists. In July, one of the balloons fell on the territory of the government complex, where the administration of the President of the Republic of Korea is located.

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5 September 2024 19:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

Turkiye, one of the most attractive tourist destinations, is preparing for a gradual revision of the all inclusive system in hotels as part of the strategy to receive 80 million tourists in 2028, Azernews reports.

The Turkiye newspaper claims this, noting that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the republic intends to give priority to the development of new areas of tourism: gastronomic, cultural, medical.

The representative of the Ankara Association of Young Businessmen, Mustafa Korkyt ata, whose statements are quoted by the publication, noted that all inclusive has turned into a system of "consumer terror".

According to him, calculations show that the percentage of food return from a plate in hotels with the all inclusive system reaches 65%.

"220-400 grams of food are thrown out per person per day. In other words, food waste in these hotels costs 50 billion liras ($1.5 billion) per year, so the number of facilities where this system is used will be reduced," he said.

The businessman also said that under the new system, hotels will be able to cooperate with local catering establishments.

"Tourists will be picked up from hotels in the evenings, take walks through the city centers, and then take them to dinner at restaurants with which contracts have been signed."

With such a system, shopkeepers will also have more income, Korkutata said.

Representatives of the Turkish tourism industry have repeatedly made proposals to revise the all inclusive format, including offering a "pay as much as you use" model.

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5 September 2024 23:30 (UTC+04:00)

The final stage of the Mediterranean technology competition of the country's first aviation, space and technology festival, TECHNOFEST, has started in Antalya, Turkiye. 1,650,000 participants applied for the contests this year, which is a record for a TECHNO FEST, Azernews reports.

Technological competitions in 25 directions were organized at the event organized by the ANFAS International Exhibition and Congress Center in Antalya. The four-day competitions are held in 49 main and 127 subcategories.

6,514 participants compete with 1,270 teams in the final stage of competitions in various fields: from artificial intelligence and communications to bio- and agricultural technologies.

At the same time, the participants will take part in trainings and seminars organized by the largest technology companies in Turkiye, as well as meet with experts in various fields of technology.

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5 September 2024 20:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

In the next three years, the Chinese authorities will provide financial assistance to African states in the amount of 360 billion yuan (more than 50 billion dollars at the current exchange rate) for the implementation of joint partnership projects, Azernews reports.

"For 10 partnership events, the Chinese government will provide financial support to Africa in the amount of 360 billion yuan in the next three years," he said, speaking at the opening ceremony of the ninth summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (CCAC).

As the Chinese president clarified, the mentioned amount includes 210 billion yuan ($29.5 billion) on a credit line, 80 billion yuan (about $ 11.2 billion) of assistance "in various forms" and at least 70 billion yuan ($9.8 billion) in investments from Chinese companies.

"China will encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds (debt instruments denominated in yuan) in order to strengthen our results-oriented cooperation in all areas," he added.

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While technology like artificial intelligence and EHRs can help save physicians and their practices time and money, these advancements can present downsides that weigh on physicians.

Despite the efficiencies AI and healthcare tech promise, some say the presence of these technologies shifts the role of physicians.

"Technology including telemedicine, EHR, the specter of AI and shifting patient empowerment, means physicians feel irrelevant again," Michael Gomez, MD, NICU medical director of Sunrise, Fla.-based Pediatrix, told Becker's.

The integration of new technologies also means that physicians must shift and adapt the way they practice medicine and invest time in learning how to use new tools.

"These innovations have the potential to transform the way we practice medicine, but they're also bringing new challenges that require us to adapt," Javier Marull, MD, an associate professor in the anesthesiology and pain management department at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, told Becker's.

"Technology in healthcare goes further than just new tools or software; it is basically changing how we interact with patients, diagnose diseases and manage information. AI is now helping predict patient outcomes, assist with diagnoses and guide treatment decisions."

Telemedicine is another double-edged technological sword. While it offers patients access to healthcare outside of the traditional visit, it is transforming the way physicians work.

"Many of us entered medicine to build strong, face-to-face relationships with our patients," Dr. Marull said. "But with the increasing use of telemedicine, we are spending more time interacting with patients through screens instead of in person. Although this may be practical, it also raises concerns about keeping the personal connection that is important to our profession."
The Morgantown-based West Virginia University Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute have added four new surgeons, according to a Sept. 4 report from My Buckhannon.

Goya Raikar, MD, joined the division of cardiac surgery at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va. He specializes in the advancement of complex adult cardiac surgery with a focus on minimally invasive and robotic techniques. He joins WVU Medicine from the DeBakey Heart Surgery Center of Wauwatosa, Wis.-based Froedtert Hospital, where he served as chief of cardiothoracic surgery.

Nick Baker, MD, joined the faculty at Ruby Memorial and WVU Medicine United Hospital Center from University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, where he served as director of robotic thoracic surgery.

Nida Bham, MD, specializes in benign and malignant diseases of the lung and esophagus and thoracic surgical education.

Saiesh Voppuru, MD, will be joining the Morgantown-based faculty in the fall, and he will also work closely with the teams at Ruby and the WVU Cancer Institute.
A Connecticut dentist recently waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute.

Lakshmi Bethi, DMD, admitted to conspiring with multiple individuals who agreed to recruit Medicaid beneficiaries for dental appointments with Dr. Bethi, which she then billed to the Connecticut Medicaid program. Dr. Bethi agreed to pay the recruiters kickbacks in exchange for the appointments. Part of those kickbacks were then passed onto patients for attending the appointments, according to a Sept. 5 news release from the Justice Department.

Dr. Bethi paid the recruiters more than $360,000 in kickbacks between 2016 and 2023. The state Medicaid program reimbursed Dr. Bethi approximately $2.2 million for the services rendered to patients as part of the scheme.

Dr. Bethi faces a maximum five-year prison sentence. As part of the plea, Dr. Bethi also agreed to forfeit $500,000.

A sentencing date for Dr. Bethi has not yet been scheduled.

Jeffrey Malave, 48, one of the patient recruiters who worked with Dr. Bethi, also pleaded guilty to related charges Feb. 28 and is awaiting sentencing.
As the word "hospital" has largely disappeared from its own industry, a stronghold for the term remains.

Children's hospitals.

Even though they've grown beyond their flagship facilities, pediatric health systems like Boston Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Children's Hospital Los Angeles still go by their longtime names.

"We have done some market research, and the term 'hospital' connects more directly with the community than health system," Children's Hospital Association President and CEO Matt Cook told Becker's. "Health system can feel a little bit more corporate and a little bit less personal, if you will."

But, as he acknowledged, children's hospitals now "operate far beyond their four walls" with outpatient clinics and even home-based care. Several pediatric health systems have changed their branding to reflect that trend, with some dropping "hospital" off the end of their names (i.e. Phoenix Children's, Seattle Children's). These changes are often a natural evolution, as the organizations adopt as their official branding what community members had already been calling them informally, Mr. Cook said.

"We very much think of ourselves as a health system with primary care, a lead hospital and over 13 community and outpatient locations," said Kary McIlwain, chief marketing and communications officer of Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "We are investigating incorporating this into our brand naming structure as many of our peers have."

Still, the shift to outpatient and the home is less pronounced at pediatric health systems, where the hospital remains the "anchor" and is thus reflected in the branding, said Eric Berkowitz, PhD, emeritus professor of marketing at University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

"When parents are facing an acute healthcare issue for their child, the focus is on specialty care and the treatment found often at a specialty institution," he said. "The days of a community hospital offering a pediatric department have declined over the past decades and thus, I believe, this anchor hospital positioning  with a large pool of specialists on staff  remains."

Mr. Cook, of the Children's Hospital Association, was previously an executive at two pediatric health systems that went different directions on this branding trend  one that maintained "hospital," and another that dropped it.

At Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he served as executive vice president of strategic planning and business development, the organization decided to preserve "hospital" because of its historical brand recognition  the hospital was founded in 1855  and since the system is commonly referred to as CHOP anyway.

On the other hand, Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where Mr. Cook was president, became Riley Children's Health because it is part of a larger health system (Indianapolis-based IU Health) whereas CHOP is independent.

CHOP's chief marketing officer, Stephanie Hogarth, said the health system has conducted quantitative research on its brand and found the name still has strong resonance in the community.

"We confirmed that the word 'hospital' wasn't too limiting to convey the breadth of our modern enterprise and also learned that consumers appreciate that hospital brands have elasticity and can stretch to include many things," she said.

That includes, for CHOP, two hospitals, two behavioral health centers, a research institute, a care network and a charitable foundation.

Mr. Cook said he expects the trend of pediatric health systems moving away from "hospital" to continue but that many legacy institutions  particularly those with the word in the middle of the name  will keep it.

"Each of the organizations has to think through, 'How do I convey that I am more than a single building or more than a single campus?'" he said. "But I think the community has become used to knowing or associating that 'hospital' doesn't necessarily mean just one building or one campus."
A number of healthcare organizations have recently closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages.

Here are 17 department closures or services that are ending or have been announced, advanced or finalized that Becker's reported since July 1:

1. Cincinnati-based Mercy Health and Cleveland-based The MetroHealth System shared a joint decision to end the trauma program at Mercy Health  Lorain (Ohio) Hospital, effective Oct. 15, and to not seek a level 3 trauma center reverification from the American College of Surgeons. The hospital will continue to provide emergency care for people experiencing severe, emergent or life-threatening symptoms.

2. The Faith Community ER in Bowie (Texas), part of Jacksboro, Texas-based Faith Community Health System, will close Oct. 6 nearly one year after opening due to a lack of financial assistance. In a Sept. 23 letter to the community Faith Community Health System CEO Frank Beaman said that after an internal review, the ER did not meet projections needed to maintain operations.

3. Fort Kent-based Northern Maine Medical Center will cut its children's behavioral health unit and has applied for a critical access designation to address financial issues. The hospital's four-person behavioral team will be transferred to other positions in the system and the nine-bed adult behavioral unit will remain open.

4. Juneau, Alaska-based Bartlett Regional Hospital closed its high-intensity residential substance abuse treatment facility on Sept. 24. A post on the hospital's website said its "serious financial position necessitated a thorough program evaluation of several services," including the Rainforest Recovery Center, which has been cross-subsidized by the hospital for several years. The hospital said it is collaborating with Juneau-based Gastineau Human Services on a transition plan and tentatively aims to begin providing some services at Gastineau on Jan. 6, 2025.

5. Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg, Va., will close its pediatric unit at the end of September, though officials emphasize the hospital will continue to provide care for children in the emergency department and make safe transfers when necessary. Low inpatient volumes and the nation's pediatrician shortage were key drivers in the decision to close the unit, the hospital's chief nursing officer, Gina Yost, MSN, said.

6. Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente will close its last skilled nursing facility in the country, the Kaiser Permanente Post Acute Care Center in San Leandro, Calif., the health system said in a Sept. 10 statement. The closure, which began in June, will result in the loss of 249 jobs. The last patients were transitioned from the facility by the end of July. The facility is expected to be fully closed by mid-November. Kaiser said it is working with employees and union officials to find other positions within Kaiser Permanente. The system said it will also assist employees who are not able to find another position within the system.

7. University of Southern California Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale will close its labor and delivery services, along with its neonatal intensive care unit, on Nov. 20 and lay off 65 employees. The decision was based on an examination of services at the hospital, community needs and shifting demographics, a spokesperson for the hospital said.

8. MercyOne Newton (Iowa) Medical Center is pausing its labor and delivery services indefinitely, effective after Oct. 15 due to Newton Clinic ending its recruitment of physicians who are dedicated to labor and delivery obstetrics services. In an Aug. 30 joint statement from Newton Clinic and MercyOne Newton Medical Center, shared with Becker's, Newton Clinic pointed to a "decade of significant recruitment and physician workforce challenges" for the service cuts.

9. Hemet (Calif.) Global Medical Center, a 327-bed facility, plans to close its labor and delivery department this fall. The hospital attributes the decision to low birth numbers and a shortage of physicians. The closure, expected to take effect by the end of October, is anticipated to affect 35 employees.

10. Santa Paula (Calif.) Hospital will end births and intensive care services on Oct. 15, pending approval by state officials. In May, leaders from the Ventura County Health Care Agency presented a budget plan to county officials that proposed closing the two units and relocating services to 272-bed Ventura (Calif.) County Medical Center about 15 miles away. They cited financial losses of approximately $16 million in the last fiscal year and noted a significant decline in patient volumes, a drop from 502 deliveries in 2010 to 167 in 2023.

11. Upland, Pa.-based Crozer Health ended surgical services at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa. The 107-bed community hospital offers general and specialty surgical services. In recent months, the hospital has reported an average of three to four surgical cases per day, while also seeing a reduction in general surgeons, according to Crozer CEO Tony Esposito.

12. Sharon (Pa.) Regional Medical Center, part of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, will close a 125-year-old nursing school after the current class of students graduates next May. The closure is "due to complications" from Steward's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the health system said in an Aug. 7 news release.

13. Beaver, Pa.-based Heritage Valley Health System laid off several workers and is closing multiple facilities as part of an organizational downsizing. The workforce and service cuts were made to help the system meet its fiscal year 2025 (year ending June 30) budget as the two-hospital health system continues to evaluate a potential partner, president and CEO Norman Mitry said in a July 31 letter to employees.

14. New York (City)-Presbyterian is seeking approval from the state Department of Health to close the 16-bed rehabilitation unit at New York City-based Columbia University Irving Medical Center and transition it to in-patient beds. The conversion of the unit, located in the hospital's Milstein Hospital Building, is part of an ongoing patient-need and hospital census assessment, a spokesperson for New York-Presbyterian told Becker's on July 25.

15. Aspirus Medford (Wis.) Hospital and Clinics will transition maternal care services to another location starting Oct. 1 amid a shrinking OB-GYN pipeline. While Aspirus Medford will continue to provide prenatal and postnatal care, deliveries will be performed at the Aspirus Wausau (Wis.) Hospital Birthing Center.

16. Providence (R.I.) Community Health Centers closed its Olneyville Health Center on July 31. A spokesperson for the federally qualified health center said the closure of the clinic is temporary and is due to a national shortage of primary care providers. An internal memo from Providence Community Health Centers CEO Merrill Thomas said that an inadequate state Medicare reimbursement rate and "manufacturer attacks on our 340B Drug Pricing Program" placed the FQHC "in an unsustainable negative financial position," which has led to layoffs and the closure of the Olneyville Health Center.

17. Grove Hill (Ala.) Memorial Hospital discontinued its labor and delivery services on Aug. 16. The move came after the hospital's governing board in May decided to transition to rural emergency hospital status.
Dayton (Ohio) Children's Hospital has received $65.7 million in gifts toward its "Do. More. so all kids thrive" fundraising campaign.

Dayton Children's is seeking $75 million for the campaign, which will support initiatives involving mental health and barriers to well-being in children, according to a Sept. 4 news release from the health system.

The hospital plans to use the funds for the following:

Investment in mental health solutions and partnerships with local organizations

Advancement in care for complex medical conditions that require new technology and innovative care

Focusing on social determinants of health and reducing barriers to well-being

The Mathile family, who started the Mathile Family Foundation, will be recognized for its contributions to the donation with the Mathile Center for Mental Health and Wellness, which is set to open in summer 2025.

The fundraising campaign will end June 30.








As artificial intelligence tools continue to advance, the transformative potential in healthcare is becoming increasingly clear.

Historically, much of the focus has been on validating algorithms in controlled research settings. However, the real impact of AI is only realized when these technologies are integrated into everyday clinical practice and shown to improve health outcomes. Today, a growing number of health systems are not just exploring but actively investing in and implementing AI solutions, demonstrating their commitment to advancing healthcare through responsible and effective technology adoption.

Beckers Healthcare, in partnership with the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation at UC San Diego, has compiled a list of leading U.S. health systems that are pioneers in demonstrated, outcomes-based AI solutions. These organizations are not only conducting transformative research but are also demonstrating tangible patient benefits from AI applications. Their success is characterized by a deliberate focus on ethical implementation, ensuring that AI technologies are used responsibly and effectively.

Given the challenge of tracking and evaluating these advancements, we highlight these leading health systems in AI for their robust leadership, outcomes-based studies and strategic investments.

Dive into the list below  alphabetically by state  to discover our top picks.

1. California - Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente, headquartered in Oakland, Ca., is the countrys largest private nonprofit healthcare organization, comprising 40 hospitals and 616 medical facilities. Kaiser has one of the nation's most extensive patient care datasets, enabling the health system to develop and test its AI tools thoroughly for safety, effectiveness, accuracy, and equity before deploying them to patients, care providers, and communities.

Leadership

Daniel Yang, MD, Vice President of AI and Emerging Technologies. Dr. Yang oversees the safe, reliable, accurate, and equitable application of AI within the organization. He sets quality standards for AI across clinical operations, research, education, and administrative functions. Dr. Yang has established infrastructure to support the development and evaluation of diagnostic AI algorithms, including public datasets and third-party performance assessments. He also advances research methods for assessing AI's clinical impact in real-world settings and represents Kaiser Permanente in the US AI Safety Consortium and the Coalition for Health AI.

Vincent Liu, MD, is a senior research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and Chief Data Officer for The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG). Dr. Liu oversees the Augmented Clinical Intelligence and Responsible AI Programs and the Systems Research Initiative, a multidisciplinary team supported by TPMG. His research explores sepsis, acute severe illness, informatics, and healthcare delivery, aiming to advance a learning hospital system. He is a noted expert in applied informatics.

Case studies

AI-related financial gifts

Kaiser has funded five healthcare organizations to pursue research projects deploying AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms to enhance diagnostic decision-making in healthcare. Awardees receive grants of up to $750,000, supported through funds from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, to demonstrate the value of these technologies in diverse, real-world settings.

2. California - Stanford Health

Stanford Health Care is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and a leading academic health system comprising Stanford Hospital and more than 60 clinics throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Stanford Health has access to several innovation centers at the university, which bring together experts and leaders from academia, industry, government, and clinical practice to address critical and emerging issues concerning AI's impact on healthcare.

Leadership

Michael Pfeffer, MD, Chief Information and Digital Officer, and Associate Dean for Stanford Health Care and Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Pfeffer has lectured worldwide on health information technology, and was featured in Beckers Hospital Review as 10 physician CIOs to know and 12 standout healthcare CIOs. Earlier in his career, he helped lead the implementation of the largest electronic health record "big bang" go-live at the time at UCLA Health, which involved over 26,000 users.

Nigam Shah, MBBS PhD, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, and Chief Data Scientist for Stanford Health Care. His research group analyzes diverse health data (EHR, claims, wearables, weblogs, and patient blogs) to answer clinical questions, generate insights, and develop predictive models. At Stanford Health, he leads AI and data science efforts to advance disease understanding, enhance clinical practice, and improve healthcare delivery.

Case study

AI-related financial gifts/investments

$15 million commitment from the Sandler Foundation to fuel healthcare innovation.

3. California - UC San Diego Health

UC San Diego Health, the regions only public academic health system, provides patient care through its three hospitals  Hillcrest Medical Center, Jacobs Medical Center, and East Campus Medical Center  as well as specialized centers and numerous clinics across Southern California. Leveraging the resources of the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (JCHI), UC San Diego Health is dedicated to ensuring that AI technologies are developed, evaluated, and deployed in a safe, respectful, and trustworthy manner.

Leadership

Karandeep Singh, MD, Joan and Irwin Jacobs Endowed Chair in Digital Health Innovation, UC San Diego School of Medicine, and inaugural Chief Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) officer at UC San Diego Health. As part of his new role at the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, he is also leading the development and implementation of AI-driven solutions that enhance clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Dr. Singh is recognized nationally for his expertise in AI and digital health.

Christopher Longhurst, MD. As combined Chief Medical Officer and Chief Digital Officer, Dr. Longhurst leads UC San Diego Healths technology strategy, driving initiatives that advance the infrastructure across UC San Diego and the UC Health system, while also overseeing the clinical activities of the academic medical center. Dr. Longhurst, who has a rich background in medicine and informatics, is also the Executive Director of the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation, where he spearheads groundbreaking initiatives that drive positive change in the digital healthcare landscape, ultimately helping to improve the patient experience.

Both leaders have published on the growing significance of the Chief Health AI Officer role, which is expected to become essential for maximizing AI's benefits while managing its risks.

Case studies

AI-related financial gifts/investments

$22 million for the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation to help build a first-of-its-kind mission control center to manage patient flow across the continuum, as well as boost the centers AI innovation portfolio.

4. California - UC San Francisco Health

UC San Francisco Health is a public academic health system that includes three medical centers, two hospitals, two childrens hospitals and specialty clinics, as well as a psychiatric hospital and clinics in the region. The universitys versatile and robust internal AI platform allows UCSF clinicians, administrators, and scientists to utilize large language models while ensuring that both the prompts and the data remain securely within UCSF's enterprise cloud.

Leadership

Sara Murray, MD, inaugural Chief Health AI Officer and Associate Chief Medical Information Officer. Dr. Murray is a visionary leader in health informatics, digital health, and data science. She spearheads the creation of robust infrastructure and governance processes to deploy impactful and ethical AI solutions. Dr. Murray shapes the strategic vision for scaling AI to revolutionize healthcare delivery at UCSF Health and beyond.

Bob Wachter, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine and author of The Digital Doctor, which explorers the digitization of healthcare delivery. In 2024, he chaired groups examining the impact of AI on patient safety, and has been a fierce advocate of the transformative potential of generative AI in healthcare.

Case study

AI-related financial gifts/investments

$5 million gift to develop AI monitoring platform.

5. Massachusetts - Mass General Brigham

Mass General Brigham is a private nonprofit health system that includes two academic hospitals, three specialty hospitals, seven community hospitals, home care services, and more. As a world-recognized leader in research, it is home to one of the largest hospital system-based research enterprises in the U.S., with an annual research budget of $2 billion. The health system taps into Mass General Brigham AI's expertise to translate research into clinical practice. With a team of clinicians, data scientists, and engineers, the center addresses complex healthcare challenges and offers comprehensive product development and advanced computing resources.

Leadership

Adam Landman, MD, Chief Information Officer for Mass General Brigham. Dr. Landman specializes in using IT to enhance healthcare delivery. He leads technology solution delivery and support across all Mass General Brigham hospitals and practices. He collaborates to design and implement a forward-looking digital strategy that addresses frontline needs while integrating emerging technologies and ensuring efficient and effective support.

Keith Dreyer, PhD, DO, Chief Data Science Officer. Named to the inaugural Time 100 AI List, Dr. Dreyer, also vice chair of radiology, manages numerous AI algorithms for medical imaging. He ensures their effectiveness and privacy, explores AI-based reimbursement, and studies the potential for autonomous AI in healthcare.

Rebecca Mishuris, MD, Chief Medical Information Officer and VP, Digital. Dr. Mishuris is helping to lead Mass General Brighams use of technology to help measure physician workload, prevent burnout, and make an impact on both physicians and patients. She explores how technology intersects with the quintuple aim of healthcare, with a current focus on digital solutions for enhancing physician well-being, quality, and equity.

Case studies

AI partnership with GE Healthcare

Clinical trial screening using generative AI

AI-related financial gifts/investments

Mass General Bringham has invested $30 million in an Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Fund to invest in venture stage companies whose offerings further the health systems strategic initiatives.

6. Minnesota - Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic is the largest integrated, not-for-profit, private medical group practice in the world, comprising 16 hospitals, 50 multispecialty clinics, and one mobile health clinic. The health system has over 200 AI projects at various stages. Data scientists and clinician-researchers are using AI and machine learning to derive insights from extensive patient data, quickly solving problems and creating new healthcare tools and treatments. The Mayo Clinic has also built a new Research Department for AI and Informatics, established a Center for Digital Health and a Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, and launched the Mayo Clinic Platform.

Leadership

Bhavik Patel, MD, Chief AI Officer of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He heads Mayo Clinics Advanced AI and Innovation Hub in Arizona, driving the expansion of AI solutions across the health systems practice, research, education, and business operations. His research focuses on developing AI models that help healthcare providers efficiently utilize all available data.

John Halamka, MD, president of the Mayo Clinic Platform, an ecosystem for innovators. Dr. Halamka leads a portfolio of platform businesses dedicated to transforming healthcare through artificial intelligence, connected devices, and a network of trusted partners. With over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine and medical informatics, he is an expert in shaping and implementing healthcare information strategy and policy.

Matthew Callstrom, MD, is the head of the Generative Artificial Intelligence program at Mayo Clinic, leading its strategy across the enterprise. Dr. Callstrom is the chair of the Mayo Clinic Midwest Department of Radiology and Mayo Clinics medical director for Strategy, as well as serves as a member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors and Board of Trustees and holds the academic rank of professor of radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Case studies

AI-related gifts/investments

$20 million gift from Dwight and Dian Diercks to accelerate MayoClinics AI adoption.

7. New York - New York University Langone Health

New York University Langone Health is a private nonprofit system consisting of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, along with more than 300 locations in the New York City area and Florida. These locations include six inpatient facilities, a children's hospital, and four emergency rooms. The health system is at the forefront of digital health innovation, leveraging the expertise of the The Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science as well as the The Predictive Analytics Unit in the MCIT Department of Health Informatics, which uses data and modeling to predict health outcomes across NYU Langone. It is one of the first health systems to develop a large language model using clinical documentation and demonstrate its value in a series of downstream prediction tasks.

Leadership

Nader Mherabi, Executive Vice President and Vice Dean, and Chief Digital and Information Officer. Mherabi leads NYU Langone Healths digital transformation, enhancing workflows, revolutionizing the digital patient experience, and leveraging big data to improve care and efficiency. He has extensive experience in integrating clinical systems and designing large-scale IT solutions.

Leora Horwitz, MD, MHS, Director, Division of Healthcare Delivery Science and Founding Director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science. Her work focuses on improving the safety and quality of healthcare delivery.

Yindalon Aphinyanaphongs, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Center for Health Innovation and Delivery Science, and Director of Operational Data Science and Machine Learning. His sought-after research focuses on machine learning, predictive analytics, translational clinical data science, translational predictive analytics. Dr. Aphinyanaphongs leads a team of engineers and data scientists dedicated to transforming healthcare through AI.

Paul Testa, MD, Chief Medical Information Officer. He leads many digital health and AI initiatives across NYU Langone, including the integration of informatics and IT.

Case studies

8. North Carolina - Duke Health

Duke Health is a private, not-for-profit medical system that includes three inpatient facilities  Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital. The health system includes the Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) whose mission is to accelerate health innovations by partnering with Duke University School of Medicine and its clinical network. The health systems AI efforts are also supported by Duke AI Health, while the Duke Margolis Institute for Health Policy supports AI policy research. Duke Health is one of the founding sites for the Coalition for Health AI and the Health AI Partnership.

Leadership

Michael Pencina, PhD, inaugural Chief Data Scientist and Vice Dean for Data Science, Duke University School of Medicine. Pencina is spearheading Dukes efforts as a founding partner of the Coalition for Health AI, aiming to enhance AI trustworthiness through guidelines for credible, fair, and transparent health AI systems. An internationally recognized expert, he advises on AI tools and algorithms, shaping best practices for their use in clinical medicine.

Suresh Balu, MD, Associate Dean for Innovation and Partnership for the School of Medicine, and Program Director for the Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI). Dr. Balu leads a team driving innovations in healthcare, education, and research. He also spearheads data science initiatives, integrating digital strategies, AI/ML, and algorithmic decision support to improve care safety, quality, and efficiency.

Mark Sendak, MD, Population Health & Data Science Lead at the Duke Institute for Health Innovation. Dr. Sendak leads interdisciplinary teams of data scientists, clinicians, and machine learning experts to develop technologies addressing real clinical challenges. Additionally, he directs the DIHI Clinical Research & Innovation scholarship, training medical students in business and data science for healthcare innovation, and co-leads the Health AI Partnership to advance the safe and equitable use of AI in healthcare. He is the co-inventor of software that scales machine learning and real-world evidence across health systems.

Case studies

AI-related gifts/investments

$30 million award from The Duke Endowment to elevate research in computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

$10 million donation by the Margolis Family Foundation to Advance Health Policy.

9. Ohio - MetroHealth (Case Western affiliated)

MetroHealth is a public healthcare system that operates five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites. It is considered a safety-net health system that cares for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. The health system uses a multidisciplinary approach to optimize value-based care through initiatives like the Population Health Innovation Institute, which is transforming patient care by advancing clinically integrated delivery methods.

Leadership

David Kaelber, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Informatics Officer, Vice-President of Health Informatics and Patient Engagement Technologies, and Founding Director, Center for Clinical Informatics Research and Education. His informatics research expertise spans electronic health records, personal health records, health information exchange, telehealth, big data, and clinical informatics education

Nabil Chehade, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Transformation Officer. He is responsible for all aspects of clinical transformation, digital and population health. Dr. Chehade specializes in clinical transformation, focusing on social barriers and health equity. He has led numerous projects in EHR implementation, physician engagement, health system strategy, and governance.

Yasir Tarabichi, MD, Medical Director of the Virtual Care Enterprise, and Director of Clinical Informatics for Research Support. Dr. Tarabichi focuses on EHR-based strategies for precision population health, educates providers on health data literacy, and supports research, clinical applications, and quality improvement initiatives.

Case studies

Use of an AI sepsis model to speed up administration of antibiotics

A randomized quality improvement study to reduce disparities using an AI no-show model

10. Tennessee - Vanderbilt Health

Vanderbilt Health is a nonprofit, private health system that includes seven hospitals and more than 200 clinics. In 2024, Vanderbilt's Department of Biomedical Informatics launched ADVANCE, a pioneering center for health AI. Utilizing advanced data analytics, machine learning, predictive modeling, and generative AI, ADVANCE aims to enhance decision-making, accelerate discoveries, and improve clinical outcomes.

Leadership

Peter Embi, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Informatics, and Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation. An internationally recognized leader in biomedical informatics, his expertise includes clinical, research, and public health informatics, as well as data-driven learning health systems.

Bradley Malin, PhD, Vice Chair for Research Affairs Department of Biomedical Informatics, and Co-Director of the AI Discovery and Vigilance to Accelerate Innovation and Clinical Excellence (ADVANCE) Center. His research focuses on advancing AI/ML technologies within organizational, political, and health information systems. Key contributions include distributed data processing for medical record linkage, intelligent auditing for protecting electronic records, and algorithms for anonymizing patient data for research.

Adam Wright, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Director of the Vanderbilt Clinical Informatics Center (VCLIC). He has led funded projects on clinical problem lists, malfunctions in clinical decision support systems, approaches for sharing clinical decision support nationally, and adverse event detection using machine learning.

Case studies

11. Wisconsin - University of Wisconsin Health

University of Wisconsin Health is a public-private partnership that includes both public and private entities, comprising six main hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois. The health system is one of three nationwide trials (along with UC San Diego Health and Stanford Health Care) of an AI program developed by Epic and Microsoft. UW Health is home to the Health Innovation Program (HIP), which is a campus-wide program focused on transforming healthcare delivery and population health across the state and nation.

Leadership

Chero Goswami, System Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer. Goswami spearheads initiatives that drive healthcare innovation and transformation, aiming to optimize patient outcomes, boost physician effectiveness, and enhance community care.

Brian Patterson, MD, Physician Administrative Director for Clinical AI. Dr. Patterson collaborates with hospital leadership to enhance healthcare quality, efficiency, education, and research through information technology. He has developed predictive analytics and machine learning models, improving patient care by predicting sepsis and assessing fall risks.

Case studies
Anthony Ashby was selected as the next president of CHI Health Immanuel in Omaha, Neb., part of Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, according to a hospital news release shared with Becker's.

Mr. Ashby will assume the role on Sept. 15, after serving as the hospital's interim president since April, the release said.

He joined CHI Health Immanuel in 2019 as vice president of operations at the hospital.
Landon Smith has been named CEO of Palatka-based HCA Florida Putnam Hospital.

Mr. Smith stepped into the role at the 99-bed hospital Sept. 2, according to a Sept. 4 news release from HCA Florida Healthcare shared with Becker's.

With more than 10 years of healthcare experience, Mr. Smith most recently served as COO at Trident Medical Center in Charleston, S.C., part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare. In that role, he oversaw service line growth and led a $75 million construction project at the hospital, the release said.
Seattle Children's Hospital has named two new C-suite leaders.

Jamie Phillips was appointed president of the hospital, according to a Sept. 4 news release shared with Becker's. Ms. Phillips will also continue in her role as COO.

Since joining Seattle Children's in 2022, Ms. Phillips has been vital in operational improvements, access expansion and development strategies to expand clinical programs, the release said.

Jeff Ojemann, MD, was named chief physician executive. Most recently serving as chief medical officer, Dr. Ojemann first joined the hospital in 2003 as division head for neurosurgery.

Dr. Ojemann has led teams through improved patient outcomes, expanded the hospital's services and reduced measures of health inequity, the release said.
Amid bullying, rudeness and violence in healthcare, one of the nation's largest systems is emphasizing professionalism.

St. Louis-based Mercy, which operates more than 50 hospitals, began its partnership with the Vanderbilt Health Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy in 2009 by implementing the Patient Advocacy Reporting System at two of its hospitals. The collaboration expanded to include the Coworker Observation Reporting Systems and eventually evolved into a comprehensive professionalism program across Mercy's network.

Chad Smith, MD, chief medical officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and its ministry medical staff leader, told Becker's the partnership was born out of the correlation between poor professionalism and patient safety.

For example, a study published in JAMA Surgery in 2019 found that patients whose surgeons had higher numbers of reports from co-workers about unprofessional behavior in the three years before the patient's operation appeared to be at higher risk of surgical and medical complications.

"I think as the healthcare industry continues to mature around patient safety, quality and looking at opportunities to continue to move the needle in a positive direction, [professionalism] is definitely one of those things that should be highly considered," Dr. Smith said.

"When you look at what it takes for good patient safety programs, you have to have intentionality around it, and I think you have to work really hard to build that culture of safety and situational awareness."

Before partnering with the Vanderbilt CPPA, Mercy addressed unprofessional behavior, but not in a defined, programmatic process.

Dr. Smith said the standardized and scalable approach, which is specific to about 17,000 physicians and advanced practice professionals across Mercy, is non-punitive and beneficial.

"It's designed to create clear awareness about behavior and the impact of perceived poor behavior. I think that's a very critical tenet and cultural aspect of the program," he said. "We don't use this as a punitive process; we use it to guide conversations about appropriate behavior. We also don't take sides in the process  it's intended to be an awareness process."

On a day-to-day basis, if a caregiver has what they feel is a negative interaction with a physician or APP, Mercy relies on that caregiver to report and document their perceptions of the interaction.

"If they believe that [interaction] was unprofessional, then we ask them to categorize it as such in our anonymous reporting system," he added.

The report then gets triaged by Mercy, and if labeled unprofessional, it gets routed to the Vanderbilt CPPA team, which helps collect data and confirms, through a multi-tiered review process, if it is in fact unprofessional.

"We also reserve the right within that process to determine if something is egregious and needs to be escalated to a higher level because it may involve abuse, neglect, or something that requires immediate attention," Dr. Smith said.

The Vanderbilt CPPA then sends the Mercy team a list of reports, which the health system team reviews. This process  from reporting to when the Mercy team conducts a review  typically occurs within 24 hours, "because we know there's a high sense of urgency around any of these conversations," Dr. Smith said.

"For most physician reports, it requires what we call a 'cup of coffee' conversation," he said. "We've refined that a little bit at Mercy because we have a strong heritage around the Sisters of Mercy. Our founder, Catherine McAuley, and her original sisters, who led the organization, would often have comfortable cups of tea when they were having conversations where they were discerning issues and making key decisions. We've rebranded it to 'cup of tea conversations.'"

He said the goal is to identify a peer colleague to deliver the "cup of tea"  not a physician leader, not a CMO, not a medical director, not a section chief or department chair. Mercy identifies one of the individual's colleagues at the bedside, shares the information with that peer, then asks them to have a conversation with the caregiver mentioned in the report for unprofessionalism.

"Essentially, that conversation is meant to be, 'Hey, Dr. X, we got a report the other day, and I just wanted to share a little bit of the detail,'" Dr. Smith said.

"'I don't know what might have been going on in that situation, and there's nothing that needs to be done in follow-up from this, but we want to make you aware there was an interaction with a caregiver that was perceived unprofessionally. I'm not saying they're right or wrong; I'm just letting you know that this was reported, and I want you to think about it.'"

While some physicians reported for unprofessionalism may want to provide a reason or bring up something that caused them to be angry or upset, Mercy encourages the reporter to acknowledge their feelings and concerns.

"It's not about right or wrong; it's just, 'Hey, this is the way the interaction was perceived. I just want you to think about it  nothing else to do. But, it sounds like there was a system issue that we might address, so I'm going to escalate that, and we'll have the team look at whether there's an opportunity to improve the system so that we remove frustrations from the workflow,'" Dr. Smith said.

"Then that's it. We document in our system that the conversation was had and feedback received, and we're done  nothing more to do."

The majority of staff never have to have that "cup of tea" conversation more than once. Data from the Vanderbilt CPPA shows more than 90% of individuals who receive feedback based on a single event never develop a pattern.

Addressing consistent unprofessionalism

For the small number of clinicians who exhibit an apparent pattern, Vanderbilt's CPPA team applies a research-based, multivariate algorithm to develop a risk profile that allows for tracking longer-term behavior. Once a certain risk threshold is met, the next level of intervention is initiated: "level one awareness." This includes a summary of the redacted, collated reports and a comparison of where the clinician lies compared to local and national benchmarks. These rankings include comparisons across Mercy, within a given specialty, and even nationally across the more than 100,000 clinicians within Vanderbilt's collaborative.

"That's pretty impactful because physicians are generally competitive by nature. So if you can share objective information that says, 'Hey, you're No. 2 out of 400 urologists across the nation,' that resonates," Dr. Smith said. "We'll then see a significant proportion of providers who, after that level one awareness, get back on track and not have any further issues."

When a provider does have three or more reports, Mercy asks questions such as, "What stresses might this provider be facing? Is this a symptom of burnout that we just haven't recognized yet? What resources do we think we can provide? Do they have internal professional stressors? Do they have external personal stressors?' What can we do to work with those providers to provide assistance?"

"Recognizing that, again, the vast majority aren't people intentionally being mean  it's just a manifestation of something they're dealing with," Dr. Smith said. "So, how can we help with that? That's where we start to leverage this information when providers have more than three reports in a short period of time."

Dr. Smith acknowledged there was some reluctance when the program initially rolled out. He said Mercy still sees pockets of reluctance, which is why education around the program is critical.

"You could definitely roll out a program like this and have a lot of resistance and reluctance because it's not clearly understood what the intention behind it is," he said.

"It's really just all in how you deliver the message behind the program. And when you get them to understand truly this is patient-centric at its core, that's when you overcome that moment of anxiety associated with it that they may be feeling."

While the current program is specific to physicians and advanced practice providers, Mercy is exploring rolling the program out to nurses. The Vanderbilt CPPA programs are implemented nationally across physicians, APPs, nurses, residents and nonclinical faculty.






Rounding the floor with front-line nurses and staff is more than just a management practice for leaders to show face  it is a vital tool for connecting with employees and driving meaningful change.

In conversations with hospital leaders, they often echo the sentiment of how routinely spending time with front-line staff uncovers opportunities to address pain points in their daily workflow. With nurses often pointing to lack of resources and support as drivers of job dissatisfaction and burnout, rounding represents a key strategy to positively affect staff engagement and retention, and thus, patient care.

Becker's recently asked four chief nursing officers to share a recent example of a time when rounding sparked a process change or improvement at their hospital. Here are their responses:

John Bowles, PhD, RN. CNO at HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center (Phoenix): A few months ago, while conducting leadership rounds in critical care, a nursing director requested I speak with one of our direct care nurses who has a passion to address workplace violence, particularly in the critical care setting.

During a subsequent conversation, the nurse explained how she had conducted an evidence-based literature search on best practices for preventing workplace violence, specifically related to patient and family behavioral escalations. Her passion for early recognition and intervention was undeniable.

Recognizing her potential, we connected her with the HonorHealth Workplace Violence Prevention Steering Committee. This collaboration allowed her to bring her advocacy to the decision-making table, leading to the establishment of a hospital-based workplace violence prevention committee that is integrated into our shared governance structure and reports to the network committee.

Additionally, we partnered with external agencies to trial expert-recommended de-escalation techniques. Her advocacy is transforming our approach to creating a safer environment for our team members, patients, families and the community we serve.

Marie Foley-Danecker, DNP, RN. Vice President and CNO at Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean University Medical Center (Brick Township, N.J.): I piloted a virtual nursing model to decrease administrative burden for front-line nurses. The pilot was a success, with noted improvement in length of stay, patient falls and use of premium staffing. Using feedback from the team, the model is being streamlined eliminating non-value-added tasks as we expand to other campuses.

Christy Grabus, BSN, RN. CNO at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (Woodbridge): Rounding is central to Ms. Grabus' leadership style, she told Becker's in an August interview. Being on the ground with nurses routinely leads to changes that improve nurses' workflow and efficiency, she said.

In one recent example, Ms. Grabus was rounding on the hospital's intermediate unit when a nurse asked if it was possible to add windows to the doors of patient rooms. Previously, nurses had been keeping the doors open to have an easy line of sight to patients, which can be a barrier to patient privacy and pose an infection risk during infectious disease outbreaks. Ms. Grabus took the feedback to the hospital's facilities department and got new doors in play.

While such improvements may seem small or mundane, they add up overtime to improve nurses' workflow, she said.

"They're really big to them because when you think about how many times [nurses] do something over and over in a day, it can lead to delays in getting procedures done or time spent with patients, just depending on what the barrier may be," Ms. Grabus said.

Lauren Smith, MSN, RN. CNO at St. Alphonsus Health System (Boise, Idaho): On occasion, Ms. Smith arrives at the hospital around 4 a.m. to round with the night shift staff. In late August, she was chatting with a certified nursing assistant on the general surgery floor in the early morning who presented the idea of training CNAs to draw blood as a way to ease some of the effects of a phlebotomist shortage.

"I loved that idea, and it's definitely in scope for them," Ms. Smith said. "I reached out to my head educator and my director of acute care nursing and asked what it would take for us to get at least get our night shift CNAs up to speed on drawing blood so that they can help offload some of the burden on our phlebotomy team as well as our bedside nurses."

Leaders are now in the process of putting a curriculum together, aiming to start training certified nursing assistants within the next few weeks.
Renton, Wash.-based Providence and caregivers ofProvidence Hospice in Sonoma County, Calif., agreed to resolve allegations that workers were required to take on additional work and responsibilities without appropriate compensation.

The agreement resolves allegations filed with the National Labor Relations Board in June 2023 by approximately 130 registered nurses, social workers and other staff at the hospice care provider, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

A news release from the union shared with Becker's said the complaint "documented that Providence had effectively forced many of them to take on more work and expanded duties  several registered nurses had to assume case management responsibilities  without being compensated."

As part of the deal, Sonoma Hospice agreed not to change caseload limits during the status quo period of first contract negotiations, according to a statement Providence shared with Becker's. The statement said there is also a change in the process for assigning overflow case management work  assignments will be made by seniority rather than on a first come, first serve basis.

Additionally, the agreement includes a 5% daily differential for caregivers covering overflow case management assignments, bonuses to several caregivers who performed extra duties last summer amid a staffing shortage and a bonus for social workers to recognize them for their work and dedication.

Both sides agreed the deal is a win for the caregivers and for hospice.

"This agreement is good for us and for the families we serve because it means instead of racing in our cars from one family to another, our agency will have to staff appropriately so we can devote ourselves fully to our patients," Kristina Nauheimer, a nurse case manager at the hospice, said in the union release.

"We are grateful to have reached an agreement with the National Union of Healthcare Workers to settle an unfair labor practice charge over alleged changes to working conditions," Providence said.

"Sonoma Hospice is committed to continuing to provide the level of hospice services at the bedside that every patient needs and their family is counting on at a sacred time in their lives. However, caregivers are not expected  and never have been expected  to work more hours per day or see extra patients a day," said Providence.
The Federal Trade Commission submitted a Sept. 5 comment to the Indiana Department of Health urging it to reject an application for Terre Haute, Ind.-based Union Health to acquire Terre Haute Regional Hospital, part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.

Union Health and Terre Haute Regional have proposed to merge under a certificate of public advantage, which could protect the merger from antitrust scrutiny and lead to a deal that "would likely impose higher costs and could lead to worse healthcare outcomes for Indiana patients, as well as lower wage growth for hospital workers," the FTC said in a Sept. 5 news release. The parties filed a COPA application to merge in September 2023.

"Union Health has worked diligently to provide comprehensive data and documentation to IDOH, illustrating the potential positive impacts of the merger," a Union Health Sept. 5 statement shared with Becker's said. "The merger is not merely a business transaction; it is a strategic effort to improve health care delivery in our community."

COPA laws have been enacted in more than a dozen states. Indiana's COPA law requires hospitals to be located in predominantly rural counties with a population of 140,000 people or less. In addition, the county cannot be contiguous to another county with a population of more than 250,000.

"Union Healths proposed acquisition of Terre Haute Regional raises substantial risk of serious competitive harm and there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the potential harms from the merger would outweigh the claimed potential benefits," the FTC said.

The FTC found that Union Health and Terre Haute Regional are financially stable and could operate on their own without the merger. The FTC's analysis also found the merger would "likely depress wage growth for registered nurses due to increased employer consolidation."

Union Health disagreed and issued a statement saying that the merger represents an "innovative solution" in "overcoming persistent health disparities" in the area.

"The health challenges faced by our residents require a tailored approach and the proposed merger is a critical step forward in addressing these needs," the Union Health statement said. "As IDOH continues its thorough review of the proposed agreement, it is imperative that all voices are heard and the unique context of our community is taken into account."

A spokesperson for IDOH told Becker's Sept. 5 that it is still reviewing applications and plans to take all comments from the public into consideration.
On Sept. 4, two South Carolina residents filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging the retailer failed to warn customers about a carcinogenic ingredient in a common cold medicine.

Guaifenesin, the generic for Mucinex, contains the known carcinogen benzene, but Walgreens packaging does not disclose this, according to court documents obtained by Becker's. The plaintiffs said they would not have purchased or would have paid less for the guaifenesin if they had known about the cancer-causing agent.

The Walgreens customers seek compensatory, statutory and punitive damages.

In the manufacturing of extended-release guaifenesin, thickening agents might contain benzene, according to Bloomberg. For years, the FDA has warned drugmakers about the risk of benzene contamination, but at least a dozen medications are made with thickening agents  carbomers  that might contain benzene.

By 2026, the United States Pharmacopeia plans to omit carbomers that are manufactured with benzene, Bloomberg reported.

Becker's has reached out to Walgreens for comment and will update this article if more information becomes available.
Blood tests are booming as a way to diagnose a variety of diseases.

This year, the FDA approved two blood tests to detect colon cancer, a blood test was developed to diagnose Alzheimer's, and a blood test was found to accurately predict cardiovascular events in women up to 30 years in advance.

More health systems and private companies are exploring the possibilities of blood tests this year.

Blood tests

Here are some of the recent news around blood tests Becker's has covered in the past year:

A single blood test was found to predict cardiovascular events in women over a 30-year period.



Swedish researchers found a blood test can diagnose Alzheimer's disease with a 91% accuracy  about 20% higher than dementia specialists.



The FDA approved Guardant Health's Shield blood test for colon cancer screening.



Renton, Wash.-based Providence is launching a first-of-its-kind study to examine the real-world implementation of multi-cancer early-detection blood tests.



FDA advisers recommended the approval of Guardant Health's blood test to detect colon or rectal cancers  but it also raised some concerns that Guardant's test was not as accurate as colonoscopy and noted Shield detected only 13% of advanced adenomas, or precancerous tumors.



Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center researchers found a blood test could detect colorectal cancer with 83.1% accuracy. The blood tests had a similar accuracy rate as at-home stool tests but are not as sensitive as a colonoscopy, researchers said.



Minneapolis-based Allina Health Cancer Institute launched a first-of-its-kind clinical trial using artificial intelligence and a simple blood draw to find and diagnose breast cancer.



Results from a pilot study led by New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center suggest that a single blood test may be able to detect the presence of 50 different cancer types.



The Prostate Cancer Foundation released new guidelines for prostate-specific antigen-based screening in Black men, including using PSA blood tests as the first-line method of detection.



The CDC on Jan. 18 issued updated guidance for clinicians regarding exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, urging them to consider a patient's individual history and possible exposure to the chemicals and to order blood tests as needed to detect both recent and past exposures.

Blood tests are gaining popularity and in some cases appear to be a new avenue for better diagnosis. However, in cancer, criticism has arisen that throws doubt onto the accuracy of blood tests for cancer.

Criticism

Four years ago, a study found that cancer has unique microbial signatures that would allow a blood test to diagnose cancer. The research has been cited more than 600 times. Dozens of groups have based new work on the data and even the private sector has taken notice, with several companies attempting to create blood screening tests.

But in June, the paper was retracted following criticism from other scientists who brought up issues with its methodology and findings. Skeptics say that some of the microbes flagged as components of cancer signatures weren't known to exist in humans.

The "near-perfect association between microbes and cancer types reported in the study is, simply put, a fiction," an analysis published October 2023 in the journal mBio stated. The analysis also found the researchers incorrectly deployed a genomic tool to match tumor data to microbial sequencing.

"It wasn't a close call," Steven Salzberg, PhD, a computational biologist at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University, told the Journal. "This data is completely wrong."

When Nature retracted the study, it cited the above critiques and noted that the paper's authors agreed with its retraction. But the retraction has created a ripple effect, with many other studies having to correct or retract their work due to the original piece's flawed science.
After a yearsong effort to engage more clinicians in supply chain decisions, the University of Miami Health System has inverted the cost-quality-outcomes concept, according to supply chain leader Nate Yuen.

The system partners with the Emergency Care Research Institute, commonly known as ECRI, to bolster supply chain strategies. Mr. Yuen, associate vice president of supply chain strategy and value analysis at UHealth, said the partnership has spurred all sourcing discussions to start with clinical quality and outcomes, rather than cost.

That doesn't mean spending has risen, according to a 2021 post from the ECRI. In the orthopedic service line, an initiative to standardize products and manage costs led to more than $100,000 in savings.

Using ECRI data, UHealth's value analysis committee obtained a clearer picture of how medical products compared.

"This enabled us to show physicians what products they were using, respective utilization and costs for each item," Mr. Yuen said. "We found that demonstrating the true measure of how surgeons compare to their peers helps center the conversation."
Orthopedic surgeon Wayne Mosley, MD, of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth has spent this year breathing life into an old hospital space and creating a specialty facility.

Dr. Mosley joined "Becker's Spine and Orthopedic Podcast" to discuss how he is approaching the top challenges and growing the hospital's market share.

Note: This is an edited excerpt. Listen to the full conversation here.

Question: At AdventHealth, what are some of the biggest headwinds that you're planning for the next 12 months or so? What's really top of mind for you?

Dr. Wayne Mosley: We made a commitment [in 2023] to open up an operating room suite in a hospital that is part of the AdventHealth Sebring Hospital. It's got three operating rooms, and it was basically discontinued. It'd been kept up because of the Joint Commission but it wasn't being utilized, and so we made that decision to convert that to a mini orthopedic hospital, and that's probably our biggest challenge that we're facing, is getting that off the ground. The administration has been excellent about revamping it and renovating areas, but there were a lot of things that just had to be done, such as pure processing of some of the operating room equipment. We've all been living through this logistical nightmare of trying to get things. And so getting some of that equipment is taking longer than what it did before COVID-19. That's our biggest headwind, and after that there's personnel.

[We're] trying to find competent orthopedic surgeons that are skilled, that we can bring here, that will work in a cooperative fashion with us, where we work as a team. I learned how important that was in the military to take a team approach. We want people that will come here provide good care, integrate into the community and be willing to help each other out.

Q: How do you take the clinical hat off and put the administrative hat on when you're trying to build out an additional service line, or just complete some of these projects?

WM: I probably don't ever take the clinical hat off. It has to be on. It has to shape what I'm doing. It has to make sense. It has to be good orthopedic care, or nothing makes sense. So I always leave that on, and I add management hat on to it.

Growing up on a farm taught me a lot about how to effectively work with and manage people. Same thing with the military. You've got to recognize who the stakeholders are in any kind of endeavor. You've got to make sure that they're buying in. You have to make sure that they're even more than buying in, that they're going to be active participants and they're going to help the process.

Some training that I've had throughout my life in business certainly helps me to be more critical of things from a financial standpoint. Every surgeon just can't get their own personal laser anymore. We have to be very judicious about how we spend our capital, and we've done that. We've only spent it on the things that we absolutely need and the things that will help us build to what our goal is of having an Orthopedic Center of Excellence here in South Central Florida.

Q: Where do you see some of the best opportunities for additional growth going forward?

WM: My administration is very straightforward and they're very fair, and when they hired me for this project, I said, 'We're getting 20% market share, and we want 70%.' I'm constantly thinking about growth. The first thing I want to do is to stem the tide of those folks who are in our area who think that they have to travel to the coast for better care. We've got to change that on our front with better physicians, with better facilities, with better equipment, and we're working diligently on doing that.

The second thing is we think we can be wildly efficient when we're in our Orthopedic Center. We want to be able to attract people to come into our area. We want to look at some of the other outlying areas and see if they'll travel to us  The difficult part is, you've got to travel up I-4, you gotta cross these streets, and then you gotta park 500 yards away from the hospital. What we're proposing to do is [have patients travel] Highway 27 and park 20 yards from the hospital. They're not just a number, they're an individual. That's what we think we're going to do, and we're going to focus our efforts to grow our market share.
Many spine training programs embrace new technologies and teach minimally invasive techniques, but there are some complex cases that surgeons recommend all spine physicians master as well.

Next question: Is there anything you did at the start of your career that you wouldn't recommend early-career spine surgeons do now?

Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.

Question: What is one complex spine procedure early-career surgeons should master?

Shawn Adams, MD, Norton Leatherman Spine and Norton Neuroscience Institute (Louisville, Ky.): A next level skill to master for early-career spine surgeons is the grade II posterior column osteotomy (PCO) or "Ponte" osteotomy. In the lumbar spine when planned and executed appropriately these can be a very beneficial correction tool. In the setting of what is sometimes viewed as a simpler surgery for short segment degenerative issues, a grade II osteotomy can prevent the iatrogenic flatback. The anatomical knowledge and individual skills required to perform this well are related or transferable to many other applications. The facetectomy portion is integral to many techniques, whether open or minimally invasive, for various transforaminal interbody fusions (TLIFs). Additionally, the skills of safely working around, localizing, and potentially decompressing the nerve roots is critical. It can be applied asymmetrically for coronal correction. It is a technique that can be applied at multiple levels for correction that decreases the risks of more significant morbidity and blood loss with a pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO).

When paired together with interbody arthrodesis, it can significantly increase the lordosis obtained with the interbody at the same level. I believe the utility of this PCO is greater than that of higher grade PCOs as demonstrated in the declining number of PSOs being reported. It is more frequent that we encounter people with thoracolumbar issues in need of instrumented fusions that, when evaluated by the aware surgeon considering their global sagittal alignment, would benefit from some restoration of appropriate lordosis through utilization of this technique and its applications rather than the morbidity associated with three column osteotomy. However, it foundational to the higher grade osteotomies and there are still going to be major and/or fixed deformities requiring those.

Paul Bagi, MD. Kayal Orthopaedic Center (Paramus, N.J.): While not one single procedure, I believe early-career surgeons should master revision spine surgery because it requires a broad range of essential skills. Revision spine surgery often involves addressing complications from prior surgeries, making it inherently more challenging. Mastery of revision surgery demands a thorough understanding of spinal anatomy and pathology, meticulous surgical planning, and the ability to adapt to unexpected intraoperative findings.

Revision surgery also requires a high level of precision and technique to ensure safe and effective outcomes, including achieving adequate decompression, restoring proper alignment, and placing stable instrumentation all while minimizing complications. By becoming proficient in revision spine surgery, early-career surgeons will build a strong foundation of surgical skills and clinical judgment, gaining the confidence to tackle complex cases and provide the best care for their patients.

Rachel Bratescu, MD. George Washington University (Washington, D.C.): A single but extremely versatile complex spine procedure that early career surgeons should master is a T10-pelvis. This requires skill in efficiency, exposure, pedicle screw placement, rod contouring and potentially a variety of interbody techniques depending on surgeon preference. This particular case can be a workhorse for revision lumbar degenerative pathology and primary adult deformity cases as well, making it an excellent procedure for early career surgeons to master.

Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: The posterolateral thoracic corpectomy with instrumentation is critical to master early on. In many practices, a thoracic surgeon may not be available to get access to a lateral trans thoracic approach. While technically and physically demanding, this surgery is very powerful in terms of trauma, infection, and neoplasm. It is a difficult venture, especially late at night, when many of these seem to have to take place, but once a surgeon gets comfortable doing them, they can really save patient function if done in a timely manner.

Michael Oh, MD. UCI Health (Orange, Calif.): It is not necessarily complex, but it does have a steep learning curve and is not incorporated into most residency programs that prepare spine surgeons. It is also not taught in most spine fellowships. I am, of course, talking about endoscopic spine surgery.

This skill should be adopted early in your career. As an established spine surgeon who already has several minimally invasive techniques and procedures, it is difficult to incorporate a new technique that has a difficult learning curve. In addition to longer surgeries, different reimbursements, acquisition of new equipment, adopting endoscopic techniques exposes our patients to complications associated with that learning curve. This risk is something I can justify if I am early in my career and gaining expertise. But if I already do a very good job with mini-open or tubular approaches, it becomes much harder to justify.

Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): Neurosurgeons are ultimately relied upon for their community omnipresence and lifesaving contributions for young and old patients. The neurotrauma surgical service provides urgent and nonurgent surgical interventions, consultation and referral for traumatic head and spinal injuries. Mastering these facets of surgical care is essential to the health of our communities and populace. This is achieved through nationally recognized and dedicated Trauma Centers, which possess the entire compendium of care continuum and post-surgical treatments.
Inside the FOCAC Summits media center: Tech meets tradition

11:24, September 05, 2024 By Peng Yukai, Zhao Tong, Michael Kurtagh ( People's Daily Online

The 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is held from Sept. 4 to 6 in Beijing. One of the venues of the summit, the China National Convention Center offers a Technology and Culture Interactive Display Area, providing journalists, both Chinese and foreign, with immersive technology and intangible cultural heritage experiences. Follow Peoples Daily Onlines reporters and check it out together!

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
Heron Bros were awarded the contract for the Ballycastle Shared Education Campus

Building company Heron Bros made a pre-tax profit of 11.6m in the year ending August 31 2023.

The most recent accounts from the Co Londonderry company also show a 40m jump in turnover from the previous accounting period.

Heron Bros is a family-owned construction and property development company based in Draperstown.

The firm recorded a turnover of 154m in the last year, a 35% jump from 2022s figure of 114m.

Most of the companys turnover comes from the sale of goods, with 151m coming in from those sources, with 3.1m generated through rental income. Heron Bros is the biggest landlord for private industrial land in Northern Ireland.

Cost of sales also increased at the business, going up to 135m from 98m the previous year, while their administrative expenses increased by 400,000 to 10.5m.

Taking into account other incomes and gains, the company made a pre-tax profit of 11.6m in 2023, a 5.7% rise from their 2022 profit of 10.9m.

On the companys balance sheet, current assets grew to 164m, up from 135m in the prior period.

This is partly accounted for by a big increase in debt owed to the company, which rose 36% last year to 122m from 89m.

This debt breaks down as a a 13m jump in money owed to Heron Bros from trade debtors, and a increase of 21m owed by group undertakings.

The company had a small increase in the number of staff in the past year. It now employs 317 people on average, up from 305 the prior year.

There was accordingly a small increase in staff costs, with wages, salaries and pensions costing the company 13.9m, up from 13.3m.

Directors remuneration increased by 30,000 last year, up to 1.78m.

The company also saw some notable changes in the past year with the direction of cash flows with related parties.

Heron Property Ltd paid Heron Bros 3.2m in 2023, having charged them 13.7m the year before. They now owe Heron Bros a total of 5.9m.

Meanwhile, Northern Mouldings Ltd received 500,000 from the company last year, having paid Heron Bros 2.4m in 2022.

Heron Bros was founded by six brothers in 1956, and has grown to become an multi-national company with offices in London, Glasgow, Manchester and a division in Poland.

It was ranked 53 in the Belfast Telegraphs Top 100 Companies in NI for 2024.

It has secured several high-value contracts in NI over recent years, including the 70m Ballycastle Shared Education Campus.
Most businesses on the island of Ireland are stable or growing, but many harbour concern about future access to skilled workers, a report said today.

The All-Island Business Monitor from cross-border body InterTradeIreland said a third of 750 small to medium-sized firms were in growth mode, while 56% were stable.

But one in three said they were struggling to find people with the right skills, with nearly 60% experiencing long-term vacancies.

In particular, the construction, manufacturing and leisure, hotels and catering sectors were feeling the effects of a tight labour market.

And companies of all kinds who are reporting growth, and those with 11 to 49 employees, were also feeling the impact of a tight labour market.

Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: The employment figures are extremely strong at the moment, which is a signal of a buoyant economy across the island.

As part of my focus on good jobs and regional balance, we are working closely with employers to ensure a correct skills match-up for their needs. I have recently announced a number of skills academies across the north which help to provide employers with the skills talent that they require.

I would encourage businesses to avail of supports available from economic agencies, including InterTradeIreland, that focus on improving innovation, efficiency and driving productivity.

He added that his department would continue to work with InterTradeIreland, Enterprise Ireland, the Republics inward investment agency, and Invest NI to ensure businesses are able to fully maximise the opportunities that dual market access presents.

As an indicator of economic demand, over a quarter of businesses saw sales rise in the second quarter of the year, while one in three expect sales to rise in the next six months.

And 70% were profitable, helped by the easing of energy and other cost pressures.

A third of firms said they were not impacted by Brexit, 46% said they have adjusted in full or to a large extent while one in five say they have only adapted to a small extent or not at all.

Ronan Callan, director of operations for precision engineering Exact Group outside Newry, said: We are invested in up-skilling staff and we are also taking advantage of dual market access to grow our business further as we supply right across the island and Great Britain.

"Our order book is in a strong position.

Overall, 62% of businesses surveyed say they have no knowledge at all of the Windsor Framework.

Martin Robinson, director of strategy for InterTradeIreland, said the body had developed a trade hub for SMEs seeking information about customs, VAT and cross-border employment.

He added: There are also changes coming in for businesses receiving parcels from Great Britain. If any firm needs help to prepare for these changes we can provide practical support.

"I would encourage businesses to contact us to see how we can help provide the answers to their questions and the practical support they need to grow their cross-border trade.
The three holiday parks in Co Down which have gone into administration feature static caravans like the above

Administrators have been appointed to the companies behind three well-known holiday parks in Co Down, Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

Owners of properties on the sites in Groomsport, Ballyhalbert and Cloughey, many of whom are retirees, were sent letters from administrators at business advisory firm BDO (NI) about the development.

And a cover letter from Encore Parcs, a separate business which operates the parks and is not affected by the administration, says: We would seek to reassure all residents/owners that the parks will continue to operate business as usual and your rights will remain unchanged.

The companies which are in administration  a form of insolvency proceedings are Blackpool Rock, Lifestyle Homes N Ireland, Lifestyle Seeview, Lifestyle Living (NI) and Park Homes (NI).

All five have registered office address at Bury St Edmunds in England.

The affected sites are Windsor Holiday Park and Seahaven Park Homes in Groomsport, as well as Ballyhalbert Park Homes and Ballyhalbert Holiday Park, and Cloughey Holiday Village.

The parks, a mix of residential park homes, coastal lodges and static caravans, had been bought over by Lifestyle Living Group for 5m after a previous administration in 2012.

Windsor Holiday Park is billed on the website of Encore Parcs as a hidden gem the perfect location for a tranquil and relaxing getaway with family and friends.

Its static homes are advertised for 75,950 to buy outright, with would-be buyers able to try before they buy for 99 per night.

The letters to owners from Brian Murphy and Michael Jennings of BDO NI says their aim is to market and realise the assets within the companies for the benefit of their stakeholders.

We would envisage that this will involve the sale of the parks as a whole and should therefore not cause any inconvenience to you.

Residents' rights and services provided will remain unchanged and we would ask you to continue to meet your obligations, including paying your site fees.

They were appointed administrators to the companies by the High Court on Wednesday, the letter says. But no reason for the move was provided.

It said it will now hold meetings for property owners at each park, where people will be able to ask questions.

Mr Murphy added: I appreciate that this announcement may come as a surprise, but I would assure you that we are committed to managing the process in a transparent and open manner and that our priority is to maintain services and the upkeep of the parks as usual.

A 78-year-old owner of a holiday home on the Groomsport site, who did not wish to be named, said he was not overly concerned.

"Its a merry-go-round again but I didnt worry about it the last time as I knew someone would take it over, and its the same now.

"The administrators will sit down and put a value on it and Ill say therell be plenty of people waiting to buy it at the right price.

"Weve been here before and Ive no doubt the administrators will find a way through this.

News Catch Up - Wednesday 3rd September
The Microsoft co-founder and former worlds richest man has an optimistic take on AI, the environment and the future of the planet. Here, he talks about his Netflix documentary series, the outlandish conspiracy theories about him, how he assesses his own legacy and whether he has too much money

Bill Gates didnt see the conspiracy theories coming. The Microsoft co-founder built one of the most immense fortunes the world has ever seen with his foresight about the personal computer revolution, but he never predicted so many people would end up using those machines to cast him as a baby-guzzling, shape-shifting lizard who puts microchips in vaccines and plans pandemics for profit.

I thought the internet, with the magic of software, would make us all a lot more factual, he laments, a wry smile playing beneath his black-framed spectacles. The idea that we kind of wallow in misinformation Im surprised about that.

Not that hes complaining. I dont care how Im perceived, the 68-year-old assures me over a video call (Microsoft Teams, naturally) from his office in Kirkland, on the banks of Lake Washington, opposite Seattle. So even when a woman came up and yelled at me that I implanted stuff in her, that I was tracking her he took it in his stride. My life is fantastic, he says. Im the luckiest person alive, in terms of the work I get to do.

Online misinformation troubles Gates not because of his personal reputation, but because its the rare problem he doesnt have an answer for. In his new five-part Netflix documentary series, Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates, the multibillionaire shares his optimistic vision of a world where scientific innovation rolls back climate change and eradicates deadly diseases while advances in artificial intelligence leave us all free to enjoy perpetual leisure time.

Its just the conspiracy theories that have him stumped. I feel a bit like weve handed that to the younger generation, he says. Both to face up to and to figure out: Okay, whats this boundary between free speech and incitement to violence, or harassment, or just craziness that gets people not to take health advice?

Gates is well aware that one reason grotesque and outlandish rumours about him capture the public imagination is because, as he puts it in the show, extreme wealth brings with it questions about your motives. He stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2000 to establish the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his then-wife, aiming to give away lots of money to save lots of lives, yet he remains one of the worlds richest people (seventh on the real-time Forbes list, with an estimated net worth of $138bn [105bn]).

I ask him directly whether he can reassure me that billionaires do have the best interests of the rest of us at heart. His answer doesnt exactly set my mind at ease. Im a huge believer in the estate tax [the American equivalent of the UKs inheritance tax] and more progressive taxation, he replies. I dont think we should generally generationally let families whose great grandfather, through luck and skill, accumulated a lot of wealth, have the economic or political power that comes with that.

Not a ringing endorsement of the billionaire class, then. Would he agree that he is too rich? If I designed the tax system, I would be tens of billion dollars poorer than I am, he nods. The tax system could be more progressive without damaging significantly the incentive to do fantastic things.

Melinda Gates and Bill Gates. Photo: Chris Radburn/PA

Instead of voluntarily paying more tax, Gates has poured his wealth into projects he believes can raise the global standard of living. He has argued that hes able to take risks on long-shot innovations that governments wouldnt be prepared to gamble on and, in one episode of the new show, he presents some of the projects hes funding to try and contain the climate crisis, such as investing in new types of nuclear reactors and finding ways to make cement that dont emit CO2.

These sorts of innovations are essential because, as he explains, the majority of harmful carbon emissions are caused by generating electricity and the manufacture of things such as steel and concrete. I tell Gates that I find his analysis a little dispiriting simply because it reminds me how much my efforts to fly less often or waste less food pale into insignificance next to the vast structural changes that need to happen for society to reach net zero emissions.

First of all, let me say individual actions do add up, Gates argues back. Whether its acts of kindness, or creating demand for green products, everybody who buys foods that are made with lower CO2 helps to drive the volume, which helps innovation eventually outcompete the dirty stuff. So whether its electric cars or heat pumps or sustainable aviation fuel, I wouldnt completely discount that.

Its clear though that the major changes we need will have to be made by governments, so I ask if he finds himself sympathising with activists who feel driven to block roads, or throw paint on famous works of art, just to try to get politicians to pay attention? I agree that sometimes extreme tactics are very helpful at keeping this issue on the agenda, he says, Because the big, big pain of climate change is way out in the future I cut in here  surely were already suffering the effects of climate change? Gates shakes his head. In terms of everything but the countries on the equator, the massive GDP impacts are not in the near term, but over time, he says, adding that he has no time for climate doomerism. Theres no doubt that its super important and that were underinvesting in it, but the idea that we should despair, we should almost give up, thats also not helpful to the cause.

We didnt realise, as we got richer, how many restaurants or psychiatrists we would end up needing

When it comes to the much-trumpeted benefits of AI, I confess to Gates that I struggle to share his optimism. When he describes a future where humans enjoy much more leisure, I picture CEOs instigating mass layoffs and telling us cheerfully to go enjoy our free time. AI might make businesses more efficient, but that doesnt necessarily improve the lot of those of us who have to work for a living.

Well, work weeks have gotten shorter, Gates tells me confidently, while I make a mental note to let my boss know Ill be finishing early. But he takes my point. I will admit that saying that through government policies we will take this extra productivity and we will spread it around properly, at a time when trust in government to do basic things is so low statements like that cause people to raise their eyebrows, but there is no other answer.

Gates argues that, as with climate mitigation, we will need governments to rein in corporations and restructure society to deal with the myriad effects of AI. As society becomes more productive, to make sure that those benefits are shared by the many, not just in the rich countries, but globally, it takes government involvement, he says. Philanthropy alone or well-meaning people alone cant do that. So its about picking politicians that see the benefits of AI and think about what that means for the tax structure and having economists who are really looking at this. I do think thats starting, and I think we have 10 to 20 years before the productivity benefits are so gigantic that you really do have to reshape taxation and work-week policies in a profound way.

As Gates sees it, the coming AI revolution will reshape society more thoroughly than any previous leap forward in human history. Theres no upper limit to this technology, he argues. At least with tractors we knew wed have less farmers, but there are a lot of other human needs. In those days we didnt realise, as we got richer, how many restaurants or psychiatrists we would end up needing.

In comparison to AI, Gates says the personal computer revolution was in some ways uncontroversial. When Microsoft was founded in 1975, their idea of putting a computer in every home sounded like a pipe dream. Now theres one in every pocket. Gates helped transform the world during that period, but he says the philanthropic work hes been focused on for the past 16 years has been profounder.

If I hadnt been part of the personal computer revolution, it would have happened, he points out. Would it have happened a year later or something? Who knows? But not super delayed, whereas when it comes to malaria, malnutrition, womens contraceptives, sadly, its a strange comment on the world, I dont think even a decade later those things would necessarily have happened. Its hard to do the what if, but if you run the world with me and without me, and you subtract the two, the philanthropy is a much more significant thing in terms of making things that are equity-oriented happen dramatically sooner than they would have otherwise.

Despite what all those ghoulish online conspiracies would have you believe about Gates, his impact on global health has been hugely significant and undeniably admirable. In 2000, 10 million children under five died every year. Today, that number is down to under 4.6 million deaths each year. The work of the Gates Foundation has drastically reduced the number of people who die from preventable diseases including malaria, polio and diarrhoea, although Gates insists that hes not in it for personal acclaim. The dream is to get rid of these diseases so nobody remembers what malaria was or what polio was, he says. Thats the ultimate success.

As remarkable as Gatess achievements in global health have been, and as hopeful as we might all be that his investments can have a similarly positive impact on climate change, it does raise the question of what happens after hes gone. The Gates Foundation is mandated to wind up 20 years after his death, and I point out to him that the new generation of billionaires whove overtaken him on the Forbes list, the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, seem rather less interested in spending their vast fortunes on malaria nets, polio vaccines or climate solutions.

Gates says he tries to promote philanthropy to the ultra-rich, but he acknowledges thats not a long-term fix. The big work still has to be done by government, he says. Philanthropy is not a substitute for government. Making sure everybodys educated, has food, has shelter  its the government whos going to create that safety net.

Thats the funny thing about Bill Gatess optimistic view of the future: it requires taking a lot of power out of the hands of billionaires like Bill Gates.

Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates is on Netflix from 18 September
The treaty will require countries to monitor the development of AI (Alamy/PA)

The UK has joined the EU and the United States in signing the first international treaty on artificial intelligence, which commits nations to protecting the public from potential dangers linked to the technology.
This years Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies list, in association with KPMG, shows sales up across our firms, while pre-tax profits are down. Business leaders turned out at Belfast Harbour Offices to mark the launch of this years leading edition

Guests from across the sectors attended the Ulster Business Top 100 launch

Judith Martin, Ulster Business, Paul Muldoon, Mediahuis, Karen McGarvey, Mediahuis, Eoin Brannigan, editor-in-chief of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life, Ulster Business editor John Mulgrew, Mediahuis deputy publisher, Ed McCann and Karen Preston, chief commercial officer, Mediahuis

Company chiefs and industry leaders from across the sectors have turned out to celebrate the launch of this years Ulster Business Top 100 Northern Ireland Companies, in association with KPMG.

Belfast Harbour Offices Barnett Room acted as the backdrop for the event, which saw Top 100 firms and business chiefs from throughout Northern Ireland mark the official launch of this years leading business list and edition.

This year turnover reached a record level of 35.2bn across the firms which have made the list  up 17% on the previous accounting period. However, average pre-tax profits fell by 8% to 1.32bn.

Moy Park has returned to the top spot for 2024 with turnover of 1.88bn and pre-tax profits of 18.7m.

Newcomers to this years list included Kingsbridge, D&W Carlisle and Charles Brand Group.

Speaking at the event, Ulster Business editor John Mulgrew said: Were in the Barnett Room this evening  historically tied to one of our largest firms and based just a short walk from here.

And were in an area which has breathed industry for decades, even centuries.

Its something of a Northern Ireland private sector microcosm, and its reflected in this years Ulster Business Top 100, with many of said firms appearing on the list and joining us this evening.

Id once again like to thank everyone who has supported us in this special annual edition, along with those who have contributed. It helps make this all possible  showcasing the strength and breadth of our local economy.

Id of course like to pay special thanks to KPMG  which continues to be our partner with the Top 100 edition  and in particular to partner in charge, Johnny Hanna, and Julie Thompson.

The event also heard from Belfast Harbour chair Dr Theresa Donaldson, who welcomed guests and outlined the ports plans for further growth and development.
Bolster Communitys social enterprise Acorn has launched a new candle collection

Bolster Buddies Bailey, Fergal, Matthew, Damien and Zoe celebrate their new Acorn Scents of Home range at Slieve Gullion

A Newry-based charity has launched a new range of candles under its social enterprise brand Acorn.

Bolster Community, which has been in existence since 2004, provides critical support for families and individuals on a local level and is one of the many charities that has been affected by the withdrawal of EU funding. Following this, its social enterprise Acorn was born.

As a charity, the funding sphere has become increasingly tricky following Brexit and leaving the EU, explains Elaine McAteer, Bolster Community communications and marketing manager.

There was lots of funding opportunities there that were automatically withdrawn from us.

Weve had to become entrepreneurial and more financially sustainable  and off the back of that, social enterprise has become important to us, because those income streams help us work as a charity and do even more.

Acorn was established nine years ago and has released various products, with all proceeds returning to charity.

Theres been lots of trial and error in that and it has really grown to become a premium-looking brand that weve arrived at today, but it hasnt been without a lot of hard work and effort on behalf of the team, explains Elaine.

Weve got over 10 candle scents  and from that we would do tin candles and glass candles, and we would do diffusers and then more bespoke things like gift hampers and so forth.

The end product is just what the proceeds are used for, and thats generated from the candle sales, and they all go back into Bolster and helping us kind of become more financially sustainable and help us do that bit more in the community.

Elaine McAteer, Bolster Community communications and marketing manager

This new range is a tribute to the area where the charity is based.

The whole idea around our latest launch, Scents of Home, is basically we wanted to do something special to acknowledge the fact that were coming up to our 20-year anniversary in October, says Elaine.

It has been an idea of our CEO, Jacinta, for a long time to do something that is a nice tribute to where we are in Newry, Mourne and Down and to do something significant to our home, but also the home of all our service users and beneficiaries, so thats been really important.

Bolster Community has been able to incorporate its candle making into the activities it does with its mixed-abilities adult group.

Theyre involved in the whole process, says Elaine, from the production aspect right through to them helping us with the new products that we recently did, in terms of artwork, direction and style that they liked, and feeding back on scents.

Then right through to helping us with the fulfilment of orders and helping us with the Christmas markets or any kind of markets or public appearances that we might have.

Acorn Scents of Home giftbox

This has had a positive impact on the people involved, with the team observing an improvement in overall confidence.

There are young guys coming here now for a couple of years and the growth we can see in these young people... some of it is pretty significant, in terms of their levels of maturity and communication skills and just general levels of confidence.

Theyre getting exposure and are being able to make new community connections that they just wouldnt have, so its just great. Its really great to see.

For the Bolster Community, accessibility in making its products was an important factor in the decision to do candle making.

We were looking for something that was accessible. It was something we could offer our young adults for day opportunities and theyre doing hands-on work and learning new skills, explains Elaine.

The feedback that Bolster Community has received for Acorn has been more than positive, as it has been recently shortlisted for the Social Enterprise NI Consumer Facing Award.

Acorn Scents Of Home range

Outside of its Acorn brand, the charity has two other sources of income to help fund its mission.

We have a series of award-winning, evidence-based programmes called Friends Resilience, says Elaine.

They are approved by the World Health Organization and are proven to help reduce anxiety in children and help with any emotional and developmental issues.

Our customers would be statutory sector agencies. It could be the local health trust or it could be schools who see the need in their classrooms or want to commission the services. So we would get various requests from that side.

Thirdly, Bolster Buddies, where our young adults of mixed abilities come for day sessions.

Bolster Buddy Michaela mixing wax

Elaine and the rest of the Bolster Community are hoping that this new launch will bring more attention to their cause.

Were hoping that well generate a boost of support from retailers across the North who would be interested in stocking products from a social enterprise charity like ourselves, and also from local businesses who might be looking at corporate gifting opportunities in the future.

Elaine explained that the social enterprise is always developing: Theres always room for more and to try to keep our sales going and keep it healthy.

We have put a lot into the new products. The hard work starts for us to make sure it takes off and that we get the support that were hoping for.

Last year the Bolster Community supported more than 9,000 vulnerable people. With a team of only 29 staff and around 22 volunteers, it hopes to continue this work with the publics support of Acorn.

For more, visit https://acornshop.co.uk/
Gisele P. (C) speaks to one of her lawyers, beside her daughter Caroline Darian (L) and her sons, at the courthouse during the trial of her husband accused of drugging her for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France, in Avignon, on September 2, 2024. The case involves 50 co-defendants. The defendants, 18 of whom are on remand, are men aged between 21 and 68 at the time of the events. (Photo by Christophe SIMON / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)
A police investigation is now underway to establish the circumstances of the crash

A woman who died following a crash outside Ballymena has been named as Eileen Thornton, who was from the Broughshane and Glarryford areas.

The 44-year-old was involved in a single-vehicle collision which happened on the Cushendall Road on Tuesday evening.

Police and paramedics attended the scene shortly after 8pm.

Ms Thornton died later in hospital.

She was the much loved daughter of David and the late Angela, loving sister of Gareth and Gregory, sister-in-law of Jenny and Louise and dear aunt of Dean, Lewis and Courteney.

Her funeral arrangements will be announced later and family flowers only are requested. Donations in lieu, if desired, may be sent to James Henry Funeral Services 100 Broughshane Street, Ballymena BT43 6EE for NI Chest, Heart and Stroke.

PSNI Inspector Cherith Adair from the Police Services Collision Investigation Unit has offered condolences to the loved ones of Ms Thornton.

Our thoughts are with the family at this time and an investigation is now underway to establish the circumstances, she said.

The Collision Investigation Unit is appealing to anyone who may have any information which may assist with our investigation, or who may have been travelling in the area at the time and captured any dash-cam or other footage, to get in touch on 101, quoting reference number 1515 03/09/24.

Ms Thornton was driving a black Peugeot car when the crash happened.

It is the second death on Northern Irelands roads this week, after a man was killed in a car crash in Co Londonderry.

Alan Barr, an Ulster Unionist councillor for the area, said: "Within a 24-hour period, people are hearing the news of another tragic death on our roads.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the woman's family and friends.

"I also want to praise the efforts of the efforts of the emergency services who attended the scene. My sympathies are with them also as they regularly attend scenes of carnage on our roads.

As we enter the darker nights, unfortunately the risk of road traffic collisions increases.

"Therefore, I urge community groups and individuals to engage with organisations such as Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Road Safe NI, who offer excellent road safety educational programmes.

News Catch Up - Wednesday 3rd September
Calls for NI inquiry into abuse by clerics in schools run by religious orders

Probe urged after report in Republic revealing 2,395 allegations of historical offences leads to the establishment of a commission of investigation

Victims' campaigner Margaret McGuckin

Allison Morris Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 07:45

There have been calls for the establishment of an inquiry here into historical abuse of children in schools run by religious orders following the shock findings of a scoping report in the Republic.
A former Christian Brother accused of sexually abusing schoolboys in his care was described as an evil man by one alleged victim who said he ruined my life, a court heard today.

Paul Dunleavy is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court on a total of 37 sexual offences which span over a period from 1964 and 1991 and involve former pupils from four schools.

The 88-year-old, from Glen Road in Belfast, denies all the charges.

On the fourth day of the trial, an achieving best evidence' police interview conducted in March 2022 with one of nine complainants was played to the jury.

In the interview, the former Gort na Mona Secondary School pupil claimed he was both physically and sexually abused by Brother Dunleavy in the mid-1980s and that he was an evil, evil, evil man.

The complainant told a police officer that he initially enjoyed his time at the west Belfast school but when Brother Dunleavy arrived when he was aged around 13, he was singled out and subjected to regular physical and sexual abuse which went on for months and months.

Saying I don't know why he picked on me, the complainant said: He had me tortured. He was a wicked, wicked man. He was full of anger.

The man claimed that Dunleavy used to stand in a corridor, pull him to the side, wouldn't allow him to attend class and beat him on his hands and legs with a big leather strap.

He said this left him with welts and his hands were red-raw and on occasions, he was beaten to a pulp... I was only a boy and he was a grown man.

The complainant also said Dunleavy hit me with his hands... big slaps around the head, around the arse, around the legs, just anywhere that suited him.

He was just a bad, bad man. He destroyed me, he destroyed my school. I was only a boy. He ruined my life.

During the interview, the complainant was asked by the police officer to describe Dunleavy and he said: He was a big tall man, an enormous man, an evil auld man, very wicked.

The complainant was then questioned about his allegations of sexual abuse, which he said occurred in Dunleavy's office or in the toilets.

Describing what happened to him as stinking and horrible, the complainant told the police officer Dunleavy used to touch him down below and would rub himself against me and that this occurred regularly.

Telling the officer that Brother did physically and sexually abuse me and that's the bottom line, he said the abuse came to an end when he stopped going to school.

Following the playing of the police interview, the complainant was cross-examined by defence barrister Gary McHugh KC who told the Belfast man his client Dunleavy denied beating or sexually abusing him.

Mr McHugh questioned the allegations he made to the PSNI, suggested he invented what he claimed happened and said his motivation for this was to make a claim for money.

These suggestions were rejected by the complainant who insisted the physical and sexual abuse did happen.

The jury of six men and six women have already been told that Dunleavy has been convicted on two separate occasions of a series of sexual offences against children in his care at a number of schools where he taught.
Former Irish President and ex-RTE' journalist Mary McAleese has recalled feeling laughed at when she predicted that IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands would be elected to Westminster in 1981.

The ex-head of state, who is from NI and served from 1997 to 2011, made the revelation in an interview with RSVP magazine about the things that get her down in life and her most memorable moments.

In response to being asked when have you felt laughed at?, Ms McAleese recalled working on the Irish broadcasters Today Tonight programme during the hunger strike.

When I suggested based on a simple headcount of the eligible electorate that Bobby Sands could possibly win the election in Fermanagh South Tyrone, she said.

"Of course, he did.

Every other broadcaster seemed to have journalists as numerate as I was and they covered the election count which was a watershed moment in Northern Irish, UK and Irish politics.

"The programme boss disagreed so strongly that he made no plans for a crew at the count and a broadcasting slot.

Ms McAleese described the experience as not RTE's finest hour from a broadcasting point of view and said it was a decision point for me career wise.

The republican prisoner became an iconic figure after he was elected to the House of Commons as an MP just 26 days before he died.

The infamous and bitter by-election following the sudden death of sitting MP Frank Maguire saw Bobby Sands beat unionist Harry West  despite the hunger strikers lacklustre campaign.

Ms McAleese also revealed that she once aspired to become an airline pilot but was disabused of that notion by my optician" before going on to become a lawyer.

Asked about her biggest regret, the ex-politician and academic said it was forming an insatiable attachment to Tunnocks Tea Cakes.

Ms McAleese said her decision to go to Rome after her term in office to study Italian and Latin for a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law in a very real way redefined my life.

Despite human stupidity that sustains God-awful politics being cited alongside religious teachings, bigotries and vanities as among the things that get her down, the eight President of Ireland still has strong opinions on whats happening in the world.

The former current affairs broadcaster warned Russias invasion of Ukraine is a threat to Europe and lamented the war in Gaza as her no laughing matter moment".

Hamas outrageous attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 which has unleashed a war by the Israelis that has moved far beyond justifiable self-defence into a clearance pogrom against Gazan citizens and looks more and more like a land grab to me, Ms McAleese said before expressing the drive behind her ambition.

"The belief that love can transform the world into a place where all humanity flourishes.

The eldest of nine children, Ms McAleese grew up through the the Troubles.

She has previously said she was "literally a refugee on my own island" and recalled having to flee her Ardoyne home due to the conflict.

Asked what advice she would give her 16 year-old self, Ms McAleese said: Keep your friends from across the sectarian divide for they will have your back for life.
Christie Adam Bradley discovered online sexual images of a man and sent them to his family and business account. Stock photo

A lorry driver who discovered online sexual images of a man and sent them to his family and business account has avoided imprisonment.

Christie Adam Bradley received a four-month suspended sentence for distributing the explicit material and then telling the victim it would take five grand for him to stop.

The 32-year-old of Milewater Drive in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, admitted charges of harassment, sending menacing messages via an electronic communications network, and disclosing private sexual photographs.

Belfast Magistrates Court heard Bradley targeted the man in June last year after identifying him from images he had posted on a Twitter account.

Screenshots of the victims photos were sent to his mother and other family members, friends and his Facebook business page.

With Bradley operating a pseudonym social media account, the man exchanged messages with him in an attempt to find out who he was and what he wanted.

He requested that the user of the account stop sending messages and asked him what it would take for him to stop, a prosecutor said.

The person replied five grand donated to mens mental health.

The court heard that the victims mother was distressed at receiving messages which contained explicit messages of her son and referred to her home address.

The mans sister also had to update her security measures as members of the family described how they lived in fear.

Police inquiries with Facebook established that an email address associated with the pseudonym account was linked to the defendant.

Bradley was arrested last September on suspicion of blackmail, harassment and sending electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

During interviews he admitted sending the messages, claiming he thought it had been funny after working out the identity of the Twitter account.

He stated that he regretted it now and if he could make things right he would, the Crown lawyer added.

In relation to asking for the 5,000 he stated that it was just a throwaway comment, he never intended to blackmail the victim.

Defence barrister Rachael McCormack described the offences as pretty mean.

He just didnt seem to appreciate the consequences of his actions at the time, she told the court.

He was sitting behind a computer screen, he thought it was funny and he now realises that it absolutely was not.

Ms McCormack added that her clients wife is angry and ashamed at his behaviour.

Based on Bradleys guilty pleas, District Judge Anne Marshall suspended the four month prison term for two years.

She told him: I do not understand your motivation. You didnt even know this person who put some photographs up on the internet, obviously not intending that somebody would find them and send them to his (family) and put them on his business page.

His mother and sister are very, very distressed and horrified by the whole thing.
Kinnegar army base has been used for Armed Services Career events since it closed

The PSNI is seeking to buy the massive site of a former Army base in Co Down.

The organisation is the preferred bidder for Kinnegar Barracks in Holywood which has been derelict since the Ministry of Defence announced it was closing back in 2016.

The information was disclosed to local residents in a letter issued by Alliance MLAs Connie Egan and Andrew Muir issued on Thursday.

It seeks to reassure them that the current intention is that access to Airport Road will remain closed to the public to ensure a minimum impact in terms of additional traffic.

"We will continue to press the importance of this matter with PSNI, the document states.

Our discussions remain ongoing and we are meeting with police officials in the coming weeks.

"We have already raised the need for continued engagement and consultation with the community, including on how best to keep noise and disruption from construction and then operation to a minimum.

The sale of the disused complex  which was deemed surplus to requirements  was held up by the Covid-19 pandemic which saw the site turned into an emergency mortuary.

Its unclear why the PSNI is in pursuit of the 54-acre site, which would be big enough to house a new headquarters and/or training facilities.

The revelation comes on the same day that the Chief Constable told a Policing Board meeting that he expects the police service to be front and centre of Stormonts draft programme for government as he believes health and education have been funded reasonably well.

Jon Boutcher highlighted a 34m gap in finances and made reference to an October monitoring round when money could be released, but was adamant that policing numbers would not be cut as it is not safe for people living here.

The Belfast Telegraph has asked the PSNI why it is seeking to acquire the site, how much it intends to pay for it, and how it will do so given serious budget restraints.

North Down MLA and Daera minister Andrew Muir has welcomed the move which he said would put many local residents minds at ease, as it rules out a private developer stepping in.

He told the Newtownards Chronicle he has consistently been on the record stating that consulting with and securing the buy-in of local residents is essential to any plans or works that may be undertaken.

Alderman Martin McRandal and I have regularly raised our concerns on behalf of residents in the Kinnegar area, including worries arising from any possible opening of new access routes.

It is my understanding that, although matters continue to be developed, the current intention is for access to remain closed to the public, and all traffic from the base will continue to enter and exit from Airport Road, thereby avoiding any further traffic issues arising in the Kinnegar residential area.

I am grateful to the police for agreeing to meet alderman McRandal and I, and their commitment to ongoing engagement as this potential development progresses.

In a statement, the PSNI confirmed it had expressed an interest in acquiring the Kinnegar site and has been identified as preferred bidder as part of the D1 Disposal process for Public assets".

"This process is managed by Department of Finance, Land & Property Services and Central Advisory Unit. We will continue to undertake significant engagement with various key stakeholders, including local residents, to discuss all the potential opportunities and benefits of any development.
A teenage girl has been sexually assaulted on a bus in Northern Ireland.

The incident happened on the public transport vehicle travelling between Belfast and Dunmurry at around 7.40pm last Friday.

Police have appealed for information.

Officers would like to speak with a man who was described as having short hair, a beard and wearing a dark coloured tracksuit and light coloured shoes, a PSNI spokesperson said.

Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious should call Police on 101 and quote reference 711 of 01/09/24.

News Catch Up - Wednesday 3rd September
Ukraine has been badly affected by mines (The State Emergency Service of Ukraine/AP)

Ireland should be increasing support for a UN agency training mine clearance specialists in Ukraine, according to an Irish expert.

David McMahon, head of the mine action unit at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), started working in the area of demining in Cambodia during the early 1990s.

UNOPS is tasked with delivering a variety of projects for other UN agencies around the world, including the Mine Action Service.

In Ukraine, UNOPS is primarily working on improving the states capacity to carry out demining.

Its operations in the region are funded by France, the UN Development Project and the Netherlands.

Since hostilities in 2014, Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

The National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) estimates that more than a third of Ukrainian territory is potentially contaminated with explosive ordnance as a result of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Mr McMahon said land mines are being used by both Ukraine and Russia in the conflict.

Based on data collected and on prior land release in 2023, the World Bank says the current total costs for the clearance of explosive ordnance across Ukraine are an estimated 34.6 billion dollars.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says that as of January 15 this year, there were 339 civilian victims of mines and explosive remnants of war and 757 people were injured.

Clearing explosive hazards will be a prerequisite to the return of safe living in Ukraine after the war.

Mr McMahon, who also has experience in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Georgia and Sudan, said: At the moment, we are training and equipping the bomb squad of the Ukrainian national police.

They have 350 men and women that are out clearing munitions, clearing IEDs, clearing devices.

They plan to scale up to about 1,500 personnel over the next year and were helping them with that.

UNOPS is also training Ukraines state transport service, a specialist unit of the defence ministry tasked with protection and construction of the national transportation system.

Mr McMahon said UNOPS is helping train and equip up to 480 deminers.

He said UNOPS works on humanitarian sites in areas of Ukraine which have been retaken from the Russian military and does not work within 20 kilometres of the frontline.

Asked about the scale of the task to clear mines and other explosives from all of Ukraine, Mr McMahon said the process will take years.

Mr McMahon, based in Kyiv, also said there is a huge requirement for prosthetics and orthotics due to injuries from mines and other explosives.

There are world-class centres here but the scale of the problem is huge, its absolutely massive.

Asked how demining has changed since he began in the early 1990s, Mr McMahon said the process in Cambodia relied on mass numbers of people, interviewing local residents about the contamination and carrying out a technical survey of the land.

He said equipment and processes around mine action have drastically improved.

Drone technology has advanced greatly, artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced greatly. Were using dogs, were using big tiller machines, were using IED robots  theres a whole plethora of things.

He said there are algorithms which can look at patterns in satellite photos of land and determine they are clear, for example if a field had been cultivated since hostilities ceased.

However, Mr McMahon cautioned: The problem here is the scale  which is just massive.

A further issue is a shortage of personnel for demining, due to the large numbers killed or fighting in the war as well as those displaced by the conflict.

Asked what the Irish Government could do to support UNOPS, Mr McMahon said: Ireland has world-class training facilities with the Irish Defences Forces. You cannot send people in here, however we can send people to Ireland for training.

As a neutral state, Ireland does not support offensive military operations. However, we (UNOPS) work with the national police, we work with non-combatants. Everything we do is humanitarian and neutral.

The Irish Defence Forces has been at the forefront of writing IED doctrine for the UN, thats used in Somalia and Mali and elsewhere.

Here in Ukraine, we have an IED problem and Ireland could really help with that.

Mr McMahon argued that it would be more sustainable for Ireland to deal with the Ukrainian state in the area of demining, rather than NGOs.

He called for Ireland to support the training of the Ukrainian polices bomb squad.

He also suggested Ireland could be involved in the production or procurement of required IED robots in Ukraine.

This will be an intergenerational problem, he said.
Paul Donoghue, who spent most of his adult life in and out of jail, now employs former prisoners and recovering addicts at his cleaning services company (Brian Lawless/PA)

A Dublin man who spent most of his adult life in and out of jail is now helping former prisoners start again with a clean slate.

Paul Donoghue, a social enterprise manager and founder of New Creation Cleaning Services, employs ex-inmates and recovering addicts, giving them an opportunity to reintegrate in society.

The not-for-profit company offers cleaning services for different commercial entities as well as domestic properties.

Paul Donoghue employs ex-inmates and recovering addicts at his cleaning services company (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Donoghue started using heroin at the age of 16. He was jailed for the first time when he was 18 and then was in and out of prison over the following 17 years.

Some 10 years ago, he was released from jail and faced major barriers to finding work.

I didnt really have any trade or experience to put on a CV because of addiction issues, he said.

I had to learn how to function as a husband and a father.

Though I was able to successfully find employment after a couple of years, it was still a challenge. I saw the obstacles and barriers of finding employment.

Almost two years ago, he established New Creation Cleaning Services through the Social Enterprise sector and provides work for people who have been through the criminal justice system.

We provide a different range of services, whether its for high-rise buildings, window cleaning, power washing for communal areas, flat complexes, or deep clean for housing associations, he said.

The reason for its existence is to give opportunity and training and employment to guys who would have difficulties finding work, whether it be because they have been through the criminal justice sector, whether theyre coming out from addiction recovery, and even those who would maybe not be able to enter employment for whatever reasons.

And it includes those who are being marginalised or for not having work experience.

We are set up to give support, membership and training for those who might find it difficult to gain employment otherwise.

We hope to give the initial support to boys, whether its upon release, they need some support, reintegrate and mentorship, whether its in relation to relationship building, or skill development, upskilling.

They have to understand what is needed to be able to hold down a job and then be aware of the different skill sets that they might be lacking.

Paul Donoghue said giving his employees a sense of wellbeing and purpose can prevent reoffending and is a personal motivation; for him (Brian Lawless/PA)

Some of the former prisoners are referred to Mr Donoghue, while others meet him through word of mouth.

The business, which is in its second year, does not receive Government funding and currently employs eight people.

Mr Donoghue added: We have to be very careful in recruiting, because without the turnover of work we cant sustain staff, and that is a balance were trying to find.

We dont receive public funding and we work on a not-for-profit basis. While we have a social mission, we have to operate like every other business.

We take on boys based on our ability to support them and mentor them into employment.

A lot of boys, when they come out from long-term imprisonment, they have issues with isolation, theres been a breakdown in relationships.

There has been a lack of experience of working and functioning in society.

They have lived in a different environment in prison.

Our initial conversation is that this is a job like every other job, and you will be required to work like everyone else, but they will also receive additional supports around their relationships or court dates or see sponsors who are involved in their lives.

What we require is an honesty from the boys. If theres any drug abuse or violence, its a straight dismissal as we wont tolerate any messing about.

We have to trade and compete with other cleaning service companies out there, and we cant go in and win contracts based on giving people opportunities. Its a fine balance.

He added: If these boys have a meaningful job and they have a sense of wellbeing and purpose, it can prevent reoffending.

Theres a personal motivation for me. I enjoy seeing boys succeed and I really do it from a passion, and its more a vocation more than a job.

John Logan, chief executive of Social Enterprise in Ireland, said there are around 4,300 social enterprises across Ireland.

They provide services including advocacy, member benefits and community development.

Social enterprises are in every community in the country.

They are businesses that trade but are set up for social impact and all the profits go back into the social mission of the organisation.

A lot of the social enterprises work with people who come out of the criminal justice system.

Mr Logan said: When people come out of the criminal justice system, their confidence is in their boots. They havent used whatever skills they had for a long time.

They might have addiction issues and what theyre looking for, really, is mentoring and support, a bit of routine and ideally employment.

Research shows that 81% of them feel that the fact that they come out of the criminal justice system makes them very unlikely to be given the opportunity to get into valuable work.

We say We can take you on.

Some of the organisations make outdoor furniture, they are given monitoring and training and sense of purpose as well as flexibility.

The stigma prisoners feel after they have been released isnt based on how long a sentence they have served. It can be a year or eight or 10 years, the stigma remains.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is to discuss European security with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow on Thursday.

Mr Harris will hold a bilateral meting with Mr Tusk on his arrival in Poland following a day of engagements in Ukraine.

They are expected to discuss cultural and economic links in the context of EU membership.

Simon Harris shakes hands with Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Ukraine (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The two leaders will discuss the upcoming term and institutional changeover in the EU and Polands presidency of the EU next year.

The Taoiseach will brief Mr Tusk on his meeting in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

They are also expected to discuss the security situation in Europe, including along Polands border with Belarus.

They will also discuss the war in Gaza.
There is an opportunity to create a Polish-Irish synergy on shaping European policy, Polands prime minister has said.

Donald Tusk made the remarks as he hosted Taoiseach Simon Harris for a bilateral meeting in Rzeszow.

Mr Harris was in eastern Poland on his return from engagements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

In Rzeszow, the Irish and Polish leaders discussed the Russian war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza as well as issues on the agenda of the European Council, including migration and security.

Taoiseach Simon Harris holds a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow, Poland (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Tusk said Ireland sets an important example for other countries by providing unequivocal support for Ukraine while maintaining its military neutrality.

Neutrality cannot mean indifference towards evil and the tragedy that befalls innocent people, he said.

Therefore I want to emphasise how much we appreciate the personal engagement of the Irish prime minister in providing non-military but humanitarian aid to Ukraine in these difficult times for the country.

Mr Tusk also said the two countries shared views on what European politics should look like.

He said this follows on from a traditional friendship which was founded on the fact that many Polish people emigrated to Ireland in the past.

Praising Irelands economic resilience and creativity, Mr Tusk said the two countries could leverage a Polish-Irish synergy to profile new European policies on security and competitiveness.

He said he counted on Irish support for calls for increasing protection of Europes eastern border in Poland, including an air-defence system.

As Mr Tusk was president of the European Council for almost the entirety of the strenuous negotiations with the UK over post-Brexit arrangements, Mr Harris said he was grateful for the solidarity the prime minister showed to the people of Ireland.

He said: Thank you for your leadership during a most difficult time for my country and indeed for the European Union as we together navigated the unprecedented challenges posed by Brexit.

Your friendship, your solidarity, but also your skill really helped managed that process.

He added: The people of Ireland and the Government of Ireland will always be grateful and consider you a true friend.

Mr Harris said Ireland had benefited from the approximately 100,000 Polish people living in Ireland.

Whilst we are geographically far away, in our hearts and in our minds, we are close.
The Defence Secretary has dismissed concerns about a potential fracture in UK-US relations after he announced the suspension of some arms export licences to Israel.

About 30 out of a total of 350 licences have been suspended after a review found there was a risk they could be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

The decision has severely strained the UKs relationship with Tel Aviv.

But speaking during a visit to HMS Diamond in Portsmouth on Thursday, John Healey dismissed concerns about its impact on UK-US relations.

He told the PA news agency: We stand alongside the US as one of Israels staunchest allies, totally committed to its right to self defence.

But also, like the United States, pressing Israel to accept their responsibility for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Thats the way the conflict and fighting ends.

A ceasefire that can get all of those hostages out, get the aid into Gaza and that can be the basis for a longer-term path to permanent peace in the region.

But in the end that can only come from the two-state solution that (Prime Minister) Keir Starmer, back in October last year, promised that if we came to government he and this country would help lead a new push for peace, and thats what weve been doing since.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UKs shameful decision and said Britains misguided decision will only embolden Hamas.

A statement on his account on X, formerly Twitter, said: Days after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, the UK government suspended thirty arms licences to Israel.

This shameful decision will not change Israels determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organisation that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens.

Hamas is still holding over 100 hostages, including five British citizens. Instead of standing with Israel, a fellow democracy defending itself against barbarism, Britains misguided decision will only embolden Hamas.
The British Embassy in Lebanon has been urging British nationals such as Navana Mayhew to leave the country (Navana Mayhew/PA)

A British woman in Lebanon resisting calls for UK citizens to flee the country has said she is not scared of the possibility of war despite rising tensions.

The British Embassy in Lebanon has been urging British nationals in the country to leave while commercial travel options remain available amid growing attacks between Hezbollah and Israel.

Navana Mayhew, 33, from Colchester in Essex but based in Beirut, told the PA news agency she has no plans to leave.

I understand what the embassy is saying  of course we should take precautions, we should have plans  but I have a job here, I have a life here, its too much just to put up and go, she said.

Navana Mayhew has two sons in Lebanon (Navana Mayhew/PA)

Ms Mayhew, who moved to the country four years ago and lives in Beirut with her two young sons and Lebanese husband, argued Lebanese citizens in Beirut are unafraid of war reaching the capital.

The debt adviser said: I have a job here, my child goes to school here and my youngest, hes going to nursery.

Im a member with Middle East Airlines, thats the main operating airline here, and Im in contact with them  if they were ever going to shut flights, they would soon let us all know.

Ive lived here now for four years, and I have friends here who have lived here longer. Theyre other British expats, and they have no fear. They havent left either.

Her family in the UK are concerned but she argued that she knows the country well and added: Im not scared at all.

Ms Maythew said one of her sons, Markus, four, holds a British passport but she has not yet organised one for five-month-old Lukus. It can take up to 12 weeks according to the British governments website.

Navana Mayhew has lived in Lebanon for four years (Navana Mayhew/PA)

She said it is a concern that she does not have a passport for her son yet and she has contacted the embassy about the issue.

Ms Mayhew heard a sonic boom for the first time in early August as Israeli military aircraft flew at high speeds low over the Lebanese capital.

Israel was doing sonic booms around Beirut, and they were weird to me but everyone, the Lebanese citizens of Beirut, theyre so used to it, they didnt care, she said.

In my four years of being here and my seven years of visiting Lebanon, Ive never heard sonic booms and one went right past our house, and it was like an explosion.

I ran to the balcony and I told my eldest son to get under the bed because I just didnt know what it was, and it was nothing.

I was like, what the hell was that, and I remember calling my husband, and saying, whats going on and he was at work. He was in downtown Beirut, and he heard them, and said its nothing to worry about.

Ms Mayhew said she felt sad for people living in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been exchanging near-daily fire with Hezbollah since clashes along the border began on October 8.

But were fine, and no one seems to care here in Beirut, no one seems to worry about it, no one seems to give it a second thought, she added.

When you live around that for so long, you adapt to this feeling.

The British Embassy in Lebanon has said: We advise against all travel to the whole of Lebanon.

If youre a British national in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave now, while commercial travel options remain available.
The former director of public prosecutions has warned that justice against those responsible for the Grenfell Tower blaze could be delayed until 2030 (Victoria Jones/PA)

Justice against those responsible for the Grenfell Tower blaze could be delayed until 2030, a former director of public prosecutions (DPP) has warned following the end of the inquiry into the 2017 block fire.

It comes after comments by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner that the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must act as quickly as possible, with her echoing the words of the bereaved that justice delayed is justice denied.

The Met Police has said it will need an estimated 12 to 18 months to study the report line by line before any criminal charges are brought.

The force has previously said a total of 19 companies and organisations were under investigation for potential criminal offences, along with 58 individuals.

Potential offences under consideration included corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud, and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.

Lord Macdonald, a former DPP, said delays in the criminal justice system meant criminal trials linked to the Grenfell blaze may not start before 2029, which could lead to verdicts only being returned the following year, the Guardian reported.

Unless processes are massively expedited, justice is a very long way away, he said, according to the newspaper.

The criminal justice system is still suffering terribly from austerity cuts, which did enormous damage.

The upshot is that it now takes years for cases to come to trial after charge. Criminal cases arising out of Grenfell are likely to be many and complex.

The Crown Prosecution Service is speaking of charging decisions in 2026. This is probably optimistic. But even if it is right, on current trial schedules, it could be two or three years later before trials can be heard.

Some are potentially talking about 2028, 2029.

The inquiry report concluded that the deaths of all 72 people in the 2017 blaze in west London were avoidable (Yui Mok/PA)

Michael Mansfield KC, who represented survivors and residents at the inquiry, said after the inquiry was announced the government should have said prosecutions would take priority, the Guardian reported.

The deaths of all 72 people in the 2017 blaze in west London were avoidable and had been preceded by decades of failure by government, other authorities and the building industry, inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bicks report concluded.

The tower block was covered in combustible products because of the systematic dishonesty of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation, he added, with cladding company Arconic and insulation firms Kingspan and Celotex coming in for particularly heavy criticism.

The Prime Minister has also said it is imperative that there is full accountability for what happened including through the criminal justice process.
Chief Superintendent Bill Duffy, of City of London Police, said on Thursday: At around 5.30am today, we were made aware of protesters at the Unilever House on New Bridge Street. There is a proportionate policing operation in progress.

At this time, 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of locking-on under Section 1 of the Public Order Act 2023. A further seven people have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Members of the environmental campaign group locked themselves on to barricades made from giant Dove products, one of Unilevers biggest brands, with each products logo changed to a dead dove.

The protesters unfurled a banner across the front of the building, which had the phrase real beauty isnt this toxic printed on it, over an image of a Dove label.

Activists outside Unilevers headquarters in central London (Lucy North/PA)

Greenpeace demonstrators want Unilever to remove single-use plastic from its operations and phase it out fully within a decade, starting with plastic sachets, which they say are near impossible to collect and recycle.

Will McCallum, co-executive director at Greenpeace UK, said: Unilevers plastic pollution is trashing the planet and harming communities.

They hide behind the clean, respectable face of brands like Dove but were here today peeling back this facade to show the ugly truth behind it.

He added: We wont let up  todays action may be over but our campaign against Unilever will continue to escalate unless it puts a proper plan in place to phase-out single-use plastic.

Greenpeace UK called on Unilever to back a treaty that caps and phases down plastic production by at least 75% by 2040 at these UN negotiations.

Police remove activists outside Unilevers headquarters (Lucy North/PA)

A Greenpeace International report published in November last year claimed Unilever was the biggest corporate seller of polluting plastic sachets, small throwaway plastic packets of consumer products, selling 1,700 a second in 2023.

A spokesman for Unilever said: Our ambition at Unilever is clear: an end to plastic pollution through reduction, circulation, and collaboration. We recognise the important role that we play to help make this ambition a reality  which is why plastic is one of our four sustainability priorities.

Weve already reduced our virgin plastic use by 18% and increased our use of recycled plastic to 22%  recognised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as one of the businesses making the most progress to reduce its virgin plastic packaging footprint.

However, our work is far from over. Our updated plastic goals are stretching and focus on the areas that we know will have the most impact  such as continuing to reduce our virgin plastic use and developing alternatives to hard-to-recycle flexible plastic packaging, like plastic sachets.

We are fully committed to working with industry partners and other stakeholders to develop viable, scalable alternatives that reduce plastic waste.

But overcoming a challenge of this scale will require more systemic change. Thats why were calling for a UN treaty on plastic pollution that sets legally binding global rules and addresses the full lifecycle of plastic.
The inquiry is currently examining the construction of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA)

A site manager at a superhospital described it as non-compliant and said she had concerns over water safety due to lack of staff, the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry heard.

Phyllis Urquhart, a compliance manager at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, joined the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus in 2017, two years after it opened.

She gave evidence at the inquiry, which is currently investigating the construction of the QEUH campus in Glasgow, including the Royal Hospital for Children, and was launched in the wake of deaths linked to infections.

Ms Urquhart said that several critical roles around water safety were not filled until 2018, and described the site as non-compliant.

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital opened in 2015 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

She said there was a significant turnover of staff and she believed insufficient training was provided.

The inquiry heard an audit was missed in 2019 and Ms Urquhart urged for it to be completed but this never happened.

Graham Maciver, junior counsel to the inquiry, asked: What was (the) level of compliance when you started?

Ms Urquhart said: Non-compliant. It was very difficult to obtain any sorts of records across the board.

She described QEUH as a completely different beast from other buildings she had been in, and in early 2018 she began to think it was unsafe.

Ms Urquhart said she was very, very disappointed at the lack of staff in the plant rooms, and it was difficult to obtain records, either electronically or on paper, and described the site as a jigsaw.

She said: When I started there in the compliance manager role I was very, very disappointed, because I thought, where are the people?

I know for a fact there wasnt staff in roles. In the plant rooms it was a significant challenge in terms of size of water tanks, size of pumps, that was significant, and you think to yourself, this is a complete different beast from other 11 storey buildings youve been in and seen.

Ms Urquhart said roles including authorised person for water, and a responsible person for water had not been filled when she started, and she felt training was insufficient to do the job competently.

She said it was difficult to obtain records, and said: You would maybe be going in looking for specific records, planned preventative maintenance tasks, records as to alterations carried out to pipework.

Something as simple as, can you tell me who the authorised person is?; what contractors we are using?; qualifications for contractors and our own staff; a whole range of water related assurances you would be looking for.

Mr Maciver said: Was there a point where you started to cross over to think this isnt a safe system?

Ms Urquhart said: Possibly yes, maybe beginning of 2018.

She said this was based on my knowledge and seeing the whole big picture.

Ms Urquhart said she felt single bedrooms created a problem for the healthcare environment, and toilets being repurposed as storage space was an issue which continued to cause her frustration.

Giving evidence, she said that she felt it was her personal responsibility to ask about a missed audit in 2019  which was never completed.

She said: Personally, I think theres a big education shortfall for all individuals involved within the healthcare environment.

Ms Urquhart said she was met with pushback in her role, but tried to put robust and relevant systems in place.

She said: I think that everyone asked about the job and the individual role always has these greater expectations to achieve, to put systems in place so that no-one was put at risk, and I dont feel Ive achieved that.

The inquiry continues in Edinburgh in front of Lord Brodie.
A health worker carries medication to be given to a man suffering from mpox at the Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Moses Sawasawa/AP)

The first batch of mpox vaccine has arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congos capital, the countrys authorities said.

It comes three weeks after the World Health Organisation (Who) declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.

The 100,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through Hera, the blocs agency for health emergencies.

Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, authorities said.

Unicef is going to be in charge of the vaccination campaign in the most impacted provinces, health minister Roger Kamba told reporters after the delivery of the vaccine.

But it remained unclear when the vaccination drive would begin.

About 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines have been promised by Western partners such as the EU and the US, Dr Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters last week.

That is less than 15% of the three million doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo  the epicentre of the global health emergency.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, had been spreading mostly undetected for years in Africa before the disease prompted the 2022 outbreak in more than 70 countries, Dr Dimie Ogoina, the chairman of Whos mpox emergency committee told reporters last month.
Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia (Kristina Kormilitsyna/AP)

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the countrys waters.

Mr Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following Chinas accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory.

Malaysias Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on August 29.

We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory, Mr Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijings controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The diplomatic note also expressed Beijings displeasure over Malaysias oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.

Mr Anwar said it was not the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it should not mar a strong relationship.

Mr Anwar had called China a true friend during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures as he speaks upon his arrival at the International Airport in Vladivostok, Russia (Yulia Egorova/AP)

We have said that we will not transgress other peoples borders, Mr Anwar said.

They know our position They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory.

That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory.

But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.

Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijings claims to almost the entire South China Sea.

Unlike the Philippines which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysias government prefers diplomatic channels.

It rarely criticises Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysias waters.

This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysias top trading partner since 2009.
Far-right Protestant militia linked to race-hate arson attack at Belfast church

Loyalist sources brand ringleaders  who have previously tried to get their hands on guns  as religious whackos

The church in east Belfast was targeted by a racist gang

Sunday Life Reporter Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 09:40

A racist attack on a Belfast church used by foreign nationals has been linked to a self-styled far-right Protestant militia.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
Jennifer Huberdeau is the features editor at The Berkshire Eagle. She can be reached at jhuberdeau@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6229.
You are the owner of this article.
Community members gathered at The Common on Saturday to remember loved ones who have died of suicide and walk for suicide prevention.
Geoffrey Noble retired as New Jersey State Police lieutenant colonel in 2022 and has been leading a private security firm since. He takes over as Massachusetts State Police superintendent next month.
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The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has confirmed that they are aware of an incident of unlawful entry at the site of the former Cork Prison and are assisting gardai with their enquiries.

In a video posted on TikTok, a man is seen filming a walk around the old prison which he describes as being one of the best abandoned facilities of its type he has ever seen.

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The social media influencer behind the post specialises in visiting abandoned buildings.

In a statement the IPS said that the matter has been reported to gardai.

We are assisting them in their enquiries. The Prison Service takes the security of all facilities within the prison estate very seriously. However, we do not comment on security or operational matters.

"Members of the public are advised not to attempt to enter the former prison for safety reasons. All such instances will be reported to gardai.

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"In relation to the future of the site, the IPS has indicated that engineering consultants are carrying out a detailed assessment of the facility in order to provide a feasibility report on the site.

"They will then consider options for its potential short, medium and long term use.

The IPS statement also emphasises the poor condition of the prison when it closed eight years ago.

It is important to recognise that multiple reports including those by the Inspector of Prison and the CPT and the 2012 feasibility study on Cork Prison highlighted at the time serious deficiencies on the physical conditions of the former prison and significant health and safety concerns which resulted in the then closure of the facility and the construction of a new prison.

Meanwhile, the old Cork Prison closed in 2016. It was originally built as detention unit by the British army in 1806 as part of its Victoria Barracks.

A new 45 million prison was built on Rathmore Road in Cork in 2016. The feasibility report on the old site is expected shortly.
The Chinese government is no longer allowing foreigners to adopt its children, a spokeswoman has said.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the only exception will be for blood relatives adopting a child or a stepchild.

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She did not explain the decision other than to say that it was in line with the spirit of relevant international conventions.



Children attend classes at a foster home of the New Hope Foundation on the outskirts of Beijing, China (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Many foreigners have adopted children from China over the decades, visiting the country to pick them up and then bringing them to a new home overseas.

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China suspended international adoptions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government later resumed adoptions for children who had received travel authorization before the suspension in 2020, the US State Department said in its latest annual report on adoptions.

A US consulate issued 16 visas for adoptions from China in the 12 months from October 2022 through September 2023, the first in more than two years, the State Department report said.

It was not clear if any more visas had been issued since then.
Hunter Biden arrived on Thursday at court in Los Angeles for the first day of jury selection in his federal tax trial, just months after the US presidents son was convicted of gun charges in a separate case.

He is accused of a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least 1.4 million dollars (1.06 million) in taxes while receiving millions of dollars from foreign business entities.

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He is already facing potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.

Hunter Biden walked into the court holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents.

He is already facing potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.



US President Joe Biden hugs his son Hunter Biden during the Democratic National Convention (Paul Sancya/AP)

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Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016-2019 taxes and his lawyers have indicated they will argue he did not act wilfully, or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

US district Judge Mark Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former president Donald Trump, placed some restrictions on what jurors will be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Bidens family, friends and lawyers say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

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He also rejected a proposed defence expert lined up to give evidence about addiction.

The indictment alleges that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels  in short, everything but his taxes.

Hunter Bidens lawyers had asked Judge Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a character assassination, including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites.

The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain strict control over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

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Meanwhile, prosecutors could present more details of Hunter Bidens overseas dealings, which have been at the centre of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking  without evidence to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsels team has said it wants to tell jurors about Hunter Bidens work for a Romanian businessman, who they say sought to influence US government policy while Joe Biden was vice president.

The defence accused prosecutors of releasing details about Hunter Bidens work for the Romanian in court papers to drum up media coverage and taint the jury pool.

The judge will ask a group of prospective jurors a series of questions to determine whether they can serve on the jury, including whether their political views and knowledge of the case would prevent them from being impartial.

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Sentencing in Hunter Bidens Delaware conviction is set for November 13.

He could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.
Israeli strikes in the occupied West Bank killed six people, including the son of a prominent jailed militant, say Palestinian health officials.

Israel has been carrying out large-scale raids in the territory over the past week which it says are aimed at dismantling militant groups and preventing attacks.

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The Palestinians fear a widening of the war in Gaza.



Palestinians look at a damaged car following an Israeli airstrike in Tubas, West Bank (Majdi Mohammed/AP)

The strikes overnight in the northern West Bank town of Tubas killed six people, including Mohammed Zubeidi, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Thursday.

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His father, Zakaria Zubeidi, was a well-known militant commander during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s and took part in a rare jail break in 2021 before being arrested and returned to prison days later.

The Israeli military said it conducted three airstrikes in Tubas on militants who threatened its soldiers.

Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials say an Israeli strike on a tent camp in Gaza killed four men and wounded two children.

The strike early on Thursday hit an encampment near the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah.

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Hospital officials confirmed the toll and an Associated Press reporter saw the bodies.

The military said a fighter was killed in an airstrike in the built-up Al-Faraa refugee camp after allegedly hurling a firebomb at Israeli forces.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem (Abir Sultan/AP)

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The Israeli military said it carried out a precise strike on a command and control centre operated by Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group that was embedded in a humanitarian zone.

The nearly 11-month-long war has displaced about 90% of Gazas 2.3 million people, often multiple times.

Israel has ordered mass evacuations into so-called humanitarian zones but occasionally carries out strikes there as well.

A woman who identified herself as Umm Mohammed Wadi said she was staying in a tent close to where the strike occurred.

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What did they do to be struck while sleeping? she said. No hospital is safe, nor any school or home.

Israel says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians.



A demonstrator with his hands tied calls for a ceasefire deal and immediate release of hostages held in Gaza during a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)

The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 40,861 Palestinians have been killed and more than 94,000 wounded since the start of the war.

It does not differentiate between civilians and fighters in its toll.

The war began after Hamas launched a wide-scale attack into Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people.

Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, about a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a ceasefire in November.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the countrys waters.

Mr Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following Chinas accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory.

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Malaysias Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on August 29.





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We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory, Mr Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijings controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The diplomatic note also expressed Beijings displeasure over Malaysias oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.

Advertisement

Mr Anwar said it was not the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it should not mar a strong relationship.

Mr Anwar had called China a true friend during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.



Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures as he speaks upon his arrival at the International Airport in Vladivostok, Russia (Yulia Egorova/AP)

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We have said that we will not transgress other peoples borders, Mr Anwar said.

They know our position They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory.

That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory.

But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.

Advertisement

Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijings claims to almost the entire South China Sea.

Unlike the Philippines which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysias government prefers diplomatic channels.

It rarely criticises Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysias waters.

This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysias top trading partner since 2009.
Stephen Chamberlain, an associate of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, died in hospital three days after a car crested a humpback bridge and struck him while he was out running, an inquest heard.

Caroline Jones, area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said 52-year-old Mr Chamberlains medical cause of death was recorded as traumatic head injury.

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She told an inquest in Alconbury: A vehicle travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 crested a humpback bridge and was presented with a runner crossing the road from the nearside to the offside between two parts of a bridleway.

She said the car struck Mr Chamberlain, causing him significant injuries.

Cambridgeshire Police said the collision happened on August 17th.

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A view of the sign for the village of Stretham in Cambridgeshire, near where Stephen Chamberlain was killed while out running (Sam Russell/ PA)

Miss Jones said Mr Chamberlain was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and his death was formally confirmed at 3.50am on August 20th.

Police investigations remain ongoing, therefore no further date has been fixed for these proceedings to resume, Miss Jones said.

I adjourn todays hearing to a date to be fixed at the end of police investigations and any possible prosecutions.

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I extend my condolences to the family of Stephen Chamberlain.

Tech tycoon Mr Lynch died after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in his US trial and, alongside Mr Lynch, was cleared earlier this year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

Relatives of Mr Chamberlain said in an earlier tribute released through police that he was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend.

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He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible, his family said.

He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Stephen Chamberlain, who was hit by a car while out running, and died in hospital three days later. (Cambridgeshire Police/PA)

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He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.

Cambridgeshire Police previously issued an appeal for witnesses after Mr Chamberlain was in collision with a blue Vauxhall Corsa car on the A1123 Newmarket Road near Stretham.

The force said the car was travelling between Stretham and Wicken when the collision happened at about 10.10am.

Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and was assisting with inquiries.

Gary Lincenberg, Mr Chamberlains lawyer, said in an earlier statement: Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car  while out running.

He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.

Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.

HP acquired Cambridge-based Autonomy, founded by Mr Lynch in 1996, for 11 billion US dollars (8.35 billion), but later wrote down its value by 8.8 billion US dollars (6.68 billion) and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud.

Mr Chamberlain, a former vice-president of finance at the company, was accused of artificially inflating Autonomys revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators in 2018.

Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.
New Zealands Maori chiefs have crowned a new queen in a traditional ceremony which also laid to rest King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

Nga Wai Hono i te Po, the youngest child of the late monarch, became the second Maori queen, kuini in the native language, in a tradition dating back to 1858.

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Her father died on Friday following heart surgery, just days after the 18th anniversary of his coronation.



A waka, a traditional canoe, is paddled by warriors on the Waikato River as part of the funeral of New Zealands Maori King (Alan Gibson/AP)

Mourners flocked to the North Island town of Ngaruawahia on Thursday to pay final respects to the late monarch and witness the ascension to the throne of the 27-year-old Queen Nga Wai.

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As she was escorted onto Turangawaewae marae  an ancestral meeting place, where her fathers casket lay draped in feathered cloaks  cheers rang out among thousands crowded around TV screens outside and waiting along the banks of the Waikato River to glimpse the funeral procession.

After her ascension, Queen Nga Wai accompanied the late kings coffin in a flotilla of traditional canoes along the river as he was guided by Maori warriors to his final resting place.

The events marked the end of a week-long funeral rite for the late king, 69, who had in recent months rallied New Zealands indigenous people to unity in the face of a more racially divisive political culture.

He became king after his mothers death in 2006 and on Thursday was buried alongside her in an unmarked grave on Taupiri Maunga, a mountain of spiritual significance to his iwi, or tribe.

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His daughters ascension represents the rise of a new generation of Maori leaders in New Zealand, one which grew up steeped in a resurging language that had once almost died out.



Crowds gather outside Turangawaewae Marae for the funeral of New Zealands Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII (Alan Gibson/AP)

The Kingitanga, or Maori royalty movement has a ceremonial mandate rather than a legal one and was formed after the British colonisation of New Zealand to unite tribes in resistance to forced sales of indigenous land and the loss of the Maori language and culture.

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After a centre-right government took power in New Zealand last November and began to enact policies reversing recognition of the Maori language, people and customs, the late monarch took the unusual step in January of calling a national meeting of tribes which was attended by 10,000 people.

The best protest we can make right now is being Maori. Be who we are. Live our values. Speak our reo, he told them, using the Maori word for language. Just be Maori. Be Maori all day, every day. We are here. We are strong.

Tuheitia urged New Zealanders to embrace the concept of kotahitanga  unity of purpose  in a cause that he said had room for everyone.

His words were echoed throughout the days of his funeral, including by political leaders whose plans he had rallied to oppose.

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In a reflection of the place that Maori language and customs have grown to hold in New Zealands public life in recent decades, his funeral was attended not only by Maori tribes but by leaders of all political parties, past prime ministers, leaders of Pacific Island nations, diplomats and representatives of the British crown.





A message of condolence from The King to the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, following the death of Kiingi Tuheitia.



Please follow the link to read His Majestys message in full: https://t.co/S1tQJs0rti pic.twitter.com/pk0ukWq4rZ  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) August 29, 2024

Tens of thousands of ordinary people also flocked there. Many spoke to each other in Maori, a language that had steadily waned after colonization until activists in the 1970s provoked its renaissance. Among their initiatives was the establishment of Maori language pre-schools, the first graduates of which are now young adults.

The late king, a truck driver before he took the throne, was a surprise appointment to the monarchy, which is chosen by a council and is not required to be hereditary.

But the new queen was groomed for the role and had accompanied her father in his work during recent years.

Her ascension comes at a fraught political moment. Since 1858, the Kingitanga has championed Maori sovereignty and the other promises of modern New Zealands founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the Crown and Maori tribes.

In the years since, translation issues and attempts to reinterpret the treaty have at times provoked conflict, which has in recent months flared again.
A man killed in a shootout with police in Munich was an 18-year-old citizen of neighbouring Austria, police have said.

Authorities believed the teenager may have planned an attack on the Israeli Consulate in the German city.

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The suspect was fatally wounded near the consulate and a museum on the citys Nazi-era history after officers were alerted to a man carrying a gun in the Karolinenplatz area at around 9am on Thursday.

The suspect, who was carrying an old long gun with a bayonet attached to it, died at the scene.



Police officers block a street after the incident in Munich (Matthias Schrader/AP)

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There was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesman Andreas Franken told reporters.

Five officers were at the scene at the time the gunfire erupted. Police quickly deployed around 500 officers to the area.

Police said the gunman was an 18-year-old from Austria, but investigators were still looking into his motive.

They did not give further details on the suspect, who left a car near the scene.

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We have to assume that an attack on the Israeli Consulate possibly was planned early today, Bavarias top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, told reporters at the scene.

Its obvious that, if someone parks here within sight of the Israeli Consulate then starts shooting, it most probably isnt a coincidence.



Police officers stand next to their vehicles after the incident in Munich (Matthias Schrader/AP)

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Thursday was the 52nd anniversary of the attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which ended with the death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants.

There may be a connection  that must be cleared up, Bavarian governor Markus Soder said.

Police said they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects.

In Austrias Salzburg province, police said the suspect, an Austrian with Bosnian roots, had come to authorities attention in February 2023.

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They said that, following a dangerous threat against fellow students coupled with bodily harm, he had also been accused of involvement in a terror organisation.

There was a suspicion that he had become religiously radicalised, was active online in that context and was interested in explosives and weapons, a police statement said, but prosecutors closed an investigation in April 2023.

However, authorities did ban him from owning weapons until at least the beginning of 2028. Police said he had not come to their attention since.



Police officers block a street after the incident in Munich (Matthias Schrader/AP)

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed when the shooting occurred and that none of its staff had been hurt.

The nearby Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the citys past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the shooting.

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described Thursdays shooting as a serious incident but said she didnt want to speculate on what had happened.

She reiterated that the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority.
A teenage boy charged with killing four people at his high school in Georgia was interviewed last year by police about anonymous online threats, the FBI said.

The 14-year-old opened fire at his high school outside Atlanta, killing four people and wounding nine.

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The teen has been charged as an adult in the deaths of Apalachee High School students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, along with instructors Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey said at a news conference.



Mourners pray during a candlelight vigil for the students and teachers killed at Apalachee High School in Georgia Mike Stewart/AP)

At least nine other people  eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder, about an hours drive northeast of Atlanta  were taken to hospitals with injuries.

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All were expected to survive, Barrow County sheriff Jud Smith said.

The teen, now 14, is to be taken to a regional youth detention facility on Thursday.

Armed with an assault-style rifle, the teen turned the gun on students in a hallway at the school when classmates refused to open the door for him to return to his algebra classroom, classmate Lyela Sayarath said.

The teen had earlier left the second period algebra classroom, and Miss Sayarath believed the quiet student who recently transferred was skipping school again.

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But he returned later and wanted to get back into the classroom.

Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.

Im guessing they saw something, but for some reason they didnt open the door, Miss Sayarath said.

When she looked at him through a window in the door, she saw the student turn and heard a barrage of gunshots.

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It was about 10 or 15 of them at once, back-to-back, she said.

The students ducked onto the floor and sporadically crawled around, looking for a safe corner to hide.

Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Mr Hosey said.

The teen immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.

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The teen had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The sheriffs office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them.

The teen also denied making any online threats.

The sheriffs office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest or additional action, the FBI said.

Local news outlets reported that law enforcement on Wednesday searched the teens family home in Bethlehem, Georgia, east of the high school.

All the students that had to watch their teachers and their fellow classmates die, the ones that had to walk out of the school limping, that looked traumatised, Miss Sayarath said.

Thats the consequence of the action of not taking control.

Authorities were still looking into how the teen obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school with about 1,900 students.

It was the the latest among dozens of school shootings across the US in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas.

The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms.

But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.
Dr. Kristen Darville-Gardner and Sherwin Gardner | Bill Carpenter

Brooklyn, NY  Caribbean gospel artist, Sherwin Gardner, was has honored at the second annual Caribbean Gospel Music Awards at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY on August 29, 2024. Gardner was honored for his contributions to the Caribbean gospel music community over the last 30 years. However, the first nine months of this year have been the biggest of Gardners career to date. His January release, Find Me Here (Blessings Fine Me), has amassed over 1.6 billion TikTok views, over 3 million user generated creations, and 18 million digital streams.



Legendary performers such as Marcia Griffiths, Alison Hinds, and Cedella Marley were among the nights biggest honorees and artists such as Shaggy were presenters. Being honored alongside icons like Marcia Griffiths and Cedella Marley is beyond humbling, Gardner says. To be recognized as the first Caribbean gospel artist at this event is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the power and reach of gospel music from our region. I am grateful for the opportunity to carry the mantle forward and continue leading the charge to take Caribbean gospel music to the world.



Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuRRNvGlYbs



Gardner attended the show with his wife Dr. Kristen Darville-Gardner and his manager, Indigo Grant. His award was presented by the Queen of Dancehall, Spice. She called it a universal anthem and said, If thats not a proud moment for the Caribbean people, I dont know what is. After Gardner came to the stage, he sang a few lines of Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me) a cappella before giving a heartfelt acceptance speech. This award is only the beginning of what I believe will be a new era for Caribbean gospel music, Gardner says. The success of Blessings Find Me Here is a clear indication that there is a global hunger for the message we carry. I am committed to continuing this journey, spreading the gospel through music, and ensuring that Caribbean gospel music has its rightful place on the world stage.

During the festivities, Gardner met a roomful of the whos who in the Caribbean music community. Among the luminaries he was photographed with were DJ Cassidy of Kill the Lights fame. Teddyson John, and Mojo and Gramps of the family band, Morgan Heritage. Next up for Gardner is a September tour in the United Kingdom.






Brisbane author Melissa Lucashenko has won the Queensland Premiers Award for literature for the second time with her novel Edenglassie.

Set in Brisbane in the 1840s and the present day, Edenglassie won the $30,000 prize, which Lucashenko previously won in 2019 for her book Too Much Lip.

All awards are great, but this is a special one for a Brisbane girl, Lucashenko said.

I find it bizarre when people dont know the stories of the place that they live, said Brisbane author Melissa Lucashenko. Credit: Joe Ruckli

It makes you feel like four years slaving over a hot laptop wasnt a complete waste of time.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ballet audiences know how the story goes. The prince meets his princess and they either live happily ever after or are plunged into despair when love goes awry. All very beautiful, and all very expected. But when the Australian Ballet unleashes its latest work this month  about the witty, openly gay writer Oscar Wilde  audiences will see something far less predictable. For the companys artistic director, David Hallberg  who performed the prince who meets his princess countless times during his dancing career  its a proud moment. Ballet has always told heteronormative stories, he says. Im proud that were boldly telling a story that actually isnt told so often, and maybe ballet has actually been scared to tell. When I think about it, I think embarrassingly, ballet as an art form hasnt had the courage to tell a story like this. For the man commissioned by Hallberg to create Oscar  acclaimed British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon  such a move was long overdue. Callum Linnane, photographed at the Regent Theatre, stars in Oscar for The Australian Ballet. Credit: Jason South Ive wanted to do a real ballet that represents queer culture, just because it doesnt  in a major storytelling way, anyway  really exist, he says during a break in rehearsals at the companys Melbourne headquarters. There have, of course, been ballets with suggestions of and underlying themes. For example, theres a moment in Woolf Works, with Virginia Woolf in Wayne [McGregors] wonderful piece that he made for the Royal Ballet  in [the act inspired by] Mrs. Dalloway, two women kiss but in a much more abstract, non-linear way. For me, as a gay man, I just thought its time we had a big, gay, full-length-story ballet.

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Oscar is a huge leap from the fairytale scenarios of the worlds most popular ballets  think Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Cinderella  in which boys and girls take their traditional places. Hallberg wanted a new narrative for Oscar, his first full-length commission for the company. When he first spoke to Wheeldon about creating a work for the Australian Ballet, it didnt take long for them to land on the brilliant, charming, hilarious, occasionally caustic Irish-born author. The pair had known each other for more than 20 years, Hallberg says, but this was new territory. Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon during rehearsals with dancers Joseph Caley and Adam Elmes. Credit: Christopher Rodgers-Wilson Unlike other art forms, such as film and visual art, this is a story that isnt normally told in classical ballet, Hallberg says. Moonlight was a fabulous film about repressed homosexuality, he says, also mentioning Call Me by Your Name and Ang Lees Brokeback Mountain. Those are genres that have done better about telling or addressing modern topics, whether that be sexuality, whether that be political, whether that be racism, but ballet has always been a very   His voice trails off. Its a classical art form. Making a ballet about Wilde is inspired and audacious, but given his brilliance with words, how viable was the idea? Could dance possibly do justice to the great writer? If anyone can devise a show that works, its Wheeldon. Having trained at Britains Royal Ballet School, he danced there before heading to the US to join the New York City Ballet, becoming its first resident choreographer.

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Since the end of his dancing career he has carved out a niche as a major choreographer, notably for MJ The Musical, loosely based on Michael Jacksons life (and heading to Sydney next year) and the one-act ballet An American in Paris, for which he won four Tonys. His acclaimed 2011 ballet Alices Adventures in Wonderland returned to Melbourne earlier this year. He also continues in his role as artistic director of the Royal Ballet. During rehearsals for the final scene, Wheeldon is hands-on, illustrating what he wants to see by creating the poses. Six dancers practice their respective moves, while others sit and or stand around the edges, taking in the choreographers commentary. I hadnt sort of finished all the material in the second act leading up to that moment, but I needed to know that my idea for the ending could work, which is why I jumped to it. Sometimes its good to know youve got your beginning, your middle and your end, and then the rest can kind of fill in, he says. Its all evidence of Wheeldons skill as a storyteller. The amazing thing about Chris Wheeldon is that hes a seasoned storyteller and choreographer, says Hallberg. He has the ability to tell a story with quality and with a subject that could maybe be a little uneasy for audiences. There wont be any denying, in my opinion, the fact that he can tell a quality story of something that might be a little bit of a  quote unquote  risk. Hes not afraid of entertaining: he will entertain the audience through movement, through the choreography, through the beauty of his patterns and the set design.

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Wheeldon, 51, remembers his grandfather having a book of Oscar Wildes fairytales, which they loved to read together. The Happy Prince and The Selfish Giant are often referred to as the standouts, but for Wheeldon, it is The Nightingale and the Rose. He once created a one-act version of the story for the New York City Ballet, but it disappeared from the repertoire. When Hallberg asked Wheeldon what he wanted to do for the Australian Ballet, his mind returned to his childhood favourite. It has always really stuck with me. Just the sacrifice and tragedy and beauty and loving nature of the nightingale, its just always been so appealing. Its such a dramatic tale, somebody who is willing to actually die for someone elses love. In the ballet, the writers life story is interwoven with this overlooked fairytale. Female dancers become the nightingale, their movements remarkably bird-like, as key moments in Wildes life are brought to life. During rehearsals, theres an aching tenderness between the men playing the great writer and the women who seem to morph into the loving bird. Its already poignant and powerful, even without the addition of costume and set. Benjamin Garrett and Callum Linnane during rehearsals. Credit: Christopher Rodgers-Wilson Fevered dream sequences and characters from some of the authors best-known works  notably The Picture of Dorian Gray  are interspersed through the show; just two voiceovers feature, one early in the first act and the other at the end. According to Wheeldon, this is not about biographical ballet. Its a collage of Wildes life and moments, of his relationships with men, his wife and his family. Its exploring elements of his life, combined with the parallels of Oscars personality, his ideals and his relationships that he wrote into his stories, because he wrote himself into everything, and that was also something I was excited to explore. Oscar is the companys first work to be staged at the Regent Theatre, while its traditional home, the State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne, is renovated. The more intimate setting brings its staging challenges, but also provides a fittingly lush backdrop for this tale of forbidden love. Sharing the role of Oscar will be Joseph Caley, Callum Linnane and Jarryd Madden, while the nightingale will be danced by Jill Ogai, Ako Kondo and Benedicte Bemet. Music is composed by Joby Talbot, and set and costume design is by Jean-Marc Puissant; the score will be played by Orchestra Victoria in Melbourne.

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Wheeldon recalls seeing Wilde, the 1997 film starring Stephen Fry in the title role, based on Richard Ellmanns 1987 biography. It introduced me to a whole lot of the history of Oscar and his relationships with his family and, of course, the trial. And I just got really fascinated in him as a personality. Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde in the 1997 film Wilde. Wilde, whose lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, is also depicted in the ballet, was prosecuted for gross indecency and spent two years in jail, from May 25, 1895 to May 18, 1897. While he was a literary genius, his colourful life lent itself to theatre. When Im making commissions like this with Chris, I want to tell stories that resonate with audiences, says Hallberg. I think it tells a story that people talk about even today, [not] just a minority population or repressed emotion and feeling. David Hallberg is proud to be telling the story of Oscar Wilde. Credit: Justin McManus Historical accuracy was an important part of making the show. Timothy Jones, a historian of sexuality and religion at La Trobe University, met with the dancers to provide an overview of what life and sexual norms were like in Wildes day. The notion that the Victorians were repressed might be longstanding, but they were obsessed with sex, mad for it, says Jones. They might have had a conservative culture, but they were talking about sex all of the time. By saying what you must not do, youre talking about what people are doing.

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Luke McGregor would have liked to have taken his wife, author Dr Amy Thunig, on the celebrity version of Tens globetrotting competition The Amazing Race. But with Thunig tied up in academia, the comedian turned to his second choice of travel companion: his mum, Julie.

I would have rather shared a hotel room with my wife, says McGregor. But whenever I see Mum, its always Christmas or some family thing, and we hadnt really gone on a holiday together. And I thought Mum would say less problematic things on television than Dad would.

Comedian Luke McGregor and his mum Julie in The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition.

His Rosehaven co-star Celia Pacquola, with whom he would travel with any day, was also busy hosting Thank God Youre Here.

The McGregors chase clues across Argentina, South Africa, Namibia and Thailand, competing against 10 other pairs comprised of at least one celebrity (they include Peter Helliar, Ian Thorpe, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Billy Brownless and Matildas players Chloe Logarzo and Emily Gielnik), all playing for charity. For McGregor, who has until now turned down offers to appear in reality shows, the idea of going around the world and solving puzzles seemed right up my alley.
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Eating outFood Fast-paced, affordable Italian arrives on the James Street of the CBD Doughcraft is cooking Roman-style pinsa (like pizza, but not), house-made pasta and mains, accompanied by cocktails and Italian wines, in a beautiful dining room. Matt Shea September 5, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

When did all the Italian restaurants clear out of the CBD? Coppa Spuntino used to be a post-work go-to on Creek Street. But that venue went the way of the pandemic, and, despite a hugely successful, group-reviving extended pop-up in the former digs of Il Centro (also a COVID casualty), owners Tom Sanceau and Bonnie Shearston currently have the concept on ice while they focus on other projects. Doughcraft on Mary Street is now opening at nights, serving a fast-paced menu of Italian food. Markus Ravik There was Otto at 480 Queen, but it too shifted out of the city during the pandemic to its current waterside digs at South Bank. Which leaves  not much. Theres Guy Grossis Settimo at The Westin on Mary Street, but its an upmarket spot suited for occasion dining. Simone Presta wanted to create something more casual and approachable.

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Exclusive One of citys best young chefs to open restaurant in heritage church I absolutely noticed that lack of Italian restaurants in the city, Presta says. We have Scugnizzi, of course [a hole-in-the-wall on Adelaide Street opened in 2023 by Presta and chef Carmine Guarino] and now Doughcraft, but theres not too much else. City slickers might know Doughcraft as a French-Italian bakery that expanded from its original Albion home in February into the former Mary Street digs of Leonards Bar & Bistro. But now Presta and co-owners Steven Chevalier and Salvatore Compagnone are opening the venue at night as a casual, fast-paced Italian restaurant with a menu thats loosely anchored in Rome but takes inspiration from around the peninsula and beyond. Doughcrafts menu is designed to be affordable, with none of the pastas priced over $34 and the mains $48. Markus Ravik You look at this place and it gives you that dining vibe, Presta says. Its meant to be utilised from sunrise to sunset.

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Im Italian, and one of my business partners [Chevalier] is French. Hes doing his thing with the bakery with imported butter from France and a team of French bakers  and I want to do my thing: Italian dining  pasta and pinsa. Squid ink baccala mantecato and potato ravioli with a puttanesca sauce and stracciatella. Markus Ravik Dont know pinsa? Its a Roman flatbread similar to pizza but with a base made from soy, rice and wholegrain flours that (at Doughcraft) is fermented for 48 hours. Presta reckons its lighter to eat, easier to digest and it comes with a crunchier base than, say, a Napoli pizza, despite being cooked at a lower temperature in Doughcrafts bread oven. Here, its almost like a gourmet pizza, because we apply the condiments to each slice rather than put it all over the top, Presta says. Market fish with salsa verde, orange fennel and balck olive salad, and grilled lemon. Markus Ravik

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There are eight pinsas on Doughtcrafts menu including a margherita (tomato, buffalo mozzarella and crystallised basil), a tartufo (mushrooms, Italian sausage, provola and black truffle), a mortazza (mortadella with sun-dried cherry tomatoes, pistachio and stracciatella) and the Sfizio (cured salmon with rocket, whipped buffalo mozzarella, beetroot and lemon zest). Away from pinsa, Rome-born head chef Edoardo Bianchini is cooking house-made pasta such as a crab meat spaghetti with a white-wine reduction, chilli, breadcrumbs, garlic and lemon zest; gnocchi in pumpkin sauce with feta cheese, fried kale and toasted almonds; and a beef brisket fettuccine ragu with porcini mushrooms, a red wine reduction, tomato sauce and parmesan. Brisbanes most exciting restaurant openings of 2024 (so far) A short selection of main plates includes grilled free-range spatchcock with rosemary potatoes and grilled lemon, grilled tiger prawns with lardo, a cannelini bean cream, sweet paprika and lemon zest, and a 300-gram roasted sirloin with rocket, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and vincotto. Its all as approachable as promised, with none of the pastas priced over $34 and the mains $48.

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Arancini with speck, fontina and peas. Markus Ravik There are so many Italian restaurants in Brisbane, so we wanted to create something different with a little twist, Presta says. For drinks, the cocktail list has been expanded from Doughcrafts previously tight aperitivo hour selection and includes a bunch of twists on the classics, and the venue now serves a 40-bottle wine list that focuses mainly on Italian and French drops. We have the Kangaroo Point Bridge being built right here and the casino just up the road. So this little corner is going to be the James Street of the city. Simone Presta The premises themselves remain mostly unchanged from their days as Leonards, with its fetching exposed brick walls, mosaic tiled floors, and curtains and timber of the dining room.

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But Presta, Chevalier and Compagnone have added new table lamps. Along with the new (as of February) art on the walls, it gives the restaurant a livelier feel, and its difficult to argue with Prestas thought that its a space meant to be seen at night. Doughcrafts bar is serving a cocktail menu that twists the classics and a 40-bottle wine list. Markus Ravik He also thinks of Doughcraft as part of a new CBD food precinct, with Settimo located just up Mary Street, Naldham House reopening across Felix Street and the old Buffalo Bar now being refurbished. We have the Kangaroo Point Bridge being built right here and the casino just up the road, Presta says. So this little corner is going to be the James Street of the city. Open Mon 7am-2pm; Tue-Fri 7am-2pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat 5pm-10pm

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181 Mary Street, Brisbane, 0431 553 833 doughcraftbne.com
Government briefing documents are being blocked from release in NSW and cloaked in secrecy for a decade on the basis they contain cabinet information while the same kinds of documents are released federally.

Former senator-turned-transparency advocate Rex Patrick and NSW independent MP Helen Dalton are locked in a fight with the Minns government over access to the documents, including a brief on child protection policy.

Documents released federally under freedom of information laws are being blocked from being released in NSW. Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Patrick applied this year under NSWs freedom of information regime, the Government Information (Public Access) Act (GIPA), for budget estimates and question time briefing documents prepared by public servants to help government officials and MPs answer questions in parliament.

He was knocked back on two bases, including that the documents were cabinet information. Patrick, a former independent senator for South Australia, and Dalton, who represents the regional electorate of Murray in the NSW southwest, say this is wrong.
Its a 15-hour drive from the bright lights of Queenslands capital city, but kids at this independent Townsville school are academically outshining students from Brisbane schools.

The Cathedral School of St Anne & St James, in the Townsville suburb of Mundingburra, scored up to 36 points higher on its Year 9 NAPLAN scores this year than the average Year 9 student in Queenslands major cities, including Brisbane.

Its not the only regional Queensland school to punch above its weight. In fact, Queensland is better at narrowing the educational gap between city and country than New South Wales, despite the Sunshine State being twice its size.

The Cathedral School of St Anne & St James in Townsville is punching above its weight academically, outperforming city schools in Brisbane, on average.

The Townsville schools Year 9 students, in outer regional Australia, scored 35 points higher in their average NAPLAN scores in reading this year, at 596, than students in Queenslands major cities, which includes Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
A woman has been killed every four days in 2024. We bring you stories of lives lost in recent years. Some of the cases featured are still before the courts.

Women and children will gain more support to flee domestic violence under a $702 million plan to be put to national cabinet on Friday after a federal review warned frontline services could not cope with the growing calls for help.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will outline plans for more services to support the victim-survivors of sexual and family violence to be jointly funded by federal, state and territory governments.

Premiers and chief ministers sent a warning to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday about the pressure on their budgets when they were already spending about $7 billion over four years to stop family and sexual violence. Credit: Trevor Collens

A separate deal is likely to guarantee federal funding for legal services under a $3.4 billion partnership agreement for the next five years, including money for legal aid and services for Indigenous Australians.

The proposals have eased days of tension after the premiers and chief ministers sent a warning to Albanese on Monday about the pressure on their budgets when they were already spending about $7 billion over four years to stop family and sexual violence.
New South Wales and Queensland follow

Following closely behind, New South Wales boasts an average of $304 per night for Airbnb hosts, with annual earnings of $17,483. However, despite the attractive figures, it takes around 33 years to pay off a mortgage in the state.
Brokers come to us because they dont need to be familiar with every policy or product themselves, Liu said. They rely on us as their broker to handle the details. Our team works on the deal, provides expertise, and offers solutions.
Grimms background and ASIC action

Grimm, along with his company Ostrava Equities, had previously been involved in financial misconduct that led to ASICs successful action to wind up multiple entities connected to him, including Ostrava Asset Management and Ostrava Wealth Management. Grimm had been banned from providing financial services following these actions.
Malaysia Stands Firm on Oil Drilling Rights in South China Sea Amid Rising Tensions with China (Photo: Chatham House, London/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY 2.0 )

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Thursday that the nation will continue its oil and gas exploration activities in the South China Sea, despite China's objections. Speaking from Vladivostok, Russia, where he is on an official visit, Anwar emphasized that these activities are well within Malaysia's territorial waters and are not intended to provoke or antagonize Beijing, with whom Malaysia maintains amicable relations.

"Of course, we will have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil, in our territory," Anwar declared during a televised press conference. He acknowledged that China has sent "one or two" protest notes regarding Malaysia's exploration activities but maintained that Malaysia's operations are lawful and within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). "We have never denied the possibility of discussion (with China). But it doesn't mean we have to stop the operation in our area," Anwar added.

The controversy stems from China's expansive claims in the South China Sea, marked by the so-called "nine-dash line" that Beijing uses to assert sovereignty over nearly the entire maritime region. This claim overlaps with the 200-nautical-mile EEZs of several Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, and Taiwan. An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled in 2016 that China's claims had no legal basis under international law, a decision Beijing has consistently rejected.

Anwar's comments came in response to a diplomatic protest note from China, which was leaked and published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on August 29. The note accused Malaysia of infringing on Chinese territory through its oil exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, an area located off the coast of Sarawak state on Borneo Island. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry has since launched an investigation into the leak of the classified document.

Despite the diplomatic tension, Anwar was careful to emphasize that Malaysia's policy is not one of aggression. "We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course, we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory," he explained. Anwar reiterated that Malaysia respects the sovereignty of other nations and expects the same respect in return.

This is not the first time Malaysia has faced such protests from China. However, unlike the Philippines, which has often publicly clashed with Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Malaysia has traditionally favored quieter diplomatic channels. This approach is partly driven by the desire to preserve strong economic ties with China, which has been Malaysia's top trading partner since 2009.

Anwar's comments highlight Malaysia's delicate balancing act in navigating its relationship with China while asserting its rights under international law. The South China Sea is rich in natural resources, and the area near Sarawak is of particular interest due to its potential for significant oil and gas reserves. Malaysian state energy firm Petronas operates in this region and has had several encounters with Chinese vessels in recent years.

The Prime Minister's firm stance is a clear message to Beijing that Malaysia will not be deterred from exercising its rights within its EEZ. "They know our position," Anwar said. "They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory. But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen."
Hunan-Africa cooperation: Building China-Africa relations from the provincial level

13:15, September 05, 2024 By Michael Kurtagh ( People's Daily Online

A press briefing on the cooperation between China's Hunan Province and Africa is held in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

Central China's Hunan Province is one of the provinces leading the way in China in promoting China-Africa relations. A press briefing on Sept. 4 at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was held discussing cooperation between Hunan and Africa. Led by Dai Zhiguang, deputy director-general of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and Deng Weiping, deputy director-general of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, the briefing went into great depth on how the province is working with Africa.

Frequent high-level exchanges

Hunan has been active in arranging high-level exchanges with Africa, including both visits from Hunan leaders to Africa as well as African leaders visiting the province.

Since 2019, leaders from Hunan province have made eight visits to the African continent, visiting over ten countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Through a series of high-level meetings with African leaders, forums, and the establishment of sister-city agreements, these visits have resulted in stronger trust and friendship as well as collaborative development.

In the other direction, Hunan has supported visits from African leaders to the province.

In the past five years, the province has played host to eight state visits by the leaders of African countries, including the Presidents of Malawi and Uganda, the Speaker of Burundi's Parliament, and the Deputy Speaker of Morocco.

The visits of African leaders have included meetings with Hunan provincial leadership, inspections of projects related to Africa, the signing of cooperation agreements, and the further elevation of relations between the two sides.

Events like the "Hunan Tour for African Ambassadors to China", the "Training Program for African Diplomats", and the "Hunan-Africa Local Industry Cooperation Conference" have all enhanced mutual understanding between Hunan and Africa, and have laid a solid foundation for future cooperation between the two sides.

Hosting key events

The hosting of events has been a major tool in developing Hunan-Africa relations.

Of the events, at the forefront is the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE). The event was first held in June 2019, and was the first of three consecutive sessions held in Hunan.

The first CAETE, themed "Win-Win Cooperation, Pragmatically Advancing China-Africa Economic and Trade Relations," set the tone for future engagements. The event saw the participation of over 160 senior officials from China and Africa, along with representatives from 53 African countries. With 81 cooperative projects signed, totaling $20.12 billion, the expo laid the groundwork for robust economic partnerships.

The subsequent expos in 2021 and 2023 continued to build on this success, with an increasing number of participants and signed agreements.

The third CAETE in 2023, themed "Shared Development, Shared Future," marked the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative and underscored the vitality of China-Africa cooperation. It had more than 1,700 Chinese and African enterprises, business associations, and financial institutions, with over 1,700 foreign guests and 10,000 domestic attendees. Representatives from 53 African countries were present, and 120 cooperative agreements and projects totaling $10.3 billion were signed.

In addition to CAETE, Hunan also hosted the 7th China-Africa People's Forum and the 7th China-Africa Youth Leaders Forum in 2024, which brought together high-level officials, youth leaders, and representatives from NGOs and think tanks. These forums fostered discussions on deepening China-Africa cooperation and building a high-level community with a shared future.

Expanding practical cooperation

Hunan has taken significant steps to expand practical cooperation with Africa, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture, and livelihood. The province's trade with Africa reached 55.67 billion yuan ($7.83 billion) in 2023, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 23.1 percent over the past three years. The hosting of CAETE in Hunan has been a catalyst for this growth, injecting strong momentum into China-Africa economic cooperation.

The Hunan China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion and Innovation Demonstration Park has played host to the development of over 100 African brand products, forming over 10 import and export industrial chains, including coffee and cashews.

One of the most notable areas of cooperation is agriculture. Hunan, as the birthplace of hybrid rice, has leveraged its expertise to promote agricultural development in Africa. For instance, Yuan's Seed Industry, a major international leader in hybrid rice, has successfully implemented a full industrial chain for hybrid rice in Madagascar, significantly alleviating food security challenges in the region. This model of "government-led, enterprise-driven, and market-operated" cooperation serves as an excellent example for other agricultural enterprises in Hunan.

In addition to agriculture, Hunan has also made strides in promoting livelihood cooperation. The province has undertaken over 40 African agricultural cooperation projects, including the renovation of agricultural technology stations and the construction of agricultural demonstration centers. Hunan's medical teams have also played a crucial role in enhancing healthcare in Africa, with the province sending 57 batches of medical professionals to Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. These efforts have earned Hunan a reputation for its commitment to improving the quality of life in African countries.

Improving channels and platforms

To sustain and deepen its cooperation with Africa, Hunan has focused on improving channels and platforms for collaboration. The Furong Block of the Changsha Area in the Hunan Free Trade Zone has become a new hub for China-Africa cooperation, facilitating exchanges and economic cooperation. The establishment of offshore industrial innovation and exchange centers by countries like Malawi, Liberia, and Madagascar at Hunan Agricultural University exemplifies the integration of industry, academia, and research.

Another significant development is the opening of the Malawian Consulate General in Changsha in 2023. This marks the first consulate general established by an African country in Hunan and the first by Malawi in China, further strengthening bilateral ties.

Hunan's universities have also played a vital role in fostering cultural and educational bonds, enrolling over 2,000 students from more than 40 African countries and promoting cultural exchanges through events like the "Hunan Africa Art Festival."

Hunan's efforts to improve logistics and connectivity with Africa have also been noteworthy. The province has established a comprehensive logistics channel from Zhuzhou to key African ports and interior regions, facilitating trade and enhancing the efficiency of supply chains. The launch of direct passenger and cargo flights between Changsha and African cities like Nairobi and Addis Ababa has further strengthened Hunan's connectivity with Africa.

Hunan's multifaceted approach to enhancing cooperation with Africa has yielded significant results, contributing to the deepening of China-Africa relations. Hunan has positioned itself as a crucial player in Africa, and as Hunan continues to build on these achievements, the province's partnership with Africa is poised to grow even stronger, benefiting both sides and contributing to the realization of a shared future.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has urged the Karnataka government to take appropriate action following concerns raised over delays in onboarding fresh graduates at Infosys, a major player in the IT sector, according to a report by Moneycontrol.

The ministry instructed the Karnataka State Labour Commissioners Office to address the situation and ensure compliance with relevant labour regulations. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

A letter from the ministry dated September 3 highlighted that intervention had been sought to safeguard these graduates from potentially exploitative corporate practices. The letter added that since the Karnataka government holds authority under applicable labour laws, the state was asked to investigate the issue and take necessary steps, keeping both the applicant and the ministry informed, Moneycontrol cited the letter as saying.

Business Standard could not independently verify the details of the report.

This move by the central government gains significance amid reports that Infosys has postponed the onboarding of 2,000 engineering graduates from the 2022 cohort.

Last week, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh assured that all offers extended to freshers would be honoured, though there had been changes to the original timelines.

"Every offer that we have given, that offer will be (for) someone who will join the company. We changed some dates but beyond that everyone will join Infosys and there is no change in that approach," Parekh told PTI.

As of June 2024, the Bengaluru-based IT giant employed 315,000 people.

The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a union representing IT and ITES workers, recently filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment against Infosys over the delayed onboarding of 2,000 engineering graduates. These graduates were selected for system engineer and digital specialist engineer roles during the recruitment drive for 2022-23.

Infosys begins onboarding

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that some of the graduates awaiting onboarding had started receiving confirmation emails from Infosys on Monday. Their joining date has been set for October 7.

In a message to some graduates, Infosys talent acquisition team reportedly wrote, Your scheduled date of joining the company will be October 7, 2024. Your location for employment is Mysore, India.

Since April 2022, these engineering graduatesnumbering around 2,000have faced onboarding delays despite receiving offers for system engineer (SE) and digital SE roles. Their salary packages range between Rs 3.2 lakh and Rs 3.7 lakh annually.

Infosys mounting troubles

In a separate development, Infosys has been hit with a tax demand exceeding Rs 32,000 crore ($4 billion) by Indian authorities. The demand pertains to services the company received from its overseas branches between July 2017 and the 2021-22 financial year. This amount is equivalent to 85 per cent of its revenue for the quarter ending June 30.

Infosys has maintained that it has paid all its legally required dues, with investors also expressing confidence that the company need not provision for this liability. Earlier reports from Reuters suggested that while the tax notice was issued based on current regulations, the Union Finance Ministry now believes it contradicts Indias broader policy of exempting services exports from taxation.
GST relief on health insurance: Council likely to take up 4 options

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in its meeting on Monday is likely to decide on four options regarding tax treatment of health insurance, with the cost to the exchequer potentially ranging from nearly Rs 650 crore to Rs 3,500 crore. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp These four options have emerged from a detailed analysis by the Councils fitment panel, which includes revenue officials from both central and state governments, and follow a request from the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to reduce taxes on health insurance products to make them more affordable and accessible.

The fitment panel is expected to submit before the Council a detailed report outlining these options, which include a full exemption for all health insurance premiums and reinsurance, or a reduction in the GST rate from 18 per cent to 5 per cent on health insurance services, according to officials in the know.

Other possibilities include exempting premiums paid by senior citizens and premiums with coverage up to Rs 5 lakh, or alternatively, only exempting premiums paid by senior citizens from GST ambit.

Each of these four proposals carries different financial implications: Rs 3,495 crore, Rs 1,730 crore, Rs 2,110 crore, and Rs 645 crore, respectively.

In a separate move, the panel also considered the possibility of exempting life insurance premiums from GST. It recommended limiting the exemption to pure-term individual life policies and reinsurers, a suggestion that carries a likely revenue impact of Rs 210 crore.

However, it stressed that any reduction in life insurance taxes should be contingent upon insurance companies passing on the benefits to policyholders.

The panels recommendations were based on data from the DFS, which showed that total health insurance premiums in India during FY23 were Rs 90,032 crore, with the individual health insurance segment accounting for Rs 35,300 crore, or 39 per cent of the total. At the current 18 per cent GST rate, the government collected Rs 6,354 crore on individual health insurance premiums.

The DFS argues that reducing GST on health insurance would help address India's low insurance penetration by lowering premiums, encouraging more people to purchase insurance, and opting for higher coverage.

It also believes that increasing the number of insured individuals would offset the short-term loss in GST revenue, supporting the central government's efforts towards providing a minimum of social coverage net for every citizen and aligning with the Insurance for All vision for 2047.

In her reply to the amendments to the Finance Bill, 2024, on August 7, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated: Tax has been there on medical insurance even before the introduction of GST. There was already a pre-GST tax on medical insurance before GST was introduced. This is not a new issue; it was already there in all the states. Her statement was in response to the Rajya Sabha MPs demanding removal of the GST levied on medical insurance.

Also, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had written to Sitharaman to remove the 18 per cent GST on life and medical insurance premiums. He argued that this tax burdened the uncertainties of life and hindered the sectors development.
While many aspects of the deal have been settled, some key issues remain unresolved. The Indian delegation last visited the UK in April to address some of these matters. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) appears to be on hold for now. The newly elected United Kingdom (UK) government is yet to form a team to negotiate the 14th round of FTA talks with India. However, this process is likely to be finalised shortly, according to a report by Moneycontrol. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The UK-India FTA, aimed at providing Britain with access to Indian markets while opening the British market to Indian businesses, was initiated in January 2024. There were hopes of completing the agreement before both countries faced general elections. So far, 13 rounds of talks have been completed by 2023, but the 14th round was halted, largely due to election schedules.

The FTA talks have yet to resume because the UK has not yet appointed its negotiating team, the report added. Negotiations were initially set to continue in July, following elections in both nations, but delays have persisted.

In the UK, the Labour Party won, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. During his first visit to India in July, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasised the importance of securing the FTA with India.

The trade agreement was featured in the manifestos of both major UK political parties.

While many aspects of the deal have been settled, some key issues remain unresolved. The Indian delegation last visited the UK in April to address some of these matters.

A major point of contention has been localisation rules for British car manufacturers seeking benefits. Another area still under discussion is the import of whiskey from the UK.

India-UK trade has declined over the years

The UKs share of Indias trade has seen a decline over the last decade. In the financial year 2023-24 (FY24), the two countries traded goods worth $21.3 billion, representing 1.9 per cent of Indias overall trade, down from 2.1 per cent in FY14.

While Indias total trade grew at an annualised rate of 3.8 per cent between FY14 and FY24, trade with the UK lagged, growing at only 3 per cent annually.

In addition to the FTA, the two countries are collaborating on research. During his visit to India, Lammy announced the Technology and Security Initiative, which aims to promote cooperation on critical minerals, advanced materials, health tech, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors.

This initiative is a part of the UK-India 2030 roadmap, signed by both nations in 2021.
The central government is considering adjustments to the Agnipath recruitment scheme, according to defence sources cited by India Today. These adjustments may include increasing the retention rate of Agniveers, as well as, revising their compensation and benefits.

These updates are also expected to refine the scheme's overall framework and address criticism and protests from Army aspirants. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

The report stated that senior defence ministry officials are currently discussing plans to boost the retention rate of Agniveers, which would allow more individuals to extend their service beyond the initial four-year period. At present, only 25 per cent of Agniveers are retained after their initial service, a figure seen as inadequate by military experts.

The report quoted a top defence source as saying, "One-fourth is too low a number to be retained to maintain the desired combat strength on the ground. The Army has recommended that the percentage of Agniveers retained should increase to around 50 per cent at the end of the four years."

The Army has already forwarded these recommendations to the government based on internal feedback and surveys from various units.

Defence officials noted that while implementing these changes may take some time, efforts are underway to improve the Agnipath scheme.

What is the Agnipath scheme?

Introduced by the central government in 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to streamline the armed forces and curb the rising defence pension expenses. Under this scheme, individuals, referred to as Agniveers, are enlisted in the Army, Navy, and Air Force on a four-year short-term contract. Each year, only 25 per cent of the recruits are eligible for a permanent commission.

The Agnipath scheme has sparked widespread protests, with potential recruits expressing concerns about their future after the four-year term. The Opposition, led by the Congress party, has called for the scheme's reversal, while members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)have suggested a review. Additionally, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) internal reports indicate that the party faced setbacks in recent Lok Sabha elections in regions with high numbers of defence personnel, the report said.
"The first bilateral PM's visit saw an elevation of our ties to Enhanced Partnership with Brunei," said Jaishankar. | Photo: PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brunei and Singapore is a significant advancement in India's Act East policy, reflecting a deepening of diplomatic and economic ties with these Southeast Asian nations. "Prime Minister@narendramodi's visit to Brunei and Singapore is a significant step in our Act East policy early in his third term," posted Jaishankar on X. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Notably, PM Modi announced that the ties between India and Brunei have been elevated to level of Enhanced Partnership. This was the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The historic visit of Prime Minister coincides with the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei.

"The first bilateral PM's visit saw an elevation of our ties to Enhanced Partnership with Brunei," said Jaishankar.

In Brunei, the visit resulted in the elevation of the bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Partnership. This new status signifies a robust framework for increasing collaboration across various sectors. The 'Enhanced Partnership' will focus on expanding trade, investment, and technological cooperation.

Both nations have committed to leveraging their respective strengths to foster economic growth and innovation. Brunei, with its rich natural resources and strategic location, offers significant opportunities for Indian investments, while India's technological prowess and investment capabilities are expected to bolster Brunei's economic diversification efforts.

Modi's visit to Singapore ushered in a new era of bilateral relations as the two countries agreed to upgrade their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This elevated relationship is designed to foster deeper cooperation in key areas such as defense, technology, and economic development.

"With Singapore, the evolution to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership marks the new phase of our ties. The visit to the semiconductor testing facility is one facet; the establishment of a Thiruvalluvar center another. Heartening to hear appreciation for the reforms of the last decade. Equally, the enthusiasm to deepen cooperation in the third term," posted Jaishankar on X

A key highlight of the visit was the Prime Minister's tour of a semiconductor testing facility, underscoring the growing importance of technology and innovation in the partnership. Singapore's advanced technology sector and India's growing tech industry are expected to benefit mutually from this collaboration.

Additionally, the establishment of a Thiruvalluvar center in Singapore represents a cultural and educational initiative aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties and enhancing mutual understanding.

The visit also provided an opportunity for mutual recognition of the significant reforms undertaken by India over the past decade. Leaders from both Brunei and Singapore expressed their appreciation for India's progress and reforms, which have been pivotal in transforming India into a global economic player.

There was a shared enthusiasm to deepen cooperation and expand the scope of bilateral engagements in the years ahead.

This visit has also been marked by the reaffirmation of India's commitment to the Act East policy, which aims to enhance India's strategic presence in the Asia-Pacific region. By strengthening ties with Brunei and Singapore, India is positioning itself as a key player in regional stability and economic development.
Washington, DC, United States (PANA) - The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Post Financing Assessment (PFA) discussions with South Africa and endorsed the Staff Appraisal that the countrys capacity to repay the Fund is assessed as adequate
Rain lashed central Delhi on Thursday evening, with the national capital recording a maximum temperature of 33.6 degree Celsius, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department. The minimum temperature settled at 23.3 degrees Celsius, 2.3 notches below the season's average, the IMD said. The IMD predicted generally cloudy sky with moderate rain on Friday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 33 and 24 degrees Celsius, it said. The humidity oscillated between 69 and 90 per cent. The 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded in the 'satisfactory' category with a reading of 83 at 4 pm, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".

At least four Indian Army personnel were killed in a road accident after their vehicle skidded off the road and fell approximately 700 to 800 feet down the gorge at Vertical Veer, near Dalopchand Dara along Rhenock Rongli state highway, popularly known as Silk Route, officials said.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Unprecedented floods and winds have displaced thousands of families, destroyed homes, and severely damaged critical infrastructure, impacting over half a million people in Yemen, the UN migration agency (IOM) said on Thursday
Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - From celebrities to civil society, a growing number of people around the world are providing unprecedented support for UNRWA, the UN agency supplying a lifeline to two million Palestinians trapped in war-torn Gaza
FADA is raising SOS signals as PV sales fell by 3.46 per cent month-on-month and 4.53 per cent year-on-year | Photo: Shutterstock

Retail sales of passenger vehicles (PV) declined by 4.53 per cent in August, hurt by excess rainfall dampening consumer interest, said a dealers' association on Thursday. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp As many as 309,053 PVs were sold in August compared to 323,720 in the same month in 2023, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). Unsold stock stretched to an unprecedented 70-75 days and totals 780,000 vehicles valued at Rs 77,800 crore. PV sales fell by 3.46 per cent month-on-month. Tractor and commercial vehicle (CV) sales dropped by 11.39 per cent and 6.05 per cent but the two-wheeler (2W) and three-wheeler (3W) segments grew 6.28 per cent and 1.63 per cent. Collectively, India's automobile retail market registered a modest year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth of 2.88 per cent in August.

"Excess rainfall has affected enthusiasm in the rural market, resulting in a drop in sales, mainly in two-wheelers. We expect an overall 6 per cent rise in auto retail sales for the entire year," said Manish Raj Singhania, president of FADA. India recorded excess rainfall of 15.9 per cent in August, with the northwest seeing a surplus of 31.4 per cent, 7.2 per cent in the east and northeast, 17.2 per cent in central India. Rainfall was deficient by 1.3 per cent in peninsular India. The monsoon season started with extreme heat waves that delayed the annual rains and then shifted to heavy showers that caused floods in several places.

The two-wheeler market declined 7.29 per cent month-on-month due to excessive rains and flooding but it grew by 6.28 per cent Y-o-Y. The sales gap between market leaders Hero Motocorp (358,616 units) and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (352,605 units) was marginal, with the two companies recording a market share of 26.8 per cent and 26.35 per cent.

"Many customers postponed their purchases, anticipating new product launches, while others deferred due to market saturation and changing preferences. Limited marketing efforts from OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and subdued market sentiment further impacted sales," said Singhania.

CV sales dropped 8.5 per cent month-on-month and 6.05 per cent Y-o-Y. Besides heavy rains, floods and landslides, reduced construction activity and sluggish demand in industrial sectors strained sales too. CV sales in August stood at 73,253 units, compared to 77,967 the same month last.

"Even with the arrival of the festive season, the market remains under significant strain due to delayed customer purchases, poor consumer sentiment, and persistent heavy rains. Inventory levels have reached alarming levels. Rather than responding to the situation, PV OEMs continue to increase dispatches to dealers on a month-on-month basis, further exacerbating the issue," said Singhania.

FADA urged banks and non-banking financial companies to control funding to dealers with excessive inventory. "Dealers must also act swiftly to stop taking on additional stock to protect their financial health. OEMs, too, must recalibrate their supply strategies without delay, or the industry faces a potential crisis from this inventory overload. If this aggressive push of excess stock continues unchecked, the auto retail ecosystem could face severe disruption," he said.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday described antisemitism as an ongoing plague and scourge on our collective humanity which has resulted in damaging consequences for communities worldwide
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
1. What's the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price today?

Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price was Rs 4,123.05 at 04:01 PM IST on 8th Oct 2024 . Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price was up by 4.46 % over the previous closing price of Rs 3,947.00 . Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price trend:

Last 1 Month: Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price moved up by 8.33 % on BSE

Last 3 Months: Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price moved up by 27.68 % on BSE

Last 12 Months: Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd share price moved up by 45.05 % on BSE

Last 3 Years: Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd price moved up by 104.31 % on BSE

2. How can I quickly analyse the performance of the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd stock?

The performance of the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd stock can be quickly analysed on the following metrics:

The stock's PE is 132.60

Price to book value ratio is 7.64

Dividend yield of 0.08

The EPS (trailing 12 months) of the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd stock is Rs 31.12

3. What is the market cap of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd ?

Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd has a market capitalisation of Rs 45,312 crore.



4. What is Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd 's 52-week high/low share price?

The Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd s 52-week high share price is Rs 4,531.50 and 52-week low share price is Rs 2,480.00 .



5. Is the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd profitable?

On a consolidated basis, Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd reported a profit of Rs 111.00 crore on a total income of Rs 1,096.00 crore for the quarter ended 2024 . For the year ended Jun 2024 , Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd had posted a profit of Rs 108.00 crore on a total income of Rs 1,185.00 crore.



6. Which are Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd s peers in the Industrials sector?

Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd s top 5 peers in the Industrials sector are Pidilite Inds., SRF, Linde India, Gujarat Fluoroch, Deepak Nitrite, Godrej Industrie, BASF India .



7. Who owns how much in Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd ?

Key changes to the Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd shareholding are as follows:
At present, SVG Business Trust holds a 99.9 per cent stake in P N Gadgil Jewellers.

Jewellery retail chain P N Gadgil Jewellers Ltd on Thursday fixed a price band of Rs 456-480 per share for its Rs 1,100-crore initial share sale and proceeds will be used for expansion plans and pare debt. The Initial Public Offering (IPO) will open for public subscription on September 10 and conclude on September 12 and the bidding for anchor investors will open for a day on September 9, the company announced. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Maharashtra-based company's IPO is a combination of a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 850 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of equity shares to the tune of Rs 250 crore by promoter SVG Business Trust.

At present, SVG Business Trust holds a 99.9 per cent stake in P N Gadgil Jewellers.

Brokerage houses have pegged the company's market capitalisation at over Rs 6,500 crore post-issue.

Of the fresh issue proceeds, around Rs 393 crore will be utilised for the funding of expenditure towards setting up 12 new stores in Maharashtra, Rs 300 crore for payment of debt, besides a portion will be used for general corporate purposes.

As of March 2024, the company had a total borrowings of around Rs 397 crore, as per the Red Herring Prospectus (RHP).

P N Gadgil Jewellers Ltd offers a wide range of precious metal/ jewellery products, including gold, silver, platinum and diamond jewellery, across various price points and designs.

The company's products are primarily sold under its flagship brand, 'PNG', and various sub-brands, through multiple channels, including 39 retail stores (as on July 31, 2024) and various online marketplaces, including websites.

Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Ltd, Nuvama Wealth Management Ltd and BOB Capital Markets Ltd are book-running lead managers to the issue.
Shares of Titan Company hit a nearly five-month high of Rs 3,730, as they rallied 3 per cent on the BSE in Thursdays intra-day trade, in an otherwise subdued market, on expectations of an improvement in consumer demand due to soft gold prices.

The stock of the gems, jewellery and watches company is trading at its highest level since April 9, 2024. It has rebounded 18 per cent from its 52-week low of Rs 3,059 that it touched on June 4, 2024.



At 11:41 AM, Titan was quoting 3 per cent higher at Rs 3,730, compared to the 0.08 per cent decline in the BSE Sensex. The average trading volumes on the counter jumped two-fold, with a combined 1.7 million shares changing hands on the NSE and BSE. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Gold prices slipped to their lowest level in nearly two weeks on Wednesday, extending their decline to the fourth straight session, as markets priced in a smaller rate-cut from the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting this month.

Gold traded weaker primarily due to profit booking ahead of the expected non-farm payroll data set to be released later in the day in the US, which is anticipated to be higher than the previous month.



"This could reduce the likelihood of a 0.50 basis point rate cut in the upcoming US Federal Reserve policy meeting on September 18. With a 0.25 basis point cut already priced in, market participants are now awaiting clear signals for a potential 0.50 basis point cut or at least definitive indications of future rate cuts," said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, at LKP Securities.

In the past one month, Titan has outperformed the market by surging 10 per cent, as against a 4.5 per cent rise in the BSE Sensex over the period. However, in the past six months, the stock has underperformed the market by falling 1 per cent, as compared to the 12 per cent rally in the benchmark index.

The underperformance in the company's stock price was mainly due to the weak operational performance of the company in the June quarter (Q1FY25).



Gross margins of the company fell by 12 bps to 22.1 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal due to a higher share of gold exchange at over 35 per cent, and elevated competition driving discounting and promotions. Demand was soft, driven by volatile and elevated gold rates and high competition.

The first quarter also saw a convergence of multiple forces that impacted the company's topline. A steep rally in gold rates (20 per cent increase over Q1FY24), election led restrictions in many markets, very few wedding dates and an unprecedented heat wave across the country, also weighed on overall consumer demand, Titan said.



The companys jewellery business accounted for nearly 96 per cent of its total income.

In the recently presented Union Budget, the custom duty on gold imports in the country has been reduced from 15 per cent to 6 per cent. This development has long-term positive implications for the Jewellery industry.

While this change is likely to entail a short-term impact in the form of value loss on duty paid gold inventory (expected to be expensed over the next two quarters), we remain optimistic on the longer-term benefits as it makes the market equitable for large businesses like ours, the company's management said.

Titan's management has set ambitious goals for each division and expects the jewellery division's sales to grow at a CAGR of 15-20 per cent in the medium term.



The company has met this target, despite the slowdown in the broader consumption space. Further, analysts at BNP Paribas see opportunities for the company, in aspects such as expansion in store count, market share gains and international expansion to help drive revenue and earnings growth.

We see Titan as an earnings compounding story. A positive surprise could come from higher-than-expected market share gains in India. Its international business is still at a nascent stage but looks promising. A faster-than-expected ramp up of the international business could result in a positive surprise, the brokerage firm said.



It maintains an Outperform rating on the stock, with a target price of Rs 3,860 per share.

Analysts at Centrum Broking were also upbeat on Titans operating performance, led by strong demand across business segments, along with its firm footing in the international market that appears to be promising.

We reckon Titans strategy revolving around serving millennials, meeting their aspirational demand with introduction of new designs and channels, yet rising share of wedding jewelry could pay richly. The turnaround in the Caratlane, W & W, and eyewear divisions and continuity in their profitability potential need to be watched, analysts said.



With a stable operating margin outlook, the brokerage firm retains a 'Buy' rating on the company, with a DCF-based target price of Rs 4,337 (implying 58.7x 26E EPS).
1. What's the V I P Industries Ltd share price today?

V I P Industries Ltd share price was Rs 544.00 at 04:01 PM IST on 8th Oct 2024 . V I P Industries Ltd share price was up by 3.28 % over the previous closing price of Rs 526.70 . V I P Industries Ltd share price trend:

Last 1 Month: V I P Industries Ltd share price moved up by 8.55 % on BSE

Last 3 Months: V I P Industries Ltd share price moved up by 14.19 % on BSE

Last 12 Months: V I P Industries Ltd share price moved down by 18.33 % on BSE

Last 3 Years: V I P Industries Ltd price moved up by 0.55 % on BSE

2. How can I quickly analyse the performance of the V I P Industries Ltd stock?

The performance of the V I P Industries Ltd stock can be quickly analysed on the following metrics:

The stock's PE is 13587.50

Price to book value ratio is 11.38

Dividend yield of 0.38

The EPS (trailing 12 months) of the V I P Industries Ltd stock is Rs 0.04

3. What is the market cap of V I P Industries Ltd ?

V I P Industries Ltd has a market capitalisation of Rs 7,725 crore.



4. What is V I P Industries Ltd 's 52-week high/low share price?

The V I P Industries Ltd s 52-week high share price is Rs 697.45 and 52-week low share price is Rs 427.55 .



5. Is the V I P Industries Ltd profitable?

On a consolidated basis, V I P Industries Ltd reported a profit of Rs 4.45 crore on a total income of Rs 639.85 crore for the quarter ended 2024 . For the year ended Jun 2024 , V I P Industries Ltd had posted a profit of Rs 4.04 crore on a total income of Rs 640.95 crore.



6. Which are V I P Industries Ltd s peers in the Consumer sector?

V I P Industries Ltd s top 5 peers in the Consumer sector are Finolex Inds., Safari Inds., Time Technoplast, V I P Inds., Responsive Ind, Prince Pipes, Jai Corp .



7. Who owns how much in V I P Industries Ltd ?

Key changes to the V I P Industries Ltd shareholding are as follows:
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The chronicle of VWs decline  a cautionary corporate tale about being caught behind the times  mirrors the flaws in what had been Germanys model for success | Photo: Bloomberg

By Monica Raymunt and Mark Schroers

On a Monday afternoon in mid-August, workers at Volkswagen AGs electric vehicle factory in Zwickau shuttled stony-faced between car frames and platforms. The plant was eliminating night shifts after letting go of hundreds of temporary workers. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp A sense of foreboding was already in the air.

The mood is tense, I have to be honest, recalls Ronnie Zehe, the assembly manager at one of VWs newest and most efficient factories.

Three weeks later, the future of those men and women is at risk after the manufacturer that built the iconic Beetle issued a warning that it will need to shut plants for the first time in its 87-year history. Just before the corporate bombshell came a political wake-up call as the far right notched big wins in two state elections in the former east, coming second in Saxony  where Zwickau is located.

Germany is confronting the most symbolic moment yet in its story of industrial decline as its biggest manufacturer is poised to cross the Rubicon of factory closures. VWs announcement is more than a belated acknowledgment of commercial reality. Its a body blow to the countrys self image as an automotive powerhouse and an economy that was the worlds largest exporter earlier this century.





The reverberations are cultural and economic too in a nation that was hastily sewn together after the fall of the Berlin Wall but faces the reality that the reunification project has come at a cost. The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, know as AfD, and left-wing populists have thrived by preying on the east-west divide and the mainstream political establishment have been powerless to stop it.

In the short-term, their electoral gains are yet another knock on Chancellor Olaf Scholzs struggling coalition. In the long term, with federal elections on the horizon in 2025, the question becomes how to tackle the root cause of voter discontent. And a lot of that hinges on Germany being able to pull off another economic miracle of sorts: a rapid transition from export-led manufacturer of cars to a clean-energy power that is at the avant guard of chips and batteries.

The chronicle of VWs decline  a cautionary corporate tale about being caught behind the times  mirrors the flaws in what had been Germanys model for success and casts doubt on Europes economic motor to keep leading the way in the continent.

Volkswagens problems are partly self-inflicted due to bad business decisions, but VW is also a good example of the enormous difficulties facing Germany as a business location, said Carsten Brzeski, head of macro at ING. Germany has been losing competitiveness for years, and this is now also affecting the former crown jewels of the German economy.

In Zwickau, a mid-sized city in the east where VW made 247,000 fully-electric cars last years, along with 12,000 car bodies for Lamborghini and Bentley models, cost-cutting measures were already well under way before the prospect of wholesale plant closures came up.





The factory is fully exposed to the much slower uptake on EVs in the region as models remain too expensive and incentives fade. VW, though still very profitable, has had a bumpy ride in the transition by first clinging to diesel engines and then overshooting with a full blown offensive.

The company, with its Wolfsburg headquarters in the western state of Lower Saxony, was one of hundreds of businesses that jumped at the chance to take over eastern factories following reunification, including the Zwickau one. Every other family is attached to this Volkswagen plant somehow, even if its the butcher, said Thomas Knabel, the local official of the IG Metall union that represents workers at the facility.

The closure of individual factories is devastating to such communities  and carries a political price for Scholz. Carmaking creates around 4 per cent of total value added in the German economies, with a further 4 per cent when taking into account associated areas such as metal or rubber manufacturing, according to Bloomberg Economics.

As Martin Ademmer, an economist at BE, puts it: The car industrys importance for the German economy has declined in recent years but it still remains a very crucial sector.

Cars are an integral part of Germanys modern identity, a pop culture touchstone and political lighting rod: Whether it was Herbie, the Love Bug in the Walt Disney movies, or Janis Joplin in her 1960s pyschedelic Porsche or Donald Trump complaining about the number of Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars driving along Fifth Avenue in New York.

Indeed, the story of VW is the story of postwar Germany, an ascendancy against the odds, associated with the post-war miracle that turned a land wrought by destruction into the regions greatest industrial power.

With the turn of the 21st century, the ability of VW to tap demand from a growing Chinese middle class helped it defy the fate of its rivals in Detroit. But then its reliance on Asian consumers became a problem.

Under the watch of successive governing coalitions in Berlin, the high point of its industrial output in 2017 has been eroded by the ascendancy of advanced Chinese manufacturing, and successive crises from the pandemic to the cut-off of cheap Russian gas imports in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

Then theres the wider question of the country as a business location. With infrastructure creaking from decades of under-investment in the name of near-balanced budgets, and red tape a frequent complaint of businesses, a survey of 180 economists surveyed by the Munich-based Ifo institute concluded in May that Germany lacks appeal as a place for enterprise.

The answer by Scholzs government, in a rushed bid to placate voters in the restless east, has largely been to dole out generous subsidies to companies opening up plants there.

That approach alone wont fix the countrys waning competitiveness in the long run, said Jens Spahn, a lawmaker from the opposition CDU who serves on the economy committee in parliament. He warned this week that VW is just the tip of a large iceberg.

Monika Schnitzer, an economist who advises the government, cautions that its too soon to write off the countrys status as a leading industrial player.

German companies can continue to succeed if they excel with the latest technologies and high-quality products while keeping costs under control, she said. Germany still has many world market leaders, especially among its so-called hidden champions, who dominate niche markets.

Back in Zwickau, in a region already locked in political unrest, VWs announcement has at least brought some clarity, even if workers are struggling to see through the gloom. The factory has completely redone the roster for every single team, which was a stress point for workers with families, caregiving duties and health conditions.

We have worked hard to achieve a very good standard of living here, Zwickau Mayor Constance Arndt said. I see more light than shade, but people are now realizing that it can quickly come to an end.
Poilievre called on Singh to commit to voting for an election at the earliest opportunity when the House of Commons returns | Photo: Reuters

In a major blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his key ally Jagmeet Singh's New Democratic Party withdrew support from the Liberal Party putting Trudeau's minority government at risk an year ahead of the next general elections, CBC News reported. The party made the announcement in a video posted to social media Wednesday afternoon. The deal was scheduled to run until June 2025. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Jagmeet Singh, who helped Trudeau keep his minority government in power, attacked the Canadian PM for caving to "corporate greed" and claimed that the Liberals have "let people down."

"Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians," Singh said in the video," Singh said.

"There is another, even bigger battle ahead. The threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts. From workers, from retirees, from young people, from patients, from families -- he will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs," he added.

According to a spokesperson for NDP, the plan to end the agreement was in the works for the past two weeks -- and that the party would not inform the Liberal government of its decision until an hour before the video was scheduled to go live online.

CBC News reported, citing a senior government source, that the Prime Minister's Office was informed at 12:47 pm ET, while Singh posted the video on social media at 12:55 pm ET.

In his first reaction to Singh withdrawing support, PM Trudeau said his government is more focused on tackling the issues of affordability crisis and climate change.

Speaking in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador, Trudeau said,

"These are the things that we're focused on. I'll let others focus on politics," Trudeau said at a event in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador. "I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics."

Trudeau further affirmed hope that the next election will not happen "until next fall" so that his government has time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care, and school food programmes.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Singh's announcement a "stunt" and criticised him for not saying whether he would vote non-confidence in the government, CBC News reported.

"He came out and claimed that he was wrong, that the coalition was a bad, costly idea, but he refuses to commit to voting for a carbon tax election," Poilievre told reporters in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Poilievre called on Singh to commit to voting for an election at the earliest opportunity when the House of Commons returns.

"Right now, we don't have a calendar to indicate when we can put forward a motion," he said. "After Sellout Singh did this stunt today, he is going to have to vote on whether he keeps Justin Trudeau's costly government in power, or whether he triggers a carbon tax election."

Jagmeet Singh has also said that his party, the NDP is ready for an election.

In a media release accompanying his announcement, Singh said, "The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure."

A by-election in the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, formerly held by the Liberals, will be held on September 16.

The NDP kept the minority Liberal government in power through the confidence-and-supply agreement, in exchange for movement on key priorities such as dental care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants, and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, as reported by CBC News.

But some of the promises made to NDP by the Liberal government are yet to be fully realised.

Pharmacare legislation hasn't passed the Senate, and a bill to implement Elections Act changes is still before the House. Additionally, the promised Safe Long-Term Care Act has yet to be tabled.

However, the end of the confidence-and-supply agreement doesn't necessarily mean an immediate election. The Liberals could seek the support of the Bloc Quebecois or try to continue negotiating with the NDP on a case-by-case basis, CBC News reported.
Letter from China: What African visitors are adding to their baskets at Beijing's Silk Market

13:27, September 05, 2024 By Wang Xiaopeng and Wu Ziyu ( Xinhua

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) offers an array of side activities for foreign guests who have traveled from afar.

When I opened a brochure introducing these activities, I found out that Silk Street, a landmark market in Beijing, was among the activity routes, alongside the Palace Museum, the Great Wall and other sites. Curious about what items African guests would buy in China, I went to the market to check it out.

There, visitors from the African continent could be seen around every corner. Most were in the city for the FOCAC summit, including 23-year-old Tinu Latif from Nigeria, who I met in a shop selling traditional Chinese clothing.

Wearing a pair of fashionable pink vintage sunglasses, the tall young woman was trying on a brand new Mamianqun, or horse-face skirt, which is a long, pleated traditional Chinese skirt.

Latif told me that when she first saw the skirt in a movie, it had immediately captured her attention. "It prompted me to buy one for myself," she said. "I really love it. It's so beautiful."

On the occasion of the summit, Latif, who has a deep interest in Chinese culture, was able to visit China for the first time. And in Silk Street, she was excited to immerse herself in the Chinese culture.

Latif said she was interested in Chinese films and TV series, particularly those featuring stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. She's also a fan of the iconic film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." "I love everything about China," she said.

Latif is learning how to use chopsticks skillfully, and noodles and tea eggs are among the foods that have already impressed her. In addition to buying a Mamianqun for herself, she planned to buy a traditional Chinese Qipao dress for her younger sister and some toys for her younger brother.

The Silk Street Market, located in the capital's central business district, opened in the 1980s mainly to cater to expats working in Beijing.

Over the years, it has transformed from a market selling cheap products into a commercial complex boasting Chinese culture and original designs. Today, it is widely regarded by many international tourists as one of Beijing's must-see locations.

Before and during the summit, the market was bustling with clients speaking foreign languages. Yu Qinghua, who works at a digital products store in the market, said she has been busy in recent days.

Yu said that visitors from Africa are especially interested in small electronic goods like earphones, mini speakers and portable chargers.

Dong Qing, president of Beijing Silk Street Commercial Management Co., Ltd., said that in addition to buying electronic goods and items that embody traditional Chinese culture, many African visitors have visited the market to meet their practical and immediate needs, like new suits and shirts for the summit.

"To better address their needs, we have started an express suit-making service for these customers, which allows them to pick up their custom suits and matching shirts in no more than 18 hours," Dong said.

"We hope that by visiting Silk Street Market, these guests will be able to feel the spirit of Chinese culture and gain a deeper understanding of China."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia aims to keep pumping gas via Ukraine to the European Union but added that Moscow could not force Kyiv to keep the transit agreement which expires at the end of this year. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp "As for Ukraine, we are not abandoning this transit, oddly enough. Why? Because we, and Gazprom, intend to fulfil all our obligations to our customers with whom we have long-term contracts," Putin said. "There is a transit contract that ends on December 31 of this year. But if Ukraine refuses this transit, well, we can't force it," Putin said.

Putin said that Gazprom''s main consumers in Europe did not seem to want the transit agreement to end even though they provided military assistance to Ukraine.

The Soviet-era Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline brings gas from western Siberia via Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region. It then flows through Ukraine in the direction of Slovakia.

In Slovakia, the gas pipeline is divided, one of the branches goes to the Czech Republic, the other to Austria. The main buyers of gas are Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

If Ukraine refused transit of Russian gas, then Russia would use TurkStream gas pipeline under the Black Sea to supply Europe.

"Ukraine refuses our transit, which means that the volumes of gas that enter Europe will decrease," Putin said.

"They will follow other routes, in particular through the TurkStream, maybe partly through the Blue Stream to Turkey too.

But this is their choice, how it will affect them, I do not fully know."
The Kremlin in June dismissed as absurd US intelligence assertions that Russia sought to meddle in the election. Image: Shutterstock

Russia said on Thursday it would take retaliatory measures against US media in response to US charges against Russian media executives and state broadcaster RT, which Washington has accused of trying to influence the 2024 presidential election.

The United States on Wednesday filed money-laundering charges against two employees of RT for what officials said was a scheme to hire an American company to produce online content to influence the 2024 election.

Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The US Treasury and State departments also announced actions targeting RT, including the network's top editor, Margarita Simonyan. US officials said Russia's goal was to exacerbate US political divisions and weaken public support for American aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.



ALSO READ: US accuses Russia of using media to spread disinformation before elections



Russia's foreign ministry said the US moves were part of a plan to purge any dissenting voices from the global media landscape and to stoke fears among US voters about Russia as a mythical external enemy.

"When the authorities resort to such primitive ways of influencing their voters, this is the decline of 'liberal democracies'," Maria Zakharova, foreign ministry spokeswoman, said in a statement on the US action.

"There will be a response," Zakharova said.

"We warn that attempts to expel Russian journalists from the territory of the United States, create unacceptable conditions for their work or any other forms of obstruction of their activities, including with the use of visa tools, will become the basis for taking symmetrical and/or asymmetric retaliatory measures against the American media."



The France-based Reporters Without Borders ranks Russia at 162 out of 180 countries in monitors on press freedom and ranks the United States at 55. Norway was top and Eritrea was bottom.



Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has tightened control over information and the media, forcing the closure of the last significant independent news outlets and designating many journalists and activists as "foreign agents".



Many Western news organisations have left Moscow and the arrest of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich in 2023 prompted many more journalists to leave. There are now hardly any US reporters left in Russia.



ELECTION MEDDLING ACCUSATIONS



Russian officials say Western media groups give indulgent coverage of Ukraine, biased coverage of the war and excessively negative coverage of Russia. Western media groups say they try to give balanced coverage.



RT responded with ridicule to the US charges.



"Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections," the media outlet told Reuters. RT ceased operating in the United States after major television distributors dropped it following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Simonyan said the charges were an attempt to drown RT as a competitor.



The Kremlin in June dismissed as absurd US intelligence assertions that Russia was seeking to meddle in the presidential election and has said that US spies were intent on casting Russia as an enemy.



Previous US intelligence assessments have found that Moscow tried to meddle in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Russian officials have suggested that the United States has also meddled in its domestic affairs.



Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who spent 15 months in US prison for acting as an unregistered Russian agent and now represents the ruling United Russia party, said the US claims were nonsense.



"Russia thinks it does not matter who wins the US elections the only winner is the US private military-industrial complex. That is what matters and nothing else," Butina told Reuters.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By SA Commercial Prop News

Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) portfolio exposure to Edcon is 5.9% of the total gross lettable area of its portfolio.



South African landlords have let most of the space vacated by the defunct department store, and Liberty and L2D are in talks with Edcon, which is rationalizing its leases.

The hangover from the demise of one of SAs oldest department chains, Stuttafords, appears nearly over for South African landlords.

The Liberty Group and its listed property subsidiary, Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) have finally managed to let space vacated by Stuttafords.

Stuttafords became defunct last year, and the vacated space had been costing the group in lost income. Liberty and L2D have stakes in two of SAs premier shopping centres, Sandton City and Eastgate.

Other property groups such as Hyprop Investments and the Pareto group have also let the space previously occupied by Stuttafords.

Liberty and L2D are now looking at how to prevent the down-scaling of another under-pressure retailer, Edcon, from affecting their profits.

Hyprop had Stuttafords stores in The Mall of Rosebank, Clearwater Mall and Canal Walk. Financial director Laurence Cohen said almost all of the space vacated by Stuttafords had been filled.

"All we have left is about 1,000m of the store in Clearwater Mall, having filled 2,000m of 3,000m there," said Cohen.

Pareto has filled the space vacated by Stuttafords in the Cresta mall.

L2D made the announcements about its Stuttafords space and its discussions with Edcon in a trading update on Tuesday.

The company has been under pressure for not delivering strong enough returns from malls such as Sandton City, Eastgate, Liberty Midlands Mall and Melrose Arch.

It has also been criticised for having a complicated ownership structure and an external management company, as opposed to internal management with interests better aligned to shareholders.

It is simplifying the ownership and internalising its management.

L2D said these moves were in line with its meeting operational objectives.

The group said market conditions were beginning to improve for retailers.

"We are seeing green shoots starting to emerge in the macroeconomic and consumer environments though it is too early to predict this as a sustainable trend," CEO Amelia Beattie said.

"Our portfolio is performing well from a trading perspective, as is evidenced in the turnover growth statistics for some assets and the arrest of declines in others; leasing activities to fill large retail vacancies are on track," she said.

The closure of Stuttafords affected rental income at Sandton City and Eastgate.

At Sandton City, Dis-Chem opened its flagship 1,807m store, which has occupied a significant portion of the space vacated by Stuttafords.

Pick n Pay Clothing, Ted Baker and YSL also took up space and have begun trading.

Markham, LC Waikiki, Exclusive Books and Dion Wired are due to start trading in the third quarter of 2018.

The remaining 650m of Stuttafords space at Sandton City is being negotiated and will be occupied by a pop-up tenant until a suitable long-term tenant is found.

The total Stuttafords retail vacancy at Eastgate has been filled.

The new retailers in this space, which include H&M and Mr Price, will start trading in the last quarter of 2018.

The only remaining portion is the office space previously occupied by the Stuttafords head office.

Meanwhile, Edcon Group has announced that it is rationalising its leases.

"L2D has been in proactive discussions with Edcon regarding the turnaround strategy and the assessment of the potential impact on our portfolio," said Beattie.

She said discussions had been constructive and L2D would advise the market on the final outcome once they were in a position to do so.

L2Ds portfolio exposure to Edcon is 5.9% of the total gross lettable area of its portfolio.
Novotech, the global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) that partners with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase, has released its latest industry report, Pancreatic Cancer- Global Clinical Trial Landscape (2024).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903868547/en/

The landscape of pancreatic cancer (PC) research is experiencing a transformative phase, with significant advancements in clinical trials, drug development, and therapeutic strategies. The 2024 Global Clinical Trial Report offers critical insights into these developments, showcasing the growing global effort to combat one of the most lethal forms of cancer.

Key Highlights:

Global Clinical Trials:

Over 2,000 PC clinical trials have been initiated worldwide since 2019, with North America and the Asia-Pacific region leading the charge, each contributing 38% and 37% of the trials, respectively. Europe follows with a 20% share.

The United States leads North America with 88% of the trials, while Mainland China dominates the Asia-Pacific region with 43% of trials. Other key contributors include Australia, South Korea, and Japan.

Drug Development Landscape:

The report identifies 164 drugs in preclinical stages and 233 in early-phase clinical trials, 29 in Phase III, and 11 already on the market, highlighting a robust and growing pipeline aimed at improving treatment outcomes for PC patients.

Notably, small molecules remain the primary focus of development, with prominent companies such as Astellas Pharma Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb Co., and Eli Lilly and Co. leading the market with their innovative treatments.

The drug development landscape also includes significant contributions from Pfizer Inc., Roche, and Merck & Co. Inc., with a strong emphasis on targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

Therapeutic Innovations:

Recent years have seen advancements in neoadjuvant chemotherapy, RAS-directed therapies, and immunotherapy, offering new hope to PC patients. Stroma-modifying drugs are also showing promise in clinical trials, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches.

The report predicts that the future of PC treatment will see a greater focus on personalized medicine, early detection methods, and targeted biological therapies, which are expected to significantly improve survival rates and quality of life for patients.

Regional Insights and Trial Density:

Despite its large population, the Asia-Pacific region's clinical trial density is six times lower than that of the US and about half that of Europe, signaling an urgent need for increased research and targeted medical interventions in these regions.

The Asia-Pacific region's untapped research potential, combined with its vast patient population and unique genetic diversities, presents a prime opportunity for groundbreaking clinical research and the development of tailored therapeutic interventions.

Leading Contributors:

Companies like Astellas Pharma Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb Co., and Eli Lilly and Co. have made significant contributions to the PC drug market. The presence of advanced trials by giants such as Pfizer Inc., Roche, and Merck & Co. Inc. underscores the collective global effort to address the challenges posed by pancreatic cancer.

Strategic Insights:

The SWOT analysis of the pancreatic cancer treatment landscape reveals significant strengths in the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, bolstered by increased research funding. However, challenges such as late diagnosis, low survival rates, and the lack of early detection biomarkers persist.

Opportunities lie in personalized medicine and growing research investments, while threats include stringent regulatory hurdles and the prohibitive cost of advanced treatments, potentially limiting patient access.

The report underscores the critical importance of continued investment in PC research and development. With the backing of leading pharmaceutical companies and innovative clinical trials, the future of pancreatic cancer treatment is bright, offering new hope to patients and their families.

For more information and to download the full report free of charge, please visit Novotech's website or contact our media relations team.

About Novotech Novotech-CRO.com

Founded in 1997, Novotech is a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on partnering with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase.

Recognized for its industry-leading contributions, Novotech has received numerous prestigious awards, including the CRO Leadership Award 2023, the Asia Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Excellence 2023, the Asia-Pacific Contract Research Organization Company of the Year Award since 2006.

The Company offers a comprehensive suite of services including laboratories, Phase I facilities, drug development consulting, regulatory expertise, and has experience with over 5,000 clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. With a presence in 34 office locations and a dedicated team of 3,000+ professionals worldwide, Novotech is a trusted end-to-end strategic partner of choice.

For more information or to speak to an expert team member visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903868547/en/
Novotech, the global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) that partners with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase, has released its latest industry report, Gastric Cancer- Global Clinical Trial Landscape (2024).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903559744/en/

This report details the current gastric cancer (GC) research environment as it continues to evolve, as well as offering key insights into the trends that are expected to extend into the near future. The report examines the global state of clinical trials, drug discovery, and emerging therapeutic strategies, while also highlighting the significant progress in understanding and treating GC, showcasing promising therapeutic pipelines with potential benefits for patients and associated organizations worldwide.

The Novotech research analyst team provides these expert reports monthly, highlighting key metrics on the current status of specific diseases and outlining future trends that may impact the development of treatments. This is provided completely free of charge.

Key takeaways from the report:

Global Clinical Trials Surge Since 2019, over 2,000 clinical trials have been initiated globally, with the Asia-Pacific region leading the charge, accounting for 52% of all trials.

Mainland China, in particular, stands out with 48% of the region's trials, reflecting the region's commitment to advancing GC research.

North America and Europe also play crucial roles, contributing 29% and 15% of global trials, respectively. Innovative Drug Development The report identifies 228 drugs in various stages of development, highlighting a robust pipeline aimed at improving GC treatment outcomes.

Notably, 11 drugs have already received approval, with 28 on the market, demonstrating the tangible progress made in recent years.

The most significant focus is on targeted therapies and immunotherapies, with nearly 40% of ongoing Phase III trials investigating Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) antagonists. Advanced Therapeutic Strategies GC treatment strategies are increasingly shifting toward personalized medicine, with advancements in biomarker-directed therapies and molecular diagnostic techniques.

Perioperative chemotherapy remains the standard for resectable GC, while ongoing research explores the benefits of combining targeted and immunotherapies in both perioperative and adjuvant settings. GC Therapies Attract Significant Funding From 2019 to 2023, GC research attracted substantial venture capital funding, totaling $7.4 billion globally.

China and the United States are the leading recipients, securing $4.53 billion and $2.97 billion, respectively.

This financial support underscores the global commitment to addressing the unmet needs of GC patients and advancing treatment options. Challenges and Opportunities The report highlights ongoing challenges, including the high cost of advanced treatments and the need for better patient selection and tailored therapies.

However, significant opportunities exist in the form of liquid biopsies for detecting circulating DNA and the continued development of genetic and molecular profiling to personalize treatment approaches further. Market Leaders: The report identifies key players in the GC treatment market, including Pfizer, Roche, Merck & Co., Eli Lilly and Co., and Sanofi Strategic Insights: The report includes a SWOT analysis, demonstrating the effectiveness of current treatments in managing symptoms and improving quality of life, while also identifying areas where emerging techniques may offer improvements.



With ongoing clinical trials, innovative drug development, evolving therapeutic strategies, and continued investment of capital, the future of GC treatment looks promising.

For more information and to download the full report free of charge, please visit Novotech's website or contact our media relations team.

About Novotech Novotech-CRO.com

Founded in 1997, Novotech is a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on partnering with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase.

Recognized for its industry-leading contributions, Novotech has received numerous prestigious awards, including the CRO Leadership Award 2023, the Asia Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Excellence 2023, the Asia-Pacific Contract Research Organization Company of the Year Award since 2006.

The Company offers a comprehensive suite of services including laboratories, Phase I facilities, drug development consulting, regulatory expertise, and has experience with over 5,000 clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. With a presence in 34 office locations and a dedicated team of 3,000+ professionals worldwide, Novotech is a trusted end-to-end strategic partner of choice.

For more information or to speak to an expert team member visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903559744/en/
Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios.



Thursday:

 8:15 AM: The ADP Employment Report for August. This report is for private payrolls only (no government).



 At 8:30 AM ET, The initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released. The consensus is for 238 thousand initial claims, up from 233 thousand last week.







I'm back from a two-week trip to Africa. It was amazing!



I'll post some pictures and videos soon. This lion walked right past us in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
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Dajanique Leysath spent her summer studying in Barcelona, Spain.

ORANGEBURG, S.C.  Two sophomores have enhanced their South Carolina State University educational experiences by studying abroad over the summer.

By way of SC States Office of International & National Student Exchange Programs (OINSEP), Dajanique Leysath and Josiah Stroman studied in European countries after successfully preparing applications for competitive slots with study abroad programs.

The Office of International & National Student Exchange Programs is proud of these students, said Dr. Learie Luke, OINSEP director. Study abroad provides students with cultural immersion experiences that help them embrace cultural diversity, enhances their readiness for new challenges, and increases their cultural competence, which makes them more attractive candidates to prospective employers.

Leysath, an Orangeburg resident who studies computer science was enrolled in the HBCU Consortium program with Barcelona SAE, a new study-abroad partner for SC State in Spain.

Stroman, an Augusta, Georgia, resident is studying mechanical engineering technology at SC State. He enrolled in a study abroad program in Marburg, Germany, with ISEP Abroad. He is the first student from SC State to be selected to serve as a digital ambassador for ISEP Abroad.

Study abroad also facilitates the acquisition of language skills, helps students develop the skill of adaptability, and fosters a lifelong passion for global understanding, Luke said, noting that Stroman took a German language course during his stay. Study abroad and cultural immersion programs contribute to the university achieving its mission of preparing competent and socially aware graduates to enable them to work and live productively in a dynamic, global society.

Stroman in Germany

Josiah Stroman studied special topics surrounding the history, politics, and culture of Germany.

Along with the language course, Stroman studied special topics surrounding the history, politics, and culture of Germany. He is a first-generation college student and a 2024 recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which provided some of the funding for his study abroad experience.

Studying abroad is not just a chapter in my academic journey, he said. It's a pivotal step toward realizing my full potential as a global engineer and change agent.

By embracing diverse perspectives, fostering cultural exchange, and leveraging international experiences, I am poised to make meaningful contributions to the engineering profession and society at large, Stroman said. As I embark on this transformative journey, I carry with me the conviction that indeed, You can get there from here.

Leysath is a trailblazer.

Leysath is the first SC State student to receive the Trailblazer Grant from Barcelona SAE for her program. Her motto is The greatest things are made under pressure. Let the pressure fuel your journey to extraordinary adventures.

During her time in Barcelona, she studied special topics in Food & Culture in the Mediterranean Basin and Black Barcelona -- The Experience of Race and Ethnicity in Spain.

The OINSEP staff offers advisement services for study abroad, the National Student Exchange Program, and cultural immersion experiences.

These students represent the first of many in the post-Covid era who will expand their personal and academic horizons overseas, said Dominique Rolle, SC State international education coordinator.

Students who are interested in an education-based international travel experience should contact Rolle at drolle1@scsu.edu.
San Francisco prosecutors charged a man with assault, battery and hate crime allegations after claiming he attacked a chef in the citys Financial District. Rafe Swan/Getty Images

A San Francisco man accused of calling a woman a racial slur before beating her last weekend has been charged with multiple hate crimes, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins office announced Thursday.

Irvin Lara-Rivera, 31, was charged Thursday with assault likely to cause great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury. Both charges carry special hate-crime allegations.

Lara-Rivera, who also goes by Irvin Rivera-Lara, was expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.

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San Francisco police said they were called to the area of California and Drumm streets just after 9:30 p.m. Sunday to investigate an apparent assault. At the scene, officers located an adult female victim who said she was standing outside a business when an unknown male walked by and made a derogatory comment toward her.

After a brief verbal back-and-forth, the male suspect began to assault the victim repeatedly, police said. The woman, chef Wendy Drew, told the San Francisco Standard she pulled the attacker into a Drumm Street liquor store, where the two struggled before she screamed for 911.

Hate crimes have no place in our community and must be addressed swiftly by the criminal justice system, said Jenkins in the release. Attacks like this demean and degrade individuals while also shaking whole communities.

Prosecutors are seeking to hold Lara-Rivera in custody before trial.

Lara-Rivera was arrested last summer for allegedly striking a San Francisco restaurant owner in the face. The victim, Sandys sandwich shop owner Peterson Harter, told the Chronicle he asked Lara-Rivera not to urinate near his trash cans  and then was punched.

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THE community of Grange got together last weekend to host a special 12-hour walkathon and family fun day in the village.

Karen Somers at the finish line after completing the full 12hrs on the track during the walkathon in aid of St Francis Farm detox unit in Tullow

Organised by Grange Village Committee and Grange GAA Club, participants had an early start, with the first of the 12 teams taking to the community track at 5am.

The walkathon was then followed by a family fun day at Grange GAA grounds, where there was a range of activities for all, including face painting and sporting events, with medals and trophies awarded to the children who took part.

Cathal Connolly Moran and Maysa Lopes de Magalhaes receiving their medals and trophies for some of the family events at the Grange Community Walkathon and family fun day

An enjoyable day for the whole community, the event sought to raise funds for local projects.

Eva Duggan concentrating on her game of "buzz off" set up by Donal Brennan and his daughters

One of which is the St Francis Farm Detox unit in Tullow. Karen Somers undertook to walk the entire 12 hours, from 5am to 5pm, in a bid to highlight the projects work.

The facility is run by Merchants Quay Ireland, providing a 14-week residential rehabilitation programme.

The children giving it their all during the tug of war battle

Speaking on the importance of the project, Karen said: We all know someone battling addiction, and its crucial to support services like St Francis Farm. Im committed to raising as much as possible to aid those in need of this vital help.

Padraig Murphy helping his son Hugh take part in the 'hanging tough' challenge, made and set up by Cormac Bailey

Grange GAA Club paid tribute to Karens incredible achievement.

Jack Shannon and his friend taking part in the three-legged race after having their faces painted by the talented Ala

Thanking organisers and families for their support, the club said it was a fun-filled day, adding that in particular, the children loved street performer Mr Gusto, who showed his juggling talents while on stilts, the balloon art, face-painting and, of course, the ice-cream!
Five non-EU nationals have been arrested, four in Dublin and one in Wexford, for allegedly illegally residing in the state.

They were detained by gardai from the National Immigration Bureau under 'Operation Fern' - which targets people illegally living here, and the subject of deportation orders.

The man in Wexford was arrested during an operation in July and has since been deported.

The other four, were arrested in Dublin earlier this week and are currently in custody, pending deportation.

Speaking on Wednesday morning following the operation, Detective Chief Superintendent Aidan Minnock said: "In the past week the Garda National Immigration Bureau have conducted a number of operations under Operation Fern to remove persons from the State subject to deportation orders.

"These persons declined the opportunity to avail of voluntary return to their country of origin, following significant engagement with the Department of Justice. Having declined voluntary return they were issued with a deportation order, and are now in custody pending removal from the State.

"These operations illustrates GNIB ongoing capacity to, where necessary, take action to remove person from the State who no longer have authority to remain."
Vivienne Clarke

Labour party leader Ivana Bacik has said it was shocking that in Ireland in 2024 there were such shocking levels of material deprivation among children.

Ms Bacik told RTE radios Morning Ireland that the Labour party will be proposing a Childrens Charter to combat the shameful levels of children in homelessness with 4401 children now in homelessness each one an individual tragedy.

So what we're calling for is for the government to take on a crucial mission of vindicating the rights of children through better public services. And we're calling on it for a number of things to be done that we would commit to doing if in government to end child homelessness, to guarantee an early years or child care place for every child, and to introduce a new class model for schools in the most disadvantaged bands. Those are our three key priorities.

Ms Bacik added that she supported calls for a targeted second tier child benefit to which her party had allocated 2.5million in their alternative budget.

We need to see a targeted set of measures to address this appalling level of child poverty. And that's why we're calling for a Children's Charter to vindicate the rights of children. It's absolutely the crucial mission of any state, any democratic state, to ensure and vindicate the rights of the child, that every child gets a fair start in life.

The chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland, Denise Charlton, has said that targeted second tier child benefits should be included in Budget 2025 instead of universal one off payments.

Ms Charlton was commenting on a new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which found that almost 230,000 children, one in five, are going without basic items and activities for a comfortable life in the State.

It is really very stark that 250,000 children and families with a child under the age of five are living with those stark choices. It's an increase, a 30,000 increase. And so we're obviously not going in the right direction., she told RTE radios Morning Ireland.

Ms Charlton welcomed the recommendation in the report for increased child benefit, but pointed out that research had shown that to take 40,000 of those children immediately out of those dire circumstances would be to have a second tier child benefit that is targeted.

This was not the first time that a second tier benefit had been suggested, she added. Childrens advocates like the Childrens Rights Alliance and other organisations had made such a recommendation in the past.

So it's really stark, we have children who are going hungry who don't have clothes to wear. Their parents are worried about keeping their house. But we do have a resolution to it.

The (ESRI) report really makes clear the devastating consequences of poverty, not just for children, but for people generally. They looked at life satisfaction, they looked at civic participation, and they also looked at social contacts. We know that poverty, disadvantage and inequality go hand in hand. And what the report has done is really amplify that.

Such levels of poverty were worrying not just families, but also for government and society generally. It could lead to polarisation with whole communities disconnecting and disengaging. Thats actually a threat to democracy.

The report is very clear if we want to respond to real poverty in Ireland, and if we want to ensure that those communities are not becoming disenfranchised, we have to invest and to target benefits for children and then benefits for infrastructure in communities.
David Raleigh

A man appeared before a court in Limerick on Thursday charged with the illegal possession of a submachine gun and ammunition.

Willie Woodland (31), of Shanabooly Road, Ballynanty, Limerick, had the gun and ammunition at his home address on Tuesday, September 3rd, it was alleged.

Mr Woodland was charged with being in possession of a 9x18mm Makarov calibre Rak make model PM63 submachine-gun for an unlawful purpose. He is also accused of having a quantity of 9x18mm Makrov calibre ammunition for an unlawful purpose.

Evidence of arrest, charge, and caution, was presented to the court by certificate.

Mr Woodland did not speak during the brief court hearing and no evidence of the allegations was heard.

Garda Laura Lyons gave evidence that Detective Garda Sean OHagan arrested Mr Woodland and charged him.

The accused made no reply to the charges, the court heard.

Garda Sergeant Sean Murray made an application before the court for Mr Woodland to be remanded in custody until next week for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Solicitor Sarah Ryan was assigned to represent Mr Woodland, who was granted free legal aid.

Ms Ryan said she was not applying for bail.

Judge Carol Anne Coolican granted Sgt Murrays application, and remanded Mr Woodland in custody to appear before Limerick District Court via video-link on September 10th for DPP directions.
Jordan Parker is a breaking news reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Sacramento State University in May 2022 with a degree in journalism. During his time there, he spent three years as a reporter and editor for the university's award-winning student newspaper, The State Hornet. He spent his senior year of college serving as The Hornet's first Black editor in chief, leading the organization to two Pacemaker awards and several other national honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. When he's not chasing down a story, he likes watching movies, traveling and trying new restaurants.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA in Rzeszow

There is an opportunity to create a Polish-Irish synergy on shaping European policy, Polands prime minister has said.

Donald Tusk made the remarks as he hosted Taoiseach Simon Harris for a bilateral meeting in Rzeszow.

Mr Harris was in eastern Poland on his return from engagements with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv.

In Rzeszow, the Irish and Polish leaders discussed the Russian war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza as well as issues on the agenda of the European Council, including migration and security.

Taoiseach Simon Harris holds a press conference with Polish prime minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow, Poland. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Mr Tusk said Ireland sets an important example for other countries by providing unequivocal support for Ukraine while maintaining its military neutrality.

Neutrality cannot mean indifference towards evil and the tragedy that befalls innocent people, he said.

Therefore I want to emphasise how much we appreciate the personal engagement of the Irish prime minister in providing non-military but humanitarian aid to Ukraine in these difficult times for the country.

Mr Tusk also said the two countries shared views on what European politics should look like.

He said this follows on from a traditional friendship which was founded on the fact that many Polish people emigrated to Ireland in the past.

Praising Irelands economic resilience and creativity, Mr Tusk said the two countries could leverage a Polish-Irish synergy to profile new European policies on security and competitiveness.

He said he counted on Irish support for calls for increasing protection of Europes eastern border in Poland, including an air-defence system.

As Mr Tusk was president of the European Council for almost the entirety of the strenuous negotiations with the UK over post-Brexit arrangements, Mr Harris said he was grateful for the solidarity the prime minister showed to the people of Ireland.

He said: Thank you for your leadership during a most difficult time for my country and indeed for the European Union as we together navigated the unprecedented challenges posed by Brexit.

Your friendship, your solidarity, but also your skill really helped managed that process.

He added: The people of Ireland and the Government of Ireland will always be grateful and consider you a true friend.

Mr Harris said Ireland had benefited from the approximately 100,000 Polish people living in Ireland.

Whilst we are geographically far away, in our hearts and in our minds, we are close.
ATLANTA  As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces a new fellow for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program.



Saeed Saeed (Photo: The National)

Saeed Saeed, a features writer for The National, has been awarded a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in the UAE. Saeed will join an international cohort of journalists who have been awarded fellowships since 1996. Over the past 28 years, the Center has awarded one-year fellowships to more than 280 journalists, connecting them with resources and experts to increase the quality and accuracy of mental health reporting around the world. The program is currently in the United States, Ireland, Qatar, and the UAE. Previously, fellows were in Latin America, New Zealand, South Africa, and Romania.

In September, Saeed begins the year-long, non-residential fellowship, which aims to increase and improve the quality of mental health reporting in the media. Saeed becomes the 10th journalist to participate in the program since The National began awarding Carter fellowships in the UAE in 2018.

His reporting project will focus on the Arabic music scene and attitudes towards mental health within it, now that a new generation of artists are discussing mental health in their creative work and in general discourse.

During Saeeds fellowship, he will be assisted by a local advisory board in the UAE and receive intensive training from experts and mentors in the United States. to help accurately report on mental health. The Carter Center provides training, educational materials, mentorship, evaluation tools, and technical assistance to develop a sustainable program in the UAE. The National manages the UAE program and is responsible for selecting journalists and adapting it to meet the population's needs.

Applications for the 2025-26 UAE cohort of Rosalynn Carter Fellows for Mental Health Journalism will open in 2025.

Since Rosalynn Carter established the Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in 1996, fellows have produced thousands of documentaries, books, and other works during and after their fellowship year. Their projects have garnered Emmy Awards, nominations for the Pulitzer Prize, and other awards. See mentalhealthjournalism.org and follow @CarterFellows on Twitter for more information about the fellows and tips on mental health journalism.

###

Contact: In Atlanta, media@cartercenter.org

The Carter Center

Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Great Wall Hardware is seen in the Sunset District of San Francisco in 2020. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2020

Two people were arrested, accused of burglarizing a San Francisco hardware store that was ransacked multiple times after a fire ripped through the store.

San Francisco police officials said officers were conducting passing calls on the 1800 block of Taraval early Tuesday morning near Great Wall Hardware, a store that was damaged by a fire on Aug. 25. A sergeant who arrived on scene noticed a woman and a vehicle outside the store and a man who was burglarizing the business, officials said.

The female suspect, identified as 36-year-old Grace Roberts, was allegedly in possession of stolen merchandise from the store. The male suspect was identified as 48-year-old Aaron Vansickle.

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Both were booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges of burglary, conspiracy and receiving stolen property, police said.

Last Saturday, Albert Chow, who owns the hardware store, told the Chronicle his shop was burglarized twice in one weekend, mere days after the fire broke out.

The store is down, the power is out, and the building is empty, Chow told the Chronicle. The (perpetrators) probably thought, This is a great time to re-victimize this guy.

At least 40 firefighters battled the blaze, which broke out at 3:48 a.m. and displaced three residents who lived above the store, including Chows mother. Chow said the burglars also targeted the upstairs residences last weekend, when the store was allegedly hit twice in about 24 hours.

It was unclear whether the suspects who were arrested Tuesday were the same suspects in the alleged burglaries following the fire.

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Chow told the Chronicle that he believed the fire was arson, having captured footage of a man allegedly holding a lighter up to the store window for 15 seconds before it caught fire.
Two months from today, millions will stream to the polls and vote in another important General Election. (Unless theyve already opted for early voting to beat the rush.) One of the most cherished rights of our democratic republic is being able to vote, to collectively choose who will be representing us at the various levels of government. The Presidential race will command the most attention, but many other important offices also will be at stake.

Conscientious voting can be challenging, choosing which candidates are most qualified. Alas, sometimes we look at the candidates and shrug our shoulders in resignation, concluding theres not much to choose from. If only God would reveal which ones the best.

Many factors can enter into voting decisions, two of them being the specific individuals seeking to be elected, and the policies they espouse. For many of us, character is an important criterion. We would like to be able to choose individuals of great integrity, unquestioned moral conviction and behavior, not tempted by greed and personal interests, and other admirable qualities.

Unfortunately, maybe because traditional and social media are so adept at beaming harsh lights on transgressions major and minor, it seems people possessing the traits listed above are harder and harder to find.

For this reason, rather than holding their noses while casting their ballots, some eligible voters will opt not to vote at all. Thats their choice. Voting is a right, not a requirement. But in reading the Scriptures, Ive discovered that if were searching for leaders demonstrating sterling character and flawless perfection, its a very short list. A list of one: Jesus Christ.

Everyone else in the Bible, even those celebrated as heroes of the faith, possessed more warts than some toads. Its amazing to consider the kinds of people God has used in the past to accomplish His purposes. A comprehensive list could fill a hefty book. So, well just look at a handful of the misfits the Lord selected to lead and intervene on behalf of His chosen people.

Speaking of Gods chosen people, well start with Jacob, who was later renamed Israel. He became the namesake for the ancient Israelites, their descendants being referred to as Gods chosen people to this day. This was despite the fact he was remarkably short on scruples.

His given name, Jacob, can be translated to supplant or overreach, which is exactly what he did in scheming to steal his brother Esaus birthright. Then he compounded the deed, deceiving Isaac, his nearly blind father, to snatch the patriarchs special blessing from Esau. Double whammy! You can find this account in Genesis 27-28. Nevertheless, God used him.

Then there was strong man Samson, one of historys first superheroes. His story is recorded in Judges 13-16. Were told, the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines (Judges 13:5). On several occasions the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power (Judges 14:19) and Samson performed great feats of courage and strength.

Unfortunately, he had an eye for the ladies, including one seductress named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines bribed her to find out the source of Samsons strength. After several attempts, he confided in her the promise God had made. As a result, the Philistines were able to subdue him, gouging out his eyes and throwing him into prison. But Samson had the last laugh so to speak, literally bringing the house down by toppling the central pillars of their pagan temple, killing everyone in it including himself.

King David was described by God as a man with a heart after My own heart (Acts 13:22). That sounds good, right? And yet, as we read starting in 1 Samuel 16 through the opening chapters of 1 Kings, he was an adulterer, a murderer, and the head of perhaps the most dysfunctional family in history. How could the Lord use a person like that?

The key was that when confronted by his sins, David was genuinely repentant, humbly acknowledging his wrongdoing without making excuses. God not only used him to reign over the Israelites but also to author many of the Psalms. In one of his penitential psalms, David wrote:

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:10-12).

We could cite many others with major flaws and shortcomings, such as Moses, King Solomon, and the apostles Peter, Paul, James, John and Thomas. But the point is simple: If God chooses, He can and will use anyone and anything to accomplish His divine purposes. As Proverbs 16:4 states, The Lord works out everything for His own ends  even the wicked for a day of disaster (Proverbs 16:4).

As election day nears, as we weigh both character and where candidates stand on important issues, we all will be hoping to see our favorites receive the most votes. However, our confidence should be anchored in God alone.

From the book of Proverbs, we have these assurances that ultimately, God is in control: Many are the plans in a mans heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21). There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord (Proverbs 21:30). This should give us unwavering hope.

* * *

Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly published, Marketplace Ambassadors; Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Todays Workplace; Tufting Legacies, The Heart of Mentoring, and Pursuing Life With a Shepherds Heart. A weekly business meditation he edits, Monday Manna, is translated into more than 20 languages and sent via email around the world by CBMC International. The address for his blog is www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. His email address is btamasy@comcast.net.
Over the next several weeks, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) will host a series of informational meetings regarding the departments Tri-Star Angels Program (TAP).

The next meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga at 401 E M.L. King Blvd., Suite 301.



The TAP initiative seeks to strengthen Tennessees entrepreneurial ecosystem in all communities by partnering with regional entrepreneur centers, co-working spaces, and other ESOs to localize virtual training and put the principles learned into practice. TNECD partnered with the Angel Capital Association and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) to deliver training and address the additional needs of angels, entrepreneurs and the startup community.



Those interested in applying to the program can visit here.



Key Speakers:



Kenyatta Ashford, founder and CEO, Neutral Ground

Ella Livingston, owner and founder, Cocoa Asante

Platt Boyd, entrepreneur, Branch Technology

George Yu, founder and CEO, Variable

Kofi Ampadu, partner, head of Talent x Opportunity, Andreessen Horowitz

Stefanie Crowe, Jump Fund, investor
Builtwell Bancorp, Inc. and Bradley County Financial Corp. announced on Thursday that an agreement has been reached for Builtwell Bancorp, Inc. to acquire Bradley County Financial Corp., the holding company for Bank of Cleveland, a community bank headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, with four banking locations and a home loan center in Bradley County. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of both companies and is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.

"Bank of Cleveland has built a strong reputation over the last 37 years by consistently delivering superior service to our customers and fostering deep connections within our community," said Scott Taylor, chairman and CEO of Bradley County Financial Corp. and its subsidiary, Bank of Cleveland. "When it came time to consider our next chapter, we had the opportunity to evaluate many potential partners.

"We chose Builtwell Bank because they share our commitment to being a locally owned and headquartered community bank that understands and prioritizes the needs of our customers and the communities we serve." Concluding, Taylor added, "Our customers will benefit from this merger as Builtwells resources and broader footprint will further enhance our ability to serve their needs, especially for those who do business across the Cleveland, Chattanooga, and Dalton areas."

"We are thrilled that Bank of Cleveland has chosen Builtwell as their partner for the future," said Patti W. Steele, chairman and CEO of Builtwell Bancorp, Inc and CEO of its subsidiary, Builtwell Bank. "Scott Taylor and his team have created an exceptional bank, and we are honored to carry forward their legacy of local service. We both believe the purpose of a community bank is to be the local economic engine for the communities we serve, and together, we will fulfill that purpose and continue to make banking better and easier for all of our customers across this expanded footprint."
Local nonprofit Hope Included, in partnership with Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors and Play & Park Structures Inc., a PlayCore company, have announced the grand opening of the Riverview Park Playground to take place Thursday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. Since the project began last fall, it has transformed into an inclusive park that is an open and safe space carefully designed to promote play among children of differing abilities, ages and communities.The grand opening celebration will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony and complimentary Kona Ice, sponsored by Play & Park Structures, Inc.and Bliss Products. Guest speakers scheduled to appear include Nicolle McCoy, founder of Hope Included, Commissioner Brad Turner, Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Morgan McCormick, park stewardship and maintenance director for Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors.Commissioner Turner awarded Hope Included in 2023 with a $500,000 check as part of the states inclusive playground and facility grant. In addition to designing the playground, Play & Park provided a matching funds grant for the equipment. Individual donations from the community reached $500,000.Ms. McCoy founded Hope Included after the 2019 passing of her daughter, Hope, from a rare condition called Xia-Gibbs Syndrome. Its mission is to give all members of the community, regardless of ability, access to everything that makes us love where we live and do what we love.Ms. McCoy said, We are thrilled to see our dreams of making this inclusive playground a reality. Our precious Hope left the earthly world five years ago. From that moment forward, her family and friends have dedicated themselves to sharing the life lesson that Hope taught them all  to be with the people you love. With the generosity and hard work of so many, Riverview Park will be a place that people of all abilities can gather in the community and be together  playing, loving and laughing - what Hope did best.For more information about Hope Included, visit: www.hopeincluded.org.
The 911 terrorist attack in 2001 will be remembered this year on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the Elks Lodge 1944 with Cleveland Fire Department Deputy Chief Pete VanDusen as guest speaker.The Elks will host a remembrance service at 5 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Second Street in downtown Cleveland.Rose Stanberry, exalted ruler, said it will be especially meaningful as we remember this day to hear from one of our very own community first responder heroes, Needless to say we all remember where we were on the day that changed the world, when terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger planes and crashed into the Twin Towers off the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, and in a rural area in Pennsylvania.The attacks claimed 2,977 lives, making it one of the deadliest attacks in history. Daniel Koob does an outstanding job each year with the 911 Remembrance in addition to his untiring efforts for our veterans in this community. We certainly appreciate Daniel and look forward to hearing from Chief VanDusen.""Chief VanDusen is an experienced deputy fire chief with over 30 years in fire services. He has served as chief deputy of Cleveland Fire Department since 2018 and served the department in numerous capacities including training captain and lieutenant. He has also served as an EMT with Bradley County EMS . He holds a bachelor of science degree from Tennessee Wesleyan University and associate of fire science from Chattanooga State College.Officials said, "Chief VanDusen was heavily involved in improving our city fire agency to attain the OSI rating to a Class 2. He helped manage and design the new Fire Training Center, served as regional coordinator for State of Tennessee Mutual Aid System. He has been a TEMA evaluator and chaired the regional swift water rescue committee. His certifications are many, and he is sought after by many agencies to help with training, evaluations and certifications of management strategies and operations.As a first responder he will no doubt have a personal perspective on this historic event. It affected us all, but I am certain his thoughts that day were also on his fellow firefighters in New York. We hope the public will come help us remember and hear Chief VanDusen.Mr. Koob is chairman of the 911 Remembrance Ceremony and said it is designed, "so we 'Never Forget' how the four Islamist terrorist suicide attacks changed our world."The event is free. Complimentary refreshments will be served afterward.
Bryan College announces the appointment of Dr. Kathryn Saynes as the new vice president for Academics. An esteemed alumna of the college,

Dr. Saynes earned her Doctor of Education from Northcentral University and holds a Master of Arts in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University. She began her educational journey at Bryan College, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts: Elementary Education. Additionally, she is a certified professional educator through the Association of Christian Schools International.

With several years of teaching experience in middle school mathematics in the Rhea County area, Dr. Saynes returned to her alma mater. Over the years, she has held various roles at Bryan, including Education Department chair, Faculty chair, Curriculum Committee chair, and most recently, dean of Professional Studies and Bryan College Online.

Dr. Saynes is proud of her familys deep ties to the Bryan community; her husband, Nick, serves as a captain with the Chattanooga Fire Department. Their daughter, Kayla, is a freshman at Bryan, majoring in Business, while their daughter, Lily, is a high school senior planning to attend Bryan next year as a Psychology major.

In her own words, Dr. Saynes reflects on her journey, stating, I have had the privilege to walk beside students and faculty in both joy and grief. They have also lifted me up during similar seasons in my life. The community is what drew me to Bryan as a student and what keeps me here. My time at Bryan was transformational as a student and continues to be as I continue to learn and grow in my various roles. Im excited to take on this new role and to see how we can continue to improve our service to students in Academics.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking the Chattanooga community for assistance with a cold case homicide that occurred near Wizard Wells, Texas in 1984.The victim was recently identified as Roberta Mumma. Ms. Mumma was last known to work at the Red Lobster in Chattanooga.If you have any information about Ms. Mumma, contact the Jack County Sheriff's Office at 940-567-2161 or email chauger@jackcounty.texas.gov.
Keeping tradition alive, Chattanoogas 3 Sisters Music Festival is back for its 17th year on Oct. 4 and 5. This event is free for all and features music and food. Fletcher Bright Company hosts the bluegrass-themed 3 Sisters Festival, and Chattanooga Presents serves as its producer.

Friday night will feature this years four-time GRAMMY Award-Winning headliner, The Infamous Stringdusters, showcasing their progressive bluegrass, virtuosic musicianship, and innovative style. Friday will also include artists such as local favorite The New Dismembered Tennesseans, followed by Becky Buller, and the Canadian bluegrass group The Slocan Ramblers. Events for Friday, Oct. 4, will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Saturdays activities will start at noon with a performance by local bands Bluetastic Fangrass and Lone Mountain Band. A set by Damn Tall Buildings, a bluegrass trio that adds some big city energy to old soul sounds, will follow at 2 p.m. Sister Sadie, a female group nominated for eight IBMAs, will perform at 3 p.m. The festival will continue with performances by The Steel Wheels and Chicken Wire Empire, a pioneering force in the Upper Midwest contemporary bluegrass scene.

The bluegrass-packed weekend will close out with a performance by The Steeldrivers, a group that stands on the bluegrass tradition while celebrating new sounds of blues and soul. Saturday nights headline show features a return performance by the San Fransico-based band, The Brothers Comatose at 8:30 p.m. With their upbeat brand of Americana music, this band will bring a living room party to the stage, with a foot-stomping and rousing folk-infused closing set.

Festival-goers will be treated to food by 18 local food vendors, lined up and ready to share their love for food and the city on both days of the festival. Options will run the gamut, including corndogs, lemonade, kettle corn, and ice cream, as well as pad thai, pizza, barbecue and more.

Visit 3sistersbluegrass.com for more information on festival details, or check out the full schedule of performances below.

Friday, Oct. 4:

The New Dismembered Tennesseans 5:30-6:15 p.m.

Becky Buller 6:35-7:35 p.m.

Slocan Ramblers 7:55-8:55 p.m.

The Infamous Stringdusters 9:15-10:45 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5:

Bluetastic Fangrass 12-12:40 p.m.

Lone Mountain Band 1-1:40 p.m.

Damn Tall Buildings 2-2:40 p.m.

Sister Sadie 3-4 p.m.

Steel Wheels 4:20-5:20 p.m.

Chicken Wire Empire 5:40-6:40 p.m.

The Steeldrivers 7-8:15 p.m.

The Brothers Comatose 8:30-10 p.m.
The girlfriend of a man convicted in the February 2020 murder of Sean Moss has been granted judicial diversion.

JohnBeth Holland will not have to do jail time if she does not get into further trouble for a specified period.

Kaleb Cox previously pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and received a 15- year sentence in the case in which the victim was taken to Prentice Cooper State Park and his body burned.

Cox is currently serving his time in the TDOC.He alleged that he acted in self defense.





Prosecutor Andrew Coyle said the proof in a hearing before Judge Barry Steelman on Wednesday showed that Ms. Holland was contacted by Cox after the homicide and was asked to follow him in her vehicle while he drove the victim's car to Prentice Cooper. Once they arrived, he asked Ms. Holland to park while he took the victim's vehicle further up the road. He then set it on fire.





Ms. Holland was charged with tampering with evidence, two counts of abuse of a corpse, and accessory after the fact.





She earlier pled guilty to tampering and one count of abuse of a corpse with the sentence to be determined by Judge Steelman. She was diversion eligible and was able to ask the judge to consider diversion. One count of abuse of a corpse and the accessory charge were dismissed by the state as part of the plea.

A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation detective testified that Cox maintained that he was alone when he shot Moss over a drug dispute, put the body in the victim's own car and drove it to Prentice Cooper, where he set the car on fire.

The detective said Ms. Hollands car, a Volkswagen Jetta registered in her mothers name, was recorded on the parks security cams entering the park behind Mosss red Toyota sedan at about 3 a.m., and leaving alone at about 4 a.m. The car returned to the scene at about 7 a.m. later that morning.

The detective said Ms. Holland had bought two jugs of Purex laundry detergent with bleach at about 10:30 the morning of the murder, detailed on a dated receipt from Walgreens on Highway 153, near Red Bank. But Ms. Hollands lawyer, Samuel Hudson, said the jugs or traces of detergent were never found at Coxs Red Bank home on Delashmitt Road, and he did not reference Ms. Holland in his statements about cleaning his home after the murder.

Defense attorney Hudson said cell phone tower records placed Ms. Holland near McMinnville at the time of the murder. She may not have come home at all that night, he said. If she did drive her car to Prentice Cooper, she may not have known that Mosss body was in the Toyota, as it was covered in towels, he claimed.

In an emotional statement, the victim's brother, Chase Moss, said that Sean Moss saw the good in everyone. He told Ms. Holland that she and Cox took advantage of his kindness. The witness was escorted from the courtroom when it became clear he was becoming more agitated, cursing and talking over Judge Steelman.

Mosss mother, Martha, read a victim impact statement detailing that the Moss family and friends believe Ms. Holland was involved with the entire murder, start to finish.

I really do hope that you are haunted by the images, she said. These crimes couldnt have been committed without your help.

She said Ms. Hollands silence allowed Coxs first-degree murder charge to be downgraded to voluntary manslaughter.

Johnbeth, you helped destroy important evidence, she said.

The room was tearful as Ms. Moss referenced a second-grade essay in which her son said he wanted to be a dad when he grew up, while she noted that Cox became a father as he walked free in the four years between the murder and his sentencing.

After hearing the proof, impact statements by the family, and the Ms. Holland's testimony, Judge Steelman sentenced Ms. Holland to:



T ampering with evidence - judicial diversion was granted, seven years suspended to state probation,

A buse of a corpse - judicial diversion was granted, five years suspended to state probation.




A man accused of molesting children in Windsor during the 1990s, Richard Leslie Ward II, 66, was arrested in Idaho last month. Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

A former Sonoma County resident was arrested in Idaho last month after people in Windsor came forward, accusing him of molesting them in the 1990s while they were children, authorities said.

Richard Leslie Ward II, 66, who lived in Windsor, was arrested in Boise, Idaho, on Aug. 14. Ward was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on Wednesday afternoon on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and four counts of lewd acts on a child, all felonies, according to jail records. His bail was set at $2 million.

In July, Wards accusers reported the molestation to Windsor police, who then began investigating. Once authorities collected enough evidence against Ward in the case, authorities traveled to Idaho to arrest him, the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said.

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The Sonoma County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on potential charges.

The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said it believes there could be additional victims of Ward in Sonoma County and Ada County, where Boise is located.

The victims in this case came forward because they were worried the suspect may have been or is still molesting other children, the sheriffs office said.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have been molested by Ward to contact the sheriffs office at 707-565-8290. Authorities said no further information will be released regarding the case.
Mary Ann Lawson, of Harrison, Tennessee passed away on Friday, August 30, 2024 in her home after a (blessedly) short battle with pancreatic cancer, leaving a void which can never be filled.

Her life will be celebrated in the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 7414 Old Lee Highway, on Friday, Sept. 13, with visitation at 11:30 a.m. followed by a service at 1:00 p.m. Her family will host a reception at her residence in Harrison immediately following.

Mary Ann was born in Rockwood, Tn., after her parents and older siblings moved several years before from Ohio to Tennessee as her father Herman Enoch Heston was employed by the newly formed Tennessee Valley Authority to assist in building Wilson Dam, then Watts Bar Dam, then finally Parksville Dam as an electrical engineer. Her mother Ruth Virginia Howard Heston, and siblings Herman Mahlon (Jack) Heston and Alice Virginia Heston MacDonald all traveled to these Dam cities together. They were joined by Marjorie Lee Heston in Rockwood two years after Mary Anns birth; Mary Ann is survived by Margie, but preceded in death by her parents and other siblings.

Mary Ann graduated from Polk County High School, then from Tennessee Tech University with a Bachelors Degree in Education in 1965. She was also preceded in death by her first, second, and last husband James Rance Lawson of Cleveland. Two months after college graduation she bore her only child Dr. Tonya Ann Lawson. She is survived by Tonya and her husband Dr. John Kinsler Shaw, as well as her life partners children, Laura Fulton, Larry Fulton, and his wife Leisa. Ramie Fulton Best and Jesse Fulton considered Mary Ann their Nana, as their grandmother Edna Elaine Fulton was her beloved for 40+ years until she passed away in 2021. Mary Ann and Elaine built a loving and stable family filled with friends and folk for nearly half their lives.

Mrs. Lawson taught seventh grade English at Cleveland Junior High School for 20 years and completed her masters in education from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1974. After she retired from Cleveland Junior High she worked as a counselor and finally for years at McKays Bookstore where she befriended many of her favorite people.

Mary Ann is survived by her Sister Dear Margie Heston of Mt. Juliet, Tn. Virtually every photograph in her childhood includes Margie, her erstwhile best friend and playmate, and dedicated caretaker in her final days. She is also survived by nieces, Jackie Heston Ellis, Kathleen MacDonald Parent, Ruthie MacDonald Kilmer, and Susan MacDonald Bessler, as well as myriad cousins and dozens of adored friends, and Sally, her constant furry companion, loyal til the end, a heartbeat at her feet.

Donations to some of Mary Anns favorite causes would be greatly appreciated in lieu of flowers or gifts. She was passionate about helping local charities that took care of animals, especially. With that in mind donations can be made in her name to:

Safe Haven Animal Rescue Group (SHARP), a dog and cat rescue in Polk County, Tn. There is no municipal animal shelter in Polk County, so this group does all it can to address pet homelessness and overpopulation, a constant issue in all of Tennessee. (SharpRescue.org)

Humane Educational Society, a Hamilton County shelter and education organization for assisting pets. (HESChatt.org)

Whipporwill Horse Rescue of Tennessee, a horse and dog rescue charity and farm in Polk County. (Whipporwillhorserescueoftn.com)
The Cohutta Song Fest will offer a songwriting workshop on Saturday, Oct. 19 in a small group setting in Northwest Georgia. This four hour workshop, to be taught by songwriters Becky Buller and Ed Snodderly, is designed to help hone songwriting skills by focusing on lyric writing, music theory and arranging.Officials said, "What you will discover in this workshop is that the inspiration drawn from the class is vitally important, but its only half the story. The other part is spending most of the day totally immersed in songwriting with other likeminded folks.Friendships are formed that last well beyond the workshop, and collaborations bring forth songs that never would have happened otherwise."The fee of $65 will include the workshop, full admission to the Cohutta Song Fest evening concert and participation in an open stage.About the instructors:A 10-time IBMA Award winner, Becky Buller has written songs for three Grammy award-winning albums and had had her songs recorded by The Infamous Stringdusters Laws of Gravity (2018 Best Bluegrass Grammy), The Shaker on The Travelin McCourys self-titled release (2019 Best Bluegrass Grammy) and Good-bye Girl on Molly Tuttle & Golden Highways Crooked Tree album (2023 Best Bluegrass Grammy). Her compositions can also be heard on records by Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and many others.Ed Snodderly co-founded the now iconic music venue, The Down Home Coffee House and Pickin Parlor in Johnson, Tn. Since his 1977 debut album, Sidewalk Shoes, Mr. Snodderly has released LPs on Sugar Hill and other prestigious roots-oriented labels. In addition to his solo work, he also recorded and performed as the Brother Boys with duet partner Eugene Wolf. Songs that hes written have been covered by Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Missy Raines and others, and in 2000, he played a minor role (credited as Village Idiot) in the Coen Brothers film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Since 1992 he has been teaching songwriting classes in the Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University.For more information or to register for the workshop, visit https://cohuttasongfest.com/workshops or email cohuttasongfest@yahoo.com.Scholarships:If you know of a high school student who would benefit by participating in this event but can't afford to, a limited number of youth scholarships may be available. Contact Charlsey Etheridge at cohuttasongfest@yahoo.com.
Bar Smith was in court last week and the grand jury has agreed to add an additional charge to the lengthy list of felonies he is facing after breaking into Ashley Jones' Nevada home.

Bar Smith has made a host of bad decisions in his life, and his most recent one has landed him in a world of legal trouble. The troubled former Teen Mom star has been languishing in a Nevada jail since July over an incident involving his soon-to-be ex-wife, Ashley Jones, and it doesnt look like hell be getting out anytime soon. The serious charges he was already facing have been upgraded. Bar Smith could be facing years behind bars.

Why was Bar Smith arrested in July?

Police arrested Bar Smith in Henderson Township, Nevada, on July 7. The California resident reportedly broke into Ashley Jones home and held her hostage while threatening to harm her. Jones mother, who was not in the house at the time of the incident, alerted police in a chilling 911 call.

Bar Smith and Ashley Jones | MTV/YouTube

Smith was apprehended without incident and originally charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor. The original charges included second-degree kidnapping, residential burglary, and coercion constituting domestic violence. He was remanded to jail and has been there ever since. Bar was also on probation in California on gun charges at the time of his Nevada arrest.

The former Teen Mom star is facing additional charges

While Smith was already facing three serious charges in connection to the July incident, the Ashley Reality Roundup Group has reported that a Grand Jury agreed to add aggravated stalking to his list of charges. According to the publication, a prosecutor argued that before breaking into Jones home, Smith harassed and terrorized his former partner via text messages. Her parents testified that Smith had pulled guns on people, including Jones, on multiple occasions. Smith and Jones had not filed for divorce before the incident occurred but had been living separately for nearly two years. They allegedly parted ways romantically months earlier.

The stalking charge, a class B felony, carries a minimum sentence of two years and a maximum sentence of 15 years behind bars. The stalking charge is classified at the same level as the kidnapping charge Bar was already facing. It carries the same minimum sentence.

Bar Smith was fired by MTV many months before his Nevada arrest. The network reportedly opted to cut ties with the troubled reality TV star after a domestic violence incident occurred in front of the production team.

Bar Smiths bail has been set at $250,000

With the new charge comes a new bail amount. Bars previous bail amount was $35,000. Due to the nature of his crimes and his prior criminal record, his bail amount has increased to $250,000. Bails of $250,000 or more are generally reserved for the most serious crimes. According to The Ashley Reality Roundup Group, the district attorney noted that Smith was not only a flight risk but a danger to his victim, the child he shares with her and her extended family.

Bar Smith and Ashley Jones | MTV/YouTube

At this time, Smith is still being held in a Nevada jail. His trial is set to start at the end of October. It is unclear if he has made bail or is attempting to make bail at this time. His mother, Shen Williams, has been surprisingly quiet about recent events in her sons life. Ashley Jones has officially filed for divorce. The divorce appears to be uncontested. There is no word on when the split will be finalized.
Following the approval by all relevant authorities, Wintershall Deas exploration and production (E&P) business excluding Russia-related activities was transferred to Harbour Energy plc (Harbour) on September 3, 2024; it consists of producing and development assets as well as exploration rights in Norway, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, Algeria, Libya (excluding Wintershall AG), Egypt and Denmark (excluding Ravn) as well as Wintershall Deas carbon storage (CCS) licenses. In exchange, the shareholders of Wintershall Dea  BASF (72.7%) and LetterOne (27.3%)  received total cash consideration of $2.15 billion (BASF share: $1.56 billion) and new shares issued by Harbour equating to a total shareholding in the enlarged Harbour of 54.5% (BASF share: 39.6%). The agreed enterprise value for the Wintershall Dea assets amounts to $11.2 billion. This amount includes the outstanding bonds of Wintershall Dea with a nominal value of around $4.9 billion that were also transferred to Harbour at closing.

With the closing of this transaction agreed in December 2023, BASF has taken the decisive step towards achieving the final separation from the oil and gas business. The closing creates the opportunity for monetization of BASFs stake in the combined company without further intermediate steps, as Harbour is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The shares in Harbour Energy offer significant potential for value creation and allow BASF to gradually and optimally exit our financial participation in the company over the next few years, said Dr. Dirk Elvermann, Chief Financial Officer of BASF SE.

Wintershall Deas headquarters and the related staff are not part of the transaction. In June 2024, Wintershall Dea and the employee representatives reached agreement on the reconciliation of interests and social plan for the restructuring and closure of the headquarters in Hamburg and Kassel. Around 800 employees are affected by the closure of the sites. With the agreed social plan, the redundancies are being implemented in a socially responsible manner. Furthermore, in addition to the around 1,200 employees who are part of the transaction, Harbour will take over a certain number of employees from the former Wintershall Dea headquarters.

With completion of the sale to Harbour, the international E&P business of Wintershall Dea was also legally separated from the Russia-related business. BASF and LetterOne remain the owners of Wintershall Dea, which holds the Russia-related business, for which significant federal German investment guarantees are in place. The management of Wintershall Dea had announced its withdrawal from activities in Russia in January 2023; the remaining shareholdings will be wound up step by step.

In March 2024, Wintershall Dea concluded an agreement on the sale of its 50.02% stake in WIGA Transport Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG and WIGA Verwaltungs-GmbH (together WIGA) to SEFE Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (SEFE), based in Berlin. SEFE previously held a 49.98% stake in WIGA and is the sole shareholder of the gas transport holding company after completion of the transaction on August 30, 2024. WIGA is active in the German gas transport business.

The former Chief Executive Officer Mario Mehren, Chief Operating Officer Dawn Summers and Chief Financial Officer Paul Smith have resigned from their mandates at Wintershall Dea AG following the closing of the transaction with Harbour. Stefan Schnell, previously Senior Vice President Group Reporting & Performance Management at BASF SE, and Larissa Janz, previously Vice President Special Projects at Wintershall Dea, have taken over the management of Wintershall Dea AG as Chairman of the Management Board and Deputy Chairwoman of the Management Board, respectively. Wintershall Dea AG will change its legal form from a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) to a limited liability company (GmbH) in the coming weeks and will then operate under the name Wintershall Dea GmbH.

Dr. Hans-Ulrich Engel, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wintershall Dea, said: On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank all Wintershall Dea employees for their hard work, without which the successful management of the business and the closing of the transaction with Harbour would not have been possible. My special thanks go to Mario Mehren, Dawn Summers and Paul Smith, who led Wintershall Dea through to the closing with great competence and extraordinary commitment. I wish them all the best for their future careers. I wish Stefan Schnell and Larissa Janz every success in their new positions.
Louisa Soap, left, of Locust Grove; Darrell Littledeer, of Stilwell; and Roy Boney Jr., of Tahlequah were selected as Cherokee National Treasures and were honored during an award ceremony Aug. 29 as part of the 72nd annual Cherokee National Holiday celebration.
Home News 5 things to know about Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray

The suspect behind the Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia, which left four people dead and nine others injured, has been identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray.

A statement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also confirmed that the four people killed in the shooting were identified as two students and two teachers. They are Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, along with teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.

At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that there were additional shooters. Investigators are actively pursuing all leads regarding any potential associates of the shooter, the Georgia Bureau of investigation's statement said.

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There is no evidence of a list of schools being targeted; however, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated. Investigators are diligently reviewing leads to determine if there are any active threats, it added.

Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of investigation, said during a news briefing on Wednesday that Gray used a rifle to kill the victims in the hallway outside his algebra class.

Here are five things you should know about him.
Home News California church administrator sentenced for stealing $360K from congregation

A former church administrator in California has been sentenced to over five years in prison for stealing approximately $360,000 from her congregation.

Chanell Easton, a 38-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was found guilty months ago of having stolen money from a church in Yuba City over the course of five years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California announced late last month that Easton had been sentenced to five years and one month in prison for her embezzlement scheme. A hearing to determine restitution has been scheduled for Nov. 19.

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Easton wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez in advance of sentencing, saying she had "deep regret" for her criminal behavior, claiming that she had an abusive upbringing that had a "profound effect on my development and well-being."

"I am deeply sorry for what I have done," Easton wrote, as quoted by The Sacramento Bee last month. "This is not who I am."

The wife of former Marysville, California, Police Department Chief Aaron Easton, Easton was an administrator at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church of Yuba City.

According to authorities, from June 2013 to February 2018, Easton stole more than $360,000 from the church.

Easton took funds from different accounts, including St. Andrew's food pantry and youth group. She also used church credit cards for personal purchases, including a vacation rental, VIP tickets and visits to retail stores and a hair salon.

In May 2022, a federal grand jury in Sacramento charged Easton with 22 counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, with her facing the possibility of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each wire fraud count.

St. Andrew Presbyterian released a statement in 2022 saying it first became aware of the missing funds shortly after Easton had quit working for the church.

"This has been a long, tiring and frustrating process," stated the church, adding that "multifaceted systems of checks and balances, controls and accountability have been a top priority and have been set in place since Chanell left."

Last October, Easton pleaded guilty to the 22 wire fraud counts. However, she maintained a plea of not guilty to the two counts of identity theft. She was found guilty in March.
Home News Sing! 2024: John Piper emphasizes power of Scripture to stir genuine emotion in worship

Pastor and theologian John Piper weighed in on the relationship between Scripture, worship and emotion during a sermon delivered at the Sing! 2024 conference, emphasizing that biblical truths are meant to not only guide worship but invigorate it.

Speaking before a packed audience at Keith and Kristyn Getty's annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Piper, founder of DesiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, likened the songs of Scripture to the sharp point of a sword, with the totality of the Bible forming the blade and hilt.

Scripture, he said, especially its songs, is designed to penetrate barriers and lead believers into deeper, more vibrant worship.

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"The Bible exists to create, sustain, guide, shape and invigorate right emotions toward God," the 78-year-old pastor said. He emphasized that while correct thinking about God is essential, it is not the ultimate goal.

"Right emotions toward God are the goal of right thinking about God," he said. "Right feelings toward God are the goal of right doctrines about God. Right affections for God are the goal of true statements about God, which implies that the inspired, infallible Word of God exists for the sake of creating and guiding and invigorating right emotions toward God."

Piper stressed that the intellect is meant to serve the heart, contending that doctrine exists to support genuine emotional responses to God, such as joy, awe and love.

Using examples from Psalms and the New Testament, he demonstrated how biblical truths should lead to heartfelt worship. In Psalm 16:8-10, for example, the truth that God is always present serves the joy and gladness of the heart.

"The truth serves the gladness," the Future Grace author noted, emphasizing that this pattern is woven throughout the Bible. The Psalmist doesn't rejoice for joy's sake  joy emerges from the deep understanding of God's presence and promises.

"The doctrine serves the delight," he added, explaining that doctrine, no matter how profound or theologically sound, must ignite the heart's affection for God. He warned that without this emotional response, the worshiper risks becoming like a machine, processing facts but missing the deeper spiritual connection.

Piper asserted that "Godward feelings"  joy, love, awe  are ultimate in a way that Godward thinking is not. "Both are indispensable," he explained, "but one is more ultimate as the goal of the other and one of them is less ultimate, as the servant of the other. Thinking is the servant, feeling is the goal. Doctrine is the servant. Delight is the goal. That's the pattern everywhere in the Bible."

To illustrate his point, Piper noted that while technology can simulate human intelligence  learning, problem-solving and decision-making  emotions are conspicuously absent from its capabilities. This absence, he said, underscores the unique and irreplaceable nature of human emotions, which are not merely pragmatic tools but ends in themselves.

"When emotions come into being authentically, they're not a means to an end," Piper explained. "Authentic emotion is spontaneous. It's real, and it is an end in itself, just as worship is."

While people may accept AI performing intellectual tasks, they recoil at the idea of "artificial emotion," as they can seem manipulative and insincere. This distinction, he said, highlights God's design that emotions be genuine responses to truth, particularly in the context of worship.

Piper also warned against turning worship into a means to an end, such as raising funds or evangelizing. True worship, he emphasized, is an authentic response to the greatness and beauty of God, not about checking theological boxes or simply reciting biblical facts.

"You can write down facts about a mountain, but that doesn't capture awe and wonder," Piper said.

Piper concluded by encouraging attendees to let biblical truth serve as the foundation for authentic emotions in worship. "Where the Word of God is sung and known, filled with biblical truth, joy and delight will follow," he said, calling on believers to let their minds serve their hearts in their pursuit of glorifying God.

The Sing! 2024 conference is held this week, Sept. 3-5, in Nashville. The theme of this year's conference is "The Songs of the Bible" and features speakers and artists, including The Gettys, Alistair Begg, Andrew Peterson, Mark Dever, Michael W. Smith, and more.
After decades of federal oversight, the Oakland Police Department still has work to do, a judge said on Wednesday. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2021

A federal judge on Wednesday indicated that the Oakland Police Department requires further oversight to ensure leaders hold officers accountable for misconduct.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick said he will issue an order this week that could force the police chief and city officials to keep a watchful eye on internal investigations into allegations of misconduct. There were no clear signs during the hearing in San Francisco federal court that the 21-year-old court-ordered monitoring will end soon.

The oversight was required as part of a 2003 settlement in a federal civil rights lawsuit in the infamous Riders case, in which 119 plaintiffs accused four officers of misconduct, including assault and planting evidence, in West Oakland. As part of the settlement, the city agreed to enact a slew of reforms under the supervision of a federal judge and a court-appointed monitor.

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Despite a series of completed court-ordered reforms, the department has suffered several setbacks in its efforts to end the federal oversight.

The continued monitoring is expected to test the leadership of Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell, who stepped into the role in May as the 13th chief in as 13 years.

Much of the hearing Wednesday centered around disciplinary issues that came to light a few months ago. The issues stemmed from allegations that top department leaders mishandled an internal administrative investigation into a veteran homicide investigator who faces criminal charges.

The Police Commissions Community Police Review Agency, which carried out one of two parallel probes, determined eight department members involved in the investigation into detective Phong Tran violated policies. Among the findings, the CPRA determined that three officers obstructed the investigation into Tran, according to city records. The parallel probes led to discipline notices against several department members, including Deputy Chief Drennon Lindsey and internal affairs Sgt. Mega Lee, who were issued notices of the citys intent to fire them, according to two sources granted anonymity under the Chronicles confidential source policy. Former Chief LeRonne Armstrong and former Assistant Chief Darren Allison, who succeeded Armstrong on an interim basis, were also faulted for the departments handling of the investigation into Tran, who was cleared of wrongdoing, the Oaklandside reported.

Last August, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Prices office charged Tran with perjury and bribery of a witness in a murder case. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial date is not yet set in his case.

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While details of the investigation of Tran were not discussed, Orrick characterized the matter as an investigative failure on the part of former department leaders. Mitchell, the current chief, agreed.

Mitchell said the department needs to undergo cultural changes to prompt department leaders to uphold strong values around just policing. He expressed confidence in the members he appointed to his command staff. Its not about checking a box to get out of oversight, the chief said.

While Mitchell said he keeps tabs on internal affairs matters, Orrick questioned whether the supervisor who oversees internal investigations should report directly to the chief or whether city leaders should meet with the department regularly to discuss and keep tabs on internal affairs.

Orrick said he was concerned that former department leaders wanted to sweep the allegations against Tran under the rug.

Mayor Sheng Thao vowed to ensure representatives from the city administrators office, if not her office, meet regularly with police department leaders to discuss internal affairs.

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Thao expressed confidence that Mitchell will effectuate cultural change. He gains nothing for sweeping things under the rug, she told Orrick.

Jim Chanin, one of the attorneys who represented the plaintiffs in the Riders case, pushed for Orrick to direct the police department to come up with a written plan to address the disciplinary issues that stem from the investigation of Tran. Without progress on OPDs part, Chanin said he would push to expand the courts control over the department.

Maybe thats what itll take to end the oversight, Chanin said.

Attorney John Burris, who also represented the plaintiffs in the Riders case, said he believes cultural changes within the department will require court intervention in the form of regular meetings to hold the chief accountable. His feet must be held to the fire, Burris said.

Oakland Police Commission Chair Marsha Peterson suggested that the court mandate additional training for officers to learn about the history of Oakland polices scandals. They need to know why were here, Peterson said.

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Attorney Rockne Lucia, who represents the police union, said he supported a direct line between the supervisor of internal affairs and the chief.

In court filings, the city acknowledged what it described as investigative failures that raise concerns but added that policy changes were implemented last year to improve the integrity of internal investigations. Mitchell and his command staff are focused on ensuring that department members follow policy and best practices to ensure consistent, quality investigations, the city said.

The oversight has cost the city more than $20 million since 2003, according to city records. The costs include payments to the court-appointed monitor, said Robert Warshaw, who evaluates the departments progress on the reforms.
Home News Man arrested in France related to fire that destroyed historic Catholic church

Authorities in France arrested a man in his 30s on Tuesday in connection to the fire that destroyed a historic Catholic church in northern France earlier this week.

Footage circulated on social media showing flames engulfing the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the town of Saint-Omer near Calais at approximately 4:30 a.m. local time on Monday, according to Le Monde.

The blaze caused the church's bell tower to collapse, which was also shown in the viral video.

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Approximately 120 firefighters responded to the incident and contained the blaze, which caused no injuries but collapsed the church's bell tower. Officials also said about 50 nearby residents were evacuated out of caution, Le Monde reported.

Is this definitely arson? https://t.co/QSzNGKfk3h  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 2, 2024

"My thoughts are with the Catholics and the people of Saint-Omer," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a post on X. "An investigation is under way to determine the exact cause of the fire."

Authorities announced Tuesday that they arrested an unidentified man known to police "for similar acts" in the past, Saint-Omer prosecutor Mehdi Benbouzid told AFP. He said the suspect had been living in a hostel.

The investigation found signs of forced entry, including a broken stained-glass window, Benbouzid added, noting that he is considering a charge of "destruction of property by dangerous means."

As footage of the fire went viral, social media promptly erupted with speculation that the fire was another example of the spate of arson attacks against French churches in recent years.

Among those raising the question was X CEO Elon Musk, who wrote, "Is this definitely arson?"

The neo-Gothic Church of the Immaculate Conception was completed in 1859 and restored in 2018. The fire comes weeks after another blaze engulfed Rouen's historic cathedral on July 11 in a scene reminiscent of the fire that caused catastrophic damage to the iconic Notre-Dame de Paris in 2019.

According to the L'Observatoire de la Christianophobie  or the Observatory of Christianophobia, which is a Paris-based organization that documents and highlights anti-Christian acts around the world  acts of arson and other crimes against churches have been on the rise in recent years.

After Monday's fire and the Rouen cathedral fire in July, a diagram went viral on social media that purported to show the many alleged acts of arson against churches in France. Reuters reports that the post was misleading because it also included acts of theft and vandalism.
Home News Pastor Jack Hibbs implores Christians not to vote for Democrats: A 'death cult'

Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, California, took to social media this week to implore Christians not to vote for Democrats in November, calling the Democratic Party a "death cult" because of its support for legalizing abortion without any apparent limits.

In a video posted to his X account on Wednesday, Hibbs said that while "both parties drive me nuts," he considered the Democratic Party to be "100% pro-death" and a "death cult."

"Who should you vote for? For the Christian, it's super easy," he said. "If you pull back rhetoric and emotion, it's a slam dunk. There's one party that's more pro-life than the other."

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"The Democrat Party is, in fact, a bona fide, card-carrying, platform-holding, death cult," Hibbs added. "Kill the baby, even after its born, kill the baby. Just on this topic alone, a Christian cannot vote for a Democrat candidate."

Hibbs claims, "You cannot say to God, 'I am a lover of God, a lover of the Word, a lover of Jesus and I'm a follower of my Lord, but I'm going to vote to kill babies.'"

The megachurch pastor asserts that if former President Donald Trump, a Republican, gets reelected, "we're going to have a plethora of great people" in his administration, saying that by voting Republican, "you get a lot of good stuff."

Trump's presidency led to the selection of three U.S. Supreme Court Justices who voted to overturn the 1973 ruling that made abortion a national right in 2022, allowing states more freedom to regulate abortion. Since Trump's 2020 election defeat, there has been much internal debate over the revising of the GOP Party Platform to no longer include a call for a national abortion ban.

For his part, Trump has voiced his disagreement with state laws that ban abortion early in gestation, including a six-week abortion ban in Florida. He previously seemed to imply support for Florida's Amendment 4, which, if passed in November, would effectively allow for abortions for any reason up until the moment of birth.

"I think the six-week is too short," Trump, a Florida resident, told NBC News' Dasha Burns in a recent interview. "I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks."

Later, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said that he would not be voting for the pro-choice state amendment, though he reiterated his opposition to the six-week standard.

In his video, Hibbs acknowledged that the GOP platform is "not totally but is still a pro-life platform."

In February, Hibbs garnered controversy when he told his congregation during a worship service to vote for a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Steve Garvey.

Although Hibbs said he is not making the endorsement "in the pulpit," the atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote a letter to the Internal Revenue Service asking them to revoke the tax-exempt status of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in response.

"In this instance, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills has breached the responsibilities of its tax-exempt status by openly endorsing a candidate for elected office," wrote Christopher Line of FFRF.

"We write to respectfully request that the IRS immediately investigate Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and ensure that it no longer receives the benefits of 501(c)(3) status and that donations made to the church are no longer treated as tax deductible."

The 1954 Johnson Amendment prohibits tax-exempt churches from participating or intervening in any political campaign, including through the publishing or distributing of statements, endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.

Calvary Chapel Chino Hills has been very active in registering members to vote and collecting tens of thousands of mail-in ballots to boost Christian turnout in the last few elections. Through its Real Impact ministry, the church has sought to equip other churches "to stand for righteousness in the public square.

Hibbs drew the ire of congressional Democrats in February when he served as a guest chaplain in the U.S. House of Representatives, delivering an opening prayer on Jan. 30.

Hibbs isn't the only pastor who has made headlines for political statements.

In 2022, Pastor Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta criticized Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker from the pulpit and encouraged his congregation to vote for Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Bryant claimed "white men" have been telling Walker what to do and that Georgia needs a "runner," not a "walker." In 2019, Bryant criticized rapper Kanye West from the pulpit for endorsing Trump.

Last month, Pastor Landon Schott, senior lead pastor of the multi-campus Mercy Culture Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, suggested that Americans who vote for Democrats aren't Christian and that the Democratic Party as "The Demon Party."
Home News Who were the students, teachers killed in the Apalachee High School shooting?

Family, friends and well-wishers across the nation are grieving for the two students and two teachers killed by the bullets of the 14-year-old Apalachee High School shooting suspect who went on a rampage in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the victims as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and his colleague Christina Irimie, 53.

On Wednesday, hundreds of community members gathered in downtown Winder to mourn and pray as profiles of the ones they lost began to emerge.

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Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, called the late teachers and students and the nine others recovering from injuries at local hospitals "heroes."

"Those that are deceased are heroes in my book," he said at a news briefing Wednesday. "Those that are in the hospital recovering right now are heroes in my book."

The following pages highlight the lives of those killed during the Apalachee High School shooting.
Home Opinion Is it possible to lose your salvation?

I have been holding quarterly seminars to educate Christians in Nigeria on understanding the God of the Bible. One of the topics that sparked argument in all the seminars so far is the doctrine of eternal security. On each occasion, the participants argued that it is possible for believers to lose their salvation if they decided to fall away. They cited a trend going on now in the southeastern part of Nigeria where Christians and pastors are now turning away to serve idols all in the name of restoring African identity and culture.

The majority of the participants argued that someone who once professed to be a Christian may become an apostate. They said that the popular doctrine of Once saved, always saved gives license to people to continue to live in sin without remorse or recourse. According to them, so many atrocities are being committed in the churches today simply because people believe that they are saved, and nothing will stop them from making it to Heaven.

According to Paul Bryan, the author of Who is this God?, A genuine Christian cannot become apostate. Those who apostatize demonstrate that they were never genuine Christians. As Scripture says, they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us (1 John 2:19). It is obvious that not everyone who thinks they are Christians is truly born-again follower of Christ. I dont believe in once saved, always saved as a guarantee for those who only confess Christ for fire insurance. I dont believe they had a changed heart and are born-again and, therefore, will not be in Heaven. I do believe everyone born of the Spirit of God will be saved.

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George Barna in his 2020 survey on America's Dominant Worldview observed that only 6% of adult Americans hold a biblical worldview. Is it possible for a saved person not to hold a biblical worldview? I strongly believe that while the proponents of once saved always saved are right to some extent, we need to distinguish between those who are genuinely saved and those who claim Christianity simply because they have confessed Christ.

We know that we have a variety in the body of Christ and preachers should recognize this and emphasize the need for people to genuinely come to Christ. Generalizing once saved always saved has done more harm than good. This teaching perverts the Gospel with applauds from vulnerable and gullible followers who see nothing wrong in it.

Consider this Scripture verse: Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels (Revelation 3:4-5).

In the above biblical verses, it is clear that Jesus was addressing the church in Sardis and had identified a few people who had kept themselves pure. Does it mean that He was not pleased with the majority of Christians in the church of Sardis whose garments have been soiled? He enjoined every person to endeavor to be victorious like the few that He identified. What will happen to those whose lifestyles refuse to conform to these identified few? Think about it.

There is no doubt that Christians are not saved by works but by grace (Ephesians 2:8). But are we not supposed to work to become victorious as Christ taught us? Obedience to Gods words and instructions require the fear of God and deliberate effort. Let us therefore continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Its what our Lord would have us do.
Home News Immigrant charged with raping minor, stabbing man was released under Biden-Harris policies: report

An illegal immigrant accused of raping a 14-year-old girl and repeatedly stabbing a man during a robbery was arrested in connection with the crimes only a few months after his release from custody at the southwest border, a congressional report alleges.

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement released a report Tuesday detailing the actions of a 19-year-old Honduran national.

Critical of the Biden-Harris administration's immigration policies, the report cited figures stating that the administration has released 5.6 million illegal immigrants into the United States within the last four years, and another 1.9 million escaped into the country during this time.

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One of the millions of illegal immigrants released by the Biden-Harris administration was 19-year-old Honduran Angel Matias Castellanos-Orellana. Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, encountered Castellanos-Orellana on Oct. 6, 2023.

Castellanos-Orellana claimed that he had no "credible fear" of being returned to his native country. However, he was released with a notice to appear in immigration court on an "Order of Release on own Recognizance."

The release was due to a reported lack of space, and the immigrant received instructions to report to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in New Orleans on Nov. 7, 2023. According to the congressional report, the Department of Homeland Security's data shows it had the space to detain Castellanos-Orellana.

A public affairs officer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told The Christian Post that Castellanos-Orellana reported to the ERO New Orleans Field Office for his initial report on Nov. 7, 2023, and had no prior criminal record or arrests in the United States.

In February 2024, police in Kenner, Louisiana, arrested Castellanos-Orellana in connection with what the report described as the "brutal assault" of a 14-year-old girl and the stabbing of a man during a robbery.

Castellanos-Orellana was "charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery, first-degree rape[,] and aggravated assault for the two incidents," according to the report.

"The disastrous immigration policies of the Biden-Harris Administration have had real-world consequences for American citizens. The effects of those policies will be felt for years to come, with criminal aliens in American neighborhoods harming families and hurting public safety across the country," the committee's report stated.

"Castellanos-Orellana's victims and their families will never be the same because the Biden-Harris Administration allowed the illegal alien to enter and remain in the Country," the report continued. "Tragically, Castellanos-Orellana's victims and their families are not alone."

Last month, the committee and subcommittee released an 8-page report blaming the Biden-Harris administration's immigration policies for the murder of Laken Riley. The 22-year-old nursing student was murdered while she was out for a run in February. Her body was later discovered on the University of Georgia campus.

The man arrested for the 22-year-old woman's murder, Jose Antonio Ibarra, entered the country illegally through El Paso, Texas, on Sept. 8, 2022. The DHS also cited detention capacity as the reason for Ibarra's release; however, the report argued that the agency's data showed it could have detained the immigrant.

"As a result of his release, Ibarra was free to commit crimes in the United States, including allegedly kidnapping and murdering Laken Riley in Georgia," the committee and its subcommittee stated in the document.

Before Riley's murder, Ibarra and his brother, Diego, had also previously been charged with shoplifting from a Walmart. Despite previous encounters with law enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not file a detainer against Ibarra until after the killing.

"The information obtained by the Committee shows in stark terms the real-world consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration's failure to secure the border and enforce immigration law," the report stated. "Taken as a whole, the Committee's investigation into the criminal illegal aliens the Biden-Harris Administration has allowed to enter the United States exposes the widespread failure to adequately vet, apprehend, detain, and remove illegal aliens."
Home News 6 major book publishers file lawsuit against Florida education officials over alleged book bans

Six major book publishers in the United States filed a lawsuit against Florida officials last week, alleging that moves to remove explicit books from the state's public school libraries violate the First Amendment.

The lawsuit was filed last Thursday in Orlando by Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers and Sourcebooks.

The plaintiffs include authors Julia Alvarez, Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Jodi Picoult and Angie Thomas, as well as two students and two parents.

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The defendants include officials on the Florida State Board of Education, Orange County School Board and Volusia County School Board.

The complaint takes issue with House Bill 1069, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2023 and led to hundreds of books being removed from public school libraries in the state.

Authors whose books are affected range from Maya Angelou and Judy Blume to Aldous Huxley and Charles Dickens, according to a press release from HarperCollins.

Other titles include Ernest Hemingways For Whom the Bell Tolls, Alice Walkers The Color Purple, Leo Tolstoys Anna Karenina and Kurt Vonneguts Slaughter-House Five.

One mechanism by which public schools must "discontinue use of the material" in libraries under the law includes those that prompt school boards to stop parents from reading their content aloud during school board meetings, as noted by The Washington Post.

The state government of Florida doesn't decide which books remain in public school libraries and allows schools to make that decision, though advocates of free speech allege that DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have passed legislation that has effectively restricted the number of books in schools, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Nathalia Medina, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Education, pushed back against the lawsuit's claims in a statement to WaPo.

"There are no books banned in Florida," Medina said. "Sexually explicit material and instruction are not suitable for schools."

The suit asserts that its intention is not to prevent school libraries from banning obscene books, but the publishers do take issue with part of the law that prohibits content on the basis of allegedly overbroad definitions of "pornographic" and "sexual content."

Judith Anne Hayes, who is one of the parents named in the suit and is the mother of a student in Orange County, said she was upset that her child wasn't able to read books such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, and suggested that such titles "have been falsely branded as 'pornographic' or otherwise inappropriate."

Author Stephen King, who claims 23 of his books were booted from Florida school libraries because of their content, tweeted a vulgar statement against the law over the weekend.

"Florida has banned 23 pf [sic] my books," King wrote. "What the [expletive]?"

Stephana Ferrell, who works with the book access advocacy organization Florida Freedom to Read Project, suggested that King might have been referring to the approximate number of titles that have been removed pending review in Escambia County in Florida's westernmost tip, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
Home News Chicago police respond to call claiming armed Venezuelan migrants trespassing at apartment complex

Chicago police received a call that over 30 Venezuelan migrants had shown up at a South Side apartment with guns, though one resident denied the report.

The Chicago Police Department responded to the report on Monday night, according to The National Desk. A caller had told dispatch that 32 migrants were trespassing and that the group was displaying guns in the courtyard of the building located in the Washington Park neighborhood. The caller also alleged that the migrants had parked motorcycles outside the building as the staircases became filled.

In response to an inquiry from The Christian Post, a spokesperson for CPD said an officer responded to a call of service. The term refers to an incident requiring assistance from emergency service personnel, but these types of calls are usually related to minor incidents.

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The spokesperson provided CP with a document containing police directives and confirmed that the call received a miscellaneous incident code of 4P. The code refers to Disturbance, NoiseOther Police Service. According to the CPD spokesperson, the officer did not generate any additional report besides this one.

One resident of the building, Anderson Gutierrez, told The Chicago Tribune that 32 armed people were not at the complex on Monday night, calling the report a lie. Gutierrez is a 20-year-old from Venezuela who moved into the building a few weeks ago with his siblings.

Look, theres no one outside, he said. We all know each other. No one is hurting anyone.

The 911 call in Chicago about Venezuelan migrants follows a viral video last week that showed armed men carrying guns and entering an apartment in Aurora, Colorado. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman blamed the Biden-Harris administration and nonprofit organizations for deciding to house large numbers of Venezuelan migrants in low-income apartments in the city.

The mayor stated that the criminal activities associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is mostly isolated to certain apartment complexes and that the issue doesn't jeopardize the safety of the citys over 400,000 residents.

"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.

"This is not our problem; this is a problem created by the federal government at the border with bad policy, the mayor said. 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."

Coffman described Venezuela as a failed state under a socialist dictator, noting that many are leaving the country. The mayor explained that the Venezuelan community entering the city now vastly differs from the immigrants who came to Aurora in the past.

"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, he said.

"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."

The Aurora mayor added that he hopes the authorities can remove gang members who have reportedly taken over three apartment complexes without having to ask residents to leave.

Aurora Police Department Interim Chief Heather Morris stated in a video update that 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 did acknowledge, however, that there is some gang activity in the complex, adding that officers on hand will investigate and address criminal activity at the building.
Home News Judge blocks Biden admin. rule requiring gov't funding for sex-change surgeries

A federal judge in Texas has issued a nationwide block on a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule that critics say would, among other things, interpret the Affordable Care Act to include protections for gender identity and mandate Medicaid funding for cosmetic sex-change surgeries.

U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle, a Trump appointee, issued a nationwide injunction last Friday, blocking the HHS final rule on antidiscrimination policies regarding gender identity. His ruling expands an earlier decision blocking enforcement of the policy on hospitals in Montana and Texas.

"Here, federal agencies are attempting to impose a sweeping new social policy by manipulating and perverting the statutory text that constrains them," wrote Kernodle.

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"Nothing in these statutes authorizes HHS  or any federal official  to require healthcare providers to perform novel [gender-related] procedures or force States to subsidize them."

Kernodle's decision is the fifth time a court has blocked final rules from the Biden administration defining sex discrimination to include discrimination based on gender identity, according to the Christian conservative legal group Liberty Counsel.

"Federal law does not force doctors to perform harmful or experimental procedures, nor does it require taxpayers to pay for them," stated Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver on Wednesday.

"These rules are detached from biological reality and represent an unlawful and extreme agenda. The increasing number of injunctions show that forcing gender ideology into law lacks merit."

In May, HHS issued a final rule scheduled to take effect on July 5 regarding Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination based on color, national origin, race, age, disability and sex.

The final rule, which defined "sex" to include gender identity and sexual orientation, was championed by the administration as improving antidiscrimination policies in healthcare access.

Critics argued that the rule would force federally funded health centers and insurers to provide or cover puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones or body-mutilating cosmetic surgeries, even in the two nearly dozen states that have banned such interventions for minors.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement released in April that the measure was "a giant step forward for this country toward a more equitable and inclusive health care system."

"Americans across the country now have a clear way to act on their rights against discrimination when they go to the doctor, talk with their health plan, or engage with health programs run by HHS," stated Becerra.

"I am very proud that our Office for Civil Rights is standing up against discrimination, no matter who you are, who you love, your faith or where you live. Once again, we are reminding Americans we have your back."

In July, U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola of the Southern District of Mississippi issued a preliminary injunction in favor of 15 states suing the federal government over the final rule.

Guirola wrote the Biden administration incorrectly relied on the United States Supreme Court's 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which dealt with employment discrimination, to justify its healthcare rules.

"Analysis of the language and provisions of Title IX, as well as its regulations, provides even more support for finding that the Bostock holding does not apply to Title IX and Section 1557 [of the Affordable Care Act]," said the judge.
Home News Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz subpoenaed over $250M COVID fraud scheme

House Republicans are demanding answers from Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, regarding a $250 million COVID-19 fraud scheme, viewed as one of the worst relief scams during the pandemic.

Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina issued a subpoena Wednesday to Walz's administration and officials within the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Office of Inspector General. Foxx also sent a letter to Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett requesting documents explaining the agency's response to the $250 million fraud scheme.

The subpoena concerns an investigation that goes back to 2022 regarding a $250 million fraud scheme by a Minnesota-based nonprofit called Feeding Our Future. The program was intended to help feed hungry children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding Our Future reportedly created fake attendance rosters with the names and ages of nonexistent children and falsified invoices to create a facade of providing food to the pretend children.

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"As the chief executive and the highest ranking official in the state of Minnesota, you are responsible for the MDE and its administration of FCNPs," the subpoena cover letter stated. "Statements in the press by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executive officers were involved, or had knowledge of, MDE's administration of the FCNP and responsibilities and actions regarding the massive fraud."

In a Tuesday press release, the committee stated that it proceeded with the subpoena after failing to receive a response from Walz. The committee sent the governor copies of letters it sent to MDE last November and in June requesting information about handling the fraud.

"The documents we have received to date indicate the actions taken by you and other executive officers were insufficient to address the massive fraud," the cover letter stated.

"The Committee has been unable to obtain substantive responsive materials in the many voluntary requests made in this matter," the letter continued.

"The Committee must now compel the production of responsive documents that will show the extent of the actions taken by you and your administration relating to MDE's administration of the FCNP and the extent of your responsibilities and actions addressing the massive fraud that resulted in the abuse of taxpayer dollars intended for hungry children."

Walz's office did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota, at least 70 defendants have been charged in connection with the scheme. Eighteen of them have pleaded guilty, and a federal jury convicted five defendants in June for their roles in the fraud scheme.

In June, the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor released a special report criticizing the MDE's oversight of Feeding Our Future, which "created opportunities for fraud."

During a news conference in June, Walz commented on the report that what happened with the program was not "malfeasance."

"There's not a single state employee that was implicated in doing anything that was illegal. They simply didn't do as much due diligence as they should've," Walz said.

The case regarding the COVID-19 fraud scheme is not the first of the Democratic governor's controversies to garner media attention following Walz's selection as Vice President Harris' running mate.

In 1995, Walz was arrested for driving under the influence in Dawes County, Nebraska. According to a state trooper's report about the incident, Walz had been driving at 96 miles per hour, nearly double the speed limit.
Kevin Fisher-Paulson, a deputy in the San Francisco Sheriffs Office who became a family member to readers through his touchingly funny and deeply personal weekly column in the Chronicle, died Thursday at 66. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle 2016

Kevin Fisher-Paulson, a chief deputy in the San Francisco Sheriffs Office who became a family member to readers of his touchingly funny and deeply personal weekly column in the Chronicle, died Thursday after a 15-month battle with kidney cancer, which he did not shy away from writing about.

Nor did Fisher-Paulson shy away from writing about having to send an adopted son out of state for psychiatric treatment or the disciplinary problems with his pack of rescue dogs or being gay in a traditional Irish Catholic family in Queens, where he grew up.

Not shying away was the whole point of his column, including the frank honesty of his final installment, published posthumously online Thursday.

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Fisher-Paulson died in hospice care at the Bedlam Blue Bungalow in the Outer, Outer, Outer, Outer Excelsior, the Island of Lost Boys, as he always called his home in San Francisco. Even though he had only 750 words per week to fit in an entire life of topics, he always used four of those words to adequately describe his neighborhood. His death was confirmed by his husband, Brian Fisher-Paulson. He was 66.

A few years ago we did a survey to see what readers of the newspaper thought of our columnists, and Kevin was voted the most popular, said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, the Chronicles editor in chief. His ability to relate to people in a down-to-earth way really strikes a chord with readers. He has always been open and honest about his familys travails, and that has made it easy for others to relate to him. The way he carried himself in these difficult months has been an inspiration.

Clockwise from front left: Kevin Fisher-Paulson and his family, Zane, Brian and Aidan, outside their bungalow in the Excelsior neighborhood of San Francisco. Provided by Kevin Fisher-Paulson

Fisher-Paulsons health problems were revealed on May 30, 2023, in a column titled Resolving to fight, and write, to the end. He explained that the pain in his hip, first discovered while traveling in Ireland, had been traced to a tumor in his kidney that had already spread to his lungs and lymph nodes.

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This column will not become the cancer column, he vowed. By next week, Ill be back in raconteur mode. But for one week only, I get to be maudlin. The thing is, a week ago I would have bet that Id be writing this column for another 30 years. Not the kind of column that earns a Pulitzer Prize, gets a miniseries or gets a street named after it. Just the kind that makes you smile.

Launched on May 2, 2016, his column was part of a group of one-day-a-week general interest columns that ran opposite Leah Garchiks, which ran daily on the back page. The other weekly columnists selected in a competition were Nick Hoppe, Beth Spotswood and Vanessa Hua. Over time the others, and ultimately Garchik, fell off or retired, but Fisher-Paulson was still there.

His talent as a writer was to immediately tuck you, the reader, into his life, said Garchik, who started at the Chronicle in 1972. He wrote as if he accepted you as his friend. The door was open to his household and his life, and he invited you in immediately.

Before he became a Chronicle columnist, Kevin Fisher-Paulson wrote a book about his experience as a foster parent of infant triplets that led to him being profiled in the paper. This image, of Kevin with his older son Zane, appeared with that profile in 2013. Susana Bates/Special to the Chronicle 2013

As a colleague, Garchik often went to lunch with Fisher-Paulson in the Tenderloin and was impressed at how many street people he knew from his other job as a deputy sheriff. They became such good friends that Garchik ventured from her home in the Haight to Fisher-Paulsons annual Christmas party in the Outer, Outer, Outer, Outer Excelsior. The deal was that guests brought an ornament for the tree; once when she presented his ornament at the door, he responded by handing her an ornament that he had made with her name in needlepoint.

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It is too precious for seasonal display. She hangs it on her desk lamp year round as a reminder that Fisher-Paulsons gifts went beyond good writing, she said. Just the fact that he would take the time to do that for a friend shows how sweet he was.

Kevin Thaddeus Paulson was born July 20, 1958, in Queens, N.Y., the youngest of three sons of Harold Hap and Vivian Nurse Vivian Paulson. Hap was in charge of special-service telephone lines at Kennedy Airport, which was 3 miles from the family home in South Ozone Park. His mother was an obstetrics nurse.

He used to say he grew up on Queens Boulevard, so he always said his destiny was preordained, Brian said.

Kevin Fisher-Paulson, holding son Zane, and husband Brian, holding son Aidan, march in one of the many San Francisco Pride parades they attended over the years. Provided by Kevin Fisher-Paulson

Kevin attended Archbishop Molloy High School, class of 1976. He was active in drama and had a solo in On the Street Where You Live in My Fair Lady, according to his older brother, Donald, otherwise known as Brother X in the column.

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When Kevin was in high school, he got a near-perfect score on the SATs and turned down a full scholarship to Manhattan College to accept a partial scholarship to University of Notre Dame, where he majored in American studies and was a member of the class of 1980.

This was during the Joe Montana years at Notre Dame, but Paulson was always working in a booth selling sandwiches to benefit a childrens charity, his brother said. He never once saw a game. He also sang in a campus choir that toured the United States.

During a visit home, he confided to his parents that he was gay. We were a traditional Irish Catholic family and it was not easy for my father to accept, said Donald, who got the news secondhand from his mother. They didnt talk about it brother-to-brother for 20 or 30 years.

Fisher-Paulson earned his MBA at the University of Michigan in 1982. He returned to New York and worked at Gimbels and Macys department stores in Newark, N.J. He lived in Hoboken, where he met Brian Fisher, a professional dancer, at a dinner party thrown by Paulsons cousin in Jersey City on Oct. 8, 1985.

The Fisher-Paulsons, who enjoyed dressing up in themed costumes on almost any occasion, pose as a series of Supermans for Halloween. Provided by Kevin Fisher-Paulson

He was just blindingly smart, and funny without being mean, his husband said. He was a beautiful young man who saw the humor in everything. They dated for three weeks before moving in together at Fishers Jersey City apartment. On Sept. 19, 1987, they were married, illegally, at a bar in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, with a Catholic priest performing the nuptials, even though it got him defrocked. None of their parents attended.

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Fisher had intermittent work on Broadway and more regular work with regional dance companies, while Paulson worked in management for a variety of retailers including Hallmark and Blockbuster. They left all that when a neighbor hired Kevin for his software startup, a career change that involved moving to San Francisco in 1991.

They lived in an apartment on Fair Oaks Street before buying a three-bedroom home from the 1920s, two blocks from the Daly City border. They registered as domestic partners on their anniversary in 2001 and were married again, legally, on their anniversary in 2008. Theyd already hyphenated their last names after adopting a son, Zane, in 2005.

The software firm didnt work out, and Kevin went back to retail. But hed always wanted to write, so he enrolled in a workshop. The best advice he got there was to get a civil service job that you didnt love, so you can spend all of your time off working on your art, Brian said. Thats how he came to work for the San Francisco Sheriffs Office.

Brian and Kevin Fisher-Paulson kiss at San Francisco City Hall on their official wedding day on Sept. 19, 2008. Provided by Kevin Fisher-Paulson

The joke was kind of on him because it was a job he grew to care about very deeply, Brian said.

Fisher-Paulson advanced to the position of chief deputy, one of only four or five in the department who oversee security in the county jail and the courts, he said. Hes done, like, five lifetimes full of stuff for the department, said Michele Fisher (no relation), a retired chief deputy with the San Francisco Sheriffs Office.

Chief Deputy Kevin Thaddeus Fisher-Paulsons contributions in developing and supporting our Peer Support Program, and professionalizing our Honor/Color Guard, will forever be woven into the fabric of who we are at the Sheriffs Office, said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, who served with Fisher-Paulson for 28 years. Kevin embodied our core values of Service, Pride and Professionalism, and his leadership will be missed by our members.

In 2003, the Fisher-Paulsons were asked to foster medically fragile triplets and they agreed, though they were able to bring only two home, the third remaining hospitalized. Four months later, all three  Vivienne, Joshua and Kyle  were at home with them. Kevin chronicled their first year in a series of emails he sent to friends. Those became the basis for a book, A Song for Lost Angels, published in 2015. That book is all that remained because foster care returned the triplets to their mother in 2004.

It was devastating, Brian said. Kevin asked, What do you do when you wake up after the worst day of your life?  and for Kevin, it was to write that book.

For both of them, it was to adopt a son, Zane, in 2005. They also adopted a brother for Zane, Aidan, in 2008. He started his column with the Chronicle after an open competition was held when Jon Carroll retired in 2015.

The Fisher-Paulsons were big on costumes. Here Kevin holds his then-young sons Zane, left, and Aidan in their Easter bunny outfits. Provided by Kevin Fisher-Paulson

He was recommended by Chronicle education writer Jill Tucker, whod gotten to know him as a source in the sheriffs office and had read his book.

Kevin made me laugh. His book made me cry, Tucker said, and I just thought he had a unique voice to offer San Francisco. That voice will live on in two collections. How We Keep Spinning was followed by Secrets of the Blue Bungalow, published in 2023.

Survivors include his husband, Brian; sons, Zane and Aidan, both of San Francisco; and brothers, Donald Paulson (Brother X) of Seaford, N.Y., and Harold Paulson (Brother XX) of Lancaster, Pa.

Kevin has served the rest of us, his colleagues and his audience, wonderfully, leaving us with memories that we will carry forever, Garcia-Ruiz said. There wont be another columnist like him anytime soon.
Home News Trans Christian school shooter had homicidal fantasies before mass shooting: report

The trans-identifying perpetrator behind the mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, appears to have confessed to struggling with homicidal urges and had fantasies of being a school shooter before killing six people last year, according to documents obtained from Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital via a search warrant.

In March 2023, 28-year-old Audrey Hale killed three adults and three 9-year-old students at the Christian elementary school affiliated with Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in America.

The shooter, who attended the school years ago, was a female who struggled with her gender identity and identified as a man. Hale was fatally shot during an encounter with police officers on the day she attacked the school.

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As The Tennessee Star reported Wednesday, the outlet obtained documents from the Metro Nashville Police Department labeled "Vandy Psych," which included notes that appear to have been taken by the officer who reviewed the documents.

The MNPD obtained the documents in June 2023 through a search warrant granted for Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, part of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

VUMC received public backlash in 2022 for performing sex-change surgeries on minors with gender dysphoria, leading the medical center to halt such surgeries temporarily.

According to an affidavit submitted by an MNPD detective, medical professionals affiliated with the hospital began seeing Hale in April 2001, ending with her death. The officer who reviewed the documents analyzed at least 75 pages of VUMC material related to Hale, as The Star reported.

"Thoughts of killing Dad in and struggles with mental health. Recent thoughts of going into a school and shooting a bunch of people," one of the notes stated about Hale on March 27, 2023.

Other notes from the document titled "Vandy Psych" include statements like "Homicidal thoughts with a plan. Misunderstood and felt like she needed to prove a point." Additional notes state that Hale had "fantasies of being a school shooter" and thought "a lot about death, both Suicidal and homicidal."

Vanderbilt University Medical Center did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

According to Tennessee State Code 33-3-206, mental health professionals "shall take reasonable care to predict, warn of, or take precautions to protect the identified victim from the service recipient's violent behavior." The mental health professional is then required to commit to the patient and continue providing care.

Prior to the Covenant School shooting, the penalty for mental health professionals who failed to warn police of a potential threat could face monetary liability in court. However, the statute of limitations on this was typically limited to one year.

Earlier this year, Tennessee passed House Bill 1625, requiring mental health professionals to warn local law enforcement if a patient expresses intent to commit "bodily harm" against a group of people.

Star News Digital Media, Inc., which owns and operates The Star, and editor-in-chief Michael Patrick Leahy are plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to compel both the FBI and the MNPD to release the writings left behind by Hale fully.

Earlier this month, The Star reported that the FBI sent a memo to the Metro Nashville Police Department a month and a half after the shooting, telling the local law enforcement agency that it "strongly discourages" the release of "legacy tokens" from mass murderers. The FBI warned that publishing "legacy tokens" would lead future mass shooters to "immerse themselves in and study these materials for inspiration and tactics."

In a June 12 X thread, Daily Wire Host Matt Walsh unveiled excerpts from Hale's diary obtained by the conservative media outlet. One passage of the handwritten diary stated that she would "kill to have parents who would let [their] child be happy no matter how different it is to [their] viewpoints or don't agree, or scared of it" and who "are willing to listen to their children, not the other way around."

One of the entries titled "Imaginary Penis" included statements such as "My penis exists in my head" and "I swear to God I'm a male." Hale also expressed frustration that she would never know what it felt like to sodomize a girl because she was born female.

"Having a brain like mine has its godliness but also prone to making poor a decisions," she said.
Home News Trump talks World War III, plans for 'largest deportation' during Fox News town hall

During a town hall event Wednesday, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump said that humanity could be headed for another world war under the policies of the Biden-Harris administration and reiterated his vow to undertake the "largest deportation" in the history of the United States if reelected.

The pre-recorded town hall event with Fox News' Sean Hannity was held at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and was first broadcast on Wednesday evening.

During his remarks, Trump claimed that, under the Biden administration, the U.S. southern border was the "worst border in the history of the world" and lamented that "we're letting everybody in."

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"We have to stop it," the former president said, stating that "we have to do the largest deportation" of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history once he is in office. Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump has spoken of doing deportations on an unprecedented scale, including during his speech during the Republican National Convention in July.

Trump also repeated the claim that Venezuelan gangs were "taking over" Aurora, Colorado, and "occupying apartments." Local authorities have stated that media outlets have "exaggerated incidents that are isolated to a handful of problem properties alone" and don't impact most Aurora residents. Mayor Mike Coffman has criticized the Biden-Harris administration's policies that enabled a large number of Venezuelan migrants to be housed in low-income apartments in Aurora.

Trump said, "It's a sick and angry world," claiming that events like Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on civilian communities in southern Israel and the Russian invasion of Ukraine beginning in 2022 "would have never happened" if he had been reelected in 2020.

"We're heading into World War III territory," he claimed. "You need a president that's not going to be taking you into war. We won't have World War III when I'm elected, but with these clowns that you have in there now, you're going to end up having World War III."

In kicking off the show after Hannity mentioned the deadly school shooting in Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Trump vowed: "We are going to heal our world."

"We are going to get rid of all these wars that are starting all over the place because of incompetent American leadership," he said. "We are going to make it better."

Last month, Fox News announced that "Hannity" would feature a pre-taped town hall event with Trump, which would be centered on various issues facing the country in advance of the November election. Hannity said that Fox News originally offered a debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in place of the town hall that would have featured other Fox News anchors as moderators.

Trump and Harris are scheduled to debate each other next Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the ABC network serving as the host.

As part of the rules for the debate, the microphones of Trump and Harris will be live only for the presidential candidate who is speaking during their turn, according to NBC News.

In a statement, the Harris campaign claimed that the vice president "will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President."

"Notwithstanding our concerns, we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format," stated the Harris campaign.

"We do not want to jeopardize the debate. For this reason, we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones."
Trump discusses inevitability of death, says he wants religious revival in US

(CP) Former President Donald Trump spoke about his own mortality and the need for a religious revival in the U.S. during a recent interview with Russian-American podcaster Lex Fridman.

During the hour-long interview posted on Tuesday that touched on topics ranging from the 2024 presidential election to the Kennedy assassination and UFOs, the conversation honed in at the end on mortality and the role religion plays in coming to terms with it and the potential of an afterlife.

"One of the tragic things about life is that it ends," Fridman said. "How often do you think about your death? Are you afraid of it?"

Trump, who narrowly escaped an assassin's bullet on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, recounted that he has a "very successful" friend in his mid-80s who thinks about death constantly and often reminds him that time is slipping away.

"He said, 'I think about it every minute of every day,'" Trump noted of what his friend said of death. "Then, a week later, he called me to tell me something, and he starts off the conversation by going, 'Tick-tock, tick-tock.' This is a dark person, in a sense, but it is what it is."

Trump went on to note the place of religion in finding peace with the inevitability of death and expressed his desire that America would become more religious like it once was.

"If you're religious, I think you have a better feeling about it. You're supposed to go to Heaven ideally, not Hell, but you're supposed to go to Heaven if you're good," he said.

"Our country is missing a lot of religion," he continued. "I think it really was a much better place with religion. It was almost a guide. You want to be good to people. Without religion, there's no real guardrails. I'd love to see us get back to religion, more religion in this country."

Trump, who claims to be a Christian, has presented himself as a candidate friendly to Christians and has been outspoken in recent months about the importance of maintaining religious liberty in the US.

During the National Religious Broadcasters 2024 International Christian Media Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, in February, Trump accused the Biden administration of weaponizing the justice system against people of faith.

"The chains are already tightening around all of us, if you think about it," he said. "Ultimately, the radical Left is coming after all of us, because they know that our allegiance is not to them. Our allegiance is to our country, and our allegiance is to our Creator. They don't want to hear that."

At the Turning Point Action's Believers Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, in July, Trump urged Christians to vote for him.

"I don't care how, but you have to get out and vote," he said. "Christians, get out and vote just this time. You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It'll be fixed."

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At a postMemorial Day event earlier this year, Elissa Slotkin, one of the nations top Democratic candidates for US Senate, had almost all the ingredients in place for an effective swing through northern Michigan: beautiful weather, a prime location in the middle of the biggest metro area for a hundred miles, and a packed audience.

Yet upon a closer look, the crowdbathed in hues of blue from the sun reflecting off Lake Michiganwas missing something.

There was nobody in attendance from any of the local television affiliates or the regions paper of record, the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Instead, the event was being covered by a single public radio affiliate from the nearby artsy town of Interlochen; a reporter for Michigan Advance, a nonprofit startup; and me, a New Yorkbased journalist dropping in on an election with national implications.

It was a prime example of a media problem that campaigns and political-communications experts say is reshaping how they approach election season: the steep decline of local news.

When I started out, twenty years ago, there were multiple reporters at small-town dailies who covered politics, said Jared Leopold, a Democratic communications consultant. Now its a slog to get local reporters out to regional stopsespecially local television, whose coverage campaigns highly covet.

On a weekend at a TV station, you may be down to one day-side reporter, said Mark Naymik, the managing editor of the nonprofit Signal Cleveland and a former enterprise reporter for Clevelands WKYC Channel 3. There is a lot less attention on the ground game, the organizing, the unregistered voter that both campaigns dont really target. Its not worth their effort.

Seasoned journalists and campaign professionals have seen the dropoff cycle-to-cycle over the past couple of decadeslong gone are the days of a van just for the local press corps to follow a candidate aroundbut the dearth of local coverage has become particularly acute in recent years.

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Thats forced campaigns to rethink how they communicate about their candidates policies and personal backgrounds with the very people whose votes they need. Sometimes Ive had to employ the strategy of getting the national press to cover something just so the local press will pick it up, Leopold said.

Michael Ceraso, a Democratic communications strategist and a former campaign staffer for Barack Obama, has observed a similar shift. When I started being introduced to comms, the priority for local newspapers was so big, he said. A newspaper with ten thousand subscribers was sometimes treated as important as a newspaper with a hundred thousand subscribers in a state. Now, he said, if youre a comms person, you cant be pitching anybody other than national reporters.

All this leaves campaign professionals with little choice but to runand fundraiseon the kinds of (often divisive) national issues that get the attention of cable news. Theres no ability to amplify at the local level, Ceraso said.

It also makes it harder for strategists to evaluate how their messaging is landing or to connect with potential audiences in smaller towns. Without the metrics of story placement and letters to the editor, Ceraso said, there is less data to draw from. And without local news to spread the word about events, its harder to build momentum in communities. As a comms person, 80 percent of what I do is like, Okay, Ive got to organize the event, and then Ive got to pitch the reporters, Ceraso said. And if you have less media to choose from, the outcome is going to be a lot harder.

Social media has partially filled the void, Ceraso added, pointing to community Facebook groups as the closest thing many voters have to a local paper. But theres still an emptiness there.

Local news reporters who focus on politics say the sense of abandonment goes both ways. Morgan Trau, a Columbus-based politics reporter for News 5 Cleveland and Ohio Capital Journal, told CJR that she gets much less communication from statewide campaigns than she used to; when she does, its often little more than a quick text or email about an event. The candidates themselves may still care about local news, she added, but for the broader campaigns, it definitely doesnt feel as press-forward as previous years.

Ceraso suggested one reason why some campaigns may be reaching out to reporters less: they dont always know whos still on the job. I imagine its much harder for the newsroom, much harder for the reporter, he said. But for the comms person, its just hard to keep track, because newsrooms are shuttering every day.

Jake Lahut is a campaign reporter based in New York. He covered the 2024 GOP primary from New Hampshire for The Daily Beast and authored the Trail Mix newsletter. He previously worked at Business Insider and the Keene Sentinel.
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In recent weeks, various world governments have signaled a desire to clamp down on tech companies that refuse to moderate themselves. In Brazil, a supreme-court judge blocked X nationwide because the platform didnt comply with court orders to suspend certain accounts and lacked legal representation in the country. (The refusal to comply suggested that the company considered itself above the rule of law, according to a judge asked to review the decision.) In France, meanwhile, Pavel Durov, the Russian-born CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested for refusing to cooperate with legal authorities regarding criminal activity on the app, including the sharing of content relating to child sexual abuse and drug trafficking. Citing a free speech defense, Durov had previously resisted answering regulators inquiries and handing over documents about criminal activity on the appwhich, according to the Financial Times, forms part of the French prosecutors complaint.

Increasingly, tech companies are also resisting calls to moderate themselves more strongly in the US, albeit without facing a governmental sledgehammer in response. Last week, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, wrote in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee that he regrets being pressured by the government to censor certain content related to the COVID pandemic in 2021. This was considered a big win for Republicans, who have insisted that tech companies content decisions have been tilted by an anti-conservative bias. (Steven Levy, at Wired, described Zuckerbergs remarks as a mea culpa where he seems to indicate that there was something to the GOP conspiracy theory.) The letter said that Meta would push back if something similar were to occur again.

And Musk, who calls himself a free speech absolutist, has drastically backslid on content moderation efforts at X since acquiring the platform in 2022. This has included ditching an election integrity team and reducing the platforms trust and safety staff by a third. He even changed the name of the latter to simply the safety team. Any organization that puts Trust in their name cannot [be] trusted, as that is obviously a euphemism for censorship, he tweeted.

Musk also reinstated Donald Trumps account after he was suspended from the platform for inciting violence on January 6, 2021. Trumpwho, in the meantime, had started his own social media platform, Truth Socialdidnt immediately jump back on X. But after several years of (almost total) hiatus, and with his third presidential campaign nearing its conclusion, he is now back and active on the platform, engaging in familiar posting habits involving entirely capitalized words, insults and nicknames, and exaggerations, as described by Newsweek. Recently, Musk even did a friendly two-hour interview with Trump, without challenging him on inaccurate statements. X is a very different environment for Trump now than it was during the 2020 election and its aftermath.

As Yona TR Golding wrote for CJR earlier this summer, tech companies arent just rolling back content moderation effortstheyre also making it harder for journalists, researchers, and election observers to study whats happening on their platforms. Musk put Xs application programming interface, or API, behind a paywall, charging researchers up to tens of thousands of dollars for data that was previously free; as a result, over a hundred projects were canceled, halted, or pivoted to other platforms. Then, last month, Meta got rid of CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring tool used to track misinformation on Facebook and Instagram. Meta promised to give researchers a better replacement tool, though an investigation that Kaitlyn Dowling and I undertook for the Tow Center found that this new tool is far less comprehensive and transparent.

On X, Musk has kept one content moderation effort in place: a crowdsourcing feature called Community Notes. (Originally, this was known as BirdWatch.) Community Notes relies on anonymous volunteer contributors to identify misleading posts and propose corrections, or notes. A note will only be made visible to the public if enough users with diverse perspectives agree that its useful. Well-known figures including President Biden, the short-lived British prime minister Liz Truss, and Musk himself (to his frustration) have been corrected by notes.

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Musk has praised Community Notes as a game changer, emphasizing its ability to provide users with accurate information without political bias. The effort seems to have inspired YouTube, which announced in July that it is testing a similar crowdsourcing feature. Certain users on that platform can now add clarifying information to videos, such as indicating when a song is meant to be a parody or when older footage is mistakenly presented as a current event. Bluesky, an X competitor founded by that companys former CEO, Jack Dorsey, has similarly said that it aims to integrate a Community Noteslike feature in the future, according to TechCrunch.

Community Notes has had a mixed record so far. One study found that across the political spectrum, notes explaining why a post was misleading were perceived as significantly more trustworthy than simple, context-free misinformation labels. Another found that the appearance of a note roughly halves the number of reposts. But there is a catch: The main issue is that Community Notes are relatively slow (or rather, slow compared to the speed of information dissemination on Twitter), Thomas Renault, the coauthor of the latter study, wrote on X. While 50 percent of reposts happen within the first five hours, notes take roughly fifteen hours to become public. Thus the damage has often already been done before a correction is made.

Indeed, a joint investigation by ProPublica and the Tow Center showed that Community Notes didnt scale sufficiently during the first month of the Israel-Hamas crisis, when false claims based on out-of-context, outdated, or manipulated media proliferated on X. Of about two thousand debunked posts reviewed, 80 percent or so did not have a note appended. And when notes did appear, they typically accrued only a fraction of the original tweets views.

Now the onus is on Community Notes to curb misinformation about the upcoming presidential election. But because users have to agree on notes before they become visible, many notes on politically divisive topics are never made public. In July, the New York Times reported that Nearly 8,000 fact checks have been drafted about immigration on Community Notes, but only 471 of them have been approved by users and made public on X, according to MediaWise, a media literacy program at the Poynter Institute. Only 4 percent of Community Notes about abortion have been made visible.

Researchers seem to agree that while the Community Notes feature has potential, it should not be used in isolation. As ProPublica and Tows investigation pointed out, Community Notes were initially meant to complement Xs various trust and safety initiatives, not replace them. X, however, seems to have decided that the feature is sufficient to police misinformation about the election, according to the Times. This is, perhaps, also the most convenient approach for Musk, who himself is an active spreader of misinformation on the platform. The same can be said for Trump, the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and the misogynistic internet personality Andrew Tate, all three of whom Musk reinstated to the platform despite their prior violations of its rules. By investing in Community Notes, X appears to be putting some energy into content moderation. In reality, though, the feature is struggling to keep up with a mammoth task.



Other notable stories:

Yesterday, a fourteen-year-old student opened fire at a high school in Winder, Georgia, killing two other students and two teachers and injuring nine other people before surrendering. The FBI said that the suspect, who will now be charged with murder as an adult, had already been on the radar of law enforcement in connection with online threats of a school shooting (though when questioned, he denied posting them). This morning, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution dedicated its entire front page to the shooting, leading with a photo of mourners at a vigil under the banner headline UNIMAGINABLE LOSS. Other front-page headlines included This time, a school shooting hits close to home and, atop an opinion column, Failing our students, one shooting at a time.

Also yesterday, the Justice Department announced a barrage of responses to a Russian propaganda campaign that it said is aiming to influence the result of the US presidential election; among other steps, officials seized Web domains used to spread fake news, sanctioned actors including various staffers at the Russian state broadcaster RT, and indicted two RT employees who allegedly funneled cash to a US media company. Prosecutors did not name the company, but CNN and others identified it as Tenet Media, a platform whose contributors include the right-wing content creators Benny Johnson and Tim Pool. Both men claimed to be victims of the scheme, rather than perpetrators.

In Tuesdays newsletter, we noted reports that a man was subdued with a Taser after attempting to enter an area reserved for members of the media at a recent Trump rally in Pennsylvania, shortly after Trump had bashed the press as the enemy of the people. (Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally? Trump asked, as the man was led away.) Local law enforcement officials have since clarified that the man opposes Trumps policies and was in the process of trying to hang a banner in protest. (Its not clear what it said.) He has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

In July, the Times revealed details of a secret legal battle between Rupert Murdoch and his children over the future of the formers media empire, with Murdoch reportedly attempting to change the terms of a family trust to ensure that control passes to his son Lachlan, who is perceived as more conservative than his siblings. Now a coalition of major news organizations, including the Times and CNN, is urging a court in Nevada to open proceedings in the case to public scrutiny. CNNs Hadas Gold has more details.

And an appeals court upheld a lower-court ruling that the Internet Archive, a nonprofit, breached the copyright of authors and publishers when it removed restrictions on the lending of digital copies of books via an online library during the pandemic. (Mathew Ingram wrote about the case for CJR last year.) Kate Knibbs writes, for Wired, that the appeals courts decision could have a significant impact on the future of internet history.

ICYMI: Thats how you run a debate! 9Newss Kyle Clark on holding politicians accountable

Sarah Grevy Gotfredsen is a computational investigative fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. She works on a range of computational projects on the digital media landscape, including influence operations conducted through news media and the information ecosystem. She graduated from Columbia University in 2022 with an MS degree in data journalism.
Carlos Quiles says he was seriously injured in May 2022 when the Uber he was traveling in crashed into two parked cars in Queens  after the driver lost control of his Toyota while trying to clear a fly or some other obstruction from his windscreen.

Quiles, who required surgery on his left shoulder, said he is still waiting for payments from American Transit Insurance Co., which underwrote the drivers policy. His lawyer has been negotiating with the New York-based insurer for almost two years, while Quiles has posted about his predicament on the companys Yelp and Google Review pages  complaining about the Kafkaesque way they dealt with his claim.

From the very beginning, it was a nightmare, said Quiles, who works as a trauma emergency room nurse at Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn. Each and every time you call, its at least 30 minutes hold time. And they either hang up on you or they transfer you to someone else.

Hes far from alone in being frustrated by American Transit, the largest insurer of commercial taxis and rideshare vehicles in the city with a market share of more than 60%. The insurer, also known as ATIC, is being sued in federal court by Uber Technologies Inc. for a consistent pattern of failing to honor coverage for ride-share drivers in New York City who get into accidents.

Uber alleges that those delays caused 23 lawsuits to be brought against it and its drivers over crashes involving bodily injuries between May and August 2023.

ATIC attorneys have denied the allegations, and the suit is ongoing, but the company faces financial challenges. The insurer posted more than $700 million in losses in the second quarter, breaching thresholds that require state regulators to intervene.

New Yorks Department of Financial Services told Bloomberg it has been working with the company and other stakeholders to address these longstanding financial issues, and protect drivers, passengers and the stability of the New York livery insurance market.

Christopher Ryan, ATICs chief financial officer, and other company representatives did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment. Baker, McEvoy and Moskovits, who work for ATIC and represent the taxi driver in the Quiles case, didnt return calls.

If the company cant find an infusion of capital, it risks not being able to pay out claims or insure drivers. That would threaten the citys transportation ecosystem, which relies on more than 117,000 cabs to ferry people around the city. Even if another firm steps in, drivers premiums would likely increase.

Drivers insured by ATIC typically pay annual premiums of $4,000 to $6,000, depending on their experience, accident claims and different actuarial calculations  rates that competitors say are not commensurate with the risk.

Dawood Mian, who owns a fleet of cars and authors the AutoMarketplace Substack, said that if ATIC needed to adjust premiums, owners and drivers could be forced to pay 30% more a year, straining an industry that has been buckling for years under the pressure of rising expenses, including gas, maintenance and competition.

The industry is still reeling after many drivers fell into crushing debt to buy Medallions, a city-issued license to operate cabs, before values collapsed.

On Wednesday, drivers gathered outside City Hall to protest against Uber and Lyft after they started locking out some of its rideshare drivers mid-shift in an attempt to fight a minimum wage rule, leading to decreased earnings.

Today, thousands of Uber & Lyft drivers will rally at City Hall, then march on Ubers NYC headquarters to demand a real solution to the lockout crisis.

And if Uber, Lyft and the mayor wont listen, next month were going on strike. https://t.co/G0HU42nnOW

 NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) September 4, 2024

One of the big issues is theres fundamentally a cap to what drivers can afford, said Mian. If you charged a driver on average, lets say $8,000, many drivers just simply cannot make that work.

ATIC was co-founded by Edward McGettigan, Sr. in 1972. His son and other relatives have worked there or served on the board. Its now run by Ralph Bisceglia, who joined ATIC in the 1980s, and remains very much a family-owned and run firm. Adrian Bisceglia is currently listed as the companys chief product development officer, and various Bisceglia relatives also have been on the board.

When Bisceglia joined the firm in the 1980s, it was relatively small, but even as early as 1986, state regulators were describing the company as insolvent by $6 million, according to a state examination report obtained by Bloomberg.

The gap between its liabilities and assets has only grown  but has continually been a source of contention between ATIC and accountants. Since at least 2021, a third-party actuary hired to review the companys regular financial statements filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has insisted the firms reserves are insufficient, an opinion the companys executives disagreed with.

Tim Zawacki, a senior analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, who has covered the industry for 25 years, said the companys reserves have been considered deficient for decades, but its escalated as ATIC has had to grapple with bigger claim sizes driven by larger settlements as well as jury and arbitration awards.

If ATIC cant keep insuring drivers, the New York taxi industry could face huge issues, said Zawacki. If they manage to keep operating, they will likely have to raise premiums. Insurance will be available but it may be available at a price that many drivers and companies are unwilling or unable to pay, he said.

Meanwhile, Quiles says he is still waiting for his settlement. He was out of work for six months because of the injuries and received two disability payments from ATIC of less than $4,000 each over the period. But he is still waiting for insurance payments.

He says he still feels the impact from the injuries to this day, and is interviewing for less physically demanding roles.

My attorney filed a lawsuit and all they keep doing is pushing everything back, he said, noting that he has been waiting for about two years. They have an attorney, they just go to court and they continue to delay, delay, delay, delay.

Top photo: Pedestrians cross a street past traffic in the Midtown neighborhood of New York, US, on Saturday, June 17, 2023. New York Citys congestion pricing plan for the central business district is expected to get final approval this month. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
Attorneys representing both living and deceased patients of an Oregon hospital filed a $303 million lawsuit against the facility after a nurse was accused of replacing prescribed fentanyl with nonsterile tap water in intravenous drips.

The wrongful death and medical malpractice complaint accuses Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford of negligence. The suit says the hospital failed to monitor medication administration procedures and prevent drug diversion by their employees, among other claims.

A spokesperson said the hospital had no comment.

Dani Marie Schofield, a former nurse at the hospital, was arrested in June and charged with 44 counts of second-degree assault. The charges stemmed from a police investigation into the theft and misuse of controlled substances that resulted in patient infections. She has pleaded not guilty.

Schofield is not named or listed as a defendant in the complaint filed Tuesday. A separate suit was filed against Schofield and the hospital earlier this year on behalf of the estate of a 65-year-old man who died.

The 18 plaintiffs in the new suit include nine patients and the estates of nine patients who died. According to the suit, the hospital began informing them in December that an employee had replaced fentanyl with tap water, causing bacterial infections.

All Plaintiff Patients were infected with bacterium uniquely associated with waterborne transmission, the complaint says.

All of the plaintiffs experienced mental anguish, according to the suit, which seeks millions of dollars in damages for medical expenses, lost income and the pain and suffering of those who died.

Medford police began investigating late last year, after hospital officials noticed a troubling spike in central line infections from July 2022 through July 2023 and told police they believed an employee had been diverting fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that has helped fuel the nations overdose epidemic, but it is also used in legitimate medical settings to relieve severe pain. Drug theft from hospitals is a longstanding problem.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Full text: Keynote address by Chinese President Xi Jinping at opening ceremony of 2024 FOCAC summit

Xinhua) 15:34, September 05, 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The following is the full text of the address:

Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future

Keynote Address by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Summit of

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Beijing, September 5, 2024

Your Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye,

Your Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Chairperson of the African Union (AU),

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation,

Your Excellency Mr. Antnio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,

Your Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission,

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Blossoms in spring turn into fruits in autumn, and a bumper harvest is the reward of hard work. In this season of harvest, I am delighted to gather together with so many old and new friends in Beijing to discuss grand plans for China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I extend a warm welcome to you all!

The friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. The founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000 was a milestone in the history of China-Africa relations. Over the past 24 years, especially in the new era, China has advanced forward hand in hand with our African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith. We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We share weal and woe in fighting natural disasters and epidemics together, creating touching stories of China-Africa friendship. We always empathize with and support each other, setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history. With its future growth in mind, I propose that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence and development one after another, and have been endeavoring to redress the historical injustices of the modernization process. As we are about to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, we are going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Africa is also awakening again, and the continent is marching in solid strides toward the modernization goals set forth in the AU's Agenda 2063. China and Africa's joint pursuit of modernization will set off a wave of modernization in the Global South, and open a new chapter in our drive for a community with a shared future for mankind.

-- We should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable. In promoting modernization, we should not only follow the general rules, but also act in light of our national realities. China is ready to increase exchanges of governance experience with Africa, support all countries in exploring modernization paths befitting their national conditions, and help ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for all countries.

-- We should jointly advance modernization that is open and win-win. Mutually beneficial cooperation is the sunny road to the betterment of long-term and fundamental interests of all countries. China is ready to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, promote exemplary, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation projects, and build together a model for the delivery of the Global Development Initiative.

-- We should jointly advance modernization that puts the people first. The ultimate goal of modernization is the free and full development of human beings. China will work vigorously with Africa to promote personnel training, poverty reduction and employment, enhance the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people in the course of modernization, and ensure that all will benefit from the process.

-- We should jointly advance modernization featuring diversity and inclusiveness. Well-balanced material and spiritual advancement is a lofty objective of modernization. China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the Global Civilization Initiative.

-- We should jointly advance modernization that is eco-friendly. Green development is a hallmark of modernization in the new era. China is ready to help Africa build "green growth engines," narrow the gap in energy accessibility, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and jointly push for the global transition to green and low-carbon development.

-- We should jointly advance modernization underpinned by peace and security. Modernization would not be possible without a peaceful and stable environment for development. China is ready to help Africa improve its capacity in safeguarding peace and stability independently, prioritize Africa in implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI), promote mutual reinforcement of high-quality development and greater security, and work together with Africa to uphold world peace and stability.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

China and Africa account for one-third of the world population. Without our modernization, there will be no global modernization. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

First, the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations. China is ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centers on China and Africa studies. We will make better use of Africa's leadership academies to cultivate talents for governance, and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.

Second, the Partnership Action for Trade Prosperity. China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider. We have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This has made China the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a step. It will help turn China's big market into Africa's big opportunity. China will expand market access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas, and launch a "China-Africa quality enhancement program." We are prepared to enter into framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with African countries to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantee for trade and investment between the two sides.

Third, the Partnership Action for Industrial Chain Cooperation. China will foster industry cooperation growth clusters with Africa, push forward the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, and launch an "African SMEs empowerment program." We will build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center and initiate 20 digital demonstration projects so as to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Fourth, the Partnership Action for Connectivity. China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development. We are ready to assist in the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and deepen logistics and financial cooperation for the benefit of trans-regional development in Africa.

Fifth, the Partnership Action for Development Cooperation. China is ready to release the Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative with Africa, and implement 1,000 "small and beautiful" livelihood projects. We will replenish the China-World Bank Group Partnership Facility to boost Africa's development. We support Africa in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. We will work together with Africa to deliver more fruits of development to the two peoples.

Sixth, the Partnership Action for Health. China is ready to establish with Africa a hospitals alliance and joint medical centers. We will send 2,000 medical personnel to Africa, and launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment. We will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa's pharmaceutical production, and continue to do what we can to help Africa with epidemic response. We support the development of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen public health capacity in all African countries.

Seventh, the Partnership Action for Agriculture and Livelihoods. China will provide Africa with RMB1 billion yuan in emergency food assistance, build 100,000 mu (about 6,670 hectares) of standardized agriculture demonstration areas in Africa, send 500 agricultural experts, and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. We will implement 500 programs in Africa to promote community welfare. We will also encourage two-way investment for new business operations by Chinese and African companies, enable Africa to retain added value, and create at least one million jobs for Africa.

Eighth, the Partnership Action for People-to-People Exchanges. China will implement with Africa more solidly the Future of Africa-Vocational Education Cooperation Plan, establish together an engineering technology academy, and build ten Luban Workshops. We will provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youths. We will launch with Africa a Cultural Silk Road program as well as an initiative of cooperation on innovation in radio, TV and audio and visual programs. The two sides have agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Ninth, the Partnership Action for Green Development. China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, put in place meteorological early warning systems, and carry out cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief as well as biodiversity conservation. We will create a China-Africa forum on peaceful use of nuclear technology, establish together 30 joint laboratories, and collaborate on satellite remote sensing and lunar and deep-space exploration. All this is designed to help with green development in Africa.

Tenth, the Partnership Action for Common Security. China is ready to build with Africa a partnership for implementing the GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation. We will give Africa RMB1 billion yuan of grants in military assistance, provide training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers from Africa, and invite 500 young African military officers to visit China. The two sides will conduct joint military exercises, training and patrol, carry out an "action for a mine-free Africa," and jointly ensure the safety of personnel and projects.

To implement the ten partnership actions, the Chinese government will provide RMB360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years. This breaks down into RMB210 billion yuan of credit line, RMB80 billion yuan of assistance in various forms, and at least RMB70 billion yuan of investment in Africa by Chinese companies. In addition, China will encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds in China to enhance our results-oriented cooperation in all areas.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

The Communist Party of China held in July the successful Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee, laying out systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. This will profoundly further transform China. It will also provide new opportunities and new driving forces for African countries and for our joint pursuit of modernization.

As an African proverb goes, a friend is someone you share the path with. On the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind. Let us rally the more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people into a powerful force on our shared path toward modernization, promote modernization of the Global South with China-Africa modernization, and write a new magnificent chapter of development in human history. Let us join hands to bring about a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

Thank you.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Annie is a reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. She previously was a digital producer for The Chronicles Datebook section. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2017 with a degree in journalism. During her time there, she spearheaded a culture column, produced radio pieces for NPR-affiliate station KCBX, and was a DJ and writer for KCPR, the campus radio station. Before joining the Chronicle, she was an associate producer at SFGATE and interned at VICE and Flood Magazine. Shes particularly interested in communities and scenes that are often misunderstood.
Hong Kong raised its storm warning to the third-highest level as Super Typhoon Yagi skirts the city, with flights set to be disrupted throughout Friday as the storm tracks toward southern China.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued a so-called Typhoon Signal 8, a warning of gale or storm-force winds near sea level, at 6:20 p.m. local time. It expects the alert will remain at least until noon on Friday. The train to the airport and the citys underground rail services will normally run on a limited schedule when the alert is raised, depending on the severity of the storm.

Under the stock exchanges current rules, the citys $5 trillion equity market will now cancel its morning trading session. The afternoon session could still begin if the alert is lowered at noon.

Yagi was centered about 330 kilometers south of Hong Kong at around 11 p.m. It will remain at super-typhoon intensity and skirt around 300 kilometers to the southwest of the city on Friday morning, the HKO said.

Yagi has maximum sustained winds of 120 knots (222 kilometers) per hour, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The system is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, which is considered a major storm that has the capacity to inflict catastrophic damage. Yagis top winds weakened somewhat Thursday evening, but the typhoon warning center expects the storm could intensify again overnight.

The Hong Kong education bureau announced a suspension of classes at schools on Friday to ensure the safety of students, and airport authorities warned of flight disruptions the whole day as they activated rescheduling systems.

Yagi could be the last typhoon to force a closure of Hong Kongs stock exchange  the financial hub will end its decades-long practice of shutting markets during typhoons from Sept. 23.

The storm killed at least 15 people in the Philippines and forced thousands to flee before moving into the South China Sea. The Chinese city of Haikou on Hainan Island will close schools, factories and supermarkets from Thursday in preparation for Yagi, China Central Television reported.

Yagi, known as Makar in China, could become the strongest typhoon to hit the island in the past decade, according to the Hainan Meteorological Administration. Hainan has issued its highest emergency response level, Xinhua reported, citing the provincial disaster management authority. China Southern Power Grid Co., one of the countrys top electricity grid firms, also raised its emergency response level on Thursday and implemented various defensive measures against the typhoon and expected heavy rain.

The downpour from the typhoon could threaten rice crops in Guangdong province and sugarcane in neighboring Guangxi. Extreme weather from heat waves to flooding has already impacted agriculture throughout China this summer.

Once Yagi passes southern China, its forecast to head toward northern Vietnam, although at a weaker intensity, according to the typhoon warning center.

Top photo: Staff members reinforce doors and windows bracing for the Typhoon Yagi at Xinhai Port in Haikou, Hainan Province, on Sept. 4. Photographer: Luo Yunfei/China News Service/VCG/Getty Images.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
As the market for in-house insurance surpasses a record $200 billion, the underlying reasons for that boom show how a hotter, less stable planet is redrawing the risk map for corporations.

Captive insurance, where companies create their own coverage vehicles, is on the rise, according to insurance broker Aon Plc. Companies are using it to work around restrictions or to avoid prohibitively high prices imposed by external insurers. And its a development thats particularly pronounced in sectors tied to climate change.

Oil and mining firms are now using their captives to a greater degree, John English, chief executive of captive and insurance management at Aon, said in an interview. Thats as coverage from outside insurers becomes unaffordable or unappetizing from a price and capacity perspective. In fact, a number of insurers and reinsurers have simply turned away from fossil-fuel firms, he said.

Its the latest sign that climate change is upending the norms that underpin how markets function, as the economic cost of covering its fallout balloons. A recent report by Aon noted that the market for captive insurance has grown significantly over the past few years, with roughly a quarter of the almost 3,000 companies it surveyed saying theyve resorted to such arrangements. In 2021, the figure was 17%.

Climate change is having an amplifying effect on all the risks we know, said Peter Carter, head of climate and captives at broker WTW. And captives are playing a role as a shock absorber, he said.

How Does Captive Insurance Work?

A captive arrangement typically functions as a special-purpose vehicle thats created to insure, or reinsure, the risk of the parent company thats setting it up. Companies transfer premiums to their own insurance SPVs. The construction can sometimes be used to split coverage with external insurers, or make use of alternative-risk transfer solutions like parametrics.

Captives offer tax benefits, and companies using them can reinvest surplus cash from their premiums. Captive insurance is used to cover a range of risks, spanning environmental to the threat of cyberattacks. Data on captives doesnt capture the full extent to which companies are doing insurance in-house. Thats because a company can also opt for self-insurance, where it sets money aside to cover future losses without creating a regulated SPV.

The global market for captive insurance surpassed $200 billion in premiums last year, marking an all-time record, according to data shared by WTW.

Thats as extreme weather pushes mainstream insurers from the US to Europe to raise prices to levels that make their services increasingly inaccessible. Sectors affected by the development span utilities to operators of renewable-energy farms.

Were seeing lots of firsts in weather, said Anna Pereira, senior vice president at Strategic Risk Solutions, a captive-insurance specialist and the former head of captive and insurance banking at the Bermuda office of HSBC Holdings Plc.

Some large insurance companies in the US are not writing certain types of business or within certain geographies that are highly exposed, and pricing has increased significantly, she said.

At the same time, a growing number of insurers and reinsurers are turning down fossil-fuel companies, as they seek to comply with climate policies and the transition to cleaner energy. Globally, 46 insurers now have some form of restriction on coal, oil or gas companies, according to Insure Our Future, a coalition of nonprofits.

BHP Group Ltd., TotalEnergies SE, Enel SpA, BP Plc, Glencore Plc and Shell Plc have all created in-house entities to cover their risk, according to company filings. Other commodity companies now relying on the captives market include Thungela Resources Ltd., the spinoff from Anglo American Plc. Australian coal producer Whitehaven Coal Ltd. has said its in the process of setting one up.

In some cases, government-funded programs are stepping in as commercial insurers retreat. North Dakota, meanwhile, is recommending that companies turn to captives. In the state, which is home to 10% of American crude oil reserves and one of the worlds largest lignite coal deposits, the few insurers still willing to cover pure-play coal companies are raising rates and limiting policy renewals, according to an analysis by Bank of North Dakota.

The rise of captives may be bad news for the climate, according to Ariel Le Bourdonnec, insurance campaigner at nonprofit Reclaim Finance.

Captives are a shadow part of the insurance industry that enables the continued underwriting of polluting assets, he said. Ultimately, the development could delay the green-energy transition, he said.

Eleven People Missing After Explosion At Offshore Drilling Rig

Fire boats battle a fire at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 21, 2010.

And companies doing their own insurance may underestimate the risks they face. The most notable example in recent history is BP, which in 2010 relied on its captive-insurance vehicle, Jupiter Insurance Ltd., to cover the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. When that rig exploded and sank, killing 11 people and causing the biggest offshore oil spill in US history, BPs captive insurance arrangement was limited to $700 million, and no reinsurance arrangement existed. BP is still counting the cost, which has since soared into the tens of billions of dollars.

If there isnt an alternative, when things go horribly wrong the insurer of last resort often ends up being private individuals or the government, says Carter at WTW. In the long run, captives can help ensure theres a fair balance between who ends up bailing out failure in the capital system, he said.

Aons English said theres a risk of captives prolonging the life of high-emitting assets if one does it blindly. But such arrangements also help to give companies time to adapt to a changing regulatory environment, he said.

Theres a period of time that one needs to phase this stuff out, English said. The question then becomes, what does that phasing look like?

Top photo: Flames from a wildfire threaten properties in Dionysos, Greece, on Aug. 12. Photographer: Nick Paleologos/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
PENSACOLA, Florida  A surgeon mistakenly removed a mans liver instead of the spleen during a procedure last month, killing the 70-year-old patient on the operating table, a Florida law firm claims.

Zarzaur Law says in a news release that William Bryan of Muscle Shoals, Ala., died in the procedure at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital on Aug. 21. Bryan and his wife, Beverly, were visiting Florida when he went to the hospital because William Bryan began having left-sided flank pain, the news release says.

The law firm says Bryan was admitted to the hospital because of concerns about his spleen. It says Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky and another doctor convinced Bryan he needed to undergo surgery to remove the spleen, saying he risked serious complications if he left the hospital.

During this operation, Dr. Shaknovsky removed Mr. Bryans liver and, in so doing, transected the major vasculature supplying the liver, causing immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death, the news release says.

The law firm accuses Shaknovsky of labeling the removed liver as a spleen. It also accuses Shaknovsky of mistakenly removing a portion of a patients pancreas in 2023.

The surgeon told Mrs. Bryan after the procedure that the spleen was so diseased that it was four times bigger than usual and had migrated to the other side of Mr. Bryans body, the news release says. Typical human anatomy dictates that the liver naturally exists on the opposite side of the abdominal cavity, and it is several times larger than the spleen.

NBC News reports the Walton County Sheriffs Office and other authorities are investigating Bryans death.

In a statement to USA Today, hospital officials said We take allegations like this very seriously and our leadership team is performing a thorough investigation into this event.

Lawyer Joe Zarzaur of Zarzaur Law is representing Bryans widow and says she is pursuing both criminal and civil proceedings.
Rotunda Rumblings

Making the case: Gov. Mike DeWine said this week that Republican lawmakers should amend a new state law banning foreign nationals from contributing to ballot-issue campaigns to address the concerns that caused a federal judge to block the law from taking effect last weekend. Per Andrew Tobias, DeWine says lawmakers should just remove language from the law that includes lawful permanent residents  also known as green-card holders from the ban. Their inclusion is what caused U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson to block the law, although Republican state officials have appealed the decision.

Blocked laws: A Cincinnati judge has blocked Ohio prohibitions on medication abortions through telemedicine, abortions being performed by physician assistants, certified nurse midwives and other non-doctor professionals, and abortion providers prescribing mifepristone, an abortion-inducing medication, off-label. Some of these laws were passed two decades ago, but Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Alison Hatheway concluded that they conflict with the new abortion rights constitutional amendment, Laura Hancock reports.

Split narrative: A new court filing from U.S. Rep. Max Miller in his divorce case with Emily Moreno Miller claims that she moved out with their infant child last month to a $675,000 house he didnt know about. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the Rocky River Republican claims that his wifes stated reason for leaving was that he spoke poorly about her family (which includes her father, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bernie Moreno). The filing also states that Moreno Miller argued that Miller shouldnt be allowed to see their child without supervision because of his unspecified drug usage; Miller claimed he responded by taking a drug test that came back negative, and he accused his wife of trying to extort him financially by threatening to withhold access to their baby if he didnt pay various expenses.

Blackout: State utilities regulators had no answer when state Rep. Sean Brennan, a Parma Democrat, asked them Wednesday how they plan to make sure FirstEnergy spends customer money on avoiding power outages like the one seen last month. As Sean McDonnell reports, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chair Jenifer French replied, we cant make any comments on that, as FirstEnergy has a rate case pending before the commission. Brennan pointed to a 2022 PUCO-ordered audit concluding that it wasnt clear whether FirstEnergy spent any money collected via a grid modernization fee on the House Bill 6 corruption scandal, as the utility didnt track how any of the money was spent.

Juvenile justice: To better serve youth in the juvenile justice system, Ohio needs to dismantle its mass lock-up facilities, increase community-based rehabilitation to keep kids closer to home and consider a number of law changes to limit when kids can be tried as an adult or incarcerated, a new state-supported report says. Kaitlin Durbin writes that Cuyahoga County could be greatly impacted by recommendations in a report released Tuesday by the states Juvenile Justice Working Group.

Texas Two-Step: U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, wants to keep corporations from using a bankruptcy maneuver known as the Texas Two-Step that helps them evade responsibility for injuries they caused by creating shell companies that assume their liabilities, Sabrina Eaton writes. Companies that have tried the move include Johnson & Johnson, which is facing claims that its talcum powder causes cancer, and Georgia Pacific, which is facing lawsuits over asbestos exposure. Sykes led a bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators and House of Representatives members this summer to introduce a bill called the Ending Corporate Bankruptcy Abuse Act (ECBA) that would instruct courts to presume a bankruptcy has been filed in bad faith if it appears to be a Texas Two-Step bankruptcy.

Finding religion: U.S. Sen. JD Vances conversion to Catholicism conversion put Vance in close touch with a Catholic intellectual movement, viewed by some critics as having reactionary or authoritarian leanings, that has been little known to the American public until Vances rise to the national stage as the Republican vice-presidential nominee, The Associated Press reports. But where Catholic conservatives of the past have seen big government as a problem rather than a solution, the postliberals hes aligned with want a muscular government  one that they control.

False claim: A new Bernie Moreno campaign ad falsely claims that incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, voted to give illegals taxpayer funded stimulus checks, health care, even Social Security, PolitiFact ruled. The votes Morenos campaign cites to back up his claim would not have provided any federal benefits to immigrants in the country illegally. The American Rescue Plan already barred them from receiving stimulus checks. Federal law already prohibited them from qualifying for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program and barred them from buying insurance through the federal exchange.

Court proceeds: The latest round of campaign-finance reports for this years three Ohio Supreme Court races, filed Wednesday, showed Republican Justice Joe Deters with $707,068 cash on hand as of Tuesday. Thats far more than the $471,928 in the campaign account of his Democratic opponent, Justice Melody Stewart, even though Stewart outraised Deters in August ($154,600 to $85,871, respectively). However, Democratic Justice Mike Donnelly outraised his Republican rival, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan, in August ($125,173 for Donnelly, $109,510 for Shanahan) and had nearly $550,000 cash on hand  over $192,000 more than what Shanahan banked. In the race for Deters open court seat, Democratic appeals court Judge Lisa Forbes outraised Republican Dan Hawkins, a Franklin County Common Pleas judge, in August (more than $132,266 for Forbes, just over $70,000 for Hawkins), but the two ended the monthly reporting period with nearly the same amount of cash on hand (about $485,000 for Hawkins, nearly $474,000 for Forbes  which includes a $137,000 loan from herself to her campaign).

Here comes the money: Four prominent Ohio business groups are looking to raise about $4 million for a dark-money group supporting this years three Republican nominees for Ohio Supreme Court, reports Laura Bischoff of the Columbus Dispatch. Ohio Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Stivers noted that about the same amount was raised ahead of the last Supreme Court elections by the chamber, the Ohio Farm Bureau, NFIB Ohio, and the Ohio Business Roundtable.

Denied: The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously rebuffed a months-long legal effort by Justin Tjaden, a Geneva-on-the-Lake attorney, to make the November ballot as an independent candidate for Ohio House District 99, in far northeast Ohio. Tjaden argued, among other things, that the Ashtabula County Board of Elections exceeded its authority by disqualifying many of his petition signatures and that the states overall petition signature requirement for independent candidates was unconstitutional. The court, in an unsigned ruling, noted that even if the disqualified petition signatures were counted, Tjaden still wouldnt have enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. The justices also held that if they found Ohios signature requirements for would-be independent candidates to be unconstitutional, then there would be no statutory path for them to get on the ballot at all, as the court would be loath to set up its own alternative rules. Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner, in a concurring opinion, said she would have addressed whether its constitutional for Ohio to set petition-signature requirements for independent candidates higher than what major-party candidates need to collect.

Full Disclosure

Here are five things we learned from the Feb. 20, 2024 ethics disclosure form filed by Adam Bozic of Tallmadge, the Republican nominee for Ohio House District 34:

1. In addition to serving as a Tallmadge City Council president, Bozic owns Classic Shine, a flooring installation and cleaning business. Bozic also receives disability compensation from his service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

2. Last year, Bozic was a board member of the Akron Turner Club, a sport and social club in Tallmadge.

3. His only investment exceeding $1,000 was a retirement account with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.

4. At some point in 2023, Bozic owed at least $1,000 to Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, Huntington Bank, US Bank, 7 17 Credit Union, JPMorgan Chase, and Nelnet, a student-loan servicer.

5. He didnt report owning any real estate, though legislative candidates arent required to list their personal residence or property used for personal recreation.

On The Move

Ohio Right to Life PAC has voted to officially oppose Issue 1, the proposed redistricting reform amendment.

Birthdays

Ashlynn Almasy, legislative aide to state Rep. Adam Holmes

Jack Christopher, chief legal counsel and chief ethics officer at the Ohio Department of Development

Straight From The Source

If we want to have a party, I dont want to have to give them a list of names. I dont know how far that goes when you live across the street from a vice president.

- Jayna Schimberg, who lives across the street from U.S. Sen. JD Vances Cincinnati home, speaking with Scott Wartman of the Cincinnati Enquirer about her concerns that the U.S. Secret Service will ramp up security measures along her street even more if Vance is elected vice president this November.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. Subscribe to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
A farmer walks through a fallowed tomato field in Fresno County in February 2015 amid drought. Dry conditions are returning to California, including parts of Fresno County and elsewhere in the Central Valley. Leah Millis/The Chronicle

More than half of California is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or worse, according to a new report, as months without precipitation as well as evaporation caused by summer heat waves take their toll.

The affected areas include parts of the Central Valley, which are back in abnormally dry conditions for the first time since April 2023, according to the National Weather Services Hanford branch.

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With minimal precipitation over the past few months, abnormally dry conditions are beginning to return to Fresno, Tulare, and Kings Counties, the weather service posted on X.

Within the Bay Area, Sonoma is the only county experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

Abnormally dry conditions are not formally classified as drought, though they are a precursor. Eight percent of California  particularly in Modoc and Lassen counties in the north and San Bernardino in the south  is experiencing moderate drought, the mildest drought classification.

Three months ago, drought was absent from California, and just 1% of California was classified as abnormally dry.

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A lack of monsoon rain showers across the central and southern Sierra Nevada this summer is resulting in a short-term moisture deficit. This lack of precipitation, combined with record heat and increased evaporation, has resulted in expanding drought conditions.

Abnormally dry conditions, and the early stages of drought, are also pervasive across the West.

The drought map is updated on Thursday mornings. It is created by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Anthony Edwards contributed to this report.
A collection of Sen. Dianne Feinsteins personal and political artifacts is set for auction next month, including her floral drawings. Mariah Miranda/Special to the Chronicle 2019

A collection of Sen. Dianne Feinsteins personal and political artifacts is set for auction.

Bonhams will feature more than 70 pieces of jewelry worn by the late San Francisco politician, including a 4.14-carat diamond ring valued at up to $65,000, an 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace that could fetch $18,000, and her signature Tiffany & Co. gold rose-petal necklace and ear clips set for $3,000.

The Legacy of a Stateswoman auction is scheduled to take place on Oct. 8, in Los Angeles, with a public preview of highlights Sept. 23-26 at Bonhams San Francisco gallery.

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The collection also encompasses furniture; Asian art from Feinsteins homes in San Francisco, Washington and Aspen, Colo.; memorabilia from her career; and even several framed floral drawings by Feinstein herself.

A collection of Sen. Dianne Feinsteins personal and political artifacts is set for auction next month, including pieces of jewelry she wore throughout her career. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

She cherished the items she collected and decorated her homes with, said her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, a retired San Francisco Superior Court judge. From her trophy room that proudly showcased her career milestones to the curated antiques she personally researched and decor she maintained in each room.

Political memorabilia include a framed 1990 letter from Jimmy Carter sympathizing with Feinsteins gubernatorial loss; three senatorial roll call documents, including her 1998 call to censure Bill Clinton; and a 2016 photograph with an inscription from Joe Biden.

The auction will also offer presidential signing pens from Clinton and George Bush, and numerous books inscribed to Feinstein by figures like Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Madeleine Albright.

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Additionally, the auction includes Feinsteins collection of American art, such as Ships Sailing in the San Francisco Bay With Fort Point in the Distance by William Alexander Coulter (1907), valued at $70,000-$100,000; Vernal Falls, Yosemite Valley by Enoch Wood Perry (1863), estimated at $50,000-$70,000; and Mr. And Mrs. Leland Stanford Driving on the Beach at San Francisco, by Matilda Lotz (1878), in the $7,000-$10,000 range.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein laughs with a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in August 2000. A collection of her personal and political artifacts is set for auction next month, including pieces of jewelry, artwork and memorabilia. Vince Bucci/AFP/TNS

These pieces were displayed in her Washington, D.C., home while she represented California. She would be delighted to know that her treasured pieces will be just as cherished and cared for by those whose lives she touched, and who admired her as a pioneering woman in politics, Katherine Feinstein said.

Sen. Feinsteins collection will be featured in two additional online sales. The more than 70 lots of jewelry will be available Oct. 1-8, in Jewellery Online: The Personal Collection of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Works from Feinstein and her late husband Richard Blums Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art Collection will be sold online Oct. 14-24.

Earlier this year, Bonhams auctioned 42 rare Himalayan sculptures and paintings that the couple collected over three decades.

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Hoopes Vineyard in Napa is one of three wineries that has sued Napa County over alleged constitutional rights violations. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Napa Countys longtime battle with small wineries is intensifying. Three Napa Valley wineries are suing the county in federal court over alleged overregulation, accusing the government body of roughly a dozen constitutional rights violations.

The 60-page complaint, filed Thursday in Californias Northern District Court on behalf of Hoopes Vineyard, Summit Lake Vineyards and Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery, denounced the countys vague, ambiguous and expensive policies that the wineries say have cost them millions of dollars in lost profits and threatened their survival.

The county has not yet been formally served with the complaint, which was released to the media prior to our review, said Holly Dawson, Napa Countys deputy county executive officer for communications. As such, we are unable to comment on a document we have not seen.

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The lawsuit is the latest development in a contentious, five-year dispute between Hoopes and Napa County, which sued the winery in 2022 for alleged permit violations and says Hoopes does not have the right to host tastings. Last month, owner Lindsay Hoopes filed a motion to dismiss the case after discovering new evidence that allegedly shows the county secretly changed the property entitlements of her winery and more than 20 others.

It was important to rally with other wineries to really address the scope, Hoopes said of filing the federal lawsuit. Its not a me issue. Its a much bigger issue.

Lindsay Hoopes has been embroiled in a five-year dispute with Napa County over alleged permit violations. Now, shes bringing the dispute to federal court. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

A victory for the wineries could have a powerful ripple effect that goes beyond small Napa producers like the plaintiffs, they argue. I think itll change the way the wine industry is run in Napa County, said Stu Smith, co-owner of Smith-Madrone, who believes that if they prevail, the case could loosen the restrictions for all Napa Valley wineries, potentially opening them up to more visitors and enabling more of them to put on events and weddings, serve food and stay open later.

The wineries are represented by Joseph Infante, a longtime alcohol regulatory lawyer in Michigan who recently tried a similar case on behalf of 11 wineries in his home state. Infante helped the Michigan wineries sue their local government for overregulation, saying it stifled their business operations and resulted in lost profits of $120 million. While the Michigan trial is nearing closing arguments, a judge has already ruled in the wineries favor on most of their counts.

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Infante said he sees many similarities between the two cases and that the Michigan trial shows that the allegations in the Napa suit are viable.

Small wineries have long fought Napa County for a more level playing field to compete with the regions larger entities. The countys regulations typically require wineries to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars  sometimes millions  to obtain a use permit, and they usually must build a winery or tasting room to market and sell their wine. Many boutique wineries, often producing only a few thousand cases per year, say they cant afford that, but that the ability to host visitors and sell wine is vital if they want to stay in business.

Critics of the movement have argued that Napa Valley should limit future winery and vineyard development, mainly due to environmental and traffic concerns. In 2022, the county passed a micro-winery ordinance designed to streamline the permitting process for small wineries, but thus far, just two such permits have been approved.

Napa Countys Board of Supervisors has been at the center of a long-standing battle over the rights of small wineries. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Hoopes said she made numerous attempts to resolve the countys issues out of court, but that county officials did not respond to her requests or agree to meet in person. There, unfortunately, has been no option but litigation, she said. We have been stonewalled at every angle and it seems like theyre much more interested in winning at all costs and putting us out of business than actually finding the best resolution.

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Last year, Summit Lake and Smith-Madrone attempted to join Hoopes cross-complaint against the county, but a judge denied them. Both wineries were established before Napa Countys 1990 Winery Definition Ordinance, which put the current winery regulations into place; they were granted a permit exemption, which allowed them to operate as they did before. (Hoopes purchased a property with an exemption, which transferred to her.) All three wineries have long thought the exemption includes the right to host tastings, but the county disagrees.



Summit Lake hosted tastings for nearly 40 years and never received a violation notice from Napa County until 2019, said Summit Lake co-owner Heather Griffin, when the winery pursued a use permit modification to increase its wine production. Napa County informed Summit Lake that it had been out of compliance for hosting tastings  and that a permit modification approval hinged on them paving the road outside their winery, a cost upwards of $1 million. Summit Lake pulled its application because they couldnt afford it, Griffin said, and now cant have visitors.



Weve tried to stay in the lines and do the right things, pull the permits we were supposed to get, and yet we have been harassed and bullied by the county, said Griffin, who started a GoFundMe to help cover the winerys legal costs. I am fed up and feel like Ive been pushed against a wall.



Smith-Madrone has not been cited by the county for hosting tastings, but Smith said the vagueness of the rules and inconsistent enforcement has him constantly looking over my shoulder. The countys actions against wineries like Summit Lake and Hoopes have discouraged him from pursuing endeavors that could grow his business. The fear of being caught in the jaws of the county is enormous, he said.

Smith-Madrone Vineyards co-owner Stu Smith says hes constantly looking over my shoulder because of Napa Countys enforcement of its rules. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Free speech is one of many constitutional rights the lawsuit accuses the county of violating. Infante said governments cannot restrict businesses from whats known as commercial speech  essentially marketing or advertising  unless those restrictions prove the government has a substantial interest in regulating it. At its heart, wine tasting is a product demonstration, Infante said. Causing wineries to lose money, he argued, doesnt further Napa Countys interest in preserving agricultural land.



The complaint also alleges that the countys policies are void for vagueness, a constitutional law principle that states a law is unenforceable if its too vague for the average person to understand. The lawsuit points to a lack of clarity with the countys policies, as its cited and sued some wineries but not others.

Inconsistencies in the countys winery database, a spreadsheet that lists the entitlements of every winery in the county, were the cornerstone of Hoopes defense at trial, and will probably be important in this case. Early versions of the database indicated that Hoopes, Summit Lake, Smith-Madrone and others were permitted to host tastings, but those permissions were removed in later versions. (Changing property rights without notification is another constitutional violation, Infante said.)



The lawsuit further says that the county was aware of constitutional issues with its code. As proof, Infante submitted in discovery a 1989 internal memo from Napa County counsel, which outlines several ways that the forthcoming Winery Definition Ordinance was likely to stimulate legal challenge based upon constitutional or statutory issues. Another internal memo from 2009 raised similar concerns.



Infante also submitted a letter from Patrick Ryan, Napa County assistant director of Planning, Building and Environmental Services. Ryans letter alerted county personnel about a loophole in the ordinance that exempts all wineries from California fire safety regulations. That exemption would include the road improvements imposed on Summit Lake, Infante said.

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Sex worker Renee talks to a potential customer on Shotwell Street in San Francisco on Aug. 26. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Regarding Sex work has gotten so rampant again in S.F.s Mission District, residents are suing the city (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, Aug. 28): San Francisco finds itself grappling with a burgeoning issue  sex work. This resurgence has prompted residents to sue the city.

Ironically, the societal harms surrounding sex work spring from its illegality. Making it illegal breeds the problems it aims to solve. Imagine eradicating these issues by simply recognizing sex work as another segment of commerce.

Fears around sex trafficking, while justified, present an opportunity for government oversight to foster safer conditions. Legalization, coupled with mandatory reporting and inspections, ensures sex workers operate without coercion and are of legal consenting age.

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Another irony lies in the contrast between Californias staunch defense of reproductive rights and its reluctance to extend similar liberties to bodily autonomy in sex work. Echoing comedian George Carlins paradox: Why is it illegal to sell something thats perfectly legal to give away?

The consensus among San Franciscans tilts toward personal freedom: As long as ones actions dont directly impact others, why dictate their choices?

Its time to recognize sex work as a legitimate trade without infringing personal liberties. Such a progressive stand aligns with the values of San Franciscans today, challenging the old guard with a nod to common sense and autonomy.

Keith Freedman, candidate for mayor, San Francisco

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Protests are nonviolent

Regarding Sonoma loves its farms. Activists call them factories. Could a ballot measure upend this county? (Politics, SFChronicle.com, Aug. 30): I write as a member of Direct Action Everywhere. While I appreciate the coverage of Sonoma Countys Measure J, I take issue with the persistent portrayal of Direct Action Everywhere  and animal rights activists in general  as combative, militant, arsonists or cultlike.

On the contrary, my fellow activists at Direct Action Everywhere are caring, creative organizers who volunteer countless hours to reduce animal suffering.

Like other social change movements, Direct Action Everywhere employs confrontational tactics (mass protest) to highlight injustice. However, the group upholds nonviolence as a core value, preferring to accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause.

On the other hand, we have posted videos of Measure Js opponents on social media responding with name-calling, obscene gestures, aggressive driving and veiled threats of violence. We read the vitriol as a sign our campaign is working.

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The movement for animal rights is growing, and Measure J represents a crucial milestone in this journey. Its time to move beyond stereotypes and recognize the genuine commitment to justice that drives our work.

Emily Guzzardi, San Francisco

Too many cameras

Regarding Did your car witness a crime? Bay Area police may be coming for your Tesla  and they might tow it (Crime, SFChronicle.com, Aug. 31): The story about video cameras in Teslas being used to solve crimes failed to consider that this technology infringes on everyones privacy rights.

These images may reside only in the vehicles USB drive, but they could easily and without warning be uploaded to corporate servers if Tesla CEO Elon Musk decides that he wants to mine that data.

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We could be headed toward a China-like society where constant surveillance and face recognition are accepted as necessary for public safety. Thats not a world I want to live in.

No technology is fully good or bad. I wish people were better informed of the potential dangers of the surveillance state being built without our consent.

Rick Andrews, Menlo Park

Tax taxis, too

Regarding As driverless ride-hailing expands in S.F., Prop L would tax it to fund Muni (Editorials, SFChronicle.com, Sept. 3): The Chronicles arguments for Proposition L make sense but dont explain why it accepts excluding the taxi business from this tax.

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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

Unless you claim taxis have gone back to being a shuttle service between downtown and Fishermans Wharf hotels and the San Francisco International Airport, there is no reason why a taxi ride might not compete with Muni.

Proposition L is the next round of the San Francisco governments sweetheart deal with the taxi business and its vendetta against Uber and Lyft. The Chronicle should insist on the taxi business being included in the help-Muni tax.
A group of Amazon delivery drivers hold a labor strike at the DAX7 Amazon Sortation Center in South Gate. The police became involved due to the hold up of Amazon vehicles.

Amazon should be considered a "joint employer" of some of its contracted delivery drivers, a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board said Wednesday.

The NLRB was reviewing two unfair labor practice charges filed in January, concerning Amazon's treatment of some drivers at an Atlanta warehouse, known as DAT6. While Amazon has long hired third-party drivers to handle its swelling number of deliveries, the NLRB's regional director found that Amazon jointly employed drivers at the site who worked for a contractor called MJB Logistics.

Amazon has fought to avoid being designated as a joint employer of its sprawling network of contracted delivery companies. Lawmakers and labor groups, including the Teamsters union, have disputed the company's characterization, saying drivers wear Amazon-branded uniforms, drive Amazon-branded vans and have their schedules and performance expectations set by the company.

The NLRB's determination could compel Amazon to bargain with employees seeking to unionize. The announcement comes after an NLRB official made a similar ruling last month, finding that Amazon is a joint employer of some subcontracted drivers at its facility in Palmdale, California.

Over the past year, the Teamsters has stepped up its efforts to organize Amazon delivery and warehouse workers. The union launched an Amazon division in 2021 to support and fund workers at the company in their organizing efforts. Since then, it's led a number of strikes at Amazon delivery facilities, while a labor group at an Amazon warehouse on New York's Staten Island opted to affiliate with the Teamsters in June.

In April 2023, drivers who worked for Battle Tested Strategies said their contract was canceled by Amazon after they voted to unionize with the Teamsters. Amazon denied the claim, saying it ended the contract prior to the union push.

In its determination Wednesday, the NLRB also found merit to charges that Amazon threatened drivers in Atlanta with closing their site if they unionized, illegally made coercive statements and gave the impression of surveillance at the facility.

The NLRB's determinations in Atlanta and Palmdale aren't board decisions, Kayla Blado, a spokesperson for the group, said in an email. Rather, they're the first step in the agency's general counsel litigating the allegations laid out in an unfair labor practice charge. If the parties don't settle, a hearing will be scheduled with an NLRB judge. Either party can appeal that judge's decision to the NLRB board, and it can be further appealed in federal court.

Amazon declined to comment.

WATCH: Amazon's first U.S. union faces an uphill battle after historic win
Abbott Laboratories announced Thursday its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo is available in the U.S. starting at $49.

Lingo is part of an emerging class of consumer-friendly biosensors that people can use to learn how their bodies respond to food, exercise, sleep and stress. These devices, called continuous glucose monitors, are small sensors that stick through the skin to measure real-time glucose levels. Glucose is a sugar molecule that comes from food, and it's the body's main energy source.

Continuous glucose monitors have served as tools for patients with diabetes, but Lingo is not intended for diabetes management. Instead, it's designed for adults who do not take insulin and want to "improve their overall health and wellness," according to a release.

Everyone's glucose levels fluctuate, but consistently high levels can cause more serious health problems like metabolic disease, insulin resistance and heart disease, Abbott said. The company argues Lingo can educate users about existing habits and help them learn to manage their glucose in healthier ways.

"That's really the goal, is to not only see and understand what's happening inside your body, but to be able to improve on that, to be able to build these healthy habits that drive those changes," Ben Fohner, the director of Abbott's Lingo app, told CNBC in an interview.

Abbott already offers continuous glucose monitors for diabetes patients in the U.S., so the company is looking to break into an entirely new market with Lingo. About 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes, for instance, but these patients typically don't qualify for prescriptions or insurance coverage for the monitors.

Now, they can pay for the sensors out of pocket without a prescription. Users can buy one sensor online for $49, two sensors for $89 or six sensors for $249, Abbott said. Each sensor is worn on the upper arm for up to 14 days.

Olivier Ropars, Abbott's divisional vice president of Lingo, said the company decided to offer three different pricing options so curious consumers won't feel intimidated by a lengthy commitment. A customer can opt to buy just one sensor to try for a couple of weeks.

"We want to make it as accessible and affordable as possible," Ropars told CNBC in an interview.

Abbott's competitor, Dexcom, is also eyeing the prediabetes market. The company released its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor geared toward this demographic in late August. Dexcom's device is called Stelo, and is available in the U.S. for $89 a month. Patients with Type 2 diabetes who do not take insulin can also use it, the company said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Dexcom's Stelo in March, and it cleared two over-the-counter continuous glucose monitoring systems from Abbott in June. One of Abbott's systems was Lingo, and the second system, called Libre Rio, is intended for patients with Type 2 diabetes who do not take insulin.

Though Type 2 patients who are not taking insulin could technically use Lingo, Ropars said Abbott's recommendation is to primarily use Libre Rio since it is specifically designed for them. The company declined to share when Libre Rio will be available.

The Lingo app
If you're wondering whether a potential employer has a desirable culture, consider asking three specific questions in a job interview, says corporate culture expert Marion Campan.

"Yes, the interview is important because it helps them select you as a future employee, but it's also helping you select them as a future employer," said Campan, founder of HR and workplace culture consultancy Intandid, in a TED Talk in April.

The first question is "a bit in your face," but can reveal the "future potential" you would have at a company, Campan: What kind of people get promoted here?

Listen for whether the company regularly promotes its employees, and if so, what merits distinguish those who receive promotions, according to Campan. A green-flag answer will emphasize that promotion recipients are the best at their jobs and are representatives of the firm's culture  role models other workers look up to, she said.

The second question she recommends asking: What are the company's core values? For Campan, a strong response will articulate those values and describe recent examples highlighting when staffers demonstrated them.

A perfect corporate culture doesn't exist, but it's important to know how a company deals with challenges that may arise, Campan said.

Her final suggested question acknowledges this: When was the last time you received feedback here?

It's likely not a good sign if an interviewer says they receive feedback only once per year in a performance review, Campan cautioned. Instead, watch for answers that signal a more regular, perhaps even daily, feedback cadence, she advised.

Asking purposeful questions in an interview is a strong way to stand out as an applicant and learn more about your potential future workplace.

As with Campan's recommended probing, questions like "What is the common trait of your top performers?" and "What's the one thing you love most about the culture?" can reveal what a company values and what it would be like to work there, according to Nolan Church, former Google recruiter and current CEO of salary data company FairComp.

Specific questions such as asking about one aspect of the corporate culture that someone loves will prompt "a very specific answer," Church told CNBC Make It in August. "That specificity will lead to insights," he added.

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(This is CNBC Pro's live coverage of Thursday's analyst calls and Wall Street chatter. Please refresh every 20-30 minutes to view the latest posts.) A chipmaker and an auto giant were among the stocks being talked about by analysts on Thursday. Bank of America reiterated Nvidia as a top pick, noting the recent decline in the stock creates a buying opportunity. Meanwhile, Wolfe Research downgraded General Motors to peer perform. Check out the latest calls and chatter below. All times ET. 7:16 a.m.: Morgan Stanley labels Arm Holdings a top pick Morgan Stanley is upping its view on the semiconductor sector and singling out Arm Holdings . The firm listed the chipmaker as a top pick on Thursday, and reiterated an overweight rating with a $175 per share price target. Morgan Stanley's forecast implies more than 44% upside from Wednesday's close. "We think of Arm as more than a mobile CPU story and instead look to the growing use of custom silicon on Arm as a strong driver of royalties' expansion (including a shift to higher royalty rates) across the next 2-3 years at least," analyst Lee Simpson said. "Finally, we continue to believe that Arm is early in an interesting use of CPU extensions  at first for use in Private Cloud (including Apple Intelligence) and perhaps more broadly later," the analyst added.  Brian Evans 7:01 a.m.: JPMorgan downgrades Dollar Tree over earnings miss, profitability headwinds JPMorgan is lowering its expectations for Dollar Tree after a weak second quarter and dim outlook. The bank downgraded the discount retailer to neutral from overweight and lowered its price target to $70 per share from $111. JPMorgan's new forecast implies more than 10% upside from Wednesday's close. Dollar Tree has pulled back more than 55% in 2024. "Multi-year, we see a balanced opportunity with 'core' comps at the DT banner facing erosion and downside risk (noting ~100bps of sequential deceleration in 2Q24), albeit "converted" store comps are still comping in the mid-single digit range (w/ continued penetration [opportunity])," analyst Matthew Boss said. "Longer-term, we see a mid-single-digit EPS growth profile with top- and bottom-line drivers in place at the core DT banner (with DT Plus roll-out incremental)," the analyst added.  Brian Evans 6:34 a.m.: Goldman Sachs downgrades Novartis Goldman Sachs doesn't see much more upside ahead for Novartis . The firm downgraded the Swiss-based pharmaceutical stock to neutral from buy, but raised its price target to $121 per share from $119. Goldman's forecast implies less than 2% upside from Wednesday's $119 close. Shares have added nearly 19% in 2024. NVS YTD mountain NVS in 2024 "The catalyst pathway is light, in our view, providing limited scope for significant innovation driven share price upside over the next 12 months," analyst James Quigley said. "Based on the current buyback rate, we expect Novartis to complete its $15bn program by end of April/mid-May 2025," the analyst added. "The announcement of another program could provide upside risk, although we do not anticipate this until 2Q25 onwards, with the completion of the current programme."  Brian Evans 6:10 a.m.: Morgan Stanley downgrades StoneCo Morgan Stanley thinks market oversaturation could pressure StoneCo moving forward. The firm downgraded the financial technology stock to underweight from equal weight. Its price target of $7 implies more than 44% downside. Shares have plunged more than 30% in 2024. "We expect a significant slowdown in [total payment volume] growth at Stone, on the back of saturation in digital payments. Stone's market share gains should slow down, because it has a large share in MSMB and as saturation leads to increased competition," analyst Jorge Kuri said. The analyst also forecast 40% to 50% downside for the broader field of Brazil digital payment stocks as saturation takes hold. "We see diminishing operating leverage due to rising sales & marketing expenses in a more competitive market," the analyst added. "And, we think, banking, credit, & software are unlikely to offset the decline in the payments business given their relative small size."  Brian Evans 5:42 a.m.: Wolfe downgrades General Motors Wolfe Research is moving to the sidelines on General Motors given the automaker's unclear outlook into 2025. The firm downgraded the Detroit-based automaker to peer perform from outperform. Shares of General Motors have added more than 34% in 2024. GM YTD mountain GM year to date Analyst Emmanuel Rosner tied some of the uncertainty moving forward to the company's struggle to expand margins and recover some of the losses its experienced from still sluggish electric vehicle demand. "Despite Mgmt's targets for reaching positive margins next year, investors remain skeptical given soft demand trends and high EV-structural costs," Rosner said. However, the analyst cautioned "we see potential for GM to outperform peers in 2H24 on less downside risk to estimates, and a potential catalyst at the Oct. CMD if Mgmt can instill confidence in the 2025 earnings outlook, and/or articulate a path to reducing EV losses."  Brian Evans 5:42 a.m.: Bank of America reiterates Nvidia as a top pick Investors should buy Nvidia after the stock's recent dip, according to Bank of America. Analyst Vivek Aria reiterated the chipmaker as a top pick and a price target of $165, which implies upside of 55.4% from Wednesday's close. He also has a buy rating on the stock. Nvidia shares have dropped 14% this quarter, as traders unwind some positions in the early winners of 2024. More recently, some reports point to potential antitrust pressure the company could be facing  though Nvidia on Wednesday denied it received a subpoena from the Justice Department. Still, the stock is up more than 114% year to date. NVDA YTD mountain NVDA year to date "We maintain that (see prior report) skepticism about AI capex and monetization is an understandable but fruitless endeavor at-least until 2026," Arya wrote. "AI capex is not just driving new business opportunities, it's also critical in protecting existing moats and large profit pools in search, social and enterprise (chat, copilot) workloads. The tech industry will give itself at least another 1-2 years of intense buildout of NVDA Blackwell chip with its 4x lift in AI training and 25x+ lift in inference."  Fred Imbert
The office building of biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is being seen in Shanghai, China, on May 23, 2024.

Some employees of British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca have been detained by police in China as part of an investigation, the company confirmed Thursday.

"We are aware a small number of our employees in China are under investigation and we have no further information to share at this point," an AstraZeneca spokesperson told CNBC by email, without disclosing details on what the investigation concerns.

The confirmation came in response to reports earlier Thursday from Bloomberg News, which said that there were five current and former employees being probed who are all Chinese citizens who worked within the company's oncology division.

One probe is related to the company's collection of patient data, and the possibility that it infringed China's data-privacy laws and the other concerns some of the individuals' role in importing a liver cancer drug that has not been approved for distribution within mainland China, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Shares of AstraZeneca fell as much as 6.8% in early deals before paring losses. They were last seen down 2.2% by 12:18 p.m. London time.
A recent pullback in shares of Nvidia has opened up an attractive opportunity for investors, according to Bank of America. The bank reiterated Nvidia as a top sector pick and stood by its buy rating. Shares of Nvidia have soared 114% this year but pulled back approximately 14% in the past quarter as investors rotated out of the high-flying tech sector into smaller, more defensive stocks. In recent days, antitrust concerns have accelerated the downward move. Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya's $165 price objective is about 55% higher than the stock's Wednesday closing price of $106.21. NVDA YTD mountain NVDA YTD chart "While market forces could enhance near-term stock volatility, we continue to find NVDA valuation compelling at 27x CY25/FY26E consensus PE (or only ~20x PE at high-end of $5+ CY25 eps estimate). Over the past five years, NVDA has traded in a mid-20s to mid 60s PE, with current multiple in the lowest quartile, more than reflecting [near-term] concerns," he wrote. A key catalyst for the stock could come in the form of supply chain data points, which would confirm the readiness of Nvidia's new Blackwell chip shipments, Arya wrote. Longer-term growth opportunities for the stock include gaming and data center demand, he added. While Nvidia has come under some potential antitrust scrutiny, it is hard to assume a specific material impact until more details are released, Arya said. On Wednesday, Nvidia denied reports that it had received an antitrust subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
China's President Xi Jinping (C) and his wife Peng Liyuan pose for a group photograph with leaders from African nations ahead of a dinner reception during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 4, 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China will provide 360 billion yuan (more than $50 billion) in financial support to Africa over the next three years.

Xi spoke on the second day of the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, which is expected to deliver new policies and cooperation agreements that will set the stage for China-Africa relations in the next three years.

"The China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history," Xi said, according to an official translation of his Mandarin-language remarks.

"China is ready to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment," Xi said, urging both sides to jointly advance modernization that is "open and win-win."

The high-profile summit came as China seeks to recalibrate its economic ties and trade agreements with Africa as well as strengthening relations with developing economies amid geopolitical tension with the West.

Leaders from over 50 African nations gathered in Beijing this week, many of whom  including South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenya's President William Ruto  have spoken with Xi in one-on-one meetings in the lead up to the summit, according to Chinese state media.
The regional Stoxx 600 index closed down 0.43%, with major bourses and sectors spread between losses and gains. Utilities stocks rose 1.66%, while healthcare fell 1.4%.

It marks the fourth day of declines for the Stoxx 600 after it closed above 525 points for the first time on Friday.

In Europe, Germany's DAX ended up 0.02% higher after data showed factory orders in the country increased 2.9% month-on-month in July. However, Benedict Acton-Bond, economist at Moody's Analytics, noted that orders excluding big ticket items such as aircraft, ships and trains were lower, and said the release "further dents the narrative that industry is bottoming out."

More broadly, global sentiment has once again been rattled by U.S. data, after weak manufacturing surveys and lower-than-expected jobs openings suggested a slowdown in the world's biggest economy  and revived debate about whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by 50 basis points rather than 25 this month.

Figures out Thursday also showed that private sector payrolls grew at their weakest pace in more than three-and-a-half years in August, according to ADP. Companies hired 99,000 workers for the month, well below the Dow Jones consensus forecast for 140,000.

On Wall Street, stocks moved lower following the data.

A weak July jobs report was a major factor in the broad stock sell-off at the start of August and Thursday's figures have put even more focus on the remaining U.S. jobs releases out this week, with U.S. nonfarm payrolls and unemployment data due Friday.
Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Savannah GA, United States on August 29, 2024.

Vice President Kamala Harris' political operation raised more than $300 million in the month of August  more than twice as much as former President Donald Trump's operation gathered in the same period  two sources familiar with the Harris fundraising numbers told NBC News.

The sources did not specify the exact fundraising haul, but the more than $300 million figure, which includes the campaign and related entities, signals that the breakneck pace of fundraising has not slowed since money began gushing in upon President Joe Biden's July 21 announcement that he would step aside from seeking the Democratic nomination.

The next campaign finance disclosure deadline for Harris' campaign is Sept. 20.

The two sources also said plans are in the works to hold several fundraisers for Harris this month. One of the sources said that included possible events in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

NBC News has asked the Harris campaign for comment.

Harris' campaign hit major benchmarks in the month of August, including choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and holding a four-day, star-studded convention in Chicago.

After the convention, Harris campaign officials said they had raised more than $540 million since Harris took the reins of the campaign.

The whopping fundraising numbers for Harris come just after the Trump campaign reported it and related entities raised $130 million in the month of August, with nearly $300 million cash on hand. Trump's campaign reported that 98% of the month's donations came in at less than $200.

"These fundraising numbers from August are a reflection of that movement and will propel President Trump's America First movement back to the White House so we can undo the terrible failures of Harris and Biden," Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes said.
Can San Francisco's economic recovery be enjoyed by everyone  including the citys Black and brown families? Minh Connors/The Chronicle

By most accounts, San Francisco has escaped the worst-case fears of a doom loop, in which downtown office vacancies would create a series of reinforcing public problems. An artificial intelligence boomlet is driving new office leases. And last year, for the first time since the pandemic, more people moved to the city than left.

What remains to be seen, however, is whether the fruits of this recovery will be enjoyed by everyone  including the citys Black and brown families.

Since 2020 alone, tech companies have received over $100 million in state tax subsidies to grow their local workforces. But these millions in taxpayer dollars subsidizing new tech offices come with a price. These tax incentives  doled out with little scrutiny for the promise of new jobs and investment  contribute to higher housing costs and an acute affordability crisis for working people. Moreover, that many of these companies have no real interest in diversity and face serious allegations of discrimination may further explain why, as San Franciscos economy and population rebound from the pandemic, Black and brown families are worse off than ever.

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Take the case of human resources management software developer Rippling. In October, the company received nearly $13 million in state tax credits to expand its office space in the city. Current and former employees have described in detail a toxic workplace led by a leadership devoid of Black and Latino employees, where qualified women and people of color have been overlooked for promotion by a boys club that discriminates against them.

Rippling also has allegedly engaged in punitive and bullying behavior toward employees  from asking a court to sanction an employee who sought to recover her family and medical benefits to retaliating against former employees who left to work for competitors. This is all par for the course for Ripplings CEO, Parker Conrad, who previously had to surrender his California insurance license and was singled out at his last company and fined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for misleading investors and the U.S. Department of Labor for underpaying employees. In an only-in-Silicon-Valley fairytale story, Conrad was rewarded with millions in venture capital funding for his new startup and now millions in taxpayer subsidies.

Elsewhere, tech firms big and small have been hit with discrimination lawsuits by Bay Area employees, even as they successfully preserve tax breaks from lawmakers in Sacramento. Okta, an identification software company (the Chronicle uses its products) valued at $14 billion, received over $70 million in state tax credits for research and development and was sued in May for widespread gender discrimination and retaliatory layoffs.

A few of Silicon Valleys most prominent tech titans have used their personal wealth and company resources to level the playing field. Open AI CEO Sam Altmans $60 million universal basic income study released findings this week and found that in the third year of receiving unrestricted cash payments Black recipients were 26% more likely to start a business. Far more of Altmans peers, however, have gone full MAGA as they raise millions for Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

None of this is particularly surprising. Indeed many of us have become immune to outlandish stories of tech bros behaving badly. But the buck should stop before handing out blank checks to these companies that dont reflect San Franciscos values.

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To its credit, San Francisco has done more than most cities to grapple with the historical impacts of structural racism and institutionalized segregation. Last year a city committee proposed unprecedented economic reparations that would have begun to address San Franciscos racial wealth gap. That plan was largely shelved given recent budget shortfalls. And, so far, all Black residents have gotten is an apology.

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

But saying sorry isnt enough. We can and should hold elected leaders accountable to ensure the harms of discrimination and displacement never happen again  which includes giving tax breaks to companies who contribute to the wealth and economic inequity in the city.
Vice President Kamala Harris, left, at the White House, Washington, July 22, 2024, and former President Donald Trump in Bedminster, New Jersey, Aug. 15, 2024.

The results are in, and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris will defeat Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election  at least according to the historian dubbed the "Nostradamus" of presidential election predictions.

It's the latest election prophecy from Allan Lichtman, an American University distinguished professor who boasts of having successfully predicted the results of every U.S. presidential race since 1984.

Lichtman revealed his decision Thursday morning in an op-ed video for The New York Times.

"The Democrats will hold on to the White House, and Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States," Lichtman said in the video.

"At least, that's my prediction for this race."

His forecasts are based on a historical index model he dubs the "Keys to the White House."

The unique system, which he developed in the early 1980s with the Russian geophysicist Vladimir Keilis-Borok, analyzes the political landscape through the lens of 13 true-false statements focused on the incumbent president's party.

If six or more of the statements are false, then the challenger  in this case, Trump  is predicted to win.

Here are the keys, and Lichtman's determinations for each:

Party Mandate: After the midterm elections, the incumbent party holds more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives than it did after the previous midterm elections. FALSE Contest: There is no serious contest for the incumbent-party nomination. TRUE Incumbency: The incumbent-party candidate is the sitting president. FALSE Third party: There is no significant third-party or independent campaign. TRUE Short-term economy: The economy is not in recession during the election campaign. TRUE Long-term economy: Real per-capita economic growth during the term equals or exceeds mean growth during the previous two terms. TRUE Policy change: The incumbent administration effects major changes in national policy. TRUE Social unrest: There is no sustained social unrest during the term. TRUE Scandal: The incumbent administration is untainted by major scandal. TRUE Incumbent charisma: The incumbent-party candidate is charismatic or a national hero. FALSE Challenger charisma: The challenging-party candidate is not charismatic or a national hero. TRUE Foreign/military failure: The incumbent administration suffers no major failure in foreign or military affairs. Foreign/military success: The incumbent administration achieves a major success in foreign or military affairs.

On the final two keys, Lichtman said, "Foreign policy is tricky, and these keys could flip."

He noted that the Biden administration is deeply involved in Israel's war in Gaza, which he called a "humanitarian disaster with no end in sight."

"But even if both foreign policy keys flipped false, that would mean that there were only five negative keys, which would not be enough for Donald Trump to regain the White House," Lichtman told the Times.

Lichtman's analysis largely eschews poll results, campaign strategies, sound bites, policy plans and other factors that most political commentators and analysts tend to lean on.

But his system has yielded results.

Lichtman was one of the few political analysts to accurately predict ahead of the 2016 election that Trump would defeat then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. However, Lichtman's model indicated that Trump would win the popular vote, which he lost despite securing the Electoral College.

Lichtman accurately predicted that President Joe Biden would beat Trump in the 2020 race.
Hunter Biden (L), son of US President Joe Biden, and his wife Melissa Cohen, leave court after his guilty plea in his trail on tax evasion in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 2024.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to all nine counts in his criminal tax case in Los Angeles federal court on Thursday afternoon, hours after jury selection was due to begin for a trial of the son of President Joe Biden.

Biden's sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 16.

Biden faces a maximum possible sentence of 17 years in prison but is likely to receive a less severe punishment than that due to federal sentencing guidelines.

The plea came after prosecutors strongly opposed Biden's surprise offer earlier in the day to enter a special plea  known as an Alford plea  that would allow him to maintain that he believed he was innocent but concede that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him at trial.

If the Alford plea had been accepted by U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, Biden would have been convicted of the charges.

The plea that Biden ended up making to Scarsi is an "open plea," or one done without a plea deal with prosecutors, which might have included a reduction in the number of criminal counts he faced and an agreement on the likely terms of his sentencing.

Biden, 54, was charged in the case with three felony counts and six misdemeanors related to failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes between 2016 and 2019.

He was accused of deducting money that he paid to sex workers on his taxes as a business expense and of spending "millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," according to an indictment.

David Weiss, the Department of Justice special counsel appointed to investigate Biden, said, "Not now," when asked if he had a comment on the guilty plea.

Weiss' prosecution team in June obtained a conviction of Biden in Delaware federal court on three felony counts related to his purchase of a handgun in 2018 while being a user of crack cocaine. He is awaiting sentencing in that case.

Biden, who left court with his wife Melissa Cohen, did not speak to reporters after he pleaded guilty, but issued a written statement.

"I went to trial in Delaware not realizing the anguish it would cause my family, and I will not put them through it again," Biden said.

"When it became clear to me that the same prosecutors were focused not on justice but on dehumanizing me for my actions during my addiction, there was only one path left for me," he said. " I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty."

"Like millions of Americans, I failed to file and pay my taxes on time. For that I am responsible," Biden said.

"As I have stated, addiction is not an excuse, but it is an explanation for some of my failures at issue in this case," he said. "When I was addicted, I wasn't thinking about my taxes, I was thinking about surviving. But the jury would never have heard that or know that I had paid every penny of my back taxes including penalties."

His attorney, Abbe Lowell, outside of the courthouse said, "Hunter put his family first today."

Lowell said that the "plea prevents that kind of show trial" for Biden, which would have likely included evidence about his abuse of drugs, use of sex workers and lavish lifestyle during the time he was not paying his taxes.

"He will now move on to [the] sentencing phase, while keeping open the many key issues with this case on appeal," Lowell said.

"This case was an extreme and unusual one for the government to bring," said Lowell, who had been critical of the Department of Justice's decision to charge Biden after a plea deal to resolve the tax case and a firearms-related case in Delaware collapsed last summer after a judge raised questions about its conditions.

"Hunter actually overpaid his taxes in the years he's charged with tax evasion," said the attorney.

Earlier, inside the courtroom, Lowell had told Scarsi, "Mr. Biden will agree that the elements of each offense have been satisfied," after returning from a recess following arguments over the proposed Alford plea.

When Scarsi asked special counsel Leo Wise, the prosecutor, if that was sufficient, Wise said he would prefer that Biden admit his actions as alleged in an indictment.

"Will Mr. Biden agree that that is the truth? Because the truth matters," Wise said. "He should have to say that the facts are true!"

Lowell then argued that was not required under the law.

"He just has to agree to the elements," Lowell said. "I know Mr. Wise would like Mr. Biden to say, 'and in addition, I was a really bad person when I did this,' but that's not what the law requires."

Scarsi said, "So we're going to take an open plea from Mr. Biden. And I will ask if you committed conduct that satisfies element in the indictment."

Wise then began reading the 56-page indictment out loud in court. That reading took almost 90 minutes to complete.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks prior to a meeting with Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan on September 4, 2024. Dean Kassim | Afp | Getty Images

SINGAPORE  India and Singapore on Thursday signed memorandums of understanding for cooperation on a number of key areas including semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and health care. The announcement comes during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the Lion City, which began Wednesday following a trip to Brunei. "Singapore and India have built strong foundations for an enduring partnership. The next phase of the Singapore-India partnership is very promising," Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said at the Singapore-India Forum organized by the Singapore-India Partnership Foundation, Institute of South Asian Studies and the Singapore Business Federation. "Singapore, India and the rest of Asia must continue to strengthen on economic connectivity and integration, to allow for capital, ideas and talent to find their optimal uses," he said. Although South Asia continues to be the world's fastest-growing region  and India the world's fastest-growing major economy  the region is still playing catch up in terms of GDP per capita.

India's GDP per capita currently stands at $2,730, significantly lower than that of the U.S. ($85,370), China ($13,140), Germany ($54,290) and Japan ($33,140), data from the International Monetary Fund showed. Those four economies are also the same ones the South Asian nation is currently trailing behind in terms of overall GDP. "Singapore is not just a partner, it is an inspiration for every developing country. We want to create a bunch of Singapores in India," Modi said in a meeting with Wong.

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On Wednesday, Modi and Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited Singaporean semiconductor and electronics company AEM, signaling their intent to increase cooperation in chips. Increased collaboration can also help both nations overcome "common challenges" such as climate change, aging populations and public health, Heng highlighted. Modi's entourage also included Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with other government officials. In a post on X, Modi called Wong a friend and said, "We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations."

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The country is India's sixth largest trading partner, with 3.2% share of India's overall trade. Imports from Singapore in financial year 2024 amounted to $21.2 billion, while exports totaled $14.4 billion. Asia's biggest financial hub is also the largest source of foreign direct investments into India. Cumulative FDI inflows from Singapore to India stood at almost $160 billion from April 2000 to March 2024, amounting to almost a quarter of total FDI inflows to the South Asian nation.

Lessons from Singapore's playbook

Political watchers told CNBC before Modi's visit that there are many lessons India can learn from Singapore as it aspires to transform into a global design and manufacturing hub. "It's not lost on the Indians that the Chinese have emerged, in part because of significant utilities that they got from Singapore in the 1980s to 1990s, and perhaps even to this day," Anit Mukherjee, a senior lecturer at King's College London, told CNBC. Singapore has long been lauded for its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, attracting global tech and pharmaceutical giants. The city-state accounts for 10% of chips produced worldwide and around 20% of global semiconductor manufacturing equipment production, according to Singapore's Economic Development Board.

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(This is a wrap-up of the key money moving discussions on CNBC's "Worldwide Exchange" exclusive for PRO subscribers. Worldwide Exchange airs at 5 a.m. ET each day) Word of the day: Patience Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist of Hightower Advisors said investors need to wait for the opportunities in the market and not chase trends. "The economy is holding up, so bodes very well for earnings going forward so you want to pick your spots." Link said. She added: "You don't have to chase. Make a list of the names that you like and as they come down you add on the weakness." Fed cuts and the August jobs report Chantico Global CEO Gina Sanchez said Federal Reserve rate cuts could be a double edged sword for the markets. "This is very much a Goldilocks scenario, where you have to get just right. A little too much could actually spook the markets." Sanchez said on Worldwide Exchange about the impact of a quarter-point cut compared to a half-point cut. "Getting 50 basis points would really potentially send shivers into the market, basically saying a we could be going into a deeper slowdown or recession," said Sanchez. Stock picks Link is bullish on Broadcom's (AVGO) long-term artificial intelligence narrative, saying AI revenue is expected to be a $150 billion opportunity over the next 5 years. But she admits, it's a risky play ahead of earnings after the bell on Thursday. Link does believe the stock's 4% decline in the third quarter creates a buying opportunity. "It's a risk to buy ahead of the quarter, but for the long term I have no doubt this company is a winner," said Link. Mystery chart: Xpeng Xpeng (XPEV) shares are higher ahead of the open on an upgrade from JP Morgan to overweight. Analysts say expect the EV makers upcoming models to give a boost to quarterly deliveries. XPEV 1D mountain Xpeng, 1 day 'Worldwide Exchange' Extra: Implications of a possible strike at East Coast, Gulf Coast Ports Members of the International Longshoremen's Association are meeting in New Jersey this week for "wage scale meetings" and to discuss contract negotiations with the U.S. Maritime Alliance  which represents major terminal operators and other employers at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The contract that covers the ILA's 85,000 members expires on Sept. 30, and union President Harold Daggett issued a video statement saying in part, "Mark my words, we'll shut them down on Oct. 1 if we don't get the kind of wages we deserve." USMX did not respond to an email requesting a comment. Speaking with companies and industry groups that would be potentially impacted by a strike, concerns are growing that there will be the first strike at the East Coast and Gulf Coast Ports since 1977. However, most have said a deal will most likely be reached in time to avoid a major disruption. East Coast rail operator CSX told CNBC: "CSX is closely monitoring the situation and will proactively communicate with our customers on potential operational actions should that become necessary." A Walmart spokesperson told CNBC: "We prepare for unforeseen changes in our supply chain, maintaining additional sources of supply to ensure we have key products available for our customers when and how they want them." Speaking with analysts, the potential concern for shippers would be a spike in container shipping prices due to a potential disruption. Rates have already risen sharply since the start of the Israel-Hamas war due to attacks in the Red Sea forcing many vessels to take a longer route around Africa to reach European destinations. According to the latest data from Freightos, an online freight shipping marketplace, container shipments from Asia to the U.S. East Coast have increased by more than 300% since the start of the conflict; container shipments from Asia to the US West have increased by more than 350%. Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc told CNBC last week he estimates the US will see a 3-5% increase in container shipments for the holiday season compared to last year. Freightos CEO Zvi Schreiber will appear Friday on "Worldwide Exchange" to discuss the potential impact of a port strike and what that could mean for the U.S. and global supply chain.
Flight delays in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Truckers led down unsafe routes in Richmond, Vermont. And power grid disruptions throughout Ukraine. These troubles stem from a global communication system highly reliant on GPS satellites and the signals they transmit for essential functions.

To ensure that U.S. infrastructure won't fall apart  even if the nation's GPS satellites are disrupted by weather, warfare or age  a startup in Boulder, Colorado called Mesa Quantum is developing chip-sized alternative technology.

Specifically, Mesa Quantum is building "chip-scale atomic clocks" and other miniaturized quantum sensors, which can measure and detect changes in the environment around a device to signal where it is in the world, where it needs to go and to keep it in sync with other systems.

These sensors can ensure clear and steady video calls regardless of the users' location, or enable robots, underwater drones and autonomous vehicles to maneuver deftly in dense populations or around obstacles where GPS signals are weak or unavailable.

Cofounded by Mesa Quantum CEO Sristy Agrawal and CTO Wale Lawal in 2023, the company has won a $1.9 million Space Force grant to demonstrate its alternative to GPS technology in military and civilian applications.

The company has also raised about $3.7 million in a seed stage round of funding led by J2 Ventures, the Boston-based health and defense tech fund, alongside hardware investors SOSV.

J2 Ventures cofounder and managing partner, Alex Harstrick, told CNBC his fund backed Mesa Quantum in part because of the founders' extraordinary technical background.

Agrawal recently attained a doctorate from the University of Colorado, in an elite program affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Her research has focused on quantum information, computing and gravity.

Agrawal told CNBC that the lab below her office at the university is home to the world's most precise clock. "Working here and interacting with all these different groups led me to appreciate what impact these technologies could have for real, not just theoretically in the future," she said.

Her cofounder, Lawal, is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, attained his PhD at Rice University in materials science and nano-engineering, and an MBA at Harvard.

Before taking the entrepreneurial plunge, he spent years in military research organizations, developing systems for use in "GPS contested environments" such as precision-guided missiles, swarm drone technology, and the magnetic navigation systems used to guide military aircraft.

Lawal explained that military aircraft and other vehicles cannot afford to have their systems disrupted and jammed. Any disruptions could lead to "catastrophic events for warfighters" in the air and on the ground. "If unmanned aircraft lose GPS signals, which they rely on to surveil the environment and provide intelligence information to troops down range, the troops cannot complete critical missions like a search and rescue."

Many of the GPS satellites operated by the U.S. are now aging beyond their intended lifespans.

When they met, the scientific duo quickly agreed on the burgeoning need for mass-manufacturable, and chip-scale, technology to alleviate the risks of GPS-related failures in military and commercial systems.

Harstrick said his fund hopes that Mesa Quantum will have its first demonstration of mass scale "atomic clocks" (quantum timing sensors) validated by a top-tier semiconductor manufacturing partner" in the next few years.

He's also guessing Mesa Quantum's sensor tech will be in demand among companies that build or operate their own data centers.

Lawal explained, "Data centers use GPS to synchronize their networks today, so that they can accurately exchange communications or share data across the cloud. Any form of disruption to that network synchronization can cause crashes  whether that's to a financial system, a hospital system, or a social network."

Technology to help data centers safeguard against such crashes could help them prevent data loss and improve cybersecurity, the CTO said.

No matter which private sector players eventually embrace the startup's quantum sensors, CEO Sristy Agrawal said the U.S. government is likely to be among Mesa Quantum's biggest early customers. "The U.S. government has established major initiatives to spur innovation in this area and is seeking to purchase a million quantum sensors each year -- if they can simply be mass-produced," she explained.

With its grant funding and seed round in place, Agrawal said, Mesa Quantum will look to grow its team in Boulder, especially hiring atomic molecular and optical physicists, engineers and manufacturing experts this year.

The longer-term vision, she said, is to "bring a suite of quantum sensors to the market that could do everything GPS-based systems are capable of today --- without all of the risks and vulnerabilities."
Tugboats guide the Maersk Atlanta container ship at the Port of Newark in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

After two days of meetings of North America's largest longshoremen's union amid an impasse with port ownership on a new contract, concerns of a strike are growing amongst those in the business and logistics community.

A strike by the International Longshoremen's Association, which moves the trade at the ports along the East Coast, Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico, would impact 43% of all U.S. imports and billions of dollars in trade monthly.

At the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the union's wage committee on Thursday, union members voiced unanimous support for a strike on Oct. 1 if a new contract meeting its demands doesn't materialize. Harold Daggett, president of the ILA and the union's chief negotiator, has said he wants a good economic deal for his members, which includes union opposition to port automation and exclusive port contracts.

In a video featuring Daggett played before the energized crowd, he said bargaining in good faith is the only way to get an agreement and threatened a worker slowdown if the Biden administration forces the union workers back to the docks using the Taft-Hartley Act.

"Taft-Hartley means I have to go back to work [for 80 days] after a cooling off period," said Daggett. "What do you think when I go back after those [80 days], that those men are going to go back to work on that pier? It's going to cost them money. They're going to be like this," he said, making a gesture of putting his hands around his throat in a choke hold. "The company's money to pay their salaries while they go from 30 [container] moves an hour maybe to eight?" he said. "You're better off sitting down and let's get a contract and let's move on with this."

A worker slowdown was employed during recent labor strife involving ILWU negotiations covering West Coast ports, where vessels were not worked on expeditiously, creating backlogs of container pickups for trucking and rail. There has been a wave of union actions in recent years impacting ports, rails, and the global supply chain, from Europe to the West Coast and Canada's rail strike, the most recent action, last month.

The United States Maritime Alliance, which represents ports ownership, said in a statement posted to its website that it remains committed and prepared to resume negotiations with the ILA on a new master contract before the current agreement expires and to avoid a strike. "The ILA continues to strongly signal it has already made the decision to call a strike and we hope the ILA will reopen dialogue and share its current contract demands so we can work together on a new deal, as we have done successfully for nearly 50 years," USMX stated.

Governments have used national law to force union workers back on the job in recent years, from the Canadian rail strike to the freight rail strike in the U.S. in 2022.

The Biden administration told CNBC this week it supports collective bargaining as the best way for American workers and employers to come to an agreement. "We've never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering doing so now," an administration official said.

Since its enactment, presidents have intervened in labor disputes under Taft-Hartley on 37 occasions.

A strike by the ILA would have significant economic implications for the U.S. Analysts at Sea Intelligence have estimated East Coast ports in the U.S. would handle 2.3 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) in October. That translates to 74,000 shipping containers per day. The value of that daily freight is upwards of $3.7 billion based on an MDS Transmodal estimate of $50,000 per container.

Sea-Intelligence has estimated a one-day strike by the ILA would take five days to clear. A one-week strike in October could cause slowdowns until mid-November.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told CNBC the chip designer is working with Samsung and Google to explore a mixed-reality set of glasses linked to a smartphone  taking a different approach from Apple, which launched a larger headset.

Last year, Google, Samsung and Qualcomm struck a partnership to develop mixed-reality technology. That refers to the combination of augmented and virtual reality, often involving digital images that are imposed over the real world in front of you.

Amon's comments are among the first to shed light on the project.

"It's going to be a new product, it's going to be new experiences," Amon said, discussing what will come out the mixed reality partnership.

"But what I really expect to come out of this partnership, I want everyone that has a phone to go buy companion glasses to go along with it," Amon added.

Samsung and Google were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: JetBlue Airways  The New York-based airline popped 7.2% after hiking its forward guidance for third-quarter revenue. JetBlue now expects revenue to be in a range of down 2.5% to up 1%, compared to the same period a year ago. Previously, a loss between 5.5% and a loss of 1.5% was expected. G-III Apparel Group  Shares surged 22% after the apparel maker posted second-quarter results that topped estimates. Adjusted earnings of 52 cents per share beat the 27 cents a share that analysts expected, according to FactSet. Revenue of $644.8 million fell a bit short of the $649.5 million estimate. Hewlett Packard Enterprise  Shares dropped 6% after Hewlett Packard Enterprise saw gross margins decline from a year ago. Fiscal third-quarter results beat expectations, with Hewlett Packard Enterprise citing robust demand for artificial intelligence products. Frontier Communications , Verizon Communications  Shares of Frontier Communications tumbled 9.5% after Verizon said it will buy the fiber-optic internet provider in an all-cash deal worth $20 billion, or $38.50 a share. Frontier had soared 38% on Wednesday on leaked reports of a potential deal. Verizon was down fractionally Thursday. Shoe Carnival  Shares jumped 8.2% after the retailer beat second-quarter earnings estimates and raised the lower end of its third-quarter and full-year financial guidance. Shoe Carnival reported adjusted earnings of 83 cents per share on revenue of $332.7 million, while analysts polled by FactSet anticipated earnings of 81 cents per share on revenue of $331.5 million. Casey's General Stores  Shares popped 7.4% after the convenience store chain posted fiscal first-quarter earnings of $4.83 per share, topping the $4.50 in earnings per share expected by analysts, according to FactSet. Revenue of $4.10 billion trailed the $4.15 billion estimate. ChargePoint  The stock plummeted 17.8% after the electric vehicle charging company's second-quarter revenue was short of expectations. ChargePoint posted $109 million in revenue for the period, while analysts surveyed by LSEG were expecting $114 million. The company also plans to cut 15% of its workforce and expects third-quarter revenue to come in below estimates. Verint Systems  The automation stock dropped 11.2% following a worse-than-expected earnings report for the second quarter. Verint earned an adjusted 49 cents per share on $210 million in revenue, while analysts polled by LSEG had anticipated 53 cents a share and $213 million in revenue. C3.ai  Shares tumbled 8.2% after the enterprise artificial intelligence company posted weaker-than-expected subscription revenue. In its fiscal first quarter, C3.ai saw $73.5 million in revenue, lower than the $79.2 million forecast by analysts polled by FactSet. Credo Technology Group  Shares moved 14.9% lower following the company's fiscal first-quarter results. For the quarter, Credo had adjusted earnings of 4 cents per share, in line with what analysts polled by FactSet were expecting, but shy of the highest estimate at 5 cents per share. Roku  Shares of the streaming platform rose about 5% following an upgrade to equal weight from underweight at Wells Fargo. The bank pointed to the Roku Channel as a catalyst, saying it continues to be a share gainer in TV time with potential monetization upside, analyst Steven Cahall wrote. Tesla  Shares of the electric vehicle company jumped 4.9% after Tesla said it would roll out its advanced driver assistance in Europe and China in the first quarter of 2025, "pending regulatory approval." The technology is marketed by Tesla as "Full Self Driving," and upgrades Tesla's Autopilot driver assistant. Old Dominion Freight Line  Shares dropped 4.9% after Old Dominion Freight Line year-over-year daily revenue slumped 5.2% in August as less-than-truckload tonnage fell 6.1%. Zimmer Biomet  Shares slid 8.7% after the medical device maker at a Wells Fargo conference noted a "temporary challenge" with the transition of a legacy software system that could have a 1% effect on fiscal-year sales, according to FactSet. McKesson  Shares dropped 9.9% after the medical supply distributor, at a Wells Fargo conference, issued weaker-than-expected fiscal second-quarter earnings guidance, according to FactSet. McKesson anticipates earnings of $6.70 to $7.00 per share, lower than the FactSet consensus estimate of $7.39 in earnings per share. Toro Company  Shares dropped 10.1% after the lawn mower and landscaping equipment maker missed earnings and revenue expectations. In its fiscal third quarter, Toro posted adjusted earnings of $1.18 per share on revenue of $1.16 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet had estimated $1.23 in earnings per share on revenue of $1.26 billion.  CNBC's Sean Conlon, Michelle Fox, Lisa Han, Alex Harring, Yun Li and Pia Singh contributed reporting.
Stanford University has the top MBA program in the world in 2024, according to LinkedIn.

The Stanford Graduate School of Business is the No. 1 Master of Business Administration program in the world in 2024, according to LinkedIn.

This year, eight of the top 10 universities are located in the U.S., according to LinkedIn's 2024 Top MBA global list, which evaluated the programs on five key pillars: job placement, ability to advance, network strength, leadership potential and gender diversity.

The list only includes full-time accredited MBA programs that have at least 1,500 total alumni and at least 400 graduates between 2019 and 2023.

Here are the top 10 MBA programs in the world in 2024, according to LinkedIn:
College still pays off, but the return on investment largely depends on your choice of major.

College graduates earn 37% more than those with only a high school diploma, according to a new report by Payscale. But as the cost of a degree rises, it is increasingly important to consider both your area of concentration and future earnings potential before taking out student loans to pay for college, most experts say.

Often, a good rule of thumb is not to borrow more than you expect to earn as a starting salary.

More from Personal Finance:

Nearly half of student loan borrowers expect debt forgiveness

The sticker price at some colleges is now nearly $100,000 a year

More of the nation's top colleges roll out no-loan policies

"The fact remains that a college degree significantly impacts earning power," said Amy Stewart, Payscale's principal of research and insights.

"Choosing a school or major with strong income potential could cut your student loan repayment time in half, so it's crucial to consider all your options  particularly for those who are on the fence about the value of a formal education."

To that end, Payscale ranked which majors are the most financially rewarding, after accounting for salaries at the entry level and median income years down the road.
The Justice Department announced an investigation into reports of widespread assaults by staff in the states two prisons for women, including the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. Tomas O'Valle/TNS

In the wake of reports of ongoing sexual abuse at womens prisons nationwide, and the closure of Californias scandal-plagued federal womens prison, the U.S. Justice Department has announced an investigation into reports of widespread assaults by staff in the states two prisons for women.

Every woman, including those in prison, retains basic civil and constitutional rights and should be treated with dignity and respect, Kristen Clarke, the departments assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in Wednesdays announcement. This investigation will determine whether California is meeting its constitutional obligations.

The investigation follows a sexual abuse scandal at the now-shuttered federal womens prison in Dublin, where a former warden, the prison chaplain and at least four guards have been found guilty of sex crimes against inmates. That facility held inmates convicted of federal crimes and is separate from the state prison system.

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The two state womens prisons hold 3,372 inmates: 2,085 at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla (Madera County) and 1,287 at the California Institution for Women in Chino (San Bernardino County).

Allegations of sexual abuse there are nothing new: 21 women have filed suit claiming they were groped and raped by guards at Chino between 2014 and 2020 and threatened with beatings if they resisted. In another lawsuit last December, more than 130 former inmates accused guards at the two prisons of sexual assaults.

Gregory Rodriguez, a former guard at Chowchilla, goes on trial this week on 96 charges of sexually abusing 13 prisoners over nearly a decade. According to the Guardian, Rodriguezs first accuser testified that he assaulted her in 2014  but that instead of punishing him, the prison placed her in solitary confinement.

The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which manages the prisons, has been largely silent on the issue until now. The department says it responded to the reports of abuse by improving staff training, equipping guards with body cameras, and contacting rape-crisis centers and trauma-care facilities.

Sexual assault is a heinous violation of fundamental human dignity that is not tolerated  under any circumstances  within Californias state prison system, the departments director, Jeff Macomber, said in a statement Wednesday. Our department embraces transparency, and we fully welcome the U.S. Department of Justices independent investigation.

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Meanwhile, the CDCR is investigating a report of staff violence against prisoners at Chowchilla, according to the Appeal. It said guards conducting a search at the prison last month locked more than 100 women in a cafeteria without air conditioning for several hours. When they asked for help, the guards zip-tied them and bombarded them with pepper spray and other weapons, sending three women to the hospital.

In response, Terri Hardy, a CDCR spokesperson, said Friday that the prison "began an immediate week-long intensive training on appropriate incident response and has redirected staff as more information is gathered."

The California Legislative Womens Caucus has been urging the state to take action after holding a briefing a year ago on conditions at the prisons. The caucus said it welcomed the Justice Departments investigation.

Over the past year, we have met with far too many incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people who have shared horrific stories of sexual misconduct by staff in our state prisons, Sens. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, the caucus chair, and Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters (Yolo County), the vice chair, said in a statement. We hope that this DOJ investigation will not only put an end to this unconscionable abuse, but also ensure that California meets its constitutional duty to safeguard the civil rights of all incarcerated people.

In May, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons shut down the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin and transferred most of its 650 inmates to federal prisons in other states. The closure came shortly after U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said she no longer trusted the Bureau of Prisons to manage the institution, and appointed a monitor, known as a special master, to oversee its operations.

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The prisons former warden, Ray Garcia, was convicted last year of eight felony charges involving the sexual abuse of three prisoners and was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison. Former prison chaplain James Highhouse was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2022 after pleading guilty to five felony charges of sexually abusing a prisoner and lying about it to investigators.

While Dublin  known as the rape club to inmates and staff  was the best-known example of sexual abuse in federal prisons, it was far from unique.

According to a U.S. Senate staff report in 2022, inmates in 19 of the 29 federal prisons that held women reported sexual abuse by male employees.

Between 2012 and 2020, the report said, the Bureau of Prisons opened 5,415 internal affairs into allegations of sexual abuse, and found evidence to support the allegations in at least 134 cases. But the evidence also showed, the Senate report said, that the bureau failed to prevent, detect, and stop recurring sexual abuse in at least four federal prisons, including Dublin.
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Fox News town hall hosted by Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. September 4, 2024.

The federal criminal election interference case against Donald Trump resumed in Washington, D.C., on Thursday after a nearly yearlong delay related to arguments on whether he can be prosecuted for conduct committed while he was president.

Judge Tanya Chutkan heard arguments Thursday morning over how to schedule legal briefs to be filed in advance of a possible trial in the case.

"Probably an exercise in futility to set a trial date now," Chutkan said in U.S. District Court at the end of the hearing.

She said she would issue an order setting a schedule for motions as soon as possible.

Trump's trial in the case is likely to happen by 2025 at the earliest  if at all  because Chutkan's rulings on whether the case can go to trial are virtually certain to be appealed by one side or the other.

"A guiding principle here is we should structure a schedule here that leads to only one interlocutory appeal," said Thomas Windom, a prosecutor in the case, told Chutkan, using a term for appeals that occur before or during a trial, as opposed to afterward.

"We know that there is going to be an interlocutory appeal. We are just trying to limit to one," said Windom.

Trump, the Republican nominee, is set to face Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in November's presidential election.

The hearing comes two months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump has presumptive immunity from prosecution for official acts he performed while president but that he is not immune from prosecution for unofficial acts.
The 9th Circuit sided with X, led by Elon Musk, and directed a judge to block portions of a California law requiring social media sites to post their content moderation policies. Apu Gomes/TNS

A 2022 California law requiring major social media companies to disclose their policies on posting and removing content such as hate speech, harassment and disinformation was blocked Wednesday by a federal appeals court, which said it appears to violate freedom of expression.

The laws edicts require a company to recast its content-moderation practices in language prescribed by the State, implicitly opining on whether and how certain controversial categories of content should be moderated, said the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court told a federal judge in Sacramento, who had previously left the law in place, to issue an injunction against the main parts of the law and to decide whether any of it could be preserved.

The bill, AB587 by Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino (Los Angeles County), sailed through the Legislature on nearly unanimous votes in 2022 and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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It required social media companies with at least $100 million a year in revenue to disclose their terms of service and their policies for allowing, barring or flagging  posting warning labels  for their content. The law also required the companies to issue reports every six months on how they handled certain categories of content, including hate speech or racism, extremism, disinformation, harassment and foreign political interference.

It was challenged in court by Elon Musks platform X, formerly known as Twitter. U.S. District Judge William Shubb denied an injunction last December, saying the law only required the companies to reveal their content-moderation policies, disclosures he described as purely factual and uncontroversial.

But the appeals court said Wednesday that AB587 is more far-reaching and requires major social media platforms to reveal (their) policy opinion about contentious issues, such as what constitutes hate speech or misinformation, and whether to allow such expression, with or without warning labels.

No matter how a social media company chooses to moderate such content, the company will face backlash from its users and the public, Judge Milan Smith wrote in the 3-0 ruling.

He said the disclosure requirements are more extensive than necessary to serve the States purported goal of requiring social media companies to be transparent about their content-moderation policies and practices so that consumers can make informed decisions about where they consume and disseminate news and information, quoting from the law.

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Smith, appointed by President George W. Bush, was joined by Judges Mark Bennett, appointed by President Donald Trump, and Anthony Johnstone, appointed by President Joe Biden. They said Shubb should now decide whether less contentious sections of the law, such as the requirement to disclose terms of service, should be reinstated.

Last month, the same appeals court panel upheld most of another federal judges decision to block a state law that would require online businesses to protect users younger than 18 from harmful information or other content. The court said the law, due to take effect this past July, violates the First Amendment by requiring companies to decide whether youngsters may be harmed by material they encounter online and to take steps to shield them from harm.

Musk, angered by Californias liberal policies  such as a law banning schools from requiring teachers to inform parents of their students change in gender identity  announced in July that he was moving the headquarters of X from California to Texas.

His lawsuit against AB587 drew support from a variety of advocates, including the conservative Washington Legal Foundation, the liberal Electronic Frontier Foundation and the business-sponsored U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Across the political spectrum, there was concern that California was trying to compel disclosure of platforms views on topics that are the center of our dialogue about compelled speech, Aaron Mackey, an attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation who took part in its legal filing in the case, said Wednesday.

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California was joined by 17 other states and the District of Columbia in defense of the challenged law.
Google has posted the source code for Android 15 on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which means developers around the world can now produce their own versions of the operating system if they wish.

More information, including the latest details on the Android Studio and Jetpack Compose tools, is available on the Android Developers Blog. (For those who prefer video, Spotlight Week offers a new clip about Android 15 daily.)

Android 15 is due to roll out to Pixel users in the next few weeks, followed by Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, Oneplus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, Vivo and Xiaomi.
Beetlejuice isnt the most kid-friendly source material. The two main characters are a couple who tragically died in a car accident and now have to learn to cope with being dead. The titular character  who only occupies 17 minutes of screentime  is an evil, unscrupulous ghost that tricks the main characters into letting him torture an innocent, if annoying, family. He also, most horrifically of all, nearly marries a 16-year-old girl against her will.

Still, in the 80s and 90s, it was perfectly normal to adapt an adult film into a Saturday morning kids cartoon. (See also: Rambo, RoboCop and various Jim Carrey films.) Which is why Beetlejuice, despite its subject matter, was ripe for an animated adaptation. Of course, things had to be toned down. The Maitlands (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis in the film) were removed entirely, and all references to the afterlife were substituted with the neitherworld. Beetlejuice himself would also become less nefarious and more of a goofy, magical troublemaker who loved puns and shapeshifted his body to sell a joke. And Lydia was aged down to a tween to better appeal to a younger demographic. (All of this was done in concert with Tim Burton, who greatly influenced the shows look and style of humor.)

No matter the changes, the Beetlejuice cartoon proved to be a big hit. It won an Emmy and ran for three seasons on ABC before moving over to Fox Kids for a much longer fourth season of 65 episodes. And needless to say, its still remembered fondly all these years later. Thirty-five years later, to be exact. In fact, the 35th anniversary of its premiere (September 9, 1989) almost perfectly coincides with this weekends release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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To properly mark the occasion, we gathered the most prominent behind-the-scenes players to share all of their favorite ghost with the most stories.

Summoning Beetlejuice Michael Hirsh, co-founder of the Canadian animation company Nelvana, and author of Animation Nation: How We Built A Cartoon Empire: We first heard about the prospect of a Beetlejuice cartoon from our friends at ABC, who we were doing a lot of cartoons for in the 1980s. We all loved the movie, so we decided to go after it with Tedd Anasti and Patsy Cameron, a husband-and-wife team we had under contract. Patsy Cameron, co-showrunner of Beetlejuice: My husband and I had done Disneys DuckTales, then we got hired by Nelvana to be vice presidents of development for them. Our very first assignment was when Warner Bros. was thinking about doing a cartoon based on Beetlejuice. Each studio sent their development executives to watch the movie. Next, each studio sent their heads of development to have a meeting with Tim Burton and some of the executives from Warner Bros. Advertisement Hirsh: The first meeting was with Tim Burton when he was preparing for Batman. I remember he sat on a chair, but instead of sitting on a chair the way youd normally sit on a chair, he was perched on the chair. Advertisement Tim was familiar with a movie we had made called Rock & Rule. He was also familiar with what we had done with Ewoks and Droids. Also, our studio had started as a stop-frame animation studio, and he had done his 1984 Frankenweenie short as stop-frame, so we got on the same page pretty quickly. Most of all though, we were like-minded in that we came at the project in terms of quality and the quality of the animation, as opposed to coming at it from the most commercial of eyes. Tedd and Patsy came up with an approach that Tim thought worked really well, as it put the emphasis on the metamorphosis of Beetlejuice. Advertisement Production artwork of one of Beetlejuices many metamorphoses. Artwork by Chris LaBonte, courtesy of Chris LaBonte Cameron: During our pitch, Tedd and I acted out these silly scenes with him imitating Beetlejuice. We had a lot of plays on words too. Everything we said, Tim Burton and the executives threw their heads back and laughed. A few days later, Stan Blum, who was in charge of marketing, said, We got it! I said, I think Im going to cry. Then he said, Well, we almost got it. Tim Burton loves you guys, but hes going to London to film Batman, so he wants you to fly to London to keep talking about what your ideas are for Beetlejuice. We flew to London, and my husband, Michael Hirsh and I spent 10 days meeting with Tim, going over ideas and creating new characters. Finally, after a week, Michael Hirsh told us, Im running out of money. I have to know if he wants us or not. You have to ask him now, Do you want us? I chose my husband out of the two of us to do the asking. Advertisement We met on the set of Batman. While Tim was leaning against the Batmobile, Tedd said, Tim, I have to ask, do you want us? Tim said, Well, to tell you the truth, I want you guys. Hirsh: There was an issue though  Warner Bros. wanted us to give back our rights to Batman first. We had a Batman development deal that had stemmed from two years earlier. We had developed it too, but the network we had developed it with wasnt buying in, and Id shopped it around to the other networks and theyd passed as well. Nobody was expecting the Batman movie, which hadnt yet come out, to be a big hit. So we were basically told, You can have Beetlejuice. Tim has chosen you. But we have the final choice, and were not going to give it to you until you give Batman back. Advertisement It was a tough Hollywood deal, but it worked out in the sense that Beetlejuice won us our first Emmy at Nelvana. Advertisement Beetlejuice transformed into UltraBeetleMan in the episode Super Zeroes (with a nod to Tim Burtons Batman on his head). Animation cel from the collection of J.D. Smith

Designing the Dead Hirsh: Another reason why we got Beetlejuice was because we had a great director and visual designer in Robin Budd. Robin came up with designs that were fresh and original, and they captured Beetlejuice really well. J.D. Smith, writer and story editor on Beetlejuice: Robin is a genius. Tim Burton loved him. Robin Budd, production designer and director on Beetlejuice: By the time Beetlejuice came up, Id been an animator at Nelvana for years and years. Id heard that they landed the project, and I somehow got the courage to burst into a board meeting and say, If youre looking for a director, Im your man! They took a real chance on me because Id never directed before. Advertisement Nelvana asked me to come up with a list of who I wanted to help develop the look of the show, which is how art director John Halfpenny, who had such a bizarre sense of color, Glen Hanson, Joe Sherman, Chris LaBonte and a few others became involved. Advertisement Chris LaBonte, production designer on Beetlejuice: Robin Budd plucked me out of the layout department because hed heard that I was heavily involved with the Toronto music scene and hardcore punk bands. Id done a lot of edgy, in-you-face poster designs and sticker designs. Nobody else at Nelvana really fit that. Also, I was a big fan of Beetlejuice the movie, and I let it be known that I wanted to get out of Care Bears as soon as possible. At night, I was playing in hardcore punk bands, and during the day, I was doing Care Bears. I was going nuts. Artwork of Beetlejuices bedroom by Chris LaBonte. Provided by Chris LaBonte Budd: So many cartoons based on movies are just a slave to the original, and as a result, they feel like a pale imitation. We werent doing that. Of course, the film was a big influence, but we had other influences on the look, too, like Al Hirschfeld and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I also love fluid animation and I love morphing things, so theres a lot of that in there. Advertisement For Beetlejuice, the black-and-white suit was a must. It was a nightmare to animate because thats very tough to track when something is hand drawn, but it was absolutely essential because those stripes are essential to who the character is. Stripes like that are tasteless and gaudy, and so is Beetlejuice. We also gave him misshapen teeth, and he was fairly ugly and balding. For a kids show, that was unusual at the time. Beetlejuices character sheet, courtesy of Robin Budd As for Lydia, we were influenced by the feature, but we wanted to simplify her and keep her physically delicate and beautiful in that goth way. I would have taken it even further, but we met with merchandising people and they talked about making lunch boxes and toothbrushes and all that stuff. I kept saying, Well make everything black! and they did not like that idea. Back then, merchandising people were super straight and conservative. Advertisement Lydias character sheet, courtesy of Robin Budd One of the big things from the movie to bring over was the look of the Afterlife, which we called the Neitherworld. I love that Tim Burton aspect of warping layouts and locations, where doors dont fit and hallways are crooked. I also love textures like checkers and stripes  like a bad, retro-carnival approach. We tried to bring as much of that over as we could into our Neitherworld. Advertisement Once we had a package together, we flew to London and presented it to Tim Burton, who was still working on Batman. He hardly had any time, so we met him at his townhouse, and we presented him with all this artwork and ideas. He was exhausted, but he picked out some interesting things that really shaped the comedy of the show. Advertisement The most important thing was a drawing of Beetlejuice where his stomach was wide open like a mouth and the caption was, Im starving, or something like that. Tim said, Thats it! Go for something really literal. Make a pun and make something literal out of that visually. That was the key to moving forward in an original way that was different from the film and friendly to 2D animation. Cameron: Tim Burton had no ego whatsoever. He was genuine and supportive and had lots of ideas. Some of the characters we came up with with him. One was a tap-dancing skeleton my husband named Ginger after Ginger Rogers. There was The Monster Across the Street, and another one was a weightlifting skeleton named Jacques LaLean. I remember Tim said, Every show has to have a French skeleton. Ginger the Tap Dancing Spider, Jacques LaLean, The Monster Across the Street and Poopsie in opening theme storyboards. Artwork by Robin Budd, courtesy of Robin Budd LaBonte: The Monster Across the Street was a design I based on a monster from Warner Bros. cartoons, Gossamer, while his dog, Poopsie, was based on a caricature I did of John Halfpenny. I morphed Johns face with a buffalo and a little dog. I put them all together and came up with this belligerent little dog. He was one of my favorite designs. I even got to do the barking for that dog. Advertisement Budd: I liked the character Barry MeNot. He was the computer-animated character done by a local studio called Caliber. Computer animation was so limited at the time that the character became extra creepy. Advertisement Hirsh: When we initially met with Tim, we had committed to putting in mixed media, which we did through early computer animation. This was the mid-1980s and computer animation wasnt yet a common thing, but we did it. LaBonte: In one episode, I had to design a director character, so I did this pretentious drawing of Tim Burton with his arms crossed. Tim Burton really liked that design. We were in constant communication with Tim Burton, especially early on, via faxes and phone calls. Initially, he just wanted to talk to us artists directly, but the producers cracked down on that. Advertisement One of my main interactions with him was when he came to town, and all of us ended up going to an executive producers party. Advertisement Smith: The funny thing was that the suits were all on one side of the room while Tim Burton was hanging out with me and Robin Budd and the other artists on the other side of the room. LaBonte: The party kind of sucked, so Tim Burton came over to us and said, Hey, this is kind of boring, you want to go somewhere? I said, Lets go to my house! I was renting this ramshackle house where all of my bands practiced. So he piled as many people as he could into his limo, and we all went into my house. The instruments were already set up, and everybody, producers included, tried to play music. My most vivid memory was sitting on the basement stairs with Tim Burton as he was explaining the synopsis of Edward Scissorhands to me. At the end, he asked me, What do you think? and I said, That's the craziest thing Ive ever heard. Advertisement

Voices from the Neitherworld Merle-Anne Ridley, casting assistant, record assistant and producer on Beetlejuice: At first, we wanted people who sounded exactly like Lydia and Beetlejuice did in the movie, but we found that that didnt quite work for the cartoon. The sound of this evil, creepy guy with this goth girl in the attic just felt off, so we realized we couldnt do an exact match. For Beetlejuice, Stephen Ouimette did eight in-person auditions for the role. At first, he did a perfect voice match with all the gravel and all the darkness, and it just felt creepy. So he gradually did something that was lighter and more comedic, and you suddenly felt okay with those two being in an attic alone together. Advertisement Alyson Court, voice of Lydia Deetz: Theres an innocent child aspect to Stephen Ouimettes Beetlejuice, and that was the only thing that made it possible. Stephen found that balance where its still Beetlejuice, but its not threatening. Advertisement As for me with Lydia, I got the role when I was 15. I was obsessed with the movie, and I was dressing all in black. I studied Winona Ryder and got that deadpan voice down perfectly, and thats what I did for my first audition. That was right before Spring Break. They asked what my schedule was like, and I told them I was going to Florida to Disney World. They said not to worry about it, so I went. Then we got a phone call from my agent saying they wanted a demo tape, but I was in Florida with a terrible sunburn and I just couldnt do it. They ended up recording the demo with Tara Strong, but it wasnt gelling with Stephen and Tara, so they still wanted me to come in after I got back from Florida. When I went into the booth, I started to do my Winona Ryder voice, and they said, Lydias actually younger now, so you can do your natural voice. I did it, but in my head I was like, I worked so hard on this voice! Advertisement Beetlejuice and Lydia in an animation cel from the series. Cel from the collection of Cynthia Sparky Read, founder of TheNeitherworld.com
The NorthPoint Centre in San Francisco will be getting a new grocery store. Grocery Outlet, headquartered in Emeryville, has signed a letter of intent to lease the space vacated by Safeway inside of the shopping center at 350 Bay St. Lydia Sidhom/The Chronicle

The new owners of a struggling shopping center on the edge of the North Beach and Fishermans Wharf neighborhoods are on the verge of striking a deal to fill it with an affordable grocery store.

Grocery Outlet, a major discount grocery retailer thats headquartered in Emeryville and has five existing locations in San Francisco, has signed a letter of intent to lease all of the roughly 31,000-square-foot space vacated by Safeway inside of the NorthPoint Centre at 350 Bay St. The shopping center has been largely vacant since Safeway exited it last year, and neighbors have called for another affordable grocery option at the site.

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The pending deal was confirmed by one of the propertys owners, Anton Qiu of Anchor Pacific Capital Inc., when contacted on Thursday. Qiu said that he heard from community stakeholders over the past year about their desire for an affordable grocer to replace Safeway, which closed last May.

The neighborhood sentiment is something I really care about, said Qiu, whose firm partnered with a private family office to purchase the retail complex and adjacent NorthPoint Vistas apartment complex at 2351 Powell St. for $25 million in December. Together, the properties span the block of Bay Street between Mason and Powell streets.

Grocery Outlet has 524 locations in 16 states, and is slated grow its stores which are locally owned and operated by 10% in 2025. The "extreme value" retailer offers name-brand products at prices generally 40% to 60% below those of other retailers.

"We are excited about the opening in this new location, as it presents a great opportunity to serve the North Beach community," said Layla Kasha, the company's chief new store growth officer, adding that the team "worked closely" with District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin on the deal. "We will be able to share additional details closer to opening about the independent operators and job opportunities this opens for the North Beach community.

NorthPoint Centre spans about 86,000 square feet and is within walking distance of Fishermans Wharf, a neighborhood beloved by generations of tourists and locals alike, but that has struggled with increasing vacancy in the wake of the pandemic.

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Safeways departure from its 31,000-square-foot space following a decadeslong tenancy at NorthPoint Centre left the retail complex about 85% vacant. It also impacted some 20,000 residents within a half mile of the store, according to the petition from neighbors who requested access to a full-scale grocery store. A roughly 11,000-square-foot Trader Joes store currently operates across the street from the center.

Qiu was reluctant to comment on the deal as it has yet to close but said that his team stabilized the property after acquiring it and invested in upgrades to the propertys parking and security systems.

The effort included installing 360 degree security cameras. Safeways struggles in the Bay Area with increasing theft have been well-documented.

The team also negotiated a five-year renewal with Subway, one of its existing tenants, and provided concessions to encourage the propertys smaller, remaining tenants to stay.

Along with Safeway, the complex lost a Walgreens store and a list of other retailers during the pandemic.

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We want to make sure the place is very friendly to do business, and that people can come in and easily park, Qiu said. When the Grocery Outlet anchor comes in, hopefully it will boost and reactivate the whole center.

Peskin, who represents the neighborhood and is a candidate for mayor in the November election, said that his office met with Qius team on multiple occasions to encourage a deal with Grocery Outlet, which expressed interest in the property ahead of Safeways departure.

After some tough negotiations between the parties, they got to yes, said Peskin. This is a sign that the northeast corner of San Francisco  where residents were bereft that they did not have access to a grocery store with reasonably priced food and will now have access to a store with even lower priced food  is alive and vibrant.

The deal would also give the citys commercial real estate market, which has been badgered with increasing vacancy and business closures, a small but needed boost. Safeway and upscale grocer Whole Foods have joined the long list of retailers who have shuttered locations or announced closures in the city in recent years.
Before each Saturday Night Live performance, Kristen Wiig would light a candle, she once told Kelly Clarkson. Amy Poehler shared her own pre-show ritual with Clarkson this week. When Don Pardo would say my name, Poehler explained, I used to just take a moment and close my eyes for about a split second. Because that's about all the time you have at SNL. Molly Shannon used to do that  she told me about it so then I did it.

Aww, sweet. But not as fun as another SNL tradition that Poehler revealed. It turns out the Parks and Rec star got Shannons office after she left the show, a fact evidenced by the scribbles Shannon left on the rooms walls. Everyone would just kind of leave their name like summer camp, Poehler said. You'd write your name on the wall.

Defacing SNL property is a long-standing tradition that goes well beyond autographing office walls like a comedy yearbook. Here are a few other times cast members left the 30 Rock facilities in less than pristine condition

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John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd referred to their office as the Cave, according to Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. There were dirty clothes in piles several feet high in the corners, cartons and boxes stacked on the floor, loose pages of scripts littered everywhere, cassettes with the tape streaming out of them in long swirls, scattered collections of armament magazines, industrial manuals, liquor bottles and motorcycle parts.

The walls were full of fist-sized holes, too, but youd never know it  Belushi and Aykroyd covered them with Polaroids and soiled panties sent in by fans.

Jim Belushi contributed his own damage when he threw a fire extinguisher at producer Dick Ebersol, according to SNL oral history Live from New York. He missed, leaving a hole in the drywall rather than in Ebersol.

Michael ODonoghue did some redecorating when he was brought back to the show as head writer. He put us all in a room, remembered Joe Piscopo. ODonoghue came in, spray-painted DANGER on the wall, and said, This is what the show lacks.

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While he didnt do damage to his actual office, writer Fred Wolf says Chris Farley once stuck his ass out the window of the seventeenth floor at 30 Rock and took a shit.

That habit of elimination in the office carried through to the Tina Fey days. In her memoir Bossypants, she remembers reaching for a reference book in writer Steve Higgins office. Higgins stopped her to move a paper cup from the shelf, gathering others from around the room to dump them. Oh yeah, thats pee in those cups, Fey learned from Paula Pell.

When a grossed-out Fey told another of the shows writers, he confessed that he did it as well. He said it was just something guys did when they were too lazy to go to the bathroom, she wrote. The bathroom, I should point out, was about as far away as you are from this book. I started to feel like I was from space.

So theres nothing new going on here, Amy Poehler. Defacing the office is an SNL tradition thats been celebrated for 50 years.
Yet he never went on any dates in the Ecto-1

Dan Aykroyd has starred in a number of movies featuring some pretty iconic props, and it turns out that he actually kept one of them. Weirdly, he didnt take home Ray Stantzs proton pack from Ghostbusters, or his latex Coneheads scalp, or even the black leather bondage ensemble from Exit to Eden. But he did drive away with one of the cars from The Blues Brothers.

The most famous car in The Blues Brothers was, of course, the Bluesmobile, Elwood and Jakes decommissioned Mount Prospect police car. Technically, there were several Bluesmobiles in The Blues Brothers  13 different Dodge Monacos were used in the stunt-heavy production, but only five of them housed Aykroyd and John Belushi. They were originally California Highway Patrol cars, repainted to resemble black and white Mount Prospect vehicles.

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The Blues Brothers filmmakers also bought 60 old cop cars for the destructive chase sequences. Since the cars had to be reused in multiple scenes, the production ran a 24-hour body shop near the West Side of Chicago in order to stay on schedule.

While an actual Bluesmobile would have been a great collectible, reportedly all 13 of them were destroyed during filming. Even the Bluesmobile in Illinois Volo Museum is a high quality replica.

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There have long been rumors that director John Landis gave Aykroyd a car once filming wrapped. Well, Aykroyd just sat down for an interview with the YouTube show Jakes Takes, and addressed this very topic. The neatest piece of memorabilia that Ive ever owned from the movies was a fully-marked Illinois State Police car, with siren and lights and plates and everything, Aykroyd explained.

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Of course, the Bluesmobile didnt have a siren, so it seems that Ayrkoyd kept one of the many other cop cars used during filming.

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Weirdly, he just used it as a regular car while living in Manhattan, and was somehow never busted for impersonating an officer. I drove (it) in New York for three years after the movie. Fully-marked. Driving down the streets of New York. Nobody looked twice. What is a guy serving a warrant from another state? Aykroyd reasoned.

The Saturday Night Live star even used the car to meet women. I used to pick up dates in it. It was fantastic, Aykroyd explained, before arguing that it wasnt actually the car that impressed people. All the ladies that I ever dated back then were so cool, I could have picked them up in a garbage wagon and they would have been fine. Magnificent women, all of them.

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So what happened to this piece of movie history/Dan Aykroyd dating history? I sold it, and it ended up at a racetrack somewhere.

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Apparently, this car has been quite a topic of conversation amongst Blues Brothers super-fans over the years. Back in 2012, users of a message board devoted to Bluesmobile replicas noted that another fan was selling a Bluesmobile online, claiming that it was used in the movie, just not as a Bluesmobile. It was supposedly the same car that Aykroyd kept, which he then gave to his brother-in-law at the time, who had the car painted to match Jack and Elwoods ride.

Its unclear whatever happened to this particular car, or whether or not the current owner has found that its improved their love life.

You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this).
Photo: Office of the Mayor/Mayor Eric Adams/X

From the opening of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel in 1940 until it was swamped during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it had never flooded. The storm damage to the tube was unprecedented, an MTA engineer told the trade journal Tunnel Business Magazine, and the agency had to close the tunnel for ten days. In the subsequent months, it saw major repairs, and the state installed big swinging doors at the ends to close it against the next storm surge.

Which works great until some jabroni drills a hole through the roof.

Yesterday afternoon, a contractor doing preparatory work for the next phase of the East River Esplanade did exactly that, putting a two-and-a-half-inch hole through the tunnels cast-iron casing near the U.N.. The water there, officials said, is about 50 feet deep, and the drill had gone another 50 feet into the riverbed when it hit the top of the tunnels south tube. Videos showed water cascading through what seemed to be a vent in the ceiling. The MTA first described the problem, in error, as a water-main break. The @whatisnewyork account on Instagram has video, and correctly observed that youve got new fuel for your night terrors:

The MTA got a temporary plug in place within a few hours, and the tube was back open by 5:45 p.m., somewhat mitigating the evening traffic snarl. The unnamed team with the drill, reportedly from a company called Warren George, will have a Thanksgiving-table story to tell for the rest of their lives.
St. John "Sinjin" Barned-Smith joined The San Francisco Chronicle in 2022 and covers City Hall. He previously worked at The Houston Chronicle, where he covered law enforcement.

Barned-Smith started his career at the Philadelphia Daily News, served in the Peace Corps, in Paraguay, and worked at the Montgomery Gazette, in Maryland, before joining Hearst Newspapers in 2014. His coverage of floods, mass shootings and police misconduct and other topics has been honored with several state and national awards.

Barned-Smith lives in San Francisco, with his newshound, Scoop.
Maiden Flight of the Model 437 Vanguard

Defense-Update Aerospace Weekly News

Azerbaijan to Buy Chinese JF-17 armed them with Turkish Air/Air Missiles

Azerbaijan is set to significantly enhance its air force capabilities by acquiring 24 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan in a $1.6 billion deal. To be delivered in the latest Block III configuration with improved avionics and weaponry, these aircraft will be equipped with Turkish-made Bozdogan and Gokdogan air-to-air missiles. The Bozdogan, a short-range missile with a 25-kilometer range, and the Gokdogan, a medium-range missile effective up to 65 kilometers, will provide Azerbaijan with advanced air-to-air combat capabilities.

This procurement marks a significant upgrade for Azerbaijans air force, introducing modern, versatile combat aircraft capable of various missions, including reconnaissance and close air support. Integrating Turkish missiles with Pakistani-made aircraft underscores the growing defense cooperation between these nations. Deliveries are slated to begin next year, with the full order expected to be completed by 2027, significantly boosting Azerbaijans military capabilities in the region.

India Set to Purchase 26 Rafale Ms for its Aircraft Carriers

Indias Defense Acquisition Council is poised to approve the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets for the Indian Navy in a deal estimated at over 6 billion euros. These advanced aircraft are set to replace Indias aging Russian-made MiG-29K fighters and will be deployed on the countrys two aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. The acquisition, which began negotiations in November 2023, is considered urgent due to the deteriorating strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific region.

The French offer includes options to integrate Indian weapons, such as the Astra air-to-air missile. However, India has opted against incorporating an experimental AESA radar developed by DRDO due to cost and potential delays. This acquisition would elevate India into an elite group of nations operating carrier-based 4.5th generation fighter aircraft alongside the US, UK, France, and China. While the approval is a significant step, it does not guarantee an immediate contract signing, as further cost negotiations are expected. The deal also holds the potential for additional Rafale orders for Indias future aircraft carriers, underscoring its long-term strategic implications for Indias naval capabilities.

UKs New Medium Helicopter Program Update

After Airbus and Sikorsky withdrew their bids, the UKs New Medium Helicopter (NMH) program has been narrowed down to a single bidder, Leonardo. This program will replace several aging helicopter types in the UK military, including the Puma HC2 and Bell 212. Leonardos AW149 is now the sole contender, with the programs timeline shifted to an expected service entry around 2027. The NMH program is critical for modernizing the UKs rotary-wing capabilities and supporting domestic defense industries.

US Air Force and RTX to Upgrade F-22 Sensors

The U.S. Air Force has awarded RTX (Raytheon) a $1 billion contract to upgrade sensors on the F-22 Raptor fighter jet as part of a more significant $7.8 billion modernization effort set to be completed by 2029. This upgrade includes new Group B hardware, spares, and support equipment, potentially adding stealthy pods featuring IRST sensors. The Air Force is reconsidering previous plans to retire older F-22 airframes, instead focusing on modernizing the aircraft to maintain air superiority in highly contested environments.

The comprehensive upgrade package for the F-22 includes a wide range of enhancements such as Mode 5 IFF, Link 16 communication system, advanced radar electronic protection, and a new helmet as part of the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet program. These improvements aim to keep the F-22 Raptor relevant and effective against peer adversaries, especially given its valuable role as a pure air dominance interceptor and uncertainties surrounding the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.

The upgrades reflect the Air Forces commitment to maintaining air superiority and adapting to evolving threats in highly contested environments. Peer forces are deploying advanced 5th-generation fighters like Chinas J20 and Su-57 in Russia.

Embraer delivers the first C-390 Millennium to the Hungarian Air Force

Embraer has delivered the first C-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft to the Hungarian Air Force, marking Hungary as the second NATO operator of this aircraft type. This particular C-390 is distinguished by being the first in the world equipped with a roll-on/roll-off Intensive Care Unit, enhancing its capabilities for humanitarian and medical evacuation missions.

The aircraft, fully compatible with NATO requirements, is designed to meet the diverse needs of the Hungarian Defence Forces. It can perform various military and civilian missions, including medical evacuation, humanitarian support, search and rescue, cargo and troop transport, precision cargo airdrop, paratrooper operations, and air-to-air refueling. With a payload capacity of 26 tons and a top speed of 470 knots, the C-390 offers superior performance in its class. Since its introduction to service with the Brazilian Air Force in 2019 and the Portuguese Air Force in 2023, the C-390 fleet has accumulated over 14,000 flight hours, demonstrating high reliability with a 93% mission-capable rate and over 99% mission completion rate.

Italian Navys F-35B Achieves Initial Operational Capability

The Italian Navy has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for its embarked joint F-35B component, deployed on Italys Cavour aircraft carriers operational campaign in the Indo-Pacific region. The F-35B component, consisting of aircraft from the Italian Navy and Air Force, is now certified for offensive and defensive missions, enhancing Italys ability to project power globally. This development positioned Italy with naval deployment capability of 5th-generation assets alongside the USA and UK.

Kongsberg Secures $95 Million Order for JSM Missiles in Australia

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has significantly expanded its presence in Australia by opening a $16.5 million facility in Adelaide and a $95 million contract to supply Joint Strike Missiles for Australias F-35A aircraft. The new 2,500 square meter site will support various defense programs, including strike missiles, air defense systems, and remote weapon stations for the Australian armed forces. (Read more)

U.S. Approves RAM Missile Package for Turkey

In a significant policy shift, the U.S. government has approved a $90 million foreign military sale of RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) to Turkey. This decision reverses previous restrictions under the CAATSA sanctions and is crucial for enhancing Turkeys naval defense capabilities. The RAM system, developed by Raytheon and Diehl Defence, provides naval vessels with short-range, close-in protection against anti-ship missiles and other aerial threats. The RAM systems will be integrated into Turkeys Ada-class corvettes.

Taiwan to Acquire Stinger Missiles Amid Rising Tensions

Taiwan has announced plans to purchase Stinger missiles from the United States, underscoring its ongoing efforts to bolster its defense capabilities amid rising tensions with China. The Stinger missile system can be used as a man-portable or vehicle-mounted air defense operable at very short range (VSHORAD).

For weekly more news by topic, refer to the following reports:
France to be guest of honor at upcoming manufacturing convention in China

Xinhua) 15:48, September 05, 2024

HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- France will be the guest of honor at the 2024 World Manufacturing Convention, which will begin on Sept. 20 in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, local authorities said at a press briefing on Thursday.

The four-day event will feature 25 sub-events including seminars and forums, aiming to showcase the achievements of advanced manufacturing and promote global manufacturing cooperation.

As the event's guest of honor, France will organize French manufacturing enterprises to attend the exhibition and hold various cooperation and exchange activities.

Around 1,000 guests from home and abroad will attend the convention, including many foreign guests.

Covering an area of 20,000 square meters, the exhibition hall will display a variety of cutting-edge technologies.

Held since 2018, the World Manufacturing Convention has attracted over 600 top executives from Fortune 500 companies to date. Over 3,600 projects have been signed, with an actual investment of over 1.5 trillion yuan (about 211.3 billion U.S. dollars).

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
J.D. Morris covers San Francisco City Hall, focused on Mayor London Breed. He joined the Chronicle in 2018 to cover energy and spent three years writing mostly about PG&E and California wildfires.

Before coming to The Chronicle, he reported on local government for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, where he was among the journalists awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the 2017 North Bay wildfires.

He was previously the casino industry reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. Raised in Monterey County and Bakersfield, he has a bachelors degree in rhetoric from UC Berkeley.
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DUNEDIN, New Zealand  Cancer diagnostics company Pacific Edge (NZX, ASX: PEB) today announces Chris Gallaher has accepted a Board request to delay his planned retirement, originally set for the end of this year after a handover to a successor.

The Board has asked Mr Gallaher to remain as Chair into 2025 to provide stability and confidence to Pacific Edge and its stakeholders amid the continued uncertainty over the Medicare coverage status for the companys Cxbladder tests and the ongoing process to recruit his successor.

In July Novitas, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) with responsibility for Pacific Edges US lab, confirmed that it had been granted an extension beyond the normal statutory timeline to finalize or withdraw the draft Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Genetic Testing for Oncology (DL 39365).

Mr Gallaher said: As I signaled in our annual report in June, the Board expects the process to recruit my successor to ramp up after the Novitas determination. Consequently, the Board believes that delaying my retirement at least until the LCD is finalised will enable us to make a smooth handover to the new Chair, which is in the best interests of the company and all its stakeholders. I am happy to provide this continuity.

Mr Gallaher and Independent Director Mark Green gave notice of their intention to retire in March. Mr Green will - as planned - step down at the close of the companys Annual Shareholder Meeting in Auckland on 24 September 2024.

The Pacific Edge Board Nomination Committee commenced a process earlier this year to recruit new independent directors. At present the Board is not able to provide a timeline on the likely finalization of the LCD or the appointment of a successor for Mr Gallaher or Mr Green.

Released for an on behalf of Pacific Edge by Grant Gibson, Chief Financial Officer.

For more information:

Investors:

Chris Gallaher

Chairman

Pacific Edge

P: +61 417 556 691

Media:

Richard Inder

The Project

P: +64 21 645 643

Pacific Edge: www.pacificedgedx.com

Pacific Edge Limited (NZX/ ASX: PEB) is a global cancer diagnostics company leading the way in the development and commercialization of bladder cancer diagnostic and prognostic tests for patients presenting with hematuria or surveillance of recurrent disease. Headquartered in Dunedin, New Zealand, the company provides its suite of Cxbladder tests globally through its wholly owned, and CLIA certified, laboratories in New Zealand and the USA.

Cxbladder: www.cxbladder.com

Cxbladder is a urine-based genomic biomarker test optimized for the detection and surveillance of bladder cancer. The Cxbladder evidence portfolio developed over the past 14 years includes more than 20 peer reviewed publications for primary detection, surveillance, adjudication of atypical urine cytology and equivocal cystoscopy. Cxbladder is the focal point of numerous ongoing and planned clinical studies to generate an ever-increasing body of clinical utility evidence supporting adoption and use in the clinic to improve patient health outcomes. Cxbladder has been trusted by over 4,400 US urologists in the diagnosis and management of more than 100,000 patients, including the option for in-home sample collection. In New Zealand, Cxbladder is accessible to 75% of the population via public healthcare and all residents have the option of buying the test online.

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More than seven years after the Grenfell Tower fire, a 1,700- page report into the tragedy has at long last been published.

Have we learnt anything we didn't know years ago? Some details, yes, but the broad conclusions of Sir Martin Moore-Bick's report are familiar.

The Government and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where Grenfell Tower lies, were incompetent. The cladding recently put on the 24-storey high-rise block was flammable. And the London Fire Brigade was defective in several respects.

Why does it take nearly seven years  Sir Martin's inquiry first sat on September 14, 2017  to tell us what informed observers could see in the weeks and months following the fire, in which 72 people perished?

I believe that a good investigative reporter would have got to the centre of things in a few weeks. Indeed, some did, in this and other newspapers, which is why there are no surprises in this long-awaited report.

The memorial wall for Grenfell Tower. More than seven years after the Grenfell Tower fire, a 1,700- page report into the tragedy has at long last been published

The covered remains of Grenfell Tower. Have we learnt anything we didn't know years ago? Some details, yes, but the broad conclusions of Sir Martin Moore-Bick's report are familiar

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On the first anniversary of the fire, the writer Andrew O'Hagan produced a moving and magisterial 60,000-word essay in the London Review of Books highlighting many of the same failings described in yesterday's belated report of more than a million words.

The truth is that we live in a society in which the causes of almost every disaster, mistake or setback  be it Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland or the Iraq War or the Covid pandemic  are entrusted to the deliberation of judges, senior civil servants and lawyers, whose natural way is often ponderous.

The Saville inquiry into Bloody Sunday dragged on for 12 years. Sir John Chilcot's investigation into the Iraq War (he was a civil servant rather than a judge) took seven years. It remains to be seen how many aeons will pass before the Covid inquiry pronounces. It has already cost 161 million, and the final bill is likely to be much more.

Battalions of lawyers, many paid more than 1,000 a day, have scant interest in brevity. Even people only tangentially connected to the matter under investigation are encouraged to make lengthy contributions that may shed precious little light.

As far as the Grenfell inquiry is concerned, the interests of the relatives of victims and of survivors have not been served by the great lapse of time since the fire. For one thing, any possible prosecutions have had to be put on hold. Nor does it make sense to take so very long to draw lessons and make recommendations.

Is it any surprise that hundreds of buildings are believed to be still at least partly covered in flammable cladding similar to that which was wrapped around Grenfell Tower? If the inquiry had reported sooner, action might have been taken earlier.

I don't intend any disrespect to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who is obviously a painstaking and public-spirited man, or to his two fellow panellists. They have operated within the conventions of public inquiries as they have developed in recent years. To be fair, they did issue a preliminary report in October 2019 in which the London Fire Brigade was heavily criticised.

But as long as these inquiries are chaired by judges in no great hurry, and colonised by lawyers paid colossal fees out of the public purse, they will continue to be leisurely affairs.

Grenfell Tower engulfed in flames on the morning of June 14 2017. Why does it take nearly seven years  Sir Martin's inquiry first sat on September 14, 2017  to tell us what informed observers could see in the weeks and months following the fire, in which 72 people perished?

Sir Keir Starmer today offered 'an apology on behalf of the British State to each and every one of you, and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy'

And what, at the end of it all, have we learnt from this report costing (so far) 170 million? It judges that all 72 deaths were 'avoidable'. This sounds like a statement of the obvious since no man-made accident has to happen.

The trouble is that the report blames so many bodies and individuals  often in forthright terms  that it's impossible to work out who is principally at fault, and where the buck actually stops.

How much was the fire the fault of successive governments, which are chastised for not taking seriously the dangers posed by combustible cladding over 20 years and 'failing to heed' myriad warnings, including a parliamentary select committee report in 1999?

Should the finger of blame point at Kensington and Chelsea Council, whose Tenant Management Organisation was regarded by Grenfell residents as an 'uncaring and bullying overlord that belittled and marginalised them, regarded them as a nuisance, or worse, and failed to take their concerns seriously'?

What degree of blame should attach to cladding companies, which according to Sir Martin were guilty of 'systematic dishonesty' as 'they engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing process, misrepresent test data and mislead the market'?

How decisive were the failings of the London Fire Brigade, criticised for 'shortcomings in its ability to fight fires in high-rise buildings' and 'a chronic lack of effective management and leadership', as well as complacency?

And so it goes on. The list of culprits is endless, and almost everyone seems to be defective or incompetent in some way.

Carl Stokes, a former firefighter employed as the sole fire assessor in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, is said to have falsified some qualifications, and lied about his experience when applying for the job.

The report chides an architectural company called Studio E for not issuing appropriate warnings about potentially flammable cladding. This 'represented a failure to act in accordance with the standard of a reasonably competent architect'.

Other bodies judged to have fallen short include the Local Authority Building Control, the British Board of Agreement, and NHBC, the UK's largest building control inspector, which produced guidance on the use of cladding.

Doubtless all these individuals and organisations were at fault in some way, though they can't have been equally so. Nor can every shortcoming have been decisive. Sir Martin throws the book at a huge variety of targets. Unfortunately, he doesn't squarely hit any of them.

What he might have said  and it wouldn't have taken him seven years to do so  is that it is the duty of Government to look after its citizens. There may be dishonest cladding companies, bad architects, incompetent fire assessors, inadequate official bodies and poorly trained firefighters.

Grenfell Tower in September 2024. Is it any surprise that hundreds of buildings are believed to be still at least partly covered in flammable cladding similar to that which was wrapped around Grenfell Tower? If the inquiry had reported sooner, action might have been taken earlier

But the buck stops with the Government. It's not principally about money. After all, Grenfell Tower had just been refurbished at a cost of millions. It's about care and paying attention. It's about ministers being on top of their jobs.

Successive governments  Labour as much as Tory  took their eye off the ball. They didn't really care about benighted people housed in high-rise blocks such as Grenfell, though they claimed to. They might have got away with it. In fact, they would have if a fridge-freezer hadn't freakishly caught fire in a single flat.

This absurdly delayed and overlong report doesn't really tell us much that we didn't already know, and in spreading the blame so widely it fails to apportion responsibility where it should truly lie.

Sir Keir Starmer today offered 'an apology on behalf of the British State to each and every one of you, and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy'.

Fine words, but hollow. What the Prime Minister and Sir Martin Moore-Bick omit to say is that it is politicians who are the guilty ones. That's a lesson that is unlikely to be learnt.
Floating on her back in the deliciously warm Adriatic Sea while wearing a glamorous bikini, Victoria Warnes didnt have a care in the world.

Her enjoyment was all the sweeter because back at home in Berkshire her children Olivia, ten, and Wills, seven, were buckling down in the classroom at the start of the new school year while her husband Rich, a business consultant, was holding the fort solo on the domestic front.

At home, Im usually the operations director for the whole family, but each year at the height of the back-to-school routine, Im simply not there, she says.

Each September Alexandra Tribe, from Havant, Hampshire, heads off for a luxury yoga retreat in Greece and estimates each week away costs 3,000

Last year, instead of dealing with the chaos, I was staying with five girlfriends, all mums, in a luxurious hotel in Dubrovnik, Croatia, enjoying 90-minute massages and hour-long facials in the sunshine. And this indulgent trip last September wasnt a one-off  its an annual longed-for escape. This week, while other parents pack lunches, re-establish bedtime routines and soothe any lingering fears over new classes or teachers, Victoria, 41, will once again be heading to Dubrovnik for a luxury holiday.

So is she a statistical blip, an unusual mum putting herself first by jetting off at the start of September when you might think her children need her most?

It would appear not. In fact, shes one of a growing number of back-to-spa mums, who shrug off the rigours of balancing work and childcare throughout the summer holidays with a much-needed getaway  that conveniently puts them out of the country for the action-packed start of term.

My friends and I have enjoyed our back-to-spa holidays for the last five years, Victoria says. We all agree its worth the very steep four-figure sum we spend  we joke that we could have spent more than that on therapy bills from the stress of looking after the children all summer.

Luckily, while Victoria is de-stressing, her 44-year-old husband is on hand for the children. Rich works from home, she explains. Its a bit mad for him racing around doing drop-offs when he has to be on calls at 9am, but he does it.

The same goes at the end of the day when hes on pick-ups or waiting to collect them when theyve finished after-school clubs. Its definitely a rush around for him. So does she picture the chaos while she basks in the sunshine, and secretly feel she should really be at home?

For the last three years Raz Wright, 46, has gone away with her girlfriends while the kids go back to school and her husband deals with the childcare

I didnt miss my family at all last year  that sounds awful doesnt it?

But my friends and I felt so blissed out, relaxing with no little people arriving in our bedrooms with 300 questions. The feeling carried us through the whole winter.

For Victoria, the summer holidays are the equivalent of two full-time jobs, as she explains: I run a business helping train women to offer up-to-date antenatal advice. So Im in my home office working with the kids around my feet or on their iPads. I have to react to everything on my own from 8am until 6pm. Kids holiday clubs cost 80 a day for both children and it just wasnt possible to fork out 2,400 to put them in for the full six weeks.

So stressful does she find the childcare, however, that she then spends almost as much as shes saved on kids clubs on a luxury break to recover.

But theres a reason Victoria is determined to prioritise her peace of mind. At the age of 35, she had a stress-related heart attack six weeks after her son was born.

Back then, I was an advertising executive, working crazy hours. I worked up until very close to my due date with each pregnancy, but the heart attack gave me the impetus I needed to change things.

Like so many mothers, shed been taking on more than her fair share of chores, but decided that had to change. I sat down with my husband to talk to him about the house and family responsibilities, to explain that I simply couldnt do it all. Now he sees the laundry bag is full and he puts a wash on. I dont have to ask every time.

Her group holiday at such a crucial time is another way to balance out responsibilities in the household. She says all her female friends were desperate to escape the back-to-school grind. We unanimously decided to do this. The first time, we found a British Airways deal and a super luxurious hotel with a spa. The thought kept me going throughout the summer.

Although, mums being mums, we do feel guilty and we have to constantly remind ourselves that we deserve it.

Not everyone was immediately convinced, however.

At first, my husband baulked because of the price, but when I explained that I could spend that amount on a years gym membership, I knew Id got him. Id done my homework and I had an answer to everything about why it was important for me to go.

Victoria took an equally robust approach when she told the children. When they asked me, Why are you going away, Mum? I said I need to look after myself for a few days. I didnt say: Ill miss you. I kept it upbeat, explaining its good for mothers to have a few days away. And its good for the children to see Mum isnt just there to serve their needs.

At home, Im usually the operations director for the whole family, but each year at the height of the back-to-school routine, Im simply not there, says Victoria Warnes

Alexandra Tribe, from Havant, Hampshire, would agree wholeheartedly with that. Each September, she heads off for a luxury yoga retreat in Greece and estimates each week away costs 3,000.

Alexandra, who is in her 40s, has been escaping the back-to-school grind for the last seven years.

She says: Like many working mothers, the school holidays are a time I really look forward to and also dread in equal measure. The freedom from routine is wonderful and were lucky enough to live on the south coast, where the children can head to the beach, sail, bike and burn off lots of energy outdoors.

At the same time, I work full-time running a law firm, splitting my time between the country and London. It means I cant always be where the children want me to be, when they want me to be.

Alexandra is an international divorce lawyer whose firm has offices in Singapore, London and Abu Dhabi. And her work ramps up over the summer, as the high net worth individuals she works with may fall out  and decide to divorce  during the course of long, luxurious summer travel.

This added spike of adrenalin after a full-on summer juggling work and childcare isnt great for the human body, she admits.

Alexandras children, aged 14 and 11, attend a prep school and board a couple of nights a week during term time, which allows her to work three days in London. She also has a nanny to take them to school  vital for a guilt-free September getaway.

But the long working hours mean that even during the school year, Alexandra feels frazzled.

Seven years ago, it was actually her husband who urged her to go on her first back-to-spa retreat.

I had started to suffer from anxiety and heart palpitations. We were out with friends when someone mentioned they were going on a yoga retreat to Greece with one spare place left. Id never thought of taking time off for myself, but when someone said, Why dont you come? my husband jumped in and insisted I go.

The time away was a revelation. At first, I miss my to-do list, she admits. But after a day or two, its strange, I get used to not having one. For me, yoga silences the constant mental reminders and nagging tasks. I do daily yoga classes, eat healthy food, enjoy massages  and relax with wine in the evening too.

Since then, Alexandra has been on another six retreats run by Blessed Yoga  and she isnt the only mother who signs up to their luxury getaways.

I have to sign up months in advance to get a place on their September retreat, she says.

She fervently believes her whole family feels the benefits.

It took a while for me to accept that it wasnt selfish for me to go away. But the truth is, I come back so much more calm and relaxed, its better for everyone.

I do talk to the children about what Im doing. They dont mind me going away because they see how stretched I am working and looking after them. They are the ones telling me, Go, Mummy! Well be fine. While we go away in the summer, usually to Cornwall or France, I do get the odd twinge of guilt that Im jetting off to a rather more exciting destination alone. The thing is, Im actually a really nice person when I come back.

Raz Wright, 46, is another back-to-spa veteran. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and children, Amaya, 11, and Zayn, eight, and every September for the last three years, she has gone away with her girlfriends while the children go back to school and her husband looks after the childcare.

I think about nothing while Im lying on the massage bed, except perhaps what cocktail Ill order later in the evening. Im definitely not thinking about homework or online shopping orders.

In the past, we have been to Morocco, Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds and Newquay for surfing (never again  it was far too cold!). This September, its a posh cottage with a hot tub in the New Forest, as well as a day at the luxury Chewton Glen Spa with full-body massages, facials and a champagne lunch.

Like the other back-to-spa mothers, Raz says a summer of running her own beauty business, and her home, is more than she can cope with. When Im home Im cooking, cleaning, organising play dates, operating a taxi service for the children. By the end of August, Im pretty broken.

So, no, I dont see this as abandoning my kids  theyre not babies any more and I did wait a fortnight before going when my daughter started secondary school last year.

This September, Raz estimates her spa break will cost more than 700. In the past, theyve been well over 1,000. As for family holidays, theyre usually taken outside of spring and summer because of the demands of her business. We either go away in February, May or October. Not this year though, because I messed up and discovered my daughters passport was out of date. It meant we missed our flights.

She says the whole extended family chip in to make her holiday possible. When I go away, my husband can usually take a day or two off work to sort the kids. But if hes too busy, they get shipped off either to one of my sisters or their grandparents. Fortunately the grandparents love it and live close enough to take them to school.

Do I feel guilty? No. I work hard and our children have a nice life. My children are growing up to be independent and they dont question my need for me time at all. They never ask, Are we invited on this one, Mum? Im really fortunate that their dad steps up and is happy to be as hands-on as me, too.

I know of some women who go on a September break, but have to prep meals and leave huge to-do lists for their husbands, but thats not the case in my group of girlfriends.

I think all mums should get to have a complete break  even if it clashes with the start of the school term.

Victoria Warnes couldnt agree more. Its not about the budget. As mothers, we cant pour from an empty cup and children benefit from Mum being relaxed.

Next year maybe Ill go for longer  or am I pushing my luck?
Queen Mary is navigating yet another significant change after a difficult year finding her feet as head-of-state.

The cause of her heartache? Her eldest son and the heir to the Danish throne, Prince Christian.

The 18-year-old is moving out of the family home and heading to East Africa where he will live until December to experience farm work and ' deeper learning'.

The doting mother-of-four admitted it'll be very difficult not having their son around for the next few months.

'We are going to miss him unimaginably... very, very much,' she said while attending a ceremony in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

She added that both she and King Frederik are excited for him, however, and 'look forward' to hearing about his travels upon his return.

The Danish Palace revealed the youngster will be working in farms on his visit while trying out various roles and getting to get to know the community.

He will also learn about the natural landscape in Africa and how locals maintain the balance between work, life and conservation.

Queen Mary is navigating yet another significant change after a difficult year finding her feet as head-of-state

Prince Christian is moving out of the family home and heading to East Africa where he will live until December to experience farm work and ' deeper learning'

Prince Christian follows in his father's footsteps, and those of his Grandmother Queen Margrethe.

It is tradition for Danish royals in line for the throne to spend a significant time abroad in their youth so they can grow to appreciate the world, a palace spokesperson explained.

King Frederik went to Mongolia in 1986 where he worked with the nomads, and in 1989 he took a second trip to California where he worked in a vineyard.

Queen Margrethe went on extended trips to Africa and South America in the 1960s.

The King and Queen have requested the Prince's exact location and duties remain private over the course of the year.

The big step will follow his most recent solo travel duty where he headed to Paris to meet Danish athletes at the Paralympic games

Common farming and conservation challenges people in East Africa experience include keeping crops and water supplies safe from elephants.

Keeping livestock safe from hungry Apex predators is also a concern.

The future king of Denmark's latest challenge comes after he completed high school in July.

The big step will follow his most recent solo travel duty where he headed to Paris to meet Danish athletes at the Paralympic games.
Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her husband, Shaman Durek Verrett have unveiled a new unofficial monogram which honours 'their past life together in Egypt' and is 'embedded with important symbolism' - after tying the knot last week.

The spiritual newlyweds, who claim to have first met during ancient times, took to Instagram to share the stylised art, which sees an M stacked over a D.

'We are so honored and grateful to share our monogram with you. This is not an official monogram, as I no longer represent the Royal family at official functions. This monogram is merely a wonderful emblem embedded with important symbolism for both @shamandurek and myself embracing our love,' Martha wrote.

'Thank you so much to the amazing team @anti_hamar for embrasing both of our souls into this representation of the two of us.

'You have done such a great job in capturing both of our essence into one symbol.'

Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her husband, Shaman Durek Verrett have unveiled a new unofficial monogram which honours 'their past life together in Egypt' and is 'embedded with important symbolism' - after tying the knot last week

Martha, who said that the monogram 'embraces the hieroglyphs and the Egyptian symbols', explained the artwork in detail.

The M, she said, of course, stands or Martha, and the letter corresponds to the hieroglyph of an owl, 'a guardian of souls navigating between worlds'.

Meanwhile, D is for Durek, which in hieroglyphs would be represented as a hand - a 'symbol of actions performed with grace, opening doors and dancing through life'.

Also featured in the monogram is the Eye of Horus, for 'healing and knowledge'; horses, which have 'been a central animal through both their lives'; a heart for 'unconditional love'; an infinity symbol for their 'eternal bond' and a diamond 'representing the portal between the physical and the metaphysical realms'.

The couple have claimed that they met each other in a past life.

Durek told PEOPLE: 'When were together and I look at [Martha], sometimes I see another face... And she sees it in me, too. I have memories of us in Egypt, and she was my queen and I was a pharaoh.'

The Princess added: 'I came in the door, and I recognized him straight away. I was like, I know you. Thats the first thing I said to him.'

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 spiritual newlyweds, who claim to have first met during ancient times, took to Instagram to share the stylised art, which sees an M stacked over a D

According to the Norwegian publication, ahead of the wedding, 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.

It then reiterates that it is 'very important' that 'everyone' follows the guidelines and asks guests to 'take them seriously'.

Norwegian outlet Aftenposten reported that a 'well-known Netflix director' named Rebecca Chaiklin, who worked on the hit show Tiger King, would be making the documentary about the pair.

Martha, who said that the monogram 'embraces the hieroglyphs and the Egyptian symbols', explained the artwork in detail

The couple got married in a huge ceremony in Geiranger last week, witnessed by 350 guests. The newlyweds pictured with members of the royal family

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.

The couple got married in a huge ceremony in Geiranger last week, witnessed by 350 guests.

The elaborate event took place over four days, kicking off with welcome drinks on Thursday night, followed by a pre-wedding party on Friday night, then the wedding on Saturday, and breakfast and brunch on Sunday.

However, the nuptial do between the 52-year-old royal and her self-styled 'shaman' husband, 49, has been mired in controversy - in part due to the couple's use of commercial links and agreements.

Among them, are exclusivity deals with Hello! magazine and Netflix. According to Se og Hr, guests were told not to post images to social media - with the alleged ban thought to be linked to these exclusivity agreements.

The outlet said American production company Nordic Pictures LLC is collaborating with a Norwegian production company.

Netflix also confirmed via a press release that it was making an 'in-depth and moving documentary' about Princess Martha Louise and Shaman Durek's 'love story'.

It was also reported by Aftenposten that Rebecca Chaiklin requested that the Norwegian drone photographer apply for a drone permit.

The publication also claims that an application to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority was made for drone filming of the wedding in Geiranger on Saturday 31 August.

But a source told Se og Hr: 'If there are too many 'leaks' of photos, the sum the couple will receive will probably be reduced,' in terms of the deals they have made to companies covering their wedding.

The Daily Mail's Richard Eden reported that 'Norwegians are not happy' about the exclusivity agreements.

A spokesman for the Royal Family also said 'it denies other outlets fair access', and it was revealed that the royals would not only pose for exclusive images.

Ahead of the ceremony, several measures were put in place to ensure the bride was not seen by media outlets, with several people holding sheets around the royal while she made her way to the wedding marquee, totally hiding her.

Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her US groom Shaman Durek delighted crowds lining the streets by sharing a kiss after their wedding

Following the ceremony, a guest who was interviewed by Norwegian network VG TV said that not having phones out at the event meant that people were able to be fully immersed in watching the action.

These exclusivity deals were not the only commercial controversies swirling around the event.

According to Se og Hr, despite guests forking out an average of 2,300 (NOK 32,000) to attend the event - a sum which does not include the cost of a wedding gift - they were not treated to an open bar at the Hotel Union in Geiranger, where the reception was hosted.

According to the outlet, it is traditional for Norwegian weddings to have open bars, but guests at the royal wedding were reportedly given five drink vouchers on Friday evening, for drinks on both Friday night's party and the reception on Saturday.

After the vouchers ran out, it was claimed guests could purchase drinks from a menu, featuring cocktails made with the couple's customised gin they made with Oslo Handverksdestilleri. The drinks were priced at 16.50 (NOK 225).

The gin itself has provoked criticism of the royal: earlier this year, it was reported that the couple had been involved in creating the beverage which was made by Oslo Handverksdestilleri (OHD).

The label on the gin bottle said: 'We created this gin for the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett in Geiranger in August 2024.'

Princess Martha Louise is not allowed to use her title for commercial gain, and it was at first reported that while OHD generally collaborates on products it makes with celebrities, the couple's gin had already been in the brand's line before it was associated with them.

However, according to a letter written by (OHD) to the Norwegian directorate of health, seen by Aftenposten, the princess may have been more involved in the creation of the product than initially thought.

The pair shared a kiss in front of press and onlookers after the ceremony - on their lavish wedding day

Princess Martha and husband Durek greeted people from a balcony as they got married last week

This letter said that not only were the princess and her partner involved in the design process when it came to the label, it was the royal's idea to sell the product to the public via the state-run Vinmonopolet alcohol retailer.

OHD had written to the Norwegian directorate of health as it was investigating the product 'as part of [its] mandate to supervise compliance with the Norwegian prohibition against advertising of alcoholic beverages'.

An invitation to the product's launch, which was sent to the press, said: 'Martha Louise and Durek Verrett will present their unique gin and drink made especially for the wedding.'

Attorney Thomas Benson, at Angell law firm, is a specialist in alcohol law. He told Norwegian outlet VG: 'Seen in isolation, the invitation is not a breach. But when you highlight the gin and this one special product becomes the main focus of the event itself, this is a clear violation.'

Reports say the gin was pulled from Vinmonopolet on the Thursday morning.

A further controversy that emerged following the big day is that the princess arranged a 'makeshift clothes shop' inside the hotel that was hosting the reception, according to Se og Hr.

The outlet says that items from the latest collection from clothing brand Hest! were on sale next to the couple's gift table. The princess owns a large stake in the brand, which she founded five years ago with two friends.

According to the outlet, it says 'several sources' said there were two Hest employees selling the clothing at the pop-up store.

Despite the controversies, guests appeared to enjoy the wedding reception, which didn't wrap up until 3am.

The princess' father King Harald, who is 87 years old and in frail health, did not return to his royal yacht, which was anchored by the shoreline of the Geirangerfjord until after 1am.

Queen Sonja, also 87, told newsman waiting at the quayside they had enjoyed the gala dinner.

Heir-apparent Crown Prince Haakon, his wife Princess Mette-Marit and their children Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, stayed until the end  leaving the party at 3am.

They were pictured waving to newsmen as they headed to the royal yacht, that has been protected by a Norwegian Navy vessel. Princess Mette-Marit said: There were many highlights [at the wedding].'

Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon both gave speeches during the wedding breakfast. But not King Harald, who had given the wedding address at his daughters first marriage to author Ari Behn in 2002.

The four-day marriage celebrations concluded today with a lavish brunch at 1pm.

Guests were then transported by bus and ferry to Alesund airport, some two and a half hours away.
For those who crave a taste of fine dining but are working with a fast-food budget, there's a special McDonald's in Budapest that promises a side of elegance with your cheeseburger.

Housed in the historic Nyugati Railway Station, this newly refurbished branch, which has just reopened to the public, has been compared by customers to a five-star hotel, cementing its reputation as the 'world's most glamorous' McDonald's.

Originally opened in 1990, the McDonald's occupies a part of the railway station which was built in 1877 by the Gustave Eiffel Company - the same company that later constructed the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The station itself has long been admired for its architectural grandeur, making it a fitting setting for what Lonely Planet calls McDonald's 'most elegant' location.

Additionally, MIC magazine previously described the Budapest branch as 'impressive' due to its 'elaborate, colonial ceiling.'

There's a special McDonald's in Budapest that promises a side of elegance with your cheeseburger

Originally opened in 1990, the McDonald's occupies a part of the railway station, built in 1877 by the Gustave Eiffel Company

Following a recent renovation that closed the restaurant in January, it has reemerged with a stylish, modern look, all while maintaining the historical beauty of the building.

The upgrade includes state-of-the-art kitchen technology, touchscreen kiosks, and the ability to order via the McDonald's mobile app, as reported by Metro.

A standout feature is the food conveyor belt, which lets customers watch their meals move between two levels of the kitchen inside a glass box.

While the branch now boasts modern design elements like mirrored glass surfaces and custom furniture, designers took care to preserve the site's rich history.

Remaining are detailed stucco ceilings, antique lamps, and a wrought-iron gate, blending the old with the new.

The McCafe has also been relocated to the entrance level, while the outdoor terrace has been transformed into a stylish, lounge-like setting, perfect for soaking in the ambiance of Budapest while sipping on a coffee.

On Tripadvisor, the fast food joint boasts an average four-star rating, with one reviewer writing: 'I have seen several nice McDonald's restaurants in Europe, but the best I have seen is the McDonald's Hyugati in Budapest.

'The interior is nothing like the interiors we have in the United States. The best McDonald's I have seen "inside and outside"!'

Following a recent renovation that closed the restaurant in January, the chain has reemerged with a stylish, modern look, all while maintaining the historical beauty of the building

The upgrade includes state-of-the-art kitchen technology, touchscreen kiosks, and the ability to order via the McDonald's mobile app

While the branch now boasts modern design elements like mirrored glass surfaces and custom furniture, designers took care to preserve the site's rich history

The McCafe has also been relocated to the entrance level, while the outdoor terrace has been transformed into a stylish, lounge-like setting, perfect for soaking in the ambiance of Budapest while sipping on a coffee

On Tripadvisor, the fast food joint boasts an average four-star rating and dozens of rave reviews

Another wrote: 'This is definitely the most beautiful McDonald's in the world. The food was fine and the place was superb!'

A third gushed: 'Amazing building - go for that alone! Great ambience, much nicer than other McDonald's, didn't feel so soulless!'

Another customer described the location as 'one of the most glamourous McDonald's on the planet,' while a second noted how it's 'a pretty unique experience to eat a cheap burger in such a lavish interior.'

Finally, one impressed diner likened the Budapest branch to an eatery in a five-star hotel, writing: 'The interior is absolutely beautiful and looks more like a restaurant in a 5 star hotel. I took off one star because it is so busy and the queues are so long.'

As McDonald's continues to tease upcoming features for the branch, this unique location stands out not only for its architectural beauty but also as a landmark destination, promising a fast food dining experience unlike any other.
Princess Sofia looked classic in black and white on Thursday

Princess Sofia of Sweden looked radiant as she stepped out alongside Prince Carl Philip during the couple's second appearance since announcing their pregnancy.

The soon-to-be mother-of-four, 39, looked stunning in black and white during a visit to visit The Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency on Thursday.

The royal donned a long baggy white shirt with puffed sleeves that pulled in at the wrists.

Alongside her relaxed-fit silk shirt, she layered with a three quarter-length black cardigan that flowed down past her hips.

She completed the casual but chic ensemble with a pair of sophisticated-looking flared trousers, which appear to be the same stylish set worn by the princess during her trip yesterday.

Princess Sofia of Sweden (centre) looked radiant as she stepped out alongside Prince Carl Philip (right) during the couple's second appearance since announcing their pregnancy

The couple, who are already parents of three, looked dashing as they arrived in elegant suits

Sofia wore her long chestnut tresses curled around her shoulders, sporting a relaxed but glamorous look.

She wore her usual low maintenance makeup, keeping her eyes a soft neutral brown and her skin fresh and clean looking with a natural glow.

Arriving alongside her dashing looking husband, Sofia completed her clean but chic look by keeping her lips natural shade.

Prince Carl Phillip looked the epitome of good taste in a crisp looking grey suit and light blue handkerchief, his beard well trimmed and hair slicked back.

The royal couple visited the The Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency as part of their two-day visit to Varmland, a county in west central Sweden.

The Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency, is an agency within the total defence and reports to the Ministry of Defence.

It's there that the Swedish Government agency conducts recruitment for national service, which Swedes must take part in for between nine and 12 months.

During the visit, Sofia listened intently as she chatted with Christina Malmm director general of the Agency at the conscription centre.

Sofia looked sweet and demure as she stood alongside her husband, clasping her hands as she listened to staff members.

During another moment, the royal and her husband paused to grab a group picture with a number of official including; Bengt Forssten deputy head of the agency, Varmland's county governor Georg Andren and his wife Maria Andren and Christina Malm director general of the Agency.

Pictured: Bengt Forssten deputy head of the agency, Varmland's county governor Georg Andren and his wife Maria Andren, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and Christina Malm director general of the Agency

The duke and duchess visited the The Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency as part of their two-day visit to Varmland, a county in west central Sweden

Sofia looked sweet and demure as she stood alongside her husband, clasping her hands as she listened to staff members

During the visit, Sofia listened intently as she chatted with Christina Malm director general of the Agency at the conscription centre

Prince Carl Phillip looked the epitome of good taste in a crisp looking grey suit and light blue handkerchief, his beard well trimmed and hair slicked back

The royal, who is already a mother of three sons, arrived at a Volvo site in Varmland with her husband Prince Carl Philip on Wednesday

It comes after the news that the couple are expecting their fourth child, after the two announced the happy news on Monday.

The Swedish Royal Household confirmed that the princess was 'doing well' and that the couple will welcome their sixth family member in February 2025.

The couple, who married in 2015, already have three sons, Prince Alexander, seven, Prince Gabriel, five, and two-year-old Prince Julian.

Carl Philip, 45, is the only son and second child of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. His older sister Princess Victoria, 47, is the heir to the Swedish throne and he is currently fourth in the line of succession.

A statement shared by the Swedish Royal Household read: 'Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have the great pleasure to announce that the Princess is expecting the couple's fourth child.

Princess Sofia of Sweden (pictured with Prince Carl Philip) is pregnant with her fourth child, the Swedish Royal Household has announced

Prince Carl Philip's wife (pictured with her family), 39, is 'doing well' and the baby is due in February 2025, according to the palace's statement, which was shared to the Royal Family's Instagram account this afternoon

'Princess Sofia is doing well and the birth is expected in February 2025. No changes are expected in Princess Sofia's official program during the autumn.'

The statement was shared alongside a sweet photograph of the couple, with Carl Philip smiling at the camera, while his wife leaned her head on his face. The background featured a stunning lake and several mountains.

Just yesterday, the happy pair were spotted for the first time following the exciting news.

The princess was glowing as she visited a Volvo site with her husband this morning in Varmland, just two days after her pregnancy was announced.

As they arrived at the site, Sofia was dressed in black flared trousers, a white ribbed sweater and a pashmina around her shoulders. Her baby bump was only barely visible beneath her outfit.
Rescuer Niall Harbison, from Dublin, has since nursed the dog back to health

Lando was found abandoned, chained up and 'absolutely starving' on Thai island

An abandoned dog reduced to 'skin and bones' has made a remarkable recovery in just four days thanks to the dedicated efforts of his rescuer.

Niall Harbison, originally from Dublin but now based in Thailand, has become a beacon of hope for the nation's abandoned and abused canines.

His personal mission is to rescue 10,000 pups each month across Thailand, a country known for its countless stray dogs scattered across more than 1,400 islands.

His efforts have led to the creation of the Happy Doggo charity, an organisation devoted to homing and improving the lives of neglected dogs.

Dog lovers across the world have praised Harbison, calling him 'one of the best humans on the planet,' after he recently shared the heartwarming journey of a dog, now named Lando, on his social media accounts.

Abandoned dog Lando, who was found reduced to 'skin and bones,' has made a remarkable recovery in just four days (pictured) thanks to the dedicated efforts of his 'hero' rescuer

The young dog - who is half-pitbull - was discovered on an unspecified Thai island, tied up on a short metal chain and left 'starving to death' after his owners moved away

Lando's story has captured hearts after Harbison shared it in a post with his million-strong following on his Instagram account @niall.harbison.

The young dog - who is half-pitbull - was discovered on an unspecified Thai island, tied up on a short metal chain and left 'starving to death' after his owners moved away.

Locals had contacted Harbisons team, reporting an 'aggressive' dog who appeared ill.

When Harbison arrived, it quickly became clear that Lando wasn't aggressive but was frightened and weakened from starvation, as well as 'protective' of his area.

Describing Lando's condition when found, Harbison wrote: 'He's all skin and bones, and we can't imagine the hunger he's endured in his past life.'

After cautiously feeding the dog a slice of meat, Harbison transported the canine to a vet, where the chain was removed, and the expert confirmed that the dog was not suffering from any illness.

From there, Lando - weighing only 14kg when he was found - was brought to Harbison's sanctuary, where he was given his name after Formula One driver Lando Norris, who was competing on the day of the rescue.

The following four days marked a swift yet carefully monitored recovery for Lando, with Harbison and his team feeding him four to five small meals daily, while providing plenty of walks, care, and affection.

The chain found wrapped around Lando's neck and attached to a metal pole buried in the ground

Lando weighed only 14kg when he was found by Harbison

Lando, understandably 'obsessed with food' after his ordeal, had to be monitored closely to prevent him from overeating too quickly, a situation Harbison described as 'dangerous' given his condition.

The rescuer noted that the team had 'never seen a dog try to eat as much, as fast, as he has' - believed to be due to the dog fearing that each meal would be his last.

Despite the initial fear and trauma, Lando responded well to the care, sleeping 12 to 14 hours at a time to recover his strength. After just a few days, Harbison shared that Lando was "filling out a bit and feeling much better."

One particularly touching moment in Lando's recovery came when the dog was treated to a plate of fresh rotisserie chicken, devouring the meal in seconds, much to the delight of Harbisons Instagram followers.

In response to the story, many have hailed Harbison as a hero, with one person writing on Instagram: 'You sir are one amazing human being, thank you for everything you do for these precious little angels.'

One particularly touching moment in Lando's recovery came when the dog was treated to a plate of fresh rotisserie chicken, devouring the meal in seconds

In response to Lando's story, many have hailed Niall Harbison as a hero

Another wrote: 'Thank God you were alerted Niall. I can't express the anger for humans who do this. But your work and overall human tenderness is amazing.'

A third said: 'Can't wait to see this good boy realise he's now safe and loved. I'd love to see the previous owners banned from owning dogs.'

Meanwhile, on X, another dog lover wrote: 'You are quite literally one of the best humans on this planet!! Day after day, atrocity after atrocity, you maintain this commitment with kindness and no bitterness.'
Marc Randolph shared his definition of success - and it isn't measured by money

Marc Randolph, who is reported to have a net worth of $100 million, has shared his definition of success - and it isn't measured by the digits in his bank account.

The co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, 66, from New York, said that he believes true success lies in achieving a harmonious work-life balance.

For over 30 years, the serial entrepreneur, who is the co-founder of seven companies, said that he made sure never to schedule a meeting after 5pm on a Tuesday because those evenings were reserved for his wife, Lorraine, who he married in 1987.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the 66-year-old emphasised the significance of balancing personal and professional commitments.

He revealed that his 'proudest achievement' is not his entrepreneurial journey or money but maintaining a successful marriage with the same person throughout his life.

Marc Randolph, who is reported to have a net worth of $100 million, shared his definition of success - and it isn't measured by the digits in his bank account

He wrote: 'Ive worked hard, for my entire career, to keep my life balanced with my job. In my book, I write about my Tuesday date nights with my wife. For over thirty years, I had a hard cut-off on Tuesdays.

'Rain or shine, I left at exactly 5 pm and spent the evening with my best friend. We would go to a movie, have dinner, or just go window-shopping downtown together.

'Nothing got in the way of that. No meeting, no conference call, no last-minute question or request.

'If you had something to say to me on Tuesday afternoon at 4:55, you had better say it on the way to the parking lot. If there was a crisis, we are going to wrap it up by 5:00.

'Those Tuesday nights kept me sane. And they put the rest of my work in perspective.'

He added: 'I resolved a long time ago to not be one of those entrepreneurs on their 7th start-up and their 7th wife.

'In fact, the thing I'm most proud of in my life is not the companies I started, its the fact that I was able to start them while staying married to the same woman; having my kids grow up knowing me and (best as I can tell) liking me, and being able to spend time pursuing the other passions in my life. Thats my definition of success.'

Many rushed to the comments gushing over his sentimental words towards his wife, who he shares three children with.

For over 30 years, the serial entrepreneur, who is the co-founder of seven companies, said that he made sure never to schedule a meeting after 5pm on a Tuesday because those evenings were reserved for his wife, Lorraine, who he married in 1987 (pictured together in 2016)

Many rushed to the comments gushing over his sentimental words towards his wife, who he shares three children with

One person said: 'Not losing value for family while building is the biggest test of a successful founder. Glad you aced it, Marc!'

Another said: 'Thanks for sharing Marc. Important to never lose sight of one of the core reason's one builds something great - to make your partners, kids, and family proud.'

Someone else wrote: 'I'm certain that your children & your wife thank you for that. That touches on the wealth that is immeasurable, yet undeniable in its precious value.

'Moments with loved ones, prioritized, protected, valued as much as, if not more than just their physical existence. Beautiful.'

The American tech entrepreneur, advisor and speaker was the co-founder of Netflix, has 151 million subscribers worldwide, alongside Reed Hastings.

After launching the brand as a video-rental company in 1997, Marc eventually stepped down as CEO in 1999, and officially departed the company in 2003.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Marc has a current net worth of $100 million, and today he works as a mentor to founders and entrepreneurs.
Queen Camilla revealed that she takes part in 'Silver Swans' dance lessons for seniors during a visit to The English National Ballet in east London today.

The Queen, 77, who is patron of the organisation, shared that she is not only a fan of dance 'in any form' but also dabbles in ballet herself while making a short speech on the occasion of the company's 75th birthday.

However, having been dazzled by rehearsing ballerinas she joked: 'The ladies today would rather show me up.'

Organised by the Royal Academy of Dance, Silver Swans are specially designed dance classes for older people.

The royal had braved the wet weather to join rehearsals at the Mulryan Centre For Dance on Leamouth Peninsula, near Canning Town station, in what was her first visit since becoming patron.

Queen Camilla pictured with the artistic director of The English National Ballet, Aaron S. Watkin

The Queen and the chairman of The English National Ballet, Sir Rupert Gavin, look on as a ballerina rehearses in the studio

Once relieved of her umbrella, she was welcomed by Sir Rupert Gavin, chairman of The English National Ballet, and introduced to artistic director Aaron S. Watkin.

Dressed in a powder blue silk shirtdress by London-based designer Anna Valentine, Queen Camilla accessorised her outfit with a gold and red brooch.

She wore a number of gold and silver bracelets on her right wrist as well as what appeared to be a royal blue, woven friendship bracelet on her left wrist,

The Queen, who emphasised how 'proud' she was to be the patron of The English National Ballet, completed her look with a pair of round-toe, cream and black pumps.

In an informal address made in front of an enormous birthday cake to celebrate the 75th year of the company, she said: 'I love ballet, In any form, I love dance.'

Explaining that she was also patron of ballet schools, she added: 'I do a bit of Silver Swans myself. The ladies today would rather show me up. I do love it.

'Its very exciting to be able to say that I am patron.'

Queen Camilla then wished the ballet company, 'a very happy 75th birthday' and said: 'I hope I shall be seeing a lot more of you in the future. Enjoy the cake.'

Dressed in a powder blue dress by London-based designer Anna Valentine, the Queen appeared to be fascinated by the dancer's movements

During her visit, the Queen looked on admiringly as a ballerina rehearsed in a studio and also met with members of staff.

She was equally treated to what appeared to be a dress rehearsal, with a pair of dancers performing impressive lifts.

The English National Ballet performs across the UK and internationally, bringing world class ballet to the widest possible audience.

Earlier this week, Queen Camilla spoke of the 'joy' reading can give to children as she hosted an event celebrating the 70th anniversary of a leading UK book charity.

The reception marking Book Aid International's anniversary at St James's Palace in London was attended by some 100 guests, including the charity's president Nigel Newton and Lady Caroline Simmonds, the daughter of its founder.

Camilla has been patron of the charity since 2022 and set up her own online book club during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.

Book Aid International has sent more than 37 million books to schools, libraries, prisons and refugee camps around the world since its founding in 1954.

In an impromptu speech made after she had spoken individually to guests, Camilla told of the 'very, very big difference' being made to people's lives by the accessibility of books.

Queen Camilla also met with staff during her visit to the Mulryan Centre For Dance on Leamouth Peninsula, near Canning Town station, where The English National Ballet is based

Smiling, the Queen, a lover of dance 'in any form' as well as a practitioner, greeted members of the organisation

She said: 'I wasn't actually expecting to speak this evening. There's not a lot more I can say, except to say a huge thank you to all of you who support Book Aid.

'I have visited quite a lot of countries on my travels and I have been to libraries which have been recipients of Book Aid, and I have just seen the joy on the children's faces when they receive these books.

'And if we can keep on doing this all over the world, we're going to make a very, very big difference to people reading books, children getting access to books - and it's really thanks to Book Aid and all of you here who have made this possible. So thank you very much indeed.'

The Queen looked elegant in an eye-catching green dress with a peacock feather pattern for the reception.

The charity was founded in 1954 by the Countess of Ranfurly as a library for local children in the Bahamas after she visited the island nation with her husband, who was its governor, and was 'shocked' at the lack of reading material available.

This book scheme was extended to the Commonwealth from 1956 as the Ranfurly Library Service and was renamed Book Aid International in 1994.

Lord Boateng, vice patron of Book Aid International, said access to Lady Ranfurly's library had 'changed my life'.

'Book Aid International, then the Countess Ranfurly's Library Trust, changed my life,' he told attendees.

Queen Camilla accessorised her powder blue shirtdress with a gold and red brooch and wore what appeared to be a friendship bracelet on her left wrist

As patron of the English National Ballet, she wished the company a very happy 75th birthday and told them to enjoy the cake

'I was a little boy growing up in the Gold Coast, which became Ghana, and Book Aid International furnished the books and trained the librarians for the first dedicated children's library in sub-Saharan Africa. I went to that library as a six, seven year-old. And it did change my life.'

The Labour peer said the books 'underpinned aspiration' and gave children a 'sense of the possibilities' available to them.

Prince Philip, as Duke of Edinburgh, had been Book Aid International's royal patron from 1966 until his death in 2021.

Poet and novelist Sir Ben Okri, who was invited to the reception as a key supporter of the charity, said books helped 'feed people's minds, feed their spirits, encourage them, open up possibilities, deepen their thinking and release them from stress and fear'.

He said: 'The Queen is one of the great evangelists of the power of books and power of reading. And it's a very special thing because it's not normally a very glamorous area - books are very private things, you read them all by yourself.

She enjoyed an informal chat with the artistic director, Aaron S. Watkin, during her visit

'And to have the Queen champion what reading can do is absolutely astonishing and invaluable for our age.'

Other guests invited to the hour-long event included broadcaster David Dimbleby, actor Neil Pearson, author Ken Follet and publisher Sigrid Rausing.
Queen Mary of Denmark looked sombre as she joined her husband, King Frederik, for Flag Day in Copenhagen today.

The royal, 52, looked solemn during the emotional day, which honours people who have been sent on a mission by Denmark.

Mary went to the Military Headquarters Kastellet, where she and her husband participated in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony for Danish soldiers abroad.

She sported a simple, yet chic, black dress with a square neckline and quarter-length puffy sleeves and donned pink strappy heels.

Mary paired this with a sophisticated large pearl necklace and matching stud, earrings, along with a bracelet. She also opted to wear her classic gold Cartier love bracelets.

Queen Mary looked solemn during the emotional day, which honours people who have been sent on a mission by Denmark

The mother-of-four accessorised her look further with a navy coloured wide-brimmed hat which shielded her face from the sun.

The Queen wore her glistening brunette tresses down in a sleek straight blow-dry and opted for smoky eyeshadow and pink lipstick.

King Frederik, 56, who was dressed in military regalia, also looked moved as he lay down a wreath. The service was also attended by veterans.

However, the Monarch managed to crack a smile with his wife as he sat by her side during the ceremonies.

September 5 is an official day in Denmark to pay respect to deployed soldiers and is marked by a number of different events and ceremonies throughout the day.

The couple recently said goodbye to their eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince Christian, as he moved away to Africa.

The 18-year-old is moving out of the family home and heading to East Africa where he will live until December to experience farm work and ' deeper learning'.

The doting mother-of-four admitted it'll be very difficult not having their son around for the next few months.

King Frederik, 56, who was dressed in military regalia, also looked moved as he lay down a wreath. The service was also attended by veterans

Mary went to the Military Headquarters Kastellet, where she and her husband participated in the traditional wreath-laying ceremony for Danish soldiers abroad

King Frederik is snapped taking off his hat as takes part in the wreath laying ceremony with Mary

Mary sported a simple, yet chic, black dress with a square neckline and quarter-length puffy sleeves and donned pink strappy heels

Mary paired her ensemble with a sophisticated large pearl necklace and matching stud, earrings, along with a bracelet

Queen Mary of Denmark appeared to be emotional as she joined her husband, King Frederik, for Flag Day in Copenhagen today

The Queen wore her glistening brunette tresses down in a sleek straight blow-dry and opted for smoky eyeshadow and pink lipstick

The Monarch managed to crack a smile with his wife as he sat by her side during the ceremonies

The royal couple were seen standing alongside each other as they attend the Flag Day ceremony

September 5 is an official day in Denmark to pay respect to deployed soldiers and is marked by a number of different events and ceremonies throughout the day

King Frederik is snapped alongside his wife Queen Mary during Flag Day

'We are going to miss him unimaginably... very, very much,' she said while attending a ceremony in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

She added that both she and King Frederik are excited for him, however, and 'look forward' to hearing about his travels upon his return.

The Danish Palace revealed the youngster will be working in farms on his visit while trying out various roles and getting to get to know the community.

He will also learn about the natural landscape in Africa and how locals maintain the balance between work, life and conservation.

Prince Christian follows in his father's footsteps, and those of his Grandmother Queen Margrethe.

It is tradition for Danish royals in line for the throne to spend a significant time abroad in their youth so they can grow to appreciate the world, a palace spokesperson explained.
Gemma Arterton has sparked outrage after claiming that she 'sometimes worries that the word feminist excludes men'.

The actress, 38, angered Woman's Hour listeners after her appearance on Wednesday morning.

She spoke to programme host Nuala McGovern about the film industry since the #MeToo movement, and how there has been 'a sea change' for the better since 2018.

However, some felt 'disappointed' by what they felt was the star suggesting we 'change language to make men feel more comfortable'.

In a clip of the show shared on Instagram, Gemma told the show: 'Sometimes I worry that the word feminist excludes men.

Gemma Arterton has sparked outrage after claiming that she 'sometimes worries that the word feminist excludes men'

'And I understand why it had to be that way because we needed to kind of fix our bit and empower ourselves.

'But now what I think it needs to be is about balance and equality and inclusivity.'

She added that while she doesn't see the word feminist as a 'negative', she feels for some 'it can feel like a kind of angry word or a divisive word'.

'I know there is a kind of negative connotation to it for some people,' Gemma continued.

She also told Nuala that she's seen a change in the industry when it comes to women - after starting to professionally work in 2007.

'The difference, in not only more women working in all sectors but also just the way all women are portrayed on screen and all of that, it's changed so much,' Gemma said.

'I always feel like there's more than can be done but since 2018 there's definitely been a sea change and I've really really noticed that.'

In 2018, the #MeToo movement was reaching prominence as women from all sectors - and notably, in the film industry - were opening up about the rife sexual abuse issues in their workplaces.

The actress, 38, angered Woman's Hour listeners after her appearance on the show on Wednesday morning

However, some felt 'disappointed' by what they felt was the star suggesting we 'change language to make men feel more comfortable'

Many Women's Hour listeners took to Instagram to hit out at what they felt were Gemma's diluting of the issue.

'Wonder how many podcasts there are where men are sitting around discussing whether the language they use for male causes make women feel uncomfortable?' one asked.

'"Fix our bit" - nice way of describing system discrimination and misogyny since recorded history,' another added. 'Also - our bits have not been fixed in case she lives in an alternate universe.'

'So now we should refocus our energy on coming up with a word that men find more palatable rather than, say, focus on keeping women alive, safe and fairly paid? Got it.'

However, some were also in support of Gemma's remarks. 'I totally agree,' one wrote. 'That word is not helping anymore. We have to look at the bigger - we all have to hear we are in this together'

Gemma is the star, and executive producer, Funny Woman - which follows the story of a female comedian trying to make it in a male-dominated industry in the 1960s

'Male feminist here,' another said. 'Ironically given her show, I started identifying more as a feminist as I researched forgotten female pioneers of comedy and drama on early radio and TV.

'Written out of history books, by male writers. I'm eager to tip the balance back. Gemma's show is cracking and does that too.'

Others took to the comments to share stories that have dominated headlines this week, including the tragic death of Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei who was set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, and Gisele Pelicot in Avignon, France, whose husband allegedly drugged her and invited men to rape her.

However, some were also in support of Gemma's remarks.

'I totally agree,' one wrote. 'That word is not helping anymore. We have to look at the bigger - we all have to hear we are in this together.'

FEMAIL has reached out to Gemma's team for comment.

Gemma is the star, and executive producer of Funny Woman - a show that follows the story of a female comedian trying to make it in a male-dominated industry in the 1960s; which is what she came on the radio programme to discuss.

The star also spoke about bringing her mother to a Time's Up march six years ago, as well as the challenges of producing women-led story.

Gemma also told Nuala that she's seen a change in the industry when it comes to women - after starting to professionally work in 2007. Pictured in Quantum Solace with Daniel Craig

Nuala's question arose out of a Guardian interview in 2018, where Gemma said she's 'not afraid of the word feminism' but thought 'we need to come up with a new word'.

'It's maybe a bit dated, and we need something a bit more modern,' she told the outlet.

'I feel like -ist at the end of the word is usually against something, like, racist, sexist; it's like, negative connotations, and I think we're past that. We need to come up with something else.'

Gemma has also often spoken about being raised by 'incredible strong women' - her mother and her aunt, after her parents separated, when she was growing up in a working class family, in Kent.

Most recently, she is also starring in The Critic, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023.

The period thriller film, distributed by Lionsgate, will now enjoy a UK release date of September 13.

The Critic follows an actress (Gemma) in 1934 London, who finds herself in a dark situation involving a gay theatre critic (Sir Ian McKellen) and his paper's editor (Mark Strong).

The film is based on the 2015 novel Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn and was written by Patrick Marber.

Anand Tucker directs. The Thai-born director has not directed a film since 2010's poorly received romantic comedy Leap Year, starring Amy Adams.

The Critic was produced by the late Bill Kenwright and also stars Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, and Alfred Enoch.
An OnlyFans recruiter is revealing the appalling requests she got from men - which were troubling enough that she completely changed her own life and embrace Christianity.

Australian Victoria Sinis, who has a marketing background, was unaware of the disturbing fetish requests and violent pornographic materials she would be exposed to while working for an OnlyFans agency.

When a friend recommended her for the position in 2022, Victoria innocently didn't know much about the site. Her role as an employee of the agency was to recruit women for OnlyFans.

She initially believed that most of the women on the site came from impoverished backgrounds, and because they were making good money, they surely must be happy, and doing something positive with their lives, but she was in for a rude awakening.

When Victoria got a behind-the-scenes look into the online world, she quickly learned the ugly truth of it, which inspired her to turn to religion, specifically Christianity.

An OnlyFans recruiter has candidly admitted the appalling requests she got from men, which motivated her to switch gears in her personal life

Australian Victoria Sinis, who has a marketing background, was unaware of the disturbing fetish requests and violent pornographic materials she would be exposed to in her role

Victoria is now the founder of Creating Gems, which is an organization that focuses on helping women overcome societal expectations, and advocates against sexual exploitation.

She transparently shared that some viewed the platform as empowering because women can somewhat control the content that they put out for their monthly subscribers, but there's a catch.

While outsiders may have the misconception that OnlyFans is simply about making money off of feet pics, the content can be much more sinister.

Victoria pointed out that when an OnlyFans woman gets to a specific level on the site, she loses authority over interacting with her subscribers, and an agency steps in.

The agency becomes like a messenger between the women and the men and gets contractors to pretend to be the woman and proceed to speak with her subscribers.

The brand requests for her to post provocative social media content, so that she can best market herself on OnlyFans.

An agency also uses social media to recruit, by finding women who post scandalous pictures.

Because OnlyFans is competitive, many women are inevitability forced by their subscribers to post content beyond their comfort level, so that they can make enough money to survive.

Victoria shared that agencies, such as hers, have level systems in place.

She explained that she came up with the first level for which women are wearing bathing suits in their photos.

The second level is women implying nudity in their content, and the third level is full-on nudity.

The higher your level number, the more provocative your content would be, the higher amount of subscribers you would have, and as an effect, the higher your payouts would get.

Victoria admitted that she was disgusted by the custom requests feature, which allowed subscribers to ask the women for specific sexual content.

She shared that some of the disturbing requests included men asking women to write out 's***', or the subscriber's name on their bodies or to tie themselves up in their pictures.

One male subscriber paid for a woman to put on a specific sandal, blow up balloons to a certain size, and then stomp on them.

Another subscriber requested to see one woman dangling from a ledge, while another stepped on her fingers.

Victoria confessed that the more specific the request, the more she got disturbed by the industry.

She became concerned that although the scenarios were fake, that the video may not be enough for a subscriber, and that they may be inclined to act it out since OnlyFans is often feeding into the sick fantasies.

That kind of twisted psychology didn't sit right with Victoria, and she decided change her life, and in doing so, she recalled what brought her peace when she was younger.

When Victoria got a behind-the-scenes look into the online world, she quickly learned the ugly truth of it, which inspired her to turn to religion, specifically Christianity

When Victoria was a little girl, she went to a church called CityLife, which had a refugee program.

Because her family wasn't religious, they stopped attending church when she was 10 or 11, however, she never forgot a specific story that a children's pastor once shared.

When Victoria was four, she heard the narrative about a woman who was threatened by a man that she would be shot if she didn't denounce Christ.

The strong-willed woman in the story refused and the gun didn't go off.

Despite Victoria not understanding whether the tale was real or not, it left a strong mark on her.

As an adult who felt as though she was at a dead end in her life, she used the symbolism behind the moving story, to invigorate her calling.

She shared that she always had the deep feeling in her gut, that at no point in her life, did she denounce God either.

Victoria explained that for her personal journey, she always knew that God was real and existed.

Victoria reached out to the church, and soon after was invited to its service.

The day she was in attendance was a full-circle moment for her, as the movement director for Collective Shout, an anti-sexual exploitation group, Melinda Tankard Reist was speaking.

OnlyFans didn't sit right with Victoria and she decided to turn her life around

Victoria was overcome with emotion from Melinda's speech, in which she mentioned Christians symbolically representing the salt and the light in the world.

When Melinda specifically brought up OnlyFans, and its negative and and dangerous impact, Victoria felt her new path was solidified.

After Melinda spoke, Victoria introduced herself to her as an employee of an agency that recruits for OnlyFans, and candidly shared the hatred that she had for herself because of it.

After Melinda provided her with a reality check about the horrors of OnlyFans on that Sunday, Victoria quit working at the agency that upcoming Friday, in July 2023.

To financially get on her feet, she then worked at a cafe, where she viewed the labor of cleaning toilets humbling.

Melinda helped get Victoria to start sharing her story at schools, and one of her touching speeches even went viral on TikTok.

Victoria went through a three-day fast, which ultimately lead her on her new path of starting her organization, through which she teaches young girls to have greater aspirations than being attractive to the male gaze as OnlyFans models, and to find their true worth.

DailyMail.com has reached out to OnlyFans for comment.
Marriage is one type of life sentence, but this woman's fiance is serving another one - for murder.

Kat first met fiance Lazy when they were both 13 years old, describing them as 'childhood sweethearts.'

After losing touch after middle school, Lazy found Kat on Facebook after 11 years and the two reconnected - however a quick Google found he was already serving time in prison.

While Kat says Lazy is the love of her life, her family and friends are strongly against the relationship - as he is currently in prison for life plus 35 years for murder.

'My heart broke,' she admitted.

Kat first met her fiance Lazy when they were both 13 years old, describing them as 'childhood sweethearts'

However, that didn't stop the pair from deciding to date before officially becoming a couple in March 2021.

'I feel like he thought we became an official couple the first day we started talking,' she chuckled.

'He called me his girlfriend and I was like "you never asked me" and then he finally asked me,' she recalled.

Kat explained that she is often inundated with comments and messages from trolls with her family also reacting 'very badly' when they found out - particularly her mom who refuses to talk to her about Lazy.

'I can't go to her about my relationship,' she complained. 'I feel like she should give him an opportunity - I'm not a child, I'm an adult and I deserve happiness.'

However, this hasn't stopped her from making Lazy a part of her family.

She explained the felon has ever become a stepfather to her daughter Bella, 'due to their bond in the relationship.'

'I'm really happy that they get along,' she added.

After losing touch after middle school, Lazy found Kat on Facebook after 11 years and the two reconnected - however a quick Google found he was already serving time in prison

While Kat is often inundated with comments and messages from trolls, and her family reacted 'very badly' when they found out about her relationship

Kat said her daughter and fiance getting along was something she was 'really anxious and nervous about' - but in here eyes, it all worked out for the best.

'I've never introduced my daughter to another man - especially somebody in prison,' she promised.

'He's always looking out for her so he doesn't miss a birthday or Christmas or anything,' she added.

Lazy said he loves being Bella's stepfather because he has no biological kids of his own and always wanted some.

'I love her very much,' he said passionately.

The mom added that she has told her daughter that of Lazy's crime, saying she wants her to know 'there are consequences to your actions.'

'I think it's very important for her to see the reality of real life,' she said.

Despite the negative comments, Kat said Lazy makes her feel 'good and confident.'

She explained the felon has ever become a stepfather to her daughter Bella, ' due to their bond in the relationship' (pictured with Bella)

'[He's always] calling me, sending me letters, buying me gifts, spoiling me because he knows my love language is gifts,' she shared.

She stays in touch with Lazy through phone calls and email, adding if they're going through a 'tussle,' she'll go to the prison to visit him.

Lazy said he has no regrets about striking up a romance in prison, telling Kat on a phone call, 'just because I'm in prison doesn't mean I should not continue living my life.'

Despite criticisms from the people she loves and strangers, Kat loves Lazy and wouldn't have it any other way.

'People who judge us is I really don't care at all, it ain't got nothing to do with me,' she declared.

'Lazy impacted my life for the better,' she continued. 'He showed me and taught me what unconditional love is and he's shaped me into a better woman.'
My friend thought she was paying me a compliment, but her words were some of the most hurtful Id heard.

Full of sincerity, she told me: Radhika, youre really pretty for an Indian.

That was the moment, aged 15, when I realised that no matter how much I tried to fit in, Id always be seen as less than because of the colour of my skin.

Im British Indian and, for most of my life, Ive hated being Indian.

That is not an easy sentence to write. It makes me feel deeply sad that this is how I felt for so long. But its true.

After friends told her she was pretty 'for an Indian' at 15, Radhika Sanghani (pictured) rejected her Indian heritage. It took another 15 years for her to see herself as beautiful. Dress, 905, Mahima Mahajan at lillysboutiquelondon.com

For more than two decades, I tried to put as much space between myself and my ancestry as I could.

Its only in recent years, as Indian culture has become more fashionable, that Ive also begun to embrace it.

Im a first-generation British Indian, born in London. Both sets of my grandparents came from Gujarat, eventually moving to Uganda, where my parents were born.

They both came to England as children, but never stopped reminiscing about their idyllic childhoods in Uganda, complete with zebras, monkeys, amazing food and a strong Indian community.

Meanwhile, I grew up in leafy North London where hardly anyone in our neighbourhood was brown.

My parents still tried to bring me up with our traditions, having a shrine to the Hindu gods in our house, celebrating Diwali and often speaking Gujarati at home.

As a child, I loved the fun of dressing up in Indian clothes and doing religious rituals. But as I got older, things changed.

At secondary school, the differences between me and my (mainly white) peers went from being something that we were barely aware of to becoming  sometimes painfully  obvious.

As is the case with teenage girls, the most important thing was to fit in. We strove to emulate the heroines of our time: Kate Moss, Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar and anyone from Friends.

But the white beauty standard of the early Noughties meant I would never be seen as beautiful. Even though I had the right body type, I didnt have the right features or skin colour.

When she was a teenager, the most important thing was to fit in and Radhika would never dream of putting a picture of herself wearing Indian clothing on social media

My difference was highlighted by our school uniform  not the official blazer and skirt, but our unofficial one: tan skin colour tights, fake tan, Mac foundation and lots of bronzer.

Ironically, everyone was trying to make themselves look browner, but none of these worked on my skin. If ever I tried  such as wearing nude tights that looked oddly pale on me  my classmates would make jokes about it.

I had to fake laugh at a lot of jokes during those years  about Indians and their smelly curries (even though I never brought in curries for my packed lunch), Indian accents (even though I did not have one) and my Indian big nose (this I did have).

I didnt even recognise it as casual racism at the time. It was so normalised that even though it made me feel hurt and angry, I didnt feel I had the right to say anything.

I was also so keen to fit in that I didnt want to draw more attention to my difference by speaking up. Instead, I just laughed along with the jokes, hoping that way we could move on faster.

But all the comments took their toll. I internalised that shame and spent the rest of my school and university years trying to anglicise myself as much as possible.

Id still wear Indian outfits and sarees for family weddings and religious celebrations, but I hated how the clothes made me feel different.

I was so used to seeing myself in things from Topshop and H&M that when I was in sparkly chiffon with a bindi on my forehead, I felt like I wasnt my real self.

I would never have dreamt of putting a photo of myself in Indian clothing on social media.

And Id spent so long trying to be more like my white friends, that I now felt like an imposter at Indian events, too.

In her late 20s, Radhika began to see that her Indian culture was officially in vogue and it started to change how she felt about my identity

I also stopped speaking Gujarati. Id been speaking it less since my last remaining grandparent died when I was 12, and my parents spoke perfect English.

Naturally, my family were disappointed. They couldnt understand why I was so against our culture. Back then, Id plug in my headphones and retreat into my moody teenage self whenever they tried to talk to me about it.

As I started to lose my Gujarati, my mum begged me to keep it up with lessons. If you stop, youll lose it forever and youll regret it when youre older, she warned me. I told her I didnt care.

But now Im in my early 30s, I can see she was right. Im fluent in Spanish and Italian, but I can hardly speak any Gujarati - my own parents mother tongue.

Just as she predicted, its something I now regret. But at the time, Id felt like my Indian language and culture would hold me back, rather than help me.

Sadly, everything I experienced in wider society seemed to confirm my views. In my 20s, I would avoid putting my ethnicity on dating apps, noticing that when I did so, I received fewer matches.

When I once did an experiment to prove this, creating two profiles with the same images of me  one called Radhika and one called Rachel  Rachel received double the amount of likes.

I was so used to minimising my Indian identity that when I was in my late 20s, I was shocked to realise that being Indian was no longer seen as negative.

The turmeric and hot milk my mum used to make me when I was little was now being sold as a trendy turmeric latte for 4.50.

Yoga  something my mum and I had been doing together since I was ten  was now the most fashionable activity among white women. And Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai was being labelled as the most beautiful woman in the world.

It helped that her boyfriend didnt just accept her for being different  he loved it about her, falling in love with her culture as he fell in love with Radhika

My culture was officially in vogue and it started to change how I felt about my identity.

Perhaps this shift would have happened anyway as I got older and cared less about what other people thought about me, but it was certainly a factor.

And it helped that for the first time I was in a serious relationship. My (white New Zealander) boyfriend didnt just accept me for being different  he loved it about me, falling in love with my culture as he fell in love with me.

Slowly, I started to see myself through his eyes, and the two of us even went backpacking through India.

To my shock, the locals didnt think I was Indian until I told them my name. Apparently, the lightness of my skin, the balayage in my hair and the clothes I wore meant I didnt look recognisably Indian.

It was something I would have loved to hear in my teen years, but now it just felt wrong.

Id spent so long trying to be less Indian to fit in, but now I was in India, I didnt fit in either because I wasnt Indian enough.

I felt lost between my two cultures. Id abandoned myself trying to be just British rather than British Indian. I knew I didnt want to go on like that.

When I came home, I decided I was sick of such a white-focused beauty standard. So I launched a body positivity movement to celebrate big noses called #SideProfileSelfie.

It went viral and, suddenly, my social media feeds were full of beautiful women with strong profiles, helping me shift my own definition of beauty to include big noses like my own.

For the first time  exactly 15 years after Id been told I was pretty for an Indian  I saw myself as beautiful.

Around the same time, I used my writing to explore my identity. Id published two novels in my early 20s, and Id made the protagonists white, because Id never read a book with a brown-skinned heroine. But when I hit my 30s, I made sure my novels starred British Indian women.

Radhika has now published a book called Here To Slay (pictured) for her teenage self - and on the front cover her heroine, Kali, is proudly wearing traditional Indian clothing

Now, Ive published a book for my teenage self, which came out yesterday. Its called Here To Slay and is inspired by Buffy The Vampire Slayer, except my 16-year-old heroine isnt blonde; shes British Indian, named after the Hindu goddess of death, Kali.

My Kali goes on a journey to embrace herself in every way  her skin colour, her sexual identity and her Indian origins  all while fighting literal demons.

Most importantly, I made sure the front cover shows Kali proudly wearing traditional Indian clothing.

Its taken me a long time to fully love myself, but I refuse to go back to being ashamed of who I am. I love my skin colour, my origins and my identity  and I hope that the new generation of young British Indian girls never has to feel the way I did.
September 4, 2024: As of mid-2024 China has about 300 of its new J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighter in service. This came after China solved a frustrating problem with production of reliable and powerful engines for its J-20 stealth fighter. This allowed mass production of the J-20 to proceed in 2022. For nearly a decade the primary obstacle to mass production has been unreliable locally developed and produced WS10 jet engines. Over the last three years three improved models of the basic WS10 have appeared: the WS-10C (basis model for the J-10), WS-10B3 (with thrust vectoring for greater maneuverability) and WS-15 (with super cruise). There are now over a hundred J-20s in service, all with one of the three WS-10 evolutions. Most are the J-20B model using the WS-10B3 or WS-15 engine. Over the next few years all existing J-20s will be equipped with the WS-15.

In 2022 some of these active-duty J-20Bs were spotted and during 2022 August China conducted air and naval military training operations around the island of Taiwan. The Chinese sent a number of their J-20 stealth fighters aloft armed with air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles carried externally, degrading its stealth capabilities. American and Taiwanese radars and 0ther ELINT (electronic intelligence) equipment got a chance to test the stealth capabilities of the J-20. China has been trying to develop world-class stealth fighters since the 1990s. A decade ago the J-20 appeared, described as a true stealth fighter. It seemed to be, sort of, but eventually turned out to be close but still a work-in-progress. That was promptly confirmed as J-20s flew near Taiwan and were tracked by American and Taiwanese radars.

It wasnt until 2020 that J-20 officially entered mass production. This was not the original J-20A that was prematurely declared ready in 2017, but a much-improved J-20B. In 2018 China admitted that production of the J-20 was stalled and the manufacturer confirmed the reasons why. The details were explained on state run television, in part to help recruit the skilled workers needed to produce the J-20. There is a labor shortage in China, largely because of the decades of low birth rates mandated by the one child policy. The Chinese aircraft manufacturing industry, for both military and commercial aircraft, is booming and workers able to fabricate and assemble components are in short supply. Building the J-20 requires a disproportionate number of skilled workers. Parts of the fuselage are made of alloys that are particularly time-consuming to mold and then fabricate into complex structures. Many of the components come from Chinese suppliers who are still developing and perfecting their production capabilities. In general, the J-20 requires a lot of exotic components and supplies are tight. China also revealed that development of the J-20 has cost $4.4 billion as of 2018, and that the construction cost for each aircraft is $110 million. In addition to the manufacturing difficulties, there were performance problems with the prototypes and six J-20A production models turned over to the Chinese Air Force by 2018.

This came after a late 2017 announcement that the J-20 had officially entered service. At that time, it was obvious, via aerial photos of the factory and air bases, that production of the J-20 was not actually happening. The manufacturer had planned to build three a month initially but from mid-2017 to mid-2018 production turned out to have been zero. At that time there were apparently a dozen more in various stages of completion. By early 2018 it was known that there were several potential problems with the J-20 production but the main ones had to do with stealth, as in the delicate materials on the airframe that make radar detection less effective. The other problem was the engines. In 2018 the WS-10Cs installed were a stopgap and not efficient enough to support super cruise (go supersonic without using the afterburner).

China has had persistent problems developing high-performance jet engines. China has been developing the more powerful and super cruise ready WS-15 engine since the 1990s, for a larger aircraft like the J-20. Despite a lot of effort, the WS-15 was still not able to work reliably enough for service, rather than a prototype aircraft. Officials also confirmed rumors that a WS-15 exploded during a 2015 static ground test. That failure had been a secret, but when an engine this important fails by blowing up, the incident is difficult to hide. It also turned out that the WS-15 design and manufacturing problems were less difficult to fix than those encountered with other components and the skilled labor shortage.

In 2018 no date was given as to when the WS-15 would be available for use or whether it would have the same thrust vectoring. This is the ability to move the hot jet exhaust in different directions in order to make the fighter more maneuverable. The American F-22 uses this. At first, a more powerful and reliable version of the WS-15 for J-20 was believed possible by 2020, but changes in the shape and weight of the WS-15 would require modifications to the shape of the J-20 which in turn required lots of testing to ensure that stealth was not compromised. The factory would have to install new or modified manufacturing equipment and suppliers would have to do the same to produce the new airframe components. Apparently, all of those problems were solved by mid-2020. This included the WS-15 reliability problems. As of 2022 the latest version of the WS-15 had improved performance and reliability sufficiently for regular use in active service squadrons. Chinese engine experts also pointed out that the engines used by the F-22 and F-35 are at least a decade ahead of the tech used in the WS-15. Left unsaid was the fact that China had gone from no locally designed and built fighter jet engines to the WS-15 in a few decades and another decade or so to catch up was expected.

The WS-15 saga was one of repeated disappointments and there may be more of that. Some high-performance jet engines are more reliable than others. Western engine manufacturers have been through this for decades as each new generation of engines was developed. China knows of that history and is resigned to repeating it. In 2018 it was announced that production models of the WS-15 were to be available in 2019. This was a reasonable assumption because the WS-15 has been in development since about 2003 and the first working version appeared in 2008. Based on past engine development experience the WS-15 should have been ready for mass production by 2020, although the skilled labor shortage turned out to be more of a problem than anticipated and delayed things for two years. China overcame these production problems because you cant mass produce the J-20B without mass production of reliable WS-15 engines.

There was another reason for the early 2017 announcement that at least a dozen J-20s had been delivered to the Chinese air force as part of a new fighter squadron. This information was exaggerated and released to help with export sales because at the time Chinese media was reporting that Pakistan had agreed to buy J-20s. Numbers were not announced and there were still questions about how effective the J-20 actually is. Pakistani interest in the J-20 may have more to do with the fact that China is the only major-power ally they have, their main supplier of weapons and, best of all, a neighbor. Pakistan cannot afford many $110 million aircraft and China is not known to be generous with credit or discounts when it comes to high tech gear like this.

while China began offering its 28-ton J-31 stealth fighter to export customers in 2014 as the FC-31, it was not until 2017 that efforts were made to export the more advanced J-20. The manufacturer of the J-20 is CAC (Chengdu Aircraft Company), which also produces the JF-17 and J-10. The JF-17 is a joint effort with Pakistan and Pakistan is the main customer. J-31s are not yet ready for mass production, in part because it has some of the same production problems as the J-20 and China is deliberately putting more emphasis on getting the J-20 into mass production.

The J-31 has undergone a number of modifications and the manufacturer is trying to develop a version that could be used from Chinas new aircraft carriers. As of 2022 the 28-ton J-31 is still in the prototype stage. It made its first flight in 2012, a year after the J-20. The stalled development is due to the fact it is being developed without government assistance, other than access to information of American stealth aircraft obtained by Internet based and other forms of espionage.

The J-20 definitely had a head start on the J-31. Before the originally scheduled J-20 mass production could begin in late 2015, eight prototypes were built. There were at least two original J-20A prototypes, and in 2013 a new J-20B prototype appeared that had several modifications and is estimated to have a max weight of 37 tons. By 2018 several more prototypes have been built along with at least six production models plus over a dozen stalled on the assembly line. All of these were built with the understanding that some major (and time-consuming) refurbishing might be needed once the WS-15 engine was ready for service.

Work on the J-20 began in the late 1990s, and the Chinese went forward on the assumption that it could be 25 years or more before they had a competitive stealth fighter-bomber in service. The twin engine J-20 first appeared to be about the same weight class as the non-stealthy American 30-ton F-15C, but the production model was closer in weight to the F22. By comparison, the U.S. F-35A stealth fighter-bomber is a 31-ton, single engine fighter, while the twin-engine F-22 is slightly larger at 38 tons. The Russian Su-57 weighed in at 37 tons and its production is also stalled over technical issues. The Russians can make more powerful and reliable engines than the Chinese but are still having problems with their other techs like stealth coatings and electronics. At the same time Russia officially put production of its Su-57 stealth fighter on hold and suffers from some of the same production problems as the Chinese.

While the J-20 looks like the American F-22 when viewed head-on, its overall shape, weight, and engine power is closer to the older, non-stealthy American F-15C. In other words, the J-20 is 20.4 meters long, with a wingspan of 13.5 meters. The J-20 has about the same wing area as the F-15C, which is about 25 percent less than the F-22, which is a few percent larger than the F-15 in terms of length and wingspan. Worse for the J-20 is the fact that its engine power is about the same as the F-15C, while the F-22 has 65 percent more power. With the afterburner turned on, the J-20 has more power than the F-15C and nearly as much as the F-22. But because the afterburner consumes so much fuel, you can't use it for more than a few minutes at a time. The afterburner also generates a lot more heat which makes an aircraft more visible to heat sensors. The J-20B was designed to use super cruise with a powerful enough engine, joining the F-22, Eurofighter, and Swedish Gripen as aircraft that can super cruise. The J-20B appears capable of doing lots of engine-dependent things during tests or in theory that it has not been able to sustain in regular service.

The J-20 has some stealth when it's coming at you head on, but from any other aspect, the J-20 will light up the radar screen unless it has effective radar absorbing material on the exterior. For this reason, the J-20 initially appeared to be a developmental aircraft, not the prototype of a new model headed for mass production. China soon made it clear that the J-20 was indeed the basis for a new fighter and would go through as many design and shape changes needed to become combat ready. Based on recent Chinese warplane development projects, especially the J-11, it was believed that the J-20 still has a long development road ahead of it. There were some obvious changes between the first and the later prototypes, but nothing all that drastic. Thus, it was surprising when the J-20 was declared ready for service in 2017 but not so surprising when production was quietly halted because of unspecified problems. Yet the Chinese have been competent and relentless in developing complex technologies and there was no reason to believe they wont get the J-20 working. That has apparently happened and was confirmed as J-20Bs showed up in operational J-20 fighter squadrons. That finally took place in 2021.

The J-20 is only the fourth stealth warplane to fly, the others being the American F-22 and F-35, plus the Russian Su-57. The older U.S. F-117 was actually a light bomber and the B-2 was obviously a heavy bomber. While the shape of the J-20 confers a degree of stealth (invisibility to radar), even more electronic invisibility comes from special materials covering the aircraft. It's not known how far along the Chinese are in creating, or stealing data on, these materials. China would most likely use the J-20 singly, or in small groups, to seek out and attack American carriers. For the J-20 to be a superior fighter capable of that, it would need electronics, including radars and defense systems on a par with the F-35 and F-22 as well as powerful and reliable engines and effective radar absorbing materials.

The J-31 and J-20 are further evidence that China is determined to develop its own high-tech military gear. While China is eager to develop advanced military technology locally, it recognizes that this takes time and more effort than nations new to this expect. Thus, China is trying to avoid the mistakes Russia made in this area. That means having competing designs and developing necessary supporting industries as part of that. All this takes a lot of time and involves lots of little (and some major) failures. The Chinese are doing it right and are willing to wait until they get the military tech that is truly world class.
Breathing in a level of air pollution common in the UK could increase the risk of male infertility by 25 per cent, a study warns.

The analysis by Danish researchers also found women exposed to traffic noise levels common in England led to a 14 per cent increased risk of infertility.

British experts say the findings are limited, but if confirmed could have 'profound effects on future generations'.

Their findings are based on national study of over 500,000 men and nearly 400,000 women aged between 30 and 45 with fewer than two children, who were living in Denmark between 2000 and 2017.

Experts analysed their reproductive health and looked for patterns with long-running data on the air and noise pollution at their address.

Breathing in a level of air pollution common in the UK could lead to men to suffer a quarter higher risk infertility, a study warns

This map, from a Government study, shows the percentage of people in England living with an average road-traffic noise levels exceeding 50 decibels

For air pollution they specifically looked at PM2.5 which means tiny material less 2.5 micrometres in diameter created by road traffic and burning of fossil fuels in urban settings.

They found Danish men exposed to an annual average of 2.9 micrograms of fine particles of pollution per cubic metre, had a 24 per cent increased risk of infertility.

Worryingly, the latest data shows the annual average level of PM2.5 in UK cities is nearly double this figure.

However, this can rise to numbers as high as 10 in places like Brighton.

While the Danish researchers didn't observe a similar impact of PM2.5 exposure on women's fertility they did see a similar affect from noise pollution.

Noise pollution refers to excess levels of sound from things like road traffic and has been linked to a reduced of sleep and increased stress with knock-on effects to cardiovascular health and mental health conditions.

Exposure to 10.2 decibel higher than average levels of road traffic was linked to a 14 per cent increased risk of infertility among women older than 35.

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Worryingly, the latest data shows the annual average level of PM2.5 in UK cities is nearly double this figure, at 7.2 g/m3 in 2023 according to Government data. However, this can rise to as high as 10g/m3 in places like Brighton

The average level of noise pollution over the course of the study women were exposed to was between 57.7 and 59.1 decibels.

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO DECLINING POPULATIONS? Women worldwide, on average, are having fewer children now than previous generations. The trend, down to increased access to education and contraception, more women taking up jobs and changing attitudes towards having children, is expected to see dozens of countries' population shrink by 2100. Dr Jennifer Sciubba, author of 8 Billion and Counting: How Sex, Death, and Migration Shape Our World, told MailOnline that people are choosing to have smaller families and the change 'is permanent'. 'So it's wise to focus on working within this new reality rather than trying to change it,' she said. However, some have suggested cheaper childcare, flexible working and policies could boost the dwindling birth rate. 1. Cheaper childcare Dozens of studies have suggested that costs are a key consideration among couples planning to have children. Think tank the Social Market Foundation (SMF) warned that the long-term trend of people having fewer youngsters will leave countries with fewer workers, weaker economies and unsustainable public finances. It called for childcare to be more accessible and affordable to couples, which is said would encourage more couples to conceive. It said average earners in the UK were forced to spend 22 per cent of their income on full-time childcare. It called for the public provision of childcare or for parents to be given subsidies towards it. 2. Flexible working Economists in Spain found that countries with higher rates of part-time roles generally had higher fertility rates. And a German paper found that educated women who were able to work from home had more children. However, the trend was not detected among those with low or no qualifications. 3. Policies to support women have more children The SMF called for more generous parental leave to encourage more people to have children. It said this would allow couples to better balance work and family commitments, pointing to a 'significant increase' in birth rates in Austria after parental leave was doubled from 12 months to 24 months. Advertisement

For context, about 40 per cent of the adult population is estimated to be exposed to long term traffic noise exceeding 50 decibels though this rises to 80 per cent in some areas.

Noise wasn't associated with a rise of infertility among younger women, but was linked to a 'small' rise in infertility in older men, those aged 37 to 45.

Researchers found these results were consistent for Danes living both rural and urban areas, and occurred regardless of if people were rich or poor.

The research, published in the BMJ, is observational meaning it cannot directly establish that pollution causes infertility.

It was also limited by only analysing pollution data recorded at person's address and not that any fumes they may have been exposed to at work or during leisure activities like exercising.

Additionally, data on known factors that can influence fertility such as lifestyle factors was lacking.

The authors of the study, who hailed from a variety of Danish institutions, said if their findings are replicated by other scientists they could help create strategies and policies to protect the population from noise and air pollution.

Some British experts have hailed the study, stating while limited by its observational nature, represents an important piece of research that deserves attention.

Professor Jill Belch, an expert in vascular medicine and air pollution from the University of Dundee said: 'This is a key study linking even more toxic effects to exposure to air pollution in particular to the very small particles PM2.5'.

'Childlessness can be catastrophic for some, and it is likely that the known harmful effects on sperm quality and movement are at play here. More attention needs to be paid to achieving legal limits of air pollution by Government and Local Authorities.'

She added: 'If validated by future prospective work then this association has striking implications for fertility as a 24 per cent fall in male fertility and a 14 per cent in female fertility would have very profound effects on future generations.'

Other experts said, while a good study the findings were limited by its very nature.

Professor Allan Pacey, an expert in andrology at the University of Manchester said: 'It is possible that the real cause of this association lies with something that it was not possible to measure.

'For example, the authors are clear that they did not have information on lifestyle factors, such as alcohol use, smoking, or body mass index.

However, overall, I think this is a good study and it should serve as useful basis for future investigations in other countries that are able to link their databases like this.'

Professor Alison Campbell, an expert in fertility at the University of Kent added: 'The studys findings come amid a decline in birth rates in many countries, over the past decade.

'Whilst some people elect not to have children for a broad number of reasons, infertility is a health problem that contributes to these statistics.'

But she urged people trying to conceive not to be put off by the findings.

'People trying to conceive should not be unduly concerned by this research and are advised to take proactive, proven steps such as avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining a healthy weight, and consulting a medical specialist for further help and advice,' he said.

While the WHO estimates one in six adults globally will be affected by infertility in their life time there are regional variations. The Easter Mediterranean recorded the lowest infertility rare of just 10.7 per cent, followed by Africa with 13.1 per cent and then Europe with 16.5 per cent. The Western pacific region recorded the highest rate of 23.2 per cent, followed by the Americas with 20 per cent. No figure was available for the South East Asia region due to lack of quality studies in that area

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Elon Musk (pictured), who boasts of 'always banging the baby drum', has been warning about a decline in births for years

About one in seven couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving, rising to one in six globally, and one in five in the US.

Known causes of infertility include genetic issues, health conditions or hormonal problems or exposure to some treatments, such as chemotherapy.

But in about a quarter of cases no cause for infertility can be found, according to the NHS.

Some studies have also pointed to a rise in obesity and exposure to chemicals and pollution as another possibly factor.

Infertility, as well as people not having children by choice, has spooked some experts, and famous figures like Elon Musk, to warn the world faces an underpopulation crisis.

This 'underpopulation crisis' could see too few younger people to work, pay tax and look after the elderly.

Office for National Statistics data shows the fertility rate  the average number of children a woman has  in England and Wales slumped to 1.49 in 2022.

It marks the lowest figure since records began in 1938, laying bare the reality of the ongoing baby bust that threatens to cripple the economy.

Not a single one of the 330-plus authorities in both countries has a fertility rate that is above 'replacement level', according to MailOnline analysis.

Other studies have also pointed to declining sperm counts in men as a potential factor, though some experts dispute this.
A killer flesh-rotting animal tranquiliser used in vapes is set to be banned by the UK Government.

Xylazine, nicknamed 'tranq', has helped turn US cities like Philadelphia and New York into 'zombielands', leaving users lifeless.

But the potent drug  strong enough to knock out elephants  is now 'widespread' on UK streets, according to experts.

It has already been linked to 11 deaths since 2022.

Under the fresh crackdown on drug dealing gangs, the Home Office will now push legislation to ban xylazine and 21 other substances in a bid to prevent future deaths.

Karl Warburton, 43, (pictured) died in May 2022 from the effects of xylazine combined with other drugs including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine

Xylazine depresses the central nervous system, causing users, such as these in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, to exhibit a zombie-like appearance

Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said: 'One of this new Government's central missions is to make our streets safer.

'We will not accept the use of substances that put lives at risk and allow drug gangs to profit from exploiting vulnerable people.

'We have seen what has happened in other countries when the use of these drugs is allowed to grow out of control, and this is why we are among the first countries to take action and protect our communities from these dangerous new drugs.

'The criminals who produce, distribute and profit from these drugs will therefore face the full force of the law.

A powerful animal tranquiliser that has helped turn some US cities into 'zombielands' is being added to UK cocaine supplies, experts have warned

'The changes being introduced this week will also make it easier to crack down on those suppliers who are trying to circumvent our controls.'

Xylazine, which has been found in vapes some illicit drug takers use for cannabis, is set to be labelled a Class C drug.

Of the other 21, six will be controlled as Class A.

Under the 1971 the Misuse of Drugs Act, drugs are put into three different classes based on their danger to people.

Class A is the most serious and includes substances like cocaine and crack, ecstasy, MDMA and heroin while codeine, ketamine and cannabis are deemed Class B.

So-called 'date rape' drug GHB, anabolic steroids, nitrous oxide and the stimulant khat, meanwhile, are among Class C drugs.

Current drug laws see those in possession of Class A drugs face up to seven years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

Anyone caught supplying or producing can face a life prison sentence, an unlimited fine or both.

People caught in possession of Class B face up to five years in prison, while anyone caught carrying Class Cs can be jailed for two years.

Xylazine-involved overdose deaths in the United States rose from 102 to 3,468 in just three years between 2018 and 2021.

It was designated an 'emerging drug threat' by the White House in April 2023, which often precedes classifying a drug as illegal.

But no further national action has yet been taken.

The flesh-eating drug can affect someone's skin in places separate from the injection site. This patient often injected the drug into his neck with gruesome effects

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Some individual US states, including Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, have implemented bans.

Earlier this year researchers from Kings College London also found tranq in cocaine, counterfeit codeine and Valium tablets.

They warned the 11 figure is also likely to be an a 'gross underestimation', given how UK labs have not routinely been testing for the drug.

This is thought to include Karl Warburton, a 43-year-old factory worker from Solihull who became the UK's first known tranq victim in 2022.

Writing in the journal Addiction, they warned if tranq use exploded like in the US, hundreds of Brits could die.

'If the UK were to experience the 20-fold increase in deaths seen in the US since 2015, deaths following xylazine use could be anticipated to exceed 220 deaths by 2028,' they said.

Xylazine will remain available for veterinary prescribing, the Government said. However, it will be only available if lawfully prescribed.

The changes are expected to come into force later this year or in early 2025.
A Leeds woman is warning Brits to 'check their genitals' for signs of cancer after her disease was spotted so late, it had spread to other organs and left her needing a life-changing operation to remove part of her genitals.

Pippa Sharp, 49, thought she was experiencing a bad case of recurring thrush for five months when she noticed a sore patch on her vulva  the outer tissue of the female genitalia.

Thrush is a common yeast infection that affects the genitals of both men and women and while usually harmless, it can cause irritation and soreness.

Ms Sharp was prescribed antibiotics by her GP  but four days later, realised the concerning spot wasn't going away.

Following her dose of antibiotics, and lack of success, Ms Sharp's family referred her for a biopsy which revealed she had vulval cancer.

Pippa Sharp, 49, thought she was experiencing a bad case of recurring thrush for five months and thought it had caused a sore, hard spot on her left labia

At first, doctors believed the disease was confined to the mass of swollen tissue on her left outer labia.

However, a scan later showed it was even worse than initially thought and the disease had spread to the lymph nodes in her groin, meaning it was now stage three.

She underwent surgery to remove the mass, 50 rounds of radiotherapy and five rounds of chemotherapy.

She also had to soak her vulval wound in a sitz bath  a warm small bath that is placed in a toilet  filled with betadine, an antiseptic.

Once each treatment had finished, Ms Sharp was discharged back to her consultant, who said he'd check up on her in three months.

But in January 2024, she began to feel that the area had become swollen again.

She added: 'I spoke to the oncology nurses at my appointment with the consultant.

'They were so helpful, suggesting a number of things it could've been.

'But, I knew in my heart the cancer was back.'

One month later, a biopsy confirmed her fears.

This time, it had spread to two more areas  Ms Sharp's right labia, and her 'back passage'.

After frequent bouts of thrush, Pippa noticed her left labia had developed a small, hard sore patch in August 2022

She initially brushed it off for five months, thinking it was just a symptom of bad thrush. But it was eventually revealed to be vulval cancer

On March 22, 2024, she had a section of her right labia removed.

Ms Sharp said: 'I was told I'd need 30 radiotherapy sessions and five more chemo sessions.

'We went ahead with the paperwork, I went to see her again at the planning scan.

'I told her I was still worried about my right labia and back passage.

'She put a hold on treatment, and referred me back for biopsies.'

In July, Ms Sharp's biopsies came back, confirming the cancer had returned in her right labia, despite the procedure.

She had the entirety of it surgically removed, and is currently waiting for the remainder of her results before she starts more treatment.

Sharing her story, she said she wants more women to know more about the deadly disease, so they can catch it at an earlier stage than she did.

Ms Sharp, a former brand innovation and awards co-ordinator, said: 'I was embarrassed about vulval cancer at first. But now, I can't shut up about it.

'It's a rare cancer, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't know about it.'

Ms Sharp's ordeal began in August 2022 when she noticed a small, hard sore patch on her left labia, which she initially brushed off as thrush.

In January 2023, a GP suggested it could either be an infected cyst, or cancer.

Despite 'immediately' believing it was cancer, Pippa agreed to take a course of antibiotics just in case.

She said: 'Four days after getting them prescribed, there was no change.

'I'm really cautious with health stuff, so I looked at the NHS website because I knew it was trustworthy.

'I had each and every one of the symptoms listed under "vulval cancer" - from bloody discharge to persistent itching.'

Ms Sharp went back to the GP on January 23, 2023, who performed a biopsy on the sore patch, which eventually led to her diagnosis.

'It's become a real focus of mine to get the word out there, while I'm waiting for the news,' she said.

'We talk so much about how we need to check our breasts.

'But we should be checking our vulvas regularly, too.

'It's a quick check when you go to the toilet, or when you're laying in bed.

'Feel around for soreness, lumps and bumps - note if you find any unusual discharge.

'Always go to see your GP if you're worried.'

About 1,400 women are diagnosed with vulval cancer in the UK each year, with women in their 90s the most likely to be diagnosed with the disease.

Only 58 per cent of vulval cancer patients are expected to survive 10 years following their diagnosis with the disease killing almost 470 Brits each year.

About two thirds of vulval cancers are thought to be preventable with 69 per cent estimated to be caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV are common viruses spread by sexual activity that usually don't cause any symptoms, but some are linked to increased risk of cancers such as vulval and cervical forms of the disease.

This is partly why people in the UK are now offered an HPV vaccine in secondary school.
Less than half of Gen Z men know the location of the a woman's sexual 'pleasure centre', a study revealed.

A new survey commissioned by The Urology Foundation found just 41 per cent of men aged 18-24 are aware of where the clitoris is on a female body, compared to 70 per cent of 55 to 64 year-olds.

Across all ages, 61 per cent correctly identified the region.

But the survey of 2,000 UK men showed they were more knowledgeable about female sexual anatomy than their own.

In fact, only 48 per cent of men aged 18 to 24 knew the location of their prostate.

A new survey commissioned by The Urology Foundation found 61 per cent of men could correctly identify the location of the clitoris

A previous YouGov survey showed that almost half of Brits do not know where the vagina is  and it's not just men who are ignorant.

The 2019 poll revealed almost half of women could not label the vagina. And around half of both genders didn't know where the labia was.

It revealed a third of men of all ages didn't know where the clitoris was.

The new Urology Foundation research also uncovered significant gaps in men's understanding of their own bodies and urology health.

Rebecca Porta, chief executive of The Urology Foundation said: 'Its worrying that many men dont know where their prostate is or what it does. Its vital that males from a young age understand the role of their prostate and its location in their bodies, as well as how it might change over time.

'Prostate cancer rates are set to double globally by 2040 so it is crucial that men understand their prostate health, recognise their individual risk factors, know the possible signs and are empowered to take control of their prostate health.'

Only 38 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds surveyed knew the location of the prostate compared to 58 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds.

Men in Northern Ireland and Yorkshire and the Humber were the most likely to know their way round the female anatomy, with 71 per cent of male respondents in both areas correctly locating the clitoris  the highly-sensitive vulval area responsible for female pleasure.

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Interestingly, men from Northern Ireland were least likely to know where their prostate is found  only 45 per cent  making them nearly 58 per cent more likely to know the location of the clitoris than the prostate.

Men were also more likely to mistakenly think that their prostate was involved in the flow of urine (48 per cent), rather than its primary function of producing fluid that becomes semen (30 per cent).

The prostate gland lies beneath the base of the bladder.

It surrounds the urethra  a tube that transports urine out of the body from the bladder.

The prostate glands main function relates to reproduction and sexual intercourse.

At ejaculation, sperm is mixed with fluid from the prostate gland. A substance called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) liquidises the ejaculate to improve the chances of fertilization.

The fluid produced by the prostate also prevents infection in the urethra.

About one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males with over 55,000 cases diagnosed every year in the UK and 299,000 in the US.

Needing to pee more frequently, blood in your urine or semen and hesitancy when going to the toilet are all telltale signs of the disease.
A common dandruff-causing skin fungus could be fuelling breast cancer, in the latest discovery linking a microscopic organism to types of the disease.

Chinese scientists found Malassezia globosa, a species of yeast-like fungi, could be infiltrating fat rich breast tissue and from there increase the risk of developing tumours.

Medics said how the fungus might be doing this remains unclear.

However, they theorised it could be due to a harmful byproduct damaging cells or destroying the body's innate defence against cancerous tissue.

In tests on mice, breast cancer tissue experts injected Malassezia globosa into the tumours to observe the effects.

Chinese scientists found Malassezia globosa, a species of yeast-like fungi, could be infiltrating fat rich breast tissue and from there increase the risk of developing the disease. Stock image

They found those colonised with the fungus had a higher growth rate, though did not detail exactly how much faster or larger they grew.

Study author Professor Qi-Ming Wang, an expert of life sciences at Hebei University, said the findings had implications for people's health.

'It is important to take care of skin not only for beauty, but also for health,' he said.

He added this is not the first time a microscopic organism has been linked to cancer, and that this are of research needed more studies.

'Although still controversial, the relationship between microbes and cancer is gaining attention,' he said.

'The imbalance of the microflora in the tumour may lead to disorder in the tumour microenvironment.'

While Malassezia globosa can cause issues like dandruff in the scalp and dermatitis, swelling an irritation of the skin, in other areas, Professor Wang said how exactly it might reach breast tissue to increase the risk of breast cancer is unclear.

The results were published in the journal mBio.

Other studies have previously suggested links between some microorganisms to an increased risk of certain cancers.

One of these is Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacteria that lives in dental plaque, which could explain why some colon tumours are so hard to treat.

American researchers found that a specific subtype of the bacteria was present in tumour tissue in about 50 per cent of the cancer cases.

They also found this microbe in higher numbers within stool samples of colorectal cancer patients compared with stool samples from healthy people.

Another bacteria called Streptococcus anginosus, has also been linked to stomach cancers.

Chinese and Singaporean scientists showed that the bacteria, normally found in the throat, mouth, and vagina, can encourage the growth of stomach cancers.

Breast cancer is the UK's most common cancer with almost 56,000 cases diagnosed per year

In similar experiments to the new study, they found when mice had their immune system weakened, mimicking an infection or illness, Streptococcus anginosus could colonise new areas of the body, like the stomach.

When introduced this way it provoked an inflammatory response that could trigger cancer growth.

Another type of bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, has also been known to cause stomach ulcers, which increase a persons risk of developing gastric cancer, the fifth most common type in the world.

Perhaps the most famous microscopic organism linked to cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV are common viruses spread by sexual activity that usually don't cause any symptoms, but some are linked to increased risk of cancers such as vulval and cervical forms of the disease.

This is partly why people in the UK are now offered an HPV vaccine in secondary school.
Covid vaccines prevent less than one in 10 infections six months after they are administered, a study has found.

New Zealand researchers came to their conclusion after assessing data from over 5million people from December 2020 when the jabs were first deployed in the country to February last year.

Of these, 4million were vaccinated, and about 1million never got a Covid vaccine, with jabbed persons being matched by age and sex to an unjabbed counterpart.

Scientists then assessed the jabs effectiveness against a variety of different Covid outcomes, including against infection, hospitalisation and death, using patient data.

Publishing their findings in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the researchers assessed outcomes based on people getting the second Covid booster.

New Zealand researchers came to their conclusion after assessing data from over 5million people from December 2020 when the jabs were first deployed in the country to February last year

While the jab was found to offer sustained protection against deaths from the virus, protection against infection was found to drop off dramatically.

In the first month people got the jab it was found to stop 57 per cent of infections. But this dropped off to just 9.9 per cent six months later.

Jab-based protection against becoming hospitalised due to Covid was better, though a significant dropoff was also recorded.

Vaccinated persons enjoyed an 82 per cent protection against hospitalisation with the virus in the first month after getting it. But this declined to just 49 per cent by month six.

The authors noted that as there were no Covid deaths in the vaccinated cohort who got the second booster a comparative analysis on this outcome wasn't possible.

This is not the first study to have found Covid vaccines decline in effectiveness over time.

The exact figure depends on the stage of the global pandemic, what variant was circulating at the time, and can also vary by brand.

One American study in 2021 found Covid jabs used in the US fell from 85 per cent effectiveness against infection to some 50 per cent in six months.

A Qatari study, again from 2021, even found Pfizer's Covid jab was only 20 per cent effective at stopping people getting infected after six months.

Covid vaccines, which brought an end to the paralysing lockdowns, lose their protective power due to two factors.

Firstly, the initial flood of antibodies designed to target the Covid virus which are produced by the body fades over time, though experts say some longer-term protection persists.

Secondly, the virus itself evolves over time, new variants evolve with slight differences that mean they are better able to dodge the protection jabs, which were designed to combat older strains of Covid, offer.

This is why updated jabs, designed to target new, now more widely circulating, strains of the virus have been used in subsequent Covid booster campaigns.

In the first month the jab was found to stop 57 per cent of infections among Kiwis that got it. But this dropped off to just 9.9 per cent six months later

The phenomenon of waning protection isn't unique to Covid either, its why some people, such as the elderly and health workers, are offered a new flu vaccine each year designed to target the new versions of the virus that are spreading.

It should also be noted the same basic problem occurs with natural immunity from Covid infection, with this protection also waning over time.

The authors said that while their study strengthened by its large number of participants and reliable public backed data it did have a number of limitations.

One was due to declining numbers of unvaccinated people could have influenced the results leading to a potential over underestimation of the vaccine's effectiveness.

Another was they were unable to track the specific brand of Covid vaccine jabbed people received, meaning any differences by this metric couldn't be measured., though they noted the majority of people received Pfizer's jab.

Additionally, the authors said there were unable to distinguish between different Covid variants given the dominance of the Omicron variant over the majority of the study period.

They said future studies, both tracking the effectiveness of the jabs beyond six months, and differences in outcomes by vaccine type and Covid variant were warranted.
Men taking potent pills used to treat bipolar disorder and epilepsy were today warned about the risk of birth defects in children.

Safety concerns mean Brits should use contraception when on valproate, to prevent the 'risk of problems in children'.

Health officials warned men taking the daily pill that it may increase the likelihood of 'neurodevelopmental disorders in children'.

They were also urged not to donate sperm during treatment and for at least three months after stopping.

The 'precautionary advice' over valproate's side effects follow a safety review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which polices the safety of drugs used in the UK.

Safety concerns mean Brits should use contraception when on valproate, to prevent the 'risk of problems in children'

Health officials warned men taking the daily pill  also used to treat bipolar disorder  that it may increase the likelihood of 'neurodevelopmental disorders in children'

The drug calms manic episodes in people who have bipolar disorder by blocking nerve signals.

It is also used to prevents seizures in epileptic patients by reducing the amount of electrical activity in the brain thought to be to blame.

Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: 'Valproate is an effective medicine in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder.

'Men taking valproate should be aware that there is now evidence of a potential small increased risk of their child having a neurodevelopmental disorder if their partner becomes pregnant while they are on valproate.

'While the risk to a child is lower than the risk associated with a mother taking valproate in pregnancy, we recommend that men taking valproate and their partners follow the updated guidance and use effective contraception.

'Patients on valproate should not stop taking their medicine unless advised to do so by a healthcare professional.

'It is important to attend your next appointment in order to discuss your treatment plan.'

One study found that children fathered by men who took the pill up to three months before conception were at a slightly higher risk of developing learning difficulties than those taking other medicines to prevent seizures, the MHRA said.

A 2022 report found that 315 women have been prescribed sodium valproate during pregnancy since April 2018 and 30 started taking the drug when already pregnant, suggesting that expectant mothers are still not receiving full details of the risks

Five in 100 children fathered by men on the drug received a diagnosis, compared to three in 100 on other medications.

Health professionals should inform male patients about this risk at their next routine treatment review and other potential treatment options available, they added.

Valproate has been linked to other problems in children born to mothers taking the drug.

The medication has been condemned as the 'new thalidomide' due to its risk of causing serious deformities and learning difficulties when taken by pregnant women  a reference to the 1960s morning sickness treatment which caused life-threatening birth defects.

A damning report in 2020 concluded the Government had failed the 27,000 women taking valproate as many were unaware of its risks, with then Health Secretary Matt Hancock apologising on behalf of the NHS.

The risk to children born to fathers taking the drug is 'much lower than the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to mothers' on it, the MHRA said.

Anyone with questions should also speak to a healthcare professional.

Any suspected side effects associated with valproate should be reported via the Yellow Card scheme.
The AA has launched a 'wellness' app for cars that uses the vehicle's data as a 'diagnostic tool,' This is Money can reveal.

In a similar vein to how smart watches, ring and bracelets  from Fitbit to Whoop  track and monitor the wearer's health and fitness, the Vixa app monitors a car's vitals and warn the owner of impending issues.

It will also problem solve the best way to fix it.

The app aims to prevent your car breaking down  something half of drivers say is their top priority, according to a AA poll of 11,453 motorists.

Through a small device that plugs-ins to your car, Vixa harvests data giving you updates and alerts via the app, as well as proactive maintenance solutions

Vixa will harvest the huge amount of data modern cars process every day to give drivers a user-friendly 'holistic wellness companion' for their car.

Vixa constantly checks on the car, diagnoses arising faults, explains them and 'offers stress-free solutions'. It will alert drivers to potential issues before they escalate and give car owners peace of mind.

It will cost 5.99 a month, or 3.99 a month for AA members who use either the AA's Breakdown or Insurance services.

The AA's new Vixa app, will cost just 3.99 a month for AA members who use either AA Breakdown or Insurance, and 5.99 for non-mebers

Through a small data-collecting device that plugs into your car, Vixa gives you updates and alerts via the app, as well as proactive maintenance solutions.

It's compatible with most petrol cars made after 2001 and most diesel cars made after 2006. Hybrid vehicles are compatible with all features except battery alerts.

More cars models will work with Vixa over time, and some Ford models are already compatible if they come with the FordPass app.

EVs aren't currently compatible but AA President Edmund King told us that the AA 'is working on that at the moment'.

As EVs have fewer moving parts, there's less to go wrong, with the AA finding most EV breakdowns are caused by tyres or the 12-Volt battery, neither of which are specific to electric cars.

The AA says that the technology has already informed someone on holiday in Spain that the battery in their car parked at a UK airport was about to die.

Vixa also lets you monitor tyre use by simply taking a few pictures to get a highly accurate diagnosis of tyre age, tread depth and condition to make sure that tyres are safe and legal.

When a problem is flagged, fixes are recommended including booking an AA approved garage or scheduling a mechanic to come to you. Or you can chat to an AA mechanic on Whatsapp.

The app will send handy reminders to remind you when your MOT and service are due too.

You'll also get upfront estimates for repairs, servicing or scheduling an MOT which allows you to plan ahead and budget.

When a problem is flagged, fixes are recommended including booking an AA approved garage or scheduling a mechanic to come to you. Or you can chat to an AA mechanic on Whatsapp

Vixa replaces the AA's now discontinued Car Genie app, with President Edmund King saying that the 'main difference is that Vixa offers a solution as well as flagging up problems.'

'Vixa is fully incorporated; we can get you to an AA approved garage or a mechanic to your home, or technician on the phone.

'It's more useful for consumers than Car Genie. The beauty of Vixa is that it notifies you before a warning light comes on on your dash and it's too late notice'.

Future app upgrades will likely include driver efficiency scoring to help you improve your mpg and save money, as well as advising drivers on how to fix smaller issues on their own that don't require a mechanical fix.

Tom Fawcett, chief executive AA X, said: 'The Vixa App is potentially the biggest change in how The AA helps drivers in many years. It represents a new era of car care that uses connected car insights to put drivers in control.

'Our new Vixa wellness system can help give confidence to drivers to help them stay safe and save money and hassle'.
Labour's gloomy statements about the UK economy threaten to weaken a fragile appetite for London stocks, a report warned yesterday.

UK-listed equity funds suffered a net sell-off of 510m last month, more than twice the July total, prolonging a dismal run stretching back to September 2021.

The report from funds network Calastone came as the FTSE 100 index fell 0.4pc to a three-week low of 8269.60 as concerns about the global economy and a US tech stock bubble spooked investors.

Funds exec says the Government's gloomy sentiment is not going to improve investors confidence

The latest withdrawal figures were not as bad as the monthly average over the last three years, raising hopes that the tide is starting to turn.

But Edward Glyn, head of global markets at Calastone, said: Its not yet time to break out the champagne  the Governments gloomy statements about the UKs allegedly dire predicament are hardly going to boost confidence.

It is the latest sign that Labours grim assessment  and its claim to have inherited the biggest economic mess since the Second World War  is backfiring.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said it will mean painful choices at next months Budget, raising fears of tax cuts.

Separate figures this week showed business confidence is plunging.

And yesterdays report showed signs that British investors are jittery about the global stock market amid the latest volatility.

The Calastone report showed inflows into equity funds overall fell to 545m in August, down by three-quarters compared to July.

Markets were hit by fears over a US downturn and saw three days of net selling, though the bleeding was soon stemmed and money later returned.

Glyn said: Investors flinched when markets convulsed, pushing equity prices down sharply.

The Magnificent Seven tech stocks  Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla  were hit especially hard, he added.

There was no wholesale rout, Glyn said.

Outflows turned to inflows as markets calmed and sellers melted away, but nerves have clearly been rattled.

A report from financial giant Fidelity International said investors had moved away from tech-focused funds, which have been enjoying spectacular gains, as they look for stability amid market volatility.

Tom Stevenson, Fidelitys investment director, said: Tech has had a stellar run, but the past month has been rocky. Were seeing a classic shift towards safety as investors seeking stability looked to preserve capital amid volatility.

He said money market funds, which offer exposure to short-term bonds, had become very appealing again.

In a further sign of the tough market, asset manager M&G said it suffered 1.5bn of outflows in the first half, while markets stabilised yesterday after a major sell-off on Tuesday.
The boss of Nvidia is nursing losses of over 20bn as shares tumble from their all-time high.

Jensen Huang, who founded the US chip designer in 1993, was hit as investors continue to dump the hyped stock.

Nvidia hit a record $140.76 in June, valuing it at $3.45trillion (2.62trillion), and pitting it against Silicon Valley titans Apple and Microsoft in a battle to be the worlds most valuable company.

Nvidia remains one of the biggest winners of the AI revolution, selling to Google, Microsoft and Meta

But shares have fallen by over a fifth since then with Nvidia now worth $2.65trillion (2trillion).

The 600bn-plus fall in its value has hurt Huangs near-4pc stake, which has taken a 24bn hit.

But the 61-year-old electrical engineer known for his signature leather jacket still has a fortune of more than 72bn.

Nvidia remains one of the biggest winners of the AI revolution, selling to Google, Microsoft and Meta, which have ploughed billions of pounds into the tech.

But shares have fallen more than 10pc since it unveiled quarterly results last Wednesday night.

Despite bumper profits, investors were left feeling flat.

And Nvidia faced a major sell-off on Tuesday, when more than 213bn was wiped off its value, which is a record loss for any US firm in one trading day.

Investors have also been spooked amid reports the US Justice Department has sent a legal notice to Nvidia about a competition probe into AI chips
September 4, 2024: In 2004 General Atomics (GA), an American firm founded in 1955 to carry out research on practical applications of nuclear power, spun off a subsidiary, called General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GAAS) to work on unmanned aircraft called UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or drones. Since then GAAS has developed and introduced the MQ-1 Predator, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-9 Reaper, MQ-9B Guardian, and MQ-20 Avenger. The Avenger was unique because it used a jet engine rather than a rear propeller. Only seven Avengers were sold since its introduction during 2011.

Since then GAAS also developed Gambit, a unique jet propelled drone that weighs about two tons and comes in several variants for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, combat, and testing new manned aircraft sensors in realistic situations without endangering pilots. Gambit also makes heavy use of electronic systems that enable it to operate autonomously, without a ground operator. This means Gambit cannot be jammed. After it completes a mission, it returns to its base. If it cannot return or is damaged, Gambit deliberately crashes.

So far there have been no orders for Gambit, but the U.S. Air Force and Navy are interested and may eventually purchase Gambit when it reaches a point in its development that makes it worth paying more than $20 million for each Gambit.

Meanwhile, in 2022 the U.S. Air Force has announced plans to end its quarter-century propeller-driven large UAV program. This meant that the current MQ-9 Reaper will no longer be purchased and units equipped with it will be disbanded as combat and non-combat losses are incurred. The air force has not yet selected a Reaper replacement but is referring to it as MQ-X and mandated that it must be jet powered.

The five-ton Reaper itself replaced the similar but smaller 1.1-ton MQ-1 Predator. While the last air force Predator was built in 2010, the U.S. Army kept purchasing an upgraded Predator known as the RQ-1C Gray Eagle. Both Predator and Reaper were developed and manufactured by General Atomics.

A decade ago, the air force planned to have over a thousand of these large, armed, Reaper UAVs. That did not happen because most American troops were gone from Iraq and Afghanistan by 2014, so there was less demand for these UAVs and less procurement cash to pay for them.

For over a decade the air force has been seeking a Reaper replacement, mainly in the form of a jet powered UAV. One of the first candidates was the General Atomics Avenger. Development of Avenger began after September 11, 2001. The first flight was supposed to have been in 2007 but there were technical problems that kept coming up. The nine-ton Avenger looked like a larger jet powered version of the five-ton Reaper. Avenger is 13.2 meters long, with a 20.1-meter wingspan and built to be stealthy. The V shaped tail and smooth lines of the swept wing aircraft made it difficult to detect by radar. There is a humpbacked structure on top of the aircraft for the engine air intake. There is an internal bomb bay to hold about a ton of weapons, sensors, or additional fuel to provide another two hours of flying time, in addition to the standard 20 hours endurance. The 4,800-pound thrust engine is designed to minimize the heat signature that sensors can pick up. Total payload is 1.36 tons and total weight of the aircraft is nine tons. Cruising speed is 740 kilometers an hour. The Avenger is designed to fly at altitudes up to 20,000 meters and cross oceans.

Avenger took its first flight in early 2009. Until 2009 the Avenger didn't officially exist and was a secret program. Avenger is, like Reaper, a combat UAV designed to carry weapons as well as sensors. A decade ago, Avengers cost about $15 million each. The air force rejected Avenger in 2012 because it offered marginal improvements over the Reaper. Despite the internal bomb bay, Avenger was expected to be used primarily to carry ground surveillance radar, which could be mounted on the bottom of the aircraft in an aerodynamically smooth enclosure. So far there have been few customers, although it did receive a military designation; MQ-20. Officially the air force bought one and an unidentified U.S. government agency bought up to seven. One Avenger was used in 2016 to drop propaganda leaflets in Syria.

The air force search for a Reaper replacement was suspended until 2022, when the air force announced the revival of an effort to find an MQ-X. Avenger is apparently not a candidate. There are other possibilities. In 2014 the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that a long rumored RQ-180 UAV did indeed exist and was still in development. The RQ-180 weighs more than 12 tons and is a stealthy UAV designed to survive in heavily defended airspace. The earlier RQ-170 was a similar, but smaller, version of the same basic design. RQ-170s were also suspected as being the basis for a larger and stealthier UAV and this is now revealed to be the RQ-180.

Both the RQ-170 and RQ-180 are jet propelled UAVs employing a flying wing design, similar to the X-45s and X-47s built as development aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and Navy. These UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) were built to carry weapons while the similar looking reconnaissance UAVs just carry sensors internally. The RQ-170 and RQ-180 are purely reconnaissance aircraft. The RQ-170 weighs about six tons while the larger RQ-180 weighs at least twice as much. Endurance of the RQ-170 is about six hours while the RQ-180 can stay up three to four times longer. The RQ-180 also carries more capable sensors, apparently some of the ones used in the jet-powered 14-ton RQ-4 Global Hawk. Some RQ-180s have been put into service but only a few have been built so far.

General Atomics continued to update MQ-1 Predator and in 2021 introduced the 3.1-ton Mojave. This is an armed UAV that can carry up to 16 Hellfire ground attack missiles. No one has purchased Mojave yet and it is considered still in development.

There is no military designation because no one has ordered Mojave, which is based on the U.S. Armys MQ-1C Gray Eagle. Technically the Mojave would be the MQ-1D. It uses current Gray Eagle components but with a more powerful 450 HP engine, compared to MQ-1Cs 180 HP, and a new wing design that is optimized for STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) capabilities. There is new landing gear that can handle taking off and landing on dirt roads or open fields. Mohave is heavier, at 1.6 tons, and has a larger payload. This means it can carry more Hellfire laser guided missiles or a more extensive collection of sensors, including a SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) pod and two missiles at the same time. General Atomics has heard from special operations users of Gray Eagle and other larger UAVs that something like Mojave is needed but no one has developed it yet,

The army Gray Eagle has been upgraded several times. In 2017 the U.S. Army started receiving the new MQ-1C ER/Extended Range version and starting in 2018 this was the only model the army will receive. The army has ordered 107 MQ-1Cs since 2010 and plans to eventually have over 150. Currently only about a hundred are in service.

The original MQ-1C Block 1 Gray Eagle weighed 1.5 tons, had a 160 HP engine, carried 135.4 kg of sensors internally, and up to 227.3 kg of sensors or weapons externally. It has an endurance of 30 hours and a top speed of 270 kilometers an hour. MQ-1C has a wingspan of 18 meters and is 9 meters long. The MQ-1C can carry four Hellfire missiles, compared to two on the Predator, or a dozen smaller 70mm guided missiles.

The MQ-1C ER has a better engine, fifty percent more fuel capacity, over 75 percent more endurance, from 30 to 53 hours. Payload increased by 50 percent from 372 kg to 558 kg. The fuselage has been modified to handle the increased fuel load and has greater reliability and stability in the air. The additional internal space makes it easier to install a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) that makes it possible to fly in airspace used by civilian manned aircraft.

The MQ-1C itself is an upgrade of the MQ-1 Predator the U.S. Air Force and CIA used extensively since the late 1990s to redefine the use of aircraft for reconnaissance, surveillance, and airstrikes. Fewer than 500 MQ-1s were produced for the air force and CIA before both organizations moved on to the larger MQ-9 Reaper. Meanwhile the army got a customized upgrade of the MQ-1 into production and found it satisfactory. The MQ-9 is larger than the army needs or can afford but the MQ-1C was the right size and price for the army. A major reason for developing Gray Eagle was the army did not want to depend on the air force for all its UAV needs and, after a major struggle with the Department of Defense bureaucracy, the army got the air force to back off on its efforts to claim control over all UAVs. In this endeavor the army was supported by the navy and marines, who had also had past problems with the air forces efforts to control everything that flew.

The army needed their own large armed reconnaissance UAVs because, when the air force controls UAVs, air force needs take precedence and the army is left to improvise. The army operates their MQ-1Cs like any other aircraft in Army Aviation Brigades. The UAV operators are located with the rest of brigade personnel and troops on the ground have direct contact with the Gray Eagles and easy access to what it is seeing. General Atomics noted that while the Aviation Brigade helicopters could, and often did, operate from just about anywhere, the Gray Eagles still needed a paved surface for takeoffs and landings. A stretch of paved highway would do but that is not always available and when used the highway requires more manpower to keep it clear of debris or any other obstacles. Mojave is much less demanding and the army is considering purchasing some.

While the army accepted the heavier and more expensive ER version, an even heavier 1.9 ton and more capable IGE (Improved Gray Eagle) was developed by General Atomics without a contract and presented to the army, which bought 36 IGEs for intelligence missions and the army Special Forces.

Mohave is an impressive version of the original Predator and may find customers who perceive a need for a large UAV that can operate from just about anywhere. The U.S. Air Force already has units that can be sent just about anywhere and turn an abandoned airfield or any reasonably flat surface into an airbase, complete with radar and traffic control, in less than a day. C-17 and C-130 transports can operate from these improvised air bases, and now so can a large UAV that requires a runway. The air force considers jet-propulsion as a basic requirement for MQ-X. Yet if you want a version of MQ-X that can operate from just about anywhere, it will have to be something like Mojave.

Meanwhile Chinese manufacturers developed cheaper clones of Predator and Reaper and sold them, with or without weapons, to anyone who could pay. That destroyed much of the export market for Predators and Reapers. China and Russia are also developing jet-powered UAVs, with the same lack of success, so far, as the United States.
EXCLUSIVE

A British doctor who locked a patient inside their hospital room for several weeks and was banned from running a company in the UK has landed a top job in northern NSW.

Dr Richard Seamark's 'appalling' history was made public in 2017 after he was a frontrunner for a $400,000 senior position as Clinical Director of Mental Health at Cairns Hospital in Far North Queensland.

However, the discredited psychiatrist, 64, was swiftly dumped from the recruitment process when it emerged that he was banned as a company director in the UK.

The ban followed his UK company Care+ Ltd failing to report serious incidents and used expired medical equipment.

Multiple complaints were made about the quality of care provided while he ran the firm, including medicine errors and locking one patient in their room for several weeks.

He was branded a 'dodgy psychiatrist by the UK government's Insolvency Service after he was banned for jeopardising patient safety and described his behaviour as 'appalling'.

Robert Clarke, Head of Insolvent Investigations North, added at the time: 'The failure by Dr Seamark to adequately safeguard patients wellbeing and safety presented a significant risk to vulnerable patients, staff and the public.

'His disqualification sends a clear message that such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated in the context of the wider corporate regime.'

Despite the damning report, Seamark has now secured a position as the Clinical Director of the Richmond Clarence Mental Health Service in Lismore.

Dr Richard Seamark was appointed the clinical director of the Richmond Clarence Mental Health Service in Lismore

His position is part of Northern NSW local health district in Lismore

In a video posted by Northern NSW Local Health District 12 months ago, he sang the praises of his new hometown and the team at his new workplace.

'It's a beautiful place to work,' he said.

'Just physically, the weather is extraordinary and offers you a huge range of different opportunities lifestyle-wise.

'Within the scope of work we just have a really great bunch of people to work with and you'll enjoy just the day to day experience.'

In its report on his defunct company, the government agency revealed one patient had been locked inside their hospital room for several weeks. It described the incident as a 'breach of the patient's human rights'.

The hospital also failed to report serious incidents such as medicine errors, and kept defibrillator pads that had expired over seven years earlier.

The damning investigation found one of the hospitals was 'inadequate in every area inspected' and published a scathing review of Dr Seamark's leadership.

Seamark was rejected from the position at Cairns Hospital in 2017 after recruiters were told details of his UK company's insolvency.

'Insolvency proceedings hadn't come to fruition,' Health Minister Steven Miles - now Queensland Premier - said at the time.

'When they did, he disclosed that and that's the point at which the process was suspended. Let's not get too caught up in what's happened.'

It is understood Seamark moved to Queensland in 2015 after he was disqualified from being director of his UK company which then went into voluntary liquidation.

Prior to applying for the role in in Cairns, he had been practising at Sunshine Coast Hospital for 18 months despite an 18 month UK ban for 'jeopardising patient safety'

NSW Health insisted they had followed standard practice when recruiting Seamark for his latest role in Lismore.

'Recruitment to vacant positions within Northern NSW Local Health District is undertaken in accordance with NSW Health policies,' said a spokesman.

'This includes mandated pre-employment screening and, for clinical roles, confirmation of registration with the relevant agency or medical board.'
An elderly couple who loaned their daughter and her husband over $135,000 to buy and renovate a series of homes have successfully won a court battle against their former son-in-law to pay back the money after their daughter died of cancer.

Andrew and Robyn Mereniuk made three large loans to their daughter Louise and her husband Matthew Wilks between April 2006 and August 2017 so that they could purchase and renovate properties for themselves and their three daughters.

But any requests for loan repayments came to an abrupt halt in August 2016 when Louise was diagnosed with bowel cancer. She died from the disease in January 2019.

Mr and Mrs Mereniuk launched a legal case against Mr Wilks in November 2022 to try to recoup their money after falling out with him because he had an affair with another woman in the six months before Louise's tragic death, according to a judgement published in the NSW District Court.

Mr Wilks argued in court that he knew nothing of the loans, while also claiming they were gifts made to his now-deceased wife.

But Judge Judith Gibson described Mr Wilks as a 'wholly unreliable witness' and awarded Mr and Mrs Mereniuk $135,269 for the outstanding money.

It is understood that Mr Wilks intends to launch an appeal against the judgment.

The case highlighted the vexed legal issue of the 'Bank of Mum and Dad' and whether payments to family members are considered gifts or loans, Judge Gibson said.

Andrew and Robyn Mereniuk made three large loans to their daughter Louise and her husband Matthew Wilks (pictured) between April 2006 and August 2017 so that they could purchase and renovate properties for themselves and their three daughters

But any loan repayments came to an abrupt halt in August 2016 when Louise (pictured) was diagnosed with bowel cancer. She died from the disease in January 2019

The saga began in April 2006 when Mr Mereniuk offered to buy material and renovate the Baulkham Hills home his daughter shared with her husband.

'We can purchase the material and you and Louise can pay us back when you can afford it,' Mr Mereniuk recalled saying.

They transferred a total of $169,000, with the cost of materials bought or money loaned recorded in a spreadsheet.

'Substantial repayments' made by Mr and Mrs Wilks later reduced this sum to $28,254.

A second loan of $76,000 was advanced to help Mr and Mrs Wilks buy a larger property in Kellyville around 35km north-west of Sydney's CBD in April 2012.

But a year before that, in February 2011, Mr and Mrs Mereniuk had expressed their 'disappointment' that Mr and Mrs Wilks were overspending.

'The $35,000 over three years means that you both are spending around $12,000 a year more than you two earn. Or, you have thrown caution to the wind, and are spending it like it was your own,' Mr Mereniuk wrote.

'The reason that we lent you the money in the first place was to help you both out and it appears that we have certainly accomplished that in that you both have helped yourselves to it. The latter was not our intention nor desire.'

Mr Mereniuk suggested they had spent $15,000 more than they initially budgeted for.

'Have you two stopped budgeting? Is Matthew spending what he earns on himself? Smokes, drink, lunches etc.?', he wrote.

'What were you two thinking, that you were going to repay it, and if you were, in what time frame?'

He added: 'Earlier I mentioned that you overspent by $12,000 a year which means roughly $250 a week, You two need to sit down and nut out what can be eliminated and what can be reduced otherwise you two will lose your house in the long run or you will need to downsize.

In February 2011, Mr Mereniuk suggested that his son-in-law quit smoking because 'this amounts to probably $30-40 a week'

'We are not here to prop you up nor save your marriage.'

Mr Mereniuk also suggested that his son-in-law quit smoking because 'this amounts to probably $30-40 a week'.

'We are not bitter nor are we baying for the full return of the money. What we want though, is the return of the balance of the money from the two offset accounts,' he wrote.

'We also want a commitment from both of you that you are not going to touch the redraw amount. If you cannot make that commitment then you might as well take the money out and return that also to us.'

Mr Wilks denied knowledge of the transactions, while also trying to claim they were gifts to his now-deceased wife.

These seemingly contradictory arguments held no water with Judge Gibson who accused him of being a 'wholly unreliable witness, whose account of events was not simply implausible but at times knowingly false'.

'The defendants claim that he never knew how much he had in the bank or consulted his banking or financial records, but instead rang up Louise each time he wanted to make a purchase or take out money, is completely implausible, the more so because he was running a business at this time which would have required regular access to the bank and consideration of banking records,' Judge Gibson concluded.

In 2015, Mr and Mrs Wilks decided to move to Tumbi Umbi on NSW's Central Coast.

They planned to sell their Kellyville property to fund the purchase but then Mrs Wilks' cancer diagnosis in August 2016 'changed everything'.

Mr and Mrs Mereniuk claim they advanced a total of $80,000 on the condition that when the Tumbi property was eventually sold the total amount, plus the $80,000, was to be paid back.

Mr Wilks sold the property in December 2019, almost a year after his wife died.

In 2015, Mr and Mrs Wilks decided to move to Tumbi Umbi on NSW's Central Coast (pictured)

He kept the proceeds, 'save for the sum of $154,000 which has been retained in a solicitor s trust account pending the outcome of these proceedings', the judgement noted.

It is also understood that Mr and Mrs Mereniuk unsuccessfully tried to challenge Mr Wilks' claim to their daughter's superannuation with the Australian Financial Complaint Authority.

The judgment noted that both parties had 'not only a financial interest in the outcome but also a degree of hostility motivating them'.

'The plaintiffs believed (correctly, as it turned out) that the defendants absence during the six months prior to Louise dying of cancer was because he was having an affair with another woman,' Judge Gibson wrote.

It was revealed that the grandparents 'stepped into a parenting role' of their daughter's children before her death after there were 'issues in the marriage' between Mr and Mrs Wilks.

Ultimately, the judge ruled that the money had been in the form of a loan, rather than a gift.

'The plaintiffs were giving the defendant and Louise financial assistance in the form of a series of separate loans for separate purposes, but as "the Bank of Mum and Dad", not "the Giftshop of Mum and Dad",' Judge Gibson wrote.

'They expected repayment but at the same time took issues relevant to love and affection into account; in particular, while Louise was dying of cancer and the marriage clearly in trouble, they forbore to ask for funds in circumstances where I am satisfied that there was an understanding that further repayments would not fall due until the Tumbi Umbi property was sold.'

But it acknowledged that 'in the future, courts may consider that the phenomenon of the "Bank of Mum and Dad" may be interpreted differently'.

The judgment notes research by the Productivity Commission that 'if "Mum and Dad" were an actual bank, it would be somewhere between the fifth and ninth biggest mortgage lender in Australia'.

When approached for comment by Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, Mr Wilks said he felt he had been 'hard done by'.

'I really can't comment on it at the moment but I'm quite interested to talk to you later on because I've been hard done by but at this stage I'm not willing to make a statement,' he said.
After his divorce from Amber Heard, Johnny Depp looks to have his mojo back.

The 61-year-old megastar looked markedly slimmer and even has a sparkling set of new white teeth when he was spotted partying in the Bahamas this week.

Friends have said that Johnny is happier and healthier than he has been for years as he recovers from the heartbreak of his split from Ms Heard and the devastating court cases that followed in the UK and US.

The fallout from their divorce left both parties resentful and angry with each other.

But that hasn't stopped him hanging out with two women who look remarkably like his ex-wife, MailOnline can reveal today.

This week the 61-year-old megastar has been pictured with his arms wrapped around Russian model Yulia Vlasova, 28, in the beach bar on the private 45-acre Little Halls Pond Cay archipelago he calls his 'sanctuary'.

However, last week Italian beauty Greta Cruz shared pictures of her enjoying the turquoise waters off the same island - and was also with him as he played guitar for Andrea Bocelli during the world-renowned tenor's three-day concert extravaganza in Italy in July.

Johnny likes to keep it casual. But whatever is going on with his love life  he appears to have a type of companion: beautiful, blonde, half his age with more than a passing resemblance to Amber Heard, one source with links to Depp's London friendship group told MailOnline today.

Johnny Depp and his rumoured girlfriend, Yulia Vlasova, pictured together in the Bahamas in a new post. One source admits that Yulia does bear a resemblance to his ex-wife Amber

Depp's loyal fan base stood by the actor as he fought the abuse allegations leveled against him by ex-wife Amber Heard during their defamation trial in Virginia in 2022, after a similarly explosive case in London and he is getting on with his life, concentrating on acting and painting

There is speculation online that Johnny has also been spending time with another blonde beauty, named Greta Cruz

But fans of Mr Depp have spotted that Greta also appears to have been spending time at the megastar's private island in the Bahamas

Johnny Depp, 61, appeared to have undergone major dental work in a new video circulating on Instagram, depicting his recent trip to a Bahamian bar

Friends of the actor have said that his relationship with Yulia, 28, is 'casual' and they meet 'here and there' around the world.

And she has stirred up interest in their relationship again by sharing a romantic picture of them cuddling in Johnny's personal beach bar.

She posted it on Instagram with the cryptic message: 'Don't believe everything you hear on the internet'.

It came after Mr Depp's legions of loyal fans noticed that another beautiful blonde woman was spotted frolicking on one of the island's twelve pristine powder white beaches.

Italian beauty Greta Cruz has shared pictures of her in the turquoise sea lapping on to the beach where Mr Depp married Amber Heard in 2015.

She said in the post: 'The most amazing place I've ever seen'.

Miss Cruz, who is in her early twenties, was also in St Tropez with Johnny in July. On her Instagram she shared behind the scenes pictures of Depp with Andrea Bocelli, Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran and Will Smith partying together backstage.

Greta Cruz's picture from the sea at Mr Depp's island

Greta has not commented on her relationship with Johnny

Miss Cruz shared this picture of Johnny performing on stage around six weeks ago

She also posted this picture of Mr Depp with stars including Andrea Bocelli, Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran and Will Smith

Loyal fans of the star have speculated on social media whether they might be a couple but a spokesman for Mr Depp didn't comment, and neither did Yulia or Greta when approached by MailOnline.

The Hollywood star has been dating 28-year-old Russian beautician and model Yulia after meeting in 2021.

Most recently the two were seen together when they were snapped canoodling and looking cozy while traveling out of London Heliport.

Glamorous Miss Vlasova is based in Prague, where she owns a makeup and hairstyling studio, and where she first met the actor at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in August 2021, according to sources.

But she spends a lot of time in London, and was touring the National Portrait Gallery off Trafalgar Square today, according to her Instagram.

She was seen hanging out with Depp at his friend and late musician Jeff Beck's concert in Prague in July 2022, not too long after he won his defamation case and went on tour in Europe.

Photos show the two playfully posing together at the event, with one selfie showing Depp even planting a smooch on her cheek.

The Oscar-nominated actor appeared to have undergone reconstructive dental work after past appearances, including at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival (R), attracted attention from fans who said that he teeth appeared as it they had been 'rotting'

Photos show the two playfully posing together at the event, with one selfie showing Depp even planting a smooch on her cheek

Johnny Depp, 61, has been dating 28-year-old Russian beautician and model Yulia Vlasova, with whom he was seen traveling in London in July (right)

And while Vlasova has not confirmed the nature of their relationship, she has hinted at the romance on Instagram posts, some of which have been deleted.

Earlier this year the model shared a photo of two resting their hands on each other's leg in response to an Instagram Q&A with her followers who asked about her 'favorite actor.'

'JD. He is a man who is incredibly talented and inspiring,' she replied.

DailyMail.com revealed earlier this year that she studied at Moscow's leading training academy for diplomats and spies, according to local Russian media.

In fact she is from provincial Russia, namely Sortirovka, a rough suburb of Yekaterinburg, the country's third city, and earlier remote Polevskoy, a drab industrial town with a 69,000 population.

At some point she entered elite the Institute of International Relations in Moscow, known as MGIMO and run by the Russian Foreign Ministry, seen as the country's most revered educational institution, according to multiple Russian reports.

It is attended by many future diplomats and members of the Russian intelligence services, but also would be business leaders and government officials.

The pair were snapped together at Depp's friend and late musician Jeff Beck 's concert in Prague in July 2022

The Prague-based beauty is said to have met Depp at a film festival event in 2021 and has remained close with him ever since

Earlier this year she shared a photo of the two resting their hand on each other's leg in response to an Instagram Q&A with her followers who asked about her 'favorite actor'

Yulia is also known to have studied at the University of West Bohemia in Plzen.

A picture of her at MGIMO proudly shared this year by her father Alexander, 57, shows her evidently holding a certificate at the elite institute.

Alexander served in the Soviet army and is four years younger than Depp.

Yulia is just two years older than Depp's own daughter, model Lily-Rose Depp, 25.

Yulia's mother Galina, 60, today refused to comment on the alleged romance with Depp, telling a local Russian media outlet: 'It's better to talk to our daughter about this.

'I don't know anything, all the questions are for her.'

The family home in drab copper-mining town Polevskoy - where she and her mother are registered - is in a Soviet-era block where flats are on the market for around $36,750 (28,300).

After university, Yulia reportedly later got a job with a Czech company before opening her own health and beauty salon and working as a model and influencer.

In 2021, Yulia - 5ft 7 inches - was a finalist in the international beauty contest Miss Office, which took place in Moscow.

A former school friend of Yulia's told E1 news outlet she was 'a simple girl who has now made it to Hollywood' - after reports of romance with Depp.

'She studied at a Sortirovka school.

'There were beatings and bullying. She didn't dress up in brands in her childhood.

Vlasova is from provincial Russia, namely Sortirovka, a rough suburb of Yekaterinburg, but moved to Czech Republic after university

These days runs her own health and beauty salon and works as a model and influencer

'She was an ordinary girl going to our [local] Pizza Mia and class trips.'

Social media posts suggest the blonde beauty also spends a lot of her time in the UK - where Depp has been largely based since his infamous legal battle and divorce.

He is currently living in London where he has been keeping busy with new film projects and going on tour with his band.

The film star is reported to be in a good place following a dark period of legal troubles and allegations that culminated into a high-profile defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, who had accused him of abuse, in Virginia in 2022.

He has managed to rehabilitate his image and move forward with his career, landing new film roles and going on tour with his band since then.

This year Paul Barresi, the private eye hired by Amber Heard when she split from Johnny to find dirt on him, released a new book where he claims his investigation found Depp to be too generous with a 'respect and adoration for women'.

And it came as the Depp v. Heard Channel 4 documentary began trending on Netflix Netflix, reflecting the continuing fascination with the couple's relationship as well as their divorce and legal battles in the UK and US.

It has been quite the turnaround for Depp - four years after he lost a libel case in the UK against the publisher of The Sun over a story that described him as a 'wife beater'.

He did then sue Amber in the US for libel over similar allegations - and won $15million in damages.

The former couple have gone in different directions.

Amber is understood to have quit Hollywood and settled in the Spanish capital with her three-year-old daughter - born thanks to a surrogate.

Earlier this year he was mobbed by fans in London. At one point he allowed a fan waiting for him in the British capital to kiss his hand

The star's security stepped in when the woman wouldn't let go of him, but the actor told his bodyguard it was 'ok' and he kissed her hand

Her ex-husband, however, now has four careers.

Currently he is renting an art studio in London's West End to create new art - having not painted seriously for years.

He is in the middle of a three-year $20million contract as the face of Dior's Sauvage men's perfume.

He is also a gigging guitarist, appearing on stages around the world including at the Royal Albert Hall with friends including Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton.

And his acting is back up and running. He was the star of last year's Cannes Film Festival because of his role in the French-language biopic Jeanne du Barry, where he played King Louis XV.

He is also directing his first movie in 25 years. Depp is working with Al Pacino on a biopic of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.

Screenwriter and producer of the swashbuckling franchise Pirates of the Caribbean, Terry Rossio, has told DailyMail.com that now that Depp has cleaned up his act he would be welcomed back as Jack Sparrow with open arms.

Previously Depp said he would never work for Disney again as sources said he felt harshly treated by them. It will remain to be seen if his stance has softened.

While he could not escape the shocking court cases involving Amber Heard untarnished, his fans have remained loyal to him.
A small business founder who was scammed out of $56,000 has hit out at ANZ Bank for telling him he should have used a security measure that he had no idea was available to him.

Roland Sharman, who founded Sail Shade World 18 years ago and is still the director of the firm, found he had lost more than AU$56,000 in 21 fraudulent credit card transactions in July.

Mr Sharman told Daily Mail Australia that products were shipped to Jordan in the Middle East, only to discover the card details used in the transaction were stolen so the money was retracted and the goods are gone.

He had minimal issues with bad payments as his business expanded to over 50 countries and he moved to Vienna, Austria, to be closer to his family.

Mr Sharman said ANZ raised his transaction fees from 1.8 per cent to 3 per cent for added security once it began taking on so many international orders.

He claims that the bank failed to inform him about a crucial cybersecurity measure, called 3DSecure, which would have protected him from the scammers.

Now ANZ is now refusing to help Mr Sharman, saying he is technically at fault because he left himself exposed to the fraud by not using 3DSecure.

A small business founder who was scammed out of $56,000 has hit out at ANZ Bank for telling him he should have used a security measure that he had no idea was available to him (stock image)

Businessman Roland Sharman (pictured) has taken aim at ANZ after he was scammed of more than AU$56,000 across 21 fraudulent credit card transactions processed by the bank in July

The 80-year-old said he 'felt sick' seeing the transactions being cancelled because they were fraudulent.

'We had already processed 21 transactions and we were thinking: "no, My God, what do we do?",' he said.

'That is such a sinking feeling.'

Mr Sharman said ANZ's response to the scammers was to put the culpability back onto the businessman.

A representative for the bank told him that it was not their 'responsibility to look after your security', Mr Sharman said.

'I'm sorry, I think it is, I really think it is,' he added.

The cost of adding 3DSecure to his processing fee is five cents per transaction, which Mr Sharman said he would have happily paid if only he had known about it.

'This was completely avoidable, I mean they increased our rate and said it was because of the complexity of cybersecurity for overseas business ... What the hell for?' he asked.

Mr Sharman estimated that the increased fees have cost his business hundreds of thousands of dollars over its life, yet when it mattered most there was no protection in place.

After bank-and-forth communication with ANZ representatives to resolve the issue went nowhere, Mr Sharman filed an official complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) on August 16.

Mr Sharman said the bank has shirked all responsibility for the transactions as he hadn't gotten the proper cybersecurity, making him at fault for the lost money

His said his lawyer believed that banks had 'pushed the boundary' in profiting from such online transactions but then refusing to take financial responsibility when their payment systems allow scams to occur.

'It may well be that with proliferation of cyber crime that we may be very close to the courts enforcing such a duty of care against banks,' Mr Sharman said.

He has since launched a GoFundMe to help recoup some of the funds he had lost from the scam but also to start a movement to force banks to accept responsibility for cybercrimes on their systems, and for courts to give customers more protection.

'There should be a push for legislation that would stop this happening,' Mr Sharman said.

'As a bank you have a fiduciary responsibility, you shouldn't allow your customer to be exposed when there is is the way for you to keep them from being exposed.'

An ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that 3D Secure would 'need to be enabled by the merchant's gateway provider'.

'3D Secure is a security protocol used by payment gateways to authenticate transactions made online using credit and debit cards,' the spokesperson said.

'In this case, ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions isnt the gateway provider.

'ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions does however provide all customers with information about 3D Secure through operating guides, our website and proactive communications, and encourages them to confirm 3D Secure is available from their gateway if using a third party provider.'
When Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage in North Hampton, New Hampshire on Wednesday, it was a picturesque campaign scene with a white barn under a clear blue sky, American flags and cheering supporters.

But with just over sixty days to go before Election Day, it was not exactly clear why Harris had chosen to come to the New England state.

The Granite State has not been among the seven battlegrounds both campaigns have been spending tens of millions of dollars in on advertising. And neither nominee had frequented it recently.

The stop in the state marked Harris' first visit there since 2021. Her rival Donald Trump was last in New Hampshire for the Republican primary in January.

But there was the vice president on a sunny afternoon hitting the stump and stopping by a local pretzel business. And Democrats there were relieved.

Vice President Kamala Harris taking the stage at her campaign event in North Hampton, NH on September 4, 2024

The state has been deeply purple in the past and has a Republican governor, begging the question: is New Hampshire a presidential battleground in 2024?

University of New Hampshire political science professor Andrew Smith suggested it really is not.

'If Biden had still been the nominee, then this would be a much more competitive race,' he said.

A Kamala Harris supporter wearing a hat with the vice president on it at her event in North Hampton, NH on September 4

That has not been the case since Harris took over the top of the ticket.

The latest polls show Harris on average is up seven points in the state. When Biden was the nominee, it was much closer with one poll after his debate in June even showing Trump up by two points.

But Harris' visit in the final sprint signaled at least to voters on the ground, the vice president was not leaving it to chance in a tight overall race, even if New Hampshire has a comparatively small number of electoral votes with just four up for grabs.

While Harris leads in the polls, New Hampshire has a deeply purple history. It could elect a Republican governor in November even if Harris does win as was the case when Biden won it at the top of the ticket in 2020.

'Hillary Clinton only won by 3,000 votes back in 2016, so it's not as if New Hampshire is a blowout win for Democrats,' pointed out Smith. 'It's still a fairly close state, and it's really been considered a a battleground state up until 2020.'

Donald Trump celebrating his victory in the New Hampshire GOP primary on January 23, 2024 in Nashua, New Hampshire. The last time a Republican won the state in the general election was in 2000 but Hillary Clinton barely won the state in 2016

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A Republican has not won New Hampshire in a presidential general election since 2000 with President George W Bush.

Some experts believe if Al Gore put more effort into winning the Granite State, he would have been president because its four electoral votes would have put him over the edge and the Florida results would not have mattered.

New Hampshire voters said they appreciate the state not being taken for granted.

'We're purplish,' said 39-year-old mother of four Allison O'Brien from Auburn, New Hampshire. 'When President Biden stepped down I was wondering if we would be one of the places, so I'm very excited that she decide to make this quick stop.'

O'Brien's sense is there has been a lot more energy in New Hampshire for Harris.

A man in a top hat driving in a car with the sign 'Stop Trump' in New Hampshire

Children holding signs supporting Kamala Harris on the side of the road ahead of her visit to the state

Harris meeting with Suzanne Foley and her daughter Eileen Marousek of Port City Pretzels as she campaigns in Portsmouth, NH

'I think in general people are more engaged and excited because she's bringing something new to the election.'

'I'm not surprised because I gather from having followed her for a while that she's that kind of person that wouldn't leave anyone behind, any state behind,' said Democrat Russell Brow from Hooksett, New Hampshire.

He too agreed the state has seen a substantial enthusiasm shift over the past few weeks.

Jim Kelley from Wakefield, NH suggested his 'extremely red' area is 'turning a little blue' with everything happening in the world.

Overall, there is a sense Democrats in the state are breathing a sigh of relief both at the change at the top of the ticket but also at Harris showing up.

At the same time, there is a real sense of urgency and perhaps even fear among Harris' supporters who remember 2016, the last time the party had a woman at the top of the ticket, and it was a close race.

'We got the heck beat out of us when Hillary ran, and it was so hurtful because she was so qualified,' said Natalie Kelley, Jim's wife. 'I was terrified for [Harris], but then I saw the energy change.'

A small number of Donald Trump supporters chanted for the vice president to 'go home' outside her event in New Hampshire

But New Hampshire still has its hardcore Trump supporters.

Several signs for the ex-president were out in neighborhood yards near where Harris spoke Wednesday, and a several protesters showed up on the side of the road to support for the GOP nominee outside Harris' event where they chanted for the vice president to 'go home.'

Trump took to social media ahead of the vice president's visit and claimed she 'sees there are problems for her campaign in New Hampshire because of the fact that they disrespected it in their primary and never showed up.'

He added 'I protected New Hampshire's First-In-The-Nation Primary and ALWAYS will!'

His post was a reference to Democrats selecting South Carolina to hold the first Democratic primary this year with Biden as the incumbent over the Granite State, but Democrats and Independents DailyMail.com spoke to dismissed concern Wednesday the 2024 change has any impact.

Meanwhile, a top Trump volunteer is no longer with the campaign, the Boston Globe reported Sunday, after he wrote in an email to Trump volunteers in the state that the 'campaign has determined that New Hampshire is no longer a battleground state.'

The campaign pushed back saying it has an on-the-ground presence there.

DailyMail.com reached out to the Trump campaign to see if the former president plans to make a visit to the state before November 5.
A growing number of free speech advocates are raising the alarm over what Vice President Kamala Harris would do to censor social media platforms if she wins the election.

In 2019, Harris famously branded social media companies as purveyors of 'hate,' and 'misinformation' vowing to hold them responsible for content posted on their platforms.

'We will hold social media platforms accountable for the hate infiltrating their platforms because they have a responsibility to help fight against this threat to our democracy,' Harris said during a speech to the NAACP in 2019.

She warned technology moguls that she would 'double' the number of attorneys at the Department of Justice to target their platforms.

'If you profit off of hate, if you act as a megaphone for misinformation or cyber warfare, if you don't police your platforms we are going to hold you accountable as a community.'

Elon Musk has raised concerns about Kamala Harris censoring social media platforms if elected president of the United States

Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, online platforms are shielded from liability for what users post on their platforms.

The Biden-Harris administration's efforts to censor online content was recently brought into focus after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed last week that his company acted to remove content the government asked them to censor, due to extreme pressure from the federal government.

'I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,' he said in a letter to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. 'I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today.'

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta, revealed that the Biden-Harris administration pressured his company to remove content on Facebook and Instagram

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign stop

The new details of government pressured censorship earned concerns from free speech advocates who have been watching Harris' actions that would police the internet.

'Western authorities are desperate to put a leash on tech platforms, which have become far less amenable to their censorship demands than they were in 2020, and represent a major threat to their ability to control political narratives,' the Foundation For Freedom Online managing director Allum Bokhari told DailyMail.com.

Harris is not unfamiliar with the growing efforts by the Biden administration to police content on social media.

In June 2022, Biden appointed Harris to lead the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, prompting the New York Post to brand the vice president as 'Big Sister II.'

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at Portsmouth International Airport

Free speech advocates are voicing their concerns about a Kamala Harris presidency

The position sparked free speech advocates to dub Harris as the 'Disinformation czar' warning that the Biden-Harris administration was trying to further restrict free speech on the internet.

The task force group quietly released a final report that recommended reforms that would make it easier to censor content online.

The report calls for tech platforms to expand 'trust and safety' teams to monitor online content, the same groups that censored content during the 2020 election.

The report also called on Congress to weaken Section 230 protections for tech platforms and included 'hate speech' in their definition of 'harassment,' to make it easier for the government to punish tech companies and remove content they did not approve of.

The decision by Brazil to ban X.com, the popular social media platform owned by tech multibillionaire Elon Musk raised concerns about the future of the platform in other countries including the United States.

Musk flagged his concerns about freedom of speech on X.com, after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison praised the decision by Brazil to ban use of the platform.

'The Democratic Party  same one that used to defend the First Amendment now wants to destroy the First Amendment,' he wrote.

SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk speaks with members of the media during the AI Safety Summit

Former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Musk, who has publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president, has faced anger from Democratic activists for promoting anti-Harris content they consider 'misinformation.'

But Musk raised questions about Harris trying to censor online speech.

'Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and the Democratic Party (Kamala is just a puppet) wants to destroy it,' Musk said.

Concerns of a future Harris administration are more than just about X.com, which has become a central platform for political content in 2024.

Users of the popular social media video platform TikTok are also concerned about what a potential Harris presidency would mean for the platform.

President Joe Biden signed a bill this year that could ban the platform from being used in the United States.

Harris has tried to reassure voters that a TikTok ban is not the purpose of the administration's legislation, but has raised 'national security concerns' surrounding the Chinese company ByteDance ownership of the platform.

Despite their national security concerns, Harris and Biden continue to use TikTok to promote their political campaign content to the platform's audience.

Earlier this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared a video of Kamala Harris speaking in 2019 with CNN's Jake Tapper about her mission to pressure Twitter to ban then-president Donald Trump from the platform.

'There has to be a responsibility that is placed on these social media sites to understand their power,' Harris said. 'They are directly speaking to millions and millions of people, without any level of oversight or regulation and that has to stop.'

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard warned of political retribution from the Harris adminstration

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a town hall with former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard,

In October 2019, Harris used her call to ban Trump from Twitter to spark new life into her presidential campaign, but it was dismissed by her fellow candidates.

When Harris demanded that fellow candidate Elizabeth Warren to join her demands, she waved Harris off.

'No,' Warren replied dismissively as Harris tried to pin her down on the issue during a Democratic debate.

The fight to protect speech also raises concerns about the government physically harassing people who speak out against the administration in power.

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voiced her concerns about Harris' propensity for censorship, reminding her followers she was put on a secret terror watch list after speaking out against Harris, which resulted in multiple enhanced security screenings as she and her husband traveled through airports.

'No one will be safe from political retaliation under a Harris administration,' she wrote on X.com.

Harris also worked on the issue of online harassment and sex trafficking during her time as attorney general of California.

In 2015, Harris famously called major tech CEOs to a special meeting on the issue of online 'cyber exploitation' and pointedly reminded them about the problem of 'harassment' that was taking place on their platforms.

'Im very well aware that I have a carrot and a stick,' Harris has said. 'I prefer to start with the carrot. But Im also prepared to use the stick.'
The baby-faced teen arrested Wednesday at a start-of-the-semester mass shooting at his Georgia high school that left four dead and nine wounded has been pictured for the first time.

The gunman, named by authorities as 14-year-old Colt Gray - who reportedly had an obsession with other infamous school shooters such as Parkland, Florida killer Nikolas Cruz - opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder short after 10:20 am, police say.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by school resource officers at the scene. He has since been charged with four felony counts of murder, and will be tried as an adult, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed.

Two students and two teachers were dead inside the school building - on its first day of classes after the summer break - by the time he laid down his AR-style weapon.

Students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and teachers Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, were named as the deceased.

When police searched the teen's Georgia home following the bloodbath, they reportedly found clues the teenager was 'obsessed' with mass shootings - specifically the Parkland massacre in 2018, which left 17 people dead.

Colt Gray (pictured) opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder shortly after 10.20am - killing two classmates and two teachers

Pictured: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz in court. Investigators said to have found clues he was 'obsessed' with the 2018 massacre, which left 17 people dead

Gray was known to the FBI after several tips came in about him last year.

In May 2023, officers from Jackson County questioned both Gray and his father about a Discord channel believed to be linked to the then-13-year-old which allegedly made threats about a school shooting.

The Discord account had a user name written in Russian, and the translation of the letters spelled out the name Lanza, referencing Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, officers said.

Gray denied he was the author of the threats, telling police he'd shut down his Discord after being repeatedly hacked. He expressed concerns that someone would make those accusations about him.

According to the NYT, Gray's father Colin told investigators at the time that his son 'knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them.'

Colin reportedly assured officers that he would be 'mad as hell' if he learned the allegations about his son making threats were true, and that 'all the guns [would] go away.'

Online, his aunt vowed 'full throttle blood' as she claimed he'd been subjected to 'abuse' his entire life. Those comments were deleted last night after a barrage of backlash.

Gray remains in juvenile custody in Georgia, awaiting his first court appearance, which is scheduled for Friday morning. He will be charged as an adult, sheriffs said.

A huge police presence descended on Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after officials said the student opened fire, injuring nine and killing four

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting. Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim

It is unclear how the 14-year-old got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, and authorities have not yet said what kind of firearm was used.

Sheriff Smith revealed that Wednesday was Gray's first 'real day' at Apalachee High.

He said: 'He was a brand new student to Barrow County Schools, he had enrolled about two weeks prior. This was his second day at school. He had been before, he left early, on that day and this was his first real full day.'

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around 30 minutes before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

One mother described the scenes outside the high school as 'chaos'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground'

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy.

A makeshift memorial has been created using a wreath and flowers. On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy.

President Joe Biden issued a statement condemning gun violence after the tragedy.

He said: 'What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.

'Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write.

'We cannot continue to accept this as normal.'

Biden called on Congress to say 'enough is enough' and pass new gun safety legislation, describing gun violence as an 'epidemic.'

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy

On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy
Angry Los Angeles residents said they vow to 'scream and fight' until convicted 'Pillowcase Rapist' Christopher Hubbart is pushed out of their community or back in prison.

Hubbart, who admitted to raping and sexually assaulting about 40 women in California, is scheduled to be released next month in the small unincorporated town of Juniper Hills - about an hour north of LA - after a judge granted him 'conditional release'.

A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge last year deemed Hubbart was suitable to be released under certain conditions and ordered the Department of State Hospitals to the search for housing.

Under the program, Hubbart will be released back to the area where he committed the crimes, which in this case would be in the Antelope Valley area.

Pillowcase Rapist' Christopher Hubbart could be released as soon as next month into the Antelope Valley area of Los Angeles County

Now shocked residents say they plan to drive the convicted rapist out of their neighborhood.

'There is no changing a person like that,' said resident Cheryl Holbrook.

'He needs to be put out in the middle of the desert and 100 miles or more away from anyone because he will rape again.

'The only thing that might stop him is complete isolation.'

Hubbart's long history of predatory behavior stems as far back as the early 1970s. As he raped and assaulted the women, he would use a pillow to cover their faces, according to prosecutors.

In 1972, he was sent to a state hospital after he was convicted of sexual assaults in the Pomona and San Gabriel valleys.

He was eventually released in 1979, but was arrested again for attacks in the Bay Area and sent to prison for eight years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Two months after his release, he was back in custody after he sexually assaulted a jogger from behind and pressed his hand over her mouth and grabbed her breasts, according to court records.

He was paroled in 1990, but was arrested again for another attack. He was then sentenced to prison until 1996.

Antelope Valley resident Cheryl Holbrook said she intends to protest the convicted rapist from taking residence in her community

Before he was to be released, Santa Clara prosecutors asked a judge to confine Hubbart to a state mental hospital under Californias new Sexually Violent Predator law.

The 1996 law allowed the state to confine violent sex offenders in state hospitals if they have a mental disorder that makes them likely to reoffend.

Hubbart was the first person held under the new law, according to the Los Angeles Times.

But in 2014, Hubbart was deemed eligible for release and was ordered to stay at a small desert home in Lake Los Angeles, just outside of Palmdale.

He was required to attend therapy sessions twice a week, wear an ankle monitor and was closely supervised by the Liberty Conditional Release Program.

In 2016, Hubbart was taken back into custody for failing to abide by his release conditions.

Now he is poised to be released back to the Antelope Valley area after a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge granted his conditional release on March 2023.

Officials with CA Department of State Hospitals and a management company called Liberty Healthcare were tasked to search for a home for the convicted rapist.

But residents in the Antelope Valley area said they are determined to keep Hubbart out of town permanently.

The Lake Los Angeles home where Hubbart resided during his last release in 2014

In 2014, Holbook and others started a group called Ladies of Lake LA and led the fight to contact local politicians about their plight. They attended hearings and even went as far as setting up camp on a property next to the rundown house where Hubbart lived.

For weeks, Holbrook said she and other neighbors used bullhorns to yell at Hubbart.

They posted signs demanding he leave the area, and even allegedly pressure the water company to stop delivering to the home.

The group is mobilizing their efforts again to stop Hubbart from taking up residence in Juniper Hills, which is about 18 miles south from his former home in Lake Los Angeles.

'The last time he lived here, we were committed to fight it,' Holbrook said. 'We plan to do it again.

'We are going to find out where he lives and going to be outside every night, yelling at him with bullhorns again to let him know that's he's not wanted here.'

A hearing has been scheduled for October 1 where a judge will decide exactly where Hubbart should live.

LA County DA George Gascon said he objected to Hubbart's conditional release

Investigators said he targeted women in their late 20s and 30s and sometimes looked for children's toys because mothers would likely cooperate with him more for the safety of their kids.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said he was against Hubbart's release.

'Continuing to release sexually violent predators into underserved communities like the Antelope Valley is both irresponsible and unjust,' Gascon said in a statement.

'Repeatedly placing these individuals in the same community shows a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of our residents.

'Our deputy district attorneys will persist in opposing Mr. Hubbarts placement in the Antelope Valley.

'We must demand more from our judicial system, ensuring decisions serve the best interests of our communities while exploring alternative locations for these placements.'

Antelope Valley residents planned to gather Wednesday night at the Juniper Hill community center to voice their concerns.

'We are going to continue to fight this because he doesn't belong in this community,' Holbook said.
A former firefighter who was forced to leave a desperate victim behind in Grenfell Tower has revealed he was riddled with guilt for years and suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ricky Nuttall tried to rescue a person trapped on the 15th floor of the building but was forced to turn back as he was running out of oxygen and temperatures were in excess of 550C.

Seventy-two people died as the horror blaze ripped through the Kensington tower block in June 2017 after many residents were told to stay in their flats.

Mr Nuttall told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday: 'We could feel our skin burning through our fire gear, we still hadn't secured a water supply, we had a tangled hose - and our emergency whistles were going off on our breathing apparatus, telling us that we were running out of air.

'We realised in that moment that there was no way that we could try and attempt to rescue [them] because we felt that if we tried in that scenario, there would have been three people in mortal danger rather than one.

Ricky Nutall, from London, had worked as a firefighter for 12 years when he attended the Grenfell Tower blaze (speaking on This Morning in 2019)

Composite photograph showing how fire swept through Grenfell Tower in west London in 2017

Photo of a sign on the hoarding around Grenfell Tower in west London

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'It's a really harsh scenario and one that I have wrestled with for years post-fire. The guilt of leaving another human being behind is very hard to come to terms with - especially when you find out that person did, in fact, die.'

Mr Nuttall's comments were made ahead of the publication of the final report of the inquiry into the tragedy that killed 72 people in June 2017.

The report concluded that the disaster was caused by 'serious deficiencies' in building standards, 'dishonest' manufacturers and a local authority with an 'indifference' to fire safety.

Significantly, the report found that the deaths that resulted were 'avoidable'.

Mr Nuttall had worked for the fire brigade for 12 years when he was woken up in the middle of the night and called to Grenfell Tower.

Unsure what to expect, he previously said that he was stunned when he heard a call over the radio for another twenty fire engines while en route.

He told This Morning back in 2019: 'It was like nothing I have experienced and hopefully will ever experience again. I think that was the same for every firefighter who attended.

'You turn up expecting to see a fire in a window or in two windows. You don't expect to see flames from the first floor to the twenty fourth floor.'

Mr Nuttall explained that every firefighter who entered the building understood that the work could be fatal for them.

He called it 'harrowing', saying: 'With any fire there's always a potential that something might go wrong. You're dealing with an unpredictable force.

'I think every firefighter that went in was concerned about whether they were coming out, to a certain extent.'

The covered remains of Grenfell Tower are seen behind a wall of condolences

Seventy-two of the the confirmed victims who died in the Grenfell Tower fire

A tribute to those that died in Grenfell Tower fire on the top of the building

As the firefighters desperate attempted to control the blaze, Mr Nuttall told how they tried to focus on their work.

He said: 'Your mind immediately turns to your training, your resources. If you've got 200 firefighters all trained to do the same thing, you're going to get the best possible outcome, you hope.'

The Grenfell Fire tragedy was caused by cladding panels that were put on the exterior face of the tower during a refurbishment several years previously.

They were Reynobond aluminium composite material (ACM) rainscreen panels with a highly flammable polyethylene (PE) core.

In his first report for the public inquiry, chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick concluded the cladding panels were the 'principle reason' why flames shot up the side of the 24-storey block.

He said the flammable core of the panels 'acted as a source of fuel' as the inferno raged out of control in a matter of minutes.

A woman walks past a wall of condolences surrounding the covered remains of Grenfell Tower

Pictured: The Grenfell Tower on fire in 2017 - a disaster which killed 72 people

The fire claimed the lives of 72 victims - the names of whom were read out at the conclusion of the inquiry on Wednesday.

These included an up-and-coming artist who pleaded for her friends to 'pray' for her as her apartment filled with smoke and a mother who filmed her final moments before she and her two children perished.

Some families tried to run, but never made it out, and one 12-year-old, who firefighters desperately tried to save, begged a 999 call handler 'Please can you hurry up?' before the phone went dead.
A Reno grandmother was shocked to find herself ensnared in a sting operation at Burning Man.

Susie Holland, 61, had offered to provide revelers a ride to the annual summer art event in Black Rock Desert, Nevada and was all set to bring a group of six Burners to the Playa for the festival last Monday.

Instead, she was accosted by agents with the Nevada Transportation Authority, the Reno Gazette Journal reports.

The agents then searched her Subaru, impounded the vehicle and told her she would likely have to pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines.

She wasn't the only one, with Reno resident Michael O'Brien telling KOLO-TV the same thing happened to him later that day. Holland claims that a total of 18 cars were towed that morning during the sting operation.

Susie Holland, 61, was shocked to find herself caught in a sting operation

Holland's story begins last year, when she rescued a friend and a few other Burners who were stuck in the muddy desert.

She said she enjoyed listening as the revelers recounted their experiences on the ride home, saying it gave her a chance to experience Burning Man without ever actually going.

'I've never been, probably will never go. It's not my kind of thing,' Holland said. 'But we were talking and [they] suggested I do it the following year, like just give rides.'

With that in mind, Holland posted an ad on Craigslist three weeks ago offering to provide rides to the Black Rock Desert.

One person responded to the ad via email, she said, and asked how much she was charging.

Holland said she did not know what the going rate was for rides to the festival, so she suggested $65 per person.

Her customer then offered her $500 including a tip, as long as Holland would come back to pick them up, and she agreed, KOLO reports.

Holland had offered to provide rides to Burning Man, the annual arts festival held in Black Rock Desert, Nevada

She said she checked with other Burners, who said she was allowed to drop off revelers outside the gates

'I figured when I picked them up, I would just let them know, it's a Burner mentality, "You don't have to give me $500. I am happy to take you out there today. Just pay for the gas, donate whatever,"' she said.

'It really wasn't about the money. It's about being able to do a little bit of the Burn without doing the Burn.'

But she did not hear back from her client for weeks, and began to get suspicious.

'You know how you get that thing in your stomach?' she asked the Gazette Journal. 'Something seemed a little off.'

She then started to do some research, and asked Burners heading off to the Playa last Sunday about providing rides to the event.

They assured her it was a normal thing that people do, saying drivers weren't allowed through the gates to Burning Man without a permit, but they could drop people off at the gate.

'I thought I was doing [my] due diligence,' the grandmother said. 'I even Googled it.

'The NTA never appeared in any of that research,' she insisted. 'I didn't know anybody that realized that they even existed.'

When she arrived to pick up the Burners who had hired her, she was startled to find undercover agents with the Nevada Transportation Authority

So she arrived at the back parking lot of the Grand Sierra Resorts at 6.30am on August 26, as she and her client had agreed upon.

But instead of meeting the carefree revelers, Holland was accosted by undercover agents with the Nevada Transportation Authority, who pulled up around her vehicle in black Fords.

'I couldn't figure out what was happening,' she recounted. 'I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm 61 years old, you know. I've never been in a situation like this.'

She said she initially tried to turn her car around, but was blocked by some of the unmarked vehicles.

Then when she tried to move forward, agents blasted the Fords' horns and three people she described as 'tall, bald-headed dudes with big badges on their chest' started searching her car.

'I was literally in shock,' Holland said. 'That seemed like they were catching a pedophile.

'This thing was so intense, and they were so aggressive.'

The agents impounded her Subaru and told her she was facing up to $30,000 in fines

Eventually, the agents told Holland she was facing up to $30,000 in fines for not having a certification to provide rides for a fee.

Her car was then impounded, and in order to get it out, she was scheduled for a council hearing the following day.

Holland said she then tried to contact John Routsis, a Burning Man lawyer, who vowed to help her.

But he said he would help once he got back from the annual festival - meaning she was left without legal representation at her hearing.

And because she needed her vehicle to get to work, she was willing to agree to anything that would get it back.

But hers was not the only vehicle impounded that day, with Michael O'Brien saying he was caught up in the same scheme.

'If there is no food in the house, I go get money - and that's how I ended up falling for this scam,' he told KOLO. 'I thought I was going to get some money so I can have food in the house for my daughter, basically.'

O'Brien also arrived at the back parking lot of the Grand Sierra Resorts at around 9.45am and was similarly confronted by the undercover agents.

Then, when Holland went to pick up her car at City Auto Towing the next morning, she said the woman at the counter told her that 18 cars had been towed that morning from the sting.

'No one knew it was illegal to give rides to Burning Man,' she said, as some would advertise rides to the festival in a Facebook group.

Some people advertised rides to the festival in a Facebook group

The NTA would not disclose to the Gazette Journal how many people were hit in the sting operation, how long it was conducted or when it started.

But Teri Williams, a spokesperson for the the agency, said it is illegal for paid transportation drivers to operate without proper licensing or insurance.

'As a law enforcement agency, the NTA's mission is to protect the traveling public, which requires that the agency regulate certified and permitted providers, as well as take proactive measures to identify and deter unlicensed activity.

'Ultimately, people that engage in commerce of any kind must be knowledgeable about what is required to operate legally... the onus falls on the individual to be informed and in compliance,' Williams said.

The spokesperson added that under law, the agency is not allowed to just provide drivers with a warning.

Instead, agents are required to cite an individual and impound their car for noncompliance, even if it is just their first offense.

The individual would then bring their case to a hearing officer, who would decide what the punishment should be, based on factors like first time offenses and other hardships.

'The NTA takes its public safety mission seriously,' Williams said.

'The potential harm to either the driver or the passenger could be life-altering.'

Holland was just required to pay $1,000 in cash to the NTA to release her vehicle, as the hearing officer agreed to suspend many of the fees since it was just her first offense

In the end, Holland was just required to pay $1,000 in cash to the NTA to release her vehicle, as the hearing officer agreed to suspend many of the fees since it was just her first offense.

She also paid $500 to get her Subaru out of the impound lot, and she is now hoping that her story could serve as a warning to others.

'This is [the NTA's] hunting season,' she told the Gazette Journal. 'They're not going to let us know that this is illegal. It doesn't behoove them in any way.'

Holland went on to admit she needs 'to be accountable for not knowing,' as she continues to fight back against the scheme.

She started an online fundraiser to help her with her legal fees and raise money to see if a lawyer could help her with her case.

As of Wednesday evening, it had garnered more than $2,000.

'Clearly, I'm just a grandma giving rides to the Burn,' Holland told the Gazette Journal.

'But they knew what they're doing,' she said of the agents with the NTA. 'We just weren't [aware]. No one was aware of it.'
Police officers in Victoria will alert motorists to the location of speed cameras as part of industrial action pushing for a pay rise.

Police and protective service officers began taking the measure from 7am on Thursday to reduce the revenue flow that comes from traffic fines, along with writing union slogans on police vehicles, and parking outside government offices.

The pay dispute between the Police Association of Victoria and Victoria Police has been rumbling on since late last year without resolution.

In May, an in-principle agreement was reached that would give officers a nine-day working fortnight and a 16 per cent pay rise over four years.

However, the deal was rejected by members and parties returned to the negotiating table.

Victoria Police has since rejected union claims and torn up the previous proposed agreement, sending negotiations back to square one, the police union said on Thursday.

'Our members don't want to be having to take industrial action, but since having served a revised lot of claims on Victoria Police, they've been unable to engage in any meaningful negotiations,' secretary Wayne Gatt said.

Among the claims, police want a 24 per cent pay rise over four years and for time spent at the start and end of shifts putting on and taking off their equipment to be considered part of their shift rather than being an unpaid addition to it.

Members of the Victoria Police stand outside the MCG, during the AFL Grand Final match between the Hawthorn Hawks and Sydney Swans at the MCG in Melbourne, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. (AAP Image/Joe Castro) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Police officers will warn drivers of upcoming speed cameras (pictured) so they avoid being fined is among the number of measures being taken by union members

Mr Gatt said executive command had 'completely lost control of crime in Victoria' due to a lack of investment in staffing.

'It's not enough to let executive leadership in these agencies just run rogue and allow their workforces to become completely depleted to a point where in policing, we can't even do our core job,' he said.

'Get in there, get your sleeves rolled up and sort this out.'

Alerting Victorians to speed cameras so they do not get fined is only part of the union's first phase of industrial action.

Among the slogans police are prepared to pain their vehicles with include: 'Don't BAIL on police  pay us what we're worth' and 'fighting crime doesn't pay'.

Union members will cast their ballot in the coming days on whether to escalate the issue to phase two.

That phase could include members refusing to issue penalty notices, except for the most serious driving offences.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the public that they 'ensure frontline policing services and community safety are maintained'.

'We remain committed to good faith negotiations with the Police Association Victoria and independent bargaining representatives to secure an agreement that recognises the challenges of policing and is fair for police, protective services officers and the Victorian community.'

The industrial action means the state government remain at odds with its three emergency services over pay increases.

Paramedics have taken to escalating action since March, which is now affecting communications, clinical support, triage services, rostering and air operations.

The government is also struggling to agree to terms with firefighters requesting a 25 per cent increase over three years and $117m in bonuses.
Jewish organisations last night slammed an NHS Trust after an email urged its staff to boycott antisemitism awareness training.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust provoked outrage after it published a statement in its weekly newsletter warning staff 'not to attend' an 'inappropriate' session led by the Antisemitism Policy Trust (APT).

The APT training aims to educate people about the 'modern manifestations' of antisemitism, which includes discussion on how it presents itself in dialogue around Israel and Palestine.

An email  sent by an employee from the Trust's diversity team  followed a handful of complaints about the APT made via the Black Minority Ethnic network.

Claire Murdoch, chief executive of the Trust, interrupted her holiday to personally telephone the head of the APT and apologise for the egregious 'error'.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust provoked outrage after it published a statement in its weekly newsletter warning staff 'not to attend' an 'inappropriate' session led by the Antisemitism Policy Trust (file pic)

In an email seen by the Daily Mail, she told staff that the statement about the training had been made in 'error' after it had not 'gone through our usual sign-off process'.

She added: 'I have asked that colleagues look into how such a message was communicated in error and we will get to the bottom of it.

'There have been a small number of concerns raised by some individuals via the BAME network with the Trust about the antisemitism training.

'This will be properly investigated - which is the right and proper thing to do - and will be shared both with the APT and NHS England.

'I have personally telephoned the chief executive of APT this morning to apologise for what I can only describe as poor process and error on our part.'

The initial notice about the planned training was added to the Trust's weekly newsletter by the employee.

It stated: 'We have become aware of concerns regarding the antisemitism training that was recently advertised.

'We have determined that this training and its content may be inappropriate.

'For this reason we advise all staff members not to attend.'

It is unclear if the person responsible for adding the statement to the newsletter will face any disciplinary action or will be required to attend the antisemitism training themselves.

Complaints were raised over the APT training, which aims to educate people about the 'modern manifestations' of antisemitism - including discussion on how it presents itself in dialogue around Israel and Palestine

Campaign Against Antisemitism said 'clearly there are people within the medical industry who are uncomfortable with learning  or other people learning  about certain contemporary manifestations of anti-Jewish racism.' Pictured: Tens of thousands gathered to march against antisemitism in London last November

An APT spokesman said: 'We are pleased that the Trust has now endorsed our training and encouraged its members to attend, and we were grateful for the apology we received.

'As anti-Jewish racism continues to rise, it is vital that people have the tools to identify and challenge it.'

The APT has already run the 90-minute training session for NHS England twice before.

During the training  which is scheduled to take place today  they aim to educate people about the 'modern manifestations' of antisemitism, which includes discussion about how it presents itself in discussions around Israel and Palestine.

A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism added: 'There is a growing and scandalous trend of scepticism and even pushback within NHS trusts in London against antisemitism training by reputable providers.

'Clearly there are people within the medical industry who are uncomfortable with learning  or other people learning  about certain contemporary manifestations of anti-Jewish racism.

'That is a frightening prospect for Jewish patients and staff.'

A sticker of a Palestine flag with the slogan 'Jews are the scum of the earth' is displayed in London in October last year

A poster of Kfir Bibas, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, is daubed with swastikas

A spokesman for Central and North West London NHS Trust said: 'We will be working with our BAME network and colleagues to ensure that our training and awareness offers on Antisemitism, Islamophobia and all kinds of racial, cultural and religious intolerance, is of a high quality across the organisation to help maintain the highest possible quality of patient care in our communities.'

NHS England has been approached for comment.
The Commons relishes distant disasters. Seven years  seven damn years!  after the Grenfell fire, a 1,694-page inquiry report was finally published.

The Prime Minister, darkly suited and tied, made a sombre statement. The Leader of the Opposition replied in similar fashion. Backbenchers pinned sepulchral expressions to their faces. Dress code: black crepe, artful frowns, murmured mutual statesmanship.

Over the parliamentary battlefield there hung, like September-dawn mist, an air of studied piety. 'Look at us,' it seemed to say. 'We care. We are good people. We are the governing class.'

That very class had just been blamed, along with some of the gorier elements of capitalism, for the avoidable deaths of 72 people.

Frontbenchers and lesser pondlife congratulated each other on 'the tone' of their remarks. By convention one should join this circle of admiration and say it was 'the Commons at its best'. Count me out.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London

A view of the memorial wall at the Grenfell Tower in which 72 people were killed in a fire in 2017

Parliament is at its best when it fizzes with audible anger, when our representatives betray raw emotion. That was certainly evident back in 2017 when the fire had just happened. In those first days after Grenfell, there was a whiff of fear at Westminster. You could sense our rulers' unease that the people were revolting.

Seven years on, the peril had passed. Don't ring the emergency services. Ring for the pen-pushers and lawyers, the expert witnesses and the whole modern inquiry sector with its modules and hefty per diems. It'll cost a few bob but they'll manage the danger. They'll wrap everything in enough sub-clauses to prevent anyone in club-class being savaged.

Sir Keir Starmer called it 'a long-awaited day of truth which must now lead to a day of justice'. Don't hold your breath. No prosecution is said to be likely for another two years.

There had been, continued the PM in his bloodless voice, 'decades of failure by central government'. These went back at least to 1991. Local government, the fire brigade, cladding firms and contracted inspectors had all been found wanting by the report. Of these, the only ones Sir Keir seemed half-disposed to biff were the private firms.

Even then the lawyer in him served as a brake.

'Two weeks ago I made a private visit to Grenfell Tower,' disclosed Sir Keir. Is it still 'private' if you go and boast about it in a Commons statement?

He vowed that securing justice for the Grenfell families would be 'one of the defining changes' of his premiership. Maybe it will be, or maybe it will eventually become little more than a biographer's footnote, for there was no flourish, no dramatic pause, no tilt of determined head as he made this promise. It was just a smear of words, delivered by a robot set to 'sacerdotal' mode.

Efford, McDonnell and Corbyn (pictured) aside, that anger was little heard in our parliament

Rishi Sunak had his turn. He was seamlessly honeyed, voicing an apology for past governments that cost him nothing

Beside Sir Keir sat his housing minister, Rushanara Ali, a junior figure who took a few timid notes. David Lammy's bulk loomed over her on the other side. Rishi Sunak had his turn. He was seamlessly honeyed, voicing an apology for past governments that cost him nothing. In due course, we also had Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader. He strained for tragic grandeur. I cannot remember a word he said.

The only ones to crack through this toffee-apple glaze of formulaic grief were Clive Efford (Lab, Eltham & Chislehurst), who suggested that as with Hillsborough, Horizon, the contaminated blood and other scandals, 'the state became the enemy of working-class people'. John McDonnell (Lab, Hayes & Harlington) spoke of 'social murder'. Jeremy Corbyn (Ind, North Islington) reported 'the deep anger' among Grenfell families.

Efford, McDonnell and Corbyn aside, that anger was little heard in our parliament.

No one railed against the grotesque cost of the inquiry. Regrets about how long it took were voiced with no more force than rail commuters grumbling about a delay on their ride home.

The ministerial and mandarin class was up to its oxters in this terrible affair.

Fear not. Our purple-posturing parliament would muffle any awkwardness for the Blob.
Officials identified two students and two teachers who tragically lost their lives in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday morning.

Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall were named by authorities at a Wednesday night press conference.

Schermerhorn's family said he was an autistic student at the school, with a loved one saying after his passing it is 'sad we can't even send our babies to school and them be safe.'

Another loved one said: 'Beautiful Mason we are so sorry! (America) failed you... Hug your children!'

'I'm TIRED of texting I Love You's to my kids at school when this repeatedly happens,' they said. 'I'm tired of everyone's 'thoughts and prayers' with NO ACTION.'

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting

Teacher Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim

Student Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

Gray, 14, injured at least nine others in the horror shooting in Winder, Georgia. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground.'

Special education teacher David Phenix was the first to be pictured. Phenix was shot in the hip and foot, but survived the tragedy.

Officials have not yet offered any identification on the other three individuals that were shot dead, and said there is no early indication that they were targeted specifically, although the investigation is ongoing.

It is unclear how the 14-year-old gunman got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, and authorities have not yet said what kind of firearm was used.

Following his arrest, Gray will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A huge police presence descended on Apaleechee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after at least 13 people were shot, four fatally

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree

One mother described the scenes outside the high school as 'chaos'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Many students filmed the aftermath, with one shaken grandfather revealing his granddaughters 'were led out past blood and victims' after the shooting.

'They heard the shots, had SWAT come in guns drawn in their room looking for shooters,' James Shappard said. 'No kid should have to go through that.'

Heartbreaking messages between a student at Apalachee High School and his mom have revealed the moment kids learned there was an active shooter

The first victim of the shooting, special education teacher David Phenix, has been pictured. Phenix was shot in the hip and foot, but survived the tragedy

Sergio Caldera, 17, said he was in his senior chemistry class when he heard gunshots, and told ABC: 'My teacher goes and opens the door to see what's going on.

'Another teacher comes running in and tells her to close the door because there's an active shooter.'

Caldera said that his class heard chilling screams from outside as they 'huddled up.'

Another 15-year-old child told Atlanta News First that his teacher immediately locked the door, and his classmates ducked down into a lockdown position when the gunfire broke out on Wednesday morning.

He said that he was concerned about his friends and classmates - since the gunshots sounded close to where he was hunkered down.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground'

Terrified students said they heard screams from the hallway

Melanie, who is a student at Apalachee High School, revealed that a 'code red' announcement, along with a red flashing light, started going off in her classroom.

During drills, the light has never illuminated - which made her realize that the ordeal was real and serious, she told local reporters.

Her classmates immediately ducked into the corner of the room on the instruction of their teacher, who turned off the classroom light.

Melanie said that many of her friends did not have cell service, but she did - so she texted her own family before letting her other classmates message their parents off of her phone.

And 14-year-old Camille Nelms told WXIA the gunman entered her classroom.

'I was crying. I didn't want to die that way,' she said.
An allegedly 'boozed-up' passenger caused disruption on on an easyJet flight, causing the aircraft to be diverted due to his behaviour.

A group of holidaymakers jetting from Gatwick to Kos didn't get off to the most scenic start to their vacation, as one customer became unruly on the plane, according to easyJet.

The passenger reportedly broke the inflight intercom and fought with cabin crew members 30,000ft mid-air, The Sun reports.

The EZY8235 flight was then diverted from Kos to Munich, where authorities and emergency services were waiting for the flight on Tuesday afternoon.

In a clip, which emerged on TikTok, a brave passenger reportedly helped staff restrain the passenger until they landed and police arrived.

Do you know the passenger? Email: jon.brady@mailonline.co.uk

A drunk passenger became disruptive on the easyJet flight to Kos, Greece last Tuesday(Pictured: Passengers and crew members escorting the individual from plane)

Passengers were left furious after the boozy passenger caused their flight to be diverted to Munich (Pictured: An angered passenger who told the unruly flyer to 'get off')

The other inconvenienced travellers were put up in hotels and were given meals by the aviation company.

In the clip, which has over half-a-million views, passengers clapped as authorities and brave staff hurled him away.

One frustrated flyer can be seen shouting at the drunken passenger: 'Get off you loser.'

The plane later let out a roaring round of applause for one traveller, who according to the video, had bravely helped staff restrain the boozy flyer until the plane landed.

Reliving the incident, a source told The Sun: 'The cabin crew were great and very brave but the whole drama was very upsetting.'

According to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority, acts of drunkenness on an aircraft can result in fines of up to 5,000 and a two-year prison sentence.

An easyJet spokesperson said: 'Flight EZY8235 on 3 September from London Gatwick to Kos diverted to Munich and was met by police due to a passenger behaving disruptively onboard.

'Safety is easyJet's highest priority and our cabin crew are trained to assess and act quickly and appropriately in all situations to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. While such incidents are rare, we take them very seriously and do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour onboard.

'The flight was delayed overnight while we arranged a replacement crew and provided customers with hotel accommodation and meals along with updates on the flight's departure this afternoon. While this was outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused.'

It comes shortly after police escorted a drunk passenger off a flight to Dalaman after having to do a U-turn on the runway at Manchester Airport.

Passengers on the flight on June 22 watched on as Jet2 staff had to abandon take off and return to the gate where police removed the allegedly drunk man from the plane.

Video footage posted on social media shows three police officers inside the cabin.

The passenger, who sported black sunglasses and a neck pillow, was originally sat down and stood up as the policeman asked him: 'Have you got any cabin bags?'

Police apprehended the individual and escorted him away handcuffed, while the other inconvenienced travellers were put up in hotels (Pictured: The plane cheering a traveller who helped apprehend the passenger on the EZY8235 flight)

Reliving the incident, a source told The Sun : 'The cabin crew were great and very brave but the whole drama was very upsetting (Pictured: Cheering passengers on the EZY8235 flight)

A flight attendant responded: 'Yes, I'll get them out for you in a second.'

The officer looked at the man about to be ejected from the flight and said: 'We might be needing them.'

As the police and flight attendant headed to get the man's cabin baggage, he turned to face the disgruntled passengers and appeared to hold up his hands.

The man said: 'Sorry, everyone, sorry.'

However, his apology was not welcomed by everyone and one person can be heard saying, 'You're not sorry at all mate.'

The man quickly replied: 'I am sorry, I am.'

A woman who appeared to be with the holidaymaker stood up and turned to accompany him off the flight, which was then supposedly delayed by 24 hours according to social media.
A junior at Apalachee High School who was sat next to shooting suspect Colt Gray revealed the alleged gunman's chilling behavior moments before he opened fire - and how she and her classmates narrowly avoided death.

Lyela Sayarath said she was sat next to the 14-year-old in algebra class on Wednesday morning, and had no indication of the horror that would unfold as she described him as a 'quiet' teen.

'He never really talked, he wasn't (in school) most times, he would just skip class,' she told CNN. 'Even when he would have talked, it was one word answers.'

Sayarath said she 'wasn't surprised' when Gray was identified as the shooter, and said that 'when you think of shooters and the way they act, it's usually the quiet kid and he was the one that fit that description.'

She said on the morning of the shooting, Grey excused himself from the room minutes before shots rang out, but when he left she assumed he was merely skipping class again.

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, said she was sat next to shooter Colt Gray, 14, in algebra class just moments before he opened fire

At least 13 people were shot in the chaos, including two students and two teachers killed

Sayarath said Gray left the classroom at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded, and thought he was skipping class as he didn't take a bathroom pass from their teacher.

But while he was gone, a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails, before Sayarath said Gray re-appeared at their classroom door.

Still not realizing the danger, Sayarath said a student went to open the door for Gray before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

She said he proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayarath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

Concerned parents gathered at the school on Wednesday

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

It comes as 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn became the first of the four victims in the school shooting to be identified.

The victim's family told Channel 12 News that Schermerhorn, an autistic student, was shot dead in the tragedy on Wednesday morning.

Gray, 14, injured at least nine others in the horror shooting in Winder, Georgia. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground.'

Officials have not yet offered any identification on the other three individuals that were shot dead, and said there is no early indication that they were targeted specifically, although the investigation is ongoing.

It is unclear how the 14-year-old gunman got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, and authorities have not yet said what kind of firearm was used.

Following his arrest, Gray will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'
A Sydney man has recorded the shocking moment a junior police officer gave him the middle finger and told him to 'get f***ed'.

The junior male officer, his female colleague, and a supervising officer had been attempting to serve the man with a notice.

However, the situation escalated when the man refused to provide his identification.

'We've already given you our names and where we're from,' the officer said.

'Now it's your duty to tell us your name and where you're from.'

The man replied: 'It's my duty? I'm not a police officer.'

The supervising sergeant intervened, explaining that the officers couldn't serve the documents if the man refused to identify himself.

However, the junior male officer wasn't as willing to let it go.

'That's quite rude sir,' the junior police officer told the man as his colleagues turned to leave.

The police officer gave the man the middle finger (pictured) during the tense argument

The officer (pictured) said it was 'rude' of the homeowner not to identify himself to police

'Hey, f*** you. You showed me the finger. F*** you,' the police officer said.

The furious cop retaliated by giving the man the middle finger.

'Good lad, that's professional,' the man responded before telling the officer he was being recorded by at least three cameras on his property.

He then asked for the name of his supervising officer before the clip came to an abrupt end.

Aussies were quick to share their thoughts on the interaction.

'Oh, my goodness. What is the world coming to? At least the senior policeman had some brains,' one woman wrote on X.

'I truly hope that this unprofessional policeman was just a one off,' a second said.

A third wrote: 'Oh dear, Mr. Attitude! He can't even follow a direction from a superior officer... He is going to do well in the force.'

A NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Police are aware of the incident which occurred in 2021. No complaint has been received.'

Daily Mail Australia understands the officer is no longer with the police force.
Plans for a British Isa have reportedly been scrapped by the Government even thought it insisted it would not do so only months ago.

Investors were set to receive 5,000, on top of their existing 20,000 tax-free allowance, to invest in London-listed stocks and boost UK businesses.

But now the Government is said to be planning to drop the account in a U-turn, over fears it could 'complicate' the market.

The plans were drawn up by the previous Conservative government during the spring Budget earlier this year

Labour said on the campaign trail that it had no plans to scrap the British Isa

The plans were drawn up by the previous Conservative government during the spring Budget earlier this year.

Labour said on the campaign trail that it had no plans to scrap the British Isa. But a Government source yesterday told the Financial Times: 'We are not planning to complicate the Isa landscape even further.'

Investment leaders had warned the plans would confuse the already complex Isa system, and could discourage investors from utilising tax wrappers.

Shaun Moore, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, said: 'Labour's reported scrapping of plans to create a British Isa is a sensible move... If the British Isa did see the light of day, it would have further muddied the water.

'The British Isa was rife with issues and the proposals ran the risk of consumer confusion or poor outcomes.

'For example, limiting the ability to transfer out of a British Isa to a different Isa may not be fully understood at the time of opening. Furthermore, the investment universe of a British Isa would be naturally limited.'

Meanwhile, Michael Summersgill, chief executive of investment platform AJ Bell, said: 'The UK Isa was a political gimmick.

'The new Government will hopefully take a more sensible approach to Isa reform, focused on simplification for the benefit of consumers.'

Ahead of the General Election, Labour promised that it had no plans to drop the British Isa.

Many City figures, on the other hand argue that more needs to be done to drive investment into UK companies.

Summersgill said changing the allowance to 25,000 would boost investment. Currently, savers can only invest up to 20,000 a year into Isa accounts.

Dan Moczulski, UK managing director of Etoro, said: 'I think there is unanimous consensus that more needs to be done to stimulate investment in the UK, reinvigorate our capital markets and get more people investing as well as just saving.

'The UK is a leader in financial services, yet when it comes to the number of households invested in capital markets, we are miles behind the US.'

A Treasury spokesman said: 'No decisions have been made. The Government will provide further information in due course.'
Four victims, who died on board tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht, are feared to have suffocated to death in air bubbles that filled with carbon dioxide, according to their autopsies.

Seven people were killed when the Bayesian, a 30 million superyacht owned by the Darktrace founder, sank last month in just 16 minutes after it was hit by a violent downburst.

Autopsies carried out on victims at Palermo's Policlinico hospital so far revealed they had no water in their lungs, raising the frightening possibility that they may have been conscious as the yacht sank, according to Italian news outlet La Republica.

Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, his wife Judy, as well as New York lawyer Chris Morvillo and his partner Neda had no signs of injuries, the Italian media suggests.

Among those who died when the vessel sank off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily at Porticello near Palermo on August 19 were Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, who was due to start at Oxford University later this month.

Autopsies carried out on Morgan Stanley boss Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy reveal they 'suffocated' in an air bubble and didn't drown, reports claim

An Italian news outlet has claimed the couple's lungs were 'not full of water and neither were their stomachs or trachea'

The first autopsies were carried out on lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda (both pictured) were also found to have no water in their lungs in post-mortems conducted earlier this week

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah also both died in the Bayesian tragedy when the superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica claimed the lungs of banker, Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife Judy were 'not full of water and neither were their stomachs or trachea'.

Who are the nine surviving crew members

Captain James Cutfield, 51, a New Zealander Sasha Murray, 29, from Ireland Kyaw Htun Myin, 31 from Myanmar Matthew Griffith, 22, from France Leo Eppel, from South Africa Onboard hostess Leah Randall, 20 from South Africa Hostess Katja Chicken, 23, from Germany Tus Koopmans, from the Netherlands Eaton Parker, believed to be from the UK Advertisement

They went on to suggest that the couple had 'suffocated' after oxygen ran out in an air bubble below deck that had formed after the yacht sank.

It added that the bubble would have lasted barely any time at all as it would have been 'small and quickly filled with rising levels of toxic carbon dioxide'.

Among others who lost their live in the tragedy were lawyer Chris Morvillo and his partner Neda, with were also found to have no water in their lungs in post-mortem examinations carried out earlier in the week.

All the victims in the disaster were passengers except for the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas.

His body, which was found in the sea close to where the Bayesian sank, was the first to be recovered.

The other victims  apart from Hannah who was found in her cabin  were in another room.

Italian media has also gone on to claim that it was Hannah's mother and Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who had gone below deck to wake them and inform them the vessel was about to go down.

Mrs Bacares, survived along with 14 others after the 30 million vessel sank off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily at Porticello near Palermo on August 19.

Ms Barcares is also listed as the owner of the 56m yacht, which is registered with an Isle of Man company called Revton.

She is said to have been woken by the fierce storm and gone onto the bridge where she found several crew members.

Ms Bacares, who was barefoot, then went back below deck to warn the others but cut her feet on glass that had fallen onto the floor.

Hannah (pictured), 18, was due to start at Oxford before tragedy struck the Bayesian superyacht

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person to be recovered after the yacht sunk

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

Fifteen people survived the sinking and autopsies on Mr Lynch, Hannah and Mr Thomas are expected to be carried out on Friday.

Three members of the crew including New Zealand skipper James Cutfield, 51, British chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton, 59, and conational Matthew Griffiths, 22, are being investigated for causing a disaster and manslaughter.

However, this does not necessarily mean that charges will follow, and it will be up to an investigating magistrate to decide if a full trial will take place and that will be after the probe is closed.

New Zealander Mr Cutfield, 51, who is among three currently being probed regarding last month's tragedy, was seen for the first time today since he jetted from Sicily, where the boat sank, to his home in Majorca by private jet last week.

Both Mr Cutfield and Mr Parker Eaton live on the same road in a sleepy Majorcan village, half an hour from the capital Palma, in villas each with a swimming pool.

Mr Cutfield, who injured his leg in the sinking still had a white bandage on his leg, as he was seen leaving his house in a black Mercedes.

Mr Parker Eaton, who is originally from Clophill, Bedfordshire, purchased his property in 2013 while Mr Cutfield bought his five years later.

There were signs of life at Mr Parker Eaton's home, where he lives with his partner, but there was no answer at the door while Mr Cutfield also did not respond to attempts to contact him.

The 30 million vessel sank off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily at Porticello near Palermo on August 19

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Pictured: Hannah with her father Mike Lynch who both died on the yacht

Hannah's mother Angela Barcares is listed as the owner of the 56m yacht, which is registered with an Isle of Man company called Revton

The men flew out of Sicily last week on a private jet and Mr Cutfield was reported to have refused to answer questions as per his rights - although he was quoted as telling coastguards they 'didn't see' the storm coming.

Mr Cutfield had been a captain on luxury yachts for eight years and had previously been working on them and involved in building them for the past 30 years in various locations around the Mediterranean.

He said before he worked for the British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, he had worked for a Turkish billionaire.

His brother Mark, who lives in New Zealand, said he was a 'top sailor' in his youth and raced 470s competitively in his youth and he has married wife Cristina in Majorca last year.

This comes shortly after Matthew Griffiths, who was on board the Bayesian when it was struck by tragedy in the early hours of August 19, told authorities that crew members did everything they could to save passengers, according to Italian news outlet, Ansa

'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.

'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, whilst describing the events of that occurred that fateful night.

'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.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander, was in charge of the Bayesian when it sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm

This is the first picture of skipper James Cutfield back home since he was placed under investigation following the sinking of super yacht Bayesian that left seven people dead

Chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton, 56, has previously insisted all 'doors and hatches were closed' on the doomed Bayesian ahead of a violent storm - he his also being probed

Matthew Griffiths was one of 22 people on board the Bayesian when it was devastated by a freak waterspout. The skipper is also being investigated by authorities

In total there were 15 survivors in the wreckage of the Bayesian yacht, which sunk on the Porticello coast.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano previously said that the yacht 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.

They are currently investigating whether human error may have caused the disaster with claims that 'portholes and hatches' were left open which led to the ship being engulfed by water and sinking in 16 minutes.

Mr Parker Eaton, 56, has told prosecutors he followed procedures and made sure all was watertight as the storm engulfed the yacht.

According to excerpts from Mr Parker Eaton's statement, leaked to the Italian media, he insisted all doors and openings on the yacht were shut.

He said: 'I activated the generators and the hydraulic pump for the rudder.'

When asked crucially if all portholes and hatches, including where the yacht's tender was kept, were closed he replied: 'Everything was shut.

The British-flagged Bayesian superyacht (pictured) was registered at an Isle of Man company called Revton

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

The Italian National Fire Brigade's cave divers resuming their dives into the sea in the search of the last missing person from the Bayesian shipwreck on August 23

One of the cave divers resuming inspections on the coast of Porticello on August 23 (Pictured)

A helicopter from the Italian Fire Brigade trying to find the final missing person on August 23

'The only thing open was the hatch to the engine room which from my point of view would not have caused the disaster because it was at the other end from where the yacht went down.'

Lynch, 59, had invited friends and family onto the boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a huge US fraud case when the tragedy occurred earlier this month.

The 56-metre (185-foot) yacht was struck by a storm when it was anchored off Porticello, near Palermo, and sank within minutes.

The bodies of Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and friends were recovered over the subsequent days in a major search operation.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, has said his team will consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht's manufacturer.
King Charles  packing his travelling yeoman for next month's Commonwealth Summit in Samoa for his first face to face meeting with leaders since the publication of Harry's Spare  will also be bracing himself for the fallout from another book, the Dutch version of Sussex mouthpiece Omid Scobie's tome.

Anything that destabilises the Royal Family is seized on by those who want to break the bloc's link with the King.

Scobie's tittle-tattle named, without any cited evidence, the King and Kate as the offenders accused of racism by Meghan in her 2021 Oprah interview.

He blamed a translating 'error'. But Scooby Doo's claim will still cause HM much unneeded stress.

File. Anything that destabilises the Royal Family is seized on by those who want to break the bloc's link with the King

Scobie's tittle-tattle named the King and Kate as the offenders accused of racism

Prince Harry mourns the passing of former Commonwealth secretary general Sir Sonny Ramphal.

When Harry finished military service in 2015 and hankered after a 'real job', Ramphal encouraged him to take up a roving Commonwealth brief.

Harry's huge popularity in former colonies would have had him touring extensively, thought essential at a time when the Queen was cutting back on the airmiles.

The idea was to have been discussed at that year's CHOGM in Malta. But to Ramphal's disappointment, Harry told him at the 11th hour he wasn't interested.

Auctioning off personal artefacts with Sotheby's  including designer clothes, handwritten lyrics and paintings  Marianne Faithfull announces: 'I find they belong to a life I'm no longer living... my life is so much simpler now.'

Relocated to London theatrical retirement home Denville Hall, Sir Mick Jagger's ex girlfriend has admitted to being on her uppers.

'Keith [Richards] has helped me so much. And Bono.' No mention of Mick!

Auctioning off personal artefacts with Sotheby's Marianne Faithfull (left in 1967) announces: 'I find they belong to a life I'm no longer living... my life is so much simpler now.'

Discussing how he portrayed Prince Andrew in upcoming Amazon series A Very Royal Scandal, focusing on the car-crash Newsnight interview, actor Michael Sheen reflects: 'My way in for the character was seeing footage of him coming back from the Falklands, on the dockside in uniform.

'There are thousands of screaming women and he's got a rose in his teeth.

'He's at his absolute peak, he's really good looking... seeing that and thinking, "What's it like? To go from that to where he is now?"'

Comedian Marcus Brigstocke recalls his friend Barry Humphries meeting an elderly German Nazi after reading his memoirs.

A couple of weeks later this old guy dies and Barry, having exquisite manners, phoned his widow. She said, It meant so much that you came for lunch. After youd left he said, Barry is really something quite special. The Fuhrer would have loved him!

Marcus Brigstocke pictured in Love Actually

Harry and Meghan's tour of Colombia last month cost its government a bargain 44,537.

Compare this to the King's expenditure on the royal train.

According to the latest accounts, Charles' only trip last year, a return from Windsor to North Yorkshire, cost 52,013. Couldn't he have got a discount with his OAP Railcard?
Police are keen to speak to two men who may hold key information into the murder of a dogwalker in a rural village after tracking her last movements.

Anita Rose, 57, was found by a member of the public lying unconscious with a serious head injury on July 24 in Brantham, Suffolk.

She died four days later at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and as part of their murder probe, Suffolk Police, which launched a murder investigation in connection with her death, said yesterday they want to speak to two men.

Detective Superintendent Mike Brown said: 'Following our CCTV searches, house to house and witness enquiries, we have been able to narrow down who we would like to speak to in connection with Anita's murder.

'It must be understood that we believe they may be able to assist us in our enquiries and are not suspects in this case.

'It's important we identify and locate these two individuals to get a better understanding of how they can assist the investigation.

Anita Rose, 57, died four days after she was found unconscious and with serious head injuries on a track in Brantham on July 5

CCTV images issued by Suffolk Police of Ms Rose before she was found in Brantham

.

'Any information they have, big or small, could assist in establishing the full circumstances surrounding Anita's injuries and subsequent death and so we ask these individuals or anyone who may know them to get in contact with us.'

It comes after the force released 'replicated images' of the missing pink zip-up waterproof Regatta jacket Ms Rose was wearing when she was allegedly attacked.

They also issued a picture of her black wallet-style phone case which has a gold crown and studs on.

Officers recovered her actual Apple iPhone but are still looking for the case.

They believe the missing items 'could hold key information'.

The pink jacket is no longer produced and is a Calderdale II in Duchess Dark Cerise from Regatta's autumn/winter 2017 range, the force said.

Detective Superintendent Mike Brown said: 'This update has come from continued work alongside Anita's family who have assisted us in identifying the make and model of the jacket as well as providing us with an image of Anita's phone case.

Anita Rose, pictured with her partner Richard Jones, was described as a 'loved mum'

Police also issued a picture of her black wallet-style phone case which has a gold crown and studs on

Police have released 'replicated images' of the missing pink zip-up waterproof Regatta jacket Ms Rose was wearing when she was allegedly attacked

'We continue to believe these missing items could hold key information or evidence to the investigation and ask anyone with any information to come forward and speak with us.

'I'd like to thank Anita's family for their continued support throughout this investigation, their co-operation has been integral to this case.'

The investigation continues and includes forensic work, searches, house-to-house inquiries and CCTV analysis.

By August 8 officers had spoken to more than 630 people during the probe, taking around 90 statements.

There have been three arrests in connection with the inquiry - a man aged in his 20s and a 45-year-old man on suspicion of murder, and a 37-year-old woman on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

All three were subsequently released on bail.
A bodybuilder who collapsed in the shower of a 24-hour gym and was not discovered for 15 hours has died two weeks later, after being put into an induced coma.

Giuliano Pirone was training for a bodybuilding competition when he fell and suffered a brain injury in the locked shower cubicle of a gym in the northern Perth suburb of Wanneroo on August 20.

He had gone to the gym before work and was not discovered until later that night when police barged in and found him on the floor of a cold-running shower.

He had been on life support at Joondalup hospital for two weeks, but died on Thursday morning.

Mr Pirone never regained consciousness and an MRI confirmed he had lost brain function.

'I will never look at the Sun, the Moon and the sky the same way again, the light that shone bright has left me,' his mother Daniela Pirone told ABC Radio Perth.

Doctors believe Mr Pirone's blood sugar levels became very low, causing his blood pressure to drop, and said he may have had a seizure.

His mum said he had stopped at the gym on his way to work, and when he did not return home or return calls later that day she started to panic.

Giuliano Pirone (pictured) collapsed in the shower of a 24-hour gym after training

Police were able to track Mr Pirone's phone when his mother reported her son missing to them

The family tried to contact Mr Pirone's friends, ex-wife and people he talked to everyday, but no one had heard from him.

'It was very unusual, completely out of character,' Ms Pirone previously told the ABC.

His mother reported him missing to the police, they were able to ping his phone and tracked him down at the gym.

'The police had to barge in, they found him in the shower (with the cold water running) he was slanted on the floor collapsed,' she said.

'They thought he was dead.'

Ms Pirone said police officers performed CPR and her son quickly became conscious, before an ambulance rushed him to hospital.

'The officer who was handling everything, came and picked me and my husband up and took us straight to the hospital, and that's where I've been ever since,' she said.

Ms Pirone said the gym shower where her son was found was a cubicle with a locked door.

'He was in there and they had to smash the door down to get him,' she said.

'He messaged a friend at 7.03am and wasn't found until about 10.30pm. I got to the hospital about 12pm.

'He was alone, my beautiful son was alone on that floor slanted, collapsed (and had) smashed his head, for about 15 hours and no one noticed anything. I am just dumbfounded.'

Mr Pirone (pictured) has died in Joondalup hospital two weeks after the incident

Mr Pirone's mother said 24-hour gyms are dangerous, and called for a check-in system

Ms Pirone said 24-hour unstaffed gyms were a danger and more needed to be done to check on patrons who used the facilities.

She said her son had checked in at 4.55am and his car was parked by the front door, but no one noticed anything.

'There should be a check in system, so after two or three hours if they have not checked out staff look around for that person,' she said.

The WA Police have already accessed CCTV footage from the gym and will now prepare a report for the coroner.
The 14-year-old student who opened fire on classmates in a horror mass shooting at Apalachee High School was on the radar of the FBI a year before the tragedy, it has emerged.

The federal agency said it interviewed accused gunman Colt Gray, 14, and his father last year following 'several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time.'

Officials said Gray 'denied making the threats online' at the time, and the only action taken was to warn local schools to 'continually monitor' the troubled teen.

At a press conference Wednesday night, officials named the four victims of the shooting as teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.

Four people were shot dead Wednesday morning at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, with officials revealing shooter Colt Gray was on the FBI radar for a year prior

14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn was the first victim identified in the mass shooting

Teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie were named by officials as the other victims in the tragedy

Student Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

In its statement on interviewing Gray last year, the FBI said the online threats included 'photographs of guns.'

'Within 24 hours, the FBI determined the online post originated in Georgia' the statement continued, saying the ominous threats were referred to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office 'for action.'

Under questioning, Gray's father, who has not been named, told officers he owned hunting guns in his home, but Gray 'did not have unsupervised access to them.'

The agency said after Gray denied the threats, Jackson County 'alerted local schools for continued monitoring' of the disturbed teen.

Following the tragic shooting, a junior at Apalachee High School who was sat next to Gray revealed the gunman's chilling behavior moments before he opened fire - and how she and her classmates narrowly avoided death.

Lyela Sayarath said she was sat next to the 14-year-old gunman in algebra class on Wednesday morning, and had no indication of the horror that would unfold as she described him as a 'quiet' teen.

'He never really talked, he wasn't (in school) most times, he would just skip class,' she told CNN. 'Even when he would have talked, it was one word answers.'

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, said she was sat next to shooter Colt Gray, 14, in algebra class just moments before he opened fire

A huge police presence descended on Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after the tragedy

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

Sayarath said Gray left the classroom at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded, and thought he was skipping class as he didn't take a bathroom pass from their teacher.

But while he was gone, a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails, before Sayarath said Gray re-appeared at their classroom door.

Still not realizing the danger, Sayarath said a student went to open the door for Gray before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

She said he proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayarath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.
An emotional Bill Shorten has announced his retirement from politics to take up a position in academia, saying he stood by the policy ideas that delivered a shock loss in the 2019 election and cost him his chance to become Prime Minister.

Mr Shorten was approved as the next vice chancellor of the University of Canberra on Wednesday, but will stay in parliament until the start of the 2025 academic year.

Mr Shorten, 57, led the Australian Labor Party from 2013 to 2019 and has served as the MP for the Melbourne electorate of Maribyrnong since 2007.

In 2019 he was widely expected to lead Labor to victory against a very divided Coalition government but a successful scare campaign about his proposed end to tax breaks on negative gearing and share dividend income contributed to a shock defeat.

'I have experienced some extraordinary political highs in the last 17 years,' Mr Shorten said in a media conference on Thursday.

'Let's face it, some extraordinary political lows

'There is not a single day in the last 17 years that I would hand back. Because every day, I know how lucky I have been to have the privilege to serve the Australian people.'

Bill Shorten has announced his retirement from politics

Many political commentators questioned his decision to go public with the divisive policy platforms at the 2019 election and believe that honesty cost him the election.

'I am proud of the fact that we took policies to the people where we were honest and upfront,' Mr Shorten said.

'Some of the ideas, and I'm not referring particular, were bold and audacious but this government has been able to succeed because they got elected.

'The reality is that the verdict of the people was that they were not ready for that and where we were going (now) on focusing on supply, building more housing, I think is the sensible, realistic proposition which brings people together and we have got a very ambitious program which we are rolling out.'

Mr Shorten was appointed to the ministry during Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard's government, before winning the role of opposition leader.

As Opposition leader, Mr Shorten led Labor to a narrow loss at the 2016 election but the unexpected defeat in 2019 delivered office to then Liberal leader Scott Morrison who described his surprise victory as a 'miracle'.

After this loss, Mr Shorten resigned as ALP leader and now Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was elected unopposed to succeed him.

Mr Shorten was appointed as the Minister for Government Services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Although Mr Shorten and Mr Albanese were not political allies, they have had a successful working relationship.

Shorten said he stood up for underdogs during his career.

Bill Shorten is pictured with his wife Chloe

'I genuinely consider myself to be one of the luckiest people in politics. I have been the member for Maribyrnong, it is a community that I love so much. I've had the privilege to serve in portfolios that I care about.'

Mr Shorten thanked his wife Chloe - the daughter of former Governor General Quentin Bryce - and children Georgette, Rupert and Clementine, for their support.

'The sacrifices they have made. Chloe has been a tower of love and strength and I think she has shown more courage than I'd dream could exist.'

Mr Shorten said he thought the government was doing a good job at tackling the cost of living crisis even as prices remain persistently high and has forced up interest rates.

'What we are doing is tackling cost-of-living but not in a way where it makes a recession and slammed the economy into a wall.'

Mr Albanese praised Mr Shorten as a great leader of the Labor Party, despite the two election losses.

'He united the party, he re-energised the caucus, he saw off two prime ministers, and he rebuilt Labor into a strong opposition and a genuine alternative government,' he told reporters in Canberra.'He united the party, he re-energised the caucus, he saw off two prime ministers, and he rebuilt Labor into a strong opposition and a genuine alternative government,' he told reporters in Canberra.

'Through his years as leader, no one worked harder than Bill.

'No one brought more energy, enthusiasm, ideas and ambition to advocating for the need for a Labor government.'

Mr Shorten's decision comes weeks after two other senior ministers, Linda Burney and Brendan O'Connor, announced they would be retiring at the next election, leading to a ministerial reshuffle.
A 32-year-old doctor in California has died after she was fatally struck by a vehicle while riding an electric scooter.

Dr. Geohaira Sosa, a first-year psychiatry resident physician at UC Davis, lost her life at around 10.30am on August 29 after she was hit by the incoming vehicle in Sacramento.

The collision occurred at near the 1200 block of Alhambra Boulevard, at the intersection of Folsom Boulevard.

According to a GoFundMe launched by the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry, Sosa had started her residency two months ago after moving from Queens, New York.

Dr. Geohaira Sosa, a first-year psychiatry resident physician at UC Davis, lost her life at around 10.30am on August 29 after she was hit by the incoming vehicle in Sacramento while riding her scooter

'Geo was an absolutely beautiful person inside and out. Many of her co-interns who had the privilege and joy of spending time with Geo these past few months felt that she was becoming one of our own best friends.

'She radiated joy, kindness, and authenticity. We hope to carry forward her spirit in our communities,' the crowdfunding page read.

The Puerto Rican was the first of her family to pursue medicine and was extremely proud of her roots.

She had earned her bachelors degree in biology and psychology at Queens College as a first-generation college student.

According to a GoFundMe launched by the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry, Sosa had started her residency two months ago after moving down from Queens, New York

The Puerto Rican was the first of her family to pursue medicine and was extremely proud of her roots

Sosa acted as a mental health ambassador for low-income college students with mental illnesses

According to the The Sacramento Bee, Sosa had attained a masters degree in urban bioethics and attended medical school at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

She had also worked on a newsletter providing health education to current and former incarcerated people.

Apart from this, Sosa acted as a mental health ambassador for low-income college students with mental illnesses.

The crowdfunding page has raised $36,396 - significantly more than its original goal of $30,000.
Donald Trump thinks there is something off about Kamala Harris' running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

It comes the same day as even more family members of the Democratic vice presidential nominee have come forward to reveal they are voting for Trump in November.

Trump went on the defense for running mate J.D. Vance after Democrats tried to label him as 'weird' this summer.

But the former president says it's Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz who is 'a weird guy.'

'There's something weird with that guy,' Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity during a live town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

Donald Trump said there is 'something weird' about Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz during a town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday

'J.D. is not weird, he's a solid rock. I happen to be a solid rock,' the 2024 Republican presidential nominee went on. 'We're not weird  we are other things perhaps, but we are not weird.'

'[Walz] is a weird guy. He walks onto stages  something's wrong with that guy, and he called me weird. And then the fake news media picks it up. That was the word of the day  weird, weird, weird.'

'But we're not weird guys, we're very solid people,' Trump concluded.

Earlier on Wednesday, a photo emerged of eight members of Walz's family through his great uncle on his grandfather's side showing their support and intention to vote for Trump in November.

It came just a few days after it was revealed that Walz's older, estranged brother Jeff, 67, shared messages on Facebook claiming Americans shouldn't want someone with the Minnesota Governor's 'character' in the White House.

'I was so honored today,' Trump told Hannity. 'His brother endorsed me.'

'And his whole family  I saw the picture,' he went on. 'Honestly, it was a very nice looking family. But his family endorsed me and the whole family endorsed me.'

Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday that he looks forward to meeting Jeff Walz, who resides in Florida's panhandle with his wife.

Fox News proposed hosting a debate between Trump and Harris on Wednesday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania  but the VP's team declined and accepted as the first debate the ABC News showdown in Philadelphia on September 10.

Instead of having the first debate on Wednesday, Trump still went to Harrisburg for a town hall moderated by Hannity.

'This is the best we could do, Sean,' Trump said of their altered plan.

The photo of Walz's family was shared by former Nebraska GOP gubernatorial candidate Charles W. Herbster with eight people wearing ' Nebraska Walz's for Trump' t-shirts.

A representative for Herbster told DailyMail.com those posing are related to Walz through his grandfather's brother.

'Tim Walz's family back in Nebraska wants you to know something' Herbster captioned the image.

Democratic VP contender Gov. Tim Walz has repeatedly called his Republican rival Sen. J.D. Vance 'weird'

Eight members of Walz's family in Nebraska posing for an image showing their support for Republican rival Donald Trump

Tim Walz has an estranged brother named Jeff (pictured left with wife Laurie) who says the Minnesota governor is 'not the type of character you want making decisions about your future'

Trump replied to the image on Wednesday by previewing he plans to 'meet' with another member of Walz's family who is not in the image  the governor's older brother Jeff, who the former president says endorses his White House bid.

The photo quickly went viral among MAGA users who say his own family's opposition to his candidacy is proof that people should be wary of voting for a Harris-Walz ticket.

Jeff Walz posted about his brother's character in a Facebook post last week, saying: ''I'm 100% opposed to all his ideology.'

But Jeff now admits he didn't mean to influence voters with his social media activity.

'It wasn't my intent, it wasn't our intent as a family, to put something out there to influence the general public,' Jeff Walz told NewsNation.

'I was getting a lot of feedback from my friends, old acquaintances, thinking that I was feeling the same way that my brother did on the issues, and I was trying to clarify that just to friends,' he continued.

'I used Facebook, which wasn't the right platform to do that. But I will say, I don't agree with his policies.'

The married father-of-two was urged to throw his weight behind the Trump campaign by other users.

Jeff, who lives in Freeport, Florida with his wife Laurie, followed up by responding with: 'I've thought long and 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.'

He noted that it has been eight years since speaking to his younger brother Tim.
Security camera footage showing pub patrons involved in sexual activity in an elevator was edited into a video and screened at an awards event for the Merivale hospitality group.

The video, which did not conceal the identities of those involved, featured patrons having sex in the lift and urinating in public at several of the hospitality group's venues.

The video was shown on multiple screens during The Merivales Awards at Ivy in Sydney's CBD accompanied with the phrase 'Big Brother is always watching'.

The video was revealed as part of an ABC investigation into Merivale, a billion dollar business owned by Justin Hemmes, which operates 81 restaurants, pubs and bars on Australia's east coast.

Two female attendees who leaked the footage reported that its screening was met with uncomfortable laughter and 'sounds of shock'.

'I kind of couldn't believe what I was seeing,' one said.

They both left Merivale shortly after the event and said the reel was 'reflective' of the group's culture which former employees have recently described as 'toxic'.

'Maybe some of those girls in those videos were highly intoxicated, they could have been raped,' another added.

The hospitality group run by Justin Hemmes (pictured) has had a series of shocking allegations levelled against it by former employees and patrons

But a Merivale spokesperson said the footage was played before a 'private, invitation-only, event' and that 'no complaints were received about the reel in question'.

'Merivale venues are comprehensively monitored by CCTV, a matter which is notified to patrons and staff with clear signage to that effect,' a spokesperson told the ABC.

'The CCTV covers public spaces in our venue, which is both lawful and standard practice in large hospitality venues.

'It is lawful for Merivale to capture this footage and there can be no reasonable expectation of privacy for any patron attending.

'For the avoidance of doubt, Merivale is not aware of any complaints arising from 'the Merivales' in 2017.'

That was not the only serious accusation made against the hospitality giant in the ABC program.

Jess Helsinki, a female patron of the Ivy, alleged that an employee tried to coerce her and her friend into having sex with VIP guests.

Ms Helsinki told the ABC they were looking for their group of mates when a male employee approached them and said he would help them.

However, alarm bells started to go off when he ushered them into a service elevator and into a VIP room before being told to sit on either side of a group of men.

'The man next to me leant over and said to me: "So when did you get into the industry?",' Ms Helsinki said.

He clarified that he meant the sex industry and said the Ivy employee told the group that the pair were 'sex workers' and were 'going to spend the night' with them.

Jess Helsinki, a female patron of the Ivy, alleged that an employee tried to coerce her and her friend into having sex with VIP guests

Ms Helsinki attempted to raise the issue with Merivale management but was told an internal investigation found 'no information to support the claims'.

Management suggested she take the matter up with police, and it is still under investigation.

In another instance reported on Wednesday, a former employee of Coogee Pavilion claimed that a colleague drugged and raped her at his home one night in 2018.

'He was much bigger than me and he just kind of pinned me against the wall,' she said.

'The whole time I was making it very clear that I wanted him to stop, and he wouldn't.'

The woman, who was 22 at the time, reported the incident to the company, but claims was forced to continue working with the person she accused for the following 'month or two'.

The woman alleged that management told her 'there's nothing we can do' because she had not filed a police report.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Merivale for comment.
A devastated family was forced to watch their cruise sail away without them after their flight to the ship's port was delayed and there wasn't enough time to make it.

Tisha LaSaine who lives in Brooklyn with her children, saved for a year to go on the week-long cruise, which was supposed to celebrate her 50th birthday as well as her son Kaseem starting his junior year at Hampton College in Virginia.

But when the family-of-four arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens the were horrified to find out their flight to Orlando was 'delayed due to a crew issue.'

They were gutted, quickly realizing they had made a common travel error and not left enough time to make the $8,500 cruise.

'We took off at 11:40am. Our flight was scheduled for 9:54,' Kaseem told ABC 7, New York City's local affiliate.

The only trouble was, their cruise was supposed to leave Cape Canaveral's port at 3:30pm.

Tisha LaSaine, left, her son Kaseem Miller, right, and her twins were supposed to go on a cruise that left from Orlando. Their flight got delayed, which led to them missing the entire trip

If their flight hadn't been delayed, they would have landed in Orlando at 12:51pm, giving them plenty of time to make it to their cruise ship.

But when the average non-stop flight from JFK to Orlando takes about three hours, the family was cutting it close with the 11:40 departure time.

LaSaine told her mother, who was also going on the trip, that she didn't think they were going to make it.

And their worst fears were realized when they finally made it to the dock, only to see their ship already out at sea without them.

'I think I cried more than the kids, and it was for them,' LaSaine said.

Travel expert Gary Leff says there's a way to avoid a tragedy like this.

'Dont book short connections, such as less than an hour. And book your travel to arrive sooner than you actually need to get to the destination, so that later flights can still get you there in time in case of delay or cancellation,' Leff told roadside assistance organization AAA in 2022.

After missing the cruise, the family flew back to New York immediately and LaSaine struggled to get a refund from Delta.

ABC 7 On Your Side, a consumer focused team at the news station, sent a letter to Delta and successfully pressured them into giving a full refund. Kaseem is pictured thanking ABC reporter Nina Pineda with a hug

They flew back to New York completely heartbroken.

LaSaine was able to get a refund from the cruise line for missing their entire eight-day trip, but ran into trouble when trying to ask for the same from Delta.

Delta only gave her an e-credit, which only covered their one-way flight down to Florida, not the flight back to New York. It was worth $250 per person, not even close to the full ticket price.

That's when LaSaine sent a letter to ABC 7 On Your Side, a consumer focused team at the news station dedicated to assisting people who have unresolved issues with a company.

Nina Pineda, the reporter who interviewed the family, contacted Delta about this issue and was able to pressure the airline into issuing a full refund.

Delta gave LaSaine $2,600 back, the full value of the plane tickets.

'That's a lot of money for me to lose that I put out in a few months,' LaSaine said. 'I was happy, I was so happy.'
The man who lost the unloseable election is retiring from federal politics. The man who came within a whisker of being prime minister, Bill Shorten, now NDIS minister, won't contest the next election.

After nearly 20 years in politics he is moving on, not taking up a plum government appointment overseas like so many ex-politicians do, but rather to become the next head of the University of Canberra.

It's such an unusual role for someone with no post-graduate qualifications nor experience within the higher education sector to take. But that's not to say Shorten isn't qualified to lead an institution like UC.

As former education minister, Shorten has long been passionate about the sector, and his salary will likely double from what he's earning as a cabinet minister.

His first task once he takes up the position early next year should be to explain to the government just how bad their changes to foreign student entries is for both universities and the Australian economy.

It will be an early test whether or not Shorten continues to be an apologist for poor Labor policy even when he's no longer in the Parliament.

But Shorten's new job is no substitute for his unmet ambition to become prime minister.

The 2019 election defeat was unprecedented as an example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Labor led in every poll of every polling agency for 18 months counting down to that election, but still lost.

The likelihood is that the polls weren't wrong - they just inverted late in the electoral cycle. While Labor had long led, the trend lines were narrowing as the election got closer.

Bill Shorten (pictured with wife Chloe) came within a whisker of being Prime Minister and is now NDIS minister but won't contest the next election

Losing to someone like Scott Morrison would have made defeat even tougher to bear.

Shorten could claim credit for the pressure he applied to both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull contributing to their demise.

Both PMs were unceremoniously removed from the top job by their party.

Shorten's biggest political legacy is the role he played in developing the NDIS: coming up with the idea, helping design it and ultimately making it happen.

It's an achievement the sector will forever be grateful for. As a piece of social policy it is up there with Gough Whitlam's shift to free education and healthcare, the precursors of HECS and Medicare.

But the fiscal pressures of the NDIS have become all too apparent, as has the need to reform how it applies and to whom, including all manner of adjustments to what qualifies for assistance and what doesn't.

When it comes to fixing the NDIS so that it is fit for purpose, Shorten ends his time in politics with that task still incomplete.

His political legacy as a public policy practitioner is therefore still up in the air.

Nonetheless, not many politicians are spoken well of on both sides of the aisle, and Shorten is one of those.

Liberals tell me he reaches out when they experience difficult times and does so genuinely.

Perhaps going through the agony of defeat in 2019 helped give Shorten more empathy than most in politics have.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be happy to see the back of Bill Shorten (pictured together)

For his part Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be happy to see the back of Shorten.

He spent most of Shorten's six years as Labor opposition leader undermining the job he did and criticising the decisions he made.

Never on the record of course.

When Albo's standing in the polls started to slide, he assumed Shorten was doing the same.

I for one can say that despite endless attempt to get him to, he never bagged Albo to me.

The pair became their generation's leadership rivals, one from the Victorian Right, the other from the NSW Left.

Unusually, the left won out in this showdown between two Labor leaders that never managed to live up to the legacy of the great Labor leaders of the past.
Conservative influencers were allegedly 'duped' into working with Russian assets as they raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars for their videos under a sprawling $10million 'covert project' by Kremlin-backed RT, federal officials said Wednesday.

The bombshell indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York accuses RT employees Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena of Afanasyeva of implementing a plan to shell out nearly $10million to a Tennessee-based company to churn out videos 'consistent' with the Kremlin's 'interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions.'

Though the indictment does not name the Tennessee-based media company, its details match up exactly with Tenet Media - which employs well-known conservative personalities like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson.

Its president Liam Donovan is the husband of Lauren Chen, a Canadian influencer who is listed as a contributor of several opinion articles for RT from 2021 and 2022.

But the conservative media darlings were unaware of the scheme, and at least two of them were provided false information about the source of the company's funding.

Conservative influencers including Dave Rubin and Tim Pool were allegedly 'duped' into working with Russian assets

A federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday suggests Tenet Media took in hundreds of thousands of dollars from RT journalists

'The company never disclosed to the influencers or to their millions of followers [its] ties to RT and the Russian government,' Attorney General Merrick Garland said as he announced the charges against the RT employees for conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

'Instead, the defendants and the company claimed that the company was sponsored by a private investor, but that private investor was a fictitious persona,' Garland said.

They were told that the company was sponsored by a private investor named 'Eduard Grigoriann,' whom the defendants described as an 'accomplished financial professional' who held positions at a multinational bank in both Brussels and France, according to NBC News.

In their own online communications, however, the founders of the company allegedly referred to their backers as 'the Russians.'

Kalashnikov are Afanasyeva are at large, and it was not immediately clear if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Tenet Media and RT for comment, but in a response to a request for comment from NBC News, a spokesperson for RT wrote 'Hahahaha!' and 'We gotta earn our Kremlin paycheck somehow.'

RT is known to be backed by the Kremlin, and two of its journalists are now accused of conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act

The indictment claims the conservative voices were raking in large sums of money from the Russian duo.

It said that a whopping $8.7million was sent 'to the production companies of Commentator-1, Commentator-2 and Commentator-3 alone.'

Commentator-1 is now believed to be Dave Rubin, while Commentator-2 is likely Tim Pool. It is unclear from the description in the indictment who Commentator-3 may be.

An exchange cited in the indictment also claims Commentator-1 said the contract 'would need to be closer to $5million a year for him to be interested,' while Commentator-2 said it 'would take $100,000 per weekly episode to make it worth his while.'

One of Tenet's founders allegedly said the $100,000 fee would be 'very hard' for the company to 'recoup the costs' based on ad revenue from web traffic or sponsors alone, but they decided to move forward with the agreement anyway, NBC reports.

Another unidentified influencer's contract, meanwhile, reportedly included a $400,000 monthly fee, a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus.

Eventually, payments from the Russians allegedly made up 90 percent of the deposits made to the company's accounts.

When reached for comment by NBC News, a spokesperson for RT News wrote 'Hahahaha!' and 'We gotta earn our Kremlin paycheck somehow'

As the money was pouring in, the indictment claims the Russian backers pushed Tenet's US commentators to share Russian-funded content with their larger audiences.

They even openly worried about how few of their 'raw videos' were being posted by certain of the company's talent, the indictment says.

Still, Tenet became a home for staunch pro-Trump voices, with many of its commentators interviewing the former president and his family while railing against US funding for Ukraine and downplaying the events of January 6, 2021.

Pool, who hosted Trump on his podcast earlier this year, posted on X last month that 'Ukraine is our enemy' in response to an allegation that a Ukrainian man was involved in the 2022 undersea explorations that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

Rubin, a self-described libertarian who was previously part of the liberal news commentary show The Young Turks, has also been a vocal critic of Ukraine, arguing they 'can't win' the war against Russia.

Federal officials are now claiming Russian interference in the US election

But the conservative influencers have since insisted they had no knowledge of the Tenet's ties to Russia, as its six main conservative voices amassed more than 7million subscribers on YouTube and more than 7million followers on X.

'These allegations come as a complete shock to me and the other hosts at Tent Media,' Taylor Hansen wrote in a lengthy statement on X.

'I want to be as clear as possible, I was never directed to report on any topic and had complete freedom and control over my reporting at all times.

'I would never agree to any arrangement where I am not the sole person in charge of the stories I cover and the content I create.

'I've had complete freedom to cover what I choose at Tenet, unlike any other media company I've ever worked for and certainly more so than the left-wing and [mainstream media] outlets that are directed to cover certain stories and get punished if they don't.'

Rubin also argued that the indictment 'clearly' shows 'that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme.

'I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period,' he said.

Similarly, Tim Pool, wrote: 'Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims.'

The commentators have denied any knowledge of Tenet Media's Russian backing

He noted that his Culture War podcast was licensed by Tenet Media, but had already existed beforehand.

'Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show, and the contents of the show are often apolitical. Examples include discussing spirituality, dating and video games.

'That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations,' Pool continued.

He concluded by saying 'Putin is a scumbag' and 'Russia sucks donkey balls.'

Benny Johnson, meanwhile, said Tenet 'pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor.

'Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms-length deal, which was later terminated,' he said.

'We are disturbed by the allegations in today's indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme,' he wrote.

And Matt Christiansen said, 'At no point has anyone ever directed me what to say or not to say, and I would never agree to anything otherwise.

'My videos and streams for Tenet are exactly the same as my videos and streams on my personal channels,' he noted. 'Every word is from me and me alone.'
Donald Trump sparked a wild theory about his upcoming debate with Kamala Harris by claiming that ABC News will help the vice president cheat.

The former president was speaking during a town hall on Fox News Wednesday, when he predicted that the Disney-owned television network would provide Harris with questions for the debate ahead of their showdown.

'They're going to get the questions, I've already heard they're going to get the questions in advance,' Trump told Fox host Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 'I'm not sure it's gonna help her that much.'

The Harris campaign refused to provide a full comment when reached by DailyMail.com. A representative only suggested it should be reported that Trump's remarks aren't true.

Trump and Harris are set for their first debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 10 with ABC moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis.

Trump said he only agreed to the debate at the 'unfair' network because the vice president wouldn't agree to any others.

Donald Trump tore into ABC News as he alleged the network will help Kamala Harris 'cheat' in their debate next week by providing the questions and prompts ahead of time

Fox News proposed a debate on Wednesday evening in Harrisburg. While Trump's team accepted, Harris declined the invite.

'They're very nasty, and I think a lot of people are going to be watching to see how nasty they are, how unfair they are,' Trump said of ABC News. 'I agreed to do it because they wouldn't do any other networks.'

'The other thing is, her best friend is the head of the network,' Trump said, referencing Harris' close friendship with Disney executive Dana Walden. 'Her husband's best friend is married to the head of the network.'

Trump also said that ABC News intentionally provides poll results that show him at a severe disadvantage because they think it will sway voters not to cast their ballots if they think their preferred candidate is too far behind to win.

'ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness,' Trump lamented of the first debate hosting network. 'They had a poll where I was 17 points down a couple of days prior to the election  I was 17 points down in Wisconsin. And they do that so people don't vote because people say, you know, 'hey, I love Trump, but he's 17 points down. I'm not going to go out and vote.'

'They are the most dishonest network  the meanest, the nastiest, but that was what I was presented with,' he continued. 'I was presented with ABC.'

Trump said there is a 'clause in the contract' that says ABC News cannot provide the questions or debate prompts to either candidate before the event next week.

While the former president still thinks Harris will cheat to get her hands on the questions, he isn't convinced it will give her an advantage.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Vice President Kamala Harris has a close relationship with Disney executive Dana Walden  but ABC News assures she will not be involved in the planning or carrying out of the debate in Philadelphia next week

Dana Walden (right) has been close with Harris since 1994 and her husband Matt Walden (left) has known Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff since the 1980s. The couple are credited with their marriage after they introduced Harris and Emhoff via a blind date

'So I think you might give her the questions and give her the answers with the questions,' Trump said. 'I'm not sure it's going to help her.'

The Mail reached out to ABC but the network did not return messages seeking comment on Trump's allegations.

ABC this week finalized the campaigns' back and forth over rules and logistics of the debate.

Trump says that besides just nixing microphone muting, Harris also wanted to sit down at desks and be allowed to bring pre-written notes to their faceoff.

But Harris did not get any of her demands met.

Microphones will be muted when candidates are not speaking, they will be standing behind podiums and no prepared notes or props are permitted on stage. They will be given a piece of paper, pen and a bottle of water.
In announcing Bill Shortens departure from politics, Prime Minister Antony Albanese has inadvertently given away that hes entirely shut the door on an election this year.

Albo said that hes asked Shorten to stay on as a minister until February, which is when Shorten starts his new job as a Vice Chancellor at University of Canberra.

But that doesnt mean the election will also be in February or March.

By-elections do not have to be held within a reasonable time frame of a general election being called.

Albo would not have wanted Shorten to leave immediately because that would have required a by-election date to be set before the PM had called the election.

In announcing Bill Shortens departure from politics, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has inadvertently given away that hes entirely shut the door on an election this year

By twisting Shortens arm to stay on into the new year Albo has avoided that scenario.

Even if he delays the election beyond February or March, the due date is May and that is close enough for the Speaker of the House to avoid setting a by-election date for Shortens electorate prior to the general election.

But Albo, as Labor leader, all but begging his predecessor not to leave now does tell us any notion of an election this side of the new year is no more.
A new parking system rolled out across several ritzy Sydney suburbs has come under fire with drivers claiming it invades their privacy.

North Sydney Council has introduced a cashless system that requires drivers to download an app and create an account which demands personal details, all just to park their car.

Drivers have lashed out at the system since it was introduced in July claiming it is overcomplicated and intrusive.

Among the details required to create an account are their full name, phone number, email, postcode, car registration, and credit card details.

An 8.25 per cent surcharge is added on top of every transaction when drivers pay through the new Touch N Go boxes or PayStay app.

2GB host Ben Fordham ripped into the system on Wednesday saying it had caused a flurry of confusion as the old parking meters were still around.

'The old parking meters are still there with garbage bags over the top of them and masking tape going around them,' he said.

'There are some people pulling up and parking and thinking, alright well, the parking meters aren't working so I won't bother.

A new parking system rolled out across several ritzy Sydney suburbs has come under fire with drivers claiming it invades their privacy

'Then you'll get back to the car and discover, no, you're supposed to know about this other system where you download the app and give all of your details across and try and work the thing out.'

Annoyed listener Jody wrote in to the station and labelled the payment system a 'complete joke' and particularly hard on older people not used to navigating apps and downloads.

'What happened to anonymously chucking a coin in a meter and getting on with your day?' she wrote.

'When did it become so complicated and time consuming just to park the car?

'Will this become the norm? Everywhere I've parked in Crows Nest there's no physical meter, just a sign saying pay by phone and directing you to a website.

'When you get to the website, it tells you to download an app. When you download the app, you need to then create an account and sign up.'

Jody was required to share her name, phone number, email, postcode, car registration and credit card to use the app.

Another local vented on social media at how parking had become an 'absolute nightmare'.

'Whatever happened to just dropping a few coins in the meter? The whole system is a joke  and we're the punchline,' he wrote.

Northy Sydney Council rolled out the new parking system in July - with the

'North Sydney Council is happy to crow about them being solar-powered and environmentally friendly, but you can't navigate them  it's almost impossible.'

Liberal candidate for North Sydney Council Jessica Keen said she also tried to use the new parking system but 'couldn't work it out'.

'I was on council for four years and I sat on traffic committee, so I'm very across parking meters and I was also like Jody trying to work it out,' she said.

Other listeners told Fordham they would not be able to park their cars as they do not carry mobile phones.

A North Sydney Council spokesman said drivers could pay for parking through three options: meters, Touch N Go boxes, and the PayStay App.

The surcharge is only applied when using the Touch N Go boxes or PayStay app.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted North Sydney Council for comment.
An Arizona high school principal has been accused of using a social media app to send sexual messages to an undercover agent posing as a 12-year-old girl.

Buckeye Union High School principal Joe Kinney, 42, was taken into custody after he was allegedly caught sending vile texts to an agent under an alias in Oregon on an application called Whisper.

The website is described as 'an anonymous social media application that allows users to make posts, aka whispers, on the application and exchange messages with other users.'

Court documents state that the accused allegedly told the 'victim' that she should 'get cozy in her bed and take off her clothes'.

When told by the agent that they were only 12 years old, Kinney allegedly said: 'I don't mind your age'.

Joe Kinney, 42, the Principal of Buckeye Union High School was taken into custody after he was allegedly caught sending vile texts to an agent under an alias in Oregon on Whisper

Officials also stated in the report that the disgraced principal continued to text the 'victim' after being made aware of their age.

At one point, he supposedly told the youngster that he would 'love to come rescue her and they would have a good time,' police said.

Documents also accuse Kinney of asking for nude pictures from the teen - which he never received.

The conversation ultimately came to an end when the 'victim' was ghosted after asking the principal about their job.

Afterwards, the FBI served a search warrant on Kinney's home in Goodyear and on the same day, the vile man was pulled over during a traffic stop.

Buckeye Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Steve Bebee later said that the the principal was placed on leave after investigation began

In an interview with police, Kinney admitted to liking Whisper since 'it seemed like fantasy and it was anonymous', according to the AZFamily.

Official reports further state that the accused has admitted to speaking to multiple underage girls on Whisper - but never thought any of them to be minors rather thought they were 'adults engages in fantasy chat and role-playing'.

Apart from this interaction, Kinney reportedly also told authorities that he interacted with a nine-year-old girl but since her picture did not look age appropriate, he assumed she was an adult.

The sickening man had also spoken to another 12-year-old on the app.

After this revelation, former FBI agent James Egelston warned parents to be careful of their children's online activities.

'This is another grime reminder of how important it is for parents to be aware of what websites their children do visit.

'Unfortunately, there are a lot of cases where people who have an interest in children try to work themselves into a position either through their professional employment or side interest where they have access to children. People should be aware of that as well,' he said.

After this revelation, former FBI agent James Egelston warned parents to be careful of their children's online activities

As of now, Kinney has been charged with a count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation and is held at a a $60,000 bond.

If he manages to pay out of jail, he will have to undergo electronic monitoring and will be banned from ever contacting any minor without exceptions.

Buckeye Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Steve Bebee later said that the the principal was placed on leave after investigation began.

'The Buckeye Union High School District has been informed that BUHS Principal Mr. Joe Kinney is under law enforcement investigation for a personal matter unrelated to his work with the school or district.

Per district policy, Mr. Kinney has been placed on administrative leave until further notice. In the interim, Ms. Kristin Koke will assume the duties of principal at Buckeye Union High School,' the school said in a press release.
The family of Georgia school shooter Colt Gray threatened to go 'full throttle' after the 14-year-old was charged as an adult for murdering four people on Wednesday.

Gray's relatives leapt to his defense within hours of him opening fire at Apalachee High School, where he allegedly killed four people and injured nine others.

The teenager's aunt, Annie Polhamus Brown, took to Facebook during the aftermath, bringing up the issues he 'dealt with' and saying she 'will take care of my nephew and what he needs on this side.'

'Just check yourself before you speak about a child that never asked to deal with the bull**** he saw on a daily basis,' she said in the posts, which have now been deleted.

'Y'all ready to see Polhamus blood in full throttle? Nah, I wouldn't either.'

The social media posts sparked fury as tributes poured in for the four victims in the tragedy, teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.

Colt Gray's suspected murder weapon can be seen in the corridor of Apalachee High School where he allegedly killed four and injured nine people

Gray's aunt Annie Polhamus Brown made Facebook posts online fuming over the decision to charge her nephew as an adult

Within hours of him opening fire at Apalachee High School, his aunt leapt to his defense while bringing up the issues he 'dealt with' and saying she 'will take care of my nephew and what he needs on this side'

Families gathered to mourn the four victims of the senseless shooting on Wednesday evening

Authorities say they are still investigating how Gray was able to bring an AR-style weapon inside his school, with footage of the aftermath appearing to show the weapon on the floor as terrified students were escorted down hallways to safety.

As parents and police raced to the school in Winder, Georgia, Polhamus Brown took to Facebook to plead for help in contacting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

'Please someone get me in touch with GBI!!! I've tried calling!' she wrote, following up with: 'I am not scared, I will not back down.'

'I will not leave my nephew standing alone!!!' she continued in the post. 'When Uvalde (school shooting) happened, I told my own children that 'only hurt people hurt people.''

Polhamus Brown said she did 'everything I could to fight for my nephew', as she called out people for 'playing the blame game.'

She did also have some words for the victims of the shooting, saying the 'families affected by my nephew's actions deserve all the attention now.'

'I will NOT disrespect other parents and families that are dealing with this tragedy on the opposite end. THEY DID NOT DESERVE THIS,' she wrote.

One apparent relative said Colt 'never asked for what he's been through - I'm with you 1000000%. Prayers for EVERYONE affected'

A commenter claiming to be a former teacher of the alleged school shooter described him as a 'sweet boy' and said: 'I taught Colt and know first hand he dealt with so much!'

At least 13 people were shot in the chaos, including two students and two teachers killed

While Polhamus Brown's remarks sparked backlash online from some, her Facebook friends stood behind her and echoed her comments on the tragedy.

One apparent relative said Colt 'never asked for what he's been through - I'm with you 1000000%. Prayers for EVERYONE affected.'

Another commenter, claiming to be a former teacher of the alleged school shooter, said: 'I taught Colt and know first hand he dealt with so much!

'I love him and will be thinking about him and your family as you go through this tragedy! Such a sweet boy.'

After Polhamus Brown's social media posts emerged, some criticized her remarks, with one saying the alleged shooter's 'family failed him, and now you wanna make excuses.'

Officials said that Gray's shooting spree was ended within minutes, and he immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground.'

It is unclear how the 14-year-old gunman got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, with cops reportedly raiding his family home in the hours after the shooting.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

Teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall lost their lives in the tragedy

Student Christian Angulo, 14, was also shot dead in the senseless shooting

Following his arrest, Gray will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class just minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, said she was sat next to shooter Colt Gray, 14, in algebra class just moments before he opened fire

Cops raced to the scene as a law enforcement officer apprehended Gray within minutes of shots ringing out

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

Describing her classmate, Sayarath said Gray 'never really talked, he wasn't (in school) most times, he would just skip class... Even when he would have talked, it was one word answers.'

Sayarath said she 'wasn't surprised' when Gray was identified as the shooter, and said that 'when you think of shooters and the way they act, it's usually the quiet kid and he was the one that fit that description.'

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

Students and faculty broke down in tears as they remembered the victims at a vigil on Wednesday evening

Concerned parents gathered at the school on Wednesday

Heartbreaking messages between a student at Apalachee High School and his mom have revealed the moment kids learned there was an active shooter

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Many students filmed the aftermath, with one shaken grandfather revealing his granddaughters 'were led out past blood and victims' after the shooting.

'They heard the shots, had SWAT come in guns drawn in their room looking for shooters,' James Shappard said. 'No kid should have to go through that.'
A father has been left fighting for life following a horrific workplace accident at a construction site.

John Paselio was rushed to the intensive care unit at Gold Coast University Hospital on Monday night, where he was placed in an induced coma.

The father-of-three had been working at the site when he suffered major head injury.

Mr Paselio was described by shocked colleagues as 'very quiet, family orientated kind of guy' who got the job done and was loved by co-workers.

Safety officers had been on site to contact emergency services for Mr Paselio while support has since been made available to his colleagues.

He remained in intensive care on Thursday night.

Construction worker John Paselio (pictured with his wife) has been places into an induced coma after a horror accident at his workplace on Monday night

His wife shared an update to social media on Thursday, saying Mr Paselio is 'a fighter and I know he will appreciate the support everyone is showing me at this time'.

'At this time we are just waiting for John to wake up, as much as I can I will keep you updated but please be patient as I am only going day by day with Johns condition,' she wrote.

Family members had flown in to support Mr Paselio's wife and help care for their children while she stays by his hospital bedside.

Colleagues have since launched a GoFundMe to support Mr Paselio's family while doctors wait for him to wake up from the coma to assess for any permanent damage.

The father-of-three was rushed to the Gold Coast University Hospital after he sustained a major head injury

'The purpose of this page is to provide financial assistance for JP and his family during this devastating time,' the fundraiser states.

'Please donate anything you can to ensure JP and his family get the best medical care, emotional and physiological support they need.'

The page has raised almost $8,850 within a few days.
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A Perth dentist who spiked the drinks of multiple women he met online then raped them has been found guilty of 24 charges.

Farzem Mehrabi, 34, met the women, aged 18 to 24, on Tinder and Bumble and invited them out to bars around the WA capital over a two-month period in 2022.

CCTV footage played to court during his month-long jury trial showed Mehrabi at one of these meetings as he mixed a substance into his date's glass while she was in the bathroom.

Prosecutors claim the then-third-year medical student at Notre Dame University laced the drinks with a cocktail of drugs including MDMA, MDA, lorazepam and methamphetamine.

The Iranian-born Mehrabi, who moved to Australia as a child, also brought up the topic of drug use and bragged to some of the woman that he purchased high quality chemicals from Switzerland.

He then took the intoxicated women to his parents house in Shelly in Perth's south before having non-consensual sex with them, reported 7 News.

Mehrabi testified the drug use and sex was consensual but the jury found him to be an unreliable witness with a history of telling lies, including about his age, height and whether he lived with his parents on the dating apps.

One woman told the court after only four drinks she woke up in Mehrabi's bed the next day with no recollection of the night, with scratches and feeling sick, later phoning him to ask if he had 'given her something'.

CCTV played to the court showed Farzem Mehrabi mixing a substance into the drink of a woman while she was in the bathroom

The 34-year-old was found guilty of 24 charges and will be sentenced in December

Seven women made complaints about Mehrabi and he was found guilty of sexual assault charges against five of them along with other drugs charges and a count of impending a person's breathing by applying pressure to the neck.

He was cleared of one drink spiking charge.

Mehrabi was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 17.
A missing young cheerleader has been found alive after a desperate search was sparked when she vanished from school.

Ava Phillips, 17, had been missing since Tuesday and was last seen leaving Angleton High School at 10:02am getting into a white Toyota Corolla.

Her mother, Kailey Perez, suspected Phillips was with her boyfriend heading to Austin, which is nearly 200 miles away from the town of Angleton.

She later revealed to Click2Houston that her daughter had recently been 'trying to distance herself from a boy who had been emotionally abusive towards her,' though it remains unclear if her current boyfriend is the abusive one.

But in a shock update, the Angleton Police Department revealed that Ava 'is safe and has been reunited with her family,' though it offered no additional information.

Ava Phillips, 17, was last seen leaving Angleton High School at around 10 am and getting into a white Toyota Corolla after not attending her fourth-period class

DailyMail.com approached Ava's mother for comment and didn't receive an immediate response.

The widescale search effort for Ava was helped along by Alex Bregman, the third baseman for the Houston Astros, who shared a bulletin describing her disappearance on X.

His post got 158,000 views.

It remains unclear why Ava abandoned her car in the school parking lot the day she left. Her car still contained crucial belongings such as her phone, keys and backpack.

Ava's boyfriend hasn't been identified by police yet.

The widescale search effort for Ava was helped along by Alex Bregman, the third baseman for the Houston Astros, who shared a bulletin describing her disappearance on X

The teenager's mother, Kailey Perez initially sounded the alarm after her car was found in the school parking lot with her phone, keys and backpack inside. Now that Ava's been found, it's not known why she did this

While she was still missing, Perez claimed Ava called her from a different number sounding distressed.

'She called me from a blocked number. She sounded scared and I dont think shes in control.

'She told me shed come home, but she hasnt. I just want her home safely. She sounds very scared.

'Her voice is very shaky. I dont think that shes in control. I think that someones telling her what to say.

'She's a beautiful, sweet girl who would never run away,' the distressed mother said.
A beloved cheese producer has been forced to close after 120 years with 58 staff now left in limbo.

Tasmania's King Island Dairy will close up shop mid next year, Canadian-owner Saputo announced on Thursday.

The future of the business had been under a cloud for 10 months after Saputo launched a strategic review of the facility that produced gourmet cheeses like brie and blue vein.

King Island Dairy operations began in the early 1900s and is one of the biggest employers in the small island, which is home to 1,600 people.

Saputo chief operating officer Leanne Cutts said the decision to wind up the business was difficult.

She said 'every possible option' had been reviewed, but closure was the most viable way to strengthen Saputo's competitiveness in a changing market.

'As King Island Dairy's historic roots are deeply embedded in the region, it was hoped the strategic review would identify a potential buyer for the facility,' Ms Cutts said.

'It is a unique brand, with a plant that is nearly 100 years old.

Tasmania 's King Island Dairy will close up shop mid next year, owner Saputo announced on Thursday

'Our other Tasmanian brands such as Mersey Valley and Tasmanian Heritage are thriving.

'(While) King Island Dairy products hold a nostalgic place in the hearts of Australians, the brand has not maintained its position in today's ultra-competitive food industry.'

Saputo bought King Island Dairy in 2019 as part of its purchase of Lion Dairy & Drinks's cheese business.

It confirmed 58 employees would be affected but 'redeployment opportunities' would be identified where possible.

Ms Cutts said Saputo would work with dairy farmers and the island's broader community.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said Saputo's decision was very disappointing.

King Island Dairy operations began in the early 1900s and is one of the biggest employers in the island which holds about 1,600 people

'We are providing immediate support to the company's workers, farmers and the wider island community,' he said.

Mr Rockliff said the state government was prepared to work with the company in a further effort to find a new operator.

Saputo describes itself as one of the top 10 dairy processors in the world.

King Island has a unique climate based on its location and provides lush grazing for cows and unusually sweet milk.

Saputo also owns Cheer Cheese, formerly known as Coon Cheese, having bought most of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter a decade ago.
Kind-hearted Australians have rallied to support the heartbroken mum of a baby boy who died at a family daycare centre.

Riley Ma was found unresponsive at the facility in Wakerley, in Brisbane's east, around 3.30pm on Monday and couldn't be revived.

The one-year-old is understood to have suffered a suspected medical episode.

The loss of their only child has devastated Riley's parents, who are grappling with his maternal grandmother's battle against stage four cancer.

Since then, generous Aussies have raised more than $11,000 within hours to help the family after a GoFundMe was launched on Wednesday night.

Family friend and fundraiser organiser Yang Zhao said it was just last week she was cuddling the 'happy, smiling' little boy and now she 'can't believe he is in another world'.

'Rileys parents, our dear friends, are devastated as they navigate this unimaginable pain,' Ms Zhao wrote.

'We are raising funds to support them with funeral expenses, legal assistance, and their fight for justice. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference during this difficult time.

Yang Zhao is pictured with Riley Ma, who was 'happy and smiling' last week

'Lets come together and help Rileys family in their time of need. Thank you for your kindness and support.'

Riley appeared to be in a happy mood when he was dropped off at daycare at about 7.30am on Monday.

Just hours later, Riley's father received the devastating phone call that the boy could not be saved, despite the best efforts of paramedics.

His shattered mother said she cannot comprehend what has happened and is still in shock that her only son is no longer with her.

'Me and my husband cherished our baby very much,' she told the Courier Mail earlier this week.

'He's my everything.'

The Chinese national, 36, claimed that emergency responders didn't allow her to say her final goodbyes to Riley after she rushed to the centre on Monday afternoon.

She also claimed that her husband was able to give Riley a cuddle before his body were taken away.

'I can't drink, I can't eat, I can't sleep, I just miss my little boy,' she said.

Riley (pictured) was found unresponsive by emergency services at the daycare centre in Wakerley, in Brisbane's east, around 3.30pm on Monday

Close family friend Katrina Zhang told the newspaper that Riley appeared to have struggled during his final moments.

Ms Zhang said Riley's lips were purple and his fists were clenched tightly.

She said paramedics were already at the scene by the time Riley's father arrived.

Riley's mother revealed she faces the daunting task of telling her mother that her beloved grandson has died.

She has told her mum that Riley is sick, but admitted her mother will soon find out about the tragedy.

Police are investigating Riley's death and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Ministers still do not know how many buildings are wrapped in the same deadly cladding as Grenfell Tower, despite it being seven years since the disaster.

The damning final report into the blaze that claimed 72 lives was published yesterday and revealed the building was covered in flammable materials because of 'systematic dishonesty' from those who made and sold cladding and insulation.

Speaking on Newsnight yesterday, housing minister Matthew Pennycook made the shocking admission that 'we don't know for certain that all of the buildings that are dangerous have been identified'.

He went on to promise that the Government would be implementing an accelerated programme to tackle this crisis in the autumn.

But Housing Secretary Angela Rayner this morning declined to say when all homes with dangerous cladding will be made safe.

The Deputy Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I haven't got a definitive timeline yet, but seven years on (from the Grenfell Tower fire) it is not acceptable.'

She said the promised 'remediation acceleration plan' will speed up the process.

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Speaking on Newsnight yesterday, housing minister Matthew Pennycook admitted that 'we don't know for certain that all of the buildings that are dangerous have been identified'

How fire swept through Grenfell Tower: Top row, from left, photos taken at 1:30am, 2:10am and 2:34am; middle row, 3:08am, 3:23am and 3:44am; bottom row, 4:20am, 4:43am and 5:16am

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Ms Rayner later appeared on BBC Breakfast where she acknowledged some people still live in buildings which might not be safe.

She said: 'All buildings in the UK could have a failure of some sort. I can't guarantee 100 per cent that every building in the UK is going to be 100 per cent safe.

'But what I can say is that measures have been taken to ensure that there is fire evacuation procedures, that where there is a waking watch that's required, that there is a process with the fire brigade to ensure that people are safe.'

Ms Rayner said work was being done 'to ensure that buildings are as safe as they possibly can be' and that 'the obligations on building owners and those regulators are there to ensure that we can make people as safe as we possibly can'.

'I understand people's concerns about that,' she added.

Elsewhere, during an interview on Newsnight on Wednesday, Mr Pennycook said: 'We've got to review how lease holders are better protected from costs. We've got to accelerate the pace of remediation, but looking under the bonnet we have found a number of challenges.

'For example, we don't know for certain that all of the buildings that are dangerous have been identified. So we have to do more work in that area.'

He continued that the role of government in this process was going to be significant and that corporations cannot be left alone to sort this.

'Government has a big role to play and it can't just be left to the market and individual developers or buildings' owners to respond. I think government can and should be doing more.'

The deadly cladding panels  cited as the main reason why flames shot up the side of the building during the Inquiry's first report, published in 2019  were manufactured by French firm Arconic.

The product was deemed as a low-cost alternative to rival brands, which appealed to cash-strapped councils.

Yet the firm knew about its potentially catastrophic shortfalls during a failed fire test.

Since 2017 thousands more building have been unearthed that are deemed to be unsafe, however they still remain unchanged because of disputes over who should pay for the upgrade works.

The fire spread up the side of the tower at the rate of one floor per minute

Matt Wrack from the Fire Brigades Union told BBC Breakfast today that 'tens of thousands of people are living in buildings where the regulations have been compromised'.

He continued: 'There is either cladding or fire doors that don't work or other failings in fire safety.'

A total of 58 recommendations have been made by the inquiry, including for the construction industry, to the government, and firefighters.

The recommendations are not legally binding, and it is up to the relevant organisations to decide whether to implement them - although all have promised to consider them in full.

Sir Keir has acknowledged that there are 'still buildings today with unsafe cladding' and repeated a previous acknowledgment that 'the speed at which this is being addressed is far, far too slow'.

He said this report, coming just over a week after a major fire in Dagenham at a building which had been having unsafe cladding removed, 'must be a moment of change'.

Sir Keir acknowledged that there are 'still buildings today with unsafe cladding' and repeated a previous acknowledgment that 'the speed at which this is being addressed is far too slow'

A report in 2019, from the first phase of the inquiry, concluded the tower's cladding did not comply with building regulations

He vowed his Government 'will take the necessary steps to speed this up', including forcing freeholders to assess their buildings and enter remediation schemes within set timetables, 'with a legal requirement to force action if that is what it takes to tackle industry intransigence'.

He promised the Government will respond 'in full' to them within six months, and pledged to update Parliament annually on progress against each commitment made.

Whereas Angela Rayner this morning declined to say when all homes with dangerous cladding will be made safe.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I haven't got a definitive timeline yet, but seven years on (from the Grenfell Tower fire) it is not acceptable.'

She said the promised 'remediation acceleration plan' will speed up the process.

'I'm always straight with people. I can't give you a timeline today, but what I can say is that it is an incredibly slow process at the moment - seven years on - and that's not acceptable.'

Detectives will need another 12 to 18 months to complete their investigation into the disaster, before prosecutors will take until the end of 2026 to decide whether criminal charges can be brought.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said that officers will go through the inquiry report 'line by line', but cannot use its findings as evidence because it comes under a different legal framework.

In May, the Met said a total of 19 companies and organisations were under investigation for potential criminal offences, along with 58 individuals.

Potential offences under consideration included corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud, and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.
Old footage of an irate woman's expletive-filled tirade at other customers at a Woolworths has resurfaced online, prompting debate about the response from store staff.

The video was filmed by a group of shoppers after a woman became aggressive towards them in the supermarket at Rundle Mall in Adelaide's CBD in June 2020.

The woman yelled at the group demanding them to stop filming her.

'You dont ever f***ing film people without getting permission  do you f***ing understand?' she said.

The man who was filming could be heard telling the woman: 'You need to stop', but the woman approached him and yelled back: 'You need to stop.'

A Woolworths employee intervened by placing her arm between the two so the woman couldn't approach the group any further, but the women yelled: 'No, get them out.'

A staff member then told the man he must stop filming the incident.

'Its private property, you cannot film in here,' she said.

A shopper started filming after an woman started following his group around a Woolworths store and was swearing at them (pictured aggressive woman blurred)

The aggressive woman added: 'You can't f**king film in here.'

The man tried explaining to staff the reason why he was filming.

'Shes being aggressive, shes being aggressive,' he said.

'I have to film to protect you.

'She has been following us and swearing at us.'

This set the woman off further, accusing the group of following her 'up the escalator'.

The man continued to film, which made the woman more aggressive.

Other staff members then stepped in and asked the man again to stop filming.

Another customer sided with the group and says that their treatment isn't 'fair'.

The group leaves but at the self-service check-out the woman was still heard yelling and swearing at them to get out.

Many Aussies were outraged the man was told he wasn't allowed to film in the store instead of telling the aggressive woman to leave the store (pictured stock picture of a Woolworths)

People on social media believed it was the woman who should have been escorted out of the store, not the group.

'How disappointing, Woolworths staff,' one wrote.

'Why didnt they ask her to leave?' another said.

But many Aussies were outraged staff asked the man to stop filming instead of dealing with the aggressive woman.

'That Woolies employee who says its a private property and can't be filmed needs more training before she gets her next pay,' one wrote.

Another added: 'You can literally film in any store open to the public.'

But Australian businesses are considered private property, even if they are open to the public - and even if they are listed as a public company on the stock exchange.

By entering, you are agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions of the business.

Other shoppers were quick to defend the actions of the Woolworths staff who recognised the woman's anti-social behaviour worsened the more the man filmed.

Australian businesses are considered private property and customers must abide by the terms and conditions set out by the store and staff (pictured a Woolworths store)

'Everyone in the comments wondering why he's being asked to stop filming hasn't ever heard of de-escalation,' one wrote.

'They (the man filming) are just aggravating the situation,' another said.

A Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia staff members 'did their best' to de-escalate the situation.

'Were aware of an incident in 2020 between two customers in an Adelaide store,' they said.

'Our store team did their best to defuse the dispute in difficult circumstances and subsequently called police to the scene.'

Daily Mail Australia understands Woolworths did not receive a complaint or any correspondence from any of the customers since the incident occurred.

No customers or team members were injured.
A notorious Sydney rapist will be subject to around-the-clock electronic monitoring amid fears he's a 'high risk of sexual reoffending', a court has been told.

Graham James Kay, also known as the 'North Shore Rapist', has had a long list of monitoring conditions imposed on him for the next three years following his release from prison.

Kay was in 2000 sentenced to 20 years' jail for a series of terrifying sexual assaults committed against young women and girls over 12 months across Sydney's lower north shore.

During the attacks, which were each committed in 1995 and 1996, he held his victims at knifepoint, gagged their mouths and tied their hands.

He was released on parole in February 2015, but in April 2018, he contravened an extended supervision order - which placed strict conditions on Kay in a bid to protect the community - when he failed to disclose an intimate relationship.

Later that month, he again offended when he kissed a 16-year-old female supermarket worker.

The court was told the girl described the kiss on the cheek as 'slobbery' and vigorously wiped her cheek following the unwanted kiss.

He was convicted and sentenced to a 15-month conditional release order to be served in the community.

A NSW Supreme Court judge has ordered that Graham James Kay (pictured) be subject to long-term supervision

Then in January 2022, Kay was again arrested after he stalked a young woman before attacking her inside her apartment complex.

He was jailed for two years for sexual touching without consent and stalk/intimidate with intent to cause fear of physical harm.

However, he had six months added onto his sentence after the Crown appealed against the severity of his prison term.

The court was told that Kay stalked his victim through a shopping centre, and then from the Sydney CBD to Haymarket, where he followed her into her apartment building and sexually touched her.

When the victim tried to exit the elevator, Kay reached under her dress and grabbed her vaginal area for several seconds, causing her to scream before he fled the scene.

He was released in September last year.

Last month, the court lifted a non-publication order over Kay's name, which was imposed by a judge in 2020 after the rapist received threats and he lost his employment and accommodation.

Following his release, the state sought to impose a string of monitoring conditions, via an extended supervision order (ESO), to keep close tabs on him.

Kay did not object to the ESO; however, he objected to a proposed condition that he wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for the next three years.

He asked that he only be required to wear the electronic monitor for 18 months.

The court was told that according to a risk assessment report, Kay was gauged as being 'a high risk of sexual reoffending'.

On Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Hament Dhanji ordered that Kay be subject to a three-year ESO, including that he wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Justice Dhanji noted that some of Kay's past offences included following and stalking his victims and said that electronic monitoring could be used to monitor his movements.

'While electronic monitoring was not successful in deterring the defendant from offending in 2022, I would not discount the prospect that it will, in the future, have some deterrent effect,' he said in his judgment published on Thursday.

The 36 conditions of the ESO specify that Kay must report to a departmental supervising officer, provide a schedule of his movements if asked and live at an approved address.

He must not leave NSW and surrender his passport and cannot associate with anyone under 18.

He must not hire sex workers without prior approval from a case worker and must also inform authorities if he begins a sexual relationship or a friendship with a woman.
Students who survived the Georgia school shooting have revealed their teachers hid them in closets and claim the school did not take the threat seriously before hell broke loose on Wednesday.

Colt Gray, 14, opened fire at Apalachee High School, hitting at least 13 people and leaving four dead in what officially became the deadliest incident of its kind in Georgia's history.

The terrifying barrage of gunfire led to some students to hide in school cupboards as they fled to safety, as family and relatives on the outside were forced to wait impatiently for updates.

One Apalachee freshman, Jayden Finch, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that one of his friends had been killed in the shooting as his teacher ushered him and his classmates into a closet.

He also recalled seeing a body when his class was moved out to the football field.

Colt Gray's suspected murder weapon can be seen in the corridor of Apalachee High School where he allegedly killed four and injured nine people

'There was a threat to the school this morning, but there are so many empty threats, they didn't take it seriously,' Jayden added.

Apalachee senior Caden Moon told the outlet he was in the middle of a class when he heard several gunshots fired.

'Everything was fine. And then all the screens changed to lockdown, and then I heard about five gunshots outside my classroom,' he said.

Micah Hartsock, an Apalachee junior, said he tried to remain calm and text his dad while chilling gunshots rang out in the hallway.

'There's a shooter and I heard gunshots, I was pretty close to saying that I care about you and I love you, so if I don't make it out,' he said in his desperate message.

The families of Georgia students on the outside have also spoken of the terrifying wait for updates on their children following the school shooting.

As news of the shooting broke, parents and relatives of students in the school desperately waited on information regarding the safety and wellbeing of their children.

One parent, William Hartman, revealed he got a call from his 17-year-old son who informed his parents that the incident was being filmed live on Facebook.

'I don't know how to explain the feelings, the fear,' the father said.

Father of Apalachee High School student, William Hartman, revealed he got a call from his son, 17, who informed him the shooting incident was being filmed on Facebook live

Grandparents Michelle and J Watson said they waited 45 minutes to hear an update on their grandchild, a student at the school

'I have two children which go to Hayman Morris (middle school) which borders the school and the first thing was immediately calling the schools.

'Then the text messages and stuff started coming through from the schools. Terror. Absolute terror.'

The grandparents of an Apalachee High School student, Michelle and J Watson, spoke of how they endured a painful 45 minute wait before they heard any news of their grandchild.

'Really sad. Really sad... You know, it took us a while before we realized that she wasn't one of the victims. I mean, for 45 minutes... An hour...' they recalled.

'An hour before we got word that she was okay, it was very terrifying. It's the least (last) thing you expect to happen in the heat around here of all places,' they added.

Speaking to the BBC this morning, a number of surviving students recalled their fright during the terrifying morning.

'I saw a kid with a gun,' one young student said.

'We heard shots, the teacher ran, slammed the door, made us all go in the corner,' recalled another.

A third parent revealed: 'My son actually called me while it was going on inside the classroom'.

Officials have said that Gray's shooting spree ended within minutes after he began firing at at approximately 10:23am before taking the lives of his four victims - teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.

He immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground,' they added.

Student Christian Angulo, 14, was also shot dead in the senseless shooting

Teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall lost their lives in the tragedy

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

It is unclear how the 14-year-old gunman got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, with cops reportedly raiding his family home in the hours after the shooting.

Authorities say they are still investigating how Gray was able to bring an AR-style weapon inside his school, with footage of the aftermath appearing to show the weapon on the floor as terrified students were escorted down hallways to safety.

Following his arrest, Gray will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Images from the scene showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class just minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we weren't going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Students and residents commemorate those who lost their lives by lighting candles near the scene of mass shooting at Apalachee high school on September 4

Measures are taken by security forces on the scene of mass shooting at Apalachee high school in Winder, Georgia

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, said she was sat next to shooter Colt Gray, 14, in algebra class just moments before he opened fire

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

Describing her classmate, Sayarath said Gray 'never really talked, he wasn't (in school) most times, he would just skip class... Even when he would have talked, it was one word answers.'

Sayarath said she 'wasn't surprised' when Gray was identified as the shooter, and said that 'when you think of shooters and the way they act, it's usually the quiet kid and he was the one that fit that description.'

But the relatives of the gunman leapt to his defense in a move that has sparked backlash online and within the local community.

The teenager's aunt, Annie Polhamus Brown, took to Facebook during the aftermath, bringing up the issues he 'dealt with' and saying she 'will take care of my nephew and what he needs on this side.'

'Just check yourself before you speak about a child that never asked to deal with the bull**** he saw on a daily basis,' she said in the posts, which have now been deleted.

'Y'all ready to see Polhamus blood in full throttle? Nah, I wouldn't either.'

Polhamus Brown said she did 'everything I could to fight for my nephew', as she called out people for 'playing the blame game.'

She did also have some words for the victims of the shooting, saying the 'families affected by my nephew's actions deserve all the attention now.'

'I will NOT disrespect other parents and families that are dealing with this tragedy on the opposite end. THEY DID NOT DESERVE THIS,' she wrote.
Sainsbury's has called in police after a viral social media trend saw a surge in fraudsters using a voucher 'glitch' to get their shopping for free.

The retail giant has become the victim of the so-called 'Sainsbury's method' trend on TikTok, which sees accounts sharing images of genuine coupons online which are then repeatedly scanned at self-checkout tills by fraudsters.

Conmen taking advantage of the 'coupon hack' are then able to fraudulently make off with hundreds of pounds of goods for just a few pence.

Videos online have shown customers bragging about getting 400 worth of goods for just 6. While in another clip, a shopper is challenged by a Sainsbury's worker before threatening the staff member, saying 'I'm gonna knock you out'.

Other clips have urged people to join Discord servers where the can be sent the reusable voucher. Messaging app WhatsApp is also reportedly being used by criminals, who are sharing a step-by-step guide on how to use the coupons.

Sainsbury's is being targeted by fraudsters who are using a 'voucher glitch' to obtain hundreds of pounds worth of shopping for a few pence. Pictured is a shopper taking part in the con

Clips on TikTok have urged people to join Discord servers where vouchers are then shared and reused by fraudsters in shops

Pictured is one of the receipts shared as part of the so-called 'Sainsbury's method' which has led to the retailer working with police to clampdown on conmen using the scheme

Pictured is one of the accounts on TikTok sharing the 'Sainsbury's method' voucher con

Elsewhere on X, people have shared pictures showing the items they have allegedly managed to bag through the method - with one account boasting about 'selling Tesco/Sainsbury's method free food'.

In an effort to clampdown on thieves, Sainsbury's is now using in-store detectives to root out fraudsters trying to take advantage of the voucher con, with cops monitoring checkouts for potential criminals.

The coupons that end up being shared on social media are being blocked by the supermarket as quickly as it can - with notices put up in stores about the scheme.

In a warning to customers, Sainsbury's said: 'We have seen an increase in fraudulent coupons in our stores and we have processes in place to detect and block them. This may temporarily lead to a slightly longer checkout process, and we are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.'

Last year, Tesco was hit with a similar coupon con in which fraudulent gift vouchers could be used to repeatedly take money off orders at self-checkouts.

The total at the till could be run into minus figures, with machine then dispensing cash to the shoppers. The cheat could only be used on machines running older software, which have since been updated, the Grocer reported.

MailOnline has approached other retailers, like Asda and Morrisons, to see if their outlets are falling victim to similar cons.

The so-called 'Sainbury's method' comes just weeks after another voucher con caused mayhem at the retailer's shops nationwide.

The coupon - which appeared in Sainsbury's app - led to customers flocking to the supermarket to pile their baskets and trolleys high with produce before the voucher was swiftly removed.

Elsewhere on X, people have shared pictures showing the items they have allegedly managed to bag through the method - with one account boasting about 'selling Tesco/Sainsbury's method free food'.

Pictured is one of the alleged Discord servers being used to share vouchers which are then repeatedly used by fraudsters in Sainsbury's stores nationwide

Sainsbury's has issued a warning to customers about voucher cons being used at their stores

Video footage from a number of branches showed people trying to take advantage of the coupon before the retail giant clocked on, some stockpiling basics such as toilet paper while others nabbed more luxury goods.

A clip from the Sainsbury's branch in Gants Hill, East London showed an argument break out between two shoppers trying their luck, and store staff who attempted to deny them using the voucher.

The unnamed man and his friend attempt to pay for their goods at the self-checkout using the faulty voucher on one of their phones.

Among the items are cartons of fresh soup and a box of Ferrero Rocher, and the bloke behind the camera argues with staff as his pal repeatedly scans the voucher, with cash flying off the total amount every time.

The member of staff tries to argue that the code has been cancelled but the customer insists: 'It's allowed, Sainsbury's is allowing coupons.'

The staff member denies it again, but the customer refuses to back down, adding: 'Take it off the system. If it's not allowed, why is it still on the system? It's allowed, it's a coupon.'

Lines of trollies were seen lined up in White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds full of shopping

A security guard then appears, questioning why the customer is filming.

The shopper starts to get agitated and says: 'I'm recording for my safety and your safety, because if you touch me, I'm going to knock you out

'I am using a coupon. Disconnect it from the system and I won't use the coupon. The system allows me to use it so I'm using it. If it's a frauded coupon, how is it on the Sainsbury's app?'

A second video, taken in Sainsbury's in the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds, Yorkshire, shows a long line of trolleys piled high with groceries.

A woman's voice can be heard saying: 'This is ridiculous, look at this. This is why it stopped. Look at this, they don't buy so much in real life.'

Countless trollies are packed full of food and necessities as well as some luxury items as carefree shoppers take advantage of the legitimate code.

The woman continues to commentate in disbelief as the line of trolleys continues to rumble on. It's not clear whether these were seized before or after the glitch within the code was discovered by Sainsbury's.

The clips were shared to social media yesterday with the caption: 'A glitched Sainsbury's coupon was released on the app yesterday where it allowed customers to get all their items for free.

An example of the voucher in use - saving the customer 55.84

Lines of trollies filled with goods after shopper's used a faulty voucher

'Those who found it before Sainsbury's did made sure to take the p***.'

The post has since received over 7,400 likes and more than 40 comments from amused members of the public.

One said: 'Serves them right for overcharging.'

A second commented: 'I mean, at least they were buying food because I'd be in there clearing the alcohol aisle.'

Another said: 'Second video was playing Supermarket Sweep in real life.'

A fourth wrote: 'Ahh man, why did I have to find out about this late?'

Another said: 'Did you load up on Yorkshire Tea?'

A spokesperson for Sainsbury's said at the time: 'We have seen an increase in fraudulent coupons in our stores and we have processes in place to detect and block them.

'We also have in-store detectives monitoring for fraudulent attempts and we are working closely with the police on this issue. We continue to accept genuine coupons and vouchers.'
A grandmother whose husband allegedly drugged her and invited 50 men to rape her took the witness stand this morning in France's worst ever sexual abuse trial.

Gisele Pelicot bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years.

Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when a police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious.

Madame Pelicot, who has three grown up children and seven grandchildren, is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan.

Madame Pelicot said during her testimony this morning: 'I was sacrificed by my husband for these obscenities  a woman drugged and abused. It was like I was dead. I was treated like a piece of meat.'

She also revealed that she was convinced she had Alzheimer's after suffering memory loss in 2011 and 2013, but her husband dismissed her concerns.

Dominique Pelicot and 50 others are accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case.

Gisele Pelicot (pictured arriving to court this morning) bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case

Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan (pictured)

But 35 men  from all walks of life  deny that they forced themselves on Madame Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she in some way consented.

However this morning Madame Pelicot who had no idea of the abuse her husband was putting her through over a decade, is determined that France and the rest of world hear her testimony.

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 50 men accused her raping her.

Accompanied by her three grown-up children, the 71-year-old with a smart auburn bob appeared defiant in the face of her abusers.

She stared up at the ceiling of the Avignon court room and gave a heavy sigh as Judge Roger Arata opened the fourth day of the trial that has shocked France.

Across the room Dominique Pelicot, her grey-haired husband of 50 years  who claims to have adored his wife  looked at her without expression.

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home.

At 9.20am Madame Pelicot took the witness stand to give evidence.

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 50 men accused her raping her

Mr Pelicot's daughter, Caroline Darian, arrived to court alongside her mother this morning

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home (pictured above)

Some of the 50 co-defendants accused of rape speak with a lawyer at the courthouse in the case that has shocked France on Monday, September 2

Madame Pelicot is pictured above as she arrived to court this morning

She gave her name, maiden name and age into the microphone.

Judge Arata tried to reassure her that she should take her time to make her testimony. And he warned her she would face cross examination.

She said: 'I would not be before you if it were not for the work of the police of Carpentras [the town where the supermarket where her husband was arrested in 2020].

'On that day in September I had been away with my daughter. I returned home to Mazan and I sat in the kitchen.

'Monsieur Pelicot told me; "I have done something silly. I took some photographs in the supermarket".

'After 50 years of marriage I said I would forgive him. But if there was a second time I would leave him.

'In October I went to Paris to look after two of my grandchildren.

'I received a phone call from the police who told me they wanted to talk to me.

'I made an appointment in November at the police headquarters in Carpentras.'

She continued: 'We were later summoned to the police. I knew he had taken photos of these women and thought we were going as a formality.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she would remember walking up the steps to the police station 'for the rest of my life'.

At the station, where she was wearing a mask as it was during the Covid pandemic, a police officer told her: 'I'm going to tell you something you won't like.'

She said: 'For 50 years I always supported my husband, health, financial and couple problems. It was based on trust.'

Pictured above is a general view of where the Pelicots lived which has been known as the house of horrors, with a creepy back alley

Dominique Pelicot can be seen in this court sketch on the right

'I'm a woman who only one man can touch, Mr Pelicot, no other can put a hand on me,' she added, as reported by the Telegraph.

Madame Pelicot continued: 'But I left and went home while my husband was in custody. The trauma was enormous. The shock. I returned home to my little dog. I could not stay alone. I had to go to see some friends.

'I told my son that his father was in custody, that he had been charged. On the 3rd of November I went to the police station at Carpentras.

'The police showed me the videos. My world collapsed. When I told my daughter she screamed.

'I left my house with two suitcases and my dog. That was all I had after 50 years of marriage. Everything was based on trust in 50 years.

Caroline Darian's book

'My daughter had a nervous breakdown and required medical help.'

'When I told my sons about this, I dont think they really understood, they were withdrawn and didn't react much. I think they were in a state of shock. They said don't say such silly things,' she said, as reported by the Telegraph.

'[That] evening, the children rang all the time saying don't disappear, they were worried I might die.'

Madame Pelicot continued: 'You can't imagine yourself in a situation like that. In that moment I wanted to disappear.

'I had to tell my children that their father was in custody. I called my son-in-law and told my daughter and told them: "He raped me". Then I heard my daughter screaming a deep cry that I cannot get out of my head.

'People in the street  at the bakery at the supermarket, asked me if I was ok. I had to leave the area. I could not stay in that house. I had lost everything, my husband, my life.

'I didn't know who I was or where I was going. I had lost my identity. My son moved me out of that house.'

Referring to the sex tapes her husband had made of strangers abusing her she said: 'This was not sex it was rape. I have never practiced open sex, I was never swinger.

'I was never a victim, until now. I had to get help, counselling.'

Madame Pelicot said she believed the first instance of being drugged was in 2011 when she woke up in the afternoon with no memory.

A black and white facial reconstruction of a younger Dominique Pelicot is seen in this handout image

Dominique Pelicot is accused of orchestrating the rape ring

She said: 'One day in 2011, I woke up at 6pm in the evening. That was not right. I never sleep until 6pm in the evening. I knew this was not normal but I could understand why.

'I had no memory of the day. I asked Monsieur Pelicot what had happened.'

The couple moved to the village in Provence two years later in 2013. She said: 'In March 2013 we left Paris for Mazan and this "absence" started again.

'I have an excellent memory. I joked to my husband, "you're not drugging me are you?"

'He broke down in tears and said; "you actually think I could do that?"

'I went to see a neurologist. I was convinced I had Alzheimer's. He said don't worry. I had scans but the absences continued. I don't remember any of the sex scenes.

'My son told my husband that I was not well. He said "don't worry".'

Madame Pelicot added: 'I was sacrificed by my husband for these obscenities  a woman drugged and abused. It was like I was dead. I was treated like a piece of meat.

'This is why I am speaking out, - for all the other women who are abused. It was humiliating what I have gone through.

'It started when I learned from the investigating magistrate that Mr Pelicot had filmed up women's skirts with a hidden camera in a pen.

'I learned that in 2010 he had done something similar. If I had known back then I would have perhaps I would have been more vigilant. I could have won back ten years of my life.'

Madame Pelicot added: 'These videos are all more horrible than the others. It's barbaric, I don't know how my body is strong enough to stand before you today.'

Gisele Pelicot (C) sits next to her daughter Caroline Darian (2ndL) and her sons Florian Pelicot (L) and David Pelicot (2ndR) with his wife Celine F. (R), at the courthouse during the trial of her husband on September 2

The town of Mazan, 20 miles from Avignon in southern France, where the victim and her husband lived and the attacks took place

The grandmother recalled how her own mother died when she was just nine years old and that she left school aged only 13 to find work.

She said: 'At 13 I was knocking on factory doors asking for work. When I was two years old I knew that my mother had an incurable disease. But I never saw my grandmother cry. We don't show tears in my family.'

Monsieur Pelicot broke down in tears in the dock as she listened to his estranged wife detail how they fell in love and started their 50-year married life together.

Wiping his eyes, the grey-haired multiple rapist appeared to be unable to listen to her memory of their once happy life.

She recalled: 'Then I met M Pelicot. He had a tyrannical family. He had to give all of his wages to his parents. I married very young. I was 20 years old.

'We needed permission from our parents. My dad was not in favour of the wedding but he accepted it. We had no money but we were very much in love. I have never been with another man.

'We were not rich but we were happy. Monsieur Pelicot is an electrician. He retrained as an estate agent. He had kidney stones and almost died. And then the real estate crisis. No money was coming in but I still supported him.

'I knew he was courageous. He has always worked hard.'

She added: '[After M Pelicot's arrest], I learned that he had been raped aged nine. He wasn't supported by his parents. We could have dealt with it together.

'I'm being treated by a psychiatrist now. Rape scenes are torture scenes. Why does anyone deserve to go though that?'

After giving her testimony, Judge Arata began to question Madame Pelicot.

The judge asked: 'Did Monsieur Pelicot have any sexual desires that you did not want to take part in?'

Beatrice Zavarro (C), lawyer for the accused Dominique P, speaks with lawyers at the courthouse during the trial of her client accused of drugging his wife for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan

Gisele Pelicot, 72, arrives at the courthouse in Avignon this morning ahead of the third day of her husband's trial on September 4, 2024

Madame Pelicot replied: 'Once we went to a nightclub with another couple where there was a "swingers' room". But I didn't want to get involved in that so we did not go into that room and we just stayed in the main nightclub.'

The judge asked if she suffered any problems after being abused for ten years.

Madame Pelicot replied: 'I have gynaecological problems. I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

She added: 'I was tested for HIV as one man who came (to rape me) six times was seropositive. My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop. Luckily I didn't catch it. But not once did Mr Pelicot say to himself, "I've gone too far".'

'He showed no pity, no pity at all,' Madame Pelicot said, as reported by the Telegraph.

The judge told her that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

Madame Pelicot replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

The judge ended his interrogation with what he described as a 'very difficult question'.

He asked: 'Madame Pelicot, are you in any way complicit in Monsieur Pelicot's activities?'

She replied calmly: 'Absolutely not. I never pretended to be asleep or anything like that.'

Another judge asked Madame Pelicot whether she and her husband ever discussed filming their sexual intercourse.

She said: 'I never agreed to Monsieur Pelicot filming us having sex. No the only time we talked about something like this was at the swingers' room at the nightclub.

'I understood that he would have wanted to do it. But for me it was impossible.'

The shocking trial, which began on Monday, is set to end on December 20 with 50 people, including Mr Pelicot, facing aggravated rape charges.
A classical musician says she was left humiliated and on the verge of tears after claiming Ryanair refused to let her board with her violin because it was 1cm too big.

Esther Abrami, 27, claims airline staff spoke to her 'like a piece of garbage' and suggested she pay to put the fragile 200-year-old instrument in the cargo hold with other travellers' luggage.

The star violinist, who is French but lives in Manchester, had been set to jet from Marseille to Berlin to record her third album with Sony this week.

Ms Abrami said she had flown countless times with the airline, taking her precious violin as cabin luggage, and never had an issue.

But on Tuesday she says she was stopped at the gates and 'publicly humiliated' as she tried to persuade staff to let her board - even offering to cough up cash to pay for an extra seat.

Star violinist Esther Abrami, pictured at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in 2022, says she was 'treated like a piece of trash' by Ryanair this week when she tried to board with her instrument

The 27-year-old musician took to Instagram to share her upset - claiming she was 'publicly humiliated'

Ms Abrami says she was left on the verge of tears after being told her 200-year-old violin was 1cm too big to take on as cabin baggage

Ryanair claims Ms Abrami was not refused boarding, and should have booked an extra seat when she paid for her ticket in July.

The 27-year-old said claimed her violin's case was 56cm, when the cabin baggage limit is 55cm, and even offered to take it out of its case and hold it during the flight.

But, Ms Abrami says she staff said that wasn't an option - and labelled the way they treated 'unacceptable'.

She wrote on Instagram: 'I was spoken to like a piece of garbage, told to get out of their way if I wasn't going to check in the violin as I was wasting their time.

'I feel so humiliated, held in my tears, trying not to break in front of all the people about to board the plane watching the scene.'

The violinist said she couldn't believe the 'rudeness' she was met with.

She wrote on Instagram: 'I was refused boarding on a Ryanair flight with my 200 years old violin today. On my way to Berlin, departing from Marseille to record my third album with Sony Classical, this is the first time I have experienced such rudeness and public humiliation.

'Just before boarding the flight I was stopped and told I could not board on with my violin. I offered to pay whatever it would cost to take it with me, they refused.

Ms Abrami, pictured in VIP screening to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Snowman in 2022, says she begged staff to let her on board

The 27-year old, snapped at 2022 Christmas Carols on ITV, says her violin is 200 years old and very fragile

'I offered to buy an extra seat, they said the flight was closed already and I could not buy an extra seat anymore (despite the flight not being full).

'They said the only option was to check it in with the LUGGAGES or just leave at the airport. I explained the price and the fragility of the violin.

'I begged them, explaining I was recording this very same day for my album, telling that I had flown an incredible number of times with this company and never experienced this.

'It came to the point where I even offered to take my violin out of the case, keeping its fabric protection and just carry it by hand and keeping it on me during the whole flight whilst they put the case in the cargo.

'They made me open my case on the floor, put the violin in the place to measure suitcases. The requirements for the cabin luggage - which I had paid for already - is a length of 55cm.

'My violin measures 56cm, it fitted diagonally, and otherwise was 1cm over. Even this was refused.'

Ms Abrami says she was 'incredibly fortunate' that she could book a last minute ticket with another airline.

Ryanair said: 'This passenger was not refused travel from Marseille to Berlin (3 Sep). Ms. Abrami booked her flight on July 5 and at the time did not opt to pay for an extra seat fare for her violin as per Ryanair's terms and conditions when travelling with musical instruments.

'When this passenger checked in her bag at the check in desk prior to her flight (3 Sep) she was advised by the check in desk agent of her option to purchase an additional bag where her violin would be put in the hold.

'The passenger refused and proceeded to the gate. This passenger's violin exceeded the cabin bag dimensions permitted for her flight, and therefore she was required to pay a standard gate baggage fee at the gate. This passenger refused to pay the standard fee and instead chose not to travel on this flight.'

The airline added this morning: 'Violinists travelling with Ryanair have to obey the same rules as everyone else; if it fits it can go onboard, but if it doesnt it goes in the hold.'
A brazen phone snatcher stole a woman's mobile in broad daylight in central London before calmly making off on his e-bike.

Footage filmed by an internet streamer shows the woman standing close to an Oxford Circus Street exit on her way to work looking at her phone.

Behind her a man on an e-bike silently approaches her and grabs her phone out of her hand before escaping.

Visibly shocked the woman jumps slightly and then stands rooted to the spot in disbelief.

Moment the bike thief snatches the phone on his e-bike near Oxford Circus tube station

On his approach: The phone grabber closes in on his silent e-bike clad all in black

Dress all in black the thief nears his victim outside of an entrance to Oxford Circus tube

Britain, and in particular London, is in the midst of a phone grabbing crisis.

Criminal gangs target members of the public who are distracted by something on their phone and then swoop on them.

Often the gangs use electric vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters because they are silent and fast, maximising their chances of snatching the phone and getting away.

In the underworld the stealing of phones is big business, and many handsets end up abroad, where they are broken down for parts and sold on.

The MailOnline revealed how the Chinese city of Shenzhen is at the heart of a lucrative and illicit international stolen phones black market.

Owing to the city's casual approach to enforcing criminal property laws, gangs can sell the phones on for cut prices or take the phones apart and flog parts.

Due to the city's focus on technology, it has become known as China's 'Silicon Valley'.

Across the city their are vast markets, some lawful and other legal, offering to sell gadgets, including huge numbers of stolen mobile phones from Britain.

Despite the extensive amount of CCTV covering London's busiest areas, gangs target people in those locations precisely because they think they will be more safe and have their guard down.

The gangs also operate at music festivals and events where large crowds make it difficult to track movements.

According to Freedom of Information requests submitted by the company Get Phone Repairs, in London Westminster, Southwark and Camden are the worst areas.

Their data shows that in 2023 in London alone, 52,144 mobiles were stolen.

They say that averages as 5.93 phones stolen for every 1000 people in the capital city worth 18.5 million for the year.

Get Phone Repairs founder, Ryan Leston. 'Keep your phone somewhere safe, like a front jeans pocket, when it's not in use.

'Don't take risks by getting your phone out in areas you feel unsure about. And maybe don't ask strangers to help you snap the perfect selfie.'

The Metropolitan Police published statistics on mobile snatches for January 2022 to January 2023 there were nearly 90,000 thefts.

Of the 88,949 only 1,915 were recovered and returned to their owner, meaning more than 87,000 phones could have been shipped abroad in just one year from London.

London 's 'most notorious phone snatcher' Sonny Stringer, 28, from Islington, was jailed for two years after stealing 24 phones in a single morning earlier this year

In little over an hour, Stringer and his accomplice had netted handsets worth around 20,000 by sneaking up behind victims on quiet high-speed motorbikes on March 26

London's most notorious phone snatcher Sonny Stringer was jailed earlier this year at Isleworth Crown Court.

In one morning he stole 24 phones across London sparking a major police investigation.

Detectives said the phones were worth 20,000. Stringer used high-powered motorbikes which were almost silent to sneak up on his victims.

His reign of terror took him through some of London's most affluent areas including Westminster, Kensington and Bloomsbury.

One man quickly had his day of sunshine joy cut short as he was targeted by brazen thief on Southwark Road in London

Seemingly in shock and confused, the disgruntled victim attempts to give chase (Pictured)

Last month footage showed another phone snatcher on an e-bike making off with a man's mobile.

This time on Southwark Street, in south London the thief spotted his target on the pavement looking at his phone and approached him from behind.

Before the victim could do anything his mobile was in the thief's hands and he was speeding away on his.

Bravely the owner of the phone tried to give chase but could not keep up.
The Home Office has been spared an inquest into how an Afghan asylum seeker who posed as a child before murdering an aspiring Marine was allowed into Britain.

Tom Roberts, 21, a nightclub DJ, was stabbed in the chest by Afghan Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai outside a Subway in the early hours of March 12, 2022, when he tried to intervene in a row over an e-scooter.

Abdulrahimzai, who was actually 19, had already murdered two people in Serbia before being allowed into the UK posing as a 14-year-old orphan.

He was placed into two secondary schools in Bournemouth, Dorset, and was expelled from one for carrying a knife in school. Two days before he killed Mr Roberts he was stopped by police for carrying a machete.

Mr Roberts' family has slammed a coroner's decision to scrap an inquest into his murder and they claim authorities are trying to 'sweep it under the carpet'.

Abdulrahimzai had already murdered two people before being allowed into the UK posing as a 14-year-old orphan

Tom Roberts, 21, (pictured) was stabbed in the chest twice by Afghan Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai

Abdulrahimzai was jailed for 29 years for Mr Roberts' murder following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court in January 2023.

It later emerged that he was flagged as 'susceptible to terrorism' by the Home Office's Prevent anti-terrorism task group in 2021.

Mr Roberts' family have previously accused the Border Force and Home Office of systematic failures which allowed Abdulrahimzai into the country.

They had pinned their hopes on a full inquest into Mr Roberts' death to publicly scrutinise the failings and ask questions.

However, after a number of pre-inquest review hearings, senior coroner for Dorset Rachael Griffin has now ruled that there is no need for a full inquest to take place.

Mr Roberts' family said they feel like the matter was being 'swept under the carpet' and accused the authorities of a cover-up.

They claim that if immigration officials had carried out proper checks on Abdulrahimzai after he arrived on a ferry in Poole, Mr Roberts would still be alive today.

Dolores Wallace-Roberts, Mr Robert's mother, said: 'I am very disappointed by the coroner's decision not to resume the investigation into his death. It is unfair.

Armed police arresting Abdulrahimzai for murdering Mr Roberts in Bournemouth

The asylum seeker, seen here on bus CCTV, claimed his parents were killed by the Taliban

'The Home Office don't want to engage with us. They are accountable and there is negligence there but they just block any attempts to find out more.

'I have very serious concerns about how Border Force checks the identity of those arriving in England and whether they are criminals and how BCP Council checks the ages of those claiming to be children.

'I have concerns about the response of Dorset Police to a report of someone carrying a machete in a public place and the failure of the authorities to check and share information, which allows the status quo to continue.

'Everything is wrong in this country and it will continue to happen again.'

Mr Roberts' step-father, Peter Wallace, said: 'It feels like everything is being swept under the carpet and it is a bit of a cover-up.

'The Home Office has never apologised to me because if they did they would have to admit their failings.

'It is disappointing that lessons will not be learnt about their complete failures, but they don't want them out in the open.'

Mrs Griffin ruled the inquest did not meet the criteria for Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights, that the state knew or ought to have known of an immediate risk to an individual's life they have to take reasonable steps to deal with that risk.

The Afghan national was convicted of the murder of aspiring Royal Marine Thomas Roberts (pictured), 21, outside a Subway sandwich shop in Bournemouth

The coroner said Mr Roberts and Abdulrahimzai were strangers and although there was an 'emerging pattern of violent behaviour and a risk to others of harm', at the time of the murder the illegal immigrant had not used a knife in an act of violence nor made any threats to kill since arriving in the UK in December 2019.

But the catalogue of mistakes and missed opportunities that would have revealed Abdulrahimzai's murderous past make for damning reading.

Outlining the facts, Mrs Griffin said Abdulrahimzai arrived in the UK on December 26, 2019, hidden in a vehicle on a ferry from Cherbourg and told Border Force officials he was 13, but no age assessment was carried out.

His fingerprints were taken a few weeks later and revealed he had links with Norway and Italy.

The fingerprints were sent to both countries but with no request for any further information. If this had been done it would have revealed his true age.

On January 29, 2020, his foster carer reported that a dentist said Abdulrahimzai was older than he had indicated and while it was felt an age assessment was needed, it was not done because the authorities felt a mental health assessment was needed first.

The age assessment had still not been done by the time Mr Roberts was killed.

From December 21, 2020, and throughout 2021, there were a number of incidents and concerns raised around Abdulrahimzai carrying knives, including allegedly chasing another pupil at his school with a knife, which he denied.

In May 2021 he hurt another student at school, causing injury, and in July of that year, he tried to headbutt his foster carer, who managed to move out of the way.

In September, when he had been placed somewhere else, he was accused of assaulting another child.

A police cordon outside the Subway sandwich shop on Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth

The police cordoned off Horseshoe Common in Bournemouth following the fatal stabbing in March 2022

In January 2022 the authorities held a meeting confirming an age assessment would be carried out because Abdulrahimzai had been 'bringing females back to his placement' and was refusing to attend school or engage in education.

On the evening of March 10, about 30 hours before Mr Roberts was stabbed, police received a call about a youth carrying a machete-style knife in public.

The coroner's report states that when police attended his address to speak to Abdulrahimzai the gates were locked and they could see a member of staff asleep at his desk but could not gain access and no further action would be taken.

Abdulrahimzai's fingerprints were not shared with Interpol until after Mr Robert's death, which revealed in September 2022 that he had been convicted of a double homicide in Serbia.

Mrs Griffin said there was a system of checks in place when Abdulrahimzai entered the country to check identity and undertake an age assessment so it was not a systemic failure.

She said: 'Whilst it has to be accepted there were missed opportunities to undertake some checks, for example PNC checks and checks with Norway and Italy when Border Force sent updated fingerprints to them, it cannot be said that had these checks been done, the course of events that led to Tommy's death would have been any different.

'It is too speculative and remote to state that there was a causal link between these missed opportunities and Tommy's death.'

Mr Wallace added: 'Tommy's death has torn our family apart.

'There were so many warning signs that Abdulrahimzai should not be here yet the Home Office did nothing about it.

'He was kicked out of Norway and Italy but not here and for that reason I hold the Home Office responsible for Tommy's death.

'If someone had done their job he would still be alive.

'It was so obvious that the guy was just waiting to kill someone and it just happened unfortunately to be Tommy.

'He should have been locked up before he killed Tommy. I'm so angry about it.

'It is not just the Home Office but immigration officials and social workers. Everyone who was involved in him (Abdulrahimzai) being here is guilty because none of them did their jobs. He was flagged up every week and every month.

'He was carrying a knife and threatening people with a knife and nobody did anything.

'He spun some story about coming from a war-torn country. That was all b******s'.

'We will never be able to bring Tommy back but they still let in thousands of people without proper checks and this will keep happening.'

BCP Council said that once immigration services deemed Abdulrahimzai as under 18 years old, it fulfilled its duty of responsibility by taking him into care as an unaccompanied child asylum seeker.

BCP Council leader Millie Earl said: 'In this case, Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai claimed he was a child upon arrival.

'Immigration services carry out an initial age enquiry at point of entry and once an individual claims they are, or is identified as, under 18 they must be treated as a child.

'To follow government guidance and to fulfil BCP Council's duty of responsibility, Abdulrahimzai was taken into care as an unaccompanied child asylum seeker in December 2019.

'Everyone living in our community should feel safe and we will do all we can to ensure that tragedies such as this do not happen again in the BCP area, or nationally.

'This is why we are working with the relevant Government departments and agencies to identify where improvements can be made throughout the national process of assessing and placing asylum seekers.'

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said the force fully co-operated with the inquest process and carried out an internal investigation after reports Abdulrahimzai was seen with a knife two days before Mr Roberts' death.

They said: 'We co-operated fully with the inquest process and carried out an internal investigation by the Force's Professional Standards Department into a report that was made on Thursday 10 March 2022 with information that a member of the public had seen a young person in possession of a knife.

'The young person was identified to be Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai and officers made enquiries at his address to try and locate him during the early hours of Friday 11 March 2022, but they were not able to make contact with him.

'The investigation found that there was no evidence that Dorset Police officers were aware of any direct intention or threat made by Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai to harm anyone and the level of risk he posed was not known.

'There was no misconduct identified for any officers or staff.

'We remain committed to learning from tragic incidents such as this and identified opportunities for improving our response in incidents such as this.

'Youth violence and knife crime is a priority for Dorset Police and extensive work is ongoing to reduce the presence of dangerous weapons on our streets.'

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies remain with the loved ones of Thomas Roberts.

'We will consider the findings of the Coroner's report, but it would not be appropriate to comment further in the interim.'
A university student who uses a wheelchair has hit out at his university's 'total systemic failure' to accommodate his disability - after being unable to go up on stage to graduate after achieving his degree.

Masters student Jamie Hale had contacted University College London admin staff to advise that he would require wheelchair access to the Royal Festival Hall at London's Southbank Centre in order to 'cross the stage' as tradition dictates.

But when it came to the day itself, Jamie found the lift to the stage could not even safely take the combined weight of his body and his powered wheelchair.

Despite battling against the odds to secure a degree, Jamie was not able to join other students in the ceremony on-stage - and had to be handed his scroll on the floor instead.

The artist and disability campaigner took to X, formerly Twitter, to blast UCL for failing to accommodate his needs, meaning they missed out on a milestone moment in his student life.

Jamie Hale said he felt 'second class' after being unable to collect his university degree on stage at his graduation

He shared a screengrab from a video of his graduation - showing him at the foot of the stage in the Southbank Centre collecting his degree

Jamie added that there were 'massive institutional and procedural failings' at UCL that he had experienced during his time there, including two years without access to a toilet on campus

'I graduated from @UCL today with MA PPE of Health. They hadn't arranged safe wheelchair access to the stage @SouthbankCentre,' he wrote.

'They knew I'm a wheelchair user. Unlike other graduands I was awarded my degree on the floor. This discrimination is emblematic of my experience there.'

Jamie added that while the university immediately apologised and assured him that changes would be made, the events of the day nevertheless made him feel 'second class' - which the student branded 'unacceptable'.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast today, the student said: 'I was quite stunned. It meant I had to move out of a mindset that was about celebrating a Masters that I had managed to achieve against very steep odds.

'It was so clear there were massive institutional and procedural failings. It just felt like another reminder that actually, as a wheelchair user, universities don't necessarily want you: that you are complicated, difficult to accommodate.

'All of these things like checking lifts that seem very simple to me wasn't done at the UCL end nor did the Southbank make it clear that the lifts at the stage aren't suitable for wheelchair users.'

The student added that his experience at graduation was 'an absolute system failure' but not his first issue at UCL - having endured a two year wait for a toilet to use on campus and five weeks to have classes timetabled in an accessible classroom.

Jamie concluded: 'Having to get your graduation handshake on the floor rather than the stage doesn't sound like that big a deal - but partly it was the upset of something I've worked so hard for ending like that.'

In a statement to the BBC, Southbank Centre said: 'We're extremely sorry for Jamie's experience during the UCL graduation.

'We recognise there's always more work to do. At the Centre everyone is welcome and we work hard to make sure spaces are accessible to all.'

Meanwhile, UCL issued an 'unreserved' apology for how the graduation transpired for Jamie.

Dr Michael Spence, UCL president and provost, said: 'We apologise unreservedly and acknowledge it was unacceptable that Jamie was unable to cross the platform to celebrate this important moment.'

He added: 'We know we must do more to support our disabled staff and students.'

MailOnline has contacted Jamie Hale for further comment.

A Southbank Centre spokesperson said: 'We're extremely sorry for Jamie's experience during their UCL graduation.

'At the Southbank Centre everyone is welcome, and we work hard to make sure our buildings and spaces are accessible to all.

'We recognise there is always more work to do, and our Capital Plan includes continued improvements for access.'

The Southbank Centre said it recognised there was 'always more work to do' to improve accessibility (pictured: the Royal Festival Hall, where the graduation was held)

The incident is similar to one experienced by Anna Landre, a disability campaigner who was unable to receive the Freedom of the City of London on stage because it lacked a ramp

Paralympian champion Tanni Grey-Thompson has also taken to social media in recent days to blast LNER after she was left stuck on a train

She said she had to crawl off the train after it arrived at King's Cross Station and the help she had organised did not show up on time

The university says it has a five-year plan to 'remove barriers' to its buildings and services such as graduations for all students and staff.

Jamie is, among other things, a disability access campaigner who runs the disabled arts group Criptic Arts.

In February, he dined out with food critic Jay Rayner to demonstrate how something as simple as booking a restaurant can be complicated because many eateries don't list their accessibility for disabled people online.

On finding out whether somewhere was readily accessible, Rayner wrote in the Guardian: 'Here's the headline: it's b***** difficult. I checked dozens of websites. All but one contained no information on accessibility at all.

'There were messages about sustainability, employment standards, even modern slavery, but nothing about whether Jamie would be able to go inside.'

However, Jamie is not the first wheelchair user to encounter accessibility issues at a recent award ceremony.

Disability campaigner Anna Landre attended Mansion House in London last month to collect her Freedom of the City of London award - only to find she could not wheel onto the stage because there was no ramp.

The American, who moved to the UK three years ago, said the incident was 'absurd' - especially as organisers had assured her there would be wheelchair access.

Speaking to the Big Issue, Ms Landre said: 'I suppose I was worthy of being granted the Freedom of the City, but not the freedom of the room.

'The stage itself was not a historic feature and sat barely half a metre off the floor.

'The organisers knew I was coming and had assured me of wheelchair access. So why did this happen?'

BBC defence correspondent Frank Gardner has also been a public critic of a failure to properly support people with disabilities

He has been a frequent critic of airlines and airports when organised help does not arrive

The City of London Corporation offered its 'sincerest apologies' to Ms Landre.

It added: 'The City of London Corporation is fully committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we are undertaking an urgent review to ensure accessibility at our buildings, facilities and events.'

Last month, Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said she was forced to crawl off of an LNER train at London King's Cross station after waiting 20 minutes for assisted help that did not arrive.

And the BBC's defence correspondence Frank Gardner, who also uses a wheelchair, has frequently aired his grievances after being left waiting on airplanes for staff to retrieve his wheelchair.

He fumed in June 2022 on X: 'Just WHY are UK airports so consistently crap at getting disabled people off planes?'
China aims to launch Mars sample-return mission around 2028

Xinhua) 16:24, September 05, 2024

HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China plans to carry out the Tianwen-3 mission through two launches around 2028, aiming to bring back samples from Mars, a Chinese space expert said on Thursday.

Liu Jizhong, chief designer of China's Mars sample-return mission, unveiled the details at the 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference in Tunxi of Huangshan City in east China's Anhui Province.

The primary scientific goal of the mission will be searching for signs of life. To realize the goal, Chinese space engineers have to tackle key technologies such as collecting samples on the Martian surface, taking off from the Red Planet, rendezvous on the orbit around Mars, as well as planetary protection, Liu explained.

According to the plan, the mission will consist of 13 phases, executed through methods such as in-situ and remote-sensing detections.

China will earnestly adhere to international conventions and carry out measures to safeguard both Mars and Earth, as well as the samples, from contamination during the mission, Liu said.

The Tianwen-3 mission will carry payloads developed through international cooperation, and China will collaborate with scientists from around the world to conduct joint research on Mars samples and detection data, Liu said.

In the long term, China will collaborate with other countries or research institutions around the world to carry out mission and task definition, requirement analysis, conceptual research, implementation plan design and key technology breakthroughs for the construction of a research station on Mars, Liu added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Councillors in Wales would like a new housing development of affordable homes to be limited to Welsh speakers only.

Botwnnog Community Council in Gwynedd, north Wales, has objected to proposals for 18 'affordable' homes in the Welsh-speaking heartland on the Llyn Peninsula.

However, the county council has been urged to approve the plans for Botwnnog with conditions including a Welsh name for the estate and houses.

The village council insisted there was no local need for the development, consisting of homes to rent, and warned of the 'danger to the Welsh language and the fabric of the community.'

It claims the development could lead to English families moving to the area and the loss of the Welsh language.

But experts say such binding legislation could be in breach of equality law.

The development would see 18 new 'affordable' houses built in the small Welsh community

The village council insisted there was no local need for the development, consisting of homes to rent (Pictured: plans for the development)

According to rental legislation, any landlord or authority cannot choose to rent to tenants based on their nationality, ethnicity or command of language, as this could be in breach of equality law.

In 2022, the Welsh government announced measures to try and protect Welsh communities called A Fair Chance, which would enable providers to only advertise homes to locals for a certain period.

However although locals in Welsh-speaking communities are more likely to speak Welsh themselves, this does not enable families who don't speak Welsh to be blocked if they too are local.

This week residents slammed the argument and said council members were 'Welsh language zealots' who are harming the country's community.

While the developers said the homes would be for locals, likely to be Welsh speakers, the community council claimed: 'Unfortunately, this does not follow.'

It said high demand for second homes and short-term accommodation meant non-Welsh speakers have been moving to the area for years, and claimed local communities had seen a 'major decline' in Welsh speakers.

'This degenerative force does not recognise boundaries', the council added.

The councillors' objection to the application also declared: 'The applicant does not define 'local' in the context of the proposed dwellings. Is it Botwnnog? Is it Dwyfor? Is it Gwynedd? Is it North Wales?

One local said the opposition by the local council was from 'Welsh language zealots' (Pictured: overhead plans for the development)

'Is it for someone who has always lived in Llyn, or someone who has moved here two or three years ago, or even a decade or longer, but has not made an effort to learn Welsh, the language of the community?

'It would be great if the availability of the proposed houses could be limited to Welsh speakers only, but despite that, it cannot be proven that a large number of these houses would not become non-Welsh speaking households, if not all of them.

'As we know, it only takes the presence of a few non-Welsh speaking people to turn the community's language of communication from Welsh to English.

'The applicant acknowledges this possibility but expects the community to do the necessary integration work. The lesson from the history of many Welsh communities is that this is not likely to happen.'

During consultations for the project, one resident said there are already 'all kinds of people living here instead of locals'.

Another said: 'The council will bring in people from away with all kinds of problems'.

And one resident claimed trying to build 18 houses on the allocated land would be 'complete insanity', while others argued that affordable houses to purchase would be a greater asset to the community.

But a Welsh-speaking pensioner said: 'What nonsense. Would they like language tests carried out to see who qualifies?

'These are Welsh language zealots. They're doing more harm to community cohesion and the image of Wales.'

Eric Bramlett, estate agent and owner of Bramlett Real Estate, told MailOnline: 'The rules about only letting Welsh speakers live in some homes is a tricky thing in Wales.

'The Welsh Government wants to help Welsh neighborhoods and get more people to speak Welsh. But saying no one can live somewhere just because they don't speak Welsh would probably cause legal problems.

'Any housing rules that treat people differently because of what language they speak could break equality laws. The 2010 Equality Act says you can't judge people by things like race or where their family comes from.

'That said, there may be a few situations where needing Welsh skills makes sense for some jobs or homes. For example, a Welsh-language school that gives teachers a place to live might reasonably require they speak Welsh.

'But blanket bans on non-Welsh speakers across all housing would be much harder to allow legally.

In the end, while the Welsh Government searches for ways to back Welsh communities, outright saying non-Welsh speakers can't live in certain homes would likely be seen as against the law today.

'Any policies would need to carefully balance helping the language with treating people equally. Experts usually say incentives that encourage Welsh learning work better than rules that restrict people.'

The application is due to go before the council's planning meeting on September 9.

Botwnnog Community Council has been contacted for comment.
A brave little boy who beat cancer twice has sadly lost his three year fight for life.

Max Robinson, 4, from Queensland's Sunshine Coast was a toddler when he was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2021 and underwent several operations, including a bone marrow transplant.

Max's family were twice told he had entered remission, in early 2022 and mid 2023, after blood tests found no cancer in his system.

But they were dealt a cruel blow in March when a scan revealed that cancer cells had rapidly spread to 84 per cent of Max's body.

A scan conducted just one month earlier detected no trace of cancer.

Cara Robinson took to social media to confirm that Max took his final breaths on Tuesday afternoon in a heartbreaking post dedicated to her brave son.

'My boy, Im sorry I couldnt save you,' she wrote.

'You fought so incredibly hard, but you knew it was time to stop.

Max Robinson died on Tuesday aged 4 after spending the last three years in and out of hospital

Max was diagnosed with leukaemia as a toddler and went into remission twice

'Ill be forever inspired by you and miss everything about you. I love you so much it hurts.. but at least there is no more pain for you.'

Two events will be held in Max's honour in the coming days.

A paddle out will take place in conjunction with Northshore Boardriders at Maroochydore beach on Saturday morning .

A memorial service and celebration of Max's life will be held in Buderim on September 11 from 1pm.

'Overwhelmed with all the love and support from you all, but not surprised as Max was just so special,' Ms Robinson posted on Thursday.

'All who have been touched by Max are invited.'

Two events will celebrate Max's life in the coming days

Max's death comes weeks after his mum shared a harrowing update on his bone narrow.

'The results showed a further decrease in disease, but not quite to the level we had hoped,' she wrote

'Discussions on further treatment were paused as we were suddenly battling an inflamed belly, blood infection, lung nodules and inflamed kidneys.

'Next steps to treat the leukaemia are unknown.

'Whats certain is we have not given up hope, we will keep fighting this marathon battle making special memories on the way.'

Max got the chance to meet NRL stars from his beloved Brisbane Broncos in April- a month after the cancer returned

Ms Robinson opened up to Daily Mail Australia about Max's fight shortly after doctors discovered that the cancer had returned in March.

The family were told that the next available treatment in Australia wasn't going to give Max the best chance so his parents looked overseas options.

The family settled on a children's hospital in Singapore which offers treatment that specifically targets mutated cancer genes.

In order to reserve his place in the treatment program. the family needed to pay his medical bill upfront - an estimated $280,000.

The federal government would not assist the family in paying for the treatment as it is considered 'experimental', despite showing positive results for several years.

Family friend Nicola Johnson started a GoFundMe, which raised $250,540 within weeks, which allowed the family to travel to Singapore in May.

Ms Johnson said she'd previously tried to fundraise for the family but they instead chose for the money to be donated to cancer research organisations.

'I raised over $20,000 in 2022 and shaved my head for the Childrens Cancer Institute,' she said.

'Cara was adamant she didnt want to accept people's money. The money from my head shave went to childrens cancer research and that was Caras wish.'

Cara Robinson paid tribute to her brave son Max after he lost his brave battle with cancer

A scan in March found cancer cells in 84 per cent of Max's body after a scan just one month earlier found none (pictured, Max and his mum in hospital)

However, the treatment in Singapore didn't work and Max's bone marrow was soon again filled with leukaemia.

Ms Robinson revealed that they would look at other treatment options if Max's cancer worsened.

'The challenge with the US is it's obviously much further away and it's much more expensive there, about USD$500,000,' she said.
The family of a 14-year-old boy with autism who was killed in a Georgia school of Wednesday issued a desperate plea on social media for people to approach him calmly as they were unable to reach him in the aftermath of the rampage.

In an attempt to find Mason Schermerhorn as news of the deadly school shooting circulated, his desperate relatives began circulating his photo online.

His sister Lilianah urged the public via an Instagram story to 'PLEASE use a calm voice with him' and to 'let him know his mom is looking for him for reassurance'.

But shortly after, Mason was tragically identified as one of the four people killed at Apalachee High School, with a loved one saying after his passing it is 'sad we can't even send our babies to school and them be safe'.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, telling jokes, playing video games and visiting Disney World, his family told The New York Times. Another loved one said: 'Beautiful Mason we are so sorry! (America) failed you... Hug your children!'

Mason Schermerhorn's desperate relatives shared a photo of him on social media after they were unable to reach the teen following the shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia

Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School

People attend a vigil at Jug Tavern Park following a shooting at Apalachee High School

He had only just recently joined the school.

Another 14-year-old student Christian Angulo and teachers Christina Irmie, 53, and Richard Aspinall, 39, were killed in the shooting, allegedly by 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground.'

At least nine others were injured in the horror shooting in Winder, Georgia.

Special education teacher David Phenix was the first to be pictured. Phenix was shot in the hip and foot, but survived the tragedy.

Following his arrest, Gray will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting

Teacher Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim

Student Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

The first victim of the shooting, special education teacher David Phenix, has been pictured. Phenix was shot in the hip and foot, but survived the tragedy

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

A huge police presence descended on Apaleechee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after at least 13 people were shot, four fatally

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree

Heartbreaking messages between a student at Apalachee High School and his mom have revealed the moment kids learned there was an active shooter

Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder

Police officers on the scene of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia

An ambulance departs Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school

Gray had been on the FBI's radar a year before the tragedy.

The federal agency said it interviewed accused gunman Colt Gray, 14, and his father last year following 'several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time.'

Officials said Gray 'denied making the threats online' at the time, and the only action taken was to warn local schools to 'continually monitor' the troubled teen.

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School

People gather during a vigil for the victims of a school shooting that took place earlier today at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, USA, 04 September 2024. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation four people were killed, nine people were injured, and the suspect is in custody

Parents walk their child out of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school on Wednesday

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Many students filmed the aftermath, with one shaken grandfather revealing his granddaughters 'were led out past blood and victims' after the shooting.

'They heard the shots, had SWAT come in guns drawn in their room looking for shooters,' James Shappard said. 'No kid should have to go through that.'
A frustrated resident has blocked a footpath with their car to stop parents from using a cul-de-sac as a drop-off point in a long-running row over school parking.

Residents of Meadowcroft estate in Bushey, Hertfordshire, have been clashing with parents who park on their road while dropping off children at St Hildas Preparatory School for Girls.

The private school, where fees are 16,000 a year, is conveniently connected to the estate by a nearby footpath.

Despite the installation of ANPR cameras 18 months ago and the issuing of 100 fines, some parents have continued to park in the cul-de-sac.

In response, graffiti reading 'private road' appeared at the entrance in July, and one resident has now resorted to physically blocking the footpath with their car.

Residents of Meadowcroft estate in Bushey, Hertfordshire, have been clashing with parents who use the road to park while dropping their children off at St Hilda's Preparatory School for Girls, which is conveniently connected to the estate by a nearby footpath

Despite the installation of ANPR cameras 18 months ago and the issuing of 100 fines, some parents have continued to park in the cul-de-sac. (Pictured: A car blocking the footpath on the Meadowcroft cul-de-sac)

In response, graffiti reading 'private road' appeared at the entrance in July, and one resident has now resorted to physically blocking the footpath with their car

Aerial photo showing the disputed parking area. A frustrated resident has blocked a footpath with their car to stop parents from using a cul-de-sac as a drop-off point in a long-running row over school parking

Aerial photo of the disrupted footpath. The ongoing tensions have reportedly led to further verbal clashes as parents continued to use the street for summer activities

A St Hilda's parent, who received two fines totalling 120 for parking there last year, said: 'We completely respect the residents' right to privacy and we don't want to intrude.

'Parents are genuinely worried for their children's safety and we just want to take our children to and from school.'

The 41-year-old dad added: 'Now we have to park on the other side and navigate quite an extremely busy road everyday.

'I don't think we cause any disruption by walking through the area.'

The ongoing tensions have reportedly led to further verbal clashes as parents continued to use the street for summer activities.

St Hilda's Preparatory School and Hertfordshire County Council have been contacted for comment.
Police treating incident as a case of self harm

A man is in a critical condition after a horror fall from a luxury hotel.

The incident is understood to have happened at the Meriton Suites in Bondi Junction in Sydney's eastern suburbs, shortly after 5pm on Thursday.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and found the man suffering serious injuries.

He is understood to have suffered a cardiac arrest while being treated by paramedics at the scene.

The incident happened during peak hour in the heart of the suburb's retail precinct.

The hotel is 650m away from Westfield Bondi Junction, which is frequented by thousands of customers every day.

A NSW Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia officers are treating the incident as a case of self harm and wouldn't be providing further details.

NSW Ambulance has also been contacted for comment.

The incident is understood to have happened at the Meriton Suites, in Bondi Junction, in Sydney's east, after 5pm, on Thursday (pictured police and paramedics at the scene)

The man is understood to have suffered a cardiac arrest while being treated by paramedics (pictured) at the scene

The Meriton Suites are renowned luxury accommodation providers in Sydney and operate at 16 locations across the city (pictured the Meriton Suites in Bondi Junction)

The Meriton Suites are renowned luxury accommodation providers and operate at 16 locations across Sydney

The hotel in Bondi Junction offers guests several premium suites with stunning views that overlook Sydney's skyline.

The hotel is rated four out of five stars according to leading online accommodation website TripAdvisor.

A NSW Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia officers are treating the incident as a case of self harm (pictured police and NSW ambulance crews at the scene)

Multiple police and ambulance crews were at the scene near the hotel (pictured)

Police said they will not be providing further comment about self-harm related incidents (pictured police at the scene)

Guests fork out a minimum $200 for a one night stay at the hotel.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Meriton Suites Bondi Junction for further comment.
The Kremlin has said it will take retaliatory action against American news outlets after the US charged Russian media executives and state broadcaster RT with attempting to influence the 2024 presidential elections.

The US Treasury and State departments on Wednesday announced actions targeting individuals RT, including the network's top editor, Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia, officials said.

Simonyan was a 'central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts,' the Treasury Department said, while Brodskaia 'reported to Russian President Putin and other government officials.'

US officials said Russia's goal was to exacerbate US political divisions and weaken public support for American aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Russia's foreign ministry said the US moves were part of a plan to purge any dissenting voices from the global media landscape and to stoke fears among US voters about Russia as a mythical external enemy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured with editor-in-chief of RT broadcaster Margarita Simonyan in December 2022. Simonyan is one of the 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the US would be relentless in their efforts to counter and disrupt attempts by Russia interfering in the elections

'When the authorities resort to such primitive ways of influencing their voters, this is the decline of 'liberal democracies',' Maria Zakharova, foreign ministry spokeswoman, said in a statement on the U.S. action.

'There will be a response,' Zakharova said.

'We warn that attempts to expel Russian journalists from the territory of the United States, create unacceptable conditions for their work or any other forms of obstruction of their activities, including with the use of visa tools, will become the basis for taking symmetrical and/or asymmetric retaliatory measures against the American media.'

US Attorney General Merrick Garland also announced the seizure of 32 internet domains that were part of an alleged campaign 'to secure Russia's preferred outcome,' which officials have said would be Donald Trump winning the November vote.

'We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government,' Garland said at a meeting of the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force.

'We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia and Iran - as well as China or any other foreign malign actor - to interfere in our elections,' he said.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said RT was aiming to 'covertly spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests and influencing voters here in the US and in foreign elections as well.'

Garland said the seized internet domains were used by the Russian government 'to engage in a covert campaign to interfere and influence the outcome of our country's elections.'

He said the influence campaign involved members of Putin's 'inner circle' and the Kremlin's goal, according to an internal planning document, 'is to secure Russia's preferred outcome in the election.'

The attorney general declined to specify what that outcome was but US intelligence officials suggested in July that the Kremlin once again favors Trump over his Democratic opponents, as it did in the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections.

The France-based Reporters Without Borders ranks Russia at 162 out of 180 countries in monitors on press freedom and ranks the United States at 55.

Russian officials say Western media groups give indulgent coverage of Ukraine, biased coverage of the war and excessively negative coverage of Russia. Western media groups say they try to give balanced coverage.

RT responded with ridicule to the US charges.

'Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections,' the media outlet told Reuters. RT ceased operating in the United States after major television distributors dropped it following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Simonyan said the charges were an attempt to drown RT as a competitor.

Garland also said two Russia-based RT employees - Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, have been indicted in New York for money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

They are accused of funneling $10 million to a Tennessee-based company that used social media influencers 'to create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian government messaging,' Garland said.

The US firm, which was not identified, published English-language videos on multiple social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube, according to the indictment.

'The company never disclosed to the influencers - or to their millions of followers - its ties to RT and the Russian government,' Garland said.

The Kremlin in June dismissed as absurd US intelligence assertions that Russia was seeking to meddle in the presidential election and has said that US spies were intent on casting Russia as an enemy.

But US officials have repeatedly warned of efforts by foreign powers to meddle in the upcoming US election, and Washington has accused Moscow of seeking to influence US elections dating back to the 2016 contest between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, in an appearance before a Senate committee in May, singled out Russia, China and Iran as the worst offenders.

'Specifically, Russia remains the most active foreign threat to our elections,' Haines said.
A great British cheese is under threat and facing a 'perfect storm' of plummeting sales and Gen-Z indifference.

Stilton is in a desperate battle for survival following a collapse in its popularity - with dairies now facing the looming threat of closure amid soaring costs.

Sales of the historic blue cheese, which can be traced back to the early 18th century, have fallen as competition in the specialty cheese market stiffens.

The festive cheeseboard favourite accounted for just 57million of Britain's 4.2bn cheese market, figures have shown.

Meanwhile, younger Brits are turning up their noses to the strong-smelling dairy classic, in favour of softer more mild brands.

UK cheese chiefs now fear stilton will be wiped off the menu in British households unless it can become an 'all-year round' dairy delicacy instead of a Christmas treat.

Stilton is in a desperate battle for survival following a collapse in its popularity - with dairies now facing the looming threat of closure amid soaring costs (file picture)

It comes as the popularity of the festive cheeseboard classic has waned among younger Brits (pictured is a woman being filmed by the BBC in Manchester trying stilton on Thursday)

'It's been caught in a perfect storm,' Dr Matthew O'Callaghan, organiser of the Artisan Cheese Awards, told the BBC. 'It's still associated heavily with the traditional Christmas and people are moving away from that.

'Stilton really needs to become an all-year round cheese. Stilton has got the rising costs particularly of milk - [which has] doubled  and of energy, and then increased competition.

'We've now got something like over 300 cheesemakers in the UK and Ireland making well over 1,000 cheeses. And there's a lot of blue cheese being made these days... it really is under pressure.'

He added peoples' changing tastes, combined with a boom in competition, was threatening the future of stilton manufacturers.

Stilton is a protected cheese and can only be made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottingham, with just six dairies registered to make them, according to the Stilton Cheesemakers' Association.

But producers have claimed the British classic was failing to appeal to younger Brits, with the number of companies making stilton having declined in the last decade as producers grapple with how to make strong cheeses appeal to Gen-Zers.

Bill Mathieson, managing director of Long Clawson Dairy in Leicestershire, said makers of stilton were struggling to appeal to the TikTok generation.

Dr Matthew O'Callaghan, organiser of the Artisan Cheese Awards, warned the beloved cheese was facing a 'perfect storm' of declining sales and waning popularity

The beloved blue cheese accounted for just 57million of Britain's 4.2bn cheese market, figures have shown (file image)

'I think it's a bit of reluctance from younger shoppers. We've got a profile of consumers who the bulk of them would be 50-plus. That's the big challenge,' he told the Telegraph.

'My best way to describe it is, if you imagine a leaky bucket, we've probably got more people falling out the bottom at the moment than we're putting in the top.'

In the latest blow to the industry, Arla, the UKs biggest dairy company, announced this year it would axe production at its 244-year-old Tuxford & Tebbutt Creamery in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, after failing to find a buyer.

The company blamed a slump in demand for specialty cheese.

Meanwhile. Stilton received a mixed reception by people in Manchester - with some younger residents being turned off by its unique flavour.

'It's got a salty [flavour] and it's quite rich,' one woman told BBC Breakfast before then gasping and saying: 'The salt hits you. OK,' she adds. 'I think with the right food and entries by the side it would taste nice but I don't know if I would eat it by itself.'

Another man in Manchester told the BBC: 'I think it's absolutely gorgeous.' While a woman added: 'It tasted quite sour so might not be everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I really like it.'

A man is pictured in Manchester having tried some stilton which he said was 'gorgeous'

This woman in Manchester told the BBC stilton 'might not be everyone's cup of tea'

However, others branded it an 'old fashion' cheese that was an 'acquired taste'. Asked if he was 'surprised' about the plummeting sales of stilton, one young man told the BBC: 'Not particularly, no because it's not very nice in my opinion.'

An elderly Brit, however, was blown away by the news, saying: 'It's quite shocking, actually, because I thought Stilton was very popular with everybody.'

In 2013, a study claimed young Brits were turning away from stilton - because they were afraid to eat mould.

A study for the Co-operative claimed sales of Blue Stilton had plunged among under-25s and that it was mainly bought by those nearing middle age.

It found consumption by those under 30 had slumped by 23 per cent and few people under 25 would ever consider buying it regularly.

Millions of young people have been taught not to eat food with mould on it, and that view is having a catastrophic effect upon Blue Stilton. They take one look at the blue veins running through the cheese and then turn away.

We want to tell everyone just how good Blue Stilton is. It is one of the best cheeses in the world, and its produced here in Britain - but yet few people realise what a gem they have on their own doorstep.'
A Brixton clothes shop run by two London cab drivers has been threatened with legal action by a US firm with a similar name.

Brothers Daniel OConnell and Pete Adams launched their fashion brand Brixton Street Wear in 2019, which took off after they began selling clothing to their friends and family.

The company, which opened its first shop in Brixton market earlier this year, is run as a community hub and donates all its profits to local charities and clubs.

But the streetwear brand faces being shut down after a Californian firm sent them a letting demanding they change their name.

Brixton LLC, which is based in Oceanside, Los Angeles, has threatened to sue if they do not agree, with the brothers fearing a costly legal battle could leave them out of business.

A Brixton clothes shop run by Daniel OConnell (pictured) and his brother Pete Adams has been threatened with legal action by a US firm with a similar name

The brothers (pictured inside the shop) launched their fashion brand Brixton Street Wear in 2019, which took off after they began selling clothing to their friends and family

The company, which opened its first shop in Brixton market (pictured) earlier this year, is run as a community hub and donates all its profits to local charities and clubs

'We've paid for everything ourselves and the only way we can fight this is with community and social media,' Mr O'Connell told the BBC.

The shop owner is worried that the legal action could shut them down and prevent them from giving back to the community.

'This is a total headache and we both have young families,' Mr O'Connell continued.

'The letters we have received from the lawyers are so cold-hearted, why can't they just have a conversation with us?

'We are from Brixton, we are Brixton, our company is based in Brixton, we have been trademarked, I don't understand why [we are being sued].'

Mr Adams added: 'I think there is over 600 companies in Brixton that has the word brixton in their name.

'Are you telling me everytime they put brixton on a t shirt they cant use it?

The brothers have notified the local community about the legal issue which has seen them gather further support from Brixton residents as well as other Londoners.

One of their biggest fans is Sandra Martin who regularly appears on TV screen across the country as a viewer on Channel 4's Gogglebox.

One of the company's biggest fans is Sandra Martin (pictured) who regularly appears on TV screen across the country as a viewer on Channel 4's Gogglebox

She told the BBC: 'I am very upset to know that somebody is trying to shut down the shop. We have been here for many, many years and as a Brixtonian I have been coming here and getting my yearly sweater for Christmas.'

Another supporter of the brand, DJ Jumping Jack Frost, added: 'Kids come and get inspired they see people doing good things.

'I myself used to be one of those kids in the street and I wish I had somebody to look up to myself and like these guys so they don't go the wrong way.

'Places like these are very important.'

The brothers will have to wait until October when they find out whether they will have to change their name.

MailOnline has contacted Brixton LLC and its lawyers Groot & Evers for comment.
Labour's decision to free thousands of prisoners early to ease jail overcrowding will result in 'risky' offenders being released, the prisons watchdog has warned.

Charlie Taylor also said that plans to release 2,000 inmates next week after serving just 40 per cent of their sentences would lead to an 'inevitable' increase in homelessness and knock-on risk of re-offending.

The prison population in England and Wales hit a record high this year, with some 88,350 people in jail at the end of August - the highest number ever recorded.

And the overcrowding, coupled with a need to find spaces for those jailed after the Southport race riots, led Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to order the early release programme.

Last night an investigation by Channel 4 News suggested sex offenders and other violent criminals will be among them.

And Mr Taylor, HM Inspector of Prisons, told The Times: 'Inevitably, prisoners will go out homeless, will have nowhere to live and therefore will get very quickly breached and will find themselves back in custody very quickly, and it's hard to know how much there will be of that.'

He added: 'So the prison service, to some extent, are doing what they can. But probation services in the community are very limited, and there is a worry that some risky people will come out without proper accommodation, and without having the right levels of preparation done for their release within the community.'

Charlie Taylor said that plans to release 2,000 inmates next week after serving just 40 per cent of their sentences would lead to an 'inevitable' increase in homelessness

Sex offenders and other violent criminals will be released from prison under the Government's early release scheme, probation service whistleblowers warned yesterday

Overcrowding, coupled with a need to find spaces for those jailed after the Southport race riots, led Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to order the early release programme

In July, Ms Mahmood announced plans to cut the proportion of the sentence inmates must serve from 50 per cent to 40 per cent, as the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said violence and self-harm behind bars had risen to 'unacceptable' levels as overcrowding pushed jails to the 'point of collapse'.

The temporary move  which was said to not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences  is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.

The SDS40 scheme is due to begin next week and will be reviewed after 18 months.

The Government has said those who are released will serve the rest of their sentence under strict licensing conditions.

But according to Channel 4 News, some prisoners serving consecutive sentences where the end date takes into account a sentence for a less serious offence would qualify for SDS40 and be released sooner than was set at the point of conviction.

This would in turn reduce the time available to plan for them returning to the community.

The programme said sources had come forward with serious concerns over public protection, citing a 'loophole' in the policy, as one representative from Napo  the trade union for probation staff  called the proposals 'a roll of the dice'.

One case included a prisoner set to be released four months early after serving a long sentence for serious sexual offences.

He would reportedly qualify for SDS40 because he has served the duration of the sentences imposed for the sexual offences and has a shorter consecutive sentence for a less serious offence which the prison has identified under SDS40.

This means he can leave prison within weeks, despite his victims expecting he would remain there until next year.
Thousands gathered for the funeral of Maori King Tuheitia in a ceremony that saw the monarch's casket guarded by warriors and paraded on a traditional canoe.

The mourners came to the North Island town of Ngaruawahia on Thursday to pay final respects to New Zealand's Maori king, Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, who died six days earlier.

The throne will now be passed on to his daughter, Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki.

The new queen, 27, is the second woman to become a Maori monarch in a tradition dating back to 1858.

As she was escorted onto where her father's casket lay draped in feathered cloaks, cheers rang out among thousands crowded around TV screens outside and waiting along the wide, flat banks of the Waikato River to glimpse the funeral procession.

The coffin with the body of New Zealand's Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII

Maori King Tuheitia at Turangawaewae Marae meets with Britain's Prince Charles in Ngaruawahia, south of Auckland, New Zealand November 8, 2015

The throne will now be passed on to his daughter, and witness the ascension to the throne of his daughter, Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki (pictured)

Kiingi Tuheitia's successor and now Maori Queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki looks on as Maori warriors paddle waka canoes down towards Taupiri Maunga

Maori warriors participate during the funeral ceremony of New Zealand's Maori King

After her ascension, Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki accompanied the late king in a flotilla of traditional canoes along the river as he was guided by Maori warriors to his final resting place.

The events marked the end of a weeklong tangihanga - funeral rite - for Kiingi Tuheitia, 69, a leader who had in recent months rallied New Zealand's Indigenous people to unity in the face of a more racially divisive political culture than before.

His daughter's ascension represents the rise of a new generation of Maori leaders in New Zealand - one which grew up steeped in a resurging language that had once almost died out.

Kiingi Tuheitia died last Friday after undergoing heart surgery, just days after celebrations marking his 18th anniversary on the throne.

He became king after his mother's death in 2006 and on Thursday was buried alongside her in an unmarked grave on Taupiri Maunga, a mountain of spiritual significance to his iwi, or tribe.

The Maori royalty movement is not a constitutional monarchy and King Charles III of Britain is New Zealand's head of state.

It has a ceremonial mandate rather than a legal one and was formed in the years after British colonization of New Zealand to unite Maori tribes in resistance to forced sales of Indigenous land and the loss of the Maori language and culture.

Since 1858, the movement has championed Maori sovereignty, but monarchs have wielded politics lightly.

After a center-right government took power in New Zealand last November and began to enact policies reversing recognition of Maori language, people and customs, T*Tuheitia took the unusual step in January of calling a national meeting of tribes which was attended by 10,000 people.

A Maori warrior prepares a boat for the funeral ceremony

His daughter's ascension represents the rise of a new generation of Maori leaders in New Zealand

The remains of Kiingi Tuheitia are placed on a waka on the Waikato river where he was to be carried by Maori warriors towards Taupiri Maunga during the tangi, or funeral rite

Maori warriors participate during the funeral ceremony of New Zealand's Maori King

'The best protest we can make right now is being Maori. Be who we are. Live our values. Speak our reo,' he told them, using the Maori word for language. 'Just be Maori. Be Maori all day, every day. We are here. We are strong.'

Tens of thousands of ordinary people also flocked there. Many spoke to each other in Maori, a language which had steadily waned after colonization until activists in the 1970s provoked its renaissance.

The late king, a truck driver before he took the throne, was a surprise appointment to the monarchy, which is chosen by a council and is not required to be hereditary.

But the new queen was groomed for the role and had accompanied her father in his work during recent years.

After the new queen was anointed with oils and a service for her father held, mourners flocked behind the hearse as it drove to the banks of the river sacred to his tribe.

Many had waited for hours to see the procession pass, including a large number of young families. Commentators said the queen's ascension represented the culture's renewal, with the majority of Maori - who account for almost 20% of New Zealand's population - aged under 40.

Among them on Thursday was Awa Tukiri, 9, whose family had driven nearly two hours from Auckland to watch the canoe carrying the late king pass by.

'It was pretty amazing because all they do on the boat is do haka and waiata on it,' he said, using the words for Maori chants and songs. Tukiri, who attends a kura kaupapa - the immersion schools that are growing in popularity - said the best part of being Maori was 'just hanging out and speaking Maori to each other.'
A cruise ship whose passengers have paid up to 27,000-a-month to enjoy an epic three year world tour but have instead been stuck in Belfast for three months has finally taken to sea again, MailOnline can reveal.

The Odyssey cruise ship has been anchored at the dry dock in Belfast since May, undergoing repairs - but passengers were given fresh hope they may finally get underway when she was given her much anticipated 'sea trial'.

Passenger Starr Davis told MailOnline today: 'I'm thrilled she's finally moving.'

But even yesterday's exercise suffered a last minute delay as one of the tugs involved in relaunching the Odyssey itself developed technical issues meaning she couldn't leave harbour in the early morning as first planned.

So it wasn't until this afternoon that The Odyssey was finally on the move, with two tugs - one at the bow, the other at the stern - escorting her slowly out of the port of Belfast, into the lough past Carrickfergus and Whitehead towards the open sea.

A cruise ship whose passengers have paid up to 27,000-a-month to enjoy an epic three year world tour but have instead been stuck in Belfast for three months has finally taken to sea again, MailOnline can reveal

The Odyssey cruise ship has been anchored at the dry dock in Belfast since May, undergoing repairs - but passengers were given fresh hope they may finally get underway when she was given her much anticipated 'sea trial'. (Pictured: The passengers at a reception with the lord mayor of Belfast Micky Hurray)

Holly Hennessy (pictured) had been hoping for good news ahead of celebrating her 68th birthday tomorrow. She told MailOnline: Its been a busy couple of days. We have official updates at least twice a week and we are already hearing positive noises about the sea trials. We are all very excited about what comes next'

The move was watched by many of her stuck passengers, who have been remarkably patient about their three month Northern Irish delay.

Belfast Harbour's website was being updated throughout the day with the maritime traffic coming in and out of the port.

A few hours later she was back at her berth and though there has been no official pronouncement passengers report being told informally by ship staff that things went well - meaning they could finally be cruising soon.

Ms Davis, was among those who had heard unconfirmed reports that tests went well, She told us: 'I'm just so excited to get this adventure started.'

Another passenger who was thrilled was Holly Hennessy - who had been hoping for good news ahead of celebrating her 68th birthday tomorrow (Friday)

She told MailOnline: 'It's been a busy couple of days.

'We have official updates at least twice a week and we are already hearing positive noises about the sea trials.

'We are all very excited about what comes next.'

The 642-foot vessel has been undergoing repair work at the famed Harland & Wolfe shipyard in Belfast since late May.

Even yesterday's exercise suffered a last minute delay as one of the tugs involved in relaunching the Odyssey itself developed technical issues meaning she couldn't leave harbour in the early morning as first planned

(Pictured: The Odyssey, a US cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences docked at Harland & Wolf ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland) It wasn't until this afternoon that The Odyssey was finally on the move, with two tugs - one at the bow, the other at the stern - escorting her slowly out of the port of Belfast, into the lough past Carrickfergus and Whitehead towards the open sea

Billed as the world's first 'perpetual global cruise', Odyssey has a busy 425-port itinerary across 147 countries taking it up to 2028. Its cabins - described as 'villas' by its owner, Florida-based Villa Vie Residences - start at $99,999 and go up to $899,000 with hefty monthly fees on top

Billed as the world's first 'perpetual global cruise', Odyssey has a busy 425-port itinerary across 147 countries taking it up to 2028.

Its cabins - described as 'villas' by its owner, Florida-based Villa Vie Residences - start at $99,999 and go up to $899,000 with hefty monthly fees on top.

The highest tariff is believed to equate to 27,000 monthly.

Ms Hennessy explained how the charges she pais for the cruise are structured.

She said: 'My cabin, a balcony suite, was $329,000, and monthly will be $7,000 as a solo. It would be $8,000 for a couple.

'An outside cabin is approximately $169,000 to purchase and $3,999 solo, $4,999 couple.

'Inside are approximately $99,000 and $2,500/$3,000. I believe all prices may rise once we sail.

'Lots of people are watching and waiting, which is the smart thing to do.

'But without those of us who believed in the concept and booked or purchased early, this would never happen.

'And there are 73 of us who have invested in the company to get it off the ground.'

Because of the three month delay in embarkation, around 200 passengers, mostly from the US, Australia, New Zealand, have been passing an unexpected summer in rainy Northern Ireland.

Villa Vie Residences has been contacted for comment on what's next for the Odyssey.
A husband wept in court today as his wife, who he allegedly drugged so 50 men could rape her, described undergoing an HIV test and being diagnosed with four STDs after a decade of abuse.

Dominique Pelicot, 71, broke down in tears in the dock as he listened to his wife Gisele Pelicot, 71, detail how they fell in love and started their married life together before her world 'collapsed' when her husband's depraved crimes were discovered.

Madame Pelicot, who has three children and seven grandchildren, bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years.

Judge Roger Arata asked her if she suffered any problems after being abused for ten years, to which she replied that she was tested for HIV, adding: 'I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

The judge also asked Madame Pelicot whether her husband had any 'sexual desires' that she didn't want to participate in.

'Once we went to a nightclub with another couple where there was a "swingers' room". But I didn't want to get involved in that so we did not go into that room and we just stayed in the main nightclub,' the mother-of-three replied.

Another judge asked Madame Pelicot whether she and her husband ever discussed filming their sexual intercourse.

She said: 'I never agreed to Monsieur Pelicot filming us having sex. No, the only time we talked about something like this was at the swingers' room at the nightclub. I understood that he would have wanted to do it. But for me it was impossible.'

Gisele Pelicot (pictured arriving to court this morning) bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years

A court drawing shows Madame Pelicot taking the stand, facing her husband and the 50 others accused of raping her

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case

Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan (pictured)

Today, Madame Pelicot had to relive the trauma that she experienced when a police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers - not all of whom have been identified - while she was unconscious.

Mr Pelicot and 50 others are accused of raping her and while Mr Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case, 35 men  from all walks of life  deny that they forced themselves on Madame Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she in some way consented.

Madame Pelicot's lawyer asked her in court today: 'Some of the defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape.

'You caught four sexually transmitted diseases and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?'

The brave mother-of-three replied: 'All I have to say is, it's an insult to my intelligence. These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.

'How can you even try and make people think that a woman would knowingly take part in all this?'

The judge told Madame Pelicot that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

She replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan.

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, she sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as those accused her raping her this morning.

Accompanied by her three grown-up children, the 71-year-old with a smart auburn bob appeared defiant in the face of her abusers.

She stared up at the ceiling of the Avignon court room and gave a heavy sigh as Judge Arata opened the fourth day of the trial that has shocked France.

Across the room Dominique Pelicot, her grey-haired husband of 50 years  who claims to have adored his wife  looked at her without expression.

Mr Pelicot's daughter, Caroline Darian, arrived to court alongside her mother this morning

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 50 men accused her raping her

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home (pictured above)

The sons of Gisele Pelicot, Florian, right, David, left, and her daughter Caroline Darian, center, arrive in the Avignon court house, southern France, Thursday, September 5, 2024

Some of the 50 co-defendants accused of rape speak with a lawyer at the courthouse in the case that has shocked France on Monday, September 2

Madame Pelicot is pictured above as she arrived to court this morning

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home.

Madame Pelicot said in court, as reported by Le Parisien: 'I am inert, in my bed, and I am being raped. These are scenes of barbarity. Don't talk to me about sex scenes, these are rape scenes. I have never practised threesomes or swinging, I want to say that.'

At 9.20am, Madame Pelicot took the witness stand to give evidence. She gave her name, maiden name and age into the microphone.

Judge Arata tried to reassure her that she should take her time to make her testimony. And he warned her she would face cross examination.

Undeterred, Madame Pelicot started her testimony by thanking police for discovering her husband's depraved crimes: 'I would not be before you if it were not for the work of the police of Carpentras [the town where the supermarket where her husband was arrested in 2020].

'On that day in September I had been away with my daughter. I returned home to Mazan and I sat in the kitchen.

'Monsieur Pelicot told me; "I have done something silly. I took some photographs in the supermarket".

'He was crying. I told him that I would support him because we have had a lifetime together.

'After 50 years of marriage I said I would forgive him. But if there was a second time I would leave him.

'In October I went to Paris to look after two of my grandchildren.

'I received a phone call from the police who told me they wanted to talk to me. I made an appointment in November at the police headquarters in Carpentras.'

She continued: 'We were later summoned to the police. I knew he had taken photos of these women and thought we were going as a formality.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she would remember walking up the steps to the police station 'for the rest of my life'.

At the station, where she was wearing a mask as it was during the Covid pandemic, a police officer told her: 'I'm going to tell you something you won't like.'

Madame Pelicot said that day, 'my world [collapsed], for me everything [collapsed], everything I have built in 50 years,' as reported by Le Parisien.

She said: 'For 50 years I always supported my husband, health, financial and couple problems. It was based on trust.'

Pictured above is a general view of where the Pelicots lived which has been known as the house of horrors, with a creepy back alley

Dominique Pelicot can be seen in this court sketch on the right

Madame Pelicot said when she left the police station, she returned home alone while her husband remained in custody: 'The trauma was enormous. The shock. I returned home to my little dog. I could not stay alone. I had to go to see some friends.

'I told my son that his father was in custody, that he had been charged. On the 3rd of November I went to the police station at Carpentras.

'The police showed me the videos. My world collapsed. When I told my daughter she screamed. I left my house with two suitcases and my dog. That was all I had after 50 years of marriage. Everything was based on trust in 50 years.

Caroline Darian's book

'My daughter had a nervous breakdown and required medical help.'

Madame Pelicot continued: 'You can't imagine yourself in a situation like that. In that moment I wanted to disappear.

'I had to tell my children that their father was in custody. I called my son-in-law and told my daughter and told them: "He raped me". Then I heard my daughter screaming a deep cry that I cannot get out of my head.

'People in the street  at the bakery at the supermarket, asked me if I was ok. I had to leave the area. I could not stay in that house. I had lost everything, my husband, my life.

'I didn't know who I was or where I was going. I had lost my identity. My son moved me out of that house.'

Referring to the sex tapes her husband had made of strangers abusing her she said: 'This was not sex it was rape. I have never practiced open sex, I was never swinger.

'I was never a victim, until now. I had to get help, counselling.'

Madame Pelicot said she believed the first instance of being drugged was in 2011 when she woke up in the afternoon with no memory.

A black and white facial reconstruction of a younger Dominique Pelicot is seen in this handout image

Dominique Pelicot is accused of orchestrating the rape ring

She said: 'One day in 2011, I woke up at 6pm in the evening. That was not right. I never sleep until 6pm in the evening. I knew this was not normal but I could understand why.

'I had no memory of the day. I asked Monsieur Pelicot what had happened.'

The couple moved to the village in Provence two years later in 2013. She said: 'In March 2013 we left Paris for Mazan and this "absence" started again.

'I have an excellent memory. I joked to my husband, "you're not drugging me are you?" He broke down in tears and said; "you actually think I could do that?"

'I went to see a neurologist. I was convinced I had Alzheimer's. He said don't worry. I had scans but the absences continued. I don't remember any of the sex scenes.

'My son told my husband that I was not well. He said "don't worry".'

Madame Pelicot added: 'I was sacrificed by my husband for these obscenities  a woman drugged and abused. It was like I was dead. I was treated like a piece of meat.

'This is why I am speaking out, - for all the other women who are abused. It was humiliating what I have gone through.

'It started when I learned from the investigating magistrate that Mr Pelicot had filmed up women's skirts with a hidden camera in a pen.

'I learned that in 2010 he had done something similar. If I had known back then I would have perhaps I would have been more vigilant. I could have won back ten years of my life.'

She added that, also in 2010, she woke up to her husband 'raping' her.

'I remember going to bed, I woke up with a start to find Mr Pelicot raping me as I hadn't consented. I said what are you doing? I then went back to sleep. I thought he had an urge to do it and we were married so didn't take it any further,' she said, according to the Telegraph.

Madame Pelicot said about her husband filming the other men allegedly raping her: 'These videos are all more horrible than the others. It's barbaric, I don't know how my body is strong enough to stand before you today.'

She said that in the ten years her husband invited other men to their house to rape her, she never woke up in a different pyjama to the one she went to sleep in.

The mother-of-three also recalled this morning how her own mother died when she was just nine years old and that she left school aged only 13 to find work.

She said: 'At 13 I was knocking on factory doors asking for work. When I was two years old I knew that my mother had an incurable disease. But I never saw my grandmother cry. We don't show tears in my family.'

Gisele Pelicot (C) sits next to her daughter Caroline Darian (2ndL) and her sons Florian Pelicot (L) and David Pelicot (2ndR) with his wife Celine F. (R), at the courthouse during the trial of her husband on September 2

The town of Mazan, 20 miles from Avignon in southern France, where the victim and her husband lived and the attacks took place

She recalled: 'Then I met Mr Pelicot. He had a tyrannical family. He had to give all of his wages to his parents. I married very young. I was 20 years old.

'We needed permission from our parents. My dad was not in favour of the wedding but he accepted it. We had no money but we were very much in love. I have never been with another man. We were not rich but we were happy.

'Monsieur Pelicot is an electrician. He retrained as an estate agent. He had kidney stones and almost died. And then the real estate crisis. No money was coming in but I still supported him. I knew he was courageous. He has always worked hard.'

Meanwhile, Monsieur Pelicot broke down in tears in the dock. Wiping his eyes, the grey-haired multiple rapists appeared to be unable to listen to his estranged wife's memory of their once happy life.

She added: '[After Mr Pelicot's arrest], I learned that he had been raped aged nine. He wasn't supported by his parents. We could have dealt with it together.

'I'm being treated by a psychiatrist now. Rape scenes are torture scenes. Why does anyone deserve to go though that?'

After giving her testimony, Judge Arata began to question Madame Pelicot.

The judge told her that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

Madame Pelicot replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

When asked if she had any abuse after suffering the abuse, Madame Pelicot said: 'I have gynaecological problems. I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

She added: 'I was tested for HIV as one man who came [to rape me] six times was seropositive. My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop. Luckily I didn't catch it. But not once did Mr Pelicot say to himself, "I've gone too far".'

'He showed no pity, no pity at all,' the 71-year-old said, as reported by the Telegraph.

The judge ended his interrogation with what he described as a 'very difficult question'.

He asked: 'Madame Pelicot, are you in any way complicit in Monsieur Pelicot's activities?'

Beatrice Zavarro (C), lawyer for the accused Dominique P, speaks with lawyers at the courthouse during the trial of her client accused of drugging his wife for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan

Gisele Pelicot, 72, arrives at the courthouse in Avignon this morning ahead of the third day of her husband's trial on September 4, 2024

She replied calmly: 'Absolutely not. I never pretended to be asleep or anything like that.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she was now divorced from the husband of 50 years. She added that she had kept her married name in support of her children.

The grandmother told the court: 'I wanted to be called Gisele Pelicot for the duration of this trial out of solidarity with my children who are called Pelicot.'

In her testimony, Madame Pelicot told how her husband would take pictures of her when she was leaving the bathroom.

She said: 'I told my husband to stop taking pictures of me'. He replied: 'You should be pleased that after 50 years your husband still wants to take photos of you.'

She told the court: 'It was flattering perhaps but it annoyed me and I told him to stop.'

She added :'I never took place in this sexual activity. How could any wife agree to do any of this. It is totally unacceptable.'

Earlier Madame Pelicot admitted that she once had an affair.

She explained how she was friends with her lover and that he visited her 'periodically' over a two-year period, to which her husband 'reacted very badly'.

Madame Pelicot explained: 'He could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once. As I said, our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But as I said he was the only man I had known.

'I only ever had two men in my bed. It may sound ridiculous today.'

The shocking trial, which began on Monday, is set to end on December 20 with 50 people, including Mr Pelicot, facing aggravated rape charges.
Met Police detectives have released pictures of 16 witnesses they want to speak to after a chef mentored by Gordon Ramsay was attacked outside a restaurant and later died in hospital.

Mussie Imnetu, 41, was visiting the UK from Dubai when he was found unconscious with a head injury in the vicinity of Notting Hill Carnival on August 26.

He was discovered on Queensway at 11.22pm and taken to hospital. Omar Wilson, 31, appeared in court last Friday charged with grievous bodily harm with intent - but Mr Imnetu then died the same day.

Police are now treating Mr Imnetu's death as murder, and the Crown Prosecution Service is reviewing the charge against Wilson. A decision is not expected to be made before his next court appearance later this month.

Michelin star chef Mr Imnetu, who hails from Eritrea but grew up in Sweden, had been working at the Arts Club in Dubai and was in London on a business trip to see the restaurant's Dover Street branch.

Michelin star chef Mussie Imnetu died in hospital after being attacked in the street in the vicinity of Notting Hill Carnival

Police want to speak to these individuals following the death of the Dubai-based chef in London last week

Police said he left the restaurant at 1pm on Monday and then at around 10.30pm he went to the Dr Power restaurant on Queensway.

However, they are still keen to trace his movements in the nine and a half hours in between those checkpoints.

Officers are extremely keen to stress that none of the people in the images are suspected of a crime.

However, the information they hold could be vital to the ongoing investigation into Mr Imnetu's death.

A Met source said: 'This is indeed now a murder investigation.'

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who is leading the probe, said: 'Our investigation has progressed at pace and a man has been charged in connection with the attack.

However we are still very keen to hear from anyone who can help piece together Mussie's movements between 13:00hrs when we know he left The Arts Club in Dover Street, W1, and when he arrived at Dr Power restaurant, in Queensway at 22:30hrs.

'We have images of a number of people who were in or near the Dr Power restaurant at the time of the attack.

'Are you one of the people pictured or do you recognise anyone? Did you hear or see something either before or after the attack that may help with the investigation?

'I would like to stress that none of those pictured have done anything wrong.

'Perhaps they were enjoying post carnival celebrations and may not live in the area but they could hold information that is important to the investigation and I urge them to contact us.'

MailOnline has contacted the Crown Prosecution Service for comment.

In all, police have issued the images of 16 people they believe could hold key information on the attack that allegedly cost Mr Imnetu his life

Police issued this image of Mr Imnetu leaving The Arts Club in Mayfair's Dover Street at around 1pm - some 10 and a half hours before he was found with a head injury

Mr Imnetu was a highly regarded chef who had worked under the likes of Gordon ramsay, Marcus Wareing and Alain Ducasse.

His employers 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.'

Mr Imnetu's death was the second to hit this year's Notting Hill Carnival, which was marred by eight stabbings and 334 arrests.

Cher Maximen, 32, was transported to hospital in a critical condition from Golborne Road on August 25 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 on August 31.

A court heard how Cher was stabbed with a 'Rambo-style knife' and suffered a cardiac arrest, after losing 20 units of blood, and had a collapsed lung.

Mr Imnetu was visiting the UK from Dubai where he lived and worked as a top chef at The Arts Club

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

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

Police out in force on the 'family day' at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday August 25

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.

His charge is also set to be reviewed in light of Ms Maximen's death.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said of the deaths: '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.'

The Met Police had warned partygoers at the carnival to behave themselves, adding that they were 'tired' of parroting the same lines every year and violence breaking out nevertheless.

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.'

Pressure is growing on the event to be ticketed following the pair's deaths.

Peter Bleksley, a former Scotland Yard detective, told LBC: 'I don't want the carnival banned at all, far from it. But this criminality, this bloodshed, has to stop.'
Thousands of commuters were hit by long delays during peak hour after a boy was found injured on the train tracks in Sydney's west, sparking chaos across the network.

The boy, 13 was found by police on the tracks at Homebush Station around 5.30pm on Thursday.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and the boy was treated by paramedics for head injuries before he was taken to hospital.

There were delays on the T1 North Shore and western lines. Buses were also affected.

The disruption also affected train services on the T2 Inner West and Leppington line as well as the T3 Bankstown, T8 Airport and the T9 Northern Lines.

Passengers were also warned to expect delays to services heading to the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Newcastle.

Services were back up and running within the hour.

A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the police operation has since ended.

Hundreds of commuters faced long delays during peak hour after a boy was found injured on the train tracks in Sydney's west (stock image)

Commuters were warned to expect disruptions across the network due to the incident.

Sydney Trains urged passengers to plan their trip in advance due to the lengthy delays.

'Allow extra travel time due to a person near the tracks between Flemington and Homebush,' they wrote.

'Trains near the affected area may stop between stations for longer than normal'.

'Please check transport apps, information screens and listen to announcements'.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and the boy was treated for head injuries by paramedics before he was taken to hospital. Pictured is Homebush Station

Commuters have been warned to expect disruptions across the Sydney train network due to the incident (stock image)

Earlier, passengers on the T1 North Shore line said train services had been suspended until further notice.

Some services heading towards Lidcombe on the T3 Bankstown line were cancelled.

Transport for NSW was contacted for comment.
A taekwondo instructor accused of a triple murder in Sydney's west will in the coming weeks weigh up police allegations against him.

Kwang Kyung Yoo, 50, was earlier this year charged with the murders of Min Cho, 41, and a seven-year-old child at North Parramatta, as well as the woman's husband, Steven Cho, 39, at a Baulkham Hills unit block.

It's alleged that Ms Cho and the child were in February murdered inside a taekwondo studio where the boy was a student.

Police allege that Yoo, who was known to his students as Master Lion, left the bodies inside the studio before driving Ms Cho's white BMW to her Baulkham Hills house, where Mr Cho was stabbed several times.

The North Kellyville man has been in custody on remand since his arrest in hospital in February and he has not yet entered a plea.

In Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, the court was told that a case conference would be held on October 21.

Police charged Kwang Kyung Yoo, 49 with the alleged triple murder after he turned up to hospital with stab wounds he claimed were from a carpark incident

Minn Cho and husband Steven were allegedly two of his victims along with their seven-year-old child

The purpose of a case conference is to help determine an accused person's plea and to identify any disputed facts.

As well, it can result in plea offers being made by either side.

NSW Police found Mr Cho's body at the Watkins Rd, Baulkham Hills home before the bodies of his wife and the child were discovered by police two hours later.

Police allege that Mr Yoo drove to Westmead Hospital with stab wounds to his chest, arms and stomach and claimed he was randomly attacked in a supermarket carpark.

The Baulkham Hills apartment complex where Mr Cho was killed

Police allege he sustained the injuries while stabbing Mr Cho to death.

The matter will return to count in late October.
A British base jumper has become the fourth person to die this summer while leaping from a cliff edge in the Italian Dolomites.

The victim, 33, was fatally injured after he leapt from the mountain side wearing a wing suit.

Two others who had jumped ahead of him - a Frenchman and a German - raised the alarm after he failed to join them at the scheduled landing site.

The tragedy happened at around 1800m at Pala di San Lucano neat Belluno, which is a popular location for thrill seeking enthusiasts of the dare devil sport.

The two other jumpers alerted mountain rescue teams and they used Go Pro footage from them as well as drones and a helicopter in an operation that took more than four hours to find and recover the victim.

A British base jumper has died after leaping from a cliff edge in the Italian Dolomites, pictured (stock image)

The Brit was fatally injured after he leapt from the mountain side wearing a wing suit (stock image)

His body was found around 80 metres from where he had jumped and in thick undergrowth and once recovered flown to a local mortuary.

Diego Favero, of the local mountain rescue based in Agordo, told MailOnline: 'It was a difficult operation and it was several hours before we were able to locate and recover the body.

'We got the call just after 10am and it was almost four by the time we finished because he had landed in an inaccessible area.

'The other base jumpers he was with raised the alarm and they gave us their Go Pro footage to help with the search.

'Locally this is the second in a month but across the region there have been four deaths from base jumping this summer alone.'

A police spokesman in Belluno told MailOnline:'I can confirm a 33 year old a British man has died in a base jumping incident on Wednesday morning.

'His body was recovered by the mountain rescue teams and a prosecutor is investigating, with the two people he was with being questioned.'

A FCDO Spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with the family of a British man who has died in Italy and are liaising with the local authorities.'
A Frenchwoman whose husband drugged her and invited scores of men to rape her in a decade-long campaign of abuse admitted she once had an affair - but said the pair had a 'happy life' for almost 50 years before his heinous crimes were revealed.

Gisele Pelicot was raped while unconscious by dozens of different men, all of whom were invited to the family home by her husband Dominique Pelicot who filmed the abuse having drugged her with powerful tranquillisers.

Speaking in an Avignon court today at the trial of Mr Pelicot and 50 of the alleged assailants identified by investigators, Madame Pelicot lamented what she thought was a good marriage.

'We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened,' the 72-year-old told Judge Roger Arata.

'We were not rich but we were happy.'

She went on to admit that she had a short affair 14 years after marrying Mr Pelicot in 1973 but insisted they patched things up and shared a strong union, until police informed her of her husband's dark deeds in 2020.

Gisele P. re-enters the courthouse during the trial of her husband accused of drugging her for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 15 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case

The daughter of Gisele P., Caroline Darian (R) is supported by members of a feminist association, upon her arrival at the courthouse for the trial of Gisele's P's husband

She explained to the court how she was friends with her lover and that he visited her 'periodically' over a two-year period.

Madame Pelicot claimed that her husband 'grabbed her by the neck' when he found out, but that they managed to work through it.

'(Mr Pelicot) reacted very badly... he could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once. Our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But... he was the only man I had known.

'I only ever had two men in my bed... That may sound ridiculous today,' she said.

Ms Pelicot's view of her 'happy' marriage reduced her husband to tears in court.

Mr Pelicot, 71, broke down in tears in the dock as he listened to his wife, wearing a orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, detail how they fell in love and started their married life together before her world 'collapsed' when the extent of his depravity was discovered.

Madame Pelicot, who has three children and seven grandchildren, bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years.

Judge Roger Arata asked her if she suffered any problems after being abused for ten years, to which she replied that she was tested for HIV, adding: 'I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

The judge also asked Madame Pelicot whether her husband had any 'sexual desires' that she didn't want to participate in.

'Once we went to a nightclub with another couple where there was a "swingers' room". But I didn't want to get involved in that so we did not go into that room and we just stayed in the main nightclub,' the mother-of-three replied.

Another judge asked Madame Pelicot whether she and her husband ever discussed filming their sexual intercourse.

She said: 'I never agreed to Monsieur Pelicot filming us having sex. No the only time we talked about something like this was at the swingers' room at the nightclub. I understood that he would have wanted to do it. But for me it was impossible.'

Gisele Pelicot (pictured arriving to court this morning) bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years

A court drawing shows Madame Pelicot taking the stand, facing her husband and the 50 others accused of raping her

Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan (pictured)

Today Madame Pelicot had to relive the trauma that she experienced when a police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and dozens of strangers.

She is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan.

Mr Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case.

But another 35 men  from all walks of life  deny that they forced themselves on Madame Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she in some way consented.

Madame Pelicot's lawyer asked her in court today: 'Some of the defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape.

'You caught four sexually transmitted diseases and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?'

The brave mother-of-three replied: 'All I have to say is, it's an insult to my intelligence. These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.

'How can you even try and make people think that a woman would knowingly take part in all this?'

The judge told Madame Pelicot that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

She replied: 'Feelings of disgust.'

Mr Pelicot's daughter, Caroline Darian, arrived to court alongside her mother this morning

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 50 men accused her raping her

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home (pictured above)

Some of the 50 co-defendants accused of rape speak with a lawyer at the courthouse in the case that has shocked France on Monday, September 2

Madame Pelicot is pictured above as she arrived to court this morning

Madame Pelicot says she was completely unaware she was being subjected to the terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home.

Madame Pelicot said, as reported by Le Parisien: 'I am inert, in my bed, and I am being raped. These are scenes of barbarity. Don't talk to me about sex scenes, these are rape scenes. I have never practised threesomes or swinging, I want to say that.'

At 9.20am Madame Pelicot took the witness stand to give evidence.

She gave her name, maiden name and age into the microphone.

Judge Arata tried to reassure her that she should take her time to make her testimony. And he warned her she would face cross examination.

She said: 'I would not be before you if it were not for the work of the police of Carpentras [the town where the supermarket where her husband was arrested in 2020].

'On that day in September I had been away with my daughter. I returned home to Mazan and I sat in the kitchen.

'Monsieur Pelicot told me; "I have done something silly. I took some photographs in the supermarket".

'He was crying. I told him that I would support him because we have had a lifetime together.

'After 50 years of marriage I said I would forgive him. But if there was a second time I would leave him.

'In October I went to Paris to look after two of my grandchildren.

'I received a phone call from the police who told me they wanted to talk to me.

'I made an appointment in November at the police headquarters in Carpentras.'

She continued: 'We were later summoned to the police. I knew he had taken photos of these women and thought we were going as a formality.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she would remember walking up the steps to the police station 'for the rest of my life'.

At the station, where she was wearing a mask as it was during the Covid pandemic, a police officer told her: 'I'm going to tell you something you won't like.'

Madame Pelicot said that day, 'my world [collapsed], for me everything [collapsed], everything I have built in 50 years,' as reported by Le Parisien.

She said: 'For 50 years I always supported my husband, health, financial and couple problems. It was based on trust.'

Pictured above is a general view of where the Pelicots lived which has been known as the house of horrors, with a creepy back alley

Dominique Pelicot can be seen in this court sketch on the right

Madame Pelicot continued: 'But I left and went home while my husband was in custody. The trauma was enormous. The shock. I returned home to my little dog. I could not stay alone. I had to go to see some friends.

'I told my son that his father was in custody, that he had been charged. On the 3rd of November I went to the police station at Carpentras.

'The police showed me the videos. My world collapsed. When I told my daughter she screamed.

'I left my house with two suitcases and my dog. That was all I had after 50 years of marriage. Everything was based on trust in 50 years.

Caroline Darian's book

'My daughter had a nervous breakdown and required medical help.'

Madame Pelicot continued: 'You can't imagine yourself in a situation like that. In that moment I wanted to disappear.

'I had to tell my children that their father was in custody. I called my son-in-law and told my daughter and told them: "He raped me". Then I heard my daughter screaming a deep cry that I cannot get out of my head.

'People in the street  at the bakery at the supermarket, asked me if I was ok. I had to leave the area. I could not stay in that house. I had lost everything, my husband, my life.

'I didn't know who I was or where I was going. I had lost my identity. My son moved me out of that house.'

Referring to the sex tapes her husband had made of strangers abusing her she said: 'This was not sex - it was rape. I have never practiced open sex, I was never swinger.

'I was never a victim, until now. I had to get help, counselling.'

Madame Pelicot said she believed the first instance of being drugged was in 2011 when she woke up in the afternoon with no memory.

A black and white facial reconstruction of a younger Dominique Pelicot is seen in this handout image

Dominique Pelicot is accused of orchestrating the rape ring

She said: 'One day in 2011, I woke up at 6pm in the evening. That was not right. I never sleep until 6pm in the evening. I knew this was not normal but I could understand why.

'I had no memory of the day. I asked Monsieur Pelicot what had happened.'

The couple moved to the village in Provence two years later in 2013. She said: 'In March 2013 we left Paris for Mazan and this "absence" started again.

'I have an excellent memory. I joked to my husband, "you're not drugging me are you?" He broke down in tears and said; "you actually think I could do that?"

'I went to see a neurologist. I was convinced I had Alzheimer's. He said don't worry. I had scans but the absences continued. I don't remember any of the sex scenes.

'My son told my husband that I was not well. He said "don't worry".'

Madame Pelicot added: 'I was sacrificed by my husband for these obscenities  a woman drugged and abused. It was like I was dead. I was treated like a piece of meat.

'This is why I am speaking out, - for all the other women who are abused. It was humiliating what I have gone through.

'It started when I learned from the investigating magistrate that Mr Pelicot had filmed up women's skirts with a hidden camera in a pen.

'I learned that in 2010 he had done something similar. If I had known back then I would have perhaps I would have been more vigilant. I could have won back ten years of my life.'

Madame Pelicot said: 'These videos are all more horrible than the others. It's barbaric, I don't know how my body is strong enough to stand before you today.'

The grandmother recalled how her own mother died when she was just nine years old and that she left school aged only 13 to find work.

She said: 'At 13 I was knocking on factory doors asking for work. When I was two years old I knew that my mother had an incurable disease. But I never saw my grandmother cry. We don't show tears in my family.'

Monsieur Pelicot broke down in tears in the dock. Wiping his eyes, the grey-haired multiple rapists appeared to be unable to listen to his estranged wife's memory of their once happy life.

Gisele Pelicot (C) sits next to her daughter Caroline Darian (2ndL) and her sons Florian Pelicot (L) and David Pelicot (2ndR) with his wife Celine F. (R), at the courthouse during the trial of her husband on September 2

The town of Mazan, 20 miles from Avignon in southern France, where the victim and her husband lived and the attacks took place

She recalled: 'Then I met Mr Pelicot. He had a tyrannical family. He had to give all of his wages to his parents. I married very young. I was 20 years old.

'We needed permission from our parents. My dad was not in favour of the wedding but he accepted it. We had no money but we were very much in love. I have never been with another man.

'We were not rich but we were happy. Monsieur Pelicot is an electrician. He retrained as an estate agent. He had kidney stones and almost died. And then the real estate crisis. No money was coming in but I still supported him.

'I knew he was courageous. He has always worked hard.'

She added: '[After Mr Pelicot's arrest], I learned that he had been raped aged nine. He wasn't supported by his parents. We could have dealt with it together.

'I'm being treated by a psychiatrist now. Rape scenes are torture scenes. Why does anyone deserve to go though that?'

After giving her testimony, Judge Arata began to question Madame Pelicot.

The judge told her that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

Madame Pelicot replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

When asked if she had any abuse after suffering the abuse, Madame Pelicot said: 'I have gynaecological problems. I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

She added: 'I was tested for HIV as one man who came [to rape me] six times was seropositive. My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop. Luckily I didn't catch it. But not once did Mr Pelicot say to himself, "I've gone too far".'

'He showed no pity, no pity at all,' the 71-year-old said, as reported by the Telegraph.

The judge ended his interrogation with what he described as a 'very difficult question'.

He asked: 'Madame Pelicot, are you in any way complicit in Monsieur Pelicot's activities?'

Beatrice Zavarro (C), lawyer for the accused Dominique P, speaks with lawyers at the courthouse during the trial of her client accused of drugging his wife for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan

Gisele Pelicot, 72, arrives at the courthouse in Avignon this morning ahead of the third day of her husband's trial on September 4, 2024

She replied calmly: 'Absolutely not. I never pretended to be asleep or anything like that.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she was now divorced from the husband of 50 years. She added that she had kept her married name in support of her children.

The grandmother told the court: 'I wanted to be called Gisele Pelicot for the duration of this trial out of solidarity with my children who are called Pelicot.'

In her testimony, Madame Pelicot told how her husband would take pictures of her when she was leaving the bathroom.

She said: 'I told my husband to stop taking pictures of me'. He replied: 'You should be pleased that after 50 years your husband still wants to take photos of you.'

She told the court: 'It was flattering perhaps but it annoyed me and I told him to stop.'

She added :'I never took place in this sexual activity. How could any wife agree to do any of this. It is totally unacceptable.'

Earlier Madame Pelicot admitted that she once had an affair.

She explained how she was friends with her lover and that he visited her 'periodically' over a two-year period, to which her husband 'reacted very badly'.

Madame Pelicot explained: 'He could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once. As I said, our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But as I said he was the only man I had known.

'I only ever had two men in my bed. It may sound ridiculous today.'

The shocking trial, which began on Monday, is set to end on December 20 with 50 people, including Mr Pelicot, facing aggravated rape charges.
Two rioters aged 25 and 60 have been jailed after joining a 200-strong mob which targeted a hotel housing asylum seekers.

The group targeting Potters International Hotel in Aldershot, Hampshire, involved people shouting 'We want our country back', banging doors and hurling bicycles.

Kieron Marney, 25, and 60-year-old Clive Patfield were 'motivated by hostility' towards the asylum seekers' 'race and religion' when they joined a group of around 30 people who entered the hotel's grounds, a court has now heard.

Police were 'hopelessly outnumbered' and rioters could be heard shouting 'F***ing migrants' and 'F***ing scroungers' among other taunts.

The 200-strong protest happened just two days after the fatal stabbing of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on July 29.

Kieron Marney, 25, was caught on camera hurling a bicycle at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Aldershot, Hampshire, on July 31

Marney (pictured) has now been sentenced after being part of a 200-strong mob which was shouting 'We want our country back' as well as banging doors and throwing bikes

He and co-defendant Clive Patfield (pictured), 60, were 'motivated by hostility' towards asylum seekers' 'race and religion' , a court has heard

Marney, from Ash in Surrey, threw a bike and other objects and pulled at window blinds at the hotel while Patfield, of Farnham in Surrey, was part of a group banging on the doors, Hampshire Police said.

Marney was sentenced to two years and three months in prison and Patfield was jailed for two years.

Prosecutor Amelia Katz showed Winchester Crown Court footage of the mob outside Potters International Hotel banging on doors and windows and throwing bikes.

Ms Katz also read a victim impact statement from Sam De Reya, Deputy Chief Constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police, who slammed the rioters as he spoke of 'hate-filled violence across the country'.

DCC Reya added: 'As a force we have dedicated significant resources to ensure those intent on spreading hate do not win.

'[Officers] are coming into work not knowing what violence they are going to face.'

In a further statement, a police officer present at the Aldershot riot said his family now feared for his safety while he was at work.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to a single count of violent disorder.

Judge Rufus Taylor said the asylum seekers at the hotel were left 'petrified' and some have suffered flashbacks since.

Marney, pictured outside Basingstoke Magistrates' Court last month, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison while Clive Patfield was jailed for two years

CCTV filmed how Marney attacked Potters International Hotel in Aldershot on July 31

Describing the incident, he said: 'Two hundred people turned up and a small group entered the car park. The group removed a window and attempted to force open doors.

'A group forced open a bike shed, the bikes had been donated by the community, and they were thrown up into the air and into a skip.

'The police were hopelessly outnumbered and the people inside the hotel must have been petrified - some are now struggling with flashbacks.'

Addressing the two rioters, he told them: 'There is no doubt your actions were motivated by hostility towards their race and religion.'

In mitigation, Marney's lawyer Alex Lloyd said the offender wante to 'pay his debt' - while, in a character reference, his mother Julie Barnes told how he has three children under three and 'acts impulsively' as a result of a head injury as a child.

Mr Lloyd said: 'He does not ask to explain his actions - he simply wants to be sentenced so he can pay his debt to society.

'If he could go back in time and talk to himself, I am certain he would not have done it.'

For Patfield, Laura Duff said that he was of good character, with no previous convictions and helps care for his father-in-law who has terminal prostate cancer.

She added: 'He is remorseful and he is very sorry for his part in it.

Hampshire Police said a minority of the 200 people who gathered outside the Potters International Hotel (pictured) on July 31 became involved in the disruption

Protesters are seen outside Potters International Hotel in Aldershot in a follow-up on August 4

The crowds gathered as part of what were described as 'Enough Is Enough' demonstrations

'He has absolutely no intention of attending any similar protests in future..'

The pair are expected to each serve half of their prison sentences before being released and serving the remainder on licence.

Several other rioters also entered pleas for charges including violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

Cameron Bowling, 40, from Farnborough in Hampshire, admitted violent disorder and will be sentenced on September 23.

Joe Howell, 19, and Alby Brannan, 18, both from Ash in Surrey, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and will be sentenced on November 29.

Howell also denies a charge of assaulting an emergency worker.

Jamie Turvey, 34, also from Farnborough, denied violent disorder and a trial date was set for next April.

A 13-year-old girl from Aldershot previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder over the same incident at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court and will be sentenced there on September 30.

Police are seen patrolling outside Potters International Hotel in Aldershot amid riot fears

Protesters and counter-protesters gathered outside the hotel in Hampshire

Alby Brannan (left) and Jamie Turvey (right) have both been charged in connection with the recent riots in Aldershot, Hampshire

A second protest outside the hotel was held a few days later on August 3.

For that incident Steven Tiquin, 40, from Aldershot, has admitted four counts of assaulting an emergency worker, affray and racially aggravated harassment towards one of the police officers and will be sentenced on Friday next week.

Hampshire's Assistant Chief Constable Tara McGovern said: 'While the majority of people who attended this protest in Aldershot were respectful, the men involved in disorder chose to act in an aggressive manner.

Chief Constable Tara McGovern said: 'While the majority of people who attended this protest in Aldershot were respectful, the men involved in disorder chose to act in an aggressive manner.

'I hope the sentences that Patfield and Marney received highlight that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated. It is a clear message that these actions have consequences.

'This should serve as a warning to anyone else considering trying to bring mindless violence to our streets and that the minority who seek to cause disorder will face the full force of the law.'

The disorder came among many clashes between rioters, counter-protesters and police which spread throughout the country.

They were triggered by misinformation about the suspect charged with the Southport stabbings where three little girls died, with the attack being widely and wrongly blamed online on a fictitious Islamist migrant.

Accused Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to parents from Rwanda, has been charged with three counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed weapon.

Steven Tiquin (pictured), 40, from Aldershot, has admitted four counts of assaulting an emergency worker, affray and racially aggravated harassment towards a police officer

Violence broke out in cities across England and also in Northern Ireland - and has been followed by a hundreds of charges including for children as young as 12, while those arrested also include a 69-year-old accused of vandalism in Liverpool.

More than 200 people have now been sentenced for offences in connection with the riots, with at least 193 given immediate custodial sentences.

The average length of jail terms handed down is 24 months, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

The longest so far has been the six years handed to David Wilkinson, 48, of Hull, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, attempted arson and racially aggravated criminal damage for his role in the disturbances in that city on August 3.
A smirking Vladimir Putin said Thursday he supported Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election just a day after Washington accused Moscow of tampering with the vote.

'Firstly, (US President Joe) Biden recommended all his supporters support Mrs Harris,' Putin said during a question and answer session at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

'Here, we are going to do that too, we're going to support her,' he added, with a wry smile.

'She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her,' the Russian leader said, as members of the public laughed.

'(Former US President Donald) Trump has imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions.'

A smirking Vladimir Putin said Thursday he supported Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign stop at the Throwback Brewery, in North Hampton yesterday

This comes after US officials with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in Washington confirmed in July the existence of the Russian plan to install ex President Donald Trump in the White House.

Putin's comments come a day after the U.S. detailed its efforts to push back on Russia's influence on the November 4 election.

These include sanctions, indictments and seizing web domains that Washington officials say Russia uses to spread disinformation and propaganda.

The US yesterday indicted two employees of state-run Russian news network RT and slapped sanctions on its top editors Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia after Washington accused them of trying to influence the upcoming US ballot.

Simonyan was a 'central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts,' the Treasury Department said, while Brodskaia 'reported to Russian President Putin and other government officials', officials said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured with editor-in-chief of RT broadcaster Margarita Simonyan in December 2022. Simonyan is one of the 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department

The bombshell indictment also accused RT employees Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena of Afanasyeva of implementing a plan to shell out nearly $10million to a Tennessee-based company to churn out videos 'consistent' with the Kremlin's 'interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions.'

In response, the Kremlin said it will take retaliatory action against American news outlets and accused the U.S. of purging any dissenting voices from the global media landscape and to stoke fears among US voters about Russia as a mythical external enemy.

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more 'predictable'. The White House called on Putin to 'stay out' of US elections.

Last year, the Russian leader had said that the US political system was 'rotten' and that Washington could not lecture other countries about democracy.
Prosecutors have dropped indecent assault charges against US film mogul Harvey Weinstein as they ruled there is 'no realistic prospect of conviction'.

The producer, 72, had been charged in June 2022 with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in London in August 1996.

Frank Ferguson, head of the UK's Crown Prosecution Service special crime and counter terrorism division, said: 'Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein.'

It comes after the New York Court of Appeals threw out his 2020 rape conviction on April 25 after ruling he did not receive a fair trial - effectively erasing his 23-year prison sentence and ordering a retrial.

But he remains in prison as he was found guilty of the rape and sexual assault of Italian actress and model Evgeniya Chernyshova in Los Angeles and was sentenced to 16 years.

The Criminal Prosecution Service has dropped indecent assault charges against US film mogul Harvey Weinstein as it ruled there is 'no realistic prospect of conviction'

Weinstein is seen here leaving court in New York Cirty in January 2020 as he faced trial for alleged rape and sexual assault

The disgraced movie mogul, pictured arriving at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in March 2014, is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in the US

In June 2022, Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, confirmed that Scotland Yard had been authorised to charge the ex-film producer.

The charges related to one female complainant in August 1996 in London, and the decision was reached after the CPS reviewed evidence gathered by the Met.

A statement from Scotland Yard at the time of the arrest said it had been alleged two offences were committed between July 31 and August 31 1996.

The alleged victim, a woman, is now aged in her 50s.

But the CPS has now decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Weinstein.

Mr Ferguson said: 'The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

'We have explained our decision to all parties.

'We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.'

Weinstein is currently awaiting a retrial on rape and sexual assault charges in Manhattan.

Prosecutors told court he could face a new indictment as it is 'actively investigating' more claims of sexual assault against Weinstein.

'Some people who were not ready to speak out in 2020 now appear to do so in 2024,' Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg previously said.

'We'll speak to advisors as to what falls within the statute of limitations and we will do everything in our power to make sure every survivor's identity is protected.'

The New York Court of Appeals threw out his 2020 rape conviction on April 25 this year after ruling he did not receive a fair trial

Weinstein remains in prison as he was found guilty of the rape and sexual assault of Italian actress and model Evgeniya Chernyshova in Los Angeles and was sentenced to 16 years

Weinstein, pictured with ex-wife Georgina Chapman in happier times, was a titan of the movie industry before allegations of sexual abuse made him the face of the #MeToo movement

Weinstein is serving his prison sentence in the US following a rape and sexual misconduct conviction in Los Angeles related to an incident in 2013 where he appeared uninvited in a woman's hotel room during a Los Angeles film festival.

He was sentenced to 16 years' prison in February 2023.

He is currently in custody in New York's Rikers Island jail complex while awaiting a retrial in Manhattan after a 2020 conviction for rape was overturned earlier this year in a majority decision from the Court of Appeal in New York.

The decision cited 'the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes' which was 'an abuse of judicial discretion'.

In July, Weinstein was treated in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, and Covid-19.

In 2020, the producer of hit movies including Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Gangs Of New York and Shakespeare In Love was stripped of his honorary CBE awarded for his contribution to the British film industry.

He dominated Hollywood in the 1990s and won 81 Oscars before sex abuse allegations against him were raised amid the #MeToo movement.

More than 80 women came forward to accuse the producer of sexual assault and harassment.

The allegations first surfaced publicly in a New York Times story in 2017 detailing decades of alleged abuse.

Actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd were among those who were named in the piece as accusers, with McGowan alleging the Miramax chief raped her in 1997.

During his four years in jail Weinstein has been beset by health issues including heart problems, mobility issues and diabetes.

Weinstein (third left) enjoyed multiple Oscars success including for Shakespeare In Love at the 71st Annual Academy Awards in March 1999 (pictured)

More than 80 women came forward to accuse the producer of sexual assault and harassment amid the #MeToo movement exposing abuse against women

Weinstein was the producer of hit movies including Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Gangs Of New York and Shakespeare In Love

Rose McGowan, pictured with Weinstein in 2007, alleged the Miramax boss raped her in 1997

In May this year he was taken to Bellevue Hospital in New York where doctors conducted a slew of tests on him.

Attorney Arthur Aidala said Weinstein was moved to the hospital after his arrival into Rikers Island.

Mr Aidala said: 'They examined him and sent him to Bellevue. It seems like he needs a lot of help, physically. He's got a lot of problems. He's getting all kinds of tests. He's somewhat of a train wreck health wise.'

'He was not treated well. They refused to give him even a sip of water, no food, no bathroom break. He's a 72-year-old sickly man.'
Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier was today announced as France's new Prime Minister almost two months after France's snap elections ended in political deadlock.

The 73-year-old is now faced with the mammoth task of forming a government that will need to survive a National Assembly divided into three big political blocs - with none able to form a clear majority.

Following the recent political stalemate, President Emmanuel Macron has called on Mr Barnier to take on the esteemed role, despite him not being a serving elected MP.

But his appointment has already angered politicians on the left - who maintain that the head of government should reflect French voters' clear preference for the leftist New Popular Front - and the Brexit hardliner now faces an immediate vote of no confidence because of his apparent lack of democratic legitimacy.

An official at Matignon, the prime minister's official residence in Paris, said on Thursday afternoon: 'Michel Barnier has been named prime minister by President Macron.'

Michel Barnier, 73, was today announced as France's new Prime Minister

Barnier pictured with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee palace in Paris, on January 31, 2020, a few hours before Britain officially left the European Union

The appointment means that Mr Barnier will become the oldest prime minister in the history of the 5th Republic - taking over from the youngest PM, Gabriel Attal, 35.

Since the announcement, Macron appears to be counting on the far-right National Rally of three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen not to block the appointment of Barnier.

RN party leader Jordan Bardella said Barnier would be judged 'on evidence' when he addresses parliament.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier countered: 'We know in the end who decides. Her name is Marine Le Pen. She is the one to whom Macron has decided to submit.'

Barnier was last in parliament in 1993, and is currently a member of The Republicans (LR) party  the current name for the Gaullist conservatives, who are in opposition.

Pressure has been building on President Macron to appoint a prime minister after a coalition led by his Renaissance party came second in a snap election in early July.

It was won by the Popular Front  a Leftist coalition specifically aimed at keeping the far-Right National Rally party from gaining power.

Mr Barnier did not emerge as a serious candidate to run a new French government until Thursday, when he was seen at the Elysee Palace.

He tried to become LR's presidential candidate in 2022, but was eliminated in the first round of party voting with less than five per cent of the vote.

During the campaign, he took a hard line on immigration, saying it was 'out of control.'

There is a looming deadline for France to start 2025 budget discussions, at a time when the country is under severe criticism from the EU for overspending.

On Thursday, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a National Rally MP, said Mr Barnier represented the 'fossilised old world', accusing the Elysee Palace of 'going down the Jurassic Park'.

Barnier first become a French member of parliament aged just 27 in the 1970s and first entered government in the mid-1990s under late president Jacques Chirac.

Such is the longevity of Barnier's top-level political career that he is known by some as the 'French Joe Biden' after the US leader whose long career has spanned a similar time.

The Brexit hardliner who once described UK prime minister Boris Johnson as a 'bulldozer', led the EU's talks with Britain over its exit from the bloc from 2016 to 2021.

Barnier was named as France's new Prime Minister, the Elysee palace announced on September 5, almost two months after legislative elections left the country in political deadlock. Pictured: Barnier and Macron at the 56th International Agriculture Fair (Salon international de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, on February 23, 2019

He has served four times as a cabinet minister and twice as a European Commissioner before becoming the head of the Brexit task force in 2016.

Barnier wrote a book about Brexit 'My Secret Brexit Diary: A Glorious Illusion', its title already stating clearly what he thought of the idea of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

While true to his courteous reputation, Barnier steered clear of any salacious gossip in the published work, he never ceases to express his amazement at how his British counterparts were handling the process.

'There is most definitely something wrong with the British system... every passing day shows that they have not realised the consequences of what is truly at stake here,' he wrote.

Barnier, who was an unsuccessful candidate in the primary to become the conservative presidential candidate in 2021, is also seen as having views on domestic politics that are more compatible with the far right.

He triggered a swathe of backlash when he said France should regain its 'legal sovereignty' and not be subject to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.

He also triggered dismay in Brussels by calling for France to free itself from European court oversight.

To claw back France's 'space to manoeuvre', Barnier said he would organise a referendum if elected, asking voters to approve constitutional changes and the ability of parliament to set immigrant quotas each year.

He declared he did not 'really like the concept of European sovereignty' and took aim at 'German dominance' in the European Union, adding 'I know what I'm talking about.'

His appointment has even caused disquiet among allies with one LR member of parliament, asking not to be named, saying he epitomised 'everything the French don't want'.

He is 'disconnected and will continue or finish killing the right,' they said.

Macron in July refused to appoint the alliance's candidate for prime minister, civil servant Lucie Castets, 37, arguing she was not in a position to govern with stability.
Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a 17-year-old was dragged into a car and attacked.

The vicious assault occurred in Port Kennedy on Perth's southern outskirts on Sunday before the video began circulating on social media.

Rockingham detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the assault, with footage showing the teenager being bashed and thrown into a car.

Footage showed the girl begging for help with a bloody face.

WA Police say the 17-year-old was 'placed into a vehicle' before she was assaulted by two females who are believed to be known to the teenager.

The graphic footage was posted online and shows the girl being bashed and dragged by her hair into the car.

She is then driven around Perth with blood dripping down her face.

The girl can be heard begging for help and screaming: 'No, please, don't take my stuff'.

Horrific footage has circulated on social media of the moments a 17-year-old girl was dragged into a car and attacked by two women, believed to be known to her (pictured the girl bloodied in a car)

The 17-year-old was captured in the footage begging for the driver to pull over.

'Leave me alone,' she can be heard saying.

In another video the teenager can be heard begging the male driver of the car to stop the vehicle.

Police have said a man behind the wheel was forced to drive the car by the two women.

'At this time, it is believed the male driver of the vehicle drove the vehicle under duress and was not involved in the assault,' a police spokeswoman said.

The 17-year-old kept being dragged in and out of the car by her hair in the relentless attack by the two women in Perth (pictured)

The attack went viral online and Perth police are investigating the incident (pictured the teenager being pulled out of the car)

The investigation by police is ongoing, and anyone with information is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

No charges have been laid.
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Hunter Biden has pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in a dramatic twist just as his California trial was about to begin.

President Joe Biden's scandal-hit son, 54, arrived at court with wife Melissa Cohen on Thursday in Los Angeles for scheduled jury selection.

Hunter tried to take an Alford plea, where the defendant admits guilt while maintaining his innocence, for failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes.

But prosecutors rejected the deal, and now he faces a maximum of 17 years in prison and up to a $1million fine.

Follow all the latest political developments in our live blog
Billionaire tech tycoon Mike Lynch's co-defendant in US fraud trial died from traumatic head injuries after being struck by a vehicle as it crested a humpback railway bridge, an inquest has heard.

Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was out on a run between Stretham and Wicken on August 17 when he was hit by a car as he started crossing the road.

The father was rushed to hospital with 'significant' injuries, and died there three days later.

The crash came just days before the 'British Bill Gates' lost his life when his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily.

Caroline Jones, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, today said her office had received a report of the mid August crash.

Stephen Chamberlain, 52, died after he was struck by a car while running on August 17

The father had faced charges of fraud and conspiracy alongside his former boss Mike Lynch - the tragic Billionaire tech tycoon

An inquest into Mr Chamberlain's death today found he died of 'traumatic head injuries'

She told the inquest: 'A vehicle travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 crested a humpback bridge and was presented with a runner crossing the road from the nearside to the offside between two parts of a bridleway.'

The keen runner was left with 'significant' injuries.

Miss Jones said: 'Mr Chamberlain was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where, sadly, his death was confirmed at 3.50am on August 20.

The coroner, who opened and adjourned the inquest in Alconbury, said: 'At the present time, the police investigation remains ongoing and so no further date has been fixed for these proceedings to resume.'

She added: 'I extend my condolences of the family of Stephen Chamberlain.'

No family members were present.

The post-mortem examination was carried out by neuropathologist Dr Kieren Allinson on August 23.

Tech tycoon Mr Lynch died after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

Mr Chamberlain was the business partner of Mike Lynch (pictured) the tech tycoon

The Bayesian (pictured earlier this year) was anchored off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily, when it sunk on August 19

Mr Chamberlain's son Teddy asked well-wishers to complete the run he died on as a tribute to his father

Mr Chamberlain was the co-defendant in his US trial and, alongside Mr Lynch, was cleared earlier this year of conducting a massive fraud over the sale of software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

In the days after his death, Mr Chamberlain's family paid tribute to their 'much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend'.

The loved one said in a statement: 'He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible.

'He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

'He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.'

Mr Chamberlain's son Teddy also asked well-wishers to take part in the run his father never got to complete.

Teddy wrote in a public post on Strava in the days after his death: 'We are planning to complete this run for dad, if any of you would like to pay tribute and run it with us I will keep you updated.

'I'm sure we will make a post about the day and time at a later date. He was such an incredible man and the pain we feel is unimaginable.'

Cambridgeshire Police previously issued an appeal for witnesses after Mr Chamberlain was in collision with a blue Vauxhall Corsa car on the A1123 Newmarket Road near Stretham.

The force said the car was travelling between Stretham and Wicken when the collision happened at about 10.10am.

Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and was assisting with inquiries.

Gary Lincenberg, Mr Chamberlain's lawyer, said in an earlier statement: 'Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car ... while out running.

'He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.

'Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.'

HP acquired Cambridge-based Autonomy, founded by Mr Lynch in 1996, for 11 billion US dollars (8.35 billion), but later wrote down its value by 8.8 billion US dollars (6.68 billion) and asked the US justice department to investigate fraud.

Mr Chamberlain, a former vice-president of finance at the company, was accused of artificially inflating Autonomy's revenues and making false and misleading statements to auditors, analysts and regulators in 2018.

Both he and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.
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This video is no longer available

A migrant whose boat capsized while crossing the Channel has recalled the terrifying moment when he came close to death.

Daoud was one of around 65 people who were rescued when the 26-foot long boat ripped in two and overturned off the northern French coast at Cap Gris-Nez on Tuesday morning.

Twelve people, including a pregnant woman and six children, died in what is being described as the deadliest Channel crossing tragedy of the year so far.

Despite the tragedy, however, more migrants have been making the same perilous journey, with some 257 migrants arriving in the UK on Wednesday.

Daoud recalled the seconds before disaster struck as the vessel became 'overloaded' two hours from the shoreline. Although he survived the horrifying ordeal, Daoud was unable to say that it had put him off attempting the crossing again.

Daoud (left) was one of around 65 people who were rescued when the 26-foot long boat ripped in two and overturned off the northern French coast at Cap Gris-Nez on Tuesday

People believed to be migrants are taken ashore in Kent after being rescued from a small boat in the channel on Wednesday

A member of Border Force staff directs people believed to be migrants after they were brought to dry land on Wednesday

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Reliving the horrific ordeal, Daoud told Sky News: 'Everybody was sinking. I tried a little swimming... I survived'.

'We thought that we are lost, there was no hope for life, but, thanks to God, we survived. We are here today.

'I did not see [people drowning]. I was totally lost because of panic.'

Daoud was rescued within minutes as ships nearby began throwing life jackets into the water.

He said rescuers 'tried their best' to save everyone but unfortunately it was already too late for some.

Daoud said he has 'no choice' but to try and cross the Channel, admitting that he has already tried seven times unsuccessfully.

When asked whether Tuesday's tragedy had put him off, he said: 'It's difficult to decide.

'If I could go to any other country in Europe, and get a resident permit...'

'If a country gave me a resident permit, I would stay. The problem is currently in Europe many people are getting rejected.'

The crossings have continued despite the deaths of 12 migrants in the English Channel on Tuesday (pictured: emergency workers in Boulonge-sur-Mer)

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Five boats arrived in the UK on Wednesday, which suggests an average of around 51 people per boat.

People thought to be migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, amid calm weather conditions at sea.

Meanwhile in Wimereux, dozens of people were seen making a run for a raft on Wednesday as police tried to stop them.

A young girl was among those seen trying to board a large inflatable raft, wearing nothing more than a striped top, trousers and trainers, without even a life jacket to protect her.

She was among a number of people trying to climb onto a raft already loaded with approximately 30 people, holding a mobile phone wrapped in clingfilm aloft to protect it from the waters as she was carried on an older-looking man's shoulders.

The girl was among a group of young men seen climbing into the boat in waters off Wimereux, near Calais, earlier today.

Only a handful of the young men were wearing fluorescent orange life jackets - though witnesses say a French patrol boat pulled up later and threw more life jackets at those on board.

A young girl holds a mobile phone aloft as she tries to board a dinghy heading from France to Britain on Wednesday

The phone was wrapped in clingfim to protect it from the brutal waters of the English Channel

Border Force boat Typhoon picks up people in brightly coloured life jackets in the Channel om Wednesday

Would-be migrants attempt to climb into an inflatable raft already full of others trying to make the crossing in Wimereux on Wednesday

The cumulative number of arrivals by small boats in 2024 now stands at a provisional total of 21,977.

This is 3% higher than at this point last year, when the total stood at 21,372, but 20% lower than at this stage in 2022, when the total was 27,409.

There have been 2,683 arrivals in the past nine days, from August 27 to September 4 inclusive - the highest in any nine-day period so far this year.

There were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 in 2022.

Up to 65 people were rescued in Tuesday's incident, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branded 'shocking and deeply tragic', telling MPs in the Commons: 'We must have a renewed determination to end this.'

His comments came after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said 'vital' efforts to dismantle 'dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs' and to boost border security 'must proceed apace'.

More than 30 people have now died in Channel crossings so far this year, compared with 12 who are thought to have died or were recorded as missing in 2023, according to the French coastguard.
Melania Trump teased her bombshell tell-all memoir with a dramatic black-and-white video, saying it was time to tell her perspective: 'the truth.'

Her book, simply titled 'Melania,' will be released on October 1st. It is available for pre-order on Amazon for $30.

'Writing this memoir has been a deeply personal and reflective journey for me,' she said in a video posted to her social media accounts.

'As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts. I believe it is important to share my perspective: the truth.'

Melania Trump released a dramatic video to promote her forthcoming memoir

The 48-second video opens with the former first lady speaking directly to camera. It also features scenes from her time in the White House, including her trip to Africa and working on her Be Best campaign.

There are also some photos from her modeling days and as a young mother with her son Barron. Donald Trump is shown.

The video is in black-and-white with dramatic music.

Melania Trump announced in July she was releasing a memoir, a stunning announcement from the normally private first lady.

In the book she 'reflects on her Slovenian childhood, the pivotal moments that led her to the world of high fashion in Europe and New York, and the serendipitous meeting with Donald Trump, a chance encounter that forever changed the course of her life,' according to its summary.

'Melania opens up about their courtship, life in the spotlight, and experiencing the joy of motherhood. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from her time in the White House, shedding light on her advocacy work and the causes close to her heart.'

She is selling two editions: a $150 collector's edition featuring 256 pages in full color throughout, with each copy signed by the author. The memoir edition will be 304 pages and available for $40 with signed copies available for $75.

'Melania' will be released by Skyhorse Publishing, which has published such Trump supporters as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and attorney Alan Dershowitz.

The former first lady has been the subject of many biographies and books but this is the first time she is telling her story.

It is unclear if she worked with a co-author and if she will go on a book tour.

Melania Trump, 54, has been something of an enigma in public life.

The third wife of Donald Trump is intensely private and spent much of her White House years focused on raising her son Barron, who was a teenage at the time.

Her son is now at NYU's Stern School of Business and her husband is running for a second term in the White House.

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Melania Trump's memoir retails for $30 with a special edition selling for $150

Donald and Melania Trump during his presidency - her memoir will talk about her time in the White House

After the Trumps left the White House in January 2021, Melania Trump maintained her low profile.

She has not been heavily involved in her husband's 2024 campaign for the White House.

She appeared at his campaign announcement and at the Republican National Convention, where, unlike other spouses of candidates, she opted not to address the delegates.

She has yet to appear at a campaign rally.

She also didn't attend the first presidential debate and has been careful to distance herself from her husband's legal troubles.

She did host two fundraisers for Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative LGBTQ group.

And she's worked on some foster care issues in her post-White House life.

Financial disclosure reports showed the former first lady earns a substantial income from speaking fees, properties in New York and Slovenia that she rents and her non-fungible token (NFT) licensing agreement.
The man accused of brutally murdering UCLA student Brianna Kupfer in a shocking 2022 attack appeared in court on Wednesday to learn his fate.

Brianna Kupfer, 24, was murdered in January 2022 at the luxury Los Angeles furniture store where she was working by Shawn Laval Smith, now 34.

Smith was seen sitting in in Los Angeles Superior Court as prosecutors played the chilling audio recording of the murder, which captured Kupfer's desperate pleas for her life as she was stabbed to death.

The murder trial, presided over by Judge Mildred Escobedo, saw dramatic scenes as the Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney held up the alleged murder weapon - a knife - and its sheath for the jury to examine.

Photos obtained by Dailymail.com show the accused killer wearing a striped button-down shirt and cloth face mask.

Brianna Kupfer was stabbed 26 times in the attack in January 2022

The man accused of brutally murdering UCLA student Brianna Kupfer in a shocking 2022 attack appeared in court on Wednesday to learn his fate

The murder trial, presided over by Judge Mildred Escobedo, saw dramatic scenes as the Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney held up the alleged murder weapon - a knife - and its sheath for the jury to examine

Smith, who was sitting next to his defense attorney, listened to testimony from witnesses as prosecutors laid out their case against the accused killer.

In an opening statement, the prosecution argued Smith was on 'a hunt to kill a vulnerable woman who was alone and secluded.

The suspect reportedly had a recording expressing his desire to 'kill women.'

'Just 18 days before he found and slaughtered Brianna, the defendant recorded himself talking about the most vile, disgusting and grotesque thoughts about women,' said Los Angeles County prosecutor Habib Balian in court.

'The defendant, pretending to be a customer, lured her into a sense of security and safety and vulnerability, even went outside, pretending to call his girlfriend,' the prosecutor said. 'The evidence we'll show you, they weren't looking for a couch. It was all a lie.'

Smith was seen sitting in in Los Angeles Superior Court as prosecutors played the chilling audio recording of the murder, which captured Kupfer's desperate pleas for her life as she was stabbed to death

If found guilty, the defendant could face life in prison without the possibility of parole (Pictured: Defense attorney and Shawn Laval Smith)

In an opening statement, the prosecution argued Smith was on 'a hunt to kill a vulnerable woman who was alone and secluded (Pictured: Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney hold up sheath for a knife as Shawn Laval Smith listens to testimony in Los Angeles Superior Court)

Brianna Kupfer, 24, was murdered in January 2022 at the luxury Los Angeles furniture store where she was working by Shawn Laval Smith, now 34

'Brianna Kupfer, lying on the floor in the Croft House covered in her own blood, smear marks of blood surrounding her.'

'Her last breathing words, she's just telling him, 'I can help you, I can help you, I can help you,' and he's telling her, 'It's over [expletive].'

Kupfer, a 24-year-old UCLA graduate student, was working alone at a furniture store in Hancock Park when she was stabbed to death in what police described as a random attack.

She was stabbed to death while working alone at the Croft House store on La Brea, just minutes after she texted a friend that a man in the store was 'giving her a bad vibe'.

Smith, 31 at the time of the killing, was tracked down in Pasadena a day after the Los Angeles Police Department named him as the top suspect in the unprovoked slaying.

Smith - who reportedly has a rap sheet spanning two coasts - was out on bail when he allegedly stabbed Kupfer to death.

Photos obtained by dailymail.com show the accused killer wearing a striped button-down shirt and cloth face mask

Smith, who was sitting next to his defense attorney, listened to testimony from witnesses as prosecutors laid out their case against the accused killer

He was cuffed without incident at a bus stop near Fair Oaks and Colorado Boulevard about 11:50am. It's not clear whether he was armed.

Smith was taken into custody about 15 miles from the high-end furniture store where Kupfer was killed.

A pedestrian tipped cops off after spotting the wanted man sitting on a park bench.

The accused killer - who police believe has been a homeless transient - initially gave officials a false name, a source told the news outlet. However, the LAPD fugitive unit was able to confirm his identity with a fingerprint reader.

Previously Smith was arrested and charged with violent crimes in at least three states.

At the time of Kupfer's murder, he was free on a $50,000 bond after allegedly firing a weapon toward an occupied vehicle in Charleston, South Carolina, in November 2019.

Smith, who is waiting to be arraigned, is a career criminal with a long rap sheet spanning both coasts, and was currently free on a $1,000 bond from a misdemeanor arrest in Los Angeles County in October 2020, sheriff's records show

The architectural design student from Pacific Palisades was alone in the Croft House store on La Brea Avenue in LA's upscale Fairfax neighborhood when a man entered around 1:50 p.m. and stabbed her. She was found 20 minutes later by a customer

An indictment in that case was handed down on March 16, 2020, just before COVID-19 paralyzed the courts, and the docket shows no further action on the case.

Smith, who is waiting to be arraigned, is a career criminal with a long rap sheet spanning both coasts, and was currently free on a $1,000 bond from a misdemeanor arrest in Los Angeles County in October 2020, sheriff's records show.

Smith was arrested in Covina, California, on October 27, 2020, and charged for allegedly stealing items from a local Home Depot. He was cited and released, police said.

He was convicted by San Diego prosecutors in 2017 for carrying a concealed dagger and brandishing a deadly weapon in a fight. He was given three years probation and ordered to pay a $400 fine, according to court records.

If found guilty, the defendant could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The AR-style weapon used by alleged Apalachee High School shooter Cory Gray has been pictured lying in the corridor following the massacre as it emerged cops previously visited his home but didn't seize any guns.

Gray, 14, is accused of fatally shooting four people, including two students, and injuring nine others during the bloodbath on Wednesday.

It has since emerged that the Georgia teen and his dad have been on the FBI's radar for more than a year, but no weapons were ever removed from their home.

Investigators interviewed the father and son following 'several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time', including photographs of guns.

Officials said Gray, then aged 13, 'denied making the threats online' at the time and did not have unsupervised access.

Colt Gray's suspected murder weapon can be seen in the corridor of Apalachee High School where he allegedly killed four and injured nine people

The only action taken was to warn local schools to 'continually monitor' the troubled teen, with the FBI stating there was 'no probable cause for arrest'.

Authorities say they are still looking into how the suspected gunman was able to bring a weapon into school.

At a Wednesday evening press conference, officials said he used a 'AR platform-style weapon' in the rampage, but are still unclear on who owned the gun or where he got it from.

'We're still trying to clarify a lot of the timeline from the time that he got here to school today until the incident,' Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.

Gray was taken into custody at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center after being apprehended at the scene.

He has been described as a 'quiet' teen who would often skip class.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

Teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall lost their lives in the tragedy

Student Christian Angulo, 14, was also shot dead in the senseless shooting

Local news outlets reported that law enforcement on Wednesday searched the teen's family home in Bethlehem, Georgia, east of the high school.

The victims of the massacre in Winder have been named as teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.

Classmate Lyela Sayerath told CNN that she was sat next to Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She said that Gray left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we weren't going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Families gathered to mourn the four victims of the senseless shooting on Wednesday evening

At least 13 people were shot in the chaos, including two students and two teachers killed

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

The Division of Family and Children's Services also had previous contact with the teen and will investigate whether that has any connection with the shooting.
Former President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris among veterans a new poll finds just days after the candidates clashed over a reported incident during the ex-president's visit to Arlington National Cemetery last month.

The survey conducted by Change Research found the Republican presidential nominee leads his Democratic rival 51 percent to 41 percent among veterans.

It also found Trump leads Harris 49 percent to 44 percent among active duty, guardsmen and reservists with just over sixty days to go before the election.

When it comes to the families of veterans, the gap was tighter with Trump up 47 percent to Harris' 45 percent.

Poll was conducted August 23 to 29 among 1,703 veterans, active-duty service members, and family/household members of veterans and service members nationwide

The poll released to The Hill comes amid controversy surrounding Trump's recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery to mark three years since the Abbey Gate terror attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan.

During the visit there was a reported physical altercation involving a Trump campaign staffer and a worker in the cemetery when the campaign took photos and video in a restricted area of the cemetery.

It set off a series of accusations between the Trump campaign and U.S. officials with the vice president eventually weighing in.

The Trump campaign denies a staffer pushed a cemetery worker while the Army defended the staffer. It was a rare rebuke from the military of a former commander in chief.

The families that invited the former president to join them at the cemetery defended him, but other Gold Star Families who lost loved ones in service criticized Trump for posting photos and video of the visit to his campaign accounts.

Poll was conducted August 23 to 29 among 1,703 veterans, active-duty service members, and family/household members of veterans and service members nationwide

Trump visited the cemetery to mark three years since the Abbey Gate attack killed 13 Americans. His campaign says he was invited to be there by families. His campaign later posted a video of his time at the cemetery

The new poll of veterans and service members was conducted from August 23 through 29, so some of the data came before the Arlington reports.

When voters who had previously voted for Trump but do not plan to come November were asked about their choice, 53 percent indicted his comments, attitudes and policies for veterans and service members were a factor.

Overall, veterans tend to favor Republicans when it comes to elections and Trump has maintained strong support, but he has been deeply criticized for some past remarks and for the Arlington controversy by veterans as well as current military including late Senator John McCain's son 1st Lt. Jimmy McCain whose father has been a target of Trump's.

In response to the incident at Arlington, Harris released a statement saying the cemetery is 'not a place for politics' and that Trump 'disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.'

Trump's cemetery trip and the alleged incident continues to play out weeks after it happened

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Trump and his team have shot back that the reported incident was all 'made up.'

Participants in the poll were asked to imagine being a team member in combat with Trump, who received draft deferments during Vietnam.

In response, 55 percent said the ex-president would only look out for himself while 54 percent said he would 'talk a big game but not do much.'Another 49 percent said he would 'crumble under pressure.'

Just over a third predicted Trump would win the Medal of Valor.
A child had brought the toy to the daycare centre

More than 60 young children aged under-5 rushed to hospital to get X-rays after a button battery scare at their childcare centre have been given the all clear.

A broken toy which had an unknown amount of button batteries missing was discovered at Greenspace Childcare Centre at Bli Bli on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on Wednesday.

Staff contacted emergency services straight away, amid fears at least one of the children may have swallowed the deadly devices.

The offending toy is believed to not be from the facility and was bought to daycare by a child.

Paramedics assessed 64 children aged 2-5 and arranged with Queensland Health for them to be picked up by their parents and taken to hospital.

The children underwent X-rays and all tests have since come back negative for the dangerous battery, 9 News reported.

'All children were assessed and no cases of ingestion have been reported,' a Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said.

The childcare centre bought in metal detectors to help look for the missing batteries, but nothing was found.

A broken toy with an unknown amount of missing button batteries was found at the Greenspace Childcare Centre on the Sunshine Coast

Button batteries are in many household items and are very common in children's products. If swallowed, it is a 'life-saving-emergency'

Centre staff and parents have been praised for their quick action.

'I commend the parents in all this, it would've been a daunting phone call for parents to receive about what's happened but the childcare centre was very transparent with them,' paramedic James Mayfield said

Parents were also quick to praise the childcare centre on how staff handled the situation.

'Button batteries are not to be messed with ... We were getting updates on the app, we were getting phone calls, everything was amazing,' parent Tahnee Tuckerman said.

Three Australian children have died from digesting button batteries in the last decade.

Three Australian children have died from ingesting batteries in the last decade, including Brittney Conway (pictured)

Queensland toddler Brittney Conway was just three-years-old when she swallowed a button battery in 2020. She died three weeks later.

Mr Mayfield told, 7 News it was because of the seriousness of the batteries that the paramedics decided to take a 'no risk no chance' approach on Wednesday.

The paramedic said the incident is a good reminder for parents and carers to assess any potential risks in their home, as the batteries can be in many items, including children's toys.

Mr Mayfield said swallowing a button battery is a 'life-threatening emergency' and parents should seek medical assistance straight away.

The symptoms of when someone swallows a button battery include abdominal pain, chest pain and gastrointestinal bleeding.
:               ...
Hunter Biden is pleading guilty to at least some of the nine tax evasion charges against him, in a stunning last-minute reversal at his criminal trial in Los Angeles.

The change was not due to a plea deal, with prosecutor Leo Wise telling Judge Mark Scarsi on Thursday: 'this is the first we're hearing of this'.

The shock revelation was made by Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell in front of the judge, while 120 potential jurors waited next door to be selected for his trial.

Lowell cited legal cases and precedents suggesting that by pleading guilty, the judge would have to decide on the facts of the case rather than a jury, and the judge could only use material that has already been filed in the case.

Wise said he needed time to review the legal case Lowell cited, and the judge allowed them to take a break until 11am PDT.

The shocking U-turn is an apparent Hail Mary strategy by the defense to try to stop damaging and embarrassing evidence being presented to the jury.

Hunter's lawyers did not clarify whether he was pleading guilty to all nine charges including three felonies, or just some of them.

'We'll have to wait and see what they do,' Hunter's lead attorney Mark Geragos told DailyMail.com outside the courtroom.

Hunter Biden arrives at court with wife Melissa Cohen at his side as his tax evasion trial kicked off in Los Angeles Thursday

In a stunning reversal ahead of jury selection, Hunter's attorneys revealed he will now be pleading guilty to some of the charges

The First Son is seen in a court sketch entering a federal courtroom for jury selection for his trial

In court Lowell told Judge Scarsi that Hunter would be taking an 'Alford plea', meaning he would accept a guilty verdict while maintaining his innocence.

Lowell also told the judge that they had previously never accepted a plea deal, because the only offer the government made was to plead guilty to all charges.

His statement may suggest that Hunter is now deciding to plead guilty to only some of his charges. He faces a maximum of 17 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

The president's son had arrived at federal court earlier Thursday morning with wife Melissa Cohen at his side.

He entered the courtroom with Geragos, Lowell, his friend and attorney Kevin Morris, business partner Fran Person, as well as two other attorneys on his defense team.

A former federal prosecutor, who asked not to be named, told DailyMail.com that one possible explanation for the sudden change, was to get a quick verdict without a salacious trial, followed by a pardon or commutation from Hunter's father, President Joe Biden.

Biden has already promised that he would do neither  but that was before he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

As long as he is president, through January 2025, he has the power to reduce or forgive any sentence his son receives.

The maximum sentence for Hunter's tax crimes is 17 years in federal prison and a $750,000 fine.

Another attorney, Samuel Dewey, a former congressional chief counsel, told DailyMail.com he also suspected the change of plea was part of a political pact to protect damaging information about Joe Biden from being aired in public.

Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell, arrives at the First Street US Courthouse in LA Thursday, informed the judge of the shock plea reversal as jury selection was set to begin

The president's son had switched lead counsels ahead of his trial, retaining prominent LA celebrity attorney Mark Geragos in July. He is seen arriving in federal court on Thursday morning

Law enforcement officers and reporters gathered outside the US Courthouse as Hunter arrived at the LA courthouse

'We know the trial was going to involve detailed evidence of foreign influence peddling that likely would involve the broader Biden family and the President,' Dewey said.

WHAT IS AN ALFORD PLEA?

Lawyers for Hunter Biden announced on Thursday that he would be taking an 'Alford plea' in his tax evasion case, and therefore plead guilty to some of the criminal charges. An Alford plea is similar to pleading no-contest - or nolo contendere - in the sense that it allows the defendant to maintain his or her innocence. But unlike a no-contest plea, an Alford plea means the defendant is acknowledging there is enough evidence to result in a guilty verdict, without admitting to the charges. 'It's basically accepting that he's going to face sentencing for the charges, but he will not establish the facts that would be the basis for those charges,' federal criminal legal analyst Laurie Levenson told DailyMail.com. 'It is a lot like a nolo, but we call it Alford plea, because, frankly, it's a guilty plea. A nolo plea, it can be a little bit different, but an Alford is one where you basically say, "I'm guilty, but I'm not going to admit these facts".' Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and professor at Loyola Law School at Loyola Marymount University, confirmed that the last-minute move by Hunter's defense is uncommon and unexpected. The reversal was likely determined to be the best course of action for the president's son, however, it won't have any bearing on his sentencing, she explained. 'It's quite unusual. Courts generally don't want to allow that. They want the defendants to admit their conduct on the record, but you have cases where just to resolve them, sometimes they'll take an Alford, but it is actually very rare. 'Essentially, it will resolve the case.' As most have also speculated, Levenson says she too believes the shock plea is a bid to avoid another embarrassing spectacle of a very public trial. She also pointed to last month's pre-trial hearing in which the defense was dealt a brutal blow after the judge restricted the evidence that could be presented at trial. 'I think the prosecution was going to start to presenting evidence regarding [Hunter's] business overseas and things that are not directly related to the charges. So, I think they're trying to contain the allegations and the publicity,' Levenson said. 'He'll face the same consequences in terms of sentencing. I just don't think that they wanted to go through the spectacle of a trial.' Levenson, however, admitted that the timing of the plea reversal is not entirely unusual. 'I think that there have been a lot of moving pieces to this case, and I think things changed once Joe Biden dropped out of the race. 'I also think that sometimes it takes going up to the day of trial for a defendant to realize that realistically, he's not going to win that case, so resolving it with the least amount of spectacle might be best way to go.' If the judge accepts the plea, she explained, the case will then move forward with sentencing and there will be a pre-sentencing report, and both sides will file sentencing memoranda. Advertisement

The attorney was referring to prosecutors' evidence that Hunter earned $1million from allegedly lobbying US State Department officials on behalf of a Romanian real estate magnate charged with bribery  a scandal first revealed by DailyMail.com two years ago.

'A plausible theory for why this odd turn happened now, is that Hunter has run out the clock and will not be required to report to prison until after November 4, when he will be pardoned without massive political damage to the Democratic nominee in the 2024 General Election,' Dewey said.

'So in effect this might be a 'fall' directed by others.'

Lowell seemed to think the case could be wrapped up quickly with this new turn, telling the judge: 'I think this can be resolved today It's not like it's a very complicated issue.'

'I will provide both the court and counsel for the government every case that addresses this,' he added.

Wise told Judge Scarsi: 'We would appreciate an opportunity to look at the law Mr. Lowell is now mentioning'.

The government attorneys are now spending the next couple of hours researching and coming up with a plan to respond to the shocking reversal by the defense, before the hearing is convened again at 11am.

Hunter is due to be sentenced in Delaware for his gun crimes on November 13, eight days after the presidential election.

If Hunter pleads guilty to all counts in his tax crimes case, his sentencing could be scheduled by the California federal judge before the end of the year.

It would also mean Hunter would avoid a trial that was set to air his years of drug-fueled debauchery and alleged political corruption.

It is ultimately up to Judge Scarsi to decide whether he will accept Hunter's guilty plea.

Prosecutors indicated before recess that they may be opposed to Hunter's plea, preferring to go ahead with the trial.

But their position may change after researching past legal cases and conferring with their boss, Special Counsel David Weiss for the next hour, until they go back into the trial hearing at 11am Pacific Time.

Hunters four-strong legal team, led by Geragos and Lowell, re-entered the courtroom shortly after 10am.

Hunter is sitting inside with his wife Melissa, as Secret Service agents guard the door.

The First Son  who is facing his second criminal trial this year  is accused of nine crimes including three felony counts and six misdemeanors for failing to pay $1.4million in taxes and lying on his IRS returns.

Chauffeured to the court from his Malibu home by his Secret Service escort in a convoy of blacked-out SUVs, he headed into the courthouse dressed in a navy blue suit and tie, clasping his wife's hand.

Among the sordid details of the case that was due to be presented is evidence that Hunter spent tens of thousands of dollars on prostitutes, drugs, hotel rooms for days-long benders, porn site subscriptions and a Lamborghini rental  then deducted them on his tax return as business expenses.

He comes to the Los Angeles federal court from a humiliating defeat in Delaware in June, where a jury found him guilty of lying about his crack addiction to buy a gun in 2018.

Hunter, 54, faces the same two federal prosecutors, Wise and Derek Hines, who trounced his hotshot Washington, DC attorney Lowell in the previous criminal trial.

He is desperately hoping for a better result in this case, in which a conviction could fetch him a much heftier prison sentence of up to 17 years and $750,000 in fines.

The case marks the second high-profile criminal trial this year for Hunter, who faces multiple charges on evading $1.4million in taxes

He was flanked by supportive wife Melissa Cohen, who was also seen at her husband's side throughout his gun trial earlier this year

The president's scandal-hit son is set to stand his second criminal trial this year  the culmination of his legal trouble that saw the sordid details of his life thrust into the spotlight

He has swapped out Lowell as led counsel for celebrity LA lawyer Geragos  known for representing Chris Brown, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Bill Clinton's brother Roger, Michael Jackson, Colin Kaepernick, Winona Ryder and more recently Jasveen Sangha, the so-called 'Ketamine Queen' who is facing charges in connection to the death of Matthew Perry.

Both criminal cases were brought by Special Counsel David Weiss, after a five-year probe into Hunter's debauched life and shady overseas business dealings.

Geragos says the prosecution plans to use salacious details to 'slime' the First Son in front of the jury.

Hunter's team already sustained a slew of defeats in pre-trial hearings that potentially kneecapped the plans for his defense.

Geragos wanted psychological experts to testify to convince the jury Hunter's drug addiction led to his debauched behavior and alleged tax evasion, and that the childhood trauma of his mother and sister dying in a car crash in 1972 and his brother's death from brain cancer in 2015 were to blame.

But Judge Scarsi was having none of it, ruling that Hunter's expert, Joshua Lee, would not be allowed to testify.

In another blow to the defense, Scarsi ruled that the jury will not be told that Hunter's multi-million-dollar tax bill he is charged with failing to pay, was later paid off by Morris, his wealthy Hollywood attorney.

In a pre-trial hearing last month, the judge warned that if lawyers talked in front of the jury about topics he had outlawed, they could be fined 'six figures'.

Criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos represented singer Chris Brown when he was charged with assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. More recently he has been taken on by Jasveen Sangha, the so-called 'Ketamine Queen' who is facing charges in connection to the death of Matthew Perry

During a pre-trial hearing last month, the defense was dealt a blow in the case after Judge Scarsi ruled that the jury will not be told that Hunter's multi-million-dollar tax bill he is charged with failing to pay, was later paid off by his wealthy Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris

Hunter's legal troubles come after compromising photos, videos, texts, and emails of the president's son from his abandoned laptop were published online

The prosecution plan to wheel out similar devastating evidence they used in the Delaware gun crime trial, including recordings of Hunter's own voice reading potentially incriminating excerpts from the audiobook version of his memoir, Beautiful Things, confessing to his drug binges.

A pool of 100 jurors were to be quizzed on their attitudes about tax laws, their views on people who fail to pay, their family history of drug addiction, and their political activities.

The potential jurors were drawn from LA and six neighboring counties.

In the 2020 presidential election, voters there sided with Hunter's father over Donald Trump, 63% to 35%.

Judge Scarsi said he would select 12 jurors and four backup 'alternates'.

Jury selection is expected to continue through Thursday and Friday if a panel i needed. Attorneys were set to kick off the trial with opening statements on Monday.

The trial wass estimated by both sides to last eight days.

Witnesses were set to include Hunter's ex wife Kathleen; his brother's widow who became Hunter's lover, Hallie Biden; and Lunden Roberts, whom he hired as an assistant, impregnated, then cut her from his company's medical insurance.

Hunter is due to be sentenced in Delaware for his gun crimes on November 13, eight days after the presidential election.
Barely 24 hours after his finance secretary informed MSPs that ministers were flat broke, John Swinney got up and announced a Programme For Government bursting with goodies.

More fair pay settlements for the public sector and 145million for councils to maintain teacher numbers.

Additional support for carers, the disabled and those in poverty. Had Shona Robison taken out a Provident cheque?

Not quite. Swinneys first Programme For Government followed in the tradition of his predecessors: dress up things already being done as something new and hope no one notices. Unfortunately, they noticed.

Douglas Ross rhymed off all the Scottish Government budgets being cut, and the one that wasnt: Angus Robertsons.

Volte-face: Mr Swinneys statement was not quite bursting with goodies

The constitution budget. The one the money for promoting independence comes out of.

When youre huddled over a three-bar heater this winter, more icicles inside your window than out, youll be glad your fuel payment went to a better cause.

Kate Forbes sprung from her seat like a hungry Balinese that had just spotted a sparrow, and challenged Ross to name a single year in which the Scottish Government had overspent its budget. The Tory leader swerved, trilling: With the SNP, you pay more and get less.

Lambasting Swinney for a statement that restated existing commitments, Ross wondered if the First Minister has really been waiting 25 years to deliver that speech.

A proposed tightening of the ministerial code was, Ross ventured, an admission that Swinney had got it wrong backing his friend in the Michael Matheson scandal.

Swinney said he was making the changes to strengthen propriety, integrity and trust in government. He doesnt need a ministerial code, he needs a miracle.

There was some squirming on the government benches when Ross pointed out that Swinneys speech neglected to mention drug-related fatalities, the highest death toll in Europe and rising.

No wonder ministers looked awkward. Presiding over needless deaths on a massive scale is a moral failing, but forgetting all about it takes a certain classlessness.

Anas Sarwar is already honing his stump speech for 2026 and we got an early taste of it. Full of fury and bombast, he thundered that Swinney had no vision, no strategy, and no plan. The Nationalists were just running down the clock on the last 18 months of this parliament.

The contrast with the First Minister could not have been sharper. Swinney, a well-meaning man on a hiding to nothing, comes across as muted, resigned, even a little tired. Sarwar, by contrast, fizzes with energy and impatience. Hes the only politician I know who can stand still and look like hes sprinting.

The First Minister named global warming as the most pressing issue facing Scotland. He warned that flooding was having an impact on communities and key sectors. Perhaps climate change should be sent on an awareness course.

His concern didnt spare him an eco-monstering at the hands of Lorna Slater. I take no pleasure in saying this, but the Scottish Greens co-leader was on top form, going through Swinney like Patrick Harvie goes through sandals.

This is the first Programme For Government in four years which the Scottish Greens did not co-design, she sniffed. Quite frankly, it shows.

Cutting cash for Net Zero was a betrayal, selling out the future of our young people. Raiding ScotWind was emptying the pot instead of building up funds for a rainy day. Alex Cole-Hamilton echoed Slater on ScotWind, reminding the SNP that they used to castigate Margaret Thatcher for not setting up a comparable wealth fund for fossil fuels. Its Scotlands wind, but the SNP have blown it, he quipped.

Unfortunately, he got carried away while bragging about the Lib Dems election gains.

Viewed from space, we now represent more geographical territory north of the Border than even the Scottish Labour party, he proclaimed.

The Lib Dems are best viewed from space, their natural habitat.
There may be plenty more fish in the sea but none will replace the world's biggest goldfish after her death aged 20.

The lifeless body of the ginormous orange carp, lovingly nicknamed 'The Carrot' was found at her fishery in Champagne, France.

While her exact age is not known, she was believed to have been around 20 years old and succumbed to old age.

The Carrot gained worldwide recognition thanks to her unusual colouring and massive weight, coming in at a staggering 67lbs (30kg).

Such was her legend that anglers travelled from across Europe for the chance to catch the five-stone fish - before putting her back in the pond.

British angler Andy Hackett, 43, caught the hybrid leather carp and koi during a fishing trip with friends in Bluewater Lakes in France in 2022

The father-of-two, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, spent 25 minutes battling to pull in the five-stone fish

The Carrot has been buried next to her lake at Bluewater Lakes, which is owned by British fisherman Gary Tardi. A plaque has also been erected in her memory.

A spokesperson for Bluewater Lakes said The Carrot was a 'one off' and her death had 'broken us in soul'.

He said: 'It is with great sadness that we have to report and announce the death of The Carrot.

'We put The Carrot in about 20 years ago as something different for the customers to fish for.

'This carp made its own following and fame all by itself. She was a one off for sure and we were very blessed and privileged to have had her residing in our lake.

'To know she's gone has broken us in soul.'

They said The Carrot has left the legacy of two baby fish in the lake, with one already weighing 40lbs.

Mr Parker looks lovingly at The Carrot, who he had the joy of catching in July this year

Lee Parker, of Banbury in Oxford, pictured alongside The Carrot in July this year

They added: 'She has two little babies in here and one is around the 40lb mark plus another little gem that's a tad smaller but has all the beauty of it's predecessor.'

Mr Tardi said: 'She died not long after spawning which is a very stressful time for carp and if you are going to lose one it is then.'

At a glance: The Carrot in all her glory

Here are some key facts about the Carrot: Weight: 67lbs (30kg) Length: Four-foot long Age: More than 20 years old Claim to fame: Being the world's largest goldfish Advertisement

Lee Parker was one of the last to catch The Carrot in July. He posted: 'Absolutely gutting news, having only caught her a few weeks ago. Such a tragic loss. So glad her memories will live on forever, and there is two more to carry on her legacy.

Ben Soane said: 'Such a cool carp and probably the most recognisable fish worldwide.'

Justin Crowfoot said: 'I had the pleasure of holding her but unfortunately never caught her.'

Earlier this year, British angler Lee Parker was fishing at Bluewater Lakes when he caught the Carrot - and was nearly pulled into the lake by the mammoth goldfish.

Mr Parker, of Banbury in Oxford, said it took off like an express train as he had to cling firmly to his rod.

He also described how he was forced to dig his heels into the lake's bank to avoid behind dragged into the water.

After a near ten-minute tussle with he steered the goldfish into his landing net and hauled it on to the bank.

After that, he weighed it and photographed before slipping the goldfish safely back into the water to fight another day.

And back in 2022, Andy Hackett, 43, spent 25 minutes reeling it in the Carrot and was delighted when it tipped the scales at just under five stones.

She was 30lbs heavier than what was considered to be the world's biggest goldfish, caught by Jason Fugate in Minnesota, US, in 2019.

And it was more than double the size of a 30lb bright orange koi carp caught by Italian Raphael Biagini in the south of France in 2010.

Mr Hackett, a father-of-two from Kidderminster in Worcestershire, caught his record-breaker at Bluewater Lakes in Champagne, France.

He said: 'I always knew The Carrot was in there but never thought I would catch it.

'I knew it was a big fish when it took my bait and went off side to side and up and down with it. Then it came to the surface 30 or 40 yards out and I saw that it was orange.

'It was brilliant to catch it but it was also sheer luck.'
Bereaved relatives have voiced anger at an exodus from the Commons before Keir Starmer's Grenfell statement.

The PM offered a heartfelt apology yesterday for failings by the state following a damning report from the independent inquiry.

But there was a backlash at footage of politicians leaving the chamber between the end of PMQs and Sir Keir beginning to speak about the 2017 tragedy.

Campaign group Grenfell United said: 'It comes as no surprise that the House emptied just hours after the judge announced the publication of the phase 2 report.

'It shows how many of those within the political elite are a part of the disregard, indifference and incompetence that contributed to the deaths of our 72.'

Vice-chair of the group Karim Mussilhy, whose uncle died in the fire, told the BBC's Newsnight programme: 'The PM is about to make a statement, you just see a flourish of bodies ion Parliament run - heading out, they just leave.

There was a backlash at footage of MPs leaving the chamber between the end of PMQs and Sir Keir beginning to speak about the 2017 tragedy yesterday

The PM offered a heartfelt apology yesterday for failings by the state following a damning report from the independent inquiry

Families of Grenfell victims pay their respects at a press conference after the release of the report yesterday

'That room was more than half empty. This is the culture we're talking about. How are we supposed to get justice when they don't even care.'

However, Downing Street played down the criticism of MPs.

The PM's spokesman said: 'You saw the strength of feeling from the PM and the government.

'The fact is that we will never forget the 72 lives lost at Grenfell  the thoughts of all of Parliament were with the victims and their families.'

Sir Martin Moore-Bick's report said there was 'no evidence' that decisions about the tower's refurbishment, which resulted in the flammable cladding being used, were 'affected by racial or social prejudice'.

But it noted that in the aftermath of the blaze which killed 72 people 'certain aspects of the response demonstrated a marked lack of respect for human decency and dignity' and Kensington and Chelsea Council 'should have done more to cater for those from diverse backgrounds'.

In his statement, Sir Keir said the Grenfell Tower disaster raises 'fundamental questions' about the way working class communities and people of colour are treated in the UK.

The PM said tenants of the high-rise block were treated as 'second class citizens' and the publication of the report should force people to reflect on the state of social justice in the country.

Campaign group Grenfell United said there was 'indifference' within the political elite

Sir Keir said the report should be 'a moment to reflect on the state of social justice in our country'.

He added: 'Because this tragedy poses fundamental questions about the kind of country we are.

'A country where the voices of working class people and those of colour have been repeatedly ignored and dismissed.

'A country where tenants of a social housing block in one of the richest parts of the land are treated like second class citizens.

'Shamefully dismissed  in the words of one survivor  as people with needs and problems.

'Not respected as citizens, as people who contribute to Britain, who are part of Britain, who belong in Britain.'
A rattled Vladimir Putin has admitted that Russia is ready for peace talks with Kyiv as Ukraine continues its blistering offensive in Kursk.

The Russian despot said at the 2024 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok today: 'Are we ready to negotiate with them?

'We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul,' referring to a failed peace deal from talks in the Turkish city early on in the war.

Although the Kremlin says these conditions for peace talks with Ukraine do not currently exist, Putin named China, India and Brazil as potential mediators.

'If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that,' the leader added, as Politico reports.

It comes as Kyiv is continuing its incursion into Kursk and claims it has taken control of over 500 square miles of Russian territory near the Ukrainian border.

A rattled Vladimir Putin (pictured) has admitted that Russia is ready for peace talks with Kyiv as Ukraine continues its blistering offensive in Kursk

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Aug. 18, 2024, Russian soldiers fire a Giatsint-S gun toward Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location near the Russian-Ukrainian border area in the Kursk region

Civilians look at a heavily damage and partially collapsed house after a Russian shelling in the town of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine on September 05, 2024

While Ukraine said it would not directly engage in negotiations with Moscow, it was hoping to build a group of intermediaries to do so.

Putin also repeated his view that an initial agreement reached in the first weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as a basis for talks.

But the Russian leader has also previously said that the Kursk incursion made any peace talks between his country and Ukraine impossible.

Ukraine's top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has said that one of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from other areas, primarily in eastern Ukraine near the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

Though the Kursk incursion was an embarrassment for Putin and the top military brass, Russian officials are now portraying it as one of Kyiv's biggest tactical mistakes of the war, saying it ties down thousands of troops for little real gain.

'By transferring rather large and well-trained units to these border areas with us, the enemy weakened itself in key areas, and our troops accelerated offensive operations,' Putin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Kyiv plans to hold territory in Kursk and that the operation, which he says is part of a not fully disclosed victory plan, has brought the war home to Russians.

But Putin said on Thursday that Ukraine's incursion into the Russian region of Kursk had failed to slow Russia's own advance in eastern Ukraine and had weakened Kyiv's defences along the frontline in a boost to Moscow.

Putin, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, said that Russian forces were now gradually pushing Ukrainian soldiers out of Kursk, where on Aug. 6 Ukraine launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War Two.

Ukrainian emergency service workers extinguish a fire after a Russian bombing in the town of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine on September 4, 2024

This undated handout photograph released on September 1, 2024, on the official Telegram account of the Kursk-neighbouring Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, shows a firefighter extinguishing a car after a recent shelling by a Ukrainian strike in Belgorod

This handout picture taken and released by Ukrainian emergency service on September 5, 2024 shows Ukrainian rescuers working in a military educational facility which was hit by missiles in Poltava, eastern Ukraine on September 3, 2024

Ukraine had weakened its defences elsewhere and allowed Russia to accelerate its push into the eastern Donbas area, he said, reiterating that Moscow's primary aim was to take full control of the Donbas.

'The enemy's goal was to make us nervous and worry and to transfer troops from one sector to another and to stop our offensive in key areas, primarily in the Donbas,' Putin said. 'Did it work? No.'

Putin, who ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 in what he called a special military operation, said it was now 'the sacred duty of the armed forces' to expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk and to defend Russian citizens.

He said said Russian forces were taking chunks of territory in eastern Ukraine more swiftly than ever - and that recruitment rates were increasing in Russia.

'No action is taking place to contain our offensive,' Putin said. He said Russia's advance on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk was successful.

Russian forces, which control 18 per cent of Ukraine, have been advancing in eastern Ukraine since the failure of Kyiv's 2023 counter-offensive to achieve a major breakthrough.
The power toolmaker Stanley Black and Decker is the latest firm to face a boycott from conservatives over its diversity-hiring policies and support for LGBTQ causes.

Consumers' Research, an advocacy group, has panned the Connecticut-based firm for picking suppliers based on their race, and funding LGBTQ lobbying in Washington.

The company, which is behind such brands as DeWalt, Black and Decker, and Stanley, joins a growing list of firms to come under pressure from conservatives over policies seen by many as 'woke.'

Will Hild, director of Consumers' Research, said Stanley Black and Decker has strayed into politics by pushing cultural values that 'have nothing to do with ensuring consumer satisfaction.'

The firm's 'sole priority should be providing their customer base, professionals and DIYers alike, with the best tools and equipment possible,' Hild told The Mail.

The Connecticut-based company is behind such popular home improvement brands as DeWalt, Black and Decker, and Stanley.

But behind the scenes, executives have been pushing a diversity-hiring and LGBTQ agenda

'Companies need to focus on serving their customers, not woke politicians.'

The $24 billion company did not immediately comment on the claims.

The boycott comes at a tough time for the toolmaker, which has seen its stock value sink in recent months, as it shutters plants and distribution hubs in a bid to trim $2 billion in costs and turn a profit.

The firm's DEI tsar Joe Simms

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) schemes are a front-line issue in America's culture wars.

Advocates say they help get more women and minorities into jobs and colleges. Critics say they unfairly deny opportunities to straight, white men and others, even when they're better candidates.

A report from Consumers' Research highlights controversial DEI efforts at the company.

They include policies to increase business with minority suppliers by at least 10 percent by 2025, donations of $10.5 million to 'racial equity' groups, and compulsory 'equity training' sessions for bosses.

It highlights comments from the firm's diversity chief Joe Simms, who has spoken of DEI as an 'unwavering focus' for the firm and one of its 'foundational commitments.'

Executives also teamed up with the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, and took part in its 'equality index,' which ranks firms on how friendly they are to gay and transgender staff.

The report includes filings that show the company spent $280,000 on lobbying lawmakers for the Equality Act, which would 'enshrine in federal law that biological males can participate in women's sports.'

The Mail surveyed the company's website and social media channels and found repeated references to its DEI work and support for 'inclusive' workspaces and celebrations of Pride month.

While such corporate statements are uncontroversial to many, companies increasingly take flak from conservatives for ignoring their customers and pushing an unwelcome social agenda.

In recent weeks, Ford, Lowe's, Coors, Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply, John Deere and other well-known brands have pulled the plug on their DEI work or their support for LGBTQ causes.

The company's social media feeds repeatedly referred to its DEI work and support for an 'inclusive' workspaces and celebrations of Pride month.

Will Hild, director of Consumers' Research, a policy nonprofit, says Stanley Black and Decker is pushing cultural values that 'have nothing to do with ensuring consumer satisfaction.'

The company's diversity push may be at odds with some consumers who associate home improvements with manliness

Many were pushed into action by the online anti-DEI campaigner Robby Starbuck. Others have faced legal challenges from America First Legal, a group led by former Trump administration officials.

Many companies that embraced DEI policies in the wake of the cop killing of unarmed black man George Floyd in May 2020 have stepped back from them for fear of irking conservative customers.

Some businesses have received public shareholder letters since 2021 saying their DEI schemes amount to illegal discrimination and breach directors' duties to investors.

Anti-DEI groups were energized by the US Supreme Court ruling in June 2023 that struck down affirmative action in university admissions, a ruling that does not directly affect employers.

Former president Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for US president, has been highly critical of DEI initiatives.

For some, DEI schemes are important and necessary, as they can help to overcome historical racism and sexism and make it easier for people of all backgrounds to get ahead in education and work.

Critics say it's a form of reverse discrimination that unfairly blows back on straight, white men and others.

Others say DEI schemes may be well-intentioned, but seldom achieve their desired goals and that mandatory workshops on 'micro-aggressions' and 'white fragility' often make things worse by stirring up divisions in offices and classrooms.

An Ipsos poll in April found that 61 percent of voters called DEI a 'good thing.'

Still, a Gallup survey from around the same time found that only 38 percent of people wanted businesses to be taking a stance on current events  a drop of 10 percentage points from 2022.
A student survivor of the shooting at Apalachee High School has told how she will never feel safe returning to the scene of the massacre.

Ariel Bowling opened up to the Today Show about her feelings in the aftermath of Wednesday's blood bath.

'I just feel like you're basically never safe anywhere  No matter if there's cops in the school, there's still no safety at all,' she said.

Her mom Tabitha added that her daughter had told her she would never go back to the school, describing the situation as 'traumatic'.

Bowling was among those who were evacuated from the premises shortly after suspected gunman Colt Gray, 14, opened fire killing four people.

Ariel Bowling, pictured with her mom Tabitha, explained how she has been left feeling unsafe after surviving the Apalachee High School shooting

Ariel Bowling says she doesn't feel safe going back to school.



I just feel like youre basically never safe anywhere  No matter if theres cops in the school, theres still no safety at all. pic.twitter.com/Ov7OksFAHA  TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 5, 2024

Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 and teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, were named as the victims.

Bowling was Aspinwall's math student and remembered him as a 'kind-hearted man' who had 'the most kindest soul ever.'

She said she was on her way to the vending machine when the chaos erupted.

'We heard shots fired and we ran back into the room, we just all piled up on top of each other in the corner,' Bowling said.

The teen called her mother amid the rampage, but disconnected to try and call the authorities.

'I heard five gunshots and then the phone went dead. I didn't know if she was hurt. She was calling 911, I was very scared,' the mom explained.

The massacre in Winder, Georgia claimed the lives of four people and injured almost a dozen others. Pictured: A mother and her children bow their heads in prayer at a vigil for the victims

After being given the all clear, Bowling described the devastating scene as she was led out of the building.

'I saw a deceased body on the floor but it was like covered up and I saw a female with a shot wound to her leg, it was just a really traumatic experience,' she said.

Nine victims were taken to hospitals with gunshot injuries, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The shooting was reported at 10.23am - and Gray surrendered to police when he was apprehended.

He has been charged with murder and is due to make his first court appearance on Friday.

Authorities said an AR-style weapon was used in the deadly shooting and they are examining how it came to be in the gunman's possession.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. He was among four people killed in the mass shooting

Teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall lost their lives in the tragedy

Student Christian Angulo, 14, was also shot dead in the senseless shooting

Questions also remain over how he was able to walk onto the campus while armed.

It has since emerged that Colt was known to the FBI for at least a year and had previously been interviewed over threats made towards the school.

However, when investigators spoke to the teen and his dad, they were assured he was not left unsupervised around his father's hunting guns and was not responsible for threats.

They found no probable cause for and arrest and did not seize any weapons, instead advising local schools to remain on alert.

Gray's family has since issued a chilling threat to go 'full throttle' amid the news that he is being charged as an adult.

The teenager's aunt, Annie Polhamus Brown, took to Facebook during the aftermath, bringing up the issues he 'dealt with' and saying she 'will take care of my nephew and what he needs on this side.'
California lawmakers and former top cops say Kamala Harriss new campaign ads presenting her as tough on drug trafficking dont match with her record as a prosecutor  when she advocated not charging dealers until their third arrest.

Harris proposed a policy in 2005 when she was San Francisco District Attorney to only prosecute drug dealers the third time they were caught selling narcotics, DailyMail.com has learned.

The plan sparked a scandal and was only halted when the citys police chief Heather Fong pushed back to prevent it.

So when the Harris presidential campaign released an ad on August 7 trumpeting her record as a tough prosecutor who took on drug cartels and spent decades fighting violent crime, California lawmakers and senior police officers who served during Harris tenure decided to speak up and challenge the candidate.

The campaign is trying to completely reinvent reality, said GOP congressman Kevin Kiley.

California lawmakers and former police officials are criticizing Kamala Harris recent campaign ads that portray her as a tough prosecutor

Lawmakers argue that these ads misrepresent her record, citing her 2005 proposal as San Francisco DA to only prosecute drug dealers after their third arrest, which was widely criticized and eventually halted.

Those of us who have actually lived in California  in particular in San Francisco where she was DA but Los Angeles as well  know all too well what the reality was.

She was a champion of San Franciscos sanctuary city policy, she wanted drug dealers to go without being prosecuted until the third attempt, and she herself said in her own book that she was a progressive prosecutor.

The more the American people learn about what her actual record was, theyre going to see this campaign rhetoric for the facade that it is.

Kevin Cashman, who was Deputy Chief of San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) at the time, said he and his colleagues were shocked by DA Harris 2005 proposal.

We immediately saw that it wouldnt be effective for our mission of keeping San Francisco safe, he told DailyMail.com.

The District Attorney called the strategy she recommended Operation Safe Streets. We in the police department called it Catch and Release, because we would have to catch them, identify them, and then release them back in the community without any action taken.

We saw that if we implemented that, wed be overrun by commuter criminals, if word got out that you can come to San Francisco and deal drugs without consequence.

Cashman said he felt the policy would mean more officers putting themselves in harm's way for nothing.

Critics, including GOP Congressman Kevin Kiley and former Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman, claim Harris' policies were more lenient than her campaign suggests

Making narcotics arrests in San Francisco is one of the most dangerous things an officer can do, he said. Weve had officers killed in the line of duty attempting to make drug arrests.

The DA wanted us to release those drug dealers after making narcotics arrests.

Cashman said that Harris new campaign ad casting her as tough on crime is not consistent with the facts.

Kamala Harris was the most liberal and progressive district attorney I worked with in over 30 years in the SFPD, he said.

An October 2005 letter to Harris from Cashmans then-boss, SFPD Chief Fong, laid out the adverse effects she believed the proposed policy would cause.

News of such a program would travel quickly within the drug community, the top cop wrote.

If out of town dealers learn that they can sell drugs without consequences in San Francisco, we will probably see an influx of sales and the associated crimes that come with that.

Narcotics dealers who sell drugs near a school would be released after only a brief detention. Undoubtedly, this would send the wrong message to observant children who unfortunately witness drug-dealing activity on a regular basis.

Officers routinely go into harms way to make these arrests and believe that sufficient probable cause and evidence exists for the complaint. In short, such a program could be bad for morale and counter to what every officer is taught.

Cashman said that despite the Chiefs letter, staffers in Harris DA office still tried one more time to persuade police leaders to agree to the policy  but were shot down and abandoned the effort.

John McGinness, who was the Sacramento County Sheriff during Harris 2004-2010 DA role and served as president of the California Peace Officers Association in 2008, said that Harriss new campaign advert does not comport with the truth in any way shape or form.

I dealt with California law enforcement agencies up and down the state, he told DailyMail.com. She was an outlier insofar as she seemed to embrace a hands-off approach with regards to enforcing the law.

Harris has attracted criticism for other allegedly soft-on-crime policies as San Francisco DA.

Officials have pointed out that her approach, including a controversial plan for handling drug offenses and assaults on police, was perceived as too progressive and ineffective by law enforcement

She announced plans in February 2007 to get tough on assaults against police officers and said violent people should be held accountable, according to local news site SFGate.

But Harris ended up creating a policy that allowed offenders charged with misdemeanor assault on an officer. to qualify for pretrial diversion rather than prosecution.

The policy meant that if someone punched or spat on a cop, they would get counseling and other services, rather than jail time.

The bottom line is that if a suspect assaults a police officer, he should go to jail, not to class, said Cashman.

In 2007 the San Francisco Police Officers Association wrote to Harris protesting the policy.
A mum was astonished when she saw her ultrasound scan was being used in a fake pregnancy announcement for a woman linked to Tommy Fury.

Micaela Robinson, 29, woke up last week to see her pregnancy scan photo had gone viral.

It was shared on social media by a fake account claiming to be a Danish woman, Milla Corfixen, who Tommy Fury was rumoured to have cheated on his long term partner Molly Mae with.

Internet trolls claimed the scan showed a baby Ms Corfixen conceived with Fury after they allegedly met on holiday earlier this year.

But Corfixen was quick to deny the claims she was pregnant and now Ms Robinson has released pictures of herself with the scan and the baby.

Micaela Robinson could not believe it when her baby scan was connected to Tommy Fury

Danish Milla Corfixen linked to Tommy Fury after his break up with Molly-Mae Hague

Tommy Fury and Molly Mae who have their own child recently split up

The claim was debunked - but many people on social media were still left suspecting the scan photo was in some way linked to Fury.

But British micro-influencer Micaela, who the photo actually belongs to, has come forward to 'claim back her photo' and clear Tommy.

The mum-of-three posted the original scan photo - complete with giraffe baby grow and knitwear - on Instagram in March.

She was 20 weeks pregnant with her third child, Oakley, who was born on July 30.

She never thought much of it - until she saw it being shared by the fake account claiming to be Milla.

Ms Robinson's baby scan which she is 'claiming back' showing her third child Oakley

Micaela, a midwife from Norwich, Norfolk, said: 'The photo came up on my For You page on TikTok and I thought 'hang on a minute'.

'I did a double take and it took a few minutes to sink in - my scan photo had millions of views.

'I was gobsmacked - it has been plastered over different news outlets claiming all of these things about Tommy Fury.

'I'm just your bog-standard average mum living in Norfolk with a family of five - I have no connection to any celebrities.

'It wasn't even a post that did particularly well when I shared. It was just part of my pregnancy diaries.

'I don't even know how they found it - though a hashtag or something maybe? I don't know!'

Micaela said she took the original photo of her scan in her bedroom on March 28, after going for her 20 week scan where she found out the gender.

Ms Robinson with Oakley who was born on July 30 after the baby scan picture went viral

Ms Robinson carrying her third child Oakley who internet trolls lied was Tommy Fury's baby

She had edited out her full name but left the scan numbers in the right hand corner of the photo.

These were covered with a purple emoji by whoever circulated the photo when linking it to Tommy Fury.

Micaela said: 'I just want to claim back my photo!

'I'm not crying over it - it's only a scan photo - but it's made me think about how public my Instagram is.

'It's just crazy how people go to these lengths to get involved with things.. You have to take things with a pinch of salt.'

She added: 'I have to laugh about it - it's so mad.

'When Oakley is older I'll tell him his scan photo was famous!'
Lawyers for Donald Trump argued in court Thursday that a ruling that Trump's communications with former Vice President Mike Pence around January 6 should be found to be immune and would 'crater' the new indictment against him.

They told a federal judge the Trump-Pence talks about the vice president's role could unravel the government's entire case against the former president  with the November election once again looming over timing decisions in the blockbuster case.

'If in fact the communications with Vice President Pence  which are all over this indictment  if in fact these are immune, then that entire indictment is improper,' Trump lawyer John Lauro told Judge Tanya Chutkan at a hearing Thursday.

'If your honor decides that that is immune, then the whole indictment craters,' he said.

In a case that once looked to put Trump on trial over January 6 even amid his run for the White House, Trump's team wants the opportunity to go first and issue a briefing calling to dismiss the new indictment against him.

Trump didn't appear in court Thursday, and his lawyer entered a not guilty plea to the judge on his behalf.

Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a new superseding indictment from a grand jury last week following a Supreme Court ruling on the immunity issue that threw a wrench into the case.

Prosecutors want to keep things moving  filing their own brief in about three weeks and getting the chance to share more of the evidence they have obtained. As they did when the case first came up a year ago, government prosecutors want a schedule that keeps the case moving down the tracks.

Trump lawyer John Lauro (l) said communications between Trump and Mike Pence will ultimately be found to fall within presidential immunity

Judge Chutkan bristled when Lauro brought up the information being put into the public record 'at a very sensitive time in our nations history.'

She took that as Lauro invoking the election, and asking her to stall procedures because of it, and returned to her earlier statements about not being guided by the political calendar.

'I understand there is an election pending. Ive said before and I say again that the electoral process and the timing of the election  is not relevant here,' she admonished him.

'It strikes me that what youre trying to do is affect the presentation of this case so as not to impinge on an election,' she told Lauro.

Chutkan said setting a trial date at this point would be an 'exercise in futility'  effectively ending the prospect of a trial before American head to the polls.

Lauro calls the Mike Pence communications  where Trump told his VP he had the authority not to accept votes for Joe Biden certified by states  constitute a 'gateway issue.' He wants Chutkan to make a decision on that before getting into other evidence that prosecutors have gathered.

'If you decide this issue, then all of that briefing never takes place,' he said.

Prosecutor Thomas Windom argued for the judge to choose the 'most efficient and practical way forward,' while arguing that even if the Pence material falls away it would not blow up the case. 'It is not an automatic dismissal of the indictment,' he said.

Chutkan also decided she will let Lauro file a motion arguing that Smiths's appointment was unconstitutional.

Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove attended court but did not speak

Your browser does not support iframes.

But she expressed skepticism  noting it was a based on a concurring opinion by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a ruling by 'another judge' in Florida on the same issue in the classified documents case.

She asked why that would warrant 'me going against binding D.C. Circuit precedent,' and said she didn't find the argument particularly 'persuasive.'

Chutkan has been presiding over the January 6 case and was keeping it on a fast track until the Trump team upended the timeline by going to the Supreme Court with their claims of presidential immunity from prosecution.

The high court's July opinion set it to lower courts to weigh which actions fall within the 'official' acts that enjoy absolute immunity protections.

At one point the judge said the Trump team's proposed timeline could drag the case out through next year, and noted that it has already been on her docket for a year. She showed an interest in handling various challenges that the Trump lawyers want to bring simultaneously.

'We can all walk and chew gum at the same time,' Chutkan said.

Smith refashioned a superseding indictment that jettisoned a key part of the narrative  Trump's alleged use of top Justice Department officials to interfere in the state vote count. But he kept the four main charges that Trump interfered in the 2020 elections in an attempt to stay in office.

The lawyers still must argue whether the new version complies with the Supreme Court's direction.

Defense lawyers are readying still more motions to dismiss the case outright, including that Trump is subject to a 'selective vindictive prosecution.'

Among the challenges Trump's team signalled they would file is one claiming that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional. That argument held sway with Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the classified documents case in Florida. She dismissed the case, although Smith's team is appealing and an outside watchdog group is seeking to remove her from the case.

Trump, who did not appear in court, is charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding when Congress met to count the electoral votes for president, and a conspiracy against people's rights to have their votes counted.

The new indictment says the 'Despite having lost, the Defendant  who was also the incumbent president  was determined to remain in power.'

It cast the conduct as personal, and says he 'sought to enlist the Vice President to assist in the plan to use his role as President of the Senate to fraudulently alter the election results. The Defendant had no official responsibilities related to the certification proceeding, but he did have a personal interest as a canddiate in being named the winner of the election.'
MBABANE  Government has assembled a high-powered task team to investigate the alleged violation of workers rights, as concluded by the recent International Labour Conference.

The task team will conduct its functions backed by the Commissions of Enquiry Act. This year was the 16th time Eswatini came under discussion for allegedly violating the same International labour organisation (ILO) convention. The conclusions of the conference dealt with a number of alleged workers rights violations, such as the alleged harassment in the education sector involving the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Mbongwa Dlamini, and the teargassing of workers in a bus. They also included the brutal murder of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, who represented workers on legal issues and alleged physical attacks of trade unionists such as Sticks Nkambule, General Secretary of the Swaziland Transport, Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU), who fled the country.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi announced a 14-member committee comprising of government office bearers. It will be chaired by Principal Secretary in his ministry, Makhosini Mndawe, while members include Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Lomvula Hlophe, Assistant Attorney General Mndeni Vilakati, Principal Secretary of the Ministry Housing and Urban Development Dr Simon Zwane and others. The minister said the task team had been empowered by Cabinet, among other things, to verify the allegations that were made during the discussion of the country in Geneva, by summoning and examining witnesses under oath. It will also demand disclosure of information, documentation, and book, including conducting site inspections, in terms of Section 11 of the Commissions of Enquiry Act.

It will also co-opt any relevant government ministry, department or institution, including inviting officials from the ILO, as may be necessitated by the need to validate and/or obtain clarities in the implementation of the ILO conclusions, comments or recommendations. The team will also consult with social partners and other relevant stakeholders. The minister said government had exerted enormous effort to enhance relations with the social partners, including attendance to various workers events, such as May Day. Government was taken aback by the discussion of the country during the recent International Labour Conference, wherein the country was accused of violating ILO Convention 87. This discussion was viewed by government to have been premature and constitute a major setback to the concerted efforts of reaching out to join hands with the labour movement to promote the spirit of tripartism and social dialogue on worker-related issues, he said.

Buthelezi said government committed itself to addressing the conclusions of the Conference. As a result, Cabinet has deemed it proper to appoint a Government Technical Task Team to consider with a view to address, the conclusions that were adopted by the Conference in June. During the 112th session of the annual International Labour Conference, government was among the list of 24 countries, which were discussed by the Conference Committee on Application of Standards (CAS), wherein the government was requested to provide information regarding the implementation of Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948), ratified by Eswatini on April 26, 1978.
A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a chef mentored by Gordon Ramsay who was found unconscious in the street close to Notting Hill Carnival.

Omar Wilson, 31, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after Mussie Imnetu was discovered outside a restaurant on Queensway on the night of August 26.

Wilson was then charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and had appeared in court on the charge last Friday - before Mr Imnetu then died.

The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed to MailOnline Wilson has since been charged with murder. He is due back in court at the end of this month.

A CPS spokesperson said Wilson, who was remanded into custody following his appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court on August 30, was charged with murder the same day.

Michelin star chef Mussie Imnetu died in hospital after being attacked in the street in the vicinity of Notting Hill Carnival

Police want to speak to these individuals following the death of the Dubai-based chef in London last week



Meanwhile, Met Police detectives have released pictures of 16 witnesses they want to speak to who may hold vital information on the attack.

Mr Imnetu, 41, was visiting the UK from Dubai when he was found unconscious with a head injury at around 11.22pm and taken to hospital, where he died of his injuries four days later.

Michelin star chef Mr Imnetu, who hails from Eritrea but grew up in Sweden, had been working at the Arts Club in Dubai and was in London on a business trip to see the restaurant's Dover Street branch.

Police said he left the restaurant at 1pm on Monday and then at around 10.30pm he went to the Dr Power restaurant on Queensway.

However, they are still keen to trace his movements in the nine and a half hours in between those checkpoints.

Officers are extremely keen to stress that none of the people in the images are suspected of a crime.

However, the information they hold could be vital to the ongoing investigation into Mr Imnetu's death.

A Met source said: 'This is indeed now a murder investigation.'

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who is leading the probe, said: 'Our investigation has progressed at pace and a man has been charged in connection with the attack.

However we are still very keen to hear from anyone who can help piece together Mussie's movements between 13:00hrs when we know he left The Arts Club in Dover Street, W1, and when he arrived at Dr Power restaurant, in Queensway at 22:30hrs.

'We have images of a number of people who were in or near the Dr Power restaurant at the time of the attack.

'Are you one of the people pictured or do you recognise anyone? Did you hear or see something either before or after the attack that may help with the investigation?

'I would like to stress that none of those pictured have done anything wrong.

'Perhaps they were enjoying post carnival celebrations and may not live in the area but they could hold information that is important to the investigation and I urge them to contact us.'

In all, police have issued the images of 16 people they believe could hold key information on the attack that allegedly cost Mr Imnetu his life

Police issued this image of Mr Imnetu leaving The Arts Club in Mayfair's Dover Street at around 1pm - some 10 and a half hours before he was found with a head injury

Mr Imnetu was a highly regarded chef who had worked under the likes of Gordon ramsay, Marcus Wareing and Alain Ducasse.

His employers 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.'

Mr Imnetu's death was the second to hit this year's Notting Hill Carnival, which was marred by eight stabbings and 334 arrests.

Cher Maximen, 32, was transported to hospital in a critical condition from Golborne Road on August 25 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 on August 31.

A court heard how Cher was stabbed with a 'Rambo-style knife' and suffered a cardiac arrest, after losing 20 units of blood, and had a collapsed lung.

Mr Imnetu was visiting the UK from Dubai where he lived and worked as a top chef at The Arts Club

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

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

Police out in force on the 'family day' at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday August 25

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.

His charge is also set to be reviewed in light of Ms Maximen's death.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said of the deaths: '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.'

The Met Police had warned partygoers at the carnival to behave themselves, adding that they were 'tired' of parroting the same lines every year and violence breaking out nevertheless.

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.'

Pressure is growing on the event to be ticketed following the pair's deaths.

Peter Bleksley, a former Scotland Yard detective, told LBC: 'I don't want the carnival banned at all, far from it. But this criminality, this bloodshed, has to stop.'
A Labour MP has vowed to bring in an assisted dying law insisting 'the time has come' for reform.

Jake Richards announced his intention after winning a coveted spot in the Commons ballot for private members' bills.

The news brings closer the prospect of a meaningful debate and vote on the floor of the House, with claims the mood has changed after a high-profile campaign by TV star Esther Rantzen.

Dame Esther has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has joined assisted-dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland.

MPs who come in the top 20 places in the random ballot get allocated time on a sitting Friday to debate and progress a proposal from the backbenches. Some 458 applied.

However, legislation still rarely makes the statute book without at least tacit government support, and Mr Richards only secured 11th spot.

Pro-assisted dying campaigners gather outside Parliament earlier this year

Dame Esther Rantzen has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has joined assisted-dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland

Labour MP Jake Richards has vowed to bring in an assisted dying law insisting 'the time has come' for reform

The Rother Valley MP posted on X: 'Happy to have made the Private Members Bill ballot.

'Subject to procedure and those ahead of me, Ive made it clear that my first preference for a bill would be to reform our archaic assisted dying laws, working with @dignityindying and others.

'The time has come.'

As Labour leader, Sir Keir said this year he was in favour of a change in the law - and would provide time for MPs to vote on the issue.

But after taking power the PM suggested he did not want the issue to distract from the new government's first term priorities, such as measures to boost the economy.

That was taken as a signal any action is likely to be delayed until at least 2026.

Sir Keir supported a change in the law the last time the issue was voted on in the Commons nine years ago.
An Eton music teacher and famed organist who looked for 'gay little boys' on his work laptop has been banned from the classroom for life.

David Goode, 52, was suspended from his role as Organist and Head of Keyboard at the elite boarding school in December 2021, three days after an IT system triggered warnings about his searches.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession and distribution of indecent images of children on the same day, but police later decided to take no further action.

The vile searches, which occurred on 229 occasions in 2021, included gay little boys, free spirits gaylove, cute thai boys, cute thai littel [sic] boys and Algerian gay boys, a hearing of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) said.

He was described as 'a player at the peak of his powers' by Gramophone magazine

Goode released complete organ works of Bach on 16 CDs as well as teaching at Eton

He also has over 15,000 monthly listeners on Spotify but he will not be able to teach again

Goode, who has played at Proms multiple times and released the complete organ works of Bach on CD, had previously been warned about using the Schools IT network to attempt to access pornography in 2017, the TRA hearing outcome document stated. He also has over 15,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

After his suspension, Goode wrote a letter to a colleague which referred to illegal images with the musician adding he was massively regretful.

He formally resigned his role at the Berkshire institution ahead of an internal disciplinary hearing in April 2022.

At the Teaching Regulation Agency hearing, Goode admitted that his actions were sexually motivated and that his behaviour amounted to unacceptable professional conduct which may bring the profession into disrepute.

Eton College is for boys aged between 13 and 18 and fees are just under 53,000 a year. Its many notable alumni include Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

The TRA panel said he had submitted a statement which says shows remorse and apologises for his actions and expresses the steps he is taking to address his behaviour.

They also heard that his name has been included in the Childrens Barred List and he is therefore already pursuing a career outside of teaching.

Decision maker David Oatley, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, said Goode, who attended Eton himself before graduating from Cambridge, would be banned from teaching.

The historic college also educated the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge

Boys walking through the town on their way to class in their distinctive tailcoats

He added: Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Goode shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

An Eton College spokesman said it fully supports the decision to bar Mr David Goode from teaching having been found guilty of professional misconduct and/or conduct capable of bringing the teaching profession into disrepute.

Mr Goode was employed by Eton College from 2005 to 2022. The misconduct in question, which involved searching for indecent images of children online, was identified in 2021 through the Colleges own internet monitoring system.

'As soon as we processed our daily monitoring reports highlighting the searches, on 7 December 2021, we immediately notified the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and the police. In consultation with the LADO and the police, Mr Goode was suspended on the day of his arrest on 9 December 2021 and did not return to work prior to his resignation in April 2022.

A police investigation followed but no criminal charges were brought, whereupon the College commenced internal disciplinary proceedings. However, Mr Goode resigned before these could be concluded. At the time we made the necessary professional referrals, including a referral to the TRA, which has resulted in yesterdays publication of their decision.

We agree with the TRAs assessment that the findings of misconduct are particularly serious due to the nature of the online searches and the harm that such activity does to young people. While there is no evidence to suggest that any Eton pupil was at risk during Mr Goodes employment or as a result of these searches, the safety and wellbeing of all young people remains our top priority. Eton College remains committed to maintaining rigorous safeguarding practices and fostering a culture where pupils, parents, and staff can confidently raise any concerns.

The College spokesman added: Mr Goode attempted to access legal, adult pornography in February 2017. These attempts were unsuccessful as the sites were blocked by the Colleges filtering and monitoring system.

The College immediately reported this to the LADO, who informed the police. The police investigated and concluded that there was no illegal activity, and the case was closed by the statutory agencies.

Notwithstanding this, as stated in the TRA decision, Mr Goode was given a warning about his conduct from the College.

Goode said in an email that he deeply regrets what has happened and any distress caused.

Eton recently said its 52,749-a-year fees would 'likely' increase in January to about 63,000.
The EU's former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier made a stunning return to the European political front line today as he was named France's oldest ever prime minister.

The 73-year-old, who became a bete noire of Brexiteers because of his tough bargaining skills, was unveiled by under-pressure Emmanuel Macron this morning.

The president is seeking to end almost two months of political deadlocks since France's snap elections - which he called - ended in stalemate.

Mr Barnier faces a number of hurdles, not least that he is not even a serving French MP. He replaces Gabriel Attal, 35, a man less than half his age who served only eight months in office.

He has been all but invisible in French political life since failing to win the rightwing Republicans party nomination to challenge Macron for the presidency in 2022.

His appointment - which may be short-lived as he is already facing a challenge from France's left - was met with bemusement from Brexiteers.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage tweeted that he was 'an EU fanatic that will suit sell-out (prime minister Keir) Starmer.'

It comes weeks after Mr Barnier used a newspaper interview to describe the UK's new PM, who backed Remain, as 'a European like me'.

Former Irish Tanaiste Simon Coveney welcomed the appointment of a negotiator who did so much for the country in Brexit negotiations, saying: 'Ireland now has a great friend as French Prime Minister.'

The 73-year-old, who became a bete noire of Brexiteers because of his tough bargaining skills, was unveiled by under-pressure Emmanuel Macron this morning.

Emmanuel Macron is seeking to end almost two months of political deadlocks since France's snap elections - which he called - ended in stalemate.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage tweeted that he was 'an EU fanatic that will suit sell-out (prime minister Keir) Starmer.'

Asked for Sir Keir's response to Mr Barnier's appointment, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: 'We wish him all the best in his new role. The UK enjoys a strong relationship with France.

'The PM visited Paris just last week, and we are committed to working collaboratively on our shared priorities, from tackling illegal migration to supporting Ukraine and delivering sustainable economic growth.'

She added: 'We want to reset our relations with the EU and make Brexit work better for British people. And we are also resetting our relations with European countries at a bilateral level.'

Sir Keir was shadow Brexit secretary through the bitter divorce proceedings between the UK and Brussels and impressed Mr Barnier.

'I get the feeling that Keir Starmer will one day be UK prime minister,' he wrote in a 2018 diary entry.

Mr Barnier is now faced with the mammoth task of forming a government that will need to survive a National Assembly divided into three big political blocs - with none able to form a clear majority.

Following the recent political stalemate, President Emmanuel Macron has called on Mr Barnier to take on the esteemed role, despite him not being a serving elected MP.

The Brexit hardliner now faces an immediate vote of no confidence because of his apparent lack of democratic legitimacy.

An official at Matignon, the prime minister's official residence in Paris, said on Thursday afternoon: 'Michel Barnier has been named prime minister by President Macron.'

But his appointment has already angered politicians on the left, who maintain that the head of government should reflect French voters' clear preference for the leftist New Popular Front.

The appointment means that Mr Barnier will become the oldest prime minister in the history of the 5th Republic - taking over from the youngest PM, Gabriel Attal, who is 35.

Since the announcement, Macron appears to be counting on the far-right National Rally of three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen not to block the appointment of Barnier.

RN party leader Jordan Bardella said Barnier would be judged 'on evidence' when he addresses parliament.

Greens leader Marine Tondelier countered: 'We know in the end who decides. Her name is Marine Le Pen. She is the one to whom Macron has decided to submit.'

Barnier was last in parliament in 1993, and is currently a member of The Republicans (LR) party  the current name for the Gaullist conservatives, who are in opposition.

Pressure has been building on President Macron to appoint a prime minister after a coalition led by his Renaissance party came second in a snap election in early July.

It was won by the Popular Front  a Leftist coalition specifically aimed at keeping the far-Right National Rally party from gaining power.

Mr Barnier did not emerge as a serious candidate to run a new French government until Thursday, when he was seen at the Elysee Palace.

He tried to become LR's presidential candidate in 2022, but was eliminated in the first round of party voting with less than five per cent of the vote.

During the campaign, he took a hard line on immigration, saying it was 'out of control.'

There is a looming deadline for France to start 2025 budget discussions, at a time when the country is under severe criticism from the EU for overspending.

On Thursday, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a National Rally MP, said Mr Barnier represented the 'fossilised old world', accusing the Elysee Palace of 'going down the Jurassic Park'.

Barnier first become a French member of parliament aged just 27 in the 1970s and first entered government in the mid-1990s under late president Jacques Chirac.

Such is the longevity of Barnier's top-level political career that he is known by some as the 'French Joe Biden' after the US leader whose long career has spanned a similar time.

The Brexit hardliner who once described UK prime minister Boris Johnson as a 'bulldozer', led the EU's talks with Britain over its exit from the bloc from 2016 to 2021.

Barnier was named as France's new Prime Minister, the Elysee palace announced on September 5, almost two months after legislative elections left the country in political deadlock. Pictured: Barnier and Macron at the 56th International Agriculture Fair (Salon international de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, on February 23, 2019

He has served four times as a cabinet minister and twice as a European Commissioner before becoming the head of the Brexit task force in 2016.

Barnier wrote a book about Brexit 'My Secret Brexit Diary: A Glorious Illusion', its title already stating clearly what he thought of the idea of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

While true to his courteous reputation, Barnier steered clear of any salacious gossip in the published work, he never ceases to express his amazement at how his British counterparts were handling the process.

'There is most definitely something wrong with the British system... every passing day shows that they have not realised the consequences of what is truly at stake here,' he wrote.

Barnier, who was an unsuccessful candidate in the primary to become the conservative presidential candidate in 2021, is also seen as having views on domestic politics that are more compatible with the far right.

He triggered a swathe of backlash when he said France should regain its 'legal sovereignty' and not be subject to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.

He also triggered dismay in Brussels by calling for France to free itself from European court oversight.

To claw back France's 'space to manoeuvre', Barnier said he would organise a referendum if elected, asking voters to approve constitutional changes and the ability of parliament to set immigrant quotas each year.

He declared he did not 'really like the concept of European sovereignty' and took aim at 'German dominance' in the European Union, adding 'I know what I'm talking about.'

His appointment has even caused disquiet among allies with one LR member of parliament, asking not to be named, saying he epitomised 'everything the French don't want'.

He is 'disconnected and will continue or finish killing the right,' they said.

Macron in July refused to appoint the alliance's candidate for prime minister, civil servant Lucie Castets, 37, arguing she was not in a position to govern with stability.
A 13-year-old Pittsburgh-area girl who vanished last month was found inside a Pennsylvania jail after she lied to police about her age and identity after she was arrested for shoplifting, a prosecutor said.

Tabitha Clark disappeared on August 2, but just two weeks later, she was found booked into Beaver Country Jail, which is for adult prison inmates.

According to Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bibel, someone had recognised her as the young girl who had gone missing.

Pittsburgh police had posted information about the missing teenager on August 6, and subsequent reports said she had been seen in the city and riding on public transportation.

The young girl's parents were then notified and they picked her up, and the charges against her were moved to juvenile court, Bible said.

13-year-old Tabitha Clark went missing on August 2 and was found in a prison for adults two weeks later after she lied to officers about her age following a shoplifting arrest

Police had been searching for the missing teen. he had been captured on CCTV several times after her disappearance

Tabitha was charged with retail theft after she was caught stealing items from a store in Beaver Falls on August 17, he said.

At the time, she gave police a false name and birthdate that led authorities to believe she was 18.

The teen eventually told officers on several occasions that she was a juvenile from the Pittsburgh area, and they told her they would release her to her parents.

However, the girl falsely told them she was homeless, Bible said.

During this time, Beaver Falls police contacted child services agencies in Beaver County and Allegheny County - where Pittsburgh is located - to try to find information about her, but since she had given authorities a fake name no records were found, said Bible.

It is not known how many days she spent with the jail's adult population.
A depraved husband allegedly let an HIV positive attacker rape his drugged wife six times, a French court has heard.

Dominique Pelicot, 71, and 50 others aged 22 to 70 are accused of raping Gisele Pelicot, 71, while she was unconscious.

Madame Pelicot told the court that she had to get tested for HIV as 'one man who came [to rape me] six times was seropositive'.

Depraved Mr Pelicot filmed the assaults and a horrified medical expert who viewed the footage told the court that he had 'never before been so shocked by such images as an expert', before adding that Madame Pelicot could have drowned after being drugged.

While Mr Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case, 35 men deny that they forced themselves on Madame Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she in some way consented.

Madame Pelicot, who had bravely waived her right to anonymity to speak about her ordeal in court, told the court those claiming she consented was 'an insult to my intelligence'.

She added: 'These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.'

Gisele Pelicot is pictured above as she left the court in Avignon, France, on September 5

A court drawing shows Madame Pelicot taking the stand, facing her husband and the 50 others accused of raping her

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France's worst rape case

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home (pictured above)

Mr Pelicot broke down in tears in the dock today when his wife detailed how they fell in love and started their married life together before her world 'collapsed' when her husband's depraved crimes were discovered.

Judge Roger Arata asked Madame Pelicot if she suffered any problems after being abused for ten years, to which she replied that she was tested for HIV, adding: 'I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

The judge also asked her whether her husband had any 'sexual desires' that she didn't want to participate in.

'Once we went to a nightclub with another couple where there was a 'swingers' room'. But I didn't want to get involved in that so we did not go into that room and we just stayed in the main nightclub,' the mother-of-three replied.

Another judge asked Madame Pelicot whether she and her husband ever discussed filming their sexual intercourse.

She said: 'I never agreed to Monsieur Pelicot filming us having sex. No the only time we talked about something like this was at the swingers' room at the nightclub. I understood that he would have wanted to do it. But for me it was impossible.'

Today, Madame Pelicot had to relive the trauma that she experienced when a police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers - not all of whom have been identified - while she was unconscious.

The judge told Madame Pelicot that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

She replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan.

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, she sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as those accused her raping her this morning.

Accompanied by her three grown-up children, the 71-year-old with a smart auburn bob appeared defiant in the face of her abusers.

Gisele Pelicot speaks to media as she leaves the Avignon court house, southern France, Thursday, September 5, 2024

Gisele Pelicot (pictured arriving to court this morning) bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years

Some of the 50 co-defendants accused of rape speak with a lawyer at the courthouse in the case that has shocked France on Monday, September 2

Mr Pelicot's daughter, Caroline Darian, arrived to court alongside her mother this morning

Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious

Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband's warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan (pictured)

She stared up at the ceiling of the Avignon court room and gave a heavy sigh as Judge Arata opened the fourth day of the trial that has shocked France.

Across the room Dominique Pelicot, her grey-haired husband of 50 years  who claims to have adored his wife  looked at her without expression.

Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for 'upskirting' at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of 'sex-movies' at their home.

Madame Pelicot said in court, as reported by Le Parisien: 'I am inert, in my bed, and I am being raped. These are scenes of barbarity. Don't talk to me about sex scenes, these are rape scenes. I have never practised threesomes or swinging, I want to say that.'

At 9.20am, Madame Pelicot took the witness stand to give evidence. She gave her name, maiden name and age into the microphone.

Judge Arata tried to reassure her that she should take her time to make her testimony. And he warned her she would face cross examination.

Undeterred, Madame Pelicot started her testimony by thanking police for discovering her husband's depraved crimes: 'I would not be before you if it were not for the work of the police of Carpentras [the town where the supermarket where her husband was arrested in 2020].

'On that day in September I had been away with my daughter. I returned home to Mazan and I sat in the kitchen.

'Monsieur Pelicot told me; 'I have done something silly. I took some photographs in the supermarket'.

'He was crying. I told him that I would support him because we have had a lifetime together.

'After 50 years of marriage I said I would forgive him. But if there was a second time I would leave him.

'In October I went to Paris to look after two of my grandchildren.

'I received a phone call from the police who told me they wanted to talk to me. I made an appointment in November at the police headquarters in Carpentras.'

She continued: 'We were later summoned to the police. I knew he had taken photos of these women and thought we were going as a formality.'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she would remember walking up the steps to the police station 'for the rest of my life'.

At the station, where she was wearing a mask as it was during the Covid pandemic, a police officer told her: 'I'm going to tell you something you won't like.'

Madame Pelicot said that day, 'my world [collapsed], for me everything [collapsed], everything I have built in 50 years,' as reported by Le Parisien.

She said: 'For 50 years I always supported my husband, health, financial and couple problems. It was based on trust.'

The sons of Gisele Pelicot, Florian, right, David, left, and her daughter Caroline Darian, center, arrive in the Avignon court house, southern France, Thursday, September 5, 2024

Pictured above is a general view of where the Pelicots lived which has been known as the house of horrors, with a creepy back alley

Dominique Pelicot can be seen in this court sketch on the right

Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 50 men accused her raping her

Madame Pelicot said when she left the police station, she returned home alone while her husband remained in custody: 'The trauma was enormous. The shock. I returned home to my little dog. I could not stay alone. I had to go to see some friends.

'I told my son that his father was in custody, that he had been charged. On the 3rd of November I went to the police station at Carpentras.

'The police showed me the videos. My world collapsed. When I told my daughter she screamed. I left my house with two suitcases and my dog. That was all I had after 50 years of marriage. Everything was based on trust in 50 years.

Caroline Darian's book

'My daughter had a nervous breakdown and required medical help.'

Madame Pelicot continued: 'You can't imagine yourself in a situation like that. In that moment I wanted to disappear.

'I had to tell my children that their father was in custody. I called my son-in-law and told my daughter and told them: 'He raped me'. Then I heard my daughter screaming a deep cry that I cannot get out of my head.

'People in the street  at the bakery at the supermarket, asked me if I was ok. I had to leave the area. I could not stay in that house. I had lost everything, my husband, my life.

'I didn't know who I was or where I was going. I had lost my identity. My son moved me out of that house.'

Referring to the sex tapes her husband had made of strangers abusing her she said: 'This was not sex it was rape. I have never practiced open sex, I was never swinger.

'I was never a victim, until now. I had to get help, counselling.'

Madame Pelicot said she believed the first instance of being drugged was in 2011 when she woke up in the afternoon with no memory.

A black and white facial reconstruction of a younger Dominique Pelicot is seen in this handout image

Dominique Pelicot is accused of orchestrating the rape ring

Madame Pelicot is pictured above as she arrived to court this morning

She said: 'One day in 2011, I woke up at 6pm in the evening. That was not right. I never sleep until 6pm in the evening. I knew this was not normal but I could understand why.

'I had no memory of the day. I asked Monsieur Pelicot what had happened.'

The couple moved to the village in Provence two years later in 2013. She said: 'In March 2013 we left Paris for Mazan and this 'absence' started again.

'I have an excellent memory. I joked to my husband, 'you're not drugging me are you?' He broke down in tears and said; 'you actually think I could do that?'

'I went to see a neurologist. I was convinced I had Alzheimer's. He said don't worry. I had scans but the absences continued. I don't remember any of the sex scenes.

'My son told my husband that I was not well. He said 'don't worry'.'

Madame Pelicot added: 'I was sacrificed by my husband for these obscenities  a woman drugged and abused. It was like I was dead. I was treated like a piece of meat.

'This is why I am speaking out, - for all the other women who are abused. It was humiliating what I have gone through.

'It started when I learned from the investigating magistrate that Mr Pelicot had filmed up women's skirts with a hidden camera in a pen.

'I learned that in 2010 he had done something similar. If I had known back then I would have perhaps I would have been more vigilant. I could have won back ten years of my life.'

She added that, also in 2010, she woke up to her husband 'raping' her.

'I remember going to bed, I woke up with a start to find Mr Pelicot raping me as I hadn't consented. I said what are you doing? I then went back to sleep. I thought he had an urge to do it and we were married so didn't take it any further,' she said, according to the Telegraph.

Madame Pelicot said about her husband filming the other men allegedly raping her: 'These videos are all more horrible than the others. It's barbaric, I don't know how my body is strong enough to stand before you today.'

She said that in the ten years her husband invited other men to their house to rape her, she never woke up in a different pyjama to the one she went to sleep in.

The mother-of-three also recalled this morning how her own mother died when she was just nine years old and that she left school aged only 13 to find work.

She said: 'At 13 I was knocking on factory doors asking for work. When I was two years old I knew that my mother had an incurable disease. But I never saw my grandmother cry. We don't show tears in my family.'

Gisele Pelicot (C) sits next to her daughter Caroline Darian (2ndL) and her sons Florian Pelicot (L) and David Pelicot (2ndR) with his wife Celine F. (R), at the courthouse during the trial of her husband on September 2

The town of Mazan, 20 miles from Avignon in southern France, where the victim and her husband lived and the attacks took place

She recalled: 'Then I met Mr Pelicot. He had a tyrannical family. He had to give all of his wages to his parents. I married very young. I was 20 years old.

'We needed permission from our parents. My dad was not in favour of the wedding but he accepted it. We had no money but we were very much in love. I have never been with another man. We were not rich but we were happy.

'Monsieur Pelicot is an electrician. He retrained as an estate agent. He had kidney stones and almost died. And then the real estate crisis. No money was coming in but I still supported him. I knew he was courageous. He has always worked hard.'

Meanwhile, Monsieur Pelicot broke down in tears in the dock. Wiping his eyes, the grey-haired multiple rapists appeared to be unable to listen to his estranged wife's memory of their once happy life.

She added: '[After Mr Pelicot's arrest], I learned that he had been raped aged nine. He wasn't supported by his parents. We could have dealt with it together.

'I'm being treated by a psychiatrist now. Rape scenes are torture scenes. Why does anyone deserve to go though that?'

After giving her testimony, Judge Arata began to question Madame Pelicot.

The judge told her that Mr Pelicot has acknowledged his crimes, and asked her; 'What do you feel about this?'

Madame Pelicot replied: 'Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I don't understand how this could have happened.'

When asked if she had any abuse after suffering the abuse, Madame Pelicot said: 'I have gynaecological problems. I was diagnosed with four sexually transmitted diseases at the Versailles medical forensic unit.'

She added: 'I was tested for HIV as one man who came [to rape me] six times was seropositive. My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop. Luckily I didn't catch it. But not once did Mr Pelicot say to himself, 'I've gone too far'.'

'He showed no pity, no pity at all,' the 71-year-old said, as reported by the Telegraph.

The judge ended his interrogation with what he described as a 'very difficult question'.

He asked: 'Madame Pelicot, are you in any way complicit in Monsieur Pelicot's activities?'

Beatrice Zavarro (C), lawyer for the accused Dominique P, speaks with lawyers at the courthouse during the trial of her client accused of drugging his wife for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan

Gisele Pelicot, 72, arrives at the courthouse in Avignon this morning ahead of the third day of her husband's trial on September 4, 2024

She replied calmly: 'Absolutely not. I never pretended to be asleep or anything like that.'

She was asked by her lawyer: 'Some of the defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape.

'You caught four sexually transmitted diseases and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?'

The mother-of-three replied: 'All I have to say is, it's an insult to my intelligence. These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.

'How can you even try and make people think that a woman would knowingly take part in all this?'

Madame Pelicot told the court that she was now divorced from the husband of 50 years. She added that she had kept her married name in support of her children.

The grandmother told the court: 'I wanted to be called Gisele Pelicot for the duration of this trial out of solidarity with my children who are called Pelicot.'

In her testimony, Madame Pelicot told how her husband would take pictures of her when she was leaving the bathroom.

She said: 'I told my husband to stop taking pictures of me'. He replied: 'You should be pleased that after 50 years your husband still wants to take photos of you.'

She told the court: 'It was flattering perhaps but it annoyed me and I told him to stop.'

She added :'I never took place in this sexual activity. How could any wife agree to do any of this. It is totally unacceptable.'

Earlier Madame Pelicot admitted that she once had an affair.

She explained how she was friends with her lover and that he visited her 'periodically' over a two-year period, to which her husband 'reacted very badly'.

Madame Pelicot explained: 'He could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once. As I said, our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But as I said he was the only man I had known.

'I only ever had two men in my bed. It may sound ridiculous today.'

The shocking trial, which began on Monday, is set to end on December 20 with 50 people, including Mr Pelicot, facing aggravated rape charges.
A young Texas soldier has tragically died after a celebratory bridge jump went horribly wrong on Labor Day.

Cutter Anderson Baird, 19, from Goldthwaite, Texas, died on Monday after leaping from the Dillingham Street Bridge in Columbus, Georgia - a staggering 100 feet above the Chattahoochee River.

The teenage soldier, stationed at nearby Fort Moore, was enjoying the holiday with a fellow serviceman when they decided to take the fatal plunge around 2pm.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan told WTVM that Baird hit the water chest-first in what he described as a 'belly flop'.

Cutter Anderson Baird, 19, from Goldthwaite, Texas, died on Monday after leaping from the Dillingham Street Bridge in Columbus, Georgia - a staggering 100 feet above the Chattahoochee River

The coroner warned others to avoid attempting the dangerous jump, revealing this was the sixth incident at the infamous bridge (Pictured: Dillingham Street Bridge view from Chattahoochee riverwalk in Columbus, Georgia)

'Unfortunately, he landed like a belly flop. That's like landing on concrete from that distance, which caused blunt-force trauma to his chest,' Bryan explained.

Despite managing to exit the river, Baird collapsed shortly after due to a lack of oxygen.

He was rushed to a local hospital but tragically passed away.

Bryan emphasized that the young soldier's death was a heartbreaking accident, not a suicide attempt.

'Let's just keep this family and friends in our prayers,' he urged.

The teenage soldier, stationed at nearby Fort Moore, was enjoying the holiday with a fellow serviceman when they decided to take the fatal plunge around 2pm

This was not the first deadly accident on the bridge.

The coroner warned others to avoid attempting the dangerous jump, revealing this was the sixth incident at the infamous bridge.

'I would say, 'Don't do it,'' Bryan cautioned. 'It's a dangerous thing to do.'

'You never know about the current, sometimes it's shallow... there are logs down there,' he added. 'We've got a hell of a current here in Columbus. It's going to pull you down, it's going to suck you into a hole and you're not going to come out of it.

'I don't care how good of a swimmer you are or how strong you are... how many times you've been in and out of the water.. It only takes one time before it's going to end your life.'

Baird reportedly hit the water chest-first in what he described as a 'belly flop'

Baird, who served as vice president of Rock-A-Roo's Animal Sanctuary, was remembered fondly by the organization as someone who loved and cared for animals.

'He put blood, sweat and tears into Rock-A-Roos and it showed. Rock-A-Roos is what it is today because of him. He is the backbone of this business as well as the vice president,' the organization wrote in social media tribute.

'His heart and love for animals cannot be matched, but we will live every day in his honor doing exactly what he would want us to do, continue this fight.'

They announced the organization would be accepting donations to Rock-A-Roos in Cutters honor through their Venmo: Rockaroosrescue.

Baird, who served as vice president of Rock-A-Roo's Animal Sanctuary, was remembered fondly by the organization as someone who loved and cared for animals

A memorial service for the fallen soldier will be held on Saturday, September 7, at 11:00 AM at Stacy-Wilkins Chapel in his hometown of Goldthwaite, Texas.

Fort Moor sent their condolences to Baird's family and friends.

'We can confirm the Sept. 2, non-duty related, death of Pvt. Cutter Baird. The Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore mourns his loss, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade.' Fort Moore announced.
The existence of previously unseen amateur footage of John F. Kennedy's assassination has been revealed after sitting in an old milk crate for more than 60 years.

The minute-long, 8mm film shows the desperate efforts to save the president and his wife in the seconds after he was shot in Dallas in November 1963.

First Lady Jackie Kennedy's pink jacket is clearly visible in the new footage, which shows Secret Service Agent Clint Hill using his body as a human shield in the back of the car they were riding in as it accelerates toward Parkland Hospital at 80mph.

The film will go to auction on September 28 after being discovered by the grandson of the Dallas truck driver who filmed it.

The finding is 'an emotional thing for me because I know what has happened,' Hill, now 92, told People.

'I know what I'm seeing in that film is a dead president.'

Jackie Kennedy's pink jacket is clearly visible in the new footage as Secret Service agent Clint Hill heroically uses his body as a human shield in a bid to protect her and her husband

The color footage was shot by Dale Carpenter Sr. after he took his camera to film what he thought would be an unremarkable presidential visit to his city.

Shot in two parts, the first shows onlookers cheering and waving as the presidential motorcade drives through downtown Dallas.

The second, filmed from Stemmons Freeway, shows the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with the agent Hill giving a grim thumbs-down to the car behind as he glances down at Mrs. Kennedy leaning over her fatally wounded husband.

Carpenter's grandson, James Gates, said he was handed the film by his mother after she went through a trove of family mementos following his grandfather's death from Parkinson's disease.

'She gave me several reels of family films and audio recordings, a projector and the reel-to-reel audio recorder,' he told People.

'The film was stored in a plastic Dean Foods milk crate and had been in my closet for several years before I decided to put it in a fire safe.'

Gates tracked down the retired Secret Service agent in 2012 after realizing the significance of what was inside the little cardboard box labeled '1963 NOV.'

'About 10 years or so ago, I started to research the JFK assassination, knowing I had something possibly of some historical value,' he said.

'I found Clint and Lisa, but it wouldn't be until another 10 years when I made the decision to properly preserve and archive the film.'

Hill's wife, Lisa McCubbin Hill, said the footage 'brings it back so vividly.'

'It really brings the moment to life when you see the President's limousine, you see Clint on the back of the car,' she said.

'To see the speed of the car and how precarious that was - Clint is still trying to protect the president and Mrs. Kennedy from whatever else might be coming.

'One slip and he would have gone flying off and he would have been killed.'

The footage spent decades in an old milk crate after being filmed by Dallas truck driver Dale Carpenter Sr. It was found by his daughter after his death and is auctioned on September 28

Secret Service agent Clint Hill is seen heroically using his body as a human shield in the back of the car the President was riding in as it accelerates toward Parkland Hospital at 80mph.

Clint Hill, now 92, said the existence of the footage meant little to him: 'I'm back there all the time anyways.'

The complete film has yet to be made public but Bobby Livingston of New York auction house RR Auction said it segues with the famous Zapruder film which caught the moment the President was hit

For years many have questioned the official narrative of what happened on November 22, 1963 in Dallas. JFK and Jackie Kennedy are pictured moments before he was assassinated

Jackie and Bobby Kennedy watch as the casket of JFK arrives in the East Room of the White House after his assassination.

The complete film has yet to be made public. Bobby Livingston, of New York auction house RR Auction, said it complements the famous Zapruder film, which caught the moment the president was shot and shows Mrs. Kennedy leaning over her wounded husband.

'Unlike any other footage known to exist, this film captures a segment immediately following the Zapruder film, providing a fresh perspective on one of the most analyzed moments in history,' he said.

'Once you see it, you'll never forget Clint Hill's heroic efforts to protect Mrs. Kennedy, racing at 80 miles an hour in a desperate attempt to save the president's life as they sped to Parkland.'

The footage will be included in a documentary about Hill called Agent Number 9: The Clint Hill Story, which is due out next year.

'It doesn't change anything for me,' Hill said. 'I'm back there all the time anyways.'
The Tottenham Turks organised the horrific slaying of a popular DJ who was tortured to death in a wine bar, a court heard today as three more men were jailed.

Koray Alpergin, 43, was the owner of Turkish radio station Bizim FM and had connections with celebrities such as rapper P Diddy and internet sensation Salt Bae.

He was kidnapped from outside his north London home with his girlfriend Gozde Dalbudak, 34, and frog-marched into a white van after dining in Mayfair.

Dylan Weatherley, 20, was jailed for five years for the manslaughter and kidnapping of Mr Alpergin at the Old Bailey today.

Two of his accomplices Isay Stoyanov, 43 and Kyle Mitchell-Peart, 31, were also jailed for their roles.

Koray Alpergin: The owner of the Turkish radio station Bizim FM who was linked to celebraties suffered terrible injuries before his death

Dylan Weatherley who was jailed for five years at the Old Bailey for killing the DJ

Gozde Dalbudak, 34, the girlfriend of Mr Alpergin enjoyed an evening out with him in Mayfair on the night they were kidnapped

The DJ suffered horrific injuries before he was killed while Ms Gozde was locked in a toilet at the Stadium Lounge, just yards from Spurs ground, for two days.

His naked body was then dumped in woodland in Loughton, Essex, before it was found by a dog walker.

Mr Alpergin suffered 94 injuries, including 14 broken ribs and severe head injuries, ligature injuries to his neck and injuries to his private parts.

Judge Sarah Whitehouse, KC, who jailed Weatherley for five years for killing the DJ also explained the sentence will run consecutively to a minimum 14 year sentence he is serving for an unrelated charge of conspiracy to murder - making 19 years in total.

In that a case a man was shot in the chest after attending a funeral in Enfield on 7 January 2023.

Mitchell-Peart was jailed for six years and fourth months while Stoyanov was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Rapper Sean Combs - AKA P Diddy - and Koray Alpergin posing for a photograph

Mitchell-Peart was jailed for six years and fourth months for two counts of kidnapping and two counts of false imprisonment.

Stoyanov was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for perverting the course of justice

Crispin Aylett, KC, prosecuting, said: Mr Alpergin was a well-known DJ and pop figure within the Turkish UK community in this country.

'It is unclear how he came to the attention of an Organised Crime Group who in effect did kidnap, torture, and murder Mr Alpergin.

The group believed Mr Alpergin had something of value whether that be money drugs or information.

There is a body of evidence the killing was organised by the so-called Tottenham Turks, the well-known organised crime group network.

Tejean Kennedy, 33, and Ali Kavak, 26, were cleared by a jury of murder last year but convicted of manslaughter, kidnap and false imprisonment.

Kavak was also convicted of perverting the course of justice by helping to dispose of Mr Alpergins body and destroying two vehicles by fire.

Kennedy was jailed for 18 years while Kavak was jailed for 13 years.

Ali Kavak, 26, was cleared by a jury of murder but convicted of manslaughter and kidnap

Tejean Kennedy, 33, was also cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter

Samuel Owusu-Opuku, 35, was cleared of murder but convicted of kidnapping the DJ and his girlfriend.

Father-of-two Owusu-Opuku, who worked in the welfare sector, and Yigit Hurman, 18, admitted perverting the course of justice.

Steffan Gordon, 34, had admitted kidnap and was convicted of two counts of false imprisonment.

Gordon was given eight years in prison for kidnap and false imprisonment.

Owusu-Opuku was jailed for seven years for kidnap and perverting the course of justice.

Hurman was jailed for two years for perverting the course of justice by helping to dispose of the body and burn a van.

Police are hunting another suspect, 28-year-old Ali Yildirim, who is thought to have fled back to Turkey after the killing.

Steffan Gordon admitted kidnap and was convicted of two counts of false imprisonment

Samuel Owusu-Opoku was cleared of murder but convicted of kidnapping the DJ and his girlfriend

Passing sentence Judge Whitehouse said: Mr Alpergin had been tortured to death, after he was killed in the early hours of Friday morning his body was moved to different locations before being dumped in a woodland in Loughton.

What is clear is the plan to kill Koray Alpergin had been in operation since at least 23 September. As in the early hours of that morning a tracking device had been placed under his car.

There is no evidence that anyone of the three of you were involved in any of the planning and organisation of these crimes.

Im satisfied none of you three were central players in the plan, as I said the main players used others to do their dirty work while avoiding detection themselves.

Following the kidnap the van drove the couple down an alleyway behind the Stadium Lounge.

It was here, in the Stadium Lounge, that Koray Alpergin was murdered, Mr Aylett continued.

As for Gozde Dalbudak, she spent almost two days shut up inside a lavatory at the Stadium Lounge.

The door to the lavatory was blocked by a large refrigerator.

It was not until late on the Saturday afternoon, Ms Dalbudak was released.

In the early hours of Saturday, the Renault Megane was driven to Loughton in Essex.

There, the naked body of Koray Alpergin was dumped in some woods. A few hours later, the body was found by a man walking his dog.

The post mortem revealed the nature of the injuries Mr Alpergin had suffered, with several cuts and bruises, stab wounds to the soles of both of his feet, and scalding injuries to his skin added to the more severe head, chest and neck injuries.
A passenger aircraft flying to the UK was forced to make an emergency landing in Russia after suffering 'technical problems', it has been revealed.

An Air India Boeing 787-800 plane en route from India's capital New Delhi to Birmingham made the precautionary landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport yesterday evening.

The plane landed safely without any injuries to all 258 passengers and 17 crew members who were provided with 'full assistance', airport officials said.

The aircraft had been cruising for roughly six hours at an altitude of 40,000 feet when the pilots detected a possible technical issue and made a request to land as they flew over the Russian capital.

After undergoing a litany of checks, the aircraft was deemed safe and set off hours later, arriving safely in Birmingham late last night.

An Air India Boeing 787-800 plane en route from India's capital New Delhi to Birmingham made the precautionary landing in Moscow yesterday (An Air India Boeing 787-800 is pictured)

The aircraft had been cruising for roughly six hours at an altitude of 40,000 feet when the pilots detected a possible technical issue and chose to request to land at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport (pictured)

The airport said in a statement following the unscheduled landing yesterday: 'The aircraft's crew requested an unscheduled landing at Sheremetyevo Airport due to technical problems.

'Airport services promptly responded to the crew's request and prepared to receive the aircraft according to the applicable emergency plan.

'The foreign crew received full assistance from the Russian airport and specialists under the applicable international convention.'

Air India operates three weekly flights between New Delhi and Birmingham using Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

In July, an Air India plane operating from Delhi to San Francisco made a precautionary landing in the Russian region of Siberia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area.
Jack Lowden convinced a director to let him use a Scottish accent in his breakout film Dunkirk after learning his uncle had been a pilot in the Second World War.

The star, who grew up in Berwickshire, revealed he only learned of the exploits of his relative after his mum told him he should be true to his roots in the movie.

During an interview on American TV, Lowden explained the turn of events that led to him convincing director Christopher Nolan to let him use his own accent to play the part of pilot Collins.

The moment came after Late Show host Stephen Colbert quizzed the actor on the fact he often plays American and English characters, asking him: Do you ever get to use your Scottish accent?

In response, Lowden, 34, said: The Scottish accent is rarely called upon in the world of film and I dont know why.

Jack Lowden said his uncle Jimmy Ross was a Second World War pilot

Lowden starred as pilot Collins in Oscar-winning film Dunkirk

Theres this lie that you cant understand us.

Even in Dunkirk I had to convince the boss that I could be Scottish as a pilot.

I remember when he gave me the job and I rang my mum and she said: Your uncle Jimmy was in the RAF during the war. Tell him that.

So, I went in and I told him. I went: Look my mum says there were Scottish pilots so look shes not going to buy a ticket unless you let me [use a Scottish accent]. And he let me do it.

In a separate interview with a history magazine, Lowden revealed other details of his hero uncle.

He said: I also learned that a great uncle of mine, Flying Officer Jimmy Ross, was an RAF pilot during the war. We dont know if he was involved in Dunkirk; were still trying to find out.

Dunkirk received eight Oscar nominations and went on to win three: Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Lowden was interviewed in the US as he promoted spy drama Slow Horses, which he stars in alongside British stars Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas.

During the chat he also revealed he watches his colleagues filming on his days off so he can watch them make mistakes.

He said: This going to sound terrible, but I like watching them make mistakes because they do, they make mistakes.

I once went to watch a scene between [Gary Oldman] and Kristin Scott Thomas in the office and it was like an eight, nine-page scene and I sort of hid behind a sofa and just watched the pair of them.

Lowden revealed he also turns up on the set of Slow Horses on his days off to see fellow stars - such as Gary Oldman (pictured with Lowden in the show, above) make mistakes

I was a sort of creepy pair of eyes. And they make mistakes. And I think as a young actor its important to watch legends like that make mistakes.

They make less mistakes then they do good takes, I will say that.

Lowden is currently nominated for an Emmy for his part as down-and-out MI5 agent River Cartwright in Apple TV+s Slow Horses.

However, when quizzed about it, he revealed he thought he had done something wrong when someone tried to give him the good news.

Lowden said: Someone sent me a message and said call me right now and I just thought I had done something wrong.

They really didnt give me any info and then I phoned them and I quickly relaxed when we got that news.

Lowden recently set up home in the Borders with wife and fellow actor Saoirse Ronan.

The pair met in 2018 when they co-starred in film Mary Queen of Scots and tied the knot in Edinburgh's Old Town in July.
Many parents from New York City to Los Angeles say it's tough to raise a family in the city.

Now, researchers have found a startling reason why urban residents struggle even to start out on the process.

That's because city living could be making us infertile.

New data show that dirty air is linked to lower fertility in men, while noisy traffic may harm the fertility of women.

It's an alarming finding for the four fifths of America's 333 million people who live in urban areas.

Many couples struggle to start a family and turn to their doctors for help

New research shows that the problem may be noise from the street outside their apartment

Still, the team of Danish researchers behind the study say it offers a roadmap for healthier city living.

'Political implementation of air pollution and noise mitigations may be important tools for improving birth rates in the western world,' they wrote.

The work of Mette Srensen and others was published on September 4 in The BMJ, using data from Denmark's national databases about each residents' health, job, education, and family.

A staggering one in every seven couples globally has trouble conceiving, researchers said.

Trying to determine if environment might play a role, Srensen's team at the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen, studied data on some 900,000 Danish adults ages 30 to 45.

They all had fewer than two kids, and were married or living together in Denmark between 2000 and 2017.

Those with a history of infertility or who'd been sterilized were excluded.

The researchers cross-referenced study participants with their local air pollution levels over recent decades.

In particular, they looked at concentrations of PM2.5, or very fine pollution particles that can lodge deeply into the lungs.

The team also tracked road traffic noise levels at each participant's address.

Over the course of the 18-year study, infertility was detected in 16,172 men and 22,672 women.

Men aged 30 to 45 had a 24 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with infertility if they'd been exposed to higher average levels of PM2.5 air pollution over five years, the data showed.

They adjusted their findings to account for other factors, such as their jobs, salary, and education.

While women are affected by street noise, male fertility is threatened by air pollution

A girl plays alone at a playground in Chicago, where the number of under-fives has tumbled by a staggering 15 percent.

When it came to women, however, air pollution appeared to have no impact on infertility.

Instead, women's fertility appeared to be influenced by another factor  noise.

Women aged over 35 who'd been exposed to 10.2 decibel higher average levels of road traffic noise over five years had a 14 percent greater chance of infertility, researchers found.

This was not true for women ages 30 to 35, however.

Men, however, seemed largely unaffected by the din of ambulance sirens outside their apartments.

Road traffic noise exposure was linked to only a slight increase in infertility for men ages 37 to 45, the study found. For those aged 30 to 37 there was no effect.

The findings are not wholly surprising.

Breathing in polluted air is known to have an effect on fertility.

Inhaled chemicals can enter the bloodstream and disrupt hormones or cause direct damage to eggs and sperm.

But links between traffic noise and health are less understood.

Some research suggests that the noise leads to stress, which can affect fertility.

The researchers stressed that they had not determined the overall cause of infertility  they were just finding associations.

The findings come on the heels of mounting evidence that America's big cities have witnessed a 'shocking' drop-off in the numbers of small children.

A new study shows how in New York City, the worst affected hub, the number of under fives has collapsed by 18 percent since April 2020.

Chicago and Los Angeles saw their numbers fall by 15 and 14 percent respectively in the same period.

America's largest cities have seen the greatest decline in the number of under-fives.

A boy makes his way to school in Brooklyn, New York City, which has seen its under-five population collapse by 18.7 percent

Families have exited all New York City's boroughs, but none less so than Manhattan.

A six-year-old student walks out of her school in Long Beach, California. The state has seen some of the biggest drop-offs in the number of under fives.

The trend poses far-reaching challenges for cities seeking to rebuild their economies, while upending plans for providing schools and healthcare to a shrinking youth population.

It also comes as decisions about whether to have children, and the rising costs of daycare, become issues in this year's divisive presidential contest.

Connor O'Brien, who wrote the report for the Economic Innovation Group, says 'demographic collapse has arrived in major American cities.'

'Falling birthrates mean the number of young kids nationwide is falling, but it's falling much more quickly in large urban counties,' says O'Brien

The research, based on US recent Census Bureau data, shows how big cities are still grappling with the after-effects of the pandemic.

As the virus spread, urbanites fled to smaller cities, the suburbs, and the country.

The departures of small children has slowed in recent months, but they're still leaving.

The continued loss of families risks a so-called 'urban doom loop' as cities struggle to retain this vital demographic.

'If progressive cities could run on a sort of policy autopilot pre-covid, it's clear they can't anymore,' warns O'Brien.

Birth rates are falling across the US, but they're dropping much faster in urban areas.
Ministers have dropped plans to use RAF Scampton to house Channel migrants saying it would not be 'value for money'.

The former airbase in Lincolnshire had been earmarked as accommodation for irregular arrivals by the Conservative government.

A total of 60million has already been spent on the site, according to Home Office.

But the department said work to close and sell it will begin immediately, insisting proceeding would have cost a total of 122million by 2027.

Home Office minister Angela Eagle said: 'Faster asylum processing, increased returns and tighter enforcement of immigration rules will reduce demand for accommodation like Scampton and save millions for the taxpayer as we drive forward work to clear the asylum backlog and strengthen our border security.

Former airbase RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire had been earmarked as accommodation for irregular arrivals by the Conservative government

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has abandoned most of the previous government's immigration plan

'We have also listened to community feedback and concerns about using this site for asylum accommodation.'

It comes after the Government scrapped the Tories' Rwanda plan, which would have blocked most Channel migrants from applying for asylum in a bid to deter crossings.

Prior to the general election, Keir Starmer vowed Labour would act 'straight away' to begin the RAF site's closure if it won power.

The government has already announced it is scrapping the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge, in Portland, Dorset, as migrant accommodation.

Earlier this year, the National Audit Office found the Tories' plans to use alternative large-scale sites to house asylum seekers would actually cost more than keeping them in hotels.

Instead Labour has suggested it will 'massively increase' the procurement of 'dispersed accommodation' amid concerns about the pressures placed on local services by large-scale sites.

That could include empty homes or former student blocks that have self-catering facilities.
A failed asylum seeker who raped a 15-year-old girl after his deportation was blocked by cabin crew has been told he cannot change his plea to not guilty.

Anicet Mayela, 40, who once protested outside a detention centre with a sign that read 'migrants are not criminals', admitted to the attack of December last year at Oxford Crown Court in April.

The Congolese national appeared at the same court on Thursday in a bid to change his guilty plea after claiming he had not had proper legal advice.

But rejecting his request, Judge Nigel Daly said Mayela had made an 'unequivocal plea of guilty' at the last hearing, which he could 'see no reason to vacate'.

'From the moment of his arrest he was firmly of the view that he was going to plead guilty. I will not accept the vacating of his plea,' Judge Daly said.

Anicet Mayela, 40, once protested outside a detention centre with a sign that read 'migrants are not criminals'

A deportation flight was planned for May 2005, but the removal was prevented by Air France crew (file image)

Mayela, from Oxford, was joined in the dock by a French interpreter and several family members watched the short hearing from the public gallery.

After his court appearance earlier this year, The Sun reported several unsuccessful attempts had previously been made to remove him from the UK before he was given permission to stay in the country.

It is understood the Home Office initially refused Mayela's asylum claim in 2004 but he successfully challenged the decision in the courts and was eventually granted leave to remain on appeal in 2010.

Mayela was held at Campsfield House Detention Centre in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, where he was later pictured with a 'stop detention' sign following his release.

A deportation flight was initially planned for May 2005, but the removal was foiled by Air France crew, who stopped the flight taking off from Southampton.

The cabin crew's intervention came amid claims Mayela's hand had been broken by deportation minders who handcuffed his wrists and taped his legs together.

Weeks later, Mayela won leave to remain after lawyers said that deportation would be against his human rights while police investigated the handlers for alleged assault.

He was released two days later and took part in a campaign to close Campsfield House, where he had been detained.

According to an article published by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) in 2005, he was served three removal notices from the UK.

Mayela was held at Campsfield House Detention Centre in Kidlington, where he was later pictured protesting with a 'stop detention' sign following his release

The IRR report said Mayela paid an agent to help him flee his home country in 2004 because his life was in danger and that he initially lived in Plymouth while his initial asylum claim was considered.

But this was refused and his first appeal was dismissed by the courts later that year.

By 2005 he was being held in immigration detention centres while attempts were made to deport him but he was later released.

Mayela, thought to be a former economics student, also appears to have supported protests outside detention centres that same year.

He should expect jail time when he is sentenced on November 14, the judge said.
Germany wants the EU to send migrants to Rwanda and use facilities originally set up to take those arriving in the UK by boat before Labour scrapped the plan.

Berlin's migration commissioner Joachim Stamp has proposed deporting those who arrive illegally in the bloc via Poland's border with Belarus.

Germany's special representative for migration agreements, said the EU could utilize existing asylum facilities in Rwanda, which were initially intended for arrivals from Britain.

One of Sir Keir Starmer's first acts after winning the election in July was to cancel the scheme before it had even started, after the Tory government had already spent 290million

The proposal comes amid rising pressure on Germany's ruling coalition government to restrict irregular migration following a fatal stabbing linked to Islamic State at a city festival last month that fuelled far-right opposition and criticism of Berlin's migration policies.

Tory leadership candidate James Cleverly said: 'Labour's first move in government was to scrap the Rwanda plan. Now Germany want to use the facilities we built.

'The only people who benefit from Labour's reckless immigration policies are people smugglers and the EU.'

Downing Street said it would not comment on the discussions between two foreign governments.

Berlin's migration commissioner Joachim Stamp has proposed deporting those who arrive illegally in the bloc via Poland's border with Belarus (below)

The proposal comes amid rising pressure on Germany's ruling coalition government to restrict irregular migration following a fatal stabbing linked to Islamic State at a city festival last month that fuelled far-right opposition and criticism of Berlin's migration policies.

One of Sir Keir Starmer's first acts after winning the election in July was to cancel the scheme before it had even started.

It had been speculated the new Labour Government could try and recoup some of the millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash already given to Kigali to create facilities like the Hope Hostel (pictured in April)

But the Rwandan government has now played down the prospect of a refund, despite no migrants ever being deported from the UK to Africa under the scheme.

In one of his first acts as PM, Sir Keir Starmer branded the UK's deal with Kigali 'dead and buried' as he confirmed he was scrapping the Tory scheme.

This was despite Conservative leader Rishi Sunak having pointed to signs the Rwanda plan was already working as a deterrent.

It had been speculated the new Labour Government could try and recoup some of the millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash already earmarked for Kigali.

But the Rwandan government has now played down the prospect of a refund, despite no migrants ever being deported from the UK to Africa under the scheme.

Under Stamp's proposal, the asylum procedures in Rwanda would be conducted under the supervision of the United Nations.

'We currently have no third country that has come forward, with the exception of Rwanda,' Stamp said in a podcast by Table Media published on Thursday.

Stamp, a member of the junior coalition FDP party and whose position sits in Germany's Interior Ministry, said this model would specifically target refugees crossing the EU's eastern borders.

Under Stamp's proposal, the asylum procedures in Rwanda would be conducted under the supervision of the United Nations.

He said Rwanda has publicly expressed its willingness to continue implementing this model.

'My suggestion would be that we concentrate on this group. It's about 10,000 people a year,' he said, dismissing broader proposals from the conservative opposition to apply such a model to all refugees.

He said Rwanda has publicly expressed its willingness to continue implementing this model.

In addition, Stamp suggested removing the so-called 'connecting element' in the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which currently requires external asylum procedures to be conducted in countries where the asylum seeker has a social connection.

The European Union agreed in December on new rules to handle irregular arrivals of asylum seekers and migrants, a deal hailed as a breakthrough after almost a decade of bitter feuds on the issue. It could take until the end of 2025 for the pact to take full effect.

It came as UK ministers dropped plans to use RAF Scampton to house Channel migrants saying it would not be 'value for money'.

The former airbase in Lincolnshire had been earmarked as accommodation for irregular arrivals by the Conservative government.

A total of 60million has already been spent on the site, according to Home Office.

But the department said work to close and sell it will begin immediately, insisting proceeding would have cost a total of 122million by 2027.

Home Office minister Angela Eagle said: 'Faster asylum processing, increased returns and tighter enforcement of immigration rules will reduce demand for accommodation like Scampton and save millions for the taxpayer as we drive forward work to clear the asylum backlog and strengthen our border security.

'We have also listened to community feedback and concerns about using this site for asylum accommodation.'

Prior to the general election, Keir Starmer vowed Labour would act 'straight away' to begin the RAF site's closure if it won power.

The government has already announced it is scrapping the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge, in Portland, Dorset, as migrant accommodation.

Earlier this year, the National Audit Office found the Tories' plans to use alternative large-scale sites to house asylum seekers would actually cost more than keeping them in hotels.
A horrified husband found his lifeless wife half eaten by a mammoth 16ft python, before furious locals hunted the snake down and killed it.

Hapsah, 57, was at a rubber tree plantation in Muaro Jambi Regency, Indonesia, when the serpent lying in the tall grass attacked her on August 27.

The 16ft snake easily overpowered the struggling petite woman and wrapped itself around her body. It slowly squeezed the breath out of her lungs until she passed out.

Hapsah's husband M Safri, 66, who worked in the same plantation, went looking for his wife when she failed to return home that afternoon.

He heard rustling noises in the undergrowth and was horrified to find the reptile coiled around his beloved as it prepared to swallow her whole.

A mob of vengeful residents later arrived at the scene to hunt down the python and killed it

A grandmother was found half eaten by a mammoth 16ft python while working on a farm in Indonesia

Sungai Gelam Police Chief Iptu Usaha Sitepu said: 'When he approached the source of the sound, he saw that the victim had been constricted to death by a python and was about to be swallowed head-first.

'He knew she was already dead, so he could only pull at the snake's tail and hit it until it loosened its grip.'

Safri said he ran back to the village to call for help in moving Hapsah's corpse.

A mob of vengeful residents later arrived at the scene to hunt down the python. They found it burrowing near the roots of a tree and mercilessly beat it to death.

Village head Amdi said: 'Hapsah was almost swallowed entirely by the snake, with only half of her body left to engulf when her husband managed to free her. After the snake escaped, residents immediately searched for it and killed it. It was massive. It was taken to the village to be shown to the community after it was killed.'

The 16ft snake easily overpowered the struggling petite woman and wrapped itself around her body

A grieving Safri took Hapsah's body back home to prepare for her funeral.

He said: 'I returned home from the plantation earlier, but if I had known my wife would be attacked like this, I would have stayed to protect her.'

On August 14, another grandmother was killed and devoured by a python.

Maga, 74, had taken her cows to graze in a forested area in the Sumarambu mountains, around a mile from her home in Palopo City in South Sulawesi province, when a python pounced on her.

Her son, Sanaria, 39, ventured into the woods to find her when she did not return home - only to find her half-swallowed by the reptile.

Villagers later slayed the python and brought its mangled corpse back home as a trophy.

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.
An Alabama school was placed on lockdown after ammunition was found on campus.

Enterprise High School and Enterprise Career & Technology Center was shutdown for almost two hours on Thursday.

There are currently no reports of any injuries or firearms being located. The kind of ammunition discovered has not been confirmed.

It comes a day after four people including two students were gunned down during a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.

There is no suggestion the two events are linked.

Enterprise High School and Enterprise Career & Technology Center in Alabama have been placed on lockdown after ammunition was found on campus

The school said officers are on the scene as it urged the public to avoid the premises amid the lockdown

Enterprise School officials posted on social media on Thursday morning to notify the public of the situation which began at 9.40am.

'We ask that no one try to come to these locations until the lockdown has ended. Officers are on scene at schools that are on lockdown and will remain until all clear. We will put out an update once everything is clear,' the statement said.

By 11.37am Enterprise Police confirmed the lockdown had been lifted and Enterprise City Schools confirmed normal activities have resumed.

It comes after Eufaula police advised Eufaula City Schools and Lakeside School to cancel Thursday's classes over threats received on Wednesday, WTVY reports.

The lockdown also follows the bloodbath at Apalachee which left an additional nine people injured alongside the four fatalities.

Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 and teachers Christina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, were named as the victims.

Suspected gunman Colt Gray, 14, has been charged with murder and is due to appear in court tomorrow.
A crane driver who became a national hero when he rescued a man from a blazing 750m tower block has been diagnosed with incurable cancer.

Glen Edwards, 66, was dubbed 'the Bruce Willis of Reading' after he heroically saved a man's life at the Station Hill construction site in the town on Thursday, November 23.

He manoeuvred the crane and its personnel transportation cage into the smoke and fire to dramatically give a trapped worker on the eighth floor an escape route at the last moment.

His actions were filmed on video and quickly went viral, leading to him appearing on Good Morning Britain (GMB), collecting a string of awards and receiving 10,000 from the public following a fundraiser to 'buy him a pint'.

But now the newly retired crane driver has revealed he was diagnosed with incurable spinal cancer last Thursday.

Glen Edwards, 66, was dubbed 'the Bruce Willis of Reading' after he heroically saved a man's life at the Station Hill construction site in the town on Thursday, November 23

Mr Edwards manoeuvred the crane and its personnel transportation cage into the smoke and fire to dramatically give a trapped worker on the eighth floor an escape route at the last moment

His actions were filmed on video by the crows of onlookers at the bottom of the building and quickly went viral

Following the incident, Mr Edwards received a string of awards for his bravery. Pictured: Mr Edwards getting his award from the British Fire Services Association

He had been undergoing treatment for cancer in his tongue since last February and has been unable to eat solid foods due to his treatment.

However Mr Edwards said that the community recognition and awards he received from organisations like the Runnymede Borough Council and the British Fire Services Association have been supporting him through his ordeal.

He told The Reading Chronicle: 'It started with me walking about and getting a few aches and pains in my back, and I thought it was just old age.

'They can't cure it but drugs can suppress it and keep it at bay.

'I'm going to need treatment for the rest of my life.'

He is now focused on marrying his partner of 10 years, who said she is 'unbelievably proud' of her fiance.

Mr Edwards also revealed he was finally able to meet the construction worker he saved last month, after a year of trying to make contact.

The 16-storey office block where the fire took place is situated opposite Reading rail and Crossrail station. The site was the location of another fire five months prior to the incident with Mr Edwards

Remarkable footage showed the man stranded at the top of the 750m One Station Hill development in Reading as the building is engulfed in flames

Mr later appeared on Good Morning Britain this morning to talk about his heroic rescue of the man

Mr Edwards said on the show he never met the man he rescued but thinks he is owed a drink from him

Smoke was seen billowing from the construction site following the fire

He said it was 'pure coincidence' that a former colleague found himself working with the rescued man.

Mr Edwards said: 'He couldn't thank me enough.'

Immediately following his heroics, Mr Edwards said: 'I don't want to blow it up too much, I'm not that sort of person.'

Following the incident he told GMB: 'Obviously he's a bit traumatised so whenever he's coming back on site [I'll meet him]. He's got to take me across the road for a drink.

Recounting the unbelievable events, Mr Edwards said he has never experienced a rescue as 'dramatic' as this one on the job.

'Never at all. I have cradled a couple of guys off - [when they] damaged their leg and things like that so they could get in an ambulance - but nothing as dramatic as this,' he said.

Mr Edwards said he was concreting when someone shouted up to him that a man was stuck on level eight of the development.

'I was actually concreting at the time, I had the concrete skip on. So I was in that area and then one of my banksmen on the ground said there is a fire and the fire alarm was going off. I was in the crane operating.

The flames and smoke spread across the whole roof of the 750m One Station Hill office development close to Reading Station

Office workers at Thames Tower, which is very close to the on fire construction site, saw the flames first hand and were asked to evacuated around 11.40am on the day of the fire

The black smoke could be seen from several miles away in nearby villages

'So I had to get the concrete skip off, I was hoisting up and then someone shouted out ''there's someone on level eight'' which is that level where the guy was, and I stopped hoisting up, I was about 20 metres up in the air.

'As I slewed round I could see the guy out my left window - he was waving his coat, waving his coat. You can see there the wind was absolutely terrible.'

He added: 'I knew the radius [...] I decided I was going to come down on top of that radius. As I was coming down the cradle was swinging backwards and forwards and catching the wind.

'When it comes off the fence it kicks off the fence and he just managed to grab hold of it.'

The heroic crane driver said he was 'really shaking' during the ordeal, adding: 'I was alright when I got down and everything and I needed a quiet minute to get myself together.

'When everyone was about - when everyone come up to me and said ''well done, well done'' - that's when the penny dropped.'

The dramatic three-minute rescue undoubtedly saved the builder's life as all around him blazing cladding caused massive clouds of toxic smoke.

Incredibly despite the severity of the fire, only two people needed to go to hospital with smoke inhalation, including the workman saved by Mr Edwards.

Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus used main jets to fight the fire

Redwood Consulting, speaking on behalf of the Station Hill developers after the fire, said it activated its fire emergency plans immediately

The Station Hill complex was set to provide up to 1,300 homes

The 16-storey office block is situated opposite Reading rail and Crossrail station, and it was the site of another fire five months prior to the incident with Mr Edwards.

A carpenter, who was working nearby, said onlookers below applauded as the man clambered into a metal basket attached to the crane and was carried away from the flames.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said: 'I was in the next door building, there was a guy standing up there (on top of the building), luckily the crane came in just in time.

'He was coughing [when he came down], from the smoke, you know what I mean.

'When he got inside the crane and the crane put him down everyone was clapping.

'The crane driver was very fast. He was still in the crane while the building was on fire.'
The View's Sunny Hostin became embroiled in a very heated debate with Republican cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin as the panel discussed the tragic Georgia shooting.

The two women butted heads on Thursday's show when Sunny, 55, accused people of immediately jumping to the topic of 'mental health' when it comes to such tragedies as a defensive Alyssa argued: 'Oh I wasn't, I was talking about guns first.'

Not even looking her cohost in the eye, Sunny fired back condescendingly: 'I'm not talking about you personally, I'm talking about the country,' before stating: 'So the common denominator, though, there's mental health all around the world but we seem to be the only country that has 14-year-olds killing people, right?

The TV host was referring to the arrest of 14-year-old Colt Gray, who is accused of carrying out the deadly mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder on Wednesday morning, and who was on the radar of the FBI a year before the tragedy.

'I say this every time we talk about this, people who suffer from mental health illnesses are ten times more likely to be the victims of crime - violent crimes - than they are to commit it,' Sunny continued.

The View hosts Sunny Hostin (left) and Alyssa Farah Griffin (right) clashed on Thursday's show discussing the Georgia school shooting

Joy Behar turned to Alyssa and argued that 'Republicans keep knocking down mental health measures'

'So I'm not saying that there isn't a mental health problem here, but that seems to be the first thing that we jump to, right? Mental health, mental health!' the mother-of-two added.

Former White House aide Alyssa commented: 'It feels weird to talk politics in light of a tragedy but we're in a political season and voting is how you solve issues like mass shootings so unique to this country.

'It is a universal fear whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, to send your kids to school and think they might be a victim of a school shooting.'

She then argued: 'There are ways to address it and the key is that candidates make clear they are not coming for safe, lawful gun owners who are never going to use that firearm to pose harm to someone else but they are going to address the issues that the vast majority of Americans support.

'You have to talk about solution that make clear you are not coming to take legal lawful gun owners and by the way you can't separate the mental health aspect. A 14-year-old shooting up a school is not well. He could have posed a harm to himself so have to address both of those,' Alyssa claimed.

Comedian Joy Behar then blurted out: 'Don't the Republicans keep knocking down mental health measures all the time?' as Alyssa argued back: 'I'm not saying that the party's handling it. Who I do point to is Chris Murphy and Thom Tillis who came together and did sweeping reforms, but it's not enough, you have to address both.'

Sunny then continued: 'It's really about getting rid of these assault rifles. I think it's getting rid of high-capacity magazines and if you look at the DNC platform and if you listen to what they were saying during the DNC, they want to ban assault weapons.

'They want to ban high-capacity magazines, they want to end the gun industry's immunity from liability which I think is really important because if your kid gets killed, you can't even sue the gun owners.

Sunny (left) and former White House aide Alyssa (right) butted heads as they discussed the link between gun violence and mental health

Whoopi Goldberg interrupted the panel to acknowledge the families who lost their loved ones in the horrific attack

Police officers on the scene after the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia

'They want to increase funding to the bureau of alcohol, tobacco and most importantly, I think the gun violence epidemic has been deemed to be a public health issue and so that's where the money will come from.

'The money will come from the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, so there is a way to fund gun violence research.'

A frustrated Joy, 81, then chimed in again and stated: 'The number one death of children in this country is school violence, gun violence!' as Sara Haines confirmed the statistic but argued that it's 'such a divisive issue.'

Moderator Whoopi Goldberg ended up interrupting the women and shouted: 'Hold up y'all!' so that they could take a moment to acknowledge the families who lost their loved ones in the horrific incident, which saw two students and two teachers killed.

'This happened yesterday. Can we just right now... we'll talk about it more, but right now our hearts with are those families who are living through this,' the 68-year-old actor announced before the show went to a commercial break.

Following the incident, a 14-year-old student who had been on the FBI's radar for the last year, was identified as the suspected gunman who went on the bloody shooting spree, killing four people.

A junior at the school, Colt Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement following the violent rampage at Apalachee High School, and will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice confirmed Thursday that the suspect was taken into custody at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, Channel 2 Action News reported.
French police have broken up the Calais camp thought to have been the place where migrants stayed just before their bid to cross the Channel in an overcrowded boat ended in tragedy with 12 drowned.

Officers moved in this morning in a fleet of vans barely 24 hours after the tragedy, MailOnline can reveal.

The breakfast time raid made a clean sweep of the illegal camp which had been erected on the outskirts of Calais at Petit Courgain.

Among those who were moved on today were thought to be a number of survivors of Tuesdays tragedy.

Some were said to have been moved to a site in the South of France, many hundreds of miles away.

The camp, made up of 500 people mostly thought to be from Eritrea, had tents and personal items removed.

French police have broken up the Calais camp thought to have been the place where migrants stayed just before their bid to cross the Channel in an overcrowded boat ended in tragedy with 12 drowned (File image)

Migrants in their jungle camp, Calais, France

Many locals who dislike the migrant camps cheered the police move but aid workers condemned the timing when they were reeling with grief at losing friends.

Migrant support group Care4Calais which sent helpers to the dismantled camp, said in a statement: The majority people on the boat were from the Eritrean community.

The community is in deep mourning and shock over the tragedy but this seems to have meant nothing to the authorities who chose to target the largest Eritrean site in Calais for the latest site of eviction and destruction.

It said migrants were cruelly and brutally cleared by police with tents and belongings seized and destroyed.

Police have their work cut out not only to prevent migrants from travelling to the coastline, but in keeping them in check with several sites around Calais being used by Sudanese, Eritrean and Somalian migrants.

And indeed within hours of this mornings dozens of Eritreans had already returned begun to reestablish a new camp in the same spot, supported by the care workers who arrived with vans of food to feed them.

Among the returnees to Petit Courgain was a teenage girl who was plucked from the water after the boat sank sending more than 50 people into the English Channel.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, from a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel

Border Force Ranger Picks Up A Large Dinghy In Uk Waters

Hildia, 17, from Eritrea, knew the pregnant woman, who drowned and said she was in shock after being rescued along with here mother.

 I cannot swim and I swallowed a lot of water, I was vomiting for a long time afterwards she said.

There are some very good people who have been killed. I am very sorry for that.

But she and her mother, who spoke little English and wore a hijab, said they would try again to cross the channel and reach Britain soon.

Mail Online spoke to groups of young men who declared their intention to reach England, despite the latest disaster

Ali, 24, from Chad in Sudan, said:  England is a beautiful country and the language is beautiful too. I dream of the day that I reach there.

Asked why he was prepared to risk himself to circumnavigate the dangers of the sea, he said:  I have no life here and no life in Sudan. If it is Gods will, then I will be in England soon. I am not scared of the sea because I cannot swim, that is true.

The police investigation is cantered on men from the Middle East who are said to have masterminded Tuesdays trip across the channel.

Detectives are examining local bus transport records as they have been told two buses took the migrants from outside Boulogne Railway Station to Le Porte where they embarked on the fateful trip.

Officers will also look for help from banks in case thousands of euros in cash are suddenly deposited by the people smugglers who charged each traveller 1500.

A manslaughter probe is underway, but if claims that the inflatable dinghy was slashed with a knife are proved, it is likely to begin a mass murder investigation.

Officials said the water craft showed signs of being ripped.
A Major General who was tipped as the future head of the British Army played with his colleague's hair and tried to kiss her during a boozy karaoke night out while on deployment to Japan, a court martial heard today.

Highly decorated James Roddis, 53, has become the most senior officer for centuries to appear in a court martial for a sex offence after he drunkenly played with a colleague's hair and kissed her without consent.

The Scottish ex-Major General, who helped carry Prince Philip's coffin, 'inappropriately' tugged and twirled the female RAF officer's hair telling her she 'looked better' with it down, it was heard.

Today, his victim told Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, that she has been left 'deeply troubled' by the behaviour of the Major General.

Ex-Major General Roddis, a married father-of-three, was, until recently, Director of Strategy at UK military's Strategic Command, responsible for Special Forces units and other secretive intelligence-gathering and cyber units.

Today, he attended the court martial to be sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind.

Highly decorated James Roddis, 53, has become the most senior officer for centuries to appear in a court martial for a sex offence after he drunkenly played with a colleague's hair and kissed her without consent

Major General James Roddis pictured outside Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, today

The highly-decorated commander was a pallbearer at the late Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in April 2021

Prosecutor, Graham Coombes, said the offence took place during a deployment to Japan.

On the final night of the trip, the six-person group visited a Japanese BBQ restaurant and took part in a local tradition where they enjoyed unlimited drinks for two hours.

The prosecutor said they then moved on to a karaoke bar and a 'substantial quantity of alcohol was consumed'.

'By the time the group headed to the karaoke bar, the complainant accepted that she was drunk and it became apparent that the accused was drunk,' Mr Coombes said.

At 00:40am, both Ex-Maj Gen Roddis and the female RAF officer - who can't be named for legal reasons - were sat together in a booth in the karaoke bar.

It was there that the former Major General started 'playing' with his colleague's hair.

'He began to touch and inappropriately play with her hair, twirling it and tugging at her ponytail,' the prosecutor said.

Ex-Maj Gen Roddis then proceeded to touch the back of her neck and put his arm around her.

In that moment, the female RAF officer said she became 'very aware of the rank difference' and tried to tell Ex-Maj Gen Roddis to stop.

'The accused persists in his behaviour, continuing to touch her hair,' the prosecutor said.

The former Major General pulled the female officers bobble out of her hair, causing it to fall and proceeded to tell her that 'her hair looked better down'.

The prosecutor said at one point you can see the female officer 'roll her eyes' and look 'displeased' but rather than stopping, Ex-Maj Gen Roddis continued to 'flip' and 'play' with her hair.

Then, Ex-Maj Gen Roddis reached across, took hold of her chin, and kissed her for two seconds.

'This was completely uninvited and without warning,' the prosecutor said.

'Shortly afterwards, as a result of what the accused had done, she left the bar with another member of the group.

'She says she felt really angry and was upset about what had happened.'

Ex-Major General Roddis, a married father-of-three, was, until recently, Director of Strategy at UK military's Strategic Command

The court martial heard she texted her husband saying: 'Just because you're a two-star, it doesn't mean you get to touch me.'

On the flight home, the following day, the female officer told Ex-Maj Gen Roddis that 'there was some things that you did last night that I deem unacceptable'.

In response, Ex-Maj Gen Roddis said 'I need to resign'.

Summarising the aggravating factors of the case, the prosecutor said: 'The victim was carrying out her duties.

'She attended the social event as part of her duties and was expected to attend the final night.

'The defendant was in a position of responsibility and trust. The offences took place in public.'

The prosecutor said the behaviour displayed by Ex-Maj Gen Roddis is 'improper' to the 'clear rank difference' between him and his colleague.

It was heard that the Major General had already been subjected to disciplinary action in 2023, relating to behaviour the previous year, which resulted in his loss of seniority.

He was accused of using inappropriate language with two female civil servants.

In a witness impact statement read to the court, the female RAF Officer said: 'I'm deeply troubled by the entitled abuse of rank, a wariness of male senior army officers now pervades my ongoing service.

Roddis was made an MBE in 2009 and earned a pair of Queen's Commendations for Valuable Service in 2008 and 2017

'Whilst they applauded my bravery for standing up to the general, I am sorely disappointed that I was put in a situation where I had to find the moral courage to stand up.'

She said she 'felt powerless' in the moment, adding: 'I was content and happy before he took that away from me.'

Jane Bickerstaff KC, mitigating, told the court: 'He was flirting with [the complainant] and at one point, he thought that this was reciprocated because what he was sensing was that she was comfortable.

'There was laughter, he was entirely unaware that she wanted him to stop and he heard no such request from her.

'Had he done so, he would have stopped.

'When he tried to kiss her and got nothing back at all, he realised then that he misjudged the situation.'

Of the impact of losing his career, Ms Bickerstaff KC continued: 'It's not the same as losing the job.

'This conduct, which took place over a few minutes, resulted in the loss of the career that he spent 30 years building.

'A distinguished career in which he has received a notable number of citations.

'He has shown braver and given service to this country which few would be able to understand and comprehend.'

Ex-Maj Gen Roddis from Aberdour, Fife, Scotland, received the UK's highest award for leadership in combat, Distinguished Service Order (DSO), and a Mention in Dispatches after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He was made an MBE in 2009 and earned a pair of Queen's Commendations for Valuable Service in 2008 and 2017.

In September 2022, he was one of the pall bearers selected to carry Prince Philip's coffin.

He also founded the Army's elite Specialised Infantry Brigade in 2017.

Ex-Maj Gen Roddis' appearance at court martial is very rare for an officer of his rank.

The most recent example was Major General Nick Welch, who was jailed for 21 months at a court martial in 2021 after being convicted of fraud over claiming expenses for boarding school fees.

He was the most senior officer to face court martial since 1815 as he was convicted of a single charge of fraud for falsely claiming more than 48,000 in allowances to pay for his children's boarding school fee
A university custodian was 'visibly shaking' as police arrived to conduct a DNA test that finally linked him to the decades-old rape and murder of a teenage art student, it was revealed this week.

Dozens of people were interviewed after the naked body of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss was found with 61 stab wounds by her father at her Indianapolis apartment in March of 1993.

It took more than three decades for police to get the breakthrough they needed when Carmens former neighbor, Dana Shepherd, was identified through the DNA of a distant cousin.

The 51-year-old University of Missouri worker was arrested last week and is awaiting extradition back to Indiana to face charges of murder, felony murder and rape.

'There's a lot of people that missed Carmen all these years,' her brother, Jimmy Van Huss Jr., said during a press conference on Tuesday. 'For my dad to have to find his daughter after what was brutally done to her makes this day bittersweet.

'I wish he was here to see it.

Art student Carmen Van Huss was just 19 when she was raped and murdered in March 1993

Her former neighbor Dana Shepherd, 51, was arrested on Friday at his home in Missouri after DNA evidence linked him to the crime

Police had hundreds of leads to follow in the immediate aftermath of the murder that shocked the city in the early 1990s.

Her father went looking for his daughter in her Harcourt Road apartment on March 23 after a colleague of hers at Pizza Hut told him she had not turned up for work.

'There were obvious signs of a struggle, including a knocked over table, clothing thrown on the floor, a large pooling of blood near the victims head, and blood spatter around the victims body,' a probable cause affidavit stated.

A resident in the apartment directly below Van Huss told police he heard screams, cries, banging and the 'noises and voices of a male arguing that lasted approximately 30 minutes,' in the early hours of that morning.

DNA was recovered from the scene but did not match any when it was uploaded to CODIS, the nationwide law enforcement DNA database, in 2013.

In 2018, police submitted a sample to Parabon NanoLabs, which was developing DNA phenotyping and forensic genetic genealogy.

It eventually spotted a partial match with a distant relative of Shepherd's who had at some point voluntarily submitted DNA to a genetic database.

A check of the relative'a family members revealed that Shepherd had been a neighbor of Carmen's at the time of the murder and that their apartments shared a common area.

In February of this year, police knocked on the door of Shepherd's apartment in Columbia, Missouri and saw the suspect start trembling as they handed him a warrant to obtain and test his DNA against that found at the scene of the murder.

A positive match came back in June, and police returned to Shepherd's home with an arrest warrant last week.

Carmen's brother, Jimmy Van Huss Jr., said 'the man that did it is where he needs to be'

Jimmy Van Huss Jr., pictured with Carmen as children, said he fears the families of other victims are waiting too long for justice

Carmen was stabbed 61 times while being raped and murdered in her Indianapolis apartment

Deputy Chief Kendale Adams of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said he hoped the arrest would help bring 'some measure of peace' to Carmens family.

'For 31 years, the family of Carmen Van Huss has been searching for answers.

'We remain dedicated to bringing justice to all victims and will continue to pursue every lead, no matter how much time has passed.'

Carmen's brother said he fears the families of other victims are waiting too long for justice.

'We want all of them to get this treatment,' he said. 'And by that, I mean the DNA genealogy treatment.

'We would love a bill, a law, a procedure - something in Carmen's memory to get the attention other cases deserve.'

Shepherd appeared via video call on Wednesday in a Boone County courtroom, where a judge denied his application for bail and set September 26 as the date for an extradition hearing.

My sister was a beautiful, 19-year-old art student at IUPUI, Van Huss told FOX59. She was always happy and everyone loved her.

'We hope after all this time people understand just how violent my sister's murder was,' her brother told FOX59.

'She was raped and stabbed over 60 times and my dad had to see her like that, blood everywhere, blood on walls, his daughter was naked, laying there, he had to see that. That changed him forever.

'She had a lot of family, a lot of friends. She had cousins that loved her like sisters.

'She was taken from me when I was a freshman in high school. And I'm thankful that, finally, the man that did it is where he needs to be.'
Police have charged a 21-year-old man with murdering a 90-year-old veteran in a violent attack outside of his nursing home in an effort to steal his car.

Kyliel Arceneaux was arrested on Wednesday in Houston and is being held in custody on a $7million bond over the senseless death of beloved great-grandfather Nelson Beckett.

Beckett, a 90-year-old Navy veteran, was shot once and then run over in his own car, police allege.

Court documents seen by DailyMail.com reveal police allegedly have video surveillance of Arceneaux attempting to clean Beckett's car after stealing it.

Kyliel Arceneaux was arrested on Wednesday in Houston and is being held in custody on a $7million bond over the senseless death of beloved great-grandfather Nelson Beckett

Ninety-year-old veteran Nelson Beckett was shot and run over with his own car in a violent carjacking outside his retirement home

Arceneaux allegedly told police he targeted Beckett because he looked like he 'was not going to fight too much,' the Houston Chronicle reported.

He appeared in front of 487th District Court Judge Lori DeAngelo, who described him as an 'extreme danger.'

Chief prosecutor for Harris County District Attorney Chandler Raine urged the judge to impose the high bond.

'As you can imagine, in a case involving gun violence we want to keep the community safe, that's the purpose of us making these requests for high bond,' Raine said.

'In a case like this where we see such senseless gun violence, it's important for us make sure that the entirety of our community is safe from a defendant who is willing to commit acts such as this.'

'He loved big and loved his family so much,' Tami Freund said of her slain father Nelson Beckett (pictured)

Nelson Beckett was a Christian family man. His daughter, Tami Freund, said he had five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren with another on the way

Police allege Arceneaux struck Beckett with his weapon before shooting him.

He is then accused of taking Beckett's keys out of his pocket and taking his car.

The court documents name two good Samaritans, Keith Oldomi and Wayner Ramon, who attempted to intervene. Police allege Arceneaux turned his weapon on the duo.

Beckett's daughter, Tami Freund, said the 90-year-old had served in the Navy and had five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren with another on the way.

'He loved big and loved his family so much,' Freund told Fox News. 'To him, everyone had value, and he would do anything for anyone.'

Nelson Beckett's daughter said he served in the Navy (Pictured: Beckett when he was in the Navy)

Great-grandfather Nelson Beckett was killed close to the Lone Star Living complex in Houston, police said

Freund added that her father was a Christian and the kindest, funniest man she had ever met.

He loved meeting new people and often greeted them with jokes or by handing out his business card which read 'my card'.

Freund said he spent much of his retirement helping others, including by driving people without cars to doctor's appointments and Sunday church service.

He even offered his home as a halfway house, taking lodgers to panhandle and driving them to church where he even baptized some of them.
The FBI has raided the homes of two of New York City Mayor Eric Adams' top aides.

Agents stormed the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks at 5am on Wednesday, The City reports.

The raids unfolded in tandem at Wright's Hamilton Heights townhouse in upper Manhattan and Banks' Hollis, Queens property.

The reason for the raids remains under wraps, but both officials reportedly had their electronic devices seized.

It comes after the FBI took Mayor Adams' cell phone and laptop and raided the home of his campaign treasurer, Brianna Suggs, last November amid an investigation into his 2021 campaign.

The FBI has raided the homes of two of New York City Mayor Eric Adams ' top aides, Phil Banks (left) and Sheena Wright (right)

Wright is the most senior aide to Adams to have her home raided. The exact reason for the search has not been made public but is thought to be linked to a probe around Adams' 2021 campaign

The searches were part of a probe by the Manhattan US attorney into whether Adams' campaign had conspired to obtain illegal foreign donations via a kickback scheme involving the Turkish government.

Sources told the New York Post the latest searches are designed to try a 'flip' someone close the mayor. Adams has continuously denied any wrongdoing and has not been accused of anything.

In February, the two Bronx homes of top Adams confidante Winnie Greco were also raided as part of a probe by the Brooklyn US attorney.

Greco, 61, is being probed by the city's Department of Investigation over claims she improperly used her position in City Hall to get perks.

She is currently on leave from her role at the mayor's office as Director of Asian Affairs.

In July, Adams and his campaign, along with City Hall, were issued grand jury subpoenas.

The subpoenas requested information about the mayors schedule, his overseas travel and potential connections to the Turkish government, according to a person with knowledge of the subpoenas.

Wright was the former boss of United Way of New York City and was among Adams' first appointments when he took office.

The raids unfolded in tandem at Wright's Hamilton Heights townhouse and Banks' (pictured at a public safety event last month) Hollis property

She has now become the most senior Adams aide to have her home searched.

Wright is engaged to schools chancellor David Banks, who is Phil Banks' brother.

Banks is a former police officer who is close to the mayor. He was previously named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a police bribery scandal.

DailyMail.com has contacted the FBI and Adams' office for comment.
Iran-backed entities plotted to target and potentially assassinate American politicians, newly revealed FBI documents uncovered.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) discovered that these plotters discussed targeting Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and former presidential candidate Nikki Haley as well as other American 'politicians, military people or bureaucrats.'

The plans were an attempt to retaliate against the U.S. for Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani's death.

The latest revelations come amid an investigation into the attempted assassination of Trump in July, which some Republicans have claimed could be linked to foreign entities like Iran or Pakistan.

Some claim that the gunman who shot Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on July 13 was not acting along and have pointed to the alleged assassination plots by Iran

'Bad actors are determined to wreak havoc on our country, and American political leaders across both parties are sitting squarely in the crosshairs,' Grassley wrote in a statement on the unclassified FBI records he obtained.

'In this extraordinarily heightened threat environment, federal agencies ought to be laser focused on building up public trust and reassuring the American people of their efforts to carry out their protective missions,' the Iowa Senator said.

'I won't stop pressing for answers until Congress and the American people are afforded the transparency they deserve.'

Thomas Matthew Crooks was the gunman that shot at Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.

While he grazed the former president's ear, his plot to kill Trump was unsuccessful. But he did kill one and injure two other rally goers that day before he was shot and killed by Trump's security detail.

Some claim that the 20-year-old was part of a bigger plot despite law enforcement claiming shortly after the attack that he acted alone.

The latest revelations came from an FBI proffer agreement with Asif Merchant, a Pakistani native with Iranian ties, that was released by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Thursday

The plot is an apparent effort of retaliation for Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani's death

Rep. Mike Waltz, who is on the House task force investigating the attack, told DailyMail.com that he isn't convinced Crooks was a lone wolf.

The latest revelations of an Iranian-backed plot on Trump and other U.S. politicians' lives is bolstering the doubt over claims Crooks did not have foreign ties.

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani native with Iranian ties, provided the latest evidence of the scheme in FBI proffer agreement, which has not been released by Grassley.

The Justice Department has charged Merchant for his involvement in the revenge plot.

Just four months before the attempt on Trump's life this summer, the FBI posted a notice requesting information on an alleged Iranian spy the agency believed to be involved in assassination plots.

Majid Farahani, 42, was accused by the FBI of plotting revenge killings after Soleimani was killed in a Trump administration-led attack on January 3, 2020.

The FBI released a notice in March for an alleged Iranian spy they say is behind the plot to assassinate current and former government officials in retribution for the death of Soleimani

Ever since the attack that took out the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, Iran has vowed revenge.

The FBI claims Farahani was acting in a plot on Trump's life on behalf of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence.

Due to worries about a plato, Secret Service detail around Trump was actually ramped up before the Butler rally  but the heightened security did not prevent the shooter from his attempt on the former president's life.
Donald Trump unveiled a radical new plan to use cash from tariffs to fuel a sovereign wealth fund to invest in roads, airports and defense technology on Thursday.

It is the sort of 'build the wall' idea beloved by the former president as he searches for a populist proposal that can excite voters.

Wealth funds are generally set up by governments awash with spare cash generated by oil or gas finds. And Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have some of the most powerful examples.

But the idea will face the immediate skepticism of economists amid questions about whether Americans would trust politicians to invest billions of dollars on their behalf and whether it is even constitutionally possible.

'Why don't we have a wealth fund?' Trump asked his audience at the Economic Club of New York. 'Other countries have wealth funds.

Donald Trump unveiled a radical new plan to use cash from tariffs to fuel a sovereign wealth fund to invest in roads, airports and defense technology

'We have nothing. We have nothing.

'We're going to have a sovereign wealth fund.'

The U.S. has run deficits for years, which means the debt has continued to grow and there is no spare cash to put into a wealth fund.

The idea of government running investments also runs counter to the market-driven approach, which prefers using private markets than a federal-controlled investment vehicle.

Trump laid down a radical marker on Thursday, upending that orthodoxy and tying the idea to another of his policies, imposing 10 percent tariffs on imports and higher penalties on goods from China.

'We'll put tremendous amounts of money ... that will be taken in through tariffs and other intelligent things, and we'll have the greatest sovereign wealth fund of them all,' he said, 'that will be used to do things that will be great for our country, including to invest and wisely invest and build it up bigger and stronger and better than any place on Earth.'

The fund, he added, will be used on everything from transport to defense.

'We will build extraordinary national development projects and everything from highways to airports and to transportation, infrastructure ..all of the future,' he said.

'We'll be able to invest in state of the art, manufacturing hubs, advanced defense capabilities, cutting edge medical research and help save billions of dollars in preventing disease in the first place.'

Most wealth funds invest cash windfalls from oil, gas or minerals. But Trump plans to use revenue from new tariffs on imports

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Senior chairman of Sullivan & Cromwell H. Rodgin Cohen at the Economic Club of New York

Your browser does not support iframes.

And he said it would generate a 'gigantic profit' that would help pay down the national debt.

The U.S. does already have a number wealth funds, run by states. The biggest is the Alaska Permanent Fund, which uses income from oil and mineral resources.

But Trump's big idea got short shrift from economists, with critics warning of the chance of corruption.

'"Sovereign wealth fund" sounds cool but here's how it'll go,' posted Brendan Duke, a senior director for economic policy at American Progress, and Biden White House alumnus. 'Trump charges Americans what is effectively a national sales tax.

'He'll hand the money over to a crony like [billionaire businessman] Jeffrey Yass to manage.

'Who'll invest the money in Trump properties and bailing out Elon for Twitter.'

Trump also used the speech to promise he would slash tax rates for companies that manufacture domestically and set up 'low-tax' zones on federal lands where construction companies would be encouraged to build homes.

And he announced plans for a government efficiency commission headed by billionaire supporter Elon Musk if he wins in November.
A highly-decorated Major General who was a pallbearer at Prince Philips funeral has been kicked out of the army for trying to kiss a female colleague at a drunken karaoke night.

James Roddis, a married father-of-three, was tipped as the future head of the British Army before he inappropriately played with the hair of the female RAF officer then gave her a completely uninvited kiss on the lips.

The 53-year-old, from Aberdour, Fife, was formally dismissed from the armed forces by a court martial board yesterday after admitting disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind during a deployment to Japan.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours unpaid work and pay his victim 2,500 compensation.

James Roddis inappropriately played with the hair of the female RAF officer before giving her an 'uninvited' kiss

Judge Advocate General Alan Large told him: The kiss and touching of the victim was clearly an indecent act and your conduct was persistent, to a degree.

This was an escalating course of indecent conduct and when you grabbed her face and kissed her you intended to do just that.

The hearing in Bulford, Wiltshire, marked the official end of Roddiss glittering 29-year army career.

Roddis had received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), the UKs highest award for leadership in combat, two Queens commendations and a Mention in Dispatches after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2014, he was commanding officer of The Highlanders - troops from the 4th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland - who were then the last Scottish battalion to serve in a combat role in Afghanistan.

But his career ended in disgrace when he became only the second officer of his rank to face a court martial since 1815.

Yesterdays hearing was told that Roddis and his victim were part of a six-strong group who went out when they were off duty on the last night of the trip to Japan.

They went to a BBQ restaurant and participated in a two-hour Japanese tradition known as Nomihodai, which means all you can drink, before continuing the revelry at a karaoke bar.

Videos from the night showed the service personnel drinking from a champagne tower and Roddis singing a drunken duet of The Killers hit Mr Brightside with a colleague.

Prosecutor Graham Coombes said a substantial quantity of alcohol was consumed.

He said: By the time the group headed to the karaoke bar, the complainant accepted that she was drunk and it became apparent that the accused was drunk.

Roddis turned his attention to his victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - while they sat in a booth at the bar and he began tugging at her ponytail.

The female RAF officer said she became very aware of the rank difference and tried to tell the ex-Maj Gen to stop.

Roddis, who was a pallbearer at Prince Philips funeral, had been tipped as the future head of the British Army

Part of the incident was caught on film, and Mr Coombes said: He begins to touch and inappropriately touch and play with her hair and touch her ponytail before putting his arm around her.

She turns to the accused and asks him to stop. She turns towards him and raises her finger appealing to him to stop. She says she didnt know what else to do to stop him touching her hair.

The accused continues to touch her and pulls the bobble out causing her hair to roll down and he says to her that her hair looks better down.

You can see her raise her eyes and indicate her displeasure.

Roddis then grasped her chin and kissed her, which was not filmed but which Mr Coombes said was completely uninvited and without warning.

He added: Shortly afterwards, as a result of what the accused had done, she left the bar with another member of the group.

She says she felt really angry and was upset about what had happened.

The court martial heard she texted her husband saying: Just because youre a two-star general, it doesnt mean you get to touch me.

On the flight home the next day, the female officer told Roddis that there was some things that you did last night that I deem unacceptable.

He told her: I need to resign.

Summarising the aggravating factors of the case, the prosecutor said: The victim was carrying out her duties.

She attended the social event as part of her duties and was expected to attend the final night.

The defendant was in a position of responsibility and trust. The offences took place in public.

Roddis had originally been accused of sexual assault following the incident in April but admitted a lesser charge at a hearing in July.

He was required to resign from the army in May.

The court martial heard it was the second similar incident involving Roddiss conduct for which he received a punishment of loss of seniority.

Two female civil servants had lodged complaints about his conduct following an incident, again overseas, in 2023 where he had asked questions of a sexual nature and touched one of the females that made her feel uncomfortable.

In a victim impact statement, the complainant said she did the right thing in reporting Roddis.

My main concern is how powerless I was that night. It has left me feeling vulnerable, she added.

Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said Roddis had recently been diagnosed with alcohol dependency.

He has been through a formal disciplinary process and his commission has been revoked, she said.

He is not allowed to refer to himself as having been a major general in the Army.

This conduct taking place over a few minutes has resulted in the loss of a career that he spent 30 years building - a distinguished career in which he has received a number of citations.

You will appreciate that he has lost not only his career but the future potential prospects of that career.

When one appreciates, as James Roddis does, that one only has ones self to blame, it is a bitter pill to swallow.
A society fixer embroiled in a Royal 'cash for honours' scandal has been disqualified by the charity watchdog following an investigation into donations to the King's Foundation.

Michael Wynne-Parker has been deemed unfit to serve as a charity trustee and disqualified from holding a senior position or trustee role in any charity for 12 years.

It comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed that the 78-year-old had told wealthy donors he could secure dinner with King Charles and an overnight stay at Dumfries House in return for six-figure sums.

Mr Wynne-Parker was an advisor to Saudi billionaire Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz and a trustee of his charity the Mahfouz Foundation, which has been under investigation since 2021.

The Charity Commission found that almost 200,000 in donations meant for the King's Foundation were transferred to Mr Wynne-Parker's private company's bank account.

Michael Wynne-Parker has been deemed unfit to serve as a charity trustee and disqualified from holding a senior position or trustee role in any charity for 12 years following an investigation into the King's Foundation

The Metropolitan Police also launched an investigation in 2022 following claims that the King's right-hand man Michael Fawcett (Pictured with King Charles III and Queen Camilla) had fixed an honour for Dr Bin Mahfouz

Last night the King's Foundation, set up by King Charles in 1986, said it had received the findings from the Charity Commission report.

The Scottish charity watchdog said its investigation into the King's Foundation, which is registered there, remains ongoing.

The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation in 2022 following claims that the King's right-hand man had fixed an honour for Dr Bin Mahfouz.

Dr Mahfouz had previously denied any wrongdoing in 2021.

Michael Fawcett was accused of helping to secure the Saudi tycoon a CBE that was handed over by Charles in a private ceremony in 2016.

Mr Fawcett resigned as chief executive of the-then Prince's Foundation in the wake of the allegations in 2021.

It was then announced two years later in 2023 that detectives would be taking no further action.

The charity watchdog began looking into concerns about the Mahfouz Foundation in 2021, including whether a series of payments received from donors were used as intended.

Its investigation followed allegations that donations from Russian banker Dmitry Leus, intended for the King's Foundation, were instead paid to the Mahfouz Foundation with some of these funds then transferred elsewhere.

The probe found the Mahfouz Foundation's bank had been 'primarily used as a conduit' to transfer funds on behalf of third parties, including deposits that donors thought were going directly to the King's Foundation.

A total of 193,730 of the donations intended for the King's Foundation were identified as having been transferred Introcom International Limited, of which Mr is the sole director.

Some 106,270 has been returned to the donor and the commission's inquiry has recovered 49,581 'to make good losses the charity had incurred as a result of misapplied funds'.

A 100,000 donation from Mr Leus was transferred to the King's Foundation in May 2020, but Charles' charity later decided to return it in September 2020 and not to accept any further funds from the Russian businessman.

The King's Foundation's then chief executive, Mr Fawcett, alongside Dr Bin Mahfouz's employee William Bortrick arranged for a 200,000 donation from Mr Leus to be transferred to another charity - Children and the Arts.- of which Charles as the Prince of Wales, Children and the Arts was patron.

The inquiry found that this 'constituted a misapplication of 200,000 of charitable funds which were restricted for use by The King's Foundation'.

Michael Fawcett was accused of helping to secure the Saudi tycoon a CBE that was handed over by Charles in a private ceremony in 2016 - detectives took no further action two years later

The Charity Commission found that almost 200,000 in donations meant for the King's Foundation were transferred to Mr Wynne-Parker's (Pictured right) private company's bank account

Mr Fawcett told the inquiry it was his understanding Mr Bortrick, the editor of aristocratic bible Burke's Peerage, was in communication with Mr Leus about the arrangements.

The commission said it had advised Mr Leus to go to the police if he considers himself to have been a victim of a crime, adding that the watchdog's remit does not extend to investigating criminal matters.

The Mahfouz Foundation was removed from the charity register in October 2023.

The commission has also disqualified Mr Bortrick and Mark Ayre, both former trustees of Burke's Peerage Foundation, which had links with the Mahfouz Foundation.

The Burke's Peerage Foundation was removed from the charity register in August 2023 and the commission said it had recovered 113,000 of misapplied charitable funds from the trustees.

A King's Foundation spokesman said: 'The findings of the report have been noted.'

An Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator spokesman said: 'OSCR's active inquiry into this charity is ongoing.'
Detectives have submitted the findings of their probe into Nicola Sturgeon and the SNPs finances to prosecutors.

The police have made a formal request to the Crown Office asking what action to take next.

The development in the long-running Operation Branchform case was revealed last night.

The Police Scotland report is understood to focus on the former first minister and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, both of whom are sitting MSPs.

They were arrested and released without charge by officers looking into SNP fundraising last year, as was Ms Sturgeons husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.

Police have submitted the findings of their probe into Nicola Sturgeon and the SNPs finances to the Crown Office

Mr Murrell, 59, was rearrested and charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the SNP in April this year.

A month later, the police sent a standard prosecution report to prosecutors concerning incidents said to have occurred between 2016 and 2023.

Meanwhile, their investigations into Ms Sturgeon, 54, and Mr Beattie, 72, continued.

It has now emerged detectives working on the case recently sent details of what they had found in an advice and guidance report to the Crown.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: On August 9, we presented the findings of the investigation so far to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and we await their direction on what further action should be taken.

Senior Crown lawyers are understood to be considering whether there is enough evidence to prosecute Mr Murrell and whether it would be in the public interest to do so.

Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell was charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the SNP earlier this year

After her arrest in June last year, Ms Sturgeon protested her innocence to the media. I am absolutely certain that I have done nothing wrong, she said.

Both she and Mr Beattie said they would cooperate fully with the investigation.

The latest Police Scotland update to prosecutors comes as the force faces questions about the length of Operation Branchform, which recently entered its fourth year.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell last month refused to say how much longer the investigation would last, telling Sky News: That inquiry is ongoing.

Asked if Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were under investigation, she added: Still ongoing.

Operation Branchform was launched in July 2021 after the police received complaints alleging SNP funds raised for a second independence referendum had been spent on other things.

It followed the party raising more than 600,000 for a ringfenced referendum campaign which never happened, but its accounts showed less than that in reserves.

The issue has dogged the SNP ever since.

It dominated the start of Humza Yousafs time as First Minister, with Mr Beatties arrest overshadowing his first major speech to Holyrood as party leader.

SNP activists also reported the issue coming up on the doorstep during the general election.

Senior party figures later said the SNPs hammering at the polls, when it slumped from 48 seats to just nine, was in part due to a loss of trust among voters.

When John Swinney held a closed-door post-mortem into the election result at the SNPs conference last week, the first question from the floor was about Operation Branchform.

Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also admitted the SNP suffered self-inflicted wounds.

The Crown Office declined to add to a May 23 statement issued after Police Scotland submitted its prosecution report about Mr Murrell.

It said Crown prosecutors and independent counsel would review the report and evaluate numerous witness statements and extensive evidence collected by police.

The Crown said decisions on next steps will not involve Scotlands top prosecutor, the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, as she is also the Scottish Governments senior legal adviser.

This is to help ensure the process operates independently of political influence.
A mass grave containing 303 bodies including hundreds of children and babies has been found in a cemetery in Oldham.

The unmarked resting place was discovered in Royton Cemetery and contains the remains of 145 stillborn infants, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults.

A woman from the local area made the horrifying discovery whilst searching for the grave of her twin brothers who died shortly after they were born in 1962.

The woman's parents were sadly never able to say goodbye to their sons before they were taken away from them.

Shockingly, the 12ft by 12ft plot might not be the only mass grave in the cemetery. With local councillors who helped the unnamed woman make the discovery claiming there could be more in different sections of the cemetery.

The unmarked resting place was discovered in Royton Cemetery (pictured) and contains the remains of 145 stillborn infants, 128 babies and young children and 29 adults

Shockingly, the 12ft by 12ft plot might not be the only mass grave in the cemetery. With local councillors who helped the unnamed woman make the discovery claiming there could be more in different sections of the cemetery

It was common practise before the 1980s for stillborn babies use to be taken away from parents without any further detail of where they were buried.

Bereaved parents were instead told by medical staff that their child was buried alongside a 'nice person' that same day. However, babies were often instead interred in mass graves.

Over the past 20 years, the mass graves of babies have been found across the UK.

The adults discovered in the grave are likely to be 'pauper's burials' for people whose families could not pay for a proper burial.

Local councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes released a statement regarding the 'heartbreaking' discovery.

The statement said: 'It's a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy.

'We cannot change what has happened, but we can ensure that the babies born sleeping are named, recognised, and never forgotten.'

The Oldham Times, reported that a council meeting on Wednesday September 11 will discuss plans to erect a memorial to the buried children. Records and documents will also be digitalised for families to easily access them.

Royton Cemetery. Local councillors Maggie Hurley and Jade Hughes said: 'It's a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy'

In a statement Arooj Shah, the leader of Oldham Council, told MailOnline: 'We understand this news will be upsetting for a lot of people and our thoughts are with them.

'As a matter of urgency we will consider the suggestion being made and what may be appropriate to recognise those buried in Royton by providing a suitable memorial.

'Our staff are here to support any families who think they may be affected.

'This is not a newly discovered grave.

'Sadly, the burying of people, including babies and children, in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all around the country years ago.

'Thankfully, things have changed and improved over the years. The Government now pay for the funerals of stillborn babies and anyone up to the age of 18 if necessary. Public graves are no longer used.

'Today, when a request is made for burial in a public grave, the arrangements are usually made by the relevant hospital via a funeral director. Often the hospital chaplaincy organises the burial or cremation of the individual.

'The council cemeteries staff also works with the funeral director and carry out the expressed wishes. The hospital and ourselves keep records of the burial, which can be located by families whenever they want.

'Alternatively, the family can make their own arrangements for burial in an individual grave plot via a funeral director and would install their own memorial.'
Trump says unsure how to react to Putin endorsing Kamala Harris

Washington, Sept 5 (UNI) Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said he doesn't know how to feel about Russian President Vladimir Putin's endorsement of Kamala Harris, questioning whether he should feel insulted or grateful.

"He [Putin] endorsed Kamala, and I didn't know if I was supposed to call him up and say 'Thank you very much,' but he endorsed Kamala... I don't know exactly what to say about that. I don't know if I'm insulted or he did me a favor," Trump said during an event at the Economic Club of New York.

However, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said that Putin should refrain from discussing the US presidential elections.
TIME Magazine has sparked outrage after snubbing Elon Musk from its' Most Influential People in AI' list - while featuring Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson on the cover.

The second annual 'TIME 100 AI' list, meant to showcase the brightest minds in artificial intelligence, was slammed for what many see as a bold oversight on Thursday,

Musk, the driving force behind Tesla's self-driving technology, CEO of SpaceX, and owner of X was conspicuously absent from the lineup this year - despite playing a key role in the founding of The Boring Company, xAI, Neuralink, and OpenAI - the maker of ChatGPT.

The magazine instead chose to feature 'Black Widow' star Scarlett Johansson among the 18 cover personalities.

TIME Magazine has sparked outrage after snubbing Elon Musk from its' Most Influential People in AI' list - while featuring Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson on the cover

Musk, the driving force behind Tesla 's self-driving technology, data collection efforts, and the humanoid robot Optimus, was conspicuously absent from the lineup this year

The actress was famously thrown to the center of the AI conversation after she was approached by OpenAI with a request to use her voice for their new chatbot.

Despite Johansson declining their offer, they moved ahead with a chatbot using a voice she says was so similar to her own that her own family could not tell the difference.

The star went on to use her platform to lobby against deepfakes, and OpenAI removed the offending voice from their chatbot without admitting it was inspired by Johansson.

Some of other names on the list include: Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta.

Peter Yang, a project manager at Roblox, slammed the magazine's cover on X (formerly Twitter).

'It's hilarious that Scarlett Johansson is pictured here, but there's no: Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Ilya Sutskever, Andrej Karpathy or even...Mark Zuckerberg,' he wrote in the post which has gained nearly 200k views.

Other names were omitted from the list altogether.

Among them was Devo Harris, founder of Adventr, whose patented AI technology allows users to speak directly to videos and receive real-time responses - a platform that Disney uses to create interactive video, with the startup being named as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2024.

Many users agreed with Yang's take on the snubs, with one commenting: 'This is a great representation of the total collapse of corporate media.'

Another added, 'I'm pretty sure I can name 100 people more influential to our AI future than most of the folks on this cover,' a third user wrote.

Others had their own takes on Time's picks, with one user stating: 'I think the goal was to make the cover go viral by making people wonder why certain people were on the cover. It worked.'

The magazine instead chose to feature 'Black Widow' star Scarlett Johansson among the 18 cover personalities

Some of other names on the list include: Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft , and Mark Zuckerberg , CEO of Meta

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the Microsoft Build conference at the Seattle Convention Center Summit Building in Seattle

TIME emphasized the list's diversity on their website, explaining that It features 91 new entries compared to last year, spanning various companies, regions, and perspectives.

They specifically mentioned the range of ages from 15-year-old deepfake protection advocate Francesca Mani to 77-year-old Chinese computer scientist Andrew Yao.

The magazine stated: 'Our purpose in creating the TIME100 AI is to put leaders like Pichai and Whittaker in dialogue and to open up their views to TIME's readers. That is why we are excited to share with you the second edition of the TIME100 AI.

'We built this program in the spirit of the TIME100, the world's most influential community. TIME's knowledgeable editors and correspondents, led by Emma Barker and Ayesha Javed, interviewed their sources and consulted members of last year's list to find the best new additions to our community of AI leaders.'

The magazine clarified that ninety-one of the members of the 2024 list were not on last year's, claiming it's 'an indication of just how quickly this field is changing.'

In June, Musk forecasted a '10 to 20 per cent probability' of a scenario in which AI annihilates humanity.

Speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Musk told audiences that even AI's most positive outcomes would lead to an 'existential crisis' for humanity.

Marc Benioff, the chair and CEO of Salesforce and the owner of TIME pictured (left) with Elon Musk (right)

Last year's TIME100 Most Influential People in AI cover

Musk has been a long-standing critic of AI, often saying that unchecked development could lead to the destruction of humanity.

Today Musk once again reiterated that point, saying: 'I tend to agree with Geoff Hinton  one of the godfathers of AI  and he thinks theres a 10-20% probability of something terrible happening.'

Last year, Musk was one of 1,000 signatories calling for a pause on AI development.

The billionaire has even warned that AI could be 'one of the biggest threats to humanity'.

However, just as the Tesla CEO has before, Musk also argued that the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
If you ask me, body language is a right lot of old hooey. Its one of those scams only the gullible fall for, like astrology, pyramid schemes, or Keir Starmer. Watching John Swinney at First Ministers Questions was the closest Ive come to changing my mind. For the wiry frame perched at the head of the SNP benches appeared to be shouldering all of the partys problems at once. His body was giving off language, all right, but none of it printable in a family newspaper.

Swinney cut a small, solemn figure at the first FMQs since summer. He had the look of a man who knows hes beat but keeps climbing back into the ring and taking another pasting. What else can he do? His government is out of favour, out of money, out of ideas and, increasingly, out of time.

Politics is an unsentimental craft so he got no slack from his rivals. Douglas Ross cornered him on child poverty and got him to admit the SNP had abandoned its free school meals promise. There was something pitiful about the usually bombastic Swinney conceding at the volume of a field mouse that older kids would need to be receiving certain benefits to qualify.

Ross twisted the dagger by asking if he was proud that his legacy will be Scotlands poorest children falling further behind. Had Anas Sarwar prosecuted this line of questioning, it would not have been nearly as impactful. It was the very fact that Ross, not someone who has shown particular interest in poverty, was button-holing him on the issue. It underscored just how rapidly the reins of power are getting away from him.

John Swinney looked crestfallen as he faced a series of tough questions during First Minister's Questions

Sarwar eyed up the First Ministers wounds and poured out an extra large measure of salt. He began by congratulating Starmer on his victory and Labours return to government. The SNP leader, visibly eager to get through the remaining half-hour with minimal damage, pivoted to Starmers first phone call to Bute House as Prime Minister. Starmer had, he claimed, pledged to create a better relationship between Whitehall and Holyrood. I knew he was a wrongun.

Sarwar returned to his strongest subject: the NHS. He conveyed the stories of patients dumped on waiting lists for obscene lengths of time, which prompted a pained expression of regret from the FM.

Sarwars tone soured instantly. Week after week the First Minister says sorry but those sorrys dont cut waiting lists. Ministers were now so accustomed to apologising for poor NHS treatment that he feared they had become desensitised to this crisis.

The ignominy didnt end there. For the second time in as many days, the truly scarring attack on Swinney came not from Labour or the Tories but from the Scottish Greens Lorna Slater. She has shaken off the debacles of her time in ministerial office and reinvented herself as the voice of progressives let down by Swinneys more centrist SNP.

Reminding Swinney that it was her party that had pushed for universal free school meals, Slater scowled: As soon as the Greens are out of the room, the Scottish Government drops the policy. How, she demanded, could we take seriously his commitment to tackling chid poverty?

Swinney wearily informed her that the government was facing acute financial challenges but she brushed this aside to rhyme off all the other Green-era measures on the chopping block. Years of work was being undone, slashed, watered down or shelved. The audience for these lines was not in the chamber and Slater soon made clear to whom she was speaking: The message of this weeks programme for government is that, if people want progressive green policies, they need to vote to have Greens in the room.

Slater is trying to woo disillusioned radicals by pummelling the SNP from the far-left. Shes becoming the Hammer-and-sickle of the Nats. Swinney looks resigned to 18 months of this before leading his party to the inevitable. The First Ministers body language? Hes the human form of a sigh.
Hunter Biden on Thursday pleaded guilty to nine tax evasion charges, including three felonies, after finally agreeing to admit to the crimes during extraordinary drama at his federal trial in Los Angeles.

The president's son will learn his fate on December 16 when he is sentenced on three felony and six misdemeanor charges. He faces up to 17 years in prison and $1.35 million in fines.

Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt, his attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement outside the courthouse after the hearing was over.

The tax cheat First Son's lawyers had initially attempted to sidestep the admission by entering an 'Alford plea', a gambit which would have allowed Hunter, 54, to plead guilty while still maintaining his innocence.

But after a fiery exchange between prosecutors and the defense, Hunter's attorneys abandoned their technical arguments and instead agreed to have him make a standard guilty plea.

The charges he admitted include lying on his tax returns and deliberately not paying $1.4 million to the IRS between 2016 and 2019.

Lowell claimed the government was trying to 'exact more than a pound of flesh but also a drop of blood'.

The First Son is seen in a court sketch entering a federal courtroom for jury selection for his trial

Flanked by Secret Service agents, Hunter Biden arrives at court with wife Melissa Cohen at his side for his tax evasion trial in Los Angeles Thursday

Prosecutor Leo Wise said the suggestion was 'offensive', saying 'the truth matters', as he asked that it be made clear Hunter was agreeing he did commit all the crimes he is charged with.

After dropping the 'Alford plea' attempt, Judge Mark Scarsi had Wise read out the indictment to put all of the allegations against Hunter on the record.

The more than 50 page document includes details of Hunter's shady overseas deals with Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu who has been convicted of bribery, and with Chinese oil giant CEFC, which has been linked to a Chinese government influence operation.

It also described how Hunter paid prostitutes and drug dealers, and spent thousands on a lavish lifestyle, rather than paying his taxes.

He also lied in order to deduct some of those illicit expenses as business costs on his tax returns, which is a felony.

The judge asked Hunter whether he understood the charges, and whether he was aware of the consequences of pleading guilty. Hunter said he did.

Among the standard questions Hunter was asked by the judge: 'Did anybody make any promises to you to get you to plead guilty?'

Hunter replied: 'No'.

The answer would appear to mean Hunter is denying that his father President Joe Biden has promised to pardon him. Biden will still have seven weeks in the White House after his son is sentenced.

Wise was keen to make sure that by pleading guilty, Hunter agreed he was guilty of each of the elements in the indictment, without wiggle room.

In a stunning reversal ahead of jury selection, Hunter's attorneys revealed he will now be pleading guilty to some of the charges

Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell, arrives at the First Street US Courthouse in LA Thursday, informed the judge of the shock plea reversal as jury selection was set to begin

Law enforcement officers and reporters gathered outside the US Courthouse as Hunter arrived at the LA courthouse

Judge Scarsi said that after conviction, the probation and pretrial services group would meet with the defense and put together a sentencing report with a recommendation of what punishment Hunter should receive for his crimes.

Scarsi added that the report would only be 'advisory', and that 'the court can sentence you anywhere up to the maximum penalty' of up to 17 years and a fine of up to $1.35million.

When agreeing to have Hunter enter a standard guilty plea, Lowell said that Hunter didn't want to cause any more difficulty for his family.

'Your honor has basically indicated that there's a need to address the public interest,' Lowell told Scarsi.

'But Mr. Biden also has to address the private interest.

'This has been a difficult time for him and his family,' he added. 'Enough is enough.'

The case against the first sitting president's child to face felony charges was thrown off course from the get-go when the defense revealed he would be changing his plea to guilty in a stunning last-minute reversal in court Thursday morning.

Attorney Abbe Lowell announced the move in front of the judge, while 120 potential jurors waited in an adjoining room to be selected for the criminal trial.

The shocking U-turn was an apparent Hail Mary strategy by the defense to try to stop damaging and embarrassing evidence being presented to the jury.

Lowell cited legal cases and precedents suggesting that by pleading guilty, the judge would have to decide on the facts of the case rather than a jury, and the judge could only use material that has already been filed in the case.

He told Judge Scarsi that Hunter would be taking an 'Alford plea'  meaning he would accept a guilty verdict in a bid to get a lighter sentence  while maintaining his innocence.

The case marks the second high-profile criminal trial this year for Hunter, who faces multiple charges on evading $1.4million in taxes

The president's son had switched lead counsels ahead of his trial, retaining prominent LA celebrity attorney Mark Geragos in July. He is seen arriving in federal court on Thursday morning

Criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos represented singer Chris Brown when he was charged with assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. More recently he has been taken on by Jasveen Sangha, the so-called 'Ketamine Queen' who is facing charges in connection to the death of Matthew Perry

But the prosecutors said they were dead against Hunter entering a guilty plea while still maintaining his innocence.

'I want to make something crystal clear: the United States opposes an Alford plea,' DoJ attorney Leo Wise told Judge Scarsi.

'Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty. He is not allowed special terms.'

Wise said allowing Hunter to plead guilty while maintaining his innocence would be 'an injustice' and 'contrary to the rule of law'.

Lowell argued that under court rules, the judge has no choice but to accept Hunter's guilty plea  even though he is maintaining his innocence at the same time.

But Scarsi disagreed, telling Hunter's lawyer: 'I don't agree that the court must accept an Alford plea'.

The judge did suggest that prosecutors could file a 'proffer', which lists all the facts they would have proven at trial, then Hunter could plead guilty, without going into detail about which facts he agreed were true or not.

Lowell told the judge that all Hunter would be doing, by pleading guilty, is agreeing the prosecution has enough evidence to convince a jury of his guilt beyond reasonable doubt at trial  without agreeing to all the facts the government claims.

But Wise was unhappy with Lowell's attempt to allow Hunter to maintain his innocence.

'I don't know how he could maintain he was innocent and at the same time admit the facts in the indictment are true,' the DoJ lawyer said.

'I don't know how the defendant could say the facts about his state of mind are true and yet say he is innocent.'

He was flanked by supportive wife Melissa Cohen, who was also seen at her husband's side throughout his gun trial earlier this year

The president's scandal-hit son is set to stand his second criminal trial this year  the culmination of his legal trouble that saw the sordid details of his life thrust into the spotlight

Judge Scarsi said he needed to weigh up 'public interest factors' in not having a public trial,' including the need to 'seek truth in transparent proceedings' and not 'obfuscate the truth' by cutting straight to a guilty plea.

But he added that this issue could be 'mollified' by the government filing a detailed brief laying out all their evidence against the First Son.

Lowell argued that an Alford Plea, where Hunter still maintains his innocence, was normal.

'All over the US people do this,' he said, adding that his client is merely asking to have the 'same rights as everybody'.

But Wise disagreed. 'It is not the case that Alford pleas go on all around the country,' he said. 'Alford pleas are rare, they occur under exceptional circumstances.'

Lowell tried to play down the difference between a normal guilty plea and an Alford plea.

'You will tell Mr. Biden his plea is a plea of guilty, and that is what the headlines will say,' Lowell told Judge Scarsi. 'And the government will say if they went to trial this is what they will prove beyond reasonable doubt.

But he added that Hunter does not have to agree to all the facts the government allege, while still pleading guilty.

The court took a half hour break to allow Lowell to confer with Hunter and it was after that break that the defense decided to roll over and agree to a straight guilty plea on all counts.

After the hearing, Lowell told reporters: This plea prevents the kind of show trial that would not have provided all the facts or served any real point in justice.

The attorney called the case extreme and unusual, and claimed Hunter was just like other Americans filing late taxes  failing to mention the fraud he had just admitted.

Lowell said the failure to pay occurred during the depths of his addiction, and said he has now rectified his debt to the IRS.

He did not mention that this was through payments by his Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris.

Hunter actually overpaid his taxes the year he was charged with tax evasion Lowell said.

The attorney cast Hunters guilty plea as a brave and loving act for his family.

He refused to answer whether the president had offered Hunter a pardon.
Lucy Letby has replaced her legal team, her new barrister told the BBC tonight.

The former neo-natal nurse is currently serving a whole life sentence, with no prospect of parole, after being convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital, following two separate trials.

She has also made two applications to appeal which have been refused. Her barrister throughout the trials and appeals was Ben Myers KC.

But Mark McDonald, a specialist barrister in appeals and miscarriages of justice, told the BBC's File on 4 that he was now representing the serial killer.

He said he plans to take her case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), to apply for it to be sent back to the Court of Appeal.

For that to happen, Mr McDonald will need to secure fresh evidence and persuade the CCRC that such evidence undermines the safety of her convictions.

Lucy Letby has replaced her legal team, her new barrister told the BBC tonight - she is pictured here when she worked as a nurse at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital

The former neo-natal nurse is currently serving a whole life sentence, with no prospect of parole, after being convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital

'I knew almost from the start, following this trial, that there is a strong case that she is innocent,' he said.

'The fact is juries get it wrong. And yes, so do the Court of Appeal, history teaches us that.'

Mr McDonald has previously been involved in several high-profile appeals, including that if Ben Geen, another nurse jailed for life in 2006 for murdering two of his patients and poisoning 15 others.

Geen's application to appeal his convictions was denied by the Court of Appeal in 2009 and two further applications to the CCRC, in 2013 and 2015, also refused.

Mr McDonald has spoken at length about his fears Letby's conviction is a miscarriage of justice on social media and in interviews published online following her convictions in August last year.

Body worn camera footage issued by Cheshire Constabulary showing Letby's arrest

The neo-natal ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby worked

Tonight he posted on X: 'The day after Lucy was convicted I raised concerns. I was attacked for speaking out even reported to my professional body. There are many hurdles to overcome in coming years but one day justice will be done and those wrongly convicted will be freed.'
Comedy genius Terry Jones is set to be remembered with a 120,000 statue  which could feature the star in one of his best-known Monty Python guises the nude organist.

A fundraising appeal for the bronze statue, which is to be installed in Jones's hometown of Colwyn Bay, North Wales, was launched today by fellow Pythons Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.

The statue will show Jones as a character from the irreverent 1970s' comedy show and although the precise one has yet to be chosen, the nude organist is understood to be a firm favourite with fans and even his close family.

Palin and Gilliam visited Colwyn Bay to officially start the 'A Python On The Prom' Go Fund Me campaign  organised in partnership with Jones's children, Sally and Bill Jones, and the Conwy Arts Trust, a Conwy-based charity supporting the arts in North Wales.

After strolling along the promenade to the town's new pier, close to where the statue is set to be located, Palin said of the organist suggestion: 'So many statues are boring and serious. This would put a smile on peoples' faces.'

Terry Jones as the nude organist. A fundraising appeal for the bronze statue, which is to be installed in Jones's hometown of Colwyn Bay, North Wales, was launched today. The nude organist is understood to be a firm favourite with fans and even his close family

Michael Palin with Terry Jones at the 2013 BAFTAs. A fundraising appeal for the statue has been launched by Palin and fellow Python Terry Gilliam

Jones' hometown of Colwyn Bay in North Wales. The statue is set to be located on the town's famous promenade

He added: 'It was a great Terry character and would be something very much in the spirit of Terry. He wouldn't mind showing his bottom to the world. He did and it was very funny.

'The idea of it being in the open air, (close to) the beach, is where it should be.

'Terry valued his Welshness very much, it influenced a lot of his work and his determination.

'I think his Welshness gave him his feeling of thinking he was right. I just hope Terry will be an icon and a visitor centre for Colwyn Bay and for Wales.'

Gilliam echoed calls for the nude organist to be seen by thousands by visitors and locals on the seafront.

He smiled, adding: 'We are planting the seeds of humour wherever we can around the world.'

And Jones's daughter, Sally Jones, who also joined the launch, said: 'I would like to see the naked organist. It's one of my all-time favourite characters because it was the silliest when I was a child.'

The fundraising campaign for the statue has the support of all the remaining Pythons, as well as many of Jones's friends and fans.

Palin and Gilliam (pictured) visited Colwyn Bay to officially start the 'A Python On The Prom' Go Fund Me campaign

Jones, whose famous characters also included Sir Bedevere, Mr Creosote and Mrs Scum, died in 2020 at the age of 77 after a battle with dementia. Long-time friend Palin described him at the time as 'far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation'

Famous names backing the statue appeal include actor and writer Steve Coogan, Taskmaster's Alex Horne, actor Sanjeev Bhaskar, astrophysicist Professor Brian Cox, musician and presenter Cerys Matthews, French actor and director Abert Dupontel, British cellist Steven Isserlis and Simon Fanshawe, writer, activist and broadcaster.

The bronze statue is to be made by highly-regarded Llandudno-based sculptor Nick Elphick and aims to 'not only celebrate Jones as a comedy genius, but also as a historian, writer and film director'.

Oxford graduate Jones, born in Colwyn Bay in 1942, was patron of the town's Theatr Colwyn for many years  and locals hope the statue will attract hordes of Python fans to the town.

Jones, whose famous characters also included Sir Bedevere, Mr Creosote and Mrs Scum, died in 2020 at the age of 77 after a battle with dementia. Long-time friend Palin described him at the time as 'far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation'.

Dilwyn Price, chairman of the Conwy Arts Trust, said of the statue appeal: 'This is an amazing project and one a long-time coming.

'(Jones) was so generous in his time and commitment to promoting the theatre. His family's association with the theatre went back to the 1930s. Colwyn Bay gave Terry to the world and he gave so much back to the town.'

Ricki Owen, mayor of Colwyn Bay, said: 'The statue will hopefully bring more people to Colwyn Bay and recognise Terry's contribution to the town and honour his memory.'
U.S. prosecutors have charged Russian-born former Trump 2016 advisor Dimitri Simes with accepting millions from a sanctioned Russian TV network and laundering the money, a day after the U.S. warned of Moscow-based election interference.

Prosecutors accused Simes, 76, and his wife Anastasia 55, of carrying out two separate schemes to get around U.S. sanctions.

Simes, a longtime fixture in Washington with a Virginia address, fled the country in 2022 following Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

He is accused of getting more than $1 million from Channel One Russia since it got sanctioned. In total, the channel has paid him $3.6 million, according to the indictment. He has hosted a political talk show on the network since 2022.

The FBI raided their home in Rappahannock County, Virginia last month, and the indictment accuses Anastasia Simes of a 'scheme to commit money laundering' by purchasing art and antiques for sanctioned oligarch Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov. She is accused of having the items shipped to her own home in Virginia, which she still maintains, and then forwarding them on for Russia.

Among the artwork identified in the indictment of Anastasia is an oil painting by German artist F.C. Welsch, 'Lake of the Four Cantons,' and a bronze statue identified as 'Frederick-Auguste Bartholdi, Neo-Classical Bronze Sculpture of Minerva.'

Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty.

Dimitri Simes features in former Russia probe special counsel Robert Mueller. The longtime CEO of the Center for the National Interest, he hosted Trump's first foreign policy address, which was attended by former Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak.

In this handout photo provided by Photo host Agency RIA Novosti, Dimitri Simes, a Russian-American author, editor, and political pundit asks a question to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 16, 2023. (Alexei Danichev/Photo host Agency RIA Novosti via AP)

The indictment charges that Simes knew what he was doing when he violated the sanctions. He wrote to 'Individual 1' to explain that he had 'absolutely no right to appear on federal channels. Even for free, even just in the format of an interview. Moreover, a violation is considered a criminal offense.'

Simes spoke to the New York Times about the FBI raid on Wednesday before the indictments came down.

'They took a lot of the furniture,' he said. 'They took practically all of the paintings and icons, which are where now  who knows?' He said of the works: 'We got most of them before we moved to this house. Most of them belonged to our parents. How could they be of any concern to the U.S. government?'

Indictments announced Thursday by the Department of Justice allege that Dimitri Simes and his wife received over $1 million dollars and a personal car and driver in exchange for work they did for Russia's Channel One since June 2022. The network was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Simes and his wife are believed to be in Russia.

Rocky road: The indictment identifies an oil painting that was part of an alleged money laundering scheme

Give me your tired, your poor ... One art object identified in the indictment is by Frederick-Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty

The US imposed sanctions on Russian entities after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine

'These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine,' U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves said in a statement announcing the indictments. 'Such violations harm our national security interests - a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a U.S. citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.'

The indictments come at a time of renewed concern about Russian efforts to meddle with the upcoming U.S. election using online disinformation and propaganda. On Wednesday federal authorities charged two employees of the Russian media organization RT with covertly funding a Tennessee company that produced pro-Russian content in a $10 million scheme.

'The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country's free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,' Garland said Wednesday.

Observers said the language in the indictment matches Tenet Media, which has a stable of conservative content creators.

The views they put forward were 'often consistent with the Government of Russia's interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Government of Russia interests, such as its ongoing war in Ukraine.'

'Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today's indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme,' wrote conservative commentator Benny Johnson on his X account.

One unidentified influencer got paid $400,000 per month, plus a $100,000 signing bonus.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Simes, who led a Washington think tank called the Center for the National Interest, figured prominently in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign.

The report chronicles interactions that the Soviet-born Simes, who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s, had with assorted figures in Trump's orbit, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Before one such meeting, according to the Mueller report, Simes sent Kushner a letter detailing potential talking points for Trump about Russia and also passed along derogatory information about Bill Clinton that was then forwarded to other representatives of the campaign.

Simess think tank helped arrange a foreign policy speech at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington at which Simes introduced Trump. Among those present was Sergei Kislyak, the then-Russian ambassador to the U.S.

Simes was never charged with any crime in relation to the investigation.

After the report was released, Simes defended himself in an interview in The Washington Post: 'I did not see anything in the Mueller report that in any way that would indicate any questionable activity on my part or on the centers part.'

A second indictment alleges that Anastasia Simes, 55, received funds from sanctioned Russian businessman Alexander Udodov. Udodov was sanctioned last year for his support for the Russian government. He is the former brother-in-law of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and has been linked to business dealings with both of them. Udodov also has been investigated for money laundering.

If convicted of the charges, the couple face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Messages left with an attorney for Simes and the Trump campaign were not immediately returned on Thursday.
A disgraced former doctor who helped a middle-aged woman kill herself over chronic 'neck and back pain' has escaped a jail term after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Stephen P Miller, 85, traveled from his home in Arizona to upstate New York to help Doreen Brodhead get the cannister of poison gas she used to end her life in a motel room in Kingston last November.

He was arrested in February when investigators discovered he had been communicating with the 59-year-old for six months before her death after she contacted him through the right-to-die advocacy group Choice and Dignity.

His lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said the former pediatrician tried to talk Brodhead out of suicide before agreeing to assist her, and charged only expenses for helping her die.

'Technically, he violated the law, we accept that,' Lichtman told reporters. 'But with the understanding that morally, Stephen Miller did nothing wrong.'

Stephen P. Miller, 85, has been sentenced to five years probation after admitting the manslaughter of Doreen Brodhead in a New York motel room last November

Staff found the body of the 59-year-old on a bed at a hotel in Kingston, New York

Staff at the Super 8 motel found Brodhead's body on a bed in her room on November 9 alongside a note and a canister of nitrogen gas.

Surveillance footage revealed that Miller had picked her up from her nearby apartment the previous day before setting off to buy the gas.

Poll Should doctor-assisted suicide be available where you live? Yes No Not sure Should doctor-assisted suicide be available where you live? Yes 8804 votes

No 6719 votes

Not sure 1475 votes Now share your opinion





He drove her to the hotel and was seen carrying the tank to her room, later leaving to buy a wrench after the tank developed a problem with its regulator.

An hour after returning, he left again in his car for Albany and a flight back to his home in Tuscon.

Miller told investigators that Brodhead hesitated over the plan as she sat with him in the motel room, telling him she would miss her mother.

Assisting or causing another person to commit suicide is considered a felony in New York under state law.

Miller was charged him with manslaughter and two counts of assault.

Friends said Brodhead blamed her chronic pain on her early career as a dental hygienist and said she had undergone six unsuccessful surgeries in a bid for relief.

According to the advocacy group Death with Dignity, physician-assisted death is legal in ten states, including Maine, New Jersey, Vermont, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers in Oregon and Vermont have made it easier for people to access lethal drugs by allowing patients from outside the states to travel and end their lives.

Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman said his client does not plan to assist in any more suicides

But in none of those states is assisted suicide allowed for people without a terminal illness.

Miller, who received his medical degree in 1964, was jailed for three years and had his medical licenses revoked in 2006 after being convicted of a $1 million tax fraud.

His lawyer said he had assisted a number of other people to end their lives since leaving prison, and had provided 'very slight technical assistance' to Brodhead in her final hours.

But he insisted that his elderly client was not going to do it again.

'That part of his life is over,' he added.

Miller was facing a potential prison term of 25 years if convicted on all counts but cut a plea deal with prosecutors who dropped the assault charges in exchange for admitting manslaughter.

'Are you pleading guilty because you are, in fact, guilty of manslaughter in the second degree?' Judge Bryan Rounds asked him during the short hearing at Ulster County Court on Tuesday.

'By your definition, yes,' Miller replied.

The court accepted his plea and sentenced him to five years probation.

Brodhead's mother Mary, 91, defended the doctor when approached by the New York Times earlier this year.

'It was her choice,' she told the outlet on the doorstep of her Kingston home.

'He didn't force her to do it.'
The President's son will plead guilty to charges that may put him in prison for 17 years.

And that's not even the biggest scandal of the day.

The real outrage is how close Robert Hunter Biden got to getting away with it all  and why he still might.

The Bidens: Corrupt and gaming the system to the end.

Years after Hunter's abandoned laptop revealed the depths of his drug-addled debauchery while hawking access to the US, he was finally hauled before a federal court in July 2023 to answer for tax evasion and gun charges.

And Joe Biden's Justice Department tried to bury the whole thing.

Months earlier, President Biden declared in an MSNBC interview, 'My son has done nothing wrong.'

The message, it seemed, was heard loud and clear.

Last summer, under a sweetheart plea agreement crafted by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, Hunter was offered the chance to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges, accept probation for the gun charges and likely avoid any jail time.

The President's son will plead guilty to charges that may put him in prison for 17 years. And that's not even the biggest scandal of the day. (Above) Hunter Biden and wife Melissa Cohen Biden arrive at federal court in Los Angeles on September 5

The real outrage is how close Robert Hunter Biden got to getting away with it all  and why he still might. The Bidens: Corrupt and gaming the system to the end.

That wasn't all.

The deal would also have granted him immunity from any potential future criminal charges  even as federal prosecutors began to unwind his secret dealings with shady overseas clients and look into whether he violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires Americans to be transparent about their work for foreign entities.

It was a deal that no ordinary citizen would receive.

And a U.S. District Judge took one look at Weiss's deal  and, essentially, threw it out of her courtroom.

It also wasn't the only gift slipped to the President's son.

Weiss and the Justice Department's tax division let the statute of limitations run out on other possible tax charges.

IRS whistleblowers told Congress that the DOJ obstructed their investigation into the matters.

And scrambling for cover amid allegations of political interference, Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, belatedly agreed to appoint an independent outside prosecutor to take over the case  then hired the same David Weiss for the job.

Even if the fix was in, Weiss couldn't be too obvious about it. So, he ended up bringing felony gun charges against Hunter, and a Delaware jury convicted Hunter on the very charges that Weiss had originally agreed to let him skate on.

Now, on the eve of his second trial in Los Angeles (this one for three tax felonies and six misdemeanors carrying a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison), Hunter tried a different tack  pleading guilty but with a catch!

Years after Hunter's abandoned laptop revealed the depths of his drug-addled debauchery while hawking access to the US, he was finally hauled before a federal court in July 2023 to answer for tax evasion and gun charges.

In a surprise announcement, Biden's lawyer informed the court that his client was entering an 'Alford' plea  a legal technicality that permits a criminal defendant to concede that the state has sufficient evidence against them while maintaining his innocence.

It's no surprise why Hunter is desperate to avoid another trial. Legal experts are convinced that he should have been tried for violating FARA  and he likely wants to avoid being forced to reveal the full extent of his alleged dirty dealings.

But that gambit, too, failed.

Hours later, Hunter team's changed course, telling the court that he would plead guilty to all nine tax charges, bringing us nearer to a conclusion of this ridiculous charade.

For now.

Hunter has one more card to play: the presidential pardon or a commutation of his sentence.

Last summer, under a sweetheart plea agreement crafted by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss (above), Hunter was offered the chance to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges, accept probation for the gun charges and likely avoid any jail time.

When Joe was still running for re-election, he said he wouldn't do that. But if the Big Guy goes back on his word after Election Day, nobody can hold him accountable  or, more importantly, can stop him.

In case you've wondered why he hasn't resigned from office even though his daily schedule shows that he spends most days on vacation as he approaches his 82nd birthday, remember this.

The Biden family has made millions from foreign clients for decades. They've gamed the system at every turn.

Joe walked away from any charges for his own mishandling of classified documents when special prosecutor Robert Hur concluded that he was too old and forgetful to be convicted by a jury.

Now, his son falls on his sword to avoid a trial on the family's influence-peddling business  and he might still have a Get Out of Jail Free card from Dad.

It's the Biden racket, cynical and arrogant to the last.
The trousers of a missing British hiker, who is feared to have been swept away by a devastating flood whilst trying to save his girlfriend during a ferocious storm, have been found by search teams.

The grim discovery was made today after divers joined the hunt for the missing 32-year-old, who has not been named, in a Majorcan mountain canyon flooded during the ferocious storm.

Juan Carlos Rodriguez, head of the Civil Guard's specialist mountain rescue team, remains confident they will find the missing man's body after confirming the operation would continue tomorrow.

The same team recovered the body of his 26-year-old girlfriend on Wednesday after it was spotted by a police helicopter on the first day of the search.

Before the trousers were discovered, a Civil Guard spokesman said today: 'The search operation was resumed first thing with specialist Civil Guard divers joining the operation.

The trousers of a missing British hiker, who is feared to have been swept away by a devastating flood, has been found by Majorcan search teams (Pictured)

The grim discovery was made today after divers joined the hunt for the missing 32-year-old, who was swept away by the flood whilst trying to save his girlfriend (Pictured: Search teams wading through water)

The head of the Civil Guard's specialist mountain rescue team remains confident they will find the missing man's body after confirming (Pictured: A helicopter searching the canyon)

'Air and land resources were employed by the Civil Guard. Several teams of firefighters were also mobilised.'

Earlier today the Civil Guard released footage showing officers at work, drudging through the water - as well as flying drones -in a bid to find the missing Brit.

Relatives of the pair, who were holidaying in Majorca, are currently being assisted by psychologists.

The couple were caught in a traffic flood during an excursion in Sa Calobra on Tuesday afternoon, as torrential rain hammered down upon them.

According to other hikers who were with the Brits and later rescued by the Civil Guard, the young woman was swept away by a strong surge of water and the man was carried away shortly after whilst trying to save her.

An official said: 'The British man and woman were a couple. They were here on holiday and staying locally on the island. They also have family here with them and we are helping as best we can.'

Authorities had set up a special operation on Tuesday in anticipation of hikers trying to access the stream, despite several weather warnings being distributed across the island.

The mountain rescue team evacuated ten people later that day, including some related to the tragic couple, who were trapped and without warm and protective clothing.

Emergency services resumed their search efforts for a missing British tourist, 32, who is believed to have been swept away in a Majorca flood

Helicopters were launched in the search efforts as authorities believe the man was carried away in the torrent of water while attempting to save his girlfriend

Rescue teams waded through the river water in an attempt to locate the missing British tourist

The area where the British hikers disappeared was affected by flash flooding (pictured above) on Tuesday

The group, who ventured into the Torrent de Pareis - a river running through the Tramuntana area of northwest Majorca, reportedly showed signs of hypothermia, due to the low temperatures which continued to plummet as they became increasingly drenched by the downpour.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, regarded as one of the most scenic and well-known day walks in Majorca, follows a deep canyon some around miles long starting from the Lluc area, opening at the bay of Sa Calobra.

The group were escorted to safety via helicopter, with one being admitted to a medical facility in Palma and two taken to the Son Amer shelter in Escorca, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.

The two, who were hurried to Son Amer, are said to be 'devastated' by the incident, as they desperately await news regarding their loved ones.

Three managed to reach the safety of a mountain hut just after midnight on Wednesday morning, with one of them reportedly being 'slightly hurt'.

The search for the missing man was paused for over two hours on Wednesday while emergency services waited for another the storm, which barrelled through the area bringing torrential rain and high winds, to clear.

It was later resumed, but only on land, as authorities faced difficulties using the helicopter.

Police have been trying to establish the man's whereabouts by triangulating his mobile phone.

Officials at the scene of the search said the group was 'not equipped' correctly but did not detail how the group was unprepared.

Civil Guards are seen in the area where emergency services continue with the search of a British national that went missing in Torrent de Pareis in Mallorca today

However, one official previously said: 'We are tired of rescuing tourists from the area who go out in just flip flops.'

He added: 'This is not a stroll in the park. It's a very difficult and technical hike and you need the proper equipment and clothing.

'Some of the group we rescued were soaked to the skin and suffering from hypothermia following the bad weather.

'If you are going to do this hike you need to be prepared and most importantly you need to check the weather before going out.'

Another told MailOnline: 'There was a larger group of people who set off on the hike and the two people later joined them.

'They arrived by scooter to meet up with their friends and the brother of the missing man has been here at the scene but has now left.

'We found the woman this morning after the helicopter spotted her backpack from the air and we were able to recover her body but the man is still missing.

'The woman was found not far from the trail but the search for the man is proving difficult because of the weather conditions.'

Bad weather has hit Majorca for much of this week, with one shocking clip showing the terrifying moment the flood surged through a resort.

Rescue teams said the woman's body had been found close to the start of the hiking trail but there were fears the man could have been washed out to sea.

A firefighter told MailOnline: 'That is a possibility, but we hope that maybe they are alive somewhere of that alive if they have died the body is trapped by a rock or some other debris.'

Balearic airports saw widespread delays on Wednesday, both in departures and arrivals in Palma, Ibiza, and Menorca, with rainfall of between 50 and 90 litres per square mile and wind gusts of between 90 and 120km per hour.

Video exclusively obtained by MailOnline shows a frothing surge of water cascading through the seafront Es Port restaurant at the mouth of the Pareis river on September 4

Bad weather has hit Majorca for much of this week

It was not clear whether the British man and woman were trying to walk the famous trek though the Torrent de Pareis in the Tramuntana mountain range or were simply strolling near the river bed.

The torrent is a riverbed that can be hiked during the dry months but is often affected by flash floods as it collects a large amount of rainwater that falls on the mountain and funnels it down this narrow valley.

The heavy rains that hit Mallorca on Tuesday left between 70 and 100 litres of water per square metre in the Serra de Tramuntana area, according to Ultima Hora.

Local weather chiefs are predicting a worsening of the weather in Majorca, saying the worst effects of the storms that first hit the island yesterday will be felt between 2pm and 3pm local time with heavy rain and winds of up to 75mph.

In Escorsa, where the mountain range is located, the Torrent de Es Raco overflowed, causing emergency teams to rescue a hundred people who had been trapped.
Hells Angels bikie boss Angelo Pandeli is back in Australia a week after he was detained in the Middle East and deported from Dubai.

The 53-year-old arrived in Sydney on Emirates flight UAE416 just before 6pm on Thursday, with the Australian Federal Police confirming his extradition.

'An Australian man, 53, has been deported by Dubai authorities,' an AFP spokesperson said in a statement.

'No further comment will be made at this time.'

Pandeli remains under arrest but has not been charged with any offences.

The alleged major underworld figure left Australia in 2018 but has remained under the close eye of the AFP's offshore disruption task force Operation Gain.

He is also on the top twenty list of the Australian Priority Organisation Targets.

Pandeli had been living in Dubai with his wife and children before his arrest and was pictured in front of the Burj Al Arab tower during a family boat day.
An online campaign to honor the life of Kara Welsh, a beloved Wisconsin gymnast tragically killed last week, has shattered its fundraising goal, offering a powerful testament to the impact she had on those around her, even as her accused killer, Chad T. Richards, remains in custody facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide.

Initially set to a goal of $40,000, the fund has now raised $47,450 courtesy of 808 donations made thus far.

The 21-year-old gymnast and college senior was allegedly shot to death Friday in her off-campus apartment in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Responding officers found Kara, a national title-winning athlete, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Chad T. Richards, 23, has been charged in connection with her death and currently faces first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed.

Friends and family describe Kara as having had the ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people's faces with her sense of humor and her unwavering support and sweet disposition.

Richards appeared at the Walworth County Courthouse on Tuesday, where a judge upheld his bail of $1 million after calling him as a "significant flight risk," according to Bleacher Report.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald.
The deaths of nine additional babies were not included on the graph presented at Lucy Letbys trial because they were not deemed unexpected or suspicious, the Mail has learnt.

The neo-natal nurse was convicted of murdering seven babies under her care, between June 2015 and July 2016.

But another nine babies also died on the unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital from January 2015 until Letby was removed from working the following summer.

Statisticians who have written to the Government questioning the safety of Letbys convictions insist the graph, which compared 25 suspicious collapses or deaths with nurses on duty and showed Letby present every time, was flawed because it failed to include other fatalities or unexplained events.

But sources have told the Mail that the nine deaths were investigated and deemed irrelevant to the trial because they were explicable and could be put down to natural causes.

Lucy Letby (pictured) was convicted of murdering seven babies under her care, between June 2015 and July 2016

She has consistently claimed she is an innocent woman

The source said: Four of the deaths were babies born with a congenital problem or birth defect, another baby was sadly asphyxiated or deprived of oxygen at birth, the remaining four died of infection and their deaths were precipitated with a period of time consistent with infection, they did not suddenly and unexpectedly collapse and die.

The Mail understands that Letby was on duty at times when at least two of these babies were being treated on the neo-natal unit, although it is not known if she was ever their designated nurse.

Professor Jane Hutton, a statistician from Warwick University and one of 24 experts who have written to ministers asking for the upcoming public inquiry into Letbys crimes to be postponed or its terms of reference expanded, told The Trial podcast she was concerned about the graph because information about the other nine deaths wasnt there.

Theres no information on the remaining deaths where Lucy Letby was not present and of course you need to know how a suspicious death was defined, and whether it was clearly defined in advance, she said.

One of the other things that is visually misleading is it looks like 25 incidents (but) Baby I appears four times, other babies appear a couple of times, its not immediately clear which of these are twins, and twins will necessarily be closely associated. The other thing we dont know is the seniority of the nurses, or whether those nurses were all available for the same length of time as Lucy.

Professor Hutton, an expert in survival analysis, admitted she did not have access to the medical notes of the babies or case files and had only read a summary of the Court of Appeals judgement, from three of the countrys most senior judges who refused Letby leave to appeal her convictions in July.

The Mail understands that Letby was on duty at times when at least two of these babies were being treated on the neo-natal unit

Letby, 34, was convicted at Manchester Crown Court last August by another jury of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neo-natal unit between June 2015 and June 2016

Tim Owen KC, a barrister experienced in cases involving miscarriages of justice, said the claims being made by statisticians were erroneous because it was clear from that Court of Appeal ruling that Letbys case was not prosecuted on the basis of statistical probability.

The graph of when Miss Letby was on duty  and the fact that she was on duty at all the times that the indicted deaths or attempted murders took place  was simply there to demonstrate that she had the opportunity to inflict harm, not that, because shes on duty, she inflicted harm, he said.

The prosecution case was not a statistical probability case.

Mr Owen said that, while Letbys appeal had failed, there was still the avenue of the Criminal Cases Review Commission for her to pursue should new evidence emerge to suggest her conviction was unsafe.

But it will require compelling evidence, he added. It will have to be fresh evidence based on actual knowledge of the detail of this case. If there is such evidence, there is a possibility of getting a reference back to the Court of Appeal.

He said the Thirlwall Inquiry, the public inquiry into Letbys crimes, which starts on Tuesday, would not re-examine whether Letby was guilty or not, but added: There is a number of areas of inquiry which may reveal things about the way the hospital was run, which were not known before.

But the question is whether what is revealed is able to contradict the way the prosecution presented its case of homicide and attempted homicide.
Police have released a mugshot of Colt Gray, the teenager accused of shooting dead four people at his Georgia high school.

Gray appears in the booking photo with long hair that has been dyed blond - a far cry from the smiling, baby-faced boy pictured in his middle school yearbook just two years earlier.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, minutes after authorities say he opened fire on students and teachers.

Gray has been charged with four felony counts of murder, and will be tried as an adult, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed.

Gray appears in the booking photo with long hair that has been dyed blond - a far cry from the smiling, baby-faced boy pictured for this yearbook two years earlier

The 14-year-old was arrested on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, minutes after authorities say he opened fire on students and teachers

Gray reportedly had an obsession with other infamous school shooters such as Parkland, Florida killer Nikolas Cruz.

Two students and two teachers were dead inside the school building - on its first day of classes after the summer break - by the time he laid down his AR-style weapon.

Students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and teachers Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, were named as the deceased.

When police searched the teen's Georgia home following the bloodbath, they reportedly found clues the teenager was 'obsessed' with mass shootings - specifically the Parkland massacre in 2018, which left 17 people dead.

Colt Gray (pictured in his 2022 yearbook picture) opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder shortly after 10.20am - killing two classmates and two teachers

Pictured: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz in court. Investigators said to have found clues he was 'obsessed' with the 2018 massacre, which left 17 people dead

Gray was known to the FBI after several tips came in about him last year.

In May 2023, officers from Jackson County questioned both Gray and his father about a Discord channel believed to be linked to the then-13-year-old which allegedly made threats about a school shooting.

The Discord account had a user name written in Russian, and the translation of the letters spelled out the name Lanza, referencing Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, officers said.

Gray denied he was the author of the threats, telling police he'd shut down his Discord after being repeatedly hacked. He expressed concerns that someone would make those accusations about him.

According to the NYT, Gray's father Colin told investigators at the time that his son 'knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them.'

Colin reportedly assured officers that he would be 'mad as hell' if he learned the allegations about his son making threats were true, and that 'all the guns [would] go away.'

Online, his aunt vowed 'full throttle blood' as she claimed he'd been subjected to 'abuse' his entire life. Those comments were deleted last night after a barrage of backlash.

Gray remains in juvenile custody in Georgia, awaiting his first court appearance, which is scheduled for Friday morning. He will be charged as an adult, sheriffs said.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by school resource officers at the scene.

A huge police presence descended on Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after officials said the student opened fire, injuring nine and killing four

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting. Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim

It is unclear how the 14-year-old got ahold of the weapon that was used in the attack, and authorities have not yet said what kind of firearm was used.

Sheriff Smith revealed that Wednesday was Gray's first 'real day' at Apalachee High.

He said: 'He was a brand new student to Barrow County Schools, he had enrolled about two weeks prior. This was his second day at school. He had been before, he left early, on that day and this was his first real full day.'

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around 30 minutes before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we werent going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

One mother described the scenes outside the high school as 'chaos'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground'

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy.

A makeshift memorial has been created using a wreath and flowers. On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy.

President Joe Biden issued a statement condemning gun violence after the tragedy.

He said: 'What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.

'Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write.

'We cannot continue to accept this as normal.'

Biden called on Congress to say 'enough is enough' and pass new gun safety legislation, describing gun violence as an 'epidemic.'

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy

On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy
Hereditary peers will be removed from the House of Lords after Labour introduced new laws to reform the upper chamber.

Abolishing 92 seats reserved for those who inherit their seats was one of Labour's manifesto commitments.

However, Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to impose a mandatory retirement age of 80 on peers was kicked into the long grass, as ministers announced a consultation.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, minister for the constitution, said the legislation was a 'landmark reform to our constitution'.

He said: 'The hereditary principle in law-making has lasted for too long and is out of step with modern Britain.'

Hereditary peers will be removed from the House of Lords (pictured in July) after Labour introduced new laws to reform the upper chamber

The lords gather as King Charles III reads the King's Speech in the House of Lords Chamber during the State Opening of Parliament in July

Nick Thomas-Symonds, minister for the constitution, said the legislation was a 'landmark reform to our constitution'

But Conservative critics have called the move a 'vendetta' and 'political vandalism'.

The last Labour government removed most hereditary peers from the Lords in 1999 but allowed 92 to remain in what was initially intended to be a short-term compromise.

Current hereditary peers include Lord Attlee, grandson of Clement Attlee, the Duke of Wellington, whose great-great-great-grandfather defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, and Viscount Stansgate, whose father Tony Benn renounced his peerage to sit in the Commons.

... as Lords brand school tax 'wicked'

Labour plans to clobber private schools with VAT are 'wicked, stupid and cruel', peers warned last night.

Tory former minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean accused the Government of pursuing 'an ideologically driven policy'.

He said Labour had moved from the party of 'education, education, education' under Tony Blair to one of 'taxation, taxation, taxation'.

Labour is pushing ahead with its manifesto commitment to make private school and boarding fees subject to VAT at 20 per cent.

Tory former minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean accused the Government of pursuing 'an ideologically driven policy' on private school VAT

But the Government's surprise decision to introduce the policy in January has further angered critics, who fear it could force children to move schools mid-year.

In a passionate debate in the House of Lords last night, Lord Forsyth said: 'I will sum up my view of this policy in three words: it's wicked, it's stupid and its cruel.'

Labour has claimed the tax raid will bring in 1.7 billion, which it has pledged to use to recruit 6,500 teachers.

But critics believe the plan will cost the taxpayer, in part due to the extra cost of having to state-educate displaced pupils.
On becoming Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer wasted no time in axing the Conservatives' Rwanda scheme, which he sanctimoniously denounced as a 'gimmick'.

Clearly, no one in his beloved EU was listening. For Germany, where a migration crisis has exploded, wants to send asylum seekers to the African nation for processing.

Even worse, Berlin would house them in accommodation that Britain paid millions for, before Labour unceremoniously dumped the deterrent. What a farce.

No 10 says scrapping Rishi Sunak's plan was right. But when Channel migrants were flocking to Ireland to avoid deportation to Rwanda, it was clearly having a dissuasive effect before a single plane had taken off.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard the RNLI Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel on Tuesday

Berlin's migration commissioner Joachim Stamp has proposed deporting those who arrive illegally in the bloc via Poland's border with Belarus

The Hope Hostel in Rwanda was prepared to accept asylum seekers who had landed in the UK

Since taking power, the PM has also closed the Bibby Stockholm barge used to house asylum seekers. And now they won't be held at RAF Scampton either.

With Labour offering the thousands who arrive in small boats an effective amnesty, Britain is an increasingly attractive destination. More are making the perilous journey  and more are drowning.

On the election trail, Sir Keir pledged to 'smash the gangs' who profit from trafficking migrants across the Channel.

His failure to implement a strong deterrent means the UK is, instead, an ever-more powerful magnet for illegal migrants.

A Brexit betrayal?

Sir Keir must be weeping tears of joy, now Michel Barnier has been parachuted in as the new prime minister of France.

During the bitter divorce proceedings between Britain and the EU, he conspired with the serpentine Mr Barnier  at that time, Brussels' chief negotiator  in an underhand bid to thwart Brexit altogether.

These days, Sir Keir insists he doesn't want to reverse the referendum result. But bitter experience shows his promises aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Both men are fanatical Remainers, both want a European superstate and neither hides his admiration for the other.

How long before they sneakily cook up an entente which surrenders the sovereignty Britain voted decisively to regain?

Barnier pictured with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee palace in Paris, on January 31, 2020, a few hours before Britain officially left the European Union

Recipe for disaster

As predictably as night follows day, the Left-wing unions have responded to their bumper pay awards from the Government with calls for even more cash.

Ahead of its conference, the Trades Union Congress is demanding 'pay restoration' in the public sector to make up for real-terms salary cuts since the 2008 financial crash.

Calculated to add 50 billion a year to public spending, this is unaffordable. One example is the junior doctors clamouring for a backdated settlement of 35 per cent.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaking at the Scottish Trades Union Congress at Caird Hall in Dundee

Of course, such nonsense would once have been laughed out of court.

But having agreed once to growth-crushing pay claims, Labour is again faced with its union paymasters, hands outstretched, expecting further generosity.

This is a recipe for economic disaster. But would anyone bet against this Government  already way out its depth  paying up?
A youth shot dead an innocent mother through her front door while on bail for attempted murder, a court heard yesterday.

The boy, 16, allegedly killed Lianne Gordon in front of her daughter after going on a ride out hunting for rival gangs.

She was sheltering behind the door to protect her two children from violence erupting between warring gangs when she was shot in the head and killed instantly.

The court heard the accused was on bail for an attempted murder  which he was later convicted of  when he opened fire on December 5 last year.

The boy, 16, allegedly killed Lianne Gordon (pictured) in front of her daughter after going on a ride out hunting for rival gangs

The Old Bailey heard the accused was on bail for an attempted murder  which he was later convicted of  when he opened fire on December 5 last year

Two other victims, a 17-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man, were also shot outside the property in Hackney, east London, but survived.

Ms Gordons daughter, 16, told police: Mum had her hand on the door handle and looked like she was trying to close it. I could see a gun tip through the open door. I saw her drop.

She said she recognised the killer despite him wearing a balaclava. I opened the door and I was screaming at him. We were face-on for a few seconds... before he ran off. Prosecutor Mark Fenhalls, KC, told the Old Bailey the boy, now 17, was with Hackneys Pembury Gang who were in conflict with the nearby A-Road Gang.

He had previously threatened Ms Gordons son Kaymound, 21, due to a perceived link to the A-Road gang, he added.

Mr Fenhalls said Ms Gordon, 42, was almost certainly not the target. The teenager denies murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.
Special Counsel Jack Smith won't get to put Donald Trump on trial for his alleged January 6th conspiracy before the election  but he may still deliver a September surprise.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a scheduling order Thursday that sets a September 26 deadline for the government to deliver its opening brief on the presidential immunity issue.

That gives Smith's team the opportunity to present new information that did not make it into the superseding indictment released last week  including potentially explosive transcripts or other information related to Trump's pressure campaign on Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results.

Prosecutor Thomas Windom argued for that timeline in court Thursday morning, asking Chutkan to let the government go first and present a unified brief on the complex immunity topic in about three weeks. The judge went along with it.

The defense would then reply by October 17th with its own filing, while filing other motions arguing to dismiss the case outright for other reasons in October.

The final date Chutkan lists for a reply in her new order is November 7  two days after Election Day, finally confirming in black and white that there is no chance for a Trump trial related to January 6 before he faces the voters.

Lawyers for Trump argued in court Thursday that a ruling that Trump's communications with Pence around January 6 should be found to be immune and would 'crater' the new indictment against him.

They told a federal judge the Trump-Pence talks about the vice president's role could unravel the government's entire case against the former president  with the November election once again looming over timing decisions in the blockbuster case.

Trump lawyer John Lauro (l) said communications between Trump and Mike Pence will ultimately be found to fall within presidential immunity

'If in fact the communications with Vice President Pence  which are all over this indictment  if in fact these are immune, then that entire indictment is improper,' Trump lawyer John Lauro told Judge Tanya Chutkan at a hearing Thursday.

'If your honor decides that that is immune, then the whole indictment craters,' he said.

In a case that once looked to put Trump on trial over January 6 even amid his run for the White House, Trump's team wants the opportunity to go first and issue a briefing calling to dismiss the new indictment against him.

Trump didn't appear in court Thursday, and his lawyer entered a not guilty plea to the judge on his behalf.

Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a new superseding indictment from a grand jury last week following a Supreme Court ruling on the immunity issue that threw a wrench into the case.

Prosecutors want to keep things moving  filing their own brief in about three weeks and getting the chance to share more of the evidence they have obtained. As they did when the case first came up a year ago, government prosecutors want a schedule that keeps the case moving down the tracks.

Judge Chutkan bristled when Lauro brought up the information being put into the public record 'at a very sensitive time in our nations history.'

She took that as Lauro invoking the election, and asking her to stall procedures because of it, and returned to her earlier statements about not being guided by the political calendar.

'I understand there is an election pending. Ive said before and I say again that the electoral process and the timing of the election  is not relevant here,' she admonished him.

Judge Tanya Chutkan said she couldn't even set a court date. But she allowed prosecutors to present a briefing on immunity issues in September

Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove attended court but did not speak

Your browser does not support iframes.

'It strikes me that what youre trying to do is affect the presentation of this case so as not to impinge on an election,' she told Lauro.

Chutkan said setting a trial date at this point would be an 'exercise in futility'  effectively ending the prospect of a trial before American head to the polls.

Lauro calls the Mike Pence communications  where Trump told his VP he had the authority not to accept votes for Joe Biden certified by states  constitute a 'gateway issue.' He wants Chutkan to make a decision on that before getting into other evidence that prosecutors have gathered.

'If you decide this issue, then all of that briefing never takes place,' he said.

Prosecutor Thomas Windom argued for the judge to choose the 'most efficient and practical way forward,' while arguing that even if the Pence material falls away it would not blow up the case. 'It is not an automatic dismissal of the indictment,' he said.

Chutkan also decided she will let Lauro file a motion arguing that Smiths's appointment was unconstitutional.

But she expressed skepticism  noting it was a based on a concurring opinion by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a ruling by 'another judge' in Florida on the same issue in the classified documents case.

She asked why that would warrant 'me going against binding D.C. Circuit precedent,' and said she didn't find the argument particularly 'persuasive.'

Chutkan has been presiding over the January 6 case and was keeping it on a fast track until the Trump team upended the timeline by going to the Supreme Court with their claims of presidential immunity from prosecution.

The high court's July opinion set it to lower courts to weigh which actions fall within the 'official' acts that enjoy absolute immunity protections.

At one point the judge said the Trump team's proposed timeline could drag the case out through next year, and noted that it has already been on her docket for a year. She showed an interest in handling various challenges that the Trump lawyers want to bring simultaneously.

'We can all walk and chew gum at the same time,' Chutkan said.

Smith refashioned a superseding indictment that jettisoned a key part of the narrative  Trump's alleged use of top Justice Department officials to interfere in the state vote count. But he kept the four main charges that Trump interfered in the 2020 elections in an attempt to stay in office.

The lawyers still must argue whether the new version complies with the Supreme Court's direction.

Defense lawyers are readying still more motions to dismiss the case outright, including that Trump is subject to a 'selective vindictive prosecution.'

Among the challenges Trump's team signalled they would file is one claiming that Smith's appointment was unconstitutional. That argument held sway with Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the classified documents case in Florida. She dismissed the case, although Smith's team is appealing and an outside watchdog group is seeking to remove her from the case.

Trump, who did not appear in court, is charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding when Congress met to count the electoral votes for president, and a conspiracy against people's rights to have their votes counted.

The new indictment says the 'Despite having lost, the Defendant  who was also the incumbent president  was determined to remain in power.'

It cast the conduct as personal, and says he 'sought to enlist the Vice President to assist in the plan to use his role as President of the Senate to fraudulently alter the election results. The Defendant had no official responsibilities related to the certification proceeding, but he did have a personal interest as a canddiate in being named the winner of the election.'
Employees of firms involved in fitting deadly flammable cladding to the Grenfell Tower joked in sickening messages about ignoring fire safety and ripping off customers.

The public inquiry into the tragedy this week laid bare the sheer duplicity of the companies involved in wrapping the 24-storey building with cladding panels which turned it into a blazing deathtrap.

In his withering 1,700-page report, chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick condemned unscrupulous firms and deliberate lies about fire safety tests.

Police and prosecutors were under mounting pressure to speed up their Grenfell investigation yesterday.

Angela Rayner demanded that they act as quickly as possible after it emerged it could be ten years after the 2017 blaze before bereaved families see any justice. The Deputy Prime Minister said: Justice delayed is justice denied.

The public inquiry into the tragedy this week laid bare the sheer duplicity of the companies involved in wrapping the 24-storey building with cladding panels which turned it into a blazing deathtrap.

The covered remains of Grenfell Tower. In his withering 1,700-page report, chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick condemned unscrupulous firms and deliberate lies about fire safety tests

There is growing anger at the shocking details exposed by the long-running inquiry into the systematic dishonesty among building firms involved in the fatal refurbishment of the west London tower. Police have warned it will take them 12 to 18 months to examine Sir Martins report line by line.

But some relatives of the 72 residents who were killed said the evidence was already shocking.

Hisam Choucair claimed he saw some bosses laugh while in the inquirys witness box, while others didnt even turn up or hid behind of the law of their country.

The inquiry report revealed that a senior employee at insulation firm Kingspan told a colleague that all we do is lie when discussing concerns their product was not fire safe.

Bosses at main contractor Rydon gleefully told each other We are quids in! after hoodwinking the local authority over the true costs of the project.

And an employee at cladding provider Arconic told colleagues the company was not clean when it came to fire tests.

A worker at insulation firm Celotex wondered in an email whether its product realistically shouldnt be used because in the event of a fire it would burn.

Grenfell Tower memorial wall. There is growing anger at the shocking details exposed by the long-running inquiry into the systematic dishonesty among building firms involved in the fatal refurbishment of the west London tower

Hisam Choucair (pictured), who lost six family members in the disaster, claimed he saw some bosses laugh while in the inquirys witness box, while others didnt even turn up or hid behind of the law of their country

The inquiry exposed disturbing emails between Kingspans employees, including one in which Arron Chalmers told Peter Moss that he knew the insulation panels did not pass fire tests, and Mr Moss replied: WHAT, We lied? Honest opinion now.

Mr Chalmers wrote: Yeahhhh. Mr Moss said: S*** product. Scrap it, and his colleague replied: Yeah all lies mate, and Alls [sic] we do is lie in here.

And in a separate email in 2016, Mr Chalmers admitted it does seem a bit of a cheat.

Philip Heath, a technical manager at the company, said a builder who questioned its products fire safety should go f*** themselves. He also told friends that builders asking questions were mistaking him for someone who gives a dam [sic].

During the inquiry, it emerged that Rydon, the lead contractor on the Grenfell project, had told the blocks management organisation it could save it up to 376,175 on the cladding, whereas in fact there were far greater savings being offered to Rydon by a sub-contractor  as much as 576,973.

Simon Lawrence, contracts manager at Rydon, suggested to the inquiry that Rydon took some of the saving for themselves.

Angela Rayner (pictured) demanded that police and prosecutors act as quickly as possible after it emerged it could be ten years after the 2017 blaze before bereaved families see any justice. The Deputy Prime Minister said: Justice delayed is justice denied.

Grenfell Tower in September this year. The inquiry exposed disturbing emails between Kingspans employees, including one in which Arron Chalmers told Peter Moss that he knew the insulation panels did not pass fire tests

An email from Zak Maynard, Rydons commercial manager, in 2014, was more blunt. We are quids in!!, he wrote, although he told the inquiry he was joking.

At Arconic, the France-based firm which made the combustible cladding panels, internal emails about a failed fire test were damning. Claude Wehrle, its technical manager and a part-time firefighter, wrote in 2010 that it was hard to make a note about this because we are not clean. Mr Wehrle dodged the inquiry, citing an obscure French law.

Arconic has rejected any claim an unsafe product was sold. Kingspan said its failings were in no way reflective of how we conduct ourselves as a group, then or now. Celotex said it had reviewed and improved process controls, quality management and the approach to marketing.
Incredibly grim surveillance footage caught the moment a woman broke into a Las Vegas funeral home and stole a casket with a body inside.

Patricia Sierra, 47, was identified as the culprit several days after the August 27 incident. She told police she didn't remember the burglary because she blacked out from drinking six beers, according to an arrest report obtained by KVVU-TV.

Cameras from inside the Affordable Cremation & Burial Service showed a person breaking the front window and unlocking the front door.

The person then walks into a viewing room and wheels a casket worth $2,600 out the same door she entered through, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.

At around 3:30am, someone saw the body that had been inside the casket lying face down and called the police.

The suspect is seen wheeling a casket with a body inside out of the funeral home. The body was later discovered outside the business lying face down

Security cameras capture the person breaking into the front door by breaking a window

Patricia Sierra, 47, was identified as the culprit several days after the incident. She told police she has a history of burglarizing businesses by breaking their windows with rocks

Officers arrived on the scene and found both the casket and the body, which had its feet covered with plastic bags, USA Today reported.

One officer located paperwork next to the casket that identified the body. It also revealed that the viewing for the deceased had been on August 26, the day before the alleged drunken break in by Sierra.

Police observed the surveillance footage and saw the burglar making multiple trips in and out of the business before leaving.

A construction worker reportedly approached officers at the scene and told them he saw a woman holding flowers and leaning against one of the funeral home's exterior walls on the day of the incident.

The picture became even clearer when officers got a call on August 29 from someone who said they saw a person at a 7-Eleven wearing the same clothes the suspect was seen wearing on the day of the burglary.

Sierra is pictured getting arrested several days after the burglary. According to an arrest report, she was apologetic, even though she said she didn't remember doing any sort of break in

Police eventually located Sierra, who told them she often 'blacks out' and has a substance abuse problem.

Even though she claimed to not remember breaking into the funeral home, she was apologetic and said she wasn't trying to be malicious.

She also admitted that she frequently burglarized businesses in the past and would 'use a rock to break a window,' according to the arrest report.

Police also discovered she got around on a red BMX bicycle, one that matched the one that appeared on the funeral home's security cameras.

Sierra has been charged with burglary, grand larceny and disturbing human remains in connection with the incident on August 27.

Her bail was set at $11,000, and she has a preliminary hearing on September 18, per court records.
Donald Trump completely dismissed a bombshell indictment that alleged conservative media figures were raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in Russian cash to push pro-Kremlin narratives.

Instead of criticizing the alleged mouthpieces for Russia, Trump railed against the Department of Justice and insisted Russia's President Vladimir Putin would rather have Kamala Harris in the White House.

'Comrade Kamala Harris and her Department of Justice are trying to interfere in and suppress the Election in favor of the Democrats by resurrecting the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and trying to say that Russia is trying to help me, which is absolutely FALSE,' wrote Trump in his post on Thursday.

'In fact, President Putin would much rather see Comrade Kamala Harris in Office, as he strongly said just this morning. Why aren't they looking into ... all of the other Enemies of the People that had such an effect on the 2020 Election, and are trying to Rig and Steal the 2024 Presidential Election.'

Donald Trump has reacted angrily over allegations conservative media figures were being paid by Russian money in an effort to interfere with this year's U.S. presidential election. Above, Trump is seen at a campaign event in New York on Thursday afternoon

Trump's comments to his Truth Social came after an indictment filed Wednesday alleged how a media company linked to six conservative influencers was secretly funded by Russian state

Trump's comments to his Truth Social came after an indictment filed Wednesday alleged a media company linked to six conservative influencers was secretly funded by Russian state media.

Employees were asked to churn out English-language videos that were 'often consistent' with the Kremlin's 'interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition' to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine.

Those allegedly involved include well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson and between them have millions of followers online. All have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Trump was president.

According to the indictment, right-wing provocateur Lauren Chen and her husband both conspired to conceal the source of Tenet's funding from others.

Trump railed against the Department of Justice on Thursday suggesting Russia 's President Vladimir Putin would rather have Kamala Harris in the White House this November. Harris is pictured at an event in North Hampton, New Hampshire on Wednesday

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more 'predictable'. The pair are pictured at the G20 summit in Japan in June 2019

Those allegedly involved include well-known personalities Tim Pool, left, Dave Rubin, center, and Benny Johnson, right. Between them they have millions of followers online

The indictment also went on to accuse RT employees Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena of Afanasyeva of implementing a plan to shell out nearly $10million to the Tennessee-based company to churn out videos 'consistent' with the Kremlin's 'interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions.'

Sanctions were also slapped on its top editors Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia after Washington accused them of trying to influence the upcoming US ballot.

Simonyan was a 'central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts,' the Treasury Department said, while Brodskaia 'reported to Russian President Putin and other government officials', officials said.

After the indictments were announced, both Pool and Johnson issued statements on social media, which Rubin retweeted, saying they were victims of the alleged crimes and had done nothing wrong.

'We still do not know what is true as these are only allegations,' Pool said. 'Putin is a scumbag.'

In his post, Johnson wrote that he had been asked a year ago to provide content to a 'media startup.' He said his lawyers negotiated a 'standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated.'

The indictment shows that some of the influencers were paid handsomely for their work. One unidentified influencers contract included a $400,000 monthly fee, a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus.

A smirking Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he supported Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential election

In response, the Kremlin said it will take retaliatory action against American news outlets and accused the U.S. of purging any dissenting voices from the global media landscape and to stoke fears among US voters about Russia as a mythical external enemy.

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more 'predictable'. The White House called on Putin to 'stay out' of US elections but on Thursday, a smirking Putin said he supported Kamala Harris.

'Firstly, (US President Joe) Biden recommended all his supporters support Mrs Harris,' Putin said during a question and answer session at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

'Here, we are going to do that too, we're going to support her,' he added, with a wry smile.

'She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her,' the Russian leader said, as members of the public laughed.

'(Former US President Donald) Trump has imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured with editor-in-chief of RT broadcaster Margarita Simonyan in December 2022. Simonyan is one of the 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department

It comes after US officials with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in Washington confirmed in July the existence of the Russian plan to install ex President Donald Trump in the White House.

Putin authorized influence operations to help Trump in the 2020 election, while his 2016 campaign benefited from hacking by Russian intelligence officers and a covert social media effort, according to U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials.

With the decline of traditional media like newspapers and limits on direct advertising on social media platforms, influencers are increasingly playing a key role in politics and shaping public opinion.

Both the Republican and Democratic parties invited scores of influencers to their respective national conventions this summer.

But with little to no disclosure requirements about who is funding influencers work, the public is largely in the dark about who is powering the messaging online.
Angela Rayner was left squirming yesterday as she defended controversial plans to scrap the winter fuel payment for 10million pensioners.

The Deputy Prime Minister was challenged over previous comments in which she accused the Conservatives of plotting to cut the payment which is worth up to 300.

She said she now supported the plan to remove the annual payment from all but the poorest pensioners  but denied her previous comments were 'duplicitous'.

During the 2017 election, Ms Rayner tweeted: 'Labour will protect the triple lock on state pensions, maintain the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes for pensioners.'

She also accused the Conservatives of plotting to remove the payment, saying: 'The Tories want to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners in England but not in Scotland? Why do they treat pensioners so badly in England?'

The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was challenged over previous comments in which she accused the Conservatives of plotting to cut the payment which is worth up to 300

Keir Starmer (pictured) was berated by Rishi Sunak on Thursday for axing winter fuel allowance in the first session since Parliament returned from its summer break

But Ms Rayner defended her change of heart.

Challenged over her previous comments, she said: 'Since then we have had Liz Truss's disastrous Budget and we have got a 22billion blackhole so it is about choices.'

Asked if she had been 'duplicitous' she said: 'No, there are a lot of things over my lifetime as a politician I would wish to be doing now but, because the economy is in a very different place, because of the actions of the previous government, we cannot do those things.'

The row came as Commons leader Lucy Powell confirmed ministers have bowed to pressure to allow a Commons vote on the issue next Tuesday.
Former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier made a stunning political comeback yesterday as he was named as France's oldest ever prime minister.

In an appointment designed to end two months of political deadlock in Paris, the 73-year-old has been asked to form 'a unifying government in the service of the country'.

Mr Barnier became a bete noire of Brexiteers because of his tough bargaining skills during the Brexit negotiations.

But French president Emmanuel Macron is hoping the former minister might be able to hold together a new government following July's snap election.

Mr Barnier has previously praised Sir Keir Starmer, who was shadow Brexit secretary through the bitter divorce proceedings between the UK and Brussels.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May with Mr Barnier. Mr Barnier became a bete noire of Brexiteers because of his tough bargaining skills during the Brexit negotiations

Mr Barnier has previously praised Sir Keir Starmer, who was shadow Brexit secretary through the bitter divorce proceedings between the UK and Brussels (pictured Stamer meeting Barnier in 2018)

French President Emmanuel Macron with Mr Barnier in 2020. The French president is hoping the former minister might be able to hold together a new government following July's snap election

The French politician last year described the now-Prime Minister as 'a European like me  a patriot and European'.

In his diaries, Mr Barnier described Sir Keir as the British politician 'who impresses me the most for his ability to grasp in detail what is at stake in Brexit negotiations. I get the feeling that Keir Starmer will one day be UK prime minister'. Asked for Sir Keir's response to Mr Barnier's appointment, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'We wish him all the best in his new role. The UK enjoys a strong relationship with France.

'The PM visited Paris just last week, and we are committed to working collaboratively on our shared priorities, from tackling illegal migration to supporting Ukraine and delivering sustainable economic growth.'

She added: 'We want to reset our relations with the EU and make Brexit work better for British people.'

But Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was scathing about Mr Barnier's appointment, describing him as 'an EU fanatic that will suit sell-out Starmer'.

Tory former Brexit secretary Sir David Davis described him as a 'solid Frenchman', who is 'steady' and able to handle pressure. 'The current prime minister of France is going to have a lot of difficult political tasks to balance and I think he will do a good job of it,' he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme.

Asked what Mr Barnier would be like with British relations, he said: 'It will be no different from what the European Union stance always is, which is they will look for their advantage.

In an appointment designed to end two months of political deadlock in Paris, the 73-year-old Michel Barnier (pictured) has been asked to form 'a unifying government in the service of the country'

Newly appointed Prime Minister Barnier shakes hands with outgoing Prime minister Gabriel Attal. Attal who was less than half his age and who served only eight months in office during a period of political turbulence unprecedented in recent times in France

Mr Barnier when he was The EU's chief Brexit negotiator in 2020. But the decision to name Mr Barnier as prime minister was greeted with dismay by the French Left, who will seek to topple him with a no-confidence motion

Controversially, Mr Macron appears to be counting on the far-Right National Rally of Marine Le Pen (pictured) to keep Mr Barnier in power

'Nothing comes for nothing with the European Union, and Michel will agree with that strategy entirely  he will not change that at all  as indeed Macron agrees too.'

Mr Barnier succeeds Gabriel Attal, 35, who was less than half his age and who served only eight months in office during a period of political turbulence unprecedented in recent times in France.

But the decision to name Mr Barnier as prime minister was greeted with dismay by the French Left, who will seek to topple him with a no-confidence motion.

Controversially, Mr Macron appears to be counting on the far-Right National Rally of Marine Le Pen to keep Mr Barnier in power by voting against such a motion.
British prisoners could be sent to Estonian prisons in a new bid to prevent overcrowding in penitentiaries across the country.

The Eastern European country has confirmed it would offer up prison rooms for rent to other states, as many of its prisons half empty due to its low crime rate.

The Ministry of Justice is said to be investigating 'all viable options' to free up spaces in UK prisons which were 'on the point of collapse'.

Government sources have said the scheme was 'on the table' due to the rising overcrowding crisis plaguing institutions, with men's prisons in England and Wales nearly running out of rooms last August.

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.

British prisoners could be sent to Estonian prisons in a new bid to prevent overcrowding in penitentiaries across the country (Pictured: HMP Wandsworth)

The Eastern European country has confirmed it would offer up prison rooms for rent to other states, with many of its prisons half empty due to its low crime rate

Estonia's Minister of Justice Liisa Pakosta previously said the scheme could be worth 25 million and suggested that Britain and Sweden are already in talks to ship prisoners to the Baltic nation.

The plan could also deliver a well-needed cash injection to the Baltic country, and help in bolstering its finances.

Pakosta 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.'

Britain's Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood and Pakosta were anticipated to talk about the prison room renting scheme behind the scenes of a Council of Europe event in Lithuania on Thursday, according to the Telegraph.

Ms Pakosta told the publication: 'The UK and Estonia have a history of successful international co-operation, and such a partnership would create further opportunities to benefit and learn from each other.'

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 stood at 88,234, and nearly 1,000 more than at the beginning of the month when there were 87,362 imprisoned.

It comes as Germany revealed it wants the EU to send migrants to Rwanda and use facilities originally set up to take those arriving in the UK by boat before Labour scrapped the plan

Berlin's migration commissioner Joachim Stamp has proposed deporting those who arrive illegally in the bloc via Poland's border with Belarus.

Estonia's minister of justice Liisa Pakosta yesterday said they have cells available to rent out to its Nato allies

Britain's Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood (Pictured) and Pakosta were anticipated to talk about the prison room renting behind the scenes of a Council of Europe event

Germany's special representative for migration agreements, said the EU could utilize existing asylum facilities in Rwanda, which were initially intended for arrivals from Britain.

One of Sir Keir Starmer's first acts after winning the election in July was to cancel the scheme before it had even started, after the Tory government had already spent 290million

Shipping criminals to Estonia, which has a population of 1.3 million, was first suggested by ex-Conservative justice secretary Alex Chalk last year during a conference.

However, the proposal received backlash from Labour at the time, with the Prison Reform Trust branding the idea as 'half-baked'.

But the current Labour Government are reportedly eyeing up the idea, despite cautions from officials about its costly price tag.

Since taking office, Labour 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 renting prison spaces is not a new concept, with Norway and Belgium previously paying for cell spaces in the Netherlands.

However officials since decided against renting prison spaces in other states including the Netherlands, which forks out 100,000 per prisoner.

The average cost per inmate is much lower in Estonia and Eastern Europe, with the estimated cost believed to stand between 10,000 and 20,000.

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 cost of a housing a prisoner in England in Wales stands at almost 50,000, with the price tag of constructing a jail sitting at 600,000 per inmate.

According to the Telegraph, government officials believe any negotiation talks would cause the cost to increase two fold.

The scheme would also incur more costs for flights and sending UK prison staff to other countries.

Additional questions have also been raised, querying if taxpayers would be responsible for paying for offenders' families to visit them abroad.

A source told the Telegraph, who was involved outlining plans under the previous Conservative government said: 'It was very expensive  potentially prohibitively so.'

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'The new Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with prisons on the point of collapse.

'We will continue to investigate all viable options to increase the number of places in the prisons estate so we can keep locking up dangerous criminals and protect the public.'
Colt Gray was given the gun he used to shoot dead four people at his Georgia high school as a Christmas present from his father months after they were questioned by the FBI over alleged threats.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, minutes after authorities say he opened fire on students and teachers.

Law enforcement sources told CNN Thursday that the teenage shooter received the gun for the holidays this past December.

His father Colin Gray has told authorities that he bought the gun for the boy himself as a Christmas gift. Colin Gray has yet to make any public comment on the shooting.

This was just months after the teenager and his father were interviewed by local law enforcement in connection with online threats about carrying out a school shooting made on the gaming social-media platform Discord, according to investigators.

Colt Gray was given the gun he used to allegedly shoot dead four people at his Georgia high school as a Christmas present from his father

Gray has been charged with four felony counts of murder, and will be tried as an adult, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed

The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Gray, then 13, 'had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.' The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report.

The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said 'he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,' according to the investigator's report.

The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: 'I promise I would never say something where ...' with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible.

The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of 'inconsistent information' on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York.

Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.

'We did not drop the ball at all on this,' Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. 'We did all we could do with what we had at the time.'

The Discord account had a user name written in Russian, and the translation of the letters spelled out the name Lanza, referencing Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, officers said.

Gray denied he was the author of the threats, telling police he'd shut down his Discord after being repeatedly hacked. He expressed concerns that someone would make those accusations about him.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, minutes after authorities say he opened fire on students and teachers

A huge police presence descended on Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday after officials said the student opened fire, injuring nine and killing four

'He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,' the father, Colin Gray, said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.

Colin reportedly assured officers that he would be 'mad as hell' if he learned the allegations about his son making threats were true, and that 'all the guns [would] go away.'

Online, his aunt vowed 'full throttle blood' as she claimed he'd been subjected to 'abuse' his entire life. Those comments were deleted last night after a barrage of backlash.

The sheriff's investigators closed the case after being unable to substantiate that either Gray was connected to the Discord account, and did not find grounds to seek the needed court order to confiscate the family's guns, according to police reports released by the sheriff's office on Thursday.

Gray appears in the booking photo with long hair that has been dyed blond - a far cry from the smiling, baby-faced boy pictured in his middle school yearbook just two years earlier.

The boy reportedly had an obsession with other infamous school shooters such as Parkland, Florida killer Nikolas Cruz.

Two students and two teachers were dead inside the school building by the time he laid down his AR-style weapon.

Students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and teachers Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, were named as the deceased.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting

Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting. Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim

When police searched the teen's Georgia home following the bloodbath, they reportedly found clues the teenager was 'obsessed' with mass shootings - specifically the Parkland massacre in 2018, which left 17 people dead.

Gray was known to the FBI after several tips came in about him last year.

The boy remains in juvenile custody in Georgia, awaiting his first court appearance, which is scheduled for Friday morning. He will be charged as an adult, sheriffs said.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by school resource officers at the scene.

Sheriff Smith revealed that Wednesday was Gray's first 'real day' at Apalachee High.

He said: 'He was a brand new student to Barrow County Schools, he had enrolled about two weeks prior. This was his second day at school. He had been before, he left early, on that day and this was his first real full day.'

According to law enforcement, Gray opened fire at approximately 10:23am, hitting at least 13 people as frantic scenes took over the school.

Images showed students streaming out onto the campus as terrified parents raced to find their children, with one mother describing the scene outside the school as pure 'chaos.'

Horrific details from inside classrooms have emerged - depicting the chilling chaos students endured as gunshots rang out this morning

One mother described the scenes outside the high school as 'chaos'

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around 30 minutes before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and a student got up to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we weren't going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open, so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

Sayerath said Gray proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

As information floods in on the school shooting - officially the deadliest in Georgia's history - students and parents shared their shock at the horror that unfolded.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said Gray immediately surrendered when confronted by law enforcement, and 'gave up and got on the ground'

One mother, Erin Clark, shared the text exchange she had with her son Ethan from the moment he learned there was an active shooter at his school.

He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'

His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

'Love you too baby. Where are you?' Clark said. Ethan told her that he was in class, adding 'someone's dead.'

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy.

A makeshift memorial has been created using a wreath and flowers. On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy.

President Joe Biden issued a statement condemning gun violence after the tragedy.

He said: 'What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.

Heartbroken students have been arriving outside school grounds in a steady stream on Thursday to mourn the tragedy

On Thursday, families and students stopped by the somber scene to pay their respects to the lives lost in the tragedy

'Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write.

'We cannot continue to accept this as normal.'

Biden called on Congress to say 'enough is enough' and pass new gun safety legislation, describing gun violence as an 'epidemic.'
Michel Barnier, who has just been appointed prime minister of France, has long observed a touching tradition when he visits his family estate.

Pride of place there goes to an ancient oak and the 73-year-old has a habit of kneeling down in front of it and paying homage to the tree's longevity.

If only the French electorate had a similarly reverential attitude to a man who has enjoyed such a long career in politics that he has been dubbed 'the French Joe Biden'.

Instead, the appointment of this venerable old hack has sparked a chorus of name-calling.

Barnier was 'from Jurassic Park: not only a fossil, but fossilised from political life', said one MP from Marine Le Pen's populist-Right National Rally party.

'The French have been taken for idiots,' exclaimed Marine Tondelier, secretary general of the EELV Green Party. 'They will remember it.'

Michel Barnier (pictured), who has just been appointed prime minister of France , has long observed a touching tradition when he visits his family estate.

French president Emmanuel Macron (L) poses with European Commission Chief Negociator Michel Barnier prior to their meeting at the Elysee palace in Paris, on January 31, 2020

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, September 4, 2024

Barnier's appointment will go down no better on this side of the Channel. Unless you're a Remoaner of course.

As a despairing Nigel Farage said yesterday: 'An EU fanatic as French prime minister would, sadly, suit the Labour government.'

For Macron's choice means we now have two Brexit-wreckers in power in both London and Paris.

In Britain, Keir Starmer, the man who led the doomed campaign for a second referendum, and in France the man who turned Theresa May into chopped liver during the Brexit negotiations.

Who can forget the sight of Barnier, then the EU's chief negotiator  both a choir boy and a boy scout in his youth, posing for the cameras at the first meeting to discuss the terms of Britain's divorce from the EU with a bulky pile of papers in front of him.

David Davis and his fellow UK negotiators, in contrast, were empty-handed  and much of the European and Europhile British media gloried in the apparently superior preparation of the EU side.

In fact, all it amounted to was a statement of intent. Barnier and his team were gearing up to argue over every jot and tittle, every comma and colon, every cent and penny.

France's newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier (R) delivers a speech next to France's outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (L) during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, 05 September 2024

France's outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (R) greets newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier (L) during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, 05 September 2024

As Oscar Wilde once wrote: 'A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.'

Instead of approaching the negotiations in a constructive manner and making an attempt to smooth the process, he was looking to squeeze us till the pips squeaked.

As Barnier threatened at the outset of the talks: 'We intend to teach people what leaving the single market means.'

But now many 'people' are already questioning how long he can last. Barnier is Macron's fifth prime minister in seven years and he was appointed only after eight weeks of dithering.

At 73, he is also the oldest of the 26 prime ministers in modern France's Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago.

Attal was also France's first openly gay prime minister and some of Macron's political opponents quickly dug up the fact that, in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against equalising the age of consent.

Barnier's only qualification for the job seems to have been his willingness to accept it. He's mistrusted by the Left, the largest bloc in the National Assembly, and ridiculed by many on the Eurosceptic populist Right. The idea that Barnier can find a majority in parliament to address the multiple economic and social crises facing France seems like fantasy. By one count, he will have the support of only 66 deputies in an Assembly of 577.

A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament shows Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking during the first Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) after summer recess in the House of Commons, in London, on September 4, 202

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs from number 10, Downing Street ahead of the weekly PMQ session on September 04, 2024

Worse, he will have the in-tray from hell. What our own doom-laden Chancellor Rachel Reeves might call a black hole has opened up in the French budget, which can only be cured by savage spending cuts or massive tax rises.

The deficit is projected to reach 5.6 per cent of GDP this year and 6.25 per cent next year, well beyond the permitted 3 per cent EU limit. Not that Brussels will do anything to punish Europe's scofflaw. But the bond markets are less charitable.

That said, the baffled reaction to the appointment in France suggests that the choice of Barnier may benefit, of all people, Marine Le Pen.

The leader of the populist National Rally was unusually equivocal about the appointment yesterday. 'Michel Barnier seems to be someone who is respectful of the different political forces and the National Rally, which is the largest group of the National Assembly,' she said.

The Left, and even some of her own supporters, suspect she's done a deal with Macron in which her bloc in the Assembly will finally be listened to.

Could this mean Macron recognises his effort to bury the Right has failed? It would be a humiliating U-turn for the president, whose antics since June have been designed to crush Le Pen.

Or just that the president has finally realised his mission to find a new government has run aground, and the best he can hope for is a technocratic caretaker government.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier speaks during a debate on the future relations between the EU and UK at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, 18 December 2020

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, and European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom Michel Barnier address a media conference on Brexit negotiations at EU headquarters in Brussels, on Dec. 24, 2020

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not seen) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hold a joint press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany on August 28, 2024

The Left, meanwhile, is predictably furious. 'The denial of democracy has reached its peak,' squealed the Socialist leader Olivier Faure, on the appointment of a prime minister from a party that finished in fourth place.

Barnier was certainly not Macron's first choice. His name emerged only on Wednesday night after half a dozen alternatives turned the job down. It's not likely that Macron has calmed the febrile atmosphere, and more likely that he's poured petrol on the fire.

'The President has appointed a loser of an ultra-minority political force at the polls and a marginal group in the National Assembly,' said Benjamin Lucas, a Socialist deputy.

Barnier, who is married with three children, is a quintessential technocrat. 'He has the charisma of an artichoke,' was the scathing verdict of a senior official who worked with him in Paris.

Brexit seems to have been the highlight of a lengthy but unremarkable political career in which Barnier has cycled through dozens of jobs, including foreign minister, before being dispatched to Brussels where he was right at home.

He's a fanatical European, believing in a deeper and wider Europe, on the model espoused by the late Jacques Delors.

Before Brexit, his most notable achievement was his leading role in the organisation of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in his hometown of Albertville. When one French diplomat heard back in 1999 that Barnier had been picked as France's European Commissioner, he exclaimed: 'A ski instructor?'

After his starring role in Brexit, he ran to be the candidate of his party, Les Republicains, in the 2022 presidential election. He stimulated the enthusiasm of nobody, coming third.

Perhaps his appeal is that he's essentially dull. He certainly isn't in step with public sentiment. He's a centre-Rightist in a country that rejected Macron's centrism in favour of the hard-Left and populist Right.

His attraction for Macron seems to owe more to the president's desperation for a warm body than any conceivable appeal he might offer to French voters.
Few figures are more closely connected to the Royal Family than India Hicks.

India, who celebrates her 57th birthday today, is the granddaughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle and adviser who was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.

She has established herself as a model, interior designer and businesswoman and lives in the Bahamas with her husband, David Flint Wood.

India was one of the five bridesmaids at the 1981 wedding of Diana and Charles, who is both her godfather and second cousin.

She is the daughter of interior designer David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks, a former lady-in-waiting to the late Queen and daughter of Lord Mountbatten.

India Hicks, who turns 57 today, married her long-term partner, David Flint Wood, in 2021. They exchanged vows atat St. Bartholomew's Church in India's home village of Brightwell Baldwin, Oxfordshire

India married her long-term partner, David Flint Wood, in 2021 at the age of 54.

The couple relocated to the Caribbean together in 1996, but they chose to come back to the UK for their wedding.

Following 26 years together, they exchanged vows at St. Bartholomew's Church in India's home village of Brightwell Baldwin, Oxfordshire, as their five children looked on.

India was previously christened at the church and her father is buried there.

'Having lived a fairly unconventional life together on a small island in the Bahamas for more than two decades, we decided that our wedding should, in contrast, be very conventional,' India wrote in an article for Vogue.

India stunned in an exquisite ivory tulle and lace dress by Emilia Wickstead, featuring a turtleneck and dramatic A-line skirt that swept the ankle.

She accessorised with a pair of white satin court shoes by Christian Louboutin and carried a beautiful bouquet by Pulbrook & Gould London.

The company poignantly made her mother's wedding bouquet in 1960.

Her ring was a gold and diamond band from Charlotte Chesnais, which the couple chose together in Paris a few months earlier.

They had the words 'amor vincit omnia', translating to 'love conquers all', engraved on the inside.

India's eldest-born son, Felix, travelled with his mother to the church before walking her down the aisle

India was previously christened at the church, located in her home village of Brightwell Baldwin, and her father is buried there

India and David had been together for 26 years before they got married. The couple relocated to the Caribbean together in 1996. Above: The couple at the Serpentine Gallery's summer party, 2009

Interior designer David Nightingale Hicks on Windermere Island in the Bahamas, April 1980. Also pictured are his wife, Lady Pamela Hicks (nee Mountbatten), his daughters Edwina and India, his son Ashley, and George Mountbatten, the 4th Marquess of Milford Haven

India's bridesmaids were led by her daughter Domino, while her son Felix walked her down the aisle.

She shared that the wedding had 'all the English trimmings' complete with 'a choir' and 'a series of uplifting hymns'.

If not for a fortunate twist of fate, India might have died at the age of 11.

On August 27, 1979, she chose to stay at her grandfather's home in County Sligo, Ireland, and watch a Laurel and Hardy film rather than join him and other family members for a fishing trip.

Shortly after the party set off, a concealed IRA bomb detonated, killing Lord Mountbatten, his grandson Nicholas, teenage crew member Paul Maxwell and Doreen Knatchbull, the mother of Mountbatten's son-in-law.

Speaking in 2019, India said of the disaster: 'The damage that was done was so much deeper than any of us could ever have imagined. And adult lives are still being horrifically disrupted.'

Two years after the tragedy, India was asked by Charles if she would be a bridesmaid and his and Diana's wedding.

'I had to practise,' she later recalled.

'It was during these rehearsals I got to know Diana, whom I first met at a dress fitting.

'She always seemed more like a head girl than a princess-in-waiting, with never a shy moment in private.'

India was one of the five bridesmaids at the 1981 wedding of Diana and Charles, who is both her godfather and second cousin

India was 13-years-old when Charles personally called her to ask if she would be a bridesmaid at his 1981 wedding to Diana

Lady Pamela Hicks and India Hicks attend the funeral of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, on June 27, 2017

India attends a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022

India has preserved her bridesmaid's wreath from the ceremony at St Paul's, keeping it in its original box.

In 2022, she shared a photo of her dress - still in pristine condition - on social media.

It was displayed alongside another royal bridesmaid dress, worn by her mother, Lady Pamela, now 95, who had served as a bridesmaid to the late Queen Elizabeth.

At the age of 18, India moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to study photography.

After graduating in 1990, her father introduced her to the Emilio Pucci brand in Florence, Italy, where she began her modelling career by showcasing swimsuits.

She later modelled for prominent brands, such as Ralph Lauren, Tod's and J. Crew.

Despite her royal connections, India has worked hard to forge her own path.

She became a designer and businesswoman, launching a luxury lifestyle brand, before closing the business in 2022 to spend more time with her children: Wesley, 27, Felix, 25, Amory, 23, Conrad, 19, and Domino, 14.

Despite her royal connections, India has worked hard to forge her own path, establishing herself as a model, interior designer and businesswoman

India and David attend Chucs Dive & Mountain Shop Swim Party in aid of Charity: Water at The Serpentine on July 4, 2011

India adopted Wesley after his mother died of cancer.

On the eve of King Charles's coronation, India said her godfather was 'considerate' and 'patient', but she did not receive an invitation to the crowning ceremony.

She posted photos on her Instagram account showing herself outside Buckingham Palace and she also appeared on Australian TV to discuss all things royal ahead of the King's big moment.

She serves her godfather's charity, the Prince's Trust, as a patron for Women Supporting Women.

After attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, India revealed that she would be undertaking a bicycle ride from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle in a bid to raise money for the charity.

India's work for the Prince's Trust exists alongside her support for Global Empowerment Mission, a nonprofit that assists in the wake of international disasters.

In May 2022, she visited Ukraine alongside her son in support of the organisation, transporting clothing and spending time in a therapy shelter helping Ukrainian children.
A tidal wave of migrants is expected to surge across the US-Mexico border around the time of the US presidential election, DailyMail.com can reveal.

There is widespread concern among US federal officials that migrants waiting in Northern Mexico will make their attempt to cross en mass as Nov. 5 nears or just after Americans head to the polls.

Federal immigration authorities have been to told to prepare for a huge spike,' Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales told DailyMail.com Tuesday.

The Republican lawmaker, who represents over 820 miles of Texas-Mexico border including hot spots El Paso and Eagle Pass, explained cartels that smuggle people over the border will actually advertise on the election.

These criminal organizations are amazing at marketing. Imagine...a criminal organization starts marketing, "The border is going to be shut because Donald Trump is going to win the election,'" Gonzales stated.

Hundreds of migrants stormed the Paso del Norte, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico with the intention of crossing into El Paso, United States, on March 12, 2023

'They will use that to vamp it up, whether its true or not, it doesnt matter. That is the selling point.'

A potential Trump presidency is widely seen among migrants as limiting access to the US.

Tony Gonzales (R) is the US Congressman representing Texas' 23rd District. His seat stretches from San Antonio to El Paso along 823 miles of US-Mexico border

Gonzales added migrants could feel an urgency to get into the country before Trump takes over, assuming the GOP presidential candidate wins.

Mexican cartels, that make over $13 billion a year according to the New York Times trafficking humans across the international boundary, have spread misinformation that has caused chaos on the border before.

Several times last year, the thugs circulated rumors among migrants in the Mexican border city of Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas.

In one case, they convinced migrants that US authorities were giving asylum to any migrant who surrendered at a particular international bridge in El Paso.

That resulted in about 1,000 desperate Venezuelans storming the Paso Del Norte Bridge in March 2023.

They were met by riot guards from US Customs and Border Protection who shut down the bridge and stopped them.

Migrants, mostly from Venezuela, try to cross a barrier into El Paso, Texas

Migrants arrived at the bridge after believing online misinformation that they would be welcomed in were confronted by federal agents from US Customs and Border Protection

Venezuelans hoping to make asylum cases in the US were fed lies by human smuggling cartels

A second factor that could cause an influx of migrants at the border is Mexico.

Since January, the Mexican government has stepped up efforts to stop mostly South and Central American migrants traveling through its country on their way to the US.

Pressured by the Biden Administration, Mexican officials have set up checkpoints to find migrants on northbound buses and trains and return them to the Mexico-Guatemala international boundary.

Its entirely possible that after November, that Mexico which is spending a lot of money blocking people and doing all these checkpoints and bussing everyone to the south of country-- that Mexica might be like, "Okay, were not going to keep doing this favor for the Harris Administration,"' Adam Isacson of The Washington Office on Latin America told DailyMail.com.

Mexico's action is largely responsible for migrant crossings plummeting at the border in recent months.

Migrants line up outside an immigration office in the city of Tapachula, Chiapas state, southern Mexico, September 2

A migrant child rides a scooter in front of tents, in a makeshift camp known as 'The Little Venezuela' in Mexico City, Mexico on August 26,

Migrants arrive at a gate in the border fence after crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico into El Paso, Texas

The Biden Administration released the latest border crossing numbers in August, showing a 32% drop in migrants caught by Border Patrol in July-- what the feds call the 'lowest number since September 2020.'

November 6, regardless of who wins, (cartel) are going to turn the volume all the way up before the inauguration,' Gonzales said.

'Why wouldnt you? You either have Trump in the White House so youre going to get your last bite at the apple or have Kamala in the White House and youve done them enough favors.'
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Overview

The University of West London (UWL) markets itself as The Career University, lest anyone be in any doubt as to the umbilical connection here between studying and getting a job afterwards. Developments such as the new school of medicine and biosciences seek to provide students with hands-on experience tackling the needs of local communities, while students studying for their Airline Transport Pilot Licence as part of their degrees have access to the university's Boeing 737 flight simulator. UWL's connections to the nearby Heathrow airport and British Airways are typical of its business links which give students access to more than 1,000 part-time, internship, graduate and volunteering opportunities. The university monitors all placements to ensure that they are of the highest quality, too. In addition to its focus on graduate jobs and making a difference in local communities, UWL has a third key mission which saw it recognised last year as our University of the Year for Social Inclusion. Few can match the diversity on campus here, with 68% from black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups; more than 60% from homes where they are the first to go to university; and around half being mature returners to education.

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Paying the bills

Such is the diversity of the student body at UWL, the university targets support at the many rather than the most disadvantaged few. The UWL Aspire bursary provides free books to the value of 100 in the first year to most undergraduates and pre-registration students. The money can be spent in the online UWL Aspire student shop. In subsequent years, students get a further 100 each year to help keep down the cost of studying. Students from homes with an annual income of less than 25,000 qualify for a bursary of 1,000 per year, worth up to 3,000 over the course of their degree. Care-experienced and estranged students receive a 500 annual bursary plus, from this year, a 2,000 contribution towards the cost of accommodation in their first year. The university has more than 800 rooms supplied by private providers, with prices ranging from 11,000 for a 44-week tenancy to more than 20,000 for a studio apartment on a 51-week contract. The university also offers more than 70 philanthropic prizes worth between 150 and 10,000 and 42 donor-backed awards worth between 250 and 5,000.

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Who's better, who's best? UWL has taken the name of the compilation album from The Who to heart in its mission to create the best student facilities. And from next month the Townshend Studio will provide a permanent home for several music synthesisers gifted to UWL by alumnus and The Who's lead guitarist, Pete Townshend. The studio will be used for teaching and research, as well as hosting cultural events and 'open house' days when the local community will be invited in. A BA in creative music production is also being introduced from next September. An interdisciplinary school of medicine and biosciences has also opened this year, with a focus on improving the health of the communities in which UWL operates, reducing inequalities, and areas including dementia care and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diagnostics and treatment, in particular for cancer and heart conditions. The new Digital Futures Lab, meanwhile, will allow students to acquire the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven workplace. Equipped with the latest dual-screen computers, graphics processing units and virtual-reality headsets, the lab complements existing digital facilities and studios for film and television, motion capture, radio, and sound and recording.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

'Inclusion is in our institutional DNA,' UWL told us. Achieving the levels of diversity seen on campus is no accident, but it is not the product of a contextual admissions policy that reduces the standard offer by a set amount. The university says it welcomes applications from those who can meet entry criteria through experience rather than academic qualifications, and reductions in the Ucas tariff point requirements vary significantly. The university engages in substantial local outreach with schools and colleges and is working to improve continuation and degree-completion levels for its commendably diverse student body. With 38% of academic staff and 22% of the professoriate drawn from black and ethnic minorities, UWL takes the same approach to staff appointments as it does to student recruitment. All students have a personal tutor. UWL has recently increased the number of mental health and disability advisers it employs and is working with NHS trusts on two projects that have won funding from the Office for Students. Mind the Gaps, which examines ways of providing additional support to students who are the first in their immediate family to go to university; and People Like Us, which is looking at how racial and cultural stressors influence the wellbeing of black and minority ethnic students, potentially impact large numbers of UWL's student population.
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Overview

The University of the West of England (UWE) has a physical footprint that spans Bristol, but the university is working hard to ensure that its eco footprint is considerably smaller. New accommodation for 900 students opening this month is claimed to be the largest low-carbon development of its kind in the country, enhancing UWE's appeal to today's environmentally aware students. The Purdown View development is on UWE's main Frenchay campus to the north of Bristol, where most courses are based. There is also the City campus - home to creative and cultural industries courses - which is spread across four sites, offering views of a deer park and the harbourside. It features the Arnolfini and Spike Island arts venues, and the Watershed film culture and digital media centre. The Glenside campus in Fishponds, a 15-minute bus ride from the city centre, is the base for allied health, social care, nursing and midwifery students. With more than 25,000 undergraduates and close to 12,000 postgraduates, UWE is one of the UK's biggest universities, and applications have never been higher. Roughly half the undergraduate intake comes from the immediate region, but UWE's reputation draws in students from across the country.

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Paying the bills

UWE's Low Income bursary is paid to all students from homes where annual household income is 25,000 or less. The cash award is worth 500 for each year of study and more than 5,000 students benefit. This same maximum income threshold applies to all other undergraduate bursaries, including the UWE Cares bursary worth 1,650 each year, which is paid to carers, care leavers and estranged students, who also earn a 500 graduation bursary cash payment. A 1,650 annual payment is also available to help meet childcare costs for students in receipt of the childcare grant element of funding from the Student Loans Company. As part of a package of help that paid out around 3.8m in the last academic year, UWE also provides 500 employability bursaries of either 500 or 1,000 to help students pay for activities that will add significant value to their experience and improve their graduate outcomes. There are nearly 5,800 rooms available in student accommodation and prices begin at 4,961 for a 45-week contract, rising to 11,541 for a 42-week tenancy in the most expensive rooms.

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UWE's drive towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 has been helped considerably by the opening this term of the new Purdown View student residences. The new block for 900 students on the main Frenchay campus is arranged into four to eight-person flats and studio apartments and built to Passivhaus sustainability standards. It is a first for the university sector in the UK, and the university claims it is one of the largest low-carbon certified developments in the world, with energy costs and carbon emissions 81% and 79% respectively below those of the student accommodation Purdown View replaces. The university comes 11th in the latest People & Planet league table, which ranks universities on their environmental and ethical performance. Three new degree apprenticeship programmes are introduced this term for solicitors, specialist community public health nurses and community nurse specialist practitioners. Added to the 19 existing programmes, there will be more than 2,500 apprentices on campus in the coming year. Subject to final approval, UWE plans to introduce two new degrees next September: a BA in culture, media and creative industries and a BSc in data science.

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Staff at UWE have to undergo some of the most extensive training in student mental health and wellbeing support that we have seen at any university. They receive mandatory training in safeguarding and supporting mental health and wellbeing, as well as prevent duty training, with a suite of additional courses available that include emotional intelligence and neurodiversity awareness. This is part of a wider wellbeing package which contains further distinctive elements such as peer-assisted learning workshops on resilience, led by students to help build confidence and life skills. Students also have access to the SAM app (Self-help App for the Mind), developed in collaboration with a research team at UWE, which helps them to understand, monitor and manage anxiety through self-help exercises and private reflection. UWE expects increasing numbers of students to enter the university with a contextual offer following the introduction of a contextual admissions policy for September 2023 admissions. The typical contextual offer cuts 16 Ucas points (or two grades at A-level) from the standard offer on undergraduate courses, and eight Ucas points (or one A-level grade) from standard offers for foundation-year programmes. Eligibility is largely driven by the Ucas multiple equality measure which incorporates postcode information to determine levels of deprivation and low levels of participation in higher education; gender; ethnicity; type of school attended; receipt of free school meals; and the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI).
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Overview

Shortlisted for our University of the Year title, Warwick turns out graduates who are among the most sought-after; the university sits sixth in this year's High Fliers ranking of universities targeted by the largest number of leading graduate employers, ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge. The university celebrates its 60th anniversary next year with applications running at record levels - 58% higher than a decade ago - and admissions are at a level beaten only during the pandemic years of inflated grades. The university recruits nationally and globally, and it is one of the institutions that mops up students who miss out on Oxbridge. The spacious campus university sits not in Warwick, but on the outskirts of Coventry. Academic, sporting, social and residential facilities are all close to hand. The Warwick Arts Centre, which has five spaces for theatre and music, three cinemas and a gallery, is one of the biggest outside London. Sporting facilities are excellent, too, and Warwick is a serious player in inter-university competitions. Academic strength spans the arts, humanities and languages, as well as the social sciences, science and engineering. The recent triple gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework for overall rating, student experience and student outcomes speaks to that broad-based brilliance.

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Paying the bills

About one in five students at Warwick gets some form of financial support from the university, with the main award, the Warwick bursary, expected to benefit 900 first-years in the upcoming academic year. The award is paid to students from homes where the income is 35,000 per year or below and is restricted to children educated at state schools and further education colleges (or those on a full fees means-tested bursary at an independent school). The biggest awards of 2,000 per year go to students from homes with an income of up to 16,000, falling to 1,500 per year (16,001 to 25,000) and 1,000 per year (25,001 to 35,000). Unusually, the awards are paid during work placement and study abroad years and can be topped up with an extra 1,000 per year for students who are care leavers, mature, estranged, in receipt of Disability Students' Allowance, or in receipt of the special support element of the maintenance loan or one of several other government grants as part of their student support package. Warwick's discretionary hardship awards for those in need range in value from 100 to 4,000. The university has around 7,500 beds on campus, with the cheapest also being the most central. Rooms in the Rootes residence come in at 4,305 for a 35-week contract. The most expensive ensuite rooms in Bluebell cost 9,800 for 40 weeks.

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Warwick has mitigated the negative impact of Brexit on international academic collaboration by strengthening its ties with universities across Europe. This helps it provide new opportunities for overseas study for its students. Warwick is one of the 10 members of the Eutopia alliance of European universities, which offers researchers, students and staff the chance to collaborate and work abroad. The university also opened a new European base in Venice last year, which overlooks the Grand Canal. Undergraduate students of history, history of art and liberal arts can take modules in Venice. The past year has seen the university develop capabilities even further afield, with the opening of the Marsh Observatory helping it train the astronomers of tomorrow. The observatory has a 40cm telescope and digital imager to allow students to observe solar system objects, stars and galaxies. New degrees for 2025 include a BSc in economics and management and a BSc in international management with foundation year. Warwick is also planning to add to its degree apprenticeship offering, which is already one of the largest in the Russell Group, with around 1,300 learners already enrolled across programmes in applied professional engineering, civil and infrastructure engineering, computer science and technology solutions, digital and technology solutions, digital healthcare science, electro-mechanical engineering and social work.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

A contextual offer scheme reduces standard offers for courses by up to two A-level grades (subject to a minimum of BBB) and four International Baccalaureate points to eligible applicants educated in the state sector. All undergraduate courses are included in the programme apart from those with foundation years. There is a wide range of eligibility, which includes living in a postcode among the 20% most deprived or from which fewest advance to higher education, or attending an under-performing school or one with a higher than average proportion of students in receipt of free school meals. One of the country's most extensive outreach programmes helps Warwick attract a diverse student population. The Warwick Scholars access programme works with post-16 students in the Midlands, offering those accepted on to it a five-year support programme, from application and enrolment through to employment and further study. These students also receive an offer two to four grades below the standard ask, and considerable financial help during their studies. Student safety on campus is taken seriously, with all students required to confirm before the start of each year that they have completed the Warwick Values Programme on Moodle, which covers sexual misconduct, bullying, discrimination, harassment, racism and the supply or use of illegal substances. A community safety team, residential community teams, wellbeing and student support services and personal tutors offer a network of mental health and wellbeing assistance. Mental health mentoring is available, and the Togetherall app and student-run Nightline service provide out-of-hours cover.
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The oldest university in Wales is also the one to have undergone the most significant transformation in the past 15 years. The University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD) began life in 1822 as St David's College in Lampeter; only Oxford and Cambridge have a longer history among Welsh and English universities. It now comprises campuses in Lampeter, Carmarthen and Swansea (the former Swansea Metropolitan University until 2013) and has also expanded its footprint to cover London (opened in 2012), Cardiff (2015) and Birmingham (2018). However, UWTSD's heart remains in south-west Wales, where each of the campuses has a distinct course bias and atmosphere. The historic and beautiful Lampeter campus offers a broad sweep of humanities courses; Swansea is home to most of the science, technology and engineering degrees, with strength also in art and design; and Carmarthen acts as a base for creative arts programmes together with business, sport and education. The small outposts in London (for undergraduate degrees in health and social care, business management, applied computing, and leadership and management skills for the workplace), Birmingham (principally education, health and social care, applied computing and business management) and Cardiff (principally education, law, policing and performing arts) complete the picture.

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Paying the bills

A support package that benefits around one in seven students reflects the diverse intake; more than half the undergraduates are mature returners to education aged over 21 when their courses begin, and a similar proportion are from homes where parents did not go to university. Many are Welsh speakers. So, the university offers an annual bursary of up to 500 for student parents and a bursary of up to 900 a year for students learning in the Welsh language. Annual bursaries of 1,000 are available for care leavers, estranged students and those with caring responsibilities, and bursaries of up to 250 a year are open to transgender and non-binary students. The Reaching Wider bursary is the most common form of financial aid and is worth up to 100 to students recruited from postcodes that are among the 40% most deprived areas in Wales. A Digital Connectivity bursary offers up to 100 towards the cost of broadband or a maximum of 300 towards the cost of a device and connectivity combined. University-owned accommodation at Lampeter and Carmarthen is among the cheapest in the UK, with prices ranging from 3,863 for 38 weeks at Lampeter to 5,147 for the most expensive rooms on a 37-week contract at Carmarthen. Rooms at Carmarthen begin at 3,959.

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UWTSD's Innovation Matrix building opens in time for the new academic year. Based in Swansea's SA1 Innovation Quarter, the development is focused on digital innovation and will connect businesses with the university through collaborations between academia and industry, as well as offering many industry-specific opportunities for students. This should help boost the relatively low proportion of UWTSD students who currently gain high-skilled jobs upon graduating. More generally, academic and social facilities have been upgraded, with a focus on enhancing green spaces, modernising teaching rooms, creating informal learning areas, and improving workstations and library accessibility. Student halls in Lampeter and Carmarthen have also been upgraded following significant investment.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Applicants living in a postcode classified as being among the 40% with the lowest rates of progression to university, those who are the first in their immediate family to go into higher education, and care leavers all qualify for contextual offers at UWTSD. Contextual offers are made for all courses, except those where they are not possible due to the requirements of professional bodies, and typically come in at eight Ucas tariff points or one A-level grade below the standard offer. With more than half the students enrolled classified as mature returners to education, UWTSD's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedures are particularly relevant for those seeking to have experiential learning from working life evaluated and awarded credit. Wellbeing and mental health support is provided to all students, often accessed in the first instance through the Student Hwb or the Wellbeing Service directly. The services offered cover counselling, wellbeing advice, study adjustments, referrals to other student services teams, or support to access NHS or other external services. A Student Assistance Programme operates 24 hours a day. All staff complete mandatory e-learning modules that provide training on how to respond to students showing signs of mental distress. The university and students' union offer training and compulsory guidance on sexual consent, and racial, sexual and social tolerance.
Chinese vice premier meets Moroccan PM

Xinhua) 16:28, September 05, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Thursday met with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two sides have constantly consolidated political mutual trust and achieved remarkable outcomes in practical cooperation.

China is ready to work with Morocco to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and the fruits of the summit, deepen cooperation in sectors including infrastructure, trade, investment, culture, education and tourism, open up new prospects for the bilateral strategic partnership, and jointly build the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, he said.

Akhannouch said Morocco is willing to strengthen the alignment of strategies and practical cooperation with China, and keep advancing Africa-China and Morocco-China relations.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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The University of Sussex was ranked among the top UK universities for sustainability in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. Occupying a site that borders the South Downs National Park, the university has committed to giving more than 42% of the land on the Sir Basil Spence-designed campus to nature by 2027. This stuff matters to Sussex's students. Applications are running high at upwards of 20,000 per year, and admissions have been similarly buoyant, bar last year's near-1,000 dip. Sussex recruits three-quarters of its students from London and the South East, with around 85% educated in non-selective state schools. The university maintained its overall silver award in last year's Teaching Excellence Framework, although it will have been disappointed by the bronze for student experience. It is embedding employability into the curriculum in a bid to get more students into high-skilled jobs - currently one of the poorer areas of performance in our ranking. The Career Lab programme offers them internships, mentoring, insight visits to employers and the opportunity to become a consultant to a business or community organisation.

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Paying the bills

The university that has just been ranked eighth in the UK and 26th globally for sustainability by the QS World University Rankings also seeks and rewards environmental influencers with a 3,000-a-year scholarship. The five Climate Leaders scholarships, awarded annually, are open to undergraduate, masters and PhD students who can show a track record of bringing about real-world change in relation to the climate crisis. Scholarship recipients will be supported to develop a high-level project plan and provided with mentoring support. Most of the 30% of Sussex students who get financial help receive the Sussex bursary. The number of awards is unlimited, and they are paid to all students from homes with an annual income of less than 25,000. The bursary is worth 1,000 in the first year and 500 in subsequent years of study. All bursary recipients also qualify for a rent rate capped at 125 per week - the price of the university's cheapest accommodation - under Sussex's affordable housing scheme. A 5,000 annual bursary is paid to students who have been in care via the Andrew Rudd scholarship. Accommodation prices begin at 4,875 for a 39-week contract, rising to 8,135 for the most expensive rooms.

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Students can look forward to an ultra-modern future. Almost 2,000 new student rooms are at the heart of the West Slope campus development, which is due to open in phases from the end of 2026. Built to the latest environmental standards, the project will also include a health centre, cafe and supermarket. Students arriving this term will enjoy the novelty of shopping at the first frictionless store on any UK campus. Harnessing Amazon technology, students will scan their payment card on entering, select their food and then simply walk out. Weighted shelves and scanners at the exits will calculate the sum to be charged. Sussex has also announced that 42% of campus land will be set aside for nature by 2027. By next September, quantum computing areas will have been expanded and upgraded, and a revamp in the school of engineering and informatics will give students a teaching workshop with modern machinery and 3D metal and non-metal printing kit. This month sees the first students enrol on a suite of six data science degrees, studying the subject on its own or with maths or physics. The new MPhys in Physics (Quantum Technology) (research placement) is the first in the UK to offer undergraduate students quantum technology research experience from the first day of their degree.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

More than one in five students applying to Sussex qualified for a contextual offer last year. These are typically up to two grades below the standard offer for a given course. Contextual offers apply to all degrees apart from medicine, which is run jointly with the University of Brighton at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Eligibility criteria include living in the 20% of postcodes with the lowest levels of progression to university or the highest levels of social deprivation, receiving free school meals, having been in care or being a young carer, or taking part in the Sussex Access Plus outreach programme. There is a comprehensive network of mental health and wellbeing support at the university, including therapists and psychologists providing short-term cognitive behavioural therapy and psychodynamic therapy for relationship issues. A Residential Life team supports students in university halls; they work with Student Connectors to create a social events programme to combat isolation. The university's subscription to the Togetherall app offers 24/7 online mental health support, peer support and self-help courses, too. Campus safety is prioritised through the requirement for all new students to complete the Consent Matters online course in sexual consent and active bystander training.
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Overview

If you've got a good business idea, then the University of South Wales (USW) could be the place for you. It justifiably lays claim to the title of Entrepreneurial University of Wales for the fourth year in a row, in recognition of it being the Welsh university that has backed the most graduate start-up businesses. Official data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that USW supported 96 new graduate businesses in 2022-23, taking the total number of active graduate businesses it has helped to more than 500. Across the UK as a whole, USW ranks 11th out of 220 institutions for new start-ups and ninth for the number of active graduate businesses. Dr Ben Calvert, USW's vice-chancellor, said 'supporting start-ups and small businesses is part of our DNA'. Entrepreneurial success is no accident at a university where courses are designed and delivered with significant input from business and industry. Engagement, collaboration and partnership are the cornerstones on which the institution is founded. It has five sites across South Wales: three in Pontypridd, and two others in Cardiff and Newport. The university is headquartered on the Treforest campus, the biggest of the Pontypridd sites. Cardiff is home to the university's creative industries courses, while Newport provides education and teacher training, business, computing, social work and psychology degrees. Everything else is taught in Pontypridd.

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Paying the bills

USW's Student Support Fund benefited more than 300 students in 2022-23, with each receiving 900 on average. The fund's extensive reach is indicative of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on student life. USW is currently considering further initiatives to defray some of the costs of studying, including meal discounts and addressing digital poverty. Just under 100,000 was distributed in carer's bursaries, worth 1,000 per year to students who are unpaid carers, and another 82,000 was given out in Gwent bursaries to 82 students accepting a place under contextual admissions criteria who have an NP (Newport) postcode. The 1,000 scholarship is paid in the first year only. There are several further awards, including a 1,000 progression bursary for students who top up their USW-accredited diploma or foundation degree gained at one of several nearby colleges to a full honours degree at USW. Prices in the more than 1,400 rooms in university-owned or managed accommodation range from 4,480 for a 40-week contract at Glamorgan Court up to 7,812 for a 42-week tenancy in the Mountain Halls studio flats, both in Pontypridd.

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What's new?

New teaching and learning facilities for chiropractic students are under construction on the Treforest campus in Pontypridd. The new space will serve not only USW's Master of Chiropractic and foundation-year courses but also clinical outpatient requirements. Chiropractic care has been offered to the public for more than 20 years, with final-year student clinicians working under the supervision of qualified chiropractors. The new facilities are expected to open to patients and students next summer. USW's commitment to the world of work goes beyond its portfolio of vocational degrees to include an extensive programme of degree apprenticeships. The current suite of 12 options is being added to this month, with six new earn-while-you-learn courses taking their first students. Two new civil engineering routes begin - one leading to a BSc, the other to a BEng - alongside construction project management, building surveying, real estate, and quantity surveying and commercial management. These new pathways will add more apprenticeship learners to the near-1,100 already on campus.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

USW does not specify the number of grades or Ucas tariff points by which it will reduce offers for applicants who qualify for a contextual admissions place. It says only that these students will be made an offer lower than the typical offer for a given course, or that their circumstances will be taken into consideration when results are released and places confirmed. Most courses are included in the scheme except those where professional bodies impose additional requirements on entry grades, such as the BSc in medical sciences. To be eligible, applicants must either live in a postcode among the 40% that send the fewest to university, or be a first-generation student whose parents did not go to university, or have been in care for three months or more. Mental health and student wellbeing is supported through a range of activities and interventions. As well as specialist mental health or counselling support, students can be referred to, or take part in, wellbeing group activities that include therapy dogs, craft workshops, yoga classes and book clubs. Support is offered for stress, anxiety and depression through to complex mental health issues, trauma and autistic spectrum disorders. The university runs its own on-campus health service for students, which hosts workshops and webinars through the year in conjunction with Brook, the sexual health charity, to raise awareness and promote understanding of issues such as sexual consent.
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Overview

Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) offers no less than three named support advisers to its students when they enrol - a student support adviser to provide personal help, an academic adviser to assist them with their studies, and an employability adviser for planning the start of their career. The aim is to keep all students on track with their studies and then launch them successfully into their first jobs. It works, too, with the university having one of the strongest graduate employment records of any modern university. Rooted firmly in its community, it trains more than a quarter of the new teachers in Yorkshire annually. Earlier this year, its Institute of Education became the first university to be rated outstanding by Ofsted for its teacher training across four age groups: early years, primary, secondary and post-16. It is one of the biggest suppliers of healthcare graduates in the country, and its business school is the largest in the UK, with some 7,000 students. SHU's marketing handle - Knowledge Applied - succinctly captures its ethos and approach to higher education. A Civic University Agreement enshrines its commitment to contribute to the region's economy and jobs, education and skills, health and wellbeing, and community and regeneration.

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Paying the bills

Almost 9,000 Student Success scholarships were awarded in 2022-23. Valued at between 600 and 2,100 - with most at the lower end of that scale - the scholarships are open to students from homes with an annual income of up to 62,347. The university prioritises certain groups of students for the scholarships: third years, ethnic minorities, care leavers, estranged students, transgender and non-binary people, those who are disabled, carers, student parents and those on high-cost courses. The higher-value scholarships are paid to those who tick multiple boxes. All are renewable annually. A placements bursary was awarded to 236 students last year, and the sum paid is based on the value of a student's previous Student Success scholarship. More than 900,000 was paid out in hardship support in 2022-23. Talented sportspeople can apply to the Performance Athletes Support Programme for a package worth up to 3,000. In all, around a third of Hallam students get some form of financial assistance from the university. Prices for the cheapest rooms in self-catered accommodation have been cut slightly this year and now start at 4,004 for a 44-week contract (making them among the cheapest in the UK), rising to 8,360 for a studio flat.

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What's new?

Campus improvements and new teaching facilities hold the key to boosting SHU's faltering scores for student support, student experience and teaching quality in recent National Student Surveys. The UK's largest modern business school will get a new home in the upcoming term which will include a business lounge and a trading floor equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The College of Social Sciences and Arts, which includes the university's not-for-profit law teaching firm, Hallam Legal Advice Centre, will also move into one of the three new buildings due to be completed imminently. They are being constructed with sustainability in mind as the university moves towards becoming a zero-carbon institution. The buildings, which will also include food venues and social spaces for students, sit around a new public green space with room for up to 150 people to relax in.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

The university is unusual in requiring all students to attend three compulsory induction sessions: Welcome to Your Course (giving an overview of courses and expectations), Success and Support @Hallam (outlining the support available and expected student behaviours), and Meet Your Course Mates (a social and ice-breaking session). The university aims to get students off on the right footing with these sessions and backs this up through the provision of three named advisers covering student support, academics and future employment, to help students through university life. Mandatory online training covering mental health is given to all academic advisers, and the university has developed a Students in Distress guide for academic staff. To maintain high levels of campus safety, students are also expected to complete a welcome module which includes information on sexual consent and being an active bystander. Contextual offers are made to a sizeable proportion of applicants, including those who are a part of the university's SHU Progress applicant and transition support scheme; black students; those from a home with an annual income of less than 25,000; students with extenuating circumstances; those who have to study at home due to personal circumstances; or those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Mature applicants who will be over the age of 21 when they commence their courses can also qualify. There is no set contextual offer, so they vary from candidate to candidate, but the university commits to taking account of individual circumstances when results come in. 'This may mean that we can be more flexible in confirming your place at Sheffield Hallam,' the university says.
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Overview

Roehampton is moving heavily into the provision of online degrees for those who do not want to study on its attractive parkland campus in south-west London. For now, the nine courses on offer are all postgraduate business degrees, but the university is moving quickly to adopt more options with 100% online studying. The move comes as enrolments dropped to their lowest point in the past decade, 43% below the level they were at in 2016. Once part of the University of Surrey, it is 20 years since Roehampton became a university in its own right. It is organised into four colleges, Digby Stuart, Froebel, Southlands and Whitelands, which were founded as teacher training colleges in the 19th century, and teacher training is still a central pillar here. The colleges create bite-size communities of students and help Roehampton provide a far more personal university experience than is available elsewhere in the capital. The university, which has an excellent reputation for social diversity on campus, also has a sizeable population of nursing and healthcare students and is expanding into green skills with its new Sustainable Engineering and Technology Education Centre and a raft of associated courses.

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Paying the bills

The most academically able get a 3,000 Academic Excellence scholarship for achieving AAA at A-level (or equivalent), which is paid at a rate of 1,000 per year. A 2,000 scholarship, also paid over three years, is given to students who gained AAB at A-level (or equivalent). The Roehampton Foundation scholarship is paid to all students beginning (four-year) courses with a foundation year, bar those studying Theology, Mission and Practice, and is worth 500 per year (2,000 over the course of the degree). Esports scholarships and Women in Esports scholarships are worth 2,000 per year for those who can demonstrate aptitude in esports (electronic sports). Roehampton has also increased its hardship funds in response to the cost-of-living crisis and made further practical changes to keep students' costs down, which include adjusting timetables to reduce the number of days they need to travel to campus. The university's residential accommodation, which starts at just 5,421 for a 39-week contract in Bede House, lives up to its promise to 'offer affordable accommodation in London'. Even the most expensive rooms in Elm Grove Hall and Chadwick Hall cost just 9,009 over 39 weeks.

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What's new?

Roehampton is branching out into a new area of academic activity with the opening of its Sustainable Engineering and Technology Education Centre (Setec). The first degrees, taking students from this month, cover civil engineering, architectural technology, and construction management. More courses will be added over time as the university builds up a presence in this academic space. Several computer gaming degrees (in games art, games design, and computer games programming) also begin this month as part of a comprehensive overhaul of Roehampton's course portfolio, in a bid to reverse the falling number of enrolments. New joint honours courses have also been introduced including both an LLB and BA in law and politics; BAs in English and journalism, education and youth studies, and politics, international relations and history; and a BSc in computing and business.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Contextual offers can be up to 16 Ucas tariff points (or two A-level grades) below the standard offer on all courses except for teacher training and nursing. Among those eligible for contextual offers are applicants who have received free school meals at any point in the previous six years, those from postcodes sending the fewest into higher education or who have attended schools with below average attainment, and those with disabilities or who have been in care. Mental health and wellbeing support is provided by a team of student wellbeing officers, counsellors and specialist mental health advisers. Mental health and resilience are key components of pre-arrival and induction programmes. All students have an academic tutor and the university's student support service, Nest, offers academic and non-academic support 24 hours a day online, as well as at various locations on campus.
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Overview

Small is beautiful at Queen Margaret University (QMU). Located on a modern campus opened just 17 years ago, QMU is the best of both worlds, sitting just six minutes by train from the centre of Edinburgh, while offering students green, coastal surroundings with a great sense of space. QMU is home to around 4,000 undergraduates (and 2,500 postgraduates) following a range of career-focused degrees. Work placements are a common feature of courses, and the university prides itself on producing career-ready graduates. There is a strong provision of healthcare and teaching courses, with recent campus developments such as the newly opened outdoor learning hub adding considerably to the facilities for the latter. QMU serves a socially diverse student community where around half are the first in their immediate family to attend university. Its contextual admissions scheme typically reduces offers by two grades compared to the standard ask. The university's reputation for friendliness was reinforced by its recent nomination by students for four prizes at the Global Student Living Awards, covering best university housing, best student wellbeing, best moving-in experience and best student community in the UK and Ireland.

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Paying the bills

Students recruited outwith Scotland from the rest of the UK (RUK) stand a good chance of qualifying for financial support. In 2022-23, there were just 116 undergraduate RUK students across years one to four, with 63 of them (54%) in receipt of a QMU bursary. This is worth up to 2,000 per year. The maximum sum is paid to students from homes where the annual income is no more than 20,000, with the sum dropping in stages to 1,500 (from 20,001 to 25,000 annual income), 1,000 (25,001 to 35,000) and 500 (35,001 to 42,600). No fourth-year tuition fees are charged to RUK students, bringing the cost of a degree here in line with those south of the border. The university distributed more than 265,000 of hardship funds last year. QMU's Thank Goodness It's Thursday initiative offers students a free hot meal, weekend meal packs, takeaway hot food leftovers and social activities on campus in a warm environment. There are 800 places available in university residential accommodation on campus. More than 60% of those rooms are available for the cheapest price - 5,282 for a 38-week contract with the most expensive costing 6,460, considerably less than in most other universities.

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What's new?

QMU's new outdoor learning hub and discovery trail was opened in March, putting the university at the forefront of providing training in the use of outdoor learning for the next generation of teachers. Outdoor learning is part of the curriculum in courses such as primary teacher training, as giving children access to the natural world at that age is an increasingly important element of school life. The hub will equip current and future teachers, community educators and volunteer leaders with the knowledge and skills to confidently use outdoor spaces to enhance children's learning experiences. Work began this year on the Edinburgh innovation hub, which is being constructed on land adjoining QMU's Musselburgh campus. It is hoped the hub will lead to work placements and job opportunities for students, but its primary purpose will be to offer flexible laboratory, office, meeting and conference spaces for rent by fast-growing small and medium-sized enterprises. By placing innovative, technology-driven companies next to the university, it will create opportunities for sharing knowledge. It should also drive more industry-relevant research on campus, promote an entrepreneurial culture among staff and students, and increase the commercial vibrancy of the university district. However, the university is discontinuing its small graduate apprenticeship programme.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Typical contextual offers come in at two Higher grades (or equivalent) below QMU's standard offer for a given course. The university says the 'overarching aim' of its widening participation team is to make the university a sector leader in making higher education accessible to under-represented groups. To this end, it welcomed more than 1,000 targeted school pupils on to campus in 2023-24 and involved 5,500 S4 to S6 pupils in its outreach work in schools. QMU has embraced digital learning, although the precise mix between in-person and online course delivery varies between programmes. In general, among non-science subjects, all teaching in the first and second years will be delivered on campus, but in the third and fourth year, up to a quarter can be delivered online. Mental health and wellbeing support is dispensed in several ways, with personal academic tutors directing students towards help should they need it. All academic staff have a personal tutor role and are given training on how to support students and the issues they might face. Short-term counselling is provided to students in need, with up to six sessions available at a time, and those in crisis are contacted within 24 hours of flagging their problem. QMU's counselling and wellbeing service provides group work around resilience, compassion and anxiety, as well as awareness sessions around self-harm, eating disorders, stress management, drugs and alcohol.
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Overview

'Run by artists and designers for artists and designers.' So boasts Britain's newest specialist arts university - and one of five that we profile and rank in this guide. It also hints at the intensely practical slant of courses at Arts University Plymouth (AUP), which is also comfortably the smallest university in this guide. AUP began life as the Plymouth Drawing School in 1856 and is one of three universities in this Devon coastal city. It was shortlisted for University of the Year in the 2024 Whatuni? Student Choice Awards, eventually coming fourth based on reviews from its students, who also rate the university's personal touch consistently highly in the annual National Student Survey. Staffing levels are among the most generous, and the student body is comprised largely of students from backgrounds usually under-represented in higher education. The city-centre campus has 13,000 square metres of studios and workshops spread across four buildings. New partnerships with outside organisations and investments in equipment keep student life anchored in the real world. The compact undergraduate course portfolio of just 21 degrees includes six which have a distance-learning first year with a January start. Students on these courses study flexibly at home, in the studio or at one of AUP's international host institutions for their first year, which they complete by the beginning of August.

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Paying the bills

When so many of your students are drawn from backgrounds that are under-represented in higher education, it makes sense not to provide means-tested bursary support. Instead, AUP short-circuits the paperwork by awarding a 300 Final Year award to all its third-year students to help them meet course-related costs, such as art materials. There is also a progression award of 300, paid in the first year only to students who progress to undergraduate study from an AUP pre-degree extended diploma or foundation diploma course. A 15% fee discount is offered on postgraduate fees to any AUP student who wishes to continue their studies. The university does not own or manage any residential accommodation, relying on the private sector in the city to mop up AUP students who are not living locally at home. Among AUP's recommended providers, the average weekly cost of a self-catered ensuite room is 131, while studio apartments come in at 170 a week on average.

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What's new?

Two new partnerships with local businesses have upped AUP's game by offering cutting-edge facilities and real-world work experiences to AUP students. The tie-up with Real Ideas has given students access to an immersive dome with the latest surround-sound speaker system and 360-degree high-resolution visuals. The facility is compatible with virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, animation, games software, spatial audio and recorded or live-action content. Students on AUP's film and animation and games degrees have already created and screened content for the dome, and a new MA in immersive media is being launched to make use of the dome's facilities. A second partnership has been forged with The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art collection and gallery, which is also home to the South West film and television archives. Students have the chance to engage with a contemporary museum, gallery and archive, as well as learn directly from the curators. AUP has also installed a new electrical furnace - the first of its kind in the UK in an educational setting - within its hot glass studios, giving students direct experience of using a device that is set to revolutionise the glass industry.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

AUP has introduced a contextual admissions system for students seeking places in September 2025. These will reduce offers to 72 to 96 Ucas tariff points for courses that require 104 to 120 points under AUP's standard offers - a reduction of 24 to 32 points (three to four A-level grades). The change comes as applications hit record levels following AUP's elevation to university status in 2022 and should help the university continue with its admirable record of recruiting most of its students from groups that are under-represented on campus in other institutions. All applicants have the chance to submit a portfolio in order for their creative potential to be assessed independent of examination results or predictions, so the university has long made offers that are tailored to individual applicants. When they arrive on campus, support is comprehensive and enhanced by the fact that many degree students are known to the institution, having already studied on AUP's pre-degree campus. This creates a so-called 'golden thread of communication' which allows AUP to have a joined-up approach to academic growth and personal development running between the two campuses. The university's small size allows it to tailor support to its demographic, and some staff have holistic therapeutic skills. One counsellor is fully trained in acupuncture; a welfare adviser provides yoga classes for students; and very specific welfare initiatives are built into programmes. Creative fatigue or imposter syndrome within the arts, anyone?
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Overview

The social demographic of Oxford is changing after a concerted effort to open up the university to a wider range of students. In 2023, 68% of the UK undergraduate intake were educated in state schools, 21.2% came from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, 7.6% had qualified for free school meals and more than a quarter were black, Asian or from other minority ethnicities. Oxford's determination to diversify its intake has not led to any compromises in its desire to recruit only the brightest, however. Most of the 23,000 or so who apply each year will go on to achieve at least AAA at A-level, but the university prides itself on the fitness of its admissions process (featuring examinations and interviews) to identify the students that will truly fly here. Academic life revolves around weekly tutorials, which take place individually or in small groups in college. There are 32 undergraduate colleges spanning the ancient and modern, big and small, traditional and relaxed, and not all subjects are available in each. Expressing no college preference in your application is also an option. But be quick. A deadline of October 15 is just another way in which Oxford sets itself apart from the crowd.

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Paying the bills

Around one in four students receive a bursary from the university each year. The most lucrative are Crankstart scholarships, funded by the billionaire financier, Sir Michael Moritz, and his wife, Harriet Heyman. The index-linked scholarships are worth 5,970 this year to students from homes with an annual income of up to 7,500, and 5,150 for those from homes with an income of between 7,500 and 32,500. Crankstart scholars who have been in care qualify for an additional 3,500 per year and all of them (as well as Oxford bursary recipients) are eligible for an Oxford Travel Supplement worth 220 per year if they live more than 80 miles from Oxford. This rises to 550 if they live more than 150 miles from Oxford. For students who do not take up a Crankstart scholarship, the Oxford bursary also provides generous support. Worth 4,120 this year to students from homes with an annual income of up to 25,000, it drops to 3,610 (for between 25,001 and 32,500 income), 3,090 (between 32,501 and 37,500 income), 2.060 (between 37,501 and 42,875 income) and 1,030 (between 42,876 and 50,000 income). There are numerous other awards that can also ease financial pressures. Students live in college for at least two years of undergraduate study, and prices vary considerably.

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What's new?

Students enrolling next September will be the first to work in the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. The development, which is in the latter stages of construction, was made possible by the university's largest-ever donation - 185m from American billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman. It will incorporate a Institute for Ethics in AI, as well as libraries, a concert hall, a performance space and teaching and research facilities. Oxford's new Life and Mind Building is also due to be completed by next year, housing the experimental psychology and biology departments. A new Global Health Building is due to open in 2026, which will house the university's centre for tropical medicine and global health and elements of the population health department. The university continues to dominate global university rankings. It has topped the world rankings produced by Times Higher Education for the past eight years, and when it was displaced by Imperial College London this year from the top of the QS World University Rankings, it caused a ripple through Oxford's quads. The latest results under the Teaching Excellence Framework returned a triple gold award last year, covering an overall rating, student experience and student outcomes - an achievement that was beyond most Russell Group universities.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Last year saw the introduction of the Astrophoria foundation year for state school students with significant academic potential who have experienced personal disadvantage or disruption to their education. It sees up to 50 students enrol on a supportive and challenging one-year course, which allows them to move on to a full undergraduate degree at Oxford without having to reapply, providing they complete the foundation year to the required standard. Tuition and accommodation are provided for free and a non-repayable bursary covers living costs. It is one of the most innovative approaches to widening access to the university. Further support with the transition to university is provided to around 200 offer holders from disadvantaged backgrounds through the Opportunity Oxford bridging programme, which consists of an online course in the summer before A-level results are published and then a two-week residential ahead of term starting for those whose places are confirmed, to give an insight into what life as an Oxford student is like. The tutorial system at Oxford, with its emphasis on small group or individual teaching, provides levels of personal and academic support that surpasses that of most universities. Students are well known to staff and the collegiate structure of the university only adds to students' sense of community and belonging, offering social, sporting and cultural opportunities at college level to complement those available at university level. For students with mental health and wellbeing issues, the university counselling service offers one-to-one counselling, therapeutic group sessions and workshops. Oxford boasts the oldest and largest peer-support programme in the country, with around 360 trained and regularly supervised peer supporters in post in colleges and departments each year. Just under 2,000 staff have undergone training in how to respond to students in psychological distress.
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Overview

With almost 200,000 students studying for 200 qualifications - mostly first degrees - across 400 modules, the Open University (OU) does higher education on a bigger scale than any other institution. It does virtually everything virtually. This is the original distance-learning university, set up by Harold Wilson's 1960s Labour government, which has provided university education to more than 2.3m people over more than five decades. In recognition of its high quality courses and the outstanding - and long-standing - role the OU has played in delivering higher education to so many people, it is our University of the Year for Teaching Excellence. Delivering its courses online, students can work whenever and wherever they want. Three quarters of those enrolled are in work, but 10% of undergraduates are aged 17 to 21, for whom the OU can appear as an increasingly attractive option, with 120 credits (equivalent to studying full-time for a year) costing 7,272, compared to 9,250 in tuition fees plus living costs at a conventional university. There are no formal entry requirements, although access modules can help new learners establish if they are equipped for student life. Students can build credits over many years or they can study full-time, completing a degree in three years. The OU's unique structure - with no students on campus - means we are unable to include it in our rankings, but where data is available, such as measuring student satisfaction and research quality, the OU has long shown it can compete with the best of the traditional universities.

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Paying the bills

The OU offers higher education on a budget. Student loans are available, just as they are in conventional universities, but with 120 credits - the equivalent of a full-time year of higher education - costing 7,272, the OU undercuts other universities by 1,978 a year, or 5,934 over the course of three years. OU students qualify for a part-time tuition fee loan. Those who have been in care or who provide unpaid care to a family member or friend with a personal income of less than 25,000 a year qualify for scholarships that offer a fee waiver for up to 360 credits, the number needed for a degree. The Disabled Veterans' scholarship fund offers something similar for those disabled in, or due to, military service, but with no minimum income requirement. The Open Futures Scholarship for Black Students offers up to 360 credits of tuition costs to black students with a personal income of less than 25,000 a year. The 10 recipients of the award in 2024-25 will also get a 500 one-off grant to cover costs incurred in preparing to study. All students with less than 25,000 personal income can study for one of four free 30-credit taster access modules.

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What's new?

The recent awarding of a gold for its overall rating in the latest outcomes from the Teaching Excellence Framework showed once again that when the OU is judged on a level playing field with its conventional competitors, it can more than hold its own. It earned a further gold for student outcomes and a silver for student experience. A new BA in film and media will be launched in October 2025 and there are five new programmes that begin next month, including international relations, marketing and business management, counselling, biomedical science and design. The OU already offers seven degree apprenticeships and two higher apprenticeships in England (plus a further degree apprenticeship in Wales), with plans for a further expansion to widen and diversify participation. There were in excess of 6,000 apprenticeship learners enrolled in September 2023, more than at any other higher education institution, with the proposed additions expected to add to that total. Current degree apprenticeship programmes include police constable, registered nurse, social worker, systems thinking practitioner, digital and technology solutions professional, chartered manager and senior leader.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Student support takes many forms. All students are assigned a personal tutor for each module, who provides academic and pastoral support through tuition and feedback. Contact with students is maintained through tutorials, phone, email, or online rooms and forums. Further support is available through advisers in the OU's student support teams. The Student Assistance Fund provides financial help of up to 500 per academic year to students who experience unexpected hardship. When mental health or wellbeing issues arise, support can be accessed by phone, email and webchat with 24/7 help available online through TalkCampus and Shout. Students receive several emails per year outlining how they can obtain mental health or wellbeing support. All frontline advisory staff (amounting to about 1,000 people) get mental health awareness training as part of their induction. The OU is open to all and there are no entry requirements needed to enrol; one third of enrolled students have one A-level or less. As a result, the OU has one of the most diverse student populations, but it works hard to increase its visibility within groups from which it could recruit more to diversify further. So, it works closely with the BBC to create content to appeal to under-16s to be consumed on devices commonly used by that group. It uses its OpenLearn platform to publish content to support teachers and potential students of all ages in raising aspiration and attainment.
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Overview

Norwich University of the Arts, our Arts University of the Year, is the highest-ranked specialist arts university outside of London. A real-world focus runs through all of its courses alongside fostering the creativity you would expect. Norwich's pedigree was confirmed by its recent triple gold award under the Teaching Excellence Framework, covering an overall rating, student experience and student outcomes. Norwich is the only specialist arts and design university to achieve this feat. Based on a city centre campus, the university occupies 12 buildings in Norwich's cultural quarter which are equipped with the latest modern technology, art studios and workshops. A compact programme of 27 undergraduate degrees covers the performing arts (acting), visual arts (animation, illustration, photography and fine art), televisual arts (film and moving image production, animation and visual effects), design (design for publishing, games art and design, graphic design, interior design, textile design and user experience design) and fashion (fashion communication and promotion, fashion marketing and business, and fashion). Courses involving creative computational technology, such as creative computing, creative technology and robotics, and user experience design - all serving a jobs market starved of suitably qualified graduates - will ensure Norwich continues to punch above its weight in the employment stakes.

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Paying the bills

A 1,000 contribution to the costs of studying at Norwich is offered to all students from homes where the household income is less than 25,000. The payment is split 500, then 300, then 200 across three years and can be used to meet the costs of materials, equipment and other university-related expenses. A 1,000-per-year bursary is awarded to care leavers or students who are estranged from their parents. A further 219,000 of scholarship awards were made in 2022-23 to around 30 home or international students based on excellence in their studies. The most lucrative of these is the Chancellor's scholarship, a means-tested payment of 9,250 per year to cover tuition fees for students of black or mixed black heritage from homes with an income of no more than 50,778 - a notably high threshold for eligibility. All applications must be supported by a 300-word statement on why you want to study at Norwich and how the scholarship would help. A similar salary threshold operates for the Dubery and Brogden scholarships, worth 2,500 and open to applicants studying fine art, illustration, textile design and fashion. There are more than 1,000 places in university accommodation, with prices for an unusually long 46-week contract ranging from 5,106 to 8,510. The new Rochester Court student residence opens in time for the new term, with 48 rooms arranged in flats of four or six.

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What's new?

Several campus upgrades will further improve student facilities and the wider student experience. Following the award of money by the Office for Students to develop creative computational technology within Norwich (see Overview, above), two new laboratories are taking shape. An immersive visualisation lab will house virtual production labs with a 10m x 4m LED screen, a volumetric capture system, 360-degree cameras and a Dolby Atmos sound studio. A creative technology lab will allow students to work with several emerging technologies, among them 3D scanners, projectors and projection mapping software, sound design software, motion capture devices and virtual and mixed-reality headsets. The refurbishment of the Grade II-listed 20 Bank Plain building - Norwich's latest campus building - continues, creating a mixed-use space for students and city residents alike. It will feature a students' union lounge, canteen, student services space and dance studio. In addition to the two new degrees in creative computing and creative technology which begin this month, Norwich has further additions to its course portfolio planned for next year in esports, electronic music and sound production, business management, marketing and psychology.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Student support at Norwich takes many - often innovative - forms. Relative success in the graduate jobs market is no accident. Norwich's Profile system, designed with employers, allows students to track and develop employability skills alongside their studies. Profile resources include two gamified virtual-reality experiences shot in 360 degrees, which allow students to orientate themselves within a creative industry workspace and understand hierarchy, communication styles and workplace culture. Norwich has a policy of not promoting any 'opportunity' to students or graduates that does not pay at least the minimum wage. This includes unpaid internships, which are a common feature of the creative industries, and which exclude students from poorer backgrounds. Wellbeing support includes up to six counselling sessions per year for students experiencing mental health difficulties. Trained student support advisers and student residence assistants provide individual support, and all staff are given mandatory training on helping students in distress. Welcome Week includes a mandatory session on student support, which covers mental health and wellbeing. There is also a compulsory 90-minute session for new students on sexual consent; drugs and alcohol abuse and misuse; social, racial and sexual tolerance; and how to be an active bystander. Norwich achieves good levels of social diversity on campus without a formal contextual offers policy to drive recruitment from under-represented groups. As a specialist arts university, admissions are largely governed by the quality of applicants' portfolios of creative work and their responses to additional questions from the university, rather than being based solely on predicted grades.
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Overview

Northumbria has enjoyed a breakthrough few years, taking on the old-guard universities at their own game. It has established serious research credentials (it was our Research University of the Year in our last edition); a strong employment track record, with around three quarters of graduates landing high-skilled jobs; and an excellent pedigree for social inclusion, with 36% of its intake last year recruited from postcodes among the 40% that send the fewest into higher education. It received a gold for student outcomes in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), alongside slightly disappointing silver ratings for student experience and the overall TEF assessment. It remains a popular choice in its home region, with 57% of the new intake of undergraduates coming from the North East in 2023, and 19% coming from Yorkshire. The university is a key player in the regional economy, providing more graduates into skilled jobs in the region than any other university, including its two local Russell Group rivals, Newcastle and Durham. There are strong ties with local employers in both the public sector (notably the NHS) and private sector (Proctor & Gamble, Nissan), as well as with business and industry more generally.

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Paying the bills

Northumbria's financial support for students starting this month is focused on the groups most at risk from experiencing financial difficulties and dropping out. There are 2,000 bursaries for care leavers, young carers and students estranged from their parents; just under 300 awards were made in these categories in 2022-23. A Northumbria Undergraduate Award of 4,000 paid over three years has been launched, too. Applicants must meet two of the following criteria to qualify: coming from a home with an income of less than 35,000; being black, Asian or from a minority ethnic background; or having a physical or mental health condition, long-term illness or learning difference. The university has invested 1.7m in funds for emergency student support, helping to cover costs for accommodation and living, travel, courses and childcare. Overall, 856 students benefited from one of the university's financial supports last year, a somewhat smaller proportion than in comparable universities. Student accommodation in the university's 2,121 rooms costs between 5,015 and 8,843 for a 43-week tenancy. Half of the accommodation is close to Northumbria's city centre campus in Shieldfield or the Ouseburn Valley, with the rest just over the river in Gateshead.

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What's new?

Northumbria is about to become one of the UK's leading centres for space and satellite technology thanks to a 50m investment, announced in November 2023, to create the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre with cash from the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin, the American aerospace and defence manufacturer, match-funded by the university. The aim is to put the country and the university at the forefront of research and innovation in satellite communications, space weather and space energy, with Northumbria due to launch the UK's first university-led multi-satellite space mission next year. A new centre for doctoral training in AI, one of 12 in the UK, will focus on the inclusion of citizens in the design and evaluation of AI, to make sure its rollout and benefits are inclusive and not just for an elite minority. And Northumbria has also been named as one of 21 academic centres of excellence in cybersecurity by the National Cyber Security Centre and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - the second time it has been recognised. The university has some 2,100 degree apprentices on campus following a range of courses including building, business, education, engineering, policing, law, nursing and social sciences.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

The university has expanded the qualification criteria for contextual offers in the past year. The offers, which are used in all subjects, will now be made to all applicants who have been entitled to free school meals; those who are estranged from their parents; those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds; care leavers and carers; and those with a physical or mental health condition, long-term illness or learning difference. Contextual offers are eight Ucas tariff points below the standard offer, but applicants can increase that discount further by earning NU points (with the same value as Ucas points) through participation in Destination Northumbria, the university's supported entry programme, which includes activities such as e-mentoring, student support webinars and sessions on the transition to university. Once enrolled, there is an extensive support system for students from under-represented groups that provides a named contact for support, an employability learning fund, an internal placement and internship scheme and a transition to university event for neurodiverse students. More general mental health and wellbeing support was accessed by more than 1,900 students in 2022-23 (a more than 50% decrease from the previous year, as pandemic impacts declined). In addition to offering counselling, advice and one-to-one support, the university puts on psychoeducational workshops covering stress and anxiety, low mood, procrastination, sleep and avoiding burnout.
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Overview

Newcastle is one of the more popular destinations on the higher education map. The university is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities able to attract the most academically gifted students. The university is very popular with the privately educated, who make up more than one in five entrants, and it recruits strongly from across the UK. Students from the North East made up just 22.6% of last year's intake - not so far ahead of the 17.1% who came from London and the South East. The Royal Victoria Infirmary is home to one of the UK's leading medical schools with outstanding modern facilities. The university's Centre for Ageing and Inequalities offers world-class expertise in an area of intense national and global focus as society wrestles with the consequences of increasing longevity. Its position in our ranking - and others like it - is depressed by consistently low scores in the National Student Survey. Even though the university's graduates are among the best paid, with three in four ending up in high-skilled jobs, they score their experience modestly. And last year's Teaching Excellence Framework outcomes confirmed that view, awarding student experience a bronze, when student outcomes and the university's overall rating earned silver.

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Paying the bills

The university has extended the life of its Undergraduate Support scholarship, introduced in 2021-22, due to the ongoing impacts of the cost-of-living crisis. Aimed at students from homes with a household income of between 35,001 and 40,000, it pays 500 in each year of study. The scholarship complements the support provided by Newcastle's Opportunity scholarship to students from lower-income homes. More than 2,800 students got the top award of 2,000 per year, paid to those from homes with an income of no more than 25,000, while a further 932 from homes where income was between 25,001 and 35,000 got a 1,000 annual award. Hardship funds were increased by 8% in the academic year just ended, providing more than 1.7m of emergency assistance. Nearly 700 students benefited from participation bursaries worth up to 280 to allow students to get involved with activities they might otherwise not be able to afford, such as sports, clubs and societies. The redevelopment of the Castle Leazes halls has removed catered accommodation from the university's offer, but nearly 3,500 self-catered rooms remain. Prices begin at 4,802 for a 40-week contract, rising to a maximum of 9,776 for a 49-week tenancy.

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What's new?

The 110m redevelopment of Newcastle's iconic Stephenson Building is due to be completed later this year. Home to generations of engineering students, the new hub will see student engineers, designers and researchers work alongside academics and entrepreneurs to tackle key global challenges, by developing cleaner technologies, smarter cities and more advanced medical technology, for example. The new Stephenson Building will contain a Maker Space; a student-centred zone for interdisciplinary collaborations, creativity and entrepreneurship; and three research hubs focused on digital manufacturing, biomedical engineering and sustainable propulsion.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

More than one third of admissions at Newcastle received a contextual offer in September 2023 - a significant proportion for a university generally asking for high grades. Eligible students get offers two A-level grades (or equivalent) below the standard offer. This can rise to three grades for students from under-represented groups who participate in supported entry programmes, such as the long-running Partners scheme. Students admitted through this route get ongoing support during their time at Newcastle. Participating in Partners can reduce the entry requirement for medicine from AAA to BBB - one of the most competitive offers for medicine in the UK. Among those eligible for the Partners scheme to date are students living in the 40% of postcodes with the lowest rates of progression to higher education or the highest levels of deprivation; ethnic minority students from state schools; pupils attending state schools with below-average attainment; those who have received free school meals; carers and care-experienced applicants; and those whose family have served in the military. Treatment and education come together in one of Newcastle's initiatives to support student mental health. Its Psychological Therapies Training and Research Clinic offers cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to students suffering from anxiety and depression, and involves fully trained and trainee students and staff from clinical disciplines within the school of psychology working with student patients. Wellbeing advisers are based within academic schools to provide a first point of contact and can refer students on to central provision such as a counselling service, as well as other specialist support.
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Overview

Manchester Met is one of the largest universities in the country, with around 30,000 undergraduates and a further 8,000 postgraduates. Its numbers were swollen by last September's record intake of just under 11,000. Only three universities in the UK receive more applications than Manchester Met. A broad and largely vocational course portfolio, strong academic reputation and a ranking in domestic league tables that always sees it among the leading group of modern universities (those created since 1992) keeps the applications flowing. One of the most comprehensive programmes of financial and personal support makes the university particularly appealing to students from families with no experience of higher education. More than half of the intake come from Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, but the remainder come from across the UK, many drawn by Manchester Met's considerable presence in the training of nurses, healthcare practitioners and teachers. The university is also one of the biggest providers of degree apprenticeships, with close to 2,500 learners on campus, and has been the top-rated university training provider for five successive years in the Rate My Apprenticeship rankings.

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Paying the bills

Manchester Met's commitment to students who are the first in their immediate family to go to university is backed up with hard cash. Those among that group who are recruited from north-west England and who complete a pre-entry programme during sixth form qualify for the university's First Generation scholarship. This is worth 1,500, paid over the course of their degree, in addition to professional and personal support while studying. There is further support for all undergraduate and foundation year students who come from homes with an annual income of up to 25,000 via the Student Support Package, which is worth 750 per year. Four in 10 students received some form of financial assistance last year. Donor-funded awards were given to more than 500 students in 2023; additional support through networking, mentoring and career-enhancing opportunities often proves as valuable as the financial help. In addition to academic scholarships, Manchester Met offers a package worth up to 7,000 per year to its most talented athletes. University-owned rooms now cost from 6,028 to 9,680 for a 44-week contract. Several private providers also have student blocks in the same neighbourhood.

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What's new?

The university is at the end of a 10-year programme of development during which some 400m has been spent. It has saved some of the best until last, with the 115m Dalton Building, home to the faculty of science and engineering, opening earlier this year. The building will offer students an environment that mirrors what they will find when they graduate and move into industry, with students, staff and business partners working side by side to translate and transfer cutting-edge research into real-world scenarios. Among its facilities are a light engineering workshop with the latest laser cutters, and a superlab - a modern, open-plan laboratory equipped with the newest tech and designed to allow students and researchers from different subjects to work together. A four-year makeover of the university library has also started this year, with the aim of making it fit for the 21st century.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Despite having one of the most diverse student populations of any university, Manchester Met does not operate a contextual offer scheme to reduce entry grades for those recruited from groups traditionally under-represented on campus. Instead it focuses on a range of outreach schemes - such as the Year 12 and 13 First Generation scholarship programme - and working with schools and colleges to raise attainment and support progression to higher education. Around 40% of the intake come from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Those students who benefit from the First Generation scholarships (see Paying the bills, above) get personal, professional and careers support in addition to the 1,500 bursary. Student mental health and wellbeing support is accessed mostly by phone and email through the university's counselling, mental health and wellbeing service. One-to-one appointments with specialists are available, as well as timetabled group wellbeing workshops and courses on topics such as mindfulness, managing anxiety and low mood. The university also subscribes to the SilverCloud online cognitive behavioural therapy programme.
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Overview

London South Bank University (LSBU) - our University of the Year for Social Inclusion and one of five shortlisted for our overall University of the Year title - achieves the rare feat of both having levels of social diversity on campus that are rare in British higher education and having one of the strongest track records of any university in graduate employment. Being in the cultural melting pot of the capital, which is also home to the country's best-paid jobs, undoubtedly helps, but LSBU's success is more than just a fluke of geography. Its admissions policies target historically under-represented and disadvantaged student groups with considerable success. LSBU is part of the wider London South Bank Group, which also includes Lambeth College, London South Bank Technical College, South Bank University Academy and South Bank University Sixth Form. This fusion of higher education, further education and school within one organisation provides pathways to university that might not otherwise exist. As a leading provider of technical education, the university works closely with business and industry to shape courses and qualifications. LSBU has three campuses across the capital. Headquartered in Southwark on the south bank of the River Thames, there are two newer campuses in Croydon (for business and healthcare students) and Havering (for adult and mental health nursing students).

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Paying the bills

LSBU increased the value of its student retention fund by 40% for the academic year just ended - a second successive rise. Uptake of fund payments has been rising during the cost-of-living crisis, with more than 1,000 students sharing 394,000 of the hardship funds during 2022-23. A further 20,000 of supermarket vouchers have been given out to those in crisis, and meal subsidies on campus ran to more than 280,000 in the year to March 2024. Travel bursaries worth 150,000 were paid out to help those struggling with commuting costs and a similar sum was paid in childcare bursaries. This targeted, practical support reflects the demographic on campus, with many older students drawn from poorer backgrounds with specific financial needs that might otherwise prevent them from completing their courses. Given its strong local recruitment profile, only 25% of first-years seek accommodation in one of the university's 1,338 rooms. Prices begin at 6,435 for a 37-week tenancy, rising to a maximum of 9,964. The three halls of residence are close to the main campus in Elephant and Castle - a fashionable part of town where accommodation does not come much cheaper.

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What's new?

It has been a good year for awards at LSBU. Coming third in a global ranking on tackling inequality represents a high-water mark for the university's social-inclusion goals. The latest Times Higher Impact Rankings measured more than 1,100 universities in this area, taking into account recruitment of students and staff from under-represented groups, university policies on discrimination and research into social inequalities. LSBU ranked third behind RMIT University, in Australia, and the University of Huddersfield. The university's commitment to social mobility goes right to the top; the university's vice-chancellor, Professor David Phoenix, has created a social inclusion ranking for higher education institutions (the English Social Mobility Index) that measures, among other things, equality of progression and graduate outcomes among students of all backgrounds. LSBU ranks 11th in England by the boss's own measure. Further success came LSBU's way in the 2024 Apprenticeship Guide Awards when it was named the best university for apprenticeships. Provision is extensive, with around 700 apprenticeship learners on campus split across 25 programmes. Two new offerings - a level 6 award for social workers and a level 5 award for post-production technical engineers - have been added for the new academic year.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

LSBU is one of very few universities to be set no targets on access and widening participation by the Office for Students - simply because there are no significant gaps in what the university does already. By any measure, the university succeeds in attracting a diverse student population. Black students made up just under 40% of last year's intake, comfortably the largest ethnic grouping (and the one usually least represented on campus), with about 70% of the students overall drawn from ethnic minorities. By working with schools, colleges and community organisations, LSBU seeks to first encourage students to aspire to go to university and then, through outreach programmes, provide the support and guidance to turn aspiration into achievement. Once on board, personal development plans for all students identify specific needs to help them have a successful university experience. The plans cover six aspects of university life - careers; digital and learning skills; independent living skills; study preparedness; personal organisation; and wellbeing, resilience and emotional health. Mental health and wellbeing teams can also identify students' needs through the plans, allowing them to reach out proactively. As well as offering long and short appointments, counselling and a range of digital resources, the university has on-the-ground mental health and wellbeing support in halls of residence through the Residence Life wellbeing team.
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Overview

London Met has enjoyed some excellent scores in the National Student Survey (NSS) in recent years after sustained investment in the student experience. The university has reinvented itself and now looks optimistically to the future, launching a new school of the built environment last year to supply graduates to one of the capital's key industries. The establishment of a new adult nursing degree also greatly expands its healthcare offering. London Met reflects the cosmopolitan nature of the capital city it serves, boasting one of the most diverse student bodies of any UK university. But the outcomes of the recent Teaching Excellence Framework were a mixed bag. Gold for student experience confirmed recent successes in the NSS, but a bronze for student outcomes was less good, with the university rated silver overall. Students are split between six academic schools - computing and digital media; human sciences; social sciences and professions; business and law; the built environment; and art, architecture and design. The latter is situated on the Aldgate campus, but the Holloway Road campus is far larger.

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Paying the bills

The profile of student financial support here reflects the very different student body compared with most universities. Many have children, for instance, so means-tested childcare grants covering up to 85% of childcare costs - capped at 189 per week for one child or 324 for two - help the many parents who study here. And a Parents' Learning Allowance is an extra grant to help pay for books, course materials and travel for those with children. An Adult Dependants' Grant provides support to eligible students with an adult who depends on them financially; the dependant's own annual income must be less than 3,796. Bursary payments - so often the biggest form of financial support elsewhere - totalled just 60,000 last year, made up of 40 care leaver bursaries worth 1,500 per year of study. The total spend on hardship awards in the 2023-24 academic year was 399,000. There is no university-owned residential accommodation, so students are at the mercy of London's extortionate private rental market or private operators of student halls. However, with 70% of London Met's students drawn from the capital itself, most students live at home.

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What's new?

A 10-year 150m campus investment programme was announced in 2022. A significant slab of that sum will be spent on the digital transformation of London Met's campuses to allow teaching, learning and research to take place in the highest-quality digital environments. The new school of the built environment opened to undergraduates last September, and sees the university collaborating with businesses, practitioners and professional bodies within the construction and property sectors. London is the epicentre for these key areas of the economy, and graduates will be prepared for careers in construction project management, building surveying and real estate. Two new BScs in architectural technology and real estate admit their first students this month. The establishment of a new adult nursing degree has also significantly expanded London Met's healthcare offer, with the hope of having an intake of at least 400 nursing trainees by 2028. A new skills and simulation suite was completed in summer 2023 for the school of human sciences. It contains clinical consultation rooms, a six-bed general ward, a paediatric ward, an intensive care unit and facilities that replicate care in community settings. An immersive-learning virtual reality room can create most other medical scenarios. A new BSc in physiotherapy begins this month.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

London Met achieves levels of diversity and inclusion in its intake that are well beyond the reach of most other universities. It achieves this without a formal contextual offer system, but with standard offers that are among the most attainable in the country. Mitigating circumstances, such as illness or bereavement, are considered if they can be shown to have adversely impacted an applicant's education, and all applications are assessed on an individual basis. Given its recruitment demographics, London Met's outreach activities target adult learners as well as under-represented and disadvantaged schoolchildren aged nine to 19. Outreach through schemes such as Partners in Education, a support package for selected sixth forms and further education colleges in Greater London, helps prepare children personally and academically for university through visit days, school competitions and conferences. Students' mental health and welfare are supported with easy-to-access help through online, telephone and face-to-face provision. A Small Steps, Big Difference campaign runs permanently to encourage students to take charge of their wellbeing and mental health, and the Centre for Equity and Inclusion sits at the heart of the university's drive to create a healthy environment. Students are encouraged to stay active with an extensive programme of fitness and wellbeing classes and gym facilities, which are free to all students and staff.
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Overview

Soas markets itself as 'the world's university' owing to a unique perspective on higher education - a perspective that is much in demand presently, judging by the buoyant application figures and record recruitment last year. Everything here is viewed through the prism of Africa, Asia and the Middle East - strategically, economically and politically important, and hugely populous, parts of the world. It drills down in great detail into subjects that struggle to get a look in elsewhere. Where else would it be possible to spend a year abroad studying Swahili, Turkish, Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, Indonesian or Vietnamese as part of a broader BA in languages and cultures? The titles of many of its degree programmes are similar to those offered elsewhere in the University of London and across the UK, but the content is not. Law has options in Islamic law and law and society in south Asia, as well as unique options such as oceans and outer space law, and topical ones such as asylum and immigration law. The course portfolio appeals to a diverse, cosmopolitan student population, with around three-quarters drawn from ethnic minorities and a similar number recruited from within the capital.

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Paying the bills

A limited number of 1,500-per-year Soas bursaries are paid to students from homes with an annual income of 25,000 or less. The award has a ceiling of 4,500 over the course of a degree and recipients must be resident in England. If there are more eligible students than there are awards, priority will be given to care leavers, those living in the 20% of postcodes with the lowest rates of participation in university, students from homes with the lowest income, first-generation students and refugees. In the past academic year there were 979 students across all years in receipt of this award, at a cost to the university of 1.46m. Nearly 60,700 was paid out in hardship awards. The 1,170 residential spaces are spread across London; some are close to the university's Bloomsbury headquarters, others in more far-flung parts of the capital such as Wembley Park and Wood Green. Applicants should be aware of some of the distances involved. Prices in self-catered rooms range from 7,080 to 15,867 per year for a 40 or 41-week tenancy respectively. Catered places in halls cost between 7,865 and 15,383 for a 40-week contract.

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What's new?

There is an ongoing project to make facilities more inclusive and accessible for students across the university's Bloomsbury campus, with a particular focus on improving access for disabled students. A baby feeding and changing suite has been provided, along with a Changing Places toilet for those in need of enhanced levels of assistance. The Denys Lasdun-designed Soas library is undergoing a facelift with the addition of new facilities to support collaborative study and research. The brutalist-style landmark - one of just five National Research Libraries in the UK and a global resource - contains more than 1.5m books or items in 400 languages, all of them focused on Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Soas encapsulates better than any other university in this guide the value of the post-pandemic return to majority in-person teaching of courses. 'As we continue to make sense of hybrid ways of working, it is clear that the magic of university education really comes alive when we show up in person... when we are on campus, we see that the people we bump into, the questions we can pose, and the conversations we have after lectures are an integral part of the education.' It is no surprise, therefore, that the university values and promotes its community ethos. Students are expected to attend lectures in person, with lecture capture used solely to help students review a topic, revise or catch up if they have had to miss a teaching session. One in ten entrants last September received a contextual offer, which are mostly one A-level grade below the standard offer. For students meeting multiple qualification criteria, a drop of two grades will be considered. Among the eligibility criteria considered are the proportion of children in an applicant's school getting free school meals; school GCSE performance; whether the applicant is the first in their immediate family to go to university; any experience of being in care; and low levels of progression to university or high levels of deprivation in the applicant's home postcode. All students are assigned an academic adviser in their department through whom they can access help with mental health and wellbeing, while support officers within the Student Advice & Wellbeing Centre are an alternative first point of contact. Campus safety measures include compulsory sexual consent and active bystander workshops during the welcome period.
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Overview

Queen Mary is the most socially inclusive of the research-intensive Russell Group universities by some distance. It recruits heavily from within London (more than 70% of last year's UK undergraduate intake) where participation in higher education is the highest, and yet manages to attract almost half of its students from homes where neither parent attended university. Two thirds of the intake were from Asian, black or mixed-race families and just 7.5% were educated privately. The financial aid offered is significant in both sum and reach, the university has a strong mental health and wellbeing support structure, and it offers mentoring from current students and alumni - all in acknowledgement of the additional challenges many students might face coming from groups traditionally under-represented on campus. Applications were the second highest on record in 2023. The main Mile End campus lies in a trendy part of the capital with an excellent social scene, and there are top-notch sporting facilities onsite and in the nearby Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The well-regarded medical and dentistry school is a short distance away near the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, with a second outpost in West Smithfield at Barts hospital.

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Paying the bills

The Queen Mary bursary was paid to 36% of students in 2022-23. It is worth 1,700 a year to students from homes with an income of less than 20,000, and 1,000 where income is in the range of 20,000 to 35,000. Academic excellence is rewarded handsomely, with international students who gain AAA at A-level or equivalent qualifying for the one-year Global Talent scholarship, worth 3,000 off tuition fees. Other awards are more niche. The Ocean Estate bursary, sponsored by the Tower Hamlets and Canary Wharf Further Education Trust, is worth 3,000 for one year and is paid to students whose family live on the Ocean Estate, just opposite the Mile End campus. The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust undergraduate bursary, meanwhile, is worth 3,000 per year and is paid to children, spouses, widows and widowers of commercial travellers, pharmacists or grocers who are in financial need. University accommodation, which offers 3,340 places, is mostly situated in an attractive, modern, canalside student village adjoining the Mile End campus, costs from 6,398 for just over 38 weeks. The most expensive studios on a 51-week let cost an eye-watering 21,280.

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What's new?

Queen Mary will open a new canalside home for the school of business and management in 2025-26, offering improved teaching and research spaces. It will also house the university's legal advice centre, offering free services to members of the public, students and staff. The historic Garrod Building on the university's Whitechapel campus is undergoing a significant refurbishment of its facilities, which include a library, fitness studio, multi-faith centre, cafes, kitchens, study spaces and bookable activity areas. Not to be outdone down the road, the Mile End campus has a new student space - QM Social - which includes facilities for students to heat food, relax and socialise. These new developments follow the completion of the five-floor revamp of the Mile End library, which now has 500 extra study spaces. Queen Mary is unusual among the Russell Group in embracing degree apprenticeships and expects to have up to 750 learners on campus by this month. Several new postgraduate apprenticeships are planned for next September, including MSc apprenticeships for systems engineer, engineering management, physician associate and advanced robotics engineer.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Mindful of the diverse student intake, there is a strong focus on student support at Queen Mary. Support officers are based in all academic schools and institutes. Mindfulness and knitting groups, wellbeing walks, runs and yoga are among the proactive options offered to students to support their mental health. The advice and counselling service provides free counselling and online services and resources. Individual and group therapy is offered, as well as psychotherapy and workshops on everything from self-compassion to men's wellbeing. There is financial, mentoring and employment support available for the many students admitted through widening participation schemes. One in four students who gained places outside of Clearing last year did so with a contextual offer, which can reduce the standard offer by between one and three A-level grades (or equivalent) depending on the course. Eligibility criteria include living in a postcode among the 40% considered most deprived or from which fewest students go on to university, attending a state school performing below the national average, attending a local school sponsored by Queen Mary, or being care experienced. Some large-group academic teaching is offered purely online, with follow-up face-to-face activities letting students discuss and interpret what they have learned. The exact split between online and in-person teaching varies from course to course. Queen Mary is one of a small number of institutions to run a mandatory training module on sexual consent for all new students.
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Overview

Goldsmiths finds itself in the eye of the storm that is blowing through higher education as universities struggle to balance the books. Applications and admissions last September hit their lowest point in the past decade, starkly illustrating the problems that the university is facing. Proposed compulsory redundancies were averted in August only when 67 staff agreed to leave voluntarily following a cash squeeze prompted by falling student numbers and the long-term freeze of UK tuition fees. Unions and students alike are disturbed by the university's Transformation Programme, drawn up in response to what Professor Frances Corner, Goldsmiths' warden, describes as a 'really serious' financial position. All of which threatens to overshadow Goldsmiths' reputation as a home of creatives and free-thinkers, drawn to its trendy New Cross campus by its standing in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Mary Quant, Steve McQueen, Lucian Freud, Edward Enninful and Damien Hirst are among a host of illustrious creative alumni. The college offers a full suite of courses in the creative and performing arts, as well as degrees that embrace economics, politics, law, computing, artificial intelligence and management. Two-thirds of the domestic intake come from the capital and a third of the undergraduate population are international students.

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Paying the bills

Equity Awards are worth 3,000 a year for up to 26 black, mixed race, Asian, Arab or traveller students from homes with less than 35,000 annual income, and there are other priority criteria that will be taken into consideration. The full programme of support packages for 2024 had yet to be confirmed at the time of going to press but is likely to still include bursaries of 1,000 per year for all students who have been in care as a child or who are estranged from their parents. Up to five students from Lewisham - the London borough in which Goldsmiths is located - from homes with an income of less than 35,000 get full tuition-fee waivers of 27,750, based on their application form answers. The New Cross Fire bursaries, meanwhile, are worth 4,500 paid over three years and are open to Lewisham residents from minority ethnic backgrounds with household incomes of less than 35,000. The bursaries, paid by Lewisham council, commemorate the 14 young people who died at a party in a suspected racially motivated arson attack in the borough in 1981. Goldsmiths has nearly 1,400 residential places, more than 90% of which go to first years. The cheapest rooms this year cost 7,392 for a 42-week contract.

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What's new?

This is a time of flux for Goldsmiths. When we asked the university to outline new developments that will impact the student experience in time for September 2025 admissions, it outlined its Transformation Programme. Those two words hold the key to what might be the most far-reaching changes to student life at any university. 'A key part of our plan has been to review our academic offer to make sure it is relevant to a changing world and the needs of students. We are also moving to a new academic structure,' it told us. The precise form this takes was still being determined over the summer. Programmes and modules with small numbers of students are under threat 'to create space for the development of new programmes in key growth areas', the university says on its website. Some current students will see changes to their courses, and there will be impacts for students applying to Goldsmiths for admission in September 2025, too. Prospective applicants should check the university's website carefully when the new application season opens. This year marks the 120th anniversary of Goldsmiths joining the University of London. The party has fallen a little flat.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Goldsmiths does not make contextual offers - at least not until applicants' results are known. The university feels this provides a level playing field for all applicants. 'Our policy is to make all conditional undergraduate offers based on the advertised entry requirements, and then to consider lower achieved grades individually once results are provided in the summer,' the university told us. Its holistic approach to admissions takes account of not just grades, but also portfolios where relevant; personal statements; and other educational or personal information disclosed on Ucas forms. The system works: Goldsmiths achieves a greater level of diversity on campus - 45% of students are the first in their immediate family to go to university, 57% are from ethnic minorities and 21% are mature returners to education - than most other members of the University of London federation. Goldsmiths works hard to ensure that students from under-represented groups go on to achieve well once they join the university, too. The Equity Awards (see Paying the bills, above), provide a broader programme of development opportunities, as well as financial aid, to help close the awarding gap (the proportions achieving high-class degrees) between ethnic minority and white students. All students have a personal tutor who is often the first point of contact for those in need of mental health or wellbeing support. A wellbeing team, mental health advisers and counsellors are available, with students able to access up to six sessions of various therapies, including (appropriately enough for an institution with a distinguished art pedigree) art therapy.
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Overview

Liverpool aims to be a world top 100 university in time for its 150th anniversary in 2031. It will achieve this, in part at least, by improving levels of student satisfaction, securing even better graduate outcomes, increasing research income and hitting sustainability targets. It is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities and has better levels of social diversity on campus than many others in the group. It occupies a city centre site and, with Liverpool John Moores University next door, a large district of central Liverpool is effectively a glorified university precinct. The popular medical school within the Royal Liverpool University Hospital borders one side of this district. Dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing, architecture and engineering are among the subject areas for which the university is best known. Applications hit a record for the second successive year in 2023 and the total of 6,500 admissions has been topped only once. The university recruits across the UK, with London, the South East, West Midlands and Yorkshire each contributing between 500 and 600 undergraduates. Just over one third of the intake comes from the North West.

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Paying the bills

Significant support is targeted at students from homes with an income of up to 35,000, who receive a Liverpool bursary of 750 in each year of study, rising to 2,000 per year where household income drops to 25,000 or under. All students in receipt of any means-tested bursary also get a 15% discount on the annual cost of accommodation in university halls, which is worth between 944 and 1,448 depending on the room. Undiscounted accommodation prices typically range from 6,290 to 9,656 per year for a 39-week contract in self-catered rooms. There is a limited amount of catered accommodation available, costing 9,450. Further bursaries are available for mature students, young carers and care leavers, and those who are estranged from their parents. Notable among the other awards on offer is the Divock Origi scholarship given to one student for 2024-25. The former Liverpool FC striker bankrolls the award which sees annual tuition fees of 9,250 paid, together with a yearly payment of 3,000 for living costs, to a student from Liverpool who comes from a home with an income of less than 25,000. The university has tripled the size of its hardship fund to 1.5m following the cost-of-living crisis to meet additional needs.

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What's new?

Several campus upgrades have been completed recently. A new gaming space has been added to the Rendall Building, which also sees one of two new computer suites; the other is located in the central teaching hub. The Walker, Brunner and Gossage lecture theatres have been improved, as has the Foresight Centre, creating a new home for veterinary science. Liverpool is one of just 11 universities nationally to offer a degree in veterinary medicine. The Newton Interpreting Suite has seen a major refurbishment to deliver a state-of-the-art teaching environment for language students, while University Square, the main gateway to the university, has been redeveloped. This includes the repurposing of the ground floor of the Foundation Building to create a more accessible student services centre and careers office. The university gained an overall gold rating and a further gold award for student outcomes in last year's Teaching Excellence Framework. Student experience earned a silver. Liverpool is reintroducing a graduate-entry medicine degree from this month, while next September will see the first students begin new BEng and MEng degrees in chemical engineering.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Liverpool's intake in 2022 included around 600 students from neighbourhoods with historically low levels of participation in higher education - a new record for the university. Another high was recorded with the confirmation of 75 places for students classified as having had a disrupted education. Contextual offers are made at up to two A-level grades below the standard offer; they apply to all subjects except for foundation year courses. Eligibility is triggered by various socio-economic indicators and care experience, with full details on the university's website. Applicants who participate in the Liverpool Scholars outreach programme, the national Realising Opportunities scheme and the Sutton Trust Pathways programmes in banking and finance, law and engineering are also eligible for a reduced offer of up to two grades below the standard offer. Students admitted through widening participation (WP) routes are encouraged to apply for paid positions as Liverpool Advocates when they enrol at the university, to help inspire others from similar backgrounds to join them on campus. WP students are also prioritised for specific careers and employability opportunities to give them the best shot at a successful career after university. Pastoral, wellbeing and mental health support for all students is available centrally, through residential advisers and wardens in halls, and through learning and teaching support officers or student experience teams within academic schools. Wellbeing advisers act as a first point of contact, offering on-the-day and ongoing support backed up by a programme of group work including anxiety and low-mood clinics. The university's counselling service offers a variety of therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy and art therapy.
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Overview

Based in south-west London, Kingston University has seen a nearly 50% rise in applications since 2019. With its campuses, halls, facilities and course portfolio constantly evolving, the university is successfully attracting a significant number of prospective students. More than half of the student body is made up of first-generation students and an even greater proportion hail from ethnic minority backgrounds - both traditionally under-represented on campus. A modern university in all senses of the word, Kingston targets these groups throughout their earlier years of education and then provides ongoing support once they enrol, with dedicated careers programmes for ethnic minority students, for example. The system works - Kingston was awarded a coveted triple gold in last year's Teaching Excellence Framework, covering an overall rating, student experience and student outcomes. The university's main Penrhyn Road campus is undergoing refurbishment, with work expected to finish in mid-2025, and there has been a cool 55m investment in halls of residence to provide 1,330 energy efficient, state-of-the-art bedrooms. The university attracts primarily local students from surrounding London boroughs, with the South East region more widely also well-represented.

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Paying the bills

Nearly one in every five students at Kingston are in receipt of some form of financial assistance from the university. The number of Kingston bursaries, which award 2,000 in the first year of degree study to students from homes with household income of 25,000 or less, has risen from 400 to 500 this year and there are additional awards for young carers, care leavers, the care experienced, estranged students and asylum seekers. In total, undergraduates receive nearly 1.75m in bursaries with a range of eligibility criteria. In light of the cost-of-living crisis, Kingston introduced a Back on Track fund, offering a one-off payment of up to 500 per student to help with short-term financial issues. There are plans to increase support for those in immediate financial crisis. The 21 cheapest rooms at Kingston are available at a cost of 5,040 for 40 weeks - a snip in the capital - with the most expensive coming in at a still reasonable 9,040 per year. The university has a strong record of providing halls to first-year, full-time students.

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What's new?

A total of 14 new undergraduate courses are being introduced this year and next. Robotic engineering and artificial intelligence has been added to Kingston's portfolio this month, together with marketing and criminal justice courses, among others. A foundation degree in maternity support has been added to Kingston's already strong provision of midwifery-related courses. Next year will see the introduction of degrees in historic building conservation and 3D design innovation. Three nursing programmes are also set to launch to further bolster the university's popular School of Nursing, Allied and Public Health. Seven new degree apprenticeships - a near doubling of the existing provision - are also on the horizon: three nursing courses, a social work course and three engineering programmes. The university anticipates constant growth in the popularity of degree apprenticeships, with new subjects to be introduced in the future, in line with sector demand. More than 160 new apprentice learners enrolled in September 2023 and March 2024. The university's relatively new Future Skills initiative will continue to equip students with sought-after problem-solving skills, digital competency and adaptability. The major refurbishment of Seething Wells and Kingston Hill halls of residence has also been completed (see Overview, above).

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Kingston focuses its outreach programmes on local schools, with thousands of students encouraged to pursue university aspirations from primary-school age all the way up to sixth form. Having achieved success with these schemes, the university now sees first-generation students make up more than half of its intake, with around two in every three students hailing from London. Kingston's Elevate initiative continues to upskill their students of black African or black Caribbean descent, helping them achieve their full potential. Staff receive specific training to ensure they create an experience that benefits students from all backgrounds. There is a range of counselling, wellbeing and more general support options available to students, and these are signposted through compulsory induction sessions for all first-years. Any student who has declared a prior or ongoing mental health condition will be contacted to ensure they are aware of the university's support systems. Kingston also provides optional sessions on sexual consent, anti-racism, mental fitness, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment as part of induction, and both formal and informal reporting mechanisms are in place.
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Overview

Formed in the 1960s, the University of Kent borrowed its collegiate structure from an older generation of universities. Students join one of eight colleges, the majority named after people who pushed back the boundaries of knowledge - Sir Charles Darwin, Alan Turing, Lord Rutherford to name three. The colleges form the social heart of the student experience, breaking down this mid-sized university of around 15,000 undergraduates into bite-sized chunks. Seven of the colleges are on the university's original campus, a green 300-acre site in the historic city of Canterbury, with the eighth, Medway College, on Kent's Medway campus, shared with Canterbury Christ Church and Greenwich universities, which takes in the historic Royal Naval dockyards in Chatham. Applications are down by nearly a third from their peak in 2016, but the university achieves admirable diversity on campus. Black students made up almost one quarter of the undergraduate intake last year, with more than 40% overall drawn from ethnic minorities. Partnerships with local schools and colleges help maintain high numbers of students drawn from under-represented groups.

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Paying the bills

The Kent Financial Support Package targets students from homes with an income of less than 30,000. They must also meet one of several further criteria, which include living in a postcode among those with the smallest numbers progressing to university; living in one of the 40% of postcodes with the highest levels of deprivation; being in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowance; or being a mature student. Those who qualify get 1,000 for each year of study. There are music and sport scholarships, with the latter being worth between 300 and 5,000 a year to support access to facilities, preparation and participation in sport. The Ros and Andrew Holden STEM scholarship pays all tuition fees (worth 27,750) and provides maintenance support of more than 2,300 a year to one student from the county of Kent taking a science, technology, engineering or maths degree who can demonstrate financial need. There are more than 6,000 rooms in university accommodation available, with self-catering prices beginning at 5,034 for 39 weeks in the largest and newest college, Park Wood. Catered accommodation is offered, too, with Eliot and Rutherford colleges pricing rooms from 5,905 for a 37-week contract.

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What's new?

A new strategic plan, Kent 2030, will see significant changes to the full portfolio of Kent degrees over the next six years. 'We need to introduce greater flexibility for our students to be able to fit study around other activity like work or caring responsibilities, and we need to build in better links with industry in our courses to enhance our students' employability prospects,' the university told us. The latter should help improve the proportion of graduates getting high-skilled jobs, which is the university's second-worst performing metric in our ranking this year, beaten to bottom place by former students feeling their careers are not on track, when questioned 15 months after graduating. For the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year the university is looking to introduce a three-term year for undergraduate courses, with simpler module choices and assessment spread throughout the year. It wants future assessments to be more relevant to the tasks students will face in their careers, and it is considering the introduction of block timetabling to concentrate teaching on particular days and make it easier to fit studying around other commitments. The university wants to grow in key areas such as computing, law and biosciences, while preserving the strength and breadth of its course portfolio in areas such as English, history and the arts.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Kent's admissions policies reflect its new marketing handle: 'We stand for ambition'. Outreach policies seek to raise aspirations and attainment, helping students from non-traditional backgrounds to apply for university. Kent works directly with more than 50 non-selective secondary schools and three further education college groups across Kent and Medway. Contextual offers generally cut two grades from the standard admissions requirements; they're offered in all subjects, but the qualifying criteria vary. Around one in eight students last September came to Kent via a contextual offer. In addition to financial aid, Kent helps those from disadvantaged backgrounds with the transition to university and offers a tailored programme of academic advice, skills development sessions and enhanced career preparation support. Mental health and wellbeing support features a daily drop-in service for students in crisis and a team of advisers, counsellors, mentors and specialist staff. There is dedicated assistance available for students with autism and other neurodiversity conditions. Kent is one of the proactive minority of universities that requires all students to complete an Expect Respect module before joining. This covers sexual consent, being an active bystander and racial, sexual and social tolerance.
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Overview

Keele celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with admissions at record levels, topping 3,000 for the first time in September 2023. It offers a splash of colour in the sometimes monochrome higher-education landscape, where one university can look much like another and the course portfolios can merge into one. Keele no longer requires students to study dual honours, but a large number of its courses are still two-subject degrees. In some instances, the combinations are complementary - chemistry with physics, environment and sustainability - but in others they are more striking - music production and psychology, computer science with neuroscience. All courses have a four-year option involving study abroad or a placement. Keele gained an overall gold rating in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), one of just 15 multi-faculty institutions to do so in both 2023 and the previous TEF in 2017. It is popular with students, too, who voted it University of the Year in the 2022 Student Crowd awards, although recent National Student Survey results have been less spectacular. Keele makes much of its proximity to everywhere, occupying a parkland campus near Stoke-on-Trent that's within an hour of Manchester and Birmingham, and within 90 minutes of London by train.

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Paying the bills

The university's Access & Success fund pays up to 1,500 to UK students who engage in both the academic and non-academic university experience. Well over 1,000 students have received payments from the fund in 2023-24. Several privately funded scholarships are also available, including the Denise Coates scholarship, sponsored by the Stoke-on-Trent-based Bet365's chief executive. Worth 1,500 in the first year of study, it is open to all students who live in a local ST postcode in households with less than 30,000 of annual income. There are 100 awards made each year. The maximum payments from the Keele hardship fund have been raised to 2,500 in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Around 275,000 was paid out from the fund in 2022-23 and a further 32,000 was distributed in food vouchers. Accommodation prices begin at 4,463 for a shared room on a 38-week contract, rising to 8,485 for superior ensuite rooms for 38 weeks.

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What's new?

A new apprenticeship for social workers admits its first learners this month, and the university plans to further expand its provision, which already encompasses more than 600 students. A new degree in sport and exercise science will be launched next September, subject to validation, and two joint neuroscience and psychology degrees will also be launched, with either subject as the major component. Innovation Centre 7 in Keele's Science and Innovation Park is home to its new Digital Society Institute which will bring together business, academics and students to develop digital technologies. Work has also begun on the new Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology, which will open next September. The centre in Stafford will offer advanced manufacturing and engineering training and qualifications, designed and developed by academics and business partners in order to meet the needs of employers and the economy. A further expansion from Keele's countryside campus will open in the coming year in nearby Newcastle-under-Lyme. Keele in Town will be a modern meeting and working space, offering digital connectivity to the local community, as well as access to the university's expertise.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Keele takes a whole-community approach to student wellbeing, with everyone expected to play their part. All academic schools have a dedicated student experience and support officer, who is the first point of contact for students throughout their studies and is introduced to them during induction. They offer a personalised gateway to early intervention and referral to specialist services where needed. Staff with an academic mentor role must complete training which includes sections on mental health and wellbeing. Peer support is available in the form of resident advisers, welcome buddies and peer mental health supporters for low-level needs. To keep students safe, all entrants are required to complete a pre-arrival induction module which covers wellbeing and staying well while at Keele, sexual consent; hate crime and awareness; and diversity and inclusion training. Contextual offers are made for all Keele courses, including medicine, which operates the Steps2Medicine outreach programme to diversify the intake to the medical sector. Standard offers are reduced by one grade for healthcare courses and by two grades elsewhere. More than one in five students were admitted last September with a contextual offer. Keele has some of the broadest eligibility criteria for these, among which are living in or going to a school located in a postcode among the 40% considered most deprived or from which fewest go to university; receiving free school meals; or being the first in their immediate family to go to university.
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Overview

This small university offering land-based (agriculture) courses certainly packs a punch, with alumni from Harper Adams filling 25% of the graduate positions within the UK food and farming industry. It aims to spread its excellence wider over the next two years, breaking out from its countryside home to teach at two new centres in Telford and Newport. The first-year completion rate is among the highest in the UK and the university is one of a small minority to achieve triple gold - covering an overall rating, student experience and student outcomes - in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework assessments. However, it has endured a tough year in the National Student Survey in which it has previously done very well, with scores for student experience putting it in the bottom 10 nationally. Scores for student support remain buoyant. The university farm contains dairy, beef and pig units, two flocks of sheep, poultry facilities and hectares of arable and grassland given over to research projects, which currently include work on breeding low-methane sheep and a hands-free farm given over to autonomous technologies and machinery. All courses come with a placement year, which keeps students focused on the ultimate prize of a career in this highly specialised and critically important area of the economy.

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Paying the bills

Around 120 undergraduates received scholarships in 2022-23, mostly provided by philanthropic or industry-based sponsors. Typical of this type of award are the business and engineering scholarships sponsored by JCB, the West Midlands-based construction and farming equipment business. Both scholarships offer employment with JCB in their work placement year and 4,500 of support in the academic year preceding it. For students in financial difficulty, the university has an access to learning fund for help with living and course-related costs such as travel, accommodation, books and childcare. Most awards do not have to be paid back. Hundreds of acres of farmland provide students with more opportunities to earn as they learn than can be found on most other campuses, and many students top up their student loan income in this way. Harper Adams is unusual in offering both self-catered and catered accommodation - perhaps a reflection of its countryside location, where takeaway shops are thin on the ground. Twin rooms with catering start at 4,915 for a 40-week contract, rising to 7,581 in an ensuite single room. Self-catered undergraduate accommodation costs 5,712 for an ensuite single room.

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What's new?

Harper Adams is expanding out from its Edgmond base for the first time in 125 years with two new learning bases opening this year and next. First to go live will be a hub of digital learning due to open this month in The Quad, within Station Quarter in Telford. The partnership with Telford and Wrekin Council and Telford College will offer degrees and foundation degrees in applied data science, and robotics, automation and mechatronic engineering, with digital business management offered as a foundation degree only. An Institute of Animal Health and Welfare facility within the Ni.PARK agri-tech and science park is due to open in late 2025. This will have the latest laboratory facilities for animal pathology, alongside space for teaching, business engagement and professional development. While a 2.9m research project on breeding low-methane sheep for a lower carbon future is ongoing, a practical demonstration of the impact that climate change is already having can be seen in the planting of Harper Adams's first vineyard. The mix of vine varieties can cope with the evolving British climate, and act as a platform from which to expand the teaching of viticulture.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Harper Adams works hard to open up its courses, and by extension the agriculture industry, to those traditionally under-represented on the land. The introduction of the Access to Ag4All scheme this year will help students gain the relevant experience and practical skills needed to help them succeed in the industry. The requirement for applicants to agriculture courses to have had ten weeks of practical work experience will be removed. Those without that experience will be offered a grounding in land-based skills instead, in a bid to open up courses to more applicants from a non-farming background. Contextual offers are made to applicants who have been in care or who live in the most disadvantaged areas. Some of the changes to teaching and learning forced upon institutions by the pandemic have been preserved at Harper Adams, having been seen to be beneficial to students. This includes the move from closed-book to open-book examinations as the default assessment method, as it was found to close some of the attainment gaps for students with learning differences. Harper Adams is one of a very small number of universities that require students to attend mandatory sessions on wellbeing and mental health to support the transition to university. These share information on services available, including counselling and occupational therapy. The university subscribes to a 24/7 student assistance programme that makes counselling available to students at any time of the day. All students are expected to attend induction sessions on sexual consent and healthy relationships, drugs and alcohol (including county lines), respect and being an active bystander.
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Overview

One of the most successful modern universities, Greenwich is in fact steeped in history. Headquartered on the River Thames in the Sir Christopher Wren-designed Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich has one of the most instantly recognisable campuses in the world. All domes and colonnades, it dominates the skyline and provides a stunning backdrop to student life. Greenwich secured an overall gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework last year, earning a further gold for student experience and a silver for student outcomes. The accompanying report praised its three-week GREFest student induction programme and a 'clear alignment between teaching, curriculum and employability support that is coherent and works to support successful outcomes'. Greenwich is one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the UK. There are further campuses at Avery Hill, also in south-east London, which is home to the bulk of health and social care students, and Medway in Chatham, Kent, where the schools of pharmacy, science and engineering are located. The latter campus also has strong naval connections, with many of its buildings historic former Royal Navy premises.

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Paying the bills

Coming from a home with an income of 25,000 or less - as many Greenwich students do - opens up a number of bursary options. The Greenwich bursary pays 700 towards textbooks, stationery and learning resources. It must be spent in an approved online store, and is given in the first year only. A digital access bursary provides up to 300 towards the cost of equipment to support online learning, and there are commuter bursaries worth up to 1,000 per year to help meet travel costs. An accommodation bursary takes 10% off the price of annual university room costs, up to a maximum of 700. This is especially helpful when prices begin at 5,359 for 40 weeks in a small room in Avery Hill, and rise to 14,160 for a 40-week tenancy in the biggest studio flats on the Maritime Greenwich campus. The Medway student support fund is open to students on the Medway campus from homes with an income of 42,875 or less, with funding of 500 to 2,000 available. Two students a year who have been nominated by their teacher or adviser win the 5,000 Visionary scholarship for overcoming adversity, paid out during their first year.

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What's new?

Greenwich has achieved predominantly good scores in the National Student Survey in recent years partly due to its consistent investment in improving the student experience, as evidenced by the new facilities at the Greenwich Business School. A digital marketing suite comes equipped with immersive software and has a collaborative working space allowing multi-screen and cross-screen sharing, while 28 Bloomberg terminals allow students to experience the feel of a City trading floor. The real-life financial software also lets them gain Bloomberg certification and skills. Other recent upgrades include new classrooms in the Cooper Powerhouse and King William building on the Greenwich campus, where extra computing spaces have also been added. Laboratories have been refurbished on the Medway campus and there are ongoing decarbonisation projects at both Medway and Avery Hill. The university is looking at ways to modernise its many listed buildings so that they contribute towards the university's journey to carbon net zero. Keeping its degree programme in step with this focus on green initiatives, Greenwich is introducing a BA in sustainability management in September 2025.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

The university has embraced some of the changes in course delivery wrought by the pandemic. Staff are asked to consider whether pre-recorded laboratory demonstrations can be made available as a learning resource, and lecturers are encouraged to provide recorded materials to students prior to large, live, online classes to make the sessions more interactive. To keep dropouts to the minimum among a diverse student population, attendance-monitoring software highlights when students are not engaging, and the Greenwich Students' Union Retention Project calls all students once a term to make sure they are on track. Peer mentoring encourages students to support each other and to flag problems. More general support is provided through the university's mental health, psychological wellbeing and counselling teams. An online wellbeing hub signposts the support available, and staff attend faculty training sessions at the start of each academic year. These give them the latest guidance on supporting students with mental health needs, how to refer them for help and what to do in a crisis situation. The university careers service was voted the best in the UK by students in the 2023 StudentCrowd awards for helping students make the transfer from student life to the working world. From this month, the university's Healthy Sex and Relationships online course will be mandatory for students, covering consent and how to be an active bystander. The university has recently expanded its contextual admissions offers to include all applicants who apply from homes in the 20% of postcodes that send the fewest children into higher education. Contextual offers are pitched at 16 Ucas tariff points (equivalent to two A-level grades) below the standard offer.
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Overview

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is the top-ranked modern university in our league table and our Modern University of the Year. It markets itself as the 'University for the Common Good' based on its founding mission to be for 'the common weal' - and it achieves its objectives in some style. GCU has consistently pursued policies geared to academic excellence, social justice and producing graduates who have a better record in gaining high-skilled jobs than those from many Russell Group universities. It caters for a predominantly Scottish intake (98.6% of all UK students recruited in 2023), with more than one in five recruited from postcodes among the 20% most deprived in Scotland. GCU is one of the biggest providers of health, social care and life sciences graduates for the NHS, produces more building and surveying graduates than any other university in the UK, and is the only university to offer a full suite of optometry degrees. It is also Scotland's largest provider of graduate apprenticeships, with more than 700 learners on campus.

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Paying the bills

The Common Good Award is paid to all students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It consists of 6,000 in cashback bursaries paid out over three years, and a tuition fee waiver in the fourth year (worth 9,250) to cover the extra year of study required for most degrees in Scotland. There are further Common Good scholarships worth up to 1,500 per year of study for 15 UK students recruited from an under-represented background. The university has trebled the number of awards available this year but cut the sum awarded to maximise impact. There are a small number of subject-specific scholarships, and GCU paid out more than 1.1m in 2022-23 in hardship support. Overall, around one in eight students benefit from some form of university-funded financial assistance. The Caledonian Court student residences have places for more than 650 students. Prices for the upcoming academic year range from 5,125 to 6,068 for a 41-week tenancy after a 10% price increase. The top price is still among the lowest in our UK universities' accommodation survey.

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What's new?

The refurbishment of the Caledonian Court student residences will be complete in time for admissions this month. Upgrades to classrooms, laboratories, the gym hall, and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems across the university estate will have also been completed. The aim of these campus updates is to help the university work towards its goal of achieving net zero by 2040 while also improving the student experience. GCU is partnering with Siemens as part of its green drive, in order to better understand where and how energy is consumed on campus and then cut its usage by upgrading its building management systems. Subject to approval from the regulator, GCU hopes to offer a master of optometry with independent prescribing programme, adding to its already considerable strength in this area.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Supporting its diverse intake of students into university, through their courses and onwards into employment is a key institutional priority. Careers help is available from enrolment and for up to two years after graduation. The university's stellar graduate employment record is nurtured by the provision of a range of workshops and in-curriculum lectures and seminars across all courses. GCU's online Career Success platform offers tools including a video interview simulator, help with building LinkedIn profiles and CVs, and employer videos. GCU is the only Scottish university to have earned the Student Minds University Mental Health Charter Award, which rewards best practice in mental health support in UK universities. It was also the first in the UK to achieve autism accreditation from the National Autistic Society in recognition of its support systems for neurodiverse students. In addition to the support provided by a team of counsellors, mental health and wellbeing advisers and its disability service, the university subscribes to the Togetherall app, which offers 24-hour support. All students are assigned both a personal tutor and a student mentor under GCU's Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) when they begin their course. Care-experienced students and all applicants from homes in the 20% of Scottish postcodes considered to be the most deprived are eligible for contextual offers in line with the minimum entry requirements for all courses. Around one in five entrants benefited from these offers last year.
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Overview

Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) is one of the most high-achieving and progressive of the modern Scottish universities, achieving both consistently strong rankings in tables such as ours and enduring success in the graduate jobs market for its students. ENU ranks sixth in the UK among modern universities for the proportion of graduates in high-skilled jobs this year, only marginally behind its Russell Group neighbour the University of Edinburgh. Student satisfaction levels captured in the annual National Student Survey remain high, too. When the success of student outcomes is being evaluated, it helps to have hundreds of graduates starting work in our hospitals and schools each year - and Edinburgh Napier has just that. However, the range of courses also spans business, the arts and creative industries, applied sciences, and computing, engineering and the built environment. Split across three campuses, ENU's 15,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students are based on the west side of the Scottish capital. It recruits primarily from Scotland, with all bar 180 of the 2,860 UK-domiciled recruits in September 2023 coming from north of the border.

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Paying the bills

Bursary support is focused on the small number of UK students recruited from outside Scotland and those from the Republic of Ireland, who incur fees of 9,250 a year rather than getting their tuition for free. An Access bursary of 2,000 is paid to these students who come from homes with a residual household income of up to 25,000. A 1,000 payment is made to those from homes with income of between 25,001 and 42,600. A separate (and possibly additional) Merit bursary worth 1,000 a year is paid to all 'rest of UK' (RUK) and Republic of Ireland students who achieve BBB or better at A-level (or equivalent). RUK and Irish students are a clever lot, as around 150 Merit bursaries were paid in 2022-23 among an intake of just over 200. RUK and Irish students get a free fourth year of tuition, which brings the cost of a four-year Scottish degree in line with most degrees elsewhere in the UK. All care leavers also get support of up to 1,000 a year. The university paid out almost 230,000 in hardship support in 2022-23, too. Student accommodation costs from 4,568 for a twin room on a 39-week tenancy to 10,092 for a 50-week tenancy in a studio flat.

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What's new?

The university's Project Vision was launched last year, with a series of campus conversations in December 2023 examining the future requirements of each academic school and the use of space on the Craiglockhart, Merchiston and Sighthill campuses. The project will review upcoming teaching, research and technology developments and ensure that the university's estate and infrastructure can keep pace. The university is also promising further significant investment in learning and social facilities across its campuses. Two new degrees begin this month in intercultural business communication combined with either tourism management or marketing management. The university is also considering launching a graduate apprenticeship in accounting for September 2025. This would add to the eight graduate apprenticeship programmes currently offered, which expect to have more than 450 learners enrolled between them for the new academic year.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

ENU has a lower proportion of first-generation students than most other modern universities - about 40% of the intake - but the university is looking to increase that number. It provides bespoke support services and named contacts for its widening participation intake, and works closely with local and national access initiatives. Around 30% of entrants last September benefited from a contextual offer of between one and three Scottish Higher grades lower than the standard offer. Contextual offer holders are invited to a special event - What's On Offer - ahead of joining the university. This demonstrates to them the range of support services provided to help them succeed, such as access to long-term laptop loans. Mental health and wellbeing support for all students includes short-term counselling, single-session therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and a programme of mental health workshops. Prior to enrolment, students are offered a number of online courses to help keep them safe at university. These cover sexual consent; racial, sexual and social tolerance; and being an active bystander.
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Overview

Edinburgh is one of the destinations in British higher education, with only the University of Manchester attracting more applications. You will need sharp elbows to win a place, with every seat in the lecture theatre coveted by more than 10 prospective students. Its appeal is global, with international students making up one third of undergraduate admissions last year. The combination of a cosmopolitan student body, a stylish city playground and a reputation for teaching and research excellence is a winning formula. Only the consistently poor results in the annual National Student Survey stop the university from ranking in our UK top 10. International rankings, such as the 2025 edition from QS, place Edinburgh 27th in the world (two places higher than we do) on pretty much academic measures alone. And it is not hard to see why. Academics at Edinburgh are constantly rolling back the boundaries of knowledge. Remember Dolly the Sheep? Think also the supercomputer Archer2, which lives here. The university was identified as the preferred location for the UK's first next-generation exascale supercomputer, which would have been one of just a handful in the world and 50 times faster than any of our existing machines, but the project was cancelled by the new government in Westminster due to lack of cash.

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Paying the bills

Although the accommodation price freeze is over, Edinburgh still boasts some of the cheapest student rooms in the UK, with prices starting at just 3,272 for 38 weeks in a twin room, or from 6,674 for catered twin rooms. When you bear in mind the estate agents' mantra of 'location, location, location', that represents exceptional value - and is something other prestigious universities with similar-sized estates could do with paying heed to. The university spends around 13.1m a year on financial aid, including on the Access Edinburgh scholarship, which is open to all UK-domiciled students and can be worth up to 5,000 a year for care experienced or estranged students. Awards of 3,000 are paid to those from homes with an income of less than 21,000; 2,000 where income is between 21,000 and 23,999; and 1,000 where income is between 24,000 and 33,999. A small number of degrees, including nursing, are excluded. Unusually, the sum paid per year can only ever go up if these financial circumstances change over the course of a student's university career, and can never decrease.

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What's new?

The university moved to a new student support model in 2023 as a result of feedback from students. This saw it ditch the personal tutor approach in favour of one based around having professional student advisers in each academic school - often the first point of contact for pastoral care - as well as wellbeing advisers, who assist those experiencing problems. Heavy investment in six new data hubs provides a focal point for collaboration with industry and builds on Edinburgh's academic excellence in data science. The Edinburgh Futures Institute has opened in its new home in the former Old Royal Infirmary (ORI) after a major redevelopment. Where once the ORI served to limit contagion, its 21st-century reimagining aims to foster it, academically speaking, through multidisciplinary collaboration. In recognition of the benefit of artificial intelligence (AI) to society and the economy, the university is investing millions in a generative AI laboratory. This will develop techniques in key areas such as robotics, drug discovery, medical diagnostics, semi-conductor development and tackling climate change.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Edinburgh was among the first of the high-tariff universities - those that demand the highest grades and are the hardest to get into - to embrace contextual offers that take account of an applicant's wider social, economic and educational circumstances. The university publishes standard and minimum entry requirements for all courses, and eligible contextual applicants receive an offer at the minimum requirement. Around one in five entrants in September 2023 had a contextual offer. Its Access Edinburgh scholarship (see Paying the bills, above) is part of this strategy. In the past four years, Edinburgh has seen a 54.6% increase in the number of students drawn from areas in the 20% of postcodes with the highest levels of deprivation, so while the socio-economic profile of the student body remains one of the most privileged, the university is seeking to broaden it. All students from a widening participation background are offered a peer mentor upon joining the university, and a three-day Moving On course is available prior to Welcome Week to help with the transition. Further to the new student and wellbeing advisers outlined in What's new, above, there are several other strands of student support available, including a counselling service, which is the only one at a Scottish university registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Residence Life staff are also embedded in student halls to promote wellbeing, build community and help students thrive, while the university chaplaincy runs courses, podcasts, drop-in sessions and events such as dream whispering, mindful doodling, book clubs and yoga.
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Overview

Dundee is one of the powerhouses of Scottish higher education and our Scottish University of the Year. It is now one of three Scottish universities to be ranked in our UK top 10. The university has a formidable reputation in medicine, biomedicine and the life sciences and plays a key role in the economy of its home city and turns out high-calibre graduates ready to make an impact. It is estimated that the university supports one in 12 jobs in the wider city. Occupying a central campus in Dundee, the university has further outposts at Ninewells Hospital (the medical school) and Kirkcaldy, 30 miles away in Fife, which is home to some of its nursing and midwifery provision. Scores in this year's National Student Survey have recovered after a few lean years, with students scoring teaching quality particularly highly. However, applications fell by more than 10% for admission in September 2023. Against this background, the university created an education academy last year to put delivering an outstanding education and student experience front and centre. Among its objectives are carrying out a review of student services, further embedding employability and enterprise in degree programmes, and developing Dundee's digital campus.

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Paying the bills

With no tuition fees for students resident in Scotland - who account for more than 90% of Dundee's UK-based intake - most bursary and scholarship support is aimed at those recruited from the rest of Britain. The most eye-catching is an Academic Excellence bursary for non-medical students who achieve at least AAB at A-level (or equivalent), which is worth 3,000 in each year of study. If you don't achieve those grades, don't worry. With a few exceptions, so long as you get a place at Dundee and qualify as a 'rest of UK' (RUK) student, you will get a 2,000 Discover Dundee bursary in your first year only. Medicine, dentistry, nursing, health science, education and social work courses are excluded. A separate RUK bursary worth 2,000 in each year of study is open to all students from households with an annual income of less than 25,000. There are just under 2,200 places in university-owned accommodation, with all first-years guaranteed a room if they apply by the deadline. Prices range from 6,825 a year for a 39-week contract in West Park Villas to 8,362 for a 39-week undergraduate tenancy in Heathfield.

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What's new?

Dundee has moved with the times and accepted that the genie is out of the bottle in terms of pandemic-inspired changes to teaching and assessment. While in-person written exams remain, they are now combined with in-person online exams, remote online exams and open-book assessments. Essential face-to-face learning has been retained, but there is now a balance between in-person and synchronous online learning, with wider use of lecture capture and a better range of online learning resources. The top floor of the university library has been completely refurbished, and enhanced workstations, standing desks, individual semi-enclosed study booths with acoustic panels, and silent study spaces have been introduced. There are also kitchen facilities and a calming space to help students study longer and better. The university's new education academy (see also Overview, above) will ensure a constant focus on the quality of education and student experience, with key priorities being the programme portfolio, academic development and scholarship, employability and enterprise, digital provision and keeping student services under review.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

As a high-tariff university, Dundee has significant hurdles to overcome to ensure a diverse intake of students. It is seeking to admit 350 students each year from the 20% most deprived postcodes in Scotland, which the university believes would be the second highest number in any Scottish university. Contextual offers will help it make progress. Last year, one in seven entrants received a contextual offer, which typically sits at BBBB at Higher, down two grades from the standard offer of AABB. Most courses are included in the scheme, although there are separate widening participation arrangements for medicine through Dundee's Gateway to Medicine programme, a one-year course that prepares students for a full five-year medical degree. Students in need of same-day mental health and wellbeing support can get it from Dundee's enquiry centre, which can refer them on to counselling, mental health advisers and the university health service. Further support is available through the student-led listening service which runs through the night, while the Peer Connections buddying and mentoring scheme is designed to help students settle into university life. Dundee's SWITCH (Student Wellbeing Initiative Targeting Community Health) service directs students towards physical activity, volunteering or societies as a means of managing mental health, too. An online induction module is compulsory for all students moving into university accommodation, covering health and safety, respect, consent and information about welfare support.
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Overview

One of the larger modern universities, with 21,500 undergraduates, admissions for De Montfort University (DMU) climbed to close to 6,500 last September even as applications fell to their lowest level in a decade. The university takes a holistic view of the student experience, and it is rolling out block teaching across its courses to enhance this. Students are taught one module at a time, as opposed to the more traditional approach of taking a number of them simultaneously. They are examined at the end of each seven-week block of teaching, studying two modules consecutively per term, and four per academic year. 'Teaching designed around you' is the marketing pitch DMU deploys for this approach - and it seems to work, with 92% of students saying that working on one module at a time helps their work-life balance. The university sits on a compact campus in the centre of Leicester, one of the UK's most diverse cities, and attracts half of its UK students from the East Midlands. International students make up around one third of undergraduates overall, further adding to the cosmopolitan feel.

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Paying the bills

The university spent more than 1.1m on hardship support for students in extreme need in the past year, but bursaries and scholarships are in relatively short supply. There are awards of 1,000 per academic year for care leavers and estranged students, with further scholarships limited to the eye-catching few. One female student studying computer science or one of a variety of engineering degrees benefits each year from the David Tupman scholarship worth 3,000 annually. The three Stephen Lawrence Professional scholarships offer half-price tuition fees and a 3,500 cash bursary for each year of study. Named in honour of the black teenager murdered in South East London in 1993, it is open to talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying architecture, architectural technology, criminology, health and wellbeing in society, journalism or law. The Stoneygate scholarship, also for three students, is worth 4,000 per year and is open to those from a disadvantaged or low-income background who have overcome adversity in pursuit of their goals. There have only been small increases to the price of the 442 rooms in university-owned student accommodation for the new academic year, with rooms now costing 3,909 to 4,629 for a 41-week contract. Private providers such as Unite and Student Roost charge more, with prices set between 5,779 and 6,818 for a 43-week tenancy.

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What's new?

Employers are already heavily involved in the design of courses at DMU, and investments in new facilities will only increase the employability of graduates. A digital tech learning hub gives students access to the latest industry-standard hardware and software across a range of disciplines. The development will include television production studios, a content studio with lighting rigs and backdrops, a VFX post-production studio, a production lab, a virtual production studio, an image capture studio and audio studios. Elsewhere a 2m suite replicates a pharmacy environment where students can practise their clinical skills, patient consultation and producing and labelling prescriptions. One of the largest university share trading floors also opened this year, providing accounting, economics and finance students with authentic simulations of financial trading and investing. DMU has increased the range of art-and-design materials available to students free of charge, too. The aim of all of these enhancements is to better equip students for the world of work.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

DMU has an award-winning package of mental health support. The university's Embedding Mental Wellbeing team won the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence at Advance HE's 2022 awards in recognition of its outstanding support network for students and staff. Access to help is routed through the Healthy DMU Hub, while the university's wellbeing team offers practical advice and assistance in managing mental health difficulties. It also organises assessments for any teaching adjustments. Students are encouraged to attend DMU's Look After Your Mate workshop, which aims to give them the knowledge, confidence and skills to support their friends. All staff undertake mandatory training on student wellbeing and safeguarding. In the last admissions cycle, the university made contextual offers for the first time to applicants who receive free school meals, have been in care or live in postcodes among the 40% which send fewest into higher education. They are pitched at two levels, requiring applicants to achieve either 48 or 64 Ucas tariff points (DD/EEE or CC/DDE at A-level). DMU's careers team runs six-week programmes to help secure successful graduate outcomes for targeted groups of students: Lead and Inspire, which helps ethnic-minority students develop transferable skills, and Recruitment Ready for neurodiverse students, which focuses on the cycles of the recruitment process.
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Overview

Cumbria is planning for a vibrant future with two new campuses in the offing and the opening of a graduate-entry medical school in Carlisle scheduled for next September. In the North West, there are two campuses in Carlisle (where a new flagship is planned) and further outposts in Lancaster, Ambleside and Workington, while another is due to open in Barrow-in-Furness next January. It even stretches down to London, where it runs a number of education and health programmes and a global business management top-up degree. Applications and admissions fell again in 2023, and they are both roughly at half the level they were a decade ago, after years of steady decline. However, it is hoped the new campuses and subjects offered will see student numbers start to grow. It supplies large numbers of students to the public sector, with healthcare and teacher training at the fore. The unique Ambleside campus, in the heart of the Lake District, offers courses tailored to its location, including marine and freshwater conservation; forest management; outdoor leadership; tourism management; and woodland ecology and conservation.

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Paying the bills

The Cumbria bursary is worth 1,000 per year for full-time students and 500 for part-timers. It is awarded to students from homes with an income of less than 25,000 who score the highest under the university's points-based system. Points are earned for the level of household income, being a care leaver, having a disability, and living in an area with low rates of participation in higher education. A proportion of awards are reserved for students aged over 21 on entry. Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) students in Lancaster or Carlisle who are alumni are also eligible for 1,000 scholarships and up to 1,000 accommodation discounts. More than 200,000 was paid out in hardship support to students in 2022-23, and a package of student support includes a discounted food scheme in university catering outlets at the end of each day; access to sport and fitness suites for 25 a year; and a complimentary IT bundle. There are more than 600 places in student accommodation, with places guaranteed for first-years who make Cumbria their firm choice. Accommodation is among the cheapest in the UK, with prices beginning at just 3,520 for a 40-week contract and rising to 5,922 for 42 weeks.

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What's new?

Cumbria's new Barrow waterfront campus has been developed in partnership with BAE Systems, which employs 29% of the town's population. The company is offering scholarships worth 5,000 over three years, which include a 12-week work placement and a guaranteed interview on completion of the degree. Initially three degrees will be offered to meet specific needs in the local economy: advanced manufacturing, computer science and business management. Hot on the heels of the Barrow campus's opening will be the launch of the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine in Carlisle. It brings together Cumbria's expertise in the training of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals with Imperial College London's reputation as one of the world's leading medical schools. It will offer a four-year medical degree to graduate students, with the aim of addressing doctor shortages in the North West. A second new campus in Carlisle will give the university a presence in the city centre. The Citadels campus is due to open in 2026, with the bulk of the 50m cost coming from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, formerly the Department of Levelling Up. Cumbria's new degree apprenticeships for 2024-25 include youth work, teaching, project controls, creative digital design professional, and digital user experience professional.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Cumbria is one of the first universities to pilot bouldering (rock climbing) psychotherapy as part of a wider package of student mental health support, which is underpinned by Cumbria's 'Live Well, Learn Well' ethos. Talking therapies, therapeutic groups and courses, self-help guidance and workshops are also available. Head Start academic skills courses, covering academic writing, referencing and research skills, are offered to students before they arrive on campus to help with the transition to higher education. This is particularly relevant given the university's diverse intake and flexible approach to admissions. Integrated foundation years are offered with many degrees to aid applicants who do not meet standard entry requirements. Successful completion of the foundation year allows the student to progress on to a degree programme. Cumbria uses contextual data when making its offers, meaning students from postcodes with the lowest rates of participation in higher education and those who have received free school meals, as well as care leavers, young carers and those estranged from their parents, are all eligible for contextual offers. These may be at the bottom end of the Ucas tariff point range for their chosen course. Participation in university-run summer schools, masterclasses or Cumbria's Future Teachers scheme also qualifies applicants for a lower offer within the advertised points range.
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Overview

The university recruits more than half of its intake of UK students from within its home patch in the North West. Many are drawn from groups under-represented in higher education. Just under a third of last year's intake were mature returners to education, and Chester has one of the highest proportions of students who are the first in their immediate family to attend university. Sophisticated support structures - acknowledged by good scores in this area in the National Student Survey and coming second in the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice University of the Year award - keep students in the fold. Progression and degree completion rates are at much higher levels than are the norm with such a diverse intake. The university is largely based in the attractive walled city of Chester, but it has outposts in Birkenhead and Warrington, as well as its land-based centre Reaseheath, near Nantwich. Employers help with the design of courses, which all have a focus on digital skills and use continuous assessment to gauge student achievement.

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Paying the bills

Bursaries are now paid only to carers, those who have spent time in care, estranged students and members of the gypsy, Roma, traveller, showman and boater community. However, the university is unusual in paying between 10 and 30 towards travel expenses for everyone who attends a Chester applicant day. It also offers a travel bursary of up to 100 to anyone attending a university outreach event who is in receipt of free school meals, pupil premium, or benefits for low income or disability, as well as those who have been in care, are carers or are estranged. A student support fund is available for those who get into financial difficulty while studying, too. The cheapest university-owned accommodation comes in at 4,420 for a 40-week contract, rising to a maximum of 6,680. Chester is one of a small number of universities to offer catered accommodation, which costs between 7,391 and 7,581 for 38 weeks full-board.

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What's new?

Chester, founded in 1839, was the UK's first teacher training college, and this month it moves its school of education back to its Exton Park site in Chester, into the fully refurbished Molloy Hall. The new facilities will include laboratories, an art and design space and preparation rooms for training the next generation of teachers. There will be direct access from the school to the Seaborne library next door, which has undergone its own refurbishment to equip it with the latest digital technology, as well as private and collaborative study spaces, social zones, seminar rooms and media suites. The Sumner House student accommodation block has also been upgraded to provide 125 ensuite rooms and communal social areas. Teaching has been reorganised into three faculties this year: arts, humanities and social sciences; health, medicine and society; and science, business and enterprise. The university hopes this will drive the development of degrees and modules with student employability at their core. New courses taking their first students this month include criminology and sociology in combination with a second subject, as well as acting, drama, fashion design, film and media, media and TV production, music production and popular music performance, which are all offered with foundation years.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Chester has one of the highest proportions of first-generation students (those whose parents did not go to university) of any institution and its admissions policies ensure that it will continue to attract students from under-represented groups. Although it does make contextual offers with at least one A-level grade (or equivalent) below the standard entry requirement, the university told us: 'We consider a wide range of factors to identify merit, rather than academic attainment alone.' Having attracted students from this wider range of backgrounds, Chester then deploys a 'whole student lifestyle approach' which provides enhanced support throughout students' time at Chester and beyond. Wellbeing and mental health advisers run workshops and sessions, while student support networks help people from certain groups connect with others. A student assistance programme (SAP) also offers immediate advice round the clock, every day of the year, and has a language line that allows students to talk via an interpreter in their own tongue. Students are encouraged to undertake bystander intervention training as part of a wider range of initiatives to create a safe campus environment. Although in-person teaching has returned across all courses following the Covid pandemic, the university is now among a minority where lecture capture is not routinely available to allow students to listen back to content in their own time.
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Overview

The scrapping of state school admissions targets at Cambridge, announced earlier this year, is not a sign that the university no longer cares about fairness in its entry processes. Instead, it is evidence of the success of its policies over the past decade, which have gone a long way to eradicating the dominance of private schools, with 72.9% state school admissions in 2022. Based on the words of new vice-chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, regional disparities in admissions may be addressed next. Last September, 52.5% of undergraduates came from London and the South East, while 1.8% came from the North East and 5% from Yorkshire. Application numbers are stable, with around six applications for each place. The minimum A-level offers range from A*A*A to A*AA, in contrast to Oxford, which puts more store by its admissions tests and makes many offers at 'just' AAA. There are 29 undergraduate colleges to choose from, and it pays to visit before applying to see where you might best fit in. Not all are chocolate-box pretty, and not all are bang in the middle of the city centre. Applications close on October 15.

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Paying the bills

Cambridge goes to great lengths to ensure students are not put off from applying on financial grounds. There were more than 3,700 awards paid to undergraduates in 2022-23, demonstrating that Cambridge is no longer the bastion of privilege it once was. The maximum bursary of 3,500 a year is given to students from homes with an income of up to 25,000. This tapers to 2,130 when the income hits 40,000, and 1,210 at 50,000. The lowest payment of 100 is made at 62,215. Enhanced bursaries which add up to an extra 2,100 per year for those with the lowest household incomes are paid to estranged students, care leavers and medical and veterinary students in their clinical training years. As well as the awards paid centrally, which cost the university more than 11m, there are prizes paid for by donors, colleges and departments. Accommodation prices vary between colleges, so it pays to do your research. Students often live in college for the duration of their degree, and prices without food can start at close to 4,500 for 30 weeks. The university estimates that students should budget 10,950 for living costs for the upcoming academic year.

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What's new?

When you have been in existence for more than 800 years, there is not a lot that is new. Cambridge has finely honed what works and is not about to change its modus operandi now. There are no new degrees being introduced next year, and there probably won't be the year after that, either. You won't find degrees here in international tourism management, but you can study Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic... That's not to say that the courses put you in an academic straitjacket. Natural sciences, for instance, can be configured in so many combinations that it would be almost impossible not to find one to suit most scientists' tastes. What's new at Cambridge is the almost daily developments in research that push back the frontiers of knowledge. As a prospective student it is worth taking a look at the university's news section on its website to gain an impression of the breadth and depth of its academic brilliance. If you're inspired rather than intimidated, it is probably worth applying.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Under its student mental health and wellbeing plan implemented two years ago, the university invested heavily in counselling services and reducing waiting times. It still takes three working days on average to get an appointment, but there is additional support available via student nurses and wellbeing advisers in all colleges. An academic system built around supervisions and tutorials also gives students more direct contact with tutors than is on offer at most other universities. Students meet weekly with their tutors in small groups to discuss set work, and this gives them an opportunity to discuss progress or express concerns. All student-facing staff, including the college linchpins - the porters - are given basic training to help identify students who are struggling. Although the profile of the intake at Cambridge is changing, the admissions procedures remain broadly the same. All candidates are interviewed and there are often subject-specific admissions tests. Offers typically involve at least one A* at A-level, and often two. The university considers contextual data covering the socio-economic characteristics of an applicant's postcode, their school's attainment record and their eligibility for free school meals. For those who aren't expecting a string of top grades, there is the innovative foundation year in arts, humanities and social sciences, which is open to applicants predicted to get 120 Ucas tariff points, equivalent to BBB at A-level. Launched in 2021, this offers free tuition and a scholarship to cover living costs for a year for up to 50 students who meet one of a very long list of eligibility criteria. These include having schooling which has been severely disrupted; coming from a home with an income of up to 25,000; and attending a school with below average attainment. Students who satisfactorily complete their foundation year can then progress to one of 18 degree courses at Cambridge. The university has worked with social mobility organisations in a bid to diversify its intake, but there is still a long way to go - it has the second-lowest proportion of first-generation students of any university.
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Overview

Buckingham is the only independent university in this guide and it pioneered two-year degrees long ago as a more efficient way of delivering higher education. The cost of a two-year degree here is now the same as a three-year course in the state sector, but the saving of a year of living costs still makes going private a cheaper option. The quid pro quo is that students have to work harder - the academic year is divided into four terms with much shorter breaks between them. The numbers of applications and admissions at the university, which recently marked 40 years of Royal Charter status, have never been higher. However, it remains one of the smallest universities in this guide, with around 3,500 students. Fewer than half of these are undergraduates. Around 50% of the students come from overseas, giving the campus a cosmopolitan feel, but numbers of UK students are increasing. All courses will soon be taught in Buckingham, following the decision to close the university's costly campus for medicine and health sciences students in Crewe, Cheshire by 2026.

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Paying the bills

Buckingham's private status means that government tuition-fee loans cover only 14,800 (for two-year courses) to 15,410 (for nine terms). However, students on most courses can now defer up to 12,950 of tuition fees with a Future Earnings Agreement, under which UK students agree to pay a percentage of their post-university income to clear the debt. Buckingham students qualify for government maintenance loans at the same rate as other universities. The University of Buckingham bursary is worth 2,000 a year for two years and is paid to all students in receipt of a maintenance loan of 7,500 or more. The money is paid in the form of a tuition fee reduction of 500 a term. A similar sum is paid in the first year only for UK students achieving AAB or above in their A-levels if they have made Buckingham their firm Ucas choice. There are subject-specific awards worth up to 13,000 available, too. Prices have been frozen for 2024-25 for Buckingham's 608 student rooms. All first-years are guaranteed a room if they meet application deadlines. Self-catered rooms cost between 7,000 and 11,750 for a 50-week contract, and from 11,250 to 19,750 for catered accommodation, also for 50 weeks.

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What's new?

Refurbished library spaces have opened on both the Hunter Street and Verney Park campuses, while an upgrade to the university's digital library facilities will be rolled out from this month. LibGuide software will allow library staff to create specialist online subject pages to guide students on their reading and studying. The newly opened Mount Pleasant site in Buckingham has 71 twin ensuite rooms, alongside free laundry facilities, study spaces, a gym, a swimming pool and a bar. A refurbishment of the Franciscan Building has also created new facilities for the faculty of computing, law and psychology, such as laboratories for robotics and artificial intelligence, games and cybersecurity, as well as a moot court. These will benefit students taking several new degrees, notably computing (cybersecurity), computing (gaming pathway) and psychology. Further additions to Buckingham's course portfolio include history studied in combination with economics, English literature or politics, as well as liberal arts with or without a foundation year.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Contextual offers are made to students only after interviews. Mature students with relevant work experience often benefit from this flexibility, although the university does not reduce offers by a set number of grades or Ucas tariff points, preferring to judge each candidate individually. As a private university, Buckingham is not required to produce an access and participation plan. However, it achieves good levels of social inclusion regardless, with roughly one third of students being the first in their immediate family to go to university. The university prides itself on Oxbridge-style, small-group teaching. While lecture capture is available in most lecture theatres and seminar rooms, the vast majority of courses are delivered face-to-face. Remote attendance is allowed only in exceptional circumstances, such as for the innovative online BA in primary education introduced last year, which has been created for teaching assistants working in UK schools who want to become primary school teachers. Students have access to mental health advisers, counselling staff, and wellbeing advisers who specialise in drugs and alcohol support. Mentors are based in each faculty and there are 75 mental health first-aiders on campus. Induction week includes sessions on mental health, wellbeing, finances, drugs and alcohol. Student safety is addressed through a Think About It online module for new students, which covers bystander intervention, consent, unconscious bias, personal safety and budgeting. A follow-up quiz tests student knowledge.
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Overview

Bristol is doing its bit to tear down barriers that have prevented disadvantaged children from attending elite universities. It was one of the first universities to embrace contextual offers - one quarter of Bristol's entrants held one last year - and it is extending its bursary scheme to include all students from homes with less than 50,000 income. It is a member of the Russell Group of research-led universities, which are among the hardest to get into. Not that this puts anyone off. Applications hit a record high last year at more than 61,000, while just under 7,000 students were admitted. The university recruits almost half of its UK students from London and the south-east, who are drawn by its excellent reputation and good links to the rest of the UK. The university has centres of excellence across the arts and sciences, with chemistry of particular note and artificial intelligence an increasingly influential area of activity. The latest High Fliers survey found that Bristol was the fifth most targeted university among leading graduate employers, too.

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Paying the bills

The household income ceiling to qualify for the university's main bursary will rise to 50,000 next year, while the sum paid to those from homes with up to 25,000 of income will increase from 2,060 to 2,500 per year. The university currently pays out around 9m a year in bursaries, but accommodation bursaries of between 833 and 1,158 paid in the first year to students from low-income households are being withdrawn next year. Up to 20 Vice-Chancellor's scholarships, worth up to 3,000 a year, are awarded for exceptional talent in music, sport or drama. Payments from Bristol's financial assistance and digital support funds have recently topped 1m annually. The university is more alive to the crippling impact of high student accommodation costs than most others we have surveyed. It now has an extra 400 beds available at or below 50% of the full student maintenance loan. The cheapest uncatered twin rooms now cost 4,405 for 38 weeks, while the average catered room costs 9,134.

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What's new?

Bristol is positioning itself at the forefront of the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence. It secured a 225m investment from the Government to build the UK's most powerful supercomputer. Isambard-AI, which came online earlier this year, is 10 times more powerful than anything that has come before it in this country. It will be used for scientific discovery in fields such as robotics, climate research, drug development and big data. Undergraduates can surf the artificial intelligence (AI) wave, too, as a suite of new AI degrees are recruiting for entry next September. Elsewhere, the university is building the 500m Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, which is due to open in 2026 and will focus on digital, business and social innovation. Term dates are being adjusted, too, with an earlier start to the academic year in the second week of September, so that mid-year assessments can take place in December. This gives students a proper break over Christmas to maintain their wellbeing. There will also be an earlier finish, in late May, which is expected to mesh better with industry placements, summer research and other non-curricular activities.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Bristol is one of just 10 universities nationally to hold the University Mental Health Charter award from mental health charity Student Minds, in recognition of the steps the university has taken following a significant number of student suicides in the past decade. A student opt-in allows the university to contact a designated parent, guardian or friend in the event of serious concerns about their wellbeing. It was the first scheme of its kind at a UK university when it was introduced in 2018. Students are also encouraged to take a new Science of Happiness module, which gets to the root of what happiness is and how to achieve it. There is additional support given to students admitted under widening participation arrangements, too. Contextual offers are typically two A-level grades below the standard offer. The qualifying criteria include having received free school meals, living in an area of low progression to higher education, being a care leaver or attending a school on the university's aspiring state school or college list. The success of Bristol's work in this area is evidenced by the fact that one third of new undergraduates in September 2023 came from schools with low levels of average attainment or progression to higher education. The Bristol Scholars programme also widens access to the university for local children from low-income households, who are nominated by their headteachers based on their academic potential rather than their achieved grades. Mandatory sexual consent training is being piloted for students this year. Other online induction modules cover drugs and alcohol, being an active bystander, racism, sexual violence, domestic abuse, discrimination, being a good neighbour and anti-social behaviour.
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Overview

This creative community of 3,500 undergraduates on the south coast is one of five specialist arts universities that we rank in this guide. Dedicated to arts, design and media, Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) offers 28 degrees - seven introduced this month - and three foundation degrees to a largely southern clientele, with 80% of students drawn from London, the south-east and the south-west. Sharing one of Britain's sunniest seaside resorts with the much larger Bournemouth University (which has a campus next door) has its advantages in terms of guaranteeing an active student nightlife and making the area a student-centric destination. After two years of applications and admissions at record levels, applications for entry in September 2023 fell by 24%, and the university took the unpopular decision to close its BA in dance. The opening this month of the school of arts, media and creative industries management will draw an influx of students to its raft of new courses. Bournemouth Film School is the largest outside of London, and the Crab drawing studio - designed by AUB alumnus Professor Sir Peter Cook - is the first such facility to be built in an art school in more than a century.

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Paying the bills

AUB is launching a revised package of support this month for students from homes with a household income of up to 25,000. The most valuable element is a 1,000 discount on the price of university-owned student accommodation for the first year of study, with smaller payments for travel costs associated with studying (200 in the second year only) and for graduate employment opportunities (up to 300) to cover the costs of accommodation for job interviews and internships, smart work clothing, or attendance fees for courses, conferences, and residential training events. Care leavers, those who have been in care and estranged students qualify for non-means-tested bursaries worth 2,000 a year. Accommodation fees are quite a bit higher than at neighbouring Bournemouth University, starting at 7,308 for a 42-week tenancy in an ensuite room and rising to 12,444 for a 51-week stay in one of the university's nine premium studios. There are more than 1,100 places available overall - enough for all first-year students who want one.

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What's new?

The launch of the new school of arts, media and creative industries management this month brings with it three new degrees in creative direction; curation, exhibition and experience design; and communication design and strategy. These new courses are part of a wider refresh of AUB's degree offering that sees a quarter of its programmes - seven courses out of 28 - recruiting students for the first time this month. There are further new degrees in design for sustainable futures; interior architecture and design for health and wellbeing; games art and design; and creative technologies. Four online MAs have also been added in illustration, creative writing, photography and graphic design. Due to the often precarious nature of the industries that arts institutions prepare their students for, graduate employment statistics do not always make for easy reading. However, AUB attempts to give its students the best possible chance in the jobs market by now offering one-year placement opportunities with all courses bar its BA in architecture. Further jobs support comes with the appointment of industry patrons to every course, which ensures students get to work with, and be mentored by, professionals in a formal capacity.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

A highly supportive environment helps keep completion and progression rates among the highest in the country. The University Retreat is perhaps the most distinctive feature of AUB's student support network. The collaboration between AUB, Bournemouth University, the NHS and a local charity provides a drop-in service for students who need face-to-face support if they feel they are struggling with their mental health or reaching a crisis point. It is open from 2pm to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. The university has among the highest number of staff trained in mental health support of any university, with 58 qualified staff members for every 1,000 students. AUB's Wellbeing Service offers same-day in-person or online access to support. Members of the team go in-person into courses in the first few weeks of term to advise all first-years of the mental health support available, while students who have disclosed a disability - together with care leavers and estranged students - are invited to a dedicated transition day to ease the move into university life. Contextual offers were introduced at AUB in 2022, which cut the standard offer by 16 Ucas tariff points (equivalent to two grades at A-level). Among those eligible to receive one are students applying from areas with low levels of participation in higher education, those who have faced individual socio-economic challenges during their education, care leavers, and participants in the All Access AUB support programme for post-16s from groups under-represented on campus. The programme includes a summer residential and mentoring throughout the university application process.
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Overview

Bournemouth is a popular choice with applicants, who are drawn to both the coastal location and the fact that it punches well above its weight in the graduate employment stakes. It ranks among the top 20 modern universities for the proportion of graduates securing high-skilled employment. All students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement, with plenty meeting their future employer this way, and many courses are accredited by professional bodies. The university's strengths include film, television and the media, with the National Centre for Computer Animation producing a succession of graduates who have gone on to work in production companies. There are two main campuses - Talbot, which is home to the faculty of media and communication, the faculty of science and technology and the business school; and Lansdowne, which houses the faculty of health and social sciences. Bournemouth boasts a lively nightlife thanks to the town's two universities, and seven miles of stunning beach provide ample distraction when exams are over.

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Paying the bills

The Bournemouth sunshine comes free, but the university seeks to provide financial help for students struggling with the cost of living. More than 500,000 was paid out in hardship funds in 2022-23, with payments increased and thresholds tweaked to bring more students into range. The students' union runs a community kitchen and fridge for those struggling, while the university gives out food vouchers. Scholarships are under review, but the offering in 2023-24 included a 600 award for talented musicians, and 500 to 5,000 paid out to top-flight athletes. The most common means-tested award is the BU maintenance bursary, paid to all students from homes with an income of 16,000 or below. This is worth 2,400 for a typical three-year degree, paid at a rate of 800 per year. Care leavers qualify for a 9,000 bursary paid over three years, or 12,000 paid over four if they are taking a foundation year. University accommodation is plentiful and starts at 5,286 for 41 weeks, rising to 11,003 for the most expensive rooms on a 50-week contract.

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What's new?

A hub for all student services has opened on the Talbot campus, bringing together assistance for everything from money to accommodation to careers. Students seeking support with mental health problems can now go to the on-campus University Retreat, too. The collaboration with Arts University Bournemouth, AECC University College, the local NHS trust, Dorset Mental Health Forum and the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association offers a safe and welcoming space where students who are reaching crisis point can talk confidentially to support workers, volunteers and peer specialists. A new operating department practitioner degree apprenticeship admits its first students this month, and there are new BScs in educational psychology and e-sports digital technologies.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Nearly half of all applications made for admission in September 2023 qualified for a contextual offer. The AccessBU scheme takes account of all educational and social circumstances, and can lead to an offer that is up to two A-level grades (16 Ucas tariff points) lower than the published requirements. This has helped to build a diverse campus community where around 46% are the first in their immediate family to attend university. Students are expected to attend all lectures in person, although most lecture theatres and seminar rooms are equipped with lecture-capture technology, allowing recording to take place. For students who are struggling, the Achieve@BU team is there to signpost services such as additional learning support, mental health advisers and counselling. The 24-hour, year-round student assistance programme offers immediate online or telephone counselling, with support available in more than 250 languages. Some students are also referred to the Resurface wellbeing programme, which takes advantage of the university's location. This includes surfing, yoga, cold water immersion therapy and sauna experiences on the beach. Retreat (see What's new, above) is another interesting point of difference in the university's support package. A recent survey showed most students knew where to go for help. The university is also introducing a mandatory wellbeing and safeguarding training matrix for staff over the next 12 months.
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Overview

Students like Bishop Grosseteste. They consistently put the institution close to the top of the annual National Student Survey as they have done this year. The university also finished top of the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice awards for both student support and accommodation. It is one of the smallest universities in the country, with just 540 students admitted via Ucas last year, which possibly explains the high levels of satisfaction. Students are not simply a number here. However, applications for admission in September 2023 tumbled by 22% compared with the 2022 admissions cycle to their lowest level in the past decade. The proposed name change to Lincoln Bishop University, which has been submitted to the Office for Students for approval, could help stem the decline in applications simply by putting the university's location in its title. Bishop Grosseteste, or Bishop G, as it is affectionately known, started life in 1862 as a small Anglican teacher training college for women. There are now 43 degree choices (many with foundation year options) in addition to 10 teacher training programmes. Bishop G has enjoyed full university status since 2012. The campus mixes Victorian and modern architecture, with teaching, library and social facilities cheek by jowl.

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Paying the bills

More than one third of students get some form of financial support from the university, a reflection of the social and economic diversity of Bishop G's intake. Well over half the intake are the first in their immediate family to go to university. Bursaries are paid to students from homes where household income is 30,000 or less - a higher ceiling than the typical 25,000 threshold. Within this group, the most commonly awarded bursary of 800 for each year of degree study (or 600 for a foundation year) goes to mature students aged over 21 when they begin their course. Students whose home is in a postcode among the 20% sending fewest people into higher education also get an 800 annual bursary, while carers, estranged students and students with children get a 1,000 annual bursary. Care leavers get 3,600 a year in financial support. This resulted in the payment of 279 bursaries in 2023-24. Student rooms are competitively priced and about to become much more plentiful (see What's New? below). Prices in the older accommodation blocks are by far the cheapest, with Constance Stewart Hall, which has shared bathroom facilities, costing 5,658 for a 46-week tenancy. Wickham Hall has 126 ensuite rooms at 6,762 for 46 weeks, while prices in the new student village begin at 8,453 for 46 weeks. Longer 50-week contracts are available for all rooms.

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What's new?

From this month, Bishop G is more than doubling its stock of residential accommodation, which rises from around 200 rooms to more than 500. The new 293-room student village is situated just opposite the campus on Riseholme Road. The development is a mixture of eight-bedroom houses and apartments with a communal kitchen shared between six or nine. There is a small cinema room on site, and rooms range in size from 14 square metres up to 24 square metre studios. The latter cost 204.75 per week on a 46 or 50-week contract (9,418.50 to 10,237.50 per year respectively), while the cheapest rooms cost 183.75 per week (8,452.50 to 9,187.50). The addition of so many rooms should mean that the university can accommodate more than just first-years in university-owned rooms. Students enrolling next September might join a university with a different name to the one they applied to. In April 2024, the university applied to the Office for Students to change its name to Lincoln Bishop University, thereby consigning the most striking name in British higher education to history if the change is approved. Bishop Robert Grosseteste was Bishop of Lincoln in the 13th century and his name has been attached to the university and its immediate predecessor institutions since 1962. Next September will also see the addition of a BA in criminology with foundation year added to Bishop G's tight portfolio of degree programmes.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

Bishop G is expanding its contextual offers admission scheme for the 2025 application cycle, which is likely to diversify its student intake still further. An expanded list of eligibility criteria will include living in a postcode among the 40% sending fewest into higher education, being a care leaver, having attended Bishop G's Next Steps programme for Year 12 schoolchildren from disadvantaged backgrounds, or having a physical, mental or social disability (with Asperger's and autism included in the latter). Carers, refugees, travellers, students from military families and those estranged from their families will also qualify for an offer reduced by 16 Ucas tariff points, equivalent to two A-level grades, for students meeting one of the eligibility criteria, or a 32-point reduction (four A-level grades) for those who meet two or more. The university has recently piloted an Enhanced Service for Students - such as those admitted via contextual offers - who are prioritised under its Access and Participation Plan. Faculty engagement officers work closely with academic staff to monitor student attendance and engagement to identify students in danger of dropping out at an early stage and offer them extra support. The university has recruited two part-time twilight mental health advisers to provide support to students out of hours and all staff are given basic training in mental health awareness. 'As a small university, staff across all departments (both academic and professional support) take proactive steps to ensure students are aware of services or make referrals to support services on their behalf,' the university told us. There are mental health awareness-raising events, a wellbeing toolkit and pop-up events to support students and signpost the help available.
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Overview

A merger between Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the former Writtle University College, on the outskirts of Chelmsford, Essex, was completed earlier this year. ARU Writtle, as it is now known, is renowned for its agriculture, horticulture, animal and environmental courses but had been operating in deficit. Following the opening of ARU Peterborough in 2022, ARU now has a truly regional footprint. Headquarters are on the main campus in Chelmsford and there is a further campus in Cambridge, which traces its origins back to the Cambridge School of Art, opened by patron John Ruskin in 1858. It recruits more than 60% of its students from within East Anglia (a region with few universities), who sign up to courses with key work skills embedded into the curriculum. It is the largest provider of nursing, midwifery and health and social care courses in England. The university will hope that the 21% tumble in applications for September 2023 - and a corresponding 11% drop in admissions - was just a blip given the recent expansion.

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Paying the bills

The ARU bursary is smaller than most, worth just 300 a year for students from homes with a household income of up to 25,000, and 200 for those at 25,001 to 42,875. Targeted help is more generous, such as a one-off payment of 400 to help students from homes with a household income of up to 25,000 purchase a laptop. Just over 140,000 worth of hardship payments were made in the 2023-24 academic year, too. Merit scholarships, which do not need to be applied for, offer 1,000 off tuition fees in the first year for those achieving BBB or above at A-level or equivalent. Overall, around one in six students received university financial support last year. Accommodation price increases have been pegged at 3.5% for the new academic year, putting the cost of the cheapest twin non-ensuite rooms at the Cambridge campus up to 4,805 for 40 weeks. ARU Writtle brings catered accommodation to ARU for the first time, with prices ranging from 4,955 to 6,914 per year for 30 weeks of catered and seven weeks of non-catered accommodation.

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What's new?

The merger that formed ARU Writtle, which is home to some 700 students, has significantly broadened ARU's course portfolio, and a new BSc in conservation and community engagement will be added from this month. A separate Writtle College has been created to preserve Writtle's capacity in the further education sector for 16 to 18-year-olds. ARU is investing 10m in upgrading the Writtle campus and extending its education and research opportunities over the next five years. Other new degrees taking their first students this month include a BEd in primary education with qualified teacher status, which is being offered in Chelmsford, Cambridge and Peterborough. Chelmsford also sees new degrees in biomedical engineering, supply chain management and computer games design, while Peterborough launches a degree in biomedical sciences, and Cambridge adds a BSc in biology to its roster. Three new degree apprenticeships - midwife, enhanced clinical practitioner for paediatric audiologists, and learning and skills teacher - join the existing 30 apprenticeships. In 2023-24, there were 3,000 students on apprenticeship programmes.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

'We have more than 31,000 students, mostly from under-represented groups,' the university told us. More than half of the students are the first in their immediate family to go to university. The university makes both contextual unconditional offers and conditional ones, which are two grades lower than the standard offer, to students who meet one of the criteria. These include living in a postcode among the 40% with the lowest levels of participation in higher education, receiving free school meals, having a parent in the Armed Forces or going to a school with a Progress 8 score of average or below. ARU's widening access to medicine policy reduces the required grades from AAA to ABB. Around one in five students gain a place with a contextual offer. ARU came top in the UK for health and wellbeing in a ranking published by Times Higher Education in 2022. The university trains students to work as peer wellbeing mentors, who run campaigns and activities. ARU's counselling and wellbeing service has also produced a series of mental health podcasts with students. More than 95% of teaching is delivered face-to-face, with some supporting sessions taught online. The university also offers approximately 40 distance learning courses, which are mostly delivered entirely online. A dedicated distance learning support team works with these students to help them engage with other online learners as well as their academic team.
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Overview

Britain's most northerly university is among the most prestigious. Founded as King's College in 1495, it mixes historic, creeper-clad buildings at the heart of the old city with striking, modern facilities elsewhere. Students are based on one of two central campuses - the modern Foresterhill for life sciences and medicine, and Old Aberdeen for arts, social sciences and physical sciences. Aberdeen's excellent air and rail connections ensure a strong national and international student presence, with more than 130 nationalities represented, despite the university's relative remoteness. Applications have been falling in recent times, however, with 16,525 seeking places through Ucas for admission last September - the lowest number in the past decade and 10% down on the year before. There are more than 400 degree options, including courses that serve the Scottish economy, such as mechanical engineering with oil and gas studies, and more unusual combinations, such as law with options in music. One in 10 students are eligible for contextual reduced grades offers under widening access criteria.

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Paying the bills

Around 10% of students qualify for financial support, and just over 1.5m was paid out last year. For Scottish students, who pay no tuition fees, there are scholarships worth up to 4,000 per year available for those who meet widening access criteria, such as receiving free school meals. Students from the rest of the UK (RUK) in households with a residual income of less than 22,020 are eligible for Access awards worth 3,000 a year, while all RUK applicants achieving AAA at A-level or equivalent qualify for Merit scholarships worth 5,000 for one year only, irrespective of household income. This falls to 3,000 for those gaining AAB or ABB at A-level, and 1,000 for all other RUK students. Medical students are not eligible for Merit scholarships. There are around 2,200 university rooms available. A catered room on a 40-week tenancy costs 6,680 presently, with self-catered accommodation starting at 3,960 for 40 weeks and rising to a maximum of 8,400 for 50 weeks. Aberdeen's private rental market has cooled due to the end of the oil and gas boom, so rents are cheaper than in many Scottish cities, too.

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What's new?

A 35m science teaching hub opened in 2022, designed to encourage chemistry, medical sciences, biological sciences and geosciences students to work together, and a new Centre for Interdisciplinary Research will further foster collaboration between subjects. This ties in with the university's Aberdeen 2040 strategy which identifies five interdisciplinary areas of study needed to address global concerns: social inclusion and cultural diversity; energy transition; data and artificial intelligence; health, nutrition and wellbeing; and environment and biodiversity. A new interpreter training suite has also been completed recently, and there are improvements being made to the library, laboratories, teaching and research spaces and the Biomedical Physics building. Medical students are benefiting from a new immersion room that can morph into any clinical environment, from an operating theatre to an intensive care unit, to give students the chance to respond to a realistic emergency situation. As part of Aberdeen's drive towards net zero, it is also upgrading its electrical infrastructure, installing air source heat pumps and improving cycle storage.

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Admissions, teaching and student support

The university is working hard to diversify its intake using contextual offers. Extensive eligibility criteria include living in the 40% of postcodes considered the most deprived in Scotland under the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD40) or a postcode in the bottom 20% for sending children into higher education in England; receiving free school meals; being estranged from parents; being care-experienced or a care provider; or attending one of 17 partner schools in the region. Contextual offers are tailored to individual applicants. In addition to the financial support mentioned in Paying the bills, above, students from the most deprived 20% of postcodes (SIMD20) in Scotland also get free university accommodation in their first year. The Aberdeen 2040 strategic plan has a focus on supporting mental health and wellbeing, too, and the university has offered a free counselling service with no waiting list for the past five years. Pet therapy sessions and a wellbeing cafe are run year-round by the multi-faith chaplaincy, and a week of health and wellbeing-related activities are held shortly after the start of each academic year for new and returning students. There is a mandatory online induction module for all students that covers sexual consent, and racial, sexual and social tolerance. Drugs and alcohol education is included in the BeWell week at the start of term.
Welcome to the second edition of the Mail University Guide. Higher education is the first major investment of adult life for the vast majority of students.

And for parents who educated their children in the state sector, it is perhaps the surprise expenditure they had not foreseen, at a time when they had expected the costs of raising children to go down.

The fact that university is not free makes the need to choose wisely all the more important  which is where the Mail University Guide comes in.

We have created a new style of university guide which puts the university experience and students subsequent fortunes at its heart.

Our university ranking focuses on what students think about the quality of the teaching they receive, the support offered to them and their wider experience at university. This supplements core measures of success including students prospects in the graduate jobs market  how many end up in high-skilled jobs  what salaries they earn and whether graduates feel their careers are on track.

One type of university does not suit all, but there is one out there that will be a great fit for you

The balance of the 12 ranking measures  the most broadly based assessment of university performance in the UK  is made up of research quality and income, degree classifications, the proportion of students who progress to the second year of their degrees, and the average university entry grades.

Uniquely, we include a measure of a universitys ability to attract and support first-generation students on campus (those whose parents did not go to university).

And for the first time this year, we have calculated rankings online for 78 subject areas, a taste of which is published on pages 28-29 in this magazine.

Subjects are ranked on the experience recorded in the National Student Survey, this year completed by 346,000 final-year students, the jobs students go on to do and their assessment of whether their career is on track 15 months after graduation.

Our unique University Finder online tool lets you set your own criteria for ranking universities. If you dont like our selection and category weightings, you can apply your own to create a ranking tailored to your priorities.

You can also filter your selection by location, size, where students have been to school, the cost of accommodation, competition for places  and many more criteria that might matter to you. Our extended online university profiles go even further than the information you will find in this magazine.

Each is broken into four sections  an overview of the university, its students, location and leading areas of specialism. You will also find details of financial support available and accommodation prices; new developments; and admissions policies and student support.

These are turbulent times. Most institutions are seeking redundancies. Some have flagged publicly that they are in financial difficulty, others are cutting courses and streamlining modules, and there are predictions of a university bankruptcy (or two) in the near future. Our profiles of 132 UK universities give a flavour of this turmoil. Buyer beware.

University leaders are also making noises about inevitable rises in domestic tuition fees to balance the books.

However, when 1.8m recent graduates are saddled with student loan debt of more than 50,000 (with 61,000 having between 100,000 and 200,000 of student finance around their neck), it is questionable just how many families will understand the need to increase tuition fees as asserted last month by Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors.

For now, annual tuition fees in England remain at 9,250. Welsh fees align with Englands from this month, while Northern Irish students studying in Northern Ireland pay 4,750. Only in Scotland does university tuition remain free for Scottish students.

There are no maintenance grants in England any more, so students need to take out a separate maintenance loan, which often doesnt even cover the (mostly) soaring price of university accommodation. Which is where the Bank of Mum and Dad comes into play, or a life juggling studies and part-time work.

This guide seeks to identify the universities focused most keenly on the needs of todays students  the innovators who see that ability, not background, matters.

Leicester is our University of the Year, while Imperial College London is top of our table for the second successive year, extending its lead over Oxford and Cambridge.

In different ways, Leicester and Imperial both represent the essence of a modern student-centric university.

Imperial followed up topping our ranking last year by becoming the top British university (and second in the world) in the 2025 QS World University Rankings this summer.

It leads in our graduate jobs measurements, with the highest proportions of graduates in high-skilled work and those feeling their careers are on track, as well as those earning the most.

For Nishan Canagarajah, Leicesters vice-chancellor, there is a strong focus on delivering for students while they are at university, too.

He says: We are driven by three values: to be inspiring, impactful and inclusive. Across different fields of endeavour, we encourage and support our students, whatever their background, to be inspiring and to be impactful. Our students matter and are at the heart of everything we do.

That culture helped Leicester win our top award this year. Leicester used to be the best-kept secret in British higher education, but a near 30% rise in applications to the university in the past two years has put paid to that. Our award will likely increase applications still further.

The job of this guide is to identify the hidden and lesser-known gems within our higher education system. Our online subject tables help identify individual centres of excellence within universities that might have otherwise unremarkable institutional rankings, for example.

For all the financial uncertainty, its a good time to be applying to university. A demographic dip means there will be fewer 18-year-olds for the next few years, so students have the upper hand. Cash-strapped universities were falling over themselves last month to get students signed up, with many who missed their grades still getting in.

Use this guide wisely, and this time next year you could be one of the 470,000 students about to start university.

Alastair McCall is honorary professor of quantitative studies at the University of Buckingham and deputy director of its Centre for Education and Employment Research. He has been compiling and editing university guides since 1998.
Our ranking is designed to test whether universities deliver on their promises to students. They all hold out the prospect of acquiring new knowledge and skills that youll deploy in a dazzling working life.

But the 129 universities ranked in this guide fulfil this objective with varying degrees of success.

Thats why we have introduced into this years ranking a measure of whether graduates feel their career is on track 15 months after leaving university. Not all do.

Our survey shows, however, that it is not always earning the big money and doing the big job that determines students judgments on their nascent careers. Six of the 10 universities where graduates feel they are most off-track are in London.

While Imperial College London tops all three of our jobs measures  covering the proportion of graduates in high-skilled jobs, the size of their salaries and whether they feel their careers are on track  other small universities such as Harper Adams and the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) have graduates who feel their mostly land-based careers are well on track (ranking third and fifth for this respectively) despite them not earning the big bucks.

One type of university does not suit all, but there is one out there that will be a great fit for you

The jobs criteria make up one-quarter of the scores that determine our league table  the same weighting that we give to student satisfaction. This we glean from the annual National Student Survey (NSS) where we look at three core measures: teaching excellence, student support and student experience.

As the NSS is based on students assessments of the quality of their university experience, the expectations underlying the scores will vary from institution to institution. This partly explains why it is often the smaller universities, which are capable of giving more personal attention, that score much higher than some of the leading members of the elite Russell Group.

This year Bishop Grosseteste, a university of fewer than 2,500 students in Lincoln, records the top scores for teaching excellence, followed by Arts University Plymouth with barely 1,000 students, while Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, with around 41,000, 37,000 and 46,000 students respectively, all feature in our bottom 10 on this measure.

Edinburgh and Manchester have been consistently in the bottom 10 since the NSS was first published in 2005, yet were the two universities with the most applications last year. So, while students rate the teaching less kindly, applicants appreciate their academic clout, as well as the draw of the cities in which they are located.

Understanding these balances and what the rankings tell you can help you make the right choice.

One type of university does not suit all, but there is one out there that will be a great fit for you. And with subject by subject rankings based on student experience and graduate outcomes across 78 areas of study also available online at dailymail.co.uk/uni for the first time, this guide will help you find it.

What all of our scores actually mean

There are 12 key performance indicators in our table:

Teaching excellence: based on the views of around 346,000 final-year students when asked about their courses. (worth 10% of overall score)

Student support: based on student opinions on assessment and feedback from tutors, and quality of signposting for mental health support. (10%)

Student experience: based on the quality of resources and whether student feedback was valued. (5%)

High-skilled jobs: the proportion of graduates in high-skilled jobs 15 months after leaving. (15%)

Career on track: the proportion of students who feel their career is on track 15 months after leaving. (5%)

Graduate salaries: these range from 22,000 to 37,000. (5%)

First and 2:1 degrees: so many jobs now require them. This tells you your chance of getting a top degree. (10%)

Research quality: every six to seven years university research is graded. A high score shows large numbers of academics are working at the cutting edge of their subjects. (10%)

Research income: money received from research grants and contracts shown as a sum per head. This can indicate how much industry-relevant research is going on. (5%)

First-year completion: the percentage of students who advance from the first year to the second, which informs our Student Success award. (10%)

Ucas tariff points: what students need on average to win a place. (5%)
The Chinese lab that the FBI believes likely leaked Covid-19 may have also released a 'highly evolved' strain of polio in 2014.

A bombshell new study suggests that this polio strain, which infected a four-year-old boy amid a wider viral outbreak in China's Anhui province, is '99 percent' identical to a polio variant that was stored 200 miles away, during that same time period, at the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Researchers at France's Pasteur Institute cannot say with certainty where this strain, dubbed 'WIV14,' originated. But they insisted two possibilities 'must be explored'  including the chance that WIV14 polio originated within the Wuhan institute itself.

'The findings underscore the shocking unsafe state of global virology research,' Harvard-trained molecular biologist Dr Richard Ebright, who was not involved with the research, told DailyMail.com.

Above, mid-20th century vials of old polio strains that were employed by the Pasteur Institute in their new study attempting to trace the origins of China's unusual WIV14 polio case

An unusual strain of polio that infected a four-year-old in China may have been a 'leak from a facility,' a new study contends. Above, security personnel stand guard outside China's Wuhan Institute of Virology as a United Nations team investigated Covid-19's origins in February 2021

The Pasteur researchers suspect that WIV14 polio, so named by the Wuhan scientists who first catalogued the strain, likely evolved from a well-preserved, 1950s strain of the virus used  almost exclusively  in vaccine production and laboratory settings.

The Wuhan lab's rough proximity to Anhui province and its burgeoning reputation for lax safety protocols have also added weight to this possible explanation.

If true, the theory would join a chorus of outcry over safety lapses at China's state-run infectious disease lab, whose US funding was cut last year by the Biden White House amid ongoing scrutiny on Capitol Hill over its role in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although a global vaccination regime implemented across more than half a century has largely succeeded in eradicating the scourge of polio, cases have bloomed in conflict zones over the past few years, including Gaza, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the UN's World Health Organization (WHO), 125 positive samples of polio appeared in Afghanistan last year, to China's west, with 34 more cases in 2024.

And for the first time a decade, polio remerged in the United States in 2022, with the virus being detected in sewage over 70 times during testing in in New York.

The Pasteur Institute's researchers compared DNA from the whole genome of the WIV14 polio strain against the 'Saukett A' strain used to make many polio vaccines.

They found only 70 nucleotides (nt) of difference between the two strains  across genomes containing over seven thousand of the fundamental DNA building blocks.

While the researchers could not say with certainty where this polio strain originated, they offered two possibilities which they said 'must be explored' - including the chance that the polio originated at the Wuhan institute itself. Above, Virologists photographed working at WIV

Above, a table from the new study showing which regions of the unusual WIV14 polio genome differed most from the lab-held Saukett A strain. The tight locus of difference around mostly the 'Caspid' region increases the chance that WIV14 mutated from a Saukett A lab sample

'[Because] Saukett A and WIV14 share more than 99-percent nt similarity,' they wrote, '[it] is therefore possible that several undocumented PV [polio virus] leaks occurred in the past from facilities handling PVs.'

But, Dr Mael Bessaud, who directs the Pasteur Institute's center for tracking polioviruses, and his team cautioned: 'WIV14 could thus have emerged after a PV strain released anywhere in the world had circulated before being sampled in China.'

Dr Bessaud and his co-authors did, however, propose one theory that would lay the blame directly on medical researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

In this scenario, 'cross-contamination' at WIV would have led to a false positive  mistaking a lab-leaked and slightly lab-mutated version of Saukett A for a new wild strain of polio, WIV14, in the 4-year-old child who was tested in 2014.

'According to that scenario,' as Dr Ebright explained it to DailyMail.com, 'it is a WIV lab strain and a WIV lab contamination.'

Above, two sets of BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) analyses conducted for the Pasteur Institute's new study: (a) the unusual wild polio strain WIV14 is compared to a variety of other polio strains; and (b) lab-held 'Saukett A' polio is shown to match WIV14 (blue line)

Above, an aerial view of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV)

Back in 2014, this 4-year-old had been diagnosed with the WIV14 infection amid an outbreak of 'hand, foot, and mouth' disease in central China's Anhui province.

Both ailments, known as 'enteroviruses' for their infectious pathway through the digestive system, can be detected via similar stool sample tests  tests which yielded the 'unexpected' WIV14 polio results in the young child.

Dr Bessaud and his Pasteur Institute colleagues' other hypothesis for the 4-year-old's unexpected polio results was simply that 'the child was genuinely infected by WIV14.'

'In this case, WIV14 would be the descendant of a PV strain of the 1950s,' they wrote, directly referencing the circa-1952 Saukett A strain, 'released from a natural reservoir in which it had lain dormant for decades or from a facility.'

'According to that hypothesis, the lab release occurred somewhere in China, but not necessarily at WIV,' according to Dr Ebright, who directs the Ebright Lab Rutgers University's Waksman Institute of Microbiology.

'It could be almost anywhere in China,' Dr Ebright told DailyMail.com.

The so-called 'Saukett A' strain of polio dates back to vaccine pioneer Dr Jonas Salk's landmark first tests in 1952, which heralded his cure for the literally crippling ailment.

Polio gained infamy as a disease for primarily attacking nerves within the spinal cord and brain stem, leading to limb paralysis, trouble breathing and at its worst a quiet suffocating death.

Ever since Dr Salk's breakthrough, biomedical manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies across the world have used the Saukett A strain to produce inactivated polio vaccine (IPV): the safest, noninfectious version of the treatment.

Government, university and private medical labs also frequently store vials of Saukett A, which is named after an adolescent boy in Pennsylvania whose polio strain was one of the three used by Dr Salk during his 1950s vaccine research.

But the strain has rarely been seen in such a pure form  with such minimal mutations and so identical to its mid-century genetic make-up  out in the wild.

Investigators with the Wuhan Institute of Virology's lab for 'special pathogens and biosafety,' in fact, were so perplexed by the WIV14 strain that they reported it as a 'highly evolved' mutation of another lab-held strain, named after Dr Albert Sabin.

Wuhan's virologists concluded that the 4-year-old in Anhui province had actually contracted a wild mutation of the weakly alive Sabin 3 Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

This 'highly divergent' and 'highly evolved' version of Sabin 3 polio found loose in the wild  WIV warned in their 2017 paper for the journal Virus Research  highlighted the dangers of new 'vaccine-derived polioviruses' (VDPVs) creating an outbreak.

WIV14, they wrote, highlights 'the risk of emergent VDPV strains, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining high routine vaccination coverage and herd immunity.'

But, as Dr Ebright noted to DailyMail.com, 'the authors of the new paper would not agree with that [i.e. the Sabin 3, VDVP theory] in any way.'

'Really the point of the new paper,' he said, 'is to say that that doesn't make sense.'

Above, Virologists photographed working at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in 2017 - the same year as the institute's study analyzing the curious WIV14 strain of polio, itself

The Pasteur Institute team forcefully contradicted the Wuhan virologists' findings in their new research  pointing out that WIV14 and Sabin 3 varied across wide regions of their genomes, unlike WIV14 and Saukett A which only varied in the capsid region.

'WIV14 is genetically distant from Sabin 3 upstream and downstream the capsid region (82.30 percent and 82.26 percent nt identity, respectively),' they wrote in the journal Virus Evolution.

The Wuhan group's theory that WIV14 evolved from a modern Sabin 3-based oral vaccine's strain of the virus and 'evolved randomly' to closely resemble polio from the middle of the 20th century, they concluded, was 'improbable.'

'It is not impossible, but it is, I think, unlikely,' Dr Ebright, who did not work on the Pasteur study, told DailyMail.com.

'It's not a first-order explanation.'

'There are variants of the second hypothesis, in which the virus wasn't a lab release, but was somehow frozen in permafrost,' the Rutgers molecular biologist continued, 'or on the planet Mars or something.'

'But those should not be considered seriously,' he advised.

'These are possible alternatives, but are improbable.'

Regardless of the ultimate origin of this mysterious case of the WIV14 polio strain, Dr Ebright argues that the policy prescription still calls for stricter regulation of medical labs that handle these deadly viruses and other pathogens worldwide.

'Under either hypothesis (lab contamination or lab release),' Dr Ebright said, 'the findings underscore [...] the startlingly high frequency of virology-research incidents endangering the public and the urgent need for enhanced national and international oversight of biosafety, biosecurity, and bio-risk management.'
Scientists around the world were caught off guard on Wednesday as a previously undetected asteroid collided with Earth's atmosphere.

The one metre (3ft) wide asteroid was spotted just eight hours before it burned up over the Philippines in a spectacular fireball.

Luckily, the asteroid, named 2024 RW1, was too small to cause any damage.

However, its sudden arrival is a stark reminder of the dangers lurking within our solar system.

From the so-called 'Valentine's Day asteroid' to the deadly space rocks almost a mile wide, experts warn that several asteroids are at risk of smashing into Earth.

From the so-called 'Valentine's Day asteroid' to the deadly space rocks almost a mile wide, experts warn that several asteroids are at risk of smashing into Earth

Scientists around the world were caught off guard on Wednesday as a previously undetected asteroid collided with Earth's atmosphere

The 6 asteroids that could hit Earth 1. Bennu Diameter: 1,574 ft Odds of collision: 1/2,700 on September 24, 2182 2. 1950 DA Diameter: 6,561 ft Odds of collison: 1/34,500 on March 16, 2880 3. 2023 TL4 Diameter: 1,083 ft Odds of collision: 1/181,000 on October 10, 2119 4. 2007 FT3 Diameter: 2,165 ft Odds of collision: 1/11.5 million on October 5, 2024 5. 2023 DW Diameter: 166 ft Odds of collision: 1/1,584 on February 14, 2046 6. 1979 XB Diameter: 2,165 ft Odds of collision: 1/1.8 million on December 14, 2113 Advertisement

Asteroids colliding with Earth is far from an uncommon event.

In fact, NASA estimates that about 48.5 tonnes of meteoric material falls on Earth each day.

However, the vast majority of these objects simply burn up in the atmosphere to produce the flashing lights we recognise as shooting stars.

Objects large enough to punch through the atmosphere and actually collide with Earth are far rarer and don't often come within Earth's orbit.

Of course, just because asteroid collisions are unlikely, it does not mean they are impossible - and Earth already bears the scars of several such events.

Most famously, 66 million years ago a six-mile-wide (9.65km) asteroid crashed into the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico - wiping out the dinosaurs and leaving behind a 115-mile (185km) wide crater.

Even smaller rocks can have a devastating impact, as shown by the Chelyabinsk meteor, a 59 ft (18m) wide asteroid which exploded over Russia in 2013.

Despite being hundreds of times smaller than the meteor that killed the dinosaurs, the resulting shockwave injured 1,500 and damaged 7,300 buildings.

Due to these risks, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) operate programs aimed at identifying, categorising, and tracking so-called Near Earth Objects (NEOs).

Currently, ESA has 1,634 NEOs on its 'risk list' - meaning that there is a non-zero chance these objects will hit Earth.

However, at present no asteroid is ranked above one on the Torino Scale - a chart which ranges from 0 (won't hit Earth) to 10 (will hit Earth, and will be catastrophic).

The Earth has been hit by devastating asteroids in the past such as the Chicxulub asteroid, which slammed into a shallow sea in what is now the Gulf of Mexico around 66 million years ago, creating an explosion that wiped out the dinosaurs

Experts say that another asteroid impact with Earth is a matter of when, not if (stock image)

1. Bennu

Discovered in September 1999, the asteroid Bennu is currently considered to pose one of the biggest risks to Earth.

At 1,574ft (0.49km) in diameter and weighing 67 million tonnes, Bennu is wider than the Empire State Building is tall and weighs 200 times as much.

Thanks to careful observation by NASA, scientists currently believe that Bennu has a one in 2,700 chance of hitting Earth on September 24, 2182.

If it were to collide with the planet, it would release energy equivalent to 1.4 billion tonnes of TNT.

Professor Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona previously said that an impact with Bennu would release 'three times more energy than all nuclear weapons detonated throughout history'.

While this might not be quite enough to create the type of planet-destroying force which wiped out the dinosaurs it could still lead to millions of deaths.

The asteroid Bennu (pictured) is considered to pose the biggest threat to Earth and could hit our planet within the next 200 years

However, before you head to the bunkers, NASA's predictions of impact chance become more accurate the closer the asteroid comes to Earth.

So, with more than 150 years until its next close approach, it is likely that those odds may change quite significantly in the future.

Due to its size and risk to Earth, the asteroid has been the attention of intense scientific study.

In 2023, NASA's OSIRIS REx spacecraft managed to return a sample of the space rock to Earth.

This revealed that Bennu may contain the building blocks of life - including possible sources of water.

2. 2023 DW - The Valentine's Day asteroid

Forgetting the chocolates and flowers on Valentine's Day 2046 might be the least of your worries.

The asteroid 2023 DW is predicted to have a significant chance of colliding with Earth on February 14, 2046 - just in time to ruin your date plans.

At 166ft (50m) across, 2023 DW is about the same size as the asteroid that caused the devastating Chelyabinsk event back in 2013.

The Valentine's Day asteroid, 2023 DW, (pictured) has a slim possibility of hitting Earth on February 14, 2046

Given that the asteroid has been observed moving at 21.78 km/s relative to the sun, it could hit Earth with enough force to level an entire city.

When it was initially discovered, space agencies gave this collision worryingly strong odds of one in 607.

However, with more careful observation that risk has now been considerably lowered.

Last year Richard Moissl, head of the ESA's planetary defence office, further reduced the odds of the asteroid hitting Earth from one in 784 to one in 1,584.

Moissi previously told MailOnline: 'It will go down now with every observation until it reaches zero in a couple of days at the latest. No one needs to be worried about this guy.'

The 165-foot (50 m) space rock was given a one in 560 chance of impact but experts say it is now almost certain to miss the Earth

3. 1950 DA

For NASA to consider something a 'potentially hazardous object', it needs to be 460 feet (140 meters) in size with an orbit that brings it as close as within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) of Earth's orbit around the Sun.

At 4,265ft (1.3km) in diameter and weighing 71 million tonnes, asteroid 1950 DA is over 90 times that size.

This makes 1950 DA the biggest asteroid that has a serious chance of colliding with our planet.

If it were to hit, the collision would release energy equivalent to detonating 75 billion tons of TNT - enough to trigger a global catastrophe like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Currently, the asteroid is believed to have a one in 34,500 chance of hitting Earth on March 16, 2880.

In 2032, it will come within 6,959,357 miles (112,000,000 km) of Earth - a relatively close pass allowing for further observations.

NASA and ESA have already begun testing methods for pushing dangerous asteroids off course including slamming high-speed satellites into their surfaces.

Over the eight generations until 1950 DA reached Earth, a small disturbance could easily send it a safe distance from Earth.

A NASA spokesperson previously told MailOnline: 'If it is eventually decided 1950 DA needs to be diverted, the hundreds of years of warning could allow a method as simple as dusting the surface of the asteroid with chalk or charcoal, or perhaps white glass beads, or sending a solar sail spacecraft that ends by collapsing its reflective sail around the asteroid.

'These things would change the asteroid reflectivity and allow sunlight to do the work of pushing the asteroid out of the way.'

The asteroid 1950 DA has the potential to wipe out life on Earth. Based on its predicted orbit (pictured) the asteroid has a 1 in 34,500 chance of hitting Earth on March 16, 2880

4. 2023 TL4

Another asteroid which also has humanity-destroying potential is 2023 TL4.

After being spotted last year, scientists immediately recognised this huge asteroid as one of the biggest threats to Earth.

The space rock measures 1,083ft (0.33km) in diameter and is believed to weigh 43 million tonnes - more than 4,500 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

On collision, this could create a blast 150 times more powerful than that of the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated.

Current estimates suggest that there is a one in 181,000 chance of this asteroid colliding with Earth on October 10, 2119.

Just like 1950 DA, this should give space agencies enough time to push the asteroid off its course, should it appear to be on its way to Earth.

The space rock 2023 TL4 measures 1,083ft (0.33km) in diameter and is believed to weigh 43 million tonnes - more than 4,500 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower. Its orbit (pictured) will bring it dangerously close to Earth in 2119

5. 2007 FT3

While the odds of 2007 FT3 hitting Earth are low, it has the unwelcome distinction of being the asteroid with the chance of hitting Earth soonest.

If we get incredibly unlucky, this 2,165ft (0.34km) asteroid could hit Earth as soon as October 5th this year.

However, current observations of 2007 FT3's path give this only a one in 11.5 million chance of occurring.

The asteroid has slightly better odds of colliding with Earth on March 3, 2030, with a one in 10 million chance.

Although that may seem low, the odds of winning the Lotto jackpot are one in 45 million and many people still buy tickets each week.

Since the odds are higher than zero, the object is still on ESA's risk list and is considered a potentially hazardous object.

The asteroid 2007 FT3 could hit Earth as soon as October this year, however the odds are only one in 11.5 million

6. 1979 XB

The final object with a chance of causing serious damage to Earth is an asteroid called 1979 XB.

At 2,165ft (0.34km) in diameter and weighing 49 million tonnes, should 1979 XB hit Earth, it would easily be capable of destroying an entire city.

First spotted in 1979, scientists believe that this asteroid currently has a one in 1.8 million chance of hitting Earth.

What makes 1979 XB scary is that it has essentially been 'lost' since its discovery.

No one has observed 1979 XB in 40 years and so its orbit is poorly understood.

What predictions we do have are based on the initial observations taken immediately after its discovery.

Given that Earth was just hit by a previously undetected asteroid, this might leave many feeling understandably anxious.

The asteroid 1979 XB is scarier than most since it has been 'lost' for 40 years. The predictions we have of its orbit (pictured) are only based on observations taken shortly after its discovery which makes its true danger a mystery

How much danger are we really in?

Despite how scary these figures may seem, most scientists agree that the Earth is safe for now.

Dr Greg Brown, senior public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told MailOnline: 'As of today, there are no known asteroids that are both large enough to be of concern and have a sizeable chance to impact the Earth.'

If any asteroids do hit Earth it is likely that they will fall over the ocean or over the remote regions which still make up the majority of the planet's surface.

This renders the risk of any serious devastation from a meteoric impact extremely low.

However, that does not mean that the Earth is completely safe.

While the risk of a collision remains extremely low, scientists warn that some sort of dangerous encounter is inevitable in the very long run. This is why space agencies are investing in planetary defence systems (artist's impression)

While big impacts are very rare, Dr Brown points out that 'asteroid impacts are a case of when, not if.'

That is why space agencies around the world are investing huge funds into planetary defence projects.

These include ESA's DART mission which managed to knock an asteroid off course with kamikaze satellite in 2022.

Dr Brown adds: 'It is important that we continue to improve our ability to track these objects and work on measures to protect ourselves if they occur.'
Sara says that it's the 'real deal when it comes to refresher breaks'

At Damchen Lhakhang, a tiny 14th century monastery in Bhutans Gangtey valley, a dozen monks sit cross-legged, faintly swaying as they chant. A hundred butterlamps flicker, and through the glassless windows alpenglow settles over the foothills of the eastern Himalayas.

The monks, mostly young, have come for a week from a far-off valley to practise their devotions; I had seen them the previous day disgorging from the bus. They sit in the chorten turning over leaves of sacred text written in a script like barbed wire on paper made from the boiled bark of the Himalayan firethorn.

Enveloped in the mountainous belt between China and India, landlocked Bhutan, approximately the size of Switzerland, is carved into a sequence of valleys, cut off from one another for most of the regions history, let alone from the world.

Bhutan didnt have an airport until 1983. Much of the less developed east still functions as a non-cash barter economy  you can pay taxes in hand-woven textiles.

Wellness retreats can be rather counterproductive  no matter how fine the massages and total the seclusion  as they tend to melt away as soon as the hard shoulder of the M1 rushes back into view. The Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, though, is the real deal when it comes to refresher breaks. To a certain extent, the whole country, known by its people as Druk Yul, is a spa.

Splendour: Sara Wheeler journeys through the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Above, sunset bathes the 'magnificent' Punakha Dzong fortress and the Mo Chhu river

After Damchen Lhakhang, I hike to the 12,300ft Kayche La pass through forests of rhododendron, hemlock and poinsettia taller than me.

In the valley far below, black-necked cranes are picking at the potato fields. Spuds are the main cash crop, since Gangtey is too high even for red rice to grow. The sacred cranes, considered reincarnated beings, migrate to these wetlands for the winter.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, head of government as well as the nation, rules as a benign Buddhist despot. It was his father, the fourth king, who devised the Gross National Happiness index to replace Gross National Product as an indicator of wellbeing.

People do seem pretty happy. There are 800,000 Bhutanese but not a single set of traffic lights in the whole country.

Sara stays in several Six Senses lodges during her visit. Above - poolside seats offer a serene view of the mountains that surround the Six Senses lodge at Thimphu, the capital

Most impressively, Bhutan is carbon neutral, which means its emissions are net zero. Broadleaf and conifer forest covers most of the lowlands.

Tibetan culture has permeated every aspect of Bhutanese life from architecture (houses built from interlocking wood panels, without nails, often with ornately embellished overhangs and trefoil arches) to cuisine.

The unexpectedly fabulous Bhutanese food makes heavy use of Himalayan herbs, pungent honeys, shrubs such as wild sea buckthorn, steamed dumplings (momo) and mountains of chillies. Paro in the west lies on the old trading route to Tibet.

A young man tells me his grandfather had walked those paths. Gold traders would come down and stay at my grandmothers on their way to India. They offered her shards of gold when they left the next morning, but she didnt know what gold was, so she didnt take any.

Glory: Above is the Dordenma Buddha statue in Thimphu, which stands 169ft tall. On the slopes outside Thimphu Sara has a one-to-one guided meditation with a Buddhist master

In each valley, at least one gung chim (farmhouse) has a wooden bathtub in which people can place stones from the river and heat them, enabling the whole village to enjoy a famous Bhutanese hot-stone massage. And this extraordinarily relaxing therapy is available at Six Senses lodges in Thimphu and Bumthang.

I go for the full Bhutanese works. In Gangtey I have a steam-box treatment  your head stays out of the box  and, since I have knackered knees like everyone my age, I also have my first go at Sukshma vyayam, a yogic practice that supposedly loosens joints and releases energy. And, do you know, it did!

To treat my equally knackered mind, on the slopes outside Thimphu, the capital, I take a one-to-one guided meditation with a rinpoche, or Buddhist master.

Every Bhutanese is obliged to make a pilgrimage once in their life to Taktsang, the nine-temple Tigers Nest monastery in Paro Valley (seen above), reveals Sara

We sit there quietly while griffin vultures wheel in the thermals outside. My rinpoche tells me to meditate for one minute, 20 times a day. There is something holistic about everything in Bhutan.

In each valley, I stay in a Six Senses lodge  luxurious timber low-rises that seem to emerge from the ground like the black pines. There are five in the country, strung out in a necklace, and I travel between them in a car with a driver and guide, both of whom stay with me for eight days. No drive is longer than five hours.

Each of Bhutans 20 dzongs, or regions, has its own fortress, most of them built in the 17th century.

Punakha Dzong on the confluence of the Pho Chhu and the Mo Chhu is the most magnificent. In its innermost sanctum, schoolgirls are performing the kora, walking clockwise round walls of prayer wheels.

Every Bhutanese is obliged to make a pilgrimage once in their life to Taktsang, the nine-temple Tigers Nest monastery in Paro Valley. Taktsang is Bhutans main tourist attraction. (Its worth using walking poles  my guide has a pair for me  for the three-mile hike up.)

People take religion seriously in Bhutan, and not just at the monasteries. They prostrate themselves on the street on the way to work. Even the black-necked cranes circle the Gangtey monastery three times in a clockwise direction when they fly in from Tibet.

Around Gangtey and Punakha, semi-nomadic yak herders have just come down for the summer and are milling in the lanes with their pack-ponies. An elite group of Bhutanese herders harvest cordyceps sinensis, also known as the caterpillar fungus, which grows only above 11,500ft and is hugely prized in China for its immunity-boosting properties.

Culture: Sara says she 'loves everything about' Bhutan. Above, a masked dancer performs

Bhutan only has one helicopter, but you occasionally hear its whirring blades in the valleys, landing to collect baskets of cordyceps from herders who have grown rich. This rare fungus lives as a parasite on particular moths, and is dangerous to collect.

Bhutan is not a paradise. Thimphu already has a Starbucks. There is a brain drain (to western Australia, mostly). A klaxon of doom sounds from the new city of Gelephu, which His Majesty announced last year.

This special administrative region will have a rail link to India  the first ever connecting Bhutan with the world beyond. And despotism always has a dark side. The gross national happiness of the persecuted ethnic Nepalese community is not factored into the overall equation.

Still, the Bhutanese are hanging on to their cultural identity. Since opening up to the outside world in the 1970s, the country has fostered high-income, low-impact tourism, charging $100 per day per person as a sustainable development fee  effectively a tourist tax. It seems to be working.

In many ways, Druk Yul, Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a model of what tourism can be. I love everything about it.
Europes five best and worst airports have been revealed by a study that analysed average Google Review ratings.

A Turkish airport took the crown in the Holidu survey, with airports in Portugal and Greece also featuring in the top five.

At the other end of the scale, a UK airport landed third from bottom, while an airport in Crete was named as Europe's worst place to catch a flight. Read on for the full ranking, presented in reverse order...

Europe's five best airports

NO.5 - ZURICH AIRPORT, SWITZERLAND

A new study based on Google reviews has ranked Europe's best and worst airports. Zurich Airport was the fifth-best airport in Europe and has more than 80 shops, according to the study

Zurich Airport is Europe's fifth-best, according to the study, with a Google rating of 4.3 out of five based on more than 26,000 reviews.

The study notes that the airport has more than 80 shops and the 'largest selection of Swiss chocolate at any airport in the world'.

NO.4 - VACLAV HAVEL AIRPORT, CZECHIA

One traveller described Prague's Airport (fourth best) as offering a 'stress-free travel experience'

Prague's airport is the fourth best-rated in the world, according to the results of the study.

It has a 4.3 rating on Google based on more than 26,000 reviews, with one traveller, 'Alex Fomin', saying it offered a 'stress-free travel experience'.

NO.3 - ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Athens International Airport (third best) offers a 'smooth and efficient security process' according to one reviewer

Athens International Airport was rated the third-best airport in Europe, with a score of 4.3 on Google based on more than 49,000 reviews.

Reviewer 'Juan Flores' said the security process was 'smooth and efficient', while 'Ivan Filipov' said it was 'very well organised, clean and logical'.

NO.2 - FRANCISCO DE SA CARNIERO AIRPORT, PORTO, PORTUGAL

Francisco de Sa Carniero Airport (second best) has a 4.4 rating on Google

Porto's airport just missed out on the top spot, coming second place in the ranking. The study notes that it has a 4.4 rating on Google, based on more than 26,000 reviews.

Reviewer 'Waner Tavares' said: 'Porto Airport impresses with swift security, friendly staff and a clean environment.'

NO.1 - ISTANBUL AIRPORT, TURKEY

Istanbul Airport (first overall) is 'enormous' and it's 'exceptionally clean and well maintained'

Istanbul Airport took the top spot with a rating of 4.4 based on more than 100,000 Google reviews, according to the study results.

Google reviewer 'Highway Video' said: 'The airport is enormous, exceptionally clean and well maintained.'

Europe's five worst airports

NO.5 - BRUSSELS-SOUTH CHARLEROI AIRPORT, BELGIUM

Brussels- South Charleroi Airport (fifth worst) has a Google rating of just 3.2 based on more than 19,000 reviews

Brussels-South Charleroi Airport is the fifth worst-rated in Europe, according to the study.

Its Google rating is just 3.2 based on more than 19,000 reviews on the platform. 'Odin Van Helvoort' said: 'Worst airport I have ever been to, charging money to go to the toilet. Even then the toilets are broken and nasty.'

NO.4 - BERLIN WILLY-BRANDT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, GERMANY

Berlin Willy-Brandt International Airport (fourth worst) has a 'cramped gate departure space' according to one reviewer

Willy-Brandt International Airport in Berlin ranks fourth-worst in Europe, with a 3.1 rating on Google, based on more than 34,000 reviews, the study notes.

Reviewer 'Francisco Parisio' said: 'Luggage delivery took longer than an hour, tiny elevators to exit the gate and gate departure space is cramped.'

NO.3 - MANCHESTER AIRPORT, UK

Manchester Airport (third worst) has a 3.1 rating out of five on Google

Manchester Airport is Europe's third-worst place to fly from, according to the study, which notes it has a 3.1 rating on Google based on more than 27,000 reviews.

The airport's Terminal 3 was recently ranked as the worst airport in the UK by a Which? Travel survey.

'Javier Ruiz', a reviewer on Google, said: 'The security is slow and chaotic when you depart and slow when you arrive.'

And 'Kathryn Barrow' said: 'Terminal 3 is quite awful. Not enough seats, hardly any shops, no seats at the gates.'

However, Manchester Airport disputes that any solid conclusions can be drawn from the 27,000 Google reviews.

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: 'Review websites often use unverified and unreliable data  something Google itself acknowledges - and paint a confusing picture for consumers and airports themselves in terms of understanding what they do well and what they can do better. Thats why we are part of Airports Council Internationals independent benchmarking programme  which gathers data from airports all over the world based on in-the-moment passengers surveys.

'It tells us that between January and July this year, more than 80 per cent of our passengers rated their experience of the airport as good, very good or excellent.

'YouGov also produces well-sourced data based on a representative sample that rates Manchester as the fourth-best airport in the UK.'

NO.2 - BORDEAUX-MERIGNAC AIRPORT, FRANCE

One reviewer described their experience at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport (second worst) as 'appalling and unsatisfactory'

Bordeaux's airport ranked second from bottom in the study, based on a score of 2.8 on Google from more than 12,000 reviews.

'Alice Fimpel' wrote on Google Reviews: 'My experience in this airport was appalling and unsatisfactory. The wait time to check in luggage took over an hour and there was another one hour queue after security.'

NO.1 - HERAKLION AIRPORT, CRETE, GREECE

Heraklion Airport (worst overall) in Crete was 'lacking in cleanliness' according to one visitor

Heraklion Airport in Crete was named the worst airport in Europe, with a 2.6 Google rating based on more than 21,000 reviews, according to the study.

Google reviewer 'Corentin Boquelet' wrote: 'The Heraklion Airport is quite small and doesn't seem well-maintained. The cleanliness is lacking, especially in the limited sanitary facilities available.'

EUROPE'S FIVE BEST AND FIVE WORST AIRPORTS Europe's five worst airports 1. Heraklion Airport, Crete, Greece 2. Bordeaux-Merignac Airport, France 3. Manchester Airport, UK 4. Berlin Willy-Brandt International Airport, Germany 5. Brussels-South Charleroi Airport, Belgium Europe's five best airports 1. Istanbul Airport, Turkey 2. Francisco de Sa Carneiro Airport, Portugal 3. Athens International Airport, Greece 4. Vaclav Havel Airport, Czechia 5. Zurich Airport, Switzerland Source: Holidu Advertisement

The ranking, says Holidu, was created by extracting the average score from Google Maps and the number of reviews for the 100 busiest airports in Europe based on the number of passengers. Using this data from Google Maps, each airport was ranked from highest to lowest, prioritising those with the most reviews. All airports in Russia, Ukraine and non-operational airports have been removed from this ranking.

For the full ranking visit www.holidu.co.uk/magazine/the-european-airport-index.
Prime Videos' The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brought a character to life who J.R.R. Tolkien first wrote about 90 years earlier on this week's new episode.

The character is none other than Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), who fans of Tolkien's work may recognize, though those who have only seen the adaptations of his work may not.

Tom Bombadil was first seen in print in the 1934 Tolkien poem The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, 20 years before The Lord of the Rings was published in 1954.

The character was also featured briefly in The Lord of the Rings book, though he has not been brought to life in any of the animated or live-action adaptations, until now.

Following the massive three-episode Season 2 premiere last week, The Rings of Power slows things down a bit to set up some important pieces in the episodes to come... ending with a rather shocking move made by Galadriel (Morfydd Clark).

Prime Videos' The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brought a character to life who J.R.R. Tolkien first wrote about 90 years earlier on this week's new episode

Following the massive three-episode Season 2 premiere last week, The Rings of Power slows things down a bit to set up some important pieces in the episodes to come... ending with a rather shocking move made by Galadriel (Morfydd Clark)

The debut of Tom Bombadil will certainly be lauded by Tolkien devotees, since, while he may be a 'minor' character in the scope of his stories, he has been written about for decades.

Tolkien was always coy about the character's origins, which has lead to many Tolkien scholars devoting numerous writings about what he truly represents.

Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay offer no more answers than Tolkien, though they hint many times that he is something not of this world.

The episode - written by Glenise Hooper and directed by Louise Hooper and Sanaa Hamri - features Bombadil hinting that he is the 'eldest' of all things, claiming to have remembered the 'first raindrop and the first acorn.'

He is also clearly some form of wizard, displaying his control over fire and wind... while even turning a piece of paper into a piece of meat for The Stranger to eat.

While The Stranger was poring over his piece of paper with alignments of stars that he thinks will lead to the staff that will seemingly unlock his identity... it seems Tom Bombadil is who he's been looking for all along.

The Stranger finally realizes that 'old Tom' is exactly who he was looking for, as Tom hints that he will need to train him some and confirming that The Stranger's task is in fact to confront both Sauron (Charlie Vickers) AND the Orc leader Adar (Sam Hazeldine).

Still, given how many storylines are at play, it remains to be seen how often fans will encounter Tom Bombadil in Season 2 and beyond.

The debut of Tom Bombadil will certainly be lauded by Tolkien devotees, since, while he may be a 'minor' character in the scope of his stories, he has been written about for decades

While The Stranger was poring over his piece of paper with alignments of stars that he thinks will lead to the staff that will seemingly unlock his identity... it seems Tom Bombadil is who he's been looking for all along

The Stranger finally realizes that 'old Tom' is exactly who he was looking for, as Tom hints that he will need to train him some and confirming that The Stranger's task is in fact to confront both Sauron (Charlie Vickers) AND the Orc leader Adar (Sam Hazeldine)

The episode begins with Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Galadriel setting off on their journey from Lindon to track down Sauron, though they quickly find themselves at an impasse with an impossible decision to make.

The bridge they planned on taking was destroyed in a most extreme manner, forcing the party to go south through a forest, though Galadriel - with the help of her ring - senses 'evil' in the woods and protests, though Elrond commands they go through.

They soon learn why the letter High King Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) sent to Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) was never sent, finding the dead horse and the letter in the woods.

They're soon attacked, as Elrond shows his mettle as a commander, fending off a small gathering of undead soldiers, killing them with the blades they were slain with.

While this traveling party - which also includes new characters Camnir (Calam Lynch) and Rian (Selina Lo) was looking for Sauron... they happened to find Adar, marching towards Eregion with his Orc army.

Elrond decides that King Gil-Galad must know of the Orc army and decides to head to Eregion to warn him, with Galadriel using her powers with the ring Nenya to mystically heal a soldier struck with a stray Orc arrow, which stuns the soldier and Elrond.

She insists on distracting the Orc army by herself, allowing them to get away, but also insists that Elrond takes Nenya with him.

While the rescued soldier marveled at her sacrifice, a disappointed Elrond mentioned she didn't do it for them... she did it to save the ring Nenya.

Now with one of the three Elven rings forged by Celebrimbor in the hands of the rings' biggest skeptics, it will be intriguing to see if Elrond falls prey to the ring's power at some point this season.

While this traveling party - which also includes new characters Camnir (Calam Lynch) and Rian (Selina Lo) was looking for Sauron... they happened to find Adar, marching towards Eregion with his Orc army

This episode also catches fans up with Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards), who haven't been seen since being sucked into the powerful sandstorm The Stranger created in Episode 2.

They encounter a brand new type of character known as a Stoor when they run into Merimac (Gavi Singh Chera), a rather bumbling young Stoor who ultimately takes them into his village... much to the dismay of Stoor leader Gundabale (Tanya Moodie).

While Gundabale naturally doesn't trust these Harfoots, she learns that these people may have a connection to the Harfoot leader Sadoc Burrows (Lenny Henry).

When Nori casually mentions Sadoc to Gundabale, she shows Nori and Poppy drawings and tells of a Stoor who was 'not like the rest.'

This stoor had a dream of a place where the rolling hills were so soft one could dig into the hill and make a home within a month.

He called this mystical place Suza-t, and he took a caravan of followers to find this place, promising to come back for the rest... though that was the last they heard of this Stoor... named Rorymass Burrows.

While it's unclear how Sadoc is connected to this other Burrows, Gundabale asks if Nori and Poppy are there to lead them to the Suza-t.

A sad Nori tells her that Rorymass never found the Suza-t and her Harfoot people, 'just kept wandering,' adding sadly, 'We don't have a home.'

The Dark Wizard's minions ultimately find the Stoors, with Gundabale protecting Nori and Poppy, and with the gold-masked minion insisting he'll return with the Dark Wizard, that will likely lead to Nori and Poppy hitting the road with the Stoors.

This episode also catches fans up with Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards), who haven't been seen since being sucked into the powerful sandstorm The Stranger created in Episode 2

They encounter a brand new type of character known as a Stoor when they run into Merimac (Gavi Singh Chera, above), a rather bumbling young Stoor who ultimately takes them into his village... much to the dismay of Stoor leader Gundabale (Tanya Moodie).

A sad Nori tells her that Rorymass never found the Suza-t and her Harfoot people, 'just kept wandering,' adding sadly, 'We don't have a home'

After three straight episodes in a row, the fourth episode does a good job of slowing things down a bit and putting all of the pieces in place for the back half of Season 2.

There's so much more to discuss so we're breaking down The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 4's 5 biggest moments below.

1) Tom Bombadil Has Finally Arrived... 90 Years Later

J.R.R. Tolkien published The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in 1934 in The Oxford Magazine, and 90 years later, the character has finally come to life.

Rory Kinnear delivers a fascinating performance as this mysterious character, who The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) comes across in his travels.

He hints at being 'the eldest' person in perhaps the entire world, and claims he was there when the first raindrop fell, and he does so in such an earnest way you almost have to believe him... despite how unreal the claims may be.

Even the Dark Wizard (Ciaran Hinds) was given pause when he was told that The Stranger is heading towards this 'hermit,' hinting that this hermit wizard's powers are not to be taken lightly.

Since Tolkien's portrayal of Bombadil in the page is equally fraught with mystery, it will be intriguing to see where the showrunners take this mystical character.

J.R.R. Tolkien published The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in 1934 in The Oxford Magazine, and 90 years later, the character has finally come to life.

2) Galadriel's Sacrifice: For the Ring or For Elrond and His Party?

While Galadriel's bravery is of no surprise at this point, her sacrifice to distract a huge company of orcs was quite stunning.

Alone with only her bow and arrow and a few daggers at her side, she bravely took on these foul creatures to allow Elrond to retreat and warn Eregion of the orc army.

Surprisingly, she also insisted that Elrond - perhaps the one person in all Middle-earth who despises The Rings of Power the most - to keep her ring safe.

Elrond and one of his soldiers even saw the ring's power first hand, as Galadriel used it to heal a stomach wound from a stray orc arrow.

While Galadriel was captured by Adar, fans are left wondering if she sacrificed herself for Elrond or... as Elrond himself suggested... the ring itself.

Surprisingly, she also insisted that Elrond - perhaps the one person in all Middle-earth who despises The Rings of Power the most - to keep her ring safe

3) The Ents Arrive... And They're Glorious

The end of Episode 3 featured Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) looking up at a rather immense creature... which is revealed to one of two Ents.

Ents are massive sentient beings who essentially resemble massive trees, who were featured in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Fans are introduced to two new Ents - the male Snaggleroot (Jim Broadbent) and female Winterbloom (Olivia Williams) - who not only trapped Theo but the wild men they were trying to get Isildur's (Maxim Baldry) horse back from.

It was Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) who realized that it was Ents who had captured Theo, and tracked them down.

The Ents are not ones to be trifled with, revealing they came from afar when learning how the orcs destroyed the forest.

Arondir makes peace with the tree-beings, promising that the woods would be protected from now on under his watch.

While it seems The Ents may have a small closed-off arc, it would be quite the spectacle to see these massive trees in battle later this season.

4) A Huge Lord of the Rings Easter Egg Was Dropped...

When Gundabale tells the story of the Stoors to Nori and Poppy, she mentions the nomadic Stoor set off on a journey to find a place called the Suza-t.

That word in the Westron language in Middle earth literally translates to Shire, the beloved home of the hobbits in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Stoors and the Harfoots are two of the three breeds of hobbits, along with the fallohides, which the Baggins' belong to.

Given that Rings of Power is set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings, it's possible that the show will reveal the origins of what became known as The Shire.

The show is set during the Second Age of Middle-earth, with The Shire established in the Third Age, so it remains to be seen how this history will play out during the show.

After fans learned that Estrid (Nia Towle) has been using a makeshift brand to cover up her dark mark of Adar (Sam Hazeldine), it didn't take long for Arondir to find out

5) Estrid's Dark Secret is Finally Revealed...

After fans learned that Estrid (Nia Towle) has been using a makeshift brand to cover up her dark mark of Adar (Sam Hazeldine), it didn't take long for Arondir to find out.

After noticing her flirting with Isildur, he notices the mark, interrogating her briefly before putting her in shackles for the rest of the trip.

Still little is known about why she bowed to Adar in the first place, though she still does seem to have some good in her.

When given the chance to escape after both Isildur and Arondir are subdued by a massive swamp monster, she does come back and try to save them.

However, when her shackles are removed, she does try to steal Isildur's sword, though it turns out she wasn't lying about her 'betrothed,' as it's revealed as Hagen (Gabriel Akuwudike) - one of the wild men captured along with Theo - is her man.
Kate Garraway made an emotional plea to viewers of Good Morning Britain on Thursday and revealed the backlash she's endured after her documentary about her husband Derek Draper was released.

The 57-year-old TV presenter asked fans to vote for her heartbreaking ITV documentary charting her husband Derek's final year of life, after it landed an NTA nomination last month.

Kate Garraway: Derek's Story is the third project from the GMB star to pick up a nomination in the best authored documentary category.

It follows on from her previous two documentaries about his Covid battle and her own struggles navigating the care system, which won in 2021 and 2022.

As they finished up a chat with Martin Lewis, Kate's co-host Ed Balls said: 'I'm just going to say, Kate Garraway for her fabulous documentary Derek's story is also nominated for an NTA.'

Kate Garraway made an emotional plea to viewers of Good Morning Britain on Thursday and revealed the backlash she's endured after her documentary about her husband Derek Draper was released

The 57-year-old TV presenter asked fans to vote for her heartbreaking ITV documentary charting her husband Derek's final year of life, after it landed an NTA nomination

The duo then welcomed Lorraine onto the show, who congratulated the presenter on her nomination.

Kate went on to confess to Lorraine Kelly and her co-host Ed Balls: 'I haven't posted I've been nominated yet because I got so much backlash from doing it, for people saying "stop going on about it". But actually, I realise I'm letting people down.

'One of the biggest frustrations was that he felt like a total failure, he felt like an incredible burden on the carers, on the system, on us and it didn't matter what we said, he felt that burden, and he wanted to be a contributor.'

She added: 'It's wonderful to have the chance to honour him and also honour the millions.

'I'm sad because I don't have the chance to care anymore but I felt it would be wrong for me to sort of walk away from the caring campaign that I feel I have a responsibility for.'

The political lobbyist died in January, aged 56.

Filmed in May 2023, the documentary, which has been praised by critics, confronted the reality of Derek's struggles and the effect on those around him in never-before-seen images and footage.

Kate's late husband was plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in March 2020, which saw him put in a coma, battle sepsis and left with difficulties communicating.

As they finished up a chat with Martin Lewis, Kate's cos-host Ed Balls said: 'I'm just going to say, Kate Garraway for her fabulous documentary Derek's story is also nominated for an NTA'

Kate went on to confess to Lorraine Kelly and her co-host Ed Balls: 'I haven't posted I've been nominated yet because I got so much backlash from doing it, for people saying 'stop going on about it'. But actually, I realise I'm letting people down

Dereks Story features him talking on camera for the first time since his health battle as he admitted: 'I want to be heard.'

In the documentary Kate also opened up about the crippling debt she accrued caring for Derek, admitting she's at 'crunch point'.

Faced with a debt of up to 800,000 Kate confessed: 'Derek's care costs more than my salary from ITV and that's before you pay for a mortgage or household bills or anything for the kids - so that is a crunch point.

'We are in debt and I can't earn enough money to cover my debt because I'm managing Derek's care.

'I can't even use the money I do have to support Derek's recovery because it's going to the basics all the time.

'I'm not going to pretend I'm poorly paid but it's not enough.

'Time and time again the state tells us Derek is not sick enough to qualify for state funded care.

'I've appealed but that still hasn't been processed three years later. If this is what's it like for me then what's it like for everybody else?'

Kate Garraway: Derek's Story aired in March ITV, chronicling the former political lobbyist's final year of life before his death in January aged 56

Derek had been plagued with health woes after contracting the virus in March 2020, which saw him put in a coma, battle sepsis and left with difficulties communicating (pictured 2019)

In the documentary Kate also opened up about the crippling debt she accrued caring for Derek, admitting she's at 'crunch point'

Kate continued: 'Something has to be done or the whole service, the people working in it, everything is going to break.

'We are entirely reliant on extraordinary carers but the system they work for is incredibly complicated and underfunded...

'Why is it people get sick and it's no longer considered the right thing for them to be in hospital, why does coming home feel like falling off a cliff?'

Former Labour insider and psychotherapist Derek married presenter Kate in 2005 and they went on to welcome children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.

In 2021, just over a year after contracting Covid, he was able to leave hospital and return to his family home in north London, with round-the-clock care.

In August 2022 he was taken to hospital with sepsis but pulled through. Then in early December 2023, Derek had a heart attack and was taken to hospital again.

Tragically, he wasn't able to overcome the latest medical emergency and on January 5 Kate confirmed that Derek died.

In a post on social media, she said that her husband died surrounded by family and that she was 'holding his hand throughout the last long hours'.

She said his Covid infection had left him with lasting damage to his heart which had led to 'further complications'.

Kate also thanked the medical teams for making his final moments as 'comfortable and dignified as possible.'
Groundbreaking BBC drama The Project is reportedly returning after a whopping 22 years off screens.

The Project, which has not been seen or available anywhere since its debut in 2002, will feature Succession and Bond Stars portraying lead roles.

The drama series follows the lives of a group of young Labour Party activists from their final days of university to Westminster's corridors of power.

Their journey takes us deep into the world of New Labour headquarters in Millbank, and later Downing Street, exposing the machinations behind the party's transformation into the sharp, media-aware voice of professional, middle-England.

As their respective stars begin to rise within New Labour, it's not just their friendship that's at risk but the very beliefs that inspired them to join politics.

Groundbreaking BBC drama The Project is reportedly returning after a whopping 22 years off screens (pictured James Frain, Naomie Harris, and Matthew Macfayden)

The Project, which has not been seen or available anywhere since its debut in 2002, will feature Succession and Bond Stars portraying lead roles

The Project stars Paul (Matthew Macfadyen) and Maggie (Naomie Harris), whose deep-rooted passion for politics is matched by their intense rivalry and passion for each other.

Paul joined the Labour Party as a press officer, then worked his way through a series of behind-the-scenes jobs, first at Walworth Road then at Millbank.

Now he's Special Adviser at No 10 after the 1997 election and shares a house with journalist, Irene (Paloma Baeza), carpenter Andy (Shaun Evans) and Maggie.

Director Peter Kosminsky told the I paper: 'Its the first time The Project has been broadcast since 2002 or even seen. But its genuinely a piece that turns out to have extraordinarily relevant elements to the current situation.'

'Alastair Campbells team wrote a letter, which I have seen, asking people not to co-operate. But a large number of people did.'

'Was Matthew Macfadyens spin doctor inspired by Derek Draper? (Peter Mandelsons former adviser who died this year from complications arising from Covid). I couldnt possibly comment but I could see why you would say that.'

BBC confirmed the drama series will be returning.

According to the I Paper, in one scene before the 1997 election, Matthew's character Paul finds out that a Tory cabinet minister is having an affair and searches dustbins for incriminating letters.

The Project stars Paul (Matthew Macfadyen) and Maggie (Naomie Harris pictured), whose deep-rooted passion for politics is matched by their intense rivalry and passion for each other

Director Peter Kosminsky said: 'Its the first time The Project has been broadcast since 2002 or even seen. But its genuinely a piece that turns out to have extraordinarily relevant elements to the current situation' (pictured in 2016)

The Project will be available from September 15 and will air from 10pm on BBC Four

According to the I Paper, director Peter claimed that the affair happened, however, it never become public knowledge.

He also gave a clue into what some of the characters may face in the series including a Labour MP getting physically attacked by one of the whips.

He claimed that it was 'brave' of the BBC to commission The Project and re-transmit it now, as he said he would like to revisit The Project for the Starmer era.

Peter, whose acclaimed films have dramatised the death of Iraq weapons inspector Dr David Kelly and explored the motivations driving British teenagers to fight for the Islamic State, fears that homegrown political drama is under threat.

He claimed that he 'really doesn't know' how a drama like The Project would be made now or how it would get funded.

He admitted that its 'not a lack of will from the BBC or Channel 4' but that they simply 'don't have the money'.

The Project will be available from September 15 and will air from 10pm on BBC Four.
The Yorkshire Vet aired a groundbreaking 'UK first' dog surgery which saw an adorable pooch called Jimmy Joe go under the knife.

Viewers of the popular Channel 5 show got to witness an incredible medical breakthrough as the complicated procedure got underway.

The episode began by explaining that Jimmy Joe's owners were worried as he was experiencing back pain while playing.

A team led by surgeon Matt Smith and senior surgeon Martin prepared to get stuck into the very complex operation to insert screws into the canine's spine, which they admitted could end in 'disaster' if it went wrong

Matt explained: 'We're going to do a procedure so he'll have a much better quality of life, he'll be in a lot less pain, and hopefully he'll go on to be running around the fields like usual.

The Yorkshire Vet aired a groundbreaking 'UK first' dog surgery in heartwarming scenes that saw an adorable dog called Jimmy Joe go under the knife

Viewers of the popular Channel 5 show got to witness an incredible medical breakthrough, as the complicated procedure got underway

'We've CT scanned Jimmy Joe's spine and from that we've created a 3D model. He's got more movement there than he should have, so we're going to put some screws right down at the base of his spine.'

The expert showcased the cutting-edge technology and demonstrated how it was going to work.

Holding up a model of the dog's spine, he continued: 'So the drill grind is going to come in and sit down onto the bone, and should give us really accurate positioning for the drill. Then, we can place our screw down into the bone.

'It's really critical that we get this absolutely spot on. If we're slightly too far in, we'll catch his spinal cord and that would be disastrous.'

Thankfully, the innovative operation was a huge success and the canine was back to his usual self within no time.

Emotional scenes saw him reunite with his owner post-surgery, who described the sweet animal as 'dopey' and couldn't contain her affection as she cuddled him.

However, the mood since dropped as elsewhere in the episode, as a pregnant sheep was brought in for a C-section due to her baby being too big to be birthed naturally.

It was all going well and the little black lamb was weighed after birth. But, Peter Wright visited the farmer later in the programme and tragically discovered the animal had passed away.

The mother was doing well and had adopted an orphaned lamb.

Thankfully, the innovative operation was a huge success and the pooch was back to his usual self within no time

It comes just after The Yorkshire Vet himself David Melleney tied the knot with his fiancee Megan Denny in a stunning ceremony at the Chateau du Doux in Dordogne, France in July.

The couple were joined by 70 guests as they celebrated in style in scenes filmed for an episode of the Channel 5 series, before they jetted off for a honeymoon safari in Africa.

Megan looked sensational in a Bellissima white dress adorned with sheer sleeves patterned with lace leaf detailing.

Tying her brunette locks back in an elegant low bun, the dentist looked beautiful as they exchanged vows in the sun in front of their friends and family.

Losing her veil halfway down the aisle, the officiant joked: 'Could everyone please be seated while we have this wardrobe correction,' as one of her bridesmaids rushed to reattach it.

The couple first met after he joined Donaldson's Vets in Huddersfield after graduating in 2017 and now live together in Holmfirth with their dog Yogi.

After exchanging their vows and sealing the deal with a kiss the guests threw their confetti over the happy couple.

David opted for a light blue checked suit which he paired with a gold bow tie, while his groomsmen all wore matching beige suits and white shirts.

It comes just after The Yorkshire Vet himself David Melleney tied the knot with his fiancee Megan Denny in a stunning ceremony at the Chateau du Doux in Dordogne, France in July. (pictured with fellow stars from the Channel 5 series Matt Jackson-Smith and Shona Searson)

The couple were joined by 70 guests as they celebrated in style in scenes filmed for an episode of the Channel 5 series, before they jetted off for a honeymoon safari in Africa

Vets Matt Jackson-Smith and Shona Searson, who also appear on The Yorkshire Vet, were among the wedding guests as they gathered to enjoy the special day.

Speaking about the highly anticipated first dance, David said nervously: 'Just got the dance to smash,' as Megan added: 'Dave's nervous'.

The vet's colleague Shona then joked: 'You've had all the dancing practise, you've been skiving off work, "Shona I've got to go because I've got dance practise'.

As their guests waved their napkins in the air the guests soon tucked into their meal before his speech.

'Asking Meg to marry me was the best decision I ever made and I just want to raise a toast to my beautiful wife', gushed the groom.

Limbering up with some lunges and squats the pair hit the floor for their first dance to Michael Buble's hit Everything before he ducked her into a romantic kiss.

Megan looked sensational in a Bellissima white dress adorned with sheer sleeves patterned with lace leaf detailing

Limbering up with some lunges and squats the pair hit the floor for their first dance to Michael Buble's hit Everything before he ducked her into a romantic kiss

As night fell the happy couple danced between their guests who held sparklers before they sliced into a four tier French cheese cake before watching a spectacular fireworks display.

Speaking about their wedding, Megan gushed: 'It's just so exciting - I couldn't wait to marry David'.

David added: 'It was such an amazing day for us, I'm so happy I could share our joy with our loyal viewers.'

And it isn't the first cast wedding to be aired as part of the show, after Matt also filmed his marriage to his wife Katherine in 2022.

David was Matt's best man, and he said during the show: 'I remember how excited Matt was going on his first date and now to see it all the way through is brilliant.'
Game Of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has criticized controversial changes made to the House Of The Dragon TV series from his books and HBO has hit back at his complaints.

In a since-deleted post titled 'Beware The Butterflies' on his official website, the 75-year-old author - AKA G.R.R.M - seemingly spoiled the future seasons of the fantasy series - which ended its second season last month - by saying more 'toxic' changes would be coming.

The post was documented by trade publications Variety, Deadline, and The Hollywood Reporter.

In the entry, the writer went into detail about what he believed went wrong with the recently concluded season and how it deviated from his original work Fire & Blood.

He also gave his thoughts on what House Of The Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has adapted for the screen and even seemingly spoiled some of the plans for the final two seasons of the series.

Game Of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has criticized controversial changes made to the House Of The Dragon TV series from his books and HBO has hit back at his complaints

The post was documented by trade publications Variety , Deadline , and The Hollywood Reporter

Martin had originally prefaced his rant on August 30 as he said he would write 'about everything that's gone wrong with House Of The Dragon.'

Then on Wednesday the blog entry went up as it began in a complimentary way as he wrote: 'I promised you some further thoughts about "Blood and Cheese" and Maelor the Missing after my commentary on the first two episodes of HOTD season 2, A Son for a Son and Rhaenyra the Cruel.

'Those were terrific episodes: well written, well directed, powerfully acted. A great way to kick off the new season.'

His biggest issue, however, seemed to come from the choice to omit the toddler-aged son of Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) and King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) named Maelor which he believes will have larger repercussions in the upcoming seasons.

Showrunner Condal opted for Aegon and Helaena to only have two children in twins Jaehaera and Jaehaerys.

Martin continued: 'When Ryan Condal first told me what he meant to do, ages ago (back in 2022, might be) I argued against it, for all these reasons. I did not argue long, or with much heat, however. The change weakened the sequence, I felt, but only a bit. And Ryan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year old toddler.

'Kids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications. Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could. Moreover, Ryan assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him. Queen Helaena could still give birth to him in season three, presumably after getting with child late in season two.'

House Of The Dragon is set nearly 200 years before the events of Game Of Thrones.

In a since-deleted post titled 'Beware The Butterflies' on his official website , the 75-year-old author - AKA G.R.R.M - seemingly spoiled the future seasons of the fantasy series - which ended its second season last month - by saying more 'toxic' changes would be coming.

In the entry, the writer went into detail about what he believed went wrong with the recently concluded season and how it deviated from his original work Fire & Blood

Martin said that he eventually became fine with the change and continued to praise the episode before going on to criticize it.

The author wrote: 'That made sense to me, so I withdrew my objections and acquiesced to the change. I still love the episode, and the Blood and Cheese sequence overall. Losing the "Helaenas Choice" beat did weaken the scene, but not to any great degree.

'Only the book readers would even notice its absence; viewers who had never read FIRE & BLOOD would still find the scenes heart-rending. Maelor did not actually DO anything in the scene, after all. How could he? He was only two years old. There is another aspect to the removal of the young princeling, however.'

Martin went on to detail how the elimination of the character of Prince Maelor could impact the final two seasons of the prequel series as he went on to spoil major plots from Fire & Blood.

He wrote: 'Maelor by himself means little. He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but die but where and when and how, that does matter. Losing Maelor weakened the end of the Blood and Cheese sequence, but it also cost us the Bitterbridge scene with all its horror and heroism, it undercut the motivation for Helaenas suicide, and that in turn sent thousands into the streets and alleys, screaming for justice for their "murdered" queen.

'None of that is essential, I suppose but all of it does serve a purpose, it all helps to tie the story lines together, so one thing follows another in a logical and convincing manner.'

Martin also said that he believes that the way that he has written the book is much more effective than the television series could be.

He said: 'I still believe the scene in the book is stronger. The readers have the right of that.

He also gave his thoughts on what House Of The Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has adapted for the screen and even seemingly spoiled some of the plans for the final two seasons of the series; Martin and Condal are pictured together on set

'The two killers are crueler in the book. I thought the actors who played the killers on the show were excellent but the characters are crueler, harder, and more frightening in Fire & Blood.'

He concluded the very lengthy post by casting some serious doubt that the series will be able to properly convey the drama which he had authored to the television screen.

Martin finished the post writing: 'And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4.'

Soon after the post went up HBO released a statement defending the changes made by showrunner Condal and the rest of his team had mad.

It read: 'There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon, both in production and at HBO.

'Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow.'

The network went on to praise the job that the showrunning team have done as they finished the statement.

They concluded: 'We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.'

The first two seasons of House Of The Dragon are up for streaming on Max

Last month it was revealed the fantasy series will end after four seasons, according to Condal.

He said during a news conference in early August - a day after the second season's finale aired - that the third series is in the writing process, Variety reported Monday.

Condal said that pre-production work on the series will continue this autumn, with a targeted production date of early next year.

The show's first season ran 10 episodes, with the second season going eight. Asked how many episodes the third season would be, Condal said, 'I haven't had discussions with HBO about it.

'I would just anticipate the cadence of the show, from a dramatic storytelling perspective, will continue to be the same from season two on.'

The first two seasons of House Of The Dragon are up for streaming on Max.
The Zelensky Story (BBC 2)

Rating:

As World War III looms and sleaze consumes British politics, the King sends for the only men who can save the nation  Ant and Dec

That's no more unlikely than what happened in Ukraine, where under-sized Saturday night variety star and professional cheeky-chappie Volodymyr Zelensky has been transformed, into not only the President but arguably the most effective, courageous and charismatic wartime leader since Winston Churchill.

Until 2022, Ukraine was  like Czechoslovakia during the 1930s, in Neville Chamberlain's words  the archetypal 'far away country,' inhabited by 'people of whom we know nothing'.

Those in the UK who'd heard of Zelensky might have been aware that he'd won the Slavic version of Strictly, and starred in a sitcom called Servant Of The People, in which he played an ordinary man unexpectedly elected president.

The Zelensky Story traced a rise to fame so charming and extraordinary, it ought to be a Hollywood movie  and doubtless will be, one day

Grabs of Volodymr Zelensky talking about his teenage years on The Zelensky Story, via BBC

It also featured interviews with both the President and his First Lady, Olena, who were stunningly honest about their marriage and its tensions.

The show, available to stream on Channel 4, was partly filmed at the ridiculous palace built for Zelensky's corrupt predecessor Viktor Yanukovych, complete with a pirate galleon and a private zoo.

The Zelensky Story traced a rise to fame so charming and extraordinary, it ought to be a Hollywood movie  and doubtless will be, one day. But it also featured interviews with both the President and his First Lady, Olena, who were stunningly honest about their marriage and its tensions.

He obviously adores her and has done since he first saw her at high school. 'One of the best moments of my life,' he said, speaking into the camera. 'I just looked at her, and I think I just loved, and that's it.'

Olena was not smitten so easily. 'He was constantly coming to my house, calling me,' she said with a grimace. 'And then I noticed that I got used to it. When he went somewhere for three days, it was the first time I thought that maybe I really needed him.'

The staggering revelation, though, was how he hid his political intentions from her. At the climax of his pre-recorded TV variety show on New Year's Eve 2018, Zelensky announced his intention to run for the presidency  and the first Olena knew of it was as she watched the broadcast with her husband beside her. She's still not any too pleased.

Other friends were more circumspect, but a portrait emerged of an ambitious young actor who was intensely loyal to those who stuck by him  a natural leader, with a deep suspicion of Russia and its dictator, Vladimir Putin.

Without getting lost in digressions, this superb three-part documentary explains Putin's obsession with conquering Ukraine, and charts the sequence of events leading up to the 2022 invasion.

It also captures Putin's personal loathing for Zelensky, who used to mock him with flashes of satire in his TV comedy routines  once pleading 'SOS us, SOS Ukraine,' in front of a cheering audience.

'SOS us' means one thing in English . . . and something else much ruder in Russian. Like Ant and Dec, Zelensky was all the funnier for being short, but he's never short on courage.
Love Island: All Stars favourite Casey O'Gorman has joined Made In Chelsea, MailOnline can reveal.

The former Islander, 27, will feature in the upcoming series after becoming close friends with Chelsea cast member Tristan Phipps, who's currently starring on Celebs Go Dating.

And a source told MailOnline the reality star, who found fame on winter Love Island in 2023, is already dating Julia 'Muffin' Pollard from the show, a storyline which unravels on the new season.

Casey teased his debut this week, writing on Instagram alongside a photo of him and Tristan, 'Made In Ibiza.'

Viewers last saw Casey on screen earlier this year when he entered the South African All Stars villa and was confronted by ex-Georgia Harrison, who was unhappy with the way their romance ended.

Love Island: All Stars favourite Casey O'Gorman has joined Made In Chelsea , MailOnline can reveal

The former Islander will feature in the upcoming series after becoming close friends with Chelsea cast member Tristan Phipps, who's currently starring on Celebs Go Dating

A source told MailOnline the reality star, who found fame on Love Island in 2023, is already dating Julia 'Muffin' Pollard from the show, a storyline which unravels on the new season

A TV source revealed: 'Casey has joined Made In Chelsea and is filming for the new series.

'Being such close friends with Tristan, he fit into the cast right away and it wasn't long before he started getting attention from his female co-stars.

'He has definitely been getting on well with Julia in particular, who's beautiful and 100 per cent his type.'

Julia was a new addition to Made In Chelsea after joining the E4 cast last season.

She was left humiliated when Tristan, who had met her parents on screen, stopped communicating with her, suddenly ending their blossoming romance.

The beauty is best friends with Jasmine Saunders, who was also left brokenhearted when Freddy Knatchbull cheated on her, causing the pair to split.

Freddy is the son of Curzon Cinema's CEO Philip Knatchbull, and grandson of 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and his second wife, Wendy.

He also has strong links with the royal family because his great-grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, was the uncle of Prince Philip and mentored King Charles in his younger years.

MailOnline has contacted an E4 representative for comment.

Julia, who is best friends with co-star Jazz Saunders, was a new addition to Made In Chelsea after joining the E4 cast last season

Casey featured on Love Island: All Stars earlier this year alongside the likes of Joshua Ritchie, Tom Clare and Callum Jones

All Stars champ Tom, who won the series with girlfriend Molly Smith, formed a close friendship with Casey during their first stint in the villa

Casey and Georgia dated in secret, but their romance was revealed on Love Island: All Stars.

During the show, Georgia confronted Casey over their breakup, which was made final after she claimed to have connected with his grandfather on a 'spiritual' level following his passing.

Casey said: 'You know me, I'm not that much of a spiritual person You mentioned my granddad and stuff like that and it really threw me off you started to say that you saw my dead granddad and he wishes me well and I was like this is way too much for me.'

Georgia replied: 'I was saying when I was mediating I had an experience where I felt I was sensing things from the other side.'

The former TOWIE star ended the series in a relationship with Anton Danyluk but the pair split shortly after their return to the UK.
He was a founding member of one of Australia's most popular children's groups, and performed hundreds of shows with them during his stint in the band.

The Sydney-born entertainer developed a reputation for his charismatic and upbeat stage performances, as he brought his A-game to every show.

He has recently been working on his solo singing career and touring Australia with his incredible pop-rock shows.

On Wednesday, he shared a jaw-dropping photo to Instagram which captured him waiting at an airport departure lounge, to board a flight to his next show.

The vibrant performer looked like a completely different person compared to his heyday, as he rocked a stylish and confident look with a rugged five o'clock shadow beard and slick aviator sunglasses.

However, he still had the same cheeky grin that won over millions of fans.

Of course, it is Nathan Foley, one of the original members of Hi-5 - who at one point were rivalling The Wiggles as Australia's most popular kids group.

Nathan looked to be in good spirits as he waited to board a flight to his next show, and he captioned the snap with some informative words: 'Been a hell of a two-week period.

He was a founding member of one of Australia's most popular children's groups, and performed hundreds of shows with them during his stint in the band - can you guess who it is?

'From food poisoning to finally getting over pneumonia, whilst doing my Aussie to the bone show, AND releasing my new track AND video.

'The show must go on they say. Now I'm on my way to Western Australia. #LifeOfAnEntertainer.'

Nathan was part of the original and most iconic line-up of Hi-5, comprising of himself, Kathleen de Leon, Kellie Crawford, Tim Harding and Charli Robinson.

The popular group was formed in 1998 and went on to become one of the most recognisable children's bands in Australia until their split in 2019.

Of course, it is Nathan Foley, one of the original members of Hi-5, who at one point were rivalling The Wiggles as Australia's most popular kids group

Nathan left the group in 2008 and went on to perform in stage productions, including Mamma Mia!.

He also competed in the 2019 season of Channel Nine's The Voice and was part of Team Delta Goodrem, but was knockout in the first round.

He married Jamaican model and fashion designer Nicolette Gomex in 2019 - The couple welcomed their first child, son Jackson Joel, in December that year.

The vibrant performer looked like a completely different person compared to his hey day
Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes were in high spirits during a shopping spree in Soho on Wednesday, only a few weeks after a tense conversation outside a gym.

The former ABC hosts who were exposed by DailyMail.com for having an affair in 2022  kept close and shared a smile as they strolled across a New York City street together.

The 51-year-old Good Morning America alum looked casually stylish in her white T-shirt, olive bomber jacket and dark denim jeans, complemented by aviator glasses and a brown leather handbag.

She finished the look with low-cut boots as she swept her sandy blonde locks up in a loose ponytail.

T.J., 46, followed in a black leather jacket, faded jeans, and black motorcycle boots, also wearing aviator glasses.

Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes were in high spirits during a shopping spree in Soho on Wednesday, only a few weeks after a tense conversation outside a gym

The former ABC hosts who were exposed by DailyMail.com for having an affair in 2022.  kept close and shared a smile as they strolled across a New York City street together

In August, the couple appeared engaged in a serious discussion when they were seen outside a gym in New York City.

The pair seemed distressed during their conversation. Amy gesticulated animatedly, while T.J. maintained a stern expression.

During a recent episode of their podcast, Amy & T.J., they confessed that there had been trouble in paradise lately as they had made their romance 'secondary.'

The couple shared that they forgot about their own relationship because they became so focused on work.

Amy explained: 'We are together all the time, but either we were with the kids or we were working, and we were working a lot, which is greatwe love to work. But we didn't get to have, like, us time.

'We work together and we are in a relationship together and we were friends before as colleagues, so it's a strange thing like you've got the work relationship and then you've got the romantic relationship, and the two actually don't coexist.'

Her lover echoed her opinions and admitted that they didn't prioritize each other.

'We might be in an autopilot relationship, the relationship becomes secondary. We stopped making our relationship a priority, I think is fair to say,' he added.

The 51-year-old Good Morning America alum looked casually stylish in her white T-shirt, olive bomber jacket, and dark denim jeans, complemented by aviator glasses and a brown leather

T.J., 46, followed in a black leather jacket, faded jeans, and black motorcycle boots, also wearing aviator glasses

The couple admitted that the first day they had alone time after their romance was outed 'wasn't great.'

Amy said: 'I think sometimes anything that's built up that hasn't been verbalized just because you haven't had the alone time to actually have true connections, it all kind of comes out in whatever way it does. So the first day was a little rough, but we're good now.'

T.J joked: 'Ha, a little rough. It was rockier than the ocean waves.'

The lovebirds said that in an attempt to rekindle their spark, they booked a romantic getaway, however, it only made them even more frustrated.

Amy revealed that she had booked their tickets and had accidentally listed her boyfriend's birthday as 1997 instead of 1977, which got him flagged by TSA.

She explained: 'I clearly made the reservation, so it was completely my fault. So not only did I rob you of the TSA pre-check, I then got us flaggedor got you flaggedbecause I entered your incorrect birth year. '

While trying to help, Amy admitted that she ended up making the situation 'worse' by interrupting her boyfriend's talks with security.

T.J. added: 'There's nothing to get onto you for, I know you felt bad about it. There was no reason to make you feel worse.'

They admitted that although they can 'laugh about it now' and are more in love than ever, they didn't utter one word to each other during the flight.

DailyMail.com exclusively broke the news that Amy and T.J. had been embroiled in a secret love affair back in November 2022 - while they were both married to other people.

Amy wed her now-ex-husband, Melrose Place alum Andrew Shue, in February 2009, while T.J. tied the knot with his now-ex-wife, Marilee Fiebig, in 2010.

The pair have opened up about their 'rough' relationship issues as they admitted they put their romance 'on the back burner'; seen in April

During a recent episode of their podcast, Amy & T.J., they confessed that there had been trouble in paradise lately as they had made their romance 'secondary'

Amy and T.J.'s affair was exposed in 2022 - while they were both married to other people. Amy is seen left with her ex, Andrew Shue, and T.J. is seen right with his ex, Marilee Fiebig

At the time, DailyMail.com obtained a slew of images that showed them enjoying late-night rendezvous and romantic getaways, holding hands in Ubers, and slipping in and out of each other's apartments.

The TV stars grew first close after they both landed jobs at ABC, and when they became cohosts of GMA3 in 2020, their chemistry was undeniable almost immediately.

They were often caught giggling to one another, partaking in sarcastic banter, and engaging in playful touches on the air - and their antics quickly turned them into one of ABC's most popular on-screen duos.

But their flirty interactions and sweet exchanges seemed innocent at first - especially since the were both happily married to other people and seemed fiercely dedicated to their respective partners.

In addition, Amy, once insisted T.J. was like a 'brother' to her - which is why when it was brought to light that they had secretly become embroiled in a romance behind-the-scenes in late 2022, fans were left stunned.

Soon after news hit the web that they were dating, both Amy and T.J. quietly separated from their respective partners, and were fired from their positions at ABC.

Despite being shrouded in scandal, the couple put on a very public display of unity in the wake of the news - flaunting their love for the entire world to see as their previous marriages and jobs crumbled.

It seemed as though they were relieved to not have to hide it any longer, and they began packing on the PDA all over the world while jetting off on a slew of lavish vacations together.

Soon after news hit the web that they were dating, both Amy and T.J. quietly separated from their respective partners, and were fired from their positions at ABC; seen in November 2022

The TV stars grew first close after they both landed jobs at ABC, and when they became co-hosts of GMA3 in 2020, their chemistry was undeniable almost immediately

They announced that they were launching their joint podcast in November 2023, writing on social media at the time, 'How's this for Instagram official?' before using the hashtag, 'Silent No More.'

During the first episode one month later, T.J. and Amy reflected on the explosive scandal, but he insisted that their divorces from their respective spouses were underway before they began their romance.

Following the respective divorces, Andrew entered a love affair with Marilee.

The two have been going strong since - with insiders claiming that their romance is the 'real deal.'
Popular UK indie band Catfish and the Bottlemen have cancelled the Australian leg of their world tour.

Devastated fans were informed of the news on Wednesday hours before the Welsh rockers were scheduled to play a show at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion.

Concertgoers received an email from organisers explaining that the show was dropped due to 'band illness'.

Tour organiser's confirmed that all scheduled Australian shows would not be going ahead in the email to ticket holders.

'This weekend they were hoping to still be able to perform but on doctor orders they were forced to cancel their show in Dublin,' the message to fans read.

'Due to band illness, the Australian dates this month will also no longer be going ahead. The band were really looking forward to these shows and sincerely apologise to everyone for any inconvenience and disappointment.'

Aussie fans are now taking to X to express their disappointment over the cancelled gigs.

'Catfish and the Bottlemen tour getting cancelled has just ruined my life,' messaged one fan on the platform.

Popular U.K. indie band Catfish and the Bottlemen have cancelled the Australian leg of their current tour

'WTF no way Catfish and the Bottlemen cancelling, about to start crying at work,' posted another.

'Actually nobody speak to me since Catfish and the Bottlemen cancelled their tour <3 ,' posted another disappointed concertgoer.

The email did not specify the illness or who was unwell.

Australian-born lead singer Van McCann and bassist Benji Blakeway are the only members of the original group taking part in the current tour.

The cancelled gigs include shows that were scheduled throughout September including dates in Melbourne, Newcastle, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

It came after the band cancelled a heavily publicised gig in Ireland earlier this week, which is part of the group's much hyped 'comeback' tour.

Following their trip Down Under, the band are meant to play a series of dates in the U.S. before returning to the U.K. to play more concerts in the new year.

Concertgoers received an email from organisers explaining that the Australian shows have been dropped due to 'band illness'

Formed in 2007, the band last had a hit with their third album The Balance in 2019, before they took a break from performing.

They have been on the 'comeback' trail after being thrown into turmoil when original guitarist Johnny Bond confirmed via social media that he had left the group in 2022.

Bond's exit followed the resignation of drummer Bob Hall in 2021.

The band, whose most famous song Cocoon was released 10 years ago, recently played Reading and Leeds festivals in the U.K.

The remaining members are expected to release a new album in 2025.
Kyle Sandilands has revealed his bombshell theory about Katy Perry's relationship with Orlando Bloom after she spoke about their sex-life in an X-rated interview.

The 53-year-old radio host was discussing Katy's sex confession on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O show on Thursday, when he reacted to her comment about the pair attending a couple's retreat.

Kyle claimed their relationship was 'already over' if they were going to therapy after six years of dating.

Katy told host Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast: 'If I come downstairs and the kitchen is clean, and you've done it all, and you've done all the dishes, and you've closed all the pantry doors, you better be ready to get your d*** sucked.'

The pop star, who previously called Orlando a 'wild stallion', also exclaimed: 'When we went on a couple's retreat, they asked "which guy has more sex? The guy with the red Ferrari or the guy that helps out with his wife every night in the kitchen?"'

Kyle then said: 'Yeah, but the guy with the Ferrari is getting variety.'

'Is it worth doing the dishes every night to get blown by a psychopath? She sounds very psychopathic there.'

The shock jock then added: 'They went to a couples retreat those two? To me, couples therapy, couples retreats...you're already done when you have to go to that. It's already over. Move on.'

Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands has revealed his bombshell theory about Katy Perry 's relationship with Orlando Bloom after her interview about the couple's sex life

Orlando has in the past been remarkably frank about his relationship with Katy.

When their daughter Daisy, four, was an infant he told the Guardian that he and Katy were having 'not enough' sex, before clarifying: 'We just had a baby, though.'

The pair got engaged in 2019, and the following year they welcomed their daughter.

Bloom also shares son Flynn, 13, with his ex-wife, model Miranda Kerr, 41.

The 53-year-old radio host was discussing Katy's sex confession on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O show on Thursday, when he reacted to her comment about the pair attending a couple's retreat

Elsewhere in the podcast interview Alex asked Katy if she has a type in men.

'I'm no longer attracted to narcissists,' the California native stated.

The host then asked Katy to name some red flags that she now knows she would not put up with.

'Anyone that is constantly changing the goal post, or pulling the rug out from you emotionally. Not it.'

'Anyone that says they know you better than you know yourself. Someone that won't just help.'
The future of Danny Dyer's Sky comedy has been revealed.

Danny, who played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the BBC soap, saw huge success with his latest release, Mr Big Stuff.

The comedy has reportedly been green-lit for a second season after being hit among viewers, according to The Sun.

It's success saw the series become Sky Max's highest-rated new original comedy in three years, which reported led bosses to wanting more.

A TV insider told the publication: 'Danny seems to have found his niche playing a rough-round-the-edges geezer in an out-and-out comedy show.

The future of Danny Dyer's Sky comedy has been revealed. Danny, who played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the BBC soap, saw huge success with his latest release, Mr Big Stuff

The comedy has reportedly been green-lit for a second season after being hit among viewers, according to The Sun

'He always said when he quit the BBC One soap that he felt there was one defining role that had so far eluded him.

'Maybe he's finally found that part on Mr Bigstuff. Sky execs certainly seem very impressed.'

Danny plays estranged, wayward brother, Lee, trying to patch up his sibling rivalry.

The storyline is described as a 'story of two estranged brothers; Glen (Ryan Sampson), a nervy perfectionist striving to live the suburban ideal and Lee (Dyer) an alpha male with a prescription drug addiction and a biscuit tin full of his dad's ashes.

Glen and his fiancee share a perfect yet mundane life - as despite him suffering crippling erectile dysfunction and Kirsty has a secret shoplifting habit, but they're happy.

This soon comes to a close when Lee crashes into their lives while on the run from his past, and their perfect lives start to fall apart.

The star said: 'I thought, 'Oh wow, this is totally different from the character of Mick, and something that people have never really seen me do before.'

'This is a joy. To be on a set where everyone's laughing, it's a different kind of energy.

It's success saw the series become Sky Max's highest-rated new original comedy in three years, which reported led bosses to wanting more

Danny plays estranged, wayward brother, Lee, trying to patch up his sibling rivalry. Filming for the next season will start later this year in London and will launch on Sky and NOW in 2025

'I would love to push it further, this comedy thing, if I get an opportunity.'

The first series ended on a cliffhanger.

Ryan said of the follow-up: 'Filthy secrets, dirty lies. Someone's gonna have to come clean.'

Filming for the next season will start later this year in London and will launch on Sky and NOW in 2025.
Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman said he is getting involved in the ongoing search for Sebastian Rogers, a Tennessee teenager who's been missing for more than six months.

The Denver-born TV personality, 71, told the Nashville ABC affiliate WKRN Wednesday that he and his associates will conduct a probe independent of police, re-examine details already gathered and chase down new leads.

'This is one of the most horrendous cases of missing children that we've ever, ever worked on,' Chapman told the station of the vanishing of Rogers, a 15-year-old native of Hendersonville.

Chapman said on his Twitter page Wednesday, '#DogNation, let's do our part to bring Sebastian home and lock those responsible up for the rest of time. The hunt is ONlet's go! Aloha.'

Chapman said that he's assisting Sebastian's biological father Seth Rogers in the ongoing probe and has financially contributed to raise the reward for critical info in the case from $50,000 (announced by the FBI last week) to $100,000.

Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman, 71, said he is getting involved in the ongoing search for Sebastian Rogers, a Tennessee teenager who's been missing for more than six months. Pictured in August 2019 in Colorado

Sebastian, whose parents say he has autism, had been reported missing this past February 26

Multiple law enforcement agencies have conducted searches for Sebastian, and have currently pulled back their probe to the 'investigative side' of the case, according to the station.

Authorities have not confirmed any foul play in Sebastian's disappearance, WKRN reported.

Chapman told the station, 'This isn't my first rodeo in finding missing children or finding who's done it ... the bottom line is if you hurt a child like this, you've got a problem, so that is the main motivation for me to be hunting who did this.'

Chapman vowed he and his team were 'going to find out' the facts of the situation, adding, 'You can run, but you can't hide who did it.'

Chapman provided a phone number for a tip line at 833-835-5364, clarifying to the station that he's 'not law enforcement' and isn't going to probe informants for personal details.

'I don't have to ask you for your Social Security, write down your name, and bring you to court and all that,' Chapman told the outlet. 'That's why a lot of times I get information more than law enforcement does, so I will, of course, pass it on to law enforcement because they will probably do the apprehension.'

Sebastian, whose mother and stepfather say he has autism, had been reported missing this past February 26, the NBC affiliate WSMV reported Friday, adding that his mother and stepfather said he vanished from their Hendersonville, Tennessee during the middle of the night.

Sebastian's mother and stepfather Chris and Katie Proudfoot told WSMV that they were 'thankful' after the FBI pledged an initial $50,000 in reward money for details.

Chapman confirmed his involvement in the probe on Wednesday on X/Twitter

Chapman, pictured in 2019, vowed he and his team were 'going to find out' the facts of the situation, adding, 'You can run, but you can't hide who did it'

'We pray that with this reward, it will bring some useful tips and/or leads that result in the safe return of Sebastian to his home in Hendersonville,' Chris and Katie Proudfoot told the station. 'We would also like to say thank you to Sumner County Sheriff's Office, TBI, and the supportive public for the continuous efforts being made to bring Sebastian home safe and sound.

'Your tireless efforts are acknowledged and greatly appreciated.'

Sebastian has been physically described as 5-foot-5 with a weight of 120 pounds, and has brown or hazel eyes with hair described as blonde-brown in color.

People who have information on the case are encouraged to contact the Sumner County Sheriff's Office at 615-451-3838; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND or TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov; or the closest American Embassy or Consulate, or FBI location. Informants can send tips to tips.fbi.gov.
Sir Anthony Hopkins once shared his regret over never starring in huge comedy franchise, a co-star has recalled.

The award-winning, 86, known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, has starred in numerous films, television shows and theatre performances.

But there is one British comedy series that he didn't get the chance to feature in, with Patricia Franklin revealing which.

The actress, 81, who starred in five of the Carry On films, told of how Anthony admitted he also wished to feature in the franchise.

She explained, how at events: 'Someone might say, "Patricia is in a Carry On" and a lot of people would say Oh, Im not interested in Carry Ons.'

Sir Anthony Hopkins once shared his regret over never starring in huge comedy franchise, a co-star has recalled

Patricia added in an interview with The Guardian: 'But then others were absolutely mad about it.

'I was in a play at the National with Anthony Hopkins and he said he loved the Carry Ons and had always wanted to be in one.'

The Carry On films were credited with launching the career of the late Dame Barbara Windsor, and cementing Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, and Leslie Phillips.

In total, 31 films, four Christmas specials and a television series were produced between 1958 and 1992.

They are now criticised for being sexist but remain loved by some for their slapstick humour.

The last Carry On movie to hit the big screen was Carry On Columbus in 1992, which was labelled the 'worst British film ever made' by a poll of industry experts in 2004.

Anthony's Oscar for playing Lecter was followed by another 29 years later for his role as a man battling dementia in the thriller The Father.

In between them he was nominated four more times for The Remains of the Day, Nixon, Amistad and The Two Popes.

The award-winning, 86, known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, has starred in numerous films, television shows and theatre performances

But there is one British comedy series that he didn't get the chance to feature in (pictured in Silence Of The Lambs in 1991)

Patricia Franklin, 81, who starred in five of the Carry On films, told of how Anthony admitted he also wished to feature in the franchise

His lengthy career has spanned five decades, and he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1993.

In March Dailymail.com reported that he is set to be the lead actor in Eyes In The Trees, a re-imagined incarnation of The Island Of Dr Moreau the 1896 book by H.G. Wells.
Australian actress Ruby Rose has landed a major role in a grisly new Hollywood murder mystery called The Drowning Pool.

No details have emerged about what character the 38-year-old will play in the thriller, which will be directed by David Hackl (Saw V).

Set in the Canary Islands, the plot deals with a woman who investigates the disappearance of her sister after her sibling is reported to have drowned.

The woman, called Katherine, uncovers a series of 'mysterious' disappearances involving other women in the waters around the islands.

The official synopsis explains that eventually Katherine uncovers a gruesome tale of 'ritualistic evil'.

Preparations for filming the chiller on location in the Canary Islands are already underway, reported Deadline on Wednesday.

The director is Canadian filmmaker David Hackl who made Saw V (2018) which is part of the infamously bloodthirsty horror franchise.

It comes after Ruby recently returned to the limelight after her controversial exit from the Batwoman series in 2020.

Australian actress Ruby Rose has landed a major role in a grisly new Hollywood murder mystery called The Drowning Pool

The Melbourne native, whose real name is Ruby Rose Langenheim, began her showbiz career as a model, DJ and TV presenter for MTV Australia.

As her popularity grew, she found herself fronting major modelling campaigns for big names including Maybelline, and co-hosting popular shows such as Channel 10's The Project and Australia's Next Top Model.

She moved to Hollywood in 2013 to pursue acting and then shot to fame in 2015 with her breakout role in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.

The gender-fluid star's acting career skyrocketed when she was cast in blockbuster movies such as Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) and Pitch Perfect 3 (2017).

No details have emerged about what exact role the 38-year-old actress will play in the thriller. Pictured: Ruby in a scene from Orange is The New Black

She starred alongside Hollywood fan favourite Vin Diesel in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) and Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017).

In 2018, Ruby also co-starred with Jason Statham in sci-fi thriller The Meg.

However, her career took a turn for the worse in 2020 when she controversially quit CW superhero series Batwoman after just one season.

The star claimed she was subjected to poor working conditions on the set of the superhero series.

'To my dear, dear fans still asking if I will return to that awful show, I wouldn't return for any amount of money nor if a gun were to my head NOR DID I QUIT,' she wrote in a scathing online post.

'I DID NOT QUIT, they ruined Kate Kane and they destroyed Batwoman, not me.'

She has since appeared in the films Stowaway, Vanquish, 1UP and Taurus over 2021 and 2022.

She also appeared in U.S. action film The Collective in 2023 and Middle East set war film Dirty Angels.

She starred alongside Hollywood fan favourite Vin Diesel in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) and Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

Ruby is also writing a tell-all memoir which will include details on her feud with The Veronicas' Lisa and Jessica Origliasso.

The star dated Jess from 2016 to 2018, during which time the sisters' relationship became so strained they were on the verge of estrangement.

Ruby announced on Instagram last year that she had started writing her book, and promised to expose the pop twins - whom she did not name but called 'the sisters' - for 'how horrific' they allegedly were to her.

It comes after Ruby recently returned to the limelight after her controversial exit from the CW Batwoman series in 2020

She also claimed the 'truth' she was writing would 'p**s a lot of people off'.

Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show a few months after the split, Jessica said she was in 'a very complex relationship'.

She added: 'I'm still trying to come to terms with the reality of it every day so it's really hard to explain to anybody.

'There was just so much that happened, so much that I can't even get into it.'
Rachael Ray broke her silence on Wednesday - two days after worrying fans with a clip from her FYI series Rachael Ray in Tuscany in which she appeared to slur her speech.

The 56-year-old celebrity chef's rep told TMZ she had 'no comment' about the matter, and she attempted to change the subject by posting her old recipe for shrimp and chorizo paella, which includes a half cup of dry sherry or white wine.

For the past month, Rachael has been concerning her captive, combined 9.2M social media following over running her words together in videos, especially the clip on Monday of her recalling the time she 'almost killed' the late, great Tony Bennett.

'When I pulled out the chair for Tony to sit down for his starter snacks and aperitivo, the chair slid out from under him and he hit his head on my marble counter behind him, and he fell to the floor,' Ray recalled.

'I thought I killed Tony Bennett. I thought I killed him, literally. And his wife, Susan  so glorious  she says to me, "Rachael, he's fine. He'll pop back up. Just let him be." He made it all through dinner. I miss my friend so much. The most beautiful man, maybe ever.'

Rachael Ray broke her silence on Wednesday - two days after worrying fans with a clip from her FYI series Rachael Ray in Tuscany in which she appeared to slur her speech

The legendary jazz crooner passed away, at age 96, last year following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

In the comments, some people panicked that the three-time Daytime Emmy winner might have been diagnosed with Bell's palsy or a mini-stroke, but the majority blamed alcohol.

'Drinking during filming!' Instagram user @susanjohnson6940 exclaimed.

'Come on girl someone needs to sit you down and say something! Shame on them!'

Instagram user @mellysteinberg wrote: 'I love her and yes, she's drunk.'

'OMG someone get this woman help!' Instagram user @jillhalmar commented.

'She looks and acts like she has been drinking all the time. I love Racheal but she's do hard to watch like this.'

Instagram user @donnagarcia1356, who's a 66-year-old retired nurse from Boston, wrote: 'One corner of her mouth is much lower than the other. The nurse in me would have her go into be checked for any side effect from a stroke or Bell's palsy. Please make sure to get checked? Life is just too short!'

The 56-year-old celebrity chef's rep told TMZ she had 'no comment' about the matter, and she attempted to change the subject by posting her old recipe for shrimp and chorizo paella, which includes a half cup of dry sherry or white wine

For the past month, Rachael has been concerning her captive, combined 9.2M social media following over running her words together in videos, especially the clip on Monday of her recalling the time she 'almost killed' the late, great Tony Bennett

Ray recalled: 'When I pulled out the chair for Tony to sit down for his starter snacks and aperitivo, the chair slid out from under him and he hit his head on my marble counter behind him, and he fell to the floor. I thought I killed Tony Bennett. I thought I killed him, literally'

The legendary jazz crooner (M, pictured in 2015) passed away, at age 96, last year following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer's disease

In the comments, some people panicked that the three-time Daytime Emmy winner might have been diagnosed with Bell's palsy or a mini-stroke, but the majority blamed alcohol (pictured January 31)

Instagram user @susanjohnson6940 exclaimed: 'Drinking during filming! Come on girl someone needs to sit you down and say something! Shame on them!'

Rachael - who underwent vocal cord surgery in 2008 - went through a major life transition last year (pictured) when she bid farewell to her self-titled talk show after 17 seasons in syndication spanning 2006-2023

Ray went on to co-found Free Food Studios and, in January, she sold 50% stake of the company to A&E Networks, which ordered 278 new episodes of programming over the next two years (pictured February 25)

On September 24, the NY Times-bestselling cookbook author and her husband - The Cringe rocker-lawyer John M. Cusimano (L) - will impressively celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary

'I don't hear any slurring but she has compassion in her telling of the story,' Instagram user @ninjaconnection argued.

'She's a good person and her vibes are good.'

Rachael - who underwent vocal cord surgery in 2008 - went through a major life transition last year when she bid farewell to her self-titled talk show after 17 seasons in syndication spanning 2006-2023.

Ray went on to co-found Free Food Studios and, in January, she sold 50% stake of the company to A&E Networks, which ordered 278 new episodes of programming over the next two years.

On September 24, the NY Times-bestselling cookbook author and her husband - The Cringe rocker-lawyer John M. Cusimano - will impressively celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary.

Rachael also keeps busy with her beloved dogs, her pro-Ukraine activism, as well as selling cookware, bakeware, ceramics, and other tools on her website.
Keith Urban has compared Miley Cyrus' voice to 'an ashtray' in a recent interview.

Appearing on Nova 96.9's Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie on Thursday morning, the 56-year-old country music star was asked about the 31-year-old Flowers hitmaker.

'Keith, can you tell us about Miley Cyrus and the talent of Miley Cyrus? You've performed with her before haven't you,' co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald asked.

The Australian rocker replied with a gushing tribute to the pop star, before giving her a bizarre 'compliment'.

'I've always loved Miley. I love that voice, man, that voiceshe sounds like an ashtray. And I mean that as a compliment. She sounds like the carpet at the RSL!' Keith joked.

The musician also unleashed on phoney, 'BS' pop artists who exploit country music to appear authentic, often disrespecting the country music industry in Nashville.

'It's a funny thing because you still need the support of the system in Nashville and if you go about it the right way, like Post (Malone) did, you'll see the love,' Keith said.

Fitzy then asked who the younger players are who are breaking the mould.

Keith Urban (pictured) has compared Miley Cyrus ' voice to 'an ashtray' in a recent interview

'They're just rootsy, authentic, storytelling people. They're legit. Aussies like legit. So Luke (Combs) is legit, Lainey Wilson is legit. Morgan Wallen's legit. I think a lot of people are sick of the BS with a lot of artistswhat's real and what isn't,' the country music star said.

It comes just a few days after Keith revealed the very surprising activity and his wife Nicole Kidman engage in together.

The country music star admitted he joins the Aussie actress, 57, in indulging in a touch of self-care by getting skincare facials and using LED light therapy face masks.

Speaking on the Kyle & Jackie O Show to promote his world tour, Keith gave hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson an insight into his skincare regime.

The Australian rocker made a gushing tribute to the pop star, before giving her a bizarre 'compliment'. Pictured: Miley Cyrus performing onstage during the 66th Grammy Awards

Appearing on Nova 96.9's Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie on Thursday morning, the 56-year-old country music star also unleashed on phoney, 'BS' pop artists who exploit country music to appear authentic

'Do you enjoy the, you know, when you get the steaming facials? I like that,' Kyle, 53, asked Keith.

Keith then replied: 'I'm always glad I do it. But I always forget to,' before revealing he has even tried out the expensive LED masks, which aim to stimulate collagen and minimise redness and wrinkles.

When asked by Kyle if he had tried an LED mask, Keith added: 'Yeah, they're pretty good!' as he confirmed he has joined Nicole and their daughters Sunday, 16, and Faith, 14, in the practice.

Kyle then gushed over Keith's youthful appearance as he admitted his lavish skincare regime must be working for him.

'They obviously work better for you than me, you're very handsome!' the radio shock jock quipped.
Johnny Depp can smile again.

The Oscar-nominated actor, 61, appeared to have undergone major dental work in a new video circulating on Instagram, depicting his recent trip to a Bahamian bar.

In a clip uploaded to Instagram Thursday, a bartender by the name of Rap Rap Zoilo, under the handle @killerbartender, Depp was seen smiling, sporting a much healthier set of teeth than past outings which drew scrutiny from fans.

In the clip, Rap Rap Zoilo shared a friendly exchange he had with the actor at Lorraine's Cafe in the Exuma district of the Bahamas.

The bartender captioned the post, 'jacksparrow meets the killerbartender of exuma bahamas ... once in a lifetime moments with mr jonhny Depp.'

Johnny Depp, 61, appeared to have undergone major dental work in a new video circulating on Instagram, depicting his recent trip to a Bahamian bar

The Oscar-nominated actor appeared to have undergone reconstructive dental work after past appearances, including at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival (R), attracted attention from fans who said that he teeth appeared as it they had been 'rotting'

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor in the clip acknowledged a painting of his character Captain Jack Sparrow, greeted people in the establishment, and stepped behind the bar to mix a drink with the bartender.

In the adjacent comment thread in one of the posts, fans of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory actor complimented his rejuvenated appearance after the apparent dental work he underwent.

'He looks so happy! And healthy and LOOK he got his teeth fixed!!!!!' one fan said.

Another said, 'Now there will be no one who can say anything bad about @johnnydepp's teeth ... he has a beautiful mouth, a very healthy appearance.'

One fan said, 'The pirate teeth are gone ... pearly whites look beautiful' while another said, 'Johnny Depp has new teeth!'

Said one user: 'Yes, someone did some wonderful work on his teeth. That smile is even more gorgeous!! But it was before, in my eyes. I love his heart.

'I only worried that he might lose some teeth before, but even if he lost them all, I would still love him the same!!'

Depp's dental hygiene came under scrutiny last year at the May 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where he was pictured on the red carpet in promotion of his film Jeanne du Barry.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor in the clip acknowledged a painting of his character Captain Jack Sparrow, greeted people in the establishment, and stepped behind the bar to mix a drink with the bartender

Depp was pictured in May of 2023 smiling, attracting attention amid a number of oral imperfections, including teeth that did not match in color and appeared to have damage

Depp appeared to have had work done at some point in the past four months, as he was pictured in April in London with a number of dental imperfections

In a clip uploaded to Instagram Thursday, a bartender by the name of Rap Rap Zoilo, under the handle @killerbartender, Depp was seen smiling, sporting a much healthier set of teeth than past outings which drew scrutiny from fans

In the adjacent comment thread in one of the posts, fans of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory actor complimented his rejuvenated appearance after the apparent dental work he underwent

Depp has past spoken about his dental health nearly three decades back , telling Premiere magazine in 1995 that he had 'loads of cavities' by the age of 31. Pictured in May of 1995

Depp was pictured smiling, attracting attention amid a number of oral imperfections, including teeth that did not match in color and appeared to have damage, with fans describing his teeth as 'rotting.'

At the time one X/Twitter user said, 'Johnny Depp's teeth are literally ROTTING,' Page Six reported, while another said that it appeared as if 'someone grabbed his teeth and painted them black.'

Depp has past spoken about his dental health nearly three decades back, telling Premiere magazine in 1995 that he had 'loads of cavities' by the age of 31.

'I had a root canal done eight years ago that's unfinished. It's like a rotten little stub,' he said at the time. 'When I see people with perfect teeth, it drives me up the wall. I'd rather swallow a tick than have that!'

The report noted at the time that Depp had a penchant for smoking cigarettes and drinking merlot wine, which could impact the appearance of his teeth.
Rebel Wilson embraced her inner child on Wednesday as she and fiancee Ramona Agruma took their 22-month-old daughter Royce to the life-sized Polly Pocket house in Massachusetts.

The actor and director, 44, jetted to the States with her family in order to preview Airbnb's 'Icon experience', which gives guests the chance to book a one-night stay in a life-sized version of the '90s toy's compact doll house.

The property is based on the Slumber Party Fun compact, one of Polly Pocket's original play sets which debuted in the 1990s.

Rebel strutted her stuff down Polly Pocket's orange and purple runway, rocking an exact, eye-wateringly bright replica of the tiny doll's rubber snap-on clothing.

Her daughter Royce wore a matching pastel purple tracksuit paired with a purple tutu, and the same heart-shaped sunglasses as her mother for the outing.

Rebel Wilson embraced her inner child on Wednesday as she and fiancee Ramona Agruma took their 22-month-old daughter Royce to the life-sized Polly Pocket house in Massachusetts

The actor and director, 44, jetted to the States with her family in order to preview Airbnb 's 'Icon experience', with her daughter Royce clearly having the time of her life

Rebel and her Royce posed up a storm as they enjoyed a day of playing dress up

The youngster looked to be having the time of her life as she explored the doll's house, which includes a retro fridge stocked with '90s kids staples, and an outdoor picnic table stocked with materials to craft friendship bracelets.

Her Pitch Perfect star mum later changed into a blue Polly dress and posed up a storm around the plastic furniture as she relived her childhood.

The new Airbnb listing, registered to Polly herself, invites guests to get ready at her vanity, which is stuffed with nostalgic hair and nail accessories.

'90s kids rule at sleepovers. But you already knew that. So I wanted this sleepover to feel like youre still actually in the 90s!' the listing reads.

'Just picture itcrafting, throwback snacks, Polaroid cameras it's going to be AMAZING. Basically, I turned my Slumber Party Fun compact into a time machine where your imagination can run wild. Because there's no greater adventure than the one you create for yourself.'

The 12-metre-tall home features two stories filled with colorful plastic furniture, and naturally, some of Polly Pockets iconic rubber clothing.

It sleeps four guests, not in the compact itself, but an Action Park tent (also based on a vintage playset) near to the life-sized playground.

The unique Airbnb is only open for overnight stays from September 12 to 14 and costs $89 (70) per person.

The couple spent the full day playing celebrity dress up for the cameras in the life-size version of the '90s toy's compact doll house

The propertys design takes inspiration from Polly Pockets original play sets. This particular Airbnb is based on the Slumber Party Fun compact, which debuted in the 1990s

The Australian actor and director, 44, and her soon-to-be-wife whisked their one-year-old daughter Royce away to Littleton, Massachusetts to preview the 'Icon experience'

The BnB sleeps four guests, not in the compact itself, but an Action Park tent (also based on a vintage playset) near to the life-sized playground

The family of three cozied up in the tent blankets together after their big day.

It marks Rebel's latest promotion of the website.

In 2023, Airbnb put up Rebel, Ramona, and Royce in a stunning Bondi Beach penthouse while the Hollywood name filmed her directorial debut in Australia.

'Directing a movie is really hard, but its made easier when Airbnb hooks me up with this amazing penthouse on Bondi Beach, Sydney,' the Bridesmaids star wrote in the caption of her promotional post at the time.

'Thanks Airbnb for this incredible pad - iconic views, a pool, great kitchen and bbq area, its like I'm on a working vacation - just love it!'

Meanwhile, Rebel has been selling off her investment properties piece-by-piece.

In June, the newly-minted Australian author listed her Los Angeles 'Office House' where she wrote Rebel Rising, for US$4.19million. She bought the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home in 2016 for US$2.95million.

She also offloaded her long-held Balmain property in April, making a staggering profit of $5.74million on the heritage listed two-bedroom in the Lever Brothers soap factory in Sydney.

The Deb director banked an additional $9.5million when she sold her Sydney Harbour home in 2022.

It comes as Rebel faces legal issues from producers of her new film.

Wilson was sued for defamation in July by producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden.

The Deb will make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival's closing night on September 14 after Wilson accused the trio of blocking the movie from premiering.

Royce wore a matching pastel purple tracksuit paired with a purple tutu, and the same heart-shaped sunglasses as her mothers, for the outing

Ramona and Rebel arrived for the photoshoot in low-key matching tracksuits in purple and yellow hues, accessorised with pink and white heart-shaped sunglasses

Royce was having the time of her life as she played with all the accessories in the house
A Brisbane man has revealed a shocking family betrayal  admitting that the son he thought was his, turns out to be his half-brother.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, phoned in to Nova's Ben, Liam and Belle on Wednesday when the hosts were discussing cheating stories with listeners.

The man revealed that he discovered that his long-time partner had been cheating on him with a very close relative.

'I found out that my ex-partner of four years, or just about four years, was having an affair with my father,' he told radio hosts Ben Jackson, Liam Stapleton and Belle Jackson.

The revelation clearly shocked the radio trio, with Liam replying with an awkward: 'That's not good.'

It only went downhill from there, with the caller revealing that the son he thought belonged to him was actually his father's when asked by Ben how he discovered the shocking family betrayal.

'My father and ex-partner decided to open their mouth to my sister, and my sister went and spoke to my mum, and my mum told me,' he said.

'And to make it worse, you know, just to chuck on top, lie to a person about a five year old little boy, saying it's theirs when it's not.

A Brisbane man has revealed a hocking family betrayal admitting that the son he thought was his was actually his half brother on Nova's Ben, Liam and Belle

'I found out that my son of five years is not legally my son, it's my half brother.'

Even more shocked by the second revelation, Ben tried to come to terms with the enormity of the situation and asked the anonymous caller to clarify.

'Hang on, so you're telling me you had a kid with this woman and she is now with your dad and they're telling the kid that your dad is his dad?'

The caller set the record straight, reiterating that the child was actually his half brother.

'My father and ex-partner decided to open their mouth to my sister, and my sister went and spoke to my mum, and my mum told me,' he said

'And to make it worse, you know, just to chuck on top, lie to a person about a five year old little boy, saying it's theirs when it's not. I found out that my son of five years is not legally my son, it's my half brother'

'Yeah, I found out that my son of five years is not legally my son  he's my half-brother.'

Over shocked 'Oh my Gods' Belle added: 'Yeah, the kid's not actually his dad's kid but he raised his son.'

It appeared that the anonymous caller had somewhat come to terms with the huge betrayal after the hosts revealed that his admission had netted him a $100 gift voucher to McDonald's

'Well anonymous, you have got yourself $100 of McDonald's on us,' Ben told the caller.

'Sweet,' came the caller's enthusiastic reply.

Belle then hit back with: 'Who needs kids when you have Maccas,' before Ben also chimed in.

'It's devastating what happened to you but you seemed pretty genuinely stoked about having a Maccas dinner tonight as you should. Good on you.'
Former Big Brother star Chad Hurst is set to appear in court to dispute a disabled parking fine.

The 31-year-old will appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Court on September 23 after being charged with stopping in a disabled parking area with no valid permit displayed, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Chad, who took out top honours in the 2020 series of Big Brother, told the publication that the alleged violation took place in Sydney's lower North Shore on the street where he lives.

He also revealed that it's not the first time he has been charged with the offence after fighting and winning the same charge over 12 months ago.

Chad said that recent development in the area had altered the parking space allocation on the street, leading to confusion as to where he can park his car.

'Due to high rise apartment blocks being built in my street over the past couple of years, the council has moved and changed the signs,' Chad said.

He added that he was booked for the same offence recently, with the incident occurring out the front of his house.

'This happened to me about a year before as well, right in front of my place,' he said.

Former Big Brother star Chad Hurst is set to appear in court to dispute a disabled parking fine

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'It has changed from a two-hour to a work zone and then now disabled parking.'

Chad received a $700 fine for the parking infraction and risks losing a demerit point off his licence.

Only people with a NSW Mobility Parking Scheme permit are entitled to park in spaces marked with a symbol for people with disabilities.

It comes after the Aussie heartthrob recently revealed his surprising new career change.

Partnering with friend Samer Trebincevic last year, Chad opened the doors to his Air Locker gym in North Sydney.

He is set to appear in Sydney 's Downing Centre Court later this month after being charged with stopping in a disabled parking area with no valid permit displayed, The Daily Telegraph reported

Only people with a NSW Mobility Parking Scheme permit are entitled to park in spaces marked with a symbol for people with disabilities

Speaking about his new venture, he told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'Lifting weights with my mates back in school got me hooked onto fitness. That love saw me becoming a certified trainer in 2011.'

He continued, 'A good mate introduced me to Air Locker, and after delving into the brand Sam and I were bowled over. The fierce passion behind the brand just sealed the deal.'

He previously worked as a personal trainer at celebrity hotspot ACERO before deciding it was time to live out his dreams and run his own business.

Chad, who is signed to modelling agency IMG, previously expressed his gratitude for the opportunities that come from modelling in an interview with Daily Mail Australia.

'Life in the fashion world for me has always been a great ride. The opportunities and adventures it has given me, I'll always be grateful,' he said.

Chad admitted while he misses walking the catwalk, he had a good time sitting back and watching the shows at Fashion Week back in 2021.

'It's good to see the up and coming models in Australia make their appearance on the runway. That's what it's all about,' he said.
Pip Edwards came full circle this week as she took up the creative director position at Ksubi, the fashion brand she got her start in as a 'sexytary'.

While the move shocked fans, as it came shortly after she stepped down from the same role at her company P.E Nation, there were clues leading up to the change.

The fashion entrepreneur, 44, was spotted in New York City on Wednesday, the day before fashion week was set to kick off, with Ksubi hosting an event there soon.

The fashion label, co-founded in 1999 by Pip's ex Dan Single in Sydney, was giving away five double passes to their show which will kick off on September 11.

Pip was spotted walking through the streets of New York City wearing flared Ksubi jeans just a week before the event.

She slipped into the dark blue Soho Original Snaps, which are worth $239.95, and paired them with a simple black tank top.

The blonde beauty accessorised with several pieces of chunky gold jewellery as she slicked her tresses back into a low ponytail.

Spending some quality time with friends, the Australian entrepreneur ran into American comedian Andrew Schulz during her outing.

Pip Edwards, 44, was spotted walking the streets of New York City on Wednesday ahead of fashion week, wearing a pair of Ksubi jeans in a telling clue she was moving to the company

Pip announced on Thursday she had left P.E Nation, the athleisure brand she co-founded with friend Claire Tregoning, to go back to her fashion roots.

The Sydney socialite this week revealed her shock return to Ksubi, the Aussie streetwear brand she helped build with her ex Dan, 46, two decades ago.

'As fate would have it, today I'm announcing my return to Ksubi as Creative Director - a true full-circle moment,' Pip captioned her announcement.

In the post, she included a photo of herself posing with Ksubi CEO Craig King in black denim and a plain white T-shirt.

The blonde beauty accessorised with several pieces of chunky gold jewellery as she slicked her tresses back into a low ponytail

Another clue to Pip's defection from P.E Nation saw Ksubi hosting an event at New York fashion week where the entrepreneur is currently staying

'From its inception, Ksubi has been at the core of the global cultural zeitgeist, thriving at the intersection of where fashion, art, and music meet,' Pip continued.

'Having been part of the original crew 20 years ago, I'm excited to join the talented team at Ksubi once again and contribute to their already impressive global success.'

Pip's ex partner Dan founded the edgy denim brand, then known as Tsubi, with his friends Gareth Moody and George Gorrow in 1999.

In 2004 Pip was hired as a 'sexytary' and the unusual position proved to be the opportunity of a lifetime for Pip.

The fashion designer famously once rocked a mullet-and-rat's-tail hairstyle while opening Tsubi's first store in Bondi Beach.
Anna Paul has been slammed by detractors for spending $20,000 on brand new curtains after her cats destroyed the ones in her rental home.

The influencer, 25, took to TikTok recently to confess to spending the huge amount in a video where she shows the price on her internet banking app.

'I paid 20 grand this morning to pay for curtains because our cats (yes I'm blaming our cats), they ripped up the curtains in one of our old rental properties and they're like "hey you guys gotta replace these curtains, 20 grand please?"'

'So, I fork it out. That's just what you do, isn't it? It's weird too because I grew up extremely broke.

'And when I say extremely broke, I mean like my parents were like "bro, we're going to be homeless." We got food from the homeless shelters, it was a whole thing. Anyway, now I'm paying 20 thousand dollar bills for cat curtains,' the TikTok star said.

Soon after Anna posted the video, several detractors took to Reddit to complain about the influencer's display of wealth.

'I don't understand showing off the 20 grand that she paid for getting curtains done to followers and making a sob story about it in her recent TikTok,' wrote one Reddit user.

'Like I understand your rich and all, but would never get the point of showing it with the other phone to her followers lol,' they added.

Anna Paul (pictured) has been slammed by detractors for spending $20,000 on brand new curtains after her cats destroyed the ones in her rental home

'$20k for curtains is wild,' wrote another user.

'This girl needs another Glen in her life. She's changed drastically. And not in a good way,' said another, referring to her former relationship with Glen Thompson, who she dated for eight years before breaking up in 2023.

Meanwhile, another Redditor replied casting doubt on Anna's accounts of childhood poverty.

The influencer, 25, took to TikTok recently to confess to spending the huge amount in a video where she shows the price on her internet banking app

Soon after Anna posted the video, several detractors took to Reddit to complain about the influencer's display of wealth

'Every influencer "I grew up extremely broke." Why do they all say this over and over?' another Redditor asked.

It comes after Anna called out a Love Island star for lying about having met her during his European holiday.

Anna took to her Instagram Stories on last month to re-share a post from Jordan Dowsett where he claimed to have met her.

'I don't understand showing off the 20 grand that she paid for getting curtains done to followers and making a sob story about it in her recent TikTok,' wrote one Reddit user

Jordan, who starred on the fourth season of Love Island Australia, showed off his muscular frame as he posted a shirtless snap while in the sea in Positano, Italy.

In the caption, he gushed over meeting influencer Anna earlier in the day, even tagging her in the post as he shared the news with his 58,000 followers.

He penned: 'In love with this coast line. Met @annapaul today which was so cute.'

However, Anna was quick to hit back at his post as she insisted he was lying about having met her because she isn't even on the Amalfi Coast anymore.

Re-sharing the snap, Anna penned: 'No you didn't HAHA. I'm not even in Positano anymore. People are crazy.'

Just hours later, she shared a photograph of herself enjoying the mountain landscapes in Bayern, Germany, confirming she was no longer in Italy.

Jordan's original post no longer features on his Instagram, but it is unclear if he deleted it, or if it expired from the 24-hour time slot on his Stories.

But he later took to his Instagram Grid to confirm that he was just 'taking the p**s' and hadn't really met the popular social media star.
Matt Damon wrapped a loving arm around wife Luciana Barroso at the star-studded Luisaviaroma store opening in New York City on Wednesday night.

The Oscar-winner, 53, looked hunky in blue jeans beside his glamorous spouse of nearly two decades as they posed for photos on the red carpet.

The couple were joined by Matt's stepdaughter Alexia Barroso, 25, who Luciana welcomed in 1999 during her marriage to ex-husband Arbello Barroso.

The trio made their way around the starry event attended by model/socialite Nicky Hilton and runway maven Helena Christensen.

Matt and Luciana met on set of his 2003 comedy film Stuck on You and tied the knot in a private civil ceremony in December 2005.

Matt Damon wrapped a loving arm around wife Luciana Barroso at the star-studded Luisaviaroma store opening in New York City on Wednesday night

The Oscar-winner, 53, looked hunky in blue jeans beside his glamorous spouse of nearly two decades as they posed for photos on the red carpet

They share three daughters: Isabella, 18, Gia, 15, and Stella, 13.

Matt styled his dark blue jeans with a black short sleeve button-up shirt, white All Star sneakers and black-framed glasses.

Luciana sizzled in a skintight black turtleneck top and a cherry red faux leather skirt.

Her skirt matched her quilted Chanel bag.

The Argentinian beauty, 48, rocked voluminous brunette curls and accessorized with shiny gold jewelry.

The longtime married couple walked around the event venue holding hands and smiling.

Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton, 40, worked her angles for photographers in a bright red frock.

It had flirty puff sleeves, a cinched waistline and a ruffled skirt.

The younger sister Paris Hilton's blonde hair was styled in curls and she rocked a natural glam look.

For a fun pop, Hilton strolled around in leopard-print heels.

Matt styled his dark blue jeans with a black short sleeve button-up shirt, white All Star sneakers and black-framed glasses

Luciana sizzled in a skintight black turtleneck top and a cherry red faux leather skirt

The couple were joined by Matt's stepdaughter Alexia Barroso, 25, who Luciana welcomed in 1999 during her marriage to ex-husband Arbello Barroso

The Argentinian beauty, 48, rocked voluminous brunette curls and accessorized with shiny gold jewelry

The longtime married couple walked around the event venue holding hands and smiling

Matt and Luciana met on set of his 2003 comedy film Stuck on You and tied the knot in a private civil ceremony in December 2005

Helena Christensen looked sensational in a busty LBD with keyhole cutout.

The Danish model, 55, threw on a pair of black kitten heels and she carried a fabric clutch.

Her silky brunette hair was styled in an elegant updo and she accessorized with diamond earrings.

Maggie Gyllenhaal cut a casual figure for the fashion event in a blazer and matching vest.

The actress/director, 46, completed her chic outfit with baggy jeans and black satin ballet flats.

Letting her natural beauty shine, Maggie paired her flawless complexion with light mascara and a bold berry lip.

Amber Valletta made jaws drop in a strapless black minidress that showed off her slim legs.

The model, 50, strutted her stuff in sky-high heels and her blonde hair looked tousled.

Nicky Hilton, 40, worked her angles for photographers in a bright red frock

Hilton, 40, worked her angles for photographers in a bright red frock

Helena Christensen looked sensational in a busty LBD with keyhole cutout

The Danish model, 55, threw on a pair of black kitten heels and she carried a fabric clutch

Her silky brunette hair was styled in an elegant updo and she accessorized with diamond earrings

She exuded elegance as she posed up inside the new storefront in NYC

Maggie Gyllenhaal cut a casual figure for the fashion event in a blazer and matching vest

The actress/director, 46, completed her chic outfit with baggy jeans and black satin ballet flats

Her brunette pixie cut was styled effortlessly

Maggie sported a bold berry lip

Amber Valletta made jaws drop in a strapless black minidress that showed off her slim legs

The model, 50, strutted her stuff in sky-high heels and her blonde hair looked tousled

She had a noticeable sun-kissed glow to her skin and she made her blue eyes pop with smudged black eyeliner

She had a noticeable sun-kissed glow to her skin and she made her blue eyes pop with smudged black eyeliner.

Luisaviaroma is an Italian luxury retailer that offers high-end fashion brands along with home decor and lifestyle goods.

The store celebrated its New York flagship opening with an Instagram post on Wednesday.

'The return of true luxury retail to downtown,' the official Luisaviaroma account advertised.
Following the U.K. premiere and the new trailer arriving this week, the first handful of reviews are in for Netflix's The Perfect Couple before it debuts Thursday.

Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber lead the buzzy cast of this upcoming limited series, following a wealthy Nantucket family whose lives are turned upside down.

The first three reviews have surfaced, with one calling it 'ludicrously good,' while the others are not so positive, one calling it 'daft' and 'derivative.'

The sole positive review thus far is from The Guardian's Lucy Mangan, who compared the show to HBO's The White Lotus and Big Little Lies.

She praised the, 'proper plot,' and the, 'carousel of suspects turns and reveals drop at perfectly spaced intervals.'

Following the U.K. premiere and the new trailer arriving this week , the first handful of reviews are in for Netflix 's The Perfect Couple before it debuts Thursday

The first three reviews have surfaced, with one calling it 'ludicrously good,' while the others are not so positive, one calling it 'daft' and 'derivative'

'It may or may not have things to say about the haves and have-nots, the power of money to corrupt, as well as class consciousness, but it doesnt have anything like the interest The White Lotus, say, took in such questions,' she added.

It was adapted by Jenna Lamia from the book of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, who is known as the queen of the beach read. Lamia has kept exactly what makes such books great and presented us with a glorious, ridiculous treat. Nothing to do but sit back and enjoy.

The critic insists, 'it's almost impossible to resist bingeing the entirety of this classy detective drama set around a posh wedding in Nantucket.'

'Its a glorious, perfectly paced delight,' she says, though the other critics have quite the opposite take.

The series could have been a piece of 'biting satire,' but, according to The Independent's Nick Hilton, the show is as, 'daft as it is derivative.'

Hilton claims that the irony of the show with this specific title is, 'for all the beachfront properties, the designer dresses, and wedding cakes that could feed a small army, perfection is nowhere to be found.'

He adds, 'The star wattage of the cast, and their creative bona fides, should be taken with a pinch of salt: this is a neat shot of unadulterated naffness.'

The show is adapted from the 2018 novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, who has been dubbed, 'queen of the beach reads'

'It may or may not have things to say about the haves and have-nots, the power of money to corrupt, as well as class consciousness, but it doesnt have anything like the interest The White Lotus, say, took in such questions,' she added

The critic insists, 'it's almost impossible to resist bingeing the entirety of this classy detective drama set around a posh wedding in Nantucket'

He adds, 'The star wattage of the cast, and their creative bona fides, should be taken with a pinch of salt: this is a neat shot of unadulterated naffness'

Hilton adds that while the book was, 'written to be inhaled at a Cabo poolside, geared up on pina coladas  and its TV adaptation is going to be consumed by hungover commuters on packed trains'

Hilton adds that while the book was, 'written to be inhaled at a Cabo poolside, geared up on pina coladas  and its TV adaptation is going to be consumed by hungover commuters on packed trains.'

He also calls it a 'transparently cynical rip-off' of similar shows like The White Lotus, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers.

The third review from the Irish Examiner's Pat Fitzpatrick claimed that if fans liked The White Lotus, they will not enjoy The Perfect Couple.

'Theyre both cut from the same reel, but The White Lotus is much better. Its cookie-cutter TV at this stage,' Fitzpatrick said.

The critic added, 'There isnt enough in the characters to make you want to watch it for more than 30 minutes. And no amount of plot can save that.'

'If you want muzak TV that shows a few nice images while you scroll your phone at night, this might just work. But if youre looking for a meaty show that will take the edge off the evenings closing in, youll need to keep looking,' Fitzpatrick concludes the review.
Eve Hewson, the daughter of U2 frontman Bono and activist Ali Hewson, glammed up to attend the Hollywood premiere of The Perfect Couple, which was held at The Egyptian Theatre on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old nepo-baby looked gift wrapped in a PATOU SS/25 'Rose #44' dress - featuring a bow, exaggerated hips, and pockets - along with bedazzled stilettos selected by stylist Karla Welch.

Eve (whose full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson) pulled her raven locks into an elaborate bun updo.

Hewson brought out her bushy brows and wore brown eyeshadow, pink blush, and a darker pink lipstick.

Eve Hewson, the daughter of U2 frontman Bono and activist Ali Hewson, glammed up to attend the Hollywood premiere of The Perfect Couple, which was held at The Egyptian Theatre on Wednesday

The LA-based Irish beauty portrays bride-to-be Amelia Sacks in Jenna Lamia's six-episode mystery drama, which premieres this Thursday on Netflix.

In it, 'Amelia is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket, until a shocking death derails the wedding  and turns everyone into a suspect.'

Susanne Bier directed the small-screen adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's 2018 novel of the same name.

Eve struck a pose between her black sheer dress-clad castmates - Meghann Fahy and Nicole Kidman - who play her onscreen BFF Merritt Monaco and disapproving mother-in-law Greer Garrison Winbury.

The Perfect Couple also features Ishaan Khatter, Donna Lynne Champlin, Liev Schreiber, Mia Isaac, Sam Nivola, and Michael Beach.

That same day, Hewson celebrated being cast as F1 racing team owner Sir Trevor's (Murray Bartlett) shrewd and ruthless investment banker daughter Victoria in the Hulu comedy pilot Downforce - according to Deadline.

The Flora and Son star captioned the casting announcement on Instagram: 'Vroom Vroom @f1 @hulu!'

The 33-year-old nepo-baby looked gift wrapped in a PATOU SS/25 'Rose #44' dress - featuring a bow, exaggerated hips, and pockets - along with bedazzled stilettos selected by stylist Karla Welch

Eve (whose full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson) pulled her raven locks into an elaborate bun updo

Hewson brought out her bushy brows and wore brown eyeshadow, pink blush, and a darker pink lipstick

The LA-based Irish beauty portrays bride-to-be Amelia Sacks in Jenna Lamia's six-episode mystery drama, which premieres this Thursday on Netflix

In it, 'Amelia is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket, until a shocking death derails the wedding  and turns everyone into a suspect'

Susanne Bier (R) directed the small-screen adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's 2018 novel of the same name

Eve struck a pose between her black sheer dress-clad castmates - Meghann Fahy and Nicole Kidman - who play her onscreen BFF Merritt Monaco and disapproving mother-in-law Greer Garrison Winbury

The Perfect Couple also features Ishaan Khatter, Donna Lynne Champlin, Liev Schreiber, Mia Isaac, Sam Nivola, and Michael Beach

That same day, Hewson celebrated being cast as F1 racing team owner Sir Trevor's (Murray Bartlett) shrewd and ruthless investment banker daughter Victoria in the Hulu comedy pilot Downforce: 'Vroom Vroom @f1 @hulu!'

The Flora and Son star - who's already worked with Steven Soderbergh and Steven Spielberg - is sanguine about privilege through her famous 64-year-old father (L, pictured in 2016), telling Porter Magazine last month: 'The only thing you can do is crack a joke and move on'

Eve admitted that acting felt inevitable, insisting 'it was the only thing I was any good at' but she did originally want to follow Bono (born Paul David Hewson) into music, laughing: 'I thought I was going to be Charli XCX!'

Eve - who's already worked with Steven Soderbergh and Steven Spielberg - is sanguine about privilege through her famous 64-year-old father, telling Porter Magazine last month: 'The only thing you can do is crack a joke and move on.'

Hewson admitted that acting felt inevitable, insisting 'it was the only thing I was any good at' but she did originally want to follow Bono (born Paul David Hewson) into music, laughing: 'I thought I was going to be Charli XCX!'

The 22-time Grammy winner and his band's rock-doc V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas, directed by Morleigh Steinberg and The Edge, will begin screening at the venue this Thursday.
Alex Pike celebrated her 47th birthday with a whirlwind trip to Hollywood this week.

To mark the occasion, the cosmetic nurse stripped down to a skimpy aqua bikini while enjoying a splash in the pool of her Los Angeles hotel.

Flaunting her incredible physique in the two-piece swimwear, the mother-of-three boasted that she's become, 'more confident with age.'

She also tagged her beauty and wellness program, Inside Out Beauty, hinting that her own methods are behind her flawless figure.

Earlier that day, the former model showed off her rock hard abs during a sweat session at the gym.

In the image, Alex flexed her abs and biceps while clutching a dumbbell in one hand.

'47 and stronger,' she wrote in the caption.

Back in June, the celebrity injector shared the secrets behind her glowing and youthful complexion.

Alex Pike celebrated her 47th birthday with a whirlwind trip to Hollywood this week. To mark the occasion, the cosmetic nurse stripped down to a skimpy aqua bikini while enjoying a splash in the pool of her Los Angeles hotel. Pictured

Earlier that day, the former model showed off her rock hard abs during a sweat session at the gym

In a reel posted to Instagram, the one-time WAG explained that celery juice, carrots and sardines were to thank for her flawless complexion.

Looking half her age, she likened the foods to 'eating skincare' and said they help 'make my skin glow'.

'Celery juice. Great for reducing inflammation. Helps to hydrate your skin and is also really good for detoxification,' she said.

'Eating your carrots is like eating your retinol. Carrots are full of beta carotene which converts in your body to vitamin A,' she continued.

'Improves skin texture and provides antioxidant protection. I'm not sure that you'll like this one but it's one of my favourites - sardines.

'Full of omega 3 and fatty acids. Reduces inflammation and also contains vitamin D which supports your skin health and repair.'

But healthy eating isn't the only secret behind Alex looking years younger than her age, as she's previously admitted to having work done on her face.

In a reel posted to Instagram, the one-time WAG explained that celery juice, carrots and sardines were to thank for her flawless complexion

The mum-of-three confessed on the Not Super Woman podcast in 2023 that she's had two surgical procedures done.

'I'm not shy about having things done,' she said as she detailed the work she's had done to maintain her youthful appearance.

'I have treatments obviously. I've had upper eyelid surgery - blepharoplasty - and some liposuction to my jawline,' she said.

Alex went on to say she's 'not afraid to own' the procedures she's had done, as she also admitted to getting fillers, anti-wrinkle injections and laser treatments.

She revealed she first dabbled with anti-wrinkle injections at the age of 23 after a surgeon urged her to try Botox.

'I ended up having the treatment - just my frown line,' she told the Curious Conversations podcast in 2021.

'And when it started to take effect, I could not believe the difference and I then started getting more modelling jobs because I was looking super fresh.'
Molly-Mae Hague is planning a wild weekend in Cannes as she prepares to 'let her hair down' following her split from Tommy Fury.

The former Love Island star shocked fans when she ended her engagement to the boxer, 25, last month after a five-year relationship.

Tommy has since been accused of cheating on Molly after alleging sharing a passionate kiss with Danish Milla Corfixen, 20, during a lads' holiday in North Macedonia.

However Molly-Mae, 25, is now set to enjoy her own girls holiday as she revealed in her YouTube vlog on Wednesday she is heading to Cannes this weekend for as a last minute plus one for her friends wedding.

Sharing her excitement to have a break from mum duties and let her hair down, she told fans: 'Basically I have been invited as a plus one, and you guys know me this is a bit out of my comfort zone, party vibes, not really my scene.'

Molly-Mae Hague has vowed to 'let her hair down' as she revealed her plans for a wild Cannes weekend in her latest YouTube vlog on Wednesday

The Love Island star, 25, also opened up about the physical stress of her split as she showed followers the dark circles under her eyes

Molly-Mae seemed to make a dig at Tommy's various holidays and trips abroad as she added: 'I'm not saying I'm not cool anymore because I am a mum, but you know I am a mum I've got responsibilities. I can't just be jetting off going to Cannes.

'But I feel like this is probably the perfect time to say yes to an invite like this. I just feel like I have never done anything like that my whole life.'

She added: 'It is very exciting and out of the blue, but I feel like if there is ever a time to do something like this it's now in my life where I need distractions. I need fun things, I need to let my hair down and spend some time with my friends.'

Elsewhere in the vlog, Molly-Mae also opened up about the physical stress of her split as she showed followers the dark circles under her eyes.

Leaning into the camera as she removed her makeup, Molly explained: 'Another thing I have noticed over the last week of so, out of nowhere, I don't know if it is stress related or Erin was saying she thinks it's iron deficiency related. I have gotten really dark circles around my eyes.'

Getting closer to the camera, the star pointed as she said: 'A darkness begins, almost like a shadow, almost like a bit of a bruise.'

'I have never suffered with dark eyes before, ever even if I am really tired I don't get dark circles around my eyes and out of nowhere these brown hollow pits of sadness are appearing.

'And I'm like "hang on a minute am I ageing? Has the stress of the last month caused me to age?" because if it has we're going to have a problem on our hands.'

The couple shocked fans when they ended their engagement last month after a five-year relationship. Tommy has since been accused of cheating on Molly after alleging sharing a passionate kiss with Danish Milla Corfixen, 20, during a lads' holiday in North Macedonia

Molly-Mae seemed to make a dig at Tommy's various holidays and trips abroad as she added: 'I'm not saying I'm not cool anymore because I am a mum, but you know I am a mum I've got responsibilities. I can't just be jetting off going to Cannes'

She added: 'I feel like if there is ever a time to do something like this it's now in my life where I need distractions. I need fun things, I need to let my hair down and spend some time with my friends'

Getting closer to the camera, the star pointed as she said: 'A darkness begins, almost like a shadow, almost like a bit of a bruise'

She added: 'And I'm like "hang on a minute am I ageing? Has the stress of the last month caused me to age?" because if it has we're going to have a problem on our hands'

Molly-Mae also took her followers along dress shopping as she tried on white gowns in preparation for an upcoming white party as part of the wedding in Cannes.

The star opened up about visiting the shop her sister Zoe Rae purchased her main wedding dress from in order to buy a white dress for herself, calling the experience a 'bit weird'.

Molly told her followers: 'Bit weird going to a wedding dress shop during this era of my life but got to do what I've got to do.'

In the shop, Molly looked elegant in a white backless halter neck gown which featured a thigh-split and tie-up detailing.

Once back home, she said to the camera: 'I secured myself a white dress, which is exciting. It wasn't the dress you actually saw me trying on in that video, but it was kind of similar, a little bit less dressy than that dress because it just feels extremely against the grain to be buying anything white for a wedding.

'Obviously it's a white party so I have to keep reminding myself that.'

Molly-Mae also took her followers along dress shopping as she tried on white gowns in preparation for an upcoming white party as part of the wedding in Cannes

Molly said :'Bit weird going to a wedding dress shop during this era of my life but got to do what I've got to do'

Elsewhere in the vlog, Molly-Mae revealed she if feeling 'positive' in her latest YouTube vlog on Wednesday, following her split from Tommy.

In her latest Vlog, Molly-Mae discussed co-parenting daughter Bambi, after previously saying the 20-month-old can 'sense' their split.

Opening up to her followers, the influencer said: 'I've had quite a positive day today, this weekend was a lot more positive than I thought it was going to be.

'We went to the soft play this morning and then Tommy picked Bambi up this afternoon, spent the afternoon with her, so things are going well.

'I've not been feeling too bad so I feel like that is a positive.'

It comes after Molly-Mae admitted that she's lonely and bedbound in the wake of her split.

In her previous Vlog shared last week, Molly-Mae opened up on life after the break-up, confessing to her fans that weekends are 'horrendous' because it's 'freaking lonely' without her former love.

In another video she shared that she had booked a spa day and was looking forward to getting out of the house.

She explained: 'I couldn't think of anything worse than just sitting at home all day, especially as that's what I've done for so many days now.

'I've just been sort of house bound, bed bound, Zoe's been coming around to help me a lot with Bambi and also Tommy's been having Bambi as well.'

She went on to reveal how she had a professional organiser to come in and sort out her cupboards as 'there was a lot of chaos going on' and she felt like her house' needed a little bit of a sort out'.

The influencer went on to say that she wanted to fix herself some lunch but she hasn't had the appetite, noting: 'The appetite hasn't really been there. It's definitely coming back but I just don't really fancy anything.

Later in the video, Molly-Mae reflected on how tough it has been to keep herself occupied since Tommy moved out.

Speaking to the camera, she said: 'I'm having a day today where I'm trying to stay busy and trying to stay distracted and just trying to find things to do to fill my time.

'And I'm kind of dreading this weekend because I feel like weekends are c**p!

It comes after Molly-Mae admitted that she's lonely and bedbound in the wake of her split (pictured with the couples daughter Bambi)

'When you're going through a break-up, I feel like weekends are literally the worst because weekends are for me something I really look forward to, especially when you're in a family because it's family time and memory making time.

'You always do nice things and I don't know, the weekends now are the hardest time because it's freaking lonely and just sad really.'

She added: 'I'm not really looking forward to this weekend but I feel like every weekend that passes, it should be getting easier - we hope for that.'

Molly-Mae, who shares 20-month-old daughter Bambi with Tommy, went on to say: 'In break-ups, there are parts of the days that are definitely worst and better than others .

'Mornings - horrendous. Evenings - horrendous. Weekends for me, horrendous. And then when you're busy in the middle of the day and you're not thinking about things and distracted, that is prime time. That is your few hours of like, okay, I'm not thinking about it.

'And then the minute things slow down...'

'As well for me, you're so used to how life is and when you're in a routine and everything is done with your person, and then I don't know, obviously there's a lot of change and it's really... it's pretty crap.'

Molly-Mae then went on to speculate that her fans will wonder why she's making this vlog like 'everything's normal', but that star insisted that this was 'the best way for me to cope with this'.

She added that YouTube and vlogging has been a 'nice distraction' for her amid the heartache and is 'something else to think about' and 'focus on', as well as a 'coping mechanism'.

Molly-Mae concluded her video saying that the period after her break-up will definitely be 'a journey' but she's 'lucky' to have her 'huge online family' supporting her through it.

And in a candid Vlog shared on Friday, Molly-Mae opened up on life after the break-up, confessing to her fans that weekends are 'horrendous' because it's 'freaking lonely' without her former love

It isn't the first time Tommy has lived away from Molly, with the boxer having resided at a plush London flat while training for a fight

Meanwhile, earlier in the vlog, Molly-Mae said she will always love Tommy as she reflects on the 'very real' two weeks since they ended their engagement.

She said in her first video following the shock news that she is 'ready to move forward and look to the future' as she opened up with her followers.

Opening the 'normal vlog', the influence sat on the floor of her 4million Cheshire mansion as she spoke to the camera addressing fans.

She said: 'You might be clicking on this video hoping I'll spill the tea or speak about what's been happening the past few weeks but to be honest with you that was never something that was going to happen and it's not something I ever plan on talking about.

'The last 2 weeks are very real and are real life. It is something we are trying to go through privately as best we can but I haven't really been able to get away from it.

'My coping mechanism has been talking to those who I love and those who have been incredible in this time and then coming on here and pushing forward. I don't feel comfortable talking about it because this is real life, its not drama, its not a publicity stunt, it's actually really sad and deep and I don't feel right to talk about it.'

'Out of respect for Tommy I don't want to talk about it because the last two weeks has been a lot and it has blown out of proportion and the last thing I want to do it fuel the fire and stir the pot when it doesn't need to be. I want to move forward and look to the future.

'The last two weeks have been made easier because of the love from you guys I have been so overwhelmed from the support.'

Molly-Mae went on to say she is 'looking forward to moving on' as she thanked her 'incredible' support system for helping her through the shock break-up.

The mother-of-one confessed she will 'always love' ex Tommy but said the split is 'very sad' and she is excited to move forward as she has 'excited things' coming up.

Meanwhile, earlier in the vlog, Molly-Mae said she will always love Tommy as she reflects on the 'very real' two weeks since they ended their engagement.

She said in her first video following the shock news that she is 'ready to move forward and look to the future' as she opened up with her followers

Elsewhere in the vlog, Molly-Mae went shopping with daughter Bambi before the mother and daughter watched TV together and read a bedtime story.

Later in the 36minute video Molly discussed her future project which she has been working on 'since before she fell pregnant' with Bambi, who is nearly two-years-old .

She admitted she nearly pushed the launch date of the 'secret' project as she wasn't 'mentally strong enough' amid her relationship break down but she said she has 'worked so hard' on it she doesn't want to delay it any longer.

Molly went on to reveal she has pushed the launch date to September 8, by a week to allow herself an 'extra week to recoup' which would have been 'a lot'.
Nicole Kidman displayed her smooth complexion as she was joined by Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson at the after party for the premiere of The Perfect Couple.

The Academy Award-winner, 57, showed off her age-defying looks as she attended the premiere for her new Netflix drama - in which she plays a famous novelist.

For the evening, Nicole threw on a black blazer over her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure in a custom Ferragamo sheer halter gown which she accessorised with dazzling Messika jewellery.

The star was once more a wrinkle-free wonder as she posed with co-stars at the party, after make-up artist Gucci Westman fully contoured her alabaster complexion.

She was joined at the star-studded party by a host of her co-stars - including The White Lotus star Meghann, 34, who stunned in a sheer black lace midi dress.

Nicole Kidman displayed her glowing complexion as she was joined by Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson at the after party for the premiere of The Perfect Couple in Los Angeles on Wednesday

She was joined at the star-studded party by a host of her co-stars - including The White Lotus star Meghann, 34, who stunned in a sheer black lace midi dress

Meghann's completely-backless dress was complete with a plunging neckline and wsa so sheer her entire underwear was on display.

The star of The Bold Type swept her blonde locks into a bun and sported a black of black open-toed heels.

At the after party, Meghann was seen laughing with co-star Eve, 33, who looked gift wrapped in a pink baggy bow dress, featuring exaggerated hips and pockets, and bedazzled stilletos selected by stylist Karla Welch.

The daughter of U2 frontman Bono and activist Ali Hewson (whose full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson) pulled her raven locks into an elaborate bun updo.

Eve brought out her bushy brows and wore brown eyeshadow, pink blush, and a darker pink lipstick.

Meghann and Eve - who play Amelia Sachs and Merritt Monaco in the series - looked close pals as they laughed together while posing for snaps.

Following the U.K. premiere and the new trailer arriving this week, the first handful of reviews for Netflix's The Perfect Couple before debuted on Wednesday ahead of its release the following day.

Nicole and Liev Schreiber lead the buzzy cast of this upcoming limited series, following a wealthy Nantucket family whose lives are turned upside down.

Nicole was once more a wrinkle-free wonder as she posed with co-stars at the party, after make-up artist Gucci Westman fully contoured her alabaster complexion

For the evening, Nicole threw on a black blazer over her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure in a custom Ferragamo sheer halter gown which she accessorised with dazzling Messika jewellery

Meghann's completely-backless dress was complete with a plunging neckline and wsa so sheer her entire underwear was on display

At the after party, Meghann was seen laughing with co-star Eve, 33, who looked gift wrapped in a pink baggy bow dress, featuring exaggerated hips and pockets, and bedazzled stilletos selected by stylist Karla Welch

The star of The Bold Type swept her blonde locks into a bun and sported a black of black open-toed heels (Meghann pictured with Liev Schreiber)

The daughter of U2 frontman Bono and activist Ali Hewson (whose full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson) pulled her raven locks into an elaborate bun updo (Eve pictured with Susanne Bier)

The first three reviews have surfaced, with one calling it 'ludicrously good,' while the others are not so positive, one calling it 'daft' and 'derivative.'

The sole positive review thus far is from The Guardian's Lucy Mangan, who compared the show to HBO's The White Lotus and Big Little Lies.

She praised the, 'proper plot,' and the, 'carousel of suspects turns and reveals drop at perfectly spaced intervals.'

'It may or may not have things to say about the haves and have-nots, the power of money to corrupt, as well as class consciousness, but it doesnt have anything like the interest The White Lotus, say, took in such questions,' she added.

It was adapted by Jenna Lamia from the book of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, who is known as the queen of the beach read. Lamia has kept exactly what makes such books great and presented us with a glorious, ridiculous treat. Nothing to do but sit back and enjoy.

The critic insists, 'it's almost impossible to resist bingeing the entirety of this classy detective drama set around a posh wedding in Nantucket.'

'Its a glorious, perfectly paced delight,' she says, though the other critics have quite the opposite take.

The series could have been a piece of 'biting satire,' but, according to The Independent's Nick Hilton, the show is as, 'daft as it is derivative.'

Following the U.K. premiere and the new trailer arriving this week , the first handful of reviews are in for Netflix 's The Perfect Couple before it debuts Thursday

The first three reviews have surfaced, with one calling it 'ludicrously good,' while the others are not so positive, one calling it 'daft' and 'derivative'

'It may or may not have things to say about the haves and have-nots, the power of money to corrupt, as well as class consciousness, but it doesnt have anything like the interest The White Lotus, say, took in such questions,' she added

The critic insists, 'it's almost impossible to resist bingeing the entirety of this classy detective drama set around a posh wedding in Nantucket'

Hilton claims that the irony of the show with this specific title is, 'for all the beachfront properties, the designer dresses, and wedding cakes that could feed a small army, perfection is nowhere to be found.'

He adds, 'The star wattage of the cast, and their creative bona fides, should be taken with a pinch of salt: this is a neat shot of unadulterated naffness.'

The show is adapted from the 2018 novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, who has been dubbed, 'queen of the beach reads'.

Hilton adds that while the book was, 'written to be inhaled at a Cabo poolside, geared up on pina coladas  and its TV adaptation is going to be consumed by hungover commuters on packed trains.'

He also calls it a 'transparently cynical rip-off' of similar shows like The White Lotus, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers.
In recent years she's embraced yoga, wellness and quiet nights in.

Yet Kate Moss proved she hadn't completely lost her love of partying as she stayed out at the Chiltern Firehouse in London until 3am on Thursday morning.

The 50-year-old supermodel - who has embraced sober living - did look ready for bed, however, as she left the celebrity hotspot alongside friend and socialite Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath.

Despite her tiredness she did manage to last longer than her younger sister Lottie, 26, who onlookers claim did not stay long at the bar.

Yet it was no doubt still enough time to celebrate the end of their three-year feud, having made up after attending their father's 80th birthday celebrations this week.

Kate Moss proved she hadn't completely lost her love of partying as she stayed at the Chiltern Firehouse in London with Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, until 3am on Thursday morning

Despite Kate's tiredness she did manage to last longer than her younger sister Lottie, 26, (pictured leaving) who onlookers claim did not stay long at the bar

Kate and Lottie revealed their three-year feud was over this week when they posed for sweet snaps together at their father's birthday bash alongside Kate's daughter Lila (centre)

Kate looked effortlessly stylish for her night out in a black top embellished with sequins and featuring a sheer panel on the chest.

She teamed the garment with cigarette trousers and black pumps, layering up with a khaki blazer.

Lottie also looked casually chic for her brief appearance, teaming a white top with jeans and a leopard print jacket.

The joint outing signalled all was still well between the pair following their surprise reunion at their father Peter's birthday, when Kate made a point of posing alongside her younger sister in the photos taken at The Griffin pub in Sussex.

It was a pivotal moment for the pair who have not been pictured together in years, with Lottie previously claiming Kate 'doesn't even reply to my texts', despite once being so close that Lottie was a bridesmaid at Kate's wedding and even moved into her sister's Cotswolds mansion during the Covid pandemic.

However, tensions soon grew over Lottie's wild ways that saw her regularly taking drugs five times a week, which was a huge red flag to Kate.

Kate's love of boozing, which reportedly extended to flutes of prosecco at 8am and glasses of wine and vodka at lunch, saw friends coin her the nickname 'The Tank', but in recent years she's embraced yoga, wellness and quiet nights in.

Their lifestyle clash came to a head between the pair during lockdown, when Kate invited Lottie to stay at her Cotswolds mansion.

An insider told Page Six: 'Kate was frustrated because Lottie kept on wanting to drink and posting sexually provocative stuff on Instagram all the time.

'It isn't easy for Kate to be around people who are drinking, and she definitely won't be around anyone who is using cocaine.'

While she may have lasted until the early hours, the 50-year-old supermodel - who has embraced sober living - did look ready for bed

Yet it was no doubt still enough time to celebrate the end of her three-year feud with Lottie

She had model and socialite Emma by her side, who looked incredible in an ab-flashing black bandeau top and midi skirt

Lottie looked casually chic for her brief appearance, teaming a white top with jeans and a leopard print jacket

Kate, Nick and Lottie at their father's birthday, along with Nick's girlfriend Tracy and Kate's daughter Lila

Kate was famously dubbed 'Cocaine Kate' when she was photographed snorting the substance in 2005, while dating Pete Doherty, who has made no secret of his own past drug use and addiction to heroin.

When Lottie finally departed the Vogue cover star's home 'in a foul mood', she reportedly left behind two bottles of her sister's favourite bottle of wine which was interpreted as a 'f*** you' gesture.

The roots of the rift between the sisters seem to originate with the large age gap between them.

Lottie is the daughter of Kate's father, travel agent Peter Moss, and his second wife, Norwegian Inger Solnordal, and was raised in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

By the time she was born in 1998, Kate was already at the height of her fame as a catwalk model and had enjoyed a high profile romance with Johnny Depp.

Given her older sister's profile, it was no surprise when Lottie followed in her footsteps and signed with Storm Management in 2014 and began a mainstream modelling career.

And Kate seemed to give Lottie's career her seal of approval.

That same year, the pair were spotted side-by-side at fashion shows, including a Topshop runway show in 2014.

Meanwhile her first photoshoot was published in Teen Vogue, and she had her first full editorial not long afterwards in Dazed & Confused, a magazine which was co-founded by Kate's ex-husband, Jefferson Hack.

At one point it seemed like Lottie was on course to reach supermodel status in her own right, with modelling gigs for Chanel and Sonia Rykiel, an ad campaign for Calvin Klein and a Vogue Paris cover.

Aged 18, she was invited to Cannes as a guest of Dior and Chopard, while completing her A-levels.

Kate stayed close to Emma as they headed home from the five-star hotel, restaurant and bar

She received a helping hand from security as she made her way out of the high-end venue

Kate looked effortlessly stylish for her night out in a black top embellished with sequins and featuring a sheer panel on the chest

She teamed the garment with cigarette trousers and black pumps, layering up with a khaki blazer

Kate led the way as she headed home after her night out on the town - a change from her now typical routine of yoga and meditation at home

Kate and Emma are longtime friends, with the Marchioness of Bath supporting the model at the launch of her wellness brand Cosmoss

Despite public perception that her famous older sister must have boosted her career, Lottie later insisted the opposite was true.

Appearing on The Matt Haycox Show Podcast in November 2023, Lottie said she has never had a close-knit bond with Kate.

When questioned on if she asked her big sister for advice when she entered the world of modelling, the Only Fans content creator confessed the two hadn't even been close when she was a child.

'No, we just never really spoke honestly. It's always been that way, I never was sad about it really,' she said.

'You know obviously it's not great to hear that someone doesn't really care for a relationship with you... but you know we would see each other at Christmases and things like that and play family a little bit.'

Explaining her estranged relationship with her fashionista half-sister, Lottie revealed she had 'never really known' Kate, adding: 'It wasn't like I was losing someone.'

'It was never really like she chose to leave, she's 20 years older than me she's got every right to live her own life, she doesn't need to hang around with me.'

She doubled down on her claims in another interview, saying that people had a 'common misconception' of her as a 'nepo baby' because of Kate.

'How do I say to people that I don't know her and that she doesn't reply to my texts?' she added.

'I honestly think the whole "nepo baby" concept is so weird; there are so many people in the world that have had obvious advantages in their career because of who they know or who someone in their family is, not just famous people.'

Kate is the proud owner of wellness business Cosmoss, which sells a range of own-brand teas, skincare products and a book of 150 'positive messages'

While Kate used to reportedly kick off her day guzzling prosecco, the supermodel is said to now start each day with meditation and the chanting of affirmations

Kate has also got into crystals, which she 'charges' by the light of the moon and goes wild swimming in the dead of night

Of her decision to switch up her lifestyle choices, Kate said last year: 'I just felt like I needed all the help I could get'

Previously describing her happy place as on the dancefloor, Kate has since left London for the west Oxfordshire countryside

The fashion icon also believes in the power of positive affirmations to improve one's outlook, such as 'embrace the unknown' and 'trust the universe and it will lead the way'

Despite her new Gwyneth Paltrow-like lifestyle, Kate still allows herself one vice. 'I still smoke occasionally,' she previously said

Kate uses beauty products made from 'potent, natural substances', and splits her routine into three daily rituals which are said to balance the 'body and soul with the natural environment'

The truth of the matter, however, seems to be a little more complicated that Lottie has made out.

According to a family member, the pair did once share a bond, which cooled along with Lottie's public proclamations about their relationship.

There was a time when they were a lot closer,' they told MailOnline.

But they insisted they dont want to talk about the sisters feelings for each other in public - but should address any issues privately within the family.

Then, there was the controversial launch of her X-rated OnlyFans career, where she stripped naked for the subscription service, leaving behind her career in high fashion.

Lottie was swiftly removed from the Storm modelling agency website, with her admitting her family 'was in turmoil over it'.

A family source claimed at the time, even Kate's daughter Lila, 21, 'wouldn't have anything to do with Lottie' due to her antics with the wrong crowd.

In early 2022, Lottie ended up in rehab after moving to America and she later revealed she had a 'very bad' cocaine addiction and used alcohol to mask her depression.

The OnlyFans star's mother Inger and her best friend staged an intervention and encouraged Lottie to seek help for substance abuse issues at the rehab centre in Arizona.

Kate has claimed she now never stays out at a party past midnight, describing it as her 'cut off point', yet she seemed to have a change of heart on Thursday

She was no doubt feeling extra tired after disrupting her usual schedule of an early bedtime

Kate turned 50 this year but proves she has no intention of slowing down any time soon

Kate and Lottie Moss attend the Topshop Unique show at London Fashion Week in 2014

The sisters once appeared to share such a bond that Kate invited her younger sibling to stay at her Cotswold home during the Covid-19 pandemic (pictured at Kate's wedding in 2011)

She told Jamie Laing on his podcast last year: 'I didn't realise I had depression for a very long time. I just thought everyone felt this way... and I thought you just kind of get through it...

'I couldn't get out of bed in the morning. I quit modelling; I was doing some OnlyFans but not really. I didn't recognise myself...

'I always wanted to be the fun one, and then I got to the point that my mum and best friend came to me and said: "You need to get rehab because you are so depressed".

Lottie said she never touched drugs or alcohol before becoming a catwalk star but later became hooked.

She also he never felt able to confide in her half sister Kate about her troubles, admitting the endless comparison with the supermodel was a constant burden during her career.

Lottie said: 'I started quite early on with using drugs and alcohol as a crutch, as a coping mechanism, which there is not a lack of in the fashion industry.

'There were people in positions of power that were giving me drugs and alcohol when I was very young and so it didn't seem bad to me.'

She continued: 'When you have people around you who are enabling you, I am talking at high fashion events and people are in a penthouse suite, and its people that are working for a brand that is very well known and they're sat there doing drugs with you as a 19-year-old.

'That is so weird to me now that should never happen in any industry.

'The fact that no one said, "maybe we shouldn't be enabling our client to do drugs. We should want her to be on her A game and doing her best, wake up in the morning and do a gym class, instead it was lots of alcohol", and it goes hand in hand.'

In January this year, Lottie marked four days sober. She said in an emotional video: 'I have struggled so much since I was young with depression, anxiety and problems with addiction'

Lottie admits her drug taking became so regular she was using 'five times a week,' sparked by an unhappy relationship with an older man.

She explained: 'I did weed and things like that when I was 15 but moving to London and being around a lot of older people, my boyfriend at the time was 27 and the people we were hanging around with did a lot of drugs.

'I started to realise quite early on that my relationship wasn't going very well with him and he was unfaithful, and he was also using drugs as a coping mechanism. I saw that and I instilled it into my life because it was the only time, I felt that I could be free.

'When I was working constantly, I had to be on my A game so when I came back to London and did drugs, I was like "yes" because it felt like freedom to me. It felt like my escape, but it quickly became something that I used because I was not happy.

'I have been honest with myself back then that I was using it too much. I don't feel that I had an addiction to it I just needed to get away. It numbed every single feeling that I had like anger, upset, loneliness, it became like my friend.'

A year later, in 2023, Lottie appeared on the reality show Celebs Go Dating and enjoyed an on-screen romance with Love Island star Adam Collard.

Despite reality TV and OnlyFans being a world away from the Chanel catwalk, Lottie insists she now achieves more job satisfaction from being a 'content creator'.

'People think I came into it because I was in this bad place in my life, and it was all going wrong, but it was the opposite,' she insists.

'Modelling stood for something I was not really a fan of and when I found Only Fans I met all these girls that were similar to me. I always wanted to be a bit more risque and I always wanted to get my body out.'

It doubtful Kate will share the same opinion of her career, but - for now at least - it appears the two have agreed to differ.
Skye Wheatley has kicked off her trip to Turkey to get the controversial 'fox eye lift' cosmetic procedure.

The influencer, 30, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to confirm that her travels were underway as she shared a series of snaps from the airport.

In one picture, she looked travel ready as she kept comfortable in grey tracksuit bottoms while pushing her bright pink suitcase through departures.

Skye, who lives on the Gold Coast, shared another picture of the departures lounge as she got excited for her big trip to get more cosmetic surgery.

Just one day ahead of her travels, Skye had taken to Instagram to share an array of selfies as she told how she would be 'snatched' soon, referencing the procedure.

The first snap saw Skye giving a very plump pout to the camera as she wrote, 'Omg Turkey tomorrow' as she tagged her plastic surgeon Dr Vasfi Celik.

Moments later, the Big Brother star posted another similar photo with the caption: 'Gone be a snatched queen [sic].'

Skye revealed in July that she is travelling to Turkey to get the controversial 'fox eye lift', which raises and tilts the eyes slightly for a cat eye effect.

Skye Wheatley has kicked off her trip to Turkey to get the controversial 'fox eye lift' cosmetic procedure

The influencer, 30, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to confirm that her travels were underway as she shared a series of snaps from the airport

The fox eye thread lift raises the edges of the brows using a dissolvable PDO (polydioxanone) thread, aiming to recreate the look of the surgical fox eye lift without the need for an operation.

Skye said of her plans: 'I am going to Turkey. I am getting the fox eye lift. It is pretty much a half face lift. The surgery itself is not very invasive.

'I want the smallest little lift, I don't want to look crazy, I don't want my eyebrows to be any higher than they are. I just want a little bit of a lift when my face is relaxed.'

'I know a few people who have had it and they look amazing,' she continued.

'At lot of people watching this don't know much about surgeries and will think I'm going to look older, that's fine but I'm still doing it.'

Detailing her other cosmetic plans, Skye admitted she also wants to have liposuction on her inner thighs and arms, but is worried it will look unnatural.

Skye revealed in July that she is travelling to Turkey to get the controversial 'fox eye lift', which raises and tilts the eyes slightly for a cat eye effect, while she also wants to have liposuction

'I'm also thinking I would love to get lipo here again because my doctor didn't take enough,' she continued.

'I've always been like this and I've had tweaks done. I've had my nose done. I love treatments and I love that they make you feel more confident. I really want to be open and honest about what I'm having done.'

'I don't want people thinking I've had a BBL. I don't know if I would go down the liposuction route,' she added.

Skye has undergone a litany of cosmetic procedures over the years, including lip and cheek filler, rhinoplasty and an infamously botched boob job.

She also revealed last June she had invested in getting 'trapezius slimming' injections in her shoulders.

She also went under the knife again last year to fix the botched boob job she received in Thailand in 2015.

In April, Skye also had an anti-ageing treatment to remove fine lines and wrinkles around her neck.
Lara Worthington and Sarah Ellen pulled out all the stops as they led the arrivals at YSL Beauty's loveshine factory launch event in Sydney on Thursday.

The model and the Neighbours actress made sure to turn heads in two daring ensembles as they stepped out at the iconic Icebergs Dining Room in Bondi.

Lara, 37, showed off her incredible figure in a black halter-neck gown with a plunging neckline and a statement mother of pearl shell sash buckle at the waist.

The elegant ensemble is from American fashion designer Conner Ives' 2024 collection and retails for a lavish $1,450.

Lara gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed patent black boots and let her outfit do all the talking as she kept her accessories minimal.

She swept her golden tresses back into a stylish up-do and opted for a dramatic bronzed make-up palette to complete her look.

Lara was joined at the event by Aussie soap opera star Sarah, who made sure to capture attention in an edgy ensemble.

Sarah put on a very leggy display in a black leather-look jumpsuit, made up of tiny hot pants and a puffed one-shouldered bodice.

Lara Worthington and Sarah Ellen pulled out all the stops as they led the arrivals at YSL Beauty's loveshine factory launch event in Sydney on Thursday

Lara, 37, showed off her incredible figure in a black halter-neck gown with a plunging neckline and a statement mother of pearl shell sash buckle at the waist

Sarah, who is best known for playing Madison Robinson in Neighbours, added to her frame with a pair of silver pointed stilettos.

She tote her essentials in a $3,150 cream Yves Saint Laurent handbag and further accessorised with two silver bangles.

Erin Holland also put on a very sophisticated display for the event, opting for a minimalistic look in a plunging blazer and fitted straight leg trousers.

The former Miss World Australia, 35, strutted her stuff in a pair of black pointed heels and added some glitz with a silver snake necklace.

But the most impressive part of her outfit was her high-end $9,750 Serpentine shoulder bag, which was covered in purple and silver Calla Crystals and featured a snakehead magnetic clasp.

Rozalia Russian also showed off her signature style in a high-neck brown maxi dress as she brought understated glamour to the event.

The elegant ensemble is from American fashion designer Conner Ives' 2024 collection and retails for a lavish $1,450

She swept her golden tresses back into a stylish up-do and opted for a dramatic bronzed make-up palette to complete her look

Lara gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed patent black boots and let her outfit do all the talking as she kept her accessories minimal

Lara showed off her stunning features with a dramatic smokey-eye make-up look, while she completed her outfit with dainty droplet earrings

Neighbours actress Sarah put on a very leggy display in a black leather-look jumpsuit, made up of tiny hot pants and a puffed one-shouldered bodice

She styled her brunette pixie cut in a slicked-back style and added to her natural beauty with a high-glamour make-up palette

Erin Holland also put on a very sophisticated display for the event, opting for a minimalistic look in a plunging blazer and fitted straight leg trousers

But the most impressive part of her outfit was her high-end $9,750 Serpentine shoulder bag, which was covered in stunning purple and silver Calla Crystals

Rozalia Russian also showed off her signature style in a high-neck brown maxi dress as she brought understated glamour to the event

Runway model Montana Cox also showed off her incredible figure in a simple black strapped dress, which she teamed with stylish black heels

While most of the guests kept to black or dark colour tones, Laura Dundovic opted for a strikingly different look as she stepped out in a cream dress

The popular Melbourne fashion blogger accessorised her look with statement gold earrings and swept her brunette tresses back into a tight ponytail.

Runway model Montana Cox also showed off her incredible figure in a simple black strapped dress, which she teamed with stylish black heels.

While most of the guests kept to black or dark colour tones, Laura Dundovic opted for a strikingly different look as she stepped out in a cream dress.

The model, 36, looked effortlessly chic in a simple strapped dress which hugged her incredible figure.

She added a pop of colour to her look with a pair of gold heeled flip-flops, which she styled with a matching metallic handbag.

The Bachelor star Anna Heinrich also put on a very glamorous display in a black strapless dress with an intricate cream satin bodice.

She oozed sophistication in the ensemble, which she teamed with black strapped heels and a love heart shaped clutch bag.

The Bachelor star Anna Heinrich also put on a very glamorous display in a black strapless dress with an intricate cream satin bodice

Gym owner Amy Castano, who is the ex-wife of Jono Castano, showed off her toned legs in a black mini skirt and a blazer with puffed sleeves, which she wore open over a sheer black bra

Sasha Morpeth put her toned abs on display in a sheer co-ord set, made up of a see-through lace top worn over a bralet and a matching low-rise skirt

Mimi Elashiry showed off her signature style in a fitted black gown with panel detailing while TikTok star Leah Halton opted for a lace mini dress for the occasion

Influencer Selina Yang put on a quirky display in a stunning black mini dress with puffed floral sleeves, which she styled with black knee-high boots and a glitzy silver handbag

Heartbreak High actor James Majoos put on a sophisticated display in a sheer black lace shirt, which he styled with smart black trousers and chunky loafers

The reality TV star styled her golden tresses in a straight fashion cascading over her shoulders to complete her outfit.

Also among the star-studded guest list were the likes of influencer Sasha Morpeth, Jono Castano's ex-wife and gym owner Amy Castano, and social media star Mimi Elashiry, among others.

The stars all descended on Icebergs for the launch of Yves Saint Laurent Beaute's loveshine factory pop-up to celebrate the release of their new lipstick range.

The loveshine lipstick collection, endorsed by ambassador Dua Lipa, boasts a wet shine lipstick, a lip gloss stick and a tinted butter balm all in a range of shades.
Gavin And Stacey's Mathew Horne was finally seen on set filming for the upcoming Christmas special on Thursday.

Mathew, who portrays Gavin in the hit BBC sitcom, also reunited for the first time with James Corden, who plays Smithy, after their famous feud.

The actor got straight back into filming as he was seen filming a freak bike accident with his on-screen wife Joanna Page, aka Stacey.

Rob Brydon (Uncle Bryn) was also seen back on set filming scenes for the second time in a row.

Corden - who was the directing filming and hasn't yet started filming himself - was seen chatting away with Mathew on his first day back.

Gavin And Stacey's Mathew Horne was finally seen on set filming for the upcoming Christmas special on Thursday

Mathew, who portrays Gavin in the hit BBC sitcom, also reunited for the first time with James Corden, who plays Smithy, after their famous feud

Mathew got stuck into filming scenes of a bike crash for the Christmas special of the sitcom

Rob Brydon (Uncle Bryn) was also seen back on set filming with Melanie Walters (Gwen) on Wednesday

Known as the 'Gavalar' and 'Smithster', there looked to be no tension between James and Mathew on set, despite their feud many years ago.

James and Mathew went on to work together as comedy partners on projects including the critically-panned movie Lesbian Vampire Killers after Gavin And Stacey wrapped up.

Hoping to make it as a TV duo they also hosted comedy show Horne and Corden in 2009, yet this also received woeful reviews from critics.

As their career together failed to take off, the pair stopped working together and began to drift apart with rumours of a feud circling them both.

While James found success on the West End stage in One Man, Two Guvnors, and then headed over to America to begin hosting the Late Late Show in 2015, Mathew remained in the UK working on TV projects.

Speculation on the pair's friendship continued to grow as many fans feared they had fallen out.

During an appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2011, James discussed their relationship as he admitted they had drifted but there was never a pivotal fall out.

As James was asked whether he kept up with Mat, he replied: 'Err, we talk occasionally, yeah.'

The actor got straight back into filming as he was seen on set with Joanna Page, aka Stacey

Known as the 'Gavalar' and 'Smithster', there looked to be no tension between James and Mathew on set, despite their feud many years ago

James - who was the directing filming and hasn't yet started filming himself - was seen chatting away with Mathew on his first day back filming

Mathew sported beige trousers and a blue padded coat, teamed with a helmet as he prepared for the bike scene

James stuck up a peace sign as he continued directing the Christmas special episode

James showed Rob and Joanna how he wanted scenes to be done

Joanna looked in high spirits as she was back on set, wearing a floral dress and brown boots

Mathew was in high spirits throughout the rainy day on set

At the time of their rift, James and Mathew stopped working together and began to drift apart

While James headed over to America to begin hosting the Late Late Show in 2015, Mathew remained in the UK working on TV projects

James and Mathew reunited for the Gavin And Stacey Christmas special back in 2019 and Mat squashed any rumours of a feud

After both insisting there was never a feud, they are reuniting once again for the final ever episode of the sitcom set to air this Christmas

The fab four - including Mathew (second from right), were last seen in 2019's Christmas Special in which Nessa proposed to Smithy and the episode ended before he answered

Piers then revealed that Mat was asked to take part in the programme but chose not to. Faltering, James continued: 'I didn't know that, but I can understand.'

Expressing regret for how quickly they got caught up in everything post Gavin And Stacey, he confirmed 'We never fell out, it was never that. We were one person for a long time. If I have one regret, it was we just rushed those things.

'We did our own sketch show but the reaction was fierce. It was hard to go through that. We were riding this amazing wave and then it just dropped. In one year we spent 263 days together and we went from that to nothing.'

Riding the LA wave, James hosted the Late Late Show until 2023, as he made a name for himself across the pond with his iconic Carpool Karaoke and the Spill Your Guts challenge.

James and Mat reunited for the Gavin And Stacey Christmas special back in 2019 and Mathew squashed any rumours of a feud.

When asked about the 'feud' by MailOnline at the launch episode, Mat insisted the claims were entirely were fabricated - with no animosity in place.

As MailOnline asked the actor: 'After rumours of a feud, did you feel the need to address the claims when you reunited earlier this year?', Mathew simply insisted the claims were made up, as he joined the whole cast except James at the press conference.

After both insisting there was never a feud between the pair, they are reuniting once again for the final ever episode of the sitcom set to air this Christmas.
Olivia Molly Rogers and Catriona Rowntree put on effortlessly glamorous displays as they stepped out at the Victorian Racing Club's spring gala dinner on Thursday.

The model, 32, and the Getaway star, 53, oozed sophistication as they led the arrivals for the luxury event at Melbourne's Crown Palladium.

Olivia showed off her incredible figure in a dazzling plum gown embellished with glitzy sequins and featured a sheer waterfall skirt as well as a billowing satin scarf.

She let the eye-catching ensemble do all the talking as she kept her accessories minimal while she toted her essentials in a small black clutch bag.

The 2017 Miss Universe Australia winner accentuated her stunning features with a bronzed make-up palette and swept her brunette locks into a chic up-do.

She appeared to be in good spirits as she smiled while posing alongside Made In Bondi star Paul Versace, who looked dapper in a blue satin suit.

Meanwhile, TV presenter Catriona looked equally glamorous in a stunning green gown with a white floral skirt and an emerald bodice with silver detailing.

Catriona, who has been embroiled in a battle in recent days over plans for a battery farm near her home, put aside the drama as she enjoyed a care-free night out.

Olivia Molly Rogers and Catriona Rowntree put on effortlessly glamorous displays as they stepped out at the Victorian Racing Club's spring gala dinner on Thursday

Model Olivia, 32, showed off her incredible figure in a dazzling plum gown which was embellished all over with sparkling sequins and featured a sheer waterfall skirt

She styled her caramel tresses in loose waves across her shoulders and appeared to be in good spirits as she smiled for the cameras.

The pair were joined at the lavish dinner by the likes of Aussie jockey Michelle Payne, Melbourne model Demi Brereton and rugby star Kris Smith and his wife Sarah.

Catriona's glitzy outing comes as she has been passionately fighting plans for a renewable battery farm to be build next to her farmhouse in Victoria in recent days.

She 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.

In an Instagram post, Catriona slammed the plans and claimed she was 'blindsided' by the proposals, only finding out about them in a report in her local newspaper.

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.

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.

She also noted that the remote location is protected by a significant landscape overlay, which aim to preserve and enhance significant areas.

She let the eye-catching ensemble do all the talking as she kept her accessories minimal while she toted her essentials in a small black clutch bag

The 2017 Miss Universe Australia winner accentuated her stunning features with a bronzed make-up palette and swept her brunette locks into a chic up-do

She appeared to be in good spirits as she smiled while posing alongside Made In Bondi star Paul Versace, who looked dapper in a blue satin suit

Meanwhile, TV presenter Catriona looked equally glamorous in a stunning green gown with a white floral skirt and an emerald bodice with silver detailing

Catriona, who has been embroiled in a battle in recent days over plans for a battery farm near her home, put aside the drama as she enjoyed a care-free night out

She styled her caramel tresses in loose waves across her shoulders and appeared to be in good spirits as she smiled for the cameras

Groundbreaking Melbourne Cup winning-jockey Michelle Payne put on a very glitzy display in an extravagant cream gown embellished with an array of green and pink stitching and gems

Her gorgeous gown featured dramatic waterfall sleeves while she added to her frame with a pair of strapped heels to complete her bombshell look

Rugby star Kris Smith cut a suave figure in a black suit as he cuddled up to his partner Sarah, who put on a leggy display in a black mini dress

Weekend Today host Clint Stanaway looked very smart in a black tuxedo as he joined the stars at the festivities

'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.

'That is in an attempt to go green, we are losing our green!'

Speaking to Sky News, Catriona said she is 'fighting to protect' her town against the dangerous farm, which she said will ruin views from the park and discourage tourists from visiting the area.

'The state government themselves placed a significant landscape overlay on this very region, because half a million tourists who visit the You Yangs will be looking straight down onto this very property,' she said on Tuesday.

'372 lithium freight containers covering nearly 40 acres of land... You've seen how many fires actually happen in this area on our property,' she continued.

'I love the fact that the people that tried to push this through did not count on how strongly our community would feel about this.'

Catriona claims she had little more than a week's notice to state her opposition to the project before the September 7 deadline after receiving a letter in the mail only last month.

The notice letter was dated on August 8 but the television star claims not to have received it until August 16.

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.

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.

Catriona's glitzy outing comes after she has been passionately fighting 'secretive' plans for a renewable battery farm to be build next to her farmhouse in Victoria in recent days

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

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.
Stephanie Rice has announced she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey after seven months of dating.

The swimming legend, 36, took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the jovial news, just weeks after first going public with her and Mark's romance in July.

She shared an array of sweet snaps of the moment pastor and Aussie father-of-three Mark popped the question at Dubai's luxury Atlantis The Royal hotel.

The couple, who met around seven months ago, looked overjoyed as they beamed from ear-to-ear and shared a kiss, while Stephanie flashed her diamond sparkler.

Stephanie looked effortlessly glamorous in a gorgeous white floral dress and strapped heels during the picture-perfect outdoor hotel proposal.

She accentuated her stunning features with a high-glamour make-up palette and looked happier than ever as she cuddled up to her new fiance.

Mark cut a dapper figure in a white shirt, cream trousers and a black blazer as he presented Stephanie with a diamond ring from Perth's Charles Edward Jewellers.

The newly-engaged couple packed on the PDA as they shared a romantic kiss after Mark popped the big question.

Stephanie Rice has announced she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey after seven months of dating

The swimming legend, 36, took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the jovial news, just weeks after first going public with her and Mark's romance in July

She shared an array of sweet snaps of the moment pastor and Aussie father-of-three Mark popped the question at Dubai 's luxury Atlantis The Royal hotel

In a caption, Stephanie gushed: 'Here's to fresh starts and second chances Yes to a lifetime with you.'

She concluded the post with a Bible verse, writing: '''Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.'' Psalm 37:4.'

Their engagement comes just weeks after Stephanie first went public with their romance in an Instagram post at the start of July.

Stephanie had been quietly dating the Australian pastor for five months before officially confirming their romance.

They were introduced through a mutual friend and then started a long-distance romance as Mark is based in Perth while Stephanie moved to Dubai in November.

'When we met almost 5 months ago, we both knew this was different,' she gushed in an Instagram post alongside cosy snaps of herself and Mark.

'From the start, there was a deep intentionally between us, and because of the complexities of our lives we wanted to keep these first few months between close family and friends, and enjoy the wonder of falling in love.'

'But as God would have it, that first phone conversation made us feel like this was exactly where we were both meant to end up,' she continued before detailing their long-distance romance.

The couple, who met around seven months ago, looked overjoyed as they beamed from ear-to-ear and shared a kiss, while Stephanie flashed her diamond sparkler

The newly-engaged couple packed on the PDA as they shared a romantic kiss after Mark popped the big question

Stephanie looked effortlessly glamorous in a gorgeous white floral dress and strapped heels during the picture-perfect outdoor hotel proposal

'Living halfway across the world from each other in different time zones has had its challenges (thank god for Zoom) but God has been so good and so present in every step of our journey, which gives us an unwavering faith that our future will be even more extraordinary through Him.

'If there is one word that sums up how both of us feel right now, it's grateful. Grateful for God, grateful for Him bringing us together in His perfect timing, grateful for a fresh start.

'Grateful for the peace and strength we find in each other, grateful for loving friends and family, grateful for an amazing church and mentors supporting our journey, and most of all, grateful for each other.'

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Stephanie joined the church when she relocated to Dubai late last year and is now heavily involved with Kingdom City.

Mark is a pastor with the same organisaton in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He is also a father to three sons - Tyler, Joel and Luke - who Stephanie has already met as their budding relationship has only gone from strength-to-strength.

Their engagement comes just weeks after Stephanie first went public with their romance in an Instagram post in July after five months of dating

Mark is a father to three sons - Tyler, Joel and Luke (all pictured) - who Stephanie has already met as their budding relationship has only gone from strength-to-strength

'I honestly never thought I would be this person turning up on prayer nights, on my own, in a new country, connecting with a community through a church,' Stephanie recently shared of her journey with the church.

'But here I am and gosh it is so special and has helped me feel so supported in this new home in Dubai.'

Kingdom City started in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia in addition to the Middle East.

Stephanie was previously romantically involved with former soldier Dane Christison, who she met at an Australian church.

The couple holidayed in the United States together over Christmas 2023, but she publicly announced their split just months later in May 2024.

Stephanie had deleted images of her boyfriend from her Instagram page even earlier in March and had not mentioned him in some weeks.

The sportswoman later opened up about how she was happy their relationship had ended.

'When I moved, I really wanted to share a lot more of the journey with you guys in real time,' she said.

Mark (right) is a pastor with the organisation in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, while Stephanie joined the church after moving to Dubai late last year

'I just was going through the deepest healing. I was in a really challenging relationship at the time, when we broke up, I felt the peace of God was upon me. I felt like I felt free. I felt happy.

Stephanie said that her new life in Dubai has lifted a weight off her shoulders.

'For the first time, I realised the heaviness that I was carrying. I just felt like it all lifted off me, and I feel like I'm in this amazing place now where I feel so happy, so content,' she said.

'God is so good. I'm seeing so many fruits of the amazing things God has given me, and I want to be able to share a lot more of what's kind of happened over the past six months' she said.

'Now that I have a lot more clarity, a lot more peace, and a lot more happiness.'
He then elaborated that he tends to react to frustrations with passive aggression

To this, the actor responded, 'Mostly, yeah Probably justifiably so'

Ben, 52, was asked if his 'former girlfriends [are] generally p**sed off' at him

An old interview with Ben Affleck in which he discussed his subpar coping tendencies within the context of romantic relationships is making the rounds in the wake of the actor's divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

In the excerpt, from a December 1999 issue of Playboy, the interviewer asks Ben, 52, if his 'other former girlfriends [are] generally p**sed off' at him.

To this, Ben candidly responds, 'Mostly, yeah.'

Prompted to elaborate, he further admits: 'Probably justifiably so. If I were the next guy to go out with them I'm sure I would be nodding in agreement about what an a**hole their ex-boyfriend was.

An old interview with Ben Affleck in which he discussed his poor coping tendencies in the context of relationships has resurfaced in the wake of his divorce from Jennifer Lopez

In the story, from the December 1999 issue of Playboy, the interview asks Ben if his 'other former girlfriends [are] generally p**sed off' at him

'It's not like I was a womanizer or physically abusive or psychologically abusive or whatever,' he clarified.

'It's just that these relationships never end well.'

He continued: 'I think what happens is, I end up wanting to be out of the relationship.

'During the course of a relationship, if you get dissatisfied and unhappy and don't say something, if you don't deal with it right then, it just festers and stays there.

'So instead of saying, "Look, don't do that, please don't act this way," I go along with it until I just don't want to be in the relationship at all.

'Then I create some incident or do something or just don't call. And then she's p**sed.

'And I can't necessarily blame her at that point since I've developed such a passive-aggressive rage that I have no sympathy and tell her, "Well of course I didn't call you. If you weren't such a nagging, shrewish harpy I'd call you."

'But that hopefully is something I'm growing out of,' the Pearl Harbor star expressed.

'During the course of a relationship, if you get dissatisfied and unhappy and don't say something, if you don't deal with it right then, it just festers and stays there,' he said (pictured at the time in 1999)

In 1999, Ben was in the midst of an on-again, off-again relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow (left). Prior to Gwyneth, Ben's first major romantic relationship was with director Cheyenne Rothman, whom he dated from 1990 to 1997 (right)

'Bennifer' was born after Ben and Jennifer Lopez, now 55, met on the set of Gigli, kicking off a two-year relationship that ended in 2004

Commenters on the gossip subreddit r/Fauxmoi, where the excerpt has gone viral, were quick to weight in.

'"But that hopefully is something I'm growing out of." Unfortunately, I have bad news for 1999 Ben Affleck,' one quipped.

'Narrator: He never grew out of it,' a second bantered.

'This is a great example of why self-awareness as a trait is meaningless on its own, if you don't have the emotional maturity to actually do something about the pattern you keep finding yourself in.

'This man figured it out more than two decades ago and then decided to keep inflicting himself on his partners hoping they'd fix him somehow,' declared one armchair psychoanalyst.

'Dismissive avoidant? Anyway he sucks but it must be tragic to go through 20 years continually making the same mistakes over and over again,' another echoed.

'So instead of saying, "Look, don't do that, please don't act this way," I go along with it until I just don't want to be in the relationship at all,' he shared

Commenters weighed in on Ben's apparent inability to break his bad habits when it comes to his long-term relationships

By 1999, Ben was in an on-again off-again relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow, now 51, who he began dating in 1997 and with whom he had co-starred in Shakespeare in Love (1998) and later in Bounce (2000).

Ben had been in one major serious relationship prior to Gwyneth with director Cheyenne Rothman, also now 52.

He and Cheyenne, who met while the two were still in high school, dated from 1990 to 1997 before she reportedly dumped him in the midst of his skyrocketing fame.

After splitting with Gwyneth in 2000, Ben infamously struck up his first ill-fated romance with JLo, 55, in 2002 after co-starring in 2003's much-maligned Gigli - and 'Bennifer' was born.

The two got engaged before splitting up in 2004.

Both went on to to marry and divorce other people - Ben to Jennifer Garner and JLo to Marc Antony.

In 2021, however, Bennifer saw its second coming as sparks appeared to be flying between the two amid a post-pandemic romantic rekindling.

The pair finally tied the knot in 2022, first with an intimate Las Vegas chapel wedding, followed by a larger wedding at Ben's lavish estate in Hampton Island, Georgia.

But, just two years later, Bennifer has fallen back apart, with JLo officially filing for divorce as of August 20, 2024.
Joe-Warren Plant has reportedly split from his long-term girlfriend Anna Norton, and the pair are 'no longer speaking'.

The Emmerdale actor, 22, dated Anna for over two years and share a house together in Blackpool, but insiders have revealed the romance recently ended.

A source told The Sun: 'Joe and Anna are over, it's very sad but they are still very young.

'It hasn't been the amicable split they were hoping for and they aren't speaking now at all.'

Joe, who plays Jacob Gallagher in the ITV soap, confirmed the relationship with the blonde stunner back in 2021, and previously was dating model Nicole Hadlow from 2017 until 2021.

Joe-Warren Plant has reportedly split from his long-term girlfriend Anna Norton after buying a house together - and they are no longer on speaking terms

The Emmerdale actor, 22, dated Anna for over two years and share a house together in Blackpool, but insiders have revealed the romance recently ended

Joe and Anna previously fell out after claims she was unfaithful, but the pair worked through it at the time and welcomed their 'first child' - a cat called Wolfie.

MailOnline has contacted Joe's representative's for comment.

Joe has always been quite private about his personal life as well as his soap earnings, but has been a regular on the series for 16 years.

However, he did document some of his and Anna's gorgeous holidays, including one this year to Morocco.

Another previous trip saw the pair cherishing their time in Paris where they romantically celebrated their anniversary.

Anna proudly stood by Joe-Warren's side on several occasions, including last year's Soap Awards.

The actor seemed to also often enjoy festivals as he shared loved-up snaps with his girlfriend at Teletech UK and Reading & Leeds Festival.

It comes after Joe was spotted pulling pints as the actor surprised fans by revealing his second job, which he manages alongside his acting.

The actor seemed to also often enjoy festivals as he shared loved-up snaps with his girlfriend at Teletech UK and Reading & Leeds Festival

It comes after Joe was spotted pulling pints as the actor surprised fans by revealing his second job, which he manages alongside his acting

Despite still regularly acting on the ITV soap since he was eight, Joe-Warren, now 22, proved to be quite the hard worker as he supplements his income with a job at his local pub - something he took on just recently.

The actor - who is well-known for his role as Jacob Gallagher - was seen serving customers in Blackpool, Lancs, who were quick to recognise him.

According to The Mirror , an onlooker at the pub said: 'Joe-Warren is a friendly lad  he only joined recently so he's just getting started.

'It's not the case at all that he has left Emmerdale, he's still very much on set. But he knows via friends the owner of the bar and offered to help out.'

The soap sensation was also a contestant on ITV's Dancing On Ice in 2021 where he was partnered with Vanessa Bauer.

Despite still regularly acting on the ITV soap since he was eight, Joe-Warren, now 22, proved to be quite the hard worker as he supplements his income with a job at his local pub - something he took on just recently (pictured on Emmerdale in November 2023)

In order to take part in the hit skating show, his soap character was temporarily written out in November of that year.

Despite the pair being highly tipped to win, they had to quit the show when they both tested positive for COVID-19.

Later on in 2022, he took part on ITV game show Ninja Warrior UK, which see contestants put their strength and the ability to survive to test by completing a series of obstacles.

His beloved character Jacob was part of some bombshell plot twists, including the moment he learnt he was adopted by Alicia Metcalfe (Natalie Anderson) and that was the biological son of Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi).
Sabrina Carpenter looked breathtaking as she took part in a retro-inspired cover shoot for W Magazine.

The songstress, 25, stunned in an array of chic looks as she talked the origins of her hit summer track Espresso and getting star-struck meeting Zac Efron at age 12.

Sabrina displayed her legs in a collared black mini dress with her feet slipped into sling back flats and her hair done up into a voluminous style.

She also donned a chic Gucci look as she posed on the yard of the lush property.

Her hair partially pulled back with her trademark curtain bangs on display, she sported a lemony Gucci blazer with matching shorts.

Sabrina Carpenter looked breathtaking as she took part in a retro-inspired cover shoot for W Magazine

She graces the latest cover of W Magazine

On the cover, Sabrina sported an animal print coat that was belted into her trim waist.

The Please Please Please songstress was also channeling Barbie in a black and pink polka dot mini dress equipped with pockets and combined with classic heels.

Other dresses she rocked were a glamorous white frock and a gorgeous floral dress which she modeled by a white picket fence.

During her chat with W, Sabrina recalled the 'dangerous Zac Efron phase' she had as a 12-year-old when he was starring in the movie musical Hairspray.

The future celebrity was star-struck herself after meeting Efron on the beach.

'Oh godI had a really dangerous Zac Efron phase, when he was in Hairspray. I was 12 years old, and I was on a beach for the Fourth of July,' she told the publication.

'He would never remember this, but I saw him and said, "Im a big fan of your work!" He gave me a hug. And I remember thinking, Oh my godhe wasnt wearing a shirt and he gave me a hug! I was like, This is amazing. Im never washing my body!'

She also described how her hit summer anthem, Espresso, came to be.

Carpenter donned a lemony Gucci blazer and matching shorts

Her hair was donned up in a voluminous style as she posed in a sexy white dress

Carpenter sported a retro-inspired floral dress as she relaxed on a grassy lawn

One look was reminiscent of a Barbie doll

The song was written while Sabrina was in France during a break from opening for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

'I was in a ghost town that had one little creperie down the road. I had my shot of espresso, and then I might have had some champagne, and before I knew it the song was written,' she said.

'I definitely hear it now in every car I get into, and being on the radio, to me, is stillits like fate. You have to be at the right place at the right time,' she added of the track.

Sabrina also opened up about pursuing her showbusiness career as a child. 'I cant even remember when I started singing and performing and entertaining, because I was really, really little,' she said of her acting career.

'I did my first audition when I was around 11 years old. The second or third audition was for the first job that I bookedLaw & Order: SVU. I was thrown off by that booking because I always wanted to do comedy. And on that show, I was a victim. I remember running the lines with my dad and asking, "Is this what acting is?" And then I booked Orange Is the New Black. Can I swear? That episode was called F**ksgiving.'

Sabrina was then cast in family-friendly roles following her gig on Orange Is The New Black. 'I went from raunchy to Disney!' she added.

Her hair appeared to be in the process of being styled as she sat in the sunshine wearing sunglasses

She flashed her French tip manicure whilst clad in a leopard print coat

She worked a gorgeous white mini dress and metallic heels

Sabrina's track Espresso was released in April 2024 as the lead single from her upcoming album Short n' Sweet.

The song, and its music video, directed by Dave Meyers, quickly gained global popularity, with the chart-topper reaching number one on the Billboard Global 200, making it her first number-one single.

In the United States, Espresso peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

Espresso is an anthem about feeling confident and irresistible, with the star comparing herself to coffee and suggesting that she's so stimulating she keeps people up at night thinking about her.

Sabrina cooled down by a sprinkler

During her chat with W, Sabrina recalled the 'dangerous Zac Efron phase' she had as a 12-year-old when he was starring in the film adaptation of Hairspray

Efron starred in the 2007 musical Hairspray

'Now he's thinkin' bout me Every night, oh/ Is it that sweet? I guess so/ Say you can't sleep, baby, I know/ That's that me espresso,' Sabrina sings.

The energetic music video features her and a male lead star in captivating scenes set against a beach backdrop.

Espresso was written by Sabrina, along with Amy Allen, Steph Jones, and Julian Bunetta.
Green Day were forced to rush off stage mid-song after a security breach during their concert at Comerica Park, Detroit on Wednesday.

The iconic band - comprised of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool - were playing Longview around 20 minutes into their show at 8.50pm when a stage hand rushed out and grabbed Dirnt - before hurrying him off stage.

Video of the incident shows Billie Joe, 52, watching Dirnt, 52, leave the stage before he stops singing, drops his instrument and runs off the stage.

The confused 35,000 strong-crowd continued singing along as the lights went on in the stadium - with a message onscreen reading: 'Show Pause. Please standby for details.'

Detroit Police Cpl. Dan Donakowski later told Detroit News: 'There was an individual that flew a drone into Comerica Park, so Green Day was taken off stage.

Green Day were forced to rush off stage mid-song after a security breach during their concert at Comerica Park, Detroit on Wednesday - pictured band members Billie Joe Armstrong , Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool in April

'Shortly after that, they went back on stage to perform. DPD located this individual outside of Comerica Park. He is being detained pending further investigation.'

The band was gone for around 10 minutes before resuming the show,

Billie Joe said on his return to the stage: 'How you guys doing? Everybody OK?' before resuming Longview in the same spot before the band's exit.

After playing Welcome To Paradise Armstrong said: 'There ain't no motherf****r that's gonna stop us, I'll tell you that.'

After the closing song - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Armstrong quipped: 'A night we're all gonna remember.'

The band's official X account later posted: 'Detroit! Sorry for the delay in the show tonight, Stadium security had us clear the stage while they dealt with a potential safety issue.

'DPD quickly resolved the situation, and we were able to continue. Thanks for understanding.'

The band are currently on their Saviors Tour which celebrates the 30th anniversary of debut album Dookie and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot.

The iconic band were playing Longview around 20 minutes into their show at 8.50pm when a stage hand rushed out and grabbed Dirnt - before hurrying him off stage - pictured Armstrong in July

Video of the incident shows Billie Joe, 52, watching Dirnt, 52, leave the stage before he stops singing, drops his instrument and runs off the stage - the band pictured July

The band's official X account later posted: 'Detroit! Sorry for the delay in the show tonight, Stadium security had us clear the stage while they dealt with a potential safety issue'

They perform both albums in their entirety on each date of the tour.

Their next show is on September 7 in Denver at Coors Field.
Kate Winslet's daughter Mia Threapleton was seen donning eye-catching traditional dress as she continued filming The Buccaneers season two on Thursday.

The actress, 23, was seen in Edinburgh, Scotland shooting a wedding scene for the Apple TV+ adaptation of the Edith Wharton novel The Buccaneers.

A synopsis reads: 'Sent to secure husbands and titles, young American women explode into the tightly corseted London season of the 1870s, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash.'

She plays Lady Honoria Marabel and wore a striking blue corset dress as she was seen stepping out of church.

The first season which came out in 2023 also starred British actress Imogen Waterhouse, the sister of model and actress Suki, and rising star Kristine Froseth who was Nan St George, the lead. Mad Men's Christina Hendricks played Nan's mother.

Kate Winslet's daughter Mia Threapleton was seen donning eye-catching traditional dress as she continued filming The Buccaneers season two on Thursday

The actress, 23, was seen in Edinburgh, Scotland shooting a wedding scene for the Apple TV+ adaptation of the Edith Wharton novel The Buccaneers

Mia looked dressed perfect for the time in the dark blue and green dress which she wore with velvet headdress detailing and black lace gloves.

Kate's daughter with ex-husband Jim Threapleton wore her blonde tresses pinned up and opted for a natural makeup look while on set.

It comes after Mia made her acting debut in 2014's A Little Chaos, followed by a role in 2020 thriller drama, Shadows.

She then made waves with her performance in the Bafta-winning Channel 4 drama I Am Ruth, alongside her mother in 2022.

Kate won the Leading Actress Bafta in May last year and declared from the stage: 'We did this together, kiddo!'

In a tearful acceptance speech, she went on: 'There were days when it was agony for her to dig as deeply as she did, into very frightening emotional territory sometimes, and it took my breath away.

'I Am Ruth was made for parents and their children, for families who feel that they are held hostage by the perils of the online world.

'For parents who wish they could still communicate with their teenagers but who no longer can. And for young people who have become addicted to social media and its darker sides - this does not need to be your life.

A synopsis reads: 'Sent to secure husbands and titles, young American women explode into the tightly corseted London season of the 1870s, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash' (actress Aubri Ibrag seen)

The first season which came out in 2023 also starred British actress Imogen Waterhouse, the sister of model and actress Suki, and rising star Kristine Froseth (seen) who was Nan St George, the lead

'To people in power and to people who can make a change - please criminalise harmful content. Please eradicate harmful content. We don't want it. We want our children back.'

Krish Majumdar, the producer of the show, previously revealed in a radio interview that Mia had auditioned separately to her mother.

He said: 'Mia was there completely on merit and her performance was terrific.'

Contrary to what viewers might believe, Mia didn't get to spend much time watching her mother at work while she was a child.

Speaking to Variety, she admitted: 'I never actually spent much time around sets that my mum was working on. It was always a special treat. Its a very different experience when it is happening to you, and not just something I was getting to observe from time to time.

'I really understand why my mum has always impressed on us how hard the work is. She is right! And I loved every second of it.'

She plays Lady Honoria Marabel and is seen in season one of the period drama which came out last year
Angelina Jolie's son Pax was seen for the first time since his horror e-bike crash in July as he stepped out with the actress in LA on Wednesday.

Pax, 20 - who suffered 'complex trauma' in the collision with a car on July 29 in LA - sported an arm cast and a bucket hat emblazoned with 'Miracle' as he continued his recovery with family.

The outing comes as estranged father Brad Pitt, 60, attended the Venice Film Festival with age-gap girlfriend Ines de Ramon, 34.

Pax looked in good spirits as he spent quality time with his mother at lunch in Beverly Hills weeks after the accident.

Angelina, 49, wore a cream top, cardigan and slacks with tan heels for the outing.

Angelina Jolie 's son Pax was seen for the first time since his horror e-bike crash in July as he stepped out with the actress in LA on Wednesday

Pax, 20 - who suffered 'complex trauma' in the collision with a car on July 29 in LA - sported an arm cast and a bucket hat emblazoned with 'Miracle' as he continued his recovery with family

Her locks were worn in a sleek ponytail and she sported chic shades.

Angelina has been by Pax's side at the hospital since he crashed into a car during rush hour in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

A source told TMZ that witnesses who lived nearby initially believed Pax had died in the crash as they discovered him lying lifeless on the ground.

It was not until paramedics arrived at the scene that Pax regained consciousness.

Page Six is reporting that this was not the first time the young man has been involved in incidents involving two and four wheeled vehicles.

'His friends are concerned about him,' an insider told the outlet alleging, 'He's being reckless. They're worried.'

'He has had a string of car crashes,' the source asserted. 'It's not great. Pax is a troubled kid, and Angelina is doing her best to help him.'

The publication reported that LAPD sources said there was nothing new to add to the initial report of a traffic collision, when asked if charges might be pending.

Pax looked in good spirits as he spent quality time with his mother at lunch in Beverly Hills

The outing comes as estranged father Brad Pitt , 60, attended the Venice Film Festival with age-gap girlfriend Ines de Ramon , 34

Pax sent an emotional message with his bucket hat

Pax appeared to make a nod to his incredible recovery with his hat

Pax is continuing his recovery with his mom by his side

Angelina chatted with her son as they left lunch with a bodyguard

Angelina, 49, wore a cream top, cardigan and slacks with tan heels for the outing

Her locks were worn in a sleek ponytail and she sported chic shades

Pax sent a message with his choice of hat as he strolled

Responding police and paramedics opted to rush Pax to the hospital after he complained of head pain.

Despite his injuries, TMZ's source claimed that Pax's bike did not show any obvious signs of damage.

Pax  who like several of his other siblings is estranged from his famous father  had reportedly been driving down Los Feliz Boulevard around 5 p.m., which put him on the regularly crowded street during rush hour traffic.

According to law enforcement sources, he had been coming up to an intersection when he crashed his bike into the back of the car, which had already stopped for the red light.

The car's driver reportedly did their duty by getting out and checking on the injured Pax before police and paramedics arrived.

Although it's not clear exactly where he collided with the car, witnesses at the scene said he complained of pain in his hip, and they said he appeared to have injured his head in the crash.

Angelina has been by Pax's side at the hospital since he crashed into a car during rush hour in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles . He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident

Pax revealed his injured arm as his mom kept close to his side

Pax was seen chatting with his mom as they left their lunch

Pax wore a white top, waistcoat and joggers for his outing

Pax will have a 'long road of recovery' and 'suffered complex trauma' a source told People of his condition; seen in LA on July 11

A rep for Pitt recently declined to comment when asked if he planned to visit his son in hospital; they are seen in 2014

Pax smiled as he enjoyed some time with his mom

In recent months, Pax has been spotted around Los Angeles riding on a Talaria Sting R MX4 electric bike, which costs around $3,000, though it's not known if that was the same bike he crashed.

He was most recently pictured on the dirt bike on July 11.

Notably, he wasn't wearing a helmet when he was pictured riding the bike in public.

California state laws require all bike and motorcycle riders under 18 to wear helmets, but it's unclear if the type of bike Pax was riding at the time would have required him to wear a helmet.

The crash also reportedly took place on a street near Angelina's Los Angeles residence.

Angelina rushed to the hospital to be by her son's beside following the crash.

Pax, who was born in Vietnam, was adopted by Jolie at age three, joining siblings Maddox, 22, and Zahara, 19.

He is reportedly close to them as well as siblings Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16.

Maddox and Zahara were adopted by Jolie's then-partner, Brad, in 2005 and he adopted Pax in 2008.

All three of the older children have been estranged from Pitt following an incident on a private airplane in 2016, when the actor allegedly hit one of his children.

Pax, who was born in Vietnam, was adopted by Jolie at age three. Brad then adopted him in 2008; The former couple and their kids pictured in Tokyo in November 2008

Pax called his father a 'world class a**hole' who makes his four youngest children 'tremble in fear' in an explosive Instagram rant posted for Father's Day 2020, DailyMail.com revealed in November

Brad and Angelina married in August 2014 after 10 years together but Angelina filed for divorce in September 2016; seen in 2006

No charges were filed after an investigation into the alleged incident.

Pax called his father a 'world class a**hole' who makes his four youngest children 'tremble in fear' in an explosive Instagram rant posted for Father's Day 2020, DailyMail.com revealed in November.

The star has found it 'depressing to see this dragged up', according to sources close to him, who went on to rubbish the claims.

But in a cutting post, Pax wrote: 'You have made the lives of those closest to me a constant hell.'

'You may tell yourself and the world whatever you want,' he added., 'but the truth will come to light someday.

Then he sarcastically added: 'So Happy Father's Day, you f*****g awful human being.'

Jolie and Pitt are legally divorced but are still fighting over the sale of Miraval, the vineyard in France.
Reese Witherspoon showed her new romance with Oliver Haarmann is heating up as the pair held hands during a date night in NYC on Wednesday.

The actress, 48, who split from second husband Jim Toth last year, looked stunning in an LBD as she embarked on her first PDA with the German financier, 56 by grabbing his hand as they headed to a taxi.

The star showed off her toned frame in the black dress with a floral neckline - paired with strappy sandals.

Her blonde locks were worn straight and she sported a radiant palette of make-up for the evening.

The new couple looked closer than ever as they strolled side-by-side on their date.

Reese Witherspoon showed her new romance with Oliver Haarmann is heating up as the pair held hands during a date night in NYC on Wednesday

The actress, 48, who split from second husband Jim Toth last year, looked stunning in an LBD as she embarked on her first PDA with the German financier, 56 by grabbing his hand as they headed to a taxi

In July DailyMail.com exclusively revealed Reese had been seen out on a string of dates with Haarmann, whose ex-wife - businesswoman Mala Gaonkar, 54, is now in a relationship with musician David Byrne, 72.

It is unclear how serious their relationship is. DailyMail.com contacted Reese's representative for comment.

Haarmann is a founding partner of Searchlight Capital Partners, a private equity investment firm.

He was previously a senior partner of the global investment firm KKR & Co. He shares two sons with Gaonkar.

He earned a bachelor's degree in history and international relations from Brown University in 1990, and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1996.

The Morning Show actress and her ex-husband, 54, shocked fans in March 2023 when they announced they had separated and were getting a divorce after nearly 12 years of marriage.

The actress officially filed for divorce from Toth in April 2023, a week after announcing the end of their marriage. She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split in court documents.

Reese and her ex Jim were first romantically linked in 2010, before they became engaged later that same year in December.

The star showed off her toned frame in the black dress with a floral neckline - paired with strappy sandals

Reese affectionately held her boyfriend's hand on the night

Her blonde locks were worn straight and she sported a radiant palette of make-up for the evening

The star showed off her toned legs as she strolled

Reese looked radiant and happy as she spent time with her new love

The couple chatted as they headed to a waiting car

Reese and ex-Jim tied the knot in 2011, before announcing their split in 2023; pictured together in January 2020

The former couple tied the knot during a romantic and intimate backyard wedding in 2011.

Their split announcement was made just days ahead of their 12th wedding anniversary.

Back in August, the pair reached a divorce settlement and agreed to continue to co-parent their 11-year-old son, Tennessee.

Reese also shares son Deacon, 20, and look-alike daughter Ava, 24, with her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, 49.

An insider told People about the split that it was 'very difficult' for the movie star to accept that she and her former partner were 'two very different people.'

Someone close to the two noted that the ambitious producer 'has her hand in a lot of pots' and Toth 'prefers less frenzy.'

It was added that, 'They've been spending less and less time together while she was working.'

More than ten years after tying the knot, the longtime duo 'found themselves with fewer interests in common.'

Reese is described by a source as 'headstrong and focused' and Jim is said to be 'more laid-back.'

The Pleasantville actress spent more time in Nashville In 2022 as she worked on producing the Apple TV music competition show My Kind of Country.

The star is mom to Ava, 24, and Deacon, 20 with ex husband Ryan Phillippe and Tennessee with Toth (pictured together)

She also flipped a local house for close to twice the cost of what she paid for the home.

The mother-of-three's company Hello Sunshine also produced the Amazon series Daisy Jones & the Six.

Per Reese's solemn divorce announcement, the twosome decided to go their separate ways with 'a great deal of care and consideration.'

A source said the partners 'worked on' their issues and arriving at divorce 'took a long time.'

A source previously told PageSix that the imminent divorce was a 'badly kept secret' in Hollywood for months.

It was also shared that Reese is 'upset' over the marriage ending.

The Big Little Lies actress and the talent agent's split announcement read: 'We have some personal news to share ... It is with a great deal of care and consideration that we have made the difficult decision to divorce.

'We have enjoyed so many wonderful years together and are moving forward with deep love, kindness and mutual respect for everything we have created together.

'Our biggest priority is our son and our entire family as we navigate this next chapter.

'These matters are never easy and are extremely personal. We truly appreciate everyone's respect for our family's privacy at this time.'

But there is no mess: 'There is no drama,' insisted People's insider. 'They love [their son] Tennessee and this is their focus. They will continue to co-parent amicably.'

Reese recently discussed her first divorce from Cruel Intentions co-star Ryan Phillippe.

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in July, Reese said she felt very 'out of control' when her first divorce went public.

'When I was divorced before, the tabloid media got to tell people how I was feeling or how I was processing, and it felt very out of control,' Reese told the publication.

Reese and Ryan, who famously starred in the 1999 romantic drama Cruel Intentions, split in 2008 after a seven-year marriage; Pictured in 1998

But this go around, the Hollywood star feels that she's able to be more 'authentic' as she navigates this 'vulnerable time' in her life.

'To be able to talk to people directly about what's going on in my life and just share it in the way that I share great professional experiences or personal experiences, it feels much more authentic to be able to say things in my own voice and not let somebody else control what's happening,' Reese explained.

Despite going through a divorce a source close to The Last Thing He Told Me producer told People in April that she has 'no regrets' about ending the union and is 'doing much better now.'
The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola plans to shoot his next film in the capital, for the saddest of reasons.

'I want to do something that will be really fun,' says the multiple Oscar winner, 85, whose wife, Eleanor, died in April.

'I want to do it in London, one place I never went with my wife. I want to go somewhere that everywhere I turn, I don't see her.'

Eleanor's family released a statement to the Associated Press in April 2024 confirming her death. No cause of death was given.

She first met Francis in 1962 while working as an assistant art director on his feature directorial debut, the low-budget horror movie Dementia 13.

The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola plans to shoot his next film in the capital, for the saddest of reasons

'I want to do it in London, one place I never went with my wife. I want to go somewhere that everywhere I turn, I don't see her'

They struck up a romance, kicking off a personal and professional relationship that lasted more than six decades until her death.

Over the course of her career she directed several documentaries, often behind-the-scenes looks at the movies of her husband and their daughter Sofia Coppola.

Eleanor was born in Los Angeles and largely raised by a single mother after the death of her father when she was only 10 years old.

After majoring in applied design at UCLA, she began a career as an assistant art director on movies - which brought her to the Ireland set of Dementia 13.

Francis and Eleanor began dating during the making of the movie and in 1963, she discovered that she was pregnant with his baby.

He talked her out of giving the baby up for adoption, and the pair tied the knot in a Las Vegas shotgun wedding before welcoming their son Gian-Carlo.

Although she largely spent the next couple of decades raising the couple's children Gian-Carlo, Roman and Sofia, she remained in the film world via her husband.

She accompanied him to the sets of his movies as his star rose in the early 1970s with such films as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Conversation.

Francis and Eleanor, who were together since meeting on the set of his directorial debut in 1962, are pictured together in 1991

Eleanor directed several documentaries, often behind-the-scenes looks at the movies of her husband and their daughter Sofia Coppola; pictured with Sofia in 2017

In the mid-1970s, Eleanor was a firsthand witness to the chaotic making of her husband's Vietnam War movie Apocalypse Now.

The production in the Philippines was beset by one crisis after another, from a typhoon that destroyed the sets to the star Martin Sheen suffering a heart attack.

Eleanor revealed that at one point, the movie was running more than $2 million over budget, an alarming amount in the mid-1970s.

Catastrophe struck when two of the people hired to build a gargantuan temple set were killed in an accident during construction.

Eleanor explored her other interests in documentaries as well, such as the 1996 short A Visit To China's Miao Country.

In 2016, around her 80th birthday, she broke into narrative feature films by directing the comedy Paris Can Wait, starring Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane and Arnaud Viard.

She kept in the same vein and followed up Paris Can Wait with the 2020 drama Love Is Love Is Love, whose ensemble cast included Chris Messina, Cybill Shepherd, Joanne Whalley, Rita Wilson and Rosanna Arquette.

Eleanor's family life was rocked by tragedy in 1986, when her firstborn son Gian-Carlo was killed in a speedboating accident, leaving behind a pregnant fiancee.

Over their six-decade marriage, the couple welcomed three children together - Gian-Carlo, who died in 1986, as well as filmmakers Sofia and Roman Coppola

She remained at her husband's side throughout his career, not only as a filmmaker but when he launched a wine empire later in life.

A few years ago, she was asked whether her husband was different on the sets of his movies than he was while at home with his family.

'No. I think because he spent his life as a director it's just in his nature. It's in his blood. He is always directing,' Eleanor said.

'So, when he gets home he's directing the dinner, where we are gonna sit, what we are going to eat. I've adjusted to it, so now it's really funny.'
Hilaria Baldwin was seen for the first time since prosecutors sought to reinstate her husband Alec Baldwin's Rust manslaughter case.

The 40-year-old yoga instructor looked tense during a solo coffee run in New York City on Thursday.

Wearing a white tank top and black jogger shorts, she held a drink in one hand while pushing her hair back with the other.

Maintaining a low profile, the mother of seven navigated the city streets in dark designer sunglasses.

The outing comes after a state attorney asked a New Mexico judge to reconsider dismissing Alec's involuntary manslaughter charge in the 2021 fatal Rust set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins', according to a court filing released Wednesday.

Hilaria Baldwin was seen for the first time since prosecutors sought to reinstate her husband Alec Baldwin 's Rust manslaughter case

The 40-year-old yoga instructor looked tense during a solo coffee run in New York City on Thursday

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey argued that the July decision lacked sufficient factual basis and did not infringe on Baldwin's due process rights.

State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer had previously dismissed the case mid-trial, citing that police and prosecutors had withheld evidence from Baldwin's defense in the shooting that killed Hutchins.

The dismissal was made with prejudice, preventing the charge from being refiled once any potential appeals are resolved.

Baldwin, the lead actor of Rust, was rehearsing a scene when the gun he was holding discharged, fatally striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

The 30 Rock star has claimed he pulled back the hammer but did not pull the trigger before the revolver went off.

The case hinged on ammunition brought to the sheriff's office in March by a man who claimed it might be linked to Hutchins' death.

Prosecutors dismissed the ammo as irrelevant, while Baldwins legal team accused them of concealing it, leading to a successful motion to dismiss the case.

In her request for reconsideration, special prosecutor Morrissey argued the undisclosed ammunition was irrelevant and focused on Baldwins responsibility to follow gun safety rules.

'No one on the prosecution team ... ever intentionally kept evidence from the defendant, it simply didnt occur to the prosecution that the rounds were relevant to the case even if they were the same or similar to the live rounds found on the set of Rust,' Morrissey wrote, per court documents.

She claimed that the defense attorneys were aware of the ammunition but chose to forgo the chance to examine it before the trial.

'This is a smoke screen created by the defense and was intended to sway and confuse the court ... and it was successful,' Morrissey wrote.

Baldwins attorney, Luke Nikas, stated that a response will be submitted to the court.

The outing comes after a state attorney asked a New Mexico judge to reconsider dismissing Alec's involuntary manslaughter charge in the 2021 fatal Rust set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins ', according to a court filing released Wednesday

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey argued that the July decision lacked sufficient factual basis and did not infringe on Baldwin's due process rights; (Alec and Hilaria with their kids Carmen, 10, Rafael, eight, Leonardo, six, Romeo, five, Maria Lucia, two, Lucas, two, and Ilaria, 11 months)

In her request for reconsideration, special prosecutor Morrissey argued the undisclosed ammunition was irrelevant and focused on Baldwins responsibility to follow gun safety rules; (pictured Halyna Hutchins)

Rust armorer Hannah Guttierez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins

In April of this year, Hannah Guttierez-Reed, the armorer on set, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins's death and sentenced to 18 months.

She is currently serving her sentence at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility and had been due to be called to the stand to testify in Baldwin's case.

Since the 2021 shooting, the filming of Rust resumed but moved to Montana under an agreement with Hutchins's husband, Matthew Hutchins, which made him an executive producer.

The completed movie has not yet been released for public viewing.
1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton appeared in court on Thursday to face drugs and child endangerment charges - days after her arrest at a Tennessee zoo.

Slaton, 36, was reportedly bitten by a camel at Tennessee Safari Park in Alamo on Labor Day - but when police were called to the park for the bite they noted 'suspicious odors' coming from their vehicle, according to the deputies.

Responding officers discovered 'what they believed to be mushrooms' and 'what they believed to be marijuana' inside Slaton's vehicle after smelling marijuana in the car and seeing the drugs out 'in plain sight.'

Slaton and friend Brian Scott Lovvorn were arrested and face charges of illegal possession of schedule I, illegal possession of schedule VI and two counts of child endangerment.

Two children under the age of eight were in the car at the time of the arrest - Slaton's children Gage Deon, four, and Glenn Allen, two. Tammy Slaton reportedly picked up the children after the arrest.

1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton appeared in court on Thursday to face drugs and child endangerment charges - days after her arrest at a Tennessee zoo

Slaton who was seen frowning in a mugshot, was arrested after officers attending to her camel bite, found 'magic mushrooms and marijuana' in her car

Slaton looked stony-faced as she arrived for her arraignment - as her lawyer doubled down on her claim she had been bitten by a camel.

She received medical treatment at the zoo and was pictured being wheeled out of a Tennessee safari park on a stretcher with a bandage around her forearm.

Tennessee Safari Park co-owner Claude Conley, 44, denied Slaton had been bitten, telling The US Sun 'there is no bruising. She cut her arm on something, its not consistent with an animal bite.

'Her boyfriend or the man she was with was acting crazy, screaming and yelling and all kinds of stuff.

'He got mad that the police came out there because he just wanted the ambulance to come.'

Attorney Taylor Hughes told TMZ she was definitely attacked by the animal and said Slaton had thanked her fans for sending love and support amid her legal woes.

Slaton and Lovvorn were booked into the Crockett County Jail on on $10,000 bond - with a representative confirming the pair were released on Tuesday.

The representative told the publication: 'Amys brother Chris Combs and Hughes bonding company bonded both of them out together from Crockett County jail and they left with Chris.'

Slaton and friend Brian Scott Lovvorn (pictured in court together) were arrested and face charges of illegal possession of schedule I, illegal possession of schedule VI and two counts of child endangerment.

Slaton looked stony-faced as she arrived for her arraignment - as her lawyer doubled down on her claim she had been bitten by a camel

Police were called to the park in Alamo on Labor Day and said they immediately noted strange odors coming from Slaton's vehicle

DailyMail.com contacted representatives for Slaton for comment.

Slaton finalized her divorce from ex-husband Michael Halterman last year.

The couple share two children and had reportedly clashed over their appearance on the TLC reality show.

The pair welcomed their first child, Gage Deon, in November 2020 and their second son, Glenn Allen, in July 2022.

'There was no support. There was no love. There was no kindness. There was just mental abuse,' she told People of their marriage. 'I just got tired of hiding it from people.'

A confrontation between her, her sisters and Michael was shown on season five of the series.

Lovvorn is pictured in his mugshot

'That's the day I left,' she said. 'But I was falling out of love with him before that.'

After a lengthy custody battle, the former couple decided to share parenting duties.

Amy rose to fame starring opposite her sister Tammy Slaton on the series 1000-Lb. Sisters. The fifth season of the show premiered late last year.

The star has dropped an impressive 176 pounds ever since having weight loss surgery five years ago.

Slaton introduced fans to a new man before her divorce was finalized and was dating a Michigan man named Tony, the US Sun reports.

By the time her divorce was finalized the couple had been together for around three months.
Demi Moore was a bare-faced beauty as she held on to her dog Pilaf at an airport on Thursday.

The 61-year-old Hollywood icon was in a black jacket, striped shirt, jeans and boots as she arrived at the Toronto Pearson Airport in Canada.

The ex of Ashton Kutcher is in town for the Toronto International Film Festival. There she will present her new movie The Substance, which is about a successful workout enthusiast who gets fired on her 50th birthday.

She then proceeds to take an experimental drug which promises to make her appear more youthful in the hopes of winning her job back.

This comes after the movie icon talked about the world's youth obsession in the new issue of Variety magazine.

Demi Moore was a bare-faced beauty as she held on to her dog Pilaf at an airport on Thursday. The 61-year-old Hollywood icon was in a black jacket, striped shirt, jeans and boots as she arrived at the Toronto Pearson Airport in Canada

The ex of Ashton Kutcher is in town for the Toronto International Film Festival where she will present her new movie The Substance

'I'm not perfect,' she admitted to Variety. 'Sometimes I'll look at a photo and think, "I look old," or whatever. But I've learned to deal with it.'

A comment from a stranger many years ago helped her cope.

'A stranger once told me something a long time ago that's stuck with me ever since. She said, "You'll never be enough,"' said Moore.

At first that sounds unkind, but there was more.

'She said, "You'll never be enough, but you'll start to know your worth once you put down the measuring stick."'

She is working more than ever these days and that is because she is making her own rules in Hollywood.

'One of the biggest themes of my career is challenging preconceived ideas and limitations,' she told the outlet's Matt Donnelly.

'I'm at a point where I'm writing my own story, as opposed to my story being dictated to me based on my age. Who says somebody can't look a certain way or do certain things? Your 60s is not what your 60s used to be. There's a part of me that's enjoying figuring it out as I go along.'

Her new movie The Substance is about a successful workout enthusiast who gets fired on her 50th birthday. She then proceeds to take an experimental drug which promises to make her appear more youthful

This comes after the movie icon talked about the world's youth obsession in the new issue of Variety magazine

She posed for the publication to promote her edgy new movie The Substance about a star who injects herself with a black market drug to look younger.

That causes her to turn into a young, bouncy beauty played by Margaret Qualley. But there are issues. And freaky things start happening.

The Substance comes out on September 20.

Elisabeth Sparkle is the star of a popular aerobics show.

She has had decades of massive success.

The icon faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her.

Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself.

But it is experimental.

Her costars are Qualley - whose mother Andie MacDowell worked with Moore in St Elmo's Fire - and Dennis Quaid.

Moore told Interview she was 'moved' when she read the movie's script. She felt it was 'such a unique way to be exploring this issue of aging, of societal conditioning'

Moore told Interview magazine she was 'moved' when she read the movie's script.

She felt it was 'such a unique way to be exploring this issue of aging, of societal conditioning, of what I also see as the pressure of the male-idealized woman that we as women have bought into.'

She continued, 'At the core of it, what it's really about is what we do to ourselves, and I loved that it was illustrated in such a physical wayshowing that violence with what we do with our thoughts, how we attack ourselves and distort things,' she said.

'There's great power in knowing that what we do to ourselves is a choice, and we can make a different choice.

'And for those who aren't looking for such a deep message, it's just entertaining.'

As for the advice she has handed down to her three daughters with Willis, she says, 'It's one of the things I've said to my kids their whole lives: The only true constant in life is change. And it's a process in life of constant acceptance.'

On Thursday, the first trailer for the new series Landman dropped.

The show is set in West Texas and is from Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone and Lioness.

Demi stands out as the tough-as-nails glamorous billionaire wife of Jon Hamm's steely oil man Monty Miller.

The actress is seen attending a gala dinner with Hamm, who looks dashing in a suit and tie, and also saying, 'Roll the dice another time,' which indicates she wears the pants in the marriage.

The trailer is headed up by Billy Bob Thornton, however, who is seen first and provides the voiceover. He works on an oil rig which explodes as he warns the business can kill him.

The show will premiere on November 17 on Paramount +.

The first trailer for the new series Landman dropped on Thursday morning. The show is set in West Texas and is from Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone and Lioness. Demi Moore stands out as the tough-as-nails glamorous billionaire wife of Jon Hamm's steely oil man
Kylie Jenner was showing off a lush mane of blue hair on Thursday.

The Kylie Cosmetics mogul, 27, seems to have dyed her hair a rich teal blue as she shared snaps of her transformation on Instagram.

'Teal the end of time,' her caption stated.

The bold new color harkens back to the King Kylie era of a few years ago when she changed her hair color frequently to match her moods.

But follower Noah Cyrus - who is the sister of Miley Cyrus - accused Kylie of wearing a wig as she took to the comments section.

The reality TV star  who has been busy promoting her Khy brand's collab with Ionnes  was also spotted leaving celeb-friendly Sushi Park rocking her cool new blue locks this week.

Kylie Jenner is seeing blue...hair that is. The Kylie Cosmetics mogul, 27, dyed her hair a rich teal blue and shared snaps of her transformation on Instagram

But follower Noah Cyrus - who is the sister of Miley Cyrus - accused Kylie of wearing a wig as she took to the comments section

Kylie's fans ate up the new hue with one proclaiming: 'KING KYLIE BACK AS SHE SHOULD.'

Another added: 'the king is back and better than ever.'

Kylie's new blue hair comes after the mom of two shared a glimpse at her day-to-day life with daughter Stormi, six, and son Aire, two.

She shares the youngsters with her ex-boyfriend, Houston-bred rapper Travis Scott, 33.

In one image, which didn't show the kids' faces, Stormi checked out her mother's cosmetic products at Ulta with her little brother.

When she's not working or taking care of her children, the Kardashians star spend plenty of time with BFF Stassie and boyfriend Timothee Chalamet.

She and the Call Me By Your Name actor keep a low-profile, but sources say the romance is going strong.

Despite their ongoing relationship, the bombshell has yet to share him on social media.

'teal the end of time,' her caption stated. The bold new color harkens back to the King Kylie era of a few years ago when she changed her hair color frequently to match her moods

The reality TV star  who has been busy promoting her Khy brand's collab with Ionnes  was also spotted leaving celeb-friendly Sushi Park rocking her cool new blue locks this week

Kylie's new blue hair comes after the mom of two shared a glimpse at her day-to-day life with daughter Stormi, six, and son Aire, two

She shares the youngsters with her ex-boyfriend, Houston-bred rapper Travis Scott, 33

The Kardashians star last visited her King Kylie alter ego earlier this summer when she dyed her hair bubblegum pink

In one image, which didn't show the kids' faces, Stormi checked out her mother's cosmetic products at Ulta with her little brother

'Kylie is turning into her brother Rob  she is choosing to be a homebody for the most part,' a source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com.

'For Kylie, it is her family, her kids and then obviously she is all in on hanging out with Timothee.'

She is said to have lost all interest in trying to keep up appearances with industry friends as the insider added: 'Time for going out and doing the Hollywood friendship thing is long past her. She is 27 going on 70.'

The person continued, '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.'
1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton sparked engagement speculation as she was seen flashing a glittering ring while in court to face drug and child endangerment charges.

The accessory was slipped onto her ring finger and certainly resembled an engagement ring. It's unknown who Slaton's fiancee could be.

She was seen holding hands with Brian Scott Lovvorn, her friend who was arrested with her, as they were released from police custody. Whether or not they are indeed dating has yet to be confirmed.

Slaton has dated two men since finalizing her divorce from ex-husband Michael Halterman last year - Tony Rodgers and Kevin.

Slaton and Halterman share two children and had reportedly clashed over their appearance on the TLC reality show.

1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton sparked engagement speculation as she was seen flashing a glittering ring while in court to face drug and child endangerment charges

The accessory was slipped onto her ring finger and certainly resembled an engagement ring

The pair welcomed their first child, Gage Deon, in November 2020 and their second son, Glenn Allen, in July 2022.

'There was no support. There was no love. There was no kindness. There was just mental abuse,' she told People of their marriage. 'I just got tired of hiding it from people.'

A confrontation between her, her sisters and Michael was shown on season five of the series.

'That's the day I left,' she said. 'But I was falling out of love with him before that.'

After a lengthy custody battle, the former couple decided to share parenting duties.

The possible engagement comes amid Slaton's legal woes.

She appeared in court on Thursday to face drugs and child endangerment charges -days after her arrest at a Tennessee zoo.

Slaton was reportedly bitten by a camel at Tennessee Safari Park in Alamo on Labor Day - but when police were called to the park for the bite they noted 'suspicious odors' coming from their vehicle, according to the deputies.

She appeared in court on Thursday to face drugs and child endangerment charges - days after her arrest at a Tennessee zoo

Slaton pictured entering the court room

Responding officers discovered 'what they believed to be mushrooms' and 'what they believed to be marijuana' inside Slaton's vehicle after smelling marijuana in the car and seeing the drugs out 'in plain sight.'

Slaton and Lovvorn were arrested and face charges of illegal possession of schedule I, illegal possession of schedule VI and two counts of child endangerment.

Slaton's two children were in the car at the time of the arrest. Tammy Slaton reportedly picked up the children after the arrest.

Slaton looked stony-faced as she arrived for her arraignment - as her lawyer doubled down on her claim she had been bitten by a camel.

Slaton who was seen frowning in a mugshot, was arrested after officers attending to her camel bite, found 'magic mushrooms and marijuana' in her car

She received medical treatment at the zoo and was pictured being wheeled out of a Tennessee safari park on a stretcher with a bandage around her forearm.

Tennessee Safari Park co-owner Claude Conley, 44, denied Slaton had been bitten, telling The US Sun 'there is no bruising. She cut her arm on something, its not consistent with an animal bite.

'Her boyfriend or the man she was with was acting crazy, screaming and yelling and all kinds of stuff.

'He got mad that the police came out there because he just wanted the ambulance to come.'

Attorney Taylor Hughes told TMZ she was definitely attacked by the animal and said Slaton had thanked her fans for sending love and support amid her legal woes.

Slaton and Lovvorn were booked into the Crockett County Jail on on $10,000 bond - with a representative confirming the pair were released on Tuesday.

The representative told the publication: 'Amys brother Chris Combs and Hughes bonding company bonded both of them out together from Crockett County jail and they left with Chris.'

Slaton and friend Brian Scott Lovvorn (pictured in court together) were arrested and face charges of illegal possession of schedule I, illegal possession of schedule VI and two counts of child endangerment.

Slaton looked stony-faced as she arrived for her arraignment - as her lawyer doubled down on her claim she had been bitten by a camel

Lovvorn is pictured in his mugshot

DailyMail.com contacted representatives for Slaton for comment.

Amy rose to fame starring opposite her sister Tammy Slaton on the series 1000-Lb. Sisters. The fifth season of the show premiered late last year.

The star has dropped an impressive 176 pounds ever since having weight loss surgery five years ago.

Slaton introduced fans to a new man before her divorce was finalized and was dating a Michigan man named Tony, the US Sun reports.

By the time her divorce was finalized the couple had been together for around three months.
Justin Theroux had that look of love when he enjoyed a romantic outing with his new fiancee Nicole Brydon Bloom after talking about his ex Jennifer Aniston.

The 53-year-old actor and his 30-year-old glamorous younger fiancee were seen enjoying a bottle of wine while dining al fresco in New York City on Wednesday evening.

Justin was definitely enchanted by his partner who is over two decades his junior as he stared adoringly at her.

Nicole stunned in a white sleeveless top tucked into black trousers with a black belt.

Justin Theroux had that look of love when he enjoyed a romantic outing with his new fiancee Nicole Brydon Bloom after talking about his ex Jennifer Aniston

Her brunette tresses were worn down as she accentuated her natural looks with complementary make-up.

Justin showcased another incredible vintage T-shirt from his collection as he represented hip-hop icons Eric B. and Rakim.

This comes after the actor recently admitted in a new interview that he still 'protective' over his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston , 55  seven years after their divorce.

He confirmed to The Times that Aniston is still 'very dear' to him as he applauded her for firing back at JD Vance's controversial remarks about 'childless cat ladies.'

'She is still very dear to me so, of course, yeah, I feel protective. But she batted back criticism, as well she should,' Theroux said.

He and Aniston separated in 2017 after secretly tying the knot two years prior at a star-studded wedding held at her $21million Bel-Air mansion.

The ceremony was officiated by late-night host and SNL alum Jimmy Fallon and attended by the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and Aniston's Friends co-stars.

The couple waited until February 2018 to publicly reveal their divorce.

The 53-year-old actor and his 30-year-old glamorous younger fiancee were seen enjoying a bottle of wine while dining al fresco in New York City on Wednesday evening

Justin was definitely enchanted by his partner who is over two decades his junior as he stared adoringly at her

In a joint statement, they insisted there was no ill will between them and that they planned to remain friends.

'In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation. This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year,' they revealed.

'We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.'

Jennifer and Justin first met in 2007 but didn't begin dating until 2011 after bonding on set of their rom-com Wanderlust (2012).

After confirming their split in 2018, a source claimed to Page Six that Aniston and Theroux disagreed on where to settle down.

She was reportedly 'more comfortable' in LA while he wanted to make the move to New York.

'Justin doesn't feel as at home in LA, nor with Jennifer's friends, he loves New York, and the edgier crowd in the city,' an insider told the outlet.

It was also alleged that 'problems' began brewing between them due to their conflicting  and often times hectic  work schedules.

But the friendly exes have have since put those problems behind them.

This comes after the actor recently admitted in a new interview that he still 'protective' over his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston , 55  seven years after their divorce; seen in 2015

He confirmed to The Times that Aniston is still 'very dear' to him as he praised her for firing back at JD Vance 's controversial remarks about 'childless cat ladies'; seen August 29 at the London premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

'She is still very dear to me so, of course, yeah, I feel protective. But she batted back criticism, as well she should,' Theroux said; seen in 2017

Theroux gave rare insight on their 'friendship' in a 2023 interview with Esquire, revealing that he and Aniston keep in touch through text, FaceTime, and phone calls.

That same year, DailyMail.com exclusively reveled that Theroux was a huge support system for Aniston after she lost her father, Days of Our Lives star John Aniston, in November 2022 at age 89.

An insider told DailyMail.com that Theroux 'comforted' Aniston amid her grief by calling her almost every day to console her.

Theroux's latest quotes about Aniston come amid the whirlwind press tour for Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

He stars alongside Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton and Wynona Ryder.

Theroux was supported by actress fiancee Nicole as the sequel to the 1989 horror-comedy Beetlejuice premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last week.

The couple  who first sparked up a romance last year  fueled rumors of an engagement after Nicole was photographed wearing a bauble on her left ring finger on the red carpet.

A day later, she was seen wearing the ring for a second time at the starry London premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

A source claimed to PEOPLE that Justin proposed to Nicole during their Italy trip. He is said to have presented her with a four-carat emerald cut diamond ring by by Stephanie Gottlieb.

He and Aniston separated in 2017 after secretly tying the knot two years prior at a star-studded wedding held at her $21million Bel-Air mansion; seen in 2012

Theroux recently got engaged to his glamorous younger girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom, 30; seen on August 28 at the Venice International Film Festival

Theroux finally confirmed the engagement news to The Times, admitting that he was 'nervous' to pop the question.

'Of course, I was nervous proposing. It is a question after all, so the answer isnt guaranteed. But it was wonderful,' he told the outlet.

The couple have only infrequently surfaced in public as a couple since they were first spotted together in February 2023.

Nicole and Justin reached a milestone last December when he accompanied her as her date to her twin sister Chrissy's wedding.

She snapped a mirror selfie from the festivities that showed her and Justin beaming on a staircase amid a claque of loved ones including his dog Kuma.

Nicole, like her purported fiancee is a Hollywood performer - an actress known for Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes' new show The Gilded Age.

Prior to his marriage to Aniston, Justin had a 14-year relationship with costume designer Heidi Bivens that collapsed in 2011.

He is said to have presented her with a four-carat emerald cut diamond ring by by Stephanie Gottlieb; the couple seen in London on August 29

A source claimed to PEOPLE that Justin proposed to Nicole during their Italy trip; Theroux seen in Venice on August 28

At the time, a friend of Heidi's told E! News claimed that Heidi had been 'straight-up dumped,' though the outlet made sure to qualify: 'Not to say it's Aniston's fault, maybe the timing was just terrible?'

A source in Justin's camp insisted to Page Six: 'Things were already over between him and Heidi before he got close to Jen.'

Heidi's mother Marilyn spoke to Radar Online in 2016, claiming that Justin initially tried to persuade Heidi he and Jennifer were not an item.

Marilyn asserted: 'Heidi told me what Justin had told her, that something was going to be written about him and Jennifer, that something was going on between them and he wanted her to know that it was nothing, there was nothing to it.'

In Marilyn's telling, Heidi allegedly ultimately discovered that the rumors were true, '[a]nd my sweet Heidi she calls me and says: "Oh mommy." I was going through cancer at the time. It was a time that hurt our family.'
Rita Ora put on a very leggy display in a red mini dress as she stepped out to the FOX Fall Press Day at Fox Studio Lot on Thursday.

The songstress, 33, turned heads as she wore a crepe dress, which is worth 350, was accented with diamante bows.

She added inches to her statuesque figure as she slipped into a pair of towering black satin platform heels.

To accessorise, the artist showcased her quirky sense of style and wore a myriad of colourful beaded ankle bracelets.

For occasion, she flaunted her natural beauty and let her blonde curls flow freely past her shoulders.

Rita Ora put on a very leggy display in a red mini dress as she stepped out to the FOX Fall Press Day at Fox Studio Lot on Thursday

The songstress, 33, turned heads as she wore a crepe dress, which is worth 350, accented with diamante bows

Hannah Waddingham also made a colourful appearance for the star-studded event.

The Ted Lasso star, 50, stepped out in a 725 Borgo De Nor maxi dress which featured a square dress and gathered detailing.

In keeping with her bright ensemble, she finished her look with a pair Barbie pink strappy heels.

The FOX Fall Press Day is an annual media event organised by the network to showcase its upcoming fall TV programming.

It's an opportunity for FOX to promote its new and returning shows to the press, industry insiders, and media outlets.

During the event, cast members, creators, and showrunners from FOX's lineup participate in interviews, panel discussions, and photo sessions.

They typically preview upcoming episodes and share behind-the-scenes stories.

This press day is crucial for FOX to drum up excitement and viewership for their fall schedule, highlighting new series debuts, renewals, and major changes in programming.

In July, Rita appeared in Descendants: The Rise Of Red, the fourth film in Disney's Descendants franchise.

She played the villainous role of the Queen Of Hearts, starring alongside China Ann McClain and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella actors Brandy and Paolo Montalban.

She has been focusing recently on her business ventures and acting roles, with her last releasing new music in January.

She added inches to her statuesque figure as she slipped into a pair of towering black satin platform heels

For occasion, she flaunted her natural beauty and let her blonde curls flow freely past her shoulders

Hannah Waddingham also made a colourful appearance for the star-studded event

The Ted Lasso star, 50, stepped out in a 725 Borgo De Nor maxi dress which featured a square dress and gathered detailing

The FOX Fall Press Day is an annual media event organised by the network to showcase its upcoming fall TV programming

Rita showed off her array of tattoos in the dress including the ballet dancer on her arm, and roses on her hand and wrist

The star beamed in snaps as she showed off a glimpse of her cleavage

She accessorised her ankles with an array of colourful beaded anklets

In July, Rita appeared in Descendants: The Rise Of Red, the fourth film in Disney's Descendants franchise and she seems to still be loving the red

Her most recent song, Shape Of Me, came as the final single from her third studio album You & I, which was released six months prior.

While Rita has also been busy performing at several festivals.

She has made appearances at Manchester Pride and the City Celebration event in Romania last month.

She was joined by her director husband Taika Waititi in the southeastern European country, after the pair jetted off to Ibiza to celebrate his 49th birthday.
The ongoing divorce between actress Leah Remini and businessman Angelo Pagan continues to progress through the legal system, with both parties asking the court to eliminate spousal support going either way.

Pagan, 56, filed a legal response in his split with the Emmy-winner, 54, People reported Thursday after reviewing docs in the case, which Remini filed August 29.

Pagan listed the estranged pair's separation date as August 1, which Remini also had in her court docs, as well as the reason behind the split being 'irreconcilable differences,' the outlet reported.

Remini, who played the role of Carrie Heffernan on The King of Queens from 19982007, and Pagan issued a joint statement via Instagram confirming that their marriage had ended.

'Well, here we are,' Remini and Pagan said in the August 29 statement. 'After 28 years together and 21 years of marriage, we have decided to file for divorce.

The ongoing divorce between actress Leah Remini, 54, and businessman Angelo Pagan, 56, continues to progress through the legal system, with both parties asking the court to eliminate spousal support going either way. Pictured June 2, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California

'This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it's what's best for us.'

Remini and Pagan said they were experiencing a flurry of different emotions in announcing their split.

'We are proud of how we have worked through this together,' they said. 'Yes, were sad, and weve got some figuring out to do as we continue to move forward into our new normal - together still in many ways, and apart in some new ones.'

They said that they had 'both changed, as people do,' and 'got used to playing roles that didnt fit us anymore.'

Remini and Pagan said their 'bond is still strong' but 'its just evolved into something different,' adding that their 'marriage was a huge success.'

The estranged pair, who initially crossed paths in 1996 and wed seven years later, cited their past projects together in their statement.

'We want to be as transparent as we can be here because, for years, we shared our marriage so publicly, whether it was on our specials on VH1 or our reality show, which ran for two seasons on TLC,' Remini and Pagan said.

They added, 'We are sharing this unknown territory with you all as we take our first steps into this next stage of our lives publicly.'

Remini, who played the role of Carrie Heffernan on The King of Queens from 19982007, was pictured in LA in 2019

Remini filed for divorce to end the 21-year marriage this past August 29

Remini and Pagan were pictured in November of 2001 at the Emmys in LA

Remini and Pagan are parents to daughter Sofia Bella, 20, while he's father to three sons, Angelo Jr., Alex and Nico, from a prior relationship.

Remini in 2019 chat with RuPaul about the relationship, saying that they had difficult times earlier on.

'It's a beautiful love story because we did have a hard time at the beginning,' the Kevin Can Wait actress said. 'We didn't meet under the best of circumstances.

'We got counseling and it was not an easy road. So I'm saying these things to be funny, once again, but the truth of the matter is he is my rock.'
Stassi Schroeder revealed that she is unsure about how to explain her self-harm scars to her three-year-old daughter Hartford.

The Vanderpump Rules alum, 36, addressed her struggle with self-harm and credited Hartford as the reason for her speaking up, in an interview with Bustle, where she discussed her new book, You Can't Have It All.

The mom-of-two  who also shares son Messer Rhys, 11 months, with husband Beau Clark, 44  shared: 'When I look at myself naked, Hartford will see a little line, and she'll be like, "Mommy, ouchie."'

'I'm like, "Oh, God, that feels dirty. How will I ever explain to her that this was something that I chose?"'

'It just feels like it's been a secret, and I don't like secrets. I think that's part of maybe why I do what I do  podcasts, just living out loud,' she added.

Stassi Schroeder, 36, revealed that she is unsure about how to explain her self-harm scars to her three-year-old daughter Hartford; seen in 2022

'When I look at myself naked, Hartford will see a little line, and she'll be like, "Mommy, ouchie,"' she shared in an interview with Bustle; they are seen in April

'Because there is this feeling of: "I'm free. Everyone knows my s**t. I don't have to hide anything.'

Schroeder believes that sharing her story for the first time will inspire others to be more transparent about their own experiences and emotions.

Stassi also took to her Instagram on Thursday to share some family vacation snaps from Rome.

One of them featured her and Hartford enjoying lunch together.

She also posted an adorable video of them riding a train together, with Hartford cuddling up to her mom and playing with her hair.

At one point the little one accidentally poked Stassi's face, with the reality star jokingly mouthing to the camera, 'What the f**k?'

Earlier this year Stassi shared that becoming a mother-of-two is 'so different' and 'really intense' in an interview with People.

'I think no one properly warned me that going from one to two is harder than going from zero to one. Because now it's like me and my husband are just like... one of them's on the other.'

'So there's less time for us to just be adults. But we're getting to the point where we fully have the hang of things. So life gets easier every day.'

She added that Hartford is her mini-me, playfully stating, 'It's my karma, she's my karma.'

'I'm like, "Oh, God, that feels dirty. How will I ever explain to her that this was something that I chose?"'; the duo seen on vacation in Rome in snap posted to Stassi's Instagram on Thursday

'It just feels like it's been a secret, and I don't like secrets. I think that's part of maybe why I do what I do  podcasts, just living out loud,' she added

Stassi also shares son Messer Rhys, 11 months, with husband Beau Clark, 44

Earlier this year Stassi shared that 'going from one to two is harder than going from zero to one' as she spoke about motherhood in an interview with People

The star married Beau for a second time on May 12, 2022 at the Hotel de Russie in Italy. The couple previously officially wed in a backyard ceremony in 2020

'But I know how to parent her the best. I'm so equipped to, because I am like her,' she added.

Stassi announced her second pregnancy on Instagram. She posed with Hartford on a brown leather couch as she put a hand on her growing baby bump.

The beauty wrote in her caption, 'Secrets stress me out. Baby #2, I love you so much already.'

The star married Beau for a second time on May 12, 2022 at the Hotel de Russie in Italy.

The couple - who share podcast The Good The Bad The Baby - previously officially wed in a backyard ceremony in 2020 with few in attendance due to COVID.

They welcomed Hartford, their firstborn, on January 7, 2021.
Braless Ashley Roberts got caught in the rain in a dark silver crop top and matching skirt on Thursday as she left the Heart FM studios in Leicester Square.

The Pussycat Dolls star-turned-Heart radio presenter, 42, stunned in the set which featured a short-sleeved top and a maxi skirt.

She accessorised with white Christian Louboutin shoes and a white Miu Miu bag, finishing her look with oval-shaped sunglasses.

Ashley showed off her pert bottom as she hoisted up her skirt to climb into a waiting black cab.

Ashley is the showbiz correspondent on Heart Breakfast and she also hosts her own show, on Heart 00s which airs Saturdays from 4pm.

Braless Ashley Roberts, 42, got caught in the rain in a dark silver crop top and matching skirt on Thursday as she left the Heart FM studios in Leicester Square

The Pussycat Dolls star-turned-Heart radio presenter stunned in the set which featured a short-sleeved top and a maxi skirt

She accessorised with white court shoes and a white Miu Miu bag, finishing her look with oval-shaped sunglasses

The Dance Monster judge is in a relationship with tattoo artist to the stars George Rollinson, who is 17 years her junior.

At the end of August, Ashley shared exclusively with MailOnline that she endured 'disastrous' online dates and was even catfished before meeting boyfriend George 'the old fashioned way'.

Ashley has been dating the hunky artist, 25, since November ahead of them making their first official appearance as a couple in April this year.

Ashley shared that she was now in a 'happy place' and said: 'It's really nice to be in a relationship that's kind and thoughtful and supportive and we have fun'.

She explained to MailOnline that while online dating works for a lot of people she and George met through mutual friends and their relationship 'came about naturally'.

'It was an unexpected thing, we met, and I was having a good time and living my best life, enjoying it and I was like "this is someone quite special" - I'm in a happy place.'

Ashley, who reportedly signed up to celeb dating app Raya in 2022, recalled one bad date, laughing: 'I turned up and necessarily didn't recognise the person sat in front of me from [their profile] images.

'And I was like 'wait a minute' and it's a bit uncomfortable because you have to sit through a meal, so that was on the disastrous side.'

Ashley gave onlookers a hint of toned abs as the skirt showcased her toned legs

Ashley is the showbiz correspondent on Heart Breakfast and she also hosts her own show, on Heart 00s which airs Saturdays from 4pm

Ashley smiled at something that caught her attention in the street

Ashley went on to muse: 'I was kind of on an adventure to try new things and went online and I gave it a go, but it actually worked out the old fashioned way with George.'

In May, Ashley and George, 25, publicly enjoyed a 300-a-night stay at D-Resort Gocek after previously hiding their relationship.

Despite being together for the best part of a year, the couple did not go Instagram official until April.

Ashley and George also enjoyed a trip to Miami at the end of 2023 but made sure not to be photographed together.
You actress Madeline Brewer put on a cheeky display in a pink string bikini on Wednesday as she relaxed during an overseas holiday with her boyfriend.

The American star, 32, turned to the side and looked over her shoulder, smiling, in the snap taken by her partner Jack Thompson-Roylance.

The former The Handmaid's Tale actress caption the sexy shot for her almost 400,000 followers: 'Looking back at @deadbeatjack' - Jack's Instagram handle.

Madeline, who has also appeared in Orange Is The New Black, also shared a collage of herself, Jack, and their friends in the sea, making shapes with their bodies and enjoying beers.

Madeline will play newcomer Bronte in the fifth and final series of American Netflix thriller You, which wrapped filming in August after five months.

You actress Madeline Brewer, 32, put on a cheeky display on a white-sand beach in a photo share to Instagram on Wednesday from her holiday with her boyfriend

Madeline and film cinematographer Jack have been together since

On her Story, Madeline, who has also appeared in Orange Is The New Black, shared a collage of herself, Jack, and their friends in the sea, making shapes with their bodies and enjoying beers

In July, Madeline was spotted filming in NYC's Central Park with You lead Penn Badgley.

She rocked her natural hair colour for the scenes, albeit in a bob, and also wore flannel.

Bronte is unfortunately serial killer Joe's next target, but fans will have to wait and see if he succeeds in his murderous way or if he is finally brought to justice.

Madeline is also expected to be filming the sixth and final series of American dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale.

The plot features a dystopia following a Second American Civil War wherein a theonomic, totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called 'Handmaids', to child-bearing slavery.

In September 2022, ahead of the fifth-season premiere, the series was renewed for a sixth and final season, which is expected to air in 2025.

The Handmaid's Tale's first series won a whopping eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 13 nominations.

It is the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award and the first series on any streaming service to win the highly coveted Outstanding Series Emmy.

In July, Madeline was spotted filming in NYC's Central Park with You lead Penn Badgley, 37, who plays serial killer Joe Goldberg

Madeline is also expected to be filming the sixth and final series of American dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale, in which she plays Janine Lindo

In a series regular role, Madeline will portray the enigmatic and free-spirited Bronte, a playwright who comes to work for Joe (who has taken on the alias Jonathan Moore) at his London bookstore.

As the two connect over literature and loss, Bronte stokes in him a nostalgia for his former self, causing him to question everything his life has become.

You, based on Caroline Kepnes best-selling novel of the same name, revolves around the question, 'What would you do for love?'

The series follows Joe's answer to the question, which is, unfortunately, murder.
Red Lobster will soon exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after a judge approved its sale on Thursday.

The beloved seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May - days after closing more than a hundred restaurants.

Bosses warned of more closures if landlords aren't able to renegotiate rents downward. In fact, last week it emerged Red Lobster was shuttering two dozen more restaurants.

But now hundreds of the remaining locations may yet be saved after a bankruptcy judge approved its sale to asset manager Fortress.

Red Lobster said in a statement on Thursday that it expects to operate about 544 locations across the US and Canada after emerging from bankruptcy. That's down from 578 disclosed at the time of filing for bankruptcy.

A judge has approved the sale of Red Lobster

Fortress is experienced in restaurant management - also owning Krystal, Logan's Roadhouse and J Alexander's - and had previously given Red Lobster a $100 million loan to allow it to keep operating.

Under terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of September, the chain will continue to operate as an independent company.

Once the deal is finalized, Red Lobster will also get a new CEO - Damola Adamolekun, former chief executive of P.F. Changs.

Adamolekun said that Red Lobster 'has a tremendous future' and thanked Jonathan Tibus, who will leave the company and step down as CEO, for his leadership during the bankruptcy process.

Red Lobster's purchaser is also providing additional funding to help the Florida-based chain get back on its feet.

Adamolekun said the company's long-term investment plan includes a commitment of more than $60 million in new funding.

The casual dining favorite's problems have been blamed on rising lease and labor costs in recent years and its infamous $20 all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that backfired.

The offer, launched last June as a permanent fixture on the menu, ended up costing it millions of dollars as customers took advantage.

Hundreds of restaurants will be saved as Red Lobster's sale has been approved by a judge

Endless shrimp started at $20 but was too popular and cost millions of dollars

One girl managed to eat 108 shrimp in four hours,

'I set a new record at my local Red Lobster, this is my greatest achievement in life,' the poster explained in her video.

By the time the plug was pulled after just seven weeks, Red Lobster had lost $3.3 million.

Thai Union CEO Thiraphong Chansiri, 58, even said out of frustration that he'll never eat lobster again after the bankruptcy.
A South Carolina town is losing its only grocery store in a matter of days, leaving locals facing a long trip to get fresh food.

The IGA store in Pamplico, Florence County, has been open for decades - but it is due to close on September 27.

The nearest grocery store is 15 miles away in a nearby town. For those with a car, that is a 20 minute drive. For those without, they must hitch a lift or walk five hours since there is no public transport.

It makes Pamplico the latest of America's so-called 'food deserts' - which occur when a third of people in a rural area are more than 10 miles from a supermarket. Around 19 million people now face that reality.

The store's lease was due to expire soon so the company decided not to renew it, a representative from Alex Lee, IGA's parent company, told WBTW News13.

The location is older and smaller than others, they added, and there are other IGA stores in the area.

An IGA store in Pamplico, Florence County, which has been running for decades, is due to close on September 27

The spokesperson said that all the 26 employees will be able to get jobs at other IGA stores in the surrounding area.

The company tried to find another retailer to move into the building and operate it as a grocery store, but were unsuccessful in their efforts, they added.

Local Tiffanie Wright said she would miss having a full grocery store in the area, and that she feels for those who cannot drive to a different location further away.

'This is the only store we have down here with groceries,' she told WBTW News13.

'I know we got a Dollar General down the road, but it [doesn't] have that much stuff that IGA has,' she said.

'But I just kind of hate it for, you know, the people who don't even have cars or anything like that. They've got to find a ride to the store.'

The nearest grocery store for Pamplico residents is now 15 miles away in KJ's Market in Florence.

It comes amid concerns of a rising number of food deserts in the US - where affordable and fresh food is not accessible to communities.

According to the USDA, a food desert occurs when more than 33 percent of the population in urban spaces is further than one mile from a supermarket.

In a rural setting, 33 percent of people must be more than 10 miles from a supermarket.

By this standard, over 18 million people lived in food deserts in 2019, AP News reported.

Shuttered stores mean people have little or no access to fresh, healthy produce, forcing them to buy packaged and highly processed foods.

A so-called 'retail apocalypse' is sweeping the US, with different types of stores closing across the country.

Local Tiffanie Wright said she would miss having a full grocery store in the area, and that she feels for those who cannot drive to a different location further away

The nearest grocery store for Pamplico residents is now 15 miles away in KJ's Market in Florence

The closure comes amid concerns of a rising number of food deserts in the US - where affordable and fresh food is not accessible to communities

Many brick-and-mortar-locations are facing increased running costs and tight margins, while others are plagued with rampant theft.

Even major retailers such as Macy's are closing stores across the country, and it merged last month that Big Lots is shutting 315 stores across multiple states as its financial woes worsen.

There were almost 2,600 store closures in the first four months of 2024. If that trend continues, almost 8,000 will have been lost by the end of the year.

In recent months, Walmart has closed three more of its underperforming locations. Best Buy closed ten in March.

Dollar stores have been hit hard too, with 99 Cents Only announcing in April it would shutter all 371 of its locations across California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada.

The 1,000 closures of Family Dollar and its sister company Dollar Tree will happen over the next three years.

Express - a mall staple - filed for bankruptcy in April and said it would shut 95 Express outlets alongside all of its UpWest stores.

At the start of May, Rue21 - the teen fashion chain that is a fixture in malls across America - also said it will shut all its 543 US stores after going bust.

Badcock Home Furniture & More said at the end of July it is closing all its 380 stores dotted around the South after it fell into bankruptcy earlier this year.
Chinese marine corps detachment to join multilateral joint exercise in Brazil

Xinhua) 16:30, September 05, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will dispatch a Marine Corps detachment to Brazil to take part in a multilateral joint exercise, following an invitation from the Brazilian military.

The exercise will primarily concentrate on joint landing and anti-landing combat drills.

It aims to strengthen the friendship and collaboration between the Chinese military and its counterparts from the participating nations as well as to bolster their collective capacity to tackle security risks and challenges.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
The web series IC-184: The Kandahar Hijack has reignited debate over the moral and strategic dilemmas faced during hostage crises

Web series IC-184: The Kandahar Hijack, has triggered debate on the complexities and greys that accompany such incidents. Beyond obvious things like the lack of coordination, responsiveness or even allowing the flight to take off from Amritsar  one important query is if India did wrong in negotiating with terrorists. Given the handiwork of these released terrorists in the subsequent terror attacks, the question acquires even gravity. However, beyond the simplistic and binary yes or no position that is often postulated in the argument, lies the necessity of nuance in attempting to answer the same. It is universally agreed that negotiations with terrorists are a bad idea, however, sometimes, the consequences of not negotiating can have far more debilitating and costly consequences.

Sifting the wheat from the chaff of the supposed no-negotiation stance of some countries (as often bandied) is important. It is frequently argued that countries like Israel or the United States of America do not negotiate with terrorists. It is further claimed that because of such an unbending posture, the Israelis and Americans avoided being taken as hostages. But such beliefs are untrue, misplaced, and belie the wheels-within-wheels of the American or Israeli reality, beyond the publicly stated position of no-negotiation.

It is the worst-kept secret that such countries have funnelled money through proxies, friendly countries, or even masked the same as aid to secure their citizens, whilst maintaining the official stance.The Iran-Contra affair (1981-86) during the Reagan era wherein American hostages held by the Lebanese group, Hezbollah, were exchanged for weapons for Hezbollah itself, exemplifying the deals cut beyond the public gaze. As recently as 2014, the Americans had released five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo, to secure an American hostage.

Last August, the United States is believed to have unfrozen $6 billion of Iranian funds in South Korean banks to secure the release of five US citizens. It is now argued that the same money could have been invaluable for the cash-strapped Iranians (widely believed benefactors of Hamas) in launching the subsequent 7th Oct attack on Israel. Israelis themselves are the masters of the backdoor negotiations, irrespective of the belligerent stand adopted for public consumption. In the Gilat Shalit (Israeli prisoner) exchange of 2011, it is believed that Israelis released 1027 prisoners who were held in jails. Even now as the bludgeoning of the Gaza Strip continues, the Israelis in parallel (and in support of the Biden administration) are still negotiating with Hamas for the release of their citizens held hostage. Often, the aggrieved government can end up losing a lot of leverage and lives when they refuse to engage with bad actors. Negotiations help immediate outcomes, buy crucial time for alternate reactions, and most importantly, help establish critical information and leads about the captors that could be invoked, productively.

Lastly, a well-managed ransom payoff (with marked bills and telltale trails) can also lead to discovering broader networks and bases to take down the terror infrastructure, subsequently. Negotiations or engagement does not have to be tantamount to surrender or even a bad deal, necessarily. From the post-released activities of the three terrorists in the IC-814 case, it was a costly deal  but was there an alternative? The hijacked plane was parked in the backyard of Pakistani ISIs supported Afghan base (at least then) with 158 precious lives (not including the 5 terrorists).

The terrorists in this case (under the direct supervision of the ISI and Taliban) were not exactly known to be reasonable, and if anything, had given a glimpse of their intent with the brutal and fatal stabbing of passenger, Rupin Katyal. Even an Entebbe-like commando operation using Indian Special Forces was impractical and fraught with additional risks. With the clear intention of harming Indian interests without an iota of any fear of getting caught (given the location)  the risk to the lives of all passengers and crew of IC-814 was not possible, but imminent.

The calculation and opportunities would have been far more creative with possible solutions, had IC-814 been held up in Amritsar, as opposed to Kandahar. Could India have forsaken the lives of its citizens? Has any other country ever forsaken lives in similar circumstances? Did the USA attempt negotiating with the Iranian authorities when its Embassy staff was held hostage or did it steadfastly hold to the no-negotiation posture? The no-negotiation is more of an ideal, but a fuzzy line, practically. It is a deterring policy but has never been an ironclad law, anywhere in the world. However, countries like Israel (or even India) do convey behaviorally is the guarantee of serious reprisals and redeeming their losses.

For example, Operation Hot Pursuit, the cross-border operation against NSCN-K insurgents in Myanmar normalised the expectation for bad actors, hereinafter  this, when done systematically, surgically and purposefully conveys solid sovereign intent. So, there is no silver bullet or inviolable guardrails in tackling terror, except adapting and responding according to the situation, whilst ensuring the overall objectives are not lost to inflexibility, weakness, or indecision. IC-814 was indeed a lapse of immense proportion but the complexities of the eight-day ordeal necessitated negotiations in that specific case, as insisting any other way is easier said than done, as instructed by history anywhere in the world.

(The writer, a military veteran, is a former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. The views expressed are personal)
PM Modi's Brunei visit highlights India's commitment to strengthening ties in Southeast Asia

Prime Minister Modi is wasting no time in walking the talk as far as his foreign policy goals are concerned. This week, with a clear focus on Look East policy the Indian PM was in Brunei and Singapore. The Brunei visit was the first state visit by an Indian PM, after establishing diplomatic relations in 1984. The Indian Mission in Brunei came nearly a decade later in 1993. PM Manmohan Singh had visited Brunei Darussalam in 2013 to attend multilateral meetings of ASEAN and East Asia Summit.Highlighting the importance of the first bilateral visit to Brunei, Indias High Commissioner Alok Amitabh Dimri, told news agency ANI  In our four decades of diplomatic relationship, this is the first bilateral official visit by the Prime Minister of India to Brunei Darussalam.

It is a historic moment in our bilateral relationship and also for the Indian community in Brunei Darussalam that high-level bilateral engagement between Prime Minister Shri Modi and His Majesty the King is going to take place. This visit is historic in many ways that Brunei and India have been civilizational neighbours as you know that India shares deep historical roots and bonds with Southeast Asia. The Malayan tradition of this geography which is located in the Borneo Island of Southeast Asian Seas derives deep linkages be it, linguistic, anthropological, ethnic, architectural, religious motives, customs and traditions, norms from India, South India. Defence relations between the two countries have been on an upward trajectory since the establishment of formal diplomatic ties.

There have been several official-level defence exchanges and visits of navy, coast guard ships and joint exercises. India has MoU in in defence sector with Brunei till 2026. Several Indian Navy ships and coast guard ships such as INS Rana, INS Airavat, INS Shivalik & INS Kadmatt, and Samudra Pahereda to name a few, have been in Brunei waters, given the maritime security concerns. The trade relations between the two countries are not what one can boast of, however, it is of strategic importance.

The recently concluded Brunei trip by the Indian PM has enhanced and deepened the partnership between the two countries. The joint statement issued after the leader's meeting stated Both leaders held discussions for enhancing cooperation on a wide range of issues including defence, connectivity, trade and investment, energy including renewables, space, ICT, health and pharmaceuticals, education and capacity building, culture, tourism, youth and people-to-people exchanges, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. However, the real area of cooperation would be in maintaining international rules of law deep in the Indian Ocean. Brunei is located in the South China Sea region, where China has a significant presence and has been increasingly threatening the bordering countries with its coercive tactics. These issues were raised by the Indian PM in his meeting with his Counterpart on Darussalam.

The joint statement read, Both leaders reiterated their commitment to work closely together in mutually beneficial areas to further strengthen the ASEAN  India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.Both leaders reiterated their commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, as well as respecting freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce, consistent with international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. The leaders also urged all parties to resolve disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS 1982.

The first state visit by an Indian PM to Brunei just months after taking charge for a third time is a long-term strategic move to secure Indias interests for the future.

(The writer is a policy analyst, views are personal)
Eminent film critic, curator and author Aruna Vasudev, regarded as the 'mother of Asian cinema', died on Thursday morning at a hospital here due to age-related illness, her close friend Neerja Sarin said. She was 88.

Vasudev had been undergoing treatment at a multi-speciality hospital for the past three weeks.

"She was not keeping well for some time. She had Alzheimer's and was suffering from other old age-related health issues as well. She died at the hospital this morning," Sarin told PTI.

Vasudev was married to the late diplomat Sunil Roy Chowdhury. She is survived by her graphic designer-daughter Yamini Roy Chowdhury, wife of politician Varun Gandhi.

The last rites will be held at the Lodhi Road crematorium at 3 pm.

From her humble origins in pre-independent India and to the corridors of the cinematic universe, Vasudev wore many hats throughout her life as a critic, author, editor, painter, documentary maker, trustee, member of several panels and above all, the torch bearer of Asian cinema.

The Delhi-based scholar was the founder-editor of "Cinemaya: The Asian Film Quarterly". She is also credited with founding the internationally-renowned Netpac 29 years ago, a worldwide organisation to forward the cause of Asian films.

Social media was flooded with messages of condolences for Vasudev.

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi said she is "saddened" to hear about Vasudev's passing.

"She was the pioneer for making Asian films a genre to be talked about as a separate identity of its own. There are many laurels to her credit but I will always remember her for her warmth and radiant smile. Her observations were always insightful and I enjoyed being with her a lot. My condolences to her family. RIP dear dearest Aruna," Azmi wrote on Instagram.

Thank you for the movies, Aruna Vasudev, said film critic and author Namrata Joshi.

"Growing up 80s-90s Delhi, world cinemaspecially from Asia & the Arab worldfirst came home to us because of the ceaseless untiring efforts of Aruna and Latika Padgaonkar through their Cinefan film festival and Cinemaya magazine," Joshi wrote on X.

"Rest in Peace, Aruna Ma'am... Thank you for curating one of the best film festivals of Delhi. A lot of us were introduced to some of the finest world cinema because of you. #arunavasudev," posted filmmaker Sania Hashmi.

Vasudev has also directed or produced around 20 documentaries, and edited or co-edited several books, including a translation from French into English of Jean-Claude Carriere's "In Search of the Mahabharata: Notes of Travels in India with Peter Brook".

She was also the board member of Alliance Francaise de Delhi, a leading Indo-French cultural centre for French language and cultural immersion.

Vasudev studied at the Paris-based Institut des hautes etudes cinematographiques (Institute for Advanced Film Studies) and later obtained a PhD in cinema from the University of Paris, Sorbonne, and has had a long association with France.

Her contribution to cinema and arts was praised by the government of France, which felicitated her with some of the highest French cultural honours, including the Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2019 and Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2002.

Neville Tuli, the founder of Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (TRIS), condoled the demise of his friend Vasudev, whom he described as the "epitome of a confident individuality rooted in a deep knowledge and appreciation for creativity, cinema, scholarship and genuine compassion".

"She carried her knowledge and leadership lightly, for it was a living energy, where her theory and practice had seamlessly fused into a daily ritual of frenetic creative thoughts, activities, and ways to communicate and support the building of a cinematic culture and awareness among one and all.

"Her thoughts were rooted in that rare desire to nurture the young & independent minded film enthusiasts who wanted to make cinema their life. Naturally, she did not suffer fools or mediocrity gladly," Tuli told
In a significant milestone to develop bilateral naval cooperation, the Indian Navy and the South African Navy have signed an Implementing Agreement that ensures the safety of the South African Navys submarine crew in times of distress or accident, navy said here on Wednesday.

Giving details, officials said the agreement was signed by Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy. The Implementing Agreement underscores a shared commitment to maritime safety and mutual support.

Under this agreement, the Indian Navy will provide assistance by deploying its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) when required, further strengthening the collaborative ties between the two navies. This partnership reinforces the longstanding maritime relationship between India and South Africa.
Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladeshs interim Government, has said former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina making political remarks from India is an unfriendly gesture, asserting that she must remain silent to prevent the discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition.

If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (Government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet, he said.

In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus, who was appointed the countrys Chief Adviser after Hasinas ouster, stressed that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina.

No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it, he said.

It is not good for us or for India. There is discomfort regarding it, he told PTI.

Yunus was apparently referring to Hasinas statement on August 13 in which she demanded justice, saying those involved in recent terror acts, killings and vandalism must be investigated, identified and punished. This has been the only statement made by Hasina after she fled. It was posted on her US-based son Sajeeb Wazed Joys X handle.

Following unprecedented anti-Government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled to India. Her presence in India for nearly four weeks has fuelled speculation in Bangladesh.

When asked whether Bangladesh has communicated its stance to India, Yunus said it has been conveyed verbally and quite firmly that she should keep quiet.

Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a peoples uprising and public anger, he said.

Yunus stated that the interim Government is committed to ensuring justice for the people of Bangladesh against the atrocities, and justice requires that she be brought back to the country. Yes, she has to be brought back or else the people of Bangladesh wont be at peace. The kind of atrocities she has committed, she has to be tried in front of everyone here, he emphasised.

Discussing the future of the India-Bangladesh relationship, Yunus expressed a desire for good ties with India but insisted that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that only Hasinas leadership ensures the countrys stability.

The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only. India is captivated by this narrative. India has to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is another neighbour, he said.

Referring to the recent incidents of alleged attacks on Hindu minorities in the country and India raising concerns about it, Yunus said this is just an excuse. The issue of trying to portray the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse, he said.

The minority Hindu population has faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as the destruction of Hindu temples, during the student-led violence that erupted following the ouster of Hasina.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, expressed hope that the situation in violence-hit Bangladesh would return to normal soon and stated that 1.4 billion Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus and minorities in the neighbouring country.

The 84-year-old Nobel laureate emphasised the need for India and Bangladesh to work together to improve their currently strained relationship. When asked about ways to improve the Indo-Bangla relations, Yunus said both the countries need to work together and it is on a downhill presently.

We need to work together to improve this relationship, which is now at a low, he said.

Speaking about the future of bilateral treaties with India, Yunus said there are demands for a relook at certain treaties such as transit and the Adani electricity deal.

Everybody is saying it is needed. We will see what is on paper and, second, what is actually happening on the ground. I cant answer it specifically. If there is any need to review, we will then raise questions about it, he said.

The BNP has said if 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.
Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russia and Ukraine to talk to each other to end the ongoing conflict and said India is ready to play an active role, President Vladimir Putin on Thursday named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the issue. He also said these countries are sincerely making efforts to resolve it.

Modi made these assertions during his talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his historic visit there on August 23. He conveyed to Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an active role to restore peace in the region.

Modi also said he would even like to contribute personally for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with President Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

As regards the latest development, PTI reported from Moscow, President Putin on Thursday named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict and said they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it, state-owned TASS news agency reported.

Reporting on his remarks at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, US media outlet Politico reported him as also saying, If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that.

Putins remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Modis historic visit to Ukraine where he held talks with President Zelenskyy.

We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue, Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

Separately, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.

Underlining the existing highly constructive, even friendly relations between Modi and Putin, he said the Indian Prime Minister can lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict, as he freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans.

This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track, Peskov said.

He, however, said there are no specific plans on Modi mediating on the issue. At this time they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now, the Kremlin spokesman said.

In his talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Modi said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
A day after the BJP released its first list of 67 candidates for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections, discontent among party leaders, including Ministers in the Nayab Saini Cabinet, flared up. Several leaders expressed their dissatisfaction, with several resigning from their posts on Thursday.

Among them were Haryana Energy Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, Minister of State Bishamber Singh Balmiki, Ratia MLA Laxman Napa, former Ministers Karan Dev Kamboj, Kavita Jain, MP Savitri Jindal, MLA Lakshman Napa who had raised the banner of revolt. The rebel trouble for BJP started shortly after it came out with the first list of candidates as it left many sulking.

Interestingly, the BJP has named former prison official Sunil Sangwan  who recommended parole for Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Ram Rahim six times  on its list of candidates for next months Haryana Assembly election.

Sangwan will contest the Dadri seat which former BJP leader Somveer Sangwan won as an Independent in 2019 that was after the party favoured wrestler Babita Phogat over him.

Energy and Jail Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala (79), son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal said he took a decision after a meeting with his supporters and will now enter the fray as an Independent. Ranjit Chautala called a meeting of his supporters after the party ignored his candidature from Rania segment in Sirsa district.I had good relations with them (BJP). They gave me the Lok Sabha ticket (from Hisar, which he fought unsuccessfully). But dont know on whose advice they have acted. I will say anyone who has given them this advice has caused damage to the party, Chautala said.

I am Chaudhary Devi Lals son. I have some stature... I have decided to contest as an Independent, he said, while adding he has resigned as a Minister and quit the BJP. Chautala was hoping to contest from Rania seat but the BJP fielded Shishpal Kamboj instead.

Ranjit had resigned as Independent MLA from Rania ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to join the BJP and fought the Hisar parliamentary seat unsuccessfully.

Napa, sitting MLA from Ratia reserve constituency in Fatehabad district resigned from the party on Thursday and hinted to join the Congress in New Delhi in the presence of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress state president Udaibhan and other senior leaders of the Congress party. The party ignored him and announced former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal from the Ratia (SC) seat.

After quitting the party, Napa met former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at his residence in the national capital and later said he will be joining the Congress along with his supporters. Napa, in a letter to state party chief Mohan Lal Badoli shortly after the BJP put out the first list of 67 candidates for the polls, said he was resigning from the partys primary membership.

In another jolt to the BJP after it put out the first list of candidates, former minister Karan Dev Kamboj said he has resigned as state president of Haryana BJPs OBC Morcha and from all party posts he held. Kamboj, who was also a ticket hopeful but did not get it, said he had been serving the party over the years with dedication.

Perhaps the BJP does not need loyalists anymore, he said, adding the party is rewarding leaders with tickets who joined a day before while ignoring those who served it for years.

Savitri Jindal, BJPs Kurukshetra MP who is industrialist Naveen Jindals mother, announced that she would contest from Hisar. She was also seeking a ticket from the BJP to contest from Hisar, but the ruling party nominated its MLA and Minister Dr Kamal Gupta from the seat.

Bishamber Singh Balmiki, a Minister of State Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) (Independent charge), also called a meeting of his supporters at his residence. The BJP ignored the sitting Bawani Khera MLA and instead nominated Kapur Valmiki from the SC reserved seat.

A few sitting legislators, including minister Sanjay Singh and former minister Sandeep Singh, do not figure in the first list of BJP candidates. From Ratia, the party has fielded former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Duggal was denied re-nomination from the Sirsa parliamentary constituency after former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, who had joined BJP ahead of the LS polls, was given the ticket.Tanwar, however, lost to Congress veteran Kumari Selja.

Former Haryana minister and senior BJP leader Kavita Jain, a ticket hopeful from Sonipat, was also sulking after party fielded Nikhil Madan from the constituency.Addressing her supporters in Sonipat, she turned emotional, and said she had always worked as a dedicated soldier for her party and her candidature should have been considered.
The Delhi High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the challenges faced by residents of Delhis urbanised villages when it comes to the mutation (entry in revenue records) of their land.

This development comes after Supreme Court judge, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, along with Acting Chief Justice, Manmohan, visited Jaunti village in North-West Delhi pursuant to an event organised by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) on August 10 focused upon addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by the remote and underdeveloped areas of Delhi.

During interaction with the judges, the villagers voiced concerns regarding the difficulties faced by them pertaining to mutation in the land records.

They said they wished to get their immovable properties inherited from ancestors mutated in their names in the land records as per law, but mutation applications with all the necessary documents attached gather dust endlessly in the concerned departments despite persistent efforts over the years, the aggrieved villagers complained.

Mutation is the process of changing the title of a property in the records of the local authorities.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the problem regarding the mutation of properties in Delhis urbanised villages has persisted for the last two decades after these villages turned into urban settlements.

The bench has issued notices to the Land & Development Officer (L&DO) of the Ministry of Urban Development, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Vice Chairman, Delhi Development Authority, Secretary (Revenue)/Development Commissioner, Delhi Government and Member-Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority.

As against todays complex mutation process, a simple method known as Lal Dora was used in the past to demarcate the jurisdiction of a village on lands where populations resided.

When the population increased and villagers got a homestead plot against their scattered agricultural land holdings under the chakbandi scheme, the concept of extended Lal Dora was introduced.

As a result, thousands of people living in the Capital citys villages, both rural and urban, do not have clear ownership rights to their properties since the abadi area (the part of a village with residential structures when the rest is farmland) was earlier considered as one khasra, or plot of land.

To add to their woes, despite the division of land among the members of extended families, the names of the next generation inheritors were never entered in the revenue records.

In its order, the bench said The absence of a documentation mechanism by land-owning agencies post-urbanisation disproportionately affects the urban poor.

Lack of formal property rights evidence prevents access to credit facility for construction and renovation, and benefits from Government schemes or participation in land pooling policy of the Delhi Government. Such a legal vacuum disabling the villagers when it comes to managing their immovable properties prima facie violates their fundamental right under Article 21 and constitutional right under Article 300A of the Constitution of India, and, accordingly, needs to be addressed at the earliest by the concerned departments/government agencies, the court said.

The court observed there is complete absence of any law/policy/guidelines/rules whereby rights of mutation can be availed by the residents of such villages before the appropriate forum i.e. the concerned subsequent land-holding agency whether it be the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India or the Delhi Development Authority in case of such lands being notified as development areas under the provisions of Section 12 of the Delhi Development Authority Act, 1957.

The Bench noted that Section 507(a) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act read with Section 150(3) of the Delhi Land Reforms Act, 1954 states that after a notification under these provisions, a Gram Sabha stands dissolved and the land gets vested in the Central Government. The court noted that as per a notification issued in 2019, the Delhi Governments Revenue Department ceased to maintain land records pertaining to urbanised areas as the concerned village or villages ceased to be a part of rural areas under the DMC Act and were included in the urban areas.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Thursday said that the Kejriwal-led Government is the only one that prioritises sending principals and teachers abroad for advanced training, rather than ministers and officers.

Atishi, while addressing the audience at the Delhi State Teachers Awards on Teachers Day, said that the Kejriwal government is the only one that sends principals and teachers abroad for training, rather than ministers and officers.She highlighted that over 400 principals and teachers have received training at prestigious institutions like Cambridge University, while 950 teachers have been trained at the National Institute of Education in Singapore and 1,700 teachers at IIM Ahmedabad.

In 2015, when Arvind Kejriwal became the Chief Minister of Delhi, education was never the priority of any government. Government schools were in a bad condition. Every family used to think that even if we have to sacrifice our livelihood, we will take our children out of government schools and educate them in private schools, said Atishi.

The Education Minister said that when Arvind Kejriwal became the Chief Minister of Delhi in 2015, he took a pledge that whether a child is from a rich family or a poor family, every child of Delhi will get world class education.

The result of this is that the Delhi government became the first government in the country to double the education budget in the first year itself. The budget of Rs 5000 crore was increased to Rs 10,000 crore. Delhi became the first government in the country to consistently spend the largest part of its budget, almost a quarter, on education. Which no other government in the country has done till date, she said.

Reflecting on her own background, the minister said, Both of my parents were teachers at Delhi University. I have a personal connection to this profession and understand the value of quality education.

She also emphasised the importance of respecting teachers and said, We have elevated teachers to the position of gurus and they are key to shaping future generations.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, on Wednesday, sought to corner Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by citing a Supreme Court observation and asking whether the state government will now seek forgiveness for razing houses using bulldozers.

On Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths retort that it takes heart and mind and bulldozer-like resolve to run a bulldozer, Akhilesh added that a bulldozer does not have a brain, but has a steering.

Who knows when the people of Uttar Pradesh will change someones steering or when the people of Delhi will change someones steering, the SP chief said in a lighter note.

Akhilesh Yadav had on Tuesday said that the direction of the bulldozers would be turned towards Gorakhpur, the home district of the chief minister, after 2027, if the SP forms its government in the state.

Currently engaged in an exchange of barbs with the chief minister over the use of bulldozers, the Lok Sabha MP said the Supreme Court had observed that the bulldozer action was not constitutional.

Addressing reporters, Akhilesh Yadav remarked that the way the court has operated the bulldozer, the bulldozer cannot operate now.

He said the people used to scare others with bulldozers, used to demolish peoples houses in various places, and asked if the map of the chief ministers residence was approved by the competent authority?

Tell us when it was passed, show the papers. You deliberately ran the bulldozer on those with whom you wanted to take revenge, to humiliate them Yesterday the Supreme Court said that a bulldozer cannot be used. So, will the government apologise for the bulldozer operation that was going on till now or not? he asked.

He further said as far as heart and mind are concerned, I just want to say that there is no brain in a bulldozer, it is run by the steering. The people of Uttar Pradesh can change the steering of someones bulldozer

He said if Yogi Adityanath and his bulldozers were so successful, then he should form a separate party and contest elections with the bulldozer election symbol.

Your illusions and pride will be shattered. Anyway, in your current situation, even if you are in BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), you are as good as'no; you will have to form a separate party, if not today then tomorrow, he said.

As far as the bulldozer is concerned, think what kind of bulldozer has been run by the court that now the bulldozer cannot run. Those who used to scare people with bulldozers, used to demolish peoples houses at various places. This means that you deliberately ran the bulldozer to humiliate those you wanted to take revenge against and because of arrogance of power. Now, the result is that from the High Court to the Supreme Court, it can be said that the bulldozer is not constitutional but unconstitutional, Yadav said.
Under the popular museum series Exhibit of the Month of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a traditional object is displayed in the appearance for a whole month.

The exhibit for the month of September 2024 Avujam- A Musical Instrument is on display in the indoor exhibition buildingVeethi Sankul. The 'exhibit of the month' was inaugurated by V.Ranganath, Additional Commissioner, Employees Provident Fund Organisation, Government of India Bhopal on the occasion many dignitaries were present. This object has been composed by Assistant keeper DrAshok Vardhan.On this occasion, the Director of the Museum, Amitabh Pandey welcomed V.Ranganath, Additional Commissioner by giving him a bouquet and honored him by presenting him the logo of the Museum.

About the exhibit displayed in the exhibition, Assistant keeper Dr Ashok Vardhan.said that the most important cultural object of Konda Reddies community is Avujam or Auzam, a percussion instrument in cylindrical shape with double membrane is collected during the fieldwork from the Urrinka village, of West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. It is the symbol and cultural identity of Konda Reddis without which no festivals or ceremonies are celebrated. It is said that if the village has more Avujams there will be more festivals. The elders of the village believe that the village community is united by this musical instrument. Avujam is played by the male and other members of the community join for the celebrations in the form of dance. While collecting all the materials for making Avujam, all the members must observe some norms, such as Upavasam means fasting, and take a head bath every day. For the collection of monkey skin, a special team is selected by the village headman.

Art and Craft:

The Konda Reddis are skilled artisan communities in preparation of domestic objects, basketry, and musical instruments. Their art and craft not only reflect their creative skills but also illustrate their cultural identity. Usage of bamboo has ritualistic, livelihood, domestic and nutritional significance in Konda Reddis.
DPS Ranchi celebrates Teachers' Day

Delhi Public School Ranchi was abuzz with excitement and gratitude as the teachers of Primary and Secondary Wing came together to celebrate Teachers' Day with unparalleled zeal and fervour. The day was commemorated with a series of heartwarming events and activities. The presence of teachers in their traditional finery marked the celebration. The occasion was presided over by Principal, Dr. R.K.Jha. The celebration started with lighting the auspicious lamp and paying homage to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and a great teacher known for his contribution to the Education System of India. Speaking on the occasion, Dr R K Jha said, Teachers nourish and prepare students for their future as they are the real icons of knowledge and wisdom. They create awareness among the students and common people. Our teachers are the true pillars of our success. A teachers determination and sincerity shapes the destiny of the nation.

Teachers' Day at Cambrian Public School



India is probably the first Country in the world where teachers are given the status of God. There are innumerable and wonderful examples of the Guru-Shishya tradition here, said Principal Dr. Neeta Pandey in the Teachers' Day celebration organized at Cambrian Public School, Kanke Road, Ranchi. Earlier, Chairman of the school management and chief guest of the program Pancham Singh and Anandmayi Singh inaugurated the program by garlanding the picture of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He said that teachers should discharge their duties with full honesty, so that twenty-first century India can establish its identity as a strong, powerful and best nation on the world stage. On this occasion, special guest Komal Singh, Vice Principal Premlata Kumari and other teachers were present.

Teacher's Day at DAV Hazaribag

Teachers Day Celebration was inaugurated by Praveen Ranjan District Education Officer Hazaribag, Sanjay Tiwari, Dinesh Khandelwal Vice Chairman, Kavita Pandey Principal In Charge , Sampa Srivastava, Kiran Mishra and Ravi Sinha. Kavita Pandey Principal In Charge of the school welcomed all and in her address she said that it was indeed a great moment for the school. She also made the people aware of the students ' remarkable achievements. Thereafter, she read out the message of Poonam Suri President DAV CMC , New Delhi. The Chief Guest Praveen Ranjan felicitated all teachers and in his address, he said that the students of DAV have been performing exceedingly well in scholastic as well as co scholastic activities which clearly reflect dedication, devotion and hard work of teaching faculty members. He also expressed his good wishes and said that teachers are always respectful; their work must be recognized every day as they build the society.

Teachers' Day at MGM HSS, Sector 4F

MGM Higher Secondary School, Sector 4F, Bokaro celebrated Teachers' Day on Thursday with great enthusiasm and reverence. Principal Father Dr. Joshi Varghese, along with the teachers and students, paid floral tributes to the portrait of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He emphasized the importance of teachers in guiding students from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. He remarked that teachers not only impart academic education but also provide practical wisdom, showing students the path to success in life. He stressed that knowledge cannot be attained without a teacher, and therefore, students must always respect their gurus.

Grand Teachers' Day celebration at MAPS

Mithila Academy Public School, Sector 4/E, celebrated Teachers' Day with grandeur on Thursday. The event was graced by Surendra Kumar Jha, DIG, Bokaro, as the chief guest. The guests included Gyanesh Jha, CGM Vigilance & A.E.B.O, along with Chairman Hari Mohan Jha, Batohi Kumar, Secretary Pramod Kumar Jha Chandan and others. In their speeches, the chief guests emphasized the vital role of teachers and parents, stating that the first teachers in anyone's life are their parents. They also highlighted the ancient tradition of the Guru-Shishya relationship in India, where teachers are seen as creators and guides of knowledge, worthy of reverence. In a captivating theatrical performance, students portrayed the traditional stories of Eklavyaand Arjuna, showcasing the essence of the Guru-Shishya relationship.

Tribute to Mentors at PAS, Bokaro

Pentecostal Assembly School (PAS) Bokaro celebrated Teachers' Day with immense enthusiasm and appreciation, honouring the unwavering dedication of its educators. Dr. D.N. Prasad, Director, and Rita Prasad, Chief Academic Officer, highlighted the pivotal role of teachers in shaping future generations. School Vice-Captain Anurag Gupta delivered an emotional speech. Administrative Officer Daniel Michael Prasad and Principal Dr. Karuna Prasad recognized the tireless dedication of the teachers, encouraging students to honour and appreciate their mentors every day. The event was a touching tribute to the school's educators, making it a day to remember.

Loyola School celebrates Teachers' Day

Loyola School, Jamshedpur, hosted a heartfelt celebration on Thursday, in honour of Teachers, paying tribute to the invaluable contributions of its educators in shaping the minds and futures of students. The event was marked by a series of vibrant activities, highlighting the dedication and passion of the teaching staff. The event formally commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp and a prayer led by Rector Fr. K.M. Joseph, S.J. A lively interactive quiz brought added joy and engagement to the day, giving teachers and students an opportunity to bond in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. In his Vote of Thanks, Principal Fr. Vinod Fernandes, S.J., summed up the celebrations as a meaningful acknowledgment of the unwavering commitment of Loyola's teachers. He expressed deep gratitude for their tireless efforts in guiding and inspiring students every day.

Teachers Day celebrated at DAV, SEC IV

DAV, SEC IV, Bokaro celebrated Teachers' Day on Thursday with immense enthusiasm and joy. The day began with a special morning assembly led by the students of Grade IX, where they paid tribute to the great teacher Dr. S Radhakrishnan. In a heartwarming tradition, the students then took on the responsibilities of the teachers, symbolizing respect and admiration for the teaching profession. The celebration saw the presence of prominent figures, including B. S. Jaiswal as the chief guest and Brahmdeo, LMC member, as the guest of the day. Principal, Sarbendu Sekhar Kar, delivered a stirring address that further elevated the spirit of the event. He emphasized the importance of respecting teachers and praised the staff for their exceptional contribution to the school's continuous success. His leadership, vision, and compassion inspire both students and faculty to strive for excellence.
New Agriculture Policy, launching a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for outstanding debts, reviewing legal cases against farmer leaders  were among the major decisions the Punjab Government arrived at on Thursday following the hours-long meeting with the farmers, who have been protesting in Chandigarh for the past four days. The sweeping decisions are aimed at addressing long-standing grievances and providing much-needed relief to the states beleaguered farmers.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spearheaded the meeting, which brought together key stakeholders, including the representatives of farmer unions, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, state DGP Gaurav Yadav, among others. The discussions resulted in a series of pivotal actions designed to tackle the challenges plaguing Punjabs agricultural sector.

The centerpiece of the meeting was the draft of the new Agriculture Policy. The State Government committed to sharing this draft with farmers and relevant departments by the end of September. The move will allow for a thorough review and incorporation of feedback from those directly affected by agricultural policies. The aim is to create a policy that genuinely addresses the needs of the farming community and fosters a more sustainable agricultural environment.

In a significant move to alleviate the financial strain on farmers, the Punjab Government also announced the introduction of a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for outstanding debts owed to cooperative banks. The initiative is expected to provide critical relief to many farmers who have struggled with debt, offering a path to financial stability and easing the burden of repayment. The OTS scheme is seen as a crucial step in addressing the ongoing agrarian crisis and supporting the states agricultural sector.

The meeting also focused on the legal challenges faced by farmer leaders who have been involved in protests. Chief Minister Mann directed the officials concerned to explore options for withdrawing cases against these leaders, aiming to resolve legal disputes and reduce tensions within the farming community. The move is intended to demonstrate the governments willingness to address the concerns of farmers and foster a more amicable resolution to ongoing conflicts.

In addition to these measures, the Punjab Government pledged to re-evaluate rejected compensation claims related to farmer suicides and address issues related to land encroachment on plots designated for distribution. The Chief Minister has set a timeline of three to six months to clear these encroachments and make the five marla plots available to deserving individuals.

Environmental concerns, including groundwater depletion, water pollution, and the condition of Buddha Nullah, were also discussed. The government assured that it is committed to addressing these issues to ensure sustainable farming and protect the livelihoods of farmers.

The meeting was conducted in a constructive and cooperative atmosphere, reflecting a shared commitment to resolving the issues facing Punjabs farmers. The Chief Ministers assurances coupled with the proposed reforms, marking a significant shift in the states approach to agricultural support and economic relief, came after four days of intense negotiations with farmers over eight critical issues.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and the Khet Mazdoor Union have jointly organized a pakka morcha at Chandigarhs Sector 34. Farmers initially planned a march to the Punjab Assembly but ultimately staged a protest at Matka Chowk, where their demands were presented to the state Agriculture Minister, who assured them that their concerns would be addressed and relayed to Chief Minister Mann.
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Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a dramatic escalation as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh stirred the Assembly by putting in dock his own partys government over the issue of inaction in the sensitive issue of sacrilege and related firing incidents.



Kunwar Vijay, a cop-turned-legislator, demanded a special one-day session to address the unresolved issues of sacrilege and the subsequent police firing incidents of 2015, besides calling for the tabling of Special Investigation Team (SIT) report, which investigates the police violence at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura  the demands that underscored mounting frustration with the State Government's inaction.



His move not only ignited a fervent debate but also compelled Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to break his silence on this emotionally charged issue. Addressing the Assembly, Mann pledged that the State Government is unwavering in its commitment to deliver justice for the victims of sacrilege and the police violence that followed.



Mann revealed that new evidence has surfaced, prompting the State to prepare a fresh report that will be legally vetted to ensure thorough accountability. He promised no leniency towards the perpetrators  highlighting a significant shift from the past administrations, which have been criticized for their perceived inadequacy in handling these grave issues.



The controversy dated back to 2015 when sacrilege incidents in Punjab led to massive protests and police firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura. At the time, SAD-BJP combine government, led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, was in power.



Punjab Vidhan Sabha had initially withdrawn the investigation from the CBI, opting instead for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. Kunwar Vijays demand for a special Assembly session emphasized ongoing dissatisfaction with the handling of these cases and the urgent need for transparency and accountability.



Kunwar Vijay criticized the former governments, including the Badal-led SAD-BJP government and the Capt Amarinder Singh led Congress administration, accusing them of mishandling the investigations, which contributed to the High Courts dismissal of the SIT report. Kunwar Vijay called for the SIT report to be tabled in the Assembly to ensure public scrutiny and facilitate a comprehensive debate on the issue.



He also highlighted the role of various officials, including ADGP Parmod Kumar and ADGP Arun Pal Singh, who were criticized for their lack of documentation during the SIT probe. He claimed that he was the only SIT member to write case diary on daily basis.



Those defending the culprits behind the sacrilege and inflicting atrocities on the protesters are no more part of the elected representatives of the HouseThe Wahegurus court has given them punishment. Justice must be given to Sikh sangat, he reminded his own government.



In addition to addressing sacrilege and police firing, Kunwar Vijay also highlighted the struggles of Punjabs farmers. Despite earlier promises, farmers continue to face significant challenges, including restrictions at the Shambu border. He urged the Assembly to extend its session to address both the sacrilege incidents and the broader issues affecting farmers.



He also renewed his call for legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP), recalling election promises, made in the run up to Lok Sabha polls, to secure fair compensation for farmers. He stressed that the Punjab Assembly has the authority to create agricultural laws and called for prompt action to fulfill this critical promise.



Chief Minister Mann reiterated the government's resolve to pursue justice vigorously. He assured that the new report, incorporating recent findings, will be presented in the Court to build a strong case against those responsible for the sacrilege and police violence.



The report has already been sent by the State Government for legal vetting so that no one escapes the gallows for their involvement in this crime. The day is not far away when the culprits of this heinous crime will be seen behind barsUnlike the previous governments, we will not leave any stone unturned for this, he said.


A wanted criminal and prime accused in the daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Sultanpur district was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.

Mangesh Yadav, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, sustained serious injuries during the encounter and was admitted to the community health centre in Bhadhaiya where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police recovered a 32-bore pistol, cartridges, 315-bore pistol, a motorcycle and looted jewellery from the spot.

Mangesh, a native of Jaunpur, had several criminal cases registered against him.

The encounter, with the members of the gang which committed daylight robbery at Bharat Jewelers in Sultanpur town on August 28, took place in the Misirpur Puraina area of Kotwali Dehat, Sultanpur at around 3:25 am.

The operation was led by STF Deputy Superintendent of Police DK Shahi and Deputy Superintendent of Police Vimal Singh.

On August 28, five armed men had looted valuables worth over Rs 2 crore at gunpoint from a jewellery shop in broad daylight in Majorganj area in Sultanpur. The CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced online.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place at around 12 noon when five men, who came on two motorcycles, entered the showroom of jeweller Bharatji Soni. Three of them wore helmets and two had their faces covered with scarves. The police and UP STF were investigating the case. Mangesh Yadav was also involved in this robbery.

Earlier, the police had arrested three other criminals after an encounter.

On Thursday, the police received information about the location of three criminals from an informer. The police surrounded the area, leading to the shootout. During the exchange of fire, the police shot the three criminals in the legs. All three were arrested and admitted to the hospital.

According to the police, five criminals were involved in the robbery. Three of them have been arrested, one has been killed by the STF, and another is still being searched for.

Earlier, ADG Lucknow Zone announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on 11 dacoits involved in the jewellery robbery case. In an encounter near Godwa Inter College adjacent to the city on Tuesday morning, the police had arrested Sachin Singh and Pushpendra Singh, residents of Shahari Bhimi village of Peeparpur in Amethi, and Tribhuvan Kori alias Lala, a resident of Peeparpur village. They were involved in the bullion robbery case. These criminals had disclosed the names of 12 criminals of Amethi, Azamgarh, Rae Bareli, Jaunpur and Pratapgarh who were involved in the robbery. The gang leader, Vipin Singh of Bhawani Nagar police station Mohanganj in Amethi, is in jail after surrendering in Rae Bareli court on August 28.

Superintendent of Police Somen Burma said that seven teams were deployed to nab the criminals and recover the jewellery. Police are looking for these criminals.

The rewards were announced on Furkan alias Gujjar, Anuj Pratap Singh, Arbaaz, Vinay Shukla, all of Ashapuri police station Mohanganj district Amethi, Mangesh Yadav alias Kumbhe of Agaraura police station Buksa district Jaunpur, Ankit Yadav alias Shekhar, resident of Haripura police station Aspur Devsara district Pratapgarh, Ajay Yadav alias DM of Larpur police station Sigramau district Jaunpur, Arvind Yadav alias Fauji, of Chamradih police station Phulpur Azamgarh, Vivek Singh of Bhavani Nagar police station Mohanganj district Amethi, Durgesh Pratap Singh of Naya Purwa near Fire Station, Rae Bareli and an unknown criminal.
Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav conducted a review meeting to assess the progress of ongoing development projects within the Chas Municipal Corporation and Phusro Municipal Council here on Thursday. The meeting, held at the district Collectorate, was attended by key officials, including Deputy Development Commissioner Girja Shankar Prasad, DRDA Director Menka, Additional Municipal Commissioner Anant Kumar, and Additional Collector Mumtaz Ansari.

During the review, DC Jadhav emphasized the urgent need for malaria testing at camps organized under the "Aapki Yojana  Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwaar" (AYASAD) program. She instructed District Malaria Officer Dr. Renu Bharti to coordinate with the municipal administration to initiate this testing immediately.

The Deputy Commissioner expressed concern over the slow progress of the Chas Water Supply Project, instructing the Additional Municipal Commissioner to conduct a thorough review and accelerate the work. She also ordered the cleaning of intake wells and water towers to ensure proper water supply in the region.

Further focusing on revenue collection, Jadhav noted that only 50% of the revenue target had been achieved by Chas Municipal Corporation. She urged officials to intensify efforts and also directed anti-encroachment drives to continue regularly.

The Deputy Commissioner further stressed the need for biometric attendance for all municipal staff and criticized the poor maintenance of Amrut park calling for action against the responsible agency.

She concluded the meeting by reviewing plans for the sewage treatment plant and solid waste management, instructing officials to expedite land acquisition for these critical projects.
District Education superintendent (DSE) cum Right to Education (RTE) Nodal Officer for BPL admission in public schools has served show cause notice to16 prominent schools of Dhanbad for providing misleading number of seats available for admission in those schools to his office under BPL quota.

DSE Ayush Kumar said that by serving show cause to public schools we have asked to clarify the actual number of seats available for admission under BPL quota. DSE has clearly stated in the letter that the number of

vacancies (seats available. For admission ) is misleading in the report made available to his office as it has shown much fewer seats for BPL admission compared to actual number of seats available in totality from entry level class to class eight .

The schools served show cause notice include Tata DAV Public School -Sijua, DAV Public School- Mahuda, DAV Public School -Rangamati Sindri, DAV Public School- Koyla Nagar, DAV Public School -Alkusa, Delhi Public School -Dhanbad, DAV Public School -Munidih Project Dhanbad, Rajkamal Saraswati Vidya Mandir- Ashok Nagar, DAV Public School- Kusunda, Dhanbad City School, Dhanbad Public School -KG Ashram, Dhanbad Public School- Hirak Branch, Tata DAV Public School- Jamadoba, DAV Model Schools -CFRI Jharia, DAV Centenary Public School- Baniahirand Doon Public School Satkira Topchanchi.

According to DSE there appears to be a huge difference between numbers provided to the department as well as that were sent to U-Dias and CBSE. The report submitted by U Dias and CBSE revealed that these schools hid actual numbers sent to the department for BPL enrollment as fewer seats were made available for such admissions compared to reports sent to U Diad and CBSE.

The schools have been asked to clarify within the shortest possible time. The notice has been served after complaints of select parents in this regard.


In observance of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, Jeevan, Suicide Prevention Centre, Jamshedpur, spearheaded a series of awareness initiatives in the city. Two educational institutionsRMS School, Khutadih, and DBMS College of Educationmobilized students and staff in a rally to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. A total of 240 participants took to the streets, with 150 from RMS School and 90 from DBMS College, accompanied by dedicated volunteers from Jeevan.

Participants carried placards with powerful messages and chanted slogans emphasizing the importance of mental health, aiming to break the stigma surrounding it. Handbills containing the contact information for Jeevan's helpline were distributed among bystanders, encouraging those in need to reach out for help.

The rallies are just the beginning of a series of planned events across the city. On September 6, Dayanand Public School and JUSCO School Kadma will hold their rallies, followed by DBMS Career Academy and Vivek Vidyalaya, TELCO, on September 9. Arka Jain University will culminate the campaign with a rally on September 10, aligning with World Suicide Prevention Day.

Jeevan, a recognised pillar of support in the region, has consistently provided compassionate assistance to individuals grappling with mental health issues. The organisation stresses the crucial role of community involvement in promoting mental well-being and urges every citizen of Jharkhand to actively contribute to this cause.

For those facing mental health challenges or in need of emotional support, Jeevan offers a confidential and judgment-free helpline service, available every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The helpline, which operates throughout the year, ensures a safe space for individuals to seek help. Jeevan's services are entirely free of charge, and the helpline numbers are 9297777499 and 9297777500.


The Central government today informed the Jharkhand High Court that the situation of infiltration of Bangladeshis in Santhal Pargana is alarming. Due to this, the demography of the area is getting affected, it added.

Appearing for the Centre Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the demography of the area is changing due to infiltration from Bangladesh. The decline in the percentage of tribal population is a serious issue, he said.

Hearing the PIL, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai accepted Mehtas request and fixed the next hearing of this case on September 12.

Mehta also urged the court to remove IB from the list of respondents in this case, as it has many confidential information which cannot be made public. This PIL, filed by Jamshedpur resident Daniel Danish, says that Bangladeshi intruders are infiltrating in Jharkhand from border areas like Jamtara, Pakur, Godda, Sahibganj etc. This is having an egregious effect on the population of these districts. A large number of madrasas have also been established there. Bangladeshi migrants are even marrying local tribals.

In its earlier hearing on August 22, the court expressed displeasure over the non-filing of reply by the Centre, Intelligence Bureau, UIDAI and the BSF. The state government was ordered to identify the infiltrators with the help of Special Branch. The Deputy Commissioners of all the six districts of Santhal Pargana division were also asked not to issue Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter cards, BPL cards without matching them with the land records. The court had also observed that it cannot be said that the documents procured on the basis of ration cards, voter cards or Aadhaar cards were legitimate. Owing to this, people are also being deprived of their rights in the public welfare schemes of the state government.

According to the data presented before the High Court citing the National Census, the tribal population in Santhal Pargana region has decreased from 44.67 per cent in 1951 to 28.11 per cent in 2011. A major reason behind this is Bangladeshi infiltration. If this trend continues, the situation will further aggravate, the Centre said.

Appearing on behalf of a social activist, Rajendra Krishna pointed out how the tribal population has been reduced to 28 per cent from 42 per cent in Santhal Pargana. He also cited the electoral list in which the number of voters has jumped 100 times to 300 times at several booths. A major reason behind this is Bangladeshi infiltration. If this process is not stopped, the situation will become serious, he said.

During the previous hearing, the state government was ordered to take action with the Special Branchs help to ensure infiltrators identification. Deputy Commissioners of all the six districts of Santhal Pargana division were also directed not to issue Aadhaar, ration, voter and BPL cards without matching them with the land records. The court had also said that it cannot be said that the documents based on which ration, voter or Aadhaar cards have been made are legitimate. Due to this, people are also being deprived of their rights in the public welfare schemes of the state government.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav emphasized the crucial role a Guru plays in our lives, explaining that the word "Guru" signifies one who guides us from darkness to light. He highlighted that former President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, dedicated his birthday to honoring teachers.

While extending his Teacher's Day wishes to all educators across the state, Yadav praised their dedication to shaping a better generation through their diligent efforts. Speaking at the Teachers' Day function in Ujjain on Thursday, Dr. Yadav noted that Goswami Tulsidas contributed to establishing and honoring Hindi and Sanskrit as the primary languages of Indian society. He remarked that our dialects evolve into languages over time. He also acknowledged the significant contributions of noted litterateurs Madhavrao Sapre and Makhanlal Chaturvedi to the development of Hindi as a national language. Additionally, the Chief Minister congratulated the teachers who were honored on Teacher's Day.

Yadav was addressing the Shikshak Samman Samaroha-2024 organized at Government Higher Secondary School of Excellence, Madhav Nagar in Ujjain. Among those who were present on this occasion were Rajya Sabha MP Balayogi Umeshnath Ji Maharaj, MLA Anil Jain Kaluheda, MLA Ghatitaya area Satish Malviya, Bahadur Singh Bormundla, Local Corporator Durga Shakti Singh Choudhary, public representatives, School Education Secretary Dr. Sanjay Goyal, Commissioner of Public Instructions, Shilpa Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Gupta, Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh and other officers.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav explained that the word "Guru" originates from Sanskrit, emphasizing that by upholding the Guru-Shishya tradition, we remain connected to Sanatan culture. He highlighted the Guru's vital role in guiding us from darkness to light and stressed that a Guru's wisdom is essential for transforming bad governance into good governance. Dr. Yadav also expressed his satisfaction with the government's decision to rename the title of Kulpati (Vice Chancellor) to Kulguru.

Teachers of Ujjain district who gave 100 percent results in high school and higher secondary board examinations were honored by Chief Minister Dr. Yadav with shawls, shriphal, and certificates. Besides, 11 ISO-certified cluster principals of Ujjain were also honored with ISO certificates.

In his address, while remembering former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Chief Minister Dr. Yadav noted that dialects gradually evolve into full-fledged languages. He remarked that Hindi has undergone significant development over the past thousand years. The Chief Minister highlighted that, despite being a Sanskrit scholar, Goswami Tulsidas played a crucial role in establishing Hindi as the language of society. By composing the Ramcharitmanas in Hindi, Tulsidas ji brought the Ramayana into every home.

Reflecting on his father, Chief Minister Yadav shared that while the body is mortal, his father taught him the importance of making good use of time by following the path of truth. The Chief Minister extended his warm wishes to all the teachers present at the event on the occasion of Teachers Day. He also took a group photograph with the teachers during the programme.

Yadavs was heard at the Teachers Day function organized at the Government Subhash Higher Secondary School of Excellence, Shivaji Nagar and Bhopal besides several other places in the state. Also, a large number of teachers and students heard his address on various social media platforms.
In an effort to make process of buying and taking possession of a Delhi Delhi Development Authority (DDA) flat a hassle free experience, it has started providing a plush folder containing all relevant papers printed out in a thicker bond. Earlier, the flat buyers would only get a piece of loose paper as possession letter upon buying their flats, a statement officials said here on said.

It also said this initiative was taken by Delhi Lt Governor(LG)V K Saxena. The Lt. Governor, in his varied interactions, found the lack of papers  their non-availability, them being disputed, them having got lost, etc. as one of the prime woes afflicting various individuals, groups and processes of DDA. He had accordingly directed DDA to prepare a folder containing not only possession letter but all relevant documents to be handed over to the buyers.

While directly supervising the roll out of the DDA Housing Schemes since last year, Saxena had directed DDA to address this issue in a suitable manner. He has underlined that buying a house or property was an important, once in a life time occasion for most of the buyers and the same should be dealt as a special and memorable occasion for the buyer by the DDA. He had invited attention of the officials to the practice being followed by renowned builders in this regard.

Accordingly, DDA has now decided to hand over the flat documents in a customized folder. The folder will contain all relevant documents that include demand-cum-allotment letter (DAL), payment receipt, possession letter (PL), NOC for water and electricity, possession Slip, RERA registration certificate and layout plan. This will facilitate getting all documents at one place rather than approaching various departments of DDA.

On directions of the Lt. Governor, the DDA has also introduced a new format of Possession Slip that has the picture of the flat buyer / allottee being handed over the possession letter at the site, printed on it.
In a heartfelt display of gratitude, candidates who received their appointment letters at the Lok Bhavan auditorium on Wednesday collectively thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for playing a pivotal role in their success.

The newly-appointed individuals attributed their achievements to the chief ministers efforts in ensuring a transparent and fair recruitment process.

Reflecting on the changes since 2017, the candidates highlighted the stark contrast between the pre-2017 era, characterised by nepotism, corruption and discrimination, and the current system under CM Yogis leadership, which they described as transparent and merit-based.

Rukhsana Bano from Kanpur, recently appointed as a Civil Engineer in the Housing and Development Council, expressed her deep gratitude to CM Yogi. She praised the government for conducting a recruitment process free from discrimination, emphasising that her selection was based solely on merit, not religion or caste.

This government has rewarded our hard work and honesty. If you are qualified and capable, securing a government job is not difficult, she remarked.

Vishnu Dutt Tripathi, who secured the position of junior engineer (civil) in the Rural Engineering Department, shared similar sentiments. He highlighted the governments success in providing opportunities to individuals from rural areas, like himself, through a transparent selection process.

Coming from a rural background, I have achieved a government job due to the fairness of this governments appointment process. I sincerely thank the chief minister for this opportunity, Tripathi said.

Anuj Kumar Gupta, hailing from Bihar and newly-appointed as a junior engineer in the Minor Irrigation Department, praised the governments dedication to the youth. He pointed to the days event as direct evidence of this commitment. 

Through a fair and transparent process, the youth are receiving appointment letters. I vow to work with honesty and impartiality in my role, and I hope this government continues to be in power so that more opportunities could be provided to the youth, he said.

Harikant from Ayodhya district, now a junior engineer in the Agriculture Department, reflected on the challenges faced under the previous administration. He noted that many deserving candidates, like himself, were previously denied opportunities due to nepotism.

The Yogi government has recognised the hard work of thousands of young people and awarded appointments based on merit. For that, I am profoundly grateful, Harikant shared.

Mridul Sharma, a resident of Bijnor, shared his joy after being appointed as a junior engineer (civil) in the Rural Engineering Department.

After completing my diploma in civil engineering, I aspired to secure a government job. The commission conducted the examination in a completely fair and transparent manner, and I am grateful to the government and the chief minister for this opportunity. I look forward to contributing to the development of Uttar Pradesh in my new role, Sharma stated.
Govindpura police have nabbed a contractor who blackmailed a senior officer (DGM) of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Bhopal, a honey trap was laid by a scrap contractor.

The officer was made to meet two women in a hotel. The video of this was recorded and later the accused demanded Rs 25 lakh by threatening to upload the video on social media.

Despite taking Rs 2.5 lakh in two installments, the contractor kept demanding money. Frustrated, the officer filed a case against the accused in Govindpura police station on Tuesday. The police have taken the accused into custody and started questioning him.

The police said that the victim officer lives in Govindpura area. The accused Shashank Verma, a resident of Saket Nagar, takes scrap contracts in BHEL and PWD. Both of them used to meet in this connection.

During a party, the contractor introduced the officer to two women. He also exchanged phone numbers with one of the women. He assured that the woman was trustworthy. If the officer makes a relationship with the woman, she will keep it confidential.

After taking the officer into confidence, Shashank arranged a room in a hotel on August 4. Here, the woman was sent to the officer. Videos were recorded using the hidden camera installed in the room. A few days later, on August 14, Shashank introduced another woman to the officer, claiming to be Russian national.

This time too, he arranged a room in a hotel. Like before, he set up hidden cameras in the room. Here, once again, he made an obscene video of the woman and the complainant.

The officer registered a case against the accused in Govindpura police station on Tuesday.

On August 14 itself, Shashank showed the officer videos and photos and demanded Rs 25 lakh. On refusing to accept the demand, he threatened that he would upload the videos on social media. After this, he talked about giving the money in installments. He took Rs 1 lakh in cash as the first installment. Then he took another 50 thousand rupees.

On August 30, Shashank demanded Rs 5 lakh rupees from the officer. Took him to Jabalpur in a car. Here, he made him transfer Rs 1 lakh online. Then left him on the condition that he would pay the remaining Rs 22.50 lakh in 10 days. After this, the officer came to Bhopal and complained to the police.

The BHEL officer told the police that the accused Shashank claimed to have 27 videos. Deepak had come to drop the woman whom he had sent to a hotel on Hoshangabad Road by claiming to be Russian. The girl had also returned with him. This incident happened on August 14.

"On August 15, Shashank demanded money, but I refused. After this, I received a call on my mobile number from a young man who introduced himself as a crime branch officer. He pressurized me to give the money to Shashank if I wanted to avoid the rape case. The caller also alleged that I had beaten the call girl, due to which she suffered serious injuries whereas I have not done so' he claimed.

DCP Shraddha Tiwari said that the police are also looking for the accused women Mamta Dwivedi and Pooja Rajput along with an alleged policeman of the Crime Branch. The other accused Deepak Bhagore met the alleged Russian girl as a broker. However, at present there is no evidence that either of them is a foreigner. At the same time, the court has handed over the honeytrap accused Shashank Verma to police remand till September 6.
President Draupadi Murmu awarded the National Teacher Award 2024 to seven state teachers during a ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan. Honorees included Sunita Godha, Madhav Prasad Patel, and unita Gupta from the Department of School Education and Literacy; Prof. Neelabh Tiwari and Prof. Kapil Ahuja from the Department of Higher Education; and Premlata Rahangdale and Prashant Dixit, who were recognized by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Sunita Godha was recognized for fostering a positive environment at Government High School, Khajuria Sarang, District Mandsaur. She has cultivated a welcoming classroom atmosphere through engaging assignments and activities, which have improved student attendance. Godha consistently conducted parent-teacher meetings (PTMs), provided individual attention to students, and dedicated herself to increasing enrollment among students with special needs and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Madhav Prasad Patel is a science teacher at Government Naveen Madhyamik School, Lidhora, District Damoh. He has built a science wall in his school where students can display their curiosity. To develop the habit of reading in rural communities, he has started a mobile library by carrying books on a motorcycle. Through learning boards and khet pathshala, he has taken education beyond the classroom.

Sunita Gupta, a Mathematics teacher at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in District Dindori, has made the subject more accessible by creating low-cost teaching materials and utilizing animated videos and technology. She has developed e-content and video scripts for platforms like DIKSHA and SWAYAM, enhancing the understanding of solid shapes.

Neelabh Tiwari, Head of the Education Department at Rashtriya Sanskrit Sanstha, Bhopal, has been teaching for 18 years and has made notable contributions to the National Education Policy 2020. He edited 34 books and authored 37 research papers, significantly advancing the psychology and curriculum development of Indian knowledge traditions in Sanskrit studies and education.

Prof. Kapil Ahuja of IIT Indore has 14 years of experience in teaching in the US. Along with research and investigation in computer science and engineering, he has given new dimensions to education by starting the first MS course in IIT. He has also been awarded the Best Teacher Award four times by IIT Indore.

Training Officer of Bhopal's Divisional ITI, Premlata Rahangdale has imparted skill training to visually impaired students in Computer Operator and Programming Assistant trade. With her effective guidance, many ITI students have made their career in reputed institutions like railways and banks.
Punjab Vidhan Sabhas three-day monsoon session wrapped up on a decisive note on Wednesday with three of the total four significant bills tabled  including The Punjab Fire and Emergency Service Bill, 2024 and The Punjab Panchayati Raj (amendment) Bill, 2024  being unanimously passed.



One of the major highlights was the passage of the Punjab Fire and Emergency Services Bill, 2024, presented by Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh. The bill introduced critical amendments, particularly in the recruitment criteria for women in the state fire department. Traditionally, the physical test for entry into the fire services mandated both male and female candidates to carry a 60-kilogram sack as part of their endurance test. However, this stringent requirement has long been a barrier for many aspiring female firefighters, with several candidates failing to meet the physical standards despite passing the written examinations.



In response to these challenges, the new Bill reduces the required weight to 40 kilograms for female candidates, making Punjab the first state in India to implement such a change.



Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, addressing the House, emphasized the importance of this reform, describing it as a crucial step towards womens empowerment. This bill was a necessity, Mann stated, as the previous regulations were outdated and presented unnecessary challenges for women eager to serve their communities.



He further highlighted that the states fire brigades will be upgraded with the latest equipment and vehicles, modeled on those used in New York City, to better respond to emergencies in Punjabs increasingly urbanized environment.



The session also saw the introduction of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill, 2024, which was brought forward by Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. The bill aimed at promoting consensus-based governance in rural areas by providing a financial incentive to panchayats that are elected unanimously. Under this new law, villages that achieve consensus in electing their panchayats will receive a grant of Rs five lakh. In addition, it also bars the contesting leaders to use party symbols to contest panchayat elections.



Articulating the rationale behind the Bill, the Chief Minister noted that elections conducted without party symbols can help reduce factionalism and promote the holistic development of villages. He recounted a story to underline the significance of unity in panchayat elections, pointing out that consensual elections would save substantial amounts of money, which could be better utilized for village development rather than election expenses.



In addition to these two bills, the assembly also passed the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill, 2024. Introduced by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, this Bill aimed at refining the states GST regime, making it more taxpayer-friendly while ensuring better compliance. Key amendments include the exclusion of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) used for manufacturing liquor from the GST purview, allowing it to be taxed under VAT instead. The bill also offered significant relief to taxpayers, including an amnesty scheme for outstanding tax demands from the financial years 2017-18 to 2019-20, provided full payment is made by March 31, 2025.



Furthermore, the Bill extended the deadline for filing returns to avail of input tax credit (ITC) for past financial years, simplifying procedures for businesses. Cheema praised these reforms, asserting that they are designed to enhance the ease of doing business in Punjab.



He criticized the previous governments for their failure to address the states fiscal challenges, contrasting this with the current administrations proactive measures, which have already led to a noticeable increase in GST collections.



Besides, the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Amendment Bill, 2024, introduced by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, was also passed with majority without much discussion.

NEW AGRI POLICY SOON: CM MANN

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday unveiled plans to draft a comprehensive agriculture policy, emphasizing a collaborative approach with all stakeholders. Addressing the House on the third and concluding day of the monsoon session, Mann highlighted that the policy, which is nearing completion, will soon be discussed with shareholders.

He underscored the importance of engaging with farmers to ensure that the policy effectively addresses their needs and concerns. Mann criticized the Union Government for enacting laws without proper consultation, referencing the controversial repeal of three laws that had been enacted without adequate stakeholder engagement.



To enhance industrial growth, Mann also announced the formation of an Industrial Advisory Commission, including leading industrialists, and to be chaired by a Cabinet-rank official.

The commission is set to offer expert advice on industrial policy, continuing the states commitment to integrating industry feedback into policy-making, said Mann, assuring that this approach mirrors the successful implementation of the states industrial policy, which was also developed through extensive consultations with industrial leaders.



The Chief Minister also highlighted the success of the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for pending VAT cases, which has yielded an additional Rs 164 crore for the state. Mann criticized previous regimes for ineffective OTS schemes that failed to benefit anyone and expressed his commitment to introducing new OTS schemes in the near future. On the issue of DAP shortage, Mann revealed that he recently discussed the DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) allocation issue with the Union Minister JP Nadda. He informed Nadda that Punjab had contributed 120 lakh metric tons to the central pool but had yet to receive its allotted DAP quota. Nadda advised Mann to send officials to Delhi to resolve the issue. After which our minister and officers had gone to the national capital. Taking aim on the opposition, Mann advised Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar to first gather accurate information and inform his unclereferring to Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar  emphasizing that incomplete knowledge can be misleading.


Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, hailed the construction of the Ramanathaswamy temple here as a significant contribution to strengthening the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.

The chief minister commenced his Ayodhya visit on Thursday by participating in the Maha Kumbhabhishekam and prana pratishtha ceremony of the Ramanathaswamy temple. After offering prayers at the newly-consecrated Shivalinga of Lord Mahadev, Yogi performed the circumambulation ritual at this South Indian-style temple.

He expressed joy over the establishment of the temple, emphasising the deep historical connection between Ayodhya dham and Tamil Nadu, a relationship that has endured for thousands of years.

He said, Thousands of years ago, when Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram set out to search for Mother Sita in Sri Lanka, he worshipped Lord Shiva after building the bridge in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.

According to Chief Minister Yogi, this serves as a reminder of Indias unity, where spiritual consciousness continues to rise. He remarked that these efforts are aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modis Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat vision, further reinforcing the idea of national oneness.

He also highlighted that India has always been unified from North to South and East to West, with the countrys scriptures and holy sites serving as enduring proofs. Governments may have changed over time, but the nations saints have always upheld the strength and continuity of the spiritual traditions of India, he remarked.

Referring to the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, two editions of which have been successfully held in Varanasi, Yogi noted that following Kashi, Ayodhya dham had now also forged a connection with Tamil Nadu, thanks to Ayyajis efforts.

He emphasised that while organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishwa Hindu Parishad work tirelessly to unify the nation, some individuals attempt to divide the country for short-sighted political gains. In this context, the temples establishment marks a significant step towards realising the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat, he said.

Chief Minister Yogi highlighted that Ayyajis efforts for national unity mirror the work done by a Tamil Nadu monk centuries ago, who played a pivotal role in uniting Sanatan dharma under one thread.

Yogi emphasised that Ayodhya dham was poised to become a beacon of inspiration and a spiritual centre for the followers of Sanatan dharma worldwide. It will become one of the most spiritual and beautiful cities globally with renewed energy, he said, adding that the citys transformation will serve as a new guiding light.

RSS Sar Karyavahak Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, spiritual saint Ayya ji, Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi, zila panchayat chairperson Roli Singh, MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, Swami Ram Sharan Das, Mahant Awadhesh Das, Jagat Guru Dineshacharya and saints from Tamil Nadu, local public representatives and other dignitaries were present in the programme. Yogi and Bhaiyyaji Joshi were also presented with angavastram and memento during the programme.

Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who arrived in Ayodhya on a one-day visit on Thursday, offered prayers to Lord Hanuman and worshipped Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.

Despite his busy schedule, the chief minister also visited the Shri Ram Gaushala Samiti on Karsevakpuram Parikrama Marg, where he personally fed and cared for the cows, demonstrating his commitment to cow protection. He also planted trees on the Karsevakpuram campus, promoting environmental conservation.

He also visited Ram Katha Park before heading to the newly established Sri Ramanathaswamy temple in Ramsevakpuram. The chief minister also took part in the Bharatatma Ashok Ji Singhal Veda Award-2024 distribution function held at Karsevakpuram.

Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi had visited Ayodhya on August 6 and offered prayers to Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman and reviewed the ongoing development projects in the city. During that visit, he also inspected various development and construction works underway for Ayodhyas progress.
Students of Sarojini Naidu Girls School (Nutan School) protested on Wednesday and raised slogans against the school management and also vandalized the school, during the protest 15 students fainted.

The students allege, 'If they come late, the school's HR manager Varsha Jha makes them clean and cut the grass.' Education department officials and Congress MLA Arif Masood also reached the spot. Witnessing the uproar increasing, HR manager Varsha Jha was removed from the school.

Varsha Jha is a retired captain from the army. She was appointed HR and estate manager by the open school just a month ago. During the protest, angry students broke Jha's name plate and trampled it with their feet. The students claimed that they want the army rules to be followed in the school. They give punishments accordingly.

School principal Malini Verma said that the students are angry with Varsha and not with other teachers. After persuasion, the students ended the protest.

The students vandalized the school. They also broke coolers and fans.

The unconscious students were taken to the hospital in MLA Arif Masood's car.

The protesting student Kusum said, "There is a madam who makes us stand outside if we reach school even a minute late. She treats everyone badly. She says don't argue with us. She harasses all the students. Sometimes even the parents are not allowed to come to the school.

The students said that if they come late to school, they make them sweep and mop the school. They make them collect the garbage. They keep our bangles and don't even return them. They threaten to give us a Transfer Certificate if we wander around.

On getting the news of the fight in the school, many parents also reached there.

Mother of student Komal said that she got a call that there is a fight going on in the school. Some teachers are beating. I immediately reached the school. When I saw it there, there was a huge crowd. My daughter's health had deteriorated. She had fainted and I immediately brought her to the hospital.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday retorted sharply to Akhilesh Yadavs warning that he will after 2027 order all bulldozers to Gorakhpur  the home district of the chief minister  saying not everyone has the heart and character to handle a bulldozer.

It requires a strong heart and mind along with the strength of a bulldozer to operate one. Those who yield to rioters cannot run a bulldozer as their hands wouldn't measure up, the chief minister said at a function in which he distributed appointment letters to 1,334 junior engineers, computer operators,and foremen here.

Yogi Adityanath made this remark responding to Akhilesh Yadavs comment on Tuesday in which the Samajwadi Party chief said as soon as the Samajwadi government is formed in 2027, the bulldozers of the entire state will head towards Gorakhpur.

CM Yogi Adityanath said, Today these people have come back in a new form to mislead the public. Not everyones hands can fit on a bulldozer. It requires both heart and mind. Only someone who has a bulldozer-like capability and determination can operate it. Those who grovel before the rioters will not be able to stand in front of a bulldozer.

Emphasising that Rozgar Melas and the transparent recruitment process of the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission ensured equal opportunities for all, the chief minister said candidates from every district were represented among those appointed, with no distinctions made on the basis of caste or region.

Talent and reservation rules were strictly followed in the selection process, instilling confidence in the integrity of the system, he added.

The chief minister pointed out that the youth were previously denied appointment letters because the Chacha and Bhatija were more concerned with outdoing each other in grabbing the bigger share of extortion, rather than having clear and honest intentions.

He drew a parallel between the havoc caused by these leaders and the chaos currently being inflicted by man-eating wolves in various districts, likening it to the state of affairs before 2017.

It is worth mentioning that under Chief Minister Yogis leadership, the past seven and a half years have seen a transformation in the appointment process. Conducted with transparency and fairness, this process has made over 6.5 lakh government appointments, a feat that was unimaginable seven years ago. This commitment to merit has allowed Uttar Pradesh to harness the energy and talent of its youth, propelling the state from a perceived hindrance to rapid advancement and the growth engine of India's development.

Seven and a half years ago, this state had the seventh-largest economy in the country; today, it ranks second-largest. If our personnel work with equal dedication and apply the same level of transparency, integrity, and honesty to the appointment process, Uttar Pradesh can become the number one economy in the next three to four years, Yogi remarked.

Achieving this status means every hand will find work, every face will wear a smile, every daughter will be safe, every businessman will be respected, the farmers who feed us will be content, and prosperity will abound, he added.

Chief Minister Yogi urged the newly appointed candidates to uphold the same transparency in their work that the state government has demonstrated in its appointment process. He emphasised the importance of avoiding delays in public-related tasks, highlighting the need to achieve the goal of ease of living.

When the current administration took office, Uttar Pradesh ranked 14th in ease of business; today, it stands as an achiever state. Through various reforms, the state has made significant progress, transforming it from a place where no one wanted to invest into a destination that has received investment proposals worth Rs 40 lakh crore. These investments are expected to create jobs for 1.5 crore youth, revive traditional enterprises previously shuttered due to riots, and expand employment opportunities. Chief Minister Yogi stated further.

On this occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, cabinet ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Om Prakash Rajbhar, ministers of state Brajesh Singh, Baldev Singh Aulakh, Ramkesh Nishad, Vijayalakshmi Gautam and Rakesh Rathore Guru, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and other officers were present.
The Delhi police on Thursday formed several teams to nab the bike-borne miscreants who allegedly killed a property dealer and injured two others after opening fire in Outer Delhis Narela area.

According to the police, the deceased has been identified as Manish, the owner of the Veer Properties, and the injured as Praveen and Kulbir. After the incident that took place on Wednesday night, the accused fled from the spot after opening fire indiscriminately.

A senior police officer said, In the initial investigation, the motive behind the crime could be money and land. There is no evidence of any gang being involved. If police sources are to be believed, there was an old quarrel with someone named Ashish living in the area. Ashish had come with his friend Deepak and others.

He added that the search for them is going on and said that Ashish is the owner of Shri Shyam Stock (Building Material). In the initial investigation, the police came to know that the deceased and his two companions were sitting in the office and talking. At that time, masked miscreants entered the office and started firing indiscriminately. The miscreants had come to kill the property dealer, on whom they fired several bullets. The miscreants knew who all were sitting in the office.

The police are trying to take statements of the injured.

Police have seized the footage of CCTV cameras from the crime scene, through which efforts are being made to identify the accused.

Police have registered a case against the accused. Local police and special staff teams have been entrusted with the task of arresting the accused, another police officer said.

According to the information, Narela Police received a PCR call about firing on Gonda Road in Swatantrata Nagar at around 8.15 pm.

Police reached the spot. Three injured were immediately admitted to the nearest hospital. Doctors declared one of them dead and said that the condition of his two companions was critical. They were shot from close range, he said.

Further, the police added that according to the preliminary investigation, there was a heated argument between the victims and the accused over some money pending with the deceased.

The accused had supplied construction material to a site and the deceaseds payment was pending.

After the quarrel, the accused opened fire on the victims in their office. The accused are being traced and their criminal involvement and gang affiliation is being verified.
After meeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are likely to contest the Haryana Assembly Elections from Julana and Badli seats, respectively as Congress candidates. The party put out a photograph of Rahul Gandhi with Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on its official X handle.



The names will be cleared by the Congress Central Election Committee anytime now.



The Congress CEC has approved candidates in 66 of 90 seats so far. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala kept pushing the names of their nominees till the last moment, delaying the list.



Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were part of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023. Ever since Phogat returned to India from the Paris Olympics, she has been seen with Congress leaders. Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda was the first political leader to reach IGI Airport in Delhi to welcome her with a Hanuman Gada, a symbol of victory. Phogat had also met former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who had said that the Congress welcomes everyone who wants to join the party.



Talking to reporters, AICC in charge of Haryana Dipak Babaria said that so far, the partys central election committee has been able to clear 66 out of the total 90 assembly seats through consensus but no agreement could be reached on the remaining 24 seats. We have held two rounds of the CEC and have finalised 66 of the 90 seats. The remaining seats have been referred to a review committee which will resolve the matter soon, Babaria.



The delay is also because of the talks of an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Haryana. AAP MP Raghav Chadha held talks with Deepak Babaria to explore possibilities of finding a common ground.

"We are exploring possibilities for an understanding. I believe that things cannot proceed unless it is a win-win situation for both parties. So we are looking for a meeting point," Babaria told reporters. Asked how many seats the Congress could give the AAP as part of a deal, he said it would be a "small number" in "single digit".



Babaria also said the CPI(M) and the Samajwadi Party have also put forward a proposal and are expecting to work with the Congress in an alliance.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, reiterated that Sanatan dharma is the singular true religion, emphasising that any threat to it poses a danger to humanity as a whole.

He further noted that if Sanatan dharma remains on a path of safety and prosperity, it will pave the way for the betterment of global humanity.

Addressing the Bharatatma Ashok Singhal Veda Award-2024 ceremony hosted by the Singhal Foundation in Ayodhya, the chief minister praised Ashok Singhals contributions to Sanatan dharma as a preacher of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

He said: The revered Ashok Singhal ji had taken an engineering degree from Kashi (Banaras) Hindu University, but his life was dedicated to Sanatan dharma. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement and Ashok Singhal were complementary to each other.

Yogi added, The impact of his contributions to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement was evident on January 22, 2024, when the most significant event of this century took place. On that day, Lord Shri Ram Lalla was enthroned in the magnificent temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modis own hands. When dedication is genuine, the results follow.

Yogi emphasised that Ram Lallas consecration in Ayodhya marks the end of slavery in India.

He remarked further: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented a vision of a developed India. It is each persons responsibility to prioritise their civic duties over their rights for the betterment of the country and Sanatan dharma.

Furthermore, Chief Minister Yogi praised Singhals unparalleled efforts for the uplift of the untouchables, noting that the Veda Vidyalaya and Ekal Vidyalaya he established were integral to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

He emphasised that the Vedas represent the fundamental origin of all global religions, and Ashok Singhal had truly embodied this significance in his life.

Chief Minister Yogi also mentioned that Sundar Yadav, a cow protector, was murdered by cow smugglers in Azamgarh, and the subsequent movement led by Ashok Singhal resulted in the arrest of Yadavs killers.

He stated that Indias prestige is deeply rooted in Sanskrit and its cultural heritage, which represent the soul of both India and potentially the world. He remarked that today, the world looks to India with hope for peace, security, and harmony. In times of global incidents, international attention turns to Indias leadership, he added.

Chief Minister Yogi asserted that discussions about peace, harmony, happiness, and prosperity will inevitably direct the worlds focus toward Indias gurukuls, positioning India as a leader in these ideals.

Meanwhile, the Life Time Achievement Award was presented to Veda Murti, Senior Brahmarshi Vishnu Patal Subramaniam and Acharya Gopal Chandra Mishra of the Vedic Unnayan Sansthan in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh. They received a prize of seven lakh rupees each, along with a medal and certificate.

Adarsh Vedadhyapak Vice-Chancellor R Chandramouli Shruti of Tamil Nadu was awarded five lakhs rupees, a medal, and a certificate. Uttam Veda Vidyarthi Narayan Lal Sharma from Rajasthan was honoured with three lakhs rupees, a medal, and a certificate.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday slammed the BJP, accusing it of poaching MLAs and MPs of other parties.

Soren also asserted that the BJP would be driven out from the state forever after the assembly elections this year.

Even if the people reject them, they poach MLAs, MPs and use agencies like the ED and CBI against opposition leaders or put them behind bars to form government, he alleged.

The CM was speaking at Aapki Yojana, Apki Sarkar Apke Dwar (Your Scheme, Your Government at your doorstep) programme here, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation of 347 projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore for Gumla and Lohardaga districts.

As fish cannot survive without water, our opposition (BJP) feels the same without power... They have been after me and our MLAs for the past two years. But, we are neither saleable nor are we scared, Soren said.

He also alleged that when BJPs local leaders failed in Jharkhand, it is now importing leaders from Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

These leaders are flaring communal tension here among various communities, the chief minister said.

Soren blamed the saffron party for creating hurdles in implementation of his governments welfare schemes.

They do not want the benefits of the schemes to reach people. But, we have decided this time we shall drive out our opposition from Jharkhand forever, he said.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Thursday said contesting from two assembly seats is not a sign of weakness, but proves the strength of his party.

Abdullah has filed nomination for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls from two seats -- Ganderbal and Budgam.

"My colleagues wanted to show that the NC is not fighting this election from a weak position, but a strong one. My contesting from two seats is not a sign of weakness, but strength, it is the proof of the NC's strength," Abdullah told reporters here after filing nomination papers.

The former chief minister said if there was any danger of his losing from Budgam, then his party colleagues would not have allowed him to contest from here.

"Whether it is Baramulla, Srinagar or Anantnag, there is a wave in favour of the NC and we hope that the party will be successful and the alliance candidates will also win," he added.

The NC has an alliance with the Congress for the three-phase assembly polls.

Abdullah said the ground situation is in favour of his party and expressed hope the results of the election would prove that.

"We are not like those fools who talked about 400 plus (seats) and then stopped at 240. I hope when the counting takes places, we will be successful," he said.

To a question about BJP general secretary Ram Madhav's allegations that ex-militants are campaigning for NC and PDP, Abdullah said the BJP leader should prove his charges.

"Even that we know who the independents are that are being fielded in this election, and who will benefit from their fighting, I think it is a bit rich of Ram Madhav to say that NC is taking benefit from ex-militants. Show us where?

"The campaign has just only started. I am sure he has access to all the intelligence reports. There is not a single function of ours that is not monitored by the IB, CID or others, all the videos are there, please show us where we are taking support from militants or surrendered militants," he said.

The NC vice president said he was under the impression that as a result of what New Delhi did in August 2019, "these people were rendered neutral, that they had no more say".

"But, clearly Madhav is suggesting these people actually hold power over what the voters will decide. Which then would suggest that everything they have done after August 5, 2019 has been for nothing," he said.

Abdullah said if his party is elected to power, investigations will be launched into the allegations of corruption and "mis-governance" during the last few years of lieutenant governor's rule.

"We have already said it in our manifesto that the world will be let known through the assembly that people of J-K are not in favour of the decisions taken here. There will be an investigation into the era of mis-governance in the last five-six years, allegations of corruption, and allegations made by senior IAS officers. If any discrepancy is found, then they will be held accountable," he added.

Asked about Congress' district president in Ganderbal announcing to contest against him, Abdullah said such things were expected when the alliance between the two parties took place.

"We knew such things will happen. You cannot make 100 per cent people happy in a party during elections. I am satisfied that the dissentions in our party are less than what we expected.

"My colleagues have left their expectations on one side to work for the party and the alliance. I do not have words for them and my regards for them has increased. But, there are some people who have kept their self-interest on top. The voters will decide on them," he said.

Expressing hope that the people will follow the example set in the Parliamentary polls of participating in the elections in large numbers and not boycotting the process, the NC leader said the maps of certain constituencies were redrawn in the delimitation exercise to benefit the BJP and the voters will have to see to that.

"Most of its (delimitation) impact is seen in Jammu. Attempts have been made to change Muslim-dominated constituencies so as to help the BJP, but it remains to be seen how much it would benefit the BJP. We are hopeful that people will participate in the elections in large numbers.

"It used to be said that the NC benefits from boycott. But, we did not see any boycott in the parliamentary polls and we won two out of three. God willing, there will be no boycott this time also and NC will succeed," he added.

To a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on contracts in J-K going into the hands of non-locals, Abdullah said the people of J-K have a right on their resources.

"Outsiders should not get any contracts. They do not do it in other states. Let them do it in Ladakh. There are different set of laws for Ladakh and for J-K despite the fact that we were created from a single state, by a same order. A non-local cannot buy land or work there or take contracts, but that rule is not applicable for J-K," he said.

Earlier, addressing his party workers here, Abdullah said the assembly election is a fight for "our identity and if we don't fight for it, all the development has no meaning".

"New Delhi will try its best to muzzle our voices. Those who stayed away from elections throughout their lives have suddenly started believing in democracy," he said, referring to the participation of some former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami.

Asking people to stop the BJP from forming the government in J-K, Abdullah said his party needs to get at least 60 to 70 seats in the elections.

"The assembly that is going to be formed won't be the same assembly, it won't have the same powers. But we will put our best show to revive back that strong assembly of ours," he added.

He also expressed gratitude to the people of Budgam for showering love on him.
India and Singapore on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" and signed four MoUs, including on cooperation in semiconductors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong.

During his opening remarks, Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country.

"A new chapter in - ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.

"The leaders agreed to elevate the - ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability," he said.

The MEA in a statement said both leaders reviewed the progress of India - Singapore bilateral relations.

"Given the breadth and depth of bilateral ties and immense potential, they decided to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This would also give a major boost to India's Act East Policy," it said.

Taking stock of the robust progress in economic ties, the leaders called for further expanding trade and investment flows between the two countries. Prime Minister highlighted that Singapore with an investment of around USD 160 billion in the Indian economy, is a leading economic partner for India. He further noted that rapid and sustained growth in India has opened up immense investment opportunities for Singaporean entities, it added.

They also reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, AI, Fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership. The two leaders called for strengthening connectivity between the countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties. They also called for acceleration in green corridor projects.

The two leaders discussed the outcome of the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore in August 2024.

"Noting that the Ministerial Roundtable is a unique mechanism, the leaders appreciated the work done by senior ministers from both sides in deliberating and identifying a new agenda for bilateral cooperation. The leaders called for accelerated action under the pillars of cooperation identified during the Ministerial Roundtables - advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare & medicine, skills development and sustainability," the statement said.

The leaders underscored that the cooperation under these pillars, particularly in the areas of semiconductors and critical and emerging technologies, opens a new chapter in bilateral relations making our ties future-oriented, the statement said.

Their discussion also covered the celebration of the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2025. Highlighting that the cultural connect between the two countries is an important component of these ties, the Prime Minister announced that India's first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre would be opened in Singapore.

The leaders also exchanged views on important regional and global issues of mutual interest, including India-ASEAN relations and India's vision for the Indo-Pacific.

Both leaders witnessed the exchange of MoUs for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and healthcare. These are the outcomes of the deliberations during the two rounds of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtables held so far.

Prime Minister invited Wong to visit India, which he accepted.

Modi in his opening remarks thanked Wong for the warm welcome.

"This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of premier. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G (the fourth-generation leaders), Singapore will progress even faster," Modi said.

"We also want to create many Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism."

He said the partnership between the two nations in skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, sustainability and cyber security has become an identity of this mechanism.

"The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations," Modi said in a post on X after the talks.

Wong said Singapore and India share a deep and enduring friendship, built on strong economic and people-to-people ties.

"Had a productive meeting with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi

At Parliament House. We've set out a forward-looking agenda for the next phase of our bilateral relations," he posted on X.

"This includes closer cooperation in areas like sustainability, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and connectivity. We're also upgrading the Singapore-India Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he said.

"This is timely as we expand our partnership in new, mutually beneficial areas. We also celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations and our Strategic Partnership's 10th anniversary next year," Wong said.

Singapore looks forward to strengthening bilateral ties and creating new opportunities for the people of the two nations, he said.

Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wong.

Ahead of the talks with Wong, Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor's book there.

The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as prime minister.

Modi and Wong also visited a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector and discussed ways for collaboration in this critical industry.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will also call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

He would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee will host a lunch for Modi.

Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the country's semiconductor ecosystem.

Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival here.
The Sindhudurg police on Thursday told a court there that the materials recovered from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue which collapsed last month at Rajkot fort in Malvan were rusted and it needs to be ascertained if items of subpar quality were used by the accused.

The police, while seeking custody of sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte and consultant Chetan Patil, said interrogation was required to find out what kind of materials they had used to design and construct the 35-foot statue.

The statue of the iconic Maratha warrior king collapsed at the Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of the district on August 26, nearly nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled it on Navy Day.

While Patil was arrested on August 30 from Kolhapur, Apte was taken into custody on Wednesday night from Kalyan in Thane district, nearly 10 days after an FIR was registered in connection with the incident.

They were both produced before a local court in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district on Thursday which remanded them in police custody till September 10.

The police, in their remand-seeking note submitted to the court, said it needs to interrogate the accused to find out from where they purchased the materials used to construct the statue and if they were of sub-par quality.

"Nutbolts, iron rods and other materials of the statue were rusted. It needs to be seen what kind of material was used for the statue by the accused and if it was of subpar quality," it said.

The police said it also needs to collect the mould and dye and the sample of materials used for the statue.

It needs to be ascertained if the accused had carried out a feasibility audit while designing and constructing the statue, police added.

"Whether the accused had considered the parameters of wind, water, earthquake and topography of the area before making the structural design of the statue needs to be probed. It also needs to be found out if the accused were aware of the longevity of the statue at the time of designing it," the police said in its report.

Apte's lawyer Ganesh Sovani said the sculptor had intended to surrender on Wednesday night and that he was willing to cooperate with the probe.

"He is willing to submit to the police all details regarding the design of the statue and other documents," Sovani told the court.

The advocate further argued that the FIR in the case was lodged "hastily" and that the government ought to have appointed an expert committee to examine the cause behind the fall and if there were any material defects.

"Once the committee submits its report and if then any person is indicted then a case could have been lodged," Sovani said.

In the absence of a scientific report, FIR ought not to have been registered, he added.

The police in its note further said it has to recover the original copy of the work order issued to the accused by the government.

"The terms and conditions and other obligations mentioned in the work order needs to be seen. The custodial interrogation of the accused is required for this purpose," the police said.

It added that details on the stability, analysis and design of pedestal for erection of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj sculpture, which cover 16 pages, have been seized from Apte.

Apte, a Thane-based sculptor, was responsible for creating the 35-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj.

The Sindhudurg police had registered an FIR against Apte and Patil for the collapse of the statue last month, under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for negligence and other offences.
Experience the vibrant spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi in Pratap Bagh, Delhi, where artisans like Mohini and Rekha dedicate their craft to creating beautiful Ganesha idols. Witness the blend of artistry and devotion that transforms the streets into a festive haven, brimming with colour and celebration says SAKSHI PRIYA

Ganpati Bappa Morya! Ganpati Bappa Morya! The joyous chant fills the air, marking the arrival of Ganesh Chaturthi. This festival, dedicated to our beloved Lord Ganesha, transforms every corner into a lively celebration of devotion and creativity. Ganesh Chaturthi is a cherished Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the revered deity known for his wisdom and ability to remove obstacles. Observed with great enthusiasm across India, it turns streets and homes into vibrant centres of devotion.

Festival Preparations

Taking place in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, usually in August or September, the festival's preparations begin well before the actual day. Homes are thoroughly cleaned and beautifully decorated and pandals are set up to welcome Lord Ganesha. These pandals, often adorned with colourful decorations, become the heart of the celebrations. Tomorrow, as the celebrations officially begin, the city will once again echo with the joyous chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya!"

On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, people bring home clay idols of Lord Ganesha. These idols vary in size and style, from small, simple ones to large, elaborate figures. Each idol is carefully placed on an altar and decorated with flowers, fruits and other offerings, creating a sacred and festive atmosphere. A key part of the celebration is the daily puja or worship performed by devotees. This involves chanting prayers, offering modaks and flowers and seeking blessings from Lord Ganesha. The air is filled with the sounds of devotional songs, the scent of incense and the colours of vibrant decorations, all contributing to a sense of joy and community.

As Ganesh Chaturthi draws near, Delhis streets, especially in Pratap Bagh, come alive with joyous and vibrant energy. Street vendors and stalls overflow with intricately designed idols of Lord Ganesha, along with festive decorations and offerings. The air is filled with excitement as the community prepares for the celebration. In the heart of Pratap Bagh, preparing for Ganesh Chaturthi is not just a task but a heartfelt tradition. For months, artisans have dedicated themselves to crafting exquisite murtis (idols), each one a labour of love and devotion.

In Pratap Bagh, the preparation for Ganesh Chaturthi is nothing short of a labour of love. For months, skilled artisans have poured their heart and soul into creating the most beautiful murtis of Lord Ganesha. Each idol is more than just a statue; it symbolises the devotion and creativity of its maker, embodying the rich cultural heritage of this cherished festival.

The process begins with moulding clay into the shape of Lord Ganesha, a task requiring both skill and patience. Artisans like Mohini and Rekha have dedicated themselves to this craft, ensuring that every detail - from the delicate folds of Ganesha's trunk to the intricate patterns on his attire - is perfect. The clay idols are left to dry, a crucial step demanding precision, especially during the monsoon season when high humidity can pose a challenge.

Once the base of the idol is ready, the real artistry begins. The idols are painted with vibrant colours and adorned with elaborate designs. Each brushstroke and embellishment reflects the deep reverence the artisans hold for Lord Ganesha. The final touches, including beads and decorative fabrics, bring the idols to life, making them a feast for the eyes and a joy for the soul.

The Artisans Dedication

The artisans of Pratap Bagh, like Mohini, Rekha, Sonu and Kamla, bring a unique blend of dedication, skill and devotion to their craft. Despite facing challenges such as rising costs of materials, intricate designs and financial uncertainties, they continue to pour their hearts into creating beautiful idols of Lord Ganesha. Their passion is truly inspiring, driven by both their love for their work and their deep devotion to the deity.

Mohini's approach to her work is remarkable. She sources plain murtis from Kolkata and transforms them with her own hands, turning them into vibrant, beautifully decorated idols. I personally select the pearl necklaces from Chandni Chowk, she explains, and her years of experience allow her to complete each one in just 15 minutes. The transformation from a plain clay figure to a colourful deity, embellished with pearls and intricate designs, is a tribute to her expertise and devotion. Mohini's work reflects not just artistic skill but also a deep spiritual connection, infusing each idol with a unique sense of reverence and love. The prices of her creations range from as little as Rs 300 to as much as Rs 30,000 with most people opting for smaller idols for their homes, while larger ones are chosen for community pandals.

Rekha, an artisan from Pratap Bagh, has been dedicated to idol-making for many years, a tradition she proudly continues. She explains that it takes them about "4 to 5 months" to prepare these beautiful idols, highlighting the dedication and effort involved in each piece. Everything is done by hand, she emphasises. From moulding the clay to carefully painting and decorating each idol, the entire process is meticulous and labour-intensive.

Walking through the lanes of Pratap Bagh, one cannot help but feel a deep sense of admiration seeing women like Mohini and Rekha leading their stalls. Every stall is filled with the bustling energy of women hard at work, their hands moving with practiced precision as they shape and paint the idols. It is a powerful sight, reflecting not just the artistry involved but also the empowerment of these women who bring beauty and devotion to life through their craft.

The dedication of these artisans stands out as a remarkable example of resilience. They face many hardships, yet their pride and joy in their work remain evident. Their craft is more than just a job; it is a calling, a deep-rooted part of their identity that connects them to the community and the divine. Their work becomes a symbol of hope and strength, capturing the very essence of Ganesh Chaturthi - the celebration of new beginnings, perseverance and devotion.

The Business and the Challenges

For many artisans, Ganesh Chaturthi is not just a period of celebration but also a crucial time for their business. Crafting idols is a complex and costly process and the financial pressures can be intense. One artisan remarks, The cost of materials and the time invested in creating each idol is significant. We hope that the sales will cover these expenses and bring some profit. Sonu adds, We often face challenges in selling the larger and more elaborate idols. Most customers prefer smaller ones, which are more affordable. Despite these financial hurdles, the artisans of Pratap Bagh persist, driven by their passion and commitment to their craft.

A Festival of Togetherness and Joy

The lively streets of Delhi transform into a canvas of vivid colours, resonating with the joyful sounds of celebration.The artisans meticulous work infuses the festival with an atmosphere of joy and festivity. This festival is a time when families unite to welcome their idols into their homes, decorating them with care and participating in daily pujas with reverence. The sense of community is palpable as neighbours, friends and even strangers come together in shared devotion to Lord Ganesha. Ganesh Chaturthi forwards a spirit of togetherness, forging bonds that extend beyond the festivities and celebrating the unity and collective joy of the community.

Wishing You a Joyous Ganesh Chaturthi !

As the vibrant celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi come alive with every chant of "Ganpati Bappa Morya," we send you our warmest wishes for a festival filled with joy, prosperity and divine blessings. May Lord Ganesha, with his benevolent presence and loving guidance, bring happiness and success into your life. This is the perfect time to embrace the spirit of the festival by indulging in the sweet delights of modaks - Lord Ganeshas favourite treat! As you savour these delicious offerings, let them symbolise the sweetness of life and the fulfilment of your deepest desires.

May your home be filled with the sound of laughter and the spirit of togetherness and love. Celebrate with family and friends and may the blessings of Ganesh Chaturthi illuminate your path, dispelling any obstacles and guiding you towards new beginnings. Heres to a Ganesh Chaturthi thats as joyful and lively as the festivities themselves. Ganpati Bappa Morya! Enjoy the celebrations, the sweets and the company of loved ones.
Equities researchers at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Flexible Solutions International (NYSE:FSI  Get Free Report) in a research note issued on Tuesday. The firm set a hold rating on the stock.

Flexible Solutions International Price Performance

FSI opened at $3.17 on Tuesday. Flexible Solutions International has a one year low of $1.36 and a one year high of $3.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 2.65 and a quick ratio of 1.70. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $2.27 and its 200-day simple moving average is $2.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.41 million, a P/E ratio of 16.84 and a beta of 1.47.

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Flexible Solutions International (NYSE:FSI  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.03. Flexible Solutions International had a net margin of 7.46% and a return on equity of 7.40%. The business had revenue of $10.53 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.34 million. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Flexible Solutions International will post 0.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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Flexible Solutions International Company Profile

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Flexible Solutions International stock. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in shares of Flexible Solutions International, Inc. ( NYSE:FSI Free Report ) by 4.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 379,245 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 17,400 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned 3.05% of Flexible Solutions International worth $664,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. 54.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Flexible Solutions International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets specialty chemicals that slow the evaporation of water in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Energy and Water Conservation Products, and Biodegradable Polymers.

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Jaguar Mining (OTCMKTS:JAGGD  Get Free Report) is one of 112 public companies in the Metal Mining industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Jaguar Mining to related businesses based on the strength of its valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability and risk.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

27.5% of shares of all Metal Mining companies are held by institutional investors. 12.8% of shares of all Metal Mining companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

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Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Jaguar Mining and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Jaguar Mining $97.23 million -$150,000.00 7.61 Jaguar Mining Competitors $6.75 billion $972.86 million -5.24

Analyst Recommendations

Jaguar Minings competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Jaguar Mining. Jaguar Mining is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry.

This is a summary of current recommendations for Jaguar Mining and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Jaguar Mining 0 0 0 0 N/A Jaguar Mining Competitors 1199 2572 3135 123 2.31

As a group, Metal Mining companies have a potential upside of 38.45%. Given Jaguar Minings competitors higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Jaguar Mining has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Volatility and Risk

Jaguar Mining has a beta of 2.75, suggesting that its share price is 175% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Jaguar Minings competitors have a beta of 1.14, suggesting that their average share price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Jaguar Mining and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Jaguar Mining 28.17% 26.75% 17.80% Jaguar Mining Competitors -812.64% -11.64% -9.77%

Dividends

Jaguar Mining pays an annual dividend of $0.25 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.4%. Jaguar Mining pays out 49.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Metal Mining companies pay a dividend yield of 3.0% and pay out 99.8% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Jaguar Mining is clearly a better dividend stock than its competitors, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Summary

Jaguar Mining beats its competitors on 7 of the 12 factors compared.

About Jaguar Mining

(Get Free Report)

Jaguar Mining, Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of gold producing properties in Brazil. Its mining operations include Turmalina, Paciencia and Caete. The firm is also developing the Grurupi Project and exploring the Iron Quadrangle and Pedra Branca Project. The company was founded by Daniel R. Titcomb in 1984 and is headquartered Toronto, Canada.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:BIO  Get Free Report) EVP James Barry sold 623 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $330.49, for a total value of $205,895.27. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 147 shares in the company, valued at $48,582.03. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:BIO traded down $3.66 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $330.65. 234,548 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 226,630. The businesss 50 day moving average is $311.10 and its 200-day moving average is $308.14. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. has a 1-year low of $261.59 and a 1-year high of $394.51. The company has a quick ratio of 4.63, a current ratio of 6.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market capitalization of $9.43 billion, a P/E ratio of -31.92 and a beta of 0.93.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE:BIO  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The medical research company reported $3.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.12 by $0.99. Bio-Rad Laboratories had a positive return on equity of 3.77% and a negative net margin of 51.73%. The business had revenue of $638.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $645.79 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $3.00 EPS. The firms revenue was down 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. will post 10.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bio-Rad Laboratories

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC raised its holdings in shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories by 193.8% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 94 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in the 1st quarter valued at $38,000. Gladius Capital Management LP grew its holdings in shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories by 65.8% during the 4th quarter. Gladius Capital Management LP now owns 121 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Bio-Rad Laboratories during the 1st quarter valued at about $51,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.24% of the companys stock.

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BIO. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $401.00 target price on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in a research report on Friday, August 16th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories from $420.00 to $385.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. Citigroup upped their target price on Bio-Rad Laboratories from $300.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. StockNews.com lowered shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Bio-Rad Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. They set an equal weight rating and a $340.00 target price for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $358.20.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories Company Profile

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Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc manufactures and distributes life science research and clinical diagnostic products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through two segments, Life Science and Clinical Diagnostics. The company develops, manufactures, and markets instruments, systems, reagents, and consumables to separate, purify, characterize, and quantitate biological materials such as cells, proteins, and nucleic acids for proteomics, genomics, biopharmaceutical production, cellular biology, and food safety markets.

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Textron (NYSE:TXT  Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at StockNews.com from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Textron from $84.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Textron from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $95.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Textron from $100.00 to $103.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Textron from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Textron from $111.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $102.50.

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Textron Stock Performance

NYSE:TXT traded down $0.39 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $88.55. The stock had a trading volume of 928,223 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,082,972. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $88.52 and a 200-day simple moving average of $89.29. Textron has a 52 week low of $74.13 and a 52 week high of $97.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.

Textron (NYSE:TXT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 18th. The aerospace company reported $1.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.48 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $3.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.56 billion. Textron had a net margin of 6.67% and a return on equity of 16.41%. Textrons quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.46 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Textron will post 6.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Altman Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Textron by 0.6% in the second quarter. Altman Advisors Inc. now owns 22,057 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,894,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. True Vision MN LLC increased its position in shares of Textron by 2.5% in the first quarter. True Vision MN LLC now owns 5,352 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $513,000 after acquiring an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its position in shares of Textron by 0.8% in the second quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 18,148 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,558,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank increased its position in shares of Textron by 0.5% in the first quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 34,487 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $3,308,000 after acquiring an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. increased its position in shares of Textron by 4.4% in the second quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 4,116 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $353,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. 86.03% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Textron

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Textron Inc operates in the aircraft, defense, industrial, and finance businesses worldwide. It operates through six segments: Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems, Industrial, Textron eAviation, and Finance. The Textron Aviation segment manufactures, sells, and services business jets, turboprop and piston engine aircraft, and military trainer and defense aircraft; and offers maintenance, inspection, and repair services, as well as sells commercial parts.

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Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES  Get Free Report) was upgraded by StockNews.com from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Western Midstream Partners from $39.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Western Midstream Partners from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Western Midstream Partners from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 21st. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on Western Midstream Partners from $34.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $34.38.

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Western Midstream Partners Stock Performance

Shares of WES opened at $37.64 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.60, a P/E/G ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 2.90. Western Midstream Partners has a 52 week low of $25.69 and a 52 week high of $42.80. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $39.69 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $37.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.08, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a current ratio of 1.68.

Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The pipeline company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.88 by $0.09. Western Midstream Partners had a net margin of 44.01% and a return on equity of 47.19%. The company had revenue of $905.63 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $904.94 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.64 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 22.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Western Midstream Partners will post 4.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Western Midstream Partners news, major shareholder Petroleum Corp /De/ Occidental sold 19,500,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total transaction of $697,125,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 165,681,578 shares in the company, valued at $5,923,116,413.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.04% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Blackstone Inc. boosted its position in Western Midstream Partners by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Blackstone Inc. now owns 12,980,724 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $461,465,000 after buying an additional 259,928 shares during the period. Chickasaw Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 0.6% during the second quarter. Chickasaw Capital Management LLC now owns 6,711,006 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $266,628,000 after acquiring an additional 37,259 shares during the last quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 27.4% during the first quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP now owns 4,165,829 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $148,095,000 after purchasing an additional 895,715 shares during the period. BROOKFIELD Corp ON grew its stake in shares of Western Midstream Partners by 2.7% in the first quarter. BROOKFIELD Corp ON now owns 2,953,510 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $104,997,000 after purchasing an additional 77,942 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in Western Midstream Partners by 96.0% during the 1st quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,928,179 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $68,547,000 after purchasing an additional 944,494 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 42.94% of the companys stock.

Western Midstream Partners Company Profile

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Western Midstream Partners, LP, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a midstream energy company primarily in the United States. It is involved in gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing, and transporting condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil; and gathering and disposing produced water.

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Shares of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the six research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $223.00.

A number of analysts have recently commented on AIT shares. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $205.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Loop Capital increased their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Raymond James began coverage on Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Wednesday. They issued an outperform rating and a $225.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com cut Applied Industrial Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday.

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Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Applied Industrial Technologies

In other Applied Industrial Technologies news, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 4,858 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.10, for a total value of $986,659.80. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 19,315 shares in the company, valued at $3,922,876.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . In other news, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 3,366 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $209.02, for a total transaction of $703,561.32. Following the completion of 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 filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Also, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 4,858 shares of Applied Industrial Technologies stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.10, for a total transaction of $986,659.80. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 19,315 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,922,876.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 11,927 shares of company stock worth $2,439,116. Company insiders own 2.20% of the companys stock.

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 0.9% in the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 6,462 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,254,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 2.4% during the second quarter. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY now owns 2,300 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $446,000 after buying an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 1.2% in the first quarter. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC now owns 4,905 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $969,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 0.4% in the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 17,394 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,374,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC increased its position in Applied Industrial Technologies by 2.6% during the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 2,481 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $490,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares during the period. 93.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Applied Industrial Technologies Trading Up 0.0 %

Shares of NYSE AIT opened at $198.56 on Thursday. Applied Industrial Technologies has a twelve month low of $149.59 and a twelve month high of $223.15. The companys fifty day moving average is $200.39 and its 200-day moving average is $193.97. The stock has a market cap of $7.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.81, a P/E/G ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 2.56, a current ratio of 3.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 15th. The industrial products company reported $2.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.19 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 23.55% and a net margin of 8.61%. The companys revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.35 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Applied Industrial Technologies will post 9.65 EPS for the current year.

Applied Industrial Technologies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th were paid a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.75%. Applied Industrial Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.51%.

About Applied Industrial Technologies

(Get Free Report

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment.

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Shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:BIO  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the five analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $358.20.

Several research firms recently issued reports on BIO. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in a report on Tuesday, August 27th. They set an equal weight rating and a $340.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories from $300.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $401.00 price target on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in a report on Friday, August 16th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories from $420.00 to $385.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and issued a $315.00 price target (down from $440.00) on shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories in a report on Monday, June 3rd.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories Price Performance

NYSE BIO opened at $330.65 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 6.28, a quick ratio of 4.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $311.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $308.14. The company has a market cap of $9.43 billion, a P/E ratio of -31.92 and a beta of 0.93. Bio-Rad Laboratories has a 1 year low of $261.59 and a 1 year high of $394.51.

Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE:BIO  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The medical research company reported $3.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.12 by $0.99. The business had revenue of $638.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $645.79 million. Bio-Rad Laboratories had a negative net margin of 51.73% and a positive return on equity of 3.77%. Bio-Rad Laboratoriess quarterly revenue was down 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.00 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Bio-Rad Laboratories will post 10.31 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP James Barry sold 623 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $330.49, for a total value of $205,895.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 147 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,582.03. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, EVP Michael Crowley sold 369 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.91, for a total transaction of $104,024.79. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 6,573 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,852,994.43. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP James Barry sold 623 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $330.49, for a total transaction of $205,895.27. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 147 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $48,582.03. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 17.06% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bio-Rad Laboratories

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC increased its position in shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories by 193.8% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 94 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC acquired a new stake in Bio-Rad Laboratories in the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Gladius Capital Management LP increased its position in Bio-Rad Laboratories by 65.8% in the 4th quarter. Gladius Capital Management LP now owns 121 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Bio-Rad Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new stake in Bio-Rad Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at about $42,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.24% of the companys stock.

About Bio-Rad Laboratories

(Get Free Report

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc manufactures and distributes life science research and clinical diagnostic products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through two segments, Life Science and Clinical Diagnostics. The company develops, manufactures, and markets instruments, systems, reagents, and consumables to separate, purify, characterize, and quantitate biological materials such as cells, proteins, and nucleic acids for proteomics, genomics, biopharmaceutical production, cellular biology, and food safety markets.

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Shares of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the nineteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seventeen have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $298.26.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on STZ shares. Truist Financial reissued a hold rating and issued a $265.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $308.00 price objective on shares of Constellation Brands in a research note on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $310.00 to $311.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 5th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $315.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday, July 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $320.00 to $307.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday.

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Constellation Brands Stock Performance

Shares of Constellation Brands stock opened at $246.61 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. Constellation Brands has a 52 week low of $227.50 and a 52 week high of $274.87. The firms 50 day moving average is $246.66 and its two-hundred day moving average is $253.65.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 3rd. The company reported $3.57 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.46 by $0.11. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 22.70% and a return on equity of 23.72%. The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.67 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.91 EPS. Constellation Brandss revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Constellation Brands will post 13.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Constellation Brands Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th were given a dividend of $1.01 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 14th. This represents a $4.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.64%. Constellation Brandss payout ratio is currently 30.10%.

Insider Transactions at Constellation Brands

In related news, CFO Garth Hankinson sold 13,583 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.00, for a total value of $3,259,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 11,702 shares in the company, valued at $2,808,480. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Garth Hankinson sold 13,583 shares of Constellation Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.00, for a total transaction of $3,259,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 11,702 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,808,480. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Daniel J. Mccarthy sold 1,854 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.43, for a total value of $468,005.22. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 3,232 shares in the company, valued at approximately $815,853.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 16,414 shares of company stock valued at $3,982,922 in the last ninety days. 12.19% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Constellation Brands by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,705,793 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,724,686,000 after acquiring an additional 462,891 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its stake in shares of Constellation Brands by 39.4% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 11,685,249 shares of the companys stock worth $3,175,583,000 after purchasing an additional 3,304,709 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Constellation Brands by 8.7% during the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 9,040,669 shares of the companys stock worth $2,456,892,000 after purchasing an additional 723,549 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 9.9% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 2,469,997 shares of the companys stock worth $671,246,000 after purchasing an additional 222,380 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $443,844,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.34% of the companys stock.

Constellation Brands Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.

See Also

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United Microelectronics (NYSE:UMC  Get Free Report) and BE Semiconductor Industries (OTCMKTS:BESIY  Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and profitability.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for United Microelectronics and BE Semiconductor Industries, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score United Microelectronics 0 1 2 0 2.67 BE Semiconductor Industries 0 0 0 0 N/A

United Microelectronics currently has a consensus price target of $8.90, suggesting a potential upside of 6.97%. Given United Microelectronics higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe United Microelectronics is more favorable than BE Semiconductor Industries.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

Risk and Volatility

5.1% of United Microelectronics shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.0% of United Microelectronics shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.6% of BE Semiconductor Industries shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

United Microelectronics has a beta of 1.18, meaning that its share price is 18% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BE Semiconductor Industries has a beta of 1.75, meaning that its share price is 75% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

United Microelectronics pays an annual dividend of $0.35 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.2%. BE Semiconductor Industries pays an annual dividend of $1.95 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.6%. United Microelectronics pays out 50.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. BE Semiconductor Industries pays out 81.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. United Microelectronics is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares United Microelectronics and BE Semiconductor Industries revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio United Microelectronics $7.25 billion 2.88 $1.95 billion $0.70 11.89 BE Semiconductor Industries $626.45 million 14.28 $191.66 million $2.39 51.61

United Microelectronics has higher revenue and earnings than BE Semiconductor Industries. United Microelectronics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than BE Semiconductor Industries, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares United Microelectronics and BE Semiconductor Industries net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets United Microelectronics 23.90% 14.80% 9.41% BE Semiconductor Industries 28.56% 38.81% 18.45%

Summary

United Microelectronics beats BE Semiconductor Industries on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About United Microelectronics

(Get Free Report)

United Microelectronics Corporation operates as a semiconductor wafer foundry in Taiwan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides circuit design, mask tooling, wafer fabrication, and assembly and testing services. It serves fabless design companies and integrated device manufacturers. The company was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

About BE Semiconductor Industries

(Get Free Report)

BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and service of semiconductor assembly equipment for the semiconductor and electronics industries in China, the United States, Malaysia, Ireland, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Other Asia Pacific and Europe, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Die Attach, Packaging, and Plating. The company's principal products include die attach equipment, such as single chip, multi-chip, multi module, flip chip, thermal compression bonding, fan out wafer level packaging, hybrid and embedded bridge die bonding, and die sorting systems; and packaging equipment, including conventional, ultra-thin, and wafer level molding, as well as trim and form, and singulation systems. It also provides plating equipment, such as tin, copper, and precious metal and solar plating systems, as well as related process chemicals; and tooling, conversion kits, spare parts, and other services. The company's principal brand names include Datacon, Esec, Fico, and Meco. It offers its products primarily to multinational chip manufacturers, assembly subcontractors, and electronics and industrial companies. BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Duiven, the Netherlands.

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Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD (CUPR) plans to raise $16 million in an initial public offering on the week of September 9th, IPO Scoop reports. The company will issue 3,800,000 shares at $4.00-$4.50 per share.

In the last year, Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD generated $80,000 in revenue and had a net loss of $890,000. Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD has a market-cap of $30.7 million.

Network 1 Financial Securities acted as the underwriter for the IPO.

Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD provided the following description of their company for its IPO: We manufacture and distribute chronic wound care products: medical grade bio-dressing products made from sterile blowfly larvae and sold under the MEDIFLY brand sold mostly in Singapore since February 2020 and in Hong Kong since March 2023. (Incorporated in the Cayman Islands) From the Prospectus: Looking ahead, we have strategic plans in place for the second half of 2024 and 2025 to expand our sales and establish physical operations in several key regions, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East (in particular, the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC), and mainland China. These expansion initiatives will further enable us to cater to the growing demand for our products in these promising markets, cementing our position as a trusted player in the field of chronic wound care and treatment. We are a Singapore-based biomedical and biotechnology company dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative products for the management of chronic wounds, as well as operating in the health and beauty sectors. Our expertise in biomedical research allows us to identify and utilize materials derived from natural sources to develop wound care products in the form of medical devices which meet international standards. We believe we will be able to build upon and leverage such expertise to develop innovative cosmeceutical products in the future. As of Dec. 31, 2023, we manufactured and distributed a line of medical grade sterile blowfly larvae bio-dressing products marketed under the MEDIFLY brand name, or the MEDIFLY products. The MEDIFLY products are used as a biological debridement tool for chronic wounds, in a procedure known as Maggot Debridement Therapy, or MDT, which is an effective alternative to surgical debridement. In addition to our currently commercialized MEDIFLY products, we have two lines of chronic wound care products in our pipeline: *Collagen dressings, including sponges, particles and hydrogels, using bullfrog collagen derived from the valorization of abattoir waste streams of American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and *Products using medical leeches for wound treatment. We currently expect development of such products to take place over the course of 2024 and 2025 and to become commercially available subject to regulatory approval.A We believe what sets us apart is our focus on developing functionally specific chronic wound care products designed to address the major stages of wound healing process, from chronic to closure. Our chronic wound care products, including both our existing commercialized products and forthcoming products in our pipeline, are poised to benefit from escalating global market demand. This demand is primarily fueled by the demographic shift towards an aging population and the concurrent rise in comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular ailments, and peripheral vascular diseases.A For our cosmeceuticals business, we introduced three products in 2023, including a hydrating balm product, a muscle energy cream and a pain relief muscle patch. For our currently commercialized cosmeceutical products, we have commissioned original equipment manufacturers of skincare products to develop the formulation and manufacture the substantially finished and finished products. In addition, we plan to explore the possibility of developing a range of potential cosmeceutical product candidates incorporating bullfrog collagen with a view to making them commercially available between 2024 and 2028, subject to the progress of the relevant R&D work. We offer our chronic wound care products to both public and private hospitals and clinics, where patients can obtain them through prescription from a physician. Our customers primarily include major public and private hospitals and clinics in Singapore. Our commercialized cosmeceutical products can be purchased directly by individual customers through a variety of channels, including retailers and gyms in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, as well as online shopping platforms such as Shopee. Note: Net loss and revenue figures are in U.S. dollars for the year that ended Dec. 31, 2023. Note from the Prospectus: Our independent registered public accounting firm expressed substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern requires that we obtain sufficient funding to finance our operations. (Note: Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) Ltd. filed an F-1/A on Sept. 3, 2024, in which it stated that the price range for its IPO is $4.00 to $4.50  a change from its IPO price of $4.00  and kept the IPOs size at 3.75 million Class A ordinary shares  to raise $15.94 million. Background: Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD increased the number of shares to 3.75 million  up from 2.5 million shares initially  without disclosing the IPO price  in an F-1/A filing dated June 20, 2024.) (More Background: Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD filedA an F-1/A dated May 16, 2024, in which it disclosed that it will offer 2.5 million Class A ordinary shares  without stating the IPO price. More Background: Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD filed its F-1 on March 7, 2024, without disclosing terms; estimated IPO proceeds were $10 million. Previously: The Cayman Islands-incorporated holding company submitted its confidential filing to the SEC on Oct. 13, 2023.) .

Cuprina Holdings (Cayman) LTD was founded in 2019 and has 14 employees. The company is located at c/o Blk 1090 Lower Delta Road #06-08 Singapore 169201 and can be reached via phone at +65 8512 7275 or on the web at https://www.cuprina.com/.

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First Dallas Securities Inc. cut its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) by 39.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 9,315 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,161 shares during the quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $1,330,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in NVO. Folketrygdfondet grew its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 1.4% in the first quarter. Folketrygdfondet now owns 8,756,034 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,124,275,000 after acquiring an additional 124,770 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in Novo Nordisk A/S by 10.6% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 8,589,222 shares of the companys stock worth $1,102,857,000 after purchasing an additional 823,036 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S by 22.3% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 7,114,931 shares of the companys stock valued at $736,121,000 after purchasing an additional 1,297,536 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 654.6% during the 1st quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 3,633,064 shares of the companys stock valued at $466,485,000 after purchasing an additional 3,151,584 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1832 Asset Management L.P. raised its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 7.8% during the 1st quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 2,373,029 shares of the companys stock worth $304,697,000 after purchasing an additional 172,003 shares during the period. 11.54% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently weighed in on NVO. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $160.00 price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Monday, August 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $156.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price 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. Argus increased their target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $125.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 10th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, August 19th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $145.17.

Novo Nordisk A/S Price Performance

Shares of NVO stock traded down $2.99 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $131.54. The stock had a trading volume of 1,018,802 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,322,003. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $135.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $132.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $590.29 billion, a PE ratio of 45.30, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.42. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 12 month low of $86.96 and a 12 month high of $148.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.71 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $9.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.91 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 34.86% and a return on equity of 87.43%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.11 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 given a dividend of $0.5126 per share. This represents a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 16th. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is 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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Foster & Motley Inc. lifted its stake in Unum Group (NYSE:UNM  Free Report) by 1.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 116,082 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,522 shares during the period. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Unum Group were worth $5,933,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in UNM. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in Unum Group by 361.5% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 503 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 394 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Unum Group during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new stake in Unum Group in the first quarter worth about $28,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Unum Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unum Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. 86.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other Unum Group news, EVP Timothy Gerald Arnold sold 10,000 shares of Unum Group stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.11, for a total value of $541,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 64,821 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,507,464.31. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.93% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently commented on UNM. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Unum Group in a research note on Wednesday. They issued an overweight rating and a $73.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Unum Group from $64.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Citigroup lifted their target price on Unum Group from $62.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on shares of Unum Group in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. They issued an overweight rating and a $57.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their target price on shares of Unum Group from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Unum Group has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $62.90.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on UNM

Unum Group Stock Performance

Shares of Unum Group stock traded down $0.32 during trading on Thursday, hitting $54.83. 51,584 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,228,503. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.19, a PEG ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 0.81. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $53.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $52.17. Unum Group has a 52-week low of $41.75 and a 52-week high of $58.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.28.

Unum Group (NYSE:UNM  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.02 by $0.14. Unum Group had a return on equity of 15.55% and a net margin of 10.40%. The business had revenue of $3.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.06 EPS. The companys revenue was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Unum Group will post 8.5 EPS for the current year.

Unum Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, July 30th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 10% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Unum Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th were given a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.06%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 26th. This is a positive change from Unum Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. Unum Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 24.96%.

About Unum Group

(Free Report)

Unum Group, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial protection benefit solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, and internationally. It operates through Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, and Closed Block segment. The company offers group long-term and short-term disability, group life, and accidental death and dismemberment products; supplemental and voluntary products, such as individual disability, voluntary benefits, and dental and vision products; and accident, sickness, disability, life, and cancer and critical illness products.

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Foster & Motley Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Free Report) by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 95,584 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 3,591 shares during the period. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Edison International were worth $6,864,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in EIX. Able Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Edison International during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Edison International in the first quarter worth about $28,000. Country Trust Bank bought a new position in shares of Edison International during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Edison International in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC increased its stake in Edison International by 193.7% during the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 514 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 339 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.95% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of Edison International from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Evercore ISI increased their target price on Edison International from $82.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Mizuho lifted their price target on Edison International from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Argus upped their price objective on Edison International from $78.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted 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. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $82.36.

Insider Buying and Selling at Edison International

In other news, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 23,896 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.45, for a total value of $2,041,913.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 19,850 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,696,182.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 23,896 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.45, for a total transaction of $2,041,913.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 19,850 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,696,182.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Natalie K. Schilling sold 2,341 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total transaction of $187,280.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 6,338 shares in the company, valued at approximately $507,040. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 89,099 shares of company stock worth $7,223,342 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 1.03% of the companys stock.

Edison International Stock Performance

EIX traded up $0.48 during trading on Thursday, hitting $88.20. The stock had a trading volume of 98,405 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,983,016. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The firm has a market cap of $34.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.47 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $79.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $73.99. Edison International has a one year low of $58.82 and a one year high of $88.77.

Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $4.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.12 billion. Edison International had a net margin of 6.60% and a return on equity of 13.01%. The companys revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.01 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Edison International will post 4.94 EPS for the current year.

Edison International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, July 8th were paid a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.54%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 8th. Edison Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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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Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A. (OTCMKTS:HLTOY  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $8.50 and last traded at $8.50, with a volume of 697 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $8.40.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization Stock Up 1.2 %

The companys 50 day moving average is $7.90 and its 200-day moving average is $7.62.

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Hellenic Telecommunications Organization Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 15th were given a dividend of $0.326 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 15th. This is an increase from Hellenic Telecommunications Organizations previous dividend of $0.26.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization Company Profile

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA provides telecommunications and related services to businesses and individuals primarily in Greece and Romania. It operates through OTE, COSMOTE Group, and Telekom Romania Mobile segments. The company offers fixed-line, Internet access, ICT, and TV production services; and international carrier services.

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Hudock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 0.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 208,105 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,021 shares during the period. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF accounts for about 3.8% of Hudock Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. Hudock Inc.s holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $20,201,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of AGG. Brio Consultants LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 4th quarter worth $218,000. Retirement Systems of Alabama grew its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 21,791 shares of the companys stock worth $2,163,000 after acquiring an additional 931 shares in the last quarter. Vantage Financial Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 9.2% in the 4th quarter. Vantage Financial Partners LLC now owns 335,320 shares of the companys stock worth $33,281,000 after acquiring an additional 28,241 shares in the last quarter. Aveo Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 26.5% in the 4th quarter. Aveo Capital Partners LLC now owns 91,766 shares of the companys stock worth $9,108,000 after acquiring an additional 19,222 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 9258 Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC now owns 153,369 shares of the companys stock worth $15,222,000 after acquiring an additional 6,379 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.63% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Price Performance

AGG traded up $0.14 during trading on Thursday, hitting $100.94. 3,688,117 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,003,345. The stocks fifty day moving average is $99.01 and its 200 day moving average is $97.60. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a one year low of $91.58 and a one year high of $101.04.

About iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account.

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Hudock Inc. trimmed its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 48,819 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 564 shares during the quarter. Hudock Inc.s holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,366,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Crumly & Associates Inc. boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 37.5% in the second quarter. Crumly & Associates Inc. now owns 10,995 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $308,000 after acquiring an additional 2,998 shares during the last quarter. Beaumont Asset Management L.L.C. bought a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $471,000. First Dallas Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 25.2% during the 2nd quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc. now owns 25,300 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $708,000 after acquiring an additional 5,100 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. boosted its stake in Pfizer by 6.6% in the 2nd quarter. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. now owns 44,230 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,238,000 after purchasing an additional 2,730 shares during the period. Finally, Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Pfizer by 154.8% in the 2nd quarter. Meridian Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 39,436 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,103,000 after acquiring an additional 23,958 shares in the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Daiwa America upgraded Pfizer from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pfizer currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.54.

Pfizer Stock Performance

Shares of Pfizer stock traded up $0.01 on Thursday, reaching $28.40. 11,091,847 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 38,283,742. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $29.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $28.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $160.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -477.09, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.68. Pfizer Inc. has a twelve month low of $25.20 and a twelve month high of $35.28.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $13.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.96 billion. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.42% and a negative net margin of 4.66%. The businesss revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.67 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, July 26th were issued a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.92%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is presently -2,799.53%.

About Pfizer

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. lifted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 53.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 16,622 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,778 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $1,684,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 2.6% in the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 14,712 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,491,000 after buying an additional 376 shares during the period. Kapstone Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 68.4% in the second quarter. Kapstone Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,194 shares of the companys stock valued at $729,000 after buying an additional 2,922 shares during the period. Range Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 7.5% in the second quarter. Range Financial Group LLC now owns 20,972 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,125,000 after buying an additional 1,457 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 5.0% in the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 747,142 shares of the companys stock valued at $75,708,000 after buying an additional 35,848 shares during the period. Finally, FineMark National Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in Philip Morris International by 57.2% in the second quarter. FineMark National Bank & Trust now owns 53,564 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,428,000 after buying an additional 19,489 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.63% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Price Performance

Shares of Philip Morris International stock traded up $0.18 on Thursday, reaching $126.79. 1,105,287 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,273,063. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.23 and a 52 week high of $127.41. The company has a 50 day moving average of $112.91 and a 200 day moving average of $101.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $197.10 billion, a PE ratio of 24.73, a PEG ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.55.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.02. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 9.41% and a negative return on equity of 113.32%. The firm had revenue of $9.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.60 EPS. The companys revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Investors of record on Friday, June 21st were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.10%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 21st. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 101.56%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently issued reports on PM. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $125.00 to $139.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $120.00 to $138.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eight have issued 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 target price of $113.70.

Get Our Latest Report on PM

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total value of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 85,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Philip Morris International news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total value of $1,038,150.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 85,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible 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 stock was sold at an average price of $113.01, for a total transaction of $2,260,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 158,447 shares in the company, valued at $17,906,095.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Philip Morris International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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SouthState Corp decreased its holdings in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 0.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,859 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 136 shares during the quarter. SouthState Corps holdings in EOG Resources were worth $1,996,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in EOG Resources by 0.3% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 54,275,932 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $6,938,635,000 after buying an additional 146,674 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 1.3% in the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 28,889,715 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $3,693,261,000 after acquiring an additional 373,365 shares during the period. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 5.4% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 26,782,454 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $3,423,869,000 after acquiring an additional 1,361,538 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors grew its holdings in EOG Resources by 7.1% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 11,564,463 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $1,478,401,000 after purchasing an additional 766,056 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 26.3% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,948,119 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $598,475,000 after acquiring an additional 1,029,727 shares during the last quarter. 89.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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EOG Resources Stock Performance

EOG Resources stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $122.62. 849,959 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,124,716. EOG Resources, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $108.94 and a fifty-two week high of $139.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $70.47 billion, a PE ratio of 9.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 1.30. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $125.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 1.89 and a current ratio of 2.12.

EOG Resources Announces Dividend

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The energy exploration company reported $3.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.98 by $0.18. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 25.42% and a net margin of 30.33%. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.07 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.49 EPS. EOG Resourcess quarterly revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 12.2 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.91 per share. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.97%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 17th. EOG Resourcess payout ratio is 28.75%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

EOG has been the subject of several research reports. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of EOG Resources from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, May 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $147.00 target price on shares of EOG Resources in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on EOG Resources in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. They issued an overweight rating and a $157.00 price target for the company. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on EOG Resources in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $139.00 to $125.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $143.95.

Read Our Latest Research Report on EOG Resources

Insider Activity

In related news, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.48, for a total transaction of $505,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 35,058 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,434,135.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, Director Charles R. Crisp sold 6,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.60, for a total transaction of $816,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 60,892 shares in the company, valued at $7,648,035.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.48, for a total transaction of $505,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 35,058 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,434,135.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 21,537 shares of company stock worth $2,751,612 over the last 90 days. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

EOG Resources Company Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

Further Reading

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Shares of The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Hold from the twelve brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $326.92.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on SAM shares. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on Boston Beer from $344.00 to $325.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Boston Beer from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $290.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Roth Mkm lowered their target price on shares of Boston Beer from $395.00 to $389.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Boston Beer from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the company from $335.00 to $360.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Boston Beer from $273.00 to $283.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Boston Beer

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Boston Beer Stock Up 0.2 %

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Boston Beer in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Seven Eight Capital LP raised its holdings in Boston Beer by 160.0% during the first quarter. Seven Eight Capital LP now owns 4,940 shares of the companys stock worth $1,504,000 after purchasing an additional 3,040 shares in the last quarter. Trexquant Investment LP lifted its position in shares of Boston Beer by 136.3% during the 4th quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 13,171 shares of the companys stock worth $4,552,000 after buying an additional 7,598 shares during the last quarter. Natixis acquired a new position in shares of Boston Beer in the 1st quarter valued at $3,044,000. Finally, Commerce Bank purchased a new position in shares of Boston Beer in the 4th quarter valued at $402,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.13% of the companys stock.

NYSE SAM opened at $280.65 on Friday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $281.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $289.87. The firm has a market cap of $3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 35.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.06. Boston Beer has a 52 week low of $254.40 and a 52 week high of $395.52.

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $4.39 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.99 by ($0.60). Boston Beer had a return on equity of 9.69% and a net margin of 4.39%. The firm had revenue of $579.10 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $597.33 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.72 earnings per share. Boston Beers revenue for the quarter was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Boston Beer will post 9.65 EPS for the current year.

About Boston Beer

(Get Free Report

The Boston Beer Company, Inc produces and sells alcohol beverages primarily in the United States. The company's flagship beer is Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It offers various beers, hard ciders, flavored malt beverages, and hard seltzers under the Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly, Angry Orchard, Dogfish Head, Angel City, and Coney Island brand names.

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Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. increased its position in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,975 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC.s holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $893,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.2% in the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,019 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $913,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Kapstone Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the second quarter worth about $1,373,000. TD Asset Management Inc lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.3% in the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 188,873 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $85,431,000 after acquiring an additional 7,738 shares during the last quarter. FineMark National Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 8.5% in the second quarter. FineMark National Bank & Trust now owns 3,264 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,476,000 after acquiring an additional 255 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stablepoint Partners LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.0% in the second quarter. Stablepoint Partners LLC now owns 816 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $402,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. 71.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $475.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $490.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $461.00 to $464.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $513.00 to $561.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn cut The Goldman Sachs Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $495.94.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total transaction of $5,050,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total transaction of $5,050,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.34, for a total transaction of $25,360,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 12,981,022 shares in the company, valued at $82,299,679.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,013,500 shares of company stock worth $32,181,365. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders.

The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GS traded up $3.72 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $494.36. 219,388 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,258,851. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $289.36 and a fifty-two week high of $517.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The firm has a market cap of $159.41 billion, a PE ratio of 19.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.36. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $487.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $446.81.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The investment management company reported $8.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.52 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $12.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.60 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.36% and a return on equity of 10.56%. Equities research analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 35.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a $3.00 dividend. This is a positive change from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.43%. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is 46.86%.

About The Goldman Sachs Group

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements.

Read More

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report).

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The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG  Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the five brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $157.80.

Several research analysts have recently commented on THG shares. Bank of America reduced their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $161.00 to $158.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 6th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $147.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. JMP Securities boosted their target price on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group from $142.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th.

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View Our Latest Stock Report on THG

The Hanover Insurance Group Stock Up 0.1 %

THG stock opened at $147.30 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $133.23 and a two-hundred day moving average of $131.45. The Hanover Insurance Group has a 12 month low of $103.82 and a 12 month high of $149.25. The company has a market cap of $5.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.03 and a beta of 0.68.

The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The insurance provider reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.88. The firm had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.49 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 12.42% and a net margin of 4.44%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($1.91) earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that The Hanover Insurance Group will post 10.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Hanover Insurance Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The Hanover Insurance Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 76.23%.

Insider Activity at The Hanover Insurance Group

In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 8,468 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.01, for a total transaction of $1,219,476.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,281 shares in the company, valued at $5,224,826.81. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other The Hanover Insurance Group news, EVP Richard W. Lavey sold 8,468 shares of The Hanover Insurance Group stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.01, for a total value of $1,219,476.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,281 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,224,826.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kathy S. Lane sold 1,884 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.23, for a total transaction of $252,889.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 10,852 shares of company stock worth $1,541,491. Insiders own 2.40% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Hanover Insurance Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the second quarter worth $25,000. Riverview Trust Co acquired a new position in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 1st quarter worth $31,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group during the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in The Hanover Insurance Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $42,000. Finally, GHP Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 64.9% in the 2nd quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 427 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 168 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.61% of the companys stock.

The Hanover Insurance Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, workers' compensation, and other commercial lines coverage.

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One may think it strange that after giving the British royal family a serious shedload of vitriol and nastiness in the press and in tell-all books that the wayward Prince Harry was well done with the Windsors, but apparently not. For some reason, he now wants to reconcile with his brother William and the King, or maybe he is being egged on by someone to do so. Despite previously demanding a grovelling public apology from King Charles and Prince William, Harry is now begging to come back into the fold on a limited basis and seeing as there was no apology from the royals, he is so desperate that he is even foregoing on the apology in his rush to get back into the Firm. To reconcile with the royal family is now priority number one for the Sussex Squad led by masterminds Meghan Markle and Omid Scobie.

Royal expert, Hugh Levington Carrington Smythe reveals the truth of the matter.

They desperately need more material. Most certainly it is Meghan pushing Harry into a possible reconciliation. The Netflix thing has dried up because there is no more fuel in the can as they have already spilled the beans on everything they knew. Netflix and the other US trash media are hungry for fresh news and salty details about the Windsors. In isolation thousands of miles away from the source of their income, they need to be around the royals so they can get more gasoline to throw on the fire thus keeping their money making train going by selling out and trashing the royal family.

The truth is that the Sussexes have capitalised on their royal title up to a point, but its not enough to keep up with their very expensive private jet lifestyle. They are leaking hundreds of thousands of dollars per week on useless Meghan initiatives, lawyers, PR, private security, clothes and private jets as well as the upkeep of their Montecito Mcmansion with all the staff.

The Meghan plan for Harry is to infiltrate the Windsors proclaiming a faux reconciliation and to eventually get them talking about private matters again. This may take a few trips, or maybe a lengthier stay, but this is the ultimate plan. As Meghan knows, it is all about finding the weak spots in a target then capitalising on that.

Once the Sussexes have gleaned enough information then they will simply rinse and repeat their previous malicious attacks on the royal family. It is sad that Harry and Meghan made the last few years of the late Queen Elizabeth IIs life so miserable, but it is possible they will have no qualms about doing the same to King Charles III for money.

Meghans American River Orchard brand is being universally panned and that grift may actually lose money than make any. Netflix is down the poo chute because producers only want new material and not rehashed gossip and stories from 10 years ago.

Its all down to making money off the Windsor family and using their Sussex brand as much as possible, and to reconcile with the royal family is now the big plan.
Reported sectarian crime has increased year upon year in Derry over the past four years, according to new data.

Derry was subjected to another racist and sectarian hate crime in the last week when graffiti appeared on a new property development in Church Brae in the Waterside area.

The incident was widely condemned by the PSNI and local politicians.

Chief Inspector McManus said: We are treating this incident as not only criminal damage but as a hate crime, which is totally unacceptable.

This will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our partners, community representatives, and elected representatives. Hate crime has no place in our society whatsoever. Be reassured, we will be relentless in our approach to identify those involved.

This incident is not an isolated event, as seen with the paint being thrown over Walkers Plinth in early July.

Derry News have acquired new data from a Freedom of Information request to the PSNI looking at reported sectarian crimes in Derry.

In 2020, the reported sectarian hate crimes to the PSNI were recorded at 70.

Since then, the figures have increased year upon year, with 2021 recording 88 incidents, while 2022 recorded 100.

The rise continued into 2023 with 115 incidents of reported sectarian crimes in Derry.

Sinn Fein councillor Sandra Duffy said there was no place for any form of hatred or discrimination.

She said: There is no place for sectarianism or any form of hatred or discrimination anywhere in our society.

"Anyone with information on sectarian attacks or crimes should bring it forward to the police."

Meanwhile, many children involved within Reach Across, a cross-community youth organisation for 14-17 year olds in the North West region of Northern Ireland, giving their members the chance to socialise, have fun, and broaden their horizons, were shocked at the figures.

Jake, one of the members at Reach Across, said: You think with things like cross-community youth groups, you would have thought things were getting better.

The fact it is getting worse is concerning.

Meanwhile, Logan added her experience of casual sectarianism through everyday life.

She said: I went to a mixed primary school, and so I never truly understood the difference until I went to secondary school, and I learned the difference incredibly quickly. There are a lot of nasty things that can be said, and it was eye-opening.

Coming to Reach has helped solidify my earlier view from primary school that it doesnt matter where you are from or who you are; we are people and deserve basic respect.

Kelsey, another one of the children interviewed regarding the rise in reported sectarian crime, believes people find it hard to put the past behind them, but they must make a concerted effort to do this for the future generations in Derry.

She said: It is crazy to think about because we are in a cross-community youth club. We don't really think about what is happening elsewhere, as we are happy coming together.

Like you look at Belfast and the agreement not to take down the wall, that puts me into perspective. Regardless of the stigma from our backgrounds, those of our families too. We want to move past this, and I dont care what your background is; you should be welcome anywhere and into our friendship groups.

There should be more people looking to join groups like this reaching across the community and improving future relations in our city.
Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how when a young woman with first aid training stopped to assist a man lying in the street the man is alleged to have sexually assaulted her friend.

Paul Farren (34) of John Street in Derry appeared for a bail application today charged with sexual assault on June 22 this year.

The court heard that a 17-year-old female reported to police that she had been sexually assaulted outside the Iceland store in Foyle Street.

She said herself and a friend had seen a man lying on the street and as the friend had first aid training they stopped to help.

The female said the man told them his name was Paul and sat up, lit a cigarette and then touched her on the breast and kissed her neck.

The woman pushed him away and he allegedly tried to kiss her again before the man was said to have got up and walked away.

She gave police a description and after examining CCTV footage Farren was identified and arrested.

At interview Farren said he had no memory of the incident but confirmed it was him on the CCTV.

A police officer said Farren had shown 'no remorse'.

Bail was opposed due to the risk of re-offending and the fact that Farren's address was unsuitable.

The court heard that Farren had 10 bail breaches on his record.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that it could be some time before there would be a decision in the case.

He said Farren had 'terrible record' but said he did not know the alleged injured party in the case.

The solicitor said that if Farren was given a no alcohol condition and kept it there would be no offending.

Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare said he felt the bail application was 'premature' and refused it but said there had to be progress in the case.

Farren was remanded in custody and will appear again later this month.
Formula 1 star David Coulthard is to share the secrets of his success with more than 900 business leaders from across the UK and Ireland at a summit in Belfast.

The 13-time grand prix winner will be the keynote speaker when the ScaleX summit returns to the ICC in the city on November 13.

Coulthard, whose racing career saw him drive for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull Racing before co-founding production company The Whisper Group, one of Europes fastest growing media production companies, said he was excited to return to Belfast and take part in the gathering.

He said: One of the last times I was in Belfast was in 2018 with Red Bull Racing for a Formula 1 demo.

It is a fantastic city and I am looking forward to returning for the ScaleX summit.

Having lived my earlier life as a Formula 1 driver, I still function at my best when there is pressure to perform.

Im used to analysing information quickly, evaluating the risks and rewards, then making a rapid decision to produce a winning outcome.

Sport and business are very similar in that regard. In both fields there are lots of important decisions that need to be made quickly and calmly.

He added: Im looking forward to meeting many like-minded business people and contributing to the event in order to help them take their businesses to the next level.

The summit is the brainchild of Simple Scaling co-founders Brendan McGurgan and Claire Colvin.

Attendees will also hear from Portmarnock wellness authority and bestselling author Niall O Murchu and renowned entrepreneur Daniel Priestley.

Topics to be covered include how to become a key person of influence, how to optimise your mental performance and how to communicate with confidence.

Other speakers announced for the summit include entrepreneurs Norman Crowley and Jack Daly, and scaling expert Mac Lackey.

Mr McGurgan, director and co-founder of Simple Scaling, said: Were delighted to bring David Coulthard to Belfast as part of this years ScaleX summit.

His experience and knowledge perfectly complements our panel of world-class speakers.

Ms Colvin, director, added: This years ScaleX summit will help great people do great things with their businesses.

It isnt about discovering powerful leaders, its about helping people in leadership positions discover the power of their own voice and make the mindset shift required to successfully scale their business.
Ministers in the Stormont Executive are united in their efforts to do all they can to tackle a rise in race hate crime in Northern Ireland, First Minister Michelle ONeill has said.

Justice Minister Naomi Long added that it had been a difficult summer with rising tensions after a number of racist attacks.

The ministers were speaking as the Executive agreed its draft programme for government. One of the nine priorities in the plan is to provide safer communities.

It comes during a time of increased concern over race-related incidents in Northern Ireland.

Recent figures showed that the region reported the highest number of race-related incidents on record last year.

Some 1,411 such incidents were recorded in the 12 months from July 1 2023 to June 30 2024, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

The latest figures were recorded before the recent spate of race-related incidents in August which followed anti-immigration protests in Belfast.

Unrest in Belfast and attacks on some businesses owned by people from minority ethnic backgrounds came at a time of tension in some parts of the UK after misinformation on social media after the murder of three young children in Southport.

Ms ONeill said the Executive would do all that it could to tackle racist incidents.

She said: I think the Executive collectively has demonstrated over the harrowing events over the summer months that we stand united in saying no to racism, we stand united in saying no to hate and that we stand united in calling out those people that are responsible for the activities we have seen.

Day after day we are seeing reports of people being terrorised in their own community, people being terrorised to walk their children to school.

She added: That is not acceptable to anybody around the Executive table and we are all collectively committed to doing all that we can, including engaging with those people that are impacted, engaging with the black and ethnic minority community, engaging with people to ensure that they know we are their government, we are here for them and they are a valued part of our community.

One of our focuses is around safer communities.

Ms Long said there had to be a strong policing and justice response to hate crime.

She said: The fact that one of our nine priorities is about safer communities reflects our concerns about the harm that has been done by what has been a very difficult summer.

There is a lot of fear, a lot of tension in our community.

Whilst as Justice Minister I have a particular interest in terms of the justice elements of that, we recognise as a four-party Executive that this is a much wider issue.

It is about education and community support, it is about good relations, about race relations.

She added: I think there are many things that we can do to provide that reassurance and I think key to that is ensuring we have a strong policing and justice response.

Which is why the inclusion of safer communities is one of those nine priorities.
Northern Irelands top judge has said she wants sentences handed down in crown courts to be broadcast, but has expressed disappointment that the necessary legislation cannot be passed until at least 2027.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said people have a right to know what happens in their courts.

She delivered her annual address to open the new legal year at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast on Thursday.

The Lady Chief Justice is in favour of legislation which will allow for broadcasting in courts in Northern Ireland, placing the jurisdiction on a footing footing to that in England, Wales and Scotland.

Earlier this year a pilot programme filming judgments in the Court of Appeal was carried out.

Dame Siobhan said: The broadcasting of our senior courts will allow the public to better understand what we do and how judicial decisions are made, supporting the principle of open justice.

The broadcasters did an excellent job, and I was very impressed with the footage they compiled.

I would also like to be able to broadcast sentencing decisions of the crown court.

The crown court deals with trials in matters of serious criminality.

The Lady Chief Justice added: I have however been advised that it will not be possible to progress the necessary legislation until the next Assembly session, that is from mid-2027 onwards.

This delay is disappointing as it means we cannot build on the momentum we have achieved.

Without legislative change I cannot oversee the advances I would like.

However, I will continue to promote open justice within the parameters that are open to me.

That is because it is a long-established principle that justice must be done, and it must be seen to be done.

The public has a right to know what happens in their courts.

Dame Siobhan said another priority was enhancing peoples understanding of sentencing in criminal trials.

She said: I am unfortunately unable to speak to victims or their families due to my role as an appellate judge, but I wish to convey to all those affected that I do understand the pain and distress caused by the loss of a loved one or due to the effects of crime.

I have continued judicial training on sentencing principles and sentencing remarks to include how victim statements are communicated and as a priority, I am going to undertake further work with fellow judges, court users, victims groups and others in this area over the coming year.

While I am told that the Department of Justices budget precludes any major systemic transformational work, that should not in my view prevent achievable change.

The judiciary have been able to show how, through collaboration at a local level, changes can be introduced that will improve the experiences of those going through the justice system.
No longer just a chip supplier, Nvidia expands one-stop service into AI factory

In the current AI development trend, Nvidia is already dominating the leading position in the AI chip market and actively expanding its influence to data centers and related areas. CEO Jensen Huang is attempting to build Nvidia into a one-stop service platform with all the key data center elements. It will no longer just be a high-end chip hardware supplier, but an "AI factory."

Nvidia hopes to use this strategy to widen the gap with its competitors. At the financial report meeting for the latest quarter, Huang stressed Nvidia's strong ability to design AI factories and claimed that Nvidia has all the necessary components to complete the AI factory's construction. Not only would revenue increase, but clients would become further reliant on Nvidia's products.

It is estimated that Nvidia has taken up over 80% market share for the AI chip market. Aside from GPU achieving huge success within the industry, Nvidia is also actively expanding software, data center design and service, and network technology. For example, programmers can fully utilize Nvidia's chip functions through CUDA, a proprietary API that has been deeply cultivated for 17 years.

In addition, Nvidia will be investing resources in InifiniBand high-speed networking. Five years ago, Mellanox Technologies, which was acquired by Nvidia, was focused on developing this technology. It can be assumed that InfiniBand has likely become a core technology for most AI training and deployment.

Aside from hardware and software, Nvidia has also been developing AI-optimized Ethernet that can be widely applied to traditional data centers. Chief financial officer Colette Kress states that it is estimated that the AI Ethernet business will generate several billion dollars of revenue within a year.

Additionally, Nvidia has been selling products including CPU and networking chips. These products can work together seamlessly within data center equipment and offer professional hardware and software solutions according to the needs of specific industries such as healthcare and robotics.

Competitors actively aiming to close gap, Nvidia facing risks

However, competitors are also actively creating layouts. AMD has recently agreed to acquire data center design and manufacturing company ZT Systems with US$5 billion, aiming to close the gap between it and Nvidia. AMD has made other acquisitions in recent years as well, including Xilinx and data center networking company, Pensando, in 2022.

Other chip suppliers including Intel, Cerebras Systems, and SambaNova Systems, are also offering services and systems that support the creation and operation of AI tools. Plug-and-play AI infrastructures are currently favored by many, which can help corporations deploy AI solutions quickly.

However, Nvidia's AI factory strategy is also facing some risks. With competition intensifying in AI computing and the construction trend slowing down, clients may search for other substitute plans. While Nvidia is in the process of expanding market influence, it could face issues with regulations, especially in Europe, where Nvidia's market behavior has already been investigated, even having its French offices raided.

Huang recently stated that Nvidia's role is mostly that of a coordinator and designer, the goal is to guide the construction of complicated AI infrastructures, but Nvidia will not be producing all the equipment. With Nvidia planning to release the next generation of the Blackwell AI chip by the end of 2024 or early 2025, Nvidia will be providing design service for server racks accommodating full computing equipment.

Huang stresses that Nvidia is dedicated to designing AI infrastructures that accommodate client needs and blend them into the ecosystem. He also points out that this strategy will consolidate Nvidia's leading position and push Nvidia toward long-term success in the AI area.
UK semiconductor delegation eyes closer collaboration with Taiwan at SEMICON

The British semiconductor delegation, composed of 24 firms led by the UK Government's National Technology Adviser Dave Smith, has made its splash at SEMICON for the second year in a row.

The British office claimed the Pavilion is the third biggest national pavilion of this year's convention.

Future belongs to compound semiconductors

At the opening, President and CEO of SEMI Ajit Manocha declared the next decade would belong to compound semiconductors, a field in which the UK is the most focused.

"We're running very tight on Moore's Law on silicon technology", said Manocha, which means silicon photonics and compound semiconductors would be key to creating the AI chips and quantum computing, that enables the functionality of future mobile devices."

Manocha urges the UK to make itself more visible and collaborate further with Taiwan. He believes Taiwan is the foundation of the global semiconductor industry, where the production of Nvidia's AI chips would not be possible without the efforts of TSMC and ASE.

The British Representative to Taiwan, John Dennis, echoes this point, suggesting the pavilion showcases the dynamic potential of Britain's thriving tech sector and embodies their commitment to learn and collaborate with Taiwan's renowned semiconductor industry.

National Technology Adviser Dave Smith on his first visit to Taiwan believes the unique strength of the UK and Taiwan to be mutually complementary, describing it as a "jigsaw coming together." Smith believes the UK holds three areas of strategic advantage in the field of semiconductors: research and innovation system, open market, and technology ecosystem.

Furthermore, he emphasizes the UK is not trying to replicate the success of Taiwan and its large-scale manufacturing but rather they wish to double down on its R&D strengths, leveraging the legacy of Arm in chip designs while propelling its field of compound semiconductors. The delegation is made up of firms ranging from specialties such as photonics, and quantum to memory and manufacturing equipment.

Those firms include the likes of Advancete, Bay Photonics, Blueshift Memory, EMU Technologies, Gencoa, Gorilla Technology Group, IceMOS Technology, ipTEST, KuasaSemi, Kubos Semiconductors, Loadpoint, Lumai, Microbritt, Nanomation, ProSpectral, Quantum Science, Quinas Technology, Skylark Lasers, Smartkem, Thermco System, Crypto Quantique, CSConnected, Oxford Instruments, and Oxford Quantum Circuits.

Program Manager of Innovate UK Louise Hooker says 15 of these visiting semiconductor firms have previously been to Taiwan under their supervision which means this time they are not starting from scratch, instead are capitalizing momentum and further cementing relationships with potential Taiwanese partners.

Hooker mentions she is expecting some promising tangible outcomes from a lot of these efforts with some of these returning British firms undergoing the process of signing MOUs with local firms while many have had meaningful engagements with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).
Minister Neale Richmonds first meeting of his recent visit to Louth was with Dundalk Chamber.

Paddy Malone, PRO, stressed the need to retain the growth centres as defined by the National Development Plan 2040.

In particular, the twin towns of Drogheda and Dundalk and the recognition of Newrys importance in the region.

Minister Richmond indicated that while there is a review being carried out on the Plan, he would be in favour of enhancing the existing growth centres.

This would mean that the IDA and EI would prioritise those centres and that there would be no constraints placed on growth.

Pat McCormick, President, pointed out that the infrastructure in Dundalk was already at capacity in some areas.

He expressed the hope that capital expenditure on transport, wastewater and housing would be available to meet anticipated growth.

Read Next: Louth stats revealed in Director of Public Prosecution's annual report

Minister Richmond pointed out that this region, with DkIT, was well placed to develop in the financial services area. Mr Malone reminded the Minister of Dundalks recent win with Kaseya.

Mr Malone also raised the question of cross border businesses and employees working and living in different jurisdictions, not just Dundalk/Newry. The Minister asked for a briefing document on this.

Hanna McDonnell, VP, raised the issue of the threats to the hospitality sector.

She said that the restoration of the VAT rate from 9% to 13.5% was a blow that many businesses found difficult to cope with when the other costs were considered.

The Minister did indicate some sympathy on this but said that the tax cost of the 9% was prohibitive and would welcome alternative recommendations.
A number of children were allegedly sexually abused in nine schools run by religious orders throughout Louth according to a national Scoping Inquiry by Senior Counsel Mary OToole.

The inquiry engaged with alleged survivors of abuse who alleged they were abused while attending schools between 1927 and 2013.

The report revealed that there were at least 47 allegations made regarding schools under the patronage of religious orders in Louth against at least 26 alleged abusers.

Six of the schools named in the report were run by the Christian Brothers. In Dundalk, nine allegations were made against five alleged abusers at the Christian Brothers Primary School while four allegations were made against three individuals at the Christian Brothers Secondary in the town.

Separately in Dundalk, nine allegations were made against four individuals at St. Mary's College, Secondary School which was run by the Marist Fathers.

In Omeath, there were five allegations against three alleged abusers at St. Michael's College Post Primary which closed in 1986.

Elsewhere in Louth, there were fourteen allegations against six alleged abusers at the St. Joseph's CBS Primary School in Drogheda run by the Christian Brothers.

There were four allegations relating to two alleged abusers at St. Mary's CBS, Drogheda Secondary School under the patronage of the Christian Brothers.

At Drogheda CBS Primary School run by the Christian Brothers there were two allegations against two alleged abusers.

Additionally at St. Joseph's CBS Secondary School in Drogheda run by the Christian Brothers there was one allegation against one individual.

An allegation, or allegations, have also been made in relation to St. Mary's School, Drumcar run by Saint John of God Hospitaller Ministries (SJOG HSG).

No breakdown was given for Saint John of God Hospitaller Ministries schools. The inquiry revealed there were 144 allegations against 36 alleged abusers across seven Saint John of God Hospitaller Ministries schools.

Nationally, the Scoping Inquiry reported 2,395 allegations of historical sexual abuse, involving 884 alleged abusers in 308 schools across all parts of the country between the years 1927 to 2013. Most of these allegations have been reported from the records of 42 religious orders who currently or previously ran schools in Ireland.

Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced that a Commission of Investigation is to be established, following a recommendation in the Report of the Scoping Inquiry set up to examine historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders.

The establishment of a State inquiry into historical sexual abuse is one of a number of recommendations made by Senior Counsel, Mary OToole in her report to the Minister.

The Scoping Inquiry organised a Survivor Engagement process where those who had experienced sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders were invited to come forward and share their views regarding an appropriate State response.

Participants reported experiences of sexual abuse in primary, post-primary and special schools, both public and private, run by religious orders across the country.

One of the most compelling aspects of the Report is that older participants provided devastating accounts of how sexual abuse in childhood has affected their entire lives, from their schooldays through adolescence, early adulthood and right through to later years.

I am pleased to note that the report states that current child protection measures in schools are robust and effective and I am conscious that the safety of children today is a matter of paramount concern to survivors and all of society, said Minister Foley.

The Scoping Inquiry report further recommends that consideration be given by government to establishing a redress scheme for survivors of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders.

Further recommendations relate to improving the experience for survivors in legal processes and the establishment of dedicated support services for survivors, particularly in relation to the Commission and potential participation in that process.

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An Garda Siochana is appealing to anyone who wishes to report a crime relating to Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders.

For the purpose of reporting to An Garda Siochana, the following options are available:

By emailing GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie By phoning the Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222. This is a confidential and free service available 24/7 Calling to your local Garda Station

An Garda Siochana is also appealing to anyone who may have information, including as a witness, relating to crimes of Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders, to make contact with them so that such crimes can be investigated.
Louth artist and textile designer Caroline Duffy is bringing a flourish of floral blooms to the Irish Made Awards this year.

This year is her third years as a finalist. She was awarded Highly Recommended in 2023, and says she is hoping to bring home first place this year.

But she needs your help. As it is a public vote, its down to you to help her come first in the fashion category.

Caroline is artist and textile designer living in Dundalk.

She told how while studying at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin, she fell in love with textiles and pattern.

After graduating from NCAD in 2001, she spent 10 years creating surface and textile design for Textile Houses in New York, Sydney and London.

She said she then decided to start her own design and art business, back here in Ireland.

With Carolines art her signature colourful pieces are all inspired by nature  whether its a floral or

abstract art, she paints in a variety of techniques  watercolour, acrylics and mixed media - on canvas or water based paper.

Her art has been sold all over the world, from Ireland, across Europe to Asia.

Caroline said she is delighted to launch a brand new collection. Standout, sustainable new garment shapes to add to her slow fashion collection - luxury silk co-ordinates of Palazzo pants, tops, wrap skirts, hair bows and scarves.

She said: My passion is to bring well-being to her customer by surrounding them with nature and flowers.

Studies have shown that flowers can induce creative energy and positive vibes, ultimately making us feel better.

I create to enrich peoples lives with more joy, happiness and inspiration.

Redefining what it means to be a free-spirited strong person by surrounding them with the healing qualities of flowers through unique, uplifting art for mind, body and home.

I strives to transform female mental health challenges into golden opportunities for change, but encouraging my community to be creative, mindful and be fully aware of the healing qualities in nature.

Caroline said her brand Caroline Duffy Designs will redefine what it means to be a free-spirited strong Irish woman by surrounding her with the healing quality of luxury florals for mind, body and home.

To vote for Caroline in the Irish Made Awards please CLICK HERE
The family of a young woman who lost her life after being involved in a collision have set up a fundraiser in her memory.

Hannah Frawley, aged 25, from Caherelly, Grange, Count Limerick died on Sunday, August 11.

In her memory, the family has set up a fundraiser to raise funds for Bru Columbanus, which provides home from home accommodation for the families of patients in Cork hospitals.

Before she passed away, the young woman was in the ICU in Cork University Hospital for 12 days.

Before she died, Hannah spent 12 days in the ICU in Cork University Hospital. While she was there Bru Columbanus provided accommodation for her parents, which was a huge support as they were only minutes away from the hospital, wrote Hannahs mother, Liz Frawley, on the fundraiser page.

Every year, Bru Columbanus provides this kind of support for hundreds of families with critically ill patients in hospital. Bru Columbanus is entirely funded by donations. In memory of Hannah, Team Hannah are completing the Walk for Bru on 28th September. Your donation would be greatly appreciated and will go directly to this great fund. We hope you can help by donating whatever you can.

So far, 13,870 have been raised. You can donate to the fundraiser here.

Ms Fawley is survived by her parents Ger and Liz and her brother Luke.

She is also survived by her grandmother Kathleen, her brother Lukes fiancee Ellen, her partner Chase, uncles, aunts, extended family and friends.

She was a passenger in a car involved in a single vehicle collision on the R503 at Drominboy, Lisnagry, County Limerick on July 30.

The man who was driving the car, also aged in his 20s, and Ms Frawley were both brought to hospital for treatment.
Dermot Bannon has opened up about suffering a pulmonary embolism over the summer when a clot worked its way from his leg into his lungs.

The architect felt unwell while on a family holiday to Portugal and initially put it down to fatigue and stress. However, the pain worsened and soon he was "in agony".

Speaking on the Ray Darcy Show on RTE Radio One, Bannon revealed that he suffered the major medical scare while holidaying with his family for a week in Portugal.

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The 52-year-old father of three opened up about suffering a pulmonary embolism in his lungs, that left him in so much pain it made him feel as though he had broken a rib.

Bannon went to the hospital in Portugal soon after, where they told him it was a lung infection.

"I had had Covid three weeks before that, so it was all put down to that," he said. "I got better, the symptoms kind of subsided, flew home, and then a week later - if I'd gone for two weeks' holiday, I would've still been over there - the pains came back - but more severe.

"Lying in the bed, four o'clock in the morning, really sharp pains down my side. I was pumping Nurofen into myself to try and get rid of them."

Bannon visited his health insurer's clinic the next day and was told his lung infection hadn't cleared up. He was sent for a blood test in A&E which showed "that there might be some clotting going on".

"Then they did a CT scan immediately," Bannon said. "I had what was known as a pulmonary embolism, which was a blood clot that came from my leg, had worked its way up, was in my lungs - in both lungs."

The 52-year-old told listeners that had he not prioritised his health, things would have become "worse and worse and worse".

"What happens is if you don't spot it, if you don't do something, the pressure on your heart can cause a cardiac arrest."

He added that he had been putting down the symptoms "to just getting a bit older".

"Part of it was just me feeling infallible - and me feeling nothing can go wrong with me. 'I feel great. I will look after myself. I'm all of these things'."

"It was the week after it kind of really hit me," he told Ray Darcy. "It's one of the biggest killers in Ireland, but nobody knows about it.

"At the moment, the treatment is very heavy kind of blood thinners, which will dissolve the thing."

Bannon told listeners watch out for the warning signs of pulmonary embolisms.

"Swelling or pain in one leg or a warmth or redness in your arm or your leg," he said. "Short[ness] of breath.

"The other one is chest pain, which is what I got. To describe it, it was like a sharp pain, especially when I took a deep breath in.

"And then the last one is if you're coughing up blood. But if you've got a sharp pain in your side and you don't know what it is, or if you're short of breath, go in to hospital.

"If you've any of these symptoms, straight in to A&E."
Chinese, Ghanaian presidents announce elevation of bilateral ties

Xinhua) 20:12, September 05, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo met on Thursday and announced the elevation of China-Ghana ties to a strategic partnership.

Akufo-Addo is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi said China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Ghana and to continue providing assistance to the best of its ability to Ghana.

China stands ready to expand cooperation with Ghana in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, energy, mineral resources and infrastructure, and hopes that Ghana will continue to offer relevant support and facilitation to Chinese enterprises and citizens, he said.

China supports Ghana in its work as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term, and is ready to enhance strategic coordination with Ghana on international and regional issues, Xi said.

Noting that China has been Ghana's most trustworthy friend and partner for over 60 years, Akufo-Addo said Ghana hopes to further expand cooperation with China in the fields of electricity, mineral resources and new energy, and is willing to provide facilitation for Chinese enterprises.

Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation for President Xi's proposal of 10 partnership actions to jointly advance modernization with Africa at the summit, saying that Ghana is willing to work actively with China to implement these actions.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Ireland should be increasing support for a UN agency training mine clearance specialists in Ukraine, according to an Irish expert.

David McMahon, head of the mine action unit at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), started working in the area of demining in Cambodia during the early 1990s.

UNOPS is tasked with delivering a variety of projects for other UN agencies around the world, including the Mine Action Service.

In Ukraine, UNOPS is primarily working on improving the states capacity to carry out demining.

Its operations in the region are funded by France, the UN Development Project and the Netherlands.

Since hostilities in 2014, Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

The National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) estimates that more than a third of Ukrainian territory is potentially contaminated with explosive ordnance as a result of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Mr McMahon said land mines are being used by both Ukraine and Russia in the conflict.

Based on data collected and on prior land release in 2023, the World Bank says the current total costs for the clearance of explosive ordnance across Ukraine are an estimated 34.6 billion dollars.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says that as of January 15 this year, there were 339 civilian victims of mines and explosive remnants of war and 757 people were injured.

Clearing explosive hazards will be a prerequisite to the return of safe living in Ukraine after the war.

Mr McMahon, who also has experience in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Georgia and Sudan, said: At the moment, we are training and equipping the bomb squad of the Ukrainian national police.

They have 350 men and women that are out clearing munitions, clearing IEDs, clearing devices.

They plan to scale up to about 1,500 personnel over the next year and were helping them with that.

UNOPS is also training Ukraines state transport service, a specialist unit of the defence ministry tasked with protection and construction of the national transportation system.

Mr McMahon said UNOPS is helping train and equip up to 480 deminers.

He said UNOPS works on humanitarian sites in areas of Ukraine which have been retaken from the Russian military and does not work within 20 kilometres of the frontline.

Asked about the scale of the task to clear mines and other explosives from all of Ukraine, Mr McMahon said the process will take years.

Mr McMahon, based in Kyiv, also said there is a huge requirement for prosthetics and orthotics due to injuries from mines and other explosives.

There are world-class centres here but the scale of the problem is huge, its absolutely massive.

Asked how demining has changed since he began in the early 1990s, Mr McMahon said the process in Cambodia relied on mass numbers of people, interviewing local residents about the contamination and carrying out a technical survey of the land.

He said equipment and processes around mine action have drastically improved.

Drone technology has advanced greatly, artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced greatly. Were using dogs, were using big tiller machines, were using IED robots  theres a whole plethora of things.

He said there are algorithms which can look at patterns in satellite photos of land and determine they are clear, for example if a field had been cultivated since hostilities ceased.

However, Mr McMahon cautioned: The problem here is the scale  which is just massive.

A further issue is a shortage of personnel for demining, due to the large numbers killed or fighting in the war as well as those displaced by the conflict.

Asked what the Irish Government could do to support UNOPS, Mr McMahon said: Ireland has world-class training facilities with the Irish Defences Forces. You cannot send people in here, however we can send people to Ireland for training.

As a neutral state, Ireland does not support offensive military operations. However, we (UNOPS) work with the national police, we work with non-combatants. Everything we do is humanitarian and neutral.

The Irish Defence Forces has been at the forefront of writing IED doctrine for the UN, thats used in Somalia and Mali and elsewhere.

Here in Ukraine, we have an IED problem and Ireland could really help with that.

Mr McMahon argued that it would be more sustainable for Ireland to deal with the Ukrainian state in the area of demining, rather than NGOs.

He called for Ireland to support the training of the Ukrainian polices bomb squad.

He also suggested Ireland could be involved in the production or procurement of required IED robots in Ukraine.

This will be an intergenerational problem, he said.
A Cork-based charity is calling on members of the public to educate themselves about sepsis during September, which is Sepsis Awareness Month.

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in Ireland, and the Irish Sepsis Foundation is calling on everyone to help save lives by raising awareness of the disease.

Speaking to The Echo, Cork barrister Doireann OMahony, the charitys founder, explained that sepsis is the term used to describe the bodys life-threatening response to any infection, and that sepsis affects upwards of 15,000 people and takes at least 3,000 adult lives every year in this country.

This September, Ms OMahony and her fellow board members will be continuing their mission to improve lives and prevent avoidable deaths by encouraging everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of sepsis, many of which can mimic other common illnesses.

The mnemonic S.E.P.S.I.S may be used to remember the signs and symptoms, which are S for slurred speech or confusion; E for extreme shivering or muscle pain, fever; P for passing no urine; S for severe breathlessness; I for it feels like youre going to die; and S for skin, mottled or discoloured, said Ms OMahony.

If somebody is displaying any one or more of those symptoms, then emergency medical attention should be sought, as time is a critical factor.

Ms OMahony said that sepsis is frequently under-diagnosed at an early stage when it is still potentially reversible.

That is why awareness of the symptoms is so important, she said. If in doubt, always ask the question: Could this be sepsis?.

The Irish Sepsis Foundation is hosting Stars for Sepsis at the Rochestown Park Hotel on Friday, September 13.

Among the items up for raffle will be an Ireland jersey signed by Roy Keane, a signed Ireland rugby jersey, and a Liverpool jersey signed by Steven Gerard.

Thanks to sponsorship by Medtronic, Dacent Munch, Biomerieux, and Novus Diagnostics, tickets are free.

Registration is open online.

For more, see Stars for Sepsis on Eventbrite.
A crowd of invited guests gathered at the naval base in Haulbowline yesterday for the commissioning ceremony of the two latest additions to the navys fleet, the LE Aoibhinn and the LE Gobnait, in what was hailed as a milestone occasion for the naval service.

LE Aoibhinn (P71) along with the LE Gobnait (P72) are the two inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) that were delivered to Cork last May to replace the decommissioned LE Orla and LE Ciara.

They were purchased from the New Zealand government and reoriented to specific Irish Naval Service requirements, overseen by the Irish Naval Service and the Department of Defence.

Sailors form a guard of honour for Tanaiste Micheal Martin at the Naming and commissioning ceremony of LE Aoibhinn and LE Gobnait at Haulbowline Naval Base, Co Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony yesterday, Tanaiste and minister for defence, Micheal Martin, described the commissioning as an important occasion.

Todays commissioning of these versatile and important vessels is an important step forward in our efforts to safeguard our nations security and protect our critical infrastructure, he said. Put simply, today is a milestone for our naval service.

The vessels P71 and P72 berthed side by side. Naming and commissioning ceremony of LE Aoibhinn and LE Gobnait at Haulbowline Naval Base, Co Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

These vessels, the LE Aoibhinn and the LE Gobnait, represent the beginning of a new era for the Irish Naval Service, and their commissioning marks an important occasion.

Extensive work has been undertaken over the past year, ensuring that these vessels are equipped for our specific needs and are ready to deploy with a very clear mission along our Eastern coast.

In taking up this role, they will free up the rest of our fleet to focus on vital operations elsewhere.

Crew of LE Aoibhinn. Naming and commissioning ceremony of LE Aoibhinn and LE Gobnait at Haulbowline Naval Base, Co Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

The procurement of the IPVs, he said, is evidence of the Governments commitment to maritime security, and should serve as a very clear signal of future intent in this area.

Addressing staffing challenges within the Defence Forces, he said: In common with other international militaries, the Defence Forces is facing a challenging environment at present and, as minister for defence, in addition to a programme of cultural transformation, my focus has been on stabilising the numbers of personnel and facilitating the capacity for further increases and a number of specific actions in the area of retention have already been delivered.

Leading Seaman Leon Dunne with his four-month old daughter Aire beside the ship on which he will serve. Pic: Larry Cummins

Among the actions being taken to recruit and retain staff, Mr Martin said, is an increase in the mandatory retirement age to 62, an increase to 39 in the maximum recruitment age, along with significant progress on pay, particularly for new recruits.

At the ceremony, the Tanaiste also announced that the Sea-going Naval Personnel Tax Credit will be extended for a further five years. Concluding, he wished fair winds to those who will sail on the new IPVs.

At the commissioning yesterday, Lieutenant Commander Aonghus O Neachtain and Lieutenant Commander Aisling OFlynn, who will take command of the two new IPVs, were presented with the ships commissioning warrants  documents signed by the minister on behalf of the Government granting both ships commission to Irish State ships status.

The vessels P71 and P72 berthed side by side. Naming and commissioning ceremony of LE Aoibhinn and LE Gobnait at Haulbowline Naval Base, Co Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service, Michael Malone, said the new ships will perform a range of taskings.

Both of these vessels represent a welcome addition to our naval fleet and will be deployed with a focus on conducting maritime defence and security operations along our east coast in the Irish Sea, he said.

Operating in an increasingly contested maritime domain, these vessels will be tasked, among others, with ensuring the security of undersea fibre optic cables, which represent vital but vulnerable components of our international communications infrastructure, as well as our subsea interconnector pipelines which, as an island nation, we rely so heavily on.
A young Galway woman who was causing a drunken disturbance in Cork city identified herself to gardai with the name and address of another Galway woman  an offence described as nasty by the sentencing judge.

Sinead OBrien, aged 20, of 77 An Sean Bhaile, Doughiska, Galway, appeared at Cork District Court where she pleaded guilty to giving gardai a false name and address and being drunk and a source of danger to herself or others at the time.

Judge Mary Dorgan said: The court is very concerned that she gave the name and address of a lady who was then implicated in this but knew nothing about it, which was an aggravating matter.

It was a nasty matter  giving false details to the guards on the day.

People need to co-operate with the guards and behave themselves, and I need to take a view of it.

Initially, Judge Dorgan considered giving the defendant a two-month jail term.

Following defence submissions from solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher, Judge Dorgan said she would impose a longer sentence but suspend it. The four-month suspended sentence will not be activated unless she gets into further difficulties in the future.

The behaviour that gave rise to the case occurred on June 8, 2023, at Oliver Plunkett St.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said gardai met with a person with OBrien, and that both of them were involved in an argument with another person at the scene.

OBrien identified herself to gardai under the name and address of another woman in Galway who was nowhere near this incident in Cork.

The defendant was arrested, and it later transpired her details were incorrect.

Diarmuid Kelleher said:

She is just 20 years of age. She had become slightly estranged from her family; now in good stead with her father and with her partner. She was homeless and drinking a lot when this occurred.

As well as the suspended sentence for the false information, OBrien was also fined 200 for being drunk and a danger.
A 28-year-old man appeared at Cork District Court yesterday, charged with twice raping a young woman nine years ago.

Detective Garda Mary Bridget Enneguess charged the man with two counts of vaginal rape and one count of sexual assault between February and December 2015.

Because of the nature of the charges, none of the parties can be identified.

No outline of the allegations which gave rise to the case was given in court yesterday.

On the application of Sergeant John Kelleher, Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned the case until October 16 to allow for the preparation of a book of evidence in the case that will ultimately be dealt with at the Central Criminal Court.

There was no objection to bail on conditions.

They include a requirement for him to have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the complainant or anyone involved in the case.

He is to reside at a Tipperary address given in court, notify gardai of any change of address, and provide a mobile number to gardai at which he can be contacted.

He must surrender his passport within 24 hours.

He must also sign on at his local garda station once a week.

Judge Mary Dorgan said if he breached any of those conditions, he would be sent to prison.

In addition, the judge put him on a 15,000 bond, with no requirement for a cash lodgement.

The accused made no reply when Det Gda Enneguess charged him, the court heard.

The accused was represented by barrister Fiachra Treacy.
A four-month jail term was imposed on a 25-year-old man who was granted bail on a charge of driving while disqualified but failed to turn up in court on the required date.

Cillian Wolfe, The Fairways, Little Island, was arrested by garda Michael Abernethy on June 22 and charged with driving a Ford Fiesta at Ballytrasna, Little Island, on that date when he was a disqualified driver and consequently uninsured.

On his first court appearance he had the case against him adjourned until July 16 but then he failed to appear.

Frank Buttimer said of the young man: He made a bad decision to drive on the occasion. The background overall is one of substance difficulty  or multi-substances in fact.

On the other hand he had been working at the time of his arrest and there is a prospect that he will be re-employed on his release from prison. He has had the benefit of a drug counsellor.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed the four-month sentence on him for not appearing in Cork District Court.

He had 46 previous convictions.

On the substantive issue of driving while disqualified, Judge Dorgan said she would sentence him on that on September 9.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has confirmed that they are aware of an incident of unlawful entry at the site of the former Cork Prison and are assisting gardai with their enquiries.

In a video posted on social media, a man is seen filming a walk around the old prison which he describes as being one of the best abandoned facilities of its type he has ever seen.

In a statement, the IPS said that the matter has been reported to gardai.

We are assisting them in their enquiries. The Prison Service takes the security of all facilities within the prison estate very seriously however we do not comment on security or operational matters.

"Members of the public are advised not to attempt to enter the former prison for safety reasons. All such instances will be reported to Gardai."

In relation to the future of the site, the IPS has indicated that engineering consultants are carrying out a detailed assessment of the facility in order to provide a feasibility report on the site.

They will then consider options for its potential short, medium and long term use.

The IPS statement also emphasises the poor condition of the prison when it closed eight years ago.

It is important to recognise that multiple reports including those by the Inspector of Prison and the CPT and the 2012 feasibility study on Cork Prison highlighted at the time serious deficiencies on the physical conditions of the former prison and significant health and safety concerns which resulted in the then closure of the facility and the construction of a new prison.

The old Cork Prison closed in 2016. It was originally built as detention unit by the British army in 1806 as part of its Victoria Barracks.

A new 45 million prison was built on Rathmore Road in Cork in 2016. The feasibility report on the old site is expected shortly.
Internationally renowned actor Fiona Shaw has said that the redevelopment of Crawford Art Gallery is a fantastic opportunity for Cork to expand itself.

The Cobh native, who now lives in London, described the gallerys redevelopment as a great symbol of the strength for the city while on a visit to the amenity before its expected closure later this month.

Ms Shaw holds strong ties to her Leeside roots, having graduated from University College Cork before moving on to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

The actor has embarked on a career laden with critically acclaimed roles in theatre, film and TV, with her most notable appearances including parts in Harry Potter, My Left Foot and the BBC series, Killing Eve, for which she received a 2019 BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

Speaking on the ambitious multi-million euro redevelopment project at Crawford Art Gallery, Ms Shaw said: The country is transforming.

I feel were the only country in Europe with a surplus, that we could actually even dare to be thinking about improving our art galleries to such a scale.

This is a fantastic opportunity for Cork.

The actor further said that she has fond memories of the gallery from her childhood growing up in Cork city.

An oil painting portrait of Ms Shaw, by UK artist Victoria Russell, is amongst Crawford Art Gallerys most-loved collection works and was purchased by the gallery shortly after its completion in 2002.

During her recent visit, Ms Shaw met with gallery director Mary McCarthy and curator Dr Michael Waldron to take a tour of the currently running exhibition, Now You See It.

Ms Shaw noted that Daunt by Dorothy Cross was a favourite artwork of hers in the exhibition, which will run until September 15.

The gallery will then temporarily close to the public to facilitate works on September 22, which will see the gallery increase its space by 50%.

The project will also add a new fifth-storey public gallery with a birds-eye view over Cork city, and will conserve 300 years of built heritage for generations to come. The gallery expects to reopen to the public in mid-2027.

A full programme of Culture Night events will also take place at Crawford Art Gallery on September 20 before its closure.

See www.crawfordartgallery.ie.
A 19-year-old man accused of carrying out a robbery on another man outside a shop in Cork city centre had the case against him adjourned so that CCTV of the incident can be shown to the judge at Cork District Court.

Sergeant John Kelleher said at Cork District Court that Nathan OCallaghan of 5 The Rise, Sweetfield, Youghal, County Cork, was charged with robbery and that the DPP directed that the case was suitable to be dealt with summarily at Cork District Court, rather than by judge and jury at the circuit court.

Sergeant Kelleher gave an outline of the allegations so that Judge Mary Dorgan could decide on whether or not she too would accept jurisdiction.

The charge relates to alleged robbery of a man at Spar, Parnell Place, on May 28 2023.

It is alleged that Nathan OCallaghan and another person approached the injured party outside Spar on May 28 2023 at 3.44 pm. It is alleged that both males assaulted him by punching him to the head and face.

The injured party fled into Spar and was pursued by Nathan OCallaghan who proceeded to further assault him and rob him of 70 cash and earphones valued 40 and this property was never recovered.

There is excellent CCTV of the entire incident. The DPP has directed prosecution on one count of robbery. Sgt Kelleher said.

Judge Mary Dorgan asked if there was a medical report on the injured party.

Sgt Kelleher said there was no medical report but that the information on the garda file was that the victim was not seriously injured.

Judge Dorgan said that she would like to see CCTV of the incident before deciding on whether or not she would accept jurisdiction to deal with the case at district court level.

The case was adjourned until September 30 for playing of the CCTV of the incident.
A barber and tattoo artist, who is awaiting trial accused of murdering a father-of-two in a sword attack in Cobh, Co Cork, has been refused bail.

Dylan Scannell, aged 30, of ORahilly St, Cobh, is charged with the murder of Ian Baitson, aged 33, at Newtown Rd on March 15.

Mr Baitson was injured shortly before 9 pm in a Eurospar car park and taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment.

However, he was pronounced dead four days later.

Mr Scannell, a father of three, has been in custody on remand following a District Court appearance on March 25.

In July, he was further charged with two additional offences.

One of the newer charges was for the production of a long-bladed sword capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute and in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person on March 15 at the Eurospar car park.

The other was under money laundering legislation for possessing crime proceeds between August 2023 and March 2024.

Because he faces a murder charge, the accused had to bring his bail application to the High Court in Cloverhill, Dublin.

He appeared before Mr Justice Tony Hunt via video link today but did not give evidence during the proceedings.

His barrister, Keith Branagan, argued that conditions could address issues raised by gardai.

The defence also proposed that the bail could be set in his bond of 10,000 with a 10,000 independent surety, and Mr Scannell would surrender his passport and reside outside of Cobh.

Gillian Finane, for the State, asked for bail objections to be outlined by Detective Sergeant Gerard OShaughnessy from the investigation team at Midleton Garda Station, which were supported by Chief Superintendent Vincent OSullivan, who heads up Cork West and Cork North Garda Division.

Det Sgt OShaughnessy voiced concerns about flight risk and witness interference.

However, he agreed with Mr Branagan that his client had significant ties in the jurisdiction, having a girlfriend and three children.

The hearing was told Mr Scannell used to run a barber and tattoo shop, but it closed during the covid-19 pandemic.

Det Sgt OShaughnessy also accepted there was no evidence that Mr Scannell had been located near a border area or about to board a ferry.

He alleged that for days after the incident, the accused had been staying in a secluded location in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, while posting on social media that he was fishing in Fermoy, Co Cork.

He was arrested on March 22.

Mr Justice Hunt stressed the legal position that a presumption in favour of bail was rooted in the presumption of innocence.

He considered the proposals by the defence but held that gardai had established their grounds and denied Mr Scannell bail.

Mr Justice Hunt noted from Ms Finane that it was expected that the prosecutions book of evidence book will be ready to be served on the accused in the District Court on Tuesday.

Mr Justice Hunt also said that Mr Scannell should not have a lengthy wait until his trial, because the Central Criminal Court regularly sits in Cork.
New Mexico's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against Snap, accusing the company of failing to protect children from sextortion, sexual exploitation and other harms on Snapchat. The suit contends that Snapchat's features "foster the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and facilitate child sexual exploitation."

The state's Department of Justice carried out a months-long investigation into Snapchat and discovered a vast network of dark web sites dedicated to sharing stolen, non-consensual sexual images from Snap. It claims to have found more than 10,000 records related to Snap and child sexual abuse material in the last year alone, and says Snapchat was "by far" the biggest source of images and videos on the dark web sites that it examined.

In its complaint [PDF], the agency accused the app of being a breeding ground for predators to collect sexually explicit images of children and to find, groom and extort them. It states that "criminals circulate sextortion scripts" that contain instructions on how to victimize minors. It claims that these documents are publicly available and are actively being used against victims but they have not yet been blacklisted by . . . Snapchat.

Furthermore, investigators determined that many accounts that openly share and sell CSAM on Snapchat are linked to each other through the app's recommendation algorithm. The suit claims "Snap designed its platform specifically to make it addicting to young people, which has led some of its users to depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, body dysmorphia and other mental health issues."

The Snapchat complaint follows a similar child safety suit that the state filed against Meta last December.

Our undercover investigation revealed that Snapchat's harmful design features create an environment where predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes and other forms of sexual abuse, Attorney General Raul Torrez said in a statement. Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear, but predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold and stored indefinitely. Through our litigation against Meta and Snap, the New Mexico Department of Justice will continue to hold these platforms accountable for prioritizing profits over children's safety.

A Snap spokesperson sent the following statement to Engadget:

We have received the New Mexico Attorney Generals complaint, are reviewing it carefully, and will respond to these claims in court. We share Attorney General Torrezs and the publics concerns about the online safety of young people and are deeply committed to Snapchat being a safe and positive place for our entire community, particularly for our younger users.

We have been working diligently to find, remove and report bad actors, educate our community, and give teens, as well as parents and guardians, tools to help them be safe online. We understand that online threats continue to evolve and we will continue to work diligently to address these critical issues. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in our trust and safety teams over the past several years, and designed our service to promote online safety by moderating content and enabling direct messaging with close friends and family. We continue this work in collaboration with law enforcement, online safety experts, industry peers, parents, teens, educators and policymakers towards our shared goal of keeping young people safe online.

Update September 5, 2024, 3:24PM ET: Added Snap's statement.
Apple is finally bringing its Find My feature to South Korea in 2025. The company says the service will launch at some point during the spring, according to a translation of a press release published by AppleInsider.

For years, South Korea has been just about the only country without access to Apples tracking network. So what changed? It looks like one reason behind the move is an influx of user complaints. These complaints have merit, as Apple sells AirTags in the country. Without the Find My network, AirTags are basically useless little silver pucks.

Apple has not addressed the reason behind the sudden change of heart. According to the user petition, the company has kept the feature disabled due to "internal policy." The country has strict privacy regulations, so that could be what led to the aforementioned internal policy. In the past, Apple has said that Find My was absent from South Korea because the company was unable to export high-precision map data due to local laws, as reported by MacRumors.

To that end, South Korea is particularly protective of geographic data. Associated legal restrictions have long been a thorn in the side of international platforms like Google Maps and Apple Maps, as real time mapping data is tough to come by. This has also impacted games that rely on mapping data, like Pokemon Go.

However, Find My already works in the countrys outlying territories like Baengnyeongdo and Ulleungdo, so who knows exactly why its taking so long for Find My to reach the mainland. In any event, this is good news for South Koreans who want to keep an eye on their precious belongings. Heres hoping the platform works as intended.

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Today, Sony shared a first glimpse at what it has planned to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation and it seems likely that a PS5 Pro will be a part of the party. Hidden in the marketing material is what may be an image of the rumored upgrade to the current-gen PS5 console. Zoom in between the "S" of the PlayStation logo and the "3" of 30th and you'll see a console similar to a PS5 that doesn't quite match the look of any past or present PlayStation product.

As people are pointing out, PS5 Pro design may have been revealed through the PlayStation 30th Anniversary image



PS5 Pro on the left, PS5 on the right https://t.co/oyfSZgs92R pic.twitter.com/kC09hTcmp6  Wario64 (@Wario64) September 5, 2024

This is obviously not an official announcement or confirmation about the PS5 Pro, so we're really no closer to definitive news about the new hardware launch. But it's hard to ignore just how much the silhouette of that beefy console looks like the possible PS5 Pro rendering that was leaked in late August. The larger size and the three lines across the body seem pretty dang similar between the two images.

And if you want to go really far down the rabbit hole, the actual 30th anniversary of PlayStation is December 3. Sounds like the perfect day to start selling a powerful new console to me. That date would also align neatly with rumors circulating earlier this year that the PS5 Pro version would arrive in time for holiday shopping.

Besides the speculation around the PS5 Pro, Sony did formally share some news about how it plans to mark the big three-oh. Between October and January, the company is making some digital soundtracks from its games available for the first time on Spotify: God of War, God of War II, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Twisted Metal, Starhawk and Unit 13. There will also be a special event aimed at getting first-time players introduced to the Gran Turismo franchise and a pretty darling collection of toys called Shapes of Play inspired by the colors and shapes of PlayStation consoles. And there's a little stage for a 30th anniversary photo op in the hub area of upcoming release Astro Bot, which looks just wonderful.
Panasonic TVs have been missing from the US market for over a decade, which is odd because, well, the company makes good stuff. In any event, our national nightmare is over. The Japanese electronics giant just released a bunch of new televisions for US customers.

The releases break down into two lines of OLED displays and another line of Mini-LED TVs. The televisions range in size from 55 to 85 inches and theyve all been designed and developed in Japan. As expected, all of the TVs boast a 4K resolution, to showcase Panasonics outstanding picture quality.

Panasonic has also teamed up with Amazon for these displays. Each model comes with Fire TV built in. This partnership likely gave Panasonic an easy way to add an America-friendly UI into the mix, being as how the companys been missing from these shores for ten years.

Panasonic/Amazon

Why come back now? The company says it was driven to re-enter the US by a strong belief in the unmet demand for their televisions, particularly among consumers seeking the highest possible picture quality. Thats just corporate mumbo jumbo, but the real reason is likely one word that rhymes with shmoney. The US is a huge market.

Though Panasonics TVs have been absent for ten years, the company has maintained an active presence in America. It sells a bunch of well-regarded standalone cameras and is building a giant EV battery plant in Kansas .

The companys new TVs are available to order right now , though it looks like shipments wont go out until September 16. Prices range from $1,300 to $3,200, depending on the model and size.

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Barron Trump, the youngest child of former President Donald Trump, was seen arriving at New York University on Wednesday for his first day of college.

The 18-year-old was accompanied by Secret Service agents as he walked onto the Manhattan campus with a black Swiss Gear backpack over one shoulder.

Wearing a white polo shirt, black pants, and Adidas Gazelle sneakers, Barron's first stop was reportedly the dean's office before heading to his classes, sources shared with the 'New York Post.'

Details about the specific courses he will be taking have not yet been disclosed.

Barron's choice of university had been kept under wraps until now.

Last month, Donald Trump informed 'The Post' that his 6-foot-7 son would be attending a university in New York this fall, but he did not reveal the school's name.

The former president also mentioned that his son, who is the only child he shares with his wife Melania, had been accepted to several institutions.

"He's always been a very good student," Trump, 78, said at the time. "He's smart."

The Republican presidential nominee also noted that Barron has shown an interest in politics and occasionally offers advice.

Barron graduated from Oxbridge Academy, a prestigious school in West Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this year.
Legendary supermodel Naomi Campbell made a striking appearance at Harlem's Fashion Row's Fashion Show and Style Awards to accept the prestigious Fashion Icon Award, although she arrived fashionably late.

Embracing her reputation for tardiness, Campbell made a witty remark during her speech targeting Anna Wintour.

"I have to speak my truth," the 54-year-old said before explaining how she has always been unapologetically honest.

'Vogue's' editor-in-chief editor had previously highlighted Campbell's tendency to arrive late, but also praised her as "bold, bright, and entirely, unquestionably herself."

Read more: Naomi Campbell Fights Passengers Attempting To Film Her Sleeping During A Flight In Resurfaced Clip

After receiving a second introduction from Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief of 'Harper's Bazaar,' Campbell began her acceptance speech by openly admitting her punctuality issues. She thanked her higher power for allowing her to be there despite her reputation.

In an unexpected twist, Campbell referred to Wintour as "the other lady" in her speech, suggesting that she was happier with Nasr's introduction.

The comment was a playful nod to Wintour's earlier remark about Campbell's punctuality. Wintour also commended Campbell's courage in addressing issues of inequality and injustice early in her career, which has significantly influenced the fashion world.

The super model also expressed her gratitude to Wintour, 74, for her support throughout her career, including her first 'Vogue' cover, calling her a pivotal figure in her journey. She thanked Wintour for her role in advancing fashion and supporting her career from the very beginning.

Campbell also paid tribute to trailblazing Black models such as Iman and Bethann Hardison, and to her family.
A new social media craze has caught fire and Chase Bank is stepping in to shut it down.

On TikTok and X, users have been sharing videos that promote a scheme to make quick cash. The method involves writing a fake check, depositing it at an ATM, and withdrawing the money before the check clears and bounces.

Chase Bank warned that the scheme isn't a shortcut to riches but instead a direct path to legal trouble. The bank swiftly condemned the fraudulent activity  what some called a "glitch" that people could exploit  labeling it as a clear case of bank fraud.

"We are aware of this incident, and it has been addressed," a Chase spokesperson said to 'NBC News.' "Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple."

A glitch in Chase Banks systems let people withdraw money they didnt actually have. Now, Chase is placing 7-day holds on accounts and hitting those involved with huge negative balances.



pic.twitter.com/zx9HvoX9Ac  Clown World   (@ClownWorld_) August 31, 2024

It's uncertain whether this has become a widespread trend or if anyone has succeeded in using the so-called "glitch" to commit bank fraud. However, one video depicted a crowd gathering at a Chase ATM in New York, hinting that the scheme might be in play.

According to 'CNN,' Chase's parent company, JPMorgan is still determining how many Chase customers and how much money were involved in the incident.

Nearly 80% of young adults receive financial advice from social media, 'Forbes' reports, with TikTok being the third-biggest platform for those surveyed. Topics including "gaming the system," "passive income," and "get rich quick plans" are ranked as the most popular types of financial advice videos that target Gen Z, per the outlet.

This isn't the first time a viral social media trend has encouraged illegal activity. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a TikTok video demonstrated how to steal specific Hyundai and Kia models, leading to a surge in thefts and property damage.
Roland Martin is under harsh scrutiny on social media after his on-air segment was sprinkled with some shockingly inappropriate imagery.

The prominent political commentator recently found himself being dragged online after a headturning mishap during one of his livestreams.

The jarring incident sparked speculation around the journalist's personal life and level of professionalism when it comes to his media operations and practices.

While offering political commentary on Kamala Harris' recent interview with 'CNN,' the stream unexpectedly cut to a scene showing a man undressed and showing his buttocks while walking down a hallway.

BREAKING: Roland Martin (@rolandsmartin), host of the *Roland Martin Unfiltered* show, faced intense scrutiny after being caught on air watching GAY MALE SEX between segments, leading to a major on-air outburst. For years, there has been ongoing speculation and discussion pic.twitter.com/uAY3z3Dhzd  Sir Maejor  (@SirMaejorATL) September 2, 2024

The inappropriate clip was immediately edited by Martin's team  however, not before social media could get their hands on the live stream and continue to circulate the content.

"BREAKING: Roland Martin (@rolandsmartin), host of the *Roland Martin Unfiltered* show, faced intense scrutiny after being caught on air watching GAY MALE [relations] between segments, leading to a major on-air outburst," X user SirMaejorATL wrote in a repost of the clip.

"His sassy behavior makes sense now," one user penned in the comments. "Roland and AI Sharpton have been profiting off of Blacks for years. At some point we have to learn, it's all a grift," a second alleged. "His business no matter what!" another defended.

Breaking  Democrat @rolandsmartin forgot to edit this clip. We were all forced to watch his love and admiration for Black male Buttocks as they casually scrolled across his screen.



I told yall in a post I wrote a few weeks back that 90% of the men I know that still represent pic.twitter.com/Hl5nEg8bCs  Angela Stanton King (@theAuntieAngie) September 2, 2024

Angela Stanton King  a longtime rival of Martin  claimed the Democrat "forgot to edit" the clip. "We were all forced to watch his love and admiration for Black male Buttocks as they casually scrolled across his screen," the author and television personality wrote online Wednesday.

Roland Martin is a known supporter of the Democratic Party and its candidates. He currently is the host of his self-titled show 'Roland Martin Unfiltered.'

The 55-year-old recently took to social media to celebrate the anniversary of his inaugural episode.
It looks like Malik Obama is publicly endorsing Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Just hours ago, the half-brother of Barack Obama made a public statement on Twitter, now X, that he is officially in support of the arguably controversial 45th president.

The post  which received a whopping 4.9 million views in less than 24 hours  identifies both himself and his vote for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

"I am Malik Obama. I'm a registered Republican and I'm voting for President Donald Trump," the relative of the Democratic Obama family penned in the head-turning social media post.

Fans responded with an overwhelming amount of replies, some of which were positive  and some negative.

I am Malik Obama. I'm a registered Republican and I'm voting for President Donald Trump.  Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) September 4, 2024

"The only cool Obama out there!" one fan replied. "Obama supports Trump, what a crazy 2024 headline," a second laughed.

"Whoop THERE IT IS. Barry's brother is Based," an excited fan commented.

"Lol wait you supporting the man who's told lies on your brother that built up his platform? Ain't really sticking with the family through thick or thin kinda weak," a contrarian responded.

Fans also teased that he should join the "Walz's For Trump" train  a viral photo recently exposed as AI generated, per Forbes.

Watlz family is too pic.twitter.com/MCxgvW81MX  Jill Bellino (@JillTedesco3) September 4, 2024

Abon'go Malik "Roy" Obama is a Kenyan-American businessman and former political candidate, largely known for being the older half-brother to the former 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama.

According to 'Republic', the former president's half-brother reached out to Trump's son after his father fell victim to a jaw-dropping assassination attempt back in July. Malik informed Eric Trump that he would be voting for his dad in November.

The Washington Post reported that the 66-year-old claimed to find the Republican candidate to be honest. He also believes in his campaign slogan seeking to "Make America Great Again."
During an appearance on 'Club Shay Shay,' Marlon Wayans admitted he attended Sean "Diddy" Combs' parties, but denied witnessing anything the music mogul has been accused of.

Wayans shared his thoughts with host Shannon Sharpe, explaining that he often left the parties "early" during the interview published Wednesday.

"I've been to plenty Diddy parties. I left early," Wayans said around the 1:45:00 mark in the video. "I swear to you, I've never seen it. I've never seen it," he continued, referring to accusations from the embattled music mogul's previous lawsuits.

"I don't frequent those type of parties and even if I go, like I said I've never seen any of this," the 52-year-old added.

"When I hear about it, 'When did that happen? At what time did this go down?' 'Cause I was there till 3:30. You mean at 3:32... So they waiting for me to leave like, 'Alright, good.' That Wayans [man is] gone. He talk too much," Wayans joked.

While the 'Good Grief' comedian acknowledged seeing drugs at Hollywood events, he avoided alleged sexual acts, guided by the values his late parents instilled in him.

"Everything that you do one day can come back to haunt you, so you got to be careful how you show up," the father of two advised.

Diddy has faced several sexual assault lawsuits since last November, but few have publicly discussed attending his parties. 50 Cent, however, suggested attendee's suspected silence is deliberate. The rapper, now working on a Netflix docu-series about the 54-year-old's purported scandals, shared his thoughts in an 'Us Weekly' interview.

"I'm the only person in hip-hop culture that has produced any hit television. Why wouldn't I be the person to produce it?" 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, said. "And I'm not on the tapes. See, some of the people who have been around in the culture who are not saying anything  that's because they've been to the parties, [and] they don't know what part of their experiences are on tape. So it keeps them quiet and it looks like I'm the only guy, but I've been [saying] for years that something's not right."
Eminem's estranged mother is reportedly in a dire condition due to advanced lung cancer and has a "very limited amount of time [left]."

A source close to the rapper's mother, Debbie Nelson, informed 'In Touch' that her situation is critical.

"There are not many options [for Debbie]. She is currently staying between the cancer center and with family members," the insider claimed. "She has a very limited amount of time [left]."

"People around her aren't even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother. He's good to his mom. He makes sure he takes care of her, but they don't really talk," the source added. "It would be good for both of them [to communicate]. This could give them the chance to reconcile."

Despite their reported strained relationship, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, continues to support his 69-year-old mother financially, though they rarely communicate.

Eminem's troubled relationship with his mother is well-documented, as he has often addressed it in his music.

In his 2009 song "My Mom," the Detroit, Michigan, native raps: "My mom loved Valium and lots of drugs / That's why I am like I am 'cause I'm like her / Because my mom loved Valium and lots of drugs / That's why I'm on what I'm on 'cause I'm my mom."

The estrangement between the mother and son has even led to legal battles, with Debbie Nelson suing Eminem, 51, for $11 million over drug-related claims. Although she was awarded $25,000, she ended up with approximately $1,600 after covering legal fees.

The '8 Mile' actor isn't alone in facing the harsh reality of an estranged relative's terminal illness.

Mariah Carey announced on August 28 the deaths of both her mother Patricia and sister who died on the same day. Carey, 55, had been estranged from her sister Alison for years, who reportedly died in hospice care due to organ failure.
Steve Harvey might not be able to keep track of every dollar he makes, but he certainly knows the number of children he's responsible for.

A clip from Harvey's former daytime talk show recently resurfaced, revealing a woman who claimed that the "King of Comedy" alum was the father of her 17-year-old daughter.

During an "Ask Steve" segment, the woman admitted she had falsely claimed Harvey as her daughter's absent father for nearly two decades.

"She took it to heart," said the woman about her teenager.

Shocked by the revelation, the 67-year-old responded, "Where you going with this? Lady, I don't even know you."

Despite the woman's claims that her daughter resembled him, the Cleveland, Ohio, native firmly denied any connection, stating, "You can show a picture. I ain't got no more kids. I can tell you that right now."

The audience laughed as Harvey continued to deny the claim, saying, "Hell nah, you can't keep telling her that! Tell this girl the truth." He questioned the woman's motives, asking, "Why are you on the show? That's what I want to know." The interaction was met with amusement, with viewers comparing it to a Maury show episode.

The comedian, along with his third wife Marjorie Harvey, has a blended family totaling seven children. From his first marriage to Marcia Harvey, Harvey has twin daughters, Karli and Brandy, and a son, Broderick. Their marriage ended in 1994.

In 1997, the 'Family Feud' host welcomed a son named Wynton with his second wife, Mary Shackelford, but they divorced in 2005.

In a resurfaced video, Shackelford appeared with Deya Smith-Taylor on 'Girlfriend FM' in 2012, which recently made it's rounds on social media.

"Financially, my life is in a shamble ... but it's been like that since 2005," she said. She went on to claim that Harvey, 67, was able to bend the divorce courts to his whim. "We have a man of power and authority, and he used that in a court, in a small town in Texas," she claimed. "He was able to manipulate this entire situation to his benefit."

After marrying Marjorie in 2007, Steve adopted her three children: daughters Morgan and Lori, and son Jason, adding to his growing family.
Rich Homie Quan, who died on Sept. 5 in his Atlanta, Georgia, home at 34 years old, was called to be a star witness in the YSL RICO trial before his shocking death.

The late rapper was set to testify at Young Thug's ongoing trial after prosecutors subpoenaed the rapper to take the stand as a witness, according to 'VIBE.'

"Rich Homie Quan has officially been subpoenaed by the State in the Young Thug case," Twitter account ThuggerDaily posted on May 15, which included the subpoena signed by Fulton County Lieutenant Investigator Justin French.

"He is expected to take the stand in the upcoming few weeks. Just to be clear  this does NOT mean he cooperated or will cooperate," the post added.

Rich Homie Quan has officially been subpoenaed by the State in the Young Thug case.



He is expected to take the stand in the upcoming few weeks. Just to be clear - this does NOT mean he cooperated or will cooperate. pic.twitter.com/Ug7VI1meOX  THUGGERDAILY  (@ThuggerDaily) May 15, 2024

"Multiple good sources have confirmed to me Quan did give a police statement back in the day," the account, who is the self-proclaimed "most reliable Young Thug & YSL Rico court case updates page," wrote in a follow up tweet. "We're gonna see it in court."

Rich Homie Quan, who was apart of rap duo Rich Gang with Young Thug, 33, is one of multiple celebs who have been tied to the Young Slime Life (YSL) RICO trial in some form.

Nearly 700 witnesses, per the media outlet, was initially named by the prosecution to testify. That number has since decreased to around 200, including Lil Wayne and Gunna, who were not required to take the stand.

The 'Los Angeles Times' reported Gunna was arrested in May 2022 as part of a RICO case against the YSL gang. He was released from jail in December 2022 after entering a negotiated guilty plea on a racketeering conspiracy charge.

Days before Rich Homie Quan's death, the rapper also responded to Lil Woody's recent testimony in the ongoing YSL RICO trial.

In a new interview, Rich Homie Quan accused Lil Woody of "exaggerating" and "embellishing" a story. Woody -- born Kenneth Copeland -- who previously worked with Young Thug in the past, claimed responsibility for a shooting that happened at a barbershop owned by Rich Homie Quan's father. The incident that occurred years ago had recently resurfaced due to Woody's recent statements while on the courtroom stand.

Rich Homie Quan said in the interview, "the barbershop did get shot up, it wasn't like what he said it was. The same day the barbershop got shot up, it was back up and running, so it couldn't have been like what he said it was."

Rich Homie Quan's comments hinted that those familiar with the situation were aware of the actual facts before Lil Woody's courtroom revelations.

During the trial, according to 'Hip Hop DX,' Young Thug was seen laughing in court after he was asked by a witness about his alleged issues with Rich Homie Quan.

Afterwards, Lil Woody confirmed with Judge Paige Reese Whitaker that he wouldn't face any charges before detailing his involvement in the 2014 shooting, explaining that he and an associate named "Threat" targeted the barbershop as part of an ongoing dispute.

According to 'Billboard,' "Prosecutors had hoped the former YSL member would help them make these RICO charges stick, however, his testimony has turned an already tumultuous trial into even more of a circus. The prosecution tried to ask him again if YSL was a gang to which Woody replied, 'And it still ain't a gang.'"

Rich Homie Quan's family told 'TMZ' they are shattered and heartbroken by his sudden death. No cause of death has been reported for the "Type of Way" emcee, born Dequantes Devontay Lamar, but they are desperately searching for answers.
Thursday, September 5, 2024

When Americans think of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, they think of the thousands of innocents who died in the collapsing twin towers, of the brave airline passengers who diverted their suicide plane from a direct attack on the U.S. Capitol, and of the united focus of all Americans and allies to punish the aggressor countries and to stand up for the USA.

But few people realize how significantly 9/11 transformed immigration in the United States.

Immigrants had always been welcomed in the country from earliest colonial days for their hard labor and to grow a loyal citizenry with some. The Constitution gives Congress the duty to deal with naturalization and hence all aspects of immigration. But there were no national immigration laws until well after the civil war. In 1891, Congress passed the first national immigration law that set up official ports of entry and the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS). It prohibited laborers  but not scholars and doctors  from Asia and limited immigration to only the work able  turning away anyone with a chronic disease or disability including children of entering families.

The first comprehensive immigration law of 1924 established visas to be given mainly to northern Europeans and neighboring Mexicans and Canadians. But it codified strict quotas on immigrants from other countries. The focus of immigration was on workers. Immigration was ajudicated out of the Labor department and Labor Congresssional Committees.

But in 1964, the Civil Rights Act passed, making discrimination against (or preference for) any race, religion, creed and national origin illegal, In 1965 the current comprehensive immigration bill  The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)  passed. It is the most liberal immigration law in the world that allows anyone to apply for permanent immigration status (with a 7 percent cap for every nationality). It created dozens of temporary work, study and visitor permits and funded the most generous refugee and asylum policies in the world even today. The congressional committee jurisdiction changed from labor to the judiciary committee. With civil rights and the Holocaust as its drivers, the INA's focus changed to social justice, managed by the INS. Even all illegal immigrants in the country were given amnesty in 1986. The number of foreign students rose to over one million in 2000.

But then came the traumatic and shocking terrorist attack of 2001 and everything changed. Suddenly the focus of immigration management became national security. An entire new agency, congressional committees and a new presidential cabinet secretary position was created: the Department of Homeland Security. It combined 22 existing national security agencies from cyber security and emergency relief to the Coast Guard..

But most of all, the DHLS was charged with all aspects of immigration management and enforcement, The INS was dissolved and in its place were two new bureaus to handle the conflicting roles of immigration:

Customs and Immigration SERVICES (CIS) including preparing immigrants to be naturalized if they chose. Immigration and Custom ENFORCEMENT (ICE)  the first agency ever in U.S. history charged with enforcing immigration laws INSIDE the US including enforcing expired temporary permits and employer restrictions to hire foreign nationals without work permits and to remove (deport) illegal immigrants.

One of the first new laws to pass Congress after the 9/11 attack was the establishment of a digital foreign student and exchange visitor information system (SEVIS) connected to the host colleges, the FBI and ICE.

Now enforcement of immigration laws is a major issue in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections as well as in many elections in western Europe.

######

Two books on immigration by Margaret Orchowskj will be released this fall on Amazon and in bookstores. "The Law That Changed the Face of America: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965" -- the story of the most liberal immigration law in the world and how it made the United States the most successful Nation of Immigrants in history -- will be re-issued in paperback Nov 5. It is available for pre-orders now on Amazon.

And

"The Five Things Everyone Should Know About Immigration  whatever your opinion" a 60-page reporters'-notebook-style book about immigration's basic facts from legal permits to deportation to citizenship. It is designed to be highly readable. There's no excuse now to get the basics wrong. Available on Amazon October 1.
Few states or nations put on a dairy cattle show like the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, where 50,000 visitors and vendors from nearly 100 countries will see 1,800 owners exhibiting 2,500 or so of the best dairy cattle in the galaxy.

Organizers of this years Expo, however, are working overtime to keep one party crasher out  highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu. New rules, new testing and new paperwork for the Oct. 1-4 gathering are all aimed to keep it bird flu-free.

But, In the unfortunate event of a positive Influenza A individual cow test, explained Expo organizers Aug. 21, we have been informed by the [state of] Wisconsin that all cattle on site will be temporarily quarantined

Moreover, if deemed necessary, additional quarantine measures could be added. Once the animals are allowed to leave Americas Dairyland for home, further quarantine may be required by other U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

The dairy sector has a lot riding on getting the rules right. In 2023, an estimated 230 million pounds of raw milk sold as fluid milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and a myriad of other products added $800 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the International Dairy Foods Industry Association.

And, note, many todays rules are working: While bird flu has been detected in 191 dairy herds across 13 states, only 13 human cases of bird flu have been tied to cows.

True, but bird flu infections on dairy workers outnumber infections on poultry workers.

To date, reports Helena Bottemiller Evich in the Aug. 23 Food Fix, her weekly look at food policy on Capitol Hill, There was just one reported case in a human from poultry in 2022, however, since then nine of the 13 more recent human cases have been linked to poultry.

There are two, clear reasons for that slow transfer of bird flu from poultry to humans than from cows to humans.

First, bird flu is so deadly and so fast moving in poultry that once its detected, infected flocks are almost immediately destroyed so the source of the disease  and potential for human transfer  is quickly and effectively eliminated.

In July, it was estimated that 100 million chickens and turkeys have been destroyed since the latest outbreak of avian flu began in February 2022.

The second reason is less deadly but more troubling: While the human cases detected in dairy workers have, so far, been very mild, continues Food Fix,  its likely that health officials are not detecting all of the human cases due to limited testing.

In fact, the report continues, Those most at risk are farmworkers and farmers who have direct contract with animals that may be infected. Both groups, however, are not exactly incentivized to get tested.

Undocumented workers could lose their jobs and farmers fear a loss of income if they cant easily sell their milk or their cows.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture does offer voluntary testing of milk to determine the presence of bird flu in any dairy herd. So far, though, Of the roughly 24,000 farms that sell milk, reported the New York Times recently, only 30 are participating.

Food Fix updated those low numbers in late August to note that now USDA only shows 26 herds are participating, or 0.1% of all herds nationwide. USDA, however, told the Times that the poor turnout shows the system is working as designed.

Indeed, 26 herds only leaves 23,974 or so herds where its not working. Close enough for government work, right?
Ive learned so much from writing this column and needing to work within a limit of 650-675 words. Most weeks, the column is much too long when I finish the first writing, and the winnowing of my word count is almost always the longest part of my editing process.

Looking at the details I thought were essential to a story and discovering they arent necessary after all, is humbling in a good way.

After a decade of writing this column though, I thought I had the process down to a science, which is a cliche way of saying I didnt expect to be surprised by writing it anymore. Of course, that is a delightfully appropriate cliche to use because science is always changing its opinions about the nature of reality, and so apparently am I.

The last month or so of writing has been challenging because I often had too much to say, or, just as often, was having feelings so big I didnt know how to fit them into words.

Last week, in particular, I wrote about troubles with the flock, and I had to leave a lot out. When documenting our struggles with Border Disease, a virus that can cause stillborn or severely deformed babies if a ewe gets infected at a vulnerable time of gestation, I didnt mention that while most of the lambs born with the disease died within hours or days of birth, one survived.

Ironically, she was the tiniest and weakest among them. The others were deformed and weak, too, but they were able to get up and suckle. This little one wasnt even able to stand, let alone nurse. She was the smallest lamb Id ever seen, barely more than a handful. When it became clear she wasnt going to come around, I gathered her floppy, motionless body to my chest and carried her to the house, assuming she wouldnt make it through the night.

For almost a week, she slept swathed in fleece blankets. Her body wasnt able to create enough heat, so I kept her swaddled even during the August afternoons. She also was too weak to drink, so I coaxed milk into her by the dropperful, wondering if it was enough to keep her alive. Every time I checked on her, I expected to find her dead. She never stirred from her blankets, lost in a world of dreams.

Then, during one of her midnight feedings, she suddenly awoke and began to suck. The next day she took her first steps. The day after that she was running. She was ready to join the flock.

But by then, wed learned lambs that survive Border Disease are persistent infectors. Their bodies replicate the virus for the rest of their lives, spreading the disease indefinitely. Moreover, if they survive their birth and early days, they still usually die before weaning time. So this tiny warrior of a lamb will probably not live longer than the next few months, and if she does, can never be around the other sheep. My heart breaks anew every hour because of this.

Today, my good friend, who is also a writer, told me of a ranching family she interviewed about the wildfires that are ravaging southeast Montana. This family has already lost 130 cattle, and they expect they will need to put down more of the injured in the coming days.

Unbelievably, two of the cows that were saved from the fires are named Hope and Faith because they were formerly sickly calves the family nursed back to health.

Our sickly lamb is named Eudora, which means bringer of gifts. She is romping across the yard with the dogs as I type this on the porch, for now, full of life. And heres the thing about faith and hope  they are the gifts that are born from difficulty, from heartbreak; they are the gifts that bring a peace that surpasses all understanding. They are the reminders that even in times of lamentation, there are reasons to rejoice, and that is a story worth telling, no matter the length.
RANDOLPH, Ohio  The low hum of overhead fans, the distant spray of water in the wash bay, the constant whirring of blowers and the muted exchange of pleasantries as steers moved about filled the air.

Outside Hamilton Arena, showmen of all skill levels and backgrounds prepared for the junior fair market steer showmanship contest on Aug. 22 at the Portage County Randolph Fair.

First-year beef exhibitor Claire Coumos leaned under the side of her steer, Socks, to ensure every last piece of hair was in place. Brushing Socks was among Claires favorite ways to spend time with the 1,610-pound crossbreed.

Watching from just outside the stall, Claires mom, Julie Coumos, reminded her to be careful.

Im getting him fluffy, Claire said and continued brushing.

As the start time of the showmanship competition neared, Claires calm and composed demeanor shifted. Preparing for the show demanded a sense of urgency. But more than anything else, excitement took hold.

Claire hadnt just waited months for the opportunity to lead Socks around the show ring. She had dreamt of the opportunity for years and defied every obstacle in her path to make it happen.

A quiet delivery room

When Claire was born her parents, Julie and Dan Coumos, had never heard of Apert syndrome  a rare craniofacial condition that causes the fusion of bones in the skull, hands and feet.

Honestly, when Claire was born we had no idea. It was kind of a surprise. It was kind of quiet in that delivery room and I think everybody was kind of afraid to say anything because nobody really knew, Julie said.

Because Apert syndrome is so rare, the Coumoses waited three or four days after Claire was born for an official diagnosis. In the interim, they wrestled with other potential diagnoses and managed their fear of the looming uncertainties surrounding their daughters future.

They told us that she would probably not walk and she would never be able to pick anything up or grasp anything, Julie said.

Claire was born with fused bones in her skull, hands and feet that would require a myriad of surgeries to allow her to grow, develop and achieve the same milestones as her peers. At 12 years old, shes had more than a dozen corrective surgeries and traveled as far as Dallas, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts, to be treated by surgeons who specialize in Apert syndrome.

One of the first major hurdles Claire had to clear as an infant was a 20-hour craniosynostosis surgery  the first of two cranial surgeries Claire has undergone to expand her skull and give her brain room to grow.

For a lot of the kids and a lot of the parents, it can be an emotional surgery because youre basically constructing a new face, Julie said.

Claire was also born with rosebud hands and fused toes. Her fingers were completely fused together, lacking joints, with her middle fingers twisted into the shape of an s over her ring fingers.

Shes had five syndactyly releases to separate and lengthen her fingers and toes, which have been completely constructed from fused bone. Her first surgery when she was 13 months old involved both her hands and feet and resulted in casts on each hand and each foot.

Her surgeries have delayed milestones in areas like walking and speaking and, at times, forced setbacks. Claire has lived in a cycle of catching up, falling back from surgery and catching back up again.

Living her life in between surgeries, Claire defied the odds her doctors had given her and exceeded their expectations for the amount of dexterity she would develop. Her doctors believed she would only be able to pick up objects by bringing both hands together around them, applying pressure and lifting her arms. They didnt think she would be able to do things like play with Legos or grasp a pencil.

When Claire was about 2 or 3, she pinched her brother and proved she was capable of more.

Theres really nothing that the doctors said that really came to fruition, Julie said. I think that Claires personality is very much where theres a will theres a way, and shes always found a way to make things work out.

Claire has also undergone a lot of therapy, following surgeries, and many times was encouraged to learn to use adaptive devices to complete the tasks everyone else around her was doing without them. Staying true to herself, Claire refused the adaptive devices and worked to master the same fine motor skills her peers already possessed without them.

Shes very determined. She doesnt let anything get in the way of what she wants to do, Dan said.

Claire was always proud following her surgeries, eager to show her family and friends her new fingers and toes. It didnt occur to Claire that she was any different than anyone else until she was about 7 or 8. Tying her shoes, she realized the way she did it looked a little bit different than the rest of her family, and she asked her mom, Why do my hands look like this?

It was kind of this beautiful moment, Julie said. She was like Well, I get to learn how to do this and she kind of started pointing out the positives of how she can find new and interesting ways to do the things her brother could do. I feel like it was in that conversation I realized that she was going to be okay.

Dreaming even bigger

Claires interest in animals started with horses. She spent hours grooming and brushing her ride-on pony and stuffed animals with a curry set her parents got her.

Getting a horse wasnt in the cards for the family, so Claire started in 4-H two years ago showing chickens. She showed chickens and ducks last year.

But Claire never gave up on showing a bigger animal. She had been asking to show a steer for about three years before the perfect opportunity came up.

Last fall, Gary Smith ended up with more steers than he had originally planned. One of those steers was a docile black and white crossbred with white feet.

As the owner of United Earthworks LLC, Gary frequently worked on jobs with Claires dad, Dan, who owns Marlboro Concrete. Both with children in 4-H, Dan and Gary occasionally discussed their childrens projects and goals, and Claires desire to show a steer came up more than once.

Gary believed the Socks gentle temperament provided an ideal opportunity for Claire. He offered to sell his extra steers to Dan and to allow Claire and her older brother, Danny, to keep them on his farm, Three L Farm, in Deerfield, Ohio.

When the opportunity came up for us to try one I was like lets absolutely go for it, Dan said.

The Coumoses and the Smiths jumped in head first. Gary and his wife Taylor finished building their barn last September to house the show steers for the Coumous kids and their family. All of the steers were tagged for the fair in November.

It was like every day there was an army of kids running around here every morning, Gary said.

Between the Smiths three children and the Coumoses six children, Three L Farms hosted quite the crew all summer.

Its been a whole family affair because even the little ones are spending every single morning at that barn for two and a half hours, Julie said.

Doing the work

Claire is a doer. Shes up early in the morning, making a checklist and then working through it. Caring for Socks all summer at Three L Farm was no different.

I had a lot of being woken up at 5:30 in the morning just to make sure I was ready to go feed at 7:30, Dan said.

When her parents asked her to wait to wake them to go to the barn until closer to 6:30 or 7 a.m., she started waking Danny up.

(The barn) is Claires absolute happy place. This is where she wants to be. If she can be in one place its this place, Danny said.

All summer Claire, Danny and the Smiths son Luke Smith took turns walking, bathing and feeding their steers. They also held mock showmanship contests that a friend and neighboring farmer, Zach Morehead, judged. Friends and experienced showmen McKenzie and Taylar Whitted instructed the novice showmen and their steers. Claire learned how to use body language instead of verbal commands to communicate with Socks.

And her desire to be at the barn only grew. She pleaded to muck out one more stall before leaving. If her family had something fun planned after the barn, Claire wanted to stay. She even skipped summer camp so she could see Socks every day and care for him herself.

Making sacrifices

Summer camp wasnt the only sacrifice Claire made for Socks.

During a routine craniofacial clinic just before Easter, Claires doctors discovered a mass at the top of her cervical spine. A follow-up, full-body MRI revealed a Chiari malformation  the bulging of her cerebellum into her spinal canal through the opening at the base of her skull where her spinal cord connects to her brain. The new diagnosis meant she would require surgery to relieve pressure and restore the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

Her doctors initially wanted to schedule surgery for June or July; however, Claire wouldnt have been able to show Socks at the Portage County Fair in August. Claires biggest question for her neurosurgeon was whether she could postpone the surgery until September to finish her 4-H project with Socks.

After consulting her doctors and giving the situation a lot of careful consideration, the Coumoses scheduled Claires Chiari decompression surgery for Sept. 16, so she could still take Socks to the fair.

As parents, we kind of decided your kids still have to live, too, Julie said.

The biggest steer at the fair

Leading up to the fair, Claire asked everyone she ran into to watch her and Socks at the Portage County Fair. She also claimed shed have the biggest steer at the fair, and she was right. When Socks weighed in at 1,610 pounds, he claimed that title by 75 pounds.

Weighing around 87 pounds, Claire had her work cut out for her  not that she ever doubted herself.

I always felt like I had it handled, Claire said.

Claire proved to be quite the showman in the ring with Socks, smiling at onlookers and making sure everyone noticed her and Socks. She held on to his halter as best as she could and worked to get his feet set like shed been taught.

She was all smiles, Taylor Smith said. It made us feel good that we were able to see it happen before our eyes and everything went off without a hitch.

Claire earned a fourth-place finish in the novice class 2 contest and a fifth-place finish in the junior class 5 contest during the junior fair market steer showmanship competition on Aug. 22. She sold Socks to Duma Meats for $5.25 per pound on Aug. 25 at the junior fair market steer auction.

It didnt matter what place she came in for the showmanship. She felt like she won grand champion just being out there, Dan said.

By the end of the fair, Claire had earned more than ribbons and a good sale price. She had won the hearts of everyone who had spent time around her and Socks. There was no shortage of farmers sharing their knowledge, offering words of encouragement and giving her hugs.

In addition to the Smiths kindness in allowing Claire to keep her steer in their barn, a number of others helped make her dream a reality. Zach Morehead loaned the Coumoses shoots and a blower for drying their steers at the fair. Claires 4-H group, the Portage Porkers, gave her continuous support. Members of her church, Marlboro Christian Church, showed up to watch her show Socks. The entire farming community offered to help and ensured a safe environment for her to show Socks at the Portage County Fair.

I could have never provided this opportunity for my kids. This felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Julie said.

Like everything else, trailering Socks at the end of the fair was something Claire was adamant about doing herself. When Gary offered to do it for her, she pushed through the pain so she could take one last walk with him.

Because I loved Socks, she said.
Bluetongue has been confirmed in a single bull on a farm in East Yorkshire, leading to the creation of a 20km temporary control zone (TCZ).

The TCZ means restrictions on animal and germinal product movements following confirmation of bluetongue virus 'BTV-3' on the Withernsea farm.

Defra said on Wednesday evening (4 September) that the area was previously free of bluetongue, and that the bull would be culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission.

Defra said: "Following suspicion of disease in cattle at a premises near Withersea, East Riding of Yorkshire, bluetongue serotype 3 has been confirmed.

"This premises is an area previously free bluetongue. A 20km temporary control zone has been declared and the affected animal will be culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission."

There have been dozens of confirmed BTV-3 on farms, but so far the virus is concentrated mainly in the East of England.

Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex are all in a 'restricted zone', which is stricter compared to the TCZ in East Yorkshire.

The zone means livestock keepers must follow tougher restrictions on animal and germinal product movements.

All infected premises in the three counties are under restriction and susceptible animals can only be moved under licence from infected premises.

Essential moves of susceptible animals can take place without a licence within the restricted zone but cannot be moved out of the zone without a specific licence.

A general licence to move animals to designated abattoirs is also available.

The total number of bluetongue cases across the UK now stands at well over 40 as of 5 September, on 15 infected premises.

It follows confirmation of the disease in a single sheep on a farm in Norfolk last week, which made it the first UK bluetongue case this summer.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss had urged farmers not to move animals within the restricted zone "unless it is absolutely necessary".

"All keepers in these regions must urgently act now to both prevent the disease spreading to their herds and any further," she said.

We have not taken this action lightly and we are clear that farmers and their vets must remain vigilant and report any suspicions to APHA immediately.

Bluetongue virus is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep and camelids such as llamas.

The impacts on susceptible animals can vary greatly  some show no clinical signs or effects at all while for others it can cause productivity issues such as reduced milk yield, while in the most severe cases can be fatal for infected animals.

The virus can also be spread through germplasm (semen, ova, and embryos) as well as transmitted from mother to unborn offspring.

Farms close to the coast in counties along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent and along the south coast from Kent to Devon have been classed as the highest risk of incursion.

Last November, government vets identified the first case of the disease in Britain since 2007.

The government recently set out its plans to minimise the impact of a likely outbreak of bluetongue as experts feared a surge in cases during the summer months.

BTV is a notifiable disease. Suspicion of it in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.
A new partnership hopes to improve understanding of suicide in the Scottish farming industry while having meaningful conversations about the topic.

Charity RSABI is embarking on a recruitment drive behind a new role which will focus on suicide prevention in Scotlands farming and crofting communities.

The position, delivered in partnership with Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), will see RSABI for the first time benefit from a full-time member of staff focused on suicide prevention work.

The aim is to maximise the opportunity for partnership working and collaboration with specialist organisations involved in suicide prevention.

As well as working long hours, the isolation of modern farming and lack of social contact, along with rising costs, are factors which can have a major impact on farmers' mental wellbeing.

One priority of the new role will be to improve understanding of suicide in farming communities and increase awareness of the ways everyone can play a part in suicide prevention.

The role is set to add to a range of initiatives that RSABI is delivering to help provide emotional support to people in agriculture, which has a poor track record in terms of mental health and suicide.

RSABI says it has also seen demand for is free counselling services increase significantly over the past year, with over 1,000 free counselling sessions provided in the past year.

But Carol McLaren, chief executive of the charity, said the development of the new role in partnership with SAMH was a vital step forward.

We know that sadly we are still losing far too many people of all ages in Scottish agriculture to suicide and too often our welfare team sees the devastating impact this has on families and friends bereaved by suicide.

"The impact of these deaths on our close-knit Scottish farming and crofting communities, is huge."

The new recruit will also lead on new research in the coming months to help increase understanding of the many factors relating to suicide in Scottish agriculture.

This will help RSABI, as well as other charities and groups, to raise awareness in farming communities, help prevent suicides and support those bereaved by suicide.

Dan Farthing, head of suicide prevention at SAMH, said the agricultural sector had always been mentally demanding.

"There is widespread lone working and highly intensive long working hours, particularly at peak times of the year," he explained.

Climate change and workforce challenges are adding considerably to those pressures, and we are concerned that is adding to the risk of suicide in the community.

"This partnership with RSABI is really important as a step towards improving the understanding of suicide in the sector and creating opportunities to have meaningful conversations about suicide in farming communities to reduce risk."
The government has issued a permit allowing the use of three unauthorised bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines in the UK as cases surge.

While approval has been given, there is no licence available yet, with details around accessing and using the vaccine to follow in the coming days.

The vaccines are currently being used in mainland Europe against BTV-3 after being approved in the EU for emergency use.

Defra said available licences to allow use will include geographically targeted licences, initially in high-risk counties as part of a phased approach.

Counties identified as high-risk include Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex.

There have been dozens of confirmed BTV-3 cases on farms, but so far the virus is concentrated mainly in the East of England.

Keepers outside of these high-risk counties will be able to apply for specific licences through the APHA should they wish to use the vaccine.

General licences will be subject to risk assessment and free testing will remain available to farmers in high-risk counties.

Defra stressed that, unlike other BTV vaccines, these three available vaccines are suppressive, not preventative.

This means they will not prevent animals from being infected or being infectious, although they may reduce the clinical signs experienced.

Therefore all movement controls and trade restrictions in place will still apply to vaccinated animals, Defra confirmed.

Farmers will need to contact their private vet if they want to use any of the available BTV vaccines.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the announcement of an emergency authorisation for the BTV-3 vaccines was 'great news'.

He added: We must now ensure that there is enough availability for livestock farmers in the high-risk area to use if they wish.

He said that while the vaccines make no claim to reduce infectivity, they appeared to reduce mortality and the severity of clinical signs  "they will suppress the virus, not prevent it".

While they wont stop animals from becoming infected, they could reduce the impact of the disease on individual animals and therefore provide an animal welfare benefit.

Defra explained that farmers will need a written prescription from a vet and the vaccine will need to be supplied by the vet.

It can be administered by the farmer providing a medicine record is maintained and made available for inspection. Animals must be permanently marked with official IDs.

Vets will need to inform Defra on a weekly basis of the number of doses prescribed and the number of farms to allow the government to monitor the uptake.
Donald Trump has promised to release UFO footage should he win the US presidential election.

Donald Trump will release UFO secrets if he returns to the White House

The politician discussed the ongoing obsession with the extraterrestrial in a new interview with podcaster Lex Fridman and suggested that he would pressure the Pentagon to make alien knowledge public if he returns to the White House.

Responding to Fridman's questioning, Trump said: "Oh yeah, sure, I'll do that. I would do that. I'd love to do that. I have to do that."

Trump has previously discussed the matter of alien life but claimed that he wasn't a "believer" in the little green men.

The former president told YouTube star Logan Paul: "Am I a believer? No, I probably I cant say I am. But I have met with people that are serious people that say theres some really strange things that they see flying around out there."
A prosecutor has asked for the involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin to be reinstated.

Prosecutors wants charges against Alec Baldwin to be reinstated

The 66-year-old actor was standing trial in July over the death of Halyna Hutchins - who was fatally shot on the set of 'Rust' in 2021 - when judge Mary Marlowe Sommer threw out the case after his legal team argued prosecutors had hidden evidence relating to the passing of the cinematographer, and ruled the state had withheld information in a manner that was "intentional and deliberate".

And now, in a court filing made public on Wednesday (04.09.24), special prosecutor Kari Morrissey - who was accused of direct involvement in the decision to withhold evidence - argued there were "insufficient facts" to support the ruling and the ammunition rounds in question weren't relevant to the actor's defense.

According to The Guardian newspaper, she wrote: No one on the prosecution team ever intentionally kept evidence from the defendant, it simply didnt occur to the prosecution that the rounds were relevant to the case even if they were the same or similar to the live rounds found on the set of Rust'."

Kari insisted defense attorneys knew about the rounds but pulled out of an opportunity to view them before trial.

She wrote: This is a smoke screen created by the defense and was intended to sway and confuse the court ... and it was successful."

The 'Boss Baby' star's attorney plans to file a response with the court.

If the judge declines to reconsider her decision, it can still be reviewed by a higher court.

Alec was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury in January after the gun he was holding during a 2021 rehearsal on the set of Rust discharged, killing mother-of-one Halyna and injuring the films director Joel Souza.

The actor has since maintained he didnt pull the trigger of the gun or know why it contained live ammunition.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armourer, was jailed for 18 months in April after being found guilty in charges connected to the incident.

Rust resumed filming and finished its shoot in May 2023, saying in an Instagram post marking its completion: Its been a long and difficult road. But we reach the end of the trail today.
Indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein in the UK have been dropped.

Harvey Weinstein won't face charges in the UK

The disgraced movie mogul - who is currently serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on three counts of sexual assault in a Los Angeles court in 2022 and awaiting a retrial after his 2020 convictions for first degree criminal sexual assault and third degree rape were overturned in April after the New York Court of Appeals ruled he didnt receive a fair trial - had been under investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), but the case will no longer be pursued as there is not a "realistic prospect of conviction".

The CPS authorised two indecent assault against a woman charges in June 2022, stepping from an alleged incident in London in 1996, but they have now dropped the case.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said in a statement: Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

"We have explained our decision to all parties.

"We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met."

In 2020, Weinstein, 72, was found guilty of first degree criminal sexual assault and third degree rape based on the testimony of production assistant Miriam Haley and former actress Jessica Mann but the convictions were overturned this year after an appellate court ruled the judge prejudiced the jury by allowing women to testify about sexual harassment and assault allegations that were not part of the case behind heard.

A retrial in the New York case is scheduled to begin in November.
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Shiso Amritsar Exteriors













Nestled in the heart of Amritsar, Shiso is not just another restaurant; its an invitation to embark on a culinary journey across Asia, right in the vibrant city known for its rich food culture. Shiso brings together the best of modern Pan-Asian cuisine, fusing traditional flavors with contemporary techniques to create a dining experience that is both sophisticated and deeply satisfying.Amritsar has long been synonymous with its legendary Punjabi cuisine. Yet, despite its rich food heritage, the city offered limited options for modern, experiential dining. Shiso aims to fill this gap by introducing a fresh, Pan-Asian culinary experience that resonates with the citys evolving tastes. Located on the Majitha-Verka Bypass, Shiso provides easy access not only to the residents of Amritsar but also to visitors from nearby cities like Ludhiana and Patiala. This strategic location makes Shiso a convenient and appealing destination for those seeking an exceptional dining experience. Founded by a group of passionate Amritsar-based F&B entrepreneursVansh Aggarwal, alongside Aftab Sidhu, Honey Mishra, and Mankaran JoharShiso is quickly establishing itself as a gastronomic destination for food lovers in the region.Chutoro NigiriThe inspiration behind Shiso is deeply rooted in the experiences of its founder, Vansh Aggarwal. After spending significant time in Chicago, a city renowned for its world-class dining scene, Vansh returned to India with a vision to elevate the food and beverage experiences in his hometown. He observed a growing trend towards premiumization in the Indian market, with an increasing appetite for sophisticated, experiential dining. Shiso is the realization of Vansh's dream to bring the best of modern Asian cuisine to Amritsar, offering a dining journey that engages all the senses.Duck ChettinadThe moment you step into Shiso, you are transported to a world that artfully blends the aesthetics of Balinese and Japanese design. The restaurant features a warm palette of greens, browns, and greys, creating an inviting and tranquil atmosphere. Natural materials like wood, stone, and bamboo are used extensively, connecting the space to Asian culture and nature. The minimalist architectural elements, combined with the wooden cantilever pathway and double-height colonnade, add a sense of grandeur and elegance.Shiso Amritsar InteriorsThe bar area is equally captivating, with brass accents and a bamboo rice paper installation that adds visual intrigue. For special gatherings, Shiso offers a private dining zone furnished with luxurious maroon suede sofas and statuario center tables. Every detail in Shisos design reflects a commitment to creating a space that is both beautiful and functional, ensuring that every visit is a memorable one.LaphingThe culinary offerings at Shiso are as impressive as its interiors. The menu, curated by Chef Honey Mishra, is a celebration of Pan-Asian flavors, with influences from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, and India. Chef Mishra draws inspiration from his experience at Jom Jom Malay, a renowned Malaysian restaurant in Delhi, to create a menu that is both diverse and innovative.Shisos small plates are a perfect introduction to the rich tapestry of flavors that the restaurant has to offer. Dishes like the Enoki Bloom, Duck Tacos, Thai Betel Leaf Roll, Mushroom Kataifi, Prawn Crackers, and Shanghai Shao Mai Chicken & Sticky Rice offer a delightful blend of textures and tastes. For sushi lovers, Shiso offers an array of options, including the Oshizushi, Salmon, and Tempura Rolls, as well as unique dim sum choices like Potato & Radish with Sichuan Chilli Oil, Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Gyoza, and Sweet & Spicy Sesame.Affogato Shiso AmritsarFor those looking for heartier fare, the big plates at Shiso do not disappoint. The menu features dishes like Beet Steak, Kyoto Roast Chicken, Thai Roast Chicken, and Malaysias iconic Nasi Lemak, each meticulously crafted to offer a satisfying and flavorful experience. Rich curries like Katsu Curry, Indonesian Lamb Rendang, and Thai Green Curry further enhance the Pan-Asian offerings, providing a comforting yet exotic dining experience.Noodle enthusiasts will find much to love at Shiso, with options like Dan Dan Udon, Soba Yakisoba, and Laksa Nyonya. The restaurant also offers Teppanyaki stir-fries and Yakitori skewers from the lava stone grill, ensuring that there is something for every palate. And no meal at Shiso is complete without indulging in one of the restaurants delectable desserts, such as the Kyoto Swiss Roll or the Tab Tim Krop, which provide the perfect sweet ending to your meal.Rare FusionShisos bar program, curated by Madhav Singhal of Gastronaut Hospitality, is designed to perfectly complement the diverse Pan-Asian cuisine. The bar offers a range of signature cocktails, mocktails, and local brews that use exotic Asian ingredients. Cocktails like the Osaka Whiskey Sour, Tokyo Highball, Trippy Fungi, and Smoked Ananas mocktail are just a few of the creative options available.Tokyo HighballAdvanced techniques like clarification using agar-agar, sous vide infusion, and cryo freezing are employed to create intense fruit flavors and unique drinking experiences. Shiso also offers four varieties of in-house wines, such as pineapple and apple cinnamon, which are fermented and fortified with spirits for use in cocktails. Signature drinks like Subak, Tamarelo, and Mr. Green ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy at Shisos bar.Enoki BloomFor those seeking a truly unique and personalized dining experience, Shiso offers an exclusive Omakase dining option. This chefs tasting menu highlights the finest seasonal ingredients and allows guests to indulge in a carefully curated selection of dishes. The Omakase experience is a significant addition to Amritsars culinary scene, offering foodies and travelers an opportunity to engage in an experiential and sophisticated dining journey that is rarely found outside major metropolitan areas.Shiso is more than just a restaurant; it is a testament to the evolving tastes and sophistication of Amritsars dining scene. By bringing together the best of modern Pan-Asian cuisine, stunning interiors, and a world-class bar program, Shiso offers a dining experience that is unmatched in the region. Whether you are a local food lover or a traveler seeking new culinary adventures, Shiso promises a memorable experience that will leave you eager to return. With its commitment to quality, innovation, and hospitality, Shiso is poised to become a premier culinary destination in the north of India.Shiso, Majitha-Verka Bypass, Shastri Nagar, Amritsar, Punjab  143001INR 2100 for 2 pax plus taxesLunch 12:30 to 3:30 pm | Dinner 7:30 pm to 1:30 am (Tuesdays closed)+91 7973959532
Readymade garment (RMG) factories of Ashulia, Savar and Gazipur in Bangladesh reopened today after assurance of protection from security forces.

The decision followed a meeting yesterday of past presidents and the present board of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and prominent industrialists with representatives from Bangladesh Army, police, Industrial Police, National Security Intelligence and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence to discuss the situation.

Readymade garment factories of Ashulia, Savar and Gazipur in Bangladesh reopened today after assurance of protection from security forces. The decision followed a meeting yesterday of representatives from the garment industry, police, army and security and intelligence agencies. The unrest has reportedly been fuelled by outsiders and vested interest groups.

Protesters not engaged in any RMG factory will be treated as mere criminals and treated accordingly.

Genuine workers are not among the protesters, and the unrest has been fuelled by outsiders and vested interest groups, domestic media outlets reported citing RMG industry representatives and government officials.

Around 170 factories closed due to unrest in the industrial zones yesterday.

BGMEA requested the countrys chief advisor's intervention to safeguard the industry and the economy.

Meanwhile, the countrys labour and employment adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said the government will take immediate action to address the growing labour unrest.

He said the usual participants in labour movements are noticeably absent, while an increasing number of outsiders have been observed.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2024) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQX: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") announces that, further to the press release issued earlier today, we confirm the successful discovery of uranium and rare earth element mineralization during the 2024 exploration program at the Eastside property (Figure 1). These promising assay results, analyzed and verified by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) Laboratories in Saskatoon, confirm our exploration models and underscore the significant potential of the Eastside property within Appia's Saskatchewan portfolio. The Press Release issued earlier today erroneously made reference to Rare Earth Elements (REE) in the highlight section instead of referring to uranium (U) mineralization when describing a total of 20 additional samples collected from the southwestern portion of the Eastside property.

Highlights of the 2024 Assay Results:

Uranium Mineralization: Grab Sample 181213 (Figure 2): U3O8 = 2,523.06 ppm (0.25 wt%), a uranium-bearing zone discovered between "Prospector's Peninsula" and "Highcount Hilltop". Grab Sample 181255 (Figure 3): U3O8 = 673.21 ppm (0.07 wt%), indicating a uranium-bearing zone east of "Highcount Hilltop". Grab Sample 181212 (Figure 4): U3O8 = 644.91 ppm (0.06 wt%), also discovered between "Prospector's Peninsula" and "Highcount Hilltop" further indicating uranium.



Additionally, a total of 20 samples collected from the southwestern portion of the Eastside property exhibited uranium (U) mineralization between 0.01 wt% and 0.25 wt%, further confirming the property's uranium potential.

Rare Earth Element (REE) Mineralization: Channel Sample 181244 (Figure 5): 1.00 meters of TREO = 0.14 wt%, located in the "Prospector's Peninsula" zone, demonstrating rare earth element (REE) mineralization.



Stephen Burega, President of Appia, stated, "We are excited about the results of our 2024 exploration program at the Eastside property. The discovery of uranium and rare earth elements mineralization aligns perfectly with our exploration models, hypotheses, and company initiatives. These uranium and REE concentrations highlight the favorable potential of this property as a valuable project in our portfolio."

Importance of Eastside's Location for Uranium Mineralization:

The Eastside property, located in the Peter Lake Domain east of Wollaston Lake, is strategically significant due to its proximity to the prolific uranium-bearing Athabasca Basin (Figure 6). The Athabasca Basin is renowned for its uranium deposits and nearby rare earth element discoveries, positioning itself as a major source of global uranium production. The Peter Lake Domain, part of this prolific region, is characterized by favorable geological conditions conducive to uranium mineralization. The presence of uranium and REE concentrations in Appia's recently collected samples validates the potential of the Eastside property to host numerous uranium and REE showings, further emphasizing the value of this property.

Next Steps:

Given the encouraging results, Appia plans to return to the Eastside property to expand investigations near its uranium showings and other areas of interest identified during this program. This follow-up work will aim to delineate the extent of uranium and rare earth element mineralization and assess the potential for further discoveries of both minerals. The results from the 2024 program confirm that the Eastside property has potential for further development and could evolve into a prominent asset for Appia. The company remains enthusiastic about future exploration opportunities and the potential to enhance its Saskatchewan property portfolio.

Appia remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates as they advance their exploration efforts in northern Saskatchewan. Appia will soon share more developments with shareholders and the public as details become available.

Summary assay tables are presented below. Click here to access the full, detailed geochemical assay results, providing comprehensive information on the highlighted channel and grab samples identified during the 2024 Eastside Exploration Program.







Figure 1 - Highlighted assay results locations superimposed on U-radiometric grid

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/222205_01c223768487cadf_001full.jpg







Figure 2 - Uranium sample 181213 displaying 0.25 wt% U3O8 hosted within massive biotite

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/222205_01c223768487cadf_002full.jpg











Figure 3 - Uranium sample 181255 displaying 0.07 wt% U3O8 hosted within granodiorite



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/222205_fig3.jpg











Figure 4 - Uranium sample 181212 displaying 0.06 wt% U3O8 hosted within biotite-rich pegmatite



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/222205_fig4.jpg







Figure 5 - Rare earth element sample 181244 displaying 0.14 wt% TREO hosted within granite

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/222205_01c223768487cadf_005full.jpg







Figure 6 - Prolific Mines and Exploration Sites (Athabasca Basin, Peter Lake Domain) near Appia's Eastside Property

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Table 1 - U308 (wt%, ppm) Assay Results for the Highlighted Grab Outcrop Samples

2024 Eastside Exploration Program

Sample # Easting Northing Elevation Zone Lithology U3O8 ppm U3O8 wt% 181213 662319 6448962 389.0 Regional Massive Biotite 2523.06 0.25 181255 664232 6448617 403.1 Regional Granodiorite 673.21 0.07 181212 662311 6448949 389.9 Regional Biotite Pegmatite 644.91 0.06 181265 661750 6449528 388.5 Prospector's Peninsula Pegmatite 459.81 0.05 181250 662321 6448964 431.1 Regional Massive Biotite 413.83 0.04 181214 661664 6449263 379.1 Prospector's Peninsula Granite 212.22 0.02 181204 663403 6452326 383.4 Regional Biotite Pegmatite 206.33 0.02 181209 664631 6449197 375.6 Regional Granite 119.08 0.01 181257 664490 6449476 403.5 Regional Granite 110.59 0.01 181262 661730 6449327 429.6 Prospector's Peninsula Granite 58.83 0.01

Table 2 - Composite U3O8% and TREO% Grades for each Channel Line Assayed

Eastside 2024 Exploration Program

Channel ID Zone Total Length (m) Composite

Grade U3O8 (%) Composite

Grade TREO (%) 1 Prospector's Peninsula 1.5 0.014 0.027 2 Prospector's Peninsula 1.6 0.002 0.025 3 Prospector's Peninsula 4.0 0.027 0.028 4 Prospector's Peninsula 8.0 0.006 0.012 5 Prospector's Peninsula 3.5 0.017 0.036 6 Prospector's Peninsula 3.5 0.010 0.053 7 Highcount Hilltop 2.5 0.012 0.022

Note:

-The REEs Thulium (Tm) and Promethium (Pm) are not reported because they are both extremely scarce in nature, and Pm forms as a product of spontaneous fission of U-238.

-TREO = Total Rare Earth Oxide = sum of La2O3 + CeO2 + Pr6O11 + Nd2O3 + Sm2O3 + Eu2O3 + Gd2O3 + Tb4O7 + Dy2O3 + Ho2O3 + Er2O3 + Yb2O3 + Lu2O3 + Y2O3

Table 3 - Location information regarding each channel sample taken during

the 2024 Eastside Exploration Program

Channel ID Zone Starting Sample # Easting Northing Elevation (m) Azimuth (degrees) Length (m) Total Samples 1 Prospector's Peninsula 181219 661752 6449543 383.4 270 2 3 2 Prospector's Peninsula 181222 661754 6449528 385.1 274 1.6 2 3 Prospector's Peninsula 181224 661726 6449322 384.4 308 4 5 4 Prospector's Peninsula 181229 661746 6449343 383.9 304 8 9 5 Prospector's Peninsula 181238 661781 6449393 383.8 319 3.5 4 6 Prospector's Peninsula 181242 661796 6449421 381.9 326 3 4 7 Highcount Hilltop 181246 663349 6448942 375.7 151 3 4

About the Eastside Project

The Eastside Project is strategically located in the Peter Lake Domain, east of Wollaston Lake, within the prolific uranium-bearing Athabasca Basin region of Saskatchewan, Canada. This area is renowned for its significant uranium deposits, surrounding rare earth element plays, and favorable geological conditions that have historically led to high-grade uranium discoveries.

The Eastside Property is located in northern Saskatchewan east of the Athabasca Basin and is situated in close proximity to several known uranium and REE deposits and mineralization trends. The Eastside project area is 4,933.47 hectares in size and is 100% owned by Appia The project area has been identified as prospective for both uranium and rare earth element (REE) mineralization based on previous and current geological exploration.

* Critical rare earth elements/oxides (CREO) are defined here as those that are in short-supply and high-demand for use in permanent magnets that enable modern electronic applications such as electric vehicles and wind turbines. The "magnet alloy" rare earths (CREO) are neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb).

Grab samples were collected using a rock hammer where possible, and sample selection location was determined using handheld scintillometers and spectrometers. The area with the highest scintillometer readings may or may not have been sampled. A total of 34 grab samples were collected during the 2024 exploration program.

Channel samples were collected along channel sample lines spaced at variable distances apart depending on lithological contacts. Sample lines ranged from 1.6 m to 8.00 m in length. A total of 31 samples were diamond saw-cut and collected from 24.60 m of total surface length. Individual sample length intervals ranged from 0.50 m to 1.00 m in length, 2.5 cm wide, and 2.0 to 5.0 cm deep.

All lithogeochemical assay results of grab and channel samples were provided by Saskatchewan Research Council's Geoanalytical Laboratory, an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E) certified laboratory in Saskatoon, SK. All analytical results reported herein have passed internal QA/QC review and compilation.

The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo., Senior Technical Advisor for Appia and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (Appia)

Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company holds the right to acquire up to a 70% interest in the PCH Ionic Adsorption Clay Project (See June 9th, 2023 Press Release - Click HERE) which is 40,963.18 ha. in size and located within the Goias State of Brazil. (See January 11th, 2024 Press Release - Click HERE) The Company is also focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, and exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 94,982.39 hectares (234,706.59 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 13,008 hectares (32,143 acres), with rare earth elements and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario.

Appia has 136.3 million common shares outstanding, 145 million shares fully diluted.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange 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.

For more information, visit www.appiareu.com

As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages.

To book a one-on-one 30-minute Zoom video call, please click here.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222205

SOURCE: Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp.


EQS Newswire / 05/09/2024 / 04:00 CET/CEST

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 5 September 2024 - ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), one of the world's fastest-growing data centre colocation services provider headquartered in Singapore, is pleased to announce the release of its enhanced Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework (SLFF). This update builds on STT GDC's ongoing commitment to achieving carbon-neutral data centre operations by 2030, with more rigorous targets that align its financing strategies with even more impactful sustainability goals.



First introduced in July 2022, the SLFF is a key component of STT GDC's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. This framework facilitates the structuring of STT GDC's financing, where applicable, in the form of Sustainability-Linked Financing Transactions (SLFTs) including, but not limited to, Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) including Sustainability-linked Perpetuals (SLPs), and Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs). The company successfully issued the first-ever Sustainability-Linked perpetual securities in Asia under this framework in January 2024.



The enhanced SLFF demonstrates the company's dedication to more ambitious sustainability goals and upholds STT GDC's sustainability commitments with stringent Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Sustainability Performance Targets (SPTs), ensuring advancement of mid-to long-term sustainability goals. The SLFF was given the independent tick of approval from ESG ratings company Sustainalytics who provided Second Party Opinion services for the project.



Significant enhancements have been made to the inaugural 2022 framework, advancing our sustainability efforts across three key targets:

Renewable Energy : Increase the use of renewable energy to 85% by 2028.

: Increase the use of renewable energy to 85% by 2028. Carbon Intensity : Achieve a 70% reduction in carbon intensity from the 2021 baseline by 2028.

: Achieve a 70% reduction in carbon intensity from the 2021 baseline by 2028. Green Data Centres: Expand the proportion of green data centres to 65% by 2028. In addition, the scope of the SLFF has been broadened to include STT GDC's subsidiaries in all our geographies. This expansion reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure that our sustainability commitments are integrated across all operations globally, reinforcing our role as a leader in promoting sustainable practices within the data centre industry.



"Sustainability remains a priority for STT GDC, and the refined Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework demonstrates our unwavering commitment to achieving carbon-neutrality in our operations by 2030 and reinforces our position as a leader in driving positive change within the data centre industry. This framework is essential to our strategy, aligning our financial practices with our deep commitment to sustainability as we continue to drive growth responsibly in the burgeoning global digital economy," said Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres.



For more information about the updated framework, visit https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/esg/slff .

Hashtag: STTelemediaGlobalDataCentres

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About ST Telemedia Global Data Centres ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) is one of the fastest-growing data centre providers with a global platform serving as a cornerstone of the digital ecosystem that helps the world to connect. Powering a sustainable digital future, STT GDC operates across Singapore, the UK, Germany, India, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, providing businesses an exceptional foundation that is built for their growth anywhere. For more information, visit https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/ .



News Source: ST Telemedia Global Data Centres

05/09/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Media archive at www.todayir.com


Key Highlights

Prospecting and mapping currently underway at the Hermitage Gold and Antimony Project.

This recent prospecting work has identified several large areas of hydrothermal alteration that host quartz-dominated hydrothermal breccias with relatively chaotic hydrothermal breccias transitioning to breccia veins containing angular wall-rock clasts away from the fault strands 1 .

. Recent mapping and data analysis interprets the regional-scale North Limb Fault, previously identified by the Company, comprises of numerous subparallel fault splays and links that have potential to form a permeability network on a massive scale.

High-resolution airborne magnetic and very low frequency ("VLF") geophysical survey expected is now expected in the Canadian autumn of 2024.

Staked mineral licence 2 adjacent to the south of the Company's Hermitage claims extend AuMEGA tenement holding along an interpreted major structural splay.

adjacent to the south of the Company's Hermitage claims extend AuMEGA tenement holding along an interpreted major structural splay. Historic Government Lake sediment geochemical studies identified the Hermitage Project area as having the largest and highest tenor antimony anomaly in the province.

Hermitage Project is in the same geological domain as the recently closed high-grade Beaver Brook Antimony mine that operated for approximately six years.

Currently evaluating the potential of historically identified uranium showings in the Hermitage Project area.

Phase one diamond drilling assays are expected in the near-term with phase two drilling currently underway.

Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2024) - AuMEGA Metals Ltd (formerly Matador Mining Ltd) (ASX: AAM) (TSXV: AUM) (OTCQB: AUMMF) ("AuMEGA" or "the Company") is pleased to provide an update on its high-grade Hermitage gold and antimony project. The Hermitage project is located on the Hermitage Flexure, the second largest known gold structure in Newfoundland and the site of the largest antimony lake sediment anomaly in the province.

AuMEGA Metal's Managing Director and CEO, Sam Pazuki commented:

"Hermitage is one of several projects we have in our portfolio and among our top ranked exploration projects due to its structural and geological architecture. We believe this is highly prospective gold belt and prospecting work has already produced encouraging gold and antimony results over the last two years. This includes multi-gram gold in outcrop over 7 kilometres of strike and high-grade antimony from samples, supporting our belief in the discovery potential of the project. We continue to validate the highly prospective nature of the Hermitage property through our systematic and results driven reconnaissance approach to exploration.

"The Hermitage geology displays the key characteristics required to host a major gold-bearing mineral system. It has the largest and highest tenor antimony and arsenic lake sediment anomaly in Newfoundland, and our prospecting results have confirmed a close association of gold to these key pathfinder elements while also heightening the potential for discovery of a domestic supply of other critical metals including Antimony. This prominent chemical signature, as well as the fundamental geology of Hermitage, is geologically akin to tier one gold mines in the Bendigo Terrane in Victoria, Australia.

"Hermitage remains underexplored. With early stage prospecting activities validating the significant gold and antimony potential, we will continue to explore Hermitage in a systematic way based on high quality, informed geological interpretation and efficient field work. Comprehensive geological mapping and sampling in prospective areas already identified commenced earlier this summer. Following a delay due to contractor availability, we are also planning a high-resolution airborne magnetic and VLF survey to improve definition of the four major target areas we identified as part of our targeting workshop conducted in June 2024 led by world-renowned structural geologist Brett Davis and involvement from experienced B2Gold geologists. The ongoing work is designed to define specific areas for drill testing in 2025.

"Finally, we have staked a new mineral licence adjacent to our property to the south and specifically the Nose block of the Hermitage Project (Figure 3). In staking this ground, we have acquired additional ground on the major North Limb splay that we had previously identified. We interpret this splay as a major second order structure splaying off the Hermitage Flexure and a potential dilation zone critical in localising and trapping hydrothermal fluids into resulting gold deposits."

FIGURE 1: NEWFOUNDLAND REGIONAL LAKE SEDIMENT ANOMALIES SIZED ON ANTIMONY (SB PPM)

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FIGURE 2: HERMITAGE PROSPECTING RESULTS (2022-2023) & NEW LICENSE

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10713/222209_6fd3087c34a21853_003full.jpg

Regional Newfoundland Lake Sediment Geochemistry

The Hermitage Project is defined by a significant anomalous antimony geochemical signature derived from a lake sediment sampling program completed by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in the late 1980's. This anomalous antimony geochemical trend is relatively high in amplitude, with Hermitage hosting seven of the top ten lake sediment antimony values recorded on the island of Newfoundland. Accompanying this is the single highest anomaly assay in the dataset at 22.1 ppm Sb (Figure 1). At Hermitage, the antimony lake sediment geochemical signature is higher than the equivalent anomaly surrounding the inactive Beaver Brook Antimony Mine located 160 kilometres north in the same geological domain (Figure 1).

The antimony-arsenic-gold association of Hermitage is analogous to other notable turbidite hosted gold deposits, such as Fosterville in Victoria (Australia) and Newfound Gold's Queensway project on the same geological structure northeast of Hermitage.

Hermitage Overview

The Company's Hermitage property consists of 27 kilometres of continuous strike along the large crustal scale suture zone between the Dunnage and Gander zones, known as the Hermitage Flexure. Regionally, the Dunnage zone contains volcanic packages hosting turbidite sequences, which are considered regionally prospective for hosting gold deposits throughout Newfoundland, and globally in places such as the Bendigo Terrane in Victoria, Australia, including Agnico Eagle's prolific Fosterville gold mine, also in Victoria.

The main structural trend on the island of Newfoundland strikes approximately northeast - southwest, approximately perpendicular to the inferred direction of continental collision and terrane accretion. The only regional scale portion of rocks on the island that strike oblique to this structural orientation are in the Hermitage Flexure. The oblique orientation of the Hermitage Flexure would have sponsored accommodation of strike-slip movement along the structure creating both contractional and extensional sites, the latter of which allowed formation of sedimentary basins in which the Hermitage host rocks were deposited in. These structurally anomalous rocks have been subsequently deformed, faulted and folded, with local progressive dilation needed to form large scale orogenic gold deposits.

The Company's exploration activities have been spread over three distinct areas within the Hermitage property. These three distinct blocks are defined by unique geological characteristics along with specific pathfinder geochemistry and mineralisation styles. Each block hosts multigram bedrock gold showings that span much of the strike extent of the Hermitage property (Figure 3).

FIGURE 3: OVERVIEW OF THE HERMITAGE PROJECT DISPLAYING THE PROJECT'S TARGET BLOCKS AND KEY GOLD SHOWINGS

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10713/222209_6fd3087c34a21853_004full.jpg

Previous Prospecting Results

In the Canadian autumn of 2022, the Company launched its inaugural prospecting work at Hermitage. Due to the extensive glaciated cover at Hermitage, Company personnel traversed approximately 45 kilometres along a series of rivers cutting across the eastern side of the Hermitage property. The primary goal of these activities was the identification of outcropping evidence of hydrothermal gold-bearing systems within the incised rivers. Secondary to this, the Company sought to improve the understanding of the Hermitage terrane to allow for the adequate planning of future exploration programs.

Samples collected from this program were analysed for gold mineralisation, pathfinder elements and whole-rock geochemistry classification. Key highlights included the discovery of multiple sulphide-bearing quartz veins containing greater than 1 g/t gold over 400 metres of strike (Figure 2) with peak assays that included 7.31 g/t gold in sample MR0012523. This series of multigram gold showings was five kilometres along strike from a historic rock sample collected by INCO grading 1.03 g/t gold4.

During the 2023 prospecting campaign at Hermitage, the Company discovered a second significant gold occurrence in outcrop, seven kilometres northwest from the 2022's high-grade discovery. Peak gold in bedrock at this new showing was 2.15 g/t gold, with additional bedrock samples grading 1.39 g/t gold, 0.72 g/t gold and 0.43 g/t gold over 30 metres of strike5. Additionally, highly anomalous arsenic samples were identified proximal to this gold showing, with a peak value of 3.8% arsenic5, further strengthening the important association of gold and arsenic in these turbidite-hosted sequences. This newly discovered gold occurrence is in a different structural setting to the 2022 discovery, located approximately one-kilometre to the north of a regional-scale northwest-southeast trending shear zone named the North Limb Fault.

Detailed follow-up work was conducted along bedrock exposures proximal to the 7.31 g/t gold sample in outcrop identified from the 2022 reconnaissance campaign. This 400 metre across-strike zone of multigram gold in bedrock returned six samples greater than 100 ppb gold, with a peak gold value of 0.98 g/t gold (MR001430 - outcrop)5.

New Claim Staked

The Company has recently staked additional ground adjacent to the Nose Block of the Hermitage Project.6 This area expands the Company's ground over the North Limb Fault, an interpreted major structure splaying off the Hermitage Flexure.

The North Limb Fault appears to have structurally removed the northern expression of the Hermitage syncline, resulting in a sharp juxtaposition between the Bay du Nord turbidite sequences and higher-grade metamorphosed sediments of unknown origin. Crustal scale structures such as the Hermitage Flexure are considered instrumental in the migration of gold bearing hydrothermal fluids, while its subordinate splays, such as the North Limb Fault and other subsidiary structures, are generally critical in localising and trapping these fluids into resulting gold deposits.

In support of this, recent geological mapping traverses across the strike of the belt and along the North Limb Fault have identified abundant silica-dominated hydrothermal breccias and vein networks proximal to, and defining, the structure. The North Limb Fault is interpreted as a braided fault system, comprising numerous subparallel fault strands that have sponsored formation of a permeability network on a massive scale. This permeability network manifests as quartz-dominated breccia vein populations, vein stockworks and sheeted vein arrays defining the damaged rock within, and adjacent to, the fault strands. Importantly, sulphides and hydrothermal alteration in the form of sericite and chlorite, have been recently identified within these damage zones.

Tremendous gold prospectivity being enhanced on the Hermitage property with gold mineralisation in bedrock identified in two separate showings, proximal to the North Limb Fault seven kilometres apart along strike. This bedrock gold mineralisation is also hosted in two distinct geological units opening up prospectivity on both the hangingwall and footwall of this major structure.

FIGURE 4: HERMITAGE NORTH LIMB FAULT OVERLAYED WITH PROSPECTING RESULTS

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Uranium Potential

The Company has recently reviewed historic studies of the potential for uranium on and near the Hermitage Project area. The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador currently hosts major uranium projects. Over the course of the next several months, the Company will continue to evaluate and better understand the potential of uranium within the Hermitage property.

- ENDS -

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Company's Board of Directors.

To learn more about the Company, please visit www.aumegametals.com, or contact:

About the Company

AuMEGA Metals Ltd (ASX: AAM) (TSXV: AUM) (OTCQB: AUMMF) is utilising best-in-class exploration to explore on its district scale land package that spans 110 kilometers along the Cape Ray Shear Zone, a significant under-explored geological feature recognised as Newfoundland, Canada's largest identified gold structure. This zone currently hosts Calibre Mining's Valentine Gold Project, which is the region's largest gold deposit (+5 million ounces), along with AuMEGA's expanding Mineral Resource.

The Company is supported by a diverse shareholder registry of prominent global institutional investors, and strategic investment from B2Gold Corp, a leading, multi-million-ounce a year gold producer.

Additionally, AuMEGA holds a 27-kilometer stretch of the highly prospective Hermitage Flexure and has also secured an Option Agreement for the Blue Cove Copper Project in southeastern Newfoundland, which exhibits strong potential for copper and other base metals.

AuMEGA's Cape Ray Shear Zone hosts several dozen high potential targets along with its existing defined gold Mineral Resource of 6.1 million tonnes of ore grading an average of 2.25 g/t, totaling 450,000 ounces of Indicated Resources, and 3.4 million tonnes of ore grading an average of 1.44 g/t, totaling 160,000 ounces in Inferred Resources.

AuMEGA acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Reference to Previous ASX Announcements

In relation to this news release, all data used to assess targets have been previously disclosed by the Company and referenced in previous JORC Table 1 releases. Please see announcements dated: Mineral Resource estimate announced on 30 May 2023, Company exploration announcements on 16 January 2024 and 23 May 2024 and Hermitage specific announcements dated 18 May 2023, 13 September 2023, 13 November 2023, and18 March 2024.

In relation to the Mineral Resource estimate announced on 30 May 2023, the Company confirms that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

Competent Person's Statements

The information contained in this announcement that relates to exploration results is based upon information reviewed by Mr. Spencer Vatcher, P. Geo. who is an independent consultant employed with Silvertip Exploration Consultants Inc. Mr. Vatcher is a Member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Mr. Vatcher consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based upon the information in the form and context in which it appears.

1 The Company is cross-referencing location of these veins relative to previous/historic sampling to determine gold potential

2 The Company has staked this ground and awaits formal issuance of the license

3 ASX Announcement dated 18 May 2023

4 ASX Announcement dated 13 November 2023

5 ASX Announcement 13 September 2023

6 The license has been staked and the Company is awaiting formal issuance of the license

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222209

SOURCE: AuMEGA Metals Ltd.
Summary: The National University of Singapore (NUS) is organising the Postgraduate by Coursework Fair 2024 on September 28. This hybrid event will highlight NUS' Master's Degree programmes through live sessions, interactive booths, and discussions. It aims to engage a global audience of prospective students and professionals.

Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2024) - The National University of Singapore (NUS) is organising the NUS Postgraduate by Coursework Fair 2024 (NUS PGCF 2024) on September 28. This event, now in its second iteration, will be held both in-person at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre Begonia Ballrooms 3001-3004 / 3101-3103, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, and online on a dedicated event portal, offering a hybrid platform to showcase the University's Master's Degree programmes.

Dive into NUS Degrees

NUS PGCF 2024 will be open from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM SGT, showcasing the diverse range of Master's Degree programs at NUS. Attendees can participate in live information sessions led by NUS faculty members and programme partners.

The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health will present its Master of Public Health programme, while the NUS Graduate School will highlight the advantages of pursuing PhD and graduate research studies at NUS. The event will also cover postgraduate coursework programmes in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, insights from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy under the theme "Empowering Tomorrow's Asia," and details about the Master of Science (MSc) programmes at NUS Business School. Additionally, the Risk Management Institute will brief attendees on its MSc Financial Engineering programme, and NUS-ISS will discuss its Master of Technology programmes in Artificial Intelligence Systems, Business Analytics, Software Engineering, and Digital Leadership. The Faculty of Law will also provide information on its graduate programs.

Hybrid Highlights

Live sessions will provide insights into various Master's Degree programmes, including their structure, curriculum, and career benefits. Attendees can visit interactive booths at the in-person event to engage with NUS representatives and gather information.

One highlight is the exclusive Round-Table discussions, which is by invitation only, allowing up to five participants per table to converse with programme consultants and faculty members. This format enables in-depth discussions about NUS's Master's Degree offerings.

For those unable to attend in person, the event will be accessible via a cloud-based platform with live streams, session recordings, and an online Q&A function. The platform will also handle registration and attendance tracking, ensuring a seamless experience.

Connect and Collaborate

Aiming to cater to a global audience, the fair's hybrid format allows broad participation and interaction. The online platform will facilitate engagement with attendees unable to travel to Singapore, ensuring the fair reaches a wide audience.

For the latest updates about the event, visit the NUS Postgraduate by Coursework Fair 2024 website.

About the National University of Singapore

The National University of Singapore is globally recognised for its academic excellence. Ranked eighth in the world and first in Asia by the QS World University Rankings 2025, NUS offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including Master's Degrees by Coursework. The University is dedicated to advancing knowledge through its diverse academic offerings.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221243

SOURCE: Baden Bower
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - September 4, 2024) - Ayala's Pro Painting is making waves in the Phoenix painting industry by delivering top-tier services that cater to both residential and commercial clients. As the demand for high-quality painting solutions surges, Ayala's Pro Painting has emerged as a market leader, setting new standards with its expertise, innovative techniques, and a client-first approach that guarantees satisfaction with every project.

Founded with a mission to redefine spaces through the transformative power of color, Ayala's Pro Painting consistently achieves outstanding results that not only elevate the aesthetic appeal of properties but also enhance their longevity and value. The company's team of highly skilled professionals offers a wide array of services, including exterior and interior painting, specialty coatings, color consultation, and eco-friendly options, each tailored to meet the unique needs of the clients.

Pioneering Excellence in Painting

Ayala's Pro Painting's success is anchored in its unwavering commitment to excellence. The company recognizes that a fresh coat of paint can do more than just update a space-it can reinvigorate it, create a welcoming atmosphere, and even increase property value. This understanding fuels every project, from initial consultation to the final brushstroke.







Ayala's Pro Painting's success is anchored in its unwavering commitment to excellence.

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"Ayala's Pro Painting is more than just a Phoenix painting company; we are a team of artists and craftsmen dedicated to helping our clients realize their vision for their home or business," said Brian Ayala, CEO of Ayala's Pro Painting. "We believe that meticulous attention to detail, superior materials, and expert craftsmanship are the cornerstones of delivering results that exceed expectations."

Comprehensive Services to Meet Diverse Needs

Ayala's Pro Painting offers a full suite of services designed to cater to a diverse clientele. Whether tackling a small residential project or a large-scale commercial undertaking, the company approaches each job with the same level of dedication and professionalism.

Exterior Painting: Recognizing that the exterior is the first impression of any property, Ayala's Pro Painting utilizes top-quality paints and coatings specifically designed to withstand Arizona's harsh climate. This ensures that the property's exterior remains vibrant and protected for years to come.

Interior Painting: Interior spaces should reflect the personality and style of the occupants. Ayala's Pro Painting excels in creating custom interior painting solutions, whether for a single room or an entire building. The experts work closely with clients to choose the right colors, finishes, and techniques to bring their vision to life.

Specialty Coatings: For clients seeking something extraordinary, Ayala's Pro Painting offers a range of specialty coatings. From textured finishes to faux treatments and protective coatings, the company provides innovative solutions that add depth, character, and functionality to any space.

Color Consultation: Choosing the right color can be daunting. With Ayala's Pro Painting's color consultation service, clients can make informed decisions with confidence. The color experts consider factors such as lighting, architecture, and personal preferences to recommend colors that enhance the beauty and harmony of the space.

Eco-Friendly Options: In an era of environmental awareness, Ayala's Pro Painting proudly offers eco-friendly painting options. The company uses low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and sustainable practices that minimize environmental impact without sacrificing quality or performance.







Ayala's Pro Painting offers a full suite of services designed to cater to a diverse clientele.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Customer-Centric Approach

Ayala's Pro Painting's stellar reputation is built on more than just its painting services. The company is renowned for its customer-centric approach, prioritizing communication, transparency, and respect for the client's time and space. From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, clients can expect clear communication, timely updates, and a clean, organized worksite.

"We understand that our clients' homes and businesses are their most valuable assets, and we treat them with the care and respect they deserve," said Brian. "Our goal is to make the painting process as seamless and stress-free as possible so that our clients can enjoy the results without any hassle."

Building a Legacy of Trust

Ayala's Pro Painting has built a strong reputation based on trust, quality, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. The company's dedication to excellence has earned it numerous accolades and a loyal customer base that continues to grow through referrals and repeat business.

As Ayala's Pro Painting looks to the future, the company remains committed to its core values of integrity, quality, and customer service. By continually innovating and improving its services, Ayala's Pro Painting aims to remain the preferred choice for painting services in Phoenix, AZ, and beyond.

About Ayala's Pro Painting

Ayala's Pro Painting is a premier painting service provider based in Phoenix, AZ, specializing in both residential and commercial painting. With a focus on quality, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction, Ayala's Pro Painting offers a wide range of services, including exterior and interior painting, specialty coatings, color consultation, and eco-friendly options. The company is dedicated to helping clients transform their spaces with personalized solutions that meet their unique needs.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222191

SOURCE: GetFeatured
e.l.f. announces its largest international retail launch to date in Germany with ROSSMANN, entry into Sephora in Mexico, and expansion in existing markets

e.l.f. is expanding the reach of its unique value proposition, powerhouse innovation and disruptive marketing engine, driven by growth in existing non-U.S. markets and consumer demand in new global regions. Currently, e.l.f. has a retail presence in 14 countries, with additional global distribution via eShopWorld. In the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025, reported last month, non-U.S. markets represented 16% of e.l.f. Beauty's total net sales.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904617227/en/

e.l.f. is expanding global reach driven by growth in existing non-U.S. markets and consumer demand in new global regions. (Photo: Business Wire)

From a full-year perspective, Fiscal Year 2024 sales grew 91% year-over-year.

Part of e.l.f.'s international expansion strategy is partnering with leading global retailers and distributors who have the scale to make a strong and immediate impact and align with e.l.f.'s vision of positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. e.l.f. also engages with its community before entering a market driving consumer demand and excitement.

"We see immense potential to make significant impact internationally, fueled by our commitment to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip, face and skin concern," said Tarang Amin, Chairman and CEO, e.l.f. Beauty. "Our approach is a combination of a disciplined sequential strategy with leading beauty retailers while meeting the call of our community where they are asking for our presence."

In existing markets, e.l.f. is meeting community demand by tapping into both new and existing partners and continues to broaden its global reach by entering new markets:

Germany: As previously announced, e.l.f. is expanding in Germany with its largest international retail launch to date in 1,600 ROSSMANN locations nationwide.

U.K.: e.l.f. Cosmetics is now the No. 4 mass makeup brand as compared to No. 8 a year ago.* To build on this momentum, e.l.f. Cosmetics is gaining space in several hundred Boots and Superdrug locations this fall.

Mexico: As previously announced, e.l.f. will debut in dozens of Sephora Mexico locations this fall, marking its re-entry in the country and its first time with Sephora Mexico. This strategic move helps address local demand for premium-quality products at accessible prices with universal appeal.

Australia: e.l.f. recently expanded its existing distributor relationship in Australia by launching in Coles, marking the brand's first venture into the country's grocery channel. This fall, e.l.f. will also expand its presence in Priceline.

Italy: e.l.f. Cosmetics entered Douglas last fall as the No. 1 makeup brand across mass and prestige in all existing doors and has stayed there.** To keep up the forward progress in Italy, e.l.f. Cosmetics will double the current store space by expanding into hundreds of additional Douglas locations this fall and will launch on Amazon this fall.

Netherlands: e.l.f. Cosmetics has maintained the No. 1 mass makeup brand ranking in Etos since launch in April 2024.***

Canada: e.l.f. Cosmetics has risen to the No. 4 mass makeup brand, up from No. 6 a year ago.

Nordics: This fall, e.l.f. is excited to reveal that STHER will serve as the exclusive distributor for e.l.f. in the Nordic region, with new launches anticipated in the following retailers: H&M, Matas, Kicks, Vita, Sokos and Lyko.

By partnering with key retailers and building strong connections with local communities, e.l.f. is well-positioned to continue its successful international growth strategy.

*Source: e.l.f. Cosmetics claim based on data reported by NielsenIQ through its Scantrack Service for the Mass Market Color Cosmetics category for the 12-week period ending June 15, 2024, for the GB market. Copyright 2024, Nielsen Consumer, LLC.

** Source: Douglass, Italy, August 2024

*** Source: Etos, Netherlands, August 2024

About e.l.f. Beauty:

e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is e.l.f.ing possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities, committed to positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. Our mission is clear: to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip, face and skin concern. e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Keys Soulcare, Well People and NATURIUM are led by purpose, driven by results and elevated by our superpowers. e.l.f. Beauty has double Cruelty Free certifications from both Leaping Bunny and PETA, offers e.l.f. clean and vegan products, and proudly stands as the first beauty company to achieve Fair Trade certification across our supply chain. A kind heart is at the center of our ethos: We donate 2% of net profits to organizations that make positive impacts. Learn more at www.elfbeauty.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. Although e.l.f. Beauty believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results and the timing of selected events may differ materially from those expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among other things, the risks and uncertainties that are described in e.l.f. Beauty's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Potential investors are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, e.l.f. Beauty assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904617227/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Hannah Rubin

hrubin@elfbeauty.com
AXIROS NORTH AMERICA, INC. ADDS CUSTOMER BASE IN NORTH DAKOTA

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Telecommunications software leader Axiros North America, Inc. is pleased to announce that SRT Communications, Inc. has selected Axiros Advanced RDM & Performance Test Services for its industry respected critical Internet and telephone services in North Dakota.

Axiros logo

Axiros logo

"SRT's fiber network supports complex critical infrastructure, including two legs of the United States defense triad, that requires robust Internet service," stated Shawn Grosz, Chief Technology Officer of SRT."We selected Axiros to upgrade our current capabilities to manage any type of customer premise equipment (CPE) needed for delivering high-speed, highly dependable Internet in our service area. The Axiros services are highly customizable, and their roadmap allows for continuous evolution, automated provisioning, and management and monitoring of critical network infrastructure. These attributes support SRT's mission to provide high quality communications services that are responsive to the needs of our customers."

Delivered via managed services including Axiros software, together with the AX BBT Broadband Test Service for performance testing as required by regulatory agencies involved with Connect America Fund (CAF), Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and similar Universal Service (USF) funding programs, the solution selected by SRT is considered by many to be the most robust, reliable and customizable for provisioning, management, testing and monitoring of multivendor network CPE devices via TR-069 and TR-369 (USP).

"Broadband Service Providers such as SRT who have been recognized by the industry for their innovation and reliability exemplify the best examples of continuous improvement - in technology, service and reliability," stated Michael Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Axiros North America, Inc. "We could not be more proud of their selection of the Axiros software-based Advanced RDM and FCC Performance Test Services."

Axiros solutions are known for their technical reliability and value. The companyis dedicated to certified industry standards, user portal customization, incorporating the needs of its users into its ongoing software features roadmap and bespoke service delivery options.

ABOUT AXIROS

Axiros North America, Inc., an Axiros GmbH company, provides software and managed services to a diverse customer base. Axiros specializes in powerful device management software that leverages industry standards such as TR-069 and TR-369. With a global presence, Axiros is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses in today's digital landscape. To learn more about Axiros, visit https://www.axiros.com.

ABOUT SRT COMMUNICATIONS

SRT Communications, headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, is the state's largest telecommunications cooperative. Established in 1951, SRT serves customers across north central North Dakota. SRT earned the distinction as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider in 2017, and in 2024 CTO Shawn Grosz earned the NTCA Innovation Award for SRT's role in deploying North Dakota's first end-to-end Internet Protocol 911 service. SRT services include high-speed internet, phone, and security/surveillance systems for home and business. To learn more about SRT, visit https://www.srt.com.

Contact Information

Team Axiros

Media Contact

ms@axiros.com

(202) 641-2001

Michael Shaw

President and Chief Executive Officer

shaw@axiros.com

(202) 641-2001

Related Images

Axiros logo

Axiros logo SRT Logo

SRT Logo

SOURCE: Axiros North America, Inc. and SRT Communications

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Zhong Neng is the first offshore wind farm in Taiwan to be completed ahead of schedule. It is the second offshore wind farm completed in Taiwan this year by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, following the inauguration of the 600MW Changfang-Xidao.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At a ceremony yesterday in Taipei, Taiwan, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners ("CIP") officially celebrated construction completion of the Zhong Neng offshore wind farm, a joint venture between CIP through its fund Copenhagen Infrastructure IV ("CI IV") and China Steel Corporation ("CSC").



Zhong Neng, located off the coast of Changhua County in Taiwan, is the first offshore wind farm in the country to be completed ahead of schedule and meets the highest localisation requirements in the history of Taiwan's offshore wind power sector. The project was constructed by a team led by Copenhagen Offshore Partners, CIP's exclusive offshore wind development partner, and the local Copenhagen Infrastructure Service Company, the global service provider to CIP.

Mads Skovgaard Andersen, Partner at CIP, commented: "We are very pleased to have successfully constructed Zhong Neng, together with our partner China Steel Corporation. The project was completed ahead of time and to the highest localisation requirements and is another example of how our investments make a meaningful contribution to the local energy transition, creating local growth and jobs and delivering healthy and stable returns for our investors."

Zhong Neng received local content plan approval from the Taiwan government in November 2019, and the first turbines were installed in May 2024. Full grid connection is expected by year-end, and, once, fully commercially operational, Zhong Neng will provide clean energy to approximately 300,000 households and present a carbon reduction potential of approximately 550,000 tons annually.

"The completion of CIP's second offshore wind farm in Taiwan once again demonstrates our joint project execution capabilities to deliver a project that provides renewable, locally produced and affordable power. Much of the credit for this achievement goes to our local partners, the local supply chain and the skilled Zhong Neng project team. And I would like to congratulate all of them for reaching this milestone," said Thomas Wibe Poulsen, Partner at CIP.

Since entering Taiwan in 2017, CIP has been committed to offshore wind in the country and has invested significantly in developing offshore wind projects, supply networks and fostering a strong industry ecosystem. CIP and other partners currently have three offshore wind projects in Taiwan with a combined capacity of approximately 1,400MW: Changfang-Xidao (600MW), Zhong Neng (300MW), and Fengmiao (500MW).

About Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners

Founded in 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (CIP) today is the world's largest dedicated fund manager within greenfield renewable energy investments and a global leader in offshore wind. The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, storage, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X.

CIP manages 12 funds and has to date raised approximately EUR 28 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from more than 160 international institutional investors. CIP has approximately 500 employees and 12 offices around the world. For more information, visit www.cip.com
Regional diversity boosts China's foreign trade in Jan-July

People's Daily Online) 10:42, September 05, 2024

China's foreign trade in goods hit a record high in the first seven months of this year, showing steady growth as foreign trade entities continued to show strength.

An examination of the latest foreign trade data from various regions across China reveals striking structural features.

China's major export hubs continued to drive foreign trade growth from January to July.

Photo shows a container terminal at Rizhao Port in Rizhao city, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

Guangdong, China's top exporting province, saw trade volume rise 13.9 percent year on year to 5.17 trillion yuan ($726 billion). Zhejiang Province's total import and export value reached 3.01 trillion yuan, a 7.6 percent increase year on year, while Jiangsu Province's total imports and exports rose 8.1 percent to 3.15 trillion yuan, outpacing the national growth rate by 1.9 percentage points.

"From January to July, the number of private foreign trade enterprises in Zhejiang Province with import and export records increased 8.5 percent year on year to 98,879, said Wang Yang, an official from Hangzhou Customs.

During the same period, foreign trade, exports, and imports of foreign-invested companies in the province expanded 6.9 percent, 6 percent, and 8.4 percent, respectively," Wang added.

China's central and western regions also reported robust foreign trade growth in the January-July period.

Sichuan Province's total imports and exports of goods hit 582.5 billion yuan, a record high, registering a year-on-year increase of 12.1 percent. Meanwhile, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's total imports and exports surged 39.1 percent from the same period last year to 253 billion yuan. Shanxi and Anhui provinces also saw significant increases, with foreign trade expanding 14.7 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively.

A worker transports fasteners in a company in Yongnian district, Handan city, north China's Hebei Province. Fasteners produced in Yongnian district are exported to over 110 countries and regions. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)

Chinese regions are driving foreign trade growth by developing specialized industries that leverage local advantages, enhancing their export competitiveness.

Hunan Province, a hub for construction machinery, saw exports in this sector rise 25 percent year on year to 19.44 billion yuan in the January-July period, according to Changsha Customs.

Chinese firms are capitalizing on regional supply chains to boost exports. TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, reported a 37 percent year-on-year increase in exports to 4.2 billion yuan for the January-July period.

"The Yangtze River Delta region has a strong industrial and supply chain system, with local suppliers providing key raw materials and components for our production," said Lu Jue, the company's customs manager. "This is an important reason why our exports continue to grow."

China's foreign trade is diversifying, with new growth areas emerging in both agricultural and manufactured goods.

North China's Hebei Province reported a surge in fresh pear exports, with volume up 92.2 percent to 141,000 tonnes and value rising 31.3 percent to 801 million yuan in the January-July period, according to Shijiazhuang Customs.

Meanwhile, Zhejiang Province saw home appliance exports climb 18.2 percent year on year to nearly 70 billion yuan.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
The Access Group, a leading provider of business management software to mid-market organisations in the UK, Ireland, USA and Asia Pacific, today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Onboarded, an Australian-based technology provider of recruitment onboarding software.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904868937/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

As part of this acquisition, The Access Group has reached an agreement to acquire Onboarded's sister company, smartAI, a personalised conversation platform for recruiters. This furthers The Access Group's ambition to help recruiters globally benefit from usable AI daily.

Through this, Access Recruitment will be able to offer its customers the ability to streamline and speed up the onboarding process, ensuring candidates are fully compliant. 84% of candidates using the Onboarded platform complete their onboarding within 24 hours.

Access Recruitment and Onboarded together will offer customers a suite of features that'll deliver a fully customisable digital platform which onboards candidates and employees in minutes with one link and sends the information back to the CRM.

The Access Group's advancements in AI and automation within the recruitment sector reinforce its commitment to making innovative technology accessible to all.

Raj Soni, Founder of Onboarded and smartAI, said:

"Since founding Onboarded in 2019, our mission and vision have been to build trusted connections between workers and businesses. Joining forces with The Access Group represents an exciting new chapter in our journey, making it easier for more people-globally-to onboard seamlessly into the workplace."

Emma de Sousa, Group Managing Director, The Access Group, added:

"We're delighted to welcome Onboarded and smartAI to the Access family, and we look forward to working alongside the Onboarded and smartAI teams to deliver an exceptional software experience that lightens the load for recruitment professionals and creates a seamless onboarding process for candidates changing roles or entering the world of work."

For more information on Access Recruitment, visit www.theaccessgroup.com/recruitment

About The Access Group

The Access Group is one of the largest UK-headquartered providers of business management software to small and mid-sized organisations in the UK, Ireland, USA and Asia Pacific. It helps more than 100,000 customers across commercial and non-profit sectors become more productive and efficient. Its innovative cloud solutions transform how business software is used, giving every employee the freedom to do more of what's important to them. Founded in 1991, The Access Group employs approximately 7,000 people. www.theaccessgroup.com

About Access Recruitment

Access Recruitment, a division of The Access Group, brings together best-in-class innovation designed to help agencies win. Their award-winning technology is built by recruiters, for recruiters and powers over 4,500 recruitment agencies across the world. The full suite of stand-alone and integrated software makes Access the only provider to offer the entire spectrum of recruitment front to back-office SaaS solutions including websites, CRM, candidate screening and payroll and billing. The 400-strong team of industry experts is dedicated to delivering solutions that improve productivity by up to 40%, increase website conversions by 80% and reduce candidate screening costs by 30%. www.theaccessgroup.com/recruitment/

About Onboarded

Onboarded is a leading, fully configurable end-to-end candidate onboarding solution, designed to streamline the entire process from pre-hire registration to post-placement onboarding. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of features including contract signing, background checks, and payroll onboarding, all within a single solution. Trusted by recruiters across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, Onboarded facilitates the onboarding of over 26,000 candidates each month, making it the preferred choice for organisations looking to achieve compliance without administrative burden. Seamlessly integrating with major recruitment and payroll systems, Onboarded simplifies the collection of necessary candidate information, ensuring secure delivery to employers. www.onboarded.com.au

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904868937/en/

Contacts:

maisie.bamford@tank.co.uk
Regulatory News:

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY ID LOGISTICS GROUP SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION.

ID Logistics Group (the "Company") (ISIN: FR0010929125, Mnemo: IDL) (Paris:IDL), European leader in contract logistics, today announces the successful placement of 375,000 new shares with domestic and international institutional investors. The new shares will be issued through a capital increase without shareholders' preferential subscription rights via an accelerated bookbuilding (the "Capital Increase") at a price of 360 per share resulting in gross proceeds of 135 million.

Following strong investors' demand, the initial amount of the Capital Increase of 125 million has been increased to 135 million.

RESULTS OF THE CAPITAL INCREASE

Number of new shares to be issued: 375,000, i.e., 6.1% of the share capital (prior to the Capital Increase).

Subscription price: 360 per new share (including 0.50 in par value and 359.50 in issue premium), representing a discount of 10.45% on the last closing price prior to transaction announcement on 4 September 2024.

Total amount of the Capital Increase: 135 million.

TRANSACTION RATIONALE AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Over the last years, ID Logistics has experienced a strong development phase by combining targeted acquisitions (Kane Logistics in the US in 2022 and more recently Spedimex in Poland in 2023) and organic growth, accompanying its blue-chip customers on new geographical markets (Italy and United Kingdom). This positive growth momentum has accelerated in the first half of 2024 with the start of new operations, in particular in the United States which recorded like-for-like revenue growth of +34.8% since the beginning of the year. The commercial activity remains strong with numerous new contract wins. For example, by the end of the year, ID Logistics will launch its 3rd site for a global e-commerce leader in the United States and open a new 50,000 sq.m. site in the United Kingdom for a global leader in the fashion industry.

The Capital Increase illustrates the willingness of the Company to strengthen its balance sheet, in order to enhance its financial agility and ability to be ready to seize the multiple growth opportunities ahead, in particular in Europe and in the US.

The net proceeds of the Capital Increase will mostly be allocated to the refinancing of the recent acquisitions in order to increase ID Logistics' investment capabilities.

REFERENCE SHAREHOLDERS' SUBSCRIPTION

Eric Hemar, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of the Company, subscribed to the Capital Increase, through IMMOD, for an amount of 9.45 million, representing 26,250 new shares. Following the completion of the Capital Increase, Eric Hemar holds, indirectly, 2,004,539 shares of the Company through IMMOD and, directly, 1,296,460 shares of the Company, representing an aggregate number of 3,300,999 shares (i.e., 50.41% of the share capital of the Company).

MAIN TERMS OF THE CAPITAL INCREASE

The Capital Increase has been carried out without shareholders' preferential subscription rights pursuant to the authorization granted by the combined general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on 31 May 2023 (19th resolution) and in accordance with the provisions of Article L.411-2, 1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code.

The new shares were offered exclusively to institutional investors in a private placement by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process.

In accordance with the 21st resolution of the general meeting referred to above, the subscription price of 360 represents a discount of 11.69% on the volume-weighted average price of the last three trading days prior to transaction announcement on 4 September 2024.

The new shares will carry dividend rights and will be immediately assimilated to the existing shares of the Company. The new shares will be admitted to trading under the same ISIN code as the existing shares, FR0010929125, on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris ("Euronext Paris

Settlement and delivery of the Capital Increase is expected to take place on 9 September 2024.

LOCK-UP UNDERTAKINGS

As part of the Capital Increase, the Company has agreed to a lock-up period of 180 calendar days following the settlement and delivery date of the Capital Increase, subject to customary exceptions.

Eric Hemar1 has agreed to a lock-up period of 180 calendar days following the settlement and delivery date of the Capital Increase, subject to customary exceptions.

Christophe Satin2 has agreed to a lock-up period of 90 calendar days following the settlement and delivery date of the Capital Increase, subject to customary exceptions.

DILUTION

For illustrative purposes only, a shareholder holding 1% of the Company's share capital as of 4 September 2024, and not subscribing to the Capital Increase, would hold 0,943% on a non-diluted basis of the share capital following the issue of the new shares pursuant to the Capital Increase.

The share capital of the Company will be allocated as follows:

Allocation before the Capital Increase:

Shareholders Number of shares of the share capital Number of voting rights of voting rights Immod 1,978,289 32.05% 3,643,735 38.36% Eric Hemar 1,296,460 21.00% 2,592,920 27.30% Libertad 137,133 2.22% 274,266 2.89% Christophe Satin 81,029 1.31% 159,948 1.68% Concert 3,492,911 56.58% 6,670,869 70.23% Others 181,571 2.94% 331,889 3.49% Free float 2,496,197 40.44% 2,496,197 26.28% Treasury shares 2,649 0.04% Total 6,173,328 100% 9,498,955 100%

Allocation after the Capital Increase:

Shareholders Number of shares of the share capital Number of voting rights of voting rights Immod 2,004,539 30.61% 3,669,985 37.17% Eric Hemar 1,296,460 19.80% 2,592,920 26.26% Libertad 137,133 2.09% 274,266 2.78% Christophe Satin 81,029 1.24% 159,948 1.62% Concert 3,519,161 53.74% 6,697,119 67.83% Others3 181,571 2.77% 331,889 3.36 Free float 2,844,947 43.45% 2,844,947 28.81% Treasury shares 2,649 0.04% Total 6,548,328 100% 9,873,955 100%

ADVISORS

BNP Paribas and Natixis acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners.

Hogan Lovells LLP acted as Legal Advisor to the Company.

White Case LLP acted as Legal Advisor to the Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners.

NO PROSPECTUS

The Capital Increase was not subject to a prospectus requiring an approval by the French financial markets authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the "AMF

RISK FACTORS

The investors' attention is drawn to the risk factors associated with the Company and its business presented in Section 2 of the 2023 Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 22 April 2024 under number D.24-0314 (the "Universal Registration Document"). The Universal Registration Document is available free of charges on the website of the Company (https://www.id-logistics.com/en/investisors/). The occurrence of all or part of these risks could have a negative impact on the Company's business, financial position, results, development and outlook.

Additionally, investors are invited to consider the following risks specific to this Capital Increase:

Volatility and liquidity: the market price and liquidity of the Company's shares may fluctuate significantly and the market price may fall below the subscription price of the new shares issued in the context of the Capital Increase; and

Impact on the stock market price: the sale by the main shareholders of the Company of a large number of the Company's shares, at the expiry of the lock-up, as the case may be, may have a negative impact on the share price of the Company.

NEXT PUBLICATION

Revenues for 3rd quarter 2024: 22 October 2024, after market close.

ABOUT ID LOGISTICS:

ID Logistics, headed by Eric Hemar, is an international contract logistics group with revenues of 2.75 billion in 2023. ID Logistics manages nearly 400 sites in 18 countries, representing more than 8 million m operated in Europe, America, Asia and Africa, with 38,000 employees.

With a customer portfolio balanced between distribution, e-commerce and consumer goods, ID Logistics is characterized by offers involving a high level of technology. Since its creation in 2001, the Group has developed a social and environmental approach through a number of original projects, and is now firmly committed to an ambitious CSR policy. ID Logistics shares are listed on the Euronext regulated market in Paris and are included in the SBF 120 index (ISIN code: FR0010929125, Mnemo: IDL).

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This press release may not be published, distributed or released in the United States of America, Australia, Canada or Japan. The release, publication or distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by laws or regulations. Therefore, persons in such jurisdictions into which this press release is released, published or distributed must inform themselves about and comply with such laws or regulations. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of ordinary shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

No communication and no information in respect of the Capital Increase may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction where a registration or approval is required. No steps have been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such steps would be required. The issuance by the Company or the subscription of the Shares may be subject to legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Company and its advisors, the Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners and their advisors take no responsibility for any violation of any such restriction by any person.

This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017, as amended (the "Prospectus Regulation") and of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of the United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulation

This press release is not an offer to the public other than to qualified investors, or an offer to subscribe or designed to solicit interest for purposes of an offer to the public other than to qualified investors in any jurisdiction, including France.

European Economic Area

With respect to the member States of the European Economic Area (each, a "Member State"), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the securities requiring publication of a prospectus in any relevant Member State, including France and Germany. As a result, the securities may only be offered in relevant Member States (i) to qualified investors, as defined by the Prospectus Regulation; or (ii) in any other circumstances, not requiring the Company to publish a prospectus as provided under Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Regulation. These selling restrictions with respect to Member States apply in addition to any other selling restrictions which may be applicable in any Member State.

United Kingdom

With respect to the United Kingdom, no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the securities referred to herein requiring a publication of a prospectus. As a result, the securities may and will be offered only (i) to qualified investors within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation, (ii) to fewer than 150 individuals or legal entities (other than qualified investors as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation, or (iii) in accordance with the exemptions set forth in Article 1 (4) of the UK Prospectus Regulation or under any other circumstances which do not require the publication by ID Logistics Group of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

The distribution of this press release has not been made, and has not been approved, by an "authorised person" within the meaning of Article 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. As a consequence, this press release is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that (i) are "investment professionals" falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Order"), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Order, or (iii) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Article 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

United States

This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer of securities for sale or any solicitation to purchase or to subscribe for securities or any solicitation of sale of securities in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or the law of any State or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, pledge or otherwise transferred in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. ID Logistics Group does not intend to register all or any portion of the securities in the United States under the Securities Act or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States.

Australia, Canada and Japan

This announcement may not be published, forwarded or distributed, directly or indirectly, in Australia, Canada or Japan.

None of the Underwriters or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this press release (or whether any information has been omitted from this press release) or any other information relating to ID Logistics Group, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law.

1 Directly and indirectly through IMMOD. IMMOD is owned 100% by Comete SARL (the latter acting as lead holding company). Comete SARL is owned 50.25% by Mr. Eric Hemar, the remaining being owned by his spouse and their children.

2 Directly and indirectly through Libertad SARL. Libertad SARL is owned 90% by Mr. Christophe Satin and 10% by his spouse.

3 The Other shareholders are registered shareholders and are primarily current or former Group employees, none of whom individually hold more than 2% of the capital or voting rights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904080132/en/

Contacts:

ID Logistics

Yann Perot CFO

Tel: +33 (0)4 42 11 06 00

yperot@id-logistics.com

Investor Relations Contact

NewCap

Tel: 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

idlogistics@newcap.eu
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) (FSE: 8NQ) ("Miata" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of a comprehensive sampling program completed on the Sela Creek Gold Project in Suriname. Miata recently announced the signing of an earn-in agreement to acquire 100% of the Sela Creek Gold Project.

Highlights

Grab samples of up to 133.25 g/t gold in recently exposed bedrock in the Stranger Pit 1

Representative chip samples of up to 3.10 g/t gold over 3 m in the Stranger Pit

Grab samples of up to 39.20 g/t gold in recently exposed veins of the Puma target 1

Grab samples of up to 25.13 g/t gold in an extension of Jon's pit 1

The Stranger Pit and Puma target are still untested by drilling

"We are excited to share our recent sampling results on the Sela Creek Project," stated Miata's CEO, Dr. Jacob Verbaas. "The results we encountered confirm our original excitement in this project, which has only seen modest exploration despite having over 100 years of artisanal gold production, which continues to today. We were able to efficiently plan this due diligence sampling and structural mapping program on the Sela Creek Project in Suriname thanks to our local partners. The majority of Miata's exploration crew consisted of local Surinamese people, showcasing our commitment to the people of Suriname and developing solid cooperation between all stakeholders. These results are the first important step to designing a comprehensive drill program on Sela Creek."

Since Sela Creek is actively mined2, there are multiple new exposures on the project that have been uncovered since it was last explored. The most exciting new exposure is the Stranger Pit, where the highest-grade sample of this program came from. The Miata exploration crew has also spent considerable time measuring and recording structural information on the project, which is crucial to identifying the ideal drill direction for the different zones. Together with a planned LiDAR survey, this information will guide future trenching and drilling programs."

Figure 1. Overview map of Sela Creek.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_001full.jpg

The Stranger Pit

Small-scale mining at the Stranger Pit has exposed numerous mineralized outcrops. The exploration crew took a total of eight samples, six of which returned values over 1 g/t gold. The highest sample yielded 133.25 g/t gold from a fault-fill vein parallel to foliation. The seven remaining samples yielded between 3.73 and 0.10 g/t gold with an average of 2.05 g/t gold.

Figure 2. High-grade quartz veins in the Stranger Pit. Sampling of this occurrence yielded 133.25 g/t Au.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_002full.jpg

The Stranger Pit is a northwest trending pit with ample fault fill and tension veins. These types of veins are hallmarks of orogenic gold occurrences, the most common gold deposits being mined today. The existing pit is roughly 100 m long and all samples were taken from the northwestern end of the pit over a roughly 10 m x 30 m area.

Figure 3. Map of the Stranger Pit, where six out of eight samples graded over 1.0 g/t Au.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_003full.jpg

Jon's Pit

The eastern extension of Jon's pit yielded up to 25.13 g/t in 7 samples with an average grade of 6.56 g/t Au. This extension is typical of high-grade mineralization on Sela Creek, where folded tension veins and fault-fill veins occur in the same locality. Here, visible gold was observed in both quartz veins as well as the host schist.

Figure 4. Folded tension vein, a common occurrence in and surrounding high-grade artisanal workings, this particular vein was exposed in the new extension of Jon's Pit.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_004full.jpg

Puma target

The Puma target is another new target on the project where one out of 16 samples from a fault fill vein graded 39.20 g/t Au. This one of the few localities where unweathered rock has been exposed by artisanal miners, giving the Company valuable information from geological measurements and observations. The Puma target overlies a substantial historical soil anomaly that may represent a wide zone of mineralization. Out of 16 samples, the average grade was 2.42 g/t Au and four samples graded > 0.1 g/t Au.

Sela Creek Inaugural Sampling Program

The Company planned a two-week exploration program July to identify the type of mineralization and exposure currently accessible at the Sela Creek Gold Project. Due to the nature of small-scale mining activities, new exposures are constantly uncovered, removed, and covered again. The exploration crew was able to achieve broad sampling coverage and collected 152 samples with an average grade of 1.72 g/t gold and 32 samples over 0.1 g/t gold.

Swiss Resource Capital Engagement

In addition, the Company announces that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with SRC Swiss Resource Capital AG ("SRC") for investor relations and communications services Europe. The Agreement is effective as of 4th September 2024, for a period of one year, after which time the SRC Agreement is renewable on a quarterly basis. The services to be provided by SRC to the Company under the terms of the Agreement include communications services, generally viewed as investor relations, including dissemination of information to existing and potential shareholders, creating media through interview and videos as well as supporting or representing the Company at trade and investment shows. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, SRC is to be paid 5,000 CHF per month with additional fees for special services such as trade and investment shows.

SRC is a private company with a business address at Poststr. 1, CH-9100, Herisau, Switzerland. SRC is led by Jochen Staiger, Chief Executive Officer. SRC has experience in providing services to companies listed on various stock exchanges that are seeking to raise their profile in public markets. SRC does not own, directly or indirectly, any securities of the Company.

Data Verification and QAQC

Samples were analyzed by FiLab, a lab that adds standards and blanks at regular intervals. The QP added independent standards at regular intervals. All standards and blanks yielded acceptable values.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo., who is the Qualified Person as defined under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

1Grab samples are by definition selective. Grab samples are solely designed to show the presence or absence of mineralization, and are not intended to provide nor should be construed as a representative indication of grade or mineralization at the Project.

2All mining on the claim is currently done by artisanal miners and not by Miata. Miata does not generate revenue from mining activities or royalties.

About Miata Metals Corp.

Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) is a Canadian mineral exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. Currently, the Company holds earn-in options to acquire 100% interest in the Sela Creek Gold Project in Suriname and 100% interest in the Cabin Lake Property in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The Company continuously evaluates opportunities to acquire interest in additional prospective exploration stage mineral properties.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Readers should not rely on information in this summary for any purpose other than for gaining general knowledge of the Company. Forward-Looking statements include, but are not limited to, the closing of the acquisition of 79North and its interest in Sela Creek and Nassau, the ultimate exercise of its option to acquire 100% of Sela Creek, and the anticipated exploration activities of the Company at Sela Creek (and the timing thereof). The words "expected", "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in any forward-looking statements, are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates, opinions or other factors should change.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222218

SOURCE: Miata Metals Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Ynvisible Interactive Inc. (TSXV: YNV) (FSE: 1XNA) (OTCQB: YNVYF) (the "Company" or "Ynvisible") is pleased to announce the appointment of Kamran Kian as a new independent member of its Board of Directors, effective September 4, 2024.

Mr. Kian was a senior executive at Avery Dennison, a global leader in material science and manufacturing, where, as Senior Vice President for Global Operations, Supply Chain and Procurement, he oversaw an approximately $7B global operation. As part of his role, he also oversaw the Corporate Engineering team that supports innovation and design of capital equipment for the entire company, including its large Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology business. With over 38 years of experience in Operations, Engineering and General Management in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, he took Avery Dennison's Operations to new heights and built a solid global team.

"On behalf of all of us at Ynvisible, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Kamran as the new member of our Board of Directors. We are proud and honoured to have a global industry leader of Kamran's caliber join our Board of Directors. His extensive experience in global manufacturing and operations will be invaluable to Ynvisible as we scale our business. Beyond his professional achievements, Kamran's unwavering integrity and commitment to excellence make him an exceptional addition to our team. We look forward to his guidance and the positive impact he will bring to our company," said Ramin Heydarpour, Ynvisible's CEO.

"I am so excited to join the Board of Ynvisible. I believe Ynvisible has a true advantage in the e-paper space, with their energy-efficient flexible displays," said Mr. Kian.

Ynvisible has also granted stock options to Mr. Kian to acquire an aggregate of 250,000 common shares in the capital of the Company, pursuant to the Company's omnibus equity incentive compensation plan. The stock options are each convertible into a common share at an exercise price of $0.09 until September 4, 2029. With respect to vesting provisions, the stock options vest 1/4 on September 4, 2024 (the "Grant Date"), 1/4 on the date that is four months from the Grant Date, 1/4 on the date that is eight months from the Grant Date and the final 1/4 on the date that is 12 months from the Grant Date.

Ynvisible Investor Update Webinar

Mark your calendars and register now for Ynvisible's investor-focused webinar on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 4:00 pm (CET) / 10:00 am (EST). CEO Ramin Heydarpour and the executive team will provide an overview of Ynvisible's progress in product development, customer acquisition, and market strategy. Attendees will gain valuable insights into technical and commercial achievements, future prospects, and strategic initiatives. Register here.

About Ynvisible

Ynvisible is disrupting the low-cost and ultra-low-power display industry thanks to the latest advantages in sustainable electronics and roll-to-roll printing production. Ynvisible's printed e-paper displays are ideal for low-power and cost-sensitive applications, such as digital signage, smart monitoring labels for supply chain and logistics, visual indicators for medical and diagnostics, or retail labels and signage. Ynvisible has experience, know-how, and intellectual property in electrochromic materials, inks, and systems, and offers a mix of services, technology and products to brand owners developing smart objects and IoT products. Additional information on Ynvisible is available at www.ynvisible.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ramin Heydarpour

CEO and Executive Chairman

Ynvisible Interactive Inc.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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 Ynvisible Interactive Inc. 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 forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the management of Ynvisible Interactive Inc. on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Ynvisible Interactive Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222168

SOURCE: Ynvisible Interactive Inc.
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From home security and safety to smart lighting and water control, AI voice capabilities, new partner integrations with Home Assistant and Tesla, and continued commitment to Matter, Aqara continues to grow its product lineup in Europe and beyond

Aqara, a global leader and pioneer in IoT, today unveiled a selection of innovative solutions and technologies for the smart home focused on enhancing security, safety, energy efficiency, and interoperability globally; as well as new integration partnerships with Home Assistant and Tesla

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905190004/en/

Aqara Previews New Smart Home Tech at IFA 2024 (Photo: Business Wire)

The company is doubling down on home security and monitoring with the 4MP Camera Hub G5 Pro designed for outdoor use and equipped with True Color Night Vision; the Garage Door Controller T2 Kit for the smart control of up to two garage doors; and the Valve Controller T1 and Smoke Detector to protect properties from water and fire damage.

Committed to delivering smart home experiences with simplicity and enhanced interoperability, Aqara continues to expand its Thread product portfolio with an innovative approach to incorporate both Thread and Zigbee communication. The Company extents its European energy management product lineup with a new series of Thread-enabled wall switches, including the Light Switch H2 EU, Dimmer Switch H2 EU, and Shutter Switch H2 EU. The company is also adding to its smart lighting portfolio with the Thread-enabled LED Bulb T2 for everyday and atmospheric illumination. Additionally, Aqara will showcase new AI-powered voice capabilities with the Aqara Voice Mate H1, a battery-powered accessory that works with Hub M3 and allows interaction with Aqara Copilot.

Aqara continues to invest in Matter, through new capabilities and support across its product lineup and in its future roadmap, opening up a world of new possibilities for integration, automations and ambient control, and smart energy management. Aqara is showcasing these new products along with other advanced technologies and prototypes at IFA 2024 at Messe Berlin, in Hall 1.2, Stand 329

Enhanced Security and Safety for the Home

Camera Hub G5 Pro The Camera Hub G5 Pro is Aqara's first surveillance camera developed for outdoor use. Available in PoE and Wi-Fi versions, the 4MP G5 Pro is equipped with True Color Night Vision and on-device AI capabilities that detect and recognize faces, vehicles, pets, and packages. These features help users monitor their properties in real time and deter potential intruders. Live and recorded videos are end-to-end encrypted, and its eMMC storage can sync to both cloud and local NAS servers. The G5 Pro features wide compatibility with major platforms such as Apple Home (including HomeKit Secure Video), Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings, and has added RTSP support to allow streaming to NVRs and video servers. A Zigbee 3.0 hub is built in to help connect the outside to the inside.

Garage Door Controller T2 Kit With control for up to two sectional garage doors, the Garage Door Controller T2 Kit adds convenience and smart security to one of the most forgotten areas of the home: the garage. It integrates the garage as an access point which can additionally be monitored and controlled, providing users with an integral smart home experience. The garage can be accessed via geofencing, voice assistants, mobile apps, and automations, and the hassle-free wireless sensor helps homeowners monitor the garage door status in real time. This solution supports Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home, and other Matter-enabled platforms via a compatible Aqara hub, and it works seamlessly with other smart devices from either Aqara or other third-party brands.

Valve Controller T1 The Valve Controller T1 can be integrated with leak detectors such as Aqara's Water Leak Sensor, and automatically shut off one's water or gas systems in response to a potential flood or gas leak, helping to safeguard the home even when no one is around. Compatible with lever and butterfly handle valves on DN15, DN20 and DN25 pipes, the Valve Controller T1 features a wireless, retrofit design to simplify the installation. No modification to the existing pipe or rewiring is required, making it friendly for DIY users.

Smoke Detector Equipped with a powerful siren, the Aqara Smoke Detector triggers an alarm of up to 85 decibels at the first sign of smoke. It also triggers all siren-equipped Aqara hubs and other grouped smoke detectors throughout the home. Built upon the Zigbee protocol, the Smoke Detector boasts an ultra-long battery life of up to 10 years, minimizing maintenance.

Expanded Energy Management Smart Lighting Lineup with Thread

H2 EU wall switches lineup Expanding Aqara's energy management product lineup in the European market, a new series of Thread-enabled wall switches is debuting, including the Light Switch H2 EU, Dimmer Switch H2 EU, and Shutter Switch H2 EU. With both Thread and Zigbee communication built in, users can opt for the Thread protocol to enjoy native Matter compatibility and seamless interoperability across platforms. Alternatively, users can opt for the wider feature set and benefits that Zigbee protocol provides, including power monitoring and decoupling the switch from light circuits so that the smart switch can be used with the smart lights. The H2 EU wall switches also feature innovative engineering that allows them to be used in both houses with or without a neutral wire, which simplifies the overall installation process for DIY users.

LED Bulb T2 The Thread-enabled LED Bulb T2 expands Aqara's robust smart lighting line. Available in both RGB CCT version that offers ultra-wide range of tunable whites (2000-9000K) and 16 million vibrant colors and the simpler CCT version, this new LED bulb creates the perfect ambiance at home with the crisp, high-quality white light for productivity and the soothing spectrum of colors available to set the mood. Equipped with Thread and Zigbee communication, the LED Bulb T2 caters to a wider range of smart home users with varying priorities, whether they prefer Thread for a future-proofing setup or Zigbee for the more mature, proven experience. The new T2 series includes E26, E27 and GU10 bulbs.

New Matter Capabilities Integration Partnerships

Advanced Matter Bridging -The Hub M3 is rolling out the new Advanced Matter Bridging feature, which allows users to sync any conditions ("IF") and actions ("THEN") in the Aqara Home app to other third-party Matter apps. By configuring a Signal and a Scene, which is a sequence of IFs and THENs respectively, users can now expose those previously Aqara exclusive conditions and actions for example the hand gesture recognition or camera auto-cruise activation to their preferred platform and create more sophisticated home automation.

Home Assistant Partnership Aqara announces its participation in the Work with Home Assistant program, offering optimized experiences to the vast Home Assistant users. The first Aqara devices that have been certified include the Hub M3, Smart Lock U200, and Motion and Light Sensor P2. More Aqara products are expected to receive certifications in the next months.

Tesla EV Integration Tesla electrical vehicles (EVs) can now be integrated into Aqara Home automations, allowing users to automate their EVs or to integrate them into smart home routines. For example, charging the EV during off-peak hours when the electricity rates are lower, or being able to turn on the vehicle and start the in-car air conditioning when the coffee maker starts in the weekday morning.

Intuitive Home Interaction through Voice with Privacy A Priority

Voice Mate H1 The Voice Mate H1 brings the ultimate convenience to the Aqara smart home system by enabling intuitive voice control without using a phone. This product is an accessory of the Aqara Hub M3, and is a highly compact, battery-powered device that has a microphone built-in, allowing users to command the Gen AI-enabled Aqara Copilot from anywhere in the home. Unlike many voice assistants relying on always-on and connected devices that are constantly listening for the wake word, the Voice Mate H1 remains in hibernation and only activates when it's picked up by the user, maximizing privacy protection.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905190004/en/

Contacts:

For Media Inquiries:

media@aqara.com
Strategic partnership focused on the optimization of clinical trial delivery

Ora, the leading global ophthalmic contract research organisation (CRO), announced today its partnership with Institute of Eye Surgery, Ireland's largest private ophthalmology service provider known for its innovation, excellence, and expertise in eye care.

This strategic partnership arrives at a pivotal time for European clinical research, with collaborations across industry accelerating delivery of new therapies to market for challenging ophthalmic diseases. With the Republic of Ireland emerging as a promising hub for clinical trials, this partnership positions the Institute of Eye Surgery as a leading centre for innovative clinical research.

Stated Paul Colvin, Ora CEO, "As the global leader in ophthalmology research, we are honoured to support many of the most impactful development programmes in Europe. Ora's top-tier approach to site collaboration and operational excellence, coupled with the reach and research infrastructure established by the Institute of Eye Surgery in Ireland, will provide our sponsors with optimised patient access and high-quality clinical data, ensuring each drug and device programme has the best chance of success."

For sponsors considering trials with clinical sites in Ireland, Ora and the Institute of Eye Surgery will provide:

Operational excellence delivered by a seasoned team of ophthalmology-focused resources committed to delivering trials with speed, efficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness.

Access to a diverse group of highly motivated study participants eager to receive new treatment options in ophthalmology.

"We are delighted to partner with one of the leading names in ophthalmology research, Ora, to advance our shared vision of transparently and ethically conducting clinical research that inures to the benefit of our patients," said Dr Eugene Ng, M.D., Cataract Vitreo Retinal Specialist at of the Institute of Eye Surgery. With our clinical sites strategically positioned across the Republic of Ireland and our vast experience in conducting sponsor-initiated and investigator-initiated trials, this partnership will further strengthen our research and clinical trials department in terms of increasing patients' access to novel treatments."

About Ora

Ora is the world's leading full-service ophthalmic drug and device development firm with offices in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. For over 45 years, we have proudly helped our clients earn more than 85 product approvals. We support a wide array of organisations, from start-ups to global pharmaceutical and device companies, to efficiently bring their new products from concept to market. Ora's pre-clinical and clinical models, unique methodologies, and global regulatory strategies have been refined and proven across thousands of global projects. We bring together the world's most extensive and experienced team of ophthalmic experts, R&D professionals, and management executives to maximise the value of new product initiatives. For more information, please visit www.oraclinical.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Institute of Eye Surgery

The Institute of Eye Surgery is Ireland's largest and only fully comprehensive sub-specialty private ophthalmology service provider. With 5 clinical sites across the Republic of Ireland our consultant-led sub-specialists provide deep and diverse eye care services including cataract refractive surgery, anterior segment ocular surface diseases, surgical medical retinal macular diseases, glaucoma management and oculoplastics orbital clinics. The Institute's clinical research department, led by Prof Maged Habib Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreoretinal Specialist and supported by Dr Emmanuel Ankamah, is one of three of the largest private research centres in ophthalmology across the UK and Ireland. Our Specialist Consultants have collectively acted as either chief investigators, national principal investigators or sub-investigators on more than 30 global clinical trials to date and continue to actively integrate cutting-edge research into our service offerings to patients. Our mission is to deliver high quality of care to our patients and to remain at the forefront of clinical research and innovation at a regional and international level to provide our patients with the best novel treatments to improve their clinical outcome. For more information, please visit, http://www.ioes.ie and also engage with our social media notifications on LinkedIn and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905390594/en/

Contacts:

Anne Marie Jedraszczak

ajedraszczak@oraclinical.com
The 14" AI-powered S14I boasts high-performance Intel Core Ultra technology, enabling optimum reliability, productivity and mobility to make it a market leader.

Versatile, AI-driven S14I semi-rugged laptop with the latest Intel Core Ultra processor pushes reliability and performance to the limit.

Supports AI solutions that improve efficiency, streamline workflow and enhance communication.

Targeted at professionals in the utilities, manufacturing, automotive and public safety sectors.

Advanced innovation of dual hot-swappable battery technology provides ultra-long battery life of up to 24 hours, enabling uninterrupted operation in the field.

LONDON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Durabook , the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, today announced significant updates to its S14I semi-rugged laptop, expanding its product line supporting modern-day data-intensive tasks. With the performance of Intel Core Ultra processor, this AI-powered 14" semi-rugged laptop exceeds expectations by delivering a powerful, premium performance and exceptional user experience.

Durabook also produces the Z14I fully rugged laptop , the world's most durable and reliable fully rugged PC designed specifically to support demanding AI applications in the field.

Twinhead's CEO, Fred Kao, said: "AI technology has emerged as an important tool to handle and maximise data and create new, more capable and powerful systems. Durabook aims to equip our mobile computing devices with optimum capability for professional users in the field. Our customers can exploit these advancements to their advantage and greatest benefit with laptop solutions delivering up to 100 TOPS with AI accelerator."

This enhanced S14I model has been elevated to produce a superior device for professional users seeking prolonged productivity. Its premium functionality, durability, and performance make it ideal for operatives working across various sectors, including utilities, automotive and public safety, as well as governmental agencies and organisations looking for a superior semi-rugged laptop.

Superior CPU performance and AI functionality

Upgrading the S14I's CPU with an Intel Core Ultra processor is significant as it marks the launch of another powerful and performance-packed AI PC laptop within the Durabook product lineup. Perfect for professionals, the S14I has a dedicated NPU built into every Intel Core Ultra processor, providing users unrivalled access to enhanced reliability, productivity, and efficiency. With the dedicated Microsoft Copilot key, users can effortlessly activate edge AI features, boosting real-time interaction and teamwork in their workspace, offering support for multiple languages, and enabling the smooth automation of routine tasks.

Durable design for uninterrupted operation

Tough yet stylish, the S14I breaches the boundary between semi-rugged and fully rugged devices. Certified with MIL-STD-810H, 4-foot drop and IP53 resistance, the S14I is built to withstand the most hazardous environments and can remain operational in extreme temperatures ranging from -29C (-20F) to 63C (145F). Its dual removable battery design with optional dual hot-swappable battery technology enables users to hot-swap batteries in the field without any downtime. Additionally, its ultra-long 12-hour battery life can be extended to 24 hours on dual battery mode for a superior performance. In addition, S14I features a 14.0" Full HD (1920 x 1080) DynaVue sunlight readable display with optional capacitive multitouch screen and enhanced brightness up to 1,200 nits.

Extreme versatility meets exceptional security

Durabook has designed the S14I to meet the needs of users requiring exceptional flexibility. An optional dedicated NVIDIA RTX A500 transforms the S14I into an ultimate solution for specific tasks such as graphics rendering, architectural illustrations and AI applications, delivering up to 100 TOPS with AI accelerator. Equipped with up to two NVMe PCIe SSDs, including one with quick-release design, professionals can also run RAID 0 and RAID 1 easily. Advanced security support, such as Intel vPro and TPM 2.0 come as standard, as well as smart card reader, RFID/NFC reader and fingerprint scanner as additional options. Moreover, it features a 5.0 MP infrared camera with shutter design, supporting Windows Hello facial recognition, and Windows 11 Secured-core PC.

Cutting-edge connectivity for the modern workforce

Durabook knows that powerful connectivity is essential in the modern environment. Equipped with powerful dual Thunderbolt 4 and enhanced with advanced wireless capabilities, including cellular options of 4G LTE or 5G, Intel WI-FI 7, Bluetooth V5.4 and optional GPS, the S14I makes connecting the modern workspace more flexible and simpler than ever. The S14I is also equipped with two additional USB 3.2 Type-A ports, dual SIM, two RJ-45 ports by default, HDMI 2.1 port, up to two RS-232 serial ports and optional ExpressCard 54 slot, making it the most versatile 14" semi-rugged laptop on the market.

The new updated S14I is available for purchase now.

For full specs and more information, please visit: https://www.durabook.com/en/products/s14i-laptop/

To find out more about becoming a partner, please visit https://partners.durabook.com/register or contact sales@durabook.com .

Follow the DURABOOK brand

The Durabook product family of rugged laptops and tablets can be followed on various social media channels including LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube.

About DURABOOK

Durabook is the core brand of Twinhead International Corporation in Taiwan, a world-renowned manufacturer of rugged mobile solutions for more than 40 years. All Durabook devices are designed, manufactured and tested to the highest standards to ensure maximum quality and reliability. Committed to engineering and service excellence, Durabook products have been widely adopted by government and enterprise customers including oil and gas, utilities, field service, military, and public safety for more than two decades.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2494872/Press_Release_1_S14I_Launch.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/durabook-upgrades-s14i-semi-rugged-laptop-to-expand-its-ai-ready-product-line-302236689.html
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Daesung SmartHive has successfully developed an advanced plasma-based pest control system that protects bees and crops from mites, fleas, and other pests. The technology has been validated through effectiveness testing with local farmers and is now entering the commercialization and refinement phase.

This innovative solution aims to replace conventional chemical pesticides, which have been criticized for their harmful effects on the environment and agricultural productivity. Daesung SmartHive utilizes plasma technology to effectively control pests such as varroa mites-known for contributing to the global decline in bee populations-without harming bees, crops, or the surrounding ecosystem.

For decades, beekeepers and farmers have relied on chemical pesticides to combat mites and other pests. However, repeated use has led to increased pest resistance, requiring stronger and more powerful chemicals. This creates a vicious cycle that damages hives and crops, weakens bees' immune systems, and leaves toxic residues that threaten human health and increase agricultural costs.

Daesung SmartHive's plasma-based technology offers a sustainable, eco-friendly solution. The device generates a plasma field that eliminates pests without leaving harmful residues on honey, crops, or in the environment. This reduces the need for extensive cleaning during the distribution process, lowering costs and mitigating soil and water pollution caused by traditional pesticides. Ultimately, the company's technology is expected to break the cycle of pest resistance and significantly reduce environmental pollution.

In addition to pest control, Daesung SmartHive is also developing a plasma nitrogen fertilizer generation system, which will be exhibited alongside the pest control device at the World Horticulture Center (WHC) in the Netherlands by the end of 2024.

The company is preparing to showcase these groundbreaking technologies at several major international exhibitions, with the aim of expanding its global footprint and forming partnerships across the agricultural sector.

Upcoming exhibitions:

J AGRI Tokyo (Japan Agriculture Expo)

October 9-11, 2024 - Korea Pavilion

October 9-11, 2024 - Korea Pavilion UzAgroExpo 2024 (Uzbekistan Agricultural Fair)

November 20-22, 2024

November 20-22, 2024 CES 2025 (Las Vegas, USA)

January 7-10, 2025 - Daesung in Jeonbuk Pavilion, SmartHive in Korea Eureka Pavilion

By showcasing its technology at these international events, Daesung SmartHive aims to strengthen global partnerships and facilitate its entry into overseas markets, making important strides toward sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture.

For more information, visit [www.smarthive.co.kr], [https://www.youtube.com/smarthive] or contact us at [ceo@smarthive.co.kr], [+82-070-4354-4504].

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2497225/DAESUNG.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/daesung-smarthive-announces-plasma-technology-for-eco-friendly-pest-control-prepares-for-global-market-expansion-302238969.html
LONDON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bupa, the UK's leading health insurer, has today announced the appointment of Chris Carroll as Chief Executive Officer for Bupa Insurance, commencing January 2025, subject to regulatory approval. Reporting to Carlos Jaureguizar, CEO for Bupa Global, India & UK, Chris will lead the continued growth of Bupa Insurance's consumer and business insurance segments in the UK.

Chris joins Bupa Insurance from Bupa's Health Insurance business in Australia, having held the roles of Managing Director from March 2022. Prior to this he was Director for Domestic Retail Portfolio having joined Bupa in November 2020.

Under his leadership, Bupa's Health Insurance footprint in Australia has grown to more than 4.4 million customers and, following seven consecutive quarters of growth, now has a market share of 25.41% in a highly competitive market. Chris has worked to transform the customer experience in Australia, with NPS sitting at record levels. Chris's focus on creating value for customers has been central to his leadership; helping to launch Blua and Connected Care in Australia, delivering a range of new insurance products, and working in partnership with Bupa's Australian dental business to provide increased value to health insurance members.

Before coming to Bupa, Chris was CEO for WS Audiology - Asia Pacific, and led the transformation agenda for Medibank, another major health insurer in Australia. With more than 25 years' commercial experience across health insurance, media and telecommunications in Australia and Europe, Chris has an unwavering customer focus and a proven track record in growing Bupa's business to deliver simpler, more personalised and relevant products to customers.

Carlos Jaureguizar, CEO for Bupa Global, India & UK said: "Chris is a respected global leader with extensive experience in delivering world-class customer service and driving consumer and commercial growth. We know our customers around the world look to Bupa for the highest standards, innovative treatment and peace of mind, and this appointment is testament to the unrivalled strength and talent in our leadership teams across Bupa to meet these customer needs. With Chris' leadership, we are committed to driving forward our transformation agenda, delivering high quality care and fulfilling our purpose of helping people to live longer, healthier, happier lives."

Chris Carroll said: "I am delighted to join Bupa Insurance at this pivotal time. The expansion of Bupa Blua digital healthcare services, market leading products and Bupa's unique position in the UK to create seamless pathways between insurance and provision operations makes this an exciting opportunity to reach more people with trusted, personalised healthcare."

Subject to regulatory approval, Chris will transition to the UK in autumn 2024, commencing in role in January 2025.

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Pre-clinical data of VTX-806 in mice demonstrated normalization of metabolic parameters in blood and brain, and of upregulated compensatory enzymes

EUR 4.9 million funding provided by French Government to develop VTX-806 as an effective treatment option to stabilize or reverse symptoms in CTX patients

PARIS, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivet Therapeutics ("Vivet"), a clinical stage biotech company developing novel and long-lasting gene therapies for rare inherited liver metabolic disorders, today announces that the European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to VTX-806, its gene therapy product for the treatment of CTX, a rare neurodegenerative disease.

Pre-clinical in vivo studies of VTX-806, an Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector encoding human CYP27A1 for the treatment of CTX, demonstrated a reduction of hepatomegaly in mice, normalization of upregulated compensatory enzymes and of primary and secondary bile acids when compared to current standard of care (SOC) treatments. The submitted data, alongside the chronically debilitating effects of CTX associated leukodystrophies, supported the decision by the EU Commission to grant ODD to VTX-806 as a potential treatment option, bringing significant benefits to patients affected by the burden of CTX in the European Union.

Dr Jean-Philippe Combal, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Vivet Therapeutics, said: "Early diagnosis and treatment of CTX is crucial to halting disease progression. At present, existing standard of care treatments can only slow or stabilize leukodystrophy, with no cure available. Preclinical data supports VTX-806's potential as an alternative treatment option to stop, or reverse, disease progression over the long-term, or possibly even cure CTX patients. Receiving ODD from the EU Commission provides Vivet with certain benefits during development and commercialization activities as we press forward with the anticipation of submitting ODD to the US FDA in 2024 and plan to begin preparations to enter clinical development in late 2025."

VTX-806's ODD adoption follows the EUR 4.9 million funding Vivet received from the French government to advance the development of the gene therapy for treatment of CTX. The funding covers preclinical research and development activities of VTX-806, including manufacturing process development and a clinical study aimed at identifying neurological biomarkers for the effectiveness of treatment in patients under SOC.

CTX is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CYP27A1 gene that affects the body's ability to metabolize cholesterol and bile acids. It is characterized by a buildup of cholestanol in the blood and tissues, which can accumulate in the brain, tendons, eyes, and arteries. This buildup can lead to fatty yellow nodules called xanthomas in the brain's connective tissues, which can damage the brain and other areas of the body. CTX can present at any age, resulting in chronic diarrhea during infancy, cataracts in late childhood and frequent bone fractures due to brittle bones in children. As a patient enters adulthood, they suffer with progressive leukodystrophy manifesting into dementia, seizures, hallucinations, depression and difficulty with coordination and speech. At present, there is no cure for CTX, only treatment that may stabilize or slow down disease progression.

There are only several hundred identified cases of patients with CTX worldwide1, due to underdiagnosis, variability of disease presentation (including incomplete penetrance with asymptomatic carriers) and incorrect prediction of pathogenic variants by genetic epidemiology study. Therefore, the exact figure is unknown2 but it is estimated that 1000 to 2000 people are affected by CTX in the European Union3 and incidence of 0.1 per million individuals worldwide4. These estimates suggest that the actual number of patients with CTX globally is higher than currently reported.

Citations:

1National Library of Medicines / A blood test for cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis with potential for disease detection in newborns

2National Library of Medicines / Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis

3Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 18(1):13 / Pramparo T., et al. (2023) 'Allelic prevalence and geographic distribution of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.'

4Hunter's Hope / What is CTX or Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis?

About Vivet Therapeutics

Vivet Therapeutics is a private, clinical-stage biotech company developing novel and long-lasting gene therapies for rare inherited metabolic conditions, including Wilson's Disease. Vivet's gene therapy platform uses recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) as vectors and has initiated two clinical programs and four pre-clinical assets to date. Its most advanced therapy is VTX-801, a novel gene therapy for Wilson's Disease, with key clinical read-outs expected by the end of 2024. Vivet Therapeutics was founded in 2016 by CEO Dr Jean-Philippe Combal and CSO Dr Gloria Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza and is led by a highly experienced management team with deep expertise developing gene therapies and orphan drugs.

Vivet Therapeutics is backed by international life science investors including Novartis Venture Fund, Roche Venture Fund, HealthCap, Pfizer Inc., Columbus Venture Partners, Ysios Capital, Kurma Partners and Eurazeo. In 2019, key investor Pfizer contributed a 45M investment to collaborate with Vivet in recognition of its scientific expertise and innovative technology platforms.

For more information, please visit www.vivet-therapeutics.com - Follow us on LinkedIn @Vivet Therapeutics and Twitter @Vivet_tx.

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The global IoT market is growing due to several factors such as the development of wireless networking technologies, the increase in cloud platform adoption, and the advent of advanced data analytics & data processing.

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "IoT Market by Component (Solution and Services), Deployment Mode (On-premise and Cloud), Organization Size (Large Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), Platform (Device Management, Application Management and Network Management), Technology (Radiofrequency Identification, Pressure Sensors, Network Communications, Data Processing and Near-field Communications), and Industry Vertical (Retail, E-commerce & Consumer Electronics, Energy & Utility, Healthcare, Transportation & Logistics, IT & Telecom, Manufacturing and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2032". According to the report, the IoT market was valued at $956.0 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $5,332.3 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 21.3% from 2024 to 2032.

Prime determinants of growth

The global IoT market has grown due to several factors such as the development of wireless networking technologies, the increase in cloud platform adoption, and the advent of advanced data analytics & data processing. However, the privacy and security concerns act as a restraint for the IoT market expansion. In addition, the emergence of mobile devices is projected to provide many opportunities for market growth during the forecast period.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/463

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2024-2032 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $956.00 Billion Market Size in 2032 $5,332.3 Billion CAGR 21.3 % No. of Pages in Report 350 Segments Covered Component, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Platform, Technology, Industry Vertical, and Region. Drivers Development of wireless networking technologies

The increase in cloud platform adoption

The advent of advanced data analytics & data processing Opportunity The emergence of mobile devices Restraint The privacy and security concerns

Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/463

The solution segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By component, the solution segment held the highest market share in 2023 due to the growing need for solutions that support the functioning of IoT devices. The service providers deliver end-to-end software development solutions for consumer IoT, from project planning and testing to deployment. This is in turn expected to propel the growth of this segment in the global market.

The on-premise segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By deployment mode, the on-premise segment held the highest market share in 2023. This is attributed to numerous advantages offered by on-premise deployment such as a high level of data security and safety.

The large enterprises segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By organization size, the large enterprises segment held the highest market share in 2023. This is attributed to an increase in the adoption of IoT technology by businesses to gain a strategic and competitive advantage over their competitors. Customers use IoT to discover new insights on large-scale diverse data, including historical and recent data. This technology is suitable for the collection of data and running algorithms and analysis across a large set of data to find relevant relationships, entities, and insights.

The device management segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By platform, the device management segment held the highest market share in 2023. As it enables the efficient provisioning of devices, ensuring they are correctly configured and ready for use. These platforms support large-scale deployments, which is essential for industries with vast numbers of connected devices.

The network communication segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By technology, the network communication segment held the highest market share in 2023. Network communication technologies are widely used in public and private networks, supported by a growing ecosystem of devices and applications.

The IT & telecom segment held the highest market share in 2023.

By industry vertical, the IT & telecom segment held the highest market share in 2023. IT & telecom companies provide robust platforms for device management, including provisioning, monitoring, and updating IoT devices. IT & telecom companies provide the essential connectivity backbone for IoT devices.

North America held the highest market share in 2023.

By region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2023 and is expected to lead the market in terms of revenue throughout the forecast period. This demand is attributed to the rising need for internet services to address the increasing adoption of digital technologies in several sectors. Individuals are choosing digital services to improve their knowledge and skills.

Buy this Complete Report (288 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) at:

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/internet-of-things-IoT-market/purchase-options

Major Industry Players: -

Google LLC

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Systems, Inc.

International Business Machine Corporation (IBM)

SAP SE

Microsoft Corporation

Amazon Web Service

Oracle Corporation

Intel Corporation

Bosch Software Innovation GMBH

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global internet of things market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, and agreements to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to highlight the competitive scenario.

Recent Industry Development:

In April 2024, ByteSnap released an IoT standards and protocols guide, with the proliferation of IoT devices, protocols and standards ensure that the devices function correctly and communicate smoothly with each other.

In May 2023, NOVUS expanded its vision for modular technology and brought the simplicity of IoT to the N20K48 controller. With the new Wi-Fi micromodule, it is easy to integrate legacy devices. The integration is efficient and makes communication between devices an affordable and simple process.

In June 2023, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. launched two modem chipsets with satellite capability: the Qualcomm 212S Modem and the Qualcomm 9205S Modem. The new Qualcomm modem chipsets power off-grid industrial use cases that require standalone non-terrestrial network (NTN) connectivity or hybrid connectivity alongside terrestrial networks.

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About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports Insights" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies, and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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Newline Group (Newline) today announced the opening of a new office in Manchester, further demonstrating its long-term commitment to brokers and clients in the UK regional market.

Manchester marks the second regional office Newline has opened in the UK after opening an office in Leeds in 2017. Newline continues its efforts to be close to its business partners, growing its geographical footprint and further facilitating its excellent service delivery.

"Manchester is another hub for our core product offering," states Newline's Chief Underwriting Officer, Andrew Pecover. "We're eager to meet with our trading partners in person, bringing our expertise and suite of products to local markets."

Newline's Manchester office will host local expertise for several lines of business including marine, professional indemnity, liability and medical malpractice. Further product expansion will be considered in due course.

About Newline Group

Newline Group is a market leading specialty insurance group that operates through three underwriting platforms, Newline Syndicate 1218 at Lloyd's, Newline Insurance Company Limited and Newline Europe Versicherung AG. Headquartered in London, with offices in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada and Latin America, Newline Group underwrites international casualty, cargo and specialty lines of business in more than 80 countries around the world. Newline Group is part of the Odyssey Group, a leading worldwide underwriter of reinsurance and specialty insurance. Odyssey Group is a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. For more information, visit newlinegroup.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905310531/en/

Contacts:

Lisa A. Strasser

+1 (203) 977-6006
Collinson, a global leader in customer benefits and loyalty, has announced a strategic partnership with National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia's largest banks, to offer global airport lounge access in the event of a flight delay to NAB's Rewards Signature credit card customers across Australia.

The partnership will focus on boosting credit card consideration and driving loyalty to new and existing NAB customers by offering complimentary airport lounge access in the event of a flight delay. NAB will utilise Collinson's innovative parametric service SmartDelay, providing customers and up to 4 travelling companions real time access to airport lounges in the event of a 60-minute flight delay.

Alex Lawrence, Global Head of SmartDelay, Collinson said: "NAB supports 10 million customers and it's an opportunity to be partnering with them to bring SmartDelay to their exclusive credit card customers. At a time when customers are asking more from their banks, and banks are looking for relevant products that customers truly value, NAB has been forward-thinking and proactive in its approach to boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. We are excited to be partners in driving our strategic growth ambitions."

With the latest flight delay statistics indicating that almost one in four flights globally are delayed by at least 15 minutes and with 133 million travellers across the globe impacted by flight delays of over one hour, there is an increasing need to address airline travellers' growing stress and anxiety when they embark on their journeys. SmartDelay provides access to over 1500 airport lounges or alternative benefits such as spa, sleep pods and restaurant vouchers for travellers experiencing flight delays.

Tim Peters, Executive Personal Lending Experience, NAB said: "The NAB Rewards Signature card is now the perfect partner for a customer's next overseas trip or holiday at home and comes with exciting and enhanced holiday rewards. These changes are all about giving our customers more travel rewards and peace of mind in the event of travel delays and disruptions. The introduction of SmartDelay brings a fresh perspective to the customer proposition and, with just a few clicks, customers can wait for their delayed flight in the comfort of a lounge.

Issued by Rein4ce on behalf of Collinson

About Collinson

Collinson International's flight disruption assistance service gives airline passengers, who have registered their flight, access to an airport lounge or alternative benefit in case of a flight delay or cancellation. Collinson Insurance specialty lines, travel and accident health insurance, includes underwriting capacity, insurance products and access to expert TPAs in the UK and Europe. Priority Pass is the world's original and market-leading airport experiences programme. We provide travellers with access to over 1,500 airport lounges and travel experiences in over 700 airports in 148 countries.

www.collinsongroup.com

About NAB

At National Australia Bank (NAB) Group, relationships are our strength. We are here to serve customers well and help our communities prosper. More than 38,000 colleagues at the bank provide 10 million customers with secure, easy and reliable banking services. More than 90% of the Group's workforce are in Australia and New Zealand, with the wider team located in parts of Asia, London, New York and Paris. NAB is proud to be Australia's biggest business lender. We stand by our customers, and they have our ongoing support.

National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905681655/en/

Contacts:

Imogen Morrison: Imogen.Morrison@rein4ce.co.uk, +44 (0)7718 127431
Patent Pending, DuPont Tyvek TrifectaA2 Fire-Rated Breather Membrane compliments the DuPont AirGuard A2 FR AVCL and completes the DuPont Fire Performance System. Available in the United Kingdom.

LONDON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont Performance Building Solutions, a leading innovator in material science, has announced that it has won the 2024 R&D 100 award, specifically in the Mechanical/Materials category, with Tyvek Trifecta, the latest generation breather membrane. For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as "The Oscars of Innovation."

Launched in May 2024, Tyvek Trifecta offers exceptional fire safety and moisture protection, making it an ideal solution for external walls of high-rise buildings. It is a non-combustible breather membrane designed to provide all the benefits of a standard Tyvek breather membrane, but with A2-s1, d0 Class Fire Performance to the current European Fire Classification Standard EN 13501-1. It surpasses current UK Building Regulations, which require membranes to meet Class B.

The combination of Tyvek Trifecta and Airguard A2 FR Tape creates a fire-retardant system compatible with the United Kingdom's stringent building regulations for fire safety. The patent pending design also enables a significantly lighter weight and longer UV resistance making it easier to install.

"We're thrilled that Tyvek Trifecta has been recognised as a new innovation that helps enhance fire safety and moisture protection standards for the construction industry," said Andrea Albert, Shelter Solutions EMEA Marketing Leader at DuPont. "Receiving these awards exemplifies the commitment and dedication our teams display to deliver essential innovations for the construction industry."

For more information on DuPont Tyvek Trifecta and the DuPont AirGuard FR System Tape, please visit the product page.

About DuPont Performance Building Solutions

Grounded in science, DuPont Performance Building Solutions and Corian Design are working alongside those who also seek a sustainable tomorrow to help people thrive at home and in their communities for years to come. By developing solutions for managing the air, water and thermal performance of buildings and residences, we help our customers build energy-efficient, resilient, and durable shelters in a rapidly changing world. Backed by unmatched industry insight, building knowledge, and technical support, as well as world-class brands such as Styrofoam Brand, Tyvek, and Great Stuff, our products and services portfolio enables customers to focus on what they do best, no matter where and how they choose to build.

About DuPont Water & Protection

DuPont Water & Protection is a global leader in products and solutions that protect what matters - people, structures, and the environment - and enables its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale, and iconic brands including Corian, Kevlar, Nomex, Tyvek, Styrofoam, and Filmtec.

About DuPont

DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare, and worker safety. More information about the company, its businesses, and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com.

DuPont, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with , - or  are owned by affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. unless otherwise noted.

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The global gear market is growing due to increases in vehicle production, rising demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, and advancements in transmission technologies.

WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Automotive Gears Market by Application (Transmission, Differential and Steering System), Type (Spur, Helical, Rack and Pinion, Worm and Others), and Material (Metallic and Non-Metallic): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the automotive gears market was valued at $5.1 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $8.0 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2024 to 2033.

The expanding automotive industry, particularly in emerging economies, along with the growing popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles, further drives the market. Additionally, consumer preference for smoother driving experiences and enhanced vehicle performance contributes to the demand for high-quality gears. Innovations in gear manufacturing processes and materials also play a significant role in market expansion.

Request Sample of the Report on Automotive Gears Market Forecast 2033:

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A12240

Prime determinants of growth

The gears market is expected to expand due to rising vehicle production, a growing demand for fuel-efficient and high-performance vehicles, and advancements in transmission technology. Nonetheless, high production costs and the transition to electric vehicles, which need fewer gears, pose challenges. Opportunities exist in technological advancements, including the development of lightweight materials and enhanced gear designs, as well as the increasing popularity of hybrid vehicles that continue to use traditional gear systems.

Market Segments

By Type

The spur gear segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period.

The spur gear segment is anticipated to experience faster growth in the gear market due to the expanding applications in industries like construction, mining, and agriculture. Spur gears are the most popular type of gear system. They are cylindrical in shape and employed in a variety of industrial applications. Spur gears are composed of toothed components and are noted for their great dependability, durability, and efficacy, as well as their ability to provide the continuous positive speed drive required for industrial applications.

Procure Complete Report (324 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/automotive-gears-market-A12240

By Application

The differential systems segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period.

The differential systems segment is anticipated to experience growth in the gear market, owing to its increase in adoption of advanced equipment for enhanced efficiency and safety. Gears facilitate swift attachment and detachment of construction machinery attachments, reducing downtime and boosting productivity on job sites. In addition, stringent safety regulations in the construction industry drive demand for gear with advanced safety features, further fueling market growth in this segment.

By Material

The non-metallic segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period.

The non-metallic segment is anticipated to experience growth in the gear market. Non-metallic gears are typically made from materials such as plastics, composites, and high-performance polymers. One of the key benefits of these materials is their flexibility, as their modulus of elasticity is approximately 100 times lower than that of metals. This lower modulus of elasticity allows non-metallic gears to absorb shock loads and vibrations more effectively, resulting in quieter and smoother operation. Furthermore, this flexibility enables the real contact ratio of non-metallic gears to exceed the ideal value, enhancing their performance under various operating conditions.

By Region

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2033.

Asia-Pacific is expected to maintain its dominance in the gear market by 2033 owing to robust industrialization, infrastructural development, and growing investments in construction and manufacturing sectors. The growing need for fuel-efficient automobiles and lightweight automotive parts propels the industry forward. Furthermore, lightweight, and highly robust aluminum and composite gears are expected to gain popularity during the forecast period. For instance, NORD introduced the SK 920072.1 two-stage helical bevel gear motor (mounted with a NORD motor), a driving solution for a variety of light-duty conveying, processing, and manufacturing applications. It is distinguished by its high strength yet lightweight design.

To Talk With Our Industry Expert @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/A12240

Players: -

BorgWarner Inc.

Gleason Corporation

Klingelnberg GmbH

David Brown Santasalo

SEW-EURODRIVE

HOFLER Maschinenbau GmbH

Bonfiglioli Group

Sumitomo Drive Technologies

RENK AG

Nord Drivesystems

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global gears market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

Recent Industry News

In April 2022, Manuli Hydraulics, announced the launch of MQS-FEH Extra Heavy Duty quick coupling, which was disgned for use in high-vibration situations.

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Car Sharing Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Vehicle Type, by Application, by Model, by Area: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/car-sharing-market-A07125

Car Carrier Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Type, by End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/car-carrier-market-A67033

About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact:

David Correa

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Corporation Trust Center,

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Delaware 19801 USA.

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TOKYO, Sept 5, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today the presentation of research across various types of cancer from its oncology portfolio and pipeline during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024, which is taking place virtually and in-person in Barcelona, Spain from September 13 to 17.First presentation of results from the first interim analysis of the Phase 3 LEAP-012 trial evaluating lenvatinib(LENVIMA(R)), the orally available multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor discovered by Eisai, plus pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA(R)), the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, in combination withtransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of patients with unresectable, non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) will be featured in an ESMO Presidential Symposium (NCT04246177;Presentation: LBA3)."The late-breaking data from the Phase 3 LEAP-012 trial add to a growing body of research that we have undertaken in hepatocellular carcinoma, reinforcing Eisai's longstanding commitment to people living with thisdevastating disease," said Dr. Takashi Owa, Chief Scientific Officer, Senior Vice President, Eisai Co., Ltd. "We are eager to share these findings at ESMO, alongside our other research on lenvatinib monotherapy and incombination with pembrolizumab, and pipeline developments, as this crucial scientific exchange fuels our mission to accelerate progress in oncology and help improve the lives of patients and families affected by cancer."Additionally, a Mini Oral presentation will feature real-world evidence for patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) treated with lenvatinib monotherapy in Europe and Canada (Presentation: #1926MO). Research into the use of lenvatinib monotherapy in patients with HCC from the Phase 4STELLAR study (Presentation: #964P) and from a real-world study utilizing the LINK (Liver cancer IN Korea) research network (Presentation: #972P) will be shared in poster presentations. An exploratory analysis from the Phase 3 LEAP-001 trial evaluating tumor response with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma will also be presented (NCT03884101; Presentation: #737P).Research from Eisai's pipeline includes a quality-of-life analysis from the Phase 3 EMERALD study in Japan evaluating either Eisai's eribulin (HALAVEN(R)) or a taxane in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab inpatients with HER2-positive, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (NCT03264547; Presentation: #373P); findings from a Phase 1b dose-expansion cohort evaluating E7386 (a CBP/beta- catenin interaction inhibitor) in combination with lenvatinib in patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma with progression following prior anti-PD-(L)1 immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy (NCT04008797; Presentation: #738P); as well as presentations for BB-1701, an antibody drug conjugate which combines an anti-HER2 antibody with Eisai's approved anticancer drug eribulin via its linker, inpreviously-treated patients with HER2-positive or HER2-low unresectable or metastatic breast cancer (NCT06188559; Presentation: #437TiP) and non-small cell lung cancer patients with HER2 mutation/amplification(Presentation: #1296P; presented by Bliss Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd), respectively.This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval.The full list of Eisai presentations is included below. Regular abstracts will be made available via the ESMO websiteon Monday, September 9, at 12:05 AM Central European Summer Time (CEST). Late-breaking abstracts accepted for presentation at ESMO as a Proffered Paper or Mini Oral will be published on the ESMO website at12:05 AM CEST on the day of the presentation. Posters will be on display from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CEST on the day of their poster session.In March 2018, Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada), through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co- development and co-commercialization of lenvatinib, both as monotherapy and in combination with the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck &Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, pembrolizumab. Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA are studying the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab combination through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program in various tumor types across multiple clinical trials.In May 2023, Eisai entered into a joint clinical trial collaboration agreement with Bliss Biopharmaceutical (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Zhejiang Province, China, "BlissBio"), for BB-1701, a HER2-targeting antibody drug conjugate (ADC), with option rights for a strategic collaboration. Eisai is currently investigating BB-1701 in a Phase 2 clinical trial in Japan and the United States for breast cancer, and BlissBio is investigating aPhase 1/2 clinical trial in the United States and China for HER2-expressing solid tumors.1. Eisai's Focus on CancerEisai acknowledges "Oncology" as one of its key strategic areas, and will continue to focus on the discovery and development of anti-cancer drugs within drug discovery domains including tumor microenvironment, proteostasis disruption, cell linage and cell differentiation, and -inflammation, hypoxia, oxidative stress and cell senescence under the Deep Human Biology Learning (DHBL) drug discovery and development organization. Eisai aspires to discover innovative new drugs with new targets and mechanisms of action from these domains with the aim of contributing to the cure of cancers.(1) KEYTRUDA(R) is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.(2) E7386 is created through collaboration research between Eisai and PRISM BioLab Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kanagawa)(3) The presentation with TiP (Trial in Progress Submission) attached to the abstract number indicates that the study is in the intermediate stage, and the presentation does not report the final study results.(4) The majority of participants in the Phase 3 LEAP-012 trial had intermediate stage HCC per Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging, however, the study also enrolled participants with other BCLC stagesMedia Inquiries:Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120Source: EisaiCopyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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IATF2025 will build on past successful editions in promoting trade and investment across Africa

ALGIERS, Algeria, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 35,000 visitors from more than 140 countries across the world are expected to converge in Algiers, Algeria from 4- 10 September 2025 to attend the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025), Africa's premier trade and investment event.

During the week-long fair, more than 2,000 exhibitors, including businesses from the African continent and globally, will be showcasing their goods and services to the visitors and buyers while exploring opportunities and exchanging information. This is projected to translate into over US$44 billion in trade and investment deals.

Hosted by the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria under the theme 'Gateway to New Opportunities', the week-long event offers a platform for boosting trade and investment. It aims to tap into opportunities from the single market of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) of over 1.4 billion people and a GDP of over US$3.5 trillion. The fair is held biennially by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat.

The Chairman of the Advisory Council of IATF and former President of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said: "The IATF has distinguished itself as an instrument for promoting intra-African trade and investment by enabling businesses to interact and access trade and market information opportunities. Over $100 billion in trade and investment deals have been closed cumulatively with over 70,000 visitors and more than 4,500 exhibitors participating in the last three editions of IATF. We welcome African businesses to tap into the opportunities to market, grow sales, expand to new markets and to exchange ideas with peers. We thank our host, Algeria, which is one of the continent's more advanced economies".

Heads of State and Governments, Ministers of Trade, Finance, Culture and other ministries as well as high profile business, small & medium enterprises and industry leaders are expected to attend IATF2025.

Chief Obasanjo added "IATF is the largest, holistic trade fair championing the continent's growth and development. It serves as a collaborative platform for driving shared aspirations for prosperity and stability, as envisioned by AfCFTA. It is a strong backbone for meaningful transformation of Africa and enhancing resilience by creating a gateway to new opportunities for economies and businesses through intra-African trade and investment.

Key activities lined up for IATF2025 include a trade exhibition by countries and businesses; the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme with a dedicated exhibition and summit covering fashion, music, film, arts and craft, sports, literature, gastronomy and culinary arts; a four-day Trade and Investment Forum featuring leading African and international speakers; and the Africa Automotive Show for auto manufacturers, assemblers, original equipment manufacturers and component suppliers. There will be Special Days dedicated for countries as well as public and private entities to showcase trade and investment opportunities, and tourism and cultural attractions, as well as IATF Diaspora Day which highlights commercial and cultural ties between Africa and its diaspora, featuring a Diaspora Summit, market and exhibition, cultural and gastronomic showcase. Also planned is a business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) platform for matchmaking and business exchanges; the AU Youth Start-Up programme showcasing innovative ideas and prototypes; the Africa Research and Innovation Platform @IATF for university students, academia and national researchers to exhibit innovations; and the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network to promote trade, investment, educational and cultural exchanges at the local level. The IATF Virtual platform is already live, connecting exhibitors and visitors throughout the year.

To participate in IATF2025 please visit www.intrafricantradefair.com.

About the Intra-African Trade Fair

Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.

Media contact: media@intrafricatradefair.com

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DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pfizer announces the appointment of Elif Aral as Regional President for Middle East, Russia, and Africa (MERA) effective September 2024 to spearhead operations in the region and bring scientific breakthroughs in vaccines, oncology, rare diseases, internal medicine, hospitals, and inflammation and immunology.

In her new role, in addition to overseeing all therapeutic areas within the MERA region, Elif will drive strategic initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access and equity, working closely with regional partners and governments to ensure Pfizer's leading portfolio and breakthroughs reach those who need them.

Commenting on the recent appointment, Elif said, "I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how Pfizer has evolved and transformed the medical industry for nearly three decades - almost my entire career. Additionally, I have seen how the company's leadership prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, not only for the patients in the markets they serve but also for employees at all levels and regions. I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter with Pfizer and am particularly honored to be the first woman to hold a presidential role at the company in the region".

She added, "As I take on this new role, my foremost goal is to build upon the strong foundation we have established across the MERA region over the past 70 years. I am deeply committed to ensuring that our global innovative treatments and breakthrough therapies are not only developed but also made accessible as we continue to bridge the healthcare equity gap, working together with our dedicated teams and partners to drive meaningful change and improve health outcomes for communities across the region."

Elif Aral began her journey with Pfizer in 1995, with a career marked by significant achievements. Most recently, she led Pfizer's 'An Accord for a Healthier World' initiative, where she collaborated with cross-functional teams to provide current and future Pfizer medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis in 45 lower-income countries. The initiative aims to reduce the health equity gap by ensuring affordable access to essential medications and addressing systemic barriers that hinder patient access to healthcare.

Prior to leading Accord, Elif worked as the CV Metabolic and Global Brands Lead in Internal Medicine where she was responsible for overseeing a portfolio of over 200 medicines, working globally to enhance performance and ensure the supply of crucial medications to patients. Elif also served as the Vaccines Lead for Emerging Markets, managing a $1.4 billion portfolio. Elif holds a degree in Economics from Istanbul University and has completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School, Wharton, Kellogg Executive Education, and the Management Center of Europe.

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients' Lives

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments, and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2496194/Pfizer_Elif_Aral.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pfizer-appoints-elif-aral-as-regional-president-for-the-middle-east-russia--africa-302239204.html
New survey data from Melapress highlights a troubling disconnect between security concerns and action among WordPress users.

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / 47% of users who have never experienced a breach do not have a recovery plan in place, despite 65% identifying data theft and loss as a primary security concern. A recent survey conducted by Melapress has revealed a significant gap between WordPress administrators' security concerns and the measures they take to protect their websites. Despite recognizing the importance of security, many users fail to implement basic practices that could shield their sites from common threats.

2FA installation statistics

The image explains the 2FA usage amongs those concerned about compliance.

The survey, which gathered responses from WordCamp Europe attendees and online participants, reveals that a staggering 58% of users concerned about regulatory compliance do not employ Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). This is particularly concerning given that 2FA is often considered best practice when it comes to regulatory compliance. Without it, these users are not only leaving their websites vulnerable to unauthorized access but also risking non-compliance with key security regulations designed to protect sensitive data.

Even more concerning, 41% of users worried about weak passwords admit to not enforcing any password policies. This oversight exposes their websites to preventable breaches caused by easily guessed or reused passwords.

Robert Abela, Melapress's CEO commented, "The data shows that, although many WordPress users are aware of important security threats, there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of bridging the gap between awareness and action. It's crucial for WordPress website owners and administrators to prioritize implementing basic security measures to protect their websites."

The survey also highlights a confidence gap among users: 57.9% of those who outsource their WordPress security management feel they lack the technical expertise to understand security products. This suggests a growing need for more accessible, user-friendly security solutions and educational resources to empower all WordPress users, regardless of their technical background.

Other key survey findings include:

72% of WordPress website owners administrators have experienced at least one security breach.

47% of users who have never experienced a breach do not have a recovery plan in place, despite 65% identifying data theft and loss as a primary security concern.

After a breach, 33% of affected users still don't implement a breach recovery plan.

Users who don't train their team members are 30% more likely to experience at least one breach.

For those interested in a more detailed breakdown of the survey results and practical recommendations for improving WordPress security, check out the full WP Security Statistics Report.

About Melapress

Melapress is a leading provider of WordPress security solutions, offering a comprehensive range of plugins designed to help users safeguard their websites. With a commitment to transparency, customer service, and continuous improvement, Melapress empowers WordPress administrators to take proactive control of their website security.

Contact Information

Robert Abela

CEO

robert@melapress.com

+31 (0)10 3071847

SOURCE: Melapress

View the original press release on newswire.com.
TTP Group is a leading engineering firm specializing in biotech and pharmaceutical industry

The company serves blue-chip clients in Europe

TTP Group employs 1,000 people across 27 locations under the operational brands Pharmaplan and Triplan

Exyte CEO Buchele: "With the acquisition of TTP, Exyte expands its position as a global player in the pharma market, strengthening its footprint in Europe."

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Exyte, a global leader in the design, engineering, and delivery of high-tech facilities, intends to acquire TTP Group ("TTP"), a leading firm in consulting and engineering for the pharmaceutical and chemical industry in Europe. TTP's portfolio encompasses a wide range of engineering services, from feasibility studies, basic and detailed engineering, to construction management, as well as commissioning, qualification, and validation services. Exyte and the financial investor Robus Capital along with minority shareholders of TTP have signed the respective definite agreements. The purchase price has been agreed to remain confidential. The transaction is subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

TTP is a specialized and a trusted partner for blue-chip clients in the biotech, pharma and chemical industries in Europe. The company, through its two operational brands 'Pharmaplan' and 'Triplan,' covers the entire service spectrum from Engineering to Procurement, Construction Management, and Validation. Exyte will combine TTP's operations with its own Biopharma and Life Sciences activities in Europe. The goal is to create a strong partner for the booming European biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.

TTP executes a variety of projects, ranging from revamps of existing plants to the realization of future plants. The company has a strategic footprint in Europe and maintains a network of 27 locations in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland. In 2023, about 1,000 employees[1] generated sales of some 170 million. In the coming years, TTP intends to continue the strong profitable growth of recent years.

"By combining TTP's engineering expertise with Exyte's project execution capabilities, we will establish a robust presence in the biotech and pharma sector in Europe. This will enable us to offer clients the full range of collaboration, from strategic planning to the delivery of biotechnology and pharma facilities. With the planned acquisition, Exyte expands its position as a global player in the pharma market, strengthening its footprint in Europe. TTP's employees are experienced and specialized experts, including engineers, architects, and project managers. Their expertise and innovative spirit will make a significant contribution to Exyte's sustainable, profitable growth. We look forward to welcoming them soon to the Exyte team," says Dr. Wolfgang Buchele, CEO of Exyte.

"TTP and Exyte share the same values and the ambition to offer innovative and sustainable solutions to their customers. Together, we will continue our growth trajectory in the booming pharmaceutical facilities market. The combination of our strengths is a positive signal for our customers. We look forward to a shared future with Exyte," says Dr. Andreas Bonhoff, CEO of the TTP Group.

Investments in facilities due to megatrends and technological advancements

Investments in production facilities in the pharmaceutical sector are expected to continue to rise in the coming years. Population growth and aging lead to increasing demands for medical substances and products. In addition, technical innovations such as mRNA technology and the securing of supply chains require new and additional manufacturing capacities. Investments in existing and new facilities are also necessary due to increasing sustainability requirements. Short time-to-market, flexibility, and digital solutions are central elements in the engineering and construction of new facilities.

"The pharmaceutical industry, in particular, is facing exciting times ahead. Companies have many promising prospects on the horizon, with groundbreaking cell and gene therapies becoming increasingly available. With the acquisition of TTP, Exyte strengthens its presence in Europe. Together we will deliver sustainable high-tech facilities to improve the health and wellbeing of the world's population," says Ronan Donohue, President of Exyte's Global Business Unit Biopharma and Life Sciences.

Strategic expansion of Biopharma and Life Sciences

The Global Business Unit Biopharma and Life Sciences is the second-largest segment of Exyte by sales. Revenue of Biopharma and Life Sciences reached 580 million in 2023. The order intake grew by 12 percent to 650 million. As part of the "Next Level" agenda, the segment's revenue is expected to continue growing, with its share of total sales increasing further. In the medium term, Exyte's business segment Biopharma and Life Sciences plans to achieve more than 1.5 billion in revenue. Recently, Exyte completed the fastest greenfield drug substance facilities ever built. Less than 22 months passed from the start of concept design to the validation of the first production line in a mRNA competence center in Germany.

About Exyte

Exyte is a global leader in the design, engineering, and delivery of ultra-clean and sustainable facilities for high-tech industries. With cutting-edge expertise developed over more than a century, the company serves clients in the sophisticated markets of semiconductors, battery cells, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and data centers. Exyte offers a full range of services from consulting to managing the implementation of built complete solutions with the highest standards in safety and quality to its customers worldwide. Exyte creates a better future by enabling key industries to enhance the quality of modern life. In 2023, the company generated sales of 7.1 billion with around 9,900 employees worldwide. www.exyte.net

About TTP

TTP Group is a corporate group specializing in consulting and engineering services for the process industry. With more than 1,000 employees working under the operational brands Pharmaplan and Triplan, the company operates at 27 locations in Belgium, Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland. Pharmaplan covers the entire value chain of pharmaceutical engineering, from consulting to the execution of EPCM projects and upgrades, qualification and validation as well as local site support. Triplan, as a leading engineering partner for the chemical industry, provides the technical development of new construction, renovation projects, and the optimization of existing facilities. With its two strong brands, established for over 50 years, the TTP Group is considered one of the leading engineering service providers in Europe. www.ttp-group.eu

1. Full Time Equivalent (FTE).

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2496453/Exyte.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1487100/Exyte_Logo.jpg

Contact:

Samy Abdel Aal

Public Relations Manager

Phone: +49 711 88044696

Mobile: +49 172 840 33 01

samy.abdelaal@exyte.net

www.exyte.net

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/exyte-acquires-ttp-group-to-accelerate-growth-of-biopharma-and-life-sciences-business-302239012.html
Valeo Foods Group, one of Europe's leading producers of quality sweets, treats and snacks, has agreed to acquire I.D.C. Holding, a major independent producer of quality wafers, biscuits, confectionary and chocolate in Central and Eastern Europe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905034061/en/

Pecivarne Sered production site. (Photo: Business Wire)

First established in Slovakia over a century ago, I.D.C. Holding is a transformative addition to Valeo Foods Group's expanding portfolio. Producing a wide range of branded wafer, biscuit, sugar confectionary and seasonal chocolate products, I.D.C. Holding is a natural fit with Valeo Foods Group's sweet snacking platform and would form the cornerstone for its operations in the fast-growing Eastern European market.

I.D.C. Holding produces some of the most prestigious and recognisable sweet snack brands across Slovakia, Czech, Poland and Hungary. The Horalky, Mila and Lina brands hold the prestigious positions within the Czech and Slovak markets with strong consumer recognition and loyalty throughout the Region. In 2023, I.D.C. Holding had net sales of almost 200 million. They currently employ approximately 1,150 people.

I.D.C. Holding's highly branded product portfolio is a strong fit for Valeo's existing business and offers the opportunity for significant expansion of Valeo Foods Group. This includes its CandyPlus operation in the Czech Republic, Balconi business in Italy, Schluckwerder business in Germany among other markets and products. Together, they will offer customers a broad and compelling portfolio of sweet snacking products backed by high-quality manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

The acquisition will deliver synergies across the value-chain and leverage Valeo Foods Group's international sales platform. These efforts will substantially enhance the business's global performance, representing a pivotal step in Valeo Foods ambition to become a truly international enterprise.

Ronald Kers, Chief Executive Officer of Valeo Foods Group, said, "This is a transformative acquisition for Valeo Foods Group. The inclusion of I.D.C. Holding within Valeo Foods Group will enhance our industry position, drive further growth in our portfolio and international footprint and allow us to meet growing consumer demand in this segment. We are delighted that the team at I.D.C. Holding share our confidence and ambition to be the major sweet treats player in Europe."

Pavol Jakubec, Owner of I.D.C. Holding said, "After 32 years of developing I.D.C. Holding from a local, traditional confectionary business into a major regional player in the category, operating from best-in-class manufacturing facilities, it is the right time for a new chapter in the development of this company. I am very excited to transition the business to Valeo Foods Group, who have a great track record of acquiring and successfully growing businesses in this space and are the best partner to work with our employees and business partners to support I.D.C. Holding in further growth and expansion."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and is expected to complete later in 2024.

About I.D.C. Holding

I.D.C. Holding is a major manufacturer of high-quality sweets products in Slovakia with a turnover of almost 200 million annually. The portfolio includes traditional and iconic brands such as Horalky, Mila, Lina, Kavenky, Goralki, Moments, Verbena and many others. The Group employs more than 1,150 people across three production sites located in Slovakia and three subsidiaries in Czech, Hungary and Poland.

About Valeo Foods Group

Valeo Foods Group is one of Europe's fastest growing food groups and one of Europe's leading producers and purveyors of quality sweets, treats and snacks. With revenues in excess of 1.5 billion, the Valeo Foods portfolio includes over 80 brands enjoyed by customers in over 106 countries around the world including Balconi, Pedro, Carstens, Jacobs, Barrat, Fox's Mints, Taveners, Poppets, Rowse Honey and Maple Crest. The Group employs over 4,500 people across 30 manufacturing facilities and offices in the UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Canada. Valeo Foods Group is owned by leading global investment firm Bain Capital.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905034061/en/

Contacts:

Media Enquiries on behalf of Valeo Foods Group:

Robert Brown, Associate Partner, Reputation Inc

rbrown@reputation-inc.com

+353 85 725 2626
Sheeted veining discovered within hornfels altered sedimentary rocks flanking a granitic intrusion within the Tombstone Gold Belt.

Outcrop sampling returned up to 7.25 g/t gold with 240 ppm Bismuth and 5.23 ppm Tellurium.

Located near infrastructure 14 km south of the North Canol Highway near Fireweed Metals' Macpass Project.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG)(OTCQB:TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its 2024 exploration program at the Rye Project (the "Project"), which consisted of geological mapping, soil sampling and property-wide airborne LiDAR surveying. The Company successfully identified new areas of mineralization within the Itsi pluton and its surrounding hornfels altered sedimentary rocks.

The Rye Project is situated between two Mid-Cretaceous granitic intrusions in the eastern portion of Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. It is well located, only 14 km from the North Canol Highway, 15 km from Fireweed Metals Corp.'s Macpass Project, and 95 km from Snowline Gold Corp.'s Valley Gold Deposit. Mapping focused on characterizing vein densities and collecting structural measurements within and adjacent to the Itsi pluton. Results from vein material collected near this contact are tabulated below.

Sample Description Au (g/t) Bi (ppm) Te (ppm) D007367 Outcrop sample, quartz vein in granodiorite adjacent to mm-scale sheeted veining (~7/metre) 7.25 240 5.23 D007366 Outcrop sample of arsenopyrite-bearing quartz vein from a zone of sheeted veining mm to 2 cm scale (~6/metre) 1.01 242 16.35 D007387 Arsenopyrite vein in outcrop 3.09 372 11.85 D007373 Grab from top of float train at ridge crest 5.85 1080 6.59 D007370 Grab sample, quartz in float with arsenopyrite 2.72 199.5 3.2

Most of the contact between the Itsi intrusion and the hornfelsed metasediments is covered by large talus fields and glacial colluvium. Intense fracturing and veining have been identified in outcrop within the hornfelsed metasediments, adjacent to intrusive contact, as pictured below. These highly prospective areas have not yet been sampled.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Grid soil sampling in the southern portion of the property better defined an area of overlapping anomalous gold, bismuth and tellurium geochemistry that extends through the mapped hornfels altered sediments to the boundary with the Itsi intrusion.

Finally, a LiDAR ("Light Detection and Ranging") survey was completed over the property to help identify structural features and gain a baseline elevation model, which is necessary for establishing an effective 3-D model for future drilling.

Analytical work for the Rye Project was performed by ALS Minerals, with sample preparation in Whitehorse, Yukon and assays and geochemical analyses in North Vancouver, British Columbia. All rock and soil samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay fusion and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (Au-ICP21) and 51 other elements by aqua regia digestion and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ME-MS41).

Exploration Update

The Company was awarded Yukon Mineral Exploration Program ("YMEP") grants for Target Evaluation at both the Rye Project and its Lance Project. Under the YMEP, the Yukon Government provides successful applicants funding to support mineral exploration activities for 50% of eligible expenditures to a maximum of $50,000. Work at the Lance Project is complete, and results are being compiled.

Crews and equipment are now demobilized from the Mt. Hinton Project where Trifecta completed a property wide Z-Tipper Electromagnetic (ZTEM) and magnetic survey, road and drill pad construction, mapping, prospecting and soil sampling. Due to equipment issues, drilling at Mt. Hinton was limited to one hole at the 85 vein. Results of this work will be released once assays are received and can be compiled and evaluated.

Tombstone Gold Belt

Extending for more than 1000 km from the Fairbanks district in Alaska eastward across the entire width of Yukon, the Tombstone Gold Belt hosts many large RIRGS mines such as Fort Knox in Alaska (>10 million oz), the recently suspended Eagle mine in Yukon (>4 million oz) and the past-producing Brewery Creek Mine, also in Yukon. Since May 2020 over 17 million additional ounces of gold have been discovered in the Yukon portion of the belt, including Snowline Gold's Tier 1 Valley discovery, Sitka Gold's RC deposit, Banyan Gold's AurMac deposits and Victoria Gold's Raven deposit.

Tombstone Gold Belt systems are characterized by sheeted, auriferous quartz veins forming in the carapace zones of Cretaceous-age plutons. They have a characteristic geochemical signature with a gold-bismuth-telluriumtungsten core within a broader gold-arsenic halo. The deposits are found within and surrounding the reduced intrusions, and typically exhibit a geophysical signature comprising a magnetic low (ie. reduced) coinciding with at conductivity low. Veining in RIRGS systems is typically zoned with a core of sheeted veins surrounded by more discrete gold-arsenic veins and more distal silver-lead-zinc veins.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Trifecta's Vice President, Jackson Morton, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.

About Trifecta Gold Ltd.

Trifecta is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration company dedicated to increasing shareholder value through the discovery and development of 100% held gold projects in Yukon and Nevada. Trifecta has secured an option to acquire a 100% interest in Mt. Hinton, Rye and 9 other highly prospective, intrusion-related gold projects located in Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt where over 17 million ounces of gold have been discovered since May 2020. Initial drilling at the Company's Yuge Gold Project, located in northern Nevada, has identified multiple broad zones of gold mineralization near historical high-grade mines. The Company's Eureka Project hosts an 8 x 2.5 kilometre belt of surface showings and anomalous gold-in-soil that straddle the headwaters of two of the most productive placer creeks in Yukon's southern Klondike Goldfields. Trifecta's Treble Project covers a large hydrothermal system, located midway between Western Copper and Gold Corporation's Casino Deposit, the largest copper and gold deposit in the Yukon, and Rockhaven Resources Ltd.'s Klaza Deposit, a high-grade gold-silver deposit.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Richard Drechsler"

President and CEO

For further information concerning Trifecta or its various exploration projects please visit www.trifectagold.com or contact:

Corporate Information

Trifecta Gold Ltd.

Richard Drechsler

President, CEO & Director

Tel: (604) 687-2522

This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: Trifecta Gold Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX:HSN), a leading global provider of software and services to the energy, water and communications industries, is pleased to announce that its Customer Information System, Hansen CIS, has been selected by Norwegian distribution service operator (DSO), Area Nett AS.

Area Nett AS is the grid owner in Northern Norway and ensures electricity supply to Gamvik, Lebesby, Karasjok, Masy, Nordkapp, Porsanger, and parts of Hammerfest. Hansen's collaboration with Area Nett AS dates back to 2006. In 2016, however, Area Nett AS became a member of the purchasing collaboration with the Nettalliansen, which resulted in Area Nett AS temporarily switching to another KIS solution at the end of 2022. With this new agreement, Area Nett AS rejoins Hansen's established customer base in Norway and other markets.

Area Nett AS will have access to the latest cloud-based functionality available, delivered as SaaS, and optimised for more efficient operational operations. The agreement also includes access to the new Hansen CIS user interface and the new self-service platform for end users.

Ingmar Hermansen, Head of Customer, Area Nett AS, commented: "Area Nett AS is pleased to select Hansen as our key technology partner for customer information systems, enabling us to adopt the latest functionalities tailored to DSO requirements."

Baard Eilertsen, Executive Vice President for Energy Utilities, EMEA Region at Hansen, commented: "We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Area Nett AS, and this agreement is significant for Hansen as it signals our intent to expand our market share in the electricity distributor domain in Norway. Delivering a host of new, advanced capabilities in an easy-to-implement SaaS model ensures that DSOs and retailers alike can seamlessly capitalise upon a modern approach to customer engagement."

For further information about Hansen Technologies, please visit www.hansencx.com.

About Hansen

Hansen Technologies (ASX: HSN) is a leading global provider of software and services to the energy, water and communications industries. With its award-winning software portfolio, Hansen serves customers in over 80 countries, helping them to create, sell, and deliver new products and services, manage and analyse customer data, and control critical revenue management and customer support processes.

For more information, visit www.hansencx.com

About Area Nett AS

Area Nett AS is an electricity distributor in northern Norway, providing services to Gamvik, Lebesby, Karasjok, Masy, Nordkapp, Porsanger, and parts of Hammerfest. The company is part of the group Infranord SA, a merger of energy companies Luostejok, Nordkyn and Repvag.

For more information, visit https://area.no/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905082050/en/

Contacts:

Adnan Bashir

Global Lead, External Communications

Hansen Technologies

+1 647-204-0999
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Verny Capital (Verny), in partnership with the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation (the Foundation) and Zhyly Zhurek Foundation, announces the opening of two new state-of-the-art schools in Kazakhstan's Almaty region. Located in the city of Esik and the village of Shelek, each school will accommodate 900 students to improve the region's educational infrastructure.

These schools, funded by Beeline Kazakhstan and ForteBank - both part of the Verny group - represent a key development to address the critical need for a greater number of educational facilities in the Almaty region. The new schools are expected to relieve overcrowding in existing institutions and help mitigate the challenges associated with three-shift schooling, as the region continues to experience a yearly increase of approximately 20,000 students.

"We are delighted to see the opening of these modern schools in Esik and Shelek, which are part of our broader commitment to improve educational opportunities across Kazakhstan," said Aidan Akanov, Chief Executive Officer of Verny Capital. "These projects exemplify how private business can effectively collaborate with local communities to address pressing social needs."

Both schools are similar to a facility completed by Verny in the city of Kosshy, in the Akmola region, last year. Each school is equipped with the latest technology and meets contemporary, global standards for inclusivity and environmental sustainability. In addition to standard classrooms, the schools offer advanced facilities to foster learning and innovation.

Marat Aitmagambetov, Director of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation said: "These schools are a testament to our commitment to fostering environments where young people can thrive. By supporting education, we are investing in the future of our country."

Each of the new schools required a donation of approximately $18 million, reflecting the scale of Verny and the Foundation's commitment to long-term social impact. Upon completion, the ownership of the schools has been transferred to local authorities, ensuring that they will serve the community for generations to come.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2497403/Bulat_Utemuratov_Foundation_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2497404/Bulat_Utemuratov_Foundation_2.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/verny-capital-opens-two-state-of-the-art-schools-in-kazakhstans-almaty-region-302239274.html
Includes 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq, 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq and 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq

Mawson Gold Limited ("Mawson" or the "Company") (TSXV:MAW)(Frankfurt:MXR)(OTC PINK:MWSNF) announces Southern Cross Gold Ltd. ("Southern Cross Gold" or "SXG") has released a new and large gold-antimony discovery drilled 100 m - 150 m below the largest historic mine at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria, Australia (Figure 5).

Highlights:

SDDSC130, reported here, shows the development of a third large, mineralized body developing beneath the most prolific historic mine at Sunday Creek . The new discovery is located 260 m and 600 m west, respectively of the Rising Sun and Apollo mineralized bodies modelled in the Company's January 2024 Exploration Target.

SDDSC130 drilled seven high-grade vein sets over a 230 m down hole interval (135 m estimated true width ("ETW") below the most productive Golden Dyke historic mining area at Sunday Creek. The hole included ten occurrences of visible gold , nine assayed intervals of > 20 g/t Au (up to 124 g/t Au) and ten assayed intervals of > 5% Sb (up to 31.5% Sb) .

Broad downhole intercepts (no lower cut) included 214.4 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 320.4 m including 94.5 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (1.5 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 419.1 m. Selected highlights include (Figures 1 and 2). 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m, including: 0.2 m @ 54.7 g/t AuEq (44.2 g/t Au, 5.6% Sb) from 358.3 m 3.8 m @ 10.7 g/t AuEq (9.8 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 359.8 m 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 1.2% Sb) from 419.1 m, including: 1.1 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 420.7 m 1.5 m @ 8.5 g/t AuEq (7.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 425.7 m 0.9 m @ 75.8 g/t AuEq (56.2 g/t Au, 10.4% Sb) from 429.7 m 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 498.8 m, including: 0.2 m @ 25.0 g/t AuEq (20.9 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 498.8 m 1.2 m @ 17.1 g/t AuEq (7.6 g/t Au, 5.0% Sb) from 500.7 m 1.1 m @ 5.7 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 505.3 m

SDDSC130 remains open in an up and down dip sense and is the first hole of several east to west trending holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141) to test beneath the Golden Dyke mine area. Nineteen holes are currently being processed and analyzed with an additional five holes in progress.

Mawson owns 96,590,910 shares of SXG (48.7%), valuing its stake at A$252.1 million (C$229.6 million) based on SXG's closing price on September 4, 2024 AEST.

Michael Hudson, Mawson Interim CEO and Executive Chairman, states: "Game on! The scale of the Sunday Creek gold-antimony system continues to grow impressively. This new discovery is located 260 m and 600 m west respectively of the Rising Sun and Apollo mineralized bodies. The expanding Sunday Creek system coupled with the 60 km of diamond drilling planned over the next year means we are well on our way to meet our aim to double the size of the Sunday Creek exploration target. Golden Dyke now joins Rising Sun and Apollo as the third high-grade mineralized domain in this exciting project.

"Our team's systematic drill approach led us to the new discovery, after we targeted the main dyke breccia host structure (the "rails" of the ladder) by N-S drilling, as previously reported in drillholes SDDSC125-126. Quickly, we were then able to drill SDDSC130, the first drill hole in an E-W orientation beneath the historic Golden Dyke mine, that intersected seven high-grade vein sets (the "rungs" of the ladder) at a high angle, over 230 m down hole interval (135 m ETW).

"The mineralization intersected in SDDSC130 remains open both up and down dip, as well as 500 m to the west towards the historic Christina mine where we have five drill holes pending results. Three additional E-W holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141 - Figures 1 and 2) have been completed, or in progress below Golden Dyke, with results pending. Given this discovery, the Company has already planned a significant number of further holes under Golden Dyke."

Drill Hole Discussion

SDDSC130 is the first hole at Golden Dyke to drill parallel to and within the dyke/breccia host structure (the ladder "rails") and at a high angle to mineralized veins (the ladder "rungs"). The hole was successful and overall intercepted eight high-grade vein sets. Beneath the historic Golden Dyke mine, seven high-grade vein sets were intersected over 230 m down hole interval (135 m ETW). The hole included ten occurrences of visible gold, nine assayed intervals of > 20 g/t Au (up to 124 g/t Au) and ten assayed intervals of > 5% Sb (up to 31.5% Sb).

Broad downhole intercepts (no lower cut) included 214.4 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 320.4 m including 94.5 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (1.5 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 419.1 m.

The hole provided a 100 m down dip extension to three existing vein sets, infill information for three vein sets in addition to two new vein sets (Figures 2 and 3). This drill hole displayed similarities in mineralization style to that of analogous holes in the upper portion of Rising Sun, demonstrating Golden Dyke is the third known significant mineralized body on the project. Further drilling in a similar orientation (parallel to the ladder 'rails' - SDDSC132, 138, 141) (Figures 2 and 3) will continue to provide information about the size and extent of mineralized shapes at depth.

This hole occurs in the geological upper portion of the mineralized system, indicated by the presence of brittle structures, open space breccias and mineralized veins, with abundant massive stibnite occurring in quartz-carbonate veins. While the grade tenor of SDDSC130 is considered significant, analogues at Rising Sun and Apollo have shown that the tenor of gold mineralization is likely to increase with depth. SDDSC130 also provided an exceptional example of continuity and width of mineralized structures at Sunday Creek, with 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m occurring 82 m down plunge of SDDSC049 (9.6 m @ 14.1 g/t AuEq (9.2 g/t Au, 2.6% Sb) - November 8, 2022) and being interpreted as a continuous vein set. Extended highlights include:

0.7 m @ 49.7 g/t AuEq (49.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 133.4 m

3.1 m @ 4.7 g/t AuEq (1.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 329.3 m, including: 1.3 m @ 8.8 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 3.6% Sb) from 329.3 m 3.7 m @ 0.7 g/t AuEq (0.6 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 334.3 m 1.3 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (0.9 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 342.5 m 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m, including: 0.2 m @ 54.7 g/t AuEq (44.2 g/t Au, 5.6% Sb) from 358.3 m 3.8 m @ 10.7 g/t AuEq (9.8 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 359.8 m 2.1 m @ 2.1 g/t AuEq (1.6 g/t Au, 0.3% Sb) from 372.0 m 1.9 m @ 2.2 g/t AuEq (1.6 g/t Au, 0.3% Sb) from 377.0 m, including: 0.3 m @ 8.4 g/t AuEq (8.3 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 378.7 m 4.3 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 387.6 m 1.3 m @ 5.8 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 2.0% Sb) from 399.2 m 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 1.2% Sb) from 419.1 m, including: 1.1 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 420.7 m 1.5 m @ 8.5 g/t AuEq (7.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 425.7 m 0.9 m @ 75.8 g/t AuEq (56.2 g/t Au, 10.4% Sb) from 429.7 m 0.4 m @ 21.8 g/t AuEq (13.0 g/t Au, 4.7% Sb) from 446.2 m 1.1 m @ 2.2 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 461.3 m 5.8 m @ 5.1 g/t AuEq (1.9 g/t Au, 1.7% Sb) from 479.2 m, including: 0.1 m @ 20.0 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 479.2 m 0.2 m @ 26.9 g/t AuEq (17.3 g/t Au, 5.1% Sb) from 480.8 m 0.7 m @ 23.2 g/t AuEq (4.1 g/t Au, 10.2% Sb) from 484.2 m 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 498.8 m, including: 0.2 m @ 25.0 g/t AuEq (20.9 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 498.8 m 1.2 m @ 17.1 g/t AuEq (7.6 g/t Au, 5.0% Sb) from 500.7 m 1.1 m @ 5.7 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 505.3 m 1.0 m @ 19.8 g/t AuEq (19.1 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 512.6 m, including: 0.3 m @ 65.9 g/t AuEq (65.2 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 513.3 m 3.1 m @ 0.8 g/t AuEq (0.7 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 530.3 m



Pending Results and Update

SDDSC130 is the first hole of several east to west trending holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141) in a program to further test and understand the breadth of mineralization at Golden Dyke by utilising structural controls provided by the previously announced drill holes SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 (August 27, 2024).

Nineteen holes (SDDSC123-124, 127-128, 131-140, 137W1, 140, 050W1, 050W2, 092W1) are currently being processed and analyzed, with five holes (SDDSC129, 137W2, 141, 143, 092W2) in progress (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Exploration Target

On January 23, 2024, SXG announced the maiden gold and antimony Exploration Target at its flagship 100%-owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria, Australia. The Exploration Target ranges reported are shown in Table 1. Notably, the Exploration Target was constrained to the current drill footprint at Apollo and Rising Sun as they contain sufficient drilling to determine continuity and infer grade ranges. This represents approximately one third to one half the strike of the main drill area and significant potential exists to increase the size of the exploration target with high grade drill results drilled for up to 450 m beyond the Exploration Target area. Drilling since January has significantly expanded the footprint of mineralization beyond the bounds of the exploration target area, especially including SDDSC130 announced in this press release (Figure 2).

Table 1. Sunday Creek Exploration Target for Apollo and Rising Sun at the Sunday Creek Project

Range Tonnes (Mt) AuEq g/t* Au g/t Sb % Au Eq (Moz) Au (Moz) Sb (kt) Lower Case 4.4 7.2 5.3 1.2 1.0 0.74 53.5 Upper Case 5.1 9.7 7.8 1.2 1.6 1.28 62.8

The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and therefore is an approximation. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared and reported in accordance with the 2012 edition of the JORC Code.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project by Southern Cross Gold is available on the SXG website at www.southerncrossgold.com.au.

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. During future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed.

Figures 1 to 5 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 2 to 4 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 40% to 70% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width unless specified.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6-12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXG projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

In August 2024, the Chinese government announced it will place export limits on antimony and antimony products. This will put pressure on Western defence supply chains and negatively affect the supply of the metal and push up pricing given China's dominance of the supply of the metal in the global markets. This is positive for SXG as we are likely to have one of the very few large and high-quality projects of antimony in the western world that can feed western demand into the future.

Antimony represents approximately 20% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 1.88.

Technical Background and Qualified Person

The Qualified Person, Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman and a director of Mawson Gold, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

MAW considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

MAW considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2024 dated March 28, 2024. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2023 production costs, using a gold price of US$1,900 per ounce, an antimony price of US$12,000 per tonne and 2023 total year metal recoveries of 94% for gold and 89% for antimony, and is as follows:

???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88  ???? (%).

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXG considers that a ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88  ???? (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

About Mawson Gold Limited (TSXV:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, OTCPINK:MWSNF)

Mawson Gold Limited has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic exploration company. Over the last decades, the team behind Mawson has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in the Nordics and Australia. Mawson holds the Skelleftea North gold discovery and a portfolio of historic uranium resources in Sweden. Mawson also holds 49% of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. (ASX: SXG) which owns or controls two high-grade, historic epizonal goldfields in Victoria, Australia, including the exciting Sunday Creek Au-Sb discovery.

About Southern Cross Gold Ltd (ASX:SXG)

Southern Cross Gold holds the 100%-owned Sunday Creek project in Victoria and Mt Isa project in Queensland, the Redcastle joint venture in Victoria, Australia, and a strategic 6.7% holding in ASX-listed Nagambie Resources Limited (ASX:NAG) which grants SXG a Right of First Refusal over a 3,300 square kilometer tenement package held by NAG in Victoria.

On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Interim CEO and Executive Chairman Further Information

www.mawsongold.com

1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7

Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary

+1 (604) 685 9316

info@mawsongold.com

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, Mawson's expectations regarding its ownership interest in Southern Cross Gold, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on the Company's business, risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; exploration potential being conceptual in nature, there being insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource on the Australian-projects owned by SXG, and uncertainty if further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource; planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes and pending holes.

Figure 2: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the north (striking 236 degrees) showing mineralized veins sets. Showing hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points. For location refer to Figure 1 and zoom of section C-D shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Sunday Creek cropped longitudinal section across C-D in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the north (striking 236 degrees) showing mineralized veins sets. Showing hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. For location refer to Figure 2.

Figure 4: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing LiDAR, soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas (Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan) tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo.

Figure 5: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the Redcastle JV and simplified geology.

Table 2: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

Hole_ID Depth (m) Prospect East GDA94_Z55 North GDA94_Z55 Elevation Azimuth Plunge SDDSC116 682.6 Rising Sun 331465 5867865 333.3 272.5 -41.5 SDDSC117 1101 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.5 70.5 -64.5 SDDSC118 1246 Rising Sun 330464 5867912 286.6 80 -64.5 SDDSC119 854.1 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC120 1022.5 Rising Sun 331110 5867976 319.5 266.5 -55 SDDSC121 588.7 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63 SDDSC122 889.89 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 267.7 74 -62 SDDSC114W1 625.1 Rising Sun 330464 5867914 286.6 82 -58 SDDSC119W1 643 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC123 124.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 276 -52 SDDSC124 969.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 274 -52.2 SDDSC121W1 953.4 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63.8 SDDSC125 551.7 Golden Dyke 330462 5867920 285.6 212 -68 SDDSC126 941.4 Rising Sun 330815 5867599 295.7 321.6 -54 SDDSC122W1 1007.8 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 276.5 72 -61.4 SDDSC050W1 797.1 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC127 483.2 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.9 271.3 -43.3 SDDSC128 745.1 Apollo 331465 5867867 333.1 272.6 -43.3 SDDSC129 In progress plan 1200 m Rising Sun 330388 5867860 276.5 77.3 -57.3 SDDSC092W1 767 Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC130 614 Golden Dyke 330777 5867891 295.9 255 -42 SDDSC050W2 789.4 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC131 179.6 Christina 330081 5867609 273.1 284 -47 SDDSC132 740.7 Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 295.9 261.5 -50 SDDSC133 347.2 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 8 -42 SDDSC134 230.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 302.5 -61.5 SDDSC135 182.4 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 342.5 -51 SDDSC136 349 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 329 -41 SDDSC137 299.7 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273 40 -62 SDDSC138 518 Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 296 250 -36 SDDSC139 469.2 Apollo East 331465.4 5867865.1 333.2 267 -37.4 SDDSC140 349.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 8.9 -70.2 SDDSC092W2 In progress plan 781 m Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC137W1 199.5 Christina 330074.9 5867612.4 273.6 41 -61.9 SDDSC137W2 In progress plan 222 m Christina 330074.9 5867612.4 273.6 41 -61.9 SDDSC141 In progress plan 1020 m Golden Dyke 330809 5867842 301 271.5 -53 SDDSC143 In progress plan 700 m Apollo 331464.1 5867864.9 332.9 270.3 -39.1

Table 3: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC130 using two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m.

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC130 133.4 134.05 0.65 49.7 0.0 49.7 SDDSC130 329.33 332.45 3.12 1.3 1.8 4.7 Including 329.33 330.65 1.32 2.1 3.6 8.8 SDDSC130 334.32 338 3.68 0.6 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 342.51 343.77 1.26 0.9 0.9 2.5 SDDSC130 357.72 369.6 11.88 4.7 0.4 5.3 Including 358.33 358.54 0.21 44.2 5.6 54.7 Including 359.79 363.6 3.81 9.8 0.5 10.7 SDDSC130 371.95 374.06 2.11 1.6 0.3 2.1 SDDSC130 376.95 378.9 1.95 1.6 0.3 2.2 Including 378.65 378.9 0.25 8.3 0.1 8.4 SDDSC130 387.55 391.9 4.35 1.1 0.1 1.3 SDDSC130 399.22 400.55 1.33 2.1 2.0 5.8 SDDSC130 419.06 431.66 12.6 5.8 1.2 8.0 Including 420.7 421.84 1.14 5.4 1.0 7.4 Including 425.66 427.14 1.48 7.7 0.4 8.5 Including 429.65 430.51 0.86 56.2 10.4 75.8 SDDSC130 446.21 446.56 0.35 13.0 4.7 21.8 SDDSC130 461.34 462.43 1.09 2.1 0.0 2.2 SDDSC130 479.19 484.95 5.76 1.9 1.7 5.1 Including 479.19 479.31 0.12 2.3 9.4 20.0 Including 480.81 480.98 0.17 17.3 5.1 26.9 Including 484.21 484.95 0.74 4.1 10.2 23.2 SDDSC130 498.75 507.45 8.7 2.3 1.3 4.6 Including 498.75 498.98 0.23 20.9 2.2 25.0 Including 500.66 501.86 1.2 7.6 5.0 17.1 Including 505.26 506.34 1.08 2.3 1.8 5.7 SDDSC130 512.56 513.54 0.98 19.1 0.4 19.8 Including 513.26 513.54 0.28 65.2 0.4 65.9 SDDSC130 530.3 533.43 3.13 0.7 0.1 0.8

Table 4: All individual assays reported from SDDSC130 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq.

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC130 54.91 55.19 0.28 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 55.96 57.11 1.15 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 95 96 1 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 96 97 1 0.4 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 97 98 1 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 102 102.32 0.32 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 102.32 102.6 0.28 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 102.6 103 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 103 104 1 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 104 104.38 0.38 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 104.38 105.07 0.69 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 105.07 106 0.93 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 106 107 1 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 109.41 110.15 0.74 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 115.38 115.76 0.38 1.2 0.0 1.2 SDDSC130 115.76 117 1.24 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 117 118 1 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 118.73 118.85 0.12 0.8 0.0 0.8 SDDSC130 118.85 120 1.15 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 124.05 124.2 0.15 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 131.3 131.62 0.32 1.1 0.0 1.2 SDDSC130 131.62 131.9 0.28 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 133.4 133.85 0.45 16.7 0.0 16.7 SDDSC130 133.85 134.05 0.2 124.0 0.0 124.0 SDDSC130 134.05 135 0.95 0.9 0.0 0.9 SDDSC130 135 135.35 0.35 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 135.35 136 0.65 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 136 136.8 0.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC130 136.8 137.36 0.56 0.9 0.0 0.9 SDDSC130 140.1 141.1 1 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 141.8 142.63 0.83 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 142.63 143 0.37 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 143.4 143.6 0.2 0.9 0.0 0.9 SDDSC130 143.6 144.06 0.46 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 144.06 145.3 1.24 1.2 0.0 1.2 SDDSC130 146.82 147.38 0.56 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 148.23 148.85 0.62 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 148.85 149.27 0.42 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 149.27 149.47 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 149.47 149.67 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 149.67 150.08 0.41 0.8 2.1 4.6 SDDSC130 150.08 151 0.92 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 151.52 151.9 0.38 0.8 0.0 0.8 SDDSC130 151.9 152.76 0.86 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 152.76 153.32 0.56 2.1 0.0 2.1 SDDSC130 153.32 153.85 0.53 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 153.85 154.39 0.54 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC130 154.39 155.06 0.67 1.0 0.0 1.0 SDDSC130 155.06 155.78 0.72 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 159.77 160.24 0.47 1.0 0.0 1.0 SDDSC130 162.21 163.15 0.94 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 163.15 163.32 0.17 0.3 0.4 1.1 SDDSC130 163.32 163.72 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 163.72 164.44 0.72 0.6 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 164.44 164.85 0.41 0.5 0.2 0.8 SDDSC130 164.85 165.2 0.35 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 165.2 166 0.8 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 274.35 274.57 0.22 2.5 0.0 2.5 SDDSC130 313.17 314.13 0.96 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 314.13 315.04 0.91 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 315.04 316 0.96 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 320.41 320.67 0.26 0.9 0.1 1.0 SDDSC130 320.67 321.4 0.73 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 322.2 322.82 0.62 0.2 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 323.15 323.43 0.28 0.6 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 323.68 323.86 0.18 0.5 0.3 1.2 SDDSC130 323.86 324.04 0.18 0.6 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 324.33 324.96 0.63 0.7 0.5 1.7 SDDSC130 325.54 326.22 0.68 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 326.43 326.82 0.39 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 328.96 329.33 0.37 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 329.33 329.43 0.1 8.3 31.5 67.5 SDDSC130 329.43 329.57 0.14 0.3 0.3 1.0 SDDSC130 329.57 329.77 0.2 1.0 5.9 12.0 SDDSC130 329.77 330.17 0.4 0.3 0.4 1.0 SDDSC130 330.17 330.44 0.27 0.2 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 330.44 330.65 0.21 7.6 0.8 9.0 SDDSC130 330.8 331.4 0.6 1.1 1.6 4.2 SDDSC130 331.4 331.8 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 332 332.45 0.45 1.2 0.0 1.3 SDDSC130 332.45 332.65 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 332.65 333 0.35 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 333.53 334.32 0.79 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 334.32 335 0.68 1.1 0.1 1.2 SDDSC130 335 335.25 0.25 0.3 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 336.68 337.04 0.36 2.0 0.2 2.4 SDDSC130 337.04 337.45 0.41 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 337.45 338 0.55 0.9 0.2 1.2 SDDSC130 339 340.3 1.3 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 340.3 341 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 341.13 342 0.87 0.2 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 342 342.51 0.51 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 342.51 342.62 0.11 1.8 3.6 8.6 SDDSC130 342.62 342.8 0.18 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 342.8 343.07 0.27 0.6 0.1 0.8 SDDSC130 343.07 343.42 0.35 0.4 0.6 1.5 SDDSC130 343.42 343.77 0.35 1.7 1.3 4.2 SDDSC130 343.77 344.27 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 344.27 344.68 0.41 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 345.63 345.91 0.28 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 346.5 346.9 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 347.8 348.13 0.33 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 349.23 349.83 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 349.83 351 1.17 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 351 351.9 0.9 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 354.23 354.95 0.72 0.5 0.3 1.0 SDDSC130 354.95 355.16 0.21 0.5 0.1 0.6 SDDSC130 355.62 355.84 0.22 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 355.84 356.34 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 356.34 356.67 0.33 0.4 0.3 0.9 SDDSC130 356.67 357.17 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 357.42 357.72 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 357.72 357.82 0.1 1.0 0.5 1.9 SDDSC130 357.82 358 0.18 0.5 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 358 358.33 0.33 1.2 0.2 1.6 SDDSC130 358.33 358.54 0.21 44.2 5.6 54.7 SDDSC130 358.54 358.71 0.17 1.9 0.3 2.4 SDDSC130 358.71 359.1 0.39 0.6 0.2 0.9 SDDSC130 359.1 359.51 0.41 1.3 0.2 1.8 SDDSC130 359.51 359.79 0.28 1.5 0.2 1.9 SDDSC130 359.79 360.16 0.37 45.7 1.9 49.3 SDDSC130 360.16 360.5 0.34 1.6 0.1 1.7 SDDSC130 360.5 360.9 0.4 12.1 0.2 12.4 SDDSC130 360.9 361.3 0.4 2.1 0.3 2.7 SDDSC130 361.3 361.7 0.4 1.8 1.1 3.8 SDDSC130 361.7 362.9 1.2 8.4 0.0 8.4 SDDSC130 362.9 363.35 0.45 6.3 0.2 6.6 SDDSC130 363.35 363.6 0.25 2.6 1.5 5.5 SDDSC130 363.6 363.95 0.35 1.3 0.0 1.3 SDDSC130 363.95 364.4 0.45 3.2 0.0 3.3 SDDSC130 364.4 364.7 0.3 0.8 0.0 0.8 SDDSC130 364.7 365 0.3 2.1 0.5 3.0 SDDSC130 365 365.82 0.82 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 365.82 366.6 0.78 1.0 0.0 1.1 SDDSC130 366.6 367.2 0.6 2.7 0.2 3.1 SDDSC130 368.45 368.58 0.13 1.7 3.1 7.5 SDDSC130 368.58 369.6 1.02 1.1 0.1 1.2 SDDSC130 371.39 371.95 0.56 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 371.95 372.25 0.3 0.7 0.3 1.3 SDDSC130 372.25 373 0.75 0.4 0.2 0.8 SDDSC130 373 373.45 0.45 1.8 0.4 2.5 SDDSC130 373.45 373.58 0.13 2.5 0.3 3.1 SDDSC130 373.58 374.06 0.48 3.5 0.3 4.0 SDDSC130 374.47 375.4 0.93 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 375.4 375.78 0.38 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 375.78 376.37 0.59 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 376.95 377.8 0.85 0.4 0.5 1.3 SDDSC130 378.05 378.35 0.3 0.1 0.8 1.6 SDDSC130 378.35 378.65 0.3 2.2 0.0 2.2 SDDSC130 378.65 378.9 0.25 8.3 0.1 8.4 SDDSC130 378.9 379.35 0.45 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 379.35 379.71 0.36 0.3 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 379.71 380.15 0.44 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 380.15 381 0.85 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 381 381.72 0.72 0.7 0.0 0.8 SDDSC130 381.72 382.42 0.7 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 382.42 382.9 0.48 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 384.1 384.39 0.29 0.6 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 384.39 384.77 0.38 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 385 386.37 1.37 0.3 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 386.37 387.55 1.18 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 387.55 388.12 0.57 3.3 0.1 3.4 SDDSC130 388.12 388.8 0.68 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 390.1 390.46 0.36 2.0 0.3 2.5 SDDSC130 390.46 391.35 0.89 0.5 0.2 0.9 SDDSC130 391.35 391.9 0.55 2.1 0.3 2.8 SDDSC130 391.9 392.6 0.7 0.5 0.0 0.6 SDDSC130 392.6 393.3 0.7 0.4 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 399.22 399.46 0.24 5.3 2.8 10.6 SDDSC130 399.76 400.1 0.34 0.3 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 400.1 400.55 0.45 3.1 4.3 11.3 SDDSC130 400.55 401 0.45 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 402.14 402.26 0.12 0.1 0.3 0.6 SDDSC130 403.25 403.43 0.18 0.8 0.1 1.0 SDDSC130 403.78 403.94 0.16 0.8 0.2 1.1 SDDSC130 404.68 404.94 0.26 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 406.21 406.67 0.46 0.8 0.1 0.9 SDDSC130 406.67 406.95 0.28 0.8 0.3 1.4 SDDSC130 406.95 407.4 0.45 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 407.4 407.55 0.15 1.3 0.3 1.9 SDDSC130 410.64 411.04 0.4 1.0 1.1 3.0 SDDSC130 411.04 411.72 0.68 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 411.72 412.2 0.48 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 412.2 412.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 416 416.31 0.31 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 416.61 416.9 0.29 0.4 1.1 2.4 SDDSC130 417.53 417.87 0.34 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 419.06 419.22 0.16 4.4 0.0 4.5 SDDSC130 419.22 419.86 0.64 0.4 0.4 1.1 SDDSC130 419.86 420.34 0.48 0.8 0.8 2.3 SDDSC130 420.34 420.7 0.36 0.6 0.3 1.2 SDDSC130 420.7 420.8 0.1 24.9 0.7 26.2 SDDSC130 420.8 421.2 0.4 2.2 1.4 4.8 SDDSC130 421.2 421.84 0.64 4.4 0.9 6.0 SDDSC130 421.84 422.76 0.92 0.9 1.7 4.2 SDDSC130 422.76 423.13 0.37 0.4 0.2 0.8 SDDSC130 423.13 423.61 0.48 0.3 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 423.61 423.81 0.2 1.2 0.7 2.5 SDDSC130 423.81 424.4 0.59 2.5 1.2 4.8 SDDSC130 424.4 424.88 0.48 0.4 0.3 1.0 SDDSC130 424.88 425.66 0.78 0.3 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 425.66 425.91 0.25 7.3 0.5 8.2 SDDSC130 425.91 426.09 0.18 0.6 0.4 1.3 SDDSC130 426.09 426.4 0.31 18.9 1.1 20.9 SDDSC130 426.4 426.6 0.2 13.0 0.1 13.2 SDDSC130 426.6 426.97 0.37 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 426.97 427.14 0.17 5.4 0.3 5.9 SDDSC130 427.14 428.05 0.91 0.7 0.1 0.9 SDDSC130 428.05 428.59 0.54 0.5 0.4 1.2 SDDSC130 428.59 428.8 0.21 2.1 0.5 3.1 SDDSC130 428.8 429.31 0.51 0.3 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 429.31 429.65 0.34 0.5 0.1 0.8 SDDSC130 429.65 429.83 0.18 16.9 19.4 53.4 SDDSC130 429.83 430.02 0.19 10.2 1.4 12.9 SDDSC130 430.02 430.13 0.11 21.2 1.8 24.5 SDDSC130 430.13 430.51 0.38 108.0 13.2 132.8 SDDSC130 430.51 430.83 0.32 0.3 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 430.83 431.35 0.52 0.2 0.1 0.3 SDDSC130 431.35 431.66 0.31 1.1 0.5 2.0 SDDSC130 431.66 432.31 0.65 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 432.31 433.05 0.74 0.2 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 433.05 434 0.95 0.2 0.2 0.5 SDDSC130 434.75 435.6 0.85 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 440.63 441.23 0.6 0.6 0.1 0.8 SDDSC130 441.23 441.56 0.33 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 446 446.21 0.21 0.2 0.1 0.3 SDDSC130 446.21 446.39 0.18 9.1 8.4 24.8 SDDSC130 446.39 446.56 0.17 17.1 0.8 18.6 SDDSC130 446.56 446.67 0.11 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 447.7 447.89 0.19 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 449.95 450.2 0.25 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 450.2 450.72 0.52 0.7 1.0 2.6 SDDSC130 450.72 451 0.28 1.0 0.1 1.1 SDDSC130 452.48 452.78 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 455.86 456.8 0.94 0.6 0.0 0.6 SDDSC130 457.5 458 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 458 458.4 0.4 2.3 0.1 2.4 SDDSC130 459.46 460.41 0.95 0.4 0.0 0.4 SDDSC130 460.79 461.34 0.55 0.4 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 461.34 462.05 0.71 1.2 0.0 1.2 SDDSC130 462.05 462.43 0.38 3.9 0.0 4.0 SDDSC130 462.43 462.9 0.47 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 462.9 463.41 0.51 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 477.6 478.65 1.05 0.3 0.0 0.3 SDDSC130 478.65 479.19 0.54 0.3 0.2 0.6 SDDSC130 479.19 479.31 0.12 2.3 9.4 20.0 SDDSC130 479.31 479.98 0.67 0.1 0.1 0.3 SDDSC130 479.98 480.81 0.83 0.6 0.1 0.8 SDDSC130 480.81 480.98 0.17 17.3 5.1 26.9 SDDSC130 480.98 482 1.02 3.0 0.0 3.1 SDDSC130 482 482.83 0.83 0.2 0.1 0.3 SDDSC130 482.83 483.35 0.52 1.2 0.3 1.6 SDDSC130 484.21 484.49 0.28 6.6 22.4 48.7 SDDSC130 484.49 484.95 0.46 2.5 2.8 7.7 SDDSC130 484.95 485.63 0.68 0.6 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 486.46 487.29 0.83 0.5 0.0 0.6 SDDSC130 487.55 488.34 0.79 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 494.47 494.8 0.33 2.6 0.8 4.1 SDDSC130 498.75 498.98 0.23 20.9 2.2 25.0 SDDSC130 498.98 499.63 0.65 0.6 0.4 1.3 SDDSC130 499.63 500.34 0.71 0.2 0.4 0.9 SDDSC130 500.34 500.66 0.32 0.4 0.2 0.7 SDDSC130 500.66 500.88 0.22 4.5 19.5 41.1 SDDSC130 500.88 501.18 0.3 1.8 1.3 4.2 SDDSC130 501.18 501.39 0.21 29.7 0.9 31.4 SDDSC130 501.39 501.86 0.47 2.9 2.5 7.6 SDDSC130 501.86 502.43 0.57 0.6 0.6 1.6 SDDSC130 502.43 503.14 0.71 0.6 0.5 1.6 SDDSC130 503.14 503.98 0.84 0.4 0.2 0.7 SDDSC130 503.98 504.49 0.51 0.8 0.3 1.3 SDDSC130 504.49 505.06 0.57 1.1 1.2 3.5 SDDSC130 505.06 505.26 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 505.26 505.49 0.23 3.8 2.5 8.5 SDDSC130 505.49 506.34 0.85 1.9 1.6 5.0 SDDSC130 506.34 506.8 0.46 0.2 0.1 0.3 SDDSC130 506.8 506.96 0.16 0.2 0.7 1.4 SDDSC130 506.96 507.35 0.39 0.4 0.1 0.6 SDDSC130 507.35 507.45 0.1 2.1 0.6 3.3 SDDSC130 507.45 508.24 0.79 0.3 0.3 0.9 SDDSC130 508.24 509.34 1.1 0.4 0.1 0.5 SDDSC130 509.34 509.98 0.64 0.7 0.2 1.0 SDDSC130 509.98 510.48 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.2 SDDSC130 512.56 513.26 0.7 0.6 0.4 1.4 SDDSC130 513.26 513.54 0.28 65.2 0.4 65.9 SDDSC130 513.54 514 0.46 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 515.35 516 0.65 1.0 0.0 1.0 SDDSC130 529 529.75 0.75 0.2 0.1 0.4 SDDSC130 530.3 530.48 0.18 0.9 0.8 2.3 SDDSC130 530.48 530.89 0.41 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 530.89 531.29 0.4 1.6 0.2 1.9 SDDSC130 531.29 532.21 0.92 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 532.21 532.75 0.54 0.7 0.0 0.7 SDDSC130 532.75 533.3 0.55 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 533.3 533.43 0.13 0.9 0.3 1.4 SDDSC130 533.43 533.63 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.5 SDDSC130 533.63 534.66 1.03 0.1 0.0 0.2 SDDSC130 534.66 534.85 0.19 0.5 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 535.43 536.3 0.87 0.1 0.0 0.1 SDDSC130 539 539.5 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.3

SOURCE: Mawson Gold Limited

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Amex Exploration Inc. (TSXV: AMX) (FSE: MX0) (OTCQX: AMXEF) ("Amex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed a Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") on the company's flagship Perron Project in the northwestern Abitibi region of Quebec. The majority of ounces come from the Company's High-Grade Zone ("HGZ"), with important contributions from the Denise Zone ("Denise"), the Gratien Zone ("Gratien"), the Grey Cat Zone ("Grey Cat") and the Team Zone ("Team"). The drillhole database for the resource was closed on June 30, 2024, meaning recent drilling has not been included in this resource iteration at Perron. All zones on the property remain open in multiple directions for further expansion and Amex's current continuing drill program is fully funded until the conclusion of 2025.

See Figure 1 for the location of the Perron Project, Figure 2 for a plan view of mineral resources at the Perron Project, Figure 3 for a sectional view of mineral resources of the Perron Project, and Table 1 for a summary of total mineral resources, Table 2 for summary of total mineral resources by zone and Table 3 for parameters used to constrain resources at Perron.

Amex will be hosting a webinar today with Victor Cantore, CEO and Aaron Stone, VP Exploration at 1:00pm EDT to discuss the MRE in more detail. Please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U-LG1mKLS1mENmnRzhzdkA

MRE Highlights:

Open pit and underground stope constrained 594,100 of measured and indicated ounces at 4.28 g/t Au and 1,049,650 of inferred ounces at 3.80 g/t Au.

The MRE shows excellent continuity throughout the project with exceptional high grade throughout, specifically in the High-Grade Zone (HGZ) which alone hosts 336,170 of measured and indicated ounces at 12.05 g/t Au and 415,470 of inferred ounces at 10.49 g/t Au.

Of important significance within the HGZ is with improved confidence, comes increased grade. With regard to the HGZ under Table 2 , as drill spacing is tightened to upgrade resources from inferred to indicated to measured, the grade improves. This is rare in the gold industry and speaks to exceptional continuity of the zone.

, as drill spacing is tightened to upgrade resources from inferred to indicated to measured, the grade improves. This is rare in the gold industry and speaks to exceptional continuity of the zone. The MRE is a base case for the gold at Perron and includes drilling up to June 30, 2024. Approximately 600,000 m of accumulative fully funded drilling is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

All zones remain open at Perron, providing excellent future mineral resource expansion potential.

Metallurgical test work by SGS Canada achieved an overall gold recovery of up to 99% in the HGZ and up to 95% in the Denise, Team, Gratien and Grey Cat Zones.

Near by housing, roads, electricity and labour are expected to favourably impact the economics of the Perron project in the upcoming PEA expected later this year.

The Perron project also hosts VMS (copper-zinc) mineralization which has not been included in today's MRE nor any of the silver credits that exist in some zones of the property. The Company plans to complete the modelling requirements surrounding these additional metals in the future, which is expected to enhance the economics of the project.

Jacques Trottier, PhD, Executive Chairman of Amex Exploration, commented, "I am very proud of our progress to date. Throughout my time at Perron, I was convinced that the project hosted a significant high-grade gold resource, so it is fantastic to have realised this. In my opinion, the high-grade nature of Perron is what truly sets its apart from its peers and we have just begun to scratch the surface of the potential. The grade at Perron compares very favourably to many of the recent world class projects in Canada and elsewhere. There is significant room for this resource to grow, as much of the property is yet to be explored. New machine learning and AI techniques have generated new high priority targets for us, some of which we have begun to test with success. Given the projects quality high-grade ounces, proximity to infrastructure and workforce, we look forward to releasing our project economics in the PEA, which remains on track for Q4 of this year. It should also be noted that this resource is purely gold focused. None of the silver credits that may exist across our zones have been modelled, neither have any of our copper-zinc mineralization of the QF Zone, Central Polymetallic Zone and Donna Copper Zone. We do plan on looking at these additional metals in future work, which should be accretive to the project."

Aaron Stone, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration of Amex Exploration, continued, "This resource is an excellent starting point for Amex. Drilling never stops at Perron and we continue to work diligently on expanding and defining our known zones as well as exploring for further discoveries. Work has begun at site to better understand the mineralization and structure of the Team and Denise Zones to better guide infill drilling to increase their ounce count. Recent work in western zones such as Gratien, Grey Cat and Alizee have also yielded some very interesting high-grade results which need to be followed up on with further drilling. Since discovery of the JT Zone only a few months ago, our understanding of gold emplacement at Perron has been rapidly evolving and we are starting to see some geological similarities with the Windfall project. The mineralized felsic to intermediate dike that was found has given us a lot to think about for the genesis of all gold-bearing zones within the Beaupre Block. Studies have begun to validify this new theory, but if gold enrichment at Perron does turn out to be intrusion related, this will change our approach on how we search for another High-Grade Zone on the property. I am personally very excited by this as we continue to work closely with our strategic partners to unlock the full value that we believe is still to be discovered at Perron."

Victor Cantore, President and CEO, Director of Amex Exploration, added, "There are limited projects around the world that are this high-grade in nature, and the grade of the HGZ puts the Perron Project in line with these world class assets. As we move forward our goal is to build ounces while simultaneously advancing the project towards production through advancing economic studies and permitting."

Figure 1: Location of Perron Project, central Abitibi, 4km to the east of the Quebec-Ontario border. Perron is marked by a gold star and is directly adjacent to number 11, the historical producing Normetal VMS mine. Note the location of the Windfall Project, number 28, to the east along the same deformation corridor as the Perron Project.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2667/222229_62f9e035b4156bda_002full.jpg

Figure 2: Plan view of constrained mineral resources at Perron.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2667/222229_62f9e035b4156bda_003full.jpg

Figure 3: View looking to the north of mineral resources delineated at Perron. Note the HGZ has been defined to 1.3km vertically and remains open at depth.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2667/222229_62f9e035b4156bda_004full.jpg

Table 1: Summary of total Mineral Resources at the Perron Project

All Zones Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured 131,250 1.39 5,880 445,250 6.60 94,530 576,500 5.42 100,400 Indicated 706,600 1.80 40,780 3,030,580 4.65 452,920 3,737,200 4.11 493,700 Indicated+Measured 837,850 1.73 46,660 3,475,830 4.90 547,450 4,313,700 4.28 594,100 Inferred 996,500 2.01 64,420 7,597,300 4.03 985,220 8,593,800 3.80 1,049,650

Table 2: Summary of Mineral Resources at the Perron Project by zone



Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t HG Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured 400 1.38 20 136,000 15.95 69,740 136,400 15.90 69,750 Indicated 13,590 1.18 515 717,800 11.52 265,900 731,400 11.33 266,410 Indicated+Measured 14,000 1.18 530 853,800 12.23 335,630 867,800 12.05 336,170 Inferred 3,330 0.56 60 1,228,060 10.52 415,410 1,231,400 10.49 415,470

Note: As ounces in the High-Grade Zone increase in confidence from inferred to indicated to measured, so does the grade. This is rare in gold deposits and displays the exceptional continuity of high-grade mineralization within this zone.



Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t Denise Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured 92,800 1.11 3,310 208,550 2.46 16,520 3,013,410 2.05 19,820 Indicated 324,760 1.36 14,230 1,304,960 2.45 102,730 1,629,720 2.23 116,960 Indicated+Measured 417,560 1.31 17,540 1,513,500 2.45 119,250 1,931,060 2.20 136,780 Inferred 3,400 0.60 70 2,239,690 2.94 211,600 2,243,100 2.93 211,660





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t Team Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured 38,040 2.09 2,560 93,640 2.60 7,810 131,680 2.45 10,370 Indicated 205,450 2.34 15,470 629,150 2.44 49,420 834,600 2.42 64,880 Indicated+Measured 243,490 2.30 18,030 722,790 2.46 57,230 966,280 2.42 75,250 Inferred 273,450 2.16 18,980 1,039,890 2.73 91,320 1,313,340 2.61 110,300





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t AZ Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured

















Indicated

















Indicated+Measured

















Inferred





19,310 1.87 1,160 19,310 1.87 1,160





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t N110 Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured





5,720 1.83 340 5,720 1.83 340 Indicated





7,500 2.40 580 7,500 2.40 580 Indicated+Measured





13,220 2.16 920 13,220 2.16 920 Inferred 240 2.48 20 87,300 2.20 6,200 87,540 2.20 6,220





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t CPZ Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured





1,340 2.81 120 1,340 2.81 120 Indicated





63,980 2.02 4,150 63,980 2.02 4,150 Indicated+Measured





65,320 2.03 4,270 65,320 2.03 4,270 Inferred





148,210 1.50 7,140 148,210 1.50 7,140





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t Gratien Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured

















Indicated 22,530 2.19 1,580 127,350 3.96 16,220 149,880 3.70 17,800 Indicated+Measured 22,530 2.19 1,580 127,350 3.96 16,220 149,880 3.70 17,800 Inferred 147,330 3.59 16,990 1,361,620 3.39 148,500 1,508,950 3.41 165,500





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t Grey Cat Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured

















Indicated 135,390 2.02 8,790 111,750 2.46 8,860 247,140 2.22 17,650 Indicated+Measured 135,390 2.02 8,790 111,750 2.46 8,860 247,140 2.22 17,650 Inferred 291,020 1.97 18,400 996,130 2.29 73,210 1,287,150 2.21 91,610



Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t UHGZ Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz.

Measured

















Indicated





38,780 2.08 2,590 38,780 2.08 2,590 Indicated+Measured





38,780 2.08 2,590 38,780 2.08 2,590 Inferred





118,800 1.86 7,110 118,800 1.86 7,110





















Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t E2 Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured

















Indicated





28,850 2.64 2,450 28,850 2.64 2,450 Indicated+Measured





28,850 2.64 2,450 28,850 2.64 2,450 Inferred





303,900 2.13 20,850 303,900 2.13 20,850



Open Pit Constrained UG stopes Total

COG 0.42 Au g/t COG 1.29 Au g/t JT Zone Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Tonnes Au gpt Au oz. Measured





- -







Indicated 4,880 1.23 190 480 1.75 30 5,360 1.28 220 Indicated+Measured 4,880 1.23 190 480 1.75 30 5,360 1.28 220 Inferred 277,700 1.11 9,900 54,370 1.57 2,740 332,080 1.18 12,640

Note: Drilling on the JT Zone has tripled in amount since the drill database was cut off for the resource calculation. The Company is confident that the JT Zone will significantly grow in size and is especially buoyed by its potential geological implications for mineralization contained throughout the entirety of the Beaupre Block at Perron.

Cautionary statement: These mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this Mineral Resource Estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred resources as Indicated or Measured, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to these categories. Totals may not add up due to rounding of numbers.

Please note that the Company states this is not a Maiden Resource Estimate due to a previous resource estimate completed on the Gratien Zone in 2009 for 69,907 inferred ounces of gold (please refer to SEDAR filing submitted June 2, 2009. Report is titled Resource Estimate, Form 43-101F1 Technical Report, Project Perron, is dated May 10, 2009 and was authored by Qualified Person Jacques Marchand P. Eng).

Resource Estimation Methodology and Parameters

As part of the resource estimation process, the Company and GoldMinds compiled, verified and modelled all technical information available from the Project

Parameters used in the definition of cut-of grades, modifying factors to enable reasonable prospect of economic extraction, pit constrained and mineable shapes as per CIM 2019 Guidelines.

Table 3: Parameters used for constraining resources at Perron



Pit parameters Stope parameters

Open Pit Underground Total processing costs ($) 28.00 28.00 Mining cost (rock) ($) 5.00 75.00 Specific gravity (rock) 2.7 2.7 Pit slopes (overburden) 20

Pit slopes (rock) 45

Mining cost (overburden) 5

Specific gravity (overburden) 1.9

Au price ($USD) 1900 1900 Exchange rate ($CAD/$USD) 1.35 1.35 Au price (CAD$/g) 82.47 82.47 Recovery 95% 97% COG (g/t Au) 0.42 1.29

Perron Gold project Mineral Estimate notes:

The mineral resource estimate is compliant with CIM 2019 standards and guidelines for reporting mineral resources and reserves.

Resources are presented undiluted and in situ and are considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The resources at surface are constrained by pit optimization surfaces and the underground resources are constrained by mineable shapes.

and are considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The resources at surface are constrained by pit optimization surfaces and the underground resources are constrained by mineable shapes. The database comprised a total of 1,533 drill holes for 617,836.50 metres of drilling (which includes historical drilling completed by previous operators) in the extent of the mineral resource, of which (312,051.20 metres) 264,462 samples were assayed as of June 30th, 2024, grid spacing are variable (The Genesis file is Amex_24 Aout 2024_MR.gnft and where the database file is BD_AMEX_08 Jul 2024_MR.accdb).

All NQ core assays reported by AMEX were obtained by analytical methods described below under "QA&QC" .

. Geological interpretation of the deposits was based on lithologies, mineralized zones orientation and the mineral observations. Each zone has its own characteristic of mineral occurrence and amount of free gold.

Interpretation was initially made from cross-sections at intervals, and then completed in GENESIS, a modelling software, where selections of mineralization intervals were combined to generate mineralization wireframes. Envelopes are generally subvertical with various plunges.

The mineral resource estimate encompasses a total of 189 envelopes, sub-vertical gold-bearing envelopes/domains each defined by individual wireframes with a minimum true thickness of 2.0 metres.

Samples were composited within the mineralization envelopes into 1.0 metre length composites. A value of zero grade was applied in cases of core not assayed.

High grade capping was done on composite data and established using a statistical analysis on a per-zone basis for gold. Capping varied from 5 g/t Au to 200 g/t Au and was applied on composites within each specific envelope.

Density values were applied on the different mineralized zones (t/m3) varied from 2.67 to 2.83 from core measurement.

Inverse distance squared grade estimation is used. The trial of Ordinary Kriging (OK) was rejected due to smearing and non-effective representation of high-grade areas.

Most of the estimates are based on a block dimension of 2m North, 2m East and 2m height and estimation parameters determined by variography. The High-Grade zone has blocks of 2.5m East x 5m Z (Elevation) x 0.5m North.

The Perron mineral resource estimate is categorized as Measured, Indicated and Inferred mineral resource as follows: The Measured mineral resource category is automatic & manually defined and encloses areas where drill spacing is generally less than 30m (search radius of 15m), blocks are informed by a minimum of three drill holes, and reasonable geological and grade continuity is shown. The Indicated mineral resource category is manually defined and encloses areas where drill spacing is generally less than 60m (search radius of 30m), blocks are informed by a minimum of three drill holes, and reasonable geological and grade continuity is shown. The Inferred mineral resource category is manually defined and encloses areas where drill spacing is less than 130m (search radius of 65m), blocks are informed by a minimum of two drill holes, and reasonable, but not verified, geological and grade continuity is observed.

Estimates use metric units (metres, tonnes and g/t). Metal contents are presented in troy ounces (metric tonne x grade / 31.10348).

GoldMinds is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues, or any other relevant issue not reported in the technical report, that could materially affect the mineral resource estimate.

Further details regarding the 2024 mineral resource estimate, key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resources of the Perron Gold Project will be available on SEDAR Plus (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Corporation's issuer profile within 45 days in accordance with NI 43-101. The resource estimate will be the basis for the ongoing PEA to be released in Q4, 2024.

Independent Qualified Persons

The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared for Amex Exploration Inc. under the supervision of GoldMinds Geoservices Inc. ("GMG"). The Qualified Persons ("QP's") have reviewed and approved the content of this news release. Independent QP's from GMG who have prepared and supervised the preparation of the technical information relating to this Mineral Resource Estimate are:

- Merouane Rachidi, Ph.D. P.Geo.

- Claude Duplessis, Eng.

Perron Project Qualified Person and QA&QC

Jerome Augustin P.Geo. Ph.D., (OGQ 2134), an independent "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (the "Qualified Person"), has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The drilling campaign and the quality control program have been planned and supervised by Jerome Augustin. Core logging and sampling were completed by Laurentia Exploration. The quality assurance and quality control protocols include insertion of blank or standard samples every 10 samples on average, in addition to the regular insertion of blank, duplicate, and standard samples accredited by Laboratoire Expert during the analytical process.

For all analyses targeting gold mineralization, gold values are estimated by fire assay with finish by atomic absorption. Values over 3 ppm Au are reanalyzed by fire assay with finish by gravimetry by Laboratoire Expert Inc, Rouyn-Noranda. Samples containing visible gold mineralization are analyzed by metallic sieve. For additional quality assurance and quality control, all samples were crushed to 90% less than 2 mm prior to pulverization, in order to homogenize samples which may contain coarse gold.

Furthermore, gold mineralization associated with base metals were sent to ALS Canada Ltd., Rouyn-Noranda with the same quality assurance and quality control protocol to LabExpert. Gold values are estimated by fire assay with finish by atomic absorption. Zinc, Copper and Silver values are estimated by four acid digestion multi elements Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES), ME-ICP61. Zinc values over 1%, copper values over 1% and silver values over 100 g/t are estimated by four acid digestion ICP-AES, OG62.

About Amex

Amex Exploration Inc. has made significant gold discoveries on its 100% owned high-grade Perron Gold Project located ~110 kilometres north of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, consisting of 117 contiguous claims covering 4,518 hectares. The project is well-serviced by existing infrastructure, on a year-round road, 10 minutes from an airport and just outside the town of Normetal (~8 km). In addition, the project is in close proximity to a number of major gold producers' milling operations. The project host both bulk tonnage and a high-grade gold style mineralization. Since January 2019, Amex has intersected significant gold mineralization in multiple gold zones and discovered copper-rich VMS zones.

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 contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation, the planned exploration program on the HGZ and Denise Zone, the expected positive exploration results, the extension of the mineralized zones, the timing of the exploration results, the ability of the Company to continue with the exploration program, the availability of the required funds to continue with the exploration and the potential mineralization or potential mineral resources are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "to earn", "to have', "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, failure to meet expected, estimated or planned exploration expenditures, failure to establish estimated mineral resources, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, general business and economic conditions, changes in world gold markets, sufficient labour and equipment being available, changes in laws and permitting requirements, unanticipated weather changes, title disputes and claims, environmental risks as well as those risks identified in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222229

SOURCE: Amex Exploration Inc.
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Setup Worldwide Services FZE has recently expanded its reach and now serves across 30+ locations. It simplifies corporate services and provides entrepreneurs with unique solutions for their business needs.

This strategic move is a testament to Business Setup Worldwide's commitment of providing its clients with global reach and unparalleled support. The company has a proven track record of working with clients from over 70 countries. It offers a truly international perspective and an understanding of diverse business needs.

"Driven by our deep understanding of client requirements across various jurisdictions, we had strategically planned a 2023 expansion that we're thrilled to announce that it's now complete in 2024," says Director of Offshore Operations for Business Setup Worldwide- Avinash Raju.

With over 7 years of experience in the offshore industry, Business Setup Worldwide has successfully assisted more than 7,000 clients. Their services include company formation, intellectual property protection, company secretarial services, accounting and bookkeeping and bank account assistance in countries like Seychelles, Singapore, Hong Kong, United States of America and Belize. Along with these jurisdictions, Business Setup Worldwide is now excited to announce the expansion of its services to new locations, such as Ras Al Khaimah, Delaware, Florida, and St. Vincent and Grenadines among others.

In addition to its jurisdictional expansion, Business Setup Worldwide is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Qatar. The new location strengthens the firm's presence in the Middle East and helps entrepreneurs enter jurisdictions that offer a high potential for growth.

Business Setup Worldwide Deepens Expertise Through Fintech Partnerships

Business Setup Worldwide is dedicated to providing its clients with the best resources. To this end, the company has partnered with over 12 leading fintech companies, such as Payoneer, AirWallex, and Mercury. These collaborations expand our service offerings and ensure our clients have access to cutting-edge solutions.

About Business Setup Worldwide

Business Setup Worldwide is a leading provider of corporate services with a growing global presence. The consulting firm is committed to helping entrepreneurs and corporations with pilot projects and expansion plans. They aim to provide exceptional customer service and innovative solutions tailored to the business needs. Their unique strategies and extensive global expertise enable businesses to adapt to market changes and improve their growth, even in competitive international markets.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/business-setup-worldwide-expands-its-reach-to-over-30-locations-302239288.html
Kupfer wird oft als das Gold der Energiewende bezeichnet, weil es aufgrund seiner hervorragenden elektrischen Leitfahigkeit eine zentrale Rolle in vielen Technologien spielt, die fur nachhaltige Energiesysteme entscheidend sind. Experten gehen aufgrund der Angebotsknappheit von einem Superzyklus aus.

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WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Leading technology search firm Ken Leiner Associates (KLA) announces the establishment of its advisory board, and names Brian Strosser as its founding member. The advisory board will provide strategic guidance and growth strategies to strengthen KLA's long-standing position as the market leader in talent acquisition for technology companies and channel partners focused on the U.S. Public Sector.

Brian Strosser, Advisory Board Founder, Ken Leiner Associates

"Brian is one of the most highly regarded professionals in the government sector of the technology industry," says KLA founder and President Ken Leiner. "He has an impeccable track record of helping companies grow and succeed, and an intimate knowledge of the public sector ecosystem, including technology vendors, VARs, distributors, FSIs and government customers. I'm honored to have Brian on board. I'm confident he'll be a great asset during this pivotal time in our industry."

With Strosser's +30-year career in leadership roles, he brings extensive industry experience and strong relationships across the technology community to KLA. He has held leadership roles with market leaders including Optiv (Optiv+ClearShark), TD Synnex (DLT Solutions), NetApp, Sun Microsystems, World Wide Technology, and GTSI Corp. He most recently served as president of ClearShark, where he led continued growth and the successful sale to Optiv in March of 2023.

"Hiring the right person has become the number one challenge for many companies," says Strosser. "I look forward to supporting Ken Leiner, Frank Munero and the entire team at KLA. I'm excited to help KLA's client companies grow. I'm also excited to continue supporting industry professionals to achieve their personal and professional goals from early career to retirement."

"With the critical importance of talent for all organizations," Strosser adds, "KLA is best positioned to help find the proper talent to drive innovation and improve productivity, ultimately enhancing the reputation, brand and competitive advantage for any technology company, solutions provider, value-added reseller or distributor focused on the U.S. Public Sector."

About Ken Leiner Associates: With the breakneck speed of advancing technology, organizations must rely more than ever on finding and hiring "A Player" top talent to stay competitive. Established in 1991, KLA's strong 30+ track record of success has earned the company its "trusted advisor" status as a leading search firm for technology companies in the U.S. Federal market. The company is headquartered in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, with team members in the mid-Atlantic region, the Northeastern seaboard, Florida, California, Colorado and Montreal, Canada. For years, KLA has consistently ranked as one of the top executive search and recruiting firms in Washington Business Journal's Book of Lists. Visit ITsearch.com for more information.

Contact Information

Ken Leiner

Founder and President

ken@itsearch.com

(301) 933-8800 x114, (240) 305-8

Related Files

About Ken Leiner Associates_KLA_Business Impact 2023

SOURCE: Ken Leiner Associates

View the original press release on newswire.com.
New vice president of clinical affairs and board of directors member will support advancement of eLym System therapy for acute decompensated heart failure

WhiteSwell, a company pioneering a new paradigm in the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), today announced the appointments of Ric Cote to its board of directors and Sergio Shkurovich as vice president of clinical affairs.

Ric Cote brings over three decades of experience in the medical device industry to the board. He is currently the CEO of Channel Medsystems, where he leads a team committed to empowering women to take control of their health. Prior to this role, he was executive vice president of global sales and business development for Conceptus, which was acquired by Bayer in 2013. Earlier in his career, he oversaw sales and marketing at Influence Medical, which was acquired by AMS in 2000.

Sergio Shkurovich joins WhiteSwell with more than 20 years of experience in clinical strategy and execution. He previously led clinical research programs for V-Wave, Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. During his career, Sergio has been intimately involved with pursuing therapies to manage heart failure, including implantable pressure sensors and interatrial shunts. At V-Wave, he led the development of the RELIEVE-HF study, a rigorous RCT evaluating the safety and efficacy of interatrial shunting. He earned his Ph.D. and an MBA from Northwestern University.

"We are thrilled to welcome Ric Cote and Sergio Shkurovich to our team. They bring a wealth of experience and visionary leadership to WhiteSwell," said Eamon Brady, WhiteSwell CEO. "Sergio's deep clinical knowledge and strategic vision, paired with Ric's extensive industry expertise, will significantly strengthen our leadership team and our capabilities as we develop our therapy to enhance tissue decongestion by supporting the lymphatics in order to improve outcomes for patients with ADHF."

About WhiteSwell

WhiteSwell is a patient-focused company dedicated to improving treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), a primary cause of repeat hospitalization and emergency room visits. A privately held company, WhiteSwell is headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information visit www.whiteswell.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905204666/en/

Contacts:

Dunia Cristan

dunia@healthandcommerce.com
MONTREAL, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After years of development, Virtual Artifacts Inc. (VA) is thrilled to announce the public release of its innovative digital platform, Hibe.

Hibe stands out by seamlessly combining search, content discovery and social interaction. The Hibe platform offers a similar experience to top news aggregators and social media platforms, empowering users to explore, share, and engage with stories from verified traditional media and citizen journalists. Through a unique point-earning system, Hibe ensures that everyone, regardless of financial means, can freely access high-quality premium content.

"We envision to make Hibe a place where traditional media, alongside citizen journalists, contribute to public information with clear accountability.," explained Jean Dobey, CEO at VA. "We are committed to fostering a culture of free and responsible expression to provide diverse perspectives on current events and enrich public debate. "

The Hibe platform already hosts millions of news stories from over 20,000 verified sources across 120 countries. Hibe's search engine real-time indexing capabilities ensure that content is added as soon as it's published, providing users with access to the latest news in 47 languages and more than 360 categories.

" Our journey started a decade ago, marked by numerous tests, culminating in the final beta release of the Hibe platform last year. Throughout the beta phases, we have gathered invaluable feedback from users and industry stakeholders, allowing us to refine our offering to address the complex demands of today's digital landscape.," said Mr. Dobey. " We are happy to begin a new chapter in this endeavor and excited to present our fully refined platform to the public. "

As a compelling alternative to dominant social media platforms that have absorbed traditional media audiences, content and ad revenues, Hibe empowers publishers of all sizes to reclaim their earned audiences across social media. Hibe also allows publishers to regain control over their content distribution and to maximize revenue through a beneficial sharing program that supports ad-based and paid subscription models. In today's landscape of misinformation, the Hibe platform offers publishers and advertisers the opportunity to join a trusted ecosystem that guarantees brand safety.

In parallel with the public release of Hibe, VA is rolling out a campaign inviting publishers and their audiences to visit www.hibe.com for a new experience of content distribution and consumption online.

For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, please contact info@virtualartifacts.com

About Virtual Artifacts Inc.

Based in Montreal (Quebec), Virtual Artifacts builds unique and innovative privacy protection, identity management and systems interoperability technologies to tackle the challenges faced by consumers and businesses in today's digital age. VA is guided by the beliefs that technologies should be aligned with people's choices and values, be used to bring communities closer together and make societies more open, while helping businesses grow and compete fairly. In its mission of giving people the power to connect and interact on their own terms, VA provides pioneering technology tools that ensure a right balance between businesses and consumers' interests.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2495291/Virtual_Artifacts_inc__Hibe_opens_to_the_public__A_Game_Changing.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hibe-opens-to-the-public-a-game-changing-platform-for-news-aggregation-and-social-interaction-302237326.html
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO), the global organizer of Earth Day, observed annually on April 22, announces the global theme for Earth Day 2025: Our Power, Our Planet.

2025 marks the 55th anniversary of EARTH DAY, and to honor this milestone, we are inviting our one billion supporters in 192 countries to unite behind renewable energy, with the goal of tripling the global generation of clean electricity by 2030. We urge everyone to explore smart energy choices for their families and to advocate for an expedited and rapid deployment of renewables from local and national governments, industries, and businesses.

Renewable energy comes from replenishable sources, like the sun, which do not produce greenhouse gasses and therefore do not drive climate change. It is energy that ends our reliance on fossil fuels and the damage they cause to both our environment and human health.

"For years we have been fed the lie that only fossil fuels can power the planet, that is not true," said Denis Hayes, the organizer of the very first Earth Day, and Board Chair Emeritus of EARTHDAY.ORG. "By the 2030s , the largest source of electricity generation on the planet will be solar power."

Renewable energy represented 25% of the electricity generated in the United States alone in the first 6 months of 2023, with some researchers predicting that within ten years, renewable energy could account for 90% of US energy needs. We have the technology to meet our global energy needs with clean, affordable, renewable power from solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and hydro resources - all of which can be stored using batteries and fuel cells.

Forty-nine nations already generate more than half of their electricity from solar, wind, water, and geothermal resources, including Canada, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand, Brazil, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Iceland obtains a full 99.99 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

By 2035 energy needs in countries such as the US can be met by renewable sources, 365 days a year , which is why we are calling for renewable energy generation, globally, to be tripled by 2030.

"We need people power to support the big switch to renewable energy," said Kathleen Rogers, President of EDO. "We encourage everyone to talk to your local mayor, boss, neighbors, community leaders, and local and national legislators, to explore and to champion switching to renewables."

Grassroots power has always driven positive change - from the civil rights movement to advances in gender equality and Indigenous rights. The 20 million people who marched on Earth Day in 1970 sparked the modern environmental movement, leading to cleaner air, water, and wildlife protections. In 2024, EARTHDAY.ORG's campaign for a reduction in global plastic production helped to win U.S. government support.

"Switching to renewables also represents a humanitarian revolution - for the first time in human history, we have a path to provide virtually unlimited, low-cost energy for everyone," said Aidan Charron, Associate Director, Global Earth Day. "Improving the lives of billions of people around the world."

3.8 billion people do not reach the Modern Energy Minimum (MEM), meaning their per capita electricity usage is under 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is the threshold for mitigating poverty. Renewable energy can transform this situation, improving living standards and enhancing health outcomes. For example, cutting greenhouse gas emissions slashes the health risks associated with climate change, such as heatwaves, floods, and the spread of infectious diseases. Reduced air pollution decreases respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma and strokes.

Renewable energy is not only cleaner and healthier - it represents a huge economic opportunity and will create 14 million new jobs globally. In 2023 renewable energy, worldwide, was worth $1.21 trillion and is projected to grow 17.2% annually from 2024 to 2030.

"This presents an enormous opportunity for entrepreneurs, industries, and those seeking well-paying careers." said Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer, EDO. "We acknowledge that our enthusiasm for clean energy faces challenges from well-funded misinformation campaigns - but by championing renewable energy in 2025, we can meet that challenge head on."

"Change can be daunting, but we must move away from our dependence on fossil fuels and embrace a sustainable future," said Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG. "Join us in making 2025, EARTHDAY.ORG's 55th anniversary, the year of Our Power, Our Planet."

MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE: OUR POWER, OUR PLANET HERE

RENEWABLE ENERGY BRIEFING DOCUMENT HERE

About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG 's founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over one billion people annually on Earth Day, and every day, to protect the planet. Each year we set the theme for Earth Day globally, with over one billion supporters observing Earth Day in 192 countries. EARTHDAY.ORG's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental community worldwide.

Media inquiries, quotes, bios/headshots, interview requests to our press team:

Sarah Davies, davies@earthday.org , +1 240 463 1341 (Washington DC)

Terran Fielder, fielder@earthday.org , +1 661 444 4436 (Washington DC/California)

Please feel free to use, repost and share our resources from our website EARTHDAY.ORG . Please just credit EARTHDAY.ORG as it helps us continue to spread our message and grow the movement.

If you are interested in working with us on organizing Earth Day events and building partnerships, please reach out to Aidan Charron, our Associate Global Director, Earth Day, at charron@earthday.org.

If you are interested in supporting our 55th Anniversary initiatives, please reach out to our Development Team at sponsorship@earthday.org. We look forward to working with you.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1155792/Earthdayorg_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/earthdayorg-announces-the-global-theme-for-earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet-renewableenergynow-302238278.html
Leading SAP Gold Partner in Benelux relies on xSuite for accounts payable invoice processing and archiving from the cloud with a focus on SAP S/4HANA (cloud) transformation

Flexso (turnover >80 million) headquartered in Kontich/Belgium is xSuite's new partner in Benelux. An agreement to this effect was signed at the end of June 2024. The SAP Gold Partner and strategic end-to-end SAP implementation partner employs over 500 SAP consultants, operates in over 50 countries and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Austria.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905254970/en/

Tony Cheung, Global Vice President Enterprise Accounts Strategic Alliances, xSuite Group, Raf Alexander, Managing Partner, Flexso, Hans Willems, Managing Director, xSuite Benelux, Marjolein Callant, Relationship Management, Flexso (from left). Credits: xSuite/Flexso

Flexso and xSuite have already delivered multiple joint SAP customer projects. Now this strategic collaboration has been expanded significantly. In the area of incoming invoice processing and electronic archiving in SAP, Flexso will be recommending xSuite's cloud technologies and will distribute, implement and support the manufacturer's solutions.

New e-invoicing obligations will also apply in Belgium as of 1 January 2026. The new xSuite eDNA (electronic Document Network Adapter) cloud solution is a new e-invoicing platform that serves as a reliable gateway to the world of e-invoicing across national borders. It accepts a wide variety of e-invoice formats and converts them into an easy-to-process, standardized format. In a later version, it will also be able to create electronic invoices for dispatch.

Raf Alexander, Managing Partner of Flexso: "Through this partnership, we can offer our customers a high-quality solution for incoming invoices. The functionalities, user-friendliness of the platform, and the expertise of xSuite provide real added value for our customers. It's a future-proof solution, fully ready for customers in their transition to S/4HANA and the SAP Cloud."

Hans Willems, Managing Director, xSuite Benelux: "Like us, Flexso specializes in accounts payable processes, with a particular focus on SAP S/4HANA. They, too, develop on the SAP Business Technology Platform and offer support and managed services for their customers. This skill set makes Flexso the ideal partner to help us consistently strengthen our presence on the Benelux market and beyond."

"For over 20 years, Flexso has been a strategic partner to SAP customers in the Benelux and more than 50 other countries and has been supporting them in their roadmap for innovation, creating modern ways of working with SAP," adds Andreas Nowottka, Managing Director at xSuite Group. "This exceptional approach perfectly aligns with xSuite's solution portfolio. We look forward to working together in the future and appreciate the opportunity to share our expertise to help companies make their financial processes more efficient."

About Flexso

Since 2004, Flexso has been helping organizations to 'run simple' by implementing smart, powerful SAP solutions for a wide range of business lines. The company is passionate about innovation, driven by results, and strongly believes in the power of people. By combining the best solutions and the best people, they make SAP solutions even greater. That's why they have achieved steady growth year after year. Today, Flexso employs over 500 dedicated SAP consultants.

About xSuite

With offices in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., experience across industries and multiple SAP solutions to boot, xSuite is a top innovator in optimizing SAP-based P2P workflows, providing software and implementing solutions for over 1,300 clients. The company has become a trusted partner in modernizing AP systems and automating manual, paper-based processes.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905254970/en/

Contacts:

xSuite Benelux:

Hans Willems

Managing Director

xSuite Benelux BV

Tel +31 (43) 760 01-20

info.benelux@xsuite.com

www.xsuite.com
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Vaccine donations from the European Commission, the U.S. government and Bavarian Nordic are now entering the DRC, the epicenter of the mpox outbreak

More than 250,000 doses to arrive over the next week, marking a crucial turning point in the combat against mpox in Africa

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, September 5, 2024 - Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA) announced today that the first doses of its mpox vaccine, MVA-BN, also known as JYNNEOS, has arrived today in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Additional shipments to the DRC are planned within the next week adding to a total of more than 250,000 vaccines donated by the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), the U.S. government and Bavarian Nordic.

The vaccines delivered today represent the first mpox vaccines for the DRC, marking a turning point in the joint efforts by Africa CDC and the international community to combat the outbreak and bring life-saving vaccines to the people who need it the most. While broader deployment of the vaccine in Africa is pending an emergency use listing with the World Health Organization (WHO), the DRC health authorities have already issued a national emergency use authorization for MVA-BN, allowing for immediate deployment.

As epicenter of the African mpox outbreak, the DRC remains the worst affected country with more than 94% of the 24,000 reported cases and nearly 99% of the 600+ reported deaths year-to-date across the African continent. While disease surveillance and control are continuously improving, case numbers are underreported1, thus presenting a significant challenge for the local healthcare system.

Paul Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bavarian Nordic, said: "Mpox cases are increasing at an alarming rate in the DRC, putting even more pressure on a highly burdened healthcare system, where aid is desperately needed. The Africa CDC has called for the international community to step up and mobilize the resources needed to combat the outbreak, and we are proudly responding to this call together with our partners in the European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority and the U.S. government, who have demonstrated strong leadership and determination during this serious health crisis. Time is of the essence, and we are pleased that the way has now been paved for our mpox vaccines to reach the people in the DRC who are most in need. We will continue our collaborative efforts with both international partners and local authorities to further broaden access to our vaccine in the region."

About the mpox vaccine

MVA-BN or Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic is the only non-replicating mpox vaccine approved in the U.S., Switzerland and Singapore (marketed as JYNNEOS), Canada (marketed as IMVAMUNE), and the EU/EAA and United Kingdom (marketed as IMVANEX). Originally developed as a smallpox vaccine in collaboration with the U.S. government to ensure the supply of a smallpox vaccine for the entire population, including immunocompromised individuals who are not recommended vaccination with traditional replicating smallpox vaccines, MVA-BN has been indicated for use in the general adult population in individuals considered at risk for smallpox or mpox infection.

Supported by data from a clinical study, conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bavarian Nordic has recently filed a submission to the European Medicines Agency to extend the approval to adolescents 12-17 years of age and is also working with partners, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in children 2-12 years of age.

Bavarian Nordic has been a long-term supplier of the vaccine to national stockpiles, and during the 2022-2023 mpox outbreak, the Company supported governments and supranational organizations by expanding access to the vaccine to more than 70 countries worldwide.

About Bavarian Nordic

Bavarian Nordic is a fully integrated vaccine company with a mission to protect and save lives through innovative vaccines. We are a global leader in smallpox and mpox vaccines, supplied to governments to enhance public health preparedness, and have a strong portfolio of vaccines for travelers and endemic diseases. For more information visit www.bavarian-nordic.com .

Forward-looking statements

This announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, objectives, goals, future events, performance, and/or other information that is not historical information. All such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances after the date made, except as required by law.

Contacts

Europe: Rolf Sass Srensen, Vice President Investor Relations, rss@bavarian-nordic.com , Tel: +45 61 77 47 43

US: Graham Morrell, Paddock Circle Advisors, graham@paddockcircle.com , Tel: +1 781 686 9600







1 https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2024-DON528





Attachment
81% of survey respondents say they prefer to use an online portal for routine tasks.

A third of survey respondents say that online portals are equal to reputation as the most important attribute when choosing a carrier.

Almost 60% say they would switch carriers to get an automated service that would tell them exactly where their claim is in their process.

Sacramento, California--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - insured.io, provider of a modern omnichannel customer engagement platform, today released consumer survey results revealing that the quality of a portal/mobile app is a significant factor when choosing a new insurance carrier, equal in importance to their brand and reputation. The portal/app experience is twice as important to consumers under 45 than those over 45.

With the strong trend towards selling and servicing insurance policies through online portals and mobile apps, especially among Millennials and Gen Z, understanding consumer expectations for user experience is critically important for carriers to stay competitive.

The independent research commissioned by insured.io, surveyed over 500 US insurance consumers to understand the importance of digital channels in carrier selection decisions and usage preferences. While price and coverage options are the two most important considerations for selecting an insurance carrier, the third most important factor is tied between brand/reputation and online portal/mobile app experience, as mentioned by over a third of respondents.

Portals and Mobile Apps are Preferred for All Routine Tasks

Further, across all age groups, there is a strong preference for handling all insurance-related activities online: 81 percent prefer to use portals or mobile apps for routine tasks; 74 percent for policy renewals, 55 percent for purchasing new insurance, and even for more complicated tasks, 50 percent prefer it for submitting claims.

"Insurance consumer expectations for online experiences are higher than ever, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. Our research found that seamless online experiences are twice as important to these generations as compared to older insurance consumers. Younger consumers are increasingly dominating the insurance market, which means carriers must provide a modern digital experience to win and retain these customers," said Steve Johnson, CEO of insured.io.

Improvements are Still Needed

The data shows that carriers still need to improve their customer experience. Fifty-six percent (56%) said their carrier's portal is "pretty good," while only 17 percent said their current carrier's website is "excellent."

"Over the last four years, the main focus for P&C insurance carriers has been improving customer experience to boost acquisition and retention. This research from insured.io shows that some progress has been made. However, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done to meet rising customer expectations," said Sarah Haylock, Head of Operations at Bluefire Insurance.

Reducing Friction Around Claims is Paramount

With more than half of respondents citing difficulty with claims, survey respondents were then asked, "If an insurance company had an automated service that would tell you exactly where your claim is in their process and when it would be paid, how likely would you either switch companies or purchase a new policy from this company?"

Fifty-nine percent indicated they would be more likely to switch insurance companies for this feature. This finding highlights the strong demand by insurance customers for real-time updates and more frequent communication from their carriers on claim processing. Much like airlines and package delivery services provide real-time tracking, consumers now expect this level of service from their carrier.







What do insurance consumers really want from carriers? Download insured.io's new report.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10041/221456_1cc1113dc4ef09ad_002full.jpg

Download a Copy of the Study

The full survey findings are available in a new report, "Navigating the Digital Shift: 2024 User Experience Survey," which can be downloaded from insured.io here.

About insured.io

Founded by insurance industry veterans with decades of experience on the P&C carrier and MGA side of the business, insured.io accelerates digital transformation for insurance organizations with a 360-degree suite of SaaS solutions built on a modern, cloud-based platform. The insured.io Customer Engagement Platform integrates seamlessly with multiple core administration systems. It includes interactive voice response (IVR), policyholder and agent portals, direct-to-consumer sales, recurring payments, first notice of loss (FNOL), and robust analytics. For more information and to schedule a demo of insured.io, please visit us at https://insured.io, email us at get@insured.io, or call us at (888) 470-0637.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221456

SOURCE: insured.iO
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Crestview Exploration Inc. (CSE: CRS) (FSE: CE7) ("Crestview" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that Dr. Craig J. Mach has joined the company as Vice President of Exploration.

Craig is a very knowledgeable and seasoned geologist with over 35 years of experience in the western US exploring for precious and base metals. He has worked with several major gold mining and exploration companies including Barrick Gold Exploration, Newmont Exploration, and Kinross Gold, and junior mining companies including Queenstake Resources, Victoria Resources, Gold Standard Ventures, and Ares Strategic Mining. His work has focused mainly on generative and early-stage exploration projects. He has also been involved with teams that have made significant gold and silver discoveries in Nevada. Craig has a PhD in Economic Geology from the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a Certified Professional Geologist (12013) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

Crestview Exploration Inc's CEO, Chris Wensley, stated, "Craig possesses highly relevant experience, depth of knowledge and skill sets that fit exceedingly well with our exploration plans and aspirations for our outstanding package of prolific properties located in the Tuscarora Mountains, north west of Elko as well as our Cimarron project in the Walker Trend near Tonopah, Nevada. We are very pleased and excited about Craig's addition to our team."

Justin Lowe is stepping down as Vice President of Exploration. The Company would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Lowe and express our appreciation for his 3 years of dedicated and diligent service. We are delighted to have Justin remain as a consulting geologist, continuing to advise and assist when needed and appropriate.

Dr. Mach states, "I am very pleased to join Crestview Exploration. They have a strong management team and excellent properties at Tuscarora and Cimarron. The properties have great potential for successful exploration and discovery."

The Company also announces that it has granted a total of 100,000 stock options in respect of this appointment. The incentive stock options granted will vest quarterly over a period of 12 months, are valid for 5 years from the date of the issuance and are exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $ 0.10 per common share.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Chris Wensley"

Chris Wensley, CEO

About Crestview Exploration Inc:

Crestview Exploration is an experienced exploration company focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of gold and silver properties located in prolific mining districts of Nevada.

The Tuscarora Complex includes the Rock Creek, Dry Creek, and Falcon claim blocks for a total of 239 claims. The Rock Creek gold project is Crestview's flagship asset, with 72 unpatented lode mining claims wholly owned and controlled by Crestview. The Rock Creek property was acquired in 2017, and the company went public in 2019. Emboldened by the results coming out of Rock Creek, Crestview strategically expanded on the land position with claim staking at Dry Creek (43 claims), and later (September, 2022) with the acquisition of the Falcon silver-gold prospect (124 claims). These three claim blocks are all within close proximity and are targeting similar mineralization and likely the same underlying hydrothermal system. The Tuscarora Complex is situated in a region with proven "world class" gold deposits (including Midas, Jerritt Canyon, Betze-Post, Meikle, and Gold Quarry), where the potential of finding large, high-grade gold-silver deposits is favorable.

The Cimarron project is located in the San Antonio Mountains of Nye County, Nevada, and is comprised of 31 unpatented lode mining claims, including control of 6 historically producing claims associated with the historic San Antonio mine. The property is located in the prolific Walker-Lane trend, approximately 44 kms south of the "world class" Round Mountain deposit.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address acquisition of the Property and future work thereon, mineral resource and reserve potential, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects is forward-looking information. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information. These include the results of the Company's due diligence investigations, market prices, exploration successes, continued availability of capital financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, and those additionally described in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities authorities.

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 information. For more information on the Company, investors are encouraged to review the Company's public filings at www.sedar.com. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward- looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222223

SOURCE: Crestview Exploration Inc.
Highlights:

New Shear Zone Discovery - newly identified sulfide-bearing shear zone exposed over 17 metres x 2 metres ("m"), with geological similarities to K92's Arakompa lode gold-copper-silver vein, situated just 4 kilometers ("km") away along strike;

High-Grade Gold-Carbonate Base-Metal Vein Extension - a 30 centimetre ("cm") wide structure hosting quartz-carbonate veins and breccias, which returned 2.28 grams per tonne ("g/t") Au in a rock sample from 2022 sampling, has been exposed 24 m upstream from the original sample site;

New Surface Samples Sent for Assay - 169 soil samples and 68 rock chip samples collected and sent for assay; and

Drill Target Identification and Regional Exploration - results of the Program will be used to assess possible drill targets and additional regional exploration programs being considered.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / South Pacific Metals Corp. (TSXV:SPMC)(FSE:6J00) ("SPMC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Irinke Prospect exploration program at its Anga Gold-Copper Project, situated just 4 km northeast along strike of K92 Mining's Arakompa lode-gold vein system and ongoing drilling.

"The Irinke exploration program successfully identified significant structural features that could host gold and/or base-metal rich mineralization, similar to that which exists on K92's adjacent property," commented Cathy Fitzgerald, President and Chief Geologist. "The ongoing drilling at the Arakompa vein is returning excellent intercepts, such as 94.40 m @ 3.06 g/t Au. There are indications that similar vein systems extend onto the Anga property, which is an exciting opportunity. Specifically, a broad shear zone discovery with geological similarities and comparable orientation to Arakompa has the team's interest. Assays are now pending, and we are looking forward to the forthcoming results."

Figure 1: Map illustrating the focus area of the Irinke Prospect exploration program and newly identified shear zone in relation to large footprint gold in soils and other prospects at the Anga Project.

Irinke Prospect Exploration Program Results

A comprehensive grid soil and rock outcrop sampling program, along with structural/geological mapping, was completed in August 2024 to better understand the geological and structural setting of previously identified gold mineralization, (see news release dated July 25, 2024, and December 15, 2022), notably, a high-grade gold-carbonate base-metal vein was sampled that returned 2.28 g/t Au, 9.4 g/t Ag, 418 ppm Pb and 1,254 ppm Zn. Further, the new program aimed to expand the 4 km x 3 km mineralized Au-Cu footprint in soils defined by previous work. This anomalous footprint hosts multiple porphyry and vein-style prospects and suggests that a buried porphyry system is a viable target at Anga. An area of 3.5 km2 was mapped and 169 soil and 68 rock chip samples of outcrop were collected (see Figure 1).

The Program was successful in identifying and mapping a large North-South striking shear zone, exposed over more than 17 m along strike and 2 m in width (see Figure 2). This zone shows similar geological similarities to Arakompa, including similar host rock (diorite) and intense alteration (quartz-sericite-pyrite with chlorite-clay), with sulfides (pyrite and minor chalcopyrite). The Arakompa vein is interpreted to be an intrusive related gold-copper-silver epithermal vein system (see K92 Mining news release dated June 10, 2024).

Figure 2: Newly identified Irinke Prospect Shear Zone exposed for mapping and sampling. Similarly styled host rock, alteration and sulfide mineralization as K92's Arakompa lode-gold vein, currently being drilled. Strong phyllic (sericite, quartz, pyrite) altered brecciated diorite exposed over 17 m length, 2 m width.

Additionally, a 30 cm quartz-carbonate vein breccia that returned 2.28 g/t Au in 2022 sampling (see news release dated December 15, 2022) has been extended 24 m upstream from the original sample site (see Figure 3).

Altogether, a total of 169 soil samples and 68 rock chip samples were collected and have been sent to Intertek Laboratory, in Lae, Papua New Guineafor assay. While assay results are pending, all Project data is being evaluated with a better understanding of regional mineralization styles to consider additional regional exploration work programs, including the review of more than 15 porphyry targets identified from historical work in the region by Barrick Gold.

Figure 3: 30 cm wide quartz-carbonate vein breccia that returned 2.28 g/t Au in 2022, now extended 24 m to the NNE from original sample site.

Geology and Mineralization at the Anga Project

The western portion of Anga Project is along strike of projections of two significant mineralized gold vein systems, Maniape and Arakompa, located 2 km to 4 km to the SW. These, along with veins currently being mined by K92, have been interpreted to be associated with mineralized porphyry sources. Highly conductive ('apparent conductivity') airborne geophysical anomalies are spatially associated with these large gold-copper mineralized vein systems. The strong NE trending conductivity anomalies coincident with K92's deposits trend towards the SW corner of Anga, possibly indicating underlying sulphide-rich ore bodies. In this same region at Anga, gold hosted in carbonate base-metal veins have been identified. SPMC had carried out an airborne Mobile Magnetotelluric (Mobile MT) geophysical survey in early 2022, in cooperation with other operators in the area, the results of which show NE-SW striking highly conductive zones of comparable size and orientation to mineralized structures at K92's deposits (refer news release, under Kainantu Resources Ltd, dated March 10, 2022).

Previous surface sampling and mapping work completed in 2021-2022 at Anga (under previous management as Kainantu Resources Ltd.) indicates that the Project hosts similar geology (basement phyllites and diorites intruded by mineralized Miocene porphyries), surface geochemical soil metal signatures (Au-Te-Bi and Cu-Au-Mo-Hg), structurally controlled highly-conductive geophysical anomalies and structural features as that associated with mineralized gold veins and porphyry copper deposits at K92.

About the Anga Gold-Copper Project

The Anga Gold-Copper Project comprises 461 km of 100%-owned exploration licenses in the highly gold-copper mineralized Kainantu Gold District. The project is located immediately northeast of, and adjacent to, K92's Kainantu Gold Mine Project and its southwestern project boundary is only 3 km from where K92 is currently drilling on the Arakompa lode-gold vein system, where wide and multiple high-grade gold zones have been intercepted. Access to the Anga Project is via the Ramu-Markham highway to the northeast.

Across the broader 60 km by 40 km sized Kainantu Gold District there are multiple gold and copper occurrences, prospects, and targets. Mineralization is interpreted to be associated with mid to late-Miocene intrusive rock, the NNE oriented Kainantu Transfer Structural Zone and NNW oriented arc-parallel structures, all of which are present at Anga. Since 2020, the Company has been actively engaged with local communities on the Project to ensure consent is gained and maintained to undertake field work programs.

Investor Relations Contract with Zinger Ventures Inc.

The Company has entered into a consulting agreement (the "Consulting Agreement") with Zinger Ventures Inc. (the "Consultant"), based in Vancouver, British Columbia, pursuant to which the Consultant will provide the Company with investor relations services (the "Services"). The Consulting Agreement was entered into on September 4, 2024, and has a term of 3 months, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the Consulting Agreement that may be extended for ensuing one month terms by agreement in writing between the Consultant and the Company.

The Services provided by the Consultant will include, but not be limited to, consulting with the Company's management concerning marketing and investor relations services, building relationships with the Company's investors, and attending conferences while representing the Company.

As consideration for the provision of the Services and in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Consulting Agreement, the Company will (i) pay the Consultant a monthly fee of $6,000 plus GST, (ii) grant the Consultant 150,000 stock options (the "Options") at an exercise price of $0.60 per share, and (iii) reimburse the Consultant for pre-approved out of pocket expenses actually and properly incurred by the Consultant in connection with the Services. The Options will vest in stages over a 12-month period with 50,000 Options vesting immediately following the grant date (September 4, 2024), and the remainder of the Options will vest after 6 and then 12 months.

The Consultant and its principal, Dustin Zinger, are arm's length from the Company and do not hold common shares of the Company. The Company's engagement of the Consultant and the issuance of the Options are subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been reviewed and approved by Darren Holden, Ph.D., FAusIMM, a "Qualified Person" as defined under the Canadian Institute of Mining National Instrument 43-101, 2014 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Dr. Holden is a Technical Advisor to the Company.

About South Pacific Metals Corp.

South Pacific Metals Corp. is an emerging gold-copper exploration company operating in the heart of Papua New Guinea's proven gold and copper production corridors. With an expansive 3,000 km land package and four transformative gold-copper projects contiguous with major producers K92 Mining, PanAust and neighbouring Barrick Gold, new leadership and experienced in-country teams are prioritizing thoughtful and rigorous technical programs focused on boots-on-the-ground exploration to prioritize discovery across its portfolio projects: Anga, Osena, Kili Teke and May River.

Immediately flanking K92's active drilling and gold producing operations to the northeast and southwest, SPMC's Anga and Osena Projects are located within the high-grade Kainantu Gold District - each having the potential to host similar-style lode-gold and porphyry copper-gold mineralization as that present within K92's tenements. Kili Teke is an advanced exploration project situated only 40 km from the world-class Porgera Gold Mine and hosts an existing Inferred Mineral Resource with multiple opportunities for expansion and further discovery. The May River Project is located adjacent to the world-renowned Frieda River copper-gold project, with historical drilling indicating potential for a significant, untapped-gold mineralized system. SPMC common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX.V: SPMC) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: 6J00).

For further information please contact:

Michael Murphy, Executive Chairman and CEO

South Pacific Metals Corp.

Tel: +1 604-428-6128

Email: info@southpacificmetals.ca

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information

Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of SPMC. In making the forward-looking statements, SPMC has applied certain assumptions that are based on information available to the Company, including SPMC's strategic plan for the near and mid-term. There is no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements may involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of the Company. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because of the context of the statements, including such words as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "plans", "may", "estimates", or words of a similar nature. Forward-looking statements or information in this news release relate to, among other things: formulation of plans for drill testing; and the success related to any future exploration or development programs. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic, regulatory or other unforeseen uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, without limitation: success of the Company's projects, prices for metals remaining as estimated, currency exchange rates remaining as estimated, availability of funds for the Company's projects, capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates, prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation), no labour-related disruptions, no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production, all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner, and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in gold prices, fluctuations in prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation), fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar), operational risks and hazards inherent with the business of mineral exploration, inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards, the Company's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner, changes in laws, regulations and government practices, including environmental, export and import laws and regulations, legal restrictions relating to mineral exploration, increased competition in the mining industry for equipment and qualified personnel, the availability of additional capital, title matters and the additional risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property.

SOURCE: South Pacific Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The Prolocor pFCG test measures the expression of a specific protein on the platelet surface which this study demonstrates is a reliable prognostic tool to help assess the risk of thrombosis (a key cause of heart attack & stroke) and inform clinical decision making.

This novel test is performed on fixed platelets and uses TruCytes cell mimics (produced by Slingshot Biosciences) as an internal control to improve precision, accuracy, and linear range.

This publication demonstrates that Prolocor pFCG is accurate and precise.

PHILADELPHIA, PA and EMERYVILLE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Prolocor, Inc., a healthcare startup developing an innovative precision diagnostic test with the potential to predict the risk of thrombosis by quantifying FcyRIIa (Prolocor pFCG test), and Slingshot Biosciences, a biotechnology company building the world's first on-demand cell mimic platform for replacing reference cells, announced today the publication in Bioanalysis of the results from our analytic validation testing titled: Assessing Prognosis by Quantifying FcyRIIa on Fixed Platelets.





Prolocor Logo





"Prolocor is excited to advance this new prognostic tool to guide clinical decision making. The results of our validation studies show this innovative test demonstrates outstanding intra (2%) and inter (10%) test variation, well below the current FDA guidance (25%)," said Dr. David Schneider Prolocor co-founder and Chief Science Officer. "We want to thank our partners at Slingshot Biosciences for developing the novel TruCytesTM cell mimics that are central to the test and pivotal to demonstrating the accuracy and power of this test."

"Congratulations to Dr. Schneider and his team for their exceptional work advancing this important prognostic tool. We are thrilled that Prolocor's use of Slingshot Biosciences' TruCytes cell mimics enabled precise and accurate results that outperformed biological controls," said Dr. Jeffrey Kim, founder and CEO of Slingshot Biosciences. "This study highlights the power of our cell mimic platform in driving next-generation tests that could enhance patient care."

"Clinicians need better tools to guide decision making on the choice of antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease patients, particularly after coronary stenting. The Prolocor pFCG test will be an important asset as we tailor antiplatelet therapies to balance thrombotic and bleeding risk," said Dominick J. Angiolillo, MD, PhD, FACC, FESC, FSCAI, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Director, Thrombosis Research Center, University of Florida, College of Medicine-Jacksonville.

About Prolocor, Inc.

Founded by a team that deeply understands thrombosis and cardiovascular disease, Prolocor is building its strategy around platelet FcyRIIa and embarking on a journey to commercialize an innovative precision diagnostic test that quantifies FcyRIIa on the surface of platelets. For more information on Prolocor, please visit the company's website at www.prolocor.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Slingshot Biosciences

Slingshot Biosciences develops synthetic cells for a range of applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Slingshot leverages advances in distributed manufacturing, engineering, and polymer chemistry to provide an industry-first, off-the-shelf solution for cell-like reagents that are stable, low-cost, and targeted toward a range of indications and markets. Visit www.slingshotbio.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions, and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "plans" and similar expressions. Although Prolocor's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Prolocor, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, Prolocor's planned level of revenues and capital expenditures, Prolocor's available cash and its ability to obtain additional funding, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities regarding whether and when to approve any device or application that may be filed for any such product candidates and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Prolocor's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, and risks associated with intellectual property. Other than as required by applicable law, Prolocor does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

Contact Information

Ray Russo

Prolocor Inc

ray.russo@prolocor.com

Tiffany Salas-Morris

Slingshot Biosciences

tiffany@slingshotbio.com

SOURCE: Prolocor Inc.

View the original press release on newswire.com.
University of Virginia Takes the Top Spot While Harvard, Columbia and NYU Share an 'Abysmal' Free Speech Status

WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / This year's College Free Speech Rankings - released today by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse - offer comprehensive insights into the state of free speech on America's college campuses.

The largest report of its kind, the rankings draw from more than 58,000 student responses representing more than 250 colleges and universities nationwide. The report arrives at a time when protest over the Israel-Hamas war has put campus speech concerns at the forefront of the national conversation for nearly a year.

"These rankings highlight a pivotal moment in higher education, where the tension between maintaining a free speech environment and navigating deeply polarizing issues is more pronounced than ever," said FIRE CEO Greg Lukianoff.

"The Middle East crisis plunged campuses into absolute chaos last academic year and administrators largely failed in their response, clamping down on free speech protections instead of fostering spaces for open dialogue," Lukianoff added. "The nightmare scenarios of last spring cannot be repeated this fall. Colleges need to reassert their mantle of being marketplaces of ideas, not bubbles of groupthink and censorship."

The best colleges for free speech:

University of Virginia

Michigan Technological University

Florida State University

Eastern Kentucky University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Claremont McKenna College

North Carolina State University

Oregon State University

University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Mississippi State University

The worst colleges for free speech:

Pomona College

Indiana University

University of Texas, Austin

University of Southern California

Syracuse University

Barnard College

University of Pennsylvania

New York University

Columbia University

Harvard University

For the first time, the University of Virginia has claimed the top spot in the rankings, followed closely by Michigan Technological University, which came in first last year, and Florida State University in third. Eastern Kentucky University and Georgia Tech round out the top five.

Harvard University retained its position as the lowest-ranked institution for free speech for the second consecutive year. Harvard, Columbia University, and New York University all received an "Abysmal" rating for their speech climates. The University of Pennsylvania and Barnard College round out the bottom five. These schools not only have low levels of administrative support for free speech. They also have low levels of student comfort in expressing their views on controversial political topics and a strong bias in favor of allowing liberal speakers on campus over conservative ones.

"The lack of administrative support for free speech trickles down into student behavior," said FIRE Vice President of Research Angela C. Erickson. "How many more students will be blocked from attending speeches, and how many more speakers will be shouted down or even attacked?"

Other key findings from the rankings report include:

52% of students reported that blocking other students from attending a campus speech is at least "rarely" acceptable, up from 45% last year and 37% two years ago.

55% of students find it difficult to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on campus. This is a record high for any issue since the rankings began.

42% of students believe that it is only "somewhat" clear that their administration protects free speech, while 24% believe it is "not at all" or "not very" clear.

This year, 17% of students said they feel like they cannot express their opinion on a subject because of how students, a professor or the administration would respond. This is a bit of positive news, since last year this percentage was 20%, and in 2022 it was 22%.

Very conservative students reported self-censoring most often, with 34% saying they do so "very" or "fairly" often. 24% percent of somewhat conservative students reported self-censoring "very" or "fairly" often. In contrast, only 15% of very liberal students reported self-censoring "very" or "fairly" often. 12% of somewhat liberal students and 13% of slightly liberal students said the same.

"While it's encouraging to see some progress in reducing student self-censorship, the persistence of deplatformings and challenges posed by the Middle East conflict underscore the need for continued vigilance in protecting free expression on campus," said FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens.

Explore the full rankings here.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought - the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE recognizes that colleges and universities play a vital role in preserving free thought within a free society. To this end, we place a special emphasis on defending the individual rights of students and faculty members on our nation's campuses, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience.

Contact Information

Bridget Lewis

Senior Account Executive

bridget@javelindc.com

7027732111

SOURCE: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Private equity backing to accelerate growth initiatives for EquiLend

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EquiLend, the global technology, data and analytics company for the securities finance industry, today announces the completion of its majority acquisition by private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS). The deal's closure follows regulatory approval from EquiLend's regulators in the U.S., UK and Ireland. The acquisition agreement was first announced in January 2024.

Joining WCAS as owners of EquiLend are founding shareholders and customers including Bank of America, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, National Bank of Canada, State Street, and UBS.

Ryan Harper, General Partner at WCAS, stated, "With the necessary regulatory approvals now in place, EquiLend is poised to accelerate its growth and further the automation of the securities finance market. We believe this partnership will support EquiLend's mission to innovate and enhance industry efficiency. We look forward to working closely with EquiLend's customers, shareholders and leadership team during this exciting period of growth."

EquiLend's suite of financial technology solutions supports all facets of a securities finance market participant's business, including electronic trading, SaaS platform, post-trade automation, data and analytics and regulatory technology solutions. Since its founding in 2001, the company's client base has grown to nearly 200 asset owners, agency lending banks, broker-dealers and hedge funds.

About EquiLend

EquiLend is a global financial technology firm offering Trading, Post-Trade, Data & Analytics, RegTech and Platform Solutions for the securities finance industry. With offices in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, EquiLend operates across various jurisdictions worldwide, adhering to the highest regulatory standards. The company is committed to excellence and innovation and is consistently recognized for its contributions to the industry. EquiLend is Great Place to Work Certified in the U.S., UK, Ireland and India and has been honored as the Best Post-Trade Service Provider Globally, Best Market Data Provider Globally and for its outstanding Diversity & Inclusion initiatives in the Securities Finance Times Industry Excellence Awards 2023. For more information, please visit www.equilend.com

Press Contact

equilend@fullyvested.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1060364/EquiLend_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wcas-completes-acquisition-of-equilend-302238846.html
Novotech, the global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) that partners with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase, has released its latest industry report, Pancreatic Cancer- Global Clinical Trial Landscape (2024)

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903868547/en/

The landscape of pancreatic cancer (PC) research is experiencing a transformative phase, with significant advancements in clinical trials, drug development, and therapeutic strategies. The 2024 Global Clinical Trial Report offers critical insights into these developments, showcasing the growing global effort to combat one of the most lethal forms of cancer.

Key Highlights:

Global Clinical Trials

Over 2,000 PC clinical trials have been initiated worldwide since 2019, with North America and the Asia-Pacific region leading the charge, each contributing 38% and 37% of the trials, respectively. Europe follows with a 20% share.

The United States leads North America with 88% of the trials, while Mainland China dominates the Asia-Pacific region with 43% of trials. Other key contributors include Australia, South Korea, and Japan.

Drug Development Landscape

The report identifies 164 drugs in preclinical stages and 233 in early-phase clinical trials, 29 in Phase III, and 11 already on the market, highlighting a robust and growing pipeline aimed at improving treatment outcomes for PC patients.

Notably, small molecules remain the primary focus of development, with prominent companies such as Astellas Pharma Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb Co., and Eli Lilly and Co. leading the market with their innovative treatments.

The drug development landscape also includes significant contributions from Pfizer Inc., Roche, and Merck Co. Inc., with a strong emphasis on targeted therapies and immunotherapies.

Therapeutic Innovations

Recent years have seen advancements in neoadjuvant chemotherapy, RAS-directed therapies, and immunotherapy, offering new hope to PC patients. Stroma-modifying drugs are also showing promise in clinical trials, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches.

The report predicts that the future of PC treatment will see a greater focus on personalized medicine, early detection methods, and targeted biological therapies, which are expected to significantly improve survival rates and quality of life for patients.

Regional Insights and Trial Density

Despite its large population, the Asia-Pacific region's clinical trial density is six times lower than that of the US and about half that of Europe, signaling an urgent need for increased research and targeted medical interventions in these regions.

The Asia-Pacific region's untapped research potential, combined with its vast patient population and unique genetic diversities, presents a prime opportunity for groundbreaking clinical research and the development of tailored therapeutic interventions.

Leading Contributors

Companies like Astellas Pharma Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb Co., and Eli Lilly and Co. have made significant contributions to the PC drug market. The presence of advanced trials by giants such as Pfizer Inc., Roche, and Merck Co. Inc. underscores the collective global effort to address the challenges posed by pancreatic cancer.

Strategic Insights

The SWOT analysis of the pancreatic cancer treatment landscape reveals significant strengths in the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, bolstered by increased research funding. However, challenges such as late diagnosis, low survival rates, and the lack of early detection biomarkers persist.

Opportunities lie in personalized medicine and growing research investments, while threats include stringent regulatory hurdles and the prohibitive cost of advanced treatments, potentially limiting patient access.

The report underscores the critical importance of continued investment in PC research and development. With the backing of leading pharmaceutical companies and innovative clinical trials, the future of pancreatic cancer treatment is bright, offering new hope to patients and their families.

For more information and to download the full report free of charge, please visit Novotech's website or contact our media relations team.

About Novotech Novotech-CRO.com

Founded in 1997, Novotech is a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on partnering with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase.

Recognized for its industry-leading contributions, Novotech has received numerous prestigious awards, including the CRO Leadership Award 2023, the Asia Pacific Cell Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Excellence 2023, the Asia-Pacific Contract Research Organization Company of the Year Award since 2006.

The Company offers a comprehensive suite of services including laboratories, Phase I facilities, drug development consulting, regulatory expertise, and has experience with over 5,000 clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. With a presence in 34 office locations and a dedicated team of 3,000+ professionals worldwide, Novotech is a trusted end-to-end strategic partner of choice.

For more information or to speak to an expert team member visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903868547/en/

Contacts:

Media

Toyna Chin

mediacontact@novotech-cro.com

USA: +1 415 364 8135
LSEB Creative Corp. (OTC PINK:LSEB) (the "Company") is pleased to share updates regarding the intended expansion of its brand, Lauren Bentley Swimwear (LBS), following the release of its second collection. The brand is currently in the research and design stages of expanding its beachwear category, with an emphasis on versatile, high-quality pieces.

Lauren Bentley Swimwear intends to introduce cover-ups such as sarongs, a quintessential element of women's beachwear wardrobes. This versatile item is currently being developed by the brand's design team with the help of supply and manufacturer partners. Additional cover-ups and new product categories are entering the research and design stages.

These steps further solidifying Lauren Bentley Swimwear's vision to become a comprehensive beachwear lifestyle brand. While these category expansions are an exciting development, the brand is aiming for a release in Spring 2025, though no definitive timeline has been established. As with all Lauren Bentley Swimwear offerings, the brand remains committed to prioritizing quality throughout the meticulous design, development, and sourcing processes.

"The gradual expansion of our product line is a natural progression for the Lauren Bentley Swimwear brand," said Lauren Bentley, CEO of LSEB Creative Corp. "We are passionate about offering timeless, quality pieces that meet the high expectations of our customers, which will take time and focus. We are incredibly excited to venture into new categories and provide even more options for our clientele."

About LSEB Creative Corp.

LSEB Creative Corp (OTC PINK: LSEB) is a visionary new entrant in the fashion sector, dedicated to crafting timeless elegance and offering impeccable craftsmanship through its flagship brand, Lauren Bentley Swimwear. The Company sets the standard for sophistication and innovation in swimwear fashion, with a commitment to excellence and creativity.

Certain statements in this document that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "future," "may," "will," "would," "should," "plan," "projected," "intend," and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of LSEB Creative Corp. to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company's future operating results are dependent upon many factors, including but not limited to: (i) the Company's ability to obtain sufficient capital or a strategic business arrangement to fund its current operational or expansion plans; (ii) the Company's ability to build and maintain the management and human resources and infrastructure necessary to support the anticipated growth of its business; and (iii) competitive factors and developments beyond the Company's control.

For more information, please contact:

LSEB Creative Corp.

Lauren Bentley, CEO

info@lsebcreative.com

laurenbentleyswim.com

Instagram: @laurenbentleyswim

Contact Information

Jordan Starkman

CFO

jstarkman@lsebcreative.com

647-328-8267

SOURCE: LSEB Creative Corp

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Silver Dollar Resources Inc. (CSE: SLV) (OTCQX: SLVDF) (FSE: 4YW) ("Silver Dollar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the engagement of Dale Moore, P.Geo., and owner of Tamarack Geological Services, to manage exploration at its recently acquired Ranger-Page Project in Idaho's Silver Valley.

Dale is a registered professional geologist in Idaho and Washington state, with 14 years of experience working in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District. Dale and his team at Tamarack have worked on every major mining project in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District and numerous other projects in North America.





Figure 1: Location of the Ranger-Page Project in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Ranger-Page/Ranger-Page_Silver-Valley.jpg

The Team at Ranger-Page will consist of Tamarack's most experienced Silver Valley geologists, who as a group have logged several miles of exploration drill core delineating some of the Coeur d'Alene Mining District's most prolific ore deposits, including the Lucky Friday, Galena Complex, and Sunshine mines.

"Dale and the Tamarack team worked with the previous operator on the Ranger-Page Project and are the logical choice to oversee our exploration programs," said Mike Romanik, President of Silver Dollar. "They did an exceptional job in defining multiple targets over the last two years and we are excited to commence drill testing those targets on a priority basis."





Figure 2: Ranger-Page claim groups, underground mine workings, and new target areas.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://silverdollarresources.com/images/Ranger-Page/Ranger-Page_Claims-Targets.jpg

About the Ranger-Page Project

Ranger-Page is a drill-ready project in a world-class silver district. The land package covers six historic mines and is ideally situated near Interstate 90 with year-round access to power, water, local infrastructure and a workforce in the Silver Valley skilled in exploration and mining. The primary target areas are up and down plunge from historic underground mining, along strike where ground induced polarization (IP) surveys identify anomalies, and where surface trenching identified near surface mineralization. Additional exploration targets have also been identified away from historic mine infrastructure, using soil geochemical data, mapping, and ground IP survey data.

About Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Silver Dollar is a mineral exploration company that is fully funded to execute its near-term exploration plans having closed its last financing with lead orders from billionaire mining investor Eric Sprott and NYSE-listed First Majestic Silver. The Company's primary projects lie within Idaho's prolific Silver Valley and the Durango-Zacatecas silver-gold belt and include the advanced exploration stage Ranger-Page and La Joya projects and the early exploration stage Nora project. Management has an aggressive growth strategy and is actively reviewing potential acquisitions with a focus on drill-ready projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions.

For additional information, you can download our latest presentation here and follow us on X here.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Signed "Michael Romanik"

Michael Romanik,

President, CEO & Director

Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Direct line: (204) 724-0613

Email: mike@silverdollarresources.com

179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416

Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222143

SOURCE: Silver Dollar Resources Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Kraken Energy Corp. (CSE: UUSA) (OTCQB: UUSAF) (FSE: F2C) (the "Company" or "Kraken") is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Goss as the new Interim Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company.

Brian Goss has worked in the mining industry for over 20 years as an Entrepreneur, Executive, Director, and Geologist, specifically in precious, base, and energy metals exploration. He is the founder and President of Rangefront Mining Services, an exploration and geology contracting company with offices across the western United States and Canada, that caters to a large spectrum of clients in the mining and exploration industries. Mr. Goss currently holds Director positions at Summa Silver Corp. (TSXV: SSVR), Ridgestone Mining Inc. (TSXV: RMI), Lithium Corp. (OTCQB:LTUM), Rumble Resources Inc. (CSE: RB), and Starmet Ventures Inc. (CSE: STAR). Mr. Goss holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Geology from Wayne State University in Michigan.

Brian Goss replaces Matthew Schwab, the Company's former Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Schwab has also stepped down as a Director of the Company. The Company would like to thank Mr. Schwab for his contributions to the Company and wishes him success in his future endeavours.

About Kraken Energy Corp.:

Kraken Energy Corp. is an energy company advancing its portfolio of high-grade uranium properties in the Unites States. The Company is advancing its 100%-owned Apex Uranium Property, located 280 km (174 miles) east from Reno, Nevada which is recognized as Nevada's largest past-producing uranium mine. The Company has additionally entered into an option agreement to earn 100% of the Garfield Hills Uranium Property. The past-producing Garfield Hills Uranium Property covers 1,238 ha (3,060 acres) and is located 19 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne in Mineral County, Nevada. Kraken Energy has also staked the Huber Hills Uranium Property, located 136 km (85 miles) north of Elko, Nevada which covers 1,044 ha (2,580 acres)and encompasses the historic Race Track open pit mine. The Company has entered into an option agreement to earn 75% of the Harts Point Uranium Property. The Harts Point Uranium Property covers 2,622 ha (6,480 acres) and is located 49 km (30 miles) northwest of Monticello in San Juan County, Utah.

For more information about the Company, please visit: www.krakenenergycorp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include our plans for exploration at the properties. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222200

SOURCE: Kraken Energy Corp.
Tbilisi, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Ocean Capital, a leading innovator in Georgia's real estate market, is excited to announce that the final phase of sales for its flagship developments, Ocean Vake Park and Ocean Sky Residences, is now underway. These projects, which have been developed in strategic phases, are nearing completion, with limited apartments remaining for prospective buyers.

Ocean Capital

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8871/221373_5474ddd2145e480a_001full.jpg

Nearing Completion with Phased Development

Ocean Vake Park and Ocean Sky Residences have progressed in carefully planned phases, ensuring that each aspect of these luxury developments is meticulously crafted to meet the highest standards. As the final phase of construction is underway, Ocean Capital is focused on delivering top-tier residences to Tbilisi's growing demand for luxury and eco-conscious living spaces.

Limited Availability for Buyers

With the completion date approaching, Ocean Capital is nearing the final sale of its planned apartments. The overwhelming demand for these properties reflects the company's success in offering residents modern living spaces near Tbilisi's iconic Vake Park and Mziuri Park. Potential buyers now have a limited opportunity to secure their place in these prestigious developments before the remaining units are sold out.

A New Chapter for Tbilisi Real Estate

These final sales mark an important milestone for Ocean Capital, reinforcing its position as a leader in Tbilisi's real estate sector. With both Ocean Vake Park and Ocean Sky Residences set to redefine luxury living in the capital, the company's phased approach to development has ensured that each project enhances the architectural landscape while providing residents with eco-friendly, technologically advanced homes.

Looking Ahead

As the final sales phase concludes, Ocean Capital is preparing to hand over these state-of-the-art properties to residents by the end of the year. The successful completion of these developments will not only signify a new chapter for Tbilisi's urban environment but also for the company's continued growth and influence in the region's real estate market.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221373

SOURCE: PRNews OU
Downloadable and on-demand apps for accurate prediction of material behavior

Asahi Kasei Engineering Corp. (AEC) has launched a cloud-based CAE solution platform, offering highly precise apps to predict crash and impact behavior of polymers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905728893/en/

Conceptual diagram of the CAE solution platform (Graphic: Business Wire)

As the adoption of polymer materials in automobiles and other products increases, precise simulation of material behavior will contribute to enhanced product design and to significantly reduced costs and time for material and application development. In recent years, cloud-based high-performance computing (HPC) is being increasingly used throughout various industries. As a result, the on-demand use of computer aided engineering (CAE) software installed in cloud HPC as software as a service is also becoming more common in the material development process.

As a manufacturer of technical polymers, Asahi Kasei has provided comprehensive, high precision support for its customers' product design and development through CAE technical service focused on engineering plastics. Leveraging this expertise, AEC, a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, further extends its CAE-related service by launching the cloud-based "CAE Solution Platform," offering various apps that can be easily downloaded and used by customers worldwide.

Highly accurate fracture prediction application

The apps offered on the platform include the downloadable and highly accurate polymer material fracture prediction model "i-LUPE." Microscopically, amorphous polymer materials have a structure in which molecular chains are intricately entangled. When an impact or other force is applied to this material causing significant deformation, the molecular chains are stretched, resulting in the formation of voids and fibrils (bundles of molecular chains). When these so-called crazes grow, the polymer material fractures.

By focusing on crazes, "i-LUPE" accurately predicts and reproduces possible fractures in the polymer.

Supporting mapping tool

As a supporting app to "i-LUPE," the CAE solution platform offers an on-demand mapping tool specifically focused on anisotropic materials such as fiber-reinforced resins. This tool converts fiber orientation data into "i-LUPE" material property lists, which are used as reference for selecting the optimal material for specific applications, enabling an accurate visual representation of deformation behavior of fiber-reinforced resins.

To register for Asahi Kasei Engineering's CAE solution platform, please visit: caesolution.asahi-kasei.co.jp/public/en/

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its founding in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 49,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its Material sector, comprised of Environmental Solutions, Mobility Industrial, and Life Innovation, includes a wide array of products from battery separators and biodegradable textiles to engineering plastics and sound solutions. For more information, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon-neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905728893/en/

Contacts:

Europe Contact:

Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH

Sebastian Schmidt

sebastian.schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu

North America Contact:

Asahi Kasei America Inc.

Christian OKeefe

christian.okeefe@ak-america.com
Hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by the Fiber Network Council APAC, who holds this year's presidency of the FTTH Councils Global Alliance (FCGA), the summit brought together over 25 senior leaders from the six regional councils forming the platform for two days of networking and discussions over the differences and commonalities of fibre deployment and adoption at international level. The event has been an opportunity for the FTTH Councils Global Alliance to regroup on their shared objectives and common activities, and for fibre stakeholders across the globe to exchange and learn from the successful experiences of their peers, with an outlook at the challenges and priorities ahead for each region.

The fiber deployment trend in the Asia-Pacific region is accelerating, with the "FTTH/B Panorama 2023 APAC" released by Fiber Network Council APAC report showing a 7.1% increase in subscribers to 645 million and a 7.9% rise in homes passed to 815 million by June 2023. Over the last decade, subscribers have grown 6.3 times, and homes passed have increased 2.6 times. However, this rapid expansion has led to a decline in the take-up rate in some markets. The report classifies the region into three tiers: mature markets with over 80% coverage (China, Japan, South Korea), medium markets with 30-80% coverage (Australia, Indonesia), and high-potential markets with less than 30% coverage but strong growth, particularly in India, which saw 153% subscriber growth since December 2021.

The FTTH Council Europe's "European FTTH/B Market Panorama 2024" shows a positive trend in FTTH deployments in Europe, with 69,9% coverage in the EU39 area in September 2023. Despite this, only 34,7% of homes are effectively connected, with significant hurdles in key markets like Germany, UK, Italy, Greece, Belgium, and Austria, resulting in a take-up rate of just 50%. Implementing the Gigabit Infrastructure Act will be crucial for expanding fibre networks and reach maximum coverage, alongside effective demand-side measures and a clear plan for copper switch-off to stimulate the adoption of fibre-based service, pre-requisite to drive the required private investments.

The Fiber Broadband Association's "The State of The North American Fiber Industry", December 2023 shows that the region had record fiber deployment with 9 million homes passed during the year. The United States ended the year with 77,9 million homes passed and 30,9 million homes passed with fiber. Fiber "take-rates" are averaging 45,4% based on unique home passings. In Canada, fiber has now been deployed passed 12,1 million homes with 44,6% "take-rates" against unique fiber home passings. The U.S. is in the early stages of the largest fiber investment cycle in history, as the Administration works to connect every home by the end of the decade.

The FTTH Panorama LATAM 2023 report, by the Fibre Broadband Association LATAM Chapter, highlights that Latin America, and the Caribbean had 56,7 million fixed broadband FTTH accesses by the end of 2022. The growth of FTTH technology is expected to replace other fixed broadband technologies in the region, which currently serves 54 million households. Countries with low FTTH penetration, such as Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, and Puerto Rico, present significant opportunities for market development. With 68.7 million underserved households, the region has substantial growth potential, especially when compared to Europe's 70% coverage and 35% penetration. Fiber optics are seen as the key driver for this expansion.

Fiber Connect Council MENA emphasized the critical role data centers will play in driving the AI revolution and enabling widespread 5G deployment across the region. The Middle East is poised for significant growth, with its data center market valued at USD 5,57 billion in 2023 and projected to soar to USD 9,61 billion by 2029, reflecting a robust CAGR of 9,52%. As the backbone of digital transformation, these investments will be pivotal in shaping the future of technology and connectivity in the region.

Digital Council Africa reiterated that the continent has seen an unparalleled digital metamorphosis, catalyzed by the far-reaching effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This transformative wave has reshaped the SSA landscape through the rapid expansion of connectivity, the widespread adoption of mobile technologies, and the surge in internet usage. SSA's youthful population stands as a compelling attraction when compared to regions with predominantly older demographics. Nonetheless, maneuvering through the intricate SSA terrain can be a formidable undertaking and better policy environments will attract further investment.

The summit also saw the official launch of the FTTH Councils Global Alliance website, a new digital platform that fosters the efforts made by the six organisations forming the alliance to make fibre happen worldwide. The website regroups the latest news, main events, publications and reports for each regional country, and provides a direct link to further explore their work and connect with their member companies. Visit the website at this link: www.ftthglobalalliance.org.

More about the FCGA

The FTTH Council Global Alliance (FCGA) is the platform for cooperation of the six regional FTTH Councils: the FTTH Council Europe, the Fibre Broadband Association, the Fibre Broadband Association LATAM chapter, the Fiber Network Council APAC, the Digital Council Africa and the Fibre Connect Council MENA.

The FCGA offers these powerful, independent organisations unique opportunities to adapt their activities to local market and technology developments and share findings and best practices. Each council is promoting adoption of FTTH in its own region, while the FCGA facilitates global cooperation among these councils by exchanging studies, information, and market developments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905211055/en/

Contacts:

Michele Nardi

Marketing Communications Manager

FTTH Council Europe

michele.nardi@ftthcouncil.eu

Tel: +32 471 83 40 55
BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roborock, a global leader in ultra-intelligent home robotics engineered to simplify daily life, has today unveiled five new smart home cleaning models at IFA 2024 to mark the brand's 10th-anniversary milestone. Dedicated to enhancing users' lives through intelligent solutions that embody a user-centric approach, this diverse lineup includes innovative robotic vacuums, cordless vacuums, and a smart washer-dryer, each featuring breakthrough technologies:

Roborock Qrevo Curv and Roborock Qrevo Edge: Deliver top performance with a Dual Anti-Tangle System for preventing hair tangling and an AdaptiLift Chassis for seamless adaptation to different floor types, ensuring optimal and effortless cleaning.

Roborock Qrevo Slim: The industry's slimmest 3D Time of Flight (ToF) navigation robot vacuum at 8.2cm, offering advanced navigation, obstacle recognition and robust suction in a sleek pr ofile.

Roborock H5: A cordless vacuum delivering exceptional suction and advanced filtration for a thorough cleaning experience.

Roborock Zeo Lite: A smart washer-dryer equipped with the world's first Zeo-cycle technology,offering efficient washing and gentle drying at moderate temperatures.

"We are thrilled to pioneer a revolutionary shift in smart home cleaning with our latest product unveiling at IFA 2024," said Mr. Quan, Roborock President. "This year marks a significant milestone for us as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Roborock. We've evolved from a visionary start-up to a global leader in smart home technology, consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation to enhance the cleaning experience. As we look to the future, our commitment remains steadfast - to empower our users' lives with intelligent solutions that exemplify our user-centric philosophy. These latest developments reflect our journey and ongoing dedication to excellence, redefining what it means to maintain a clean, responsive, and harmonious living environment."

Roborock Qrevo Curv and Qrevo Edge: Setting New Standards with Industry-First AdaptiLift Chassis and Revolutionary Dual Anti-Tangle System

Roborock Qrevo Curv and Qrevo Edge introduce an industry-first innovation, the AdaptiLift Chassis, which incorporate an independently adjustable three-wheel control (left and right main wheels, and omni-wheel), allowing these models to dynamically adjust up to 10mm in height. This significantly enhances their ability to clean various floor types in different home environments, by extending cleaning coverage to include mid-to-long pile carpets, and navigating double-layer thresholds up to 4cm high, thus setting a new industry benchmark.

The introduction of the revolutionary dual anti-tangle system sets the Roborock Qrevo Curv and Qrevo Edge apart, integrating a revolutionary DuoDivide Main Brush and a FlexiArm Arc Side Brush. The DuoDivide Main Brush comprises dual short bristle rollers with spiral blades designed to efficiently direct hair towards the dustbin inlet without tangling. This unique design effectively prevents hair from tangling around the brushes or accumulating at the ends, achieving a remarkable 0% tangling rate and 100% removal rate as certified by SGS.

Equipped with a powerful 18,500Pa HyperForce Suction and FlexiArm Technology featuring an extendable side brush and right-side mop, these robot vacuums ensure meticulous cleanliness by reaching edges seamlessly, significantly boosting cleaning efficiency. Both models come with the Multifunctional Dock 3.0 with the 75C hot mop washing feature, removing over 99.99% of bacteria on the spinning mops to further underscore their cleaning prowess.

Crafted with a harmonious blend of aesthetics and functionality to effortlessly tackle intricate cleaning tasks, the Roborock Qrevo Curv stands out with its exclusive all-in-one dock that complements the vacuum's sleek, rounded design.

Roborock Qrevo Slim: Industry's Slimmest 3D ToF-Navigation Robot Vacuum with Advanced Navigation and Obstacle Recognition Technology

Experience a new era in home cleaning with the Roborock Qrevo Slim, the industry's slimmest 3D ToF navigation robot vacuum equipped with advanced navigation and obstacle recognition technology[1], measuring just 8.2cm high. This cutting-edge device offers unparalleled reach for flawless cleaning under furniture and in hard-to-reach areas.

The Roborock Qrevo Slim's StarSight Autonomous System features the industry-first dual-light 3D ToF technology[2], forming a high-density laser array with over 21,600 sensor points and a 38,400Hz sampling frequency, alongside an intelligent RGB camera, to ensure precise navigation and obstacle recognition. The technology is the result of over five years of collaboration by Roborock, Infineon, pmd, and OFlim, and has now successfully reached mass production.

"The close relationship with Roborock is a great example of how our innovative semiconductor technologies translate into benefits for the end consumer," said Andreas Kopetz, Vice President Ambient Sensing at Infineon. "We are proud that Infineon's REAL3 hybrid ToF solution is supporting Roborock as it enters a new era of slim and high performing cleaning robots, starting with Qrevo slim, the first and slimmest dual-light 3D ToF-navigation robot vacuum cleaner in the industry so far."

Distinguished by its unparalleled mapping capabilities, the Roborock Qrevo Slim sets a new industry benchmark by meticulously capturing height and depth data. This comprehensive understanding of its surroundings empowers the Roborock Qrevo Slim to navigate with utmost precision and obstacles efficiently, effortlessly recognizing and reacting to up to 73 types of obstacles. Noteworthy is its swift response to unexpected obstacles like pets; the device intelligently halts its main brush and adjusts its trajectory in anticipation of furry companions, ensuring their undisturbed peace.

Equipped with the FlexiArm Side Brush and Mop, the powerful DuoRoller Riser Brush, and 11,000Pa suction, the Roborock Qrevo Slim guarantees thorough cleaning performance. Paired with the upgraded Multifunctional Dock 3.0, featuring enhanced mop washing and self-cleaning capabilities, the device offers a truly hands-free cleaning experience with improved power and intelligence, elevating cleaning to a whole new level.

Roborock H5: Powerfully Precise Cordless Vacuum with Advanced Filtration

In addition, Roborock introduced the Roborock H5, a cordless handheld vacuum that combines powerful suction with advanced filtration in a slim, lightweight design. The Roborock H5 boasts a suction power of 158AW and weighs just 1.82kg with the motorized mini brush attached. It features sophisticated nine-cyclone dust separation technology and a five-stage filtration system, ensuring an unparalleled level of cleanliness for your home.

Roborock Zeo Lite: Innovative Washing and Drying with the World's First Zeo-cycle Technology

Expanding further into smart home cleaning solutions, Roborock introduces the Roborock Zeo Lite, an all-in-one intelligent washer-dryer. This model features the world's first Zeo-cycle drying technology, which utilizes the Zeo Lite's superior water vapor absorption capacity to protect delicate fabrics without extreme heat. This AI-controlled, moderate temperature drying efficiently captures moisture, ensuring optimal fabric care.

The Roborock Zeo Lite boasts a large capacity, handling 10kg for washing and 6kg for drying, completing a full cycle in just one hour without the need to transfer laundry. With 27 customizable wash and dry modes accessible through the Roborock App, this intelligent system automates water and drying adjustments, and auto detergent dispensing based on load weight, ensuring an efficient, hands-free laundry experience.

Pricing and Availability

Roborock Qrevo Curv is priced at 1499.99 in Western Europe. The pre-order sale will run from September 9 t h to September 22 nd with early-bird discounts.

is priced at 1499.99 in Western Europe. The pre-order sale will run from September 9 to September 22 with early-bird discounts. Roborock Qrevo Slim is priced at 1299.99 in Western Europe.

is priced at 1299.99 in Western Europe. Roborock H5 is priced at 299.99 in Western Europe. The pre-order sale will run from September 9 th to September 22 nd with early-bird discounts.

is priced at 299.99 in Western Europe. The pre-order sale will run from September 9 to September 22 with early-bird discounts. Roborock Zeo Lite is priced at 999 in the EU.

Roborock Qrevo Curv, Roborock Qrevo Slim, Roborock H5 and Roborock Zeo Lite will be available in additional markets following their debut in Europe. For specific pricing and availability details, please refer to official announcements within your local market.

ENDS

About Roborock

Roborock is a leading smart cleaning brand renowned for its intelligent cleaning solutions. With a steadfast dedication to becoming a global leading smart appliance player, Roborock enriches lives with its innovative line of robotic, cordless, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and washer-dryers. Rooted in a user-centric approach, our R&D-driven solutions cater to diverse cleaning needs in over 15 million homes across 170+ countries. Headquartered in Beijing and with strategic subsidiaries in key markets, including the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, and South Korea, Roborock is dedicated to elevating its market presence worldwide. For more information, visit https://global.roborock.com/.

[1] Based on research conducted by the manufacturer as of Sept 1, 2024, within the 3D ToF-navigation robot vacuum category. [2] Roborock was the first in the robot vacuum industry to implement 3D ToF functionality using a dual-transmitter approach, as the technology officially launched earlier in 2024.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2496615/image_847371_59820939.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2447318/Roborock_Logo_Horizontal_Lockup_RGB__Full_Color_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/roborock-unveils-world-first-smart-home-cleaning-technologies-redefining-the-future-of-automated-cleaning-at-ifa-2024-302239042.html
Zoovu becomes the first Shopware partner to introduce out-of-the-box generative AI solutions for search and product discovery

Zoovu, a leading AI-powered search and product discovery platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Shopware, a leading global ecommerce platform. This collaboration gives Shopware's 100,000 customers access to Zoovu's AI-powered search and product discovery platform, including the first out-of-the-box generative AI ecommerce solution among Shopware partners.

The integration of Zoovu's AI-powered solutions with the Shopware platform transforms the ecommerce experience for both B2C and B2B companies. Using Zoovu's extensive product data and AI, businesses can build hyper-personalized, guided ecommerce experiences that ask buyers the right questions to present the perfect products based on their specific needs. These capabilities have been proven to increase conversions by 200% and average order value by 65% while reducing sales cycles and operational costs by up to 98%. When deployed in retail stores, this technology has increased store revenue by 27%.

"At Shopware, we believe in empowering businesses with cutting-edge ecommerce solutions. By partnering with Zoovu, we're bringing generative AI-powered product discovery into our ecosystem-a natural step forward in our mission to elevate the shopping experience and help merchants thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape," said Jason Nyhus, president and general manager, Shopware.

Zoovu's AI-powered solutions are already making a significant impact on Shopware customers across various industries, including consumer goods, homeware, and manufacturing.

"Partnering with Shopware enables us to accelerate the use of AI in ecommerce to deliver personalized customer experiences that are engaging, tailored and results-driven," said Tim Lavell, chief revenue officer, Zoovu. "As the ecommerce landscape continues to evolve, the collaboration between Zoovu and Shopware ensures businesses can maximize their investments in technology to driving online sales."

About Shopware

Shopware, founded in Schoppingen in 2000, offers a holistic omnichannel digital commerce platform for sophisticated mid-market and lower enterprise merchants, with high flexibility and various options for B2C, D2C, B2B, as well as service-based use cases. Shopware is well positioned and one of the market leaders in its segment, especially in the DACH region, with a fast-growing business in North America. The solution is headless, API-first, and uses an open source architecture, allowing merchants to individually customize and scale the product offering, creating a strong customer experience. Furthermore, Shopware relies on a global network of 1,600 sales, technology and solution partners, securing a stable ecosystem. Shopware merchants currently process a combined GMV of more than $22 billion Euro across the global Shopware platform.

About Zoovu

Ecommerce is broken and Zoovu is fixing it. As the #1 AI-powered search and product discovery platform, we help B2C, B2B, and retail companies unlock their product and customer data to build exceptional ecommerce experiences and drive breakthrough results. The world's largest ecommerce businesses, like Microsoft, 3M, Trek, and Honeywell, use Zoovu customer behavior insights to grow faster, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce marketing and operational costs. Headquartered in Boston, Zoovu is a global company that delivers over 20 million online engagements for brands each year, with conversions up to 10X higher than industry averages. Learn more at zoovu.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904350226/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Kathy Keating

Point B Partner for Zoovu

kathy@pointbpartners.com

Wiljo Krechting

Shopware

W.Krechting@shopware.com
Retained executive search firm Caldwell (TSX:CWL)(OTCQX:CWLPF) today announced a major enhancement to its people, talent and culture recruiting capabilities with the addition of Michelle DesChenes as a partner in the firm's Human Resource Officers Practice.

"Michelle's commitment to connecting organizations with forward-thinking leaders who are well-equipped to challenge conventional talent management ideas and navigate the evolving global marketplace makes her a fantastic addition to the Caldwell team," said Chris Beck, chief executive officer. "Beyond executive search, she gives clients insights on workforce optimization, guiding them in compensation and retention, and shaping impactful DEI and talent development initiatives. She will play a crucial role as we continue to build out our Human Resources Officers Practice."

Ms. DesChenes specializes in recruiting transformative C-suite and senior human resources leaders for Fortune 500 companies, private and publicly held companies, and global organizations across multiple industries. With more than 20 years of experience in global executive search and HR consulting, she possesses strong knowledge of current hiring market trends and proven HR strategies, as well as an extensive network. Her client portfolio includes life sciences, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, engineering, financial services, supply chain and logistics.

Ms. DesChenes joined Caldwell from Kingsley Gate, a global private equity-backed executive search firm. Prior to that, she was a managing director with GattiHR, a national leader in HR Search.

Ms. DesChenes is an active member of the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA) as well as Human Resources Leadership Forum (HRLF). She is an official member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, advocating for progressive HR practices.

??About Caldwell

Caldwell is a leading retained executive search firm connecting clients with transformational talent. Together with IQTalent, we are a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels. Through the two distinct brands - Caldwell and IQTalent- the firm leverages the latest innovations in AI to offer an integrated spectrum of services delivered by teams with deep knowledge in their respective areas. Services include candidate research and sourcing through to full recruitment at the professional, executive and board levels, as well as a suite of talent strategy and assessment tools that can help clients hire the right people, then manage and inspire them to achieve maximum business results.

Caldwell's common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:CWL) and trade on the OTCQX Market (OTCQX:CWLPF). Please visit our website at www.caldwell.com for further information.

For further information, please contact:

Caroline Lomot

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Caldwell

clomot@caldwell.com

+1 516 830 3535

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this document are based on current expectations subject to the significant risks and uncertainties cited. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "may," "will," "likely," "estimates," "potential," "continue" or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals also are forward-looking statements.

We are subject to many factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward looking statement including, but not limited to, the impact of pandemic diseases, our ability to attract and retain key personnel; exposure to our partners taking our clients with them to another firm; the performance of the US, Canadian and international economies; risks related to deposit-taking institutions; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; competition from other companies directly or indirectly engaged in talent acquisition; cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and attacks; damage to our brand reputation; our ability to align our cost structure to changes in our revenue; liability risk in the services we perform; potential legal liability from clients, employees and candidates for employment; reliance on software that we license from third parties; reliance on third-party contractors for talent acquisition support; the classification of third-party labour as contractors versus employee relationships; our ability to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity issues; adverse governmental and tax law rulings; successfully integrating or realizing the expected benefits from our acquisitions, adverse operating issues from acquired businesses; volatility of the market price and trading volume of our common shares; technological advances may significantly disrupt the labour market and weaken demand for human capital at a rapid rate; affiliation agreements may fail to renew or affiliates may be acquired; the impact on profitability from marketable securities valuation fluctuations; increasing dependence on third parties for the execution of critical functions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to support our growth and fund any dividends; potential impairment of our acquired goodwill and intangible assets; and disruption as a result of actions of certain stockholders or potential acquirers of the Company. For more information on the factors that could affect the outcome of forward-looking statements, refer to the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Information Form and other public filings (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com). These factors should be considered carefully, and the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although any forward-looking statements are based on what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, we cannot assure readers that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Except as required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf; such statements speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking statements included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.

SOURCE: Caldwell Partners International, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Parvis Invest Inc. (TSXV: PVIS), a technology-driven investment platform dedicated to broadening access to high-quality investment opportunities, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with three new issuers. This expansion marks a key advancement for Parvis, as it continues to support and drive growth in the Canadian small to medium business sector through its innovative solutions.

"These new partnerships reflect our ongoing focus on transforming the investment landscape," stated David Michaud, Founder and CEO of Parvis. "By integrating these mortgage investment corporations into our platform, we are diversifying the investment products available to our clients and reinforcing our ability to provide high-value opportunities. With each new partner Parvis becomes a more diverse investing ecosystem that provides individuals with the opportunity to build their portfolios on our platform."

The signing of three new clients signifies a significant milestone for Parvis, marking its emergence as a preferred platform for over 35 private equity issuers, including REITs, real estate developers, and Mortgage Investment Corporations (MICs). With their advanced tech-driven platform, Parvis connects investors across Canada to a wide range of investment opportunities, solidifying their position at the forefront of the industry.

New Parvis EMDsolutions partners:

Blue Star Equity: The Bluestar Flagship Fund focuses on investing in small to medium-sized Canadian businesses, taking controlling interests to enhance value for all stakeholders. The fund also invests in the development of residential and commercial properties, including multi-family residential and commercial redevelopment projects. Leveraging the Murad family's multi-generational investment expertise, Blue Star Equity excels in driving growth and operational improvements across diverse sectors. The firm's success is attributed to its strategic vision, operational acumen, and a strong work ethic.

Ginkgo MIC: Ginkgo, a Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC), is a prominent alternative lender operating nationwide in Canada. Since its inception in 2011, Ginkgo has been dedicated to addressing complex financial problems for borrowers while providing investors with consistent financial growth through high-yielding mortgages. The company has established a strong reputation for exceptional service, efficient management, and robust returns. As of today, Ginkgo has funded over $1.3 billion mortgages and paid out over $52 million dividend to the investors.

Equivest Development Trust, is a newly established real estate development trust based in Burlington, Ontario and formed by a group of real estate professionals. The real estate investments and assets are to be managed by Equivest Capital Partners. With Parvis' backing, Equivest aims to distribute its securities nationwide.

By expanding our network with these diverse issuers, Parvis enhances the overall value of their platform, creating a more robust and dynamic investment environment. This interconnected network not only broadens the range of investment opportunities available but also elevates the potential returns for our clients. As our platform grows, so does our capacity to deliver impactful solutions and drive success for all stakeholders involved.

Parvis's comprehensive EMDSolutions, encompassing compliance, technology, and marketing support, empower these partners to streamline administrative tasks and concentrate on driving value for their investors. With these strategic partnerships, Parvis reaffirms its leadership position in the alternative investment sphere, poised to unlock new avenues of growth and drive sustained success for its clients and stakeholders.

About Parvis

Parvis is a technology-driven investment platform dedicated to democratizing access to institutional-quality opportunities. Utilizing AI and blockchain technology, Parvis streamlines the investment process, making it more accessible and efficient. Headquartered in Vancouver, Parvis operates with experts in Toronto, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Montreal. For more information, visit www.parvisinvest.com and SEDAR+.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally refers to information about the issuer's business, capital, or operations that is prospective in nature, including future-oriented financial information about the issuer's performance or financial position. These statements are often identified by words such as "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions, including but not limited to prevailing market conditions, general business and economic uncertainties, and the issuer's ability to achieve its business objectives. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The issuer assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information, unless required to do so under Canadian securities legislation.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222241

SOURCE: Parvis Invest Inc.
Axius Water ("Axius"), a leading provider of nutrient management solutions for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, announced today that it has acquired MITA Water Technologies, a leading supplier of wastewater filtration systems based in Siziano, Italy. This acquisition follows the successful partnership forged in 2022 to leverage Axius' U.S.-based manufacturing facility in Columbia, Missouri to become the manufacturing facility for Made-in-America MITA pile cloth filters for North American customers. MITA Water Technologies was formerly part of MITA Group

According to Chris McIntire, Axius CEO, "We are thrilled to welcome MITA Water Technologies to Axius after a long standing and successful commercial partnership. Not only do these technologies broaden our mission to stop nutrient pollution, but the acquisition also broadens our reach from our North American headquarters and U.K. foothold further into Europe."

With over 50 years of industry expertise, MITA Water Technologies' products and industry experts are now part of the well-established Axius Water team. MITA Water Technologies has a wide range of robust, reliable and proven offerings appropriate for either small municipal or industrial treatment facilities, or for large urban plants, and broadens the Axius portfolio to include:

Pile cloth filters

Biorulli for biological wastewater treatment

for biological wastewater treatment Biocombi compact plants for small communities

Lamella pack systems for clarification and oil removal

Continuous sand filters for tertiary treatment

Dissolved air floatation systems for civil wastewater and process water

"We look forward to joining Axius and to the many opportunities that come with being part of this larger water-focused group that aligns closely with our area of expertise. With our solid partnership already in place, this transaction is a win-win and will allow us to continue to operate as business as usual," stated Tomasso Pittini, MITA Water Technologies General Manager.

As part of Axius, MITA Water Technologies will have access to an expanded suite of best-in-class water and wastewater solutions and be able to reach a greater number of communities of all sizes in North America and in Europe. MITA Water Technologies will have the resources associated with working side-by-side with Axius operating companies including ATAC Solutions, EDI (Environmental Dynamics International), EOSi (Environmental Operating Solutions), Napier-Reid, Nexom and Triplepoint

ATAC Solutions

A leading U.K. wastewater design and process equipment contractor specializing in capital, hire and turnkey applications. atacsolutions.com

EDI(Environmental Dynamics International, Inc.)

Global wastewater solutions provider with advanced aeration design, equipment, and aftermarket services since 1975. wastewater.com

EOSi (Environmental Operating Solutions, Inc.)

Experts in biological nutrient removal (BNR) solutions, premium non-hazardous carbon sources and advanced process control. microc.com

Napier-Reid

Engineered water and wastewater systems with 3,000+ installations in 40+ countries, since 1950. napier-reid.com

Nexom

Proven filtration, biological and lagoon-based wastewater solutions to reduce key nutrients. nexom.com

Triplepoint

Preserving small-town lagoon systems by engineering solutions that allow them to meet modern effluent standards. lagoons.com

About Axius Water

Axius Water was founded in 2019 by KKR's Global Impact Fund, in partnership with XPV Water Partners. Axius' differentiated products and services improve the effectiveness of the water and wastewater treatment process, thereby measurably improving the quality of treated water. The platform is expanding globally as it builds a diversified portfolio of operating companies that offer leading solutions that improve the overall wastewater management processes. For additional information about Axius Water, please visit axiuswater.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905590655/en/

Contacts:

Media: laura.brockway@axiuswater.com
Recognized as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion"

SAN MATEO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Franklin Templeton is pleased to announce its receipt of a top score of 100 in the 2024 Disability Equality Index (DEI), which serves as a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions they can take to foster disability inclusion. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Franklin Templeton has received the "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" distinction.

Regina Curry, Chief Diversity Officer, Franklin Templeton, said, "We are so honored to receive this recognition of our DEI efforts to promote disability inclusion in the workplace. Our commitment to inclusion extends beyond the walls of Franklin Templeton, as we collaborate with peers, clients and organizations to provide equitable access to opportunities."

Launched as a joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the Disability Equality Index is the leading independent, third-party resource for the annual benchmarking of corporate disability inclusion policies and programs.

"On the 10th anniversary of the Disability Equality Index, we're extremely proud of the 542 national and international companies that are taking a proactive role in leading progress towards disability inclusion, setting a benchmark for others to follow. Their dedication to fostering inclusive workplaces not only attracts top talent but also drives innovation and creates sustainable performance in today's global market. Together, we are creating a future where everyone can contribute and thrive," said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN.

The 2024 Disability Equality Index measured efforts across five scored categories: Culture & Leadership; Enterprise-Wide Access; Employment Practices (Benefits; Recruitment; Employment, Education, Retention & Advancement; Accommodations); Community Engagement; Supplier Diversity; and Responsible Procurement (Non-Weighted). Participating companies receive a score, on a scale of zero to 100, with those scoring 80 or higher earning the distinction of "Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion" for the benchmark year.

Read more about Franklin Templeton's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at https://www.franklintempleton.com/about-us/diversity-and-inclusion.

About Franklin Templeton

Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton's mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and over $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of July 31, 2024. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

# # #

Copyright  2024. Franklin Templeton. All rights reserved.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Franklin Templeton on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Franklin Templeton

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/franklin-templeton

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Franklin Templeton

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Ingelheim, Germany and Basel, Switzerland, September 5, 2024 - Boehringer Ingelheim and CDR-Life today announce positive results from the Phase I evaluation of BI 771716), an investigational antibody fragment developed to preserve vision in people living with geographic atrophy (GA). BI 771716 met its primary safety endpoint following intravitreal administration of single and multiple doses. Preparation for the Phase II trial is now underway, with an expected start date in early 2025.

GA is an advanced and severe form of late-stage, dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a chronic and progressive retinal disease, that can lead to irreversible and permanent vision loss.1 It is a leading cause of blindness, affecting more than five million people worldwide, of which more than 40% are considered blind.1-3 Vision loss associated with GA severely impacts the independence, mental health and quality of life of those living with the condition.4 Current treatments have limited efficacy and availability.

BI 771716, developed by Boehringer Ingelheim with technology licensed from CDR-Life, is a highly specific antibody fragment, possibly enabling an optimized penetration through all retinal layers to the most critical target site driving GA disease pathology. Based on its molecular properties, BI 771716 has the potential to achieve unprecedented efficacy.

"We are delighted to have achieved a critical milestone in our development of BI 771716, and are now preparing a Phase II clinical study to investigate efficacy and dosing," said Heiko Niessen, Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head Translational Medicine & Clinical Pharmacology Retinal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim. "BI 771716 is part of our comprehensive retinal portfolio demonstrating our long-term commitment to preserving both eyesight and quality of life in people with retinal diseases."

"Reaching this safety milestone is a significant step forward for this compound, highlighting the strength of our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim," said Christian Leisner, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at CDR-Life. "Having successfully met all four planned milestones so far, we're optimistic about the continued development of this innovative antibody fragment-based therapy and its potential to provide clinical benefit in geographic atrophy."

"The development of new therapies for geographic atrophy remains one of the most important needs in the age related macular degeneration space," said Charles C. Wykoff, MD, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of the Phase I trial, Director of Research at Retina Consultants of Texas; Chair of Research, Retina Consultants of America; and Deputy Chair of Ophthalmology for the Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital. "Achieving the Phase I safety endpoint is a meaningful step forward for this potential new treatment for people with this sight-threatening and life-affecting condition."

CDR-Life and Boehringer Ingelheim announced their collaboration and licensing agreement in May 2020, followed by the selection of an antibody fragment-based therapeutic candidate in September 2021. The companies have executed on all milestones to date.

Notes to Editors:

About the trial

The Phase I trial measured the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of intravitreal single rising doses and multiple doses of BI771716 in patients with geographic atrophy aged 50+. The purpose of the study was to determine how well different doses of BI 771716 are tolerated.

This study had two parts.

Single rising dose (SRD)

Participants received one injection of BI 771716 directly into one of the eyes affected by geographic atrophy. The primary endpoint was the number of patients with ocular dose-limiting events (DLEs) from drug administration until Day 8; secondary endpoints included occurrence of any ocular adverse events (AEs) and maximum serum concentration of BI 771716 after a single intravitreal (IVT) dose (Cmax).

Multiple dose (MD)

Participants received two injections of BI 771716 directly into the eye. There were 4 weeks between the first and the second injection.

Detailed study results will be made available in the coming months.

About BI 771716

BI 771716, developed by Boehringer Ingelheim with technology licensed from CDR-Life, is a highly specific antibody fragment, enabling an optimized penetration through all retinal layers to the most critical target site driving GA disease pathology. BI 771716 is part of Boehringer Ingelheim's research and development portfolio in retinal conditions.

About Geographic Atrophy (AMD)

AMD is an age-related disease of the central portion of the retina (the macula) which is responsible for high visual acuity that allows for color vision, reading and facial recognition.4 Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced and severe form of AMD that progresses slowly but can lead to permanent vision loss.4 More than 5 million people worldwide suffer from GA, of which more than 40% are legally blind.1-3 From age 50 years, the prevalence of GA quadruples every 10 years.5 Consequently, rising incidences are expected in aging populations.

People with GA experience moderate to severe central vision loss, which can impact daily life activities such as driving, shopping alone, reading, finding street signs and a wide range of social and manual activities that require fine motor control.4 These limitations can lead to a loss of independence and social isolation, which in turn can have an impact on mental health, leading to depression, fear and anxiety.4

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that transform lives, today and for generations to come. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term, sustainable perspective. More than 53,000 employees serve over 130 markets in the two business units Human Pharma and Animal Health. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com .

About CDR-Life

CDR-Life is developing powerful T-cell engagers (TCE) to eradicate hard-to-treat solid tumors. Our integrated antibody-based TCE platform unlocks access to a wide range of cancer antigens. We are leveraging this platform to advance a pipeline of potent and selective TCE therapeutics targeting intracellular and surface tumor antigens. With a team of proven drug development experts and backed by leading cross-Atlantic investors, we are working to empower patients' own immune systems to eliminate tumors.

Boehringer Ingelheim's Intended Audiences Notice

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.

References

Rahimy E, et al. Progression of Geographic Atrophy: Retrospective Analysis of Patients from the IRIS Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight). Ophthalmol Sci. 2023 Apr 19;3(4):100318. Wong WL, et al. Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health 2014;2:e106-116. Colijn JM et al. Enlargement of Geographic Atrophy From First Diagnosis to End of Life. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2021;139(7):743-750 Sacconi R, et al. A Review of Current and Future Management of Geographic Atrophy. Ophthalmol Ther 2017;6:69-77. Rudnicka AR, et al. Age and gender variations in age-related macular degeneration prevalence in populations of European ancestry: a meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2012 Mar;119(3):571-80

Media Contacts

Boehringer Ingelheim:



Dr. Reinhard Malin

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Affairs



press@boehringer-ingelheim.com



CDR-Life:

Lauren Arnold

LA Communications

Lauren@LACommunications.net






GLENDALE, Ariz., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unical Aviation, Inc. (Unical), a leader in the commercial aerospace Used Serviceable Material market, is pleased to announce the acquisition of ecube Solutions, a global expert in aircraft storage, disassembly, and transition services, with bases in the UK, Spain and USA. This strategic acquisition marks a significant milestone in Unical's ongoing expansion across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and reinforces the company's commitment to delivering comprehensive aviation solutions worldwide.

As an independent unit within the Unical Group, ecube will retain its identity and autonomy, continuing to operate under its established name, with a dedicated focus on remaining the leading disassembly service provider in the sector, optimizing the value of each aircraft for every client.

Sharon Green, Chief Executive Officer of Unical, said, "We are excited to welcome ecube to the Unical family. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our growth strategy of being a trusted partner for aircraft parts and services worldwide, and it enables us to provide enhanced support to customers across the EMEA region and beyond through an independently operated, high-class provider. We look forward to building on the strengths of both companies to deliver even greater value and service excellence to our joint customers as well as our respective customer bases."

Lee McConnellogue, ecube's Chief Executive Officer, said "Unical has always been an important partner to ecube, and we are excited about what's to come as a combined entity, with our customers, partners and people at the very centre of our exciting growth plans. I believe that the shared capability of our two companies, in one of the most important sectors of the aerospace market, only serves to make it stronger. Now we are able to provide a truly end-to-end service to aircraft owners, on a global basis."

Green added, "While Unical will provide overarching support and resources as needed, ecube will continue to develop and implement its own strategic plans, guided by the expertise of its existing management team."

About Unical:

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Glendale, AZ, Unical Aviation supplies aircraft parts and components to thousands of aviation customers around the globe. With roughly 90 million parts and over 1 million unique airframe and engine part numbers in stock, Unical is one of the largest suppliers of new and used serviceable material for the commercial aerospace industry. Unical's recently expanded engines business and vertically integrated MRO and 145 repair affiliate companies provide a full and comprehensive aftermarket parts and service solution to the world's most trusted airlines, OEMs, and MROs. Read more at www.unical.com

About ecube:

ecube provides expertise in a range of core services, to deliver customer-focused solutions for global aircraft owners and operators, enabling them to protect their asset values, respond to market opportunities, and ultimately maximise the return from their assets. ecube's primary operations and headquarters are in St. Athan, Wales, with additional facilities in Castellon, Spain and Coolidge Municipal Airport, Arizona. Core services include aircraft part out and disposal, parking, customs management, crating fabrication and parts storage. Learn more at www.ecube.aero

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/unical-aviation-acquires-ecube-solutions---global-experts-in-aircraft-storage-disassembly-and-transition-services-302239322.html
Xtra Energy Corporation (OTC Pink:XTPT), a mineral exploration company focused on the development of the American Antimony Project, announced that it has engaged Astra Audit and Advisory LLC, a PCAOB-registered firm, to audit the corporation's financial statements for the last two fiscal years ending December 31, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Astra Audit and Advisory LLC, as part of the engagement, will also conduct an ongoing review of the subsequent and future interim periods.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public accounting firms to register with the PCAOB in order to prepare or issue an audit report for a US public company. The PCAOB regulates the audits of companies with securities listed in the United States of America. In 2003, the PCAOB finalized a set of rules requiring firms that audit US listed companies to register with it. The PCAOB oversees public company audits. PCAOB auditors must inspect public companies to ensure compliance with auditing standards and rules. According to PCAOB rules, registered public accounting firms and their associates must comply with all applicable auditing and related professional practice standards. Auditing firms registered with the PCAOB are subject to annual inspections.

Xtra Energy's Chairman and CEO, Mac J. Shahsavar, P.Eng., stated, "To complement our tremendous growth over the past year, it is time for Xtra Energy to begin its journey towards a senior exchange. Employing a PCAOB-registered independent audit firm is another step that enables XTPT to initiate its transition from OTC markets to becoming a fully reporting corporation. It will provide XTPT shareholders and future investors with greater certainty, transparency, and confidence, as well as help the company achieve its long-term objectives while increasing shareholder values."

Contact & Learn More:

Xtra Energy Corporation

Phone: 512-412-3636

Corporate Website: https://americanantimony.com/

Corporate Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtra-energy-corp/

Corporate Twitter: https://twitter.com/xtra_corp

Corporate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xtraenergycorp/

Corporate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057374695

About Xtra Energy Corporation

Xtra Energy Corp. is an antimony exploration company focused on developing its flagship project "American Antimony", approximately 31 miles northeast of Eastgate, Nevada. Xtra Energy Corp. holds a 100% ownership in 214 lode claims or 4,421 acre antimony project including the historically documented Antimony King Mine and covering all other documented antimony producers of the Bernice Mining District. The Company is seeking to develop this expanding portfolio of potential antimony-rich assets to become a major supplier of antimony-based products.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events, including our ability to raise capital, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause materially different results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc. Our public filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc are available from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the OTC Markets at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/XTPT/disclosure.

SOURCE: Xtra Energy Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Julius Baer Group Ltd. / Key word(s): Bond/Miscellaneous

Julius Baer successfully places EUR 500 million senior unsecured notes



05.09.2024 / 17:45 CET/CEST





Zurich, 5 September 2024 - Today, Julius Baer Group Ltd. has successfully placed EUR 500 million 5-year senior unsecured notes through ELM B.V., a repackaging issuance entity incorporated in the Netherlands. This EUR senior unsecured issuance allows Julius Baer to further diversify its funding strategy in international debt markets. The transaction was targeted at European institutional investors and the proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes.

Julius Baer Group Ltd. will issue loan notes to, and which are held by, ELM B.V. (or a nominee acting on its behalf), which in turn will issue its own notes to investors secured by the Julius Baer Group Ltd. loan notes. The securities carry a fixed-rate, annually payable coupon set at 3.875% per annum and have been issued in denominations of EUR 100,000. An application for admission to trading of the notes issued by ELM B.V. on Euronext Dublin will be made.

Contacts

Media Relations, tel. +41 (0) 58 888 8888

Investor Relations, tel. +41 (0) 58 888 5256

This announcement is not and shall not be interpreted or construed as a solicitation to purchase any securities of/in Julius Baer Group.

About Julius Baer

Julius Baer is the leading Swiss wealth management group and a premium brand in this global sector, with a focus on servicing and advising sophisticated private clients. In all we do, we are inspired by our purpose: creating value beyond wealth. At the end of June 2024, assets under management amounted to CHF 474 billion. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., the renowned Swiss private bank with origins dating back to 1890, is the principal operating company of Julius Baer Group Ltd., whose shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: BAER) and are included in the Swiss Leader Index (SLI), comprising the 30 largest and most liquid Swiss stocks.

Julius Baer is present in around 25 countries and 60 locations. Headquartered in Zurich, we have offices in key locations including Bangkok, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Mumbai, Santiago de Chile, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo. Our client-centric approach, our objective advice based on the Julius Baer open product platform, our solid financial base, and our entrepreneurial management culture make us the international reference in wealth management.

For more information visit our website at www.juliusbaer.com

End of Media Release


NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / FedEx Corporation

Summary

2024 2nd Quarter

With support from FedEx through their Charitable Giving Program, The Salvation Army's co-branded FedEx canteens deployed to 41 events in the 2nd Quarter of 2024. Additionally, FedEx canteens in multiple locations are used to support nine recurring feeding programs in their communities. These events range from weekly community outreach for those experiencing homelessness to daily feeding programs and supporting summer camps.

The Salvation Army appreciates the support of FedEx and their donation of mobile feeding units to support our communities.

FedEx Canteens In Process

The Salvation Army Western Territory: Southwest Division

The Salvation Army Southwest Division's FedEx canteen will be housed in Phoenix, Arizona. The unit was completed at the beginning of July 2024. The Western Territory Southwest Division has scheduled the ribbon- cutting event for Thursday, August 8th in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Salvation Army Eastern Territory: Eastern Pennsylvania Division

The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania Division FedEx canteen is in progress and on track to be completed just after Labor Day. The timeline has been pushed back by only a couple of weeks, but the vendor is making progress. In addition, they sent a photo of the unit having wiring and walls installed. From this point out, the canteen is roughly 12 weeks away from completion.

The Salvation Army Southern Territory: Georgia Division

The Salvation Army Georgia Division's FedEx canteen will be housed in St. Mary's, Georgia. The unit was completed at the end of May 2024. The Southern Territory Georgia Division has scheduled the ribbon-cutting event for Wednesday, August 14th.

Disaster Response

Tornado Response in Kansas

On Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, an EF-3 tornado hit Westmoreland, Kansas. The tornado destroyed 22 homes and damaged 13 others. The Salvation Army in Salina, Kansas responded on May 1st, 2024, and the Salvation Army in Kansas City, Missouri responded on May 2nd and 3rd. In these locations, The Salvation Army disaster workers served food and drinks from the FedEx canteen to survivors, first responders, volunteers, and county workers. In total, 734 meals, 380 snacks, and 833 drinks were served.

Response to Flooding in Brazil

We would like to thank FedEx for their $25,000 donation to the Salvation Army World Service Office to support relief efforts.

The most southerly region of Brazil has declared a state of public calamity due to the torrential rains and flooding in the area which have affected more than 873,000 people.

Over 80 fatalities have been reported in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with the number expected to rise. Almost 150,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

The Guaiba river burst its banks in Porto Alegre, the state capital, flooding parts of the city and surrounding towns. The district in which the Salvation Army's corps and thrift store are located is completely flooded. The corps' outpost, in Eldorado do Sul, is practically underwater. As soon as

the roads are clear, the Salvation Army's canteen and donation truck will be heading to Porto Alegre from territorial headquarters in Sao Paulo, with water, non-perishable foods, and cleaning and personal hygiene items, which have been donated by the general public.

Teams from DHQ and Salvationists in the area have visited local surroundings to assess the devastation and need. Clothes, water, hygiene kits, cleaning supplies and food are being distributed to families experiencing difficulties.

With further rain predicted, Salvation Army emergency volunteers will continue with their rapid response in flood-damaged areas, carrying out further needs assessments on the ground as they work, seeking to provide emotional and spiritual support to those affected.

Read the full story here.

Response to Extreme Heat in Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas Citizens remain dedicated to service in sweltering heat

By Abby Dodge, June 24, 2024

"KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Monday marked the hottest day on record in Kansas City this year. Despite the heat, multiple organizations throughout the metro remained committed to helping the community.

"We feel it's very important in the community," said Lauren Carr, co-pastor at Good Shepherd Community of Christ. "There are not too many organizations right in this part of eastern Jackson County."

Good Shepherd Community of Christ, which is located near 43rd and Blue Ridge Boulevard, opened its doors Monday for people wanting to escape the heat. On dangerously hot days, the community room is turned into a cooling center for anyone who needs it.

While this only happens a few times a year, people who use the center always say they are grateful for the relief.

Also on Monday, the Salvation Army's Honk 'n' Holler team, which primarily does outreach with the houseless community, loaded up a truck with water for those in need.

The emergency disaster services team and volunteers drove around the city handing out water."

Read the full article here.

Kansas City, Missouri Fan Distribution Event

In response to extreme heat in Kansas City, Missouri, The Salvation Army partnered with Evergy to distribute fans to those in need. These fan distributions were done in partnership with different local agencies and the local police department. In total, 1,529 meals and 1,670 snacks were served in addition to the fans.

Click here to view the KCTV news coverage.

Click here to view the KSHB news coverage.

Residential and Structure Fires

In the 2nd Quarter of 2024, The Salvation Army responded to ten fires with the FedEx canteens. The Salvation Army responded to four 2-alarm fires, two 3-11 fires, one 4- 11 fire, and three additional fires. The term "2-11 fire" is a two-alarm fire that requires the assistance of additional trucks and firefighters, and usually assistance of one additional fire station. A "3-11" or three-alarm fire requires the assistance of more than one fire station with additional firefighters and trucks.

In Chicago, Illinois, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster workers served snacks and drinks from the FedEx canteen to firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and police at four 2-11 fires. In total 185 snacks and 79 drinks were served.

In Chicago, Illinois and Mont Prospect, Illinois The Salvation Army Responded to two 3-11 fires. The first 3-11 fire response was to a large apartment fire that left 100 residents displaced on June 17th, 2024. From the FedEx canteen, disaster workers served 100 snacks and 175 drinks to firefighters, police, and displaced residents. The second 3-11 fire was a large warehouse fire on June 19th, 2024, and disaster workers served 65 snacks and 78 drinks to firefighters, EMTs, and police.

The Salvation Army responded to a 4-11 fire in Chicago, Illinois on June 18th, 2024, at a pallet warehouse. This fire was elevated to one of the highest levels of alarm for a Chicago, Illinois fire. Luckily, it burned very fast and during that time, The Salvation Army served 155 snacks and 300 drinks to firefighters, EMTs, and police.

In response to three additional fires in Waukegan, Illinois and Elk Grove Village, Illinois, The Salvation Army served in total 196 snacks and 211 drinks to firefighters, EMTs, and police. Finally, in response to a fire in Rockford, Illinois, The Salvation Army served snacks and water from the FedEx canteen to responders. Additionally, meals were provided to displaced residents for two days. In total 310 meals, 281 snacks, and 504 drinks were served.

Community Outreach

San Francisco Unhoused Feeding and Outreach

The Salvation Army San Francisco Culinary Training Academy's students prepare gourmet meals as part of their training every week. Every Friday, they take the FedEx canteen to the unhoused community of San Francisco, bringing a fantastic meal in addition to information on The Salvation Army's addiction treatment and recovery programs. In total, 3,250 meals and drinks were distributed along with referral cards to treatment offered through the Harbor Light Center.

3,250 Meals served

Greater New York Food Pantry

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services team in Bronx, New York partners with City Harvest. City Harvest is an organization that rescues food that would otherwise be thrown out and delivers it to individuals experiencing hunger in New York. Every Tuesday and Friday volunteers distribute fresh food and vegetables from the FedEx canteen to community members in need and to new immigrants. This quarter, 100 meals, snacks, and drinks were served.

In 2023, The Salvation Army New York Temple Corps was highlighted as a 2023 Advocacy Award Honoree at their inaugural City Harvest Advocacy Summit.

100 Meals Served

Baltimore, Maryland Weekly Feeding Program

In Baltimore, Maryland, the FedEx canteens rotated between a few Corps conducting a weekly feeding program and supported the daily Baltimore Feedmore program. The Baltimore Feedmore Program primarily serves unhoused individuals as well as other marginalized populations in need. It runs six days per week, Monday through Saturday. Through the Feedmore program, 7,926 meals, 8,526 snacks, and 8,526 drinks were served along with the distribution of other needed items such as sock and hygiene kits.

Danville, Virginia PATHS Community Event

In Danville, Virginia, volunteers participated in the Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS) event. At this event, 200 meals were served to community members attending the event.

Georgia Community Feeding Program

During the 2nd Quarter of 2024 in Georgia, volunteers and Salvation Army officers took the FedEx canteen out to multiple locations in Lilburn, Norcross, and Lawrenceville to serve meals to the unhoused. Meals were served at long- term stay hotels and apartment buildings. These meal distributions were done in partnership with different local agencies and the local police department. In total, 565 meals and drinks were served.

One June 6th, 2024, local Advisory Council members and Salvation Army staff served the Gwinnett Police Department a special meal as a thank you for their continued partnership. At this event, 150 meals and drinks were served from the FedEx canteen.

Memphis, Tennessee Hope on Wheels Program

The Salvation Army Memphis Area Command uses the FedEx canteen for Hope On Wheels weekly food distribution throughout Metro Memphis area. Usually, a volunteer team of 5-10 help prepare over 200 meals weekly alongside, snack, drinks and needed hygiene items. This ministry is key to they success of bringing Hope to Memphis and meeting the needs of those within the displaced or less fortunate environment. In total, over 2,900 meals, 1,200 snacks, and 3,200 drinks were served.

2,900 Meals served

New Orleans, Louisiana Outreach Program

Every Wednesday, The Salvation Army in New Orleans, Louisiana takes a group of five volunteers from the ranks of Salvation Army Officers and Soldiers to various locations around the city. From the canteen, food is served and information is provided on The Salvation Army's shelter and Adult Rehabilitation Programs to community members. In the 2nd Quarter, 870 meals and 1,109 snacks were served.

870 Meals Served

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mobile Feeding Program

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the FedEx canteen is used to assist with mobile feeding for the unhoused population at encampments and city parks. This program has greatly expanded in the last six months with a 75% increase in the number of individuals being served. This is due partly to the summer season and shelter closure during these months. However, the main reason for the program's expansion is the continued rapport building between volunteers and the unhoused population. A second Salvation Army canteen alongside the FedEx canteen to visit various encampments and a local park, where the feeding program has traditionally been held.

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Service collaborates with other Salvation Army programs such as the Family Caring Center, Adult Rehabilitation Center, Anti-Human Trafficking Department, and the local Salvation Army Corp to provide social services. Outside partners include Home Depot, FedEx, Highmark, and numerous others.

News Article

Virginia Meal Delivery & Feeding Program

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services team in Danville, Virginia used their FedEx canteen in Danville and Martinsville, Virginia. Every Monday, the Emergency Disaster Services team delivered breakfast to 60 food insecure children attending camp each week. On Thursdays, the FedEx canteen was taken to a lunch feeding program at the Martinsville Service Center where meals are served to in-need community members.

In total, 1860 meals and been delivered. Of these meals, The Salvation Army delivers 60 meals each week for the first five weeks of camp, and this will continue throughout the rest of the summer.

Chicago, Illinois Community Health Fair Event

The Salvation Army took the FedEx canteen to the Midwest Corp's Community Health Fair Event. From the FedEx canteen, volunteers and staff served 715 snacks and 75 drinks.

Trenton, New Jersey Mobile Feeding Program

A team of volunteers from the Trenton Corps in the Trenton area use the FedEx canteen every other Friday to serve prepared meals to the community, focusing on vulnerable populations. They also provide pantry bags, blankets, hygiene items, and other items (socks, coats, toys, etc.) as available. The Salvation Army Corps Officers and other team members work with other service providers and law enforcement to identify areas where services are needed.

Clients are provided with information and guidance to seek out additional resources according to their long-term needs. Volunteers come from various groups, including civic organizations (Rotary, Kiwanis, Elks, etc.), corps members, local high schools, college student organizations, city/county agencies, and more. This quarter, 1,613 meals, snacks, and drinks as well as 56 masks, 626 socks, and 32 toys were provided.

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Special Events

Miami, Florida Salvation Army Take Your Child to Work Day

In Miami, Florida, children of The Salvation Army employees participated in an all-day event teaching them about the different departments. For Emergency Disaster. Services, the group learned and participated in meal prep and service (snacks) and Emotional and Spiritual Care.

36 Snacks Served

Georgia Division Participates in Corners Outreach Resource Event

The Salvation Army Georgia Division Emergency Disaster Services team partnered with Corners Outreach on April 25th. At the Resource Event, The Salvation Army served meals to attendees from the FedEx canteen.

514 Meals Served

FDIC 2024 Lucas Oil Event

The Salvation Army Indiana Division Emergency Disaster Services assisted with the FDIC 2024 Lucas Oil Event on April 13th and 14th. This event offers training, workshops, and innovative products to Fire and Rescue professionals from around the world.

The Salvation Army worked with the Indiana Fire Department and the Indianapolis Fire Buffs at the event. From the FedEx canteen, food and drinks were served during check-in day and move-in day. A total of 235 snacks and 90 drinks were served.

Clays for a Cause in Indiana

The Salvation Army Indiana Division Emergency Disaster Services team assisted at The Salvation Army's Clays for a Cause event. The Emergency Disaster Services team served morning break snacks and drinks and drinks throughout the event from the FedEx canteen to attendees.

Kansas City, Missouri Free Smoke Alarm Event

On April 12th, 2024, The Salvation Army Southern Kansas and Western Missouri Division participated in a community event where volunteers, the local fire department trainees, and community partners installed free smoke alarms in the Argentine and Armourdale neighborhoods. From the FedEx canteen, the Emergency Disaster Services team distributed 140 meals and drinks and 240 snacks to the volunteers, fire department trainees, and community partners.

Big Rigs for Kids Event in Shawnee, Kansas

On April 13th, 2024, in Shawnee, Kansas The Salvation Army brought the FedEx canteen to Trucks and Big Rigs for Kids. This event is put on by the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department and benefits the Special Olympics. This event gave children an opportunity to explore trucks and

big rigs. Children were able to climb into the driver's seat of the vehicles, honk the horn, turn on sirens, etcetera. They also got a chance to ask the operators about the vehicle. The children and parents enjoyed seeing the inside of the FedEx canteen and were impressed with the ability to

feed so many people.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from FedEx Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: FedEx Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/fedex-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: FedEx Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TEMECULA, Calif., Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, part of Nikkiso Co. Ltd.'s Industrial Business segment, and GTT announced today they have entered into a partnership to support the LNG-fueled cargo shipping market. The partnership between Nikkiso CE&IG and GTT brings together cutting-edge engineering and technology for LNG membrane containment and process systems and best-in-class hardware, global manufacturing and technical integration competencies.



GTT's patented Recycool technology ensures boil-off gas (BOG) is recovered and managed safely to avoid unwanted emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Integrated with Nikkiso's high-pressure fuel gas pump skids, the partnership provides ship owners with enhanced performance by maintaining reliability durability and efficiency to give customers a competitive edge in the market.

"Our partnership with GTT and complementary expertise advances the growth of both companies in the LNG-fuelled shipping market," said Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases CEO Adrian Ridge. "This strength is evidenced by the first large order for 10 container ships, and we expect more awards in the future."

Jean-Baptiste Choimet, Chief Executive Officer of GTT, stated: "I'd like to thank the Nikkiso team for their support and collaboration. With GTT's expertise in reducing boil-off rates through our membrane technology, the Recycool system now provides LNG-fueled vessels with effective solutions for managing boil-off and lowering their carbon footprint. The adoption of Recycool by leading Chinese and Korean shipyards reflects the industry's trust in this solution."

The value of this partnership has already been recognized by large ship owners with a recent award from a leading shipping operator and numerous projects under negotiation for a variety of ship types.

About Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group

The Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group is a leading provider of cryogenic equipment, technologies and applications for clean energy and industrial gas market segments. The Group employs more than 1,700 people in 22 countries and is headed by Cryogenic Industries, Inc. in Southern California, U.S., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nikkiso Co., Ltd. (TSE: 6376).

Media contact

pr@nikkisoceig.com





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8254d660-5938-486d-af42-c71dbf70962f
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bidpath, the leading global auction technology provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Brindley as Chief Executive Officer. Brindley assumes the role from company Founder and Executive Chairman, Adam Alexander.

Since joining the company in July of 2016 as Managing Director (UK), and with over five years as Bidpath's President, Brindley has driven the global expansion plan of Bidpath, notably across the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa and Australia. In addition to his professional roles, he currently serves on the Industrial Auctioneers Association (IAA) Membership Committee, having previously taken the European chapter of the association from concept to realization.

Reflecting on his appointment, David Brindley said, "For two decades, Adam has pursued a vision of Bidpath as the world's leading provider of auction management and online bidding solutions, empowering clients to use technology to drive growth and innovation in their own businesses. I am honored to be taking up his mantle to lead Bidpath during this next exciting phase of significant growth and innovation. Our team has worked tirelessly to solidify our place as the global leading white label technology provider, and I look forward to continuing our commitment to providing unparalleled technology solutions to any company wanting to utilize a competitive bidding platform."

Adam Alexander expressed his confidence in Brindley's leadership, stating, "David's extensive industry experience and strategic vision make him the ideal leader to guide Bidpath into the future. I greatly value David's significant contributions throughout his tenure as our President, where Bidpath has achieved significant success across all metrics, and completed several acquisitions. David and I are both committed to providing exceptional value to Bidpath's clients in all sectors through our innovative and scalable products and services. I am excited for the future of Bidpath as David leads our team to deliver on our ambitious growth targets."

About Bidpath

Bidpath, headquartered in Westlake Village with offices worldwide, proudly delivers best-in-class solutions to over 850 leading auctioneers, retailers and manufacturers in more than 30 countries, and across multiple markets and industry verticals including Commercial and Industrial; Fine Art and Collectibles; Insolvency, Recovery and Turnaround; Aerospace; Electronics; Consumer Returns and Automotive industries.

Bidpath's feature rich technology provides a uniquely customisable suite of auction management tools and a fully-supported online bidding platform, enabling clients to host dynamic live, timed, hybrid and sealed bid auctions alongside eCommerce functionality from their own website, or online marketplace.

Over the last 20 years, Bidpath has served as a strategic partner to some of the largest auctioneers, retailers, insurance providers and manufacturers, empowering them to increase sales revenue, maximise bidder participation and streamline their workflows

https://bidpath.com/

For more information, please contact:

Nicolette Alexander

Marketing Director, Bidpath

nicolette@bidpath.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/david-brindley-appointed-ceo-of-bidpath-302239714.html
DALTON, GA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / SYNLawn, a leading global manufacturer and innovator of sustainable synthetic turf, is proud to support Victory Junction, a year-round camp in North Carolina for children with complex medical conditions, with the donation of an artificial grass lawn to improve accessibility for camp attendees at the newly debuted Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Water Park.





Charity Ride Across America Water Park

SYNLawn Installation at the Charity Ride Across America Water Park.





"We are honored to create a safer and more inclusive play space for children of all abilities," said George Neagle, president of SYNLawn Global. "Philanthropy is important to our company and our culture is built on serving people around the globe through charitable endeavors that align with our mission to improve the planet through synthetic turf."

SYNSport was used to create the green space. It's the ideal turf for this type of high-traffic space since it provides superior durability and support. It's also a more environmentally friendly option due to being made with SYNLawn's exclusive plant-based EnviroLoc+ backing system created from renewable resources such as soybean oil. The sustainable grass offers a smoother and more stable outdoor space than natural grass for camp attendees who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Synthetic surfacing is proven to reduce injury and lessen the impact of falls by absorbing the shock better than real grass, which creates a safer play environment for all.

"We're all very appreciative of this generous and beautiful gift from SYNLawn - especially the children who will benefit from the donated lawn," said Chad Coltrane, president and CEO of Victory Junction. "The addition of the artificial turf allows us to extend our water park activities and programming from the pool to the poolside. It also adds the perfect landscape appeal and symbolizes a generous spirit of giving back. Our charitable partnerships are valuable and enable us to provide more exciting experiences for the kids."

Photos of the installation are available upon request. Learn more about SYNLawn and its sustainable turf solutions at www.synlawn.com.

ABOUT SYNLAWN

For more than 20 years, SYNLawn has led the industry as the largest manufacturer and unrivaled innovator of artificial grass and synthetic surfacing in North America. As part of the Sport Group Holding family of companies, SYNLawn delivers the best products available on the market. SYNLawn's turnkey network of over 120 distributors seamlessly combines environmental stewardship with industry-leading innovations. SYNLawn uses bio-based ingredients and consumer-conscious additives to meet customers' wide range of needs. With more than 300,000 residential and commercial installations, the company is raising the bar for global synthetic turf standards and transforming the idea of grass. We have a proprietary system with a large percentage of renewable content. From rooftops to road medians and rocket-launch viewing sites, SYNLawn has installed over 150 million square feet of U.S. soy-backed grass across 300,000 installations in the United States of America and over 20 other countries since 2008. SYNLawn added more soy than ever to its products in 2021, which increased its use of U.S. soy by 10%. For more information visit www.SYNLawn.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

ABOUT VICTORY JUNCTION

Victory Junction is a year-round camp facility for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions. Founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of his son Adam, Victory Junction provides life-changing camp experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a medically-safe environment, always free of charge. In addition to traditional camp sessions, Victory Junction's REACH program takes camp experiences to children and their families at hospitals, clinics, and other community partner sites throughout the Carolinas and Virginia. Since opening in 2004, Victory Junction has delivered more than 126,000 camp experiences and has served children from all fifty states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, as well as four countries. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children's Network of camps founded by Paul Newman, and is accredited by the American Camp Association. To learn more, please visit victoryjunction.org.

# # #

Contact Information

Mackenzie Smith

mackenzie@labearcommunications.com

574-524-5916

SOURCE: SYNLawn

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Animal Surgical Center's Youth Day Inspires Kids With Veterinary Education and Rescue Dog Interactions, Fostering Compassion and Responsible Pet Ownership on Sept. 21, 2024

OCEANSIDE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Animal Surgical Center (ASC), an accredited American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) located in Oceanside, New York, is excited to announce the launch of its first-ever Youth Day Experience, taking place on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in celebration of National Responsible Pet Owner Day. This event offers a unique and educational experience for children ages 8-12+ to learn about the world of veterinary medicine, responsible pet ownership, and animal rescue.

Animal Surgical Center Youth Day

Event Overview

Youth Day at ASC is designed to inspire and educate young animal lovers, providing them with an inside look at veterinary medicine, the operations of a veterinary hospital, and the importance of responsible pet ownership. The event will include interactive activities, a hospital tour, and the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local rescues.

"We believe it's crucial to instill a sense of responsibility and compassion for animals in the younger generation," said Dr. Tomas Infernuso, founder and CEO of Animal Surgical Center. "Youth Day will be an educational experience and a fun and engaging way for children to connect with animals and learn about the veterinary profession."

Event Highlights

Interactive Hospital Tour: Participants will get a behind-the-scenes tour of ASC, meet the hospital team, and learn about various roles within the veterinary field.

Meet the Pets: Kids will have the opportunity to interact with adoptable pets from local rescues and some of the pets owned by ASC staff.

Educational Games and Activities: Engaging games like "What Would You Do as a Vet?" and animal trivia, alongside arts and crafts sessions, will make learning fun.

Photo Opportunities: Children can dress up in hospital gowns, pose with toy stethoscopes, and take photos in the surgery area with stuffed toy animals.

The event will be hosted by dedicated ASC team members, with participation from Dr. Tomas Infernuso, who are generously volunteering their time for this cause. The goal is to foster a love for animals and provide insight into the veterinary world, potentially inspiring future careers in animal care.

Collaboration With Local Rescues

To enhance the experience, ASC is partnering with Hurley's Heart Bulldog Rescue, founded by Summer Somer, to bring adoptable pets to the event. This collaboration offers a hands-on learning opportunity for the children while supporting the rescue organization by encouraging donations, volunteerism, and future adoptions. The interaction between the children and the dogs benefits both; it allows the dogs to engage with families in a positive environment, creating a meaningful learning experience for everyone involved.

Admission and Donations

While there is no admission fee for Youth Day, we encourage parents to donate to the participating rescue organization. The event is open to all children and local community members interested in the veterinary field.

Contact Information

Karla Hojas

Marketing Director

khojas@asc.vet

(516) 776-7127

Alyssa Rodriguez

Social Media Manager

arodriguez@asc.vet

(516) 749-7436

SOURCE: Animal Surgical Center

View the original press release on newswire.com.
In Long Beach, Accountant Partners offers a unique pricing guarantee for premier small business accounting services, including tax planning and cloud accounting.

LONG BEACH, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Accountant Partners, a leading provider of small business accounting and tax services, aims to aid business growth and development as it announces the opening of its newest office in Long Beach, California. This expansion marks an exciting milestone in the firm's commitment to offering personalized and effective financial solutions to small businesses in the vibrant Long Beach area.

Long Beach Small Business Accountant

Long Beach Small Business Accountant

Long Beach has historically battled a shrinking workforce and lack of affordability in housing. These factors directly impact local and small businesses holding out hope there will be better economic stability for them to improve financially, especially in the post-pandemic era. As per the Downtown Long Beach Alliance Business Survey in 2022, 58% of local business owners agree that the Long Beach economy will expand in the next two years. Consequently, 53% believe their business will expand with the local economy.

With this new location, Accountant Partners is set to serve the local market with a wide array of services designed to optimize tax savings, streamline business operations, and support sustainable growth. Their expertise includes advanced tax planning, strategic business growth consultations, and seamless cloud accounting integration to reduce tax liabilities. Their approach is designed to significantly minimize tax burdens, potentially saving local businesses from $10,000 to $1 million, thus helping them grow and compete.

"As a Long Beach small business accountant, we are deeply familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities faced by local businesses," said Allan Bayer, Managing Partner at Accountant Partners. "Our mission is to empower business owners with the financial insights and tools they need to succeed. We are excited to bring our tailored services to the Long Beach community."

As Accountant Partners opens its doors in Long Beach, the firm invites local small business owners to experience the benefits of expert, personalized accounting services. Committed to integrity, efficiency, and the success of their clients, Accountant Partners is eager to help Long Beach businesses thrive.

For more information on working with a Long Beach small business accountant, visit https://accountantpartners.com/small-business-accountant-long-beach/ or contact Accountant Partners at (657) 300-6966.

About Accountant Partners:

Accountant Partners is a leading small business accounting firm helping business owners in Long Beach, CA, save up to $1M per year in taxes through partner-level accounting, reporting, and strategic advisory. With 27 years of experience, Accountant Partners specializes in best-in-class tax minimization strategies, personalized advisory, and technology-driven efficiency.

Contact Information

JP Richards

Director of Communications

releases@drakedigital.com

844-703-0880

SOURCE: Accountant Partners

View the original press release on newswire.com.
The CDC reports that healthcare workers in the U.S. face an estimated 385,000 needlestick and sharps-related injuries every year.

SAN ANTONIO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Facing an increase in needlestick injuries, BioMedical Waste Solutions, a prominent medical waste disposal company, with locations in San Antonio, TX, is actively working to let the public know about the hazards of improper medical waste disposal, particularly needles.

San Antonio Biomedical Waste Solutions

San Antonio Biomedical Waste Solutions

The CDC approximates that about 385,000 needlestick and sharps-related injuries happen each year among U.S. healthcare workers. This figure is likely an underestimation due to underreporting, especially in private homes where the elderly and the 38.4 million Americans with diabetes depend on needle usage daily.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has underlined the threat of sharps injuries in the transmission of severe diseases, reporting annual global infection rates among healthcare workers as:

Nearly 2,005,000 cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

66,000 cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV)

16,000 cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV)

Various outcomes could arise from these infections, such as long-term health problems, disabilities, and even death.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that a third of sharps injuries occur at the point of disposal, citing the importance of stringent medical waste disposal practices to protect both healthcare workers and the general public.

To address this critical issue, the San Antonio medical waste disposal company, BioMedical Waste Solutions, released The Definitive Guide to Medical Waste Disposal in 2024. This guide is the best resource on the safe disposal of needles, syringes, and other sharp objects, showcasing the company's commitment to boosting safety and preventing the spread of infections through proper waste management.

The guide offers five crucial tips for preventing needlestick injuries:

Employing FDA-endorsed containers for sharps disposal

Refraining from exceeding the capacity of disposal bins

Refraining from reaching inside waste containers

Refraining from putting caps back on needles

Keeping hazardous sharp objects and waste containers away from young ones

JP Richards, Director of Communications at BioMedical Waste Solutions, said, "The increasing rate of needlestick injuries and their serious repercussions on healthcare workers and the community are of great concern. Our guide is vital for preventing these injuries and ensuring the safety of healthcare providers and individuals handling needles at home. We are committed to providing reliable San Antonio medical waste disposal solutions. Together, we can reduce the risks associated with needlestick injuries."

BioMedical Waste Solutions, a leading medical waste disposal company in San Antonio, encourages healthcare establishments, professionals, and individuals who utilize needles to refer to their comprehensive guide for the proper disposal of sharps and medical waste. Their vast expertise and advanced technological solutions guarantee the secure handling, transportation, and disposal of medical waste, following the strictest national, state, and local standards.

For further details on safe medical waste disposal or to view the guide from BioMedical Waste Solutions, please visit their website at https://www.biomedicalwastesolutions.com/medical-waste-disposal/ or reach out directly at 346-660-4994 or JPRichards@BioMedicalWasteSolutions.com. For more info about this San Antonio medical waste disposal company, visit: https://www.biomedicalwastesolutions.com/locations/texas/san-antonio-medical-waste-disposal/.

About BioMedical Waste Solutions:

BioMedical Waste Solutions is a leading medical waste disposal company dedicated to providing safe and reliable solutions for the management and disposal of medical waste. With a commitment to environmental responsibility and public health, the company serves healthcare facilities, private practices, dental offices, veterinarians and laboratories across America. BioMedical Waste Solutions offers comprehensive services to ensure the proper collection, transportation, and disposal of medical waste, including sharps, in compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Contact Information

JP Richards

Director of Communications

releases@drakedigital.com

(346) 660-4994

SOURCE: Biomedical Waste Solutions

View the original press release on newswire.com.
From creating a Go Bag to turning on Wi-Fi Calling, these simple tips can go a long way if natural disasters hit

In the midst of a record-breaking wildfire season and a highly active hurricane season, it's more crucial than ever to be ready if disaster hits. Yet nearly half of American adults in 2023 believed they were unprepared for a disaster, according to FEMA.

T-Mobile has taken significant steps to further prepare its network, teams and emergency response capabilities to keep customers, communities and first responders connected. This National Preparedness Month, here are some tips from T-Mobile that can help you be ready when it matters most.

Make your phone disaster-proof

Most of us have friends, family and coworkers programmed in our phones. But in an emergency, you may need to contact local police, fire departments or power companies. Program these numbers now so you don't spend precious time looking them up during an emergency.

When disaster hits, enable your phone's battery saving mode and dark mode to conserve charge. Keep calls and texts to a minimum. Download the American Red Cross and FEMA apps, subscribe to local authorities' text alerts and follow them on social networks to receive important updates.

If your power and Wi-Fi connection are still on but your mobile service is down, you may be able to call someone via Wi-Fi.

For Apple phones, turn on Wi-Fi Calling in Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling

For Android phones, go to Settings > More Connection Settings > Wi-Fi Calling.

Sometimes during a severe weather event or natural disaster, increased calls and texts at the same time can cause telecommunications networks to become congested. If you have trouble making calls, try texting instead. Text messages are more likely to get through than phone calls because they take up fewer network resources.

Assemble a Go Bag

Save precious time if disaster strikes by having a "Go Bag," which you can grab at a moment's notice and evacuate.

The American Red Cross recommends packing basic supplies including:

Water: one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)

Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)

Flashlight

Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

Extra batteries

First aid kit

Medications (7-day supply) and medical items

Multi-purpose tool

Sanitation and personal hygiene items

Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)

Cell phone with chargers

Family and emergency contact information

Extra cash

Emergency blanket

Map(s) of the area

You can also create a family emergency plan ahead of time with steps you and your loved ones can take if a natural disaster hits. This printable plan includes a meeting place and contact information so you can act quickly.

Stay safe and calm - T-Mobile's on your side

T-Mobile's network engineers prepare for weather conditions throughout the year so they can restore service if needed as soon as possible. But hazardous conditions may cause delays. Downed trees, power outages and other obstacles can hinder restoration efforts. Engineers will make repairs as soon as it's safe to do so.

T-Mobile's teams also constantly upgrade towers, network switches, data centers and other critical sites nationwide to make them more reliable, more resilient and better able to withstand disasters across big cities, rural areas and everywhere in between.

This disaster season, T-Mobile has been supporting customers and first responders around the country after hurricane Beryl, hurricane Debby and tropical storm Ernesto. T-Mobile offered Wi-Fi, power, device charging, charging supplies and other services for the community, and supported first responders by supplying Wi-Fi and connectivity for them to access critical applications such as group communication, and patient and asset-tracking platforms.

Amid wildfires in Colorado and California in August, T-Mobile's network held up well while emergency teams deployed resources to provide first responders and other public safety agencies with critical support. T-Mobile's Emergency Response teams worked to keep connectivity uninterrupted and public safety agencies and local officials connected.

T-Mobile is continuously growing its disaster response capabilities to ensure customers can communicate with loved ones and authorities. Ahead of this year's disaster season, the Un-carrier has expanded its fleet of network vehicles, hardened its network with permanent backup power solutions, and turned on new 2.5 GHz spectrum to boost critical coverage and capacity for nearly 60 million customers across the country.

T-Mobile is also teaming up with all levels of government, first responder agencies, public utilities, wireless industry partners and others to learn from previous disasters and foster continued collaboration for future response and restoration efforts.

First responders and emergency officials can sign up for Wireless Priority Service (WPS) to automatically get priority access and preemption for voice and priority access for data on T-Mobile's network at no cost. When seconds matter during times of emergency or network congestion, WPS moves critical communications to the front of the line.

This year, T-Mobile introduced the Community Support Advocates Program (CSAP). With this program, employees across the business get fully trained on T-Mobile's disaster response protocols and can then offer additional support to communities impacted by disasters across the country. CSAP members, which are growing in numbers, were on standby for hurricanes Beryl and Debby just months after the program's launch.

Don't wait until an emergency is looming to prepare. Taking key actions now can help you stay safe, informed and connected during a natural disaster, and help you recover in the aftermath.

For more information from T-Mobile on communications and disaster preparedness, check out www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-ready-to-respond.

Follow @TMobileNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay up to date with the latest company news.





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from T-Mobile on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: T-Mobile

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/t-mobile

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: T-Mobile

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The Orbia Advance Corporation S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ORBIA) Building Infrastructure business Wavin announced its agreement with Microsoft to tackle water stress and promote water resilience worldwide. Orbia will support Microsoft in making progress against its target to replenish more than it consumes by 2030 via various water positive projects using Orbia Building Infrastructure (Wavin) solutions for cities and urban environments.

The first project as part of this agreement has been initiated with SANASA, a public water supply and sanitation company in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Campinas region has gone through seven droughts in the last decade, and is located in the watershed of the rivers Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiai (PCJ watershed). As the PCJ river basin supplies more than 70% of the region's water, most notably supporting Sao Paulo, the project enables Orbia, Microsoft and SANASA to work together to reduce water losses effectively.

The SANASA project uses Orbia's Water Network Management (WNM) service, powered by TaKaDu, to improve network efficiency. WNM is a cloud-based solution that helps utilities to detect, analyze and manage network events and incidents including leaks, bursts, faulty assets, operational failures, telemetry and data issues. WNM is complemented with a central control room operated by Orbia water engineers.

Said Eliza Roberts, Water Lead at Microsoft, "We believe that Microsoft has an important role to play in helping to address water stress in the areas where we operate. Water is a shared challenge that requires a collective approach and we look forward to partnering with Orbia and SANASA to support a water project that is bringing public and private sector partners to the table to reduce water loss in Sao Paulo."

Manuelito Magalhaes Junior, President of SANASA, remarked, "We are excited about joining forces with Microsoft and Orbia. Our vision is to be a leader and benchmark in sustainable water management that can be shared throughout Brazil. We will do this using state-of-the-art technologies, delivered through innovative partnerships that will help us to be more efficient in different areas of the business."

"At Orbia, we recognize the interdependencies between climate and water and are committed to deliver solutions that the world needs for water security. A key component of our ambition to achieve net positive water impact is to engage in collective action, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft and SANASA on such an important global topic," commented Tania Rabasa Kovacs, Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Orbia. Continued Rabasa Kovacs, "It's only through collaborating that we can achieve our ambitions and ensure water security is preserved for future generations."

About Orbia

Orbia Advance Corporation, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ORBIA*) is a company driven by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia operates in the Polymer Solutions (Vestolit and Alphagary), Building Infrastructure (Wavin), Precision Agriculture (Netafim), Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) and Fluor Energy Materials (Koura) sectors. The five Orbia business groups have a collective focus on ensuring food and water security, expanding information access and connectivity and advancing decarbonization and the energy transition with basic and advanced materials, specialty products and innovative solutions. Orbia has a global team of over 24,000 employees, commercial activities in more than 100 countries and operations in over 50, with global headquarters in Boston, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. The company generated $8.2 billion in revenue in 2023. To learn more, visit: orbia.com

About Orbia Building Infrastructure (Wavin)

Orbia's Building and Infrastructure business Wavin is an innovative solutions provider for the global building and infrastructure industry. Backed by more than 60 years of product development experience, Orbia B&I is advancing life around the world by building healthy, sustainable environments for global citizens. Whether it's to optimize water supply, improve water sanitation and hygiene, to create climate resilient cities or to reduce energy use in buildings, Orbia B&I collaborates with municipal leaders, engineers, contractors and installers to help future-proof communities, buildings and homes. Orbia B&I has over 11,000 employees across approximately 50 production sites worldwide, serving over 90 countries through a global sales and distribution network. To learn more, visit: wavin.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905935790/en/

Contacts:

Kacy Karlen

Chief Communications Officer

Orbia

kacy.karlen@orbia.com

+1 (865) 410-3001

Andrea Rubiano

Director, Global Strategic Marketing

Orbia Building Infrastructure (Wavin)

andrea.rubiano@orbia.com

+44 (077) 867-03727
Study of Asgard's new cancer immunotherapy modality demonstrates potent anti-tumor effects by turning tumor cells against themselves

New data "paves the way for first-in-human trials" of lead program AT-108, which is undergoing CMC development for GMP manufacturing

AT-108 is an off-the-shelf gene therapy that induces an immune response tailored against each unique patient's cancer

LUND, Sweden, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Asgard Therapeutics, a privately held biotech company pioneering in vivo direct cell reprogramming for cancer immunotherapy, today announces the publication of key proof-of-concept data supporting its lead program, AT-108, in the high-impact, peer-reviewed journal, Science[1]. Novel data shows that AT-108 reprograms tumor cells, directly within the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment, into an immunogenic cell fate, which mounts strong anti-tumor, antigen-specific responses and durable tumor shrinkage even upon metastatic rechallenge.

The study, co-led by Asgard Therapeutics and the Pereira Lab at Lund University, demonstrated efficient dendritic cell reprogramming in mouse models resistant to checkpoint blockade treatment and patient-derived tumor samples. The data provides preclinical proof-of-concept for an off-the-shelf, yet tumor-specific, first-in-class cancer immunotherapy, paving the way for first-in-human trials of AT-108. Reprogramming tumor cells so that they are converted into antigen-presenting dendritic cells "elicits systemic and long-term antitumor immunity," stated the authors of the study. The study entitled, In vivo dendritic cell reprogramming for cancer immunotherapy, also shows the systematic selection of an optimal delivery system for expression of key reprogramming factors in the tumor, which led to the nomination of Asgard's lead program.

Publication of the study follows Asgard's 30 million Series A financing to advance its cell reprogramming platform, as the Company continues to make significant progress in preparing AT-108 for clinical development. Asgard recently commenced activities to establish CMC process for scale-up manufacturing of GMP-grade AT-108 for Phase I/II trials.

Cristiana Pires, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Asgard Therapeutics, said: "This study demonstrates that Asgard's platform converts tumor cells into dendritic cells within living organisms - and not just in vitro. This publication in such a high-impact journal as Science demonstrates the enormous potential of our cell reprogramming approach and the quality of our scientific methodology. Together with ongoing work to establish manufacturing process for lead program, AT-108, we are focused on completing IND-enabling studies, including pharmacokinetic and GLP toxicology studies, in advance of our near-term objective of filing a clinical trial application for testing of AT-108 in patients."

Co-Lead author Fabio Rosa, PhD, Co-founder and Head of Research of Asgard Therapeutics, commented: "We are very pleased with the publication of this joint effort with Filipe Pereira and his team at Lund University, as it represents a significant milestone for the company ahead of clinical development. The new findings support the selection of a replication-deficient adenoviral vector for AT-108, demonstrating its proof-of-concept and prompting the start of advanced preclinical development. We were very excited to see that AT-108 induces complete tumor regressions and protects mice from tumor re-challenge - even in the metastatic setting."

The reprogramming of tumor cells to cDC1-like cells restores tumor antigen presentation and remodels the tumor microenvironment, reducing exhausted and regulatory populations, and promoting infiltration and activation of cytotoxic T cells. Importantly, in vivo dendritic cell reprogramming induces complete responses as a monotherapy and synergizes with immune checkpoint blockade in aggressive immune-deserted tumor models. The finding of an abscopal effect on distant non-treated tumors highlights that benefits extend beyond the primary tumor.

Alongside the Pereira Lab from where the technology spun-out, Asgard collaborated with additional researchers at Lund University, Inge Marie Svane and Ozcan Met from CCIT-DK, Denmark, and Irina Agarkova and team from InSphero, Switzerland to complete the study. The Company's research has received support from Eurostars-2 Joint Program with co-funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Sweden's Innovation Agency, E!115376 REPRINT Grant 2021-03371, and the Strategic innovation programs, Swelife.

Notes to Editors

About Asgard Therapeutics

Asgard Therapeutics is a privately held preclinical stage biotech company pioneering in vivo direct cell reprogramming for cancer immunotherapy. The company builds on ground-breaking and proprietary reprogramming technologies to develop gene therapy products designed to set in motion efficient and personalized immune responses. Backed by Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC, Inc., RV Invest, Novo Holdings, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, and Industrifonden, Asgard Therapeutics aims to establish a pipeline of off-the shelf cancer immunotherapies that trigger personalized anti-cancer immune responses for the benefit of cancer patients in need. For more information, please visit: www.asgardthx.com.

About AT-108

AT-108 is a first-in-class, off-the-shelf gene therapy that directly reprograms tumor cells into a rare subset of dendritic cells critical for mounting efficient cytotoxic T cell responses, cDC1 cells (conventional dendritic cells type 1), which forces the tumor cells to present their tumor antigens, ultimately leading to a personalized anti-tumor immune response. It is based on a replication-deficient adenoviral vector that delivers three proprietary reprogramming factors into tumor cells, rewiring their gene expression signatures and thus "programming" them to become antigen-presenting cDC1-like cells.

1.http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn9083

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/asgard-therapeutics-study-published-in-science-showing-proof-of-concept-and-strong-anti-tumor-responses-via-in-vivo-cell-reprogramming-with-lead-program-at-108-302239512.html
- Presentations Explain Potential Benefits of J-Brain Cargo Technology in Delivering Biotherapeutics Across the Blood-Brain Barrier -

JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4552) made significant contributions at the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM) Annual Symposium 2024, held in Porto, Portugal from September 3-6, 2024. We highlighted our proprietary J-Brain Cargo technology through two key presentations focused on advanced therapies for lysosomal storage disorders, demonstrating our pioneering role in medical innovation.

"In treating lysosomal storage disorders, it's critical to address the neurological symptoms that often accompany these conditions," said Shin Ashida, Chairman and President of JCR. "Our focus is on developing therapies that meet these unmet medical needs. Clinical data for JR-171 show its potential to be an effective treatment for both the somatic and neurological symptoms associated with mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I). Additionally, the preclinical trials in our GM1 gangliosidosis AAV gene therapy development program have demonstrated the potential of combining our J-Brain Cargo technology with gene therapy. We will continue to update on the progress of these programs."

JCR showcased the following two presentations:

JR-171: Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I) Poster

The following poster presentation provides a case report for four individuals with MPS I who were treated with JR-171:

Neurobehavioural and somatic improvements observed in MPS I patients treated with lepunafusp alfa (JR-171): report of four cases (PO-238)

Presenter: Ana Maria Martins, M.D., Ph.D. (Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil)

This study reports clinical data from four individuals with MPS I in Brazil who were treated intravenously with JR-171 (2 mg/kg weekly, n=2; 4 mg/kg weekly, n=2), focusing on neurobehavioral changes. These individuals with MPS I experienced marked neurobehavioral and somatic improvements, which resulted in tangible, positive changes in their quality of life.

These cases illustrate the positive neuropsychiatric and behavioral changes observed during the Phase 1/2 study of JR-171, as well as the drug's somatic efficacy, and they demonstrate its potential as an effective treatment for the somatic symptoms and neuronopathy found in individuals with MPS I. Further neurocognitive and developmental evaluation is required to consolidate and establish the efficacy of JR-171 for neuronopathic symptoms.

GM1 Gangliosidosis Poster

This poster presentation was selected as one of the highest-ranked posters. It highlights preclinical data from an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy in a mice model of GM1 gangliosidosis:

Gene therapy for GM1 gangliosidosis mediated by AAV vector carrying BBB-penetrable enzyme (PO-211)

Presenter: Saki Matsushima, Ph.D. (Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan)

This study reports preclinical data that demonstrated efficacy of AAV that expresses anti-transferrin receptor-antibody (anti-TfR antibody) fused -galactosidase (TGal). AAV was administered intravenously to the GM1 gangliosidosis mouse models. TGal expressed in the liver was secreted into the blood and efficiently penetrated the central nervous system (CNS) as well as peripheral organs. Substrates in the CNS decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The data also demonstrated efficacy of TGal in survival, histology, and behavioral evaluations. This therapeutic approach, which is the combination of AAV and anti-TfR antibody fused biotherapeutics, is expected to be applied for the treatment of several hereditary neurological diseases with CNS involvement. Further evaluation is required.

About the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM)

Established in 1963, the aim of the society is to foster the study of inherited metabolic disorders and related topics. An international annual symposium is held to promote exchange of ideas between professional leaders in different disciplines who are interested in inborn errors of metabolism. Learn more about SSIEM: https://www.ssiem.org/.

About the J-Brain Cargo Platform Technology

JCR Pharmaceuticals has developed a proprietary blood-brain barrier-penetrating technology J-Brain Cargo, to bring biotherapeutics into the central nervous system. The first drug developed based on this technology is IZCARGO (INN: pabinafusp alfa) and was approved in Japan for the treatment of a lysosomal storage disorder.

About Mucopolysaccharidosis I (Hurler, Hurler-Scheie, Scheie Syndrome)

Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) caused by a deficiency of a-L-iduronidase, an enzyme that breaks down glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) in the body. The current worldwide prevalence of MPS I is estimated to be approximately 3,000-4,000 (according to JCR internal research). MPS I gives rise to a wide range of somatic and neurological symptoms. A major limitation of current ERT is that it does not address central nervous system (CNS) symptoms because of the enzyme's inability cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). MPS I is the only LSD in which hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is part of the standard of case for the severe form of the disease. Significant unmet medical need persists in all forms of MPS I.

About GM1 Gangliosidosis

GM1 gangliosidosis is an autosomal recessive disease caused by pathogenic mutations in the GLB1 gene which results in dysfunction or lack of production of lysosomal enzyme, -galactosidase, responsible for the breakdown of GM1 gangliosides and other glycolipids. Accumulation of GM1 gangliosides in multiple tissues including the brain leads to severe neurodegeneration and systemic disease manifestations resulting in premature mortality. GM1 gangliosidosis is classified into three forms (Type I to III) based on the age of onset of clinical symptoms.

About JR-171

JR-171 is a recombinant fusion protein of an antibody against the human transferrin receptor and a-L-iduronidase, the enzyme that is missing or malfunctioning in patients with MPS I. By crossing the blood brain-barrier (BBB) through transferrin receptor mediated transcytosis it is expected to be effective against central nervous system (CNS) signs and symptoms of the disease thereby addressing a significant unmet need for the treatment of MPS I. JR-171 previously was granted Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

About JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TSE 4552) is a global specialty pharmaceuticals company that is expanding possibilities for people with rare and genetic diseases worldwide. We continue to build upon our 49-year legacy in Japan while expanding our global footprint into the US, Europe, and Latin America. We improve patients' lives by applying our scientific expertise and unique technologies to research, develop, and deliver next-generation therapies. Our approved products in Japan include therapies for the treatment of growth disorder, MPS II (Hunter syndrome), Fabry disease, acute graft-versus host disease, and renal anemia. Our investigational products in development worldwide are aimed at treating rare diseases including MPS I (Hurler, Hurler-Scheie and Scheie syndrome), MPS II, MPS IIIA and B (Sanfilippo syndrome type A and B), and more. JCR strives to expand the possibilities for patients while accelerating medical advancement at a global level. Our core values reliability, confidence, and persistence benefit all our stakeholders, including employees, partners, and patients. For more information, please visit https://www.jcrpharm.co.jp/en/site/en/.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as "believe," "estimate," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "will," "would," "target" and similar references to future periods. All forward-looking statements regarding our plans, outlook, strategy and future business, financial performance and financial condition are based on judgments derived from the information available to us at this time. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to be materially different from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, a deterioration of economic conditions, a change in the legal or governmental system, a delay in launching a new product, impact on competitors' pricing and product strategies, a decline in marketing capabilities relating to our products, manufacturing difficulties or delays, an infringement of our intellectual property rights, an adverse court decision in a significant lawsuit and regulatory actions.

This document involves information on pharmaceutical products (including those under development). However, it is not intended for advertising or providing medical advice. Furthermore, it is intended to provide information on our company and businesses and not to solicit investment in securities we issue.

Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, even if new information becomes available in the future.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240905915645/en/

Contacts:

Investors Media:

JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

Corporate Communications

ir-info@jp.jcrpharm.com
Zeus North America Mining Corp. (formerly Umdoni Exploration Inc.) (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRANKFURT:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") is pleased to announce that it has increased the size of its non-brokered private placement announced on July 30, 2024 (the "Placement") and now intends to issue up to 5,664,400 units ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,416,100.

Each Unit will comprise one common share and one full share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years following closing of the Placement.

Finder's fees may be payable on all or any portion of the Placement, which is subject to regulatory and exchange approval.

The proceeds of the Placement will be utilized for exploration programs on the Company's Idaho copper projects, including its flagship Cuddy Mountain project, and for general working capital purposes.

Completion of the Placement is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary approvals and the acceptance by the Canadian Securities Exchange.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.

On behalf of the board of directors.

"Dean Besserer"

President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at info@zeusminingcorp.com

FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:

Kin Communications Inc.

Ph: 604-684-6730

ZEUS@kincommunications.com

About Zeus North America Mining Corp.

The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 82 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 3822.1 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.

Forward Looking Statements

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: Zeus North America Mining Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
SecureFlag, a London, UK-based software company which specializes in cybersecurity training, received a majority investment from Copilot Capital.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The partnership will help the company to scale its operations and further develop its product offerings to meet the demand for secure coding solutions.

Led by CEO Andrea Scaduto, SecureFlag specialises in providing hands-on, practical secure coding training for developers and engineers involved in software development. Partnering with global companies, it offers a suite of training products across more than 45 coding languages.

Customers include Forbes Global 2000 companies and global brands across financial services, technology, government, industry, and more.

FinSMEs

05/09/2024
Portex founder and chief executive officer Brittany Ennix

Portex, a San Francisco, CA-based tool where shippers can handle everything related to freight management in one place, raised $6.25m in seed funding.

The round was led by Footwork and joined by Cowboy Ventures. Existing investors Susa Ventures and Base 10 also participated in the round.

The company will use the new funding to accelerate its AI-focused product development and go-to-market.

The funding round comes as the startup approaches nearly $100 million in annualized freight transport bookings across its rapidly growing, global customer base of small- to mid-sized companies.

Led by founder and chief executive officer Brittany Ennix, Portex provides a cloud-based software platform that allows small- to mid-sized companies to centralize communication across their broker and forwarder partners with instant messaging, as well as to manage freight bids and quotes, shipment status, and carrier performance. Importantly, Portex is broker-agnostic, empowering shippers to work with as many brokers or carriers as makes sense for their pricing and service needs.

Customers include Armorock, Franklin Foods, and Community Coffee.

Looking ahead, Portex will roll out a suite of AI-powered features to make freight management more automated and strategic. Its modern backend and structured data make the platform ideally suited to use AI to make everything from pricing suggestions, to benchmarking, and analytics faster and more intelligent.

For example, companies on it will soon be able to use conversational prompts to generate tailored analytics reports. Portex will also be able to suggest carrier selections to customers based on factors like performance, route, ship time, and/or cost.

The company will also add other key functionality like invoice reconciliation and payments in the coming months.

FinSMEs

05/09/2024
Bill Clark, CEO Demex

The Demex Group, a Washington, DC-based risk analytics and intelligence company, raised $10.25M in funding.

The round consisted of a Series A and a SAFE funding round, led by Congruent Ventures and included Moxxie Ventures, MetaProp, and existing investor Blue Bear Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts.

Led by President and CEO Bill Clark, Demex is an independent data and analytics company that partners with reinsurance brokers, insurers, and reinsurers to solve the rising challenge of frequent property losses from secondary perils. It models loss accumulation based on weather and claims data, informed by climate research, and provides parametric stop-loss solutions that meet the needs of insurers and reinsurers.

FinSMEs

05/09/2024
threatER, a NYC-based cyber defense company focused on eliminating cyber threats before they reach the network, received a financing from CIBC Innovation Banking.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

Led by CEO Brian McMahon, threatER provides a comprehensive cybersecurity platform that provides active network defense by automating the enforcement, deployment, and analysis of cyber threats at scale. It offers a range of solutions to proactively and automatically safeguard organizations against cyber threats.

Their patented solution effectively blocks all known threats, enabling the rest of the modern cyber security stack to do its job more efficiently.

The company intends to use the funds to support its scale up to help medium-sized businesses and enterprises, especially in financial services, healthcare and legal, protect their business from cyberattacks and increasingly sophisticated digital bad actors.

FinSMEs

05/09/2024
The purpose of protest by Sebi staff was to show dissent and unity against the arm-twisting exercise done by the top management in the garb of a press release and demand Madhabi Puri Buchs resignation for spreading lies against employees read more

As many as 200 employees of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) carried out protest on Thursday (September 5) in Mumbai after the market regulator, in a recent media release, termed their letter dated August 6 on toxic work culture addressed to the Finance Ministry misguided by external elements.

The protest which was held outside the Sebis headquarters in Mumbai lasted for about a couple of hours, following which they dispersed and returned to work.

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Why were Sebi employees protesting in Mumbai?

An internal message sent to Sebi employees mentioned that the purpose of the protest was to show dissent and unity against the arm-twisting exercise done by the top management in the garb of a press release."

Demands of protesters

The message further read that the immediate demand is withdrawal of press release and resigning of Sebi chairperson (Madhabi Puri Buch) for spreading lies against Sebis employees."

What did Sebi press release say?

On Wednesday (September 4), the claims by the employees of toxic work culture at Sebi in a letter to the Finance Ministry is misguided and perhaps triggered by external elements."

 it is our belief that Sebis junior officers, who were in large numbers, originally aggrieved in respect of HRA allowances, have been misguided, perhaps by external elements To believe that as employees of a Regulator, they should not be held to high standards of performance and accountability even though, they have in fact demonstrated that they are fully capable of delivering to high standards to the market ecosystem, Sebi said in the release.

The capital market watchdog further claimed that the junior staffer were misguided to believe that they are being underpaid, even at a CTC (cost to company) of Rs 34 lakh per annum and that it would be in their interest to use issues of work culture to bargain for monetary benefits and that they should get automatic promotions."

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Sebi even stated in the release that some of the initiatives taken during the last two-three years as part of its attempts to improve the work culture.

Over the last 2-3 years, Sebi employees have embraced these new initiatives. Ageing of pending matters across every single department has shown significant improvement and the market has felt the responsiveness and timeliness of Sebis actions as well, Sebi said.

The statement further said that the claims of unprofessional work culture in letter to the Finance Ministry were misplaced and seemed to have stem from instances such as under-pitching of processing capability of officers by as low as 1/4th of actual capacity, misreporting of status of achievement of KRAs, shuttling of files between departments over a long period to avoid taking decisions (and) Adjusting appraisal marks of poorly performing officers to somehow make them eligible for promotion."

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Sebi employees complain letter to Finance Ministry

Sebi officials complained about the toxic work culture, micromanaging and use of harsh language at Sebi under the leadership of Buch.

Shouting, scolding and public humiliation have become a norm in meetings, Sebi officials highlighted in the letter.

Also Read: Did market regulator Sebi have a toxic work culture? Report says

They also accused Sebi leadership of using harsh language, setting unrealistic targets and micromanaging.

Sebi has a strength of around 1,000 officers of Grade A and above. The five-page letter, titled  Grievances of Sebi Officers - A Call for Respect  sent to the Finance Ministry, was signed by about 500 of them.

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With inputs from agencies.
BPGP is an online MBA programme by IIMA for entrepreneurs and professionals who want to continue working alongside academics read more

Amitabh Bachchans granddaughter and Abhishek Bachchans niece Navya Naveli Nanda has taken admission in one of Indias most famous business schools, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), in the Blended Postgraduate Programme (BPGP).

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To celebrate her achievement, she took to Instagram and wrote, Dreams do come true!!!!!! The next two years with the best people and faculty! Blended Postgraduate Programme (BPGP) Class of 2026."

However, many social media users said that they were surprised that a star kid got through a highly selective Indian institute for higher studies with some calling BPGP not a flagship programme and not a real MBA with some even asking whether Nanda had gotten through on NRI or management quota

However, an IIM Ahmedabad professor named Promila Agarwal set the record straight as she tweeted, Dont insult IIMA by assuming that we have any quota for any program, cut off & interview for this one, before tweeting, She got solid CV btw*. U dont necessarily need CAT. Link**. Irrespective, hats off to everyone for being courageous enough to sign up for rigorous program. PS: Just like other students, looking forward to her posts cribbing abt hard life at IIMA

What is BPGP

This is an online MBA programme by IIMA for entrepreneurs and professionals who want to continue working alongside academics. It focuses on teaching managerial skills to working management professionals. The duration of the course is 2 years.

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Eligibility criteria

The working professional or entrepreneur must have three years of full-time work experience. The applicant must be at least 24 years old and have a bachelors degree (CA/CS/ICWA) or equivalent in any other stream.

Course fee

The cost of the course is INR 20 lakh excluding transport and lodging charges for on-campus modules.
The investigations revealed that Pavithra Gowda who came to the scene of the crime with Darshan was asked to deal with Renukaswamy for sending obscene pictures and derogatory messages read more

After the submission of the charge sheet by the police in the court, some shocking revelations have surfaced in the Renukaswamy murder case, which involves Kannada superstar Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda. As per sources, Gowda had told a fan that when he pleaded guilty in front of her, she kicked him and said he didnt deserve to live.

The investigations revealed that Pavithra Gowda who came to the scene of the crime with Darshan was asked to deal with Renukaswamy for sending obscene pictures and derogatory messages.

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Renukaswamy, who was by then brutally assaulted and subjected to inhuman torture by a gang of 15 people and Darshan, was bleeding and had sustained injuries all over the body, pleaded with her by joining both of his hands to spare him.

However, Pavithra Gowda slapped him, asked him why he should live and told him that he did not deserve to be alive. Later, she kicked him and walked away, police stated in the charge sheet, sources said.

The police sources said that during the investigation it was found that the blood stain marks of Renukaswamy stuck to Pavithra Gowdas sandals and clothes when she kicked and slapped him. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports have found the blood stains of Renukaswamy on the seized clothes of Pavithra Gowda.

The probe also revealed that the next morning after the murder of Renukaswamy, Pavithra Gowda had visited a beauty spa and got services. Later, she was summoned by the police to the station and arrested. Pavithra Gowda, the prime accused in the fan murder case, had provoked, conspired, and even participated in the brutal crime, states the charge sheet.

The investigation revealed that Pavithra Gowda, who is currently in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison, actively participated in murdering Renukaswamy.

Previously, it was believed that she had only beaten the victim with slippers but had been present while Renukaswamy was hacked to death.

Gowda, 33; third accused Puttaswamy alias Pavan K., 29; fourth accused Raghavendra, 43; fifth accused Nandeesha, 28; sixth accused Jagadish alias Jagga, 36; seventh accused Anukumar alias Anu, 25; 11h accused Nagaraju; 12th accused Lakshmana; 13th accused Deepak, and 16th accused Keshavamurthy are directly involved in the heinous act of murder and have scant respect for the law, as per the evidence, sources said.

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The police had also brought to the courts notice that Pavithra Gowda and Darshan, along with other accused, were using a group of fans to obstruct the investigation. The technical evidence collected had proven the direct involvement of the accused.

Pavithra Gowda, a divorcee and a single mother aspired to become a popular actress. Being a budding actress, she got an opportunity as a lead actor in Tamil and Kannada movies. She identifies herself as a fashion designer, model, artist and managing director of a boutique. She gained fame in the Kannada film industry in the backdrop of her close association with Darshan.

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Pavithra is known as Darshans long-time companion. Sources close to Darshan reveal that Pavithra Gowda got into a competition with Darshans wife Vijayalaxmi in terms of possession of jewels and luxury cars and compelled Darshan to make public appearances with her after he was seen with his wife.

Pavithra Gowda and Darshans wife had a spat through their social media posts. The development had prompted Darshans fans to take sides and attack one of them. Renukaswamy chose to support Vijayalaxmi and attacked Pavithra Gowda leading to his brutal death, police stated.

With inputs from IANS
Kollywood actor Chiyaan Vikram, who is currently basking in the success of his latest release Thangalaan, revealed about his life-threatening accident when he was in college and doctors declared that he wouldnt be able to walk.

The Mahaan star recalled the incident when he was returning from IIT Chennai after performing a play. It was a bad accident. They took me to the hospital and they wanted to amputate my leg, it was that bad. If I would have had a cut, blood would have come out. Because there was no cut, my bones had broken. My leg swelled up and the pulse stopped (in the leg). This results in gangrene, I still have gangrene. They didnt know what to do at the Government hospital. They said lets amputate his leg or hes going to die, said Vikran at The Ranveer Show.

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However, Vikrams mother did not want her son to lose his leg and he was shifted to a private hospital. The doctors managed to save his leg but said that he wont be able to walk again. I was in bed for three years. I had 23 surgeries, I had infection, one year on crunches. I didnt walk for four years and this was last year of college. I had pins (on my leg) and it was crazy, he said.

In my mind, I wanted to be an actor so badly, I said I will walk, I wont just walk, I will run. I used to go swimming, I had my crunches and worked at it. Then it came down to one crunch and then I used to have a walking stick, and I couldnt even walk. I couldnt bend my leg because the operation was done after five months and my knee had stiffened, the actor asserted.

How do you act in a movie if you cant bend your leg? I had gone through all of that. But I had decided I am going to walk, I am going to act, he said. Somehow I got into a film, landed a serial, landed in a movie, then another movie but none of my movies were a hit. The maximum audience were 20-25 people. And that was for 10 years before Sethu happened. The doctor saw my after five years and asked, Hey, youre walking? Youre not supposed to walk! He was shocked. Which is why I relish every character, frame and every movie of mine because I think of everything as a blessing, Vikram added.
Wednesday, September 5, is a busy day with key events including PM Modis meeting with Singapores Lawrence Wong to deepen bilateral ties. The jury selection in Hunter Bidens tax trial will begin read more

Wednesday, September 5, is shaping up to be a busy day with several significant events on the agenda.

First, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong, as part of his two-day official visit to Singapore aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

In India, President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the National Awards ceremony in New Delhi, honoring 50 exceptional teachers from across India for their outstanding contributions to education.

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Meanwhile, shareholders of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) are expected to approve the issuance of bonus shares, marking the fifth time in 41 years.

Across the globe, in the US, jury selection begins in Hunter Bidens tax trial. The presidents son is facing charges for allegedly failing to pay over a million dollars in federal taxes, with his past struggles with drug addiction likely to play a significant role in the proceedings.

Modi to hold meeting with Singaporean counterpart

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Singapore for a two-day official visit on Wednesday aimed at further enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries. This visit follows his trip to Brunei as part of New Delhis Act East policy.

India and Singapore already share a strategic alliance in the region, and Modis visit is intended to deepen the strategic partnership. He is visiting Singapore at the invitation of his counterpart, Lawrence Wong.

This marks Modis first visit to Singapore in six years, his last being in 2018. The visit also comes shortly after Lawrence Wong assumed office as the new Prime Minister of Singapore and just weeks after Narendra Modi began his third consecutive term as Indias Prime Minister.

President Murmu to present awards to educators

Teachers Day, celebrated on September 5, marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. To honour this occasion, the Department of School Education & Literacy, under the Ministry of Education, organises a National-level function each year to present the National Awards to the countrys top teachers.

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This year, 50 teachers from various states and union territories have been selected for their exceptional contributions to education. They will be honoured by President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, starting at 4:15 pm.

The awardees represent 28 states, 3 union territories, and 6 organisations. The list includes 34 male and 16 female teachers, with 2 educators who are differently-abled and 1 who specialises in working with children with special needs (CWSN).

In addition to these 50 teachers, 16 educators from the Department of Higher Education and 16 from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will also receive awards during the ceremony.

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Reliance to approve bonus issue

Shareholders of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Indias largest listed company by market capitalization (20.53 lakh crore), are set to receive bonus shares for the fifth time in 41 years.

This bonus issue follows a period of flat financial performance for the company in the April-June 2024 quarter and a lackluster stock performance despite a strong market. The issuance of bonus shares is expected to enhance liquidity in the stock, making it more accessible to investors.

Hunter Biden trial jury selection

Hunter Biden is set to face trial for the second time this year, beginning this week, on criminal charges related to his alleged failure to pay over a million dollars in federal taxes.

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The presidents son is accused of withholding at least $1.4 million between 2016 and 2019, during a period when he struggled with cocaine addiction following the death of his brother from brain cancer.

Bidens drug addiction was a key aspect of his earlier trial on felony gun charges, where a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying about his drug use on a federal gun purchase form, marking the first criminal conviction of a sitting US presidents child.

The details of Bidens troubled past are expected to be a significant focus in his upcoming tax trial. Jury selection is set to begin today, with opening statements scheduled for September 9. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Today in History - September 5

Teachers Day : Celebrated in India to honor teachers and their contribution to society. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Indias second President and a distinguished educator, who was born on September 5, 1888.

International Day of Charity : Established by the United Nations, this day promotes charitable efforts and encourages support for various humanitarian causes worldwide.

Birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan : Born in 1888, Dr. Radhakrishnan was a philosopher, statesman, and Indias second President. His contributions to education and philosophy are celebrated on this day, also marked as Teachers Day in India.

Birth anniversary of actor Pankaj Tripathi : Born on September 5, 1976, Pankaj Tripathi is a renowned Indian actor known for his roles in Hindi cinema and web series, celebrated for his versatile acting skills.

Death anniversary of Mother Teresa : The revered Catholic missionary, known for her selfless service to the poor, died on September 5, 1997. Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and was canonised as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Death anniversary of Neerja Bhanot : An Indian flight attendant, Neerja Bhanot was killed while saving passengers during the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 on September 5, 1986. Her bravery posthumously earned her Indias highest civilian awards for bravery.

Death anniversary of Gauri Lankesh : An Indian journalist and activist, Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her home in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. She was known for her outspoken views on social justice and criticism of right-wing extremism.

Munich Olympics Attack (1972) : On September 5, 1972, eight members of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September took Israeli athletes hostage at the Munich Olympic Games, resulting in the deaths of 11 athletes and a prolonged crisis that shocked the world.

Beard Tax in Russia (1698) : On September 5, 1698, Tsar Peter I of Russia imposed a tax on men who wore beards as part of his efforts to modernise Russian society along Western lines.

Hurricane Fran (1996) : Hurricane Fran made landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina, on September 5, 1996. The storm caused extensive damage along the East Coast, leading to significant loss of life and property.

First US Labour Day Parade (1882) : The first Labour Day parade in the United States was held in New York City on September 5, 1882. The event marked a significant moment in the labour movement, celebrating the contributions of workers.

Jourdan Law and Conscription in France (1798) : On September 5, 1798, the Jourdan Law was enacted in France, making military conscription mandatory for all able-bodied men between the ages of 20 and 25.

Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 (1986): On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked by four armed men at Karachi International Airport. The ordeal lasted over 16 hours, leading to the deaths of 20 passengers, including Neerja Bhanot, who was posthumously awarded for her heroism.

Firstpost is part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.
A social media post by Australias embassy in Iran celebrating Wear It Purple Day with purple cupcakes has sparked a diplomatic row with Tehran. The post, promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, was condemned by Iran as disrespectful to its cultural norms. Homosexuality is illegal in Iran, punishable by death, and the post led to the Australian ambassador being summoned read more

A seemingly innocent Instagram post featuring purple cupcakes and a show of support for the LGBTQIA+ community has escalated into a diplomatic clash between Australia and Iran.

The post, which commemorated Australias annual Wear It Purple Day, has drawn condemnation from Tehran.

Where did it start?

On Monday, Australias embassy in Iran shared a bilingual post in both English and Farsi on Instagram. The post featured Australias Ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, wearing a purple bow tie, holding a bouquet of purple flowers, and posing alongside his family.

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Accompanying the image was a vibrant display of purple cupcakes. The post was made to celebrate Wear It Purple Day, an Australian initiative aimed at supporting LGBTQIA+ youth and promoting inclusivity.

Celebrating Wear it Purple Day with a splash of purple in every corner, and some delicious cupcakes made with love, the post read.

It went on to affirm Australias commitment to creating a supportive environment: Today, and every day, were dedicated to creating a supportive environment, where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves.

Why did the post irk Iran?

Despite the lighthearted tone of the post, it was met with outrage in Iran, where homosexuality is illegal and can result in severe punishments, including flogging and even the death penalty.

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Iran is widely recognised as one of the most repressive nations regarding LGBTQIA+ rights, with male homosexuality carrying the risk of execution and women facing 100 lashes. The Iranian government also mandates that transgender individuals undergo gender reassignment surgery for recognition, but discrimination remains rampant even then.

Also Watch:

In the words of one Iranian diplomat according to Irans Mehr news agency, The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs and culture.

How did Iran respond?

Irans foreign ministry did not take the post lightly. Irans semi-official ILNA news agency reported that Tehran summoned McConville, expressing its disapproval of the post, which it deemed norm-breaking and disrespectful.

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A spokesperson for the ministry condemned the post as an insult to Iranian culture and values. The content published by the Australian embassy is insulting and contrary to Iranian and Islamic tradition, customs, and culture, the diplomat stated, accusing the post of violating international law, including the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

McConville, however, was quick to clarify the embassys stance. According to Irans state news agency IRNA, he stressed that Australia had no intention of offending the Iranian people or their values and pointed out that the post made no specific reference to Iran or its government.

The Islamic Republic was not mentioned in the post, McConville reiterated during his discussion with Iranian officials.

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While the diplomatic conversation aimed to calm tensions, the post remained live on Instagram as of Thursday morning, receiving hundreds of supportive comments, including one from Germanys embassy in Tehran, which replied with three purple love hearts.

How did Canberra react?

Australian foreign minister Penny Wong publicly backed the embassys actions, reaffirming Australias commitment to human rights and equality on the global stage. Australia is a proud advocate for human rights. At home and in the world, we work to advance these principles, Wong stated.

Additionally, Murray Watt, Australias federal workplace relations minister, also expressed concern over Tehrans response. Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Watt said, Were very proud about the fact that our embassies promote Australian values internationally. And Im very concerned to see an overseas government seemingly take action against an Australian embassy that is upholding Australian values.

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"Wear it Purple Day is a great opportunity to show up for LGBTQIA+ children & young people & support them to take pride in who they are. All young people, regardless of sexuality, sex or gender identity, have the right to non-discrimination, respect & equality," @AnneHollonds pic.twitter.com/zLc7hxNkYr  Australian Human Rights Commission (@AusHumanRights) August 30, 2024

Despite the harsh reaction from Iranian authorities, the post has garnered significant support online. Commenters expressed solidarity with Australias message, with one user commenting, Freedom and equality for all, accompanied by purple hearts.

Others, however, sided with Iran, demanding that the embassy respect the laws of Iran, and even called for an apology to the Iranian people.

How are Australia-Iran relations as of late?

The diplomatic spat over a social media post comes on the heels of other tensions between the two countries. Just last month, the Iranian ambassador to Australia was summoned by Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade following a provocative post on X (formerly Twitter), in which Iran expressed its desire to wipe out the Zionist plague out of the holy lands of Palestine no later than 2027.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the post as anti-Semitic and hateful, further straining relations between the two nations.

Irans latest grievance over the Wear It Purple Day post highlights the deep cultural and ideological divide between the two countries, particularly regarding LGBTQIA+ rights. While Australia has been a vocal advocate for human rights and inclusivity, Iran continues to enforce strict interpretations of Islamic law, including severe punishments for homosexuality.

As of now, the Australian government has not issued a formal apology for the post, and the Instagram image remains live on the embassys page.

With inputs from agencies
India and Singapore have signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in the field of semiconductors in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip. Singapore, which entered the semiconductor field in 1986, today makes 10 per cent of the worlds semiconductors, has five per cent of the worlds fabrication capacity and 20 per cent of the equipment production. Heres how the tiny country became a powerhouse and how it can assist Indias quest to become a chip-making player read more

Nine of the top 15 semiconductor manufacturers including Qualcomm, AMD, Applied Materials, Global Foundries, and Micron have a presence in Singapore. Reuters

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a semiconductor company in Singapore.

Modi, who is on a two-day trip to the city-state, was accompanied by his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong.

Modi made the trip at Wongs invitation.

This came on the same day that India and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in several fields including semiconductors.

India has been seeking to join the ranks of countries that make semiconductors.

But how is small Singapore such a semiconductor powerhouse? How it can help Indias plans?

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Lets take a closer look:

A semiconductor powerhouse

Singapore entered the semiconductor race early.

As per Tech in Asia, Singapore in 1986 became just the second nation to join the industry.

It all began on the premises of the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research (SISIR).

Philip Yeo, who was part of the Singapore Administrative Service and founding chairman of the National Computer Board, played a crucial role in the countrys promotion and development of semiconductors.

Investment agencies such as Temasek and EDB/I also played a part.

Singapore established its first Electronic Packaging Research Consortium in 1996.

As per CNBC, Singapore today puts out around 10 per cent of the worlds semiconductors.

It has five per cent of the worlds fabrication capacity and 20 per cent of the equipment production.

Nine of the top 15 semiconductor manufacturers including Qualcomm, AMD, Applied Materials, Global Foundries, and Micron have a presence in Singapore.

As per EDB, around 35,000 people work in Singapores semiconductor sector.

In its 2024 budget, it announced that it would spend around $21.5 billion over five years towards research and development.

According to Semi.org, Singapore 89 new semiconductor fabs or foundries have already sprung up since 2022.

A total of 109 fabs are expected to become fully functional by 2026.

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Singapore makes around 17 per cent of the chips used in the United States, as per Medium.

What makes this feat all the more impressive is that the city state has under 0.1% of the worlds population and less than 0.001% of the worlds land resources.

NXP Semiconductors and Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation in June unveiled plans to build a $7.8 billion factory in the city-state.

This follows fresh investments from GlobalFoundries, Micron Technology and others showcasing Singapores expertise in the industry.

While Taiwan dominates high-end chip-manufacturing, Singapore has carved out a slice of the global tech supply chain making low-end chips vital to electric cars, smartphones and more.

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Its highly-productive workforce, well-developed research and manufacturing infrastructure, and sophisticated logistics have helped boost semiconductor manufacturing to seven per cent of GDP. The government also supports the industry through friendly policies and tax breaks.

Around 35,000 people work in Singapores semiconductor sector.

The city has emerged as the largest production hub outside the United States for US-based firms including Applied Materials and Micron.

All of which makes Singapore a logical choice for NXP and Vanguards joint venture.

The new factory will produce 130 nanometer to 40 nm chips using technology TSMC developed some two decades ago.

Its a commoditised market where profit margins and returns are generally low.

How can Singapore be of help Indias plans?

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India has announced its plans to become a chip-making powerhouse.

Though India is pulling out all the stops to woo foreign chipmakers including subsidies, it is playing catch-up to Taiwan and China and thus needs all the help it can get.

New Delhi can use its existing relationship with Singapore  which after all is its largest trading partner in the ASEAN and from which it gets maximum FDI  to draw investment.

The MOU on Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership signed today is a step towards that.

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Prime Minister Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition to be held in Greater Noida on September 11 to 13, 2024.

Moneycontrol quoted Singapores Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan as saying that advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, aviation and maritime connectivity are going to be the new areas of collaboration and offer significant opportunity for both nations.

As per News24, though Singapore has a sophisticated semiconductor industry, its tiny size limits its growth potential.

Its universities offer specialised programs in microelectronics, IC design, and semiconductor engineering. They can help Indian educational institutions in developing similar programmes that cater to the growing needs of Indias semiconductor industry, the piece noted.

It added that Singapore-based firms can also use India as a base for assembly and testing as it would be a far cheaper option.

In return, New Delhi can get the benefit of advanced technologies and processes developed in Singapore, augmenting its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, the piece contended.

The piece added that Singapore can be of assistance in setting up Wafer Fab Parks  which are designed to manufacture semiconductors.

These Fab Parks can be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and tailored services to attract top global semiconductor companies, the piece noted.

Singapore is five years ahead of us. (Semicon) packaging is a low hanging opportunity for us. At the moment, Malaysia is packaging all sorts of chips, but how much can they expand? We have good English speaking talent, good tech talent, and the government rolling out a red carpet. Singapore is the Asia Pacific headquarter for global MNCs who would want to tap into India. Lots of semicon ecosystem companies have offices and operations there, including equipment companies for semi fabs, Neil Shah of Counterpoint Research told Moneycontrol.

Singapore has limitations in land and labour, while India has abundant land and skilled labour. This makes India a valuable part of Singapores semiconductor value chain. Semiconductor companies in Singapore can be encouraged to consider India for their expansion plans, an official told CNBC.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March laid foundation stones of three semiconductor fabrication plants being built at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

The plants, together with Microns under-construction unit in Sanand, Gujarat, will help cut Indias dependence on countries like Vietnam.

Modi said only a handful of nations are manufacturing semiconductors today, and emphasised the need for a reliable supply chain after the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

India, he said, is keen to play a crucial role in this and highlighted the countrys tech space, nuclear, and digital power.

Elaborating on the future plans where India is primed to take on commercial production for the semiconductor sector, he said, The day is not far when India will become a global power in the manufacture of products for the semiconductor sector.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March laid foundation stones of three semiconductor fabrication plants being built at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

The projects for which foundation was laid included Tata Groups Rs 91,000 crore plant at Dholera to make 50,000 wafers per month and another Rs 27,000 crore unit in Morigaon, Assam, as well as a Rs 7,600 crore facility of Murugappa Groups CG Power at Sanand, Gujarat.

According to Communications and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, semiconductors will start rolling out from Tata Electronics plant in December 2026. Micron will start producing chips by December 2024.

The units which will make chips for sectors, including defence, automobiles and telecommunications.

Referring to his governments commitment to make the country a semiconductor manufacturing hub, he said when India commits, it delivers, and added that chip manufacturing opens the door of development with infinite possibilities.

Two years ago, we declared a Semiconductor Mission and announced that we would take initiatives. Within a few months, we signed MoUs and today we are laying the foundation stones for three projects. India commits, India delivers and democracy delivers, he said.

India is already decades behind in semiconductor manufacturing, but will not lose a single moment any longer, he said.

For the first time, India dreamt of semiconductor manufacturing in the 1960s. But even after this, the then governments did not take advantage of those opportunities. The biggest reasons behind this were lack of willpower, lack of effort to convert our pledge into achievement, and lack of capacity to take far-sighted decisions for the country, he added.

People who were in those governments said there was no need to hurry as this is a future need. Hiding behind Indias poverty, they kept ignoring all such investments of modern needs. They would commit corruption worth thousands of crores of rupees, but would not invest in semiconductor manufacturing, he said.

No country can develop with such thinking, he said.

Therefore, our government is working with forward-looking thinking and a futuristic approach. Today, we are moving ahead with the ambitions of competing with developed countries in the semiconductor sector, he said.

Only a few countries in the world are manufacturing semiconductors, and Covid-19 has given us a lesson to have a reliable and resilient supply chain. India is eager to play a very big role in this direction, Modi said.

He said the country has always been a space, nuclear and digital power.

In the coming time, we will begin commercial production of semiconductor products. Days are not far when India becomes a global power in this field as well, he said.

The 21st century is a technology-driven century, and we cannot imagine it at all without an electronic chip. Made in India and Design in India chip will create a big capability to take India towards self-reliance, he said.

Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd will set up a semiconductor fab in partnership with Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp at Dholera while Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (TSAT) will set up a chip unit in Morigaon, Assam.

CG Power, in partnership with Renesas Electronics Corp and Stars Microelectronics of Thailand, will set up a unit in Sanand.

Tata Electronics plant will cater to multiple sectors  power management chips for electric vehicles, telecom, defence, automotive, consumer electronics, display, and power electronics.

The Assam facility, Indias first semiconductor unit in the Northeast, will develop indigenous advanced semiconductor packaging technologies, including flip chip and ISIP (integrated system in package) technologies, with a capacity of 48 million chips per day.

The target segments for these would be automotive, EVs, consumer electronics, telecom, and mobile phones, among others.

Renesas is a leading semiconductor company focussed on specialised chips. It operates 12 semiconductor facilities and is an important player in microcontrollers, analogue, power, and system-on-chip products.

Its joint venture plant with CG Power will have a capacity for 15 million chips per day, and will manufacture chips for consumer, industrial, automotive and power applications.

Vaishnaw said efforts were being made to set up a semiconductor industry in India since 1962 but it has become successful now.

He said foundation of three large semiconductor projects is a record in the world.

The ground-breaking ceremony has been done within 15 days of the project approval by the Centre. India will be among top five semiconductor ecosystems by 2029, Vaishnaw said.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said the Tata Electronics semiconductor projects will initially create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.

He said the production at Assam plant is expected to start before the fabrication units production in Dholera.

With inputs from agencies
Days after the carcass of Hvaldimir, the popular white beluga whale, was found off the Norwegian coast, two animal rights groups allege that the mammal was shot to death and have filed a police complaint. The whale became known to the public in 2019 for allegedly being a Russian spy, but gained popularity for being extra friendly read more

The beluga, nicknamed Hvaldimir, shot to fame in 2019 after being spotted wearing a specially-made harness with mounts for a camera. File image/AP

Five days ago, on Saturday (August 31), a father and son out fishing off the Norwegian coast found the carcass of Hvaldimir, the famous white beluga whale. However, on Wednesday (September 4), came a twist in the death of the 14-foot-long, 2,700-pound whale, when two animal rights groups alleged that Hvaldimir was shot to death.

The groups have even filed a police report, with experts asking  Who killed Hvaldimir?

We take a closer look at how the white beluga whale became famous and the mystery that now shrouds his death.

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Mystery around Hvaldimirs death

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK on Saturday (August 31) reported that the whale carcass was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway by a father and son who were fishing. The whale was then taken out of the water and moved to a nearby harbour for experts to examine it.

Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away but its not immediately clear what the cause of death is, marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK, adding that no major external injuries were visible on the animal.

However, on Wednesday (September 4), two animal rights organisations, OneWhale and NOAH, said there was compelling evidence suggesting that Hvaldimirs death was caused by intentional human-inflicted injury.

OneWhale founder Regina Haug said she had viewed Hvaldimirs body on Monday, telling AFP: He had multiple bullet wounds around his body.

She added, When I saw his body and the multiple injuries, I immediately knew he had been killed by gunshots.

I even saw a bullet lodged in his body, she continued. There is no question that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered.

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NOAH, the other animal rights group, also stated that there were injuries that could not rule out a criminal act. Siri Martinsen, a veterinarian and the leader of the group said: The injuries on the whale are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act  it is shocking.

She further stated: Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is crucial that the police are involved quickly. Hvaldimir was significant to many, and all facts must be brought to light regarding his death.

OneWhale manager Regina Haug next to the carcass of the beluga whale Hvaldimir, who was found dead on Saturday. AP

The two groups have filed a complaint with the Sandnes Police District and the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime. The Sr-West police has confirmed that they have received a report from the groups and would assess it to see if an investigation is warranted. It had no further comment on the case.

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However, notably, neither group speculated as to who could be behind Hvaldimirs death. Martinsen was quoted as telling Business Insider, We have no information about that, and that is why we are filing a report this early in the process.

Even Sebastian Strand, the founder of Marine Mind, an organisation that cared for Hvladimir, said that he wasnt going to jump to conclusions on who killed the white beluga whale.

Hvaldimirs popularity

Hvaldimir, which is a combination of the Norwegian word for whale, hval, and Russian President Vladimir Putins first name, first made headlines in 2019 when he was found near the island of Ingoya in Norways northern waters, approximately 300 kilometres from the Russian maritime border.

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Locals became curious to see Hvaldimir in the water, as Beluga whales tend to move in groups and typically live further north, in colder Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, Alaska, northern Norway, and Russia.

Another aspect that made Hvaldimir even more intriguing was the harness that the whale  measuring 14 feet  was seen wearing, read Equipment St Petersburg in Russia. The harness also had a camera mount, causing many to speculate that Hvaldimir was a Russian spy, sent on a reconnaissance mission to the Nordic coast.

Hvaldimir, the white beluga whale, wearing a harness is seen off the coast of northern Norway. File image/Reuters

Russia has never commented on the discovery of the whale or the harness on it.

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However, if a spy, Hvaldimir was perhaps the friendliest of spies ever. He enjoyed playing with people, and went viral over the years  for retrieving a kayakers GoPro camera, playing fetch with a rugby ball and playing with an underwater drone.

But his encounters with humans werent always fun. NPR reports that the gentle giant bore scars from being hit by multiple boats, and experts warned that he faced lower odds of survival as a solitary sociable individual. Concerns had grown last year when he was spotted in Sweden, which has more people and fewer fish than Norway.

Animals used as spies

It has never been confirmed or denied if Hvaldimir was indeed a spy. However, if he was, he wasnt the first animal to be involved in espionage. During World War I, pigeons were used not only to ferry messages in the frontline, they were also used as spies with little cameras fitted to their legs.

And as recently as May 2023, the Mumbai Police caught a pigeon with two rings tied to its legs, carrying words that looked like Chinese. It was later set free after authorities said it was an open-water racing bird from Taiwan which had escaped.

Amidst the Cold War, the US Navy, it is reported, had trained dolphins to detect submarines and underwater mines. In the 60s, Americas CIA deployed cats as part of Project Acoustic Kitty. These felines were wired with a microphone and transmitter, to monitor conversations between foreign agents and their Soviet handlers.

Theres also reports of other animals being used in espionage activities  ranging from rats to squirrels.

With inputs from agencies
As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, Russias disinformation campaigns and covert operations are once again under intense scrutiny. The Kremlin-backed media outlet RT, along with sanctioned individuals, has been accused of manipulating American public opinion through social media and fake news websites read more

Vehicles of Russian state-controlled broadcaster Russia Today (RT) are seen near the Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, June 15, 2018. File Image/Reuters

The United States government has raised alarms over Russias alleged efforts to interfere in American elections, particularly ahead of the 2024 US presidential race.

Russian disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and covert operations have been linked to Moscows strategic goal of undermining US democracy, manipulating public opinion, and supporting candidates aligned with its interests.

Recent actions by the US Treasury Department, Justice Department, and intelligence agencies have intensified scrutiny of Russian state actors, particularly the media outlet RT (Russia Today), which has been accused of playing a central role in these efforts.

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How is RT involved?

RT, established in 2005 as a Russian state-controlled media outlet, has been a key player in spreading Kremlin-backed narratives internationally. With broadcasts in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Arabic, it has aimed to enhance Russias global image while taking a confrontational stance toward Western policies.

The US accuses RT of being a foreign propaganda tool, with Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan consistently promoting anti-Western rhetoric and supporting the Kremlins agenda.

Russias President Vladimir Putin presents flowers to editor-in-chief of Russian broadcaster RT Margarita Simonyan after decorating her with the Order of Alexander Nevsky during an awarding ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 23, 2019. File Image/Reuters

Simonyan has close ties to top Russian Government officials and has stated publicly that the Russian Government sets rating and viewership requirements for RT and, since RT receives budget from the state, it must complete tasks given by the state," according to an ODNI report released publicly in 2017 following Russias efforts in the 2016 US election.

A US Justice Department indictment detailed that RT allegedly funded a Tennessee-based content company, producing videos aligned with Russias political interests, particularly on issues like Ukraine. This effort led to the publication of nearly 2,000 videos on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, garnering over 16 million views.

How has RT allegedly influenced American opinion?

The US Justice Department recently charged two employees of RT, Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, accusing them of covertly funding pro-Russian media campaigns in the US.

These individuals allegedly funneled almost $10 million to a Tennessee-based firm, aiming to influence American public opinion without disclosing its connections to RT.

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The media firm in question, identified as Tenet Media, hired popular conservative commentators like Tim Pool and Benny Johnson to share content designed to bolster Russias interests, specifically regarding Ukraine.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a meeting of the US Justice Departments Election Threats Task Force, at the US Department of Justice, September 4, 2024, in Washington, with FBI Director Christopher Wray, right. AP

Both Pool and Johnson, after learning of the accusations, distanced themselves from the company, claiming ignorance of RTs involvement. I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived, Pool wrote, condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin as a scumbag.

This operation mirrors Russias past strategies to polarise American voters by manipulating sensitive political topics.

How is Kremlin involved in this?

In response to these revelations, the US government seized 32 Kremlin-controlled websites designed to mimic authentic US news outlets.

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These fake domains were part of Russias broader effort to spread disinformation and sow discord among American voters. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby noted that we believe Mr. Putin is weighing in on these actions, stating Moscows high-level involvement in election interference efforts.

Also Watch:

Moscows disinformation campaigns are not new. The US Treasury Department reported that Russias use of social media to amplify false narratives remains a key strategy. A US State Department official stated that the Kremlin continues to target specific voter demographics and swing-state voters to sway election outcomes in favour of candidates perceived as more favourable to Russian interests.

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Intelligence agencies have flagged Russias ongoing disinformation campaigns, including targeting perceptions of US support for Ukraine, as major concerns.

What tactics has Russia used against the US?

Beyond media manipulation, Russian interference in US elections encompasses a variety of tactics, including cyberattacks and hacking attempts.

The pro-Russian hacktivist group RaHDIt, led by former members of Russian intelligence, has been involved in numerous operations against American and Ukrainian targets. The group is known for hack-and-leak operations and has been linked to the Kremlins intelligence apparatus.

In March, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on two Russian companies responsible for creating fake news websites and social media accounts to spread Kremlin disinformation. US Attorney General Merrick Garland underscored that Russia, along with other foreign actors like Iran and China, poses a persistent threat to US election security.

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US Attorney General Merrick Garland, center, speaks before a meeting of the US Justice Departments Election Threats Task Force, at the US Department of Justice, September 4, 2024, in Washington, with from left, Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Division, Nicole Argentieri, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Matthew Olsen. AP

We will have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic systems of government, Garland said.

The US Justice Departments recent indictments and sanctions against Russian media figures represent the most sweeping effort to date to counter Moscows malign influence.

The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our countrys free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda, Garland added, affirming that the US government would remain vigilant in protecting the integrity of its democratic institutions.

Why now?

The stakes of Russian interference are particularly high in the 2024 election, with officials noting Moscows preference for former US President Donald Trump, who reportedly had a favourable stance toward Russia during his tenure.

Internal documents revealed by the US Justice Department showed a clear strategy to help Trump win and diminish support for Democratic candidates like US President Joe Biden, who has been a staunch advocate for Ukraine. These revelations echo the findings from 2016 when Russia interfered to support Trumps campaign.

Also Watch:

Though US intelligence agencies have exposed many of Russias tactics, Moscow continues to adapt and evolve its approach. US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco noted that Russian disinformation campaigns are becoming more diverse and aggressive, targeting swing-state voters with precision through AI-enhanced technologies and sophisticated cyber operations.

In an effort to prevent further meddling, the US government has implemented visa restrictions on individuals connected to Russian state-backed media outlets, requiring them to register as foreign agents. The US State Department has also designated RT and other Russian entities, including RIA Novosti and Sputnik, as foreign missions, compelling them to disclose their US operations.

With inputs from agencies
Family members of the doctor, who was raped and murder at the RG Kar hospital, have joined the protesting medics, accusing the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the incident as they cremated their daughters body in a hurry. They have also alleged that the police offered them a bribe to withdraw the case read more

Doctors and health workers light candles depicting "We Want Justice" at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor inside the hospital premises, in Kolkata, Wednesday, September 4, 2024. PTI

In recent weeks, there have been growing calls for justice for the trainee doctor from Kolkata who was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Family members of the doctor have now joined the protesting medics, accusing the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the incident as they cremated their daughters body in a hurry.

They have also alleged that the police offered them a bribe to withdraw the case.

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The allegations

Participating in the protests at the RG Kar Medical Hospital, where the body of their daughter was recovered on August 9, the parents demanded justice and accused a senior police officer of trying to bribe them after the incident came to light.

The father of the deceased doctor told PTI, The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined, he added.

People form a human chain at Eastern Metropolitan Bypass to protest against the alleged sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor, in Kolkata, Tuesday, September 3, 2024. PTI

BJP leader Amit Malviya provided the information regarding the fathers claims and a video of the mourning father and one of her relatives recounting the experience. He tweeted that DC North was the one who allegedly gave the father money in exchange for the father dropping the case.

IF MAMATA BANERJEE AND THE COMMISSIONER OF KOLKATA POLICE HAVE ANY SHAME, THEY MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY. IF NOT, THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL WILL ANYWAY BRING THEM DOWN. LISTEN TO THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM AS THEY NARRATE THEIR ORDEAL.



Video 1 (1 min 33 sec long)



A relative of the pic.twitter.com/Ny79ZIqSya  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 4, 2024

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The 31-year-old trainee doctors body was discovered in the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 in a partially naked state.

The primary accused, Sanjay Roy, was taken into custody by the Kolkata Police a day after the incident when he was captured on CCTV entering the premises at the estimated time of the crime. His wireless headphones were discovered close to the site of the incident.

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Preliminary investigations revealed that after severely hurting and sexually assaulting the doctor, Roy killed the victim by throttling and smothering her.

Protests over the case

Since August 10, protests have erupted across the state, with people from various sectors demanding justice for the victim.

As part of the Reclaim the Night campaign, thousands of women protested through the streets on Wednesday night. In a singular and powerful display of civic unity, people in Kolkata took to the streets at about 9.00 pm, putting out their candles and shutting off the lights for an hour. The parents of the victim also joined the protest to support the junior doctors fighting for justice for their daughter.

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People during a candlelight march in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Wednesday, September 4, 2024. PTI

A group of junior doctors in Kolkata demanded resignation from City Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal on Tuesday in response to alleged case-related errors and presented him with a handmade prosthetic spine. The purpose of the outrage was to demand that the police grow a backbone.

In the meantime, junior doctors at West Bengals state-run hospitals continued the casework on Wednesday in protest, with most facilities still having severely limited medical services, according to Hindustan Times.

CBI investigation

The case was initially investigated by the Kolkata Police.

However, several lapses on the part of the West Bengal administration sparked massive furore across the country, prompting the Calcutta High Court to hand the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the second week of August.

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On Monday, the central agency arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.

CBI officials produce the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, arrested in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment, at a City Court in Kolkata, Tuesday, September 3, 2024. PTI

On the other hand, the CBI also submitted its status report to the Supreme Court in a suo motu case of the incident. In its status report, the CBI claimed the crime scene might have been tampered with. It also brought to light inconsistencies in the way the West Bengal Police handled the case, first telling the victims parents it was a suicide before changing their statement to say it was a murder.

Another significant problem revealed by the report is the apparent delay from the time the body was discovered in the hospitals seminar room early on August 9 and the notification of the local police of the occurrence.

The anti-rape bill

On Tuesday, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the State Legislative Assembly, aiming to create a safer environment for women and children.

Speaking in the Assembly, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, Rape is a now a national shame. Let us come together for social reform which is needed to prevent rapes.

Junior doctors stage a protest on a road near Lalbazar police headquarters demanding the resignation of Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal over the case of alleged sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor, in Kolkata, Tuesday, September 3, 2024. PTI

The draft bill proposes to amend the newly passed Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 laws and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 in their application to the state of West Bengal to enhance punishment and to constitute the framework for expeditious investigation and trial of the heinous act of violence against women and children.

The legislation proposes capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victims death or cause her to become vegetative. Moreover, the draft states that persons convicted of rape and gang rape would receive a life sentence lasting for the rest of their natural lives.

With inputs from agencies
The National Medical Commission has updated its forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate students. The revised syllabus has reintroduced controversial topics, such as referring to sodomy and lesbianism as unnatural sexual offences and scrapping the training on disability read more

The National Medical Commission has introduced changes in the orensic medicine curriculum for undergraduate medical students. Representational Image/AP

Lesbianism and sodomy have been brought back by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the countrys apex medical education regulator, under the category of unnatural sexual offences in the forensic medicine and toxicology curriculum for undergraduate medical students. The revised curriculum also has other controversial changes.

Topics reintroduced in the syllabus include the importance of the hymen, defining virginity and defloration, its legitimacy and medico-legal significance. These subjects were scrapped and a new module was brought in 2022 on the orders of the Madras High Court.

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What are the other amendments made to the medical curriculum? Lets take a look.

New medical curriculum for undergrads

The revised curriculum talks about topics such as sexual perversions, fetishism, transvestism, voyeurism, sadism, necrophagia, masochism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, and necrophilia, reported PTI.

Adultery and offences like incest and bestiality are also listed under unnatural sexual offences.

The distinction between consensual sex between queer people has been dropped, as per an Indian Express report.

The amended syllabus has also recalled seven-hour training on disability. It no longer consists of topics on disability in its module on medical ethics, as per the newspaper report.

The module on psychiatry has also been updated. It does not mention in detail topics such as the difference between sex and gender identity and common myths and misconceptions. The module also does not say that students should be educated about gender identity disorders.

The amended curriculum mentioned under forensic medicine and toxicology aims to teach students about the provisions of Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), along with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), Civil and Criminal Cases, Inquest (Police Inquest and Magistrates Inquest), cognisable and non-cognisable offences, reported PTI.

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Students will be educated about the provisions for rape, injury, and protection of children from sexual offences.

ALSO READ: Kolkata rape-murder case: Why doctors in India are in urgent need for a central protection law

Modifications in curriculum 2022

Indian Express noted that sodomy and lesbianism were removed from unnatural sexual offences in 2022.

Distinctions were also made between sexual fetishes like voyeurism, exhibitionism, or masochism and mental disorders originating from such unusual interests.

Undergrad medical students studying forensic medicine and toxicology in India will be taught about the importance of virginity. Representational Image/Reuters

The two-finger test for virginity was described as unscientific, inhuman, and discriminatory.

The psychiatry module included changes to help students better grasp topics such as sex, gender identity and sexual orientation, the newspaper noted.

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Reactions to the revised syllabus

The NMC said in a document that the curriculum should help students understand the medico-legal framework of medical practice, codes of conduct, medical ethics, professional misconduct and medical negligence.

It was time to have a relook at all aspects of the various components in the existing regulations and guidelines, and adapt them to the changing demography, socio-economic context, perceptions, values, advancements in medical education and expectations of stakeholders, the regulator said in its Competency-Based Medical Education Curriculum (CBME) Guidelines, 2024.

The NMC says the course is framed to develop an Indian Medical Graduate (IMG) who has requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and responsiveness, so that she or he may function appropriately and effectively as a physician of first contact of the community while being globally relevant.

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As per Indian Express, disability rights activists have slammed the new guidelines. In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Dr Satendra Singh, disability rights activist, and Dr Sanjay Sharma from the Association of Transgender Health in India wrote, These competencies should have been integrated longitudinally throughout the curriculum but are conspicuously absent from the 2024 curriculum.

We, therefore, appeal to you to use the influence of your high office to correct this wrong which not only directly impacts the interests of persons with disabilities, the transgender and gender-diverse individuals, persons with differences in sexual orientation and persons with differences in sex development, but also damages the image of our nation in the international fora, it added.

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With inputs from agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong  who had invited the Indian prime minister to make the trip  and received a warm welcome from members of the Indian community. Singapore has consistently been Indias top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) since 2018. Its cumulative inflow into India, which stands at $159.94 billion since April 2000, accounts for 24 per cent of Indias total FDI inflow read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (September 4).

Modi met his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong  who had invited the Indian prime minister to make the trip  and received a warm welcome from members of the Indian community.

Singapore is an important country for India.

Not only is it New Delhis largest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  and sixth largest overall, it is also Indias top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

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But what do we know about Singapores FDI in India?

Lets take a closer look:

What happened?

Singapores cumulative FDI inflow into India stands at $159.94 billion since April 2000.

That accounts for 24 per cent of Indias total FDI inflow.

Economic Times quoted data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as showing that FDI in India grew 47.8 per cent year on year to $16.17 billion in April-June this fiscal.

Singapore led the way this quarter with $3.9 billion in FDI  followed by Mauritius at $3.2 billion.

India received to $11.77 billion of FDI from Singapore in the previous financial year  the most from any country.

Singapore has consistently been the largest source of FDI for India since 2018.

In 2017, India attracted the maximum FDI from Mauritius.

Over 440 companies from Singapore are registered in India including the Development Bank of Singapore and United Overseas Bank).

The Enterprise Singapore (ES), Economic Development Board (EDB) and Singapore Tourism Board all have offices in India.

Singapore has consistently been the largest source of FDI for India since 2018.

Hindustan Times reported that Singapores CapitaLand Investment has vowed to double its funds under management in India by 2028.

The fund currently has $5.66 billion invested in India as of June 30.

The country is attracting demand from global corporations and institutional investors for quality real assets, group CEO Lee Chee Koon was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

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Koon said CapitaLand would look at the renewable energy and real estate private credit space.

The announcement came hours before Modis trip.

It also came a month after CapitaLand launched a fund for business park development in India  which will add million to its funds under management.

Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar, ahead of Modis trip, predicted big things for the relationship.

We also expect the visit (to Singapore) to give thrust to the cooperation in the field of semiconductor, the top official of the MEA said.

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India-Singapore relations are poised for an even bigger take off, than what it has been in the last 10-15 years or so. That is because, we have gone to the next level of identifying areas of bilateral cooperation whether it be in food security, renewables, green hydrogen, semi-conductors. These are areas where we have great complementarities, said Mazumdar.

He said that he could see the relationship between the two sides taking off to the next stage.

For Singapore, India presets tremendous opportunities and for India, Singapore presents with many options, whether it is value chain, digital technology and semiconductors, he added.

What do experts say?

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They say Singapore has emerged as the preferred jurisdiction for investment in India after the India-Mauritius tax treaty amendment.

Rumki Majumdar, Economist, Deloitte India, said that as one of the worlds prominent financial hubs, Singapore attracts global investors who want to invest in Asia.

Recently, Indias initiatives such as amendments by the SEBI to the REIT Regulations 2014 have created new opportunities for Singapore-based investors, which is why India is likely seeing high FDI from Singapore, Ms. Majumdar said.

She also hoped that FDI into India would pick up in the latter half of 2024-25.

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Sanjiv Malhotra, Senior Advisor, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, said that Singapore and Mauritius are jurisdictions used by global investors to route their money into developing economies such as India.

Singapores cumulative FDI inflow into India stands at $159.94 billion since April 2000.

While there are many geo-economic and political factors why Singapore has gained more prominence in the recent past, the primary reason for it topping the FDI charts for India is tax, Mr. Malhotra said, adding Singapore has a very competitive domestic tax regime and efficient regulatory set-up.

Historically, the double tax avoidance agreement between India and Singapore provided for many beneficial provisions including capital gains exemption in India for investments made from Singapore and even though this provision has been amended, Singapore still is a credible place to create operations with substance to invest further in South-East Asia (including India), he added.

Malhotra added that in 2023-24, India witnessed a drop in FDI primarily due to the global uncertainty on account of the disturbances in the Middle-East and Europe.

Hopefully FDI inflows to India may improve in 2024-25 (from 2023-24) but they may still remain below 2022-23 levels. A stable government post elections surely will help the cause of more FDI into India but I see the global headwinds to be too strong as of now, he said.

Anindya Ghosh, Partner, INDUSLAW, too said that prior to 2016, Mauritius was a preferred jurisdiction for foreign investment in India due to the significant tax advantage it offered as a low-tax jurisdiction for routing investments.

With inputs from agencies
Michel Barnier, 73, is a member of Frances conservative Les Republicains party. He has decades of political experience and has served as Frances environment minister, Europe minister, the EU regional policy commissioner, foreign minister and agriculture minister. However, his highest-profile post came as the European Unions Brexit negotiator where he won praise from EU leaders and grudging respect from the UK ministers read more

Michel Barnier replaces Gabriel Attal, who was Frances youngest-ever prime minister and first openly gay head of government when he was appointed in January at age 34. Reuters

France finally has a new prime minister.

Months after the country held snap elections, President Emmanuel Macron has made his choice  Michel Barnier.

Barnier, 73, was the European Unions Brexit negotiator as chief of the Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom (UKTF).

He is a member of Frances conservative Les Republicains party.

Barnier replaces Gabriel Attal, who was Frances youngest-ever prime minister and first openly gay head of government when he was appointed in January at age 34.

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Attal resigned on July 16 following quick-fire legislative elections that produced a divided and hung parliament, plunging France into intense political uncertainty.

But Macron kept Attal and his ministers on in a caretaker capacity, handling day-to-day affairs, so political instability wouldnt overshadow the Paris Olympics, when France was in the global spotlight.

But what do we know about Barnier? Why did Macron choose him?

Lets take a closer look:

What do we know about Barnier?

Barnier was born on January 9, 1951 in La Tronche  a suburb of the French Alpine city of Grenoble.

As per The Week, growing up, Barnier was a boy scout and a choir boy.

He got his political start early  by 14 he was already a worker for the Gaullist movement.

In 1972, at age 21, Barnier graduated from the Ecole de Commerce Superieur de Paris business school.

He then worked as a ministerial advisor for a few years.

In 1978, Barnier made history  becoming the youngest parliamentarian in France when he was elected to the National Assembly from his native Savoie district.

Barniers political star began to rise after he won a bid to host the 1992 Winter Olympics.

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His role as co-organiser of Winter Olympics in Albertville was key to building his public image  and remains so.

Barnier would go on to spend the next few decades in Frances government.

He served as environment minister, Frances Europe minister, the EU regional policy commissioner, foreign minister and agriculture minister.

Emmanuel Macron has annoucned Michel Barnier, 73, as the French Prime Minister. Reuters

In 2009, Barnier served as a lawmaker in the European Union. The next year, he would be appointed the EU commissioner for internal market and services  a position he would hold for four years.

During this time Barnier negotiated extensive new regulation of financial markets after the global crash including reforms unpopular in the City of London.

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According to The Week, Barnier ran for president of the EU Commission but was defeated by Jean-Claude Juncker

Regardless, the time served in the EU would serve him well when it came to his next assignment  as EUs Brexit negotiator.

As per Prospect Magazine, Barniers decades of political experience lent him the reputation as a safe pair of hands, thanks to his extensive political experience, said Prospect magazine.

Politico called his performance integral to the EUs management of Brexit and was praised by the European leaders for his ability to create consensus and his methodical approach to the negotiations.

Barniers performance as the EUs negotiator also burnished his credentials with the opposition.

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As per Financial Times, Nigel Farage, a vocal Leaver, at one point said, I wish we could employ him.

Barnier even kept cool when he was accused by the newspapers of infecting then prime minister Boris Johnson with COVID-19.

He suggested age and hikes in the French Alps had done their part for his demeanour.

Im not always calm, listen to my wife or children, but at the very beginning I decided to be calm, Barnier said. I knew it would be a weakness to be French and I knew that I would be in the fire of the tabloids. They were waiting for me to get angry. They tried several times.

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As per Sky News, Barnier during the talks described Johnson as a bulldozer.

As per The Times, his hardline stance in opposing Brexit and his firm opposition to Britain cherry-picking the terms of its departure did not make him popular in the UK.

In 2021, Barnier launched a bid for the Les Republicains party nomination for president.

Barniers quest for his partys nomination left many of his old colleagues in Brussels shocked at certain positions he took during the campaign.

As per Politico, Barnier called for a referendum on the question of immigration and added that France must regain its legal sovereignty in order to no longer be subject to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.

We have to rebuild the French influence. It is necessary to rebalance vis-a-vis the German influence which dominates, Barnier, pushing for more French pull in Europe, said at a conservative party event.

His comments caused a firestorm in the EU.

One wonders how a sentence like that can come from such a committed European, Clement Beaune, Frances junior minister for EU affairs, told the website.

Barnier ultimately had to do a walk-back.

Lets keep calm, he posted on X.

He added that he wanted to avoid any unnecessary controversy.

However, Barnier ultimately lost the nomination to Valerie Pecresse.

As per Sky News, Barnier has been a moderate and pro-European politician throughout most of his career  barring his failed 2021 presidential nomination bid.

Why did Macron choose him?

Barniers appointment comes after weeks of intense efforts by Macron and his aides to bring an intense period of political turmoil to an end by finding a government leader who can survive in Frances newly fractured political landscape.

The Elysee Palace on Thursday said Barnier has been tasked with forming a unifying government to serve the country and the French.

This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the future government would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible and give themselves the chances of uniting as broadly as possible, the statement read.

French President Emmanuel Macron has spent months trying to finding a government leader who can survive in Frances newly fractured political landscape. Reuters

Macron in recent days met three candidates  Xavier Bertrand, Bernard Cazeneuve and Thierry Beaudet  as well as consulted with former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande.

Bertrand, who lost out, is also a leader of the Les Republicains party.

Sources familiar with the developments told Financial Times that Barnier emerged as a more viable pick than Bertrand.

Barniers campaign for the party chief, in which he took a hard line on immigration, might make him more palatable to the right-wing.

Indeed Le Pen has hinted she is willing to give Barnier a chance but said her National Rally party wont take part in his government because the new prime minister does not share our ideas.

She says the 2025 budget will be a priority for Barniers government; it faces a tight deadline to deliver one. France is also under pressure from the European Union to get its finances in order, with Brussels having rebuked Paris for running up excessive debt.

Barnier is a man respectful of other political forces, Le Pen said. Its important because compromises will have to be reached, considering the state of Frances budget.

But influential far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon immediately came out against Barniers appointment and predicted the new prime minister would not get a majority backing in the bitterly divided National Assembly.

Melenchon said the appointment flew in the face of the July 7 legislative election results that left parliaments lower house split between three main blocs  the left, including Melenchons party; the center where Macron has based his support, and the far right, converging around anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen.

The election has been stolen, Melenchon asserted.

With inputs from agencies
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Rishi Sunak as the leader of the UKs Conservative Party after the first round of voting. Five contenders remain, with Priti Patel being eliminated. But who is Jenrick, a centrist-turned-hardliner? read more

Robert Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner to take leadership of the Tory leadership. File Photo/Reuters

Former United Kingdom Cabinet minister Priti Patel is out of the race for the next Conservative leader after the first round of voting. Now, five more contenders remain, with Robert Jenrick topping the poll of Tory MPs.

He led with 28 votes, followed by the bookies favourite Kemi Badenoch who got 22 votes. Shadow home secretary James Cleverly was third with 21 votes, Tom Tugendhat was fourth with 17 and Mel Stride stood fifth with 16. Patel managed to secure only 14 votes.

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Tory members will keep voting in the coming weeks until only two candidates remain. The wider party membership will then pick one of them as the next leader. The contest for the Conservative leadership was necessitated after ex-UK PM Rishi Sunak resigned in July in the wake of the partys worst general election result.

Could Robert Jenrick be the one to replace Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party? Lets take a closer look.

Who is Robert Jenrick?

Jenrick is known for his over a year-long tenure as Sunaks immigration minister before he quit the post over the then PMs emergency Rwanda plan.

In his resignation letter last year, Jenrick told the then PM that he did not believe this legislation provided us with the best possible chances of success in getting Rwanda flights to take off, reported Independent.

Jenrick, who began his political career as a centrist figure, has transformed into a hardliner. He entered politics as the Newark MP in 2014.

This change has courted criticism including from Anna Soubry, the former Tory MP, who told The Guardian that Jenrick trims his sails to suit whichever political wind is blowing within the Conservative Party.

Robert Jenrick served for over a year as Rishi Sunaks immigration minister. File Photo/Reuters

Once a close ally of former PM Sunak, Jenrick has spoken about his partys failure to fulfil its promise of reducing immigration when it was in power, as per BBC.

He has also been at the forefront of demanding that the UK withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. He has said he had been pushing for the strongest possible bill that would put national interests above highly contested interpretations of international law.

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The 42-year-old previously served as a corporate lawyer and director of auction house Christies.

Jenrick has been embroiled in a series of controversies. In 2020, as housing secretary, he rejected a planning decision that resulted in benefitting newspaper magnate Richard Desmond, a Tory donor, as per The Telegraph.

He apparently broke lockdown rules by travelling to his parents home in Shropshire.

Last month, Jenrick stirred uproar with his remarks that people shouting Allahu Akbar on London streets should be arrested immediately, reported Independent.

Other Tory contenders

Badenoch, who was the second favourite in the first round of voting, worked in banking and IT before joining politics. She held ministerial positions under the prime ministerial tenures of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, as per BBC.

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Badenochs Tory leadership pitch is that the Conservative Party needed to stop acting like Labour to return to power. UK PM Keir Starmer earlier described her as the favourite in the Tory leadership race, reported Independent.

Kemi Badenoch arrives to speak at a Conservative Party leadership campaign event at IET London, Monday Sept. 2, 2024. AP

Former home secretary Cleverly has said he wants to unite the Tories and has urged the party to think and act like Conservatives again, reported BBC. He was the first contender to formally launch a leadership bid after Sunak stepped down.

Seen as a moderate, Cleverly has also served as UKs foreign secretary. He has defended the Sunak governments Rwanda plan and promised to bring it back if he becomes the PM.

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Ex-security minister Tom Tugendhat is widely considered a centrist. However, to woo the partys right wing MPs, he has taken a hard line on immigration. Tugendhat had unsuccessfully contested for the Tory leadership two years back, with Liz Truss emerging as the winner.

Mel Stride, a staunch Sunak ally, launched his Tory leadership bid saying the party needed to build trust with the electorate again. He currently serves as the shadow work and pensions secretary and, as per BBC, is the least well-known figure among the public compared to the other four contenders.

Can Jenrick win?

After the first round of voting, Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Sunak as the Tory leader.

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Jenricks tough stance on immigration can earn him brownie points with the Tory Right, including MPs once loyal to his former boss at the Home Office, Suella Braverman, noted BBC.

His supporters have expressed confidence he is nailed on to reach the final two. While he still needs to gain more support, this result will add to the sense that Jenrick is a serious contender, according to The Spectator.

Jenrick and Badenoch could benefit from Patels support base of the Tory Right.

The next Conservative leader is likely to be known on 2 November.

With inputs from agencies
China-Africa cooperation paves way toward better future

14:20, September 05, 2024 By Kwizela Aristide Basebya ( People's Daily Online

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) delivers a speech at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on March 25, 2013. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

During his first visit to Africa as Chinese president, Xi Jinping laid a strong foundation for what has become the China-Africa community with a shared future. Speaking at the Chinese-aided Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on March 25, 2013, Xi outlined his vision.

In his speech titled "Trustworthy Friends and Sincere Partners Forever," Xi announced four principles guiding China's policy towards Africa: "zhen shi qin cheng," meaning sincerity, real results, amity and good faith. These principles largely shape the agenda and initiatives of the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC).

President Xi said that Chinas approach to its African partners is rooted in "sincerity." In conducting cooperation with Africa, China emphasizes "real results." In strengthening its friendship with Africa, China focuses on "affinity." Lastly, in resolving problems that may arise in cooperation, China underscores the importance of acting in "good faith."

While reviewing the China-Africa historical relationship, President Xi insisted that the defining features of China-Africa relations are sincerity, friendship, mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development.

Since President Xi announced the four principles, China has remained committed to them. The two sides have cooperated and stood together in various sectors and fields, pressing ahead on the path of solidarity and cooperation. They have stood for justice amid shifting global dynamics and looked out for each other in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions have taken China-Africa relations to new heights and ushered in a new stage of partnership.

Chinas focus on "real results" in its relationship with Africa addresses a long-standing gap. For centuries, Africa experienced colonialism, imperialism, continuous exploitation, and an unfair and unjust international order. This system, created by former colonial powers and Western nations, has too often neglected Africa's real needs and development.

The four principles have guided the China-Africa relationship toward modernization and unprecedented human development. These principles have transformed Africa into an engine of economic growth, bringing hope to millions of Africans and, more significantly, elevating the continents role in global development.

Since the inception of these principles, whether in FOCAC summits and ministerial meetings, gatherings of China-Africa leaders at multilateral or bilateral levels, or various international forums, President Xi, demonstrating his dedication to Africas development, has announced major programs that contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to modernizing the continent. This approach demonstrates China's commitment to turning words into action.

For instance, at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, President Xi proposed building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, a proposal unanimously endorsed by African leaders.

In addition, leading up to the Eighth FOCAC ministerial conference in Dakar, Senegal, in 2021, China and Africa jointly prepared the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035. Under the vision's first three-year plan, China pledged to work closely with African countries to implement various projects.

The Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

In his speech at the opening ceremony of that conference, President Xi announced nine projects spanning various sectors. These included medical and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and peace and security. These wide-ranging programs are already showing tangible results in almost all African countries.

For instance, in the agriculture sector and poverty reduction, currently the backbone of most African economies, President Xi announced that China would undertake 10 poverty reduction and agricultural projects for Africa and send 500 agricultural experts to the continent.

Regarding capacity building and cultural and people-to-people exchange programs, President Xi said China would help build or upgrade 10 African schools and invite 10,000 high-level African professionals to seminars and workshops.

He also vowed that China would implement the "Future of Africa" project, focusing on vocational education cooperation between China and Africa, and also start an employment "through train" scheme for African students in China. Additionally, Xi pledged that China would continue to work with African countries to set up "Luban Workshops" and encouraged Chinese companies in Africa to create at least 800,000 local jobs.

He called for China and Africa to deepen practical cooperation and open new prospects. This includes expanding trade and investment, sharing experience on poverty reduction, strengthening cooperation on digital economy and green development by promoting solar, wind and other renewable energy sources, and developing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Xi's words and China's commitment to Africa have significantly influenced the continent's development agenda, especially Agenda 2063. This strategic framework aims for inclusive social and economic development, continental and regional integration, democratic governance, and peace and security. Its major goal is to reposition Africa as a global player.

Food insecurity is a chronic problem in many African countries. A Tanzanian Swahili proverb captures its importance: "Chakula ni uhai"  food is life. Recognizing this, China has invested heavily in modernizing African agriculture by introducing advanced agro-technologies, improving efficiency and productivity, and supporting school feeding programs.

Pierrette Wamoundjou, second from right, picks mushrooms with villagers in Gba village near Bangui, Central African Republic, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

One transformative technology is Juncao, a versatile grass developed by Lin Zhanxi from China's Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) in the 1980s. Juncao has benefited more than 100 countries worldwide. Over the years, the Juncao research team led by Lin has trained more than 8,000 people from African countries, helping farmers combat poverty and promoting China-Africa cooperation. Juncao technology has now taken root in more than 40 African countries.

Another game-changing development is a new rice variety developed by the Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center (SAGC), which is contributing to food security in Africa. The rice variety, developed by a team led by Chief Scientist Luo Lijun from SAGC, offers new hope for eliminating hunger across the continent. This variety conserves water and fertilizer while maintaining high, stable yields. Already promoted in over 10 African countries, it has gained approval from governments in Uganda, Burundi and Burkina Faso, with local farmers showing strong enthusiasm for its potential.

Regarding manufacturing, trade and commerce, Chinese enterprises have helped strengthen Africa's industrial foundation. This has been achieved through the construction of industrial parks, capacity building, technology transfer and talent cultivation across various sectors, including manufacturing, the digital economy, medicine, logistics and infrastructure.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record $282.1 billion in 2023. The ministry said in its latest press conference that China and African countries have developed closer economic ties with ever-increasing trade and diversified commodities and services.

In terms of investment, China-Africa investment cooperation has grown steadily. As of the end of 2023, China's direct investment in Africa exceeded $40 billion, making it one of Africa's major sources of foreign investment.

A stewardess stands by a train to Mombasa at Nairobi Terminus station of the China-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Meanwhile, China has undertaken various signature infrastructure projects that have transformed the image of particular African countries and significantly impacted lives.

These developments demonstrate that President Xi's commitment to Africa and his four principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith have shaped China-Africa ties. Through platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC, this relationship has transformed the narrative about Africa from "the land of the sleeping giant" to a "vigorous land of hope and vitality," making a huge contribution to global growth and sustainability.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor behind the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue that collapsed at Rajkot Fort, was arrested by police after being on the run for several days. The 24-year-old artist was booked in various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to attempted murder and attempted culpable homicide read more

Apte had been evading authorities since collapse of the Shivaji statue in at Rajkot Forton on August 26 and was nabbed by police from Kalyan in Thane district.Image courtesy: PTI, News18

Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor behind the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue that collapsed at Rajkot Fort, was arrested late Wednesday after being on the run for several days.

Apte had been evading authorities since the incident on August 26 and was nabbed by officials from Kalyan in Thane district. Police had been running a search operation to nab the 24-year-old sculptor.

The 35-foot tall statue, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day last year, collapsed just nine months after its installation following a spell of heavy rains in Sindhudurg. The incident has sparked a political controversy, raising questions about the projects execution and Aptes qualifications for such a significant project.

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Heres what we know about the sculptor and the controversy surrounding him.

Who is Jaydeep Apte?

The 24-year-old budding sculptor from Thane is an alumnus of JJ School of Art and runs an art company in Kalyan, reported The Times of India (TOI).

Apte first made headlines in 2019 when he was commissioned by the UK-based Sikh Soldier Organisation to create a bronze bust of a Sikh soldier, honouring those who fought in the British Army during both World Wars. The statue was unveiled in West Yorkshire.

He later undertook a project to build a statuette of Manilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhis son, for the Dandi memorial in Gujarat. However, the Shivaji statue at Malvan was of a larger figure at 35 feet and he had no prior experience with constructing such enormous statues.

There has been speculation regarding how Apte secured the contract for the Shivaji statue. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) mouthpiece Saamana alleged that Apte was awarded the contract due to his acquaintance with Shrikant Shinde, the son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Apte first made headlines in 2019 when he was commissioned by the UK-based Sikh Soldier Organisation to create a bronze bust of a Sikh soldier, honouring those who fought in the British Army during both World Wars. Image courtesy: Sandwellcouncil

Defending Apte, a family friend told TOI, Jaydeep is a good sculptor, but it is true that he did not have the experience of making a big statue. However, I am sure that he will not indulge in corruptionit was a mistake. His friends and associates describe him as part of a middle-class, educated family without a shadow of controversy.

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His father, who passed away a few years ago, used to work in a big company while he has a sister who is settled abroad after marriage, a family friend told the national newspaper.

Following the collapse of the Shivaji statue, local police registered an FIR against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to attempted murder, negligence, destruction of public property, and attempted culpable homicide.

Following the collapse of the Shivaji statue, local police registered an FIR against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to negligence, destruction of public property, and attempted culpable homicide. PTI

While Patil was arrested earlier, Apte remained elusive until his recent arrest.

How was Apte nabbed by police?

Police in Maharashtras Sindhudurg district had been actively pursuing Jaydeep Apte after the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue.

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More than seven teams were deployed to locate him, and authorities issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) to prevent him from fleeing the country via seaports, airports, or other exit points. Teams scoured multiple locations, including Mumbai, Thane, Sindhudurg, and Kolhapur, employing technical surveillance to track him down.

According to TOI, Aptes last known movements were traced when he visited Malvan with a friend to check the site where the statue had been installed. After this visit, Apte contacted his wife, informing her that he was returning home, after which she tipped off the police about her husbands location.

#BreakingNews | Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor of the recently collapsed Shivaji statue at Rajkot fort, has been arrested in Thane district, police said.



Vivek Gupta @GrihaAtul #shivajistatuecollapse pic.twitter.com/sy5aoZ3erH  News18 (@CNNnews18) September 5, 2024

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Though Aptes family declined to comment publicly, police sources indicated they were concerned for his safety and wanted him to cooperate with the investigation.

The arrest came amidst a growing political controversy that has erupted in the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections.

BJP leader Pravin Darekar remarked, Those who were critical of our government must shut their mouths now. It is true that the police took a little long to arrest Jaydeep Apte. We are not taking any credit for arresting, but the police did their job."

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Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushama Andhare stated, The state government should not try to take any credit for arresting Apte He was not some underworld don He should have been arrested sooner."

With input from agencies
Mpox has been detected in Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa, US, which has a population of 1,251. The strain found within the prison has been classified as the less serious clade II, though it is unknown how many inmates have been affected. The prison staff have told local press that they are controlling the situation read more

The hands of a patient with skin rashes caused by the mpox virus are pictured at the treatment center of Vijana Hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo August 30, 2024. Reuters

The World Health Organization has declared that a recent outbreak of mpox represents a global health emergency for the second time in two years.

A more deadly and contagious variant of the virus has claimed the lives of over 600 people since the beginning of 2024.

Besides Africa, new cases have also been reported in Europe and Asia.

In the latest incident, the virus has been detected in a prison in the United States.

Heres all we know about it.

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Mpox outbreak strikes US prison

According to Newsweek, mpox has been detected in Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa, which has a population of 1,251.

The strain found within the prison has been classified as the less serious clade II, though it is unknown how many inmates have been affected.

The prison staff have told local press that they were controlling the situation.

An undated colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox virus particles (pink) found within an infected cell (yellow), cultured in the laboratory, captured at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. File Photo-Reuters

Were actively managing the situation with robust health measures, Iowa Department of Corrections Chief of Staff Paul Cornelius said in a statement to the Des Moines Register, initially reported by KCCI-TV.

He added, Affected individuals are receiving care, and enhanced sanitation and isolation protocols are in place to prevent further spread.

Clade I mpox has not yet been found in the United States, but should it spread, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that it anticipates the virus will cause lower morbidity and mortality in the United States than it has in Africa, the report said.

Also read: From Africa to Sweden and now Pakistan, how mpox is spreading across the globe

About mpox

Mpox is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to a genus of viruses called Orthopoxvirus.

The Orthopoxvirus family consists of the variola virus, which causes smallpox, the cowpox virus, and the vaccinia virus.

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The common symptoms of mpox include skin lesions, fever, headache, muscle and back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

The disease spreads through physical contact with an infected person, materials or animals.

Mpox drew global attention in 2022 during an outbreak that affected the US, Europe, Australia, and many other countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared recent mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern after a new variant of the virus has been identified. Reuters

Types of the virus

The virus spreads by close contact and exists in two different forms, known as clades: I and II.

Men who engage in sexual activity with other men are most vulnerable to contracting Clade II mpox, which is mostly transmitted through personal and sexual contact.

Endemically found in West Africa, Clade II mpox is the strain that sparked a global outbreak in 2022. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that it is less severe, with more than 99.9 per cent of patients surviving.

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Clade I, on the other hand, is endemic to Central Africa and has killed up to 10 per cent of those infected. The US has not yet been affected by this strain.

Clade 1b has triggered global concern due to the ease with which it spreads though routine close contact.

The strain is a modified variant of clade I, an endemic type of mpox that has been present in the Congo for many years and spreads by contact with infected animals.

Congo has had more than 18,000 suspected clade I and clade Ib mpox cases and 615 deaths this year, according to the WHO. There have also been 222 confirmed clade Ib cases in four African countries in the last month, plus a case each in Sweden and Thailand in people with a travel history in Africa.

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Treatment

Currently, there are a few vaccines against mpox, including Jynneos (MVA-BN) and Acam2000.

The MVA-BN vaccine, or the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic, has been approved by the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union/European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and Canada.

Developed around the 1950s, the Modified Vaccine Ankara vaccine was used to protect against smallpox. Its current form, MVA-BN, is reportedly marketed as Jynneos, Imvamune and Imvanex.

A person holds doses of Bavarian Nordics Imvanex vaccine, used to protect against mpox virus, at the Edison municipal vaccination centre in Paris, France. File image/Reuters

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has green-lit ACAM2000 for protection against smallpox and mpox.

In 2022, Japan gave a nod to the smallpox vaccine LC16 for use against mpox. Russia licenced OrthopoxVac the same year for vaccination against smallpox, mpox and other Orthopoxviruses.

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A new mRNA vaccine  BNT166  is being developed to particularly target antigens on the monkeypox virus, reported DW.

Global alarm

As per the WHO, nearly 103,000 mpox cases have been confirmed worldwide.

After the global emergency last year, the new mpox strain has killed over 600 people.

Recent cases have been reported in Europe and Asia, prompting the health agency to reissue a global health emergency in August this year.

Numerous nations have taken precautions, including inspecting ports and initiating vaccination efforts, in response to the global agencys highest alert.

India has no reported cases of mpox, however, the country is on high alert. The health ministry has directed heightened vigilance at all international airports and land ports, particularly those bordering Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Zawadi Bwira Bakulu, 35, shows the rash marks on her son Christevie Lukeka who recovered from Mpox in Nyiragongo territory near Goma, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo July 18, 2024. Reuters

Soon after the second case was reported in Pakistan, China also amplified its surveillance at ports of entry. Aircraft and vessels carrying containers, as well as cargo, arriving from nations and areas with mpox cases will also be sanitised, as per local news.

Similarly, Japan and South Korea are also on alert.

Nigeria, which confirmed 40 mpox cases with no fatalities yet, will begin vaccinations for mpox from October 8 after regulatory approvals are concluded. The country received the first batch of 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the US Agency for International Development on Tuesday.

Soon after it detected 13 cases of mpox clade II infections this year, Singapore said it was monitoring the global situation closely.

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has issued an emergency tender to secure mpox vaccines for crisis-hit countries in collaboration with the Gavi vaccine alliance, Africa CDC and the /WHO, the organisations said in a joint statement on Saturday.

Depending on the production capacity of manufacturers, agreements for up to 12 million doses through 2025 can be made, according to the statement.

Under the tender, UNICEF will set up conditional supply agreements with vaccine manufacturers, the statement said.

With inputs from agencies
There has been surge in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir this year that have killed soldiers and civilians alike read more

(File) Indian Army personnel during a counter-terror operation following a terrorist attack on an army convoy, in Kathua district on July 9, 2024. PTI

Ahead of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army is seeking to beef up border security and improve the counter-terrorism grid.

There has been surge in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir this year that have killed soldiers and civilians alike. Notably, terrorists have carried out attacks in the Jammu region as well that had been relatively calm in recent years. With elections around the corner, security agencies, including the Army, are seeking to foil any plans to foil the democratic exercise.

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J&K will hold elections after nearly a decade in September-October. The voting will take place in three phases on September 18, Sept. 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on Oct. 8.

The Indian Express has reported that the Army is deploying a three-pronged approach in the wake of elections.

One, the Army is beefing up the counter-infiltration grid by redeploying more troops along the Lone of Control (LoC), the de-facto India-Pakistan boundary in the Kashmir region.

Two, the Army is deploying more personnel in temporary operating bases (TOBs) in the higher reaches as well as forests.

Three, the Army is going to intensify search and destroy operations for terrorists and their shelters in coming days.

The newspaper reported that the three-pronged approach is aimed at destabilising terrorists by disrupting their hideouts and drawing them into contact as well as denying them access to population centres.

Notably, the Army would not be deployed in population centres during the elections as that purpose would be served by newly-inducted 300 additional companies of central paramilitary personnel, according to the newspaper.

The report comes at a time when there are concerns that terrorists may disrupt the assembly elections in J&K  the first in nearly 10 years.

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Elections were last held in J&K in 2014. In the 90-member assembly, the J&K Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the single-largest party with 25 MLAs but fell short of the majority. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came second with 25 MLAs, followed by J&K National Conference (NC) with 15, and Congress with 12. After weeks of delay, the PDP and BJP formed a coalition government in March 2015 with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister of J&K.

After Sayeeds death in 2016, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti became the CM of J&K and ran the government until 2018. In June 2018, the BJP quit the coalition and Mehbooba resigned as her government collapsed. This led to the imposition of governors rule in the state. Then, in November 2018, the then-Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the assembly. Then, in August 2019, the Narendra Modi government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh. Now, the UT of J&K is set to have its first elections in a decade and first assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370.

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The elections are taking place amid a spurt in terrorist activities in J&K. In the eight months of this year, at least 18 civilians and 20 security forces personnel have been killed in J&K compared to 12 civilians and 33 security personnel for the entirety of last year, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP).
During the hearing of Arvind Kejriwals bail plea in the Supreme Court on September 5, counsels representing Delhi CM and the CBI were at loggerheads over whether his petition should be first heard by trial court read more

The CBI said Arvind Kejriwal will tamper with evidence and hamper the ongoing probe in Delhi Excise Policy case if he is released on interim bail. Source: PTI.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 5) reserved its verdict in the bail plea filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the money laundering case registered by the CBI in the Delhi excise policy case.

Kejriwals bail plea was heard by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan.

During the hearing, counsels representing Kejriwal and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were at loggerheads over whether Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chiefs bail plea should be first heard by trial court.

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Kejriwals plea was rejected by the Delhi High Court on August 5 and asked him to approach trial court for bail. The Delhi CM then instantly moved the Supreme Court with his appeal

SC reserves order on Kejriwal bail plea: What CBI said?

During the hearing on Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for CBI, said the matter should be first heard by the trial court.

He approached the High Court without going to the sessions court. This is my preliminary objection. On merits, trial court could have seen it first. High Court was made to see merits and it can only be in exceptional cases. In ordinary cases, sessions court has to be approached first, the ASG contended.

Raju further told the court that bypassing the trial court can only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and the only exceptional circumstance in this case is that Kejriwal is the Chief Minister.

Kejriwals response

Appearing for Kejriwal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said that the grounds raised in the present plea as regards the mandate on police office to issue notice to accused under Section 41A of CrPC, were argued before the trial court during remand and was rejected. Hence, it would not be fair to send the AAP leader back to the trial court to argue the same issue again.

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Is it a fair plea to say (go to trial court bail)? Had it not been argued on merits including on Section 41 and Section 41A fully? Before trial court also, it was argued during remand. You cannot consider sending me back there. Arguments were looked into during remand and affirmed against me. It is not fair to raise that argument now by then at this stage, huge delay involved since it has been heard on merits. Clear error on the face of it. I will not use the word perverse but serious error, Singhvi said.

Manish Sisodias bail order referred in Kejriwals plea hearing

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The Kejriwals counsel further highlighted the SCs judgment in Delhi former deputy CM Manish Sisodia case in which the apex court, while granting bail, had said that it would be unfair to send him back to trial court for bail since it would amount to playing a game of snake and ladder.

(On) this sending back, the Supreme Court has now used a very felicitous phrase in the Sisodia judgment - snakes and ladders, Singhvi said.

ASG Raju then interjected and said, Sisodia went to trial court once. Here how many times has he? It is not fair to look at one para like that without facts. My lords cannot be the first instance. There is a hierarchy.

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They want the ladder to start all over again, Singhvi quipped.

He further said that Kejriwal satisfies the triple test for bail and the trial in the case is unlikely to conclude anytime soon.

Multiple chargesheets filed. Prolonged incarceration cannot be there, is the triple test satisfied? Yes it is. In Manish Sisodia, the Court held that in this particular case of excise policy, trial is impossible to finish, Singhvi contended.

After the hearing that lasted through the day, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment.

On July 12, the Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case related to the Delhi excise policy. However, he had to remain in jail in the CBI case.

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Kejriwal had filed two separate petitions before the apex court  (i) seeking bail, and (ii) challenging the legality of his arrest by the CBI in the Delhi excise policy case.

The CBI took Kejriwal into custody on June 26. The Delhi CM argued that the CBI arrested him when he was on the cusp of release on money laundering charges in the same case.

He further said that the move by the CBI was an insurance arrest designed to keep him behind the bars.

The investigating agency, in its response, countered that his arrest was necessary due to his evasive and non-cooperative attitude to questions about his alleged role in the case.

It was necessary since he was to be confronted with the evidence on record, the CBI had said in an affidavit.
Thakur blamed the NC and Congress for the suffering endured by the people over the decades and accused the two parties of collaborating again to reintroduce terrorism and violence in J&K. read more

Senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur said the record number of tourists visiting J&K, which he claimed the NC and Congress are unwilling to accept.

The Congress and National Conference are attempting to push Jammu and Kashmir back towards terrorism, anarchy and unrest, said Former Union minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday, accusing them of derailing peace and progress achieved after abrogation of Article 370.

The reinstatement of Article 370, the NC and Congress aim to return J&K to an era of terrorism, Thakur said while addressing a roadshow in Padder-Nagseni assembly constituency in support of BJP candidate Sunil Sharma, a former minister in the BJP-PDP coalition government.

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Since the abrogation of Article 370, there has been peace in J&K, and development has progressed rapidly, the Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh said.

Thakur also said the record number of tourists visiting J&K, which he claimed the NC and Congress are unwilling to accept.

He also highlighted the large turnout at the roadshow and the increasing support for BJP across J&K. Thakur said, The BJP is poised to form the next government in J&K. Thakur urged the public to vote for BJP and deliver a resounding message to the Congress and NC in the upcoming assembly elections.

After ruling the country for over 60 years, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi couldnt visit Kashmir to experience snow or enjoy ice-cream. They both had these experiences in Kashmir only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi abrogated Article 370, he said.

There was a time when Kashmir was synonymous with terrorism, stone pelting and unrest. Under PM Modis leadership, it now stands for development, peace and prosperity, Thakur said.

Today, we have AIIMS, IIMs, 11 medical colleges, NIFT, IIT and IIMC in J&K, thanks to the visionary leadership, Thakur said.

With inputs from PTI.
The political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir presents a unique set of challenges for womens empowerment. Historically, the representation of women in political roles in the region has been limited. Before the 1972 elections, political arenas were predominantly male dominated, with no female candidates successfully securing seats. The 1972 elections marked the beginning of female political participation, though the success rate of female candidates remained minimal. Subsequent elections, including those in 1977, saw a slight increase in female candidates, but their success remained low. The 1983 elections showed a marginal rise in female candidates, yet their representation was still limited.

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By 2002, women occupied just 8 per cent of the seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, highlighting only modest progress. The year 2011 saw a rise in female candidates for panchayats, but womens representation in higher positions, such as sarpanchs, remains limited. The 2011 Panchayati Raj Act mandated the reservation of one-third of seats for women in panchayats leading to a notable increase in female panches. However, womens representation in higher positions like sarpanchs remains limited.

Impact of conflict on womens political participation

The ongoing conflict in Jammu and Kashmir has profoundly impacted womens political participation. Although the situation has improved much now, still it needs a lot more to encourage women to engage far more in politics. A 2020 report by the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society revealed that women in conflict zones face increased risks of violence, which hampers their ability to participate in public life. Economic disruption due to conflict has disproportionately affected women, as highlighted by a 2022 UN Women study, leading to lower participation rates in political activities as women prioritize economic survival over political engagement.

Cultural norms and traditional gender roles

Cultural norms and traditional gender roles significantly influence womens political participation in Jammu and Kashmir. Traditional roles often confine women to domestic responsibilities, restricting their time and energy for political activities. A 2023 study by the Centre for Social Research found that societal expectations still place women in secondary roles, with many feeling that politics is not an appropriate field for them. The perception of politics as a corrupt and dangerous sphere further discourages women from participating, as revealed by a 2019 survey by the Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commission, where 60 per cent of women voters expressed disillusionment with the political process due to corruption and violence. Societal attitudes favouring male leadership contribute to womens underrepresentation, with traditional norms often hindering their electoral success. Despite an increase in female candidates in the 2011 Panchayat elections, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions.

Institutional barriers to womens political empowerment

Institutional barriers also play a crucial role in limiting womens political empowerment. Political parties frequently provide inadequate support for female candidates. A 2021 report by the Jammu and Kashmir Political Analysis Group highlighted that women candidates often receive less support in terms of campaign resources and party backing compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, women are underrepresented in decision-making roles within political parties and government structures. For instance, in the 2020 Legislative Assembly, only 8 out of 87 seats were held by women, reflecting a lack of female representation in key decision-making bodies. Despite legislative measures such as the reservation of seats in panchayats, women continue to face legal and structural barriers. In the 2016 Assembly elections, only 6 per cent of women were elected to key positions, underscoring the gap between legislative intent and practical outcomes. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Election, no women candidate could win including Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party supremo Mehbooba Mufti.

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Multiple challenges

The challenges to womens political empowerment in Jammu and Kashmir are significant and multifaceted stemming from the impact of conflict, cultural norms and institutional barriers. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes strengthening institutional support, promoting education and awareness, challenging cultural barriers and ensuring safety and security. By implementing these strategies, the region can move towards a more inclusive and representative political environment, contributing to its democratic development and gender parity.
Locals of Uttarakhands Bageshwar assert that the relentless mining has destabilised the land, causing entire villages to sink read more

In Uttarakhands Bageshwar district, extensive mining activities are leading to a crisis similar to the Joshimath, with significant damage reported in the Kanda area.

Residents are facing severe structural issues in their homes, temples, fields, and roads due to the mining.

Locals allege that their pleas for help are being ignored by the government.

According to a report in TOI, severe land subsidence has put over 200 homes in Bageshwar district, Kumaon, at risk, with extensive damage observed in roads, fields, and houses. The crisis has been exacerbated by heavy rains and widespread mining activities in the region. The Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority (UDMA) has flagged 11 villages across the district as vulnerable, with 450 homes identified as at risk.

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Among these, 131 families in villages such as Kuwari and Seri are particularly impacted by landslides. Additionally, villages near soapstone mines, including Kandekanyal and Papon, are experiencing significant subsidence. The Kanda and Reema valleys have suffered the most, with alarming sinkage affecting homes, fields, and roads. In Kandekanyal village, approximately 40 of 70 houses have been damaged, forcing many villagers to abandon their homes due to safety concerns.

1,000-year-old temple under threat

As per India Today report, the situation is bad for a 1,000-year-old Kalika temple, which is at risk due to nearby mining activities. Cracks have appeared in the temple grounds, with locals attributing the damage to a chalk mine located just 50 meters away.

Raghuvir Singh Majila, president of the temple committee and an army veteran, said that the temple has been central to both worship and the local economy for centuries. This temple has been a key religious site for the entire locality, with the economy revolving around it and its visitors, Majila said.

Local businesses, including eateries and shops catering to temple visitors, are now at risk due to the temples deteriorating condition.

In this sparsely populated area, the main sources of income are farming and religious tourism. Both are now jeopardised due to the rampant mining, said Suresh Singh Majila, a veteran and local activist.

He further said that they have received no assurance from the government regarding the construction of a retaining wall to secure the houses and temple uphill.

Soapstone mining

As per TOI, Bageshwar district is known for its rich deposits of highly valued soapstone, driving extensive mining activities in the region. With over 130 active soapstone mines, primarily in the Kanda valley, the area has become a significant source of this metamorphic rock, which can fetch up to Rs 7,000 per ton.

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Soapstone is utilised in various industries, including paper, paint, and cosmetics.

However, locals assert that the relentless mining has destabilised the land, causing entire villages to sink.

The districts susceptibility to disasters, particularly during the monsoon season, has long been a concern. Historical incidents include a deadly landslide in Bhayal Tok in 1983, which claimed 37 lives, and another tragic landslide in Sumgarh in 2010, resulting in the deaths of 18 schoolchildren.

Demand for relocation

Many residents are now calling for relocation due to the severe impact of mining. Hemchandra Kandpals family is among those hardest hit, with their home suffering catastrophic damage. Kandpal attributes the destruction to the mining beneath the hill. These cracks cannot be fixed; the only option left is to dismantle and rebuild the house. The government must provide us land to relocate, Kandpal told India Today.

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Administrations response

When approached about the ongoing issues and complaints, local SDM Anurag Arya stated, There had been complaints about cracks earlier, but nothing concerning was found. If there are more complaints, we will look into it.
Since 2014, when the Swachh Bharat Mission was started, India witnessed 10 per cent decline in infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-five mortality rate (U5MR), according to the study read more

Toilets built under the Swachh Bharat Mission have saved up to 60-70,000 lives a year, as per a study (Photo: CNN-News 18)

Prime Minister Narendra Modis push to construct toilets in houses as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) may have saved up to 60-70,000 lives a year, according to a study published in Nature journal.

In 2014, Modi announced the nationwide push to build toilets to eradicate open defecation as part of the SBM. The study has found that the initiative substantially reduced infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in India.

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The IMR refers to the death of the child before their first birthday, according to World Health Organization (WHO).

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Soyra Gune, one of the five authors of the study, said that what set Indias SBM apart that while most low- and middle-income countries focus on curative and preventive measures, the SBM induced behavioural change.

Gune said, Most literature on reducing mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) focuses on preventative and curative interventions during the prenatal and postnatal period. However, there is scant evidence available on the association between large scale investments in sanitation and mortality in LMICs. The SBMs approach of combining behaviour change counselling with toilet construction differentiates it from earlier large-scale sanitation investments and programs in India.

Child deaths came down as toilet construction went up

The Nature study showed that between 2003 and 2020, the infant mortality rate was more than halved in India as the average toilet coverage increased.

In 2003, the average toilet coverage in houses was 46.7 per cent and infant mortality rate exceeded 60 per 1,000 live births.

In 2020, the average toilet coverage in houses was 81.2 per cent and infant mortality rate had fallen below 30 per 1,000 births.

Since 2014, when the Swachh Bharat Mission was started, India witnessed 10 per cent decline in infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-five mortality rate (U5MR).

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Benefits go beyond child deaths

The benefits of the toilet construction under the SBM have gone far beyond preventing childrens deaths, according to the study.

The study found that the increased toilet coverage also marked improvements in maternal education, pregnancy healthcare, hospital births, health insurance, and clean cooking fuel.

Notably, the push for toilet construction also occurred at a time when the Modi government pushed for the adoption of cooking gas over firewood and pushed for piped water connections.

Recent research also highlights the broader benefits of increased toilet access, including womens safety, financial savings from reduced medical expenses, and overall improvements in quality of life, said the authors in the study.
Jaishankars recent remarks have put a full stop to any possibilities of diplomatic interactions at any level with Pakistan read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that the era of 'uninterrupted dialogue' with Pakistan has ended due to past actions having consequences. Image: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP

On August 30, Indias Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, speaking on Indias foreign policy, said, The era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is overa policy that remained the backbone of Congress-led government (2004-2014). Jaishankars remarks come in the backdrop of Pakistan extending the recent invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisations (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting to be held in Islamabad in October.

Following the 2019 attacks by the Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Muhmmad on the convoy of Indian security forces in Pulwama, Delhi conveyed in the strongest way that terror and talks cannot go together. Jaishankars remarks have also put a full stop to any possibilities of diplomatic interactions at any level, including regional forums like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

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Since Prime Minister Modi refused to attend the 2016 SAARC summit in Islamabad, citing security concerns, no subsequent summits have been held. The diplomatic freeze is further underscored by the absence of High Commissioners in both capitals, with neither India nor Pakistan having an official representative in Delhi or Islamabad. This diplomatic vacuum reflects the deepening rift between the two nations, signalling a significant downturn in bilateral relations.

In the press briefing on August 30, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the invitation to the Indian Prime Minister but added that no decision had been taken. With the mounting tensions in India-Pakistan relations, it is unlikely that Prime Minister Modi will visit Islamabad.

If Modi denies making an in-person presence at the upcoming SCO Summit, it will primarily be for two reasonssecurity issues and Pakistans lip service to combating the menace of terrorism. At the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Summit in May 2023, Foreign Minister Jaishankar reminded the member states that tackling terrorism was one of the SCOs mandates.

The absence of political dialogue has come at a cost for Islamabad. There is no cross-border trade, meaning Pakistan does not have access to one of the largest regional markets. Does it matter for the Pakistani economy? The answer is yes.

Before Pakistan decided to cut off trade ties with India in 2019, it exported US$500 million worth of goods to India and imported goods worth US$2.06 billion in FY 2018-19. In 2023, Pakistans exports were down to US$ 3 million in FY 2023-24a fall of 99.4 per cent in four years. While the informal trade continues, the existing trade is routed through third-country ports like Dubai or Singapore, significantly increasing costs and logistical challenges for Pakistani businesses.

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In October 2023, on his return to Pakistan after years of self-exile in London, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was seen advocating improving ties with India. However, neither the deep state in Pakistan let Nawaz enter the Prime Ministers Office nor did the ties improve. Had he entered office, it was unlikely that Senior Sharif could change the course of relations, considering the establishment remains all in all of Pakistan.

But this is not to say that the Modi administration never favoured dialogue with Pakistan. The historic handshake between Prime Minister Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu in November 2024, followed by Modis brief stopover in Lahore in 2015, signalled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments willingness to resume dialogue with Pakistan in the post-2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.

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However, Pakistans obsession with the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which granted special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, has marked a closure to the bilateral dialogue.

Pakistan continues to raise the issue of Article 370, saying that it will exercise all possible options to counter illegal steps, but Delhi pays no heed. For Delhi, India is free to decide on the internal affairs of the country. Despite its internal economic and political issues, Pakistan has left no stone unturned in raising the issue of Article 370 at the United Nations. However, its attempts, even with support from some Islamic nations, have largely fallen flat on the international stage.

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In contrast, Indias rise as the fifth largest economic power and capacity to invest and attract investments, particularly from the Islamic world, have placed New Delhi differently. Countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which extended support to Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute, seemed to have overcome the Islamic identity dilemma with Pakistan and moved ahead with Delhi in trade, investment, cyber security, etc.

For instance, Malaysias criticism of Indias move to abrogate Article 370 had led to Delhi cutting on its major palm oil imports, which had hit the Malaysian palm oil market. However, the recent visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to India on August 20 saw a positive shift in bilateral ties, primarily driven by bilateral trade, which reached a record high of .

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At the same time, the significance of the Pakistan factor in raising ultra-nationalistic sentiments in India has diminished. In the 2024 parliamentary elections, Pakistan was notably absent from the manifestos of major political parties. Congress and the Communist Party proposed resuming dialogue with Pakistan, contingent on Islamabads firm action against terrorism exported to India, while the BJP focused on bolstering border security.

There has also been a shift in Indias popular political approach towards Pakistan, mainly during elections in India. During the May 2024 parliamentary elections, Pakistan barely figured in the election speeches of the BJP and Congress. Islamabad is a done deal for Delhi.

India appears resolute in rejecting any advocacy or criticism of Kashmir from Pakistan or any third country, including Article 370. Delhi has also sent a clear message to regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir, notably the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who strongly opposed the governments move to abrogate Article 370, signalling that the matter is settled.

With Assembly Elections scheduled for September and October in the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP and NC have pledged to restore the regions  original status and reinstate  Article 370a political gimmick that the regional parties have been sporting since 2019.

In fact, mainstream regional parties in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir recognise that the state lacks the legal authority to achieve this. Despite this, they are likely to use the issue of Article 370 to fuel an anti-BJP campaign in the state. After ten years, the Kashmir Valley is heading to the polls to elect a state government. The region has been under the Governors Rule since 2018 and the Presidents Rule from 2019 onwards.

By holding elections, Delhi signals its confidence in the security measures to handle any potential challenges, particularly in countering cross-border terrorism, while moving past global criticism over Article 370. Elections further underscore Indias determination to assert its sovereignty and normalise the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. It also sends a clear message that India remains steadfast in its policies, undeterred by external pressures or threats.

Rishi Gupta is the Assistant Director at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The interim government led by Mohammad Yunus has largely failed to stop the violence against the minorities and has made matters worse by lifting bans on radical Islamist groups and releasing terror suspects from jail that rule the roost on the streets of Bangladesh read more

The word secular in the context of Bangladesh is in itself a cliche. Bangladeshs contemporary image often boasts of its secular origins, yet the country has a long-standing history of Islamist politics and religious violence that predates its independence. The roots of its modern extremism lie in historical processes of the state and the emergence of the subsequent formation of its Islamic national identity, which has crystallised over the years under successive regimes.

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From 1971 to 1975, under the leadership of its founder, Mujibur Rahman, also known as Sheikh Mujib, Bangladesh undertook efforts to secularise Bangladesh. Shortly after its independence, the inaugural constitution introduced in 1972 established a legal framework for secular governance. It enshrined secularism as a core principle of the state and forbade the exploitation of religion for political purposes.

However, by 1974, Bangladeshs failing economy, famine, and growing local Islamist sentiments forced Sheikh Mujib to shift his approach. To garner public support, he began integrating Islamic culture and values into public life, introducing new religious holidays, imposing bans on alcohol and gambling, endorsing Islamic education, and reinstating Quranic broadcasts on public radio and television.

Following Sheikh Mujibs assassination in 1975, Bangladesh entered a period of 15 years under the autocratic rule of Ziaur Rahman, who imposed martial law in the country. Zias administration removed the term secularism from the constitution in 1977 and then subsequently lifted the ban on Islamic parties, including Jamaat-i-Islami, which had opposed the countrys independence. Zia, who also founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and his political allies, including Jamaat-e-Islami, promoted the notion of Bangladesh as an Islamic state through their political practices and rhetoric.

His government made several moves to integrate Islam into the fabric of the states political and legal framework, thus laying the foundation for radical organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizb-ut-Tehrir to spread their network within Bangladeshi Muslim society. After Zias assassination in 1981, General Hussain Muhammad Ershad took control and continued the trend of Islamising Bangladeshi politics, culminating in the 1988 declaration of Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh.

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In 1990, a democratic uprising led to the removal of General Ershad, thus ushering in a new era of electoral politics in Bangladesh. Over the next three decades, Bangladeshi leaders navigated a complex landscape of both secular and Islamic values. Under BNPs Khalida Zia (daughter of Ziaur Rahman)-led government, the Islamic fervour of Bangladesh remained prominent, with Jamaat-e-Islami being its critical mainstay, while under the recently ousted Prime Minister Sheikh asina, the identity of secular politics retook shape.

It was after the return of Sheikh Hasinas Awami League party back in power in 2011 when secularism as a term was reinstated in the constitution while still maintaining Islam as the state religion. Hasina has repeatedly emphasised Bangladeshs secular identity. The Awami League, her party, is prominently linked with secular nationalism. However, both the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have strategically utilised Islam for political gains. Though Sheikh Hasina during her tenure took many steps to curb radicalisation and bring the semblance of secularism back in the social fabric of Bangladesh, multiple surveys conducted over the last two decades have pointed towards increased prominence of radical Islamism over secularism.

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In a 2006 Gallup poll, 91 per cent of Bangladeshis said they wanted sharia as the only (or at least as one) source of legislation. A 2013 survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre found that 82 per cent of Bangladeshis favoured making sharia the official law, and among that, a significant minority, 44 per cent, supported executing apostates.

In a 2017 survey commissioned by the RESOLVE Network, a large majority of Bangladeshis supported property rights, free political expression, judicial independence, and free elections. Yet even larger majorities advocated for a greater role for sharia, including the imposition of harsh physical punishments for criminality and forced veiling.

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Nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed said sharia should have a somewhat or much larger role in the legal system. The data show a widely held belief that sharia will ensure better governance outcomes. These results clearly indicate how the radical Islamist organisations have been able to push Bangladesh as a state towards a similar nature to that of Pakistan.

Evidently, Bangladesh is affected by the growing radical demand for a greater reflection of Islamic values and sharia in governing institutions. Alongside the expanding role of religion in mainstream Bangladeshi society and politics, violent extremism also sprouted and spread with the intention of creating an Islamic caliphate transnationally as well as domestically.

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During 1980 to 1990, thousands of Bangladeshis joined the Afghan jihad war against the Soviets. After the fall of the first Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 1996, many of them returned back to Bangladesh and formed the now-proscribed radical terror organisation Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). JMB marked the beginning of Bangladeshi violent extremism. JMB with its affiliated groups and individuals were responsible for multiple bombings, suicide attacks, and intimidation. In 2005, JMB carried out a series of bombings at nearly 500 locations across Bangladesh.

Over the subsequent years, more terror organisations started surfacing in Bangladesh. Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which is also called Ansar al-Islam (AAI), ISIS, and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), also started operating inside Bangladesh and have recruited Bangladeshis to carry out terror attacks to create a global caliphate as well as an Islamic state in Bangladesh. These organisations targeted the free thinkers and bloggers within Bangladesh as well as carried out terror attacks on foreign nationals in Bangladesh, the most prominent one being the Holey Artisan bakery attack in Dhaka, which left 17 foreign nationals dead, including an Indian national.

So it came as no surprise that ISIS flags surfaced among the protestors on the streets of Dhaka following the fall of Sheikh Hasinas government. Since her ouster, there has been a marked escalation in violence against minorities in Bangladesh. Reports indicate that there has been a significant increase in targeted attacks on non-Muslim communities, primarily against the Hindus. Vandalism and arson of temples, Sufi shrines, and other places of worship have also been reported. Videos on social media have emerged where the radical Jamaat-e-Islami members, while distributing relief materials among the minority Hindu community, are seen tearing away the sacred threads worn around the neck amidst radical Islamic sloganeering and cheering in the aftermath of floods Bangladesh is witnessing currently.

The interim government led by Mohammad Yunus has largely failed to stop the violence against the minorities and has also made matters worse by lifting bans on radical Islamist groups and releasing terror suspects from jail that rule the roost on the streets of Bangladesh. This situation is reminiscent of the fact that Bangladesh, which fought hard for its independence to escape from the shadows of Pakistan, is now starting to reflect as a mirror image of the same Pakistan it once sought to overcome.

Raja Muneeb is an independent journalist and a columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit gives new strategic direction to an incrementally burgeoning relationship between India and Singapore read more

After Sir Stamford Raffles established a trading station in Singapore in 1819, readers may not know that till as late as 1867, the miracle city state was governed from Kolkata. Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit gives a new strategic direction to an incrementally burgeoning relationship.

A Financial Anchor

Singapores economic engagement with India is substantial and growing. Over the last two decades, Singaporean entities have invested a staggering $160 billion in India, making it the largest source of FDI for New Delhi. This influx of capital has not only fuelled Indias rapid economic expansion but also facilitated the capacity transformation of key sectors. One of the most notable instances of this was Singapores early investment in Bharti Airtel, which helped kickstart Indias cellular revolution.

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Singapores role as a financial anchor for India is further underscored by CapitaLands announcement during the visit to more than double its funds under management in India to over $14.8 billion.

Singapore has become Indias sixth-largest trading partner. In 2024, Indian imports from Singapore were $21.2 billion; exports totalled $14.4 billion. The trade relationship, while skewed in favour of Singapore, reflects the complementary nature of their economies.

Indias burgeoning middle class and its appetite for high-quality goods and services provide fertile ground for Singaporean exports, while Singapores need for raw materials and, increasingly, technology and talent finds fulfillment in India.

Strategic Convergence

Beyond the money, the strategic dimension of India-Singapore relations has gained prominence. A shared concern about Chinas assertiveness in the region drives this forward. The deepening defence ties between the two countries are perhaps best exemplified by the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX), which has been held annually since 1994. This is the oldest continuous Navy exercise India has with any country. It is time for a leap of faith to go from mutual exercises to mutual deployment. The IAF has long-term deployment in Japan; the Navy should do so with Singapore.

The strategic partnership is further bolstered by routine high-level exchanges between their defence establishments.

Singapore, despite its small size, is one of the top defence spenders in the world, spending more than 3 per cent of its GDP. Its strategic location at the crossroads of key global shipping routes complements Indias growing naval capabilities.

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This convergence of strategic interests can help India ramp up defence exports, including ammunition and other military hardware.

A New Frontier in Cooperation

The two nations are engaging in the health sector and semiconductor technologies.

The burgeoning financial ties between them are also reflected in the growing number of Indian companies that are listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange. This trend underscores the deepening integration of the two economies and the potential for Singapore to serve as a gateway for Indian companies looking to tap into global capital. The GIFT city in Gujarat offers Singapore an onshore opportunity.

For India, Singapore now ranks with Japan as an indispensable partner. The visit adds depth to this important mutually beneficial Asia-Pacific alignment.

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The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Brunei on September 3-4, 2024. It was an important outreach on the part of India to this tiny Southeast Asian nation. This has been the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian head of government to this state with a population of around five lakhs, officially known as Brunei Darussalam. This visit needs to be viewed in the backdrop of Indias Act East policy posture.

The bilateral ties amongst India and Brunei are now elevated to the Enhanced Partnership level. During this visit, the discussions revolved around a range of issues, from defence to trade to education to terrorism to health to culture. Also, there was a major focus on furthering this relationship with collaboration in the areas of energy and technology.

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Both the states are keen to work together in areas ranging from hydrocarbons to semiconductors. As per the joint statement, both the states are keen to explore and push association in expanses on Information Communication Technology, fintech, cyber security, new and emerging technologies, and renewable energy. India is also helping Brunei in hosting the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change.

One important agreement signed during this meeting is about collaboration in the space domain. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the operation of Telemetry, Tracking and Telecommand Station for Satellite and Launch Vehicles was signed during the recent visit of the Indian PM. Currently, Brunei does not have any active space program. But it appears to have some interest in space-related activities and is using the route of international collaborations to satisfy their need for support from space systems. It would be of interest to know why India is keen on collaborating with Brunei, which has relatively very little bandwidth in the space domain.

The location of Brunei is 4.5 N latitude and 114.7 E longitude. This country is located on the island of Borneo and is bordered by the South China Sea to the north and Malaysia to the south, east, and west. Obviously, for India, a state like Brunei, which is located in the centre of the Indo-Pacific circle, has very important geopolitical and geostrategic significance. Brunei understands that its geography has put itself in a muddled region. Two major powers, namely the US and China, have major interests in the region.

Brunei is having good relations with both of these states. With the US, it has an established relationship that goes back to the Cold War period. China also understands the necessity to keep Brunei in good humour. The process of high-level political engagement by China started during 2000, when Jiang Zemin became the first Chinese head of state to visit Brunei.

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For both the US and China, the strategic location of Brunei is very important. It could be a matter of larger debate about, Is Brunei hedging between the US and China? However, from Indias perspective, it is an important state to engage in the area of its interest. Space collaboration should be seen as one of the instruments towards such engagement.

For India, increasing focus on cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries is important, and India understands the strategic significance of its Brunei engagement. India recognises that space technologies could play an important role in its outreach to maritime neighbours in the region. As such, India is connecting with various states in the region, including Brunei, under a multilateral forum called the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF). This forum was established in 1993 to boost space pursuits in the Asia-Pacific region.

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It is also important to note that not only India, but some other states in the region, like Japan, are also engaged in ASEAN Space Diplomacy. An important component of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is Chinas Space Silk Road. Obviously, to checkmate Chinas Space Silk Road initiative, there is a need for larger engagement with smaller states in the region into the domain of space. Japan is known to be silently exercising its space influence in recent years on ASEAN states. Today, along with bilateral arrangements with states like Brunei, India needs to boost its involvement in forums like APRSAF and also engage various ASEAN states more proactively.

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Indias space agency ISRO is pursuing international cooperation with many space agencies globally. This helps in enhancing the competency of the Indian space program and also helps in strengthening the countrys diplomatic relations. Also, such collaborations may help towards forming consensus in addressing issues associated with global space governance and issues related to space security.

Simultaneously, it is also important to realise that engagement with Brunei is not only restricted to space diplomacy, and there is something more to it.

During 2018, a MoU was signed between Brunei Darussalam and India. This was about the cooperation in the operation of telemetry, tracking, and telecommand stations for satellite and launch vehicles. It also included collaboration in the field of space science research and applications. ISRO has set up in Brunei a Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Station in Brunei Darussalam, known as the ISRO TTC Station. Actually, this arrangement has been in place since 1997. During 2000, ISRO established a full-fledged telemetry tracking and command station in Brunei. This allows them to track and monitor all eastward launches of satellites and rockets. This arrangement is getting routine extensions. The signing of the MoU during 2018 was about extending this arrangement for another five years. The agreement has extended this arrangement further.

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For some time now, ISRO has been involved in short-term and long-term training activities with Brunei. ISRO is upgrading their facilities at Brunei routinely since, over a passage of time, new and more efficient technology develops and also ISROs needs could increase and/or change. Apart from Brunei, ISRO also has tracking stations at Port Louis (Mauritius), Bearslake (Russia), Biak (Indonesia), and Antarctica.

Today, Brunei has much interest in leveraging space technologies for resource management and addressing various environmental challenges. For India, the geographical location of Brunei, which is close to the equator, is very attractive. If India plays its cards well, then it can establish a launchpad for satellite launching at Brunei. This country is favourably located for the establishment of a spaceport. For various reasons, launchpads close to the equator are perfect locations for launching and monitoring satellites in polar and geostationary orbits. Mainly, such launches are very cost-effective since they require less fuel.

The recent visit by the Indian Prime Minister to Brunei coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei. For more than two decades, India has been investing in space technologies for the engagement of Brunei, and it is expected that India will be increasingly using space as an important instrument for amplification of its Act East policy.

The author is Deputy Director General, MP-IDSA, New Delhi. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
First results from autopsies on four of the victims - Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda - suggested that they died of suffocation as oxygen ran out on the stricken vessel read more

Rescue personnel operate on boats on the sea near the scene where a luxury yacht sank, off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo, Italy, on August 20, 2024. Reuters File

Initial examinations of four of the people killed when British tech tycoon Mike Lynchs family yacht sank off Sicily last month indicated they had died of suffocation as oxygen ran out on the stricken vessel, judicial sources said on Thursday.

Lynch, his daughter Hannah, an onboard cook and four guests died when the Bayesian, a British flagged 56-metre (184-feet) superyacht, sank during a severe and sudden weather event off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, on August 19.

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First results from autopsies on four of the victims - Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda - suggested that they died from suffocation, having been trapped on the ship.

More forensic tests were ordered, with results expected in the coming weeks, the sources said.

Examinations on the bodies of Lynch and his daughter were due to begin later on Thursday, they added.

The bodies of the dead, except for the cook, were found in the cabins on the left-hand side of the boat, where the passengers may have tried to search for remaining bubbles of air, the head of Palermos Fire Brigade said last month.

James Cutfield, the ship captain, and crew members Tim Parker Eaton and Matthew Griffiths 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.

Griffiths, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, has 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 last week.

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The sinking has puzzled naval experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Perini, a high-end yacht manufacturer owned by The Italian Sea Group, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did.
With over 50 African leaders in attendance the forum marked Chinas most significant diplomatic engagement with Africa since the pandemic. Xis pledges ranged from financing to military aid read more

China's President Xi Jinping, centre, and African leaders prepare for a group photo during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on Thursday. AP

At the recent China-Africa forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a series of sweeping pledges aimed at strengthening ties with African nations. With over 50 African leaders in attendance, alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the forum marked Chinas most significant diplomatic engagement with Africa since the pandemic. Xis pledges ranged from financing to military aid.

Heres a closer look at the five most important deals and promises made by Xi Jinping during the summit.

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1. $50.7 billion in financial support for Africa: One of the most eye-catching commitments from Xi was a massive $50.7 billion financial package for Africa over the next three years. This sum will be distributed across various sectors including infrastructure, agriculture, industry, and trade.

Over half of the amount will be provided in credit, with $11 billion set aside as direct assistance. Additionally, $10 billion will be channelled into investments by Chinese firms.

Chinas pledge raises concerns about increasing debt dependency on Beijing.

2. Creating 1 million jobs: Beyond financial aid, Xi has pledged that Chinese investments would help generate at least 1 million jobs across the continent, particularly through infrastructure and industrial projects.

The promise of job creation ties directly to Chinas investment in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. As Chinese companies set up shop or expand their operations in Africa, they will employ locals, addressing unemployment in many parts of the continent.

Job creation through foreign investments can be a double-edged sword. While it boosts employment, critics argue that it often leads to an influx of Chinese labour and firms, limiting local ownership and control over industries.

3. $141 million in military aid: Xi also announced that China will deepen military collaboration with African nations. A $141 million military aid package was unveiled, alongside commitments to train 6,000 African military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers.

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This military aid solidifies Chinas role as a key partner in Africas defence sector.

4. Focus on renewable energy and infrastructure: China is also heavily investing in renewable energy and infrastructure projects across Africa. Xis government has committed to partnerships in solar energy, railways, and roads.

Zambia, for example, struck a deal between its state-owned power company ZESCO and Chinas PowerChina to expand rooftop solar panel use. Similarly, Kenya secured an agreement for the expansion of its Standard Gauge Railway and the development of the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba motorway, valued at $1.2 billion.

5. Agriculture and trade expansion: Xis pledges werent limited to heavy infrastructure and defence. China also plans to ramp up agricultural cooperation with African nations. Zimbabwe, for instance, secured Chinese commitments for deeper collaboration in agriculture, mining, and energy. In addition, a deal was struck that would allow Zimbabwean avocados to be exported to Chinaa key win for the nations agricultural sector.

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Kenya also received promises for expanded agricultural trade, with a focus on opening Chinas vast markets to Kenyan products.

With inputs from AFP
Israel, issued a statement, saying that three different attacks were carried out on Palestinian fighters who posed a threat to their forces in Tubas read more

People assess the scene where an Israeli drone strike killed Palestinians, in Tubas in the occupied West Bank, September 5, 2024. Source: REUTERS.

At least six Palestinians were killed and three others were wounded in the Israeli bombing of a car in the West Bank city of Tubas, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Red Crescent said on Thursday.

According to a report by Wafa news agency, a teenager was also allegedly shot dead in the Fars refugee camp by Israeli troops.

The Israeli army, meanwhile, issued a statement in which it informed: Israeli Air Force aircraft conducted three targeted strikes on armed terrorists in the area of Tubas in the northern Jordan Valley.

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Israel further said that three different attacks were carried out on Palestinian fighters who posed a threat to their forces in Tubas.

According to Wafa report, Palestinian medics on Thursday informed that five people were killed in an air attack on a car and two people were injured. One other person was critically injured.

The report further said that Israeli soldiers fired several bullets at 16-year-old Majed Fida Abu Zeina, in Fara, and allegedly abused him and prevented ambulance crews from reaching him.

Then they dragged him out of the camp using a military bulldozer, the report further said.

The Israeli forces were raiding the al-Ein refugee camp, west of the city of Nablus.

With inputs from agencies.
The deposed ministers had announced their support for Sri Lanka Podujana Peramunas (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Namal Rajapaksa - the heir to the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty - who is vying to become the president read more

Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe looks on during an interview at Presidential Secretariat, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 18, 2022. File Image/Reuters

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday sacked four junior ministers from his government in what is being seen as a purge of the Rajapaksa backers in the run-up to the September 21 presidential elections.

A statement from the presidents office said that the decision was made under the authority granted to him by Article 47 (3) of the Constitution.

The sacked ministers are State Minister of Ports and Aviation Services Premalal Jayasekara, State Minister of Power and Energy Indika Anuruddha, State Minister of Agriculture Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva, and State Minister of Highways Siripala Gamlath.

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The deposed ministers had announced their support for Sri Lanka Podujana Peramunas (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Namal Rajapaksa -the heir to the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty - who is vying to become the president.

The Rajapaksas withdrew support for Wickremesinghe, 75, who is competing as an independent candidate despite being the leader of the grand old party, the United National Party.

The decision to sack the ministers came as a grand coalition  Peoples United Freedom Alliance  was formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

It comprises over 25 political parties that gathered to consolidate support for Wickremesinghe in the presidential election.

Several ministers and politicians from the SLPP, who are backing Wickremesinghe, were also present at the partys launch ceremony.

We have formed this alliance to contest the parliamentary election that will be coming after the presidential election, Gunawardena said.

Wickremesinghe, who took over the presidency for the balance term of the ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022, was installed as the stop-gap president by the majority vote in parliament by the SLPP.

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The younger members of the SLPP, who helped Wickremesinghes work in reviving the bankrupt economy, decided to back the president in helping the country overcome the economic crisis.

The SLPP has vowed to take disciplinary action against the members for backing Wickremesinghe over Rajapaksas candidacy.
China and Cambodia have close relations and China has long used the ties to fuel its expansionist designs in Southeast Asia read more

At a time when China is increasing foothold in Southeast Asia with military aggression, it is set to give two warships to Cambodia to further extend its influence.

China and Cambodia have close relations and China has long used the ties to fuel its expansionist designs in Southeast Asia.

Now, Cambodia has said that China will soon hand over two warships. These are Type 056C corvettes made by China and used by the Chinese Navy.

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Even as the Cambodian Navy Spokesperson Maly Socheata told AFP that the ships are intended to only help protect and maintain peace, stability, security and to support search and rescue operations and other humanitarian activities in the region, they are seen as part of Chinas expanding footprint in the region in general and in Cambodia in particular.

The United States has long had concerns regarding the Chinese-funded renovation of Cambodias Ream naval base, which was originally built by the United States.

Maly said that the two ships are expected to delivered in 2025 or later.

Chinas footprint in Cambodia

China-funded renovation at the Ream naval base is under the scanner as piers have been built for ships much larger than what the Cambodians have. There are reports that it can even host aircraft carriers.

This has raised concerns that China may station ships and personnel at the port to further assert dominance in Southeast Asia. China illegally and falsely claims the entire South China Sea and frequently clashes with other nations in the region. For months, it has been attacking ships of Philippines in the region. If China makes the port another outpost, the dominance in the region fuelled by rampant military aggression would just increase.

On its part, the Cambodians have denied that any foreign military would set up a base in the country.

However, previously, The Wall Street Journal has reported that the United States was aware of a draft agreement that would allow China to use the base for 30 years with the option of deploying warships, weapons, and personnel there.

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Concerns have further been fuelled about the port as US and Japanese officials have not been granted access to the base.
Ukraines parliament approved the nomination of Andrii Sybiha as its foreign minister. The shift comes ahead of the biggest government reshuffle in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022 read more

Ukraines parliament on Thursday (September 5) approved the nomination of Andrii Sybiha as its foreign minister, replacing Dmytro Kuleba as part of the biggest government reshuffle since the full-scale Russian invasion.

First appointment  Andrii Sybiha as minister for foreign affairs of Ukraine, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said, adding 258 lawmakers had voted in favour of the appointment.

Sybiha, 49, is reputed as a skillful career diplomat. He was deputy minister for foreign affairs, and has previously served as Ukraines ambassador to Poland and Turkey. He has worked for several years in Zelenskyys office, overseeing foreign policy and strategic partnerships.

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The new foreign minister is considered to be closer to presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak than his predecessor Kuleba. According to AFP sources, Kuleba did not want to resign but had been under pressure from Yermak and has been criticised for the functioning of his ministry.

Kuleba did not attend the parliament session where 240 lawmakers voted to accept his resignation, said Zheleznyak.

Before he took over Kulebas post, Sybiha was his first deputy at the Foreign Ministry.

Heres a look at his career trajectory prior to that, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

1997-1998: Attache, Third, Second Secretary at the State and Legal Affairs Department, Directorate General for International Legal Affairs, MFA

1998-2002: Second, First Secretary at the Embassy of Ukraine in Polish Republic

2002-2003: First Secretary at the Department of Legal and Humanitarian Cooperation, Directorate General for European Integration, MFA

2003-2005: Head of the International Law Department, Directorate General for International Legal Affairs, MFA

2005-2006: Head of the International Law and Foreign Policy Legislation Department, Directorate General for International Legal Affairs, MFA

2006-2008: Deputy Head of the Directorate General for International Legal Affairs, MFA

2008-2012: Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Ukraine in Polish Republic

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2012-2016: Head of the Directorate General for Consular Service, MFA

2016-2021: Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Turkey

2021-2024: Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine

With inputs from agencies
Four American nationals are still believed to be held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip read more

Families of hostages held by Hamas have been protesting for months for a hostage-release deal (Photo: Reuters)

As Israeli demands continue to stall peace talks, the families of American hostages have pressed the White House to negotiate directly with Hamas, according to a report.

So far, the United States has been facilitating, according to mediators Qatar and Egypt, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas for the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and the release of all hostages  including US nationals.

Now, as the chances of a deal become bleak because of Israeli demands, NBC News has reported that the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza have urged the White House to directly cut a deal with Hamas for the release of Americans without Israels involvement.

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In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rewrote the original peace proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden in May and added four new conditions. The most contentious condition is the continued Israeli occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land along the Egypt-Gaza border. As Hamas and Egypt have both rejected the demand, the peace talks remain stalled and no peace deal has been reached so far.

As of now, four Americans are believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Last week, Hamas killed one American national, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, and his body was recovered by the Israeli soldiers in a tunnel in Israels Rafah.

The report of the demand of a unilateral deal between the United States and Hamas comes after US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met the families of American hostages on Sunday. In the meeting, the officials told the families that even though the Biden administration was exploring every option for the release of hostages, it still believed that a deal involving Israel was the best option, according to NBC.

Can US cut a deal directly with Israel?

In March, the Biden administration reached out to Hamas through Qatar to explore the possibility of a unilateral deal, according to NBC.

The outreach, however, did not lead to anything substantial and the United States has continued to push for a broader deal, as per the report.

A US official told the news channel that a unilateral US-Hamas deal was unrealistic as the United States did not have enough to offer to strike a deal.

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The official said that everything that Hamas wants in lieu of releasing the hostages can only be delivered by Israel.

Hamas wants two things that only Israel can deliver: a ceasefire and nearly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners currently in Israeli jails. Every other proposal has gone nowhere because that is what Hamas demands for the hostages, said this official.

The United States cannot fulfil any of these demands.

The report, however, said that one option that may be considered is releasing five persons convicted for terror financing in lieu of the hostages. These five persons were convicted for funding Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation. One of these five persons, Mufid Abdulqader, is the brother of former Hamas chief Khaled Mashal.

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Even as Netanyahus demands has stalled any hostage-release deal, he has remained firm on the demand to control the Philadelphi Corridor, which he has claimed is important to prevent Hamas revival and another October 7-like attack.
Brunei has only about 160 km of coastline in the South China Sea but it has some serious maritime disputes with China, which increasingly claims sovereignty over the entire region. read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping shows the way to the meeting room to Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during their meeting in 2019. Image courtesy: Reuters

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, sits on the Borneo island bordered by Malaysia and just outside the South China Sea, claimed largely by China as its sovereign territory. Brunei has about 160-km coastline in the oil-gas rich sea, putting it in direct conflict with China amid Beijing increasing military assertiveness in the region.

Brunei and Beijing have a long history of bilateral ties, going back some 2,000 years, when the Han dynasty ruled China. During the rule of the Ming dynasty in China, the tomb of Brunei Sultan Abdul Majid Hassan was constructed in Nanjing in the 15th century.

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With a history of warm ties, Brunei-China relations underwent an eclipsing change as Brunei came under British protectorate, following which the emergence of the Chinese Communist Party as the ruling power in China has defined the bilateral relationship.

Brunei and communist China established official diplomatic relations in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union and the consequent end of the Cold War. Their bilateral relations explained in 10 points below:
Congo is the epicentre of the outbreak, which has spread to neighbouring countries and elsewhere, but a lack of vaccines in Africa has hampered efforts to stop the spread of the sometimes deadly disease. read more

Following the global mpox outbreak in 2022, wealthy countries quickly responded with vaccines and treatments from their stockpiles. However, only a few doses have reached Africa despite pleas from its governments, creating a huge inequity. MVA-BN vaccine has already been used in Europe and the United States, the E.U. said, and it is authorized for use in adults. The European Medicines Agency is examining additional data to be able to administer it to children aged 12 to 17, which could happen at the end of the month. 215,000 doses were pledged and purchased for an undisclosed amount specifically to be donated to Congo, said Laurent Muschel, the Director-General of HERA. The U.S. last week that it donated 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines to Nigeria, where the disease has been common. It is the first known donation to Africa since the current outbreaks. Nigeria has recorded 40 cases of the virus this year, according to Nigerias CDC.- Image- AP

The first batch of mpox vaccine arrived in Congos capital on Thursday, the countrys authorities said, three weeks after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.

A plane carrying doses manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the European Union touched down in the capital Kinshasa around 13:00 local time, Reuters reporters at the airport said.

The 100,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through HERA, the blocs agency for health emergencies. Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, the Congolese authorities said.

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Congos health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, told reporters the newly arrived vaccine had already proved its worth in the United States and would be rolled out to adults in Congo.

We know which provinces are heavily affected, notably Equateur and South Kivu The idea is to contain the virus as quickly as possible, he added.

This first delivery amounts to 99,000 doses and a further delivery on Saturday will take the total to 200,000 doses, said Laurent Muschel, the head of the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

Overall, Europe aims to deliver 566,000 doses to wherever needs are greatest in the region, Muschel told Reuters. Based on the number of cases, the next country (for deliveries) should be Burundi, but the countrys medical agency must authorise it.

The arrival of the vaccine in Congo should start to address a huge inequity that has left African countries with no access to the two shots used in a 2022 global mpox outbreak, while they were widely available in Europe and the United States.

Congo has said it will launch its vaccination campaign on Oct. 8 to allow time for a thorough awareness-raising campaign to overcome mistrust in some communities.

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Following the global mpox outbreak in 2022, wealthy countries quickly responded with vaccines and treatments from their stockpiles. However, only a few doses have reached Africa despite pleas from its governments, creating a huge inequity.

MVA-BN vaccine has already been used in Europe and the United States, the E.U. said, and it is authorized for use in adults. The European Medicines Agency is examining additional data to be able to administer it to children aged 12 to 17, which could happen at the end of the month.

215,000 doses were pledged and purchased for an undisclosed amount specifically to be donated to Congo, said Laurent Muschel, the Director-General of HERA.

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The U.S. last week that it donated 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines to Nigeria, where the disease has been common. It is the first known donation to Africa since the current outbreaks. Nigeria has recorded 40 cases of the virus this year, according to Nigerias CDC.

With inputs from agencies.
Donald Trumps lawyers have proposed a calendar that would push any pretrial arguments not just past the 2024 US election, but until after the next president takes office, in January 2025 read more

Donald Trump's lawyers have been seeking to delay a trial until after November's election between Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Source: AFP.

Donald Trumps case on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election returns to a courtroom on Thursday, but a trial of the former US president appears remote.

District Judge Tanya Chutkan is to preside over a status conference in a downtown Washington courthouse between prosecutors and Trumps lawyers to lay out a schedule for pretrial proceedings in the historic case.

The Republican presidential candidate, who waived his right to be present, will also be formally arraigned at the hearing and has instructed his attorneys to enter a not guilty plea.

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Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a new indictment of the 78-year-old Trump last week on charges that he tried to subvert the results of the presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

The superseding indictment retains the same four charges against Trump as in an earlier version, but takes into account the recent Supreme Court ruling that a former president has broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

It retains the same core, stating that Trump lost in 2020 but was determined to remain in power and attempted to subvert the results.

The Supreme Court ruled in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution for official acts conducted while in office, but can be pursued for unofficial acts.

Trump was originally scheduled to go on trial on March 4, but that was put on hold while his lawyers pushed his immunity claim up to the Supreme Court.

Thursdays status conference will feature the first courtroom appearance by Smith and Trumps attorneys since Chutkan regained control of the case a month ago.

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Private electioneering activity

Trumps lawyers have been seeking to delay a trial until after Novembers election between Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and it is virtually certain that it will not be held before the vote.

Trumps lawyers have proposed a calendar that would push any pretrial arguments not just past the election but until after the next president takes office, in January 2025.

Smith did not propose a timetable but said he would be ready to offer written arguments on the question of presidential immunity whenever the court requested them  and asked that the issue be given priority.

The Supreme Court, in its July 1 ruling, left it to Chutkan, an appointee of former Democratic president Barack Obama, to determine what specific presidential actions might not enjoy immunity.

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Smith said he would demonstrate that some of Trumps acts after the 2020 election were not part of his official functions, to distinguish his private electioneering activity from official action, and rebut the presumption of immunity.

Trump is accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding  the January 6, 2021 joint session of Congress that was violently attacked by Trump supporters.

Trump is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election.

Trump was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had a sexual encounter with the real estate tycoon.

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Sentencing has been scheduled for September 18, but Trumps lawyers have asked for his conviction to be tossed, citing the Supreme Court immunity ruling.

Trump also faces charges in Georgia related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Besides meeting Singapores Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, PM Narendra Modi also visited a semiconductors manufacturer and met top business leaders read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to deepen the bilateral cooperation with Singapore in critical sectors like semiconductors and healthcare along with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence during his ongoing visit.

Modi is on a visit to Singapore as part of his tour of Southeast Asia in which he previously visited Brunei. In Singapore, he held talks with PM Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and held also held a meeting with top business leaders.

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During the visit, Modi announced that he and Wong had decided to elevate the bilateral ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

In public remarks before the delegation-level talks with Wong, PM Modi highlighted the nature of bilateral ties.

Our strategic partnership is completing a decade. Over the past ten years, our trade has more than doubled. Mutual investment has increased almost threefold to cross $150 billion. Singapore was the first country with which we launched the UPI Person-to-Person payment facility. In the past ten years, 17 satellites of Singapore have been launched from Indian soil. Our cooperation has gained momentum from skilling to defence sector. The agreement between Singapore Airlines and Air India has strengthened connectivity, said Modi in Hindi, as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Sharing my remarks during meeting with PM @LawrenceWongST.https://t.co/ipc5WmnY6x  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Focus on chips, health, AI

At a time when the Modi government is looking to develop a semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India, the visit serves as a platform to explore areas of cooperation in the area between India and Singapore.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi said, The discussions with my friend PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations.

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In a separate post, Modi said he and Wong visited the AEM Holdings Ltds facility in Singapore. The company is a full-stack provider of chipmaking-related solutions.

Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more opportunities, said Modi.

At the facility, Modi also met a group of Indian engineers working there as interns.

Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more pic.twitter.com/Bdh8nU1w6Y  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

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Top business leaders pledge to invest in India

During his visit to Singapore, Modi also met top business leaders.

The business leaders comprised the CEOs of Blackstone Singapore, Temasek Holdings, Sembcorp Industries Limited, CapitaLand Investment, ST Telemedia Global Data Centers, Singapore Airways, among others.

These business leaders pledged to invest in India.

We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation, said Modi after the meeting.

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Interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore. We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation. pic.twitter.com/3xkFllIJyw  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Separately, AEM Holdings Chairman Loke Wai San told DD News that Indias push to promote chipmaking is absolutely right. He also said that India is emerging as a place of opportunities regarding semiconductors.

As part of the new globalisation, you see a lot of high-end mobile electronics companies move to IndiaThat shift is very important as these companies are consumers of semiconductors. The more electronics assembly production you have, the more end-market for semiconductors India will have. So, you have got to think about that ecosystem as logistics also play a role, said San.

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Alice Guo, a former mayor of a town in the Philippines, is accused of spying of China under a false identity and providing a cover for criminal gangs read more

Alice Guo, the Mayof of Bamban in the Philippines, is accused of being a Chinese spy (Photo: Facebook)

A former Philippine mayor suspected to be a Chinese spy has been arrested after being on the run for months.

Alice Guo is the disgraced former mayor of the town of Bamban in the Philippines. She is accused of spying for China under a false identity and being part of a criminal network that includes international scams, human smuggling, and money laundering.

Guo was arrested on Tuesday in Indonesia where she had fled to after investigations against her picked up pace.

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Guos came has come to light at a time when China-Philippines relations are already quite poor amid continued Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. The report of penetration of Chinese spies into Philippine government is further set to inflame the relations and adversely affect the attitude towards China. Guos case has already grabbed national attention in the country.

Whats the case against Alice Guo?

Guo was elected as the Mayor of Bamban on the back of an image of a young and enthusiastic public servant, but her fall for grace has been quick.

The fall started when the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) received information about two workers from Malaysia and Vietnam being held against their will in a building in Bamban, according to CNN.

The building was suspected to be a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO), which offers gambling to Chinese nationals as gambling is illegal in China. The report said that the authorities found that more than 800 people from the Philippines, China, Vietnam, etc were held there against their will.

The authorities said love scam scripts, firearms, and mobile phones used in scam were recovered from there, according to the report.

The centre was, therefore, running an international scam where people held against their will were made to pose as lovers to lure people to send money by impersonating as young women on the internet, according to the report.

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The Philippine Senate opened an investigation into the issue that also included the role of Mayor Guo as the centre was running close to her office, according to BBC.

During the investigation, as pressure mounted on Guo to explain how her wealth rose to millions within just two years of being a mayor, she vanished form public. After her arrest in Indonesia, the authorities have said she escaped via several boats and crossed Malaysia and Singapore on her way to Indonesia, as per BBC.

Alice Guo identified as Chinese national

After Guo ignored Senate summons, the Senate issued a warrant against her. But she had vanished by then.

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As the investigation continued, the authorities found that Guo was actually a Chinese national and her real name was not Alice Guo.

Immigration records showed that Guos real name was Guo Hua Ping and her fingerprints in government records matched with that of a Chinese national of the same name, according to CNN.

The investigation also found that the scam centre catering to Chinese nationals was run by Guo in league with a Chinese national, which further bolstered the case of her being a Chinese spy.

The CNN reported that the senate investigation found that an entity, Baofu Land Development, was incorporated in 2019 at the address of the scam centre and the three owners of the entity were Guo and two other Chinese nationals.
The condemnation from Vice President Kamala Harris came shortly after 14-year-old Colt Gray was charged with going on a shooting rampage and killing two students and two teachers at the Apalachee High School in Winder read more

US Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the devastating shooting incident at a high school in Winder Georgia. While addressing a campaign rally in North Hampton, New Hampshire, the Democratic Presidential nominee described the incident as a shameless tragedy and insisted that we (Americans) have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country.

The proclamation from the vice president came shortly after 14-year-old Colt Gray was charged with going on a shooting rampage and killing two students and two teachers at the Apalachee High School in Winder. Not only this but at least nine others were rushed to a nearby hospital after getting injured in the attack.

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Before she commenced her speech about her economic agenda, Harris went off script to address the situation. She shook her head and called the shooting incident outrageous. Were still gathering information about what happened, but we know that there were multiple fatalities and injuries, and our hearts are with all the students, the teachers and their families, she said.

Of course, we are grateful to the first responders and the law enforcement that were on the scene. But this is just a senseless tragedy, on top of so many senseless tragedies, and its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive, she furthered.

Biden issues a statement

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden also issued a statement over the matter and extended condolences to the families of the victims. Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed," he said in the Wednesday statement.

What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart, he added before calling on Republicans to finally say enough is enough, and pass more gun control legislation.

Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me.



Its why I signed the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades, announced dozens of actions, and established the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.



Weve made progress, but this crisis requires even more.  President Biden (@POTUS) September 4, 2024

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During the Wednesday rally, even Harris reiterated the assertions made by Biden about gun laws in Georgia and across the United States. Its senseless. It is. Weve got to stop it, and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. You know, it doesnt have to be this way. It doesnt have to be this way," said the visibly frustrated vice president.

Georgia shooter was on FBI radar since 2023

Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, just revealed that Gray has been on the FBIs radar since last year, when he was interviewed in connection to online school shooting threats. In May 2023, the FBIs National Threat Operations Center received several tips about online threats to commit a school shooting  with the harrowing remarks including photos of guns, the Federal investigative authority said in a statement.

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The statement noted that the Jackson County Sheriffs Office located Gray, then just 13, and interviewed him and his father. Grays father said that the teenager had a hunting gun in the house  but Gray didnt have unsupervised access to them, according to the statement.

At that time Gray denied making online threats. Officials, however, alerted local schools for continued monitoring of Gray, per the statement. Following the Wednesday incident, the officials said that the suspect surrendered quickly as officers, including two school resources officers, entered the campus and confronted him.

With inputs from agencies.
India and Singapore also emphasised the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with Financial Action Task Force recommendations. read more

India and Singapore said on Thursday that terrorism remains the most pressing threat to global peace and stability, reaffirming their commitment to combating its forms and manifestations.

A joint statement released during Prime Minister Narendra Modis two-day visit to Singapore emphasised that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.

The two nations also reaffirmed the importance of economic prosperity and security, underscoring the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, following international laws, in a subtle allusion to Chinas actions in the region.

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In a veiled reference to China, the leaders also reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea as per international laws underlining the link between prosperity and security.

India and Singapore on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed four MoUs, including on cooperation in semiconductors, as Prime Minister Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong during the official visit here on latters invitation.

Premier Wong reaffirmed Singapores continuing support for India as a permanent member in a reformed United Nations Security Council, the statement pointed out and added that Modi thanked him for extending support for Indias candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term.

Stating that both prime ministers recognised that terrorism continues to remain the single most significant threat to peace and stability, they reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

They stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever, the joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said. The two leaders also affirmed their resolve to fight against global terrorism and terror organisations.

They called for reinvigorating multilateral action on terrorism, including through reiterating the importance of the conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations at the earliest, it said.

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Both Prime ministers also emphasised the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations.

Underlining the link between prosperity and security, the leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, it said.

The statement also emphasised that they will pursue the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), without resorting to the threat or use of force. The statement, which mentioned no country, comes in the wake of China regularly engaging in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South China Sea claiming most of it while the other neighbours such as Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan making counterclaims.

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Both Prime Ministers reaffirmed efforts to strengthen cooperation at regional and international fora particularly in the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Commonwealth, and the ASEAN, it said.

The statement also mentioned the two nations commitment to work together to promote peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region, which promotes free trade and open markets, and acknowledged India and Singapores close cooperation on, and support for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

Apart from supporting further strengthening the ASEAN  India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which complements Indias bilateral relations with individual Member States, the leaders appreciated the ASEAN-India joint statement on cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

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Singapore is the ASEAN Country Coordinator for India for the period 2021-24, the statement said, adding, both sides also welcomed the Quads support for ASEAN centrality.

Prime Minister Modi conveyed that India is looking forward to the visit of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to India next year. Prime Minister Modi also invited Prime Minister Wong to visit India at a mutually convenient time, it added.
NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam said, FTAs enable a sense of familiarity to get things accelerated, in addition to massive opportunities, not only in goods but in services on both sides. Its a perfect fit, perfect match read more

The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation is in the final stage with both sides very close to clinching an agreement, NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam said.

I think this is a deal that is in the last slab, Subrahmanyam said, adding: The two sides I would say are not even at hand-shaking distance, the fingers are touching. Its just a question of that extra five inches and you can grab the deal."

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The statement was made by the NITI Aayog CEO during his address at a panel discussion on the future of India-UK trade.

The FTA negotiation between India and the UK began in January 2022 under the then Conservative Party government and 13 rounds of negotiations were done. It was stalled due to the general elections in both India and the UK.

The agreement is aimed at significantly enhancing the GBP 38.1 billion a year. In July end this year, the process of FTA negotiation with India re-started by the UKs newly elected Labour government led by Keir Starmer.

At the time of signing the new UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) agreement, both sides were keen to emphasise that the bilateral partnership is not being held hostage to the FTA even as the newly elected governments on both sides remain committed to it.

On Wednesday, the UKIIFB was signed between NITI Aayog and City of London Corporation in London. It aims at facilitating international investments into Indias ambitious infrastructure projects and is seen as a sign of the economic partnership moving at pace unencumbered by the FTA talks.

The relationship between two countries should not be hostage to a trade deal India-UK partnership has many, many dimensions to it - infrastructure finance, climate, technology FTAs enable a sense of familiarity to get things accelerated, in addition to massive opportunities, not only in goods but in services on both sides. Its a perfect fit, perfect match, Subrahmanyam said.

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We are close

Vikram Doraiswamy, the High Commissioner of India to the UK, who was also at the UKIIFB signing event said, Im not betraying any negotiating secrets when I tell you, we believe we are close. But, of course, the proof of the pudding is not just in the eating, but in ensuring that it comes out of the oven at the right time. So, we are in the process of sort of getting the last bits in place and those are always the hard yards."

But the FTA, in totality, is a very important part but (only) one part of the larger strategic relationship we seek to have the UK that includes opportunities such as this UKIIFB to look at the financial services sector and essentially create a long-term viable channel for capital to be deployed profitably in India for the benefit of both economies; to look at technology; to look at research and innovation, he further said.
The H225M, known as the Caracal in French military service, is the latest evolution of the Puma helicopter family and can be used for search and rescue operations, transport, assault missions and special forces insertion. read more

Iraq agreed on Thursday to purchase 14 military helicopters, including a dozen H225M multi-role combat aircraft, from European aviation giant Airbus.

Defence Minister Thabet al-Abbassi attended the signing ceremony for the deal in Baghdad alongside the French ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, and a representative of Airbus Helicopters, an AFP journalist reported.

Arnaud Montalvo, head of Airbus Helicopters for the Middle East, said the agreement was for 12 H225M helicopters to be delivered starting in early 2025. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

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The French embassy in Baghdad told AFP the deal was for 14 helicopters, including the 12 H225Ms.

Durel said the agreement stemmed from exchanges and discussions between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

We can only be pleased that today we have achieved this result, which will allow Iraq to strengthen its capacities and which will allow Iraq to strengthen its sovereignty, he added.

Baghdad and Paris have been working to strengthen bilateral defence ties.

Our forces have fought together against terrorism, against IS, Durel said, referring to the Islamic State group.

You can count on France to contribute to strengthening the countrys sovereignty and security and I am sure that you can count on both our armed forces, on our various industrialists to strengthen this relationship in all areas, Durel added.

France has deployed troops in Iraq as part of the US-led international coalition set up to fight IS and last year announced plans to train Iraqi units.

Iraq declared victory over IS in late 2017, but jihadist cells remain active, carrying out sporadic attacks, particularly in rural areas.

Baghdad is now seeking to end the coalitions mission and replace it with bilateral military partnerships with other countries, saying its forces can lead the fight against the weakened IS group.

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In a January 2023 trip to Paris, Sudani held talks with representatives of various French defence manufacturers as well as Airbus on the potential acquisition of helicopters, radars and the Dassault Rafale fighter jet.

Montalvo told AFP that Airbus was aiming to deliver the helicopters as quickly as possible because there is a pressing operation need.
The 54-year-old is accused of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes over the past decade and instead spending money freely on luxury living, sex workers and a drug habit read more

US President Joe Biden stands with his son Hunter Biden, who earlier in the day was found guilty on all three counts in his criminal gun charges trial, after President Biden arrived at the Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Delaware, US, on 11 June, 2024. File Image: Reuters

Joe Bidens son Hunter goes on trial Thursday in California on charges of tax evasion in a case that has been a huge embarrassment and distraction for the US president.

The 54-year-old is accused of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes over the past decade and instead spending money freely on luxury living, sex workers and a drug habit.

The younger Biden has already spent a chunk of 2024 in court, having been convicted in Delaware of lying about his drug use when he bought a gun  a felony.

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That case featured testimony on Bidens extravagant living, disintegrating marriage and heavy use of crack cocaine.

Now a jury in Los Angeles will sit through what are expected to be days of lurid details about a life that the defendant and his family  including the president  have long acknowledged had gone off the rails.

They want to slime him because that is the whole purpose, Bidens attorney Mark Geragos reportedly said during an August hearing in which he accused prosecutors of attempted character assassination.

Bidens defence team argues that the non-payment of taxes was an oversight in a life wrought chaos by a spiralling drug addiction and the trauma of losing his older brother, Beau, to a brain tumour in 2015.

Biden has paid the back taxes, as well as penalties levied by authorities, and had previously reached a plea deal that would have kept him out of jail.

That agreement fell apart at the last minute, and Biden the son is understood to have been trying to reach another ever since.

But that has been difficult for prosecutors whose every move in this election year is being scrutinized by Republicans eager to show the defendant is being treated leniently because he is the presidents son.

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Biden has for years been a foil for his fathers political opponents, who have sought  without producing evidence  to smear the family as a group of criminals who have gained wealth and power because of Joe Bidens career.

The elder Bidens withdrawal from the presidential race in favour of Kamala Harris has taken much of the zeal out of the Republican fervour for making an example out of his son.

Nevertheless, the special counsel in charge of the case, David Weiss, is pressing ahead, seeking convictions on one count of tax evasion and two of filing a false return.

Guilty verdicts could result in up to 17 years in prison for Biden. The gun felony, which he is yet to be sentenced on, carries a maximum 25-year term.

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The trial starts Thursday in downtown Los Angeles with the selection of a jury from a panel of around 100 candidates.

Opening arguments are expected on Monday.

Hunter Biden, a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist who lives in Malibu, has stated that he has been drug-free since 2019.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday winded up his visit to Brunei and Singapore. Heres a quick look at key takeaways from his two-nation visit read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday winded up his visit to Brunei and Singapore during which he held wide-ranging talks with the top leadership of both the countries to build upon the historic ties, strengthen the partnership and attract investment from the two Southeast Asian nations.

A successful visit concludes! PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi after an outcome oriented visit to Singapore, the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X.

Taking to X, PM Modi said his visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one.

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It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth, he said.

My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth. pic.twitter.com/hx0DVl71WX  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Singapore, a small yet advanced Asian nation, is a is a familiar destination for PM Modi, with regular bilateral visits over the years. As Indias largest trading partner in Asia, Singapores trade with India reached $36.6 billion.

It is also a crucial ally in Indias Act East Policy. In 2023, Singapore became the top foreign direct investor in India, contributing $11.77 billion in investments.

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PM Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

Before leaving for Singapore, PM Modi described his two-day visit to Brunei as productive

My visit to Brunei Darussalam was productive. It ushers in a new era of even stronger India-Brunei ties. Our friendship will contribute to a better planet. I am grateful to the people and Government of Brunei for their hospitality and affection. pic.twitter.com/Wm3pilBAlL  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 4, 2024

My visit to Brunei Darussalam was productive. It ushers in a new era of even stronger India-Brunei ties. Our friendship will contribute to a better planet. I am grateful to the people and Government of Brunei for their hospitality and affection, PM Modi posted on X.

PM Modi visit to Brunei, an oil-rich and strategically located country on the island of Borneo, to enhance bilateral relations and economic engagement.

The Indian expatriate and ethnic communities were thrilled by the brief visit, and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th ruler of his line, gave a warm and exceptional red-carpet welcome.

India, as a member of QUAD and under its Act East Policy, is upgrading its previously neglected relationship with the island nation.

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Heres a quick look at key takeaways from PM Modis two-nation visit:

PM Modi and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to facilitate defence cooperation between the two countries. The initiative reflects both nations commitment to collaborating in security matters, particularly in the context of regional stability and maritime security

The two leaders discussed signing a space cooperation agreement, indicating a mutual interest in advancing technological collaboration in space exploration and satellite technology

The leaders agreed to expand trade ties and commercial linkages. This includes exploring new avenues for cooperation in sectors such as investment, aimed at boosting economic relations

According to reports, Brunei and India also agreed to engage in the area of the long-term supply of LNG to India. India currently imports a significant portion of its long-term LNG supplies from Qatar

Having cultural interactions and aspiring to encourage people-to-people engagement were considered crucial in building up the historical bilateral relations. PM Modi said with around 14,000 Indian diaspora members in Brunei, the community remains a strong diplomatic link between the two countries

A regular flight between the Brunei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan and Chennai was also announced

As part of his visit, the PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the new Chancery Building of the Indian High Commission in Brunei to ensure that diplomatic relations between the two countries are highly enhanced. This chancery design shows Indian motifs, which embody the cultural spirit in Indian buildings and help establish Indianness in Brunei.

During PM Modis two-day visit to Singapore, the two countries elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This is an upgrade of the existing Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), established in June 2005, which had eliminated tariffs on 81 per cent of Singapore exports to India.

The two countries signed four MoUs, including one on collaboration in the semiconductor industry. PM Modi and PM Wong also visited a semiconductor manufacturing facility. Singapore is part of the global semiconductor value chain and is keen to invest in India to develop semiconductor clusters and enhance Indian talent in design and manufacturing. India, on its part, is equally enthusiastic about growing this trillion-dollar opportunity alongside its emerging electronic chip industry.

The other three MoUs signed between the two countries pertained to educational cooperation and skill development, health and medicine, and the rapidly growing field of digital technologies

PM Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong took stock of the robust progress in economic ties. The leaders called for further expanding trade and investment flows between the two countries.

They also reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, AI, Fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership.

India and Singapore agreed that terrorism remains the most pressing threat to global peace and stability, reaffirming their commitment to combating its forms and manifestations. A joint statement emphasised that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.

Both sides also welcomed the second meeting of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held last month in Singapore. They noted that the ISMR has contributed to fostering an open dialogue to set a new agenda for the India - Singapore partnership.

In the sector of sustainability, both Prime Ministers underscored the potential of increasing cooperation in the areas of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia and welcomed the collaboration between Indian and Singaporean companies in this area, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

PM Wong appreciated Indias decision of granting exemption for the export of non-Basmati white rice to Singapore. In response, PM Modi also assured Indias support to Singapores efforts to strengthen food security.

PM Modi appreciated Singapores participation in the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuels Alliance, initiatives launched by India. Both Prime Ministers agreed that India and Singapore can work together to further promote sustainable development.

Both Prime Ministers commended the success of UPI-PayNow Linkage and other digital collaboration initiatives such as ONDC - Proxtera Connectivity, and Trade Trust (an initiative to enable Singapore and Indian banks and their respective clients to use interoperable electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs) in their Letter of Credit transactions)

Recognising the growth in travel demand between the two countries, both leaders encouraged the civil aviation authorities of India-Singapore to discuss expanding the bilateral Air Services Agreement to enhance air connectivity.

PM Modi invited Singaporean business leaders to look at investment opportunities in India in sectors like aviation, energy, and skill development. In his interaction with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors, PM Modi said India had made transformative progress in the last 10 years and would continue on the same path given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, ease of doing business, and its reform-oriented economic agenda

With inputs from agencies
Multiple countries are pushing back against Chinas assertive actions in the South China Sea. Australia and Japan criticized Beijings treatment of the Philippines, while Malaysia vowed to continue oil exploration in its waters despite Chinese opposition read more

The South China Sea region remains a flashpoint, with neighbouring nations asserting their rights in defiance of Beijings expansive maritime claims.

China is facing increasing resistance from multiple countries over its actions in the South China Sea, with recent pushback over its treatment of the Philippines and attempts to dissuade Malaysia from oil and gas exploration in contested waters.

Response to China-Philippines tensions

China has repeatedly clashed with the Philippines in the South China Sea, where Beijings construction of artificial islands and militarisation of outposts have raised alarm.

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Analysts believe that these ongoing confrontations between China and the Philippines could escalate, especially given Manilas mutual defence treaty with the United States, which could draw Washington into the conflict if hostilities intensify.

In a joint statement issued after a meeting of their foreign and defence ministers in Queenscliff on Thursday (September 5), Australia and Japan expressed concern over Chinas increasing assertiveness in the region, particularly its treatment of Manila.

We expressed serious concerns over recent developments in the South China Sea, including an intensification of Chinas dangerous and coercive activities towards the Philippines, which have occurred with high frequency, the statement said.

Malaysia pushes back over oil exploration

Meanwhile, Malaysia has stood firm against Chinas efforts to halt its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made it clear on Thursday that Malaysia will continue its resource extraction activities within its exclusive economic zone, despite Beijings opposition.

What we did in terms of oil exploration is certainly within our waters, Anwar said while traveling in Russia. His comments followed the publication of a leaked diplomatic note in which China accused Malaysia of encroaching on Chinese territory and demanded that Petronas, Malaysias state-run oil firm, stop all operations off the coast of Sarawak state on Borneo island.

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Anwar stressed that Malaysias actions are crucial for the countrys economic survival, indicating that exploration would not stop.

Although Malaysia is open to discussions with China, Anwar made it clear that the countrys oil exploration activities would continue. China is a great friend, but we will of course have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil, in our territory.

The leaked diplomatic note published by Inquirer.net has caused a stir, however, the content has not been denied.

With inputs from agencies
Japan looks alarmed by growing Chinese posturing and display of Beijings military prowess in the Pacific. A white paper by its defence ministry released this week flags security concerns not only for Japan but for the broader international order read more

Japan made public its annual white paper on security assessment on Tuesday, days after it sought a record defence budget of $59 billion for the next year. Japans defence ministry says that the Asia-Pacific region is facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. This comes in the context of China-linked multiple territorial tensions in the region, especially around the South China Sea, on most parts of which Beijing claims its sovereign claim.

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In the English version of the 572-page white paper, Japans Defence Minister Minoru Kihara sets out Tokyos defence plan with a warning that the international community has entered a new era of crisis and was facing the greatest trial since World War II.

Kihara refers to Chinas military build-up and increasingly intensifying activities in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the rest of the Pacific as one of the greatest strategic challenges to Japan.

What Japan says about security threats

The white paper emphasises that the existing international order is under unprecedented threat. It says that the rapid military buildup by China, particularly in the East China Sea (around the Senkaku Islands) and the broader Pacific region, has challenged Japans security.

The international community has entered a new era of crisis. It is now facing its greatest trial since the end of World War II. The existing order is being seriously challenged. Japan finds itself in the most severe and complex security environment of the post-war era, the white paper says.

It also talks about the advancement of North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes, along with continued ballistic missile launches, seen as a direct threat. Japan points to Russias intensified military activities in the Far East, including near Japans Northern Territories, and its ongoing aggression in Ukraine, often in collaboration with China.

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China has been rapidly building up military capabilities while intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, where the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands are, as well as in the Pacific, it says.

This also comes against the backdrop of Russia-North Korea defence cooperation agreements, signed during Vladimir Putins visit to the Hermit Kingdom in June this year amid deepening Chinese military backing to Moscow as the Ukraine war rages on.

Russia has also been observed engaging in joint activities with China involving aircraft and vessels, Japans defence ministry says.

How it threatens global peace

The white paper shows Japans sense of urgency that its security challenges and those faced by the international community are of a scale that could severely disrupt global peace and stability. Japans defence ministry says its efforts are aimed at essential not only securing its national defence but also directed at maintaining the broader international order.

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Japan says that Beijing is pushing intensifying changes to the status quo by force in the entire region, including in the East China and South China Sea. Tokyo fears that an armed conflict over Taiwan is most likely to spill over to Japan.

China considers Taiwan one of its provinces but Taipei has independent diplomatic relations with a host of countries. But China is insistent on reuniting Taiwan with the mainland, even by the use of military power. Alarmed over Chinas military manoeuvring around Taiwan, Japan has been deploying more troops and military equipment to its outlying islands close to Taiwan.

The South China Sea is currently the major boiling pot in the region. And Chinas sweeping claims of sovereignty over it is intricately linked to its estimated 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

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This claim by China has triggered conflicts with other claimants Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. They keep negotiating deals with China  as they have since the 1970s  but no permanent solution has been found to the question as to who possesses the right to exploit rich natural resources and fishing areas in which jurisdictional territory. China objects to almost everyones territorial and economic claims.

The failure of Chinese and Southeast Asian leaders to diplomatically resolve the disputes in the South China Sea has the potential to undermine international peace as the competing powers  particularly the biggest global naval power China  show little regard to laws governing maritime disputes. This has led to destabilising arms buildups in the Pacific region.

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What Japan prescribes as strategic response

Japan is reinforcing its defence capabilities and accelerating its military build-up, prioritising the acquisition of stand-off missiles, including Tomahawk missiles and upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles, as well as enhancing its Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems.

The white paper also talks about the need for strengthening alliances, particularly with the United States, which has been described as the cornerstone of Japans security policy. Japan is also deepening its cooperation with other like-minded countries to ensure regional stability and promote the Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.

Among the defence alliances is the Quad that is a defence dialogue forum of four nations  Australia, India, Japan and the US. The four countries regularly conduct joint military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region.

China has detested the growing defence understanding among the four major powers of the region. Incidentally, China is engaged in border disputes with India and Japan, strategic rivalry with the US, and an intense trade war with Australia, which has repeatedly recognised Beijings assertiveness in Oceania as a challenge to its security.

Japans white paper also focuses on the need for multilateral cooperation for real-time security data sharing such as information about missile warning particularly with the US, South Korea and Australia.

With the fresh budgetary push, Japan looks to fortify its southwestern islands against the threats from China by next year. The nearly $60 billion budgeted money would be spent on developing and acquiring new drones, missiles, satellites, cyber defence and cloud-based command and control systems.

But Japans defence push is not being welcomed by China, whose state-controlled media has described Tokyos hiked military expenditure plan as militarism resurgence  in a reminder to Tokyos military expeditions and aggressions before and during World War II.
The 27-year-old Nga Wai hono i te po was chosen as Kuini by a council of New Zealands Indigenous Maori chiefs during a ceremony in the countrys North Island read more

New Maori queen, twenty-seven-year-old Nga Wai hono i te po Paki, attends the funeral ceremony of New Zealand's Maori King Tuheitia at the Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia on September 5, 2024. AFP

New Zealands Maori crowned a new queen following the death of the tribes seventh monarch, King Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII. The 27-year-old Nga Wai hono i te po was chosen as Kuini by a council of New Zealands Indigenous Maori chiefs during a ceremony in the countrys North Island.

With this, Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki became the second-ever Maori queen in the eight-dynasty reign of the Kiingitanga movement in New Zealand. Following her fathers demise, the indigenous community called her the new dawn. Interestingly, the first female queen of Maori was her grandmother Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

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Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki is the youngest child of King Tuheitia who died in his sleep at the age of 69. She ascended the throne on the final morning of the six-day tangihanga (funeral) of her father, The Guardian reported. It is pertinent to note that the erstwhile monarch had two sons but the role is not automatically inherited.

Who is the new queen of Maori?

Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki has a masters degree in Maori cultural studies from Waikato University. She received her famous chin tattoo known as moko kauae at age 19 as a gift to her father. She is the second-youngest monarch in Maoridom and has been close to her fathers side in many events in the past several years.

The Kiingitanga dynasty was founded in 1858 as a force to resist colonisation and preserve the Maori culture and land. While the empire has no legal mandate and the monarch is largely a ceremonial position, the monarch is still considered to be the paramount chief of several tribes.

Tekau-Maa-Rua chairman Che Wilson said Te Whakawahinga elucidated the importance of the ceremony, which dates back eight generations. We follow the Tikanga of our ancestors who created the Kiingitanga to unify and uplift our people and we have chosen Nga Wai Hono i te po as our new monarch," Wilson averred.

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Maori cause in the modern era

Since the electoral victory of New Zealands conservative National Party-led government in October, the group has played an important role in uniting the Indigenous community in opposition to proposed policies considered by many to be a rollback of Maori rights.

Last year, thousands protested across New Zealand against the governments plans to reverse policies which boosted Indigenous rights, including plans to close the Maori Health Authority, which was set up during Jacinda Arderns Labour government.

New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon lauded King Tuheitia as a leader whose commitment to Maori and all New Zealanders has been felt right across the country. However, he is currently in South Korea and skipped the funeral of the king.

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It will be closely watched how the new queen will tackle these challenges. Te Tiriti o Waitangi lawyer Annette Sykes, who has been a strong advocate for Maori said that the new Queen represents the future.

Shes inspiring, the revitalisation and reclamation of our language has been a 40 year journey for most of us and she epitomises that, it is her first language, she speaks it with ease. Political, economic and social wellbeing for our people is at the heart of what she wants and in many ways she is like her grandmother, who was adored by the nation," Sykes averred.

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Weve all watched her grow up, shes very humble, Ive watched her mature into this woman who has this thirst for authentic knowledge and brings this into the modern world. Shes someone who wears Gucci, and she wears moko kauae. She is leading us into uncharted and turbulent waters, and she will do it with aplomb," she added.

With inputs from agencies.
The former prisoners headed to nearby Guatemala, whose reformist President Bernardo Arevalo has worked closely with Washington on the key issue of migration, and will have the opportunity to seek to move to the United States, the White House said read more

The United States said Thursday it had secured the release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua, the latest mass transfer by President Daniel Ortegas increasingly authoritarian government.

The White House said that the prisoners included members of faith organizations, students and others viewed by Ortega and his team as a threat to their authoritarian rule.

The former prisoners headed to nearby Guatemala, whose reformist President Bernardo Arevalo has worked closely with Washington on the key issue of migration, and will have the opportunity to seek to move to the United States, the White House said.

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No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association and practicing their religion, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

The United States again calls on the government of Nicaragua to immediately cease the arbitrary arrest and detention of its citizens for merely exercising their fundamental freedoms, he said.

The latest move follows the mass release of more than 200 prisoners in February 2023 who were flown to the United States.

The former prisoners have largely welcomed being able to leave, although some human rights activists view Ortegas move cynically, seeing him as trying to get rid of perceived opponents while at least attempting to curry favor with Washington.

The latest release includes 13 members of Mountain Gateway, an evangelical Christian group based in Texas.

Nicaraguan authorities earlier this year accused members of the group, which conducts mass gospel campaigns as well as humanitarian work, of money laundering and organized crime.

Mountain Gateway strongly denied the charges, saying that Nicaraguan authorities were able to review its budgeting.

Ortega, a 78-year-old former leftist guerrilla who battled US-backed forces in the 1980s, returned to power in 2007 and initially had been seen as more moderate.

But he has since lifted presidential term limits, seized control of all branches of government and led a sweeping crackdown on groups including the Catholic Church and NGOs seen as threats to his rule.
The rocket is transporting the Sentinel-2C satellite, part of the European Unions Copernicus programme read more

Europes Vega rocket launched Wednesday from French Guiana, an AFP journalist said, carrying a satellite which will help combat natural disasters.

Delayed by a day due to electrical issues on the ground links, according to French firm Arianespace, the launch in Kourou finally took place at 10:50 pm (0150 GMT Thursday).

Successful lift-off for the last Vega mission from Europes spaceport, the Guiana Space Centre wrote on social media platform X.

The rocket is transporting the Sentinel-2C satellite, part of the European Unions Copernicus programme.

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Sentinel-2C will play a role in water quality monitoring and detecting methane emissions.

The satellite will also support the management of natural disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes and floods.

The mission will be the last for the Vega rocket, built by Italian aerospace company Avio and in service since 2012.

It is due to be replaced by the more powerful Vega-C, which has been grounded since 2022 following an accident which caused the loss of two Airbus satellites.
At least 68 Pakistani nationals face death penalty, convicted for crimes such as terrorism, murder, and drug trafficking, according to the government data. read more

Over 20,000 Pakistani nationals are currently imprisoned across 88 countries, according to new government data. Despite contributing significantly to Pakistans economy through remittances, many Pakistani expatriates working abroad, especially in Gulf nations, often face vulnerable situations that can lead to imprisonment.

Once detained, Pakistani prisoners overseas have limited access to consular assistance and legal support from their government. Once detained, Pakistani prisoners overseas have limited access to consular assistance and legal support from their government. They are often left at the mercy of local legal systems without proper representation, impartial translators, or sufficient help from Pakistani embassies.

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Among those incarcerated, 68 Pakistani nationals face death penalty, convicted for crimes such as terrorism, murder, and drug trafficking, The Express Tribune newspaper reported on Thursday citing the government report.

A vast majority of these prisoners are held in the United Arab Emirates (5,292) and Saudi Arabia (10,432), making up 74 percent of the total. Besides, 463 Pakistanis are languishing in Malaysian prisons, 321 in the UK, and 578 in Oman, the report said.

Many of them are also in jails of Turkey, Bahrain, Greece, China, the United States and Germany, it said.

Once imprisoned, these individuals are left at the mercy of local legal systems, often without access to proper legal representation, impartial translators, or sufficient support from Pakistani embassies, the report said.

With inputs from agencies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also blamed former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of instigating Ukraine to fight till the last soldier read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that India, China, and Brazil can mediate in the conflict with Ukraine.

Addressing the Eastern Economic Forum at Russias Vladivostok, Putin said that Russia has never been closed to peace talks and referred to the talks that took place in the initial weeks of the conflict in 2022.

Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused this, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and virtually initiated in Istanbul, said Putin, as per Reuters.

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As for the partners who can mediate between Russia and Ukraine, Putin said he is frequently in touch with them.

We respect our friends, partners, who, I believe, are sincerely interested in resolving all issues related to this conflict. This is primarily the Peoples Republic of China, Brazil, India. I am constantly in contact with our colleagues on this issue. And I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, we have a trusting relationship with them, sincerely strive to help understand all the details of this complex process, said Putin, as per the news agency.

In 2022, in the initial weeks of the war, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators had multiple rounds of engagements to flesh out a peace deal. A proposal had also emerged but Russian demands over territorial control, Ukraines internal identity question, and security guarantees, among others, meant that the talks collapsed. Now, as the conflict is in its third year and both sides are looking to maximise their gains, talks dont appear to be likely in near future.

While speaking about the Ukraine conflict, Putin also blamed former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for fuelling the conflict. He said it was at his insistence that Ukraine decided to fight till the last soldier.

We have reached almost all the parameters of a possible peace agreement with representatives of the government in Kyiv, all these parameters, agreed on everything. Moreover, the head of the negotiating delegation, who still heads the ruling faction in the (Verkhovna) Rada, in the (Ukrainian) parliament, he endorsed these agreements. Yes, there was still something to be worked out, but in general, the visa was there, it was a document. Then Mr. Johnson came, as is known. The British authorities do not deny this, they confirm. He arrived and ordered the Ukrainians to fight to the last Ukrainian - which is happening today with the aim of achieving a strategic defeat of Russia. This is not happening, said Putin, as per an English translation of his address.

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Putin endorses Harris in US election

Owing to her infectious laugh, Putin endorsed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in the US presidential election, according to Reuters.

Putins jest comes a day after the Joe Biden administration of the United States charged Russia with a disinformation campaign to interfere in the US election.

Previously, Putin has said he preferred Biden over Trump because Biden was a more predictable old school politician. Now, Putin has said he will follow Bidens endorsement to support Harris.

She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her, said Putin, as per Reuters.

Putin further said that maybe endorsing Harris would lead her to refrain from imposing further sanctions against Russia.

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Even as Putin has now claimed to endorse Harris in jest, he is seen as being friendly with Trump. Throughout his public life, Trump has admired Putin publicly.

Previously, Trump has called Putin smart, savvy, and genius. In the run-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when Russia was deploying troops along the Ukrainian border and military action seemed imminent, Trump had praised Putin.

Trump described Putins aggression toward Ukraine as genius and very savvy, adding, in reference to the Russian military, theyre gonna keep peace all right. Trump went on to praise Putin as a tough cookie who has great charm, reported MSNBC about Trumps statement on February 23, 2022, just one day before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Speaking at a forum in Vladivostok, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Kyivs Kursk offensive had failed to stop Moscow in eastern Ukraine read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine going into Kursk made Moscow's advance in east Ukraine quicker. Source: AFP.

President Vladimir Putin said Thursday Moscows main Ukraine aim was to capture the Donbas region and that Russias army was gradually pushing back Kyivs forces from the Kursk region after their surprise incursion.

Russia has throughout 30 months of fighting adapted its aims in Ukraine after failing to take Kyiv in 2022 and Putins comments come as Moscows forces advance fast westwards in the Donbas this summer.

Putin said Kyivs Kursk offensive had failed to stop Moscow in eastern Ukraine.

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The aim of the enemy (in Kursk) was to force us to worry, hustle, divert troops and to stop our offensive in key areas, especially in the Donbas, the liberation of which is our main primary objective, Putin said at a forum in Vladivostok.

Russia claimed to have annexed the eastern Donetsk region, as well as three other Ukrainian regions, in September 2022.

Putin said Ukraine going into Kursk made Moscows advance in east Ukraine quicker: The enemy weakened itself on key areas, our army has accelerated its offensive operations.

Putin, who appeared rattled when Ukraine launched its surprise move into Kursk in early August, said Moscow was beginning to push back Ukrainian forces from the border region, where they have held on to some towns and villages.

Our armed forces have stabilised the situation and started gradually squeezing (the enemy) out from our territory, he said.

It is the holy duty of the Russian army to do everything to throw out the enemy from tis territory and to protect our citizens, he added.

Putin has recently hardened his rhetoric on Kursk, vowing earlier this week to deal with the Ukrainian bandits in the region.
Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an attack on one Nato member is considered an attack on all members. This collective defence principle means there could be a response from Nato if Poland is attacked read more

Russias Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has suggested the possibility of extending the ongoing invasion of Ukraine towards Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

This decision from Kremlin would depend on the type of weapons Ukraine receives from Western allies.

According to Russian state-owned news agency TASS, Medvedev said Obviously, we need to create a buffer zone for the future to ensure that nothing flies in. Its size is anyones guess, but it should be sufficient. If they [Ukrainians] wish to get long-range means of attack, such as cruise and ballistic missiles, then this buffer zone should stretch as far as Poland.

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US to send Ukraine long-range cruise missiles

The comment from Medvedev comes just two days after Reuters, citing anonymous US officials, said that the United States is close to an agreement to give Ukraine long-range cruise missiles specifically the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) that could reach deep into Russia.

Sending JASSMs to Ukraine could significantly alter the strategic landscape of the conflict by putting more of Russia in range of powerful, precision-guided munitions.

The source had suggested that Kyiv would have to wait several months as Washington works through technical issues ahead of any shipment.

Impact on Poland

Poland, prompted by Russias invasion of Ukraine, has been beefing up its defences. The latest move involved Warsaw announcing new military deals worth $520 million.

Poland currently allocates 4 per cent of its gross defence product (GDP) to defence, the highest ratio of all Nato members. It aims to increase spending to 4.7 per cent next year, according to Al Jazeera.

Warsaw has announced a deal to purchase hundreds of AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and a contract for 48 launchers for US-designed Patriot air defense systems.

Can Nato get involved in the conflict?

Poland has been a member of Nato since 1999. Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an attack on one Nato member is considered an attack on all members.

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This collective defence principle would likely prompt a response from Nato, including military support to Poland, if Russia were to violate Polish territory or engage in any military action that threatens it.

With inputs from agencies
Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch with over the Ukraine conflict, asserting that they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it. read more

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned the US not to cross Russias red lines on the Ukraine conflict, asserting that Washington is starting to lose its sense of mutual restraint with Moscow, state-owned TASS news agency reported.

In an interview on Wednesday, Lavrov said that Americans have crossed their own red lines on the supply of arms to Ukraine, the Russian news agency reported.

They (the US) should understand that our red lines are nothing to fool with. And they know very well where they are, the report quoted him as saying.

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Lavrov said the US is starting to lose its sense of mutual restraint with Russia, calling it dangerous.

(US National Security Council spokesman John) Kirby said that the issue of stepping up support for Ukraine should be approached carefully so as not to provoke World War III because it will be sad to see Europe gone, he said, adding that the US has a deep-seated conviction that they are untouchable.

Lavrov said he hoped Washington would realise the potential consequences of supplying Ukraine with weapons.

I am convinced that there are reasonable people with significant influence left there. And I hope that the interests of the US will be taken into account, he said.

Meanwhile, at a press conference on Wednesday, Kirby said the US welcomes any nation that is willing to try to help end the conflict in Ukraine.

Any nation that is willing to try to help end this war and do so in keeping with President Zelenskyys prerogatives, the Ukrainian peoples prerogatives, his plan for a just peace, we would certainly welcome a role like that, he said.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch with over the Ukraine conflict, asserting that they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it.

We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue, Putin was quoted as saying in a separate report by TASS.

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Putins remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic visit to Ukraine, where he held talks with President Zelenskyy.

On August 23, Modi visited Ukraine, where he conveyed to President Zelenskyy that Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an active role to restore peace in the region.
The one-on-one talks will come as Ukraines military backers, including the United States, gather at a US airbase in Germany to coordinate their support for Kyiv read more

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet on Friday in Frankfurt, a German government spokesman told AFP.

The one-on-one talks will come as Ukraines military backers, including the United States, gather at a US airbase in Germany to coordinate their support for Kyiv.

The spokesman did not give further details about Zelenskyys programme in Germany but news outlet Der Spiegel reported that he will also attend the gathering at the Ramstein Air Base, southwest of Frankfurt.

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Zelenskyys presence is intended to underline the seriousness of the situation on the ground, the magazine said, days after 55 people were killed and 300 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.

US defence chief Lloyd Austin will host the meeting.

It comes as Moscows forces advance in the Donbas, with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declaring that capturing the eastern area was his primary objective in the conflict.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on a visit to Haiti on Thursday that he hoped to see an electoral council established soon to organise elections in the Caribbean country next year read more

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on a visit to Haiti on Thursday that he hoped to see an electoral council established soon to organise elections in the Caribbean country next year.

After a meeting with Transitional Presidential Council Coordinator Edgard Leblanc Fils, Blinken said they discussed the electoral council.

We hope to see that stood up soon, because thats a critical next step in moving forward and organising elections for next year, he told reporters in Port-au-Prince, according to live video.

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Blinkens visit comes as Haiti continues to battle violent gangs that have taken over much of the capital and started moving into nearby regions.

Prime Minister Garry Conille on Wednesday expanded a state of emergency to cover the entire nation.

Blinken said at a separate meeting with Conille that the situation in Haiti was very challenging but promising, lauding progress since the transitional council was established in April after the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Kenyan police officers who are part of a UN-backed security mission began arriving in Haiti in June.

The US is the largest contributor to the mission that Henry requested in 2022 to help fight gangs and reclaim territory.

Security is the foundation of everything that needs to happen going forward, Blinken said, noting that included holding elections.
An investment company LetterOne which is part-owned by Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven was allowed to have a stake in Harbour Energy, the UKs largest North Sea oil producer read more

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmers government faced major backlash after a company, backed by two sanctioned Russian oligarchs was allowed to be part of the countrys largest North Sea oil producer. The company in question is LetterOne, which is part-owned by oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven.

According to The Guardian, the investment company was allowed to acquire almost 15% of Aberdeen-based Harbour Energy. Following the approval, the critics argued that a company partly owned by sanctioned Russians should have no place in owning critical national assets.

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LetterOne received shares in Harbour Energy after the North Sea company completed an 8.5bn deal to buy the German company Wintershall which already counted LetterOne as one of the owners. It is pertinent to note that the company itself is not sanctioned by the UK authorities.

The company is chaired by an ex-Labour government minister

Interestingly, LetterOne is chaired by Mervyn Davies, a former banker and ex-Labour government minister, who under the terms of the acquisition will receive a share of Harbours profits paid as dividends. While both Fridman and Avens stakes in the company are frozen, the two Russians are still major shareholders.

All assets of both the Russian oligarchs were frozen when the UK and the EU imposed sanctions after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. At that time, Davies made it clear that the pair would no longer have any involvement or influence over the business or its investment. This even included voting rights related to Harbour Energy.

Billionaires expected to be removed from EU sanctions list

Following the sanctions in 2022, the UK government used the National Security and Investment Act to order LetterOne to sell its stake in regional broadband provider Upp. The Conservative government at that time stated that the investment companys ownership of the expanding full-fibre broadband networks was a national security risk.

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It is pertinent to note that the recent Harbour-Wintershall deal was also cleared within the same act. Hence, the government could order the company to sell its stake in case of any changes to the deal that would give LetterOne a greater share of the company or a seat on the board.

Meanwhile, the Russian oligarchs are also expected to be removed from the sanctions imposed by the European Union, after they successfully challenged the sanctions at the regional bodys court this year. However, they will continue to remain on the sanctions list of the UK, where the two men resided before the war.

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The backlash

Alicia Kearns MP, the shadow minister for foreign affairs called the Labour governments decision to approve the deal as astounding and appalling. She urged the government to reverse the decision and explain how the consent was given in the first place.

For Labour to consent to oligarchical ownership of such a key national asset is beyond comprehension  energy security is a serious national security issue, Kearns said. It is particularly insulting this week following the devastation in Ukraine from Russian strikes on civilians, including schoolchildren and hospital patients, she furthered.

Louis Wilson, the head of fossil fuel investigations at Global Witness, reiterated that the Russian oligarchs should not have any place in the UKs energy industry, The Guardian reported.

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A company part-owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs, which the Tories considered too much of a security risk to own a few thousand UK broadband connections, has been given a big chunk of the UKs biggest oil producer. Oligarchs should have no place in the UKs energy industry, Wilson said.

With inputs from agencies.
For weeks, Trump and the Harris campaign have been butting heads over the debate rules. One of the rules which saw the most contention was whether microphones should be shut off when it was not a candidates turn to speak read more

As the race for the White House intensifies, Former US President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have finally accepted the rules for the first presidential debate against each other. The debate is scheduled to take place on September 10 in Philadelphia and will be aired on ABC News. The American news outlet confirmed that both the Republican and Democratic Presidential nominees have qualified for the debate under the established criteria, and both have accepted the following debate rules.

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For weeks, Trump and the Harris campaign have been butting heads over the debate rules. One of the rules which saw the most contention was whether microphones should be shut off when it was not a candidates turn to speak.

The Harris campaign had previously pushed for live, or hot, microphones, which would allow substantive exchanges between the candidates. However, Trumps campaign pushed for the microphones to be muted. Ultimately, ABC News released a statement in which they made it clear candidates microphones would be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak  and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.

What are the rules of the debate?

ABC News, which is hosting the debate released the following rules, which has been already agreed upon by the Harris and Trump campaigns:

The debate will be 90 minutes long and will have two commercial breaks.

The moderators for the debate are ABC News David Muir and Linsey Davis. They will also be the only people asking questions.

A virtual coin flip was conducted on September 3 to determine the podium placement and who will have the final words. Trump won the toss and chose to offer the closing statement at the debate. Meanwhile, Harris selected the right podium position on screen.

No opening or closing statements can be longer than two minutes per candidate.

The participants have to stand behind the podium, throughout the duration of the debate.

Props and handwritten notes will not be allowed on stage.

The candidates have been allotted, 2 minutes to answer questions posed to them, two minutes for rebuttal and one extra minute for any follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.

Topic points or questions will not be shared in advance with the campaign or candidates.

The participants microphones will remain muted if it is not their turn to speak.

Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

Campaign staff are not allowed to interact with the candidates during the duration of the debate and even during breaks.

There will be no audience in the room.

The debate will take place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, an institution which is dedicated to the study of the United States Constitution. Pennsylvania which comprises 19 electoral college votes is touted as one of the most critical swing states.

With inputs from agencies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the reshuffle is needed to bring new energy to the conflict-stricken nation read more

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has resigned as a part of the countrys biggest cabinet reshuffle conducted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president insisted that the recent government shake-up would provide new strength to the embattled country.

Kulebas exit from the office was announced in a handwritten note and came amid Russias continued attacks in several Ukrainian territories. At least seven people were killed and 53 were injured after Moscow conducted a missile strike in the western city of Lviv.

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Before Kuleba, five other top Ukrainian officials resigned from their posts on Tuesday, leaving several key governmental positions vacant, including the strategic industries minister in charge of weapons production. The Ukrainian parliament has accepted the resignation of four out of six people.

Why the reshuffle?

While reacting to the news, Zelenskyy said that the reshuffle is needed to bring new energy to the conflict-stricken nation. We need new energy today, and these steps are related only to the strengthening of our state in different directions, the Ukrainian leader told media during a joint news conference with a visiting Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian lawmakers said that the parliament will consider Kulebas resignation on Thursday. Shortly after the presser, Zelenskyy met with the lawmakers from his Servant of the People Party. Following the meeting, the leader of the parliamentary group made it clear that those who attended the meeting supported Zelenskyys call to usher in changes in the cabinet, BBC reported.

Based on the results of the meeting of the faction, a general picture of personnel rotations was worked out to strengthen the state, faction leader David Arakhamia wrote on the Telegram messaging app. First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is now being considered to replace Kuleba.

Long-time coming

Several experts believe that the cabinet reshuffle was actually delayed since Zelenskyy was focussing on re-calibrating war strategies with Western partners. This is a planned personnel overhaul of the government, a Kyiv-based political analyst told Reuters.

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Now half of the government will be renewed. This is Zelenskyys style. He believes that the new minister brings new energy, and new approaches, and works more actively. He expects exactly this effect, he added. However, Fesenko stated that there wont be major changes in foreign policy after Kulebas exit.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin stated that the government changes in Ukraine would not affect a peace negotiation process in any way, although such talks appear a distant prospect with the two warring parties far apart in their objectives. The cabinet shuffle is also coming weeks before Zelenskyy is scheduled to head to the United States, where he hopes to present a victory plan to US President Joe Biden.

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Kulebas exit garnered a reaction

It is pertinent to note that after Zelenskyy, the 43-year-old Kuleba was best known as the face of the Ukrainian cause overseas. He was actively responsible for meeting leaders around the world and lobbying for military and political support in fluent English.

Following his resignation, several European foreign ministers praised Kulebas work during the war. The admirers of Kuleba included Annalena Baerbock, Germanys foreign minister, who said he had put the people of Ukraine before himself.

Long conversations on night trains, at the G7, on the frontlines, in Brussels, in front of a bombed-out power plant. There are few people Ive worked as closely with as you, @DmytroKuleba. You put the people of your country before yourself, she wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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@DmytroKuleba, all the best from the botton of my heart  we shall meet again when peace and freedom finally has returned to all of #Ukraine. 2/2  Auenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) September 4, 2024

@DmytroKuleba, all the best from the bottom of my heart  we shall meet again when peace and freedom finally have returned to all of #Ukraine, she added. As of now, 10 out of 21 ministerial portfolios are vacant in the embattled nation.

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With inputs from Reuters.
For many years, Simes was best known for his role as the former president and CEO of the Center for National Interest, a foreign policy think tank that has previously advocated for improving relations between the U.S. and Russia. read more

The US Justice Department on Thursday said it had charged Virginia-based Russian television contributor Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia Simes with two separate schemes to violate U.S. sanctions.

In one of two indictments, Simes and his wife are accused of laundering funds and violating U.S. sanctions for the benefit of Channel One Russia, a Russian broadcasting station that was sanctioned in May 2022.

In a second indictment, they are charged with violating sanctions to benefit Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov, a Russian oligarch who was sanctioned in February 2023.

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Simes stepped down from his role there in 2022 and began serving as a moderator of the Moscow-based show Big Game on Channel One Russia.

Though he and his wife maintain a home in Huntly, Virginia, prosecutors said they both remain at large and are believed to be in Russia.
In the phone call which took place last week, Biden raised concerns over the future of democratic institutions in Bangladesh read more

After omitting Bangladeshs mention from the readout, the White Hosue has finally confirmed that US President Joe Biden expressed concerns over the safety of people in the country, during his phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the telephonic conversation which took place last week, Biden raised concerns over the future of democratic institutions in Bangladesh.

The call came weeks after Bangladesh witnessed an anti-government, nationwide protest which ultimately toppled the 15-year-long reign of the countrys ex-PM Sheikh Hasina. PM Modi and Biden also spoke after the Indian premier paid a visit to Russia and Ukraine, the two nations involved in a long-stretched war.

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The confirmation from the US came on Wednesday when White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said that Biden and PM Modi shared concerns over the recent developments in Bangladesh. I mean, the president made clear his continued concerns about the safety and security of the people in Bangladesh and the future of their democratic institutions, he said in response to a question.

The readout saga

The confirmation from Kirby came after a readout from the White House, published on August 26, did not mention that Bangladesh was discussed in the phone call. However, Prime Minister Modis post on X and a statement issued by his office noted that the turbulent situation in Dhaka was discussed during the conversation.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on the phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability, PM Modi wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.



We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024

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We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, he added.

When people started talking about the omission, Kanchan Gupta, a government adviser gave a clarification on the matter on X. It is a common practice for separate press releases to be issued following conversations, which may or may not reflect all issues discussed. It is only when there is a joint press release or joint statement that both sides issue similar press releases," he explained.

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Congress media head @Pawankhera 's comments regarding Government of India's press release on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tele-conversation with President Biden on Monday are completely misplaced.



It's reiterated that all issues mentioned in the GoI press release, including https://t.co/DW7xU9o8aY  Kanchan Gupta  (@KanchanGupta) August 27, 2024

To say that any issue that may be missing in either of the press releases was not discussed is inaccurate and avoidable, the government official added.

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With inputs from Press Trust of India.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday offered to provide Africa 1 billion yuan (US$140.5 million) in military aid and training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police officers, as Beijing seeks to strengthen its security ties in the face of multiple challenges across the continent read more

China's President Xi Jinping, centre, and African leaders prepare for a group photo during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on Thursday. AP

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday offered to provide Africa 1 billion yuan (US$140.5 million) in military aid and training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police officers, as Beijing seeks to strengthen its security ties with African countries.

According to a South China Morning Post report, in a speech to mark the opening of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit on Thursday, Xi Jinping also invited 500 young military officers to China to take part in exercises and patrols, as well as helping to clear landmines  a major concern for some countries.

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While details about the package and the specific countries that will benefit are still pending, the latest commitment offers more specifics than the previous pledge made at the 2021 summit, which included participation in security projects and joint anti-terrorism and peacekeeping training exercises, reported South China Morning Post.

Unlike in 2021, Xi did not address measures to control the spread of small arms in his latest announcement.

In recent years, China has increased its military engagement with African countries as part of its broader competition for influence with the US.

According to South China Morning Post report, citing the Asia Society Policy Institute, last year, Africa ranked second only to Southeast Asia for the number of senior-level military meetings.

Recently, the Peoples Liberation Army has been actively involved in joint exercises with African countries, including a counterterrorism drill with Tanzania and Mozambique last month.

Earlier this year, China participated in a naval exercise with Russia and South Africa, drawing attention due to South Africas role as a US strategic partner.

China has been a key training hub for African militaries, educating hundreds of senior commanders at PLA institutions.

From 2019 to 2023, it was the largest arms supplier to sub-Saharan Africa, providing 19% of total arms imports, just surpassing Russia, which supplied 17%, according to the report, citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

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China supplies a wide range of military equipment, including small arms, drones, tanks, and armored vehicles.

Liselotte Odgaard, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, told South CHina Morning Post that Chinas long-term focus on Africa meant it did not just see it as a source of strategic resources but was also trying to build political relations and listen to the views and interests of African elites which were not a high priority for most Western countries.

The Chinese influence also has a security dimension, which Chinese military aid reflects," Odgaard was quoted as saying.

Only now is the West trying to seriously counter Chinas influence by listening to the voices of Africa  The question is if such efforts are too little too late, Odgaard added.

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China has extended military aid to nearly every African nation to bolster ties and safeguard its economic interests.

Recently, the PLA provided Benin with howitzers and related equipment in response to rising militant attacks linked to the broader Islamist insurgency in West Africa.

Djibouti, home to Chinas first overseas naval base, frequently hosts PLA warships for anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia.

Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said military support to Africa could be part of Beijings use of the Belt and Road Initiative to gain greater control and presence in geo-strategically important regions.

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Chinas use of the Belt and Road Initiative is designed to enable and facilitate Chinese access to critical strategic resources and also key port facilities around the world to support the flow of those resources to sustain Chinas economic growth.

The military support in question could be part of this process  to get African states dependent on China for their security, and they would have little choice in the matter given their dependency on Beijing through (belt and road), South China Morning Post quoted Davis as saying.

Ilaria Carrozza of the Peace Research Institute Oslo told South China Morning Post that Beijing views military aid as a cost-effective means to safeguard economic interests and enhance cooperation.

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However, Carrozza noted that the 1 billion yuan figure remains below typical US military aid levels and is unlikely to significantly boost African military and police capabilities.

Nonetheless, it underscores Africas ongoing strategic importance to China, she added.

With inputs from agencies
Keynote Address by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the Peoples Republic of China

At the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Summit of

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Beijing, September 5, 2024

Your Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye,

Your Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Chairperson of the African Union (AU),

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation,

Your Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,

Your Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission,

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Blossoms in spring turn into fruits in autumn, and a bumper harvest is the reward of hard work. In this season of harvest, I am delighted to gather together with so many old and new friends in Beijing to discuss grand plans for China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I extend a warm welcome to you all!

The friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. The founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000 was a milestone in the history of China-Africa relations. Over the past 24 years, especially in the new era, China has advanced forward hand in hand with our African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith. We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We share weal and woe in fighting natural disasters and epidemics together, creating touching stories of China-Africa friendship. We always empathize with and support each other, setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history. With its future growth in mind, I propose that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence and development one after another, and have been endeavoring to redress the historical injustices of the modernization process. As we are about to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China, we are going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Africa is also awakening again, and the continent is marching in solid strides toward the modernization goals set forth in the AUs Agenda 2063. China and Africas joint pursuit of modernization will set off a wave of modernization in the Global South, and open a new chapter in our drive for a community with a shared future for mankind.

We should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable. In promoting modernization, we should not only follow the general rules, but also act in light of our national realities. China is ready to increase exchanges of governance experience with Africa, support all countries in exploring modernization paths befitting their national conditions, and help ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for all countries.

We should jointly advance modernization that is open and win-win. Mutually beneficial cooperation is the sunny road to the betterment of long-term and fundamental interests of all countries. China is ready to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, promote exemplary, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation projects, and build together a model for the delivery of the Global Development Initiative.

We should jointly advance modernization that puts the people first. The ultimate goal of modernization is the free and full development of human beings. China will work vigorously with Africa to promote personnel training, poverty reduction and employment, enhance the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people in the course of modernization, and ensure that all will benefit from the process.

We should jointly advance modernization featuring diversity and inclusiveness. Well-balanced material and spiritual advancement is a lofty objective of modernization. China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the Global Civilization Initiative.

We should jointly advance modernization that is eco-friendly. Green development is a hallmark of modernization in the new era. China is ready to help Africa build green growth engines, narrow the gap in energy accessibility, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and jointly push for the global transition to green and low-carbon development.

We should jointly advance modernization underpinned by peace and security. Modernization would not be possible without a peaceful and stable environment for development. China is ready to help Africa improve its capacity in safeguarding peace and stability independently, prioritize Africa in implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI), promote mutual reinforcement of high-quality development and greater security, and work together with Africa to uphold world peace and stability.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

China and Africa account for one-third of the world population. Without our modernization, there will be no global modernization. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

First, the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations. China is ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centers on China and Africa studies. We will make better use of Africas leadership academies to cultivate talents for governance, and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.

Second, the Partnership Action for Trade Prosperity. China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider. We have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This has made China the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a step. It will help turn Chinas big market into Africas big opportunity. China will expand market access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas, and launch a China-Africa quality enhancement program. We are prepared to enter into framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with African countries to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantee for trade and investment between the two sides.

Third, the Partnership Action for Industrial Chain Cooperation. China will foster industry cooperation growth clusters with Africa, push forward the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, and launch an African SMEs empowerment program. We will build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center and initiate 20 digital demonstration projects so as to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Fourth, the Partnership Action for Connectivity. China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development. We are ready to assist in the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and deepen logistics and financial cooperation for the benefit of trans-regional development in Africa.

Fifth, the Partnership Action for Development Cooperation. China is ready to release the Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative with Africa, and implement 1,000 small and beautiful livelihood projects. We will replenish the China-World Bank Group Partnership Facility to boost Africas development. We support Africa in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. We will work together with Africa to deliver more fruits of development to the two peoples.

Sixth, the Partnership Action for Health. China is ready to establish with Africa a hospitals alliance and joint medical centers. We will send 2,000 medical personnel to Africa, and launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment. We will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africas pharmaceutical production, and continue to do what we can to help Africa with epidemic response. We support the development of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen public health capacity in all African countries.

Seventh, the Partnership Action for Agriculture and Livelihoods. China will provide Africa with RMB1 billion yuan in emergency food assistance, build 100,000 mu (about 6,670 hectares) of standardized agriculture demonstration areas in Africa, send 500 agricultural experts, and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. We will implement 500 programs in Africa to promote community welfare. We will also encourage two-way investment for new business operations by Chinese and African companies, enable Africa to retain added value, and create at least one million jobs for Africa.

Eighth, the Partnership Action for People-to-People Exchanges. China will implement with Africa more solidly the Future of AfricaVocational Education Cooperation Plan, establish together an engineering technology academy, and build ten Luban Workshops. We will provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youths. We will launch with Africa a Cultural Silk Road program as well as an initiative of cooperation on innovation in radio, TV and audio and visual programs. The two sides have agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Ninth, the Partnership Action for Green Development. China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, put in place meteorological early warning systems, and carry out cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief as well as biodiversity conservation. We will create a China-Africa forum on peaceful use of nuclear technology, establish together 30 joint laboratories, and collaborate on satellite remote sensing and lunar and deep-space exploration. All this is designed to help with green development in Africa.

Tenth, the Partnership Action for Common Security. China is ready to build with Africa a partnership for implementing the GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation. We will give Africa RMB1 billion yuan of grants in military assistance, provide training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers from Africa, and invite 500 young African military officers to visit China. The two sides will conduct joint military exercises, training and patrol, carry out an action for a mine-free Africa, and jointly ensure the safety of personnel and projects.

To implement the ten partnership actions, the Chinese government will provide RMB360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years. This breaks down into RMB210 billion yuan of credit line, RMB80 billion yuan of assistance in various forms, and at least RMB70 billion yuan of investment in Africa by Chinese companies. In addition, China will encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds in China to enhance our results-oriented cooperation in all areas.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

The Communist Party of China held in July the successful Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee, laying out systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. This will profoundly further transform China. It will also provide new opportunities and new driving forces for African countries and for our joint pursuit of modernization.

As an African proverb goes, a friend is someone you share the path with. On the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind. Let us rally the more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people into a powerful force on our shared path toward modernization, promote modernization of the Global South with China-Africa modernization, and write a new magnificent chapter of development in human history. Let us join hands to bring about a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

Thank you.
Google has detailed the redesign of its new Pixel 9 Pro Fold, describing it as fully redesigned and upgraded from the first-generation Pixel Fold. The updated model is thinner and more compact, making it much more than just an iteration of its predecessor.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Key Improvements

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is noticeably thinner than the original Pixel Fold, with a folded thickness reduced by 1.5mm, making it just 2mm thicker than the Pixel 9 series phones.

When fully opened, it measures 5.1mm deep, which is 0.7mm thinner than the original Pixel Fold. This makes it the thinnest foldable smartphone currently available in the U.S. market, with the largest display of any foldable phone.

A Phone-First Design Approach

The redesign was driven by user feedback, according to Claude Zellweger, Googles director of industrial design. We saw that people were often using it closed, Zellweger noted. Although users appreciated the tablet-like experience, they primarily wanted to use the device as a regular smartphone.

This insight led the design team to adopt a phone-first mantra. Our goal was to make a foldable that felt, looked, and acted like any other smartphone while offering additional functionality, Zellweger explained.

Jon Prowse, a Pixel product manager, added, You have to make a great phone, and then you can make a great foldable. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a 20:9 aspect ratio, similar to the Pixel 9 Pro, and includes premium finishes with smaller bezels.

The aim was to make the new Fold familiar to users, with an experience closer to that of a regular smartphone, whether its browsing the web or messaging, he added.

A New Hinge for a Thinner Design

Despite its reduced thickness, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold incorporates an 8-inch tablet-like display, one of its most notable upgrades.

To achieve this thin design, a new hinge was developed, using multi-alloy steel and high-strength aluminum alloy that snaps shut and opens flat with a satisfying snap.

George, a member of the design team, stated that the new hinge is more durable than before, maintaining the same torque feel as the original Pixel Fold.

The hinge design also incorporates a fluid-friction mechanism and optimized magnets that enhance the opening and closing experience. We wanted it to feel just right, Claude added, noting the importance of tactile satisfaction in the user experience.

Upgraded Camera in a Slimmer Frame

Building a thinner phone while maintaining high-performance camera capabilities posed a challenge.

As we aimed to make the device thinner, we had to redesign the camera bar and incorporate customized optical modules, Jon Prowse explained. The result is an upgraded ultrawide camera and two improved selfie cameras, all fitting into the new optical modules.

The double-stacked camera bar is positioned in the top left corner, allowing the phone to lie flat on surfaces and contributing to the overall slimmer profile. This change also enabled the inclusion of a larger battery.

Smaller Tweaks Add Up to a Major Update

Many smaller changes helped the Pixel 9 Pro Fold achieve its slim profile. The haptics driver is thinner but provides a more pronounced feel.

The USB-C port has been redesigned to be smaller, and the speakers are all new. The thermal system was also re-engineered with a new vapor chamber and graphite thermal spreader to manage the heat in a thinner device.

Jon summed it up:

With this process, it really goes to show that when you make a big architecture improvement, every piece of the phone  every single module  matters. It takes a lot of incremental changes to result in this big change.

Source
Global wrist-worn device (smartwatches and wristbands) shipments totaled 43.7 million units in Q2 2024, reflecting a slight YoY decrease of 0.7%.

China led the market with 15.5 million units shipped, marking a 10.9% YoY increase, according to IDCs latest Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker.

Globally, smartwatches accounted for 34.7 million units in Q2 2024, down 3.2% YoY, while wristbands shipped 9.0 million units, up 10.6% YoY. In China, smartwatches shipped 11.1 million units, up 18.7% YoY, whereas wristbands shipped 4.4 million units, down 4.8% YoY.

Key Players in the Wrist-Worn Device Market (Q2 2024)

HUAWEI: HUAWEI experienced significant growth in the first half of 2024, with a 55.1% YoY increase in shipments. The company led the global wrist-worn market for two consecutive quarters, driven by the success of its new Fit 3 wristband and its continued dominance in Chinas wrist-worn market.

Xiaomi: Despite no new wristband releases in the first half of 2024, Xiaomi ranked second globally in wrist-worn device shipments. Growth was fueled by strong smartphone performance and advancements in its smartwatch line, including the Redmi series and S3 watch. Xiaomis wrist-worn product lineup is expected to expand with new wristband models later in the year.

Apple: Apples smartwatch shipments declined due to macroeconomic factors and intense market competition. However, Apple remains the top player in the global smartwatch market. Anticipation for upcoming fall product releases could potentially improve its current market performance.

Samsung: Samsungs growth was driven by the new Galaxy Fit 3 wristband, which complemented its product range and boosted shipments, especially in developing regions. The company expects future growth from new product launches as its sixth-generation smartwatches approach their end of life.

BBK: BBK, known for its kids watches, saw significant growth due to the recovery of Chinas kids watch market. Increased social activities and stabilization in the target age group contributed to this surge, with BBK capitalizing on its channel strategies and pricing differentiation.

Market Trends and Factors (Q2 2024)

The rapid expansion of the Chinese wrist-worn market is attributed to several factors:

Product Price Differentiation: Manufacturers have focused on offering products priced around or below 1,000 yuan, providing more choices in price, appearance, brand, and network standards.

Promotional Activities: Leading manufacturers have implemented early and diverse promotional activities, positively impacting shipments.

Long-Tail Device Consumption: Increasing consumer interest in various smart devices and health awareness has broadened the user base for wrist-worn devices.

The market has been characterized by limited technological innovation recently, leading manufacturers to focus more on mid-range and entry-level products.

This shift has balanced the global competitive landscape and could pave the way for future innovations, as noted by Sophie Pan, Research Director at IDC China.

Source
Join us on an unscripted adventure as we explore the history of the Galveston jetties, crucial for the region's economic growth from the 1800s to today.
Issue Date: 5 September 2024

Third and final phase of the Proof of Concept for Body Worn Cameras is launched in Waterford Garda Station Waterford City

200 body worn cameras now in use in Waterford Garda Station together with their associated infrastructure.

600 members trained nationally in the use of body worn cameras.

Plain clothes members will form part of the proof of concept in Waterford.

An Garda Siochana has today commenced the third and final phase of its Proof of Concept for Body Worn Cameras as well as the supporting Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS).

The Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris was joined at Waterford Garda Station in Waterford City this morning September 5th, 2024 by the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D to launch the third and final phase of a proof of concept for body worn cameras.

The cameras launched today are Motorola Solutions V500 cameras. This is the first time this new camera has been deployed in Europe.

This brings the number of stations using body worn cameras to five, and brings the total number of body worn cameras available for use nationally to 600, across our four proof of concept stations - Limerick (200); Kevin Street (50); Pearse Street (50); and Store Street (100).

Nationally, to date there are in excess of 600 Gardai fully trained in their use, with almost 150 Gardai fully trained in the use of the Motorola Solutions V500 Body Worn cameras in Waterford.

This camera has the capacity to store four days of data. It has one hundred and thirty [130] degree field of vision and has 12 hours of battery life, ensuring that it will last for a full shift of duty.

The body worn cameras will be housed in their own docking room in Waterford station where each member can take out a camera by swiping their RFID card.

For this proof of concept, plain clothes members will be engaged in the use of body worn cameras, with members attached to the Crime Unit, Drugs Unit and Detectives attached to the Divisional Protective Services Unit involved in their use.

At todays launch, Commissioner Drew Harris said, " Todays launch marks the final stage in our proof of concept phase which brings us one step closer to the implementation of Information-Led Policing.

"It follows extensive consultation with over 20 other police services around the world and the commencement of the Garda Siochana (Recording Devices) Act 2023  which includes the Codes of Practice for their operation.

"The proof of concept will continue with a period of analysis and engagement with the frontline members. This will help us to understand and evaluate the cameras and Digital Evidence Management System. We will also continue to engage with the DPP to assess how this video evidence can be utilised in the prosecution of cases through the Courts, he said.
We Are China

Rapeseed fields fuel tourism surge in Menyuan, NW China's Qinghai

People's Daily Online) 15:26, September 05, 2024

Menyuan Hui Autonomous County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, is in full bloom. The county's vast rapeseed fields are drawing crowds of tourists to witness the spectacular golden landscape.

Rapeseed fields blanket Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Liping)

In July 2024, Menyuan celebrated its 25th Rapeseed Flower Culture and Tourism Festival.

Over 25 years, Menyuan has enhanced its rapeseed flower landscapes, earning titles like "One of the Top 10 Flower Seas in the World" and "China's Most Beautiful Rapeseed Flower Sea."

These accolades have brought recognition and economic opportunities to Menyuan's residents.

Expansive rapeseed flower fields stretch across Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qihong)

The county has seen significant tourism growth.

Since 2014, hotels have increased 3.8-fold to 65, and agritourism facilities have grown nearly 12-fold to 95. The tourism workforce has expanded to 3,600 employees, a 3.27-fold increase.

Zhaobi Mountain rises above Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

Vehicles navigate through a sea of rapeseed flowers in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gu Feifei)

Menyuan's villages earned over 38 million yuan ($5.3 million) in 2023, mainly from rapeseed tourism. The "flower economy" has been instrumental in the region's rural revitalization, with rapeseed flowers becoming a lucrative source of income for the local community.

The region has cultivated rapeseed for 1,800 years, becoming a model for high-yield production in northern China.

Rapeseed and highland barley ripen for harvest in September in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

The county's rapeseed planting area has stayed above 250,000 mu (16,675 hectares) in recent years, according to Ma Wenkui of the local agriculture bureau.

Workers package rapeseed oil products at Qinghai Shengtaiyuan Logistics Service Co., Ltd. in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gan Haiqiong)

This abundant production has spurred local businesses to seek new markets.

Xing Yonghong, head of Qinghai Shengtaiyuan Logistics Service Co.'s general office, said the company recently expanded distribution to Lanzhou, capital of neighboring Gansu Province.

"We've made our grain and oil products available in major supermarkets there," Xing said.

Grain and oil products from Qinghai Shengtaiyuan Logistics Service Co., Ltd., located in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Photo/Zhang Hongyi)

Cyclists pedal through golden rapeseed fields during the Tour of Qinghai Lake race in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (People's Daily Online/Gu Feifei)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Most of those killed in Gaza are women and children, according to the UN rights office
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the Convening of the Election Threats Task Force

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Location

Washingtion, DC

United States

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Good afternoon, everyone.

We launched the Election Threats Task Force to respond to a dangerous increase in violent threats against the public servants who administer our elections.

We did so because countless Americans were enduring terrible threats simply for doing their civic duty.

And we did so because threats to election workers constitute threats to our democracy itself.

In just a few minutes, the Task Force here will meet to discuss its continuing work in advance of the upcoming elections.

But before we begin, I want to address the tragic shooting that occurred this morning at a high school in Winder, Georgia.

We are still gathering information, but FBI and ATF are on the scene working with state, local, and federal partners.

I am devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy.

The Justice Department stands ready to provide any resources or support the Winder community needs in the days ahead.

Before I get to the work of the Task Force, I also want to announce two major law enforcement actions the Justice Department is taking that are separate from the important work of this Task Force, but are part of our broader effort to protect our elections from unlawful interference of any kind.

First, this morning, we unsealed an indictment in the Southern District of New York of Konstantine Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, two Russia-based employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet. They are charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

That law, enacted nearly a century ago, was enacted to ensure that the American people were informed when a foreign power engages in political activities or seeks to influence public discourse.

The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country's free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda. The company never disclosed to the a I'm sorry.

And that is what we allege happened in this case.

In the wake of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, RT a which was then known as Russia Today a was dropped by its American distributors. The company ceased its formal operations in the United States. And the European Union, the U.K., and Canada banned RT's broadcasting.

But, as RT itself has boasted, the Government of Russia continued to use RT to direct disinformation and propaganda. In the wake of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, RT's editor-in-chief said the company had built an "entire empire of covert projects" designed to shape public opinion in "Western audiences."

We allege that, as part of that effort, RT and its employees, including the defendants, implemented a nearly $10 million scheme to fund and direct a Tennessee-based company, to publish and disseminate content deemed favorable to the Russian government.

To implement this scheme, the defendants directed the company to contract with U.S.-based social media influencers to share this content on their platforms.

The subject matter and content of many of the videos published by the company were often consistent with Russia's interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Russian interests, particularly its ongoing war in Ukraine.

The company never disclosed to the influencers a or to their millions of followers a its ties to RT and the Russian government. Instead, the defendants and the company claimed that the company was sponsored by a private investor. That private investor was a fictitious persona.

The charges unsealed this morning do not represent the end of the investigation. It remains active and ongoing.

In a separate enforcement action, the Justice Department is seizing 32 internet domains that the Russian government and Russian sponsored actors have used to engage in a covert campaign to interfere in and influence the outcome of our country's elections.

As alleged in our court filings, President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, including Sergei Kiriyenko, directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a program to influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.

An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is securing Russia's preferred outcome in the election.

The online infrastructure used by the Russian public relations company a known as the Social Design Agency, or SDA a and related actors included what are sometimes referred to as "cybersquatted" domains. These websites were designed to appear to American readers as if they were major U.S. news sites like The Washington Post or Fox News.

But, in fact, they were fake sites. They were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other in countries.

Internal documents of the Kremlin described the content as, "bogus stories disguised as newsworthy events." This malign influence campaign has been referred to as "Doppelganger."

The Russian public relations companies drove viewers to these websites by deploying influencers and paid social media advertisements. They also created fake social media profiles, posing as U.S. citizens, to post comments on social media platforms with links to the sites.

According to SDA's records, it actively sought to "eliminate the possibility of detection of the 'Russian footprint.'"

Both of the schemes I have just discussed make clear the ends to which the Russian government a including at its highest levels a is willing to go to undermine our democratic process.

But the enforcement actions I have discussed also make clear that the Justice Department will aggressively counter such efforts.

And the same is true of the entire United States Government.

Today, our colleagues at the State and Treasury Departments are announcing parallel actions in both of these matters.

Unfortunately, we know that Russia is not the only foreign power seeking to interfere in our elections.

As the U.S. Intelligence Community noted two weeks ago, we have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle.

That includes recently reported activities by Iran to compromise former President Trump's campaign and to avoid an election outcome that it regards as against its interests. Those recently reported Iranian activities also include efforts to obtain access to individuals who themselves have access to the presidential campaigns of both political parties.

The Justice Department's message is clear: we have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government.

We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia and Iran a as well as China or any other foreign malign actor a to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy.

Now, I will to turn back to the topic of today's meeting. Just as we are dedicated to combating foreign threats to our election security, we are equally dedicated to confront domestic threats against the public servants who administer our elections.

Since the 2020 election, we have seen an unprecedented spike in threats against the public servants who do administer our elections.

Election officials, workers, and volunteers in communities across the country have been targeted with heinous acts and threats of violence. The following are a few examples of successful enforcement actions that the Justice Department has taken over the past year:

In New Mexico, county commissioners and other elected officials were targeted with a series of shootings that the Department has alleged in court papers were organized by an unsuccessful candidate for the state legislature who claimed that the election had been "rigged" against him. At least three of the shootings occurred while the intended victims or their children or their family members were at home.

In February, two shooters who we allege were recruited by the candidate pled guilty to carrying out the attacks. In March, the candidate himself was charged in a 13-count superseding indictment.

In Arizona, a man sent a state election official a bomb threat warning that if she did not resign within two days, "the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated." In March, the man was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for making the threat.

In Maricopa County, Arizona, an elections official, a county attorney, and their families were threatened by a defendant who called for "a mass shooting of poll workers and election officials" in precincts he believed had "suspect" results. His revolting comments included: "dead children burn into the memories of people."

The county attorney who had been targeted later reported that he, his wife, and four children had been assigned round-the-clock protection and issued body armor in response to the threat.

And the elections official who was targeted said in a victim impact statement that:

"While I am the person directly threatened [in] this case, the impact of such threats is felt by a much larger community: the thousands of committed election workers who operate our democratic processes. When threats are made against any election workers, the impact reverberates [through] the [whole] community."

That defendant was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

In recent months, our enforcement actions have continued.

In July, we secured the guilty plea of an Alabama man who repeatedly threatened to kill Maricopa County election workers and officials. In one particularly chilling message, he said: "You better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are [...] stupid if you think [your lives] are safe." His sentencing is scheduled for next month.

Also in July, the Justice Department secured a 14-month sentence for a man who sent a death threat to a Michigan election worker. In a voicemail, he said: "Ten million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it." And he added, "We'll [...] kill you."

Less than two weeks ago, we charged and arrested a Colorado man for allegedly threatening the lives of election officials, judges, and law enforcement officials in both Colorado and Arizona.

As I have said before, and I will reiterate again today, these cases are a warning: if you threaten to harm or kill an election worker or official or volunteer, the Justice Department will find you. And we will hold you accountable.

In a democracy, people vote and argue and debate a often loudly a in order to achieve the policy outcomes they desire.

And the Justice Department will continue to relentlessly protect the rights of all Americans to peacefully express their opinions, beliefs, and ideas.

But the promise of our democracy is that people will not employ violence to achieve their preferred outcomes.

The public servants who administer our elections must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.

That is why this Task Force has been marshaling the full resources of the Justice Department to aggressively investigate and prosecute threats targeting election workers, officials, and volunteers.

And we will continue to do so in the months ahead, when the Task Force will build on the partnerships with state and local election officials and the law enforcement officials tasked with protecting them.

Since March, the Task Force has participated in more than 25 convenings, engagements, trainings, tabletop exercises a including both with our law enforcement partners and with our partners in the election community nationwide.

Over the next several weeks, Task Force representatives will be on the ground meeting with election workers.

And in early November a both in advance of, and after Election Day a the FBI will be hosting federal partners at its Headquarters command center to address events, issues, and potential crimes related to the elections in real time.

Election officials and administrators do not need to navigate this threat environment alone. We are here to support them and to make sure they can safely carry out their critical work.

Protecting our democracy and protecting our elections was a founding purpose when the Justice Department was established in 1870.

The Department answered that charge then. And we will answer that charge today as we confront those who would use violence or threats of violence to attack those who administer our elections.

I'd now like to ask the Deputy Attorney General to make some remarks.

Speaker: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

Topics: Countering Nation-State Threats

National Security

Voting and Elections

Components: Office of the Attorney General

Civil Rights - Criminal Section

National Security Division (NSD)

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Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri Delivers Remarks at the Convening of the Election Threats Task Force

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Location

Washingtion, DC

United States

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Attorney General Garland, Deputy Attorney General Monaco, and Director Wray for your commitment to safeguarding our elections. With your leadership and support, the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section continues to spearhead the Election Threats Task Force. There is no mission more critical to the Criminal Division than deterring, disrupting, and punishing criminal threats to our elections.

Since we last met with department leadership in May, the Task Force has filed charges or secured convictions against defendants in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, and Michigan and opened new investigations across the country.

The Task Force is also preparing for election day. Our attorneys are meeting with election officials around the country and recently hosted a training for FBI and Justice Department personnel nationwide, to address threats of violence to the election community and other criminal threats to our elections.

And we are surging additional resources to these efforts. The Public Integrity Section added five attorneys to support its Election Crimes Branch, to ensure a rapid response to reports of election crimes. As we approach election day, we will ensure that the team has all the resources it needs to perform its essential work.

I could not be prouder of the Election Threats Task Force. As we move forward, I am confident that their dedicated efforts will continue to put us in the best position possible to support and protect the election community.

Speaker: Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri

Topics: Countering Nation-State Threats

National Security

Voting and Elections

Components: Criminal Section

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Turkish police arrest Kosovan man identified as head of Mossad financial network

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 8:10 AM

Turkish security forces have identified and arrested a Kosovar national on charges of managing the financial network of Mossad in the country and transferring money on behalf of the Israeli spy agency.

The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) said in a statement that Liridon Rexhepi was a "financier for the Israeli intelligence", and was sending money to informants who "were filming with drones, conducting psychological warfare against Palestinian politicians and collecting information about the situation in Syria."

Turkish security sources said on Tuesday that MIT started following Rexhepi when he entered Turkey on August 25, and that Istanbul's Counterterrorism Police detained him on August 30.

Rexhepi admitted to making cash transfers to informants via Western Union, a financial services corporation, and was sent to prison pending a court appearance, they said.

MIT said that Mossad has been sending money to its spies in Turkey from Eastern European countries, especially Kosovo. Some of the funds were transferred to informants in Syria.

They also used cryptocurrencies, according to the Turkish sources.

Last December, director of Israel's so-called internal security service, Shin Bet, said his organization was prepared to target Hamas anywhere, including in Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar.

Turkish authorities warned Israel of "serious consequences" if it tries to hunt down members of the Palestinian resistance group living outside Palestinian territories, including in Turkey.

Since January, Turkish officials have detained dozens of people, among them private investigators, on charges of collecting data on individuals, mostly Palestinians residing in Turkey, for Mossad.

Back in February, Turkish police arrested seven people on suspicion of selling information to Mossad through private detectives.

Seven more people, including a private detective, were arrested in March a also for selling information to Mossad. Another two were arrested in April.

Turkey halted all trade with Israel in May and it filed a request with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague in August to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel over the war on Gaza.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been one of the strongest and vocal critics of Israel's bloody onslaught against Gaza on the international stage, and has praised Hamas for fighting against occupation.

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Autopsy Ordered After 'Russian Spy' Whale Found Dead In Norwegian Waters

By RFE/RL September 04, 2024

The famed "Russian spy" beluga whale was found dead in the Stavanger area of Norway last week, according to a statement by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, and an autopsy has been ordered to find out if he was deliberately killed.

The whale, discovered in 2019 off the coast of Norway, became a international phenomenon after it was seen wearing a harness with "Equipment of St. Petersburg" written on it, creating speculation that it might be linked to Russian espionage.

The whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir after the Norwegian word for whale, hval, and the whale's connection to Russia, was found dead on August 31. Initial official reports did not indicate a cause of death.

But NOAH, a Norwegian animal rights group, and One Whale, a group created to track Hvaldimir, released a joint statement saying there are "strong indications that he may have been harmed by people."

After viewing the body on September 2, Regina Crosby Haug, the head of One Whale, told the AFP news agency that the whale "had multiple bullet wounds around his body." Several veterinarians and biologists viewed images of Hvaldimir's body and also indicated to One Whale and NOAH that he had been harmed by people.

Hvaldimir's body was sent on September 2 to undergo an autopsy, with a report expected in around three weeks, according to a spokesperson at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.

Hvaldimir had aroused speculation about Russian spying since his discovery. According to Joergen Ree Wiig of the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate in 2019, even Norwegian military officials were interested in the whale's origins.

Wiig said that the harness that Hvaldimir was wearing when he was discovered had a camera mount but no camera. The harness was apparently removed at some point after he was first seen in the Arctic Sea.

While Russia does not have a known history of using whales for military purposes, Dmitry Glazov, the deputy head of a beluga whale program who works at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Interfax in April 2019 that the Russian military may be working with belugas.

Moscow has never issued any official reaction to speculation that he could have been used as a Russian spy.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/news-russia-norway-beluga-whale- hvaldimir/33105923.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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Treasury Takes Action as Part of a U.S. Government Response to Russia's Foreign Malign Influence Operations

U.S. Department of the Treasury

September 4, 2024

The United States takes action to defend and protect U.S. election institutions and processes from Moscow's attempts to influence the 2024 Presidential Election

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated U.S. government response to Moscow's malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Russian state-sponsored actors have long used a variety of tools, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) deep fakes and disinformation, in an attempt to undermine confidence in the United States' election processes and institutions. Beginning in early 2024, executives at RTaRussia's state-funded news media outletabegan an even more nefarious effort to covertly recruit unwitting American influencers in support of their malign influence campaign. RT used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government in content meant to influence U.S. audiences.

"Today's action underscores the U.S. government's ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions," said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. "Treasury will not waver in our commitment to safeguarding our democratic principles and the integrity of our election systems."

Today's designations complement law enforcement actions taken by the Department of Justice and the Department of State's designation of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and five of its subsidiaries, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, as Foreign Missions, steps to impose visa restrictions, and release of a Rewards for Justice (RFJ) reward offer of up to $10 million relating to information pertaining to foreign interference in a U.S. election.

RUSSIAN Foreign malign influence Operations

The Kremlin employs an array of tools, including covert foreign malign influence campaigns and illicit cyber activities, to undermine the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and its allies and partners globally. Russia routinely uses its intelligence services, government-directed proxies, and covert influence tools in these efforts. The Kremlin has increasingly adapted its efforts to hide its involvement by developing a vast ecosystem of Russian proxy websites, fake online personas, and front organizations that give the false appearance of being independent news sources unconnected to the Russian state.

Today's designations follow prior OFAC actions that have highlighted and disrupted Russia's global malign influence campaigns, including Kremlin-directed malign influence efforts, interference in U.S. elections, efforts to subvert democracy in Moldova, destabilization activities in Ukraine, and the operation of outlets controlled by Russian intelligence services, among others.

RT EXECUTIVES' and RaHDit Members' Russian Government Influence Operations

RT, formerly Russia Today, is a Russian state-funded news outlet that began broadcasting internationally in 2005. In 2017, RT registered as an agent of a foreign government in the United States. Beginning in early 2024, RT executives began an effort to covertly recruit unwitting American influencers. RT used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government.

Margarita Simonovna Simonyan (Simonyan) is the Editor-in-Chief of RT and a central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts. She allowed the operations of a front company to occur under the cover of RT. Elizaveta Yuryevna Brodskaia (Brodskaia) is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of RT, who has reported to Russian President Putin and other government officials. Anton Sergeyvich Anisimov (Anisimov) is an RT Deputy Editor-in-Chief, who conducts activities on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Andrey Vladimirovich Kiyashko (Kiyashko) is the Deputy Director of the RT English-Language Information Broadcasting and is responsible for updating Russian government officials and providing an overview of RT's operations. Konstantin Kalashnikov (Kalashnikov) is RT's Digital Media Projects Manager, who, in early 2022, worked with Kiyashko. In mida2023, Brodskaia and Kiyashko implemented a large-scale influence operation for RT on U.S. social media with the intent of obscuring RT's connection to the content meant to influence online audiences. Elena Mikhaylovna Afanasyeva (Afanasyeva) is an employee of RT's Digital Media Projects Department and reports to Kalashnikov. Starting in early 2024, Afanasyeva covertly interacted with prominent U.S. social media influencers under the cover of a fake persona, purporting to be an employee at a U.S. company to obscure RT's and the Russian government's involvement.

The pro-Kremlin hacktivist group RaHDit is composed of active and former Russian intelligence officers. Aleksey Alekseyevich Garashchenko (Garashchenko) is the head of RaHDit and was an FSB officer at the time he started leading the group. Garashchenko directly interacts with members of the Russian intelligence and security services, members of the Russian Presidential Administration, and employees from RT. Anastasia Igorevna Yermoshkina (Yermoshkina) is an affiliate of Garashchenko. Aleksandr Vitalyevich Nezhentsev (Nezhentsev) works with Garashchenko and is an administrator and developer of cyber tools used by the FSB. Nezhentsev also leads a team focusing on developing new tools that can be used in the surveillance of information data files.

Today, OFAC designated Simonyan, Brodskaia, Anisimov, Kiyashko, Kalashnikov, Afanasyeva, Garashchenko, Yermoshkina, and Nezhentsev pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.

DoppelgAnger and RRN Russian Malign Influence Operations

Autonomous Non-Profit Organization (ANO) Dialog (ANO Dialog) is a Russian nonprofit organization founded in 2019 by the Moscow city government that leverages AI technology in online Russian disinformation for use against election campaigns. ANO Dialog Regions (Dialog Regions) is ANO Dialog's subsidiary organization that is co-located at their Moscow headquarters and also has offices throughout Russia.

Vladimir Grigoryevich Tabak (Tabak) is the Director General of both ANO Dialog and Dialog Regions. He previously held several positions in the Russian Presidential Administration.

ANO Dialog is linked to DoppelgAngeraa Russia-linked influence operation network identified in 2022athat used deep fake content to develop Russian disinformation campaigns. In fall 2022, Tabak was expected to attend a meeting with senior Russian government officials. The meeting discussed the presumed success of the DoppelgAnger activity and provided feedback and guidance on future projects.

In July 2022, ANO Dialog and Tabak provided services to the Russian government, working on a project for the creation of fake online posts on popular social media accounts, including "Reliable Recent News" ("RRN") and "War on Fakes"aa Russian disinformation website publicly linked to the DoppelgAnger activityathat would be composed of counterfeit documents, among other material, in order to elicit an emotional response from the audiences of these accounts. An ANO Dialog advisor purchased RRN's new domain, "rrn.world" in order to avoid using the former domain, "rrussianews.com," which would have maintained a connection to Russia. Tabak also coordinated with ANO Dialog and the Russian government on the payment of services for an RRN-affiliate translator.

In late fall 2023, ANO Dialog personnel identified U.S., UK, and other public figures as potential targets for deepfake projects. Because of this, the EU sanctioned ANO Dialog for its role in the disinformation network and specifically as the owner and operator of the "War on Fakes" website. In May 2024, Tabak and several Dialog Regions officials coordinated with Russian government officials regarding the creation of bot accounts on popular social media messaging platforms for use in a misinformation campaign regarding voting locations in the U.S. 2024 election.

Today, OFAC designated ANO Dialog pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation; Dialog Regions pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, ANO Dialog; and Tabak pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation and for being a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of ANO Dialog and Dialog Regions, persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.

Also today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the seizure of domains associated with RRN/ANO Dialog and Social Design Agency (SDA)awhich OFAC had previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for its activities on behalf of the Russian governmentathat have been used in furtherance of the Russian DoppelgAnger disinformation efforts targeting the United States and Europe.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned persons may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer toOFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated today.



###

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US crackdown calls out Russian disinformation campaign

By Jeff Seldin September 04, 2024

The United States on Wednesday hit Moscow-linked companies and their employees with a combination of criminal charges, sanctions and other measures in response to what U.S. officials described as a malicious influence campaign meant to upend American society and impact the outcome of the presidential election.

The announcements by the departments of Justice, State and Treasury charge Russia with breaking U.S. laws and international norms in a wide-ranging effort directed, in part, by members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

The schemes "make clear the ends to which the Russian government, including at its highest levels, is willing to go to undermine our democratic process," said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, addressing a meeting of the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force.

"This is deadly serious, and we are going to treat it accordingly," he added.

The Justice Department indictment unsealed Wednesday alleges Russia tried to "hide its hand," using two employees of the state-controlled RT media outlet, shell companies and fake personas to funnel nearly $10 million to a U.S. company in Tennessee to promote and distribute English-language material favorable to the Russian government.

Officials said the unnamed company has produced almost 2,000 videos since November 2023, posting on social media platforms such as TikTok, X and YouTube, garnering more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.

But there are concerns the Russian operation may be even bigger.

"While RT America suspended its official operations in the U.S. back in early 2022, our investigation revealed that since at least last year, RT has used people living and working inside the U.S. to facilitate contracts with American media figures to create and disseminate Russian propaganda," said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

"The content was pitched as legitimate independent news, when in fact, much of it was created in Russia by RT employees who work for the Russian government," he added.

VOA has reached out to the Russian Embassy in Washington and to a media company matching the description of the company in the indictment, for comment. Neither have so far responded.

Some of the commentators and influencers who say they are linked to the company in question, Tenet Media, have spoken out.

"Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims," podcast host Tim Pool posted on X.

"I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed," he wrote, adding, "Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show and the contents of the show are often apolitical."

Benny Johnson, host of "The Benny Show" podcast, called the allegations in the Justice Department indictment disturbing, adding that they also "make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme."

The U.S.-based company has not been charged, although the Justice Department said it failed to inform audiences that it was funded and directed by RT. Officials also noted that the U.S. company and its founders also failed to register, as required, as foreign agents.

RT ridiculed the U.S. allegations on its website and on social media.

"If they kick us out completely, how will they conduct the next elections?" RT's website quoted Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan as writing on Telegram. "They don't have any other strategies except to scaremonger about the almighty RT."

The RT employees identified in the indictment a 31-year-old Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and 27-year-old Elena Afanasyeva a are charged with failing to register as foreign agents and money laundering.

The violation of the foreign agent registration rules carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted on the money laundering charge, they could each face a maximum of 20 years behind bars.

In addition to targeting the main players in the RT-led influence operation, U.S. officials took aim at another Russian operation Wednesday, seizing 32 internet domains used by Moscow to spread disinformation.

The separate indictment alleges three Russian companies a Social Design Agency, Structura National Technology and ANO Dialog a violated U.S. money laundering and trademark laws in another attempt to confuse Americans in what was known as Operation Doppelganger.

"These websites were designed to appear to American readers as if they were major U.S. news sites like The Washington Post or Fox News," Garland said. "But in fact, they were fake sites."

Instead, internal Kremlin documents obtained by the U.S. allege Russian officials sought to fill the sites with propaganda designed to bolster the chances of former President Donald Trump, assessed by U.S. intelligence agencies to be Moscow's preferred candidate, winning the White House in November.

In addition to the actions taken by the U.S. Justice Department, the Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned two Russian entities and 10 Russia nationals, including the RT's Simonyan.

And the State Department announced Wednesday new visa restrictions for individuals acting on behalf on Russian-supported media organizations.

State Department officials also designated several Russian media outlets as foreign missions.

Rossiya Segodnya, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly and Sputnik must now notify the U.S. government of all personnel they have working in the U.S. and also disclose any property holdings.

"Russia remains the predominant threat to U.S. elections," said a senior FBI official, briefing reporters following the announcement of the U.S. actions.

"Moscow continues to use a broad stable of influence actors and tactics and is working to hide its hand, enhance its reach and create content that resonates more with United States-based audiences," the official added.

Not all of Russia's tactics are new.

Moscow began leaning heavily on social media personalities in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential elections four years ago. And some of the Russian companies charged with creating fake news sites have also been called out for trying to seed Russian-generated content in news outlets across Latin America.

What worries, U.S. officials now, though, is the pace and scale of the Russian operations targeting the upcoming U.S. presidential election.

"It's an acceleration," Garland said. "It's use of AI and cyber techniques that were not available in earlier elections ... therefore, it's a bigger threat than it ever was before."

And Russia is not alone. U.S. officials have also shared worries about China and Iran, expressing particular concerns about Tehran's meddling efforts.

"We have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle that includes recently reported activities by Iran to compromise former President [Donald] Trump's campaign and to avoid an election outcome that it regards as against its interests," Garland said.

"The Justice Department's message is clear," he added. "We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our demographic, our democratic system of government."

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Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the United States seizing Venezuelan president's aircraft

3 September 2024 19:11

1618-03-09-2024

Washington's sanctions outrage knows no limits. In their typical neocolonialist zeal, the US authorities have seized the jet used by the Venezuelan president, which was undergoing maintenance in the Dominican Republic. Once again, they have shown an utter disregard for international legal norms, relying on the rule of force to send yet another signal that the United States, as they see it, can dispose of another state's sovereign property.

Incidentally, this is not the first time Washington has seized Venezuelan aircraft: earlier this year, a Venezuelan transport plane was detained in Argentina upon an order from the US.

However, this seizure of property was conducted in an imperial and arrogant manner, with a claim to moralising. It was done to show everyone that no one and nothing is immune to sanctions and robbery, be it business assets, bank reserves, real estate, or vehicles. The lack of legal norms is at the top of the list of notorious rules used by the collective West to build a world order model in the vein of the global Monroe Doctrine.

Washington's actions are reminiscent of those by the evil and ruthless criminal boss Bill Sykes, the main antagonist in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, a renowned English author of the 19th century (hopefully, the people in the White House have read his works or are at least familiar with the name). We consider it extremely important for this mode of thinking not to prevail in global affairs.

We support our Bolivarian friends in their legitimate demands to have the stolen property returned to the Venezuelan state, and we stand in solidarity with them in their determination to further defend their independence and sovereignty.

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Bled panellists on the future of the North Atlantic Alliance

Republic of Slovenia

3. 9. 2024

Ministry of Defence

Dr Damir Crncec, State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, participated in a plenary discussion titled "NATO Beyond 75: An Alliance Fit for the Future" at the Bled Strategic Forum on 3 September. On the occasion NATO's 75th anniversary, which has had several enlargements whilst successfully exercising deterrence, the panellists focused on current security challenges and the way forward.

In addition to Dr Damir Crncec, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, Alexandre Escorcia from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, Angus Lapsley from NATO, Italian academic Valerio de Luca, Mevlut Cavusoglu, Head of the Turkish Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and Philip Reeker and Robin Quinville from the US Wilson Centre, took part in the debate on what kind of alliance is appropriate for the future. Participants exchanged thoughts on the future of the transatlantic security architecture after the Washington Summit and NATO's priorities for Europe's long-term security, including NATO's role in responding to immediate threats to European security, building long-term capabilities, as well as the impact of developments in other parts of the world on the Alliance and Europe.

When asked about the construction of a European pillar within NATO and the level of defence spending by the Member States, State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Dr Damir Crncec said that in Slovenia we perceive NATO as a guarantee of security and, like the European Union, a success story. NATO and the EU, he said, are two sides of the same coin. Shortly before NATO's 75th anniversary, Slovenia celebrated 20 years of membership in the Alliance, which we voted for in a referendum. Dr Crncec believes that support for NATO among the Slovenian public remains at the level of two decades ago, and that we have been actively contributing to security in the Western Balkans and in operations and missions around the world throughout this time. He stressed that NATO's presence in Kosovo remains a key guarantee of stability. However, Slovenian policy has so far failed to deliver on its own commitment to reach 2% of gross domestic product for defence. He pointed out that in the Defence Strategy of the Republic of Slovenia adopted this year, we have set a target of achieving this goal by 2030, and we are committed to doing so with all seriousness. Not because others tell us to, but because we are aware of the importance of security for society as a whole and because we want to be active in ensuring security in the international community

Regarding capacity building, Dr Crncec said that every war throughout history has been different, but the war in Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the importance of increasing defence capabilities and the capacity of the defence industry. He also stressed the importance of public awareness and support for security investments as a cornerstone of the functioning of society. On the issue of strengthening the European pillar of the Alliance, Dr Crncec said that NATO must work towards unity and cooperation with the EU, which should continue the plans and work it has started in the area of strengthening defence preparedness.

The 19th International Conference of the Bled Strategic Forum, which concluded yesterday under the title "A World of Parallel Realities", brought together a total of 32 debates with more than 180 speakers from 48 different countries, including more than 15 Presidents of states, Government and Ministers, as well as many high-level representatives of international organisations and civil society, decision-makers, academics and business leaders.

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Forging Synergy: US Army and US Air Force convene at Agile Combat Employment Summit

By Staff Sgt. Andre Taylor September 4, 2024

Fort Shafter, Hawaii -- The Agile Combat Employment Summit brings together Army and Air Force leaders to discuss strategies and best practices for achieving ACE objectives, fostering greater interoperability and integration among the U.S. Army and Air Force units in the Indo-Pacific region on Sept. 3, 2024.

U.S. Army Pacific Commanding General Gen. Charles A. Flynn and U.S. Air Force Pacific Commanding General of Pacific Air Forces Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, co-hosted the summit.

The ACE conference brought together key military leaders and experts to discuss strategies and best practices for achieving ACE objectives, fostering greater interoperability and integration among the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force units in the Indo-Pacific region.

The event began with opening remarks from Flynn thanking those in attendance.

"I Just want to say that I am thankful for the opportunity to discuss warfighting and potential collaborations between our services," said Flynn "It would be irresponsible not to seize the opportunities that can address our strategic challenges."

ACE is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the U.S. military's joint force ability to rapidly deploy and integrate forces across various domains. This approach focuses on increasing operational flexibility and resilience, enabling forces to respond swiftly to emerging threats and dynamic environments.

By delving into essential warfighting functions such as sustainment, protection, command and control (C2), and fires, the summit aims to enhance the long-range capabilities of the Multi-Domain Task Force.

"I believe it's about closer alignment and understanding of the myriad problems we face and how we solve them. It's about integrating our capabilities by understanding what each of us brings to the fight," said Schneider.

U.S. Army Pacific Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. James B. Bartholomees shared his insight on the ACE concept through his experience.

"The ACE Concept is the United States Air Force concept for Agile Combat Employment, which is the employment of their aircraft in a dispersed fashion to maintain survivability in order to prepare for future operations," said Bartholomees. "The reason why we came together with Pacific Air Forces is so that we can combine the best elements of multi -domain operations and ACE of air and land forces to achieve combined effects."

The theater Army derives its mission requirements from the joint force, ensuring a cohesive and unified approach to defense in the Indo-Pacific Region. One of the pivotal contributors to this synergy is the Air Force, which spearheads the ACE concept.

With the ACE concept, the summit will set the stage, focusing on how the Air Force and Army are refining new standards for how operational capabilities are being employed in the Pacific theater and how the Army is poised to support and enhance these efforts, ensuring joint-force capabilities remain effective and adaptable.

Schneider emphasized how land and air components capabilities can be used together to help create a synergy when combined properly.

"We have complementary capabilities, and I believe this conference went a long way in helping us identify those capabilities," said Schneider. This enables us to continue teaming up and combining our strengths as a joint force."

The efforts and collaborative ideas here ensure that joint forces are better prepared, more resilient, and capable of responding swiftly to any threats, strengthening security in the region.

The event wrapped up with the Army and Air Force coming together to draft a memorandum of understanding. This key document sets the stage for ongoing collaboration in planning for ACE, MDO, and ensuring these strategies are seamlessly integrated into operational plans fulfilling the Army and Air Force roles in the Pacific Theater.

"There are three steps we will take as a result of this summit. First, we will work on merging our operational concepts of ACE and MDO. Second, we have decided to identify exercises in the region to rehearse the mechanics of air and land power converging to support joint power," said Flynn. "Third, we agree to hold this summit every six months to learn, grow, succeed, develop, and create synergy between air and land domain capabilities to support air, cyber, space, and maritime operations within the joint force."

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Defence Minister Jana Cernochova met with her Swedish counterpart

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

4.9.2024

Author: by MoD Communication Department

Minister of Defence Jana Cernochova held a meeting with her Swedish counterpart Minister Pal Jonson at the Defence Ministry. The Ministers signed a Joint Declaration on enhancement of defence cooperation between the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Sweden. Both the declaration and the meeting agenda included participation of the Czech defence industry on the production on CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, further support for Ukraine and the future of the JAS-39 Gripen aircraft in the Czech Air Force.

The declaration defines key areas of cooperation, confirms its strategic significance and follows on the Memorandum of Understanding concluded between the Czech Republic and Sweden in 2002. "The signature of the Joint Declaration both confirms the strategic level of our partnership and also sends a clear signal of our intention to further enhance it," said Minister Cernochova. "Sweden's accession to NATO also unlocks new possibilities of cooperation. We need to perceive it not only through the optics of Russian aggression against Ukraine but also in the long-term perspective. We shall focus on strengthening the interoperability of our units which would together defend NATO's Eastern Flank, added the Minister Cernochova.

Regarding the support to Ukraine, Sweden is one of the countries that joined the Czech ammunition initiative designed to provide Ukraine with critically needed ammunition. "I very much appreciate Czech Republic's leading role in supporting Ukraine. I believe the Czech ammunition initiative can serve as a role model for our future aid to countries under attack," said Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson. Sweden also provided Ukraine with military materiel and is among one of its largest supporters from the perspective of volume of aid donated.

The discussion also included the acquisition of 246 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. Minister Jonson appreciated the Czech Republic's decision to purchase the vehicles. Czech industries, which will participate in their production for the Czech Armed Forces, can later be included in production of the vehicles for other European countries. According to Minister Cernochova, the participation of the Czech industry in the production of CV90 is key.

During the meeting, the Ministers also discussed continuation of the lease of JAS-39 Gripen aircraft for the Czech Air Force until the Czech Republic acquires the 5th generation F-35 aircraft. The current Gripen lease contract ends in 2027. The Ministry of Defence has received an offer from Sweden to extend the lease beyond 2027, but is not entirely satisfied with it.

"I cannot choose a specific example. Given that the negotiations are still ongoing, it would be neither correct nor tactical to publish details. That being said, we want to focus on the concept of the agreement as such and I believe I can mention that we also need a more detailed breakdown of the support and modernisation costs. The JAS-39 Gripen aircraft are nearing the last decade of their life cycle, maintenance costs are increasing and a costly modernisation is necessary. We answer to our tax payers and I want to be one hundred percent sure that the conditions for the Czech Republic are justifiable before the Government, as well as before the opposition and the Czech citizens," said Minister Cernochova and added that she and her Swedish counterpart concurred that there is will to come to an agreement.

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Defence Minister Jana Cernochova met with Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

4.9.2024

Author: by MoD Press Section

The Czech Ministry of Defence hosted a meeting between the Defence Minister Jana Cernochova and her Italian counterpart Minister Guido Crosetto. The topics they discussed included the support of Ukraine, NATO's defence and deterrence following the Washington Summit, security situation in Africa and in the Middle East, Czech-Italian defence industrial cooperation, the F-35 project and cooperation on war graves.

Defence Minister Cernochova highly valued the Italian assistance to Ukraine that is facing a Russian aggression, and mentioned in this regard the Czech ammunition initiative and the use of proceeds from immobilised Russian assets for the country under attack. The Ministers also debated the recent NATO Summit in Washington, D.C.

"The Summit sent out a clear signal that our defence is strong. But it is also clear that we need to do much more. Likewise, NATO needs to adopt a new strategy on Russia which has already waged a war against the West by attacking in the cyberspace and sponsoring terrorist and arson attacks in our countries. In the south, Russia is igniting threats in Africa and in the Middle East," said Minister Cernochova. She added that Russia turned Africa into a geopolitical battlefield and was undermining Europe's strategic interests there.

From the perspective of defence industrial cooperation between the Czech Republic and Italy, the acquisition of the F-35 fifth generation fighter aircraft will mark an important milestone. As a matter of fact, half of the total of 24 fighters to be acquired will go through the Final Assembly and Check-Out facility in Cameri, Italy. Once the fighters are operated by the Czech Air Force, the FACO will also be where possible upgrades, modifications, retrofits and maintenance of airframes and some other component of F-35 fighters will take place as part of the Global Support Solution. According to Minister Cernochova, the Czech Republic is also ready to discuss cooperation with Italian industries, including Leonardo, which plays a key role in the European defence industry.

There is also an untapped potential for developing bilateral cooperation in the care for war graves, for instance as concerns the restoration of the war graves of Austro-Hungarian soldiers who originated from the present territory of the Czech Republic and died in the territory of Italy. During World War I, several dozen thousand Czechs served in the ranks of Austro-Hungarian Army there, and the Czech Republic stands ready to participate, including financially, in keeping up the graves of those who died in Italy.

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Palestinian fighters target Israeli military vehicles with explosives

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, said their fighters have detonated six explosive devices targeting Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank over the past 72 hours.

The Israeli military is now in its seventh day of massive raids across the occupied West Bank, an operation that has killed dozens of Palestinians and sparked heavy fighting with Palestinian resistance groups.

The Al-Quds Brigades reported 14 separate clashes with Israeli soldiers in various cities in the West Bank. They said the Tulkarm Battalion engaged in seven armed confrontations with the occupying forces, detonating four explosives along the routes of Israeli military vehicles.

The Tulkarm Battalion also inflicted casualties on Israeli troops during these clashes, asserting that several soldiers were killed or wounded.

Additionally, the Nablus Battalion of the Al-Quds Brigades engaged in four battles against Israeli forces, during which they also detonated an explosive device targeting Israeli military vehicles.

4353**2050

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At least 40,861 Palestinians killed in Gaza since Oct. 7: Health Ministry

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Gaza Health Ministry reports that the death toll from the Israeli regime's genocidal war in the Palestinian enclave has reached 40,861.

The ministry said on Wednesday that the Israeli regime committed three more massacres in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, leaving 42 Palestinians dead and 107 injured.

The casualties bring the total death toll since the start of the war to 40,861, with the number of injured reaching 94,398, the ministry said.

Despite these ongoing atrocities, the Israeli regime has admitted that after nearly 11 months of warfare, it has yet to achieve its objectives of dismantling the Hamas movement and securing the release of Israeli captives.

4353**2050

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Hezbollah fires volley of missiles, rockets against Israeli targets

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has fired a volley of missiles and rockets into northern Israeli occupied territories.

Hezbollah said in a statement on Wednesday that its fighters had bombarded the command center of the Sahel Battalion at the Beit Hillel barracks and the Israeli artillery sites in Dishon with barrages of Katyusha rockets.

Israeli military radio reported that approximately five rockets were fired towards the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona, located in the northern part of the occupied territories.

The Israeli army urged residents of Kiryat Shmona to seek shelter.

Additionally, Israel's Channel 12 reported that rocket fire from Lebanon resulted in fires breaking out in three different locations in the occupied Galilee region.

Channel 12 also said that two Israelis were injured near the settlement of Dishon due to the rocket attacks.

The Israeli military later announced that around 65 projectiles were fired from Lebanon.

Air raid sirens were activated in northern regions following the attacks.

4353**2050

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Iraq Islamic resistance targets Haifa in occupied lands

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic resistance in Iraq targeted Haifa, the largest port in the occupied territories, with drones on Wednesday.

Through a statement, the resistance group referred to the attack as a response to the Zionist regime's massacre against the Palestinian people.

The attack was carried out in support of the Palestinians, the statement says.

The Israeli army has confirmed the drone attack and claimed its anticipation.

The Islamic resistance in Iraq has stressed that it continues to target the enemy as the resistance groups have already warned the occupying regime that they will heighten anti-Israel operations if the regime does not halt aggression.

1483**2050

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None of Netanyahu's goals achieved in Gaza war: Israeli official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- A senior former Israeli security official, who recently resigned from the war cabinet of the Zionist regime, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not achieve any of his intended goals from more than 10 months of war on the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu decided not to accept the offer of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas due to political and party issues, Gadi Eisenkot who resigned together with Benny Gantz, the former minister of military affairs said on Tuesday night.

Netanyahu deprives the military affairs minister and the security apparatus of legitimacy, Eisenkot clarified further and said "Netanyahu's recent speech on the Gaza ceasefire bother me".

Several Israeli officials, including Gantz have repeatedly said that Netanyahu is an obstacle in the prisoner exchange agreement with the Hamas movement and that he is not fit to rule.

Eisenkot also said that he believes Netanyahu cannot return the Israeli captives alive, because he is busy with his political survival.

Meanwhile, the media of the Zionist regime revealed on Tuesday night that since the beginning of the war, some 10,400 soldiers have been injured.

The media could not mention the number of military deaths but the Zionist army admitted on August 19 that it lost 689 soldiers, a figure both Israeli and foreign media outlets suspect, arguing the death toll could be much higher.

The war in the Gaza Strip has entered its 11th month, while several Zionist media have pointed to the severe censorship of the Israeli army in announcing its casualties. They say the move taken due to the high number of casualties among Zionist soldiers and the fear of further internal reactions.

The Zionist media revealed earlier that the statistics of the wounded announced by the army differed greatly from the statistics provided by the hospitals.

Channel 12 previously reported that the army had asked hospital authorities not to publish any casualty figures without coordination.

4399

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Israeli warplanes bomb southern Lebanon

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Zionist regime's warplanes have bombed several residential areas of southern Lebanon, media sources reported on Wednesday morning.

According to IRNA, quoting Al-Manar website, the Israeli attacks targeted the Al-Khayam neighborhood, Kfar Shoba, Aita Sha'ab and the forest area between Yatr and Zabqin.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the attacks which came hours after Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement announced launching fresh attacks on four Zionist bases in the occupied territories.

Since the onset of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, Hezbollah and the Zionist regime are engaged in exchange of fire almost on a daily basis.

Hezbollah largely targets military bases and equipment such as tanks, personnel carriers and armored vehicles as well as espionage installation of the Zionist regime. A large number of Zionist soldiers have been killed or injured in such operations since October last year.

The Israeli military on the other hand hit residential areas of southern Lebanon that results in civilian casualties.

4399

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PM Netanyahu's remarks at Press Conference for Foreign Media

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

Events and Speeches

The 37th Government

04.09.2024

Yesterday, I visited in Ashkelon the family of one of the hostages murdered in cold blood. A day earlier, I spoke to several of the families of these murdered hostages. It tears your heart out. I said to them that I'm sorry. I apologized that we, we didn't get them out. We worked so hard to get them. We were close. But we didn't. And they changed the torment of families worried about their loved ones to families grieving for their fallen beloved. That sentiment I know because I belong to that family. But it's a horror.

We also lost brave policemen and brave soldiers who were fighting in the Gaza front and I embraced their families as well. All our people do.

On October 7th, we experienced the worst savagery in this century. On October 7th, we experienced the worst savagery meted on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. These Savages massacred our people. 1,200 civilians. They beheaded our men. They raped our women and then murdered them. They burnt babies alive. They took 255 of our people hostages to their underground dungeons. That's a horror that the world saw and responded to initially.

It's important that we remember it. But we were given a reminder. A terrible reminder. Last week, when these savages murdered six of our hostages in cold blood. They riddled them with bullets. Then they shot each of them in the head. Some of them several times.

And these are the savages, these are the terrorists that Iran implanted next to our border as elsewhere. And we're committed to defeating them, to extirpating this evil from our midst. I want to talk to you today about some of the things that we must do to achieve that goal, including the questions of the Philadelphi Corridor.

But before I do that, I want to give your readers and viewers some context because often you see maps of Israel. You think it's a Goliath.

Well, I'd like to give you first an overview of where Israel is.

This is the Middle East, and this is the entire Arab world, and this is Israel. It's one of the world's tiniest countries. I give it the, you know, the thumb test. This is a big one, so you need a bigger thumb. But it's a tiny country. It's one of the tiniest countries on the planet. It's, I think one tenth of one percent of the territory of the Arab world, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's two tenths of one percent.

It goes from the river. The river is right here. That's the Jordan River. To the sea, the Mediterranean Sea. So, when Hamas is talking about liberating Palestine from the river to the sea, basically, what they're saying is destroying Israel.

And the entire width of this, it's probably around the width of the Washington Beltway, it's all together in its widest point is about 50 miles. Right here. Tiny.

And here's Gaza there. This is the red thing that you see here. That's Gaza. Now I want to zoom in. When I zoom in, remember how tiny this is. Remember the distances here.

Now, take a look. Here it is enlarged. This is Israel. This is the Mediterranean Sea. The Jordan River is right here.

This is Egypt and the Sinai desert. Now, look at Gaza. Where is Gaza? Gaza is implanted in this tiny country 30 miles from Tel Aviv, 40 miles from our capital Jerusalem, 30 miles from Beer-Sheva. These are three of Israel's largest cities. Gaza is within spitting distance to them.

Israel, up to the disengagement agreement of 2005, Israel controlled this border under an agreement with Egypt after the Camp David Peace Accords. We controlled this part, which is called the Philadelphi Corridor, I'll talk about that in a minute, right down to Eilat in the Red Sea. This was our border. And while there was, umm, I would say a minimal amount of terrorism, that wasn't, we didn't really face a big problem.

Let's zoom in on that a bit more. Here's Gaza Strip enlarged. Again, this is the situation in Gaza before the disengagement of 2005. And the Gaza Strip is firmly under Israeli control. We control the maritime border. You can't smuggle in weapons. They tried but we stopped it. You control the land border. And you control this border between the Sinai desert, Egypt and Gaza. The Gaza Strip, it's controlled. This is the Philadelphi Corridor. This is the Rafah Crossing. Controlled by the IDF.

Now look at the distances from Gaza. It's four miles to another city in Israel called Ashkelon, where I visited that bereaved family yesterday. It's a population of 170,000 people. They are four miles away. But some of our communities like kibbutz Be'eri, which was one of the hardest hit, is one mile away from Gaza. Kfar Aza is less than one mile away. It's literally walking distance. Okay.

And so, as long as we controlled this, these communities, sometimes they were harassed by this rocket or that rocket but it was marginal. We controlled the security situation. But something happened in 2005. Israel unilaterally disengaged from Gaza. It just went out. It took out everything. It took out the army. It stripped, uprooted communities, took out 10,000 people.

The army left the Philadelphi Corridor. Here's what happened.

This is Gaza after the disengagement. And Hamas now has a weapon smuggling operation nurtured by Iran, financed by Iran, supplied by Iran, delivered by Iran.

And here's what happened. That Philadelphi Corridor became completely porous. The other borders controlled by us. But once this was perforated, even though the policy of Egypt was to prevent it, you know, it didn't necessarily work, it didn't, it didn't succeed. And this border once we left our side of the Philadelphi Corridor, rockets went in, missiles went in, drones went in, ammo went in, weapons manufacturing equipment came in, tunnel drilling equipment came in.

Once we got out, once we left the Philadelphi Corridor, Iran could carry out its plan to turn Gaza into a base, a terrorist enclave that would endanger not only the communities around it but would endanger Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer-Sheva, the entire country of Israel. It became a huge terrorist base because we left that Corridor.

So, we vowed, or I would say, all this, you have to understand that the centrality, the centrality of the Philadelphi Corridor to the arming of Gaza, to the arming of Hamas and this all led to the October 7th massacre, which Hamas has vowed, proudly vowed to do again and again and again.

We vowed that they won't be able to do it. So we said, as far as Gaza is concerned, three war goals: The first war goal was to destroy Hamas's military and governing capabilities. The second was to free our hostages. And the third was to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.

And all three of those goals, all three of them go through Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor. And it's obvious why. You want to destroy Hamas's military and governing capabilities - You can't let Hamas rearm. It's obvious. So you have to control the corridor. You can't let them have...by the way, it's not only to prevent them from terrorizing us, attacking us, it's also to prevent Hamas or any other terrorist organization from terrorizing the people of Gaza.

Gaza cannot have a future if Gaza remains porous and you can enable rearmament of terrorists through the Philadelphi Corridor.

The second thing is to release the hostages. First of all, you can't prevent, if you leave this Corridor, you can't prevent Hamas from, not only, not smuggling weapons in, you can't prevent them from not smuggling terrorists, hostages out. It's walking distance, nothing. They can easily smuggle hostages out here to the Sinai desert in Egypt, they disappear. It's crossing distance. The distance is nothing, it's meters, meters away.

They cross the, the barrier above ground. They don't even have to go underground. They disappear in the Sinai and then they end up in Iran or in Yemen. They're gone forever.

And you need something to squeeze them, to prevent them, to put pressure on them to release the remaining hostages. So if you want to release the hostages, you've got to control the Philadelphi Corridor. And the third reason, the third goal of ensuring that we prevent Gaza from being again a threat to Israel. It's clear. Gaza must be demilitarized. And it can only be demilitarized if the Philadelphi Corridor remains under firm control and is not a supply line for armaments and for terror equipment.

I think that's clear to most Israelis, to all Israelis. But a question has arisen: that may be the case, but why don't you leave Gaza for 42 days, you could come back. Well, aside from what I said that they could smuggle the terrorists out... I want to show you what they've got under Gaza. I didn't show you that. So I want to show you that.

This is what they have under the Philadelphi Corridor. Just so you understand the supply lines we're talking about. This is one of the tunnels there. Look at the engineering, look at the investment here, look at what they've got. We've got dozens of such tunnels, dozens of such tunnels, underneath the Philadelphi Corridor. To give you an impression of the size of these things: This is a soldier. This is a tunnel. You could drive a truck through this. Indeed, you could. Here's a truck, or it's a Humvee. This is a huge, huge problem.

Now, you're just going to walk away? It's obvious we have to control it, right? I think, once you see this, you understand that? But then the next question is, okay, you leave and you come back. That's what they tell us. Okay. We'll have complete international legitimacy to come back. Sorry, we've gone down that route. We were down that route when we left Lebanon, and people said you can leave Lebanon and you can come back. The first time they fire a rocket you can come back, the world will support you. It didn't. And we've been out of Lebanon for 24 years.

They said the same thing when we left Gaza in the disengagement. They said, you can leave, and the first rocket... I remember, Prime Minister Sharon said this to me. The first rocket above ground or below ground, we'll be able to go back in. It's been 20 years and we haven't gone back in. Because you all know and understand that the international community, including friendly countries, under enormous domestic pressure because of the propaganda that's leveled against Israel and against them, there'll be enormous, international pressure not to come back. What is their message? End the war. End the war. And so, when we want to come back and resume, we'll pay an exorbitant price in many fields, including in the lives of our men.

To come back? It's not a just a military question. It's a military, political, strategic question. And we make that decision. We're not going to leave. 42 days? We're there. I don't want to leave in order to come back in, when I know that we didn't come back in. And it's not going to take another 24 years to come back in. And God knows what price we'll have? How many more massacres? How many more kidnappings? How many more hostages? How many more rapes? It's not going to happen.

So, people said, yeah, but if you stay, this will kill the deal. And I say, such a deal will kill us. And there won't be a deal that way. This is a false narrative. I'm willing to make a deal. I made one already, one that brought back 150 hostages, 117 alive. And I'm committed to return the remaining 101. I'll do everything I can to get them in.

But leaving Philadelphi does not advance the release of the hostages, because the deal cannot be advanced. They'll give you a minor part if they give anything, and keep the rest. Go and argue... You know when they started giving us hostages? When we went into Philadelphi. When we went into Rafah. When we controlled the Rafah Crossing. That's when they felt the pressure. As long as they didn't feel the pressure, they wouldn't do it. The first batch, the first deal that we got, was a result of our invasion, the military pressure we put in. They gave us the hostages. After that, they thought, well, you know, we'll have the international pressure turn on Israel so we won't have to do, we won't have to make any concessions. But after Rafah, their tune changed, and they began to change. If we leave Rafah, if we leave the Philadelphi Corridor, there won't be any pressure. We won't get the hostages.

I said I'm willing to make a deal. The real obstacle to making a deal is not Israel and it's not me. It Hamas. It's Sinwar. On April 27th, I put forward a proposal by Israel, which Secretary Blinken called extremely generous. On May 31st, having met Blinken again, I said, we agreed to the US-backed proposal, and Hamas refused. On August 16th, the US brought forth what they called the final bridging proposal. Again, we accepted, Hamas refused. On August 19th, Secretary Blinken said, Israel accepted the US proposal, now Hamas has to do the same. On August 28ththat's a week agothe deputy CIA director said Israel showed seriousness in the negotiations, now Hamas must make the deal. This was last week. So, I ask you, what has changed. What has changed in this week? What's changed is that they murdered six of our hostages in cold blood.

Now, the world will seriously demand that Israel make concessions after this massacre? What message does this send to Hamas? I'll tell you what the message is. Murder more hostages, you'll get more concessions. That's not only illogical, it's not only immoral, it's downright insane. So, it's not going to happen. We have red lines before the murder. They haven't changed. We'll hold to them. But we also had flexibility. And I'll tell you one thing, Hamas will pay for this. That you can be assured. We'll make sure that we extract that price from them. But we are firm on our red lines, including the Philadelphi Corridor, for the reasons I described here. I'm flexible where I can be. I'm firm when I have to be.

I think there is a possibility of getting this deal if we stick to this strategy. I said before, we got 150 hostages out because we combined a firm stance with military pressure. And I said that Hamas after that relied on international pressure, but it had weakened. And then we went into Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, so it got strengthened, and they were beginning to balk. A condition that they said they'd never accept, a red line, is that we must commit to getting out of Gaza and enabling Hamas basically to take over Gaza again. End the war, get out, let them retake Gaza. That's obviously something we couldn't do.

They said there'll never be a deal. Well, they started caving in there after we took the Philadelphi Corridor. And then they started backing off. You know why they waited? Why they started backing off? Because they waited for Iran to start a general war with Israel. That didn't happen. So then they waited for Hezbollah to start a general war with Israel. That didn't happen either. So now they resort to the final tactic. They're going to sow discord and create international pressure, again using the hostages, even after the murder. And this is something that's not new because they started this a year ago.

You should see this. I mean, this is their tactic. This is Hamas orders for psychological warfare, found in Hamas underground command post on January 29th, that's right after the beginning of the war, 2024. And this is the original document in Arabic. Our soldiers found it.

And here's what it says: Push photos and videos of hostages. Put it out in the media, because that creates enormous psychological pressure. Who's not affected by it? Any human being seeing these souls, these girls, these people, young people from those dungeons, you're affected by. Second: Increase psychological pressure on defense minister. Third: Continue blaming Netanyahu. And fourth: Claim ground operation will not release hostages.

That's Hamas', it's not only their talking points, it's their strategy. And their idea is this will sow internal discord and increase international pressure on Israel. That's what they hope to achieve. And they hope, they think this will happen. Well, it won't happen. I can tell you why it won't happen. I'll tell you why they'll fail. Because overwhelmingly the people of Israel are united. They understand everything that I said here. Overwhelmingly. You should know that. It's important. And the second thing is, we're committed to achieving our goalsall three goals: Destroying Hamas' military and governing capabilities, releasing all our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza does not become a threat to Israel anymore. And all these require standing firm on the things that will ensure the achievement of these goals. And with God help, and with our people's will, and with the courage of our soldiers, we will achieve all goals".

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The President: The ties between Lithuanian and Poland ensure the security of the entire region

President of the Republic of Lithuania

September 04, 2024

President Gitanas Nauseda is commencing an official visit to Poland. On Wednesday, the Head of State met with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss the security situation in the region, bilateral defense cooperation, support for Ukraine, and the implementation of joint infrastructure projects.

During the meeting, the Head of State underlined that this official visit to Poland marks a milestone of excellent bilateral relations, productive cooperation, and genuine friendship between the two nations, and highlights the importance of cooperation between Lithuania and Poland.

President Gitanas Nauseda stressed the significance of Lithuanian-Polish security cooperation in the current geopolitical context.

"Our bilateral efforts to strengthen the protection of the external borders of the EU and NATO, joint military exercises, increased focus on the security of the Suwaki Corridor, and defense industry cooperation have significantly contributed to the security of our two countries, and, in turn, to the security of the region as a whole," the Head of State said.

Gitanas Nauseda emphasized that Lithuania and Poland's ability to speak with one voice on issues of key importance to our region ensures that the security priorities of both countries are adequately represented in the international arena.

"Together, we are striving for the effective implementation of NATO's regional plans, increasing the presence of NATO allies in the region, and urging our allies to invest more in defense. Given the current security situation, spending 2% is no longer sufficient; we must aim higher and reach 3%. Both Lithuania and Poland have already met and exceeded this target, setting a strong example for others," President Gitanas Nauseda underlined.

The Head of State pointed out that the unwavering support of Lithuania and Poland for Ukraine remains vital, highlighting the need to continue mobilizing allies and supporting Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor by all possible means.

"I am calling for the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine. We are ready to train Ukrainian troops at the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade base. Peace talks have to be be conducted only on Ukrainian terms. No one can demand territorial or any other concessions from Ukraine to Russia," the President stressed.

On Thursday, the Lithuanian and Polish leaders will jointly participate in the Lithuanian-Polish Defense Forum. It is expected to attract over 70 defense industry companies from both countries. Later, President Gitanas Nauseda and President Andrzej Duda will travel together to Lublin, where they will visit the headquarters of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian joint military unit, the Grand Hetman Kostiantyn Ostrogski Brigade, and will sign a declaration of bilateral relations at the Lublin Castle, outlining future guidelines and priorities for cooperation between the two countries.



The President's Communication Group

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A look at the Defence news 26 August - 1 September

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 04-09-2024

European Union defence ministers met in Brussels for an informal meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in its defence configuration. The main topic of discussion was support for Ukraine.

Minister Ruben Brekelmans was a first-time participant in the meeting of defence ministers. He stressed that the Netherlands would give Ukraine its unwavering support for as long as it takes.

Donated amphibious tracked vehicles en route to Ukraine

The Ministry of Defence has donated 28 amphibious tracked vehicles to Ukraine. The Bandvagn Vikings, as the vehicles are known, have already been delivered. The Netherlands Marine Corps previously used the equipment and has trained its Ukrainian counterparts in its use and technical maintenance.

Royal Netherlands Navy represented by two ships in the NATO fleet

The RNLN's HNLMS Van Amstel and HNLMS De Ruyter form part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). This fleet is one of NATO's four permanent maritime response forces.

Navy ships back in Den Helder after deployment in the West

HNLMS Groningen intercepted approximately 7,000 kilograms of drugs in the Caribbean during the last five months. The patrol ship returned to Den Helder last week. HNLMS Holland has taken over the duties in the West.

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Israel must be prevented from plunging region into war: Erdogan

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 5:39 PM

The Turkish president says Israel must be prevented from "plunging the whole region into war," warning the West against widespread support for the regime.

Erdogan, speaking in a press conference in Ankara along with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, said some states continue to provide "unconditional support to Israel".

"In this fashion, they are accessories to Israel's crimes," Al Jazeera quoted Erdogan as saying. "They are accomplices to their crimes in the massacres and pogroms perpetrated against the civilian population of Gaza."

Erdogan said the Israeli regime, in addition to dropping thousands of tonnes of bombs on civilians, has continued to conduct a starvation war on Gaza.

"Each and every Palestinian citizen or child who dies of starvation remains the responsibility of Israel, and those backing Israel," Erdogan said.

The Egyptian president said the situation in Gaza was an "unprecedented catastrophe."

Sisi also called for "a stop to the escalation in the West Bank", where Israel has been leading a deadly campaign since last week.

"I reiterate the joint stand of Egypt and Turkey calling for an immediate ceasefire, rejecting further escalation by Israel in the occupied West Bank, and taking tangible measures to live up to the aspiration of the Palestinian people for the establishment of an independent state based on 1967 borders with [occupied] East Al-Quds as its capital," he said.

In the meeting in Ankara, which was held during the first such visit by an Egyptian leader in years, the two sides said they wanted to deepen cooperation.

"We will strengthen our cooperation in all areas," said Erdogan, who visited Sisi in Cairo in mid-February, when the two leaders said they had turned over a "new leaf" in bilateral ties.

Ankara and Cairo cut ties in 2013 after Sisi, then defense minister, ousted President Mohamed Morsi, an ally of Turkey and a Muslim Brotherhood figure.

On Wednesday, the two leaders signed 17 cooperation agreements, according to the Turkish presidency.

"We want to improve our cooperation with Egypt in the domain of energy, especially natural gas and nuclear power," Erdogan said.

Despite a decade of estrangement, trade between the two countries never ceased: Turkey is Egypt's 5th largest trading partner. Egypt is Turkey's largest in Africa.

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Hamas issues new warning over Israeli captives amid ongoing genocide

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 4:38 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has issued a stark warning to the Israeli regime regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza, saying the lives of captives held in the besieged territory are in danger unless the regime reverses its course.

In a video message directed at Israeli settlers, Hamas stated that the continuation of military aggression would jeopardize the safety of Israeli captives.

Hamas said if the attacks on Gaza ceases, the captives will be returned safely to their homes in the occupied territories, and if the aggression persists, the fate of these individuals would remain uncertain.

The video message noted, "Every day that Netanyahu continues to rule may mean a new coffin."

Hamas took a large group of Zionist settlers and soldiers captive in its October 7 Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, which caught the regime off-guard.

The movement initially offered to release the captives in exchange for the release of a large number of Palestinians held by Israel.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a tough line in the Gaza ceasefire talks, and repeatedly said military pressure is needed to bring home the captives.

According to Israeli media, he has feuded with the regime's high-profile officials who say a deal should be struck urgently.

Dozens of the captives have so far been killed in the indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza.

During its operation, Hamas took 251 Israelis captive, 97 of whom now remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.

Earlier this week, the military found the bodies of six captives in a tunnel in the southern city of Rafah. Hamas said they were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

The death of the six captives ignited fury among Israelis who have for months denounced Netanyahu's policy of torpedoing a deal with Hamas in favor of his political interests.

On Sunday and Monday, thousands of Israelis staged the largest anti-regime demonstration since October 7, 2023, when Israel unleashed its genocidal campaign in Gaza. They took to the streets in the occupied lands and joined a general strike to call for an immediate ceasefire deal.

Israeli media reported clashes during the protests outside Netanyahu's residence in the occupied al-Quds and the headquarters of his Likud party in Tel Aviv. Dozens of people were arrested.

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Israel using 'lethal war-like tactics' against Palestinians in West Bank, UN warns

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 3:35 PM

The United Nations has warned that Israel is using "lethal war-like tactics" against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, more than a week after the occupying entity launched a massive military aggression in the Palestinian territory, killing dozens of people.

At a press conference in New York on Tuesday, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Stephane Dujarric, said that the Tel Aviv regime had resumed its aggression in Tulkarm and Jenin.

"The UN has recorded more than two dozen fatalities over the past week, including children," he said, adding that multiple organizations mobilized by the OCHA were set to carry out an assessment in Jenin but were denied access by the Israeli authorities.

"OCHA warns that access impediments are impacting the ability to provide meaningful humanitarian response," Dujarric said, noting that the movement of ambulances and medical teams has been impeded and delayed since the onset of the current aggression.

In the early hours of August 28, 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 occupying entity.

The ongoing military aggression in the West Bank is currently concentrated in the city of Jenin, whose streets and infrastructure have been damaged by over 70 percent since the onset of the "Camps of Summer", according to its municipality.

Dujarric also warned that Israeli forces continue to employ "lethal war-like tactics" in the West Bank, including airstrikes, with people being killed, injured and displaced.

While in Tulkarem on Saturday, OCHA teams verified that 120 Palestinians, including over 40 children, were displaced due to the destruction of their homes.

"At the time of the assessment, 13,000 people in Nour Shams refugee camp experienced water cut-offs, attributed to damages caused to the water network, and sewage overflow was observed. The teams also noted that the population was traumatized and in need of psychosocial support," the OCHA report said.

Since the onset of the current aggression in the West Bank, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces has increased to 34. This includes 19 in Jenin, 8 in Tulkarm, 4 in Tubas, and 3 in al-Khalil. The total death toll in the occupied West Bank has now reached 685 since October 7 last year.

The heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank come as the Israeli regime has since October been conducting a barbaric onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, claiming the lives of more than 40,000 people, most of them women and children.

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Arab countries reject Netanyahu's allegations of weapon smuggling from Egypt into Gaza

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 10:41 AM

Several Arab countries have dismissed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's allegations that weapons are being smuggled to the Palestinian Hamas resistance group through the Egyptian border.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry expressed its rejection of Netanyahu's statements about the Philadelphi Corridor - a demilitarized area along Egypt's border with Gaza - stressing they are "baseless allegations aimed at obstructing the mediation efforts undertaken by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to reach a swap deal leading to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza."

It reiterated its "full solidarity with Egypt in confronting all Israeli claims."

The ministry rejected "all claims promoted by Israeli officials in futile attempts to justify the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the occupied West Bank" and said it considers the accusations to be a "condemnable incitement and an escalation that aggravates the serious tension in the region."

In his first public address since Sunday's mass protests that saw hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers urging a deal with Hamas for the release of captives being held in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said he will not relinquish Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

Netanyahu claimed the corridor is vital to ensuring Hamas cannot rearm via tunnels. "This is the oxygen of Hamas," he said.

"No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me. ... No one will preach to me on this issue," he further claimed.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry also voiced "full solidarity with the brotherly Arab Republic of Egypt and its rejection of the statements made by the prime minister of the Israeli occupation."

It said that through remarks, Netanyahu "tried to use Egypt's name to distract Israeli public opinion and obstruct joint mediation efforts aimed at a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of captives and detainees."

"The Israeli occupation's approach based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies will ultimately lead to the demise of peace efforts and the expansion of violence in the region," it warned.

It also stressed the need "to strengthen regional and international efforts to oblige Israel to immediately end its brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip, in preparation for addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip."

For its part, the Palestinian presidency also condemned "statements made by Netanyahu aimed at justifying the continuation of the aggression against our people."

It expressed appreciation for "the Egyptian role in opposing the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land."

Additionally, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry accused Israel of trying "to hinder joint mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US that aim to reach a ceasefire in Gaza."

Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Oman also joined the Arab countries' solidarity with Egypt in the face of Netanyahu's allegations.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Netanyahu's claims, lambasting Israel for attempting to "derail efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and perpetuate ongoing violations by Israeli forces."

It rejected Israel's attempts to distort truth and mislead the international community about the border area between Gaza and Egypt.

The ministry went on to call for "intensified regional and international efforts to pressure Israel to end its aggression in Gaza immediately, and to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the territory."

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also censured Netanyahu's remarks, describing them as "baseless" and part of an "ongoing attempt to justify Israel's continuous violations of international laws and norms."

Riyadh warned that such provocative comments only undermined mediation efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.

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Sept. 3: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 10:16 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians so far, the majority of them children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Monday, September 3, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on September 3:

Ambushed an Israeli infantry unit in the al-Balawneh neighborhood of Tulkarm camp, in the northern occupied West Bank, using appropriate weapons.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on September 3:

Detonated several pre-prepared explosive devices targeting Israeli military vehicles on Haddad Street in Jenin, occupied West Bank.

Detonated an explosive device targeting Israeli forces in the al-Ghanem area of Tulkarm, occupied West Bank.

Engaged in intense clashes with Israeli forces in the Harat al-Hamam area of Tulkarm camp, occupied West Bank, firing multiple barrages of bullets.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on September 3:

Detonated multiple explosive devices targeting Israeli forces and their military vehicles as they passed through al-Nasira Street in Jenin, occupied West Bank.

Engaged in intense clashes with Israeli occupation forces storming the vicinity of Tulkarm camp, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.

In a joint operation with the Martyr Abdul Qader Al-Husseini Brigades, targeted Israeli regime forces with 120mm mortar shells at Salah al-Din Gate, east of Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces near a "besieged house" east of the Dhanaba suburb in Tulkarm, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.

Engaged in heavy clashes with Israeli forces in the Balawneh area of Tulkarm camp, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces that stormed Balata camp in Nablus, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.

Al-Asifah Forces' operations on September 3:

Detonated a high-powered explosive device targeting an Israeli military D9 bulldozer in the Madaris area of Tulkarm camp, occupied West Bank.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on September 3:

Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers storming Jenin camp on Abu Al-Asal Street in Jenin, occupied West Bank, with appropriate weapons.

In a joint operation with other resistance groups in Tulkarm camp, occupied West Bank, ambushed an Israeli force in the Balawneh neighborhood, targeting it with machine guns and explosive devices.

Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades' operations on September 3:

Targeted Israeli military gatherings in the "Netzarim" area with heavy 120mm mortar shells.

Hezbollah's operations on September 3:

Targeted surveillance equipment at the al-Jardah site with appropriate weapons.

Targeted surveillance equipment at the al-Raheb site with appropriate weapons.

Targeted the al-Asi site with appropriate weapons.

Targeted Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Samaka site in Lebanon's Kfar Shuba with appropriate weapons.

Targeted the radar site in Lebanon's Shebaa with artillery shells.

Targeted Israeli forces in the vicinity of the al-Raheb site with artillery shells. Targeted a military building in the Manara settlement with appropriate weapons.

Targeted Israeli soldiers at the Birkat Risha site with appropriate weapons.

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Israeli occupation ravaging West Bank as deadly raid, destruction campaign continues

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 9:28 AM

The Israeli regime has ramped up its aggression on the occupied West Bank by conducting violent raids on several areas in Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarm, at a time that the illegal entity is engaged in a genocidal war on Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Palestinian media said a Palestinian young man was injured at dawn on Wednesday by live bullets and three others were detained during the occupation forces' storming of Nablus.

The official Wafa news agency cited sources in the Palestine Red Crescent as reporting that an 18-year-old young man was injured by Israeli bullets in the foot after the occupation forces stormed two refugee camps east of the city.

Local sources said the Israeli forces raided the Balata and Askar al-Qadeem refugee camps, which led to the outbreak of confrontations during which the occupation forces fired live bullets, gas and sound bombs, and injured an unspecified number people.

The sources added that Israeli forces stormed several neighborhoods in the city, including Rafidia, and deployed their snipers on the rooftops of some residential buildings.

Two young men were detained in Rafidia after the forces raided and searched their homes.

According to other local sources, the occupation forces stormed the village of Qasra, south of Nablus, at dawn and raided al-Ain area and several homes before detaining a youth.

In the northern West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, the Israeli occupation forces continued for the 8th consecutive day their military aggression by demolishing and bulldozing Palestinian homes and infrastructure, Palestine's Safa News Agency said.

The forces carried out bombing operations inside the camp's neighborhoods and burned tarpaulins, which led to a number of citizens' homes catching fire and burning in al-Swalmeh neighborhood.

The Palestine Red Crescent reported that eight citizens suffocated as a result of the fire caused by the occupation in the camp.

The occupation bulldozers also continued to destroy the infrastructure and the citizens' property in the camp, causing extensive damage and destruction.

The Israeli forces raided Palestinian homes in Balawneh neighborhood, searched them and subjected their residents to interrogation.

In the city of Tulkarm, the regime's bulldozers closed roads and streets leading to the Tulkarm refugee camp and the Martyr Thabet Hospital, destroying vegetable stalls and citizens' property and uprooting trees.

Faisal Salama, head of the Popular Committee of Tulkarm camp, described the refugee camp as a disaster area due to repeated acts of aggression, and the tight siege after the occupation forces destroyed the infrastructure and electricity, water, and sewage networks, homes and facilities, in addition to the humanitarian and psychological situation of patients, children, women, and the elderly.

Salama called for international protection for the residents of the camp, and for immediate action to stop Israel's aggression, war of extermination, systematic displacement and organized terrorism.

The Israeli forces also detained four people from the towns of Bal'a, east of Tulkarm, and Kafr Jamal, south of the city, after raiding their homes, searching them and vandalizing their property.

The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the aggression at dawn on Wednesday has risen to 34, including 19 in Jenin, 8 in Tulkarm, 4 in Tubas, and 3 in al-Khalil, bringing to 685 the death toll in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023.

The heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank come as the Israeli regime has since October last year been conducting a barbaric onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, claiming the lives of more than 40,000 people, most of them women and children.

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Iraqi resistance strikes Israeli target in Haifa Port with explosive-laden drones

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 6:06 AM

Fighters from the Iraqi anti-terror resistance groups have launched a drone strike against a strategic target in the northern part of the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories in response to the Tel Aviv regime's devastating war on Gaza.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters, in a statement published on its Telegram channel on Wednesday morning, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Port of Haifa, stressing that the strike was carried out with a squadron of kamikaze drones.

It said the drone strike was carried out in continuation of the struggle against the occupying Israeli regime, in support of Palestinians in Gaza, and in retaliation for the massacres that the usurping Zionist entity is perpetrating against women, children, and elderly people in the besieged territory.

The group noted that it will continue to target and destroy important installations across the occupied lands.

This comes after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a drone strike against a "vital target" in the same port on Sunday.

The coalition announced in a statement at the time that the strike had come "in support of our people in Gaza, and in response to the massacres committed by the usurping entity against Palestinian civilians, including children, women, and the elderly."

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has been launching attacks on Israeli targets ever since the occupying regime started the genocidal war on Gaza in early October.

It has been also hitting American military bases in Iraq and neighboring Syria in retaliation for Washington's support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Israel has been waging an atrocious onslaught against the Gaza Strip, targeting hospitals, residences, and houses of worship after Palestinian resistance movements launched a surprise attack, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, on October 7 last year.

At least 40,819 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, and another 94,291 individuals have sustained injuries in Gaza so far. More than 1.7 million people have been internally displaced during the war as well.

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Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols on the Secretary's Upcoming Travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic

US Department of State

Special Briefing

Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs

Via Teleconference

September 4, 2024

MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us today. This is an on-the-record press briefing with Assistant Secretary Brian Nichols about Secretary Blinken's forthcoming travel. This briefing is embargoed until the travel is publicly announced by the department, which is expected to occur later this afternoon. If you would like to ask a question, please use the raise your hand function, and we'll get to as many as we can. Assistant Secretary, I'll turn it to you for any remarks you want to make at the top before we get to questions.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Great. Thank you, and being here today to preview Secretary Blinken travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During this trip, the Secretary will meet with Haitian and Dominican partners to discuss a range of priorities. On September 5th, the Secretary will travel to Port-au-Prince to meet with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and the Transitional Presidential Council. The Secretary will reaffirm the United States commitment to supporting the Haitian people and fostering a secure and peaceful Haiti. The Secretary, Prime Minister Conille, and the Transitional Presidential Council will also discuss Haiti's return to a democratic path and the urgent need for elections so the Haitian people can determine their own future.

We have seen Haiti take important steps forward in the last few months. In addition to the Transitional Presidential Council's appointment of the prime minister and designation of ministers of his cabinet, we have seen tangible signs of progress on the ground, including the opening of the airport and resumption of commercial flights, increased economic activity and movement in pockets of Port-au-Prince, and the deployment of the UN-authorized, Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission, which is working in close partnership with the Haitian National Police. With increased international support for both the MSS and the Haitian National Police, we are seeing a dramatic increase in patrols and operations designed to restore security and a sense of normalcy in Haiti. While in Haiti, Secretary Blinken will meet with the head of the MSS and the Haitian National Police and underscore the United States continued commitment to their success. We will also discuss Haiti's broader stabilization, development, and humanitarian needs.

Following his visit to Haiti, the Secretary will travel to the Dominican Republic. He will meet with President Luis Abinader to reaffirm our strong, multidimensional partnership and discuss three main priorities: strengthening our economic ties, including through the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity; advancing our shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human and labor rights; and promoting increased security in the region, particularly in Haiti. The Secretary and President Abinader will also discuss The 2025 Summit of the Americas, which the Dominican Republic will host. We look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Conille and President Abinader in the coming days to discuss these critical issues.

In Haiti, our goal is to recognize the positive progress made towards improving security and encourage efforts to appoint the provisional electoral council so Haiti can move toward elections. In the Dominican Republic, we will reinforce our shared priorities, such as promoting democratic governance, supporting free and fair elections in the region, and fighting corruption.

Thanks very much, and happy to take any questions.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Again, if you would like to ask a question, please use the raise your hand function. Our first question is going to be from Jennifer Hensler with CNN.

QUESTION: Hi. Thanks so much for doing this, Brian. I just wanted to get a better sense of why the Secretary felt it was important to take this trip now, and if you could give any specific details on anything he plans to announce. And then secondly, can you confirm reports that the U.S. is looking into transferring the MSS to a traditional UN peacekeeping force under those auspices? Thank you.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So this is a crucial moment in Haiti, and I think - when we had the opportunity to go to Haiti with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to see sort of the beginning of the deployment of the MSS, to see the equipment that's on the ground, to see that base. and now that more than 30 MRAPs have been delivered, other equipment, the increased rhythm of operations, we're seeing that forward movement on the security side that we've long waited for. But we also need to see progress on the political side, and engaging the Transitional Presidential Council, the prime minister, and Haiti's political parties is a priority for the Secretary to make sure that progress towards elections moves forward.

With regard to the nature of the mission in Haiti, our goal is to have a mission that is effective, strong, able to deliver the kind of security progress that the Haitian people deserve - and we're working with our international partners to do that - and setting up a structure that ensures a reliable source of financing and staffing for that mission is a priority. A formal PKO is one of the ways that we could accomplish that, but we're looking at multiple ways to do that.

MODERATOR: Wonderful. Our next question is from Daphne from Reuters.

Do you have a question?

QUESTION: Are you able to hear me?

MODERATOR: Yes, we can hear you now.

QUESTION: Okay, sorry. Not sure what happened. Thank you for doing this. I wanted to ask about the 360 million that's been promised for the MSS. How much of that has been disbursed so far, and who has it been paid to?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So the United States has provided over - through the Department of Defense - over $200 million for the construction and operation of the logistics support area, the base where the MSS is. And that has - that has been provided to the contractors who constructed and operate the base. And through the Department of State, we have provided over $50 million, I think, in equipment and support for the operations of the MSS in different ways on the ground. The assistance that we're providing also includes over $60 million in drawdown authority for support to the MSS. So drawdown authority is the ability to take things out of government stocks and provide them to the MSS, and we've provided all sorts of things - radios, tents, computers, night vision devices. So all those things are - UAVs, all sorts of things that are in process of delivery; some have already been delivered, and others are still pending. So that's broadly where that money has gone.

MODERATOR: Our next question is from Nick Schifrin from PBS.

QUESTION: Hi, Brian. Thanks very much. You paint a pretty positive picture of some improvements that you've seen, especially in Port-au-Prince, but Garry Conille gave an interview yesterday in which he says, "The situation is the worst I've seen in my... lifetime." He talks about delays in manpower and funding that you'll know very well - only 400 Kenyan troops, most of the 600 million hasn't arrived yet, and he's seeking Blinken's help to rally more aid. I'm wondering if you agree with his overall characterization of the situation.

And we saw a high-profile announcement yesterday of corruption charges against some high-ranking officials for illicit enrichment, abuse of office, et cetera. I'm wondering if you could react to that announcement, please. Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, I think if you look at the situation over the course of 2024, let's remember how difficult things were. I mean, we had a situation where the airport was closed and under fire. Former Prime Minister Ariel Henry couldn't return to the country because security was so bad. We were wondering if at one point Guy Philippe was announcing his march into Port-au-Prince to take over the government.

So we have come a long way since those very dark moments. The fact that we have joint operations by the MSS, the Haitian National Police, and the Haitian Army in neighborhoods like Bel Air, Fort National, Delmas, going after gangs and their leaders in a way that hasn't happened in years, from a security standpoint that is a major step forward. The - both the Haitian National Police and the MSS have recently received armored vehicles and equipment that'll allow them to more aggressively prosecute these operations, and that's an important step forward.

The United States, Canada, and a few other donors have made important contributions to the MSS UN trust fund to support these efforts. Nonetheless, we need the rest of the international community to step forward with much more significant financial contributions so that the force can continue to operate, and that additional nations can deploy their units as part of the MSS. The prime minister is rightly concerned about the future, but I think we have come quite a long way since the beginning of the year.

With regard to the corruption allegations involving - I think you're referring to the ones involving members of the Transitional Presidential Council, we certainly believe that Haitian authorities should investigate those and determine the substance of what happened and take appropriate actions to hold anyone who's responsible for corrupt acts accountable. The Haitian people deserve transparency and good governance, and the international community, which provides so much assistance, also needs to see that to have the confidence that funds that flow through the Haitian Government are used appropriately and transparently.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question is from Nike Ching from VOA.

QUESTION: Good morning, Brian. Thank you very much for this phone briefing. First question: This is Secretary Blinken's first trip to both Caribbean countries as Secretary of State, correct? And then secondly, just to follow up with Nick's question, with about one month remaining in the mandate of MSS, how concerned is the U.S. about the slow deployment and some of the unfulfilled pledges, especially as the U.S. is the top funder of the MSS?

And then finally, regarding the Open Skies Agreement between the United States and the Dominican Republic signed on August 2nd, will the Open Skies Agreement come into effect during Secretary Blinken's visit to the country to exchange the diplomatic notes? Thank you very much.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So Secretary Blinken has traveled to the Caribbean previously. He went to Port of Spain and he also traveled to Georgetown, Guyana. The Secretary has met with Caribbean - oh, and Jamaica earlier this year. So he's made several trips to the region and he's met with Caribbean leaders in Washington as well as on the margins of the OAS General Assembly in Peru. So he's had a number of engagements with Caribbean leaders as well as meeting leaders and foreign ministers here in Washington during their visits, and our relations with the Caribbean are a big priority for the Secretary as well as the rest of our government from President Biden on down.

The - with regard to the Open Skies Agreement, I will have to get back to you on when that will enter into force, but it's - we know it's a big step forward and we hope that it will provide more reliable and more economical travel between the United States and the Dominican Republic going forward.

QUESTION: How about the concerns about the MSS slow deployment and some of the pledges?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, the - the MSS is - just in the course of the last few days has begun much more active operations, and we hope that the deployment of additional MSS force members from a number of other countries will take place in the very near future. But in order for the operation to succeed, we need to ensure the international community provides the financial resources in addition to the manpower and equipment that the force needs to deploy, and we have been tireless in pressing others in the international community to make significant contributions to the UN MSS trust fund or to contribute people or materiel to the force, and we will continue to press for that. The one-year anniversary of the mission is October 2nd, and we're going to work to ensure that it is poised for success and a renewal of its mandate in whatever form that takes going forward.

MODERATOR: Our next question is from Jacqueline Charles with the Miami Herald. Jacqueline?

QUESTION: Yes, I'm here. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: We hear you.

QUESTION: Good morning. Fine. Thanks for doing this. A couple of questions for you. The bribery scandal - just yesterday the members of the CPT tried to take measures against the three who were accused, but because it comes down to 4-3, they couldn't do it. So everyone is wondering whether or not Secretary Blinken will raise this issue to try and get some - some sort of decision or progress on this since we know that investigations in Haiti take a long time. Secondly, humanitarian corridor - the Secretary will be using the humanitarian corridor as he travels between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The skies have been shut down to Haitians for several months now, and we're wondering whether or not he will be raising this issue with the Dominican Republic in terms of the fact that there's no commercial traffic between the two.

And then third, I just came back. The Kenyan force commander says that they have been in this sort of deployment phase, but Haitians are frustrated because they haven't seen any big gang leaders arrested or killed. And what we've seen is that communities on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince have suffered increased attacks. So we're just wondering whether or not this push for a UN peacekeeping mission you think would be more successful in addressing the long-term security issues.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, thanks. That's a lot there. I think certainly the Secretary will raise the importance of transparency, rule of law in dealing with the corruption allegations in - that have come to light in the BNC case. We believe that Haitian officials should investigate this and hold those responsible to account, and I'm sure that the Secretary will raise this issue while he's there.

The - with regard to the progress thus far, this week we've seen the arrival of the - of the last of the MRAPS that are coming in this tranche, which provides the force with sufficient vehicles, heavily armored vehicles, that they can carry out operations. Similarly, the provisions for the Haitian National Police have really now postured those forces to be able to carry out significant operations safely. And we want to make sure that every element that the force needs, they have, to be able to do their job safely and effectively to bring those responsible for crimes to justice while safeguarding the general population, respecting human rights, and strengthening broader Haitian institutions. Those were all important steps.

I think you've seen - you've been on the ground. I hope you got a chance to see all of the equipment that's there, the work that's being done. It's quite impressive. The - sort of the final point I think you raised on air travel and movement between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, we certainly hope to see more normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The countries are inexorably linked. And we certainly will have those conversations with leaders on both sides of the border, and we're very cognizant of the fact that the Dominican Republic is providing significant assistance to Haiti and to the MSS, and that we more broadly hope to see the ties between the two countries operated in a normal fashion in the future. But obviously, those are sovereign decisions for both governments. And to the extent that we can facilitate those conversations, we will.

MODERATOR: Our next question is with Anton La Guardia from The Economist.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Yes. Hear you loud and clear.

QUESTION: Thank you very much, Brian, for making the time. Can I just ask you to clarify a couple of points. How many MSS personnel are deployed? Just picking up the question about the slow pace of deployment right now. I've seen a figure of 400, which is way below the 2,500 number that was supposed to be there. And also, are you able to confirm reports that the Kenyan police have not been paid for two months? And third, you spoke about the need to investigate and prosecute corruption and bribery and so on, but as I understand it, many of the prisons have been destroyed. So are there - is there a problem with the general administration of justice question? How do you resolve that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So keep in mind that while Kenya is the lead nation for the force, we expect other countries to make contributions and ensuring that all the equipment, training, human rights vetting is in place before some of the other countries deploy is something we've been focused on. There are a number of other countries that are in the process of preparing for deployment, including Caribbean countries, South American countries, Central American countries that are - will make different contributions to the force.

But yeah, right now there are approximately 400 Kenyans who are deployed there - a little bit less than 400. The - and we expect those deployments ideally to take place in the very near future. The - you note the overall ceiling. Yes, the ceiling is higher, but we want to make sure that the force is effective and grows in a sustainable way and that all of the things that they need to succeed are in place before we grow above the force numbers that we're seeing now.

The - and then just in terms of our longer-term approach, we want to make sure that this operation is sustainable to get Haiti through an electoral process and for the Haitian National Police to grow to the level that it's able to take responsibility for Haiti's security, and that's going to take some time.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Danica Coto with the AP. Danica?

QUESTION: Good morning. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Yes.

MODERATOR: Yes, we can.

QUESTION: Great. Well, thank you for hosting this. What would a PKO provide that the current mission doesn't, and how likely is it that such an operation would happen? And aside from the PKO, what other options are there?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So you - a key challenge is a sustainable funding and infrastructure - administrative infrastructure to support the deployment. And a PKO means that you have an assessed contribution to fund the deployment. Right now, the deployment depends on voluntary contributions. The United States and then Canada have made the largest contributions to the force. The - both direct contributions as well as in-kind, as well as equipment, and then contributions to the trust fund that does things like provide the - some other day-to-day costs for the force.

The - there are different varieties of assessed missions. So there could be an assessed mission where the funding is secured, but the actual operation of this mission is very, very similar to what it is now or there's a more traditional peacekeeping operation of the types that we've seen in many different countries around the world, including Haiti. But our challenge going forward is to make sure that there's a reliable, sustainable source of funding for the MSS to take it through stabilization, elections, and the growth of the Haitian National Police. We'll be working and coordinating with our partners around the world, and particularly in the Security Council and in the region, to figure out how we best address that going forward.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. That is all the time we have for questions today. We appreciate you joining this call. As a final reminder, this briefing is embargoed until the travel is publicly announced by the department, which is expected later this afternoon. Thank you very much.

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"Turkiye and Egypt have a common stance on the Palestinian issue"

Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey

04.09.2024

Speaking at a joint press conference with President el-Sisi of Egypt, President Erdogan said: "Turkiye and Egypt have a common stance on the Palestinian issue. The termination of the genocide that has been going on for 11 months, the immediate establishment of a permanent ceasefire, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid continue to be our priorities."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt held a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Complex.

President Erdogan said: "I would like to express the joy I take in welcoming President of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in our country. On behalf of myself and my nation, I once again say 'welcome' in your presence. During our visit to Cairo back in February, Mr. President welcomed us in a very warm manner. My visit to Cairo marked a new turning point in our relations. Since that day, we have maintained our dialogue and cooperation at a maximum level. We have always maintained close consultations on issues concerning our region. With the return visit of my treasured brother, we are now further advancing our already improving relations in all areas."

"WE HAVE A SHARED HISTORY OF CENTURIES AND BONDS OF CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH EGYPT"

Stressing that Turkiye and Egypt have a shared history of centuries and bonds of close friendship, President Erdogan stated: "Next year, we will mark the centenary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. We are two ancient countries that served as the cradle of civilizations that shaped the history of humanity. We constantly strengthen the bridge and multidimensional ties between our countries through joint efforts. We are pleased to see the fruits of our efforts."

President Erdogan continued: "During our talks with Mr. el-Sisi in Cairo, we had taken a decision to restructure our High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Today, we held the first meeting of this mechanism. With the joint declaration, we have reaffirmed our will to advance our cooperation in all areas, including industry, trade, defense, healthcare, environment and energy. Trade and economy constitute the strongest aspects of our cooperation."

Noting that Turkiye has been among Egypt's top five trade partners over the past decade, President Erdogan said: "We are decisively making progress toward our goal of boosting our trade volume to $15 billion within the next five years. Our businesspeople make significant contributions to Egypt's economy with the investments worth nearly $3 billion. We encourage our entrepreneurs to further increase their investments and also invite Egyptian investors to Turkiye."

"TURKIYE'S AND EGYPT'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO REGIONAL PEACE ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE"

Turkiye is willing to expand its cooperation with Egypt in energy, particularly natural gas and nuclear energy, stressed President Erdogan. "The brotherly Egyptian people take great interest in the Turkish culture and language. We continue our efforts to further strengthen our cultural and social ties. I believe the positive momentum in our relations will also be reflected in tourism."

Describing Turkiye's and Egypt's contributions to regional peace as vital, President Erdogan said: "During our meeting, we have agreed on holding consultations on a regular basis for the settlement of regional issues, first and foremost Gaza. The latest situation in Palestine was the epicenter of our meeting. Turkiye and Egypt have a common stance on the Palestinian issue. The termination of the genocide that has been going on for 11 months, the immediate establishment of a permanent ceasefire, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid continue to be our priorities."

"ISRAEL AND ITS BACKERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY INNOCENT PERSON WHO DIES FROM HUNGER, THIRST, OR LACK OF MEDICINE"

"To date, 32 percent of the total aid dispatched to Gaze have originated from Turkiye. I offer my gratitude to the Egyptian authorities, particularly the Egyptian Red Crescent, who cooperate with the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD for the delivery of aid," President Erdogan stated.

Pointing out that by blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need, Israel is adding to the crimes it commits, President Erdogan said: "Having been unable to break the resistance by dropping thousands of tons of bombs, the Israeli administration is now trying to the break the resistance by condemning the Palestinian people to hunger and thirst. Israel and its backers are responsible for every innocent person who dies from hunger, thirst, or lack of medicine."

Drawing attention to Egypt's mediating role in the negotiations for the cessation of the conflicts, President Erdogan said: "As you know, Egypt has been mediating the negotiations along with Qatar and the U.S. We, for our part, have been supporting this process through our Foreign Ministry and National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Israel's stance remains both uncompromising and obstructive. By martyring an interlocutor for negotiation, Israel has demonstrated its mentality. I want to make it clear that we reject Netanyahu's allegations against Egypt. Regarding these issues, we have done and continue to do whatever we can to step up the pressure on Israel. "

"SOME COUNTRIES BECOME AN ACCOMPLICE IN THE CRIMES BY SUPPORTING ISRAEL UNCONDITIONALLY"

"We already submitted our official application to intervene in the genocide case the Republic of South Africa lodged with the International Court of Justice. We continue our intensive endeavors in order for Israeli authorities that perpetrate crimes in Gaza to be held accountable at international courts. As I have previously stated, the rightful place for the killers of 41,000 innocent individuals is not the parliamentary podium, but the courtrooms where they will be tried for their crimes," President Erdogan underscored.

Urging the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in the face of Israel's brutalities in Gaza, President Erdogan said: "Some countries unfortunately become an accomplice in the crimes by supporting Israel unconditionally. No deterrent steps are being taken to stop the Netanyahu government's massacre policies, which put the region, and even the entire world, at risk. All must understand the unacceptability of this scene, which wounds the consciences. Preventing Israel from dragging our region into further tension will only be possible by abandoning ambivalent policies. I hereby reiterate our call to immediately back down from the mistake and get positioned on the right side of history."

Noting that regional issues including the Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Libya, Sudan and the Horn of Africa were also on the agenda during today's talks in Ankara, President Erdogan added: " We are determined to strengthen our consultations with Egypt, with which we hold similar approaches and goals on a wide range of issues. We will inshallah be in closer cooperation in the period ahead. We will enhance our multifaceted relations in a win-win manner. Before ending my remarks, I wish today's talks and agreements to be auspicious. I thank Mr. President and his distinguished delegation for their visit."

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No: 179, 4 September 2024, Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Allegations Against the Arab Republic of Egypt

Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu continues his lies to manipulate public opinion in order to cover up his crimes in Gaza and to prevent ceasefire negotiations from reaching a conclusion.

Netanyahu's latest allegations against the Arab Republic of Egypt for maintaining the Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi corridor are unacceptable.

We support the Arab Republic of Egypt's mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza and provide a helping hand to millions of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.

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The parties must end the suffering by agreeing to a ceasefire now: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

4 September 2024

Last week, we heard the news that the bodies of six Israeli hostages were recovered in Gaza. We condemn their murder by Hamas.

My Prime Minister has conveyed his thoughts and prayers for the families and the Israeli people.

The UK supported Israel's request for this briefing to shine a spotlight on the abhorrent crimes of Hamas and their impact on innocent civilians. It is also entirely right, as Algeria proposed, to focus on recent grave developments in the West Bank and Gaza.

President, of the 253 hostages taken in the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks, 101 hostages remain captive in Gaza and subject to unimaginable horror. We once again condemn Hamas' terrorist acts in the strongest terms. We reiterate our demand for Hamas to release the hostages immediately. There can be no doubt that Hamas pays not the slightest heed to international humanitarian law. We urge all parties to agree a ceasefire deal which would bring an end to the ordeal of these hostages.

Israel continues to face threats, not only from Hamas, but also from Iran and its range of hostile proxies who openly call for Israel's annihilation. Iran should be in no doubt of our commitment to challenge their malign and destabilising activity, and our commitment to Israel's security.

President, the suffering of Palestinians also worsens each day. Over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of whom are women and children. The most basic needs of children and thousands of orphaned children are unmet. A ceasefire deal offers an opportunity to end their suffering.

As we've heard, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond appalling, with dire sanitary conditions, a serious risk of famine and now polio. We welcome the polio vaccination campaign and urge Israel to continue to cooperate with the WHO and health agencies to ensure that the full 90% of children who need to be are vaccinated.

More generally, as we've heard, humanitarian access remains inadequate with attacks on convoys, evacuation orders undermining operations and aid far below Israel's stated commitment to 'flood Gaza with aid'. We urge Israel to do much more to ensure lifesaving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza.

As my Foreign Secretary said this week, we are also deeply concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, which the International Committee of the Red Cross cannot investigate after being denied access by Israel.

President, concerns on the treatment of detainees and humanitarian access were part of my Government's review into Israel's International Humanitarian Law compliance. As a result, my Foreign Secretary took the decision to suspend certain UK arms export licences to Israel earlier this week. This decision in no way undermines our unwavering commitment to Israel's security.

Whilst we recognise Israel's need to defend itself against security threats, the UK is also deeply worried by the ongoing IDF operations in the West Bank, particularly the reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Israel must also tackle the accelerating settler violence and end its illegal expansion of settlements which undermine prospects for the realisation of the two-state solution.

President, let me conclude by thanking the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts on the ongoing negotiations. The parties have had time to study the deal on the table. The parties must now bridge their differences and end the suffering by agreeing to a deal and immediate ceasefire and rediscover the path to a two-state solution.

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UK and Kuwait agree new partnership to provide vital aid in Gaza and Yemen

Joint funding announced between the UK and Kuwait to help UNICEF deliver lifesaving aid to almost 2.5 million people in Gaza and Yemen.

4 September 2024

the UK and Kuwait announce new joint funding of 4.5 million to help UNICEF deliver lifesaving aid to almost 2.5 million people in Gaza and Yemen

the agreement was secured in the margins of the 21st UK-Kuwait Joint Steering Group in London

the UK's Minister for the Middle East and Kuwait's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed key pillars of bilateral cooperation, and took part in Kuwait Culture Week in London

The UK and Kuwait have today (Wednesday 4 September) announced new joint funding plans to help UNICEF deliver lifesaving aid to almost 2.5 million people in Gaza and Yemen.

The funding will go towards UNICEF's efforts to restore water supply and sanitation systems in Gaza, and to sustain primary healthcare services in Yemen, and has been set out in two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed by both parties.

The UK and Kuwait will provide 4.5 million of joint support ($6 million in total - $3 million to each project), to UNICEF, whose work is expected to benefit approximately 1,000,000 in Gaza and 1,450,000 people in Yemen.

Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said:

Conflict has aggravated the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Yemen and the UK is committed to pushing for more lifesaving aid to reach those in desperate need. The UK and Kuwait's joint funding towards UNICEF's lifesaving work in Gaza and Yemen demonstrates our shared commitment to tackle some of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. I am proud of the UK and Kuwait's close ties, which have now endured for more than 125 years and continue to go from strength to strength.

Kuwait's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said:

This year marks an important milestone for both the State of Kuwait and the UK as we jointly commemorate 125 years of partnership. Kuwait is proud of its deep-rooted and historic ties with the UK and is committed to deepening this partnership in all its aspects. This week in London, we were happy to witness the commencement of the Kuwait cultural week in the UK and the successful convening of the 21st session of the JSG. The Action Plan signed during the JSG paves the way for further collaboration in a number of fields. We are pleased to cooperate with the UK to support the essential work of UNICEF in both Palestine and Yemen. As pioneers in the field of international development, both our countries will continue to explore avenues of cooperation to provide development and humanitarian assistance to populations affected by conflicts and natural disasters.

UNICEF's Representative to the Gulf Area Eltayeb Adam said:

UNICEF deeply appreciates the generous contributions from both the UK and Kuwait, which will have a transformative impact on the lives of children and families in Gaza and Yemen. This funding is not just a financial commitment; it is a beacon of hope for communities struggling with the devastating consequences of conflict. Together, we can ensure that essential services such as water, sanitation, and healthcare reach those who need them most, restoring dignity and a sense of normalcy to countless lives.

The 21st UK-Kuwait Joint Steering Group (JSG) was co-chaired in London today by the UK Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, and Kuwait's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

In the margins of the JSG, Minister Falconer and the Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Waleed Al-Bahar signed the two MoUs.

In addition, Minister Falconer and Sheikh Jarrah also reached an agreement for planned UK support to Kuwait's Civil Service Commission on the delivery of training programmes to Kuwaiti Government employees, and signed an action plan detailing how their respective Governments will drive forward cooperation on a range of key issues such as defence and security and international development and humanitarian partnerships, over the coming months.

The UK and Kuwait are celebrating 125 years of official diplomatic relations throughout 2024. Yesterday (Tuesday 3 September), Minister Falconer and Sheikh Jarrah attended the headline performance of a special "Kuwait Culture Week" organised by Kuwait's Embassy in London, titled "Rhythms of Kuwait".

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UN demands hostage release, urges protection and aid for Gaza civilians

By Vibhu Mishra

4 September 2024 - Top UN political and humanitarian officials on Wednesday renewed urgent appeals for the unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza, while emphasizing the need to ensure aid and protection for desperate civilians being continually displaced inside the war-battered enclave.

Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations for humanitarian coordination wing, OCHA, were briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, against the backdrop of the recovery of the bodies of six hostages killed in Gaza and polio vaccination campaign which began at the weekend.

The urgent meeting was requested - separately - by both Algeria and Israel. According to media reports, Israel demanded the Council condemn Hamas in the strongest possible terms and address the dire situation of the hostages still held in captivity.

Algeria reportedly requested the meeting to discuss the worsening situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

Next month will mark the somber one year-mark of the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in southern Israel, in which more than 1,250 Israeli and foreign nationals were killed and around 250 were abducted and taken into Gaza.

At least 101 hostages - including some remains of those declared dead - remain in Gaza, which has been under a relentless Israeli military onslaught that has claimed more than 41,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Strip's health authorities.

Heartbreaking news

Ms. DiCarlo recalled her meeting last November with the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the hostages killed.

She said that according to the Israeli Government, the hostages had been shot multiple times at close range and that they were killed by Hamas shortly before Israeli soldiers were able to reach them inside a tunnel in Rafah.

Following the recovery of the bodies, Hamas announced that militants guarding hostages in the buildings and tunnels of Gaza had new instructions to kill hostages before they could be recovered alive by Israeli forces, she added.

"I echo the words of the Secretary-General once again: all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally," Ms. DiCarlo reiterated.

"For as long as they are held, in accordance with international legal obligations, they must be treated humanely and allowed to receive visits and assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)."

Ms. DiCarlo also updated on the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, included the latest on large-scale Israeli military operations, settler attacks and armed Palestinian violence against Israelis.

'No limits' to brutality

Briefing alongside Ms. DiCarlo, Ms. Wosornu highlighted the death and destruction across the Gaza Strip, stating "the brutality of this conflict seems to know no limits."

"We see this in the many attacks harming humanitarian workers: 295 humanitarian workers killed since 7 October [2023]," she added.

Many humanitarian assets, including several UN vehicles "have been directly hit in more than a dozen separate incidents even though their movements were notified," she said.

Ms. Wosornu outlined the fallout from this, limiting the delivery of lifesaving aid to those in desperate need, such as the temporary suspension of staff movements by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) following an attack on one of its convoys last week.

Polio pauses, rare ray of hope

Both UN officials welcomed the local humanitarian pauses, which enabled the launch of the emergency polio vaccination campaign.

"The polio pauses are a rare ray of hope and humanity amid the horror in Gaza," Ms. DiCarlo said, noting that the images of young children receiving their vaccinations amid utter ruin "are both moving and distressing."

She added that the arrangements established between UN agencies and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to pause military activity in the designated vaccination areas "have so far been respected".

Humanitarians remain

Ms. Wosornu further noted that humanitarians - despite overwhelming challenges - remain on the ground, providing essential assistance, including food and shelter and protection, as best as they can.

Food rations are being distributed, albeit at reduced levels, with wheat flour prioritized only for the 14 bakeries supported by humanitarian actors.

Tents are also being distributed, though they are insufficient to match the needs of repeatedly displaced families, especially with the approaching cold and rainy weather.

Turn promises into reality

She urged the Security Council "to turn its promises into reality and end the suffering."

"We once again appeal to Council Members and all Member States to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustained ceasefire in Gaza, and to de-escalate the situation in the West Bank," she urged.

"Resolutions passed by this Council promised an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They also called for the release of hostages. Yet, months later, the violence continues, thousands more people have been killed, and hostages separated from their families."

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Gaza: Disease and war stalk children, despite vaccine success

By Daniel Johnson

4 September 2024 - In Gaza, despite the success of the mass polio vaccination campaign so far, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday that the very children they are trying to protect have been blighted by disease and heavily traumatized by ongoing fighting.

It's been nearly 11 months since war erupted in the enclave following Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel. Today more than nine in 10 people have been forcibly displaced by the fighting, leaving them vulnerable to hunger, malnutrition and sickness.

"So far, we've been able to vaccinate 187,000 children and as we've been tent to tent and shelter to shelter," said Louise Wateridge from the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

"The reality is that these vaccinations are happening in the middle of a war zone, while many other diseases, such as hepatitis A, are spreading," the UNRWA spokesperson explained.

"Most of the children I've seen are covered in skin diseases and rashes, so while we're doing everything we can to vaccinate for one disease, the inhumane conditions that are causing and spreading these diseases continues."

Health hazards

The UNRWA spokesperson described the scene at one health centre where sewage had flooded the surrounding streets, forcing children to avoid the health hazard in order to receive their polio vaccinations.

"People who need everything - in addition to the polio vaccinations, medical supplies, hygiene products and clean water are absolutely critical to stop the spread of disease," Ms. Wateridge insisted.

"What people need most is a ceasefire and they need it now."

Wednesday marks the final day for vaccinations in the Gaza's Middle Area which humanitarians say has been a resounding success.

In addition to UNRWA, the operation is a joint UN effort with the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), partner NGOs and volunteers.

Despite the ever-present danger of strikes, families have brought their children to health centres and schools for the first of two vaccinations, a legacy of the enclave's extremely strong support for vaccinations pre-war.

For those unable to move easily, aid teams have gone to find vulnerable families and children to ensure that all those under 10 receive their dose.

"It's been very positive to see children coming out, showing us their little finger with coloured marker pen to proudly display that they've received this vaccine," said Ms. Wateridge.

No rest for health teams

After working four days straight on the vaccination campaign in the Middle Area, some 2,200 health workers will move to southern Gaza to resume their work on Thursday morning.

Once this is done, efforts will turn to the north, before the whole process starts up again in four weeks, to give the second vaccine to boost protection levels.

The vaccine teams are able to do work with some level of security, thanks to the agreed humanitarian pauses with the Israeli military and Hamas fighters from 8am to 2pm - although the violence has not stopped by any means.

"The pauses are welcomed, but the bombing and the strikes have not stopped...our teams left to vaccinate, surrounded by the sound of strikes," the UNWRA officer explained.

"While I cannot determine the locations of the strikes I can hear around me in the middle area, hearing them is unnerving for children and families as well as health care workers distributing the polio vaccines."

Child tragedy

In a related development in Geneva, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child heard Israeli representatives condemn Hamas for the "tragic" toll the war has taken on children.

Israeli ambassador to Geneva, Daniel Meron, told the panel of independent rights experts in a scheduled country review on Tuesday that Hamas was "embedded within the civilian population", with tunnel shafts located "in children's bedrooms in Gaza" and under schools, serving as "weapons arsenals and launch sites for rockets".

"There have been weapons found under cribs. There have been weapons found inside teddy bears, in maternity wards, in hospitals," he told the committee, which reports to the Human Rights Council and whose members are not UN staff.

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Frustration flares at UN over lack of Gaza cease-fire

By VOA News September 04, 2024

U.N. Security Council members expressed frustration Wednesday with the failure to conclude a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, amid the killing of six Israeli hostages and the escalation of violence in the West Bank.

"There is a sense of outrage felt around the globe," said Slovenia's Ambassador Samuel Zbogar, whose delegation holds the council's rotating presidency this month. "Outrage in Palestine that the international community is failing them; outrage on Israeli streets that the hostages continue being held in Gaza; outrage of the global public that this war does not stop."

During a meeting requested by Israel about the six hostages killed by Hamas, whose bodies were recovered Saturday, Zbogar reminded the 15-nation council that it is its job to push for peace.

Algeria also requested that the council discuss the escalation of violence in the West Bank, where the United Nations says at least 30 Palestinians have been killed, including seven children, since Israel launched a large-scale military operation on August 27.

"It is gravely alarming that with each briefing this council receives, the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel steadily worsens," Malta's Ambassador Vanessa Frazier said.

There was general concern that U.S., Egyptian and Qatari efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release deal have not been successful after three months of mediation, especially after the Security Council backed the deal in a resolution on June 10.

"Things have only gotten worse for Palestinians, for Israeli hostages and indeed the entire region since adoption of that resolution," Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana said.

U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged patience.

"Diplomacy is not a matter of snapping our fingers and  voila. It takes hard work. It takes effort, and unfortunately, it takes time," she said. "It has not failed."

She noted that diplomacy helped secure the release in November of more than 100 of the 250 hostages that Hamas took during its terror attack on October 7, 2023.

"And it is through diplomacy that we aim to bring the remaining hostages home and finally put this horrific conflict on a path toward a durable conclusion," Thomas-Greenfield said. "The Israeli people should understand that the deal on the table is one their leaders can accept, because this is a deal that ensures Israel's security."

In Washington, a senior Biden administration official told reporters that cease-fire negotiations were ongoing and a deal was "basically done," except for two sticking points: which Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the remaining hostages, and where Israeli forces will be deployed during phase one of the deal. Israel has demanded it retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer strip of land in the Egypt-Gaza border area.

During a press conference Wednesday in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stuck to his position that the corridor was non-negotiable.

"So, we said, as far as Gaza is concerned, three war goals: The first war goal was to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities. The second was to free our hostages, and the third was to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel," he said. "And all three of those goals, all three of them, go through Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor."

Hamas has accused Israel of dragging out negotiations by issuing new demands, including that Israel remain in control of the Philadelphi Corridor and a second corridor running across Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, family members of some of the remaining hostages protested Wednesday outside the headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud Party, calling for a cease-fire deal with Hamas that includes the release of their relatives.

Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured some 250 hostages during the October 7 terror attack on southern Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants.

Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries. At the Security Council on Wednesday, Israel's envoy reiterated his demand that council members designate Hamas a terror organization.

VOA's Margaret Besheer, Patsy Widakuswara and Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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Netanyahu calls for Israel to maintain military presence in Gaza

By Linda Gradstein September 04, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel must remain in a strip of land between the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian border to prevent Hamas from rearming. He spoke as the White House said Israel must withdraw at least partially from the area.

The Israeli army published a picture Wednesday of the opening of the tunnel in Gaza where the bodies of six Israeli hostages were found after they had been executed by Hamas on Saturday.

The deaths of the six, including American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, have sparked mass demonstrations in Israel by hundreds of thousands of Israelis who want Netanyahu to agree to a cease-fire deal with Hamas that would free the remaining 101 hostages.

The demonstrations have grown increasingly angry as many blame Netanyahu for holding up a cease-fire deal. Three of the six hostages killed by Hamas were set to have been released in the first phase of the deal, meaning they were killed days before they could have been freed.

Israeli media reports say Netanyahu had agreed to leave the Philadelphi corridor, the strip of land along the border between Gaza and Egypt.

Mossad chief David Barnea confirmed on Monday to mediators in the talks with Hamas taking place in Qatar that Israel was prepared to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor in the second stage of a hostage release deal. This was hours before Netanyahu publicly declared he would refuse to do so, foreign sources familiar with the negotiations told the Haaretz newspaper.

Barnea, who traveled to Qatar on Monday, had informed the representatives that Israel stood behind its agreement to pull out all its forces from the area in line with the Biden plan, if Israeli operational demands were met.

But in an English language news conference today, Netanyahu said that Israel's decision to leave this area in 2005 as part of a complete withdrawal from Gaza was a big mistake.

"Once we left our side of the Philadelphi corridor, rockets went in, missiles went in, drones went in, ammo went in, weapons manufacturing equipment came in, tunnel-drilling equipment came in," he said. "Once we got out, once we left the Philidephi corridor, Iran could carry out its plan to turn Gaza into a base, terrorist enclave that would endanger not only the communities around it but would endanger Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva, the entire of country of Israel.

Netanyahu said the goals of the war remain the same.

"We are committed to achieving our goals, all three goals," he said. "Destroying Hamas' military and governing capabilities, releasing all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza does become a threat to Israel anymore. And all these require standing firm on the things that will ensure the achievement of these goals."

That, he said, means Israel must maintain control over the Philadelphi corridor at least for the near future, even if it means there will not be a cease-fire deal with Hamas.

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Israel targets Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon as families of hostages demand Gaza cease-fire

By VOA News September 04, 2024

Israel's military said Wednesday it carried out attacks targeting Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon after dozens of rockets were fired at Israel.

The military said Israeli air defenses intercepted some of the 65 rockets, while others fell in open areas.

Fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border has raised fears of a widening regional conflict amid the war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

Family members of some of the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza protested Wednesday outside the Tel Aviv headquarters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.

The family members chanted slogans in favor of the Israeli government reaching a cease-fire deal with Hamas that includes the release of hostages.

The demonstration followed pressure Tuesday by the United States calling on Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire.

"There are dozens of hostages still remaining in Gaza, still waiting for a deal that will bring them home. It is time to finalize that deal," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters after Israeli forces found six hostages over the weekend that Hamas had shot to death in a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

"The people of Israel cannot afford to wait any longer. The Palestinian people, who are also suffering the terrible effects of this war, cannot afford to wait any longer. The world cannot afford to wait any longer," Miller said.

He said that the United States will work "over the coming days" with mediators Egypt and Qatar "to push for a final agreement."

One key point of contention in the negotiations has been Netanyahu's insistence that Israeli troops remain at the border between Gaza and Egypt.

But Miller said the U.S. is opposed "to the long-term presence" of Israeli troops in Gaza.

The State Department spokesman said that reaching a cease-fire and release of the 100 or so remaining hostages "will require both sides to show flexibility. It will require that both sides look for reasons to get to yes rather than reasons to say no."

Netanyahu has refused to agree to a cease-fire deal calling for an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza that would lead to a permanent halt to the fighting  for fear that Hamas could rearm itself and endanger Israel's long-term security.

Hamas has accused Israel of dragging out negotiations by issuing new demands, including that Israel remain in control of the Philadelphi corridor and a second corridor running across Gaza.

Hamas has held to the broad agreements of a three-phase plan put forth by the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden in July: Hamas would release all hostages in return for an end to the war, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages during the October 7 terror attack on southern Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants.

Hamas has been designated a terror group by the U.S., the U.K. and other Western countries.

VOA's Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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US voices impatience with Taliban over morality law targeting Afghan women

By Ayaz Gul September 04, 2024

An American diplomat has condemned the Taliban's new morality law in Afghanistan, warning that it "aims to complete the erasure of women from public life."

Rina Amiri, the United States special envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights, posted on social media late Tuesday that she raised concerns about the law during her recent meetings with counterparts in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

"My message was clear: Our support for the Afghan people remains steadfast, but patience with the Taliban is running out," Amiri wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The way to legitimacy domestically & internationally is respecting the rights of the Afghan people."

The U.S. warning comes days after the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, enacted the contentious decree that orders Afghan women not to speak aloud in public and cover their bodies and faces entirely when outdoors.

The 114-page, 35-article law also outlines various actions and specific conduct that the Taliban government, called the Islamic Emirate, considers mandatory or prohibited for Afghan men and women in line with its strict interpretation of Islam.

The legal document empowers the Ministry for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice, which the Taliban revived after coming back to power in August 2021, to enforce it strictly.

Enforcers are empowered to discipline offenders, and penalties may include anything from a verbal warning to fines to imprisonment. The law requires them to prevent "evils" such as adultery, extramarital sex, lesbianism, taking pictures of living objects and befriending non-Muslims.

Official Taliban media quoted Akhundzada this week as ordering authorities to "rigorously enforce" the new vice and virtue decree across Afghanistan "to bring the people closer to the Islamic system."

The law was enacted amid extensive restrictions on Afghan women's education and employment opportunities.

Since regaining power three years ago, the Taliban have prohibited girls ages 12 and older from continuing their education beyond the sixth grade and restricted women from seeking employment, except in certain sectors such as health.

Afghan females are not allowed to visit parks and other public places, and a male guardian must accompany them on road trips or air travel.

The United Nations promptly responded to the new law last month, condemning it as a "distressing vision" for the impoverished country's future and urging de facto authorities to reverse it.

The Taliban government, which is officially not recognized by any country, has dismissed U.N.-led foreign criticism as offensive.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesperson, asserted that "non-Muslims should first educate themselves about Islamic laws and respect Islamic values" before expressing concerns or rejecting the law. "We find it blasphemous to our Islamic Sharia when objections are raised without understanding it," he said.

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Blinken heads to Haiti, Dominican Republic this week

By Nike Ching September 04, 2024

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, marking his first visits to both Caribbean nations as the top U.S. diplomat.

Blinken's visit to Port-au-Prince underscores U.S. support for Haiti, with additional humanitarian assistance anticipated as the country grapples with gang violence. His trip to Santo Domingo follows the start of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader's second term in mid-August.

A senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday that the United States is prioritizing efforts with its international partners to set up a structure that ensures "a reliable source of financing and staffing" for a security mission in Haiti.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is reportedly considering the possibility of transitioning a largely U.S.-funded multinational security force into a traditional United Nations peacekeeping operation.

"A formal PKO (peacekeeping operation) is one of the ways that we could accomplish that, but we're looking at multiple ways to do that," said Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

With about a month left in the mandate of the U.N.-ratified, Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, progress has been limited, and many pledges remain unfulfilled.

"The one-year anniversary of the mission is October 2, and we're going to work to ensure that it's poised for success and renewal of its mandate in whatever form that takes," Nichols told VOA on Wednesday.

Multinational security support

Gang-related violence and drug trafficking have fueled political instability and insecurity in Haiti, leading to an unbearable living situation for the Haitian people.

In October 2022, Haiti requested the deployment of an international force to assist the Haitian National Police in combating heavily armed gangs and facilitating humanitarian aid. In October 2023, the United Nations Security Council authorized the MSS.

The United States and Canada are the top funders of the MSS in Haiti. The estimated first-year cost for the mission is $589 million. The U.S. has already provided $309 million  $200 million toward the MSS mission base and $109 million in financial support.

During a visit to Haiti in July, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced an additional $60 million in humanitarian assistance for the Haitian people, along with providing armored vehicles for the national police.

While in Haiti, Blinken will review the progress made toward improving security and encourage efforts to appoint the provisional electoral council so Haiti can move toward elections, according to the State Department.

Blinken will hold talks with Edgard Leblanc Fils, president of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council, and Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille. Blinken also will meet with MSS head Godfrey Otunge and Normil Rameau, head of the Haitian National Police.

At least 80% of Port-au-Prince is no longer under the control of the Haitian authorities, with violence spreading to other parts of the country.

In the past year, displacement in Haiti has tripled as gang violence grips the Caribbean nation. The United Nations reports that at least 578,000 people have been displaced due to violence, including murders, kidnappings and rapes.

The situation is further exacerbated by widespread hunger, with nearly half of the 11.7 million population facing acute food insecurity.

Gangs, some aligned with political elites, accumulated their control over territory and illicit markets during the tenure of the deeply unpopular former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who took office after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Henry resigned in April 2024 following the formation of a Transitional Presidential Council.

The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic will host the 2025 Summit of the Americas, where Western Hemisphere leaders will address shared challenges and policy issues facing the region.

"In the Dominican Republic, we will reinforce our shared priorities such as promoting democratic governance, supporting free and fair elections in the region, and fighting corruption," Nichols told reporters.

On August 16, President Luis Abinader was inaugurated for a second four-year term. He has vowed to boost security by training more police over the next four years. His administration has barred migrants from neighboring Haiti.

"We certainly hope to see more normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti," Nichols said. "The countries are inexorably linked, and we certainly will have those conversations with leaders on both sides of the border."

The U.S. and the Dominican Republic signed a historic Open Skies agreement on August 2. Once in effect, the agreement will expand opportunities for airlines, travel companies and people-to-people exchanges. More than 4 million U.S. citizens visit the Dominican Republic each year.

The Dominican Republic is a crucial partner for the U.S. in hemispheric affairs, due to its position as the second-largest economy in the Caribbean, after Cuba, and the third-largest country by population, behind Cuba and Haiti. The U.S. is its primary trading partner.

Additionally, the Dominican Republic is home to Pueblo Viejo, one of the world's largest gold mines, and serves as a major global supplier of ferronickel.

The United States said it will continue robust collaboration with the Dominican Republic to advance inclusive economic growth, bolster democratic institutions, uphold human rights, and enhance governance and security.

The Dominican Republic and the United States, along with five Central American countries, are parties to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA-DR. This agreement enhances economic opportunities by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services and promoting transparency.

The U.S. Agency for International Development is investing more than $9.5 million to strengthen the Dominican Republic's existing justice system and to reduce crime and violence.

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Ossetian Wife Of Notorious Tajik Islamic State Recruiter Gets 11 Years In Prison

By RFE/RL's Tajik Service September 04, 2024

A court in Russia in early August sentenced Madina Bondarenko, the Ossetian wife of a notorious recruiter for the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Tajikistan, to 11 years in prison on a charge of being a member of a terrorist group, one of her relatives told RFE/RL on September 3.

Bondarenko, who was accused by Russia of cooperating with and belonging to IS, was extradited from Tajikistan in May 2023.

She is the wife of Parviz Saidrahmonov (aka Abu Dovud), who was sentenced to 21 years in prison in November on terrorism charges in Dushanbe.

Bondarenko's relative said she rejected the charge, saying that her husband tricked her when he brought her to Syria via Turkey several years ago as she was unaware that their final destination would be Syria. However, the court took into account Saidrahmonov's testimony to Russian investigators in which he said his wife went to Syria voluntarily, knowing that the couple planned to join IS there.

The couple and their children were extradited to Tajikistan from Turkey in 2022.

Saidrahmonov was accused of recruiting more than 200 people to fight in Syria and Iraq and was alleged to be behind multiple terrorist activities in Tajikistan, Russia, and Sweden.

He was sentenced on charges of organizing a terrorist group, extremism, and recruiting mercenaries to fight in a foreign country. Saidrahmonov was a migrant worker in Russia when he left in 2014 for Iraq and Syria, where he joined the ranks of IS.

Swedish investigators say Saidrahmonov was an accomplice of Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek man who was convicted of murder and terrorism for driving a hijacked truck down a busy pedestrian street in Stockholm on April 7, 2017, killing five people and injuring 14 others.

Akilov, a rejected asylum seeker in Sweden before the attack who was in contact with alleged IS militants from Tajikistan, was sentenced to life in prison in June 2018.

Saidrahmonov was later captured by Syrian authorities and in mid-2020 disappeared from a prison in the Syrian town of Afrin when Tajikistan was working on his extradition to Dushanbe.

Tajik authorities, who took Saidrahmonov into custody in September 2022, consider him to be "one of the most dangerous recruiters of Islamic State."

Dushanbe estimates that about 2,000 Tajik citizens joined IS in Iraq and Syria in 2013-15. Hundreds of them were killed in clashes in the Middle East. Some of those who returned to Tajikistan were either sentenced to lengthy prison terms or received amnesty.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/abu-dowvud-madina-bondarenko- trial-sentence-islamic-state-wife/33105744.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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Alleged cybercriminal wanted by US spent 15 years evading arrest

By Matthew Kupfer September 04, 2024

When the U.S. State Department recently offered up to $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest of alleged cyber-fraudster Volodymyr Kadariya, it marked another turn in a saga that saw the man transform from suspected criminal to political dissident and back.

For 15 years, Kadariya has been wanted in his native Belarus on cybercrime charges.

American prosecutors accuse him of involvement in a scheme to transmit malicious malware to U.S. computers. Millions of internet users reportedly fell victim to the scheme.

But Kadariya has been particularly elusive.

After coming under suspicion in Belarus, he fled the country and lived abroad for many years. During this time, he managed to obtain asylum and eventually citizenship in Ukraine, according to multiple media reports and official government statements from the United States and Belarus.

When he was detained in Kyrgyzstan in 2022 on the Belarusian charges, he claimed to be facing political persecution. Even United Nations officials spoke out against his extradition.

Today, as the United States seeks his arrest, it is unclear whether Kadariya is even at liberty.

Mystery man

There is little publicly available information about Volodymyr a or, alternately, Vladimir Kadariya. That may not even be his real name.

Kadariya, 38, is a native of Belarus. Around 2008, he came under suspicion of stealing large sums of money "by modifying computer information," according to the country's investigative committee.

Kadariya allegedly purchased stolen bank card information on the "darknet," encoded it onto dummy cards, and used them to withdraw money.

Belarusian investigators say citizens of the United States, Poland, France and Britain fell victim to the scheme.

They also claim that, in 2016, Kadariya applied for refugee status in Ukraine. Later, he likely obtained Ukrainian citizenship.

Equally, little is known about Kadariya's life in Ukraine. According to open databases, someone with his rare name was previously among the beneficiaries of two Ukrainian companies: Cosmo Medical and Digital Med.

Kadariya also shows up in a photo from IT Nature Party International, a 2018 party held on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Arrest and extradition

According to Belarusian investigators, in 2022, they learned that Kadariya had been living for some time in Spain. After he flew to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he was detained that September. Minsk requested his extradition.

Kadariya claimed he was being persecuted for political reasons in his homeland. Whether or not that claim was true, it likely sounded plausible.

After the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, which the United States deemed fraudulent, a wave of protests struck the country. Security forces arrested thousands of people. There are still more than 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus.

Some estimates suggest that up to half a million Belarusians left the country in the wake of the crackdown.

In Kyrgyzstan, Kadariya claimed he was a Belarusian citizen originally named Andrei Kovalev. He received refugee status in Ukraine in 2017. Later, when receiving citizenship, he changed his name, his Kyrgyz lawyer told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service in March 2023.

In a March 2023 interview with Current Time, a Russian-language TV and digital network led by RFE/RL in partnership with VOA, Kadariya claimed he had worked as the administrator of an opposition website in Minsk that published articles about corruption. He said that Belarusian security forces detained him in 2008 and seized his laptop, but due to data encryption, they could not confirm his connection to the opposition. After being released in 2008, Kadariya immediately left the country.

The Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office did not find any political motives in the charges against Kadariya and a court soon approved his extradition.

Kadariya tried to appeal. His lawyer said that his extradition would violate Kyrgyzstan's obligations to international organizations.

After the court rejected Kadariya's appeal, the United Nations weighed in. In a letter to the Kyrgyz prosecutor general, representatives of the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Kadariya should not be deported because he had requested asylum in Kyrgyzstan. According to them, the court's decision to extradite him violated the U.N. Refugee Convention and local legislation, Current Time reported.

Kadariya penned an appeal to President Sadyr Japarov asking the Kyrgyz leader to prevent his deportation.

In March 2023, he was extradited back to Belarus.

In a video published that month by Belarusian investigators on the Telegram messenger, Kadariya states that he has no connections to the opposition and had never been involved in politics.

Dmytro Mazurok, a Ukrainian lawyer based in Kyiv who specializes in migration, says he would not trust a statement given in the presence of Belarusian investigators.

"They have a harsh system of coercion," he said.

At the same time, it's not unfathomable that Kadariya could have received asylum in Ukraine on false grounds a particularly at the time he applied.

"I can say for sure that obtaining refugee status and, subsequently, citizenship for a person with money is not a problem," Mazurok told VOA.

American accusations

On August 12, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Maksim Silnikau, the alleged leader of a cybercriminal group, was extradited from Poland to the U.S.

American prosecutors allege that he worked together with Kadariya and one other alleged cybercriminal, Russian citizen Andrei Tarasov. Like Kadariya, Silnikau holds both Belarusian and Ukrainian citizenships.

According to a New Jersey indictment, from 2013 to 2022 the three men used so-called malvertising on the internet to infect Americans' computers with malicious software, including one called "Angler Exploit Kit."

Among the ways they allegedly profited from this scheme was by selling stolen user information and access to infected devices to other cybercriminals.

To promote their scheme, the three accomplices created domains to host malware and posed as legitimate advertisers, the indictment states. It describes Kadariya as a "malicious advertiser."

If found guilty, each man could face 27 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 years for conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and 20 years for each count of wire fraud.

In Kadariya's case, one important question remains: Is he at large?

VOA was unable to contact Kadariya for comment or confirm his whereabouts.

He may be in custody in Belarus, where he was extradited a year-and-a-half ago, but the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.

The State Department and DOJ also did not answer VOA's questions about Kadariya's whereabouts.

Notably, the State Department announced August 26 that it is offering the $2.5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction "in any country."

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China In Eurasia Briefing: What Eurasia Can Learn From China's Footprint In Africa

By Reid Standish September 04, 2024

The Africa Model

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is rolling out the red carpet for African leaders this week at a high-level summit in Beijing as China looks to deepen ties with the resource-rich continent that it has furnished with billions in loans for infrastructure and development projects.

But what kind of lessons does the experience of African countries hold for other regions where China has also become a political and economic force?

Finding Perspective: Beijing has said the September 4-6 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit will be its largest diplomatic event since the COVID-19 pandemic, with leaders and other delegates from every African state except Eswatini.

China has increasingly expanded ties with African countries in the past decade and Beijing has become the continent's largest bilateral lender, investor, and trade partner.

This has seen China furnish governments with billions of dollars in loans that have helped build much-needed infrastructure and bring economic growth, but also sometimes stoked controversy by saddling countries with huge debts.

FOCAC is Beijing's main forum for engaging with Africa and this year's gathering will tackle issues ranging from health-care cooperation to debt relief to securing the rights for critical minerals.

African leaders are looking for more balanced trade and continued investments from China, while Beijing is expected to push its green technologies products like electric vehicles (EVs) and its solar industry, especially amid Western curbs on those exports.

A New Era: As Alex Vines, the Africa research director at Chatham House, told me, the green-technology push isn't a surprise and has buy-in from both sides.

"Energy provision is key for Africa's development trajectory, and so investing in renewables will be welcomed," he said.

Chinese investment in Africa peaked around 2016 and Chinese loans to African governments have since declined significantly. The old China model of offering loans for large infrastructure projects and rapid industrialization has not quite disappeared, but certainly lost steam amid China's slowing economy and the difficulty some African countries have had in repaying loans.

As Beijing is eyeing new markets for its renewables sector, Africa is a logical target. It's a young and fast-growing continent that, according to the International Monetary Fund, contains nine of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024 and China sees it as a vital market for its products and its own economic growth.

And while there are petro-states in Africa, many countries deal with energy insecurity and are eager for the more affordable products like Chinese-made smartphones and EVs that have seen their quality dramatically increase in recent years.

Why It Matters: If any lessons can be drawn from Africa's trajectory with China for other regions around the world, it's that local governments are just as influential in this process as Beijing.

It can be easy to view everything through the lens of China's global ambitions, which are very real, but they only tell part of the story.

Debt owed to China is a major factor on the continent, and some African countries have large Chinese loans that they're struggling to repay.

But Vines says that their situations can't be entirely blamed on Chinese loans. Countries like Kenya and Zambia have poorly managed their debt to all creditors, not only China, while others have managed to navigate their Chinese debt arrangements without risk or incident.

Added to that, African countries know they are becoming more attractive to multiple outside powers and using this dynamic to have more room to balance their ties with partners beyond China and the West, like Russia, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.

"Local agency needs to be strengthened more robustly," Mandira Bagwandeen, an expert on China's ties to Africa and a lecturer at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, told me.

"It's not China's responsibility to be sure that whatever deal they strike is in the local country's interest. It's the responsibility of African officials and it's ultimately up to them to make sure that it works for their country."

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. Middle Corridor Chokepoint

Kazakhstan announced on September 2 that it will temporarily stop accepting containers heading to China through its Dostyk border crossing due to inadequate infrastructure to process the cargo.

The Details: The news is something of a positive sign for those cheerleading the viability of the so-called Middle Corridor trade route that runs through the Caucasus and Central Asia and connects to China.

The press release said that the infrastructure at the border crossing can't handle the large volumes of freight now going east. At the time of the announcement, there were 55 trains waiting in Kazakhstan to cross into China.

Dostyk is one of two main rail crossings between Kazakhstan and China. The other crossing, Khorgos, was built as one of China's key Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments in Central Asia.

2. BYD's Big Uzbek Plans

Chinese electric car production is gearing up in Uzbekistan and the Central Asian news site Vlast has a good look at where things stand today.

What It Means: The factory was opened in late June by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev and will be a joint venture with state-owned UzAuto.

BYD pledged a $160 million investment in the production line, which is poised to put around 50,000 cars to market in its first phase, with an outlook of up to 500,000 cars. As the factory develops and expands, the company also plans to grow its China-trained local workforce from 1,200 to 10,000.

The flagship factory is the first large-scale investment of its kind in Central Asia and could be used as a template to be replicated elsewhere in Central Asia as China looks to build up the EV market across the region with its offering of affordable and increasingly reliable options.

As another interesting wrinkle, Vlast reports that "most of the electric cars that the production lines of [Central Asia] will churn out seem to be earmarked for export, with Russia being one of the main destination markets."

3. A Pakistani Great Firewall?

Millions of Pakistanis have for weeks experienced slow Internet connections and problems with accessing social media platforms.

And local activists say it's because Pakistani authorities are installing a Chinese-style national Internet firewall aimed at exerting more control over the online space and crushing dissent, my colleague Abubakar Siddique reports.

What You Need To Know: Islamabad has denied allegations that it is behind the Internet slowdown, which has disrupted businesses and triggered widespread complaints in the South Asian country of some 240 million.

Pakistanis have been unable to promptly send e-mails or use the messaging application WhatsApp, which is used by tens of millions of people. Businesses and entrepreneurs say the Internet slowdown has disrupted their daily work.

For weeks, Islamabad refused to comment, but then officials provided some contradictory remarks about the reason behind the disruptions.

Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja admitted on August 15 that the government was tinkering with the Internet, revealing that it was "upgrading a web-management system" it had previously installed.

Then on August 21, Hafeezur Rehman, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), claimed that a faulty undersea Internet cable was to blame.

Multiple digital-rights groups inside the country have accused the government of implementing new measures to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms in order to increase surveillance and stifle dissent, especially criticism of the country's all-powerful military.

The civilian government is backed by the military and the PTA is overseen by a retired general.

The alleged implementation of the firewall comes as Pakistan's military, which has an oversized role in the country's domestic and foreign affairs, says it is battling "digital terrorism."

Across The Supercontinent

Taipei's Rhetorical Counter: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has challenged China's claim over the self-ruled island by suggesting in recent comments that if China is truly concerned about its territorial integrity then it should also seek to reclaim the land it ceded to Russia in the 19th century.

"If China wants to annex Taiwan.... It's not for the sake of territorial integrity. If it is really for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn't China take back Russia?" Lai said during a TV interview.

Kazakh Nuclear Referendum: Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev announced that the country will hold a national referendum on October 6 on whether to build a new nuclear power plant, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

According to public statements by the government, companies from China, France, Russia, and South Korea are all in the running to carry out the project if it gets enough support at the ballot box.

New Semiconductor Investment: Taiwan is planning to team up with the Czech government to build a semiconductor cluster in the Czech Republic, Taiwanese National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu said on August 30 during a press conference at the annual Globsec security conference in Prague.

Lining Up For BRICS : Bloomberg reports that Turkey has formally asked to join the BRICS group of emerging-market countries.

One Thing To Watch

A new investigation from The Washington Post found that Chinese diplomats and pro-China diaspora groups based in the United States organized demonstrations in San Francisco that harassed and silenced protesters opposed to Beijing's policies during Xi's visit to the city in November 2023.

The investigation around the events in San Francisco is another key piece of evidence that helps illustrate how the Chinese Communist Party takes steps to stifle anti-government dissent abroad, particularly in countries with large Chinese diasporas.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-eurasia-africa- lessons-byd-internet/33105127.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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US sending Pentagon rep to China's top security forum this month

By Carla Babb September 04, 2024

The United States is planning to send Michael Chase, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, to China's top annual security forum this month, two U.S. defense officials have confirmed to VOA.

One of the officials, who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity ahead of the forum, called Chase's upcoming attendance "consistent participation from the U.S."

Chase is more senior than the U.S. representative at last year's Xiangshan Forum, but his rank is on par with historical norms for Pentagon representatives who attend the annual meeting. The Pentagon did not send a representative from 2020-2022 due to the pandemic.

"This engagement is meant to be more of the same" to keep the lines of military communication open and ensure that China has a clear understanding of the United States' position on global security issues, the defense official told VOA.

The forum comes on the heels of a face-to-face meeting in Singapore between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, in late May.

Austin spoke with Dong for the first time in April, marking the first dialogue between the two countries' defense chiefs in nearly 17 months. The top U.S. military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown, spoke with his Chinese military counterpart in December.

"Of course talks can make a difference. Having those mil-to-mil communications, those senior channels open, actually allows for the avoidance of a miscalculation," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters earlier this year.

Chinese state media reports say that more than 90 countries and international organizations plan to send delegations to Beijing for the September 12-14 forum.

Reuters was first to report the decision.

Beijing has asserted its desire to control access to the South China Sea and bring democratically ruled Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary. President Joe Biden has said U.S. troops would defend the island from attack.

China's defense ministry has said the Taiwan issue is the "core of China's core interests."

Tensions have risen sharply between China and U.S. ally the Philippines in the South China Sea, with China's coast guard using water cannons to threaten Filipino fishing ships. China has also used collision and ramming tactics, undersea barriers and a military-grade laser to stop Philippine resupply and patrol missions.

Last year, Austin and his Philippine counterpart established the U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Defense Guidelines, which reaffirmed that an armed attack in the Pacific - including anywhere in the South China Sea - on either of their public vessels, aircraft, or armed forces, would invoke mutual defense commitments outlined in the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

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African leaders snub Indonesian summit in favor of China visits

By Adam Hancock September 04, 2024

Indonesia hosted a gathering of African leaders in Bali this week in a bid to grow economic and trade ties. But many African countries were not represented, with leaders opting to attend a separate forum in China.

The Indonesia-Africa Forum was seen as an opportunity for Southeast Asia's largest country to boost trade ties with Africa and seek out new export markets, but the three-day forum struggled to attract a large showing of African countries.

Even so, the Indonesian forum wasn't a wasted effort, with important discussions and outcomes, said Christophe Dorigne-Thomson, a foreign affairs academic based in Jakarta.

"But symbolically, for sure, the choice was made for China," he said.

Delegates from 29 nations made their way to the resort island of Bali for the summit, well short of the 47 African countries that were represented at the inaugural forum in 2018.

Despite the smaller turnout, Indonesia hopes to have sealed $3.5 billion in business deals from the summit. That would be nearly six times the amount generated in agreements during the first forum six years ago.

Dewi Fortuna Anwar, senior researcher at Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency, tracked the deals at the summit.

"There seem to be some concrete ... letters of intent, like Indonesia's aircraft industry signing deals with several countries and the oil companies also signing deals," Anwar said.

While some leaders skipped Bali for Beijing, there remains a strong sense of cooperation between Indonesia and the African continent.

Their ties date back to 1955 when the first Asian-Africa conference was held in the Indonesian city of Bandung.

Elina Noor, senior fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Indonesia can use this history to its advantage.

"Jakarta can boast history and a legacy of relationship that stretches back to the Bandung conference. Indonesia has really sought to leverage on that historical relationship," Noor said.

At the forum in Bali, business was a key focus, but politics were also at play.

President Joko Widodo has looked to enhance Indonesia's standing on the international stage, promoting his country as a voice of the Global South. He is also keeping his country's options open as U.S.-China tensions simmer, said Dorigne-Thomson.

"It's a way for Indonesia to find a new way and not be stuck in that kind of geopolitical tension," he said. "Africa is, for them ... a new way to serve their interests."

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China detains prominent artist, citizen journalist in latest sign of dissent crackdown

By William Yang September 04, 2024

Rights advocates say Chinese authorities' recent detention of dissident artist Gao Zhen and prominent citizen journalist Zhang Zhan are the latest sign of an escalating crackdown on dissent in China.

Gao, a prominent artist known for creating provocative sculptures of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, was detained by Chinese police on August 26 for "slandering Chinese heroes and martyrs." More than 30 police raided his studio and confiscated several pieces of artwork related to Mao and the Cultural Revolution, a tumultuous period that China's founding leader launched in the 1960s and lasted until 1976.

Mao launched the movement to reassert ideological control with attacks on intellectuals and so-called counterrevolutionaries, which scholars estimate led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not millions of people.

His brother and main artistic collaborator Gao Qiang told VOA Tuesday that Gao's wife received a notification from northern Hebei province's Sanhe public security bureau on August 27. The notification said Gao had been detained under the charge of insulting and slandering Chinese heroes and martyrs, a law passed in 2018 that carries a maximum sentence of three years.

"The police mainly targeted artworks critiquing the Cultural Revolution, but these works were created more than 10 years ago, which predate the law that came into effect in 2021," Gao Qiang said in a written response.

Gao said his brother returned to China to visit family with his wife and son in June, but before his departure, he and other friends urged him to consider the potential security risks of returning to China.

"He also thought he could run into some trouble, but he still decided to go back to China in the end," he said.

Since the 1990s and into the early 2000s, the Gao brothers have been known for expressing grief toward Mao and his time in power. While Chinese police had shut down their exhibitions and confiscated some of their sensitive artworks in the past, they hadn't run into major problems before.

The two brothers obtained permanent residence in the United States in 2011, and Gao Zhen moved to New York with his family in 2022. Unlike the earlier phase of their career, the Gao brothers' recent works have been less politically sensitive and less critical of China's leadership.

Gao Qiang said that while the motivation for his brother's arrest remains unclear, he believes the incident shows the space for free expression has further shrunk in China.

"He is nearly 70 years old and is naturally prone to melancholy, so I'm very concerned about his physical and mental health in detention," he told VOA, adding that the lawyer mentioned his brother had complained about persistent back pain.

Gao's wife and children were also banned from leaving China when they tried to fly back to New York from Beijing on Tuesday. Gao's son is an American citizen, and his family members are seeking help from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

Several prominent Chinese writers and artists, including Ma Jian, have written an open letter, urging the Chinese authorities to release him and set his family free.

Meanwhile, Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who was released in May after serving a four-year sentence for covering the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in early 2020, has reportedly been detained by Chinese authorities at the Pudong Detention Center in Shanghai, according to Chinese news site Weiquanwang and supporters with knowledge of the arrest.

Zhang went to Gansu Province to meet the mother of a recently detained activist but was arrested by police when she returned to her hometown Shaanxi. It remains unclear whether she has been put in administrative detention, which usually lasts 15 days, or criminal detention, which carries a much longer sentence.

Zhang's latest detention has renewed concerns about her physical well-being. During her four-year prison sentence, Zhang staged a months-long hunger strike that caused her weight to drop to under 40 kilograms at one point.

Since her release in May, Zhang has been speaking up for other detained Chinese activists while criticizing some policies implemented by the Chinese government on Western social media platforms such as X and YouTube, which is banned in China.

Zhang wrote on the Chinese social media platform WeChat in June that local authorities in Shanghai had threatened to re-arrest her if she "crossed the red line" and said in a YouTube video in July that she possibly had been followed.

Some analysts say other dissidents' experiences suggest that Chinese authorities tend to impose harsher prison sentences on them if they were arrested for a second time. They worry Zhang could face a similar fate.

"If Chinese activists continue to stand up for freedom after their releases, the Chinese government definitely won't tolerate that," Yaqiu Wang, research director for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at Freedom House, told VOA by phone, adding that she has an "ominous" feeling about Zhang's situation.

In her view, the arrests of Gao and Zhang represent an escalation in the Chinese government's repression against dissidents. "Gao was merely visiting China, and the works used as evidence against him were created more than a decade ago," she said.

"This symbolizes a step further in terms of Beijing's crackdown on dissident community, and I remain extremely worried about the fate of other Chinese dissidents," Wang said.

Some human rights advocates say the detention of prominent dissidents fits Beijing's usual practice of increasing pressure on the dissident community when they face serious domestic challenges.

"The arrests are part of the larger trend of Beijing adopting more forceful measures to control civil society and this situation will indeed increase the risks that Chinese activists face," Zhou Fengsuo, a former Tiananmen student leader and executive director of New York-based organization Human Rights in China, told VOA by phone.

VOA reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong Detention Center for comments. In a previous response to VOA, the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., said China is "a country ruled by law and liberty is protected and respected" in the country.

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Han meets Putin in Vladivostok, hailing bilateral ties, joint devt

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Published: Sep 05, 2024 12:04 AM Updated: Sep 04, 2024 09:04 PM

China is full of confidence in the prospects of cooperation between the two countries, said Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, while meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia on Wednesday on the sidelines of the ninth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Han said at this new historical starting point of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties, China-Russia relations in the new era continue to operate at a high level under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The Vice President said China is full of confidence in the prospects of cooperation between the two countries. China highly values the role and influence of the Eastern Economic Forum, actively supports and participates in the development and cooperation of Russia's Far East region and stands ready to share development opportunities with Russia, so as to benefit the two peoples with more achievements and promote common development and revitalization.

Putin pointed out that thanks to the two countries' joint efforts, "relations between Russia and China have reached unprecedented heights," according to Russia's TASS.

"I hope that we will be able to search for and find new areas for cooperation during our meeting today and our joint work at the Eastern Economic Forum tomorrow," said the Russian President.

"We particularly attach great importance to cooperation between regions," Putin added.

Putin is expected to attend Thursday's plenary session to discuss economic and geopolitical topics, Xinhua reported.

The ninth EEF, running from Tuesday to Friday, has attracted more than 6,000 people from 76 countries and territories, official data showed.

"The business activities conducted on the forum sidelines will take interaction with countries of the Asia-Pacific region to a new level and enable us to develop specific solutions to unlock the economic potential of the Russian Far East," Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the EEF Organizing Committee, said in a press release sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.

"The attendance of senior Chinese officials and Chinese companies underlines China's active attitude in participating in the development of Russia's Far East region, sending a clear signal of enhanced China-Russia friendly cooperation for mutual benefits," Li Xin, director of the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Given some Western countries' intensifying unreasonable suppression and the unilateral sanctions levied on Russian and Chinese companies, there is a need for the two sides to expand cooperation in more fields, Li said.

Linking and combining the strategy of full revitalization of northeast China and Russia's development of the Far East will not only benefit the two countries but also economic cooperation in Northeast Asia, contributing to the goal of maintaining peace and stability in the area, according to Li.

Mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia's Far East and China's Northeast region showed strong momentum in recent years.

Han and Putin also attended the opening ceremony of the 8th China-Russia Expo in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, in May.

While an increasing number of Chinese companies are being set up in the Far East region, infrastructure projects like the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk cross-border highway bridge and the Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge play an important role in the increase in trade turnover.

In 2023, China-Russia two-way trade exceeded $240 billion, close to 1.7 times that of a decade ago, which is a good indication of the all-round cooperation of mutual benefit that continues to deepen between the two countries.

"The quality and quantity of China-Russia bilateral trade continues to see improvement in 2024," Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In addition to traditional sectors like energy and machinery, there is huge potential for the two sides to deepen economic and trade cooperation in emerging industries including green development and digital economy, according to Zhang.

Cooperation on the local level between China and Russia has gained a firmer foothold over recent years, with official and business delegations from China's Northeast region and Russia's Far East paying mutual visits to explore opportunities in economic and trade cooperation.

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North Korea may have executed officials over flood damage: spy agency

Heavy rains in late July flooded large areas along the Amnok River on the northern border.

By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.09.04 -- North Korea is suspected of executing a number of officials held responsible for devastating floods this year and South Korea's spy agency said it was "monitoring signs" to try to determine what had happened.

The agency's announcement came a day after a South Korean broadcaster reported that up to 30 officials in flood-hit regions of North Korea had been shot to death.

Heavy rains in July flooded large areas along the Amnok River in North Korea's North Pyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces with some South Korean media outlets reporting that more than 1,000 people were killed or were missing.

At that time, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that he would punish officials for the damage, which a South Korean government ministry said appeared to be an attempt by Kim's to dodge blame for the disaster.

Since then, Kang Pong Hun, the chief secretary of the Jagang Provincial Committee of the North's ruling party, and other senior officials, including Public Security Minister Ri Thae Sop, were dismissed from their posts over the flood damage, according to North Korea's state-media.

The South's National Intelligence Service, or NIS, said Kang was possibly among the executed officials.

NIS's announcement came a day after South Korea's TV Chosun cited an unidentified South Korean government source as saying North Korean officials deemed responsible for the flood disaster had likely been executed.

"We understand late last month, 20 to 30 officials in the affected region were shot to death, including Kang Pong Hun" TV Chosun quoted the official as saying.

Since the disaster, the North's state media have featured Kim leading flood relief efforts, emphasizing his concern for the victims, but it has given no details of casualties.

South Korea said that there was a high possibility of casualties given that North Korea was reporting the rescue effort in such detail.

A resident of the northwestern province of North Pyongan told Radio Free Asia Korean, on condition of anonymity for security reasons, that residents affected by the flood were forced to watch propaganda videos that portrayed Kim as a hero and were told they must avoid showing even a hint of sadness on their faces.

Another resident told RFA Korean that soldiers mobilized to rebuild flood-hit towns were stealing food and other supplies because they have been given none by the government, upsetting residents.

North Korea reportedly declined a rescue offer from China, and did not respond to a South Korean offer of aid.

But the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported in August that Russian President Vladimir Putin offered humanitarian assistance to help North Korea cope with flood damage in another sign of expanding relations between the two nations.

Russia's state-run Tass news agency carried a similar report, saying that Putin told Kim in a message: "You can always count on our assistance and support."

Edited by Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September 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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About 600 Russian tourists visited North Korea since February: report

The tourism recovery has prompted plans to upgrade road and rail links between the neighbors.

By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.09.04 -- About 600 Russian tourists have visited North Korea since it reopened its borders to tourists in February following the COVID-19 pandemic, Russian state media reported.

Most of the visitors traveled to the capital, Pyongyang, and the city of Rason from the far eastern Russian region of Primorsky Krai, said the region's tourism minister, Natalia Naboychenko, as cited by the TASS news agency.

The minister said efforts were being made to establish a regular train service between Russia and North Korea, citing high demand from Russian tourists wanting to visit Rason, which is close to the Russian far eastern city of Vladivostok.

Vladivostok has become a hub for travel to North Korea with people from other parts of Russia heading there via Vladivostok's international airport, Naboychenko said, explaining that tourists often stay in the Russian city for a few days before traveling to North Korea.

North Korea was closed to foreign tourists for just over four years, after it sealed its borders in January 2020 to try to keep COVID-19 at bay.

In June, the Federal Customs Service of Russia said that the passenger rail service between the two countries had been restored, with 41 Russian tourists taking the train to the North.

"The first train with Russian tourists left for the DPRK through the Khasan checkpoint," said the service at that time. "After a four-year break, Ussuri customs officers cleared the first passenger train for departure to North Korea."

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK, is North Korea's official name.

Separately, Russia and North Korea agreed to build a new road bridge connecting their countries over the Tumen River in North Korea's northeast, raising the prospect of a trade and tourism boost.

The agreement was made during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang on June 19. The two countries have been discussing road bridge construction since 2015, but talks ended in 2016 when the North conducted its fourth nuclear test.

In June, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced a partnership treaty, agreeing to offer each other military assistance "without delay" if either were attacked. They also underscored their shared defiance of Western sanctions and expanded cooperation in various sectors.

Kim also assured Putin of full support for Russia's war in Ukraine. In his latest message in August, though not referring to Ukraine by name, Kim told Putin he was sure of Russia's victory.

Russia has been cozying up to North Korea since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The United States says that North Korea has supplied Russia with large amounts of weapons for the war in Ukraine, in particular artillery rounds and ballistic missiles, although both Russia and North Korea deny that.

In exchange for its weapons, North Korea is suspected of getting Russian technological assistance for its space program.

Edited by Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September 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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CURTAIN RAISER FOR HIM- DRONE-A-THON-2 & HIMTECH-2024: SETTING THE COURSE FOR DEMONSTRATION OF DRONES IN HIGH ATTITUDE AREAS

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 04 SEP 2024 3:09PM by PIB Delhi

Indian Army unveiled two landmark events; 'HIM-DRONE-A-THON 2' and 'HIMTECH-2024' landmark events designed to harness military technologies for operations in high altitude areas. Envisaged as an opportunity to the Indian Drone Industry to showcase the capabilities of their drone solutions for high altitude areas, HIM-DRONE-A-THON 2 will take place at Wari La, near Leh on 17-18 September 2024. It will be followed by HIMTECH-2024 on 20-21 September 2024, an event conceptualised to discuss, demonstrate and discover new avenues for development, incorporation and cross pollination of technology, ideas and innovations with focus on harnessing military technologies for high attitude areas.

Major General CS Mann, Additional Director General of the Army Design Bureau highlighted that the Indian Army is deployed from icy heights of the Siachen Glacier to the rugged Himalayas where its soldiers face unparalleled adversities daily. For drone operations, rarified atmosphere results in reduced lift and degraded engine performance which are further accentuated by extreme cold temperatures and high wind speeds. These conditions are unique for Indian Army and demand systems that can adequately perform in these conditions. Since such altitude battlefields are not prevalent anywhere else, tailormade, indigenous solutions are the way forward. If the indigenous industry succeeds here, it also opens vistas for them to international arena and establish India as a credible drone manufacturing hub.

HIM-DRONE-A-THON-2 will focus on drone solutions for Indian Army for high altitude areas. The event is planned to be conducted under actual terrain and environmental conditions at altitude of 4000-5000 meters. The event is open to all indigenous drone manufactures and invites their participation for demonstration of Surveillance drones, Loitering munitions, Logistics Drones, Swarm Drones and drones with specific capabilities / role / payloads ie; Electronic Warfare, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Communication Intelligence and Electronic Intelligence. As of now more than 25 Drone manufacturing firms have registered for participation in the event. All the firms will be competing in a multifaceted competition at super high-altitude area for proving their suitability and capabilities.

HIMTECH 2024 is being held for the first time in Leh, to highlight and focus on development of technology and system for meeting operational requirements along the Northern Borders. The event being held in collaboration with FICCI will not only showcase industry partners and new generation equipment developed for high altitude areas but will also project Leh as the new business destination for new technology developers, industry and academia. The event will provide a platform to Indian Industries to showcase a wide range of the equipment and technologies comprising modern unmanned systems, all terrain mobility solutions, autonomous systems and advanced soldier systems.

The technology being demonstrated by the Indigenous Drone Industry, can also be harnessed for civilian use especially in high altitude areas and areas akin to terrain/ atmospheric conditions in Union Territory of Ladkah.

****

SC



(Release ID: 2051715)

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Iran's response to Haniyeh assassination will be 'different, surprising' and 'in due time': IRGC cmdr.

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 11:08 AM

A commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warns that Tehran's response to Israel's assassination of Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, will be "different and surprising."

Brigadier General Mohsen Chizari, deputy commander for operations of the IRGC Quds Force, made the remarks in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Wednesday, stressing that Iran will respond to Haniyeh's assassination "in due time."

Touching upon "Operation Arbaeen" carried out by Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah against the Israeli regime, Chizari stressed that the attack was in response to the assassination of the group's top commander Fuad Shukr, adding that Iran's crushing response will definitely be different.

Haniyeh was assassinated alongside one of his bodyguards in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31, a day after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned the Israeli regime of a "harsh response" for the assassination of Haniyeh, saying the Islamic Republic must avenge the blood of the Palestinian resistance leader.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Chizari said that the Israeli regime's crimes against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have convinced people around the world that Israel is a "usurping and oppressive occupation regime."

The senior Iranian commander further noted that the more Israel persists with its full-scale military onslaught against different areas across the West Bank, the more difficult the situation will be for it.

"The resistance structure remains strong in Gaza, and is emerging and strengthening in the West Bank. Today, the Israeli regime is taking measures to prevent the formation and strengthening of the resistance in the West Bank, but it will never succeed," he asserted.

Chizari further noted that the "Zionist leaders" definitely know that their crimes and operations in the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip will be in vain and they are looking for a way to get out of this predicament by any means.

He also emphasized that the resistance will definitely emerge victorious out of the current battle in Gaza, noting that the Israelis will fail to achieve their goals.

On August 28, the Israeli military launched a massive West Bank assault, deploying hundreds of troops and conducting airstrikes on Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas, which are major centers of Palestinian resistance against the usurping regime.

Local Palestinian resistance forces have been confronting the invading Israeli military since the start of the aggression, which is the largest in the occupied West Bank in more than two decades.

So far, dozens of Palestinians have been killed in Israel's West Bank assault.

Israeli forces and settlers have killed almost 680 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 7 October, 2023 when the regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza..

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Israel nuclear arsenal significant threat to global peace: Iran UN envoy

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sep 4, 2024

New York, IRNA -- Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Amir Saied Iravani has said that the Israeli regime is threatening other regional countries with nuclear annihilation, and its nuclear arsenal poses a significant threat to both regional and global peace and security.

Iravani made the comment on Wednesday as a addressed the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

The following is the full text of the Iranian envoy's speech at the UNGA meeting:

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Mr. President,

Allow me to begin by thanking you for convening this meeting. I would also like to join other delegates in commending Kazakhstan for taking the initiative to promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

Indeed, observance of this day is the commemoration of the victims of nuclear tests- the peoples who suffered, is suffering and will continue to suffer due to the enduring effects of radioactive fallout; the peoples most of whom were not the citizens of countries that conducted the nuclear tests.

Celebrating this day also signifies the international community's commitment to protecting the environment from the destructive effects of nuclear tests, many of which have occurred beyond the borders of the countries that conducted them.

Similarly, recognizing this day as an international event reflects the longstanding commitment of the international community to ending nuclear weapon tests, which is essential for achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.

Mr. President,

In commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, Nuclear-Weapon States (NWSs) should be mainly addressed, as they possess the capability to conduct such tests, with approximately 2,000 tests carried out since 1945, including 1,054 by the US alone.

At a time when all nuclear-armed states are planning to modernize, upgrade, or extend the life of their nuclear weapons and facilities, as well as develop new easy-to-use nuclear weapons, ending nuclear weapon testing is of outmost importance.

To that end, Nuclear-Weapon States have the primary responsibility. They need to adopt practical measures to stop all kinds of nuclear weapon tests. In 2000 NPT Review Conference the Nuclear Weapon States committed themselves to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay as one of the 13 practical steps in implementing the Article VI of the NPT.

Nuclear-Weapon States (NWSs) hold the primary responsibility for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and should take the lead in this effort. The ratification of the CTBT by NWSs would be a significant step toward rebuilding the confidence of Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWSs) and the international community.

Current situation testifies that, no matter how important the voluntary moratoria on nuclear tests are, they cannot substitute for a comprehensive universal and verifiable legally-binding prohibition on all types of nuclear explosions, including in alternative ways.

Mr. President,

Commemoration of this day is also an opportunity for international community to make Israeli regime promptly accede to the NPT without any precondition and to place all of its nuclear facilities under the full-scope IAEA safeguards. The current situation is alarming, as the Israeli regime is threatening other regional countries with nuclear annihilation, and its nuclear arsenal poses a significant threat to both regional and global peace and security.

Mr. President,

By observing this day, we should also renew our commitment to the noble goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons- the only absolute guarantee against the threat or use of these inhumane weapons.

As a signatory to the CTBT, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers this treaty a step toward nuclear disarmament, and in this context, believes it cannot substitute for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Consequently, nuclear disarmament must remain a top priority for the international community, and all forms of nuclear testing must be unequivocally prohibited. Such tests contradict both the letter and spirit of the CTBT and, more importantly, violate the legal obligations of the Nuclear-Weapon States under Article VI of the NPT.

4194

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Britain defends Israeli weapons export ban as Europe mulls sanctions

By Henry Ridgwell September 04, 2024

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his government's decision to suspend some arms shipments to Israel Wednesday, saying the move was necessary to comply with international law.

"We absolutely recognize and support Israel's right to self-defense and have taken action in support of that right of self-defense. ... But in relation to licenses, this isn't an Israel issue. It's the framework for all licenses that have to be kept under review," he said.

"We either comply with international law or we don't. We only have strength in our arguments because we comply with international law," Starmer told lawmakers in Parliament.

Israel has strongly criticized the move and said it would only serve to strengthen Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Israel invaded the Palestinian territory after Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in a cross-border terror attack on October 7.

Britain on Monday suspended around 30 of the 350 licenses for weapons exports to Israel after a legal review. Foreign Secretary David Lammy made the announcement in parliament on Monday.

"The assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain U.K. arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law," Lammy told lawmakers, adding that the export bans include "equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza, such as important components which go into military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, as well as items which facilitate ground targeting."

The British move will have little impact on the Israel Defense Forces' operations, said Middle East analyst Yossi Mekelberg of the London-based policy institute Chatham House. "Most of Israel's weapons and ammunition come actually from the United States and Germany. It amounts to nearly 99% of the arms supplied to Israel."

But the symbolism of Britain's move is significant, Mekelberg said.

"Suspension sends a clear message that you can be a friend of Israel, you can support Israel a including Labour [the ruling party] a supportive of Israel, especially after October 7, and rightly so. But at the same time to disagree fundamentally with the way Israel conducts the war and how it uses weapons," he said.

"I think we can start seeing a change [in Britain's approach], and I think what some of us wonder is if it will go as far as recognizing a Palestinian statehood. This probably would be the biggest step forward," Mekelberg said.

Andreas Krieg, a fellow of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at Kings College London, said the political impact of the export ban would outweigh the practical implications.

"The U.K. might not be the strongest hard power in the Middle East, but it has significant soft power and influence. It shows that for the very first time that a very close partner and ally of Israel doesn't trust the Israeli government, when they're saying that they are complying with the laws of armed conflict," Krieg told VOA.

"The fact that the U.K. is now saying that there are potential doubts is casting bigger doubts over Israel's campaign and the complicity of other countries as well, including Germany and the United States, in aiding and supporting Israel's campaign, particularly in Gaza, but also potentially in the West Bank," he said.

"Other European countries might want to now revisit their arms export licenses and to what extent their weapons are being used in what could be seen as an illegal war, a partially illegal war in Gaza," Krieg said.

Washington paused the export of large 1-ton bombs to Israel in May over concerns that they could be used in a ground invasion of the city of Rafah but has continued to supply billions of dollars' worth of other weapons.

Germany, which supplies about 39% of Israel's arms imports, has not said it plans to suspend any arms shipments.

Israel strongly denies breaking international law in Gaza and claims it targets only Hamas militants, whom it accuses of hiding in schools, hospitals and mosques and using human shields.

Critics accuse the Israel Defense Forces of conducting indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population and targeting basic infrastructure. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli operation began, most of them women and children. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes.

The Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants. The U.S., the U.K. and other Western countries designate Hamas as a terror group.

Writing on the social media platform X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly criticized Britain's move to ban some arms exports.

"Days after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, the UK government suspended thirty arms licenses to Israel. This shameful decision will not change Israel's determination to defeat Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that savagely murdered 1,200 people on October 7, including 14 British citizens."

"Hamas is still holding over 100 hostages, including 5 British citizens. Instead of standing with Israel, a fellow democracy defending itself against barbarism, Britain's misguided decision will only embolden Hamas. Israel is pursuing a just war with just means, taking unprecedented measures to keep civilians out of harm's way and comporting fully with international law," Netanyahu wrote on Tuesday.

In recent days, tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza and the failure to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

"I think there's a growing divide between the Israeli public and Israeli national interest, and the Netanyahu government. So, siding or moving against the Netanyahu government is now seen less and less so as moving against Israel as a whole, or the Israeli public," said analyst Andreas Krieg.

Meanwhile the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell last week proposed sanctioning two unnamed Israeli government ministers, accusing them of having a "colonial agenda" in the occupied West Bank. Israel is conducting an ongoing raid against militants in the territory, focused on refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarem. Israeli settlers are accused of forcibly seizing Palestinian land in the West Bank with the support of the IDF, which Israel denies.

"We are ... witnessing a formal radicalization on the part of some members of the Israeli far-right for whom Gaza has always been a minor issue compared with the West Bank and Jerusalem. Maybe, they don't care about the settlements in Gaza, since any return to calm would make it more difficult to pursue the colonial agenda they have for the West Bank, the expansion of the colonies," Borrell told reporters in Brussels on August 29.

Any decision on sanctioning Israeli ministers would require unanimity among EU member states. Borrell said that threshold had not been met.

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September 4, 2024

Release

Readout of Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Ely Ratner's Meeting With Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Miyake Shingo

Department of Defense Spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen provided the following readout:

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Dr. Ely Ratner met with Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Miyake Shingo today at the Pentagon to advance key Alliance modernization priorities following the successful July 28 U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee (2+2) Meeting in Tokyo. The officials shared perspectives on a range of bilateral issues, including command and control, bilateral presence in the Southwest Islands, defense industry cooperation, and opportunities for multilateral engagement. Assistant Secretary Ratner and Vice-Minister Miyake committed to enhancing the U.S.-Japan Alliance through close collaboration to tackle shared security challenges.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3895057/

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Japan warns of 'new era of crisis,' asks for record defense budget

Annual defense white paper identifies China, North Korea and Russia as main threats to Japan's security.

By RFA Staff 2024.09.04 -- Japan's defense ministry has released its annual white paper for 2024, warning that the Asia-Pacific region is facing "the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II."

Days before, the ministry requested a record budget of 8.5 trillion yen (US$59 billion) for the next year to boost deterrence.

The English version of the 572-page white paper, which sets out Tokyo's defense plan, was made public on Tuesday.

In the report "Defense of Japan 2024," Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara wrote that the international community had entered "a new era of crisis" and was facing "the greatest trial" since World War II.

Kihara singled out China, which has been building up military strength while intensifying activities in the East China Sea and the Pacific, as one of the greatest strategic challenges to Japan, alongside North Korea and Russia.

The ministry assessed that China had been "intensifying changes to the status quo by force" in the entire region around Japan, including in the East China and South China Sea.

Japan fears that an armed conflict over Taiwan, which China considers a province that must be reunited with the mainland, would spill over to Japan. Tokyo has been deploying more troops and military equipment to its outlying islands close to Taiwan.

Japan's defense policy is to continue building up capabilities, especially so-called stand-off defense, or responding from outside the threat zone, using integrated air and missile systems, and to strengthen cooperation with allies and partners.

"The alliance with the United States is a key pillar of Japan's national security policy," the ministry said in the white paper, noting that both Japan and the United States are "in agreement that the highest priority is ... to prevent unilateral changes to the status quo by force," a reference to China and Russia without naming them.

China has reacted angrily to the white paper, saying it uses China as a pretext to mislead the Japanese public, as well as the international community, and to justify Japan's military expansion, according to media reports.

Record defense budget

Japan's defense ministry on Friday requested a record budget of nearly US$60 billion for 2025, mainly to fortify its southwestern islands against the threats from China, the Associated Press reported.

The money would be spent on developing and acquiring new drones, missiles, satellites, cyber defense and cloud-based command and control systems.

The budget has grown through the years. It was 6.6 trillion yen ($45.5 billion) in 2023 and is projected to reach 7.7 trillion yen ($53 billion) in 2024, according to the defense ministry.

Tokyo is expected to double its annual military spending to about 10 trillion yen ($68.9 billion) by 2027, becoming the world's third largest military spender after the U.S. and China, AP reported.

While the request must go through the ministry of finance, which will likely reduce it before making a decision in December, China has already criticized it.

China's Global Times quoted experts as saying that Japan's continuous increase of military spending reflected its "militarism resurgence" and the ambition to expand its military presence in the region.

Japan's aggression before and during World War II is deeply resented in parts of Asia, in particular China and South Korea.

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 September 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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CPJ Expresses Concerns Over Kazakhstan's New Media Accreditation Rules

By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service September 04, 2024

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement on September 3 expressing concerns over recently introduced changes to Kazakhstan's domestic-media accreditation regulations and proposed changes to foreign-media accreditation, saying they could be used to muzzle independent media.

"New and proposed amendments to Kazakhstan's accreditation regulations are excessive and open too many doors to censorship. Instead of the greater openness promised by President [Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev's] 'New Kazakhstan,' what journalists are really getting is ever more creeping state control," CPJ Europe and Central Asia program coordinator Gulnoza Said said.

"Kazakh authorities should heed journalists' legitimate complaints and revise the media accreditation rules."

The changes regulating domestic media in the Central Asian country that came into force last month allow a journalist's accreditation to be withdrawn for six months if they twice fail to comply with rules at news events, which could potentially include asking off-topic questions.

Also last month, the Kazakh government proposed regulations for foreign media outlets that allow the Foreign Ministry to deny or revoke accreditation for any violation of Kazakh law, including minor "administrative" offenses.

A media law that came into force in June already bans foreign media from unaccredited journalistic activity.

Domestic and international rights groups and media experts have expressed concerns over that law, saying it will compromise independent journalism and lead to self-censorship in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic.

Another provision in the law that Toqaev signed on June 20 says that all Internet resources are to be considered media outlets.

Among other things, the law introduces a three-year period to file lawsuits over materials published in the media.

In 2024, Kazakhstan slipped from 134th place to 142nd in the press index of Reporters Without Borders, which monitors media freedom around the world.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-cpj-media-accreditation- law/33105583.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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Month of fighting leaves once-bustling Myanmar town eerily quiet

Displaced residents say they won't return while the threat of junta airstrikes remains.

By RFA Burmese 2024.09.04 -- The normally bustling town of Kyaukme in northern Myanmar's Shan state is a shadow of its former self one month after ethnic rebels captured it from the military, according to residents who say they won't return because they fear retaliation from the junta.

On Aug. 5, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, and allied forces seized control of Kyaukme after more than a month of fighting by taking over the junta's Military Operations Command No. 1, about 1.5 km (a mile) outside of the town, as well as two junta Light Infantry Battalions bases inside it.

During the weeks of fighting, the junta dropped 500-pound bombs and fired heavy weapons to defend its positions, destroying many of the town's buildings and forcing many of its more than 40,000 inhabitants to flee for their safety.

Residents say that more than 400 people - including civilians, junta troops and rebel fighters - were killed in the clashes. The Kyaukme-based Namp Khone Tai Charitable Organization said it collected 219 bodies for burial in the first eight days after the town fell to the TNLA.

Nearly a month later, the town feels empty, said Nwe Nwe, a vendor at the fresh market in Kyaukme's Ti Lin ward.

"Sales haven't returned to normal, as not all residents have come back," she told RFA Burmese. "Only a few [people] can be seen in the downtown area. The major shops remain closed."

Most residents continue to take refuge in Nawng Ping and Sa Khan Thar villages, located around 16 km (10 miles) outside of Kyaukme, while others have relocated to the Shan state capital of Taunggyi, about 290 km (180 miles) to the south, or southwest to Mandalay region.

'None of us dare go back'

Displaced residents told RFA that they won't return home while the threat of junta airstrikes remains.

On Aug. 27 and 29, when some residents returned to Kyaukme to check on their homes, the junta dropped bombs on the town's police station and State High School No. 2, said one of the displaced, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

"While the displaced from Kyaukme were preparing to return home, the first group of returnees came back to the camp after the junta attacked with three 500-pound bombs," he said. "Now, none of us dare go back, and meanwhile, some new displaced residents [from Kyaukme] have arrived at our shelter."

Other residents of Kyaukme told RFA that their homes and shops were looted after they fled the fighting.

Ma Khaing said she and her family members "fled with whatever we could carry" in the middle of a junta artillery attack, only to learn that thieves ransacked her home while she was gone.

"Every item from our house was taken," she said. "We have no idea how to resume our lives."

Picking up the pieces

In the meantime, the TNLA said it has deployed a "police force" to provide security and law enforcement in Kyaukme, although judicial, medical and other administrative services have yet to resume.

After the junta lost Kyaukme, it restricted the transportation of goods, causing prices to nearly double, according to merchant Nyi Nyi Lwin.

"The prices of commodities, including fuel, have skyrocketed," he said.

Electricity and mobile communications also have yet to be restored, and residents said they expect it will take time for the banking system to come back online.

While residents of Kyaukme pick up the pieces, intense fighting between the TNLA and junta forces continues in nearby Nawnghkio and Hsipaw townships, they said.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Myanmar civilians trapped in monastery as clashes intensify

Attacks by insurgents trigger junta retaliation, driving thousands of civilians from their homes.

By RFA Burmese 2024.09.04 -- Fighting in central Myanmar has trapped about 1,000 people in a monastery where they are running out of food and the sick and wounded face death without medical help, residents told Radio Free Asia on Wednesday.

Fighting across Myanmar has displaced about 3 million people, according to humanitarian agencies, with little prospect of relief as the military, which seized power in 2021, struggles against increasingly determined insurgent forces.

Some of the worst violence has been in the Sagaing region where the military often accuses civilians of supporting the insurgents, who launch guerrilla attacks and melt away. In response, junta forces take out their anger on villagers, rights groups and residents say.

In Indaw town, in the north of Sagaing, about 1,000 residents who did not flee earlier with most other residents have become cut off by junta blockades in a monastery with dwindling supplies of food and medical supplies, residents said.

A 28-year-old woman and 20-year-old man died last week from untreated battle wounds with prospects grim for others, said one Indaw resident who escaped.

"Although people tried to leave, the junta troops didn't allow them to," said the resident, who declined to be identified in fear of reprisals.

"Several children are suffering from head injuries. They're being treated with whatever medicine they have to hand."

Five civilians were killed and six were wounded on Aug. 16 in fighting between the junta forces and the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, and its allies, as they tried unsuccessfully to seize military positions, residents said.

More than 20,000 residents were able to flee Indaw, but Buddhist monks, children, elderly people, and civil servants aligned with the junta administration are among those trapped, the residents said.

RFA telephoned the Sagaing region's junta spokesperson, Nyunt Win Aung, to ask about the situation but he did not answer calls.

The KIA, which is fighting for self-determination for the ethnic minority Kachin people, has made significant gains in Kachin state and the Sagaing region since late last year.

A three-member alliance of rebel factions in Shan state, to the east, has captured major towns and military bases while the military has also lost ground to ethnic minority insurgents in Rakhine state in the west, and in Kayah and Kayin states in the east, as well as in parts of the deep south.

In southern Sagaing, thousands of villagers have fled from junta raids in Khin-U township, 215 km (134 miles) south of Indaw, since Tuesday, residents there said.

Junta troops burned homes in two villages and occupied eight others, said a relief worker.

"Residents are fleeing everywhere, especially to villages they know are safe. Others are going to urban areas," said the relief worker, who also declined to be named for security reasons.

On Friday, pro-democracy fighters in Khin-U township tried to capture a junta stronghold in Ma Daung Hla village but were forced to retreat due to airstrikes, which killed 10 members of the insurgent force, said an official from a rebel group who also declined to be identified.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September 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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September 4, 2024

Speech

Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) Ms. Cara Abercrombie's Remarks Following the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group

Good afternoon. I'd like to start by thanking Under Secretary Jenkins and her team for hosting us at the State Department today. I'd also like to thank First Vice Minister Kim and Deputy Minister Cho for their significant contributions to our productive meeting.

Our governments have made historic progress on extended deterrence cooperation over the past year, including through the EDSCG dialogue today and the work of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG). The EDSCG serves as a key forum for the U.S.-ROK Alliance to discuss integrating and coordinating all levers of national power - diplomatic, informational, military, and economic - to address security challenges affecting the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Today, we discussed the dangerous and irresponsible behavior of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the ongoing expansion, diversification, and improvement of nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities as well as the growing DPRK-Russia strategic partnership, which violates several UN Security Council Resolutions.

We remain committed to taking appropriate actions in response to destabilizing DPRK activities. The U.S. commitment to the ROK is enduring and ironclad. Any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime.

However, our goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We remain willing to engage in dialogue with the DPRK, without preconditions. We will also continue to urge the DPRK and Russia to abide by UNSC resolutions.

We look forward to working together with the ROK, across all our extended deterrence forums, to engage in deeper, cooperative efforts to further strengthen our extended deterrence cooperation. Let me take a moment to again thank U/S Jenkins, First Vice Minister Kim, and Deputy Minister Cho for the thoughtful, productive discussion today.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/3894986/

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Deputy Secretary Campbell Meeting with Republic of Korea Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

September 4, 2024

Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell met yesterday with Republic of Korea First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun, who traveled to Washington to co-chair the fifth meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group. In their meeting, Deputy Secretary Campbell welcomed First Vice Foreign Minister Kim to Washington and reaffirmed the United States' ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Republic of Korea (ROK). The two also discussed shared values and joint support for an open, prosperous, and secure world, and the importance of working together to combat common threats, including DPRK provocations and DPRK-Russia military cooperation.

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Meeting on infrastructure development in the Far Eastern Federal District

The President held a meeting on expanding Far Eastern energy and transport infrastructure.

September 4, 2024

17:50

Russky Island, Primorye Territory

Today, we will focus on issues that are crucial to our long-term systematic plans to develop the Far East, to ensure the unfaltering operation of enterprises, and the implementation of investment programmes. Without a doubt, the matters under discussion are vital for improving the quality of life of the people who live in this vast macro-region.

We will primarily focus on improving the energy and transport infrastructure.

Let us start with the energy sector and look into current priorities in addition to long-term goals.

Everyone is aware of a major technological disruption in the high-voltage equipment of 500 kilowatts that took place in the Primorye Territory in August. Almost two million people felt the consequences. I hope to hear about the lessons learned from this situation and the specific solutions to be implemented in the near future.

By the way, an extended heat dome over southern Russia has led to power outages as well. True, to a certain extent they were due to severe abnormal weather, but it does happen, and we must be prepared for it. Swift response must be part of the systemic work.

In this regard, power consumption in the Russian Far East is steadily growing. This is good news, because this tells us that the economic growth rates here are higher than national average. Power consumption increased by 1.4 per cent last year on average nationwide, whereas in the Far East it was up by 3.5 percent. This reflects, as I earlier said, an increase in business activity in the Far Eastern regions where manufacturing sites are expanding dynamically, and housing and social facilities are being built.

We expect energy consumption in Russia's Far East to increase at an annual rate of about five percent until 2030, which means doubling the national average.

Therefore, we need to anticipate these developments by expanding the generating capacity in the Far Eastern region accordingly. We must build power plants and grids and develop respective infrastructure taking into consideration the specific nature of the power grid there, as well as the forecasted demand for electricity in terms of powering businesses and households.

We are working on the corresponding decisions with the Government. Overall, I can say that we must build 2.6 gigawatts of capacity in Russia's Far East by 2030.

What are the key takeaways on this topic? The Energy Ministry, as well as other agencies, will be involved in these efforts. There is a considerable amount of obsolete equipment in this region, and it has to be taken out of operation. In order to reach the required capacity, we must take these circumstances into account as well.

Priority projects include building the Yuzhno-Yakutskaya Thermal Power Plant, as well as almost quadrupling capacity at the Svobodnenskaya Thermal Power Plant in the Amur Region. In addition to this, there is a need to upgrade 270 diesel power plants, including in Yakutia and Kamchatka. At the same time, we need to look beyond this horizon and to draft plans for a longer period.

Let me remind you that there was an instruction following last year's Eastern Economic Forum to draft a long-term development programme for the Far Eastern Federal District's power supply sector until 2050. These are long-term plans, and it is essential that we complete all these tasks on time.

The programme must be based on the General Layout of Russia's Electric Power Facilities, setting forth the deadlines for building thermal power plants, NPPs, hydropower plants, and power generating plants relying on renewables. Regarding the NPPs, I was referring to the Far East, of course. Why not? This is a promising sector. If we can build so many NPPs abroad - I cannot even remember the exact number; about 20, right - and provide funding for most of these projects, this means that we can also execute our plans to expand nuclear power generation within the country.

We also need to expand our power grids. The Government must approve this document by December 1, 2024. Time is running out. Today, I expect to hear reports on these efforts.

We should also look into ways to improve logistics and to increase transport access to the Far East and connectivity of its regions. Understandably, this is a tall order considering the immense territory of the Far Eastern Federal District. The priorities here include expanding air transport and creating new more convenient routes.

Notably, the air traffic volume in the Far East is growing steadily as well. Passenger traffic has doubled in ten years to a record-breaking high of 10.5 million passengers last year, of whom almost a quarter - 2.4 million passengers - used local flights connecting the Far Eastern regions.

Last year, a goal was set at the Eastern Economic Forum to increase passenger traffic on domestic flights in the Far East to at least 4 million passengers a year by 2030. To get there, we need to build and to upgrade the airfield infrastructure, to expand the itinerary network between the Far Eastern regions, to expand the aircraft fleet, and to make airfare more affordable.

We need regional aircraft. Mr Trutnev reported, and I know it from other sources as well, that we keep putting off the construction of this regional aircraft, which we need so badly.

I would like our colleagues today to share with us in detail the progress of implementation of the plans and projects with a special emphasis on supporting air transport on socially important Far Eastern routes, as well as the plans to build domestic aircraft for regional and small aviation. Without a doubt, the new aircraft must be competitive both in terms of specifications and price.

Next, we focus a lot on building motorways in the Far East. Their condition plays a key role in ensuring efficient logistics and strengthening the region's economy as a whole and, of course, improving the quality of life, as I earlier said.

The crossing over the Zeya River in the Amur Region ranks among the largest and most significant road facilities that have been built in the Far East most recently. We must also complete the construction of a bridge across the Lena River near Yakutsk which is another important and long-awaited project, all the more so as this is no longer a dead end destination.

As you are aware, we have set clear benchmarks regarding the condition of motorways. At least 85 percent of the road network in the metropolitan areas and at least half of regional roads must be brought up to code by the end of this year.

Please update us on the progress of this work and on the efforts to improve the road infrastructure which are part of the implementation of the Far Eastern master plans. We are aware that a number of the Far Eastern regions are running the risk of not achieving the goals within the established timeframe. In this regard, I look forward to hearing a report on the plans to catch up with the schedule. In the future, we need the Government and the regional authorities to keep this matter under special control.

Please provide a separate update on plans to provide high-quality access roads to border crossing points at the state border. We are fast tracking the development of their infrastructure, and it is crucial for these activities to be synchronised with the road construction plans.

On a final note, the Far East's proximity to international logistics routes and it being part of the goods flow global system constitute an exceptional competitive advantage, and our plans to develop transport corridors in the Far East must be aligned with the projects to develop the Northern Sea Route which we discuss fairly often, if not constantly.

Far Eastern seaports play an important role in our access to foreign markets and account for a quarter of the cargo turnover of all Russian ports. Without a doubt, this figure will continue to grow.

I am aware that in conjunction with the regions and federal authorities, businesses are implementing far-reaching plans to upgrade and build moorings and other port infrastructure facilities. We should support these projects by all means. At the same time, it is important to expand access roads to seaports and increase the capacity of railways.

We work systematically and consistently to remove the bottlenecks that are stifling the operation of the BAM and the Trans-Siberian Railway. Their capacity should increase to 180 million tonnes by the end of this year.

This year gave start to the third phase of upgrading the Eastern Operating Domain which envisages an increase in carrying capacity to 270 million tonnes by late 2032, as well as a more efficient distribution of freight flows to the ports of the Primorye transport hub of Vanino and Sovetskaya Gavan.

Please update us in detail on the progress of implementation of this core project of major importance.

Let us start with the energy sector. Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev is our next speaker.

<...>

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Results of the Russian Far East's development presented and new plants launched

Vladimir Putin heard reports by Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev and Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic Alexei Chekunkov. He also familiarised himself with an interactive presentation of results of the Russian Far East's development and took part, via video link, in the opening of new plants launched by residents of priority development territories.

September 4, 2024

15:15

Primorye Territory, Russky Island

The Ozyorny mining and refining facility, a modern plant specialising in mining and processing ores based on the polymetallic, mostly lead and zinc, deposit of Ozyornoye in the Republic of Buryatia, has been put into operation. It can produce up to 6 million tonnes of ore per year, including up to 600,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate per year and 82,000 tonnes of lead concentrate per year. Up to 1,300 new jobs will be created when it reaches its full production capacity. The plant will produce about 4.5 percent of world zinc concentrate output. The project has been implemented by the Ozyornoye Company. Ozyornoye Company General Director Vladislav Sviblov narrated about the company.

The Port of Sukhodol, a maritime complex specialising in receiving, storing and loading coal to sea ships in the southern Primorye Territory, has reached full production capacity. Following the introduction of additional capacities, its freight turnover will amount to 12 million tonnes of coal per year and prospectively to 20 million tonnes. Among other things, the project has been implemented to ease access to port infrastructure for small and medium-sized coal producers. The port is equipped with two shiploaders, each capable of handling 3,500 tonnes of coal per hour. Four stacker-reclaimers have a capacity of 3,500 tones per hour each.

The infrastructure includes a coal storage facility for 915,000 cubic metres, a cargo handling rail terminal (14 tracks), and a railway station (20 tracks). The explanations were provided by General Director of Seaport of Sukhodol Sergei Kropotov.

The first stage of the Primorye plastic pipe plant has been launched. It produces 20 to 1,200 mm single- and multi-wall polyethylene pipes for water- and gas-supply systems. Its manufactures are noted for their long service life (over 100 years) and will be in demand in the context of gas distribution programmes and housing and utilities upgrade projects.

The first stage includes four high-technology lines for a total of 18,000 tonnes of products per year. After the second stage becomes effective in 2026, this figure will rise to 35,000 tonnes per year. The plant has been built by Polyplastic Group, a resident of the Primorye priority development territory. Explanations were given by Chairman of the Board of Directors Lev Gorilovsky.

* * *

Deputy Prime Minister - Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev: Mr President,

First, I would like to report that we have created an integrated governance framework for promoting development on a macroregional level in Russia's Far East as part of the objectives you have set forth. In includes 81 laws and almost 500 government acts for ensuring that investors feel safe here and can generate profits in the Far East. Of course, there is an ongoing effort to further improve this framework. This year we have been drafting a law creating an international priority development territory. In 2023, we adopted a law governing deliveries of essential goods to the northern territories - people there really needed it.

What have we achieved with this solution? This macro region has been above the national average in terms of its main development indicators for a third year in row. These indicators include fixed capital investment, construction volumes, housing construction, corporate revenue and minerals extraction.

Over the past 10 years, the macro region attracted 4.2 trillion rubles in private investment, including 800 billion since the previous Eastern Economic Forum in 2023, and also launched 152 enterprises and created 18,000 jobs.

The international environment has changed, creating new challenges, as well as new development opportunities for Russia's Far East.

Developing the Eastern Operating Domain within our national railway system has primary importance in terms of developing the Far East and national development in general. On the one hand, this requires a lot of work and substantial funding. On the other hand, the 3.7 trillion rubles we need for upgrading the Eastern Operating Domain will also contribute to developing the Far East.

Having more businesses and new investment project means that the region needs more electricity. Even today, the power grids in Primorye and Trans-Baikal territories, Buryatia, and the Jewish Autonomous Area undermine investment. Mr President, the Energy Minister will present proposals during today's meeting resulting from your instructions to the federal Government.

At the same time, we need to do more to ensure that investment keeps growing. For that, we believe that we need to carry out a sectoral review in order to examine all the key sectors which contribute the most to developing the Far East in order to identify their potential and what needs to be done to attract more investment.

We must support the effort to establish two metallurgy clusters in the Khabarovsk Territory. In keeping with your instructions, we will carry out master plans, build shipyards, and expand deposit extraction sites by carrying out additional mineral surveys in the Far East.

In agriculture, land reclamation efforts will enable us to use more land.

Mr President, last year I reported on our plans to reach 10.5 trillion in investment by 2030. Today, I would like to tell you that we believe that we need to go beyond this point. This is why I am asking you to set this objective at 12 trillion. We will deliver.

Vladimir Putin: I can just as well set it at 15 trillion or higher, but we must proceed from what these projects actually represent and the support measures the Government can offer.

Yury Trutnev: Of course, Mr President.

Vladimir Putin: Do you think this 12-trillion goal to be realistic?

Yury Trutnev: We can do it.

Vladimir Putin: Great.

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Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin

Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin.

September 4, 2024

12:05

Russky Island, Primorye Territory

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov took part in the talks.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Vulin, I am delighted to welcome you to Vladivostok and to Russia.

I hope that your business mission here will be both successful and useful, particularly in terms of carrying out a careful review and assessing cooperation opportunities with Russia's Far East, a vast region that holds immense potential and promise.

We have so many guests from a wide range of countries here, representing companies of all kinds and from across the world, including Asia and Europe. I believe that in addition to taking part in informal debates and official events, you can also engage with your colleagues from other countries. This is what makes events of this kind so valuable, among other things.

As for our bilateral relations, it is widely known what they represent. I am referring to the deep-rooted relations, their historical roots and the spiritual affinity between the people of Russia, the Russian nation and the Serbian nation.

Unfortunately, in terms of our trade and economic ties, trade has been declining, albeit slightly. I am aware that you and your cabinet are working on these matters. Perhaps it is time to hold an intergovernmental commission meeting in order to review the obstacles we face in this regard and remove them. Moreover, we have so many interesting avenues for cooperation in manufacturing, transport and industrial cooperation.

As you know, Russia plays a crucial role in supplying Serbia with energy resources, doing so efficiently and at a high level, always in a timely manner and on favourable terms for Serbia. This is something we will also discuss. There are specific issues we must address in this regard. For example, I am referring to the fact that our gas supply deals are set to expire in March 2025.

Of course, we are looking forward to hearing your assessment of what has been happening in your region from a security perspective and in terms of fulfilling the existing international agreements, particularly the Dayton Agreement. It would be very interesting and useful to hear your perspective and assessments on all these matters.

Welcome.

Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin (retranslated): Mr President,

It is a great honour and privilege for me to have a conversation with you today, and I can assure you that it is a great source of inspiration for all the people of Serbia. After all, we, the Serbs, are always better off whenever Russia is there for Serbia and cares about what Serbia is doing.

Serbia would not exist, had Russia failed to persevere throughout all these centuries. Not only do our nations have a shared past but they are also building their future together. I would like to take this opportunity, which is a great honour for me, to convey to you the heartfelt and fraternal greetings on behalf of President Aleksandar Vucic. He wishes you to stay strong and healthy for many years to come, and to serve as the leader of the Russian land for the wellbeing of the people of Russia.

As you know, Serbia is more than just a strategic partner for Russia. Serbia is also Russia's ally. It is for this reason that we face so much pressure from the West. However, under Aleksandar Vucic's leadership, Serbia would never join NATO, nor would it impose sanctions on the Russian Federation. It would not allow anyone to use its territory for any anti-Russian undertakings. Serbia has not taken part and will never contribute to the anti-Russia hysteria.

We respect and appreciate Russia. The forum I am attending demonstrates that attempts to isolate Russia bring nothing but harm. You cannot isolate Russia. Serbia would never participate in any initiative of this kind. You know that our region is facing quite a challenging situation, at least as far as Serbia is concerned. Pristina has been taking unilateral steps to reshape the situation on the ground, subvert Resolution 1244 and carry out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and Metohija. Pristina disregards its own decision and the fact that it undertook with its own signature to create a Community of Serb Municipalities and carry out the Brussels Agreement.

Republika Srpska has also been a matter of concern for us. There is a lot of pressure now to diminish it and alter the Dayton Agreement. This cannot be done. If you want peace, if you want stability, it is President Aleksandar Vucic who guarantees peace. In fact, he is the utmost champion and guarantor of peace and stability in our region. I am very grateful for giving me the opportunity to convey this message to you.

I would like to extend my gratitude for your personal contribution to our relations and the way you have been seeking to preserve the truth. You have been there for us and helped us counter attempts to adopt a resolution on the alleged Srebrenica genocide. You resonated with our cause and supported us in important ways. It happened back in 2015 when the UK put forward this resolution at the Security Council. We will never forget your personal contribution to our struggle for truth about the Serb nation. We would like to express our immense gratitude to you and the Russian people for helping preserve our territorial integrity and sovereignty on the Kosovo and Metohija issues.

We do know that whenever Russia's voice is heard, Serbia can also make its voice heard. And whenever someone tries to silence Russia, Serbia loses its voice, too. Make no mistake, the people of Serbia under President Vucic's leadership would never allow our fraternal relations and our strategic partnership to be undermined.

Vladimir Putin: Please, send my best wishes to President Vucic. We are looking forward to seeing him at the events which will be held as part of the BRICS leaders' meeting in Kazan in the BRICS Outreach format. We have sent him the invitation. I hope that the President accepts it.

<...>

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Meeting with Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim

Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

September 4, 2024

13:00

Russky Island, Primorye Territory

The Russian delegation included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Science and Higher Education and Co-Chair of the Joint Russia-Malaysia Commission for Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation Valery Falkov, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, friends and colleagues,

Welcome to Russia and to Vladivostok.

Mr Prime Minister, I would like to begin by thanking you for accepting our invitation to come here and attend the Eastern Economic Forum. Tomorrow, we will take part in its plenary session, and I am certain that this will be a useful event for discussing our objectives in bringing the regional economies closer together. In fact, we have many guests here from dozens of countries, which means that you will be able to engage in useful contacts not only with your Russian colleagues, but also with colleagues from other countries.

Of course, I do hope that we will have an opportunity to explore ways to expand our cooperation as part of these efforts. Today, trade between our countries amounts to about $3.5 billion, which can hardly be considered a satisfactory result for us considering the potential we have. In fact, there are many opportunities on both sides.

As you know, Russia pays considerable attention to developing its relations with Southeast Asia and ASEAN. Malaysia plays a prominent role in this association, and will be assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN next year. We sincerely hope that during your chairmanship, we will be able to explore new opportunities for cooperation with this rapidly growing and promising region.

To conclude my opening remarks, I would like to congratulate you and the Malaysian leadership, as well as the entire nation on Independence Day, the national holiday you have celebrated recently. As far as I know, it is observed on August 31. I would like to use this opportunity to wish the people of Malaysia all the best, prosperity and wellbeing.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim: Thank you, President Putin. First of all, let me express on behalf of my delegation how pleased we are to be here in Vladivostok and in a great country, Russia, which we admire and follow very closely. First and foremost, this includes its literature and the great novelists, and then of course its strength: economic, technological and space.

I think that as a country that believes in centrality, engaging with all countries, we, of course, decided to come with a big team to show our sincere attempt to enhance our collaboration. There is enormous potential that you have in Russia. You have done so much. And it is to our benefit too, if you could share this and collaborate in all fields.

You have shown your determination to be able to undertake difficulties and survive. I think that we will certainly benefit from this experience. Of course, we in ASEAN too look forward for your participation. As you know, ASEAN is always engaged with Russia. We have open trade with a focus on semiconductors and some other related fields, and I look forward to working with you and your team. Even more so, Mr President, I agree with you - the potential is huge. We have not fully utilised ours.

During our initial discussions when we were preparing to come here - this was not an easy feat, but we took this decision - and I think that this was the right decision. We have decided to enhance in all fields with you, and I am certainly looking forward to better relations, personal and governmental collaboration in all fields. So I must take this opportunity to thank you personally for giving time in your busy schedule today.

We would, of course, look forward to an effective follow-up programme since the discussion must not end here. I can assure you that when I assume the chairmanship of ASEAN, we will make sure that my colleagues in ASEAN take the same position to enhance our collaboration with Russia.

Thank you.

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Meeting with Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng

Vladimir Putin met with Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng at the Far Eastern Federal University.

September 4, 2024

11:05

Russky Island, Primorye Territory

Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the People's Republic of China Igor Morgulov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Han Zheng, our Chinese colleagues and friends,

I am delighted to welcome all of you to Vladivostok.

I have very good memories of our recent joint work in Harbin, and I would like to thank you for your wholehearted approach to the instructions you received from the President of China on accompanying our delegation and for your active involvement in that cooperative effort.

In October 2024, we will mark 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. That event had a profound impact on our bilateral relations and on development of modern China and our interstate ties.

As per our agreement, we hope to see President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping at the upcoming BRICS summit. I propose holding a bilateral meeting during that event.

Thanks to our joint efforts, relations between China and Russia have reached an unprecedented level. We attach great importance to interregional cooperation. I hope that during our meeting today and our work at the Eastern Economic Forum tomorrow, we will have the opportunity to explore and identify new areas for cooperation.

We are grateful to the President of the People's Republic of China for sending such a substantial delegation to this forum. I would like to thank you for leading this delegation and for taking part in our joint work.

Welcome.

Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng (retranslated): Mr President, thank you very much for finding the time to meet with me.

I am happy to have the opportunity to come to Vladivostok for the 9th Eastern Economic Forum at your invitation. First of all, I would like to convey best regards and good wishes from President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

This year we will mark 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. The Chinese-Russian comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction continue to grow stronger in the new age under your and President Xi Jinping's strategic guidance.

You have held two meetings with President Xi Jinping this year, and you have reached a number of vital agreements on the parameters of the further development of our bilateral relations in the new historical period, 75 years after the establishment of our diplomatic relations. China is ready to work comprehensively and diligently with our Russian partners to implement the important agreements reached by our leaders and to contribute to the continued improvement of our cooperation.

This time, I have come to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum at your invitation and on instructions from President Xi Jinping. Over the past years, your personal initiative and efforts have helped turn the Eastern Economic Forum into a key economic platform where all parties in the Asia-Pacific region can find consensus solutions and discuss cooperation. We highly appreciate the role and prestige of this platform. I wish you success in hosting the forum tomorrow.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Another aspect I would like to bring to your attention is that in addition to focusing on the economic and industrial development of the Far East, we also strive to establish significant centres of humanitarian and cultural cooperation here.

We are establishing subsidiaries of Russia's leading world-class museums, theatres and musical venues here. I know that some performers who are popular with Chinese audiences have visited China many times, and have recently been on another tour. I hope that Vladivostok will also become a prominent hub for cultural exchanges and attract tourists from Russia, from all over the world and especially from China, which is our friend.

If you have 30 minutes, I invite you to see what we are building here, and you will learn more about additional opportunities in the cultural and humanitarian sphere.

Han Zheng (retranslated): Mr President, I fully agree with you on the importance of strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation between our two countries.

I believe that the development of Chinese-Russian relations and our diverse cooperation would not be possible without the guiding role of our leaders.

Despite the challenges and risks we currently face, cooperation between our countries continues to develop steadily in all areas under the strategic guidance of our leaders. This is particularly evident in the trade and economic sphere, which you devote great attention to. We have accomplished our objective earlier than planned, with bilateral trade volumes reaching $200 billion.

From 2018 to early 2023, while I was working at the State Council, I co-chaired, on instructions from President Xi Jinping, the Chinese section of the China-Russia intergovernmental commission on investment, trade and energy cooperation. This is why I have a good understanding of our cooperation.

<...>

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Visit to the base of the Primorye Flotilla

The President visited the base of the Pacific Fleet's Primorye Flotilla of All-Arms Forces in Uliss Bay.

September 4, 2024

09:00

Primorye Territory

Vladimir Putin toured the corvette Rezky and viewed information stands about the development of the naval base.

The Rezky is the fourth ship in a series of Project 20380 multipurpose patrol corvettes built at the Amur Shipyard for the Pacific Fleet. It went on duty in September 2023.

The Pacific Fleet's Primorye Flotilla of All-Arms Forces was established in 1979 and is the largest group within the Russian Navy.

Commander of the Pacific Fleet Viktor Liina, Commander of the Primorye Flotilla Alexei Sysuyev and commander of the corvette Rezky Yevgeny Kovalev provided explanations of the processes to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

Before visiting the base, Vladimir Putin travelled by boat to the site in Promezhutochnaya Bay where a new shipyard is to be built by 2031. The President assigned the implementation of the project to VTB Bank and the United Shipbuilding Corporation. The future shipyard will mostly build commercial vessels such as bulkers, tankers, container carriers and LNG carriers. The site's proximity to the city of Vladivostok ensures a readily available workforce. Other advantages include road, railway and engineering infrastructure, potential access to gas supply and a possibility to increase energy capacity.

The President was accompanied by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Primorye Territory Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management Board Andrei Kostin, and Director General of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Andrei Puchkov.

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Participants of CSTO Interaction 2024, Search 2024, and Echelon 2024 drills head to Kyrgyz Republic

04.09.2024

From 3 to 6 September, participants of the Interaction 2024 command post exercise involving the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces, the Search 2024 special drills, and the Echelon 2024 drills regroup and head to the Kyrgyz Republic.

According to the plan, the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces) set off from the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Tajikistan to the area of the drills.

One of the priorities determined by the Republic of Kazakhstan chairing the CSTO in 2024 is to improve prompt deployment of the Troops (Collective Forces) including unimpeded transit of national contingents.

The drills, which consolidate training of different components of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces), take place on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic:

- the Interaction 2024 command post exercise involving the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces is to practise preparing and conducting a joint operation to resolve the armed conflict;

- the Search 2024 special drills are focused on issues of organising and conducting reconnaissance in the interests of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces;

- the Echelon 2024 special drills are aimed at practising the issues of combat service support.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Putin Aide Meets With Serbian Deputy PM at Eastern Economic Forum

Sputnik News

20240904

On September 4, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Anton Kobyakov met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Alexander Vulin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

The parties engaged in discussions about enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in the context of significant business events.

"The participation of the Serbian delegation in EEF-2024 is a milestone. It opens a new chapter in Russian-Serbian relations and testifies to Belgrade's desire to broaden the horizons of bilateral cooperation. We always feel the support of the Serbian people, and we value the good relations that have developed between us over the centuries. We are looking forward to seeing representatives of Serbia at the BRICS Summit and at the upcoming forums in Russia - Russian Energy Week and the Russian Tourism Forum "Travel!", said Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and responsible secretary of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the EEF.

In relation to the upcoming St. Petersburg International Economic Forum scheduled for June 2025, the parties discussed the formation of a delegation of Serbian businessmen, the potential for arranging a "Russia-Serbia" business dialogue, and the establishment of an exhibition stand for the Balkan republic.

Furthermore, the potential for organizing a joint Serbian-Russian business forum in Belgrade was examined.

"Serbia is a true friend and ally of Russia. We value our relations with Russia and the Russian people as Serbia's closest friends. We are striving to maintain the momentum of contacts with Russia. We are the only country that has not imposed sanctions against Russia, contrary to the opinion and position of the West. We look forward to strengthening Russian-Serbian contacts at major international multilateral events held in Russia," Aleksandar Vulin emphasized.

The Eastern Economic Forum 2024 is running from September 3 to 6 in Vladivostok, hosted on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. This event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

A Sputnik

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Lavrov on Possible US Long-Range Missiles Supplies to Kiev: Our Red Lines No Joke

Sputnik News

20240904

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow warns that its red lines are not to be fooled with in the light of the possible US supplies of long-range missiles to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"The US has already crossed the threshold that they designated for themselves. They are being incited and [Ukrainian President] Zelensky, of course, sees this and uses it. Whoever jokes about our red lines, do not fools with our red lines. They know perfectly well what they are," Lavrov told reporter Pavel Zarubin.

According to media reports, the US is close to an agreement on providing Ukraine with long-range JASSM cruise missiles.

The older JASSM models have a range of about 370 km. However, there is a variant with a range of more than 800 km, but the news agency does not have specific information on which type of missile Washington is considering transferring.

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Russia Knows About Malaysia's Interest in BRICS, Supports It - Kremlin

Sputnik News

20240904

VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) - Russia is aware of Malaysia's interest in joining BRICS and supports this interest, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We are aware of our Malaysian friends' interest in joining this organization. We, as with many other countries, support this interest and will discuss this issue with our BRICS colleagues," Peskov told reporters at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

BRICS consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

The potential of relations between Russia and Malaysia has not been fully utilized, this still needs to be done, Peskov said.

"Today, Russian-Malaysian negotiations with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim are planned. Malaysia is our rather important trade and economic partner. The potential of bilateral relations is difficult to overestimate, and it is obvious that it is far from being fully utilized. This still needs to be done," Peskov told reporters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

Pressure from ill-wishers and threats of sanctions are reducing the number of foreign participants in the Eastern Economic Forum, but the situation will change for the better over the years, Peskov said.

"For well-known reasons we do not see many foreign guests here. This is understandable. Unprecedented pressure from ill-wishers, the threat of primary and secondary sanctions, the very pressure that we have talked about with the use of other methods, of course, is reducing the number of foreign participants, but this is not forever. Over the years, the situation will change and change for the better," Peskov told reporters.

The leaders of unfriendly countries will not be invited to the parade in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory over Nazism, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We will not invite the heads of unfriendly countries," Peskov told journalists on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum when asked whether the Kremlin will invite the leaders of unfriendly countries to the parade in Moscow to mark the 80th WWII Victory anniversary.

No decisions have been made yet on Russian President Vladimir Putin's participation in the G20 summit in Brazil, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"No decisions have been made yet on this matter, Russia continues to work within the G20. Our sherpa continues to work actively with his colleagues. We are defending our interests there, but the president has not made any decisions yet," Peskov told reporters.

The degree of US involvement in the conflict around Ukraine is constantly increasing, there are no prerequisites for this process to stop, Dmitry Peskov said.

"We see a trend that the level of US involvement in the conflict around Ukraine is constantly increasing. And there are no grounds to assume that it will hit some limit and not go any further," Peskov told journalists.

He said Moscow takes into account the fact that Ukraine will strike deep into Russian territory with US long-range weapons.

Peskov added that the West's refusal to engage in dialogue, its attack on Russia's security interests and provocation of the Ukraine conflict continuation will be taken into account in Russia's renewed nuclear doctrine.

The possible resignation of Dmytro Kuleba from the post of Ukraine's foreign minister will not affect the prospects of the negotiation process, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"No, it will not affect it in any way. This has nothing to do with the prospects of the negotiation process," Peskov said.

Earlier, media reported, citing sources, that there were plans to dismiss Kuleba, and his current deputy Andrii Sybiha could be appointed to replace him. Journalists asked Peskov whether this would affect the prospects of the negotiation process.

The US policy towards Russia is unlikely to change after the elections, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"What will happen, you can try to guess as much as you like. Obviously, it is unlikely that anything can change. But some nuances may be introduced depending on the configuration of the next administration," Peskov said at the Eastern Economic Forum.

The United States plays a destructive role in Europe from the viewpoint of security, Dmitry Peskov added.

Russia continues its contacts with Israel on the issue of freeing hostages in the Gaza Strip, Peskov said.

"We continue our contacts with the Israeli side," Peskov told reporters when asked whether Israel had asked Russia for help in freeing the hostages who are still in the Gaza Strip.

The Kremlin expresses support to journalist Dimitri Simes, Peskov said.

"We can only... express words of support to those who are subjected to such pressure, including Dimitri Simes," Peskov said.

In August, FBI agents conducted searches in the homes of former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter and journalist Dimitri Simes. However, prosecutors have not revealed any criminal charges against the two men.

Moscow sees the Global majority's great interest in Russia, and intends to develop relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"We are indeed seeing great interest in our country from the global majority, and we ourselves are showing interest. And we will implement these plans," Peskov told reporters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

The Eastern Economic Forum began on Tuesday and will run through Friday. It is being hosted by the Far Eastern Federal University in the Russian Pacific coast city of Vladivostok. Sputnik is the general information partner of the EEF 2024.

A Sputnik

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Putin makes renewed push for gas pipeline deal with China

By Christy Lee September 05, 2024

During his recent trip to Mongolia, Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted a plan to build a pipeline from his country to China. The pipeline, which could weaken U.S. energy leverage over Beijing, would have to pass through Mongolia.

In a joint press conference held after talks in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, Putin said cooperation in the gas sector looks promising.

The two sides have completed drawing up documents to design the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension in Mongolia and it is "at the stage of state expert appraisal and assessment," Putin said.

New export market

The Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension is part of the Power of Siberia 2 (PS-2) pipeline. The PS-2 pipeline would transport about 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually to China when completed.

It is seen as an effort by Moscow to divert gas that had been exported to Europe to Asia after the Nord Stream 1 pipeline under the Baltic Sea was damaged by explosions last year.

Russia uses the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline to deliver gas to China, exporting 22.7 bcm in 2023. It aims to raise the supplies to 38 bcm annually by 2025.

"China is really Russia's option to find a customer for a sizable portion of the pipeline gas it previously sent to Europe," said Erica Downs, a senior research scholar focusing on Chinese energy markets at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

"Putin will continue to champion the project and look for ways to characterize any discussion of the project with Mongolian officials as progress," she continued.

Beijing and Moscow have been in talks for years over PS-2, but a final agreement has not been reached. Mongolia also has not made a final approval for the pipeline to pass through its land.

"The pipeline, if built, would reduce U.S. LNG [liquefied natural gas] exports to China," further weakening U.S. energy leverage over China that is already declining, said Joseph Webster, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center.

Beijing seeks to reduce foreign energy dependence by "replacing imports with indigenously produced energy" including solar, wind, and nuclear energy, Webster said.

A report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service on Aug. 28 said, "PS-2 could strengthen China's bargaining position" with the U.S. if it receives additional Russian natural gas. The U.S. has been the sixth largest exporter of LNG to China between 2016 and 2023, the report noted.

The report said PS-2 could also help Russia avoid sanctions imposed by the West because "PS-2 would involve pipeline trade of natural gas" and "no existing sanctions would impact this trade."

Renewed push

Putin made an extra effort to promote the pipeline deal at the press conference with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.

He said Russia and Mongolia are "not only talking about the transit of Russian gas across Mongolia" but "the potential delivery of gas to Mongolian consumers."

Ahead of the talks, Putin said Mongolia initially "preferred to limit themselves to being just a transit country" for the pipeline but is now considering a deal to obtain "cheap pipeline gas to support the development of their economy and infrastructure."

Putin made the comments in a written interview with Mongolia's Onoodor newspaper, according to the Kremlin on Monday.

Putin's renewed push to boost PS2 came after Mongolia in August excluded the pipeline project in its national development plan through 2028.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment at the Heritage Foundation, said Putin made the remarks "to project strength" and because he "needs a market for his oil."

"He wants to see what the West says," and also "to see whether Mongolia changes its mind," but the pipeline deal is still incomplete "until we get confirmation from Mongolia," she said.

Khurelsukh did not confirm in his statements in the bilateral talks with Putin whether he agreed to allow the pipeline deal to proceed.

In a series of documents signed on Tuesday, Russia and Mongolia made agreements on the supplies of oil, petroleum products, and aviation fuel but did not mention any agreements on the pipeline deal.

China-Russia competition

Mongolia is heavily dependent on Russian energy, importing 95% of its petroleum products and more than 20% of electricity. A spokesperson for the Mongolian government told Politico on Tuesday that is why it did not arrest Putin when he was in the country.

The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin's arrest for crimes committed in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As a member country of the ICC, Mongolia was obligated to arrest him.

"Mongolia probably does not have to make a final decision about Power of Siberia 2 anytime soon because China is in no hurry to move forward with the project," Downs said.

"The fact that Mongolia did not include Power of Siberia 2 in its next four-year spending plan indicates that it does not expect the project to move off the drawing board before 2028," she said.

Russia also has been in talks with China about the project in recent months.

In May, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Beijing and Moscow are expected to sign a contract on the PS-2 gas pipeline "in the near future."

But the pipeline deal between the two remained stalled over pricing demands by Beijing, the Financial Times reported in June.

On Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui apparently told the Russian News Agency Tass on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that Beijing and Moscow would eventually launch PS-2 despite difficulties surrounding the project.

"China always drives a hard bargain on the pricing of gas imports and wants to control as much as possible of the transportation network involved in its imports and exports," said Thomas Duesterberg, senior fellow at Hudson Institute.

"Russia and China compete over influence in Mongolia, and the Russo-Mongolian deal is subject to close scrutiny because of these factors, and that likely explains the failure at this time to reach a deal," he added.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will visit Mongolia from Sept. 4 to 8 after attending the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

It is uncertain, however, whether Beijing and Ulaanbaatar will discuss the PS-2 pipeline project.

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Sanctions against Syria: Switzerland extends humanitarian exemption indefinitely

Swiss Government

Bern, 04.09.2024 -- On 4 September, the Federal Council decided to extend indefinitely the humanitarian exemption to the sanctions regime against Syria. The exemption was introduced for a limited period following the earthquake that hit the country in February 2023.

In light of the grave humanitarian crisis in Syria following the earthquake of 6 February 2023, the European Union (EU) introduced a temporary humanitarian exemption to its sanctions regime against Syria on 23 February 2023. The exemption for international organisations and certain categories of humanitarian actors was subsequently extended twice. On 27 May 2024, the EU extended the exemption for a further year.

The Federal Council decided on 10 March 2023 to include the EU's temporary humanitarian exemption in the ordinance on measures against Syria, initially for a period of six months and since extended twice. The exemption means that the targeted financial sanctions do not apply to activities that are necessary for the humanitarian work of international organisations and some categories of humanitarian actors. With today's decision, the Federal Council is extending the duration of the exemption indefinitely, bringing the humanitarian actors involved a degree of predictability.

The Federal Council first adopted sanctions against Syria on 18 May 2011, thus aligning Switzerland with the sanctions regime adopted by the EU against Syria on 9 May 2011. It has subsequently amended the ordinance several times to reflect the EU's decisions.

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New U.S. envoy vows to help enhance Taiwan's resilience, security

ROC Central News Agency

09/04/2024 09:21 PM

Taipei, Sept. 4 (CNA) The new de facto United States ambassador to Taiwan Raymond Greene on Wednesday listed enhancing bilateral cooperation to boost Taiwan's overall resilience and security, as well as facilitating its connection to the world, as his top priorities.

Speaking during his first press conference since taking office as director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in July, Greene, in his address delivered in Chinese, noted that the world has become increasingly aware that maintaining cross-strait peace is vital.

About half the world's trade passed through the Taiwan Strait and up to 90 percent of high-end semiconductors were made in Taiwan, he noted.

"If peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are disrupted, the global economy will suffer a heavy blow and every country will be affected," he said.

Greene said his chief mission as AIT director is to continue to enhance Washington-Taipei cooperation by focusing on three priorities, namely, "resilience, security and connectivity."

He pledged that the U.S. will help Taiwan beef up its resilience against climate change, natural disasters, global epidemics and geopolitical risks.

On the U.S. security commitment toward Taiwan, the American envoy reiterated his government's stance to provide Taiwan with arms sales to support its self-defense capabilities.

Greene also said the U.S. is committed to enabling Taiwan, a highly developed economy, to share its expertise in multilateral forums.

He added this includes calling for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations system and other international organizations.

Washington will also continue to increase economic, trade and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, he noted.

The AIT represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties. It is headquartered in Virginia and has a main office in Taipei and a branch office in Kaohsiung, with its Taipei director serving as the top U.S. envoy to Taiwan.

During Wednesday's press event, Greene said the Biden administration and U.S. Congress see the issue as a "topic that is a high priority," when asked about the roughly US$20 billion backlog of weapons orders Taiwan bought from the U.S.

Given the conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, as well as the U.S.' military needs, he said "the defense industrial base in the United States and our partners is under increasing strain."

The U.S. government is now tapping into "non-traditional sources of supply" by working with companies not traditionally in the defense sector to provide asymmetric capabilities, he added.

The U.S. is also collaborating more with countries that have significant manufacturing capabilities to boost the global defense industrial supply chain, he noted.

Asked if Taiwan could potentially join such a defense industrial supply chain, the AIT director said it could be an option.

Washington is working with several partners on the possibility of expanding the joint production of military material and supplies, "and I would not rule out Taiwan being one of those partners in the future," he said.

On whether the AIT has a U.S. citizen evacuation plan ready should China invade Taiwan, Greene said Washington and its allies in the region -- namely Japan, Korea and the Philippines -- have been strengthening their alliance over recent years to prevent a potential cross-strait conflict.

The growing network of alliances and Taiwan's defense reform efforts are working to maintain the status quo in the region, he said.

"We don't have a special plan or discussions about evacuations. We have also not talked about this with any outside parties," he added.

On the issue of President Lai Ching-te (ea) potentially stopping on U.S. soil before visits to Taiwan's diplomatic allies, Greene reiterated Washington's long-held stance on the issue.

"We facilitated seven transits for President Tsai [Ing-wen] (ee) during her term in office," he said.

The U.S. expects Lai to visit Taiwan's diplomatic partners in the future "and we look forward to facilitating his transit in the United States when those plans come up," he added.

Greene, whose most recent post was as deputy chief of mission of the U.S. Embassy in Japan, took up the Taipei post in July, succeeding Sandra Oudkirk, who left the office after concluding a three-year tenure.

This marks the third time Greene has been posted in Taiwan, according to the AIT. He served as deputy AIT director from 2018 to 2021.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/kb

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Taiwan determined to defend itself against China: DPP official

ROC Central News Agency

09/04/2024 04:57 PM

Washington, Sept. 3 (CNA) Taiwan is determined to defend itself against China, the secretary-general of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) told an American audience on Tuesday.

"Taiwan's will to defend itself, as well as our investments in national security, continue to grow stronger," said Lin Yu-chang () at the public seminar hosted by the Global Taiwan Institute in Washington, D.C.

"We have the ideal of pursuing peace, but we must not have illusions about China," Lin said, addressing the audience in English.

"China's intention to seize Taiwan has never changed depending on which party is in power in Taiwan," Lin said.

According to Lin, Beijing has only adjusted its approach from using "shells and missiles" during Chen Shui-bian's () presidency, "money" during Ma Ying-jeou's () presidency, and "shells, missiles, silver bullets, and cognitive warfare" during Tsai Ing-wen's () presidency.

"Now, under President Lai, China is using all of the above as well as disinformation and legal battles in an attempt to disrupt and infiltrate Taiwanese society," the DPP official said.

Lin emphasized Taiwan's commitment to defense, noting that Taiwan's defense budget has increased 70 percent from NT$358 billion (US$11.14 million) to NT$607 billion over the past eight years of DPP rule.

After coming to power in 2016, former President Tsai Ing-wen promoted military reform and "domestic production of aircraft and ships," and incumbent President Lai Ching-te () is "committed to continuing these policies," Lin said.

In addition, Lin told the audience that "compulsory military service in Taiwan has been restored to one year starting this year." From around 2013 to 2023, all eligible male citizens were required to complete four months of military service.

"More than 83 percent of our citizens" agreed with the policy of extending military service, Lin said. "Even among young people aged 18 to 29 who may be directly affected, more than 70 percent support the decision."

On the question of whether Taiwan should increase its defense budget to 3-5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Lin said that such suggestions should more clearly point out whether the additional spending would be expected to be directed at more expensive and superior weaponry or other items.

Elbridge Colby, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, had written an article in May suggesting Taiwan raise its defense budget to 5 percent from the current 2.5 percent.

Lin emphasized that Taiwan has three main defense strategies: asymmetric warfare capabilities, whole-of-society defense resilience, and deterrence.

These strategies do not necessarily depend on the amount of money spent, but rather in their effectiveness, he said.

Lin is currently on a 13-day visit to the U.S., which began on Aug. 31. After visiting Washington, D.C., he will also stop at Houston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

According to its website, the Global Taiwan Institute is a nonprofit organization that aims to "raise awareness, deepen affinity, and create opportunities for strengthening the relationship between Taiwan and the international community."

(By Chung Yu-chen and Wu Kuan-hsien)

Enditem/JT

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DPP's attempt to misinterpret UN Resolution 2758 'is playing with fire'

Global Times

By Xu Keyue Published: Sep 04, 2024 10:59 PM

As the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) is set to open on September 10, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities from the island of Taiwan again intends to misinterpret the UN Resolution 2758 and challenge the one-China principle in an attempt to push for the island's illegal inclusion at the UN.

This, condemned by Chinese analysts, is an act to play with fire and go against the trend of history.

Speaking during a press event, Taiwan regional official Tien Chung-kwang said Taiwan will again invite "allies" to speak up for the island during the upcoming UN General Debate in pushing for its inclusion at the UN, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to the news report, the island will also seek to deliberately distort the interpretation of Resolution 2758 at the UN.

Resolution 2758, adopted at the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly in 1971, stated in black and white that it "decides to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it."

The resolution made it clear that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the UN; Taiwan is not a country but a part of China's territory. It makes clear Taiwan's status as a non-sovereign entity.

Despite the clear statement of the resolution, the DPP authorities led by Lai Ching-te, which want to misinterpret the resolution, is apparently trying in vain to root out the international consensus of one-China principle, Chinese analysts pointed out.

"Lai's idea is extremely destructive," Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Li continued, on the one hand, Lai's attempts are undermining the authority of the UN and the authority of the resolution; on the other hand, Lai is a gambler who tries to risk the safety of the island of Taiwan.

"This is of course an act to subvert the international order, undermine world stability and go against the trend of history," Li stated.

Recently, the US has repeatedly distortedatheaResolution 2758.a

For example, in May at a seminar held by a US think tank Mark Lambert, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and China Coordinator said that Resolution 2758 does not endorse, equate to, or reflect an international consensus on the one-China principle and has absolutely no bearing on countries' sovereignty choices with respect to their relationships with the Taiwan region.a

In response, Lin Jian, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that "MarkaLambert'saremarksaareaaatotaladistortionaofathearesolutionaandafacts.aTheyamisrepresentatheahistory,aandatreadauponatheainternationalalawaandabasicanormsaofainternationalarelations."

The intention of the US side is very clear - it is to tamper with the core spirit of Resolution 2758, and to achieve the plot of damaging the development environment of China by manipulating the Taiwan question, according to Li.

China has repeatedly stated that it firmly opposes any action that undermines this spirit within the UN system and the international community.

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EU expresses concern as NATO member Turkey seeks to join BRICS bloc

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 6:55 AM

The European Union has expressed concern regarding NATO member Turkey's ongoing bid to join the BRICS organization, saying that as an EU membership candidate, Ankara had to "respect" the EU's "values" and foreign policy preferences, despite its being free to join the alliances of its choosing.

EU spokesman Peter Stano made the remarks at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday after Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party confirmed that Ankara had formally applied for BRICS' membership.

Stano said Turkey had the right to choose which international alliances to join.

The country, however, was still a candidate for EU membership, he added, saying that the bloc expected such candidates to share its values and fully align their foreign policies with it.

Ankara has been in negotiations to join the EU since 2005. Progress in the talks has essentially been frozen, though, due to political roadblocks created by certain EU members faulting, what they call, the country's democratic shortcomings.

Ankara sees the reasons hindering its EU accession as obstacles unrelated to its suitability for membership.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly warned that his country could part ways with the European Union in reaction to the bloc's long-drawn-out failure to honor its pledge to accept Ankara as a member.

The country's BRICS aspirations also come amid rifts with fellow members of the United States-led Western military alliance of NATO, which have disagreed its retaining close relations with Russia after the launch of Moscow's ongoing military operation in Ukraine.

If admitted, Turkey would become the first NATO member in BRICS, which is seen as a geopolitical counterweight to Western power and influence.

Observers say that the frictions have prompted Turkey to seek to foster better relations with the East, including through joining BRICS that would translate into enhanced ties with Russia and China.

Attending a BRICS summit in June, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan touted the body as "an organization that increases the diversity of approaches, identities, and politics in the global economic system."

Also on Tuesday, Yuri Ushakov, assistant to Russian President Vladmir Putin, said Erdogan had accepted Russian authorities' invitation to participate in the upcoming summit of BRICS that is to be held in the western Russian city of Kazan in October.

BRICS features Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt.

The bloc, which is often seen as an alternative to the Western economic and political hegemony, comprises almost 46 percent of the global population, 36 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), and 25 percent of the global trade measured in terms of exports.

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Defence Secretary backs Britain's nuclear deterrent for generations to come as he joins returning submarine patrol

New Government pledges the 'triple lock' on the nuclear deterrent will safeguard Britain and NATO for "generations to come", as Defence Secretary John Healey joined Royal Navy submariners on the UK's nuclear deterrent returning home from at-sea patrol.

4 September 2024

In his first visit to Scotland since being appointed, the Defence Secretary boarded the Vanguard-Class submarine for the final leg of its return journey to HM Naval Base Clyde after completing the UK's latest patrol.

The mission, known as Operation Relentless, or the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD), ensures that at least one nuclear-powered and armed ballistic missile submarine is at sea at all times to deter potential adversaries and protect the nation and NATO allies. The next vessel in the deterrent cycle is already at sea and patrolling.

During his visit to the 15,000-tonne vessel, the Defence Secretary thanked the crew of 140 Royal Navy submariners for their dedicated service and wished them well as they prepared to reunite with their families. He was also given an operational briefing and toured the submarine, which is armed with the UK's Trident nuclear missiles.

John Healey also used the visit to reinforce the new Government's commitment to its 'triple-lock' on the deterrent, which includes: building four new nuclear submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria; maintaining our continuous at sea nuclear deterrent; and delivering all future upgrades needed.

The government's commitment to security is clear, with a Strategic Defence Review already underway that will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

Defence Secretary, John Healey said:

Royal Navy submariners make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us all safe and it was an honour to thank the crew on behalf of the British people. As they return home, we salute their courage, dedication, and professionalism. Our new Government is unwavering in our commitment to our nuclear deterrent, maintained on behalf of the UK and our NATO allies. Our 'triple-lock' will safeguard Britain for generations to come. As the home of our nuclear submarines and major shipbuilding yards, Scotland is central to UK defence. I am determined to make defence a foundation for jobs, growth and prosperity across Scotland.

The Government is committed to the nuclear deterrent triple Lock:

Building four new nuclear submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, supporting high-quality, high-status apprenticeships and jobs, with the supply chain benefits being felt right across the country.

Britain maintaining its continuous at-sea deterrent, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - securing protection for both the UK and NATO allies.

The delivery of all future upgrades needed for those submarines to patrol the waters and keep our country safe.

Joining the Defence Secretary in thanking the returning submariners was First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key; Director Submarines, Rear Admiral Andy Perks; Commodore of the Submarine Flotilla, Commodore Paul Dunn; and Naval Base Commander Clyde, Commodore Sharon Malkin.

The name of the vessel, length of patrol, and its location at sea are all closely guarded secrets. On board, only a select few are authorised to know where in the ocean depths they are operating, with the rest of the crew dutifully carrying out their roles unaware of their location.

It is this secrecy that makes the nuclear deterrent so effective. A potential enemy can never predict where a Vanguard Class is operating, making the cost of attacking the UK or NATO allies far outweigh the benefits.

Thousands of Royal Navy submariners and their families, MOD civilians, and industry partners continue to contribute to maintaining the nuclear deterrent.

For every minute of every day for more than 55-years a deterrent submarine has been on patrol, keeping the nation secure by deterring the most extreme threats to national security and the UK's way of life - threats that cannot be deterred by other means.

A new class of ballistic submarine - the Dreadnought Class - is currently under construction at Barrow-in-Furness and is expected to replace the Vanguard submarines by the 2030s, securing the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent. More than 40,000 UK jobs are supported through defence nuclear work, making it a key area that boosts economic growth.

The UK Government is investing millions of pounds at HM Naval Base Clyde to prepare for the Dreadnought submarines, while at the same time, ensuring that the Vanguard Class can continue the mission until handing over to the next generation of vessels.

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Statement from President Joe Biden on Russian Attack on Poltava, Ukraine

September 03, 2024

Earlier today, Russian missiles struck a military training facility and a hospital in Ukraineakilling more than 50 people and injuring dozens more. I condemn this deplorable attack in the strongest possible terms.

This assault is a tragic reminder of Putin's ongoing and outrageous attempts to break the will of a free people. But for two and a half years, the people of Ukraine have stood unbowed. And the United States will continue stand with themaincluding providing the air defense systems and capabilities they need to protect their country.

Make no mistake: Russia will not prevail in this war. The people of Ukraine will prevail. And on this tragic day, and every day, the United States stands with them.

###

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Parliamentary Assembly President reacts to recent missile strikes in Ukraine, again urges a tribunal to try aggression by Russian leaders

Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly

Strasbourg

4 September 2024

In a statement, Parliamentary Assembly President Theodoros Rousopoulos has reacted to recent missile strikes in Ukraine, and again urged the speedy creation of a special tribunal to try Russia's political and military leadership for the crime of aggression.

"In recent days and nights, indiscriminate Russian attacks on manifestly civilian targets in Ukraine have intensified, with horrible missile strikes on Poltava, Kryvyi Rig, Sumy, Lviv and other cities. Educational institutions, hospitals, residential buildings and historic monuments have been targeted and destroyed, and dozens of innocent people, among whom are many women and children, have been killed. Human tragedies continue and intensify. These actions are not just appalling but are clear war crimes that add to an already extremely long list of atrocities committed by the Russian Federation in and against Ukraine.

I wish to strongly voice my solidarity with the victims, their friends and families, and with the entire Ukrainian people who resiliently and bravely continue to fight the aggressor. I will not stop repeating that we must never accept this war as normality. We must stay focused and motivated on doing everything within our power to bring peace to Ukraine. However not just any peace at any cost, but a peace based on justice and respect for the rule of law. A peace that restores the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Ukraine, a peace that fully addresses the consequences of the Russian aggression. A peace that delivers justice to all the victims.

Tomorrow, the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe member states will gather in Vilnius in Lithuania to discuss the issue of accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine. I strongly urge them to step up efforts aimed at the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression, to hold to account the leadership of the Russian Federation for what has been rightly called the 'crime of crimes': starting a war, which brings unspeakable suffering and misery to soldiers and civilians alike.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has been crystal clear on this subject. A special tribunal, created by an agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine and supported by an enlarged partial agreement open to non-member states and other international organisations, is now the best and most feasible option, in terms of legal basis and political legitimacy, for trying Russia's political and military leadership for the crime of aggression. The Assembly invites and urges the Core Group to maintain the momentum towards the speedy establishment of such a tribunal, and we do hope that the conference in Vilnius tomorrow will give a strong impetus to the Committee of Ministers to move quickly on setting up the necessary legal framework for this key body.

This is our duty and responsibility. Ukraine needs our support and our help now. We stand with Ukraine!"

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IAEA Report Highlights Two Years of Efforts to Prevent an Accident at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant

International Atomic Energy Agency

81/2024

Vienna, Austria

4 Sep 2024

The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a new report today on its efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security during the conflict in Ukraine, two years after Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi crossed the frontline to establish the IAEA's presence at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) site and help prevent a nuclear accident.

The 28-page report highlights the challenges and achievements of the IAEA's activities to protect Europe's largest nuclear power plant since Director General Grossi launched the historic mission on 1 September 2022. During this time, the IAEA teams at the site have reported on incidents including shelling and drone strikes at the facility, which has also suffered repeated loss of off-site power events.

Underlining the IAEA's "unwavering support for nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine", today's report also provides information about the IAEA's continued presence at Ukraine's other nuclear sites, as well as details on its comprehensive programme of assistance to the country.

The situation at the ZNPP remains precarious and very fragile, Director General Grossi said in the report's foreword.

"Two years into the IAEA's continued presence at the occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, our commitment to helping prevent a nuclear accident remains resolute," he said. "Amid the significant challenges and risks to nuclear safety and security, we are steadfast in our mission to assess the situation and keep the international community informed."

The report was issued as Director General Grossi travelled this week to the plant in southern Ukraine for the fifth time during the conflict. Since he last went to the ZNPP site in February, it has been hit by drone strikes, experienced loss of power lines and, last month, a fire caused significant damage to one of its two cooling towers.

Director General Grossi said "the objective and impartial assessments of the situation provided by our teams have made a significant contribution to maintaining nuclear safety, security and safeguards" at the ZNPP.

A few months after the establishment of the IAEA presence at the ZNPP, Director General Grossi set up similar missions at the four other nuclear facilities in Ukraine - the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine nuclear power plants, as well as the Chornobyl site.

The new report also summarizes developments, activities and assistance at these sites since the IAEA missions were set up there in early 2023.

"Our work at these facilities remains essential and I am immensely proud of the courageous work the teams continue to perform," Director General Grossi said.

In total, the IAEA has conducted 139 Support and Assistance Missions to the nuclear sites in Ukraine. In addition, the IAEA's comprehensive assistance to Ukraine has facilitated 61 deliveries of equipment to Ukraine, with a total value of over a10 million. The IAEA has also continued its vital safeguards verification activities across Ukraine, ensuring that there is no diversion of nuclear material for military purposes.

"As I conduct my fifth visit to the ZNPP, and my tenth to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, I want to reassure the international community that the IAEA, and I as Director General, will continue to do everything possible within our mandate to assist in averting a nuclear or radiological accident at any of Ukraine's nuclear facilities," Director General Grossi said.

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Lithuania's Foreign Ministry summons a representative of the Russian embassy, voices a strong protest over Russia's terrorist attacks on Ukraine

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024-09-04

In response to the intensified shelling of Ukrainian civilian objects by Russia, including the attack in Poltava that killed dozens of people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania summoned a representative of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Lithuania to express a strong protest.

Lithuania's Foreign Ministry noted that rockets and bombs hitting educational institutions, hospitals, and residential areas demonstrate Russia's desperation and complete disregard for human life and international humanitarian law. The Foreign Ministry reminded that legal responsibility lays not only with the direct perpetrators of Russia's war crimes, but also with those responsible for the very planning and execution of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.

Lithuania, together with the international community, once again calls on Russia to immediately stop its criminal brutal aggression and reiterates that it will do everything possible to further strengthen the support to Ukraine.

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Ukrainian FM tenders resignation

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 17:52, September 04, 2024

KIEV, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday submitted a letter of resignation to the parliament, parliament's chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk said on Facebook.

Stefanchuk said the parliament will consider Kuleba's application at one of the nearest plenary sessions.

Kuleba, 43, was appointed Ukraine's foreign minister in March 2020.

On Tuesday, David Arakhamia, parliamentary faction leader of the Party of Servant of the People, said on Telegram that more than 50 percent of the cabinet's staff will be reshuffled soon.

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Ukraine's FM resigns as Russia warns of 'very painful' response to Kursk invasion

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 04 September 2024 10:55 AM

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has submitted his resignation as part of a major government reshuffle two-and-a-half years into the ruinous Ukraine-Russia war.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, said on Wednesday that the legislative body "received a letter of resignation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba," and the parliament would vote on the resignation request at the next plenary meeting.

Kuleba stepped down from his position following an announcement last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent as he tries to strengthen the government amid a protracted conflict between Kiev and Moscow.

The 43-year-old has held the post since 2020 and has since February 2022, when the war broke out, traveled across the world to advocate for Western support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.

On Tuesday, several ministers handed their resignations, including the ministers of justice, strategic industries and environmental protection.

Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelensky's party in the parliament, said more than half of the current cabinet would undergo changes and the new appointments would be announced on Thursday.

Kuleba's resignation followed an overnight Russian attack on the western city of Lviv, which killed at least seven people and injured 35 as a child and a medical worker were among the dead, with others being in critical condition.

The attack took place a day after two ballistic missiles blasted a military academy and nearby hospital in Poltava, Ukraine's second-largest city, killing more than 50 people and wounding more than 200 others in one of the deadliest Russian strikes since the war began.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a report that its units had engaged in 193 battles with Russian army on Tuesday amid tense situation in Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in the Donetsk region.

'Extremely painful' response

Russia's foreign ministry warned the West and Ukraine on Wednesday that Moscow would give an immediate and extremely painful response in the event of long-range strikes on Russian territory by Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces crashed through Russia's western border into the Kursk region in August in a surprise offensive.

Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, said the response would be "extremely painful."

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that over the past 24 hours, its units repelled multiple Ukrainian offensives and launched counterattacks in the directions of Kharkiv, Avdiivka and Donetsk, causing severe losses to Ukrainian military personnel and equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery pieces.

Russia's air defense units were also reported to have downed one MiG-29 fighter jet and 37 drones on the same day.

In addition, the ministry claimed to have killed and wounded about 400 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 12 armored vehicles, rocket launchers and other weaponry in western Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Moscow launched its special military operation on February 24, 2022, aiming to liberate the Donbas region where the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk were suffering from regular attacks on them by Ukrainian forces.

Since the war started, the Western countries' support for Ukraine in fighting a proxy war against Russia has led to the delivery of hundreds of shipments of military equipment, including all kinds of weapons and munitions, to the former Soviet republic.

The Western countries even supplied long-range missiles, tanks and warplanes to Ukraine despite initial resistance, turning the conflict into a full-fledged war.

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Russian Air Strikes Kill At Least 7 In Ukraine, As Poltava Disaster Scrutinized

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service September 04, 2024

A Russian drone and missile attack killed seven people in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, one day after a strike on a military facility killed more than 50 people in the eastern city of Poltava in one of the worst air strikes of the war, leaving residents in shock over the loss of life and scale of destruction.

The missile and drone attacks on Lviv, Kyiv, and other cities began shortly after midnight and continued into the predawn hours on September 4. Among the seven dead were four members of one family in Lviv. A man identified by Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadoviy as Yaroslav Bazylevych was left as the only survivor in his family after his wife and three daughters were killed.

A photo shared on social media showed all five posing together with one of the daughters holding a bouquet of sunflowers.

"His wife Yevhenia and their three daughters -- Yaryna, 21, Daryna, 18, and Emilia, 7 -- were killed in their own home" Sadoviy said. "I don't know what words to say to support Yaroslav -- the father. Today we are all with you."

According to authorities and eyewitnesses, there were two heavy strikes that destroyed or damaged residential buildings, cultural monuments, and educational institutions in Lviv.

Ukrainian officials also warned of emergency power outages due to the attack. In a statement on Telegram, the ministry did not detail the damage at six energy facilities but said there were ongoing risks to energy supplies as the government reduced output at a southern nuclear power plant.

The barrage followed one of the deadliest attacks in a single strike when at least 53 people were killed and 271 injured by Russian ballistic missiles at a military facility in the city of Poltava in central Ukraine, according to the State Emergency Service.

More than 60 of the people injured were in serious condition, the regional military administration said. Regional Governor Philip Pronin declared a three-day mourning period starting September 4.

The director of the Energy Research Center, Oleksandr Kharchenko, said a power unit at the South Ukraine (Pivdennoukrayinsk) nuclear power plant had added two more periodic shutdowns on September 4.

He said that "high-voltage networks are being restored" by state operator Enerhoatom but warned against exceedingly optimistic predictions for continuing repairs.

The further concerns about energy supplies come as a UN nuclear team led by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi is visiting the Russian-occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhya to "continue our assistance & help prevent a nuclear accident."

Grossi met with senior Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on September 3 before saying he was setting out for Zaporizhzhya, which is near an area of near-constant shelling.

Russian forces have waged an intense bombardment campaign on Ukrainian power infrastructure throughout the 36-month-old invasion but particularly over the past six months.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine was already seeing Moscow's response to Kyiv's attacks in an apparent reference to Kyiv's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, which began a month ago, and frequent shelling and drone attacks on Russia's Belgorod region.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on September 4 that three people had been killed by shelling in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka .

The September 3 attack by Russia on Poltava sparked fresh pleas by Kyiv for Western partners to allow long-range strikes into Russia and a strong condemnation of Russia's "deplorable attack" by U.S. President Joe Biden.

In Kryviy Rih, local politician Oleksandr Vilkul said five people were hurt but none seriously when a rocket hit a civilian infrastructure facility in the center of the city. He said at least 10 high-rise buildings including a hotel were damaged.

Ukrainian officials also said objects in the Black Sea were targeted by Russian fire including Snake Island, a strategically located piece of land that Ukrainian forces retook in the initial days of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are grappling with fallout from the dual Russian strike on the Military Communications Institute in the city of Poltava.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Prosecutor-General's Office announced separately that investigations were being launched into the circumstances of the incident.

Criticism emerged soon after the blast as reports suggested that cadets were gathered in large numbers for an outdoor graduation or other ceremony, providing an opportunity for Russia's military to target them.

The attack is believed to be the deadliest single attack since May 2022, when Zelenskiy said 87 soldiers were killed at a military training center in the northern Chernihiv region.

Vladyslav Seleznev, a Ukrainian military analyst and former spokesman for the General Staff of the Ukrainian military, said the Kremlin was to blame but there must also be a clear understanding of Kyiv's responsibility.

Zelenskiy again urged Ukraine's supporters to step up the supply of air-defense systems and long-range missiles that can "defend against Russian terror," he said. "Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lives lost."

U.S. President Biden called the Russian missile attack on the Poltava facility "deplorable" and pledged more military aid to Kyiv.

"I condemn this deplorable attack in the strongest possible terms," Biden said, adding that further aid to Ukraine would include "providing the air defense systems and capabilities they need to protect their country."

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine- strikes-poltava/33105117.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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Zelenskiy: Russia Incursion Helps 'Exchanges,' But 'We Don't Need Their Land'

By RFE/RL September 04, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the aim of a surprise incursion into Russia's southern Kursk region launched last month is to accrue territories and troops for exchange but said, "We don't need their land."

"We don't need Russian territory," Zelenskiy told NBC News through an interpreter in an interview excerpted on September 3.

"Our operation is aimed at restoring our territorial integrity. We capture Russian troops to replace them with Ukrainian," he said. "We tell them, you know, we need our military soldiers in exchange for Russian ones. The same attitude is to the territories. We don't need their land."

Since its incursion began in the Kursk region in early August, Kyiv claims to have gained control of more than 1,200 kilometers of Russian territory.

Early reports hinted that the operation was intended to better position Kyiv in the event of peace talks amid some calls for more intense efforts to end the 36-month-old full-scale war.

Ukrainians and analysts have also suggested it is designed to drive the seriousness of the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine home to Russians.

It marked the first foreign invasion of Russian territory since World War II.

Kyiv and some of its allies have argued recently that Western providers of military aid, weapons, and artillery should further lift restrictions on how Ukrainian defense forces can use such supplies, including by allowing strikes deeper inside Russia.

Asked if Ukraine will seek to capture more Russian territory, Zelenskiy replied to NBC in English: "I will not tell you. Sorry, I can't speak about it."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-incursion-russia- kursk-exchange/33105312.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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Ukraine's Parliament Begins Dismissals Ahead Of Government Shake-Up

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service September 04, 2024

Ukrainian lawmakers began voting in Kyiv on September 4 on the possible dismissals of cabinet members and other senior officials after a spate of resignations tendered in the past 24 hours that followed President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's suggestion of a looming government shake-up.

Deputies dismissed one deputy prime minister and three ministers, but the session did not take up the fate of one of the highest-profile resignations, that of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Kuleba, one of the main faces of Kyiv's efforts to gird international support since Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, submitted his resignation earlier in the day.

Commenting on Kuleba's and the rest of the 22-member cabinet's futures, Zelenskiy said on September 4 that "we need new energy, and these steps relate to strengthening our state in various areas."

Parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk informed the public of Kuleba's resignation, as well as those a day earlier of two deputy prime ministers and three cabinet ministers as part of what could be the biggest cabinet overhaul since Russia's full-scale invasion began 36 months ago.

The head of Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party, Davyd Arakhamia, said on September 3 that more than half of the government's 22 cabinet positions would be changed in a "big government reboot."

Word of the move precedes Zelenskiy's expected visit later this month to the United States at what many regard as a crucial juncture of the war, with Russian troops advancing in eastern Ukraine and Ukrainian troops in control of about 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory in a monthold incursion of their own.

Pressure among allies has been building for Washington and other capitals to remove curbs on Kyiv's use of Western-supplied weapons and artillery, including to allow for attacks deeper inside Russian territory.

In one of lawmakers' first moves in the September 4 session, they failed to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk with just 214 votes in the 450-plus Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.

They approved the dismissal of Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, who has overseen domestic arms production, with 243 votes. Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak of Zelenskiy's party suggested Kamyshin would become a strategic adviser to Zelenskiy but that could not be independently confirmed.

Lawmakers also approved the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna and of Environment Minister Ruslan Strilets.

A vote on the dismissal of State Property Fund Chairman Vitaliy Koval fell short by one vote, according to lawmaker and Zelenskiy ally Oleksiy Honcharenko.

They did not appear to have voted on the resignation of Justice Minister Denys Malyuska.

Zelenskiy has said more changes to the government are coming in an effort to strengthen the it and deliver the results that the country needs.

"That is why there will be a number of personnel changes in the cabinet of ministers and the office of the president," he said on September 3, indicating that the changes would be coming in the fall.

Zelenskiy also said Ukraine needs more interaction between the central government and communities, especially during preparation for the winter season.

Kuleba in particular has been regarded by many as an effective messenger of Ukraine's warnings that stopping Russia's aggression is essential for the rest of Europe and the West along with pleas to continue massive military and other supplies by NATO members to a nonmember defending itself against Russian attack.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-government-kuleba-shakeup- zelenskiy/33105144.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 Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to questions from the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin. programme, Vladivostok, September 4, 2024

4 September 2024 14:54

1622-04-09-2024

Question: So far, reports are coming in only from Reuters, but often such media leaks are eventually confirmed. The United States allegedly intends to supply missiles with a range of 300a900 kilometres for F-16 fighters. How could you comment on this?

Sergey Lavrov: I am tired of commenting, and nothing surprises me anymore. The Americans have already passed the "threshold" they set themselves. They are being egged on to it. Vladimir Zelensky can see this, and he is taking advantage of the situation.

However, they should understand that one should not joke about our "red lines." They know their location very well.

So far, the obsessive power struggle (when Democrats want to prove themselves "tougher" than the Republicans or vice versa) is leading towards an escalation. I am convinced that there are reasonable people exercising certain sway in the United States. I hope that the interests of the United States will be taken into account.

I would like to note a statement by National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby who said that one should be very careful about expanding support for Ukraine, so as not to start World War III because one would feel sorry for Europe. In effect, their genetic code tells them that no one will dare touch them. This destroys all principles on which Soviet-US agreements on strategic stability hinged; these agreements were later reaffirmed and developed with the Russian Federation. For some reason, their feeling of mutual deterrence is becoming eroded, and this is dangerous.

Question: What are they counting on then? They will supply weapons all the time. Certainly, they should realise that it is impossible to defeat Russia.

Sergey Lavrov: You should ask them.

I do not know what they are counting on. They believe that this "tough" stand on Russia is another argument for obtaining extra votes in the context of the logic of American exceptionalism. Such logic implies that they can do what they want, and no one will dare to offend them. This is what we are seeing today. However, no one, including me, knows what's on their mind.

You should go to New York City, or tell your colleagues to ask these questions.

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Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Britain's involvement in the planning and implementation of the Kiev regime's terrorist attacks in Russia

4 September 2024 12:46

1620-04-09-2024

More facts are emerging about London's deep involvement in the planning and implementation of the Kiev regime's terrorist attacks in Russia.

In particular, the examination of the electronic components of the drones which Ukraine used in early August 2024 to attack a fuel depot in the Kamensky District, Rostov Region, has shown that the drones' flight controllers were pre-programmed near the headquarters of Callen-Lenz GB in Salisbury, UK, and in the hangars of Safran Seats GB in the vicinity of Newport, Wales. These two companies provide technological solutions for the aircraft and aerospace industries.

The drones were assembled in the Vyshgorod District, Kiev Region, and launched from a site near Slavyansk in the part of the Donetsk People's Republic that is currently controlled by the Ukrainian army.

We regard these facts as evidence of London's approval of the terrorist methods used by the Kiev regime. Britain's actual financing and involvement in preparing attacks on the civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians in Russia makes London fully responsible, on a par with its Kiev puppets, for the continuing bloodshed.

The concerned Russian agencies take Britain's destructive activity and its relentless striving to escalate the conflict into account. Conclusions are made, and the best response algorithms are considered, but it would not be right to speak openly about the details of this work, for obvious reasons. We would like to remind you, though, about the warning issued by the Foreign Ministry on May 6, 2024, that any UK military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian territory and beyond could be hit as a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with British weapons.

We call on London, which is sacrificing Ukrainian people and Ukrainian statehood to promote its own geopolitical interests, to immediately stop supporting the inhuman regime and refrain from any other actions that can further escalate the conflict.



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Russian military ensures safe rotation of 22nd IAEA team at Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant

04.09.2024

On 4 September 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ensured a safe rotation of the 22nd IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) team at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The rotation was organised by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

To this end, a ceasefire regime, strictly observed by Russian servicemen, was declared from 05:30 to 08:00 along the route of movement from the crossing point designated by the observers - the destroyed bridge near the Kamenskoye. While inspecting the road in the area of the crossing, Russian servicemen located unexploded foreign-made ammunition left in the immediate vicinity of the ZNPP as a result of renewed regular shelling from the Ukrainian side.

Four inspectors have arrived to observe and assess the safety of Zaporozhye NPP. During the rotation, IAEA Director R. Grossi visited cooling tower No. 1, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked by drones on 11 August. The Russian side's analysis of the scene showed that the UAVs were equipped with an incendiary substance that caused the fire. Rafael Grossi and IAEA experts confirmed that a fire source at the base of the cooling tower was unlikely.

The IAEA experts have been present at the Zaporozhye NPP since 1 September 2022, following the first visit of Director General Rafael Grossi to the Plant.

For Reference:

At the moment, all units of Zaporozhye NPP are shut down and are in the state of 'cold shutdown'. The equipment is maintained in accordance with all necessary regulations under strict control of radiation safety standards.

Radiation background at the plant and the adjacent territory is unchanged and is at the level corresponding to normal operation of the power units and does not exceed natural background values.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

04.09.2024

Last night, the Kiev regime attempted to launch a terrorist attack using unmanned aerial vehicles against the territory of the Russian Federation. Russian air defence systems on alert shot down four Ukrainian fixed-wing UAVs: two UAVs over Belgorod region, one over Kursk region, and one over the Black Sea waters. The Black Sea Fleet eliminated four uncrewed surface vehicles in the north-western part of the Black Sea.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Zelensky Regime's Military Actions Around Kursk Causing Dire Consequences for Ukraine

Sputnik News

20240904

The actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk border area have had disastrous consequences for Kiev. Instead of succeeding in breaking through towards the town of Kurchatov, Ukrainian troops have faced a serious crisis in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that fighting in the Kursk region continues. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are attempting to advance towards the settlements of Borki, Maryevka, Kamyshevka, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Olgovka, Korenevo, and Martynovka, but the attacks are being repelled.

In particular, on September 1, servicemen of Russia's 810th Marine Brigade destroyed a column of Ukrainian equipment.

At the same time, Kiev's Western sponsors remain skeptical of the Ukrainia operation, which involves several brigades in the region.

"If they are not rotated, these troops will not be able to fill gaps, serve as a reserve, or counter a Russian offensive inside Ukraine. In other words, it weakens an already shaky front," a Western media outlet notes. The outlet emphasizes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are becoming much more exhausted by the operation.

This also affects other parts of the front.

"The situation is catastrophic, the Russian army is advancing faster than in the summer of 2022, and the Ukrainian military is preparing to defend the Dnepr," this is how German journalist Julian Roepcke, who recently praised the successes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, assesses the situation.

The reason for the change of mood is the difficult situation for Kiev on several fronts at the same time. The lion's share of attention is now focused on Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk). According to Russia's Defense Ministry, Russian troops have approached a Ukrainian defensive line of four settlements: Dmitrov (Mirnograd), Grodovka, Novogrodovka, and Selidovo. Connected by an extensive network of roads and surrounded by piles of rubble and high-rise buildings, they could long serve as a reliable defense for the district center.

However, there are reports from the Ukrainian side that Russian troops managed to liberate Novogrodovka after just a few days last week. According to Verkhovna Rada lawmaker Mariana Bezuhla, there were fortifications there, but there were no units to defend them.

"The trenches in front of Novogrodovka were empty. There was practically no Ukrainian Army in the town, which once had a population of 20,000: the 31st Brigade was taken away, the brigadier was removed and a criminal case was opened against him," she said indignantly.

In particular, the Russian Army has opened up the possibility of an offensive on Selidovo, which is necessary to balance the flanks. Moreover, according to Bezuhla, the Russians have already entered the settlement. But Kiev's problems do not end there.

Russian forces are approaching the Ukrainian defensive bulge towards Nevelskoye from the north, and other Russian units are moving south towards Alexandropol in parallel. Ukrainian troops are actually in a semi-envelope. This is the last area that Ukrainian forces have been attacking Donetsk from since 2014.

Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), which is less than 10 kilometers from the Russian troops, is one of the most important cities for the Ukrainian forces in the DPR. Its liberation would have a number of consequences: it is, in fact, an exit to the Dnepropetrovsk region; the Krasnoarmeysk-Konstantinovka-Chasov Yar Highway, which supplies the grouping near Chasov Yar, would be cut off. The situation on this part of the front would become extremely difficult for Kiev.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are facing more and more problems, and any of them could turn into a disaster. The Russian offensive is speeding up, and the main question is whether Kiev has any reserves left to stabilize the situation. The outcome of the whole confrontation may depend on this.

A Sputnik

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Russian Forces Strike Ukrainian Defense Industry Enterprises in Lvov

Sputnik News

20240904

The Russian armed forces launched a group strike, including Kinzhal hypersonic systems and UAVs on defense industry enterprises in Lvov, the targets were hit, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"This morning, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike with long-range precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic complexes and strike drones on Ukrainian defense industry enterprises located in the city of Lvov," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that these enterprises produced and repaired electronic components of Ukrainian Armed Forces aircraft and missile weapons.

Russian troops launched on September 3 a precision strike on the 179th joint training center of the Ukrainian armed forces in Poltava, where communications and electronic warfare specialists, as well as UAV operators involved in strikes against civilian targets in Russia, were trained under the guidance of foreign instructors, the Russian Defense Ministry added.

"On September 3 of this year, the armed forces of Russia carried out a precision strike on the 179th joint training center of the armed forces of Ukraine in the city of Poltava, where, under the guidance of foreign instructors, specialists in communications, electronic warfare were trained from all formations and military units of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as operators of unmanned aerial vehicles involved in strikes on civilian objects on the territory of the Russian Federation," the statement read.

Russia's Battlegroup Yug has eliminated up to 670 Ukrainian servicepeople over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The enemy lost up to 670 soldiers, three vehicles, two US-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, two 152-mm D-20 guns, a 122-mm D-30 howitzer and an AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar made in US. An ammunition depot was destroyed," the ministry said.

Russian Battlegroup Tsentr takes control of the Karlovka village and the Prechystovka settlement in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the ministry said, adding that Russian soldiers repelled seven Ukrainian counterattacks.

"The enemy's losses amounted to more than 480 servicepeople, a US-made MaxxPro armored combat vehicle, two vehicles, a 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122-mm self-propelled artillery installation Gvozdika and a 100-mm Rapier anti-tank gun," the ministry said.

Kiev has lost up to 480 soldiers in battles with Russian Battlegroup Zapad in the past day, the minister said.

A Sputnik

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The Second Thematic Conference in the Wake of the Peace Summit Was Held on the Food Security

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 21:55

Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak took part in a thematic conference on the implementation of the agreements reached at the Global Peace Summit; the conference was dedicated to the implementation of the Food Security point of the Peace Formula. It was held online.

The event was attended by representatives of 75 partner countries and international organizations from different regions of the world. The Ukrainian side was also represented by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko, Deputy Heads of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva and Mykola Tochytskyi, and Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Oleksandr Bevz.

Opening the event, Andriy Yermak noted that Russian aggression against Ukraine aggravates the food crisis in the world, where already every eleventh person on the planet is malnourished. However, even under these circumstances, Ukraine remains one of the leading guarantors of global food security.

"Global food security depends on the uninterrupted production, storage and supply of food. Therefore, Ukraine expects that this meeting will launch a series of very concrete steps aimed at ensuring the unimpeded supply of Ukrainian agricultural products to the countries concerned," he said.

First of all, this means ensuring the freedom and safety of commercial navigation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov basins, in particular, demining and mine countermeasures along the trade routes, restoration of Ukrainian port infrastructure and its protection by air defense systems.

It is also necessary to continue supporting the "Grain from Ukraine" program and to reduce vulnerabilities in the logistics of Ukraine's food export system. There is a need to restore and increase the production capacity of the Ukrainian agricultural sector, in particular by de-mining farmland.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko spoke in detail about the situation of Ukrainian agricultural production and supply, including a significant recovery of exports from our state to countries in need.

In 2023-2024, Ukraine exported 69.86 million tons of grain, oilseeds and oil. In particular, the country managed to increase wheat exports to Africa by 41% and sunflower oil exports by 153%. In total, Ukraine exported nearly 70 million tons of grains, oilseeds, and oil. This was achieved primarily due to the restoration of logistics through the ports of the Odesa region.

In addition, thanks to the support of partners from around the world, Ukraine has been able to increase the pace of landmine clearance. Our country looks forward to further steps in support of these efforts.

Principal Deputy National Security Advisor to the U.S. President Jon Finer, who personally attended the conference in Kyiv, noted that the United States continues to support Ukraine on its path to restoring a just, lasting peace, and ending this war.

He emphasized that Russia's aggression against Ukraine has affected not only the lives of Ukrainians, but also people around the world, particularly through food security challenges.

"Thanks to the courage and resilience of Ukrainians, as well as the support of many partner countries, Ukraine was able to protect its exports and push back the Russian Black Sea Fleet," he emphasized.

This thematic conference was already the second of those planned in the wake of the first Peace Summit. The first, which focused on energy security, was held on August 22. Preparations are also underway for the third, which will address the release of all captured and deported Ukrainians. These events are aimed at developing a comprehensive peace plan initiated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The conference resulted in a Joint CommuniquA, the text of which is provided below.



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The Office of the President Held Briefings for the U.S. Delegation on the Battlefield Situation, Ukraine's Arms Needs and Sanctions Against the Russian Federation

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 21:45

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak met with the U.S. delegation led by U.S. Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer.

The Ukrainian side held briefings for the U.S. delegation on the security situation in the face of Russia's full-scale aggression, the development of Ukraine's Defense Forces capabilities, and the sanctions policy.

Andriy Yermak noted that over the past few days, Russia has launched a series of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Poltava and Lviv, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds more.

"We want to give you full information. Because you know the position of President Zelensky that the United States is our friend, we are strategic partners, and we want to be completely open, because without trust it is impossible to advance together towards Ukraine's victory. And, of course, we are grateful to the people and the Government of the United States, to President Biden, for the assistance provided," he said.

Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Troops Group Andriy Hnatov described the situation on the frontline, particularly in the Pokrovsk direction, and on the operation in the Kursk region.

Acting Commander of the Air Forces of Ukraine Anatolii Kryvonozhko provided information on the use of F-16s, the tactics of Russian shelling, and Ukraine's need for additional air defense systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, missiles, electronic reconnaissance equipment, and more.

Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Anna Gvozdiar spoke about the capabilities of the Ukrainian defense sector, current and potential cooperation with U.S. companies to improve the defense capabilities of Ukraine's Defense Forces, and the need for spare parts and components.

During the discussion of sanctions, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko emphasized the need to strengthen export controls in order to prevent critical Western-made technologies from entering the Russian Federation (including through third countries), and to exert sanctions pressure on Russian metallurgical companies.

Advisor and Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk drew attention to the correlation between the sanctions imposed and the enemy's macroeconomic indicators. He emphasized the expediency of strengthening sanctions in the financial sector to prevent the aggressor country from conducting cross-border transactions. In addition, according to the Advisor and Commissioner, it is necessary to take measures to further restrict Russian oil exports and the work of Rosatom.





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It Is Very Important That Absolutely All the Objectives Set for Our Kursk Operation Are Being Realized - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 19:19

Dear Ukrainians!

By now, rescue operations have been completed in Lviv and Kryvyi Rih, where people suffered from the Russian missile strikes today. Ordinary houses and civil infrastructure were damaged. There are many victims. Everyone has received the necessary assistance. Unfortunately, seven people were killed in Lviv. My condolences to their families and loved ones!

It is important that the world sees this terror and reacts to it. To everything that Russia is doing against our people, against our state. I am grateful to all political and public figures, I am grateful to every leader who supports Ukraine and Ukrainians and condemns Russian terror. And I am also grateful to all journalists of Ukraine, Europe, and the world - to all those who speak truthfully about what is happening, about this war, and about the importance of protecting lives.

Today, the Taoiseach of Ireland came on a visit to Ukraine, and he was not only in Kyiv, but also in Hostomel and Borodyanka. He saw what the Russian war brought to Ukraine. Today we signed a bilateral security agreement with Ireland, which is substantial, as it should be. It is the 26th such agreement. Although Ireland is a militarily neutral state, we cooperate actively in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres. And we will work even more actively. We have secured the amount of Ireland's assistance to Ukraine for this year. We have agreed to make more joint efforts to ensure that sanctions against Russia for this war become stronger, and that reconstruction in Ukraine is more active. I suggested that Ireland should look more closely at the possibility of patronage for the restoration of one of our regions. And, of course, it is very valuable that Irish society and the political class know what is happening in Ukraine and what exactly is needed to end this war as soon as possible.

Today, there was a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. As every day, it was about each part of the front, with special reference to Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and the Kurakhove direction. Separate mention was made of the operation in the Kursk region. It is very important that absolutely all the objectives set for our Kursk operation are being realized. For this, I thank every soldier, every sergeant and every officer involved. As of now, this operation continues to be the largest replenishment of the exchange fund from one direction.

And today we also continued evacuating our people from the Middle East - from Lebanon. 11 children, 14 adults. They are now safe. And our diplomats and intelligence will continue helping - all Ukrainians in the region who need it can contact our diplomatic missions in the Middle East and get everything they need, all help, all assistance.

And one more thing.

We are preparing important meetings with our partners. Something that can and should strengthen our positions - not only of Ukraine, but of all of us in Europe, of all of us in the world who want a real end to this war and a real joint work on ensuring that security never collapses again. This week, next week, and all of September must be productive for all of us. Primarily, this is about air defense, our capabilities on the front and in reconstruction. We are preparing substantial things.

I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine! I thank all those who fight and work - really work one hundred percent - to defend our independence, our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

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New Aid Package, Participation in the Implementation of the Peace Formula, and Increasing the Effectiveness of Sanctions Against Russia: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Simon Harris

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 15:15

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris held talks and signed a bilateral agreement.

The Ukrainian President noted that 7 people were killed and more than 50 injured overnight in Lviv due to a Russian missile strike. There were also casualties in Kryvyi Rih as a result of the Russian attack. The second day of clearing the rubble continues in Poltava, where nearly 300 people have been affected overall.

"Under such conditions, we in Ukraine especially appreciate every show of support for our state and our people, and we value the fact that Ireland, a militarily neutral state, is not neutral morally," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President thanked Ireland for its unwavering support of Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ireland has provided humanitarian aid and assistance to Ukrainian infrastructure worth a380 million.

Ireland is also participating in the implementation of the Peace Formula and supports sanctions against Russia. During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Simon Harris specifically discussed how to make the sanctions regime more effective.

"Unfortunately, Russia is still able to manufacture missiles using components from different countries around the world. Moreover, the Russian state creates various schemes to circumvent sanctions. All of this can only be stopped through strong, timely, and collective efforts by all countries that value a normal rules-based world order and seek peace," the President emphasized.

The leaders signed a bilateral security agreement. According to the Ukrainian President, this document will allow the realization of the full potential of cooperation between Ukraine and Ireland, as well as with partners within the framework of the security agreement architecture.

Simon Harris assured that Ireland would support Ukraine for as long as needed. He also announced that his country would provide an additional a36 million in humanitarian aid.

"We will never allow this to continue and become normalized. And we will never allow events like those that happened this morning to be normalized," stressed the Irish Taoiseach.

During his visit to Ukraine, Simon Harris visited communities in the Kyiv region that experienced Russian strikes and attempted occupation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for significant Ireland's participation in Ukraine's reconstruction.

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Ukraine and Ireland Sign Bilateral Agreement

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 13:26



President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Taoiseach of Ireland Simon Harris signed an Agreement on Support for Ukraine and Cooperation between the two countries.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ireland has provided humanitarian, stabilization, and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine, totaling approximately a380 million.

This year, Ireland has committed to providing an additional a128 million in non-lethal military support and at least a40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ireland will also supply mine clearance systems and explosive ordnance disposal equipment, continuing its involvement in the demining coalition. Additionally, Ireland will explore other potential support pathways within the capability coalitions of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, such as the IT Coalition.

Ireland will ensure the ongoing training of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through EUMAM Ukraine.

Separate sections of the agreement outline humanitarian aid, as well as support for Ukraine's recovery and reform efforts, particularly on the path toward EU membership. Ireland will assist in holding Russia accountable, compensating for damages caused by the aggression, and further strengthening sanctions pressure on Russia.

Moreover, Ireland will continue its diplomatic efforts to implement the Peace Formula and participate in the activities of various working groups and implementation of specific elements of the Formula, including the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

In total, Ukraine has already signed 26 bilateral agreements in furtherance of the G7 Joint Declaration adopted in Vilnius on July 12, 2023.

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Agreement on Support for Ukraine and Cooperation between Ukraine and Ireland

President of Ukraine

4 September 2024 - 13:25

I Introduction

1. Ukraine and Ireland, hereinafter jointly referred to as "the Participants", reiterate their unequivocal condemnation of Russia's ongoing full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and temporary occupation of the territory of Ukraine. Europe's security is facing its gravest threat in decades. Ireland remains unwavering in its commitment to support Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders as of 1991, including its territorial sea.

2. Russia's brutal war is a blatant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations (UN Charter), the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris. Russia's aggression against Ukraine weakens security and stability across Europe and undermines Russia's credibility as a party to international agreements. The war continues to aggravate a food and energy crisis that affects the poorest and most vulnerable communities globally.

3. Further to the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine ("G7 Declaration"), adopted in Vilnius on 12 July 2023 by the Group of Seven and the European Union (EU) and co-signed by Ireland, Ireland is committed to maintaining support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, rebuilds its economy, protects its citizens, and advances its reform agenda, and as it pursues its pathway towards EU integration and accession.

4. The Participants will deepen their cooperation and partnership by pursuing the long-term bilateral security commitments set forth in this Agreement. These commitments are based on the Participants' common interest in defending the global multilateral system and international law, based on the UN Charter, and protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms.

II Scope

5. The Participants will strengthen their cooperation by pursuing bilateral and long-term commitments across a range of areas, including political support, security assistance and cooperation, humanitarian support, recovery and reconstruction, and ensuring accountability, by pursuing the measures referred to in this Agreement.

6. Since February 2022, Ireland has committed approximately a380 million in humanitarian, stabilisation and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine. Ireland's commitments to Ukraine seek to complement contributions by the other signatories of the G7 Declaration, including the EU and its Member States. These commitments to Ukraine are coordinated with partners and fully reflect the Joint Security Commitments between the EU and Ukraine, signed on 27 June 2024.

7. In this context, Ireland will continue to provide long-term political, security and financial support, as well as humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russia's invasion. Ukraine, for its part, is strongly committed to the implementation of governance reforms, including transparency, accountability and anti-corruption reforms.

III Political support for Ukraine

8. The future of Ukraine and its people lies within the European family, in the EU. Ukraine's security is an integral part of European security and Ukraine has the right to choose its own foreign and security policy path, and its own security arrangements.

9. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine's European aspirations, and in particular towards Ukraine's membership of the European Union and other international organisations. The Participants therefore warmly welcome the decision by the European Council in December 2023 to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, and the convening of the first Inter-governmental Conference on 25 June 2024.

10. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to work constructively on Ukraine's progressive integration towards the EU, with a view to its future EU membership. Ireland, in cooperation with the EU and its Member States, will continue to support Ukraine in its reforms and accession path.

11. Ireland remains committed to supporting Ukraine, bilaterally and through the EU and its Ukraine Facility, to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, and modernisation reforms in line with its EU accession path.

12. The Participants recall the merit-based nature of the EU accession process. Ireland commends Ukraine for the successful reform process so far and acknowledges Ukraine's efforts to strive for the implementation of necessary reforms under extremely challenging circumstances.

13. Ireland recalls its strong support for the EU's efforts to support Ukraine's immediate and long-term security and resilience, including through the contribution of non-lethal military and civilian assistance, humanitarian, financial, trade and economic support, hosting of displaced people, support to reforms, recovery and reconstruction, as well as restrictive measures, support to accountability mechanisms, diplomatic support and global outreach.

14. Ireland will continue its diplomatic efforts to promote the implementation of Ukraine's Peace Formula. Ukraine deserves a just and lasting peace based on international law and respecting Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The Participants will work together for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that has broad global support.

15. Ireland will remain engaged on specific elements of Ukraine's Peace Formula, including the work of the International Coalition on the Return of Ukrainian Children under point 4 of the Peace Formula, which aims to secure the return of all prisoners of war and unlawfully displaced Ukrainian children and other Ukrainian civilians.

16. The Participants reaffirm their strong commitment to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and call for Russia's immediate return to respecting the OSCE's principles and commitments. Ukraine and Ireland commend the important work of the Support Programme for Ukraine and are willing to make full use of the OSCE's tools in support of Ukraine's security, stability and reconstruction. The Participants will work closely to this end.

IV Security assistance and cooperation

17. The EU and Ireland, as an EU Member State, have strongly condemned Russia's war of aggression. Ireland strongly supports the joint position and action taken by the EU to support Ukraine in its self-defence, including the joint security commitments agreed between the European Union and Ukraine, signed on 27 June 2024 and unanimously approved by the European Council.

18. In 2022 and 2023 Ireland committed a122 million in non-lethal military support to Ukraine. In 2024 Ireland has committed a further a128 million in non-lethal military support to Ukraine.

19. In this context, Ireland also fully supports the continued mobilisation of predictable, sustainable and long-term support through the European Peace Facility (EPF) and the dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund (UAF) under the Facility. Ireland's military support to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility will continue to focus on non-lethal equipment, as outlined in its Programme for Government commitments in respect of the EPF.

20. Ireland will work on supporting efforts to improve capabilities of the security and defence forces of Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression now and deter possible further aggression in the future, with particular focus on de-mining capabilities and training supports through EUMAM as well as to contribute to Ukraine's Future Force Design.

21. Ireland will continue its training support aimed at addressing the needs expressed by Ukraine in the framework of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM). This framework provides the principal mechanism for Ireland's continuing non-lethal military support to Ukraine.

22. Recalling that Ireland has already provided various elements of direct support, including the provision of equipment such as mine clearance systems, transport vehicles, ambulances, body armour, and other non-lethal equipment, as well as funding for cyber security support, Ireland will continue to provide ongoing assistance to Ukraine, as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the ongoing aggression in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

23. Ireland will continue to support Ukraine for the ten-year duration of this Agreement.

24. Ireland's support will remain steadfast and will remain centred, according to its own capabilities and policy approach, on non-lethal military assistance based on Ukraine's needs. Such support in the field of security and defence will include, but will not be limited to, the following areas:

The provision of non-lethal military assistance, including under the European Peace Facility;

The donation of mine clearance and other similar systems, such as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) equipment;

The provision of ongoing training to the Ukrainian Defence Forces through the EU Military Assistance Mission, EUMAM Ukraine;

Membership of the Lithuanian and Icelandic-led demining capability coalition under the Ukraine Defence Contact Group;

Exploration of other potential avenues of support in terms of Ukraine Defence Contact Group coalitions, such as the Luxembourg and Estonian-led IT coalition.

25. Recognising the scale of the contamination of Ukraine's territory with mines and explosive remnants of war, mine action has been identified as a key priority in the short to long-term. Ireland is committed to supporting the mine clearance of the territory of Ukraine and will continue to explore the provision of funding under the European Peace Facility to support demining, as well as the provision of training support under EUMAM-Ukraine in response to Ukrainian expressed needs in this area, including in developing and sustaining international demining standards.

26. Recalling Ireland's existing support in the area of cyber security, participants will explore opportunities to deepen cooperation in digital resilience and cyber security to assist Ukraine in detecting and countering Russian and any other malicious cyber activity, in accordance with international law. This will be achieved through enhanced cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection, cyber threat intelligence sharing, and providing technical and/or financial assistance to Ukraine.

27. The Participants will explore strengthening bilateral cooperation and resilience in countering hybrid threats, as well as countering foreign information manipulation and interference disinformation campaigns and malign propaganda primarily by Russia and any other hostile actors. The Participants will deepen their cooperation within the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, including through Ukraine's enhanced partnership with the Centre.

28. The Participants will explore mechanisms to share relevant information and analysis on activities by hostile actors, which impact on any aspect of national security and the functioning of democratic institutions, in accordance with applicable legal frameworks.

29. Ireland will also continue to provide strong support for the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine). By sharing expertise through the EUAM, Ireland will continue to support Ukraine in reforming the civilian security sector, law enforcement, and the rule of law. Ireland will continue to contribute to the work of EUAM Ukraine in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes, and re-establishing the rule of law in the de-occupied and adjacent territories in Ukraine.

30. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to comply with their obligations under international law, including the duty to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law. Ukraine will ensure that any military equipment provided by Ireland is used exclusively for Ukraine's self-defence, and is used in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law.

31. The Participants recognise the importance of the maritime order based on international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In this regard, Ukraine and Ireland will promote freedom of navigation and safety at sea. The Participants will coordinate their efforts on strengthening international cooperation and collaboration in this domain.

V Humanitarian, reconstruction and reform support

32. Ireland continues to provide temporary protection for people fleeing from Ukraine due to Russian aggression, under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. To date, over 109,000 people from Ukraine have applied for temporary protection and have been welcomed in Ireland since February 2022.

33. Ireland is committed to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, to assist Ukraine in reconstruction, and to support its programme of reform and pathway to membership of the European Union. Ireland's support will remain steadfast, durable and long-term in nature.

34. In 2022 and 2023, Ireland committed a90 million in humanitarian and stabilisation support to Ukraine. In 2024, Ireland has committed at least a40 million in humanitarian and stabilisation support to Ukraine, including for humanitarian, reconstruction, macro-economic and reform programmes in Ukraine, and will work closely with the Ukrainian government and international development partners, including the UN, in disbursing this funding.

35. Irish assistance will also be channelled through relevant trusted civil society organisations operating in Ukraine. Ireland commits to remaining a firm champion of civil society and will in particular seek to pursue appropriate opportunities to support this sector.

36. The Participants recognise the importance of supporting private businesses in Ukraine, as their input plays a vital role in supporting the local economy and enhancing the resilience of affected communities. Therefore, the Participants are willing, in accordance with their national laws and applicable international law and obligations arising from the international agreements to which they are party, to work together to identify opportunities for private sector investment and cooperation in Ukraine.

VI Commitment to reform in Ukraine

37. Inclusive reform is indispensable for Ukraine's current and future security and prosperity, for its democracy, the resilience of its institutions and for Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership. Ukraine commits to implement reforms as defined by the EU and the International Monetary Fund, notably in the areas of governance, transparency, anti-corruption and democratic control over its security and defence forces.

38. Ireland will continue to provide strong support for the strengthening of the rule of law in Ukraine, with a view to ensuring that Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and implementation of key reforms is fully aligned with EU rules and standards.

39. Ireland stands ready to provide further advice and assistance to Ukraine, drawing on the experience of its own accession process and membership of the European Union, as Ukraine progresses along its EU path.

VII Promoting Accountability

40. The Participants acknowledge the importance of justice for a lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine and beyond, and the imperative of ensuring that there is no impunity for international crimes committed in and against Ukraine.

41. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the accountability of the Russian Federation for all damage, loss or injury to individuals and entities in Ukraine, as well as to the state of Ukraine, as a result of the internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine, including waging a war of aggression in violation of the UN Charter. The Participants are committed to ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and are convinced of the need to establish a tribunal for that purpose. The Participants will continue their engagement in the "Core Group on options for the establishment of a tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine".

42. The Participants will continue to support the investigation and prosecution of alleged international crimes committed in and against Ukraine and will continue to support the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Furthermore, Ireland will continue to deploy experts through the EUAM to support the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and to build Ukraine's capacity to investigate and prosecute war crimes in the context of Russia's war of aggression.

VIII Compensation for damage, loss and injury caused by Russian aggression

43. The Participants reaffirm that the Russian Federation must be held accountable for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts in and against Ukraine. Ireland will continue to support the immobilisation of Russian sovereign assets within the EU until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates Ukraine for the damage caused by this war.

44. Ireland supports the work ongoing to find ways to utilise frozen and immobilised Russian assets to support Ukraine and its recovery and reconstruction, in accordance with EU and international law and in coordination with partner countries.

45. The Participants welcome the agreement reached at EU-level to ensure the extraordinary revenue generated from immobilised Russian sovereign assets will be used to support Ukraine. Ireland will continue to support efforts within the EU to examine further possibilities for use of extraordinary revenue generated from Russian sovereign assets, in coordination with international partners, including the G7.

46. As a priority, the Participants will continue to work together, along with G7 states and others, towards the establishment of an international compensation mechanism to provide compensation for damage, loss or injury caused by Russia's aggression, as envisaged by the Statute of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine adopted by the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3. This may include the exploration of appropriate options for the financing of an international compensation mechanism to provide prompt and adequate compensation to victims of aggression.

IX Sanctions

47. The Participants recognise the value of sanctions in restricting the Russian Federation's access to the finance, goods, technology and services it is utilising in its aggression. Ireland will remain committed to pursuing robust restrictive measures and export controls against those sectors of the Russian economy and outside that are supporting or profiting from the war, or assisting in sanctions circumvention in third countries.

48. Ireland will continue to take determined action through the EU to uphold sanctions against the Russian Federation and to tackle all forms of circumvention of restrictive measures. Ireland will also cooperate and share expertise with Ukraine on EU restrictive measures, their implementation and efforts to combat sanctions evasion.

49. The Participants will provide each other with up-to-date appropriate information on the grounds for sanctions listings and related relevant information, in compliance with relevant obligations and national laws.

X Consultation mechanisms

50. In order to facilitate the implementation of this Agreement and to ensure an ongoing strategic dialogue, appropriate consultation structures between the Participants will be arranged.

51. In particular, the Participants will develop senior-level consultations on political and strategic matters, including regular strategic dialogues on the strengthening of Ukraine's security, defence, resilience, and reform path.

52. In the event of future Russian armed attacks against Ukraine or the significant escalation of the ongoing aggression, the Participants, at the request of either of the Participants, will consult within 24 hours, bilaterally or via other channels they both deem appropriate, in order to determine appropriate next steps.

XI Final Provisions

53. The Participants will implement this Agreement in accordance with their international and national legal obligations, including Ireland's obligations as a member of the EU, budgetary appropriations, and in full respect for Ireland's longstanding policy of military neutrality.

54. This Agreement will remain in effect for 10 years from the date of its signature.

55. In accordance with the G7 Joint Declaration of 12 July 2023, the Participants share the opinion that this Agreement is without prejudice to Ukraine pursuing a pathway toward future membership in NATO.

56. The Participants will, if necessary, designate authorised bodies for the development and implementation of bilateral arrangements in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement.

57. The authorised bodies of the Participants may conclude executive and technical arrangements on specific areas of cooperation within the framework of the implementation of this Agreement or supplementary to this Agreement.

58. This Agreement may be brought to an end by either Participant at any time by written notice to the other Participant. The Agreement will be discontinued six months from the date of receipt of such notice.

59. This Agreement may be amended and supplemented, including by adding annexes thereto, by mutual consent of the Participants, which will be made in writing.

60. Any difference in the interpretation and implementation of this Agreement will be settled amicably through direct consultations between the Participants.

61. This Agreement will come into effect on the date of signature.

Signed in Kyiv on 4 September 2024, in duplicate, in the English and Ukrainian languages, the English version of which will prevail in the event of any discrepancy.

For Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

For Ireland: Simon Harris, TDTaoiseach

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Ukraine: Top official underscores need to protect civilians amid 'massive' attacks

By Dianne Penn

4 September 2024 - The United Nations upheld the need to protect civilians in Ukraine as Russian attacks continue across the country, with at least seven people killed in Lviv on Wednesday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Over the last few weeks, we've seen intensifying attacks affecting civilians and public infrastructure", WHO Ukraine said in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Since the weekend, parts of Ukraine including the eastern city of Kharkiv, the Sumy and Donetsk regions and Kyiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia areas, have suffered deadly strikes.

WHO Ukraine said the "cruel attack" in Lviv "claimed the lives of at least 7 people, including children, and injured 47 others", while a health facility was also affected.

Separately, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) posted on X that "indiscriminate attacks impacting children and their schools have marred the start of the new school year."

Strikes in central Ukraine

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Kryvyi Rih, in the centre of the country, was also affected by strikes on Wednesday. Dozens of civilians were injured, including children, and six schools were damaged, according to local authorities.

"Immediately after the attacks, aid workers started providing medical and psychological support to affected people," the agency said.

Humanitarians organized meals and drinks for affected residents and rescuers. They also delivered and distributed materials to cover the damage, and people also received legal aid and registered for cash assistance.

Humanitarian Coordinator's visit

The latest attacks came a day after a missile strike on a military academy and nearby hospital in the central city of Poltava left at least 50 people dead and more than 270 injured - among the deadliest single attacks since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, was in Poltava on Wednesday where he witnessed the impact.

Speaking in a video posted on X, he said that "massive" attacks have been occurring across Ukraine since Friday.

"These attacks have resulted in destruction of civilian infrastructure, including a lot of educational institutions and health institutions, and that is utterly despicable that civilian infrastructure is destroyed," he said.

Respect international humanitarian law

He also pointed to the human toll, as civilians have been killed and seriously injured, expressing shock and outrage.

"No one should die. No one should be injured," he said. "And I repeat the calls the UN has made many times to respect international humanitarian law and to do whatever it takes to keep civilians safe and to protect critical civilian infrastructure."

Mr. Schmale also mentioned that his thoughts were with the families of those killed in the Poltava attack on Tuesday.

"Young people going to the institution here were killed," he said, adding that it was "utterly deplorable that young lives are taken far too early from this planet", before expressing solidarity with affected families across the country.

Concern for displaced people

The UN refugee agency UNHCR called on Wednesday for an immediate end to atacks on civilians in Ukraine.

Spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh recalled that the war has produced over six million refugees in Europe alone to date, while an estimated 3.6 million people back home are internally displaced.

"For us at UNHCR, the focus on responding to these attacks has been providing immediate support that could be around shelter, around support, with evacuations, documentation, psychological support, helping families that have been separated, and so on," he said.

Mr. Saltmarsh added that aside from the increase in attacks, UNHCR's top concern now is the coming winter months, warning that "the needs are going to rise, certainly in terms of providing fuel, energy, shelter, warm clothing and so on."

Nuclear safety efforts continue

Meanwhile, a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) highlights its efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The report outlines challenges and achievements to protect the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), and help prevent a nuclear accident, since launching a mission there in September 2022.

Located in southern Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya is Europe's largest nuclear power plant and is on the frontline of the conflict. It has been under Russian control since the early days of the full-scale invasion.

Precarious and very fragile

IAEA teams stationed there have reported on incidents including shelling and drone strikes at the facility, which has also suffered repeated loss of off-site power events.

Writing in the report's forward, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that the situation at the Zaporizhzhya plant remains precarious and very fragile.

"Two years into the IAEA's continued presence at the occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, our commitment to helping prevent a nuclear accident remains resolute," he said.

"Amid the significant challenges and risks to nuclear safety and security, we are steadfast in our mission to assess the situation and keep the international community informed."

Supporting nuclear safety

The report was issued as Mr. Grossi travelled to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, his fifth time during the conflict. Since he last went in February, it has been hit by drone strikes and experienced loss of power lines, while a fire last month caused significant damage to one of the two cooling towers.

He said that "the objective and impartial assessments of the situation provided by our teams have made a significant contribution to maintaining nuclear safety, security and safeguards" at the plant.

The IAEA has experts stationed at Ukraine's four other nuclear sites, and the report also summarizes developments, activities and assistance at these locations since missions were set up there in early 2023.

Reassuring the international community

In total, the IAEA has conducted 139 Support and Assistance Missions to the nuclear sites in Ukraine. Additionally, its comprehensive assistance to Ukraine has facilitated 61 deliveries of equipment to the country, with a total value of over a10 million.

The agency has also continued its vital safeguards verification activities across Ukraine, ensuring that there is no diversion of nuclear material for military purposes.

"As I conduct my fifth visit to the ZNPP, and my tenth to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, I want to reassure the international community that the IAEA, and I as Director General, will continue to do everything possible within our mandate to assist in averting a nuclear or radiological accident at any of Ukraine's nuclear facilities," Mr. Grossi said.

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Russian aerial attack kills 7 in western Ukraine city of Lviv

By VOA News September 04, 2024

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday a Russian air attack killed at least seven people and injured more than 60 others in the western city of Lviv, which Moscow had only infrequently targeted before and is hundreds of kilometers from the front battle line.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said in a video posted on Telegram that the attack destroyed a building and damaged more than 50 structures, including schools and homes.

Among the dead were four people from one family, a woman and her three daughters, leaving their father as the only immediate survivor.

"We will not forgive the enemy and will take revenge," Sadovyi said on Telegram. "They will feel what hell is like while they are still alive."

Russia has ramped up its aerial attacks on Ukraine since Kyiv launched an unprecedented cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region nearly a month ago, the first foreign incursion into Russia since World War II.

Lviv, whose old town is a UNESCO world heritage site, is close to the border with Poland and is sheltering thousands of Ukrainians displaced by the 30-month war. The strike on Lviv came a day after a Russian missile attack killed 53 people in the central city of Poltava, one of the deadliest single strikes of the invasion.

Ukraine's air force said the attack on Lviv was part of a wider barrage of new strikes, with 13 missiles and 29 drones targeting the war-torn country. The air force said it intercepted seven of the missiles and 22 drones.

Wreckage from a downed missile fell on the central city of Kryvyi Rih, emergency services said, damaging a hotel and wounding six people.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called for more air defense systems and for long-range weapons to strike Russia in the wake of the attack. The weapons delivered by Ukraine's Western allies, including the United States and NATO members in Europe, often come with restrictions prohibiting their use against most targets located inside Russia.

In eastern Ukraine, Russia said it had captured the village of Karlivka, the latest in a string of territorial gains. Karlivka is about 30 kilometers from Pokrovsk, a major Russian target that lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army.

Ukrainian officials on Wednesday announced a new round of compulsory evacuations for children living in villages close to the front line in the region because of the deteriorating "security situation."

Russian President Vladimir Putin had said Monday that his army was making rapid advances in the Donbas that covers the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

"We have not had such a fast-paced offensive in the Donbas for a long time," he said.

Ukraine was also in the midst of a major government reshuffle on Wednesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks to boost confidence in his government.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba submitted his resignation, a day after six other officials including cabinet ministers said they were stepping down.

"We need new energy. And these steps are related to strengthening our state in various areas," Zelenskyy told journalists when asked about the changes.

Russian officials said Ukrainian attacks throughout Wednesday killed six people in territory it controls.

Ukrainian shelling killed three people in occupied east Ukraine, according to the Russian-installed Donetsk regional governor Denis Pushilin, and another three in a Russian border village in Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.

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Emad

Emad ballistic missile is the Iranian liquid-fuel long-ranged ballistic missile equipped with a guided warhead by installing vanes ["balks"] on the Emad warhead. The Emad ballistic missile can carry a 750 kg payload at a range of 1700 km. Once Emad's reentry vehicle enters the atmosphere, they can start to maneuver and alter their trajectory. This is done to increase precision and to perform random evasive maneuvering.

A September 2024 report shared exclusively with The Associated Press suggests one of the advanced missiles Tehran would use in any future attack against Israel is far less accurate than previously thought. Analysts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies examined the Iranian strike on the Nevatim Air Base some 65 kilometers south of Jerusalem in the Negev Desert. Assuming Iran targeted Israeli F-35I fighter jet hangars, the James Martin analysts measured the distance between the hangars and the impact zones of the missiles. That gave an average of about 1.2 kilometers for the circular error probable. Thats far worse than a 500-meter error circle first estimated by experts for the Emad. Iran separately advertised the Emad to potential international buyers as having a 50-meter circle.

Emad is variant of Imad and has the exact same meaning and pronunciation. Either Emad or Imad, both are correct and acceptable. Emad is a direct Quranic name for boys that means pillars. It is usually short for Emad ad-Deen, which means pillars of the religion, i.e. a person who is a strong supporter of Islam. The word Emad is mentioned in the Quran in 89:7: "Iram, the civilization that had pillars, the like of which were not created in any other city." (Quran 89:7-8)

This missile is the first long-range missile of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the ability to guide and control until the moment it hits the target; which is able to hit the desired targets with high precision and destroy them completely. All the stages of design and construction of Emad ballistic missile have been done by scientists and specialists of Aerospace Industries Organization of the Ministry of Defense.

In response to the Israeli attack on Iran's consulate building in Syria on April 1, the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) fired dozens of missiles and drones on Israeli targets on 13 April 2024. Irans anti-Israel operation was conducted by Shahed 131/136 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Kheibar Shekan ballistic missiles, Emad ballistic missiles, and Paveh cruise missiles. Five to ten minutes before the surviving drones and cruise missiles were to reach their intended targets in the occupied territories, Iran launched the main weapons of the True Promise operation. The ballistic missiles were not launched simultaneously on purpose to reduce the shock effect on Israel's missile defenses. Surviving drones and cruise missiles put additional stress on the radars and sensors, creating completely different targets at lower altitudes.

Descending from space like meteors, Ghadr and Emad would have first faced Israel's Arrow-3 missile interceptors, as well as U.S. SM-3. Those older Iranian missiles mainly defend themselves with inflatable decoys in space. The expensive and advanced American AN/TPY-2 could have helped Israel's missile defenses to identify which objects were warheads, which empty spent boosters, and which were decoys. In the chaos of ballistic missiles re-entry vehicle housing the warhead, spent booster stages, and submunitions released by Ghadr, Emad missiles would also have released their decoys to survive against Arrow-3 and SM-3.

Emad would rely on a short atmospheric flight time, enabled by a steep dive trajectory, plus random evasive maneuvering. Arrow-2, Patriot and David-Sling are the systems that tried to intercept the maneuvering Emads re-entry vehicles. Emad missiles were also fast and glowing objects descending and impacting at 6-7 times the speed of sound. The slow glowing objects seemed to be the submunitions of Ghadr and the slow objects in flame were likely the separated empty booster stages.

Imad is a single-stage liquid fuel missile with a detachable warhead, which was developed based on the Qadr missile. The Emad missile can carry a maximum of 500 kg of high-explosive materials. The presence of a detachable warhead that can be guided by four control blocks or canards has brought high accuracy to the Emad missile. This missile has the ability to launch from fixed and mobile platforms, and its nose is equipped with control and guidance systems and sensors. The length of this missile is 15 and a half meters and the diameter of its body is about 1 meter and 25 centimeters. The Emad missile has a weight of more than 17,000 kg, and the weight of its warhead is estimated at only 750 kg.

Irans Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said 11 October 2015 the Islamic Republic successfully test-fired a new long-range ballistic missile, dubbed Emad. Speaking to reporters , Dehqan said the surface-to-surface missile has been completely designed and manufactured by experts of Irans Aerospace Industries Organization affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Defense. Emad is Irans first long-range missile with guidance and control systems which can hit targets and completely destroy them with high precision, the Iranian minister added. The Emad surface-to-surface missile was completely designed and manufactured by experts of Irans Aerospace Industries Organization affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Defense.

The Iranian defense minister said Emad would be mass produced and delivered to missile units of the Iranian Armed Forces soon to significantly enhance their tactical and operational power. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

The Iranian defense chief said that the JPCOA has not banned Iran from boosting its defense capabilities. He also stated that Defense Ministry pursues a strategy based on developing and increasing the missile capabilities of the Iranian Armed Forces and enhancing the Islamic Republics deterrent power. We do not ask for permission from anybody to increase our defense might and missile capability and are decisively following up our defense plans, particularly in the missile sector, Dehqan said, emphasizing that the manufacturing of Emad is an apparent example of such a strategy.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said 16 December 2015 the recently test-fired precision-guided long-range Emad missile is a conventional armament. We consider defense as our inalienable and recognized right and will continue to design, manufacture and put into operation any necessary conventional weapons and equipment in order to defend the country, Dehqan said on Wednesday. Dehqan's remarks came a day after a panel of UN experts said in a confidential report that Irans firing of the long-range ballistic missile in October violated a UN Security Council resolution, alleging that the missile is capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

On the basis of its analysis and findings the Panel concludes that Emad launch is a violation by Iran of paragraph 9 of Security Council resolution 1929, the panel said. But Dehqan said, "Our aim of carrying out this test was that we wanted to tell the world that the Islamic Republic of Iran acts based on its national interests and no power anywhere in the world can decide for our nation and country and [Iran] will not accept any restriction on this issue.

The Iranian defense minister said that despite certain restrictions stipulated in the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 under the terms of a July nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers Tehran will keep boosting its defense capabilities. Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council  the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia  plus Germany finalized the text of the agreement dubbed the JCPOA in the Austrian capital Vienna on July 14. On July 20, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2231, which bars Iran from developing missiles "designed to carry nuclear warheads."

At that time, some Lebanese media attributed the name of Iran's most accurate long-range missile to the martyrdom of Emad Mughniyeh. Emad was the first missile built and unveiled in October 2014 after the nuclear agreement, which attracted the attention of domestic and foreign experts and media and had many reactions at the international level. "Kalam Elium" news site, presenting a report in this regard, announced that this missile test was "successful" and was able to target the desired targets with high accuracy. The precision in the construction of this missile and its indigenous nature without the participation of any foreign country attracted the attention of the world's media.

The "Naba" news agency also wrote in the headline of the published report about the Emad missile that "Tehran added the Emad to its ballistic missile stockpile." "Emad" is able to destroy targets from a long distance. At the end of its report on the Emad missile test, the Saudi Al-Hiyah base wrote that Iran's action could be a threat to the Arab countries of the region. In its report on the missile capability of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Al-Laft news website wrote: Iran's long-range missiles have been envisioned for 10 years and have successfully passed their tests. It takes ten minutes to reach the occupied territories.

The Zionist newspaper Ha'aretz reflected the news of the successful test launch of the long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Emad. According to this newspaper, the range of this missile and its accuracy are not known, but it is said that it can be controlled until the moment it hits the target. CNN, while publishing the news of the successful test of the Emad missile, said that this long-range ballistic missile was designed and built by Iranian experts, which, according to Iran's defense minister, can be controlled until the moment it hits the target.

Referring to the news of the unveiling of the Emad missile, the French news agency wrote that this missile was tested while some Iranian officials had announced months ago that the Islamic Republic's recent nuclear agreement with world powers may impose restrictions on the country's missile program. Iran has announced that its missiles will never carry nuclear warheads, because Tehran has no plans to produce nuclear weapons, but Iranian military officials have emphasized the development of the country's missile program.

One of the prominent experts of the Zionist regime's missile defense announced: Iranians have the ability to install warheads on ballistic missiles and can greatly increase the accuracy of their missiles and have a missile with a range of 2000 km with the ability to attack accurately. They have found that they easily paralyze the enemies of this country.

Members of Parliament praise the Ministry of Defense for the successful test of the "Imad" missile. After the successful test of the Emad ballistic missile, 220 members of the Islamic Council expressed their appreciation and support for the successful test of the missile. The successful test of the Emad long-range missile had a wide coverage in the international media. While acknowledging Iran's missile capability and continuing its Iran-phobic policies, the Western and especially the American media claimed: The test of this missile has violated the nuclear agreement between Iran and the 5+1 group!

In the exercise of the Great Prophet (PBUH) 17, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force once again practiced combined drone and missile operations, and in this exercise, a 200 x 180 meter replica of the Zionist regime's nuclear power plant known as Dimona was targeted by suicide missiles and drones. The Defense Group of Tasnim News Agency - the series of drills of the Prophet (PBUH) has alwaysbeen a reminder of the news of some of the most important defense achievements of the country; From the Huot missile torpedo in 1384 to the acquisition of maneuvering warheads for ballistic missiles in 1400, this was the news that was announced by the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force in the last stage of the exercise,

Until 2014 and the unveiling of the Emad missile, the warhead of Iranian long-range missiles only reached the accuracy obtained from the missile's navigation and guidance systems, and after being separated from the missile body, they could no longer correct the path and increase the accuracy. Of course, in the short-range and short-range tactical missile category, the Fateh missile family had the ability to guide to the end of the path. With the operationalization of the Emad missile, whose detachable warhead had a guidance and control system until the end of the path, Iranian long-range missiles entered the proud path of increasing accuracy to the point of pinpoint accuracy, which was praised several times by the Supreme Leader of the Revolution and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. This capability was then extended to the Qadr, Qiyam and Khorramshahr family missiles, and even the Shahab 2 missiles did not benefit from this development.

The development of ballistic warheads with the ability to maneuver in the final phase causes the enemy's system to have difficulty in predicting the path by leaving the warhead out of the conventional ballistic trajectory and moving on paths that do not have a clear order, thus making it possible to counter The enemy's missile defense shield is reduced to almost zero, and the problem that happened to the Patriot in 1991 is systematically created this time.

The warhead of the Qadr F missile is similar to the detachable part of the warhead of Qiyam and Sajil missiles. The new warhead has more height and volume in the lower conical part, which can be the location of a propellant. For comparison, the simple guided type of three-cone warheads with control wings is related to the Qiyam guided missile. Despite the difference in dimensions, the new warhead (picture 2) is designed to be compatible with existing missiles, as a result of which all Qadr, Sajil and Qiyam missiles can be used effectively against targets protected by missile defense systems such as Patriot, Arrow, Thaad and Aegis are helping to start a new war.

The design and construction of such a warhead, from various aspects, including the design of the dynamic path and its calculations, the resistance of the structure against the strong inertial forces caused by the rapid change of direction, the construction of guidance and control systems with a very high response speed that responds to a projectile with a hypersonic speed (more than five times the speed of sound or above Mach 5) and of course hitting the intended target precisely at the final point is much more difficult than guided warheads, but the country's missile scientists have overcome these problems only 6 years after the unveiling of Emad. They have taken a very important step towards increasing the effectiveness of the country's missile power in the desired military equations of Islamic Iran.

Maneuverable ballistic warheads are only one step away from warheads or hypersonic gliding vehicle (HGV: Hypersonic Gliding Vehicle) warheads, which are currently considered the cutting edge of missile technology in the warheads sector. This type of projectile is different from maneuvering warheads only in its design and flight path, and its speed varies from Mach 5 to 20 depending on the design and opinion of the manufacturer. HGV projectiles, instead of gaining height like ballistic projectiles, travel at a much lower height with the possibility of changing the direction of the target frequently, and as a result, the early warning radars of the enemy's defense have problems in identifying them, and the probability of surprising the enemy's missile defense system is much higher.

Range 1700 km Weight 17500 kg Length 15.5 meters Diameter 125 cm Fuel type Liquid Warhead 750 kg Speed Mach 11 Flight path Ballistic Range of error about 10 meters Flight ceiling 400 km System Inertia guidance with Winged cap to guide until the moment of hitting launch pad fixed and movable

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fireweed Metals Corp. (Fireweed or the Company) (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQX: FWEDF) is pleased to announce the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Tom and Jason deposits, as well as the inaugural resource estimates for the Boundary Zone and End Zone deposits at the Macmillan Pass Project (Macpass). The MRE was prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) definitions, as required under National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).



Peter Hemstead (Interim CEO) commented, The delivery of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Macpass project marks another key milestone in demonstrating the exploration potential of the Macpass district. The team has increased the contained zinc equivalent* metal in the Indicated Resources category by approximately 300% and more than doubled the overall tonnage. The addition of Boundary Zone now positions Macpass as one of the worlds largest undeveloped primary zinc districts1.

Mineral Resource Estimate Highlights

Global Mineral Resource Estimate comprising: An Indicated Resource of 56.00 Mt at 7.27% Zinc Equivalent (ZnEq)* (5.49% zinc, 1.58% lead, and 24.2 g/t silver). An Inferred Resource of 48.49 Mt at 7.48% ZnEq* (5.15% zinc, 2.08% lead, and 25.3 g/t silver).

Macpass is now one of the worlds largest undeveloped primary zinc districts 1 .

. Contained ZnEq* metal in the Indicated Resources category increased by approximately 300% compared to the 2018 resource estimate 2 .

. The resource estimate is supported by verified data, robust geological models, well-defined estimation domains, constrained with open pit shells and underground mining shapes and supported by thorough sensitivity analysis.

Fireweed continues to build and prioritize a portfolio of targets through a large regional exploration campaign in an under-explored land package (977 km2).

Dr. Jack Milton, VP Geology, commented, This resource is the culmination of six years of exploration success at Macpass, including an additional 43,000 metres of drilling at Tom, Jason, End Zone, and our discovery at Boundary Zone, which is one of the most globally significant zinc discoveries of the last 15 years1. We have more than doubled the tonnage from our previously reported resource2, increased the contained zinc metal by 83%, and added open-pit and underground mining volume constraints for reporting. The potential for by-product gallium and germanium could enhance the Macpass district with further critical minerals exposure. The deposits remain open along strike and at depth and, with the 2024 drill program (14,000 m) not yet included in this MRE, there exists the potential for an increase to the resource as part of future technical work. In addition, we are undertaking a large and comprehensive regional exploration program to continue to provide a pipeline of high-quality targets for future testing.

Conference Call and Webinar

Investors, media, and the public are invited to join the conference call and webinar hosted by Dr. Jack Milton, P. Geo., during which management will discuss the result of the Macpass MRE update as reported in this release.

September 5, 2024, at 9:00am PT (12:00pm ET)

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: +1 (844) 763-8274

All other callers: +1 (647) 484-8814

Webinar: https://www.c-meeting.com/web3/joinTo/M94CVMUU83PQMW/vobcPfLtLGOvjaB9xTlsxQ

Webinar replay: Available on the Companys website for one year.



Global Mineral Resource Estimate

The MRE at Macpass is comprised of four distinct deposits: Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone (Figure 1). Table 1 lists the global mineral resources for Macpass by deposit.

Table 1: Macpass Project Global Mineral Resource Estimate by Deposit (combined OP and UG constrained resources).

2024 SLR Class Deposit Tonnes (Mt) ZnEq (%) Zn Grade (%) Pb Grade (%) Ag Grade (g/t) Zn Contained Metal (Mlbs) Pb Contained Metal (Mlbs) Ag Contained Metal (Moz) Indicated

Tom 17.52 9.90 6.30 3.34 33.0 2,435 1,291 18.56 Jason 3.80 9.09 7.62 1.86 1.7 638 156 0.21 End Zone 0.34 16.15 3.81 12.32 86.2 29 93 0.95 Boundary Zone 34.34 5.63 4.86 0.55 21.6 3,682 412 23.83 Total Indicated 56.00 7.27 5.49 1.58 24.2 6,784 1,952 43.54 Inferred

Tom 18.94 9.10 6.56 2.30 25.2 2,738 960 15.37 Jason 11.65 10.40 5.48 4.33 48.2 1,407 1,112 18.05 End Zone 0.44 8.76 1.86 6.88 48.1 18 67 0.68 Boundary Zone 17.46 3.75 3.48 0.23 9.5 1,337 87 5.32 Total Inferred 48.49 7.48 5.15 2.08 25.3 5,500 2,227 39.42

Table 1 footnotes:

All mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with CIM definitions, as required under NI 43-101.

Data for this mineral resource estimate has been independently reviewed and validated by a third-party consultancy, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd.

Pierre Landry P.Geo. of SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. ( SLR ) is independent of Fireweed Metals Corp., and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. Pierre Landry is responsible for the Macpass Mineral Resource Estimate.

) is independent of Fireweed Metals Corp., and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. Pierre Landry is responsible for the Macpass Mineral Resource Estimate. g/t: grams per tonne; Mlbs: million pounds; Moz: millions of troy ounces; Mt: million metric tonnes.

Mineral resources are reported within conceptual open pit (OP) shells and underground (UG) mining volumes to demonstrate Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE), as required under NI 43-101; mineralization lying outside of the OP shell or UG volumes is not reported as a mineral resource. Note the conceptual OP shell and UG volumes are used for mineral resource reporting purposes only and are not indicative of the proposed mining method; future mining studies may consider UG mining, OP mining or a combination of both. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

All quantities are rounded to the appropriate number of significant figures; consequently, sums may not add up due to rounding.

All prices in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

Open Pit mineral resources are reported at a pit wall angle of 45, Revenue Factors of 0.8 (Tom, End Zone), 0.6 (Jason), 1.0 (Boundary Zone), and Net Smelter Return (NSR) cut-off of $30/tonne (t).

Underground mineral resources are constrained within reporting panels with heights (H) of 20 m, lengths (L) of 10 m, with 10 m H and 5 m L sub-shapes and minimum widths of 2 m at Tom, Jason, and End Zone; and 20 m H by 20 m L with 10 m sub-shapes and a minimum width of 5 m at Boundary Zone, using an average panel NSR cut-off of $112/t.

NSR block values and zinc equivalency are based on a price of US$1.40/lb Zn, US$1.10/lb Pb, and US$25/oz Ag, CAD:USD exchange rate of 1.32, and a number of operating cost and recovery assumptions specific to each deposit or mineralization domain (see Tables 2 and 3).

ZnEq has been calculated on a block-by-block basis using the NSR calculation and input parameters related to each deposit or mineralization domain (Tables 2 and 3). For reporting subtotals and totals, ZnEq values have been calculated using the mass weighted average of the ZnEq block values of each respective domain for its respective classification category within OP and UG reporting volumes.

The effective date of the MRE is September 4, 2024 and the MRE is based on all drilling data up to and including holes drilled in 2023 with a final database cut-off date of June 23, 2024. The MRE does not include any data from holes drilled in 2024.

Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is also no certainty that these inferred mineral resources will be converted to the measured and indicated categories through further drilling, or into mineral reserves, once economic considerations are applied. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.



Deposit Geology

The Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone deposits are examples of stratiform, strata-bound sediment hosted zinc-lead-silver deposits. Historically the term SEDEX was used to describe these deposits of Yukons Selwyn Basin and since then the term has been used to describe these deposits worldwide. This class of deposits are now referred to as sediment hosted massive sulphide deposits and are also known as clastic-dominated or CD deposits. Previously considered to be formed strictly at the sediment-seawater interface by the exhalation of mineralizing fluids in seafloor environments, the model at Tom, Jason, End Zone and Boundary Zone has subsequently been reinterpreted to involve the replacement of porous, poorly consolidated muddy to silty, barite-rich sediment in the sub-seafloor environment.

Mineralization at these deposits comprises an early stage of finely laminated and stratiform pyrite, sphalerite, and galena grading to semi-massive and massive sulphides with increasing proximity to feeder structures, and these intervals are associated with barite-rich layers at multiple stratigraphic levels within black mudstone sequences. At Boundary Zone a later, cross-cutting style of mineralization is also present, forming discrete, broadly stratiform bodies consisting of breccia and veins of pyrite, sphalerite, and galena; flooding and replacement of matrix material by pyrite, sphalerite, and galena; all accompanied by abundant siderite and hosted in conglomerates, diamictites, mudstones, and carbonate-altered mafic volcaniclastic rocks.

Geological domains have been modeled at Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone representing the primary mineralization styles. These domains represent contiguous bodies and vary in complexity between deposits and lenses. At Tom, the main stratiform mineralized zone has been sub-domained into distinct facies to support a detailed estimation model. At Boundary Zone, the early phase of mineralization is represented by the massive sulphide domain, the later phase by the Boundary Vein domains, and surrounding low-grade mineralization is captured in the Boundary Halo domain. Further details will be available in the technical report.

The Macpass MRE is based on 124,632 m of drilling, including historical (pre-2017) and contemporary (2017-2023) drilling across 544 drill holes from 1952 to 2023. The estimate is based on drilling up to and including TS23-009D2, completed October 15, 2023 using a final database cut-off for 2023 and earlier drilling of June 23, 2024.

Detailed geological and fault models were created in 3D for each of Tom, Jason, End Zone and Boundary Zone. These models use a sequence stratigraphic approach and are based on an improved understanding of the regional stratigraphy and structural setting of the deposits. A mineralization model was developed using the geological domains as a framework for defining estimation domains. Contact-plot analysis was used to determine how composite samples should be managed at domain contacts during estimation.

Data Verification

The data used in this Mineral Resource Estimate is supported by Quality Assurance and Quality Control ("QA/QC") procedures, such as the insertion of certified standards and blanks into the sample stream and the utilization of certified independent analytical laboratories for all assays. Historical QA/QC data and methodology on the project were reviewed and will be summarized in the NI 43-101 technical report. No significant QA/QC issues were discovered during review of the data.

The QP is of the opinion that the sample preparation, analysis, and security procedures at Macpass are sufficient for estimating Mineral Resources. Additionally, the QP is of the opinion that the QA/QC program designed and implemented by Fireweed is adequate, and the assay results in the database are suitable for use in the Mineral Resource Estimate.

Data verification for the drill hole database involved cross-checking database analytical values with digital laboratory analysis certificates. These certificates were directly sent to the Fireweed database manager by Bureau Veritas before being passed on to SLR. The verification process also included validating historical assay results from previous operators using a selection of historical certificates, which were scanned from the original paper copies by Fireweed.

In accordance with NI 43-101, Pierre Landry, P.Geo., of SLR, conducted a site visit to Macpass and related facilities from September 15th to 17th, 2022. During this visit, Mr. Landry inspected the core shack, core scanning workspace, and reviewed the logging environment and procedures for data collection and sampling. He also examined core samples from the Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone deposits, interviewed Fireweed Metals personnel, and gathered other information necessary for completing the Mineral Resource Estimate and accompanying technical report. Additionally, Mr. Landry inspected drill collars and drill hole cores relevant to the Mineral Resource estimation, including checking collar locations with a handheld GPS and visually comparing mineralization with interpreted drilling sections. Fireweed Metals provided full access to all facilities and personnel during the site visit. During the visit Mr. Landry was accompanied by Dr. Jack Milton, Vice-President, Geology for Fireweed Metals.

A full description of the data QA/QC will be available in the technical report for the mineral resource update.

Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology

A data-driven approach was used to define grade caps for zinc, lead, and silver within each estimation domain. Assay caps were applied prior to compositing. Regressions of measured densities against the sum of assay values (Zn+Pb+Ba+Fe) were developed for each deposit or domain in order to estimate densities of samples that lack density measurements using assay values. Variography and trend analysis were considered for domains with sufficient data support, and dynamic anisotropy was implemented in the estimate, guided by the mineralization contacts with the wall rock or other sub-domains where applicable. Density-weighted composites were used for the interpolation of grades into the block model using inverse distance squared (ID2) interpolation and compared against nearest neighbor (NN) via swath plots and tables for consistency. High-grade search restrictions were implemented within certain domains. Sub-block models were created using a 5 m parent cell size with sufficient sub block increments to accurately reproduce the wireframe volumes. Density was estimated into each block using length-weighted density composites for each mineralization domain. Fixed, average values of density were assigned to each of the areas of the model outside the mineralization domains.

Resource category classification was determined using a combination of drillhole spacing, geological continuity, grade continuity, mineralization width, and data quality. Inferred and Indicated categories were assigned, and no Measured resources were defined.

Metallurgy

The metallurgical variability of the Tom, Jason, and Boundary Zone deposits has been previously disclosed and shown to have positive metallurgical performance, producing high grade concentrates with high recoveries (see Fireweed News Releases May 15, 2018, and November 1, 2022). Another test program was completed in 2023 that focused on understanding the performance of the massive sulphide mineralization domain at Boundary Zone. Two composites were generated from drillholes NB21-001 and NB20-004, and open circuit tests were completed using the flowsheet from 2022 as a basis. Initial metallurgical performance of the samples is deemed as positive with representative results for each Boundary Zone domain given in Table 2.

Table 2: List of Deposit-Specific Metallurgical Assumptions for NSR and ZnEq Calculations.

Category Unit Tom, Jason & End Zone Boundary Zone Massive Sulphide Boundary Zone Vein Boundary Zone Halo Recovery Zn, Zn Conc % 89% 85% 88% 80% Recovery Ag, Zn Conc % 22% 30% 22% 22% Recovery Pb, Pb Conc % 75% 55% 55% 38% Recovery Ag, Pb Conc % 59% 40% 30% 20% Zn Concentrate Grade Zn % 58% 49% 56% 58% Zn Concentrate Grade Hg g/t 155 777 693 922 Hg Penalty USD$/dmt $0.00 $14.11 $11.63 $21.63 Pb Concentrate Grade Pb % 62% 45% 46% 44% Zn Conc Payable Zn % 85% 84% 85% 85% Pb Conc Payable Pb % 95% 93% 93% 93%

Net smelter return (NSR) values were calculated on a block-by-block basis using zinc, lead, and silver block grades with the input parameters listed in Tables 2 and 3. For NSR and ZnEq calculations, fixed values are applied to all blocks within each domain for: metallurgical recoveries; grades of Zn, Pb, and Hg in Zn and Pb concentrates; mercury penalties; and payability of Zn and Pb. Silver grades and payability in zinc and lead concentrates were calculated on a block-by-block basis. For silver grades in lead concentrates less than 620.0 g/t, a minimum deduction was applied of 31 g/t silver with a maximum payability of 95% for silver in lead concentrates. For silver grades in zinc concentrates less than 311.0 g/t, a minimum deduction was applied of 93 g/t silver with a maximum payability of 70% for silver in zinc concentrates.

Table 3: List of Global Assumptions for NSR Calculations, Cut-off-grade Determinations, and Reporting Parameters

Category Unit Parameter Cut-off grade $/t NSR $112.00 UG/ $30.00 OP Processing $/t milled $22.00 G&A $/t milled $8.00 Mining (OP) $/t moved $4.67 Mining (UG) $/t milled $61.00 UG Sustaining (capex) $/t milled $21.00 Foreign Exchange rate CAD:USD 1.32 Transport Costs $/wmt conc $293.55 Treatment Charges Zn/Pb USD$/dmt conc $225.00/$150.00 Concentrate moisture content % 8.0 Silver Refining Costs USD$/oz $1.25 Zn Price USD$/lb $1.40 Pb Price USD$/lb $1.10 Ag Price USD$/oz $25.00 Royalty NSR % 0.00

Mining Constraints

Blocks were constrained by OP shells and UG mining shapes at a base case mining scenario to demonstrate RPEEE at an NSR cut-off of $30/t OP and $112/t UG. The cut-off grades were selected using cost estimates listed in Table 3 that assume: a mill throughput rate of 10,000 tonnes-per-day (tpd); open-pit mining rates of 10,000 tpd; and underground mining rates of 5,000 tpd per deposit.

Resources were reported for Inferred or Indicated blocks that are above the stated cut-off within the OP shells, and for all Inferred or Indicated blocks within UG reporting panels that meet the average panel cut-off including all must-take internal dilution material within those panels. Tables 5 and 6 show portions of the global resource that are constrained by OP shapes and UG reporting panels, respectively (see Figures 29 for block model cross sections, plan views and base case mining shape visualizations).

Table 4: Macpass Revenue Factors and Strip Ratios for Base Case OP Reporting Shells.

Category Tom Jason End Zone Boundary Zone Base Case OP Revenue Factor 0.8 0.6 0.8 1.0 Base Case OP Strip Ratio 9.4 6.2 10.0 4.9

Different revenue factors between 0.6 and 1.0 were selected for each deposit during the OP optimization process. The revenue factor is a scaling parameter applied to the metal prices (or commodity prices) used in the economic evaluation of pit shells. It is expressed as a percentage or factor of the base case (or expected) metal price. For example, a revenue factor of 1.0 corresponds to using the full base case metal prices in the optimization process, while a revenue factor of 0.8 means that the prices used are 80% of the base case prices. This approach was used to optimize the strip ratio, maximize net resource, minimize waste production, limit environmental impacts, and provide a resource suitable for optimizing economics in any future studies (revenue factors and strip ratios are listed in Table 4).

Table 5: Macpass OP Constrained MRE by Deposit

2024 SLR Class Deposit Tonnes (Mt) ZnEq(%) Zn Grade (%) Pb Grade (%) Ag Grade (g/t) Zn Contained Metal (Mlbs) Pb Contained Metal (Mlbs) Ag Contained Metal (Moz) Indicated

Tom 13.63 8.60 5.84 2.63 24.1 1,754 789 10.56 Jason 1.63 8.63 6.96 2.12 2.1 251 76 0.11 End Zone 0.32 16.43 3.91 12.51 87.3 28 89 0.90 Boundary Zone 33.50 5.46 4.72 0.53 20.9 3,486 388 22.45 Total Indicated 49.08 6.51 5.10 1.24 21.6 5,518 1,342 34.02 Inferred

Tom 4.20 10.16 6.37 3.24 39.7 591 300 5.37 Jason 1.06 6.59 5.68 1.16 0.9 132 27 0.03 End Zone 0.24 9.57 2.27 7.32 50.1 12 38 0.38 Boundary Zone 16.90 3.63 3.39 0.21 8.9 1,260 77 4.85 Total Inferred 22.40 5.06 4.05 0.90 14.8 1,995 442 10.63

See Table 1 footnotes

Table 6: Macpass UG Constrained MRE by Deposit

2024 SLR Class Deposit Tonnes (Mt) ZnEq (%) Zn Grade (%) Pb Grade (%) Ag Grade (g/t) Zn Contained Metal (Mlbs) Pb Contained Metal (Mlbs) Ag Contained Metal (Moz) Indicated

Tom 3.90 14.46 7.93 5.85 63.9 681 502 8.00 Jason 2.17 9.43 8.12 1.67 1.5 388 80 0.10 End Zone 0.02 11.43 2.16 9.07 68.0 1 4 0.04 Boundary Zone 0.84 12.46 10.55 1.31 51.0 196 24 1.38 Total Indicated 6.92 12.64 8.29 4.00 42.8 1,266 610 9.52 Inferred

Tom 14.74 8.80 6.61 2.03 21.1 2,148 660 10.00 Jason 10.59 10.78 5.46 4.65 52.9 1,274 1,085 18.01 End Zone 0.20 7.83 1.40 6.38 45.9 6 29 0.30 Boundary Zone 0.56 7.35 6.29 0.84 26.6 77 10 0.47 Total Inferred 26.09 9.56 6.09 3.10 34.3 3,505 1,784 28.79

See Table 1 footnotes

Sensitivity Analysis

Cut-off grade (CoG) sensitivity analyses were run on each deposit at increments of 20% NSR cut-off, starting at a -20% scenario and ending with a +80% scenario to determine continuity of mineralization and resiliency of the resource to changes in cost environment or metal pricing (Table 7). A highly robust method was used to perform the sensitivity analysis: new OP shells and UG mining shapes were generated based on each of the revised cut-off values for each sensitivity scenario at each deposit to most accurately reflect mineral resources that would be reported at cut-off values that deviate from the base case scenario. Results show excellent continuity of mineralization within both OP and UG environments across the range of scenarios tested, with contiguous UG reporting panels generating very few isolated outlying reporting panels. Visual representations of these scenarios are presented in Figures 1012.

Table 7 illustrates the resiliency of the resource to decreases in metal pricing. Keeping cost assumptions fixed at the base case, non-unique example combinations of break-even prices would be approximately: at +20% NSR cut-off USD$1.24/lb Zn, USD$0.97/lb Pb, and USD$22.10/oz Ag; at +40% NSR cut-off USD$1.12/lb Zn, USD$0.88/lb Pb, and USD$20.05/oz Ag; at +60% NSR cut-off USD$1.03/lb Zn, USD$0.81/lb Pb, and USD$18.48/oz Ag; and at +80% NSR cut-off USD$0.97/lb Zn, USD$0.76/lb Pb, and USD$17.28/oz Ag.

Table 7: OP and UG Macpass MRE Cut-Off Sensitivity Analysis

Scenario NSR CoG Class OP/UG CoG NSR ($/t) CoG ZnEq % Tonnes (Mt) NSR ($/t) ZnEq. % Zn % Pb % Ag g/t -20 % Ind OP 24.0 1.10 57.19 131.7 6.39 5.00 1.37 21.9 Base Case Ind OP 30.0 1.40 49.08 130.4 6.51 5.10 1.24 21.6 20 % Ind OP 36.0 1.70 41.78 137.7 6.68 5.38 1.33 23.7 40 % Ind OP 42.0 2.00 35.27 142.5 6.91 5.57 1.38 24.8 60 % Ind OP 48.0 2.30 29.89 149.3 7.24 5.85 1.44 26.7 80 % Ind OP 54.0 2.50 24.31 157.3 7.63 6.19 1.48 28.9 -20 % Inf OP 24.0 1.10 31.19 97.4 4.72 3.87 0.78 11.7 Base Case Inf OP 30.0 1.40 22.40 103.6 5.06 4.05 0.9 14.8 20 % Inf OP 36.0 1.70 16.98 112.5 5.46 4.28 1.06 18.0 40 % Inf OP 42.0 2.00 12.99 125.6 6.09 4.64 1.29 21.7 60 % Inf OP 48.0 2.30 10.06 139.9 6.78 5.01 1.55 25.8 80 % Inf OP 54.0 2.50 7.20 159.9 7.75 5.47 1.96 32.3 -20 % Ind UG 89.6 4.20 4.22 225.2 10.92 7.59 2.97 34.5 Base Case Ind UG 112.0 5.30 6.92 259.9 12.64 8.29 4.00 42.8 20 % Ind UG 134.4 6.30 7.45 266.9 12.94 8.34 4.05 43.1 40 % Ind UG 156.8 7.40 7.62 285.9 13.87 8.94 4.38 50.4 60 % Ind UG 179.2 8.40 7.04 308.2 14.95 9.39 4.89 57.9 80 % Ind UG 201.6 9.50 6.44 329 15.96 9.78 5.39 66.2 -20 % Inf UG 89.6 4.20 32.64 178.3 8.65 5.44 2.65 28.8 Base Case Inf UG 112.0 5.30 26.09 200.3 9.56 6.09 3.10 34.3 20 % Inf UG 134.4 6.30 19.54 228.9 11.10 6.44 3.79 43.6 40 % Inf UG 156.8 7.40 13.99 263.5 12.78 6.84 4.80 57.7 60 % Inf UG 179.2 8.40 11.19 288.1 13.97 7.11 5.50 67.6 80 % Inf UG 201.6 9.50 9.43 308.4 14.96 7.33 6.08 76.3

Tonnes have been reported in millions, rounded to the nearest 10,000.

NSR values were calculated on a block-by-block basis and reported as mass weighted averages for each scenario. Zinc equivalency in this table for non-base case scenarios was approximated using a simplified formula: NSR($/t)/20.62 = ZnEq(%).

All scenarios presented in this table are deemed to meet the requirements for RPEEE.

Base case scenarios are presented as in Tables 5 and 6.

Gallium and Germanium By-Product Potential

Gallium and germanium are critical minerals that occur in elevated concentrations at MacPass. Fireweed has carried out a comprehensive re-assay program for 20172023 drilling and selected historical intervals using a specialized assay method that can quantify gallium and germaniuma closed vessel assay (Bureau Veritas method GC204). Fireweed is currently investigating the potential to report by-product germanium and gallium alongside the metals of economic interest in the MRE, zinc, lead, and silver.

Exploration Potential in the Macpass District

The current Mineral Resources at Tom, Jason, and Boundary Zone are open in multiple directions. Geological modeling suggests that the trend of mineralization extends into areas that are untested or for which mineral resources have not been defined. Additional drilling in 2024 is intended to test targets that could expand upon these resources and will be reflected in future updates.

The Tom, Jason, End Zone and Boundary Zone deposits are structurally and stratigraphically controlled feeder-fault systems that occur on splays of the MacMillan-Hess fault system. These feeder-faults occur on roughly 510 km centers, within rocks of the Earn and Road River groups. These same fault systems and prospective geology occur throughout the length of the Macpass tenure area, along a pathway referred to as the prospective corridor (Figure 1). Historically under-explored for base metals, this prospective corridor is the focus of a significant regional exploration program by Fireweed in 2024 comprising ground gravity geophysical surveys, soil sampling, prospecting, and versatile time-domain electromagnetic (VTEM)-magnetic airborne geophysical surveys.





Figure 1: Deposit locations and simplified genetic model of Macpass: mineralization in the sub-surface environment, with the curved pink lines representing the stepping faults controlling the distribution of the deposits. The pink plumes in the schematic cross section represent the sub-surface environment where the early phase of stratiform mineralization at the Tom, Jason, and Boundary Zone deposits formed within the sediment pile, and are displayed prior to any deformation.

Qualified Person Statements and Related Disclosure

Technical information in this news release relating to the MRE has been reviewed and approved by SLR Managing Principal Resource Geologist, Pierre Landry, P.Geo. (BC), a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. Mr. Landry is considered to be independent of the Company under Section 1.5 of NI 43-101.

All other technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Fireweed Metals VP Geology, Dr. Jack Milton, P.Geo. (BC), a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. Mr. Milton is not independent of the Company within the meaning of NI 43-101, as he is VP, Geology of the Company.

An NI 43-101 technical report supporting the MRE will be filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days of the date of this news release. Reference should be made to the full text of the technical report for the assumptions, qualifications and limitations relating thereto.

About Fireweed Metals Corp. (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQX: FWEDF; FSE:M0G): Fireweed Metals Corp. is an exploration company unlocking significant value in a new critical metals district located in Yukon, Canada. Fireweed is 100% owner of the Macpass District, a large and highly prospective 977 km2 land package. The Macpass District includes the Macpass zinc-lead-silver project and the Mactung tungsten project, both characterized by meaningful size, grade and opportunity. At Macpass, Fireweed owns one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources worldwide1,3, in a region with enormous exploration upside potential. The Mactung project is a strategic critical metals asset that hosts the worlds largest high-grade tungsten resource1,4  a potential long-term supply of tungsten for North America. A Lundin Group company, Fireweed is strongly positioned to create meaningful value.

In Canada, Fireweed (TSXV: FWZ) trades on the TSX Venture Exchange. In the USA, Fireweed (OTCQX: FWEDF) trades on the OTCQX Best Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies and is DTC eligible for enhanced electronic clearing and settlement. Investors can find Real-Time quotes and market information for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. In Europe, Fireweed (FSE: M0G) trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Additional information about Fireweed and its projects can be found on the Companys website at FireweedMetals.com and at www.sedarplus.com

ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED METALS CORP.

Peter Hemstead

Interim 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.

Cautionary Statements

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information (forward-looking statements). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to interpretation of drill results, targets for exploration, potential extensions of mineralized zones, future work plans, the use of funds, and the potential of the Companys projects, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, "intends, "estimates, "potential, "possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will, "may, "could, or "should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company management and reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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 but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, the ability to properly and efficiently staff the Companys operations, the sufficiency of working capital and funding for continued operations, title matters, First Nations relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors, competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, technological change, industry practices, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and laboratory tests, and one-time events. The Company assumes no obligation to update forwardlooking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law.

This news release also contains references to estimates of mineral resources. The estimation of mineral resources is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, which may prove to be unreliable and depend, to a certain extent, upon the analysis of drilling results and statistical inferences that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Mineral resource estimates may require re-estimation based on, among other things: (i) fluctuations in the price of zinc and other metals; (ii) results of drilling; (iii) results of metallurgical testing, process and other studies; (iv) changes to proposed mine plans; (v) the evaluation of mine plans subsequent to the date of any estimates; and (vi) the possible failure to receive required permits, approvals and licenses.

Footnotes and References

*Zinc equivalency is based on a price of USD$1.40/lb Zn, USD$1.10/lb Pb, and USD$25/oz Ag, CAD:USD exchange rate of 1.32, and a number of operating cost and metallurgical assumptions specific to each deposit or domain (see Tables 2 and 3).

1References to relative size, grade, and metal content of the Macpass resources and Mactung resources in comparison to other tungsten, zinc, gallium, and germanium deposits elsewhere in the world, respectively, are based on review of the Standard & Poors Global Market Intelligence Capital IQ database.

2: The 2018 NI43-101 technical report on the previous mineral resource is available for comparison on https://www.sedarplus.ca/

3: For Tom, Jason, End Zone, and Boundary Zone Mineral Resources, the technical report will be filed on https://www.sedarplus.ca/ within 45 days of September 4, 2024, the effective date of this Mineral Resource.

4: For Mactung Mineral Resources, see Fireweed news release dated June 13, 2023 Fireweed Metals Announces Mineral Resources for the Mactung Project: the Largest High-Grade Tungsten Deposit in the World* and the technical report entitled NI 43-101 Technical Report, Mactung Project, Yukon Territory, Canada, with effective date July 28, 2023 filed on https://www.sedarplus.ca/. Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. is independent of Fireweed Metals Corp., and a Qualified Person as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Garth Kirkham, of Kirkham Geosystems Limited., is responsible for the Mactung Mineral Resource Estimate.

Contact: Alex Campbell

Phone: +1 (604) 689-7842

Email: info@fireweedmetals.com





Figure 2: Plan View of Tom Block Model, OP shell, drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values. The view is cut at 1450 m above sea level to display the resource extents at 120 m below surface.





Figure 3: Cross section view of Tom block model, OP shell, UG Resource Panels and drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values.





Figure 4: Plan view of Jason block model, OP shell, drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values.. The view is cut at 1120 m above sea level to display the resource extents at 135 m below surface.

Figure 5: Cross section view of Jason block model, OP shell, UG Resource Panels and drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values.





Figure 6: Plan view of End Zone block model, OP shell, drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values. The view is cut at 1350 m above sea level to display the resource extents at 40 m below surface.





Figure 7: Cross section view of End Zone block model, OP shell, UG Resource Panels and drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values.





Figure 8: Plan view of Boundary Zone block model, OP shell, drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values. The view is cut at 1080 m above sea level to display the resource extents at 110 m below surface.





Figure 9: Cross section view of Boundary Zone block model, OP shell, UG Resource Panels and drilling traces with assay ZnEq% values.





Figure 10: Tom Deposit NSR CoG Sensitivity Visualization.

Figure 11: Jason Deposit NSR CoG Sensitivity Visualization.

Figure 12: Boundary Zone NSR CoG Sensitivity Visualization

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ca724b0-8d32-42fd-b9f5-5343574ebb11

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79f43e56-6867-4ab4-99f4-9065c8ba610d



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a84da88d-0382-4e8b-b97a-e3bac6cc7b61



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NEWARK, Del, Sept. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global medical robot market is set to witness unprecedented growth over the next decade, with its market size expected to surge from USD 11,502.4 million in 2024 to a staggering USD 38,701.5 million by 2034. This growth trajectory, reflecting a CAGR of 12.9%, is driven by technological advancements, increased demand for minimally invasive surgeries, and the rising adoption of robotics in healthcare.



Understanding the Medical Robot Market:

The Medical Robot Market encompasses a range of robotic systems and devices designed to assist medical professionals in various tasks, including surgical procedures, rehabilitation, diagnostics, and patient care. These robots offer enhanced precision, reduced recovery times, and the ability to perform complex procedures with minimal human intervention. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, the integration of robotics is becoming increasingly crucial in addressing the growing demand for efficient and effective medical solutions.

The market is broadly segmented into surgical robots, rehabilitation robots, medical rehabilitation robotics, hospital and pharmacy robots, and other robotic systems used in healthcare settings. Surgical robots, in particular, hold a significant share of the market due to their ability to perform intricate surgeries with high precision. Medical rehabilitation robotics and rehabilitation robots are also gaining traction, especially in assisting patients with physical therapy and mobility issues.

Medical Robot Market Value and Growth Projections:

The growth is largely attributed to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the aging population, and the rising need for advanced medical technologies.

Moreover, the continuous advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor technologies are further propelling the adoption of medical robots. These innovations are enhancing the capabilities of robots, making them more intuitive, adaptable, and capable of performing a wider range of tasks. As a result, healthcare providers are increasingly relying on robotic systems to improve patient outcomes and streamline operations.

Prominent Drivers of the Medical Robot Market:

Several factors are driving the growth of the Medical Robot Market:

Technological Advancements: Continuous innovations in robotics, AI, and machine learning are significantly enhancing the functionality and efficiency of medical robots. Rising Demand for Minimally Invasive Surgeries: Patients and healthcare providers alike are increasingly favoring minimally invasive procedures due to their associated benefits, such as reduced recovery times, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays. Growing Healthcare Expenditure: As global healthcare spending continues to rise, there is a growing emphasis on improving healthcare infrastructure and adopting advanced technologies. Aging Population: The global population is aging, leading to an increase in the prevalence of age-related conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, orthopedic issues, and neurological disorders.

Challenges Faced by the Medical Robot Market

Despite its promising growth prospects, the Medical Robot Market faces several challenges:

High Costs: The initial investment required for purchasing and maintaining medical robots is substantial, which can be a barrier for smaller healthcare facilities and those in developing regions. Additionally, the costs associated with training medical personnel to operate these robots can also be significant. Regulatory Hurdles: The development and deployment of medical robots are subject to stringent regulatory approvals, which can be time-consuming and costly. Ensuring compliance with varying regulations across different regions adds to the complexity of bringing new robotic solutions to market. Limited Adoption in Developing Regions: While medical robots are becoming increasingly prevalent in developed countries, their adoption in developing regions remains limited due to financial constraints, lack of infrastructure, and limited awareness of the benefits of robotic systems in healthcare. Ethical Concerns: The increasing reliance on robots in healthcare raises ethical questions regarding the replacement of human jobs and the potential loss of the human touch in patient care. Addressing these concerns is essential for the widespread acceptance of medical robots.

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Key Drivers and Market Insights:

Rapid Growth : The medical robot market size is set to expand significantly, with a projected CAGR of 12.9% over the next decade.

: The medical robot market size is set to expand significantly, with a projected CAGR of 12.9% over the next decade. Market Valuation : The market is anticipated to grow from USD 11,502.4 million in 2024 to USD 38,701.5 million by 2034.

: The market is anticipated to grow from USD 11,502.4 million in 2024 to USD 38,701.5 million by 2034. Technological Advancements: The primary factor contributing to this growth is the ongoing advancements in robot-assisted surgery, which are revolutionizing the healthcare industry by enhancing precision, reducing recovery times, and improving patient outcomes.



"The Medical Robot Market is at the forefront of a transformative era in healthcare. As technology continues to advance, medical robots will become even more integral to delivering high-quality, efficient care. However, addressing cost barriers and regulatory challenges will be crucial for ensuring their widespread adoption." Says Sabyasachi Ghosh (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.)

Competitive Landscape Outlook:



As industry leaders continuously explore diverse niches, the competitive landscape is marked by strategic expansion. Key players are actively engaging in mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships to strengthen their market positions.

Analysis of the global medical robot market indicates that new entrants may encounter challenges due to the saturated nature of the industry.

Recent key developments influencing the market include:

In April 2024, iRobot Corporation introduced the Roomba Combo Essential Robot, aiming to make robotic solutions more affordable and accessible.

In May 2024, Medrobotics Corporation sold off its assets as a measure to address financial difficulties, leading to a reduction in its market share.

Key Players of the Medical Robot Market:

iRobot Corporation, Medrobotics Corporation, Titan Medical Inc., Renishaw Plc, Health Robotics SLR, Medtroni, Intuitive Surgical, Mako Surgical Corp., Varian Medical Systems, Stereotaxis Inc., Mazor Robotics.

Medical Robot Market- Key Segments:

By Product:

Based on the product, the segment is categorized as Surgical Robots, Assistive Robots, Hospital Automation robots, and Pharmacy Automation robots.

By Application:

Neurology Applications, Orthopedic Applications, Cardiology Applications, Laparoscopic Applications, Pharmacy Applications, and Others are key applications-based segments.

By End User:

Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Rehabilitation Centers, and Others are key end-user industries.

By Region:

North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Pacific, East Asia, and The Middle East and Africa are the key contributing regions to the industry.

To Gain More Insights about this Research, Visit! https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/medical-robots-market

Author by:



Sabyasachi Ghosh (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.) holds over 12 years of experience in the Healthcare, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceutical industries. His curious and analytical nature helped him shape his career as a researcher.

Identifying key challenges faced by clients and devising robust, hypothesis-based solutions to empower them with strategic decision-making capabilities come naturally to him. His primary expertise lies in areas such as Market Entry and Expansion Strategy, Feasibility Studies, Competitive Intelligence, and Strategic Transformation.

Holding a degree in Microbiology, Sabyasachi has authored numerous publications and has been cited in journals, including The Journal of mHealth, ITN Online, and Spinal Surgery News.

Have a Look at the Related Report from the Medical Robot Market:

The global medical rehabilitation robotics market is forecasted to expand at 15.2% CAGR to reach a market valuation of US$ 1.76 Billion by the end of 2033.

The global Medical Telepresence Robots market to reach a valuation of US$ 459.1 Million by 2032.

The global wearable medical robots market was valued at around US$ 239.3 Million at the end of 2021.

The global portable medical devices market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 10.7% during the forecast period.

The global medical automation market is estimated to secure a valuation of US$ 48,626.2 million in 2023 and reach up to US$ 103,052.3 million by 2033.

The medical device technology market is experiencing steady growth, with a projected market size of USD 549.2 billion in 2024.

Deep brain stimulator market analysis predicts that the industry size is expected to change from USD 1308.0 million to USD 2772.1 million from 2024 to 2034.

The computed tomography market is set to increase to USD 5210.7 million by 2024.

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) market is expected to increase steadily to USD 6214 million by 2024.

The global transcatheter mitral valve market is expected to reach a valuation of USD 1.6 billion by the end of 2024 and expand at a CAGR of 10.8%.

About Future Market Insights (FMI)

Future Market Insights, Inc. (ESOMAR certified, recipient of the Stevie Award, and a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) offers profound insights into the driving factors that are boosting demand in the market. FMI stands as the leading global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, consulting, and events for the Packaging, Food and Beverage, Consumer Technology, Healthcare, Industrial, and Chemicals markets. With a vast team of over 400 analysts worldwide, FMI provides global, regional, and local expertise on diverse domains and industry trends across more than 110 countries.

Join us as we commemorate 10 years of delivering trusted market insights. Reflecting on a decade of achievements, we continue to lead with integrity, innovation, and expertise.

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Washington, DC, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Workers with middle-skills credentials provide essential medical and public services, build and maintain critical infrastructure, and help run key business operations, among other vital societal functions. These workers can earn a high salaryin some occupations, even more than the typical worker with a bachelors degree and similar job experience. New research from CEW, supported by JPMorganChase, finds that middle-skills providers must significantly adjust their current production of middle-skills credentials (certificates and associates degrees) to address impending shortages in locally produced credentials that align with these high-paying middle-skills occupations.

Missed Opportunities: Credential Shortages in Programs Aligned with High-Paying Middle-Skills Jobs in 55 US Metro Areas examines the production of middle-skills credentials that prepare workers for high-paying occupations in metro areas with populations exceeding 1 million. It compares current production with the projected number of job openings for workers holding these credentials through 2032. An online data tool accompanies the brief to aid regional planners, educational institutions, and job training providers in making crucial decisions about program investment and expansion.

High-paying middle-skills jobs are relatively rare: only 25% of early-career middle-skills workers earn more than most young workers with a bachelors degree, said Zachary Mabel, lead author and director of research at CEW. Nevertheless, the projected demand for high-paying middle-skills workers exceeds the current supply in certain sectors and localities. In many places experiencing shortages, middle-skills providers need to substantially expand their program capacity to prepare future workers for local jobs in high-paying fields.

High-paying middle-skills occupations are those in which more than half of early-career (ages 1835) middle-skills workers have a job with annual earnings of more than $53,000. Early-career middle-skills workers in these jobs not only out-earn most young workers with a bachelors degree but also experience considerable earnings growth over time, with median annual earnings that rise to $80,000 by mid-career (ages 3649). CEW researchers identified 107 high-paying middle-skills jobs in five occupational groups: blue-collar; healthcare; management; protective services; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In total, 349 middle-skills programs provide a pathway to these high-paying jobs.

The blue-collar sector will have the greatest nationwide shortage of workers prepared for high-paying middle-skills occupations, with 52 of the 55 largest US metro areas experiencing shortages, said CEW Director and co-author Jeff Strohl. If the current levels of annual credential production in programs aligned with these occupations dont increase nationally, the credential supply will meet only 13% of the projected annual demand through 2032. As a result, annual credential production in aligned programs will fall short of annual demand by more than 360,000 credentials. We anticipate that Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Boston will experience the greatest blue-collar shortages relative to projected labor-market demand.

More moderate shortages are expected in high-paying management, protective services, and STEM middle-skills occupations. In high-paying middle-skills management occupations, 39 of the 55 largest US metro areas will face credential shortages. And while 39 of the 55 major metro areas will also face shortages in annual credential production aligned with high-paying middle-skills protective services jobssuch as police officers and firefightersthe rest of the country will not. Only 10 major metro areas are expected to face a credential shortage in programs aligned with high-paying middle-skills STEM occupations, but many smaller metro areas and rural communities will face severe shortages. As a result, current credential production is projected to meet only 60% of demand nationwide through 2032.

Jobs are foundational to unlocking greater economic mobility, and well-paying jobs increasingly require a combination of skills and experience that can be difficult to get in traditional education settings, said Jennie Sparandara, managing director of Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase. We are proud to support organizations like CEW and their important, independent research in this space. At JPMorganChase, we are backing up our commitment to inclusive growth with action  helping people prepare for successful careers by supporting research, programs, and policy solutions that promote better access to credentials, skills, degrees, and real-world work experiences.

Healthcare is the only occupational group with a projected nationwide oversupply of credentials aligned with high-paying middle-skills occupations. In part, this reflects rising demand for workers with bachelors degrees in healthcare occupations historically held by workers with middle-skills credentials. Between 2010 and 2022, the proportion of workers with middle-skills education in these healthcare occupations decreased from 46% to 25%. If this trend continues, middle-skills workers will make up only 10% of the workforce in these healthcare occupations by 2032.

Not all metro areas will face shortages in programs aligned with high-paying middle-skills occupations, but where shortages exist, they can be substantial, said Kathryn Peltier Campbell, co-author and editorial director at CEW. As it stands now, most middle-skills providers in areas experiencing shortages in programs aligned with high-paying middle-skills blue-collar, management, and protective services occupations would need to more than double their credential production to meet local demand through 2032.

To view our latest research, including an online data tool that features detailed alignment metrics for high-paying middle-skills occupations in each of the 55 largest US metro areas, visit: https://cew.georgetown.edu/high-paying-middle-skills.

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) is a research and policy institute within Georgetown's McCourt School of Public Policy that studies the links between education, career qualifications, and workforce demands. For more information, visit https://cew.georgetown.edu/. Follow CEW on X @GeorgetownCEW, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Medium.
Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. to Report Half Year 2024 Financial Results on September 12, and to Host KOL Event on September 30, 2024

Halle (Saale) / Munich, Germany, September 5, 2024 - Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: VVY; NL00150002Q7) (Vivoryon), a clinical stage company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule medicines to modulate the activity and stability of pathologically altered proteins, today announced that it will host two events in September:

Half year 2024 results on September 12; webcast at 3pm CEST

Virtual Kidney Disease KOL event on September 30, 2024; webcast at 3pm CEST

Half Year 2024 Results

Vivoryon will publish its financial results for the half year 2024 and provide a corporate update on Thursday, September 12, 2024. The Company will host a conference call and webcast open to the public. The report will be available for download on the Company's website https://www.vivoryon.com/financial-information/.

Conference call details

Date: September 12, 2024

Time: 3:00 pm CEST / 9:00 am EDT



The conference call will be available via phone and webcast.

The live audio webcast of the call will be available on Vivoryons website at: https://www.vivoryon.com/news-and-events/presentations-webcasts/



To join the conference call via phone, participants may pre-register and will receive dedicated dial-in details to easily and quickly access the call via the following website:

https://register.vevent.com/register/BIb82f5f65fffe4d5faaade135258da32a



It is suggested participants dial into the conference call 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time to avoid any delays in attendance.

Virtual Kidney Disease KOL Event

Vivoryon will host a virtual Kidney Disease KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) webcast on Monday, September 30, 2024.

Conference call details

Date: September 30, 2024

Time: 3:00 pm CEST / 9:00 am EDT



Further details of the event and participation information will be made available on the Companys website in due time.

###

About Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.

Vivoryon is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative small molecule-based medicines. Driven by its passion for ground-breaking science and innovation, the Company strives to change the lives of patients in need suffering from severe diseases. The Company leverages its in-depth expertise in understanding post-translational modifications to develop medicines that modulate the activity and stability of proteins which are altered in disease settings. The Company has established a pipeline of orally available small molecule inhibitors for various indications including Alzheimers disease, inflammatory and fibrotic disorders, including of the kidney, and cancer. www.vivoryon.com.

Vivoryon Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding the business strategy, management plans and objectives for future operations of Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (the Company), estimates and projections with respect to the market for the Companys products and forecasts and statements as to when the Companys products may be available. Words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, forecast, intend, may, plan, project, predict, should and will and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance; rather they are based on the Managements current expectations and assumptions about future events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. The forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties and other factors could materially adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. The Companys results of operations, cash needs, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, future transactions, strategies or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements and from expectations. As a result, no undue reliance should be placed on such forward-looking statements. This press release does not contain risk factors. Certain risk factors that may affect the Companys future financial results are discussed in the published annual financial statements of the Company. This press release, including any forward-looking statements, speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any information or forward-looking statements contained herein, save for any information required to be disclosed by law.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contact

Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.

Dr. Manuela Bader, Director IR & Communication

Tel: +49 (0)345 555 99 30

Email: IR@vivoryon.com



Media Contact

Trophic Communications

Valeria Fisher

Tel: +49 175 8041816

Email: vivoryon@trophic.eu



Attachment
New York, United States , Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Viral Inactivation Market Size is to Grow from USD 653.8 Million in 2023 to USD 1915.2 Million by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.35% during the projected period.





Get a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-sample/5841

The process of removing a virus's genetic makeup or structure renders it non-contagious and stops it from multiplying and infecting new hosts is known as viral inactivation. This procedure is primarily done to increase security and stop viruses in the sample from infecting the desired product. Though it cannot be active, the infection may still be present in the final result. The food and blood plasma industry uses a range of inactivation techniques to protect them against virus activity. A rise in investments in the life sciences industry, an increase in government funding for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries, and an increase in drug approvals and releases are all factors driving the global viral inactivation market. To prevent the rising prevalence of deadly long-term diseases including cancer, HIV, and hepatitis, better biopharmaceutical treatments are needed. However, impeding the market development of virus inactivation is several issues related to the process, including protein denaturation and degradation, virus aggregate formation, and cross-linking.

Browse key industry insights spread across 230 pages with 125 Market data tables and figures & charts from the report on the " Global Viral Inactivation Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis By Products (Kits & Reagents, Systems & Accessories, and Services), By Application (Vaccines and Therapeutics, Stem Cell Products, Blood and Blood Products, Tissue/ Tissue Products, Cellular and Gene Therapy), By End-user (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, CROs, Academic and Research Institutes, and Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023  2033."

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The kits & reagents segment is anticipated to hold the greatest share of the global viral inactivation market during the projected timeframe.

Based on product, the global viral inactivation market is divided into kits & reagents, systems & accessories, and services. Among these, the kits & reagents segment is anticipated to hold the greatest share of the global viral inactivation market during the projected timeframe. The increased development efforts and new products appearing by businesses have helped the kits and reagents in the sector.

The vaccines and therapeutics segment is anticipated to hold the largest share of the global viral inactivation market during the projected timeframe.

Based on application, the global viral inactivation market is divided into vaccines and therapeutics, stem cell products, blood and blood products, tissue/ tissue products, and cellular and gene therapy. Among these, the vaccines and therapeutics segment is anticipated to hold the largest share of the global viral inactivation market during the projected timeframe. The increasing incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases has increased the need for inactivated vaccines, which will drive market growth.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment is predicted to hold the greatest share of the global viral inactivation market during the estimated period.

Based on end users, the global viral inactivation market is divided into pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, CROs, academic and research institutes, and others. Among these, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment is predicted to hold the greatest share of the global viral inactivation market during the estimated period. The development of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries helped fund searching for alternative therapies, which increased the production of novel drugs.

Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/5841

North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global viral inactivation market over the forecast period.

North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global viral inactivation market over the forecast period. This growth is explained by the sophisticated infrastructure, the existence of large biotech and pharmaceutical companies, large R&D expenditures, and healthcare spending by both the government and businesses.

Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at the fastest pace in the global viral inactivation market during the projected timeframe. To improve public health services and increase access to cutting-edge therapies, governments and the corporate sector in Asia Pacific are significantly increasing their spending on healthcare.

Europe is expected to hold a significant share of the global viral inactivation market over the forecast period. To make viruses inactive by causing damage to their genome and causing disruptions to their viral proteins, the University of Technology Sydney conducted research in conjunction with participants in Germany.

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 viral inactivation market include Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Clean Cells, Merck KGaA, Mettler Toledo, Parker Hannifin Corp, Rad Source Technologies Inc., Sartorius AG, Texcell SA, Vironova AB, Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bio-Rad Laboratories, GE Healthcare, and Others.

Get Discount At @ https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-discount/5841

Recent Developments

In June 2023, the opening of a testing facility in North America was announced by Texcell SA. This move should assist the business in improving the viral safety and biotherapeutic and medical device clearance processes.

Market Segment

This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2020 to 2033. Spherical Insights has segmented the global viral inactivation market based on the below-mentioned segments:

Global Viral Inactivation Market, By Product

Kits and Reagents

Systems & Accessories

Services

Global Viral Inactivation Market, By Application

Vaccines and Therapeutics

Stem Cell Products

Blood and Blood Products

Tissue/ Tissue Products

Cellular and Gene Therapy

Global Viral Inactivation Market, By End User

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies

CROs

Academic and Research Institutes

Others

Global Viral Inactivation Market, By Regional Analysis

North America US Canada Mexico

Europe Germany Uk France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific

South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa



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Selbyville, Delaware , Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Non-Woven Adhesives Market will reach USD 6.2 billion by 2032, as per a recent study by Global Market Insights Inc.

Increasing population and aging demographics are pivotal growth drivers in the market. According to UN, the global population of individuals aged 65 and older is expected to more than double, increasing from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion by 2050. As the global population expands, particularly in developing regions, the demand for hygiene products such as diapers and adult incontinence products is on the rise. The elderly population requires specialized care products that are not only effective but also comfortable and safe for prolonged use. Non-woven adhesives are essential in the production of these products, providing the necessary bonding strength while ensuring softness and flexibility.

The increasing demand for disposable hygiene products, in consort with technological advancements in adhesive formulations, offering improved bonding strength, flexibility, and reduced odor, are also contributing to market growth.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/8351





Water-Based Adhesives to Gain Market Appeal

Non-woven adhesives market size from water-based adhesives segment will grow rapidly through 2032, due to their eco-friendly properties and ability to provide strong bonding without the use of harmful solvents. As industries worldwide move towards sustainable practices, the preference for water-based adhesives has surged, especially in applications involving hygiene products such as diapers, feminine hygiene products, and adult incontinence products. Their non-toxic nature, coupled with ease of use, makes them an ideal choice for manufacturers looking to align with stringent environmental regulations and consumer preferences for safer products.

Amorphous poly alpha olefin to witness rising adoption

The amorphous poly alpha olefin segment will gain traction through 2032, owing to its excellent performance in terms of durability, flexibility, and adhesion strength. These adhesives are particularly favored in the hygiene applications, owing to their ability to bond non-woven fabrics effectively while maintaining product softness and comfort. APAO adhesives also exhibit superior heat resistance and chemical stability, which are crucial for maintaining product integrity under varying conditions. The rising demand for disposable hygiene products, driven by an aging population and increasing awareness of personal hygiene, is expected to boost the adoption of APAO adhesives.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/8351

Europe to gain market leadership

Europe Non-Woven Adhesives Market will grow steadily through 2032, driven by the stringent environmental regulations imposed by the European Union, which encourage the adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly products. Countries such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are leading the way in the usage of non-woven adhesives, particularly in the hygiene and medical sectors. The increasing demand for high-quality, safe, and environmentally friendly products in these countries has prompted manufacturers to focus on innovative adhesive solutions that meet regulatory standards. Additionally, the expanding automotive industry in Europe, which increasingly relies on non-woven adhesives for lightweight and durable bonding solutions, is contributing to market growth.

Non-Woven Adhesives Market Players

Major companies in the market include, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, H.B. Fuller Company, Bostik SA (Arkema Group), Avery Dennison Corporation, Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG, Beardow Adams Ltd., Jowat SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Moresco Corporation. Companies are focusing on strategic mergers and acquisitions to enhance their market presence and leverage synergies. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on expanding production capacities and establishing manufacturing facilities in key regions to cater to local demand more efficiently.

For instance, in 2023, Fitesa, a Simpsonville-based nonwoven fabrics manufacturer, announced plans to invest in a new multibeam Reicofil 5 line in Europe, with operations set to begin in the second quarter of 2023. This advanced machine will be installed in one of Fitesa's existing European facilities and is designed to produce both Full High Loft and standard spunmelt products using a range of sustainable raw materials, including bioPE and PLA.

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.
Collaboration with World Leading University, University of Edinburgh

Multi-Million Dollar Transformative Project for Long-Term Care

Future Partnering Opportunities





VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Treatment.com AI Inc. (CSE: TRUE, OTC: TREIF, Frankfurt: 939) (Treatment) is pleased to announce it has signed a Collaborative Agreement with the University Court of the University of Edinburgh (University of Edinburgh). The University of Edinburgh is looking to utilize Treatments proprietary Global Library of Medicine (GLM) to jointly build applications within the SET4 Systems Engineering to Transform Transitions In Health and Social Care innovation initiative (SET4).

World Leading University

Treatment is partnering with the University of Edinburgh, recently acknowledged as amongst the worlds top universities by The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for its contribution to the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. In the 2024 rankings, the University of Edinburgh achieved joint 1st in the world for SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburghs commercialisation service, has attracted 107.6m (USD$142m) of investment, whilst industrial and translational research projects have brought in a further 91.9m (USD$121m) of funding.

Multi-Million Dollar Transformative Project for Long-Term Care

SET4 is an exciting multi-million dollar programme under development in the Usher Institute within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. It represents an innovation hub initiative including all relevant stakeholders, designed to deliver innovative data-driven solutions which improve problematic transitions in health and social care for people living within Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTC). Whilst initially focused on specific communities in Scotland, the goal now is to deliver meaningful change with sufficient evidence to enable wider adoption across the UK National Health Service (NHS), other social care settings and beyond.

Further Opportunities

Beyond SET4, the parties will also work together to explore other relevant collaborative and commercial opportunities to positively impact healthcare system efficiency and enhanced care for patients.

Kevin Peterson MD, MPH, FRCS(Ed), FAAFP, Chairman and Chief Medical Officer of Treatment.com AI says: As a global leading university for industry and innovation, the University of Edinburgh provides a powerful academic partner for Treatment AI in our mission to improve clinical care using artificial intelligence. We are delighted and proud to work with Edinburgh Innovations to discover new ways of improving the lives of people initially in Scotland and subsequently across the world.

Julie Jacko Ph.D., Dean of Innovation and Engagement for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at University of Edinburgh comments: "Catalysing the transformation of health in UK society and globally is central to the mission of the Usher Institute. By prioritising people, populations and their data, the Usher Institute is at the forefront of discovery and innovation. Our partnership with Treatment.com AI will amplify the impact of our work, ensuring that health and wellbeing is improved for generations to come.

Further, the Company announces that it has amended the marketing/investor relations agreement with LEIT Media Ltd. (LEIT), as previously announced by the Company on July 2, 2024. Pursuant to the amended agreement, Treatment will provide an additional amount of 250,000 Euro to LEIT for the marketing campaign and the campaign will continue to focus on the German speaking investor community.

About Treatment.com AI Inc.

Treatment.com AI is a company utilizing AI and best clinical practices to positively disrupt the healthcare sector and impact current inefficiencies and challenges. Over the past 7+ years and with the input of hundreds of healthcare professionals globally, Treatment has built a comprehensive, personalized healthcare AI engine, the Global Library of Medicine (GLM). Providing highly qualified clinical information and support to all healthcare professionals, the GLM delivers >92%+ accuracy on first diagnosis as well as providing recommended tests (physical and lab), x-rays, and billing codes. The GLM helps healthcare professionals (doctor, nurse or pharmacist) reduce their administrative burden; create more time for needed face to face patient appointments and has the propensity for greater consistency in quality of patient support. Treatment also focuses on the next generation of healthcare professionals supporting Medical and Nursing schools, utilizing the GLM to help enhance the practical clinical skills of their students. Treatments GLM platform also brings the possibility of health equity and inclusion for disenfranchised communities. To learn more about Treatments products and services, please email: info@treatment.com

About University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Innovations

The University of Edinburgh is a global university, rooted in Scotland. We are globally recognised for our research, development and innovation and we have provided world-class teaching to our students for more than 425 years. We are the largest university in Scotland, with more than 49,480 students and 18,650 staff. We are a founding member of the UKs Russell Group of leading research universities and a member of the League of European Research Universities. Edinburgh Innovations is the University of Edinburghs commercialisation service. We bring University of Edinburgh research to industry, working to identify ideas with value, and facilitating the process of bringing them to life in real-world applications. We make ideas work for a better world. Find out more on our website

Contact: If you would like to find out more about Edinburgh Universitys innovation and engagement initiatives, please contact: Megan Welford, Communications Manager, Edinburgh Innovations, megan.welford@ei.ed.ac.uk ; Call:+ 44 7721 120217.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Dr. Essam Hamza, CEO

ehamza@treatment.com

For media inquiries, contact: media@treatment.com

Call: +1 (612) 788-8900 / Toll-Free USA/Canada: +1 (888) 788-8955

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on Treatment.com AIs expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates, including with respect to the implementation of its shareholder communications initiative and the timing thereof. Although Treatment.com believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Treatment.com undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances unless otherwise required to do so by law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Press Release

VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France  September 5, 2024

Declaration of the number of outstanding shares and

voting rights as of August 31, 2024

Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today announced below the total number of its outstanding shares and voting rights as of August 31, 2024, according to articles 223-16 and 221-3 of the General Regulation of the Autorite des marches financiers.

Number of outstanding shares: 1,339,313,330

Number of voting rights*: 2,013,085,275

*The total number of voting rights is calculated on the basis of the total number of outstanding shares, even if the voting rights attached thereto are suspended, pursuant to Article 223-11 of the General Regulation of the Autorite des marches financiers relating to the method for calculating the percentages of holdings in shares and in voting rights. We invite our shareholders to refer to this article should they need to declare crossing of thresholds.

Declarations related to crossing of threshold must be sent to:

Dassault Systemes, Investor Relations Service, 10, rue Marcel Dassault, CS 40501, 78946 Velizy-Villacoublay Cedex (France). E-mail address: Investors@3ds.com

###

ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTEMES

Dassault Systemes is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative virtual environments to imagine sustainable innovations. By creating virtual twin experiences of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform and applications, our customers can redefine the creation, production and life-cycle-management processes of their offer and thus have a meaningful impact to make the world more sustainable. The beauty of the Experience Economy is that it is a human-centered economy for the benefit of all consumers, patients and citizens.

Dassault Systemes brings value to more than 350,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com

Dassault Systemes Investor Relations Team FTI Consulting

Beatrix Martinez: Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48

+33 1 61 62 40 73 / 69 24 Jamie Ricketts: +44 20 3727 1600

investors@3ds.com Tom Blundell: +44 20 3727 1600

Dassault Systemes Press Contacts

Corporate / France

Arnaud Malherbe: +33 1 61 62 87 73

arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com

 Dassault Systemes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

Attachment
Dublin, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Turkey Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Turkish cards and payments industry, including:

Current and forecast values for each market in the Turkish cards and payments industry, including debit, and credit cards.

Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, card and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.

Ecommerce market analysis.

Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Turkish cards and payments industry.

Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, and credit cards.

Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards.

The competitive landscape of the Turkish cards and payments industry.

The report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Turkish cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including card, cash, credit transfer, and cheques during the review-period (2020-24e).



The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2024e-24f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes.



The report brings together the analyst's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure.



Key Highlights

The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) has been developing its digital currency, the Digital Turkish Lira, since 2019. The project aims to modernize the country's payment system and promote financial inclusion by introducing convenient alternatives to traditional payments. The first pilot phase of the Digital Turkish Lira was completed in December 2022, with payment transactions conducted via the Digital Turkish Lira Network. Further pilot phases took place in 2023, involving a wider range of participants (such as banks and fintech companies). However, an official launch date had not been announced as of the time of writing.

As well as payment cards, mobile payments are also gaining traction in Turkey, driven by widespread acceptance of mobile wallets. The availability of domestic wallets offering convenience and security is attracting users, as is growing uptake of contactless payments. To benefit, in September 2023, Samsung Electronics Turkey partnered with payment companies Visa, Pazarama, and Moka to launch the S Wallet mobile wallet solution. S Wallet enables consumers to make contactless payments via Samsung smartphones at POS terminals, as well as payments using wearable devices. The solution is aiming for over 1 million active users within three years of launch.

Credit card adoption will further be fueled by banks offering installment payments. According to a report published by the Interbank Card Center (Bankalararasi Kart Merkezi [BKM]), Turkish consumers made TRY1.1 trillion ($46.4 billion) of payments via installments between January and September 2023, up 25% compared to the same period of 2022. To capitalize, banks are offering flexible payment options to their credit card holders. For instance, HSBC offers the Mastercard HSBC Premier credit card, which allows card holders to split purchases across two to six interest-free monthly installments. Going forward, installment payments will rise steadily, driven by the growing consumer preference for flexible payment options.

Report Scope

Card market size in terms of number of cards, value and volume of transactions in Turkey along with detailed card segmentation of debit and credit cards available in the country

Market sizing and analysis of major payment instruments including card, cash, credit transfer, and cheques

Payment market trends and growth for both historical and forecast period

Competitor analysis with detailed insights into leading card issuers and schemes

Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards

A detailed snapshot of country's key alternative payment brands

Key Topics Covered



1. Executive Summary

2. Market Overview

3. Payment Instruments

4. Card-based Payments

5. Merchant Acquiring

6. Ecommerce Payments

7. In-Store Payments

8. Buy Now Pay Later

9. Mobile Payments

10. P2P Payments

11. Bill Payments

12. Alternative Payments

13. Payment Innovation

14. Job Analysis

15. Payment Infrastructure and Regulation

16. Appendix

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

Akbank

American Express

BNP Paribas

DenizBank

Garanti BBVA

Halkbank

HSBC

Mastercard

QNB Finansbank

TROY

VakifBank

Visa

Yapi Kredi

Ziraat Bankasi

Isbank

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1i5jch

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
SEATTLE, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JND Legal Administration, Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP



UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

GINA McINTOSH, Individually and On Behalf

of All Others Similarly Situated,



Plaintiff,



vs.



KATAPULT HOLDINGS, INC., LEE EINBINDER, HOWARD KURZ, ORLANDO ZAYAS, KARISSA CUPITO and DEREK MEDLIN



Defendants.



Case No. 1:21-cv-07251 (AS)













SUMMARY NOTICE













Katapult Securities Litigation

c/o JND Legal Administration

PO Box 91340

Seattle, WA 98111

Toll-Free Number: 844-552-0057

Email: info@Katapult-FinServSecuritiesLitigation.com

Website: www.Katapult-FinServSecuritiesLitigation.com

IF YOU (I) PURCHASED OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRED KATAPULT SECURITIES BETWEEN JUNE 15, 2021 AND AUGUST 9, 2021 (BOTH DATES INCLUSIVE) AND/OR (II) BENEFICIALLY OWNED AND/OR HELD COMMON STOCK OF FINSERV AS OF MAY 11, 2021 AND WERE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE AT FINSERVS JUNE 7, 2021 SPECIAL MEETING (THE SETTLEMENT CLASS).

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY. YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING IN THIS COURT.

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and by Order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, that in the above-captioned litigation (the Action), a Settlement has been proposed for a total of $2,500,000 in total settlement valuewith $1,775,000 paid in cash and the remainder paid in either shares of freely-tradeable Katapult common stock or additional cash. A hearing will be held on December 13, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., before the Honorable Katharine H. Parker, at the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, Courtroom 17D, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007, or remotely per details that will be made publicly available on the Settlement website www.Katapult-FinServSecuritiesLitigation.com, for the purpose of determining whether: (1) the proposed Settlement should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable and adequate; (2) the proposed Plan of Allocation for distribution of the Settlement proceeds is fair, reasonable and adequate and therefore should be approved; and (3) the application of Plaintiffs Lead Counsel for the payment of attorneys fees and expenses from the Settlement Fund, including interest earned thereon, should be approved.

IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE SETTLEMENT CLASS DESCRIBED ABOVE, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LITIGATION, AND YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO SHARE IN THE SETTLEMENT FUND. If you have not received a detailed Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action (the Notice) and a copy of the Proof of Claim, you may obtain a copy of these documents by contacting the Claims Administrator: JND Legal Administration, PO Box 91340, Seattle, WA 98111. You may also obtain copies of the Stipulation of Settlement, Notice and Proof of Claim at www.Katapult-FinServSecuritiesLitigation.com.

If you are a Settlement Class Member, to be eligible to share in the distribution of the Settlement Fund, you must submit a Proof of Claim by mail postmarked no later than December 19, 2024, or submit it online by that date. If you are a Settlement Class Member and do not submit a valid Proof of Claim, you will not be eligible to share in the distribution of the Settlement Fund, but you will still be bound by any judgment entered by the Court in this Action (including the releases provided for therein).

To exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must mail a written request for exclusion so that it is received by November 22, 2024, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice. If you are a Settlement Class Member and do not exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you will be bound by any judgment entered by the Court in this Action (including the releases provided for therein) whether or not you submit a Proof of Claim. If you submit a written request for exclusion, you will have no right to recover money pursuant to the Settlement.

Any objection to the proposed Settlement, the Plan of Allocation of Settlement proceeds, or the fee and expense application must be filed with the Court no later than November 22, 2024.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT, THE CLERKS OFFICE, DEFENDANTS, OR DEFENDANTS COUNSEL REGARDING THIS NOTICE. If you have any questions about the Settlement, or your eligibility to participate in the Settlement, you may contact Lead Counsel at the following address or by calling (212) 545-4600:

Matthew M. Guiney, Esq.

WOLF HALDENSTEIN ADLER FREEMAN & HERZ LLP

270 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10016

(212) 545-4600

guiney@whafh.com

BY ORDER OF THE COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Ramsey, NJ, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has again named Laura Blackmer, President, Dealer Sales, as a 2024 Inclusive Channel Leader. In its second year, the list recognizes executives from vendor, distributor and solution provider organizations who are dedicated to making a positive impact across the IT channel through inclusive leadership. This is Blackmers second year on the list.

"Laura has been a driving force behind our Employee Resource Groups, including 'Step Forward,' a program dedicated to empowering women with leadership skills and guiding all employees on how to be agents of change," said Sam Errigo, President and CEO of Konica Minolta. "Her leadership was also instrumental in the launch and management of our 'Step Together' initiative, designed to unite and uplift women within the office technology industry through collaboration and mutual inspiration. We are thrilled to see Laura receive this well-earned recognition."

The CRN 2024 Inclusive Channel Leaders honorees are passionate about advancing equity and diversity within their organizations, the channel and across the greater technology industry. With this recognition, CRN highlights these executives for their desire to foster inclusion and belonging.

"At Konica Minolta, we are dedicated to creating a culture where every voice is respected, and believe that inclusion is the driving force behind innovation and growth among our employees as well as within our dealer community, said Laura Blackmer, President, Dealer Sales, Konica Minolta. "Im honored to again be named an Inclusive Channel Leader by CRN. This acknowledgment underscores our commitment to embedding diversity and inclusion across every area of our business.

Blackmers extensive list of awards also includes being named Best Female Executive seven times at the Frank Awards, The Cannata Reports annual awards that highlight excellence in business technology. She has ranked on Tiger Paw Softwares Top 100 Influencers in the managed print industry two years in a row. Blackmer has also been named to CRNs prestigious Women of the Channel list six times and is a four-time Channel Chief. Blackmer was also part of CRNs inaugural Inclusive Channel Leaders list in 2023, and is a member of the Colorado State University Business Leadership Council.

We are proud to recognize this years honorees for their commitment to inclusivity across the channel. With their transparent leadership, they help create welcoming environments where employees can bring their best selves to work to help their business succeed, said Jennifer Follett, Vice President, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, The Channel Company. Congratulations to these leaders for their deep dedication to bringing greater equity to the channel. We look forward to learning from their inclusive leadership and seeing what they achieve next.

See the 2024 Inclusive Channel Leaders list on CRN.com.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.'s (Konica Minolta) journey started 150 years ago, with a vision to see and do things differently. The company innovates for the good of society and the world. The same purpose that kept it moving then, keeps it moving now. Konica Minolta aims to partner with clients to Give Shape to Ideas by supporting their digital transformation through its expansive Intelligent Connected Workplace portfolio. Its business technology offerings include IT Services, intelligent information management, video security solutions and managed print services, as well as office technology and industrial and commercial print solutions. Through its ongoing work, the company is fortunate to be continuously recognized for its products and services. This includes, but is not limited to being included on CRNs MSP 500 list numerous times; named a finalist in the IT Software Category by The World Technology Awards; recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys and presented with Keypoint Intelligences BLI 2021 A3 Line of The Year and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Awards for its bizhub i-Series. For more information, please visit Konica Minolta online and follow its account on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by more than 40 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com

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Attachments
MARKHAM, Ontario, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To mark September 9, International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Children Believe is calling on Canada to continue to step up and prioritize the education of the worlds most vulnerable children by providing safe places to learn, especially in places affected by conflict and disaster. As Canada assumes the G7 presidency over the coming year, this is an opportunity to rally world leaders and secure new commitments to expand the Charlevoix Initiative aimed at protecting the education and futures of millions of children worldwide, according to the agency.

Education is a basic human right that has been stolen from millions of the worlds children. Armed conflicts, natural disasters, poverty and other forms of crisis have kept 250 million children and youths out of school, according to the United Nations. That is times six the total population of Canada and a crisis that must be addressed.

To recognize the significance of the problem, on International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Children Believe is calling on the Government of Canada, Canadians and the world to take steps to help provide safe spaces for education. Children in vulnerable communities must have the ability to make life choices for themselves, something stolen from them when they are denied learning.

A call for change

Education is under attack globally and this crisis threatens not just the future of individuals, but the future of our entire planet, warns Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe. Canada has a crucial role to play, but we believe that change must happen at all levels, locally, nationally and internationally. It's crucial to shine a light on the millions of children who have had their choices stolen from them because of dangerous barriers to education like war and environmental disaster. We believe that providing access to education means a lifetime of choices because education is the most powerful resource children can use to change their world for the better.

Collective actions must be taken to remove a wide range of systemic challenges, including political, economic, and environmental barriers to education. This is particularly true for girls and children who live under difficult circumstances, such as violence and emergencies.

Children Believe, as a member of the Canadian International Education Policy Working Group is also using September 9 to call on the Canadian government to continue to prioritize the need for investing in protecting education. The last time Canada hosted the G7 meetings in Charlevoix, Quebec in 2018, Canada brought much needed attention to the importance of education and the harmful effects of it being denied, particularly for girls.

Halimata: Hope restored

Halimata, 15, from Burkina Faso lived a normal life until terrorists attacked her village. She not only lost her sister in the attack, she lost her family, her home and her community. She is one of the many children in serious danger due to her choices being stolen from her.

Children Believe, in 2024 alone, reached 41,458 children and families in conflict regions and continues to join forces with international organizations including UNICEF and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to enhance and protect the future of young dreamers like Halimata. This plays a crucial role in stabilizing the lives of children, including Halimata who is now back at school in Grade 7 and benefits from an environment that fosters her learning and well-being. She now has the freedom to make her own choices and pursue her dream of being a mid-wife when she is older. I'm happy because my situation is not like before, when I didn't know much. I know that with God's grace, the future will be good.

Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe is available for interviews. He brings insight to this issue and is available to share his experience in regions where humanitarian support, advocacy and policy influence on international education issues, is needed now more than ever.

To set up an interview regarding International Day to Protect Education from Attack, contact Children Believe:

Media contact:

Dave Stell

Communications Manager, Children Believe

dstell@childrenbelieve.ca

About Children Believe:

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in  and be heard. For 60+ years, weve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, were driven by a common belief: creating access to education  inside and outside of classrooms  is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About ChildFund Alliance:

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.

Attachments
Greenville, SC, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrated Power Services (IPS), a leading solutions provider for electromechanical, rotating equipment, and power distribution systems across North America, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean, is pleased to announce the acquisition of B&B Transformer, a well-established remanufacturer of oil-filled, distribution class transformers, located in Farmington, MN, effective August 13, 2024.

This strategic acquisition strengthens IPS's power management portfolio, enhancing our ability to deliver comprehensive solutions to a diverse range of industries, said Shannon Moses, IPS Executive Vice-President for Power Management. "Renowned for its expertise in single- and three-phase transformer repair, remanufacturing, and custom-engineered design, B&B Transformer's integration into the IPS family promises an enriched array of offerings for our combined customers.

Since the 1970s, B&B Transformer has provided oil-filled, distribution class transformers to customers throughout North America. B&B Transformer also repairs single- and three-phase transformers and voltage regulators, in addition to offering new transformers that meet Department of Energy efficiency standards.

"Were excited to join forces with IPS, said Tim Grundler, Area General Manager for B&B Transformer. IPS has an extensive network of repair and engineering services, which will allow us to expand our offerings to B&B customers. At the same time, IPS customers will benefit from B&Bs experience with oil-filled, distribution class transformers and voltage regulators.

The acquisition of B&B Transformer expands IPSs portfolio of power management equipment and services, tailored to industrial, commercial, utility, and renewable energy markets. "IPS remains steadfast in its commitment to revolutionize reliability, persisting in its journey and vision, added Moses. As we strive to become the trusted advisor sought by customers, we pledge to serve as a single-source supplier capable of addressing the most critical challenges in power management, electromechanical, and rotating equipment through our ability to respond, rethink, and resolve."

About Integrated Power Services (IPS)

Integrated Power Services (IPS) is a leading provider of service, engineering, and remanufacturing for electrical, mechanical, and power management systems. With a focus on industry-specific expertise and a comprehensive range of capabilities, IPS supports critical infrastructure across a wide range of customers. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, IPS operates the largest network in the industry, with service and distribution centers, field offices, and strategically located warehouses across North America, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean. Each IPS location is equipped to respond, rethink, and resolve complex challenges, offering access to an extensive global talent pool and resources for seamless, single-source solutions. To learn more, visit www.ips.us.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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CORNING, N.Y., Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corning Energy Corporation (formerly Corning Natural Gas Holding Corporation) announced today that Michael German, the companys CEO, will retire effective December 31, 2024, after 18 years with the company and 48 total years in the energy sector.



Mr. German joined Corning Natural Gas Corporation in 2006 and has been a cornerstone of the company's growth and resilience. In 2011, under his leadership, Leatherstocking Gas Company was formed, the newest utility in Pennsylvania in 40 years. In 2013, Corning Natural Gas Holding Corporation was incorporated as a publicly traded company. In 2016, Pike County Light & Power was acquired, a Pennsylvania combination gas and electric utility. In 2022, he was a critical part of the merger of the suite of companies into a private investment firm after which the holding company name was changed to Corning Energy Corporation.

Mr. German has successfully navigated the companies through dynamic regulatory landscapes while expanding operations using his years of experience and knowledge. His visionary approach and commitment have been instrumental in positioning Corning Energy Corporation as a leader in the utility industry.

Recognizing his wealth of experience and the value of his insights, the Corning Energy Board of Directors has requested that Mr. German continue to contribute to Corning Energy as a consultant to the incoming CEO, ensuring a seamless transition and the continuation of the companys strategic initiatives. Additionally, Mr. German will remain on the board of directors, where his expertise will continue to guide Corning Energy's future.

The board has initiated the search for Mr. German's successor and anticipates having the new CEO in place shortly before his retirement to ensure a smooth and effective transition of leadership.

"Michael German's dedication and vision have left an indelible mark on Corning Energy," said Joseph Fontana, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We are deeply grateful for his years of service and leadership. We look forward to celebrating his many accomplishments and his ongoing involvement with the company."

Prior to joining the company in 2006, Mr. German was senior vice president, utility operations for Southern Union Company where he was responsible for gas utility operations in Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. From 1994 to 2005, Mr. German held several senior positions at Energy East Corporation, a publicly-held energy services and delivery company, including president of several of its subsidiary utilities. From 1978 to 1994, Mr. German worked at the American Gas Association, finishing as senior vice president. From 1976 to 1978, Mr. German worked for US Energy Research and Development Administration. Mr. German is a board member of the Northeast Gas Association, Ampco Pittsburgh Corporation, Corning Energy Corporation, and several non-profit organizations. After retirement, Mr. German plans to spend more time with his family and pursue personal interests.

About Corning Energy Corporation

Corning Energy Corporation is an energy company with operations in New York and Pennsylvania with three major subsidiaries. Corning Natural Gas Corporation is a New York State regulated utility established in 1904 and provides safe, reliable, natural gas service to over 15,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the Southern Tier and Central Regions of New York State. Pike County Light and Power provides both natural gas and electric utility service in Pike County, Pennsylvania to 6,600 customers. Leatherstocking Gas Company provides natural gas utility service in Susquehanna and Bradford Counties in Pennsylvania to 500 customers. The companies are committed to providing reliable, safe, and sustainable energy solutions to our customers.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5497f439-64c2-4329-961a-fce4de18c1f1
TORONTO, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AGF Management Limited (TSX: AGF.B) will release its financial results for Q3 2024 on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at approximately 8:00 a.m. ET. AGF will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss these results at 11:00 a.m. ET.



The discussion will feature remarks by Kevin McCreadie, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, and Ken Tsang, Chief Financial Officer. Judy G. Goldring, President and Head of Global Distribution, and Ash Lawrence, Head of AGF Capital Partners, will also be available for the question-and-answer period with investment analysts following the presentation.

The live audio webcast with supporting materials will be available in the Investor Relations section of AGFs website at www.agf.com or at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/fwjgan3c/. Alternatively, the call can be accessed over the phone by registering here or in the Investor Relations section of AGFs website at www.agf.com, to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN.

A complete archive of this discussion along with supporting materials will be available at the same webcast address within 24 hours of the end of the conference call.

About AGF Management Limited

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firms collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With nearly $50 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 800,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

AGF MANAGEMENT LIMITED SHAREHOLDERS, ANALYSTS AND MEDIA, PLEASE CONTACT:

Ken Tsang

Chief Financial Officer

(416) 865-4338, InvestorRelations@agf.com
Zefiro is partnering with Fiutur to create the Zefiro Lifecycle Solution to accelerate and scale its vertically integrated business model through end-to-end digitization of its operations and production, providing unparalleled transparency and productization pathways for the Company going forward.



FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZEFIRO METHANE CORP. (Cboe Canada: ZEFI) (Frankfurt: Y6B) (OTCQB: ZEFIF) (the Company, Zefiro, or ZEFI) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Fiutur, a digital verification network ecosystem, to accelerate the scalable aggregation, verification, standardization, and delivery of environmental data for carbon credit issuance. Through this partnership, Zefiro aims to address deficiencies in the carbon markets, with respect to auditable data and end-to-end transparency. The partnership combines Zefiros deep knowledge in methane measurement and abatement with advanced data-driven screening, operational data capture, and ongoing monitoring to ensure integrity through the generation of immutable, large-scale reference data sets in accordance with Fiuturs SMART Data Governance Framework , addressing immediate market challenges in voluntary carbon markets.





Zefiro has entered into a strategic partnership with Fiutur, which is a digital verification network ecosystem

Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR+ or the Investors section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media.

The Zefiro Lifecycle Solution will harness the interoperability of Fiuturs SMART ID enabled partner ecosystem to create digital lineage between real-world data collection in its field operations, including wellhead-level leak readings and transparent quantification of emissions removal data from completed projects to support the issuance and delivery of transferable claims, including offsets, insets and data products, via institutional-level distribution channels enabled by Fiutur. By collecting this data digitally, Zefiro will also be able to perform advanced analytics to target leaking wells, and reduce operational costs as well as cycle time.

The partnership embraces the immediate need for transparency and integrity in environmental markets while also acknowledging the vast potential of interoperability with emerging network tools such as Xpansiv Connect and the Canton network .

Zefiro Founder and CEO Talal Debs commented, Institutions face significant barriers to accessing verifiable and high-quality environmental solutions, including emission offsets. Zefiro seeks to overcome these barriers as a means to accomplish our mission: solving the environmental challenge of abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells and the methane they emit. Data limitations are a major problem for these markets today. Fiuturs highly sophisticated platform will help ensure that Zefiro embeds the rich digital data, and provenance, that institutional markets increasingly demand. As a result, we see Fiutur as a thought leader and a key ally. We expect this step will enable Zefiro to deliver more high-quality environmental contract volumes to our existing customer base as well as to open up numerous new buyers and delivery channels.

As part of this strategic partnership, Zefiro has invested in Fiuturs Series A round, underscoring the potential of this collaboration to drive substantial progress for Zefiros environmental remediation services.

Fiutur CEO Joe Madden commented, We have drawn on years of unique experience across a multi-disciplinary team to create the technology, ecosystem, and governance necessary for market participants and technology providers to interact and build demand-driven products for the transition economy across sectors. Zefiros vision of a digital future and their unique commercial approach are poised to elevate these markets to new levels of scale and integrity.

The Zefiro Lifecycle Solution is set to launch in Q4 2024.

More information about Fiutur can be found on its website: https://www.fiuturx.com/

Zefiro also announces that it has retained CDMG, Inc. ("CDMG") of Nashville, Tennessee to provide advertising and marketing services. The two-month contract provides for total payment of USD $300,000.

Reporters/Media: For any questions or to arrange an interview with Dr. Debs or Mr. Madden, please contact Rich Myers of Profile Advisors (New York City) by email at media@zefiromethane.com or by telephone at +1 (347) 774-1125.

About Fiutur

Fiutur is a digital verification network ecosystem and has developed an open architecture to enable the programmatic encoding of governance and commercial terms across transparent, digitally enforced and automated measurement, reporting and verification (dMRV) protocols. The platform enables an ecosystem of market participants to deliver provable, real-world outcomes to global markets. The Fiutur ecosystem incorporates financial institutions and other capital providers, proprietary and public data sources, insurers, technical firms, certification bodies, industry players, project developers, environmental-commodity registries and markets, corporates, and a myriad of others. To find out more about Fiutur, please visit www.fiuturx.com .

About Zefiro Methane Corp.

Zefiro is an environmental services company, specializing in methane abatement. Zefiro strives to be a key commercial force towards Active Sustainability. Leveraging decades of operational expertise, Zefiro is building a new toolkit to clean up air, land, and water sources directly impacted by methane leaks. The Company has built a fully integrated ground operation driven by an innovative monetization solution for the emerging methane abatement marketplace. As an originator of high-quality U.S.-based methane offsets, Zefiro aims to generate long-term economic, environmental, and social returns.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

ZEFIRO METHANE CORP.

Talal Debs

Talal Debs, Founder & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Zefiro Investor Relations

1 (800) 274-ZEFI (274-9334)

investor@zefiromethane.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Rich Myers - Profile Advisors (New York)

media@zefiromethane.com

+1 (347) 774-1125

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as seeks, believes, plans, expects, intends, estimates, anticipates and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information including statements regarding: the Companys intention to reduce emissions from end-of-life oil and gas wells and eliminate methane gas; the Companys partnerships with industry operators, state agencies, and federal governments; the Companys expectations for continued increases in revenues and EBITDA growth as a result of these partnerships; the Companys intentions to build out its presence in the United States; the anticipated federal funding for orphaned well site plugging, remediation and restoring activities; the Companys expectations to become a growing environmental services company; the Companys ability to provide institutional and retail investors alike with the opportunity to join the Active Sustainability movement; the Companys ability to generate long-term economic, environmental, and social returns; and other statements regarding the Companys business and the industry in which the Company operates. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (i) adverse general market and economic conditions; (ii) changes to and price and volume volatility in the carbon market; (iii) changes to the regulatory landscape and global policies applicable to the Company's business; (iv) failure to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals; and (v) other risk factors set forth in its Prospectus dated April 8, 2024 under the heading Risk Factors. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment where technologies are in the early stage of adoption. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including, but not limited to, the assumption that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms

Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by Zefiro Methane Corp. can be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca/ .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0552f4ca-a6f6-4923-8ddc-87ba70b3bbe0
PERTH, Sept. 5, 2024 - Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) (TSX: WGX) (OTCQX: WGXRF) (Westgold or the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of mining of the South Junction Lode within the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex at Meekatharra.

Highlights

Mining of the South Junction Lode has commenced - ramp up targets a 100kt per month run rate for the Bluebird-South Junction mine by Q3 FY25.

Drilling across South Junction continues to extend the system - with further recent significant intersections including:

14.93m @ 15.95g/t Au in hole 24SJDD029

6.83m @ 15.31g/t Au in hole 24SJDD027

13.00m @ 3.65g/t Au in hole 24SJDD032

11.42m @ 4.92g/t Au in hole 24SJDD029

8.95m @ 4.01g/t Au in hole 24SJDD026

South Junction Resource Definition drilling program continues - with 2 surface rigs targeting deeper extensions of the South Junction and Polar Star Lodes around 800m below surface.

Westgold Managing Director and CEO Wayne Bramwell commented:

"Drilling continues to unlock value and point to the potential scale of the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex at Meekatharra.

The commencement of mining on the South Junction Lode is a company milestone, achieved in short order by a focussed team. This lode is one of many mineralised lodes being tested across the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex, with the Polar Star Lode the next target to being evaluated.

Westgold can now contemplate a significantly larger, multi-decline mining complex emerging on the doorstep of our 1.6-1.8Mtpa processing plant. Each new mining front we define can increase mine output, with the continued expansion of Bluebird-South Junction providing new opportunities to reduce haulage and optimise processing infrastructure across our Murchison business".

Mining Commences in South Junction lode

Sub-level open stoping commenced in August 2024 on the South Junction Lode, within the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex at Meekatharra.

The Bluebird-South Junction mining complex sits on the southern end of a circa 6.5km long line of lodes that has seen extensive open pit mining (Figure 1).

Capital mine development to exploit the South Junction Lode is now being established and once complete will see the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex become the primary ore source for the nearby Bluebird processing plant. Multiple underground diamond drill rigs are completing grade control drilling on the South Junction Lode ahead of the planned ramp up in production.

Infrastructure upgrades are underway to support the increase in production from Bluebird-South Junction with recent drill intercepts continuing to extend the strike length and down dip depth of the South Junction Lode, providing significant potential upside to the current plan.

Drilling has intersected other mineralised lodes within the South Junction system, including the Polar Star Lode which is located directly east of the South Junction Lode. Polar Star is presently defined by multiple high grade drill intercepts and has been defined over 600m in strike whilst remaining open to the south and down dip (Figure 2).

The Company is targeting the release of an updated Polar Star Mineral Resource Estimate in Q3 FY25 in parallel with mining studies.

Ongoing Resource Definition Drilling Program

Further to the ASX announcements of 14 May and 2 July 2024, Westgold has continued with the extensional exploration / resource definition drilling program under the historic South Junction and Bluebird open pits at Meekatharra. The aim of this program, which commenced in mid-January 2024 and to date has totalled 29, 455m of drilling from surface, is to test and define the down-plunge extents of the multiple orebodies which historically produced +1Moz from open pits and is currently being mined from underground by Westgold (refer Figure 3).

South Junction hosts numerous mineralised zones broadly located on sub-parallel north-northeast-trending shears within a mafic-ultramafic rock package intruded by the Polar Star Porphyry. These zones from west to east are, Edin Hope Lode, South Junction Lode, Polar Star Lode and Archenar Lode.

As previously reported, the drilling results to date have been outstanding with significant intersections being returned from both the Polar Star and South Junction Lode positions. These results have continued to be returned from holes drilled during July and August, with the most significant intersections summarised below and full details provided in Appendix A.

Relative hole positions are shown on Figure 3.

14.93m @ 15.95g/t Au in hole 24SJDD029

6.83m @ 15.31g/t Au in hole 24SJDD027

13.00m @ 3.65g/t Au in hole 24SJDD032

11.42m @ 4.92g/t Au in hole 24SJDD029

8.95m @ 4.01g/t Au in hole 24SJDD026

The intersection reported in hole 24SJDD029 is the best result of the program to date (238-gram metres) and was returned from the South Junction Lode.

However, of great significance is the intersection in hole 24SJDD027 of 8.83m @ 15.31g/t Au (104-gram metres), being the most southern hole drilled to date with the mineralised system remaining open to the south.

Looking Forward

The South Junction Resource Definition drilling program will continue into Q2 FY25 with two surface rigs in operation. During this period the program will focus on the "deeps" potential with holes targeting the Polar Star and South Junction Lodes at depths of up to 800m below surface (refer Figure 3).

This announcement is authorised for release to the ASX and TSX by the Board.

Competent/Qualified Person Statements

Exploration Results

The information in this release that relates to Exploration results was compiled by Westgold technical employees and contractors under the supervision of Mr. Simon Rigby B.Sc. (Hons), who is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and who has verified, reviewed and approved such information. Mr Rigby is a full-time employee of the Company and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the styles of mineralisation and types of deposit under consideration and to the activities which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the "JORC Code") and as a Qualified Person as defined in the CIM Guidelines and National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Rigby is an employee of the Company and, accordingly, is not independent for purposes of NI 43-101. Mr Rigby consents to and approves the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. Mr Rigby is eligible to participate in short- and long-term incentive plans of the company.

General

Mineral Resources, Ore Reserve Estimates and Exploration Targets and Results are calculated in accordance with the JORC Code. Investors outside Australia should note that while Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates of the Company in this announcement comply with the JORC Code (such JORC Code-compliant Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources being "Ore Reserves" and "Mineral Resources" respectively), they may not comply with the relevant guidelines in other countries and, in particular, do not comply with (i) NI 43-101; or (ii) Item 1300 of Regulation S-K, which governs disclosures of Mineral Reserves in registration statements filed with the SEC. Information contained in this announcement describing mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of Canadian or US securities laws. The other technical and scientific information in this release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and has been reviewed on behalf of the company by Qualified Persons, as set forth above.

The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original market announcements and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcements continue to apply and have not been materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcements.

Forward Looking Statements

These materials prepared by Westgold Resources Limited include forward looking statements. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "believe", "forecast", "predict", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "continue", and "guidance", or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans, strategies and objectives of management, anticipated production or construction commencement dates and expected costs or production outputs.

Forward looking statements inherently involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements. Relevant factors may include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations and general economic conditions, increased costs and demand for production inputs, the speculative nature of exploration and project development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and diminishing quantities or grades of reserves, political and social risks, changes to the regulatory framework within which the Company operates or may in the future operate, environmental conditions including extreme weather conditions, recruitment and retention of personnel, industrial relations issues and litigation.

Forward looking statements are based on the Company and its management's good faith assumptions relating to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect the Company's business and operations in the future. The Company does not give any assurance that the assumptions on which forward looking statements are based will prove to be correct, or that the Company's business or operations will not be affected in any material manner by these or other factors not foreseen or foreseeable by the Company or management or beyond the Company's control.

Although the Company attempts and has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actual results, performance, achievements or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and many events are beyond the reasonable control of the Company. In addition, the Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors outlined in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ or the ASX, including, in the Company's current annual report, half year report or most recent management discussion and analysis.

Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward looking statements in these materials speak only at the date of issue. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange listing rules, in providing this information the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward-looking statements or to advise of any change in events, conditions or circumstances.

APPENDIX A - SOUTH JUNCTION JULY-AUGUST 2024 SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS

Hole Collar

N Collar E Collar RL Intercept

(Downhole) From (m) Dip Azi Total Length (m) 24SJDD011 7,043,185 641,833 466 1.00m @ 3.13 g/t 229.00 -54.7 285.8 643.7 0.73m @ 5.18 g/t 241.95 5.00m @ 1.82 g/t 273.00 1.24m @ 22.91 g/t 456.59 24SJDD014 7,043,185 641,833 466 4.00m @ 2.08 g/t 535.00 -63.1 283.0 904.3 1.00m @ 6.1 g/t 542.00 13.30m @ 3.78 g/t 546.00 4.00m @ 3.46 g/t 591.00 0.60m @ 6.3 g/t 615.40 3.86m @ 2.09 g/t 624.14 0.83m @ 4.92 g/t 632.17 0.40m @ 80 g/t 645.46 1.11m @ 29.62 g/t 645.46 24SJDD018 7,042,860 641,478 465 4.00m @ 6.66 g/t 355.00 -48.9 346.1 588.2 24SJDD020 7,042,860 641,478 465 1.54m @ 7.31 g/t 156.00 -43.7 350.8 611.8 1.34m @ 4.99 g/t 475.50 24SJDD021_W3 7,043,405 641,939 467 4.16m @ 1.45 g/t 573.84 -64.9 290.6 850.0 5.00m @ 0.80 g/t 593.00 3.50m @ 4.9 g/t 711.50 2.22m @ 6.18 g/t 746.45 24SJDD022 7,042,860 641,479 465 1.00m @ 5.50 g/t 371.00 -55.6 349.6 593.6 1.00m @ 3.54 g/t 383.00 0.89m @ 6.84 g/t 386.30 3.00m @ 7.33 g/t 408.00 0.25m @ 31.1 g/t 409.00 24SJDD024_W1 7,043,514 641,869 467 1.00m @ 3.84 g/t 463.00 -60.7 303.3 750.0 2.72m @ 14.64 g/t 671.40 6.26m @ 2.96 g/t 683.60 24SJDD027 7042860 641,478 465 2.00m @ 1.24 g/t 319.00 -67.4 341.8 750.0 2.00m @ 1.25 g/t 376.00 1.45m @ 22.06 g/t 380.51 4.00m @ 2.66 g/t 387.00 6.83m @ 15.31 g/t 402.17 1.00m @ 6.76 g/t 419.00 1.44m @ 15.36 g/t 432.00 6.00m @ 3.32 g/t 441.00 3.70m @ 6.98 g/t 451.00 1.29m @ 16.17 g/t 553.14 2.50m @ 2.52 g/t 569.00 3.42m @ 1.42 g/t 579.58 24SJDD029 7,043,303 641,879 467 2.30m @ 1.08 g/t 185.85 -53.0 282.7 675.9 1.00m @ 7.9 g/t 204.00 2.96m @ 1.5 g/t 421.57 6.50m @ 22.39 g/t 426.60 2.84m @ 1.68 g/t 444.03 11.42m @ 4.92 g/t 561.35 14.93m @ 15.95 g/t 575.57

APPENDIX B - JORC 2012 TABLE 1 - GOLD DIVISION

SECTION 1: SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND DATA

(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections.)

Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.

Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Diamond Drilling

A significant portion of the data used in resource calculations has been gathered from diamond core. Multiple sizes have been used historically. This core is geologically logged and subsequently halved for sampling. Grade control holes may be whole-cored to streamline the core handling process if required.

A significant portion of the data used in resource calculations has been gathered from diamond core. Multiple sizes have been used historically. This core is geologically logged and subsequently halved for sampling. Grade control holes may be whole-cored to streamline the core handling process if required. Face Sampling

At each of the major past and current underground producers, each development face / round is horizontally chip sampled. The sampling intervals are domained by geological constraints (e.g. rock type, veining and alteration / sulphidation etc.). The majority of exposures within the orebody are sampled.

At each of the major past and current underground producers, each development face / round is horizontally chip sampled. The sampling intervals are domained by geological constraints (e.g. rock type, veining and alteration / sulphidation etc.). The majority of exposures within the orebody are sampled. Sludge Drilling

Sludge drilling at is performed with an underground production drill rig. It is an open hole drilling method using water as the flushing medium, with a 64mm (nominal) hole diameter. Sample intervals are ostensibly the length of the drill steel. Holes are drilled at sufficient angles to allow flushing of the hole with water following each interval to prevent contamination. Sludge drilling is not used to inform resource models. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.).

Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.

Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. RC Drilling

Drill cuttings are extracted from the RC return via cyclone. The underflow from each interval is transferred via bucket to a four-tiered riffle splitter, delivering approximately three kilograms of the recovered material into calico bags for analysis. The residual material is retained on the ground near the hole. Composite samples are obtained from the residue material for initial analysis, with the split samples remaining with the individual residual piles until required for re-split analysis or eventual disposal.

Drill cuttings are extracted from the RC return via cyclone. The underflow from each interval is transferred via bucket to a four-tiered riffle splitter, delivering approximately three kilograms of the recovered material into calico bags for analysis. The residual material is retained on the ground near the hole. Composite samples are obtained from the residue material for initial analysis, with the split samples remaining with the individual residual piles until required for re-split analysis or eventual disposal. RAB / Aircore Drilling

Combined scoops from bucket dumps from cyclone for composite. Split samples taken from individual bucket dumps via scoop. RAB holes are not included in the resource estimate.

Combined scoops from bucket dumps from cyclone for composite. Split samples taken from individual bucket dumps via scoop. RAB holes are not included in the resource estimate. Blast Hole Drilling

Cuttings sampled via splitter tray per individual drill rod. Blast holes not included in the resource estimate. Drill sample recovery Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. All geology input is logged and validated by the relevant area geologists, incorporated into this is assessment of sample recovery. No defined relationship exists between sample recovery and grade. Nor has sample bias due to preferential loss or gain of fine or coarse material been noted. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.

Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography.

The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged Westgold surface drill-holes are all orientated and have been logged in detail for geology, veining, alteration, mineralisation and orientated structure. Westgold underground drill-holes are logged in detail for geology, veining, alteration, mineralisation and structure. Core has been logged in enough detail to allow for the relevant mineral resource estimation techniques to be employed.

Surface core is photographed both wet and dry and underground core is photographed wet. All photos are stored on the Company's servers, with the photographs from each hole contained within separate folders.

Development faces are mapped geologically.

RC, RAB and Aircore chips are geologically logged.

Sludge drilling is logged for lithology, mineralisation and vein percentage.

Logging is quantitative in nature.

All holes are logged completely, all faces are mapped completely. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Blast holes -Sampled via splitter tray per individual drill rods.

RAB / AC chips - Combined scoops from bucket dumps from cyclone for composite. Split samples taken from individual bucket dumps via scoop.

RC - Three tier riffle splitter (approximately 5kg sample). Samples generally dry.

Face Chips - Nominally chipped horizontally across the face from left to right, sub-set via geological features as appropriate.

Diamond Drilling - Half-core niche samples, sub-set via geological features as appropriate. Grade control holes may be whole-cored to streamline the core handling process if required.

Chips / core chips undergo total preparation.

Samples undergo fine pulverisation of the entire sample by an LM5 type mill to achieve a 75 product prior to splitting.

QA/QC is currently ensured during the sub-sampling stages process via the use of the systems of an independent NATA / ISO accredited laboratory contractor. A significant portion of the historical informing data has been processed by in-house laboratories.

The sample size is considered appropriate for the grain size of the material being sampled.

The un-sampled half of diamond core is retained for check sampling if required. For RC chips regular field duplicates are collected and analysed for significant variance to primary results. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.

Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. Recent drilling was analysed by fire assay as outlined below;

At Beta Hunt all drill core sampling is conducted by Karora personnel. Samples for gold analysis are shipped to SGS Mineral Services of Kalgoorlie for preparation and assaying by 50-gram fire assay analytical method. All gold diamond drilling samples submitted for assay include at least one blank and one Certified Reference Material ("CRM") per batch, plus one CRM or blank every 20 samples. In samples with observed visible gold mineralization, a coarse blank is inserted after the visible gold mineralization to serve as both a coarse flush to prevent contamination of subsequent samples and a test for gold smearing from one sample to the next which may have resulted from inadequate cleaning of the crusher and pulveriser. The lab is also required to undertake a minimum of 1 in 20 wet screens on pulverised samples to ensure a minimum 85% passing at -75m. No significant QA/QC issues have arisen in recent drilling results.

Photon Assay was introduced in 2023 for Beta Hunt grade control samples. PhotonAssay technology (Chrysos Corporation Limited) is a rapid, non-destructive analysis of gold and other elements in mineral samples. It is based on the principle of gamma activation, which uses high energy x-rays to excite changes to the nuclear structure of selected elements. The decay is then measured to give a gold analysis. Each sample is run through two cycles with a radiation time of 15s. This methodology is insensitive to material type and thus does not require fluxing chemicals as in the fire assay methodology. Highlights of the PhotonAssay process are as follows:

The process is non-destructive; the same sample accuracy can be determined by repeat measurements of the same sample. In addition, the instrument runs a precision analysis for each sample relating to the instrument precision The process allows for an increased sample size, about 500 g of crushed product.

The crushed material is not pulverised, as in the fire assay process; this ensures that gold is not smeared or lost during pulverisation (especially important if there is an expectation of visible gold that is being analysed)

Historical drilling has used a combination of Fire Assay, Aqua Regia and PAL analysis.

These assay methodologies are appropriate for the resources in question. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.

The use of twinned holes.

Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.

Discuss any adjustment to assay data. No independent or alternative verifications are available.

Virtual twinned holes have been drilled in several instances across all sites with no significant issues highlighted. Drillhole data is also routinely confirmed by development assay data in the operating environment.

Primary data is collected utilising LogChief. The information is imported into a SQL database server and verified.

All data used in the calculation of resources and reserves are compiled in databases (underground and open pit) which are overseen and validated by senior geologists.

No adjustments have been made to any assay data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.

Specification of the grid system used.

Quality and adequacy of topographic control. All data is spatially oriented by survey controls via direct pickups by the survey department. Drillholes are all surveyed downhole, deeper holes with a Gyro tool if required, the majority with single / multishot cameras.

All drilling and resource estimation is preferentially undertaken in local mine grid at the various sites.

Topographic control is generated from a combination of remote sensing methods and ground-based surveys. This methodology is adequate for the resources in question. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.

Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.

Whether sample compositing has been applied. Data spacing is variable dependent upon the individual orebody under consideration. A lengthy history of mining has shown that this approach is appropriate for the Mineral Resource Estimation process and to allow for classification of the resources as they stand.

Compositing is carried out based upon the modal sample length of each individual domain. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.

If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. Drilling intersections are nominally designed to be normal to the orebody as far as underground infrastructure constraints / topography allows.

Development sampling is nominally undertaken normal to the various orebodies.

Where drilling angles are sub optimal the number of samples per drill hole used in the estimation has been limited to reduce any potential bias.

It is not considered that drilling orientation has introduced an appreciable sampling bias. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. For samples assayed at on-site laboratory facilities, samples are delivered to the facility by Company staff. Upon delivery the responsibility for sample security and storage falls to the independent third-party operators of these facilities.

For samples assayed off-site, samples are delivered to a third-party transport service, who in turn relay them to the independent laboratory contractor. Samples are stored securely until they leave site. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data Site generated resources and reserves and the parent geological data is routinely reviewed by the Westgold Corporate technical team.

SECTION 2: REPORTING OF EXPLORATION RESULTS

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.

The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. Native title interests are recorded against several WGX tenements.

The CMGP tenements are held by the Big Bell Gold Operations (BBGO) of which Westgold has 100% ownership.

Several third-party royalties exist across various tenements at CMGP, over and above the state government royalty.

The Fortnum Gold Project tenure is 100% owned by Westgold through subsidiary company Aragon Resources Pty. Ltd. Various Royalties apply to the package. The most pertinent being;

State Government - 2.5% NSR

Beta Hunt is owned by Westgold through a sub-lease agreement with St Ives Gold Mining Company Pty Ltd (SIGMC), which gives Westgold the right to explore and mine gold and nickel.

Royalties on gold production from Beta Hunt are as follows: A royalty to the state government equal to 2.5% of the royalty value of gold metal produced; and Royalties to third parties equal to 4.75% of recovered gold less allowable deductions.

The Higginsville-Lakewood Operations include the Higginsville and Lakewood Mills and associated infrastructure, mining operations and exploration prospects which are located on 242 tenements owned by Westgold and covers approximately 1,800km2 total area.

Royalties on the HGO gold production are as follows: Production payments of up to 1% of gross gold revenue over various tenements to traditional land owners. Royalty equal to 2.5% of recovered gold to the Government of Western Australia; and Various third parties hold rights to receive royalties in respect of gold (and in some cases other minerals or metals) recovered from the tenements.

The tenure is currently in good standing

There are no known issues regarding security of tenure.

There are no known impediments to continued operation.

WGX operates in accordance with all environmental conditions set down as conditions for grant of the leases. Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties The CMGP tenements have an exploration and production history in excess of 100 years.

The FGP tenements have an exploration and production history in excess of 30 years.

BH tenements have an exploration and production history in excess of 60 years.

HGO tenements have an exploration and production history in excess of 40 years.

Westgold work has generally confirmed the veracity of historic exploration data. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. BHO Beta Hunt is situated within the central portion of the Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt in a sequence of mafic/ultramafic and felsic rocks on the southwest flank of the Kambalda Dome.

Gold mineralsation occurs mainly in subvertical shear zones in the Lunnon Basalt and is characterised by shear and extensional quartz veining within a halo of biotite/pyrite alteration. Within these shear zones, coarse gold sometimes occurs where the shear zones intersect iron-rich sulphidic metasediments in the Lunnon Basalt or nickel sulphides at the base of the Kambalda Komatiite (ultramafics). The mineralised shears are represented by A-Zone, Western Flanks, Larkin and Mason zones. CGO CGO is located in the Achaean Murchison Province, a granite-greenstone terrane in the northwest of the Yilgarn Craton. Greenstone belts trending north-northeast are separated by granite-gneiss domes, with smaller granite plutons also present within or on the margins of the belts.

Mineralisation at Big Bell is hosted in the shear zone (Mine Sequence) and is associated with the post-peak metamorphic retrograde assemblages. Stibnite, native antimony and trace arsenopyrite are disseminated through the K-feldspar-rich lode schist. These are intergrown with pyrite and pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. Mineralisation outside the typical Big Bell host rocks (KPSH), for example 1,600N and Shocker, also display a very strong W-As-Sb geochemical halo.

Numerous gold deposits occur within the Cuddingwarra Project area, the majority of which are hosted within the central mafic-ultramafic  felsic porphyry sequence. Within this broad framework, mineralisation is shown to be spatially controlled by competency contrasts across, and flexures along, layer-parallel D2 shear zones, and is maximised when transected by corridors of northeast striking D3 faults and fractures.

The Great Fingall Dolerite hosts the majority gold mineralisation within the portion of the greenstone belt proximal to Cue (The Day Dawn Project Area). Unit AGF3 is the most brittle of all the five units and this characteristic is responsible for its role as the most favourable lithological host to gold mineralisation in the Greenstone Belt.

FGO The Fortnum deposits are Paleoproterozoic shear-hosted gold deposits within the Fortnum Wedge, a localised thrust duplex of Narracoota Formation within the overlying Ravelstone Formation. Both stratigraphic formations comprise part of the Bryah Basin in the Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia.

The Horseshoe Cassidy deposits are hosted within the Ravelstone Formation (siltstone and argillite) and Narracoota Formation (highly altered, moderate to strongly deformed mafic to ultramafic rocks). The main zone of mineralisation is developed within a horizon of highly altered magnesian basalt. Gold mineralisation is associated with strong vein stock works that are confined to the altered mafic. Alteration consists of two types: stockwork proximal silica-carbonate-fuchsite-haematite-pyrite and distal silica-haematite-carbonate+/- chlorite.

The Peak Hill district represents remnants of a Proterozoic fold belt comprising highly deformed trough and shelf sediments and mafic / ultramafic volcanics, which are generally moderately metamorphosed (except for the Peak Hill Metamorphic Suite).

HGO The Higginsville Gold Operation is located in the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of the Archean Yilgarn Craton. The bulk of the Higginsville tenement package is located almost entirely within the well-mineralised Kalgoorlie Terrane, between the gold mining centres of Norseman and St Ives. HGO can be sub-divided into seven major geological domains: Trident Line of Lode, Chalice, Lake Cowan, Southern Paleo-channels, Mt Henry, Polar Bear Group and Spargos Project area.

Majority of mineralisation along the Trident Line of Lode are hosted within the Poseidon gabbro and high-MgO dyke complexes in the south. The Poseidon Gabbro is a thick, weakly-differentiated gabbroic sill, which strikes north-south and dips 60 to the east, is over 500 m thick and 2.5 km long. The mineralisation is hosted within or marginal to quartz veining and is structurally and lithologically controlled.

The Chalice Deposit is located within a north-south trending, 2 km to 3 km wide greenstone terrane, flanked on the west calc-alkaline granitic rocks of the Boorabin Batholith and to the east by the Pioneer Dome Batholith. The dominant unit that hosts gold mineralisation is a fine grained, weak to strongly foliated amphibole-plagioclase amphibolite, with a typically lepidoblastic (mineralogically aligned and banded) texture. It is west-dipping and generally steep, approximately 60 to 75.

The Lake Cowan project area is situated near the centre of a regional anticline between the Zuleika and Lefroy faults, with the local geology of the area made more complex by the intrusion of the massive Proterozoic Binneringie dyke. The majority of mineralisation at the Lake Cowan Mining Centre is hosted within an enclave of Archaean material surrounded by the Binneringie dyke.

Mineralised zones within the Southern Paleo Channels network comprise both placer gold, normally near the base of the channel-fill sequences, and chemically-precipitated secondary gold within the channel-fill materials and underlying saprolite. These gold concentrations commonly overlie, or are adjacent to, primary mineralised zones within Archaean bedrock.

The Mount Henry Project covers 347km2 of the prolific South NorsemanWiluna Greenstone belt of the Eastern Goldfields in Western Australia. Although the greenstone rocks from the Norseman area can be broadly correlated with those of the Kalgoorlie - Kambalda region they form a distinct terrain which is bounded on all sides by major regional shears. The Norseman Terrane has prominent banded iron formations which distinguish it from the Kalgoorlie- Kambalda Terrane. The Mount Henry gold deposit is hosted by a silicate facies BIF unit within the Noganyer Formation. Gold mineralisation is predominantly hosted by the silicate facies BIF unit but is also associated with minor metabasalt and dolerite units that were mostly emplaced in the BIF prior to mineralisation. The footwall to the BIF is characterised by a sedimentary schistose unit and the hanging wall by the overlying dolerites of the Woolyeener Formation. The Mount Henry gold deposit is classified as an Archean, orogenic shear hosted deposit. The main lode is an elongated, shearhosted body, 1.9km long by 6 - 10 metres wide and dips 6575 degrees towards the west.

The Polar Bear project is situated within the Archaean Norseman-Wiluna Belt which locally includes basalts, komatiites, metasediments, and felsic volcaniclastics. The primary gold mineralisation is related to hydrothermal activity during multiple deformation events. Indications are that gold mineralisation is focused on or near to the stratigraphic boundary between the Killaloe and Buldania Formation.

The Spargos Project occurs within Coolgardie Domain of the Kalgoorlie Terrane. The area is bounded by the Zuleika Shear to the east and the Kunanalling Shear to the west. The geological setting comprises tightly-folded north-south striking ultramafic and mafic volcanic rocks at the northern closure Widgiemooltha Dome. The project lies on the general trend of the Kunanalling / Karramindie Shear corridor, a regional shear zone that hosts significant mineralisation to the north at Ghost Crab (Mount Marion), Wattle Dam to the south, the Penfolds group and Kunanalling. The regional prospective Zuleika Shear lies to the east of the project. The tenements are prospective for vein and shear hosted gold deposits as demonstrated by Spargos Reward and numerous other gold workings and occurrences. Gold mineralisation at Spargos Reward is hosted by a coarse-grained pyrite-arsenopyrite lode in quartz-sericite schists, between strongly biotitic altered greywacke to the east and quartz-sericite-fuchsite-pyrite altered felsic tuff to the west. Gold mineralisation is associated with very little quartz veining which is atypical for many deposits in region. The Spargos Reward setting has been described variously as a low-quartz sulphidic mesothermal gold system or as a Hemlo style syn-sedimentary occurrence.

MGO MGO is located in the Achaean Murchison Province, a granite-greenstone terrane in the northwest of the Yilgarn Craton. Greenstone belts trending north-northeast are separated by granite-gneiss domes, with smaller granite plutons also present within or on the margins of the belts.

The Paddy's Flat area is located on the western limb of a regional fold, the Polelle Syn- cline, within a sequence of mafic to ultramafic volcanics with minor interflow sediments and banded iron-formation. The sequence has also been intruded by felsic porphyry dykes prior to mineralisation. Mineralisation is located along four sub-parallel trends at Paddy's Flat which can be summarized as containing three dominant mineralisation styles: Sulphide replacement BIF hosted gold. Quartz vein hosted shear-related gold. Quartz-carbonate-sulphide stockwork vein and alteration related gold.

The Yaloginda area is a gold-bearing Archaean greenstone belt situated ~15km south of Meekatharra. The deposits in the area are hosted in a strained and metamorphosed volcanic sequence that consists primarily of ultramafic and high-magnesium basalt with minor komatiite, peridotite, gabbro, tholeiitic basalt and interflow sediments. The sequence was intruded by a variety of felsic porphyry and intermediate sills and dykes.

The Reedy's mining district is located approximately 15 km to the south-east to Meekatharra and to the south of Lake Annean. The Reedy gold deposits occur with- in a north-south trending greenstone belt, two to five kilometres wide, composed of volcano-sedimentary sequences and separated multiphase syn- and post-tectonic granitoid complexes. Structurally controlled the gold occur.



Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole down hole length and interception depth hole length.

If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. Tables containing drillhole collar, downhole survey and intersection data are included in the body of the announcement. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g., cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.

Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.

The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. All results presented are length weighted.

No high-grade cuts are used.

Reported results contain no more than two contiguous metres of internal dilution below 0.5g/t. For Beta Hunt, a cut off of 1 g/t Au with maximum internal waste of 2m is used to define significant intercepts.

Results are reported above a variety of gram / metre cut-offs dependent upon the nature of the hole. These are cut-offs are clearly stated in the relevant tables.

Unless indicated to the contrary, all results reported are downhole width.

Given restricted access in the underground environment the majority of drillhole intersections are not normal to the orebody. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.

If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.

If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g., 'down hole length, true width not known'). Unless indicated to the contrary, all results reported are downhole width.

Given restricted access in the underground environment the majority of drillhole intersections are not normal to the orebody. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. Appropriate diagrams are provided in the body of the release if required. Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. Appropriate balance in exploration results reporting is provided. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. There is no other substantive exploration data associated with this release. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).

Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. Ongoing surface and underground exploration activities will be undertaken to support continuing mining activities at Westgold Gold Operations.

SECTION 3: ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF MINERAL RESOURCES

(Criteria listed in section 1, and where relevant in section 2, also apply to this section.)

Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Database integrity Measures taken to ensure that data has not been corrupted by, for example, transcription or keying errors, between its initial collection and its use for Mineral Resource estimation purposes.

Data validation procedures used. The database used for the estimation was extracted from the Westgold's DataShed database management system stored on a secure SQL server.

As new data is acquired it passes through a validation approval system designed to pick up any significant errors before the information is loaded into the master database. Site visits Comment on any site visits undertaken by the Competent Person and the outcome of those visits.

If no site visits have been undertaken indicate why this is the case. Mr. Russell visits Westgold Gold Operations regularly. Geological interpretation Confidence in (or conversely, the uncertainty of) the geological interpretation of the mineral deposit.

Nature of the data used and of any assumptions made.

The effect, if any, of alternative interpretations on Mineral Resource estimation.

The use of geology in guiding and controlling Mineral Resource estimation.

The factors affecting continuity both of grade and geology. Mining in the Murchison and Goldfields districts has occurred since 1800's providing significant confidence in the currently geological interpretation across all projects.

Confidence in the geological interpretation at BHO is high. The current geological interpretation has been a precursor to successful mining over the years and forms the basis for the long-term life of mine plan (LOM). The data and assumptions used do suggest that any significant alternative geological interpretation is unlikely.

Geology (lithological units, alterations, structure, veining) have been used to guide and control Mineral Resource estimation for Beta Hunt and HGO

No alternative interpretations are currently considered viable.

Geological interpretation of the deposit was carried out using a systematic approach to ensure that the resultant estimated Mineral Resource figure was both sufficiently constrained, and representative of the expected sub-surface conditions. In all aspects of resource estimation the factual and interpreted geology was used to guide the development of the interpretation.

Geological matrixes were established to assist with interpretation and construction of the estimation domains.

The structural regime is the dominant control on geological and grade continuity in the Murchison and Goldfields. Lithological factors such as rheology contrast are secondary controls on grade distribution.

Low-grade stockpiles are derived from previous mining of the mineralisation styles outlined above. Dimensions The extent and variability of the Mineral Resource expressed as length (along strike or otherwise), plan width, and depth below surface to the upper and lower limits of the ineral Resource. BHO A-Zone extends over 2.2km strike length and is modelled to a vertical depth of 960m. It has variable thickness from 2m to 20m thick.

Western Flanks has a strike extent of 1.8km and is modelled to a vertical extent of 450m, with average thickness of the shear around 10m.

Larkin extends over 1.1km in strike length and is modelled to 400m vertical extent, with variable thickness ranging from 2m to 15m thick.

Mason has a strike extent of 1.1km and is modelled to 455m vertical extent with variable thickness between 7 to 15m. CGO The Big Bell Trend is mineralised a strike length of >3,900m, a lateral extent of up +50m and a depth of over 1,500m.

Great Fingall is mineralised a strike length of >500m, a lateral extent of >600m and a depth of over 800m.

Black Swan South is mineralised a strike length of >1,700m, a lateral extent of up +75m and a depth of over 300m. FGP The Yarlarweelor mineral resource extends over 1,400m in strike length, 570m in lateral extent and 190m in depth.

The Tom's and Sam's mineral resource extends over 650m in strike length, 400m in lateral extent and 130m in depth.

The Eldorado mineral resource extends over 240m in strike length, 100m in lateral extent and 100m in depth. HGO Trident, Fairplay, Vine and Two Boy's deposits form the Line of Lode system and extends over 5km of strike.

Chalice mineralisation has been defined over a strike length of 700m, a lateral extent of 200m and a depth of 650m.

The Pioneer resource area extends over a strike length of 860m from 6,474,900mN to 6,475,760mN. The multiple NS striking parallel lodes occur within a narrow EW extent of 190m from 374,970mE to 375,160mE. Mineralisation has been modelled from surface at 291mRL to a vertical depth 208m to the 83mRL.

Southern paleochannels gold mineralisation is interpreted to have a strike length around 4km and is predominantly flat lying.

The Wills deposit extends over 900m in a ENE-WSW direction and is up to 200m wide. Pluto is confirmed between sections 6,480,100mN and 6,481,800mN. Nanook is confirmed between sections 6,469,300mN and 6,472,500mN.

Lake Cowan: Atreides mineralisation is contained within flat lying lodes located within the weathered zone. The mineralision strike extents vary between 100m to 300m long, with an average thickness of 2 to 3 m thick. Josephine has a strike length greater than 450m and >10m across strike and modelled to >90m at depth. Louis has a strike extent of 310m long and is interpreted to a depth of 170m below surface. Napoleon: ~220m strike and up to ~90m (individual mineralised lodes maximum of 12m) across strike to an interpreted depth of ~80m m below surface. Rose's dimension is 150m x 120m (X, Y), to an interpreted depth of +20-25m below surface.

The Spargos resource area extends over a strike length of 330m from 6,542,980mN to 6,543,310mN. The parallel lodes occur within a narrow EW extent of 95m from 354,120mE to 354,215mE. Mineralisation has been modelled from surface at 425mRL to a vertical depth 525m to -100mRL. MGO The Paddy's Flat Trend is mineralised a strike length of >3,900m, a lateral extent of up +230m and a depth of over 500m.

Bluebird is mineralised a strike length of >1,800m, a lateral extent of up +50m and a depth of over 500m.

Triton - South Emu is mineralised a strike length of >1,100m, a lateral extent of several metres and a depth of over 500m. STOCKPILES Low-grade stockpiles are of various dimensions. All modelling and estimation work undertaken by Westgold is carried out in three dimensions via Surpac Vision. Estimation and modelling techniques. The nature and appropriateness of the estimation technique(s) applied and key assumptions, including treatment of extreme grade values, domaining, interpolation parameters, maximum distance of extrapolation from data points.

The availability of check estimates, previous estimates and/or mine production records and whether the Mineral Resource estimate takes appropriate account of such data.

The assumptions made regarding recovery of by-products.

Estimation of deleterious elements or other non-grade variables of economic significance (e.g. sulphur for acid mine drainage characterisation).

In the case of block model interpolation, the block size in relation to the average sample spacing and the search employed.

Any assumptions behind modelling of selective mining units.

Any assumptions about correlation between variables.

The process of validation, the checking process used, the comparison of model data to drillhole data, and use of reconciliation data if available. After validating the drillhole data to be used in the estimation, interpretation of the orebody is undertaken in sectional and / or plan view to create the outline strings which form the basis of the three-dimensional orebody wireframe. Wireframing is then carried out using a combination of automated stitching algorithms and manual triangulation to create an accurate three-dimensional representation of the sub-surface mineralised body.

Drillhole intersections within the mineralised body are defined, these intersections are then used to flag the appropriate sections of the drillhole database tables for compositing purposes. Drillholes are subsequently composited to allow for grade estimation. In all aspects of resource estimation, the factual and interpreted geology was used to guide the development of the interpretation.

Once the sample data has been composited, a statistical analysis is undertaken to assist with determining estimation search parameters, top-cuts etc. Variographic analysis of individual domains is undertaken to assist with determining appropriate search parameters. Which are then incorporated with observed geological and geometrical features to determine the most appropriate search parameters.

An empty block model is then created for the area of interest. This model contains attributes set at background values for the various elements of interest as well as density, and various estimation parameters that are subsequently used to assist in resource categorisation. The block sizes used in the model will vary depending on orebody geometry, minimum mining units, estimation parameters and levels of informing data available.

Grade estimation is then undertaken, with ordinary kriging estimation method is considered as standard, although in some circumstances where sample populations are small, or domains are unable to be accurately defined, inverse distance weighting estimation techniques will be used. For very minor lodes, the respective median or average grade is assigned. Both by-product and deleterious elements are estimated at the time of primary grade estimation if required. It is assumed that by- products correlate well with gold. There are no assumptions made about the recovery of by-products.

The resource is then depleted for mining voids and subsequently classified in line with JORC guidelines utilising a combination of various estimation derived parameters and geological / mining knowledge.

This approach has proven to be applicable to Westgold's gold assets.

Estimation results are routinely validated against primary input data, previous estimates and mining output.

Good reconciliation between mine claimed figures and milled figures was routinely achieved during past production history. Moisture Whether the tonnages are estimated on a dry basis or with natural moisture, and the method of determination of the moisture content. Tonnage estimates are dry tonnes. Cut-off parameters The basis of the adopted cut-off grade(s) or quality parameters applied. The cut off grades used for the reporting of the Mineral Resources have been selected based on the style of mineralisation, depth from surface of the mineralisation and the most probable extraction technique. Mining factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible mining methods, minimum mining dimensions and internal (or, if applicable, external) mining dilution. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential mining methods, but the assumptions made regarding mining methods and parameters when estimating Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the mining assumptions made. Variable by deposit.

No mining dilution or ore loss has been modelled in the resource model or applied to the reported Mineral Resource. Metallurgical factors or assumptions The basis for assumptions or predictions regarding metallurgical amenability. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential metallurgical methods, but the assumptions regarding metallurgical treatment processes and parameters made when reporting Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the metallurgical assumptions made. Not considered for Mineral Resource. Applied during the Reserve generation process. Environmental factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible waste and process residue disposal options. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider the potential environmental impacts of the mining and processing operation. While at this stage the determination of potential environmental impacts, particularly for a greenfields project, may not always be well advanced, the status of early consideration of these potential environmental impacts should be reported. Where these aspects have not been considered this should be reported with an explanation of the environmental assumptions made. Westgold operates in accordance with all environmental conditions set down as conditions for grant of the respective leases. Bulk density Whether assumed or determined. If assumed, the basis for the assumptions. If determined, the method used, whether wet or dry, the frequency of the measurements, the nature, size and representativeness of the samples.

The bulk density for bulk material must have been measured by methods that adequately account for void spaces (vugs, porosity, etc.), moisture and differences between rock and alteration zones within the deposit.

Discuss assumptions for bulk density estimates used in the evaluation process of the different materials. Bulk density of the mineralisation is variable and is for the most part lithology and oxidation rather than mineralisation dependent.

A large suite of bulk density determinations has been carried out across the project areas. The bulk densities were separated into different weathering domains and lithological domains

A significant past mining history has validated the assumptions made surrounding bulk density. Classification The basis for the classification of the Mineral Resources into varying confidence categories.

Whether appropriate account has been taken of all relevant factors (i.e. relative confidence in tonnage/grade estimations, reliability of input data, confidence in continuity of geology and metal values, quality, quantity and distribution of the data).

Whether the result appropriately reflects the Competent Person's view of the deposit. Resources are classified in line with JORC guidelines utilising a combination of various estimation derived parameters, input data and geological / mining knowledge.

This approach considers all relevant factors and reflects the Competent Person's view of the deposit Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of Mineral Resource estimates. Resource estimates are peer reviewed by the Corporate technical team.

No external reviews have been undertaken. Discussion of relative accuracy/ confidence Where appropriate a statement of the relative accuracy and confidence level in the Mineral Resource estimate using an approach or procedure deemed appropriate by the Competent Person. For example, the application of statistical or geostatistical procedures to quantify the relative accuracy of the resource within stated confidence limits, or, if such an approach is not deemed appropriate, a qualitative discussion of the factors that could affect the relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate.

The statement should specify whether it relates to global or local estimates, and, if local, state the relevant tonnages, which should be relevant to technical and economic evaluation. Documentation should include assumptions made and the procedures used.

These statements of relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate should be compared with production data, where available. All currently reported resource estimates are considered robust, and representative on both a global and local scale.

A continuing history of mining with good reconciliation of mine claimed to mill recovered provides confidence in the accuracy of the estimates.

SOURCE Westgold Resources Limited
Vancouver, September 4, 2024 - Green Bridge Metals Corp. (CNSX: GRBM) ("Green Bridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of a geophysical study of the Oxide Ultramafic Intrusions (OUI) at the Skibo and Wyman-Siphon prospects within the South Contact Zone (SCZ) (Figure 1) that host titanium-copper-nickel-vanadium mineralization. Based on a positive correlation between mineralization and the OUIs, the Company has contracted Geotech LTD to conduct a 721 line kilometer VTEM survey in Q4 of this year. The new VTEM survey will focus on developing drill targets through the acquisition of new geophysical data for the Titac - Boulder prospect areas, which do not have a modern geophysical survey.

David Suda, CEO stated: "The Company's recent site visit and re-interpretation of existing data has increased our confidence that the properties in the SCZ (South Contact Zone) in Minnesota are well mineralized. It is a rare opportunity to see such clear, yet underexplored targets in an area with historically rich polymetallic endowment. We look forward to rapidly and continuously advancing the Company's leverage to the increasing global demand for 'green metals'".

The geophysical analysis has yielded positive results for identifying OUI bodies through a combination of magnetic and Virtual Time Domain Electro Magnetics (VTEM) geophysical methods. Along the SCZ, OUIs consistently yield significant TiO2-V-Cu+Ni mineralization where they are intersected in drilling. This study serves to highlight the geophysical expression of OUIs at Wyman-Siphon and Skibo where known massive and disseminated copper (Cu)- nickel (Ni) mineralization occurs. Several new OUI targets were developed based on this geophysical evaluation at the Wyman-Siphon and Skibo prospects (Figure 2) and are considered high priority drill targets.

Detailed Discussion:

Results of the geophysical data analysis at the Wyman-Siphon area shows that historical drilling within two of the newly identified OUI regions yielded intercepts of 0.6 - 2.4% copper (Cu) and 0.22 - 0.45% nickel (Ni) over a variety of thicknesses. At the Skibo prospect, historical drilling within previously identified OUIs yielded intercepts of 2.0 - 3.8% Cu and 1.0 - 6.4% Ni over a variety of thicknesses. Substantial ground within the Skibo prospect, host to several VTEM conductive anomalies, remain untested at Skibo.

At the Titac South prospect, a historical TiO2 mineral resource exists with disseminated Cu-Ni-V mineralization accompanying the TiO2 (see August 25, 2024, News Release). Titac North also contains historical intercepts of TiO2- Cu-Ni-V mineralization. Both Titac South and Titac North are associated with relative magnetic high zones in the geophysical data. Importantly, another magnetic high zone has been identified at Titac East to the southeast of Titac South on the Titac property (Figure 3). Though similar in its magnetic response to known mineralization at Titac, this area has not been drill tested. Based on the findings above, the Company believes a VTEM survey over the Titac and Boulder prospect areas will highlight new drill targets along the Southern SCZ. The Company looks forward to informing the market of its drill plans based on a comprehensive analysis of historical and newly commissioned VTEM surveys in due course.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1. Regional location map showing geology (MGS State Map Series S-21 2011), infrastructure, and neighboring Cu-Ni-PGE (+/- TiO2-V2O5) deposits. The Titac area includes the Titac North and Titac South prospects.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2. Side by side maps of the magnetics (left) and VTEM (right) over the Wyman-Siphon and Skibo properties. New OUI targets (pink polygons) as well as historically interpreted OUI (blue polygons) are shown.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3. Regional magnetics map of the Southern SCZ (Minnesota Geological Survey) showing the Titac and Boulder prospects along with historic drill intercepts at their respective locations.

The historical MRE for the SCZ was calculated prior to the implementation of the standards set forth in NI 43-101 and current CIM standards for mineral resource estimation. Resource definitions, terminology, and reporting standards have changed significantly since these series of reports. The estimates in these reports are all considered historical in nature and a QP has not done sufficient work to evaluate these resources as current resources. Therefore, the Company and the authors of this report are treating these estimates as historical in nature.

.

QP Statement:

Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.





ON BEHALF OF GREEN BRIDGE METALS,

"David Suda"

President and Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please contact:

David Suda

President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel: 604.928-3101

investors@greenbridgemetals.com

About Green Bridge Metals

Green Bridge Metals Corporation (formerly Mich Resources Ltd.) is a Canadian based exploration company focused on acquiring 'battery metal' rich mineral assets and the development of the South Contact Zone (the "Property") along the basal contact of the Duluth Intrusion, north of Duluth, Minnesota. The South Contact Zone contains bulk-tonnage copper-nickel and titanium-vanadium in ilmenite hosted in ultramafic to oxide ultramafic intrusions. The Property has exploration targets for bulk-tonnage Ni mineralization, high grade Ni-Cu-PGE magmatic sulfide mineralization and titanium.

Forward Looking Information

Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: the exploration and development of the South Contact Zone Properties; and the VTEM survey planned for Q4 of this year.

Although management of the Company believe that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These risk factors include, but are not limited to: the exploration and development of the South Contact Zone Properties may not result in any commercially successful outcome for the Company; risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws (including regulations respecting mining concessions); and other risk factors as detailed from time to time.

The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Certain figures and references contain information supported by public and corporate references that may have been updated, changed, or modified since their referenced date. The Company has not reviewed any resources and cannot comment on their accuracy.

References:



1Farrow, D., Johnson, M., (2012), January 2012 National Instrument 43-101Technical Report on the Titac Ilmenite Exploration Project, Minnesota, USA. SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. SRK Project Number 2CC031.004. Cardero Resources Corp.

2DeMatties, T.A., (2020). Encampment Minerals, Inc., 2020 Winter Drilling Program at the Skibo (North) Property, St. Louis County, Minnesota, Technical Report. Encampment Minerals Inc.

3DeMatties, T.A. (2012). Encampment Minerals Inc., Duluth Copper-Nickel-PGM Exploration Program Boulder Lake North Property, St Louis County Minnesota, Technical Report (unpublished). Encampment Minerals Inc.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
LONDON, September 5, 2024 - Ecora Resources PLC (LSE:ECOR)(TSX:ECOR) is pleased to announce that Marc Bishop Lafleche, CEO and Kevin Flynn, CFO, will provide a presentation relating to the HY24 Results via the Investor Meet Company platform on 11 September 2024 at 3.00pm BST.

The presentation is open to all existing and potential shareholders. Questions can be submitted pre-event via the Investor Meet Company dashboard up until 9.00am on 10 September, or at any time during the presentation.

Investors can sign up to Investor Meet Company for free to follow Ecora Resources PLC via:

https://www.investormeetcompany.com/ecora-resources-plc/register-investor

Investors who already follow Ecora on the Investor Meet Company platform will automatically be invited.

For further information:

Ecora Resources PLC +44 (0) 20 3435 7400 Geoff Callow - Head of Investor Relations Website: www.ecora-resources.com FTI Consulting Sara Powell / Ben Brewerton / Nick Hennis +44 (0) 20 3727 1000 ecoraresources@fticonsulting.com

This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Ecora Resources PLC

View the original press release on accesswire.com
VANCOUVER, BC - September 5, 2024 - Giant Mining Corp. (CSE: BFG | OTC: BFGFF | FWB: YW5) ("Giant Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce significant progress in the preparation for the upcoming drilling program at the Majuba Hill Porphyry Copper Deposit ("Majuba Hill"), located in Pershing County, Nevada.

The Company has been actively engaged in detailed geological work, including the updating of the 3D model, the compilation of geological data, and a comprehensive review of cross sections to enhance the understanding of subsurface geology.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1 - Review of drilling data accumulated over previous campaigns.

Recent efforts have focused on refining the geological model of Majuba Hill, crucial for identifying key drilling targets and ensuring the efficiency of future exploration activities. The team conducted a meticulous review of nearly 25,000 meters of drilling data accumulated over previous campaigns, stored at the Company's core shed and offices in Elko, Nevada. This extensive dataset forms the foundation for the Exploration Target, estimated at 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 tonnes, as outlined in the NI 43-101 report available on the Giant Mining Corp. website.

David Greenway, CEO of Giant Mining Corp., remarked, "The completion of our 3D modeling and cross-section reviews marks a pivotal step in our exploration strategy at Majuba Hill. This groundwork is essential for guiding our upcoming drill program and optimizing resource development. We are committed to applying the latest geological techniques to advance the Majuba Hill project and unlock its full potential."

The detailed geological work being undertaken will play a critical role in refining the resource estimates and guiding the upcoming drilling efforts, thereby advancing the economic assessment of the Majuba Hill project. As the Company continues to build on its geologic understanding, it remains focused on creating long-term value for shareholders through strategic exploration and resource management.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by E.L. "Buster" Hunsaker III, CPG 8137, a non-independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101").

Market Awareness

As part of Giant Mining's ongoing strategy to raise the profile of Giant Mining's projects to investors, the Company has engaged TD Media LLC dba Lifewater Media with its principal address located at 5826 New Territory Blvd., Unit 2144, Sugar Land, Texas 77479, United States ("Lifewater Media") to provide the Company with digital marketing services such as OmniChannel programmatic advertising, SMS & email marketing, ticker tagging, AdCopy & content by professional finance writers, for a 30 day period commencing on September 3, 2024 in consideration of US$250,000 (the "Agreement"), of which US$130,000 was due and paid before August 30, 2024. The term of the Agreement can be renewed by the Company on the terms to be agreed upon by the Company and Lifewater Media. Lifewater Media and Giant Mining are not related parties and operate at arm's length. Neither Lifewater Media nor its principals have any interest in the Company's securities, directly or indirectly, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest. Lifewater can be reached via email at Info@lifewatermedia.com or by telephone at (561) 349-7722.

About Giant Mining Corp.

Giant Mining Corp. is engaged in the identification, review and acquisition of latter stage copper and copper/silver/gold assets. This is in direct response to the growing worldwide demand and lack of supply for precious metals fueled by the Green New Deal in the US and most other developed nations with similar programs aimed at addressing climate change. Such programs are heavily reliant on silver, gold and especially copper to produce Electric Vehicles and other renewable power sources, as well as building infrastructure to provide clean and affordable electricity.

The flagship project is the Majuba Hill copper, silver and gold District located 156 miles (251 km) outside Reno, Nevada, USA. Management has been mandated to focus on safe, mining friendly jurisdictions where government regulations are supportive of mining operations.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

On Behalf of the Board of Giant Mining Corp.

"David Greenway"

David C. Greenway

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Joel Warawa

VP of Corporate Communications

E: info@giantminingcorp.com

P: 1 (855) 475-0745

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

www.giantminingcorp.com



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Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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 Giant Mining Corp. 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 forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Giant Mining Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Giant Mining Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

###

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 05, 2024 - West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. ("West Red Lake Gold" or "WRLG" or the "Company") (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") to list the unsecured gold-linked notes (the "Notes") and common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") that were previously issued by the Company in a private placement of units disclosed in news releases of March 20, 2024 and April 4, 2024. An aggregate of 27,165,631 Notes, in an aggregate principal amount of US$27,165,631, and 19,287,598 Warrants were issued.



The Notes represent unsecured obligations of the Company that bear interest at 12% per annum and mature on December 31, 2029. Commencing January 1, 2026, the Company will cause gold to be placed in escrow on a quarterly basis into a gold trust account. The Company will reduce the aggregate principal amount of the Notes on a quarterly basis, commencing on March 31, 2026, in accordance with the payment schedule set forth in a trust indenture dated March 19, 2024 (the "Note Indenture"), between the Company and TSX Trust Company, as trustee. The Notes will amortize based on a guaranteed floor price of US$1,800 per ounce of gold (the "Floor Price"). Any proceeds received from the sale of escrowed gold in excess of the Floor Price will be paid to holders as a premium.

The Company anticipates that the Notes and Warrants will commence trading on the TSXV on or about September 9, 2024, under the symbols WRLG.NT and WRLG.WT.A, respectively. The ISIN and CUSIP numbers of the Notes are CA95556LAA94 and 95556LAA9, respectively. The ISIN and CUSIP numbers of the Warrants are CA95556L1351 and 95556L135, respectively.

The Notes are governed by the terms of the Note Indenture and the Warrants are governed by the terms of a warrant indenture dated March 19, 2024 (the "Warrant Indenture"), between the Company and Odyssey Trust Company, as warrant agent. Copies of the Note Indenture and Warrant Indenture are available under the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca.

The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About West Red Lake Gold Mines

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral exploration company that is publicly traded and focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world's richest gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2 including three past producing gold mines - Rowan, Mount Jamie, and Red Summit.

ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES LTD.

"Shane Williams"

Shane Williams

President & Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gwen Preston

Vice President Investor Relations

Tel: (604) 609-6132

Email: investors@wrlgold.com or visit the Company's website

or visit the Company's website at https://www.westredlakegold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking information

The Company's decision to continue with the advancement of the Madsen Mine (the "Madsen Mine Restart") is based on economic models prepared by the Company in conjunction with management's knowledge of the property and the existing estimate of indicated and inferred mineral resources on the property set out in the report entitled, "Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada", with an effective date of July 31, 2022, as amended on April 24, 2024, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Madsen Mine Restart is not based on a preliminary economic assessment, a pre-feasibility study or a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with the Madsen Mine Restart, in particular: the risk that mineral grades will be lower than expected; the risk that additional ongoing mining operations are more difficult or more expensive than expected; and the risk that production and economic variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of a detailed economic and technical analysis undertaken in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations of management; however, it is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to plans for the potential restart of mining operations at the Madsen Mine, the potential of the Madsen Mine; any untapped growth potential in the Madsen deposit or Rowan deposit; and the Company's future objectives and plans. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; fluctuations in commodity prices; timing and results of the cleanup and recovery at the Madsen Mine; and changes in the Company's business plans. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended November 30, 2023, and the Company's annual information form for the year ended November 30, 2023, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
TORONTO, September 5, 2024 - PJX Resources Inc. ("PJX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that on-going drilling at the Dewdney Trail Property has encountered geology that supports the potential to discover a Sedimentary Exhalative (Sedex) type deposit. Of the 3 holes drilled to date the deepest into the mountain has intersected a 20m (estimated true width) fragmental with abundant to semi-massive sulphide mineralisation at 275m. The mineralisation appears to be predominantly iron sulphide (pyrrhotite and pyrite) with visible trace amounts of copper sulphide (chalcopyrite) and zinc sulphide (sphalerite) (see photo A). This style of mineralisation supports a venting environment, which is what occurs at the Sullivan Sedex deposit located approximately 20 km west of the Dewdney Trail Property in Southeastern British Columbia, Canada.

Photo A - Fragmental unit with iron sulphide (pyrrhotite and pyrite) in the matrix and what appear to be iron sulphide clasts in places. Zinc sulphide (sphalerite) and copper sulphide (chalcopyrite) are locally visible in trace amounts (samples have been sent for analysis).

The source of the Sullivan style and grade zinc, lead, and silver mineralisation discovered late last year at surface in boulders in talus material at the base of a mountain slope has not yet been identified by drilling (see photo B). In addition, the zinc and lead mineralisation in outcrop discovered late last year appears to occur in large blocks and/or fragments of stratigraphy that may have collapsed into a sinking basin which can happen in Sedex environments. Additional drilling is required on strike to the north and south as well as higher on the mountain which is stratigraphically above the fragmental unit. Drilling is also required at depth, stratigraphically below the fragmental unit, because of what appear to be massive iron sulphide clasts in part of the fragmental unit (see photo C).

Photo B - Sample STM-23-1 (6.71% zinc, 2.23% lead, 16.05 g/t silver, 1258.9 ppm or 0.12% copper) Strongly magnetic boulder found in talus at base of the moutnain slope late last year. Sphalerite (zinc sulphide), galena (lead sulphide), and iron sulphides (pyrite, pyrrhotite) occur banded or bedded in appearance as seen above. The mineralisation also occurs in the groundmass of the rock.

Photo C - Apparent Iron Sulphide (pyrrhotite and pyrite) clasts in fragmental.

John Keating, President of PJX, commented, "We are very pleased with the results from these initial drill holes. What we've encountered in the fragmental appears to be predominantly iron sulphides. However, having visible trace concentrations of zinc and copper sulphide minerals supports a mineralizing system with potential to produce higher concentrations of copper, zinc, and/or lead horizontally along strike as well as vertically in multiple sedimentary horizons. This type of transition in mineralisation occurs in Sedex environments. So far, we have only tested part of the northern edge of the large magnetic anomaly. We are working with New Age Drilling Solutions to bring additional drills to the property and expand testing. The well mineralized boulders with zinc, lead, and silver discovered late last year also support the potential for more significant zinc, lead and/or copper content. Results of our work along with maps and sections are expected to be announced when the drilling has been completed and results compiled."

PJX's New Discovery Potential Background

PJX owns 100% of the mineral rights to multiple properties totaling over 680 km of mineral claims in the Sullivan Mining District of Southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Exploration in late 2023 discovered boulders and outcrop of Sullivan deposit style and grade mineralisation on PJX's Dewdney Trail Property that is over 150 km in size. The zinc, lead, silver, and other critical metal mineralisation discovered at surface on the Dewdney Trail Property is magnetic and appears to be associated with a strong to moderate magnetic airborne geophysical anomaly that can be traced for approximately 1.6 km. The mineralisation and geophysical anomaly have never been drilled.

The geological disclosure and content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dave Pighin, P.Geo., and John Keating P.Geo. (qualified persons for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Pighin is one of a number of consulting geologists for PJX on the Dewdney Trail Property. Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX.

About PJX Resources Inc.

PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver, zinc, lead, copper, cobalt, and other critical metals. PJX's properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia.

Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer

(416) 799-9205

info@pjxresources.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release has been prepared as at the date noted above. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Cautionary Note to US Investors:

This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: PJX Resources Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
DENVER, Sept. 5, 2024 - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), an industry leader in uranium and rare earth elements ("REE") production for the energy transition, is pleased to announce that it has achieved a major milestone toward its planned acquisition of Base Resources ("Base") with the approval of the acquisition by Base shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders held in Perth, Australia on September 5, 2024. Further, as previously announced by Base, all required regulatory approvals for the acquisition have been obtained."We are pleased that the Base shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve Energy Fuels' combination with Base Resources. We believe that the combined company will clearly emerge as a world-leader in producing several of the critical minerals and materials needed for the clean energy transition. The Toliara, Bahia and Donald projects are expected to become large-scale, world-class, and low-cost heavy mineral sand projects in the coming years, producing titanium, zirconium and rare earth minerals. Energy Fuels is uniquely placed in the world to unlock the value of the rare earth minerals (monazite and xenotime) at our White Mesa Mill, and we have proven our ability to recover and produce advanced separated rare earth materials in the USA. I am also very pleased to see recent improvements in REE prices, with the price of NdPr recently increasing to $60.21 per kilogram.

We look forward to completing the next steps in our acquisition of Base Resources and closing the Transaction on October 2, 2024."





Base Shareholders Overwhelming Vote in Favor of Combination with Energy Fuels:



As previously announced on April 21, 2024, Energy Fuels entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the issued shares of Base in consideration of the issuance by the Company of 0.026 Energy Fuels Common Shares for every Base share held and the payment by Base of a special dividend of AUD $0.065 per Base share (the "Transaction"). The Transaction is to be effected by way of a scheme of arrangement under Australia's Corporations Act (the "Scheme").



At their September 5, 2024 meeting, the shareholders of Base overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Scheme, with 99.88% of the votes cast by Base shareholders in favor of the transaction, and 93.18% of the Base shareholders present and voting (in person or by proxy) in favor of the transaction. Both voting results significantly exceed the requirements for shareholder approval, being more than 75% of the votes cast and more than 50% of the shareholders present.



As a next step, Base will apply to the Federal Court of Australia (the "Court") for approval of the Scheme, which is scheduled to occur on September 12, 2024. If the Court approves the Scheme, a copy of the Court order will be lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ("ASIC") and the Scheme will become effective, which is expected to occur on September 13, 2024. As a result, September 13, 2024 is expected to be Base's last day of trading on the Australian Stock Exchange ("ASX"). The Special Dividend (AUD$0.065 per share) is expected to be paid to Base shareholders on October 1, 2024, and Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur on October 2, 2024. The closing remains subject to this Court approval and other routine conditions.





All Required Regulatory Approvals have been Obtained:



On July 1, 2024, Base received notice from the Competition Authority of Kenya that it had approved the proposed combination pursuant to the Competition Act of Kenya. On August 21 2024, Base announced that Energy Fuels had received written confirmation from the Foreign Investment Review Board that the Australian government has no objections to the proposed combination, and on August 27, 2024, Base received confirmation from the Malagasy Competition Council that it does not object to the proposed combination of Energy Fuels and Base and that the Transaction may proceed. As a result, all the regulatory conditions precedent to the Scheme are considered satisfied, and there are no remaining regulatory approval conditions precedent to implementation of the Scheme and closing of the Transaction.



The acquisition of Base Resources and its 100%-owned Toliara Mineral Sand Project in Madagascar ("Toliara"), together with the Company's 100%-owned Bahia Mineral Sand Project in Brazil ("Bahia") and the Company's recently announced joint venture with Astron Corporation to develop the Donald Mineral Sand Project in Australia ("Donald"), is expected to transform Energy Fuels into a world-leader in REE's, titanium, and zirconium production, while maintaining it's position as a leading U.S. uranium mining producer. The Toliara, Bahia, and Donald projects are heavy mineral sand ("HMS") projects that, upon development, will primarily produce titanium and zirconium minerals, including ilmenite, rutile, and zircon. Subject to receipt of further permitting and development, these HMS projects are also expected to produce a valuable monazite sand byproduct, which is one of the best sources of the "magnet" REE's used in electric vehicles ("EVs"), plug-in hybrid vehicles, direct-drive wind energy, and other technologies. The Toliara Project is expected to be Energy Fuels' cornerstone source of monazite supply, providing a long-term and large-scale supply of monazite to the Company's White Mesa Mill in Utah (the "Mill") for processing into REE oxides and other advanced REE materials, along with the recovery of contained uranium. As the monazite is expected to be a very low-cost byproduct of Toliara's primary ilmenite and zircon production, the production of REE oxides at the Mill is expected to be low-cost and globally competitive. The Toliara Project is subject to negotiation of fiscal terms with the Madagascar government and the receipt of certain Madagascar government approvals and actions before a current suspension on activities at the Toliara Project will be lifted and development may occur.





Energy Fuels Successfully Commissions REE Separation Circuit; Turns Focus to Uranium Production for the Remainder of 2024:



During Q2- and Q3-2024, the Company successfully commissioned an REE separation circuit at its 100%-owned White Mesa Mill. This "Phase 1" circuit has the capacity to produce up to 1,000 metric tons ("tonnes") of separated NdPr per year. During commissioning, the Company recovered, dried, and packaged approximately 40 tonnes of high-purity, on-spec separated NdPr. The Company estimates that it recovered an additional 10 to 20 tonnes of separated NdPr, which remains in circuit and will be packaged at a later date. This 50 - 60 tonnes of NdPr production exceeds the Company's original guidance of 25 - 35 tonnes by over 40%.



The Company is currently in the process of shifting its production focus at the Mill from REE's to uranium. During 2024, the Company expects to produce 150,000 to 500,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 from stockpiled alternate feed materials and conventional ore. In addition, ore production and underground development at its Pinyon Plain and La Sal mines continues on schedule and on budget.





ABOUT ENERGY FUELS



Energy Fuels is a leading US-based critical minerals company. The Company, as a leading producer of uranium in the United States, mines uranium and produces natural uranium concentrates that are sold to major nuclear utilities for the production of carbon-free nuclear energy. Energy Fuels recently began production of advanced rare earth element ("REE") materials, including mixed REE carbonate in 2021, and commenced production of commercial quantities of separated REEs in 2024. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is evaluating the recovery of radionuclides needed for emerging cancer treatments. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and substantially all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds two of America's key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery ("ISR") Project in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the US today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE products, from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Company recently acquired the Bahia Project in Brazil and entered into a joint venture agreement to develop the Donald Project in Australia, each of which is believed to have significant quantities of titanium (ilmenite and rutile), zirconium (zircon) and REE (monazite) minerals. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the US and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU," and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com.





Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "Forward Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: any expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a leading U.S.-based critical minerals company or as a leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; any expectation with respect to timelines to production; any expectation as to rates or quantities of production; any expectation as to costs of production; any expectation that the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project, if acquired, will be fully permitted and developed; any expectation that, upon development, the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project will be low-cost sources of monazite feed for the Mill; any expectation that the acquisition of Base Resources will be completed or if completed, completed on the terms and time proposed; any expectation that any production at the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project, if acquired, or Mill will be world or globally competitive; any expectation that Energy Fuels will be successful in agreeing on fiscal terms with the Government of Madagascar or in achieving sufficient fiscal and legal stability for the Toliara Project, if acquired; any expectation that the current suspension relating to the Toliara Project will be lifted in the near future or at all; any expectation that the additional permits for the recovery of Monazite at the Bahia, Donald and Toliara Projects will be acquired on a timely basis or at all; any expectation that the Toliara Project will become a world-class HMS project; and any expectation that the Company's evaluation of radioisotope recovery at the Mill will be successful. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely," "budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity prices and price fluctuations; engineering, construction, processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting and licensing requirements and delays; changes to regulatory requirements; legal challenges; the availability of feed sources for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion; government and political actions; the failure of the Company to complete the acquisition of Base Resources; the failure of the Government of Madagascar to agree on fiscal terms for the Toliara Project or provide the approvals necessary to achieve sufficient fiscal and legal stability on acceptable terms and conditions or at all; the failure of the current suspension affecting the Toliara Project to be lifted on a timely basis or at all; the failure of the Company to obtain the required permits for the recovery of Monazite from the Bahia, Donald and/or Toliara Projects; the failure of the Company to provide or obtain the necessary financing required to develop the Bahia, Donald and/or Toliara Projects; available supplies of monazite; the ability of the Mill to produce REE carbonate, REE oxides or other REE products to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs or at all; market factors, including future demand for HMS and/or REEs; actual results may differ from all such estimates and projections; the ability of the Mill to recover radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar, on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.



SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.







Contact



Investor Inquiries: Energy Fuels Inc.

Kim Ronkin Casey, Investor Relations Manager

303-389-4165 or Toll free: (888) 864-2125

KCasey@energyfuels.com

www.energyfuels.com


Mick Schumacher on our list, says Audi-Sauber boss

Another name or two can be added to the list of drivers linked with Audi-owned Sauber for 2025.

Mick Schumacher, Saudi Arabian GP 2022

 Haas

The team has the final real vacancy on next year's Formula 1 grid, with truly top drivers like Carlos Sainz reportedly having turned down the seat due to uncertainty about the looming new works project and Sauber's currently poor levels of performance.

Many believe incumbent Valtteri Bottas, 34, is the favourite to secure the deal, although the Finn is apparently pushing for more than a single-year contract - which may not be on offer to him.

Mattia Binotto, in charge of the Hinwil based team pending Jonathan Wheatley joining Sauber as new team principal mid next year, said he is fairly relaxed about the situation because Nico Hulkenberg is already signed up.

He has signed for a long time and we can draw on his experience, the former Ferrari boss told Sky Deutschland. This will be a fantastic collaboration and reference for the team.

Italian Binotto, 54, admits that because he only started work a few weeks ago, he is undecided about whether to put another experienced driver next to Hulkenberg, or a promising youngster.

I need to understand, look around, listen, he said.

He freely admitted at Monza, however, that two rookies are under consideration - the already Sauber-affiliated Theo Pourchaire, who has appeared in Indycar this year, and the McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto.

Bortoleto, from Brazil, is only 19, but he is a title contender in Formula 2 this year - and he won the feature race at Monza last weekend.

Roger Benoit, the veteran Swiss F1 journalist, thinks Audi-owned Sauber is begging McLaren to release Bortoleto, believing he is a new Oscar Piastri .

According to Benoit, writing in Blick newspaper, Bortoleto - part of Fernando Alonso's A14 management company - is also pushing for a two-year deal at least.

The seat-hunting Mick Schumacher, however, may be willing to settle for a one-year deal to refire his dormant Formula 1 race career.

I know him (Schumacher) very well from the Ferrari academy, said Binotto. I know how strong he can be. He is on our list, like many others.

And what about Mick's mentor, quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, who has reportedly also been sniffing around for potential opportunities to return to F1?

I love Sebastian, said former Ferrari boss Binotto. "When you work with him, you can appreciate his class even more, as a person and as a driver.

But we are not really in a hurry to decide.

(GMM)
Renault F1 engine axe decision not final yet says CEO

Renault CEO Luca de Meo insists a final decision about the fate of the French carmaker's works Formula 1 engine program is yet to be taken.

Pierre Gasly, Italian GP 2024

 Alpine

At Monza last weekend, scores of upset and striking employees of the F1 engine factory in Viry-Chatillon staged a peaceful protest from the grandstands.

They believe the decision to scrap Renault's F1 engine program, and instead equip the Alpine team with customer Mercedes engines from 2026, has already been taken - with only unions and labour laws preventing it from being made official.

But Renault CEO de Meo, who according to Alpine team advisor Flavio Briatore is behind the preliminary engine decision, insists: No decision has been made yet.

However, he doesn't deny that it's a very real possibility.

We have four or five weeks to determine the next steps ahead of the board meeting, said the Italian. We are evaluating all opportunities.

De Meo admits that he finds the idea of switching to a competitive customer engine very appealing.

If we look at this from a purely financial point of view - how expensive it is to develop an engine for 2026 yourself, and how much could you save with a customer engine - then we are talking about a huge difference, he said.

"Those who look at the numbers see that we could enter the new era of Formula 1 with a more powerful but less expensive package. But there are many factors to consider when making a decision.

"What does the marketing department think about this? What negative consequences, including financial ones, could there be in the event of this move?

Our ambition is to create a competitive project. Therefore, when choosing, we take into account many factors, and we do this with special care.

De Meo also reassured the 350 or so staff at Viry-Chatillon that the factory will be completely converted from F1 engines to future-looking Renault technologies.

We already have very capable and trained individuals who are not only working on the Formula 1 project, he said. We have launched significant innovative projects, not only in motorsports.

(GMM)
This month, the City of Green River and the community as a whole are recognizing several important issues that need extra awareness and support.

September is Hunger Action Month and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the Green River City Council recognized both of them with proclamations on Tuesday night.

In a meeting that potentially set records for being the shortest ever, the City Council's agenda for September 3 only had the two proclamations, citizen requests, and the consent agenda. The council also went into an executive session for personnel issues that was called for at the beginning of the meeting by Councilmember Ron Williams.

Mayor Pete Rust took time to read both proclamations during the meeting, and Food Bank of Sweetwater County Executive Director Kathy Siler was on hand to accept the proclamation and share statistics about the food bank.

"Addressing the food insecurity needs of children, youth, men, women, seniors, active military, and veterans today is fundamental for the future of the City of Green River," the proclamation for Hunger Action Month states. "Hunger and poverty are issues of vital concern in Sweetwater County where 10.65% of people struggle with hunger and one in every six children do not know where there next meal will come from."

The food bank gave out 129,471 pounds of food in Green River alone during Fiscal Year 2024, Siler shared. There was also a total of 2,746 pantry visits in Green River. For Sweetwater County as a whole, there were 403,185 pounds of food shared and 9,711 pantry visits. These numbers are up from one year ago, which Siler said shows the increasing need in our community. Just in one month the food bank served 836 adults, 236 seniors, and 587 children across the county.

"It is our responsibility as citizens of Green River to learn about hunger and to do our part in reducing that hunger," the proclamation says. "We must help end hunger, one meal at a time, either through donations, social media shares or volunteer shifts."

September is also Suicide Prevention Month, and Mayor Pete Rust noted the "horrible statistics" shared in the proclamation recognizing the month's importance.

"Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States," the proclamation explains. "In 2022, there were 149 suicides recorded among Wyoming residents."

At that time, Wyoming was also rated first in the nation for suicide deaths and the suicide rate was almost twice the national average. According to current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wyoming is currently ranked third in the nation.

"Suicide Prevention Awareness Month can promote awareness and assist in developing and implementing strategies to improve and increase access to quality mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention services and programs," the proclamation says.

Several events for suicide prevention and awareness will take place throughout the county this month, including QPR training (using the "Question, Persuade, Refer" method) for teens at 6 p.m. on September 10 at Western Wyoming Community College, QPR training for adults at 6 p.m. on September 12 at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs, a Resource Fair at 4:30 p.m. on September 20 at Western, and Prosper Training at 6:30 p.m. on September 26 at the Broadway Theater.

The Wyoming Department of Health also recently announced continued improvements to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Two call centers within Wyoming are part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline system, which is a national network of crisis centers that provide support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, the WDH explained in a press release. The free and confidential 988 line can be reached every day, all day by phone, text or online chat.

"Fortunately, we've been able to expand what our Wyoming-based centers offers this year," Alicia Johnson, Crisis/988 Program manager with WDH said. "People who call or text 988 from a 307 area code number are sent first to help from one of our Wyoming-based centers. Previously, texts were routed to national resources."

An online chat function is also available at 988lifeline.org. Chat services were also enhanced recently to direct most Wyoming residents who use the option to Wyoming-based help.

"We believe these are great improvements for the 988 system in the state," Johnson said.

September 8 (9/8) is recognized as 988 day as part of National Suicide Prevention Month.
The House Draw Fire caused an estimated $25 million in economic damage when it consumed nearly 175,000 acres of mostly private land in Johnson County, a preliminary evaluation found. That figure will almost certainly rise as ranchers in the fire's path more fully assess their losses and livestock fall ill due to smoke exposure.

While the massive and swift-moving fire did not destroy any homes, it caused extensive damage to local ranching operations including the loss of at least 590 miles of fencing, which alone has a replacement cost of nearly $12 million. Agricultural producers - the land is home to sheep and cattle ranchers - lost storage and water tanks, outbuildings, feed and equipment, among other things.

"These are multigenerational Wyoming ranch families who have been impacted ... these burned acres have a story and a face behind them," said Johnson County Commission Chairman Bill Novotny.

The Johnson County Commission included the economic damage estimate in a letter seeking Gov. Mark Gordon's assistance in obtaining a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to aid local ag producers affected by the fire. The $25 million estimate only included private property losses and did not factor in damage to public lands or the highway infrastructure along Interstate 90, which the fire crossed as it burned to the north.

The House Draw fire was one of four large blazes that ignited last week in northern Wyoming, charring a combined 450,000 acres.

Lightning ignited the House Draw Fire on Aug. 21, and it exploded in size the following day, running 46 miles - north across Interstate 90 and south down to the Kaycee-Sussex area. About 86% of the land is privately owned, and some ranchers reported losing up to 95% of their acreage to the flames, according to estimates compiled by county officials.

Assessing the damage

The scope of the disaster is already significant, but will almost certainly worsen. The total fencing losses, for example, could double as ag producers assess their property over the coming weeks, Novotny said.

"You lose your ability to manage your livestock," he said. "It is now wandering freely in essentially open range."

Ranchers also lost the infrastructure they used to water their livestock. Others lost feed for their animals.

The fire produced huge plumes of smoke, and many of the livestock that were exposed will develop illnesses like pneumonia over the ensuing weeks, he added. Treating the animals will present an even greater challenge than normal since the fire destroyed so much infrastructure.

"There is just going to be a lot of doctoring of livestock, and that could be hard without the corral that you don't have because it burnt up," he said.

With so much ranchland burned, ag producers will be forced to move their livestock to pastures in other parts of Wyoming, or even out of state. Novotny knew of one person who's sending his livestock to Manderson, a small community between Greybull and Worland, because he no longer has the grass to feed them on his property.

Burnt ranchland will lose the ability to support livestock for a time. Additionally, invasive species like cheatgrass and ventenata could take over the area because they tend to grow fast. These grasses provide little nutrition and tend to fuel bigger fires because they dry so early.

Those twin issues are expected to cost more than $12.15 million over the next 12 months, according to the commissioners' letter.

The impact on wildlife, meanwhile, is also significant. Eighteen active sage grouse leks have been destroyed, according to monitoring data provided by the Clear Creek Conservation District.

Disaster assistance

The disaster declaration would open up money to replace fences and repair water lines and rebuild corrals. Gordon on Friday also signed a pair of executive orders aimed at aiding ranchers affected by the fires. Both will ease restrictions on the transport of feed and livestock.

"Fires like these are devastating for our producers," Gordon said in a statement. "Many have lost pasture, feed, livestock and supplies. These [executive orders] will allow assistance to flow more freely to those who need it, and we will continue to work on making additional resources available for recovery."

Aid will also be available through the newly created Johnson County Fire Relief Fund, which was established by the nonprofit Johnson County Community Foundation. Donations will pay for things such as the trucking costs to bring in hay donations and replacing infrastructure that's not covered by other disaster programs.

But recovery, Novotny stressed, will take time.

"This road to recovery is going to be long just because of the magnitude of the fence infrastructure and the number of acres that need to be treated," he said. "It's a huge, huge area."

As of Friday morning, the House Draw Fire was 94% contained, fire officials reported. Crews planned to conduct damage assessments south of Interstate 90 while firefighters monitored the blaze's perimeter and mopped up heat sources.

Crews were also making progress on the three other major wildfires burning in northern Wyoming:

The Flat Rock Fire near Gillette was 78% contained after burning 52,400 acres.

The Constitution Fire near Gillette was 80% contained after burning 24,600 acres.

The Remington Fire near the Wyoming-Montana border was 66% contained after burning 196,000 acres.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
Steven Shobert, 49, of Worland, Wyoming, was sentenced on Aug. 28 to 18 months in prison for possession of machine guns in violation of federal law.

According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2023, Shobert was arrested for driving under the influence. He had a holstered firearm on his hip and surrendered it to the officers. A state judge imposed bond conditions requiring Shobert to relinquish his firearms pending the DUI case. Shobert consented to a search of his residence to gather his firearms. The search resulted in the discovery of one Glock model 17, which was equipped with a machine gun conversion device commonly called a Glock Switch. Law enforcement also found three AR-15 type machine gun conversion devices.

Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann explained, Machine gun conversion devices like auto sears and Glock switches can make a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun, so they are considered machine guns under federal law. Possession of these dangerous devices is a serious crime which can result in a felony conviction and federal prison time. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove illegal machine guns from Wyoming communities.

Shobert was indicted on Nov. 15, 2023 and pleaded guilty on April 11. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the 18-month prison sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom.

The crime was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the Washakie County Sheriffs Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
8/26/1939 - 8/17/24

Our loving husband, father, and grandfather John Bon passed away peacefully at his home the morning of August 17, 2024. He was 84.

John was born August 26, 1939 in Standardville, Utah to John and Charlotte Calderhead Bon. He married Vivian Zupon on October 14, 1961 in Price, Utah.

He was a graduate of East Carbon High School, class of 1957, and attended College of Eastern Utah. He enlisted in the US Army, and proudly served his country in Japan as a map maker/compiler.

After he married Vivian, they lived in Brigham City and Moab Utah. In 1970 they moved to Green River, Wyoming with their baby daughter Kimberly. John worked at FMC as a draftsman until his retirement. He and Vivian moved to the Spring Creek, Nevada in 2007.

Throughout his life John was a hunter and fisherman. He was a member of the Honda Gold Wing Riders Association, and went on many motorcycle rides across the US. John's happy personality and witty sense of humor lit up the lives of everyone that knew him. He took much pride in and

loved his daughter and grandkids with all his heart. John was a true fighter, while being on kidney dialysis for about seven years. He will greatly missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife Vivian, daughter Kimberly Bon, and Grandchildren Hauna and Ayden Hunter, all of Spring Creek, Nevada.

Special thanks to the staff at New Horizon Hospice and Homecare in Elko, Nevada.
5/31/1931 - 8/26/24

Joyce Huber Vesco, a 93-year-old great grandmother died August 26, 2024. She was able to 'age-in place' until her death  she died in her own bed. She was of sound mind and body until two-weeks prior. She insisted on doing her own laundry until Sunday, August 11.

She was known as a supportive wife, mother, sister, grandmother, teacher and friend. She was an outstanding card player and a captivating and entertaining storyteller with a sense of humor.

A rural area of Potter County, South Dakota, was the birthplace of Joyce Marie Huber Vesco. She was born May 31, 1931, with the services of a midwife. Joyce was the third of six children of Fred and Madeline Huber. Her father's motto was "to keep children out of trouble, you have to keep them busy most of the time." From a young age, Joyce worked long hours in the family-owned Mercantile. Joyce felt that by working in the store, she was able to meet people more easily in her teenage and adult years.

She had over 100 first cousins (the oldest born in 1921, the youngest born in 1969). The families would get together for celebrations  holidays, marriages, baptisms and confirmations. Joyce remembered the men were fed first, the children next and then the women.

Joyce enjoyed school and was most interested in the Social Sciences. She graduated, with honors, from Sisseton High School in 1949. Her graduating class had 50 students. She recently attended her 70-year class reunion and four classmates attended.

After graduating from high school, Joyce attended Mount Marty College, a two-year Catholic Benedictine women's school, in Yankton, South Dakota. She received her degree in 1951 for teaching, because at that time, South Dakota only required a two-year teaching degree. Later, Joyce returned to school and completed her four-year degree from the University of Wyoming.

Joyce's first job was in Waubay, South Dakota, as a fourth-grade teacher. Her starting salary was $1,875/year. She then taught in Aberdeen, South Dakota and Minneapolis, Minnesota. After five years of teaching in the Midwest, Joyce responded to a postcard sent from Superior, Wyoming. The postcard depicted many pleasant things about Superior and its accessibility to the railroads. She accepted a second-grade teaching position/$4,275 year. In the fall of 1956, Joyce headed to Superior. On the map, she noticed there was a South Superior and Superior. She expected to see a big town. To her surprise, she saw a dying coal mining town. The young people in Superior believed in having fun. They spent a lot of time going to Rock Springs to dance at Giovale's and at the Elks. They went to the Wagon Wheel, a place between Rock Springs and Green River, for dancing, drinking and card playing.

While in Superior, Joyce met her husband, Albert "Bob" Vesco. They were married August 6, 1960. Bob and Joyce most recently celebrated their 64th Anniversary.

In April 1962, Bob received a job offer as the Deputy County Clerk. This prompted a move to Green River. Joyce applied for and received a teaching position at Roosevelt School. The Vescos lived on Andrews Street for two years and rented a house on N. Center for one year. After that, Bob suggested buying a home on E. 2nd N.; Joyce's reaction "I don't think we should buy a home, because we aren't going to be here that long." They have resided in that home since 1965 where they raised two children, Robin and Laurie.

Joyce taught for 23 years at Roosevelt School (2nd, 3rd and 4th grades). She retired in 1986 after 33 years as an Educator. Her most honored award was being selected the 1972 Teacher of the Year by her peers and colleagues. She is quoted as saying: "Every day in the life of a teacher is a new experience because it is filled with drama and life...an experience I will never forget." She fought for the underdogs  she considered herself a "witch on wheels when it came to the basics," but promoting self-worth was always at the top of her list.

She was retired longer than she taught. She and Bob spent nearly 28 years as Phoenician Snowbirds.

Joyce belonged to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and was a long-time member of the "Wednesday Morning Group" (snacking and playing Tripoli). She loved and lived her faith. In 1993, Joyce left important words of wisdom for her grandchildren: "I hope that when they mature, they will always be compassionate; and I hope that they'll be prayerful all their life, and look upon the fellow man as a human being regardless of race, creed, color, and remember the words 'love is patient, love is kind'; and I hope they will always be faithful to themselves and their God."

Survivors include her husband, Albert "Bob" Vesco; one daughter, Laurie Vesco (and Tony); four grandchildren, Lukas Kirby; Andrea Urlacher (and Eric); Matt Vesco; Tony Vesco; two great-grandchildren, Jacob Urlacher; Ava Urlacher; one brother, Freddie Huber; two sisters, Nita Clemens; Peggy Lowery; one sister-in-law, Joan Vesco and over 25 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son, Robin Vesco; parents, Fred and Madeline Huber; two sisters, Gloria Cornelius; Helen Petrich; five brothers in laws, Harris Cornelius; Bob Petrich; Russ Lowery; Bob Clemens; John Vesco, Jr.; one sister-in-law, Rosalie Huber.

Cremation has taken place; a Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 900 Hitching Post Drive, Green River, Wyoming. A Vigil Service with Rosary will be conducted at 6:00 P.M. Monday, October, 14, 2024 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Graveside Services and Inurnment will be in the Rock Springs Municipal Cemetery. Friends may call at the church one hour prior to services.

The family respectfully requests donations be made in Joyce's memory to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; 900 Hitching Post Drive, Green River, Wyoming.

Special thanks to Kathy Youngblood for the 1993 Biography of Joyce's life.

Condolences may be left at vasefuneralhomes.com.
A tale of determination, community and collaboration

In the heart of Green River, Wyoming, the Trona Bridge stands as more than just a passage across the river; it's a symbol of a community's vision, perseverance, and collaboration. This iconic structure, which serves as the gateway to the Greenbelt Pathway system, has its roots in a project that brought together local citizens, city officials, and the trona industry in a remarkable way.

The Vision Takes Shape

For nearly 30 years before 1990, the idea of creating a park or open space along the Green River was little more than a dream shared by a few. It wasn't until Mayor and the Green River City Council, led by Parks and Recreation Director Roger Moellendorf and citizen advocate John Freeman, took action that the dream began to take form. With strong public support, the City established a Citizen group that became the Green River Greenbelt Task Force (GBTF), a non-profit organization and charged the group with making the vision a reality.

Challenges and Triumphs

One of the most significant hurdles the GBTF faced was constructing a bridge to connect Riverside Park and Expedition Island, an essential link in the proposed Greenbelt. Initial fundraising efforts met with little success, as potential donors were reluctant to support a new organization with no experience in building public projects. However, the project gained momentum when John Freeman, who had become the driving force behind the bridge, discovered a potential ally in the trona industry.

Several middle managers in the trona industry were interested, but their support hinged on a solid engineering estimate. Ron Tucker of CME Engineering and Construction, despite having no prior experience in bridge-building, rose to the challenge. He and his firm designed a bridge, had the plans vetted by his peers, and generously donated the design to the GBTF.

The Turning Point

Armed with a solid design, Freeman and Moellendorf presented their proposal to the mine managers of FMC (now Genesis Alkali), Solvay, TG Soda Ash (Genesis Alkali), Rhone-Poulenc (Sisecam), and General Chemical (Tata Chemicals). The presentation was well-received, and when Freeman boldly asked for a $50,000 donation, it seemed they had hit a home run. High-fives were exchanged as Moellendorf and Freeman left the room, confident in their success.

But as they celebrated in the hallway, Roger Harris, the site manager at TG Soda Ash, who hailed from England, approached them with a stern expression.

"How dare you ask me for $50,000 without the common decency of putting on a tie," Harris remarked, cutting through their elation. He detailed everything the proposal lacked to convince their supervisors in the U.S. and France. Yet, just as the wind left their sails, Harris added, "Despite all of the things you are lacking in your proposal, I believe this is the best public project that has come before me since I arrived in Wyoming. I'm willing to help you get this bridge built."

Harris and his engineers reviewed the design again, insisting on adding an architectural feature-large steel points at each entrance of the bridge. These points have since become iconic, appearing in countless graduation and family photos over the last 30 years.

Harris's influence didn't end there. He took Freeman's proposal and transformed it into a streamlined, manager-friendly document, which helped secure written commitments from the other mine managers. However, the commitment came with a catch: the funds would be disbursed in $10,000 increments over five years. It was a timeline that risked inflating the project's costs.

Overcoming Financial Hurdles

Faced with this dilemma, Freeman approached the Green River City Council for a loan, only to be met with a lesson on the Wyoming Constitution, which prohibits the city from giving loans. Undeterred, Freeman asked the city to co-sign a loan, but the city attorney quickly shot that idea down as well.

Finally, the GBTF turned to Regina Clark at Key Bank, who agreed to provide the GBTF with an unsecured loan under specific conditions: the city would take ownership of the bridge after completion, pay the interest on the loan, and present letters from the Trona mines guaranteeing their donations. Galen West, then working for the GBTF, stepped in to ensure a proposal that met the city attorney's constitutional requirements, a feat of legal acrobatics.

With the financial hurdles cleared, the city required the project to go through a formal bidding process. Two bids were received: one for over $300,000 using Core 10 Steel, which would reduce future maintenance costs, and another just under $250,000 from Ron Tucker's CME Construction. Tucker's bid was accepted, though the GBTF still wonders if CME made any profit or if Tucker's bid was yet another generous donation to the project.

The Bridge Comes to Life

In the summer of 1994, the Trona Bridge began to take shape in Riverside Park. On September 17th, nearly 1,000 residents gathered during the day to watch as two cranes positioned the bridge onto its foundations over the Green River-a moment of immense pride for the community.

A Legacy of Community Spirit

As the city and the GBTF celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Trona Bridge on September 12, 2024, we are reminded of the determination, community spirit, and countless contributions that made this project possible. The GBTF extends its heartfelt thanks to Ron Tucker, Roger Harris, FMC, Solvay, TG Soda Ash, Rhone-Poulenc, General Chemical, CME Engineering and Construction, the US Forest Service, Key Bank, Regina Clark, Mayor George Eckman, the Green River City Council, the City of Green River parks crew, GBTF volunteers, Roger Moellendorf, and John Freeman for their dedication. The Trona Bridge is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision.

Join us on September 12, 2024, as the Green River Greenbelt Task Force celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Trona Bridge-GBTF's first major project. The celebration will be held in conjunction with the City's Parks and Recreation Department's "Street Eats on the Green" program. A GBTF raffle will raise funds for the Greenbelt projects, Fremont Physical Therapy will sponsor a 5K Fun Run/Walk, and commemorative T-shirts will be available for purchase. Documentary films about Greenbelt projects will be shown in the Island Pavilion, and a birthday cake will be served while it lasts. We look forward to celebrating with you from 5 to 8 p.m. This is more than just a celebration of a bridge-it's a celebration of the community that built it.
Since 1937, Le Veau dOr has sat squat and immobile on East 60th Street across from Bloomingdales, whose perfume spritzers might well have begun their spritzing primarily to combat the drifting waft of garlic. Le Veau dOr  the Golden Calf, at 87 surely the worlds oldest  has always been a testament to Frenchness served froggy, even before the sizzling cocotte of legs arrives at your table. In the middle of the 20th century, its heyday, it served the lusty French country cuisine that was still the mark of nonpareil sophistication  blanquette, escargot, kidneys  to the citys grandees; the old Le Veau was the sort of place where Dave Selznick would be spotted dining with Jennifer Jones, for whom he had recently left Irene Mayer.

As the decades slid by, new trends and cuisines supplanted the dominance of French, but Le Veau dOr soldiered on, impervious. It has always had its acolytes (If you are condemned to eat in but one restaurant in this city for the rest of your life, choose the legendary Veau dOr, this magazine wrote in 1978) and its fed-up detractors (The myth, apparently, is outliving the reality, Mimi Sheraton had sniffed in the Times the month before), but while the restaurant cycled through owners  most recently Catherine Treboux, who took over from her father, Robert  they all upheld its traditions and menu. Its latest stewards, the neo-bistro specialists Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of Frenchette and Le Rock, seem committed to doing the same. My grandma used to go there! cried one of my dinner guests when I extended an invitation. She accepted, with a warning: If this painting isnt still hanging in there, she said, texting a photo of a sleeping calf nestled under covers (le veau dort), Im leaving.

It is. The dining room has undergone a few touch-ups, but on the whole the decor is remarkably faithful to Le Veau of yore. The waiters tuxedos have been swapped for blush pink chore coats, yet otherwise its the same checkered tablecloths, the same cigar-colored glow. And the menu, served table dhote style, as one veritably French waitress put it (wed call it prix fixe), is much as it ever was  not for the faint or unmedicated of heart: organ meats and snails, duck and sausage, ile flottante.

In recent years, the restaurants shine had dimmed, joining the ranks of those institutions whose quality stands in contrast to  even in inverse proportion to  their belovedness. But I am delighted to report that Le Veau dOr is once again excellent; even in a moment when French cuisine is ascendant, it more than justifies itself in a re-crowded market.

Ive enjoyed Nasr and Hansons cooking without necessarily loving their establishments, which often felt to me either hyped-up or propped-up, more about the machinations around them than the places themselves. But something about the anachronistic strictness of Le Veau dOr is working. The chefs are familiar with ersatz homage  alongside Keith McNally, they opened Balthazar, an ode to Pariss time-stained brasseries so loving it was easy to forget it was a pure-spun fantasy and not the thing itself; and helped bring back Minetta Tavern. As at Minetta, they are reviving, rather than reconstituting. The results are magic.

In this current phase of the restaurant, three courses and a salad (served, in the classical French way, between plats principaux and dessert) go for a reasonable-these-days $125. There are no supplemental upcharges or wine pairings; there is, instead, Jorge Riera, Nasr and Hansons longtime wine counterpart, circling the dining room, recommending from the all-French, compact, surprisingly well-priced list. Riera is a longtime natural-wine proselytizer, and the all-natural list is probably the biggest amendment to the restaurants traditionalism, but trust him  we found none of the chuggy, grape-soda Beaujolais that crowds natural-wine lists elsewhere, and loved the organic La Sur Cadette from Julienas.

The food menu spans 17 entrees, nine mains, and seven desserts. Im not prepared to say there are no wrong turns, but the restaurant can accommodate a wide range of Francophiles, from Louis XVstyle gourmands seeking beefy oeufs en gelee or a mustardy fricassee of veal kidneys, sweetbreads, and a tidy square of calfs liver, to the latter-day Pastisiennes here for oysters and hanger steak. (The oysters are served, as they are at Frenchette, with little chipolata sausages.) Having commandeered samples of all my tables choices, I would recommend starting with the pate en croute, a thin slice of crumbly, porky bits in a burnished crust, rather than the destined-for-Instagram pommes soufflees caviar rouge a la creme, which, though a feat of engineering, are more or less spherical potato chips with dip. Super Bowl food, one of my companions said when they arrived, and more rouge than caviar. What really should be Super Bowl food are the frogs legs, which come cross-legged and parsleyed, tasting a bit like shrimpy chicken wings. Ask nicely and you can get a shared platter a la carte for the table.

Among the mains, high marks went to the lobster, served cold in its shell on a bed of diced-vegetable macedoine, and a medallion of scallops with sauce vierge, both of which counted as healthy relief in a tablescape of pure saturated fat. But you come for the clog: The offal trio was a pleasure well worth the visit to the confessional afterward, as were thick slices of red, rare lamb. If I had to choose one entree, it would be the duck breast with cherries, a version of which has been on the menu for decades, here given a crust so crackling and peppered it resembles edible sandpaper.

As the meal wears on and your paper tablecloth becomes stained with grease, a server will come by to lay one of the restaurants red-and-white checkered bistro towels over the offending sections, as many as required  true success is a complete quilt. Then comes the light salad and, if youve ordered wisely, a cold, intensely fruity soupe de melon and a floating island, a crenellated mound of meringue in a sea of rich, eggy creme anglaise. Like 80 years worth of dazed patrons before me, I stumbled to the door, drowsy as a calf.
TCL just announced two new smartphones with its NextPaper display technology, which is aiming to reduce the strain on your eyes. The phones are called 50 NxtPaper and 50 Pro NxtPaper , and while they have more in common than the names might make you believe.

For starters they share the 6.8" NxtPaper display with Full HD+ resolution and up to 120 Hz refresh rate. The NxtPaper panel is 2.5D curved on the sides, and since it does not allow for a fingerprint scanner underneath, the sensor is embedded in the power key.

There is a punch hole for the selfie camera, which has an 8 MP sensor on the 50 and a 32 MP sensor on the 50 Pro. There is no difference on the back, though - 108 MP main, 8 MP ultrawide and 2 MP macro cameras on both phones.

Another difference between the 50 and 50 Pro is the storage. The former has 256 GB, while the latter comes with 512 GB, and both have a micro SD slot.

The phones share 8 GB RAM and Dimensity 6300 chipsets by Mediatek with an octa-core CPU. They come with Android 14 and TCL promises two years of OS upgrades and support up until 2029 for units available in the European Union.

The NxtPaper technology makes the screen appear as paper with no reflections. This time, TCL implemented a physical button on the right-hand side, below the power key, that immediately switches between Normal, Color Paper and Max Ink modes. That last mode lets you read for up to 7 days or get up to 26 days of standby. It lets you select up to four apps to run in this mode and suspends all the rest to give you more piece and quiet during your readings.

The TCL phones both have a 5,010 mAh battery that supports up to 33W charging, but only the Pro ships with an adapter in the box. The situation is similar with available accessories - the 50 and 50 Pro can work with a designated flip case and T-Pen stylus, but only the Pro will have a so-called PC case.

TCL offers 50 NxtPaper 5G and 50 Pro NxtPaper 5G in Gray, Blue, White, Pink and Gold. The 50 will be available only in the EU for 229, while the 50 Pro will sell in the EU and LATAM regions for 299.

Source 1  Source 2
Construction of a new laboratory for the Department of Public Health and Social Services could get off the ground as soon as March 2025, according to a presentation made to the Mangilao Municipal Planning Council on Wednesday night.

Current plans are to build the lab on a 5.5-acre plot of land sandwiched between Rons Diner in Mangilao and the new Guam Cultural Repository, according to the presentation.

Major clearing work could start as early as this November.

GovGuam was awarded $32 million from the federal Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to build the new lab, the Pacific Daily News reported in 2021.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, who attended the Wednesday night meeting at the Mangilao Senior Center, said shes since asked the U.S. Congress to provide another $11 million to ensure the lab can be built and equipped as originally intended.

The new lab would be the very first in the region capable of handling biosafety level 3 pathogens, Public Health lab administrator Ann Marie Santos told those present at Wednesdays meeting.

Public Health is currently equipped to handle biosafety level 2 pathogens, the common cold or salmonella, for example, which can cause mild to moderate disease in humans, according to Santos presentation.

Biosafety level 3 labs can handle and contain potentially lethal airborne pathogens, like tuberculosis, avian influenza, or SARS-CoV-2, the virus that spurred the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guams Public Health lab currently has to ship any potentially dangerous pathogen samples off-island for testing, to Hawaii or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Santos said.

It can take one to two weeks to get sample data backthough during the COVID-19 pandemic, wait times could last up to one or two months, she said.

Adding new capacity could enhance the islands ability to analyze disease-causing pathogens, while Public Health teams in the field work to identify the cause of a spread.

The lab already does testing for the entire island, and the Micronesian region, for everything from airborne infectious diseases to HIV and syphilis, Santos said. Currently, DPHSS rents a commercial space for its lab, she said.

Having the lab located next to the University of Guam is intentional, according to Wednesday nights presenters.

Public Healths lab and UOG have long collaborated on different projects, said Yvette Paulino, dean of UOGs Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima School of Health. Having the lab located right on campus would improve collaboration on both ends.

Previously, the absence of an appropriate laboratory facility on island has limited local bio-research, with analysis and testing often having to happen off-island, she said.

Paulino said news of the new lab was exciting for her and researchers.

Theres growing evidence of the impacts that government and academia partnerships have a path on facilitating new technology enterprises and stimulating economic growth, Paulino noted.

Besides the opportunity for improved research, the governor called the new lab critical to safeguarding the islands health.

It represents a strategic investment in the security and the prosperity of Guam, the Micronesian region and the broader international community, she said.

The new lab was in line with population growth as the military buildup progresses, she added.

Integrating with both the CDC and the World Health Organization, the lab would be a key to combating threats to public health in the region, according to the governor.

A timeline provided Wednesday night shows construction starting in March of next year and finishing in September 2026. Commissioning of the new lab could be completed by November 2026.

Adelup spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin said there is no zone change being requested for the construction of the lab. She said Wednesday nights presentation was educational, and meant for community engagement.
Six Superior Court of Guam judges are unanimous in 28 recent decisions and orders that overrule the Office of the Attorney General of Guam, and deny its motions to disqualify a fellow judge from presiding over criminal cases.

Acting Chief Prosecutor Gloria Rudolph had told Judge John Terlaje in a recent hearing that she intended to file motions to disqualify Judge Alberto E. Tolentino from presiding in all criminal cases brought before him by the OAG, more than 50 cases in all.

Rudolphs basis for disqualification rests on two main points, according to Presiding Judge Alberto C. Lamorena III, who issued his denial in six criminal cases:

Judge Tolentinos established history of disqualifying himself from matters in which Douglas Moylan appeared as private counsel, prevents Judge Tolentino from handling matters involving the OAG now that Moylan currently serves as the elected attorney general of Guam.

Judge Tolentinos personal relationship with Attorney General Moylan necessitates his disqualification in matters involving the OAG. Tolentino is married to Moylans ex-wife and Moylan is the father of Judge Tolentinos adult step-children.

Tolentino denied all requests to disqualify himself, automatically sending each case to a rotating panel of recusal judges. In each, Tolentino answered with a set of facts, under penalty of perjury, stating in part that:

Moylan and Tolentino met in December 2022, at which time Moylan said he perceived no conflicts of interests in prosecuting cases before Tolentino.

Moylan never appeared as a lawyer in the case.

That Moylans children are now adults, and his divorce is 26 years old.

He has never observed his wife and Moylan participate in co-parenting.

Moylan is the biological father of his stepchildren is no basis for disqualification.

Tolentino questioned the timeliness of the motions to disqualify him from the cases, considering more than a year had passed since their meeting in December 2022.

While Lamorena ruled that the objection was timely filed in at least one case, he noted that Tolentino is not compelled to disclose his personal connection to Moylan, nor was he required to disqualify himself.

Judge Maria T. Cenzon, who denied Rudolphs motion to disqualify Tolentino in six cases, said that the OAG failed to raise the issue of Tolentino in a timely fashion, waiving any right to advance the issue. And even had it been raised in a timely fashion, No disqualifying facts exist to support Judge Tolentinos disqualification in cases involving Attorney General Moylan and/or the Office of the Attorney General.

A similar set of arguments was consistent with Judge Vernon Perez, who denied Rudolphs motion in six cases, Judge Dana Gutierrez, who denied the motion in five cases, Judge Terlaje, who denied the motion in five cases and Judge Elyze Iriarte, who denied the motion in two cases.

Rudolph reserved comment on the matter, but noted that not all recusal judges have taken the matter under advisement.

She has a motion hearing scheduled with Judge Arthur Barcinas on Oct. 4, and that Barcinas could decide if the hearing is needed following her submission of a brief due Sept. 20.
A trial in DFS Guams lawsuit against the airport is on hold for another two weeks, with parties in the dispute discussing the possibility of a settlement in the decade-long case.

A bench trial in the suit was supposed to start Wednesday, but attorneys for DFS asked Superior Court of Guam Judge Arthur Barcinas for another 24 hours to discuss a possible resolution to the case.

Those talks will go on even longer, with A. B. Won Pat International Airport Authority attorney Genevieve Rapadas telling the Pacific Daily News Thursday that parties asked for a two-week continuance as they discuss the possibility of a resolving the case before moving to trial.

It has been a long case, remarked Rapadas.

Just like any other case, theres always potential for settlement. The parties are exploring that right now, she said.

Rapadas declined to comment as to why the possibility of a settlement had suddenly appeared after DFS and the airport have spent years in court.

Luxury retailer DFS first sued in 2013, after it lost to competitor Lotte Duty Free in a bid for the airports master concessionaire contract. DFS has alleged misconduct in the bid award over the years.

The 10-year contract was worth $154 million to the airport, and has since been extended to 2026.

After 11 years of litigation, this is something that the airport is exploring. And hopefully it can put an end to this decade-long litigation, but it is still a work in progress, Rapadas said.

She said there were certain considerations that had to be made because the airport is a government agency, and those were taken into account as discussion moved forward.

Were not able to make a comment at this time, DFS attorney Patrick Civille said, when reached by phone Thursday.

It was Civilles co-counsel in the case, attorney Maurice Suh, who first raised the possibility of a resolution in the case on Wednesday morning, and asked for the start of the trial to be pushed backed to Thursday afternoon.

Suh on Wednesday told Judge Barcinas that discussion about a resolution had come up in just the past few days.

Attorneys for the airport told Barcinas Suhs statements were the first theyd heard about the possibility of a settlement.




Haiti - Politic : 2nd time in 9 years that an American Secretary of State travels to Haiti





This Thursday, September 5, 2024, the American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is expected in Haiti. This is the first trip to Haiti by a head of American diplomacy since 2015.



Pierre Antoine Louis, a specialist in international relations, believes that Blinken's visit is important in the context, recalling that the Secretary of State only travels if there is an important problem in the eyes of the United States...



Blinken will meet at the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince with Edgard Leblanc Fils, the President of the Transitional Council, and Prime Minister Garry Conille "[...] to discuss forthcoming steps in Haitis democratic transition and U.S. support to the Haitian people through humanitarian assistance and Haitian-led stabilization efforts. He will also meet with leadership of the Multinational Security Support mission, emphasizing U.S. support to reestablish security in Haiti while also underscoring the significance of promoting respect for human rights, explained State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.



The United States, which provides the majority of funding for the Kenya-led support operation, no longer rules out changing the mandate of this force to a UN-led peacekeeping operation in Haiti as one way to secure funding and personnel for the mission. It seems easier for the US to release billions for Ukraine than a few hundred million for Haiti...



However, the UN Security Council should first vote on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti, but experts believe that it is unlikely that the Security Council will support such a resolution (opposed by China and Russia). They also add that Haitians would probably oppose it, given the negative history of the years of presence of the Peace Mission and the lack of results...



A vote in the Security Council on the renewal of the authorization of the multinational security support mission is scheduled for September 30, 2024.



On Friday, Blinken will continue his tour in the Dominican Republic to meet with President Luis Abinader.



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : Shipwreck off Lillet, 16 survivors, 1 missing





Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024, around 3:00 p.m. a small boat named "Three Guys / 3 G", with 17 passengers and 2 captains on board, left the port of "Ca Ira" in Leogane bound for Carries, sank off the coast of Lillet near La Gonave, for a reason that is currently undisclosed.



Julien Leostene and Pierre Mikelson are the two illegal captains who provide maritime transport without having a maritime professional booklet and the departure authorization from the Territorial Representative of the Maritime and Navigation Service of Haiti (SEMANAH).



The Coast Guards and SEMANAH with divers and volunteers carried out search operations for the shipwrecked. Thanks to the support of the captains : Gregory Guerrie, Dinois jn. Mary, Pierre Matkens, Wismy Guerier, Pierre Josiace Neus, Lorane Feknol and Solages Desir, 12 of the 17 passengers of the boat were saved, after the 4 passengers including a crew member who arrived by swimming Tuesday evening in La Gonave.



Wednesday evening, September 4th, 2024, the 12 rescued passengers were received by Inspector Sony Augustave of Semanah in La Gonave to collect their testimonies.



The partial toll of the shipwreck is 16 survivors and 1 missing...



Following a complaint filed against the illegal captains Julien Leostene and Pierre Mikelson, the Haitian National Police (PNH) arrested them and brought them before the courts for legal proceedings.



SEMANAH calls for respect for navigation rules and warns offenders that they will still be liable to legal sanctions up to and including being banned from piloting ships.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Economy : Haiti 4th economic partner of the Dominican Republic





During the first 7 months of 2024, exports from the Dominican Republic to Haiti recorded a decrease of 53.87 million dollars reaching a total of 304.33 million compared to 358.21 million in 2023 for the same period.



The data, provided by the Directorate General of Customs (DGA), reflect a contraction of 15.04% in trade between the two countries, reflecting the consequences of the border closure implemented by the Dominican government in September 2023 in response to the construction of a canal in Haiti with water intake on the Massacre River...



In response to this situation, in early October 2023, the Dominican government chose to relax some of its measures, authorizing the exchange of goods through temporary trade corridors.



In July 2024, trade with Haiti began to show signs of recovery, with Dominican exports to Haiti reaching $50.88 million, representing a growth of 5.43% compared to July 2023.



Haiti remains an important trading partner for the Dominican Republic, but now ranks between January and July 2024, as its fourth largest market, behind Switzerland ($424.13 million), the United States ($413.98 million) and India ($315.3 million). .



In a broader context, total exports of the Dominican Republic's national regime totaled $2.2 billion (2,264) between January and July 2024, representing a decrease of $26.57 million (1.16% compared to the previous year. This slight decrease reflects a difficult international economic environment.



SL/ HaitiLibre


















Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkanen (NCP) in June confirmed that the government intends to adopt a highly restrictive definition of old forests as part of its effort to comply with the biodiversity strategy of the EU.

FINLAND would benefit economically from protecting up to five times as much old forests as the government is proposing, reports YLE.

The strategy allows each member state to decide how to define old forests.

In Finland, the main criteria are an average tree age of 100140 years and a share of decayed wood of up to 50 cubic metres per hectare. The 20,000 hectares of state-owned forests that satisfy the strict criteria are located predominantly in eastern and northern parts of the country.

Markku Ollikainen, a former chairperson of the Finnish Climate Change Panel, and Johanna Kangas, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, estimate in a newly published study that expanding the criteria to incorporate an additional 80,000 hectares of forests would generate a net economic benefit of 185 million euros by 2050, YLE wrote on Monday.

The expansion would align with the protection recommendations of the Finnish Nature Panel and the Ministry of the Environment.

The monetary value assigned to the forests comprises the nature value and carbon sink effect of the forests. The net economic benefit was determined by subtracting from the value the revenue that would be generated by felling the forests.

If Finland does adopt these strict criteria, theres a major risk that well lose nature value and carbon sinks to felling. Old forests are tremendously rich in carbon dioxide because they have big trees. Well get a significant rush of emissions and costs to taxpayers, Ollikainen cautioned in an interview with YLE on Monday.

The criteria contain no flexibilities, meaning that they exclude young forests with loads of decayed wood. They should be covered by the protection.

Representatives of the Finnish government have justified the decision to move forward with the restrictive criteria by pointing to the need to guarantee the property protection of private forest owners, saying the criteria would spill over also into private wood trade.

The argument does not hold water, retorted Ollikainen. He stated that forest industry companies can only make decisions that apply to state-owned forests and that protecting a larger area of old forests could also raise the market price of wood, benefiting the bottom line of forest owners, as well as reduce the number of logs dumped into the digesters of pulp mills and amount of roundwood used in energy production.

A more expansive definition for old forests could therefore result in more precise wood use both within the forest industry and between the forest and energy industries, according to him.

The researchers also lamented the fact that previous estimates have focused on protection costs while ignoring both the benefits of protection, be it in the form of direct benefits or avoided costs.

Citizens and society have clearly demonstrated their appreciation for protecting natural diversity. The reports compiled so far have started only at the costs but not at the benefits that emerge from natural diversity and the benefits created for the climate, commented Ollikainen.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
THE women behind the post box toppers in Henley have expressed their disappointment after one display was vandalised and another stolen.

Alison Engleby and Julie Fareham Brown are members of the Henley branch of the Womens Institute who enjoy crocheting and knitting the toppers with four other members.

Their latest creations, to mark the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, have seen the mascots and an Eiffel Tower figure ripped off one piece and five rabbits on another one stolen.

Mrs Engleby, 64, from Henley, said: We feel so disheartened. We put so much love and care and time and effort into them. Everyone in Henley loves them.

Its such a shame. We think, should we carry on but then everyone in Henley bolsters us up saying, you must, you must. Everyone takes it quite to heart. I think a lot of the town people do when theyre stolen.

The construction takes hours, putting them all on and trying to make them so they arent stolen. Theyre not suitable as toys. Theyve got wire in them and stuffing. I would be horrified if somebody stole them for their child.

Mrs Engleby, who started crocheting the toppers after the coronavirus lockdown, said they had securely tied the post box toppers the night before the Olympics started.

The topper with rabbits dressed in olympic medals was outside the Gabriel Machin butchers in Market Place but was stolen last week and the other one was vandalised in Hart Street at the weekend.

Mrs Engleby said: We give up a lot of our time. We pay for a lot of our wool but a lot has been donated by the people of Henley.

When you spend so much time doing it, its very disheartening.

We all contribute left, right and centre from them. Theres the six of us from the Womens Institute and some do more than some and some do more than others.

Julie did the main ones. I constructed them all and did the bases for them all. Julie did all the figures apart from the Eiffel Tower, which I did.

Ms Fareham Brown, who is retired, said it would take two days to make one of the rabbits. She said: We are thinking about these things quite early on. We get all of the right colours and make them as nice as we can.

It is just a shame that there are a small minority of people who do not appreciate the work that has gone into it. Just by leaving them there, it is showing that we like seeing them.

I think a lot of people feel that it is disrespectful and we are all so proud of our town and thinking about how we can make our town special to visitors. They make people smile.

The Womens Institute coronation toppers, which were made last year, were also stolen.

Mrs Engleby added: The coronation ones disappeared the evening of the coronation but they were dumped outside a church in Marlow and they all got back to us. We just want them to realise how it affects us, the town and the knock on to the town.
September began on a turbulent note in Manipur. On the first day of the month, a violent clash between Kuki-Zo armed groups and security forces erupted along the border of the Meitei-dominated Imphal West and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi districts.

The Manipur police have alleged that Kuki-Zo volunteers used weaponised drones to drop bombs on a Meitei village in Koutruk on both Sunday and Monday, flagging it as a significant escalation. So far, two Meitei civilians have been killed and at least 12 wounded in the flare-up.

The Kuki Inpi, an influential representative organisation of the Kuki-Zo community, has denied these allegations. In fact, it has claimed that the skirmish broke out as part of a planned offensive by joint forces of the state police and Meitei armed groups against Kuki-Zo volunteers in the Kangchup region.

The drone bombing has sparked an alarmist news cycle around Manipur, even as the state government in Imphal begins an official investigation into what it has labelled an act of terrorism. How does one contextualise the use of drones in Manipur within a wider conflict landscape?

Drones in civil conflicts

Weaponised drones capable of delivering explosive payloads were once the sole monopoly of professional state militaries. First used on a large scale by the US in Afghanistan, they were steadily adopted by other types of conflict actors in a variety of forms.

In its Worldwide Threat Assessment 2023, US-based Global Guardian notes that in recent years, non-state armed groups have used armed drones in several conflict theatres, including Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Myanmar. In most cases, they have used Commercially Available Drones (CAD) to drop bombs of various types, under a broad category of what is now referred to as aerial vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (AVBIEDs).

The use of armed drones by anti-junta ethnic armed organisations (EAO) and Peoples Defence Forces (PDF) in neighbouring Myanmar is notable. Initially used for little more than reconnaissance, these groups are now increasingly relying on drones retrofitted with explosive munitions to attack junta convoys, air bases, police stations, armed units and even military headquarters in the national capital of Naypyidaw. Multiple PDFs directly armed and financed by the National Unity Government (NUG), the parallel civilian administration in Myanmar, now have their own drone units.

AVBIEDs have suddenly become popular among non-state armed groups across the world because they are cheaper than other long-range weapon delivery systems while being stealthy and precise. Moreover, by giving small armed entities the ability to hit targets from the air, they serve to bridge tactical asymmetries common in civil conflicts. However, these are also the distinct qualities of drones that can be misused to launch targeted attacks against unsuspecting civilians.

Drones in Manipur conflict

The alleged drone attack in Manipurs Kangchup earlier this week might have been the most glaring use of AVBIEDs in the state since the ethnic conflict began in May 2023. But it wasnt the first time armed drones have appeared in the state since last year.

If some social media accounts are to be believed, Arambai Tenggol, a powerful Meitei militia, used armed drones to attack a Kuki-Zo village in Churachandpur district in December 2023. One particular video published earlier and recirculated by Kuki Inpi after the recent attack claims to show an Arambai cadre retrofitting what looks like a hexacopter drone with a small mortar bomb, flying it and then dropping the payload on an empty field (it doesnt explode).

In June, Assam Police detained a person named Sanjib Kumar Mishra in Guwahati for ferrying drone parts that were allegedly meant for Meitei armed groups in Manipur. Just a day earlier, another individual called Khaigoulen Kipgen was apprehended with high-end drone batteries supposedly meant for Kuki-Zo groups. In either case, it remained unclear if the parts were specifically meant for AVBIEDs or simple reconnaissance drones.

In November, the Indian Air Force activated its Air Defence response mechanism after drone-like objects were spotted hovering around the Imphal airport. Three months later, Licypriya Kangujam, a 12-year-old Meitei climate activist, took to social media to raise money to acquire a thermal drone apparently for Meitei armed groups in Manipur.

Need to avoid alarmism

Worryingly, the recent drone incident has been accompanied by unverified claims and misleading images. For instance, the Manipur police have claimed that the Kuki-Zo groups used drones to fire rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). This sounds logistically far-fetched. While it is possible to retrofit a drone with the warhead of an RPG, it is highly unlikely that a whole rocket system was used through an AVBIED. It is also very difficult to trace the exact source of a drone attack post facto given its inherently discreet nature.

Further, as a fact-check by one digital media website has shown, a prominent news anchor from a TV channel displayed images of rocket systems in Gaza as part of a report on the Manipur incident. The same channel claimed that the groups received drone warfare training and material support from Chin armed groups in neighbouring Myanmar who are, in turn, backed by the Chinese.

These are wholly unsubstantiated claims that only deepen the alarmism around the Manipur conflict and help no one. In fact, even in June 2023, some social media accounts circulated a clipped video of what they claimed were Kuki-Zo cadres using armed drones to attack security forces in Manipur when in reality the footage was from Myanmars Chin State.

It is possible that the widespread use of combat drones by PDFs and EAOs in Myanmar, some of whom operate close to the India-Myanmar border, has had ripple effects across the border. However, all of them, including the Chin National Front, are occupied in their own war against the junta and have little to no direct contact with the Kuki-Zo armed groups in Manipur.

More importantly, both Kuki-Zo and Meitei armed groups are likely to have benefited from any potential cross-border spillover of drone warfare from Myanmar to Manipur. So, Indian security agencies must work towards suppressing the use of armed drones by all sides in Manipur, rather than using the phenomenon to target just one side.

Angshuman Choudhury is a researcher and writer from Assam, and currently a joint PhD candidate in Comparative Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and Kings College London. The views expressed are personal
This weeks Panchanga is filled with significant astrological events that will influence our lives in various ways. This week, we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, a time to seek blessings from Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. This is an ideal moment to focus on new beginnings, clear away negativity, and invite positivity into our lives. Talking of transits, the Sun and Saturn are in deep opposition, creating a tension that might bring challenges, particularly in balancing responsibilities and personal goals. However, its also a time for growth and understanding. Mars will enter Ardra Nakshatra, bringing intense energy and a drive to overcome obstacles. This placement encourages us to face challenges head-on with determination. Another important event is the Sun and Jupiter forming a deep square, which could lead to moments of frustration but also opportunities for learning and expanding our horizons. This is also an auspicious time for making any purchases, especially those relating to vehicles and property. Let's explore this weeks Panchanga in detail for New Delhi, NCT, India. Get weekly Panchang to determine auspicious and inauspicious time for performing day-to-day tasks based on the prevailing planetary position.

Shubh Muhurat This Week

According to Vedic Astrology, the odds of accomplishing a task successfully are significantly enhanced if they are carried out during an auspicious muhurta. An auspicious muhurta provides us with the best outcome possible according to our destiny if we execute the work in harmony with the cosmic timeline. That is why it is essential to take muhurta into account while commencing any auspicious work. This weeks Shubh Muhurat for various activities is as follows:

Vivah Muhurat : No auspicious Marriage Muhurat is available this week.

: No auspicious Marriage Muhurat is available this week. Griha Pravesh Muhurat : No auspicious Griha Pravesh Muhurat is available this week.

: No auspicious Griha Pravesh Muhurat is available this week. Property Purchase Muhurat : Auspicious property purchase Muhurat is available this week on September 12, Thursday (06:05 AM to 06:05 AM, Sep 13).

: Auspicious property purchase Muhurat is available this week on September 12, Thursday (06:05 AM to 06:05 AM, Sep 13). Vehicle Purchase Muhurat: Auspicious muhurta is available this week on September 6, Friday (06:02 AM to 03:01 PM), September 8, Sunday (06:03 AM to 03:31 PM) and September 9, Monday (06:04 PM to 09:53 PM).

Upcoming Planetary Transits This Week

In Vedic astrology, planetary transits are particularly crucial since they are the principal way of anticipating changes and advances in life. Planets move on a daily basis and go through several nakshatras and Rashis in the process. It assists in comprehending the nature and characteristics of events as they occur. Here are the upcoming transits this week:

Mars enters Ardra Nakshatra on September 6 (Friday) at 12:06 PM

Sun and Saturn at a deep opposition (180-degree angle) on September 8 (Sunday) at 10:02 AM

Ketu transits Hasta Pada on September 9 (Monday) at 01:51 AM

Venus and Saturn at a deep 150-degree angle on September 11 (Wednesday) at 04:19 PM

Mercury and Mars at a deep semi-sextile (60-degree angle) on September 12 (Thursday) at 09:09 AM

Sun and Jupiter at a deep square (90-degree angle) on September 12 (Thursday) at 04:19 PM

Upcoming Festivals This Week

Varaha Jayanti (September 6, Friday): Varaha Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of Varaha, which is a boar to save the Earth from the demon Hiranyaksha. People pray to Lord Varaha to seek protection, wealth and spiritual advancement and perform puja for this avatar.

Hartalika Teej (September 6, Friday): Hartalika Teej is one of the most important festivals for Hindu married women. It is dedicated to the Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. They fast, pray for a good husband and perform some ceremonies. It represents love, commitment and the ability of the union to stand the test of time.

Ganesh Chaturthi (September 7, Saturday): Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated in the Bhadrapada month on the Shukla Chaturthi Purnima. This is a propitious festival that commemorates the birthday of Lord Ganesha, known as the god of removal of obstacles. Blessings are sought for prosperity, wisdom, and success, and people take idols home, offer prayers, and celebrate with joy and pomp.

Rishi Panchami (September 8, Sunday): It is the day when people pay respect to seven of the most important sages in the Hindu pantheon called Saptarishi. This is a day that women celebrate through fasting and other related ceremonies to wash their sins as they believe they are impure. The day is dedicated to dedication, chastity, and asceticism.

Skanda Sashti (September 9, Monday): This festival is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the warrior form of God and the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. People offer prayers and have fasts to receive his favour to fight, win, and be protected from all that is evil. The day represents the victory of light over darkness; people offer prayers and perform puja enthusiastically.

Lalita Saptami (September 10, Tuesday): It is dedicated to Goddess Lalita, an avatar of Goddess Parvati. People pray to her for beauty, wealth and power. It is celebrated through various religious ceremonies, offerings and prayers to celebrate the divine feminine energy and her blessings.

Jyeshtha Gauri Avahana (September 10, Tuesday): Jyeshtha Gauri Avahana is an important event in Maharashtra. On this day, Goddess Gauri, an incarnation of Parvati, is welcomed into the houses. It is the first day of a three-day festival to pray for prosperity, fertility, and blessings. People celebrate and pray to the goddess to seek her blessings.

Radha Ashtami (September 11, Wednesday): Radha Ashtami falls on Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami. It is the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha  the most beloved of Lord Krishna. The devotees worship Radha for love, devotion and anand or spiritual delight. It is observed through pujas, vrats, and kirtans, which emphasise the love of Radha for Krishna.

Mahalakshmi Vrat Begins (September 11, Wednesday): Mahalakshmi Vrat, which begins on September 11, 2024, is a 16-day fast in honour of Goddess Mahalakshmi, also known as the goddess of wealth. People in general and women in particular abstain from food and perform puja to appease the goddess and bring fortune, joy, and prosperity to their homes. The vrat signifies devotion, prosperity, and togetherness of the family.

Durva Ashtami (September 11, Wednesday): This day is dedicated to worshipping Durva grass, considered auspicious and sacred to Lord Ganesha. It is a tradition that people make offerings to deities like Lord Ganesha by presenting Durva grass to seek good health, long life and prosperity. The day also focuses on the importance of this sacred grass in the Hindu rituals.

Inauspicious Rahu Kalam This Week

According to Vedic astrology, Rahu is an inauspicious planet. During the transition of planets, the time under the influence of Rahu should be avoided to do any auspicious work. Doing Puja, Hawan or Yagya to propitiate auspicious planets during this time is interfered with by Rahu due to its malefic nature. It is important to consider Rahu Kaal before starting any new work. By doing so, the possibility of achieving desired results is increased. Following are the timings of Rahu Kalam for this week:

September 06: 10:45 AM to 12:19 PM

10:45 AM to 12:19 PM September 07: 09:10 AM to 10:45 AM

09:10 AM to 10:45 AM September 08: 05:00 PM to 06:34 PM

05:00 PM to 06:34 PM September 09: 07:37 AM to 09:11 AM

07:37 AM to 09:11 AM September 10: 03:25 PM to 04:58 PM

03:25 PM to 04:58 PM September 11: 12:17 PM to 01:51 PM

12:17 PM to 01:51 PM September 12: 01:50 PM to 03:23 PM

Panchanga is a calendar used in Vedic astrology to determine the auspicious and inauspicious time for performing day-to-day tasks based on the prevailing planetary position. It comprises five elements - Vaara, Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga and Karana. The essence of the Panchanga is the inter-relationship between the Sun (our soul) and the Moon (mind) on a daily basis. Panchanga is used for different branches of Vedic astrology such as natal, election, prashna (horary), religious calendars, and to understand the energy of the day. The day of our birth panchanga depicts our emotions, temperament, and nature. It can provide more insight into who we are and how we feel. It can amplify the effect of the planets and endow us with additional characteristics that we may not understand only based on our natal chart. Panchanga is the life force energy that nourishes the birth chart.

----------------------

Neeraj Dhankher

(Vedic Astrologer, Founder - Astro Zindagi)

Email: info@astrozindagi.in, neeraj@astrozindagi.in

Url: www.astrozindagi.in

Contact: Noida: +919910094779
Adani Group is in talks with more than 10 global banks to raise at least $1.5 billion through dollar bond sales, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the plans. Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani.(ANI)

The bonds would mainly be issued under Adani Green Energy and Adani Energy Solutions - renewable energy and power transmission units of the group - and through special purpose vehicles, the report said.

The ports-to-power conglomerate will complete the sales in multiple parts by end of February next year and proceeds will be used to refinance debt, the report added.

Talks are ongoing with banks in Japan, Europe and the Middle East, the Bloomberg report said, but did not sepcify any names.

The billionaire Gautam Adani-led group did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
BMW AG plans to start selling hydrogen-powered vehicles in four years in a bid to establish the technology as an alternative to battery-electric cars. A BMW car logo is displayed during a media tour at the plant of German automaker BMW in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, February 3, 2023. (Toya Sarno Jordan/Reuters)

Also Read: Tech layoffs: Intel, Cisco, IBM and Apple cut over 27,000 jobs in August

The German luxury-car maker will develop a new generation of fuel-cell powertrains with partner Toyota Motor Corp., it said Thursday. Series production will start in 2028, with a hydrogen variant of an existing BMW model available that year.

While BMW has for years pursued the technology, cars with a fuel cell are struggling to take off because of high costs and a lack of fueling infrastructure. Theres also very little choice, with Toyotas Mirai and Hyundai Motor Co.s Nexo among the few models available. Global sales of hydrogen cars declined to just 9,000 units last year, according to BloombergNEF.

Proponents of fuel cells point to long driving ranges and argue the technology can prove effective in regions where battery-charging infrastructure isnt strong enough to support a transition to EVs. They burn hydrogen to produce electricity and emit only water.

Also Read: Adani Group to raise at least $1.5 billion via dollar bonds: Report

BMW and Toyota plan to make hydrogen powertrains together for use in models from both carmakers. They expect that joint development and parts procurement will help drive down costs and make the technology more competitive. BMW declined to comment on prices for its future hydrogen cars.

BMW has operated a small test fleet of hydrogen-powered iX5 sport utility vehicles since 2023. Chief Executive Officer Oliver Zipse has previously said that hydrogen drives might be an option for BMWs Neue Klasse line of EVs due to launch next year.

We are convinced that hydrogen will play a more important role in the future, Michael Rath, who heads BMWs hydrogen-vehicle program, told reporters during a call on Thursday.

Also Read: Infosys onboarding delays: Labour ministry asks Karnataka government to take action
Ahmedabad-based Boss Packaging Solutions, a business with 64 employees and a shabby 500 square yard office as seen on X (formerly Twitter) gets a jaw-dropping 135x IPO subscription, with bids worth 1,073 crore, and goes hot on the heels of Resourceful Automobiles IPO frenzy. Boss Packaging Solutions updated Google with new photos of its spruced-up office.

Also Read: Sebi employees protest at Mumbai HQ, ask for resignation of Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch: Report

This is despite market regulator Sebi warning investors on potential manipulation being seen in some SME IPOs, advising investors not to fall for social media tips or rumours.

What does Boss Packing Solutions do?

The company, with an issue size of just a little over 8 crore, supplies machines for packaging, labelling, capping, and filling.

Also Read: Infosys onboarding delays: Labour ministry asks Karnataka government to take action

However, in terms of financials, its profits remained flat for both 2022-23 and 2023-24, and has also seen a sharp rise in debt, going up 82% to 3.06 crore in 2023, compared to 1.64 crore during the previous year, according to its RHP.

What has led to the SME IPO craze?

The BSE SME IPO index skyrocketed 136% this year, dwarfing the Sensexs 14% climb. However, a Moneycontrol report attributes this to hype generated by social media buzz and paid influencer promos.

This year has seen at least five SME IPOs with subscriptions of around 1,000 times. This demand is primarily from retail investors. But when it comes to subscriptions from retail investors alone, over half a dozen SME IPOs saw retail investor subscriptions go more than 1,000 times.

Also Read: Indias demat accounts are more than the population of Russia, Mexico and Japan
OpenAI executives are considering higher-priced subscriptions for its upcoming large language models, which includes its reasoning-focused Strawberry and a new flagship LLM dubbed Orion, according to a report by the Information. OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken on February 3. (Reuters)

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Subscription prices will be ranging up to $2,000 per month, according to early internal talks at OpenAI, the report said, citing a person with direct knowledge of the numbers.

ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month at the moment.

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OpenAI said last week that the chatbot amassed more than 200 million weekly active users, doubling from the number it had in the last fall season.

The reported pricing discussions came after media reports said Apple and chip giant Nvidia were in talks to invest in OpenAI as part of a new fundraising round that could value the ChatGPT maker above $100 billion.

Also Read: Sebi employees protest at Mumbai HQ, seek chief Madhabi Puri Buch's resignation: Report
Around 200 employees of India's market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) protested at its Mumbai headquarters on Thursday, September 5, 2024, a day after Sebi issued a press release stating that their earlier letter on the unprofessional and stressful work culture to Finance Ministry was misguided by external elements. The Sebi Bhavan at BKC Bandra in Mumbai. (PTI)

The protest went on for about a couple of hours, following which, the employees dispersed and returned to their offices, according to a Moneycontrol report.

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"The protest is for the purpose of showing dissent and unity against the arm-twisting exercise done by the top management in the garb of a press release," Moneycontrol quoted an internal message among the employees as saying.

"The immediate demand is withdrawal of press release and resigning of SEBI chairperson for spreading lies against SEBI's employees," the message read, according to the report.

Why did the Sebi employees protest?

Some Sebi employees had sent a letter to the Finance Ministry last month stating that working at Sebi was full of immense pressure. with a stressful and toxic work environment.

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In response, Sebi said "outside elements" made employees believe they should not be required to have high standards of performance and accountability. However, the regulator did not elaborate any details on the stated elements.

What happened with Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch?

This also comes at a time when US-based activist short seller Hindenburg Research LLC (also behind the report on the Adani group of companies) alleged conflicts of interest on the part of Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, with Buch and her husband previously having held investments in offshore funds used by the Adani Group.

Zees Subhash Chandra has also called her corrupt, and the Congress alleged that she continued to earn from ICICI bank, where she had worked previously.

Buch has denied all the allegations.

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The wealth of ultra-rich families will likely swell to $9.5 trillion by 2030, according to estimates from consultancy Deloitte, as family offices grow and morph to rival hedge funds. Large family offices are carving out new roles in the market, including as activist investors, overthrowing corporate managers and pushing for change. (Representational Image/Pixabay)

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The figure would mark a 73% jump from the current $5.5 trillion controlled by people represented by family offices, according to the report. The number of investment firms for the wealthy is expected to grow by one-third over the same time period, to 10,720.

As wealth inequality concentrates more money in the hands of the very rich, and as it becomes easier to open a family office, the industry is catching up with hedge funds in size and  in some cases  hiring from a similar pool of professional investors.

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Large family offices are carving out new roles in the market, including as activist investors, overthrowing corporate managers and pushing for change. The looser restrictions on these firms, and the potential for their investment behavior to have outsize ripple effects, was on full display in the 2021 implosion of Bill Hwangs family office Archegos Capital Management. (In July, a jury found Hwang guilty on criminal charges stemming from the collapse.)

Family offices surveyed in the Deloitte report had an average of just 15 employees, handling $2 billion in assets. Only about one-third were run by someone outside the family.

It can definitely be risky managing that much wealth, said Rebecca Gooch, global head of insights for Deloitte Private, which caters to closely held companies. Family offices really need to be careful about who they bring on board.

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A case of rape and murder has been registered after the body of a 19-year-old woman was found with multiple injuries days after she went missing from her home at Gunateerthawadi village in this district of Karnataka, police said on Thursday. 19-year-old woman allegedly raped, murdered in Karnataka's Bidar district, 3 arrested

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Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident which allegedly happened on August 29, they said. She was allegedly killed after being hit on her head with a stone and later her body was dumped in the bushes, police said, adding, they suspect she was sexually assaulted. However, investigators are awaiting medical reports for confirmation. The victim was missing since August 29 and her parents lodged a complaint at Basavakalyana police station two days later, police said.

"We registered a missing case and we started investigating. On September one, her body was recovered with multiple injuries on her body including head. We registered a case of murder initially and the accused were unknown. Then based on the technical evidence, we started searching for the accused and we found three people who were in contact with her on the day of her disappearance," a senior police officer said.

Also Read - Karnataka film fraternity urges CM Siddaramaiah to form panel that addresses sexual harassment in KFI

One of them, who also hails from the same village, was in direct contact with her. "So, we picked the accused and during interrogation, he confessed to murdering her. During interrogation, he said that he went along with two others who were guarding him from far away during the incident," he said. "All three accused involved in the incident have been arrested. We are waiting for the medical reports of the victim. She sustained head injuries among other injuries. On suspicion of sexual assault and based on interrogation, we have added sections of rape in the FIR," he said.

The prime accused and the victim knew each other well, police said, adding her parents were unaware of it. Further investigation is underway.
People from the Kannada film industry urged the Karnataka government to appoint a committee to address the sexual harassment issue within the film fraternity. This came after the recent Hema committee report that shook the Malayalam film industry and many prominent actors were accused of being sexual abusers. Karnataka film fraternity urges CM Siddaramaiah to form panel that addresses sexual harassment in KFI

A total of 153 people from the Kannada film industry, including top actors like Kichcha Sudeep and Ramya wrote a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and urged him to look into the matter. In the letter, they also requested the CM to appoint a committee led by a retired judge to address the issue.

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The film fraternity, which is part of the Film Industry For Rights & Equality (FIRE), said that more comprehensive measures are needed to tackle sexual abuse in the workplace. Conduct a thorough investigation into the systematic issues faced by women in KFI, including sexual harassment. Develop and recommend policies to ensure a healthy and equitable work environment for all women in the industry, the letter stated.

If the committee is formed, FIRE further urged it to complete the investigation within three months and requested that it make its findings public for transparency. FIRE, led by film director, screenwriter, and lyricist Kavita Lankesh, has also been pushing for reform in the Kannada film industry following the #metoo wave.

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Justice Hema's committee report, which was out in August, revealed that the women workers in the Malayalam film industry faced sexual harassment. Though it did not reveal any names, the report said women were being asked to make sure adjustments and compromises- euphemisms for sexual favours, to secure or retain opportunities.

These two terms, the report added, are very familiar among women working in Malayalam cinema, who "are asked to make themselves available for sex on demand".
Teachers from 136 aided colleges in Punjab, including 22 from Ludhiana, wore black badges in protest against the state governments neglect of higher education on the occasion of Teachers Day on Thursday. The protest was organised by the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) to demand that their long-standing issues be addressed. Arya College professors during a protest in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Manish/HT)

PCCTU district president Chamkaur Singh expressed frustration, stating, It is very embarrassing for us to protest on Teachers Day to remind the government that they are failing Punjabs higher education. He said chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had announced the implementation of the 7th pay scale on September 5, 2022, but it has yet to be enforced. He also criticised the directorate of public instruction (DPI) office for delaying decisions on important files for years. He warned that if the DPI office does not act fairly and promptly, a larger protest will be launched.

Punjab University area secretary Raman Sharma urged the government to provide a 95% grant for all posts in aided colleges to maintain high standards in Punjabs higher education.

Varun Goel, a PCCTU Central Committee member, pointed out that the government, under a high court order, had filled 1,925 posts in aided colleges but reduced the grants for these posts from 95% to 75%, placing a financial strain on the colleges. He demanded the restoration of the 95% grant to ensure teachers are paid adequately.

DTF protest to voice concerns

The district unit of Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), a union of government school teachers, also organised a massive protest to voice their concerns against the education policies of the state government. Key leaders, including Daljit Samrala (district president), Harjit Singh Sudhar (district general secretary), Arvinder Singh Bhangu, Sukhjinder Singh (president of the associate teachers union), Harpinder Singh Shahi, Paramjit Duggal, Joginder Azad and Malkit Singh Jagrao (Senior Teachers Forum), led the protest.

The teachers criticised the state government for its alleged focus on centralisation and its failure to address the financial and professional needs of teachers and students. They argued that the governments promises, like prioritising education as stated in their election manifesto, have not been fulfilled.

The protesters submitted a demand letter to the CM through the Ludhiana deputy commissioner. Their demands included the restoration of the old pension scheme, rural allowances and the release of pending dearness allowances. They also called for the regularisation of various teaching and non-teaching staff, including computer teachers, vocational trainers, school teachers, data entry operators and accountants, under the state education department according to the 6th Pay Commission and Punjab Civil Service Rules. They demanded that teachers regularised in 2018 be given 15 days of emergency leave annually under the Punjab Civil Service Leave Rules.

The protesters also called for the repeal of the 2020 New Education Policy, arguing that it promotes ineffective practices. Other demands included transparency in transfer policies, fair pay scales for those appointed after July 17, 2020, and adherence to the Punjab and Haryana high courts decision to annul the January 2015 notification on salary reductions.

The teachers emphasised that they want their concerns addressed immediately to protect the quality of education in Punjab. They are determined to continue their protest until the government takes concrete steps to fulfil their demands.
A Jagraon woman has lodged a complaint against her husband after her pet dog went missing, following which the police booked the man on animal cruelty charges. According to the Ludhiana woman, her husband used to mistreat the dog and used to threaten to kill it (HT File)

In her complaint, the woman said she suspected that her husband had killed the dog or abandoned it without her knowledge or consent.

The City Jagraon police registered the first-information report (FIR) against Surinderpal Singh of Ram Nagar, Jagraon.

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According to the woman, her husband used to mistreat the dog and used to threaten to kill it.

The complainant, Jasmeet Kaur, said she was admitted to a hospital in Faridkot for the treatment of a gall bladder stone. When she returned home on July 30, she could not find her pet dog. She alleged that her husband could not give her a satisfactory answer despite repeated queries.

The woman added that they bought a German Shepherd dog 10 years ago and named it Sheffy.

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She said she developed too much affection towards the dog, but her husband did not like it used to beat it.

She alleged that her husband had threatened of killing the pet dog on multiple occasions. He also said he would abandon the dog, if not kill it, the complaint added.

She said the dog had developed ear-related problems after being beaten by her husband and was being taken to a veterinary doctor regularly.

The woman added that she was admitted to hospital on July 25. She was discharged on July 30.

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Sub-inspector Kulwinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said that the woman suspected that her husband either killed the dog or abandoned it. An FIR under section 325 (cruelty to animals) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was registered against the accused. The accused is on the run, the police said.
The Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association (PAUTA) observed the Teachers Day on Thursday as Black Day as part of their ongoing agitation. Members of PAUTA protesting outside vice-chancellor's office in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Manish/HT)

The agitation entered day 15 on Thursday. The teachers have been demanding the revision of their allowances and gratuity as per University Grants Commission (UGC) seventh pay commission recommendations, payment of arrears from January 2016 till July 2023, when the recommendations were implemented (just for basic pay), pay parity for the faculty hired after 2016, old pension scheme for those hired before July 2012, revision of pension of those who retire before 2016 and payment of pending dearness allowance instalments.

While for most of the universities in the rest of the country, the recommendations were put into practice in 2018, in Punjab the state government kept putting it off till October 2022, when they were adopted by varsities under the higher education department: Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar), Punjab University (Chandigarh), and Punjabi University (Patiala). However, PAU and GADVASU, which fall under the agriculture and veterinary department, respectively, were asked to make their cases separately.

In April 2023, the recommendations were accepted for PAU, but only partially. The basic salary of the teaching staff was revised but the allowances remained the same.

PAUTA president Dr Mandeep Gill said, The government had allowed the autonomous bodies in the state to extend the benefits of OPS to the employees hired before 8, July, 2012. In 2017, the universitys apex body, board of management, also accepted this in principle but than the government stopped this.

Meanwhile, Punjabi University Patiala has implement this. Why this paradox in treatment with the employees in two universities, he asked.
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested Rajdeep Singh Nagra, an aide of former Punjab food and civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, in connection with an alleged 2,000-crore foodgrain transportation-linked money-laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested Rajdeep Singh Nagra, an aide of former Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, in connection with an alleged  2,000-crore foodgrain transportation-linked money-laundering case. (HT Photo)

A special ED team conducted raids at multiple locations in Khanna and Ikolaha village on Wednesday and formally arrested Nagra early on Thursday. He was produced in a Jalandhar court that remanded him seven-day ED custody.

During the course of investigation, Nagras name surfaced following which the raids were conducted. Even during Ashus interrogation, the investigation agency had found key evidence of his involvement in the proceeds of the crime, an ED official said.

The ED seized incriminating documents, financial transactions records worth 3 crore and digital devices from Nagras locations.

Ashu was arrested by the ED on August 1 and was in the central agencys custody for 10 days.

The ED had initiated a parallel probe into the money trail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) registered a case on August 16, 2022.

In August last year, ED teams seized 6 crore and four bank lockers during raids at locations linked to Ashu and other accomplices besides seizing incriminating documents, digital devices and 30 lakh of unaccounted cash from 10 locations.

The case was registered against Ashu, his personal assistant Pankaj Kumar, alias Menu Malhotra, then food and civil supplies deputy director RK Singla, district food and civil supplies controller (DFSC) Rakesh Bhaskar, besides three contractors, Telu Ram, Yashpal, Ajaypal, for committing the fraud, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer by allegedly committing irregularities in accepting labour, cartage and transportation tenders for grain markets in Ludhiana district.

In the preliminary VB chargesheet, it was mentioned that the transportation, labour and cartage tenders allotted for the grain-lifting process during Ashus tenure as the minister were stage-managed.
A large number of people gathered outside the Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla on Thursday to protest against the alleged illegal construction of the mosque. The protesters included local residents, BJP workers and members of Hindu organisations. People taking out a rally from Sanjauli to Dhalli Tunnel to protest the construction of an illegal mosque at Sanjauli in Shimla on Thursday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

The protesters were seen raising slogans against the illegal construction, holding the Tricolour in their hands. One of the protestors, Ankush Chauhan, who is also a BJP worker, demanded the demolition of the mosque.

This mosque has been built illegally. All four floors of the mosque are illegal. If we construct anything illegally, it is immediately demolished. It has been 10 years, but no action has been taken on the mosque. This illegal mosque should be demolished, he said, adding The entire Hindu, Sanatani community is protesting. It has nothing to do with the BJP or the Congress. Hindu Samaj is fighting against this. The reason behind the protests now is that on Tuesday, some Muslim men attacked one of our Hindu brothers in which he sustained injuries. This protest is the result of that incident. An investigation should be done on the increasing number of Muslims in the state, whether they are Rohingyas or Bangladeshis.

Regarding the presence of migrants in Himachal Pradesh, state minister Anirudh Singh said that the Muslim community has peacefully coexisted in the state for generations. However, he expressed concern about the recent influx of people from other states, emphasising that the primary issue is ensuring proper verification of newcomers. There is no difference between Hindus and Muslims among those coming from other states. The real concern is that we must verify those coming to Himachal Pradesh to prevent any security risks, he said.

Anirudh Singh also noted the arrival of individuals from other countries and suggested the need for a thorough investigation into the background of these newcomers. He called for vigilance in ensuring the safety and security of the region.

The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh focuses on development and ensures that every action is lawful. This isnt an issue of the temple or mosque but rather of legal and illegal constructions, he said.

The Sanjauli mosque row stirred a political debate in Himachal Pradesh with both the BJP and the Congress leaders engaging in a blame game in the assembly.
The Delhi high court on Thursday pulled up Wikipedia for its failure to comply with the courts order directing the open-source online platform to disclose information about the subscribers who edited the page of news platform Asian News International (ANI). A screenshot of the Wikipedia web page. (AFP Photo)

The court also threatened the platform with passing an order asking the government to close its business transactions in India.

A bench of justice Navin Chawla issued a stark ultimatum after Wikipedias counsel argued that it had to make certain submissions regarding the order and that it took them time to appear before the court as the entity was not based in India.

I will impose contempt... It is not a question of Defendant No 1 [Wikipedia] not being an entity in India. We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia... Earlier also you people have taken this argument. If you dont like India, please dont work in India, the judge said to the Wikipedia counsel.

Considering the contention, justice Chawla remarked that the court in earlier matters had rejected similar arguments made by the platform. Consequently, the court issued notice in the ANIs plea and ordered for in-person attendance of the platforms authorised representative on October 25, the next date of hearing.

The HC took strong exception to the platforms conduct while considering a plea filed by ANI, alleging that Wikipedia failed to comply with the high courts August 20 order, which directed the platform to disclose the information about three people who made the edits.

The August 20 order was passed in connection with the lawsuit filed by ANI seeking to restrain the platform from publishing allegedly defamatory content about the news agency and seeking removal of the contentious content.
A 21-year-old student preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET) died by suicide on Thursday night in Rajasthans Kota, said officials. The student from UPs Mathura, arrived in Kota a year ago and died by suicide at his rented accommodation. (Representative file photo)

With this incident, the toll across Rajasthan has touched 18 including 16th in Kota while one each in Sikar and Jaipur.

According to Kota (First) deputy police superintendent, Rajesh Tailor, the student from Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, arrived in Kota a year ago and died by suicide at his rented accommodation in Jawahar Nagar area on Thursday night.

The incident came to the fore when the landlord had a suspicion after he did not respond to his several knocks. Later, they informed the local police control room. The local station house officer Hari Narayan Sharma immediately reached the spot and found the body by breaking the door, said Tailor.

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The police also stated that no suicide note was recovered from his place so far.

An FSL team was also called to examine the spot. His parents were also informed. We will question them about any behavioural changes in the student in the last few days, said DSP.
The parents of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital junior doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered on August 9, on Thursday said they were forced to confess on camera that they were not offered money by anyone from the Kolkata Police department. Citizens participate in a candle march in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. (Samir Jana/ HT Photo)

The remarks came a day after the grieving parents made a statement contrary to the one above, as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) released a video in which the parents could be purportedly heard saying that they werent offered any money by the cops.

While the TMC accused the opposition of playing vulture politics, the parents on Wednesday claimed that they were offered money by a senior IPS officer of the Kolkata Police.

We were told that justice will be delayed if the police get angry. At that moment, we didnt realise what the purpose of the video was. Maybe they had anticipated that such things (police offering us money) may come out in the open in future and the administration may face problems. Thats why they forced us to create the video to keep an excuse ready, the victims father told media persons on Thursday.

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A day prior to this, the victims parents and relatives alleged that the police were in a hurry to cremate the body and even offered money. The police, however, didnt impose any condition while offering the money, the parents clarified.

The IPS officer took out a bundle of notes in a packet and offered it to us saying that we may need it. No conditions were imposed though for accepting the money. I refused, saying that my daughter had undergone more pain than what the officer endured while preparing for the IPS exam, the father said.

No officer in the Kolkata Police department was willing to comment on the statements given by the victims parents.

The allegation of cash offers was first made by Dr Subarna Goswami, a representative of the Joint Forum of Doctors who met the victims family two days after she was allegedly raped and murdered.

We heard such allegations for the first time. The victims mother told us that the police had offered them money even while the dead body of their daughter was still lying in the bedroom and was yet to be cremated. Its shocking, Goswami had told the media on August 11.

The TMC government, however, blamed the opposition for the developments surrounding the victims parents.

The victims parents are demanding speedy justice for their daughter. Everyone is standing beside them. The only thing which doesnt have any place in this is politics. We humbly request that no political parties should try to force anything on the parents. There are several instances in which political parties have played vulture politics over dead bodies. This is not the place though, Shashi Panja, state women and child development minister, told the media on Thursday.

A video was played in the TMCs press conference in which the parents could be purportedly heard saying that they werent offered any money.

Nobody offered us money. We havent said any such things to anyone. This is totally concocted, a lie, the parents were purportedly heard saying in the video.

A video has surfaced in which it is being alleged that money was offered to the parents by the police. A second video has surfaced in which the parents have refuted the allegations that they were offered any money by the police, Panja said.

We are not going to do any post-mortem of the statements made by the victims parents. We respect them. They have lost their daughter, she added.

The victims parents, however, said, Initially, we didnt divulge it to anyone that we were offered money. Dr Goswami first told the media. Then we were forced by the police to shoot the video and asked to say on camera that the police didnt offer any money, the victims father said.

The BJP condemned the developments and claimed that the West Bengal government was equipped to be in power.

The government is not able to deliver anymore. They are relying on videos made by the police and making statements and counter statements. This proves they are not in a position to run the government anymore, BJP Rajya Sabha member and party spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which has strongly objected to the Waqf Amendment Bill, will now be looking at a mass feedback mechanism on the issue in front of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). For Representation: Outside view of Sunni Waqf Board office in Lucknow (HT File)

The AIMPLB will ask people coming for Friday prayers in mosques across the country to scan the QR code given by them and register their objection to the JPC. The JPC had invited public opinion on the bill, after which AIMPLB is leaving no stone unturned to register its protest against the bill.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Sunni cleric and AIMPLB member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali said, The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is also holding online meetings in different sectors in different states on a daily basis to encourage people for scanning QR code given by AIMPLB and to give their feedback to the JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill. Also, on the coming Friday, AIMPLB has ensured that in all the mosques across the country, detailed announcements will be made in this regard so that people can give their feedback.

AIMPLB has issued a QR code through which people can scan and give their feedback on the Waqf Amendment Bill to the JPC. A drive is already being carried out on social media platforms and WhatsApp groups by AIMPLB so that maximum feedback from people can be given to the JPC on the issue. The AIMPLB and other Muslims organisations have already put forward their objections to JPC on the issue.

The JPC members met Muslim scholars, religious organisations and AIMPLB members a few days back. However, sources revealed that the JPC will once again meet the stakeholders soon.

Talking about major concerns of the board, Mulana Khalid Rasheed said, Any amendments to the law or act without the consent of stakeholders in a democratic setup should not be encouraged, especially when the matter is completely religious. The religious organisations and leadership must also be consulted in such cases.

The other major concern is the negative and false propaganda that is being spread against Waqf. It is being showcased in some media reports that half of the country is Waqf property which is false. Interestingly around 90% of the Waqf properties are in the form of religious places, including mosques, imambadas, mazars etc. Also, there is no income by these religious places by and large. Instead, these places need funds for maintenance, which the community manages itself without any help from the government, he added.

The AIMPLB member also stated that the 40 amendments made in the Waqf Act will not benefit, but instead harm the Waqf properties. Especially, the amendment which proposed to end the Waqf by User which is an integral part of the Islamic laws of the Waqf. Even in 1995 and 2013, when the Waqf Act was amended, the Waqf By User provision was untouched as it is the backbone of the Waqf Law. It is also being proposed to include non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board, which is not feasible as all the places are of religious nature, then they should be administered in a religious way. Also, it is being proposed that the judicial powers will be given to the collector which is against Article 50. Also, it is being wrongly projected that there is no female representation in Waqf Boards which is wrong. At the moment, also we have two women members in the Waqf Board, he said
LUCKNOW A wanted criminal involved in a 1.5-crore daylight robbery at a jewellery store in Sultanpur was gunned down in an encounter with the police early on Thursday. The accused, Mangesh Yadav, was carrying a reward of 1 lakh on his arrest. He, along with four others, had robbed the store in Thatheri Bazar on August 28, said police. The criminal was involved in the sensational robbery at a jewellery shop and a reward of  1 lakh was declared on him along with nine others wanted in the robbery case (Pic representation)

Yadav was killed in retaliatory firing by an STF team led by DySP DK Shahi and DySP Vimal Singh in an encounter at Mishripur Muraina turn in Sultanpur around 3.25am, said ADG (law and order) Amitabh Yash.

He said the criminal was involved in the sensational robbery at a jewellery shop and a reward of 1 lakh was declared on him along with nine others wanted in the robbery case. Mangesh Yadav hailed from Jaunpur and had seven cases of loot, robbery, theft in Jaunpur, Pratapgarh and Sultanpur against him between 2021 and 2024.

Yadav was an active member of a gang operated by notorious criminal Vinay Singh of Amethi. Singh, with the help of Yadav and 12 others, planned and executed the Sultanpur robbery. The gang of 14, who executed the robbery, included nine members from Amethi, two from Jaunpur and one each from Pratapgarh, Azamgarh and Rae Bareli, said another police official.

Singh surrendered in a Rae Bareli court two days after the robbery. He had a long criminal history with around 34 cases of heinous crimes in five districts including Amethi, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur, Barabanki and Lucknow as well as that of a bank robbery case in Surat (Gujarat) in the past 17 years. Vinay was arrested around a year ago by the Surat police for the robbery at a bank in Wajgaon, Surat in August 2023 and was released on bail two months ago.

After getting bail, he restructured the gang of 14 people, including three first-timers and executed the Sultanpur robbery after doing a proper recee of the shop. The gang moved to Rae Bareli after the robbery and moved into different directions while Vinay Singh strategically surrendered before a Rae Bareli court on August 31, two days after the robbery, after cancelling his bail in another criminal case pending against him, he explained.

Singh did not share his plan with his aides and deserted them after executing the robbery. Three other gang members, Sachin Singh, Pushpendra Singh alias Dablu and Tribhuvan Kori, all residents of Amethi, were arrested following an encounter in Sultanpur on Tuesday. The trio suffered bullet injuries in their legs in retaliatory firing by cops, said the official.

In a post shared on X, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling party in the state of having deep connections with people involved in the Sultanpur robbery case.

He stated that Mangesh Yadav was killed intentionally in an encounter because of his caste while the prime accused Vipin Singh strategically surrendered in connivance with the police and the three other accused were shot in the legs in a fake encounter.

The SP chief said the BJP government is Amrit Kal (golden period) for criminals, and the public understands how police shield real culprits.
The Gittikhadan police in Nagpur have registered a case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane, son of former Union minister and Lok Sabha MP Narayan Rane, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of a particular community during a speech in Ahmednagar on September 1. BJP leader Nitesh Rane. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The case, following a complaint by a person named Mohammed Yunus Patel (47), a resident of Awasthi Nagar in south Nagpur, was registered under sections 196, 299, 302, 352, and 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Kailash Deshmane, the senior police inspector of Gittikhadan police station, confirmed the development on Wednesday. We are investigating the matter and, if necessary, we will take Ranes statement and initiate appropriate actions against him, he said.

According to the complaint, during an event in Ahmednagar in support of Ramgiri Maharaj, the BJP MLA allegedly threatened a particular community.

Our communitys religious sentiments have been hurt by Ranes statement, the complainant said.

Reacting to his speech, Nitesh Rane said that it was just a counter reaction against certain people. He refused to comment more on the issue.

Rane, who is close to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was allegedly caught on video threatening to enter mosques and attack those who criticise Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu seer who is facing the heat for his inflammatory speeches.

If you dare harm our Ramgiri Maharaj, we will enter your masjid (mosque) and hunt you down one by one. Keep this in mind, Rane was recorded as saying.

Earlier, several FIRs were registered against Rane across the state following his speech at Ahmednagar, including in Shrirampur, Thane, and Bhiwandi.
Mumbai: Several private medical colleges in Maharashtra have come under fire for charging students higher caution money than the limit set by the state's Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA). The authority has issued showcause notices to all 22 private colleges across the state for failing to adhere to the prescribed upper limit. Several private medical colleges in Maharashtra have come under fire for charging students higher caution money. Representational Image(Representative image)

On 28 August, the FRA imposed a cap of 50,000 on the caution money charged by private medical colleges, including those offering MBBS programmes. This limit encompasses all types of deposits, including those for library, laboratory, hostel, and mess facilities. The cap extends to all courses, including B.Sc. in Nursing, BAMS, BHMS, and other medical science programmes.

Despite this directive, some colleges allegedly continued to charge higher fees. Students have filed complaints against institutions demanding additional fees during admissions for various facilities such as gymkhana, library, laboratory, and hostel mess deposits.

In response to these complaints, the FRA has not only issued showcause notices but also inspected the websites of all colleges, revealing that many listed caution money amounts exceeding the prescribed cap.

Dharmendra Mishra, a member of the FRA, stated, "On receipt of such complaints, the FRA grievance redressal cell has acted against the colleges as per the decision taken by the authority on 28 August, wherein clear directions were given on this subject. FRA has also issued showcause notices to colleges whose complaints were received today."

Mishra added that after issuing the notices, some institutions claimed they were not forcing students to pay extra fees during the admission process.

Appealing to parents and students, Mishra said, I request every stakeholder that if they are demanded any extra fees other than tuition, development fees, and 50,000 caution money, they should approach FRA for such grievances. FRA has opened a dedicated email address for stakeholders where they can register their complaints.
Mumbai: Jaydeep Apte, a 24-year-old sculptor-contractor wanted in connection with the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort last month, was arrested in Kalyan on Wednesday night. A 35-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj collapsed in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg (HT/Yogesh Naik)

Dnyaneshwar Chavan, joint commissioner of police in Thane, confirmed the arrest and stated that Apte would be transferred to the custody of Sindhudurg police.

Maharashtra police had been searching for Apte since the statue he created collapsed on 26 August, less than nine months after its inauguration. Seven teams were formed to locate him.

Following the statue's collapse, Malvan police filed a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences. Patil was apprehended in Kolhapur last week.

The incident sparked a significant political controversy in the lead-up to Maharashtra's assembly elections, with opposition parties criticising the government led by Eknath Shinde.

Responding to the arrest, Pravin Darekar, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, said, "Those who were critical of our government must shut their mouths now. It is true that police took a little long to arrest Jaydeep Apte. We are not taking any credit for arresting, but the police did their job."

In contrast, Sushama Andhare, a leader from Shiv Sena (UBT), commented, "The state government should not try to take any credit for arresting Apte because it is the government's duty. He was not some underworld don... He should have been arrested sooner."

Meanwhile, a five-member joint technical committee visited the fort at Malvan during the day to examine the site, according to an official.
Four people, including the headmistress and a teacher of a private school, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly trying to hush up the sexual harassment of a six-year-old student by a 25-year-old man on the school premises in Noidas Sector 12 on Tuesday, said senior police officers. When the girl reached home, she revealed the incident to her parents, and they reached the Sector 24 police station on Wednesday with a complaint. (Representational image)

Police said the main suspect, the 25-year-old man, is yet to be arrested, as school authorities helped him escape from the spot purportedly to avoid the school getting defamed.

Manish Kumar Mishra, additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida, said the child is a (upper) kindergarten student at the school in Sector 12.

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On Tuesday, while the child was in school, a man aged around 25 years, who was engaged as a daily wager to complete some construction work at the school, sexually harassed her. The girl narrated the ordeal to her class teacher, who reported the matter to the headmistress and school supervisor, said Mishra.

Subsequently, the school authorities informed the contractor who had hired the daily wager about the incident, and instead of alerting police, they helped the suspect flee the spot, said Mishra.

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It is suspected that the school authorities tried to cover up the incident allegedly to avoid the school being defamed publicly, said a senior police officer, asking not to be named.

Later, when the girl reached home, she revealed the incident to her parents, and they reached the Sector 24 police station on Wednesday with a complaint.

Read more: Suvendu Adhikari requests President Murmu to take back Kolkata police commissioner's medals

On the complaint by the survivors parents, a case under sections 263 (resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person) and 74 (assault or use of criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Pocso Act was registered at Sector 24 police station against the prime suspect, the school teacher, headmistress, school supervisor, and the contractor. Except for the prime suspect, all four were arrested on Thursday, said Ram Badan Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Noida.

The suspects names have been withheld by the police to protect the identity of the survivor.
Two students were killed, and 15 others sustained critical injuries after the school van they were travelling in collided with a Karnataka state transport bus in Raichur on Thursday morning, district superintendent of police Puttamadaiah said. Representational image.

The van belonging to Loyola School in Manvi town, ferrying 32 students from different villages to the school, collided with a government bus near Kapagal in the morning, Puttamadaiah said, adding that two students were killed on the spot.

Ten injured students were admitted to the Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and five others to a government hospital in the district, the SP said.

Raichur deputy commissioner Nitish K met the students at the hospitals and announced 5 lakh as compensation to the kin of the deceased from the chief ministers relief fund. The state road transport corporation has also announced compensation.

Manvi police inspector Veerabhadraiah Hiremath said a case of rash and negligent driving has been filed against both the drivers. He said the children near the drivers set suffered more injuries.
Six members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Telanganas Bhadradri Kothagudem district bordering Chhattisgarh on Thursday, the police said. Paramilitary forces in Maoist-infested areas of Eastern Ghats. (PTI File Photo)

The exchange of fire took place in the Neeladrigutta forest area in Karakagudem block early in the morning. Two Greyhounds policemen, an elite anti-Maoist squad, were injured in the gunbattle.

Bhadradri Kothagudem superintendent of police B Rohit Raju told reporters that the gunfight broke out around the Neelandrigutta hillock, near Raghunadhapalem village bordering Mulugu district, when a team of Greyhounds police personnel was conducting a combing operation in the forest area.

Six Maoists were killed, and two security personnel were injured in the exchange of fire, Raju said, adding that a huge cache of arms and ammunition were seized from the site of the encounter.

The identity of the deceased Maoists was being ascertained, he said, and the bodies have been shifted to Kothagudem government hospital for post-mortem.

However, another police official, who did not disclose his identity, said the slain Maoists included Palvancha-Manuguru-Karakagudem divisional committee member and commander of the squad Lachanna, while others were believed to be Tulasi, Sukhram, Ramu, Durgesh and Kosi.

A native of Rayapadu in Chhattisgarh, Lachanna was one of the most wanted CPI (Maoist) leaders, carrying a reward of 10 lakh on his head. There were 50 cases against Lachanna at different police stations.

This incident follows a major encounter on Tuesday in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh where nine Maoists were gunned down by security forces. Among those killed was top Maoist leader Macherla Esobu, also known by the several aliases including Jagan, Dada Randev, and Randhir.

Esobu, a native of Tekulagudem in Kazipet mandal of Hanamkonda district of Telangana, was a prominent Left-wing extremist figure and had a bounty of 25 lakh on his head.

This was the first major encounter in Telangana since 2018; 10 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in March 2018.

Barring these, there has been virtually no major activity by Maoists in Telangana, except occasional incidents of violence in the border areas of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts bordering Chhattisgarh.

In the wake of intensifying operations by security forces, by the name of Operation Kagar in the forests of Chhattisgarh, some Maoist dalams (groups) are trying to enter into the border areas in search of a safe zone. Hence, a group of Chhattisgarh-based armed Maoist rebels might have crossed over the forest border into Telangana, which led to Thursdays encounter, the second police official quoted above said.
The Department of Education (DoE) on Wednesday issued a circular for admission to classes nine to ten in the government and government-aided schools in Delhi following reports of the students being denied admission due to the non-production of Aadhaar or bank account details. Delhi School Admission: DoE issues circular for Class 9, 10 admissions in government and government-aided schools (Getty Images/iStockphoto (PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

According to the circular, no student will be denied admission once they are allotted a school under the Non-Plan Admission process except in cases of discrepancies in relevant documents.

The children up to class eight will be admitted throughout the academic session in age-appropriate classes under the Right to Education Act (RTE).

The circular also stated that students will not be denied admission for not having an Aadhaar or bank account. The process of admission for the students, who were allotted schools during previous cycles of Non-Plan Admission must be completed by September 16, 2024.

Additionally, the criteria for admission to age-appropriate classes will not apply to the students, who have passed the previous class from a recognised school or board during the 2023-24 academic year, it said.

The DoE in the circular has also emphasised that transfers after mid-term examinations should be avoided but may be approved by the Zonal or District Grievance Redressal Committee in genuine cases.
The State Bank of India (SBI) Foundation is inviting overseas citizens of India, citizens of Nepal and Bhutan, and internal candidates from SBI for the 12th Batch of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship program. SBI Foundation is inviting applications for 12th Youth for India Fellowship Program. The direct link to apply is given here, (Reuters file photo of SBI logo)

Aimed at fostering meaningful social change, the fellowship program spans 13 months and provides a well-structured opportunity for fresh graduates and young professionals to collaborate with rural communities and 13 NGOs across India.

When does the fellowship program start?

The SBI Youth for India Fellowship Program will commence on October 7, 2024.

When will registration close?

The window to apply for the program will close on September 17, 2024.

Where to apply for the SBI Youth for India Fellowship Program?

Interested candidates can apply for the YFI Fellowship Program through this direct link.

Also read: RBI 90 Quiz offering winners a chance to take home a whopping 10 Lakh, window closes on Sept 17, link to apply here

About the fellowship program

 A press release issued by the SBI Foundation informed that the SBI Youth for India Fellowship will focus on 12 thematic areas including health, rural livelihood, food security, environmental protection, education, water, technology, womens empowerment, self-governance, social entrepreneurship, traditional craft and alternate energy.

 Participants can work on any of the 12 thematic areas as per their interest.

Know the eligibility criteria:

Those interested in applying for the SBI Youth For India Fellowship Program must meet the following eligibility criteria:

 Should be an Overseas Citizen of India(OCI) a Citizen of Nepal and Bhutan, or an SBI employee.

 In the case of SBI employees, the candidate should be a confirmed officer in Scale I or II within SBI.

 The candidate must fall in the age group of 21- 32 years on the day of commencement of the program (October 7).

Candidates must strongly commit to advancing sustainable development objectives in rural areas.

Also read: AACCC AYUSH NEET UG round 1 seat allotment result today at aaccc.gov.in

Where to report after selection?

When a candidate is selected, he/she needs to report at Tilonia in Kishangarh tehsil of Ajmer district in Rajasthan on October 5th, 2024.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Prakash, the managing director & CEO at SBI Foundation, highlighted that the SBI Youth for India program will provide a unique opportunity for urban youth to actively contribute to the development sector while addressing the challenges of rural life.

With 10 successful editions behind us and the 11th underway, our program remains dedicated to empowering youth to create meaningful change in rural communities. This initiative is a beacon of hope for those eager to shape a brighter future for both themselves and rural India, he added.

As per the press release, the fellowship program has made a significant impact with a growing alumni network of over 580+ individuals and impacted more than 150,000 lives in more than 250+ villages spanning 20 States across India over the last 13 years.

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Impact on career prospects:

The release further informed that after the program, about 70% of YFI alumni have gone on to pursue meaningful careers in the social sector by working in Rural Development, Public Policy, Governance, Academia, etc.

Additionally, 100+ Fellowship alumni pursued Higher Studies in development domains after their SBI Youth for India Fellowship experience, and 40+ YFI alumni have started social ventures post-Fellowship.
SSC GD 2025 Notification Live Updates: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the notification for the Constable (General Duty) recruitment examination, 2025 on September 5. The detailed notification is available on the official website of SSC at ssc.gov.in. Check Official Notification Here The notification for the Constable (GD) in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and SSF, Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles, and Sepoy in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was scheduled to be released on August 27, but the commission postponed it due to administrative reasons....Read More

As per the examination calendar, the last date to apply for SSC GD 2025 is October 5. However, with the postponement of the notification release date, the schedule for application form submission may be revised.

The computer-based exam is tentatively scheduled for January-February, 2025.

The exact dates for application, fee payment, and correction window will be mentioned in the notification.

The notification will also contain important information for candidates such as eligibility criteria, number of vacancies, application process, exam pattern, etc.

Follow this live blog for live updates on SSC GD 2025 notification.
The Delhi Skill Development University has shut down B.Tech branches in its three campuses here due to low enrolment of students, according to an official order. The branches had less than 20 students(Unsplash/For representation)

The branches had less than 20 students due to which the university has decided to close the department in its campuses at -Ashok Vihar, Pusa-I, and Okhala Phase II, the order states.

Also read: Delhi School Admission: DoE issues circular for Class 9, 10 admissions in govt/govt aided schools

The students have been asked to choose any other branch or campus to study, subject to the availability of seats in that branch, it added.

According to the order, the Civil Engineering branch and Mechanical Engineering branch have been shut at Aryabhatta DSEU Ashok Vihar campus, the Electrical Engineering branch at DSEU Pusa-I campus, and the Network Engineering branch and Mechatronics Engineering branch at DSEU Okhla-II campus.

The Civil Engineering branch was operating with 11 students, the Mechanical Engineering branch with eight students, the Electrical Engineering branch with 11, the Network Engineering branch with nine students, and the Mechatronics Engineering branch with 10 students.

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"As per the approval of Admission Board for B. Tech Branches which have students less than 20 in numbers would be closed in the respective campuses.

"The students of following branches will be given an offer to choose any other branch or campus as per their consent, subject to availability of seats in that branch," the order dated September 2 read.

Speaking to PTI, DSEU Vice-Chancellor Ashok Kumar Nagawat said the programmes were shut due to low response from students.

"We will refund the entire admission fees submitted by the students including the registration fees if they don't wish to continue studying in our other branches," he added.

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Reacting to the development, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta slammed the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, which set up DSEU in 2020, saying that it has exposed the "sham education model" of the AAP dispensation.

"It's a disgrace that the B.Tech program, typically one of the most sought-after courses, couldn't even attract 20 students at DSEU campuses. This spectacular failure exposes Kejriwal's education revolution for what it truly is - a monumental fraud," Gupta said.

He also alleged students were forcibly relocated to other campuses.

In its response, the AAP pointed to the performance of BJP governments in states.

"Its a disgrace that after more than 20 years of BJP rule in Gujarat, 1,606 schools have only one teacher. In BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, a recent video shows girl students in tears because their school has no teachers," AAP alleged.

"The BJPs stance on education is clear - it has shut down over 60,000 schools in just the last two years. In stark contrast, the AAP government is opening world-class schools in Delhi and Punjab, where government school students are now securing spots in prestigious institutes like IIT," the party said in a statement released later in the day.
The Indian School of Business (ISB) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad have been featured in the list of top 20 MBA programs launched by professional networking platform LinkedIn. Indian School of Business (ISB), Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad have featured in the list of top 20 MBA programs offered by B-schools, released by LinkedIn News India. (Photo Credit: REUTERS)

As per the list issued by LinkedIn News India, ISB has been ranked at the 6th spot globally, while IIM Ahmedabad secured the 19th position.

The rankings come as part of an initiative by LinkedIn to help professionals identify the top MBA programs offered by business schools to develop their skills and expand their career opportunities.

Also read: RBI 90 Quiz offering winners a chance to take home a whopping 10 Lakh, window closes on Sept 17, link to apply here

Check the top 20 business schools and their ranks below:

RANK BUSINESS SCHOOL 1. Stanford University 2. INSEAD 3. Harvard University 4. University of Pennsylvania 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 6. Indian School of Business 7. Northwestern University 8. Dartmouth College 9. Columbia University 10. University of Chicago 11. University of London 12, University of Virginia 13. Duke University 14. WHU 15. University of Oxford 16. Yale University 17. Cornell University 18. University of California, Berkeley 19. Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad 20. University of Navarra

What is the ranking methodology?

As per LinkedIn, the rankings are determined by a carefully weighted methodology analysing the career outcomes of millions of MBA alumni, globally.

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A press release issued by LinkedIn in this regard stated that the top MBA programs methodology is based exclusively on LinkedIn data and five key pillars. These are as follows:

Job placement: Tracking hiring rates and labour market demand, measuring the percentage of recent graduate cohorts from 2019-2023 who landed a full-time job within the same year of graduation, in addition to recruiter outreach across recent cohorts at each program.

Tracking hiring rates and labour market demand, measuring the percentage of recent graduate cohorts from 2019-2023 who landed a full-time job within the same year of graduation, in addition to recruiter outreach across recent cohorts at each program. Measuring promotion rates: Ability to measure promotion rates among recent graduate cohorts, in addition to how quickly alumni have reached director or VP-level leadership roles.

Ability to measure promotion rates among recent graduate cohorts, in addition to how quickly alumni have reached director or VP-level leadership roles. Network Strength: Analysing the network depth or how connected alumni of the same program are to each other, network quality of recent graduate cohorts that is measured by connections to director-level professionals or higher, and network growth rate of recent cohorts since starting the program.

Analysing the network depth or how connected alumni of the same program are to each other, network quality of recent graduate cohorts that is measured by connections to director-level professionals or higher, and network growth rate of recent cohorts since starting the program. Leadership Potential: Measuring the percentage of alumni with post-MBA C-Suite or entrepreneurship experiences.

Measuring the percentage of alumni with post-MBA C-Suite or entrepreneurship experiences. Gender Diversity: Measuring gender parity within recent graduate cohorts.

Eligibility Criteria:

To be ranked by LinkedIn, MBA programs offered by B-schools must be full-time programs and accredited by AACSB or Equis.

Programs must have at least 1,500 total alumni, with at least 400 of them graduating within the recent cohort (2019-2023).

Also read: MCC NEET UG Counselling 2024: Round 2 registration from today at mcc.nic.in

Nirajita Banerjee, Senior Managing Editor and Career Expert at LinkedIn News India highlighted that an MBA can be a powerful tool for professionals looking to accelerate their careers, be it for leadership roles, exploring new industries, or even starting their own business.

Beyond earning a degree, its a chance to hone key in-demand soft skills like strategic thinking, leadership, and problem-solving  all while building connections that can open doors to new opportunities long after graduation, she said.

Meanwhile, Nirajita also shared tips on how professionals pursuing an MBA can boost their career prospects:
The Reserve Bank of India, RBI, is all set to host a nationwide quiz competition for college students pursuing undergraduate courses across all streams. The RBI 90 Quiz competition will be conducted as part of RBIs 90th anniversary celebrations. In line with the 90th anniversary celebrations, RBI is hosting a 'RBI 90 Quiz' competition wherein the first prize includes  10 lakh. (Photo Credit: screenshot/rbi.org.in)

Although registrations started from August 20, the RBI will closing the application window on September 17, 2024.

A notice issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) urged all higher education institutions to disseminate this information in their respective institutions and encourage undergraduate students to participate in the quiz and make it a success.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: A letter from a teacher to future educators who are about to start their exciting journey

The quiz will primarily focus on General Knowledge of history, economy, current affairs, etc. Participants who come first will be awarded a whopping 10 lakh by RBI. Through the programme, the RBI aims to generate engagement with the student community.

Lets look at some of the important points to remember concerning the RBI@90 quiz competition:

Who is eligible to participate in the quiz competition?

As per the UGC notification, the RBI 90 Quiz is open for students pursuing graduate courses in recognised colleges across the country.

How many levels of the quiz will it include?

As per the notification, there will be four phases of the quiz competition. These are described in detail below:

PHASE 1: Online

Will include an online quiz in Hindi and English.

Top-performing colleges from the state will move to Phase 2.

PHASE 2: (State level)

Selected colleges will compete in an on-stage competition following an elimination round.

The winner of this round will proceed to the zonal round.

PHASE 3 AND 4 (Zonal and National)

Participants who win in the zonal round will compete at the national level.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: CM Bhupendra Patel contributes to teachers' welfare fund

What is the prize reward?

Participants will be given prizes starting from the state level. Those who participate at the national level will be awarded the following prize rewards:

1st Prize:  10 Lakh

10 Lakh 2nd Prize:  8 Lakh

8 Lakh 3rd Prize:  6 lakh

Also read: AACCC AYUSH NEET UG round 1 seat allotment result today at aaccc.gov.in

About the registration process and other important dates

Registrations for the RBI 90 Quiz began on August 20, 2024.

The deadline for registration is September 17, 2024.

Quiz date: As per the RBI website, the online RBI 90 Quiz will be held from September 19th to 21st, 2024.

For more information, participants are advised to visit the official website.
The competition started in second grade for DJ Wang's son. Eight-year-old William was enrolled at a top elementary school in Wuhan, a provincial capital in central China. While kindergarten and first grade were relatively carefree, the homework assignments started piling up in second grade. Families in China are moving to Thailand seeking an alternative to China's pressure-cooker schools. (Photo Credits: Pixabay)

By third grade, his son was regularly finishing his day around midnight.

You went from traveling lightly to carrying a very heavy burden, Wang said. That sudden switch, it was very hard to bear.

Wang, who travelled often to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand for his job in tourism, decided to make a switch, moving his family to the city that sits at the base of mountains.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: CM Bhupendra Patel contributes to teachers' welfare fund

The family is among a wave of Chinese flocking to Thailand for its quality international schools and more relaxed lifestyle. While there are no records tracking how many are moving abroad for education, they join other Chinese expats leaving the country, from wealthy entrepreneurs moving to Japan to protect their wealth, to activists unhappy with the political system, to young people who want to opt out of China's ultra-competitive work culture, at least for a while.

Jenson Zhang, who runs an education consultancy, Vision Education, for Chinese parents looking to move to Southeast Asia, said many middle-class families choose Thailand because schools are cheaper than private schools in cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: A letter from a teacher to future educators who are about to start their exciting journey

Southeast Asia, it's within reach, the visa is convenient and the overall environment, as well as people's attitude towards Chinese people, it allows Chinese parents to feel more secure, Zhang said.

A 2023 survey by private education company New Oriental found Chinese families also increasingly considering Singapore and Japan for their children's overseas study. But tuition and the cost of living are much higher than in Thailand.

Within Thailand, the slow-paced city of Chiang Mai often ends up being the top choice. Other options include Pattaya and Phuket, both popular beach resorts, and Bangkok, though the capital is usually more expensive.

The trend has been ongoing for about a decade, but in recent years it's gathered pace.

Lanna International School, one of Chiang Mai's more selective schools, saw a peak of interest in the 2022-2023 academic year, with inquiries doubling from a year earlier.

Parents were really in a rush, they wanted to quickly change to a new school environment" because of pandemic restrictions, said Grace Hu, an admissions officer at Lanna International, whose position helping Chinese parents through the process was created in 2022.

Also read: NEET PG Result 2024: Merit list for 50% AIQ seats out at natboard.edu.in, direct link and details here

Du Xuan of Vision Education says parents coming to Chiang Mai fall into two types: Those who planned in advance what education they want for their kids, and those who experienced difficulties with the competitive Chinese education system. The majority are from the second group, she said.

In Chinese society, many value education to the point where one parent may give up their job and rent an apartment near their child's school to cook and clean for them, and ensure their life runs smoothly. Known as peidu, or accompanied studying, the goal is academic excellence, often at the expense of the parent's own life.

That concept has become twisted by the sheer pressure it takes to keep up. Chinese society has come up with popular buzzwords to describe this hyper-competitive environment, from neijuan  which roughly translated means the rat race that leads to burnout  or tang ping," rejecting it all to drop out, or "lie flat.

The terms reflect what success looks like in modern China, from the hours of cramming required for students to succeed on their exams to the money parents spend hiring tutors to give their kids an extra edge in school.

The driving force behind it all is numbers. In a country of 1.4 billion people, success is viewed as graduation from a good college. With a limited number of seats, class rank and test scores matter, especially on the college entrance exams known as the gaokao.

If you have something, it means someone else can't have that, said Vision Education's Du, whose own daughters attend school in Chiang Mai. "We have a saying about the gaokao: One point will topple 10,000 people.' The competition is that intense.

Wang said his son William was praised by his second-grade teacher in Wuhan as gifted, but to stand out in a class of 50 kids and continue to get that level of attention would mean giving money and gifts to the teacher, which other parents were already doing before he was even aware of the need.

Back in Wuhan, parents are expected to know the material covered in extracurricular tutoring classes, as well as what is being taught in school, and ensure their child has mastered it all, Wang said. It's often a full-time job.

In Chiang Mai, freed from China's emphasis on rote memorization and hours of homework, students have time to develop hobbies.

Jiang Wenhui moved from Shanghai to Chiang Mai last summer. In China, she said, she had accepted that her son, Rodney, would get average grades because of his mild attention deficit disorder. But she could not help thinking twice about her decision to move given how competitive every other family was.

In that environment, you'll still feel anxious," she said. "Should I give it another go?

In China, her energy was devoted toward helping Rodney keep up in school, shuttling him to tutoring and keeping him on top of his coursework, pushing him along every step of the way.

In Thailand, Rodney, who's about to start 8th grade, has taken up acoustic guitar and piano, and carries around a notebook to learn new English vocabulary  all of it his own choice, Jiang said. He'd ask me to add an hour of English tutoring. I thought his schedule was too full, and he told me, I want to try and see if it's OK.'

He has time to pursue hobbies and hasn't needed to see a doctor for his attention deficit disorder. After bonding with one of his teachers about snakes, he is raising a pet ball python called Banana.

Wang says his son William, who is now 14 and about to enter high school, finishes his homework well before midnight and has developed outside interests. Wang, too, has changed his perspective on education.

Here, if he gets a bad grade, I don't think much of it, you just work on it, he said. Is it the case that if he gets a bad grade, that he will be unable to become a successful adult?"

"Now, I don't think so.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel acknowledging the social responsibility of teachers in shaping society contributed to the Teachers' Welfare Fund on the occasion of Teachers' Day. September 5 is celebrated across India to honour the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a lifelong teacher. Chief Minister Patel acknowledged the importance of teachers and expressed his gratitude by making his contribution.(HT)

Students from St. Xavier's School and the School of Achievers in Gandhinagar visited the Chief Minister's residence to collect voluntary donations for the fund. Chief Minister Patel acknowledged the importance of teachers and expressed his gratitude by making his contribution.

During the interaction, Patel spoke to the children, shared his respect for teachers, and highlighted their contribution to individual and societal development. He encouraged everyone to support the welfare of teachers by contributing to the fund.

Also Read: Teachers' Day 2024: These individuals cannot thank their educators enough, here's why

"Today, on the occasion of Teacher's Day, the children of Gandhinagar schools expressed their gratitude to the teachers by contributing to the Teachers' Welfare Fund. The interaction with the school children and teachers on this occasion was very enjoyable," the CM said.

The event was attended by District Collector Mehul Dave, District Development Officer J.B. Patel, District Education Officer Dr. Bhagwanbhai Prajapati, and Primary Education Officer Piyush Patel, along with other officials and school representatives.

Also Read: Teachers' Day 2024: A letter from a teacher to future educators who are about to start their exciting journey

Earlier in his message on Teachers Day, the Gujarat CM said, "A teacher is not just someone who teaches textbooks in classrooms. A teacher is the architect of a country's future. A teacher is the key to the progress of mankind. Happy Teacher's Day to all the teachers who instill knowledge, skills and virtues in students. Former President of India, great educationist, Bharat Ratna, in whose memory this day is celebrated. Greetings on the birth anniversary of Sarvapalli Radhakrishnanji," Bhupendra Patel posted on X.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on the occasion, "On Teachers Day, I bow to all the teachers who not only build the lives of their students but also make invaluable contributions to building a great nation. On the Jayanti of Bharat Ratna, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, I bow to the former President of India and extend my heartfelt greetings to all our hard-working teachers," the Home Minister posted on X.

Also Read: Teachers' Day 2024: From PM Modi to Kharge, wishes galore for educators
On National Teachers Day, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Former Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Teachers Award 2024 to 82 educators. The ceremony took place to honour those who have significantly contributed to the education sector. Teachers Day 2024: President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Teachers Award 2024 to 82 educators on Thursday. (PTI Photo)

Addressing the awardees, President Murmu said, The most important role in the success of any education system is that of teachers. Teaching is not just a job. It is a sacred mission of human development. She also talked about famous Indian writer Rabindranath Tagores perspective, saying, Gurudev's clear view was that if a teacher himself does not keep on acquiring knowledge then he cannot do the work of teaching in the true sense. It is impossible to light other lamps from a lamp whose flame is not lit.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: From PM Modi to Kharge, wishes galore for educators

Among the recipients is Urfana Amin from Jammu & Kashmir, who teaches at BHSS Soura, Hawal, Srinagar. Amin, an expert in English, Entrepreneurship, and teacher training, provided radio classes during the COVID-19 pandemic and developed educational materials such as FLN modules and e-content for DIKSHA.

Dwiti Chandra Sahu from Govt. High School Billesu, Odisha, works in a remote, hilly district with poor connectivity and frequent power cuts. Sahu was awarded for integrating ICT into his teaching without relying on electricity or the internet. His initiatives include creating educational games, a YouTube channel, and PDF content. He also uses tribal language dictionaries, bilingual storybooks, and recycled materials for low-cost educational tools. Sahu established a school cooperative store, a tribal museum, an MLE reading corner, and a craft corner.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: CM Bhupendra Patel contributes to teachers' welfare fund

Sagar Chittaranjan Bagade, from Sou S. M. Lohia High School and Junior College, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, organized social events and campaigns for orphans, tribals, young HIV patients, and individuals with disabilities. He also arranged folk dance and ballet performances that have gained international recognition.

The award winners also included two professors from IITs and one from IISER, Nidhi Jain from IIT Delhi, with 16 years of teaching experience was awarded for notable contributions in chemistry, with over 80 research papers and more than 3,900 citations.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: A letter from a teacher to future educators who are about to start their exciting journey

Vinay Sharma from IIT Roorkee has 30 years of experience in marketing innovation and low-cost energy solutions. He was recognized for his work on the Ganga River Basin Environment Management Plan and projects in the North-Western Himalayas which has led to patented technologies now being commercialized.

Srinivas Hotha from the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, Pune was awarded for significant contributions to chemistry with research on gold-catalyzed glycosidation and complex glycan probes. He also developed the TLC-MS Interface, SWADESI, for drug molecular weight confirmation. Hotha has published over 100 research papers.

The National Teachers Award recognizes teachers who have improved education quality and enriched students' lives. Each award includes a certificate of merit, a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, and a silver medal. Awardees will also have the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This years 50 awardees included teachers from 28 states, 3 UTs, and 6 organizations. Among them are 16 women, 2 differently-abled individuals, and 1 teacher working with children with special needs. Additionally, 16 teachers from the Department of Higher Education and 16 from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship were honored.
The Goa Police have arrested two teachers, Sujal Gawade and Kanisha Gadekar, for allegedly beating a 9-year-old child, who suffered injuries as a result of the thrashing he received. According to the complaint filed by the boys father, the minor was also slapped and kicked in the stomach, and his face was dragged by his ear across a blackboard. (Representative image)

The child, who was studying at the Shree Saraswati Vidya Mandir Primary School, a government-aided school, was allegedly beaten with a steel ruler because he ripped the pages of his book.

According to the Police, the two teachers have been booked under Section 8 of the Goa Children's Act, Section 82 of the Juvenile Justice Act, and relevant sections of BNS. The teachers have been placed under arrest, Deputy Superintendent of Police

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: A letter from a teacher to future educators who are about to start their exciting journey

The incident took place on August 2 but came to light only later that evening when the childs father, who is a rickshaw driver, returned home. The case was filed the following day.

Earlier the school management issued an order placing the two teachers under suspension.

Also read: Teachers' Day 2024: CM Bhupendra Patel contributes to teachers' welfare fund

The student sustained injuries on his hands, thighs, legs, and back and is currently undergoing treatment. According to the complaint, filed by the boys father, he was also slapped and kicked in the stomach, and his face was dragged by his ear across a blackboard.

Also read: RBI 90 Quiz offering winners a chance to take home a whopping 10 Lakh, window closes on Sept 17, link to apply here

Earlier Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also the education minister, expressed regret about the incident and promised action.

Both the education department as well as the Police department will be taking action, the Chief Minister said.
The One Piece Vivre Card is a resource that explores character details in depth. It carefully calculates the characters' role and importance in the plot while also paying attention to details like their hair colour, height, and birthday. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda reportedly does not necessarily write the Vivre Card, but he has admitted that it is a reliable source of information. One Piece September 2024 Vivre Card reveals new information about characters.(@OPBR_official/X)

What was revealed in the September 2024 Vivre Card?

While the databook exclusively summarises what is already known about characters, it has occasionally revealed important insights related to the upcoming plot twist.

On September 04, 2024, One Piece Vivre Card was released for characters like Shanks, Mihawk, Ryokugyu, and Queen.

Who are Shanks and Queen in One Piece?

Shanks is the mentor and role model of Luffy, the protagonist of the series. In the databook, he is described as a man with red hair. His birthday is March 9, and his height is approximately 199 centimetres. He has also been declared one of the Four Emperors (Yonko), and he was a former apprentice in the Roger Pirates.

Interestingly, the Vivre Card claims that if Shanks weren't a pirate, he would be a landscape photographer. Even with all the information revealed about him, there was nothing noteworthy. However, he is considered one of the major characters in the series and always plays his part in the plot.

Due to his deadly viruses, the One Piece character Queen has been described as the mad scientist or The Plague.' The Virve Card has revealed a distinct timeline for this character, releasing important details about his journey. It has been disclosed that his real name is Scien.

Approximately 39 years ago, he was part of the research team MADS. After that, 36 years ago, he had a child, and 26 years ago, he abandoned him when he was bought by the Government. It is suspected that Franky, who is now 36 and was abandoned by his parents when he was a 10-year-old, might be the Queen's son. Fans have noted similarities between the timelines of the two characters, and it strangely makes sense.

It was also noticed that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda put Franky on the cover of volume 39, and Queen is also seen in the same pose on the cover of volume 93.

Also Read | Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 269: Exact release date, time and more

Who are Dracule Mihawk and Aramaki Ryokugyu in One Piece?

Dracule Mihawk is best known for being the greatest swordsman in One Piece. In the databook, he is described as having multiple titles, like Hawk-Eyes,' Marine Hunter, and Worlds Strongest Swordsman.' His height is 198 centimeters, his birthday is March 9, and he likes wine and dislikes nabe. Hawk-Eyes' hobbies are laidback farm work and collecting wines.

Mihawk has also been described as the rival of Shanks and his disciple Zoro, who wants to become the world's greatest swordsman.

Meanwhile, Aramaki Ryokugyu is a supporter of the World Government who went on to become a Navy Admiral. In the September Vivre Card, he was described as a man who was 308 centimetres tall, was forty-one years old, and his birthday was February 29. Aramaki's origin is from the South Blue and he favourite beverage is aged booze, the card explains that he doesnt eat because it's a pain.'

Also Read | One Piece Chapter 1125 spoilers: Saturn's fate revealed as new Vegapunk is born

He has extremist views, and admires Fleet Admiral Sakazuki Akainu. However, the Vivre Card does not disclose whether Ryokugyu owns a Black Blade or not.
Superstar Salman Khan stepped out for work in Mumbai today, and left his fans in awe by taking a pause to have a conversation with an elderly lady, who is seen blessing him with a lot of love and prayers. Also read: Salman Khan winces as he tries to sit, looks uncomfortable at event; host praises him for attending despite injury Salman Khan will next be seen in Sikandar.

Salmans compassionate side

Salman was on his way to shoot some teasers for the upcoming season of Bigg Boss show in Mumbai, when he was stopped by the lady.

Without hesitation, Salman stopped and the two engaged in a heartwarming conversation. The lady, visibly emotional, shared with Salman that she had taken a mannat (a vow) for his well-being and safety.

Salman, touched by her gesture, listened intently and expressed his gratitude. He spent a few moments with the lady, making her feel special.

Maine mannat liya ke aap ache rahe (I took a vow that you stay healthy)... You are very good, she was seen in the video, which is catching everyones attention on social media.

Fans react

The brief encounter is winning over the internet, with Salmans fans taking to social media to express their views.

This man is with pure humanity, shared one, with one mentioning, Best example of Man with golden heart.

Tiger down to earth hai, posted one user, with another writing, This man is a good human.

Bhai always being kind Human, commented one user. One user lauded Salman for being a sweet star with no ego.

Salman Khan respect button, posted one user, with one sharing, Most Loved MegaStar.

So adorable, one user exclaimed, with another commenting, Really yr he is so kind hearted person.

Salman recovers from rib injury

Late last month, actor Salman Khan garnered praise after he attended the Bacche Bole Morya event in Mumbai despite suffering a rib injury on the same day. Several videos and pictures, which emerged online, showed the actor wincing as he touched the right side of his rib cage. "Today he got hurt, he is not well, still he came. It shows his commitment towards the environment. Thank you so much," said Amruta Fadnavis, the organiser, at the event.

Later, a source close to the actor confirmed that Salman had suffered a rib injury, but he is doing fine. "Nothing to worry about. The shoot (of Sikandar) is on schedule, not pushed," the source added, as reported by news agency ANI. Fans of the actor grew concerned after the videos surfaced on social media platforms.

Salman's next film

Next, Salman will be seen headlining Sikandar, which is directed by AR Murugadoss. The film, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, is set to release next Eid. Rashmika Mandanna will be seen alongside Salman in the film.
Good news is in the building for all those rooting for Brad Pitt and George Clooney's bromance. Following their September 1 premiere for Jon Watts' directorial action comedy Wolfs at the Venice Film Festival, the iconic Ocean's pair is reportedly returning for the 14th installment of the Warner Bros caper movie franchise. Brad Pitt and George Clooney pose on the red carpet during arrivals for the movie "Wolfs", presented out of competition, during the 81st Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, September 1, 2024.(REUTERS)

Sources told Deadline that elite German-Australian filmmaker Edward Berger is set to helm the forthcoming addition to the epic Pitt-Clooney series. The All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave director's purported project in early development will be jointly backed by Warner Bros. and Smokehouse, making Ocean's 14 the first iteration to take off without director Steven Soderbergh.

Brad Pitt and George Clooney's star-packaged buddy trip continues

Pitt and Clooney just walked down the Venice Film Festival red carpet in Italy for Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts' Apple film Wolfs. The Hollywood buddies were also spotted on double dates with their partners. While girlfriend Ines de Ramon accompanied the Troy star, the Gravity actor's wife Amal Clooney was by his side.

Also read | Joker Folie a Deux first reactions out: Film gets 11-min standing ovation at Venice Film Festival but bad reviews

The dynamic Ocean's winning combination of Pitt and Clooney came back together under the same roof for a cinematic production 16 years after Burn After Reading. As the Ocean's 14 tide rises in the background, Watts is also ready to reunite the A-list duo for the Wolfs sequel. George Clooney dropped the bombshell in his December 2023 interview with Deadline: Were already talking about a sequel for this film I did with Brad and Jon Watts.

Jon Watts' 2024 Apple TV film will receive limited theatrical screenings in the US on September 20 before streaming on the platform on September 27.

Also read | Jennifer Lopez comes dangerously close to Ben Affleck in same building amid ugly divorce reports

Wolfs marks Clooney and Pitt's seventh movie together. The decades-old pals previously partnered up for the movies: Ocean's Eleven (2001), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Burn After Reading (2008), and IF (credited for voicing minor characters - 2024).

Confirmations and more info on the Ocean's 14 front have yet to roll out.
Andy Cohen, the Bravo star has put his luxurious West Village duplex on the market. The asking price is $14 million. Known for its abundant natural light and stylish interior, the apartment is a prime example of upscale city living. Bravo star Andy Cohen puts his West Village duplex on the market for $14 million.

The listing is being handled by the talented real estate agent Ryan Serhant, who has gained limelight for his high-profile clientele and appearances on the Bravo series Million Dollar Listing New York.

Andy Cohens NYC dream home hits the market

Andy Cohen, the iconic host of the Real Housewives franchise, has decided to part ways with his beloved West Village duplex after two decades of ownership. This 3,500-square-foot fantasy house, set in a cool historic pre-war spot, has three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Cohen bought the place back in 2003 and worked on it for years, mixing it up with the three other units next to it to make his perfect nestle.

Also read: Johnny Depps rotting teeth makeover: New pearly whites shine in video; fans impressed

According to the POST, Ryan Serhant, who's been friends with Cohen for a while, got a solid vibe for the apartment the minute he checked it out. The first time I ever walked into Andys apartment, I said, Whenever you are willing to part with this, even if I have to pull it from your grip, please let me know. Because its a one-of-one, Serhant once said on Netflix.

Ryan Serhant holds the listing

Ryan Serhant, who's listing the apartment for Andy Cohen in the West Village duplex, calls it the perfect custom apartment. Serhant, a renowned real estate agent, expressed his excitement about having the opportunity to sell such an exceptional property. He stated, "This is one of those rare gems that you wait your entire career to find and bring to market." The asking price for this luxurious residence is a substantial $14 million.

Also read: Woman who got TRUMP tattoo on forehead now wants to erase it; asks strangers for help removing controversial ink

The design of the home is not only beautiful, its completely functional and has more storage space than you could ever need  which is not something that is easy to come by in the West Village, the star real estate agent told PEOPLE. Opportunities like this dont just happen in New York City. Whoever buys this home is truly getting a once-in-a-lifetime deal, he added.

Andy Cohens iconic NYC duplex

Andy Cohen worked for years to build his dream house. When the pandemic hit New York City in 2020 and everything went into lockdown, Cohen was almost done with all the big changes he had planned. The place has been a hit spot for famous people like Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Mayer, and Kelly Ripa, who've all had their parties there. Even though they couldn't have big get-togethers during the pandemic, Cohen and his real estate agent, Serhant, really hit it off thanks to their kids.

Cohen teamed up with interior designer Eric Hughes and architect Gordon Kahn to make sure the place was just right. Even though it's not officially on the market yet, people are expecting it to go up for sale in September.
BTS' Suga continues to dominate the charts, even without releasing new music. His solo work, under the moniker Agust D, has been experiencing a resurgence thanks to the dedicated fandom who have been championing his older tracks. BTS's Suga performing in Seoul during his first solo world tour, 'Suga Agust D Tour' (2023).(Instagram / agustd)

On September 4th, The Last from his debut mixtape, Agust D, reached a Billboard milestone topping the World Digital Song Sales Chart for the first time since its release eight years ago. This is just one of many chart-topping achievements Suga has garnered amid his recent DUI scandal boosting his career counts.

BTS Suga is charting new peaks on digital music rankings

BTS's Suga has achieved two new chart hits in the UK this week, according to Forbes on September 5th. His songs The Last and Polar Night have both entered the Official Singles Sales and Official Singles Downloads charts for the first time. Fans seem to be purchasing these tracks in almost equal quantities, as they are ranked side-by-side on both charts.

Also read: Taylor Swift has 'romantic ideas' for Travis Kelce's 'breakup date' in response to AI-generated contract

The Last made its debut on the charts at No. 55 on the Official Singles Sales list and No. 54 on the Official Singles Downloads list. On the other hand, Polar Night, which following SUGA's recent interrogation related to DUI, rose to No. 1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart on August 23, also made its first appearance at No. 56 on the Official Singles Sales list and entered the Official Singles Downloads chart at No. 55.

Suga has been on these charts before, but only with a few songs. With these two new hits, he has collectively increased his total number of chart appearances. Including these new entries, Suga now has five solo hits on the charts.

Suga demonstrates global dominance

After Suga's drunk driving case hit the news, his fans rallied around him with a huge show of support. Earlier in August, his stage name, Agust D saw a major boost, with his albums D-DAY, D-2, and his debut album all climbing the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart. Tracks from D-DAY, like Snooze, Haegeum, and The Last, which were part of his world tour, made a strong comeback.

Also read: Jennifer Lopez comes dangerously close to Ben Affleck in same building amid ugly divorce reports

By August 24, Agust D made history as the only artist with five songs hitting #1 on the iTunes Country Charts worldwide, and The Last even reached #1 on the U.S. iTunes Chart for the first time. These are just a handful of records, that Min Yoongi aka Suga garnered in just a month.

Fans say, messed with wrong fandom

Amidst a climate where many Korean celebrities face backlash for scandals like DUI, Suga's career seems largely unaffected. Many believe that the Korean media intentionally sensationalized the incident when Yoongi was detained for driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol. Fans argue that they've "messed with the wrong fandom.

The BTS member has since received major support from fans and industry colleagues, including PSY, actress Park Sohee, The Rose's Woosung, Pachinko writer Lee Min Jin, Mui Sakamoto (daughter of the late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto), and others.
In a joint appeal, 72 prominent personalities, including author Arundhati Roy, have urged Kerala Chief Minister to enact a law addressing concerns raised by the Justice K Hema Committee report on sexual atrocities against women in the film field. (Also Read: Parvathy Thiruvothu says Hema Committee is more than Me Too part two: We are taking the space that is rightfully ours) Prakash Raj and Swara Bhascker are among the 72 who signed the appeal.

72 personalities sign appeal

The signatories to the appeal include Supreme Court advocates Indira Jaisingh and Vrinda Grover, actors Aparna Sen, Prakash Raj, Swara Bhasker, musician T M Krishna, a few retired bureaucrats and several journalists who have sought a "360-degree approach" from the state government to achieve the objectives for which the committee was set up.

In their letter to the CM, the concerns they have highlighted include the "inordinate focus on the sexual misdemeanours and crimes mentioned in the report" and the "virtual exclusion" of issues like the working conditions in the film industry, lack of contracts, pay disparities, etc. which also find mention the panel's findings.

One of the signatories, TM Krishna, in a post on social media platform Instagram, expressed solidarity with women in Malayalam cinema and urged the state government to take immediate action on the committee's report.

"Standing in solidarity with women in Malayalam cinema, we urge the Kerala government to take immediate action on the Hema Committee Report, addressing not just sexual harassment, but also wage disparity, poor working conditions, and systemic inequality in the industry," he said.

What's in the appeal?

The signatories, in their joint letter to Vijayan, said that the setting up of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the allegations being made by women about their experiences of sexual harassment and violence in the industry "has given a further impetus to the medias selective coverage".

"The inevitable implication of such selectiveness is that addressing the underlying causes of violence  namely, inequality and discrimination  is less important than the violence itself.

"Further, the government has made no effort to sensitise the media and public to the possibility that women with legitimate complaints of crimes may not necessarily wish to explore legal options for multiple, completely acceptable reasons," they said.

They further said that in the absence of such sensitisation, the present atmosphere in the state was veering towards doubting the allegations of any woman who opts not to file a police complaint after going public with her grievances.

Additionally, women who shared their stories with the public and media are facing extreme pressure from the police to lodge official complaints, they said in the letter.

This is a deeply disturbing development. In all cases of sexual crimes, a survivors agency and mental health must be prioritised above all else. The government must strictly instruct the police and the SIT to not bulldoze women, to treat them with consideration, and to act in their best interests, they said.

They said that in these circumstances, women who have come out with allegations should be allowed to decide how they wish to proceed with their individual experiences in the aftermath of the reports release.

It further said that the state government should also "invest in an awareness-building programme to sensitise the public and media", so that "testimonies" by women who suffered sexual exploitation are not doubted just because they cannot or do not wish to fight long-drawn-out cases.

"The aim of such a programme should be to make certain that women who decide not to explore legal options are not discredited in public or humiliated, which is the direction that we worry the discourse in the state will take in the absence of a well-thought-out intervention.

"The government must offer counselling to all women who speak out, irrespective of the path they choose. Such counselling would help them to deal with the mental health issues that result from sexual harassment and violence," they said in the letter.

They also said that the government should also look into the other important issues, like the absence of written contracts, wage discrimination and poor working conditions, such as non-provision of secure, private toilets and dressing rooms as well as safe accommodation and transportation, highlighted in the report.

"It must take steps to remedy the situation through systemic reform of the industry in keeping with the many detailed recommendations of the committee. The government must also ensure the safety of women who have spoken to the committee and in public about their experiences.

"This must include - we repeat, because it cannot be emphasised enough - an assurance that they will not be bullied into filing police complaints if they do not wish to do so," they said.
GOAT review: It's Ilayathalapathy versus Thalapathy. One is a good guy and the other is bad one. A young man vs an older one, bringing double the fun and double the action. Director Venkat Prabhu tries to show the audience why this film and Vijay is GOAT to his fans and the audience. (Also read: Vijay will become the Tamil Nadu chief minister in 2026: GOAT actor Premgi) GOAT review: Thalapathy Vijay has dual roles in the movie,

GOAT takes off in Kenya in 2008 where we see a special anti-terrorist squad (SATS) team recover stolen uranium from a group of terrorists led by Omar and Rajiv Menon (Mohan). Gandhi (Vijay) and his team members-cum-friends Kalyan (Prabhu Deva), Sunil (Prashanth), Shaaam (Ajay) come back victorious to India but create havoc in the mission and receive flak from their chief Nazeer (Jayaram) for this. The group of men are thick as thieves and like to party and this is what gets Gandhi into trouble with his pregnant wife Anu (Sneha), who is quite suspicious of his activities.

Chaos unfurls

To keep Anu and his son Jeevan happy, Gandhi decides to take them to Thailand when he is assigned a mission. And this is where things go terribly wrong. Gandhi and his family are attacked by a gang and Anu ends up in hospital while Jeevan ends up kidnapped and killed. Cut to years later and we see things have changed - Gandhi is on a desk job and he is separated from Anu. But terror strikes again in the form of Sanjay. What does Gandhi do? Who is Sanjay? How does the SATS team save the day? Does Gandhi reunite with his family? Is it a happy-ever-after?

Director Venkat Prabhu must first be lauded for writing a story that travels the world and has family sentiment, action, humour and drama interlaced with twists and plenty of tributes. He has given Thalapathy Vijay a story that is quite different from the Tamil stars last few outings and its refreshing. Vijay is seen in two roles and the two characters are radically quite different and thats what makes it interesting. Venkat Prabhu has loaded the film with a lot of tributes starting from Captain Vijayanath, SPB and Ajiths Mankatha hook step to his late cousin, Bhavatharini, and numerous Vijay films.

A Vijay fan tribute

The first half of GOAT is extremely engaging with the director setting up the stage for superb interval block that takes you by surprise. There is a lot of family drama and high-octane action in various missions around the world before the film hits the interval. Post interval, the film takes off with a face off between the Gandhi and Sanjay and the director tries to keep it fast-paced. Through the film, Venkat Prabhu shows he is a fanboy of Vijay, the Kollywood (references to Ghilli, Thirumalai, etc) and the climax of the film definitely proves this. This is not to say that there are no lags in the film but the superb performance of Vijay and the large ensemble cast makes you forgive this. The director capitalises totally on Vijays trademark charm, sentiment, action, dance and humour and this is sure to appeal to his fans and the audience.

Venkat Prabhu has always worked with his friends and family and his cousin, Yuvan Shankar Raja, has scored the music for GOAT like his previous films. Yuvan has done a good job with the BGM and the remixing of the an old Ilaiyarajaa song is foot tapping. But the Bhavathirini song (made with the use of AI), Chinna Chinna Kangal, is quite touching and soulful.

GOAT is a Venkat Prabhu treat for Thalapathy Vijay fans and the audience. This Vijay film is an action-packed, fun, wholesome entertainer!
Actor Trisha Krishnan went to the theatres in Chennai on Thursday to catch the release of Venkat Prabhus Vijay-starrer The Greatest Of All Time (The GOAT). She smiled as she went inside the theatre, flanked by her posse, to watch the film, in which she plays a special cameo. (Also Read: GOAT movie review: This Thalapathy Vijay-Venkat Prabhu film is an action-packed, wholesome entertainer) Trisha Krishnan watched The GOAT in theatres. She and Vijay have been close since they acted together in Ghilli.

Trisha watches The GOAT

In a video shared by Galatta, Trisha is dressed in a designer white t-shirt and jeans, with her hair left loose and a bag on her shoulder. She initially looked confused about getting out of a lift due to the crowd of fans and photographers standing outside. But she and producer Archana Kalpathi smile wide as theyre flanked by security and enter the theatre. According to the publication, Trisha watched the films first show in Chennai on opening day.

Trishas cameo in The GOAT

Numerous users on X (formerly Twitter) have shared pictures and videos of Trisha making a special appearance to dance with Vijay in a song, even as the filmmakers scramble to take them down. One video compared their moves to the famous song Appadi Podu from the 2004 film Ghilli, which they recreated for Matta from The GOAT. Fans are thrilled to see them reunite again after the 2023 film Leo. Trisha and Vijay first worked together in the 2004 film, and their pairing was such a hit that they worked in 2005-8 in the films Thirupaachi, Aathi, and Kuruvi.

About The GOAT

The GOAT tells the story of Gandhi, a member of the Special Anti-Terrorist Squad (SATS), who takes his wife Anu and son Jeevan to Thailand while on a mission. Things go awry, ending with Anu in the hospital and Jeevan, kidnapped. Years later, when hes separated from his wife and on a desk job, terror strikes in the form of Sanjay. The film has tributes starting from Captain Vijayanath, SPB and Ajiths Mankatha hook step to his late cousin, Bhavatharini, and numerous Vijay films.
Since heavy rainfall lashed Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (AP and TS), resulting in loss of life, flooding, landslides and destruction, numerous Telugu celebrities have stepped up to provide relief. The last few days have seen multiple actors come forward to donate money towards the chief minister funds of AP and TS, with some of them even donating to NGOs to help those affected. Take a look at this list of 12 Telugu actors who donated generously. (Also Read: Mahesh Babu, Namrata Shirodkar turn tourist mode on in New York) Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Mahesh Babu, Prabhas have donated recently to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Pawan Kalyan -  6 crore

Andhra Pradeshs Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan donated 6 crore to aid with the devastation. He also donated 1 crore each to the CM relief funds ( 2 crore total) of Telugu states and 1 lakh each to 400 panchayats ( 4 crore total) in Andhra Pradesh. Being the Panchayat Raj Minister, he also oversees relief activities in each Panchayat.

Prabhas -  2 crore

Prabhas has pledged a donation of 1 crore each ( 2 crore total) to the Telugu states of AP and Telangana to aid in the relief of flood victims. His spokesperson announced the news on X (formerly Twitter) that the Raja Saab actor wants to stand by the people suffering due to heavy rains and flooding.

Chiranjeevi -  1 crore

After donating 1 crore for relief for the landslide victims in Keralas Wayanad with his son Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi pledged a donation of 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the CM relief funds of both Telugu states. The hardships faced by people due to the floods in the Telugu states deeply sadden me. The tragic loss of lives is heart-wrenching, he wrote, sharing the news.

Ram Charan -  1 crore

Ram Charan expressed his heartfelt sympathy to those affected, stating, This is the time to lend a helping hand to the people of Telugu states who are suffering due to rains and floods. Like his father, he also pledged 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the CM relief funds for both Telugu states. He added, I pray to God that the people of Telugu states get out of this situation soon.

Allu Arjun -  1 crore

I'm saddened by the loss and suffering caused by the devastating rains in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, stated Allu Arjun, pledging 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the CM relief funds of both Telugu states. Praying for everyone's safety, he added.

Jr NTR -  1 crore

Jr NTR also pledged 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the CM relief funds of AP and Telangana. He also penned a heartfelt note on X in Telugu: I am deeply moved by the recent floods caused by heavy rains in the two Telugu states. I pray to God that Telugu people recover from this calamity soon.

Mahesh Babu -  1 crore

Mahesh Babu did not just donate 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the CM relief funds of the Telugu states; he urged others to contribute to the cause. Lets collectively support the measures being undertaken by the respective governments to provide immediate aid and facilitate the recovery process for the flood-affected regions, he wrote.

Nagarjuna -  1 crore

The Akkineni family as a whole, including Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil Akkineni, donated 50 lakh each ( 1 crore total) to the Telugu states. Nagarjuna stated, Its crucial that we unite to support the governments efforts in delivering swift relief measures and aiding recovery. Lets face this challenge with resilience and emerge stronger.

Balakrishna -  1 crore

Actor-politician Balakrishna donated 50 lakh ( 1 crore total) to both the states, calling the visuals heartbreaking. His spokesperson shared a note, in which the actor states, Now, catastrophic floods have hit our Telugu states and the visuals are heartbreaking. He recently also completed 50 years in the film industry.

Sai Dharam Tej -  25 lakh

Sai Dharam Tej, who recently changed his name to Sai Durgha Tej to honour his mother, donated 25 lakh towards relief efforts. He donated 10 lakh each ( 20 lakh total) towards the CM relief funds, apart from 5 lakh to Amma Ashramam in Vijayawada and other NGOs run by fans.

Siddhu Jonnalagadda -  30 lakh

Siddhu Jonnalagadda donated 15 lakh each ( 30 lakh total) to the AP and Telangana CM relief funds. This should not have happened. This is not fair. No one deserves this plight, he stated, adding, No amount of money can undo this damage, but I pray that it helps in some way to rebuild lives and restore faith.

Varun Tej -  15 lakh

Varun Tej Konidela donated 15 lakh to help those affected by the floods in AP and Telangana. He has also donated 5 lakh each ( 10 lakh total) to the CM relief funds of both states and 5 lakh to the Panchayat Raj department headed by Pawan. I hope we all support each other through this, he stated.

Other actors like Vishwak Sen and Sonu Sood and directors like Trivikram Srinivas and Venky Atluri, apart from the producers of Kalki 2898 AD and more, have also donated to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to aid with relief efforts.
When actors Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala got engaged in August after years of rumours about them dating, the couple shared carefully selected pictures of their special day. While the photos included everything from the decor to their outfits and quiet moments after the ceremony, fans were curious to see Sobhitas engagement ring. (Also Read: Daggubati family hosted a high tea for Sobhita Dhulipala and Naga Chaitanya after their engagement) A closer look at Sobhita Dhulipala's classy engagement ring.

First look at Sobhita Dhulipalas engagement ring

Sobhita decided to finally indulge them and share pictures of her looking stunning in a saree, all while flaunting a classy engagement ring. She posted pictures on her Instagram, dressed in an animal print saree, with the caption reading, Calling this Safari-Noir now. For @satyapaulindia in Hyderabad.

The pictures show her wearing a black, sleeveless blouse that complements the saree she picked. While she looked stunning in it, all eyes were on the massive rock on her finger. Some pictures show her daintily pushing her hair back, while others show the engagement ring popping against her saree's monochrome and yellow-orange tones. Gold jewellery completed her look, but its the simple band on her ring finger with the diamond that caught our eye.

Sobhita flaunting a massive diamond on her finger.

Naga Chaitanya, Sobhita Dhulipalas wedding plans

After Chaitanya and Sobhita got engaged on August 8, everyone was curious to know when theyll get married. Recently, Sobhita was papped in Mumbai at the Angry Young Men premiere and blushed when asked about her fiance.

Chaitanya spoke about the kind of wedding he wanted at an event in Hyderabad, stating, Marriage is about the people who mean a lot to me. It doesnt have to be a big fat wedding, but people keeping up with the cultures and traditions in mind, so thats how I want it to be. He also claimed that nothing about the wedding date or venue has been finalised yet.

Upcoming work

Chaitanya will soon be seen in Chandoo Mondetis Thandel with Sai Pallavi as his co-star. Sobhita will be next seen in Vandana Kataria's Sitara.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Brunei visit has made international headlines for a plethora of reasons. Foremost among them is the fact that this 2-day visit, commencing on September 3, was the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited the Southeast Asian country of Brunei. Not far off in terms of traction, is the prime property the PM was hosted at by Sultan Hassanlal Bolkiah, Brunei's ruler. If you haven't googled it already, say hello to the immensely impressive and gargantuan Istana Nurul Iman Palace. The Istana Nurul Iman Palace in Brunei is the world's largest residential palace(Photo: X)

'Palace of the Light of Faith'

Spacious is an understatement for the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, also dubbed the 'Palace of the Light of Faith' which spans a jaw dropping 2,00,000 square meters. This is what has awarded it the accolade of being the largest residential palace in the world, also affirmed with a Guinness World Record. The rolling space stands well utilised across 1,788 rooms including 257 bathrooms and a sprawling banquet hall with a hosting capacity of 5,000 guests. An absolute standout detail of the Istana Nurul Iman Palace is its very own mosque which can hold about 1,500 worshippers.

Additional details which only enhance the portfolio of this one-of-a-kind space, are parking spots for a 110 cars, a stable for 200 Polo ponies  air-conditioned if you were wondering, 5 swimming pools and 44 staircases. An aesthetic detail definitely worth a mention are the 38 types of marble used to bring this magnanimity to life.

If you're wondering how much it took to turn this grand vision into a palpable reality, we have a number for you. It's $1.4 billion.

Moving ahead of the marble, the palace's architectural intricacies are objectively laudable. Across a white and gold palette capped with golden domes, the palace carries an amalgamation of Bruneis Islamic culture as well as the Malay traditions. Incidentally, the interiors have been conceptualised by Khuan Chew, also responsible for Dubais keynote Burj Al Arab. On the topic of interiors, the stellar art makes for a magnificent attraction, with a Renoir painting worth $70 million. Briefly going back to the domes, the primary exterior point of attraction is the central dome studded with 22-carat gold.

The palace is a few decades old and was commissioned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah himself back in 1981. Filipino architect Leonardo Locsin in collaboration with Ayala Corporation, completed the world-renowned project by 1984.
Internet Archive has lost a major legal battle in the Second Circuit US Court of Appeals. The court ruled against the supremely beneficial digital archive, finding that one of the Archive's digitisation projects violated copyright law. As a result, more than 500,000 books will be made unavailable for digital lending. Internet Archive acts as a free digital library with stores of discontinued websites and old music. Their most unique offering is literary  books scanned using a unique software they call Scribe, used to archive almost every physical book you have had your eyes on. Internet Archive loses copyright suit with major publishing houses

What is the case about?

In March 2020, the San Francisco-based nonprofit registered library launched a program called the National Emergency Library, or NEL. The program was in response to the closing of libraries due to the pandemic, an unfortunate hitch in the system that left students and researchers unable to access the books they needed for class. Before the NEL came into existence, the Archive allowed one user to check out one book for a certain period of time  functioning like a digital library. The problem arose when the NEL removed this ratio rule, instead letting a number of people borrow the same book at once. Post-launch, the NEL became the subject of immense backlash, with authors arguing the program was equal to piracy, amongst claims that the controlled digital lending (CDL) of complete copies was not protected by the doctrine of fair use.

In response, the Archive reinstated the lending caps but a little too late. In June 2020, major publishing houses including Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House and Wiley filed the lawsuit. The case primarily concerns the fair use of CDL of complete copies of certain books and does not concern the display of short passages, limited page views, search results, books out of copyright or out of print, or books without an ebook version currently for sale. The first time the district court ruled in favour of the publishers was in March 2023.

Judge John G. Koeltl found that the Internet Archive had created derivative works, arguing that there was nothing transformative about the Archive's copying and lending policies. In August 2023, the parties reached a negotiated judgement, including a permanent injunction that barred the Internet Archive from lending complete copies through CDL of some of the plaintiffs' books. The Archive appealed this decision which is what was upheld by the appellate court on September 4, 2024. While the Second Circuit sided with the district court's ruling, it did clarify that the court did not view the Internet Archive as commercial, emphasising that it was clearly a nonprofit operation.

Association of American Publishers president and CEO Maria A. Pallante said in a statement, Todays appellate decision upholds the rights of authors and publishers to license and be compensated for their books and other creative works and reminds us in no uncertain terms that infringement is both costly and antithetical to the public interest. If there was any doubt, the Court makes clear that under fair use jurisprudence there is nothing transformative about converting entire works into new formats without permission or appropriating the value of derivative works that are a key part of the authors copyright bundle."

What did the defendant have to say?

Chris Freeland, the Internet Archive's director of library services, expressed his understandable disappointment saying, We are disappointed in todays opinion about the Internet Archives digital lending of books that are available electronically elsewhere. We are reviewing the courts opinion and will continue to defend the rights of libraries to own, lend, and preserve books. Additionally, Dave Hansen, from the Authors Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for expanded digital access to books, also came out against the ruling. Authors are researchers. Authors are readers and IAs digital library helps those authors create new works and supports their interests in seeing their works be read. This ruling may benefit the bottom line of the largest publishers and most prominent authors, but for most, it will end up harming more than it will help.

In the past few years, copyright laws have been targeting major AI companies that offer AI tools for creators. Many of the defendants in these cases argue that the fair use doctrine shields their usage of copyrighted data in AI training. The Archive fought for the same doctrine, but judges refuted fair use claims. The Internet Archives importance in digital preservation is keenly felt by a community of people eager to learn and connect  it would be an understatement to say that shutting this down would be disastrous for the public.
A teacher is more than just an educator in school or college; they could be mentors in your profession, guides you meet along the journey of life or role models you may want to ape. They shape minds and mould their students outlooks. One such person in the culinary work is Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who has worked with and trained several chefs throughout his extensive career. He has acted as a mentor for some of the biggest celebrity chefs as well. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor has become a mentor for several chefs new to the industry along with celebrity chefs, as well(Instagram)

For Teachers Day today, we spoke to him about two of his students  Chef Kunal Kapur and Pastry chef Pooja Dhingra. While he says both of them are brimming with talent, he goes on to share how he bonded with the two in different ways.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor on Chef Kunal Kapur:

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor with Chef Kunal Kapur(Instagram)

During a flight from New York, Kunal and I were on the same plane when we got talking and I pushed him to start his YouTube channel. We spoke for around three hours. He was hesitant and asked me How did you start?. I said, I didnt know anything about this world. I just put my foot in the door, that this is a new opportunity and I think it will grow. Later, when he tasted success, he told me, Sir mujhe phele sunna chaiye tha. We also spent a lot of time together on the set of Masterchef India and he is keen to learn.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor on Chef Pooja Dhingra :

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor with Chef Pooja Dhingra and Chef Kunal Kapur

I have known Pooja since she was a child as her father and I worked together, and we kept in touch. She is such a talented chef and Ive seen her grow up. When she started Le15 Patisserie, she sent me the first batch of her macaroons. While the product was fantastic, I was happier to see the packaging as I felt that India was ready for her high-quality desserts. I was happy and so proud of her. Initially, when she was a lot younger, most of the guidance I gave her was through her father - it was second-hand advice - as he used to always tell me what Pooja was working on. Now, she is not shy and will directly ask me (laughs).

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

When we ask him about the responsibility of guiding chefs who look towards him, Chef Sanjeev bashfully responds, I only share my experience, what has helped me or hasnt worked out for me. My advice to all aspiring chefs is to just do the things they might be afraid of. The worst thing to happen will be that they fail. But it is a new world we are chartering. We dont know what will happen or which road we may go down, not unless we try.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi(Instagram)

The senior chef and restaurateur goes on to share his motivation behind building the chef community in India. I have always believed that Indian food is the best cuisine in the world. And I was everyone to know it. So, whether I am speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our President Droupadi Murmu or at the United Nations, I will be there talking about this subject.

This is a massive responsibility  spreading the love and knowledge of Indian food around the world  that the chef has undertaken. However, he isnt alone. When I began, I was alone. Can I keep doing this alone? No. But I have an army now, I need everyone to be with me. Or I would be fighting a lone battle. And its not a charity, we create business opportunities and everyone is benefiting from this dream, Chef Sanjeev ends.
The longstanding relationship between supermodel Naomi Campbell and Vogues editor-in-chief Anna Wintour spans decades, making it all the more intriguing when a small moment of drama unfolded at the Fashion Show & Style Awards, hosted by Harlems Fashion Row in New York. The event served as an unofficial kickoff to New York Fashion Week, which begins on Friday. While introducing the iconic model, Anna made a subtle jab at Naomi's well-known habit of arriving late as she was reportedly behind schedule for the event. Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour throw shade

I am a very punctual person, and I have the honour of presenting tonight to someone who is often late, said the editor-in-chief during Naomi's introduction when she was honoured for the Fashion Icon Award, reportedly also calling her bold, bright and entirely, unquestionably herself. After this introduction, Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Samira Nasr also introduced the supermodel, after which Naomi began her speech by saying, Yes, Naomi's always late but I believe in my high power, and I want to thank my higher power for having me be here.

But Naomi's speech took an unexpected turn, leaving the audience in shock when she referred to her longtime collaborator Anna as the other lady. It's so important that I'm here today, and I'm honoured to be here in Harlem. Everything's going to work out the way it's going to work out. It wasn't my choice to have the other lady. I'd much rather have this, she said, referring to Samira's reintroduction of her.

Fans had a lot to say. The shadiness of it all, said one. Another was a little more creative stating, The Devil might wear Prada, but Naomi wears whatever she wants, whenever she wants. A user also commented on Anna's attitude, Oh she mad that they're the same age and Naomi still looks 25, while another said, Naomi is a Gemini we match anybody's energy. We dont care!! A chronically online fan also said, A demure read. Very mindful. Very shade-like.

Despite the unexpected turn in her speech, Naomi expressed her gratitude to Anna for her enduring support, acknowledging the editors pivotal role in her career. We must still say thank you to Anna Wintour, as she did take the time to come here and give me the award even though I wasn't here. So thank you, Anna Wintour, for your support in my career from 1987, meeting a young Black girl from South London in British Vogue offices and taking a chance in giving me a shoot. And so I thank you for your influence and your continuing support in pushing fashion forward also, she said.
In March 2021, within two months of taking over as Americas president, Joe Biden attended the first Quad leaders summit as he got together with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India in a virtual format. In September 2024, four months before he leaves office, Biden will head to New York where he will, in all likelihood, attend his final leaders summit of Quad.

The grouping has transformed in the past four years because of its focus on what officials call concrete deliverables. (Getty Images)
Arvind Kejriwal is a constitutional functionary, not a flight risk, senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the Supreme Court on Thursday. Seeking bail for his client, the lawyer said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pulled off what he called insurance arrest after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in May. He also argued that arrests need to be regulated and "you can't be trigger-happy". Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal (HT photo)

AM Singhvi argued that Arvind Kejriwal's name was not mentioned as an accused in the original FIR filed by the agency in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. He said he wasn't called for questioning as a witness until almost eight months later.

He said Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March 2024, not the CBI.

"What started in August 2023 led to his arrest in March 2024. In the ED case, there are two significant release orders. In one, the Supreme Court noted he is not a threat to society, and it was an interim release. In the second order, it was a regular bail granted by a trial court. Then comes the detailed order by the SC; Justice Khanna led the bench," he said, per Bar and Bench.

I go back to jail on June 2 (after interim bail) and the next judgment from the SC was on July 12, then on June 25, this arrest takes place in a CBI case even though no arrest happened for two years. This is a case of insurance arrest, he said.

Singhvi said the CBI had moved an application before a special court seeking to examine and interrogate Kejriwal, which was allowed. He was interrogated inside the Tihar Jail. It later moved an application for arrest "without any justification or compliance of Section 41 A," he said, per Live Law.

He further said that he was produced before a vacation judge. The only ground for his arrest was that he was non-cooperative and evasive in his replies.

"You can't just barge in to arrest without any basis. You can't be trigger-happy. There have to be safeguards," he added, per Live Law.
The Narendra Modi government on Thursday extended the ceasefire agreement with Niki Sumi-led National Socialist Council of Nagaland(K) insurgency group for another year, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) announced.



This breakaway NSCN group is led by Niki Sumi, against whom the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced a 10 lakh reward for allegedly killing 18 Army soldiers in Manipur in 2015.



The ceasefire agreement is in operation between the government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki group and it was decided to extend the pact for a period of one year with effect from September 8, 2024 to September 7, 2025, the ministry statement read.



The ceasefire agreement was first signed on September 6, 2021. The Union ministry of home affairs in New Delhi. (File Photo)

In fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Insurgency free and prosperous North East and in a significant boost to Naga peace process, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the government of India enters into a ceasefire agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki Group," the home ministry had said in a statement then.

The Centre had signed a framework agreement with the major Naga group NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a permanent solution, a PTI report added.



ALSO READ: 2018: NSCN-K impeaches chairman Konyak in bloodless coup; Yung Aung takes charge

Ceasefire agreement sealed in 1997



The ceasefire agreement came into existence after over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned 18 years. The first breakthrough was achieved in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland which started soon after India's independence in 1947.

The talks with the NSCN-IM is currently going nowhere as the group has been insisting for a separate Naga flag and constitution, a demand rejected by the Union government. The Centre is also holding peace parleys with splinter groups of the NSCN after entering into ceasefire agreements.

The groups which have entered into ceasefire agreements are: NSCN-NK, NSCN-R, NSCN K-Khango and NSCN (K) Niki.



(With PTI inputs)
The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has taken a revolutionary step by launching the Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) throughout the state. The CMs vision is to ensure that the people of Punjab have access to free healthcare services within a 3-4 km radius of their homes. A view of Aam Aadmi Clinic in Ludhiana (HT File)

It is noteworthy that until beginning of this year, 677 AACs were operational in Punjab. On March 2, CM Mann inaugurated an additional 165 clinics in Punjab, taking the total number of AACs to 842. These clinics provide free consultations, medicines and clinical tests.

With 65% of the population residing in rural areas, the CM has prioritised the establishment of additional AACs in these regions over urban areas. Out of total 842 clinics, 312 AACs are located in the urban areas while 530 are located in the rural areas of the state.

As a result, people are no longer required to endure lengthy queues to receive medication, treatment for routine illnesses or diagnostic tests. Further, the establishment of AACs has greatly reduced the pressure on public hospitals throughout the state.

Over 1.90 crore people visit Aam Aadmi Clinic OPDS

The AACs have made a substantial impact on the healthcare landscape by providing a wide array of services and medications to the community. To date, more than 1.90 crore patients have availed free healthcare services at the AACs. Each clinic is equipped with a Medical Officer (MO), a Pharmacist, a Clinic Assistant (CA), and a Sweeper-cum-Helper. The cumulative expenditure on the empanelment fees for MOs, Pharmacists, and CAs amounts to 57.31 crore (approx.).

Currently, there are 80 types of drugs available at these clinics, which have been procured by the Government at a cost of 50 crore (approx.). This strategic acquisition ensures that patients have access to essential medicines without the burden of cost. So far, medicines worth 450 crore, at the prevailing market rates, have been provided free of cost to the patients through these clinics.

There are 38 diagnostic tests offered to patients free of charge, with the state government covering the expenses amounting to 21.11 crore. As of May 2024, more than 4.7 lakh diagnostic tests, valued at 107 crore at market rates, have been conducted at the AACs. These clinics have significantly reduced out-of-pocket expenses for individuals. The total saving for residents amounts to a whooping 889 crore, demonstrating the effectiveness of this initiative in promoting accessible and affordable healthcare.

(This article was produced in partnership with the Punjab Government)
A Delhi court sentenced a 32-year-old woman to life imprisonment on Wednesday for smothering two of her minor daughters to death in February 2018. Pronoucing the verdict, the judge termed the crime as a cold-blooded murder and a rarest of rare case. Additional Sessions Judge Sachin Jain of Tis Hazari court said the woman's act of killing her own daughters shook the conscience of the court and also the society at large.(HT file)

According to the prosecution, the woman  Leelawati  brutally murdered her two daughters, aged five years and five months respectively, by smothering them on February 20, 2018. The convict is survived by two more children, a daughter (7) and a son (2).

Also read | Man beats 100-year-old grandfather to death in argument over tenants

Additional Sessions Judge Sachin Jain of Tis Hazari court said the woman's act of killing her own daughters shook the conscience of the court and also the society at large. "Further, the act of smothering both the daughters by the convict is a clear-cut cold-blooded murder, bringing the present case into the category of rare of the rarest case", the judge added.

The court order noted that mothers are always seen as a saviour for their nurturing role and perceived sacrifice. For that reason, the society intends to idolise motherhood, expecting women to be selfless, nurturing and emotionally resilient, the judge wrote.

The court avoided awarding death penalty to the woman, as complete removal of their mothers could affect the well-being of her two surviving children. The judge said awarding a life-sentence was more appropriate, since there was a possibility of her rehabilitation and reintegration into the society. She was also imposed a fine of 10,000 in addition to the life sentence.

Also read | BJP wins 7 of 12 zonal wards in crucial MCD polls, AAP bags 5

"The complete removal of their mother from their lives could have a profound and adverse impact on their upbringing. The convict is relatively young and there remains the possibility of her rehabilitation and reintegration into society after serving a substantial period of incarceration," the court observed.

The convict was also deemed ineligible to receive compensation under the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme as the "beneficiary was the culprit" in the case.

"Since both the girls/daughters/deceased have already lost their lives and the beneficiary is the culprit, who committed the gruesome murder and the father tried his level best to save the convict, instead of fighting for justice, therefore, no ground for grant of compensation is made out in the present case," the court order read.

It also considered both aggravating and mitigating circumstances, and settled with life sentence as the scale tilted towards the latter in this case.

(Wit PTI inputs)
The Supreme Court is set to hear pleas on Thursday filed by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking bail against his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the now-scrapped excise policy case. Arvind Kejriwal is challenging the Delhi high court's decision that upheld his arrest in the corruption case related to the alleged scam. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kerjiwal (PTI)

In the previous hearing on August 23, the Supreme Court granted the CBI one week to respond to one of the pleas.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Delhi court issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal and other accused in the case after considering the CBI's fourth supplementary chargesheet related to the excise policy case. The court also extended Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody until September 11. Special judge Kaveri Baweja ordered that the accused be presented before the court on September 11.

CBI's fourth supplementary charge sheet

The CBI filed its fourth supplementary charge sheet on July 30, naming Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendar Jain, Amit Arora, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur, and P Sarath Reddy as accused in the case. According to the CBI, Kejriwal is described as one of the main conspirators and was allegedly in contact with the South group, which included K Kavitha, Raghav Magunta, Arun Pillai, Butchibabu Gorantla, P Sarath Reddy, Abhishek Boinpally, and Benoy Babu.

The charge sheet further claims that the kickback funds were used as per Kejriwal's instructions since the money was routed into the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) funds. Additionally, it was alleged that Kejriwal promised 90 lakh to each candidate in 40 constituencies in Goa.

Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and excise policy case

Arvind Kejriwal was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with the alleged excise policy case, shortly after the Delhi High Court denied his plea for interim protection from arrest. On July 12, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in the ED case, but he remains in jail due to his arrest by the CBI.

Kejriwal was taken into CBI custody on June 26 from the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi and was subsequently sent to judicial custody on June 29.

The Delhi government introduced an excise policy in 2021-22 aimed at revitalising the city's declining liquor business by replacing the volume-based sales regime with a license fee model for traders, promising modern stores without metal grilles to enhance the customer experience.

However, the policy was scrapped after Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena called for a CBI investigation, alleging irregularities. According to the ED, Kejriwal's AAP allegedly received kickbacks amounting to 100 crore to finalise the excise policy.
Indias financial technologies, such as the UPI or Unified Payments System, which have made the country a global front runner, are first put to test not in complex money markets but in the relatively modest farm sector and small cash-starved firms, according to the RBI (Reserve Bank of India). The leapfrogging success of the scan-and-pay or buy platforms -- also known as digital public infrastructure or DPI because the government lays out the core technology  is now being sought to be replicated in lending. (HT Photo)

The first clients often arent CEOs but farmers. This bottom-up strategy has meant that agriculture has been a springboard for financial technologies. It has not only quickened adoption  two-thirds of Indians are rural residents  but also ensured that frictionless finance is devised keeping the large informal sector in mind, the central bank says.

The leapfrogging success of the scan-and-pay or buy platforms -- also known as digital public infrastructure or DPI because the government lays out the core technology  is now being sought to be replicated in lending. Indias UPI platform is currently available in seven countries.

The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly owned subsidiary of the central bank, is getting ready to roll out a UPI-like lending platform, called the Unified Lending System (ULI). It was piloted largely in agriculture and dairy sectors in 12 states involving 16 banks and carried out in collaboration with Amul, the country biggest cooperative-based milk brand.

As in the case of UPI, lenders using the ULI will be able to offer credit on a plug-and-play-basis, which will expand availability of formal credit. Our digital payments ecosystem has been developed as a free public good, PM Narendra Modi had told a finance ministers conference in 2023.

The RBI is now also piloting a customisable Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), or e-rupee, which can be programmed such that even landless farmers, who cant get farm loans because they dont possess land records, can access formal credit.

The CBDC is an electronic form of the rupee and distinct from crypto currency. While both use blockchain technologies, CBDCs are sovereign-backed and regulated, with the same value as a physical fiat currency. Cryptos are privately created stores of value, outside regulatory oversight and even pose security and economic risks, according to analysts.

The CBDC trials for both wholesale and retail segments have been ongoing since 2022. In the retail segment, it currently has five million users involving 16 banks.

Many countries now have digital currencies to cut transaction costs and make settlements efficient. The RBI is going further.

At a recent fintech conference, Governor Das ruled out any haste in rolling it out on a system-wide basis but said Indias CBDC would greatly benefit the underprivileged due to its programmability feature.

Tenant farmers often struggle to access agricultural credit as they do not have the land title to submit to banks or lending institutions. The end use of the CBDC can be programmed to provide inputs or raw materials for agriculture i.e. it can be programmed to provide loans for fertilizer, milch animals or to provide a subsidy, he said.

The programming is being done in such a way that the lender can verify the tenant and purpose of the loan, he added.

The ULI platform, which is closer to a universal launch, digitises a customers financial and non-financial data that usually exists in silos. It will cater to financing needs of particularly cultivators and micro, small and medium enterprises, which account for 35.4% of manufacturing and 45.7% of merchandise exports, official data show.

As you know, the government has taken the initiative to ensure that India has the worlds best DPI. Our mission at the RBIH is to see how we can leverage the digital technologies of today to ensure frictionless finance to a billion Indians, said Rajesh Bansal, the CEO of the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub.

In the pilot phase launched in August 2023, the ULI focused on products like Kisan Credit Card loans, dairy loans, MSME loans, aside from personal and home loans in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Loans were successfully given out to particularly dairy farmers based on milk-pouring data, which served as indicators of value of earnings.

The programme has to also have seamless features for risk assessment and credit profile of clients or else lenders could end up lending to a lot of non-prime borrowers, said Ashish Kaundalya, the CEO of QuickCash, a lending platform.
New Delhi: Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, has approached the Supreme Court challenging the transfer of the investigation into alleged financial irregularities during his controversial tenure to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, who filed his petition on August 27, is set to be heard by the top court on September 6. (HT PHOTO)

Ghosh, who filed his petition on August 27, is set to be heard by the top court on September 6. However, before the hearing, he was arrested by CBI on September 2 in connection with the case. His arrest follows widespread public outrage over his handling of the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9  an incident that has sparked national protests and outrage across West Bengal.

In his petition, Ghosh argued that the Calcutta high court had transferred the probe to CBI on August 23 without giving him a fair hearing, thus violating the principles of natural justice. He contended that the high court wrongfully excluded him from being heard, citing that he was neither a necessary nor a proper party in the original writ petition. Ghosh asserted that the court should have considered his side before transferring the investigation, as the outcome directly affected his rights.

Ghosh also challenged the high courts decision to link the alleged financial irregularities with the criminal investigation into the rape and murder, both being probed by CBI. He maintained that the two cases were separate and that the court erred in assigning the financial probe to CBI simply because the agency was already investigating the criminal case.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and including justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is expected to take up Ghoshs petition on September 6. The same bench is also overseeing the suo motu proceedings regarding the doctors rape and murder and has been monitoring the associated investigations.

On Monday, Ghosh was questioned by CBI for the fifteenth consecutive day before being arrested at the agencys Nizam Palace office in Kolkata. He faces charges of cheating and violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Alongside Ghosh, three others have been arrested on similar charges.

Ghosh is accused of various crimes, including illegally using bodies for research, unauthorised sale of biomedical waste, and several financial irregularities, such as awarding contracts without proper tenders.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a money laundering case against Ghosh, based on CBIs findings. Additionally, the Kolkata Police has filed two first information reports (FIRs) against him.

This marks the first CBI arrest since it took over the probe into the doctors brutal murder, although Ghoshs arrest pertains to the financial irregularities case. A Kolkata Police civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was arrested by the city police a day after the crime and handed over to CBI on August 13.

The high court, in its August 23 order, transferred the corruption probe against Ghosh to CBI, while criticising the West Bengal government for setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter a year after the allegations surfaced. The court was acting on a plea by Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of the medical college, who sought an ED investigation into Ghoshs alleged financial misconduct. Ali pointed out that the SIT was only formed after the doctors tragic death.

The high court justified its decision by citing an apparent nexus between the allegations against Ghosh and the locus of the crime, which necessitated a unified investigation by a single agency.

The court directs that the investigation be transferred to the CBI, given the serious nature of the allegations. Splitting the investigation between multiple agencies could lead to inefficiencies, delays, and potential misinterpretation of information, thereby undermining effective enforcement. Handing over the investigation to the CBI ensures consistency, the high court stated in its order.
Dhaka: Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladeshs interim government said in an interview on Thursday that Sheikh Hasina, currently in India, should keep quiet, suggesting that Dhaka could seek her extradition, and asked New Delhi to move beyond the narrative that every political party other than Hasinas Awami League is Islamist. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh interim government, during an interview to PTI. (PTI)

There was no immediate response from India to his comments.

Separately, in an official statement in Bengali marking a month since the fall of Hasinas government, Yunus said: We want to extradite killers and bring back the money embezzled by corrupt individuals, politicians and bureaucrats during the autocratic regime. Then premier Hasina stepped down on August 5 following weeks of student-led protests against her government, and fled to India.

In the interview, Yunus said Hasina should keep quiet while exiled in India. If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet, he added. Sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it. Its not good for us or for India.

Shortly after her arrival in India, Hasina issued a statement through her son that called on Bangladeshis to gather in Dhaka to mark the 1975 assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She also sought an investigation into deaths during protests against her government.

Since then, Hasina, who is currently at an undisclosed safe location, has not issued any more statements. Yunus didnt say whether a formal extradition request had been made to India although other leaders of the interim government have said arrangements will be made to bring back Hasina if there is a directive from the judiciary.

When asked whether Bangladesh has communicated its stance to India, Yunus said it has been conveyed verbally and quite firmly that she should keep quiet.

Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a peoples uprising and public anger, he said.

He stressed that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist .

The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only. India is captivated by this narrative. India has to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is another neighbour, he said.

Hasinas government was accused of human rights abuses, including mass detentions and enforced disappearances of political opponents. Since she fled to India, scores of criminal cases have been filed against Hasina and senior leaders of her Awami League party. Many of the cases related to the deaths of more than 600 people both during the protests and the violence that followed Hasinas ouster. Several ministers, two senior police officials, Awami League leaders and supporters, journalists and senior military officials have also been sent to jail.

Yunus, the choice of student leaders who led the protests, assumed power as the head of the interim government on August 8. Many houses, businesses and temples of Hindus and other minorities were attacked after the fall of Hasinas government. Referring to these attacks and Indias concern, Yunus said this is just an excuse. The issue of trying to portray the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse, he said. Yunus said the interim government is making progress but the foremost challenge is to heal wounds created by misrule and an autocrat. He added, For this, we need unity and coordination.

Speaking about the future of bilateral treaties with India, Yunus said there are demands for a relook at certain treaties such as transit and the Adani electricity deal.

Everybody is saying that it is needed. We will see what is on paper and, second, what is actually happening on the ground. I cant answer it specifically. If there is any need to review, we will then raise questions about it, he said.

The BNP has said that if 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.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the platform that spearheaded the protests, commemorated the martyrs of the movement on Thursday. Tens of thousands of students and people from different walks of life joined a Shaheed March that began at the Raju Memorial Sculpture within the Dhaka University campus.

People marched through key areas of Dhaka, including Nilkhet, New Market, Kalabagan, Dhanmondi, Manik Miah Avenue, Farmgate, Kawran Bazar, Bangla Motor and Shahbagh before the rally culminated at the Central Shaheed Minar.

During the march, students were seen waving the national flag and shouting slogans against Hasina and her party. We want the killer Hasina to be hanged, the crowd chanted.

Students were also seen waving Palestine flags in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

(With PTI inputs)
The Rajasthan high court on Thursday granted bail to a man allegedly involved in the conspiracy behind the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli in Udaipur in 2022 that sparked communal tensions, citing a lack of evidence. Javeds lawyer said he was not seen in the CCTV footage of Telis shop on the day of the murder. (HT PHOTO)

Saadat Ali, the lawyer of Muhammed Javed, said the National Investigating Agency (NIA) probing the matter failed to provide the necessary evidence that his client was involved in the conspiracy and recced the murder scene. His name was not there in the primary FIR [first information report].

Ali said Javed was not seen in the CCTV footage of Telis shop on the day of the murder. The agency also failed to prove that he [Javed] along with the accused Muhammed Riyaz Attari and Muhammed Gaus planned the murder on the night before the incident, said Ali.

Ali said a bench of justices Pankaj Bhandari and Praveen Bhatnagar noted the NIA only provided the call records of his client. He added the bench said the NIA did not prove that Javed was present with Attari and Muhammed Gaus at a tea shop where the conspiracy was allegedly plotted. The owner of the tea shop also denied Javeds presence, said Ali.

He added the court noted that no suspicious items were recovered from Javeds place indicating his involvement in the murder. Javeds location was also last traced near Telis shop at 11:30 am. The murder took place about five hours later. He was also not seen entering his shop ever on the day of the murder. It [NIA] could not prove his involvement in the conspiracy, said Ali. He added the court granted Javeds bail on a personal bond of 2 lakh.

Attari and Gaus were caught on camera pretending to get measurements before they attacked and beheaded Teli. The murder provoked outrage as the attackers claimed responsibility in a video. The attackers told investigators that they murdered Teli as he allegedly supported Nupur Sharma, who was suspended from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for her remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.

Attari and Gaus were arrested hours after the murder from Rajsamand, about 150km from Udaipur. Five people, including Javed, were later arrested for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.

The NIA, which took over the probe from the state police and arrested 11 people, accused Javed of playing an important role in the conspiracy to kill Teli. It said he conducted reconnaissance and passed on information about Telis presence at his shop to the main accused Attari. NIA claimed the accused were self-radicalised while Attari had links with a Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami. It filed a charge sheet against all the accused in a special court on February 13.

Meanwhile, commenting on the matter, Leader of Opposition, Congress party's, Tikaram Jully said: "The real face of BJP is exposed. The accused in the murder case of Udaipur's Kanhaiyalal are getting bail under the ruling of a party that has been always doing politics over this case."
New Delhi, The Congress on Thursday engaged in hectic consultations to explore the possibility of an alliance with A for the Haryana Assembly polls, even as some of its leaders expressed reservations over such a tie-up with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. Hectic parleys on as Cong, AAP race against time to seal alliance deal in Haryana

The Congress' sub-committee for Haryana which includes the likes of AICC in-charge of the state Deepak Babaria, T S Singhdeo and Ajay Maken among others sought consultations with several senior leaders.

While some leaders are said to be in favour of an alliance with A to prevent vote division, others have expressed reservations.

"A has no base in Haryana, and I feel why should we give them a footprint? But if there is some compulsion, then it is up to the high command to decide whether they want to have an understanding with them in other states also," Congress leader Captain Ajay Singh Yadav said when asked about talks of a Congress-A alliance for Haryana elections 2024.

"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi are the ones who will decide whether we need to form an alliance or not. As far as my personal opinion is concerned, Congress does not need an alliance in Haryana... The popularity of Congress is at its peak. A can cause no loss to Congress. Why should A be allowed to enter Haryana," Yadav asked.

Singhdeo said backdoor consultations are going on over the possibility of an alliance and there is no objection from anyone about it.

"It has to be agreeable to both parties. If we are in an alliance and we are part of a family, then every member of the family has an equal right to put forth their views and if they feel comfortable, then we will do it together and if not, we will still be together and we will do our thing," Singhdeo said on possibilities for an alliance.

Earlier, Rohtak MP and senior Congress leader Deepender Hooda said the process is underway and the party's system operates one step at a time.

"We are confident that the party will field the strongest candidates after reviewing the names," he said in response to a query on when the party will announce its candidates.

"Congress' alliance is with the people of Haryana. They have made up their minds to have a Congress government in Haryana. Khattar and senior BJP leadership know this," Deepender Hooda said.

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala said, "I don't have to comment, there is a process within the party, the party's chairman screening committee and special committee are doing their job. Whatever we had to say, we said it to them. It would be against the discipline of the party to speak beyond it."

The Congress and A are engaged in seat-sharing talks for the Haryana Assembly polls with hard bargaining from both sides.

The Congress on Wednesday had said an alliance with A for the Haryana assembly polls is only possible when there is a "win-win" situation for both parties and if there is a tie-up, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party would be given seats in "single-digit".

Voting on 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and counting of votes will be undertaken on October 8.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
A large group of protesters held an agitation outside a mosque in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla on Thursday, claiming it had been built illegally. Among the protesters were locals, BJP workers and members of right-wing groups. Shimla: People raise slogans during a protest against the alleged illegal construction of a mosque.(PTI)

Holding the Tricolour, they marched near the mosque. Some of them even demanded its demolition.

"This mosque has been built illegally. All four floors of the mosque are illegal. If we construct anything illegally, it is immediately demolished. It has been 10 years, but no action has been taken on the mosque. This illegal mosque should be demolished, a protester told ANI.

The protestor claimed a few Muslim men attacked "Hindu brothers". He demanded a probe into the allegedly increasing number of Muslims in Himachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, state minister Anirudh Singh also made similar demands, saying there should be a proper verification of people coming from other states to Himachal Pradesh.

"There is no difference between Hindus and Muslims among those coming from other states. The real concern is that we must verify those coming to Himachal Pradesh to prevent any security risks, he said.

Anirudh Singh also noted the arrival of individuals from other countries and suggested the need for a thorough investigation into the background of these newcomers. He called for vigilance in ensuring the safety and security of the region.

The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh focuses on development and ensures that every action is lawful. This isnt an issue of the temple or mosque but rather of legal and illegal constructions, he added.

The Sanjauli mosque has stirred a political debate in Himachal Pradesh.

Dev Bhumi Shatriya Sangathan President Rumit Singh Thakur, who gave a call to "sanatanis" to assemble in Shimla, said people from across the state responded to his call and demonstrated "Sanatan unity".

Also read: Makeup kharab hona tha: Congress leader's remark on Kangana Ranaut sparks row

On August 30, a businessman was attacked in the Malyana area. On Sunday, people demanded the demolition of the mosque.

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday told reporters that all residents of the state have the same rights and he has respect for all religions.

"Peaceful protests are permitted but nobody will be allowed to take the law into his hands," he said.

Anirudh Singh said the mosque was built on government land and the matter had been sub judice for the past 14 years.

Public works minister Vikramaditya Singh said there will be no laxity in dealing against any encroachers.

"Nobody is above the law and whatever action is taken would be under the parameters of the law whether it is by the municipal corporation or police," he said.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched India to Singapores business leaders as the best alternative for creating resilient supply chains, and urged them to consider opportunities in roads, railways, ports and civil aviation as his government ramps up infrastructure development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong (extreme right) witness the exchange of an MoU between the two countries on Thursday. (ANI Photo)

Modi interacted with leading Singaporean CEOs from sectors such as investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics along with Singapores deputy prime minister Gan Kim Yong and home minister K Shanmugam. Singapore was the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India last year, and cumulative investments since 2000 are worth $160 billion.

India has intensified efforts to forge supply and value chains with trusted partners in Asia and Europe, largely as part of efforts to move away from reliance on China against the backdrop of a dragging military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Modi has held up Singapore as an important anchor for Indias decade-old Act East policy.

While urging Singapores business leaders to look at investment opportunities and to increase their presence in India, Modi held up the country as the best alternative for businesses looking for resilient supply chains, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. An Invest India office will be set up in Singapore to facilitate collaboration, he announced.

Read more: India wants to create several Singapores, says PM Modi

He assured the CEOs that India will increase the pace and scale of infrastructure development and pointed to new opportunities in railways, roads, ports, civil aviation, industrial parks and digital connectivity. He also called on them to look at opportunities in skill development.

The elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership will give a major thrust to economic relations, Modi said. India will continue to make transformative progress because of its political stability, policy predictability, ease of doing business and reform-oriented economic agenda, he contended.

Modi also highlighted initiatives to enhance Indias participation in global value chains through the Production Linked Incentive scheme, India Semiconductor Mission and establishment of 12 new industrial smart cities.

Among the business leaders who joined the roundtable were Singapore Business Federation chairman Lim Ming Yan, Singapore Business Federation CEO Kok Ping Soon, Blackstone Singapore senior MD and chairman Gautam Banerjee, Temasek Holdings chairman Lim Boon Heng, and DBS Group CEO Piyush Gupta.

Modi also met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and discussed bilateral and global issues. The leaders noted the longstanding cooperation between the two sides is based on trust, mutual respect and complementarity.

They shared thoughts on how India and Singapore can expand their cooperation to new areas such as advanced manufacturing and in emerging technologies, the external affairs ministry said in a readout.

PM Modi also held separate meetings with senior minister and former premier Lee Hsien Loong, who hosted a lunch in his honour, and emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong. Modi appreciated Lees contributions to the development of the bilateral strategic partnership and both leaders agreed there is substantial potential to do more. Modi said Gohs efforts, when he was prime minister, laid a solid foundation for developing bilateral ties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday named Brazil, China and India as possible intermediaries for peace talks with Ukraine, saying he has relations of trust and confidence with the leaders of these three countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin applauds during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday. (AP)

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin contended that an agreement reached by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators during talks in Turkiye in March 2022  within weeks of the launch of the Russian invasion  should serve as the basis for any future talks.

ALSO READ- Russia's Vladimir Putin promises immediate ceasefire in Ukraine if

Putin was responding to a question by the moderator about countries that can act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. First of all, it is Chinese Peoples Republic, Brazil and India  I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries  and we have relations of trust and confidence with one another  will be really interested and provide a helping hand, he said.

He subsequently added: If there is a desire [on the part] of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that, but based on the agreements that were achieved in Istanbul.

ALSO READ- After Biden accused Russia of poll intervention, Putin 'endorses' Kamala Harris

Putin was referring to talks held in Turkiye in March 2022 by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators that he claimed had led to a document that was endorsed by the Ukrainian side. He further contended that this agreement wasnt implemented because the West instructed Ukraine to continue fighting to ensure a strategic defeat of Russia.

The panel discussion also featured Chinese vice president Han Zheng and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said securing a just and fair peace would immensely help not only Russia and Ukraine but the entire world because the conflict is disrupting global supply chains.

Putins remarks came against the backdrop of visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia in July and Ukraine in August. Modi told both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a solution cannot be found on the battlefield and nudged them to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Zelensky has suggested that a planned second peace summit on Ukraine could be hosted by India, but he also emphasised that this will only be possible if New Delhi signs on to the joint communique that was issued after the first peace summit hosted by Switzerland in June. India participated in the first peace summit but didnt endorse the joint communique.

ALSO READ- PM Modi speaks to Vladimir Putin; underlines importance of dialogue, diplomacy

While in Moscow during July 8-9, Modi told Putin that talks cannot succeed under the shadow of the gun. Given Ukraines refusal to join direct negotiations with Russia, Modi said a solution to the conflict cant be found without engaging Russia. Modi also said that New Delhis position is not neutral, but on the side of peace.

Modis visits to Moscow and Kyiv were seen as the delicate balancing resorted to by India in the face of persisting calls from the West to help find a solution to the conflict, especially in the context of its efforts to act as the voice of the Global South.

India has so far not publicly censured Russias invasion of Ukraine and it has largely abstained on all Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations. It has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian commodities, especially oil. The Indian side has emphasised that it is ready to play an active role in all peace efforts.
India and Singapore on Thursday unveiled agreements for a semiconductor ecosystem partnership and greater interoperability between their digital economies even as they elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The MoU on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership envisages cooperation to support Indias growing semiconductor industry. (@LawrenceWongST | Official X account)

Speaking at a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two sides will continue working together for regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday on the second leg of a two-nation Southeast Asian tour, after making the first bilateral visit to Brunei by an Indian premier. He described Singapore as an important anchor for Indias Act East policy launched a decade ago.

Singapore is not just a partner country. Singapore is an inspiration for every developing country. We want to create many Singapores in India, Modi said, speaking in Hindi.

Referring to achievements by the two sides in the past 10 years, including investments increasing nearly three-fold to $160 billion and the launch of real-time digital payments, Modi said: I am happy that today we are together giving our relations the shape of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Also Read: Singapore PM Lawrence Wong hosts PM Modi for private dinner ahead of talks

Following talks between the two premiers, India and Singapore announced four agreements on semiconductors, digital cooperation, healthcare and medical research, and education and skill development.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership envisages cooperation to support Indias growing semiconductor industry while facilitating Singapores companies and supply chains to enter the Indian market. The MoU will create a platform to better connect and strengthen the complementary semiconductor ecosystems of the two sides.

The MoU on cooperation in digital technology will encourage greater interoperability between the digital economies of the two countries and build on earlier work such as the linking of the digital payment systems of India and Singapore. The main areas of cooperation under this MoU are data flows and data protection, digital utilities and digital public infrastructure, cyber-security and business-to-business linkages.

Under the MoU on education and skill development, the two sides will cooperate on technical and vocational education and training, while the MoU on healthcare and medical research envisages cooperation in disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness and prevention of communicable diseases.

Modis visit followed a meeting last month of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which identified areas for cooperation such as skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI, healthcare, sustainability, and cyber-security.

Modi pointed to other areas where the two sides have made progress, saying 17 satellites of Singapore were launched from India in the past 10 years, while cooperation in defence has gained momentum. An agreement between Singapore Airlines and Air India has strengthened connectivity, he said.

The 350,000 people of Indian origin living in Singapore act as the strong foundation of bilateral relations, and India is forever grateful to the whole of Singapore for the place and respect that Subhash Chandra Bose, Azad Hind Fauj and Little India have received, Modi said.

He suggested the two sides should come up with an action plan to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2025. I am very happy to inform you that Indias first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be opened in Singapore. The great saint Thiruvalluvar has given guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language, Tamil, he added.

Modi and Wong visited AEM, a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector, and were briefed about the firms role in the global semiconductor value chain and its plans for India. The Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association made a presentation on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India.

Also in Modis schedule were meetings with senior minister Lee Hsien Long, emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and a CEOs roundtable to forge closer trade and investment ties.

Singapore is currently Indias largest trade partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the sixth largest trade partner worldwide. Besides, Singapore was the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India in 2023, and its cumulative investments since 2000 are worth $160 billion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India wanted to create several Singapores of its own. During talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, the prime minister said Singapore serves as an inspiration for every developing nation.



We also aim to create several Singapores within India. I am pleased that we are collaborating towards this goal. The ministerial roundtable we have established is a path-breaking mechanism, PTI quoted Modi as saying.





ALSO READ: Singapore PM Lawrence Wong hosts PM Modi for private dinner ahead of talks



Congratulating Wong, who took oath as the new Singapore prime minister in May, Modi said,"This is our first meeting since you assumed the office as prime minister. My heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will achieve progress even more rapidly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong signs a visitor's book, in Singapore.(PTI)

'Singapore an important facilitator of India's Act East Policy': Modi

Prime Minister Modi highlighted collaborative initiatives between two countries in the fields like skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and AI, healthcare, sustainability and cybersecurity.

"Singapore is also an important facilitator of Indias Act East policy. Our shared belief in democratic values connects us. I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit Singapore at the beginning of my third term, he added.

Over the past 10 years, our trade has more than doubled. Mutual investment has increased almost threefold to cross USD 150 billion. Singapore was the first country with which we launched the UPI Person-to-Person payment facility," the prime minister said, as per PTI.



During the Business Leaders' Summit, Modi said,"We are going forward with predictable and progressive policies...There is political stability in India. We are moving ahead aggressively in the area of semiconductors. We are going to make a whole ecosystem in this sector...Startups are growing very fast in tier 2 & tier 3 cities in India."



(With PTI inputs)
Interpol issued 100 Red Notices on Indias request in 2023, the highest in a year, urging police forces across the globe to detain criminals and fugitives who have crossed borders and are wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Praveen Sood said on Thursday. Twenty-nine criminals were brought back to India last year and 19 so far this year with the help of Interpol and global law enforcement partners. (AP)

Twenty-nine criminals were brought back to India last year and 19 so far this year with the help of Interpol and global law enforcement partners, he added.

Sood also said that CBI handled over 17,000 international assistance requests during the same period.

ALSO READ- Vladimir Putin says India, China, Brazil could mediate Russia-Ukraine talks

The CBI director was addressing the 10th Interpol Liaison Officers (ILOs) Conference, organised by the federal agency, in Delhi when he made the statements.

.... Global Operation Centre of CBI has handled 17,368 international assistance requests in 2023 and as many as 100 Red Notices were issued by Interpol on criminals and fugitives wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies, the highest ever in a year, Sood said.

An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

With Interpol and international law enforcement partners, as many as 29 wanted criminals were brought back to India in 2023 and 19 so far in 2024. Criminals are no longer constrained by borders, and neither should our efforts to combat them, Sood said.

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The event was attended by representatives of global law enforcement agencies such as BKA (Germany), FBI (USA), National Police Agency (Japan), National Crime Agency (UK), PDI (Chile), Nepal Police and officers of all central and state investigation and intelligence agencies. The conference is held to enhance the use of formal and informal means of international police cooperation to combat crime, criminals and proceeds of crime.

Speaking about the challenges facing global agencies, Sood said: The world today faces a multitude of grave and globalised poly-crimes and threats like terrorism, online radicalisation, cyber enabled financial crimes, online child sexual exploitation, corruption, drug trafficking, terror financing and organised crime. Police in India have been at the forefront of addressing these challenges through a combination of robust legal framework, innovative initiatives, leveraging technology and proactive international cooperation.

He added: Law enforcement professionals need to be well acquainted with various means of coordinating international assistance in criminal matters.
A political row erupted in Karnataka over the state governments decision on Thursday to put on hold the best teacher award to a principal of a government pre-university college over his alleged remarks and actions during the hijab row in 2022. The state government had announced the best teacher award to BG Ramakrishna, principal of Kundapur government pre-university college in Udupi, during Teachers Day celebrations (HT Photo)

The state government announced the best teacher award to BG Ramakrishna, principal of Kundapur government pre-university college in Udupi, during Teachers Day celebrations on Thursday. However, the award was later withheld following backlash on social media and by members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

Ramakrishna is accused of asking Muslim students wearing headscarves to stand outside the institute during the hijab row in 2022.

The controversy emerged in late 2021 when the Muslim students in Udupi district were denied entry to junior colleges over their decision to wear hijabs. The institutes denied them entry stating that the headscarves were against their uniform policy. The dispute spread to other parts of the state. It eventually led to the then-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government issuing an order, which stated that the uniform policy must be upheld with no exceptions being made for hijabs. Ramakrishna had allegedly denied entry to students in the Kundapur government pre-university college in compliance with the government order.

ALSO READ- Assam makes registering Muslim marriages and divorces mandatory under new law

Speaking on the developments on Thursday, primary and secondary education minister Madhu Bangarappa, said, The manner in which he treated the children (making them stand outside the institute in the sun) is the issue... If he was following any government order, it had to be carried out in a certain manner. If it is not in a certain manner, then it will be questioned.

Bangarappa said a decision will be taken after more details of the allegations are revealed. He also urged that the issue shouldnt be politicised. He said: No vindictive politics is happening. There is a district committee for the selection of names of deserving candidates when someone applies for the award.

ALSO READ- Nitesh Rane faces backlash from BJP colleague over anti-Muslim remarks

The committee will send it to the head office and at the head office there is another committee to look into it. In this particular issue, they overlooked certain things. Once the issue came forward, the decision was made to withhold the award for some time, he said.

Former BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat, who was the then president of the Udupi girls government pre-university college from where the hijab row started in 2021, said the governments action smacked of petty and vindictive politics. The move will only lead to a confrontation and is nothing but trying to appease the minority community, he said.

ALSO READ- Could be a planned one to: Jamiat chief on lynching of Muslim man in Haryana

Udupi MLA and BJP leader Yashpal Anand Suvarna said: Ramakrishna was selected on the basis of his merit and his achievements and the government. Mangaluru City North BJP MLA Y Bharath Shetty also noted: The principal was only implementing the government order.

Vice president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad North Karnataka, Govardhan Rao,questioned the governments decision to withhold the award. We condemn the decision because the award was given to people who have done an excellent job in the education side, so holding his name because of some other reason is condemnable.

SDPI state general secretary Afsar Kodlipet maintained that if the principal was following the government order, then he should have allowed the students inside the campus, made them sit in his chambers and explain the issue. Instead he functioned as a watchman and made the girls stand outside the gate though they were wearing uniforms, he added.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday once again targeted chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose and chief minister Mamata Banerjee.(HT photos)

Bose said that while there is a law in the state, it is not being implemented properly. He also alleged that a portion of the police is criminalised and politicised.

The wrongdoers should be brought to book. Punishment should be given. People should feel that they can expect justice from the government, now that feeling is not there. This is the condition of Bengal today- the law is there but it is not being implemented properly or certain people are given protective discrimination by law, the governor said, according to ANI.

"The police, a portion of the police is criminalised, a portion is corrupt and a portion of it is politicised."

Bose also said that he met the parents of the victim, who told him certain things which were very heartbreaking and that he took them up in his meeting with home minister Amit Shah.

Parents (of the victim) have told me certain things which is very, very heart-breaking. They also gave to me in writing that I have taken up with the home minister. Within two days we started seeing action. Their feelings we understand. What they want is also justice. The entire Bengal society seeks justice. Justice will be done. Justice should be done, Bose said.

Further, he also warned the Mamata Banerjee-led government not to test the patience of the people.

"That's where the people has come forward. I am sure that the voice of the people is the voice of the god. People want action, not an alibi for an action. Don't test the patience of the people," he said.

The case



The trainee doctor was raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

The crime took place on the third-floor seminar hall of the chest department late at night and police later said multiple lacerations and wounds were found on her body.

The police have arrested Sanjay Roy, a civil volunteer at the hospital, for allegedly committing the crime.

The father of the Kolkata doctor has claimed that he wanted to preserve his daughter's body but was forced to cremate her. He told reporters that 300-400 cops surrounded them after they returned home with her body.
Kolkata rape case news highlights: Citizens participate in a specially organized candlelight protest over alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, India, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)

Kolkata rape case news highlights: West Bengal junior doctors protesting the alleged rape and murder of a female doctor inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata continue their cease-work protest to demand justice for the victim. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) urged the junior doctors to resume their duties and believe in the Supreme Court to deliver justice....Read More

Responding to the call by junior doctors, thousands of people across Kolkata switched-off their lights to express grief over the gruesome crime. Thousands of protesters also look to streets holding a candle as a mark of solidarity. Reports suggest that the victim's parents are likely to join the protesters on Thursday.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose asked chief minister Mamata Banerjee to take convincing steps to assuage the sentiments of the people who are enraged over the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case.

He also directed Banerjee to ensure proper maintenance of law and order in the state, with a focus on protecting and securing women.

"Governor directs the CM to take convincing steps to assuage the sentiments of the people of Bengal who are agitated over the RG Kar Hospital horror and maintain law and order in the state offering protection and security to the women. Enough is enough," a statement from the Raj Bhavan said.

Also read | 'Reclaim the Night' protest in Bengal as Kolkata turns off lights; governor tells CM enough is enough | 10 updates

Meanwhile, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Calcutta High Court's decision to reject his request to be included in a petition accusing financial irregularities at the institute during his tenure. Ghosh along with three others is currently under judicial custody in relation to the corruption case being probed by the CBI.

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The father of the Kolkata doctor  who was raped and murdered inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital  has claimed that he wanted to preserve his daughter's body but was forced to cremate her. Medics and citizens participate in a specially organized candle light protest over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the protest site at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)

The family and relatives of the 31-year-old woman joined the late-night agitation outside the state-run hospital on Wednesday.

The parents of the victim also accused the police of offering them money.

The father of the doctor told reporters that 300-400 cops surrounded them after they returned home with her body.

"We wanted the body preserved, but so much pressure was created. About 300-400 cops surrounded us. We returned home and found some 300 cops standing outside. They created such a situation that we were forced to cremate her," he said, reported NDTV.

He claimed the cremation took place in haste and the family wasn't asked to pay for it.

Per the channel, some cops allegedly asked him to sign on a blank sheet of paper. He said he tore it up.

He said he "replied accordingly" when a senior police officer tried to give them money.

He also wondered why the hospital authorities told them that she died by suicide. He said he had to wait for over three hours before they could see the body.

"When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police?" said the aunt of the deceased doctor.

"Until the last rites were not performed, 300-400 policemen surrounded us but after it was performed, not a single policeman was seen there. What would the family do, how would they go home, Police took no responsibility. Police were active till the last rites were performed and after that, they became completely inactive. When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house and we were shedding tears, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of police? The Police were saying that they have fulfilled all their responsibilities, is this what is called fulfilling the responsibility?" the aunt of the deceased told ANI.

The woman was found dead inside the seminar hall of the hospital on the morning of August 9. Her autopsy confirmed she died of strangulation after sexual assault. Her body bore 25 internal and external injuries.

The police have arrested Sanjay Roy, a civil volunteer at the hospital, for allegedly committing the crime.
Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: The Kolkata Police has picked up two men for allegedly misbehaving with women on Wednesday night during Reclaim the Night protest held West Bengal to demand justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman doctor. Citizens participate in a specially organized candlelight protest over alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, India, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. ((Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times))

In Jadavpur, the police arrested one person for allegedly molesting a woman when a large number of people assembled at 8B bus stand area. The man was allegedly in an inebriated state when he was whisked away by the police to a nearby police station.

A group of student protesters from Jadavpur University and others followed them. The woman victim was escorted by actor Sohini Sarkar to the police station and an FIR was lodged in relation to the incident.

At Garia in south Kolkata, a youth in intoxicated state was beaten up by protesters for allegedly misbehaving with women, before being handed over to the police.

In a separate incident in Cooch Behar district's Mathabhanga town, a branch secretary of the opposition CPI(M) was allegedly beaten up by a group of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) members. CPI(M) has filed a police complaint regarding the incident while the TMC denied that its party member was involved.

Reclaim the Night 2.0

People across Kolkata and several towns responded in large numbers to the call by protesting junior doctors to turn off the lights as mark of sorrow over the rape and murder on August 9. Thousands of people, including women and children marched holding candles across the streets of West Bengal's cities and towns.

The march, largely mobilised through social media, was joined by people from all walks of life -actors, students, professionals and homemakers. Political parties were notably absent, as people held national flags and candles, and chanted slogans demanding justice.

From Kolkata, the movement also spread to other key locations in various district towns, including Berhampore, Chinsurah, Santiniketan, Krishnanagar, Bardhaman, Siliguri, Barasat, Barrackpore, Rajarhat-Newtown, Cooch Behar, Mathabhanga and Jalpaiguri.
Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, on Thursday hit out at former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina for making political remarks on the country from India, calling it is an unfriendly gesture. According to Yunus, Hasina must remain silent to prevent the discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition. Nobel laureate and head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus. (AFP)

If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh (government) wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quietShe is there in India, and at times, she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it, Yunus told news agency PTI.

Yunus was referring to Hasina's remarks from August 13, wherein she demanded justice, adding that those involved in recent terror acts, killings and vandalism must be investigated and punished.

According to Yunus, Hasina's comments are not good for Bangladesh or for India.

There is discomfort regarding it, he told PTI.

The head of Bangladesh's interim government further said that they have conveyed their stance to India verbally and quite firmly.

Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there, and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a peoples uprising and public anger, he said.

Yes, she has to be brought back, or else the people of Bangladesh wont be at peace. The kind of atrocities she has committed, she has to be tried in front of everyone here, he further added.

Yunus on India-Bangladesh relationship

According to Yunus, they desire good ties with India but insisted that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that only Hasinas leadership ensures the countrys stability.

The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only. India is captivated by this narrative. India has to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is another neighbour, the 84-year-old nobel laureate said, as quoted by PTI.

On future bilateral ties with India, Yunus said that certain treaties, such as transit and the Adani electricity deal, need to be reexamined.

Everybody is saying that it is needed. We will see what is on paper and, second, what is actually happening on the ground. I cant answer it specifically. If there is any need to review, we will then raise questions about it, he said.

Sheikh Hasina's downfall

Hasina, who had ruled Bangladesh since 2009, resigned last month and fled the country as the anti-government protests intensified. Thousands stormed her official residence, setting fires, carrying out furniture, and pulling raw fish from the refrigerators. Hours later, the former Bangladesh PM landed at the Hindon Air Base in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on a C-130 transport aircraft.

Shortly after Hasina's exit, Bangladesh Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman announced the formation of an interim government headed by Yunus.

(With inputs from PTI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday chargesheeted Inderpal Singh Gaba, a key accused in the attack on the Indian high commission in London in 2023. People show an Indian flag from the roof of the Indian High Commission as protestors of the Khalistan movement demonstrate on the streets in London on March 22, 2022.(AP file)

Gaba, a resident of Hounslow in UK, was arrested by the NIA in the national capital on April 25 this year in connection with the attack on the Indian high commission in London by pro-Khalistani extremists on March 19 and 22 last year.

According to the NIA chargesheet, Gaba is one of the agitators who actively participated in the anti-India protest that took place on March 22 last year in front of the Indian high commission.

On March 22, 2023, more than 2,000 pro-Khalistani supporters vandalised the high commission buildings, throwing articles including ink to deface it. Three days ago, a mob had pulled down the Indian flag in the attack in which some embassy staffers were injured.



The attack was allegedly carried out by UK-based Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) leader Avtar Singh Khanda, who later died in a UK hospital in June last year.

Gaba was detained in December 2023 by the immigration authorities at Attari border on arrival from London via Pakistan, based on the look out circular against him.



According to NIA, the probe was initiated against him and Gaba was asked not to leave the country while the investigation continued. The NIA said it had seized his mobile phone and analysed the data including several incriminating videos/photos of the incident, and eventually established his involvement in the incident.

Indian high commission attacked in response to Amritpal Singh's arrest

According to the NIA, the attacks on Indian high commission in UK were carried out against the crackdown on radical Sikh preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh by the Punjab Police. Singh was arrested nearly a month later by the Punjab Police.



Singh, lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail, won the Lok Sabha election from Punjab's Khadoor Sahib seat by a margin of nearly two lakh votes.

The violent attack on the High Commission was aimed at furthering and achieving the cause of Khalistan by secession of the state of Punjab from India, the agency added.
Jammu and Kashmir election: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah made an emotional plea to the people of Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday ahead of the assembly election, which is set to begin on September 18 and will be held in three phases until October 1. Ganderbal: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah during a roadshow before he files nomination papers for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, in Ganderbal district, Wednesday, September 4, 2024. (PTI)

In a rare gesture, the former chief minister held his cap in his hands while addressing the public, urging the people of Ganderbal to give him another chance to serve them, news agency PTI reported. A visibly emotional Abdullah appealed for their support, saying, My honour is in your hands.

Muin dastar (my turban), muin izzat (my honour), muin topi (my cap), are in your hands, ath kariw raech (uphold it), he expressed, holding his cap. Just give me one opportunity to serve you, I am appealing to you with folded hands, he added.

Speaking to his party workers at the NC office, Abdullah mentioned that he has returned to Ganderbal after 16 years, driven by the hope to serve the people of the constituency once more.

The people of Ganderbal have suffered a lot after 2016, no one healed their wounds, no one addressed their difficulties. We will talk about all these issues in the coming two to three weeks, he said.

Calling upon his party workers to remain united, he said God willing, the party will taste success in the elections.

Abdullah's nomination

Abdullah filed his nomination papers from Ganderbal earlier in the day, marking his return to the constituency he represented from 2008 to 2014 as the chief minister of the NC-Congress coalition government in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, Abdullah won from the Beerwah constituency in Budgam district, central Kashmir, and chose not to contest from Ganderbal, allowing his then-party colleague Ishfaq Jabbar to run instead.

Abdullah, who had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla, lost to independent candidate Engineer Rashid. To connect with voters, Abdullah delivered his over five-minute speech primarily in Kashmiri.

J&K elections

The first phase of polling is scheduled for September 18, followed by the second phase on September 25, and the final phase on October 1.

Gazette notifications for each phase have been scheduled to be issued on August 20, August 29, and September 9, respectively. The deadlines for filing nominations are August 27 for the first phase, September 5 for the second, and September 12 for the third.

According to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the Union Territory has 87.09 lakh eligible voters, with an equal percentage of male and female voters. There will be over 11,800 polling stations across the region.

(With PTI inputs)
Reacting to the controversy over new Netflix series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', former Indian high commissioner to Islamabad Gopalaswami Parthasarathy said the hijack was totally Pakistan's handwork and the terror group al Qaeda was not involved. File photo of 1999 IC 814 hijacking to Kandahar by Pakistan based terror groups.

The new web series has been accused of giving a clean chit to Pakistan's spy agency the Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) by linking the hijackers involved with Afghanistan and al Qaeda.

It was totally Pakistani involvement. The terrorists involved were Pakistanis, the terrorists released were Pakistanis. There is no question of al Qaeda, that is the farthest thing to say," the former diplomat said in an interview with India Today.

Also read | Remembering IC-814 hijacking and birth of Pak terror monster Masood Azhar

Parthasarathy added that the Afghanistan-based terror group did not have a good relationship with Pakistan to the extent that they could carry out the hijack. Parthasarathy suspected that some individual terrorists may have operated from that country as the Taliban then was an extension of the ISI.

Explaining the Pakistan's government's response to the crisis, he termed it as duplicitous and not following its words through actions. "Telling us that they would do the right thing and then not following through. Days into the hijacking, I wanted to send my officer to Kandahar, but the Pakistan government played all sorts of games, he said.

The former diplomat accused Pakistan of delaying his flight from capital Islamabad to Lahore, when he was prepared to visit the hijacked plane. ISI had a very close relationship, they collaborated throughout the hijacking, he said. Lahore, Amritsar and Dubai are locations where the flight was diverted before landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Parthasarathy said it is hard to blame the then Indian government for releasing the terrorists from Indian jail as the hijackers were armed and lives of Indian passengers were at stake. It would have been irresponsible to try something militarily at that point of time. We were not willing to take risk with our own people he added.
The Union government has mobilised paramilitary forces ahead of the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, especially against the backdrop of a spurt in terror attacks in the hilly and rugged Jammu region since June. An officer said the security forces have adopted a proactive approach. (PTI)

As many as 60 to 80 terrorists are believed to have infiltrated the Jammu region in March-April this year. Pakistan has sought to push more terrorists prompting security forces to go all out in counter-insurgency operations.

The army has deployed an [additional] 3,000 troops including 500 para commandos to cover the gaps created by the withdrawal of forces post-Galwan clash [with the Chinese] in eastern Ladakh on June 15, 2020. The BSF [Border Security Force] moved 2,000 men from Odisha to the international border in Jammu. Around 2,000 men of the Assam Rifles have been deployed from Manipur to augment anti-terror operations. The motive is to check infiltration on the border and seek and destroy terrorists who have sneaked in, said a security official.

The army and the BSF have also enhanced surveillance along the 744-km long Line of Control and 198-km international border. They have been provided modern surveillance technologies and weapons to deal with aerial threats in the forms of drones. The BSF has also been undertaking anti tunneling drive to detect trans border tunnels, said the official.

BSF director general Daljit Singh visited the Jammu border on August 22 for a security review. The Union government has retained around 450 companies of paramilitary forces sent to Jammu and Kashmir for the annual Amarnath Yatra. Nearly 450 additional companies have been sent for poll duty.

Around 900 companies, each comprising 110 personnel, of paramilitary forces have been deployed for election duties. The official said this was over and above the regular deployment of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

An army officer said the security forces have adopted a proactive approach to pre-empting any possible terror strikes in upper reaches. In Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, the security forces have filled the voids. Search operations have been intensified in the upper reaches. The forces are also dominating hills along the highways so that the terrorists do not get away with their shoot-and-scoot tactic. We have maintained a constant pressure on terrorists, he said.

He added that deployment has been increased in hilly areas of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Kathua districts.

A police officer said they have also roped in village defence guards (VDGs), who are being provided self-loading rifles and semi-automatic weapons. We are roping in ex-servicemen as VDGs, who are well-trained in weapon handling. Apart from this, the army is also organising firing practice for the VDGs with these semi-automatic weapons.

Dheeraj Sharma, a former village head in Rajouris Dhangri, called the move of providing self-loading rifles to the VDGs a good move. The VDGs would now be in a better position to effectively guard their villages and take on armed terrorists. Earlier, with 303 rifles, which have become obsolete, they were no match against US M4 carbine and AK-47 wielding terrorists, Sharma. He added the VDGs were also getting 50 cartridges with each SLR.

Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar on August 9 said democracy can never be allowed to be held hostage to terror activities. Our forces and administration are capable of dealing with any situation that comes in the way.
The Centre, Tripura government and two major insurgent groups  National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) - on Wednesday signed a peace agreement in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah to end violence in the state. The home ministry in October 2023 declared NLFT and ATTF unlawful associations. (Amit Shah | Facebook)

Calling the pact a milestone in Tripuras journey towards peace and progress, Shah said the government is committed to the all-round development of the north-east.

The agreement was signed in Delhi, with Tripura chief minister Manik Saha, senior officials of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) and representatives of both groups present.

The home ministry in October 2023 declared NLFT and ATTF unlawful associations.

Shah said the agreement ends a 35-year-long conflict renouncing violence and committing to build a prosperous and developed Tripura.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only bridged the gap between the northeast and Delhi by connecting them through roads, railways and flights, but has also bridged the gap between hearts, he added.

The government, he added, has signed 12 important agreements to bring peace and prosperity in the northeast, of which, three relate to Tripura.

Around 10,000 people have given up arms and joined the mainstream due to these agreements, he said.

Shah said 328 insurgents will give up arms and added that the government has earmarked 250 crore to develop areas where the two insurgent groups operated, particularly pockets dominated by tribal populations.

The signing of this agreement is a major milestone in fulfilling the resolve taken by the Modi government to develop the entire Northeast by combining the Ashtalakshmi concept and Purvodaya, he said.

Chief minister Saha termed the signing of the peace agreement a historic moment.

Glad to have witnessed this historic moment. On behalf of the people of Tripura, I also express my heartfelt gratitude to Honble Prime Minister and Honble Home Minister for earmarking 250 crore for the welfare of the returnees, he said in a post on X.

Chief minister Saha lauded the home minister and spoke about the peace agreements signed in the last ten years under the leadership of PM Modi.

...I would like to express my gratitude to HM Amit Shah for being instrumental in creating an atmosphere of peace, prosperity and goodwill in the entire northeast region. Under the leadership of PM Modi and the proactive initiative of Amit Shah, a dozen peace agreements have been signed in the northeast in the last 10 years to resolve many of the complex issues. Out of which for Tripura alone, there are three agreements so far, Saha added.

Militancy rocked the state of roughly 3.6 million for several years between the 1980s and the early 2000s, with NLFT and ATTF two of the most prominent groups during that period.

NLFT was formed in 1988 under the leadership of Biswamohan Debbarma and sought a separate Tripura state. ATTF was similarly formed two years later with a stated aim of ejecting so-called outsiders from the state.

Both outfits are, over the years, reported to have killed hundreds of people.
India and Singapore on Wednesday signed key Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in the fields of digital technologies, semiconductors, health cooperation, and skill development, which will further strengthen their cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong during the latter's ceremonial reception, at Parliament House, in Singapore. (PTI)

The agreements were signed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Singapore, and his counterpart Lawrence Wong held bilateral meetings.

What are the key MoUs signed by India and Singapore?

The first MoU was signed between India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information to cooperate in digital technologies. This will help facilitate close cooperation between the two countries in the areas of digital technologies, such as DPI, cyber-security, and 5G, and emerging technologies, such as super-computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. It will also enable cooperation for upskilling and reskilling workers in the digital domain.

The MoU on the India-Singapore semiconductor ecosystem partnership was signed by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry. Under this agreement, India and Singapore will cooperate in developing a semiconductor cluster and cultivating talent in semiconductor design and manufacturing. It will also facilitate Singapore's investments in India.

Singapore is an integral part of the worldwide semiconductor supply chain, accounting for 10 per cent of all chips produced globally and about 20 per cent of the global production of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Another MoU was signed by India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Singapore's Ministry of Health on cooperation in the field of health and medicine. This agreement will facilitate joint efforts on research and innovation in areas of mutual interest and also promote closer cooperation in human resource development in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. The agreement will also complement New Delhi's efforts to promote Indian healthcare professionals in Singapore.

The final agreement on educational cooperation and skills development was signed by India's Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Singapore's Ministry of Education. This agreement aims to promote closer cooperation in the areas of technical and vocational education and training and will complement the ongoing active collaboration in skill development.

PM Modi receives ceremonial welcome at Singapore's Parliament House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong.

During his opening remarks, Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country.

"A new chapter in - ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.

"The leaders agreed to elevate the - ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability," he said.

Modi in his opening remarks thanked Wong for the warm welcome.

Modi, who arrived in Singapore on Wednesday, received a ceremonial welcome at Singapore's Parliament House and was welcomed by Wong. Upon arrival, Modi signed the visitors' book at the Parliament House and met ministers and delegates from Singapore.

Modi will also visit AEM Holdings Ltd's semiconductor facility with Singapore's PM after a lunch hosted by senior minister Lee Hsien Loong. Following this, he will also meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Emeritus senior minister Goh Chok Tong.

Modi is also slated to hold a business meeting with CEOs in Singapore.

(With inputs from ANI)
The Norwegian KONGSBERG Defense company secured a $95 million contract to supply Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) for Australias F-35A aircraft, enhancing the countrys long-range strike capabilities. Australia joins Norway, Japan, and the United States in adopting the JSM, highlighting its significance in the Pacific region.

The Australian Government also announced plans for a KONGSBERG strike missile factory in Newcastle, strengthening domestic defense production. Kongsberg has been named a Strategic Partner in Australias Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise, backed by a $16-21 billion government commitment over the next decade. The company announced today an expansion of its Australian presence with a new AUD 25 million ($16.5 million) facility in Adelaide, supporting defense programs including the Naval Strike Missile, National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), CORTEX C4 for Protected Mobile Fires, and Protector Remote Weapon Stations. The 2,500 square meter site will focus on strike missiles, air defense systems, and remote weapon stations for the Australian armed forces.
BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who is here for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The two leaders announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Biya's attendance at all previous editions of the summit demonstrated the great importance he attached to China-Africa friendship and cooperation, as well as his profound amity with China, Xi said.

China is ready to work with Cameroon to foster a more substantive and significant partnership and advance the bilateral ties to a higher level, Xi said.

He noted that China has always supported Cameroon in safeguarding national unity and ethnic solidarity, fighting terrorism, as well as achieving peace and development.

China is willing to advance bilateral cooperation in fields such as infrastructure, industrial development, connectivity, agriculture and health, and to assist Cameroon in diversifying its economy, Xi said.

Biya commended the sound development of the bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations 53 years ago.

Noting that a raft of China-funded projects in Cameroon have greatly boosted the country's economic development, Biya said more Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Cameroon and help turn its advantages in mineral resources into development momentum.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to every person in Maharashtra over the collapse of the statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra's Malvan. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.(PTI)

A few days ago, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was damaged, Gandhi said. After this, Narendra Modi said I apologize to Shivaji MaharajBut, Narendra Modi has insulted Shivaji Maharaj. He should apologise not only to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person in Maharashtra.

Gandhi made the demand while addressing a gathering in Sangli, where he unveiled a life-size statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam, who held several ministerial positions in Maharashtra.

...I give you a guarantee that Kadam ji's (late Congress minister Patangrao Kadam) statue installed will be here even after 50-70 years" Gandhi said.

Gandhi also pointed out that the Congress ideology is in Maharashtra's DNA and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of benefiting a select few under its government.

"...Congress' ideology is in the DNA of Maharashtra. Earlier, there used to be politics, but today there is an ideological fight in India. We want social progress but they (BJP) want that only a select few get all benefits," he said, according to ANI.

Shivaji's statue collapse



The 35-foot statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort collapsed during a spell of gusty winds on August 26, sparking a huge political row in Maharashtra ahead of the assembly elections later this year.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance for erecting a substandard statue and accused it of corruption. Modi had unveiled the statue on Navy Day in December 2023.

On Wednesday, Jaydeep Apte, a 24-year-old sculptor-contractor wanted in connection with the collapse, was arrested from Kalyan by the Maharashtra Police.

Last week, Modi tendered an apology for the incident during an event in Palghar.

For me and my colleagues, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not a name or a king, but a revered deity. Today, I bow my head at my revered deitys feet and apologise. I also apologise to all those who worship Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I know their sentiments are hurt, he had said.
The Rajasthan high court on Thursday granted bail to Mohammed Javed, one of the accused in the brutal killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal in 2022.



The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested Javed from Udaipur on July 22, 2022.



On June 28 that year, a tailor named Kanhaiya Lal was beheaded by Riyaz Attari and Ghous Mohammed at his shop for supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma's controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed.



The accused captured the brutal killing on their mobile phones and also issued a threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The duo posed with the knives used in the killing. They were arrested hours after the crime that day. The Rajasthan high court on Thursday granted bail to Mohammed Javed, one of the accused in the brutal killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal in 2022

Javed's role in Kanhaiya Lal killing

According to the NIA, Javed had played a crucial role in the murder conspiracy by conducting a recce and passing on information about Kanhaiya Lal's presence at his shop to both Attari and Ghous Mohammed before the killing.

Plot to kill Kanhaiya was hatched 8 days before attack

According to a Hindustan Times report, the conspiracy to kill Kanhaiya Lal through an ISIS-style beheading was hatched on June 20.



Kanhaiya's killer Ghous Mohammed had told the interrogators that the decision to kill the tailor was taken at a meeting, but those who attended the huddle are denying that any such move was discussed.

Ghous Mohammed said that he volunteered volunteered to decapitate Kanhaiya Lal with others present agreeing to provide legal, logistical, or financial support to the families of the murderers after the crime.

Pak link to brutal killing

HT had learnt that investigations revealed an international link to the killers, the Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami.



Ghous Mohammed was invited to Pakistan by the senior functionaries of Dawat-e-Islami in 2014.

The Karachi-based Dawat-e-Islami's main aim is to spread the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah with the objective of advocating Shariah globally. It has a huge following in Pakistan and is committed to supporting the blasphemy law in the Islamic Republic.

Mohammed stayed in Karachi for 40 days. He had visited Saudi Arabia for Umrah in 2013 and 2019.
Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Sandip Ghosh, the ex-principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, had ordered renovation near the seminar hall, where a doctor was found raped and murdered, alleged Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Mazumdar on Thursday. Sandip Ghosh being taken to Alipore judges district and session court in in Kolkata on Tuesday. (ANI)

He also shared a purported letter, allegedly signed by Sandip Ghosh, which authorised the renovation work.

"The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victim's death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it," he wrote on X. HT can't independently verify the veracity of the order.

The memo  written to the executive engineers of several departments of the PWD, Kolkata, by Sandip Ghosh  said the hospital authorities wanted to repair the attached toilets.

"I would like to inform you that there are deficiencies in on-duty Doctors' Rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata. You are hereby requested to do the needful immediately as per the demand of the Residents' Doctors of RGKMC&H. The issue has been already discussed and resolved in the meeting with the Principal Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal & and the Director of Medical Education, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal today," the purported letter reads.

After the renovation work came to light, the BJP-led opposition alleged that attempts were underway to tamper with evidence at the crime scene.

Sandip Ghosh's role after the murder came under the scanner after the victim's family revealed that the hospital authorities told them the woman had died by suicide. The victim's father said they had to wait for over three hours to see the body of his daughter.

The Supreme Court had also questioned the Bengal government about the delay in registering the FIR under sections that deal with murder.

Sandip Ghosh was arrested by the CBI earlier this week over alleged financial irregularities, including selling corpses.

The doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall while sleeping amid her 36-hour-long shift.

The police have arrested a civil volunteer named Sanjay Roy for the crime.
The Maharashtra police on Wednesday night arrested sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan. Apte, who went missing after the incident, was nabbed from Kalyan in Thane district nearly 10 days after an FIR was filed against him. Sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte was arrested in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan.

Who is Jaydeep Apte and why was he arrested?

Jaydeep Apte, 24, is a Thane-based sculptor who reportedly owns an art company in Kalyan. He was responsible for creating the 35-foot Shivaji Maharaj statue, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.

Jaydeep Apte reportedly had no prior experience in constructing large statues.

The Sindhudurg police had filed an FIR against Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for the collapse of the statue last month under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections for negligence and other offences.

While Patil was arrested from Kolhapur last week, Apte was untraceable. Following this, the police had formed seven teams to look for him.

Shivaji statue collapse: 7 teams were formed

The Sindhudurg police had formed seven teams to track down Jaydeep Apte. A joint technical committee of five members visited the fort at Malvan during on Wednesday and examined the site, said an official. Police had been searching for Apte since the statue collapsed.

A Look Out Circular (LOC) too was issued to stop Apte from leaving the country. Teams of Sindhudurg police were searching for him at several places including Mumbai, Thane and Kolhapur. A police team visited Apte's residence in Kalyan town of Thane district, but it was locked, the official said.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's 35-foot statue at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan collapsed on August 26, nearly nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled it. According to the state public works department, the statue's construction was of poor quality, and its nuts and bolts rusted.

The incident sparked massive outrage across the state, with the opposition parties demanding Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde's resignation before the assembly polls.

According to the Opposition, the incident is an insult to the legacy of the 17th-century Maratha emperor. The Congress also asked if Modi would apologise for the incident.

Also read: Prime Minister Modi apologises for collapse of Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan

Meanwhile, Patil, who is in police custody, claimed that he was not the structural consultant for the project and had only worked on the platform. According to him, he had simply submitted the platform's design to the Indian Navy through the public works department.

The PWD also blamed the Indian Navy, saying that they were in a great hurry to complete the statue before its slated inauguration on the Navy Day function on December 4 last year.

On August 29, the Indian Navy issued a statement, saying that it had conceptualised and steered the project of installing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs statue in coordination with the state government, which also provided funding for it.

The Statue was unveiled on 04 Dec 2023 as part of the Navy Day celebrations conducted, for the first time, in Sindhudurg, aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defense and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy. The project was conceptualised and steered by the Indian Navy, in coordination with the state govt which also provided funding for it, the statement said.
West Bengal Legislative Assembly LoP and BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, wrote a letter to President Droupadi Murmu and Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting them to take back the President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal, the commissioner of Kolkata Police. Adhikari's request comes amid the backlash against the West Bengal administration over the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata. Bengal BJP leader and LoP in legislative assembly Suvendu Adhikari (File Photo)

The Bengal LoP said that Goyal's accolades should be withdrawn due to the shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

In a post on X, Suvendu Adhikari shared, "I have written a letter to the President of India Droupadi Murmu Ji requesting her to withdraw/forfeit the prestigious President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal; IPS, (West Bengal: RR - 1994), presently Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, in connection with his reprehensible, deplorable and shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the Resident Doctor of RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata."

In his letter, the BJP leader further alleged that Vineet Goyal was complicit in the destruction of evidence in the case, and his complete inaction during the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the night of 14th August, 2024 has been well documented in the media.

"His brazen attempts to sabotage the investigations into what is possibly the most heinous and sensitive crime in the country today to pander to the whims of the political executive of the state, with an intent to camouflage the financial and moral racket running in the health sector in West Bengal, makes him unworthy of retaining such awards," he claimed.

On August 9, the body of a 31-year-old junior doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The injuries on her body pointed towards rape, and a civil police volunteer was arrested in the case.

Recently, the family of the deceased victim claimed that the Kolkata police tried to offer them money when they were sitting with the mortal remains of their daughter inside their home.

"When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police?" said the aunt of the deceased doctor.

(With inputs from ANI)
The Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday arrested a doctor accused of sexually assaulting minor girls at a hostel affiliated with a government-aided school in Trichy district. According to the police, the doctor, identified as S Samson Daniel, was booked under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. Tamil Nadu doctor accused of sexually assaulting school girls arrested(ANI)

Along with Samson, his 54-year-old mother, identified as S Grace Sagayarani, who is the headmistress of the school, was also arrested for allegedly helping her son in covering up the offences, the Trichy police said.

The mother-son duo have been sent to three-day judicial custody.

The incident came to light after an anonymous phone call was made to the child helpline, alerting authorities of the offence. Following this, officials, including the district child protection officer, interacted with the students, after which it was revealed that Samson was sexually assaulting the students.

A complaint was filed with the Fort All Women Police Station.

According to the police, Samson has no past history of crimes.

Since the doctor's mother was the headmistress of the school, he misused his influence to often visit the hostel and perpetrate the crime. The school is privately administered and government-aided, the police said.

Man arrested for sexual misconduct with student in Tamil Nadu

In another incident last week, a WiFi technician was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a female student at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli district.

The incident took place when the accused entered the victim's hostel room under the pretext of fixing up the WiFi. He then allegedly misbehaved with her, the police said.

Following this, massive overnight protests by NIT students erupted, demanding the arrest of the culprit.

(With inputs from PTI)
The International Solar Alliance (ISA), an inter-governmental organisation, has been working for a more diversified and resilient ecosystem amid a highly centralised manufacturing sector. Ahead of the two-day International Solar Festival beginning Thursday, ISA director-general Ajay Mathur spoke to HT about the growing efforts to diversify supply chains, reduce dependence, and enhance global supply chain reliability. Edited excerpts: ISA director-general Ajay Mathur. (ISA)

Which countries provide raw materials for panels and batteries?

Over the past decade, in the global solar PV [photovoltaic] manufacturing landscape, China has been the dominant player, holding a substantial majority across all stages of solar panel production. China is home to the worlds top 10 suppliers of solar PV manufacturing equipment, underscoring its central role in this industry. The manufacturing for solar panels requires key raw materials such as silicon, silver, aluminium, and copper. China alone produces about 70% of the worlds metallurgical-grade silicon, a critical component, and approximately 77% of the worlds polysilicon.

Silver, essential for solar panel production, is predominantly mined in Mexico, Chile, Australia, Russia, and China. Bauxite, from which aluminium is derived, is sourced mainly from Australia, Guinea, and China. When it comes to manufacturing lithium-ion batteries, China again leads the charge, followed by countries like Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Chile, and Indonesia. This trend is expected to continue in the near future, with China remaining the major supplier of these critical materials. We are beginning to see diversification, both in the mining and refining capacities of other countries and in the materials used.

What is being done to counter Chinas monopoly?

In light of the highly centralised solar manufacturing sector, discussions are underway to foster a more diversified and resilient global solar ecosystem. Chinas dominant position in the solar and battery supply chain, controlling major stages of manufacturing and being a leading producer of crucial raw materials such as aluminium, copper, silver, and lithium, underscores the global reliance on Chinese production capacities.

There is a growing effort to diversify these supply chains, reducing dependence and enhancing global supply chain reliability. Firstly, ISA supports the aggregation of smaller-scale demands into larger, viable investment opportunities. Guarantee programmes have been established to assure investors of returns, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of solar investments globally, not just in China. Secondly, technological innovations, such as the development of sodium-ion batteries, offer promising alternatives to traditional lithium-ion technologies, potentially reducing reliance on supply chains heavily concentrated in specific regions.

In response to the need for geographic diversification, countries are increasingly incentivised to develop their manufacturing capacities. This includes transitioning from solar cell production, heavily centralised in China, to broader solar module assembly, which can be more geographically dispersed. Such strategies not only mitigate supply chain risks but also foster economic growth by creating local jobs and adding value domestically.

ISAs role extends to supporting regulatory changes and financial mechanisms tailored to encourage private investments, particularly in regions traditionally reliant on state investments.

What is the agenda of the International Solar Festival? Why are you organising it?

The festival aims to broaden the conversation around solar energy beyond government circles, extending the dialogue to include youth, women, communities, and the private sector. Our primary goal is to demonstrate how solar energy can seamlessly integrate into everyday life, bringing tangible benefits to people globally. Additionally, we aim to foster cross-fertilisation of best practices, allowing different communities to learn from each others experiences. For example, what can womens groups worldwide learn from each other, or how can a community using solar energy for health care in northeast India share its insights with similar initiatives in Mozambique?

What kind of projects is ISA focusing on in areas with poor or no electricity coverage?

ISA is working towards enabling global energy access by facilitating various initiatives tailored for regions with limited or no electricity. Central to these efforts is the Scaling Solar Mini-Grids programme, which supports the installation of mini-grids in remote areas, particularly in rural Africa, where they offer a more cost-effective solution than extending traditional power grids.

ISA also enables projects targeting the agricultural sector, such as the Scaling Solar Applications for Agricultural Use programme, which supports the installation of over 272,579 solar-powered water pumping systems. Our Global Solar Facility (GSF) is a payment guarantee fund designed to stimulate investments in solar power projects, particularly in underserved regions like Africa. The GSF is set to unlock substantial commercial capital for off-grid solar, rooftop solar, and productive-use solar projects.

This financing vehicle is structured to mitigate investment risks through payment guarantees, insurance, and technical assistance, thereby attracting private sector investment to regions with immense solar potential but significant investment challenges. The GSF aims to facilitate $10 billion in investment, improving energy access for 3540 million African households by 2030. As the initiative progresses, the GSF plans to expand to other regions, including Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, supporting innovative solar technologies and startups to drive a global clean energy transition.

What are your expectations from COP29 (UN Climate Change Conference Baku)?

At COP29, solar energy is set to be a key player in combating climate change, to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. This includes expanding solar farms, and rooftop systems, and improving grid infrastructure to handle increased renewable energy. Advanced energy storage solutions will be essential to maintain a stable solar energy supply, even when the sun is not shining. A significant focus will be on climate finance, aiming to mobilise substantial funds from both public and private sectors to support renewable projects. Technological advancements, such as developing efficient solar panels, smart grid technologies, and improved battery storage, will also be key topics. Governments are expected to adopt policies that encourage solar energy expansion, including subsidies, tax incentives, and streamlined regulations. International cooperation will foster public-private partnerships and knowledge sharing to promote solar energy in developing nations. These efforts are geared towards accelerating the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future driven by renewable energy.
Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: The family members of the trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month, on Wednesday alleged that the police tried to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of their daughter. The victim's father also alleged that the Kolkata Police also tried to bribe them with money. Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Junior doctors have been protesting outside the Kolkata police headquarters, asking for the police chief's resignation.(PTI)

The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined, news agency PTI quoted the victim's father as saying.

The victim's parents further demanded justice for their daughter while participating in a protest at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital along with junior doctors on Wednesday night.

On August 9, the body of the 31-year-old trainee woman doctor was found in a semi-naked state in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A day after the incident, the Kolkata Police arrested the main accused, Sanjay Roy, after he was seen entering the building around the estimated time of the crime in a CCTV camera footage, and his bluetooth headphones were found near the crime scene.

The probe revealed that after severely hurting and sexually assaulting the doctor, Sanjay Roy killed the victim by throttling and smothering her.

A week after the incident, the Calcutta High Court handed over the probe to the CBI.

Protests over Kolkata rape-murder case

Days after the incident came to light, massive protests erupted across the country, with people, including doctors, demanding justice for the victim.

On Tuesday, a delegation of junior doctors in Kolkata presented a hand-made artificial spine to city police commissioner Vineet Goyal and demanded his resignation over the alleged lapses in the case. The action was a way to ask the police to grow a backbone.

Meanwhile, the casework by junior doctors at state-run hospitals in West Bengal continued on Wednesday in order to protest, with the health services remaining crippled at most facilities.

Earlier on Wednesday, thousands of women across West Bengal marched at midnight as part of the Reclaim the Night campaign, demanding justice for the victims. At around 9 pm, Kolkata witnessed a unique and stirring act of civic solidarity, with residents turning off their lights for an hour and descending onto the streets with candles in hand.

(With inputs from PTI)
Mornings are meant to be started slow and in a happier mood. The way we wake up in the morning helps us to prepare for the day ahead. A happy and healthy morning ensures that we have ample time to meditate, or do our workout routine, or simply sit with our loved ones around and bask in the warmth of togetherness before getting ready for going to work. When we start our day with a healthy routine of morning walk, it helps us to prepare the body for the day ahead. Take a look at the amazing benefits of morning walk here: When we start our day with a healthy routine of morning walk, it helps us to prepare the body for the day ahead.(Unsplash)

ALSO READ: 5 simple morning habits to regulate Cortisol levels and decrease stress

Better blood circulation:

Going for a morning walk helps in making the heart rate go up, which further lowers blood pressure. This helps in improving cardiovascular health and also boosting blood circulation throughout the body. Walking every day for at least two miles helps in reducing the risk of heart attack as well.

Improves joint support:

When we walk, the joints move and compress allowing more joint fluid  this further helps in better oxygen and nutrient supply in the joints, which further helps in boosting mobility and flexibility.

ALSO READ: Struggling to get your mornings on track? Start your day right with these 5 simple morning rituals

Strengthens muscles:

Morning walks are low-impact workouts which when done regularly for a period of time can help in stretching and strengthening the muscles. This further helps in improving overall strength and mobility of the body.

Declutters the mind:

Walking helps in improving brain function as well. When we walk within nature in the morning, it helps us to rejuvenate the body and mind and prepare ourselves for the day ahead, with a fresh perspective.

ALSO READ: Dont rush to check your phone after waking up: Doctor reveals healthy morning habits for eye care

Improves mood:

Morning walks are highly beneficial for mental health as well. Regular morning walks can improve mood and alleviate symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety.

Boosts immunity:

People who walk regularly in the morning have better immune function and are at lesser risk of catching flu or a cold. Morning walk helps in strengthening the immunity of the body.
Authorities in Rome said Wednesday they were mulling introducing a ticketing system for visitors to the iconic Trevi Fountain, in the latest attempt in Italy to tackle overtourism. The backdrop to the most famous scene in Federico Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita", when actress Anita Ekberg takes a dip, the 18th-century fountain is top of the list for many visitors exploring the Eternal City. Authorities propose access system for Trevi Fountain amidst rising visitor numbers(REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane)

"Personally I would be in favour of looking at a new form of access, limited and timed, to the Trevi Fountain," Alessandro Onorato, the city councillor responsible for tourism, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. This would be "a (ticket) reservation system -- free for Romans and costing a symbolic one-euro for tourists", he said, in quotes confirmed by the municipality.

Rome Plans Ticket System for Trevi Fountain

The goal is not to raise money but control the crowds -- including stopping them "eating ice cream or pizza on a monument that deserves the proper respect", he said. As a result of the fountain's fame, the crowds in the square surrounding the Baroque masterpiece are often so deep that it is hard to get a proper look.

A spokesman for the municipality told AFP the ticket proposal was merely "an initial idea -- there is nothing concrete yet". "It is a delicate, difficult issue, but sooner or later it must be addressed," he said. "Tourism in Rome, which is reporting record numbers, must be made sustainable for the city and the environment."

Visitor numbers are expected to surge further in 2025 for the Jubilee, a holy year held by the Catholic Church around once every 25 years, with some 30 million people expected in Rome and the Vatican over the 12 months. Venice earlier this year trialled a five-euro ($5.50) ticket for day visitors during peak periods, in a bid to encourage people to come at less busy times.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government is also considering hiking the nightly tourist tax, although the proposal has sparked anger among industry groups who warn against scaring people away. Onorato said Rome authorities would also like to limit the opening of new bed-and-breakfast or holiday homes to reduce the pressure on the historic centre, but they do not have the power. "Today we can limit the number of restaurants or fast-food outlets in the historic centre, but we cannot prevent the opening of non-hotel facilities," he said.
Do you find that most restaurants especially the fancier ones  are much too dark these days? I certainly do. And I have a general rule. If the light is too atmospheric for me to actually see the food on my plate, I just get up and walk out. Restaurants were never meant to be dimly lit. (Unsplash)

Restaurants were never meant to be dimly lit. Ask your parents and they will tell you that some bars and most nightclubs have always favoured dim lighting on the grounds that it suits the mood. But restaurants were always lit well enough for you to be able to read the menu and to see what you were eating.

In recent years, this rule has been turned on its head. It started with bars, where the golden rule was that if you raised the volume of the music and lowered the lighting, you would make the place feel hip. Guests could go and have conversation anywhere else, the bar-designers said. But when they came to their bars they did not want to do anything as boring as chat. They wanted to feel that they were in a special, highly designed environment.

ALSO READ: The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Why India isnt the vegetarian nation youve been told

Well maybe. But that wasnt the whole story.There were other advantages. Low lighting created a sexier vibe. And as many people who go to trendy bars have a romantic/lust-filled interest in each other, they liked the idea of drinking in dim light. Of course it helped that dim lighting made everyone seem more attractive and hid the blemishes that might otherwise have been visible.

This is not just a hypothesis. People in the business will tell you that bars that have turned up the music and dimmed the lights have seen sales go up. Of course, this is not true of the clubby bars where people meet to discuss deals or actually enjoy their drinks. But the growth sector in the bar business is the dimly lit bar.

I would rather slash both my wrists with a rusty razor than waste an evening in a bar where all conversation was impossible and the lighting were so bad that I risked bumping into the next table every time I stood up from my chair. But I do not dispute that the most successful bars these days are those where you surrender your powers of light and sound to a DJ and a highly paid low-lighting designer.

ALSO READ: The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: The art of Indian dining; thali vs. plated courses

Restaurants, on the other hand, fall into a different category. If you want to go to a restaurant where you cant see the food or hear anyone on your table speak, then my advice is to go to a bar and later order a Burger King or KFC take-out on the way home as a stomach-filler. If you want to go to restaurants that have the ambience of trendy bars, then you probably dont like food anyway.

In my, admittedly old fashioned, view, you should be able to read the menu at a restaurant when you go out for dinner without having to turn on the torch on your phone. At more and more restaurants, even the management recognizes that you will not be able to do this because the lighting is so dim. Therefore, they are ready with a little lamp that you clip on to the menu. Usually, their own lamp rarely emits a light that covers the whole menu so you are better off with your phone torch anyway.

On the other hand, I also recognise that all of us have eyesight of varying strength so perhaps there are people like Superman maybe  who have such good vision that they dont need extra light to read the menu. Hell, Superman could probably read the menu at the restaurant next door with his X-Ray vision.

But I do like looking at my food. And yet many restaurants are so badly lit that you can barely make out what is on your plate. If you have ever gone to a restaurant kitchen you will know that it is brightly lit and that when the chef prepares the plate with your food on it, he looks at it under the glare of bright, light. This same plate is then taken to a dimly lit table and of course, every little decorative touch that the chef has put on the plate is no longer visible. At some restaurants I have to guess whether I am eating chicken or fish because the lighting is so low that I can't tell by just looking at the plate. (And at some restaurants I cant even tell if it is really chicken or fish, even after tasting the dish  but thats another story.)

ALSO READ: The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: How centuries of influence shaped Indian cuisine

None of this seems to bother restaurant owners. Not only are the plates prepared in bright light but when they are photographed  for the menu or for publicity purposes  the photographers use fancy lights to show them off to their best advantage. And yet when they reach the table, the guest can barely make out what the hell is being served to him or her.

Why restaurant owners prefer dim lighting?

There is now a new problem which too many restaurant owners seem unaware of. They recognise that prominence on Instagram is often the cheapest and most effective way of drumming of business. But, for the instagram post to look good, the restaurant must have enough light. This is the bit they dont understand I have lost count of the number of restaurants where the lighting is so bad that it is virtually impossible to take a good photo for Instagram. Even if you can tell what is on the plate, the lighting will be so poorly designed that shadows will cover the food. (This is why the best insta/photos of food are usually taken at lunchtime when you can use natural light and when the owners have not dimmed the lights to extremely low levels.)

Given all this  the inability to see your food, the instagram problems etc. why do restaurant owners persist with such dim light? One good reason is that there are still plenty of non-foodie guests who find a dimly-lit restaurant romantic. Another is that dim light covers a multitude of sins from dirty walls to staff uniforms that have not recently been cleaned.

But mostly it is because the guys who design the lighting dont worry about the people who actually have to eat at the restaurant. They just want something that looks cool and sophisticated (or what they think cool and sophisticated means).

ALSO READ: The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: The guide to enjoying junk food

People who understand the business will never make this mistake. You will never face any difficulty in reading the menu at Bukhara or Indian Accent, I once went, many years ago, to a pre-opening dinner at the Mumbai Ziya with Biki Oberoi. He spent at least an hour, before we even ordered, changing the lighting till he got the effect he wanted. (The restaurant was formally opening in a week.)

So, heres my theory. People who understand food want you to enjoy the restaurant experience. People who dont care about food only want to their places to look cool. So if you go to a restaurant with very dim lighting, leave. The food will probably be crap anyway.
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has bought a commercial office space in Andheri near Mumbai for 3.88 crore, documents accessed by FloorTap.com showed. Anupam Kher on changing perspective of the industry

The office space is spread over an area of 887 sq ft RERA carpet and located on the 24th floor of the tower known as Parinee 1.

The deal was executed on September 3 and a stamp duty of 23.3 lakh was paid for by the Bollywood actor. The unit comes with 1 car park.

The actor and the developer could not be reached.

Other Bollywood actors who have bought commercial real estate

Kangana Ranaut, a BJP MP and Bollywood actor, has purchased an office space in Mumbai's Andheri area for 1.56 crore, according to property registration documents accessed by Propstack.

The property spread across 407 sq ft is located on the 19th floor of a building named Arch One and was purchased at a per sq ft rate of 38,391 sq ft on carpet, according to the documents.

Also Read: Kangana Ranaut buys 407 sq ft office space in Mumbai's Andheri for 1.56 crore

Karishma Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan have all purchased commercial properties to earn high rental yields. The return on investment for an office property often works out to be higher than that of a residential property.

Karishma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and their mother Babita Kapoor had leased a showroom space in Bandra West, Mumbai, for a rent of 6 lakh per month to a jewellery brand last year, documents accessed by Propstack had shown. The tenure of the lease is 49 months.

Ajay Devgn had leased an office space in Andheri West in Mumbai for a monthly rent of 9 lakh for five years, documents accessed by Propstack showed.

Also Read: Tamannaah Bhatia rents commercial property for 18 lakh per month, mortgages 3 flats in Mumbai for 7.84 crore

Amitabh Bachchan, who purchased four commercial units in Oshiwara for around 7 crore each last year had also rented the properties for an annual consideration of 2.07 crore.

Apart from Bachchan, actors Kartik Aryan, Manoj Bajpayee, Sarah Ali Khan and his wife Kajol have also purchased office spaces in Lotus Signature tower in Andheri West last year.

In April last year, Sonu Nigam had purchased two commercial properties spread across an area of 5547 sq ft in Andheri for 11.37 crore, documents shared by Propstack had shown earlier.

Also Read: From Karishma Kapoor to Amitabh Bachchan, heres why Bollywood stars prefer to invest in commercial properties
A 29-year-old non-resident Indian is seeking suggestions on Reddit with regards to a city for relocation upon his/her return to India. Is  1.25 crore enough to buy a house in India? Bengaluru, Gurugram, Mumbai too expensive, enquires NRI on Reddit(Sunil Ghosh/ Hindustan Times)

Is 1.25 cr enough to settle in India? Which city would be the cheapest to live in?, caption of the Reddit post reads.

The user fears that he/she may get fired from his job in the UK and is mulling a return to India. I'm okay with the Hindi belt (Noida, Lucknow, Patna, Jamshedpur, Raipur, etc) as long as I can do a remote/local IT job. Bangalore/Gurgaon/Delhi/Mumbai are too expensive, the Redditor wrote.

Is 1.25 cr enough to settle in the Hindi belt? Could I buy a place and still have money left over., the social media user added.

Also Read: Netizens discuss a case of 38,000 rent for unfurnished 1 BHK in Bengaluru, post goes viral on Reddit

The IT professional, who resided in NCR/Bengaluru before moving to the UK is, however, apprehensive if adjusting to life in a Tier II city of India may prove to be a difficult experience.

Netizens add their two cents

While netizens largely steered clear of making a case for Bengaluru or Mumbai, a host of tier II cities made the cut, including Pune, Lucknow, Goa and Kolkata.

Pune is best bet for you. Go for renting, it's still cheaper. And there are many IT companies too. And labour is cheap for household work, one of the users wrote.

There were also those who recommended that the NRI travel and work from multiple locations. Get a small 1 BHK in RishikeshWhen it's too cold in December then move to Goa and rent an apartment for 1 or 2 monthsAgain in monsoon go to Leh and stay there. On (the) weekend rent a bike and explore Ladakh, a Redditor wrote.

Also Read: Bengaluru auto with flat-like window similar to a 1BHK in Mumbai makes headlines as X post goes viral

Another user recommending Vadodara in Gujarat wrote: 2 BHK - 25-30 lakh to buy (decent ones). 10-15K to rent. The individual listed factors such as proximity to Mumbai and Ahmedabad, safety, presence of healthcare services, good roads and electricity supply, among others, further making a case for the city.

Those advocating in favour of Kolkata wrote: In South Kolkata you can easily get flats in 10-30th floor (1-2 BHK) under 25K. Overall food is really cheap.

How much can  1 crore fetch in India's top property markets?

Mumbai is the financial capital of India and has always been in the news for being the hottest real estate market in the country. However, when it comes to purchasing a budget residential property, there is only little that the city has to offer.

According to local brokers, with as much as a 1 crore budget, homebuyers can only purchase a compact 1 BHK, spanning around 400 square feet in carpet area, in the western and eastern suburbs of the city including areas like Dahisar and Mulund.

Also Read: Bengaluru real estate: A 2BHK listed on X for a rent of 43,000 pm, 2.5 lakh security deposit taken up in 9 hours

Homebuyers can alternatively opt for a studio apartment in the range of 250-350 square feet. However, there are only a handful of developers preferring to construct studio apartments in Mumbai, brokers highlighted.

In contrast, 1 crore can buy Grade A 1 BHK and 2 BHK units spanning anywhere between 600 - 1,200 square feet in Bengaluru. These projects are available in the northern and southern ends of the city, and peripheral business district areas such as Electronic City, Whitefield and so on.

Meanwhile, in Delhi-NCR, one can get a 1,000-sq ft 2 BHK in emerging sectors of Noida or a 1,350-sq ft 3 BHK in Greater Noida, for a budget of 1 crore.

Lastly, in Kolkata, 1 crore can buy as big as a 2,000 sq ft 4 BHK in the northern end of the city, close to the airport. With a pricing of around 6,500 per sq ft, one can also hope to find a 1,500-sq ft 3 BHK in South Kolkata.
NCR-based County Group has signed a development agreement for a 7.9-acre land parcel at village Harsaru in Gurugram for a consideration of 105 crore, property documents accessed by CRE Matrix showed. NCR-based County Group has signed a development agreement for a 7.906-acre land parcel at village Harsaru in Gurugram for a consideration of  105 crore. (Representational photo) Photo by Parveen Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

The land parcel is located in Sector 88A, Gurugram, it showed.

The development agreement was signed on July 9 between Delhi-based Brock Developers Pvt Ltd, Kolkata-based Ashiana Landcraft Realty Pvt Ltd (ALRPL) and Noida-based Perfect Megastructure Pvt Ltd (subsidiary of County Group), the documents showed.

A stamp duty of 2.27 crore was paid for the transaction, the documents showed.

Read More: Welspun One acquires 22-acre land parcel in NCR, to invest 125 crore to build logistics park

As per the agreement, the developer (Perfect Megastructure Pvt Ltd) has agreed to the proposal of the owners to undertake construction, development, sales and marketing of the project and the owners have agreed to transfer the unencumbered and irrevocable development rights in respect of the project land in favour of the developer, the documents showed.

The developer has agreed to develop the land in various phases and the project will be branded by the developer with the brand and the logo determined by the developer. The developer has paid 105 crore as one-time consideration to ALRPL, the documents showed.

There was no response from the developer.

Read More: IKEA partners with Rhenus to set up warehouse in Delhi-NCR near Gurugram

The back story

In June 2023, the DTCP had approved ALRPLs request to change the developer of the project for the balance land parcel measuring 7.9 acres, they showed.



County Group has delivered housing projects like Orange County, Olive County, Cherry County, besides Noida's first luxury project Cleo County, Ivy County, as well as Noida's first ultra-luxury project County 107.

Real estate developers and landowners joined hands to develop 1,546 acres of land and inked a total of 56 separate Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) over the past 18 months. Residential developments had a share of more than 97% (1,501 acres) in these signed agreements offering a development potential of 110 million sq. ft with an estimated gross development value of around 99,460 crore, according to a report by JLL.

Delhi NCR led in terms of number of transactions, with 20 JDAs signed since 2023, covering approximately 233 acres of land. These agreements have the potential for a total development of 36.5 million sq. ft. Within Delhi NCR, a significant portion of these deals, covering 151 acres, were signed in Gurugram alone, the report showed.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) officials have highlighted the toxic work environment at the capital markets regulator under chief Madhabi Puri Buch. In a letter to the finance ministry titled Grievances of SEBI officers - A call for Respect, the employees highlighted unprofessional behaviour on part of the top management. SEBI officers wrote to the government highlighting toxic work culture at the organisation(HT photo)

Here is a look at 5 key grievances that SEBI employees have complained about:

Unrealistic KRA targets

SEBI officials said that management had overhauled the organisation and introduced unrealistic KRA targets with changing goalposts.

Despite struggling and toiling hard to achieve KRA targets for last year, KRA targets for this year were increased anywhere around 20%-50% for some departments and divisions, the letter alleged. Employees are not robots with a knob that one can turn and increase the output.

It also pointed out that SEBI is not a sales organisation where the only objective is to surpass KRAs and do better than last year. The work done at SEBI impacts lives of so many people in this country, working frantically to only achieve unrealistic targets to protect oneself from the ire of people at the highest level is a disservice to SEBI and the people of this country, it said.

Immense work pressure

Stemming from unrealistic targets was another complaint - stressed-out employees working overtime to achieve KRAs. This kind of work environment in recent times has resulted in immense pressure on the employees of SEBI and has resulted in a stressful and toxic work environment. The SEBI which used to be a place where people used to work joyously and efficiently has become a furnace of unrealistic KRA point achievement, employees said.

The letter further said that many SEBI employees were forced to work overtime and work on weekends to keep up with the work pressure. Officers who live far away take files with them so they can work from home after office hours and weekends, it alleged.

SEBI officials also highlighted stress and anxiety in employees who bear the brunt of all the work that is pushed onto them while claiming that in many departments, the senior and middle management has no value addition but only panic addition.

Public humiliation

SEBI employees objected to the unprofessional behaviour of higher management, saying that shouting, public humiliation and name-calling had become the order of the day to such an extent that even senior officers are afraid to attend meetings because of the bad behaviour of people at the highest level.

At one time, the employees will be name called and at other times they would be shouted at by the leadership with no defence from top management, the grievances letter alleged. It further alleged that fear had become the primary driving force at SEBI.

Unprofessional language is casually used by people at the highest level. Shouting, scolding and public humiliation have become a norm in meetings, the letter said.

Officers added that SEBI management had adopted a leadership style where employees are browbeaten into submission, using harsh and unprofessional language, and called for an end to this practice.

Swing barriers

Swing barriers to monitor attendance became another sore point with SEBI officers who said that it showed a lack of trust in employees.

One of the ways mistrust towards employees has surfaced is installation of swing barriers to monitor intra-day attendance of employees. Many private organizations are moving away from even biometric attendance systems to promote a positive work culture and showcase trust in their employees, the letter said.

In their letter, SEBI officers said that people at the highest level of the organisation seemed to be living in the 1950s, when it was the largely-held view that employees are not self-motivated and avoid work. By contrast, SEBI is an intellectual organisation that succeeds because its employees are self-motivated.

It said that installing swing barriers to mark intra-day attendance is an insult to employees and reflective of the managements distrust. The complaint also noted how management tends to monitor employees minute-by-minute.

Mental health impacted

In Grievances of SEBI officers - A call for Respect, SEBI officers said that the managements attitude, the toxic work culture and work pressure had adversely impacted the mental health of employees.

In fact, officers said that the mental health counsellor who earlier had only a few bookings has now been inundated with appointments. As a result, the HR has had to increase the counsellors number of visit days and has had to open up unlimited mental health counselling for employees.
An elderly woman in Romania used one of the worlds largest amber nuggets as a doorstop for decades without realising its true value. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the prehistoric gemstone is actually worth over $1.1 million. One of the world's largest amber nuggets that was found in Romania.(Facebook/Muzeul Judetean Buzau )

The unnamed woman found the amber nugget near a stream in the Romanian village of Colti many years ago. She picked it up without realising its value and used it as a doorstop in her home for decades. No one, including jewel thieves who once broke into her house, realised that they were staring at a piece of history worth 1 million euros.

A startling discovery

The true value of the amber nugget only came to light after the woman died in 1991 and it caught the eye of one of her relatives. The man who inherited the doorstop examined it more closely and suspected that it might be worth something.

His suspicions were proven right when he sold the nugget to the Romanian state, which quickly classified it as a national treasure. Romania gave the nugget to the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland to confirm its authenticity.

Polish experts confirmed its authenticity and estimated that the amber nugget is between 38.5 and 70 million years old.

Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level, said Daniel Costache, director of the Provincial Museum of Buzau, where the amber nugget is currently housed. Costache believes it is one of the largest pieces of amber in the world.

Meanwhile, relatives of the late woman said that thieves failed to recognise the real treasure before their eyes when they broke into her home and departed with a few pieces of gold jewellery.

In their frantic search for valuables, they overlooked the real treasure that was there before their eyes, the relatives told El Pais.
On the birth anniversary of former Indian President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the US Embassy in India paid a poignant tribute by sharing rare photographs from his 1963 visit to the United States. The images, capturing a warm reception by President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy at the White House, highlighted a significant moment in US-India relations. The image showcases Radhakrishnan's warm reception by President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.(@USAndIndia)

The Embassys official social media account featured a heartfelt message, quoting Dr Radhakrishnan: Books are the means by which we build bridges between cultures. This quote perfectly encapsulates Dr Radhakrishnans philosophy of learning and cross-cultural understanding. The post continued, Remembering former Indian President Dr Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary, celebrated as #TeachersDay with a picture from his visit to the U.S. in 1963.

(Also read: My son takes money from me: 55-year-old single mother drives auto till 1:30 am, shares her struggles)

Historic reception

The photos shared depicted Dr Radhakrishnan arriving in Washington, DC, and being greeted warmly by the Kennedy family. The images of the smiling Kennedys as they welcomed the Indian leader were a powerful reminder of the respect and admiration Dr Radhakrishnan commanded on the global stage.

The social media post quickly gained traction, with many users expressing admiration for Dr Radhakrishnans contributions to education and diplomacy.

Teachers' day: A tribute to education

Books are the means by which we build bridges between cultures.

Teachers' Day, celebrated in India on September 5, was established to honor Dr Radhakrishnans contributions to education. During his presidency, he requested that his birthday be observed as a day dedicated to teachers and their role in shaping society.

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, born in 1888, was a distinguished philosopher, academic, and politician. Serving as Indias second president and first vice president from 1952 to 1962, he was known for his deep knowledge of philosophy and religion. His advocacy for education and cultural exchange left an enduring impact, making him a revered figure globally. Dr Radhakrishnans eloquence and intellectual prowess left an indelible mark, making him a celebrated figure both in India and internationally.
Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus questioned India's concerns of the violent attacks on Hindus in the country, saying that the issue of attacks on minority Hindus has been exaggerated. He also said that the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh is more political than communal, reported PTI. Nobel laureate and Chief adviser of Bangladesh's new interim government Muhammad Yunus. (AFP)

Yunus, in an interview with PTI, said that the attacks on minorities were a part of a political fallout, since there was a perception that most Hindus support the now-deposed Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina.

I have said this to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks, the Nobel laureate said.

This statement comes after multiple reports of violence and attacks against Hindus surfaced from Bangladesh, after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5. Hindu temples and businesses were vandalised, and two Hindu leaders of Awami League were killed, as per local media reports.

Now, while beating up Awami League cadres, they had beaten up Hindus as there is a perception that Hindus in Bangladesh mean Awami League supporters. I am not saying what has happened is right, but some people are using it as an excuse to seize property. So, there is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus, Yunus said.

Yunus, during his first direct conversation with New Delhi after the formation of the interim government, conveyed to PM Modi that Bangladesh would prioritise the protection and safety of Hindus and all other minority groups.

Describing the attacks as more political than communal, Yunus questioned how India is propagating them.

These attacks are political in nature and not communal. And India is propagating these incidents in a big way. We have not said that we cant do anything; we have said that we are doing everything, the Chief Adviser said.

Yunus further said that New Delhi needs to let go of this narrative that Bangladesh will turn into Afghanistan after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. He said, India is captivated by this narrative. India needs to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is just another neighbour.

(With inputs from PTI)
Dhaka: A controversy over the killing of a teenage Bangladeshi girl on the border with India took a fresh twist on Thursday when Dhaka sought to blame the Border Security Force (BSF) for the incident. BSF personnel keep vigil amid high alert at the India-Bangladesh international Border, at Chatrahati in South Dinajpur. (ANI)

On Monday morning, BSF personnel in Tripura found the girls body with bullet injuries at the zero line ahead of the India-Bangladesh border fence. Indian officials said she was allegedly shot dead by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) while trying to enter India illegally.

The body was handed to the BGB on Tuesday evening, more than 24 hours after the Bangladeshi side refused to take it back and a flag meeting was held between the two forces.

On Thursday, Bangladeshs foreign affairs contended in a protest note sent to the Indian mission in Dhaka that 13-year-old Shwarna Das, of Juri upazila of Moulvi Bazar district, was shot and killed by the BSF on September 1.

The Bangladeshi side said Das and her mother allegedly tried to cross the border into India through an illegal route with the help of human traffickers. They intended to visit Das brother in India.

There was no immediate word on the protest from the Indian side.

Bangladesh said such incidents are undesirable and unwarranted and violate the provisions of the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities of 1975.

However, Indian officials said earlier they suspect the teenager may have been shot while trying to cross into India illegally.

A BSF official aware of the matter said: Initially, BGB refused to take back the body. They said she is not from Bangladesh and may have been killed by the forces in India. But our probe revealed that she was from Kalaura police station area in Bangladesh.

He added: Most likely, she was shot and managed to run a few metres before collapsing on the zero line.

While the Indian side has a border fence, there is no fence in Bangladesh. Since August 5, the day then premier Sheikh Hasina fled to India and Bangladesh witnessed political turmoil, thousands of Bangladesh nationals, many of them claiming to be Hindus, have attempted to enter India illegally, fearing persecution. Such infiltrators have been stopped at the border fence or at zero line by the BSF and returned to Bangladesh.

A day before the girls body was found, the BGB announced enhanced security measures along the border and two helplines where people could give information about those crossing the frontier illegally.

A senior BSF official said the force follows a non-lethal policy at the border. The officer, who asked not to be named, asserted the girl was shot dead by the BGB. Despite so many cases of attempted intrusion since August 5, BSF has not used force in any case. In fact, all intruders are being apprehended and handed over to BGB after flag meetings, he said.

More than two dozen people have been returned to Bangladesh after flag meetings at different border points.
Munich police in Germany have said that their officers fired shot dead a suspicious male person on Thursday in an area near a Nazi-era museum and the Israeli consulate in the Karolinenplatz area, news agency AP reported. Police officers secure the area around the Koenigsplatz square after a shooting near the building of the Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism (NS-Dokumentationszentrum) in Munich, southern Germany, on September 5, 2024. German police said they shot a suspect in central Munich on September 5, near the documentation centre on the Nazi era and the Israeli consulate, and advised people to stay clear of the area. (Photo by Pauline CURTET / AFP)(AFP)

Police said on social media platform X that there was no evidence of any more suspects connected to the incident. Five more police officials have been deployed and the area has been cordoned off. An operation is underway, and the public have been asked to avoid the area.

Also read | Germany's far right wins big in elections for the first time since Nazi era

The person was considered suspicious as he appeared to be carrying a long-barrelled gun, but the police have not identified the person so far. Police also said there is no threat to any other locations.

According to AP, police officers spotted a person carrying a long gun in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, at around 9 am. Police exchanged fire in which the suspect was seriously injured.

Also read | German firms warned of packages containing incendiary devices

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed when the shooting occurred, and that no consulate staff had been hurt.

German interior minister Nancy Faeser termed the shooting as a serious incident and said the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities is of the highest priority. She also said that she in contact with emergency services and do not speculate on further details.

The incident comes on the 52nd anniversary of attack on 1972 Munich Olympics. An attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation led to death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants. It is not clear whether the shooting is connected to the anniversary in any way.

(With inputs from agencies)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday named India, China and Brazil as possible intermediaries for peace talks with Ukraine, saying he has relations of trust and confidence with the leaders of these three countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday. (AFP Photo)

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin contended that an agreement reached by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators during talks in Turkiye in March 2022  within weeks of the launch of the Russian invasion  should serve as the basis for any future talks.

Putin was responding to a question by the moderator about countries that can act as mediators between Russia and Ukraine. First of all, it is Chinese Peoples Republic, Brazil and India  I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries  and we have relations of trust and confidence with one another  will be really interested and provide a helping hand, he said.

He subsequently added, If there is a desire [on the part] of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that, but based on the agreements that were achieved in Istanbul.

Putin was referring to talks held in Turkiye in March 2022 by Russian and Ukrainian negotiators that he claimed had led to a document that was endorsed by the Ukrainian side. He further contended that this agreement wasnt implemented because the West instructed Ukraine to continue fighting to ensure the strategic defeat of Russia.

The panel discussion also featured Chinese vice president Han Zheng and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said securing a just and fair peace would immensely help not only Russia and Ukraine but the entire world because the conflict is disrupting global supply chains.

Putins remarks came against the backdrop of visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia in July and Ukraine in August. Modi told both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a solution cannot be found on the battlefield and nudged them to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Zelensky has suggested that a planned second peace summit on Ukraine could be hosted by India, but he also emphasised that this will only be possible if New Delhi signs on to the joint communique that was issued after the first peace summit hosted by Switzerland in June. India participated in the first peace summit but didnt endorse the joint communique.

While in Moscow during July 8-9, Modi told Putin that talks cannot succeed under the shadow of the gun. Given Ukraines refusal to join direct negotiations with Russia, Modi said a solution to the conflict cant be found without engaging Russia. Modi also said that New Delhis position is not neutral, but on the side of peace.

Modis visits to Moscow and Kyiv were seen as the delicate balancing resorted to by India in the face of persisting calls from the West to help find a solution to the conflict, especially in the context of its efforts to act as the voice of the Global South.

India has so far not publicly censured Russias invasion of Ukraine and it has largely abstained on all Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations. It has ramped up purchases of discounted Russian commodities, especially oil. The Indian side has, however, emphasised that it is ready to play an active role in all peace efforts.
PARIS  President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier as Frances new prime minister on Thursday, hoping the Brexit negotiator and veteran conservative can work with the country's bitterly divided legislature to end political turmoil that has roiled Macron's presidency. Macron names EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as Frances new prime minister

Barnier, 73, is the oldest of the 26 prime ministers that have served modern France's Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, who was 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago.

Attal was also France's first openly gay prime minister. French media and some of Macron's political opponents, who immediately criticized Barnier's appointment, quickly dug up that, when serving in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law that decriminalized homosexuality.

Barnier's appointment ends more than 50 days of a caretaker government in France, but offers no guarantee of a return to political calm. Barnier faces the tough task of having to work with the acrimonious and deeply split hung parliament that emerged from an early legislative election that Macron called in June.

At a handover ceremony with Attal, Barnier said that his new role would require lots of listening, lots of respect."

Without a legislative majority of his own behind him, Barnier will need to find loose ad hoc groupings of backers in the National Assembly to tackle Frances pressing issues  including the budget for 2025. Macron and his aides spent weeks sounding out potential prime ministerial candidates, making calls and trying to build consensus, in the search for a government leader who might be able to survive in the fractured political landscape.

Barnier, a career politician proud of his humble roots in Frances Alpine region of Haute-Savoie, is no stranger to complex and daunting tasks: He was the European Unions chief negotiator in the difficult talks with Britain over its departure from the bloc.

But he could quickly face possible attempts in parliament to topple the new government he will put together and lead. Opponents of Macron on the left of French politics immediately portrayed the appointment of the conservative Barnier as a slap in the face for those who voted for them in the legislative election. Macron hoped the voting would strengthen his position and provide clarity. Instead, the July 7 outcome saw his centrist government lose its majority but also produced no clear winner.

By turning to Barnier, Macron is hoping to break the political deadlock.

A statement from Macron's office announcing the appointment said Barnier was tasked with forming a unifying government to serve the country and the French people.

This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the future government would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible and give themselves the chances of uniting as broadly as possible, the statement said.

Forming a government that isn't quickly toppled by a parliamentary censure vote is sure to be a delicate tightrope act with a legislature so divided. To build the support his government will need, Barnier could possibly offer ministerial posts to potential allies.

He will seek to build a government of national union, casting a wide net," said Christophe Boutin, a political analyst at the University of Caen Normandie,

But Barnier will also have to make do "without the extremes, Boutin added, referring to Macrons fiercest opponents on the far-left and far-right of French politics that have considerable sway but no majority in the legislature.

Barnier brings ample experience and networks of contacts from his political career of more than 50 years. He has served as ministers for foreign and European affairs as well as the environment and agriculture  and twice as a European commissioner.

But his profile could also leave Macron open to opponents' accusations that the president is not effecting the deep change that some voters hoped for from the legislative elections.

Taking all this time to end up with Barnier, it doesnt give the impression of a major revolution," Boutin said. "Barnier has been in the political landscape for centuries.

So political instability wouldn't overshadow the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Olympics, when France was in the global spotlight, Macron had kept Attal and his ministers on in a caretaker capacity, handling day-to-day affairs, after the prime minister resigned July 16, in the wake of the legislative defeat.

Influential far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on Thursday immediately came out against Barniers appointment and predicted the prime minister would not get majority backing from lawmakers.

Melenchon said the appointment flew in the face of the election results that left parliaments lower house split between three main blocs  the left, including Melenchons party; the center where Macron has based his support, and the far right, converging around anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen.

The election has been stolen, Melenchon asserted.

Le Pen, on the other hand, indicated that she's willing to give Barnier a chance but said her National Rally party won't take part in his government.

She said the 2025 budget will be a priority. Barnier's government faces a tight deadline to deliver one. France is also under pressure from the EU to get its finances in order, with Brussels having rebuked Paris for running up excessive debt.

Barnier is "a man respectful of other political forces," Le Pen said. Its important because compromises will have to be reached, considering the state of Frances budget.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NEW YORK  Spared from prosecution in Britain on Thursday, Harvey Weinstein now faces the prospect of a new indictment in New York, where prosecutors retrying the disgraced movie moguls rape case are taking steps to potentially charge him with up to three additional sex assaults. New York seeking to charge Harvey Weinstein with more sex crimes as Britain drops its case

Britains Crown Prosecution Service, which authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein in 2022, announced Thursday that it decided to discontinue the proceedings because there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties, the CPS said in a statement. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

At the same time, the Manhattan district attorneys office in New York has begun presenting evidence to a grand jury of up to three previously uncharged allegations against Weinstein - two sexual assaults in the mid-2000s and another sexual assault in 2016.

The New York grand jurys term expires Friday, and a vote on an indictment could happen by the end of the week, though its possible the process could extend beyond that. Prosecutors said they would seek to combine any new charges with ones previously brought against Weinstein so that they could be tried together.

In April, New Yorks top court overturned Weinsteins rape and sexual assault convictions and ordered a new trial. The states Court of Appeals found that the judge in the 2020 trial unfairly allowed testimony from women whose claims against Weinstein werent part of the case.

Prosecutors shared some information about the additional allegations that the grand jury is weighing at a court conference on Tuesday.

They include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006, and an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016.

Judge Curtis Farber elicited the details as Weinsteins lawyers weighed potentially having his testify before the grand jury, which they said hed wanted to do. Weinstein was not present at the conference.

Aidala said Thursday that hes decided against testifying, citing a lack of sufficient information about the new allegations. He criticized prosecutors for seeking to add additional accusers to the case rather than simply trying Weinsteins original indictment again.

The case was overturned in April and they spent six months trying to dig up someone to come after him, Aidala said.

Weinstein, 72, has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone. He remains in custody in New York while awaiting a retrial in Manhattan thats tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 12. He is expected back in court for a pretrial hearing Sept. 12.

Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which took root in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. After the revelations emerged, British police said they were investigating multiple allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place between the 1980s and 2015.

In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized Londons Metropolitan Police Service to file two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein over an alleged incident that occurred in London in 1996. The victim was in her 50s at the time of the announcement.

Unlike many other countries, Britain does not have a statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault.

After Weinsteins conviction was overturned, New York prosecutors said they intended to bring new sexual assault charges against him and were actively pursuing claims of rape that occurred in Manhattan within the statute of limitations.

At the original trial, Weinstein was convicted of forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actor in 2013. Those allegations will be part of his retrial. Weinsteins acquittals on charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape still stand.

After the retrial, Weinstein is due to start serving a 16-year sentence in California for a separate rape conviction in Los Angeles, authorities said. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022.

Weinstein, the co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company film studios, was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, producing such Oscar winners as Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love.

Kirka reported from London. Associated Press writers Brian Melley and Phil Marcelo contributed to this report.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The fragile estrangement between Prince William and Prince Harry, which temporarily allowed both brothers to attend their uncle's funeral last week, has seemingly disintegrated, with tensions flaring up once again, as the Prince of Wales' old friend making fun of very thick Harry. "Difficult" Prince William is "preventing" Prince Harry to meet their father, King Charles III.(AP)

A close pal of the prince told The Daily Beast that Harry was a broken record who seemed to be pretending to not get the message that he is not wanted. This came in response to reports that Harry, who has been living in the United States since stepping down from royal duties, would be prepared to take on certain royal responsibilities if requested by King Charles III, but only if Prince William offered him an apology.

The Mirror reported that Harry, despite his decision to leave the royal family, would be open to temporarily resuming some royal duties to help out, provided that William apologized.

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Prince Harry is not wanted back in the Royal Family

However, those close to Prince William were dismissive of this idea, reiterating that Queen Elizabeth II had been very clear in her stance that one cannot be half in and half out of the royal family. Nothing has changed, said one of William's friends, and added, Whoever is promulgating these ludicrous theories on Harrys behalf is simply pretending to not get the message that he is not wanted. They are either very thick or pretending to be.

The rift between the brothers runs deep, and it is understood that they are no longer on speaking terms. This estrangement extends to their father, Charles, who is reportedly refusing to take Harry's phone calls. Harry is said to be upset with his father, believing that the king could intervene to secure automatic security for him when he visits the U.K. However, the king's team has indicated that it would be inappropriate for him to get involved, especially given that Harry is currently suing the U.K. government over the issue.

ALSO READ| Prince Harry missed an opportunity to make amends with Prince William, says royal expert

The brothers both attended the funeral of their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in Norfolk last week, but it is reported that they were keeping a distance during the event. After the service, Harry stayed with his mother's brother, Charles Spencer.

Some friends of the Spencer family saw William's decision to attend the funeral as a potential sign of reconciliation. It was probably always going to be a funeral that brought the boys together under one roof, a family friend told The Daily Beast, adding, the fact that William didnt boycott it because Harry was going to be there has cast a glimmer of hope in an otherwise deeply depressing impasse.
Toronto: Hours after the New Democratic Party (NDP) pulled out from an agreement it had with the ruling Liberal Party Government, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed he does not want an early election and indicated he will seek to work with his former partner. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (REUTERS)

Speaking to the media in the town of Rocky Harbour in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Trudeau said, I look forward to conversations with Mr (Jagmeet) Singh about how were going to continue to demonstrate that confident countries invest in their citizens, invest in their future, because thats what were doing. That statement just hours after Jagmeet Singh announced his party was withdrawing from the Supply and Confidence Agreement, which had been in place since March 2022.

Ill let others focus on politics, but I will point out that I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the last years, rather than focusing on politics, Trudeau added.

With Trudeaus party in a minority in the House of Commons, the opposition Conservative Party is already seeking to force an election at the earliest, with a potential no confidence motion when the House of Commons meets for its session beginning on September 18.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre told reports in Nanaimo, British Columbia, that the date for such a motion was undecided, as he said, Right now, we dont have a calendar to indicate when we can put forward a motion.

However, he placed more pressure on the NDP, as he said, After Sellout Singh did this stunt today, he is going to have to vote on whether he keeps Justin Trudeaus costly Government in power.

Trudeau was hopeful that snap elections can be averted, as he said, I certainly hope that the NDP will stay true to its fundamental values, which is making sure that Canadians get the support they need and keeping away the austerity the cuts and the damage that will be done by Conservatives if they get the chance.

Federal elections in Canada are scheduled for October 2025, but with just 154 MPs, Trudeaus Liberals are in a minority in the 338-member House. Till Wednesday morning, it had survived with the support of the 25-strong NDP caucus.

In a video message posted on Wednesday, Singh said he had ripped up the agreement, adding, Canadians are fighting a battle. A battle for the future of the middle class. Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They dont deserve another chance from Canadians.

The announcement came at a time when the Trudeau Government is extremely unpopular and that disfavour rubbed on to the NDP. According to a survey released by the non-profit public polling agency Angus Reid Institute or ARI, the Conservatives enjoy 43 per cent support, a hefty 22 per cent advantage over the ruling party.
Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly pledged his support to Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump in the November 5 presidential election. His pro-Harris comments came at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, September 5, just after the Biden administration accused Russia of interfering in the presidential bid. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday. (AFP Photo)

On September 4, Attorney General Merrick Garland called out the Russian government's covert campaign to interfere and influence the outcome of our country's elections.

Nevertheless, Putin asserted the next day that while President Joe Biden was running for his re-election bid, he was the country's favourite. Now that the baton has been passed on to Harris following Biden's July exit, Russia is all for supporting the new Democratic presidential candidate.

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Russia declares news presidential hopeful favourite

I told you our favourite, if you can call it that, was the current President Mr Biden. He was removed from the race, but he recommended all his supporters to support Ms. Harris. So we will do the same. We will support her, the Russian president said on Thursday.

Ultimately, he acknowledged that the power to pick their favourites vested in American people, as he foregrounded that Russia will respect that choice.

Further speaking on the Harris vs Trump front, Putin said that the Republican presidential hopeful has introduced such a number of restrictions and sanctions against Russia that no president has ever introduced before.

If Ms Harris is doing well, then maybe she will refrain from actions of this kind.

Although Trump has been the constant subject of praise in Putin's diary, he previously implied that Biden is more experienced, more predictable.

In July, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov painted a different picture of Russia's support for Harris. "At the moment, we cannot assess the potential candidacy of Ms Harris from the point of view of our bilateral relations because, so far, her contribution to our bilateral relations has not been noticed.

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"There were statements that were replete with rhetoric quite unfriendly toward our country, but her actions in relations to bilateral relations come under neither a plus nor a minus sign."

US vs Russia exchange amid ongoing election campaigns

Putin has continued offering his two cents on the 2024 presidential election. However, the US isn't necessarily accepting these tips as savoury. National Security Spokesman John Kirby previously said that the Russian president should just stay out of our elections.

Key highlights from Wednesday's meeting of the Justice Department's election Threats Task Force also underscored that the United States are not a big fan of Russia's ongoing influence campaign revolving around the alleged creation of fake news sites to push Russian propaganda.

The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country's free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda, Merrick Garland said on Wednesday.

During the meeting, prosecutors unsealed a 71-page affidavit in a federal district court in New York. According to CBS News, they've filed charges against two Russia-based employees of a state-controlled media outlet of conspiring to commit money laundering and conspiring to violate the Federal Agents Registration Act.
Growing wildfires in California forced evacuations as a heat wave Wednesday threatened to make fire conditions worse. In the Midwest, a wildfire kept residents of South Dakotas second-largest city on edge, ready to flee if flames moved dangerously close. A wildfire is seen along Highway 32 near Butte Meadows, California, U.S. July 26, 2024. REUTERS/Fred Greaves/File Photo(REUTERS)

A blaze near the remote Northern California mountain community of Sierra Brooks was uncontained. Authorities expanded evacuation orders for a total of more than 530 residents Tuesday evening after strong winds pushed flames through dry brush and timber about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Lake Tahoe. The Bear Fire grew to more than 4.7 square miles (12 square kilometers) and sent up a plume of smoke visible some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away in Reno, Nevada.

Due to steep and rocky terrain, crews have experienced difficulty in gaining access to some areas of the fire, slowing progress, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement. Flames damaged power lines, knocking out electricity to more than 750 residents, the service said.

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Central California wildfire scorches 17 square miles

In central California, firefighters working in triple-digit temperatures were battling a blaze that scorched more than 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) of dry brush in mostly open space. A handful of homes were evacuated outside of Coalinga in Fresno County. The Boone Fire was 5% contained Wednesday.

Across the state, red flag warnings for increased wildfire risk were issued. The desert communities of Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms, Needles and Barstow were heating up, with highs of up to 118 F (47.7 Celsius) in Death Valleys Furnace Creek expected at weeks end.

In Southern Californias Santa Barbara County, officials issued a health alert due to spiking temperatures in inland areas. The health department urged residents to stay indoors during the day and take other measures to avoid heat-related illnesses. Cooling centers were set up across Los Angeles County.

The wildfire news was better in South Dakota: The battle to contain the First Thunder Fire got a boost Wednesday from cooler weather and lighter winds. Officials were optimistic homes in Rapid City would remain safe.

The First Thunder Fire was reported Monday just a few miles (kilometers) from Rapid City, a community of 80,000 residents near Black Hills National Forest. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, is far out of harm's way.

The fire burning nearly 160 acres (65 hectares) was fueled by uncommonly hot and dry weather  Tuesdays high in Rapid City was 96 degrees Fahrenheit (35.6 Celsius), well above the normal early-September high of 75 (23.9 Celsius). Winds gusted to 45 mph (72 kph).

As late as Tuesday evening, residents in an evacuation warning area of Rapid City were being told to pack their bags, gather vital belongings and be prepared to leave at a moment's notice.

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Wildfire contained in South Dakota, officials urge residents to remain prepared

By Wednesday morning, the temperature was far cooler, the winds calmer and the air more humid.

Firefighters got a good handle on the wildfire last night, an update from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said. Its currently at 157 acres. Weather conditions are very favorable today. They are mopping up a large portion on the west side and are hoping to get everything contained and under control today.

Officials don't yet know what caused the fire that burned across a steep, rocky area. No structural damage was immediately reported.

Pennington County, South Dakota, Fire Administrator Jerome Harvey said those residing in the Rapid City area are in a red zone where wildfires can occur at virtually any time.

You need to be prepared for that, Harvey said at a news conference Tuesday. These kinds of events can happen on a year-round basis. There is no longer a defined fire season.

Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun on Tuesday urged residents to gather up key documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards and vital financial information, along with cherished photographs and prescriptions.

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Residents in areas near the fire also were urged to have a plan for what to do with pets should evacuations become necessary. A Rapid City animal hospital was prepared to take in small animals. For larger animals, a fairground was set up for displaced livestock.
Prince Harry recently made another unexpected trip to the UK for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes' funeral on August 29. Per a new report, it's now implied that the Duke of Sussex wasn't cornered with his solitude despite his estranged ties with the royal family. While his paternal connections have run dry amid the familial rift, his recent homecoming dash marked the 39-year-old duke reconnecting with his late mother's side of the family. Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry are seen. (AP)

The Duke's lodging has been an issue during every brief UK return since he stepped down from his active post as a working royal member. However, this time, Princess Diana's ancestral home, Althorp House, came to his rescue, where he spent some quality time with his uncle, Charles Spencer, per People Magazine.

Prince Harry reunited with Princess Diana's family after Prince William snub

Prince William also attended the service for Lord Fellowes at St Mary's Church in Snettisham, Norfolk, held just days before the 27th anniversary of Princess Diana's death, which occurred on August 31 following a car crash. Despite the two estranged brothers being present at the same event, an insider told the outlet that their reunion was distantly frosty as they shared their time with different groups of maternal cousins.

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This isn't the first time Harry's uncle Spencer rallied to support him. Amid a series of snubs from his father and brother, the Duke of Sussex found support in his aunt Lady Jane Fellowes, uncle Charles Spencer and a few cousins  George McCorquodale, Ned Spencer and Louis Spencer  alongside Viscount Althorp at the special service for his Invictus Games in May, celebrating ten years of the foundation.

How Prince Harry feels about the Althorp estate

Althorp also serves as Princess Diana's resting place. Hence, Prince Harry has bittersweet ties with the place. No visit to this place was ever easy, but this one twenty-fifth anniversary. And Megs first time. At long last, I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet mum, the Duke wrote about his two-year-old visit to his mother's grave alongside his wife Meghan Markle in his memoir Spare,' released in January 2023.

Further reflecting on his feelings about Althorp, an extract from Harry's book reads: "Uncle Charles came down to the water's edge, gave us a little shove. We waved to him, and to my two aunts. Bye. See you in a bit.

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Gliding across the pond, I gazed around at Althorp's rolling fields and ancient trees, the thousands of green acres where my mother grew up, and where, though things werent perfect, she'd known some peace.

On August 31, Harry's uncle remembered his sister, Princess Diana, and paid her a tribute on Instagram. Though uncaptioned, the post shows a collection of old photographs and newspaper cuttings featuring the late Princess.

The 9th Earl Spencer grew up with three sisters: Sarah, Jane, and Diana. He is the youngest of the five children born to John Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd.
Donald Trump has broken his silence on the Georgia school shooting that has left two students and two teachers dead. As many as nine other people at Apalachee High School in Winder, which is about an hour outside of Atlanta, had to be rushed to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Among them, a math teacher was left with a shattered hip. Donald Trump blasts sick and deranged monster who opened fire at Georgia school (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)(REUTERS)

The alleged gunman has been identified as Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at the school. The weapon used in the shooting was an AR-15 style rifle, a law enforcement official told CNN. The suspect is in custody.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump wrote on Truth Social. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Love will prevail over what happened today

Gray, who was unharmed, will be charged with murder as an adult, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said. This is at least the 45th school shooting this year, a CNN analysis has revealed.

My heart hurts for these kids, my heart hurts for our community, but I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

I want that to be very clear and known. he added. Love will prevail over what happened today.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has also spoken out about the tragedy. I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Kemp said. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.
It has been revealed that the Georgia school where two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting on Wednesday, September 4, received a chilling phone call hours before the tragedy. On Wednesday morning, an unknown caller allegedly called Apalachee High School. The person threatened shootings across five locations, officials told CNN. It is still unclear who placed the call. Georgia school received chilling phone call hours before deadly shooting (REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage)(REUTERS)

Several calls were reportedly received about a shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, that day. The school was immediately placed on a hard lockdown.

Later, a 14-year-old student of the school, Colt Gray, opened fire, killing four people and injuring many others. The four deceased people have been identified as math teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, and 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo.

No evidence that other schools are being targeted

Meanwhile, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey has said that there is no evidence to suggest that other schools are being targeted. However, investigators are pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, he said.

Theres no evidence to report that any additional shooter was involved in this incident today, Hosey said. There is no evidence of a list of schools being targeted.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, he added. Were going through everything to determine if there is any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia, and we will continue to monitor that throughout this investigation.

A joint statement from FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office has revealed that in 2023, Gray was questioned by law enforcement regarding several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time. However, he denied making the online threats and there was no probable cause for arrest at the time. He was taken into custody after the Georgia school shooting, and will reportedly be charged with murder as an adult.
Financial firm Goldman Sachs has claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris's decisive victory in the 2024 election would be the best possible outcome for the US economy. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign stop at the Throwback Brewery, in North Hampton, N.H., Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)(AP)

The financial firm believes that a Republican sweep in Congress alongside a victory for former President Donald Trump would result in reduced economic growth next year due to Trump's promises to take a tougher stance on immigration and raise tariffs on imports from countries like China.

Goldman analysts estimate that if Trump wins in a sweep or with divided government, the hit to growth from tariffs and tighter immigration policy would outweigh the positive fiscal impulse.

They also noted that If Democrats sweep, new spending and expanded middle-income tax credits would slightly more than offset lower investment due to high corporate tax rates, resulting in a very slight boost to [gross domestic product] growth.

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Goldman Sachs predicts Harris presidency to create 10,000 more jobs per month

Harris's economic plan aims to support working families through policies such as restoring the expanded Child Tax Credit and introducing a new tax credit of $6,000 for low- to middle-income families with newborn children. She has also pledged to reduce costs for prescription drugs, groceries, and address Wall Street's growing presence in the housing market.

Goldman also predicts that under a Harris presidency, job growth would be 10,000 jobs per month higher than under a Trump presidency with divided government, and 30,000 jobs higher than under a complete Republican takeover. Immigration would contribute more significantly to the labor force under Harriss leadership, as her administration would still slow immigration but at a much weaker pace than Trumps potential policies.

Trumps economic platform includes a proposed 10% tariff on all imported goods, a move he argues would protect American jobs and generate revenue to extend his 2017 tax cuts.

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Many analysts believe that Trump will soon reimpose tariffs on imports from China as well as tariffs on automobiles, with Chinese electric vehicles to be hit with a 100% increase in tariffs due to an order from President Joe Biden that expanded on Trumps tariff plans. He has called for even higher tariffs on Chinese products, which some suggested can even be as high as 50 percent or more.

Trump's proposed economic policies are expected to increase the federal deficit by $5.8 trillion over the next decade, nearly five times more than Harriss proposals, which would add $1.2 trillion, according to studies from the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Wharton Budget Model.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has asked Elon Musk to delete your account on X (formerly Twitter) following a controversial interview conducted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Mark Cuban's Harris vs Trump poll garnered attention of MAGA as well as of the X owner himself, Elon Musk.(AP)

The interview, which touched on sensitive historical topics, including World War II and Winston Churchill, drew significant attention after Musk endorsed it, describing it as worth watching. Cuban, however, was quick to respond, expressing his disapproval in no uncertain terms.

The Tesla boss took to X to promote an interview featuring Carlson and Darryl Cooper, the host of The MartyrMade Podcast. He wrote, Very interesting. Worth watching.

Carlson introduced Cooper during the interview as the best and most honest popular historian in the United States, highlighting Coopers latest project, which Carlson described as an exploration of the most forbidden of all: trying to understand World War Two.

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Cuban, an entrepreneur and part-owner of the Dallas Mavericks, didnt hesitate to express his disagreement with Musks endorsement. He responded with, Delete your account x.com/elonmusk.

The tension between Cuban and Musk, however, is not new

Earlier, Cuban had publicly raised concerns about what he perceived as a discrepancy in a poll on X, suggesting that Musk might be able to manipulate the platforms algorithm to influence outcomes. Musk responded harshly by commenting on the tenacity of his stupidity, further escalating their public feud.

The Dallas Mavericks co-founder even torched X's free speech agenda. I know everyone thinks this platform is a bastion of free speech. I see the opposite, he said. It's only as free as Elon wants it to be. He can intimidate. He can alter the algorithm. He can suspend anyone he wants at any time. He is the ultimate arbiter of everything on here.

And the biggest power play is him making everyone think their speech is free speech Until he decides it isn't, and there is nothing any of us can do about it, he added.

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Cooper-Carlson interview itself delved into a wide range of controversial subjects

Carlson and Cooper discussed the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict, offering their perspectives on the long-standing. They also reexamined World War II, including a critical assessment of former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

They also explored contemporary issues such as mass immigration in Europe, the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and the modern Black Lives Matter movement. They also shared their views on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Meghan Markle's pre-fame Toronto abode is off the market less than a week after its listing popped up in the lookouts for a new buyer. The three-bedroom place was Home Sweet Home to the Suits alum during her old TV days and pre-marriage Prince Harry dating era. Meghan Markle lived in a rented three-bedroom and two-bathroom house situated on Yarmouth Road in the neighbourhood of Seaton Village until 2017 i.e. before relocating to London.(Freeman Real Estate / Unique Vtour)

Markle's rented two-story violet-coloured home on Yarmouth Road was listed for $1.39 million towards the end of August, according to real estate platform Zolo. It raked in $1.89 million five days later and was marked sold.

According to Mansion Global, Freeman Real Estate's Daniel Freeman handled the current listing for the house with the Tiffany blue front door.

Although originally from Los Angeles, the Duchess of Sussex lived in the Toronto property for about two years until late 2017. Following her courtship with Prince Harry, she moved to Kensington Palace as the Duke's fiancee.

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Meghan Markle's Toronto home mentioned in books

The Seaton Village home also stole a page-turning moment in Harry's 2023 memoir Spare, as he wrote: Meg was excited to show me her life, her dogs, her little house, which she adored. Meghan's then-boyfriend frequently visited the Toronto home during her Suits filming commitments in the city.

Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's book Finding Freedom" lifted the lid on Harry and Meghan's relationship. Per extracts released by The Times, the pair was in Toronto when the press started circling in on their dating phase.

"One night late in October in Toronto, Harry was happy, and so was Meghan. Until they received a call from one of Harry's aides at Kensington Palace. It wasn't good news.

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"A tabloid was going to run with the story of their relationship. Their main worry was that her place would be besieged by photographers within 24 hours.

They had little time to think, because there were only a couple of paparrazi in Toronto but it wouldn't be long before photographers flew in from New York and LA, all hoping to get that first picture of the happy couple, says the biography.

Nestled in a quiet west-end residential neighbourhood block, Markle's former house has a private yard with a deck and two-car garage. The two-bedroom house, owned by Canadian fashion stylist Elizabeth Cabral, also features a finished basement and an eat-in chef's kitchen on the ground floor.
Ahead of ABC's September 10 debate in Philadelphia between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the American University historian Allan Lichtman, dubbed as the Nostradamus of the presidential election, has sounded the alarm for this year's results. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. August 20, 2024 and former U.S. President Donald Trump in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., August 15, 2024 are seen in a combination of file photographs. (REUTERS)

Lichtman was one of the few to correctly predict that the Republican presidential hopeful would win in 2016. Following his prior GOOD CALL, as Trump hailed it, the American University professor also claimed after the Biden vs Trump debate that the former dropping out of the presidential race could be a tragic mistake for Democrats.

However, now that Vice President Kamala Harris has taken over the presidential candidate duties for the Democratic party, Lichtman has forecast, two months in advance, that the first female, first black and first Asian-American VP would prevail over Trump on November 5.

FYI, Dr. Allan Lichtmana registered Democrathas a near-perfect record of predicting elections, as he has accurately predicted nine out of the last ten results, as reported by The New York Post.

Also read | After Biden accused Russia of poll intervention, Putin 'endorses' Kamala Harris

What are the election Nostradamus Dr Allan Lichtman's predictions based on?

According to a New York Times video posted on Thursday, September 5, Lichtman's presidential pick for next term is Kamala Harris. Harris is leading Trump in eight of these categories per his Key to the White House analysis, which looks at 13 keys to determine a candidate's prospects of conquering the election. Meanwhile, Trump has three.

Of the 13 categories Lichtman labels as the constant northern star of political predictions, these are the eight keys Harris won over:

Whether the party in the White House is facing a primary Whether theres a third-party contestant The state of the short-term economy The state of the long-term economy" Whether the sitting presidents party has made adjustments to national policy Whether theres social unrest Whether the president faced major scandals The charisma of the challenger

On the other hand, Trump prevailed over Harris in these three keys:

Whether the sitting presidents party gained seats in the House during the midterms Whether the incumbent is running for re-election The charisma of the incumbent

Also read | Melania Trump teases deeply personal book that will tell The Truth

Other two categories that didn't align with either candidate, according to Lichtman, were:

Whether there were any major fiascos in foreign policy

Whether the sitting president had successes in foreign affairs

American University professor doesn't see Trump regaining the White House

The 77-year-old historian explained, Foreign policy is tricky, and these keys could flip. The Biden administration is deeply invested in the war in Gaza, which is a humanitarian disaster with no end in sight."

But even if both foreign policy keys flipped false, that would mean that there were only five negative keys, which would not be enough for Donald Trump to regain the White House, Lichtman continued in the video.

In early August, US election Nostradamus even pushed that Ohio Senator JD Vance's presence as Trump's VP pick would influence the outcome.

Foregrounding the vice president choice as incredibly important, Lichtman implied on his YouTube channel that the veep should be someone who could effectively take the reins if the president steps down for any reason. That's why JD Vance was such a disastrous pick; he would be a horror show as president.
DENVER  A man who gunned down 10 people in a supermarket mass shooting was not insane when he unleashed terror in a Colorado college town but instead a calculated killer who understood what he did was wrong, a prosecutor said during opening arguments Thursday. Prosecutor argues Colorado supermarket mass shooter who killed 10 was sane and acted with intent

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2021 shooting of people in the parking lot and then inside a King Soopers grocery store in the college town of Boulder.

No one, including Alissas lawyers, disputes he was the shooter. The three-week trial is expected to focus on whether or not Alissa, who after the shooting was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was legally sane by being able to distinguish right from wrong.

The victims were random, but the murders were absolutely deliberate and intentional, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told jurors in his opening statements.

Alissas motive, if he had one, has remained unclear and Dougherty did not posit one in opening statements. He argued that Alissa acted with intent and full knowledge of his wrongdoing  and had not been treated for mental illness before the shooting even though relatives told police he had been acting withdrawn and paranoid leading up to it.

Most of those shot inside and outside the store were killed in just over a minute. Alissa targeted people who tried to flee  and made a special effort to finish off those he wounded with additional shots, Dougherty pointed out.

The shooter prepared to kill them, planned to kill them, and went and executed 10 people at King Soopers. Thats why youre here, Dougherty told the jury after showing photos of each victim and describing why each one was at the store that day.

No one survived the shooting with gunshot wounds. After shooting eight people, Alissa prowled the store  quiet except for background music still playing over the store speakers  then spotted and killed Suzanne Fountain, 59, as she left a hiding spot in another aisle.

His final victim was Boulder Police officer Eric Talley, a father of seven and one of the first three police officers who entered the store.

Alissa surrendered to other police who arrived, voluntarily stripping down to his underwear and complying with their instructions as they approached and handcuffed him.

Theres no hallucinating, theres no delusion, theres no confusion, Dougherty said of Alissas behavior.

An attorney for Alissa was to make opening statements later Thursday.

Alissa is charged with 10 counts of murder, 15 counts of attempted murder and other offenses in the shooting in Boulder, a college town about 30 miles northwest of Denver.

If successful, Alissa's plea of not guilty by reason of insanity could enable him to avoid prison and instead be committed indefinitely to the state mental hospital.

A mental health evaluator testified during a competency hearing in 2022 that Alissa said he bought firearms to carry out a mass shooting and suggested that he wanted police to kill him.

The defense argued in a court filing that his relatives said he irrationally believed that the FBI was following him and that he would talk to himself as if he were talking to someone who was not there.

However, prosecutors point out Alissa was never previously treated for mental illness and was able to work up to 60 hours a week in his family's restaurant business, something they say would not have been possible for someone severely mentally ill.

Alissas trial had been delayed because experts repeatedly found he was not able to understand legal proceedings and help his defense. But after Alissa improved after being forcibly medicated, Judge Ingrid Bakke ruled in October that he was mentally competent, allowing proceedings to resume.

The perpetrator of a 2012 mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater also pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Jurors in that case rejected the plea and sentenced defendant James Holmes to life in prison for the murders of 12 people.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The House Education and Workforce Committee has issued a subpoena to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, requesting documents and communications related to a massive fraud scheme involving a non-profit that misused pandemic relief funds intended to feed children. M Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at Laborfest on September 2, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jim Vondruska / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)

The Committee must now compel the production of responsive documents that will show the extent of the actions taken by you and your administration relating to MDEs administration of the FCNP and the extent of your responsibilities and actions addressing the massive fraud that resulted in the abuse of taxpayer dollars intended for hungry children, Virginia Foxx, the Republican chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce said in the subpoenaed letter.

What are the charges against Tim Walz?

The House committee alleged that Feeding Our Future created fake children's name to issue reimbursements under Walz's watch.

You are well aware of the multimillion-dollar fraud that has occurred under your tenure as governor. Foxx has also emphasized that the committee previously made voluntary requests to Minnesotas Department of Education for documents but has been unable to obtain substantive responsive materials, Foxx added.

ALSO READ| Tim Walz's family shows support for Trump after VP pick's brother Jeff made bombshell claims

However, a spokesperson for Walz condemned the fraud as an appalling abuse of a federal Covid-era program.

The state department of education worked diligently to stop the fraud and were grateful to the FBI for working with the Department of Education to arrest and charge the individuals involved, the spokesperson added.

The $200 million alleged pandemic fraud

NBC News first reported on the subpoenas, which were also sent to other officials, including Minnesotas Commissioner of Education Willie Jett, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong.

The U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating the oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Minnesotas Department of Education regarding federal child nutrition programs, particularly in relation to Feeding Our Future, a non-profit accused of stealing more than $250 million from pandemic relief funds.

Five individuals involved in the fraud were convicted earlier this year, and their trial revealed shocking details, including an attempt to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash, which they dropped on their doorsteps. In total, 70 people have been charged in connection with the scheme. Feds called it the largest pandemic fraud in the country.

ALSO READ| Sounds like: Donald Trump reacts as MAGA hails Jeff Walz for exposing his brother Tim Walz

The subpoena issued to Walz does not require his personal appearance before the committee, but it demands that documents be submitted by September 18. The Democratic vice-presidential nominee has faced increased scrutiny over the states handling of the fraud during his time as Minnesotas top executive.
Tulsi Gabbard revealed on Wednesday that the US government has placed her on a secret terror watchlist. In a video shared on her official X, formerly Twitter account, the former Representative said that the Biden administration targeted her as a potential domestic terror threat for political retaliation. The 43-year-old ex-Democrat, who has been vocal about her criticism of Kamala Harris' policies, is working with Donald Trump's campaign. Tulsi Gabbard releases bombshell video claiming the Biden administration put her on a 'secret terror watchlist' after she criticised Kamala Harris(Tulsi Gabbard/ X, formerly Twitter)

Tulsi Gabbard says she was targeted by Democrats after disapproving of Harris' policies

In the nearly 15-minute video, Gabbard explained that she spoke out about how dangerous Kamala Harris would be to our nation if she were to be elected as president and why the American people should be very concerned. The former Hawaii congresswoman revealed that she and her husband, Abraham Williams, have been subject to additional TSA screening before boarding a flight on more than multiple occasions.

Every time this happened, we were told by the TSA agent there that this is just a random selection. That might have been believable if it had happened just once or twice. But five? six, seven, eight times in a row? There's no way, she went on, adding that on August 4, Federal Air Marshall whistleblowers came forward with very disturbing information. They revealed that I had been added to a secret terror watchlist run by the TSA called Quiet Skies, Gabbard revealed.

Gabbard said that the whistleblowers informed her that she was added to the list on July 23, which was the very same day my husband and I began to be subjected to those in-depth TSA searches. The video also shows photos of TSA targeting packets that the air marshalls were given as part of their mission brief, according to the United States Army Reserve officer.

I later learned that at least three air marshalls were assigned to watch me every time I travel, in the airport and on the flight, she went on before slamming the actions taken by the Biden administration as extreme by any measures. What kind of threat did they think I posed? Gabbard remarked. The bottom line is everyday Americans are being watched and spied on by our own government. Why? Because those in power see us as a threat, she said.
The suspect who allegedly opened fire at a Georgia school on Wednesday morning, September 4, has been identified as Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at the school. Gray, who is in custody, used an AR-15 style rifle to carry out the shooting, a law enforcement official told CNN. He will be charged with murder as an adult, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said. Who is Colt Gray? All we know about alleged Georgia school shooter (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA / AFP)(AFP)

Two teachers and two students died when Gray opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, which is about an hour outside of Atlanta. At least nine other people were hospitalised.

Who is Colt Gray?

It has been revealed that last year, Gray was questioned by law enforcement regarding several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time, according to a joint statement from FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office. The threats included photos of guns.

At the time, both the suspect and his father were interviewed by the county sheriffs office. The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them, the statement read. The subject denied making the threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.

At that time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels, the statement added.

Grays motivations for the attack are unclear. It seemed he had no previous connection to the victims.

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at the school, described Gray as pretty quiet. "He never really talked. He wasn't there most times. Either he didn't just come to school or he would just skip class," the 16-year-old student told CNN.

"Even when he would've talked it was just one-word answers or short statements, Sayarath added.

Sayarath was sitting next to Gray in math class moments before the shooting. She said she was not surprised that Gray was the shooter. "Just because of when you think of shooters and how they act or things that they do, it's normally the quiet kid," Sayarath said.

Sayarath recalled that Gray left the math class at the start of the period and then returned near the end of it. The doors automatically lock when shut, and Gray was not allowed inside when he returned. Sayarath said someone over the loudspeaker told her teacher to check her email, and moments later, Gray was asking to be let in.

They almost let him in, but Im pretty sure she saw that he had a gun and so she backed away, Sayarath said. And then he turned away and thats when you hear like the first round of fire.

Gray had entered another classroom and opened fire. He was taken into custody just minutes after the shooting began.
Malik Obama, the half-brother of former President Barack Obama, who once celebrated his younger brothers historic election in 2008, is the latest to endorse Donald Trump. The endorsement comes after viral AI-generated image of Tim Walz's family members sporting 'Walz's For Trump' T-shirts started circulating on social media. File photo of Malik Obama, half-brother of US President Barack Obama. Republican nominee Donald Trump has invited Malik to the final presidential debate on Oct 20, 2016.(Reuters Photo)

Malik Obama claimed he is voting for Trump, despite the Republican candidates proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S., which contrasts with Obamas own background.

Malik Obama declares he is voting for Trump

Taking to his social media handle, the older half sibling of former US president, Malik Obma wrote, "I am Malik Obama. I'm a registered Republican and I'm voting for President Donald Trump.

The image became a debatable topic for its flawed AI-generated features, with a community note highlighting that everyone in the photo seems to have four fingers.

Also read: Tim Walz's family shows support for Trump after VP pick's brother Jeff made bombshell claims

Who is Malik Obama?

Malik Obama, who once served as the best man at Barack Obamas wedding and received a similar honor in return, has seen their relationship get strained over the years. He supported Trump in 2016 as well, and was among the special guests invited to a Las Vegas debate by the Trump campaign.

Reports from the Washington Post in 2016 claimed he has 12 wives although he is not ready to accept the piece of information and insists he has only 3. Malik, a practicing Muslim, also faces allegations of domestic abuse. He made headlines in 2011 when he married a teen girl as his third wife.

Malik ran for governor in Kenyas Siaya County in 2013. At that time, he told GQ that he and his brother shared leadership qualities, saying, Its all in the genes. However after his relationship with Obama hit rock bottom, he has been a vocal supporter of Trump.

Also read: Woman who got TRUMP tattoo on forehead now wants to erase it; asks strangers for help removing controversial ink

I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart, he told the Post in 2016. Make America Great Again is a great slogan. I would like to meet him.

What happened between Malik and Barack Obama?

Malik Obama has cited several reasons for his support of Donald Trump, including his opposition to same-sex marriage, dissatisfaction with his brothers presidency, and his past friendship with former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

I still feel that getting rid of [Gaddafi] didnt make things any better in Libya, he said in 2016. My brother and the Secretary of State disappointed me in that regard.

In an interview with the New York Post, Malik Obama said he was bummed that President Obama didn't step up more to back the foundation he set up in his dad's name. My brother didnt help me at all, He wanted me to shut it down when I set it up. He hasnt supported me at all.

He added, Honestly, Ill be happy when my brother is out of office, and I will finally be out of the limelight and be able to live like a human being.

Malik Obama's support for Trump is happening right in the middle of a bunch of political shoutouts and family drama making the news. As big names like Jeff Walz and Malik Obama are shaking things up, their actions are fueling discussions across the political spectrum.
Prince William once kept a big secret from Kate Middleton for three weeks, but can you guess what it was? Britain's Prince William, left, and Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a ceremonial welcome for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade in London, England on Nov. 21, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo via AP, File)(AP)

The Prince of Wales carried their engagement ring in his rucksack all those weeks before proposing in November 2010.

Royal expert Robert Hardman has described a royal engagement, When a royal couple tells us they're engaged, we're fascinated by everything from the dress design to who the bridesmaids and best man will be and where we're going to watch it. People love to make a day of it with street parties and things, so there's huge interest from the word go, per Mirror UK.

ALSO READ| Prince Williams old pals brutally mocking very thick Prince Harry: He is not wanted

The couples engagement story unfolded during a romantic trip to Kenya, as William revealed in an interview with ITVs Tom Bradby. William shared, It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died. And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee.

I knew if this thing disappeared, I'd be in a lot of trouble, he quipped.

The engagement ring, a breathtaking Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, holds special significance. It originally belonged to Williams late mother, Princess Diana's collection. The couples official engagement photo, lensed by renowned photographer Mario Testino at St James Palace, beautifully captured this iconic piece of royal history.

Prince William and Kate Middleton were preparing for their future roles within the British monarchy

Palace recognizes Kate and William as a young, glamorous, dynamic duo with the ability to modernize and lead the monarchy into the future.

Royal author Katie Nicholl told the Mirror UK at that time, There are two roles to a future Queen. One is to produce heirs, which she has done, and the other is to learn how to one day become Queen, and that is very much what we are seeing.

ALSO READ| Despite Prince Harry's icy reunion with brother William, new UK visit helped him reaffirm bonds with family, thanks to

We are seeing a Queen-in-waiting... She's taking on more patronages, she's taking on patronages from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

This is all very deliberate, it's very much part of the Palace machine bringing her from the shadows of Anmer [Hall] and into the forefront, into the spotlight, she said.
Now Open: Bora Bora's Newest Resort Features Overwater Villas with Stunning Views, Locally-Inspired Wellness Offerings, Marine Life Conservation Efforts, Diverse Dining and More.

The highly-anticipated Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is now open, emerging as the newest and most captivating retreat in the luxurious Bora Bora. Having recently completed an extensive property-wide renovation and rebrand, The Westin Bora Bora is nestled at the base of the majestic Mount Otemanu, boasting the largest collection of overwater bungalows in Bora Bora, alongside expansive beachside villas.

Guests will be treated to a host of world-class amenities, including the largest swimming pool in Bora Bora - an infinity pool at the heart of the resort, bordered by six cabanas facing the beach, a swim-up pool bar and waterfall cascading from the second floor into the pool - as well as a private lagoon, diverse culinary experiences, and locally-inspired wellness offerings. At the renowned Eco Center Bora Bora, the resort will support the vital mission of protecting sea turtles and marine ecosystems, championing environment stewardship in their tropical paradise. Providing the iconic overwater living experience, The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa features 128 overwater bungalows, many of which include their own private plunge pools, and all of which offer expansive views of the lagoon, island, or Mount Otemanu. Each overwater bungalow has been positioned to avoid direct sightlines, ensuring total privacy and a unique and memorable view for each guest. The resort also offers 14 spacious family-friendly beach bungalows overlooking the lagoon. Designed to offer modern and refined comfort blended with Polynesian hospitality, the bungalows embody the essence of discreet luxury. Every room features the signature Westin Heavenly Bed, Sleep Well Lavender Balm soothing bedside amenity, and Westin Sleep Well Menu, a curated selection of sleep-enhancing superfoods to be enjoyed in-room.

Design

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa's architectural design is based on a harmonious integration between contemporary luxury and the island's natural beauty. Inspired by traditional Polynesian forms, the architecture reinterprets these elements with modern and clean lines, and the use of large openings and natural materials creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Each building has been carefully oriented to frame the spectacular views of the lagoon and Mount Otemanu, maximizing interaction with the landscape while minimizing the visual impact of the structures.

The resort's public spaces further extend this immersion into nature, with thoughtfully designed areas that reflect the surrounding natural elements, creating a sense of serenity and calm. Every space in the resort, from the rooms to the common areas, evokes calm and serenity, in harmony with the local culture and the majestic landscapes of Bora Bora.

Natural materials, such as wood and stone, are used to bring natural warmth and authenticity to the interiors. The color palette also reflects these natural elements, favoring neutral and soothing tones such as beige, cream and soft gray, reminiscent of white sand beaches and corals. Touches of blue, evoking the changing shades of the lagoon, have been added sparingly to create focal points that recall the ocean and sky of Bora Bora.

Dining

The resort is home to six distinct dining concepts, offering a range of cuisine and unique experiences  from a locally sourced fine dining restaurant to a laid-back beachside eatery. With menus that feature fresh local flavors and ingredients, the culinary offerings at The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa are designed to be the perfect complement to guests' surroundings. Guests will enjoy an array of vibrant settings and menus including:

Tipanier: This playfully elegant all-day French Polynesian bistro offers a breakfast buffet in the morning and delectable lunch and dinner options, set in a space designed to showcase the beauty of Bora Bora and its Tipanier flower. Its carefully crafted menu incorporates seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, with signature dishes such as the A'ahi, a grilled tuna steak served with Provencal Bayaldi, arugula, and sweet & sour vinaigrette, and the Moa, the Chef's reinterpretation of the local Chicken Fafa featuring free-range chicken prepared two ways: baked and braised with taro leaf and coconut milk.

This playfully elegant all-day French Polynesian bistro offers a breakfast buffet in the morning and delectable lunch and dinner options, set in a space designed to showcase the beauty of Bora Bora and its Tipanier flower. Its carefully crafted menu incorporates seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, with signature dishes such as the A'ahi, a grilled tuna steak served with Provencal Bayaldi, arugula, and sweet & sour vinaigrette, and the Moa, the Chef's reinterpretation of the local Chicken Fafa featuring free-range chicken prepared two ways: baked and braised with taro leaf and coconut milk. Maere: At the resort's signature restaurant, guests will embark on an exciting culinary journey with a constantly-evolving menu as spectacular as the surroundings. The ever-changing menu will use only the freshest local ingredients, complemented by an extensive selection of wine. Signature offerings include an entree of homemade dried swordfish seasoned with spices and exotic chutney, Laquered Mahi Mahi paired with Korean kimchi and banana chutney, and a slow-cooked pineapple ribbon with basil granita and spiced jelly for dessert.

At the resort's signature restaurant, guests will embark on an exciting culinary journey with a constantly-evolving menu as spectacular as the surroundings. The ever-changing menu will use only the freshest local ingredients, complemented by an extensive selection of wine. Signature offerings include an entree of homemade dried swordfish seasoned with spices and exotic chutney, Laquered Mahi Mahi paired with Korean kimchi and banana chutney, and a slow-cooked pineapple ribbon with basil granita and spiced jelly for dessert. Varavara: Guests can enjoy beachfront fine dining for both lunch and dinner at this laid-back restaurant. Offering steaks, seafood and lighter fare coupled with bright and refreshing cocktails, the menu features standout dishes like Fenua, a Tahitian fish crudo with tuna, local lime, coconut milk, and crunchy vegetables, and Manga, glazed beef short ribs with mango and chili, served with crushed potato and olive oil.

Guests can enjoy beachfront fine dining for both lunch and dinner at this laid-back restaurant. Offering steaks, seafood and lighter fare coupled with bright and refreshing cocktails, the menu features standout dishes like Fenua, a Tahitian fish crudo with tuna, local lime, coconut milk, and crunchy vegetables, and Manga, glazed beef short ribs with mango and chili, served with crushed potato and olive oil. Honu Tiki: The beach bar offers frozen drinks, nibbles, and light snacks, all served by the beach crew, allowing guests to enjoy the stunning views.

The beach bar offers frozen drinks, nibbles, and light snacks, all served by the beach crew, allowing guests to enjoy the stunning views. Te Ava: Guests can savor a range of vibrant dishes from the menu while admiring the beautiful panorama of Bora Bora Island, then dive into the infinity pool and swim over to the swim-up bar, which offers refreshing beverages and select dishes.

Guests can savor a range of vibrant dishes from the menu while admiring the beautiful panorama of Bora Bora Island, then dive into the infinity pool and swim over to the swim-up bar, which offers refreshing beverages and select dishes. 'O'a Bar: The outdoor lobby-lounge bar offers signature craft cocktails, where can guests take in spectacular sunsets with a view of Mt. Otemanu while enjoying live music.

Wellness

For those seeking enhanced wellness, the WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio and the Heavenly Spa by Westin offer cutting-edge facilities and treatments, allowing guests to experience complete wellbeing in both body and soul. The resort's wellness area is a true haven of peace and refuge, offering spaces for relaxation that are surrounded by lush vegetation with soothing views of the lagoon and beyond.

The Heavenly Spa features treatments inspired by Polynesian wellness traditions and natural settings, as well as Asian-inspired and holistic therapies aimed at harmonizing mind and body wellness. The spa focuses on natural and organic products with locally sourced ingredients. Their primary facial care partner Phytoceane, a local brand rooted in the benefits of natural resources, offers pure, effective ingredients for well-being treatments that combine expert skincare, sensory delights, and a total sense of escape, aligning perfectly with the spa's ethos.

One of the spa's two signature spa treatments is the Heavenly Spa Bora Bora Massage, a Swedish massage using organic coconut oil that promotes physical relaxation and mental upliftment. During the massage, the therapist will invite guests to meditate on positive thoughts. The second signature treatment, the Tupuna Polynesian Ritual, is a 90-minute treatment that honors Polynesian culture. 'Tupuna' means 'ancestors' in Tahitian, and the ritual pays homage to the traditions of the ancestors with a Tamiti Traditional Body Treatment consisting of a body scrub using locally sourced sea salt from Bora Bora, coconut shells, organic virgin coconut oil, and noni oil that will leave skin soft and smooth. Following the treatment, guests will enjoy a Polynesian Taurumi (massage) which uses traditional ancestral techniques and dancing movements to relax the body and mind.

The WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio offers a comprehensive fitness experience, perfect for travelers looking to maintain their wellness routines. Guests can enjoy a wide array of top-tier gym equipment, including cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and rowing machines. For strength training, the studio provides free weights, weight machines, and mats with balance balls. Beyond the equipment, the studio also offers a selection of fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, and even Tahitian dance, catering to diverse fitness preferences. The complimentary WestinWORKOUT Gear Lending program allows guests to borrow the fitness equipment they need so they can move well both in their guestroom and outside.

Activities

Guests can fully immerse themselves in Bora Bora's stunning beauty and rich culture through a range of activities. On the water, they can explore the lagoon by stand-up paddle board or kayak. On land, options abound from beach volleyball and Hydrofoil bikes to yoga, water yoga, Pilates, and paddle yoga sessions. The WestinWORKOUT Routes, in collaboration with Strava, provide scenic running routes around the property, making it easy to stay active while exploring the destination. In addition, guests can dive into the cultural traditions of Bora Bora through local crafts and workshops and learn the art of coconut palm weaving, create shell crafts, or participate in a flower crown weaving session. Guests can also experience the culture of the island with the resort's weekly Polynesian evening complete with a mouthwatering buffet dinner and dances, or by taking a Tahitian dance class to learn the traditional movements of the region. For those looking to explore beyond the resort, snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing excursions offer further adventures off-property.

Eco Center Bora Bora

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa shows its commitment to ecological sustainability through its beloved Eco Center Bora Bora. Originally established in 2000 in collaboration with the Direction of the Environment (DIREN) of French Polynesia, the revamped center will focus on the protection and conservation of sea turtle species, developing sustainable management of ecology in French Polynesia and educating and raising awareness among locals and travelers alike with a variety of immersive and educational experiences for guests. Guests can learn about the protection and conservation of sea turtles in French Polynesia with a guided tour, slideshow and observation of the turtle feeding. For a more interactive, hands-on experience, guests can help prepare meals for the Eco Center's residents; assist caretakers as they observe and provide care to the turtles; or spend an entire day with the Eco Center Bora Bora team, engaging in food preparation, tank cleaning, public presentations, care, and observation.

Hotel website
Tiny Lou's, a swinging French-American brasserie located downstairs at 96-room Hotel Clermont, has appointed James Corwell as Executive Chef. A James Beard-recognized and certified Master Chef  an honor only delegated to only 68 chefs in the world  Corwell brings over 30 years of industry experience. Corwell's accolades include Best New Chef & Best New Restaurant 2010 by New Orleans Magazine as the owner of Le Foret in Louisiana. He was the lead instructor and Executive Chef at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, CA, and he also founded Ocean Hugger Foods, a plant-based seafood alternative company. Corwell considers cooking his art, bringing a Michelin perspective that uses French and Continental technique to Tiny Lou's. Corwell strives to land Tiny Lou's as one of the finest establishments in Atlanta. Outside of the kitchen, he is an avid cyclist and is getting to know Atlanta's best trails.
TROY, Mich. - The secret to a great branded hotel stay may be in an aspect that guests do not often realize: the third-party management company operating the hotel, which creates consistent, pleasurable and problem-free guest experiences. According to the J.D. Power 2024 North America Third-Party Hotel Management Guest Satisfaction Benchmark,SM released today, overall guest satisfaction with branded hotels run by the nations largest third-party management companies improves significantly this year, outperforming both chain-managed and independently operated hotels.

Third-party management companies operating branded hotels are really firing on all cylinders by consistently delivering well-maintained buildings, cleaner guest rooms and an overall better guest experience than those seen among independently operated branded properties and even chain-managed properties. What is most noteworthy is that the largest third-party hotel operators are delivering an improved level of staff service even as higher room rates are pushing guest expectations higher. Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power

Following are some of the key findings of the 2024 benchmark:

Overall satisfaction rises significantly year over year: Overall guest satisfaction with hotels run by third-party management companies is 683 (on a 1,000-point scale), up 8 points from a year ago. The year-over-year improvement is driven primarily by improvements in satisfaction with cleanliness of guest rooms; maintenance and upkeep of the hotel; and hotel staff responsiveness to guest questions and requests.

Overall guest satisfaction with hotels run by third-party management companies is 683 (on a 1,000-point scale), up 8 points from a year ago. The year-over-year improvement is driven primarily by improvements in satisfaction with cleanliness of guest rooms; maintenance and upkeep of the hotel; and hotel staff responsiveness to guest questions and requests. Improved guest experience offsets higher prices: Although guests at branded hotels say they are paying more for their rooms this year, overall improvement in perceived value for price for the largest third-party managed hotels has risen 6 points, on average, from 2023. This indicates that guests perceive these hotels provide good value for quality and service received.

Although guests at branded hotels say they are paying more for their rooms this year, overall improvement in perceived value for price for the largest third-party managed hotels has risen 6 points, on average, from 2023. This indicates that guests perceive these hotels provide good value for quality and service received. Faster front desk service and improved staff responsiveness: Across all operational areas in the benchmark, staff service achieves the highest guest scores. Satisfaction with staff service has increased year over year, driven by significantly higher scores for front desk staff efficiency and responsiveness to guest questions or concerns.

Benchmark Ranking

Davidson Hospitality Group ranks highest in overall guest satisfaction for a third consecutive year, with a score of 735. HEI Hotels and Resorts (705) ranks second and White Lodging (704) ranks third.

The North America Third-Party Hotel Management Guest Satisfaction Benchmark, now in its fifth year, evaluates guest satisfaction with branded hotels that are operated by the largest third-party management companies. It is based on six factors (in alphabetical order): communications and connectivity; food and beverage; guest room; hotel facilities; staff service; and value for price. The benchmark includes third-party hotel operators with more than 14,000 branded hotel rooms under management and is based on 4,907 guest responses for branded hotel stays from May 2023 through May 2024.

For more information about the North America Third-Party Hotel Management Guest Satisfaction Benchmark, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/third-party-hotel-management-guest-satisfaction-benchmark.

 Source: J.D. Power

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

Geno Effler

+1 714 621 6224

J.D. Power

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London, UK  The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today announces 68th U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as its keynote speaker at the global tourism bodys Global Summit, taking place on 8th  10th October, in Perth, Western Australia.

Secretary Kerry led strategies on nuclear non-proliferation, countering extremism, and in 2015, Kerry signed the Paris Agreement on climate change on behalf of the U.S.

In 2021, he became the first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and the first Principal to sit on the National Security Council solely focused on climate issues.

A decorated Vietnam War veteran, Kerry earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts.

Kerry is a best-selling author and was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024 for his lifetime commitment to public service.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: We are honoured to welcome Secretary John Kerry as a keynote speaker at our Global Summit in Perth. His unparalleled experience and dedication to tackling climate change and global challenges align perfectly with our mission to drive a more sustainable and resilient future for the Travel & Tourism sector.

Secretary Kerry's insights will undoubtedly inspire our sector as we come together to forge innovative solutions that balance economic growth with our responsibility to protect our planet.

The Global Summit will draw industry leaders and government representatives from around the world, providing a crucial opportunity to collaborate on strategies that ensure the continued growth and sustainability of global Travel & Tourism.

Australian conservationist and TV personality Robert Irwin will also take to the stage in Perth. As a wildlife warrior, Irwin is also a producer, author and photographer, and renowned around the world for his advocacy for the natural world.

To view the full list of speakers confirmed so far, please click here.
Travel is far more than a means to reach destinations; it's a dynamic force that powers economies and nearly every industry and community across the United States.

In 2023, travel spending generated $2.8 trillion in economic output and supported jobs for nearly 15 million American workers. To shine a spotlight on the profound economic impact of travel, U.S. Travel has been hitting the road for a nationwide Travel Works for America advocacy tour, with stops designed to demonstrate first-hand how travel works for America by spotlighting its extensive impact at the local level.

Our latest Travel Works destination was Minnesota, where we visited Bloomington, Minneapolis, Saint Paul and ended at the iconic Minnesota State Fair.

Each visit on our Minnesota leg of the Travel Works roadshow served as a vivid testament to the essential role of travel in the economy, fueling industries core to Minnesota's legacy. We had the great privilege of working closely with many Minnesota elected officials over our two-day tour.

Stops Along the Minnesota Roadshow

Our roadshow kicked off with a roundtable discussion, where more than 30 Minnesota business leaders gathered at Bloomington Minnesota Travel & Tourisms office to hear from industry executives, elected officials and local business leaders about the tangible impact that travel has on the local region and businesses. Travel is indispensable to Minnesotasupporting more than 180,000 jobs, welcoming 80 million visitors annually and generating $24 billion in economic impact.

 Source: U.S. Travel Association

Next, we toured the one and only Mall of America, the largest retail shopping mall in the United States. This mall welcomes 40 million visitors and adds nearly $2 billion to Minnesotas economy annually. The U.S. Travel team, alongside Mall of America CEO Luiza Lopes, enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour where they learned more about the malls top-notch security systems, marketing efforts, partnerships and long-standing history that makes it one of the states most treasured cultural landmarks.

 Source: U.S. Travel Association

Our final stop was the legendary Minnesota State Fair. The fairlocated halfway between Saint Paul and Minneapolisdraws over 100,000 visitors daily during its annual 14-day runshowcasing the best of the states culinary, agriculture, art and cultural offerings. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, co-chair of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, helped us kick off the day with remarks in front of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Park, where she underscored the transformative power of travel. Thank you Senator Klobuchar for being a steadfast champion for the travel industry.

This Roadshow would not have been possible without our travel industry partners: Meet Minneapolis, Explore Minnesota, Bloomington, Minnesota Travel & Tourism and Visit Saint Paul. Thank you for hosting and showing us around the North Star State.

 Source: U.S. Travel Association

Follow Along

U.S. Travel's Travel Works program elevates the narrative surrounding travel's pivotal role in bolstering the economy while also highlighting the challenges that affect both the travel industry and businesses nationwide. Travel Works also presents a unique opportunity to foster increased engagement and understanding among elected officials at all levels, enabling them to effectively champion our industry's priorities.

Stay tuned for the addition of more stops across the nation as we continue to amplify and celebrate the undeniable impact of travel on our economy. Learn more about Travel Works.

About U.S. Travel Association

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information and recovery-related data.

Greg Staley

U.S. Travel Association
WASHINGTON - Following record-breaking air travel over Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Travel Association along with Ipsos released survey results underscoring traveler preference of biometric technology screening to keep air passengers safe and provide greater efficiency at airport checkpoints.

By overwhelming margins, air travelers support TSAs use of biometric technology at airports to strengthen security and improve the travel experience. Travelers embrace next-generation technology at the same time a small cadre of members of Congress seek to take air travel back to the Dark Ages. Further efforts to harm the travel experience by forcing antiquated approaches upon travelers will have consequences among voters. Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO

Key findings include :

The majority of air travelers (79%), Americans (78%), Democrats (80%), and Republicans (76%) support the use of biometrics at TSA security checkpoints to confirm the identity of travelers.

Nearly all Americans (92%) and air travelers (95%) agree that verifying traveler identity is an important measure taken by TSA to protect the flying public.

Nine in 10 air travelers say they would be more likely or equally likely to support biometric use at TSA security checkpoints if it reduced the typical time it takes to get through security.

Supporters of TSA biometrics primarily list stopping terrorism and human trafficking (71%) and making airports safer (66%) as their reasons for supporting biometric use at TSA security checkpoints  even above travel efficiency and wait times.

More than half of Americans say they are more likely to support the use of biometrics at TSA security checkpoints knowing the data would: Be deleted within hours of the completed trip, Be used to stop terrorism, Have safeguards in place to ensure biometric data is not shared with other government agencies.



These results emphasize the important work of our Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, which is closely examining the use of biometrics to strengthen security, improve the passenger experience and protect privacy, Freeman added. Given the decade of major global sporting events announced for the United States and knowing a vast majority of travelers prefer biometric screening, Washington must act to fund and widely utilize this technology at our nations airports to welcome and process millions of people who are expected to visit in coming years.

U.S. Travels Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel, chaired by former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, has embarked on a year-long study to improve U.S. global competitiveness and increase travel security and efficiency. A report and recommendations are expected this fall.

Read the full findings here.

About U.S. Travel Association

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information and recovery-related data.

Greg Staley

U.S. Travel Association
Google's shift to generative AI search is changing how travelers find and book hotels.

I talk with VP of Digital Marketing at SHR, Steve Collins, on what this means for your digital marketing efforts.

A. You might be feeling the pressure to completely overhaul your digital strategy, but the truth is, you might already be ahead of the curve.

B. Steve will guide us through actionable steps to ensure your hotel remains visible and competitive.

C. You don't want to miss this chance to get ahead of the AI curve!

This webinar is hosted by SHR Group
Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa - Image Credit Marriott



Bora Bora's Newest Resort Features Overwater Villas with Stunning Views, Locally-Inspired Wellness Offerings, Marine Life Conservation Efforts, Diverse Dining and More

Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is now open, emerging as the newest and most captivating retreat in the luxurious Bora Bora. Having recently completed an extensive property-wide renovation and rebrand, The Westin Bora Bora is nestled at the base of the majestic Mount Otemanu, boasting the largest collection of overwater bungalows in Bora Bora, alongside expansive beachside villas.

"We are excited to unveil this property as the first resort to open in Bora Bora since 2017, bringing the dream of Bora Bora alive like never before," said Cesar Marques, General Manager of The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa. "The Westin Bora Bora blends the serene landscape of the island with top-tier accommodations, breathtaking ocean views, and a wide array of on- and off-property experiences, ensuring an unforgettable stay for every guest."

"The Westin Bora Bora blends the serene landscape of the island with top-tier accommodations, breathtaking ocean views, and a wide array of on- and off-property experiences, ensuring an unforgettable stay for every guest."

Guests will be treated to a host of world-class amenities, including the largest swimming pool in Bora Bora  an infinity pool at the heart of the resort, bordered by six cabanas facing the beach, a swim-up pool bar and waterfall cascading from the second floor into the pool  as well as a private lagoon, diverse culinary experiences, and locally-inspired wellness offerings. At the renowned Eco Center Bora Bora, the resort will support the vital mission of protecting sea turtles and marine ecosystems, championing environment stewardship in their tropical paradise.

Providing the iconic overwater living experience, The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa features 128 overwater bungalows, many of which include their own private plunge pools, and all of which offer expansive views of the lagoon, island, or Mount Otemanu. Each overwater bungalow has been positioned to avoid direct sightlines, ensuring total privacy and a unique and memorable view for each guest. The resort also offers 14 spacious family-friendly beach bungalows overlooking the lagoon. Designed to offer modern and refined comfort blended with Polynesian hospitality, the bungalows embody the essence of discreet luxury. Every room features the signature Westin Heavenly Bed, Sleep Well Lavender Balm soothing bedside amenity, and Westin Sleep Well Menu, a curated selection of sleep-enhancing superfoods to be enjoyed in-room.

Design

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa's architectural design is based on a harmonious integration between contemporary luxury and the island's natural beauty. Inspired by traditional Polynesian forms, the architecture reinterprets these elements with modern and clean lines, and the use of large openings and natural materials creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Each building has been carefully oriented to frame the spectacular views of the lagoon and Mount Otemanu, maximizing interaction with the landscape while minimizing the visual impact of the structures.

The resort's public spaces further extend this immersion into nature, with thoughtfully designed areas that reflect the surrounding natural elements, creating a sense of serenity and calm. Every space in the resort, from the rooms to the common areas, evokes calm and serenity, in harmony with the local culture and the majestic landscapes of Bora Bora.

Natural materials, such as wood and stone, are used to bring natural warmth and authenticity to the interiors. The color palette also reflects these natural elements, favoring neutral and soothing tones such as beige, cream and soft gray, reminiscent of white sand beaches and corals. Touches of blue, evoking the changing shades of the lagoon, have been added sparingly to create focal points that recall the ocean and sky of Bora Bora.

Dining

The resort is home to six distinct dining concepts, offering a range of cuisine and unique experiences  from a locally sourced fine dining restaurant to a laid-back beachside eatery. With menus that feature fresh local flavors and ingredients, the culinary offerings at The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa are designed to be the perfect complement to guests' surroundings. Guests will enjoy an array of vibrant settings and menus including:

Tipanier: This playfully elegant all-day French Polynesian bistro offers a breakfast buffet in the morning and delectable lunch and dinner options, set in a space designed to showcase the beauty of Bora Bora and its Tipanier flower. Its carefully crafted menu incorporates seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, with signature dishes such as the A'ahi, a grilled tuna steak served with Provencal Bayaldi, arugula, and sweet & sour vinaigrette, and the Moa, the Chef's reinterpretation of the local Chicken Fafa featuring free-range chicken prepared two ways: baked and braised with taro leaf and coconut milk.

Maere: At the resort's signature restaurant, guests will embark on an exciting culinary journey with a constantly-evolving menu as spectacular as the surroundings. The ever-changing menu will use only the freshest local ingredients, complemented by an extensive selection of wine. Signature offerings include an entree of homemade dried swordfish seasoned with spices and exotic chutney, Laquered Mahi Mahi paired with Korean kimchi and banana chutney, and a slow-cooked pineapple ribbon with basil granita and spiced jelly for dessert.

Varavara: Guests can enjoy beachfront fine dining for both lunch and dinner at this laid-back restaurant. Offering steaks, seafood and lighter fare coupled with bright and refreshing cocktails, the menu features standout dishes like Fenua, a Tahitian fish crudo with tuna, local lime, coconut milk, and crunchy vegetables, and Manga, glazed beef short ribs with mango and chili, served with crushed potato and olive oil.

Honu Tiki: The beach bar offers frozen drinks, nibbles, and light snacks, all served by the beach crew, allowing guests to enjoy the stunning views.

Te Ava: Guests can savor a range of vibrant dishes from the menu while admiring the beautiful panorama of Bora Bora Island, then dive into the infinity pool and swim over to the swim-up bar, which offers refreshing beverages and select dishes.

'O'a Bar: The outdoor lobby-lounge bar offers signature craft cocktails, where can guests take in spectacular sunsets with a view of Mt. Otemanu while enjoying live music.

Advertisement



For those seeking enhanced wellness, the WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio and the Heavenly Spa by Westin offer cutting-edge facilities and treatments, allowing guests to experience complete wellbeing in both body and soul. The resort's wellness area is a true haven of peace and refuge, offering spaces for relaxation that are surrounded by lush vegetation with soothing views of the lagoon and beyond.

The Heavenly Spa features treatments inspired by Polynesian wellness traditions and natural settings, as well as Asian-inspired and holistic therapies aimed at harmonizing mind and body wellness. The spa focuses on natural and organic products with locally sourced ingredients. Their primary facial care partner Phytoceane, a local brand rooted in the benefits of natural resources, offers pure, effective ingredients for well-being treatments that combine expert skincare, sensory delights, and a total sense of escape, aligning perfectly with the spa's ethos.

One of the spa's two signature spa treatments is the Heavenly Spa Bora Bora Massage, a Swedish massage using organic coconut oil that promotes physical relaxation and mental upliftment. During the massage, the therapist will invite guests to meditate on positive thoughts. The second signature treatment, the Tupuna Polynesian Ritual, is a 90-minute treatment that honors Polynesian culture. 'Tupuna' means 'ancestors' in Tahitian, and the ritual pays homage to the traditions of the ancestors with a Tamiti Traditional Body Treatment consisting of a body scrub using locally sourced sea salt from Bora Bora, coconut shells, organic virgin coconut oil, and noni oil that will leave skin soft and smooth. Following the treatment, guests will enjoy a Polynesian Taurumi (massage) which uses traditional ancestral techniques and dancing movements to relax the body and mind.

The WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio offers a comprehensive fitness experience, perfect for travelers looking to maintain their wellness routines. Guests can enjoy a wide array of top-tier gym equipment, including cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and rowing machines. For strength training, the studio provides free weights, weight machines, and mats with balance balls. Beyond the equipment, the studio also offers a selection of fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, and even Tahitian dance, catering to diverse fitness preferences. The complimentary WestinWORKOUT Gear Lending program allows guests to borrow the fitness equipment they need so they can move well both in their guestroom and outside.

Activities

Guests can fully immerse themselves in Bora Bora's stunning beauty and rich culture through a range of activities. On the water, they can explore the lagoon by stand-up paddle board or kayak. On land, options abound from beach volleyball and Hydrofoil bikes to yoga, water yoga, Pilates, and paddle yoga sessions. The WestinWORKOUT Routes, in collaboration with Strava, provide scenic running routes around the property, making it easy to stay active while exploring the destination. In addition, guests can dive into the cultural traditions of Bora Bora through local crafts and workshops and learn the art of coconut palm weaving, create shell crafts, or participate in a flower crown weaving session. Guests can also experience the culture of the island with the resort's weekly Polynesian evening complete with a mouthwatering buffet dinner and dances, or by taking a Tahitian dance class to learn the traditional movements of the region. For those looking to explore beyond the resort, snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep-sea fishing excursions offer further adventures off-property.

Eco Center Bora Bora

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa shows its commitment to ecological sustainability through its beloved Eco Center Bora Bora. Originally established in 2000 in collaboration with the Direction of the Environment (DIREN) of French Polynesia, the revamped center will focus on the protection and conservation of sea turtle species, developing sustainable management of ecology in French Polynesia and educating and raising awareness among locals and travelers alike with a variety of immersive and educational experiences for guests. Guests can learn about the protection and conservation of sea turtles in French Polynesia with a guided tour, slideshow and observation of the turtle feeding. For a more interactive, hands-on experience, guests can help prepare meals for the Eco Center's residents; assist caretakers as they observe and provide care to the turtles; or spend an entire day with the Eco Center Bora Bora team, engaging in food preparation, tank cleaning, public presentations, care, and observation.

Rates start at $1,000, for stays beginning September 3, 2024.
Songwriting Split Sheet: A Complete Guide

Dont miss out on your fair share! Learn how to protect your earnings with a clear understanding of songwriting splits and the essential songwriting split sheet.

from Horus Music

For many songwriters, working out how a song should be split can be a confusing and difficult conversation to have. Many worry that having business conversations about Songwriting splits in the writing room can dampen creativity. People also contemplate if theres a certain formula to working out who gets what %.

Songwriting splits, or Song splits, relate to how the copyright of a composition is split. It is important to note that there is no right or wrong way of splitting copyright. It ultimately comes down to the personal preference of those involved within the process. No matter where youre based in the world, you should always formally document the splits.

A written and signed split sheet is recommended so that the correct information is accurately noted by all parties involved. This information would then be uploaded via your PRO database, for example, PRS in the United Kingdom.

It is also advised that the process of working out who owns what % happens in the early stages of creation. At the very least, it should always be fully decided before you leave the last studio or writing session. It is never a good idea to assume that the song will be split equally as everyone can have differing views on their level of contribution.

The use of a split sheet helps to keep things clear and concise when youre working with various people. It might also be a key factor to ensuring you get your correct royalty payments in the future. Future examples of where a split sheet might come in use include signing off on sync deals and potential copyright disputes.

A songwriting split sheet should include the following:

The formal name of each songwriter and/or composer

A physical mailing address for each songwriter and/or compose

The role of each songwriter and/or composer (for example, music, lyrics, or melody)

The percentage of the split that each songwriter and/or composer gets (for example, Jane Doe 50% and John Doe 50%)

CAE / IPI Number of each songwriter and/or composer

Each songwriter and/or composers publishers name and their IPI number (if applicable)

Date of birth of each songwriter and/or composer

Signature of each songwriter and/or composer

The title and length of the song (a temporary working title of the song and song length can be added/amended throughout the writing process)

TOP TIP

If Ive paid a producer upfront, does this mean that they dont own a % in the song?

Sometimes a producer might also contribute to the melody, lyrics or overall composition to the song as part of the writing and recording process. As such, they might be entitled to a percentage of the songs copyright, depending on their agreement with the artist. Even if theyve been paid upfront, this doesnt automatically mean that they dont then get to own any of the copyright. This would have to be agreed upon mutually between all songwriters and collaborators.

If youre working with a producer, you should always sign a contract with them to outline the fee theyve been paid and how much of the copyright they own.

Hopefully the above information has helped you to learn more about the songwriting process (and the dos and donts).

If you have any further questions about song splits and would like to join Horus Music Publishing, get in touch with us today at publishing@horusmusic.global.

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The true value of Indie Labels in todays Music Industry

Indie labels are quietly driving the music industrys biggest successes. Find out the true value of indie labels despite their smaller size.

The true value of Indie Labels

by Keith Jopling via Network Notes

Indie labels put in more value to the music business than they take out  will that ever change?

Ive been thinking a lot about what it is to be an indie label lately, in the context of the continuing growth in the music industry overall.

Over the past few years the artist services sector (aka distribution) has seen hypergrowth, alongside massive investment  often from investors entirely new to the music business. For these investors looking to get in on the action, the distribution sector has everything: a growing addressable market (independent artists), disruptive brands (from incumbents like TuneCore to upstarts like Gamma), an ever expanding product portfolio (i.e. a growing array of artist services) and most importantly, a global marketplace.

The connectors between independent artists and DSPs have grown exponentially by being in the eye of the needle of the perfect 2-sided marketplace: massive growth in music production/supply and massive growth in music consumption. Some were blessed with official partner status by the likes of Spotify and Apple Music  pouring rocket fuel on the growth of DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby et. al.

This relates directly to the indie labels sector, one which tends to grow organically with very little outside investment whatsoever. When investors get stuck into due diligence on distributors, they are often looking for the secret sauce  in other words the added value these companies can bring to the music industry. Whats fascinating about the due diligence process, is that no secret sauce is ever found. Of course it isnt, because it does not exist.

Distributors have scale, and they operate in a global market, but in terms of value-add to artists  the central core activities of A&R and marketing  are the same in scope as those of indie record labels. So are many other associated services, such as royalty accounting and payment, analytics and so on. Although effectiveness and service levels vary, these direct services to artists have very little to differentiate them, between distributors themselves and indeed between distributors and their indie label counterparts. Furthermore, due diligence also reveals that the most valuable aspect of many distribution players isnt direct/independent artist services, but label services  those offered to indie labels.

This transfer of monetary value is fascinating to me, because in truth, it is the indie labels that create the majority of the value here, in the truest sense. It is the indies that find, develop and market artists that actually have fans, and potentially careers. Although they are fewer in number, their releases are what scales activity for the distribution players  which in turn attracts the interest from investors. The indie label sector is a huge filter of quality  a true differentiator from both the mass of DIY artists (famously once referred to by a major label boss as merchants of garbage) but also the highly trend led pop put out by major labels.

On reading Darrens Network Notes post recognising the true value of indie labels, it struck me that well, the true value of indie labels is exactly what they have always done better than anyone else  develop and market real artists, especially those artists that really do not suit the majors.

In that post, Darren also posed an oxymoron:

Id be genuinely curious to hear if there are labels readers feel have truly risen up in the last couple of years from genuinely humble beginnings to looking like long-standing, permanent fixtures. Personally, I feel the list is short  and getting shorter.

Some immediate names did come to mind for me. The UK labels Partisan, Dirty Hit, and Communion. The US-based Secretly (a group of four indie labels not unlike Beggars, but including its own distribution services operation) and ATO Records. Im sure that there are plenty of examples from outside of these two markets. But Darrens point still stands, in that the number of growing businesses in the indie label sector is far fewer than in the wider artist services market. Yet Im convinced that the former is driving most of the value in the latter.

The buzz around artist services has probably peaked now. Although investment is still flowing in (note that Chicago-based firm Flexpoint Ford recently took a stake in Create Music Group for $165 million, for example) the due diligence is proving trickier. It may even be that investors are finding the sector previously overvalued. Believe/TuneCore came out of public ownership partly for that reason. Believe structures its business in two divisions: Premium Solutions and Automated Solutions. Although the delineation is not fully understood outside the company, it is Premium Solutions that seems to be creating more value for the company. Thats more on the licensed artists and owned labels side of the business than the open distribution platform part of TuneCore.

If so, it falls in line with those impressive results from XL and Beggars, as well as the continued growth of the 4th major BMG. Yet, outside of the big hitter indies, the indie label sectors growth remains underpowered relative to both consumption (streaming + social platforms), distribution, creator tools/music software and indeed, the live and merchandise side of the music industry. Indie labels power talent into all these lucrative layers of the music industry but take relatively little out.

The reasons are pretty obvious  indies do not operate in a global market  only Beggars has a true global perspective and that doesnt quite compare with what majors and distributors have in terms of infrastructure, operating model or staff numbers. Indies manage small, curated rosters of artists and so cannot jump on the bandwagon of scale and customer acquisition in the same way distributors can. And when distributors get these big investments, where does the money go? A large chunk of it will go on advances, in the hope of attracting higher quality artists. This is because distributors know that artist services deals can bring a 20+% share of a lot of streaming cash, whereas the long tail of creators brings low-tier subs revenue but high churn.

Yet indie labels do the best job of talent acquisition and artist development in music, dont they? Even when hot artists are passed between them (Fontaines D.C. recently moved from Partisan to XL in their ascendence to global stardom) or are eventually lost to majors (Wolf Alice moved from Dirty Hit to Columbia in their ascendence to global stardom), indies still attract the best, most exciting new talent. As a result, labels like XL have enormous brand value among the creative community  probably far more so than any distribution brand or major label. The same goes for Secretly Groups ultra cool portfolio JagJaguwar and Dead Oceans. The kudos associated with these labels is huge, the only downside for artists is that the budgets are smaller than if they were signed to a major.

When it comes to marketing, its harder to say. Marketing comes down to individual talent and effective small teams  and those exist to varying degrees across the whole gamut of music organisations. Yet indies are often blessed with a real love and passion for their artists  something that makes a tangible difference to marketers and publicists. I dont mean to take anything away from passionate marketers at majors or distribution/artist services companies here, but just by way of a more focused roster, indies are in the stronger position to give their artists the personal touch. That does not leave indie labels with a fancy pitch to investors about AI assisted marketing at scale, however. Thats the latest secret sauce for distributors  to be more tech and less label. Strange really when everyone is in the same business  finding and marketing music talent.

ORCA

This brings me to ORCA, another recent development in the indies space. ORCA is clearly a cooperative move to level the playing field and make the indies sector add up to more than the sum of its parts, even if the call to action and commercial potential is not yet clear. The work of Merlin, AIM and A2IM cannot be faulted in representing the collegiate of indies in the streaming age i.e. more global, more scalable, yet none of those are vessels for investment or value creation outside of licence negotiations and trade marketing/networking. None of them enable indie labels to be more tech. Could ORCA play this role I wonder?

For ORCA (or the others) to succeed in re-directing industry value towards the indies sector it will need to assist indie labels in attracting investment, growth, taking on in-house distribution (something that has worked for BMG in its latest set of results) and expanding their ability to build artist businesses outside of streaming space  into the growth areas of physical retail, merchandise and live productions. And yes, probably become more tech without overpaying the distribution sector.

Finally, I would not give up on the ability to leverage media in favour of indie label artists. While radio, TV and press are a shadow of their former selves from a music marketing standpoint, the indie media sector is blossoming. If indie media such as So Young, Dummy, Colours, Pitchfork, NTL et. al. can be nurtured and supported, they will continue to punch above weight for indie-signed artists simply because the quality and ethos is well-aligned. For many artists, being a cover feature is as important as landing on a streaming playlist when it comes to building a fan base. Perhaps ORCA can work with innovators like Pytch in this area. And one would assume forging even deeper links with the likes of Bandcamp too.

Going the extra mile has always been in the blood at indie labels. To scale, indies must have help picking through the fragments in a way that big companies, whether major labels or distribution players, can rarely be bothered to do, or simply have lost the ability to do because they are stupidly busy with various forms of buzz marketing. Perhaps indies true value is to stay focused on the smaller details that can make the biggest difference to their artists. Id like to see investors, funding organisations and big music appreciate this more.

Keith Jopling is an independent consultant working across investment, artist services and labels. He is the founder at Song Sommelier Productions.

Cover photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

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Triplex To Screen 'Geraldine Ferraro's Daughter'

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.  The Triplex Cinema announced a special election season event featuring a screening of Donna Zaccaro's "Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way" on Sunday Sept. 15 at 3:00 pm.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Triplex Cinema website. Following the screening there will be a discussion between Zaccaro, Geraldine Ferraro's daughter, and Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a well-known writer, journalist and political activist, and longtime friend of Ferraro.

According to a press release:

Forty years ago presidential candidate Walter Mondale made the historic selection of New York Congressional Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his Vice- Presidential running mate. "Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way" is an inspiring film about Ferraro's historic nomination and the first full profile of the woman who changed the face of American politics forever. Directed by Ferraro's daughter, Donna Zaccaro, "Paving the Way" is a loving and heartfelt look at Ferraro's distinguished career.

After a career as a teacher and attorney, Ferraro worked in the Queens, New York District Attorney's office, where she started the Special Victims Bureau. In 1978 Ferraro was elected to Congress from New York City's 9th district. As a Congresswoman, Ferraro was a tireless women's and human right's advocate, working for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and many related issues.

In her 1984 Vice Presidential acceptance speech, Ferraro spoke of the realization of the American Dream: "Tonight, the daughter of an immigrant from Italy has been chosen to run for vice-president in the new land my father came to love." The Mondale-Ferraro ticket lost, but Ferraro's candidacy forever reshaped the American political and social landscape.

Following the election, Ferraro continued her life of public service when she was appointed by President Clinton as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Commission, and later head of the U.S delegations to the World Conference on Human Rights and the Fifth World Conference of Women. In 1998 Ferraro was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and became a public advocate and frequent speaker on the disease. She died in March, 2011, of complications from the disease.

Donna Zaccaro is Founder and President of Dazzling Media, a New-York based media production company. Donna served as the director and producer of "Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way." Previously Zaccaro was a long-time award-winning producer for the "Today" show at NBC News. She has also worked in politics, public affairs, marketing and communications.

Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a Stockbridge resident, is an author, activist, and national public speaker. A founding editor of Ms. Magazine, she has also published two novels and twelve works of nonfiction.Pogrebin serves on the boards of Americans for Peace Now, the Ms. Foundation for Education and Communication, the Brandeis University Women's and Gender Studies Program, and The Authors Guild. Her many honors include a Yale University Poynter Fellowship in Journalism, an Emmy Award for Free to Be You and Me, and dozens of awards and commendations from a variety of NGOs, civic, religious and educational institutions.
Stakeholders, town leaders, and project organizers were shovel-ready to kick off the fire station project. Moresi thanked key stakeholders who came together to see the project through. Members of the Fire Department attended the ceremony. Barrett noted that Williamstown should be proud to be able to take on such projects. Patton thanked the residents who overwhelmingly supported the project at a special fire district meeting. Pedercini listed some of the improvements the new building will include. Williamstown Firefighters posed for a picture. PreviousNext

Williamstown Breaks Ground On New Fire Station

After speeches, various group photos were taken.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The community came together to officially start a construction project, over a decade in the making, that will provide a safer, cleaner future for the town.

"What an amazing day today is for Williamstown," Prudential Committee Chairman Dave Moresi said Wednesday during the ceremony. "As a community, we should be proud to witness the groundbreaking of a new state-of-the-art fire station, ensuring that life and property continue to be protected to the highest and best of abilities."

The newly constructed 22,000 square foot facility will be built on Main Street, replacing the aging station on Water Street.

Chief Craig Pedercini said he first brought the idea to the Prudential Committee some 18 years ago. At that time, the Water Street Station was 56 years old. He said even 18 years ago, the department had outgrown the facility that could not keep up with modern fire fighting needs.

"Over the next couple of years, the progress began. Fast forward to today, we stick our shovels in the ground and move forward towards building a state of our fire station for the firefighters of this community," he said.

He said the new facility will have space to operate all of the department's vehicles and equipment safely. He said the new station will have an area to decontaminate gear as well as office, meeting, and training space. He was also happy to say the new facility will have plenty of parking.

Speaker State Rep. John Barrett III agreed that the project had been in the works for some time joking that some of the now Prudential Committee members he went to grade school with were talking about it then.

He added that the town should be proud to be able to make such improvements while maintaining solid financial ground.

"The town should be very proud. Proud of not only the fire departmentbut also as a community," he said. "You have a new police station, you're going to have a new fire station. I can't tell you how many communities around the state of Massachusetts would like to be in this position today. And you're in good financial condition after it happens."

In 2023 a special fire district meeting authorized the town to use $22.5 to complete the project. Through a series of meetings, working with the contractor Consigli Construction, the Prudential Committee locked in a guaranteed maximum price of $17.9 million.

Chairperson of the select board Jane Patton said the project also furthers the town's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in line with its police station and middle school.

"It's been designed with an eye on the future. It's meant to operate with Net Zero carbon and to be adaptable to the changing needs of small fire departments," she said. "This is no small feat, and it's not for the faint of heart. This is a big deal to commit to this and to make it happen in this fashion. It makes me very proud to be a member of this community."

Moresi closed his portion of the ceremony by thanking the firefighters past and those present who will use the new fire station.

"The men and women are the heroes of our community. Always there to answer the call. This station is about a safe and healthy working environment for them," he said. "To allow them to serve our community to the best of their abilities for many years to come."

The project is estimated to be completed in late 2025/early 2026.
Kingston Technology, a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for users looking for high capacity 4x4 NVMe PCIe performance in a compact form factor.

The Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is a robust next-gen storage solution powered by a Gen 4x4 NVMe controller. The Kingston NV3 delivers read/write speeds of up to 6,000/5,000MB/s, ensuring a faster system capable of handling a variety of workloads, from editing to gaming. The drive optimizes system performance and delivers value without compromise. Its compact single-sided M.2 2280 (22x80mm) design allows for storage expansion up to 4TB, while saving space for other components. As a cost-effective storage solution, the NV3 is ideal for creators and gamers looking to enhance their PC performance.

We are excited to elevate the user experience with the next-gen successor, NV3, said Kingston. Whether upgrading to meet the evolving demands of working from home or building a new gaming PC, the NV3 is designed to deliver speed and dependability at an attractive price point.

Available in capacities from 500GB  4TB, NV3 will give users storage space they need for applications, documents, photos, videos, games and more. NV3 will also include 1-year free Acronis True Image for Kingston software, alongside the Kingston SSD Manager application, enabling users to monitor drive health and disk usage, update drive firmware, and securely erase data.

NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Features and Specifications:
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Stephen King has given a blunt three-word response to discovering that 23 of his books have been banned from school libraries in Florida, a law that is now being challenged by six major book publishers.

In 2022, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a landmark legislation that targeted books that included any sexually explicit material, following complaints from conservative group Moms for Liberty.

The law was brought into effect in July 2023 and has seen noteworthy classics such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain all removed from elementary, middle and high school libraries. Even non-fiction books like The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank has also been banned.

Amongst the novels by King that have reportedly been banned include Carrie, It, The Gunslinger, The Running Man and The Long Walk.

King, who is no stranger to voicing his political opinion, wrote in response to learning just how many of his books have been banned: Florida has banned 23 pf [sic] my books. What the f***?

Six major book publishers, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers and Sourcebooks have now teamed up to challenge the sweeping book removal provisions of House Bill 1069.

In a press release the publishers highlighted the potential abuses of the law that can happen once a complaint is raised. The statement says: HB 1069 requires school librarians to remove books that contain anything that can be construed as sexual conduct, with no consideration of the educational value of the work as a whole. If a parent or a resident of the county objects to a book, the book must be removed within five days and remain unavailable until the objection is resolved. There is no requirement to review a book within a reasonable time frameor even to return it if it has been found not to violate the statute. If a book is returned to the library, an objector may request a review by a state-appointed special magistrate at the expense of the school district.

Florida has banned 23 pf my books.

What the fuck?  Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 31, 2024

The publishers add: Students need access to books that reflect a wide range of human experiences to learn and grow. Its imperative for the education of our young people that teachers and librarians be allowed to use their professional expertise to match our authors books to the right reader at the right time in their life.

Florida Department of Education spokesperson Sydney Booker, has since pushed back on the publishers lawsuit, telling the BBC that it is a stunt, adding that: There are no books banned in Florida and that, sexually explicit material and instruction are not suitable for schools.
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The Crown Prosecution Service has discontinued criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein following an alleged sexual assault in London in 1996.

It was alleged that Weinstein twice indecently assaulted a woman, who is now in her fifties, in the summer of 1996.

On Thursday, the CPS said: Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein.

The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counterterrorism division, said the decision to discontinue legal proceedings against Weinstein had been explained to all parties involved.

We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met, he continued.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police at the time of the arrest said it had been alleged two offences were committed between 31 July and 31 August 1996.

Weinstein, 72, is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence after he was found guilty in 2020 of rape and sexual assault in New York.

open image in gallery The Weinstein revelations launched the #MeToo movement in 2017 ( AP )

In June 2024, the conviction was tossed by appeals judges who said jurors shouldnt have heard testimony from women who had accused the film producer of misconduct but whose allegations werent part of the case.

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A retrial has been tentatively scheduled for 12 November.

Ashley Judd, the first actor to come forward with sexual harassment allegations against the former filmmaker, said that the decision is unfair to survivors.

The Weinstein revelations launched the #MeToo movement in 2017, which saw women from all corners of society come forward to talk about their experiences of sexual harassment and assault.

More than 80 women in the film industry came forward to accuse him of non-consensual sexual activity.

Charmed star Rose McGowan alleged that Weinstein had raped her, while Shallow Hal actor Gwyneth Paltrow and Maleficent star Angelina Jolie accused the director of harassment. Salma Hayek also reported that Weinstein had sexually harassed her.

Weinsteins lawyer claimed he was denied a fair trial after he became the poster boy for the #MeToo movement as they made the case for throwing out his rape and sexual assault convictions.
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Johnny Depp fans have noticed that big change appears to have fixed his rotting teeth.

A clip of the actor on holiday in the Bahamas has been shared by a bartender from Lorraines Cafe in Exuma, who invited the film star behind the bar to mix some drinks.

Depp, who recently paid tribute to his Pirates of the Caribbean co-star who died in a shark attack, can be seen smiling away in the clip  and his fans immediately noticed that he has what appears to be a bright new set of veneers.

The 61-year-old actors dental hygiene came into question at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival when he attented the premiere of Jeanne du Barry. His fans expressed concern over the appearance of his teeth, with some complaining that they looked like they were rotting and others urging him to go to the dentist.

Now, these fans are highlighting how the actor has seemingly undergone dental work, with one writing in the replies section of the video: He looks so happy! And healthy and LOOK he got his teeth fixed!!!!!

Another added: Johnny Depp has new teeth! with one more person commenting: The pirate teeth are gone ... pearly whites look beautiful.

Others continued to point out the change, with a fan stating: Def got his teeth done! Looks so good, with another commenting, Am I right to see that his teeth are looking brighter than ever before???

Johny Depp shows off apparent new set of teeth ( Instagram )

Depp, who changed his teeth for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, said of his dental health in the 1990s: I had a root canal done eight years ago thats unfinished. Its like a rotten little stub.

He added to Premiere: When I see people with perfect teeth, it drives me up the wall. Id rather swallow a tick than have that!

The bartender who shared the video captioned the clip: jacksparrow meets the killerbartender of exuma bahamas ... once in a lifetime moments with mr jonhny Depp.

Johnny Depps teeth were branded rotten at Cannes in 2023 ( Getty Images )

In the video, Depp can be seen acknowledging a painting of his Pirates of the Caribbean character.

Speaking about wanting to change Jack Sparrows teeth in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Depp previously revealed: Jerry [Bruckheimer, producer] was slightly uncomfortable, and the Disney executives werent exactly enthusiastic about itI said, Look, these are the choices I made. You know my work. So either trust me or give me the boot. And luckily, they didnt.
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Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton is going back to using his real name, which happens to be the same as another Hollywood actor.

The 73-year-old, has reprised his role as the troublesome ghost and bio-exorcist for his forthcoming movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton.

The film, which is set to be released in cinemas on 6 September, is the sequel to Burtons beloved 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice. A number of the original cast are set to return, including Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Schitts Creek star Catherine OHara as her mother Delia Deetz.

Keaton told People that he had picked his name out of a phone book when he was starting out in Hollywood in the 1970s. The Screen Actors Guild prohibits members from using the same name as another professional actor, and Keaton was forced to drop his birth name as a result.

Now, decades later, he wants to go back to his origins.

I said, Hey, just as a warning, my credit is going to be Michael Keaton Douglas, Keaton said about his new movie, Knox Goes Away, which he directed.

However, he said, It totally got away from me. And I forgot to give them enough time to put it in and create that.

He promised, But that will happen.

Star is adamant he will be changing his name back ( Getty Images )

Michael Douglas, 79, is the son of three-time Academy Award nominee Kirk Douglas and is married to Best Supporting Actress winner Catherine Zeta-Jones. He is known for his roles on Wall Street (1987), Fatal Attraction (1987), The War of the Roses (1989), Basic Instinct (1992),and Traffic (2000).

Recalling how he picked the name he eventually became famous for, Keaton said, I was looking through  I cant remember if it was a phone book.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer

He continued, I mustve gone, I dont know, let me think of something here. And I went, Oh, that sounds reasonable.

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Keaton has commented on having the same name as Douglas before, and told Terry Wogan in a 1992 interview, There were already two people in the union with the name Michael Douglas, I got a job and contractually you couldnt have people of the same name.

Douglass father was forced to change his surname in a bid to assimilate ( Getty Images )

He said, I finally met Michael Douglas, hes a good guy actually.

But, he added thats not even his real name! Im the only one who had the name. Thats the irony here.

Douglass father, Issur Danielovitch, was forced to Americanise his surname in a bid to assimilate.
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Megan Thee Stallion has admitted she still isnt sure what exactly started her feud with fellow rapper Nicki Minaj.

The two US artists have been embroiled in a row since at least 2021, when Minaj unfollowed the Savage star on Instagram and the pair began taking swipes at one another in their music.

Megan, 29, addressed the beef in a cover interview for Billboard, in which she also spoke about her unwavering support for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

In the wake of the shots she took at Minaj on her 2024 single Hiss, Megan was asked whether there was any chance of a reconciliation.

I still to this day dont know what the problem is, Megan responded. I dont even know what could be reconciled because I, to this day, dont know what the problem is.

The most recent chapter of Megan and Minajs difficult relationship began when Megan released Hiss in January. The track was widely interpreted to include a swipe at Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty.

open image in gallery Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj have been feuding for years ( Getty )

It begins with Megans declaration that she wants to get this s*** off my chest and lay it to rest, before she raps: These hoes dont be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megans Law / I dont really know what the problem is, but I guarantee yall dont want me to start.

Megans Law refers to the US federal law that enforces that information regarding registered sex offenders is available to the public. For some, this line is a veiled remark aimed at Petty, who is a registered sex offender after pleading guilty to attempted rape by force or fear at age 16.

Mere hours after the release of Hiss, Minaj launched into a tirade on social media and previewed her song, Big Foot, a diss track aimed at Megan.

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The song was released in full on 29 January, with notable lyrics such as: Bad b*** she like six foot, I call her, Big Foot / The b**** fell off, I said, Get up on your good foot.

Megans relationship with Minaj had already been in decline by this point, after she collaborated with her rival, Cardi B, on the 2020 hit WAP. She had previously teamed up with Minaj in 2019 on their collaboration, Hot Girl Summer.

open image in gallery Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion in the video for 'WAP' ( Screenshot )

Minaj unfollowed Megan on Instagram in January 2021, prompting fans to begin labelling them as rivals. Months later, they were convinced that Minaj took a swipe at Megan in her song Seeing Green.

In the same Billboard interview, Megan was asked if she took credit for restarting the competitive rap energy music fans have seen in 2024, which later saw a major beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

I would like to think that I start things, she said. I dont know; I just knew what I had to do and what I had to say. If it opened up the door for everyone else to get st off their chest, well, Im glad.

Of vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Harris, Megan, who recently performed at one of Harriss rallies, said she felt blessed to be alive in a lifetime where a Black woman or a woman at all could be president.

open image in gallery Kamala Harris has Megan Thee Stallions support ( AP )

This is what the future is about, she said. We really about to get a strong, Black female in there. I feel like America needed a woman to come in here and put a womans touch on it. Its been going a little crazy lately, and we need somebody to put their foot down. I feel like Kamala, she gon do that.

She continued: Now we just got to get out there and go vote. I dont like it when I see people saying, Im not voting. F*** it.

What the f*** are you talking about? Youre going to complain about what you dont like but youre not going to help the cause? I think thats very irresponsible because if you dont like what Trump has going on, why even aid in him being the president again?

The full Billboard interview is available on newstands and online now.
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Bill Gates didnt see the conspiracy theories coming. The Microsoft co-founder built one of the most immense fortunes the world has ever seen with his foresight about the personal computer revolution, but he never predicted so many people would end up using those machines to cast him as a baby-guzzling, shape-shifting lizard who puts microchips in vaccines and plans pandemics for profit. I thought the internet, with the magic of software, would make us all a lot more factual, he laments, a wry smile playing beneath his black-framed spectacles. The idea that we kind of wallow in misinformation Im surprised about that.

Not that hes complaining. I dont care how Im perceived, the 68-year-old assures me over a video call (Microsoft Teams, naturally) from his office in Kirkland, on the banks of Lake Washington, opposite Seattle. So even when a woman came up and yelled at me that I implanted stuff in her, that I was tracking her he took it in his stride. My life is fantastic, he says. Im the luckiest person alive, in terms of the work I get to do.

Online misinformation troubles Gates not because of his personal reputation, but because its the rare problem he doesnt have an answer for. In his new five-part Netflix documentary series, Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates, the multibillionaire shares his optimistic vision of a world where scientific innovation rolls back climate change and eradicates deadly diseases while advances in artificial intelligence leave us all free to enjoy perpetual leisure time. Its just the conspiracy theories that have him stumped. I feel a bit like weve handed that to the younger generation, he says. Both to face up to and to figure out: Okay, whats this boundary between free speech and incitement to violence, or harassment, or just craziness that gets people not to take health advice?

Bill Gates talks perception, legacy, and the challenge of misinformation

Gates is well aware that one reason grotesque and outlandish rumours about him capture the public imagination is because, as he puts it in the show, extreme wealth brings with it questions about your motives. He stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2000 to establish the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his then-wife, aiming to give away lots of money to save lots of lives, yet he remains one of the worlds richest people (seventh on the real-time Forbes list, with an estimated net worth of $138bn).

I ask him directly whether he can reassure me that billionaires do have the best interests of the rest of us at heart. His answer doesnt exactly set my mind at ease. Im a huge believer in the estate tax [the American equivalent of the UKs inheritance tax] and more progressive taxation, he replies. I dont think we should generally generationally let families whose great grandfather, through luck and skill, accumulated a lot of wealth, have the economic or political power that comes with that.

Not a ringing endorsement of the billionaire class, then. Would he agree that he is too rich? If I designed the tax system, I would be tens of billion dollars poorer than I am, he nods. The tax system could be more progressive without damaging significantly the incentive to do fantastic things.

Instead of voluntarily paying more tax, Gates has poured his wealth into projects he believes can raise the global standard of living. He has argued that hes able to take risks on long-shot innovations that governments wouldnt be prepared to gamble on and, in one episode of the new show, he presents some of the projects hes funding to try and contain the climate crisis, such as investing in new types of nuclear reactors and finding ways to make cement that dont emit CO2.

These sorts of innovations are essential because, as he explains, the majority of harmful carbon emissions are caused by generating electricity and the manufacture of things such as steel and concrete. I tell Gates that I find his analysis a little dispiriting simply because it reminds me how much my efforts to fly less often or waste less food pale into insignificance next to the vast structural changes that need to happen for society to reach net zero emissions.

open image in gallery Bill Gates visits a next-generation TerraPower nuclear reactor hes funding in Wyoming in Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates' ( Netflix )

First of all, let me say individual actions do add up, Gates argues back. Whether its acts of kindness, or creating demand for green products, everybody who buys foods that are made with lower CO2 helps to drive the volume, which helps innovation eventually outcompete the dirty stuff. So whether its electric cars or heat pumps or sustainable aviation fuel, I wouldnt completely discount that.

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Its clear though that the major changes we need will have to be made by governments, so I ask if he finds himself sympathising with activists who feel driven to block roads, or throw paint on famous works of art, just to try to get politicians to pay attention? I agree that sometimes extreme tactics are very helpful at keeping this issue on the agenda, he says, Because the big, big pain of climate change is way out in the future I cut in here  surely were already suffering the effects of climate change? Gates shakes his head. In terms of everything but the countries on the equator, the massive GDP impacts are not in the near term, but over time, he says, adding that he has no time for climate doomerism. Theres no doubt that its super important and that were underinvesting in it, but the idea that we should despair, we should almost give up, thats also not helpful to the cause.

When it comes to the much-trumpeted benefits of AI, I confess to Gates that I struggle to share his optimism. When he describes a future where humans enjoy much more leisure, I picture CEOs instigating mass layoffs and telling us cheerfully to go enjoy our free time. AI might make businesses more efficient, but that doesnt necessarily improve the lot of those of us who have to work for a living.

Well, work weeks have gotten shorter, Gates tells me confidently, while I make a mental note to let my boss know Ill be finishing early. But he takes my point. I will admit that saying that through government policies we will take this extra productivity and we will spread it around properly, at a time when trust in government to do basic things is so low statements like that cause people to raise their eyebrows, but there is no other answer.

Gates argues that, as with climate mitigation, we will need governments to rein in corporations and restructure society to deal with the myriad effects of AI. As society becomes more productive, to make sure that those benefits are shared by the many, not just in the rich countries, but globally, it takes government involvement, he says. Philanthropy alone or well-meaning people alone cant do that. So its about picking politicians that see the benefits of AI and think about what that means for the tax structure and having economists who are really looking at this. I do think thats starting, and I think we have 10 to 20 years before the productivity benefits are so gigantic that you really do have to reshape taxation and work-week policies in a profound way.

As Gates sees it, the coming AI revolution will reshape society more thoroughly than any previous leap forward in human history. Theres no upper limit to this technology, he argues. At least with tractors we knew wed have less farmers, but there are a lot of other human needs. In those days we didnt realise, as we got richer, how many restaurants or psychiatrists we would end up needing.

open image in gallery Bill Gates demonstrating Microsofts Windows 95 from his car ahead of a Paris press conference in September 1995 ( Michel Gangn/AFP via Getty Images )

In comparison to AI, Gates says the personal computer revolution was in some ways uncontroversial. When Microsoft was founded in 1975, their idea of putting a computer in every home sounded like a pipe dream. Now theres one in every pocket. Gates helped transform the world during that period, but he says the philanthropic work hes been focused on for the past 16 years has been profounder.

If I hadnt been part of the personal computer revolution, it would have happened, he points out. Would it have happened a year later or something? Who knows? But not super delayed, whereas when it comes to malaria, malnutrition, womens contraceptives, sadly, its a strange comment on the world, I dont think even a decade later those things would necessarily have happened. Its hard to do the what if, but if you run the world with me and without me, and you subtract the two, the philanthropy is a much more significant thing in terms of making things that are equity-oriented happen dramatically sooner than they would have otherwise.

open image in gallery A protester at an anti-lockdown rally in Berlin in April 2021 holds a placard with an image of Bill Gates and the slogan: Guilty ( John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images )

Despite what all those ghoulish online conspiracies would have you believe about Gates, his impact on global health has been hugely significant and undeniably admirable. In 2000, 10 million children under five died every year. Today, that number is down to under 4.6 million deaths each year. The work of the Gates Foundation has drastically reduced the number of people who die from preventable diseases including malaria, polio and diarrhoea, although Gates insists that hes not in it for personal acclaim. The dream is to get rid of these diseases so nobody remembers what malaria was or what polio was, he says. Thats the ultimate success.

As remarkable as Gatess achievements in global health have been, and as hopeful as we might all be that his investments can have a similarly positive impact on climate change, it does raise the question of what happens after hes gone. The Gates Foundation is mandated to wind up 20 years after his death, and I point out to him that the new generation of billionaires whove overtaken him on the Forbes list, the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, seem rather less interested in spending their vast fortunes on malaria nets, polio vaccines or climate solutions.

Gates says he tries to promote philanthropy to the ultra-rich, but he acknowledges thats not a long-term fix. The big work still has to be done by government, he says. Philanthropy is not a substitute for government. Making sure everybodys educated, has food, has shelter  its the government whos going to create that safety net.

Thats the funny thing about Bill Gatess optimistic view of the future: it requires taking a lot of power out of the hands of billionaires like Bill Gates.

Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates is on Netflix from 18 September
 Close Romeo Beckham pranks father David after Emmy's win

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The 2024 Emmys took place on Sunday (September 15) night, with controversial Netflix show Baby Reindeer, kitchen drama The Bear and historical Japan-set series Shogun all winning big.

The three-hour ceremony took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The broadcast is now available to watch on Hulu.

This years event was hosted for the first time by father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, who co-created and starred in the hit series Schitts Creek.

Were going to keep it light and bright, Dan Levy told the Los Angeles Times, while his father added: Youre setting a tone, and its our tone. It is what it is.

Its kind of tricky when youre in the weeds, but ultimately we have to be ourselves and go with what we think is funny.

Awards presenters will included Hollywood legend and Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke, 97, along with Allison Janney, Martin Sheen, Matt Bomer, Lily Gladstone and Kristen Wiig.

See the winners list in full here.

Follow live updates below.
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James Marsters has revealed he sought mental health support after filming one harrowing scene for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The actor, 62, played the vampire Spike alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar as the titular slayer in Joss Whedons supernatural teen drama, which ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003.

In one episode from the penultimate series, Seeing Red, Spike tries to rape Buffy in her bathroom in a twisted attempt to prove his love for her  but she is able to fight him off.

Speaking to Michael Rosenbaum on the Inside of You podcast, Marsters said: Buffy sent me into therapy, actually. Buffy crushed me.

He added: Its a problematic scene for a lot of people who like the show. And its the darkest professional day of my life.

Explaining how the distressing scene came to be, the Dragon Ball Super star said the writers were being asked to come up with their worst day and slap metaphoric fangs on it.

One of the women writers actually had come up with this idea, because in college she had gotten broken up with and she went to her exs place and thought that if they made love one more time, everything would be fixed, Marsters said.

open image in gallery Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ( Shutterstock )

She kind of forced herself and he had to physically remove her from the premises, and that was one of the most painful memories of that time of her life.

Marsters had questioned how the scene would be received by fans of the show having flipped the genders of the situation around.

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They thought that since Buffy was a superhero that they could flip the sexes, since Buffy could defend herself very, very easily from this, he said.

They thought that they could have a man do it to a woman and it would be the same thing, the actor continued.

open image in gallery Joss Whedon directs Marsters on the Buffy set ( 20th Century Fox Television/Koba )

I went to them and I said, You know, guys, were providing a vicarious experience for the audience. Everyone whos watching Buffy is Buffy, and theyre not superheroes, so Im doing this to every member of the audience, and theyre going to have a very different reaction.

Marsters contractually couldnt say no to filming the scene and described the shooting day as his personal hell.

I dont like sexual predation scenes, anything that has to do with it, he explained.

I dont audition for those things. If theres a movie with that kind of material, I dont go to see the movie. If it pops up on television, Ive got to turn the television off before I break it. I have a very visceral reaction to that stuff.

open image in gallery Marsters as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( Getty Images )

Marsters previously told Radio Times another reason the writers had added the rape scene into the sixth season of Buffy was because they were struggling to make audiences see Spike as a villain.

They couldnt convince the audience to stop rooting for Spike, he said. They kept having me do worse and worse things trying to get people to realise. Even Spike at one point goes, Hey guys, Im evil. Because the audience refused to do that, they finally landed on that scene.

Meanwhile, although Gellar has watched the majority of Buffy with her family, she revealed to The Hollywood Reporter last year that Seeing Red is one episode that she skips.

I have trouble with [season] six, she said. It wasnt appropriate for them at the time, and I just dont want to rewatch it.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
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The View hosts have criticized ABCs Dancing with the Stars for including convicted felon Anna Delvey in its new seasons lineup.

Delvey, 33, is a Russian-born German citizen who was imprisoned for four years after she was found guilty of swindling banks, hotels and individuals out of more than $200,000. She was released in 2021 before being taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for violating the terms of her visa.

She was later granted house arrest, which she is still currently serving, and has since risen to international fame after Netflix released its 2022 miniseries Inventing Anna based on her life.

On the Thursday (September 8) episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg hit out at Delveys unfair privilege.

I think back to all the families whove had family members arrested by ICE, who have gone to the courts to get their dad or their mother or their brother back, the Sister Act star said. And this woman, they gave her permission to go do this. Now, should I think theres a reason? Is there a two-tiered system here with ICE?

The con artist recently revealed that she was granted permission by ICE to participate in DWTS.

Sunny Hostin agreed: She defrauded so many people and then spent about two years in prison and then had to spend another 18 months in prison for overstaying her welcome and overstaying her visa. So she committed another crime, and what is the consequence of it? A federal bejeweled ankle monitor and a spot on a television show.

At the launch event for DWTS, Delvey shared she would be bejeweling her ankle monitor while she takes part in the series.

We have a felon running for president, why are we surprised? Sara Haines responded, referencing former president Donald Trump, who in May was found guilty of falsifying business records.

open image in gallery Whoopi Goldberg hit out at Anna Delveys participation on Dancing with the Stars ( ABC / Getty Images )

Conceding that she too liked a comeback story, Hostin questioned: But when are there consequences to peoples actions in this country?

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Joy Behar then interrupted to pitch a new spinoff series featuring Trump and other convicted politicians called Dancing with the Felons.

Alyssa Farah Griffin stepped in to add: Im here for a redemption arc, not a rehabilitation arc, and the difference is this: somebody who has owned and taken responsibility for what they did wrong.

Griffin argued that she wasnt so sure Delvey had. She still owes people money, and con artists tend to remain con artists, so I would just say if youre around her there, Id be wary of schemes she might be working.

Returning to her initial point, Goldberg said she didnt understand why Delvey gets to stay in America.

Because shes pretty! Behar said, with Goldberg replying: Well, thats a little bit of a piss-off. I like pretty people, too. But Im listening to people b**** about whats going on at the border, and I listen to all these people b**** about all these people who shouldnt be here. Well, what the hell?

Delvey will be partnered with professional dancer Ezra Sosa on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, which debuts on Tuesday, September 17 at 8pm ET on ABC and will air weekly after that.
 Close Related: Storm Yagi heads for Chinese coast after flooding roads in the Philippines

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Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, was downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday after killing at least 14 in Vietnam.

The storm caused significant damage in northern Vietnam, Chinas Hainan, and the Philippines, killing dozens and injuring several more.

Although the Vietnamese meteorological agency issued the downgrade, they warned of continuing risks, including potential flooding and landslides, as the storm progresses westward.

Strong winds reaching 203 kmph caused extensive damage across northern Vietnam. Buildings were wrecked, vehicles were crushed by debris, and falling trees triggered power outages, including in the capital, Hanoi.

More than 170 people are reported injured.

The government reported that the storm has resulted in at least three deaths in Hanoi, a city of 8.5 million, though these numbers are preliminary. Overall, reports indicate that fourteen people have died in Vietnam so far, including four from a landslide in Hoa Binh province, approximately 100 km south of Hanoi.

In the Philippines, the storm left 20 dead, several more missing, and over two million affected, with landslides and widespread flooding displacing over 47,600 people from their homes.
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Storm Yagi, one of the worlds strongest storms this year, made landfall in Chinas Hainan island on Friday, drenching its southern coast.

Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated in Hainan, schools were shut, trading was halted and flights cancelled in Hong Kong and Macau with the super typhoon bringing high winds and rain to the region, having already left a trail of devastation in the Philippines.

The storms windspeeds reached 245kmph, making Yagi the second-most powerful tropical cyclone anywhere in the world for 2024.

Follow the latest updates on Super Typhoon Yagi

The eye of storm reached the northern tip of Hainan island on Friday, weather maps showed.

It is expected to impact a large swathe of China before moving off towards Vietnam and Laos over the weekend.

Infrared image from Japans Himawari-9 satelite shows the eye of Super Typhoon Yagi over the northern tip of Hainan island as it continues to churn westward ( Himawari-9 )

Hainan had relocated 419,367 residents, transport links and businesses have been shut across the region, including the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, the worlds longest sea crossing.

The storm also closed the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The typhoons path, as charted by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, shows the storm crossing Hainan and then moving towards northern Vietnam for another landfall.

Typhoon Yagi path ( Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) )

Four airports in northern Vietnam, including Hanois Noi Bai International Airport, have been shut. Along with Vietnam, Laos and Thailand are also bracing for its impact over the weekend as the outer bands of the typhoon bring rainfall and wind gusts.

Visual from Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) shows location of Super Typhoon Yagi moving close to Chinas Hainan province ( Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) )

The severe tropical storm intensified into a super typhoon on Thursday morning with wind gusts exceeding 160mph, making it a Category 5 equivalent typhoon by various classifications, and a violent typhoon according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)  its highest storm classification.

Rainfall forecast from AccuWeather shows Yagi is expected to bring up to 16 inches (400 mm) of rain, with some areas possibly receiving as much as 30 inches (760 mm), across southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, and northern Thailand between Friday and Sunday ( AccuWeather )

The storm has already claimed at least 16 lives in the Philippines, causing heavy rainfall and landslides before moving towards the west.

In the Philippines, where the storm is locally known as Enteng, the damage has been severe. Landslides, floods, and strong winds have caused widespread destruction, particularly in the northern regions.

In the tourist city of Antipolo a landslide killed three people, including a pregnant woman, while floodwaters claimed the lives of four others. The storm also caused extensive disruption to transportation, with flights cancelled and sea travel suspended, leaving thousands stranded.
BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- China is scheduled to hold the 3rd High-Level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries along the "Belt and Road" from Sept. 11 to 13 in Beijing, the country's top intellectual property regulator said on Wednesday.

The conference will invite heads from approximately 70 IP institutions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries, as well as international and regional organizations, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).

The event will also welcome embassy representatives in China, officials from relevant domestic departments, industry professionals and scholars, with an expected attendance of around 450 participants, the CNIPA noted.

The participants will engage in in-depth discussions on regional cooperation, green development, digital transformation and IP value enhancement, senior CNIPA official Sheng Li told a press briefing.

During the three-day conference, CNIPA, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Eurasian Patent Office will host meetings to discuss topics related to the role of IP in driving innovative development of enterprises, Sheng added.

China has actively promoted exchanges and cooperation with BRI partner countries in various areas, including IP policies, personnel training, education and examination.

It has signed IP cooperation agreements with 57 BRI partner countries. Since 2013, China has conducted over 50 training sessions, empowering more than 1,300 IP professionals from these countries.

Chinese experts have also been sent to over 10 countries and international organizations to conduct exchanges and training, supporting the IP capacity building for BRI partner countries.
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Police in Indonesia busted a baby-trafficking ring that bought newborns on Facebook and sold them to foreigners in Bali.

Police said the well-organised syndicate operated in Depok city of West Java, about 27km from capital Jakarta.

The infants were bought from parents for less than 800 on Facebook and sold to foreigners in Bali at four times the price, police said, adding the traffickers also worked on pre-orders.

Eight people have been arrested so far and are facing charges of human trafficking and child protection violations, police said. They include two sets of parents, two people who acted as scouts and buyers, an intermediary and a broker who managed the transactions.

Depok police chief Arya Perdana said the children were advertised on Facebook with prices ranging from 10m to 15m rupiah (493 to 740). The traffickers then transported the babies to the tourist hub of Bali where they were sold to foreigners for as much as 45m rupiah (2,220).

The trafficking ring was uncovered after authorities acted on a public tip-off.

Mr Perdana said they were able to halt the sale of two infants, a girl and a boy, who were intended for sale in Bali. The syndicate had already completed five such orders in Bali, he added.

They made arrangements with expectant parents before the babies were born, ensuring immediate transport to Bali right after birth, the police chief told news outlet Kompas.

So if a foreigner needed a baby, they would sell to them. Police said that a woman sold her baby for 10m rupiah after her husband refused to raise the child.

Police suspect that the syndicates illegal activities extended far beyond Bali and have expanded their investigation into other areas.

What we have discovered so far is limited to Bali, but organised international crime can occur anywhere, and the perpetrators could be from anywhere, Mr Perdana said.

According to an UN estimate, around 56 per cent of the worlds human trafficking victims are in the Asia Pacific region, with Southeast Asia and South Asia the key hubs for supplying victims.

In Indonesia, a person convicted of human trafficking can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison and fined 600m rupiah.

Violations of the child protection law carry the same maximum prison sentence, along with a fine of 300m rupiah.
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Pope Francis brought up a topic that has rocked the American political discourse in recent months as he praised Indonesians for choosing large families over pets during the first stop of a historic four-country trip to Asia.

The 87-year-old pontiff was speaking alongside Indonesias president Joko Widodo in a hall full of politicians at capital Jakartas presidential palace on Wednesday, when he drew smiles as he reignited the long-running debate over childless pet owners.

The Vatican leader said Indonesia set an example for other countries with dwindling birth rates.

And your country ... has families with three, four or five children that keep moving forward, and this is reflected in the age levels of the country, he said during his speech.

"Keep it up, youre an example for everyone, for all the countries that maybe, and this might sound funny, (where) these families prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child," he quipped. This cant go well.

When Mr Widodo, who sat beside the Catholic religious leader, chuckled, Francis turned to him and asked: Its true, isnt it?

open image in gallery Pope is taking the longest trip of his 11-year tenure at the Vatican ( AP )

In the US, JD Vance, the running mate of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has faced a wave of negative press over past comments referring to some rival Democrats as a bunch of childless cat ladies.

The pope, who is widely viewed as a progressive pontiff, faced criticism in 2022 when he called couples who have pets instead of children selfish and a threat to humankind.

In 2023, he spoke about an incident when a woman requested him to bless her dog, calling it my baby and said he became angry. I lost my patience and scolded her, saying many children are hungry and you bring me a dog.

The issue of plunging birth rates in the West has remained a focus of his papacy and he lamented the low fertility rate in the European Union where there were 1.5 births per woman, much lower than the 2.1 rate required to sustain the population.

In May this year in Rome, he said: Homes are filled with objects and emptied of children, becoming very sad places. There is no shortage of little dogs, cats, these are not lacking. There is a lack of children.

open image in gallery Pope uses a wheelchair, has regular bouts of bronchitis and has had multiple surgeries for intestinal problems ( REUTERS )

During his 12-day tour, the pope will visit Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore, in what would test his health during the long journey as he battles myriad health issues.

The focus of his tour would be religious tolerance between faiths, fight against interreligious violence, and climate change.

The pope is in the Muslim-majority Asian nation where Catholics make up 3 per cent of the population. But over the recent years, the country has faced the challenges of repeated instances of discrimination and violence against religious minorities.

From January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks, Amnesty International noted on the eve of Franciss visit.

The popes first stop was the iconic Tunnel of Friendship that connects Southeast Asias largest mosque, the Istiqlal, to the Jakarta Cathedral. The pope said he was in awe of the tunnel that is serving as the bridge between two religions.

This tunnel paves the way for meetings, dialogues, as well as the real possibility of discovering and sharing the mysticism of living together, mingling and meeting and taking part in a wave that, although somewhat chaotic, can be a real experience of fraternity, Pope Francis said.

Francis appeared in good spirits despite his longest 13-hour long journey to Jakarta. At a private meeting with his fellow Jesuits, he quipped: "The police have come to take me away."

He also warned priests and nuns against greed, saying, "The devil enters through your pockets".
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Watch as Pope Francis holds Holy Mass in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday 5 September.

The pontiff today invited Muslims and Catholics to push global leaders to confront the dangers of climate change and extremism, and spoke of the common roots of different religious beliefs as he visited Southeast Asias largest mosque.

In a day laden with religious symbolism on his trip to Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, the pope issued a joint declaration with the national grand imam and other local faith leaders that called for decisive action.

The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns, read the declaration, formally signed by Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar.

The pope is visiting Indonesia through Friday, as part of an ambitious 12-day journey to four countries across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Francis also spoke to an inter-religious gathering held outside the mosques main entrance, which opened with a young woman offering a plaintive singing of a passage from the Koran.
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A harrowing ordeal unfolded in Thailand after a 54-year-old woman fell into a drainage manhole.

The incident occurred on 2 September in Samut Sakhons city centre when Wiparat Yonnawa stepped on a seemingly secure concrete cover, only to see it collapse under her feet, sending her two metres below ground into waist-deep water.

Trapped for nearly half an hour, Ms Wiparats desperate situation only came to an end when a passerby spotted her and alerted her daughter and authorities.

The incident came just days after a similar tragedy in Malaysia, where an Indian tourist, Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, vanished into an 8m-deep sinkhole on 23 August while walking to a temple in Kuala Lumpur. Despite a nine-day search and rescue operation , authorities were unable to locate her.

Ms Wiparats daughter told Thaiger that she was unaware of the accident till a good Samaritan rang her doorbell to alert her. She rushed to the scene and sought assistance from a hospital rescue team.

Recounting her traumatic experience, Ms Wiparat told English daily The Nation that she was out shopping and had walked over the manhole cover, which is near her home, without incident only moments before it gave way beneath her feet.

Ms Wiparat reported feeling pain, helplessness, and fear of drowning. She said that if the water level had been higher, her situation could have been worse.

Arriving at the scene, the rescuers found Ms Wiparat submerged in the wastewater, sitting in a manhole about one metre in diameter and two metres deep.

She was unable to stand or climb out on her own due to extreme fatigue and shock, reported Thaiger. One rescuer entered the manhole and positioned a chair for Wiparat to sit on. A rope was secured to the chair, allowing the rescue team to safely pull Ms Wiparat out of the pit.

People sit near a closed road after another deep sinkhole appeared a week after a woman fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 29 August 2024 ( AP )

Ms Wiparat was taken to a local hospital for treatment of bruises and scratches. Her bruises were severe but did not result in internal bleeding, reports said.

Ms Wiparat, who was visited in hospital by the deputy mayor of Samut Sakhon, called on the citys authorities to take measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.

In an interview with The Nation, she emphasised the potential severity of such incidents. "If a child had fallen in, they may not have survived. Proper signs or barriers should be put in place if there is any work being done that may pose a danger to the public."

Sakchai Nimitpanya, the deputy mayor, suspected that municipal officials failed to secure the manhole cover properly after inspection or left it open for garbage removal. Municipal staff had been tasked with inspecting drainage manholes in preparation for high tide in the province, located along the Gulf of Thailand coast.
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Government reforms of the water sector will unlock the biggest private sector investment in its history, Environment Secretary Steve Reed has said.

The Cabinet minister addressed industry representatives, academics, investors and environmental groups about the newly-announced Water (Special Measures) Bill at the Thames Rowing Club in Putney, west London, on Thursday.

The legislation comes as Labours first major step towards delivering on its manifesto pledges to reset the broken water system.

Under the proposed laws, industry watchdog Ofwat and the Environment Agency will be handed new powers to take tougher action against water firms which damage the environment and fail customers, such as banning bonuses and creating jail terms of up to two years for executives who obstruct investigations.

Firmer action should have been taken over the last 14 years to ensure money was spent on fixing the water and sewage system and not siphoned off for bonuses and dividend payments Environment Secretary Steve Reed

Years of under-investment by the privately-run firms, combined with ageing water infrastructure, a growing population and more extreme weather caused by climate change, have seen the quality of Englands rivers, lakes and oceans plummet in recent years.

Some water utilities are also creaking under high levels of debt or face criticism over dividends to shareholders and executive bonuses while sewage spills pollute Englands waterways.

Mr Reed said the reforms ultimately aim to primarily clean up rivers, lakes and seas but also to shore up future drinking water supplies in England, which are forecast to be outstripped by demand by the mid-2030s.

Opening his speech, Mr Reed blamed the former Conservative government for failing to upgrade infrastructure as well as the inevitable increases in water bills that are to come.

Firmer action should have been taken over the last 14 years to ensure money was spent on fixing the water and sewage system and not siphoned off for bonuses and dividend payments, he said.

I am angry that over a decade of Conservative failure means customers will now have to pay higher bills to fix the system. This did not need to happen.

Mr Reed went on to call the new Bill a down-payment on the wider reforms that are needed after years of failure and environmental damage.

It will unlock the biggest ever investment in our water sector and the second biggest private sector investment into any part of the economy for the entirety of this Parliament, he said.

Outlining how the money will be spent, he said it will help to build nine new reservoirs, multiple large-scale water transfer schemes, nearly 5,000 miles (8,000km) of water main pipes and upgrades to 2,500 storm overflows.

However, tightened regulations and tougher penalties have already raised questions about how the sector will attract the levels of investment and talent needed to achieve this major reset.

Challenged by reporters, Mr Reed said the Government will launch a review and consultation on how the entire sector works, which will ultimately shape future legislation and establish the long-term framework for reforms, including pollution targets and plans for attracting private investment.

The Environment Secretary did not give a timetable for when the review will be carried out or published, saying details will be announced in autumn.

Pressed on when the public might see results on water pollution and if the Government has a target yet, he said: What were doing now is working with the entire sector to develop a long-term plan that will have milestones in it to show how much sewage will be reduced by which point, ending at the point where weve eliminated pollution.

During his speech, Mr Reed also ruled out any future nationalisation of water firms under the Labour Government.

He said: Nationalisation, which some will advocate, would cost billions of pounds and take years to unpick the current ownership model, leaving sewage pollution in the meantime to get worse and halt the much-needed investment.

I am more interested in a model that works.

Ofwat is currently negotiating with water companies on the level of private investment they will make from April next year, and how much water bills will need to rise, with the final determination in December.

On the regulators initial proposals that firms should invest 88 million, Mr Reed said: It may vary from that but it will be of that order.
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In December, Drew, a 36-year-old man from San Antonio, Texas, drove more than 250 miles (400 km) to Mexico to buy cheap Ozempic to help him lose weight. Going home, he checked the pens. They looked unusual, so he shared photos on social media. The verdict: They were fakes.

Three people on Reddit said Drews product looked like insulin. If so, it would be dangerous to use, said one. A surge of insulin can cause a sharp drop in blood sugar that can lead to dizziness, seizures and death.

The incident sheds light on a wider problem in the manufacturing of highly sought-after drugs, one that lets criminal organisations circulate potentially lethal fakes: forged drug batch numbers.

Pharmaceutical companies, including Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk, authenticate batches of drugs with combinations of letters and numbers printed on the packaging, which are then used to track the product in a given country.

The fake pens Drew bought carried the batch, or lot, number MP5B060 to make them look authentic. To Novo, that represented a shipment of the diabetes drugs destined for Egypt.

The fact Drew bought them in Mexico showed something was wrong although as a consumer, he did not realize that.

A suspected fake Ozempic pen, featuring the batch number MP5B060 on its label above the branding, that was bought in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico ( via REUTERS )

The flaw, which is rooted in an effort to ensure the drugs are traceable and safe, is exacerbated by patchy regulation by health authorities globally.

By the time Drew made his purchase, fakes with batch number MP5B060 had turned up in at least 10 countries from Azerbaijan to North Macedonia, according to a Reuters review of drug regulator announcements and documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning in July 2023 about products with batch number MP5B060 and Interpol also warned last year that insulin pens were being relabeled and repackaged to look like Ozempic. Some countries banned products with the number. Others did not.

Mexicos drug regulator did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

In at least four countries, the fakes have resulted in hospitalizations.

In the U.S., Nigeria and Iraq, the fake Ozempic shots looked like insulin pens, according to Reuters review of the documents and regulator announcements. In Iraq, a man fell into a coma after his blood sugar dropped to half normal levels after using one, before later recovering, Reuters found.

How to find and check an Ozempic batch number What to check Explosive demand and high prices for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lillys weight loss and diabetes drugs have fueled a criminal effort to package autoinjector pens containing other substances, such as insulin, with branding and batch numbers that make them look like Novos Ozempic. If patients suspect they have bought a fake version of Ozempic or another drug, they can search the internet for the associated batch number to see if the World Health Organization or any national health authorities have flagged it. Patients can typically find these batch, or lot, numbers on both legitimate and fake versions of Ozempic or other similar pen-based drugs like Novos Wegovy in two places: on the outside of the box it is packaged in and on the label of the autoinjector itself. Novo and Lilly have also published guides to help patients identify suspected fake versions of their drugs in other ways and report them. The WHO this year flagged three batch numbers - LP6F832, NAR0074 and MP5E511 - that have been linked to fake Ozempic in Brazil, the U.S. and Austria respectively, a Reuters review of documents and regulator announcement shows. The organization sent an alert to health regulators in July 2023 flagging MP5B060 - which has been found on fake Ozempic pens in at least 10 countries - as well as MP5A370 and MP5D600, which have both been found in Guatemala, according to an announcement from the countrys health regulator.

Criminals can get hold of batch numbers through a corrupt connection at a drugmakers manufacturing facility, or just by buying the drug and using scanning technology to copy the packaging, inserts and so on, Sam Louis, a former U.S. Department of Justice lawyer focused on healthcare fraud matters, told Reuters.

With at least 890 million people suffering from obesity globally, according to the WHO, demand is huge. The active ingredient in Ozempic, called semaglutide, leads to an average weight loss of 15%. Its part of a class of drugs that reduce food cravings and cause the stomach to empty more slowly.

Novos franchise for Ozempic and Wegovy, a weight-loss version of semaglutide, brought in nearly $19 billion in net sales last year. It said it is working with authorities in several countries to tackle counterfeits of both.

Novos head of global product security, Anne Devaud, told Reuters the company potentially has identified one source in connection with the batch number on the counterfeit that Drew bought, which it also suspects of distributing fake versions of other companies injectable drugs.

The company declined to provide more details.

The wide recurrence of the same batch number suggests a global counterfeiting operation could be to blame, five anti-counterfeiting experts and a WHO official said.

Boxes of Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London, ( REUTERS )

Our experience is that when you have the same batches and labeling, it is most likely the same people or maybe several smaller distributors that have purchased from one big source, said Rutendo Kuwana, the WHO team lead for incidents with substandard and falsified medicines.

Bootlegged batch numbers and repackaged insulin are just part of the picture: criminals can divert or steal drugs from hospitals or other healthcare systems before adding fake labels and packaging, or they can simply put any liquid in a vial or stamp out pills and place them in counterfeit packaging, a Novo spokesperson said.

All these different potential origins, often via organized criminal networks involving multiple jurisdictions, represent serious challenges for those involved in fighting these crimes, the spokesperson said.

Even so, at least 18 different batch numbers have been found on fake Ozempic pens in 14 countries since the start of last year, adverse event reports and health regulator announcements show.

The solution is not simple. A legitimate Ozempic batch contains 280,000 pens; some countries ban all products carrying a batch number after finding fakes that carry it. Others do not, saying that to withdraw a whole batch on account of a few fakes could exacerbate shortages.

Jared Davis, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Homeland Security agent who is now a consultant on counterfeiting issues at law firm Oberheiden, said it is difficult for government agencies to stop the spread of fakes when demand is so high.

Most countries arent going to pull the entire line and get rid of it because an organization or a few folks decided that theyre going to run a counterfeit scheme and target that particular batch number, said Davis.

Pens for the diabetes drug Ozempic sit on a production line at Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisks site in Hillerod, Denmark ( REUTERS )

Fake Ozempic adds to a glut of counterfeit pharmaceuticals that kill around a million people each year, according to the WHO. A September 2023 report from the U.S. CDC said use of suspected fake pills, including painkiller Oxycontin, led to nearly 55,000 deaths in the U.S. alone in 2021.

Overall, Ozempic faked in a variety of ways has been found in nearly 30 countries, Reuters found. Fakes have been linked to more than two dozen cases of serious harm globally, and to two deaths in the United States.

Ozempic can cost more than $1,000 in the U.S. for a multi-dose pen that lasts a month. Drew said he had heard the drug could be bought for less in the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso.

I called ahead and asked a few pharmacies first if they had it, and they said yes, telling me prices of like $200 a pen. So I was like, oh, this is going to be great, he told Reuters.

I went down there, and most of the pharmacies actually had a much higher price, and the one I found was the lowest, he said, adding that the store he went to doubled as a restaurant. Drew paid around $350 per pen.

Bringing drugs into the United States across the border is a criminal offense. Drew, who asked to be identified by his first name only, said he did not use the pens, report the purchase to the authorities, or hand the product in for testing.

He said he couldnt remember the name of the store where he bought them and after initially speaking to Reuters, deleted his original social media post.

Rebadging insulin to look like Ozempic is lucrative. Like some types of insulin, Ozempic comes in a blue, prepackaged autoinjector. Insulin can be bought for as little as $8.81 per unit outside the U.S., according to a report from the RAND Corporation on the global cost of the drug.

When Drew opened the boxes he bought, the autoinjectors had Ozempic labels, but were thinner and a darker blue than pens he had seen before, his photos show.

An insulin product manufactured by French drugmaker Sanofi , branded Apidra Solostar, comes in a prepackaged blue autoinjector with a clipped lid similar to Ozempic.

A Sanofi spokesperson said the company was aware of illegally mislabeled Apidra pens being passed off as Ozempic, and has been working with partners to protect patients, but declined to comment on whether the company has since tried to distinguish its product from Novos.

Novo, asked if it would make Ozempic pens more distinctive, said it was unlikely that any one change would prevent fakes because counterfeiters can adjust nimbly.

Ozempic ( Alamy/PA )

Azerbaijan first flagged it had found fakes using batch number MP5B060 in December 2022.

The WHOs warning came after three more people suffered severe low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, after using fake Ozempic pens with the same Egyptian batch number: a woman in Britain who got her autoinjector at a beauty salon, a man in Serbia who bought his in the United Arab Emirates, and a woman in Lebanon, according to separate reports sent by Novo Nordisk to the FDA that were reviewed by Reuters.

In the U.S., a 39 year-old woman suffered severe hypoglycemia and was rushed to the emergency room after taking what she thought was Ozempic with that batch number, a U.S. FDA document shows. The report said her outcome was not known.

Some countries, including Poland and Ukraine, said they have banned the importation and sale of drugs marked with bootlegged batch numbers identified by international agencies. But regulators in Britain, Finland, Ireland and Sweden told Reuters they had not.

Irelands health ministry said it found no fakes under batch numbers flagged by the European Union, so simply alerted wholesalers and others to be vigilant when buying Ozempic. It said it had other controls in place to block falsified packs, including scanning barcodes printed on them.

Britains health regulator said in response to a FOIA request in May that it had opted to focus on visual differences between the pens, such as differences in color and construction, rather than banning batch numbers. Asked why, it said in July that banning batch numbers risked causing shortages of legitimate medicines.

Britain and Irelands regulators did not comment on the possibility that not banning batch numbers might help them circulate.

A handout photo of a box of Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic is displayed with its LOT number or batch number ( via REUTERS )

Reported counterfeits of Ozempic have been more common than those of Eli Lillys Mounjaro, a newer rival. But these too are on the rise.

A U.S. FDA report seen by Reuters said a 61-year-old woman in the U.S. had been hospitalized for severe stomach pain and seizure after vomiting 70 times over four hours last January, having taken a fake version of Mounjaro sold to her in a vial by a health consultant, who was not named. As of early May, she was partly recovered, the report said.

Lilly said the proliferation of counterfeit and unsafe or untested versions of its drug is a significant safety concern; steps it has taken include a tool to help people determine if they have a genuine Lilly product.

But it called on the authorities to take more action against those who circulate knockoffs.

Sophisticated global counterfeiting operations can make massive profits from such fakes and often find ways to evade detection, said U.S. Homeland Security special agent Rana Saoud. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. government agency responsible for public health research, has said the counterfeit drug trade as a whole could be worth as much as $431 billion annually, citing analysts.

Identifying leaders of such a supply chain is a challenge. A New York woman, Isis Navarro Reyes, was in May charged with smuggling fake versions of Ozempic and other weight loss drugs into the U.S., then using TikTok to help sell the products. Reyes could not be reached for comment.

Until we get specifics...were not going to know if its a lone actor or part of a criminal organization, said Homelands Saoud. But generally speaking, its an organization looking to profit.
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Xian Zhang was hired Thursday as music director of the Seattle Symphony, becoming the first woman conductor to head a major West Coast orchestra and filling a post that had been vacant since Thomas Dausgaard quit abruptly in January 2022.

Zhang agreed to a five-year contract starting in 2025-26, the orchestra said Thursday. She becomes music director designate this season.

She first conducted the orchestra at Seattle's Benaroya Hall in June 2008 in Prokofievs Alexander Nevsky and has returned several times, including for performances of Orffs Carmina Burana in 2023 and Coplands Appalachian Spring this April.

With each visit, I realized the depth and the understanding of the music from the musicians, she said. It felt in a way musically speaking that were really on the same page and speaking the same language.

Zhang has been music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra since 2016-17 and won a 2023 Grammy Award for a recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the string trio Time for Three of works by Jennifer Higdon and Kevin Puts.

Seattle Symphony President Krishna Thiagarajan said he was impressed by the energy and the connection between her and the orchestra that also translated to the audience.

She brings a new perspective to anything that she conducts while being truthful to traditional interpretations of what we would call core repertoire, he said. She has a great sense of contemporary American composers, especially contemporary American composers that have an ethnic background, of immigrant composers. Shes been a champion for the causes of women in music over her career.

Following lengthy music director tenures of Gerard Schwarz (1985-2011) and Ludovic Morlot (2011-19), Dausgaard was hired in October 2017 to start a four-year contract in 2019-20. After Dausgaard quit with 1 1/2 seasons remaining in his contract, he told Danish National Radios P2 ,I have felt threatened and I havent felt safe with going to work and told The New York Times I felt my life is too precious to be in such tension. Orchestra officials denied any impropriety.

Jon Rosen, the lawyer who has chaired the orchestras board since August 2021, said Dausgaards messy departure certainly was at least a subliminal consideration in the search for a successor.

We all wanted to have someone who was going to be very congenial, be able to relate to the musicians, he said. I certainly wanted to learn from the experience with Thomas.

Born in China, Zhang started playing piano at 3, went to Beijings Central Conservatory of Music and was invited by a teacher to step in to conduct Mozarts Le Nozze di Figaro at 19 with the China National Opera Orchestra.

She attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, won the Maazel/Vilar International Conductors Competition in 2002 and was hired as the New York Philharmonics assistant conductor and later associate. Zhang became music director of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra from 2005-07 and the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi from 2009-16.

Seattle had 176 scheduled concerts and 6,583 subscribers last season when it sold 69.65% of tickets, exceeding its 58.94% in the 2018-19 season before the pandemic. Revenue last season is estimated at $31.6 million, including $11.9 million from tickets.

Zhang is committed to up to 14 weeks annually with Seattle and eight with New Jersey, where she lives. Her 2024-25 season includes performances with the Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Zhang returns to the Seattle Symphony for programs in March and June.

She was in Brazil in June to conduct the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra when Alexander Monsey, her agent at IMG Artists, called to say the Seattle Symphony had offered her the job.

I was kind of surprised, she said. I was completely not prepared to hear such good news.
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Cambodias leader on Thursday condemned international human rights groups for criticizing the arrest of nearly 100 people for protesting against a decades-old regional development agreement with neighboring countries.

London-based Amnesty International and New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a joint statement of concern last week over what they called the arbitrary arrests since late July of at least 94 people for publicly criticizing the agreement that the Cambodian government signed with neighboring Laos and Vietnam.

At least 59 of those arrested, which include environmental, human rights and other activists, remain unlawfully detained and charged for peacefully expressing their views, including several children, said the statement.

These wrongful detentions and charges show Prime Minister Hun Manets disrespect for the rights of Cambodians and the countrys international human rights obligations," the statement quoted Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, saying.

Hun Manet, speaking at a ceremony for law school graduates, defended the crackdown, saying the authorities must protect the social order and security for the sake of all Cambodians, and accused the protesters of seeking to overthrow his government.

The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area  or CLV-DTA  agreement is a development plan intended to facilitate cooperation on trade and migration in four northeastern provinces of Cambodia and border areas in Laos and Vietnam. It was signed in 1999 and formalized in 2004.

Critics on social media have focused on land concessions, charging that the pact privileges foreign interests, and particularly that it would cede land and sovereignty to Vietnam, a highly sensitive issue because of Cambodia's historical antagonism toward its larger eastern neighbor.

Some opposition politicians have in the past used inflammatory anti-Vietnamese rhetoric, but the government also prosecutes politicians and others who are merely critical of its policies toward Vietnam.

Debate over the agreement was revived on social media in July, especially among Cambodians living abroad, where the political opposition is popular. Expatriate Cambodians held protests in Japan, South Korea, France, Australia and the U.S., urging the government to withdraw the agreement.

Opponents of the pact established a group on the Telegram social platform, urging Cambodians to rally in the capital, Phnom Penh, on Aug. 18.

That triggered a massive crackdown with arrests and the deployment of thousands of security personnel, especially in Phnom Penh.

Local human rights groups alleged that government officials across the country were putting land rights and civil society activists under surveillance, including ordering several not to travel outside of their communities and threatening their family members, said the statement from the human rights groups. The authorities have also imposed roadblocks on highways entering Phnom Penh, and have been arbitrarily searching vans and taxis entering the capital.

Hun Manet said Thursday he had seen the statement but did not mention the groups by name.

I say that you should see the facts clearly because there is a lot of evidence to charge them (the protesters). Before Aug. 18, they gathered and bought weapons in, aiming to burn down buildings and intending to overthrow the government, he said.

He accused the rights groups of glossing over the illegality of the protesters' activities.

You are silent, but when the authorities enforce the law, you say it is a violation of human rights. Hun Manet said.

Hun Manet said that 66 people were arrested for involvement in organizing the planned Aug. 18 protest in Phnom Penh, but 57 were released after questioning and only nine masterminds have been sent to court and formally charged.
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Pupils from some ethnic minority backgrounds are up to four times as likely to get kicked out of mainstream schools as exclusion rates surge, a new study suggests.

Black Caribbean students and pupils of dual Black and white heritage are twice as likely to be moved to an alternative provision such as Pupil Referal Units (PRUs), while Romani/Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller are four times as likely to experience these outcomes.

The new research, by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and education charity The Difference, has prompted campaigners to warn racism and teacher bias may be behind racial disparities in exclusion figues.

Suspensions and exclusions across all schools and all year groups in England increased by almost a quarter last year compared to the previous year.

Efua Poku-Amanfo, IPPR research fellow, said: Lost learning is contributing to racial injustice as children from some ethnic minority backgrounds (Black Caribbean and Romani (Gypsy) Roma, and Irish Traveller) are disproportionately being excluded.

Many of these students have expressed that they experience racism at school which can impact their feelings of safety and belonging.

As a result, these young people are more likely to be placed in alternative provision (AP) away from mainstream schools and at higher risk of poor attainment and youth violence.

( IPPR and the Difference )

Citing research by Jahnine Davis, a leading UK expert in adultification bias in child protection and safeguarding, the study argues that an underestimation of racism experienced by ethnic minority children outside and within school, combined with this bias, partly explains how their vulnerability may go under-recognised.

Consequently, behaviour stemming from these vulnerabilities may be read as purely disruptive and maliciously-motivated  and met with sanctions rather than investigation.

Wider research suggests that teachers perceptions of who is a good learner in classrooms are shaped by gender, race and class, which in turn shapes which pupils are perceived to be less able to learn.

This comes as the rate of Black Caribbean girls being kicked out of schools has tripled within the past year.

Campaigners have faced backlash after saying exclusions should also be abolished in cases of sexual assault ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

The report also warned many widely used estimations of exclusions and absences have failed to capture the full picture of children losing learning nationally, finding that the most vulnerable children are most likely to miss out on their education.

Poorer children, children known to social services, those with school-identified special educational needs (SEN) and/or mental health issues, as well as children from ethnic minority backgrounds, disproportionately experience missed learning.

Some 90 per cent of excluded pupils do not achieve a pass in GCSE Maths or English, while over half of children not entered for maths and English GCSEs in alternative provision schools while fewer than five per cent gain a standard pass.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: The rising number of school suspensions and permanent exclusions are shocking, and show the massive scale of disruptive behaviour that has developed in schools across the country in recent years, harming the life chances of children.

We are determined to get to grips with the causes of poor behaviour: weve already committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, and ensuring earlier intervention in mainstream schools for pupils with special needs.

But we know poor behaviour can also be rooted in wider issues, which is why the Government is developing an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty led by a task force co-chaired by the Education Secretary so that we can break down the barriers to opportunity.
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United Nations officials on Wednesday hailed limited pauses in the fighting between Israel and Hamas to allow children's polio vaccinations as rare moments of hope in the nearly yearlong war in Gaza.

Top U.N. officials on peacebuilding and humanitarian affairs spoke at a meeting requested by Israel, which was backed by its allies, veto-holding permanent council members France, Great Britain and the United States. Israel's ambassador on Wednesday focused on the hostages taken during Hamas Oct. 7 attacks on Israel that launched the war and the recent killing of six captives.

Algeria, which sits on the 15-member council until next year, also requested that the U.N. body meet to discuss the broader situation in the Palestinian territories.

Both Rosemary DiCarlo, U.N. undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, and Edem Wosornu, director of the Operations and Advocacy Division at the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, spoke about the polio-inspired pauses in fighting as rare rays of hope, as did the representatives of France, Britain, the U.S. and other nations.

It does not have to be this way. Indeed, over the past few days, there have been signs that humanitarian objectives can inspire positive steps, Wosornu told the council.

This vaccination campaign demonstrates that it is possible to allow humanitarian actors to act on the ground, French Ambassador to the U.N. Nicolas de Riviere told the council. That must become the rule.

The U.N. World Health Organization says 187,000 children in Gaza have been vaccinated for polio, with an eventual goal of 640,000. WHO and its partners launched the campaign this week after Gaza recently reported its first polio case in 25 years  a 10-month-old boy, now paralyzed in a leg.

Israel has said the vaccination program will continue through Monday and last eight hours a day.

Health officials expressed alarm about diseases spreading in the besieged territory as the war has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with people crammed into squalid tent camps and dirty wastewater flowing through the streets.

Ambassador Samuel Zbogar of Slovenia, which is president of the Security Council for September, told reporters on Tuesday that there is a rising anxiousness in the council about the lack of a cease-fire and hostage release deal to halt the violence.

The Security Council approved a resolution in June endorsing a cease-fire plan aimed at ending the war, with Russia abstaining.

It has to move, one way or the other, Zbogar said about fulfilling the deal or finding other options.

The Oct. 7 Hamas attacks killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 people hostage. The Israeli militarys retaliation has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
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TV star and barrister Robert Rinder has joined the chorus of people expressing concerns about the trial of convicted child killer Lucy Letby.

The NHS neonatal nurse is currently serving 15 whole-life sentences for seven murders and seven attempted murders of babies while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Despite her numerous convictions following a year-long trial at Manchester Crown Court in 2023, a growing number of public figures have begun to raise questions over aspects of the evidence used to convict the 34-year-old.

The Guardian reported this week that notes by Letby, in which she appeared to confess to the crimes, were penned after she was told by her GP and her hospitals head of occupational health and wellbeing to write down her feelings.

Novara Medias Ash Sarker wrote on X: Im not going to sit here and pretend to be an expert in complex criminal cases. But I think that if it had been me sitting on the jury, Id consider this the very definition of reasonable doubt.

Judge Rinder responded: I am an expert in complex criminal cases and - from the information now in the public domain - there appears to be a great deal to be concerned about in this case.

Earlier this week, former cabinet minister Sir David Davis said he believes it is highly probable serial killer nurse Lucy Letby is innocent.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Monday (2 September), the former Brexit secretary said he believes there is more than reasonable doubt over Letbys conviction.

Barrister and TV judge Robert Rinder says there is a great deal to be concerned about in this case ( PA Archive )

Sir David told presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls that several senior doctors have been in touch with him and sent alternative diagnoses for each of the deaths for which Letby was found guilty.

He said other deaths that had occurred in the unit when Letby was not on shift were not called into question.

Letbys original trial ran for 10 months from October 2022 to August 2023, with a retrial ordered after a jury was unable to reach a verdict on one count of attempted murder of a baby girl. Last month, the 34-year-old was also found guilty on that count.

Letby was sentenced to 15 whole-life orders, making her only the fourth woman in UK history to be told she will never be released from prison.

Letby is led away by officers ( Cheshire Constabulary/PA Wire )

The Guardian reported that Letby scribbled notes such as I am evil I did this following advice by her GP and hospital bosses to cope with her feelings of extreme stress.

Evidence was presented at the initial trial of her morbid fascination with her crimes: searching the victims families on Facebook, hoarding confidential documents about the cases at home and revealing her own thoughts in dense, scrawled notes which included the apparent confession.

She also wrote on a Post-it note found in her house: I killed them on purpose because I am not good enough to care for them and I am a horrible evil person.

Hate was also written in block capitals with heavy ink and circled, while the note is headed: Not good enough.

But sources close to the case told the paper that Kathryn de Berger, head of occupational health and wellbeing at the hospital where she worked, had encouraged Letby to write down her feelings as a way of coping with extreme stress. The sources also said Letbys Chester GP advised her to write down the thoughts she was struggling to process.
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A former Major General who carried Prince Philips coffin has avoided an immediate prison term after he drunkenly touched and tried to kiss a woman in a karaoke bar.

James Roddis admitted repeatedly playing with the hair before kissing a woman on her lips without consent while leading an overseas military delegation.

He had originally been charged with sexual assault, but at a plea hearing earlier this year he pleaded guilty to disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind, a lesser charge accepted by the complainant.

At a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire on Thursday, Roddis, who resigned from the Army in July, was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Graham Coombes, prosecuting, said the married father of three had been drinking with the delegation off duty before moving on to a restaurant and finally a karaoke bar where they downed glasses of champagne.

The complainant accepts she was drunk, and it became apparent the accused was also drunk, Mr Coombes said.

Shortly after midnight, a member of the party was filming the filling of a champagne fountain and in the background Roddis can be seen touching the complainants hair and she indicates with her finger for him to stop.

The court heard the kiss was not captured on film but the lead up to it was.

Mr Coombes told the court the woman later messaged her husband, telling him: Just because you are a two-star general you dont get to touch me.

The following day, the woman asked to speak to Roddis in private on the flight home and told him his behaviour the previous evening was unacceptable.

The accused apologised and replied, I need to resign, Mr Coombes said.

The court heard Roddis had a distinguished military career lasting 29 years and had been made an MBE and awarded several medals.

Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said Roddis had recently been diagnosed with alcohol dependency.

He has been through a formal disciplinary process and his commission has been revoked, she said.

He is not allowed to refer to himself as having been a major general in the Army.

This conduct taking place over a few minutes has resulted in the loss of a career that he spent 30 years building  a distinguished career in which he has received a number of citations.

You will appreciate that he has lost not only his career but the future potential prospects of that career.

When one appreciates, as James Roddis does, that one only has ones self to blame, it is a bitter pill to swallow.

Miss Bickerstaff said other people present in the bar heard Roddis apologise immediately to the woman after kissing her and said he was sorry for misreading the situation.

He was unaware she wanted him to stop and there was no request until the point of the kiss and when he tried to kiss her and got nothing back he immediately realised it was not wanted and he apologised, she said.

He has never suggested she was consenting and as soon as she realised she wasnt, he stopped.

The complainant cannot be identified due to a court order.

Roddis received a number of accolades during his military career, including a Distinguished Service Order  an award given for highly successful command and leadership during active operations.

He was made an MBE and also earned two Queens Commendations for Valuable Service in 2008 and 2017.

Until recently, he was director of strategy for Strategic Command  an organisation made up of special forces and intelligence units among other responsibilities.

In 2014, he was commanding officer of The Highlanders  troops from the 4th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland  who were then the last Scottish battalion to serve in a combat role in Afghanistan.
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Grieving relatives of Grenfell fire victims are calling for those responsible to face manslaughter charges as pressure builds on police to speed up their investigation.

Families and survivors expressed anguish that prosecutions might not be brought until 2026 despite this weeks damning inquiry report into the disaster which killed 72 residents and left 800 more homeless.

The wait could be even longer, warned a former director of public prosecutions on Thursday night. Lord Macdonald said criminal trials may not begin until the 2029 due to the pressure on the criminal justice system.

Some families now fear they may not live to see justice for their loved ones over the 2017 blaze.

Shah Aghlani, 55, who lost his aunt and disabled mother in the fire, told The Independent that the prospect of further delay to criminal prosecutions is our worst fear coming true, our nightmare coming true.

And he said the lack of accountability over Grenfell has emboldened developers to drag their feet in fixing thousands of buildings still endangered by flammable cladding seven years on, labelling a fire that ravaged a block of flats in London last week as Grenfell Two.

There are harsher laws for drinking and driving than killing people by corporate manslaughter, said Mr Aghlani. There are people who falsified test results, people whose job was to make sure the safety and security of the building was not compromised. People who were responsible for their tenants.

Seventy-two people were killed in the Grenfell fire ( Getty )

There is a chain of these failures that has to be addressed  its not difficult to find them.

At an event organised by Grenfell Next of Kin, a campaign group supporting around half of those whose loved ones died, Mr Aghlani said only manslaughter charges would bring justice, nothing less.

Hisam Choucair, whose mother, sister, brother-in-law and three nieces died at Grenfell, told The Independent he was absolutely disgusted but not surprised at the prospect of years more waiting  even though the inquiry was ordered by then-PM Theresa May while rescuers were still searching for survivors.

We have been robbed of our justice and under no circumstances moving forward in a tragedy should this be allowed to happen again where you have a criminal investigation running parallel to an inquiry, he said.

Because its clearly clashed and we will not get justice because of the governments decision to open an inquiry without our consultation.

Shah Aghlani was among relatives of Grenfell victims who said those responsible must face manslaughter charges ( Peter Summers/Getty )

Campaigners cited the Metropolitan Police as telling them at a previous meeting that they have never known a public inquiry to be conducted at the same time as a criminal investigation, with such inquiries normally taking place once criminal proceedings have concluded.

In May, Scotland Yard said its investigation had generated 27,000 lines of inquiry and more than 12,000 witness statements, making it one of the largest ever undertaken. A total of 19 companies and organisations were under investigation, along with 58 individuals, with more than 300 hours of interviews conducted.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the force understood the impact of the ongoing criminal investigation on families and their expectations for justice to be served.

We have taken note of all of the evidence presented to the inquiry but our investigation is conducted independently and to a different legal framework, he said in a statement on Thursday. We estimate it will take us 12-18 months before we are able to provide comprehensive charge files to the Crown Prosecution Service.

If there is anything we can do to shorten the investigation timescale then we will do so, but this will not be at the expense of a thorough investigation. We have one chance to get this right. To secure justice ... we must present the best possible evidence to the CPS.

Hisam Choucair lost six family members in the tragedy ( Aaron Chown/PA )

A growing number of MPs called for greater speed on Thursday. Waiting until 2026 for charges when families have already endured seven years is simply not good enough, said Labours former shadow building safety minister Mike Amesbury.

The state and its institutions all too often fail working-class people. To rebuild trust, it is vital to expediate investigations and prosecutions to provide justice for Grenfell victims and families.

Diane Abbott said: It must be possible to stage a police investigation more quickly than that. This ridiculous slowness to act and dismissive attitude to marginalised communities is why the Grenfell tragedy happened in the first place.

Former Tory justice secretary Alex Chalk told LBC: People, quite rightly want to see collars felt and people gripping the rail at Southwark Crown Court  I cant see now why theres any reason for delay.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey told The Independent: The very least we can do to honour everyone who lost their lives is to swiftly bring those responsible for any criminality to justice. This must be an urgent priority for both the government and law enforcement.

Some of the victims of the Grenfell fire ( PA Wire )

Now that the inquiry has finally concluded, the police, prosecutors and courts must be given all the resources they need to deliver justice.

Labour MP Joe Powell, whose constituency includes the ruins of Grenfell, added: With no arrests, no charges, and not a single individual or corporation held accountable for this entirely preventable atrocity, its now time for the government and police to ensure that criminal prosecutions take place as soon as possible.

However, Lord Macdonald warned that even if charges are brought forward, delays in the criminal justice system could mean trials not beginning before 2029. Unless processes are massively expedited, justice is a very long way away, he said, reported The Guardian.

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner vowed on Thursday that ministers will do everything we can to support the Met Police and the CPS to ensure that they can bring their findings and take their action forward as quickly as possible.

But she had no definitive timeline for when all homes with dangerous cladding will be made safe. Some developers have said that could take until 2032; in June, 4,630 residential buildings in England still carried unsafe cladding.

Grenfell survivor Francis Dean during a press conference ( Yui Mok/PA )

Francis Dean, who was forced to say goodbye to his friend Zainab Deen over the phone during the harrowing fire, urged the government to do more to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

Dont put money in front of peoples lives, put life in front of money, he told The Independent. No matter how much it would cost to bring down all this unsafe cladding, at least its not causing death  untimely death.

He added: Am I going to be alive when we do get justice? Because we are going to fight for it. The younger generations that are coming up are even more desperate than us to have justice because they were young when this happened and its seven years on. Theyre the ones who will probably see justice.
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Survivors whose loved ones were among the 72 people killed in the Grenfell Tower fire seven years ago have demanded nothing less than than manslaughter charges over the tragedy.

The long-awaited final report of the inquiry ordered by Theresa May just hours after the fire on 14 June 2017 was finally published on Wednesday, condemning decades of institutional failures that led to the Kensington tower block  and thousands of others  being covered in dangerously flammable cladding.

But those whose loved ones were killed in what was the worst residential blaze since the Blitz have expressed anger that the inquiry appears to have delayed their fight for justice, with police and prosecutors warning that decisions on criminal charges will not be made until the end of 2026.

Sir Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that Grenfell survivors have been let down very badly ( PA Wire )

We have been robbed of our justice, and under no circumstances moving forward in a tragedy should this be allowed to happen again where you have a criminal investigation running parallel to an inquiry, said Hisam Choucair, whose sister, brother-in-law, mother and three nieces died in the Grenfell fire.

At an event on Wednesday organised by Grenfell Next of Kin  a campaign group supporting around half of those whose loved ones died in the tragedy  survivors repeatedly insisted that those responsible for the tragedy must face charges no less severe than manslaughter.

Members of a support group for the next of kin and families of some the 72 people killed in the Grenfell Tower fire (Yi Mok/PA) ( PA Wire )

Shah Aghlani, aged 55, who lost his aunt and disabled mother in the fire, said: To me, its a manslaughter charge and nothing less would do.

Kimia Zabihyan, who chaired the event, said: For families, [the reports findings are] not anything they didnt know already, and the only thing theyve asked for from the beginning is justice. And justice means manslaughter charges.

Mr Aghlani, who spent the morning that the inquiry was announced going from hospital to hospital searching for his mother, told The Independent that the prospect of facing no criminal prosecutions for more than a year is our worst fear coming true, our nightmare coming true.

No matter how precise and accurate the inquirys final report is, we still dont have justice  and it looks like were not going to, Mr Aghlani said.

On Thursday morning, Labours Angela Rayner urged the Met to carry out its investigation as quickly as possible.

The Met have been investigating this, and they have outlined that they will continue their investigation, she told Sky News. Our job is to ensure they can carry on and give them all the support they need.

We cannot have a situation where justice is delayed, because that is justice denied. So, as quickly as possible the Met Police will carry out their investigations and we have to support that process.

What I have read has really angered me, upset me and affected me. Seeing the survivors, and seeing the families of those who lost their loved ones, and then reading what inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick has put is absolutely appalling, the police absolutely have our full support in taking the action they need to take.

The 72 victims of the Grenfell tragedy ( PA Wire )

In May, Scotland Yard said its mammoth criminal investigation into the fire had generated 27,000 lines of inquiry and more than 12,000 witness statements, making it one of the largest ever undertaken.

A total of 19 companies and organisations were under investigation for potential criminal offences, along with 58 individuals, and more than 300 hours of interviews had taken place.

But campaigners cited the Metropolitan Police as telling them at a previous meeting that they have never known a public inquiry to be conducted at the same time as a criminal investigation, with such inquiries normally taking place once criminal proceedings have concluded.

Natasha Elcock, chair of the Grenfell United campaign group, told The Independent: Our fate will always be in someone elses hands and it has been for the last seven years.

Natasha Elcock urged the Met to ensure that every single person that is culpable for the deaths of our loved ones is held to account ( PA )

The most we can hope for at this point today is that the report and the government bring about systematic change. The Met Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have explained that they need the report to cross-reference and ensure that theyve got what they need in order to bring prosecutions. For us, that is the ultimate justice.

Ms Elcock added: We were under no illusions from as early as 2018 that this was going to be a 10-year process, but what we wont allow to happen as a community is this to rumble on like Hillsborough and other injustices that weve seen in this country.

Ms Elcock was not alone in referencing the decades-long fight for justice after the Hillsborough disaster which killed 97 people in 1989, the surviving families of whom have seen just one person convicted  in 2019  of a single safety offence and handed a fine of 6,500.

Francis Dean, who was forced to say goodbye over the phone to his friend Zainab Deen  who lived on the 14th floor at Grenfell  after her two-year-old son Jeremiah had already died in the blaze, said: When you think of Hillsborough  how many years did that take?

Grenfell survivor Francis Dean questioned whether he would live to see justice ( Yui Mok/PA )

Am I going to be alive when we do get justice? Because we are going to fight for it. The younger generations that are coming up are even more desperate than us to have justice because they were young when this happened and its seven years on. Theyre the ones who will probably see justice.

For me, its difficult that all these companies are just passing the buck, each and every one blaming the other one. If thats the case, youre all guilty.

Former prime minister Theresa May announced the public inquiry in 2017. On Wednesday she said the government must acknowledge its part in the series of events, adding : I know that, while necessary, the inquiry process can be immensely distressing for all those involved. I would like to pay tribute to the bereaved families and the survivors for the dignity they have shown in the face of a tragedy so extreme, it is beyond our imagining.

Meanwhile, seven years on from Grenfell and thousands of residents across the country are still waiting for the dangerous cladding on their homes to be removed.

According to Junes figures, 4,630 residential buildings in England still have unsafe cladding, with half of those still waiting to start remediation.

The cost of that inaction was underscored last week when a tower block in Dagenham in the process of remediation went up in flames. While there were no casualties, Mr Aghlani labelled the blaze Grenfell Two and suggested the lack of accountability for the 2017 fire made further tragedies more likely.

The blaze in Dagenham broke out at flats undergoing remediation ( PA Wire )

Do you think, if there was people being arrested like they would have been in America or other places, that the fire in east London would have happened? he said.

Swift justice would make sure that people in charge actually take their responsibilities seriously and act accordingly. But when you get justice like ours, you get council employees throwing documents away because you know theres not going to be any consequences even when theyre found out.

Urging the new Labour government to do more to ensure such a tragedy never happens again in the UK, Mr Dean added: Charity begins at home, so the government needs to look at all these buildings.

Dont put money in front of peoples lives, put life in front of money. No matter how much it would cost to bring down all this unsafe cladding, at least its not causing death  untimely death.

All those people who died that night, they deserve to be here now. That should have never happened in this country. Never. Its shocking.
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Tabloid television host Jeremy Kyle defended his confrontational presentation style on Thursday at an inquest into the death of a guest, saying the man needed to tell the truth.

Steve Dymond is believed to have taken his own life seven days after appearing on ITVs The Jeremy Kyle Show where he failed a lie detector test over accusations he had cheated on his ex-fiancee, Jane Callaghan.

In clips of the episode shown to Winchester Coroners Court, Mr Kyle was seen telling the 63-year-old: Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddamn truth.

After the test results were revealed, audience members were heard booing Dymond while his partner ran off in tears towards a backstage area where the confrontation continued.

Steve Dymond is believed to have taken his own life seven days after filming the Jeremy Kyle Show ( PA/ITV )

A further clip showed Mr Kyle saying: The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldnt trust you with a chocolate button, mate.

Throughout the interaction, Dymond could be heard denying the accusations and tearfully claiming: I swear to God, I am being so straight, I have never been more straight.

In text messages sent to Ms Callaghan days after appearing on the show in May 2019, Dymond said: I hope the Jeremy Kyle Show is so happy now about what they have done to me.

The message added: I did lie about my past, but I never cheated never, never, never did I cheat on you.

The presenter seen arriving at Winchester Coroners Court ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire )

Maya Sikand KC, representing Dymonds family, asked the presenter what he made of the assertion the show had been responsible for his death.

Mr Kyle said: I say that I know there was an oil tanker of text messages and WhatsApp messages, Ive heard people say my approach to Steve Dymond was met with concern, theres not one text message that complains about my behaviour.

I am the presenter, I didnt create the show, I was paid to do a job, he said.

Speaking about his presenting style, Mr Kyle said it was direct, but it was empathetic, it was honest, and said that he had not been briefed by the production team to modify or change his attitude towards Dymond.

And on telling Dymond to grow a pair during the show, Mr Kyle told the inquest: I believed he needed to tell the truth. If he did, there was a chance they could still be together.

Rachel Spearing, counsel to the inquest, asked Mr Kyle if he believed Dymond was humiliated. I do not.... I did what I always do and always did, it was what the show as I understood the show is, sad as it might sound, it was a typical part, he replied.

The presenter said he was sent a dossier of information on each guest the evening before filming and was then briefed in his dressing room, and stressed that he had no involvement in the selection or screening of potential participants.

The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled in 2019 following Dymonds death ( ITV/Shutterstock )

Mr Kyle added he had created a persona for the show but had not been trained in handling emotional guests, and said he believed that each individual story was a journey towards conflict resolution.

The hearing was told that, after filming of the episode had finished, Dymond told a researcher: I wish I was dead.

He was spoken to by the programmes after-care team on three occasions following filming, and was contacted again the following day when he promised: I give you my word I will stay positive.

Chris Wissun, director of content compliance at ITV at the time, said: Between the time the studio recording ended at 12.45pm and when he left the studio at 2.30pm, he was continuously talking to members of the production team and to the after-care nurse in that period.

I believe the researcher said guests would often make comments like that in the heat of the moment soon after the recording but they would calm themselves and that isnt how they felt when they left the studio.

Dymond had a history of depression and had previously taken overdoses on four occasions  in January 1995, twice in December 2002 and in April 2005, the court was told.

Kyle said he felt the show had a double security blanket with Dymonds GP letter and after-care team ( PA Wire )

Mr Wissun told the inquest that the show had a standing rule not to allow guests with current depression to take a lie detector test, given the risk a negative result could worsen their mental health.

In the month before his appearance on the show, Dymond had attended his GP on three occasions and demanded a letter to be allowed onto the show as a matter of life or death.

He then rang the show between 40 and 50 times in a desperate attempt to secure an appearance, with Mr Kyle telling the inquest he felt they had a double security blanket in that they had a GP letter and assistance from the after-care team.

Graham Stanier, the director of after-care for The Jeremy Kyle Show between 2005 and 2019, and the shows on-air counsellor, said in a statement read to the inquest that Dymond was subject to continuous assessment following his acceptance to be on the show.

He said this included background checks with his work colleagues and Ms Callaghan and her daughter.

The inquest is expected to continue until 10 September.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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John Lewis will bring back its price promise, two years after ditching the commitment.

The companys major U-turn means it will bring back its never knowingly undersold price pledge.

The refreshed commitment will see the retailer use AI technology to match 25 major competitors on its prices in-store and online.

The department store chain will bring back the promise  which began in 1925  from 9 September, to boost its value perception among customers. Around 30,000 prices will change next week as a result of the move.

Peter Ruis, who was appointed boss of the retail business in January, said he looked at resuming the pledge a month into his role as part of a desire to sharpen the firms pricing.

John Lewis launched the price promise in 1925 (John Lewis/PA)

The brands being matched on price are: AO.com; Amazon (on technology); Apple; Argos; Asos; Boots; Currys; Dunelm; Dreams; The Entertainer; Fenwick; Flannels; Furniture Village; Harrods; Harvey Nichols; Heals; House of Fraser; Lakeland; M&S; Mamas and Papas; Next; Richer Sounds; Selfridges; Smyths Toys and Space NK.

Bosses said the return of never knowingly undersold will be backed by its largest marketing investment to date, with a significant advertising campaign also launching on Monday.

In 2022, John Lewis withdrew the promise, where it would match the price of branded products in other shops if a customer pointed out they had found it cheaper elsewhere, with bosses saying it did not fit with how customers shop today.

On Thursday, Mr Ruis said improvements in technology mean that they can operate a better version of the pledge.

Peter Ruis, executive director of John Lewis (John Lewis/PA)

Customers have recognised our quality but there were questions over whether our value offer has been sharp enough in some areas, he said.

The pricing mechanism we had before wasnt fit for purpose so changing that has absolutely been the right thing.

What we are doing now, and what the technology is enabling us to do, is really different, and customers will see the benefit of that.

It comes amid a significant leadership shift at the business, with former Tesco UK and Ireland boss Jason Tarry set to take over a chairman of parent group, The John Lewis Partnership, early next year.

Current chairwoman Dame Sharon White said: Now is the right time for never knowingly undersold to return in a form that will resonate with customers whether theyre shopping in store or online.

Im delighted that Peter and his team are reinvigorating the John Lewis promise to our customers for the 21st century and I am excited to see the brand go from strength to strength, today as chairwoman and in future as a customer.
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Mike Lynchs co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain died in hospital three days after being hit by a car on a country road, an inquest heard.

The 52-year-old, from Longstanton in south Cambridgeshire, was struck by a blue Vauxhall Corsa travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 at about 10.10am on 17 August.

Mr Chamberlain, a former vice president of finance at Mike Lynchs software firm Autonomy, had been out running at the time, his lawyer Gary Lincenberg said.

Coroner Caroline Jones told the inquest in Alconbury that his medical cause of death was recorded as traumatic head injury.

She said: A vehicle travelling between Stretham and Wicken on the A1123 crested a humpback bridge and was presented with a runner crossing the road from the nearside to the offside between two parts of a bridleway.

She said the car struck Mr Chamberlain, causing him significant injuries.

Cambridgeshire Police said the collision happened on 17 August, and an activity uploaded to the fitness app Strava indicated that Mr Chamberlain was around six miles into his run having set out from the cathedral city of Ely earlier that morning.

Miss Jones said Mr Chamberlain was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and his death was formally confirmed at 3.50am on 20 August.

Stephen Chamberlain was struck on Newmarket Road in Stretham ( Google Maps )

Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene by the Great River Ouse and was assisting with police enquiries.

Miss Jones added: Police investigations remain ongoing, therefore, no further date has been fixed for these proceedings to resume.

I adjourn todays hearing to a date to be fixed at the end of police investigations and any possible prosecutions. I extend my condolences to the family of Stephen Chamberlain.

Mr Chamberlain had been cleared of the same charges of fraud and conspiracy as his former boss Mr Lynch, after they were accused of scheming to inflate the companys value before it was sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11bn (8.6bn).

Just 43 hours after the road crash, Mr Lynchs boat the Bayesian sank within minutes in a violent storm off the coast of Sicily, which killed seven people including his teenage daughter Hannah.

Mr Chamberlains inquest was opened on Thursday by coroner Caroline Jones at New Shire Hall, Alconbury, but was adjourned to a date not yet fixed.

Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah died in the superyacht sinking ( Tancredi )

Mr Chamberlains family issued an emotional tribute following his death, saying: Steve was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend.

He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible. He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Paying tribute, his lawyer Mr Lincenberg said: He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.

Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.

Sushovan Hussain, a former chief financial officer of Autonomy, said: Steve was by my side for many years, and I had the honour of calling him, Jonathan, Judy and Chris my good friends.

It is truly impossible to fathom how they can all be gone over such a short period. It is tragic beyond words.

Poppy Gustafsson, the chief executive of cybersecurity company Darktrace, added: At a time when both Mike and Steve were so recently acquitted, it feels too cruel.

But also, such a relief to know that they died with the world knowing their innocence.

The inquest comes as it was reported four of the victims of the Bayesian yacht disaster died after oxygen ran out in an air bubble on the sunken boat.

Autopsies over the past few days on four of those who died have revealed an absence of water in their lungs, suggesting they suffocated as the air became saturated with carbon dioxide, Italian publication La Repubblica said.

The outlet reported post-mortems showed four people died from atypical drowning, with no water in their lungs, trachea and stomach. There were no signs of external injuries.
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Merseyside Police has issued an urgent appeal for help to find a missing 10-month-old girl and her father due to concerns for their welfare.

Layla Rose Wheeler, who is described as having short blonde hair and blue eyes, was last seen in Wallasey Village, Wirral, and is believed to be with her dad, Clifford Wheeler.

Detectives are urging people to report any sightings of the pair to the force and anyone with any information about where they should come forward.

The force said in a statement: Please share and help us urgently find missing Layla Rose Wheeler, 10 months.

Layla was last seen in the Wallasey Village area, and is believed to be with her father Clifford Wheeler. We have concerns for both of their welfare.

Layla has short blonde hair and blue eyes.

Officers urged people to call 999 if they see Layla or Clifford, or pass on any sightings via an online form.
Does he or doesnt he? The airwaves have been thick with conjecture over the past week that Prince Harry wants to return to Britain to tuck himself back into the royal fold. Sources claim that he has been WhatsApping old friends and advisors in the UK, seeking to rehabilitate his image. A friend was said to have suggested he might even perform very low-key royal duties to rebuild public trust and help out with the familys dwindling personnel problem.

However, rumours of this Comeback Campaign were swiftly rebutted by other sources close to the Duke of Sussex who insist he has no interest in returning home, nor resuming royal duties.

But both camps agree that Harry, who turns 40 next week, appears at a crossroads and has a heartfelt longing to reconcile with his father, King Charles who is recovering from cancer. All sides also believe that the rift with Prince William still feels like a bridge too far to cross.

This was in evidence last weekend at Lord Robert Fellowes funeral. Harry crept into the country to stay with Princess Dianas brother, Lord Spencer, at his Althorp estate. While his mothers family remains loyal and open-armed to Harry, his brother is giving him the cold shoulder. William and Harry did not exchange a word at the funeral or gathering afterwards.

What the historical playbook on the Windsors-in-exile illustrates  whether imposed or self-imposed as the Sussexs Megxit move to Montecito was  is the piteous irony that in trying to find a life of happiness away from your birthright, the chances are that you keep hitting a bruise of unhappiness.

When you consider Harrys great-great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated as King of England in 1936 to marry American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, you see how Edward VIIIs manic need to prove to the world that he had made the right sacrifice weighed him and Wallis down.

As the writer James Pope-Hennessy said after spending time with the Windsors in France post-abdication: They are like people after a cataclysm or a revolution, valiantly making the best of infinite luxury. The Duke of Windsor never recovered from the shock of exile, the family drawbridge firmly up. He always assumed that after a suitable cooling-off period, he would be able to return to Britain again and resume royal duties supporting his brother, King George VI.

It sounds familiar, doesnt it? But Harry is feeling the sharp end of this lesson from history: the problem with renouncing crown and country for your own personal happiness is that you have to constantly convince yourself and others that it has not all been for nought.

Kate, William and Harry pictured at Kensington Palace in 2017 ( Getty )

The Duke turned Wallis into the most hated woman in the world, then he couldnt get what he promised her: the HRH title, or his family to accept her, royal historian, Hugo Vickers, told me. So he must have spent his whole life feeling guilty. I saw him once at Princess Marinas funeral and I have never seen a man with sadder eyes.

Sometimes in photographs of Prince Harry, you see those same hangdog eyes. At other times, especially when he is with Meghan in public, Harry looks cock-a-hoop. On their recent quasi royal tour to Colombia, the couple projected a sense of easy partnership.

Although history relates that both the Duke and Duchess of Windsor wanted to return to Britain  the Duke was torn. He nursed a deep wound over the way his family refused to accept his wife or accord her the HRH title. Similarly, Harrys loyalty to his wife whom he loves, now pits him against his birth family. We know that there is no love lost between William and Kate for Meghan after all the truth bombs that the Sussexes have lobbed in the royal familys direction.

So what lessons of the past tell us about what could be in store for the next chapter for these brothers? Recently, I was given a fascinating letter from a private collection that has never been seen in public or published before. It was written on behalf of the Duke of Windsor to a woman who had clearly sent Edward an encouraging missive after his wedding to Wallis in June 1937.

Harry and Meghans staunch renunciation of royal life has proved endlessly controversial ( EPA )

The Dukes response was written on 7 September 1937, from Schloss Wasserleonburg, a castle in Austria that Edward rented from 5 June to 7 September for the couples honeymoon. The Duke dictated the letter before they left the castle to return to France.

Dear Mrs Boraston, I am desired by the Duke of Windsor to acknowledge your letter of August 30th. His Royal Highness thanks you for the poem and your kind wishes, but asks me at the same time to assure you that the information that His Royal Highness is homesick is entirely without foundation. His Royal Highness wishes me to add that quite apart from rumours in the press, it is not very likely that he would be missing his country which in every possible way, tried to humiliate and misrepresent both himself and the Duchess of Windsor.

A scathing letter written by the Duke of Windsor in 1937 ( provided by Anna Pasternak )

The passing of time told a different story. After the hot-headedness of the abdication, the reality is that the constant, corrosive sense of exclusion becomes painful to negotiate.

Since, Harry and Meghans staunch renunciation of royal life in Britain, if Harry does harbour homesickness  and it would be almost impossible not to from time to time  how does he go about this? Naturally, he will nurse a desire for family reconciliation, especially with Charles, but friends of his and William who could have helped in the past have been forced to take sides.

In the Machiavellian monarchy, proximity to the court is critical in terms of survival. Just as Wallis said in 1954 to her biographer, Charles Murphy: British friends are afraid to receive us for fear of not being invited to court. Some of our former American friends are equally apprehensive. Our life, in consequence, has been circumscribed. I would gladly have worked for British charities. But where would I find the right British names to help me?

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day in 1937 ( Getty )

To those closest to the inner circle, Harry is now seen as an outlier. With powerful enemies in Prince William and Queen Camilla, who could possibly broker peace? It seems impossible now, yet there is one person who holds a glimmer of hope for this broken family where the fault lines run deep and dark.

The likeliest and kindest candidate is Princess Eugenie, with whom Harry has remained demonstrably close. As the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Fergurson, she knows well the pain of parental royal exclusion. She has also demonstrated laudable loyalty to her parents, while remaining close to both of her cousins, William and Harry. She has managed to do all of this while never betraying the institution into which she was born.

Could she be the one to persuade her uncle, King Charles, that the most generous and loving act would be to extend the hand of forgiveness to Prince Harry? In such a divisive world and as the countrys patriarch, it would be befitting for him to reach out to Harry.

Prince William is continuing to give his brother the cold shoulder ( Getty )

As the future monarch, William too, needs to be mindful that diplomatic skills will need to be deployed in some of the most trying times. And facing those times now, trust, love and finding the patience to be the better person could be pertinent to the training for the role to which he has been born.

The latest disclosure that Harry will not be updating the paperback of his autobiography, Spare, or giving any interviews to promote it, are the tentative steps of a man trying to repair a shattered relationship. So far, it has not been enough to staunch family mistrust.

As Wallis said: In other families even if a man or woman marries a person of whom the family may disapprove, reconciliation usually takes place after several years. Sensible people, kindly people, make up. But that has not been so in my case. The Iron Curtain has never lifted. For my husband, it has meant permanent exile.

We can only hope for Harry that history does not repeat itself.

Anna Pasternak is the biographer of The American Duchess: The real Wallis Simpson

She will also appear at The Independents virtual debate Is the shrinking Royal Family on the brink of collapse? next week as one of the experts discussing the personnel crisis at the heart of British monarchy
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Reverend Richard Coles says X has refused to take down a fake news article falsely accusing him of being a paedophile.

The former Communards pop star and broadcaster reported the post to the social media network, formerly and better known as Twitter, but was told it did not violate the rules.

It was presented as a legitimate story from an account with a linked Substack site, and which appears to have removed the story.

He told his followers: Someone published a fake story accusing me of being a paedophile today on @X I reported it. @Jaccusepaper got right back to me with the promise of immediate action. This is @Xs reply.

Xs reply said it had reviewed the fake story but determined there were no violations of the X rules.#

Coles told the Independent: I was sent the faked Jaccuse post linking to an non-existent article claiming I was hiding in plain sight following an interaction with someone on X calling themselves Anti Manchester Action in response to a picture I had posted of the lads who are staying with us in my friends rental on Tiree (their son and his friends) by calling me a pedo and bracketing me with Huw Edwards and Jimmy Savile.

I replied asking him to take it down or there would be legal consequences and reported both to X. X sent automated replies saying it did not break their rules.So my question is if someone maliciously and falsely accusing someone of being a paedophile on X does not break the rules, what does?

The former Strictly Come Dancing star was showered with support from X users.

Sports writer Matt Thomas wrote: Sadly Ive been a victim of a similar thing before, but where someone created fake profiles of me and posted horrific content that was homophobic, racist etc.

X took no action, the police said they couldnt act even though it was a crime and even though I could prove who was behind it, because X refused to send evidence needed.

BBC presenter and historian Simon Schama simply replied: Unspeakable.

X, JAccuse and Mr Coles have been approached for a comment.

Critics say Elon Musk, who bought the platform in April 2022, has allowed disinformation to spread on Twitter since his takeover of the platform in 2022. During his tenure, he has let go of around 6,000 staff, or 80 per cent of the workforce, including the entire moderation team.

He has allowed the return of previously banned users including Donald Trump, Alex Jones, Andrew Tate, and Tommy Robinson.

Rev Coles retired from clerical duties in 2022, and has appeared on BBC comedy programmes such as QI, Have I Got News For You and Would I Lie To You?.
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A member of Royal Navy personnel has died after a Merlin helicopter plunged into the English Channel, triggering an investigation into what caused the crash.

The Merlin Mk4 helicopter, favoured by Royal Marines for rapid deployment, ditched during a night flying exercise with HMS Queen Elizabeth off the Dorset coast on Wednesday night.

It is understood three crew members were on board the helicopter when it entered the water. Two were rescued and were taken to hospital without suffering serious injuries.

The third persons body was recovered and the family has been informed.

Merlin of 751 Esquadra, top, and a Merlin Mk 4, bottom, flying over Lisbon ( Royal Navy )

In a statement, the Royal Navy said: It is with great sadness that we must report a member of the Royal Navy has died following a training incident last night.

Our thoughts are with the family  who have been informed  and all those affected at this sad time. A full investigation will take place.

The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter in the English Channel near Dorset that ditched while conducting night flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth. There were no other fatalities or serious injuries.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority describes ditching as a deliberate emergency landing on water, rather than a crash, in a guidance document from 2022.

The helicopter was taking part in a night training exercise alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth ( PA Wire )

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was deeply saddened by the death.

In a post on X, he added: My thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this painful time.

Sir Keir paid tribute to the ships company particularly those involved in the search-and-rescue operation.

Defence secretary John Healey described the news of the death as truly dreadful and promised a full investigation into how the fatal accident happened.

Defence secretary John Healey offered his condolences ( Ben Birchall/PA Wire )

While on a visit to HMS Diamond in Portsmouth, he told reporters: I use dreadful because this is what everyone connected to the armed forces [dreads], news of personnel in service dying and all my thoughts and the thoughts of those in the wider navy Ive been with today are with the family, the friends and the close colleagues of the one weve lost today.

David Learmount, an expert on aviation issues, called the Merlin Mk4 a sophisticated helicopter which is pretty resilient, saying it was very unusual for such an incident to happen.

On the investigation into the cause of the incident, he said: If there was a technical aspect to this they are going to check all the other helicopters that are like this one to make sure its not going to happen to them too.

If they have a reason to do so they will say wed better ground all the others until we know the reason why it happened.

The Merlin Mk4 helicopter is used by the Royal Marines and has been deployed globally to provide disaster relief. It is considered the worlds most advanced amphibious battlefield helicopter and can carry up to 24 troops, according to the Royal Navy.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is described on the Navys website as the largest and most powerful vessel ever constructed for the Royal Navy, which is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.

The vessel is the Navys Fleet Flagship and can carry senior naval staff, receive foreign dignitaries and act as a command and control centre for the Royal Navy.
 Close From warm sunshine to flooding: Unpredictable British storm hits town unexpectedly

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More than half a months rain has fallen across two days in southern England and Wales up to Friday night.

A Met Office yellow weather warning was in place for the second day running as wet weather continued due to large patches of rain crossing the channel from France, but had subsided by Saturday morning.

There were warnings for flooding, power cuts and travel disruption with outbreaks of heavy rain persistent in some areas and particularly heavy in others.

For the weekend, for many, it will be a bright and dry start on Saturday morning with small bands of rain moving westward across the country.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: Repeated areas of rain are likely to affect southern Britain over the next few days, generating some localised impacts into the weekend.

Its a different story further north though, as high pressure brings warmer and sunnier conditions, with higher-than-average temperatures, particularly across parts of western Scotland. Eastern areas are likely to be cooler and at times, cloudier due to winds blowing off the North Sea.
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The co-leader of the Green Party has defended himself after the Labour government tried to portray him as a hypocrite on clean energy infrastructure.

In an interview with The Independent ahead of his partys conference in Manchester this weekend, Adrian Ramsay dismissed the personal claims made against him by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, among others.

The debate has centred around objections to pylons being built through his picturesque Waveney constituency, which straddles the Norfolk/Suffolk border in East Anglia.

The 114-mile (184km) scheme is expected to run from Norwich to Tilbury in Essex and would transfer energy generated from offshore wind farms to the South East and London.

Labour used the row to portray the Greens as hypocrites who really oppose the clean energy infrastructure needed to move Britains energy supply from carbon-based fuel, including gas, coal and oil, to clean alternatives.

Sir Keir said it was extraordinary that Mr Ramsay was opposing vital clean energy infrastructure.

This government just wants to press ahead with one option, says Green co-leader Adrian Ramsay ( BBC )

But Mr Ramsay told The Independent the debate is really about Labour seeking to do the easy things and avoid doing the difficult things.

The plan to push ahead with erecting pylons in his rural constituency is one of these easy answers when other solutions are available, he claimed.

Mr Ramsay added: The question that you are highlighting is around: how do we connect the new wind farms that are in the North Sea to London and the South East, where energy is needed? And theres a range of ways that you could do that.

Clearly, we need to connect the energy. But the last [Tory] government and the current [Labour] government have just been pressing ahead with one option, which is to have a new route of pylons that goes through East Anglia.

There are a couple of other options. One would be to have an offshore grid that brings the energy around the sea and into London that way. Another option would be to have underground cabling for all or some of the routes.

There are other countries in Europe that have done both of these things... some that have gone offshore, some that have gone for underground as the preferred option.

Ramsay with Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, who beat Labour frontbencher Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central ( PA Wire )

So all Ive called for is for there to be a proper options assessment of how best to do that connectivity in terms of environmental impact on communities, impact on timescales.

Theres been no proper options assessment by the last government and this government just wants to press ahead with one option.

Mr Ramsay, who has been advocating for renewable energy for the last 20 years, points out that he is working cross-party with other East Anglian MPs and councils making the same argument.

But he also thinks the easy answers claim against Sir Keirs new government can be made on wider issues too as the climate crisis continues.

Describing Labours first two months in power, he said: Theyre not ambitious enough. On the environment, theyre focused on decarbonising electricity, which is the easier bit to do. Decarbonising heating, reducing energy use in the home, in transport, supporting the restoring of nature and the fact that we have one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth  theyre just not focused on it.

In fact, I was absolutely gobsmacked that they cut from the nature-friendly farming budget. Only a couple of weeks ago, there was a report that came out that showed that that funding was just starting to have an impact, and nature charities were calling for it to be doubled.

On social issues, he added: There was no need for that, just as there was no need for the axing of the winter fuel payment for pensioners.

He also believes that his party has rattled Labour by breaking the credibility power and quadrupling its seats in the last election, winning almost 7 per cent of the vote, which makes it a more serious alternative on the left.

Ramsay believes the Greens success is more sustainable than Nigel Farages Reform ( PA Wire )

His co-leader, Carla Denyer, beat Labour frontbencher Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central as the party held off Labours challenge in Brighton Pavilion. It also won Waveney and North Herefordshire off the Tories.

He said: During the election, there was a clear sense that people were far more open-minded about how they were going to vote than in previous elections. Not only that, but we have really passed a credibility barrier, that peoples willingness to vote Green at a general election meant it was just so much easier to make that case this time around.

I think thats because weve shown that weve got credibility in local government, with over 800 Green councillors in England and Wales.

When I was deputy leader 15 years ago ... I knew all of the Green councils around the country. Weve worked really hard to get to 100 now. Its something thats happening at scale.

While many headlines have been devoted to Nigel Farage and Reform UK, he believes the Greens are the real breakthrough party of the 2024 election in the long term, even though they got one less seat and around half the votes.

The big difference with Reform electorally is that we have a consistent base of council support across the country, where weve been winning large numbers of votes in local elections year in, year out, across all corners of the country.

So our support in the general election is on firm foundations because it builds on that success in our council members.

He pointed to the Green Partys much greater success at local elections this year, saying: I think Im right in saying their strategy is the same as it was under Ukip, which is to have a lot of general election campaign effort and see what that delivers you.

I dont think thats a sustainable way to maintain peoples trust and confidence and show that you can be a diligent local representative  and people do want that, first and foremost, from their MP.
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A major fire in Dagenham last month which had the same cause as the Grenfell Tower tragedy proves that fire fighters and the public are still at risk from a major blaze, a union boss has warned.

Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), told The Independent that his members have been betrayed in the aftermath of the Grenfell disaster as well as in the events leading to the tragedy.

It comes after the London Fire Brigade was severely criticised for its lack of preparation for the disaster in the report presented by Sir Martin Moore-Bick.

The FBU general secretary called on the Government to fundamentally alter building safety regulations (James Manning/PA ( PA Wire )

Mr Wrack described the 70 firefighters who turned up to fight the blze and rescue people as heroic but said the report confirmed that they had not been properly prepared and there was no plan in place.

He is furious that constant warnings about the cladding on Grenfell Tower had been ignored in the five years before the fire.

Mr Wrack told The Independent: When fire fighters arrived at Grenfell they expected a fire which would be contained in the building because thats what they had been told. Instead it spread rapidly throughout the building and there was no plan to deal with it.

We saw exactly the same thing happen just days ago in Dagenham where the same thing happened with the same cause because of outside cladding.

The fact is that the fire at Grenfell would not have spread the same way if the building had been left in its original state. It was the modifications and cladding which caused the deaths and the report confirmed that.

There are still more than 3,000 buildings across the UK with the dangerous ACM cladding which cost so many people their lives.

Mr Wrack said: It is astonishing. The government has got to get on top of this. We cannot have any further delay.

He wants residents to have their voices listened to in preparing for fire safety but also ordinary fire fighters who have a great deal of frontline experience not just brigade managers.

He told The Independent: I feel fire fighters in London and around the country have been badly let down. They were heroic at Grenfell but we still see the same problems.

Mr Wrack also insisted that the report must be a turning point in the push for deregulation in the building and construction industry.

The union leader, who is also president of the Trades Union Congress, said he was pleased that the deputy prime minister (Angela Rayner) joined me on a visit to Dagenham to view the burnt out block of flats there.

But he said: The report is very clear that this contributed to the loss of lives at Grenfell. The deaths were a consequence of central government policy , ministers, secretaries of state and prime ministers.

When we said at the time of the tragedy that deregulation was to blame we were accused of politicising it but we have been proven right.

The Grenfell Tower fire saw 72 people lose their lives as the fire took hold of the block.

The tragedy has been blamed on warnings being ignored by successive governments over 30 years, a breakdown in trust and communications between the people responsible for the block and families, and dishonesty by construction companies.
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Grenfell campaigners have criticised MPs who left the House of Commons chamber just before Keir Starmer made a statement on the damning inquiry report.

The long-awaited findings of an inquiry into the tragedy that cost 72 lives were finally published on Wednesday, including strong criticism of successive governments for failing to address warnings over fires in high rise blocks.

Sir Keir gave a speech to parliament following prime ministers questions in which he apologised to victims families and survivors for being let down before, during and in the aftermath of this tragedy.

A number of MPs leave the Commons chamber ahead of the prime ministers statement on the Grenfell report ( UK Parliament )

Just before the prime minister began addressing the Commons, speaker Lindsay Hoyle invited members who needed to leave to do so, as it is commonplace for MPs to leave after PMQs to attend other meetings.

Footage from the chamber showed dozens leaving and though many more remained to listen to Sir Keir speak Grenfell campaigners were critical of those that left.

Natasha Elcock, chair of Grenfell United, the group representing some of the bereaved and survivors, told The Independent: It is absolutely shameful that they left because it shows they had no regard for the most important day for survivors and bereaved families. What happened at Grenfell stems back many decades through many political persuasions.

Its no surprise the house emptied after PMQs. Some of those people that left that chamber today were part of the inaction that has existed within the last seven years and will be a part of the political corruption, greed, negligence and incompetence.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government will respond to recommendations within six months ( PA Wire )

Emma Wilson, principal lawyer at Slater Gordon, which represents a number of Grenfell families added: I saw this and was appalled. MPs actions today echo those of their counterparts over the years ignoring the recommendations which we know could have prevented the disaster happening.

It shows how much of a cultural change is needed if the recommendations by the Chair and endorsed by Keir Starmer today are to be embedded.

And vice-chair of Grenfell United Karim Mussilhy told Newsnight later on Wednesday evening: You look at what happened in PMQs today.... You just see a flourish of bodies in parliament... heading out, just leaving. That room was half empty.

This is the culture were talking about. How are we supposed to get justice when they dont even care.

The damning report into the tragic fire has been published ( PA Wire )

In his statement, Sir Keir said: I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to each and every one of you, and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy.

It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones, the people that we are here to serve, and I am deeply sorry.

The prime minister signalled his support for calls that the companies involved in the disaster be banned from receiving government contracts, and said the government would support the Metropolitan Polices investigation into the fire.

He said it was imperative that there is full accountability, including through the criminal justice process, and that this happens as swiftly as possible.
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Union leaders have backed Keir Starmers planned reset of Brexit and predicted that it will help save the British car industry.

In an interview with The Independent, Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said he absolutely believed the policy would keep manufacturing and other jobs in the UK and prevent them being moved to the continent.

Mr Nowak also urged the new Labour government to deliver the change he said the public had voted for.

And he called for an urgent new workforce commission to plot a way to repair the UKs public services, as a new poll reveals that nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of voters think they are deteriorating.

Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, predicted the Brexit reset would help keep jobs in the UK (Peter Byrne/PA) ( PA Wire )

Just 13 days into his premiership Sir Keir declared Britain was back on the international stage as he sought to build closer ties as part of his planned reset.

Hosting the summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Oxfordshire, he scored his first major success as European leaders lined up to hail his plan for a new era in post-Brexit relations.

In the weeks that followed he used a trip to watch the opening of the Olympics to hold a series of one-to-one meetings with European leaders and has struck up a close relationship with leaders in Paris and Berlin.

Mr Nowak said that with Sir Keirs large parliamentary majority people on the other side of the Channel are more likely to take the government seriously and think that here is a government we can do business with and actually get an agreement.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak (Peter Byrne/PA) ( PA Archive )

He said more could be done to ease pressures on supply chains, which is really important in sectors like automotive and aerospace. But also more broadly, for musicians and other creative performers and for some of our young people, that ability to move across Europe more freely I think is really important. I dont think anybodys talking about a complete return to freedom of movement but certainly thinking about how do we make it as seamless as possible?

UK car production is still well below its recent peak in 2016 of 1.7m, dogged by supply chain problems after disruption caused by Covid-era factory closures as well as Brexit red tape. Last year, Britain built 1m cars.

Asked if he believed the reset would help keep jobs in the UK, he said: I do, I absolutely do.

He added: Certainly in some of those high-end manufacturing (industries) where things like supply chains are really important... Because nobody builds an aircraft wing purely on components sourced from the UK. You dont build electric vehicles purely on components sourced in the UK. Youve got to find ways to reduce the friction as much as possible.

I would be in exactly the same place as [manufacturing body] Make UK, for example - lets make sure that we are not putting up barriers to companies being successful here in the UK.

Keir Starmer met French President Emmanuel Macron last week ( AP )

He also called on the government to deliver for those who backed them at the election.

He said he recognised that Labour had inherited, or been bequeathed, a pretty rotten legacy in terms of the state of the UK economy and the state of our public services.

But he said he hoped and expected that theyre going to use the Budget to set out now some light at the end of the tunnel. How do we repair and rebuild our public services? How do we get the economy growing? How do we get wages rising again?

He said that the TUC would be a critical friend to the new government and he would be encouraging the government: Youve got a manifesto (and) youve got a huge mandate to go out and deliver it.
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Households are to be urged to cut the amount of water they use by a fifth as Labour pledges to clean up Britains rivers, lakes and seas once and for all.

Strategies include having shorter showers and fewer baths, as well as putting bricks in toilet cisterns to cut consumption.

More than nine in 10 people think they use vastly less water than they do, the environment secretary Steve Reed said.

The comments came as he used a speech to tell an invited group of water bosses that new laws will mean they face prison if they continue to pump filth into Britains lakes and rivers.

However, he ruled out nationalising the sector, warning it would cost billions and make the sewage problem worse in the short term.

He pledged that the government would reform the UKs creaking water system, much of it dating from the Victorian era.

Strategies can include taking shorter showers ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

Mr Reed outlined plans for a review of the system, which experts have warned will cost billions to bring up to date.

He would not be drawn on when the job would be complete, saying he would need to wait for the outcome of the review.

But he said: This is our opportunity to make sure our children and their children have the chance to create those same wonderful memories  splash about in our lakes, roll on our rivers, or spot a kingfisher on a summers day. This is our opportunity to clean up our water once and for all.

Mr Reed denied that reducing water consumption would see the public told how much they could use.

He told journalists: It would see people being given the information they need to take decisions for themselves.

When you talk to people about the amount of water they use, 94 per cent of us think we use vastly less than we actually do.

When it comes to reforming the sector, he said government reforms will unlock the biggest private sector investment in its history. The money would help to build nine new reservoirs, nearly 5,000 miles (8,000km) of water main pipes and upgrades to 2,500 storm overflows.

Firmer action should have been taken over the last 14 years to ensure money was spent on fixing the water and sewage system and not siphoned off for bonuses and dividend payments, he said in his speech.

I am angry that over a decade of Conservative failure means customers will now have to pay higher bills to fix the system. This did not need to happen.

He called the new Bill a down payment on the wider reforms that are needed after years of failure and environmental damage.

It will unlock the biggest ever investment in our water sector and the second biggest private sector investment into any part of the economy for the entirety of this parliament, he said.

The crackdown on water bosses will be included in the new Water (Special Measures) Bill to end sewage and other pollutants being pumped into the countrys waterways.

Included is the loss of bonuses, potential prison sentences for industry executives and a duty for the water companies to pay the cost of enforcement.
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Labour has scrapped plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Scampton, weeks after it dumped the Conservative governments Rwanda deportation scheme.

The Home Office said the much-criticised plan for the site did not represent value for money for the taxpayer.

Campaigners welcomed the move, saying former military sites were never suitable places to house those coming to the UK seeking safety.

The former airbase in Lincolnshire was at the centre of the previous Tory governments plan to accommodate migrants who arrived across the Channel in small boats.

Opening the site from the autumn as planned would have cost a further 122m by the end of its use in 2027, meaning the site no longer represents value for money, the government said. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle revealed that 60m has already been spent on work at the base.

This would leave the total cost nearer 200m, she said, a figure which clearly fails to deliver value for money for the taxpayer.

About 60m has already been spent on the site, according to the Home Office ( PA )

The move comes just weeks after Sir Keir Starmer ditched the Rwanda plan as one of his first acts in office, saying the scheme, which would have given asylum seekers a one-way ticket to the country, was dead and buried.

Announcing the move, Dame Angela said: Faster asylum processing, increased returns and tighter enforcement of immigration rules will reduce demand for accommodation like Scampton and save millions for the taxpayer as we drive forward work to clear the asylum backlog and strengthen our border security.

We have also listened to community feedback and concerns about using this site for asylum accommodation.

The previous government also left a long backlog in asylum claims, including among those it had earmarked for transfer to Rwanda, despite failing to get flights off the ground following a damning judgment by the Supreme Court.

Dame Angela also said ministers intend to return to using long-standing dispersed asylum accommodation and will do so as soon as is practicable, once we have made progress on clearing the backlog.

The minister also said the Home Office would introduce a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill at the earliest opportunity, designed to disrupt the criminal gangs helping people to make Channel crossings.

Jon Featonby, from the Refugee Council, said: The governments decision not to use RAF Scampton as asylum accommodation is very welcome. We know from our work that as well as being very costly, former military sites are never suitable places to house people who have come to the UK seeking safety.

He added that the announcement was an important step to making sure that the men, women and children who are seeking asylum in the UK are housed in communities where they can be supported to be safe.
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The Conservatives latest leadership contest is underway after Rishi Sunak led the party to its worst election defeat in history.

A string of senior figures have thrown their hats in the ring to succeed the former PM and lead the party through the next five years in opposition.

Robert Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner among to take leadership of the party as former home secretary Dame Priti Patel was eliminated from the contest.

Former immigration minister Mr Jenrick picked up 28 votes in the first ballot of MPs, with bookmakers favourite Kemi Badenoch in second place on 22.

Shadow home secretary James Cleverly was one vote behind on 21, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat on 17 and shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride on 16.

Dame Priti picked up just 14 votes and so was knocked out at the first stage of the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

The shortlist will be whittled down gradually until a final four are paraded in front of the party faithful at Octobers Tory conference.

The Independent looks at the runners and riders to take the reins from Mr Sunak.

Who has officially declared?

James Cleverly

Former home secretary James Cleverly avoided losing his seat, unlike many of his cabinet colleagues ( Sky )

James Cleverly became the first contender to formally launch a leadership bid, promising to unite the warring party weeks after Mr Sunaks historic defeat.

A former home secretary, he promised to overturn Starmers loveless landslide and restore the confidence of the British people in us as a party. Mr Cleverlys appeal comes from having served as home and foreign secretary, two of the UKs great offices of state. He is also seen as more moderate than candidates such as Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, while still taking a hard-line approach to legal and illegal migration.

He received 21 votes in the first ballot of MPs.

Odds: 5/1

Tom Tugendhat

Tom Tugendhat also flew out of the traps launching his leadership bid ( Sky News )

One of the great hopes of the One Nation Conservatives, security minister Tom Tugendhat also flew out of the traps to launch his leadership bid just a day after Mr Cleverly.

Mr Tugendhat stood unsuccessfully for the leadership two years ago, placing fifth in the contest which saw Liz Truss take over as prime minister.

He is considered to have grown in stature since then and has had a job in cabinet that he can use to argue he is a serious leader who can take his party through difficult times.

After formally entering the race, he highlighted his track record of delivery, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, enjoyed a stint as security minister and stood up to dictators in parliament.

Shadow security minister Mr Tugendhat received 17 votes in the first ballot of MPs.

Odds: 15/2

Robert Jenrick

Robert Jenrick is seen as a figure who could entice former Tory voters back in ( PA )

A one-time close ally of Mr Sunak, he also turned on the former PM over issues such as immigration and housebuilding in the dying days of his premiership.

Some Tory MPs, on both wings of the party, are wary of his apparent change of heart on the issue. But he is seen as someone with the politics to win back right-wing voters lost to Reform UK, with the personality of David Cameron to help the Tories win back those who voted for the Liberal Democrats in the blue wall.

Mr Jenricks campaign manager, Danny Kruger, said the former immigration minister has the energy, temperament and policy agenda to take on our rivals and lead us back to power in 5 years.

Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner among Tory MPs after picking up 28 votes in the first ballot.

Odds: 5/4

Mel Stride

Mel Stride is a surprise entrant to the Tory leadership election, with the staunch Sunak ally painting himself as a One Nation figure to unite the MPs that remain ( BBC )

Mel Stride is a surprise entrant to the Tory leadership election, with the staunch Sunak ally painting himself as a One Nation figure to unite the MPs that remain.

The former work and pensions secretary became a key figurehead for Mr Sunaks failed election campaign, regularly appearing on the airwaves to advocate for the Conservative Party.

Mr Stride said the Tory party had substantially lost the trust of the British people as well as its reputation for competence.

He received 16 votes in the first ballot of MPs.

Odds: 40/1

Kemi Badenoch

Shadow communities secretary Kemi Badenoch is the bookmakers favourite ( PA )

The combative former business secretary, who has been involved in a number of high-profile clashes, has previously been seen as a front-runner. She had a good run when she competed for the leadership in 2022.

A one-time darling of the Conservative right, she was seen to have blotted her copybook when she canned a pledged bonfire of EU red tape.

She officially launched her campaign the night before nominations opened, calling for the contest to be a debate about what it means to be a Conservative. Diagnosing the Tory election defeat, she added that we deserved to lose because the past decade saw us twist and turn in the wind, unsure of who we were.

Ms Badenoch came in second place in the first ballot of MPs with 22 votes.

Odds: 13/8

Who has dropped out or been eliminated?

Suella Braverman

Former home secretary Suella Braverman is widely expected to launch a bid to lead the party from the right ( PA )

Suella Braverman has dropped out of the race before the nominations deadline, despite claiming she had the number of MPs required.

The former home secretarys bid for the leadership was plagued by early setbacks as key backers from the Tory right fell in behind her rival Mr Jenrick. Key figures such as Danny Kruger and her longtime mentor Sir John Hayes were to support the former immigration minister over Ms Braverman, all but ending her hopes of commanding enough support from the party to win.

Ms Braverman caused a shock when she dramatically resigned from Mr Sunaks cabinet. At the time, she warned him that his Rwanda deportation plan would fail and that he was leading the party into electoral oblivion.

Her more extreme attacks on her own party are seen as helping the chances of her opponents, including Ms Patel.

But, dropping out before nominations opened, Ms Braverman said she had the required support to run but that the Tory Party does not want to hear the truths Ive set out.

Priti Patel

Priti Patel resigned as home secretary after Liz Truss became Tory leader ( PA )

Dame Priti Patel promised a revolution in the Conservative Party by offering to hand back some control of policy to ordinary party members and allow them to elect key officials. She officially entered the race over the weekend.

She picked up just 14 votes and so was knocked out at the first stage of the race to replace Rishi Sunak.

Responding to her loss in the ballot, she paid tribute to Tory members, councillors and association officers she met during her campaign as the heart and soul of our party, and insisted the Conservatives must grow their membership and reach a younger voter base.

She also called on fellow Tories to unite around our Conservative values.
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Water bosses are to be told today that new laws will mean they face prison if they continue to pump filth into Britains lakes and rivers.

Environment secretary Steve Reed will warn executives from the industry directly at a major speech in Putney, London where he will unveil details of the new Water (Special Measures) Bill to end sewage and other pollutants being pumped into the countrys waterways.

Among the new measures announced in the crackdown will be the loss of bonuses, potential prison sentences for industry executives and a duty for the water companies themselves to pay the cost of enforcement.

Mr Reed will tell them: The public are furious that in 21st century Britain, record levels of sewage are being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas. After years of neglect, our waterways are now in an unacceptable state.

Environment secretary Steve Reed says water comapany executives will face prison if they break the law ( Getty )

That is why today I am announcing immediate action to end the disgraceful behaviour of water companies and their bosses.

Under this government, water executives will no longer line their own pockets whilst pumping out this filth. If they refuse to comply, they could end up in the dock and face prison time.

This Bill is a major step forward in our wider reform to fix the broken water system. We will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform how the water industry is run and speed up the delivery of upgrades to our sewage infrastructure to clean up our waterways for good.

It comes after fury over a number of high-profile incidents involving water companies pumping waste into Britains waterways.

It was recently revealed that Thames Water had discharged at least 72 billion litres of sewage into the River Thames since 2020  roughly equal to 29,000 Olympic swimming pools.

It was also recently reported that millions of litres of raw sewage were illegally pumped into Lake Windermere, one of England's most famous lakes.

South West Water (SWW) was fined more than 2.1m for a series of environmental offences across Devon and Cornwall spanning a period of four years.

Sewage was pumped into Cumbrias Lake Windermere in September 2022 ( PA )

Mr Reed will unveil major new legislation to crack down on water bosses polluting Britains rivers, lakes and seas  the most significant increase in enforcement powers in a decade.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill has been introduced to parliament and will give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.

The Bill delivers on Labours manifesto pledge to clean up the water sector, including increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against law-breaking water executives. It will create new tougher penalties, including imprisonment, for water executives when companies fail to cooperate or obstruct investigations.

The new legislation will also ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses if they fail to meet high standards to protect the environment, their consumers and their companys finances.

Other measures in the Bill include severe and automatic fines for a range of offences, including allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations. It will also introduce independent monitoring of every sewage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. Discharges will have to be reported within an hour of the initial spill.

Since privatisation, only three individuals have been criminally prosecuted by the Environment Agency without appeal despite widespread illegality.

The Bill creates new tougher penalties including imprisonment for water executives when companies fail to co-operate or obstruct Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate investigations. Previously, the maximum punishment for most cases of obstruction was merely a fine.

Despite overseeing catastrophic failure, water chief executives have paid themselves over 41m in bonuses, benefits and incentives since 2020.

This Bill will give the watchdog Ofwat powers to ban the payment of performance-related pay including bonuses to chief executives and senior leadership of water companies unless they meet high standards when it comes to protecting the environment, their consumers, financial resilience and criminal liability.

It will also require Ofwat to set rules requiring water companies to appoint directors and chief executives and allow them to remain in post only when they meet the highest standards of fitness and propriety, and to ensure customers are involved in company decision-making.

The Bill also closes the gap in the Environment Agencys enforcement powers by lowering the standard of proof to the civil standard  on the balance of probabilities  and enabling fixed monetary penalties to be imposed  allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations.

Emergency sewage overflows are not currently fully monitored. To make it easier and quicker for regulators to investigate and punish wrongdoing, water companies will be required to publish real-time data (within an hour) for all emergency overflows in England in a clear, accessible format.

Alan Lovell, chair of the Environment Agency, said: The Bill will give us, as regulator, more power to protect our precious water quality and resources, hold water companies to account and ensure the polluter pays. The stronger penalties introduced by the Bill will deter illegal behaviour and allow us to close the justice gap and strengthen our ability to deliver swift enforcement action.

David Black, chief executive of Ofwat, said: "This Bill strengthens our powers and will help us drive transformative change in the water industry so that it delivers better outcomes for customers and the environment."
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Four people - two students and two teachers - are dead and nine more are injured after a teenage gunman opened fire inside a Georgia high school, authorities say.

Gunfire erupted at Apalachee High School, 50 miles outside of Atlanta, around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police named the suspect as 14-year-old Colt Gray, who is a student at the school. He is alive and in custody after surrendering to responding officers. He will be charged with murder and tried as an adult, officials said.

The FBI revealed on Wednesday night that it had investigated the suspect, who used an AR platform weapon in the shooting, for allegedly making online threats to carry out a school shooting in May 2023.

The suspect, who was then 13, was found by Jackson County Sheriffs Office deputies and interviewed, according to the FBI. His father told investigators that the family had hunting guns in the house but that the teenager did not have unsupervised access to them.

The boy denied that he had made the threats and the FBI says that there was no probable cause to arrest him or take any further legal action.

Colt Gray, 14, is shown in this police booking photo. He is accused of shooting four people dead at his Georgia high school on September 4. ( via REUTERS )

Hours after the shooting that shook the Georgia community, police identified the victims as two 14-year-old students and two teachers. Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Kristen Angolo, 14, were the students. While the teachers were named as Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith discussed the evil that had taken place at an evening press conference.

I never imagined that I would be speaking to the media in my career over something that happened today  the pure evil happened here today, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said while standing outside the high school.

Hate will not prevail, he added.

Four people were killed after a suspected 14-year-old gunman opened fire inside Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning, police said ( Getty Images )

The school received a phone threat earlier in the day, law enforcement officials told CNN. The caller warned that there would be shootings at five schools and that Apalachee would be the first. There have been no other shootings at area schools.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey told a press conference on Wednesday night that there was no evidence of other schools being targeted by the suspect.

Theres no evidence to report that any additional shooter was involved in this incident today, Hosey said. There is no evidence of a list of schools being targeted, Hosey said. However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated.

As police launch thier investigation to find a motive, students were left recalling the terrifying moments when the shooting started.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, was identified by his family as one of the victims of the shooting at Apalachee High School ( Social media )

One student told WSB-TV that her teacher was shot while in the doorway of their classroom. She then worked with fellow students to drag them back into the room and barricade the door, the local outlet reported.

Sergio Caldera, a 17-year-old senior, told ABC News he was in chemistry class when gunshots began.

My teacher goes and opens the door to see whats going on, Caldera said. Another teacher comes running in and tells her to close the door because theres an active shooter.

Caldera said someone banged on their classroom door and shouted open up several times. Afterward, he heard more gunfire and screaming.

Christina Irimie, math teacher killed at Apalachee high school in Georgia ( Apalachee High School )

DAnthony Kanzig said he and his fellow students tried to be as quiet as possible as the shooting happened.

I was in class and I just saw hard lockdown on my screen and then you just hear the gunshots and everyone got down, he told WXIA.

Kanzig said students hid under desks and that some were laughing because they thought it was just a drill. Others were crying.

Kids were praying, keeping it as quiet as possible, he said.

Richard Aspinwall, math teacher at Apalachee High School who was killed in Wednesdays mass shooting ( Apalachee High School )

Local and national leaders have also spoken out about the tragedy.

Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed, President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has directed all available state resources to the school, he said.

We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation, Kemp said.

Students walk away from Apalachee High School as an ambulance responds to the school. The 14-year-old suspected gunman is alive and in custody and police plan to charge him as an adult ( AP )

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris called the incident another senseless tragedy.

Its senseless, it is  weve got to stop it, and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all, Harris said at a campaign event. You know it doesnt have to be this way. It doesnt have to be this way, so we will continue, of course, to send our prayers and I thought to families and all those who were affected.

Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz also spoke on the incident while at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.

Before we get started, our team just briefed me on this, we have a school shooting going on in Georgia at this time, Walz said. Were on it, and the White House has been briefed on it.

This is tragic. We dont know any of the details on it yet, but its a situation thats all too common and and our hearts are out there right now...Our work needs to be to prevent these in the future as we know, he continued. I know its a little bit of a heavy heart for all.

Former president Donald Trump posted about the shooting on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump wrote. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.
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Four people - two students and two teachers - are dead and nine more are injured after a teenage gunman opened fire inside a Georgia high school, authorities say.

Gunfire erupted at Apalachee High School, 50 miles outside of Atlanta, around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police named the suspect as 14-year-old Colt Gray, who is a student at the school. He is alive and in custody after surrendering to responding officers. He will be charged with murder and tried as an adult, officials said.

The FBI revealed on Wednesday night that it had investigated the suspect, who used an AR platform weapon in the shooting, for allegedly making online threats to carry out a school shooting in May 2023.

The suspect, who was then 13, was found by Jackson County Sheriffs Office deputies and interviewed, according to the FBI. His father told investigators that the family had hunting guns in the house but that the teenager did not have unsupervised access to them.

The boy denied that he had made the threats and the FBI says that there was no probable cause to arrest him or take any further legal action.

Colt Gray, 14, is shown in this police booking photo. He is accused of shooting four people dead at his Georgia high school on September 4. ( via REUTERS )

Hours after the shooting that shook the Georgia community, police identified the victims as two 14-year-old students and two teachers. Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Kristen Angolo, 14, were the students. While the teachers were named as Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith discussed the evil that had taken place at an evening press conference.

I never imagined that I would be speaking to the media in my career over something that happened today  the pure evil happened here today, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said while standing outside the high school.

Hate will not prevail, he added.

Four people were killed after a suspected 14-year-old gunman opened fire inside Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning, police said ( Getty Images )

The school received a phone threat earlier in the day, law enforcement officials told CNN. The caller warned that there would be shootings at five schools and that Apalachee would be the first. There have been no other shootings at area schools.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey told a press conference on Wednesday night that there was no evidence of other schools being targeted by the suspect.

Theres no evidence to report that any additional shooter was involved in this incident today, Hosey said. There is no evidence of a list of schools being targeted, Hosey said. However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated.

As police launch thier investigation to find a motive, students were left recalling the terrifying moments when the shooting started.

Mason Schermerhorn, 14, was identified by his family as one of the victims of the shooting at Apalachee High School ( Social media )

One student told WSB-TV that her teacher was shot while in the doorway of their classroom. She then worked with fellow students to drag them back into the room and barricade the door, the local outlet reported.

Sergio Caldera, a 17-year-old senior, told ABC News he was in chemistry class when gunshots began.

My teacher goes and opens the door to see whats going on, Caldera said. Another teacher comes running in and tells her to close the door because theres an active shooter.

Caldera said someone banged on their classroom door and shouted open up several times. Afterward, he heard more gunfire and screaming.

Christina Irimie, math teacher killed at Apalachee high school in Georgia ( Apalachee High School )

DAnthony Kanzig said he and his fellow students tried to be as quiet as possible as the shooting happened.

I was in class and I just saw hard lockdown on my screen and then you just hear the gunshots and everyone got down, he told WXIA.

Kanzig said students hid under desks and that some were laughing because they thought it was just a drill. Others were crying.

Kids were praying, keeping it as quiet as possible, he said.

Richard Aspinwall, math teacher at Apalachee High School who was killed in Wednesdays mass shooting ( Apalachee High School )

Local and national leaders have also spoken out about the tragedy.

Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed, President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has directed all available state resources to the school, he said.

We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation, Kemp said.

Students walk away from Apalachee High School as an ambulance responds to the school. The 14-year-old suspected gunman is alive and in custody and police plan to charge him as an adult ( AP )

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris called the incident another senseless tragedy.

Its senseless, it is  weve got to stop it, and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all, Harris said at a campaign event. You know it doesnt have to be this way. It doesnt have to be this way, so we will continue, of course, to send our prayers and I thought to families and all those who were affected.

Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz also spoke on the incident while at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.

Before we get started, our team just briefed me on this, we have a school shooting going on in Georgia at this time, Walz said. Were on it, and the White House has been briefed on it.

This is tragic. We dont know any of the details on it yet, but its a situation thats all too common and and our hearts are out there right now...Our work needs to be to prevent these in the future as we know, he continued. I know its a little bit of a heavy heart for all.

Former president Donald Trump posted about the shooting on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump wrote. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.
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A Pittsburgh grandmother was arrested over the death of her 3-year-old granddaughter after police discovered the dead child on a bloody mattress at a home in the city.

Denise Johnson, 56, was charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, and abuse of a corpse, Pittsburgh Police said.

Police attended the home on Sunday morning after the Allegheny County Emergency Operations Center received a 911 call for a suspicious death of a young female.

In a criminal complaint file obtained by Law & Crime, investigators said they found the body of Ayla Miller at the apartment on East Ohio Street.

First responders described the child as being cold to the touch with multiple injuries to the neck, face, and sternum, while blood was located on the bed, the report said.

Officials say that the 911 call was made by the childs uncle.

Detectives described the horror scene as Miller was found wearing a pink/light blue shirt with gray tights. Her body was lying on the bloodied bed and injuries included significant bruising along the cheekbone.

Pittsburgh Detectives discovered the child on a bloodied mattress at the Pennsylvania address ( Google Maps )

The apartment was distinctly worn down as police observed a broken bedroom door and holes in the walls throughout the flat.

Millers most shocking injury included A burn mark on her left ankle which is consistent with a cigarette burn. The bruising on her body extended down her cheek, neck, right arm, elbow, and hand.

Authorities say that Miller had been staying with her grandmother for a month and her mother told police that she had seen her daughter on a Facetime call and did not see any signs of physical trauma upon her face.

Johnson allegedly told police that the child had fallen back on a coffee table after hitting her head with force  she then left the 3-year-old in bed in the days that followed and that she was going to turn herself in.

Prosecutors say that Johnson exchanged messages with Detective Anthony Beatty after he asked her to contact him. In one of those messages she allegedly wrote, "Something happened I have to TURN into the police.

The detective advised Johnson, he would collect her to enable her to submit a confession.

Johnson responded saying: "Ok I'll be ready soon. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt her, I truly didn't.

When I knew she was hurt, I beat her butt for not listening and she fell into my table so hard.

The suspect told police Ive just been crying, not eating, scared, numb, guilty. Im so sorry I didnt mean it, I honestly, truly didnt (Peter Byrne/PA) ( PA Archive )

She hit her head and her back. I then told her to stand in corner but she couldn't as she kept falling down  I thought she was doing it because she was tired and being stubborn.

I then told my other grandson to run her bath water. I got her in the tub and went in my room. She took her own bath and when I got back, she was under water, but she was still breathing, so I dried her, layed her down  she never woke up.

Ater 2 days, I got really scared and I wanted to tell someone but was too scared.

I'm sorry, I know I should have gotten help for her but she was already gone. Ive just been crying, not eating, scared, numb, guilty. I'm so sorry I didn't mean it, I honestly, truly didn't.

Police identified her grandson who alleged that his grandmother had beaten his young cousin leaving her with injuries that left her unable to move.

He claimed to have seen dried blood on Ayla's nose and head and disclosed that the trauma had allegedly been inflicted with a large wooden stick.

In the report, the boy alleged that his grandmother had used other instruments to beat Miller including a belt.

Johnson is now being held in Allegheny County Jail.
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A California gunman has been arrested for massacring over 80 farm animals in a killing spree that lasted three hours.

Vicente Joseph Arroyo, 39, from Salinas, is accused of murdering miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and other types of birds in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the Prunedale area, California, Monterey County Sheriffs Office said.

The suspect was apprehended in a vineyard from what appeared to be a crashed vehicle in an extremely dark area with overgrown shrubbery near Lemus Farm on Avery Lane, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Arroyo lived at the property where the animals resided, but was not employed at the site, Cmdr. Andres Rosas, Monterey County sheriffs spokesperson, said.

Police added they heard shots being fired at the scene upon arrival.

The animals which survived the attack were taken by non-for-profit group Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) but had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries, police said.

In a phone interview with LA Times, Rosas said: Ive been in law enforcement for 24 years and Ive never seen anything like this.

The suspect allegedly lived at the Lamas Farm address near Avery Lane, said police to The LA Times ( Monterey County Sheriff's Office )

Being an animal lover, they become part of your family, and for them to be taken in this manner is horrible.

Bail was intially set at $50,000 but investigators petitioned to raise it to $1m.

A search of Arroyos property revealed possession of multiple firearms and Rosas estimated that 2,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition had been recovered, The LA Times reports.

Multiple shots were heard by concerned Prunedale residents which police also heard upon arrival at the scene, said officials ( Monterey County Sheriff's Office )

Arroyo is being held in Monterey County Jail on multiple charges including cruelty to animals and illegal possession of an assault weapon.

SPCA Monterey County spokesperson Beth Brookhouser described the attack as horrific and heartbreaking.

All the animals involved were sadly found deceased except for five severely injured parakeets who needed to be humanely euthanized to end their suffering, she added.

The surviving animals of the attack had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries, police said ( Monterey County Sheriff's Office )

While the attackers motive appears to be random, Arroyo was found to have used multiple weapons including multiple long rifles, shotguns and handguns; an unlawful assault weapon, along with numerous loaded and empty magazines.

At the time, police temporarily enforced a five-mile radius shelter while they searched for the gunman as multiple calls had been received by concerned locals.

Police have not yet confirmed a date for the suspects court hearing.
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A California barber has been charged with murdering and torturing a 6-year-old boy by beating him with a piece of lumber after the child peed his pants, authorities say.

Ernest Lamar Love, 41, has been charged with murder, torture and child abuse causing death, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts, according to reports.

The incident happened on August 29 around 6:30 p.m., when Love was tasked with babysitting Chance Crawford, while his mother worked the night shift at a hospital.

Video surveillance shows Love walking into his barber shop with a large piece of raw lumber with a reluctant Chance following behind him, the DAs office said.

Three hours later, at 1.30 a.m., Love allegedly carried the first grader  who was unconscious and struggling to breathe  into the emergency room.

Thats when doctors found injuries consistent with violent shaking, including flesh missing from his buttocks, exposed wounds, subdural hematoma and extreme brain swelling, the DAs office said. The six-year-old also had a fracture on his shoulder blade.

Prosecutors accused Love of beating the first grader with the piece of lumber, then pouring hydrogen peroxide on the open wounds before forcing the boy to do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks.

Authorities said the barber was mad that the boy wet hispants while at a park in Placentia.

A California barber is accused of beating Chance Crawford, 6, to death using a piece of lumber while he was babysitting the boy ( GoFundMe )

After the child collapsed from the alleged attack, Love drove the boy to the emergency room instead of calling 911, the DAs office said. Crawford died from his injuries on September 3.

Love is being held in jail without bond. He faces a maximum sentence life behind bars plus five years if convicted on all charges, the DAs office said.

Crawfords family is now mourning the great loss of the little boy.

The more and more that I explain what happened, the more angry I feel, the boys father Vance Crawford told ABC7. Hes six years old. I wanted to see my son graduate.

He lived a happy life. He was great. He was a great kid, Crawford said. I love my son. I miss him so much. He didnt deserve that.

That kid was sweet, the childs great-aunt Carmen Hill told ABC7. What kind of monster are you?

This is killing us slowly because no child deserves to get treated like this, the boys cousin Aisha Herrell told the outlet.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses, sayin g they are seeking justice for Crawford. The Orange County district attorney said he is is seeking the same.

While his new classmates were celebrating the end of the first week of first grade, Chances seat in his classroom was empty as he fought for his life in a hospital bed, DA Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

Spitzer continued: Words do not exist to describe the absolute terror this little boy was forced to endure  all at the hands of someone who was supposed to be protecting him, not torturing him to death. Now we as prosecutors will do everything we can to pursue justice for little Chance and be his protectors in death that he failed to have in life.
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A student has revealed her close call with the suspected Georgia high school shooter after she sat next to him in class that day.

Four victims  two teachers and two 14-year-old students  were killed in the mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder on Wednesday, after a teenage gunman went on a rampag with an AR-style rifle.

The suspect, identified by authorities as 14-year-old student Colt Gray, was arrested on the scene and is facing murder charges as an adult.

Fellow student Lyela Sayarath spoke out in the aftermath of the shooting to reveal how she and her fellow students may have narrowly avoided death.

Speaking to CNN outside the high school, Sayarath said she was in algebra class that morning sat elbow to elbow with Gray and recalled him leaving the classroom.

He then returned and tried to get back into the classroom but the door was locked.

Lyela Sayarath revealed she had been sat next to the alleged shooter just before he went on a shooting spree ( CNN )

When someone went to open the door to him, they backed up  presumably having noticed the firearm  in a decision that may have saved many lives.

He was at the door and they almost let him in, until they backed up. And then he turned away and that's when you hear the first round of fire, she said.

He wanted to come to us first, she added.

She explained that the classroom doors lock automatically when closed, and so in order to re-enter the alleged shooter could not get back in without someone opening the door from the inside.

Speaking about her classmate who had gone to let him in, Sayarath said: Im pretty sure she saw that he had a gun and so she backed away.

Once he wasnt able to get back in, she said he appeared to turn to the classroom next door where he opened fire.

You hear about 10 to 15 rounds back to back, Sayarath said.

As soon as they didnt let him in, and you hear the gunshots, you kind of know, she said.

Four people were killed in the shooting: teachers Christina Irimie (bottom right) and Richard Aspinwall (top right), and 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn (bottom left) and Christian Angulo (top left) ( Supplied )

When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and kind of crawled in an area, piling on top of each other, lost a shoe when they were trying to get to a corner.

The teacher turned off the lights, she continued. But we all just kind of piled together.

Sayarath also said she pushed desks in front of her teacher and classmates: I was just telling people, push desks in front of you, block in front of you, get low  things like that.

Sayarath said the school does not have any metal detectors and that it was a couple minutes before the hard lockdown message appeared on screens warning everyone inside the school about the shooting.

She finally knew the horror was over when the cops came in the room and asked us to put our hands up, asked us if we had anything.

She said: A little bit after that they let us all out. But when it was kind of quiet, you hear cops shouting but its kind of quiet. They are no more gunshots.

When asked what she would say to her classmate now accused of carrying out the deadly high school attack, she said: Im not sure. I want to know why he did it.

Law enforcement at the home of suspected shooter Colt Gray ( Fox 5 Atlanta )

She described Gray as quiet, saying he never really talked, and did not attend class very often.

Even when he would have talked it was one word answers or statements, she said.

The four victims killed in the attack have now been named as 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and maths teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

The FBI said that Gray, who is set to be charged with murder and tried as an adult, was investigated by police last year for allegedly making online threats and posting images of guns online in May 2023.

The suspect, who was then 13, was interviewed by Jackson County Sheriffs Office deputies at the time where he denied making the threats, according to the FBI.

His father also spoke to investigators then, saying that the family had hunting guns in the house but that the teenager did not have unsupervised access to them.

No further action was taken.
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The teenage suspect in the Georgia mass shooting told police he would never shoot up a school when he was questioned over online threats about a potential school shooting one year before the attack, it has been revealed.

Colt Gray, 14, who previously appeared on the FBIs radar, is accused of opening fire with an AR-style rifle, at Apalachee High School in the city of Winder on Wednesday which left four people  two students and two teachers  dead. He surrendered to authorities on the scene and will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.

On Thursday evening Grays father was arrested in connection with the shooting at Apalachee High School, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.

Earlier on Thursday CNN reported that Colin Gray had told investigators he bought his son the assault rifle allegedly used to kill two students and two teachers as a Christmas present last year.

The purchase came months after the FBI told local law enforcement in May 2023 about anonymous online threats about a school shooting. Colt Gray denied he was behind them and no arrest or other legal action was taken.

Hours after the shooting the FBI revealed that police had interviewed Gray and his father Colin Gray in May 2023 over online threats to commit a school shooting, from the social media platform Discord, which contained photographs of guns, the FBIs Atlanta office said in a statement.

After receiving several anonymous tips, the FBI confirmed the online threats originated from Georgia and referred the information to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office.

Police allegedly traced the online threats to Gray, then 13 years old, and interviewed him and his father, who said he had guns in the house.

When deputies visited Grays home on Rice Creek Court in Jefferson, Georgia, in 2023, they spoke to Gray who claimed he had deleted his Discord account before he and his father moved to their new home, according to a report obtained by The Independent.

Law enforcement at the home of Colt Gray  the suspect in the Appalachee High School shooting ( Fox 5 Atlanta )

Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner, according to the report.

But further investigation of Grays Discord account showed that the account was made after the teen said hed deleted his account.

The account had a username that was written in Russian. Translation of the Russian letters spells out the name Lanza, referring to Adam Lanza, who is the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooter in Newton, Conn., according to the report.

When Grays father was questioned about the inconsistencies in his sons statements, he insisted that the associated email address was not his or his sons and that his son does not know or speak Russian, according to the report.

The investigation also revealed that the IP addresses associated with the Discord account appeared to come from different parts of Georgia, as well as New York and Virginia.

School shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, in a police booking photo on September 5 ( via REUTERS )

The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them, the statement said.

The subject denied making the threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.

Gray also told deputies that he stopped using Discord because too many people kept hacking his account and he was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes.

Authorities told Colin Gray to keep his son out of school until the matter was resolved.

Following the interview, police determined there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action, the statement added.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey confirmed authorities are investigating links between the 2023 threats and Wednesdays shooting.

This is not recent, he told a press conference on Wednesday night. This is in the past, but we wanted to bring that to your attention because we are pursuing that, working with the FBI on this in any connection to that incident that could be connected to todays incident as well.

The victims have been named as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53 (clockwise from bottom left) ( Supplied )

It was also revealed that Gray and his family had contact with the department of family and childrens services in the area.

Gray has been described by a classmate as quiet student who would often skip class.

Student Lyela Sayarath told CNN that she wasnt surprised when she heard Gray was the suspected gunman because he fitted the description of a shooter.

Sayarath, who said she was sitting next to Gray in their algebra class just moments before the shooting, recalled how he left the room around 9.45am. He didnt take the bathroom pass with him, so she assumed he was skipping class.

He wasnt there most times, Sayarath said. He either wouldnt be there or skip class. But even when he wouldve talked, it was one-word answers and short statements.

Tributes are now pouring in for the four victims, named as Mason Schermerhorn, Christian Angulo, both 14, and math teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
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Police in Houston have arrested a man suspected of killing a 90-year-old Navy veteran during a carjacking.

Kyliel Denzel Arceneaux, 21, has been arrested and charged with capital murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence.

Nelson Beckett was sitting in his car in the parking lot of the Lone Star Senior Living Apartments in Houston where he lived when the carjacker approached him and struck up a conversation.

Beckett was then shot and dragged out of his car. As the carjacker drove off, they ran also ran over the veteran, who ultimately died from his injuries.

Nelson Beckett, a 90-year-old US Navy veteran, was murdered during a carjacking near a retirement home in Houston on August 31, 2024 ( Beckett family )

The suspect then ditched the car approximately 10 minutes away at a different apartment complex, which police found a short time later.

In the days immediately after the shooting, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a $10,000 reward on top of the $5,000 Crime Stoppers offered for information leading to the arrest of Beckett's killer.

The investigation eventually led law enforcement to identify Arceneaux as a suspect in Beckett's death, and he was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Harris County Jail, KPRC reports.

Tim Beckett, Nelson's son, told ABC13 that his father had two children, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Beckett served in the Navy and later worked in sales. He was also active in his church.

Tami Freund, Becketts daughter, said her father loved telling jokes and making people laugh and was always willing to give rides to people who did not have cars.

He would do anything for anyone. He told me all the time how lucky we are to have such a big, wonderful, loving, Christian family. He loved big and loved his family so much, Freund said in a statement she sent to KPRC2.

Steve Sandifer, a man who had been friends with Beckett for 47 years, told KPRC2 he was shocked by the killing.

I told his daughter, I said, you know, had she called me that morning and said dad didnt wake up this morning, I would have said, good. Hes lived his 90 years. Hes been a champion of faith and everything else. Hes lived a great life. But to hear that he had been murdered. That just, that was just beyond me, he told the outlet.
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A Las Vegas woman allegedly stole a $2,600 casket - with a body still inside - from a funeral home and told police she blacked out from drinking six beers."

Patricia Sierra,47, is accused of breaking into the Affordable Cremation & Burial Service funeral home on August 27 by smashing the front window and reaching through to unlock the door.

She is then accused of taking a casket out the front door, according to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) arrest report obtained by USA TODAY.

LVMPD received a call about a suspicious person lying face down in front of the funeral home, as well as a casket in front of the business, which also seemed to have been burgled.

Upon arrival, officers found a door to the funeral home with broken glass and the casket sitting on a cart on a sidewalk near the funeral home, the arrest report says.

They then discovered a body, which had been in the casket and had arrived at the funeral home seven days before - its feet covered with plastic bags and lying face down on some rocks near the front of the property.

Patricia Sierra allegedly stole a $2,600 casket with body still inside ( LVMPD )

Flower petals were inside the viewing room of the funeral home, which officers found to be otherwise untouched save for the broken glass and door, per the report via USA TODAY.

They reviewed camera surveillance footage showing a woman breaking into the funeral home, coming and going multiple times.

Also found and observed on the surveillance video was a red BMX bicycle.

At the scene, police were approached by a construction worker claiming he saw a woman on the day of the incident, who matched the description of the suspect captured in the surveillance video, holding flowers and sitting on one of the funeral home's exterior walls.

The Affordable Cremation & Burial Service declined to comment on the incident when contacted byThe Independent.

They were only able to identify her following a call on August 29 regarding a suspicious person at a 7-Eleven, with the caller claiming he had spotted the suspected casket thief at the convenience store wearing the same clothing from the day of the incident, the arrest report continued.

She was located and detained under reasonable suspicion of stealing the casket.

When officers began to explain how she was caught on surveillance footage, and the scene had been processed for DNA and fingerprints she reportedly claimed she often "blacks out" due to a substance abuse problem.

Sierra was charged that same day with burglary of a business, grand larceny and the removal, transfer and distribution of human remains, with the New York Post reporting her bail was set at $11,000.

Police claim she said she used a red BMX bike as a means of transport, and that she admitted using a rock to break a window was her common method to burglarize businesses.

The documents reportedly describe her in an apologetic light, and that she explained she was actively spiteful in her alleged actions and did not intend to steal the casket.

Sierra had apparently blacked out after drinking the beers, causing her to not remember committing the crimes.
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A controversial Tennessee pastor has revealed that his home was shot up while one of his children was inside.

Greg Locke, a pastor at Global Vision Bible Church (GVBC), said in a Facebook post that he and his family members returned to their home in Mt Juliet, near Nashville, on Tuesday night exactly ONE MINUTE after a madman unloaded an entire magazine of bullets onto his property, garage and truck.

Locke, a vocal Donald Trump supporter, described his home as looking like a full blown crime scene.

The sound on the video is truly horrific, he said of watching back the surveillance footage, revealing that one of his children was inside at the time, but was unharmed.

Detectives will still be here for a good while tonight. Only one of our kids was home and thank God not in the same area of the house.

Locke revealed that bullets had penetrated the interior of the house, showing pictures of bullets lodged in his youngest daughters pillow and puncture marks visible in the headboard.

The only detail that matters is that Psalm 91 is true and GOD PROTECTED US IN UNIMAGINABLE AND SUPERNATURAL WAYS. Please pray for the Locke family tonight. We love all of you, he added.

Police on the scene of the shooting at Pastor Greg Lockes home ( Pastor Greg Locke/Facebook )

Wilson County Sheriff Captain Scott Moore told People magazine that deputies were called to the home at around 10.30pm when neighbors heard gunshots.

A neighbor told WDBJ7 they had initially assumed it was some kind of weird backfiring of an engine before realizing it was gunfire.

A police spokesperson said that multiple shots had penetrated the house, garage, and a vehicle, with 30 to 40 shell casings found at the scene.

No one was hit or injured during the incident and detectives are actively working on the case, Moore said.

Headboard seen with multiple bulletholes ( Pastor Greg Locke/Facebook )

One day after the shooting, Locke shared an image of an intersection sign on Facebook which read: Pray For Pastor Locke & His Family. This moved me deeply!! he commented.

As the lead pastor of GVBC in Mt. Juliet, Lockes conservative values and church practices have sparked controversies in the past.

He once hit headlines for burning so-called witchcraft books like Harry Potter and Twilight.

Bullet hole inside the pastors family home ( Pastor Greg Locke/Facebook )

In another controversial incident in 2022, Locke peddled the debunked QAnon conspiracy theory and baselessly called President Joe Biden a sex-trafficking, demon-possessed mongrel who is part of a secret cabal that operates child-trafficking tunnels beneath the White House.

In recent weeks, he has turned his attention to Kamala Harris.

When the vice president shared a post on X reading When I am President, we will pass the PRO Act and end union-busting once and for all, Locke responded with: You wont be President. Youre an illegitimate Vice President. You have a plan to destroy America with Communism. You know it. I know it. Idiots that pretend to support you know it. The God of Heaven you hate knows it.
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Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, is the latest school across the US to experience a mass shooting as part of the countrys gun violence epidemic, with four killed and scores injured on Wednesday morning.

Apalachee student Colt Gray, 14, has been named as the suspected shooter, and is alive and in custody, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The shooting has prompted scrutiny of Georgias gun laws.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, President Biden said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers.

Heres what you need to know.

What kind of gun was used in the Apalachee school shooting?

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said the school shooter used an AR-style rifle in the killing.

Earlier in the day, the FBI revealed it previously investigated the suspect for allegedly making online threats to commit a school shooting.

Grays father described keeping hunting guns in the house, but said Gray didnt have unsupervised access to them.

What are Georgias gun laws?

If the shooter was indeed a teenager, they wouldnt have lawful access to buy a handgun, rifle, or shotgun under state law and federal law.

Individuals must be 18 or older to purchase handguns in the state, according to the Giffords Center, and federal law imposes the same age limit for the sale of shotguns and rifles, per the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.

Police on scene of school shooting ( EPA )

Meanwhile, minors also cannot possess handguns under Georgia law.

Overall, Everytown for Gun Safety ranks Georgia as number 46 of 50 in terms of the strength of its gun laws, describing the states policies as some of the weakest in the nation.

Adults in Georgia dont need a permit to buy rifles, shotguns, or handguns, dont need to register their guns with the government, and dont need a permit to carry rifles and shotguns, according to the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action.

In 2022, Georgia enacted a permitless carry law, repealing provisions requiring people to obtain a license and be subject to fingerprinting and a background check before carrying concealed weapons in public spaces.

How bad is gun violence in Georgia?

Georgia is in the upper third for firearm mortality across the US.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia is ranked 15th in the county, with 19.7 gun deaths per 100,000 residents, putting it just outside the category of the largely conservative, Southern states with the most gun violence deaths.

Have there been other recent mass shootings in Georgia?

Sadly, todays shooting in Barrow County isnt the first time in recent years a mass shooting has occurred in Georgia.

In 2021, Robert Aaron Long allegedly shot and killed eight people across three Atlanta-area massage parlors.

Two years later, military veteran Andre Longore killed four people in Hampton, Georgia, before being killed himself during a police manhunt.
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One by one, the students, lawyers and others filed into a classroom in a central Tokyo university for a lecture by a Chinese journalist on Taiwan and democracy  taboo topics that can't be discussed publicly back home in China.

Taiwans modern-day democracy took struggle and bloodshed, theres no question about that, said Jia Jia, a columnist and guest lecturer at the University of Tokyo who was briefly detained in China eight years ago on suspicion of penning a call for China's top leader to resign.

He is one of tens of thousands of intellectuals, investors and other Chinese who have relocated to Japan in recent years, part of a larger exodus of people from China.

Their backgrounds vary widely, and they're leaving for all sorts of reasons. Some are very poor, others are very rich. Some leave for economic reasons, as opportunities dry up with the end of Chinas boom. Some flee for personal reasons, as even limited freedoms are eroded.



EDITORS NOTE: This story is part of the China's New Migrants package, a look by The Associated Press at the lives of the latest wave of Chinese emigrants to settle overseas.



Chinese migrants are flowing to all corners of the world, from workers seeking to start businesses of their own in Mexico to burned-out students heading to Thailand. Those choosing Japan tend to be well-off or highly educated, drawn to the country's ease of living, rich culture and immigration policies that favor highly skilled professionals, with less of the sharp anti-immigrant backlash sometimes seen in Western countries.

Jia initially intended to move to the U.S., not Japan. But after experiencing the coronavirus outbreak in China, he was anxious to leave and his American visa application was stuck in processing. So he chose Japan instead.

In the United States, illegal immigration is particularly controversial. When I went to Japan, I was a little surprised. I found that their immigration policy is actually more relaxed than I thought, Jia told The Associated Press. I found that Japan is better than the U.S."

It's tough to enter the U.S. these days. Tens of thousands of Chinese were arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year, and Chinese students have been grilled at customs as trade frictions fan suspicions of possible industrial espionage. Some U.S. states passed legislation that restricts Chinese citizens from owning property.

The U.S. is shutting out those Chinese that are friendliest to them, that most share its values, said Li Jinxing, a Christian human rights lawyer who moved to Japan in 2022.

Li sees parallels to about a century ago, when Chinese intellectuals such as Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, moved to Japan to study how the country modernized so quickly.

On one hand, we hope to find inspiration and direction in history, Li said of himself and like-minded Chinese in Japan. On the other hand, we also want to observe what a democratic country with rule of law is like. Were studying Japan. How does its economy work, its government work?"

Over the past decade, Tokyo has softened its once-rigid stance against immigration, driven by low birthrates and an aging population. Foreigners now make up about 2% of its population of 125 million. That's expected to jump to 12% by 2070, according to the Tokyo-based National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Chinese are the most numerous newcomers, at 822,000 last year among more than 3 million foreigners living in Japan, according to government data. That's up from 762,000 a year ago and 649,000 a decade ago.

In 2022, the lockdowns under Chinas zero COVID policies led many of the country's youth or most affluent citizens to hit the exits. Theres even a buzzword for that: runxue, using the English word run to evoke running away to places seen as safer and more prosperous.

For intellectuals like Li and Jia, Japan offers greater freedoms than under Chinese leader Xi Jinpings increasingly repressive rule. But for others, such as wealthy investors and business people, Japan offers something else: property protections.

A report by investment migration firm Henley & Partners says nearly 14,000 millionaires left China last year, the most of any country in the world, with Japan a popular destination. A major driver is worries about the security of their wealth in China or Hong Kong, said Q. Edward Wang, a professor of Asian studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Protection of private property, which is the cornerstone of a capitalist society, that piece is missing in China, Wang said.

The weakening yen makes buying property and other local assets in Japan a bargain.

And while the Japanese economy has stagnated, Chinas once-sizzling economy is also in a rut, with the property sector in crisis and stock prices stuck at the level they were in the late 2000s.

If you are just going to Japan to preserve your money, Wang said, then definitely you will enjoy your time in Japan.

Dot.com entrepreneurs are among those leaving China after Communist Party crackdowns on the technology industry, including billionaire Jack Ma, a founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, who took a professorship at Tokyo College, part of the prestigious University of Tokyo.

So many wealthy Chinese have bought apartments in Tokyo's luxury high-rises that some areas have been dubbed Chinatowns, or Digital Chinatowns  a nod to the many owners' work in high-tech industries.

Life in Japan is good, said Guo Yu, an engineer who retired early after working at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Guo doesn't concern himself with politics. He's keen on Japan's powdery snow in the winter and is a superfan of its beautiful hot springs. He owns homes in Tokyo, as well as near a ski resort and a hot spring. He owns several cars, including a Porsche, a Mercedes, a Tesla and a Toyota.

Guo keeps busy with a new social media startup in Tokyo and a travel agency specializing in onsen, Japan's hot springs. Most of his employees are Chinese, he said.

Like Guo, many Chinese moving to Japan are wealthy and educated. That's for good reason: Japan remains unwelcoming to refugees and many other types of foreigners. The government has been strategic about who it allows to stay, generally focusing on people to fill labor shortages for factories, construction and elder care.

It is crucial that Japan becomes an attractive country for foreign talent so they will choose to work here, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier this year, announcing efforts to relax Japan's stringent immigration restrictions.

That kind of opportunity is exactly what Chinese ballet dancer Du Hai said he has found. Leading a class of a dozen Japanese students in a suburban Tokyo studio one recent weekend, Du demonstrated positions and spins to the women dressed in leotards and toe shoes.

Du was drawn to Japan's huge ballet scene, filled with professional troupes and talented dancers, he said, but worried about warnings he got about unfriendly Japanese.

That turned out to be false, he said with a laugh. Now, Du is considering getting Japanese citizenship.

Of course, I enjoy living in Japan very much now, he said.

___

Kang reported from Beijing.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
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The worlds most remote and mysterious tribes have killed two loggers who were encroaching on their land.

The workers were killed by bow and arrow on the land of the Mashco Piro Indigenous tribe deep in Peru's Amazon, according to a rights group.

The Mashco Piro, who live between two natural reserves in Madre de Dios, rarely venture out and have limited interaction with the world.

The group, known as FENAMAD, defends the rights of Peru's Indigenous peoples. It says tensions between loggers and Indigenous tribes are on the rise and more government protective action is needed.

Two other loggers in the attack were missing and another was injured, FENAMAD said, and rescue efforts were underway.

The rights group, which represents 39 Indigenous communities in the Cusco and Madre de Dios regions in southeastern Peru, said the incident took place on Aug. 29 in the Pariamanu river basin while loggers were expanding their passageways into the forest and came into contact with the reclusive and renowned territorial tribe.

The Mashco Piro have been venturing out in search of food recently, driven away by the expanding logging activities.

Members of the Mashco Piro Indigenous community, a reclusive tribe and one of the worlds most withdrawn ( Survival International )

The Peruvian state has not taken preventive and protective measures to ensure the lives and integrity of the workers who have been gravely affected, the group said in a statement Tuesday, adding authorities have yet to arrive in the area since the incident.

FENAMAD said the attack happened just 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from a July incident, when the Mashco Piro again attacked loggers. The group said in their statement that even though they advised the government of the risk of a rise in violence, nothing has been done.

Its a heated and tense situation," said Cesar Ipenza, an Amazon-based lawyer who specializes in environmental law in Peru. Undoubtedly, every day there are more tensions between Indigenous peoples in isolation and the different activities that are within the territory that they ancestrally pass through.

There have been several other previous reports of conflicts. In one incident in 2022, two loggers were shot with arrows while fishing, one fatally, in an encounter with tribal members.

In January, Peru loosened restrictions on deforestation, which critics dubbed the anti-forest law. Researchers have since warned of the rise in deforestation for agriculture and how it is making it easier for illicit logging and mining.

Ipenaza said some effort has been made by authorities in the area like mobilizing a helicopter, but overall there has been little commitment by Peru's Ministry of Culture, responsible for the protection of Indigenous peoples.

Members of the Mashco Piro tribe ( AFP/Getty )

The Ministry of Culture did not immediately respond to a message Wednesday seeking comment on the attack and their protection efforts.

The attack took place a day before the Forest Stewardship Council suspended the sustainability certification of a logging company for eight months which rights groups and activists have accused of encroaching on the Indigenous groups land.

Its absurd that certifiers like the FSC keep the certification of companies that clearly and openly violate basic human rights and Indigenous rights, said Julia Urrunaga, director of the Peru program at the Environmental Investigation Agency. How terrible that people have to keep dying and that it has to be an international scandal for action to be taken.
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Plans are being made to turn a storied but aging ocean liner into the largest artificial reef in the world.

But the plan hit a snag this week, after local officials in coastal Okaloosa County in the Florida panhandle postponed a vote on the plan to buy and purposefully sink the SS United States.

The largest passenger ship ever built in the US, the SS United States shattered a record for the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing by a passenger liner on its maiden voyage in 1952.

Now the historic vessel is in a race against time to find a new resting place, after a court set a Sept. 12 deadline for the ship to vacate its current home at a pier in Philadelphia, following a yearslong legal dispute over rent and dockage fees.

Historic Ship Rent Dispute ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Options include scrapping the massive ocean liner  which is more than 100 feet (30 meters) longer than the Titanic  or purposefully sinking it to create an artificial reef. Officials in Floridas Okaloosa County hope to do just that: send the SS United States to the bottom of the Gulf to create the worlds largest artificial reef  a diving attraction that boosters hope will generate millions of dollars a year in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.

A person walks past the S.S. United States moored on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Most divers are going to be very excited, said David Bailey, a member of the Emerald Coast Scubaholics dive club. But any of the reefing program is about more than just diving. ... Build the reefs, you get the fish.

County staff have been tracking the status of the boat since 2022, with advocates arguing the SS United States could be a barnacle-encrusted star in the countys constellation of more than 500 artificial reefs.

But at a meeting of Okaloosa's Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, staff asked that a vote on the proposal be postponed until the boards next meeting on Sept. 17.

Weve hit a wrinkle with the pier operators, County Administrator John Hofstad explained.

A spokesperson for the county said officials there are actively working with the SS United States Conservancy, the group behind the effort to save the ship, but declined to make further comments about the status of the proposal.
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Some Republicans are secretly rooting for Donald Trump to lose the election in November for the sake of their party, according to reports.

Some of the GOP  including long-standing members who are publicly enthusiastic about a second Trump presidency  are secretly hoping the White House will go to his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, according to Politico.

Last week, conservative commentator Erick Erickson said on X that many Republicans are rooting for a Harris presidency with a GOP-controlled Senate in order to save their party.

The damage Trump is doing to himself is playing out in private conversations like this: We have a really good shot at taking the Senate, Erickson wrote on X.

[Senator Joe] Manchin leaving gets us to 50. [Senator Jon] Tester is toast. Thats 51. Between that and the Supreme Court, we can hold off Harris for two years and get more reinforcements then fight in 2028 for the White House. If Trump gets in, we set back the pro-life cause and free markets by a generation at least.

Independent Senator Joe Manchin is retiring at the end of his term and Democratic Senator Jon Tester is fighting a close race against Republican Tim Sheehy in Montana.

The Never-Trump movement, made up of Republicans who have publicly disavowed the former president, is nothing new. The movement includes The Lincoln Project, an organization of Republicans dedicated to keeping Trump out of the White House, and Republican Voters Against Trump.

Politico columnist Jonathan Martin also argued that the fate of the Republican party could depend on Trump losing this November.

The best possible outcome in November for the future of the Republican Party is for former President Donald Trump to lose and lose soundly, Martin wrote. GOP leaders wont tell you that on the record. I just did.

Martin said many Republicans are looking to accelerate Trumps exit from politics.

One high-level Republican, conceding it may only be wishful thinking, even floated the idea of a Harris victory followed by Biden pardons of both his son, Hunter, and Trump, Martin wrote. That would take the issue of both cases off Harris plate and, more to the point, drain the energy behind Trumps persecution complex so that Republicans can get on with the business of winning elections.

Many Republicans are secretly hoping that Donald Trump will lose the White House this November, new reports reveal ( AP )

Meanwhile, anti-Trump Republicans are spending big to keep the former president down in the polls. Republicans Voters Against Trump spent millions to air 30-second attack ads in key swing states last week. The ads featured testimonials from Republicans who say theyre voting for Kamala Harris.

John Conway, director of strategy for the group, called Trump a threat to democracy who promises to do even more damage to our system if he is returned to power.

Thats why were reminding voters of how high the stakes are this election. And were doing it by spotlighting the voices of the most credible, trusted messengers available: real former Trump voters who refuse to support him again, he said.

The group is also financing a series of billboards that feature the same anti-Trump testimonials.

Harris is currently ahead of Trump by 3.1 points, according to the latest average of national polls.

A CNN poll, released September 4, found that Harris leads Trump in four battlegrounds states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Nevada. Trump leads in Arizona, while the two are tied in Pennsylvania.
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Hunter Biden has pleaded guilty in his federal tax case as jury selection in his trial was set to begin on Thursday.

This comes after Biden initially rejected the charges and pleaded not guilty. Now, his sentencing is scheduled for December 16  nearly six weeks after the presidential election.

Biden testified that no one had pressured or convinced him to enter a new guilty plea, CNN reports.

President Joe Bidens son originally planned to enter an Alford Plea, his defense attorney Abbe Lowell said in court on Thursday. This meant he would have pleaded guilty and accepted his sentencing, admitting there is enough evidence to convict.

However, Biden changed course on Thursday afternoon and entered a full guilty plea after the prosecution objected.

I want to make something crystal clear  the United States opposes an Alford plea, prosecutor Leo Wise said. Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty. He is not permitted to plead guilty on special terms.

Hunter Biden is changing his plea in his federal tax case just ahead of jury selection ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Biden was indicted on nine tax-related criminal charges in December, three of which are felony counts. Prosecutors argued he made millions from 2016 to 2020 and engaged in an extravagant lifestyle all while skipping out on more than $1.4m in taxes.

Prosecutors said Biden avoided his taxes and instead spent the cash on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature.

The presidents son initially tried to have the charges dismissed  however, Scarsi sided with the prosecution and denied his request in April.

If the judge accepts his plea, Biden will avoid a trial, during which salacious and embarrassing testimony from more than two dozen witnesses could have come to light, NBC News reports.

His tax trial was originally slated to begin June 20, but his legal team advocated for a delay, arguing that they were struggling to prepare as he faced another trial on gun charges in Delaware.

Biden was convicted earlier this year of three felony gun charges in June, marking the first time a sitting presidents child has been found guilty of a crime. Special counsel David Weiss brought three gun-related charges against him last year, claiming Biden unlawfully purchased a firearm by lying on a federal gun form about his drug use.

He is set to be sentenced in September.
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A former police officer who was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the January 6 Capitol riot has had his sentence lessened after a Supreme Court ruling restricting the use of a federal obstruction charge.

The case could influence the outcome of other January 6 proceedings, including against former President Donald Trump.

Thomas Robertson received his seven-year sentence after he was convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building, and disorderly conduct.

The sentence was reduced to six years on Wednesday. It was the first time that a defendant linked to the insurrection was resentenced after the Supreme Court ruling, according to USA Today.

Robertson, alongside other defendants, pushed back against the obstruction charge, arguing that the legislation required that he acted corruptly, but he lost his appeal.

He argued that he didnt act corruptly because he didnt try to attain any personal benefit by taking part.

However, another officer, Joseph Fischer, argued that the charge couldnt apply to him or others such as Robertson as the law was written to stop the destruction of documents after the Enron energy scandal. While the officers entered the Capitol, they rejected the notion that they destroyed public records.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fischer and in June, the court ordered lower courts to take another look at obstruction cases to see if they had anything to do with the destruction of records. Fischer now wont be charged with obstruction.

After the Fischer ruling, Robertson requested a shorter sentence.

One of his attorneys, Mark Rollins, said, This decision underscores that while the conviction remains, the sentencing must be revisited under a more favorable framework.

More than 330 of the initial 1,400 people charged in the January 6 attack on Congress were charged with obstruction. Out of the four federal charges Trump faces in his election interference, two allege that he obstructed an official proceeding  namely the counting of the electoral votes certifying President Joe Bidens 2020 victory.

The Department of Justice has stated that there was no one who was charged only with obstruction.

The prosecution requested that the initial sentence of 87 months remain in place because of Robertsons actions at the capitol.

Robertson came to Washington, DC, along with Jacob Fracker from Rocky Mount, Virginia, where they both served in the citys police department.

Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson were at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has had his sentence reduced after a Supreme Court ruling. ( Justice Department )

A legal filing stated at the West Front of the Capitol, Robertson struck at least two officers with a large wooden stick.

Robertson subsequently boasted on Facebook about entering the Capitol, writing: If you are too much of a coward to risk arrest, being fired, and actual gunfire to secure your rights, you have no words to speak I value.

Robertson destroyed his and Frackers phones after he became aware of the FBI arrest warrant against him. Guns were found at his home even as the terms of his release prohibited him from having firearms.

In April 2022, Robertson was convicted of all six charges that he faced: Obstruction, interfering with law enforcement, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct on two counts, and destroying evidence.

The judge at the initial sentencing said Robertson saw politics as akin to war and that he would do similar things again if called upon to do so.

His conviction was upheld in May by a three-judge panel, but one judge, Karen LeCraft Henderson, wrote in a dissent that she would have overturned the conviction following the Fischer ruling.

Robertson subsequently attempted to reduce his sentence based on two rulings  the Supreme Court Fischer case and a DC Court of Appeals case known as Brock, which ruled that Congress counting the Electoral College votes does not amount to administration of justice.

That description had meant longer federal guidelines for Robertsons sentence.
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Allan Lichtman, the American political historian known as the Nostradamus of presidential predictions, has officially declared that Kamala Harris will win this years race for the White House.

Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States, Lichtman said in a video for The New York Times on Thursday.

At least, thats my prediction for this race, but the outcome is up to you, so get out and vote.

The professor, who has taught at the American University in Washington DC since 1973, has correctly called the winner of nine out of the last 10 US presidential races over the last 40 years  he did not foresee George W Bush narrowly beating Al Gore in 2000 and also wrongly believed Donald Trump would take the popular vote in 2016 but has otherwise been unerring.

Lichtmans method for forecasting the race so accurately is known as The Keys to the White House, a system he devised with the Russian academic Vladimir Keilis-Borok in 1981.

Their method examines the state of the nation and the incumbent party in an election year in order to determine whether its candidate will come out on top once again in November or whether there is sufficient discontent among voters to allow a rival to pip them at the post.

Lichtmans approach looks at 13 factors, from the presidents partys standing in the House of Representatives to the health of the domestic economy, any record of scandal, social unrest or foreign policy disasters during their tenure and the comparative charisma of the two candidates, in order to decide the victor, applying true or false designations to each category.

If the administration in power achieves six or more true gradings, its candidate is expected to win  any fewer and their challenger is likely to come out on top.

In his explanatory video for the NYT, the professor said that eight of the 13 keys currently yield true answers, suggesting a Harris triumph and another four years in government for the Democrats.

Just three of the keys are definitively false but two more could flip that way, he said, although even if they did, five would still not be a sufficient total to deliver a win for the Republican ticket.

Kamala Harris is predicted to win Novembers election, according to Professor Allan Lichtman ( AP )

Foreign policy is tricky, and these keys could flip, Lichtman said.

The Biden administration is deeply invested in the war in Gaza, which is a humanitarian disaster with no end in sight. But even if both foreign policy keys flipped false, that would mean that there were only five negative keys, which would not be enough for Donald Trump to regain the White House.

Speaking to Fox 5 Washington DC, Professor Lichtman further explained that Joe Bidens decision to stand aside in the wake of his disastrous debate performance against Trump in late June has proven a pivotal moment for the 2024 race.

Democrats finally got a spine and got smart and united around Harris, he explained.

That avoided the loss of the party contest key. They already lost one key, the incumbency key, obviously, but to lose both of them is a near-fatal combination. So that made a huge difference.

The other thing: I think Harris has had a positive effect on a couple of other keys. I think she contributed to the fizzling of the Robert F Kennedy Jr campaign since voters no longer have to choose between two old white guys. I hate to say that being an old white guy myself!

And, secondly, I think she contributed to the dampening of major protests because Biden, the policymaker, was no longer out front.

Asked whether anything could yet alter Trumps fortunes, the professor answered: Not since the [American] Civil War has anything in the last 30 days changed a call Does that mean its impossible? Im not so arrogant to say, you know, nothing can change in history.

According to the latest national polling, Harris is four percentage points ahead of Trump on 47 per cent of the vote to 43 per cent, although the candidates appear to be tied in three key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia.

The Democrat meanwhile has the lead in two more potentially crucial swing states, Michigan and Wisconsin, while the Republican former president has the advantage in Arizona.
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Over the weekend, news broke that Israel had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including that of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Hamas in a statement made shortly afterwards.

From its massacre of 1,200 people to sexual violence, taking of hostages, and these murders, Hamas depravity is evident and horrifying, Harris said. The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel  and American citizens in Israel  must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza.

Just weeks before his body was recovered, Goldberg-Polins parents had spoken at the Democratic National Convention. They did so while delegates who represented Uncommitted voters protested that a Palestinian should be able to speak on the main stage of the convention as well. That did not come to pass.

While Harris will face numerous challenges if she wins the White House, Israels war in Gaza will be one of her biggest challenges. For his part, former president Donald Trump has called on Israel to finish the job and lambasted Jewish Americans  who overwhelmingly vote Democratic  for their support for Harriss party. Trump even went so far as to call Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff a crappy Jew.

Inside Washington spoke to Halie Soifer, who worked as Harriss national security during Harriss first two years as a senator, this week. Soifer, now the chief executive of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, told The Independent that Harris showed a keen understanding of the unique security threats Israel faces.

I saw this firsthand when we traveled to Israel in November 2017. She was looking at Iron Dome batteries at the time, Soifer said. She added that Harris understands the threat Israel faces not just from Hamas but also Hezbollah, both of which are seen as proxies for Iran.

I was at the convention and the uncommitted voters or the uncommitted delegates, as well as the protesters outside, I think, had far less of an impact than they had hoped, and thats because Democrats dont share their view, [nor do] our candidates, Soifer added.

During Harriss interview with CNN last week, the vice president reiterated her support for Israel and refused to say that aid to the country should be conditioned. Soifer noted how as a senator, Harris regularly voted for military aid to Israel and supported the additional aid for Israel that passed in a national security package including aid for Ukraine and Taiwan.

She also has had a distinct voice in terms of this White House in her condemnation of the horrors that we saw perpetrated by Hamas on October 7. Not only has she condemned the murder and abduction of so many, but she specifically condemned sexual violence, Soifer continued. She has given voice to the empathy that we all feel toward innocent Palestinians suffering in Gaza, and her calls for the ongoing flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza are shared by the vast majority of Jewish Americans.

Indeed, during Harriss speech at the convention, Harris said she and President Joe Biden were working around the clock to try and end the war, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done. She added that what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating.

Pro-Palestinian advocates have said that this messaging insufficient, largely because it does not actually commit to a change in policy.

Soifer noted how Trumps rhetoric compares to Harriss. Specifically, during the sole debate between Trump and Biden, Trump said Biden was behaving like a Palestinian, an insult he also hurled against Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish. Later this week, Trump will speak to the Republican Jewish Coalition along with other Republicans.

He has repeatedly denigrated millions of American Jews as recently as last week, and I'm sure he'll do it again this week, because he's speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Thursday and every time he speaks to a group of Jews, including Republicans, he says antisemitic things, Soifer said.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu frequently worked hand-in-glove. During his presidency, Trump relocated the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

For his part, during his address to Congress in July, Netanyahu thanked Trump by name for his support. That rankled even some Democrats who attended. Harris herself did not attend the address, despite the fact that vice presidents typically sit behind heads of state during such joint addresses.

Soifer said that Harris would not view the US-Israel relationship through a politicized lens.

She would work with Netanyahu. That said, she's also been clear, including after their meeting in July, that she's going to continue to advocate for US interests and for the interests of Americans, including the American hostages, Soifer said. And she'll continue to have expressed those views in frank conversations with the [Israeli] prime minister, just as this administration has.
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Former Wyoming congressmember Liz Cheney has endorsed Kamala Harris for president, breaking with her fellow conservatives who are supporting Donald Trump.

Cheney, one of Trumps most vocal Republican critics while she was in Congress, said during an event at Duke University on Wednesday that fellow conservatives dont have the luxury of sitting out or writing in other candidates if theyre uneasy about Trump, especially in a swing state like the universitys home of North Carolina.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, she told the crowd. Because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

The announcement was met with cheers from the audience.

The Harris campaign reportedly directly courted an endorsement from Cheney, as it looks to attract support from the small pool of prominent national Republicans who publically criticize Trump.

We talk a lot about the Nikki Haley voters who could decide this election, Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration official turned critic told The New York Times last week. More accurately, they are Liz Cheney voters, committed Republicans who likely supported Trump twice but cant support him in the aftermath of Jan. 6 and his criminal convictions.

Harris has also suggested she would name a Republican to her cabinet if elected, putting Cheney in a prime position for consideration.

The Harris-Walz campaign welcomed the endorsement.

The Vice President is proud to have earned Congresswoman Cheneys vote. She is a patriot who loves this country and puts our democracy and our Constitution first, said campaign Chair Jen OMalley.

As she noted in her powerful remarks, this election is a choice between the fundamental threat Donald Trump poses to our democracy and a leader who will stand up for our freedoms and the rule of law in Vice President Harris. Vice President Harris will be a president for all Americans, regardless of political party.

The former Wyoming representative, daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, became a liberal hero for being the face of the Republican resistance to Trump in Congress until she lost her seat in 2022.

Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump after the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and one of two to serve on the January 6 committee investigating the incident.

Since then, shes continued to be a thorn in her side, describing him as an existential threat to U.S. democracy.
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Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been slammed after responding to the school shooting in her home state of Georgia with a simple call for prayers without mentioning the issue of gun violence and her longstanding opposition to gun control.

On Wednesday, two teachers and two students were killed at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Nine were sent to hospital while dozens more were wounded.

The suspect, a 14-year-old boy, has been charged with four counts of murder in the shooting. The FBI had already noticed him over a year ago when he reportedly made online threats with images of firearms.

Let us join together in prayer for the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School and their families just as these students of AHS circled together in prayer today, Greene wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon.

Her bio on the platform states that shes 100 percent Pro-Gun.

In March, Greene shared her rage at the new initiative at the Department of Justice aimed at keeping guns away from high-risk people.

Merrick Garland just announced a massive Red Flag Operation that the DOJ will be running by using EVERY spy tool the US government has in order to violate Americans Second Amendment!! she wrote at the time.

Sharing a video of herself confronting gun control activists in September 2022, Greene wrote on X: These foolish cowards want the government to take away guns & the rights of parents to defend their children in schools.

You have to be an idiot to think gun control will create a utopian society where criminals disarm themselves and obey the law, she added. Gun-free zones kill people.

In 2019, Greene filmed herself following Parkland school shooting survivor and anti-gun violence activist David Hogg, calling him a coward. She once wrote on Facebook that the Parkland shooting was a false flag operation, something she tried to deny during an interview with 60 Minutes.

I never said Parkland was a false flag, Greene said in the spring of last year. Ive never said that. School shootings are horrible. I dont think its anything to joke about.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) gestures while speaking during a hearing in Washington, DC. Now, Greene is facing criticism for her response to the school shooting in her home state ( Getty Images )

Hogg was one of many X users who responded to Greenes call for prayers on Wednesday.

How about you actually do something about guns, he said.

You are a gun-loving cultist who has the power to address our children being murdered while attending school and choose not to. Save your fake prayers, Ryan Shead added.

X user Chidi wrote that Greenes prayers never saved any kid from a bullet. Which begs the question, to whom are you praying? Since the only thing you worship is guns.

Author John Pavlovitz asked the congresswoman how she can type with so much blood on your hands?

Another day, another school shooting. Its the f****** guns and the @GOP will do nothing about it. Youre all bought and paid by the @NRA. Disgusting. Shameful. Pathetic. We see you, and well never forget, one x user added.

Mari Copeny told Greene that Prayers without action are useless. Youre an elected official, do something about it Marjorie.

Jared Ryan Sears called for the removal of all politicians refusing to enact proper federal gun reforms. The blood is on their hands.

It is disgusting that the same politicians who make campaign ads waving their rifles around and shooting at dumb props turn around and only offer thoughts and prayers every time students lives are cut horrifically short, he added. It doesnt have to be this way. None of our peer nations have this problem.
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Former First Lady Melania Trump teased the release of her upcoming memoir in an intense black-and-white video, emphasizing she feels she has a responsibility to clarify the facts after her profile was launched into the public eye as the wife of Donald Trump.

Despite being a private person, she issued a rare public statement to promote her forthcoming memoir, titled Melania  set to be released on September 24  just two months before the 2024 presidential election.

In a video posted to X on Thursday, Melania Trump said writing the book has been a deeply personal and reflective journey for her. As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts. I believe it is important to share my perspective. The truth, she said.

Melania Trump is releasing a new memoir but has avoided public support for her husbands presidential campaign. She has now shared a video on social media to promote her book. ( Melania Trump/X )

The black-and-white video, set to dramatic orchestral music, features clips of the former First Lady embracing or helping children interspersed with images of her modeling career, important moments with her family, and the former first lady alongside her husband at various presidential events.

Although Thursdays video highlighted photos with Donald Trump  her appearances with her husband have become an infrequent occurrence as of late.

The former first lady rarely accompanies Trump on the campaign trail. She only made a brief appearance at the Republican convention in Milwaukee in July, and did not deliver any remarks in support of her husbands candidacy.

She was rarely seen with her husband during his presidency and delayed moving into the White House until June 2017  five months after her husband was sworn in  so their son, Barron Trump, could finish school in New York City.

Melania Trump was often rumored  but never proven  to have spent most of her time in Potomac, Maryland, at a suburban home where her parents resided when she and Donald Trump were in the White House.

The black-and-white video, set to soaring orchestral music, features mainly clips of the former First Lady embracing or helping children. As the video progresses, it also rapidly flicks through images of her at various presidential events alongside her husband. ( Melania Trump/X )

Mary Jordan, a Washington Post journalist who authored an unauthorized biography of Melania Trump called The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump, told Axios that the former First Lady might not set foot in the White House at all if her husband succeeds in winning a second term.

Instead, Jordan suggested she would divide her time between the Trump residences in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City, where their son is starting college this fall.

These claims support rumors that swirled in July that Melania cut a deal with her husband about reducing her first lady duties, should he take back the White House in November.

Melania does what Melania wants, she said.

Social media users did not take kindly to the video teaser Melania Trump released ahead of her books debut. ( Melania Trump/X )

Social media users did not take kindly to the video teaser she released ahead of her books debut.

I really dont care. Do u? the Republicans Against Trump account commented, referring to Melanias infamous jacket emblazoned with those same words.

No one cares, another user wrote.

The truth, another user wrote, along with a photo of Donald Trump smiling next to porn star Stormy Daniels. In May, Daniels testified that she and the former president had an affair in 2006, while he was married to Melania.

This isnt the first time Melania has received backlash pertaining to her forthcoming book. Many have already judged the book by its cover, as some thought it seemed a little too familiar.

The Melania cover design - her name written in capital letters in white text, centered on a plain black background - closely resembles that of the Chanel book.

One X user wrote at the time: If you were wondering who Melanias book was going to copy from, here you go. Shes decided to rip-off Chanel.

Others similarly accused Melania of copying Chanel, resurfacing allegations from 2016 that she copied parts of Michelle Obamas Democratic National Convention speech and used them for her own remarks at the Republican National Convention.

Did Melania copy a Chanel book cover for her Melania memoir? I dont care really, but its fun to point out. Melania had no problem plagiarizing Michelle Obamas speech, so stealing a book cover isnt a big reach, author David Stone said.
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Watch as Tim Walz campaigned in Pennsylvania as Donald Trump makes a trip to the same state on Wednesday, 4 September.

Kamala Harris's VP pick joined a campaign engagement in Lancaster before travelling to Pittsburgh later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the former president was due to visit the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex to record a town hall event with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Mr Walz's events on Wednesday marked his first solo trip to the state since Ms Harris officially announced her running mate.

Philadelphia is a key battleground state for the upcoming 5 November election.

Mr Walz, Ms Harris, and their respective spouses Gwen Walz and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, took a bus tour of western Pennsylvania before the Democratic National Convention in August.

Mr Trump's VP pick, JD Vance, visited Philadelphia twice last month.
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Donald Trump's campaign staffers face losing their jobs if they speak to the media before the election in November, according to a leaked email from his co-campaign managers.

In the email, seen by NCB News, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles reportedly wrote that the Republican campaign team has done a great job in preventing leaks, because everyone knows what the policy is and what we expect from everyone.

Information is power, they added, and the press doesnt give a damn if you lose your job because you spoke out of school.

They asked staffers: Please do not deviate from this policy. Success requires buy-in from everyone.

If just one of us goes off course, it jeopardizes not only the team, but also President Trump and Republicans up and down the ballot.

The two senior campaign staffers also noted that they only have 61 days left until victory, an arguably premature statement, particularly considering Kamala Harris currently has a 3.1 point lead over Trump in polls.

The email comes as the Republican ticket is struggling to steady itself after weeks of fallout from several scandals and blunders made by Trump and Vance ( Getty )

This is not the first time an insider email has been leaked from the campaign. On Monday, The Boston Globe obtained an email in which Tom Mountain, a former Republican party vice-chair in Massachusetts, sent a message to volunteers claiming the campaign has determined that New Hampshire is no longer a battleground state.

The Republican ticket is struggling to steady itself after weeks of fallout from several scandals and blunders made by Trump and his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance.

Trump especially has been creating negative headlines for making a campaign event of his visit to the Arlington National Cemetery last week, in addition to rambling speeches peppered with frankly odd claims.

On Wednesday, he repeatedly insisted he and his running mate are not "weird"  a label bestowed upon them by Democrat VP candidate Tim Walz that has proved impossible to shake off  while also slipping into a rambling tangent about hating mosquitoes.

LaCivita in fact was also unable to escape the heated criticism and did not help his campaigns cause after a cemetery official accused him and another senior campaign member of pushing her aside and verbally abusing her to gain access to a certain part of the cemetery.

And Vance is apparently trying to follow in Mr Trumps footsteps with a string of blunders that left him social media's number one target.

Some are even ridiculing Trump's choice of VP candidate, saying he is the former president's biggest mistake of this campaign, after he has made numerous failed jokes and poorly judged comments about "childless cat ladies," and women who prioritize their careers over having children.
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Longtime Russia expert and Trump 2016 campaign adviser Dimitri Simes allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by working as a high-paid presenter at sanctioned Russian state TV station Channel One Russia.

There, he was lavished with more than $1m, a personal car, and an apartment in Moscow, according to a pair of federal indictments unsealed on Thursday.

These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine, U.S. Attorney Matthew M Graves said in a statement to the Association Press.

Such violations harm our national security interests  a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a U.S. citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.

Simes, 76, was the longtime head of the Center for the National Interest think tank and advised the 2016 Trump campaign on foreign policy.

Contacts between Simes, the center, Russian officials, and the Trump campaign were described in the Mueller report into Russian interference in US politics, though Simes was not accused of any wrongdoing.

Indictments accuse Dimitri and Anastasia Simes of violating U.S. sanctions targeting Russia by working for state TV and buying art for a sanctioned oligarch ( Photo host Agency RIA Novosti )

The Independent has contacted Simess long-time lawyer, Channel One, and the Russian government for comment.

The Trump campaign pointed The Independent towards posts Trump made Thursday on Truth Social, where he claimed, Kamala Harris and her Department of Justice are trying to interfere in and suppress the Election in favor of the Democrats by resurrecting the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and trying to say that Russia is trying to help me, which is absolutely FALSE.

Simes began working with the TV network in 2018 and was allegedly aware of the sanctions levied against it in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, but continued to work with the channel, hosting the program The Great Game.

At Channel One, he got direction about the nature of his coverage from network officials, met with Russian government members, and spoke to Vladimir Putin by phone in 2023, according to the indictment.

The policy expert also allegedly tried to launder the proceeds of his work for the state network.

Last month, following an FBI search at his estate in Virginia, Simes said he was unaware of the allegations against him and accused U.S. officials of seeking to intimidate him.

It clearly is an attempt to intimidate, not only somebody from Russia, but just anyone who goes against official policies and particularly against the deep state, he told the Russian network Sputnik.

In his interview with Sputnik, Simes added that he hadnt been in the United States since 2022.

A second indictment alleges Simess wife Anastasia separately violated US sanctions by buying art and antiques for Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov, a Russian oligarch sanctioned in 2023 for his management consulting work on the Russian economy.

The indictment alleges Anastasia Simes bought more than 900 artworks from over 30 arthouses and galleries across the U.S. and Europe, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase the works, which were stored at the residence in Virginia for later shipment to Russia. In exchange, she allegedly received a fee.

The Independent was unable to contact Udodov for comment.

The indictments, heard before a grand jury in June, come amid renewed scrutiny of alleged Russian influence over U.S. public affairs in the run-up to the 2024 election.

In August, the FBI reportedly searched the home of Russia Today contributor Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector and critic of U.S. foreign policy.

Im being targeted because I have made an effort to try to improve relations between the United States and Russia, to try to bring about arms control. To try to bring about peace, Ritter told the Delmar, New York-based Spotlight News site the day of the search. Apparently, someone in the U.S. government takes umbrage at this.

This week, federal law enforcement agencies also revealed they have seized 32 Russian-backed websites that prosecutors say were designed to spread disinformation and boost the 2024 Trump campaign, and charged two employees of Russian state network RT with launching a $10m propaganda scheme using popular right-wing social media influencers.
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Donald Trump had better hope the US justice system has a more forgiving sentencing philosophy than his own.

Earlier this week, Trump's national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told the New York Times that the former president "believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.

Leavitt made the comment in response to the re-conviction of Jamie Davidson, whose domestic violence sentence Trump commuted in 2021.

Trumps own logic would condemn him to jail after he was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case. He'll be sentenced on September 18.

NBC News asked Leavitt about the comment and questioned whether Trump would apply it to his own conviction.

Former president Donald Trump believes anyone who has committed a crime should face jail time. Hell be sentenced on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case on September 18. ( Getty Images )

President Trump believes criminals should spend time behind bars, unlike Kamala Harris, who wants to eliminate cash bail," she said.

Trump will likely not count himself as a criminal, as he has repeatedly insisted that his conviction and other upcoming trials are political witch hunts, and that he has done nothing wrong.

The former president even tried to have his hush money case moved to a federal court, but on Tuesday that move was denied by a federal judge.

Trump's attorneys have challenged the decision in the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals.

His campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, issued a statement saying that his defense team will "continue to fight to move this hoax into federal court where it should be put out of its misery once and for all."

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who ruled against the move, said Trump's team failed to clear the high burden of proof needed to justify a change of jurisdiction. The judge also noted that the case involved Trump's private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority," and thus could not be dismissed based on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.

Trump's team is also trying to convince Judge Juan Merchan to delay sentencing in the hush-money trial until after the 2024 US presidential election on November 5. He is set to make a ruling on the potential delay on September 16, just two days before Trump is scheduled to be sentenced.

The former president has also pleaded not guilty to charges he faces in other cases, including two election interference investigations and the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
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Stock in Donald Trumps media company hit its lowest level on Wednesday since being publically listed earlier this year.

Trump Media, the parent company of Trumps Truth Social Network, was trading at $16.98 at closing on Wednesday, down more than 78 percent from the stocks March high of $79.38 per share.

The slump means that Donald Trump, the companys largest shareholder, has seen his personal, roughly 60 percent stake decline in value from $6bn to $2bn during that time.

A number of factors could be driving the crash of the stock price, which often serves as an unofficial barometer of how investors perceive Trumps political and business fortunes at any given moment.

On September 19, Trump and other early investors will be allowed to begin selling their shares, which could further depress Trump Medias share price, according to The New York Times.

Outside of a potential selloff on the horizon, Trump is also back on mainstream social media platforms like X, undercutting the appeal of Truth Social, which was for a time the main social media platform he used to connect with followers.

Then theres the value of Trump Media itself, which retains, according to its stock price, a market value of $3.5bn despite pulling in less than $1m in second-quarter sales, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Last but not least, theres the question of the future of the Trump campaign, with the Harris campaign retaining a modest lead in national polling since the end of July.

Trump Media has ranged all over the table, often in line with key moments in Trumps public life, from a decline after his hush money verdict in May, to bumps up after Trumps successful debate win against Biden and surviving an assassination attempt.
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Donald Trump repeatedly insisted that he and running mate JD Vance were not weird, moments before launching into a tangent about hating mosquitoes during a town hall, where he also attacked rival Kamala Harris and promised the largest deportation in history if he was to return to the White House.

The former president participated in a one-hour, pre-taped event with Fox News Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

With few interjections from Hannity, Trump repeated common refrains about Harris economic agenda and her record at the border. He also worked to distance himself and JD from the weird label first given to them Democratic vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz.

Hannity started asking a question about Walz, which Trump quickly derailed in favor of discussing Walzs extended familys endorsement of him.

I was so honored today. His brother endorsed me  and his whole family! Trump said. I saw the picture. Honestly, it was a very nice looking family.

Donald Trump takes part in a town hall moderated by Fox News broadcaster Sean Hannity at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on September 4 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Earlier on Wednesday, eight of Walzs distant relatives shared a photo of them wearing grammatically incorrect Walzs for Trump T-shirts while standing in front of a Trump 2024 flag.

Speaking about Walz, Trump said: There is something weird with that guy. Hes a weird guy. JD is not weird. Hes a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock.

The crowd erupted into cheers as he said: Were not weird. We are other things, perhaps, but were not weird.

Minutes later, Trump was sidetracked by a mosquito which appeared to bother him on stage.

I hate mosquitos. Im surprised, I didnt think we had... We dont like those mosquitoes running around, he said. We want nothing to do with them  and we want nothing to do with bad politicians that hate our country, too.

Most of the town hall, however, was focused on bashing Harris border policies. Trump made a number of familiar false claims about migrants, alleging that they are murderers, child traffickers, and drug dealers coming into the US from prisons, mental institutions, and very bad places. Trump then promised the largest deportation in the history of the country if he were elected in November.

Donald Trump and Sean Hannity at a pre-recorded town hall in Pennsylvania which aired Wednesday on Fox News ( AFP via Getty Images )

The former president also slammed Harriss economic plan. While Trumps proposal has pushed tax cuts for high-income Americans, Harris unveiled part of her plan on Wednesday that emphasizes benefits for the middle class and small businesses.

Discussing her proposal, Trump warned: This country will end up in a depression if she becomes president, like 1929. She has no idea what the hell shes doing.

Trump then took a jab at Harriss father. He called Donald Harris, professor emeritus at Stanford, a Marxist teacher of economics. Trump has been referring to the vice president as a Marxist and a communist in recent weeks.

Trumps town hall on Hannity stemmed from a debate debacle with Harris. The former president had proposed that he and Harris debate on Fox News on September 4, prompting Harris to claim he was running scared. After much back and forth, both presidential candidates agreed to debate on September 10 on ABC News.

Six days ahead of the hotly anticipated debate, Trump took the opportunity to criticize that network, calling it the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest and branding one of its anchors, George Stephanopoulos, as a nasty guy.

The debate will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis, not Stephanopoulos.
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Russian president Vladimir Putin has claimed that he wants Kamala Harris to win the presidential election because President Joe Biden endorsed her - and because she has an expressive and infectious laugh.

On Thursday, during the Eastern Economic Forum, the Russian president claimed that Biden was his favorite candidate but that since he dropped out he will now support the new Democratic nominee.

Our favorite, if you can call it that, was the current president Mr. Biden, Putin said, with a smirk.

He was removed from the race, but he recommended that all his supporters support Ms. Harris. Thats what well do too, he said, according to a translation from Russian media outlet TASS.

He appeared to continue to mock Harris, adding: "She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her. The autocrat also said he hoped that means she would not introduce sanctions against Russia.

Russian president Vladimir Putin mocked Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday ( AP )

Putin also claimed that ultimately, the choice is up to the American people and that Russia will respect that.

On Wednesday, the United States unsealed an indictment accusing Russia of attempting to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

Federal prosecutors allege that Putins allies directed Russian state media companies to disseminate misinformation and Russian propaganda online with the intent to try and influence this years election.

U.S. law enforcement agents seized 32 Russian-backed websites that were designed to boost Trumps campaign. Two employees of the Russian state network RT were charged over allegedly launching a $10m propaganda scheme using American right-wing influencers.

On Thursday, federal prosecutors also unveiled an indictment against Trumps 2016 campaign adviser and Russian expert, Dimitri Simes, alleging that he violated U.S. sanctions by working as a presenter at a Russian state TV station.

For several years, the U.S. has accused Russia of trying to influence its elections using misinformation and disinformation online and on social media. Intelligence reports concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump win.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied meddling in U.S. elections.
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Tim Walz mocked rival JD Vance with a donut joke as he visited a farmers market in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Kamala Harriss running mate poked fun at his Republican counterparts awkward attempt to make small talk at a donut store in Valdosta, Georgia last month. Awkward video of the event included one worker telling Vance that she did not want to appear on camera as he picked out sweet treats.

On Wednesday, Walz visited Cherry Hill Orchards and Farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in a state that will be crucial for Harriss victory in November.

What am I looking at in a Whoopie Pie? Walz asked the manager before getting in a crack at Vance.

I have no problem picking out doughnuts, the Minnesota governor joked.

Look at me I have no problem picking out donuts.



-- Tim Walz getting pumpkin and chocolate whoopie pies and apple cider donuts at Cherry Hill Orchards in Lancaster Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/doSyzBNxT9  Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) September 4, 2024

Vances own donut experience has been used by Democrats to reinforce their weird characterization of the senator from Ohio.

Im JD Vance, and Im running for vice president, the Republican candidate said to a member of staff after he walked into Holts Sweet Shop in Valdosta.

OK, she responded uncomfortably before Vances team was asked to stop filming.

JD Vance trying to order doughnuts set to the Veep end credits pic.twitter.com/KvovUevMHX  Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) August 22, 2024

Walz and Vance will go head to head in the vice presidential debate on October 1 on CBS. It will be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor Norah ODonnell and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan.

The first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will take place on September 10 in Philadelphia. It will be hosted by ABC Network anchors, David Muir and Linsey Davis.

A second debate is expected to take place in October although a date and venue has not been set.
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New Zealands Maori chiefs have anointed Nga Wai hono i te po as their new queen and eighth monarch, to succeed her father King Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII who passed away at 69 after a heart surgery.

Ms Nga Wai, 27, is only the second Maori queen after her grandmother Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

She was chosen as Kuini by a council of Maori chiefs at Turangawaewae Marae on North Island on Thursday, and hailed as a new dawn.

King Tuheitia was laid to rest at Mount Taupiri after lying in state for six days.

Ms Nga Wai, a University of Waikato graduate groomed to succeed her father, is set for a potentially lengthy reign.

This is more than a generational shift, New Zealand First MP Shane Jones said.

Shell be the face of renewal. Given the extent of Maori youth, I suspect she will personify their aspirations.

The Maori crown is not automatically passed down. The late king leaves two sons behind, Te Ariki Tamaaroa Whatumoana Paki and Te Ariki Turuki Korotangi Paki, but neither was chosen as the successor.

Maori leaders and politicians agreed that Ms Nga Wais appointment was essential for the Kiingitanga  or Maori king movement  with her influence expected to be profound across New Zealand for many years to come.

The Kiingitanga was launched in 1858 to unite New Zealands indigenous tribes under one leader in a bid to strengthen their resistance against colonialism. The role of the Maori monarch, although largely ceremonial and without legal authority, holds significant influence as they are regarded as the paramount chief of several tribes.

A council of New Zealands Maori chiefs anointed a new queen on 5 September 2024 as a flotilla of war canoes readied to transport her father, the late monarch, for burial on a sacred mountain. ( Getty )

Annette Sykes, a lawyer and Maori rights advocate, said the queen embodied the future she had been striving for. Shes inspiring, the revitalisation and reclamation of our language has been a 40-year journey for most of us and she epitomises that, it is her first language, she speaks it with ease, she said.

Political, economic and social wellbeing for our people is at the heart of what she wants and in many ways she is like her grandmother, who was adored by the nation, Ms Sykes was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

We have all watched her grow up, shes very humble, I have watched her mature into this woman who has this thirst for authentic knowledge and brings this into the modern world. Shes someone who wears Gucci and she wears moko kauae, Ms Sykes added, referring to a traditional Maori chin tattoo.

She is leading us into uncharted and turbulent waters, and she will do it with aplomb.

Maori warriors paddle waka canoes down towards Taupiri Maunga during the funeral ceremony of King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII in Ngaruawahia on 5 September 2024. ( AFP via Getty )

Ms Nga Wai was enthroned at a ceremony on Thursday morning in the small town of Ngaruawahia. She was escorted to the throne by the Kiingitanga advisory council of 12 elders from various tribes who chose her as the queen.

The Maori world has been yearning for younger leadership to guide us in the new world of AI, genetic modification, global warming and in a time of other social changes that question and threaten us and Indigenous Peoples of New Zealand, Maori cultural advisor Karaitiana Taiuru told AFP news agency.

It is certainly a break from traditional Maori leadership appointments which tend to succeed to the eldest child, usually a male.

Maori warriors participate in the funeral ceremony of King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII in Ngaruawahia on 5 September 2024 ( AFP via Getty )

Ms Nga Wai, draped in a wreath of leaves, a cloak and a whalebone necklace, sat next to her fathers coffin as ceremonial rites were performed.

Since the new conservative government led by the National Party took over last October, the Kiingitanga has become more active in uniting the Maori against proposed policies seen as a setback for their rights.

The Maori are about 17 per cent of New Zealands population.

Ms Nga Wai, who has a Masters degree in Maori cultural practices and traditions, began teaching kapa haka during her second and third years at the University of Waikato, New Zealand Herald reported. Kapa haka is a ceremonial dance of the Maori tribe.

In a university interview, she said kapa haka was a central part of her life. I go home to my parents house and my little nephew is there and hes trying to do the haka. So it is just everywhere. Ive been brought up in it, I am it. A lot of people are kapa haka. Its the embodiment of Maoritanga, she said.
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Four of the victims of last months Bayesian yacht disaster died after oxygen ran out in an air bubble on the sunken vessel, it has been reported.

Autopsies over the past few days on four of those who died have revealed an absence of water in their lungs, suggesting they suffocated as the air became saturated with carbon dioxide, Italian publication La Repubblica said.

The outlet reported post-mortems showed four people died from atypical drowning, with no water in their lungs, trachea and stomach. There were no signs of external injuries.

The results appear to back up investigators opinions that the victims sought out air pockets inside the yacht before they died.

The incident on 19 August, which claimed the lives of seven people including British tech magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, unfolded last month after a violent storm hit the Bayesian off the coast of Sicily.

The yacht sank quickly, trapping the victims below deck as it settled on its right side. Divers who retrieved the victims bodies on board found five of them, including Mr Lynch, in one cabin on the left side of the yacht. Hannah Lynchs body was the last to be found, in a separate cabin.

Jonathan Bloomer had a 50-year career in the finance sector, while his wife Judith worked as a psychotherapist for nearly 30 years ( Family handout/PA )

The body of the yachts chef, Recaldo Thomas, was also recovered floating near the wreckage, which lies 50 metres below the surface.

Investigators believe the victims sought out remaining air pockets as the vessel moved sharply to the right while sinking.

However, it is unlikely to have lasted long as it would have been small and quickly filled with rising levels of toxic carbon dioxide.

The findings of the autopsies, detailed in La Repubblica on Wednesday, appeared to support this theory.

Among the victims examined so far were Jonathan Bloomer, the international chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank; his wife Judith, a psychotherapist; Christopher Morvillo, a US lawyer; and his wife Neda, a jewellery designer.

Previous reports suggested Mr and Ms Morvillo, whose autopsies were carried out first, both died by drowning.

But post-mortems have found the lungs of the four people were not fully of water, which is otherwise known as dry drowning.

La Repubblica reported Ms Barcares, who is also the CEO of the company that owns the superyacht, made it to the deck barefoot but only thought about saving her daughter and her husband trapped below.

Chris Morvillo, who died alongside wife Neda, had defended yacht owner Lynch in a fraud trial ( Patrick McMullan/Getty )

As the boat reared up, she cut herself on broken glass and was unable to reach the cabins and help Mr Lynch and their daughter Hannah before the electrical blackout on the Bayesian.

For a week after the sinking, she said she could not walk because of the lacerations to her feet.

The remaining autopsies, on Mr Lynch, his daughter and Mr Thomas, are scheduled for Friday, the newspaper added.

Nine crew members and six passengers, including Mr Lynchs wife, survived by escaping on an inflatable life raft.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the yachts captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, along with two Britons  engineer Tim Parker Eaton and crew member Matthew Griffiths  over allegations of possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck.

Autopsies on Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah are scheduled for Friday ( Tancredi )

Mr Parker Eaton denied claims that external doors were left open during the storm, which reportedly allowed water to flood the engine room.

According to Italian news agency Ansa, Mr Griffiths  who was on watch duty at the time  told investigators: I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots [23mph/37kph]. He gave orders to wake everyone else.

The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could.

We were walking on the walls [of the boat]. We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother.

The men have been permitted to leave Sicily as investigators work to piece together the crucial events that unfolded in the 16-minute window between the yacht being hit by a suspected downburst storm at 3.50am and its rapid sinking at 4.06am, just 400 metres from its anchorage near the Sicilian port of Porticello.

Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.
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A woman who was allegedly repeatedly drugged and raped by her now-ex husband and dozens of men he invited into their home has told his trial that her world collapsed after she was sacrificed on the altar of vice.

Speaking in a calm and clear voice, Gisele Pelicot, 72, detailed to the court in the southern France city of Avignon the horror of discovering that Dominique Pelicot, 71, systematically filmed the suspected rapes by dozens of men while she was unconcious  storing thousands of images that police investigators later found.

I was sacrificed on the altar of vice, she testified. They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag... I no longer have an identity. I dont know if Ill ever rebuild myself.

For me, everything collapses. These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.

She told the court  having waived her right to anonymity  that she hopes her testimony might help spare other women from similar ordeals. She said she pushed for the trial in open court in solidarity with other women who go unrecognised as victims of sexual crimes.

She knew nothing of what was inflicted on her. She had no memory of the rapes she suffered, lawyer Antoine Camus told France Bleu radio.

Ms Pelicot only learned of the alleged rapes after her husband of 50 years was caught taking photos of womens crotches in a supermarket in late 2020  leading police to search his phone and computer hard drives.

Gisele Pelicot was allegedly abused by 72 different men between 2011 and 2020 at her family home as she lay unconscious ( AP )

Ms Pelicot thanked the lieutenant in the town of Carpentras who arrested her husband. He saved my life and I probably wouldnt be here without him, she said.

She and her husband of 50 years had three children. When they retired, the couple moved into a house in a small town in Provence. I thought we were a close couple, she told the court.

She left her husband after police showed her some of the images documenting her alleged abuse, taking two suitcases. It was all that was left for me of 50 years of life together, she told the court.

Ms Pelicot told the court her daughter screamed like a wild beast when she heard the allegations.

I will never forget this, she said. When I told my sons about this, I dont think they really understood, they were withdrawn and didnt react much. I think they were in a state of shock. They said dont say such silly things.

Police investigators found communications Dominique Pelicot allegedly sent on a messaging website commonly used by criminals, in which he invited men to sexually abuse his wife. The website has been shut down.

Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men are now standing trial on charges of rape and face up to 20 years in prison ( Reuters )

Because Dominique Pelicot videotaped the alleged rapes, police were able to track down  over a period of two years  a majority of the 72 suspects they were seeking.

As well as Pelicot, whose lawyer has said he always declared himself guilty, 50 other men, aged 22 to 70, are standing trial. Several defendants are denying some of the accusations against them, alleging they were manipulated by Pelicot. The defendants face 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated rape.

Details of the alleged abuses, which investigators said began in 2011 and continued for a decade have emerged during the trial, which began on Monday.

During questioning earlier, Pelicot told investigators that men invited to the couple's home had to follow certain rules  they could not talk loudly, had to remove their clothes in the kitchen, could not wear perfume nor smell of tobacco.

Over the next few months, the defendants will appear in small groups before a panel of five judges, with Dominique Pelicot scheduled to speak next week.

The trial continues and is expected to last until December.
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A wave of violent storms battered northern Italy on Thursday, raising fears for the life of a man who was swept away on a tractor in the Piedmont region.

Footage by state TV RAI showed the wheel of the vehicle still visible inside the Orco creek, near Turin, where the tractor overturned in muddy water. Searches for the missing man, 58, were still underway on Thursday afternoon, local rescuers said.

In Piedmonts Val di Susa, two bridges collapsed, isolating a total of about 50 people in two villages after another river overflowed, blocking a provincial road.

Two other northern regions, Lombardy and Veneto, were hit by widespread flooding which caused damage and disruption in the city of Milan, where the local Seveso and Lambro rivers overflowed.

Firefighters in Milan said they attended dozens of call-outs to rescue people stuck in their cars in flooded road underpasses and to drain basements filled with water.

Residents walk through flooded streets in Milan, northern Italy, Thursday

Some subway services had to be suspended due to the flooding. For the first time since it was founded in 1976, Milans Radio Popolare station went off air because its broadcast center was inundated with water.

Scientists warn that the climate crisis is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, downbursts and flooding, in Europe and around the globe. Storms are becoming heavier because warm air can hold more moisture.

Southern Italy has been recently suffering a severe drought, causing massive problems for local agriculture and tourism, especially in the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Meanwhile, in Spain a British woman has been found dead while emergency services search for a UK man after both were apparently swept away in a flash flood while hiking on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, Spanish police said.

Spains Civil Guard said that both people were on a trail that leads through a small canyon to the sea when the storm hit on Tuesday.

The police initially issued the erroneous information that they had found the body of the man and were searching for the woman. They later said it was the woman who had been found dead on Wednesday.

More inclement weather was forecast for the island and parts of Spains mainland.
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Former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been appointed as the new French prime minister following weeks of political deadlock.

Mr Barnier, who negotiated Britains departure from the European Union between 2016 and 2019, has been tasked with forming a new government by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Macron has spent weeks trying to find a compromise candidate for his minority government that would not be blocked by the powerful left-wing alliance in parliament or the hard right National Rally (RN).

French president Emmanuel Macron poses with former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier ( AFP/Getty )

The 73-year-old is seen as being more acceptable to Marine Le Pens National Rally and the moderate wing of the Socialist Party, the junior partner of the left-wing New Popular Front.

However, hard-left France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Melenchon slammed the appointment and said the new executive was practically a government of Macron along with Marine le Pen while calling for protests.

The 73-year-old is seen as being more acceptable to Marine Le Pens National Rally and the moderate wing of the Socialist Party ( Reuters )

National Rally chairman Jordan Bardella, said: We will judge his general policy speech, his budgetary decisions and his actions on the evidence. We reserve all political means of action if this is not the case in the coming weeks.

Mr Barnier will be faced with the daunting challenge of trying to push reforms and the 2025 budget through a hung parliament.

The New Popular Front, which includes anti-capitalists, greens and communists, won the largest share of seats in snap elections that ended on 7 July.

Mr Macrons centrist Renaissance bloc came second, with the populist National Rally in third place. The president previously refused to appoint a prime minister from the leftist bloc.

Mr Barnier was known as a tough negotiator during Britains withdrawal from the European Union. His appointment is likely to rile pro-Brexit groups in the UK.

France Unbowed leaderJean-Luc Melenchon has called for protests after Barnier was appointed ( EPA )

He is a staunch pro-European and a career, moderate politician, but he has toughened his discourse in recent years and said immigration was out of control.

Mr Barniers political views are overall quite close to Mr Macrons, and it was crucial for the French president that his new prime minister would not try to undo reforms pushed through over the past years, in particular Mr Macrons pension reform.

It remains unclear if the veteran politician will fully try to implement Mr Macrons political agenda or bring in new proposals. In any case, he will need to negotiate with other parties to get legislation adopted in parliament.

This nomination comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations, and in view of his constitutional duty, the president made sure that the prime minister and its government will have the most stable conditions possible, the Elysee Palace said.
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Police have shot dead a an 18-year-old man in Munich, who officials said had opened fire at police in an area near the Israeli consulate and a museum on the citys Nazi-era history.

A police spokesperson said officers had been alerted to a person carrying a long gun at around 9am, after which there was an exchange of fire in which the suspect was fatally wounded. Bavaria's top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had opened fire at police and they returned fire. "Due to the intervention of the police, the perpetrator was stopped," Mr Herrmann told reporters.

Police have identified the man shot dead as an Austrian national believed to be resident in Austria.

Police said the man was carrying an older weapon with a repeating mechanism. Police said they had increased their presence in the city, which is Germanys third largest, but they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects  with no further casualties reported.

The incident took place in the central Karolinenplatz area, where police announced at 9:15am that there was a major operation under way. The outlet Suddeutsche Zeitung reported that a suspect had fired two gunshots at the museum, which sits of the site of the former Nazi Party headquarters.

The suspect's motive is under investigation, poice said. Thursday marks the 52nd anniversary of an attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Olympics, in which 11 Israeli team members, a police officer and five of the assailants were killed.

Police officers block a street after police said they fired shots at a suspicious person ( AP Photo/Matthias Schrader )

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed to mark the anniversary of the 1972 attack, so no staff were hurt.

Benedikt Frank, chief executive of the annual Munich Security Conference, said his office had been put into lockdown, telling the newspaper Bild: At 9.10am there was suddenly a loud bang. We heard at least a dozen shots.

Germanys interior minister Nancy Faeser described Thursdays shooting as a serious incident and said the protection of Israeli institutions is of the highest priority. Ms Faeser she was in contact with emergency services but did not want to speculate on further details.

View more

Israels consul general to southern Germany, Talya Lador, expressed her gratitude to the Munich police for their actions and cooperation, adding: This event shows how dangerous the rise of antisemitism is. It is important that the general public raises its voice against it.

The nearby Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the city's past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He wrote on the social media platform X that "together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror" at the shooting.

Associated Press contributed to this report
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Donald Trump boasted of a very good relationship with both Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin on Friday as he hosted the Ukrainian leader for a meeting at his New York City skyscraper.

The former president also repeated a bizarre boast that he could, if re-elected in November, negotiate an end to the nearly three-year Russian war against Ukraine.

Trump, who was impeached in 2019 for using American defense assistance to pressure Zelensky to launch sham investigations into President Joe Biden and his son, was being briefed on Kyivs latest plan for victory against Putin.

We have a very good relationship, he told reporters as he stood with Zelensky. And I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin. And if we win, I think were going to get it resolved very quickly, he said.

Zelensky quickly interjected: I hope we have more good relations between us.

Zelensky said he and Trump share a common view that the war ... has to be stopped, and Putin cant win and Ukrainians have to prevail.

And I want to discuss with you the details of our plan, he added.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump meets with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower, Friday 27 September in New York ( AP )

For his part, Trump said he and Zelensky have had a great relationship, citing Zelenskys decision to deny that Trump had exerted any pressure on him during the July 2019 phone call in which hed linked sending Javelin anti-tank missiles to Zelenskys announcement of investigations into the Bidens.

So we're going to sit down just discuss it, and if we have a win, I think long before January 20, before I would take the presidency ... I think that we can work out something that's good for both sides. It's time, he said.

Trump had previously cancelled plans to meet with the Ukrainian leader after Zelensky sparked GOP outrage by visiting the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in the battleground state of Pennsylvania over the weekend.

He reversed course late Thursday after Zelenskys meeting with Harris, during which the Democratic presidential nominee told Zelensky that her support for Kyivs defense is unwavering.

In what appeared to be a veiled swipe at Trump and his Republican allies, Harris admitted to Zelensky that there are some in the US who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory, who would demand that Ukraine accept neutrality, and would require Ukraine to forgo security relationships with other nations.

These proposals are the same as those of Putin, and let us be clear: They are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender, which is dangerous and unacceptable, she said.

Zelensky has been in the United States for the UN General Assembly, where on Wednesday he warned world leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to break the Ukrainian spirit by targeting his countrys energy infrastructure. He also cautioned against accepting purported peace deals that would be negotiated without Ukraine having a say.

Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war, he said, adding later that he was skeptical of the true interest behind a recent push by China and Brazil to foster an end to the conflict.

When some propose alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians ... it not only ignores reality, but also gives Putin the political space to continue the war, he said.

Earlier in the week, Zelensky also toured a Pennsylvania plant where munitions destined for his armed forces are being made. That visit drew anger from Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called for Zelensky to fire the Ukrainian ambassador to the US in response. Johnsons outrage was supposedly due to no Republicans being invited along to the tour of the plant, though White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed it as a political stunt by the GOP at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
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Former Istanbul street dogs Dali and Deezi now live in the Netherlands, enjoying a pampered home life after years in a shelter in the Turkish city, and as other strays face being rounded up under a new law to clear them from the streets.

Turkeys parliament passed a law in July ordering the impounding of the countrys estimated four million stray dogs, despite protests by animal lovers and the opposition, who fear it will lead to many being put down.

The legislation, motivated by concerns about attacks by dogs, road accidents and rabies, aims to place all strays in municipal shelters by 2028. It says that any dogs showing aggressive behaviour or with untreatable disease will be euthanised.

Animal rights activist Nilgul Sayar, who runs an NGO shelter for dogs near Istanbul, has sent hundreds of dogs abroad for adoption but says demand has jumped since the law passed.

We have around 20-25 dogs ready to fly, she said. People continue to reach out to us (for adoption). I hope we will send more dogs soon. They will all have good homes.

Dali, a-three-legged stray dog, is pictured at Istanbul Grand Airport before travelling to Netherlands via Brussels, in Istanbul ( REUTERS )

Getting a dog ready to travel to the European Union with the necessary paperwork and vaccinations can take 3-4 months and cost around 1,000 euros ($1,107).

Illustrating the scale of the challenge, Turkish shelters have capacity for 100,000 dogs and little space for more. Sayar said it often takes years to find homes for the large, old and disabled dogs that form the majority in her shelter. Cities are set to build more pounds to comply with the law.

Dog Deezi from an Istanbul shelter walks with its new owners Caroline and Meike in Haarlem, Netherlands September 3, 2024 ( REUTERS )

Dali, named after painter Salvador Dalis three-legged chair, lost a leg when hit by a car as a two-month-old wandering the streets. Dali and nine-year-old Deezi lived in Sayars shelter for four years.

We wanted to support these dogs and find loving families abroad, said Ali Okay, who volunteered to fly with them from Turkey to Belgium. The animals were later taken to the Netherlands by NGO Animal Care Projects.

Animal rights activists take part in a rally to protest against the law ( REUTERS )

Thousands of Turks have protested against the law in recent weeks. Stray dogs and cats can be seen in streets across Turkey and are loved by many people, who look after them, putting out food and water and erecting shelters. Large strays sometimes sleep in shop doorways, with people gently stepping around them.

In response to the new law, some companies are adopting strays for their offices, a hotel on the coast built a dog shelter to introduce them to tourists and some vets are offering free vaccinations for those who adopt animals from the streets.

Turkey used to trap and neuter dogs then return them to the streets. Critics of the new law say dog numbers would have been under control if this policy had been implemented properly.

A stray dog Sayko is seen inside a vehicle at an animal shelter in Istanbul ( REUTERS )

Dali is now in a foster home in the Netherlands awaiting adoption. Deezi is settling into her new home in Haarlem and is relaxed and happy, said new owner Caroline Dieleman.

She was mourning the death of one of her dogs in June when she heard about Turkeys new law and decided to rescue Deezi.

The new law makes me feel sick physically but also powerless, said Dieleman. This was a little thing I could do... it is one dog only, from how many dogs. But one is better than none.
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Animal-rights activists say a beluga whale that rose to fame over suspicions Russia trained it as a spy was shot before it was found dead.

A father and son out fishing off the Norwegian coast on Saturday found the carcase of Hvaldimir  which was first discovered five years ago  floating in the sea.

The whale, which was healthy when it died at a relatively young age, had been suspected in the West of being a used as spy because it was wearing a harness with a GoPro camera on that read Equipment of St Petersburg.

Regina Haug next to the carcass of the beluga whale Hvaldimir ( AP )

Hvaldimir had shown interest in people and responded to hand signals, further evidence that led Norways intelligence agency to surmise that it had been held in captivity as part of a research programme before arriving in Norwegian waters.

One Whale, an organisation founded in 2019 to protect the creature, said on Wednesday it was found with bullet wounds and had been shot in a heinous crime.

We will pursue justice for Hvaldimir, One Whale founder Regina Haug vowed on social media.

Together with Noah, another animal-rights organisation, One Whale said it had filed a complaint with Norwegian police asking them to open a criminal investigation.

After being found dead at the weekend, the animal was lifted out of the water with a crane and moved to a harbour for investigation into the cause of death.

Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away, but its not immediately clear what the cause of death is, marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK.

Its absolutely horrible, Mr Strand said. He was apparently in good condition as of Friday, so we just have to figure out what might have happened here.

Hvaldimir was estimated to be 15 years old, relatively young for a beluga whale, which can live up to 60 years.

The animal was first spotted in April 2019 near the island of Ingoya in Norways north, about 300km from Russias maritime border.

He had multiple bullet wounds around his body, Ms Haug said on Instagram after seeing the body.

Photographs published by One Whale on social media appear to show what they say are bullet wounds.

The injuries on the whale are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act  it is shocking, said Noah director Siri Martinsen.

Mr Strand said it was too early to determine a cause of death.
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A 16-year-old boy was one of six people killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials have said.

Israeli troops shot the teenager in the Fara refugee camp, south of Tubas, as Israeli forces continue a week of raids on towns and camps in the West Bank.

The Palestine Red Crescent said medics were eventually able to transfer Zeina to hospital where he later died.

Five young men were killed and one was seriously injured when Israeli forces bombed a vehicle in Tubas city, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said. The Israeli military said it had conducted three targeted strikes on armed terrorists.

Five were killed in the car bombing in Tubas, West Bank ( REUTERS )

One of the men has been named by the Palestinian health ministry as Mohammed Zubeidi, the son of Zakaria Zubeidi, a militant commander during the Second Intifada who escaped Israeli jail in 2021, before being arrested and returned days later.

Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials say an Israeli strike on a tent camp in Gaza killed four men and wounded two children. The strike early on Thursday hit an encampment near the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah. The Israeli military said it carried out a precise strike on a command and control centre operated by Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group that was embedded in a humanitarian zone.

The nearly 11-month-long war in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 people according to Palestinian health officials  and has displaced about 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people, often multiple times.

The war began after Hamas launched a bloody attack into Israel on 7 October, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, about a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a ceasefire in November.

Internally displaced Palestinians inspect their destroyed shelters following Deir Al Balah military strike ( EPA )

Umm Mohammed Wadi, a woman who was staying in a tent near to where the strike occurred, said to AP: "What did they do to be struck while sleeping? No hospital is safe, nor any school or home."

Israeli security forces continued their assault on towns in the West Bank, with raids reported in Jenin, Tulkarm, and near Bethlehem, according to Wafa news agency.

The agency cited local reports that a 38-year-old man was beaten by Israeli forces and teargas deployed at Za-tara in the south east of Bethlehem. Meanwhile, Jenin suffered its ninth consecutive day of raids.

An armed Israeli vehicle drives down a devastated street in Jenin ( AFP via Getty Images )

It comes as Israels security agency, Shin Bet, published figures indicating that more rockets were fired into Israeli-controlled territory from Lebanon in August than any month since the Hamas attacks on October 7.

The 1,307 rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanon and Syria - just over 40 per day on average - an increase on 1,091 in July, 855 in June, and 1,000 in May, the Times of Israel reported. The vast majority of these rockets came from Lebanon.

In the past month, 116 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, the latest report says.
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A giant solar sail recently unfurled by Nasa has been spotted tumbling through space.

Astronomers captured the 80-square-metre object, which was unfurled last week, appearing to fluctuate in brightness as it orbited Earth at an altitude of 1,000 kilometres (600 miles).

The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, or ACS 3, is designed to test a next-generation propulsion method that harnesses the power of sunlight to travel through space without the need for rocket fuel.

Three days after the US space agency unfurled the spacecraft, an astronomer in the Netherlands observed unusual behaviour from the solar sail.

Nasas solar sail unfurled on 29 August, 2024, in order to test a next-generation propulsion method for interstellar travel ( Nasa )

As it rose in the south, it became very bright, reaching magnitude 0 (as bright as the brightest stars in the sky). It then faded again, and next displayed a slow brightness variation with multiple bright maxima and very faint minima, Marco Langbroek, who works at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft Technical University, wrote in a blog post.

The brightness variation could be suggestive of a slow tumble or wobble (a gyration around an axis) that must have been initiated after 29 August, when it appeared more steady.

Nasas solar sail aims to unlock interstellar space travel ( Nasa )

The Independent has contacted Nasa for more details, though Dr Langbroek theorised that it could be related to a planned change of orbit for the spacecraft.

Nasa states in its mission notes that the ACS 3 team plan to move the solar sail and adjust its orbit during its flight.

During the next few weeks, the team will test the manoeuvring capabilities of the sail in space, the space agency notes.

Raising and lowering the orbit of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft will provide valuable information that may help guide future concepts of operations and designs for solar sail-equipped science and exploration missions.

The spacecraft utilises pressure exerted by photons in sunlight as they bounce off the reflective sail, similar to the way a sail boat is propelled by wind.

Future versions of the solar sail could be 25 times bigger than the current craft, capable of powering trips to other planets in the Solar System.

Instead of launching massive fuel tanks for future missions, we can launch larger sails that use fuel already available, Alan Rhodes, the missions lead systems engineer, said when it first launched in April.

The hope is that the new technologies verified on this spacecraft will inspire others to use them in ways we havent even considered.
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A new tourism initiative being labelled a world-first is encouraging more visitors to head to Australias Great Barrier Reef  with chances to save money by learning about protecting the natural phenomenon.

As an increasing number of destinations fight back against mass tourism, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) is bucking this trend and calling for visitors from the UK and to become a Guardian of the Reef.

Because while the reef faces many threats, including coral bleaching and coral-eating starfish, tourists are not considered a risk to it  less than 10 per cent of the sites 133,000 square miles sees tourist activity, with one official from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority describing tourism as being at the forefront of conservation for the Unesco World Heritage site.

Conservation-curious travellers can visit the newly launched website and work through a series of short educational videos and read through facts about the site, with a reward system offering discounts off of Expedia bookings to the Great Barrier Reef.

open image in gallery Marine biologist Dr Eric Fisher inspects a restoration site at Moore Reef on the Great Barrier Reef ( Luke Marsden )

Read more: Destinations cracking down on overtourism, from Venice to Bhutan

The travel firm has partnered with TTNQ and the Reef Authority to launch the programme in the UK, the US and Australia, while also making a US$50,000 (38,000) donation to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

Participants who complete the educational webpage reach the ocean floor, where they can enter a draw to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef as well as unlocking exclusive experiences.

These include staying at Australias first underwater accommodation, Reefstay, and joining an expert reef guide for a private guided snorkel safari among the coral.

Those who reach the end will receive 20 per cent off selected bookings with Expedia.

Understanding your impact on the reef is the first step to acting with greatness, said Mark Olsen, CEO of TTNQ.

The Great Barrier Reef is home to 142 eco-certified operators, the highest number in Australia, making up 30 per cent of Ecotourism Australias eco-certified operators.

Anyone visiting the reef are charged an Environmental Management Charge of AU$8 (4), which Fred Nucifora, Reef Authority general manager (strategic policy and partnerships), said means everyone is contributing to its conservation.

This fee supports vital efforts such as the management of the marine park, control programmes for the crown-of-thorns starfish, and various education and conservation initiatives.

In the first three quarters of the 202324 financial year, the fee raised AU$9.11 million (4.65 million).

This world-first programme gives global reach to the mantra of See it. Love it. Protect it., said Dr Eric Fisher, marine biologist and master reef guide for GBR Biology/Reef Unlimited.

Our Great Barrier Reef operators see this every day when their passengers walk away from their Great Barrier Reef experience with a new appreciation of the diversity and beauty of the worlds largest ecosystem and a greater understanding of the current health of the reef.
Georgia police described the moment a 14-year-old student was arrested following a school shooting on Wednesday, 4 September.

Police named Colt Gray as a suspect after gunfire erupted at Apalachee High School, 50 miles outside of Atlanta, around 10:30am.

The teenager, who will be charged with murder and tried as an adult, is alive and in custody after surrendering to responding officers, officials said.

At least four people - two students and two teachers - are dead and nine more were rushed to the hospital after the shooting, authorities say.
A 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday 4 September, authorities said, sending students scrambling for shelter in their classrooms.

The dead were identified as two 14-year-old students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hours drive from Atlanta.

At least nine other people  eight students and one teacher  were taken to hospitals with injuries.

Lyela Sayarath, a student at Apalachee High School, said the suspect was in class on Wednesday morning.

She said that he left, came back, was unable to get into the classroom, and then began shooting.
Pope Francis joined the grand imam of Southeast Asias largest mosque in pledging to work together to promote peace and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis visit to Indonesia.

In an encounter rich with symbolic meaning, the pontiff travelled to Jakartas iconic Istiqlal Mosque for an interfaith gathering with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognised in Indonesia.

Francis and the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, also stood at the ground-level entrance to the Tunnel of Friendship - an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighbouring Catholic cathedral.
Agriculture Minister is currently in China on a trade visit with Bord Bia

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue is confident of a successful outcome for the Irish dairy sector despite rising trade tensions between the EU and China.

Last month the Chinese government put Ireland and other EU members on notice of an anti-subsidy investigation into dairy imports from the EU, sparking concerns the Irish sector could be hit in what is seen by many as a response to Europe imposing levies on imports of electric vehicles from China.
Junior transport minister James Lawless to meet Ryanairs Michael OLeary and other aviation chiefs

The DAA said it would be 'acting illegally' if it tried to prevent people or flights from taking off at Dublin Airport

The Dublin Airport Authority says it's likely to handle 33 million passengers at Dublin Airport this year. Photo: PA

DAA boss Kenny Jacobs has insisted the company has no power to stop airlines using take-off and landing slots theyve been allocated or to prevent passengers from boarding planes in order to ensure it doesnt breach a 32 million annual passenger cap.

Were now at a point of conflict between Irish and European law, he said. Compliance with one means breaking the other. Were left holding the problem but not the solution.

As the crisis over the airport intensifies, junior transport minister James Lawless is to meet Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary and other aviation stakeholders in an effort to limit the impact of the passenger cap.

Airline chiefs want the cap scrapped, or at least hiked, to allow passenger numbers to keep up with demand and a rising population.

The cap limits the number of passengers that can use Dublin Airport to 32 million a year. It was introduced as a planning condition attached in 2007 to the construction of the second terminal at the gateway over fears nearby roads would become jammed.

The DAA said this week that it will breach the cap this year. It expects Dublin Airport will handle 33 million passengers during 2024.

DAA boss Kenny Jacobs. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Naturally, the prospect of constraints on connectivity are a matter of concern for me in terms of its potential impact on the travelling public, business and tourism, said the minister.

I wish to reiterate that this Government is in favour of increasing the capacity of Dublin Airport, which is in line with the National Aviation Policy, he added.

In light of this I am undertaking a series of engagements with key stakeholders to seek to limit the impact of this constraint, said Mr Lawless.

He is meeting Mr OLeary next Wednesday, the day before the airlines annual general meeting.

This builds on meetings I have had with other key stakeholders including local residents, DAA, Cork Airport, Shannon Airport Group and business groups, he added. I will continue this work with further meetings with others, such as other airlines including Aer Lingus, tourism industry groups and regulators.

He said his objective is to ensure connectivity to and from Ireland can continue to grow.

 I believe this can be achieved in the short to medium term, through our other airports at Cork and Shannon which are ready and able to take more passengers, insisted Mr Lawless.

He added: I keenly await the decision of An Bord Pleanala in relation to Dublin Airport night flights, which has been under consideration since August 2022.

That decision could be announced tomorrow.

The DAA said it would be 'acting illegally' if it tried to prevent people or flights from taking off at Dublin Airport

The DAAs Kenny Jacobs told the Irish Independent today it was simplistic to compare the passenger cap with general planning laws. He insisted the DAA would be acting illegally if it tried to prevent people or flights from taking off.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) oversees capacity allocation at Dublin Airport, with UK-based company Airport Coordination employed to be slot coordinator, deciding what slots airlines get after they apply for them.

The IAA has already told the DAA and airlines that it is cutting available slots this winter at Dublin Airport in an effort to ensure the passenger cap is adhered to.

But that has been challenged by Ryanair and Aer Lingus, which are arguing against the move. The DAA has also challenged the decision, but is arguing the opposite  that the cuts arent sufficient. That hearing is due to be heard on December 3.

The DAA is attempting to be seen to do everything it can to legally ensure it doesnt breach the cap, despite that being the antithesis of what it actually wants to achieve, which is growth.

Weve run out of runway to comply with both Irish planning and EU slot regulations, added Mr Jacobs. Weve done everything we can to dampen demand and have asked the High Court to review the IAAs winter slot decision to avoid Dublin Airport exceeding the 32-million cap in 2024.

Its almost certain that if Dublin Airport officially confirms next year that it has breached the passenger cap, complaints will be made to Fingal County Council. The Council could issue an enforcement order against the DAA, which the airport operator would then likely oppose in court.

But Mr Jacobs said if that happens, the matter will almost certainly have to be decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

The conditions under Irish planning law require cuts to passenger numbers, while the airlines position would be that the level of cuts required are not permitted under EU law. The High Court is going to have to wrestle with this complex matter and I could see it going to Europe for clarity.

Mr Jacobs said he is optimistic that if matters related to the passenger cap were referred to the ECJ, a decision could potentially be made within a matter of months.
Dublin-based finance house Elkstone and US investment management firm Harrison Street have announced plans for new student accommodation in Galway.

The development of the new 345-bed purpose-built accommodation, which will be located at Queen Street in the city, is due for completion in 2026.

It forms part of a wider partnership between Elkstone and Harrison Street to deliver 1,500 student beds across Limerick, Cork, Dublin and Galway by 2028.

The Galway development is the first significant development from the partnership between Elkstone and Harrison Street located in the west of Ireland. Queen Street is a 15-minute walk from the University of Galway campus, as well as a five-minute walk from the citys main train and bus station.

The planned eight-storey building will include common study areas, a gym, bicycle storage, cinema and a rooftop terrace, as well as a 24/7 reception.

The Galway development is the second purpose-built student accommodation project developed by both companies. It recently opened a 142-bed location in Stoneybatter Place in Dublin.

Monami Construction, which was the contractor on the Stoneybatter location, will also join the Galway project as the main contractor.

Development finance for both Irish projects is provided by Activate Capital.

The development of Queen Street represents a notable expansion within the student housing sector to meet the growing demand in Irelands third largest student market, Paul Bashir, Harrison Streets Europe chief executive, said.

Almost 13,000 undergraduate students require housing in the city, with just under 6,000 dedicated student beds available, the companies reported.

By opening access for local Irish investors to co-invest alongside global industry leaders like Harrison Street, we can provide modern and liveable spaces that both represent and further bolster communities, Elkstone co-founder and head of real estate Ciaran McIntyre said.

"Queen Street is just one example of the thousands of sustainable and high-quality, purpose-built student accommodation units we are developing right now across the island, he added.

The Queen Street accommodation is also the latest investment in Ireland from Harrisons Streets European opportunistic fund, which is supported by a 75m investment from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).

"ISIFs partnership with Harrison Street, announced in 2023, aims to increase the supply of available student accommodation in regional cities to meet the housing needs of students and support the growth of Irelands universities, ISIF director Nick Ashmore said.
Meta Ireland head Anne O'Leary has been appointed as president of Ibec. Pictured with Ibec CEO Danny McCoy. Photo: Conor McCabe Photography.

Ibec has appointed Anne OLeary as its new president for the coming year.

Ms OLeary was appointed as the head of Meta Ireland in April 2023. In this role, she oversees the work of Meta in its Dublin head quarters, as well as in its data centre in Meath and Reality Labs in Cork.

She first joined the tech giant in September 2022 as its vice president in the tech giants sales-focused Emea global business group.

She previously led Vodafone Ireland for nine years and also holds seats on the boards of ESRI and Greencore. She also worked as managing director of BT Ireland and also held the position of regional director at Esat Telecom.

Ms OLeary succeeds Pfizer Global Supply senior vice president Paul Duffy as president of the lobby group.

In my various roles with businesses in Ireland, I have always placed great value on Ibecs role as the voice of business and employers, Ms OLeary said.

She pointed to factors driving Irelands economic growth, including its openness to trade, capital and people.

We must continue to be agile and responsive to new investment, support Irish businesses in internationalising, and ensure that Ireland remains a place where careers can grow and develop, she said, adding that Ireland must also make strategic investments in order to future-proof the countrys success.

Anne has a deep understanding of the global business landscape in Ireland and, through her many roles, has worked closely with the Irish SME sector, Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy said.

Anne is not only a brilliant champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion but also someone who works hard to uphold these principles through her leadership of Meta Ireland, a global giant based in Ireland with a diverse and global workforce representing over 110 nationalities, he added.
(Reuters) - The shareholders of Distilled, which owns popular property site Daft.ie, are exploring options for their holdings including a possible sale that could value the business at as much as 600m, four people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

It would mark the first disposal by shareholder Adevinta since it was taken private last year by a consortium of private equity funds led by Permira and Blackstone.

The Norwegian classifieds group and Irelands Distilled Media Group, which jointly own Distilled, have hired Barclays to advise on their holdings, said three of the people, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Distilled was established in 2015 after the operations of Daft.ie and its sister company, Adverts.ie, were merged with Adevintas Donedeal.ie.

Active discussions among the owners are underway about the future shareholder structure of the business, one of the three people said. Distilled Media might opt to maintain a stake in the entity, but no decision has been made, this person added.

Distilled Media Group declined to comment. Adevinta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The talks come amid increased takeover activity among real estate classified businesses. REA Group, an Australian property listings company controlled by News Corp, this week announced it is considering an offer for UK-listed Rightmove. UK private equity firm Cinven in June bought Spains Idealista in a 2.9bn deal.

The owners are hoping that Distilled can fetch a valuation of up to 600m in a sale, a second and third person said.

Bidders could include private equity firms that could help unlock growth from Distilled SCH and make it more efficient, the second person added.

Daft.ie attracts 2.5 million users every month generating 228 million page impressions and lists about 70,000 properties for sale or to rent on its site at any one time, according to its website. It was founded in 1997 by brothers Eamonn and Brian Fallon.

A consortium led by private equity firms Permira and Blackstone last year agreed to take Adevinta off the stock market for about 141 billion Norwegian crowns (12bn).
State-owned energy company Electric Ireland is to cut its electricity and gas prices from November.

The ESB-owned provider said it will also absorb the hike in electricity network charges approved recently by the energy regulator.

The levy rise is expected to cost 101, but Electric Ireland said it will not pass it on to its customers.

The company, which has 1.1 million customers, is reducing its standard unit rate of electricity by 3pc and its standard gas rate by 3pc for residential customers from November 1.

This will save households 45 a year on their electricity bills and 40 a year on their gas costs.

The new standard electricity rate will be 34.8c per per kilowatt hour (kWh), including VAT.

Customers on a smart meter tariff will see their electricity prices fall by 5pc.

Today's News In 90 Seconds - 5th September 2024

Electric Ireland is not decreasing its standing charges.

Experts said the fact that Electric Ireland is absorbing the regulator-sanctioned rise in network charges has meant it was unable to reduce its unit rates further.

Electric Ireland, which is a subsidiary of ESB, said it is its third price cut since the energy crisis erupted more than two years ago after the Russians invaded Ukraine.

Electric Ireland last decreased its prices in March when it cut its electricity prices by 8pc and its gas prices by 7pc.

It is the largest electricity supplier with over 1.1 million customers. It also has around 170,000 gas customers.

Dual-fuel customers with Electric Ireland will benefit from a combined annual reduction of 85, based on the Estimated Annual Bill (EAB) as defined by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

Executive director of Electric Ireland Pat Fenlon said the decreases continue the companys commitment to deliver value to its customers, while also supporting the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Electric Ireland will not be increasing prices for our electricity customers, despite the increases in network charges as recently announced by the CRU which would have resulted in an increase of 101 per annum.

SSE Airtricity is the only other major energy provider to announce three price cuts.

Electric Ireland said its three price decreases in November last year, March this year, and November this year will result in a cumulative reduction of 19.3pc in electricity prices and 20.4pc in gas.

Mr Fenlon said this will deliver an annual saving of 376 on electricity bills and 337 on the average gas bill.

This is a combined annual reduction of 713 for Electric Irelands dual fuel customers in the past 12-month period.

Daragh Cassidy of price comparison site Bonkers.ie said: As we head into the colder autumn and winter months its nice to be talking about falling energy prices as opposed to rising prices. Even if the size of the price drop is very small. But every little helps as they say.

He said the CRU recently sanctioned an increase in electricity network fees that are equivalent to over 100 a year per household.

Big investment is needed in the grid over the coming years to cope with a rapidly increasing population, the demand from data centres, as well as to help with the transition towards Net Zero.

The energy regulator also sanctioned an increase in gas network fees of 60 on average per household.

Mr Cassidy said Electric Ireland has to pay these fees.

So the small reductions need to be seen in that context. Had the grid fee increase not been sanctioned wed likely have been looking at a bigger price drop from Electric Ireland today.

Mr Cassidy said that although this is Electric Irelands third price cut in under a year, its electricity prices still remain over 80pc above where they were in early 2021 before supply shocks due to Covid and then the war in Ukraine wreaked havoc with energy prices.

Gas prices are over double pre-war levels.

Mr Cassidy said this means customers of Electric Ireland will still be paying well over 1,000 a year more for their gas and electricity than they were only a few years ago.

He said that given where wholesale gas and electricity prices seem to be settling, it is hard to see prices for households falling much further in the short to medium term at least.
In his new book The Revelation of Ireland 19952020, the historian is scathing about a number of Irish household names as he analyses a turbulent quarter of a century

Diarmaid Ferriter appears to have serious reservations about Sally Rooney and her fellow Irish millennial writers. At one point in his typically forensic, insightful but gruelling new study of Ireland between 1995 and 2020, he accuses them of having self-esteem issues coupled with vanity. On a more whimsical note, he wonders why the woman who created Normal People is apparently unfamiliar with the phrase f**k buddies.

Ferriters greatest scorn, however, is reserved for the Rooney-endorsed essayist Kevin Breathnachs combination of self-regard, entitlement and faux intellectual elitism. The extract from Breathnach used here speaks for itself: One wet dark Tuesday afternoon on the fourth floor of the Ussher Library in Trinity, I was pretending to work on my novel, when, with no premeditation, I decided a more productive and interesting way to spend the next few hours would be to take Mephedrone in the National Gallery.

It seems safe to assume that Ferriter uses his time in great cultural institutions very differently. The professor of modern Irish history at University College Dublin may be a familiar public figure from his frequent appearances on television and radio, but nobody could accuse him of being populist. The Revelation of Ireland is yet another heavyweight piece of scholarship, earnest, academic and forbiddingly dense with detail.

The title requires some explanation. Published two decades ago, Ferriters breakthrough book was The Transformation of Ireland 1900-2000, which analysed that century from a strong left-wing perspective. This sequel argues that the pace of change has only accelerated since then, highlighting this countrys great potential but also our frustrating limitations.

Certainly, few commentators in 1995 could have predicted the political and social upheavals to come. Irish voters became increasingly fickle, abandoning Fianna Fail or Fine Gael family loyalties and replacing the civil war divide with a more fragmented Leinster House. Northern Irelands Troubles were resolved by the Good Friday Agreement, a masterpiece of negotiation in which nationalists and unionists often saw completely different things. Divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage were all legalised by popular votes as clerical sex abuse scandals cost the Catholic Church its moral authority.

Despite all this progress, Ferriter laments that many of Irelands problems seem as intractable as ever. We have had unprecedented economic growth, a traumatic crash and a recovery that lifted some boats much higher than others. Just like 1995, however, people are still complaining about hospital waiting lists, inadequate public transport, property prices and The Late Late Show being a shadow of its former self.

Rigourous approach: Diarmaid Ferriter

Ferriter divides his 418-page survey into seven hefty chapters: party politics, Northern Irelands uneasy peace, financial boom and bust, international relations, the decline of Catholicism, public service failures and culture wars. This is a huge canvas, but he fills it with events, personalities and controversies that even dedicated news junkies may have half-forgotten. If you need a quick refresher course on ghost estates, Celia Larkin, the McCracken Tribunal or the Ryan Report, they are all present and correct along with much else.

There is plenty to admire about Ferriters rigorous approach. Clearly a patriotic man, he delivers his material with the authority and conviction of a born teacher. The range of his research is vast, taking in newspapers, archives, reports, Oireachtas debates and memoirs by people from all walks of life.

Most impressively, he appears to have read every major Irish novel of the past three decades (plus a few minor ones) and combed them for lines that can tell us something about the state of the nation. He sees great significance in a passage from Anne Enrights The Gathering (2007) where one character at a family funeral says their childhood pain is roaring inside me.

There was a great deal of roaring inside during the period this book covers, Ferriter declares, as many people attempted to make sense of deep grievances and hurt and the degree to which the Irish social contract had failed them.

Unfortunately, Ferriters desire to draw from as many sources as possible creates a problem. His narrative is clogged up by so many quotations that it often feels like a mish-mash of other peoples analyses rather than the authors. Annoyingly, some of those quotes are not attributed in the text, which means you have to keep flipping to the endnotes if you want to know whose voice youre hearing.

Clearly a patriotic man, Ferriter delivers his material with the authority and conviction of a born teacher

This is a shame, because Ferriters own opinions are what gives the book its character. At one point, for example, he notes that former minister for finance Paschal Donohoe kept a copy of Declan Costellos left-leaning 1960s policy document Towards a Just Society in his office and claimed it was the guiding compass of my membership of Fine Gael. Given Donohoes budgetary decisions, Ferriter thunders, this was shallow posturing coming from the partys perceived intellectual heavyweight.

The professor hands out a few other poor grades as well. John Major claimed that talking to the IRA would turn my stomach, but Ferriter examines how the British prime minister was already doing so in private without any sign of gastric distress. One of the most crass comments of his tenure, is the verdict on taoiseach Bertie Aherns 2007 outburst that cribbers and moaners about Celtic Tiger Ireland should take their own lives  although with scrupulous fairness, he records that Ahern quickly apologised and met a suicide prevention group.

For the most part, however, Ferriter focuses on judging ideologies rather than individuals. He can occasionally sound like a cribber and moaner himself, complaining that Irelands economic boom was largely wasted on vulgar spending sprees rather than building a stronger society. Was there a sense that materialism had come at the expense of a traditional Irish system? he asks, a rhetorical device used over and over again here.

In particular, he is scathing about the health-related scandals that seem to keep on happening, whether Irish governments are flush or broke. On climate issues, he endorses Leo Varadkars admission that the Irish have traditionally been laggards.

What might be dubbed the Reeling in the Years school of Irish history sees it as a simple morality tale, with people gradually casting off the shackles of Catholicism to become freer, kinder and happier. Not surprisingly, Ferriters interpretation is far more nuanced. He painstakingly chronicles the Magdalene laundries, industrial school and other scandals. He also gives due weight to Irelands series of liberal agenda referendums, starting with the razor-thin 1995 vote on divorce which left one disappointed campaigner calling her opponents wife-swapping sodomites.

While Ferriter is no social conservative, however, he does wonder if 21st century Ireland has been gripped by a spiritual emptiness. He includes disturbing statistics on our childrens growing addiction to drugs, junk food, video games, cyberbullying and self-harm. Edna OBrien had more reason than most to despise Catholic piety, he points out, but even the late novelist expressed horror in 2009 at reports of teenage girls going to discos with their knickers in their handbags.

Casual readers should be warned: The Revelation of Ireland is far easier to admire than to enjoy. Ferriter is no great stylist and his prose feels workmanlike at best. The content is arranged thematically rather than chronologically, ruling out any sense of narrative drive. Its like sitting through a series of university lectures that demand total concentration with barely a quip to lighten the mood.

These reservations aside, The Revelation of Ireland is undeniably a major achievement. Its also a stout defence of Ferriters own profession. He praises educators who resisted an attempt to remove history as a compulsory Junior Cert subject. The teachers rose to that challenge forcefully, focusing on history as an essential tool of citizenship, he enthuses. They maintained its study was necessary to debunk myth and propaganda, to give priority to critical evaluation of evidence in an era of information overload, social media, unconnected fragments and sweeping generalisations and to make sense of the present.

With Ferriter determined to carry on that noble work, we can expect his next instalment of Irelands national story around 2044. Lets hope it is a slightly more cheerful one.

The Revelation of Ireland: 1995-2020 by Diarmaid Ferriter

History: The Revelation of Ireland 19952020 by Diarmaid Ferriter

Profile Books, 560 pages, hardcover 24.99; e-book 19.99
The Climate Change Advisory Council has said that Government needs to urgently support and incentivise the rapid uptake of cost-effective farming measures to reduce agricultural emissions.

That's according to its annual review of Agriculture and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.

However, it also signalled real concern about Irelands forestry, with forests becoming a source of emissions rather than a carbon sink due to a large proportion of the national forest estate approaching harvesting age, while afforestation rates have been insufficient to balance the removal of stored carbon.

Dr Cara Augustenborg, member of the Climate Change Advisory Council said, The Councils recommendations reflect the scale of the challenge for the agriculture and forestry sector to help meet our long-term national climate objectives, covering the range of changes needed from system-wide, strategic measures to technical, on-farm measures, in addition to more work required on societal engagement and supporting how agriculture will adapt to climate change.

"Developments within forestry present a particular challenge to meeting our long-term national climate objective. We want to see Government engage with foresters, farmers and communities to set out the financial opportunity and crucial role that forestry plays in our climate and biodiversity objectives. Government must also provide improved guidance on procedures for the Forestry Programme to encourage uptake.

IFA President Francie Gorman said the report reaffirms what IFA has been saying about the need for more Government support for farmers.

The IFA President said farmers were fully committed to producing food sustainably, but they must be supported to do so.

Farmers are responding to the climate challenge, but they cannot be expected to pay for it out of their own pockets. They cannot be put in the red by going green, he said.

The agriculture sector is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 34.3pc of Irelands emissions in 2023. The LULUCF sector is a net source of emissions in Ireland, accounting for an additional 9.3pc of total national emissions.

Marie Donnelly, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council said, Government needs to communicate the opportunities and incentivise proven measures for farmers, suppliers and the wider industry. Key areas of impactful gains include the accelerated roll out of protected urea fertiliser, increased uptake of methane reducing feed and manure additives and also the early finishing of livestock.

Positive news is that the Organic Farming Scheme has helped to treble the area organically farmed in Ireland since 2021. Incentives and supports are required to improve land management practices across all land uses to enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change and improve biodiversity with measures such as water table management, mixed swards, hedgerows and woodlands extension."
The authors also want to see an Agri-food Just Transition Fund (AJTF) created, a temporary fund outside of the CAP to support investments.

The European Commission has been told it needs to bring an end to area-based payments as part of the next CAP reform, 2028-2035.

The call comes as part of a new report from the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, and is set to be given consideration within the first 100 days of the Commission's new mandate.

The authors of the report, a diverse group of EU farming stakeholders, call for income support policy to promote employment and to support the ongoing transition of agri-food systems towards more sustainable, competitive, profitable, and diverse futures.

The report highlights that basic income support remains the most funded CAP measure, however it is mostly unrelated to socio-economic needs.

Move away from current non-degressive area-based payments towards an effective income support approach, financial public support has to be based on farmers economic viability that has to be demonstrated by a standardised methodology, the report continues.

The authors say this would entail the gathering of an independent task force composed of social policy, economic and agronomic experts to evaluate the most appropriate mechanisms and criteria to better target income payments.

This evaluation should include measures such as redistributive mechanisms, capping, degressivity, eligibility criteria as well as new distribution mechanisms inspired by social policies. The result of this evaluation must be ready ahead of the conclusion of the next CAP 2028-2035 reform.

The Commission has been instructed to target income support at active farmers who need it most, to avoid negative corollaries, such as impacts on land prices and leases that make agricultural production more expensive and hinder generational renewal and reduction of administrative burden.

The authors also want to see an Agri-food Just Transition Fund (AJTF) created, a temporary fund outside of the CAP to support investments.

The fund should provide one-of investment support (in the form of loans or grants) to farmers and other food system actors for their sustainability transition. This support should go beyond material investments, including also capacity building.

The support should be made available based on long-term transition business plans and adopt a whole-farm approach in the case of farmers. Special consideration should be given to food system actors with limited financial means.

The costs associated with the transition to higher animal welfare should be supported by the AJTF.
Kitchen porter had worked at Brownes since June 2005 and was earning an average of 576.92 for a working week varying from 47 to 60 hours when his employment ended

A kitchen porter left jobless in the wake of the Brownes Steakhouse fatal shooting last Christmas Eve has secured an order requiring his former employer to pay him a redundancy lump sum worth nearly 22,000.

Gunman Tristan Sherry (26) was killed after he shot and fatally injured 48-year-old Jason Hennessy Senior last Christmas Eve at the busy restaurant on Main Street, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

It was the last day of 18-and-a-half years service at the restaurant for kitchen porter Gedeminas Urbasius, who told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) last month that he had heard nothing from his employer since the night of the killings.

The employment tribunal upheld a complaint under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 against the operator of the restaurant, San Siro Ltd, trading as Brownes Steakhouse, in a decision published this morning.

Mr Urbasius told a hearing in August this year that he had worked at Brownes since June 2005 and was earning an average of 576.92 for a working week varying from 47 to 60 hours when his employment ended.

Today's News In 90 Seconds - 5th September 2024

The worker exhibited a letter he sent by registered post to his former employer on 26 April this year applying for a payment of statutory redundancy.

In it, he wrote: I fully understand that this may be a difficult situation for you as well, however I have no other option as [I] have no information whatsoever and believe redundancy payment is the right decision in these circumstances.

Mr Urbasiuss evidence was that the restaurant closed on December 24, 2023, and has not reopened since. He had heard nothing from his employer in the time since, he added.

WRC adjudicator Eileen Campbell recorded in her decision that she adjourned the case earlier this year to make sure the proprietor of the restaurant business was on notice, that the businessman was properly on notice when the matter was called on again in August and that he made no appearance before her.

She found that nothing had been paid to Mr Urbasius in respect of redundancy by the time of the hearing last month.

In circumstances where the respondent has ceased to carry on business where the complainant was employed, I find a redundancy situation applies and I find the claim for a redundancy payment to be well founded, she wrote.

Ms Campbell wrote that the calculation of the statutory redundancy lump sum was a matter for the Department of Social Protection, as officials would have to examine the record of Mr Urbasiuss social insurance contributions to confirm the entitlement.

Based on the statutory formula, Mr Urbasiuss pay on termination and his 18.5 years service, the value of his statutory redundancy entitlement once confirmed would be nearly 22,000.

Four men face trial before the Special Criminal Court in November charged with Sherrys murder.

They are Noah Musueni (18), Corduff Park, Blanchardstown; Wayne Deegan (26), Linnetsfield Avenue, Phibblestown, Dublin 15; David Amah (18), Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate, Dublin; and Michael Andrecut (22), Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown.

Jonas Kabangu (18) is charged with violent disorder at the same location on that date, as is a young man who recently reached the age of 18 and cannot be named.

A seventh accused, Jaures Kumbu (18), Brookhaven Grove, Blanchardstown, is charged with possession of a submachine gun contrary to Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act, at Main Street, Blanchardstown on the same date.

The trial is expected to last four weeks.
Gardai have issued an appeal for anyone who wishes to report a crime related to historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders to make contact with them.

The appeal follows the publication of the Scoping Inquiry report on Tuesday.

A spokesperson said gardai are fully aware of the profound impact on the lives of those who were subject to such abuse, many of whom who may only be disclosing this information for the first time.

An Garda Siochana will deal with any matters reported by complainants in a sensitive manner and will, where possible, progress matters through investigation.

An appeal has also been made to anyone, including a witness, to provide information relating to historical sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders.

The spokesperson added: "While it is our responsibility to effectively deal with all complaints and information received, there be limitations as to the action we can take in some cases due to matters such as the unavailability of evidence over time or suspects and/or witnesses being deceased. Where these factors are present, An Garda Siochana will diligently explain such limitations to complainants.

"The Garda National Protective Service Bureau will maintain oversight of these investigations which will be investigated by specially trained Gardai attached to Divisional Protective Service Units in every Garda Division nationwide.

Anyone who wishes to contact gardai can do so in three ways: by emailing GNPSB_SCMU@garda.ie, phoning the free, confidential 24/7 Garda Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Line on 1800 555 222, or contacting a local garda station.
Upsetting findings include at least 63 claims of sexual abuse of deaf girls in Dublin

One abuse survivor said he was given a letter by a religious order telling him they would pray for me. Stock image. Photo: Getty

Alleged child sex abusers were moved between special schools where they had access to vulnerable and disabled children.

A distressing report published this week found that of the almost 2,400 allegations of historical abuse in religious-run day and boarding schools across Ireland, there was a particularly high number of allegations in special schools.

Almost 200 alleged abusers are claimed to have abused children across just 17 special schools in Ireland. More than a dozen clerics who did not work at special schools have been accused of sexually abusing children with additional needs. There are at least 63 allegations of sexual abuse of deaf girls at a school in Dublin.

In total, there are 528 allegations of sexual abuse at religious-run special schools in Ireland.

The Scoping Inquiry said this reflected the fact that disabled children are more vulnerable to and are more likely to be sexually abused than able-bodied children.

Analysis of records held by religious orders shows evidence that four alleged abusers were moved between special schools. The report said the reason a breakdown of special schools showed 194 alleged abusers instead of 190, was because alleged abusers who moved between different schools are counted twice.

The report also found similar evidence that alleged abusers had been moved between mainstream schools.

Of the 190 people alleged to have sexually abused children at special schools across the country, 74 were members of the religious order that ran their school. Another 49 were lay staff, 54 were peers and 13 alleged abusers were clerics who were not members of the religious order.

The report has warned that instances of historical child sex abuse in religious schools have likely been under-reported.

While the report said that half of the 884 people accused of sexual abuse at all 308 schools have died, the profile of the 190 people accused of abusing children at special schools showed that just 27pc are dead. The rest are either still living, or their status is not known.

The majority of allegations of abuse at special schools centre on three schools run by the Brothers of Charity, where 294 instances of abuse were alleged to have happened at the Holy Family School in Renmore, Galway; the Lota school in Glanmire, Cork; and St Marys school in Rochestown, Cork.

Today's News In 90 Seconds - 5th September 2024

The religious order warned the Scoping Inquiry that its record-keeping could not separate physical abuse and sexual abuse. While the Brothers of Charity said it was likely that most cases related to sexual abuse, it was possible that some allegations were of physical, non-sexual abuse.

The Hospitaller Order of St John of God originally told the Scoping Inquiry it was aware of 124 allegations of sexual abuse at seven of its special schools. But after investigating further, the inquiry found evidence of another 20 sexual abuse allegations at special schools run by the same order.

The Congregation of Dominican Sisters Cabra faces 63 allegations of abuse at its school for deaf girls in Cabra and one allegation at its Benincasa Special School in Blackrock.

The Scoping Inquiry contacted over 70 religious orders in Ireland, in an extensive search for records of sexual abuse. In one case, the inquiry got no response from the religious order the Norbertines because it no longer exists in Ireland. But a trawl of garda files confirmed a priest associated with the school was convicted for sexual abuse and gardai had a record of three allegations of historical sexual abuse at the same school.

The inquiry found that only allegations of sexual abuse reported after 2003 were available through a search of the garda Pulse system.

Over 30 of the 72 religious congregations contacted claimed that they had no record of any allegations of sexual abuse at their schools. But the Scoping Inquiry would later discover historical sexual abuse allegations against a small number of those same orders.

Other allegations also emerged against schools that other religious orders had not included in their records of sexual abuse allegations. And while the Sisters of Mercy did provide the total number of sexual abuse allegations in its records, it did not give the names of the schools where abuse is alleged to have happened. The De La Salle Order did not provide the names of its schools where abuse was alleged to have happened until June of this year, shortly before the report was finished.

Most of the child sex abuse survivors who spoke to the inquiry about their experience of trying to make a complaint said talking to the religious orders had been disappointing, frustrating and in some cases retraumatising.

Survivors described being confused, belittled, dismissed or stonewalled by religious orders. Many told of intimidating warnings from orders and their solicitors that the survivors could face financial ruin if they tried to take the religious order to court. Some survivors described struggling to find solicitors who would take on their case, citing the fear of the resources the religious orders had to fight in court.

One survivor described how he was given a one-page letter telling me that they would pray for me, with the name of a garda on it. One man was told by a representative for a religious order to consider whether Id be able to get employment at a good company, and if going public could impact my exam results from the stress of it.

He said it would impact my fathers standing in the community if it became public knowledge, the survivor said. So, they won. I had planned to go to the guards after I spoke to the priest. And I didnt. I was coerced into silence. That is front and centre to me.

One head of a religious order showed up at a survivors mothers house, to ask that they not be sued. Another tactic reported by survivors was religious orders claiming they had no record of abuse, and convincing survivors to settle by persuading them that they were the only person to allege such abuse. It would later emerge that the same orders had settled a number of cases.

Other orders were accused of lying, claiming key documents had been lost or destroyed when they were not. 

The majority of survivors who spoke to the inquiry about their experience of civil and criminal cases in the legal system had a negative experience, with many citing the delaying tactics of religious orders legal teams. One survivor has been waiting eight years for their trial. Another described his civil action as a four-year process that nearly killed me because of the stress. 

One survivor described what it was like watching his friend take on a religious order in court: I watched a friend in court, what he went through; they destroyed him for three days. He never deserved what they put him through.

Helplines: If you have been affected by the contents of this article, the organisation One in Four provides services to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. One in Four can be contacted by calling 01 662 4070 or by completing the form at www.oneinfour.ie/contact
As Russian attacks continue, Taoiseach tells Ukrainian residents that Putin has misjudged Europes solidarity with Kyiv

Simon Harris met one couple whose lives have been turned upside down since Russias invasion in February 2022

Taoiseach Simon Harris speaks with Ruslan Kravchenko, the head of the Kyiv state regional administration, during a visit to inspect damage to buildings in Borodyanka, outside Kyiv. Photo: PA

Gabija Gataveckaite Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 03:30

Mykola and Nataliia Anisimov lost their home in the small rural village of Hostomel, near Kyiv, during one of the most brutal battles at the beginning of the war in Ukraine two and a half years ago.
Eddie Punch who lives in Cratloe, where he runs a cattle and suckler farm, has announced he will run in the general election.

Eddie Punch will run as a candidate for Independent Ireland in the Clare constituency in the upcoming general election.

Punch, a drystock farmer from Cratloe, received over 20,000 first preference votes when he ran in the recent European Elections earlier this year.

Announcing his decision to run in the general election, he said he is particularly concerned about the marginalisation of Shannon Airport in favour of Dublin Airport, which he sees as detrimental to tourism and economic growth on the west coast.

"Of the 39m passengers handled by Irish airports in 2023, 85pc went through Dublin and just 5pc through Shannon. This imbalance is devastating for tourism in Clare and the west of Ireland. We need strong voices in the Dail to challenge the mindset that 'Dublin is all that matters'," said Punch.

Punch also expressed concerns about the overuse of hotel accommodations in Clare for refugees, arguing that this practice harms local businesses that rely on tourism.

He also criticised the Ennis 2040 vision for its lack of consideration for the needs of local businesses, and he voiced skepticism about certain climate policies that he believes are impractical for rural Ireland. Punch stated that he is not against sensible win/win proposals for climate and environment but he feels that much of what is being driven by the current government is off the charts and makes no sense.

We have spent the last few years with carbon tax being progressively hiked, being told to use public transport and in the past few weeks parents are exhausted fighting to retain a decent school bus service in Sixmilebridge, Cratloe and Newmarket on Fergus.

"There is a feeling that the government is focused on trying to fix the world's problems, but cannot deliver something as simple as a bus service for school children, we return our focus on getting these important things right for parents and families and that is what I intend to do."

Punch, who previously served as Secretary General of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association for over 25 years, said the farming community is at their wits end with threats to end the nitrates derogation and cut the national herd.

Farmers in Clare, he said, like the rest of Ireland, are sick and tired of being led up and down the hill.

"They cant plan for the future. If elected, I will not be found wanting in standing up for Irish farming, and for our food sector. It makes no sense to cut back Irish quality food systems and import food from outside the EU.

Party Leader Michael Collins said Punch's deep knowledge of agriculture and his commitment to balanced regional development make him an outstanding candidate for Clare. Eddie understands the challenges facing our farmers and rural communities, and he will be a tireless champion for their needs in the Dail."

TD Michael Fitzmaurice, also expressed strong support for Punch, adding, "Eddie Punch knows first hand the struggles of rural life and the farming community. He has been on the front lines, advocating for fair treatment and sensible policies. His experience and dedication will be invaluable in fighting for the interests of Clare and ensuring that the voices of rural Ireland are heard.
Tanaiste Micheal Martin said he was shocked by the findings of the Scoping Inquiry. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Tanaiste Micheal Martin has told religious orders they will be expected to co-operate fully with the State over the inquiry into abuse within order-run schools.

The Fianna Fail leader also said that some religious orders did not deliver what they had committed to in terms of redress under previous abuse inquiries.

Mr Martin, who was speaking at Haulbowline Naval Base as he commissioned two new inshore patrol vessels into the Naval Service fleet, said the findings of the report were truly shocking.

The report found there were almost 2,400 allegations of sexual abuse at 308 religious-run schools nationwide.

It recommended that a commission of investigation be established, but that its terms of reference also be extended to include all secondary schools in the State including those not under the control of religious orders.

We have had a long litany of abuse inquiries over 20 to 25 years now, beginning with the inquiries into the industrial schools, Mr Martin said.

The level of abuse revealed in this report was very shocking  it was very sad and traumatic for those involved.

The Government will do everything we possibly can to have a victim-led inquiry and also to work on the other recommendations through supporting the victims in every way we can.

I have been speaking with the Education Minister, Norma Foley, about the recommendations and the scope and the nature of the inquiry.

Mr Martin said religious orders now face clear issues over the matter of redress.

They have a huge responsibility in respect of redress, he said.

There have been many civil cases...where many victims have been dragged through the courts unnecessarily following convictions of people in respect of schools.

The religious orders will have to cooperate with the State in this regard.

Given the expected breadth of the inquiry  the terms of reference are being worked on  the recommendation is not just to do religious schools but indeed all schools.

That is an enormous task...in the meantime, the redress question cannot be indefinitely parked.

We acknowledge that and we are considering how best to do justice for the victims of this terrible sexual and physical abuse.

Mr Martin said he did not want the victims involved to have to wait indefinitely for justice or redress.

He said the one major factor of previous abuse inquiries was that victims did not have to wait indefinitely for redress.

The State had responsibilities in respect of the industrial schools, he said. They (some religious orders) did get away  they did not, in my view, make the contribution that they signed up to make (in redress). Some did and some did not.

He said the proposed inquiry must put the needs and rights of those who suffered abuse in schools at the core of its operation.

We have to be victim-led in the first instance and their needs have to be paramount, he said.

His party and cabinet colleague, Jack Chambers, said religious orders named in the report should make a contribution to the compensation of victims through the redress programme called for in the Scoping Inquiry.

My sympathies are with all of the victims, and I commend them for their courage as part of the process that weve had up to this point, said Mr Chambers, who added that he had watched Prime Time the night before, and heard the harrowing experiences that so many young people had in our school system.

I know many more will come forward as part of the next process.

Obviously, the Government will discuss the recommendations, but I think generally there should be a contribution made by religious institutions for any redress scheme which might come from this process. They should be part of that.

He said he believed the religious orders have been quite defensive on this. He added that it was shameful that so many victims have waited for so long to have their stories heard.

They havent had any accountability and thats why its important that the next stage of this, led by Minister Foley, is progressed quickly.

Asked if the orders should be legally compelled to pay, Mr Chambers said: We need absolute accountability when it comes to the religious orders and their involvement in this over many years.

They need to be involved and obviously the legal mechanisms and how thats done, both for the process itself and the redress scheme, will be for further Government discussion.

But no religious order should be left behind as part of this. They need to be involved when it comes to accountability and being part of the scheme.
A group of TikTok influencers used ladders and ropes to break into the former Cork Prison premises as part of a video stunt.

An investigation is now underway into how the incident occurred - and whether security measures at the former prison complex now need to be increased.

It is believed the break-in occurred three weeks ago and took place in the early hours of the morning.

Video footage posted by the online influencers was viewed by Paul Byrne Media - complete with their commentary on the increasingly dilapidated condition of the former jail complex.

One TikTok influencer said in their social media posting that the prison was "the best abandoned building I was ever in."

Another said it was amazing to be inside the complex which was once one of the most secure prisons in the State.

Videos posted showed paint peeling from some of the cell walls - while items were scattered around the cell block corridors including food wrappers and bits of clothing.

Footage also showed the group arriving at Rathmore Road for the stunt complete with ladders, ropes and dark clothing.

The faces of the individuals were not shown in the footage.

Over 100,000 people have now viewed the footage of the old Cork Prison break-in.

Today's News In 90 Seconds - 5th September 2024

The complex was made redundant in 2016 when a new 45m prison was opened on a six acre site adjacent to the old jail on Rathmore Road in Cork.

That new prison opened after plans for a 'super prison' in north Cork was quietly dropped.

For the past eight years, the old prison has effectively been abandoned.

While it is adjacent to the new modern prison, there is no direct access between the two buildings.

There have been various proposals over the future use of the old prison ranging from it being converted into emergency accommodation for refugees and the homeless to it being refurbished and reopened as a prison given the increasing pressure on cell capacity nationwide.

Cork has three old prisons - the oldest in the city, Cork Gaol, is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the State and is located in Sunday's Well.

That prison opened in 1824 and closed in 1923 in the early years of the fledgling Free State.

It is now a major tourist attraction and is also used for various exhibitions and charity events.

Spike Island in Cork harbour - which was used as a prison over 300 years ago - was refurbished and re-opened as an island prison tourism attraction.

It has been hailed as 'Ireland's Alcatraz' and has various awards as an outstanding visitor attraction.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) are now investigating the apparent break in last month at the old Cork Prison.

Gardai are aware of the matter and are assisting the IPS with their ongoing inquiry.

The public were warned that the old Cork Prison is private property and that under no circumstances should anyone attempt to enter it.

Officials are also deeply concerned at the safety threat involved in the incident with the potential for serious injury or even death if any of the TikTok influencers had fallen from the high walls that surround the old jail.

The IPS stressed that it does not comment on security or operational matters.

However, officials warned the incident of unlawful entry was being taken seriously and that both the IPS and Gardai are investigating precisely what was involved.
1961 Stratocaster is stand-out item in collection owned by iconic Irish musician

Rory Gallaghers Fender Stratocaster, bought for 100 when he was 15, will be auctioned by Bonhams in London next month and could attract bids of over 1m. Photo: Redferns

Long before Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis started a Britpop frenzy, there was only one rock and roll Gallagher that mattered. His name was Rory and nearly 30 years after his untimely death, there are plenty who would consider the Irish guitar slinger the only Gallagher worthy of being acclaimed a genuine musical genius.

On October 17, Bonhams auction house in London will host a sale of Rory Gallaghers guitar collection, along with amps and accessories from his career. Among the items is Gallaghers 1961 Fender Stratocaster, bought second hand from Crowleys Music Store in Cork in 1963.

He was just 15 but already a professional working musician, playing covers on the Irish showband circuit. He paid 100 on credit for the guitar, persuading his parents that it would ultimately save money because he could play rhythm and lead at the same time, so wouldnt need a second guitarist in his band. Today, its value is estimated at up to 1.2m.

Rory Gallagher in Profile

It is a beautiful, battered looking instrument that Gallagher played all his life, as he rose to become Irelands first rock star. It is the instrument he would have been playing when his original power trio Taste supported Cream for their final concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1968. Eric Clapton later credited Rory for getting me back into the blues.

Before he formed Queen, Brian May was a huge Gallagher fan, attending many shows at the Marquee in London. He could make his guitar do anything, according to May. It seemed to be magic. I remember looking at his battered Stratocaster thinking how does that come out of there?

Gallagher was held in the highest esteem by his musical peers. Jimi Hendrix and Taste were on the same bill at the Isle of Wight festival in 1971, when Gallagher was called back for five encores. There is a story of a journalist asking Hendrix backstage what its like to be the greatest guitarist in the world, and Hendrix replying: I dont know. Go ask Rory Gallagher.

One of the all-time great blues rock guitarists, Gallaghers riffs and solos would slip seamlessly between heavy aggression and melodious sensitivity. He was also a thoughtful songwriter, with a growling, expressive voice and an expansive style that embraced acoustic folk, tender balladry, epic rock and barnstorming blues.

He played ukulele, harmonica, saxophone, bass, mandolin and banjo, sometimes weaving elements of Irish traditional music through his searing solos. He was voted guitarist of the year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972, sold over 30 million albums worldwide, and remained a hugely popular live attraction all his life.

Anyone fortunate enough to have witnessed the man in action knows he was guaranteed to deliver fierce, loud, energetic sets and never play anything the same way twice.

Bassist Gerry McAvoy, who played with Gallagher for 20 years from 1971 to 1991, said: Rory never constructed a set. On any tour, wed have the first two songs [planned]  but after that, all hell broke loose. Wed be flying by the seat of our pants, but Rory wanted that spontaneity.

A new 20-disc box set, Rory Gallagher: The BBC Collection, will be released on October 11, featuring over 189 tracks comprising all of his radio and TV concerts, sessions and studio performances from 1971 to 1986.

Gallagher had little interest in playing the music business game and courting the kind of super fame his talent warranted

Jake Burns of Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers (who later worked as a BBC producer and interviewed Gallagher) was a dedicated fan who always tuned in for Gallaghers live broadcasts over the years.

He would launch into these solos and they were completely improvised every night, said Burns. Then hed start singing along to the solo and youre thinking, How the f**k does he know what hes going to play, to be able to sing at the same time? It was complete command of the guitar.

When Mick Taylor left the Rolling Stones in 1975, Gallagher was top of their wish list to replace him. He rehearsed with the Stones for three nights in Amsterdam but slipped away to resume a solo tour.

Gallagher had little interest in playing the music business game and courting the kind of super fame his talent warranted. He invariably dressed in scruffy lumberjack shirts and jeans, and rarely released singles.

Oasis band members Noel Gallagher (left) and Liam Gallagher (Zak Hussein/PA)

He was shy and self-effacing in interviews. But he was 10 times the player of eventual recruit Ronnie Woods and it would have been fascinating to hear how Rorys incendiary soloing might have dovetailed with Keith Richards bluesy weave.

But Gallagher had his own music to make. He recorded 11 fine solo studio albums and played with Muddy Waters, Jerry Lee Lewis, Peter Frampton, Albert Lee, Gary Moore and Slash of Guns N Roses, one of Rorys keenest admirers.

Johnny Marr of the Smiths is another fan, who once made a pilgrimage to Gallaghers manager-brother Donals house to spend the day playing his heros famous Stratocaster.

It is celebrated for its bare, stripped-wood appearance, the original sunburst finish having long since faded, although Donal is insistent that this was not evidence of a lack of care.

Theres a lot of theories that Rory took a hammer and chisel to the thing and it was wrecked from touring, said Donal, who recalls his brother in tears when he first realised the paintwork was peeling off.

Actually, it was to do with the paint chemicals and a mixture of his own alkaline sweat that seemed to act like a paint stripper. You could say his DNA is in the instrument.

Rory Gallagher was a shy man who became a heavy drinker and developed other health-related problems over a life of constant touring. He died in June 1995, aged just 47, from MRSA contracted in hospital following a liver transplant, just as a new breed of rocking Gallaghers were ascending to stardom.

Noel and Liam Gallagher have achieved a level of commercial success far beyond that of their predecessor

He was not related to the Oasis brothers, whose parents are from Co Mayo and Co Meath, while Rory was born in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.

But there is a connection. On a trip to Ireland in 1996, Noel Gallagher borrowed one of his namesakes acoustic guitars from Donal to play Cast No Shadow at an Oasis concert in Cork.

Noel and Liam Gallagher have achieved a level of commercial success far beyond that of their predecessor, but there is an underlying ethos that they evidently share  a genuine faith in musics power to communicate, allied to a certain stubbornness of spirit.

You just follow your own way and dont let anyone try to push you down the road that they want you to go, as Rory Gallagher once put it. Its not about being the best, its about being true to yourself.

Of course, it helps if you really are the best.

Rory Gallagher: The BBC Collection is released on October 11. The Rory Gallagher Collection will be auctioned on October 17, with previews in London from October 11 (bonhams.com)
Elle Macpherson has always been the picture of health. At 60, she remains so, seven years after a breast cancer diagnosis.

This week, the Australian supermodel revealed in her new memoir Elle: Life, Lessons and Learning To Trust Yourself that she went against the advice of 32 doctors once she received her diagnosis. It was recommended that Macpherson undergo a mastectomy with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and breast reconstruction.
Threats to world order and international stability can seem remote, but the killing of little girls in their beds ought to strike directly at the heart.

As the war in Ukraine grinds through its third year, Taoiseach Simon Harris, on a trip there, saw the cold reality of the pain and brutality that must never be accepted.

The girls he spoke of were probably asleep in their beds and murdered by an overnight drone strike in the city of Lviv.

With Ireland is full posters appearing on lamp-posts, we should remember the lethal dangers people are fleeing and the trauma they are experiencing at having to abandon all they love.

At a meeting in Kyiv with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr Harris promised that those fleeing the war will always be welcome in Ireland. Mr Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the 100,000 of his people warmly welcomed here.

We may not be able to stop the bombings, but if we can do our bit to lighten the burden of people under attack  people standing to defend not just their homeland but the integrity of democracy in Europe  we should regard it as a privilege.

There have been many moments in history when doing the right thing was deemed to come at a cost too many seemed unwilling to pay. In hindsight, the long-term humanitarian benefits always outweighed the outlay.

Those who refuse to give up need to know they are not alone, if there is to be any light of hope amid the darkness. Protecting lives cannot be dismissed or denied as if it were a double-entry bookkeeping exercise.

Ukrainian cities are coming under increasingly heavy bombardment. Russias troops are also making steady gains in the east.

As a neutral country, we have no part in helping to defend or attack, but we cannot step back from humanitarian commitments, which Mr Harris has rightly pledged to continue.

Europe is going through its own long night of the soul. There must be limits, but at times of extreme danger, a hand must be extended.

Swings to the far right in France and Germany have gained alarming momentum. Groups are exploiting migration concerns and advocating closed-door policies, even for those whose lives are at risk.

Insulated from the true horrors of war, it may seem easy to look the other way.

On a visit to Borodyanka, Mr Harris was taken to a site where people were trapped under rubble and could not be rescued. He also met a couple who had lost everything.

While the war is here, it is an attack on all of our values, he told them.

At a time when everything we do is viewed through the prism of economy and affordability, we need to remember we are interdependent, with shared values. These values are best reflected in the causes we champion and the people we stand by in times of threat.
In a recent interview, Catherine Gomezgani Hara, Speaker of the National Assembly in Malawi, expressed her support for China's efforts to strengthen its friendship with developing countries, particularly in Africa. Hara underscored the need for discussions on how both sides can benefit economically from their partnership. "China is a very big market, and if we can penetrate this market, our people will benefit economically," she stated. She advocated for a shift from aid to trade, suggesting that increasing trade could help reduce poverty levels in African countries. She pointed out that recent policy changes, such as China's removal of taxes on agricultural products exported from Malawi, demonstrate the positive impact of this evolving relationship by providing better market access for Malawi's goods. The Speaker also highlighted the importance of exchange visits, trade policies, infrastructure development, and overall diplomatic friendship between countries. She gave examples of areas where China could assist, such as providing expertise and capacity-building in the mining sector, which is currently hindered by a lack of equipment and training in Malawi. Hara further addressed the agricultural sector, emphasizing the need for Chinese support in providing equipment to improve productivity. She painted a vivid picture of the challenges faced by rural farmers in Malawi, particularly women who still work in their fields using basic tools like hoes while carrying their babies on their backs. "The Chinese government can help us increase productivity, which is something we are currently lacking," she remarked. Looking ahead, Hara expressed optimism about the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September, where heads of state from African nations and officials from the Chinese government will gather. She described the event as a critical platform for dialogue, enabling both sides to share their challenges and explore potential areas for cooperation. "In the end, our peopleboth in China and Africawill be the beneficiaries," she concluded.
The horrifying revelations in the report on abuse at schools run by religious orders should be the final nail in the coffin for church-run education.

With nearly 2,400 allegations of historical sexual abuse across 308 institutions and 884 alleged abusers, this report paints a grim picture of a system that has failed our children.

The report should force us to confront an uncomfortable truth: religious institutions have no place in running our schools.

How many more scandals must emerge, how many more children must suffer, before we recognise that entrusting our education system to religious orders is a grave mistake?

From the numbers in the report, it is clear the protection of children was secondary to the preservation of institutional reputation.

The reports findings show abuse was a systemic problem, especially in special education schools, where 590 allegations have surfaced across just 17 institutions.

This is not the first time we have heard about such abuses, and it is unlikely to be the last unless we make a decisive break from the past.

For too long we have entrusted the education of our children to organisations that have shown a persistent inability or unwillingness to prioritise their welfare.

Continuing to allow religious orders to control schools is an affront to the survivors of abuse and to the values of a modern, democratic society.

The time for half-measures and inquiries has passed  it is time to sever the ties between church and education once and for all.

Luke J Gibbons, Claremorris, Co Mayo

Prosecute the institutions for malfeasance, neglect, abuse and manslaughter

If there ever was a need to prosecute corporations or entities like religious orders or the Catholic church for criminal malfeasance, corporate manslaughter, neglect and abuse, this is the time to enact legislation to support it.

The commission of inquiry into religious orders that oversaw the sexual abuse of children, never mind the gross negligence and abuse inflicted on single mothers and their babies in mother and baby homes and other institutions, is a watershed moment for the Catholic church and other religious orders in Ireland.

That 308 schools were complicit in the sexual abuse of minors by 884 alleged abusers, culminating in 2,395 allegations of abuse is as shocking as it is disgusting.

Who knew of this abuse, and why wasnt something done to stop it? Where were the religious lay people or those who oversaw these institutions when these children were being abused? What were the other state agencies doing?

Christy Galligan, Letterkenny, Co Donegal

I asked a question about priesthood applicants  it is yet to be answered

When Blackrock College hit the headlines for the wrong reasons some months ago, I sent a simple question to the letters page of every national newspaper, asking: What sort of applicants for the priesthood were rejected?

The Irish Independent was the only paper that published it, and nobody answered it.

Mattie Lennon, Blessington, Co Wicklow

Government has a chance to shake the EU from its passivity on the Gaza war

I was struck by the headline of Nidal al-Mughrabis report, Israel kills 35 Palestinians in Gaza, but pauses fighting for polio vaccinations (Irish Independent, September 4).

This sums up the obscenity of what has been happening in Gaza since last October, which is merely a more extreme version of what has been happening to Israels Palestinian victims for generations.

No doubt we will now hear American and EU spokespersons praising their ally Israel for its humanitarian decency, before sending more armaments to facilitate the slaughter of untold numbers of those children who have just been vaccinated.

The same report tells us that diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire... have stalled, with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that war can only end when Hamas is eradicated, something that will never happen as long as Palestinians resist the illegal occupation of the West Bank and the siege of Gaza.

It is high time our government represented the Irish peoples support for Palestinian rights by implementing the Occupied Territories Bill and the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill, thus setting a precedent that might well jolt the rest of the EU from its passivity.

Raymond Deane, Broadstone, Dublin 7

Yes, Nato itself may have clean hands, but member nations cant claim same

A recent letter to the Irish Independent cited Nato as having never invaded any nation, unlike Russia.

Its true the acronym Nato has not invaded a country  yet. However, many of its members over the years have been brand leaders in state disruption and invasion. The US has invaded  lets take a deep breath here  Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia and Haiti, among others.

The UK once had the world map shaded pink, and the north of our island still bears that hue.

France and Napoleon invaded Russia, as did Germany and Hitler. In our rush to wear uniforms and become cannon fodder for big nations, Irish men fought and died at the Somme and Ypres in support of the little nations.

We might recall history didnt start at the beginning of the 2000s.

John Cuffe, Co Meath

There may be a crafty way to revive pub culture, and the solution would be Irish

Further to Sinead Ryans musings on the state of Irish pubs (Our pub culture has changed and maybe we should welcome it, Irish Independent, September 4), while the sight of a deserted village street with only a few stubbornly open pubs may stir a melancholic tune on tour heartstrings, I believe the solution to reviving our pub culture might be found in an unexpected, yet distinctly Irish, direction  craft beer.

Who could resist a pub where the taps pour not just the usual bland suspects, but also a stout brewed locally, an IPA or a red ale that has been regionally crafted?

Our pubs can endure, not just as relics of a bygone era, but as vibrant centres of community where you can still get a good story, a great pint and perhaps even a locally sourced sandwich.

Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Co Armagh
The Kneecap film has already enjoyed extraordinary success across the globe  not only as an incisive caper involving ceasefire babies, but also for thrusting Irish language and culture into the mainstream, building on the successes of its cinematic predecessors Arracht, An Cailin Ciuin, Foscadh and Roise & Frank.

These podcasts champion the language, culture and contemporary nuances of this island.

Kerry is home to Irelands highest mountain, its oldest thatched cottage and its oldest known fossilised footprint (of a tetrapod, from 385m years ago). It is also home to journalist Edaein OConnell and radio and TV presenter Jamie O Flannura, who in a 10-part series rove up and down the county, speaking with young people who have decided to settle there.

The IMRO Radio Award shortlisted The Magic of An Riocht (Apple, Spotify) has a simple but effective premise, almost exclusively as Gaeilge, giving voice to a demographic often associated with economic migration, largely thanks to the housing crisis and wider cost-of-living challenges.

The summit of Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain. Photo: Getty

OConnell and O Flannura have cherry-picked some interesting interviewees, such as school teacher Lisa Ni Luing, who returned to the kingdom after a stint in the UAE, and Texas-born California native Sydney Sargent who relocated to Dingle (an episode thats conducted in English). This country is divine, she decided on arrival in Kinsale eight years ago to work as an au pair before moving west. As OConnell says, Sargents love story has Hallmark movie written all over it, having met her Kerryman partner on a flight from Paris back to Ireland.

The long-running (2014) Bitesize Irish Podcast (Apple, Spotify; bitesize.irish) is both an entertaining and informative offshoot of Biteseize Irish, which offers online language courses and a ready-made community of Irish speakers for learners across the globe.

Each bilingual episode sees a set theme (Bealtaine, the story of Biddy Early, regional dialects, when and how to use Irish when visiting Ireland) or a chat with a special guest, such as American Gaeilgeoir Terry, an engineer from Silicon Valley, who explains his journey into the language and recommends his favourite learning apps.

Hear also our very own Pol O Conghaile, who describes his lifes trajectory, from growing up in Ballinasloe, Co Galway to international travel writer and editor, before revealing his Secret Dublin hotspots to coincide with the guide book of the same name. Recent episodes on the origins of the Lunasa festival, with folklorist Conchur Mag Eachain, and a chat with Brooklyn musician and fluent Irish speaker Cathy Gallagher are also absorbing.

Presenter Manchan Magan. Photo: RTE

Disclaimer: this is not actually an Gaeilge at all but it is presented by one of the countrys best-known champions of the language, Manchan Magan, whose best-selling books, such as Thirty-two Words for Field and Listen to the Land Speaking tap into the native tongue, history and culture.

The podcast Manchans Europe (Apple, Spoitify; rte.ie) ties in with his RTE series Manchans Europe by Train, made to highlight the author and broadcasters commitment to slow travel, in a bid to reduce his carbon footprint. He co-hosts with fellow plane-avoider Holly Tuppen, a consultant and advocate for sustainable tourism, to discuss hot-button topics such as over-tourism and what it means to travel sustainably on the island of Ireland.
336,000 will get you a three-bedroom house in Ballyfermot, Dublin, a four-bed dormer in Co Cavan or a three-bed bungalow in Co Donegal, but at Leinster House it gets you a bicycle shed. Value for money?

With ministers, TDs and the public demanding an investigation into the affair, it has left many scratching their heads asking how could something like this ever happen at the Dail?

Well, to put it simply  Leinster House has form when it comes to Dail disasters.

From giant printers to "Celebrities in the Wild", the list of costly calamities shows no sign of abating.

Today on the Indo Daily Kevin Doyle is joined by John Downing, Political Correspondent with the Irish Independent, to look back at some of the most cringeworthy and scandalous moments from Leinster Houses spending past.
Anne OLeary said she is immensely proud to have been appointed to the role

A Cork native has been appointed as president of Ibec, Ireland's largest lobby and business representative group, and will serve in the role for the next year.

Anne OLeary, who is head of Meta Ireland, succeeds Paul Duffy, senior vice president of Pfizer Global Supply, in the role which she said she is immensely proud to have been appointed to.

In my various roles with businesses in Ireland, I have always placed great value on Ibecs role as the voice of business and employers, Anne said.

Irelands economy is in a very strong position, thanks to factors such as our openness to trade, capital, and people. We must continue to be agile and responsive to new investment, support Irish businesses in internationalising, and ensure that Ireland remains a place where careers can grow and develop.

However, I believe the position we are in now is predominantly due to the hard work of businesses and their ambition to grow and scale. As a country, we have a real opportunity to make strategic investments that will ultimately future-proof our success so that businesses can continue to thrive. I look forward to working on behalf of Ibec and our members with this government and the next in navigating these opportunities.

Anne joined Meta in September 2022 as the vice president of Mid-Market Global Business Group in EMEA. In May 2023, she was appointed head of Meta Ireland to oversee the community and culture across Metas HQ in Ballsbridge Dublin, its Clonee Data Centre in Meath and its Reality Labs in Cork.

In her day-to-day capacity, Anne collaborates closely with business leaders across the EMEA region, empowering them to harness the potential of Meta's apps to expand their reach and engage new customers. She also holds seats on the boards of ESRI and Greencore. Anne previously spent nine years as CEO of Vodafone Ireland, as well as spending time in BT Ireland as managing director and Esat Telecom as regional director.

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said his organisation was delighted to announce Anne as the incoming president.

Anne has a deep understanding of the global business landscape in Ireland and, through her many roles, has worked closely with the Irish SME sector. At this time of change, having someone of Annes experience supporting the business community is crucial for our advocacy work, Danny said.

Anne is not only a brilliant champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion but also someone who works hard to uphold these principles through her leadership of Meta Ireland, a global giant based in Ireland with a diverse and global workforce representing over 110 nationalities. We extend our best wishes to her for a successful year ahead.

Ibecs new president will address the organisations members and stakeholders at their annual Presidents dinner this evening in RDS, where Taoiseach Simon Harris TD will also speak.
David, Alan and Anthony OConnor are each studying different strands of engineering at MTU

The three O'Connor brothers who are studying engineering at Munster Technological University.

A passion for engineering runs in the family for one set of Boherbue brothers, who are all currently studying the subject at Munster Technological University (MTU).

David, Alan and Anthony OConnor, who have many cousins who are engineers courtesy of the strong engineering gene on their mothers side, are each studying different strands of the practice at the university.

David, who is the eldest of the three brothers at 26-years-old, is currently pursuing a degree in Structural Engineering at MTU and is completing a summer work placement at PJ Hegarty on IDL expansion in Midleton.

The student got his introduction to engineering in transition year through Engineers Irelands STEPS Engineering Your Future programme, which is designed to show school students the potential of engineering and the difference they can make when they pursue it, and his younger brothers followed in his footsteps and completed the course too.

Middle brother Alan (23) recently completed a masters in Biomedical Engineering, having secured the Depuy Synthes scholarship for the programme based on his impressive Leaving Certificate results.

Alan is starting a graduate programme with Depuy Synthes this month.

Youngest brother Anthony also received the Depuy Synthes scholarship based on his Leaving Cert results and he decided to go down the Mechanical Engineering route.

The 22-year-old said he found the transition year STEPS programme particularly helpful in helping him isolate which area of engineering to study.

One of the major things you might face in engineering is what field you want to go into, be it chemical, civil, structural or mechanical. That was one of the main benefits I found out of Engineering Your Future. It really clarified the difference between each of the fields. he explained.

Anthony is currently on work placement with a company in Ringaskiddy.

Outside of their coursework at MTU, the OConnor brothers are each members of the Universitys GAA club. Alan and Anthony have played also active roles in the Mechanical and Biomedical Society, arranging information talks and social events.

Alan has enjoyed his experience at MTU so much that he has even returned to his secondary school to give 4th, 5th and 6th year students an idea of what studying engineering at the university is like.
Residents of Sandymount are raising their concerns and calling for urgent action from Irish Water in response to a troubling pattern of sewage contamination at Sandymount Strand.

Their demands come amidst growing concerns about public health and the environmental degradation of this once popular beach, which has become increasingly hazardous due to frequent discharges of raw sewage.

David Turner, chairman of the Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association (SAMRA), told the Irish Independent that raw sewage has been discharged onto the beach approximately 10 to 12 times each year.

Turner describes the situation as disgraceful and said that the sewage contamination has made the beach unsafe and unsuitable for public use.

A spokesperson for Irish Water acknowledged the challenges posed by the outdated sewer system in Sandymount, built in the early twentieth century, and said it is working to address the issue.

The area has reportedly become inundated with unpleasant smells, including sewage, algae, and dog poo, further exacerbating the public health threat.

Residents and beachgoers have been left grappling with the consequences of these frequent discharges.

Turner notes that the sewage includes not just human waste but also sanitary products, condoms and other debris, creating a dangerous environment for anyone who might come into contact with it.

The raw sewage released onto Sandymount Beach creates an immediate public health hazard, he said.

If a private company were found to be polluting like this, it would be shut down immediately.

Irish Waters inaction means people are unknowingly exposing themselves to hazardous conditions on the beach, leading to illnesses that could have been prevented.

The situation has been ongoing for decades, with Irish Water failing to provide even basic measures like hazard signage or a clear timeline for improvements.

Its shocking that despite having evidence and public outcry, theres been no significant response or change from Irish Water or the EPA, he added.

The Sandymount and Merrion Residents' Association has taken formal steps to address the problem, writing letters to Dublin City Council, Irish Water, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last May.

The letters outlined the persistent issues and called for immediate action.

There is a glaring lack of engineering solutions, signage and automatic cleanup procedures, a SAMRA spokesperson said.

They argue that while responsibilities are clearly dividedIrish Water handles technical and operational aspects, and Dublin City Council manages cleanup above the high-water linethere has been a failure to address the problem effectively.

What matters is that Irish Water has known about this problem for years but has not taken the necessary actions to resolve it, Mr Turner said.

We need them to erect signage and provide a clear timeline for system upgrades and ensure regular clean-ups of the most affected areas.

Having previously called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to treat the sewage on the beach as a serious health issue, the residents' association said they now feel that the agency is turning a blind eye to the situation.

A sample of the contaminated water could highlight the severity of the issue and force action, but Irish Water and the EPA are failing to address the problem adequately, Mr Turner added.

In response, Irish Water has acknowledged the issue and outlined their ongoing efforts to address it.

A spokesperson from Irish Water said: We are committed to continuously maintaining, upgrading, and developing critical water and wastewater infrastructure to protect and enhance the environment while enabling communities to thrive.

The spokesperson highlighted that Irish Water operates over 1,000 wastewater treatment plants and 26,000 kilometres of public sewers, treating 1.2 billion litres of wastewater daily.

Irish Water acknowledges that while the primary responsibility for monitoring and managing bathing water quality lies with local authorities, its operations can still affect water quality.

They said: While primary responsibility for the monitoring and managing of bathing waters lies with local authorities, Irish Water recognises that its activities can impact bathing waters in some locations.

The utility pointed out that factors such as dog and bird faeces, runoff from roads, upstream agriculture and misconnections also play a role in water quality issues.

In response to the Sandymount situation, Irish Water is engaging with various stakeholders, including the Dublin Bay Bathing Water Taskforce and the National Bathing Water Expert Group.

A spokesperson added: We are continuing to work proactively with all stakeholders to support improvements in bathing water quality, protecting and enhancing our coastal and inland waterways.

They also acknowledged the challenges posed by the outdated sewer system in Sandymount, built in the early twentieth century.

The sewer system in Sandymount was built in the 1900s and, as was typical at the time, it carries both wastewater from homes and businesses and water that is drained off roads and pavements.

Irish Water is assessing the combined network to understand its current limitations through a Drainage Area Plan and local monitoring, they added.

Since 2021, incremental improvements in bathing water quality at Sandymount Strand have been recorded, with 100pc of samples meeting the required standards in 2023, up from 75pc in 2021.

Dublin City Council added that bathing water at Sandymount Strand is experiencing its best quality in recent years, with 93pc of samples meeting the required standards in 2024.

The council attributes this improvement partly to responsible dog ownership reducing dog fouling, which was a major cause of poor water quality in past seasons.

DCC also continues to monitor water quality throughout the year, taking 20 samples at each designated location.

A Task Force was established in 2019 to address water quality issues, resulting in incremental improvements in both Merrion and Sandymount Strands.

Regarding sewerage issues, DCC said Irish Water is responsible for all foul and combined sewage matters and would handle any drainage infrastructure queries.

Additionally, DCC has erected public notices to acknowledge improvements and continues efforts in cleaning and managing the beach area.

"Regarding signage at the Ailesbury Outfall, Dublin City Council did fabricate and install two warning signs following a request by SAMRA in 2021, a spokesperson said.

Primary signage was installed on the outfall wall, visible to users on the Strand with the other visible to users of the promenade. Due to the coastal elements and the force of the bi-daily tide, the sign visible from the promenade was repeatedly destroyed within a number of weeks.

The primary signage attached to the outfall wall remains intact and is highly visible to pertinent users on the beach. The team has reviewed the existing signage and has not been able to identify a suitable additional area below the high tide level that would allow for the erection of a sign to notify beach users that would remain in place for any significant period of time.

"I will request that Irish Water also examine the matter to add additional signage within this area.

We are aware that Uisce Eireann operational teams have committed to visiting the outfall location after a discharge form the Ailesbury pumping station to clean the area, subject to other emergency work talking precedence, they added.
The Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee will next Tuesday, September 10 host an Anam Cara bereavement support meeting.

A new year, in terms of the school term, has begun and schoolbags have reappeared.

The holidays have been taken and the long evenings shorten. September can be a very difficult month for bereaved parents.

Many milestones are achieved during the month, many milestones their beloved child will never get to mark.

Anam Cara, the only organisation of its kind in Ireland with services available to all bereaved parents, will hold fourteen face to face meetings throughout the month. All their support services are free of charge.

Operations Manager, Leanne Milligan reflected:

At this time of the year, we can all get caught up with the return to school, the return to routine and our busy lives continuing, but for those missing loved ones, time remains still.

It is important to understand that less obvious occasions such as the return to school, can be hugely triggering. Anam Cara was launched in 2008, in recognition of the need for a safe space for those bereaved. Somewhere to let their mask drop, where others who have lived this nightmare, can understand.

The Kerry meeting will take place on Tuesday September 10 in The Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee at 7:15pm.

All bereaved parents from the Kerry area are welcome, regardless of the age their child died or circumstances of their death. There is no need to register, just arrive on the evening at 7:15pm.

For more information on the support services offer by Anam Cara, please call 085 2888 888, email info@anamcara.ie or see www.anamcara.ie
Members of the Kerry Friends of Palestine, the Kerry branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) have organised a walk around Tralee for tomorrow, Friday, September 6. It will start at 6pm from the gates of CBS Primary School at Cloonalour.

The walk will take participants to a number a of primary school gates around the town where they will pause and reflect with poems and songs and words. This family friendly event is being held in memory of the 16,500 children of Gaza who have been killed in the last 11 months.

Everyone is invited to attend.

In a letter that she wrote about the event and which she sent to primary schools around Tralee, Maria McCarthy, the vice-chair of theKerry IPSC, wrote the following:

This week marks our childrens first week back at school after the summer holidays. They will have rejoined their friends, met their new teachers and caught up on what I did over the summer holidays. There will have been tears from little ones, and from their parents, as the new junior infants started their very first day at Big School' and proudly stood outside their front doors and smiled for photos in their crisp new uniforms with their too big schoolbags and their brand new lunchboxes."

They will have met their new teachers, started making new friends and sat down in their classrooms, looking forward to the year ahead. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Palestine, over the last 11 months of genocide, more than 16,600 children have now been confirmed dead. This figure amounts to more than all of the 15,500 children who attend primary schools in the whole of Kerry put together. For comparison, this would mean that no children in Kerry would have returned to school this week.

The Kerry branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign is organising a walk around the schools of Tralee on Friday the 6th of September to honour these children. We will pause at the gates of each town centre school with a few words, a poem or a song to remember the stolen lives of the children of Gaza and we invite anyone who wishes to participate."

In addition to this, a nationwide walk in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza will leave from Cahersiveen to Dublin will leave Cahersiveen next Saturday, September 14 and will arrive at Leinster House on Tuesday, September 24.
Hermann Kelly pictured at the Irish Freedon Partys rally outside St Peters Church in Drogheda last year

Hermann Kelly, president and founder member of The Irish Freedom Party has been selected as the partys candidate in Co Louth in the forthcoming local elections,

Kelly, who is originally from Derry, now lives in mid-Louth and unsuccessfully contested the MidlandsNorth-West constituency at the 2024 European Parliament elections. He was eliminated on the thirteenth count, with 13,904 (2.04pc) first-preference votes.

He worked as a teacher and a journalist and was formerly a press officer for Nigel Farage. He also worked as director of communications for the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group in the European Parliament, and The European Conservatives and Reformists Group.

In announcing his candidacy he said the vision of a prosperous and sovereign Ireland fuels my passion.

He promised to work for personal freedoms, smaller government, and responsible fiscal policies and said that the party would promote lower taxes, including the carbon tax, eliminate wasteful government spending and champion family values.

During his campaign for the European elections, he said the Irish Freedom Party favoured Ireland leaving the European Union in a Brexit like Irexit.

Were better off as a democratic, national, self-governing country where the laws are made for the benefit of our own people, he said at the time.

On immigration, we cant house the whole world. We need to have control to decide the number of people who come here and the qualifications they have, that they can contribute to Ireland.

Kelly has recently addressed the anti-migration rallies in Dundalk organised by the Dundalk Says No group in protest a plans to house Ukrainian refugees in the the former St Josephs Orphanage at Seatown Place which is currently being refurbished.
Tangled Web is the third novel by Florence Gillan

Author Florence Gillan had a pinch me moment a few weeks ago when she looked at her three novels laid out on a table in front of her.

The Sligo-native couldnt quite believe that all three had been published since she took early retirement from teaching in Bush Post-Primary School on the scenic Cooley peninsula.

And although she loved teaching, she loves writing even more.

The 63-year-old burst on the scene with her debut novel Let Them Lie in 2022 and The Forfeit published last year. Now, her third book Tangled Web, which is also published by Crimson, an imprint of the Irish publishing company Poolbeg Press, is about the hit the shelves.

Like her first two books, Tangled Web is a gripping psychological thriller with a secret at its heart.

"Im very interested in the whole idea of secrets and how keeping a secret can be so damaging and isolating, Florence says.

All three books are the same  the plots revolve around a secret that has a profound effect not just on those keeping the secret but on the lives of those around them.

Like its predecessors Tangled Web is set in the not too distant past, in this case 2010.

It tells the story of Eimear Martin, a young woman from Sligo who moves to Dublin after the death of her mother in a car crash and the ending of her engagement.

At first her new life in Dublin gets off to a good start as she takes up a job with a firm of solicitors and begins making friends away from the control of her coercive former fiance Donal.

Then a threatening letter arrives in the post and she realises that someone is keeping tabs on her. She soon discovers that these are no idle threats as her property is damaged and her reputation ruined.

I was very interested in how easy it is to take someones reputation and isolate them from their friends and colleagues, says Florence.

As well as dealing with issues such as identity theft and stalking, she feels that the book covers much more than that as it describes coercive relationships, grief and ultimately resilience.

Like the heroines of Let Them Lie and The Forfeit, Eimear finds the strength to fight back,

"Even though initially they started off as vulnerable characters, almost easy to manipulate, something triggers and they find their inner strength, says Florence.

Tangled Web is the third novel by Florence Gillan

In the case of Eimear, its running and keeping fit that helps her feel stronger and more powerful as she fights her unseen enemy.

Florence was delighted when one of her nieces said that the book had a touch of feminism running through the narrative.

"She mentioned the reference to a man telling Eimear to cheer up when she was out walking, and I do remember when I was young, walking down the street having deep thoughts like you do when you are 21, and some man would feel the need to say smile and at the time you just gave an anxious smile.

Having taken early retirement , Florence began working towards her dream of becoming a published author.

"Ive had three books published since 2022 so its been phenomenally fast. Its not even having a whole year to write, as you have to have it ready early for to work on the editing, she says. It is hard work but I love writing. Thats the big thing Ive discovered. I love the process.

She says that the experience of writing each of the three books was very different.

"Once I had the idea for The Forfeit the words just poured out of me, but Tangled Web was a much harder and I struggled over it, she says. It was a much more difficult birth if I can use that analogy.

But just as mothers are supposed to forget the pangs of childbirth, Florence has already put that memory behind her and is already thinking about her next book.

"I have one that I prepared earlier, as they used to say on television shows, so I have that idea got s book, do I might go back to that and also another idea.!

She likes to get up early and spend the day writing, leaving the evenings free. She does, however, admit to wakening up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas that come to her in her dreams.

"I love writing. I never feel more alive than when Im writing. Since I retired I have time to do this. You are as old as you feel and I feel as though I have lost a dozen years.

Not only has she started writing, but she has started running again.

"When you reach a certain age you realise that this is the beginning of the end. You think what do you want to do, what do you want to achieve. Im going to keep at it and see where it leads. Its exciting and I love it.

The launch for Tangled Web will be held in her native Sligo and the book will be available from all good book shops from September 12 and is also for sale on Amazon as a paperback and ebook.
It would be naive in the extreme to think child sexual abuse didnt occur in non-religious schools too, the Bishop of Elphin has said.

He was giving his reaction to the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders which listed schools across the country where children were abused.

Bishop Doran said: It is not easy reading by any means, but I am conscious that, behind every paragraph is the experience of real people who, as children, suffered abuse and violence in a place where they should have been safe. They have the right to tell their story.

"The tragedy of the report is not simply that there are so many of them, but that so many of them had to carry their experience alone for so many years, before they felt sufficiently free to tell someone else.

"While the report relates specifically to religious-run schools, it would be naive in the extreme to suggest that child abuse was not also a reality in other schools, whether Catholic or of any other tradition. Sadly, sexual abuse, has been endemic in our society. Both the Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin supported the work of the Scoping Inquiry, and we will certainly respond to any further enquiry that is deemed appropriate.

"Survivors of abuse in schools are living in all our parishes. They are our brothers and sisters. As a bishop, I want to offer my sincere apology to all those who have been affected by abuse in the context of Church. I know from past experience that these words, however well intended, may sound hollow to survivors and their families.

"I appreciate that actions speak louder than words. Together with the safeguarding teams in both dioceses, I am committed to ensuring that the policies and procedures which have been put in place for the safeguarding of children will continue to be fully implemented.

"The report serves only to renew that commitment. I encourage all our clergy and parishioners to be alert to anything which might put children at risk of harm and I encourage anyone who has a concern, a suspicion or knowledge of abuse to speak to the trained safeguarding personnel in our schools and dioceses, or to report them directly to An Garda Siochana or to Tusla, he said.
Blackwater Tidy Towns was one of the Clean Coasts groups who joined the Big Beach Clean this year.

Pictured left to right: Bronagh Moore, Coastal Programmes Manager at Clean Coasts, Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing and PR at Kia Ireland and Scarlett Kenny.

Registrations for the Big Beach Clean 2024, supported by Kia Ireland, are open until September 11. Pictured left to right: Scarlett Kenny, Aubrey Kenny and Liane Costello, Biodiversity Officer at Clean Coasts.

The deadline is fast approaching for people to join over 20 groups and 300 volunteers who reside in County Wexford who are set to join Clean Coasts for the Big Beach Clean this September 20-22.

The Big Beach Clean is supported by Kia Ireland to make a positive impact on the Irish coast and waterways and is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organised by the Ocean Conservancy. This annual call-to-action encourages individuals, families, and communities to join forces to carry out a clean-up at the end of the bathing season and join a worldwide citizen science project.

Each item of litter collected and submitted via Marine Litter Data cards or Clean Swell app is shared with Ocean Conservancy, who will use the information received to create reports and advocate around the world to tackle the problem of ocean litter.

In 2023 alone, a record number of volunteers participated to collect a significant amount of rubbish, littering the islands scenic natural beaches. Last year, over 400 groups registered to host a clean-up, with 7,700 Clean Coasts volunteers removing a staggering 46 tonnes of litter all across the country.

Wexford had over 500 volunteers who took part in the 2023 Big Beach Clean and made a huge difference to their County collecting three tonnes of litter.

The top three items recorded during the Big Beach Clean weekend were plastic wrappers, cigarette butts and plastic bottles.

However, Campaign Officer Patrick Cross has been delighted to observe the positive affect the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme has had on littering.

"A recent national litter survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) revealed that since the introduction of the Governments Deposit Return Scheme we have seen a fall in cans and plastic bottles on our streets contributing to an overall improvement in litter levels, he said.

Cathal Kealey from Kia Ireland said: " Kia Ireland is delighted to see so many community groups and individuals nationwide signing up for the Big Beach Clean. As a brand committed to our journey towards Carbon Neutrality we are proud to support such an important initiative. Our support will ensure that cleanup kits are distributed to volunteers that sign up to registered cleanups across the country, he said.

In line with to our global clean up initiatives that are designed to combat ocean pollution, we would urge as many people as possible to register for their local beach clean this September. We are looking forward to joining some of the many groups across the country from the weekend of September 20-22 and beyond, he added.

Bronagh Moore, An Taisces Clean Coasts Manager, commented: " We are thrilled to see such large numbers already signed up for the Big Beach Clean 2024. Its a fantastic way for individuals, clubs and communities to come together and be part of a powerful movement working to protect our coastlines and waterways.

By recording and reporting on the litter collected, we are not only cleaning up our beaches but providing important data that that can influence and lead to impactful global campaigns and changes in policy .Its a great opportunity to be involved in a global effort to protect our ocean, she said.

This year, clean-ups will be happening in various locations, including Enniscorthy, New Ross, Gorey and Tomhaggard. A list of clean-ups happening in County Wexford as part of the Big Beach Clean can be found on the Clean Coasts website.

Registrations will close at 5pm on September 11.
One in five people in Wexford (22 per cent) did not take all of their entitled annual leave in 2023 according to research carried out by FRS Recruitment, .

A total of 1,886 people took part in the survey.

One in six people (16 per cent) in Wexford didnt take five days of annual leave or more, which in employment terms represents a weeks leave. 15 per cent didnt take four days, 23 per cent had three days which went unused, 18 per cent also opted against using up two days of leave and 10 per cent had one day of their holidays remaining.

Three in eight people (37 per cent) in Wexford say unused annual leave is carried into the following year, while more than one in four (27 per cent) receive a payment in lieu. However a little under a fifth of Wexford employees (18 per cent) say their leave is lost if it is not used.

Lynne McCormack, General Manager with FRS Recruitment said: Holidays and annual leave are such an important part of professional life for employees in Wexford and their employers. Yet before now there havent been many statistics available showing how it is used and the various policies associated with annual leave in the workplace.

"What was surprising was the number of people who are not making full use of their leave, both in Wexford and around the country. Even more eye opening are the number of days leave that havent been used, with five days or more not being used by one in six people in Wexford last year. Work wise, effectively thats a week of holidays going unused for those people, she said.

Besides the number of people letting their holidays go unused, she has noted that a few participants seemed interested in the idea of unlimited leave which has gained popularity in the United States.

"A sizeable number of people in Wexford and nationally would like to see [unlimited leave] introduced by their employers, despite the significant proportion of the employees who arent using up their allocated leave as it currently stands. A majority of people in Wexford and around the country would also support a four day work week, even though it may impact on their salaries, she added.

FRS recruitment is Ireland's national recruitment specialists based nationwide and specialising in healthcare, IT, engineering, and temporary employment.
REPRO FREE Wexford, Ireland, 3 September 2024: Sheil Kinnear, the Wexford-based accountancy firm, has announced that it has officially joined Xeinadin. Headquartered in London and with a flagship office in Dublin, Xeinadin has over 135 offices and more than 2,000 employees across Ireland and the UK. Pictured l-r: Sandra Clarke, Xeinadin Managing Partner - Ireland; David O'Connor, Xeinadin Partner; Derry Crowley, Xeinadin CEO. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO

Wexford accountancy firm Sheil Kinnear has joined Xeinadin, one of the leading professional services firms in the UK and Ireland. As one of the longest and established accountancy practices in Ireland, Sheil Kinnear specialises in all aspects of general practice including tax compliance and business advisory for a wide range of small owner-managed businesses to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across all industries.

Derry Crowley, CEO of Xeinadin, said: Sheil Kinnear has a longstanding reputation and history for delivering outstanding work for local businesses in the south east and beyond. The merger was an easy choice when it came to expanding our local footprint and we look forward to working with David and the rest of the team to support our SME clients in overcoming the challenges they are facing.

David OConnor, Director of Sheil Kinnear, said, We are proud to be joining Xeinadin and look forward to the years ahead continuing to unlock growth for the businesses we work with. The move will provide greater opportunities for the team and allow us to expand the range or services that we can offer clients.

Recent research commissioned by Xeinadin which surveyed SMEs owners across the south east showed that 43 per cent have noted an increase in revenue over the last year, however costs such as VAT, minimum wage increases and late payments from customers are seen as main barriers to growth.

We recently surveyed SME owners across the region and there are plenty of reasons to be positive with over half of SMEs in Ireland reporting increased revenue in the last 12 months, said Mr Crowley. However, challenges remain, with rising costs including VAT and minimum wage increases flagged as the top barriers to growth. As a combined unified entity drawing from local, national and international expertise, Xeinadin with Sheil Kinnear has the insights, experience and scale to support south east SMEs in 2024 and beyond.

Xeinadin also announced in June it plans for a 40 million investment in the Irish market over the next 18 months, signifying the companys commitment to the Irish market.
A recruitment drive for the long-awaited neurorehabilitation centre in Brayc is to get underway this month, following a long delay compounded by the HSE hiring freeze.

Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore, who had been highlighting the urgent need for Community Health Organisation 6 (CHO6), which includes Wicklow, Dun Laoghaire and Dublin South East, to roll out a neurorehabilitation team, has welcomed news from the HSE that progress is being made on recruitment.

Deputy Whitmore said she has received confirmation from the HSE that positions for this team will be advertised this month, with the recruitment process taking place over the autumn with a view to establishing the Community Neuro Rehabilitation Team in early 2025.

This is a very welcome and encouraging development for the families and patients who have been waiting so long for the establishment of this community-based service, she said.

We now have a clear timeline with a date set for the establishment of a Community Neuro Rehabilitation Team in Bray, which will service the needs of east Wicklow and south Dublin. .

Recruitment for the planned CH06 (east Wicklow/south Dublin) neurorehabilitation team had been signed off on in May 2023, but was subsequently delayed by the HSE hiring freeze.

Following the end of this hiring freeze in July, Deputy Whitmore wrote to the HSE asking for an update on the status of the recruitment process. In a response from the HSE it was confirmed that following a consultation process with unions on these new development roles, recruitment for the team should commence in September.

I would like to commend the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) on their tireless campaigning to see the establishment of community rehabilitation teams for neurological patients in Wicklow and across the country, Deputy Whitmore continued.

Their determination to ensure that this essential community healthcare service is available to patients will allow hundreds of people across Wicklow to access rehabilitation services following stroke and brain injuries as well as Parkinsons patients and others in need of physical or speech therapy.

I will continue to closely follow the progress being made on the establishment of the Community Neuro Rehabilitation Team in Bray and ask for regular updates on the early 2025 opening date.

"Ensuring that this team are in place as soon as possible needs to be a priority for the HSE so that neurological patients in Wicklow can receive the care and treatment that they need within their community.

I will also continue to advocate for the speedy establishment of a team for west Wicklow to ensure that this service is available for all who need it across Wicklow. This is a key priority of mine, concluded Deputy Whitmore.
Wicklow artist Steven Doody represented Irish tree-planting NGO Easytreesie, joined by volunteers from Siolta Chroi, on a recent visit to Lodz in Poland as part of a two-year Erasmus Plus project called Soul, Soil and Society.

For what was the third training session to date, with the first two taking place in Ireland and Romania over the last year, the first week in July saw Steven and the Irish contingent welcomed with a dinner and an introduction to other participants.

A walking tour of Lodz city followed, led by tour guide and writer Justyna Tomaszewska, who gave a very informative talk about her home city and the massive changes to the cityscape over the last decade.

Over the next week, the group would visit NGOs to learn and take examples of how these groups function and collaborate with local government.

Participants got to experience Black World, an initiative run by visually-impaired staff who lead participants through the world in which they live, with Steven and the group brought into totally dark rooms, exploring three rooms, a home, a streetscape and a tram through the world of touch.

I managed to end up in a shower, burn myself on a cooker, hit my head on a traffic light and got off at the wrong stop on the tram, Steven joked.

The centre also runs dining events where participants explore a dining experience as a blind person.

Putting yourself into the shoes of the visually-impaired, you realise how unsympathetic the urban cityscape can be inhospitable to the visually-impaired and how, as a society, we can improve this.

Participants also visited a syntropic agroforestry project, which saw organically grown vegetables and fruits supplying local restaurants and shops. The farm uses innovative ideas such as hens and ducks for pest and weed control, 5m by 30m ponds for water storage, fish production and biodiversity enhancement.

The soils fertility has been enhanced through the addition of organic material, mycelium, continuous cover, companion planting and mixes of sacrificial and nitrogen-fixing plants, such as clovers, beans, comfrey and hemp, to further help soil fertility and enhance biodiversity.

The Irish contingent learned about House on the Estate, a UNESCO best Polish program for people with disabilities, running since 2002, which Steven revered as a good example of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Nine participants aged between 19 and 40 years old, each supported by an assistant to live independently, resolving the problems of everyday life, with hamlets of residential units in the community allowing for a more focused use of resources, Steven explained.

An important facet of the project is art workshops/studio where participants explore the world of art through a professionally led program, emphasising the importance of imagination, patience and creativity. Works are sold through local galleries with funds put back into the system.

We visited NGO VICI, situated in a local government-owned building. Here, the local government provides art studios/residential studios for artists.

Subsidised rents and five-year leases give artists time to concentrate on art production and provide medium-term housing security.

Rounding off the insightful trip, the participants learned about The Association for the Promotion of Old Crafts and Culture WICI (aka WICI Association), a non-profit association based in Poland to inform, educate and promote handicrafts in society.

They were also informed about Klub Senior, a seniors club which is facilitated by the local town government, and The incubator art factory, a disused industrial unit turned into artist studios that house everything from architects and designers to visual artists.

All in all, a very worthwhile, well-organised research trip, Steven reflected.

It was an experience to learn how Polish NGOs work and are supported by the local government. Its amazing to see the city of Lodz and its change from an old Soviet city into a modern Polish society which supports its citizens.

The value of collaboration between individuals, NGOs and local government is a testament to the success and outreach of these societal groups.

The importance of collaboration between resident artists and local government all working to transform the city into a viable hub of creativity.
A family forest and fun day is coming to An Tairseach Organic and Ecology Centre, with all ages welcome.

Angie Kinsella, who is passionate about living a sustainable life, will run the excursion. She runs retreats from her home and enjoys encouraging life skills such as the practice of permaculture, holistic therapies, nature connection and is trained as a forest school leader for the past five years.

The fun day takes place on Saturday, September 28, from 10.30am to 2pm. Participants will first gather in the ecology centre, where they will learn about the work and history of An Tairseach through a short presentation.

Everyone will then follow Angie up to the car park on the Greenhill Road to begin a tour of the land in Wicklow town, which surrounds and is used by An Tairseach. The forest school-type family day will include fun nature games, foraging for wild foods, crafting, songs and stories.

All ages are welcome but children must be accompanied by parents or guardians at all times.

The event costs 25 for adults and 10 for children. Book your place at the An Tairseach website.
Independent Wicklow craft brewery O Brother Brewing have partnered up with Tesco Ireland to launch four of its award-winning beers in 78 stores across Ireland this autumn.

The collaboration is an important milestone for the brewery founded by brothers Barry, Brian and Paddy ONeill as it increases the brand's visibility but also provides a substantial financial boost for the company. The brewery, based in Kilcoole, is expecting to deliver almost 200,000 cans in the first year, which highlights the consumer demand for these beers.

The beers that are now available in Tesco include The Chancer, a fresh pale ale; The Dreamcatcher, a New England style session IPA; The Sinner, an American-style IPA; and The Nightcrawler, a milk stout.

O Brother Brewing has partnered with Galway artist Shane O'Malley to create the bold can labels, celebrating the unique partnership with local artists and creators.

Barry ONeill, CEO and co-founder of O Brother Brewing, stated: This move showcases the anticipated demand and popularity of our beers. Our mission is to make great, fresh Irish beer available to consumers everywhere they wish to experience it and this partnership with Tesco gives us another opportunity to reach a wider craft drinker and bring them with us on our journey.

Kern Kinnear, head of beers, wines and spirits at Tesco Ireland added: We are thrilled to partner with O Brother Brewing to bring their innovative and high-quality beers to our stores. Their dedication to crafting exceptional beers aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering our customers the best locally-produced products. We look forward to seeing our customers enjoy these unique and flavourful beers.

The announcement marks another significant milestone for O Brother Brewing, which has already announced a star-studded investment round and a move to a beautiful new brewery and visitor centre at Belmont Demesne earlier this year.
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Bhim Kohli died after being seriously injured near the entrance of Franklin Park (Family Handout/PA)

Sophie Robinson Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 11:50







A 14-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with murdering an 80-year-old grandfather in a park assault.
Grenfell inquiry blames avoidable deaths on incompetence and greed over fire that killed 72

Report was critical of then government, local authorities and others for years of inaction over safety issues at London tower block

The devastating Grenfell Tower fire in June, 2017, that left 72 people dead. Photo: Reuters

Michael Holden Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 03:30







A public inquiry into the devastating 2017 blaze at Londons Grenfell Tower that killed 72 people blamed the disaster on failings by the UK government, construction industry and, most of all, the firms involved in fitting the exterior with flammable cladding.
The Irish building materials company Kingspan has been accused of deeply entrenched and persistent dishonesty and having a complete disregard for fire safety by an inquiry into the causes of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Irish News

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We will evaluate it when it comes closer  Tanaiste responds to soldiers concerns they may not be able to come home at end of Lebanon tour
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Suspect was arrested at the scene shortly after shooting, Georgia officials sayTwo 14-year-old students, two teachers killed at Apalachee High School in GeorgiaNine others wounded and expected to recoverPolice had interviewed suspect last year over threats to commit school shooting

People attend a vigil at Jug Tavern Park following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, U.S. September 4, 2024. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Rich McKay and Andrew Hay Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 07:15







A 14-year-old boy killed two fellow students and two teachers and wounded nine others in a shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday, jolting the United States with the first mass campus shooting since the start of the school year.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
India and Singapore Eye Future Growth in Semiconductors

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held high-level talks with Singaporean leaders, focusing on key areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, healthcare, and sustainability.

The two countries have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to partner and cooperate in the field of semiconductor ecosystems.

In a meeting on September 4, 2024, Modi and Singapores Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship by establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. On the second day of Modis visit, September 5, an MoU was signed between Singapore and India to collaborate and work together in the semiconductor industry.

According to the official statement issued by the Singaporean government, the goal of the MoU is to support Indias growing semiconductor industry while facilitating Singapores ecosystem of semiconductor companies and related supply chains to participate in the fast-growing Indian market.

Focus on semiconductor cooperation

India and Singapore unveiled four key agreements, primarily targeting the semiconductor sector. The semiconductor ecosystem partnership seeks to support Indias growing semiconductor industry while facilitating greater market access for Singaporean companies.

This collaboration underscores the increasing importance of the semiconductor industry for both nations. The leaders of both countries toured AEM, a leading Singaporean semiconductor and electronics company, where they were briefed on the companys role in the global semiconductor value chain and its plans for expanding operations into India. Additionally, the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association presented insights into Singapores semiconductor ecosystem and potential opportunities for collaboration with India.

Singapores semiconductor industry, despite its prominence in global production (contributing 10 percent of the worlds semiconductor output), faces limitations in terms of land and labor constraints. On the other hand, India, with its abundant land and skilled labor, holds the potential to integrate into Singapores semiconductor value chain. While Singapore focuses on mature-node chips for appliances and industrial equipment, the production of high-end AI logic chips remains outside its current capabilities. Rising costs and global competition may challenge Singapores position in the semiconductor market over time.

Also Read: Indias Semiconductor Sector: Tracking Government Support and Investment Trends

Other key agreements

In addition to semiconductors, the two nations signed agreements in digital technology, healthcare, and education. The digital technology MoU is aimed at fostering greater interoperability between India and Singapores digital economies, building on previous projects such as linking their digital payment systems. It focuses on data protection, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, and enhancing business collaboration.

The education and skill development MoU promotes cooperation in technical and vocational training, while the healthcare and medical research MoU emphasizes pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and controlling communicable diseases.

Strengthening ties and regional stability

During his talks with Prime Minister Wong, Modi emphasized the importance of continuing collaboration to ensure regional peace, stability, and prosperity. He highlighted Singapores central role in Indias Act East policy, describing the country as an anchor for the initiative launched a decade ago.

On August 24, 2024, an India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable was held here in New Delhi, which identified potential areas for further cooperation, such as skilling, digitalization, advanced manufacturing, AI, and cybersecurity.

India and Singapore have partnered on notable technological projects such as the launch of 17 Singaporean satellites from India in July 2023 and the strengthening of defense cooperation. The two countries also forged a partnership between Singapore Airlines and Air India.

The latest visit reinforced the strong and evolving relationship between India and Singapore, with both countries committed to deepening their economic and technological collaboration.
India-Greece Bilateral Trade and Investment

India and Greece are strengthening their bilateral ties following Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent visit to Greece (August 2023), the first by an Indian Prime Minister since 1983. This was followed by the Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visiting India from February 21-22, 2024.

Despite long gaps in high-level contact, both countries established a Strategic Partnership and initiated dialogues between their National Security Advisers. Greeces location serves as a gateway to Europe, making it a valuable partner in Indias outreach to Europe and the Mediterranean. At the same time, Greece sees India as an emerging global power in South Asia.

India and Greece plan to sign a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement to boost skilled migration, as discussed during Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visit to India. Mitsotakis and Modi underlined the importance of increased collaboration in defense, security, education, trade, investment, and tourism. The goal is to quadruple bilateral trade by 2030 from around US$2 billion in 2022-23. The two countries are also in agreement on resolving problems through diplomacy, and they addressed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which Greece sees as a crucial player in increasing connectivity between these regions. Mitsotakis has spoken of the IMECs ability to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, despite regional concerns.

India-Greece bilateral trade

Trade between India and Greece was estimated at US$1.9 billion in 2022-23.

In June 2024, Indias trade with Greece resulted in a positive balance of US$67.3 million, with exports totaling US$77.1 million and imports at US$9.79 million. Compared to June 2023, Indias exports to Greece rose by US$16 million, while imports significantly decreased by US$ 94.3 million. The increase in exports was driven by products like unmanufactured tobacco, ceramics, and organic chemicals. The drop in imports from Greece was mainly due to decreased imports of other commodities, iron and steel, and aluminum products.

Previously, a surge in imports meant that the trade balance turned negative at (-) US$372 million in 2022-23, down from a positive balance at US$777 million in 2021-22.

Top traded items

Indias Top Exports to Greece in 2023 Items Value (US$ million) Organic chemicals 109.54 Electrical, electronic equipment 90.14 Aluminum 87.08 Iron and steel 78.20 Fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic invertebrates 55.13 Ceramic products 38.64 Articles of apparel, not knit or crocheted 31.25 Paper and paperboard, articles of pulp, paper, and board 27.51

Source: Trading Economics

Indias Top Imports from Greece in 2023 Items Value (US$ million) Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products 549.65 Aluminium 36.61 Pulp of wood, fibrous cellulosic material, waste 30.36 Edible fruits, nuts, peel of citrus fruit, melons 22.81 Iron and steel 22.24 Salt, sulphur, earth, stone, plaster, lime, and cement 13.05 Copper 10.95 Cotton 7.48

Source: Trading Economics

India and Greece have complementary trade patterns. India primarily exports aluminum products, organic chemicals, electrical machinery, fish, iron and steel, apparel, plastics, paper, textiles, and spices to Greece. In contrast, Greeces main exports to India include mineral fuels, aluminum, wood pulp, edible fruits, iron and steel, copper, salt, chemicals, cotton, and organic chemicals.

Future prospects

The Indian market is drawing interest among Greek companies, with plans to export products like olive oil, olives, wine, cheese, and construction materials to India. Indian conglomerates are also investing in Greece, likely boosting future trade.

The trade outlook is positive, with expected growth driven by stronger supply chains and enhanced bilateral economic relations. The trade is projected to double every five years, supported by increasing people-to-people connections and deepening economic ties.

Source: Trading Economics



Source: Trading Economics

India-Greece investment flows

Both India and Greece recognize the strategic importance of their geographical locations and are motivated to enhance their bilateral ties for security and stability in their regions.

The Greek governments economic reforms and Greeces role as a key EU and NATO member further emphasize the importance of this relationship. The proposed IMEEC and the EU-India bilateral trade agreement (BTIA) are expected to boost economic ties.

From April 2000 to March 2023, cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) from Greece to India totaled US$9.35 million. The largest Indian investment in Greece is a joint venture between GMR Airports and GEK-Terna for a EUR 850 million construction project at Kasteli on the island of Crete. Additionally, several smaller Indian companies operate in Greece across sectors such as travel, hospitality, and retail.

Bilateral agreements between Greece and India

Agreement on Cultural Exchange (1961)

Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation (1967)

Agreement for Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation (1983)

Agreement on Tourism Cooperation (1998)

MOU on Defense Cooperation (1998)

MOU for Cooperation in Agriculture (2001)

Agreement on Cooperation in Science & Technology (2007)

Air Services Agreement (2017)

Agreement of Cooperation between the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board and India Trade Promotion Organization (1996)

MOU on Cooperation in New and Renewable Energy (2017)

MOU on Standardization (2018)

Scope for investments in India

Agriculture: Cooperation prospects in agritech, crop diversification, soil and water conservation, climate change, natural farming and biofortified crops, food production, smart irrigation, cold chain infrastructure, agriculture research public-private-partnerships.

Cooperation prospects in agritech, crop diversification, soil and water conservation, climate change, natural farming and biofortified crops, food production, smart irrigation, cold chain infrastructure, agriculture research public-private-partnerships. Shipping: India is the 16th largest maritime country in the world and allows 100 percent FDI. Cooperation prospects in ship design ship production, ship breaking, automation, environmentally friendly technologies, training and human resource development, innovation, technology, and knowledge sharing.

India is the 16th largest maritime country in the world and allows 100 percent FDI. Cooperation prospects in ship design ship production, ship breaking, automation, environmentally friendly technologies, training and human resource development, innovation, technology, and knowledge sharing. Skill development and mobility: Cooperation on digital apprenticeships, joint partnerships in creating training infrastructure, skills and language training programs, short-term mobility to Greece.

Cooperation on digital apprenticeships, joint partnerships in creating training infrastructure, skills and language training programs, short-term mobility to Greece. Defense and aerospace: India has a US$11.3 billion defense market and is the third largest military spender in the work. The Indian government wants to achieve a US$25 billion turnover by 2025, including US$5 billion in exports of aerospace and defense goods and services. Areas of cooperation include defense industrial cooperation, with a focus on Make in India, maritime cooperation, co-development or licensed production of aero-platforms and systems (avionics, aircraft manufacture, radar equipment), advanced ship-building technologies, and submarines, advanced defense systems with digital innovations such as focus on big data, artificial intelligence and cyber security, modernization of existing shipyards and defense platforms through technology infusion.

India has a US$11.3 billion defense market and is the third largest military spender in the work. The Indian government wants to achieve a US$25 billion turnover by 2025, including US$5 billion in exports of aerospace and defense goods and services. Areas of cooperation include defense industrial cooperation, with a focus on Make in India, maritime cooperation, co-development or licensed production of aero-platforms and systems (avionics, aircraft manufacture, radar equipment), advanced ship-building technologies, and submarines, advanced defense systems with digital innovations such as focus on big data, artificial intelligence and cyber security, modernization of existing shipyards and defense platforms through technology infusion. Infrastructure: Cooperation areas include smart cities, industrial corridors, and transport and logistics.

Cooperation areas include smart cities, industrial corridors, and transport and logistics. Renewable energy: India is the worlds fourth-largest producer of renewable energy and solar power but is yet to meet high production capacity target of 500GW by 2030. Cooperation areas include solar PVs, equipment manufacturing, biomass energy, energy storage, smart grids, skill development, and energy management systems.

India is the worlds fourth-largest producer of renewable energy and solar power but is yet to meet high production capacity target of 500GW by 2030. Cooperation areas include solar PVs, equipment manufacturing, biomass energy, energy storage, smart grids, skill development, and energy management systems. Auto manufacturing: India is the worlds third largest automobile market and wants to achieve 30 percent electrification by 2030. Cooperation areas include auto components, batteries and EV parts, battery energy storage systems, charging stations.

India is the worlds third largest automobile market and wants to achieve 30 percent electrification by 2030. Cooperation areas include auto components, batteries and EV parts, battery energy storage systems, charging stations. Pharmaceuticals: India is the largest manufacturer and exporter of generic medicines, serving domestic and 200 countries. Cooperation areas include production of generic medicines, vaccine production, R&D, merger and acquisitions, and API leveraging Indian facilities in Europe.

India is the largest manufacturer and exporter of generic medicines, serving domestic and 200 countries. Cooperation areas include production of generic medicines, vaccine production, R&D, merger and acquisitions, and API leveraging Indian facilities in Europe. Electronics: India is pushing for the diversification and expansion of its rapidly growing electronics manufacturing through targeted incentives. Cooperation areas include export-oriented manufacturing, R&D, new product development, skill development and training.

India is pushing for the diversification and expansion of its rapidly growing electronics manufacturing through targeted incentives. Cooperation areas include export-oriented manufacturing, R&D, new product development, skill development and training. Services: Under the IT/BPM industry, cooperation areas include AI, software development, cybersecurity, data analytics, cloud computing, etc. Under tourism, cooperation areas include hotel development, travel services, destination management, heritage conservation, wellness tourism, and shopping tourism. Under retail and e-commerce, cooperation areas include cross-border e-commerce, retail partnerships, and market entry support.

Greek companies in India

Indias progressive FDI policies and business-friendly environment have made it a top global investment destination. Greek companies already have a notable presence in India, and there are substantial opportunities across various sectors. By increasing investments in India, Greece stands to gain significant benefits.

Heres a list of Greek companies in India:

Adventus Laboratories (India) Pvt. Ltd Pharmathen S.A

Alumil India Pvt Ltd

AMD Telecom Pvt Ltd AMD Telecom SA

Arkay Glencork pvt ltd The Pisani Group

Chipita India Pvt Ltd Chipita SA

Danaos Software Services Pvt Ltd Danaos SA

Eurocert India Eurocert SA

Frigoglass India Pvt. Ltd. Frigoglass SA

HT Mobile Solutions Ltd, Veltis Greek Shareholders

Indigreek Consulting Indigreek Consulting

Intracom Sitronics Pvt. Ltd. Intrakom SA

Kooud Software Pvt Ltd European Dynamics Ltd

Maillis Strong Strap Pvt. Ltd. M.J.Maillis SA

ML Group of Companies Leaf Tobacco A.Mchailides SA

Pyramis Marketing India Pvt. Ltd. Pyramis SA

Savitar Sol Energy Efficiency Systems Pvt. Ltd. SOL Energy Hellas SA

Stollberg India Pvt. Ltd. S&B Industrial Minerals SA/ S&B Holdings

Topos Trading Topos Trading

Torux Software Pvt Ltd Torux Software Pvt Ltd

Velti Services India Pvt Ltd. Veltis Greek Shareholders

Indian companies in Greece

In Greece, there are numerous Indian businesses, including restaurants, mini markets, and travel agencies, operating in cities like Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. The Greek Indian Business Association (GIBA) was founded in Athens in June 2019 to foster business connections. Key corporate members of GIBA include:

Sandal-200: A travel and recruitment agency

Amilcal-logo-600: A consulting firm specializing in trading, events, and investment

God-bless-films-800: A film production company active in India and Europe

Bp-vagias-olives-oil: An exporter of table olives and extra virgin olive oil

Bp-Gerovassiliou-wines: An exporter of wine from the Macedonia region

Genelabs-lg-220130: A company focused on health sector synergies

Mavid: A company in the Macedonian meat industry

Outlook

India and Greece are enhancing their bilateral relations through high-level engagements and agreements. Both countries aim to solidify a strategic partnership that leverages their geographic and economic strengths. The focus is on increasing bilateral trade, improving defense and security cooperation, and expanding economic ties through initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Despite positive developments, there is significant room for improvement, in the following areas:

Trade balance management: Addressing trade imbalances and boosting trade flows by diversifying the range of exports and imports between the two countries. Investment expansion: While Greek investment in India is growing, there is potential to increase this further. Greek companies can explore more sector opportunities within India beyond the existing investments in travel, hospitality, and retail. This is more so as India is aggressively pushing via incentives and preferential schemes to modernize its industries, promote tech-enabled and R&D across agriculture, food production, and manufacturing, build and scale industrial corridors, advance shipping and defense infrastructure and equipment manufacturing, skill development, and seek more collaboration across high performing services industries. Leveraging existing agreements by actively implementing and updating them to reflect current economic and geopolitical realities. Strengthening bilateral agreements in emerging sectors like renewable energy and technology can provide mutual benefits. Strategic initiatives: Supporting the IMEC to enhance connectivity and promote peace and stability in the region. Both countries should work closely on this initiative to ensure its successful implementation and alignment with their strategic goals.

By focusing on these areas, India and Greece can deepen their strategic partnership, enhance bilateral trade and investment, and better realize the potential of their growing economic and cultural ties.

(With inputs from Melissa Cyrill.)
Representational image by Antwerp Reveal on Unsplash

Bengaluru/IBNS: The Air India Group on Wednesday (Sept 4) officially commenced the construction of a major Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, which is set to be built on a 35-acre site at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru with an initial investment of Rs 1,400 crore.

The MRO facility will become a central hub for aircraft maintenance for Air India group airlines as the airline modernizes its fleet and broadens its global reach.

According to a press release from the Air India Group, the groundbreaking event was graced by Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of the Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka; Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); Chin Yau Seng, CEO of SIA Engineering Company; and other senior leaders from Air India.

The MRO facility in Bengaluru is expected to generate over 1,200 new jobs for skilled aviation engineers and support more than 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Karnataka through an improved supply chain, Air India said in the press release.

The Tata Group-owned airline said this development will contribute to a robust MRO ecosystem in Karnataka and support Air Indias ambition to make Bengaluru a key hub with enhanced global connectivity.

The new MRO facility will feature a state-of-the-art hangar capable of accommodating both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft for base maintenance under one roof, the press release said, adding that future expansions will include additional hangars and a dedicated paint hangar.

Air India said the new MRO will set a new benchmark in aviation maintenance with advanced aircraft maintenance technologies such as overhead teleplatforms, cranes, universal docking systems, and Indias largest vertical lift hangar doors.

The Bengaluru MRO, along with the expansion of Air Indias line maintenance facilities across its network and the recently updated wide-body hangar in Mumbai, will enhance the airlines self-reliance in fleet maintenance starting in 2025, the press release said.

Air India also plans to build a new wide-body hangar in Delhi for line maintenance, fostering a comprehensive maintenance ecosystem at major airports, it added.

Air India is securing CAR-147 approval for its training academy and plans to open a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) in Bengaluru next year to ensure a steady supply of trained and type-rated personnel, the company said.
Photo Courtesy: Maldives President website

Male: The selloff of Maldives' Islamic bonds has worsened, with the dollar-denominated sukuk maturing in 2026 falling below 70 cents this week, a new record low, Bloomberg reported.

The possibility of default is growing more likely. Recent measures by the Bank of Maldives to restrict foreign currency spending, along with a second downgrade by Fitch since June, have triggered a wave of selling, said the report.

With $500 million in sukuk debt due in 2026, all eyes are on the coupon payment scheduled for October 8.

Purvi Harlalka, senior emerging-market sovereign debt strategist at M&G, noted in a Bloomberg report, "Without a last-minute foreign exchange infusion from China, the GCC, or India, the non-payment of the October coupon is a plausible scenario."

Despite having gross reserves of $395 million in June, the Maldives' usable reserves stand at only $45 million.

Traders flee Maldives amid escalating default risk

The Maldives Monetary Authority is currently negotiating a $400 million currency swap deal with India, but Fitch's downgrade to CC highlights increasing fears of a potential default.

Soeren Moerch, a portfolio manager at Danske Bank, noted that the bank sold most of its bonds earlier this summer as the reserves began to decline.

"Things are much worse now," he was quoted as saying to Bloomberg, emphasizing that the main question is whether Muslim nations will permit the Maldives to default on a sukuk bond.

Despite increasing tourism revenues, the Maldives continues to rely heavily on imports and maintains a dollar peg, which puts additional pressure on its reserves.

The ruling Peoples National Congress, under pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu, gained a parliamentary majority earlier this year, adding complexity to the geopolitical situation.

"The India Out campaign and lack of USD liquidity are red flags. Its too early for us to reinvest," Woznica was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
Photo courtesy: PIB

New Delhi/IBNS: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Thursday said Singapore has already invested about $150 billion in India and is ready to invest five times that amount in the coming years.

At the All India Industries and Commerce Ministers conference, Goyal said India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) have signed a free trade agreement under which New Delhi has received an investment commitment of $100 billion over the next 15 years, which will also be of benefits to the states and they have to take advantage of this.

EFTA includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

On Wednesday, the Swiss Federal Council adopted a dispatch on the free-trade agreement between the EFTA states and India, the Swiss government said in a statement.

Today the world wants to invest in India. Everybody wants to come to India. Singapore has already invested about $150 billion in India. They are ready to invest probably five times that amount in the coming years, Goyal said.

He said that if all states and union territories (UTs) could come to one platform for approvals and facilities, it would attract global investment in each state.

Goyal said that approvals to industries in states should be time-bound and should be easy.

"We are experimenting with a system whereby people should not need to come to government offices for approvals and compliances," the Minister added.

He said that the Centre and states can work together in all sectors and push towards greater employment opportunities.

Goyal said that the government is making sincere efforts to promote India as the investment destination for the world and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) across different states and UTs.

He said that the Union Government has created a level playing field for all the states and UTs to attract FDI.

The investments coming from abroad are going to different states and each of them are beneficiary of our efforts to attract FDI, he added.
Photo courtesy: Facebook/Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court is on Thursday hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bail plea in the case linked to the alleged liquor policy scam, media reports said.

The top court is hearing Kejriwal's bail plea in the CBI case linked to the alleged scam.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted bail to the Chief Minister in the case filed by the Enforcement Directorate linked to the same case.

On March 21, 2024, Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate over money laundering allegations while framing the Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped after the Lieutenant Governor raised red flags.

Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26.

The ED has alleged the money Kejriwal got from the liquor sellers was used to fund the party's campaign in Goa since he is the convenor of the AAP.

Kejriwal and the AAP have throughout maintained the Centre has been misusing its agencies to harass the Opposition with false cases.

Kejriwal was given an interim bail in May for a brief period until June 2, 2024 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.

He went back to the jail on June 2, 2024 the day next to the last phase poll date.
Photo courtesy: Narendra Modi X handle

New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong focussed on "boosting cooperation" in several key areas during their bilateral meeting on Thursday.

Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to Singapore at the invitation of Wong.

After their meeting, Modi updated about their discussion on X posting, "The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations. "

The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations. @LawrenceWongST pic.twitter.com/FOSxXQOI3u  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Prior to their meeting, Modi was greeted with a red-carpet entry into the Singapore Parliament House. He signed the visitor's book too.

The meeting comes a few months after Wong became the Singapore Prime Minister and Modi returned to power in New Delhi for the third consecutive term.

The two countries also exchanged four Memorandum of Understanding or MoUs.

Sharing my remarks during meeting with PM @LawrenceWongST.https://t.co/ipc5WmnY6x  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

In a separate social media post, Modi posted about his visit to a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

The Indian Prime Minister wrote on X, "Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more opportunities."
Photo courtesy: Sharad Pawar X handle

Mumbai/IBNS: Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar has ruled out projecting a Chief Ministerial face on part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the opposition alliance, in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, media reports said.

Speaking to reporters, Pawar said as quoted by Hindustan Times, "The decision on who will be the chief minister can be made after the poll results. The candidate will be decided on the basis of which party wins the most number of seats within the alliance."

The MVA, an opposition alliance, is formed by the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

The NCP and Congress have outrightly rejected the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s bid to project its chief Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming state elections.

The alliance ruled Maharashtra from 2019 to 2022 until erstwhile united Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Shinde succeeded Thackeray, who was also the chief of the Shiv Sena.

In Maharashtra, which saw multiple "horse-trading" and alliance crumblings leading to political instability over the last few years, the BJP-led NDA which comprises Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde camp) suffered the jolt facing the upbeat national opposition bloc INDIA, which won 30 out of 48 seats.

The NDA comprising the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP could add only 17 seats.
Photo courtesy: Videograb from X

Kolkata/IBNS: In a significant revelation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital , has found documents suggesting that ex-principal Sandip Ghosh ordered renovation to state public works department (PWD) in areas adjacent to the crime scene a day after victim's body was recovered, as per the letter accessed by the media.

The body of the 31-year-old PGT trainee doctor was recovered on the morning of August 9 from the seminar room within the hospital premises.

According to reports, CBI sleuths have secured a crucial document showing that Ghosh issued the permission letter to state PWD to carry out the renovation work in a room and toilet adjacent to the seminar hall, where the brutal rape and murder is believed to have occurred.

The permission letter bears the signature of Ghosh.

The renovation work commenced on August 13 evening, just hours after a division bench of Calcutta High Court ordered CBI to take over the probe from Kolkata Police.

However, that renovation work could not be carried out following massive protests by the junior doctors at the hospital premises as soon as the work started.

Ghosh is at present in CBI custody over financial irregularities carried out at RG Kar Hospital.
Photo courtesy: PID Bangladesh| X/@SwissAmbBD

Dhaka: Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, has criticized former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for making political statements from India, calling it an "unfriendly gesture."

He asserted that Hasina should remain silent to avoid causing discomfort to both nations until Dhaka requests her extradition.

"If India wants to keep her until Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she must stay quiet," Yunus stated.

In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus, who was appointed Chief Advisor after Hasina's removal from power, emphasised that while Bangladesh values its strong relationship with India, New Delhi must move "beyond the narrative that portrays every political party except the Awami League as Islamist and that the country will become like Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina."

In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus, who was appointed the country's Chief Advisor after Hasina's ouster, stressed that while Bangladesh values strong ties with India, New Delhi must move beyond the narrative that portrays every other political party except Awami League as Islamist and that the country will turn into Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina. "No one is comfortable with her stance there in India because we want her back to try her. She is there in India and at times she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it, he said.

Yunus was apparently referring to Hasina's statement on August 13, in which she called for "justice" and demanded that those responsible for the recent "terror acts," killings, and vandalism be investigated, identified, and punished.

It is not good for us or for India. There is discomfort regarding it, he told PTI.

After unprecedented anti-government protests that culminated on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Her nearly four-week stay in India has sparked speculation in Bangladesh.

When asked whether Bangladesh has communicated its position to India, Yunus stated that it has been conveyed verbally and quite firmly that she should remain silent.

Everyone understands it. We have said quite firmly that she should keep quiet. This is an unfriendly gesture towards us; she has been given shelter there and she is campaigning from there. It is not that she has gone there on a normal course. She has fled following a people's uprising and public anger, he said.

When discussing the future of India-Bangladesh relations, Yunus expressed a desire for strong ties with India but emphasized that New Delhi must move away from the narrative that only Hasina's leadership guarantees the country's stability.

The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only. India is captivated by this narrative. India has to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is another neighbour, he said.

The minority Hindu community has experienced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as the destruction of temples, during the student-led violence that erupted after Hasina's ouster.

In his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort on August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed hope for a return to normalcy in violence-hit Bangladesh and stated that 1.4 billion Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country.

We need to work together to improve this relationship, which is now at a low, he said.

The 84-year-old Nobel laureate stressed the importance of India and Bangladesh working together to improve their currently strained relations.

When asked about ways to enhance ties between the two countries, Yunus noted that cooperation is essential, but acknowledged that the relationship is currently deteriorating.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its decision on the bail plea of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, media reports said.

The matter was being heard by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan.

"If the top court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal, it will demoralise Delhi High Court," ASG S V Raju said, reported Moneycontrol.

Kejriwal's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the apex court that Kejriwal cannot be a "flight risk" since he is a constitutional functionary.

"Triple test is based on presumption of innocence. Ultimate object is to secure presence. You should not be a flight risk. A man who is a constitutional functionary cannot be a flight risk," he told the court, according to Moneycontrol.

The triple test requires the court to be assured that releasing the accused will not lead to a flight risk, tampering with evidence, or a lack of cooperation with ongoing investigations.

Singhvi contended that the CBI arrested Kejriwal on June 26 despite no arrests having been made in two years, calling it an "insurance arrest."

Kejriwal challenged the denial of bail and his arrest by the CBI in two separate petitions to the Supreme Court. On August 23, the court allowed the CBI to submit its counter affidavit and granted Kejriwal two days to file a rejoinder. The Delhi High Court had upheld his arrest on August 5.

Earlier, on July 12, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Kejriwal in connection with an Enforcement Directorate case related to a scam.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case, becoming the first sitting chief minister in India to be imprisoned.

He was granted temporary bail in May due to the Lok Sabha elections.

On August 9, the Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. File photo by OFL Communications Department on Flickr via Wikimedia Commons

Ottawa/IBNS: In a major blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) has pulled the plug on a two-and-a-half-year-old agreement with Trudeau's Liberals that had helped keep his minority government in power, CBS News reported.

A year ahead of the general elections in Canada, Trudeau's minority government is now at risk after the NDP withdrew support from the Liberal Party.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, in a video posted on social media on Wednesday (Sept 4), said that he had informed PM Trudeau of the party's decision, saying the Liberal Party was "too weak, to selfish" to fight for Canadians.

The NDP supported Liberals in confidence votes as they had a deal - called a "supply and confidence" agreement - with Trudeau's party.

While making the announcement, Singh attacked Trudeau for caving to "corporate greed" and claimed that the Canadian PM's Liberal Party has "let people down."

Trudeau weakened after NDP pulls support Photo courtesy: Facebook/ @JustinTrudeau

"Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians," Singh said in the video," the NDP leader said.

"There is another, even bigger battle ahead. The threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts. From workers, from retirees, from young people, from patients, from families -- he will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs," Jagmeet Singh added.

An NDP spokesperson said the plan to end the agreement was in the works for the past two weeks -- and that the party would not inform Trudeau's Liberal government of its decision until an hour before the video was scheduled to go live online.

The NDP's announcement of support withdrawal from Liberals does not automatically mean a federal election is imminent as the Liberals could seek the support of the Bloc Quebecois or try to continue negotiating with the NDP on a case-by-case basis but that Canadians may go to the polls before the election scheduled for October next year (2025), reports BBC.

Justin Trudeau affirmed hope that the next election will not happen "until next fall" so that his government has time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care, and school food programmes, reports CBS News.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called NDP's Jagmeet Singh's announcement a "stunt" and criticised him for not saying whether he would vote non-confidence in the government, as reported by CBC News.

"He came out and claimed that he was wrong, that the coalition was a bad, costly idea, but he refuses to commit to voting for a carbon tax election," Pierre Poilievre told reporters in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

The Conservative leader also called on Singh to commit to voting for an election at the earliest opportunity when the House of Commons returns, according to reports.

"Right now, we don't have a calendar to indicate when we can put forward a motion," Poilievre said.

"After Sellout Singh did this stunt today, he is going to have to vote on whether he keeps Justin Trudeau's costly government in power, or whether he triggers a carbon tax election," he added.

Jagmeet Singh has also said that his NDP is ready for an election in the country.

"The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure," Singh said in a media release accompanying his announcement.

A by-election in the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, formerly held by the Liberals, is scheduled to be held on September 16, as per reports.

Left-wing NDP kept Trudeau's minority Liberal government in power through the confidence-and-supply agreement, in exchange for movement on key priorities such as dental care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants, and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, according to a report by CBS News.

But some of the promises made to the NDP by the Liberal government are yet to be fully realised, reports said.

Pharmacare legislation has not passed the Senate, and a bill to implement Elections Act changes is still before the House, and additionally, the promised Safe Long-Term Care Act has yet to be tabled, as per reports.

(Reporting by Suman Das from Toronto)
The world of anime is infinite. It is not limited to a single kind of narrative. You'll get everything from suspenseful scenes to romantic comedy plots, heartfelt episodes, and shows that will make your heart race. But guess what, that's not it!. If you're in the mood for some wholesome content mixed with a hint of mystery and deliciousness, there are plenty of anime movies and series that center around food! The recommendation for today is to watch some food anime, which will keep you hooked and might make you hungry too.

Food anime to watch on OTT

Food Wars - Netflix

The show centers on an ambitious chef who enrolls in a prestigious culinary school where students compete in culinary arts. In addition, Yuki Morisaki contributes by giving the series' recipes. It is a series of Japanese manga that Shun Saeki illustrated and Yuto Tsukuda wrote.





Delicious In Dungeon - Netflix

The narrative centers on a party of fantasy adventurers who, after failing to slay a dragon that devoured one of their own, set out to rescue her by traveling through a dungeon and surviving by preparing and consuming the monsters they come across.





Silver Spoon - Crunchyroll

The narrative takes place in the fictional Hokkaido Ooezo Agricultural High School and portrays the day-to-day activities of Yuugo Hachiken, a Sapporo native who came to the school to escape his controlling father's demands. He quickly discovers, though, that life in an agricultural school is more difficult than he had first thought.





Sweetness and Lightning - Crunchyroll

After his wife passed away, Kohei Inuzuka, a teacher, raised his daughter Tsumugi by himself. Since then, Kohei has mainly purchased pre-made meals for his daughter. He decides to start cooking in order to provide Tsumugi healthy meals.





Yumeiro Patissiere - Crunchyroll

Ichigo Amano, 14, is awkward and untalented aside from her love of sweets, particularly cakes. She meets Henri-sensei, who recognizes her sense of taste and what happens next is to be seen in the show!





Got your pick? dont forget to keep your favorite food and drink with you while you watch these!

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Tara Sutaria just made heads turn in Bandra with her effortlessly chic all-black outfit, proving once again why shes a fashion girlie. The actress was spotted at Gigi, Bandras chic hotspot, and she certainly didnt disappoint.

Tara Sutaria in all-black outfit

Tara Sutaria's latest look is a masterclass in how to wear black with both elegance and edge. Tara opted for a sleek leather skirt that showcased her impeccable taste in high-fashion pieces. She paired it with a daring black bralette and a structured blazer that added a touch of classic tailoring to the outfit.

Her hair were parted and tucked neatly into her blazer from the back. She complemented her outfit with a bold black and white animal print shoulder bag that added a playful contrast to the monochrome look. And those black and white stiletto heels? They were the perfect finishing touch.

Check out her look below:

Tara Sutarias appearance at Gigi is a fantastic example of how to blend silhouettes and textures in a fashionable way. From the leather skirt to the stylish blazer and the statement accessories, every element of her outfit was on point. This look not only highlights her fashion-forward approach but also sets a high standard for modern elegance. If youre looking to elevate your style game, Taras latest look is definitely one to take notes from!

For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle.
M Square Media, a leading service provider in student recruitment for educational institutions, has uncovered a shift in the study abroad preferences of Indian students. For decades, destinations like the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia have dominated the choices of aspiring students. However, a new trend is emerging: Indian students are increasingly exploring universities beyond these traditional "Big 4."



Where are Indian students heading for studies beyond the usual destinations?

1. Dubai

Dubai is quickly becoming a hotspot for Indian students, with more than 164,000 choosing the city for their studies between 2021 and 2022, according to a Times of India report.

Beyond its quality educational institutions, Dubais streamlined visa process, which takes just 15-20 days, adds to its appeal, making it an attractive alternative to the traditional Big 4 study destinations.

Credit: Pexels

2. Spain

Spain is also climbing the ranks as a preferred destination for Indian students.

The M Square Media report highlights Spain's efficient visa process (30-60 days) and affordable living costs in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville.

Spain's growth is notable, with international student numbers rising by approximately 12% in just three years, thanks to its wide array of programs in law, arts, STEM, and language studies.

3. France

France is actively wooing Indian students with ambitious targets, aiming to attract 30,000 by 2030.

The country offers postgraduate students a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa, making it easier to experience life in Europe.

With short-term visas processed in as little as six days, France is making a strong case for being a welcoming destination for higher education.

Credit: Pexels

4. Germany



Germany's affordability and world-class education system have made it a standout choice for Indian students, who now represent the largest international community on German campuses.

A Hindustan Times report notes a stunning 107% increase in Indian students over the past four years, with the latest data showing a 26% rise to 42,997 students for the Winter Semester 2022-23.

According to DAAD, the number of Indian students in Germany has doubled in the last five years, reflecting a robust and growing interest.

5. Ireland

Ireland has seen its international student population soar, tripling from 2010 to 2020.

In 2021, it hosted over 25,000 students, positioning itself as an emerging educational hub.

With a welcoming atmosphere and a strong focus on higher education, Ireland is also a top alternative choice beyond the traditional choices.

Credit: Unsplash

Why are Indian students exploring beyond traditional study-abroad destinations?

According to an International Business Times report, Indian students are increasingly exploring study options beyond the traditional destinations like the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia due to three major factors:

Lower Costs: Many emerging study destinations offer significantly lower tuition fees and cost of living compared to the Big 4, making quality education more accessible for Indian students seeking affordable options without compromising on the quality of education.

Student-Friendly Policies: Countries like Dubai and France are introducing streamlined visa processes, making it easier for students to study and work in these places.

Promising Job Prospects: These new destinations often have strong job markets, particularly in fields like STEM, business, and technology.

For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.
BJP leader and former wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt on Thursday took to social media to express what appears to be his response to being denied a ticket by the BJP to contest in the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist shared a Hindi poem on X, which translates to: "When the character is pure, why is this your condition? Sinners don't have the right to test you, set out on a search to find yourself."

Yogeshwar Dutt wanted Gohana seat

The 41-year-old from Sonipat, Haryana, had earlier expressed his willingness to contest the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections from the Gohana Assembly Constituency.

CREDIT: BCCL

"I have expressed my wish to contest elections to the Chief Minister and the central leadership. I am a sportsperson, an Olympic medallist, and I have contested elections from BJP earlier as well, so I want to get a chance," Dutt had said last week.

He further added that he wants to contest from the Gohana assembly constituency and has communicated the same to the leadership.

"Now it is time for elections, so I want a chance to contest from Gohana. I can't be certain about the future, but I have expressed my willingness, and I have told the leadership that I want to contest," he added.

CREDIT: BCCL

BJP's candidate for Gohana

However, the BJP, which released its first list of candidates for the assembly election on Wednesday, has fielded two-time former Lok Sabha MP Dr. Arvind Sharma from Gohana.

Also read: 'Don't want to talk about joining politics', says Vinesh Phogat as she attends farmers' protest

Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia to contest for Congress?

While Dutt, who joined the BJP in 2019, may have been overlooked by the party, fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat may find their names in the Congress list.

CREDIT: ANI

The duo, who along with Sakshi Malik, led the wrestlers' protest in Delhi last year, met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, leading to speculation about their political entry.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
City Council Resolution in Support of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe

Date:

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Time:

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Event Type:

Meeting

Organizer/Author:

Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the SF Bay Area

Location Details:

San Jose City Hall, 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose

Please be sure to join us on September 17th at City Hall to help us make a strong statement to the City Council that our People deserve to be seen in the eyes of the federal government.



We will be rallying outside City Hall at noon. We are asking all of our supporters, friends, and allies to join us in City Council Chambers at 1:30 pm to deliver public comments in support of the resolution.



The resolution calls on Congress and the Administration to take corrective action and finally add us to the official list of federally recognized tribes. That list was first drafted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1978. That year, the BIA erred in omitting us from that list, despite the fact that we were previously federally recognized as the Verona Band of Alameda County.



Joe Biden and Deb Haaland should finally do the right thing and simply admit the government's mistake and add us to the list. This type of corrective action has been afforded to three other California tribes that were similarly situated as Muwekma: the Ione Band of Miwok, the Tejon Tribe, and Lower Lake Rancheria.



#TrailofTruth

#justiceformuwekma
Greece is celebrating a conservation victory as it witnesses an unprecedented surge in Caretta caretta sea turtle nests this year.

The increased numbers, reaching record highs in both the southern Kyparissia Gulf and the Zakynthos National Marine Park, highlight the success of 15 years of dedicated conservation efforts.

With approximately 7,500 nests recorded

in the Kyparissia Gulf , nearly five times the average of the past 15 years, and over 2,350 nests identified in the Laganas Gulf as of August 27th, this year marks a 30-year high for the species.

The figures are particularly significant as Greece is home to 60% of the total Caretta caretta population in the Mediterranean, with Zakynthos and the Kyparissia Gulf being their primary nesting areas in Europe.

The surge in turtle nests for the second consecutive year, as noted by Lorran Sourbes, head of the Zakynthos National Park Management Unit, indicates a thriving breeding season and a positive outlook for the species' future.

The conservation efforts have been so successful that Caretta caretta is now classified as "low-risk" on Greece's Red List of Threatened Species, a far cry from its previous endangered status.

The shift is a testament to decades of diligent management in nesting areas, experts say.

A testament to this success is the world record set in 2023 by a turtle named Gaia, first observed on Zakynthos in 1986.

She was recorded nesting on Sekania beach after 37 years of reproductive life, surpassing the previous record of 36 years held by a turtle in Florida, USA.

However, despite the encouraging progress, conservationists warn that the increased nest numbers do not signify the end of threats to sea turtles.

Fishing activities, particularly due to dwindling fish stocks, and sea pollution from plastics and ghost nets continue to pose serious risks. The Archelon Sea Turtle Rescue Center in Glyfada plays a vital role in treating injured turtles.

The Caretta caretta, which lays eggs every two to four years on sandy beaches between June and September, is a migratory species, but those born in the Mediterranean tend to stay within the region.

These majestic creatures, with shell lengths reaching up to 120 cm and weights of up to 150 kg, inhabit both deep waters and coastal areas, feeding on diverse marine life. In captivity, they can live up to 60 years.

   iefimerida.gr
Greeces Attica Bank and Pancreta Bank have completed their merger, giving rise to the countrys fifth-largest bank.

The merger, finalized with unprecedented speed just weeks after the Shareholder Agreement was signed, received the necessary approvals from the Bank of Greece, the Competition Commission, and the General Assemblies of both banks.

Attica Bank has absorbed Pancreta Bank, creating a consolidated entity with a strong commitment to strengthening

competition in the financial market

The newly formed bank aims to achieve this through the introduction of innovative products, more competitive service pricing, and a dedicated focus on fulfilling customer needs.

Customers of the merged bank will start experiencing benefits immediately.

They will enjoy free withdrawals from ATMs of both Attica Bank and Pancreta Bank, regardless of their original account's bank. Moreover, all fees for transferring funds between customer accounts have been eliminated, whether transactions are conducted at branches, through online banking, or via mobile apps.

Eleni Vrettou, the CEO of the newly formed bank, expressed her enthusiasm for the merger.

"We are opening a new chapter in the history of these two banks, one that we hope will set a new standard in the Greek financial system,  she said. Our goal is to create a large, strong, and dynamic bank that will serve as a model for customer service and financing needs.

The challenge is significant, but we are fully committed to meeting it."

She further emphasized the dedication of the teams from both banks and the support of their shareholders in making this shared vision a reality.

The successful merger not only signifies a new era for the two banks involved but also highlights the ongoing consolidation trend in Greece's banking sector.

The move aims to build stronger and more competitive financial institutions, ultimately contributing to a more robust and customer-centric banking landscape in the country.

   iefimerida.gr
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the introduction of an additional financial incentive aimed at attracting and retaining doctors in underserved or remote areas. In a social media post, Mitsotakis stated that the new allowance, depending on the category of the region where the doctor is stationed, will start at 200 euros and may reach up to 600 euros per month for certain specialties.

Mitsotakis emphasized that the

core measures of his governments policy will be unveiled at the Thessaloniki International Fair, reiterating that supporting the National Health System (NHS) remains a top priority for his administration.

In his post, Mitsotakis stated:

"In two days, I will speak at the Thessaloniki International Fair, where I will have the opportunity to present specific measures and policies that we will implement in the coming period. However, today I want to highlight something very important: the necessary support for doctors within the National Health System.

With a Joint Ministerial Decision signed on Thursday, we are introducing an additional financial incentive to attract and retain doctors in underserved or remote areas. This new allowance, depending on the region, will start at 200 euros and can reach up to 600 euros per month for certain specialties.

I have said many timesand I will continue to saythat supporting NHS is our top priority. We face long-standing challenges, but we will not stop striving for a better NHS, worthy of all citizens' expectations."

   iefimerida.gr
The Turkish politician announced that when parliament opens, they will summon the Netflix representative in Turkey and we will discuss at least how we will follow a roadmap.
Some armed assailants have reportedly attacked travelers on the Ife-Akure highway, leading to the tragic rape of a female victim.

It was gathered that the incident which happened on Wednesday, involved eight gunmen who targeted two vehicles, a commercial bus and a private car, traveling from Lagos to Ilesa, Osun state.

According to Vanguard, the robbers stopped the vehicles near Osu and forcefully took valuable items, including money and ATM cards, from the victims.

Advertisement

One of the passengers, identified as Wale, narrated how the gunmen shot the bus driver, leaving him injured but alive.

He added that, a female passenger in the car was sexually assaulted during the ordeal.

READ MORE: Osun Road Accident Claims Four Lives, Injures 20

Wale said: The driver of the bus was shot but not killed. He was injured. One of the passengers in the car, a woman was raped. Money on us was forcefully taken.

They collected all our ATM cards and made us to transfer various amount into their accounts.

Some of us that escaped into bush alerted security men. Not long, policemen, vigilantes and members of Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service arrived and they began to comb the area.

Few minutes after, they arrested one of the robbers- a man. But others have fled. They took him away.

The driver of the bus I was traveling in was rushed to a hospital in Ile-Ife where he is currently receiving treatment.
Gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents have launched a fresh attack on Yobe State, leaving many properties worth millions of naira destroyed, on Wednesday.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the latest incident happened in Buni Yadi, the administrative centre of Gujba Local Government Area, just days following the tragic killing of at least 34 individuals by terrorists.

A source told Daily Trust on Thursday that the recent attack targeted a vigilante camp located at Sabon Fegi, near the government lodge and behind the local government secretariat.

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He added that the insurgents set fire to parts of the local government lodge and vehicles associated with a nearby bread factory.

READ MORE: Gunmen Storm Yobe Community Kill Many, Burn Houses, Shops

The source said: They stormed the town last night on foot, set ablaze some part of government lodge and burned down two vehicles belonging to a bread factory call Annour Bread.

They were engaged by vigilante members and other special forces compelling the terrorists take to their heels as I am talking to you now, they burnt down vigilante camp, two vehicles of bread factory and some section of the lodge.


The Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday, nominated Nenadi Usman, a former Finance Minister, to chair its 29-member national caretaker committee.

Daniel Gambo, a member of the national transition committee formed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), confirmed the development.

He said Usman was nominated during the LP stakeholders meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Abia Government House in Umuahia, the state capital.

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The stakeholders meeting of the Party was convened by Alex Otti, Governor of Abia state.

The stakeholders met at the Banquet hall of Abia state government house during which Hon. Senator Nenadi Usman was unanimously nominated to chair the newly constituted LP caretaker committee to see to the conduct of state congresses and the all inclusive national convention.

The secretary is Hon Darlington Onwokocha. The house endorsed the constitution of a 29-member committee drawn from the senate, house of representatives, the six geopolitical zones, NLC and TUC, Gambo to newsmen.

In attendance were Peter Obi, Partys 2023 presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate, among others.

READ ALSO: You Have No Power To Call For Labour Party Stakeholders Meeting  Okafor Faction To Obi, Otti

Julius Abure and Callistus Okafor, factional chairmen of the party, had rejected calls for a stakeholders meeting of the Party.

Okafor had claimed that some unnamed persons were using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to validate their selfish interests.

However, following the nomination, Okafor stated that the Usman-led caretaker committee is illegal.

In a statement, Okafor said Otti should provide a letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that acknowledged the meeting he convened in Abia.

He said: Article 11 of the 2009 Constitution which is the only constitution known to the party according to the consent judgment delivered by Hon. Justice G. O Kolawole on the 20th March, 2018 categorically stated the four (4) organizations of the party; ward, local government area, state and national

Both Dr. Alex Otti and Mr. Peter Obi do not have the constitutional authority to convene any meeting of the party.

We challenge Dr. Alex Otti to produce the official letter addressed to him from the Independent Electoral Commission on the aforementioned subject matter.

Therefore, the outcome of the Umuahia gathering remains NULL AND VOID.

We are committed to reconciling all members and groups, mobilize and conduct all inclusive and expansive congresses in wards, local government areas, states and the national convention that will achieve a unified, focused labour party that will redefine: political leadership in Nigeria.
A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Oyo State, Benedict Akika, has been kidnapped at his residence in Olorunda, Lagelu Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that heavily armed gunmen, on Wednesday, stormed Akikas home, threatening to shoot anyone who might put up resistance.

According to a family source, told PUNCH on Thursday that the assailants arrived while Akika was relaxing with his family, catching everyone off guard.

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The source said: There was a sporadic gunshot which was aimed at scaring the residents and passersby.

READ MORE: Oyo APC Chairman, Omodewu, Dies In US

He was later whisked away on Wednesday night to an unknown destination.

Another source said: He was kidnapped last night. And this is a man that empowered some widows and the less privileged with work tools worth millions of naira at his Olorunda residence a few weeks ago.

Reacting to the incident, the spokesman of the police command in Oyo state, Adewale Osifeso, in a statement released to the public on Thursday, disclosed that an investigation into the report is ongoing.

The spokesperson assured the public that updates will be provided after investigation.

Investigation has commenced into the matter. Updates will be provided accordingly.
A 24-year-old suspected vandal was paraded by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Taraba State Command, on Wednesday.

Mustapha Aminu, the suspect, was allegedly arrested in connection with the vandalism of a power cable.

The culprit was paraded by the state commander, Adamu Salih, who stated that the vandalised power cable belongs to the State Ministry of Energy and Economic Development.

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According to Salih, the culprit was apprehended on August 27, 2024, by command personnel while on normal patrol in Jauro Gana, Jalingo city.

READ MORE: Task Force Arrests Six Fuel Hawkers In Lagos

The feat, as reported by DAILY POST, was made possible by a tip-off from some good Samaritan.

Acting on a tip-off, we arrested the suspect when he stole the armoured cable that was used in the installation of street lights on the newly-constructed road from Kpanti-Napu to Jauro Yinu on Saturday, 24th August 2024 and hid it in a nearby farm.

Three days later, he came to pick up the cable to move it to Enugu State, where he intended to sell it at a more exorbitant price but luck ran out of him as he was nabbed by the NSCDC operatives, the commander stated.

The commander denounced the moral degradation of some young people, claiming that they should have participated in important economic tasks.

He encouraged parents and guardians to shine searchlights on their wards and children to deter them from committing deeds that could end their ambitions.
The Nigerian Navy has reported significant achievements in its fight against crude oil theft, under Operation DELTA SANITY, in the Niger Delta region.

In a Wednesday statement, the Director of Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, detailed recent operations, including the seizure of seven large Cotonou and two fibre boats on 29 August, operated by armed oil thieves at an illegal loading point in Nembe, Bayelsa State.

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No fewer than six suspected oil thieves were arrested by the operatives in the State.

The suspects were arrested with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fibre boats and two wooden boats along Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni of the state.

He said, From Thursday 29 August to Monday 2 September 2024, Nigerian Navy Units under the auspices of Operation DELTA SANITY recorded significant successes against Crude Oil Theft and destroyed Illegal Refining Sites in the Niger Delta. Some of the successes recorded within the five-day period were as follows:

READ ALSO: Police Storm Delta Drug Hideout, Arrest 40 Alleged Dealers

On 29 August, 7 large Cotonou and 2 fibre boats operated by heavily armed oil thieves loading crude oil from an illegal loading point around Botokiri axis of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State were seized.

On 31 August, 6 suspected crude oil thieves with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, 4 fibre boats and 2 wooden boats were arrested and seized along Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni of Bayelsa State.

On 1 September, 2 wooden boats and 328 sacks of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil were seized at Otuogori community river bank in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

On 2 September, 35 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil in a wooden boat were seized at Gbaraun area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Adams-Aliu said the success recorded during the operations was a testament to the services commitment to curbing oil theft in the country.

He said, These successes indicate the effectiveness of Operation DELTA SANITY, and the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to sustain current efforts to rid Nigerias maritime environment of the menace of crude oil theft and enhance crude oil production.
American billionaire and tech giant, Bill Gates, has expressed concern over socio-economic crisis facing Nigeria, adding that the countrys revenue GDP ratio was better 15 years ago than now.

Gates led this out during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday.

He pointed out that despite Nigerias significant investments-over $2.8 billion from the Gates Foundation, making it their largest commitment in Africa, the countrys economy still remain stagnated.

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Gate said: Nigerias economy has stagnated. Earlier this year, your debt exceeded 50 per cent of your GDP for the first time since 2001. And while your revenue-to-GDP ratio has grown, its still lower than what it was 15 years ago.

READ MORE: Tinubu Meets Dangote, Bill Gates Behind Closed-Doors In Aso Rock

The result is that Nigeria spends less per-capita on its people than other African countries with a fraction of your wealth.

I understand this is a politically sensitive area. Nigerians are struggling. Incomes have fallen. Prices have soared. And like in many other countries, people are protesting.

Taxes are never popular. Thats true in America too. But theyre part of a social compact. People are more likely to pay them when they see the government spending that money to give Nigerians a better life.

After all, priorities without funding are only words. And I know that right now, its impossible to give every priority the funding it needs. Thats why its more important than ever to focus on the areas you know will make the greatest difference.

Ill start with health, because without health, there can be no opportunity.

Primary care is the firstand sometimes, the onlypoint of contact most patients have with the health system. Yet Nigeria spends just 3,000 naira on primary health care per person, per year.

70% of your spending goes to secondary and tertiary care, compared to just 30% for primary care. That ratio should be reversed.
Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of African Action Congress, says Nigerians must not wait till October 1, 2024 to protest against the present administration.

According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration is hurting Nigerians, hence citizens can revolt at any time they want.

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In a post via X on Wednesday, he wrote: IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please lets reiterate that nobody needs to wait for October 1, 2024, for #FearlessInOctober; the Tinubu regime is continuing to hurt the people of Nigeria without ceasing.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Bought Private Jet While Nigerians Are Suffering  Sowore

Nigerians are at liberty to revolt at any time of their choosing! #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #RevolutionNow.

Sowore had called for a second leg of the EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest on October 1st.

The second lapse of the protest is tagged: FealessInOctober, in which Nigerians are expected to vent out their frustrations against the Federal Government amid the prevailing economic situation in the country.
The Nasarawa State Police Command agents assigned to the Kadarko Division have apprehended Isa Usman, a quack medical doctor.

The suspect was arrested on Wednesday in Iyayi Village, Kadarko District, Keana Local Government Area, for allegedly buying and giving Procaine Injection to one Zaki Yaka Ajohol, which resulted in his death.

DSP Ramhan Nansel, the commands Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a statement released on Wednesday.

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According to the statement, early investigations revealed that the suspect, who has a primary school leaving certificate, is from Pindi village in the Akko LGA of Gombe State.

The suspect claimed to have received training from Asibitin Yusuf in Agyaragu, Obi LGA of the state.

READ MORE: Jigawa Police Intervene As Mob Attacks Suspected Motorbike Thief

He admitted to procuring and administering procaine injections to his victim for three days to treat typhoid.

On the fourth day, the suspect gave the victim the same injection, causing him to collapse and become unconscious immediately.

The victim, according to the PPRO was was rushed to primary health care at Akeleku where he was confirmed dead. Consequently, some drugs and other medical implements were recovered from the suspect as an exhibit.

The Commissioner of Police Umar Shehu Nadada has ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Lafia for further investigation and prosecution.
The leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Ewin Clark, has charged Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, to arrest Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Clarks statement is coming, following a recent comment, made by Wike, amid Rivers states political crisis.

Recall that the FCTs Minister, while speaking at the Peoples Democratic Partys secretariat in Port Harcourt, on Saturday, warned the PDP governors to stay away from the partys affairs in Rivers.

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Reacting to Wikes statement, in a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Clark said that the words of the minister marked a flagrant disrespect to the person of President Bola Tinubu, who appointed him.

He added that his comments were a form of treason as it was capable of inciting violence in the country.

He said: Wike has gone overboard in his macabre dance. As we lawyers say, nobody is above the law and the law must take its course.

READ MORE: Your Threats Are Reckless  PDP Govs To Wike Over Plan To Destroy Party

If you could in the past arrest Omoyele Sowore for similar or less implicating threats against public peace and public officials, if you are right now leading prosecution in law courts against people who participated in End Bad Governance protest, what are you waiting to act in this case of Wike?

My dear IG, at well over 97 years of age, and having held various positions in government including being a Minister over 50 years ago, I am shocked that a public officer who is an appointee of a serving President can descend to this level.

When we worked under Gen. Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, in the Federal Executive Council, the code of conduct which we were expected to keep especially as it pertained to being instruments of public order was at the highest level.

There is nothing that Wike has not done in his attempt to sabotage the government of Siminalayi Fubara and install the former speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, his brother, as Governor.

But all have failed.
The Edo State Police Command has detained two individuals for allegedly stealing artifacts worth N500 million from the home of Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin kingdom.

The Public Relations Officers of the Command, SP Moses Joel Yamu, made this public on Wednesday while parading the suspects and others detained for various crimes in the state.

Yamu identified the suspects as Adamu Usman (18) and Etuk Bassey (36).

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He stated that Adamu Usman was detained on July 23, 2024, while attempting to steal artifacts.

According to him, following reports of artifact theft from the residence of Benins Esama, Dr Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, located at Okada Avenue, GRA Benin City, Command operatives on surveillance around the residence arrested one Adamu Usmanm 18yrs on 23/07/2024 at approximately 0130hrs while attempting to steal artifacts.

READ MORE: Task Force Arrests Six Fuel Hawkers In Lagos

Upon interrogation, the suspects confession led to the arrest of another suspect named Etuk Bassey m 36yrs who happened to be the driver who usually conveys the stolen artifacts.

The worth of the already stolen artifacts is estimated at about Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00), he said.

He stated that the suspects had confessed to the crime, and that efforts to track down and arrest other fleeing suspects were ongoing.


A building collapse in Kano State has resulted in the deaths of two persons and left two others injured.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Thursday in the Nomansland area of Fagge Local Government during heavy rainfall as disclosed by Daily Trust.

According to reports, the two-storey structure collapsed due to flooding from an overflowing waterway nearby.

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Saminu Yusif Abudullahi, the Public Relations Officer for the Kano State Fire Service, confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing.

READ ALSO: Four Injured As Police Vehicle, Commercial Bus, Tipper Truck Collide In Lagos

Abdullahi added that the two survivors are currently receiving medical attention.

This incident comes on the heels of severe flooding in the region.

Flooding has already claimed 31 lives and destroyed over 5,280 homes, according to the Kano State Emergency Management Agency.

The agency however urged residents to remain vigilant as heavy rains persist.
Police investigate a shooting at the 3200 block of D Street in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Read more

Mario Olivera died protecting his 1-year-old son.

He was carrying the child in his arms as he headed to his mothers home in Kensington on Wednesday evening when he was ambushed by two gunmen who pulled up on a red scooter and fired more than 20 shots at him, police said.

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Olivera, 24, was later pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital. His son, named after the father who protected him to his last breath, was in stable condition after suffering cuts from debris or bullet fragments.

Olivera had just left a bodega across the street from his mothers home in Kensington with his son, Mario Jr., cradled in his arms, when shots rang out, his mother, Carmen Batista, said Thursday.

As Olivera crossed D Street, she said, he was struck by bullets. Instinctively, he moved to protect his child, she said, placing him on the porch of his mothers home and putting a chair over his small body to shield him from the gunfire. Then he collapsed to the ground.

Oliveras death has shattered his family, Batista said Thursday morning.

This is part of the violence were living with in Philadelphia, she said in Spanish, breaking into tears. Im fed up with Philadelphia. Im fed up.

At 6:21 p.m. Wednesday, police on patrol in the area were flagged down and directed to Batistas home on the 3200 block of D Street, police said. When officers arrived, they found Olivera unresponsive on the front porch of the house, with gunshot wounds to his head and thigh. He was taken to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:46 p.m.

Surveillance camera footage shows two people riding a scooter south  the wrong way  on D Street and then opening fire on Olivera, police said. The scooter then turned and fled north. Neighbors later told Oliveras mother that the assailants drove around the block three times before the ambush, seemingly waiting to attack her son, she said.

The motive for the shooting was unclear, police said, and there have been no arrests.

Olivera had pledged to start down a new path in his life after a stint in prison for selling drugs, his mother said. He had gone to school to become a mechanic and was working at an auto body shop, she said, focused on being a father to his three children and building a home with his wife.

After Batista recently moved to D Street, her son visited often and was painting the inside of her new home on Wednesday, she said.

My son had left behind the streets, the mother said.

Surrounded by her family Thursday morning, on the steps where her son had died hours earlier, Batista prayed that investigators would find and capture the people responsible for his death.

They killed my son, she said. But they also killed an entire family. They killed the life in me.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or to call or text the police departments tipline at 215-686-8477. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Philadelphia police are searching for a gunman who shot and killed a man in Old City late Wednesday night.

A 33-year-old man, whom police later identified as Michael Clemens, was shot after approaching the drivers side door of a car just before 11:30 p.m., near the corner of Second and Chestnut Streets, said Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore.

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Surveillance video shows that Clemensgot into a confrontation with the driver of the car, who then shot him in the leg, chest, and arms, Vanore said. Clemens was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:04 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and restaurants as they continue to investigate, said Chief Inspector Scott Small. A loaded semiautomatic gun was found at the scene next to Clemens, police said, but it was unclear if it was the weapon used in the shooting.

The motive for the shooting was unclear, and no arrests have been made.

As of Wednesday, there have been 608 shootings in Philadelphia this year, 166 of them fatal, according to data compiled by the City Controllers office.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the police departments Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or to call or text the departments tipline at 215-686-8477. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Camden school superintendent Katrina McCombs sits on stage next to advisory board President Wasim Muhammad during a raucous advisory board meeting last week at Camden High School. Community activists jeered and blew whistles and called for Muhammad to step down. Read more

Camden School Superintendent Katrina T. McCombs and acting state Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer on Thursday joined the growing calls for embattled advisory board president Wasim Muhammad to step down.

McCombs broke months of silence about the controversy in a letter to the community saying it would be in the best interest of the state-operated district of Camden City for Advisory Board President Wasim Muhammad to voluntarily relinquish his seat.

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Gov. Phil Murphy has called on Muhammad to resign, too, citing the appalling and heinous nature of the allegations, and through a spokesperson, he thanked McCombs Thursday for her letter. Community activists also called for Muhammad to resign after he was accused of sexual assault by a former student in a civil case that was settled in June. He took a leave of absence in January while the case was pending.

McCombs appeared increasingly uncomfortable sitting next to Muhammad after his return to the board in August. The two did not speak during contentious meetings disrupted by protests, and the board adjourned without conducting much business. Protesters have vowed to disrupt future meetings as long as Muhammad remains.

It is important that the business of the district proceeds without further disruption, McCombs wrote in a one-page statement. Our students, staff, and families deserve nothing less.

As the lawsuit made national headlines a few months ago, McCombs disclosed that she had experienced sexual assault as a child and found the Muhammad allegations triggering. She sent an email to staff last week urging anyone affected to seek employee counseling assistance.

Muhammad, 56, could not immediately be reached for comment. He has denied any wrongdoing and his lawyer, Troy Archie, said Muhammad, a Muslim minister and community activist, has no plans to resign.

My clients position remains steadfast, Archie said Thursday. He will continue as board president and continue to do the good work he has done for the last 10 years.

 READ MORE: Who is Wasim Muhammad, Camdens school board president accused of sexually abusing a student?

McCombs and Muhammad were classmates at Camden High where Muhammad played on the schools 1986 undefeated championship basketball team with Mayor Victor Carstarphen. A spokesman for the mayor did not respond to a message. Carstarphen, in a 2022 interview, called Muhammad my guy.

The call by McCombs was welcomed by community activists.

The pressure was mounting from the community. She had to do what was right, said activist Vida Neil, who has led the protests.

Dehmers own call for Muhammad to resign on Thursday was his first time weighing in publicly on the issue.

I firmly believe that the Camden community deserves to start the school year focused on providing excellent educational opportunities for their students rather than focused on unnecessary and harmful distractions, Dehmer said.

A six-member jury in May found that Muhammad, formerly known as Donnie Walker, had not sexually abused his former student, Salema Robinson, but recklessly or intentionally committed extreme and outrageous conduct upon her. Robinson alleged that the abuse began when she was 14; Muhammad was her social studies teacher at Cooper B. Hatch Middle School.

Robinson, 45, was awarded $1.6 million, which was increased to $2 million under a later settlement between her, Muhammad, and the school district. She has also called for Muhammad to resign. The case has cost the district more than $800,000 in legal fees.

Robinsons attorney, Jeffrey Fritz, called McCombs letter supporting Muhammads resignation a positive move.

The jury held Muhammad and the district liable for counts including willful misconduct and negligence in supervising Muhammad, and for permitting a sexually hostile educational environment. The verdict did not offer insight into its findings.

Among her allegations, Robinson told the jury that she engaged in a threesome with Muhammad and one of his wives and that he took Robinson to a porn theater and forced her to have sex with a stranger while he watched and masturbated.

 READ MORE: Hear what Salema Hicks Robinson has to say about the civil sex abuse lawsuit she filed, what shes lost and how shes triumphed

Muhammad denied the allegations during his testimony. He claimed that he married Robinson when she turned 18. He said he is married to his childhood sweetheart and has four more wives under his Islamic faith. Robinson said the two were never married.

Robinson filed the lawsuit in 2021 under a state law passed in 2019 that allows victims of child sexual abuse to sue their abusers up until they turn 55. She was initially identified in the case as Jane Doe, but decided to come forward after the verdict to encourage other victims to speak up.

Muhammad has served on the nine-member school advisory board since 2013 and has been president since 2020. Because the district is under a state takeover, the board serves in an advisory role only, without any authority.

A petition drive has been launched by Camden resident and activist Elton Custis to force Muhammads ouster. A former board member last week also announced plans to start a recall effort to ask voters to remove him from office.

It is good to finally see the superintendent echoing the words of the community, Custis said.   We will keep coming out and stepping up for we are Fed up and Fired Up!
Union members of the United Academics of Philadelphia hold signs, including one naming Judson Aaron, chairperson of the universitys board of trustees, during a news conference outside Hamilton Hall on the former University of the Arts campus on Thursday. Read more

As president of University of the Arts Student Association, Alex McFadden routinely met with the schools top officials. They sat on the selection committee that helped pick Kerry Walk as president.

So when the school closed with just a weeks notice in June, shocking the city and changing the lives of thousands of staff, students, and alumni, McFadden blamed themself, the 2024 UArts graduate said Thursday  feeling like they should have seen the devastation coming.

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It wasnt until state officials stepped in that McFadden realized the closure was not their fault, they said.

It was not my responsibility, because my alma mater was supposed to protect me, an emotional McFadden said Thursday, standing on the steps of Hamilton Hall, UArts flagship building on South Broad Street. None of this is normal, and none of this was supposed to happen to any of us, ever.

McFadden spoke at a news conference where legislators touted a recently passed law they say is designed to prevent what happened at UArts from occurring again: a Pennsylvania college collapsing with no advance warning, and few protections for students and staff.

Written into the state budget passed in July was language that Rep. Ben Waxman (D., Philadelphia) and Rep. Bob Merski (D., Erie) pushed requiring the Pennsylvania Department of Education to put in place procedures to guarantee orderly closures of colleges. The regulations require colleges and universities to develop teach-out plans and preserve student and administrative records. Schools that fail to meet those requirements would not get state funding, which most private colleges receive despite not being public institutions.

Waxman said lawmakers realized that we all could be facing another situation like the University of the Arts if we didnt act, he said.

 READ MORE: UArts sudden closure was a shock, but not a big surprise in the turbulent higher-ed landscape

Many state officials said they learned of the University of the Arts closure via an Inquirer article, and said if they had more advance warning, they might have been able to help avert whatever catastrophe felled the university. Officials have only said an unforeseen financial crisis forced them to close UArts.

What happened here just a few months ago was unconscionable, unacceptable and cannot be repeated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, said State Rep. Jordan Harris (D., Philadelphia), chair of the House Appropriations Committee. To find out that a university is closing in a newspaper is beyond unacceptable.

State Senator Nikil Saval (D., Philadelphia) called the schools closure an irreparable harm to our city, an act that upended the lives of thousands.

Months later, the circumstances around the closure remain murky and opaque, and accountability has not yet come, Saval said. We cannot let this manufactured crisis in higher education become an epidemic.

Madison Claus, a UArts alum who worked as an administrative assistant at the university until its closure, said she stayed despite the low pay, despite being always overworked, because I believed it was a special place where interdisciplinary art could flourish. I also stayed for the students. The most rewarding part of the job was seeing students have exciting breakthroughs in their artistic practice.

Claus, who met her husband at UArts, still has not found a new job. She had to delay her honeymoon and revamp her finances because of the closure.

The worst part?

I am heartbroken for Philadelphia for the void that has been created for what it means for the future of art making, Claus said. Philly is scrappy and vibrant and resilient. The void left by the sudden shuttering of UArts will be filled, but it will take time and effort and it will never be the same. Something truly irreversible has taken place. And I fully believe that this whole ordeal did not have to be as swift, as catastrophic, as mismanaged, as it was.

Even legislators seeking answers said they have been met with radio silence from those connected to UArts for months. The state Attorney Generals Office is investigating, but details have been scant.

Months of negotiations between UArts and Temple University over a possible merger or acquisition broke down after a major donor to UArts $62 million endowment expressed opposition to the money going into Temple as part of the deal, The Inquirer reported.

 READ MORE: Students without homes. Faculty without jobs. These are the faces behind the UArts closure.

Asked about the university buildings  several desirable pieces of property in the heart of Center City, on the Avenue of the Arts  Waxman said theres been no news.

Theres still a lot of process that has to play out before we know what is going to happen with the assets, Waxman said.

Harris said he could not go into details about any talks that might be going on behind the scenes, but I will say that we believe that the University of the Arts can and should rise again. Im not sure what fashion that might be, but the history and the legacy of this school should not end here.
Tony Khan, president and CEO of AEW, makes an appearance at the AEW Dynamite show in Philadelphia. Read more

A pro-wrestling announcer is suing the countrys second-largest wrestling promotion, alleging that he was defamed as a QAnon supporter by a fellow announcer and that the accusation led him to lose his job.

Kevin Kelly, whose real name is Kevin Foote, and two professional wrestlers, Brendan and Brent Tate, claim they have been defamed by an All-Elite Wrestling announcer and the organizations president, respectively.

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In the class-action lawsuit filed last week in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the trio also contends that AEWs contracts contain clauses that are unreasonably favorable to the company.

The lawsuit asks a judge to nullify their contracts and reclassify all AEW talent as employees instead of contractors, which would break a common practice across the pro-wrestling industry.

I think its abhorrent that professional wrestlers who have every aspect of their job controlled by a corporation are called independent contractors, as if they have any say whatsoever in anything that they do, said Stephen New, a West Virginia attorney who filed the lawsuit in Philadelphia on behalf of the announcer and two wrestlers.

The lawsuit also alleges that AEW president Tony Khan made a defamatory comment against the Tate brothers, who are known in wrestling circles as The Boys, after a Philadelphia event in April and that announcer Ian Riccaboni defamed Kelly in a social media post in August 2023.

One lawsuit takes on these seemingly different issues because the experiences of Kelly and the Tates reflect various problems of AEWs contracts, which provide little recourse for talent, New said.

AEW did not respond to a request for comment. Khan could not be reached. Riccaboni declined to comment.

Sounds of Freedom

Kelly, of York County, joined AEW as an announcer in June 2023 after having worked for decades in pro-wrestling, announcing for WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

His relationship with his colleagues and the company turned sour quickly after Kelly recommended the movie Sound of Freedom, a controversial feature about human trafficking, to his social media followers in July 2023.

The movie is based on Tim Ballard, a disgraced antihuman trafficking activist, who is depicted by Jim Caviezel. Caviezel made comments promoting misinformation that is part of the far-right conspiracy theory when promoting the film. The movies director, Alejandro Monteverde, distanced himself from QAnon and said Caviezels comments hurt his work.

A month after Kellys post, Riccaboni, of Allentown, posted on social media that he had no idea [Kelly] was going to promote QAnon movies.

That QAnon stuff breaks my heart, he wrote on the platform Discord, according to the lawsuit.

Kelly attempted to reach out to Riccaboni to explain that he does not support QAnon, according to the lawsuit, but didnt get a response. He later filed a complaint with AEW against Riccaboni over the remark, and the company said it disciplined the announcer but did not share with Kelly what the discipline entailed.

 READ MORE: Meet the pro wrestling announcer conducting his dream job close to home this weekend

After Riccabonis August 2023 post, Kelly says he was invited to announce less often. AEW terminated his contract in March.

Kelly claims in the lawsuit that he was terminated because of Riccabonis statement that he promoted a QAnon movie.

The implied association with QAnon subjects [Kelly] to ridicule, embarrassment, humiliation, and is detrimental to his personal and professional relationship, the lawsuit states.

Kelly hasnt worked as a pro-wrestling announcer since because of a noncompete clause in his contract with AEW, his lawyer said. The details of the contract are redacted in the complaint.

No shows

Joining Kelly in the lawsuit are the wrestling duo who are known as The Boys. The Tate brothers allege that they suffered defamation by the president of AEW.

The brothers contracts with AEW were terminated in April after roughly three years in which they performed for AEW and Ring of Honor, a wrestling promotion that is affiliated with AEW. The company told the Tates their termination was due to budget cuts, according to the lawsuit. But a few days later, at a media call before an AEW event in Philadelphia during WWEs WrestleMania, Khan said that the two missed multiple events.

They didnt show up to work on more than one occasion, Khan said. And its not acceptable.

The Tates say in the lawsuit that events they missed were the fault of AEW. For example, they missed one event because AEW booked them a flight out of the wrong city, they lawsuit says.

They now have been branded and tarred with the reputation of being unreliable workers, New, the Tates lawyer, said.

Start of a movement?

With the class-action lawsuit, Kelly and The Boys claim to be representative of the type of contractors who do work for AEW.

The lawsuit asks a judge to reclassify all wrestlers, announcers, and similar talent at AEW who are now contractors as employees. The change would expand worker protections and require that they receive certain benefits, New said.

The lawyers goal is for a Philadelphia judge to lift the contracts confidentiality clauses, and release the plaintiff from their contracts  including non-compete clauses. That, he hopes, will start a movement in which wrestling organizations treat wrestlers and other talent as full-time employees.

This is the first shot, New said. This is the first battle.
Community engagement supervisor Zack Mackey speaks to participants of the Students Talking About Relationships program at Lutheran Settlement House in Fishtown in August. He is a survivor of a 1988 school shooting in South Carolina. Read more

For Zachary Mackey, a community engagement supervisor at Philadelphias Lutheran Settlement House, a school shooting like the one Wednesday at Georgias Apalachee High School  where two teachers and two students were fatally shot  takes him back almost 36 years.

 READ MORE: Teen charged with killing 4 at Georgia high school had been focus of earlier tips about threats

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He was a 6-year-old first grader who lived across the street from the 600-student Oakland Elementary School in the small town of Greenwood, S.C. On Sept. 26, 1988, James William Wilson Jr., a 19-year-old man, entered the school, made his way to the cafeteria where Mackey and other students were eating, and started shooting.

It was a pretty normal Monday. I went to lunch with my classroom. Then I can remember hearing what as a child I thought were firecrackers, recalled Mackey, now 42. I can remember my teacher screaming at us and getting us toward the back of the cafeteria.

When it was over, Wilson would be responsible for one of the first modern mass school shootings in the country.

Remembering the horror

I remember a bullet hit the wall and seeing dust come out of the wall, Mackey said. I dont remember seeing the gunman, but I was not really looking around. A lot of teachers were taking kids to houses across the street. I wasnt crying, but I knew I was trying to get some adults attention because I wanted to go home, which was a few doors down. My grandparents werent home, but my uncle came and found me and he picked me up. Thats when I started crying.

Today, few remember the Oakland tragedy. It would be 11 years before Columbine High School would make America take notice.

Wilson stole the .22-caliber handgun that he used from his grandmother, with whom he lived. In the cafeteria, he wounded two students and a teacher. After reloading his gun in a girls restroom, he was confronted by gym teacher Kat Finkbeiner, who tried to stop him; she was wounded twice, including being shot in the mouth. He then entered a third-grade classroom and shot toward the students, wounding five children and killing two 8-year-olds, Shequila Bradley and Tequila Thomas.

Wilson, who suffered from mental illness, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He remains on death row. I dont remember too much about him, Mackey said.

Apalachee High School shooting

According to the Washington Post school shootings database, there have been 416 shootings at schools since Columbine, including the tragedy at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., a suburb an hour outside Atlanta.

Just as it did at Oakland Elementary, the sound of gunshots unleashed chaos at Apalachee High. Staff and students went in a frantic search for places to hide, and frightened parents hurried to the school, looking for information.

Like Wilson, the suspect, a 14-year-old student of the school, was swiftly apprehended. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said the teen was charged as an adult in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and instructors Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.

The pathology of perpetrators

In 2006, Wilsons mother, Shirley Bordner, told a local television station that her son had a troubled past, being bullied by his peers and his father for being overweight and dressing differently. His dad would get angry with him and curse him  sometimes threaten him with guns, Bordner said.

Wilson started going to psychiatric centers at the age of 14 because he would become violent. I remember one time I had brought him home from the hospital, he got out of the car and blackened my eye, said Bordner.

Jillian Peterson, a psychologist and associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., is a cofounder of the Violence Project, a nonprofit organization. She has compiled a database of every mass shooting in the U.S. since 1966 and has found that mass shooters, 98% of whom are male, tend to share a similar psychological pathway.

It often begins with childhood trauma, usually a type of abuse like witnessing domestic violence. That leads to anger and isolating, which leads to hopelessness and self-loathing. Wilson was often called a recluse in news accounts about his life.

Mackey, who has been working with Lutheran Settlement Houses domestic violence program, said he is not surprised that witnessing and enduring domestic violence as a child is traumatizing.

If you asked me before I started doing this work, I would have said I was surprised, he said. But when you hear some of the stories of people and what they have gone through and endured, if a child witnesses that, I can only imagine it is very traumatizing.

Lutheran Settlement House runs a counseling program for children ages 3 to 18 who have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse.

 READ MORE: Lutheran Settlement House STAR teens learn how to give peers support with dating violence

Recovery from violence

The Oakland Elementary students returned three days after the shooting to a school surrounded by police. I went back to regular first-grade life, said Mackey, whose memories of the aftermath of the shooting have grown hazy. Much was the same as before, except Mackey said the teachers had walkie-talkies, there were tighter security measures around the school, and classroom doors could lock.

What Mackey also recalls is becoming a boy afraid of the dark and sleeping with his grandparents for the next two years.

Certainly anything of this magnitude, its going to take some time to recover, Oakland Elementary principal Eleanor Rice said in the days following the shooting.

She died in 2021, and Oakland Elementary was ultimately renamed Eleanor Rice Elementary School for her efforts in helping the school community recover.
Philadelphia landlord Philip C. Pulley, who has homes in Montgomery County and Florida, is scheduled to enter a guilty plea to federal voter fraud charges, according to recent court filings. Read more

A besieged Philadelphia-area landlord is scheduled to plead guilty to federal charges of double voting in two elections  and hes now facing state-level charges of unlawful voting in a third race.

Philip C. Pulley, who has homes in Montgomery County and Florida, is expected to enter a guilty plea in federal court next week, according to recent court filings.

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In that case, which the U.S. Attorneys Office announced in an Aug. 9 news release, Pulley is accused of voting more than once in the 2020 and 2022 elections. Prosecutors say he used a phony Social Security number to register to vote in Philadelphia while already registered to vote in Huntingdon Valley and Lighthouse Point, Fla.

Two weeks later  in a second criminal case that was not announced and has not been previously reported  the state Attorney Generals Office charged Pulley with voting in both Philadelphia and Montgomery County in the 2023 election.

In addition, voting records recently reviewed by The Inquirer show that Pulley appears to have double voted in the 2021 election, as well. He has not been charged in that election.

Pulley and his attorneys did not respond this week to requests for comment.

 READ MORE: The law finally caught up with notorious Philadelphia landlord Phil Pulley ... but for voting fraud

Pulley, 62, is a former longtime Republican now registered as a Democrat in Montgomery County. He registered as a Democrat in Philadelphia, but as Republican in Florida.

The landlord was the subject of an Inquirer investigation last week that, in addition to finding evidence of voter fraud, documented extensive problems at apartment buildings managed by his company, SBG Management Services.

Lawyers for the city have gone to court against SBG more than 300 times between 2014 and 2024, for maintenance issues or to file liens for unpaid utilities and delinquent taxes totaling more than $2.5 million. The buildings have been linked to nearly 1,000 code violations, with tenants and ex-employees of SBG saying Pulley sought to cut costs at every opportunity.

One of the buildings, Lindley Tower, partially collapsed in 2022, displacing about 100 people. The city is now seeking to demolish the property.

In April, tenants of another apartment building in West Oak Lane rallied outside City Hall with a large sign that read, Philip Pulley Slumlord Bully.

Contractors who have worked on Pulleys apartment buildings and his waterfront home in Florida have also filed lawsuits saying he has not paid them.

Last year, the state AGs office filed a consumer-protection suit against Pulley and his companies, accusing them of deplorable conduct for managing buildings with substandard living conditions and retaliating against tenants who complain. That case is ongoing.

The state and federal voter fraud investigations were prompted by a referral from Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein. He said last month that his office began investigating the irregularities in June 2023.

Bluestein, a Republican, said the Pulley case shows that voter fraud, which is relatively rare, can be detected and prosecuted.

This is not an indication of something that is widespread, Bluestein said. It is an indication, though, of when there are irregularities and fraud, of them being investigated and caught.

A December 2021 Associated Press review found fewer than 475 potential cases of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. They would not have affected the outcome of the presidential election.

Staff writer Chris A. Williams contributed to this article.
When considering endorsements, The Inquirer Editorial Board extends interview invitations to all candidates running for office in contested races. From those interviews and additional research and reporting, the board arrives at a consensus recommendation. That has been the process for decades, and while over the years some candidates may have declined to participate, it was a rare course of action by a political campaign.

As political polarization has increased, however, that is no longer the case. A growing number of Republican candidates have been unwilling to discuss their policy positions with the board, including Doug Mastriano, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Mehmet Oz.

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The role of the board during endorsement interviews is to ask the tough questions in voters stead, but for some candidates, it is the questions with what should be easy answers they seek to avoid. They include whether they would limit a womans right to make her own health-care decisions or if they accept the lawful outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

It was refreshing, then, to speak with state Rep. Mike Ramone, who has earned The Inquirers endorsement for Delaware governor in the Republican primary.

A business owner and minority leader in the Delaware House of Representatives, Ramone calls himself a Pete DuPont Republican  a reference to the former governor who devised the states corporate structure  rather than a MAGA devotee.

Ramone pledged that he would not seek any changes to Delawares abortion law and while he eschewed the moderate label  preferring to identify himself as a problem solver willing to work with anyone for the benefit of his constituents  he readily accepted the reality of Joe Bidens win. This may be a low bar to clear, but unlike many of his fellow partisans, Ramone hurdled it without stumbling.

Instead of fighting the culture wars, Ramone is rightly focused on issues that affect ordinary residents of Delaware, including the states rising cost of living and inefficient government structure. Hes also committed to maintaining the corporate system that has made the state the financial Luxembourg of America. He also cited his independence from the states Democratic Party, which has dominated state politics.

For Delaware Republicans, the choice is clear. Mike Ramone is their best option for governor.
District Attorney Larry Krasner speaking at a 2021 news conference about the work his office had done to secure exonerations. He spoke while standing before a group of men whose convictions had been overturned with help from Krasner's office. Read more

Philadelphians may have sent a message in last years mayoral election that they werent interested in the defund the police movement by electing Cherelle L. Parker, who pledged to focus on restoring our police department to its full complement. But if the kind of reform advocated in that ill-phrased slogan isnt a priority, then incidents of police misconduct are guaranteed to continue to defund the city.

The most recent cost to taxpayers was $60 million over 18 months, according to an Inquirer investigation. That is a large jump from the average yearly cost of around $9 million in the past decade. The money was paid out to victims of everything from false arrest and excessive force by officers to wrongful conviction.

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Corruption and misconduct have long plagued the Philadelphia Police Department and cost taxpayers. But the sharp uptick was the result of a series of large settlements for wrongful convictions. Officials believe its only the beginning. Under District Attorney Larry Krasner, the Conviction Integrity Unit has led to more than 20 exonerations, and more payouts are on the way, with a potential total of $120 million, according to a city study.

 READ MORE: Police accountability is key to making Philly safer | Editorial

The only way taxpayers will be protected from these large outlays in the future is to ensure the justice system avoids the mistakes of the past.

Many of the pending cases are the result of the work of notorious homicide detective Philip Nordo, who was sentenced to 49 years in prison for sexually abusing and exploiting witnesses and informants. Inquirer reporters Chris Palmer and Samantha Melamed chronicled the many crimes of Nordo in their series, Predator in Blue.

Undoing these convictions, and compensating his victims, is the least the city can do. But Nordo did not work in a vacuum, and he was far from being that single, fabled bad apple. He worked inside a system that may not have enabled him but did turn a blind eye often enough that his conduct went undetected for decades.

More broadly, corrupt cops and misconduct undermine the good work of dedicated officers. It also creates more distrust among residents in high-crime neighborhoods that need quality police work the most.

While taxpayers may feel tapped out and outraged, more resources will likely be needed, not only in the form of better recruitment and increased training for police but also better pay for defense attorneys and prosecutors.

 READ MORE: Without systemic change, police killings will continue | Editorial

For too long, courts and lawyers the public depends on to ascertain fact from fiction and determine innocence and guilt have been massively underfunded. Per the Philadelphia Business Journal, the mean starting salary for lawyers at large private firms is now over $186,000. Starting prosecutors and public defenders make roughly a third of that. It is no wonder nearly every Pennsylvania county is short on public defenders, or that studies have found that those who do the job are dangerously overworked.

Despite these struggles, it is thanks to public defenders that Nordo was caught in the first place. Imagine how many wrongful convictions could be avoided if these attorneys had more resources and more time to spend on each individual case.

Beyond the pain and punishment inflicted on those improperly imprisoned, wrongful convictions also allow the real perpetrators to roam free. This level of routine impunity decreases trust in the system and makes it harder to provide the safety and justice Philadelphians deserve.

The city doesnt just need more law enforcement, it needs better law enforcement. The cost of anything else is just too high.
Pitcher Andrew Painter is ranked as the No. 2 Phillies prospect and No. 33 overall prospect by MLB.com. Read more

TORONTO  Andrew Painter took a big step in his recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery on Wednesday, throwing to hitters at the Phillies complex in Clearwater, Fla. Painter sat 97-98 mph and hit 99 mph. He threw 15 pitches, the team said.

Wednesday marked the first time he had thrown to hitters since he underwent the surgery on July 24, 2023. Up until this point, he had been throwing bullpen sessions in Clearwater.

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They said it went very well, said manager Rob Thomson. It was 15 pitches. If all goes well, hell throw that 15 pitch-BP every three days, for the time being.

The plan is for him to throw another live bullpen session on Saturday. Painter, who is ranked as the No. 2 Phillies prospect and No. 33 overall prospect by MLB.com, hasnt pitched in a game since March 1, 2023, in big league spring training.

 READ MORE: Re-ranking our top 10 Phillies prospects as their seasons end, and whats next for each in 2025

Painter came out of that spring training game against the Twins with tenderness in his right elbow. The Phillies attempted to manage it more conservatively, but the medical staff recommended Tommy John surgery in mid-July.

The Phillies have said that they dont want rush him. The expectation is still that Painter will not pitch in big league games until 2025.

But their hope is that whenever Painter returns, hell pick up right where he left off. Expectations were so high for him that he entered 2023 with a legitimate chance to win a spot in the Phillies rotation. Even though his health issues have delayed his timeline, Painter is still only 21, and has plenty of upside.

 READ MORE: The 2024 stat to know for each of the Phillies' top 10 prospects

He throws a four-seam fastball, a slider, a changeup and a curveball. He was drafted by the Phillies in the first round in 2021, and pitched four games for the FCL Phillies that year, allowing no runs, no walks, and four hits with 12 strikeouts over six innings.

He jumped three minor league levels in 2022: from low-A Clearwater to high-A Jersey Shore to double-A Reading. He posted a 1.56 ERA across all three levels that year, with 155 strikeouts to 25 walks.
The rules for next weeks presidential debate in Philadelphia are officially set after Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trumps campaigns agreed to a list of guidelines that include muting candidates microphones when they are not speaking, debate host ABC News said Wednesday.

The battle between the campaigns over the muted microphones at the debate at the National Constitution Center had grown increasingly contentious.

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For more than a week, the Harris campaign had fought to keep the mics live for the duration of the debate, saying that Harris is ready to deal with Trumps interruptions or falsehoods, while the Republicans campaign insisted the microphones should be muted. Harris said Saturday on X that the mic issue is a matter of debating in a transparent way.

While Harris ultimately agreed to mute the mics during the Sept. 10 debate, her campaign was not happy about it, according to a letter to ABC News, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Harris campaign wrote that as a former prosecutor, [Harris] will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President.

 READ MORE: Why Kamala Harris campaign is fighting to have live mics at next weeks debate against Trump in Philadelphia

Harris direct, prosecutorial debating style has created big moments on the national stage in the past, making live mics more beneficial to her debate strategy as opposed to muting them, where any of Trumps interruptions or extraneous remarks could be muffled.

Mr. Vice President, Im speaking, became one of Harris most viral lines during the 2020 election as she fended off interruptions from former Vice President Mike Pence during their debate.

The Trump campaign sought to have the mics muted at the forthcoming debate against Harris, as they were when Trump debated President Joe Biden in June  a change from the 2020 presidential debate, when the Trump campaign advocated for them to be left on.

Trump himself originally appeared to be indifferent to the mic issue. We agreed to the same rules. I dont know. It doesnt matter to me. Id rather have it probably on, but the agreement was it would be the same as it was last time. In that case, it was muted, the former president told NBC News.

But as the date of Harris and Trumps first debate drew closer, the battle over the microphones escalated, with both campaigns digging in their heels.

Jason Miller, Trumps senior adviser, said in a statement last week that the Trump campaign accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate, which had the muted mics.

In a statement Wednesday, Miller said that the Trump campaign is thrilled the Harris campaign finally accepted the rules of the debate.

Americans want to hear both candidates present their competing visions to the voters, unburdened by what has been, Miller said. No notes, no sitting down, no advance copies of the questions. Well see you in Philadelphia next Tuesday.

 READ MORE: The National Constitution Center will host its first-ever general election debate next week

ABC on Wednesday released the full list of rules for next weeks debate at the National Constitution Center, which will be presented without a live audience.

Among the rules is that candidates will be allocated two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses. Harris and Trump will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

Additionally, the candidates will stand behind their podiums for the duration of the debate, are not allowed to bring prewritten notes on stage, and will not make opening statements, ABC said in a news release. Harris and Trump will have two minutes for closing statements. Trump will make the final closing statement, choosing his spot after winning a coin toss, ABC said.

At his rally in Johnstown, Pa., last week, Trump said that he looked forward to debating Harris, after he originally cast doubts on his participation. The Harris campaign in its letter to ABC referenced Trumps equivocation as another reason for agreeing to the Sept. 10 debate rules, CNN reported.

Notwithstanding our concerns, we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format. We do not want to jeopardize the debate, the campaign wrote.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Pittsburgh Thursday and is expected to stay in the city until Tuesday, when she will travel to Philadelphia to debate former President Donald Trump.

Harris landed in Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon, where she was greeted by Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) and his wife, Gisele, on the tarmac. Harris then arrived at the Omni William Penn hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.

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Harris is spending the weekend preparing in Pittsburgh to give her an opportunity to pop out for quick campaign appearances in a state that will be critical to her chances in the presidential race, sources familiar with her strategy told The Inquirer. Presidential candidates have done similar things in the past, including former President Barack Obama, who spent a few days ahead of the Nevada debate in 2012 campaigning in the state ahead of a debate with Republican Mitt Romney.

The Harris and Trump campaigns have both prioritized Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, in the days and weeks leading up to the debate on Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center. This is Harris second visit to Pittsburgh this week after she campaigned there with President Joe Biden on Labor Day  their first joint event since Harris accepted the nomination.

Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, embarked on his first solo trip to the commonwealth  including Pittsburgh  Wednesday and will continue his Pa. tour on Thursday. Trump was in Johnstown last Friday and participated in a Fox News Q&A in Harrisburg Wednesday night.

The vice president expects to be back in Pennsylvania the day after the debate when she and Biden will visit and pay their respects at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville on Sept. 11.

On Wednesday, ABC News released a full list of rules for next weeks debate, which will be presented without a live audience. Both candidates have agreed to the terms, which include muted microphones when a candidate is not speaking, a hotly contested item between the two campaigns.

Candidates will be allocated two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses. Harris and Trump will also not be permitted to ask questions of each other.

Additionally, the candidates will stand behind their podiums for the duration of the debate, are not allowed to bring prewritten notes on stage, and will not be making opening statements, ABC said in a news release.

Harris and Trump will have two minutes for closing statements. Trump will be making the final closing statement, choosing his spot after winning a coin toss, ABC said. Questions or topics will not be provided to the campaigns or candidates ahead of time.
In this 2023 file photo, people along Kensington Avenue walk past the mobile home belonging to the Behavioral Wellness Center at Girard parked along Kensington Avenue. The Behavioral Wellness Center at Girard parked their Winnebago along Kensington Avenue to assist those living with addiction find inpatient and outpatient care. Read more

Philadelphia lawmakers will consider legislation that could curtail mobile health-service providers that treat people who use drugs by tightening regulations on where and how they operate in Kensington.

City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, whose district includes the site of the largest open-air drug market in the city, introduced two pieces of legislation Thursday that aim to restrict the mobile units, which are typically vans staffed by medical professionals or volunteers who provide food and medical services like wound care, from operating in parts of Kensington.

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Its the latest in a series of legislative efforts to change conditions in Kensington, where Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has also promised a crackdown on open drug use. Lozada said her office is responding to concerns from residents who say mobile units attract nuisance crime and leave behind a mess of litter. But some advocates said the bills could push mobile providers out of the neighborhood and cut off people in addiction from the services they offer.

One bill would ban mobile units from operating in residential areas  defined as blocks where more than 80% of buildings are residential and less than 50% have commercial establishments  or on any block that has a school or city recreation center on it.

The second requires mobile service providers to remove all litter within a 50-foot radius of where they are parked before leaving the area. The legislation says those who violate the new code would be liable for all costs incurred by the city for cleanup.

 READ MORE: Does Philly have enough addiction treatment beds? City Council seeks clarity in Kensington.

Complicating matters, both pieces of legislation would apply only to Lozadas 7th District, which includes parts of Kensington, as well as Juniata Park, Frankford, Fairhill, Harrowgate, and Northwood. Mobile unit operators could avoid the proposed regulations if they moved south into Councilmember Mark Squillas 1st District or northeast into Councilmember Mike Driscolls 6th District.

Lozada said her colleagues are looking at what the possibilities are for their districts.

She said her goal is not to reduce the number of mobile units in the neighborhood, but to ensure the services theyre offering arent duplicative and to improve relationships between providers.

They have even fought with each other to park in a specific location or about what time theyre going to be at a particularly location, Lozada said. This is an effort to really continue to allow mobile services that are necessary, but in a way that doesnt interfere and impact quality of life.

Some advocates said they worried the legislation could burden providers and push them out of Kensington.

Sarah Laurel, executive director of the group Savage Sisters, said her organization planned to go mobile after their landlord opted to end their storefront lease last year. She said if providers move away from Kensington, it would cut off drug users from essential services and cost lives.

Advocates acknowledged that some outreach groups who frequent Kensington leave messes behind. Nicole Bixler, cofounder and executive director of Operation in My Backyard, said her organization that provides harm-reduction supplies and warm meals from a van often cleans up a two-block radius around where they park.

But she also feared the bill could squeeze service providers by limiting where they can operate.

I dont know what the purpose of this is except to get rid of all services that are supporting public health, Bixler said. I feel like theyre just throwing spaghetti at the wall trying to make it stick.

Mobile service providers are generally run by behavioral health organizations. The city itself has also invested in mobile units that provide a variety of services, including wound care, to people in need in Kensington.

Former Mayor Jim Kenneys administration last year earmarked funding  derived from lawsuit settlements against pharmaceutical companies  for vans to provide people access to methadone, the drug used to treat opioid addiction.
Joe Moore poses for a portrait outside of his home in West Philadelphia. He and other residents are worried about rising property assessments and the impact of gentrification in their neighborhood. Read more

Zyair Bryant is rarely home. He works two jobs, as a hospice aide in Montgomery County and a security guard in Center City, to pay the bills.

Now, one of Bryants bills is set to more than double in the next year.

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As a result of the citys latest property assessments, released in August, his annual property tax bill will increase from $957 to $2,206 for 2025.

Bryant, 58, purchased his three-bedroom Kingsessing home in 2021 for $175,000. The taxable value of his property, under the citys reassessment, increased from $68,400 to $157,800.

This is a lot, said Bryant. Im never in my home to enjoy it. You just got to work to maintain it.

Bryant is not alone. Assessments for single-family homes in Kingsessing, a Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood where gentrification has driven up home prices in recent years, increased more than in any other city neighborhood. The neighborhoods assessments, which are used to calculate property tax bills, rose by 50% on average, compared with the citywide average of 23%. Homes in the same census tract as Bryants had an average increase of 79%, according to an Inquirer analysis.

Kingsessing, like other neighborhoods that were hit with the largest increases, is majority Black. In census tracts where the median assessment rose by at least 50% from 2024 to 2025, The Inquirers analysis found that almost three quarters of those tracts combined residents are Black. In tracts where assessments increased the least, the poverty rate is lower than the city average, and nearly two-thirds of the residents are white.

The Office of Property Assessments follows industry standards for fairness and accuracy and says its valuation methodology has improved over time. Still, a prior Inquirer analysis found that assessments are more likely to be inaccurate in mostly Black and low-income neighborhoods, and are more likely to be accurate in mostly white, higher-income neighborhoods. The city has not yet released documents detailing methodology for this years assessments.

Hard-hit homeowners interviewed about the latest revaluation complained of feeling left in the dark by city officials and politicians about the assessment process and tax relief programs. And some said they worry they will be priced out of their homes as gentrification continues in their neighborhoods.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier  whose West Philadelphia district includes Kingsessing  said she agrees neighbors need more information and notice about property assessments and tax relief programs.

This is something that Council has pushed OPA on for the past several years, she said, adding that Council allocated $1 million in the latest budget for the administration to do education and engagement around tax relief programs.

James Aros Jr., the citys chief assessment officer, said OPA and the Department of Revenue attend meetings with community organizations to answer questions about assessments and tax relief.

The city is also sending informational letters to more than 200,000 households imminently, said Joe Grace, a spokesperson for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and will use the $1 million allocation to distribute materials in targeted neighborhoods and run radio and television ads about tax relief programs.

The administration is taking a very energetic stance, Grace said.

Residents dont always know what tax relief is available to them

The city offers several property tax relief and exemption programs, like the homestead exemption, which knocks $100,000 off the taxable value of an owner-occupied property. About 69% of eligible homeowners are currently enrolled in the homestead exemption program for tax year 2025, Aros said. The deadline to enroll ahead of the 2025 tax year is Dec. 1.

Tax bills are due in March.

Sebastian Ikpe, a 66-year-old construction worker, said he has lived in his West Philadelphia home since 1996 and is among the residents who are not enrolled in any relief programs. Property assessments for single-family homes in his census tract increased by an average of 103% under the citys latest revaluation.

Ikpes property assessment more than doubled, from less than $50,000 under the last reassessment two years ago to nearly $106,000 for the 2025 tax year. That means his tax bill will increase from $676 to $1,480.

Dang, its going to be difficult, Ikpe said when an Inquirer reporter told him about his new assessment. Its going to be difficult for me.

If Ikpe had the homestead exemption, his tax bill would be only $80 annually under his new assessment. But he said hed never heard about the program.

He said hed recently finished paying back taxes on the property and hopes to change the windows and doors and update his electrical and plumbing systems.

I cant afford to retire, he said.

In Kingsessing, Bryant doesnt have the homestead exemption, either. He didnt know about any relief programs.

They wont offer you any help, he said of OPA, which he called out of frustration after receiving his new value. They didnt offer anything.

Monty Wilson, a senior attorney at Community Legal Services, said homeowner tax relief programs make Philadelphia a model for other cities.

Philadelphia has been absolutely proactive in trying to help homeowners who live in their homes keep their homes, he said, adding more on-the-ground engagement would help get the word out.

We deserve to have answers, homeowners say

Diane Settles, 67, leads the Kingsessing Area Civic Association, serves as committeeperson for the city Democratic Party, and contacts her elected officials on a regular basis. Shes enrolled in the homestead exemption and the senior citizen tax freeze, an income-eligible program for people over 65. If she hadnt been, Settles taxes would have risen from about $1,700 to nearly $2,800 next year. But with the help of that program, her taxes wont change.

She has successfully appealed her assessment with the city and plans to appeal again this year. Still, Settles believes the city needs to do a better job educating homeowners.

We feel as though we deserve to have answers to why this is happening, and we deserve from our politicians to know why, said Settles.

Settles said she has made it her mission to tell everybody that I know about the senior tax freeze.

The city has three major relief programs  the homestead exemption, the longtime owner-occupants program that decreases tax bills for residents who have lived in their homes at least 10 years, and the senior tax freeze, for low-income seniors. A new relief program championed by Gauthier will soon launch for low-income homeowners. Passed as part of a package of bills designed to increase housing affordability, it will essentially extend the senior tax freeze to low-income homeowners of all ages.

Gauthier said her office held community meetings across the district alongside city agencies in 2022 to get the word out about tax relief programs. Her office is holding another such event Thursday with OPA and the Board of Revision of Taxes, which handles assessment appeals. The meeting will be at Salt and Light Church, 5736 Chestnut Ave., from 6 to 8 p.m.

The impact of gentrification on longtime homeowners

Myriad factors, including the lingering effects of historical redlining, present stubborn challenges for addressing inequities in the citys assessment system. And as neighborhoods gentrify, the property values increase. Assessments rise along with them, to reflect a homes market value.

If values in Black neighborhoods went up, that should actually be reflected in those assessments, said Ira Goldstein, senior adviser for policy solutions at Reinvestment Fund.

Settles was raised in the home on South Divinity Street in Kingsessing that her sister, Sharon Settles, now owns. The sisters love their community and worry that gentrification is fueling tax increases.

In recent years, many homes in the neighborhood have been purchased by flippers and resold at higher prices, driving gentrification and the rising values that lead to tax hikes.

They want these houses here and I truly believe thats for gentrification, Sharon Settles said. Because they want to bring people in.

So once youre out, youre out, said Sharon Settles, 65, who retired after a career at the Department of Defense.

West Philadelphia resident Joseph Moore said he also feels like the city is pushing him out of his neighborhood.

The value of the home Moore shares with his wife, daughter, and two granddaughters increased by about 40% in the latest property revaluation. And though Moore is enrolled in the longtime owner-occupants program, he could benefit more from the homestead exemption, under which he would pay zero property tax. (Homeowners cant be enrolled in both relief program at once, making the process difficult to navigate for some.)

Moore, 60, is retired from a job at the University of Pennsylvania and currently works for SEPTA. He said he feels that elected officials dont always look out for residents of color.

I think overall its a part of our mayor working for big business as opposed to residents, he said. Its part of  expelling middle-class Blacks from the city itself.

City spokesperson Grace said the mayor is taking steps to ensure Philadelphians can stay in their homes.

The goal  [is] to get as many Philadelphia homeowners as possible enrolled in tax relief, he said.

For now, Moore said, hes working to hold on to his home as an opportunity to build generational wealth.

What can you do? he said. Its either you pay them or lose your property.
I am delighted to lead and continue bolstering the ZRS cyber resilience unit in Australia, he said, adding that it is crucial for businesses to have the knowledge and tools needed to strengthen their resilience.
A challenge we have today is we have more capital than we need to support our current core general insurance business. However, that will naturally unwind with our ongoing capital management strategy and the realization of our anticipated growth potential, Zaffino said.
Participation is open to all women in the US insurance industry and nominations from or on behalf of women from diverse backgrounds are encouraged.
Sivasubramaniam career with Zurich began in 2013 at the companys London office, after which he moved to Switzerland to manage financial lines pricing within commercial insurance. He later transitioned into the role of chief financial officer at Zurich Benelux, where he played a key part in leading a business transformation.


During the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a light show was held in Beijing, showcasing African charm through selected elements such as animals, plants, musical instruments, and patterns unique to Africa. This dazzling display not only exhibited the charm of Africa but also conveyed Beijing's warm welcome to friends from afar.
The widened collaboration will enable Aon to integrate ICEYEs real-time flood and wildfire data into its catastrophe response services for reinsurance clients. The high-resolution insights offered by ICEYE allow Aon to deliver detailed, property-level analysis of damage caused by floods and wildfires, enhancing the ability to evaluate the financial impact of these disasters.
The New Zealand insurance market is on the front line of extreme natural catastrophe risks. Has this experience pushed the countrys insurance professionals ahead of the curve? What can global insurance firms learn from the way brokers and underwriters in this market handle nat cats like earthquakes?
According to the Financial Times, one recommendation by Zurich and Marsh is the creation of loss-sharing schemes already seen in areas like flood and terrorism. It was highlighted that such public-private collaborations can help cover cyber risks that are deemed uninsurable.
Despite these tighter conditions, Gallagher highlights some relief in management liability lines, such as directors & officers (D&O) liability and errors & omissions (E&O) coverage. Many insureds are experiencing flat renewals or even reductions of up to -10% in these areas. Additionally, there is improvement in retentions for D&O and E&O, particularly for registered investment advisors and asset managers.
A former patrol officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was recently sentenced in U.S. District Court to 20 months in prison for his role in a bribery scheme in which he unlawfully provided non-public police information in exchange for cash payments.

The sentencing of Vincent Forrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington field office.

On January 11, 2024, a jury found Washington D.C. resident Forest guilty of conspiracy, bribery, and making false statements. In addition to the prison term, Forrest was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and forfeit $15,000.01.

According to the governments trial evidence, beginning in April 2019, Forrest used his official access to MPDs law enforcement sensitive database to review and record victim contact information from traffic accident reports that contained the names and contact information of individuals involved in traffic accidents.

Forrest sent the victim contact information to Raquel DePaula, 43, of Beltsville, Maryland, using an encrypted communications application. DePaula, who owned RD Legal Solutions, LLC, acted as a runner, providing victim contact information to local attorneys in exchange for referral fees. The attorneys then reached out to the accident victims within days of their traffic accidents in violation of D.C. law.

According to prosecutors, DePaula testified at trial that she paid Forrest for the victim contact information. The evidence at trial showed that over the course of the scheme, she paid Forrest over $15,000 and received contact information for 2,667 traffic crash victims.

On October 6, 2021, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, DePaula pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official. On April 1, 2024, she was sentenced to five years of probation.

DePaula and Forrest are the sixth and seventh defendants to be convicted in connection with the illegal sale of traffic crash reports by MPD officers. Previously, MPD Officers Walter Lee and Kendra Coles, MPD employee Aaron Willis, business owner Marvin Parker and law firm employee Michelle Cage pleaded guilty to related charges.
Relation Insurance Services reports it has acquired the assets of The Haney Company Inc. of Silver Spring, Maryland.

The transaction went into effect on May 1, 2024; terms were not disclosed.

Haney offers employee benefits, commercial and personal insurance products. The agency is a specialist in insurance and retirement programs for associations and their executives.

The firm was formed through the merger of separate practices founded by Brian Haney and his father Allen. Brian Haney, his brother Scott, and their father Allen will continue managing the Maryland office as part of Relation Insurance.

Joining Relation will help us deliver superior value, unlock more resources, and ensure we continue to deliver an exceptional experience, said Brian Haney.

California-based Relation is ranked by Insurance Journal within the top 25 largest agencies in the country by revenue and has approximately 1,350 employees across more than 137 locations nationwide. Relation is a privately held corporation backed by Aquiline Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York and London.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Maryland
A woman was intoxicated and using a partially automated driving system when she caused a March highway crash in Philadelphia that killed two people, authorities said as they announced homicide charges against the driver.

State and federal investigators say the womans Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV struck the stationary vehicle of a man who had stopped on the left shoulder of I-95 to assist a driver whose car had broken down ahead of him. The March collision, which occurred around 3 a.m., killed both men.

The crash was at least the second this year involving a Mach-E striking a stationary vehicle after dark that the National Transportation Safety Board has investigated. In a February crash along Interstate 10 in San Antonio, Texas, investigators believe a Mach-E struck a Honda CR-V that was stopped in the middle lane with no lights on. The driver of the CR-V was killed.

In a statement Tuesday, Pennsylvania State Police said that drivers using advanced technologies should be prepared to resume control at all times.

No partially automated vehicle technology should ever be left alone to perform the driving tasks that are required to safely navigate the roads of the commonwealth, the agency said.

Fords Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways. The company says the system isnt fully autonomous and it monitors drivers to make sure they pay attention to the road.

Investigators in Philadelphia believe that Mustang driver Dimple Patel was driving about 71 mph (114 kph), using both Blue Cruise and Adaptive Cruise Control, when the crash occurred. A fourth vehicle was also struck.

The 23-year-old Patel, a pre-med student from Philadelphia, faces multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter. She turned herself in to police Tuesday on the charges filed last week, state police said.

Driving System Failure?

Defense lawyer Zak Goldstein said he had not yet seen the criminal complaint or any reports on the crash, and called the deaths a tragedy. However, he noted that, broadly speaking, Pennsylvania law on DUI-related homicides requires that the DUI caused the homicide.

If in fact its a failure in a self-driving or a driving system, that may not be a homicide by DUI even if the driver is intoxicated, he said, adding that he has not seen any case law on the issue in Pennsylvania.

Ford has said it was collaborating with the state police, the NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in reviewing the crash, which killed Aktilek Baktybekov, who had broken down, and Tolobek Esenbekov, who had presumably stopped in the shoulder to assist him.

When it opened a probe of the Philadelphia and San Antonio crashes involving Blue Cruise, NHTSA said both occurred on freeways in nighttime lighting conditions, and that Blue Cruise was in use just before the collisions.

The agency said it is looking into how Blue Cruise performs driving tasks as well as its camera-based driver monitoring system.

Both NHTSA and the NTSB have investigated multiple previous crashes involving partially automated driving systems.

In April, NHTSA began investigating whether Teslas fix for a December recall involving more than 2 million vehicles equipped with the companys Autopilot partially automated system took care of the problem. The recall was done because the driver monitoring system was inadequate and posed a safety risk.

NHTSA said that from January 2018 to August 2023, it found 956 crashes involving Autopilot and Teslas Full Self Driving systems resulting in 29 deaths.

AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Personal Auto
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Brit Ltd. in Bermuda and HDI Global in Germany.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Brit Names Guy Carpenters Stephenson to Lead Bermuda Expansion

Brit Ltd. announced the appointment of Jonathan Stephenson as head of Office, Bermuda, subject to approval by the Bermuda Monetary Authority and the department of immigration.

Stephenson will lead Brit in Bermuda, helping to drive its planned expansion of Brit Re across property, casualty and specialty reinsurance.

As a full-service reinsurance platform, Brit Re will represent an important new growth pillar for the group and its global reinsurance capabilities, and will complement Brits existing successful property reinsurance offering which writes on behalf of Lloyds Syndicate 2987, the company said.

Prior to joining Brit, Stephenson was a managing director at Guy Carpenter, based in Toronto. During his 30-year career in reinsurance, Stephenson has been Pacific Region CEO for Guy Carpenter and an executive vice president at Aon.

Brit recently announced the appointment of Jacques Bonneau, formerly CEO and president of PartnerRe, to the board of Brit Re as a non-executive director in June.

Jonathan is a highly regarded leader and practitioner within the international reinsurance market, and is the ideal candidate as we look to implement and deliver our ambitious Bermuda strategy, commented Martin Thompson, CEO Brit Group, in a statement.

With Jonathan in place, we look forward to announcing further appointments to deepen our capabilities on the Island that can support our plans for profitable growth across property, casualty and specialty classes. Jonathan is passionate about building businesses and developing high-performance collaborative cultures, making him a great fit for Brit, Thompson said.

***

HDI Global Taps Geis From Allianz as Managing Director for Germany

HDI Global announced it has appointed Stephan Geis as managing director for Germany, effective Nov. 1.

Geis will be responsible for the German business of HDI Global SE. In his role as managing director Germany, he will report to Dr Barbara Klimaszewski-Blettner, member of the HDI Global Executive Board and chief claims officer who will retain responsibility for the Region Germany as chief market officer Germany.

With more than 15 years of experience in industrial insurance, Geis most recently was head of Distribution Germany/Switzerland at Allianz Commercial, where he was responsible for the sales territory in Germany and Switzerland.

I am delighted to have brought Stephan Geis on board with HDI Global as new managing director Germany, said Klimaszewski-Blettner, in a statement.

Stephan is a proven expert in national and international industrial insurance. He has an exceptional grasp for the market and is highly regarded by customers, partners, and colleagues, she added. With his personality and leadership style, he embodies our cultural values in the best possible way. I am confident that he will play a key role in shaping the strategic development of our German business and achieve the best possible results for our customers, partners and HDI Global.

As our home market, the German market is an important pillar for HDI Global, accounting for over 25% of our overall result, according to Dr. Edgar Puls, chairman of the HDI Global SE Executive Board. Due to his many years of experience and extensive knowledge of the industry, Stephan Geis is well-positioned to maintain and expand our long-standing customer and partner relationships in Germany. I am looking forward to working with Stephan.

Topics Talent Human Resources Germany Allianz
U.S. facial recognition company Clearview AI has been fined 30.5 million euros ($33.7 million) for building what Dutch data protection watchdog DPA said on Tuesday was an illegal database.

DPA also issued an additional order, imposing a penalty of up to 5 million euros on Clearview for non-compliance.

Clearview AI does not have a place of business in the Netherlands or the European Union, it does not have any customers in the Netherlands or the EU, Jack Mulcaire, Clearview AIs chief legal officer, told Reuters.

(The company) does not undertake any activities that would otherwise mean it is subject to the GDPR (the EUs General Data Protection Regulation). This decision is unlawful, devoid of due process and is unenforceable.

In its statement, DPA had said Clearview had not objected to its decision and would therefore be unable to appeal against the fine.

Facial recognition is a highly intrusive technology, that you cannot simply unleash on anyone in the world, DPA Chairman Aleid Wolfsen said in a statement, which warned that using Clearviews services was also illegal under Dutch regulations.

Ride-hailing platform Uber was fined by DPA last week for sending the personal data of European taxi drivers to the United States, in violation of EU rules.

Uber called the fine unjustified and said it was appealing.

($1 = 0.9047 euros)

Topics InsurTech Data Driven Artificial Intelligence
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Five members of an alleged burglary ring are facing federal charges for break-ins that targeted rural pharmacies in western Iowa and western Nebraska in 2022 and 2023, authorities announced Thursday.

The Omaha, Nebraska, field division of the Drug Enforcement Administration alleged that the five are part of a larger conspiracy thats being prosecuted by federal authorities in Arkansas. The agency said 42 people from Houston, Texas, are charged with breaking into more than 200 pharmacies across 31 states and stealing an estimated $12 million worth of controlled substances.

The stolen drugs  including hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, Adderall and Xanax  were taken to Houston and sold illegally, the DEA said.

These five individuals mistakenly thought that targeting rural communities would provide an opportunity to commit a crime and fade into the wind unrecognized and unaffected, DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said in a statement.

The DEA statement said 900 pharmacy burglaries were reported nationwide in 2023, with an estimated loss of 3.8 million doses of controlled substances. Across the agencys Omaha division  which includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota  34 pharmacy break-ins have been reported dating back to 2022. Nebraska had the most with 17, while Iowa had 11.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Iowa
As litigation and regulation increase around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), insurance underwriting is tightening across lines. Insurance professionals who specialize in PFAS say insurers are mandating coverage exclusions and, in some cases, declining to write liability policies at all in PFAS-exposed industries.

Robin Kelliher, environmental solutions group counsel at USI, described the current insurance landscape as being hit by a superstorm of factors related to PFAS.

The insurance underwriters are just seeing lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits, she said, and they dont know how those lawsuits are going to play out.

This story is an excerpt of content posted to Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. To read the rest of the story and find out what brokers must do for clients with PFAS exposure, click here.

Industrial manufacturing company 3M reached a $10-plus billion settlement in June 2023 with a collection of U.S. public water systems to resolve PFAS water pollution claims. Around the same time, Dupont reached an estimated $1.19 billion settlement with a collection of U.S. public drinking water systems.

A new EPA rule and recent Insurance Services Office changes are also shaping how underwriters view the risk. Just a few months ago, the EPA set a limit on how much PFAS can be in drinking water. And, last year, ISO published endorsements broadly excluding PFAS-related claims for insurers to use in CGL policies.

It touches everything, Kelliher said of PFAS. And the carriers are seeing the lawsuits. Their insureds are being sued, and theyre submitting them as claims. Thats why the carriers are reacting the way they are. Because its coming from all different avenues.

The EPA reports that PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals, the components of which break down very slowly over time. Studies have shown that exposure to the chemicals may be linked to harmful effects in humans and animals.

PFAS can be found in drinking water, fire extinguishing foam, food, personal care products and more. Per the EPA, it can be found in the air and soil. On its website, the EPA said current peer-reviewed studies link certain levels of exposure to reproductive and developmental effects, as well as an increased risk of some cancers and reduced immune system ability.

Lisa Williams, global head of casualty at Zurich Insurance Group, explained that PFAS exposure predominantly tends to fall in two major categories: premises exposure and products liability exposure.

A recent USI report said litigation is prompting the reassessment of approaches to PFAS underwriting, coverage, risk management and claim handling. The report says that most insurers are mandating exclusions on general liability and products liability policies on all renewal accounts, regardless of industry or exposure to loss, but especially manufacturing, hospitality, retail and owners of real estate.

USI anticipates that finding PFAS coverage in the environmental insurance marketplace will be more difficult for product exposure, including supply chain and distribution risks and site-specific risks.

Kelliher said PFAS surfaced on pollution liability underwriters radar around 2018and as state regulations on the coasts began to surface, carriers began to pay attention. Underwriters used to be more willing to write the exposure, she said, but that has changed in the past year because of the liability that stems from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

When the EPA started talking about adding PFAS as a hazardous substance under CERCLA, then, all of a sudden, the underwriting scrutiny became tenfold more, Kelliher said. And we started seeing PFAS exclusions being added to our pollution policies. Increased litigation is also creating what she described as a reactive market.

Kelliher has seen exclusions extend beyond the pollution liability line and into contracting operations, product liability and more. She sees a connection between this and ISOs approval of PFAS-specific exclusions for commercial general liability and umbrella policies.

So, this year, all of our clients are starting to see, on their standard lines of business like their GL policies, a PFAS exclusion, she said. That is really causing a lot more havoc in the marketplace.

Kelliher said she doesnt know if carriers are adding PFAS exclusions carte blanche to standard policies, but if youre a manufacturer, youre seeing a PFAS exclusion. And its for your products, so that becomes really problematic for our insureds.

Go to Carrier Management to read the full story.

Topics Lawsuits Legislation Underwriting
A fight over Gulf of Mexico oil production is looming in Washington as US regulators race to redo guidance on how to protect endangered species ahead of a deadline that could ultimately threaten about 15% of the nations crude output.

The standoff stems from a scientific assessment that underpins oil and gas operations in the Gulf. Under a court ruling, the US government has until Dec. 20 to revise that analysis, when the current one will be tossed out. If regulators dont finish by the deadline  and courts or Congress dont intervene to provide more time  existing oil and gas operations that depend on the evaluation could grind to a halt.

The effects could be sweeping: If the Gulf of Mexico were a country, it would rank among the worlds top 12 oil producers globally.

The ramifications could be potentially enormous for operations in what we and many others recognize is such a vital, producing region, said Dustin Meyer, a senior vice president for the American Petroleum Institute. The level of concern is very high.

Even with some uncertainty over the impact, the potential for peril has triggered a lobbying frenzy by oil companies and industry groups mulling legal strategies and possible legislation to head off major disruption. One lobbyist likened the situation to an all-hands-on-deck moment. Impacts could be felt well before the Dec. 20 deadline, colliding with a presidential election thats putting the spotlight on economic stability and energy security.

Legal Foundation

At issue is the governments main Endangered Species Act analysis of oil and gas activity in the Gulf, a so-called biological opinion released in 2020 documenting how drilling, pipeline construction and other operations might jeopardize protected species in the region.

The broad assessment provides a legal foundation for oil and gas activity under existing Gulf leases. US offshore drilling and leasing regulators generally rely on it instead of doing case-by-case evaluations.

Environmental groups challenged the biological opinion four years ago, arguing it didnt properly analyze how oil operations affect endangered and threatened species. Last month, a Maryland-based federal district judge sided with them, tossing out the biological opinion  effective Dec. 20  and sending it back to the National Marine Fisheries Service for a redo.

The agency had already started work on a new version preemptively, but told the court it might not be done until late winter or early spring 2025.

Without a valid biological opinion in place, energy regulators would likely be forced to consult on hundreds  if not thousands  of decisions annually, according to data they provided the court.

Cascading Effects

The individual reviews would overwhelm the agencies and have cascading effects not just for oil operations in the Gulf but also renewable permitting on federal waters, Walter Cruickshank, the deputy director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, told the court in April.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which houses the fisheries service, and the Interior Department, which handles offshore oil and gas leases, said they are reviewing last months court decision, but declined to comment further.

The issue is already causing anxiety for some Gulf operators worried not just about delayed government approvals but the viability of existing work authorized under the court-invalidated biological opinion. At stake are operations as varied as traffic from ships supplying offshore platforms to continued production at long-permitted wells, according to industry lawyers who asked not to be named speaking about private legal discussions.

Oil companies and suppliers operating offshore could face additional legal jeopardy if they continue work without new authorizations.

The government previously authorized incidental takes  where oil and gas activities cause harassment, harm or other injury to certain species as long as companies are complying with the 2020 biological opinion. Without that authorization in place, companies will have to decide whether they continue to operate at their own risk, or instead shut down their activities while waiting for a new biological opinion, Holland & Knight warned in an alert last week.

With about 2 million barrels of oil produced daily from the Gulf, the potential disruptions would likely cause considerable economic and national security harm to our country, said Erik Milito, head of the National Ocean Industries Association, which along with other industry trade groups, including the API, and Chevron USA Inc., has intervened to defend the government in the lawsuit. Talks with the government are ongoing.

Industry stakeholders are considering legal options, including seeking a stay, if another solution doesnt materialize soon. They also have been talking with congressional offices about the issue, and are weighing legislation that could address the issue by giving the fisheries service more time.

Given the vital importance of the Gulf of Mexico, Milito said, we remain optimistic that cooler heads will prevail, and we will see much-needed resolution to this issue.

Photo: An oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Energy Oil Gas Mexico
BOVINA, Miss. (AP)  The seven people killed in a weekend bus crash in Mississippi were all from Mexico, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said Tuesday as it released their names and ages.

The department said those killed Saturday were Miguel Arriaga, 61; Victor A. Garcia, 32; Moises A. Garcia, 31; Kain Gutierrez, 8; Perla Gutierrez, 16; Elia Guzman, 63; and Angelica Palomino, 16. The patrol did not release their hometowns.

Kain Gutierrez and Perla Gutierrez were brother and sister, according to Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey.

Mexicos foreign relations secretary, Alicia Barcena, expressed condolences to the families of the dead and offered consular support.

The crash, which also injured about three dozen other people, remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the state highway patrol and the Mississippi Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division.

The 2018 Volvo bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos, which has sales offices in Mexico and Texas. It was traveling westbound on Interstate 20 from Atlanta to Dallas with 41 passengers and two drivers.

A left front tire failed early Saturday in Bovina, near Vicksburg, Mississippi. The bus veered onto an embankment and overturned onto its left side, NTSB member Todd Inman said Sunday. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another died at a hospital, according to the highway patrol. Thirty-six people were taken by ambulance to hospitals.

Inman said investigators will look at the vehicles condition, including how well the tires were maintained. The investigation will also focus on road conditions, the drivers experience, the carriers safety record and what protections were provided for the bus occupants, he said.

A preliminary report was expected within 30 days and the full investigation could take up to two years, the NTSB said.

The transit company says it has 20 years of experience providing cross-border trips between 100 destinations in Mexico and the U.S. Its website promotes a modern fleet of buses that receive daily maintenance while offering special price trips for workers.

Photo: The damaged bus after the accident. (AP photo)

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Mississippi Mexico
Four people were killed and nine others injured after a teen gunman opened fire at a high school in Winder, Georgia, an old railroad town northeast of Atlanta.

The identities of the victims havent been released, but police said they include two students and two teachers. Apalachee High School, which has about 2,000 students and staff, had resumed classes early last month following summer break.

Police said that a 14-year-old boy, Colt Gray, also a student at the school, was in custody and would be charged as an adult. Sheriff Jud Smith said that a school resources officer engaged the shooter, who then realized that he would be killed if he didnt surrender.

He gave up, said the sheriff, who grew up in the school district, and said that his own children are students there now. My heart hurts for these kids, Smith said.

The shooting disrupted a sunny and cool late summer morning in Winder, the seat of the Barrow County government located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Atlanta.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a statement on X that state officials and resources were being deployed.

We will continue to work with local, state and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation, Kemp said.

Nearby school districts enhanced patrols in response to the shooting, according to the AP. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, in a statement, said that out of an abundance of caution additional patrols would be deployed to that citys schools for the remainder of the day.

There have been 29 mass killings in the US this year through Wednesday morning, according to a database maintained by AP and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. The database includes every mass killing since 2006 from all weapons in which four or more people, excluding the offender, were killed within a 24-hour time frame.

Brett Pulley of Bloomberg produced this report.

Photo: The scene after the shooting Wednesday. (Bloomberg)

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Georgia Numbers Education K-12
The pilot of a plane that crashed in northeast Wyoming in July, killing seven people, declared an emergency and loss of the autopilot shortly before the incident that claimed the lives of three members of the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame quartet The Nelons.

The preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board states the plane had taken off from an airport in Nebraska on July 26, with plans to stop in Billings, Montana, when the aircraft went down about 12 miles northeast of Recluse, Wyoming.

During the last part of the flight, the pilot declared an emergency to the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center and reported the loss of autopilot, prompting the controller to ask him where he would like to land, the report states. The controller did not receive an initial response, but the pilot later said he was trying to get control of the airplane, the report states.

Once radar and radio contact were lost, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice for the plane, which was later found crashed in a remote area, according to the report.

One witness near the crash site reported hearing a loud whining noise before impact, while another saw the plane overhead in a barrel roll maneuver and heard the airplanes engine roaring loud until they heard the airplane impact terrain, the report states.

A final report on the incident, examining potential causes, is expected later.

The Nelons co-founder Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband, Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler died in the crash, along with Nelon Kistlers husband, Nathan Kistler, family friend Melodi Hodges, and Larry and Melissa Haynie.

The Nelons had been planning to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska, Gaither Management Group said in a statement at the time that identified Larry Haynie as the pilot.

The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016 and were winners of 10 GMA Dove Awards, including multiple song of the year and album of the year awards.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Profit Loss
Jamison IP, an Accretive Company, Welcomes Jeff Roth to Their Growing Wholesale Insurance Brokerage Team

ORLANDO, Fla., September 05, 2024  Accretive Insurance Solutions, a nationwide collection of leading independent specialty and wholesale insurance providers and program administrators, is proud to announce that Jeff Roth has joined Jamison IP, a division of Synergy. Synergy is a wholesale insurance brokerage dedicated to management and executive liability and cyber solutions, as well as exclusive programs for law firms and professional coverage for numerous industries. Jamison IP has more than a twenty-year history in serving intellectual property (IP) law firms and the unique exposures inherent in protecting them.

Roth joins Jamison IP as Vice President of Business Development and will focus on delivering forward-looking risk management solutions in a rapidly changing legal space due to advancements in artificial intelligence and ongoing overseas threats. Roth has 10 years of wholesale brokering experience in the executive lines space, working with top-rated excess and surplus lines carriers on behalf of retail agents to provide tailored coverage solutions for their clients. He previously served as Vice President, Producer at Bridge Specialty Group and holds a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter designation. Prior to his career in insurance, Roth was a futures broker and trader at the Chicago Board of Trade.

I am thrilled to join Jamison IP, as they are the market leader in IP protection with access to exclusive programs and additional competitive insurance solutions law firms require to protect their people and reputation, said Jeff Roth. I look forward to leveraging Synergys market access and cutting-edge resources to enhance the service and value I can offer to my retail agent partners and their clients.

Rob Roth, Executive Vice President of Wholesale for Accretive and President of Synergy, shared, Jeff is a great addition to our team; he has a proven track record of delivering results and building relationships with agents and carriers. Roth continued, His expertise and professionalism will play a key role in growing our IP practice throughout the country as part of our overall growth strategy.

Jeff Roth is based in the Chicago area and can be reached at jroth@synergy-ins.com

About Accretive

Accretive consists of 2,200 experts spanning 46 states, with the mission of facilitating growth and innovation in the specialty, program, and wholesale insurance markets. With a leadership team of industry-recognized innovators, Accretive organizations have an established track record of building ground-up solutions, differentiated product delivery, and industry specialization. For more information about Accretive, please email info@accretive-ins.com or visit www.accretive-ins.com.

About Synergy

Synergy Professional Associates, an Accretive company, provides insurance professionals with a gateway to markets and carriers outside the broad categories and general needs of their typical customers. A professional liability boutique with a nationwide reputation for finding markets and equipping customers with competitive insurance options, our people are fast, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, flexible. Jamison IP is a specialized division of Synergy, specializing in intellectual property lawyers, legal aid services, judges and accountants professional liability coverages. For more information about Synergy, visit www.synergy-ins.com. Details about Jamison can be found at https://www.synergy-ins.com/jamison-ip/.

Media Contact:

Charlotte Doepker

Accretive

310-999-2793

cdoepker@keenan.com
September 5, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) With the US political landscape shifting dramatically towards protectionism, deVere Groups, one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations, is advising global investors to recalibrate their portfolios to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

"Both the Republican and Democratic parties are increasingly aligned on the necessity of tariffs as a tool to protect American industries, especially against competition from China," says deVere Group CEO Nigel Green.

"This represents a major departure from decades of free trade policies, with both parties recognizing that tariffs will play a central role in the US economic strategy moving forward. For investors, this shift presents both challenges and opportunities that require strategic portfolio adjustments.

"The world is at a turning point. As protectionism gains traction in the US, investors need to be proactive. By positioning themselves in sectors that will benefit from these policy changes, they can capture significant growth opportunities."

Central to this protectionist agenda is a renewed focus on revitalizing US manufacturing.

Sectors like electric vehicles, semiconductors, medical products, and steel are expected to see substantial growth, bolstered by tariffs that shield them from foreign competition.

For example, Washington has already proposed new tariffs on electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors, and other critical industrial products. This move aims to ensure that newly established American factories remain competitive in a global market increasingly disrupted by trade barriers.

"Investors should be taking a close look at these industries," says Nigel Green. "The combination of government incentives and protectionist policies creates fertile ground for long-term growth.

"Companies with established production capabilities in America are set to outperform as they benefit from reduced competition and increased domestic demand."

The electric vehicle (EV) sector, in particular, stands out. As part of its broader industrial policy, the US has introduced a 100% tariff on imported electric vehicles from China, effectively doubling the cost of these products in the US market.

This gives American-based EV manufacturers a competitive advantage, and investors are likely to be considering reallocating capital towards this burgeoning sector.

However, these protectionist measures come with risks.

Increased tariffs on Chinese imports, which Mr Trump has proposed at rates as high as 60% on Chinese goods, could lead to higher costs for US consumers and companies alike.

This 'Trump tax,' as Vice President Kamala Harris called it during the recent Democratic National Convention in Chicago, is likely to reduce disposable income and dampen consumer spending, especially on imported goods.

"While some industries will thrive under these new conditions, others that rely heavily on imports will face cost pressures and shrinking margins," the deVere CEO warns.

"Investors need to be mindful of these risks and adjust their portfolios accordingly, steering clear of companies that are particularly vulnerable to rising import costs."

While the US turns inward with its protectionist policies, deVere Group stresses the importance of maintaining a globally diversified portfolio.

Regions like Southeast Asia and Latin America, which are not directly involved in the US-China trade disputes, are becoming increasingly attractive for investors seeking growth outside of traditional strongholds.

Nigel Green continues: "As certain markets become more insulated due to trade policies, others are opening up and offering new growth potential.

"Investors who strategically diversify across regions that are strengthening trade ties and offering alternative supply chains can mitigate risks and capture new opportunities.

"Countries in Southeast Asia, for example, are increasingly becoming manufacturing hubs for global companies seeking to diversify away from China. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand have seen a surge in foreign direct investment as companies look to avoid US tariffs by relocating production."

deVere Group believes that the evolving trade environment will require careful portfolio management and a proactive approach to mitigate risks.

Investors should remain vigilant about the impact of new tariffs on global markets, while also seeking out opportunities in sectors and regions that stand to benefit from the shifting trade dynamics.

"This is a time of both great uncertainty and great opportunity," concludes the deVere Group CEO.

"For investors who can successfully tackle the complexities of the shifting economic order, the rewards will be significant."

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Asos has agreed to sell its Topshop and Topman brands to a new joint venture with the holding company of Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen in a deal valuing them at 180m (213m), the online retailer said.

Shares in Asos soared 18% on Thursday after news of the sale, along with an upbeat group performance update and a debt refinancing plan that reassured investors.

Asos has been struggling with losses and faced intense competition in Europe from the likes of fast-fashion firm Shein and is going through a transformation under a new strategy.

It expects to get about 118m in net proceeds from the sale to the joint venture with Heartland, which owns retail fashion group Bestseller, Asos' biggest shareholder.

Asos said the cash would help it to strengthen its balance sheet.

Heartland will own 75% of the new entity and a unit of Asos the remaining 25%.

Asos will continue to sell the Topshop and Topman brands online as part of a royalty deal for certain design and distribution rights.

It bought Topshop in 2021 from the administrators of Philip Green's collapsed Arcadia group, along with its Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands, for 265m.

Annual adjusted core profit

Asos said it expects annual adjusted core profit at the top end of market predictions but said sales would be slightly below its previous forecast.

"We've been making decisions to drive profitability rather than just purely going after the sales number," finance chief Dave Murray told analysts and investors on a conference call.

Chief executive Jose Antonio Ramos Calamonte said the group has seen improved profitability in US and UK markets, although challenges remained in Germany.

Asos said it was offering 250m inconvertible bonds due in 2028 and a partial repurchase of its outstanding 500-million-pound bond due in 2026.

Berenberg analyst Matthew Abraham said the strong trading update and the refinancing were positive indicators of strategic direction "that puts the business on firmer financial footing".

In 2021, Asos partnered with US retailer Nordstrom in a new joint venture that saw Topshop clothes sold in physical stores for the first time since the brand collapsed in the previous year.

Nordstrom first struck a deal with the former Arcadia brand more than a decade ago.

Reuters with additional reporting from PA
Cork Marts chief executive Sean OSullivan has announced he will step down from his position in early 2025.

By the time of his retirement, Mr OSullivan, who turns 62 in December, will have spent over 30 years working with Cork Marts, having joined the organisation as financial controller in 1995, before being appointed as chief executive officer less than 18 months later.

During his tenure, Mr OSullivan has overseen a major period of transformation and growth, including restructuring and reorganising the society from nine to six centres, overseeing the construction of two new marts on greenfield sites, and helping the business to transact 2.8bn in livestock sales and generate 33m in profit.

His term as chief executive is distinguished by a significant diversification of Cork Marts business portfolio. This includes leveraging Cork Marts asset base through retail and commercial development, which successfully generated a significant income stream and strengthened the companys balance sheets.

In recent years, developments have included residential units for social housing bodies and the receipt of planning permission for future projects.

This diversification into commercial and residential property development has enabled Cork Marts to undertake considerable capital investment in its core mart business across its six centres at Bandon, Corrin, Skibbereen, Macroom, Dungarvan and Cahir, laying a solid foundation for future growth.

The impact of Mr OSullivans strong leadership is further evidenced in the Cork Marts 2023 accounts, which show record level mart sales of 164 million and a 1.5m growth in shareholders funds to 26.1m.

Reflecting on his three decades at the helm of the business, Mr OSullivan said: Im proud of what Cork Marts, through our board, advisory committees, management team and staff, have accomplished over the past 30 years. Working together, we have achieved transformative growth and strengthened the societys position as Ireland's largest livestock auctioneers.

I look forward to seeing the society progress under the stewardship of a new chief executive and have no doubt that it will continue on a positive trajectory in the coming years. I remain committed to ensuring the smooth and successful running of Cork Marts over the next number of months and will remain available to support the smooth transition for a new CEO, he said.

Lyle Buttimer, Chairperson of Cork Marts, applauded Mr OSullivan for his stellar service, stating: "Cork Marts is in a very strong position after years of commitment and investment from various boards under the advice of our CEO.

The board wishes to sincerely thank Sean for his commitment to the society over the years, and we extend every good wish and good health to him as he embarks on the next stage of his life after Cork Marts, he added.

Mr OSullivan will continue in his role pending the appointment of a new chief executive, with the recruitment process set to begin immediately.
Succession appears to be a taboo topic, Macra president Elaine Houlihan believes, and this is much to the farming sectors detriment.

Measures supporting succession need to be prioritised in Budget 2025, Ms Houlihan is urging Government.

Macra has said rural youth out-migration and the ageing farmer profile are key issues facing rural areas which need to be urgently addressed.

Young farmers who wish to set up or take over an existing farm business must be supported through an enabling policy framework, according to the organisation.

This should address the core business, environmental and broader health and safety requirements of young farmers to ensure fair and equitable access to farm entrepreneurship and diversification, along with adequate living and working conditions.

Young farmers make up only 6.9% of the farming population in Ireland.

Young farmer a minority

Its time that people realised that the young farmer is a minority, Macra president Ms Houlihan told the Irish Examiner.

The Government needs to deliver something for young people, give them supports to actually stay in farming, because we all want to stay in rural Ireland but we have no choice but to leave.

Succession does not just affect farming. If you get young people into farms at a young age, that money is going back into a rural community: its going to keep a shop open; keep a pub open; keep the doors of a church open; its going to keep a school going.

For Ms Houlihan and her fellow young farmers, it can often feel like were playing the drum and nobodys listening when trying to speak about the concerns around succession.

Last year, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue announced the Succession Planning Advice Grant.

Succession Planning Advice Grant

The Succession Planning Advice Grant is a scheme specifically aimed at encouraging best practice in intergenerational land transfer to address, among other things, significant generational imbalances in farming, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The grant is to encourage and support farmers aged 60 years and above to seek succession planning advice by contributing up to 50% of vouched legal, accounting and advisory costs, subject to a maximum payment of 1,500.

Tranche one closed for applications on December 31, 2023, with just 71 applications made in that first tranche.

According to Macra, while this figure was disappointing, it was not surprising.

'Farm succession is a complex area and there are many factors that impact farmers decisions,' said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

The minister has now announced his intention to establish a commission on generational renewal in farming.

I expect the European Commission to publish its proposals for a post-2027 CAP in mid-2025. Against this background, this is an appropriate time to consider whether the framework currently in place provides support to young farmers thinking of entering the sector and effectively encourages generational renewal, Mr McConalogue said.

The time has come to have an honest and absolutely objective look at this, including the supports in place, to consider whether those measures are having the desired effect, how supports might best be configured to encourage generational renewal, for example through land transfers and succession planning.

Farm succession is a complex area and there are many factors that impact farmers decisions. We need to properly assess this and consider whether there are any unintended barriers to entry for young people under the current regime.

With this in mind, I intend to establish a group with the relevant expertise and experience to take an objective and robust evidence-based look at all of the factors in play to ensure that we have a well-researched basis for us to make optimal use of the policy tools available to encourage young people, who are the lifeblood of farming, into the sector.

Ms Houlihan said young farmers will hope this announcement is not just a political election talking ground and there will be action.

Its great to see an initiative and well welcome every initiative possible  but we want action now to keep young people in farming and keep them in rural Ireland.

Call for retirement scheme

A retirement scheme is a possible measure that could be introduced. Ms Houlihan said the focus truly needed to be on succession, and supporting young people.

The Irish Farmers Associations farm family and social affairs chairwoman Teresa Roche reiterated this.

Macra president Elaine Houlihan. 'There is a massive stigma around succession. No one wants to talk about ageing, nobody wants to talk about dying, and nobody wants to talk about conflict.'

Ms Roche said a retirement scheme was important to ensure financial security and support for the farmer stepping back from the everyday running of the farming enterprise.

However, if a scheme is developed, it must be adequately funded to ensure that the retiring farmer is financially supported and that the remaining farming business provides a young person with the opportunity to take over, expand and develop the business in a way that provides a viable income.

A well-designed farmer retirement scheme will not only ensure that our older farmers can retire with dignity, but it will also create opportunities for young, ambitious farmers to enter the sector, Ms Roche added.

Succession a taboo subject

Macras Ms Houlihan said there was still a taboo to overcome when it comes to succession.

"There is a massive stigma around succession and I get it  no one wants to talk about ageing, nobody wants to talk about dying, and nobody wants to talk about conflict, she said.

But we have to have these conversations to ensure we can actually secure a future for the current generation and the generation below it.

CSO figures show the proportion of farm holders under 35 has been falling consistently since 1991.

In 2020, almost one-third of all farm holders were aged 65 or over compared to just above one-fifth in 1991.

In 1991, 33.1% of farm holders were under the age of 45, whereas in 2020 this age group represented 20.8% of all farm holders.
Over 69,000 people left Ireland in the 12 months to April 2024 - compared with 64,000 in the same period of 2023, according to CSO figures.

This is the highest emigration figure since 2015.

It is no wonder that for many young people in rural areas, it can feel like there is nobody left.

Nearly every month you could go to a going away party. Usually theyre joint going-away parties which is even worse, said Liam Garry, who farms outside Kells, Co Meath.

I was in the mart and I looked around and there were two people under the age of 30. It was me and a friend.

During the summertime, there should be younger farmers there, but not a sign of them at all.

Theres no encouragement for them to get in. I am worried about it, to tell you the truth.

Getting young people interested in agriculture and wanting to pursue a career in it is a major issue the industry faces, Robert Corroon, education and events officer with Agri Aware has warned.

There are other industries with far more attractive pay scales, and food production is a 24/7 responsibility, the primary level of our industry never stops.

If we take the primary level of our sector, the farmers who supply our industry are suffering with price volatility, climate volatility, workforce volatility and ultimately decreased profit margins which makes it very hard to entice any young person to pursue a career, let alone the changes in policy and regulation, Mr Corroon said.

I think farming as an occupation is a vocation - what were seeing is more and more people involved in industry are farming part-time because of the love they have for the industry, their community, their livestock.

But to provide a steady income to sustain in the current cost of living theyre undertaking careers in agri-food sectors which provide a reliable income and scope for progress in their career while also maintaining their interest in farming at a primary level.

Its very hard to entice someone into that space if they dont have the love for it and havent grown up with the love for it and had someone nourish that love for the industry in them.

Those are the challenges were going to have to overcome, and its not a silver bullet solution.

Robert Corroon, with Irish Farmers' Association animal health committee chairman TJ Maher discussing to students how to be safe around and also the dangers of working around livestock on farms at the Safe Farm Futures farm safety workshop in Moycarkey National School. Picture: Agri Aware

Edward Treanor farms in Clones, Co Monaghan, in partnership with his father, and is married with two children.

The farm went from 80 cows to 200 cows now, that would have been one of my main aims to go away off to New Zealand first, according to Mr Treanor.

He studied mechanical engineering and worked in Dublin for a while, and got fed up sitting in an office looking out the window.

From there I went and did the green cert and went to New Zealand to learn and educate myself on how to grow a sustainable grass-based system," he explained.

I was there for six to eight months, went from there to Australia, was working there for an Irish fella who lived very close to us at home in the next town over.

I worked for him for a number of months, then just worked on a number of different farms in Australia over a six or seven-month timeframe.

I did a lot of travelling in Australia and then would have moved into the city where I met Trisha and then lived there for another three years and we moved home in 2018.

He always knew he would come back to the family farm, but it hasnt all been plain sailing since he returned.

Price on paper for milk looks good but in reality its not, the cost of production has just been through the roof, Mr Treanor said.

The environment side of things, the rules and regulations that are coming in at the minute are very intense, the goalposts are continuously changing. A rule could come in tomorrow and we wouldnt know about it today.

When I came home then in 2018 there was not overly much talk about the rules but if theres someone now over in Australia or New Zealand working on a farm and thinking of coming home to rural Ireland and trying to grow the farm to have a farm that can sustain families, its very hard for someone to put a plan in place to come home when the rules are continuously changing.

With the uncertainty around what may happen with the derogation, potentially losing it would cause a massive ripple effect across the agriculture industries.

If youre going to have to cut cow numbers, can that young person come home from the other part of the world to work in partnership with parents on a farm, to live in rural Ireland and stay locally?"

Agri Aware's Robert Corroon and Ashley Traynor highlighting the importance of farm safety to students at a Donegal 'Farm Walk and Talk' event. Picture: Agri Aware

Mr Treanor said he was always encouraged, and would always encourage others to go and travel.

However, he has friends in Australia who stayed there when he returned home to Ireland, and many similar to them now wonder, If I come home, whats there for me?.

Theres a lot you dont realise when you stay out of the country for more than two or three years, what problems you come home and face; getting insurance for cars, bank loans.

The Government needs to look at that - if they want people to come back, there has to be incentives there, to lower the rules and have exceptions.

For Mr Treanor, the life he built in Ireland made any challenges he faced worthwhile.

"Cost of living in rural Ireland is slightly cheaper than living in the city or built-up areas, and then working in the outdoors and being your own boss as well, you can see the effort you put into something is the effort you get back," he said.

"The satisfying thing about it is were producing food for other people across the whole world. The cows we would have milked this morning, in time, could be feeding someone butter in America or Australia."

And this production is done in as much an environmentally friendly way as possible, Mr Treanor added.

This is a message Agri Aware is also trying to get across, as it was founded with the aim of educating the general public, the consumer base, on where food comes from and how food is produced, Robert Corroon explained.

Liam Garry farms in partnership with his father, milking 90 cows. They keep sucklers and beef cattle as well, and fatten store lambs over the winter.

The 22-year-old said it has been a very tough year.

We thought last year was tough at the time, but the cash flow this year has been very poor, Mr Garry explained.

With the weather, everything is so behind, cattle didnt get out until very late.

We ran out of silage last winter and had to buy silage, and usually we would have carry-over silage from the previous year but we started with nothing this year so were taking every chance we get to make a few bales here and there.

Between those challenges, and not getting much support from the Department of Agriculture and receiving late payments, along with the farm being affected by TB, its very hard to keep the morale high, Mr Garry said.

The red tape, the regulations are getting tighter and tighter, he said.

Were lucky enough were not in nitrates derogation but I do know from other farmers and neighbours which are in it that its even worse again.

According to Mr Garry, you wouldnt be surprised young people are leaving the country, to get away from the often hardship on farms.

He doesnt rule out travelling and living abroad himself one day, but also, he said he is still happy here.

You cant be just worrying yourself too much. It is tough, and youd just be saying 'whos better off?'. But Im happy farming here, its not really a job as such, he said.

You can come and go, if you dont get something done today you can do it tomorrow or if I need a day off tomorrow to go away somewhere I can just go, Im not looking for days off. We have some part-time relief for when were away but its just myself and my father on the farm full-time.

Its a lovely lifestyle, youre out and about, youre outside every day, youre up early in the morning seeing nature the whole time.

Mr Garry said, however, he is worried about people leaving and not coming back and the future of rural Ireland being under threat.

Agri Aware provides a suite of programmes for both primary and secondary schools that hone in on food production, animal welfare, food security and the environment, with over 140,000 students participating in in-class programmes and over 90,000 participating in online programmes at primary level.

Mr Corroon said these programmes are important in engaging young people with agriculture, and allowing them to envision a future in the sector, especially those who would have no other exposure.

Increases in participation in programmes have been seen in the metropolitan regions of Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick, and another portion of the programme uptake in the commuter towns of these cities, Mr Corroon said.

"Teachers recognise the importance of teaching children where their food comes from, ensuring that were supporting local and understanding the role of the farmer in the economy and in their community," he said.

While students can be exposed to a "negative narrative around agriculture" particularly when it comes to environmental impact, Mr Corroon said it is important industry works together to "combat any misinformation that is getting out there with the facts that are backed up by science, backed up by research".

Negative messaging and policy changes are two key reasons why people still feel "disheartened" about their futures in the sector, according to Macra.

When young farmers try to see this future, only a fog of uncertainty is visible, Macra president Elaine Houlihan said.

They have nowhere to turn, they dont know what their future entails. Do they need to go back to college at the age of 30? Do they need to go do an apprenticeship? How are they going to survive?

Theres so much uncertainty because the goalpost keeps moving  the goalpost is on wheels that just keep moving up and down the field.

If only young people could look into that crystal ball and see 10 years down the line that you can farm here in Ireland.

But you cant at the moment  all that youre seeing is a fog of uncertainty.

Its time that our Government and the older generation realise that the young farmer will adapt to changes that are needed.
Dantes Inferno tells the story of the poets fictionalised descent into hell, where he is guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil.

Hell is depicted as nine concentric circles of torment located within the earth. Satan himself resides there. After escaping hell, Dante and Virgil will go on to purgatory and then Dante will go to heaven. Well, the reason Im telling you this is because I have been to hell. I have visited the concentric circles of torment, but in my journey there was only a mere eight circles to endure.

Last Friday I naively undertook the Tom Crean Challenge down in Kerry. I was asked by Alan OSullivan from CyberSafeKids would I be willing to take part in this event to raise money for the charity.

I have always suffered with impulse control issues, so I said yes, without really thinking about what might be required to get fit for this challenge. The name on the challenge should have given me the heads up that this might be more than your average fun run in the park.

Tom Crean was no slouch. When I read the itinerary, I knew I had bitten off more than I usually like to chew. We had to travel 150k in 24 hours without sleep. I watched my wife give birth to three children, so you know Im tough, and an optimist. I can do this, I told myself.

I started my prep in July for my couch to 150k. A 4k run here, a 3k walk there. I could see my kids laughing at me while we were on holidays in Portugal, as I inhaled another Portuguese tart. My daughters started to call it the Tom Cream Challenge.

Unphased by their mockery, I kept up the odd jog or two. But what I met on Friday night pushed me to the brink of my resolve. I realised I had not prepared for this event, I also realised that those Portuguese tarts were probably not the correct nutrition for the task at hand.

It started at 9pm with a 33k walk through the night in very uncomfortable wet terrain. You had to concentrate on every step or youd fall or sink into some godforsaken mud hole.

After those six long hours, we had about a 20 minute rest to get ready for our next piece of this ardours puzzle; the 33k cycle. I found this a magnificent experience, watching the sun break over the Skelligs as we cycled into the dawn. Magic.

We passed through Dingle and over to Paidi O Ses Pub, the sky spreading out before us (I didnt recall it being so far from Dingle when I was on all those stags).

Next we had to walk/jog 12k, and then a 15k cycle up the longest hill I have ever experienced. I was wishing at this point that Tom Creans parents had never met. The expletives were flowing. But I refused to yield.

We were now at the foot of Mount Brandon. Our van of supplies missing. Adding to the craic!

I grew up in Cork. Im a city boy. The biggest mountain I have ever summited is Patricks Hill of a Saturday night drunk as a teenager walking a girl home. I was proud of myself then. When the organisers said, we have a six-hour hike now I felt like limping away slowing into a bush and weeping. It felt like a penitential rite, without the enjoyment of whatever sin I had committed. My sin was impulsivity and stubbornness. And by god was I being punished. At one point I was delighted to reach the top, only to be informed the top is over there, another kilometre or so above us. Dear God, why must you punish me. I kept going. Cursing. Alan O Sullivan and Mike Murphy from my team marching relentlessly ahead. Bastards. The views from the summit were breathtaking.

But then we had to go down. This was as hard as climbing up. The terrain was tricky, concentration and knees needed to hold as you manoeuvred yourself off the top of the mountain. At one point we rounded the bend, I was thinking this has to be the end of this mountain. Again, to be informed there was about another hour left in the descent.

Dante and his bloody inferno. The next stage, for those mad enough to keep going, was a 5k kayak and finally, a 10k cycle.

When my wife saw the rough beast lurching up the hotel lobby, she broke out laughing.

Bringing out the bins will never be an issue from now on. But I have to say I enjoyed the experience.

The chats with strangers through the darkness of night, and seeing Kerry in all of its splendour as the sun rose over the Kingdom was magnificent.

I was broken on the mountain, wondering how people get any enjoyment out of hiking. But when someone explained to me how this event started, it inspired me to keep going. Kieran OCallaghan lost his wife, Fiona to cancer in 2011.

He was left to raise his four children, and decided to honour his wifes life by undertaking the Peninsula Challenge. For years he undertook it on his own, until it started to grow. He has now raised over 225,000.

This years event raised over 80,000. At the end of each event he was waiting there, having accomplished it with ease, hand out and broad smile. He informed me when he saw my white socks he didnt think Id last the pace.

Will I do it again? I wouldnt bet against it, white socks and all.
A man appeared before a court in Limerick on Thursday charged with the illegal possession of a submachine gun and ammunition.

Willie Woodland, (31), of Shanabooly Road, Ballynanty, Limerick, had the gun and ammunition at his home address last Tuesday, September 3, it was alleged.

Mr Woodland is accused of being in possession of a 9 x 18mm Makarov calibre, Rak make, model PM63 submachine gun, for an unlawful purpose, contrary to Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act, 1964, as substituted by Section 59 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006, as amended by Section 38 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

Mr Woodland is accused of having a quantity of 9 x18mm Makrov calibre ammunition for an unlawful purpose, contrary to Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act, 1964, as substituted by Section 59 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006, as amended by Section 38 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

Evidence of arrest, charge, and caution, was presented to the court by certificate. Mr Woodland did not speak during the brief court hearing and no evidence of the allegations was heard.

Garda Laura Lyons, Henry Street Garda Station, gave evidence that Detective Garda Sean OHagan, Henry Street Garda Station arrested Mr Woodland and charged him. The accused made no reply to the charges, the court heard.

Garda Sergeant Sean Murray, Roxboro Road Garda Station, made an application before the court for Mr Woodland to be remanded in custody until next week for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Solicitor Sarah Ryan was assigned to represent Mr Woodland who was granted free legal aid. Ms Ryan said she was not applying for bail.

Judge Carol Anne Coolican granted Sgt Murrays application, and remanded Mr Woodland in custody to appear before Limerick District Court via video link on September 10 for DPP directions.
A protester who admitted intimidating Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae by throwing a bottle at the politician and blocking him at Leinster House must show a judge he understands the ramifications of his action.

Dublin District Court heard the "distressing" incident took place when an anti-government and immigration demonstration "spiralled out of control" at Government buildings on September 20 last year.

Apprentice carpenter Dean Hickson, 22, of Griffith Parade, Finglas East, Dublin, pleaded guilty earlier this year to intimidating Michael Healy-Rae at Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The court has heard he was sorry and never wanted to attend another protest.

He has participated in a restorative justice programme under the Probation Service for several months, as directed by the court. Successful completion of the programme can result in a first-time offender being spared a criminal record and a sentence.

On Thursday, Judge Murphy noted that Hickson had co-operated with the scheme. However, she adjourned the case for a further five weeks to finish the process and for Hickson to show the injured party that he understood the ramifications of his actions.

About 200 people had held a protest outside Leinster House as the Dail resumed following the summer recess. It led to several arrests, and afterwards, the independent TD condemned the conduct of some protesters as he and an office intern attempted to leave the area.

Garda Chloe Rochfort arrested Hickson, and due to the guilty plea, Healy-Rae was not required to testify in court.

In mitigation, his defence solicitor, Donal Quigley, said Hickson, who has no prior criminal convictions, was attending a political protest. "He said he has never been to one before and says he will never be to one again in his life."

Earlier, the solicitor told the court, "Things spiralled out of control.

It was more aggressive than he thought it would be. He is not even that politically minded.

He added that his client had been forthright and apologised when brought into a garda station.

Garda Rochfort confirmed that happened when she met him at Pearse Street station to charge him. Judge Murphy had said the incident was very distressing for all concerned and a very serious offence for a man with no criminal record.

"The injured party should be advised of his entitlement to attend as well. These are generally better if the parties engage so that the implications of this type of conduct can be brought home as well," the judge had said.

Hickson, who did not address the court, was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in September for sentencing.

Following a Garda investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed gardai to charge Hickson in February. The DPP directed summary disposal in the District Court, which can impose a 12-month sentence and a fine, rather than a trial at the Circuit Court level, which can impose a sentence of up to five years.

Judge Murphy accepted jurisdiction.

The court heard that the accused was among aggressive protesters outside Leinster House "during an anti-government, anti-immigration protest". At one point, the CCTV footage captured him "throwing a plastic bottle in the direction of Michael Healy-Rae, narrowly missing his head".

During the investigation, the accused was identified from the video footage "as he physically impeded Michael Healy-Rae from entering Government buildings, which is his place of work". The defence was granted an order to be given copies of prosecution evidence, including video footage.

At a preliminary hearing in February, his solicitor told the judge that his client maintained "he did not block anyone going in or out". However, he later admitted the offence.
A barber and tattoo artist, who is awaiting trial accused of murdering a father-of-two in a sword attack in Cobh, Co Cork, has been refused bail.

Dylan Scannell, 30, of O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, is charged with the murder of Ian Baitson, 33, at Newtown Road on March 15.

Mr Baitson was injured shortly before 9pm in a Eurospar car park and taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead four days later.

Father of three Mr Scannell has been in custody on remand following a district court appearance on March 25.

In July, he was further charged with two additional offences.

One of the newer charges was for the production of a long-bladed sword capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute and in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person on March 15 at the Eurospar car park.

The other was under money-laundering legislation for possessing crime proceeds between August 2023 and March 2024.

Because he faces a murder charge, he had to bring his bail application to the High Court in Cloverhill, Dublin.

He appeared before Mr Justice Tony Hunt via video link on Thursday but did not give evidence during the proceedings.

His barrister, Keith Branagan, argued bail conditions could address issues raised by gardai.

The defence also proposed the bail could be set in his bond of 10,000 with a 10,000 independent surety, and Mr Scannell would surrender his passport and reside outside of Cobh.

Gillian Finane BL, for the State, asked for bail objections to be outlined by Detective Sergeant Gerard O'Shaughnessy from the investigation team at Midleton Garda Station, which were supported by Chief Superintendent Vincent O'Sullivan, who heads up Cork West and Cork North Garda Division.

Concerns about witness interference

Detective Sergeant O'Shaughnessy voiced concerns about flight risk and witness interference.

However, he agreed with Mr Branagan that his client had significant ties in the jurisdiction, having a girlfriend and three children.

The hearing was told Mr Scannell used to run a barber and tattoo shop, but it closed during the covid-19 pandemic.

Detective Sergeant O'Shaughnessy also accepted there was no evidence Mr Scannell had been located near a border area or about to board a ferry.

He alleged for days after the incident the accused had been staying in a secluded location in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, while posting on social media that he was fishing in Fermoy, Co Cork. He was arrested on March 22.

Mr Justice Hunt stressed the legal position that a presumption in favour of bail was rooted in the presumption of innocence.

He considered the proposals by the defence but held that gardai had established their grounds and denied Mr Scannell bail.

Mr Justice Hunt noted from Ms Finane it was expected the prosecution's book of evidence book would be ready to be served on the accused in the district court on Tuesday.

Mr Justice Hunt also said Mr Scannell should not have a lengthy wait until his trial because the Central Criminal Court regularly sits in Cork.
Ireland is never neutral when it comes to standing up to evil, the Taoiseach has said following a visit to Ukraine.

Simon Harris said that although Ireland is militarily neutral and always will be, it will also always call out evil and show solidarity at a European level against the horrific, brutal aggression that we're seeing from Russia.

We're reminded all too often and nearly on a daily basis now of the indiscriminate terrorist attacks being launched by Russia on civilians, Mr Harris said at a bilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow, Poland.

We saw (on Wednesday) the murder of three beautiful young girls and their mother in the early hours of the morning.

Deadly airstrikes on Lviv in western Ukraine killed seven people early on Wednesday morning, including a mother and her three daughters, just hours after the Taoiseach travelled through the city on his way to Kyiv.

While in Kyiv, the Taoiseach visited the Childrens Rights Protection Centre and met a family there who fled Russian-occupied Ukraine. He also visited a couple whose home was destroyed by Russian attacks and who are now living in a modular home provided by Irish humanitarian funding and the UNHCR.

It's really important to fully understand when you look into the eyes of a seven-year-old boy in a centre for child protection who has been separated from his father and has had to flee occupied territory with his mother and his sisters.

Taoiseach Simon Harris after holding a bilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow, Poland on Thursday. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA

These are not experiences that children can be in, and that is the reality for far too many children in Ukraine today."

People in Ukraine "are having to compress normal daily life into a very brief period each day" while they have electricity due to frequent blackouts.

Ireland has provided 340m in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and this week pledged an additional 36m, Mr Harris said. Some 109,000 Ukrainians have also sought shelter from the war in Ireland since Russias invasion.

On Wednesday, Ireland signed an agreement with Ukraine to show that we will continue to stand with them and be there for as long as it takes". But the best security and peace guarantee for Ukraine and for Europe is for Ukraine to become a member of the European Union, he said.

The Taoiseach also discussed the Middle East with Mr Tusk in Poland.

The violence needs to end, he said. "There needs to be an immediate ceasefire. We cannot have different standards in terms of how we treat different conflicts.

Ireland and Poland, though geographically distant, are close in our hearts and minds, Mr Harris said. Some 100,000 Poles now live in Ireland, he said.

Taoiseach Simon Harris (left) with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Rzeszow, Poland. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA

I have found the Polish people who come to Ireland, their work ethic, their approach, their cultural view, to be so similar to those of Irish people.

The trading relationship between the two countries is now worth about 7.4bn each year. You're consuming quite a lot of our whiskey... not you personally, he said to Mr Tusk.

He thanked Mr Tusk for leading the European Council at a most difficult time for Ireland and the European Union as the unprecedented challenges posed by Brexit were navigated.

Taoiseach Simon Harris (left) told Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (right) in Rzeszow, Poland, on Thursday 'There needs to be an immediate ceasefire' in Gaza. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Your friendship, your solidarity but also your skill really helped manage that very difficult process and for that I and the people of Ireland and the government of Ireland will always be grateful and will always consider you a true friend.

Collaboration between European leaders was hugely important to tease out and work through some of the big issues faced by Europe like migration, Mr Harris said.

Work on the economic agenda within the EU was also important to ensure that the single market works for everybody, including small businesses and farmers, Mr Harris said.

Strengthening EU business should empower officials, rather than swamping people in bureaucracy with meetings about where to place the comma in a document, he said.
Youre probably interested in old Cork like me. Or as interested in old Cork as I am. Not that Im like old Cork.

(Can we . . . - ed?)

Anyway. i see The Gallery Press has re-issued Cork, a book of poems by Eilean Ni Chuilleanain with drawings by artist Brian Lalor.

My eye was drawn to Lalors beautiful line drawings not so much because of my artistic instincts  easily summarised as I know what I like and I like what I know  but because of what they represent.

The book was originally published in 1977, and Lalors drawings are a snapshot of a different city: a smaller, shabbier one maybe, but also a friendly and inquisitive one. When I spoke to him he sketched (sorry) the background to the book.

In the mid-seventies he had been working in Israel as an archeologist for a number of years on a major site, and when that work came to a conclusion he hadn't been in Ireland for at least ten years.

That work was done, my mother was getting older. I had good reasons for returning, which I did with no particular plan in mind.

At that point his brother lived at the top of the building which housed McCarthys bakery in Daunts Square. Lalor was looking out over Cork from the windows there and started drawing.

The simple geography of the city was the engine that kept me going, and once I had begun I realised it was really very interesting topic.

Cork was much smaller than Id thought. It ended, really, at the top of Barrack Street and at the top of Shandon Street and MacCurtain Street.

I walked the entire city over a period of a year, and the drawings were what I produced. I then looked for a collaborator.

He asked the most Cork of the writers available to work with him: Patrick Galvin.

We met a couple of times, and he said yes, delighted. And he said yes, delighted again. And he said yes, delighted, the tenth time, so . . .

View from Patrick's Hill.

I scanned the horizon. Eilean Ni Chuilleanain had been at UCC with my brother, and when I asked her, she said yes. Then Peter Fallon of The Gallery Press, who published Eilean, said he was interested in publishing the book.

Hence the drawings. Theyre streetscapes and quaysides, alleys and nooks and crannies. There arent too many great houses visible, which was a deliberate move.

I wasnt interested in drawing the best of architecture. St Fin Barres Cathedral may get in there somehow in the background, but if it does its very much in the background. I was trying to capture the texture and the people in the streets.

I had spent four years working intensely on destroyed cities from 2,000 years ago, so I was very interested in ruins. Cork had something of that at the time, it was shabby.

But it was more than just something with character. It was also something that represented the life of the past, which was much more accessible.

There was obviously prosperity, and I would say Cork was on the up in terms of the suburbs. Those had reached out, the city was growing all the time, so that prosperity was there, but it wasn't what I was interested in.

And the drawings themselves? How were they done?

I remember that very clearly, and the curiosity of the people in the street as to what I was doing.

Paul Street.

I heard what are you up to? quite a lot but people were always very friendly. I had drawn around the Middle East, and that was much more hostile; it was as if you were representing the government or indicating that taxes were going to go up, so there was considerable suspicion of your activities. I never encountered that in Cork, the thought that I might be up to no good.

I was never harassed or anything. It did attract attention from people but they were interested in a very genuine way. They wanted to tell me stuff  Did you know Jimmy Riley who lived there? Do you know what happened to the woman who lived there?'

I didn't use a camera. I drew from life. It gives a different effect. I drew on the spot with a sketchpad in pencil, and I would do some work on it at home, then I would come out again and I'd look at it.

The drawings are in black and white, line drawings. That was a very conscious decision.

My favourite part? Walking around, just in terms of atmosphere, the North and South Main Street and the alleyways leading off those.

The main street of today is the main street of the medieval city, it's just wider now. And the alleyways were the side streets. That structure was all there.

That's where the archaeologist comes out, that the skeleton of the earliest city is still there, and that much is intact, and that's fascinating.

Lady's Well Brewery and the North Cathedral.

The drawings black and white focus foreshadows a great deal of Lawlors later career, which features in a major retrospective running at the West Cork Arts Centre until October 12.

As for the book itself, after two printings it disappeared from bookshops but when Lalor ran into Elaine last year they felt it was time for a reissue. Peter Fallon agreed, and now the book has returned.

Not before time. The central spine that Lalor loved so much has been shamefully neglected in parts  the stretch of North Main Street joined by Liberty and Castle Streets is one of the national emblems of dereliction and neglect. In any summary of the general decline of our inner cities youll find a picture of that intersection, empty and decaying.

Those alleys off North Main Street, the atmospheric passageways that Lalor was so fond of, have suffered as well. The last historic laneway on the same street was recently gated as part of a student apartment development, a move which flared into a brief controversy.

Kift's Lane.

Going in the other direction the story is no better. Walk up South Main Street and theres an array of abandoned buildings and waste land, plazas cordoned off from the public, and, of course, the empty wilderness where the Cork Event Centre may eventually appear. Or not, depending on your cynicism about possible announcements in the run-up to the coming election.

Its interesting to look at Lalors drawings as a marker of a poorer city, but a place which took more pride in its appearance, for all that. Those curious pedestrians who questioned the artist with the sketchpad fifty years ago would surely have been stunned by the way their city is neglected now.

Pope's Quay.

I finished our chat by asking Lalor if he revisits those old haunts much, given hes based in west Cork.

I plan to go with the book under my arm, he told me. To look and see what's there now, or is some of it gone.

*For information on the Brian Lalor retrospective see skibbereenartsfestival.com/festivals/skibbereen-arts-festival-2024/events/brian-lalor-retrospective

Cork is published by The Gallery Press and is in the shops now.
The ball is now firmly back in the Governments hands in relation to Irelands future trading relationship with Israel.

The Government had long maintained that there was nothing it could do about trade with Israel  citing the established rules of the EU that the bloc was the primary arbiter on international trade.

While there has been pressure applied by countries like Ireland and Spain in recent months over the EU-Israel association agreement, they have faced strong opposition in the big beasts of the EU like Germany and France who continue to back Israel despite the ongoing war in Gaza.

Any prospect of a review of the agreement, under its human rights clauses, will only come with agreement of other EU member states  which does not appear to be forthcoming any time soon.

The public have been among the voices calling for the Government to go further, exemplified by public protests that take place regularly on the streets of Dublin, Cork and towns around the country.

While Ireland has always had a high level of support for Palestine, there are few social issues that have gotten as much public attention across Ireland in recent years. Normally, foreign affairs stories dissipate quite quickly, but that has not been the case with the ongoing war in Gaza.

A rally in support of the people of Gaza that took place in Cork City recently.

The public have been left disgusted and dismayed by the level of death and destruction that has been wrought on the Palestinian people by Israel. People see it daily on their social media fees, on their televisions and splashed across the pages of newspapers.

It is shown through the tens of thousands confirmed dead, the levelled buildings and bombed hospitals and through the starving children left without life-saving aid.

But chinks of light are now emerging for those who have long called for Ireland to push back against trade with Israel, as the impact of the International Court of Justices advisory opinion begins to sink in.

The ruling, which calls on all States to cease trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, has put pressure back to the Government to tackle the matter  with campaigners now believing that the Occupied Territories Bill is not only doable, but that it will only be a matter of time before it is passed by the Oireachtas.

The bill itself would prevent Ireland from importing goods that originate from illegal settlements, including those in the West Bank.

The bill  which has languished on the Oireachtas order paper for years  has long been held by the Government as being incompatible with European law, with Attorney General after Attorney General providing advice that it cannot be implemented.

But in recent days, the momentum has shifted slightly.

Anti War protesters against the continuing war in Gaza demonstrate outside Leinster House last month. Photo: SAM BOAL/Collins Photos.

It all began with the Tanaiste Micheal Martin, who confirmed he was taking action to stop all future procurement of defence and security equipment from Israel in the wake of the ICJ ruling.

This was then followed, in short order, by Taoiseach Simon Harris declaring that he had sought updated legal advice over trade with Israel.

He said that such an action was appropriate, given the ruling from the ICJ and that every lever needed to be pulled to exert pressure on the Israeli Government to end the war in Gaza.

While the campaign to have the bill passed was being prepared, this news came in and has been welcomed by campaigners.

But they believe there has never been a barrier, citing Article 36 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union. This section allows countries to restrict trade on grounds including public morality, policy or security.

The campaigners have said this allows Ireland to diverge from trade with Israel on public policy grounds in order to protect fundamental rights.

However, leaked advice from the former Attorney General Seamus Woulfe argued that there has been an absence of case law that would allow Ireland such an exemption.

However, campaigners received their own legal advice from two EU trade law experts  Professors Takis Tridimas and Panos Koutrakos  who have argued that the bill is now necessary.

They reference two separate cases  Schmidberger and Omega  where the European Court of Justice found that member states are permitted to deviate from EU law, even on freedom of movement, provided that it is to protect fundamental rights of individuals.

Palestinians look for survivors following Israeli airstrike in Nusseirat refugee campin the Gaza Strip in October. File photo: AP/Doaa AlBaz

If acted upon, this could provide the government with leeway to restrict importation of goods from the occupied territories. With Government potentially moving on trade, campaigners are more optimistic about the future of the Occupied Territories Bill.

One campaigner  Eamonn Meehan of Sadaka, the Ireland Palestine Alliance  said he believes it is no longer a question of whether, its a question of when.

The campaign is not letting a looming general election stop it from pressuring the Government either, with calls being made for all political parties to support the Occupied Territories Bill within their individual manifestos.

With pressure likely to rise as the war continues to drag on, the three coalition partners will face a challenge on how to respond to the campaign in what could be a very different next Dail.
DOSCO, a longstanding fixture of commercial life on the South Douglas Road, is relocating to Little Island as part of an expansion plan that marks 140 years in the business.

The move, to the former Henkel building in Little Island, will free up the companys 55,775 sq ft detached warehouse in Dosco Industrial Estate, which it will vacate in November. The large scale industrial unit includes office space and pallet racking for storage of upto 3,200 pallets.

It comes with carparking, a loading/unloading bay and a fenced and gated yard area. The agent tasked with leasing out the property, Declan Hickey of auctioneers Casey & Kingston, said the rent sought is 300,000pa. The warehouse can be let as a single lot or subdivided into smaller units.

The Dosco move to Little Island will see the company end its presence on the South Douglas Road, where it has operated since 1966, having started out in 1884 at Lavitts Quay in Cork city, followed by a move at the turn of the 20th century to Merchants Quay.

Dosco Industrial Estate, South Douglas Road

Established by Denis OSullivan as D OSullivan & Co (hence Dosco) it focused from the start on hard-working, quality cleaning products. The first products were mainly brushes for road sweeping, shoes, for removing distemper from walls, cleaning firesides and chimney sweeping. The majority were made by hand, using tar to bind the bristles together before being inserted into the wooden stocks (heads).

The company now has 600 core products; is the only brush manufacturer on the island of Ireland and is in the third-generation ownership of the Kenefick family, starting with George Kenefick, followed by his son Neil, and currently, Neils sons, David and George. Both sons are members of the Dosco management team, along with financial controller Oliver Ryan and MD Pat Casey.

Pictured outside the new Little Island premises (L to R): Dosco financial controller Oliver Ryan, project manager David Kenefick, MD Pat Casey and sales director George Kenefick

As part of its expansion plan, the company purchased the former 52,000 sq ft Henkel building, on seven acres, in Wallingstown, Little Island, which came on the market last year for 6m, although what is sold for has not been disclosed. Dosco commissioned a full refurb which began in May this year, headed up by Cork firm Vision builders, and are hoping to be in their new home by year end.

A computer generated image of what the new Little Island premises will look like

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, they said the company could not have succeeded without its loyal customers and dedicated workforce. Dosco currently has 52 employees, and hopes to grow that figure as part of its growth strategy.

This new facility will provide us with the space and resources needed to enhance our production capabilities and better serve our customers, George Kenefick said.

Managing Director, Pat Casey said: We are very proud of what Dosco has achieved over the last 140 years and the contribution it makes to the local and national economy. We look forward to a bright future for our business as we grow through expansion and investment.

The original Dosco premises on the South Douglas Road is less than 2km from Cork city, and a similar distance to the South Ring Road. Cork Airport is less than 5km away and the Jack Lynch tunnel for onward travel (M8/Dublin Road, N25/Rosslare Europort) is less than 6km away.

Details: Declan Hickey, Casey & Kingston Office: 021 4271127 Mob: 0876529320
Jury selection is set to begin in Hunter Bidens federal tax trial just months after the US presidents son was convicted of gun charges in a separate case.

The case in Los Angeles federal court accuses Hunter Biden of a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least 1.4 million million dollars in taxes while pulling in millions of dollars from foreign business entities.

He is already facing potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.

US President Joe Biden hugs his son Hunter Biden during the Democratic National Convention (Paul Sancya/AP)

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016-2019 taxes and his lawyers have indicated they will argue he did not act wilfully, or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

US district Judge Mark Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former president Donald Trump, placed some restrictions on what jurors will be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Bidens family, friends and lawyers say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

He also rejected a proposed defence expert lined up to give evidence about addiction.

The indictment alleges that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels  in short, everything but his taxes.

Hunter Bidens lawyers had asked Judge Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a character assassination, including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites.

The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain strict control over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

Meanwhile, prosecutors could present more details of Hunter Bidens overseas dealings, which have been at the centre of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking  without evidence to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsels team has said it wants to tell jurors about Hunter Bidens work for a Romanian businessman, who they say sought to influence US government policy while Joe Biden was vice president.

The defence accused prosecutors of releasing details about Hunter Bidens work for the Romanian in court papers to drum up media coverage and taint the jury pool.

The judge will ask a group of prospective jurors a series of questions to determine whether they can serve on the jury, including whether their political views and knowledge of the case would prevent them from being impartial.

Sentencing in Hunter Bidens Delaware conviction is set for November 13.

He could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.
A teenage boy charged with killing four people at his high school in Georgia was interviewed last year by police about anonymous online threats, the FBI said.

The 14-year-old opened fire at his high school outside Atlanta, killing four people and wounding nine.

The teen has been charged as an adult in the deaths of Apalachee High School students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, along with instructors Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey said at a news conference.

At least nine other people  eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder, about an hours drive northeast of Atlanta  were taken to hospitals with injuries.

All were expected to survive, Barrow County sheriff Jud Smith said.

The teen, now 14, is to be taken to a regional youth detention facility on Thursday.

Armed with an assault-style rifle, the teen turned the gun on students in a hallway at the school when classmates refused to open the door for him to return to his algebra classroom, classmate Lyela Sayarath said.

The teen had earlier left the second period algebra classroom, and Miss Sayarath believed the quiet student who recently transferred was skipping school again.

But he returned later and wanted to get back into the classroom.

Mourners pray during a candlelight vigil for students and teachers killed at Apalachee High School in Georgia (Mike Stewart/AP)

Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.

Im guessing they saw something, but for some reason they didnt open the door, Miss Sayarath said.

When she looked at him through a window in the door, she saw the student turn and heard a barrage of gunshots.

It was about 10 or 15 of them at once, back-to-back, she said.

The students ducked onto the floor and sporadically crawled around, looking for a safe corner to hide.

Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Mr Hosey said.

A medical helicopter is seen in front of Apalachee High School after the shooting at the school on Wednesday (Mike Stewart/AP)

The teen immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.

The teen had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The sheriffs office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them.

The teen also denied making any online threats.

The sheriffs office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest or additional action, the FBI said.

Local news outlets reported that law enforcement on Wednesday searched the teens family home in Bethlehem, Georgia, east of the high school.

Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School (Mike Stewart/AP)

All the students that had to watch their teachers and their fellow classmates die, the ones that had to walk out of the school limping, that looked traumatised, Miss Sayarath said.

Thats the consequence of the action of not taking control.

Authorities were still looking into how the teen obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school with about 1,900 students.

It was the the latest among dozens of school shootings across the US in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas.

The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms.

But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.
A man killed in a shootout with police in Munich was an 18-year-old citizen of neighbouring Austria, police have said.

Authorities believed the teenager may have planned an attack on the Israeli Consulate in the German city.

The suspect was fatally wounded near the consulate and a museum on the citys Nazi-era history after officers were alerted to a man carrying a gun in the Karolinenplatz area at around 9am on Thursday.

The suspect, who was carrying an old long gun with a bayonet attached to it, died at the scene.

There was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesman Andreas Franken told reporters.

Five officers were at the scene at the time the gunfire erupted. Police quickly deployed around 500 officers to the area.

Police officers block a street after the incident in Munich (Matthias Schrader/AP)

There was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesman Andreas Franken told reporters.

The suspect, who was carrying an old-make of firearm with a repeating mechanism, died at the scene.

Bavarias top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had opened fire at police and that they returned fire.

It was unclear whether the incident was in any way related to the 52nd anniversary on Thursday of the attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which ended with the death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants.

Police said there was no evidence of any more suspects connected to the incident.

They increased their presence in the city, Germanys third-biggest, but said they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects.

Police officers stand next to their vehicles after the incident in Munich (Matthias Schrader/AP)

Police said they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects.

The Austria Press Agency reported that the man, an Austrian citizen with Bosnian roots, had come to the attention of authorities there last year but was not considered high-risk.

Without naming sources, it said that data and a game had been found on his mobile phone that suggested closeness to Islamic extremist ideology, but an investigation of him for possible membership of the so-called Islamic State group was dropped.

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed when the shooting occurred and that none of its staff had been hurt.

The nearby Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the citys past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the shooting.

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described Thursdays shooting as a serious incident but said she didnt want to speculate on what had happened.

She reiterated that the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority.
Top US military leaders will be in Germany to discuss Ukraines wartime needs as Russia has conducted one of its deadliest airstrikes in the conflict and Ukraine presses its offensive in Russias Kursk region.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and General CQ Brown will host a meeting on Friday at Ramstein Air Force Base of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, made up of military leaders from more than 50 nations that have regularly provided funds and weapon systems to bolster Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Those countries face renewed calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for additional air defences and loosened restrictions on how far into Russia Ukraine can fire American-provided munitions.

Rescue workers work at a site of military university hit by a Russian strike in Poltava, Ukraine on September 4 (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/AP)

He has long pushed allies to go further to support Ukraines effort to fend off Russia.

The meeting comes after Russia used two ballistic missiles to target a military academy and nearby hospital this week in Ukraine, killing more than 50 people and wounding over 270 others, in one of the deadliest strikes of the war.

Air defence systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine, not in a warehouse somewhere, Mr Zelensky said on his Telegram channel this week.

Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now.

So far, the Biden administration has kept relatively strict control over how the missiles it provides Ukraine can be used.

Ukraine can defensively fire at Russian targets along the border, but the US prohibits their use deeper into Russia, out of concern that such a strike would further escalate the war.

There has been no change in the policy on Ukraines use of US-supplied weapons, Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagons press secretary, told reporters on Tuesday.

That the group of military leaders from Ukraines allies has continued to meet and agree to send weapons is extraordinary, however.

Rescuers search for victims in an apartment building destroyed by a Russian missile attack in the centre of Lviv, western Ukraine, on September 4 (Mykola Tys/AP)

Global pressure on weapons stockpiles has increased and contributors such as the US face competing demands for that aid to bolster security in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about 106 billion dollars in security assistance to Ukraine.

The US has provided more than 56 billion dollars of that total.

The groups meeting also comes as Mr Zelensky has signalled a major reshuffling of his cabinet-level leaders.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of Ukraines most recognisable faces on the international stage, resigned on Wednesday before the expected reorganisation.

Ukraine also has made a fundamental shift in its tactics in the war, seizing Russian territory in the Kursk region during an offensive that began a few weeks ago.

Ukraines military is trying to maintain control of that land, while Russian President Vladimir Putin pushes his forces deeper into eastern Ukraine.

Both sides are prepared for difficult fighting during the winter.

Both sides have become entrenched over the two previous winters, and Ukrainians have endured brutal conditions without electricity or heat as Russia has targeted its power grid.
The first batch of mpox vaccine has arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congos capital, the countrys authorities said.

It comes three weeks after the World Health Organisation (Who) declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.

The 100,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic, have been donated by the European Union through Hera, the blocs agency for health emergencies.

Another 100,000 are expected to be delivered on Saturday, authorities said.

Unicef is going to be in charge of the vaccination campaign in the most impacted provinces, health minister Roger Kamba told reporters after the delivery of the vaccine.

But it remained unclear when the vaccination drive would begin.

About 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines have been promised by Western partners such as the EU and the US, Dr Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters last week.

That is less than 15% of the three million doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo  the epicentre of the global health emergency.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, had been spreading mostly undetected for years in Africa before the disease prompted the 2022 outbreak in more than 70 countries, Dr Dimie Ogoina, the chairman of Whos mpox emergency committee told reporters last month.
French wine and spirits company Pernod Ricard, best known in France for the anise-flavoured aperitif pastis, said on Thursday it has scrapped a new sponsorship deal with Paris Saint-Germain after protests from Marseille.

Fans of Marseille, the bitter rival of PSG, complained that the drink belongs to their city.

Pernod Ricard said in a statement it ended the global deal announced this week because of the strong emotions aroused.

Marseille has long been associated with the French liqueur called pastis. So when Pernod Ricard announced the new commercial partnership with PSG, it left a bad taste in the mouths of Marseille fans.

The hashtag #boycottPernodRicard spread on social media as fans felt betrayed by a company that boasts about its Marseille origins.

Face a la vive emotion suscitee, Pernod Ricard annonce ce jour renoncer a son partenariat global qui devait le lier au Paris Saint Germain pour promouvoir ses marques de whisky et de champagne a linternational. Lire le communique de presse : https://t.co/mM0S4PkQ2Q  Pernod Ricard (@Pernod_Ricard) September 5, 2024

The issue became so intense that even Marseille mayor Benoit Payan got involved, asking Pernod Ricard for an explanation.

Alexandre Ricard, chief executive of Pernod Ricard, said he took the decision to scrap the four-year sponsorship after listening to those who make the group successful, including our employees in France, our customers and our shareholders, first and foremost my family.

Pastis is consumed in all regions of France, but it is particularly popular in the countrys south, where Paul Ricard, from Marseille commercialised the drink under his name in 1932.

Pernod Ricard was created in 1975 after a merger of Pernod and Ricard, which brought together two French anise-based spirits.

For more than 90 years, Ricards history has been intertwined with Marseille, the city that saw the groups birth, growth and inspiration, Alexandre Ricard said.

And this link is stronger than anything else. It is therefore a decision that comes from the heart that I am making today. Im sure that everyone who has worked on this project will understand my choice.

Pernod Ricard will continue to proudly claim its origins and the sincere ties that unite our brands with their communities.

When the deal was announced, upset fans said they would stop drinking pastis, or switch to rival brands, while others called for a boycott of the more than 240 brands in the wine and spirits sellers global portfolio.

Pernod Ricard said it had a global reach and excluded France in terms of visibility or activations.

On Thursday, it added the agreement was initially thought to promote its whisky and champagne brands internationally, not pastis.

PSG and Marseille are the two biggest powerhouses of French football.

Their rivalry became popular during the 1990s.

Marseille, the only French team to win the Champions League (1993), has fallen well behind since PSG was taken over by Qatari investors in 2011, but the rivalry still stirs up passion.

The four-year agreement was to begin this season and would have covered PSGs mens and womens football teams and handball.
1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
DIAMOND DRILLING INTERCEPTS HIGH GRADE AT LEVEL 18 EXPANDING POTENTIAL AT DEPTH

9.35 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 7.5m (including 33.1 g/t over an estimated true width of 1.25m) in hole PPL1102

FIVE ACCESS SUB-LEVEL HEADINGS PROGRESSING TO PROVIDE ROBUST FUTURE PRODUCTION PLATFORM

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX:JAG) (OTCQX:JAGGF) is pleased to announce it has progressed access development on five sub-levels on its newly defined high-grade BA zone at the Pilar mine in Brazil. In the second quarter (see press release dated August 7, 2024), the Company reported that its Pilar mine had begun to benefit from higher grades and incremental production contributed from this new BA zone, a trend that is expected to continue going forward. It should be noted that the adjacent Torre zone is generally narrower with more variable grades and more geotechnical challenges, however, it is a future opportunity for incremental ore once the necessary evaluation has been completed to safely mine this material.

To date in 2024, cumulative access development of approximately 374 m has been completed on five sub-levels. This development has generated 30,547 tonnes of run-of-mine ore feed at an average grade of 4.64 g/t producing 4,032 ounces of Au in the first half of 2024. In parallel with this development, approximately 3,985 metres of diamond drilling has been completed to date, while two diamond drill rigs remain focused on definition and expansion of the mineralized zone both up and down-plunge from the initial discovery holes on level 15. For the second half of the year, the Company expects to mine between 50-60,000 tonnes grading approximately 4.14 g/t from the BA zone.

Vern Baker, President and CEO of Jaguar Mining stated "We have continued to make good progress accessing the BA zone with lateral development on five separate sub-levels since March. The higher grades seen from BA development ore, along with positive step-out diamond drilling results and geological mapping are confirming structural continuity. The headline drill intercept on level 18 indicates the potential for a vertical panel of mineralization down to level 18, all of which supports our goal of achieving consistent production from this area going forward. We expect the overall contribution from the BA zone to increase over the next few quarters to a point where approximately 50% of mined production at Pilar in the second half of 2025 will be sourced from this new zone once fully accessed and developed."

Highlights from diamond drilling completed since Q1 2024 include:

8.80 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 5.00m - (Hole PPL1066)

9.30 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 4.70m - (Hole PPL1065)

9.35 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 7.50m - (Hole PPL1102) (including 33.1 g/t over an estimated true width of 1.25m)

Figure 1 - Long Section showing the Pilar mine underground layout and the position of the BA zone relative to the other main orebodies. The location of the ongoing BA zone sub-level access development on level 15 and level 17 are highlighted at the bottom right corner of the figure.

Figure 2 - Long sectional view showing the location of access development to evaluate the BA zone, and the best diamond drill mineralized intersections reported in this press release and previously in the press release dated February 28, 2024 (original holes in white and yellow background boxes/recent and current holes shown with pink - background text boxes).

Table 1 - Diamond drilling intersections with grade x thickness (GT) > 20 between level 14 and level 17 targeting the BA zone.

Summary of Significant Intersections, Drilling Program

Jaguar Mining Inc. - Pilar Mine HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Down Hole Interval (m) Estimated True Width (m) Gold Grade (g/t Au) GT (ETW) Date (mm/dd/yyy) Orebody Laboratory (RG or ALS) Drilling Company PPL1060 94.4 100.5 6.2 5.2 5.62 29 07/06/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1065 83.6 90.6 7.0 4.7 9.3 43 16/04/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1066 40.4 48.4 8.0 5.0 8.8 44 29/05/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1067 96.0 107.5 11.6 6.4 3.9 25 14/06/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1102 265.9 269.6 3.7 2.3 9.6 22 22/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1102 302.9 319.3 16.4 7.5 9.4 70 22/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR Including 312.5 315.3 2.8 1.3 33.1 41 22/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1102 329.5 336.0 6.6 3.3 6.2 20 22/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR PPL1071 74.5 100.7 26.3 9.5 8.6 82 28/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR Including 94.9 100.0 5.1 1.8 35.5 65 28/08/2024 BA RG JAGUAR

Geological Description

The high-grade gold mineralization is hosted by a well-developed layer of BIF as outlined by detailed geological mapping of development faces exposed in the access crosscuts. The BIF is comprised of both carbonate and silicate facies, surrounded by undifferentiated metavolcanic and sedimentary schists. The highest grades are associated with hydrothermal alteration (quartz-sericite-chlorite-carbonate) and 5-15% of semi-massive to disseminated coarse subhedral grains of Arsenopyrite and subsidiary Pyrrhotite.

The BIF exposures show a succession of overturned folds (synform-antiform pairs), with fold axes plunging to the south at medium to low angles.

Figure 3 - Schematic Plan View of the Pilar mine geology as interpreted from initial drilling and geological - structural projections on level 18 highlighting the location of the high-grade BA zone mineralized structure intersected in recent diamond drill holes.

Mineral Resources per vertical meter - Comparison between historical and potential future production

Historically the BA zone was the main contributor to ounce production at Pilar in the upper levels of the mine reaching a peak of some 1500 mineral resource ounces per vertical meter around level 3. Over time and with increasing depth the mine saw a decrease in the ounce per vertical meter profile attributed to this orebody to sub-economic levels in the vicinity of level 8. As commonly occurs with structurally controlled mineralized systems of this nature the decreased ounces per vertical meter profile on the BA structure was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the ounces per vertical meter profile attributed to the nearby BIF structures south along strike and since 2016 the mine has produced the majority of ounces from the BIF structures. The discovery of higher grades on the BA structure in the vicinity of level 15 during late 2022 and subsequent exploration diamond drilling and access development described in this, and previous press releases is highlighting increased ounce per vertical meter on the BA structure now confirmed from levels 14 to levels 19 as presented in Figure 4 below.

Figure 4 - Long section of Pilar mine showing the ounces-per-vertical-meter profile with depth. The graph highlights the historically important contribution of ore from the BA zone to production at shallow levels in the mine from level 1 to level 8, diminishing from level 9 to level 14 and now, with recent drilling and exploration, demonstrating an increasing profile downwards from level 14 to level 19.

Qualified Person

Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc (Hons) (Economic Geology - UCT), FAUSIMM, Vice President Geology and Exploration, who is also an employee of Jaguar Mining Inc., and is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

The Iron Quadrangle

The Iron Quadrangle has been an area of mineral exploration dating back to the 16th century. The discovery in 1699-1701 of gold contaminated with iron and platinum-group metals in the southeastern corner of the Iron Quadrangle gave rise to the name of the town Ouro Preto (Black Gold). The Iron Quadrangle contains world-class multi-million-ounce gold deposits such as Morro Velho, Cuiaba, and Sao Bento.

About Jaguar Mining Inc.

Jaguar Mining Inc. is a Canadian-listed junior gold mining, development, and exploration company operating in Brazil with three gold mining complexes and a large land package with significant upside exploration potential from mineral claims. The Company's principal operating assets are in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Mining Complex (Pilar and Roca Grande Mines, and Caete Plant). The Company also owns the Paciencia Gold Mine Complex, which has been on care and maintenance since 2012. The Roca Grande Mine has been on temporary care and maintenance since April 2019. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com.

For further information please contact:

Vernon Baker

Chief Executive Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

416-847-1854

Alfred Colas

Chief Financial Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

416-847-1854

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking information made in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements below and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking information contained in forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "are expected," "is forecast," "is targeted," "approximately," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "believe" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might," or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be considered to be or include forward-looking information. This news release contains forward-looking information regarding, among other things, the duration of the temporary suspension of the Company's 2023 production guidance in ounces and costs, the expected future release of new guidance for 2023, the anticipated impact of planned changes in mining systems and cost cutting initiatives on the Company's future performance and production results, information related to expected sales, production statistics, ore grades, tonnes milled, recovery rates, cash operating costs, definition/delineation drilling, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, development and mining activities, currency fluctuations, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, restarting suspended or disrupted operations, continuous improvement initiatives, and resolution of pending litigation. The Company has made numerous assumptions with respect to forward-looking information contained herein, including, among other things, assumptions about the estimated timeline for the development of its mineral properties; the supply and demand for, and the level and volatility of the price of, gold; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which the reserve and resource estimates are based; the receipt of necessary permits; market competition; ongoing relations with employees and impacted communities; political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any potential power rationing, tailings facility regulation, exploration and mine operating licenses and permits being obtained and renewed and/or there being adverse amendments to mining or other laws in Brazil and any changes to general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including among others: the risk of Jaguar not meeting the forecast plans regarding its operations and financial performance; uncertainties with respect to the price of gold, labour disruptions, mechanical failures, increase in costs, environmental compliance and change in environmental legislation and regulation, weather delays and increased costs or production delays due to natural disasters, power disruptions, procurement and delivery of parts and supplies to the operations; uncertainties inherent to capital markets in general (including the sometimes volatile valuation of securities and an uncertain ability to raise new capital) and other risks inherent to the gold exploration, development and production industry, which, if incorrect, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described herein. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development, mining and production, including environmental hazards, tailings dam failures, industrial accidents and workplace safety problems, unusual or unexpected geological formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding, chemical spills, procurement fraud and gold bullion thefts and losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking information made in this news release, see the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis, as well as other public disclosure documents that can be accessed under the issuer profile of "Jaguar Mining Inc." on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's reasonable expectations as at the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Appendix 1

Table 2 - Diamond Drilling Collar Coordinates, Azimuth and Dip, levels 14-19 BA zone.

Table 3 - Diamond Drill Hole data - Pilar mine BA zone between level 14 and level 19, April-September 2024.
Highlights:

22 subsoil use license applications for approximately 6,000 km 2 comprising the Chu-Sarysu Project (as defined below) located in the Suzak District of the South Kazakhstan Oblast, Republic of Kazakhstan .

Proximal to some of Kazatomprom largest uranium deposits and operational mines such as Inkai, Budenovskoye and Muyunkum-Tortkuduk.

The Chu-Sarysu Project area includes a number of mapped, paleo-channel roll-fronts, associated with uranium deposits and amenable to ISR mining.

Laramide to operate and fund exploration program towards discovery of a viable uranium resource.

TORONTO, Sept. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Laramide Resources Ltd. ("Laramide" or the "Company") (TSX: LAM) (ASX: LAM) (OTCQX: LMRXF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a three-year option agreement (the "Option Agreement"), with an option to extend for an additional year, with Aral Resources Ltd. ("Aral"), a Kazakh company registered with the Astana International Financial Center and the shareholders of Aral (the "Optionors"). Aral has secured 17 mineral licenses, with an additional 5 licenses pending approval, covering nearly 6,000 square kilometers of the Chu-Sarysu sedimentary basin of Kazakhstan (collectively, the "Chu-Sarysu Project").

Under the terms of the Option Agreement, Laramide has the right (the "Option") to acquire all outstanding shares of Aral at any time during the option period, thereby obtaining full ownership of the Chu-Sarysu Project. Throughout the option period, Laramide will serve as the exclusive operator, assuming responsibility for all operational and exploration expenses.

The mineral licenses included in the option agreement cover nearly 6,000 square kilometres and represent a unique greenfield exploration opportunity. Each license has an initial term of up to six years, with the option for a one-time renewal for an additional five years.

The Option Agreement remains subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX").

"The opportunity to explore in one of the world's most prolific and prospective uranium basins appears to us to be a very compelling and overlooked opportunity," says Marc Henderson, President and CEO Laramide, "particularly within an industry dynamic where the uranium supply deficit is now consensus thinking, and where nuclear power's global growth ambitions will absolutely require greenfield discovery of new deposits.

"In spite of its proximity to world class ore bodies like Inkai and Budenovskoye, the large area represented in this Option has had very limited exploration in the post-Soviet era, and with Kazakhstan now actively encouraging foreign investment, we have secured an early advantage and are looking forward to getting started."

Option Agreement Highlights:

Following the definitive grant to Aral of all license applications related to the Chu-Sarysu Project and approval from the TSX, Laramide will make a one-time payment of US$450,000 in cash and shares to the Optionors and annual payments of US$150,000 payable in cash on each anniversary of the Option Agreement, commencing on the first anniversary.

in cash and shares to the Optionors and annual payments of payable in cash on each anniversary of the Option Agreement, commencing on the first anniversary. The Option is exercisable for a term of three years and may be extended for an additional one-year term with a one-time payment of US$400,000 in cash and shares.

in cash and shares. The Option can be exercised by Laramide at any time during the term of the agreement through a one-time payment of US$14,000,000 in cash and shares.

in cash and shares. The Option Agreement also contemplates and allows for an alternative mechanism to develop this opportunity by way of a spin-off transaction.

With the exception of the annual payments, all payments outlined above are payable as follows: (i) 50% in United States dollars; and (ii) 50% in common shares in the capital of the Company ("Laramide Shares"), the value of which shall be determined in accordance with the 20-day volume-weighted average sale price per share of the Laramide Shares on the TSX as of the date prior to the relevant date of each of the payments as described above.

During the term of the Option Agreement, Laramide will be the operator of the Property and will exercise exclusive supervision, direction and control over any and all operations, programs and budgets relating to the Property. Laramide will provide funding to Aral for the purposes of satisfying and fulfilling minimum economic commitments and expenditures in relation to each license comprising the Property, as required under Kazakhstan's mining regulations.

In connection with the Option Agreement, and in order to ensure Aral's compliance with the bonding requirements of Kazakhstan's mining regulations for the licenses comprising the Property, Laramide agreed to provide funding to Aral in an amount of up to US$1,450,000 in the form of interest-free loans pursuant to the terms and conditions of a grid promissory note and credit facility agreement dated as of June 24, 2024 (the "Promissory Note") issued by Aral for the benefit of Laramide. Laramide loaned Aral an aggregate amount of US$900,000 in connection with the Promissory Note and Aral has successfully obtained appropriate bonding for the 17 licenses issued to date and for 2 license applications which are awaiting final sign off from the Ministry of Industry and Construction. The funds loaned under the Promissory Note are repayable by Aral to Laramide in the event Laramide does not exercise the Option, or the Option Agreement is terminated for any reason, or in part if a license is terminated or withdrawn.

The Optionors will retain a 1% net smelter royalty which is subject to a buy down provision where Laramide may, at is discretion, repurchase 25% at a price to be agreed among the parties or by an independent third-party appraiser. In addition, Laramide holds a right of first offer regarding the sale, transfer or assignment of any portion of the net smelter royalty.

About the Chu-Sarysu Project

The Chu-Sarysu Project is located in the Suzak District of the South Kazakhstan Oblast, Republic of Kazakhstan.

In 2023 Kazakhstan accounted for over 43% of global U 3 O 8 production. Of the five main producing basins in the country the Chu-Sarysu and Syr Darya basins in the south of the country, account for over 75% of national production. These basins host major deposits and operational in-situ recovery ("ISR") mines such as Inkai, Budenovskoye and Tortkuduk/Muyunkum, which are Joint Ventures between Kazatomprom and Cameco, Uranium One and Orano respectively.

In an effort to promote foreign investment, in 2018 Kazakhstan revamped its Mining Code to follow western standards which involved a revision of subsoil and subsoil use licencing and provisions.

Exploration Program

Following TSX approval, over the coming weeks initial work will focus on historical technical data review including translation and target generation. Immediate focus will be to utilise airborne and ground geophysics to validate known, mapped, roll fronts to generate near-term drilling targets and potentially identify new high priority areas which remain underexplored within the basin.

Qualified/Competent Person

The information in this announcement relating to Exploration Results is based on information compiled or reviewed by Mr. Rhys Davies, a contractor to the Company. Mr. Davies is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves', and is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Davies consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

Follow us on Twitter @LaramideRes

About Laramide Resources Ltd.

Laramide is focused on exploring and developing high-quality uranium assets in Tier-1 uranium Jurisdictions of Australia, United States and Kazakhstan. The company's portfolio comprises predominantly advanced uranium projects in districts with historical production or superior geological prospectivity. The assets have been carefully chosen for their size, production potential, and the two large projects are considered to be late-stage, low-technical risk projects.

The Westmoreland project in Queensland, Australia, is one of the largest uranium development assets held by a junior mining company. This project has Mineral Resource of 51.9 Mlbs contained U 3 O 8 (Measured and Indicated 18.7 Mt @ 0.09% for 36 Mlbs U 3 O 8 and Inferred 9.0 Mt @ 0.08% for 15.9 Mlbs U 3 O 8 ) and a PEA that describes an economically robust, open-pit mining project with a mine-life of 13 years. Additionally, the adjacent Murphy Project in the Northern Territory of Australia is a greenfield asset that Laramide strategically acquired to control the majority of the mineralized system along the Westmoreland trend.

In the United States, Laramide's assets include the NRC licensed Crownpoint-Churchrock Uranium Project with over 50 MLbs U 3 O 8 (Inferred 38.04 Mt @0.075% for 50.8 mLbs U 3 O 8 ). An NI 43-101 PEA study completed in 2023 has described an ISR production methodology over a 31-year mine life. The Company also owns the La Jara Mesa project in the historic Grants mining district of New Mexico and an underground project, called La Sal, in Lisbon Valley, Utah.

In Kazakhstan the company is exploring over 6,000km2 of the prolific Chu-Sarysu Basin for world class roll-front deposits which are amenable to In-situ Recovery.

Forward-looking Statements and Cautionary Language

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expect, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Laramide disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Since forward-looking information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, exploration and production for uranium; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of resource estimates; health, safety and environmental risks; worldwide demand for uranium; uranium price and other commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws, royalties and environmental regulations.
Sheeted veining discovered within hornfels altered sedimentary rocks flanking a granitic intrusion within the Tombstone Gold Belt.

Outcrop sampling returned up to 7.25 g/t gold with 240 ppm Bismuth and 5.23 ppm Tellurium.

Located near infrastructure 14 km south of the North Canol Highway near Fireweed Metals' Macpass Project.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Trifecta Gold Ltd. (TSXV:TG) (OTCQB:TRRFF) ("Trifecta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from its 2024 exploration program at the Rye Project (the "Project"), which consisted of geological mapping, soil sampling and property-wide airborne LiDAR surveying. The Company successfully identified new areas of mineralization within the Itsi pluton and its surrounding hornfels altered sedimentary rocks.

The Rye Project is situated between two Mid-Cretaceous granitic intrusions in the eastern portion of Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. It is well located, only 14 km from the North Canol Highway, 15 km from Fireweed Metals Corp.'s Macpass Project, and 95 km from Snowline Gold Corp.'s Valley Gold Deposit. Mapping focused on characterizing vein densities and collecting structural measurements within and adjacent to the Itsi pluton. Results from vein material collected near this contact are tabulated below.

Sample Description Au (g/t) Bi (ppm) Te (ppm) D007367 Outcrop sample, quartz vein in granodiorite adjacent to mm-scale sheeted veining (~7/metre) 7.25 240 5.23 D007366 Outcrop sample of arsenopyrite-bearing quartz vein from a zone of sheeted veining mm to 2 cm scale (~6/metre) 1.01 242 16.35 D007387 Arsenopyrite vein in outcrop 3.09 372 11.85 D007373 Grab from top of float train at ridge crest 5.85 1080 6.59 D007370 Grab sample, quartz in float with arsenopyrite 2.72 199.5 3.2

Most of the contact between the Itsi intrusion and the hornfelsed metasediments is covered by large talus fields and glacial colluvium. Intense fracturing and veining have been identified in outcrop within the hornfelsed metasediments, adjacent to intrusive contact, as pictured below. These highly prospective areas have not yet been sampled.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Grid soil sampling in the southern portion of the property better defined an area of overlapping anomalous gold, bismuth and tellurium geochemistry that extends through the mapped hornfels altered sediments to the boundary with the Itsi intrusion.

Finally, a LiDAR ("Light Detection and Ranging") survey was completed over the property to help identify structural features and gain a baseline elevation model, which is necessary for establishing an effective 3-D model for future drilling.

Analytical work for the Rye Project was performed by ALS Minerals, with sample preparation in Whitehorse, Yukon and assays and geochemical analyses in North Vancouver, British Columbia. All rock and soil samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay fusion and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (Au-ICP21) and 51 other elements by aqua regia digestion and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ME-MS41).

Exploration Update

The Company was awarded Yukon Mineral Exploration Program ("YMEP") grants for Target Evaluation at both the Rye Project and its Lance Project. Under the YMEP, the Yukon Government provides successful applicants funding to support mineral exploration activities for 50% of eligible expenditures to a maximum of $50,000. Work at the Lance Project is complete, and results are being compiled.

Crews and equipment are now demobilized from the Mt. Hinton Project where Trifecta completed a property wide Z-Tipper Electromagnetic (ZTEM) and magnetic survey, road and drill pad construction, mapping, prospecting and soil sampling. Due to equipment issues, drilling at Mt. Hinton was limited to one hole at the 85 vein. Results of this work will be released once assays are received and can be compiled and evaluated.

Tombstone Gold Belt

Extending for more than 1000 km from the Fairbanks district in Alaska eastward across the entire width of Yukon, the Tombstone Gold Belt hosts many large RIRGS mines such as Fort Knox in Alaska (>10 million oz), the recently suspended Eagle mine in Yukon (>4 million oz) and the past-producing Brewery Creek Mine, also in Yukon. Since May 2020 over 17 million additional ounces of gold have been discovered in the Yukon portion of the belt, including Snowline Gold's Tier 1 Valley discovery, Sitka Gold's RC deposit, Banyan Gold's AurMac deposits and Victoria Gold's Raven deposit.

Tombstone Gold Belt systems are characterized by sheeted, auriferous quartz veins forming in the carapace zones of Cretaceous-age plutons. They have a characteristic geochemical signature with a gold-bismuth-telluriumtungsten core within a broader gold-arsenic halo. The deposits are found within and surrounding the reduced intrusions, and typically exhibit a geophysical signature comprising a magnetic low (ie. reduced) coinciding with at conductivity low. Veining in RIRGS systems is typically zoned with a core of sheeted veins surrounded by more discrete gold-arsenic veins and more distal silver-lead-zinc veins.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Trifecta's Vice President, Jackson Morton, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.

About Trifecta Gold Ltd.

Trifecta is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration company dedicated to increasing shareholder value through the discovery and development of 100% held gold projects in Yukon and Nevada. Trifecta has secured an option to acquire a 100% interest in Mt. Hinton, Rye and 9 other highly prospective, intrusion-related gold projects located in Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt where over 17 million ounces of gold have been discovered since May 2020. Initial drilling at the Company's Yuge Gold Project, located in northern Nevada, has identified multiple broad zones of gold mineralization near historical high-grade mines. The Company's Eureka Project hosts an 8 x 2.5 kilometre belt of surface showings and anomalous gold-in-soil that straddle the headwaters of two of the most productive placer creeks in Yukon's southern Klondike Goldfields. Trifecta's Treble Project covers a large hydrothermal system, located midway between Western Copper and Gold Corporation's Casino Deposit, the largest copper and gold deposit in the Yukon, and Rockhaven Resources Ltd.'s Klaza Deposit, a high-grade gold-silver deposit.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Richard Drechsler"

President and CEO

For further information concerning Trifecta or its various exploration projects please visit www.trifectagold.com or contact:

Corporate Information

Trifecta Gold Ltd.

Richard Drechsler

President, CEO & Director

Tel: (604) 687-2522

This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
VANCOUVER, BC AND HONG KONG, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Reyna Silver Corp. (TSXV:RSLV) (OTCQX:RSNVF) (FRA:4ZC) ("Reyna Silver") and Reyna Gold (TSXV:REYG) (OTCQB:REYGF) ("Reyna Gold") are pleased to announce the drill is turning on the first ever Carbonate Replacement Deposit ("CRD") targets at the Gryphon Summit Project ("Gryphon"), the start of a 3,000 metre program, weather permitting, in Nevada, USA. Reyna Silver and Reyna Gold are earning into a 70% interest in the project from Golden Gryphon USA Inc. (See Press Release September 5, 2023). Targeting within the recently consolidated 12,058 hectare Gold, Silver and Critical Metals project (See Press release August 6, 2024) includes identifying the level of oxidation, major potentially mineralized structures and fundamental ore-system exploration vectors.

"It's awesome to have the drill turning at the first ever CRD target at Gryphon!" said Jorge Carrillo, Senior Project Geologist for Reyna Silver. "It's amazing to mature into a position of responsibility on a project of this magnitude alongside this exploration team's depth of experience in CRDs and major discoveries in district-scale plays. Seeing my mentors equally excited we all can't wait to see what Gryphon has to offer!"

Click to listen to Project Geologist, Jorge Carrillo, on site at Gryphon.

The Main 2024 Program Target Areas (Figure 1):

Union: Reyna's recent acquisition of these patented claims makes drilling this CRD target possible for the first time. Historically, Silver, Lead, Zinc mineralization was mined to the base of oxidation, leaving the deeper sulfides untouched, and now the drill rig is turning in that direction (See Press Release August 6, 2024).

007 Zone: Reyna Silver's technical team's reinterpretation of the structures bearing 20 to 25 g/t Gold generated a new target building upon previous explorers' most successful hole GG22-007, which cut 2.9 metres of 5.5 g/t Au (See Press Release from November 29, 2023).

Sadler: These patented claims and surrounding area contain numerous breccias and veins carrying high-grade Copper (1% to 11.6% Cu) and Silver (120 to 1322 g/t Ag). (See Press Release from November 29, 2023).

The technical team continues to work on refining and defining the numerous other targets within Gryphon.

Figure 1: Map of the 12,058-hectare Gryphon Project in Nevada, USA with claim boundaries delineated in dark grey. Patented claims blocks are delineated in red. Target Areas are highlighted in hot pink. Anomalous rock samples are shown in graduated sizes representing grade and colors differentiating the metals with yellow for Gold, burgundy for Copper, blue for Silver, green for Zinc and grey for Lead

For Further Information, Please Contact:

Bethany Terracina, VP Investor Relations

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.reynasilver.com

QUALIFIED PERSON

Dr. Peter Megaw, Ph.D., C.P.G., the Company's Chief Exploration Advisor and Qualified Person, reviewed the technical aspects of the exploration projects described herein and is responsible for the design and conduct of the exploration program and the verification and quality assurance of analytical results. Dr. Megaw is not independent as he and/or companies with which he is affiliated hold Net Smelter Royalties on the Guigui and Batopilas Projects that predate Reyna Silver acquiring them.

About Reyna Silver Corp.

Reyna Silver is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company. The Company focuses on exploring for high-grade, district-scale silver deposits in Mexico and the United States. In Nevada USA, the Company has an option to acquire 70% of the 12,058-hectare "Gryphon Summit Project" in a 50/50 partnership with Reyna Gold Corp. (TSXV:REYG). The Gryphon Project shows features indicating uniquely superimposed/overprinted Silver-Lead-Zinc-Copper Carbonate Replacement (CRD), Carlin Gold and Critical Metals mineralization. Also in Nevada, the Company is advancing its option to acquire 100% of the "Medicine Springs Project" where the Company is exploring a potentially significant Silver-Lead-Zinc-Copper CRD-skarn-Porphyry system. The Company's Mexican assets are 100% owned and include the "Guigui Project" and "Batopilas Project", both located in Chihuahua State. The Guigui Project covers the interpreted source area for the Santa Eulalia Carbonate Replacement Deposit District and Batopilas covers most of Mexico's historically highest-grade silver system.

About Reyna Gold Corp.

Reyna Gold is a gold exploration company focused on district-scale exploration. Reyna Gold has a portfolio of assets on the Mojave-Sonora Megashear and the Sierra Madre Gold in Mexico, and a joint option with Reyna Silver to acquire the 10,300-hectare combined Carlin-style and CRD Gryphon Summit Project in Eureka Co., Nevada, USA. Reyna Gold has an experienced management team with a proven track record of wealth creation through project discovery, advancement, and monetization.

Forward Looking Information

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Offering and the use of proceeds therefrom. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's public securities filings with the Canadian securities commissions. 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 forward looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The 16,500-metre phase 2 drill program is currently underway at the high-grade Polymetallic B26 Deposit.

Drillhole 1274-24-338 was designed to test the extension of the high-grade lens identified in hole 1274-16-236, which intercepted 5.08% Cu Eq over 7.1 metres. This hole was extended from a planned depth of 1,250 to 1,422 metres based on positive visuals. The copper-gold zone was hit at 1,206 metres and extended to 1,287 metres with continuous chalcopyrite mineralization.

Drillhole 1274-24-338 intercepted the zone 35 metres west of 1274-16-236 and 90 metres deeper in vertical depth. If successful, this will be the deepest western extensional hole in the Projects history. For immediate follow-up, the Company has commenced drilling a wedge off this pilot hole (1274-24-338 W1), which will intercept the targeted zone 50 metres to the west.

September 5, 2024 / London, Ontario  Abitibi Metals Corp. (CSE:AMQ) (OTCQB:AMQFF) (FSE:FW0) (Abitibi or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the 16,500-metre phase 2 drill program at the B26 Polymetallic Deposit (B26, the Project or the Deposit) currently underway. Abitibi Metals is fully funded with $15.5 million to complete the remaining 2024 work program and an additional 20,000 metres in 2025, which will be incorporated into a Preliminary Economic Assessment to complete the option. On November 16th, 2023, the Company entered into an option agreement on the B26 Deposit to earn 80% over 7 years from SOQUEM Inc. (see news release dated November 16, 2023).

The Company has identified a broad zone of mineralization from 1,206 to 1,344 metres depth in step out hole 1274-24-338 that was drilled along the Western Plunge of the B26 Deposit. Drilling highlighted the presence of three distinct mineralized domains at depth: 1) the Cu-Au Zone (1,206-1,287 m); 2) a high-grade zone within the Cu-Au Zone (1,262-1,272 m); and 3) a VMS Zn-Ag-Cu-Pb zone (1,314-1,344 m). Within the Cu-Au Zone, significant quartz veining associated with chalcopyrite stringers and semi-massive bands have been identified from 1,261 to 1,272 metres. The stronger mineralization is associated with 30% quartz veining hosted in a sheared strongly altered felsic volcanic. Mineralized bands vary in thickness from 0.4 to nearly 4 metres with chalcopyrite comprising 10% to 60% of overall core volume, forming an 81.0-metre-long interval of mineralization observed from 1,206 to 1,287 metres.

Moving forward, Abitibi is continuing its drill program using hole 1274-24-338 to add another intersection into the broad mineralized system at depth. Currently, the Company is drilling wedge hole 1274-24-338W1, which started at downhole depth of 900 metres with the aim of intersecting the mineralized zone at the same depth as hole 1274-24-338, but 50 metres to the west (see Figure 1). The wedge is located at a current depth of 1,407 metres.

Jonathon Deluce, CEO of Abitibi Metals, commented, The first hole of Phase 2 has delivered exceptional observations of continuity of visual copper mineralization. This hole supports our expansion thesis of the western plunge and is the deepest intercept in the Projects history. We are now planning on extending the zone with a wedge 50 metres from the first intersection. The LaRonde Mine (2P reserve of 2.9 Moz Au) located 62 kilometres west of Val-d'Or in Quebec extends beyond 4.0 km highlighting potential size of these deep seeded systems in the Abitibi.

Figure 1 - Cross Section Highlighting Holes 1274-24-338/W1



Figure 2  Long Section Highlighting Expansion Potential at Depth

Figure 3 - Plan Map of the B26 Deposit

Note 1: NSR=[(Cu%10,000)Cu PriceCu Recovery]+[(Zn%10,000)Zn PriceZn Recovery]+[(Au g/t)Au PriceAu Recovery]+[(Ag g/t)Ag PriceAg Recovery]

Note 2: The cut-off grade used underground is an in-situ NSR value of 100 $/t. The cut-off grade used in the pit is an in-situ NSR value of 36.70 $/t. (2018 NI 43-1011). The block model was calculated using commodity prices of Cu: 5 500 $/t, Zn: 2 420 $/t, Au: 1 200 $/oz and Ag: 16 $/oz.

Figure 4  Cu-Au mineralized zone with veins and veinlets of chalcopyrite at 1,227m



Figure 5  Cu-Au mineralized zone with veins and veinlets of chalcopyrite at 1,272m



Table 1: 1274-24-338 & 338W Drill Coordinates Drill Hole Target UTM East UTM North Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m) 1274-24-338 B26 Western Plunge 652368 5513881 276 200 -77 1,422 1274-24-338W B26 Western Plunge 652368 5513881 276 171.1 -56.24 Wedge Start  900m Depth  1,500

Qualified Person

Information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Martin Demers, P.Geo., OGQ No. 770, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, and responsible for the technical information provided in this news release.

About Abitibi Metals Corp:

Abitibi Metals Corp. is a Quebec-focused mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality base and precious metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Abitibis portfolio of strategic properties provides target-rich diversification and includes the option to earn 80% of the high-grade B26 Polymetallic Deposit, which hosts a historical resource estimate1 of 7.0MT @ 2.94% Cu Eq (Ind) & 4.4MT @ 2.97% Cu Eq (Inf), and the Beschefer Gold Project, where historical drilling has identified 4 historical intercepts with a metal factor of over 100 g/t gold highlighted by 55.63 g/t gold over 5.57 metres and 13.07 g/t gold over 8.75 metres amongst four modelled zones.

About SOQUEM:

SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery and development of mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. Proud partner and ambassador for the development of Quebecs mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Jonathon Deluce, Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please call 226-271-5170, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit https://www.abitibimetals.com.

The Company also maintains an active presence on various social media platforms to keep stakeholders and the general public informed and encourages shareholders and interested parties to follow and engage with the Company through the following channels to stay updated with the latest news, industry insights, and corporate announcements:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbitibiMetals

LinkedIn:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Note 1: A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Source: Rapport Technique NI 43-101 Estimation des Ressources Projet B26, Quebec, For SOQUEM Inc., By SGS Canada Inc., Yann Camus, ing., Olivier Vadnais-Leblanc, geo., SGS Canada  Geostat., Effective Date: April 18, 2018, Date of Report : May 11, 2018

Note 2: Copper Equivalent values were calculated using metal prices of $4.00/lb Cu, $1.50/lb Zn, $20.00/ounce Ag and $1,800/ounce Au. Metal recoveries of 100% are applied in the copper equivalent calculation. The application of a copper equivalent is a comparison measure used to level variable metal ratios. Results are not related to the recoveries and by virtue of the value of a mining production.

Note 3 - Sources:

Fayard, Q, Mercier-Langevin, P., Wodicka, N., Daigneault, R., & Perreault, S. (2020). The B26 Cu-Zn-Ag-Au Project, Brouillan Volcanic Complex, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Part 1: Geological Setting and Geochronology.

Fayard, Q. (2020). CONTROLES VOLCANIQUES, HYDROTHERMAUX ET STRUCTURAUX SUR LA NATURE ET LA DISTRIBUTION DES METAUX USUELS ET PRECIEUX DANS LES ZONES MINERALISEES DU PROJET B26, COMPLEXE VOLCANIQUE DE BROUILLAN, ABITIBI, QUEBEC

Forward-looking statement:

This news release contains certain statements, which may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that are not based on historical information but rather relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments on the B26 Project or otherwise. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions, which are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Companys control and many of which, regarding future business decisions, are subject to change. These uncertainties and contingencies can affect actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on the Companys behalf. Although Abitibi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. All factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Abitibis forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as expects, estimates, anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases (including negative and grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, might or occur. Mineral exploration and development are highly speculative and are characterized by a number of significant inherent risks, which may result in the inability of the Company to successfully develop current or proposed projects for commercial, technical, political, regulatory or financial reasons, or if successfully developed, may not remain economically viable for their mine life owing to any of the foregoing reasons, among others. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in achieving commercial mineral production and the likelihood of success must be considered in light of the stage of operations.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Aero Energy Ltd. (TSXV: AERO) (OTC Pink: AAUGF) (FSE: UU3) ("Aero Energy" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that drilling activities have been completed at the Company's Sun Dog Uranium Project ("Sun Dog", or the "Project") located near Uranium City in northwestern Saskatchewan (Figure 1). The program was designed to test the newly identified Wishbone target area for high-grade basement hosted uranium deposits, typical of the Athabasca Basin.

Highlights:

Anomalous Radioactivity at Wishbone: A total of 1,593 metres were completed across 8 drill holes targeting shallow high-grade basement-hosted uranium mineralization at the Wishbone target area (Figure 2). Intervals of anomalous radioactivity >300 counts per second ("cps") were intersected in seven of eight drill holes.

Significant Structure & Alteration: Strongly graphitic fault rocks were intersected on both limbs of the Wishbone target area, coincident with widespread highly prospective clay-sericite alteration and hydrothermal hematite. These rocks and alteration products signal an ideal environment for basement hosted uranium deposits.

Prospectivity Model Confirmed: Elevated radioactivity and increased hydrothermal alteration at Wishbone are largely associated with stacked graphitic structural zones, indicating favorable corridors for fluid movement and uranium deposition akin to other basement-hosted Athabasca deposits.

Assays Pending & Follow-Up Drilling Planned: Following uranium assay and geochemical analysis of drill core samples, additional geophysics and a second phase drilling program are being planned to follow-up along strike of mineralized drill holes and continue testing of priority regional drill targets across the Project.

Galen McNamara, CEO of Aero Energy, commented, "The results from our initial drilling at Wishbone are highly promising and reinforce our confidence in the prospectivity of the Sun Dog Project. We are eager to build on these early successes with further exploration to unlock the full potential of this highly prospective region. We look forward to sharing the assay results from our initial summer drill programs in the coming weeks."

The Project is currently under a three-year earn-in option agreement (the "Option") with Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND) that was executed on October 20, 2023. The program was funded by Aero and operated by Standard Uranium. Sun Dog covers an area of 48,443 acres across nine mining claims, located 15 km from Uranium City on the northern margin of the Athabasca Basin. It hosts the historical Gunnar Uranium Mine which was discovered in 1952 and became the largest uranium producer globally in 1956. The Gunnar Mine produced approximately 18M lbs of U 3 O 8 between 1953 and 19811,2.

Figure 1. Overview of the Sun Dog Project highlighting drill target areas, high-grade uranium occurrences, and EM-conductors.

Figure 2. Detail map of the Wishbone target area highlighting 2024 drill holes, newly discovered mineralized graphitic metapelite outcrop, anomalous surface (RS-125 Scintillometer) and drill hole (EZ-Gamma Down-Hole Probe) radioactivity, VTEM conductors and major faults.

2024 Drill Program - Initial Results

The summer drill program comprised eight drill holes totalling 1,593 metres at the high-priority Wishbone target area following completion of a VTEM Plus survey and geophysical modeling earlier this year. A summary of radiometric results is provided in Table 1 and drill hole information is provided in Table 2. Select drill core photos are provided in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

Wishbone Target Area:

Approximately five kilometres of strike length along a regional scale anticline, defined by strong VTEM conductors with associated radioactivity.

Graphitic pelitic rocks have been mapped along both fold limbs, hosting strong radioactivity up to 22,300 cps (RS-125 Scintillometer).

Mineralized cross-cutting faults have been mapped in the overlying rocks which intersect the uranium-bearing graphitic pelite unit.

Historical outcrop sampling at the northwestern graphitic pelite exposure returned assay results of 0.32% U 3 O 8 and 0.30% Cu (SMDI #2095).

Targets were selected and prioritized through an iterative approach working in collaboration with Standard, targeting compelling geophysical signatures and favorable geological/structural settings. Recent prospecting and mapping at the Wishbone target area outlined multiple outcrops of favourable uranium host-rocks, including graphitic pelite, which is commonly radioactive over >200 m of collective strike length.

The eight completed drill holes encountered highly favorable geological settings for high-grade basement-hosted deposits associated with the Athabasca Basin, including:

Intervals of anomalous radioactivity (>300 cps) intersected in seven of the eight drill holes completed, associated with structural zones and favorable rock types including graphitic pelite.

Graphitic-sulphidic stacked shear zones were encountered in multiple holes, many featuring prominent brittle reactivation features including breccias, cataclasites, and fault gouge.

Significant hydrothermal alteration was intersected within all holes, including widespread hematization redox front alteration halos, sericitization, and structure-hosted chloritization. Strongly graphitic fault rocks are present all eight drill holes. Holes that intersected deformed pelitic gneiss were to host multiple metres of moderate to intense graphite.

Regional structural setting confirmed, comprising an anticline with faulted hangingwall rocks overlying multiple graphitic horizons, effectively doubling prospective strike length due to folding (i.e., both limbs are prospective at Wishbone).

Table 1. 2024 Sun Dog Drill Hole Radiometric*** Highlights

DDH From (m) To (m) Width (m) Lithology RS-125 Scintillometer EZ-Gamma Probe Min Max Avg. Peak Depth (m) SD-24-014 199.5 200 0.5 Semipelitic Gneiss 220 300 260 369 40.0 327 200.4 SD-24-015 60.5 61 0.5 Granodioritic Gneiss 230 300 265 390 60.8 SD-24-016 57.5 58 0.5 Graphitic Pelitic Gneiss 210 350 280 315 57.4 SD-24-017 78.5 79 0.5 Granitoid Orthogneiss 260 310 285 506 49.3 SD-24-017 79 79.5 0.5 300 350 325 SD-24-018 12.5 13 0.5 Semipelitic Gneiss 300 670 485 1,582 12.5 SD-24-018 25.5 26 0.5 Pelitic Gneiss 300 640 470 835 22.7 SD-24-019 118 118.5 0.5 Granitoid Orthogneiss 200 360 280 373 191.2 SD-24-020 23 23.5 0.5 Gabbroic and Granitic Gneiss 270 340 305 490 28.5 SD-24-020 28.5 29 0.5 230 330 280 SD-24-020 29 29.5 0.5 250 360 305 SD-24-020 33 33.5 0.5 220 330 275 SD-24-020 45 45.5 0.5 Granitoid Orthogneiss 220 310 265 SD-24-020 171 171.5 0.5 Granitic Gneiss 240 330 285 SD-24-021 116 120.2 4.2 Pelitic Gneiss 225 275 250 223 30.9

The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) to be "anomalous". Natural gamma radiation in outcrop reported in this news release was measured in counts per second (cps) using a handheld RS-125 super-spectrometer and a downhole Reflex EZ-Gamma probe. Readers are cautioned that scintillometer and gamma probe readings are not uniformly or directly related to uranium grades of the rock sample measured and should be treated only as a preliminary indication of the presence of radioactive minerals.

Table 2. Sun Dog Drill Hole Summary

DDH Easting Northing Elevation

(m.a.s.l.) Azimuth () Dip () EOH (m) SD-24-014 621252 6589540 252 115 -44 210 SD-24-015 621990 6589553 265 265 -45 174 SD-24-016 620925 6589306 251 120 -45 246 SD-24-017 621938 6589070 264 265 -45 177 SD-24-018 621285 6589519 254 100 -43 183 SD-24-019 621408 6589601 264 130 -45 201 SD-24-020 622066 6589706 253 285 -45 192 SD-24-021 620840 6589122 230 120 -45 210

Figure 3. Drill core photos from hole SD-24-014 highlighting intervals of anomalous radioactivity, alteration and structure. A) Faulted and strongly hematized and clay-altered hangingwall rocks hosting radioactivity up to 369 cps at 40.0 m. B) Strongly graphitic footwall conductor hosting radioactivity up to 327 cps. C) Deformed pelitic rock exhibiting sericite-hematite alteration; Up to 250 cps, 122.7 m.

Figure 4. Drill core photos from hole SD-24-018 highlighting intervals of anomalous radioactivity, alteration and structure. A) Faulted and hematite-limonite-altered hangingwall rocks hosting radioactivity up to 1,582 cps at 12.5 m. B) Close-up of sheared and altered semipelitic gneiss hosting radioactivity up to 1,582 cps. C) Close-up of deformed pelitic rock hosting radioactivity up to 835 cps at 22.7 m. D) Strong sericite-clay and hematite alteration overprinting a graphitic shear zone; Up to 270 cps, from 88.2 to 96.15 m.

Other high-priority target areas including McNie, Haven, Java, Skye, and Spring Dome are being reviewed with new datasets and models for a possible winter drill program in 2025.

Next Steps

Drill core samples have been collected systematically throughout all drill holes and zones of radioactivity higher than 300 cps and will be submitted to SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon for U 3 O 8 assay and multi-element characterization. These analytical results will be integrated with the detailed logging information to prioritize follow-up target areas for future drill testing, in addition to testing of numerous other priority regional targets.

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Galen McNamara, P.Geo., CEO of the Company and a "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101.

Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results on the Sun Dog Project is historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company's future exploration work will include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of the Project.

About Aero Energy Limited (TSXV: AERO)

Aero Energy is a mineral exploration and development company advancing a district-scale 250,000-acre land package in the historic Uranium City district within Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. Aero Energy is focused on uncovering high-grade uranium deposits across its flagship optioned properties - Sun Dog, Strike, and Murmac - in addition to its fully owned properties. With the application of modern exploration techniques, the Company has identified over 50 shallow drill-ready targets and 125 kilometres of target horizon on the frontier north rim of the Athabasca Basin. Aero Energy is tapping into the Athabasca Basin's emerging potential for high-grade, unconformity-style mineralization.

References

2022 Winter Mineral Assessment Report, Sun Dog Property, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, Standard Uranium, 2022 Information obtained from Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index and historical report from Uranium City Resources, 2007

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Galen McNamara, Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-Looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things the exploration and development of the Company's mineral exploration projects including completion of drilling activities.

Forward-Looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the requirement for regulatory approvals; enhanced uncertainty in global financial markets as a result of the public health crises; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; and other related risks and uncertainties.

Forward-Looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Kraken Energy Corp. (CSE: UUSA) (OTCQB: UUSAF) (FSE: F2C) (the "Company" or "Kraken") is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Goss as the new Interim Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company.

Brian Goss has worked in the mining industry for over 20 years as an Entrepreneur, Executive, Director, and Geologist, specifically in precious, base, and energy metals exploration. He is the founder and President of Rangefront Mining Services, an exploration and geology contracting company with offices across the western United States and Canada, that caters to a large spectrum of clients in the mining and exploration industries. Mr. Goss currently holds Director positions at Summa Silver Corp. (TSXV: SSVR), Ridgestone Mining Inc. (TSXV: RMI), Lithium Corp. (OTCQB:LTUM), Rumble Resources Inc. (CSE: RB), and Starmet Ventures Inc. (CSE: STAR). Mr. Goss holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Geology from Wayne State University in Michigan.

Brian Goss replaces Matthew Schwab, the Company's former Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Schwab has also stepped down as a Director of the Company. The Company would like to thank Mr. Schwab for his contributions to the Company and wishes him success in his future endeavours.

About Kraken Energy Corp.

Kraken Energy Corp. is an energy company advancing its portfolio of high-grade uranium properties in the Unites States. The Company is advancing its 100%-owned Apex Uranium Property, located 280 km (174 miles) east from Reno, Nevada which is recognized as Nevada's largest past-producing uranium mine. The Company has additionally entered into an option agreement to earn 100% of the Garfield Hills Uranium Property. The past-producing Garfield Hills Uranium Property covers 1,238 ha (3,060 acres) and is located 19 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne in Mineral County, Nevada. Kraken Energy has also staked the Huber Hills Uranium Property, located 136 km (85 miles) north of Elko, Nevada which covers 1,044 ha (2,580 acres)and encompasses the historic Race Track open pit mine. The Company has entered into an option agreement to earn 75% of the Harts Point Uranium Property. The Harts Point Uranium Property covers 2,622 ha (6,480 acres) and is located 49 km (30 miles) northwest of Monticello in San Juan County, Utah.

For more information about the Company, please visit: www.krakenenergycorp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include our plans for exploration at the properties. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenridge Exploration Inc. ("Greenridge" or the "Company") (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3) and ALX Resources Corp. ("ALX") (TSXV: AL | FSE: 6LLN | OTC: ALXEF) are pleased to announce the signing of a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) dated September 4, 2024 pursuant to which Greenridge will acquire all of the outstanding and issued common shares of ALX (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Proposed Transaction is an arms length transaction that will create a leading Canadian uranium exploration company with interests in 15 uranium exploration projects that total approximately 276,000 hectares across renowned Canadian uranium districts including the Athabasca Basin, Thelon Basin and Elliot Lake. The combined entity will have interests in an additional 13 lithium, nickel, gold and copper properties across Canada.

Strategic Rationale for the Proposed Transaction

Creates leading and diversified Canadian explorer of strategic metals : The combined entity will own or have interests in 28 projects covering approximately 493,000 hectares with considerable exposure to potential uranium, lithium, nickel, copper and gold discoveries.

: The combined entity will own or have interests in 28 projects covering approximately 493,000 hectares with considerable exposure to potential uranium, lithium, nickel, copper and gold discoveries. Adds one of the largest uranium property portfolios in the world class Athabasca Basin : In addition to Carpenter Lake, ALX has interests in 11 other projects and properties covering approximately 231,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin. Highlighted projects include: Black Lake (40% ALX, 50.43% UEC, 8.57% Orano)  2004 discovery hole (BL-18) intersected 0.69% U 3 O 8 over 4.4 m. Over 150 holes drilled to date. 1 Gibbons Creek (currently 100% ALX)  high-grade boulders located in 2013 with grades of up to 4.28% U 3 O 8 . Four of the five holes drilled in 2024 intersected uranium mineralization at or near unconformity. Uranium mineralization found in two areas located 500 m apart. 2 Hook-Carter (currently 80% Denison, 20% ALX)  13 km from NexGens Arrow deposit and 20 km from Fissions Triple R deposit. Hosts a 15 km long exploration corridor prospective for uranium. Under the terms of a 2024 amendment to the joint venture agreement, ALX can earn an additional 5.0% for a total of a 25% interest by spending $3.0 million by November 2026. Denison has spent ~C$7.05M to date, which includes 11,757 m drilled from 2018 to 2019. 3 McKenzie Lake (100% ALX)  A.I. work identified targets following 2021 magnetic and radiometric survey. Boulders were found with grades of up to 0.101% U 3 O 8 . 4

: In addition to Carpenter Lake, ALX has interests in 11 other projects and properties covering approximately 231,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin. Highlighted projects include: Consolidates ownership in the Carpenter Lake Project : Following the Proposed Transaction, Greenridge will own 60% of Carpenter Lake with the option to increase to 100%.

: Following the Proposed Transaction, Greenridge will own 60% of Carpenter Lake with the option to increase to 100%. Enhanced capital markets profile and shareholder base : the pro forma company is expected to have a market capitalization of approximately C$35 million and a strong cash position.

: the pro forma company is expected to have a market capitalization of approximately C$35 million and a strong cash position. Enhanced management and Board : adds Warren Stanyer, CEO of ALX, as President and Director as well as another nominee to the Board of Directors of Greenridge.

: adds Warren Stanyer, CEO of ALX, as President and Director as well as another nominee to the Board of Directors of Greenridge. G&A cost savings: anticipate material cost savings from consolidating corporate G&A, corporate development and investor relations and marketing activities compared to operating as two separate entities.

Benefits to ALX Shareholders

Significant and immediate premium : the Exchange Ratio represents a 130% premium to the 20-day VWAP of the ALX Shares on the TSXV for the period ended September 4, 2024.

: the Exchange Ratio represents a 130% premium to the 20-day VWAP of the ALX Shares on the TSXV for the period ended September 4, 2024. Exposure to the Nut Lake Project: Nut Lake Project is a 5,853-hectare property in the Thelon Basin located approximately 55 km north of Atha Energys Angilak Project and the Lac 50 Trend deposit (inferred resource containing 43M lbs U 3 O 8 and 10.4M lbs Mo). The project hosts high grade vein hosted grab samples of up to 4.36% U 3 O 8 , 53.16 oz/tonne Ag, 1.15% Pb and 7% Ni. The project has seen approximately 6,920 ft of diamond drilling, with the most noteworthy being at the tundra showing where Hole Winkie AX W-24 intersected 9 ft of 0.69% U 3 O 8 ., including 4.9% U 3 O 8 over 1 ft from 8 ft depth.5

Russell Starr, Chief Executive Officer of Greenridge, commented, We are incredibly excited to announce this first step to acquire ALX Resources. The acquisition highlights our commitment in becoming a key player in todays energy transition. After the Proposed Transaction, Greenridge will have a significant portfolio of projects across many strategically important minerals. We look forward to leveraging ALXs expertise in the Athabasca Basin to explore our significant project portfolio. In conjunction with partners like Denison Mines and Uranium Energy Corp., we are confident that the acquisition will only further bolster the discovery potential of our exploration portfolio. We believe that our portfolio, coupled with our combined technical prowess will allow the Company to quickly develop its most prospective projects.

Warren Stanyer, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of ALX, commented, ALX is pleased to unite with Greenridge to create a dynamic uranium and critical metals exploration company focussed on locating new mineral deposits. The combination of ALXs technical team with Greenridges financial capability provides each companys shareholders with multiple opportunities for discovery in some of Canadas best exploration districts.

ALXs Uranium Project Portfolio

ALX holds a wealth of uranium properties; namely their Hook-Carter, Black Lake, Sabre, Gibbons Creek, Javelin, McKenzie Lake and Bradley Lake uranium properties, located in the heart of Canadas premier uranium exploration district. These properties will be pivotal for Greenridge as the Company evolves and further develops its exploration capabilities.

Figure 1  Athabasca Basin Uranium Projects

Previous surface work on the properties delivered promising geological results for the Company to build momentum in future exploration. Particularly, McKenzie Lakes previous 2023 exploration saw three samples which returned 844ppm U-total (0.101% U 3 O 8 ), 273ppm U-total, and 259ppm U-total2. Furthermore, ALXs Bradley Lake uranium property saw three samples collected in 2022 from the Bradley West showing along a trending structure visible on surface for 60m that returned uranium values ranging from 0.08% to 0.43% U 3 O 8 partial. In addition, two samples from the Bradley East showing, located 170m east of the Bradley West showing, returned values ranging from 0.27% to 1.77% U 3 O 8 partial 1.

ALX owns a 40% interest in the Black Lake uranium property, while Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) owns a 51.43% interest and Orano Canada owns an 8.57% interest. The property is also within driving range of Orano Canada/Denison Mines McClean Lake uranium mill. Historical drilling conducted by a predecessor company of UEC identified unconformity-style mineralization extending over a 1.7 km strike length in the northern section of the property, adjacent to the Eastern Fault, which runs parallel to the Black Lake Fault.

ALX owns 20% of the Hook-Carter Uranium property while the remaining 80% is owned by Denison Mines. Denison Mines has spent $7.05 million in exploration to date. The property consists of 11 claims covering 25,115 hectares. The property is approximately 13km northeast of NextGens Arrow deposit, 20km northeast of Fisson Uraniums Triple R uranium deposit, and approximately 8km northeast of Cameco/Orano/Purepoints Spitfire, Hornet and Dragon discoveries. Under the terms of a 2024 amendment to the joint venture agreement, ALX can earn an additional 5.0% for a total of a 25% interest by spending $3.0 million by November 2026.

The Company holds several other highly prospective uranium projects, which are in different stages of advancement. The technical team will evaluate each project on its merits and implement exploration strategies which build the most shareholder value.

Portfolio of Lithium, Nickel, Copper and Gold Properties

ALX also brings an enriched portfolio, extending beyond uranium properties: lithium, nickel, copper and gold properties will be critical for the Company to continue diversifying its own portfolio. Notably, ALXs Ontario-situated Vixen Gold Project saw 2019 prospecting, mapping and sampling that returned values of 23.9 g/t gold and 6.1 g/t silver across four samples5. A more comprehensive, helicopter supported sampling program in 2020 provided gold values of up to 22.73 g/t gold as well as 7.21 g/t gold5.

Additionally, ALXs Cannon Copper Project, also situated in Ontario, hosts the historical Cannon Copper Mine and Mill which has a historical mineral resource of 415,000 tonnes grading 1.8% Cu over a width of 6.5 ft.; (1.98m) (Source: Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6366, Report of Activities 2019).

(Note: This historical resource is not compliant with the standards of National Instrument 43-101).

The combination of both entities brings a robust set of projects in a variety of reputable Canadian mining jurisdictions.

Figure 2  Greenridge Exploration & ALX Canadian Project Portfolio

Table 1 - Greenridge and ALX Combined Project Portfolio

Name Mineral Location Size (ha) Exploration History Ownership Carpenter Lake Uranium SK 13,387 Historical Drilling 60%, with an option to earn 100% Nut Lake Uranium NU 5,853 Historical Drilling 100% Ranger Lake Uranium ON 20,782 Early Stage 100% Snook Lake Uranium ON 4,899 Early Stage 100% Gibbons Creek Uranium SK 13,864 849.44m of Drilling in 2024 Up to 75% optioned to Trinex Hook-Carter Uranium SK 25,115 4,797m of Drilling in 2019 + 6,960m of Drilling in 2018 ALX 20% - Denison Mines 80%, with an option for ALX to increase to 25% Black Lake Uranium SK 31,701 2,830m of Drilling in 2017 ALX 40% - UEC 50.43% - Orano Canada 8.57% Sabre Uranium SK 23,178 2022 Sampling & 2023 TDEM 100% Bradley Lake Uranium SK 1,147 Rock Sampling in 2022 100% Javelin Uranium SK 23,652 Airborne & Prospecting in 2021 100% McKenzie Lake Uranium SK 6,916 Airborne in 2021 & Sampling in 2023 100% Condor Uranium SK 24,258 Staked in 2024 100% Cutlass Uranium SK 10,209 Staked in 2024 100% Spear Uranium SK 6,706 Staked in 2024 100% Cree Lake Uranium SK 1,957 Staked in 2024 100% Alligator Lake Gold SK 2,973 815m of Drilling in 2022 Option to Acquire 80% Vixen Gold ON 10,614 Sampling & Drilling Planned Optioned to First Mining Gold Hummingbird Gold SK 13,786 Rock & Soil Sampling in 2020 100% Blackbird Gold SK 18,118 Staked in 2024 100% Electra Nickel ON 4,537 1,150m of Drilling in 2022 Option to Acquire 100% Firebird Nickel SK 25,210 1,500m of Drilling in 2021 100% Flying Vee Nickel SK 14,495 VTEM and Sampling in 2022 100% Hydra Lithium QUE 29,262 Rock & Soil Sampling in 2023-24 ALX 50% - Forrestania Resources 50% Anchor Lithium NS 33,513 Biogeochemical Survey in 2023 100% Crystal Lithium SK 44,587 Staked in 2023 100% Reindeer Lithium SK 13,239 Staked in 2023 100% Cannon Copper ON 1,962 2021 VTEM - 2024 Sampling 100% Weyman Project Copper BC 6,925 Soil Sampling / Airborne Survey in 2024 100%

Board of Directors and Management Team

Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the Board of Directors of Greenridge (the Greenridge Board) will be comprised of five directors including (i) the three directors currently on the Greenridge Board, and (ii) two directors including Warren Stanyer, ALXs current Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, as well as another director to be mutually agreed upon by Greenridge and ALX.

Russell Starr will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer and Director of the combined entity. Warren Stanyer is expected to join Greenridge as President.

Additional Details of the Proposed Transaction and the LOI

Under the terms of the LOI, each common shareholder of ALX (each, an ALX Shareholder) will receive 0.045 common shares of Greenridge (each whole such common share, a Greenridge Share) in exchange for each ALX common share held (each, an ALX Share) (collectively, the Exchange Ratio). The Exchange Ratio implies an offer price of C$0.036 per ALX Share6 and implies an offer premium of 140% to ALXs closing share price on September 4, 2024 and a 130% premium to ALXs volume weighted average price (VWAP) of ALX Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) over the previous 20 trading days. Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, existing Greenridge and ALX shareholders will own approximately 74.2% and 25.8%, respectively, of the common shares of the combined entity.

The LOI for the Proposed Transaction includes customary provisions, including an exclusivity period ending on October 11, 2024. The final structure of the Proposed Transaction will be determined by the parties, based upon tax, securities and corporate law considerations, and will be governed by the terms of a definitive and binding agreement (the Definitive Agreement) governing the Proposed Transaction. Both Greenridge and ALX expect to work towards entering into a definitive agreement by October 10, 2024.

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to, among other conditions, the following:

satisfactory completion of due diligence to the satisfaction of Greenridge and ALX;

entering into the Definitive Agreement following its approval by the Board of Directors of both Greenridge and ALX;

ALX Shareholders approving the Proposed Transaction by the requisite majority;

regulatory and court approvals;

a fairness opinion from a financial advisor stating that the Proposed Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to ALX Shareholders;

no material adverse change or prescribed occurrence occurring in relation to either Greenridge or ALX; and

other conditions customary for a public transaction of this nature.

The Definitive Agreement will include customary representations, warranties, covenants and conditions contained in agreements for transactions of this nature including non-solicitation and lock-up provisions, business restrictions and a no material adverse change clause. Red Cloud Securities Inc. is an advisor to ALX and will receive finders fees in connection with the Proposed Transaction, the amount of which shall be determined at a later date.

Under the Proposed Transaction, all outstanding stock options and warrants of ALX, which remain unexercised on the date upon which the Proposed Transaction becomes effective, will, following the effective time of the Proposed Transaction, be exchanged and amended, respectively, to entitle the holder thereof to acquire Greenridge Shares in lieu of ALX Shares based on the Exchange Ratio.

It is anticipated that any securities to be issued under the Proposed Transaction will be offered and issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release regarding ALX Resources properties has been reviewed and approved by Robert Campbell, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101.

The technical information in this news release regarding Greenridge Exploration properties has been reviewed and approved by Jody Dahrouge, B.Sc., P.Geo. of Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101.

Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on either of the properties of ALX or Greenridge.

References

ALX Resources Corp.  Black Lake Historical Mineralized Uranium Intersections  https://alxresources.com/black-lake-uranium/



Ramp Metals Announces New High-Grade Gold Discovery of 73.55 g/t Au over 7.5m at its Rottenstone SW Project  https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/213278



ALX Resources Corp. - Intersects Uranium Mineralization at the Gibbons Creek Uranium Project, Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan  March 25, 2024  https://alxresources.com/alx-resources-corp-intersects-uranium-mineralization-at-the-gibbons-creek-uranium-project-athabasca-basin-saskatchewan/



ALX Resources Corp.  Hook Carter Uranium Project  https://alxresources.com/hook-carter-uranium/



ALX Resources Corp.  Vixen Lake Project  https://alxresources.com/vixen-gold/

About Greenridge Exploration Inc.

Greenridge Exploration Inc. (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to creating shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration, and development of critical mineral projects in North America. The Carpenter Lake Uranium Project is located in the Athabasca Basin consisting of 7 mineral claims covering 13,387 hectares across the Cable Bay Shear Zone and the Company is advancing the Project to test multiple high priority targets. The Companys Nut Lake Uranium Project located in the Thelon Basin includes historical drilling which intersected up to 9ft of 0.69% U 3 O 8 including 4.90% U 3 O 8 over 1ft from 8ft depth1.

The Companys Weyman Copper Project in southeast British Columbia sits on the south portion of the famous Quesnel Terrance. The Company is led by an experienced management team and board of directors with significant expertise in capital raising and advancing mining projects. The Snook and Ranger Lake uranium projects, 4,899 hectares and 20,782 hectares respectively are located in western Ontario, with multiple previous uranium occurrences across both projects.

About ALX Resources Corp.

ALX is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and its common shares are listed on the TSXV under the symbol AL, on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 6LLN and in the United States OTC market under the symbol ALXEF.

ALXs mandate is to provide shareholders with multiple opportunities for discovery by exploring a portfolio of prospective mineral properties in Canada, which include uranium, lithium, nickel, copper, and gold projects. The Company uses the latest exploration technologies and holds interests in over 300,000 hectares of prospective lands in Saskatchewan, a stable jurisdiction that hosts the highest-grade uranium mines in the world, a producing gold mine, diamond deposits, and historical production from base metals mines.

ALXs uranium holdings in northern Saskatchewan include 100% interests in the Gibbons Creek Uranium Project (currently the subject of an option earn-in agreement with Trinex Minerals Ltd., who can earn up to a 75% interest in two stages), the Sabre Uranium Project, the Bradley Uranium Project, and the Javelin and McKenzie Lake Uranium Projects, a 40% interest in the Black Lake Uranium Project (a joint venture with Uranium Energy Corporation and Orano Canada Inc.), and a 20% interest in the Hook-Carter Uranium Project, located within the uranium-rich Patterson Lake Corridor with Denison Mines Corp. (80% interest) as operator of exploration since 2016 (currently the subject of an amended property agreement that would increase ALXs interest to 25% after fulfilling certain conditions).

ALX also owns 100% interests in the Firebird Nickel Project, the Flying Vee Nickel/Gold and Sceptre Gold projects, the Blackbird Gold Project, and can earn up to an 80% interest in the Alligator Lake Gold Project, all located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. ALX owns, or can earn, up to 100% interests in the Electra Nickel Project and the Cannon Copper Project located in historic mining districts of Ontario, Canada, and in the Vixen Gold Project (now under option to First Mining Gold Corp., who can earn up to a 100% interest in two stages).

ALX owns a 50% interest in eight lithium exploration properties staked in 2022-2023 collectively known as the Hydra Lithium Project, located in the James Bay region of northern Quebec, Canada, a 100% interest in the Anchor Lithium Project in Nova Scotia, Canada, and 100% interests in the Crystal Lithium Project and the Reindeer Lithium Project, both located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

For more information about the Company, please visit the ALX corporate website at www.alxresources.com or contact Roger Leschuk, Manager, Corporate Communications at: PH: 604.629.0293 or Toll-Free: 866.629.8368, or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Greenridge

Russell Starr

Chief Executive Officer, Director

Telephone: +1 (778) 897-3388

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of ALX

Warren Stanyer

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman

Telephone: +1 (604) 629-0293

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

Investors are cautioned that the Proposed Transaction remains subject to due diligence and a number of approval requirements; accordingly, there is no assurance the Proposed Transaction will be completed on the basis set out herein, or at all.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements regarding the project acquisition bringing a low-risk opportunity, the Company, building a strong battery metals portfolio with low-risk opportunities that positively impact the Company and its shareholders and the Company providing an initial work plan are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to projects owned by Greenridge and ALX and their mineralization potential; the Companys objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to projects owned by Greenridge and ALX; statements with respect to the completion of Greenridges acquisition of ALX and other matters related to or connected with the Proposed Transaction; further exploration work on projects owned by Greenridge and ALX in the future. These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) and the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1 Source: Black Lake Property, Fall 2017 Diamond Drilling Program Report - MARS Assessment Work Report #2715.

2 Source: ALX Resources Corp. news releases dated March 25, April 25 and June 13, 2024.

3 Source: ALX Resources Corp. news release dated May 23, 2024;

4 Source: ALX Resources Corp. news release dated November 7, 2023;

5 Source: 1979 Assessment report (number 81075) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd.

6 Calculated using the Exchange Ratio and the VWAP of Greenridge Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange over the twenty trading days ending September 4, 2024.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Zeus North America Mining Corp. (formerly Umdoni Exploration Inc.) (CSE:ZEUS) (OTCQB:ZUUZF) (FRANKFURT:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") is pleased to announce that it has increased the size of its non-brokered private placement announced on July 30, 2024 (the "Placement") and now intends to issue up to 5,664,400 units ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,416,100.

Each Unit will comprise one common share and one full share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years following closing of the Placement.

Finder's fees may be payable on all or any portion of the Placement, which is subject to regulatory and exchange approval.

The proceeds of the Placement will be utilized for exploration programs on the Company's Idaho copper projects, including its flagship Cuddy Mountain project, and for general working capital purposes.

Completion of the Placement is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary approvals and the acceptance by the Canadian Securities Exchange.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.

On behalf of the board of directors.

"Dean Besserer"

President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:

Kin Communications Inc.

Ph: 604-684-6730

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Zeus North America Mining Corp.

The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 82 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 3822.1 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.

Forward Looking Statements

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Includes 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq, 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq and 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Mawson Gold Limited ("Mawson" or the "Company") (TSXV:MAW) (Frankfurt:MXR) (OTC PINK:MWSNF) announces Southern Cross Gold Ltd. ("Southern Cross Gold" or "SXG") has released a new and large gold-antimony discovery drilled 100 m - 150 m below the largest historic mine at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria, Australia (Figure 5).

Highlights:

SDDSC130, reported here, shows the development of a third large, mineralized body developing beneath the most prolific historic mine at Sunday Creek . The new discovery is located 260 m and 600 m west, respectively of the Rising Sun and Apollo mineralized bodies modelled in the Company's January 2024 Exploration Target.

SDDSC130 drilled seven high-grade vein sets over a 230 m down hole interval (135 m estimated true width ("ETW") below the most productive Golden Dyke historic mining area at Sunday Creek. The hole included ten occurrences of visible gold , nine assayed intervals of > 20 g/t Au (up to 124 g/t Au) and ten assayed intervals of > 5% Sb (up to 31.5% Sb) .

Broad downhole intercepts (no lower cut) included 214.4 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 320.4 m including 94.5 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (1.5 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 419.1 m. Selected highlights include (Figures 1 and 2). 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m, including: 0.2 m @ 54.7 g/t AuEq (44.2 g/t Au, 5.6% Sb) from 358.3 m 3.8 m @ 10.7 g/t AuEq (9.8 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 359.8 m 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 1.2% Sb) from 419.1 m, including: 1.1 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 420.7 m 1.5 m @ 8.5 g/t AuEq (7.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 425.7 m 0.9 m @ 75.8 g/t AuEq (56.2 g/t Au, 10.4% Sb) from 429.7 m 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 498.8 m, including: 0.2 m @ 25.0 g/t AuEq (20.9 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 498.8 m 1.2 m @ 17.1 g/t AuEq (7.6 g/t Au, 5.0% Sb) from 500.7 m 1.1 m @ 5.7 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 505.3 m

SDDSC130 remains open in an up and down dip sense and is the first hole of several east to west trending holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141) to test beneath the Golden Dyke mine area. Nineteen holes are currently being processed and analyzed with an additional five holes in progress.

Mawson owns 96,590,910 shares of SXG (48.7%), valuing its stake at A$252.1 million (C$229.6 million) based on SXG's closing price on September 4, 2024 AEST.

Michael Hudson, Mawson Interim CEO and Executive Chairman, states: "Game on! The scale of the Sunday Creek gold-antimony system continues to grow impressively. This new discovery is located 260 m and 600 m west respectively of the Rising Sun and Apollo mineralized bodies. The expanding Sunday Creek system coupled with the 60 km of diamond drilling planned over the next year means we are well on our way to meet our aim to double the size of the Sunday Creek exploration target. Golden Dyke now joins Rising Sun and Apollo as the third high-grade mineralized domain in this exciting project.

"Our team's systematic drill approach led us to the new discovery, after we targeted the main dyke breccia host structure (the "rails" of the ladder) by N-S drilling, as previously reported in drillholes SDDSC125-126. Quickly, we were then able to drill SDDSC130, the first drill hole in an E-W orientation beneath the historic Golden Dyke mine, that intersected seven high-grade vein sets (the "rungs" of the ladder) at a high angle, over 230 m down hole interval (135 m ETW).

"The mineralization intersected in SDDSC130 remains open both up and down dip, as well as 500 m to the west towards the historic Christina mine where we have five drill holes pending results. Three additional E-W holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141 - Figures 1 and 2) have been completed, or in progress below Golden Dyke, with results pending. Given this discovery, the Company has already planned a significant number of further holes under Golden Dyke."

Drill Hole Discussion

SDDSC130 is the first hole at Golden Dyke to drill parallel to and within the dyke/breccia host structure (the ladder "rails") and at a high angle to mineralized veins (the ladder "rungs"). The hole was successful and overall intercepted eight high-grade vein sets. Beneath the historic Golden Dyke mine, seven high-grade vein sets were intersected over 230 m down hole interval (135 m ETW). The hole included ten occurrences of visible gold, nine assayed intervals of > 20 g/t Au (up to 124 g/t Au) and ten assayed intervals of > 5% Sb (up to 31.5% Sb).

Broad downhole intercepts (no lower cut) included 214.4 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 320.4 m including 94.5 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (1.5 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 419.1 m.

The hole provided a 100 m down dip extension to three existing vein sets, infill information for three vein sets in addition to two new vein sets (Figures 2 and 3). This drill hole displayed similarities in mineralization style to that of analogous holes in the upper portion of Rising Sun, demonstrating Golden Dyke is the third known significant mineralized body on the project. Further drilling in a similar orientation (parallel to the ladder rails' - SDDSC132, 138, 141) (Figures 2 and 3) will continue to provide information about the size and extent of mineralized shapes at depth.

This hole occurs in the geological upper portion of the mineralized system, indicated by the presence of brittle structures, open space breccias and mineralized veins, with abundant massive stibnite occurring in quartz-carbonate veins. While the grade tenor of SDDSC130 is considered significant, analogues at Rising Sun and Apollo have shown that the tenor of gold mineralization is likely to increase with depth. SDDSC130 also provided an exceptional example of continuity and width of mineralized structures at Sunday Creek, with 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m occurring 82 m down plunge of SDDSC049 (9.6 m @ 14.1 g/t AuEq (9.2 g/t Au, 2.6% Sb) - November 8, 2022) and being interpreted as a continuous vein set. Extended highlights include:

0.7 m @ 49.7 g/t AuEq (49.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 133.4 m

3.1 m @ 4.7 g/t AuEq (1.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 329.3 m, including: 1.3 m @ 8.8 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 3.6% Sb) from 329.3 m 3.7 m @ 0.7 g/t AuEq (0.6 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 334.3 m 1.3 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (0.9 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 342.5 m 11.9 m @ 5.3 g/t AuEq (4.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 357.7 m, including: 0.2 m @ 54.7 g/t AuEq (44.2 g/t Au, 5.6% Sb) from 358.3 m 3.8 m @ 10.7 g/t AuEq (9.8 g/t Au, 0.5% Sb) from 359.8 m 2.1 m @ 2.1 g/t AuEq (1.6 g/t Au, 0.3% Sb) from 372.0 m 1.9 m @ 2.2 g/t AuEq (1.6 g/t Au, 0.3% Sb) from 377.0 m, including: 0.3 m @ 8.4 g/t AuEq (8.3 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 378.7 m 4.3 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 387.6 m 1.3 m @ 5.8 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 2.0% Sb) from 399.2 m 12.6 m @ 8.0 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 1.2% Sb) from 419.1 m, including: 1.1 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 420.7 m 1.5 m @ 8.5 g/t AuEq (7.7 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 425.7 m 0.9 m @ 75.8 g/t AuEq (56.2 g/t Au, 10.4% Sb) from 429.7 m 0.4 m @ 21.8 g/t AuEq (13.0 g/t Au, 4.7% Sb) from 446.2 m 1.1 m @ 2.2 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 461.3 m 5.8 m @ 5.1 g/t AuEq (1.9 g/t Au, 1.7% Sb) from 479.2 m, including: 0.1 m @ 20.0 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 479.2 m 0.2 m @ 26.9 g/t AuEq (17.3 g/t Au, 5.1% Sb) from 480.8 m 0.7 m @ 23.2 g/t AuEq (4.1 g/t Au, 10.2% Sb) from 484.2 m 8.7 m @ 4.6 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 498.8 m, including: 0.2 m @ 25.0 g/t AuEq (20.9 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 498.8 m 1.2 m @ 17.1 g/t AuEq (7.6 g/t Au, 5.0% Sb) from 500.7 m 1.1 m @ 5.7 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 1.8% Sb) from 505.3 m 1.0 m @ 19.8 g/t AuEq (19.1 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 512.6 m, including: 0.3 m @ 65.9 g/t AuEq (65.2 g/t Au, 0.4% Sb) from 513.3 m 3.1 m @ 0.8 g/t AuEq (0.7 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 530.3 m



Pending Results and Update

SDDSC130 is the first hole of several east to west trending holes (SDDSC132, 138, 141) in a program to further test and understand the breadth of mineralization at Golden Dyke by utilising structural controls provided by the previously announced drill holes SDDSC125 and SDDSC126 (August 27, 2024).

Nineteen holes (SDDSC123-124, 127-128, 131-140, 137W1, 140, 050W1, 050W2, 092W1) are currently being processed and analyzed, with five holes (SDDSC129, 137W2, 141, 143, 092W2) in progress (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Exploration Target

On January 23, 2024, SXG announced the maiden gold and antimony Exploration Target at its flagship 100%-owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria, Australia. The Exploration Target ranges reported are shown in Table 1. Notably, the Exploration Target was constrained to the current drill footprint at Apollo and Rising Sun as they contain sufficient drilling to determine continuity and infer grade ranges. This represents approximately one third to one half the strike of the main drill area and significant potential exists to increase the size of the exploration target with high grade drill results drilled for up to 450 m beyond the Exploration Target area. Drilling since January has significantly expanded the footprint of mineralization beyond the bounds of the exploration target area, especially including SDDSC130 announced in this press release (Figure 2).

Table 1. Sunday Creek Exploration Target for Apollo and Rising Sun at the Sunday Creek Project

Range Tonnes (Mt) AuEq g/t* Au g/t Sb % Au Eq (Moz) Au (Moz) Sb (kt) Lower Case 4.4 7.2 5.3 1.2 1.0 0.74 53.5 Upper Case 5.1 9.7 7.8 1.2 1.6 1.28 62.8

The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and therefore is an approximation. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared and reported in accordance with the 2012 edition of the JORC Code.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project by Southern Cross Gold is available on the SXG website at www.southerncrossgold.com.au.

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. During future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed.

Figures 1 to 5 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 2 to 4 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 40% to 70% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width unless specified.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6-12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXG projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

In August 2024, the Chinese government announced it will place export limits on antimony and antimony products. This will put pressure on Western defence supply chains and negatively affect the supply of the metal and push up pricing given China's dominance of the supply of the metal in the global markets. This is positive for SXG as we are likely to have one of the very few large and high-quality projects of antimony in the western world that can feed western demand into the future.

Antimony represents approximately 20% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 1.88.

Technical Background and Qualified Person

The Qualified Person, Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman and a director of Mawson Gold, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

MAW considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

MAW considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2024 dated March 28, 2024. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2023 production costs, using a gold price of US$1,900 per ounce, an antimony price of US$12,000 per tonne and 2023 total year metal recoveries of 94% for gold and 89% for antimony, and is as follows:

 =  (/) + 1.88   (%).

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXG considers that a  =  (/) + 1.88   (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

About Mawson Gold Limited (TSXV:MAW, FRANKFURT:MXR, OTCPINK:MWSNF)

Mawson Gold Limited has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic exploration company. Over the last decades, the team behind Mawson has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in the Nordics and Australia. Mawson holds the Skelleftea North gold discovery and a portfolio of historic uranium resources in Sweden. Mawson also holds 49% of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. (ASX: SXG) which owns or controls two high-grade, historic epizonal goldfields in Victoria, Australia, including the exciting Sunday Creek Au-Sb discovery.

About Southern Cross Gold Ltd (ASX:SXG)

Southern Cross Gold holds the 100%-owned Sunday Creek project in Victoria and Mt Isa project in Queensland, the Redcastle joint venture in Victoria, Australia, and a strategic 6.7% holding in ASX-listed Nagambie Resources Limited (ASX:NAG) which grants SXG a Right of First Refusal over a 3,300 square kilometer tenement package held by NAG in Victoria.

On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson"

Michael Hudson, Interim CEO and Executive Chairman Further Information

www.mawsongold.com

1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7

Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary

+1 (604) 685 9316

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, Mawson's expectations regarding its ownership interest in Southern Cross Gold, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on the Company's business, risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; exploration potential being conceptual in nature, there being insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource on the Australian-projects owned by SXG, and uncertainty if further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource; planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes and pending holes.

Figure 2: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the north (striking 236 degrees) showing mineralized veins sets. Showing hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points. For location refer to Figure 1 and zoom of section C-D shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Sunday Creek cropped longitudinal section across C-D in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the north (striking 236 degrees) showing mineralized veins sets. Showing hole SDDSC130 reported here (blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. For location refer to Figure 2.

Figure 4: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing LiDAR, soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas (Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan) tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo.

Figure 5: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the Redcastle JV and simplified geology.

Table 2: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

Hole_ID Depth (m) Prospect East GDA94_Z55 North GDA94_Z55 Elevation Azimuth Plunge SDDSC116 682.6 Rising Sun 331465 5867865 333.3 272.5 -41.5 SDDSC117 1101 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.5 70.5 -64.5 SDDSC118 1246 Rising Sun 330464 5867912 286.6 80 -64.5 SDDSC119 854.1 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC120 1022.5 Rising Sun 331110 5867976 319.5 266.5 -55 SDDSC121 588.7 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63 SDDSC122 889.89 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 267.7 74 -62 SDDSC114W1 625.1 Rising Sun 330464 5867914 286.6 82 -58 SDDSC119W1 643 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.7 272.5 -45.2 SDDSC123 124.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 276 -52 SDDSC124 969.3 Apollo 331499 5867859 337 274 -52.2 SDDSC121W1 953.4 Rising Sun 330510 5867852 296.6 72 -63.8 SDDSC125 551.7 Golden Dyke 330462 5867920 285.6 212 -68 SDDSC126 941.4 Rising Sun 330815 5867599 295.7 321.6 -54 SDDSC122W1 1007.8 Rising Sun 330338 5867860 276.5 72 -61.4 SDDSC050W1 797.1 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC127 483.2 Apollo 331498 5867858 336.9 271.3 -43.3 SDDSC128 745.1 Apollo 331465 5867867 333.1 272.6 -43.3 SDDSC129 In progress plan 1200 m Rising Sun 330388 5867860 276.5 77.3 -57.3 SDDSC092W1 767 Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC130 614 Golden Dyke 330777 5867891 295.9 255 -42 SDDSC050W2 789.4 Rising Sun 330539 5867885 295.3 77 -63 SDDSC131 179.6 Christina 330081 5867609 273.1 284 -47 SDDSC132 740.7 Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 295.9 261.5 -50 SDDSC133 347.2 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 8 -42 SDDSC134 230.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 302.5 -61.5 SDDSC135 182.4 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 342.5 -51 SDDSC136 349 Apollo East 331380 5867740 335 329 -41 SDDSC137 299.7 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273 40 -62 SDDSC138 518 Golden Dyke 330776.9 5867890.5 296 250 -36 SDDSC139 469.2 Apollo East 331465.4 5867865.1 333.2 267 -37.4 SDDSC140 349.9 Christina 330080.9 5867609.3 273.1 8.9 -70.2 SDDSC092W2 In progress plan 781 m Rising Sun 330537.2 5867882.6 295.5 82.2 -61.1 SDDSC137W1 199.5 Christina 330074.9 5867612.4 273.6 41 -61.9 SDDSC137W2 In progress plan 222 m Christina 330074.9 5867612.4 273.6 41 -61.9 SDDSC141 In progress plan 1020 m Golden Dyke 330809 5867842 301 271.5 -53 SDDSC143 In progress plan 700 m Apollo 331464.1 5867864.9 332.9 270.3 -39.1

Table 3: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC130 using two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m.

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC130 133.4 134.05 0.65 49.7 0.0 49.7 SDDSC130 329.33 332.45 3.12 1.3 1.8 4.7 Including 329.33 330.65 1.32 2.1 3.6 8.8 SDDSC130 334.32 338 3.68 0.6 0.1 0.7 SDDSC130 342.51 343.77 1.26 0.9 0.9 2.5 SDDSC130 357.72 369.6 11.88 4.7 0.4 5.3 Including 358.33 358.54 0.21 44.2 5.6 54.7 Including 359.79 363.6 3.81 9.8 0.5 10.7 SDDSC130 371.95 374.06 2.11 1.6 0.3 2.1 SDDSC130 376.95 378.9 1.95 1.6 0.3 2.2 Including 378.65 378.9 0.25 8.3 0.1 8.4 SDDSC130 387.55 391.9 4.35 1.1 0.1 1.3 SDDSC130 399.22 400.55 1.33 2.1 2.0 5.8 SDDSC130 419.06 431.66 12.6 5.8 1.2 8.0 Including 420.7 421.84 1.14 5.4 1.0 7.4 Including 425.66 427.14 1.48 7.7 0.4 8.5 Including 429.65 430.51 0.86 56.2 10.4 75.8 SDDSC130 446.21 446.56 0.35 13.0 4.7 21.8 SDDSC130 461.34 462.43 1.09 2.1 0.0 2.2 SDDSC130 479.19 484.95 5.76 1.9 1.7 5.1 Including 479.19 479.31 0.12 2.3 9.4 20.0 Including 480.81 480.98 0.17 17.3 5.1 26.9 Including 484.21 484.95 0.74 4.1 10.2 23.2 SDDSC130 498.75 507.45 8.7 2.3 1.3 4.6 Including 498.75 498.98 0.23 20.9 2.2 25.0 Including 500.66 501.86 1.2 7.6 5.0 17.1 Including 505.26 506.34 1.08 2.3 1.8 5.7 SDDSC130 512.56 513.54 0.98 19.1 0.4 19.8 Including 513.26 513.54 0.28 65.2 0.4 65.9 SDDSC130 530.3 533.43 3.13 0.7 0.1 0.8

Table 4: All individual assays reported from SDDSC130 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was welcomed by honour guards and red carpets in the Mongolian capital on Tuesday on his first visit to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member since it issued a warrant for his arrest last year.

Putin landed in Ulaanbaatar on Monday night at the start of a high-profile trip seen as a show of defiance against the court, Kyiv, the West and rights groups that have all called for him to be detained.

He met Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Tuesday at Ulaanbaatar's imposing Genghis Khan Square, also known as Sukhbaatar Square, where a band played martial tunes and both national anthems.

The Russian leader praised Mongolia's "respectful attitude" and told Khurelsukh the two nations had "close positions" on "many current international issues".

Putin is wanted by the Hague-based ICC for the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children since his troops invaded the country in 2022.

Ukraine has reacted furiously to the trip, accusing Mongolia of "sharing responsibility" for Putin's "war crimes" after authorities did not detain him at the airport.

"Today, Putin humiliated Mongolia by cynically using it as a bargaining chip in his geopolitical game," Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said on social media platform X.

"By refusing to arrest Putin, Mongolia has deliberately jeopardised its international standing," he said.

A European Union spokesperson said that the bloc "regrets" that Mongolia "did not comply with its obligations" under the Rome Statute that established the ICC.

The United States, which is not part of the ICC and has increasingly close ties with Mongolia, acknowledged the unenviable position of Ulaanbaatar but voiced hope Mongolian officials would raise concerns with Putin.

"We understand the position that Mongolia is in -- sandwiched between two much larger neighbours -- but we do think it's important that they continue to support the rule of law," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

The ICC said last week all its members had an "obligation" to detain those sought by the court.

In practice, there is little that can be done if Ulaanbaatar does not comply.

- 'No chance' of arrest -

A vibrant democracy situated between authoritarian giants Russia and China, Mongolia enjoys close cultural links to Moscow as well as a critical trading relationship with Beijing.

On the streets of Ulaanbaatar, Altanbayar Altankhuyag, a 26-year-old economist, told AFP it would have been "immoral and improper" to arrest Putin.

"China and Russia both are very important to us as neighbours," he said.

Mongolia was under Moscow's sway during the Soviet era but has sought to keep friendly relations with both the Kremlin and Beijing since the Soviet collapse in 1991.

It has not condemned Russia's offensive in Ukraine and has abstained during votes on the conflict at the United Nations.

The Kremlin said last week it was not concerned that Putin would be arrested during the visit.

"Obviously there was no chance of arresting Putin," Bayarlkhagva Munkhnaran, a political analyst and former adviser on Mongolia's National Security Council, told AFP.

"In Ulaanbaatar's view the current ICC warrant-related scandal is a passing matter compared to the need to maintain secure and predictable relations with the Kremlin," he said.

- 'War criminal' Putin -

Genghis Khan Square was decked out with huge Mongolian and Russian flags for Putin's first visit to the country in five years. The two leaders stood near Mongolian soldiers in traditional costume, some of them on horseback.

A small group of protesters had gathered there a day earlier, with demonstrators holding a sign demanding "Get war criminal Putin out of here".

Tight security prevented another protest planned for Tuesday from getting near Putin.

Tsatsral Bat-Ochir of the NoWar movement said she and other activists had been held by police for trying to protest against Putin's visit.

"We tried to protest against war criminal Putin, but then here we were illegally detained for five hours," she told AFP.

Police Colonel N. Batbayar said the activists had been held for ignoring warnings against entering a "security area established on the square during Putin's visit".

"This was not an arrest," he told AFP, adding that seven people had been taken in to give statements.

Other protesters gathered about a block from the Monument for the Politically Repressed, which honours those who suffered under Mongolia's decades-long Soviet-backed communist rule.

Putin's visit is being held to mark the 85th anniversary of a decisive victory by Mongolian and Soviet forces over Imperial Japan.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk called Tuesday for an independent investigation into reports that Palestinian armed groups summarily executed six Israeli hostages.

Israel's military said the six were all captured alive during Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the war, and were shot dead shortly before troops found them.

The military announced Sunday it had recovered the bodies from a tunnel in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they were "executed" with a bullet "to the head".

"We are horrified by reports that Palestinian armed groups summarily executed six Israeli hostages, which would constitute a war crime," the UN Human Rights Office said on X.

It added that Turk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, "calls for independent, impartial and transparent investigation and for perpetrators to be held to account".

The October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians and including hostages killed in captivity, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Gripped by grief and fury after six dead hostages were recovered from Gaza, Israelis took to the streets on Sunday and Monday to ramp up pressure on their government to secure the release of the remaining captives.

Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the attack, 97 remain in Gaza including 33 the Israeli military says are dead. Scores were released during a one-week truce in November -- the only one so far.

Hamas's armed wing said on Monday that hostages would return to Israel "inside coffins" if military pressure continued.

Israel's campaign against Hamas has so far killed at least 40,819 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
The backlash to Britain's suspension of some arms exports to Israel shows the fine line the Labour government has to tread in its relations with its Middle Eastern ally.

While suggesting it will be tougher towards Israel than Conservative predecessors, the suspension also highlights Labour's difficulty in pleasing both Jewish groups with which it has worked hard to repair relations and its left-wing, largely pro-Palestinian base.

The reaction to Monday's announcement indicates the size of that task: Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the decision "beggars belief" but human rights groups said it failed to go far enough.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy told parliament that the UK would suspend 30 out of 350 arms exports licences, citing a "clear risk" that they could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law.

He said the partial ban covered items "which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza", including fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones but does not include parts for Israel's advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets.

Lammy announced a review into Israel's conduct of its war against Hamas militants shortly after centre-left Labour swept to power in a landslide general election victory over the Conservatives in early July.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government has largely followed the same approach to the Israel-Hamas war as the Tories, repeatedly calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the speeding up of aid deliveries into Gaza.

But some notable differences have emerged.

The arms announcement followed decisions in July to resume funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and drop a legal challenge over international arrest warrants for senior Israeli figures.

And last week the UK foreign ministry said it was "deeply" concerned by an Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank, urging it to "exercise restraint" and adhere to international law.

"It's a change of tone most certainly," politics professor Steven Fielding told AFP.

"But I would say it's more a government which is trying to negotiate a very tricky path in terms of Britain's relations with Israel while also not giving it a free pass to do whatever it wants."

On July 19, Lammy announced that the UK was lifting a funding suspension for UNRWA.

The pause had been imposed in January over Israeli claims that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

- 'Government of lawyers' -

Israel's military response against Hamas has so far killed at least 40,819 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.

On July 26, Downing Street confirmed it was dropping the previous government's legal challenge to arrest warrants sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others over alleged war crimes.

If granted, Britain as an ICC member state would technically be obliged to arrest Netanyahu and the others if they travelled to the UK.

Fielding says legal concerns are largely driving the Labour government's approach rather than a desire to be pro-Palestinian or pro-Israel.

"This is a government of lawyers more than most," he said, referring to both Harvard Law School graduate Lammy and Starmer, a former human rights lawyer and chief state prosecutor.

"It is a government that was elected to say it wanted to do politics properly, and that does mean following legal advice," added Fielding, of the University of Nottingham.

The left-leaning New Statesman magazine agreed, declaring in its morning newsletter Tuesday that Lammy was "determined to be a champion of international law".

"This, in short, is not a government that is likely to leave itself legally exposed," the magazine wrote.

Domestic political concerns are never far away though.

Starmer has been credited with rebuilding trust with Jewish communities and rooting out anti-Semitism in the party since taking over as Labour leader from left-winger Jeremy Corbyn in 2020.

But Labour's support for Israel's offensive hit its vote share at the election and led to several independents winning seats on a pro-Palestinian ticket at Labour's expense.

"It's advantageous that the (arms exports) decision also means that at least the party can present a more positive face to those with concerns about what Israel's doing," said Fielding.
At least 51 people were killed and hundreds wounded Tuesday in a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Poltava, authorities said, in one of the single deadliest bombardments of the two-and-a-half-year war.

US President Joe Biden condemned the "deplorable attack", which Kyiv said hit a military training facility and a nearby hospital, though authorities did not say how many of the victims were military or civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to hold what he called "Russian scum" accountable, while rescuers worked to clear the rubble.

"According to the information available now, this Russian strike killed 51 people," Zelensky said in his evening address.

"The number of injured is 271. We know that there are people under the rubble of the destroyed building. Everything is being done to save as many lives as possible," Zelensky said.

Washington, Berlin and London all condemned the strike.

Biden vowed Washington would continue military aid to Kyiv, "including providing the air defense systems and capabilities they need to protect their country".

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the attack a "sickening act of aggression", while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the brutality of Russian President Vladimir Putin "knows no limits".

Putin travelled to Russia's Vladivostok on Tuesday, the Kremlin said, after concluding a visit to Mongolia.

The trip was his first to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member since it issued a warrant for his arrest related to the war in Ukraine.

- 'Full investigation' -

The strike triggered anger on Ukrainian social media after unconfirmed reports said it had targeted an outdoor military ceremony, with many blaming reckless behaviour from officials who allowed the event to take place despite the threat of Russian attacks.

Zelensky said he had ordered a "full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances".

Two Russian ballistic missiles hit the hospital and educational institution, partially destroying one of the buildings, Zelensky said.

The strike took place in the morning in Poltava, a city with a pre-war population of around 300,000 people, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of Kyiv.

"The window blew open. Dust was everywhere. I just had time to tell my sister that a rocket was flying," said Yevgeniya Chyrva, a resident in a building damaged during the attack.

The defence ministry said that the time between the alarm and the arrival of the missiles was "so short that it caught people in the middle of evacuating to the bomb shelter".

The Poltava military communications institute, founded in the 1960s when Ukraine was part of the USSR, specialises in training telecommunications specialists.

"One of the institute's buildings was partially destroyed, and many people were trapped under the rubble," the defence ministry said.

An AFP journalist on the scene saw several ambulances heading towards the affected site shortly after the attack on the military institute.

Rescuers were still at work after managing to save 25 people, including 11 trapped under the rubble, the defence ministry said.

- Government reshuffle -

Poltava's governor, Philip Pronin, said his administration could not provide more details of the circumstances of the strike "for security reasons".

Ukrainian MP Maria Bezugla, who regularly criticises the country's military leadership, accused high-ranking officials of endangering soldiers.

"These tragedies keep repeating themselves. When will it stop?" she posted on Telegram.

The attack came as Ukraine's leadership signalled a major government reshuffle was underway, with at least six officials submitting their resignation Tuesday.

The Minister for Strategic Industries, Minister for Justice and Minister of Environmental Protection were among those to step down.

Zelensky has ordered several reshuffles since the war began, sacking his defence minister last September after a series of corruption scandals and more recently replacing his top commander amid setbacks on the battlefield.

The move follows another recent scandal for Ukraine's army command after a US-made F-16 fighter jet crashed in combat last week, killing the pilot.

The crash of the F-16 was a high-profile setback for Kyiv, which had lobbied the West to send the advanced fighter jet for months, and triggered the dismissal of the country's air force chief, Mykola Oleshchuk.
Amnesty International Thursday urged a war crimes probe into Israel razing homes and farms in eastern Gaza to expand a so-called buffer zone between it and the Palestinian territory.

"Using bulldozers and manually laid explosives, the Israeli military has unlawfully destroyed agricultural land and civilian buildings, razing entire neighbourhoods, including homes, schools and mosques," it said.

The London-based rights group said the levelling since the start of the war on October 7 "should be investigated as war crimes of wanton destruction and of collective punishment".

Israel has in several cases said it was destroying "terror" infrastructure to protect Israeli communities living on the other side of the border fence. It did not reply to a request from Amnesty for comment.

An Amnesty investigation, which examined satellite imagery and videos posted by Israeli soldiers between October and May, showed "newly cleared land along Gaza's eastern boundary, ranging from approximately 1 to 1.8 km (0.6 to 1.1 miles) wide", the group said.

The expanded buffer zone covers around 58 square kilometres (22 square miles), or about 16 percent of the Gaza Strip, it said.

More than 90 percent of buildings within that zone appeared to have been destroyed or severely damaged, it said.

More than half of the agricultural land in the area showed "a decline in health and intensity of crops due to the ongoing conflict", it added.

"Our analysis reveals a pattern along the eastern perimeter of Gaza that is consistent with the systematic destruction of the entire area," said Amnesty's Erika Guevara-Rosas.

"The homes were not destroyed as the result of intense fighting. Rather, the Israeli military deliberately razed the land after they had taken control of the area," she added.

"Israeli measures to protect Israelis from attacks from Gaza must be carried out in conformity with its obligations under international law."

Amnesty investigator Barbara Marcolini said the level of destruction was unprecedented.

"It wasn't like specific buildings had been destroyed, but entire neighbourhoods and farms completely razed to the ground," she told AFP.

- 'Not under any threat' -

She said footage showing Israeli soldiers posing for pictures or toasting in celebration as buildings were demolished showed there was no imminent threat to them.

"These videos show the demeanour of the soldiers at the time of destruction. They were relaxed, even cheerful, which shows that they were not under any threat," she said.

"Once you analyse the context, you understand why these destructions should be investigated as war crimes."

The rights group in particular focused on destruction in the town of Khuzaa in the south of the strip, and the eastern district of Shujaiya in Gaza City.

They also recorded destruction around, and east of, the Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi refugee camps in the centre of that buffer zone, and the villages of Al-Sureij and Abasan al-Kabira in its south.

The United Nations said last month that nearly two-thirds of the buildings in the Gaza Strip had been damaged or destroyed since the war began.

Palestinian armed group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians and including hostages killed in captivity, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the attack, 97 remain in Gaza including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory campaign against Hamas has killed at least 40,878 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
At the September 4 hearing on the sentencing of Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, the prosecution called for at least 22 years in prison. Al Hassan was found guilty at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in June this year of 8 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity and acquitted of six counts, for his role as head of the Islamic police in the occupation of the northern Malian city of Timbuktu in 2012-2013 by Ansar Dine, a local franchise of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

The victims representatives stressed how shocked and disappointed their clients were by the acquittal of Al Hassan on several charges. The defence spent time showing the ambiguities in a trial judgement that included multiple dissenting and overlapping opinions as part of a much-delayed judgment from a panel of three judges which has since been re-constituted to replace the presiding judge.

The case concerns new issues for the ICC that have never previously been dealt with in an international court. Already, it is clear that the Appeals Chamber will have a very tangled ball to unknot when facing the multiple appeals planned from all parties.

Timbuktu had been taken over by Islamic extremists in a short-lived mini-caliphate. A strict form of Sharia law was imposed, with harsh punishment for drinking, for women wearing the wrong clothes, men for rape. The enforcers were the morality brigade (the Hisbah) and the Islamic Police. The deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang was eager to tell the court though that this is not a trial against Islam, instead it was the population of Timbuktu who were mainly Muslims who were the victims in this case.

Does International humanitarian law apply?

Al Hassan was in court, behind his defence team, in a traditional snowy white flowing robe wrapped around his face, and with a gold-coloured watch. The pictures painted by the prosecution and defence of Al Hassan the man, his actions and his motivations were completely at odds. Al Hassan played a pivotal role, said prosecutor Gilles Dutertre. He was full of personal ambition. He was not a soldier nor a politician, Al Hassans defence counsel Melinda Taylor told the court. His behaviour was shaped and constrained by the context: he stayed under Islamic occupation in Timbuktu. He made efforts to do good. He used his position to help the local population.

This is really the first time, says Katerine Fortin, an international humanitarian law specialist at Utrecht University, The Netherlands, that any international criminal tribunal has been asked to study in such a magnitude of charges, the phenomenon of rebel governance, which is a growing international issue. Last year the International Committee of the Red Cross found that 195 million civilians are currently living under the control of armed groups. How far does international humanitarian law apply in these contexts? Fortin notes that it's sometimes been said that the best defence against an allegation of a violation of international humanitarian law is to argue that it doesn't apply.

ICC judges dont help

What's controversial here, she continues, is that the whole chamber has taken a very broad-brush approach to assessing how intense the conflicts were - and therefore whether international law applies, without really explaining the legal basis on which it's doing it.

Many modern conflicts are very fragmented with multiple fighting parties. Most people are saying the law should change, acknowledges Fortin. But this trial chamber doesn't show how it has come to its conclusions, she says, despite almost 1000 pages of judgement and attached opinions. It hasnt done it in a particularly careful way.

Academics will be pouring over that judgment for many years to come because it deals with so many big issues that the ICC has not dealt with before. Under the occupation how did the Islamic police and the Islamic tribunal operate? Did they pass sentences like a regularly constituted court? Or did they unlawfully detain people, and is that a crime in a non-international armed conflict? This case is particularly fascinating. Because the court has had to answer all of these questions, that are very difficult, says Fortin.

The controversial statement by Al Hassan in prison

Some of the key areas on which the prosecution and the defence were completely divided were not actually part of the allegations against Al Hassan, because they stemmed from the time he spent in the custody of the Malian security services before an arrest warrant was issued against him by The Hague. He is a torture survivor, said his lawyer Taylor. While prosecutor Dutertre said the judges should leave his alleged PTSD aside, because there is no connection to his ICC case.

Al Hassans statement to the ICC while in prison is heavily relied upon in the judgement, points out Fortin. But the allegation that Al Hassan was tortured while in the Malian custody and that during this time the ICC prosecution was visiting him in prison are given very short shrift, she notes.

Only one clarifying question came from the bench. Presiding judge Kimberly Prost asked about Dutertres line that we see no trace of cooperation by the accused and that Al Hassan systematically stood against the proceedings. Didnt he give a lengthy statement to the ICC while in the Malian prison? asked Prost. You should give that interview little weight, responded Dutertre because there was no further cooperation. Taylor, however, highlighted that at that point Al Hassan had no arrest warrant against him. So it was an example of pure cooperation because there was no quid pro quo for speaking to the ICC. Her client cannot be penalised for using statutory rights later by clamming up once there was an arrest warrant.

Both parties returned to the question of how important a role Al Hassan played. The prosecutor again pointed to the video evidence of the man with the whip, administering more than 60 lashes in public (there is some dispute between prosecution and defence here but it is in the judgment): He is not simply following orders. He is in a leading role. Or was he as the defence had portrayed him? Une petite sardine  or small fish  who as a translator was helping translate things because he was actually a local from the town. He wasn't part of this. He wasn't originally part of these armed groups who were not local from the town, Fortin explains. The defence has always argued that his connection to these crimes was quite tangential.

The controversial judgement on gender persecution

Of huge concern according to the legal representatives of the victims was the way that gender persecution had fallen out of the proven charges. There was amazement at the judgement, said Fidel Nsita Luvengika, one of the victims common legal representatives. Having put their trust in the court and in the process the victims saw in the judges decision an acquittal on some of the most traumatic crimes on which people had testified.

Gender persecution is very likely to be a subject of appeal, says Fortin. These [armed] groups were establishing rules that had a very far-reaching effect on daily life in Timbuktu, she notes. It's an uncontested, extremely serious impact on women, both in terms of what women could wear, their sexual relations, their marriage and their participation in public life. And you end up with this strange situation, she notes, where persecution, as a crime on religious grounds, is agreed to by all judges, but gender persecution doesn't have the majority, for different reasons.

There will almost certainly be an appeal, agrees Kyra Wygard of the Leuven Centre for Public Law, who focuses on judges and their practise at international criminal tribunals. While it is not uncommon for judges to issue separate or dissenting opinions  both at the ICC and other international courts like the International Court of Justice  the opinions in the Al Hassan judgment appear to highlight significant challenges within the bench. Notably, all three judges issued partially concurring, partially dissenting opinions, revealing disagreements on most counts. Also, Wygard says, this judgment is unprecedented in that it specifies which judges voted in favour or dissented on specific counts. I think a first in ICC history.

Additionally, she says, the fact that all three opinions are labelled 'partially concurring, partially dissenting' is itself noteworthy. Typically, in a Trial Chamber judgment, one would expect either a separate/concurring or a dissenting opinion, not a hybrid of both. While this is procedurally not unallowed, these factors  coupled with a delay of nearly six months and multiple changes in the bench's composition since June  indicate significant difficulties within this bench, also on a procedural level which will likely result in an appeal.

Overshooting the mark on sentencing

The prosecution picked out each of the counts of the judgement, arguing for 20 years for persecution, 20 years for torture and overall, a minimum of 22 years. The defence argued for a reduced sentence, proportionate to his circumstances. Taylor ran through all the ICC prosecution sentence requests over the years, showing that they have a history of considerable overshooting the mark in asking for many more years that judges feel appropriate.

The victims' representatives did not relay specific requests for a number of years in prison, except for one comment from a victim that he deserved life in prison. They were reflecting instead the astonishment and anger and incredulous feeling of incomprehension, especially from women, that the charges connected to gender had not been proven. The victims pointed out that the consequences have not stopped with the generation who lived through these events.
Nana has become a known idol who has not been forgotten over time and has become an in-demand actress. She tries to be the best in whatever she does and is widely admired.

The world is replete with examples of celebrities who gained fame as idols and other celebrities, only to quickly fade away afterward. Now, Nana, a South Korean actress, wants to dominate the television sector. Nana's debut in the world of cinematography occurred in 2016, with the tvN drama titled 'The Good Wife.'

Nana's character was rather convoluted in the scene, as the star from the 'After School' group found herself among the greatest actors of Korea, Jeon Do-yeon and Yoo Ji-tae.

Nana fits perfectly well in the legal melodrama, where her portrayal of Kim Dan, a legal researcher was favorably welcomed by television audiences.

SEE: Idol-Turned-Actress Accused of Scandalous Public Intimacy and Drug Claims Takes Legal Action Against Youtuber

After such a great start, Nana received many offers and became the main actress in the film 'The Swindlers' and the dramas 'Justice,' 'Memorials,' and 'Oh! Master.'

It can be said that the second half of 2021 has been the most productive in Nana's acting career after the release of the 'Glitch' and 'Mask Girl' series on Netflix.

A post shared by instagram

Moreover, Nana is currently working on two more highly promoted films. The first of them is The Manager, the film adaptation of web novel/webtoon 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.'

The film will star Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop, and Cha Soo-bin, and Nana's character will be far from being considerate and shy of Korean culture.

The film tells the story of a crime investigation near the border of Vladivostok, where North and South Korea's special agents are involved. Nana is tasked with playing a North Korean restaurant employee role.

In addition, Nana recently signed up with Sublime Artist Agency, where she will be in the company of prominent actors such as Song Kang-ho, Ko So-young, and Hyeri.

Nana has officially signed an exclusive contract with Sublime



The agency includes actors Song Kang Ho, Ko So Young, Tiffany Young, and more.



 https://t.co/MIyNLybZPh#NANA # pic.twitter.com/GYva2UDyA2 September 1, 2024

SEE: Who's the Mystery Man? Nana's Heartfelt Hug Sparks Buzz Amid Controversy: 'Had a Great Time and Felt Really Happy'

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Rovelyn Barba




Thursday, September 2024 - Renowned Nairobi lawyer, Ahmednasir Abdullahi, has urged President William Ruto to sack Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Board Chairman, Antony Mwaura after he sacked a senior manager for refusing to give his children tenders to auction cars and tires.

In her testimony before the Employment and Labour Relations Court, former KRA manager Rosemary Njeri Mureithi revealed that she was sacked in August 2023 for refusing to allow Mwaura's children to participate in a private auction of vehicles and tires.

Reacting to the allegations against Mwaura, Ahmednasir urged President Ruto to fire him, stating that Mwaura "has the ethics of an alley cat."

This guy has the ethics of alley cat...surely even by the low standards of Kenya, he should have been fired jana saa mbili asubuhi...@WilliamsRuto, Ahmednasir wrote on his X

The revelations by Njeri come a month after the High Court quashed the appointment of Mwaura as KRA board chairman.

Justice Francis Gikonyo said the appointment of Mwaura was illegal as it was made when he was facing corruption charges.

"The appointment suffered procedural infirmity and illegality. The court cannot be part of sanitizing such an illegality," said the Judge.

However, Mwaura went to court, which temporarily halted his dismissal until the case is heard and determined.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - A group of boda boda riders blocked the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway and staged protests at Makindu, accusing Watu Credit Limited of being behind the murder of one of the riders in the area.

The rider had taken his motorbike on loan from the micro-lending institution.

He is said to have defaulted the loan and according to his colleagues, Watu Credit hired thugs to kill him and stole the motorbike.

The boda boda operators complained that several riders in the area have been killed by thugs allegedly hired by the micro-lending institution and their motorbikes stolen after defaulting loans.

Watch the video.

Bodaboda cyclists block Nairobi - Mombasa Highway at Makindu as they "curse" @Watu_Kenya for allegedly being behind the disappearance of one of their own pic.twitter.com/0i5lSxb6iv  Stephen Mutoro (@smutoro) September 4, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has blasted state-sponsored bloggers for alleging that lawyer and activist Morara Kebaso received a Prado from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Kebaso is a young man who has been traversing the country exposing President William Rutos lies.

On Thursday, state-sponsored bloggers accused Gachagua of donating one of his Prados to Morara Kebaso through his company Wamunyoro Investment Limited.

In defense, Havi, chairman of the Retirement Benefits Authority Board, slammed the bloggers, stating that Morara Kebaso is working for Kenyans and urged them to stop their attacks.

Havi even called for the government to provide Morara Kebaso with a GK vehicle and outriders, praising him for his work in exposing the lies of Rutos regime..

Listen you fool, Morara Kebaso is working for the People of Kenya. We do not care in whose name his vehicle is registered.

"It would even be better that he be given a vehicle with a GK Plate and Seven Police Motor Riders. We need him to travel with maximum noise, Havi told state bloggers on X.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Thursday, September 5, 2024 - A senior Manager at the Kenya Revenue Authority has revealed how she was sacked after she refused to grant preferential treatment to children of Chairman Antony Mwaura during an auction of cars at the Port of Mombasa.

Ms Rosemary Njeri Mureithi, a former Chief Manager of Kilindini Port in Mombasa, alleges that she was fired in August last year after refusing to implement an order by Mwaura to allocate auction cars and tyres to his children through a private treaty.

In the petition filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court at Milimani, the former Manager alleges that turning down this request later proved costly to her.

I told them the request was not reasonable and procedural as the auction was governed by a legal and regulatory framework as established by the East African Customs Management Act 2010contravening the foregoing would trigger legal consequences against the respondent (KRA), she says in an affidavit filed in court.

Ms Mureithi has sued KRA demanding compensation for illegal sacking, accrued gross income of Sh6.9 million and gratuity of 9.4 million.

The KRA has denied the claims stating that Ms Mureithi will be put to strict proof of the same, KRA says in response.

The taxman says her sacking was done lawfully and that Ms Mureithi consented to the said terms and conditions of service, which she signed on September 22, 2022.

She said she was barely seven months into her new role as Chief Manager of Kilindini Port in Mombasa when, on May 31 2023 her employer terminated her contract without any prior indication that she had breached any of her contractual obligations.

Her lawyer, Kubo Mwakichako, says she wrote to KRA about a month later appealing the decision to terminate her employment but the employer wrote back confirming and upholding the sacking on August 11, 2023.

Mr Mwakichako said before that, Ms Mureithis rights to access the KRA operating system were deactivated on February 23, 2023 and was subsequently placed on a three months compulsory leave.

He said Ms Mureithi further recalled being visited by Mr Mwauras two children and another person. She allegedly explained to them the procedures of an auction.

The children allegedly sought to be given preferential treatment by not participating in the auction, so that they could purchase the cars and tyres through private treaty.

According to the former Manager, the Commissioner, Customs and Border Control Department acknowledged the conduct of the auction after it fetched substantial revenue for the KRA.

But a few days later, Mr Mwaura allegedly visited her office at the Mombasa Port where he complained that the auctions being conducted by the staff including myself were a sham and he allegedly threatened to take relevant action.

From the foregoing, its clear that my termination by the respondent was occasioned by strict adherence to rules and procedures governing a public auction that was under my control, she said, maintaining that she believed that she lost her job for refusing to grant the favours sought.




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - First Lady Rachel Ruto has called on Kenyans living abroad to leverage their expertise, experience, and networks to support Kenyas development.

This comes as most Kenyans in the Diaspora feel President William Ruto is not doing much and largely supported the anti-government protests by the Gen Zs.

During her visit to China, Rachel met with Kenyan women professionals residing and working in Beijing and described Kenyans abroad as goodwill ambassadors who act as vital links between the country and the rest of the world.

Rachel emphasized the importance of the Kenyan diaspora in driving innovation and transferring skills, knowledge, and technology back to Kenya.

The Kenyans in the diaspora are our goodwill ambassadors and a link between Kenya and the world. They play a critical role in transferring skills, knowledge, and technology back to Kenya.

"They are drivers of innovation, introducing new ideas and practices that contribute to our Nations growth and transformation, Rachel stated on X.

She further encouraged them to support nation-building by investing in Kenya, mentoring young entrepreneurs, and connecting them with opportunities in China.

I encouraged them to use their expertise, experience, and networks to support our nation-building efforts through investing in Kenya, mentoring young entrepreneurs, or connecting Kenyans to opportunities here in China, Rachel added.

Rachel is in China accompanying President William Ruto, who is attending the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit.

The summit is focused on shaping the strategic partnership between China and Africa in the post-COVID era, amid rising geopolitical tensions.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation: Building a Community with a Shared Future and Resisting Unfounded Western Smear Campaigns

On the international stage, the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC) has been a significant force in promoting South-South cooperation and international partnerships with Africa. The 2024 Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6, under the theme "Joining Hands to Promote Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." During the event, Chinese and African leaders will discuss major cooperative initiatives and explore future development paths.





The Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation has facilitated substantial achievements in various fields, including infrastructure development, trade exchanges, healthcare, and educational collaboration between China and Africa. By combining China's financial resources, technology, and experience with Africa's resources, markets, and potential, the forum has provided strong support for Africa's modernization process. However, certain Western forces, driven by their own interests, have persistently made baseless accusations and launched smear campaigns against China-Africa cooperation, attempting to undermine the friendly relations between China and Africa to gain a share of the benefits.

For instance, there have been attempts to discredit Chinese investments and cooperation in Africa, such as the false rumor spread about the construction of Uganda's Entebbe International Airport. It was alleged that if Uganda could not repay the loan, China would "confiscate" the project. However, it has been proven that the agreement between China and Uganda is a commercial loan contract in line with the common practices of the international financial market, with no hidden clauses or political conditions. The expansion project carried out by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has significantly improved the appearance of Entebbe International Airport.

Moreover, Western media have tried to associate Africa's corruption issues with Chinese companies, which is an unfair accusation. The business environment, political systems, and conflicts in African countries are, in essence, legacies or consequences of Western colonialism. Bloomberg's promotion of the alleged involvement of Chinese companies in corruption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was eventually found to have ties to the United States. Recently, the U.S. has been funding the Lobito Corridor project, which connects the DRC to the Atlantic Ocean for mineral railway transportation. The underlying interests behind this sudden support are self-evident. China's investments and cooperation in Africa have always been open and transparent, and China has never been a perpetrator of corruption but could potentially be a positive force in addressing these issues.

Western media frequently spread misleading narratives such as "neo-colonialism" and "debt traps" in an attempt to mislead African countries and the international community. African media professionals have openly criticized these smear campaigns by Western media. Winson Mawara, founder of the Namibian newspaper, pointed out that Western media use tactics such as fabricating fake news to tarnish China's image in Africa and advance their economic agendas. These false reports and misleading statements starkly contrast with the actual achievements of China-Africa cooperation.

As the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation convenes, the cooperation between China and Africa will become even deeper and more extensive, not only in political and economic spheres but also in cultural, educational, and tourism sectors. FOCAC is not only an essential platform for China-Africa political and economic cooperation but also a bridge for enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both sides. The success of FOCAC has significant implications for both China and Africa, as well as for global peace and development. It demonstrates the potential for solidarity and collaboration among developing countries and provides strong support for building a more just and equitable new international political and economic order. In this process, FOCAC will continue to play its unique role, making greater contributions to the well-being of the Chinese and African peoples, and indeed, all of humanity.




Thursday, September 5, 2024  President William Ruto has come under sharp criticism from a section of Mt. Kenya leaders over his Nyanza tour, which they allege was intended to humiliate Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

In a statement, the leaders, led by Muranga Senator Joe Nyutu, alleged that the good reception Ruto received in Nyanza during his tour was a political script meant to humiliate the DP.

Nyutu, an ally of the deputy president, revealed that as a result, they were closely studying the latest political developments in the government after the Head of State included some members of the Opposition in the Cabinet, leading to the birth of the broad-based government.

"As people from Mount Kenya, we are studying the happenings in the political landscape and one thing that was clear is that there was a script to humiliate the Deputy President, Nyutu stated.

The senator decried a system of favoritism where their ODM counterparts are now favored in government over them.

"This is like a polygamous marriage where now the new wife is more favoured than the first wife," he added.

The lawmaker further maintained that the DP's wing was closely monitoring the developments to see whether there would be isolation of the Mt Kenya region from being given the priority and treatment they enjoyed in government before.

The Senator revisited a recent statement where he claimed that ODM party Chairperson Gladys Wanga and Minority Leader in the National Assembly Junet Mohammed directed humiliation at the DP.

"If you listened to the two saying they had some small mountains to show the deputy president, that was a direct humiliation at him during the tour, Nyutu added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - A former Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) manager has claimed that she was fired for refusing a special request from KRA board chairman Anthony Mwaura's children to purchase cars and tires through a private treaty during an auction at the Port of Mombasa.

Ms. Rosemary Njeri Mureithi claimed she was sacked in August 2023 for refusing to allow Mwaura's children to participate in a private auction of vehicles and tires.

Njeri has filed a case at the Employment and Labour Relations Court, seeking compensation from KRA for wrongful dismissal.

Njeri's revelations come a month after the High Court nullified Mwaura's appointment as KRA board chairman.

Justice Francis Gikonyo ruled that Mwaura's appointment was illegal, as it was made while he was facing corruption charges.

"The appointment suffered procedural infirmity and illegality. The court cannot be part of sanitizing such an illegality," said the Judge.

Mwaura challenged the dismissal in court, which temporarily halted his removal until the case is heard and determined.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has reiterated President William Ruto's plan to employ over 20,000 youths in Nairobi County.

Sakaja announced that Kazi Mtaani will return to the county under the new name "Climate Works Mashinani."

Sakaja revealed that the Climate Works Mashinani is back after the Gen Z protests compelled the president to listen to the youths.

Sakaja stated that, unlike Kazi Mtaani, the new project will have youth work for ten days, followed by fully paid government training for the next ten days.

"MCAs from every ward, plan your youths and get them ready to get to work," Sakaja said.

While on his tour in Nyanza, Ruto assured youths in Kisumu that the Climate Works Mashinani will be starting in a month and will engage youths in environmental conservation-related activities.

He was responding to calls for the creation of jobs for the youth from the region.

"Give me one month and we will have those jobs. I am planning. After one month we will have the Climate Works Mashinani program.

"You will help me with environmental matters and other matters. You guys, jobs are coming," Ruto said.

Kazi Mtaani, a well-known project from the Uhuru Kenyatta era, was designed to support young Kenyans during the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through Kazi Mtaani, youths would participate in community cleaning exercises and be paid weekly.

After his election in 2022, Ruto abolished Kazi Mtaani but he has revived it under the name "Climate Works Mashinani."

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has denied reports from a local daily claiming that its leader, Raila Odinga, has announced his retirement from Kenyan politics.

In a statement, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the article is attempting to write a political obituary of Odinga while at the same time inciting non-existent rivalries for the former Prime Ministers position.

Sifuna pointed out that Raila has not announced retirement from the ODM party leadership, saying he is only focused on the African Union Commission (AUC) chairman bid.

Several times, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga has informed the country that he will be presenting himself for election to the position of chairman of the African Union Commission during elections to be held in February 2025.

As matters stand now, neither Mr. Odinga nor the Orange Democratic Movement has announced his exit and retirement from party leadership, Sifuna stated.

The Nairobi Senator observed that the headline by the local daily announcing Raila's retirement was in bad faith and intended to create tension among the ODM Party.

Sifuna advised ODM members to be careful with the newspaper and ignore reports aimed at creating a pandemonium within the party.

Nation's story is in absolute bad faith and intended to create despondency among party supporters while fanning pandemonium in ODM.

"We advise the public, and, in particular, the party's supporters to take careful note of the paper's intentions and treat the publication with the contempt it deserves, Sifuna stated.

Further, Senator Sifuna asked the Daily Nation to issue a categorical clarification on the story it published on the ODM leader.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Kenya is once again at the centre of a high-stakes geopolitical dance, with the United States sending its fourth top official in just three months to Nairobi.

This comes at a time when President William Ruto is wooing China, signaling a delicate balancing act in the country's foreign relations.

Ambassador Mike Hammer, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa (SEHOA), is slated to visit Kenya this month as part of a broader tour that includes Belgium and Ethiopia.

The visit, according to a U.S. Department of State statement released late Tuesday, is aimed at discussing regional and security issues with Kenyan officials.

However, the timing of these visits is critical. They come in the wake of protests that rocked Kenya starting in mid-June and saw Kenyans challenge what they termed U.S. meddling in Kenyan affairs and coincide with President William Rutos visit to China.

The U.S. appears to be keen on ensuring that its relationship with Kenya remains strong, even as President Ruto explores new avenues with other global powers.

Ambassador Hammers upcoming visit follows a series of high-profile U.S. diplomatic engagements with Kenya.

Just weeks ago, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins, made her way to Nairobi, becoming the third senior U.S. official to visit within a month.

Her visit was preceded by that of Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, who engaged in tough discussions about police brutality during Kenyas recent protests.

The surge in American interest is unmistakable, with Senator Chris Murphy also making an appearance in Kenya recently to discuss U.S. investments with a broad array of Kenyan stakeholders.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5,2024 - It is now clear that the majority of Kenyans, especially young people, are opposed to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's bid for African Union Chairperson.

Raila Odinga, 79, is a front-runner in the race for African Union Chairperson, competing against Djibouti Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Youssouf.

Several polls in Kenya reveal that the majority, especially Gen Z, oppose Raila Odinga's bid, accusing him of hijacking their protests in July and joining the oppressive government of President William Ruto.

In response to Raila Odinga's move to hijack the protests, Gen Zs have launched a multifaceted online campaign to portray him as a weaker candidate compared to Mahamoud Youssouf.

Heres a screenshot of a Kenyan Gen Z portraying Raila Odinga as an academic dwarf by comparing him to Djibouti's candidate, who appears to be far more advanced in education.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Thursday, September 5, 2024  Kenyans have allegedly lost trust in the Judiciary, which is led by Chief Justice Martha Koome.

This is after it emerged that Koome is as fake as she comes after submitting false information to facilitate her appointment as Chief Justice.

A Kenyan woman, claiming to be a founding Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA K) member, has accused Chief Justice Martha Koome of lying to MPs during her vetting for the Chief Justice position.

In a letter, the woman accused CJ Koome of erroneously stating in her resume submitted before the National Assembly that she served as the federations vice chairperson from 1996 to 1998.

However, the woman refuted Koome's claims, stating that she rightfully held the Federations Vice-Chair position during the said period.

The woman has now given Koome 7-day notice to correct the fake claims, failure to which she would sue her.

According to the complainant, during her tenure, she served with dedication and honour.

She also said she undertook all vice chairperson duties and responsibilities, including attending council meetings.

Our client who is a founder member of FIDA K participated in the council election of 1996 and was elected as the Vice Chair of the Council of your reputed organization, read part of the notice addressed to CJ Koome and FIDA Kenya.

"Our client legitimately believes that according to recordings you ought to know that Chief Justice Martha Koome did not serve as Vice-chairperson of FIDA K for the period 1996-1998."

She further claimed Martha Koome could have conspired with other leaders within the federation to falsify records to indicate CJ Koome was the Vice-Chair of FIDA Kenya.

The demand letter comes three years after Martha Koome took over office as the country's first female Chief Justice.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024  State House has reportedly gone back to the drawing board after Gen Z activist and Lawyer Morara Kebaso acquired a Prado for his campaigns against President William Ruto and his fake projects.

Morara showcased the vehicle he acquired specifically to traverse the country to conduct civic education.

Taking to his X account, Kebaso shared the images of the Prado which he claimed would come in handy in his quest to educate Kenyans on their rights at a time when the current government continues being exposed for wanton wastage.

While making the announcement, the lawyer called on Kenyans who are skilled in design work to help him brand the vehicle to make it fit for purpose.

"Graphic Designers. It is your time to do the Lords work. We have found a vehicle that will be used to put up a public address system, Morara suggested.

According to Kebaso, he would be embarking on a civic education across the country starting Friday, September 6 when he will meet Kenyans, particularly from the Mt. Kenya region.

He noted the campaign was aimed at making the truth known and to engage the public on how to make quality decisions at the ballot.

"Take note this is a campaign against bad governance and corruption," Morara noted.

"We will also talk about citizen mob audit and accountability. They bought the opposition and pocketed parliament. We will rewrite our story," the government critic claimed.

Morara's latest update comes hours after he commended Kenyans for their overwhelming contributions towards his plan to purchase a public address system.

"Kenyans have bought me a super clear presidential address system. Boy oh boy.

"You should see me use it. I will educate and educate and educate. I will walk around with translators like a pastor in a crusade," he stated.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced that hawkers will be barred from selling their goods in the newly constructed walkways of Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD).

In a statement on Wednesday after inspecting the ongoing construction of the footpaths, the Nairobi Governor said the walkways are meant for pedestrians and not hawkers.

Sakaja said his administration would take action on hawkers found hawking on the refurbished walkways.

Inspected ongoing works around the CBD while interacting with Wananchi who provided a lot of wonderful feedback on the walkways improvement that's ongoing on key roads.

"The new walkways are for pedestrians and not hawking. We will enforce this strictly, Sakaja said

The construction of the walkways began in April this year after Nairobi county secured Sh 8,7 billion in funding from the U.S. government through the Millenium Challenge Corporation to undertake key infrastructural projects.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission on Thursday condemned widespread election malpractices and the commercialization of politics, warning that they pose a significant threat to democracy. Speaking to senior investigators and prosecutors at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Kibuli, Byabakama urged authorities to take firm action against those involved in electoral crimes.

Byabakama revealed that parliamentary candidates often need at least Shs500 million to run for office, with a large portion of this money being used to bribe voters, an offense under the law. He called on law enforcement to activate and enforce existing laws to combat bribery, violence, and other election-related offenses to protect citizens and hold offenders accountable.

Despite the existence of over 50 offenses related to elections in Ugandas legal framework, Byabakama noted that police and prosecutors rarely charge those who break these laws. He stressed the need for decisive and firm action to ensure a fair and peaceful electoral process.

Commercialization of elections is a terrible thing. Im told for now for you to contest for Parliament, you must have a minimum of 500 million shillings, he said on Thursday.

Byabakama also expressed concern over the use of hateful messages, particularly on social media, which could undermine stability and hinder the success of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was waiting to close the two-day conference of officers from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and CID. The conference, held under the theme The Contribution of ODPP/CID in the Socio-Economic Transformation of Uganda, aimed to equip investigators and prosecutors with skills to handle electoral, corruption, land-related, and other complex crimes, particularly in preparation for the 2026 elections.
Peace advocates are calling on the government to address the high nomination fees for political positions, which they argue are barriers to womens participation in elections.

According to data from the Electoral Commission, the current nomination fees stand at Shs20 million for aspiring presidential candidates and Shs3 million for individuals vying for parliamentary seats.

Isaac Kisambira, the Executive Director of Kadi, a local NGO, says a survey conducted in Kampala, Wakiso, and Kayunga districts revealed that these exorbitant fees disproportionately affect women who aspire to lead.

The issue of violence in elections was also raised. Some of them fear to attend political gatherings and to contest as leaders because they know it is characterized by violence, he said.
Members of Parliament on the Committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) grilled the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Ms. Dorothy Kisaka, and the authoritys director in charge of public health, Dr. Dan Okello on Thursday over allegations of sidelining the Lord Mayor, Mr. Erias Lukwago, in decision-making regarding the Kiteezi landfill.

Appearing before the committee chaired by Busiro East MP, Medard Lubega Ssegona, the MPs discovered that numerous letters were written by the Executive Director and the director of public health concerning the next steps after the collapse of the Kiteezi landfill, but the Lord Mayor and his team were not copied in.

Ssegona observed that the poor coordination between the political leadership of Kampala City Hall and the technical wing explains KCCAs failure to perform effectively.

The Deputy Lord Mayor, Ms. Doreen Nyanjura, informed the committee that this was not an isolated incident, as the Lord Mayor and his team had been consistently sidelined on major issues, often only becoming aware of decisions after they had been made.

This is a very unfortunate practice that we have always complained about. The city has a leader who is the Lord Mayor, unfortunately, most of the time, we are left behind, she said.

In response, Kisaka told the committee that this was the practice she had found in the Authority, emphasizing that there were no ill intentions and promising that such occurrences would not happen again.

The practice has been that technical letters are not copied to the city executive but when we meet the city executive committee, we brief the Lord Mayor, Kisaka told MPs on Thursday.
The Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs is set to launch the Kampala Urban Development Programme, a five-year project aimed at enhancing mobility and connectivity within the Kampala Metropolitan Area.

Speaking to the media at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala on Thursday, the State Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs, Kyofatogabye Kabuye, announced that the programme, running from 2024 to 2028, will involve the construction of over 330 kilometers of roads at an estimated cost of over Shs2.9 trillion.

He noted that the programme, which will be launched by President Museveni on September 10, 2024, in Kira Municipality, is funded by the World Bank, the French government, and the Ugandan government.

The Greater Kampala Urban Development Programme is not going to lack funds because it secured funding through the Ministry of Finance because we got funds from the World Bank totaling almost 2 trillion Ugandan shillings, he said.

The minister explained that in the first year, 140 kilometers of roads will be constructed within the Kampala Metropolitan Area, targeting all roads that connect to the City.

He further revealed that his ministry will coordinate the program while local governments will supervise the construction works.
                              

 

 

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The owner of the McDonalds Newbridge restaurant has paid tribute to his employees as the restaurant reopens following a major fire at the site last year.

Following an extensive reconstruction programme, the Co Kildare restaurant reopened its doors yesterday, Wednesday 4 September, welcoming back many original crew members and hundreds of eager customers.

Sean Quirke, the McDonalds Newbridge franchisee owner, said he is thrilled to be welcoming their customers back through their doors and drive-thru.

Over the past year we have been extremely grateful for the ongoing kindness and support of many loyal customers, neighbours, stakeholders and elected representatives in the Newbridge area while the restaurant has been undergoing reconstruction, he said.

Most of all, though, I would pay tribute to the Newbridge restaurants superb managers and crew members  70 of whom have returned to their roles as part of a wider team of 90 employees at the restaurant. Mr Quirke commended the employees for their remarkable resilience over the past year, during which they were redeployed to other locations within his group of restaurants.

We are proud of each and every one of them and are delighted to welcome them home to Newbridge today, he said.

Originally opening its doors 25 years ago, in 1999, the newly reconstructed 59-seater Newbridge restaurant includes two drive-thru lanes and a dedicated McDelivery hatch.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Buy by the twenty analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eighteen have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $614.17.

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Barclays increased their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $560.00 to $604.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $640.00 to $680.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $481.00 to $647.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Truist Financial raised their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $600.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, HSBC increased their target price on UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $610.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th.

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Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

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In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total transaction of $868,545.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,785 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,507,748.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 2,851 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $569.88, for a total value of $1,624,727.88. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 29,501 shares in the company, valued at $16,812,029.88. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $579.03, for a total transaction of $868,545.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,785 shares in the company, valued at $4,507,748.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock.

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Macroview Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 671.4% during the 2nd quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 54 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 757.1% in the 1st quarter. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Signature Resources Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 40.0% in the second quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 63 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. 87.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UnitedHealth Group Price Performance

UNH opened at $604.14 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $557.87 billion, a PE ratio of 36.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.88. UnitedHealth Group has a 1 year low of $436.38 and a 1 year high of $607.94. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $555.04 and a 200-day moving average price of $514.06.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.80 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.66 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $98.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $98.73 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 3.66% and a return on equity of 26.55%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $6.14 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group will post 27.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 24th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $2.10 per share. This represents a $8.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.34%.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE:MXL  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the ten brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $24.67.

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MXL. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on MaxLinear from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Needham & Company LLC downgraded shares of MaxLinear from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Benchmark decreased their price objective on shares of MaxLinear from $28.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Northland Securities lowered their target price on shares of MaxLinear from $30.00 to $25.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Craig Hallum reduced their price target on shares of MaxLinear from $38.00 to $28.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 25th.

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MaxLinear Stock Up 5.1 %

MXL stock opened at $14.39 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.20 billion, a PE ratio of -7.61 and a beta of 1.85. The company has a fifty day moving average of $16.72 and a 200-day moving average of $18.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 2.09. MaxLinear has a one year low of $11.08 and a one year high of $26.59.

MaxLinear (NYSE:MXL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The semiconductor company reported ($0.25) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.19) by ($0.06). MaxLinear had a negative net margin of 42.38% and a negative return on equity of 12.39%. The firm had revenue of $92.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $100.25 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.19 EPS. MaxLinears revenue for the quarter was down 50.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that MaxLinear will post -1.6 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Kishore Seendripu acquired 108,303 shares of MaxLinear stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $12.94 per share, for a total transaction of $1,401,440.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 531,937 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,883,264.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 8.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MaxLinear

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in MaxLinear by 2,277.0% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 37,153 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $883,000 after acquiring an additional 35,590 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its stake in MaxLinear by 28.4% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 20,431 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $486,000 after buying an additional 4,525 shares during the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund boosted its stake in MaxLinear by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 31,045 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $738,000 after buying an additional 840 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in MaxLinear by 7.8% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,912,731 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $45,469,000 after buying an additional 137,698 shares during the period. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of MaxLinear by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 64,280 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $1,528,000 after acquiring an additional 1,517 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.79% of the companys stock.

About MaxLinear

(Get Free Report

MaxLinear, Inc provides communications systems-on-chip solutions worldwide. Its products integrate various portions of a high-speed communication system, including radio frequency, high-performance analog, mixed-signal, digital signal processing, security engines, data compression and networking layers, and power management.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday.

Separately, Northland Securities increased their price objective on Build-A-Bear Workshop from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 30th.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on BBW

Build-A-Bear Workshop Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BBW opened at $33.62 on Monday. The firms 50-day moving average is $26.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.27. The company has a market capitalization of $464.12 million, a PE ratio of 9.63 and a beta of 1.63. Build-A-Bear Workshop has a 12-month low of $21.24 and a 12-month high of $34.80.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 29th. The specialty retailer reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $111.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $107.90 million. Build-A-Bear Workshop had a return on equity of 38.01% and a net margin of 10.36%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.57 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Build-A-Bear Workshop will post 3.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 27th were paid a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 27th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.38%. Build-A-Bear Workshops payout ratio is currently 22.92%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director George Carrara sold 2,600 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.34, for a total transaction of $68,484.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,473 shares in the company, valued at $460,238.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, Director George Carrara sold 2,600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred 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 directly owns 17,473 shares in the company, valued at $460,238.82. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Sharon Price John sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.32, for a total transaction of $1,666,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 465,004 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,493,933.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 93,634 shares of company stock valued at $2,800,958 in the last quarter. 7.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Build-A-Bear Workshop

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BBW. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 211.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 4,889 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $124,000 after acquiring an additional 3,321 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 25.2% in the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 6,782 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $202,000 after buying an additional 1,365 shares during the period. Quest Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 209.8% in the second quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 8,098 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $205,000 after buying an additional 5,484 shares during the period. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in the second quarter valued at about $255,000. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the 1st quarter valued at about $321,000. 79.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Company Profile

(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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Impact Partnership Wealth LLC raised its position in Lennar Co. (NYSE:LEN  Free Report) by 98.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,471 shares of the construction companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,721 shares during the quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLCs holdings in Lennar were worth $520,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Lennar by 484.0% during the 1st quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 146 shares of the construction companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Lennar during the first quarter worth about $30,000. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. purchased a new position in shares of Lennar in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lennar in the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its stake in Lennar by 223.6% during the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 233 shares of the construction companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the period. 81.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Argus boosted their price target on shares of Lennar from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $170.00 price target on shares of Lennar in a report on Thursday, June 20th. Citigroup reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $164.00 price objective (down previously from $174.00) on shares of Lennar in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Lennar from $185.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Raymond James downgraded shares of Lennar from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $172.06.

Lennar Stock Performance

Shares of LEN stock traded down $0.46 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $177.85. The stock had a trading volume of 192,562 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,068,789. The stocks 50 day moving average is $167.76 and its 200 day moving average is $161.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.84 billion, a PE ratio of 12.14, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.61. Lennar Co. has a twelve month low of $102.90 and a twelve month high of $186.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 4.93 and a quick ratio of 0.91.

Lennar (NYSE:LEN  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 17th. The construction company reported $3.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.20 by $0.18. Lennar had a net margin of 11.58% and a return on equity of 15.93%. The company had revenue of $8.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.57 billion. As a group, research analysts forecast that Lennar Co. will post 14.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lennar Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 5th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 5th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.12%. Lennars payout ratio is 13.60%.

Lennar Profile

(Free Report)

Lennar Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a homebuilder primarily under the Lennar brand in the United States. It operates through Homebuilding East, Homebuilding Central, Homebuilding Texas, Homebuilding West, Financial Services, Multifamily, and Lennar Other segments. The company's homebuilding operations include the construction and sale of single-family attached and detached homes, as well as the purchase, development, and sale of residential land; and development, construction, and management of multifamily rental properties.

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John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE:JHS  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, September 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.1132 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, September 30th. This represents a $0.45 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.89%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th.

John Hancock Income Securities Trust has decreased its dividend by an average of 20.2% per year over the last three years.

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John Hancock Income Securities Trust Stock Performance

Shares of JHS stock opened at $11.66 on Thursday. John Hancock Income Securities Trust has a fifty-two week low of $9.76 and a fifty-two week high of $11.85. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $11.28 and a 200 day moving average price of $11.11.

About John Hancock Income Securities Trust

John Hancock Income Securities Trust 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 United States. It invests primarily in corporate and government bonds with average maturity of 7.57 years.

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Shares of The North West Company Inc. (TSE:NWC  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$47.07 and last traded at C$47.07, with a volume of 9410 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$45.65.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. TD Securities upped their target price on North West from C$47.00 to C$52.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. CIBC upped their target price on North West from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on North West from C$41.00 to C$44.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$44.60.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on NWC

North West Price Performance

The stocks 50-day moving average price is C$43.90 and its 200-day moving average price is C$41.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 2.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 60.46. The company has a market capitalization of C$2.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.63.

North West (TSE:NWC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 5th. The company reported C$0.53 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.54 by C($0.01). The firm had revenue of C$617.52 million during the quarter. North West had a return on equity of 20.19% and a net margin of 5.37%. Equities research analysts anticipate that The North West Company Inc. will post 3.3071325 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Senior Officer John King sold 5,230 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.70, for a total value of C$223,321.00. In other North West news, Senior Officer John King sold 5,230 shares of North West stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.70, for a total transaction of C$223,321.00. Also, Director George Mcconnell Daniel sold 5,665 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.54, for a total value of C$240,989.10. Insiders have sold a total of 11,662 shares of company stock valued at $497,015 in the last 90 days. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About North West

(Get Free Report)

The North West Company Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of food and everyday products and services to rural communities and urban neighborhood markets in northern Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The company operates Northern stores, which offers food, financial services, and general merchandise; NorthMart stores that provides fresh food products, apparel, and health products and services; and Quickstop convenience stores that provides ready-to-eat food products, and fuel and related services.

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Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:KEYS  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 2,460,000 shares, a growth of 5.1% from the July 31st total of 2,340,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,300,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.9 days. Approximately 1.4% of the companys stock are short sold.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Keysight Technologies news, VP Lisa M. Poole sold 440 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.45, for a total transaction of $60,038.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 3,913 shares in the company, valued at approximately $533,928.85. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Richard P. Hamada sold 1,632 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.00, for a total value of $254,592.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,160 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,576,960. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, VP Lisa M. Poole sold 440 shares of Keysight Technologies stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.45, for a total value of $60,038.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 3,913 shares in the company, valued at approximately $533,928.85. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.60% of the companys stock.

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Institutional Trading of Keysight Technologies

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Hershey Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Keysight Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth $86,000. EP Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Keysight Technologies by 4.6% in the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 355,708 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $48,643,000 after acquiring an additional 15,693 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Wealth Strategies LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Keysight Technologies during the second quarter worth approximately $204,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Keysight Technologies by 31.5% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,287 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $313,000 after purchasing an additional 548 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Keysight Technologies by 16.9% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 8,882 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $1,215,000 after buying an additional 1,284 shares during the last quarter. 84.58% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Keysight Technologies Trading Up 0.7 %

Keysight Technologies stock opened at $149.08 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 2.05, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The firm has a market cap of $26.02 billion, a PE ratio of 32.48, a P/E/G ratio of 5.23 and a beta of 0.95. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $138.97 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $145.16. Keysight Technologies has a 12 month low of $118.57 and a 12 month high of $162.51.

Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.22. Keysight Technologies had a net margin of 18.24% and a return on equity of 21.01%. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.04 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 11.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Keysight Technologies will post 5.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Keysight Technologies from $167.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Susquehanna lowered their price objective on Keysight Technologies from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Barclays upped their target price on Keysight Technologies from $141.00 to $151.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Keysight Technologies from $163.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Keysight Technologies from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $167.40.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Keysight Technologies, Inc provides electronic design and test solutions to commercial communications, networking, aerospace, defense and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Communications Solutions Group and Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.

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Stablepoint Partners LLC lessened its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 3,486 shares of the companys stock after selling 51 shares during the period. Stablepoint Partners LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $3,156,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of LLY. PACK Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.1% during the second quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 5,730 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,188,000 after acquiring an additional 480 shares during the last quarter. Consolidated Planning Corp lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 174.2% during the second quarter. Consolidated Planning Corp now owns 3,197 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,894,000 after acquiring an additional 2,031 shares during the last quarter. Index Fund Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.1% during the second quarter. Index Fund Advisors Inc. now owns 717 shares of the companys stock valued at $649,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 61.4% during the second quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 15,144 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,711,000 after acquiring an additional 5,761 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company

In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the insider now directly owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 876,900 shares of company stock valued at $788,605,032. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently commented on LLY. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 24th. Argus upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,001.00 to $1,101.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $1,106.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $961.76.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on LLY

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

NYSE:LLY opened at $946.31 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $895.96 and its 200-day moving average price is $826.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. The company has a market cap of $899.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 139.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $516.57 and a twelve month high of $972.53.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.64 by $1.28. The firm had revenue of $11.30 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.83 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 18.86% and a return on equity of 67.52%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 16.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 76.58%.

Eli Lilly and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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Strategy Asset Managers LLC trimmed its stake in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL  Free Report) by 68.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,328 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 2,885 shares during the period. Strategy Asset Managers LLCs holdings in Ecolab were worth $316,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its position in Ecolab by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 21,833 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $5,196,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the period. Northstar Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in Ecolab in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $243,000. Fiera Capital Corp increased its position in Ecolab by 24.8% in the 2nd quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 6,079 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,447,000 after buying an additional 1,208 shares during the period. TIAA Trust National Association increased its position in Ecolab by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 6,122 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,457,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers increased its position in Ecolab by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 523,650 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $124,629,000 after buying an additional 7,539 shares during the period. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on ECL. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Ecolab from $243.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Citigroup raised Ecolab from a neutral rating to a buy rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $267.00 to $265.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $260.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Ecolab from $225.00 to $228.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, UBS Group lowered their price objective on Ecolab from $288.00 to $276.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ecolab presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $254.67.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ecolab news, EVP Gregory B. Cook sold 3,811 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.33, for a total value of $950,196.63. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 8,080 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,014,586.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Ecolab news, EVP Gregory B. Cook sold 3,811 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.33, for a total value of $950,196.63. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 8,080 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,014,586.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director David Maclennan acquired 650 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $240.41 per share, for a total transaction of $156,266.50. Following the purchase, the director now owns 17,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,319,446.47. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.04% of the companys stock.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of ECL stock opened at $246.88 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $241.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $233.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.50 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The firm has a market cap of $70.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.11. Ecolab Inc. has a one year low of $156.72 and a one year high of $253.54.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $3.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 21.65% and a net margin of 10.95%. Ecolabs quarterly revenue was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.24 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Ecolab Inc. will post 6.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 17th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 17th. Ecolabs dividend payout ratio is currently 42.22%.

Ecolab Company Profile

(Free Report)

Ecolab Inc provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Global Industrial; Global Institutional & Specialty; and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries.

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First Dallas Securities Inc. decreased its holdings in Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER  Free Report) by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 80,850 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock after selling 5,800 shares during the quarter. Uber Technologies accounts for about 2.6% of First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in Uber Technologies were worth $5,875,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Covenant Asset Management LLC raised its position in Uber Technologies by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Covenant Asset Management LLC now owns 52,971 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $4,078,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. now owns 5,634 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $347,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Uber Technologies by 3.3% in the first quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,882 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $376,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Uber Technologies by 6.1% in the first quarter. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC now owns 2,756 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $212,000 after buying an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Uber Technologies by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,170 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock worth $398,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.24% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on UBER. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Uber Technologies from $103.00 to $100.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Roth Mkm boosted their price objective on shares of Uber Technologies from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Wedbush reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $85.00 target price on shares of Uber Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, May 8th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Uber Technologies in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. They set an outperform rating and a $90.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Truist Financial upped their target price on Uber Technologies from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirty-one have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $87.60.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sold 500,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.91, for a total value of $35,955,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,266,114 shares in the company, valued at $91,046,257.74. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sold 500,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.91, for a total transaction of $35,955,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,266,114 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,046,257.74. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Tony West sold 28,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.67, for a total transaction of $1,978,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 96,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,851,103.15. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Uber Technologies Trading Up 0.5 %

NYSE:UBER traded up $0.37 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $71.93. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,041,219 shares, compared to its average volume of 18,375,203. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The stock has a market cap of $151.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 116.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.33. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $69.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $71.32. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $40.09 and a twelve month high of $82.14.

Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The ride-sharing company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.16. Uber Technologies had a return on equity of 17.06% and a net margin of 5.02%. The company had revenue of $10.70 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.57 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.18 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 1.05 EPS for the current year.

Uber Technologies Profile

(Free Report)

Uber Technologies, Inc develops and operates proprietary technology applications in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia excluding China and Southeast Asia. It operates through three segments: Mobility, Delivery, and Freight. The Mobility segment connects consumers with a range of transportation modalities, such as ridesharing, carsharing, micromobility, rentals, public transit, taxis, and other modalities; and offers riders in a variety of vehicle types, as well as financial partnerships products and advertising services.

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Vishay Precision Group (NYSE:VPG  Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday.

Separately, B. Riley cut their target price on shares of Vishay Precision Group from $36.00 to $31.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Vishay Precision Group

Vishay Precision Group Stock Performance

Shares of Vishay Precision Group stock opened at $26.65 on Tuesday. Vishay Precision Group has a fifty-two week low of $26.36 and a fifty-two week high of $36.13. The company has a market capitalization of $353.38 million, a P/E ratio of 14.72 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a fifty day moving average of $29.96 and a 200 day moving average of $32.16.

Vishay Precision Group (NYSE:VPG  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.32 by ($0.01). Vishay Precision Group had a return on equity of 7.49% and a net margin of 6.30%. The business had revenue of $77.36 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $78.57 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.58 EPS. Analysts forecast that Vishay Precision Group will post 1.11 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vishay Precision Group

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Algert Global LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vishay Precision Group by 19.6% in the 2nd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 15,711 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $478,000 after acquiring an additional 2,571 shares during the last quarter. Divisar Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vishay Precision Group by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Divisar Capital Management LLC now owns 176,001 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $5,357,000 after purchasing an additional 3,726 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in shares of Vishay Precision Group by 47.7% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 192,661 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $5,865,000 after purchasing an additional 62,186 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Vishay Precision Group by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 199,094 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $6,059,000 after buying an additional 11,438 shares during the period. Finally, Foundry Partners LLC lifted its position in Vishay Precision Group by 11.6% in the second quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 139,785 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $4,255,000 after buying an additional 14,585 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.61% of the companys stock.

About Vishay Precision Group

(Get Free Report)

Vishay Precision Group, Inc designs, manufactures, and markets specialized sensors, weighing solutions, and measurement systems in the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Asia, and Canada. It operates through three segments: Sensors, Weighing Solutions, and Measurement Systems.

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Yacktman Asset Management LP cut its position in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 6.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,483,191 shares of the banks stock after selling 234,020 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon makes up 2.0% of Yacktman Asset Management LPs portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding. Yacktman Asset Management LP owned about 0.47% of Bank of New York Mellon worth $208,608,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hudock Inc. purchased a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the 2nd quarter valued at about $263,000. National Bank of Canada FI raised its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 17.5% during the 2nd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 246,544 shares of the banks stock worth $14,817,000 after acquiring an additional 36,729 shares in the last quarter. Chase Investment Counsel Corp bought a new position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,339,000. Journey Advisory Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 69.5% during the 2nd quarter. Journey Advisory Group LLC now owns 10,649 shares of the banks stock worth $638,000 after acquiring an additional 4,366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc raised its stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 270,168 shares of the banks stock worth $16,180,000 after acquiring an additional 8,996 shares in the last quarter. 85.31% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In related news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.11, for a total transaction of $961,650.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 173,930 shares in the company, valued at $11,150,652.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

BK has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $63.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $61.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $68.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Finally, Citigroup lowered shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $65.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $66.14.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Bank of New York Mellon

Bank of New York Mellon Stock Performance

NYSE BK traded down $0.29 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $67.45. 1,273,793 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,785,311. The businesss 50 day moving average is $63.90 and its 200-day moving average is $59.52. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 1 year low of $39.66 and a 1 year high of $68.54. The company has a market capitalization of $50.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a current ratio of 0.70.

Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The bank reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.43 by $0.08. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 9.40% and a return on equity of 11.87%. The firm had revenue of $4.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.38 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Bank of New York Mellon Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 22nd were given a $0.47 dividend. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.79%. This is a boost from Bank of New York Mellons previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 22nd. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio is 43.52%.

About Bank of New York Mellon

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report).

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By Yi Whan-woo

Financial authorities are urged to implement measures to curb excessive competition and safeguard investors in the rapidly expanding exchange-traded fund (ETF) market.

An ETF is a collection of securities that can be bought and sold like individual stocks. According to the Korea Exchange (KRX), the ETF market reached a milestone in June this year, with total net assets surpassing 150 trillion won ($112.14 billion) for the first time. This follows the market exceeding the 100 trillion won mark in June 2023.

Data from Korea Securities Depository (KSD) showed that the number of listed ETFs on the stock market in Seoul has been on the rise  up from 533 in 2022 to 883 as of late August this year. The KSD believes it is "only a matter of time" before the number exceeds 900.

Under these circumstances, separate data from the KSD revealed that, as of late August, a total of 72 ETFs had net assets of less than 5 billion won. This represents a 46.9 percent increase compared to the end of December last year.

The KRX monitors ETFs every three months and puts those with net assets lower than 5 billion won on the watch list.

If an ETF remains on the list for 12 consecutive months, it may be subject to removal from the stock market.

The data suggests nearly 1 out of 10 listed ETFs faces a possible risk of removal, Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ), a Seoul-based civic advocacy, said.

The case is getting serious as the number of ETFs on the watch list is increasing, but we dont see any action taken by the financial regulators to keep the number down and protect investors, it added.

These so-called zombie ETFs can adversely affect investors, too, the CCEJ noted.

Zombie ETFs are those with net assets below 5 billion won and a daily average trading volume of fewer than 1,000 shares over a three-month period.

The number of such ETFs totaled 32 as of late August.

"Keeping such ETFs on the stock market only harms investors," said Jung Eui-jung, head of the Korean Stockholders Alliance.

He attributed the intense competition among asset management companies to the presence of "zombie ETFs."

Jung pointed out that leading asset management firms tend to focus on ETFs to reap profits, which in turn, prompt smaller peers to feature similar products hastily.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a public relations representative at an asset management company noted that it will be challenging to "simply delist underperforming ETFs due to potential backlash from investors in these products."

He added, "In other words, it will be tricky for the financial authorities to overhaul regulations on ETFs."
By Lee Kyung-min

Woori Financial Groups acquisition of Tongyang Life and ABL Life could be in jeopardy, as indicated by Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Bok-hyuns thinly veiled disapproval, market watchers said Thursday.

Further clouding the acquisition are precedents whereby the FSS delayed the approval of corporate expansion plans until after the head of the financial entities in question had been dismissed. Cases in point include Shinhan Financial Groups takeover of Orange Life in 2019 and DGB Financial Group's acquisition of Hi Investment & Securities in 2018.

The acquisition could fail if the firm receives a grade of three or lower on a scale of five in evaluations of business plan feasibility, financial condition and overall management.

Market watchers say Wooris healthy capital and financial condition will be insufficient to mitigate the legal risks that will linger throughout the sale process.

The stock purchase agreement between Woori and Dajia was news I learned of from the newspaper, Lee said during a meeting of lenders, market experts and borrowers at a branch of KB Kookmin Bank in Yeouido, Seoul.

My knowledge was limited to Wooris efforts to acquire life insurers, which in and of itself amplifies the risk far greater compared to adding a brokerage to the corporate portfolio, for example. Whether the bout of risks were fully reflected in the overall risk management of Woori Financial and its subsidiaries draws concern.

The rare comments were part of responses to a question on the FSS inspection next month that has been advanced by a whole year. Many view this as a rushed move to intensify scrutiny of the groups questionable lending and business practices surrounding its former Chairman Son Tae-seung.

The prosecution searched the banks headquarters last week over suspicions that relatives of the former group chairman were granted a total of 35 billion won ($26 million) in poorly evaluated loans between April 2022 and Jan. 16.

The FSS said the remaining outstanding balance of the loans came to 30.4 billion won, as of July 19. Over 88 percent, or 26.9 billion won, is backed by collateral but is non-performing. Up to 15.8 billion won will be unrecoverable, according to Woori Bank.

Shinhan Financial Group was able to acquire Orange Life and merge it into Shinhan Life in January 2019, but only after the groups board dismissed then Shinhan Bank CEO Wi Sung-ho over perjury allegations in a bribery trial in 2008.

In the so-called 300 million won Mount Nam scandal, former Shinhan Bank Lee Baek-soon handed over the amount to former lawmaker Lee Sang-deuk, the older brother of then President Lee Myung-bak. The money was handed over in a parking lot of Mount Nam, under the instruction of former Shinhan Group Chairman Ra Eung-chan to congratulate Lee Myung-bak on his election victory.

Similarly, DGB Financial Groups acquisition of Hi Investment & Securities was approved in September 2018, after Park In-gyu had stepped down as group head amid a prosecution probe over allegations of creating a slush fund and irregularities in hiring.

Wooris acquisition of the two Chinese life insurers is a long-harbored ambition, since the selloff of Woori Aviva Life to NH NongHyup Group in 2014.

Excluding Woori, the remaining four of the country's top five financial groups have their own insurance subsidiaries.
By Lee Kyung-min

Hana Financial Group opened an office in Monterrey, Mexico, marking the latest expansion of its marketing channels in North America. The new office aims to offer customized financial services to both Korean firms and local customers, the group said Thursday.

Located near the U.S.-Mexico border, Monterrey is a major industrial hub, one of the top beneficiaries of global supply chain reorientation and nearshoring.

The office is the extension of Hana's operation there since 2019 when the group first entered Mexico.

The group also donated 200 scientific calculators to students at the Villa de las Ninas, an education charity in Mexico.

This was the latest corporate responsibility initiative, following the previous donation of 300 English dictionaries and 20 desktop computers last year.

The group plans to continue its tailored global environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) activities in Mexico.

Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung said Hana's committed efforts toward the economic and financial development of Mexico have continued since 2019.

"We will strive to bolster the growth of both the local community and Hana customers," he said. "Hana hopes the Monterrey office will provide financial services unmatched by other market players and provide new growth opportunities."

Hana, among Korean financial groups, has the largest global network covering 26 regions. The group plans to expand its offshore network to include Poland and India.
The head of the financial regulator stressed the need to improve private pension programs Thursday, a day after the government unveiled details of a reform plan for the national pension system.

Kim Byoung-hwan, chief of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), also called on asset management companies to develop and introduce various new products that can help better prepare people for retirement.

"The country's asset management industry has grown rapidly over the past few years, but the amount of its indirect investment remains far lower than that of advanced countries, meaning local asset management firms may be failing to meet their customers' expectations," Kim said in a meeting with officials from asset management firms.

"There is a need for serious discussions on how the asset management industry can continue to develop and boost its competitiveness to meet the needs of the people and help prepare for the future in an aged society," he added.

To this end, Kim urged the asset management companies to develop various pension products, insisting, "Pensions are the most reliable means for one's later years that have been proven over an extended period of time.

"As the government unveiled its plan to reform the (national) pension program yesterday, it will seek to reform not only the national pension program but also retirement and private pension plans as well," Kim said.

He added the financial regulator will continue to seek ways to support the development of various, new innovative products in the private pension market through close cooperation with other related government officials. (Yonhap)
An appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower court's ruling that ordered the Korean government and the Seoul city government to return a combined 168.2 billion won ($125.8 million) in tax levied on the U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds.

The Seoul High Court said the state and the Seoul city government should return 153 billion won in corporate tax and 15.2 billion won in local income tax, respectively.

Lone Star and affiliate firms purchased large shares of Korea Exchange Bank and mid-sized builder Kukdong Engineering Construction between 2002 and 2005, when the country faced economic difficulties in the wake of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s.

The companies made huge profits by selling some of the shares at higher prices two years later, but paid smaller taxes than local companies pay, citing the tax treaty that Korea has with Belgium where the company that made the investment was based.

The National Tax Service (NTS) later launched a probe into Lone Star and its entities and levied taxes amounting to some 800 billion won in 2007, claiming the Texas-based firm had a fixed business footing in Korea.

However, Lone Star filed a suit seeking cancellation of 173.3 billion won in corporate taxes and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Lone Star, rejecting the NTS' argument that the company had a fixed footing in Korea.

In line with the highest court's ruling, Lone Star later filed a lawsuit seeking the return of taxes paid to the Korean government in December 2017 and additional suits against the Seoul metropolitan government in January 2018. (Yonhap)
Russia has secured more than 16,500 containers of munitions and related materiel from North Korea since September last year, a U.S. official said Wednesday, in yet another sign of deepening military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.

During a security forum in Washington, Robert Koepcke, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea, Japan and Mongolia, also revealed that since late December, Russia has launched upward of 65 North Korean missiles into Ukraine.

The official's remarks came as Washington has been working with allies to disrupt and prevent arms transactions between the North and Russia amid growing concerns about their security implications for the Korean Peninsula and Europe.

"Since September of last year, Russia has procured over 16,500 shipping containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel from DPRK," he said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"These arms transfers constitute clear violations of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," he added.

Koepcke also said that Washington is "deepening concerned" about what North Korea is getting in return for its arms support for Russia.

"In return for its missiles going to Ukraine, we believe Pyongyang is seeking military assistance from Russia, including fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment and other materials," he said.

The official underscored the ramifications from Russia's use of North Korean weapons on a war-torn Ukraine.

"Russia is using DPRK bullets and missiles to kill Ukrainian civilians, destroy Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, and prolong Russia's unlawful war," he said.

He also reiterated that the door for dialogue with North Korea remains open.

"The United States remains committed to diplomacy. We are willing to engage in dialogue without preconditions," he said.

"Advancing regional and global peace and security means we are open to discussing security issues, as well as human rights and humanitarian issues, including on family reunifications or inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities."

But as long as the North refuses to engage in dialogue and continues to carry out provocations, the U.S. will be compelled to take steps to protect itself and its allies, he said. (Yonhap)
North Korea on Thursday denounced a major military exercise between South Korea and the United States last month, warning the allies will have to pay a "dear price" for what it called "provocative war" drills.

An unnamed chief of the public information office at the North's defense ministry issued the statement a week after the annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise ended its 11-day run last Thursday.

"The Korean People's Army will never tolerate the U.S. and ROK's military moves threatening the security environment on the Korean peninsula," the official said, using the acronym of South Korea's official name  the Republic of Korea.

"The hostile forces can never evade the heavy responsibility for escalating tension and will have to pay a dear price."

Pyongyang has long condemned the allies' joint military drills, accusing them of being rehearsals for an invasion against it. Seoul and Washington have rejected the claims, saying their drills are defense in nature.

The official also took aim at the allies' other military drills, including the Ssang Yong exercise set to conclude Friday. Ssang Yong is focused on training the allies' Marines in amphibious landing operations.

"(The exercise) is an extremely reckless and dangerous military racket presupposing an open invasion upon the sacred territory of the DPRK," the official said.

DPRK stands for the North's official name  the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Pyongyang had relatively remained silent during the UFS this year, without launching any ballistic missiles or staging other major provocations.

Observers say the North appears to be focused on recovery efforts after heavy downpours in late July flooded large areas in the northern provinces of Jagang and North Pyongan, displacing thousands of people. (Yonhap)
More patients turned away or asked to wait as hospitals curtail ER operations

By Jung Min-ho, Jung Da-hyun

At around 8:10 p.m. on Wednesday, an ambulance was parked just outside the emergency room of Gangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul. A woman inside the ambulance was waiting for other patients to be discharged so she could secure a bed for treatment.

It has been more than an hour since we started waiting, an emergency medical technician who transported her from Cheongju, about 120 km south of the capital, told The Korea Times. When I received the call, I knew that hospitals near Cheongju wouldnt accept my patient due to her condition and the current limitations on daylight operations. So I came straight here, as this hospital seemed to offer the best chance for emergency services.

The general hospital had only one doctor available in the emergency room that evening.

At Hanyang University Medical Center, another general hospital in eastern Seoul, a patient surnamed Cho was advised by emergency medical workers to return in the morning when she visited to seek treatment for burns on her left hand and arm.

They said there was nothing they could do now, offering to just cover the area with a piece of gauze over the risk of tetanus, she said.

Since more than 10,000 trainee doctors across the country went on strike in February to protest the governments decision to increase medical school enrollment quotas, hospitals nationwide have reduced their emergency services due to a shortage of physicians.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has repeatedly stated that disruptions from the collective protest would be manageable. However, observations by The Korea Times indicate that hospitals are experiencing significant pressure.

Hospitals designated by authorities to handle emergency cases during night hours, such as Gangbuk Samsung Hospital and Hanyang University Medical Center, continue to accept patients. However, compared to the situation before the protest, patients are now more likely to be advised to visit other hospitals or wait for a bed. This is due to factors such as less severe injuries or the inability of understaffed hospitals to provide prompt care, according to patients.

So far, four hospitals  Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital in Seoul, Konkuk University Chungju Hospital, Chungnam National University Hospital in Sejong, and Kangwon National University Hospital in Chuncheon  have decided to shorten their emergency room hours due to staff shortages. Approximately 20 other hospitals are also facing mounting pressure to do the same.

With no signs of the trainee doctors returning anytime soon, concerns are growing about a potential crisis leading up to the weeklong Chuseok holiday, when hospitals will operate with even fewer staff than usual.

Recognizing the public's concerns, President Yoon Suk Yeol visited an emergency room at a hospital in Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday night to support and encourage the medical staff.

That same night, Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, also visited Korea University Anam Hospital in Seoul, where he criticized the government's decision to increase medical school enrollment quotas, calling it too rushed and unilateral.

To support hospitals struggling with emergency care, the government has decided to deploy approximately 250 doctors from the military and public health facilities.

In response to concerns about hospital operations during the upcoming holiday, beginning on Sept. 14, the government will work with local officials to establish monitoring centers. These centers will oversee the situation and appoint an official-in-charge for each emergency facility.

Health ministry officials noted that staff shortages in emergency services have been a problem long before the junior doctors' protest. Addressing these issues is a key component of the medical reform efforts they have been promoting over the past seven months.

"Fundamentally improving this system is one of the reasons for the government to push for medical reforms, Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said during Thursdays meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. The government will make every effort to address the difficulties related to emergency care, working closely with local governments and medical institutions to ensure that the public does not face undue anxiety.
A senior Korean diplomat has called for joint efforts among the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and in the Indo-Pacific to act against growing cyberthreats, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Rhee Dong-yeol, ambassador for international cybersecurity affairs, made the call during the Cyber Champions Summit (CCS) held in Australia on Wednesday, as he particularly noted the need to address the spread of misinformation as a key focus for international cooperation against cyberthreats.

Rhee stressed the need for concerted efforts to cement the "digital solidarity" among NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, according to the ministry.

The CCS was first launched in Lithuania last year as a multilateral conference on cybersecurity and cyberdefense, attended by NATO member states and its major partners.

Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand were among those that took part in this year's gathering. Korea will host the conference next year. (Yonhap)
By Enrique A. Manalo

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea share a time-tested friendship anchored in a common desire for lasting peace and prosperity and a long tradition of productive partnerships. The Philippines answered the call to support the United Nations Command in the Korean War  the first Asian country to do so. Over 7,000 Filipino soldiers served with the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea. Even in the nascence of our formal diplomatic ties, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the name of freedom. We are immensely proud of this legacy.

After 75 years, our countries remain staunch partners for peace and champions of a rules-based international order. As democratic societies, we believe this rules-based order is the linchpin for peace, stability and prosperity in our region and beyond. History has shown time and again that the disregard for international law has only resulted in tensions and conflict among nations. It is, therefore, incumbent upon like-minded nations, such as the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, to continue advocating for the primacy of the rule of law and the strengthening of the multilateral architecture that it underpins.

As seafaring nations, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea are acutely aware of the intrinsic link between peace in the oceans and the full realization of a stable and prosperous future for our peoples. As such, our countries have a considerable stake in ensuring the primacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in managing our maritime space, especially in the challenging waters of the South China Sea. As a waterway critical to both the livelihood of Filipinos as well as to international navigation and commerce, ocean governance in the South China Sea should be firmly anchored on UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

As close neighbors, the Philippines closely monitors the situation on the Korean Peninsula. We believe that the path toward peace requires the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and Pyongyang's full compliance with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards Agreement.

Amid these geopolitical challenges, it is heartening that the Philippines and the Republic of Korea have often moved in lockstep in efforts to strengthen the rules-based order  a matter well-articulated in the Republic of Korea's own Indo-Pacific Strategy. This convergence of positions is also reflected in our countries' respective statements reaffirming the importance of adherence to the rule of law, in particular, the U.N. Charter and UNCLOS and our firm belief in the power of diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Our bilateral cooperation has also grown by leaps and bounds over the last 75 years. The Republic of Korea was the Philippines' fifth-top trading partner and sixth-largest source of approved investments in 2023. Both our countries are determined to further deepen these economic ties through such arrangements as the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Once it enters into force, the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement will significantly boost the open and free movement of goods and services, as well as knowledge and technology exchange.

We also recognize the unwavering support of the Republic of Korea as our sixth-top source of official development assistance. We look forward to working together on development cooperation projects in priority growth areas, including infrastructure, transportation, water management, climate change and environment, food security and ICT. The Republic of Korea has also played a key role in the modernization of the Philippine armed forces and in efforts to improve its capability to respond to the challenges of our dynamic security environment.

Our strong people-to-people exchanges have sustained our ties for the past seven and a half decades. Bilateral tourism is rapidly recovering, with the number of Korean tourists traveling to the Philippines in 2023 closely reaching pre-pandemic figures. More Filipino tourists are also exploring the sights, sounds and culinary delights of the Land of the Morning Calm, thanks to the Republic of Korea's efforts to simplify the visa process for Filipinos.

Even more than this, Filipino and Korean expatriate communities have enhanced the social, economic and cultural fabric of our respective countries and contribute to fostering greater understanding between our peoples. Korean cultural exports  whether music, film or food  have been enthusiastically embraced by Filipinos and permeate our modern popular culture. Korea's phenomenal success in harnessing its creative industries is something that the Philippines seeks to emulate as a means to unlock new drivers of economic growth while promoting Philippine culture and the arts overseas.

As we chart our course for the next 75 years and beyond, I am confident that the ties that bind the Philippines and the Republic of Korea will grow from strength to strength  anchored on our shared history, guided by our common aspirations and powered by our firm belief in the importance of maintaining a rules-based international order. I am also confident that the strong partnership between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea will continue to serve as our ballast, ensuring our steady and safe passage through the challenges of our regional and global environments as we strive to build the peaceful and prosperous future we want for our peoples.

Enrique A. Manalo is the Philippine minister of foreign affairs.
South Korea's industry and science ministers met with a senior Czech official Thursday to discuss bilateral cooperation, building on a recent nuclear power plant deal between the two countries.

Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun met with Czech National Security Adviser Tomas Pojar who was visiting Seoul as a special envoy of the prime minister, expressing hope for closer ties in areas including the nuclear energy industry, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

In July, the Czech Republic named a South Korean consortium, led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, as the preferred bidder for a nuclear power plant project, which is estimated to be worth around 24 trillion won ($18 billion).

During the meeting, Ahn noted that South Korea wishes to establish a unified ecosystem for the nuclear industry under the joint project, which includes not only construction but also the education of experts and the development of technologies.

Ahn and Pojar also discussed other areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, industry and energy, the industry ministry added.

Pojar held a separate meeting with Science Minister Yoo Sang-im to discuss bilateral cooperation in the ICT sector.

The Czech envoy is visiting Seoul to discuss details with South Korean officials ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's upcoming visit to the European nation later this month. (Yonhap)
South Korea will hold a defense ministerial meeting with member states of the U.S.-led U.N. Command in Seoul next week to discuss ways to bolster security cooperation, the defense ministry said Thursday.

South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and his Canadian counterpart, Bill Blair, will co-host the meeting Tuesday, with representatives from 17 other UNC member states present, the ministry said.

South Korea, which is not a member of the UNC but serves as its host country, has sought to deepen ties with the UNC to bolster deterrence against growing military threats posed by North Korea.

The upcoming meeting marks the second of its kind following last year's inaugural gathering.

The UNC was established in July 1950 under a U.N. mandate to support South Korea against North Korea's aggression during the 1950-53 Korean War and has been overseeing the armistice that halted the conflict.

Participants will discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, as well as measures to strengthen cooperation between South Korea and the UNC members, the ministry said.

During last year's meeting, UNC member states vowed to be united upon any armed attack against South Korea.

The current 18 UNC members are Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

Some 1.98 million personnel from 22 countries were dispatched to support South Korea during and right after the Korean War, which ended with the armistice, not a peace treaty.

North Korea has long called for dissolving the command and recently accused Washington of trying to make an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) when Germany newly joined the UNC last month.

Meanwhile, the defense ministry will also hold an annual international security conference in Seoul next week to discuss threats to the global security environment and measures to respond to them.

The two-day Seoul Defense Dialogue will kick off Wednesday, bringing together some 900 security officials and experts, including Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military committee, and defense chiefs from the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and others.

The conference will feature sessions on the possibility of armed conflict in Asia and other regions, security threats in the Indo-Pacific region, and challenges to the global nonproliferation regime, the ministry said. (Yonhap)
By Anna J. Park

Mutual defense cooperation between Korea and Poland is deepening further as Korean companies establish a significant presence at this years MSPO, an annual international military industry exhibition held in Kielce, Poland, from Tuesday to Friday.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Thursday, approximately 30 Korean arms manufacturers participating in the 32nd edition of the Polish defense exhibition have set up a Korean Pavilion.

This marks the largest participation by the Korean defense industry at a single overseas defense exhibition.

DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun also attended the defense expo, where he met key Polish defense officials, including Deputy Minister of National Defense Pawel Bejda and Deputy Minister of State Assets Marcin Kulasek.

During their meetings, Seok urged the European country to promptly finalize the contract for the additional purchase of Korean-made K2 Black Panther tanks.

Seok also addressed related issues, including the production of the purchased tanks in Poland, technology transfer, and cooperation in maintenance, repair, and operations.

Some of the purchased tanks will be manufactured in Poland.

"We agreed that the prompt conclusion of the execution contract (for additional purchases of K2 tanks) is necessary to meet the Polish military's desired timeline for force buildup," Seok said, stressing that the Korean arms procurement authority will support additional defense cooperation in the future, including submarine projects.

Early this year, Poland signed a $1.6 billion deal with Korea to purchase 72 Chunmoo rocket artillery systems and several thousand tactical guided missiles.

In 2022, the European country also ordered 1,000 K2 tanks, 288 rocket artillery launchers and 212 K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea.

The first 180 K2 tanks, made by Hyundai Rotem and equipped with auto-loading 120mm guns, were delivered that year, with the production of 800 upgraded tanks starting in Poland in 2026.

In addition to the previously agreed-upon import of 1,000 K2 tanks, Poland is expected to finalize the additional purchase of 180 K2 tanks when the execution contract is concluded in the second half of this year.

The Korean military also plans to acquire about 200 drones from Poland over the course of this year and the next.

DAPA, which received a proposal for a contract involving Polish drones last month, is currently preparing to announce a bid. Military authorities note that the Polish drones have demonstrated their performance through extensive use in the war in Ukraine.
By KTimes

Two Korean tourists have been arrested in Turkey for stealing a bag containing cash worth around 22 million won ($16,500) from another tourist in the country's popular travel destination, Cappadocia, known for its hot air balloon rides.

According to the Turkish news agency DHA, on Aug. 27, an Albanian tourist visited a cafe in the village of Goreme in Nevsehir Province.

The tourist left his bag hanging on a chair while he and his companions enjoyed drinks. Realizing later that he had forgotten his bag, he returned to the cafe, only to find it missing.

The bag contained a large amount of cash, including 1,500 Australian dollars and 12,100 British pounds, along with passports and other identification documents.

Upon receiving the report, the police analyzed the cafe's security camera footage and identified two Asian women who had sat at the table where the Albanian tourist group had been seated. The footage showed them looking around cautiously before taking the bag from the chair and leaving the cafe.

Through additional footage from the cafe's counter, the police identified the suspects' faces and subsequently tracked them down near their accommodation.

The suspects, later confirmed to be Korean nationals, reportedly claimed they "took the bag by mistake while drunk."

Footage of the crime was also shared on a YouTube channel, leading to outrage among Koreans.

Comments expressed embarrassment, with some saying, "They are bringing shame to Korea in a brotherly country," while others added, "I want to apologize to the Turkish people on their behalf."

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.


A Seoul court of appeals again reversed a district court ruling on compensation for Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor Thursday, ordering Japan's Nishimatsu Construction to compensate five victims.

The Seoul High Court ruled that the Japanese company has to pay 20 million won ($15,000) to one of the five, surnamed Bae, and 13 million won each to the four others. The five launched the lawsuit, claiming they were forcibly mobilized to work for the Japanese company during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule.

Earlier, a district court ruled against the plaintiffs, saying their rights to claim compensation had expired. The right to claim civil damages expires 10 years after the date of an illegal act.

But the appellate court seems to have decided that the victims were unable to exercise their claim against the Japanese company before the Supreme Court upheld two relevant compensation rulings in 2018.

Only two weeks ago, another appellate court in Seoul overturned a district court ruling against forced labor victims for similar reasons. (Yonhap)
By KTimes

A construction worker in his 70s, who fell from a building site in Busan and sustained severe injuries, died while being transported between hospitals in search of emergency surgery.

According to the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters and the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, 119 emergency services received a report at around 8:11 a.m. Monday, stating that a man in his 70s fell from the second floor to the first floor of a building under construction in Gijang County, Busan, while carrying construction materials.

The 119 paramedics arrived at the scene within 10 minutes of receiving the report and provided emergency care by stabilizing the man's back, which appeared to be fractured.

The paramedics then contacted eight regional emergency centers in Gijang County, Haeundae District, Busanjin District and Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, to find a hospital that could admit the patient.

However, all eight centers declined, citing a lack of capacity to take in new patients. It was only on their ninth attempt, with Kosin University Gospel Hospital in Seo District, Busan, that they found a facility that could provide treatment, although not surgery.

The hospital was about 50 kilometers from the accident site. The paramedics drove for about 30 minutes and arrived at the hospital around 9:23 a.m., roughly an hour and 10 minutes after the accident.

The emergency medical team at the hospital diagnosed a spinal fracture that could damage the lungs, indicating an urgent need for surgery.

However, due to a shortage of medical staff, particularly in the thoracic surgery department, the hospital was unable to perform the operation.

While providing basic life support, including intravenous fluids, the hospital continued searching for another facility capable of performing the surgery.

He eventually died at 12:24 p.m., about four hours after the accident.

Since over 10,000 trainee doctors nationwide went on strike in February to protest the government's decision to increase medical school enrollment quotas, hospitals across the country have been forced to scale back their emergency services due to a shortage of available physicians.

The walkout has strained healthcare facilities, leading to reduced emergency room capacity and delays in patient care, leaving people taking the brunt of ongoing dispute on the country's medical system.

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 Kwak Yeon-soo

The Democratic Party of Koreas (DPK) assertion that the government is allegedly planning to declare martial law is undermining the partys position, as it has failed to provide substantial evidence to support the claim.

It has only provided an opportunity for the ruling bloc to launch a political offensive, putting pressure on the DPK to account for stoking unfounded fears. This has led some DPK members to concede, admitting that there are "circumstances" that could suggest preparations for martial law.

Ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon slammed the DPK for spreading false rumors and causing chaos.

If you listen to the things the DPK says, you can guess that their words come out of nowhere. Is state affairs a joke to them? Han said during a Supreme Council meeting, Thursday. If there is even a shred of evidence, please share it with me. Im dying to know.

The claim of martial law began to gain traction after Rep. Kim Min-seok of the DPK raised suspicions that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration might be preparing to declare martial law to neutralize the opposition party, which holds 170 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

I have well-founded reasons to believe that the conservative Yoon administration is drawing up a contingency plan to declare martial law, Kim said during a Supreme Council meeting, Aug. 21.

DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung fueled the speculation by mentioning it during a meeting with the PPP leader, Sunday. He even suggested that the Yoon administration might be planning to arrest opposition lawmakers, noting that martial law can only be lifted if a majority of Assembly members vote for its repeal, according to the Constitution.

The primary argument for the martial law claim is that several key military positions related to national defense, counterintelligence, and information on North Korea have been filled by individuals who graduated from the same high school as the president. This includes Defense Minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun and Defense Counterintelligence Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung. The opposition has suggested that these figures could play a critical role in enforcing martial law in a contingency.

The DPK also noted that the conservative Park Geun-hye administration drafted a contingency plan that included the possibility of martial law in 2017 during her impeachment crisis. However, the subsequent months-long investigation under the Moon Jae-in administration found no evidence of such a plan. Additionally, the DPK accused the president of referring to the opposition bloc as "anti-state forces."

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the PPP, proposed a one-on-one debate with Rep. Kim of the DPK, warning that the rumormonger should keep his mouth shut if he cannot provide evidence to support his claims. The presidential office dismissed the allegations as groundless and politically motivated.

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik condemned the DPKs accusations, questioning its motives.

The previous administration caused controversy with the martial law document in 2017, but at that time, not a single person was indicted. It only hampered counterintelligence activities by cutting the number of agents (who were accused of being involved in the martial law drafting). I wonder what the DPKs intention is when counterintelligence activities need to be strengthened again, Shin said at the Assembly, Thursday.

Even some members of the DPK are now criticizing Rep. Kim and others who raised the accusations.

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, a DPK heavyweight, said the martial law claim came out of nowhere and has no likelihood of occurring.

"I don't know what prompted these claims, but it is unlikely that absolute power can be wielded today as it was in the past. Moreover, martial law must be lifted immediately if requested by the Assembly," Kim told Yonhap News Agency.

In response to severe criticism, Rep. Kim toned down his remarks, stating that while there was circumstantial evidence to support his allegations, he was primarily issuing a warning to the government.
This summer characterized by high temperatures, frequent tropical nights, intense rainfall

By KTimes

This summer, Korea experienced its highest average temperature since nationwide weather observations began in 1973, with the average temperature reaching 25.6 degrees Celsius, according to the weather agency, Thursday.

The number of tropical nights also surged to more than three times the normal level, setting a new record.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's "2024 Summer (June to August) Climate Characteristics" report, this summer was characterized by high temperatures, frequent tropical nights, intense rainfall during the monsoon season, and sparse precipitation after late July.

The national average temperature this summer was 25.6 degrees Celsius, 1.9 degrees higher than the normal average of 23.7 degrees.

This surpassed the previous record of 25.3 degrees Celsius set in 2018, which was known for its "extreme heatwave."

Contributing factors included the persistent influx of hot and humid southwesterly winds and the overlapping effects of the Tibetan High and North Pacific High over the Korean Peninsula from late July to late August. This combination led to clear skies and intense solar radiation. Notably, the average temperature in August was 2.8 degrees Celsius higher than usual.

Severe tropical nights

This summer was characterized not only by intense heat waves with daily high temperatures exceeding 33 degrees Celsius but also by severe tropical nights, where the minimum temperature remained above 25 degrees Celsius.

The nationwide average for heatwave occurrences this summer was 24 days, the third highest on record and 2.3 times greater than the usual average of 10.6 days.

The highest number of heatwave days on record was 31 in 2018, followed by 28.5 days in 1994. This year, the number of tropical nights reached a record-breaking 20.2 days, which is 3.1 times the average of 6.5 days. This figure far exceeds the 16.5 days recorded in both 2018 and 1994.

Regionally, 36 out of 66 major weather observation sites across the country set new records for the number of tropical nights this year.

Notably, Jeju recorded 56 tropical nights, Yeosu 42, Seoul 39, and Incheon 36, with all experiencing over a month of such nights. Additionally, the number of sweltering days set new records at 10 out of 66 locations.

The summer sea surface temperature around the Korean Peninsula reached 23.9 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees higher than the recent 10-year average (22.8 degrees from 2015 to 2024), marking the highest level in the past decade.

Rainfall below average

This summer's rainfall was below average, with most of it concentrated during the monsoon season. The national average rainfall was 602.7 millimeters, which is 82.5 percent of the normal average of 727.3 millimeters.

Typically, about half of the summer rain falls during the monsoon period. But this year, 78.8 percent (474.8 millimeters) of the summer rainfall was concentrated during the monsoon season  the highest proportion since 1973. Outside the monsoon period, there were many clear days, resulting in less rainfall.

The monsoon season this year was particularly characterized by intense downpours concentrated in narrow areas.

There were nine instances where the maximum hourly rainfall exceeded 100 millimeters. Typically, an hourly rainfall of over 20 millimeters is classified as "heavy rain." Therefore, experiencing a single day's rainfall equivalent to the entire month's average for spring (118.4 millimeters in May this year) highlights the extreme intensity of the downpours.

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 Hu Young-sup

The Taiwan Strait remains silent, if relatively, although more than 100 days have passed since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office in May. Due to his repeated denial of One China, not a few observers have warned that a violent storm would blow from the mainland.

Right after Lai started his four-year term, in fact, China showed a strong will to retaliate against the Taipei government. When China staged an armed demonstration to blockade the Taiwan Strait, it seemed as if furious wind and waves would sweep the whole strait. China also announced imposing significant sanctions against a few American companies that sold arms to Taiwan. However, it appears to have ended up as posturing  at least for now.

Moreover, despite Chinas continuous malign influence, the Lai administration is expanding diplomatic and economic activities, especially with EU countries, including Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic, to name only a few. It is also a puzzle why China recently lifted a ban on the import of Taiwanese pomelos imposed two years ago in retaliation against then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan. In summary, the Taiwan Strait maintains stability contrary to concerns about strained cross-strait relations. It comes as a stark contrast to the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.

President Lai also tries to be discreet instead of seeking Taiwans independence, seemingly to not irritate Beijing. For example, in a recent interview with Taiwanese media outlets commemorating his 100th day in office, Lai said he would choose a Hawaiian route instead of passing through the U.S. continent. His two predecessors, Tsai Ing-wen and Ma Ying-jeou, not only took continental aerial routes but also openly met American political figures during stays there, when visiting South American allies. That made Chinese leaders more outraged, so Lai wants to evade the situation if possible.

There are many practical barriers to declaring Taiwan independence. Although a stubborn advocate for that aim, President Lais initial choice could be limited. That also shows why he emphasizes the importance of preserving the status quo of cross-strait relations. He only denies the One country, two systems principle that China asserts. The United States, Taiwans most important ally, also wants safety and stability by maintaining the status quo. In other words, the U.S. asks the Taiwan government not go too far.

In that sense, the future condition of the Taiwan Strait will change according to Chinas intention. Chinas top leaders occasionally manifested the need to merge Taiwan along with Hong Kong and Macao, even by using military force. However, Taiwans democratic allies will not just watch China attack the island country.

For the rest of the world, preserving the status quo is the best and only way to maintain safety and stability in the Taiwan Strait. If a serious situation occurs there, the result would be more crucial than the wars now going in Europe and the Middle East. Allies should monitor how President Lai implements his cross-strait policy during his term to make the current temporary peace permanent.

Hu Young-sup (gracias1234@naver.com) is a columnist.








By Michael Breen

When the leader of the main opposition party in a stable, advanced democracy hints that the government is planning to introduce martial law, as Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung did this weekend, you would expect Koreans  and the world  to sit up and take notice.

But they didnt. Not a squeak. Nobody ran out to buy extra toilet paper and ramyeon. No foreign head of state called President Yoon Suk Yeol. No foreign ministry issued a travel advisory. Foreign investors didnt panic sell. Foreign schools in Korea didnt check their emergency response manuals.

That is quite startling. A major political leader raises the specter of soldiers on our streets pointing guns at us, and nobody cares. We are indifferent.

Except, that is, for those fellows who spend too much time online when they should be working, and journalists who cover politics and are grateful for something more interesting than usual to write about.

What are we to make of this? Its important, of course, that Generalissimo Yoon doesnt misinterpret the silence and get ideas that he may not have had to put us all under military control. He should also know that the indifference is not because we all think the opposition leader is an idiot. The truth is worse.

For a major economy that is struggling with the worlds lowest birth rate and one of the highest suicide rates and wants to unify with a North Korea that is no longer interested, youd think thered be some real philosophical oratory and deeply thought-through policy debates in Korea.

But no. The interactions between the ruling and opposition sides in Korea are of such an embarrassingly low quality that it is not worth paying attention to.

But truth be told, we should pay attention. We should be very nervous because it seems to me that the politicians talk in such a way that displays contempt for the institutions of democracy.

Both main parties are guilty, but this time it is coming from the DPK.

When Yoon named Kim Yong-hyun, the head of presidential security, as his choice for minister of national defense, Kim Min-seok, a senior opposition figure, characterized him as a Cha Ji-cheol-style suppressor of the opposition and said it was reasonable to believe the government thinks there might be a war and that its necessary to have martial law.

Cha was the security chief of the dictator Park Chung-hee.

Other lawmakers picked up this theme, questioning Kim Yong-hyun during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly about alleged preparations for martial law.

It is, in theory, possible that someone somewhere in the government is drafting a martial law scenario paper. The thing is, though, that these politicians dont believe their own allegations. If martial law is introduced, they will be as surprised as you and me. The proof of this claim lies in the way they have thrown the idea out.

Consider for a moment the seriousness of what they are saying compared to the frivolity of the way the accusation was delivered.

The last time there was martial law in this country was 44 years ago when a new dictator, Chun Doo-hwan, decided to suppress the parliamentary opposition. Chun made the fatal error of sending special forces to do the police work of controlling campus protests at Seoul National University, where they succeeded, and in Gwangju, where they were driven out by citizens who had erupted in reaction to their thuggish violence.

That rebellion cost over 200 lives and made the military, which until then was seen as less corrupt and more efficient than the civilian establishment, a hated institution. It turned a generation of student activists from being pro-democracy into being pro-communist and even pro-North Korean at a time when the rest of the world was chucking Marxism onto the ash heap of history.

Because of this, Army officers hung their heads in shame for a generation and swore never again to allow themselves to be used in such a way to suppress their own people.

It is likely that the opposition is planning a major effort to bring people out to demand the impeachment of the president. Such is their impatience for power and contempt for elections and the office of the presidency.

But even a million people on the street would not result in martial law. If the political leadership tried it, I would not be surprised if the Army refused.

There is not going to be martial law in this country. Everyone knows that. The people and the politicians know it. If opposition politicians want to be taken seriously, they should address real problems and stop conjuring up fantasy villains.

Michael Breen (mike.breen@insightcomms.com) is the author of "The New Koreans."
By Eugene Lee

This week stood out in many ways. As President Yoon Suk Yeol has been talking about new policies, and I was getting ready to dive into the pros and cons, another streak of news immediately distracted me. The piece was asking whether the current administration was about to enact a martial law in South Korea. On one end, the idea sounded grotesque and hard to believe, but on the other, it brought a chill to my back  what if it was actually the case? So, I began to dig into counterfactuals. The likelihood of it being rather low, but not impossible  I would suggest: just dont do it. Here are the reasons for it to be a bad idea if anyone is thinking of doing that.

First, the Constitution itself guards the situation; it is explicit about terms; the enactment has to be a very large threat to the countrys stability. Well, lets assume the North is the one  but so far, the most dangerous provocations have been rocket tests, a few drones and balloons with excrement. To justify enactment of the martial law due to the rockets would be hard because, I say, maybe a great leaders hobby is to shoot them. The drones  those were so primitive that they made of South Korean military a laughing stock, and the balloons were just pranks to tease the president. So, these lack weight for them to be the reasons. Plus, the Constitution stipulates only two cases: a national emergency or to guard the public from the threat outside. Neither of the threats is viable, and if anyone mentions nukes, the counterargument to that would be, Well, China and Russia already have them; why haven't we enacted the law already? So, dont just do it.

Martial law restricts freedom of speech, press, assembly and association. We dont need to look far to see what it is like. At least five states have declared martial law in Asia since 2000. Myanmar has experienced martial law several times, including the so-called Saffron Revolution and in 2021 after the military coup. It still struggles with military rule and is still in crisis.

Thailand declared martial law in 2014. After months of unrest, the military rule has not resolved its governance issues. Just last month, their Supreme Court ruled against the winning opposition party, throwing the country back into turmoil.



In 2017, it was the Philippines that experienced martial law as a response to Islamist attacks. It sounded very legitimate then; today, however, then-President Rodrigo Duterte is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes during his bloody war on drugs.

Pakistan imposed martial law in 2007 under the leadership of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who later was tried and convicted of high treason. Surviving four assassination attempts, he was sentenced to death but died just last year because of illness in Dubai.

Notoriously famous Bangladesh had some martial law provisions in 2007, and the ensuing political turmoil for the following decade degraded the countrys economy significantly. It all ended just recently with Prime Minister Hasina fleeing to exile in India after her rule turned more authoritarian, ordering security forces to use weapons against its population. She was toppled by young people who could not tolerate corruption and repression and could not be stopped by curfews, blocked internet or even the military. Ultimately, the military announced it would not use force against its people.

That brings us back to South Korea. In 2018, after the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, the military command indeed had plans for martial law. That plan involved deploying tanks, armored vehicles and thousands of armed personnel with special forces. Only now do we realize how close the country was to enacting it under the excuse of public unrest, which began from a sunken ferry. No wonder, seeing the political strife in Seoul today, there are worries about a declaration of martial law in South Korea if the strife grows similar to one against the Park administration.

And then there is the United States, or its military, here on the peninsula. I doubt another martial law will go smoothly because, as in the words of one U.S. official, the period surrounding the 1980 Gwangju Uprising served as a "crucible" for U.S. policy toward the South. So, being dogged by the past, the U.S. will not be complicit in any use of power against the people. Plus, just a year ago, in March 2023, President Yoon was celebrating democracy with U.S. President Joe Biden; they both pledged commitments to reform laws and policies, bolster transparent and accountable institutions, and contribute additional support to democratic reformers, journalists and activists. Those words werent empty. My hunch is that in any case of political repression, the U.S. will seek heavy retribution, as it will muddy the water for a more extensive regional policy for the U.S.

So, the point is that any military-led government would struggle to hold onto power. As history shows, people who have experienced freedom are rebellious. Those restrictions never worked in Korea, especially in the last four decades. If put in place, the law will mean bloodshed, the price for which eventually will be dear, not only to any hypothetical leader or anyone around him but also to all their relatives. Their deeds will go against the future of their descendants. No one wants to be on the wrong side of history. So, to anyone possibly thinking of martial law, my suggestion is simple: dont go against your people  just dont do it.

Eugene Lee (mreulee@gmail.com) is a lecturing professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Specializing in international relations and governance, his research and teaching focus on national and regional security, international development, government policies and Northeast and Central Asia.








Tech giants seek to captivate audiences with AI-home solutions

By Nam Hyun-woo

BERLIN  Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are set to unveil advanced appliances and services powered by artificial intelligence (AI) during the IFA 2024.

Alongside the tech giants, more than 2,200 companies, including 127 Korean businesses, will participate in the consumer electronics exhibition, which marks its 100th anniversary this year. The show will run from Friday to Tuesday at Messe Berlin under the theme Innovation for All.

Reflecting on the megatrend of AI, both Samsung and LG styled their respective booths with AI-powered home appliances and services.

AI for all

Occupying 6,017 square meters at City Cube Berlin, Samsung will set up its booth under the theme AI for All to present a wide range of AI-powered products and services, demonstrating how AI can enhance everyday life through smarter, more integrated technology.

At the exhibition, Samsung showcases how AI will enhance the companys connected appliance platform SmartThings in terms of security, privacy, sustainability, seamless connectivity and B2B scalability. Samsung acquired SmartThings in 2014 to use it as the internet-of-things (IoT) platform for the companys home appliances, and it now boasts over 350 million users globally.

One of the interesting features introduced at the booth is Flex Connect, which helps reduce energy consumption during peak hours. Samsung has also collaborated with Tesla to showcase SmartThings Energy, a service that monitors solar power generation and optimizes power usage of electric vehicle batteries.

Samsungs B2B solutions are also on display, with SmartThings Pro extending the platforms capabilities into commercial spaces such as hotels, stores and offices. This expansion allows for efficient management of not only appliances but also IoT devices like lighting, climate control and security cameras.

Samsung also presents a SmartThings variation for B2B use, named SmartThings Pro. It extended the platforms capabilities into commercial spaces such as hotels, stores and offices, allowing for efficient management of not only appliances but also IoT devices like lighting, climate control and security cameras.

During the exhibition, Samsung introduces major upgrades to its AI-powered Bespoke home appliance family, allowing each appliance to understand multiple commands in a single sentence, remember previous conversations to execute subsequent commands and give immediate answers to users questions about the devices.

Other new features are also unveiled. Voice ID recognizes different users different voices to execute respective commands and Ambient Sensing pinpoints users location to activate the screens of appliances that are close to the user. The two features are set to roll out in 2025.

Along with the new technologies, Samsung will display Bespoke AI series during the show, including the Bespoke AI Combo washer and dryer and the Bespoke AI Steam robot vacuum cleaner.

To consolidate its leadership in the global TV market, Samsung showcases a series of transparent micro LED displays featuring a combination of high transparency and a bezel-less design. These screens are intended to play a central role in the AI-powered home setup that Samsung presented at its booth.

Intelligent home

LG Electronics sets up its booth under the theme Experience, Affectionate Intelligence Home and first unveils ThingQ ON, a generative AI-embedded home hub that connects home IoT devices.

Users can interact with ThinQ ON through voice communication like they would with family or friends. The generative AI understands the context of conversations and the surrounding environment, allowing it to manage home appliances and IoT devices to provide optimal care for the user.

LG highlights how its AI-based appliances, such as smart TVs, washers, dryers and air conditioners, help people maintain their different lifestyles.

At the exhibition, LG also showcases the integration of AI into its hardware technologies, demonstrating how AI optimizes product performance and energy efficiency by analyzing the environment.

The AI Direct Drive motor, featured in LG washing machines and dryers, analyzes the weight, fabric type and level of soiling in the laundry to select the optimal washing motion that best protects the clothes.

In addition to enhancing everyday convenience, LG is focused on contributing to a sustainable future by improving energy efficiency. The companys high-efficiency heat pump air conditioning systems use AI to analyze energy consumption and optimize heating and cooling modes based on environmental factors such as time of day and weather conditions.

LG Electronics will lead the era of AI home by introducing our AI home solutions that understand and empathize with customers to enhance their daily lives, Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution division, said.

Collaboration with partners

Among Korean telecom companies, KT will participate in the IFA 2024. KT is attending the event with its 10 domestic partner companies to support promising small and medium-sized enterprises in entering the global market.

All of the partner companies are AI-related service providers including Qanda, Superb AI and Lablup, and they will be using the exhibition as a stage for drawing investments.

KT will present its generative AI content services, including Travel View and Objet Book. Objet Book automatically extracts key keywords from a book and creates images and videos based on those keywords. This is combined with AI-generated background music and voice dubbing to produce video content.
By Nam Hyun-woo

BERLIN  Samsung Electronics portrayed a future where artificial intelligence (AI) technologies enhance and simplify everyday life during a press conference at the IFA 2004, Thursday.

Samsung stressed that AI will improve each individuals quality of life, transform their lifestyle and expand what they can accomplish. Additionally, the company introduced new appliances and devices that will help people achieve these goals.

"At Samsung, we belive that we want to democratize AI," Samsung Europe Chief Marketing Officer Benjamin Braun told The Korea Times. "Therefore, we are rolling out our newest AI today, called One UI 6.1.1, not only to the people having the current version (of the Galaxy smartphones), but also to last year's model and before that. (This is) because we want as many people as possible to use AI to their benefit."

One UI is Samsung Electronics' multi-platform user interface, and the latest version, 6.1.1, brings new features. This upgrade will extend AI capabilities from the latest Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6  such as live translation  to the Galaxy S24, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5.

Since our presentation at IFA last year, discussions around AI and its role in our lives have grown significantly, Braun said during his keynote speech.

At Samsung, we are proud to make AI more accessible and understandable, showing how it can simplify life rather than complicate it. We believe AI should act like multiple pairs of helping hands, meeting the needs of its consumers and the world beyond them. Our AI-enabled products allow people more time to focus on the things they care about.

Samsung expects there will be 200 million users using its AI-enabled devices by the end of this year, but at the same time, it acknowledges that there are barriers between users and AI technologies.

According to Samsungs own survey, only 15 percent of consumers said they had full understanding of how AI can be used in their daily lives, though 66 percent said they are looking for ways to create more time with AI. The poll surveyed 11,000 adults from ten European countries between July 11 and 19.

During the press conference, Chris Brauer, director of innovation at the Institute of Management Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, highlighted a significant finding from a joint study with Samsung Electronics. He said there is "a very strong relationship between frequent AI use and quality of life indicators," noting that "frequent mobile AI users are about 1.4 times more likely to report a high quality of life compared to those who rarely use it."

"In fact, across almost every quality of life indicator, from social relationships to physical health, frequent AI users came out ahead," Brauer said. "So as the tools become more advanced, people are looking for more ways to use AI."

Under this belief, Samsung introduced a number of AI technologies that can power its appliances to provide a greater accessibility to users. The company presented voice command technologies, which allows users to open the doors of its Bespoke AI refrigerators and washers and control other home appliances with voice. Additionally, Samsung revealed an AI-powered outlining technology for its TVs, to enhance visibility for those with low vision by clearly outlining objects on the screen.

During the press conference, Samsung first unveiled its new laptops  the Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 and the 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge, with senior executives from Intel and Qualcomm introducing the new rollouts.

Intel and Samsung Electronics have been partners for more than 20 years, unlocking new PC experiences for our users all around the globe, said David Feng, vice president of Client Computing Group at Intel. Powered by Intels latest processor and Samsungs Galaxy AI, the Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 will deliver a breakthrough to a new level of productivity and connectivity.

Also presented during the press conference was Samsung Food+, which is an AI-upgraded premium version of the companys health care service program, Samsung Food.

Samsung Food enables a more advanced and comprehensive approach to health management, by using personal information such as body metrics, age and exercise habits. It provides features including setting intake goals, planning weekly meals, offering personalized recipes, tracking nutritional progress and analyzing trends in the consumption of the five essential nutrients.

As part of the companys expansion in the health care business, Samsung also introduced its latest Galaxy Ring, which monitors the users sleep pattern, activities, heartbeat and other health indicators around the clock, and the new Galaxy Watch Ultra, which enables more accurate and precise monitoring of body signals and workout data.

For televisions, Samsung presented its Generative Wallpaper function, in which AI can create TV wallpapers in upscale quality, and AI-powered Bixby, which understands the users intentions to enable smart search of content.








GS Inima sale to enhance cash security

By Ko Dong-hwan

GS Engineering & Construction (E&C) is willing to sell its financially strong subsidiaries like GS Inima Environment and GS Elevator to secure additional cash for new business ventures, according to the firm's chief financial officer (CFO), Thursday.

In an interview with The Korea Times, Chae Hun-geun explained that the strategy is part of his companys latest overarching directive to enhance its management efficiency by focusing on stronger segments. He noted that streamlining the organization will bolster the company's ability to pursue new growth opportunities.

Rumors currently circulating about GS E&C potentially selling GS Inima have sparked speculation that the construction company may be facing a liquidity crisis. Acquired in 2012, the Spain-based water treatment subsidiary has been a major revenue source for GS E&C. In the first half of this year, Inima reported sales of 243 billion won ($182 million) and an operating profit of 21.7 billion won. In comparison, the companys figures for the previous year were 493 billion won in sales and 52.2 billion won in operating profit.

Chae admits that selling GS Inima would be a difficult decision.

"GS Inima has been contributing an average of 15 percent to GS E&Cs overall earnings each year. That company has been our golden boy," Chae said.

"But strategically speaking, selling the company for a good price would be wise. It would allow us to prepare for potential financial risks in the future. Additionally, we might use the proceeds to acquire another company that could become our new cash cow."

Regarding speculation about selling GS Elevator, Chae neither confirmed nor entirely dismissed the rumor, but he did not fully endorse its pessimistic implications. GS E&C established Xi Mechanics in 2020, which was renamed GS Elevator the following year.

There could be companies that prove less profitable than we had hoped. We then should take a bold step and sell them. To further secure our financial soundness, we could also sell stronger subsidiaries when their values peak and secure enough cash. This two-track strategy will allow us to invest in future growth engines," Chae said.

GS E&C has rapidly restored its financial strength after grappling with a decline in its stock market value. In the first half of the year, the company reported earnings of 164 billion won and began to generate profits. Additionally, its stock value surged by over 40 percent. These gains come just one year after the company introduced a new vision emphasizing internal fortification over external expansion.

Were also trying to bolster our image by focusing more on redevelopment and reconstruction projects in the countrys apartment market. Those projects promise higher profitability, Chae said.

The company has recently won bids for redevelopment projects over aging apartment complexes in Busan and Seoul, with a total value of 711.9 billion won.

"Redevelopment projects are as important as new apartment projects because we need to demonstrate that we care about maintaining and improving what we have already built."
Hanwha Aerospace, a defense and aerospace unit under Hanwha Group, said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Polish defense firm WB Group as part of its plans to produce guided rockets for homegrown Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in Europe.

Under the MOU, Hanwha Aerospace and WB Group will explore the possibility of establishing a joint venture to produce the 80-kilometer-range guided missile (CGR-80) for the Homar-K, the Polish variant of the Chunmoo, in Poland.

WB Group currently supplies automatic fire control systems and communication equipment for the Homar-K.

The MLRS, designed to counter North Korean artillery threats, is one of the Korean weapons systems Poland has bought to bolster its defenses following the Russia-Ukraine war.

Hanwha Aerospace said the collaboration with WB Group will help expand its arms exports to Europe by strengthening localization efforts.

Poland is a key strategic region for the Korean company as it aims to penetrate the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defense market, it added.

So far, Hanwha Aerospace has signed contracts with Poland to export 290 units of Chunmoo launchers and CGR-80 and 290-km-class (CTM-290) guided missiles.

"Through localization, we will strengthen our position as a global defense company by actively responding to growing security needs in Europe and contributing to the alliance between Korea and Poland," CEO Son Jae-il said. (Yonhap)
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday pledged over $50 billion in financing for Africa over the next three years, promising to deepen cooperation in infrastructure and trade with the continent as he addressed Beijing's biggest summit since the pandemic.

More than 50 African leaders and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres are attending this week's China-Africa forum, according to state media.

African leaders already secured a plethora of deals this week for greater cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining, trade and energy.

Addressing the leaders at the forum's opening ceremony in Beijing's ornate Great Hall of the People on Thursday morning, Xi hailed ties with the continent as in their "best period in history."

"China is ready to deepen cooperation with African countries in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment," he said.

"Over the next three years, the Chinese government is willing to provide financial support amounting to 360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion)," Xi said.

Over half of that will be in credit, he said, with $11 billion "in various types of assistance" as well as $10 billion through encouraging Chinese firms to invest.

He also promised to help "create at least one million jobs for Africa."

Also addressing the meeting, U.N. chief Guterres told African leaders that growing ties between China and the continent could "drive the renewable energy revolution."

"China's remarkable record of development  including on eradicating poverty  provides a wealth of experience and expertise," he said.

Deals and pledges

China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner and has sought to tap the continent's vast troves of natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals.

It has also furnished African countries with billions in loans that have helped build much-needed infrastructure but sometimes stoked controversy by saddling governments with huge debts.

Analysts say that Beijing's largesse towards Africa is being recalibrated in the face of economic trouble at home and that geopolitical concerns over a growing tussle with the United States may increasingly be driving policy.

But bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the summit delivered a slew of pledges on greater cooperation in projects from railway to solar panels to avocados.

Following meetings on Wednesday, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said he had overseen a deal between the country's state-owned power company ZESCO and Beijing's PowerChina to expand the use of rooftop solar panels in his country.

Nigeria  one of Beijing's biggest debtors on the continent  and China inked a joint statement agreeing to "deepen cooperation" in infrastructure, including "transportation, ports and free trade zones."

Expanding transport links

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in turn, obtained a commitment from Xi to push for new progress on a long-stalled railway connecting his country to neighboring Zambia.

That project  which Zambian media has said Beijing has pledged $1 billion towards  is aimed at expanding transport links in the resource-rich eastern part of the continent.

Zimbabwe also won promises from Beijing for deeper cooperation in "agriculture, mining, environmentally friendly traditional and new energy (and) transportation infrastructure," according to a joint statement by the two countries.

The southern African nation and Beijing also agreed to sign a deal that would allow the export of fresh Zimbabwean avocados to China, the joint statement said.

And Kenyan leader William Ruto said Xi had promised to open up China's markets to agricultural products from his country.

The two sides agreed to work together on the expansion of the country's Standard Gauge Railway  built with finance from Exim Bank of China  which connects the capital Nairobi with the port city of Mombasa.

And Ruto also secured a pledge for greater cooperation with China on the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba motorway, which Kenyan media has said is expected to cost $1.2 billion.

Ruto last year asked China for a $1 billion loan and the restructuring of existing debt to complete other stalled construction projects. The country now owes China more than $8 billion. (AFP)
German luxury carmaker BMW said Thursday it aimed to mass produce its first hydrogen-powered car in 2028, using fuel cell technology jointly developed with Japan's Toyota.

Hydrogen has long been touted as an alternative to the combustion engine as countries tighten their climate targets, but it remains a niche technology plagued by high costs and a lack of infrastructure.

BMW said it would deepen its collaboration with Toyota to jointly develop the powertrain system for hydrogen passenger vehicles, using synergies to "drive down the costs" and bring the "next generation of fuel cell technology" to the roads.

The models developed by BMW and Toyota using the technology will retain "their distinct brand identities," the statement said.

Toyota launched the Mirai, the world's first mass-market hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, in 2014 but sales have stagnated at several thousand units per year.

"BMW and Toyota share the same passion for cars and belief in 'technology openness' and a 'multi-pathway' approach to carbon neutrality," said Toyota president Koji Sato.

BMW said it planned to roll out its first hydrogen-powered model in 2028, after already testing the BMW iX5 hydrogen concept car.

The mass-produced model would have a "customer-attractive price", Michael Rath, vice president of hydrogen vehicles at BMW, told reporters in a call without giving further details.

BMW is one of the few European carmakers working on hydrogen projects, with most manufacturers betting that battery-powered electric vehicles will replace fossil fuel engines in passenger cars.

Demand for electric cars however has stalled in Europe recently, as governments in some countries have dropped purchase incentives and prices remain high.

Hydrogen cars work thanks to the cleanest form of the gas combining with oxygen in a fuel cell to generate electricity. The only waste emitted is water vapour.

But the technology faces major hurdles to go mainstream.

There were only 921 hydrogen refuelling stations worldwide by the end of 2023, according to consultancy LBST. China led the way with around 200 stations, twice as many as Germany, the European leader.

The European Commission, which aims to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, has set ambitious goals to create a network of hydrogen charging stations. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday named the European Union's former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as new prime minister, following almost two months of political deadlock after snap polls, the presidency said.

Barnier, 73, the oldest premier in the history of modern France, has been tasked with forming "a unifying government in the service of the country", the presidency added. (AFP)
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The group LOOSSEMBLE is showcasing the title track from their third mini-album "TTYL" at a release showcase held at Ilchi Art Hall in Gangnam, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 2nd.
On 4 September a judge in Mexicos Morelos state ordered the definitive suspension of the process to debate and vote on Presidents judicial reform, which passed the lower chamber of congress the same day.

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On 4 September Brazils Presidentmet with federal deputy, who is affiliated with the conservative Republicanos party and is considered a strong contender to assume the presidency of the lower house in February.

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Franco Colapinto is not just making waves on the racetrack; he's also capturing attention on social media.

The 21-year-old F1 driver from Argentina is trending once again, but this time it's not because of his impressive performance on the Monza Grand Prix. Colapinto is going viral on X, for his social media publications, with his humorous publications that show even top athletes can be like the rest of us in this part of the world..

It all began on Sunday, shortly after Colapinto's debut race in Monza. The Williams driver expressed his excitement about his first Formula 1 race, sayin: "What an unforgettable day! I can't explain how much I enjoyed my first F1 race. We had great pace and worked well with the team. We need to keep pushing... but you have no idea how much my body hurts. On to the next one!"

Later, when fans expected his next tweet to be a standard thank-you or expression of euphoria, Colapinto surprised everyone by sharing a video from the pits with the caption "fa re cheto se ve de afuera" (which roughly translates to "looks so posh from the outside"). This playful post made it clear that Colapinto himself is behind his X account, unlike many celebrities who rely on community managers.

fa re cheto se ve de afuera https://t.co/9MF4YusboC  Franco Colapinto (@FranColapinto) September 2, 2024

The standout publication came on Tuesday, September 3, when Colapinto thanked Elon Musk for restoring his verified status and the iconic "blue check." However, thousands of users noticed a curious detail in Colapinto's screenshot: a user he didn't even know existed, sparking a humorous exchange between the driver and his followers.

Noooo tengo el tic azul ese de vuelta !! gracias elon pic.twitter.com/EfkKkxDscp September 3, 2024

Through these interactions, Colapinto has shown that he's not just a top driver in the world but also relatable and down-to-earth on social media.
Merlins Grave and other lost stories embedded in the landscape

On the banks of the Tweed in the Scottish Borders is the reputed site of Merlins Grave, the embedded remnant of a legend long associated with the nearby village of Drumelzier. Dr Ronan Toolis explains how a community archaeology project revealed why this tale became rooted to this part of Tweeddale.

The morning commute up to Tinnis Castle, taken by members of Drumelziers Hiddenn Heritage during this community archaeology project in the Scottish Borders.

Merlins Grave at Drumelzier (pronounced druh MEL-yur) is formally documented in Scotlands National Record of the Historic Environment, but despite its evocative name this site is little more than a nondescript corner of a field, etched on to the map by local tradition. In 1689, Alexander Pennecuik noted in the draft of his Geographical Historical Description of the Shire of Tweeddale that: a little below the church yeard, the famous prophet Merlin is said to be buried. The particular place of his grave was shewn me many years ago, by the Old and Reverend Minister of the place. The origins of this tradition, the RCAHMS Peeblesshire Inventory speculates, could lie in the discovery of a Bronze Age grave  but, if so, no record of this find survives. While Merlins Grave has been marked on maps since the 18th century, no archaeological remains have ever been documented there.

How, then, did Drumelzier come to be associated with Merlin? Our story begins with an old medieval tale, the Vita Merlini Silvestris (The Life of Merlin of the Forest), which tells of a wild man of the woods who was banished to the wilderness because of the terrible slaughter he had provoked at a great battle in northern Cumbria: qui Lailoken vocabatur quem quidam dicunt fuisse Merlynum qui erat Britonibus quasi propheta singularis sed nescitur (his name was Lailoken. Certain people say that he was Merlin who was regarded amongst the Britons as unique in his powers of prophecy).

Merlins Grave at Drumelzier has been marked on maps since the 18th century: here we see it on Mostyn Armstrongs map of 1775.

The Vita actually contains two stories about Lailoken. In the first, he presses St Kentigern for absolution for his misdeeds. Three times Lailoken asks for forgiveness, and each time he prophesises a different way he will die  crushed by stones and cudgels; pierced by a sharp wooden stake; and drowned. On receiving St Kentigerns blessing, Lailoken offers a further prophecy that the greatest of the kings of Britain, the holiest of the bishops, and the noblest of the lords will follow him in death that same year.



The second story finds Lailoken as a prisoner of an under-king or sub-king called Meldred, held beside his lofty throne at Dunmeller. After three days, Lailoken offers Meldred a trio of nonsensical riddles, and the perplexed ruler promises him his freedom in return for an explanation. Lailoken first foretells his imminent threefold death and asks that he be buried on the east side of the Tweed near where it meets the Powsail Burn. The king agrees, but flies into a rage when the riddles are revealed to tell of the queens adultery. Lailoken makes a hasty escape, but the queen exacts her revenge years later when her shepherds attack Lailoken while on his way past Dunmeller, stoning and beating him. In his death throes, Lailoken falls into the Tweed, landing on the sharp stake of a fish trap where, impaled face down, he drowns. Thus, his prophecy became true, and Meldred had him buried at his chosen spot.



Where did this curious tale come from? The Vita Merlini Silvestris survives in only one 15th-century manuscript (held in the British Library). A truncated version of the same legend was also included in the Scotichronicon, written in the 1440s by Walter Bower, Abbot of Inchcolm Abbey, but the story was probably composed centuries earlier, most likel in the 12th century, when the Life of St Kentigern was being written. The Drumelzier tale appears to have much in common with early medieval Welsh poetry about Myrddin Wyllt, who was renowned for his gift of prophecy  and, interestingly, this same Myrddin was also called Llallawc and Llallogan in one of these poems, Cyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer (Conversation of Myrddin and his Sister Gwenddydd). In turn, Myrddin became the wizard Merlin in the 12th century, when Geoffrey of Monmouth drew various Welsh stories together into his Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), from which stemmed the Arthurian legends easily recognised today  and Geoffrey included yet another variant of the Drumelzier story in his own Vita Merlini.



Place-names in Peeblesshire derived from the Cumbric language formerly spoken across southern Scotland.

There are no doubts, then, as to the medieval credentials of the Drumelzier legend  but could it have had even earlier origins? The name Lailoken derives from Cumbric, a now extinct Celtic language that was spoken in southern Scotland during the early medieval period. His gift of prophecy recalls the divination skills attributed to druids by ancient Classical writers such as Dio Chrysostom, Cicero, and Hippolytus, and his triple death reflects the overkill observed among Iron Age sacrificial bog bodies such as Lindow Man (see CA 233 and 375). But was the story simply brought to Drumelzier by a wandering medieval minstrel, or did the Merlin legend actually originate here in Tweeddale? These were the questions that a community project, Drumelziers Hidden Heritage, sought to answer. By investigating sites in the landscape associated with the tale, the project (led by GUARD Archaeology) sought to examine the Drumelzier tales archaeological roots.



On a very soggy, dreich day in November 2022, a team of 11 volunteers and three archaeologists undertook a geophysical survey of a field to the north of Drumelzier. Led by Magnitude Surveys, the investigation aimed to see what lay beneath the surface on the spot marked as Merlins Grave  but unfortunately the answer proved to be nothing. What the survey did detect, though, was a large pit in the same field, a short distance to the south-east. Was it this that gave rise to the association of this location with Merlins Grave? There did appear to be some form of buried archaeological remains there, but only excavation would determine if the pit was indeed a grave, if it contained human remains and what period it belonged to  and unfortunately we were not given permission to dig. It would have been a very short and inconclusive project if this was all the team had to go on  but luckily there were a couple of other sites that we had investigated over the preceding months, which had yielded rather more tangible evidence.



Project volunteers, led by Magnitude Surveys, carried out a geophysical survey of the Merlins Grave site.

The Vita Merlini Silvestris contained several clues to guide our search. Much of the action takes place in and around Dunmeller, from which the place name Drumelzier derives, and the Powsail Burn and the Tweed do indeed converge at this location. The modern village is also still overlooked by the prominent ruins of Tinnis Castle, which are commonly thought to represent the remains of Meldreds lofty throne where Lailoken was held captive. Meldred himself is mentioned nowhere outside the Vita Merlini Silvestris, but his description as a sub king suggests that he was considered to rule a small area under the dominance of another ruler. This high-king may have been considered to be Rhydderch, a known contemporary of St Kentigern in the years around AD 600, who was the king of Alt Clud, the Rock of the Clyde.



St Kentigern, too, is a historically attested person: a 6th-century bishop of Glasgow, whose death was recorded in the Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals) around AD 614. Meanwhile, the terrible bloodshed for which Lailoken sought forgiveness in the Vitas first story appears to have been the Battle of Arthuret, which the Annales Cambriae place in AD 573. It is thought to have been fought on the plain between Liddel and Carwannok (Liddel and Carwhinley in northern Cumbria).

The geophysics results revealed no buried archaeological remains on the spot marked as Merlins Grave (indicated here by the red circle)  but was a large pit identified just to the south east the real location of the eponymous burial?

What the Lailoken story therefore offered us was: a period (AD 573-614), a place (Drumelzier), and a context (an early medieval kingdom in Peeblesshire) to investigate  and a key part of this research saw a team of GUARD Archaeologists and 35 volunteers excavating at Tinnis Castle in August 2022, hoping to recover archaeological evidence that might shed light on the origins of the Drumelzier legend.

This is an extract of an article that appeared in CA 415. Read on in the magazine, or click here to read it online at The Past, where you can read all of the Current Archaeology articles in full as well as the content of our other magazines, Current World Archaeology, Ancient Egypt, and Military History Matters.
UPDATE: Motorcyclist who died in Route 22 crash with tractor-trailer identified as 29-year-old

A motorcyclist was pronounced dead following a crash that closed Route 22 West on Tuesday afternoon in Bethlehem, authorities said.

Pennsylvania State Police investigated the crash reported about 1:40 p.m. between miles 325.1 and 324.8, which is between the Schoenersville Road and Airport Road (Route 987) exits.

Investigators determined the motorcyclist was involved in a crash with a semi-trailer, according to Trooper Nathan Branosky, spokesman for Bethlehem-based state police.

Bethlehem EMS took the rider to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in the city, where the rider was pronounced dead, Branosky told lehighvalleylive.com.

The crash initially closed all westbound lanes, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported at 511pa.com.

All Route 22 West lanes were reopened by 4 p.m., Branosky said.

Authorities did not immediately identify the rider or release further information.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Reporter Pamela Sroka-Holzmann contributed to this report.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
UPDATE: Pennsylvania State Police in an update Thursday night stated results were negative in a K-9 sweep of Pleasant Valley School District facilities in relation to a threat at the high school: The threat investigation remains active and any new updates will be provided as the investigation continues.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Pennsylvania State Police said they were investigating a threat Thursday at a high school in Monroe County.

Pleasant Valley School District in Brodheadsville announced Thursday on its website schools would be operating on a remote instruction day Thursday.

State police at Fern Ridge in Monroe said they were contacted by district officials regarding an entry on Pennsylvanias Safe2Say Something website involving a threat at the High School Building.

Fern Ridge detectives were investigating, according to a state police news release. Troopers also brought in their Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations K-9 Division to conduct a building sweep of the High School to ensure safety for students and school employees, the release states.

Investigators were not immediately releasing further details but encouraged anyone with information on the incident to contact state police at Fern Ridge at 570-646-2271.

The reported threat comes one day after a 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday. At least nine other people were taken to hospitals with injuries in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hours drive from Atlanta.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Anyone who wishes to report a crime relating to historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders in Ireland has been encouraged to come forward by Garda.

It was announced on Tuesday that a commission of investigation is to be established to examine historical sexual abuse claims.

Almost 2,400 allegations of historical sexual abuse were recorded by 308 schools run by religious orders across Ireland, a Government-ordered scoping inquiry revealed.

A Garda spokesperson said anyone coming forward to the force will receive personal contact as soon as is practicable.

The spokesperson added: An Garda Siochana is inviting anyone who believes they were the victim of a criminal act relating to historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders, to please come forward and report this.

An Garda Siochana is fully aware of the profound impact on the lives of those who were subject to such abuse, many of whom who may only be disclosing this information for the first time.

An Garda Siochana will deal with any matters reported by complainants in a sensitive manner and will, where possible, progress matters through investigation.

While it is our responsibility to effectively deal with all complaints and information received, there be limitations as to the action we can take in some cases due to matters such as the unavailability of evidence over time or suspects and/or witnesses being deceased.

Where these factors are present, An Garda Siochana will diligently explain such limitations to complainants.

The Garda National Protective Service Bureau will maintain oversight of the investigations carried out by specially-trained garda.

The spokesperson added: An Garda Siochana is also appealing to anyone who may have information, including as a witness, relating to crimes of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders, to make contact with them so that such crimes can be investigated.
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A plan to improve water quality in Ireland and restore freshwater habitats has been launched by the Government.

Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and electoral reform, said the water action plan 2024 is a key step in delivering on obligations under the EU water framework directive.

Mr Noonan said the plan sets out a roadmap to restore Irelands water bodies to good status or better, and protect against further deterioration in the period from 2023 to 2027 through an integrated catchment management approach.

Key actions include tighter controls on the use of fertilisers that impact water quality, a greater focus on compliance and enforcement with more than 60 new staff at local level, and a target of 4,500 farm inspections per year.

In addition, continued investment in wastewater infrastructure will see Uisce Eireann spending a multi-billion euro budget over the period 2025-2029 to reduce impacts on water quality.

A new national river barriers mitigation programme will ramp up efforts to remove river blocks that impact on species like salmon and lamprey swimming upstream to spawn, and a review of arterial drainage requirements and the underpinning Arterial Drainage Act will be undertaken in the context of land use.

Mr Noonan said: Its well past time to clean up our rivers, lakes and coasts, and thats what were doing with this new water action plan.

There are three core aims: to prevent and reduce water pollution, to let more rivers run free and restore their natural ecosystem functions, and to continue the positive trajectory of investment in water infrastructure.

This new plan will deliver on this through an approach that embeds better governance, co-ordination and accountability, putting tighter controls, more inspections and a focus on enforcement alongside a stronger evidence base for actions that tackle the right problems in the right places.

He added: Crucially, communities are at the heart of the effort and will be empowered to understand the challenges in their area and get involved in solving them through new participation structures.

As our population grows and our climate changes, its vital that everyone puts their shoulder to the wheel to protect the vulnerable water resources that we all depend on.

Housing Minister Darragh OBrien said the plan was a crucial part of the programme for government.

He said: It strategically builds on what we learned from previous plans and its combination of short and long-term goals, targets and actions will work in unison to protect the quality of our water bodies.

This plan puts us on a strong course to protecting our ecosystems and meeting our EU and international obligations.
With kids heading back to school this month and students heading off to college, September can cost families across Ireland a bomb.

Luckily, there are several social welfare and cost of living changes for parents to avail of with up to 700 worth of financial assistance available to cover back-to-school costs, fuel costs, and a new government support scheme that will also see the reduction of childcare costs.

What's available

Fuel Allowance -

This handy, and much needed allowance, is paid from September to April every year. This can be paid in two lump sums of 462 or 28 weekly instalments of 33.

Childcare -

From this month, the National Childcare Scheme hourly subsidy is increasing by 74c, from 1.40 to 2.14. These new rates will see costs for families reduced by up to 96.30 per week per child and over 5000 anually.

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance-

This one-off payment to eligible families remains open for applications until September 30.

The rate is 160 for children aged four to 11 and 285 for children aged 12 years and over in secondary education.

If you already receive this allowance, there is no need to apply again, you will receive a notification through your MyWelfare account or by post if you will receive the payment.

Free Schoolbook Scheme -

The Free Education Scheme provides free schoolbooks to Junior Cycle post-primary students from the 2024/2025 academic year. These books can cost around 300 on average

College Student Contribution -

From this month, the income threshold to qualify for the 100 per cent Student Contribution will increase to 55,924

Student Grants -

Also from this month, the non-adjacent rates for student grants are increasing by 615 per academic year and the adjacent maintenance rates will increase by 10 per cent per academic year
Photographed L-R: Allison Beggs of Daisy Desserts, Paul Lennihan of Firecastle, Dan OBrien of The Brown Bread Guy, Celine Hayes of Coverture Desserts, Jacqui McNabb  Head of Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development in Kildare County Council, Ronan Kinsella of Dew Drop Brewery, Marcela Padurte and David Coughlan of Coughlans Bakery, Mary OSullivan of Beara Bitters, Vanessa Donovan of Killadoon Milk,

Photographer Aisling Conway

The finalists for Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards, 2024 have been announced, including 11 from County Kildare. The countdown is now on for another exciting awards weekend in the pretty seaside town of Dingle. The three-day event will take place from Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th October. Now in its 17th year, Blas na hEireann saw another record-breaking year across all categories along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. Over 3,000 entries were judged, a testament to the number of brilliant producers across the country.

Jacqui Mc Nabb, Head of Enterprise, Economic Development & Tourism, Kildare County Council commented: "We are delighted to see 11 finalists in this year's Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards, and are proud to be sponsoring, for the very first time, best in Kildare, to celebrate the food provenance, taste and above all the passion and talent of our Kildare food & drink producers."

The finalists shortlisted from Co. Kildare across a range of different categories are Bird's Eye Frozen Foods, Coghlans Artisan Bakery, Couverture Handmade Desserts & Cakes, Daisy Desserts (dessert trailer), Firecastle (artisan grocers, delicatessen, bakery and cafe), Killadoon Milk, (pasteurised, non-homogenised whole milk from their single source jersey-cross herd, using reusable glass bottles), O'Brien Fine Foods (premium cooked meats), Pro-Bars Ltd, (Hartes of Kildare Restaurant), Rye River Craft Brewing, The Brown Bread Guy, and Beara Bitters, handmade cocktail bitters.

Speaking as the finalists were announced, Artie Clifford, Chairperson, Blas na hEireann said, I started the awards after 30 years in the food industry, and I knew there was a need to celebrate the amazing food and drink being produced on the island of Ireland. 17 years later, it continues to delight me the number of new producers entering each year along with so many familiar faces returning year on year. We are an island of phenomenal producers and should be very proud of that, being able to showcase the very best of the best in Dingle each year is a real privilege for the whole Blas team.

This years Blas na hEireann awards will see the return of Eat Ireland in a Day market and the Blas Village, where the 2024 finalists will get the opportunity to showcase their products, engage with customers and meet key industry buyers.

This year's focus will be on sustainability with a commitment to encourage zero-waste throughout the three days of the awards in line with the Dingle Food Festival ethos. A new element at Blas will be the removal of any single use cups and the introduction of the first electric van delivering food and drink to the awards from across the country. These new initiatives are supported by Bank of Ireland in partnership with Blas.

For finalist producers it is not just their exceptional food and drink which will be celebrated in Dingle but the people themselves, the passionate producers who make the very best of Irish will be recognised and rewarded making Blas na hEireann 2024 a food event not to be missed!
Irish Rail are "seeking ambitious applicants" in a new recruitment campaign for train drivers and electricians.

The rail operator has launched the recruitment drive seeking up to 100 new drivers in locations across Ireland.

According to the Irish Rail website, candidates must be willing to work various shift patterns including weekend work, and successful candidates will develop "full operational knowledge prior to qualification as part of the Train Driver Training programme".

They are offering a salary scale that "can reach a maximum of 65k per annum".

Applicants must meet European Train Driver Licensing requirements with a minimum of 9 years full time education and must be over the age of 20.

Irish Rail are seeking applications for the greater Dublin area (including Connolly, Heuston and DART locations, Fairview and Bray), Athlone, Ballina, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Mallow, Sligo, Waterford and Westport.

They are also hiring for 30 electrician roles in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Kerry, and are encouraging women in particular to consider applying for these roles.

With the planned expansion of services as part of the National Development Plan, and the long term outlook set out in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, it is an exciting time to become part of a growing organisation," Chief Executive Jim Meade said in a statement.

We are also seeing great interest in careers in Iarnrod Eireann from a range of backgrounds  we are a diverse and inclusive employer, and in particular we urge more women to apply for driver and electrician roles, and are encouraged by the increasing interest from women in recent recruitment drives, he said.

Early applications are recommended to avoid disappointment, as the online applicant system will close when the required applicant number has been reached.

For more information on the roles, see Irish Rail Career Opportunities.
Fresh Del Monte Appoints Dr. Imad Farhat as SVP to Lead Specialty Ingredients Team, Focusing on Natural Ingredient Innovation





Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE: FDP), one of the world's leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, announces today the appointment of Dr. Imad Farhat as Senior Vice President, Specialty Ingredients. Dr. Farhat will spearhead the company's vision to develop groundbreaking ingredients, derived from both Fresh Del Monte's portfolio and other agricultural products.

Dr. Farhat will focus on harnessing the power of nature to drive Fresh Del Monte's long-term strategy in the ingredients industry. His focus will be on developing innovative, nature-derived ingredients that align with the company's core mission of providing healthful products to consumers worldwide. By sourcing these products directly from nature, Fresh Del Monte continues its commitment to fostering a harmonious relationship between people, the products they consume, and the environment.

Leveraging his deep industry expertise and track record, Dr. Farhat will champion the development of a product portfolio rooted in the principles of a circular economy. By utilizing residuals generated from Fresh Del Monte's operations, he will help the company achieve its broader goal of sustainable operations, ensuring that nothing goes to waste and every part of natural resources is maximized. In response to the growing consumer desire to return to nature for their well-being, Dr. Farhat's efforts will focus on creating products that align with this shift, offering wholesome, nature-derived options that resonate with today's health-conscious consumers.

"We are pleased to welcome Dr. Farhat to Fresh Del Monte. His expertise is a critical addition as we deepen our commitment to sustainable practices that harness the full power of nature," said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte. "We believe nature holds the blueprint for a harmonious and sustainable future, and Dr. Farhat's innovative approach will be key in unlocking its boundless potential while also driving the development of value-added, higher-margin products that enhance consumer offerings."

Dr. Farhat comes to Fresh Del Monte after nearly 20 years at dsm-firmenich, where he served as Senior Vice President, Taste for South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, playing a defining role in key platforms for the company such as Sugar Reduction and Encapsulation. Prior to dsm-firmenich, he was an Associate Professor of Food Physical Chemistry at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Dr Farhat has authored more than 70 scientific publications and has an extensive patent portfolio in areas of food science.

ABOUT FRESH DEL MONTE

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is one of the world's leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as a leading producer and distributor of prepared food in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. markets its products worldwide under the DEL MONTE brand (under license from Del Monte Foods, Inc.), a symbol of product innovation, quality, freshness, and reliability for over 135 years. The company also markets its products under the MANNtm brand and other related trademarks. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Del Monte Foods, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited, Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is the first global marketer of fruits and vegetables to commit to the "Science Based Targets" initiative. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, Fresh Del Monte Produce was ranked as one of "America's Most Trusted Companies" by Newsweek based on an independent survey rating companies on three different touchpoints, including customer trust, investor trust, and employee trust. The company was also named a Humankind 100 Company for two consecutive years by Humankind Investments, which recognizes companies that substantially impact areas such as access to food and clean water, healthcare, and digital services. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is traded on the NYSE under the symbol FDP.

5 september 2024 at 08:05

News published onand distributed by:
Since CA 360 (March 2020) I have criss-crossed the United Kingdom, examining its history through the eyes of Current Archaeology. I have now visited every county in every country, but I have just a few geographical loose ends to tie off in this and the next column, first in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and then in London, providing a stunning set of sites and finds on which to finish.

A Magdalenian hunter gatherer campsite in Jersey made the cover of CA 333.



JERSEY

Jersey has provided the bulk of Current Archaeologys Channel Islands coverage. It is the most visited of the archipelagos eight inhabited islands, and has in the Societe Jersiaise an active archaeological presence (see Odd Socs in CA 339). CA 9 (July 1968) first visited in a mini-special on the island, including arguably the most important site in all the Channel Islands: La Cotte de St Brelade, to which I will return later.



However, it was a site also named after St Brelade that next drew Current Archaeologys attention, when CA 107 (December 1987) visited the medieval chapel in the bay of the same name on the islands south-west coast (prehistoric La Cotte de St Brelade is on the opposite headland to the east). This medieval theme continued in CA 137 (February 1994), with a visit to the priory on the islands of Les Ecrehous, 10km (6.2 miles) north-east of Jersey, and again in CA 280 (July 2013), exploring St Clements priory in the islands south-eastern corner.



Diving back into the deep past, CA 286 (January 2014) and CA 333 (December 2017) revisited La Cotte de St Brelade, known for its time span of occupation between around 250,000 years ago and after 48,000 years ago, and for its rich array of Palaeolithic materials. Today a coastal cave, the site would have once been a prominent landmark on the plains that linked Jersey to the French mainland.

It represents the earliest-known occupation of the Channel Islands, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the UK, and one of the last known Neanderthal sites in north western Europe.

The archaeological features of La Hougue Bie, Jersey, provided the Context for CA 361.

Meanwhile, CA 310 (January 2016), CA 333 (December 2017), and CA 372 (March 2021) visited nearby Les Varines in St Saviour, beyond the eastern edge of the islands capital St Helier. There has been found art from the Magdalenian era, dating to 15,000 BC  the time of Homo sapiens hunter gatherers, who reoccupied Europe between 130,000 and 16,000 years ago, as the glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age. However, it is not just extensive prehistory at which Jersey excels. CA 325 (April 2017) and CA 373 (April 2021) reported on the Le Catillon II hoard, found just south of La Hougue Bie (of which, more in a moment), in the east of the island. It contained some 70,000 Celtic coins, making it the largest hoard yet found in the British Isles. Nearby is the remarkable site of La Hougue Bie, a stunningly well preserved Neolithic passage grave within a prominent mound surmounted by a medieval chapel (see CA 183, December 2002, and CA 361, April 2020). All these sites are short distances from one another, making for a tour around the islands archaeology that is as navigable as it is spectacular.



GUERNSEY

Heather Sebire discussed the archaeology of Guernsey in CA 189.

Guernsey has had less coverage in Current Archaeology than Jersey down the years. Its main mention comes in CA 189 (December 2003), which featured a multi-period review by Heather Sebire, the islands archaeological officer at that time. I was lucky enough to work on one of the sites mentioned there: the series of medieval shipwrecks discovered in the mouth of the harbour capital of St Peter Port. During my stay, we were lodged on nearby Castle Cornet, which also features in Heathers review  a personal highlight of my fieldwork career. CA 189 also reported from nearby Lihou, a small island just off the west coast of Guernsey with a well-preserved medieval priory as well as some fine Mesolithic remains. Further evidence of the islands maritime connections then came in CA 333 (December 2017), with a most unusual find  that of a medieval porpoise found in a grave that looked like it had been dug for a human being, uncovered during excavations at the site of a medieval monastic retreat at Chapelle Dom Hue in the islands south-west. The other big find that has been reported in depth in Current Archaeology is that of a Neolithic galley grave within Delancey Park in the north east of the island. CA 249 (December 2010) reported on fieldwork there to re-examine a site first explored in the 1920s and 1930s that was subjected to the rigours of a modern-day archaeological survey at this time.



SARK

Chris Catling reported on the work of Sir Barry Cunliffe in Sark in CA 361.

A short sail due east of Guernsey (and forming part of its historic bailiwick) lies the island of Sark, famous for its distinctive system of government based on Norman law, and for its absence of cars  only tractors, bicycles, and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed. In archaeological terms, it is notable for being the first of the Channel Islands ever visited by Current Archaeology, back in CA 8 (May 1968), when a hoard of 1st-century BC metal horse-trappings, together with a cache of later Gaulish coins, was examined. Alas, it then took until CA 361 (April 2020) for the next and most recent visit of note, this time by no lesser person than Sir Barry Cunliffe. His explorations are typically insightful and erudite, studying both the islands connectivity and isolation across millennia, and I highly recommend this review to you.

ALDERNEY

Discussion of Alderneys Roman fort featured in CA 261.

My final stop on this tour of the Channel Islandsis Alderney (also part of the bailiwick of Guernsey),the northernmost island of the archipelago. Current Archaeologys coverage there is modest, and can be split into two distinctive sections separated by 2,000 years: its Iron Age and Roman occupants  examined in CA 9 (July1968), CA 261 (December 2011), and CA 401 (August 2023),especially the Roman fort on the north-east coast  and its literal occupation during the Second World War by German forces, including the presence of forced labour workers as well as prisoners at two work camps and two concentration camps. Examined in CA 363 (June 2020), these are now the subject of a formal review by the government, as well as renewed research  see https://occupiedalderney.org. On this sombre note, I sail north-west for the final leg of this archaeological tour of islands: to the Isle of Man.



THE ISLE OF MAN

Manx megaliths were the cover image for CA 27.

There have been periodic visits by Current Archaeology to the Isle of Man down the years. The first of these came in CA 27 (July 1971) and is the closest to an island special: a report on the Easter 1971 Prehistoric Society field-trip. Further reports on the islands prehistory then came in CA 150 (November 1996), concerning a Mesolithic and Neolithic site at Billown in the south of the island; and in CA 235 (October 2009), about a Mesolithic site at nearby Ronaldsway airport. From later prehistory, there are then reports on Bronze Age burial sites in CA 355 (October 2019) and CA 371 (February 2021).



Surprisingly, the islands later (especially Viking Age) archaeology is rarely covered  an exception is CA 384 (March 2022) on brooches from this era. The only sustained coverage of any site later than this date comes from Peel Castle on the west coast, a multi-period site with 11th-century origins reported on in CA 99 (February 1996) and CA 110 (July 1998). This is one of the most important historical and religious sites in the British Isles (and it is the biggest and most complex heritage site on the Isle of Man); as such, it is under the care of Manx National Heritage. Featuring on the reverse side of the Manx 10 note, Peel Castle is a fitting place to end this report. In the next issue, I will conclude my tour of the British Isles in the heart both of central government and of finance: London.

About the author

Joe Flatman completed a PhD in medieval archaeology at the University of Southampton in 2003, and since then has held positions in universities, and local and  most recently  central government. Since March 2019, he has been a Consultancy Manager in the National Trusts London and South-East Region, leading a team working on Trust sites across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. You can follow him on X: @joeflatman.
Sequentify and Dexter Collaborate to Introduce Genomic Sequencing Solutions to the Romanian Market





REHOVOT, Israel, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequentify has partnered with Dexter, a Romanian distributor, to bring Sequentify's InfiniSeqtm library preparation solutions to Romania. This collaboration offers a cost-effective alternative for next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Dexter is actively deploying genomic solutions in various laboratories across Romania, expanding access to advanced genomic diagnostics.

Sequentify's InfiniSeq reduces sample preparation time to 3.5 hours, from DNA extraction to sequencing, using a single-tube reaction, making it a practical choice for laboratories looking to improve or establish new workflows. It is also compatible with most sequencing machines and integrates easily into existing lab setups.

In addition to the InfiniSeq Expanded BRCA Panel, Sequentify offers a wide range of other genomic solutions tailored to various clinical needs, which can be explored on their products page. Building on this foundation, Dexter plans to introduce other innovative products from Sequentify's portfolio, including tools for infectious disease diagnostics and comprehensive oncology panels, enhancing the scope and impact of genomic diagnostics in Romania.

The InfiniSeq Expanded BRCA Panel is a valuable tool for assessing hereditary cancer risks and tracking cancer progression, particularly for breast and ovarian cancers. It analyzes genes like BRCA1, BRCA2, and others associated with DNA repair mechanisms and cell cycle regulation, which are crucial in cancer development. This comprehensive analysis aids in identifying high-risk individuals, guiding personalized treatment decisions, and advancing research into cancer genetics. The panel is especially beneficial for patients with a family history of cancer, those requiring broader genetic testing beyond BRCA1/2, and for tailoring targeted therapies.

Sequentify is also working with other distributors across Europe and in various geographies to bring their products to markets worldwide. Given the cost-effectiveness and simplicity of the InfiniSeq protocol, Sequentify's products are well-suited for emerging NGS markets like Romania. Dexter and Sequentify plan to introduce additional InfiniSeq products to the Romanian market, supporting the development of genomic diagnostics in the region.

About Dexter:

Dexter is a leading distributor of medical and laboratory products in Romania, specializing in advanced healthcare solutions for clinical diagnostics and life sciences. With a strong focus on oncology, genomics, and molecular diagnostics, Dexter provides cutting-edge technologies and personalized support to healthcare providers across the region. Dexter's experienced team collaborates closely with global manufacturers and local healthcare professionals to ensure the availability of the latest advancements in medical technology.

About Sequentify:

Founded in 2021 as a Weizmann Institute spinoff, Sequentify enables decentralized, population-wide genomic sequencing by providing laboratories with the easiest and quickest solutions available. Their technology facilitates the scaling-up of genomic testing by directly addressing the current pain points in the industry, through sample-prep and software solutions. The company offers panels for oncology and screening applications, and infectious diseases, with a focus on the clinical market. Sequentify is based in Rehovot, Israel. For more information, visit https://www.sequentify.com/.

Media Contact:

Avigayil Simpson

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2269535/SEQUENTIFY_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Sequentify; Dexter

5 september 2024 at 09:00

News published onand distributed by:
Saudia Ranks First Globally in On-Time Performance for the Second Consecutive Time





JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, continues to top the global list for on-time performance (OTP), achieving this milestone for the second time consecutively, according to a report by the independent aviation tracking site, Cirium, for July 2024.

The report indicates that Saudia has achieved an on-time arrival rate of 88.12% and an on-time departure rate of 88.15%, operating 16,503 flights across its network of over 100 destinations in four continents.

His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said: "At Saudia Group, achieving a high OTP has been a shared objective, as it directly impacts guest satisfaction. We've successfully maintained it during this year's peak seasons, a testament to the collaborative efforts of the entire Saudia Group and relevant stakeholders in the aviation industry. Sustaining our leadership in this area requires continuous dedication and resilience in overcoming the numerous challenges within the aviation sector globally."

In the coming years, Saudia will take delivery of 103 new aircraft, aligning with the airline's strategy to double seating capacity, expand to new global destinations, as well as its commitment to bring the world to the Kingdom in line with Vision 2030.

About Saudia:

Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines.

Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleets. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia.

A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012.

Saudia was recently awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratingstm awards. Saudia has also advanced 11 places in the Skytrax airlines ranking of the World Best Airlines 2023. The Airline also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium.

For more information on Saudia, please visit www.saudia.com.

Media Center

Saudi Arabian Airlines Headquarters

Jeddah 21231, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Email: [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/157e62b4-d719-467c-8ef9-00ea514a7e39

5 september 2024 at 11:00

News published onand distributed by:
VTEX Vision: Unifying Logistics, Customer Experience and Omnichannel Capabilities for B2B and B2C Brands





VTEX (NYSE: VTEX), the composable and complete commerce platform for premier B2C and B2B brands and retailers, announces the second edition of ?VTEX Vision', its semi-annual product showcase to empower enterprise businesses striving to improve customer experience, fuel their growth, increase efficiency, and future-proof their operations.

For its Fall edition, VTEX's global enterprise customer base?2,600 B2C and B2B customers with 3,500 online stores across 43 countries?can expect cutting-edge innovations and powerful advancements to unify commerce operations and maximize investments, ensuring B2B and B2C brands sell more, operate efficiently, and deliver exceptional customer experiences now and in the future.

"Enterprises are constantly looking for differentiators that allow them to surpass their competitors and earn an advantage in the hard-fought ecommerce landscape. VTEX is leading the way, giving B2C and B2B brands and retailers seamless access to innovations that boost customer experience, conversion, and loyalty," said Santiago Naranjo, CRO at VTEX. "VTEX Vision's Fall Edition innovations not only improve sales directly but also keep costs lower than other platforms, which makes us the most attractive option. This is what it means for us to be a commerce platform tailored for today's enterprises and the challenges of tomorrow."

Below is a round-up of the biggest product news that VTEX will announce for the Fall '24 edition of VTEX Vision:

Google Merchant Connector

Building on our continued partnership with Google to help enterprise brands boost discoverability and sales, Google's Merchant Connector with VTEX is now more powerful than ever. It allows sellers to feature their products in organic Google search listings and utilize price comparison and tracking tools.

Brands can now effortlessly map their entire catalog with Google Shopping ads, activate offers for specific payment methods, and implement Google Pay with a single click. Soon, Google Pay will also be integrated into VTEX Fast Checkout.

VTEX Ad Network

Since its launch in Spring of 2024, VTEX Ad Network has delivered impressive results: advertisers are seeing a 5.0x average return on ad spend, and 90% of them continue to invest, generating sustainable revenue for retailers. Today, VTEX Ad Network is empowering brands to create a compelling product discovery experience while monetizing advertising space across all sales channels. The Ad Network leverages AI-driven optimization for higher conversions, precision targeting, and comprehensive ad campaign monitoring.

With the latest update, VTEX Ad Network now enhances visibility by displaying sponsored products in search auto-complete suggestions and product galleries. Advertisers can also effortlessly export campaign data, search terms, and product insights, enabling quick access to comprehensive reports.

VTEX Sales App

Since its launch, the VTEX Sales App has empowered enterprises to seamlessly integrate sales associates into the digital commerce journey, boosting sales and enhancing customer experiences by bridging offline and online commerce.

The Sales App enables associates to access real-time inventory from physical stores, warehouses, distribution centers, and third-party sellers, all within a unified commerce interface. Recent updates allow sales associates to sell both in-store and online products through a single checkout process. They can also manage multiple carts, offer complementary products, and provide value-added services like warranties and customizations.

VTEX also introduced a new payment provider protocol, making it seamless for brands to integrate their preferred payment providers and use Sales App in any region. This includes tailored integrations with MercadoPago in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, and Cielo in Brazil.

B2B FastStore

Since its inception, VTEX has prioritized developer experience, reflecting its roots as a developer-founded platform. Building on this foundation, B2B FastStore is our solution for fast, composable, high-conversion B2B experiences. It offers personalized purchasing with unique catalogs, custom pricing, and an efficient ordering process. This front-end solution provides a comprehensive B2B experience, featuring quick orders, advanced buyer management, and multi-hierarchy support to scale operations and streamline procurement. It also allows seamless switching between business units to ensure accurate purchase alignment.

VTEX Pick and Pack

VTEX's advanced fulfillment solution transforms logistics into a competitive advantage that boosts customer retention. Our streamlined interface improves item location searches, optimizes picking routes, and accelerates order dispatch, allowing pickers to handle multiple orders simultaneously. The new ?Approvals and Transfers' feature simplifies product replacements and enables other stores to fulfill missing items, enhancing flexibility in managing complex orders.

The updated Admin interface provides a detailed worksheet view for real-time order tracking, with instant notifications for pickers, time alerts, item audits, and transfers. The AI-powered ?Returns Module' expedites returns and exchanges, reducing fraud and enhancing shopper experiences. Imagine receiving return feedback within 60 seconds instead of waiting weeks?VTEX now makes this possible.

Explore the latest innovations and enhancements from VTEX Vision Fall Edition 2024 to create a truly unified commerce experience here.

About VTEX

VTEX (NYSE: VTEX) is the composable and complete commerce platform that delivers more efficiency and less maintenance to organizations seeking to make smarter IT investments and modernize their tech stack. Through our pragmatic composability approach, we empower brands, distributors, and retailers with unparalleled flexibility and comprehensive solutions, enabling them to invest solely in what provides a clear business advantage and boosts profitability. VTEX is trusted by 2,600 global B2C and B2B customers, including Carrefour, Colgate, Motorola, Sony, Stanley Black & Decker, and Whirlpool, having 3,500 active online stores across 43 countries (as of FY ended on December 31, 2023). For more information, visit www.vtex.com.

5 september 2024 at 16:05

News published onand distributed by:
Awaysis Capital Completes Re-Audit of its Consolidated Financial Statements and Files Form 10-K/A





MIRAMAR, Fla., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Awaysis Capital, Inc. (OTCMARKETS: AWCA), is pleased to report it has filed its amended Form 10-K/A which incorporates a re-audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the years ended June 30, 2022. The 10-K/A amendment also removed the going concern qualifications as of the Report Date.

The re-auditing of its consolidated financial statements for the June 30, 2022, fiscal year was required due to the Company's prior audit firm, BF Borgers, being sanctioned by the SEC. The re-audit was completed by the Company's independent auditor, Moore Belize LLP in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board standards. These re-audited financial statements highlight the Company's commitment to maintaining transparency, accuracy, and compliance in its financial reporting.

Dr. Andrew Trumbach, The Company's Co-CEO and CFO said, "Our accounting firm Moore Belize LLP has worked diligently to complete the re-audits of our financial statements, and their thorough and swift completion reinforces the accuracy and reliability of our financial disclosures. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of financial governance and to ensure that our financial reports accurately reflect the Company's performance and position us for continued success."

Awaysis Capital will continue to provide updates on the reauditing process and any related developments as they become available.

About Awaysis Capital, Inc.

Increased global trends towards "work from home" opportunities have impacted both residency and travel. We believe that more people are seeking comfortable and convenient places to travel, visit, and live for extended durations. We seek to capitalize on these trends by transforming residential/resort properties in desirable locations into convenient enclaves that facilitate this type of travel or residency. We define an enclave as a gated community that has all the amenities that will allow a person to live, work and play without having to leave the community.

To learn more, visit www.awaysiscapital.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "would" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Although Awaysis believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, they involve numerous risks and uncertainties and Awaysis is unable to give any assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge, and it is not possible to predict all of them. Awaysis' assumptions used for the purposes of the forward-looking statements represent estimates of future events and are subject to uncertainty as to possible changes in economic, legislative, industry, and other circumstances. Such forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or our achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from historical results, any future results, or performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause Awaysis' actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, which are set forth in certain of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward looking statement, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE Awaysis Capital, Inc.

5 september 2024 at 17:37

News published onand distributed by:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at the Government Press office in Jerusalem on September 4, 2024. ABIT SULTAN / AP

Hamas on Thursday, September 4, accused Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to "thwart" a Gaza truce deal after the Israeli prime minister said the Palestinian militant group has "rejected everything" in negotiations.

The blame trading comes as the Israeli prime minister faces pressure to seal a deal that would free remaining hostages after Israeli authorities announced on Sunday the deaths of six whose bodies were recovered from a Gaza tunnel.

"We're trying to find some area to begin the negotiations," Netanyahu said Wednesday. "They [Hamas] refuse to do that (...) [They said] there's nothing to talk about."

Netanyahu maintains that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas, whose October 7 attack on Israel started the war.

"Gaza must be demilitarized, and this can only happen if the Philadelphi corridor remains under firm control," he said, claiming Israeli troops had discovered dozens of tunnels under the border. He said Israel would only consider withdrawing from the corridor when presented with an alternative force to police it.

"Bring me anyone who will actually show us (...) that they can actually prevent the recurrence of smuggling," he said. "I don't see that happening right now. And until that happens, we're there."

Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the area and on Thursday said Netanyahu's insistence on the border zone "aims to thwart reaching an agreement."

The Palestinian militant group says a new deal is unnecessary because they agreed months ago to a truce outlined by US President Joe Biden. "We do not need new proposals," the group said on Telegram. "We warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu and his tricks, who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people," the Hamas statement added.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that Washington thinks "there are ways to address" the impasse.

Read more Biden says Netanyahu not doing enough to secure hostage deal

'Not in coffins'

At Israeli protests in several cities this week, Netanyahu's critics have blamed him for hostages' deaths, saying he has refused to make necessary concessions for striking a ceasefire deal. "We are just waiting for them to come back to us, to come back alive and not in coffins," said Anet Kidron, whose community of Kibbutz Beeri was attacked on October 7. Netanyahu said questions remain in truce talks over the Palestinian prisoners who Israel would exchange for hostages.

Key mediator Qatar said on Tuesday that Israel's approach was "based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies." Such moves "will ultimately lead to the demise of peace efforts," Qatar's foreign ministry said.

The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians including some hostages killed in captivity, according to official Israeli figures. Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the attack, 97 remain in Gaza including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Scores were released during a one-week truce in November. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has so far killed at least 40,861 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Most of the dead are women and children, according to the UN rights office.

'Blowing everything up'

While Israel presses on with its Gaza offensive, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the military should use its "full strength" against Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank. "These terrorist organizations that have various names, whether in Nur al-Shams, Tulkarem, Faraa or Jenin, must be wiped out," he said, referring to cities and refugee camps where an Israeli military operation is currently underway.

The Israeli military said Thursday its aircraft "conducted three targeted strikes on armed terrorists" in the Tubas area, which includes Faraa refugee camp. A strike on a car left "five killed and [one] seriously wounded" in Tubas, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said.

Eyewitnesses told French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) that they saw a large number of Israeli troops storming Faraa camp, where explosions were heard. Israel has killed more than 30 Palestinians across the northern West Bank since its assault started there on August 28, the territory's health ministry says, including children and militants. One Israeli soldier was killed in Jenin, where the majority of the Palestinian fatalities have been.

'Humanitarian pauses' amid polio vaccinations

Israel's bombardment of Gaza has left the territory in ruins, with the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure blamed for the spread of disease. As part of its campaign, the military has razed neighborhoods and farms to expand a so-called buffer zone between Israel and Gaza. The humanitarian crisis has led to Gaza's first polio case in 25 years, prompting a massive vaccination effort launched Sunday with localized "humanitarian pauses" in fighting.

Nearly 200,000 children in central Gaza have received a first dose, the World Health Organization said, with a second stage set to get underway Thursday in the south before medics move north. The campaign aims to fully vaccinate more than 640,000 children, with second doses due in about four weeks.

Read more WHO hails success of polio 1st phase vaccination campaign in Gaza
Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, arrives at court for his trail on tax evasion in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 2024. RINGO CHIU / AFP

Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday, September 5 to avoid facing another criminal trial months after he was convicted in a separate gun case.

His stunning decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges  without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors  came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin.

"I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment," Hunter Biden said in an emailed statement after he entered his plea. "For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty."

The 54-year-old is accused of having failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes over the past decade, splurging the money instead on luxury living, sex workers and a drug habit. A trial had been expected to re-hash sordid details of a life that the defendant and his family  including the president  have long acknowledged had gone off the rails.

On Thursday morning as US District Judge Mark Scarsi was readying to oversee the selection of a jury, Biden's lawyers said their client was prepared to plead guilty. Attorney Abbe Lowell said Biden was willing to enter a guilty plea, although he would continue to maintain his innocence.

But defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge that the evidence against Hunter Biden is overwhelming and that the presidents son wants to resolve the case with what's referred to as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

A prosecutor urged U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi to reject the proposed plea, saying that Hunter Biden "is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him."

"Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty," prosecutor Leo Wise said of three felonies and six misdemeanors  of failing to pay taxes. Scarsi declared a recess, which will allow prosecutors to discuss the move, and the court is expected to reconvene later Thursday.

Biden has already spent a chunk of 2024 in court, having been convicted in Delaware of lying about his drug use when he bought a gun  a felony.

Read more Subscribers only Biden camp shows respect for justice after his son's conviction for illegally acquiring a firearm

Political battle

Lawyers for Biden say he is only before the court now because of who he is. "They want to slime him because that is the whole purpose," Biden's attorney Mark Geragos reportedly said during an August hearing in which he accused prosecutors of attempted character assassination.

Biden's defense team argues that the non-payment of taxes was an oversight in a life wrought chaos by a spiraling drug addiction and the trauma of losing his older brother, Beau, to a brain tumor in 2015.

Biden has paid the back taxes, as well as penalties levied by authorities, and had previously reached a plea deal that would have kept him out of jail. That agreement fell apart at the last minute, and Biden is understood to have been trying to reach another ever since.

Yet that has been difficult for prosecutors whose every move in this election year is being scrutinized by Republicans who charge the defendant is being treated leniently because he is the president's son.

Hunter Biden has for years been a foil for his father's political opponents, who have sought  without producing evidence  to smear the family as a group of criminals who have gained wealth and power because of Joe Biden's career.

The elder Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race in favor of Kamala Harris has taken much of the zeal out of the Republican drive to make an example out of his son.

Read more Subscribers only US Republicans determined to track down Hunter Biden scandal

Guilty verdicts could result in up to 17 years in prison for Biden. The gun felony, which he is yet to be sentenced on, carries a maximum 25-year term.

Hunter Biden, a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist-turned-artist who lives in Malibu, has said that he has been drug-free since 2019.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the beginning of a meeting of the Justice Departments Election Threats Task Force at the Justice Department in Washington, DC on September 4, 2024. ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP

The United States indicted two employees of Russia's RT and imposed sanctions on top editors of the state-funded news outlet on Wednesday, September 4, accusing them of seeking to influence the 2024 US presidential election.

The 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department include RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonovna Simonyan and deputy Elizaveta Yuryevna Brodskaia. "Today's action underscores the US government's ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, adding, "Treasury will not waver in our commitment to safeguarding our democratic principles and the integrity of our election systems."

Attorney General Merrick Garland, chairing a meeting of the Election Threats Task Force, said two Russia-based RT employees have been indicted in New York for money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

They are accused of funding a Tennessee-based company "to disseminate content deemed favorable to the Russian government," Garland said, and contracting US-based social media influencers to share content "consistent with Russia's interest in amplifying US domestic divisions."

Russia said Thursday that the sanctions were part of an "information campaign" and added it was working on a response.

"It is an obvious operation, an information campaign (...) that was long prepared and that is needed ahead of the last stage of the electoral cycle," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state news agency RIA Novosti.

RT, in a reaction on its Telegram channel, dismissed the US allegations calling them "hackneyed cliches." "Three things in life are inevitable: death, taxes and 'RT's interference in American elections,'" RT said.

Read more Subscribers only Panic mounts on pro-war Russian Telegram channels after Pavel Durov's arrest

The Justice Departments message is clear: We will have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic systems of government, Garland said on Wednesday.

Putin's 'inner circle'

Garland said the Justice Department has separately seized 32 internet domains that the Russian government used "to engage in a covert campaign to interfere and influence the outcome of our country's elections."

He said members of President Vladimir Putin's "inner circle" had directed Russian public relations companies "to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a program to influence the 2024 US presidential election."

The US has accused Russia of seeking to influence US elections dating back to the 2016 contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Treasury Department said Simonyan, RT's editor-in-chief, was a "central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts." Brodskaia, RT's deputy editor-in-chief, "reported to Russian President Putin and other government officials," it said.

Following the 2020 vote, US intelligence officials accused Putin of authorizing "influence operations" aimed at impacting the vote in favor of Trump. US officials have repeatedly warned of efforts by foreign powers, including Russia, to meddle in the American presidential election in November.

Read more Subscribers only Iran is accused of being behind Trump campaign hack and assassination plot

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, in an appearance before a Senate committee in May, singled out Russia, China and Iran as the worst offenders  but said the government was well prepared to protect American democracy from foreign influence.

"Specifically, Russia remains the most active foreign threat to our elections," Haines said. The nearly 2,000 videos posted by RT have gotten more than 16 million views on YouTube alone, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
The Aussie men say it's the 'biggest they've ever seen' after accidentally reeling in the hammerhead shark.

Two fishermen scored themselves the catch of a lifetime while chasing Spanish mackerel in Queensland, when accidentally reeling in a mega 4.2-metre hammerhead shark.

Bribie Island man Kurt Donald was fishing with some mates on K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, when they unexpectedly hooked the shark, describing it as "the biggest one we've ever seen". However, images shared on social media divided Aussies with the topic of shark fishing proving contentious once again.

Although Donald noted the "magnificent" catch was "accidentally caught and quickly released", adding the hooks were removed" and the shark was "released while in the water," some condemned the images highlighting the dark reality of the catch, with one person even saying, "this is animal cruelty in its most horrific form".

While the fishermen did nothing wrong, the photos didn't sit well with some Aussies. Source: Facebook

Australia's hammerhead shark population declining

It's understood the Australian hammerhead shark population is declining, likely due to overfishing. Shark scientist Dr Leonardo Guida previously told Yahoo News Australia "hammerheads are known by scientists to suffer extreme amounts of stress when they are caught on line" and they often don't survive when released back into the water  unlike other sharks.

Reacting to the photos posted online this morning, conservationist Lisa Jane Hills suggested the shark's chance of survival after release was slim.

It was a sad reality many in the comments also pointed out.

"Did you know hammerheads have a 95 per cent fatality rate after catch and release?" claimed one person in response to the fisherman's post. "They are also listed as critically endangered everywhere else in the world. I don't find this cool at all."

According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society, two hammerhead species  the great hammerhead and the scalloped hammerhead  are listed as endangered in Australia. Meanwhile, the smooth hammerhead is "near threatened" while the winghead is considered "vulnerable".

Despite some backlash, others didn't see a problem with the accidental catch and release.

One person hit back saying she hates it when "people start being negative when people catch hammerheads". "Its not like you can pick and choose what fish takes the bait," she added.

Shark wrangler defends catch, but understands the criticism

NT-based shark wrangler Alexander Mulligan, known for "chasing monster sharks in the Top End", spoke to Yahoo News Australia about the incident. He agreed it looked like the fishermen "did the right thing" by releasing it straight back into the water  but said he could understand the criticism.

With Hammerheads, there's often only a "90 second to two minute" window before "it's going to have real difficulties returning to the water," he said. After that their "muscles seize", preventing them from swimming which often results in them sinking to the bottom and drowning.

"I do get where people come from. I absolutely do," he said of the backlash noting the importance of "doing it right". As an experienced shark fisherman using the correct equipment, he says you can often tell if you've hooked a hammerhead because "the line will just be absolutely screaming off the reel".

"Hammerheads take the bait and they run as fast as they can with it. Whereas tiger sharks, it's more of a slow take," he said. For those less experienced, "they'd know they'd hooked something very large," he explained, but often the species might not be known until it's reeled in.

Despite it being controversial, Mulligan insists he and his fishing buddies do what they can to help the sharks when fishing for them in the northern waters.

"When we bring them in, nine out of 10 sharks that we bring in will actually have other people's hooks and lines and all sorts of stuff caught on them," he said.

"When we bring them in, not only do we take out our hook, but we will also remove all the tangled lines, all the snagged hooks that are on these sharks. Sometimes they even come in, and they've got ropes or nets caught on them. We'll remove all that.

"We always try to send them back better than they were."

What does the law say in Australia?

The laws around catching hammerheads differ from state to state in Australia and it can get a little complicated, Dr Guida explained when speaking with Yahoo previously.

"If you're fishing recreationally in Australia, at least in Queensland and New South Wales, it's illegal to take hammerhead sharks. However, in Australian waters, our commercial fisheries are still allowed to take endangered hammerhead sharks for consumption," he said.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
NEXT year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. A new book, by a local author Des Ryan, tells the tale of a Limerick man, from Adare, who fought and died on that fateful day in June 1876.

The Ballad of Thomas Patrick Downing is a true story. Thomas was born to Ellen Harrigan and Thomas Downing in Adare village in 1856. His father, a member of the Irish Constabulary, had an unfortunate brush with ODonovan Rossa and the Fenian movement, after which he was forced to move to America to find work.

Growing up in Savannah, Georgia against the backdrop of the American Civil War, Downing experienced the cruelty of slavery and then watched as the slaves were emancipated around him.

After the war, Downing left Savannah and made his way to Lebanon, Kentucky where he enlisted in the army and fate placed him with the Seventh Cavalry, whose regimental song was none other than Garryowen.

He spent two years in Kentucky suppressing the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan before being assigned to the remote US Canadian border to protect the US Boundary Commission's survey.

READ MORE: Bus Eireann celebrates 1,000th assist in the TFI Travel Assistance Scheme

Finally, at the age of just 20, Thomas Patrick Downing marched out of Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory with General George Armstrong Custer in search of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. A month later they found them at the Little Bighorn.

There, Thomas Patrick Downing took his place in the history books. He was one of almost 300 cavalry troops killed in one of the worst military defeats in US military history.

Downing was buried where he fell and his story buried with him. For 150 years he has just been a name on a memorial.

Now his life has been uncovered and he becomes the only one of General Custer's anonymous Irish troops to have his story told from start to finish. What a life. What a death.

Meticulously researched and featuring a foreword written by Limerick historian Sharon Slater, the book is written as a memoir, expressing first-hand what Downing's experiences would have been.

The Ballad of Thomas Patrick Downing will be released on October 28 and will be available online and in most bookstores.
WHAT an impact the Dunraven family has had on Limerick city and county over the past two centuries.

My husband Ger and I spent an insightful and unforgettable evening delving into the history of Earls of Dunraven at the Dunraven 200 Exhibition in St Marys Cathedral.

The Limerick Museum exhibition celebrates the major contribution made by the Earls of Dunraven to the heritage and culture of the whole west Limerick area, over the last 200 years.

To be in the presence of Lady Dunraven and her beautiful children, including Countess of Dunraven and Mount-Earl her daughter Lady Ana, was a highlight of the evening.

READ MORE: My week with Celia Holman Lee: Farming and fashion on show

She made an eloquent speech, detailing the rich history of the family.

It was an honour to experience an exploration of the familys past and it was truly fascinating.

Many famous faces attended the launch and Ger and I were delighted to have been invited.

I would encourage everybody to drop by the exhibition as it is there for a limited time only, until November 30.

The exhibition begins with an account of the rise of the family with the gradual accumulation of the estate between the late 17th and early 19th centuries.

The familys creation of Adare Manor and the village of Adare in the 19th century is a major theme throughout.

The Dunraven family continue to play a very active role in the social and cultural life of Limerick to the present day, and learning about our local history and the foundations of our wonderful city and county is an opportunity that shouldnt be missed.

Our rich cultural heritage sitting on our doorstep is too often forgotten, but when we open our eyes to the past, it broadens our minds beyond belief.

XxCelia
CLIONA'S Foundation are encouraging all incoming Transition Year students and teachers all over Ireland to join them on Camino for Clionas 2025 after students from 20 secondary schools around Ireland walk an incredible 114kms along the Camino De Santiago during an extraordinary week in Northern Spain.

Transition Year students took part this year from 21 schools in Munster and Leinster including Mungret Community College, Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, Laurel Hill, Laurel Hill Colaiste, John The Baptist Hospital, Colaiste Iosaef Kilmallock, Scoil Pol Kilfinane, and from Cork, Colaiste Mhuire Buttevant, Scoil Mhuire Kanturk, and Colaiste Mhuire Crosshaven from Dublin Malahide Community College and Colaiste Pobail Fola in Saggart. The trip was so rewarding and special that Clionas Foundation are calling on schools all over Ireland to join them on the journey in 2025.

Joining the group John Keyes St Munchins in Limerick said: I had a great experience on The Camino walk in May of this year. It was an experience of a lifetime and I made new friends along the way with whom I'm still in contact. It gave me time to think and enjoy the company of people and new places.

Also joining the group was transition year student Sinead Murphy from Hazelwood College in Dromcollogher.

She commented: My 2024 Camino journey was one I will never forget. This was such an amazing opportunity as I made so many new wonderful friends from several counties in Ireland and made lifelong memories like trying Galician food along with the camaraderie and fun in the hostels at night, while raising money for a wonderful cause helping families of children who are ill.

READ MORE: BREAKING: Submachine gun, cocaine and cash seized by Limerick gardai

"Over an amazing 5 days we walked 120km, uphill, downhill, over rivers and through quaint villages, our terrain varied as we walked in warm high 20 degree heat. Along our route we encountered many historical sites, local musicians and craftspeople. It was an unforgettable cultural experience. During the week we met people from various nations who, like us, were undertaking the Camino. On completing the Camino there was a great sense of personal achievement and a great sense of fulfilment that we were all able to assist Clionas Foundation.

The second annual Camino for Clionas trips took place this summer when 101 students, teachers and group leaders flew to Santiago in Northern Spain to undertake a huge personal challenge, the 114kms Sarria to Santiago leg of the Camino. These special trips took place after the group collectively raised over 124,000 for families caring for seriously sick children in Ireland.

They then walked along the infamous Camino in solidarity with these families over five days.

Clionas Foundation provide financial assistance to families caring for a seriously sick child all over Ireland to help specifically with the non-medical costs associated with the diagnosis. The foundation was set up by Brendan and Terry Ring following the death of their daughter Cliona from an inoperable brain tumour in 2006.

Clionas have supported over 1,400 families and in 2023 distributed their largest amount ever to families in need, 502,000, across 27 counties. Many parents must give up their jobs to care for their sick child leaving them struggling to cope. Studies have highlighted that a family will need between 10,000 and 15,000 a year to cover various bills while their child is ill.

The Camino De Santiago is a pilgrimage rooted in medieval origins, also known as The Way of Saint James, and has grown in popularity in Ireland and internationally. It leads to the tomb believed to be that of the Apostle Saint James the Greater, in the crypt of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.

Clionas Foundation expects up to 200 families will apply for financial assistance this year and will need to raise a minimum of 500,000 to meet these applications.
The new cashless system has sparked concern among residents who are now being forced to provide personal information just to pay for street parking.

The new parking system in North Sydney offers a PayStay app to make payment, which requires people to enter personal information to sign up. Source: Facebook/AL Markarian and 9News/2GB

As the shift to a cashless society continues to rile Aussies across the country, one prominent council area has implemented new technology for local parking. But while it's designed to be quicker and easier, residents say it's "confusing" and "invasive" with payment apps now requesting a plethora of personal information.

North Sydney Council, on the city's Lower North Shore, last month unveiled new cashless parking meters across the council area, which infuriated those who preferred more traditional payment options.

In addition to a Touch n Go system, which allows locals to tap their cards and phones to pay, there's also a "PayStay app" option available which is proving problematic for users.

In the app, users are reportedly prompted to provide personal information including full name, email and phone number as well as their car rego, postcode and of course their credit card details.

When contacted by Yahoo News Australia, a council spokesperson said it "understands no single method would suit all" and hoped the new parking system would "provide the public with flexibility in how they would like to manage their parking".

However, it also "acknowledges the frustrations experienced by the community with the new parking meters and is actively working to resolve them".

Residents express concerns over 'poor' paid parking decision

According to some, the apps are extremely "invasive" with many wondering why such a system is required. People also have the option of calling a phone number provided on a sign to pay for parking  but this option is no more convenient, say locals.

"The new PayStay parking system in North Sydney is inconvenient, time-wasting and discriminates against people who are not tech-savvy. What if you don't have your phone on you? It is a poor decision [by council]," one hit out on social media recently.

"Instead of being able to simply tap and go, you have to download an app, provide personal details, store credit card details in a third-party system, and then navigate the app. I was just popping to the shops for a coffee, not applying for a bank loan".

A cashless Touch N Go option (right) was also introduced last month, eliminating the need for traditional parking metres (left). Source: Facebook/Mosman Collective and Kelly Osbourne.

Hackers, surcharges and 'challenging' system among complaints

Others feared handing over their information in case of hackers ultimately distributing their personal details. "I won't be downloading yet another app to get the privilege of providing personal information to an unknown third party just because I want to park my car," another said.

It's been labelled a "total nightmare" by some and "terrible" by others who say "they already had perfectly serviceable machines doing the job," noting it's likely extremely challenging for older people  but others have struggled too.

"I tried to pay using one of the new meters yesterday but it wasnt working properly. The man who tried to use it before me had been trying for ages also with no success," said one.

"The barcode scan and pay didnt work the other day, while I was looking for help with the new app, and figuring out how to pay with the new system, I got a $135 fine! It is insane," said another.

Some also noted paying via the app incurs an extra surcharge, "an extortionate 8.25 per cent" one pointed out. Plus it's believed there's an additional "34c per notification on the app" which reminds users when their parking runs out.

One resident noted the app automatically adds an 8.25 per cent surcharge on all payments making a $6.90 stay cost a total of $7.47 instead. Source: Facebook/Simon Berry

Council told Yahoo, the "parking surcharges are based upon user preferences" but did not elaborate further.

"The new parking system aims to ensure a combination of both the best value and most flexibility for the community as we recognise the increasing differences in technology preferences for individuals," they said.

"For customers to gain the best understanding of this new parking system, Council will be providing additional instructions and information," they continued. "Council will continue to monitor and improve the parking system to mitigate community concerns which include installing an additional 30 parking meters across the LGA for those not wishing to use the PayStay app."

Paid parking change leads to multiple fines

To make matters worse, the original parking meters remained in place during the transition, but each had a black plastic bag covering them. According to some locals, within the first couple of weeks, they'd been mistaken as "not working" by many not realising there was another way to pay, and therefore some hadn't paid for parking. Some people reported receiving a $135 fine as a result.

At the time, in early August, a council spokesperson told the Mosman Collective "old meters have had bags placed over them in preparation for removal, redirecting vehicle owners to new meters for payment".

"We understand this has caused some confusion as some of the new meters and Touch N Gos are located further away from the old meters," they said. It's understood the old parking meters have now been removed.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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The Hosteller, a chain of hostels, has raised $4 million, or about 32 crore, in a Series A funding round led by V3 Ventures. Six other existing investment companies, individuals and family offices also participated in the funding round.

The company plans to more than double its network as it competes with 10-year-old Zostel, which is one of the largest chains of branded hostels in the country, as well as ArtBuzz and goSTOPS.

Also Read | Yatra Online acquires corporate travel agency Globe Travels for 128 crore

The Hosteller will deploy the funds to expand its network to over 150 locations across India by 2026, the company said in a statement. At present, it operates in 60 locations in metro cities and tourist destinations.

It intends to increase its presence in urban centres and emerging travel spots. The company will also strengthen existing operations while venturing into new regions.

Sustainable growth Arjun Vaidya, co-founder of V3 Ventures, said the funding will allow the company to scale up quickly and continue capturing a larger share of the travel and backpacker market across India. Participants in this funding round included LV Angel Fund, venture capital company FAO Ventures, private equity firm Synergy Capital Partners, Unit-e Consulting, Ice.VC and Thrive Ventures.

Founder and CEO Pranav Dangi said the company will focus on sustainable growth. The funding round will support its broader strategy of providing travel experiences.

He added that the company will add about five hostels to its portfolio every month. Since its launch in 2014, the company has expanded primarily in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka. It operates its own properties.



Bookings for alternative accommodation on MakeMyTrip increased 24% in 2023. According to research by the online travel company, rooms under 2,500 per night were preferred the most by travellers looking for hostels and apartments.

A lot of this demand came from the north of the country. But this was not the case in the east, where travellers preferred hotels. Alternative accommodation like homestays were favoured more by those in the south.

The sector has attracted other funding in the past. In 2021, goSTOPS raised $2 million in its Pre-Series A and bridge rounds from Mumbai Angels Network, The Chennai Angels and others.

Last week, The Hive Hostels, a student hostel company that does not directly compete with The Hosteller, raised 11.5 crore. Zostel has raised $14.8 million across three rounds since 2014.
Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday granted temporary relief to FMCG major Hindustan Unilever in a plea seeking an injunction against Abbott Laboratories for allegedly denigrating its product, Horlicks Diabetes Plus.

A bench led by justice R.I. Chagla said HUL had made out a strong prima facie case for the grant of ad-interim reliefs. "The balance of convenience is in favour of the plaintiff (HUL). Unless reliefs as prayed for are granted, the plaintiff will suffer irreparable harm/injury which cannot be compensated in terms of money, the bench added.

The court will hear the final matter on 7 October.

According to HUL, the Horlicks Diabetes Plus has been designed for blood sugar management and is one of Indias highest fibre- nutritional drink. The FMCG company claimed that it has a valid trademark for the product.

HUL said it came across an advertisement for Abbotts product, Ensure Diabetes Care, in August 2024. A pharmacist informed HULs representative that the advertisement was being widely circulated in various WhatsApp groups across the country, comprising pharmacists, chemists, sales agents, medical representatives, healthcare professionals, and family groups.

The advertisement shows HUL's product (a blurred image) being shrugged and replaced with Abbotts product, making Horlicks Diabetes Plus seem like an inferior or useless product, HUL alleged.

Though HULs legal representative immediately reached out to Abbott and sought a clarity on the issue, it failed to get any substantial response.

Consequently, HUL wrote an email to Abbott on 26 August 2024. We understand that the said advertisement is being used in your medicine /expert/chemist channel (recipients) and has been widely shared within the said channel on WhatsApp. We would like to bring to your notice that such an act is illegal and unfitting of an organization like Abbott, it said.
Amazon Inc intends to help Indian exporters sell $5 billion worth of small-ticket items through its platform this year in the United States and Britain, compared to almost $3 billion in 2023, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting a company official.

Under Amazon's Global Selling programme, launched in 2015, nearly 1.5 lakh small Indian exporters are expected to sell their products directly to foreign buyers on the Amazon e-commerce platform, as per the report.

Also Read | Amazon India to cut down its selling fees by 12% ahead of festive season

We are investing significantly in tools and technologies to help sellers optimise their reach, enhance product discovery, and increase sales, Bhupen Wakankar, director of global trade at Amazon, told the news agency.

Amazon is in line to help tens of thousands of Indian businesses achieve a cumulative $13 billion in e-commerce exports by the end of 2024, according to a company statement cited in the report.

Amazon's move highlights India's role in the global supply chain and reflects the larger trend among multinational corporations to diversify sourcing away from China, according to the report.

In 2020, Walmart Inc also said the brand plans to increase its supplies from India to $10 billion a year by 2027, compared to nearly $3 billion at that time, as per the report.

Amazon has partnered with the Ministry of Commerce in India and trade associations to connect with small manufacturers across the country, offering products like textiles and jewellery to household items and Ayurveda products, said the report quoting Wakankar.

Products like these are easy to send to customers abroad and they attract less import taxes than other costlier items.

E-commerce in India: According to the report, Amazon and Walmart have reshaped India's retail landscape in recent years, investing billions of dollars to source supplies from small businesses and attract consumers with bigger discounts, even though they are facing criticism from trading and political groups.

Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal accused Amazon and other e-commerce companies of predatory pricing strategies and also said that the sector's rapid growth should not disrupt millions of brick-and-mortar stores in India, as per the report.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday permitted Bina Modi, managing director of tobacco maker Godfrey Phillips India, to exercise her voting rights at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for 2.30 pm on 6 September.

The court dismissed pleas by Ruchir Modi and Samir Modi, who sought to prevent her from voting at the AGM. The meeting is likely to go ahead as planned, with significant decisions looming, including the reappointment of Bina Modi as managing director.

The court also clarified that if, at any point during the case, it determines that Bina Modi's appointment as managing director was improper, she will have to resign immediately and wont be able to claim any equity. This directive should also be communicated at the AGM, the court added. It also directed Bina Modi to file a half-yearly affidavit detailing the remuneration and other benefits she receives as managing director of the company.

According to media reports, proxy advisory firms Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS) and ISS have advised shareholders to vote against her reappointment, citing concerns about her ability to dedicate enough time to the role owing to her position as chairman and managing director of Indofil Industries Ltd. ISS has also raised concerns about her remuneration, saying it may not be appropriate for a company of this size.

At a crossroads Godfrey Phillips India is at a crucial juncture as it grapples with leadership and governance issues amid a prolonged family dispute. In June the Delhi High Court issued a notice to Bina Modi on a petition by her grandson, Ruchir Modi, who sought her removal as managing trustee of the KK Modi Family Trust and the appointment of an administrator to oversee the trust.

In his plea, Ruchir Modi had asked the court to direct the administrator to sell the trusts assets and distribute the proceeds among the four branches of the family. He alleged that Bina Modi and her daughter Charu excluded his family from the trusts benefits and breached their fiduciary duties as trustees.Ruchir Modi also claimed that Bina Modi had been selling assets without proper oversight, even though the trust deed requires the unanimous consent of the trustees for such decisions.

In response, Bina Modi argued that Ruchir Modi's claims mirrored those of his father, Lalit Modi, and that he must first withdraw his application from the Supreme Court before pursuing the case in the high court.

The family dispute dates back to 2014, when KK Modi, his wife Bina and their children executed a restated trust deed, consolidating the family's assets to ensure equal distribution among all branches. Since KK Modi's passing, Ruchir and Lalit Modi have been embroiled in legal battles over their exclusion from key roles in family companies, including Godfrey Phillips India and Modicare Ltd.

The outcome of the AGM on 6 September will be pivotal in shaping the future leadership of Godfrey Phillips India, with shareholders now facing a critical decision on Bina Modi's reappointment amid the family feud.
(Bloomberg) -- The rewards programs of the four largest US air carriers  Delta Air Lines Inc., American Airlines Group Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co.  are being probed by the US Department of Transportation, the agency announced Thursday.

The department has asked the airlines to submit reports and turn over detailed information on their programs to learn how consumers are impacted by the devaluation of earned rewards, hidden or dynamic pricing, extra fees, and reduced competition and choice, it said in a statement.

Many Americans view their rewards points balances as part of their savings, Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the statement. But unlike a traditional savings account, these rewards are controlled by a company that can unilaterally change their value.

The loyalty programs have come under fire in recent months, with the Biden administration and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle raising concerns that carriers lure customers with promises of rewards only to strip flyers of those perks with little notice by making sudden changes to how points and miles accrue. Theyve also raised concerns about whether the programs give larger airlines an unfair advantage over smaller competitors.

The Transportation Department has taken a hard line with airlines on practices or policies that its determined could be harming consumers. The loyalty program probe is the latest in a slew of government actions on that front.

The probe targets a substantial source of revenue for carriers that are currently raking in billions of dollars from their loyalty programs and co-branded credit cards.

Delta reported that it made $6.8 billion in 2023 from its credit card partnership with American Express Co., a number that it expects to grow by 10% this year and to reach $10 billion over the long term. American Airlines disclosed it received $5.2 billion in cash payments in 2023 from its co-branded credit card and other partners.

The public also got a glimpse at how lucrative these programs are when major US carriers raised at least $20 billion in financing during the Covid-19 pandemic using their loyalty programs as collateral.

Buttigieg previewed his concerns with the loyalty programs and co-branded cards, which help passengers boost rewards through spending, at a joint hearing with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in May. At the time, he raised two primary worries: that airlines were changing their programs to make it more difficult for customers to earn perks  a decision that recently backfired on Delta, which was forced to rethink a 2023 overhaul following a deluge of complaints  and that the programs were potentially being operated in a way to block the entry or growth of smaller airline competitors.

Airline loyalty programs arent a new concept. American was the first major carrier to create such a program with AAdvantage in 1981, followed shortly thereafter by United and Delta. They initially started as a way for the airlines to differentiate themselves after the industry was deregulated in 1978 but have since morphed into the massive money-makers they are today.

Carriers generate revenue by selling points or miles to the companies theyve partnered with on their co-branded credit cards, which in turn offer them as rewards to customers when they make purchases on the card. They can also sell points or miles directly to consumers on their websites or to other businesses theyve teamed up with, such as hotels, retailers or car rental companies.

Proponents say the programs and the co-branded credit cards, give travelers access to a range of popular benefits, from priority boarding to airport lounge access. And according to Airlines for America, a trade group that represents the large airlines, nearly one out of every four US households has an airline credit card.

But consumer advocacy groups and lawmakers like Senators Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, and Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, have leaned on the Transportation Department to take action to prohibit potentially unfair practices. The senators raised many of the concerns that Buttigieg echoed in the May hearing in a letter sent to the department and the CFPB last year.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- Guinea plans to build the countrys first solar power plants to increase its electricity production by 15% and cut its reliance on West African neighbors.

The construction of two 35-megawatt power plants and a 30-megawatt plant are underway in the gold-rich regions of Kankan and Siguiri, the energy ministry said in statement Friday.

Two additional 40-megawatt solar power plants are still being discussed, it said.

The solar projects would bring 180 megawatts of new capacity online in a country with a total installed generating capacity of just 1,200 megawatts in 2022, according to BloombergNEF data. Guinea imports about 130 megawatts of power from neighboring Senegal and Ivory Coast, but thats insufficient to meet demand.

The solar power plants will support sustainable development and strengthen our energy autonomy, the ministry said, without specifying the projects cost or source of funding.

Guinea vies with Australia as Chinas largest supplier of bauxite, a reddish ore used to make aluminum. It also has the worlds largest untapped reserves of iron ore. Still, most of the nation lives in poverty, lacking access to electricity and other basic services.

Miners from Rio Tinto Plc to Aluminum Corp of China Ltd run operations on their own power sources.

Fridays announcement comes at a time when China has been stepping up renewable energy investments across Africa, pledging more than $1 billion toward wind and solar projects between 2015 and 2018 alone, according to a database by the Boston University Global Development Policy Center.

Listen on Zero: How to Make Renewables Profitable Everywhere

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- An International Monetary Fund program for Uganda expired, denying the East African nation a final disbursement after it failed to meet key program objectives.

The $1 billion, three-year extended credit facility, which was secured in 2021, lapsed before a review that had been scheduled for June. Uganda had tapped $870 million from the program by the time the lenders most recent appraisal was concluded in March.

We have not concluded the sixth and last review, so there will be no disbursement, Izabela Karpowicz, the IMFs outgoing resident representative to Uganda, said in an emailed response to questions. In the past we could give them more time, but since the program was expiring we could not do it this time.

The IMFs executive board is gathering Sept. 6 for so-called Article IV consultation, an assessment of a countrys economic and financial developments following staff meetings with lawmakers and public officials. Ugandas deal was agreed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic to support the nations post-crisis recovery.

Under the financing package, Uganda agreed to lower its debt and budget deficit by cutting non-priority spending and increasing government revenue. Other targets included greater transparency in public accounts, instituting stronger anti-corruption measures and cultivating a resilient financial sector.

Rather than narrowing, Ugandas budget financing gap will widen to 5.7% of gross domestic product this fiscal year, from 4.5% previously.

Karpowicz didnt elaborate on what targets Uganda had missed.

Ugandas Treasury has needed to diversify its funding sources since the World Bank said it wouldnt grant new loans after the nation passed harsh anti-LGBTQ laws. The legislation is currently under review by the nations Supreme Court and the authorities say they are in talks with the lender about resuming financing.

Karpowicz said the IMF has yet to receive a request for a new program, negating assertions made by Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi in July that the two parties were already in talks about a package. Uganda has secured 12 rounds of financing since joining the IMF six decades ago.

Uganda will have a clear picture of what it needs from the lender before it holds its annual meetings next month, Bank of Ugandas Deputy Governor Michael Atingi-Ego said in an interview in Mauritius on Thursday.

Sign up here for the twice-weekly Next Africa newsletter

--With assistance from Kamlesh Bhuckory.

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(Bloomberg) -- A proposal to get Incora out of bankruptcy will be rejected by a federal court unless the aerospace parts maker changes the plan, the judge overseeing the companys insolvency case said during a court hearing Thursday.

When I read the plan I think it is a heads I win, tails you lose plan, US Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur told lawyers for Incora during a court hearing held by video. If the company cannot negotiate changes with creditors and comes back to court with the current plan, Ill just reject it, Isgur said.

The warning comes as creditors continue talking about how to divide the company among some of the biggest firms in the distressed debt market. Those investors include Silver Point Capital and bond giant Pacific Investment Management Co. who have been fighting disgruntled bondholders including JPMorgan Chase & Co., BlackRock Inc. and hedge fund King Street Capital Management.

Under the original plan, Incora would cut about $2 billion in debt and may be worth about worth about $1.65 billion, according to court records.

I understand youre negotiating, Isgur told dozens of lawyers and other advisers who gathered for the hearing. Im happy youre negotiating.

In July, Isgur ruled that Silver Point and Pimco wrongly stripped collateral rights from other investors as part of a $250 million rescue plan for Incora, which is backed by private equity firm Platinum Equity LLC. The ruling was a partial victory for JPMorgan, BlackRock and King Street.

Since then, Incora and its creditors have been trying to rewrite a plan.

Isgur gave Incora permission to send the current plan to a vote of creditors so that the company can return to court for a final decision in early October. The company is reviewing proposals to change the plan, Incora attorney Dennis Dunne said in court.

Your position is both helpful and welcome, as always, Dunne told the judge.

The case is Wesco Aircraft Holdings Inc., 23-90611, US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston).

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Bloomberg) -- JPMorgan Chase & Co. has named co-heads of mid-cap mergers and acquisitions in a push to more thoroughly cover smaller companies.

Andrew Castaldo, who has been with the biggest US bank for a decade, will run the business alongside Andrew Martin, who will join later this year from Bank of America Corp., according to a memo reviewed by Bloomberg News.

The two bankers will be based in New York and will be under the leadership of Anu Aiyengar, JPMorgans global head of M&A. A spokeswoman for JPMorgan confirmed the contents of the memo but declined to comment further.

One of JPMorgans top priorities is to provide exceptional investment banking advice to our more than 30,000 middle market clients, Aiyengar wrote in the memo. The bank advised on more than 200 middle market M&A transactions below $2 billion in 2023.

Castaldo most recently led JPMorgans energy M&A group. Martin, who has spent more than 27 years at Bank of America, most recently led its equivalent to JPMorgans mid-cap investment banking team.

Under Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan has been known to move top-performing executives into new roles to broaden their leadership experience. The bank earlier this year combined its global investment bank, corporate bank and commercial bank and appointed Jenn Piepszak and Troy Rohrbaugh to lead it.

Many of JPMorgans mid-sized clients are family-owned firms that are expected to grow in the coming years and decades. The view is that prioritizing M&A coverage of such clients could position JPMorgan to advise them on deals down the line.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Nykaa, a fashion and beauty e-commerce platform, has sued Gopal Asthana, its former chief business officer, for breaching confidentiality and misusing the brands data, which may harm the company. Asthana is currently heading Tata Cliq, Tatas fashion e-commerce platform.

Asthana had allegedly reached out to many Nykaa employees who worked under him during his tenure to join Tata Cliq, according to a report by The Economic Times. Reportedly, some of these employees joined Tata Cliq last year.

Nykaa petitions Bombay High Court Nykaa, in its petition to the Bombay High Court, said that it has enough remuneration for its former chief business officer, which includes long-term incentives and stock options. The company asked for a refund of 19 crore of employee stock options and 5 crore for loss of goodwill and other business measures, the report said.

It added that the beauty brand has requested the court to stop Asthana from using Nykaas data for Tata Cliqs business. On Wednesday, the high court presented an interim order, asking him not to hire employees from Nykaa to Tata Cliq. Nykaa has, however, not made Tata Cliq a part of the case.

Asthana served as chief business officer at Nykaa for four years and was on the companys board. Nykaa has alleged that, due to his position, Asthana had private and confidential company data.

The Falguni Nayar-led brand also made an exception for its former chief business officer to join a rival company regardless of having a non-compete agreement. The allegations are incorrect, and they will get established in the arbitration, the report said, quoting Asthana.

However, since the matter is sub-judice, I cant comment on the same. The matter is between my former employer and me, and my current employer is not a party in the matter and, therefore, best left out of the discussion, he added.
Owen Willis says Australia is a 'very racist' country among a number of other gripes.

A British expat is 'de-influencing' people to move to Australia after his bad experience. Source: TikTok/Owenwillis

An Englishman is attempting to turn people away from moving to Australia by sharing a list of his gripes with the country  and went as far as to categorise the "entire" country as "very racist".

Owen Willis took to social media to share his hot take on Australia, telling followers he was 'de-influencing' fellow Brits by sharing his experience of living away from home.

"Australia isn't going to solve all your problems," he said in a video. "I'm not saying the UK is perfect but my idea of Australia in my head was this utopian paradise."

Willis, who says he lived in Australia in 2022, and has since returned to the UK goes on to share how the country didn't live up to his expectations. He lists the weather, cost of living, the wildlife and even "casual racism" as his major issues.

"I lived in so many places in Australia I feel like I have a round enough view to categorise the whole country as a racist country," he proclaimed.

While he points out it's less the case in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, he claims in Queensland he was left "shocked by what people would say to me".

Owen Willis lived in a number of cities across the country, so he reckons his view is qualified. Source: Instagram/Owen Willis

Scary wildlife 'ruined' nights out

Willis said another major issue he had was the varying wildlife that Australia has to offer  but not the usual ones foreigners are afraid of like snakes and spiders.

Among the scariest animals to Willis were jellyfish which "are either gigantic or deadly" and bats which he describes as "like eagles" due to their size.

"It genuinely ruined my night so many times by not being able walk down certain streets because I knew bats would hang from the trees," he said. "It actually used to scare me so much."

Ironically, he also says that the "short days" were a major turn off for him, despite coming from the UK where in winter the sun sets before 4pm on the shortest day of the year.

Aussies divided by Englishman's take on country

While some were quick to agree with Willis's view of Australia, others were more critical.

"Arent you a little ray of sunshine, hopefully youre happier now at home," said one viewer.

"Ive always wanted to go to Australia, maybe not anymore," said another.

Another branded him "such a knob" adding "I moved here 24 years ago, it's the best place to live on this earth, we really don't need any more whinging Poms."

He's not the first Brit to share a controversial view of Australia. After being kicked out of a pub, another British man has declared he's officially "done with pubs" in one major Aussie city, claiming drinking rules there are "too strict", and bouncers relish the opportunity to exert their authoritative power.

Another said moving to the country is a "scam" after her six-month stay had left much to be desired.

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Indias second richest man, Gautam Adani, was rejected by Mumbais Jai Hind College in the late 1970s. But decades later, he was invited by the same college to deliver a lecture on Teachers Day.

Adani applied for admission to Jai Hind College, but his application was rejected, Vikram Nankani, President of the Jai Hind College Alumni Association, informed the gathering.

During his lecture, Adani opened up on his early days in Mumbai and how he could not finish his education.

I was just 16 years old when I decided to break my first boundary. I had to do with my education and move to an unknown future in Mumbai, Adani said while addressing the gathering. People still ask me why I moved to Mumbai and why I didnt complete my education. The answer lies in the heart of every young dreamer who sees boundaries not as barriers but as challenges that test their courage..." he added.

Also Read | How Ambani and Adani are attracting retail investors into financial markets?

Adani worked as a diamond sorter for nearly two years before returning to his home state of Gujarat to run a packaging factory managed by his brother.

In the 1980s, he started a trading organisation for importing polymers to supply to the struggling small-scale industries, and after the 1991 reforms, he launched his global trading house for polymers, metals, textiles and agri-products at the age of 29. He acknowledged the fact that his business was a beneficiary of the economic reforms.

In 1994, the company went public and Adani Exports, now known as Adani Enterprises, launched its IPO. "The IPO was a strong success and underscored for me the importance of public markets, he said.

Hindenburg issue He addressed the Hindenburg issue, saying that it was a short-selling attack initiated from abroad. It was a dual attack targeting financial stability and pulling the company into a political discord. He said that it was a calculated move just before the closing of the follow-on public offer and designed to cause maximum damage.

PM Modi's leadership Additionally, he also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership.

"...In 2014, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the essence of freedom was further accelerated as reforms and good governance took a central stage. All these years stand as a turning point, each building on the other in India's remarkable journey..."

Also Read | Inside Adani Groups first bond issue for retail investors

Dharavi Redevelopment Project He also spoke about his current projects, especially the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, which according to him, aims to restore the dignity of more than one million people.

" For me, Dharavi is not just about urban renewal. It is about restoring dignity to over one million residents of our country. It is about the possibilities when you dare to dream big and act with purpose," he added.
Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal believes that Indians need to work harder. In a post on X, he stated that people in the technology industry, especially, should work hard and Indians should not be happy with where they are right now.

We in India, especially in tech industry, need to work harder too. Cant be happy with where we are rn, he wrote on X.

Aggarwals comments come in response to a post by Bloomberg Asia, which mentioned a comment from Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Christian Sewing, who asked Germans to work harder for better performance of the economy.

Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Christian Sewing called on Germans to work harder if they want to get the countrys economy back on track, the Bloomberg Asia post said.

Aggarwals response to the post received mixed reactions from social media users.

Mixed response from social media users Mr. Aggarwal, I truly admire your resilience in building @OlaElectric. But if you want Indians to work more, why not start by matching the offers Deutche Bank gives its engineers? And than you can ask to put in REAL HARD-WORK, a social media user said.

How is hapiness related to working harder? Absolutely right sir, your hard work and efforts are clearly visible in ola's new technology (sic), stated another user.

Another X user commented, "absolutely agree! The tech industry in India has tremendous potential, but we must push the boundaries, innovate continuously, and strive for excellence. Complacency isn't an optionlets keep working harder, embracing new challenges, and driving forward to make a global impact!

Earlier, the Ola CEO supported Narayana Murthys stance on the 70-hour workweek. He said that he is fully in sync with Murthys advice. Aggarwal revealed that he works 20 hours daily all throughout the week. He has also extended his support for extending average working hours, through his social media posts.
At 05 Sep 11:19 today, Suzlon shares are trading at price 75.11, 1.25% up from the previous closing price. Sensex is trading at 82297.22, down by -0.07%. The stock has hit a high of 76.49 and a low of 74.67 during the day.

On the technical front, the stock is trading above the 50,100,300 days SMA & lower than the 5,10,20 day SMA. The stock will have support at 50,100,300 days SMA & face resistance at 5,10,20 days SMA.

The SMA values for the stock are given below :

Days Simple Moving Average 5 76.35 10 77.29 20 76.24 50 64.97 100 54.32 300 47.97

The classic pivot level analysis shows that on a daily time frame, the stock has key resistances at 75.03, 75.77, & 76.63, whereas it has key support levels at 73.43, 72.57, & 71.83.

Till 11 AM today, the volume traded on NSE & BSE for Suzlon Energy was -72.89% lower than the previous trading session. Volume traded is an important indicator along with price to study trends. Positive price movement with higher volume suggests a sustainable upmove, and negative price movement with higher volume might be an indication of further decline in prices.

Overall, as per Mint technical analysis, Following a strong uptrend, the stock is indicating signs of a reversal.

From a fundamental analysis perspective, the company has a ROE of 26.31% .The current P/E of the stock is at 116.34 .

The median 1-year forecasted upside in this share is at 7.5% with a target price of 69.48.

The company has a 13.27% promoter holding, 2.12% MF holding, & 20.63% FII holding as per filings in the june quarter.

The MF holding has increased from 1.14% in march to 2.12% in june.

The FII holding has increased from 18.67% in march to 20.63% in june quarter.
The Karnataka government has revoked a controversial directive asking various departments to cease operations with two of India's largest public sector banks, Moneycontrol reported.

This decision comes after the State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) returned a total of 22.67 crore, which had been the subject of alleged embezzlement, along with interest for one year, as per the report.

Livemint could not independently verify this news development.

On August 12, the state's finance department issued a circular calling for all government entities, including departments, boards, corporations, universities, local bodies, and public sector undertakings, to cut ties with SBI and PNB. The government cited the banks' perceived lack of cooperation in recovering misappropriated funds as the reason for this drastic measure. However, the circular was suspended just four days later, as per the report by Moneycontrol.

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, SBI returned 9.67 crore, and PNB returned 13 crore, both with one year's interest, pending the outcome of court cases, as quoted by Moneycontrol.

Also Read | PNB share price Today Live Updates : PNB Shares Dip Amid Market Volatility

The original circular was prompted by two separate incidents of alleged financial misconduct. The first case involved a 25 crore fixed deposit made by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board with PNB's Rajajinagar branch in September 2011. Upon maturity, PNB reportedly released only 13 crore, with the remaining amount unresolved for over a decade.

Also Read | Sbi share price Today Live Updates : SBI Shares Surge in Positive Trading Session

The second case centred around a 10 crore fixed deposit by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board with the former State Bank of Mysore, now part of SBI. Using forged documents, this deposit was allegedly misused to settle a private company's loans.
Mumbai: Deposit growth has been lagging advances lately, sparking a vigorous debate among bankers, including the RBI, over the reasons for this divergence and how to boost savings.

On Thursday, the country's top bankers differed sharply over what was causing the deposit-credit mismatch. Some of them blamed mutual funds, which fetched superior returns, and sought government and regulatory support to allow higher return on bank deposits to be able to compete with fund houses. Others called this diagnosis simplistic.

Lower bank deposits Speaking at the banking conference FIBAC (Financial Institution Benchmarking and Calibration), MV Rao, chairman of Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and CEO of Central Bank of India, pointed out that returns from bank deposits are lower as end-use of the savings is tightly regulated, curbing the lenders' ability to deploy them more profitably.

Also Read | Weak bank deposit growth: Beware faulty explanations "The returns which are given by the mutual funds are higher because our deployment of our resources is regulated so tightly by the regulator and you cannot get higher returns from the deployment. If you see the mutual funds, the end-use verifications and their deployment has no restriction," said Rao." But going forward, we have to evolve ourselves and ensure that higher returns be given to the depositors. There, the involvement and also active participation of the government and regulators are required," he added.

Notwithstanding the current mismatch, bankers present at the conference jointly organized by industry body Ficci and IBA (FIBAC) said that the lag in deposit growth is a transient issue and not a structural one.

Bank of Baroda CEO Debadatta Chand said that banks need to innovate on deposits.

"f you look at the deposit side, deposit is not going to be a generic product, it has to be a bundled product now. So, if I expect that a customer would open a new savings account at this point of time, possibly I need to bundle it to offer many other products along with the savings account so as to mobilize more deposits," Chand said.

He said that deposit mobilization, which is a constraint at this point of time, would improve. "I believe the current deposit-advance growth is a transient one, not a structural one," Chand added.

Aslo Read | Unmasking loopholes: How bank employees sell mutual funds without certification Is it due to mutual funds? HSBC CEO Hitendra Dave said that putting the blame on mutual funds for the current slowdown in deposits will not help. He attributed the sluggish deposit growth to the huge cash balances maintained by the government owing to the election season.

"I think it's an oversimplified argument that because, let's say, people are putting money into mutual funds, that's why there is less money for banks to tap. You know, because even the mutual fund buys something, that is sold by somebody, so that liquidity comes back into the system," Dave argued. "So, I think it would be a good idea to actually do a study as to what typically causes deposit creation. And I think unless, because if we keep blaming SIPs or mutual funds, we might be solving the wrong problem, in my sense," he said.

Bank credit riging Latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed that while deposits grew at 11.7% in the quarter ended June, bank credit rose at 15%. According to a Business Standard report in August, banks have urged the finance ministry that government cash balances be held by them, rather than the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to help improve liquidity. Under a new cash management framework SNA-SPARSH introduced in 2021, government cash balances were directed to the RBI rather than to commercial banks.

According to the state of the economy article in June bulletin, RBI officials said that banks will have to soon align their credit and deposit growth and normalise credit-deposit ratios. For the last one year, credit growth has outpaced deposit growth. Banks have been raising funds through short-term certificates of deposit and high-value savings accounts and fixed deposits.
New Delhi: As the covid pandemic swept across the country, Dolo-650 became India's most prescribed drug, selling over 350 crore pills since the outbreak in early 2020. Just as the pandemic was receding in the middle of 2022, Dolo's manufacturer Micro Labs Ltd found itself in the crosshairs of the tax department for allegedly extending freebies worth 1,000 crore to doctors to prescribe the pain and fever reliever.

Two years later, the government has decided to sharpen its glare on the marketing practices of pharmaceutical firms amid reports of these companies offering a range of freebies to doctors to promote their medicines.

The department of pharmaceuticals, under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, has sought expenditure details from these companies on distribution of free samples, and expenses incurred on organising conferences, workshops, training and seminars, as part of a broader initiative to curb unethical marketing practices by drugmakers.

The department of pharmaceuticals has written to drugmakers seeking expenditure details on distribution of free samples, and expenses incurred on organizing conferences and workshops, as part of a broader initiative to curb unethical marketing practices. The particulars must be filed on ongoing basis and mandatorily within two months of every financial year, the department said, in a communication seen by Mint.

In the case of distributing free samples, the department has sought details of month, year, monetary value of the samples, details of recipient and domestic sales revenue of the particular drug. In the case of events, the authorities have asked for details including month, year, total number of events and expenditure incurred.

Queries sent to the department of pharmaceuticals remained unanswered till press time.

A senior executive at Micro Labs, maker of Dolo, said the 2022 matter remains under investigation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the company and they found out that some amount of money was spent on marketing practices by Micro Labs in the last eight years... We have given all the data to ED and we are supporting them," the executive said on the condition of anonymity.

The move comes after several pharmaceutical companies were found to be offering freebies like luxury holiday packages, travel and monetary benefits, among others, to doctors to promote their medicines, prompting the government to notify the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices 2024 in March to ensure that these companies dont resort to unethical means to promote their medicines.

The code bars drugmakers from offering freebies such as gifts, travel, hospitality and monetary benefits to the doctors for prescribing a particular medicine.

What experts say..

Industry stakeholders have broadly welcomed the government's move.

IDMA is in favour of adopting ethical practices in all aspects of business. Ethical marketing practices are important and we stand by them. We already have necessary committees in place for the compliance. Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices was there since 2014 and got amended in 2024," said Viranchi Shah, president of Mumbai-based Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA).

Dr. R.V. Ashokan, national president of the Indian Medical Association, said that the private body of physicians is in the process of updating the ethics guidelines for doctors.

We are upgrading the issue of ethics for doctors and guidelines are under preparation. We are also drafting ethical guidelines for hospitals for the first time in India. We will release our ethics document on 2 October this year," he added.

Any industry where patient care is involved, they should follow medical ethics and no business should be followed, Dr. Ashokan said.

Dr. Raman Kumar, national president of the Academy of Family Physicians of India, a grouping of 2,500 physicians, said that UCPMP's intent is good, and that promotion of a drug through unethical practices is wrong. However, "There should be a system where professionals and industry can work together in a transparent way, for example- for research purpose... This regulation is absolutely fine, however, we should learn from the developed economies of the world where they have stringent laws but still they are able to work with the industry," Dr. Kumar added.

India's pharmaceutical industry is projected to more than double to $130 billion by 2030, from $50 billion currently. It is expected to reach $65 billion by the end of 2024.

In July, Mint reported that the government had extended the deadline till the end of that month for pharma company bosses to file their legal self-declarations assuring the government that they will not indulge in unethical marketing practices to promote their drugs.
Bengaluru/New Delhi: After chipping away at corner shops and forcing a pivot by established online grocers, India's quick commerce startups are now muscling into the annual festival season, posing a stiff challenge to stalwarts such as Amazon and Flipkart that have kept physical retailers on their toes for years.

Zomatos Blinkit, Lightspeed-backed Zepto and Swiggy Instamart are adding costlier items and expanding stores, multiple industry executives said, posing a direct challenge to established online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart.

Zepto is launching dozens of new dark stores in cities like Ahmedabad, Kanpur, and Chandigarh, said co-founder and chief executive Aadit Palicha, days after his four-year-old company raised $340 million at a valuation of $5 billion. "Our recent success in Nashik, with over 1,000 orders daily in just six weeks, shows the potential in these markets. We are also expanding into new categories like consumer electronics, general merchandise, high-utility apparel and beauty products," Palicha said.

Larger appliances

Tata group owned BigBasket, which has made a full tilt to quick commerce, is set to offer large appliances, smartphones and other high-value items in 30-60 minutes through tie-ups with other Tata ventures such as Croma and Tata Cliq, The Arc reported last week.

To be sure, most quick commerce platforms already offer a limited number of items such as earphones, toasters and induction cooktops. The companies are expected to expand stocks and add new categories for the festive season.

We have recently launched in Kochi, Vijayawada, Bathinda and Haridwar. We plan on increasing coverage to more cities in the next few weeks and are looking to expand our service to cover more neighbourhoods in these markets," a Blinkit spokesperson said in response to Mints queries.

Also read: Despair in kiranas as quick commerce roars ahead

A spokesperson for Instamart did not respond to an emailed query.

Season of sales

India's festival season kicks off with Raksha Bandhan in August and lasts until the New Year, featuring Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Durga Puja, Navratri and Christmas in between. Known for high spending, the period is critical for manufacturers and retailers of electronics, consumer durables and apparel, who unwrap new models, offer discounts and roll out easy payment schemes to attract customers.

The first week of last years festive season sale saw online platforms clocking a gross merchandise value (GMV) of about 47,000 crore, up nearly 20% from the previous year, according to estimates by Redseer Strategy Consultants. Redseer had projected that e-commerce firms will touch GMV of 90,000 crore by the end of the festive season.

Overall, e-commerce companies expect sales to jump 35% this festive season, according to a report by recruitment and hiring services platform TeamLease, aided by the rise of quick commerce and consumer spending capacity.

If logistics partners are willing to onboard large appliances, brands may consider partnering with quick-commerce platforms, executives of several brands said.

Samsung India follows a "very democratic, omni-channel strategy," said Saurabh Baishakhia, senior director of digital appliances. "If there is a promise a (retail) partner wants to give to their consumer in terms of delivering fast, we will support their endeavour by making sure they have the right stock of inventory, they have the right product mix etc. We will look into that kind of precision to be built into that consumer expectation. But for us, we would probably let people who want to do that for us; we will support them as a brand and enable them to do it," he added. Baishakhia, however, did not specify on whether the company will partner quick commerce platforms this festive season.

Bigger rivals

Meanwhile, larger e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho are gearing up to add more products, speed up deliveries and provide easy payment options. Last week, Amazon India cut its listing fees by up to 12% across categories to help sellers widen their product portfolio on the platform as well as pocket higher earnings.

Mint reported last month that e-commerce and quick commerce are set to lead festive season hiring for gig workers this year. While no festive season forecast is available yet for quick commerce, global brokerage firm CLSA said in a note on Tuesday that it expects the top three playersBlinkit, Swiggy and Zeptoto reach $10 billion in gross order value by FY26 and surpass $78 billion within a decade.

Consumers will benefit greatly in terms of product options and convenience this year, especially with quick commerce picking up well," said Satish Meena, an analyst at Datum Intelligence.

A Unicommerce report said that in 2023, e-commerce order volumes grew 37% during the festival period from a year earlier, driven by attractive discounts and effective marketing campaigns.

Quick commerce  the winner?

Quick commerce is witnessing a period of hypergrowth. Flush with private capital and customer demand, the sector is giving tough competition to established e-commerce platforms by delivering goods to consumers doorsteps within minutes. However, convenience is just one factor; according to Datum Intelligences Meena, consumers may continue to be drawn towards e-commerce much like in the previous years, given their ability to offer a strong selection of products as well as customer experience.

Platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart have an extensive portfolio of products as well as the benefits of competitive pricing from a range of sellers, unlike quick commerce platforms where options are limited.

Categories like staples, gifting items, and pet care will be popular purchases from quick commerce platforms, helping build order volumes. Big-ticket items like smartphones, apparel and large appliances like refrigerators and washing machines will continue to be strong segments for larger e-commerce marketplaces, Meena added.

The disparity in order values will determine the rate of growth for both sets of platforms. While both platforms will benefit from high order frequencies, e-commerce will see larger average order values as well," Meena said.

For context, the average order value on quick commerce platforms is about 600, while that on e-commerce platforms starts from 1,000.

Our focus is on small, frequently purchased items, ensuring we maintain high product quality and safety," Zeptos Palicha said.

Also read: Staffing firms see a spike in demand for quick commerce workers

Moreover, the availability of easy payment options including equated monthly instalments (EMI) and attractive credit and debit card offers are a major plus point, according to Meena.

Mapping consumer preferences

Every platform has its own unique proposition, said Shankar Prasad, founder of Plum, a Unilever Ventures-backed skincare firm.

E-commerce offers wider selection, is discovery-driven and has more innovative offer structures (such as freebies on cart), among other advantages. Q-commerce, of course, serves the need for speed and convenience, besides the opportunity to discover/replenish the category several times a month. D2C (direct-to-consumer) is all about trust, loyalty, and post-sales support," Prasad noted.

A brands product portfolio, marketing approach, promotions and supply chains are also mapped to each of these verticals differently. For example, the marketing funnel in quick commerce tends to have a shorter life cycle than in e-commerce or D2C. Similarly, pack sizes and product combos are mapped differently to different channels, he added.

Others said quick commerce partners have been prepping for the festive season since the June quarter. We were already seeing platforms approaching us well ahead of the festive season to on-board our brands," said Pratik Mukherjee, business head, beauty, Lovechild by Masaba. Mukherjee said consumers are keen to buy beauty products via quick commerce platforms.

However, for many quick commerce companies, restrictions could set in with the number of stock-keeping units they can manage. Meaning, companies may prefer to list only top-selling products, as compared to a wider assortment on larger e-commerce platforms.
Political turmoil in Thailand is unrelenting. Over the past two decades, 11 different prime ministers have led the country. In the coming weeks that number could increase, as the constitutional court considers dismissing the current leader, Srettha Thavisin, over an allegedly illegal cabinet appointment. Yet amid such instability, one aspect of Thailands governance flourishes: its public-health system.

Thai health care is among the most effective in the world. The average Thai can expect to live to 80, much longer than their regional counterpart (the South-East Asian figure is 73) and even slightly longer than the average American and European (each roughly 79), according to the latest data from the United Nations. Last year a whopping 99.5% of the population of 72m was covered by health insurance. Remarkably, Thailand has achieved this as a developing country: its income per person was roughly $7,000 in 2023, more than 11 times smaller than Americas. Even in the middle of the pandemic in 2021, its public-health bill was 6% of GDP, compared with 17% in America and 11% in the European Union.

Graphic: The Economist

What explains such outperformance? Amid fears that the countrys hinterlands would succumb to communist ideas that were spreading fast in the region in the 1970s, Thai policymakers focused on rural development. Public health became a priority, so a wave of spending was unleashed on infrastructure. By 1990 all 928 districts had a hospital.

Investment in people also helped. In 1972 the government launched a programme that required medical graduates to spend the first three years of their careers in villages. This led to a golden generation of doctors, says Eduardo Banzon of the Asian Development Bank.

Subsequent Thai governments made health care more affordable. The first big initiative was an insurance scheme targeting the poor. This was followed by state-sponsored schemes for those working in the informal and private sectors. But the big boost came in 2002 when the government rolled out a universal health-coverage programme, which offered free health care to the poor and a nominal 30-baht ($1) fee for others. One study found that just between 2000 and 2002 there was a significant decrease in infant mortality.

Unsurprisingly the scheme was a huge hit, boosting the popularity of Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister at the time. Few governments since then have dared to tinker with it. Instead its coverage has expanded. Today it covers treatments for conditions ranging from HIV to kidney diseases. But an equally important feature of the programme is the focus on preventive health care, says Piya Hanvoravongchai of the National Health Foundation, a non-profit. A network of grassroots workers helps provide health advice.

Particularly striking is the fact that universal health coverage is not only affordable for beneficiaries, but also for the government. The programme is funded through tax revenues, but spending is controlled. Every year district hospitals are provided with a fixed amount of money per patient in their catchment area, regardless of the treatment they get. This capitation model ensures efficiency and predictability in funding. Thailands spending on health had remained largely steady at around 3-4% of GDP until the pandemic, even as its programmes expanded.

Many countries are eager to emulate Thailand. Earlier this year Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the government to co-operate on public-health matters. Thai delegations have travelled around Asia, Africa and the Middle East, too.

However, challenges loom. More than a fifth of Thais are over 60. Within the next decade that share could be a third. That puts strain on the public-health system and government finances. Many doctors already complain of overwork. Efforts are under way to expand the cadre of public doctors, while several specific policies have been rolled out for the elderly. Here, too, Thai health care may continue to be a model for the world.
A cryptocurrency platform run by Robinhood Markets will pay $3.9 million to settle claims it failed to let customers withdraw cryptocurrency from their accounts from 2018 to 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on Wednesday.

The civil settlement with Robinhood Crypto is the first public action by Bonta's office against a cryptocurrency company.

Also Read | Robinhood sets sights on new bounty: The rising rich

Bonta said Robinhood violated California law by failing to deliver cryptocurrencies that its customers had bought, leaving customers unable to withdraw their assets and forcing them to sell the assets to exit the platform.

Also Read | Crypto holders more likely to have personality traits of narcissism, psychopathy

The attorney general said Robinhood also misled customers about where their crypto assets were held, and by advertising it would connect customers to multiple trading venues to ensure they got competitive prices.

Robinhood did not admit or deny wrongdoing. The settlement also requires the platform to let customers withdraw crypto assets to their own wallets, and honor its representations about its trading and order handling practices.

Lucas Moskowitz, Robinhood's general counsel, in a statement said the Menlo Park, California-based company was pleased to settle, and looked forward to making cryptocurrency "more accessible and affordable to everyone."

In a separate statement, Bonta said the settlement "should send a strong message: whether you're a brick-and-mortar store or a cryptocurrency company, you must adhere to California's consumer and investor protection laws."
The chase for market share gains among cement makers continues to hamper prices. The repercussions of heightened competition are being felt on cement prices in both the trade and non-trade channels. In the trade segment, manufacturers sell cement to dealers who in turn sell it to consumers. A non-trade sale is when a manufacturer sells cement directly to the end consumer. These are bulk sales to large buyers such as the government, or big infrastructure and real estate companies.

Given the relatively higher quantity, average cement prices in the non-trade segment are usually lower than those in the trade segment. However, the disparity between the two has increased of late. A Bank of Baroda Capital Markets Ltd report dated 30 August said the gap between trade and non-trade prices widened past 50 a bag in August from the normal 30-40 a bag. In fact, it was around 80 a bag in some parts of India, indicating weak demand from the infrastructure segment, the report added. The individual home building segment is the biggest driver of cement demand in India, estimated to contribute over 50%, followed by the infrastructure segment.

Also read: Hunky-dory equities? Look before you leap

Due to relatively better margins and consistency in demand, large companies generally prefer to focus on trade sales. In a non-trade sale, companies tend to save on several costs such as packaging and freight, which gives them room to offer discounts and consequently boost volumes. Clearly, in the current scenario, where volumes are being prioritised over realisations, the non-trade segment is in focus.

Industry-wide shift

According to a Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities report dated 31 August, there has been a 3-4% industry-wide shift from trade to non-trade segment. This change is more pronounced for companies that are rapidly expanding or commissioning capacities. After all, gaining market share via the trade sales typically takes longer. This shift has led to a decrease in overall weighted average realisations for the cement industry," the report added.

Also read: Aadhar Housing Finance may continue to outpace industry growth

The realisations of Shree Cement Ltd took a beating in Q1FY25, falling more than analysts expected. One of the reasons for this was an increased proportion of non-trade sales during the quarter. Another example was Birla Corporation Ltd, which saw a marginal decline in trade sales. In its Q1FY25 earnings call, the companys management said the industry is focusing on non-trade and institutional sales to tackle lower capacity.

As things stand, the subdued trend in trade prices over the past few quarters has affected the sectors FY25 realisations outlook. The latest dealer channel checks by some brokers suggests that companies may hike prices in the trade segment in September. But after some recent failed attempts, it remains to be seen whether these potential price hikes are absorbed by the market.

Festive season brings challenges

The upcoming festive season from September to November is likely to make the demand scenario more challenging as it usually leads to labour shortages and a slowdown in construction. On the bright side, its widely expected that non-trade cement demand will rise going forward as budgetary allocations have been announced for various government infrastructure and housing projects. Even if prices are hiked in the non-trade segment, and they sustain, its unlikely to bring huge respite on earnings growth.

Also read: Navratna status powers NHPC, but project delays cast a shadow

Unless there is a sharp price hike backed by a sustained improvement in cement demand, raising prices by 15-20 a bag price doesnt make sense, said a Yes Securities Ltd report dated 31 August. We dont see any big jump in Ebitda/tonne level for FY25E/ FY26E for the industry if this despair continues," it added.

Meanwhile, the performance of large cement stocks has been mixed. So far in 2024, shares of UltraTech, ACC Ltd and Ambuja Cements Ltd have risen by 8-18%. Shree Cement is a laggard, having fallen 8%. The volume-realisation tussle makes the sectors valuation unattractive amid looming risks of further earnings downgrades.
Anna McEvoy, 32, admits she had no idea how common and deadly the condition was until she developed it.

McEvoy admits she had no idea what sepsis was until she developed it last year. Source: Instagram

Love Island Australia winner Anna McEvoy is urging Aussies to keep an eye out for signs of a fatal disease that can develop from "any infection" after she was left fighting for her life following a urinary tract infection (UTI).

McEvoy, 32, was plagued with persistent UTIs last year and was prescribed the wrong antibiotics. However, the Melbourne woman  who was the winner of the second season of Love Island Australia  knew something was wrong when her stomach pain started to feel like she was being stabbed.

"I was starting to get really bad side pain in the left side of my stomach and I was trying to push it off," she told Yahoo News. "I went to the hospital, was put on an IV drip and antibiotics... but then I went home... that was a mistake."

After trying to get some sleep, McEvoy was woken up by her body "uncontrollably shaking". "I felt so cold, my teeth were chattering so loud, I felt so deeply unwell, and I went to the toilet because I thought I was going to vomit. I looked at my face and I looked blue," she said. She was then rushed to hospital.

Love Island Australia winner Anna McEvoy was fighting for her life in a Melbourne hospital after developing sepsis last year. Source: Supplied

McEvoy clung to life after developing preventable condition

What was first thought to be a severe kidney infection was later confirmed as sepsis  a condition that occurs when the body's immune system has an extreme response to an infection, damaging its own organs and tissues.

"I knew of the word, I'd heard people kind of talk about sepsis, but I had no idea what it was. And I thought it wasn't common... I think, being 31 at the time, I really thought that I would be immune to that," she said.

Each year over 55,000 Aussies get sepsis and despite it being a preventable disease, the condition has a one-in-three three-death rate. This is largely down to the rapid rate of decline that the body goes through without treatment, with the risk of death increasing by eight per cent every hour.

Sepsis survivor urges Aussies to keep an eye out for symptoms

After McEvoy was transferred to another hospital where she remained for weeks, before being discharged and then readmitted. She finally recovered without the need of amputation or other long-term impacts, however, many aren't as lucky.

Anna McEvoy recovered fully after being in discharged and readmitted to hospital. Source: Supplied

"My story is a reminder that any infection in the body needs to be taken very seriously and you can be any age [when you develop it]," she explained. "Be hyperaware and to check in with your body because if you feel in your heart that something isn't right, it's better to be safe rather than sorry."

World Sepsis Day is next Friday on September 13 and McEvoy is urging Aussies to keep an eye out for sepsis symptoms, which include uncontrollable shaking, chills, fever and low temperature and chills.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Social media is abuzz with criticism over the recent oversubscription of SME IPOs, particularly Boss Packaging Solutions. Despite underwhelming financials and a less-than-stellar office appearance, Boss Packaging's IPO was oversubscribed 135 times. This trend, also seen in Resourceful Automobile's IPO, has raised concerns about market manipulation and unrealistic valuations. Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a warning about companies resorting to "unrealistic pictures of their operations".

With a modest issue size of 8.41 crore, Boss Packing Solutions, a company involved in packaging machine manufacturing, saw bids totalling an incredible 1,073 crore. However, the financials paint a less impressive picture. According to its Red Herring Prospectus (RHP), the company's profits remained stagnant over the last two years.

This echoes the scenario with Resourceful Automobile, another SME IPO that had raised eyebrows when it received bids worth nearly 5,000 crore, despite operating with just eight employees. The much-hyped issue saw a 418.82x subscription, driven by retail investors, but ultimately listed flat at its issue price of 117 per share, disappointing many who had anticipated a significant premium.

Also Read | Resourceful Automobile shares list flat at 117 apiece on BSE SME

SEBI has been vocal in warning investors about the dangers of overly optimistic portrayals of small company operations. "It has come to the notice of SEBI that, post-listing, some SME companies and/or their promoters have been resorting to certain means that project an unrealistic picture of their operations," the markets regulator said in an advisory issued just before Resourceful Automobile's listing. The regulator cautioned investors not to fall for social media-driven hype or unverified information.

Social Media trolls Boss Packaging for shabby office While Boss Packaging Solutions IPO numbers looked impressive on paper, the company found itself at the centre of social media ridicule for the condition of its office. Photos of its dilapidated building, taken from Google Street View, circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter), fuelling criticism from users.

Many questioned the wisdom of subscribing to an IPO for a company operating from such a modest space, with peeling paint and piles of garbage outside. "64 employees, one old office, and 135x subscription for Boss Packaging SME IPO! This mad rush has to stop!" one user posted on X, expressing disbelief at the frenzy.

Boss packaging solutions oversubscribed by 54X.Inka office dekh kar toh shock lag gaya! Kam se kam Resourceful Yamaha company ke paas showroom toh tha, a X user posted.

Office of boss packaging Pvt Ltd, at Ramol, Ahmedabad. IPO of the company subscribed by 165 times in retail category. Yes we are in a bull market frenzy, another reacted.
Indian CDMO stocks are likely to be in focus next week as the US House plans to vote on the Biosecure Act during the week of September 9. Analysts believe that as the Biosecure Act aims to limit global pharmaceutical companies from outsourcing their work to China, India's Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) companies are bound to have an advantage.

In its study, brokerage InCred Equities said that low manufacturing prices, foreign direct investments, and government incentives such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) plan have turned India into an appealing CDMO destination for businesses looking for alternatives that are cheaper than China.

We anticipate that the US Biosecure Act will significantly benefit Indian CDMOs and are very optimistic about this development. Although the Act allows US companies until 2032 to phase out their collaborations with the five Chinese CDMOs listed, it is likely that clients will increasingly turn to non-Chinese CDMOs for newer projects. This shift is expected to positively impact CDMOs in the US, EU, as well as Korea (where major facilities like Samsung and Celltrion are located), said Praful Bohra, Director - Research, InCred Capital to livemint.

Also Read | Suven Pharmaceuticals share price rises 5% on CDMO Sapala Organics acquisition

Here's all you need to know about the Biosecure Act In the US Senate and the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group has introduced the Biosecurity Act. The Bill seeks to lessen technological transfer to China and the reliance of the US biopharmaceutical sector on that country. The Act mentions five Chinese businesses in particular: Complete Genomics, BGI, MGI, WuXi Apptec, and Wuxi Biologics. A company that works together with any of the aforementioned businesses will not be eligible for any grants, loans, or contracts from executive agencies. A grandfather provision has been included, allowing the corporations to keep their current contracts with Chinese players in place for an additional eight years, explained InCred Equities in its study.

How would it impact Indian CDMO companies? The Indian CDMO market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.67%, reaching a value of US$44.69 billion in 2029F from US$19.63 billion in 2023. Opportunities for contract research and API are anticipated to drive the expansion. China's declining market share is one of the main drivers of India's CDMO industry expansion, highlighted the brokerage report.

China became the world's top CDMO player by providing generous government support and labor that is 2530% less expensive. But after trade restrictions were imposed by the former US President Donald Trump and the Covid-19 pandemic caused supply chain disruptions, China began to lose market share. For India's CDMO businesses, this was a huge benefit and a game-changer as big businesses began to derisk by awarding contracts to Indian firms.

Further Bohra explained that Indian companies have traditionally excelled in the small molecule sector, with less emphasis on large molecules. We expect a strong initial inflow of orders for small molecules to India. Companies like Piramal Pharma and Suven Pharma have advanced in the antibody-drug conjugate space, likely leading to increased opportunities.

Recent investments by major playerssuch as Aurobindo's in biologics facility, Alkems in an US CDMO facility, and Gland Pharma's acquisition of Cenexihighlight the growing importance of the CDMO sector. Proximity to key markets, such as the US and EU, enhances client coordination and will be an added advantage.

Also Read | House Plans Votes on Biosecure Act, Other Measures Hitting China

Which Indian CDMO companies are likely to benefit? Divi's Laboratories, Suven Pharma, Neuland Labs, Piramal Pharma, One source (to be demerged from Strides Pharma sciences) have the largest exposure to CDMO business, though other companies like Glenmark Life sciences, Laurus Labs, Gland Pharma, Jubilant Pharma etc also have some exposure here. All these companies are likely to benefit depending on their capacities and capabilities, added Praful Bohra.

Also Read | Strides Pharma shares fall over 3% on plans to spin off CDMO business
Shares of PTC Industries, a manufacturer specializing in high-quality, high-precision metal components for critical and supercritical applications, jumped 3% during the final hour of trading today, reaching 14,500 apiece.

This surge followed the company's announcement that its wholly owned subsidiary, Aerolloy Technologies, has secured an order from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the supply of titanium cast components for aerospace applications. This marks the first time IAI is procuring such cast components from India, the company said in today's exchange filing.

Speaking on this development, Mr Sachin Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, PTC Industries said, "Aerolloy Technologies is proud to share that it has received its first order from Israel Aerospace Industries for supply of Titanium castings. This is yet another milestone for ATL and demonstrates the technological capabilities that the company has been building.

"This is a significant achievement for the company, and we will now be working with one of Israel's leading organisations and a global leader. This new order has opened new opportunities for the company for exports to Israel in the defence and aerospace sectors," Sachin Agarwal added.

Zeev Mivtzari, Country Head India & CMD, Israel Aerospace Industries said, "IAI sees itself as part of the Defence Ecosystem of India. We have more than 50 local companies that we are working with, and I am very happy to expand the local activity with PTC Industries for the manufacturing of strategic materials. This is the way for IAI to expand its business and for India to actualize its self reliance policy."

Breakout above  15,500 could spark rally "PTC Industries' share price looks positive on the technical chart. It has a strong base at 13,900, whereas it faces resistance at 15,500. Shareholders of the defence company are advised to maintain a stop loss at 13,900 apiece," said said Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking.

"Fresh entry can also be made at current levels, maintaining a buy-on-dips strategy until the stock is above the 13,900 mark. The scrip may become bullish on breaching above 15,500," he added.
Congress party politician Pawan Khera has alleged that the chairperson of Indias equity and commodities market regulator, Madhabi Puri Buch, received 16.8 crore in benefits from her ex-employer ICICI Group. ICICI Bank Ltd and Buch have denied the allegations. But Khera has intensified his charges, alleging that Buchs post-retiral benefits from ICICI Group were higher than the salary she drew from the private lender.

While Khera has not disclosed his source, his information probably comes from Buchs finances filed with the Income Tax department. Mint explains the post-retiral benefits Kheras dredged up, how taxation works on such benefits, and other aspects related to the latest allegations against Buch, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

Also read | Why Sebi and Indian real estate investment trusts are in Hindenburgs crossfire

What retiral benefits did Buch allegedly receive?

Khera has alleged that Buch, who joined Sebi as a wholetime director in 2017, received over 12 crore from ICICI Bank between 2017-18 and 2023-24. In that period, Buch earned an additional 22 lakh from ICICI Prudential and 2.8 crore from exercising employee stock ownership plans for 2021-22 and 2022-23, according to Khera. Tax amounting to over 1 crore was deducted at source on those Esops.

However, no salary was directly paid by ICICI Group to Buch in that period. The 16.8 crore mentioned in Kheras allegations is classified as perquisite income, which refers to benefits received beyond a monthly salary, including income from Esops.

Esops are employee benefit plans where workers gain ownership interests in a company through shares. These shares are typically granted overtime to ensure employee loyalty and retention.

Sumit Agrawal, founder of Regstreet Law Advisors and a former Sebi officer, explained that the Esop policy adheres to the Companies Act of 2013 and Sebi regulations on share-based employee benefits. ESOPs are taxed in two stages.

The first, when an employee exercises their stock options, which is taxed as part of the employees salary under income from salaries. (The employer must also withhold tax on this amount). And subsequently, when the employee sells the shares the resulting gain is taxed as capital gains, with the rate depending on the holding period of the shares.

Also read | Sebis Madhabi Buch worked at ICICI and a PE firm between 2011 and 2013

To illustrate, consider company A. An employee hired in 2010 is offered 100 shares at 100 each. The employee receives 30 shares in 2011, 30 in 2012, and the remaining 40 in 2013. If the employee earns over 50 lakh annually, they incur a tax of about 42%, meaning they pay 142 per share to acquire them. Tax of 142 is deducted from the employees salary when the shares are acquired. If the shares are sold in May 2012 at 150 per share, the profit is 8 will be subject to capital gains tax. If the vesting and sale of the shares happen within a year, short-term capital gains tax will apply.

Khera also claimed that Buchs average annual salary at ICICI Bank was 1.30 crore, while her average pension and other retirement benefits totaled 2.77 crore.

How many stocks and stock options does Buch own?

There is no clarity on this aspect since ICICI Bank is not required to disclose the outstanding Esops of former employees. However, according to exchange filings dated 5 September 2008, Buch had 405,000 ICICI Bank stock options outstanding and owned 98,861 shares.

This filing was made before Buch left ICICI Bank in January 2009 to become the chief executive of ICICI Securities. According to the banks policy, each ICICI Bank stock option is equivalent to one share upon exercise, and these stock options are granted to its executives at no cost.

As per ICICI Groups policy at the time the Esops were granted to Buch, employees who had left the group had a choice to exercise their Esops anytime up to a period of 10 years from the date of vesting. Employees who retire from the group have no cap on when to sell the shares.

Also read | Offshore fund used by Buch nestled in Bermuda, not Mauritius

Should disclosures of Esops be required?

Ritika Nayyar, partner at law firm Singhania & Co., said disclosures of benefits are a generally accepted practice to avoid any conflict of interest. It is not just holdings in listed companies, but even unlisted companies which is asked for nowadays," she said.

Agrawal of Regstreet also said Sebi regulations on an employees service, which apply to officers up to the grade of executive directors, does not include provisions requiring the disclosure of Esops received from previous employment. Similarly, the Sebi (Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairman and Members) Rules lack such disclosure requirements.

Also read | Full disclosure for Sebi chief: Key to preventing next Hindenburg-like scandal
A group of disappointed employees of capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Thursday, September 5, held a protest outside the Mumbai headquarters demanding the removal of the watchdog's Wednesday statement and the resignation of their boss Madhabi Puri Buch. According to a report by The Economic Times, SEBI's assertion that its staff are being misguided by external forces angered the resentful employees further, causing them to stage a silent protest outside the office under the media glare.

On Wednesday, SEBI refuted claims of toxic and unprofessional work culture at its offices, citing high employee standards and condemning few external elements behind employee protests. The market watchdog said in its statement that complaints of public humiliation at its offices were misplaced and undermined the institution's and its leadership's credibility.

In a letter to the finance ministry last month, SEBI employees said "immense work pressure" at the market regulator resulted in a "stressful and toxic work environment." According to the letter dated August 6, accessed by some media houses, SEBI officials were quoted saying, Shouting, scolding and public humiliation have become a norm in meetings.

According to The Economic Times, there are fears that if SEBI's management takes disciplinary action against the protesting employees, it could affect the regulator's ability to function efficiently to fulfil regulatory responsibilities.

The protests come as SEBI chairperson Buch is mired in several allegations. Zee Media's Subhash Chandra has called her corrupt, while the opposition Congress has questioned her integrity over drawing hefty salary benefits at her previous stints in ICICI Bank and ICICI Securities. Buch has denied all allegations.

SEBI's stance on employee protests SEBI has said that employees demanding a 55 per cent hike in house rent allowance (HRA), reportedly twisted the narrative to make it a "work culture" issue after their earlier protest yielded no result. Pointing out that entry-level officers at Grade A are paid an annual salary of 36 lakh, SEBI said the grievances of junior officers have been misguided, perhaps by external elements.

"Sebi apprehends that the junior officers have been receiving messages from external elements outside their group, effectively instigating them to 'go to media, go to the Ministry, go to Board', perhaps to serve their own purpose. In fact, the letter of August 06, 2024, was not sent by the SEBI employee associations to the Government (and a section of the media)," said SEBI.

SEBI employees seek justice SEBI has around 1,000 officers of Grade A and above (assistant manager and above), and half of them have signed a letter sent to the finance ministry in August. The employees have reportedly said Buch's leadership uses "harsh and unprofessional language" toward team members, monitors their "minute-by-minute movement," and has imposed "unrealistic work targets with changing goalposts."

According to The Economic Times, the letter read, In the name of increasing the efficiency of an organization already working as a well-oiled machinery, the management started to overhaul all the systems and replaced them with regressive policies and frameworks. Sometimes, it is the point-wise KRA systems with unrealistic targets and changing goalposts; the other time, it's the monitoring of minute-by-minute movement of SEBI employees.

Employees said they were called names and shouted at by the leadership with no defence from top management. "Unprofessional language is casually used by people at the highest level. The situation is such that, let alone grade A-C officers, even officers in higher grades are afraid to attend meetings, fearing the unquestionably bad behaviour of people at the highest level," the letter said.

SEBI chief mired in multiple allegations Earlier this week, the opposition Congress had questioned Buch's compensation from ICICI Bank, where she had worked before joining SEBI in 2017. The Congress alleged that the SEBI chief held an office of profit at the private lender and received 16.8 crore in substantial benefits from the bank and its subsidiaries. On Tuesday, Congress leader Pawan Khera urged the SEBI chief to come out clean, give a clarification and respond to the party's charges.
F&O ban list: The National Stock Exchange (NSE) banned trading in four stocks on Thursday, September5, in the futures and options (F&O) segment as they exceeded 95% of the market-wide position limit (MWPL).

However, these stocks will be available for trading in the cash market. The NSE updates the list of securities in the F&O ban for trade every day.

F&O ban list today Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Balrampur Chini Mills, Hindustan Copper and RBL Bank are the four stocks on the NSE's F&O ban list on September 5.

The NSE said the derivative contracts in these securities crossed 95% of the market-wide position limit and have been placed in the stock exchange's ban period.

All clients/members shall trade in the derivative contracts of said security only to decrease their positions through offsetting positions. Any increase in open positions shall attract appropriate penal and disciplinary action, the NSE statement said.

No new positions are allowed when the stock exchanges place F&O contracts in a particular stock in the ban period.

Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy

On September 4, benchmark Nifty took a breather after a 14-day winning run while Sensex closed lower by 202 points due to profit-taking in IT, banking and metal shares amid weak global trends.

Recovering from the day's lows, the 30-share BSE Sensex settled at 82,352.64, down by 202.80 points or 0.25 per cent. The index opened lower and tumbled further 721.75 points or 0.87 per cent to hit a low of 81,833.69 amid losses in Asian markets.

Snapping its 14-day rally, the NSE Nifty declined 81.15 points or 0.32 per cent to 25,198.70. Intra-day, it tanked 196.05 points or 0.77 per cent to 25,083.80.

Nifty had surged nearly 1,141 points or 4.59 per cent in 14 straight days to Tuesday.
Imagine youre able to generate a growing source of monthly income . Month after month, steady payouts roll into your bank account. The best part? You dont need to do anything. Thats the power of dividend paying stocks .

A good dividend payer will:

Generate regular income

Grow the income over time

Run for a long time without needing a lot of maintenance

I always advise my friends that each company they invest in should pay regular dividends, which they should consider part of their monthly income. Ultimately, all these companies will work together to keep their passive income running with consistent payouts. All they have to do then is watch their wealth grow as the power of compounding plays out.

If you keep reinvesting what you earn, your machine will eventually produce a lot more income for you, even while you sleep.

So, which would be your go-to dividend stock in the current market? I'm pretty sure that just like any wise investor, you too would choose to invest your hard-earned money in a large-cap stock with a track record of paying enormous dividends consistently.

Dividend giant

One such stock that has rewarded investors handsomely over the years while also offering decent growth is Vedanta. The company recently announced a hefty payout of 20 a share as its third interim dividend for FY25.

Its track record on dividends shows the company has never disappointed investors for the past three decades. Thats right. Vedanta has been paying ever-increasing dividends since 1994.

The company shattered all records in FY23 when it paid a 10,150% dividend on its face value, amounting to 101.5 a share.

But can it repeat this feat in FY25? It has already declared or paid three dividends amounting to 1,100%, 400% and 2,000% ( 11, 4 and 20 a share in rupee terms) for the current financial year.

Vedanta is the sole producer of nickel in India, having acquired a nickel and cobalt plant in Goa. Over the past two decades it has rewarded its investors with more than 97,000 crore in dividends. Take a moment to process this.

Heres take a look at Vedantas dividends over the past 20 years.

View Full Image Source: Ace Equity

Starting with a modest dividend of 20% in FY05, the company increased its payout exponentially to 357% in FY23 and 259% in FY24.

In FY23, the company made history by making the largest aggregate dividend payout  37,570 crore  by an Indian company in a single financial year.

Recently, it announced another massive dividend of 20 a share  2,000% on a face value of 1 per share  for FY25, amounting to 7,820 crore.At the current stock price of 463, the dividend yield works out to 6.3%.The record date for the payment of this interim dividend is 10 September.

With this, Vedanta has now paid 35 a share as dividends to shareholders so far this financial year. These dividends may have come at a cost, though, as according to reports, Vedanta has raised close to 20,000 crore through various methods in recent months, including dividends from its subsidiary Hindustan Zinc, selling shares of Hindustan Zinc, and selling its own shares to institutional shareholders.

Over the years, the company has rewarded shareholders with more than just dividends. In the 10 years since September 2014 Vedantas stock price has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3%. For an investor looking for stable returns from large companies, 8% to 10% a year is considered a reasonably good return over the long term.

Growth prospects from demerger

Vedantas stock has been a hot topic among stock investors ever since it announced restructuring plans and the demerger of its businesses.

The companys lenders recently approved the proposed demerger of the business into six independently listed companies. Shareholders are expected to receive one share each of the newly listed entities for every Vedanta share they own. The split is aimed at streamlining its operations and unlocking greater value for shareholders.

After the demerger, Vedanta will continue to hold the 64.92% stake it has in Hindustan Zinc and the stainless-steel manufacturing business. It will also own the upcoming semiconductor and display businesses.

This restructuring is expected to simplify the group's complex structure, making it easier for investors to directly access pure-play opportunities and potentially drive multiple expansion over the long term.

The new structure could also play a crucial role in addressing Vedanta's substantial debt burden. According to media reports, Vedantas gross debt, excluding leases, stood at 78,000 crore as of the first quarter of FY25. By creating separate entities, Vedanta could be better positioned to manage and reduce its debt.

As Indiaslargest aluminium company, Vedanta is investing heavily in expanding its aluminium capacity to take advantage of the growing demand for these products. Competitor Hindalco's managing director recently said demand for aluminium and copper remains strong.

Vedanta is looking to increase its profitability by acquiring coal mines for backward integration. It has plans for 42,000 crore of capital expenditure (capex) over the next year to increase backward integration and ramp-up aluminium capacity. Vedanta is looking to diversify its product portfolio and revenue streams by expanding its operations in iron, oil and gas, and power.

Given the growing demand for aluminium across various industries such as automobile, infrastructure, railways and construction, Vendatas capex couldn't have come at a better time.

According to media reports, the company may be looking to enter lithium mining as well. It reportedly plans to explore lithium mining opportunities in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has also expressed interest in surveying and excavating the lithium mine discovered in Chhattisgarh's Korba district, alongside other companies such as Adani Enterprises.

As far as future dividends are concerned, Vedanta's policy mandates passing on all dividends from Hindustan Zinc to its shareholders. This approach has rewarded shareholders over the years and also helped Vedanta Resources service its debt.

So far this fiscal year, Hindustan Zinc has paid two dividends amounting to 10 a share and 19 a share. It made a record dividend payout in FY23 and followed it up with a 5,490 crore payout in FY24. The company is expected to pay more interim dividends for the remainder of the year, and Vedanta will receive a huge chunk of these.

How has the stock performed in 2024?

Vedantas stock hit a 52-week high of 507 on 22 May 2024 and a 52-week low of 208 on 28 September 2023. It is up 93% over the past year, and 81% so far this year.

Heres how it stacks up against its peers:

View Full Image Source: Ace Equity, Equitymaster

Conclusion

Investing in the most consistent dividend-paying stocks can be a great investment strategy as these stocks provide two sources of returns: regular income from dividend payments and capital appreciation from the stock price. This can help create substantial wealth over time.

The next time you have any doubts about compounding or are concerned about how dividends grow over time, just look at this chart.

View Full Image Source: Morningstar and Hartford Funds

Just as we saw with Vedanta, if you stick around over the long term, a tiny 1% yield in 2004 can gradually increase to the current yield of 6% or more.

Thats it for today.

Happy dividend investing!

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such.

This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com
Stock market Today- Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Jindal Steel & Power, Steel Authority of India Ltd share prices while have remained in focus looking at strong domestic demand, it is the Steel price movement in the country that remains watched for.

Rangebound prices The steel prices have seen impact of weak China demand, the largest consumer of commodities in the world. The weak China demand puts pressure on international stele prices, keeping check on domestic prices too.

The steel price in the country had remained range bound. During April- June quarter In 1QFY25, average domestic HRC (Hot Rolled Coil) prices remained flat sequentially at 53,630 a tonne (down 7% YoY), as per analysts data. Primary rebar prices increased 10% sequentially but were also flat YoY, at 56,957 a tonne.

During second half of August'2024, by 22nd August, 2024, as per Haitong Securities data, the domestic HRC price stood at Rs50,300 a ton. Rebar prices (Mumbai) was at Rs49,900 a ton.

China led pricing trends- key monitorable As per Haitong Securities Domestic steel demand remains robust with positive underlying demand trends across key steel consuming sectors like real estate, infrastructure and automobile. With positives demand drivers, China led pricing trends remain a key monitorable for the Indian steel industry, they added'

Also Read | Osho Krishan of Angel One recommends two stocks to buy today

Subdued Steel prices are likely to compress spreads in Q2FY25 for Steel companies, said analysts at Axis Securities. Tata Steel had guided that the NSR in India will be 1,500 a tonne lower sequentially, in the UK it will be flat and in the Netherlands, it will be down by 60 a tonne sequentially, highlighted Axis.

Declining Raw Material prices provide respite While steel prices remain under pressure, the declining iron-ore prices bode well for the manufacturers that are dependent on external iron-ore. The international iron-ore prices have dipped from more than $115 a tonne seen May 2024 t less than $95 a tonne now. NMDC too has been reducing prices for its iron-ore produce which will benefit manufacturers providing support to their margins.
Tolins Tyres IPO: From financials to GMP, here are 10 things to know before subscribing to the issue that opens soon

Tolins Tyres IPO- 10 key things 1.Tolins Tyres IPO key details The subscription period for Tolins Tyres IPO begins on September 9, 2024, and ends on September 11, 2024.

The IPO price band for Tolins Tyres had been set at 215 to 226 per share.

Also Read | Investing in Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro IPO? Here are 10 key risks to know

2. Tolins Tyres IPO subscription details Tolins Tyres 66 Shares is the minimum lot size required for an application. Retail investors are needed to invest a minimum of 14,916.

The total issue size is10,176,992 shares of face value of 5, out pf which 8,849,558 shares are being issued fresh and may garner 200 crore. Another 1,327,434 shares of 5 face value being offered for sale and aggregate up to 30.00 Crore.

Also Read | Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro Trading IPO: 10 things to know before subscribing

3. Tolins Tyres IPO lising details On Thursday, September 12, 2024, the allotment for the Tolins Tyres IPO is anticipated to be completed. The BSE and NSE will list Tolins Tyres IPO, with a tentative listing date of Monday.

4. Tolins Tyres IPO- Objectives of the issue The Tolins Tyres IPO, which is a 230.00 crore book constructed issue. The issue consists of an offer to sell 0.13 crore shares, valued at 30.00 crores, and a new issuance of 0.88 crore shares, valued at 200.00 crores.

The following objectives are to be funded from the Net Proceeds of the New Issue, according to the Company:

Repayment of the company's current debt, which it obtained from scheduled commercial banks.

Investment in Tolin Rubbers Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary, for general corporate objectives and to repay and/or redeem, in full, some of its short- and long-term borrowings and for meeting its working capital requirements.

Financing and supporting the company's general corporate objectives as well as its working capital needs.

5. About Tolins Tyres Limited Tolins Tyres Limited is a tyre manufacturer that was incorporated in 2003. The company sells to 40 countries, including the Middle East, East Africa, Jordan, Kenya, and Egypt, and offers tire retreading services in India.

Two verticals can be used to categorize the company's operations:

Tyre production is one while the other is tread rubber production

6. Tolins Tyres Limited Financials Tolins Tyres revenues stood at 228.69 crore during FY25 while its net profit stood at 100.53 crore

The Return on Equity (RoE) stood at 25.87% while debt equity ratio was at 0.78 times at the end of FY24.

7. Tolins Tyres Limited peers Indag Rubber Ltd. Vamshi Rubber Ltd, Tvs Srichakra Ltd, GRP Ltd. Elgi Rubber Company Limited are some of the listed peers of Tolins Tyres

8.Tolins Tyres IPO: Registars of the issue The registrant of the Tolins Tyres IPO is Cameo Corporate Services Limited, and the book running lead manager is Saffron Capital Advisors Private Limited.

9. Tolins Tyres IPO promoters Jerin Tolin and Kalamparambil Varkey Tolin are the promoters of the Tolins Tyres limited

10 Tolins Tyres IPO -GMP or Grey Market premium Tolins Tires' portion of the grey market premium was +25. Put differently, according to investorgain.com, the Tolins Tyres share was trading for 25 higher than the issue price.

The market therefore expects Tolins Tyres to list at 251, 11.06% or 25 more than the issue price's upper band of 226.
Are you prompt in paying rents to your landlord? If you are consistent with rent payments and live in Mumbai, you would be able to avail loans on that basis alone soon. Regular payments would also earn rewards, a rent credit score and a Residence Card (R-Card) that would store all the information about your rentals.

In a bid to reshape Indias rental market, Mumbai-based RentenPe is launching what it claims is the countrys first Rent Credit Score and R-Card. Despite the regularity and significance of rent payments, they remain unacknowledged in traditional financial metrics. Unlike credit card payments or loan EMIs (equated monthly instalments), which contribute to building a positive credit score, rent payments have historically been overlooked, leaving renters without the financial recognition they deserve, says Sarika Shetty, founder of RentenPe.

Also Read | Can rent payments influence your credit score? An explainer

How will it work? If you have rented a property in Mumbai, all you have to do is log on to the RentenPe app to avail its services, which during the launch is free of cost for tenants. You have to provide all the basic information including your Aadhaar ID, PAN card and details of property rented. You have to upload your rental agreement along with a recent photograph. RentenPe will then check the rental agreement with assistance from its legal partner. Since about 90% of the rent agreements in Mumbai are registered, RentenPe will not face much problems in validating rent agreements, Sarika says.

Once the customers credentials are verified, RentenPe will provide the R-Card, a 12-digit card that will store information about rent payments. Individuals paying a rent of 10000 to 2 lakh per month can use the RentenPe app. But rewards for prompt payments will be available only for those who spend in excess of 20000 per month on rent.

To start with, R-Card holders will have a rent credit score of 650, which can go up to 790 if rents are paid promptly. Once a tenant gets a rent credit score of 790, she/he would even be able to qualify for a housing loan. RentenPe has tied up with NBFCs (Non-banking finance companies), which would offer loans to tenants. RentenPe has also tied-up with about 300 brokers in Mumbai for the app.

What are the benefits? Apart from the R-Card and the rent credit score, tenants will be able to pay their monthly rents through RentenPe. The app has tied up with prominent payment gateways that will allow tenants to pay rents through their debit cards, credit cards and UPI (Unified Payments Interface). If you are prompt with your payments, you will be able to earn rewards that can be up to 1% of your monthly rent.

For example, if a person spending 50000 per month on rent makes payments promptly on a consistent basis, she/he will be able to earn rewards of up to 500 every month. In some cases, RentenPe will pay up to one months rent as a reward. It will also provide rental receipts for all the payments. Regular rent payments will also make you eligible for a rental loan. You can also avail loans based on the security deposit for the rent on the app.

Also Read | 6 credit score myths you should stop believing today

How does the model work and will it be viable? RentenPe says that there is an untapped potential for providing finance based on rent, which accounts for about 30% of a persons regular income in tier-1 cities. We believe that rent, a significant monthly financial commitment, should be recognized in the same way that EMIs and credit card payments are. Our Rent Credit Score and R-Card are designed to empower tenants, giving them the financial recognition they deserve and helping them achieve their long-term goals, including home ownership, Sarika says.

Indias residential rental market, pegged at 1.85 lakh crore during 2021 across the top-7 cities, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8%-10% in the next five years, according to EY Parthenon, the strategy consulting arm of global consultancy firm Ernst & Young.

About 4.05 crore persons stayed in rented accommodation in the top-7 cities as of 2021, which accounted for nearly 35% of the total population in these cities, according to EY Parthenon. In Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), nearly 76 lakh people out of a total population of about 2.8 crore were living on rent as of 2021. RentenPe, which is launching in Mumbai and later plans to expand to other cities, will get a fee or commission from NBFCs and payment gateways.
Rhys Dwyer, 34, was touring regional Western Australia when he collided with cattle on his four-wheel drive.

The mum of a man killed during a dream holiday touring around Western Australia in his four-wheel drive (4WD) hopes her son's death serves as a reminder of the dangers of regional roads.

Rhys Dwyer, 34, collided with cattle on the Great Northern Highland between Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing on July 3, dying at the scene from his injuries. His mum Allison Walker believes he was an experienced driver who died doing what he loved, and his untimely death should be upheld as a reminder that "freak accidents" can happen to anyone as the state's road death toll surges.

"People can become complacent, especially when you see a sign for cattle or kangaroos but then dont see them [immediately]," she told 7News. "Some of the roads are horrific with cows and kangaroos... the signs are there for a reason. Please be vigilant."

WA on track to record highest road death toll in decade

The state is set to record one of its worst years for road deaths in the last decade following a surge in the first six months of the year. So far there have been 126 deaths on WA roads, 75 of which occurred on regional roads.

Dwyer's mum Allison Walker wants her son's death to be a reminder about the dangers of regional roads. Source: GoFundMe

Walker said nothing should be left off the table while authorities try to tackle the issue.

"[These fatal crashes] are happening far too often. You're scared anytime your loved ones go out because you don't know if they're going to come home, or even if you're going to come home, she said. "If we don't keep promoting the need for change, nothing will change."

Aussies five times more likely to die on regional roads

There is a greater risk of death on regional roads compared to roads in major cities, with Aussies five times more likely to die in crashes, according to the Australian Automobile Association.

The key reason for this is the higher speeds on regional roads, with a high proportion of crashes occurring in high-speed zones. Poor road surface area, increased road hazards, such as wildlife, fatigue and longer journey time also contribute.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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For non-residents, two sets of legal frameworks apply to them. The first legal framework is provided under the Income Tax Act of 1961, which deals with taxing Non-Residents' income. The other legal framework is provided under the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) 1999, which deals with investment avenues available to non-residents and banking transactions which a non-resident can carry out. We have already discussed the when one becomes a non-resident under income tax laws and its implications.

In this article, I will explain how a person becomes a non-resident of FEMA.

When a person becomes a non-resident under the FEMA, unlike under the income tax law, which determines the status of a person based on his physical stay in India, the foreign exchange regulations generally go by the intention of an individual in addition to his physical stay in India. So, under FEMA, a person is treated as a resident if he has been in India for more than 182 days in the preceding year. However, even under the following circumstances, when an individual leaves India, he will still not be treated as a resident under FEMA. He will become a non-resident immediately, despite being in India for more than 182 days during the financial year immediately before that year.

When will you become a non-resident? 1)As soon as you leave India to take up employment outside India or

2) You leave India to start any business or profession outside India or

3)You leave India with the intention to stay outside for an indefinite period.

Also Read | Income tax benefits for resident vs non-resident taxpayers explained

Under the circumstances above, you will become a nonresident when your flight takes off or your ship sails on water. If you leave the country for medical treatment outside India, on a business trip, or on holiday, and because your stay outside India is for a definite period, you are treated as a resident of India under FEMA.

However, the FEMA law treats students who go outside India to take up study as non-residents as soon as they leave India, even if their stay outside India is for a definite period.

Likewise, if you come back to India to take up employment, carry on any business or profession, or stay here for an indefinite period, like spending your retirement years here in India, you will become a resident for FEMA purposes immediately upon your arrival.

Under the Income Tax Law, the residential status of a person is generally determined after the end of the financial year based on your physical stay in India. Still, the status under FEMA changes instantly when a person either leaves India with the intention to stay out of India for an uncertain period or comes to India to stay here indefinitely.

So, you would become a non-resident immediately if you left India to spend your retired life with your children. However, you would still be a resident if you left the country to care for your daughter-in-law during her pregnancy in the US, irrespective of your stay outside India.

It may be noted that a foreign citizen can become a resident of India under FEMA provisions while retaining his foreign citizenship, and an Indian Citizen can become a non-resident without having to surrender his citizenship. A person's citizenship does not have any bearing on your residential status under the FEMA provisions.

Please note that a person can be a resident under FEMA, a non-resident under income tax laws, and vice versa at the same time.

Read all our personal finance stories here

Balwant Jain is a tax and investment expert and can be reached at jainbalwant@gmail.com and on @jainbalwant on social media platform X (formerly Twitter)
You are a non-resident Indian finally ready to invest your money back home in India. Youve done the research and picked out the stocks, but are now faced with a choice: should you open a portfolio investment scheme demat account or a non-PIS one? Mint breaks down which option would be the best fit for your needs and how this choice can shape your investments.

But first, whats a portfolio investment scheme? Its an arrangement introduced by the Reserve Bank of India to enable NRIs to invest in the stocks of Indian companies, and allows for both repatriation and non-repatriation of profits. But there are differences in PIS and non-PIS accounts that you need to consider before deciding on one.

PIS vs non-PIS

A PIS account linked to non-resident external (NRE) accounts might be the right choice if your priority is to repatriate your profits and funds back to your home country. However, the process of opening a PIS account is complex. As Amit Lalan, director at online trading platform Upstox, explains, PIS accounts require permission from both a bank and RBI, which can make the onboarding process time-consuming, typically about two weeks.

Additionally, PIS accounts come with higher operational and compliance costs due to the regulatory oversight involved. PIS accounts are also subject to RBIs restrictions on the maximum foreign or NRI shareholding allowed in a company. For example, if HDFC Bank has hit the cap of maximum foreign shareholding, no new NRI PIS purchases will be allowed in the stock. Restrictions also apply to trading in futures and options.

Also read | Why this Luxembourg-based couple invests in Indian stocks only

A non-PIS account, on the other hand, offers a simpler and more flexible approach to investing in Indian securities. Unlike PIS accounts, non-PIS accounts can be opened directly with a broker without needing RBI permission, making the onboarding process faster and more straightforward, said Lalan.

(Note that both PIS and non-PIS demat accounts dont allow intraday trades.)

Non-PIS accounts are linked to NRO (non-resident ordinary) accounts, which have restrictions on repatriation. This means that while you have more freedom in managing your investmentssuch as engaging in intraday trading and other active market participationthe ability to transfer funds back to your home country is limited.

View Full Image (Mint Graphics)

Dipen Shah, a certified financial planner and co-founder of NRI FinOne, suggests that NRIs prioritising repatriating their money could opt for PIS accounts while non-PIS accounts are better suited for those prioritising flexibility in their investment strategy over ease of repatriation.

As per RBIs rules, NRIs can transfer up to $1 million annually from their NRO savings bank account to their NRE savings bank account. To facilitate this transfer, you need a signed cheque or letter requesting the transfer, a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) declaration, and proof of the source of funds.

Additionally, you will have to obtain Form 15CB from a chartered accountant and generate Form 15CA via the income tax website to ensure regulatory compliance and verify the transfers legitimacy.

Also read | Budget 2024: How tax-free retail funds will benefit NRIs

How to get started

Opening a PIS account

To open a PIS account, NRIs must follow several detailed steps. First, they need to obtain permission from a bank to invest in Indian securities. The bank will assist in acquiring the necessary PIS permission from RBI. This process generally takes about two weeks.

Once the permission is secured, you must provide specific documentation to open the PIS account with the broker. This includes a foreign national ID proof, legal address proof from your home country, and attestation from a local attorney. These documents must be physically submitted to the bank with the necessary attestations.

The next step is to link the PIS account to the NRE account, which facilitates repatriation of profits and funds back to your home country. With both the PIS and NRE accounts set up, you can now begin your investing journey.

Opening a non-PIS account

An NRI can directly open a non-PIS account with a broker without having to go through a bank or RBI for permissions. This makes the onboarding process simpler and more straightforward. But a non-PIS account is typically linked to an NRO account, which has restrictions on repatriation of funds.

For F&O trading via a non-PIS account, an NRI needs to register with a custodian participant with a brokers help. The custodian participant will handle the clearing and settlement of trades.

So which one should you pick?

If youre transitioning from being a resident to an NRI, heres how you might approach managing your investments. For example, if youve worked in India for several years and are now moving abroad, converting your resident demat account to a non-PIS account could help you manage your existing investments more efficiently.

On the other hand, for your new earnings abroad, opening a PIS account would provide you with the flexibility to repatriate funds back to your home country seamlessly.

Also read | Moving abroad? Here's a checklist for managing investments as an NRI

By using a non-PIS account for managing past investments and a PIS account for future earnings, you can align your investment strategy with your financial needs and repatriation goals. This method ensures you optimise both investment management and fund transfers as your situation evolves.

That said, the onboarding process for both PIS and non-PIS accounts poses challenges for NRIs, according to Lalan of Upstox. The process is generally more cumbersome than for resident accounts, involving several complex and tedious steps. Although non-PIS accounts can be opened directly with a broker, the onboarding process is still not as user-friendly as it could be for resident accounts.

Also read | A Portugal Golden Visa can give you wide access to Europe. Should you apply?
Starting October 1, 2024, significant changes will be implemented in the taxation of share buybacks, shifting the tax burden from companies to shareholders. Companies are taxed at 23.296 per cent on buyback transactions, covering surcharges and cess, while shareholders face no tax on the buyback proceeds. Under the new rules, buyback proceeds will be treated as dividends and taxed according to shareholders' income tax slabs. Companies must deduct tax at source (TDS) at 10 per cent for resident individuals and 20 per cent for non-resident individuals.

Starting October 1, the new share buyback rules will transfer the tax burden from companies to shareholders. Instead of the current 23.296 per cent tax on buyback proceeds paid by companies, shareholders will be taxed according to their individual income tax slabs. Companies will need to withhold tax at source (TDS) at a rate of 10 per cent for resident individuals and 20 per cent for non-residents, Abhishek Soni, CEO and Co-founder of Tax2win, explained.

Siddharth Maurya, Founder and Managing Director of Vibhavangal Anukulakara Private Limited, noted that buyback proceeds will be treated as dividends and taxed accordingly under these new rules. This shift in tax liability from companies to shareholders will fundamentally change how buybacks are taxed. While companies previously enjoyed tax-free buybacks, shareholders now face tax based on their income brackets. This could make buybacks less attractive and potentially increase the preference for dividend distributions or other methods of capital return.

Also Read | Why hike in share buyback tax announced in the Budget hurts investors

Also Read | Stock market investors alert! FM changes this income tax rule in Budget 2024

What the present rule says Under Section 10(34A), the shareholder's money received from a share buyback is exempt. However, the company faces a tax of 20 per cent plus a 12 per cent surcharge and 4 per cent cess on the buyback amount, adjusted for any premiums received. This results in an effective tax rate of 23.296 per cent, explained Mumbai-based tax and investment expert Balwant Jain.

Currently, companies are taxed at a rate of 23.296 per cent on buybacks, which includes surcharge and cess, while shareholders face no tax obligation on the buyback proceeds. This setup makes buybacks tax-efficient in returning capital to investors, Abhishek Soni said.

Changes in taxation of buyback of shares "The new legislation offers some benefits for specific groups. For example, non-resident shareholders could see reduced dividend tax rates due to double taxation treaties, which could encourage more market participation. Additionally, funds investing in shares may benefit from a smaller tax gap between dividends and buybacks. However, for high-net-worth individuals and resident shareholders in higher tax brackets, buyback schemes may become less appealing due to increased tax liabilities. These changes will require companies and investors to reevaluate their strategies," Siddharth Maurya, Founder and Managing Director of Vibhavangal Anukulakara Private Limited, said.

Budget 2024 In the 2024 Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a significant change: eliminating the tax on companies for share buybacks. Instead, the buyback proceeds would be classified as dividends and taxed according to the individual shareholder's income tax slab.

Read all our personal finance stories here
There are a number of learnings which we happen to imbibe from our mentors and they stay with us for many years to come. Even legends like Warren Buffett owe a major chunk of their success to their mentors and gurus. Buffett often says that his mentor and professor at Columbia University  Benjamin Graham -- taught him countless and timeless lessons of investing.

In a short remembrance to Mr Graham that was published in the Financial Analyst Journal after his death in 1976, the Oracle of Omaha recounted three lessons which he learnt from his teacher.

Those who are not aware, Benjamin Graham wrote the famous bestseller The Intelligent Investor and he also taught at Columbia University where Buffett studied for a masters degree.

Also Read | Retail investors remain impulsive sellers: 5 lessons to achieve financial goals

Three key lessons Warren Buffett learnt from Graham I. Remain foolish: In a letter to shareholders in 2018, Buffett said that the markets will remain volatile, and what one needs is willingness to look unimaginative for a long period of time or perhaps to look foolish.

It was Grahams teaching which convinced Buffett to say that one does not need too much of excellence to make wealth in stock markets. It is, in fact, the ability of investors to ignore buyers euphoria and sellers pessimism.

Buffett even once asserted that he never listens to economists. There is not a single economist who became super wealthy by investing in securities, he had once remarked.

II. Be generous: Warren has spoken at length in praise of Ben Graham who was not only a good teacher, investor and mentor but also a generous person at the same time.

At the time of conceiving The Giving Pledge along with Bill Gates, Buffett apparently took a leaf out of Grahams book and has even donated a large part of his wealth to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Walter Lippmann spoke of men who plant trees that other men will sit under. Ben Graham was such a man, Buffett has written about Graham.

III. Be creative: Graham was one of the rare breeds who achieved great success without the narrowness of mental activity that concentrates all efforts on a single end. His success was in fact a byproduct of intellect whose breadth was quite wide.

In fact, Buffett has imbibed this learning in his life too by becoming a voracious reader and pursuing knowledge and wisdom instead of money and profits.

He recalled one of the famous quotes of Graham wherein he reportedly tells Buffett to not worry about money too much.
Arvind Kejriwal Bail Plea in Supreme Court: The Supreme Court bench is today hearing two separate pleas filed by Arvind Kejriwal challenging the legality of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and seeking bail in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan is hearing the pleas. The Aam Aadmi Party chief is the only key political leader who is behind bars in the case. As many as three accused in the case have been released on bail in the past month.

Also Read | Delhi excise scam case: SC grants bail to former AAP media incharge Vijay Nair

Those granted bail by Supreme Court of India include former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator K Kavitha and Vijay Nair, the former communication in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party. Sanjay Singh, another AAP leader who is also a Rajya Sabha member, was released on bail in April 2024.

There are about 40 accused in the case on charges of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the corruption filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Of these five, including Kejriwal, still remain in judicial custody.

1- Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister The investigation agencies have alleged that Arvind Kejriwal received the bribe from what they call South Group in exchange for granting favours to them when the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy was being drafted. The Delhi Chief Minister is also accused by CBI of ensuring 90 lakh from the bribe for 40 AAP candidates in the Goa assembly polls, 2022.

The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21. On May 10, Kejriwal was released on interim bail until June 1 for campaigning during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

He was formally arrested by CBI on June 26 from inside the court. Kejriwal was granted bail in the ED case on July 12 but remains in custody in CBI case.

2- Vinod Chauhan, hawala operator In June, 2024, the ED in its In its ninth chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case named Vinod Chauhan as an accused. Chauhan was allegedly involved in the transfer of 25.5 crore to fund the AAPs 2022 Goa Assembly poll campaign, as per the investigating agency.

Chauhan is accused of transferring money through the hawala route for AAPs Goa elections and was allegedly in regular touch with members of the South Group. The agency has also alleged that it seized 1.06 unaccounted money from his house. Chauhan was arrested by ED in May. His bail plea is being heard at the Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi.

3- Arun Ramachandra Pillai, Hyderabad businessman In August 2022, Arun Ramachandra Pillai's name surfaced in the CBI's list of 15 accused, including the Manish Sisodia, in its FIR on the alleged Delhi excise scam.

Pillai, a Hyderabad-based businessman, was arrested by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case in March 2023. Pillai allegedly part of the South Group that sent kickbacks worth 100 crore to AAP leaders.

Pillai is accused of money laundering and providing illegal gratification to public servants to secure liquor licenses in Delhi. He had 32.5 per cent shares in Indospirit, a liquor manufacturing group, according to ED. In June, the Delhi High Court denied interim bail to Pillai.

4- Amandeep Dhall, Delhi businessman In August last year, the CBI arrested an Assistant Director of ED and six other officials for accepting bribes 5 crore to save Delhi businessman Aman Dhall in the Delhi liquor scam case.

Dhall, who allegedly conspired with co-accused Vijay Nair and played an instrumental role in facilitating and arranging meetings with members of the South Group, was arrested by CBI in April last year. In June this year, the Delhi High Court denied him bail.

Nair was granted bail by SC in the case on September 2.

5- Sameer Mahendru, MD Indospirit Group The ED arrested liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru in connection with the Delhi excise policy-related scam in September 2022. Mahendru is the managing director of a company called Indospirits, in which he allegedly had a 35 per cent partnership stake.

The company got a wholesale L1 licence. Mahendru is also accused of obtaining two retail zone licences under the name of Khao Gali restaurants which are under the name of his father-in-law.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party benefited from the illicit funds generated through the criminal conspiracy in the Excise Policy case. The probe agency claims that as the national convenor of AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for this.

The CBI in its supplementary charge sheet, stated that the investigation has revealed that Arvind Kejriwal was involved in the criminal conspiracy related to the formulation and implementation of Delhi's Excise Policy from the outset.

Also Read | Supreme Court to hear Kejriwals bail plea against CBI arrest today

The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by Kejriwal seeking bail against his arrest by the CBI in the now-scrapped excise policy case. The AAP chief has challenged the Delhi High Court's decision that upheld his arrest in the excise policy case.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was by CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

In its supplementary charge sheet, the CBI has alleged that Kejriwal had a pre-conceived plan to privatize the Excise Policy and sought monetary support for the AAP in March 2021, during the policy's formulation by the Group of Ministers (GoM) led by co-accused Manish Sisodia. Additionally, Kejriwal's close associate, Vijay Nair, who is in charge of Media and Communication for AAP, allegedly approached various stakeholders in the Delhi Excise Business, demanding illegal gratification in exchange for favourable adjustments to the Excise Policy.

Both Sisodia and Nair are out on bail.

The- Aam Aadmi Party chief is the only key political leader who is behind bars in the case. As many as three accused in the case have been released on bail in the past month.

The CBI has further alleged that the statement submitted by the AAP regarding election expenditure for the Goa Assembly Elections 2022 is misleading. It is claimed that the statement only accounts for payments made through bank transactions, while substantial cash payments to various vendors, Assembly Managers, Booth In-Charges, and Volunteers engaged by AAP during the Goa Assembly Elections 2021-22 were not reported.

The investigation stated that the illicit funds generated from the criminal conspiracy related to the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 were used to cover the election expenses of AAP for the Goa Assembly Elections.
The Supreme Court heard two separate pleas filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursdayone challenging the legality of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and a second seeking bail in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Arvind Kejriwal, told the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan that Kejriwal was a constitutional functionary and not a flight risk. Singhvi also called the arrest by the CBI an insurance arrest.

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal issued summons as court takes cognizance of CBIs chargesheet

Advocate Singhvi resorted to wordplay to conclude his argument. Bar and Bench quoted him as saying, Article 21 of the Constitution will trump... Nowadays, Trump is a dangerous word. He was seemingly referring to former US President Donald Trump.
The Election Commission of India has issued notification prohibiting exit polls for assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. The poll panel has banned exit polls from 7 am on September 18 to 6.30 pm on October 5, the last day of polling.

The assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir is being held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The Haryana assembly polls will be held on one phase on October 5. The results of both the elections will be declared on October 8.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers under sub-Section (1) of Section 126A of the RP Act, 1951, the Election Commission, having regard to the provisions of Sub-Section (2) of the said Section, hereby notifies the period between 7.00 AM on 18.09.2024 (Wednesday) and 6.30 PM on 05.10.2024 (Saturday), as the period during which conducting and publishing or publicising exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or dissemination in any other manner whatsoever, the result of any exit poll in connection with the aforesaid general election, shall be prohibited, reads the notification dated September 3.

Predictions based on voter feedback Exit polls are predictions by pollsters based on voter feedback collected by after the polling. While the idea behind the exit polls is to reflect public sentiment well before the actual results are announced, their accuracy has faced scrutiny in the past.

The ECI prohibits conducting exit polls during the voting process but allows the predictions to be published 30 minutes after the last vote is cast.

It is further clarified that under Section 126(1)(b) of the RP Act, 1951, displaying any election matter including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media, would be prohibited during the period of 48 hours ending with the hours fixed for the conclusion of the poll in connection with the aforesaid general elections, it said.

The Rules and Punishment The rules of exit polls are governed by Section 126A of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951. No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of an exit poll during such period as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard, reads the Section 126A of the RP Act, 1951.
The Indian National Congress (INC) demanded an independent investigation into the row of allegations against Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch on Thursday, September 5, reported the news agency PTI.

The opposition party said that it is in the national interest to have an investigation into the matter as foreign investors were becoming concerned and there were doubts related to the integrity of the Indian stock market, as per the report.

Congress said only an objective, independent inquiry with Buch stepping aside was needed until then to restore trust and confidence in Indias stock markets and the country's economy, as per the report.

Chairman of Professionals' Congress and Data Analytics Praveen Chakravarty alleged that SEBI has a lot of skeletons which are tumbling out of the cupboard, cited the report.

On 10 August, a foreign research firm issued a report with allegations against the SEBI chairperson and her family regarding offshore funds, for which they claimed to have documentary evidence. This allegation was made by a research firm, not by any political party. In response, a cabinet minister of the Modi government addressed the issue, said Chakravarty at a press conference, reported the news agency.

Chakravarty questioned why they responded to an allegation made by a foreign research firm about an employee, and why Buc is not responding but her previous employer ICICI is, as per the report.

Chakravarty pointed out that 500 SEBI officers have written a letter to the Government of India alleging that the work environment under Buch's leadership is toxic, abusive and fearful, as per the report.

Today, a news report says that Ms. Madhabi Puri Buch did have two employments when she was at ICICI. She was also employed in a private equity fund called Greater Specific Capital... Ms. Buch may have been recruited as a finance professional, but this raises a long list of allegations and questions. Doesn't it raise more concern? he said, according to the report.

The Congress leader questioned about the hesitation in conducting an impartial and objective inquiry, said the report.

As a former financial professional myself, I have received several calls from foreign investors asking, 'What is the status of the market regulator? Can we trust India's securities market? What is happening with the integrity of the market regulator? he said, quoted the report.

Chakravarty stated that the opposition party wants a strong and robust stock market in India.

We want foreign capital in our stock market. This is too important for the country; it is a national issue. The real question is: Who is being protected here? Why is the ED silent on Madhabi Puri Buch? he said, quoted in the report.

This is a national issue. If foreign investors are getting concerned and there are doubts about the integrity of India's stock markets because of a series of allegations against the chairperson of the market regulator, is it not in the national interest to conduct an inquiry to get to the root of this matter and resolve it, said Chakravarty.

Chakravarty also highlighted the whistleblower portal indiawhistleblower.com on which information can be posted anonymously. Congress also shared this information in its platform X handle, as per the report.

Also Read | Sebis Madhabi Buch worked at ICICI and a PE firm between 2011 and 2013

According to the report, the Congress on Monday levelled fresh conflict of interest allegations against SEBI Chairperson Buch and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come clean as the head of the cabinet appointments committee on Buch's appointment.

The opposition party had said the Supreme Court should recognise the fresh revelations and demanded that the SEBI chairperson should be dismissed immediately, as per the report.

Congress alleged that since the current SEBI chairperson took office in 2017, she has not only been drawing a salary from SEBI but has also been holding an office of profit at the ICICI Bank, continuing to receive income from them to this very day, they said at a press conference.

ICICI Bank also stated that they did not pay any salary or grant any employee stock options (ESOPs) to Buch after her retirement, as alleged by Congress, as per the exchange filing.

The Congress, in turn, had questioned ICICI Bank's assertion that it had not paid any salary or granted ESOPs to the SEBI Chairperson after her retirement and asked that if the amount paid to her was her "retiral benefit," why was it non-uniform in terms of its frequency and amount, as per the report.
A Maharashtra couple was recently forced to travel for 15 kilometers while carrying their dead sons  with videos of the incident now going viral on social media. The case was highlighted in the state Assembly by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday.

Two siblings who came today got fever. No treatment was received in time. Within two hours, the condition of both of them deteriorated and within an hour and a half, both of them breathed their last. There was no ambulance to take the body home from the hospital. The parents carried the bodies of both the siblings on their shoulders. Finding a path through the mud, they reached Pattigaon in Aheri taluka, 15 km away, on foot, he recounted.

Wadettiwar also lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis  the guardian minister of the district and NCP leader Dharma Rao Baba Atram who is part of the Eknath Shinde-led government.

Health officials said a medico-legal case had since been registered in connection with the deaths. According to an official, the children  aged six years and three-and-a-half years fell ill in their house in Pattigaon in Aheri taluka on September 4. Their parents had taken them to the Jamilgatta primary health centre by foot for treatment. However they were declared dead on arrival by doctors at the PHC.

Officials said the parents had then taken their bodies back to the village without heeding requests for post mortem.

After a medico-legal case was registered, the bodies of the two children have been sent for post mortem. We are awaiting the reports. The bodies will be handed back to the parents after the procedure, a health official said.

The incident comes mere days after Wadettiwar highlighted another incident from the Vidarbha region that saw a pregnant tribal woman deliver a stillborn child and then succumb to her own wounds. The woman  a resident of Dahendri village in Melghat tribal region of Amravati  could not be shifted to a hospital as local health authorities said an ambulance would take at least four hours to reach.

Also Read | What is PM sorry for? asks Rahul as Maha govt faces ire over statue collapse
A deadly strain of avian influenza that's swept the globe could reach Australia this month, prompting concerns thousands of birds could die.

When avian influenza spread to the Farne Islands in the UK, in 2022 there were mass casualties of nesting birds, including puffins. Source: Owen Humphreys / PA

Australias wildlife is facing what could be an unprecedented mass extinction event this spring, and conservationists have described the funding allocated by the federal government to fight the threat as pretty pathetic. High pathogenic avian influenza has spread to every other continent including Antarctica, killing tens of millions of birds and mammals but its expected to make its way here when migratory birds arrive.

While the Invasive Species Council believes the government has been slow to tackle the issue, it's impressed that it appears to be now taking it seriously, but it has calculated just $580,000 has been directed specifically to protecting wildlife. The advocacy group claims a chance to secure funding in the May budget was missed and now the money required to protect Aussie wildlife from the virus isn't available.

The problem is theyve been caught with their pants down, and now theyre scrambling to respond. And were pleased that they are, but if it turns up this spring we are not prepared, spokesperson Jack Gough told Yahoo News.

Related: New Zealand prepares for threat of avian influenza as virus spreads to Antarctica

Waterbirds like swans are expected to be at significant threat from HPAI. Source: Getty

How bad will avian flu be for Australia's wildlife?

At a national forum facilitated by the Biodiversity Council in August, University of Melbourne microbiology expert Dr Michelle Wille warned that other than Oceania the virus is everywhere and moving fast.

When the deadly HPAI H5N1 strain gets to Australia she expects the impact will be catastrophic just like overseas. Its going to rock up, and its going to cause massive widespread deaths with very large outbreaks, and lots of dead animals on the landscape.

Her 2023 study found the 356 species had been impacted by the virus, but the number is likely higher now. Mass mortalities within populations have been high  for instance, in Peru around 40 per cent of pelicans died in two months.

The virus is also spreading among mammals with over 50 species impacted. In June, experts were alarmed after it infected field mice in the United States, with one warning its unheard of for them to catch influenza virus. More than 30,000 South American sea lions and 18,000 elephant seals have been killed by HPAI, and Australias own sea lion population is believed to be at risk.

All birds associated with water in Australia including penguins, swans and ducks are expected to be highly threatened by the disease. But if the virus becomes established it could spread to other native birds and mammals.

Related: Meat linked to avian influenza

Why isn't there more money to protect wildlife?

To Gough there appears to be a persistent fatalism within government that birds are going to die. The focus seems to be on managing how people will respond to seeing dead birds, managing the potential human health risks, but not on what is needed to reduce deaths and make sure species dont go extinct, he said.

In May 2023, the Invasive Species Council warned Australia was not prepared to defend its native species against avian influenza. And two months later a government commissioned report warned the risk to wild birds had increased and was now "high".

While Gough thinks the government has been slow to respond, he's relieved there is now progress.

The problem we have is that theres no significant money dedicated to this and thats a huge barrier to proper preparedness they seem to be scrambling and everything is done on the fly, and birds could be turning up this month and thats a problem.

He wants the government to urgently develop plans to safeguard iconic sites like Kakadu National Park, Ramsar wetlands like the Coorong in South Australia, as well as Lord Howe Island, Christmas Island and Kangaroo Island.

There are concerns Australia's pelicans could face the same fate of their overseas cousins. Source: Getty

Taskforce set up to fight avian influenza

The government is well prepared to safeguard poultry from the virus, its done so eight times in the past, and this year authorities contained the highly contagious H7N3 strain. But the concern this time around is the impact the more deadly H5N1 strain could have on native birds. Gough argues the issue must be a priority for environment ministers, and leaving the problem to the Departments of Agriculture and Biosecurity is not good enough.

One thing that we need is for Tanya Plibersek to step up and do is call an emergency meeting of all state and territory environment ministers to discuss this and to emphasise the importance of the preparation, he said.

Yahoo News sent questions to Environment Minister Tanya Pliberseks office about the Invasive Species Councils concerns, and the query was redirected to her department.

The Environment Department confirmed the likelihood that the HPAI H5N1 variant would reach Australia had increased and there is extensive activity occurring across all levels of government to prepare  and this includes protecting wildlife. It said Australia was in the fortunate position to have learned from how other countries responded.

We have seen this disease spread rapidly globally and cause major mortality events in wildlife. The impact on our susceptible wildlife could be significant. Our greatest risk of disease entry is via migratory birds which we cannot control, it said in a written statement.

It confirmed an HPAI Preparedness Taskforce has been set up and its members include the Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment, Department of Health and Aged Care and the National Emergency Management Agency. The government is also working with the states and territories on its response.

The taskforce is working closely with state and territory agencies, Wildlife Health Australia, Animal Health Australia, wildlife experts, industry, NGOs and community groups, to coordinate national preparedness efforts and investments. This is to ensure a whole-of-government and one health approach to this cross-sectoral disease threat, it said.

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In the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report that has taken the Malayalam film industry by storm, several female actors and junior artists have come forward to name the alleged preparators of sexual assaults.

Yet another actress Sowmya has made allegations of sexual harassment and rape against a Tamil director.

She has accused the director of mental, physical, and sexual assault - including the insertion of a rod into her genitals, NDTV reported. However, Sowmya refused to reveal the directors name, and the report said she would disclose the man's identity to the special police team.

According to the NDTV report, the director, along with his wife, approached Sowmya when she was 18 years old and inflicted mental torture by claiming her as his daughter.

The Kerala government had formed a special police team to probe multiple cases of alleged sexual assault in Mollywood.

I was 18 and in my first year of college... I came from a very sheltered background and my parents knew nothing about movies. This opportunity (to act in a Tamil film) came through my college theatre contact. As a child I was enamoured by the actor Revathy, who lived near my house at that time...I was in a fantasy world. So I went for a screen test with this couple..., Sowmya told NDTV in an interview.

I was a child; I didn't know much, she added.

The actor also told her family, ... I said I wasn't comfortable with the man. I said this at my first meeting.

But her family had been arm-twisted into allowing her to act, she claimed, adding the director told her father they had spent large amounts of money on her screen test.

Further, she said: During the first outdoor shoots he didn't speak to me. The agreement was that his wife would be the director but that was on paper... in reality he was directing the whole movie.

And so I was under his control... and he gave me the 'angry silent treatment like many men are used to doing, she added.

One fine day, when his wife wasn't around, this man, while calling me his daughter, kissed me. I completely froze. I was so desperate to tell my friends but couldn't... I was ashamed, thinking I had done something wrong and that I was obligated to be nice to this man..., Sowmya said. So I continued going for practice, for dance rehearsals... every day I went back and gradually, step by step, this man completely used my body to his advantage. At some point he forced himself on me... so he raped me. This went on for close to a year while I was in college.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 5 hailed Singapore and said that it is not just a country but an inspiration for every developing country. The Prime Minister arrived in the Southeast Asian country on Wednesday.

His two-day visit is poised to bolster bilateral ties between the two countries. The second day of his trip in Singapore began with a ceremonial welcome for PM Modi at Singapore's Parliament House, followed by a meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong.

Also Read | PM Modi set to explore semiconductor innovations in Singapore today

According to ANI report, PM Modi is slated to tour a cutting-edge semiconductor facility today and sign several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). The Singapore leg comes after Modi visited Brunei, in the first bilateral visit by an Indian premier to the country.

Here are top quotes from his speech in Singapore today:

Expressing gratitude PM Modi said, I thank you for your warm welcome."

In the opening remarks on the second day of his visit to the island nation, he said, "This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister. Many congratulations to you from my side.

Praising Lawrence Wong, PM Modi added, "I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even faster. Singapore is not just a country, Singapore is an inspiration for every developing country.

Labelling the ministerial roundtable as a a path-breaking mechanism PM Modi stated, "We also want to create many Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism."

At the meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, the Prime Minister pointed out that cooperation between the two nations in various sectors, including digitalisation, advanced manufacturing and cyber security, has become an identity of India-Singapore ministerial roundtable.

Cooperation in the fields of skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI, healthcare, sustainability and cybersecurity has become an identity of this initiative, ANI quoted PM Modi as saying.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) PM Modi wrote, "Happy to have met my friend, PM Lawrence Wong. Had an excellent discussion on a wide range of issues. India cherishes the friendship with Singapore."

Also Read | Paralympics 2024: PM Modi congratulates archer Harvinder Singh for winning Gold

The bilateral meeting comes months after PM Modi began his third term as Prime Minister and Lawrence Wong took over as premier. Later in the day, PM Modi will meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. This will be followed by a business meeting with Prime Minister Modi will depart for New Delhi later in the day.
New photos of Renukaswamy  taken mere minutes before his murder  emerged on Thursday amid continued furore over the case. The development came a day after the police filed a chargesheet against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and others.

Photos of the victim pleading for life have since gone viral on social media platforms. Another image showed Renukaswamy lying on the ground near a parked truck. Officials said the Darshan fan had been beaten up with clubs, given electric shock in his private parts, and thrown against the wall leading to multiple fractures. Injury marks could reportedly be seen all over his body.

Also Read | Darshan Thoogudeepa admits borrowing money to destroy evidence in murder case

"Fear writ large on a shirtless Renukaswamys face as he stared at the camera, the image is a tell-tale about the trauma he endured as he was given a torturous death," a police official told PTI.

According to police sources citing a forensic report enclosed within the chargesheet, Renukaswamys blood stains were found on Darshans clothes. According to the post-mortem report, he died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

The Bengaluru Police filed a "watertight" chargesheet against the actor and 16 other accused individuals on Wednesday following extensive investigation. The 3,991-page document (with seven volumes and 10 files) comprises 231 witness statements and technical and electronic evidence.

33-year-old Renukaswamy  a fan of the actor  was found dead next to a stormwater drain in early June. He had allegedly sent obscene messages to the actor's friend Pavithra Gowda which infuriated Darshan. Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamys murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
Family members of a doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered last month, joined the protesting medical staff at RG Kar Hospital on Wednesday.

As reported by PTI, they accused the Kolkata Police of trying to cover up the case by quickly cremating the doctors body.

During the protests at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the body was found on August 9, the family demanded justice and alleged that a senior police officer had attempted to bribe them following the acknowledgement of the incident.

The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined, the father of the deceased doctor said, as reported by PTI.

In the second week of August, the Calcutta High Court directed that the case be transferred to the CBI. The parents of the postgraduate trainee have joined the protests to support the junior doctors advocating for justice for their daughter.

Since August 10, statewide protests have emerged, with individuals from various sectors calling for justice for the victim. On Monday, the CBI arrested Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the institution.

Earlier, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed a state anti-rape bill seeking capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and a life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.

The Bill mandates that investigations into rape cases must be concluded within 24 days of the initial report.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support for the West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment Bill 2024 and stated that the bill is being introduced to safeguard the dignity of women, and that if Bengal is mistreated, it will have a ripple effect.

CM Mamata Banerjee said, I had written two letters to the Prime Minister, but I did not receive any reply from him; instead, I received a response from the Minister of Women and Child Development. I also replied to her response and informed the Prime Minister. When the Code of Justice Bill was passed hastily before the elections, I had said that it should not be passed in a hurry; the states were not consulted. I had opposed it many times as no advice was taken from the states in this regard; it should have been passed after discussions with the Rajya Sabha, the opposition, and all the parties, but this was not done. That is why today we are bringing this bill to ensure the protection of women. If Bengal is mistreated, then it will have a spillover effect.
Top Events of the Day: Investors can participate in the IPOs of Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro Trading and My Mudra Fincorp. Raymond Lifestyle, a demerged entity of Raymond Ltd, starts trading today. Reliance Industries' board meets to consider a possible bonus share issuance. Additionally, the Kolkata Metro expands its Blue Line services and the MCC opens Round 2 registration for NEET UG Counselling 2024.

Happy Teachers Day 2024 celebrated today India is celebrating Teachers' Day today, September 5, 2024, marking the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India's first vice president and second president. Dr. Radhakrishnan, a distinguished scholar and teacher, was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1954 and honorary membership in the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963. Schools and educational institutions across the country will honour teachers with special programs and ceremonies on Thursday.

Shree Tirupati Balajee IPO subscription opens The Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro Trading IPO opens for subscription today, September 5, 2024, and will remain open until September 9, 2024. The IPO allocates a minimum of 50% of its issuance for Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), retail investors, and non-institutional investors (NIIs), with 35% set aside for retail investors.

My Mudra Fincorp IPO to open for subscription My Mudra Fincorp's IPO launches today with a book-built issue worth 33.26 crore. The IPO, comprising a fresh issue of 30.24 lakh shares, will remain open for subscription until September 9, 2024. The allotment is expected on September 10, with refunds and credit of shares to Demat accounts scheduled for September 11. The company is set to list on NSE SME on September 12, 2024.

Raymond Lifestyle shares to list today Raymond Lifestyle Ltd, the demerged retail and lifestyle business of Raymond Ltd, is set to debut on the stock market today, September 5, 2024. Raymond Lifestyle aims to scale its branded apparel segment, with expectations of opening 250-300 stores over the next three years.

Reliance Industries to consider 1:1 bonus issue Reliance Industries' board is scheduled to meet today, September 5, to discuss and potentially approve the issuance of bonus shares on a 1:1 ratio. If approved, shareholders will receive one free share for every share held as of the record date, enhancing shareholder value.

Kolkata Metro announces two new services Kolkata Metro is expanding its Blue Line services with two additional trains starting today, September 5, 2024. This increase brings the total number of weekday services to 290, up from 288. The move aims to improve commuter convenience and enhance the citys metro connectivity.

Excise scam: SC to hear Kejriwal's pleas The Supreme Court will hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals pleas today regarding his bail and challenge against his arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan will hear the case.
Amid protests over the rising number of sexual harassment cases and the insecurity of women in the country, a recent case of molestation inside an ambulance in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar on August 30 came to light.

According to a report by NTDV, a woman was allegedly molested inside an ambulance by its driver and his aide when she was accompanying her ailing husband to a nearby hospital. She, along with her husband, was thrown out of the ambulance, resulting in injuries. Before throwing them out of the vehicle, the accused also took off the sick husband's oxygen support.

Also Read | Sandip Ghosh ordered renovation near crime scene at Kolkata hospital: Report

The woman's husband later died during treatment at the Gorakhpur Medical College hospital.

The victim had taken her ailing husband, Harish, to Basti Medical College. However, after his condition deteriorated, the doctors there referred him to a different hospital. The woman decided to take her husband back home because she could not pay the private hospital's fee and hired an ambulance.

During the journey, she was forced by the driver to sit in the front with him and his aide. Following this, both of them sexually harassed her.

When the woman tried to protest and shout, the accused stopped her husband's oxygen supply and threw him out of the ambulance along with her, as per the report.

The accused also allegedly stole her jewellery. The husband sustained injuries, and his condition deteriorated further.

Later, the victim narrated her ordeal to her brother on the phone, who informed the police. The cops took the injured man to the Gorakhpur Medical College hospital, where he died.

The victim alleged that the police didn't attempt to arrest the accused immediately and asked her to file a written complaint at Lucknow's Ghazipur police station.
Kolkata doctor murder case: Family members of the junior doctor at RG Kar hospital, who was raped and murdered, have accused a senior police official of attempting to cover up the ghastly incident and levelled allegations of bribery and negligence against cops.

The incident took place at RG Kar College and Hospital on August 9. The postgraduate trainee doctor was found semi-naked with injuries in the seminar hall of the hospital. The tragic incident prompted nationwide outrage and resulted in a prolonged doctors' strike until the Supreme Court assured the medical practitioners that their safety concerns would be addressed.

The recent remark of the victim's aunt adds to the controversy. She said, What would the family do, how would they go home, police took no responsibility. Police were active till the last rites were performed and after that, they became completely inactive,  reported ANI.

When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house and we were shedding tears, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of police? ANI quoted the aunt as saying.

The doctor's aunt charged that around 300-400 cops surrounded the family till the last rites were performed, but after that not a single policeman was seen there.



Alleging the police of being irresponsible in the matter and leaving the bereaved family without ensuring justice is served, the aunt stated, The police were saying that they have fulfilled all their responsibilities, is this what is called fulfilling the responsibility?





Also Read | Why did the CBI arrest Sandip Ghosh and 3 others in RG Kar Hospital rape probe?

Demanding justice for their daughter, the parents joined the protest led by junior doctors on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the father of the victim accused the police of attempting to hush up the case. He further noted that the family members were not permitted to see the body and had to wait at the police station. A senior police official offered money when the body was ultimately handed over to the family after the post-mortem examination, the father alleged.
On the second day of his visit to Singapore on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to tour a cutting-edge semiconductor facility in the city-state alongside his Singaporean counterpart.

PM Modi, who reached Singapore on Wednesday, is slated to hold numerous engagements in the city-state on Thursday as well. This visit is poised to further bolster the bilateral ties between India and Singapore.

This visit has underscored the growing significance of the semiconductor sector, which holds promise for expanding India's technological capabilities and fostering deeper economic ties between the two nations.

Also Read | Paralympics 2024: PM Modi congratulates archer Harvinder Singh for winning Gold

The day will begin with a ceremonial welcome for PM Modi at Singapore's Parliament House, followed by a meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, and the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

Subsequently, PM Modi will visit AEM Holdings Ltd's semiconductor facility with Singapore's Prime Minister, after a lunch hosted by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He will also meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Following a business meeting with CEOs, PM Modi will return to New Delhi.

PM Modi's visit to the semiconductor industry is significant in terms of enhanced trade opportunities between the two friendly countries, as Singapore, despite being a small city-state, has a well-developed semiconductor industry.

Also Read | PM Modi dials Paralympics 2024 medalists, asks them to celebrate their victories

The semiconductor industry opens opportunities for India in many aspects, including collaboration in talent development as Singapore universities have developed customised courses for the semiconductor sector, and knowledge sharing about best practices of managing semiconductor industrial parks (called Wafer Fab Parks in Singapore).

In terms of factors of production, Singapore has limitations for land and labour. India, with abundant land and skilled labour, can be part of Singapore's semiconductor value chain. Semiconductor companies in Singapore can be encouraged to consider India for their expansion plans.

Singapore also has semiconductor equipment and material manufacturers. For the development of the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India, engagement and collaboration with such companies may also be helpful.

As per data collated here by the government, Singapore, the city-state in Maritim Southeast Asia, contributes to around 10 per cent of global semiconductor output, 5 per cent of global wafer fabrication capacity and 20 per cent of semiconductor equipment production. The semiconductor sector contributes to 8 per cent of Singapore's economic growth.

The data mentions that nine out of the 15 top semiconductor firms have set up shops in Singapore.

Singapore has players in all three segments of the semiconductor value chain--i) IC Design: MediaTek, Realtek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Maxlinear, AMD; ii) Assembly, packaging and testing: ASE Group, Utac, STATS ChipPack, Silicin Box. iii) Wafer fabrication: GlobalFoundries, UMC, Siltronic and Micron, and iv) Equipment/ raw material producers: Soitec, Applied Materials.

In the 1960s, US chip makers, looking for lower labour costs with a sufficiently skilled workforce, started to offshore parts of their production process to Southeast Asia, including Singapore.

Singapore actively facilitates such investments as it creates well-paying jobs in the manufacturing sector, in its otherwise service-dependent economy.

Factors that contributed to the development of Singapore's semiconductor industry are infrastructure and connectivity, stable business conditions, a critical mass of leading companies based in Singapore covering the value chain (from design to wafer fabrication to assembly and testing), and human capital.

Semiconductor plants in Singapore are currently clustered in four wafer fabrication parks that span 374 hectares, where the Singapore government offers customised infrastructure solutions to investors.

To develop talent, Singapore universities are offering majors in microelectronics, and IC design and are collaborating with semiconductor companies by having their employees do PhD research.

Singapore is now getting the benefits of a global focus on de-risking and improving supply chain resilience, as it appears to be a safe bet in the era of US-China rivalry.

In 2022, Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corporation announced an investment of USD 5 billion to set up a semiconductor fab. It is expected to begin operations in 2024. In September 2023, GlobalFoundries inaugurated its new USD 4 billion fabrication plant in Singapore. This plant is capable of manufacturing speciality chips at 28 nm node technology (most advanced in Singapore).

In June 2024, NXP Semiconductors and TSMC-backed Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp announced a USD 7.8 billion joint venture for a Singapore plant (named VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) that will make 40 to 130 nm chips for the automotive, industrial, consumer, and mobile market segments. Construction will commence in the second half of 2024, with production starting in 2027.

Singapore's semiconductor industry is limited to "mature-node chips" (process node technology of 28 nm or more), which are used in appliances, cars, and industrial equipment. It is not equipped to make high-end logic chips like the one used in the AI sector (AI chips have process nodes of 7 nm and smaller, and thus require specialized production methods).

Singapore's semiconductor industry is not expected to drive into AI chips. One thought is that the market for mature-node chips is much larger with stable growth prospects, so Singapore need not focus on AI chips. Another angle is that manufacturing AI chips needs huge investments, existing companies in Singapore are not capable of committing to such investments and big players like TSMC, Samsung and Intel have already committed their investments elsewhere.

The cost of production is increasing in Singapore, forcing semiconductor companies to move up in the value chain and diversify low-cost and labour-intensive operations out of Singapore.

Several countries are offering massive incentives to attract semiconductor investments. Singapore has not announced any matching scheme. Singapore appears to be relying on its inherent strengths. It is possible that such competition from other countries will drive down Singapore's share in global semiconductor production in the long run.
(Bloomberg) -- Germanys Christian Democratic opposition leader said hes building momentum for a change of government in Berlin next year  portraying Chancellor Olaf Scholzs ruling coalition as a weakened administration.

We are practically no longer concerned at all, or only very little, with what comes from this coalition, Friedrich Merz told reporters Thursday as conservative lawmakers of the Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian affiliate met outside Berlin to discuss strategy for Germanys federal election in just over a year.

Approval of Scholzs government fell to the lowest yet  16%  in a poll published Thursday, which put support for the conservative bloc at 33%, more than the combined total for Scholzs three-party coalition. That approval rating is the lowest for any German government in 14 years, according to the Infratest Dimap poll for broadcaster ARD.

Scholzs standing was hammered by defeats in regional elections on Sunday that saw populist parties of the right and left surge in two eastern regions. Possible plant closings by Volkswagen AG and the IG Metall unions threat of strikes against VW this fall are adding to political risk in Europes biggest economy.

While Scholzs coalition is beleaguered, Merzs bloc needs to avoid a damaging fight over who should lead the conservative ticket in the Sept. 28, 2025 election.

Merz, heir to the party once led by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, is seeking a decision within weeks.

The decision will be made in late summer, which has just started, but has not ended yet, Merz said at the conservatives meeting in Neuhardenberg, east of Berlin. Summer in Germany officially ends on Sept. 21, the day before a state legislative election in Brandenburg, a region surrounding Berlin.

His most likely challenger is Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder, head of the Bavaria-based Christian Social Union, which teams up with the Christian Democrats in the federal parliament in Berlin.

I wouldnt shy away from taking responsibility for the whole country, Soeder told an event in Bavaria this week.

ARDs poll suggested Soeder, 57, is more popular among CDU-CSU supporters than Merz, 68, by a margin of 57% to 48%. The Sept. 3-4 poll of 1,309 people has a margin of error of as much 3 percentage points.

Soeders comment shocked many conservatives who remember his challenge to then CDU party head Armin Laschet before the last election in 2021. Laschet led the CDU-CSU to defeat, ending 16 years of CDU rule under Merkel and opening the door to Scholzs Social Democrat-led coalition.

Merz said Thursday hes in constant talks with Soeder.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Chief advisor to interim Bangladesh government Muhammad Yunus said Thursday, September 5, that Sheikh Hasina, who he said was making comments on the country while sitting in India, has to keep quiet. No one likes that she's speaking while sitting in India, Muhammad Yunus said.

Sheikh Hasina resigned as the prime minister after violent students'-led protests over reservation peaked in the country. She fled to India after thousands of protesters stormed into her residence in a dramatic turn of events.

Speaking with news agency PTI, Muhammad Yunus said, If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh [the government] wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet."

"She is there in India, and at times, she is talking, which is problematic. Had she been quiet, we would have forgotten it; people would have also forgotten it as she would have been in her own world. But sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it, Yunus said.

Sheikh Hasina has remained in India, her former government's biggest patron and benefactor, since her August 5 overthrow, inflaming tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.

She gave a public statement the week after her arrival calling for Bangladeshis to gather in Dhaka to mark the 1975 assassination of her father, independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Hasina's comments were seen as a provocative effort to galvanise members of her Awami League party and undermine law and order in the fragile first days after Yunus took office.

Muhammad Yunus did not say whether a formal extradition request had been made to India. His government has avoided committing itself to demanding her return.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On September 4, Changan Automobile revealed during an investor briefing that construction of its new energy vehicle production base in Thailand is progressing as planned, with production expected to commence in the first quarter of next year.



DEEPAL L07; photo credit: DEEPAL

The Thailand facility marks the Chinese automaker's first overseas base, with an initial production capacity of 100,000 vehicles, which will gradually increase to 200,000 vehicles annually.

Changan is also exploring the establishment of new bases in Central and South America, as well as Europe, aiming to leverage globalization for the rapid and sustainable growth of its new energy vehicles (NEVs).

Changan Automobile's overseas expansion has gained significant momentum this year. From January to July, the company's wholly-owned brands recorded overseas sales of 228,000 vehicles, surging 67.6% year on year. To support this growth, the automaker has restructured its organization, creating a "1+5+2" global development framework with five regional business divisions, enhancing its market operations abroad.

The companys several vehicle models are already available in key overseas markets. In Southeast Asia, the DEEPAL S07, L07, and the Changan Lumin are currently on sale, with plans to introduce the AVATR brand later this year. In Central and South America, the DEEPAL S07 has officially hit the market in Mexico, with additional NEV models to follow. In the Middle East and Africa, the DEEPAL S7 and NEVO A05 recently debuted at the UAE exhibition.

Additionally, Changan Automobile is accelerating its European market entry with a focus on NEVs. Recently, the automaker established a German subsidiary in Munich, which will not only handle sales, marketing, and services but also focus on customer insights, market research, technical standards, regulatory certifications, and product localization.
A number of Hindu right bodies in Shimla on Thursday held a massive protest in Chaura maidan in the vicinity of the Vidhan Sabha, demanding demolition of allegedly an illegal mosque. The area teemed with hundreds of demonstrators, several of whom carried Hindu religion insignia, such as saffron flags and banners bearing Lord Ram's image.

Dev Bhumi Shatriya Sangathan President Rumit Singh Thakur, who gave a call to "sanatanis" to assemble in Shimla, said people from across the state responded to his call and demonstrated "Sanatan unity".

WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR? The groups have sought the demolition of the under-construction mosque, which stands in Sanjauli locality of Shimla, after an attack on a businessman in the Malyana area. The attack was allegedly carried out by some members of the Muslim community.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh said the mosque is built on government land and the matter has been sub judice for the past 14 years.

On Sunday, September 1, dozens of people gathered in Sanjauli area and demanded the demolition of a mosque that they say is illegal.

The demonstrators also demanded action against the guilty in the Malyana attack under the charge of attempted murder.

Meanwhile, Rumit Singh Thakur alleged on Thursday, September 5, that many outsiders are coming to Himachal Pradesh, demanding the state government to verify their identities and register their businesses. Thakur also claimed that he received a call from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu who assured him of action. Also Read | Hindus wont look at other mosques if Gyanvapi, Kashi, Mathura, Ram Mandir official

The chief minister told reporters on Thursday that all residents of the state have the same rights and he has respect for all religions. Peaceful protests are permitted but nobody will be allowed to take law into his hands, he said.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said, For a long time, the issue of building a mosque in Sanjauli is gaining momentum. The govt is taking action as far as structural illegality is concerned. Since this matter is under Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner, it is under consideration and has been pending there for a long time. If it is illegal, then action will be taken against it and immigrants are a matter of concern for the people of Himachal Pradesh.
Delhi Excise Policy Case: The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear pleas filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking bail against his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the now-scrapped excise policy case. The Aam Aadmi Party chief has challenged the Delhi High Court's decision that upheld his arrest in the excise policy case.

The Supreme Court had on August 23 adjourned the hearing into Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by CBI. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan posted the case for next hearing on September 5. The court had granted the CBI one week to respond to one of the pleas.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju sought time to file a counter-affidavit in one of Kejriwal's petitions, according to legal news website LiveLaw. Raju submitted that CBI's counter-affidavit has been filed in the other petition.

Kejriwal's latest petition before the Supreme Court, filed through Advocate-on-Record Vivek Jain, challenges the Delhi High Court order of August 5, whereby his plea against CBI arrest was dismissed by a Single Judge bench with liberty to approach the trial Court for bail.

On September 3, the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court took cognizance of the fourth supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI naming Kejriwal as an accused in the case regarding the alleged irregularities in the formation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy 2021-22.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was by CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

Also Read | Delhi excise policy case: Supreme Court grants bail to BRS MLC K Kavitha

On July 12, however, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case, while referring his petition challenging ED arrest to a larger bench. However, he continued to remain in judicial custody due to his arrest by the CBI.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief is the only key political leader who is behind bars in the case. As many as three accused in the case have been released on bail in the past month.

Those granted bail by Supreme Court of India include former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator K Kavitha and Vijay Nair, the former communication in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party. Sanjay Singh, another AAP leader who is also a Rajya Sabha member, was released on bail in April 2024.
Prince Harry and Prince William attended their uncle Sir Robert Fellowes' memorial service last week. But, as per reports, they didn't interact at all. In fact, some reports claim that they did not even look at each other.

An insider told the Express that the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex were present during the service but avoided speaking to each other.

News has emerged that Prince Harry stayed with his uncle, Charles Spencer, at Althorp House in Northampton. This historic estate, where Princess Diana grew up, served as Harry's accommodation during his recent trip to the UK.

However, that may not indicate the final shutdown. According to a source, both brothers are now interested in mending their strained relationship.

The only thing that might mend their broken relationship is help from the Spencer family. There's hope that Jane or Charles Spencer might step in to reconcile the brothers although it could take some time for this to happen.

"Harry is open to reconciling with his brother. He knows it won't be an easy task, but it is something that can be brought to the table," the source told the Express.

"William is not opposed to a reconciliation with his brother at some point, but things would need to start from scratch, a fresh start type scenario, where things from the past are not to be mentioned," they added.

Harry's home in UK Harry does not have an official home in the UK. Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, received Frogmore Cottage from Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift.

After their marriage, Harry and Meghan had hoped to move into Windsor Castle and asked about securing a place there. At the time, the only people with private residences inside the castle were the late Queen and Prince Philip.

Also Read | Reunion of William and Harry? Estranged brothers to visit New York

Harry and Meghan were keen on living close to the Queen and Prince Philip, thinking they could stay in the castle. However, the Queen proposed a different plan, suggesting that the couple live in Frogmore Cottage, which was nearby but not on the castle grounds.
At least four people, including two students, were killed and nine others injured when a fellow student opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, CNN reported.

The suspected gunman, 14-year-old Colt Cray, who is also a student at the school, has been taken into custody. According to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, Cray surrendered to law enforcement immediately after the shooting and is cooperating with authorities. He will be charged with murder and treated as an adult, as confirmed by Hosey and Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith.

The victims include two students and two teachers. Law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation into the incident and its motive.

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, revealed to CNN that she was seated next to the suspected gunman just before the shooting occurred.

White House Calls for Stricter Gun Laws In response to the tragedy, the White House has called on Congress to enact stricter gun control measures. White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre emphasized the need for universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, safe storage requirements, investment in prevention programs, and a national red flag law.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both condemned the shooting. Biden described it as a "horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart" and reaffirmed his commitment to combating gun violence, citing his support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Harris, calling the incident "outrageous," expressed frustration over the constant worry parents face about their childrens safety at school.

Former President Donald Trump also addressed the tragedy, condemning it as an act of violence by a "sick and deranged monster."

A Growing Crisis This school shooting is the latest in a series of devastating incidents across the U.S., following tragedies in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas. The Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been at least 385 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year, defining a mass shooting as an incident where four or more people are shot. This equates to more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.
Days after Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro declared electoral victory and began cracking down on dissenters, Chevron offered U.S. officials its stance: It is critical Chevron be allowed to continue pumping oil there.

Two years ago, the Biden administration scaled down Trump-era sanctions to let Chevron resume operations in Venezuela as part of an effort to persuade Maduros authoritarian government to hold free and fair elections. As chaos erupted on the streets of Caracas following this years election, the State Department said all evidence showed Maduros opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez, had won by a landslide.

In meetings with White House and State Department officials days after the election, Chevron executives said its presence in Venezuela bolsters global oil supplies and U.S. energy security, according to people familiar with the talks. The executives said Chevron also serves U.S. interests as a bulwark there against geopolitical adversaries gaining additional footholds in the country.

Maduro has since rounded up hundreds of dissidents, testing whether the Biden administration will reimpose stricter sanctions, including on the oil sector, the countrys most important industry.

Chevron was careful not to advocate specific policies, according to a person familiar with the talks. But its messagethat its oil production should continue in Venezuelahas carried weight with the administration, say people familiar with the matter.

The U.S. has condemned the electoral crackdown but is so far eschewing severe reprisals. Behind the scenes, it is maintaining communications with the regime and encouraging Venezuelas neighbors Brazil and Colombia to help negotiate a resolution, while also considering targeted sanctions on individuals in Maduros regime. Over the weekend, U.S. officials said they seized a jet used to fly Maduro and his lieutenants to Iran, Russia, Cuba and other countries.

Chevron regularly engages on energy-policy issues with stakeholders in Washington, D.C., and all over the globe," Chevron spokesman Bill Turenne said. We have been a constructive presence in Venezuela for over a century, where we have dedicated investments and a large workforce."

A big presence

Chevrons position in Venezuela is important to the company. It is the last remaining U.S. oil giant in a country that says it has the worlds largest oil reserves. The company has recently tried to show investors it has enough oil reserves to keep growing in coming years.

Pumping oil in Venezuela, where Chevron has around 250 employees, with another 3,000 working across its joint-venture operations, is also helping the company recoup billions in debt owed by Venezuela. European oil companies that have Venezuelan operations and are owed money, such as Spains Repsol and Italys ENI, have pushed U.S. officials for continued engagement as well.

Democrats are trying to keep a lid on gasoline prices in an election year, and so far representatives for the oil industry have succeeded in persuading the administration to keep Venezuelan oil flowing. Spiraling tension in the Middle East is bolstering their case, though Venezuelan supply is too small to have more than a psychological effect on the market. It exports as many as 600,000 barrels a day.

Chevron said it has remained apolitical in Venezuela. On a recent call with investors, Chief Executive Mike Wirth said his company has found it is generally best to work with an incumbent government without taking positions that would make it difficult to continue with another, subsequent government.

Were a commercial player, not a political player," Wirth said.

But Chevron plays an outsize role in Venezuelas sanctions-hit economy. The companys business in Venezuela generates about 20% of national crude exports and 31% of the governments total oil income, said Asdrubal Oliveros, head of the Venezuelan financial consulting firm Ecoanalitica. It is one of the few avenues for Caracas to reap full market price for its crude, much of which is sold on the black market at steep discounts, he said.

Chevron has told U.S. officials that its presence in Venezuela has helped the impoverished country avoid total collapse, people familiar with the matter said.

Stringent sanctions under former President Donald Trump failed to dislodge Maduro. The Biden administration shifted away from Trumps maximum pressure" policy as it became clear Maduros regime was adapting to the impact on Venezuelas economy.

Critics of the Biden administrations decision to allow Chevron to return to its jointly operated oil fields in Venezuela say it has provided an economic lifeline to Maduro, which has ultimately weakened the hand of Venezuelas opposition.

Chevron ended up front-running all other interests the U.S. said it had with regard to Venezuelademocracy, the fight for human rights, migration and the fight against corruption," said Pedro Burelli, a former board member for Venezuelas state-owned oil giant Petroleos de Venezuela.

Meanwhile, pressure from Congress to adopt a more forceful stance on Maduro is brewing ahead of November elections. Proposed bipartisan legislation, called the Valor Act, would codify sanctions in a way that would make them difficult for the White House to calibrate.

The long view

The loosening of sanctions marked a breakthrough for Chevrons fortunes in Venezuela.

Chevrons entreaties to top officials failed to deter the Trump administration from imposing sanctions on Venezuelas oil sector in early 2019. After sanctions were imposed, Wirth paid visits to top officials, including Elliott Abrams, who served as a special envoy overseeing Venezuela policy under Trump.

Abrams said Wirth visited him three times, and told Abrams that if the sanctions policy persisted, Chevron could leave Venezuela, which would be a devastating blow to the countrys economy and oil industry.

Our response was, You will go back if you can make money," Abrams said.

In the months leading up to the July 28 election, Maduro banned key rivals from participating, relocated voting stations, concocted a deliberately confusing ballot and disenfranchised nearly all Venezuelan voters overseas.

In response, the Biden administration in April withdrew a blanket license for oil companies to operate in Venezuela, but privately encouraged them to file for individual licenses that allowed the activity to continue almost seamlessly.

Since the election, Biden administration officials have signaled they wont force oil companies permitted to do business with Venezuela to pull out.

Vote tallies showed Gonzalez won by a giant margin despite Maduros efforts to rig the election. Maduro warned that if his victory wasnt recognized by the West, Venezuela could replace Western oil companies with allies in the Brics group of countries, which includes Russia and China.

Ali Moshiri, a former Chevron executive who led its operations in Latin America, said Chevron has typically taken the long view when conflict erupts in countries where it operates. The outcome of the election, he said, will be decided in the streets of Venezuela and by the international community.

It is too early for anybody to react," Moshiri said.

Alan Cullison and Kejal Vyas contributed to this article.

Write to Collin Eaton at collin.eaton@wsj.com and Jenny Strasburg at jenny.strasburg@wsj.com
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led government suffered an unexpected blow on Wednesday after alliance partnerNew Democratic Party (NDP)withdrew its support.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has alleged that the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests.

The alliance betweenTrudeaus Liberal party and NDP was formed in March 2022 and was scheduled to run until June 2025, but the NDPs decision has put Trudeaus party in the minority.

Also Read | Indian students protest against Canadian Government over deportation worries

In a video posted on his social media handles, NDP leader also said that Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed.

The deal is done. The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to stop the Conservatives and their plans to cut. But the NDP can. Big corporations and CEOs have had their governments. It's the people's time, Singh said in a post on X (formerly twitter) on Wednesday.

Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News) said quoting Singh as saying in the video.

According to CBC News, the confidence-and-supply agreement signed between the two parties committed the NDP to supporting the Liberal government on confidence votes in exchange for legislative commitments on NDP priorities.

Reacting to NDPs withdrawal of support, Trudeau said that his government is more focused on tackling the affordability crisis and climate change. These are the things that we're focused on. I'll let others focus on politics.

I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics, the CBC News quoted Trudeau as saying.

In a media release, Jagmeet Singh said: The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure.

Also Read | Canada to Curb Foreign-Worker Influx After Jobless Rate Jumped
In many parts of the world, the cool blast of an air-conditioner on a hot day is nowadays seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Climate change is tipping the balance. Average global temperatures are now roughly 1.2C higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution: by mid-century they are projected to be about 2C higher. Air-conditioning (AC) use, correspondingly, is set to soar. By one estimate, the number of room-cooling ACs could nearly triple between now and 2050.

These additional units will save lives, make cities liveable and stave off losses in economic productivity. The Lancet, a medical journal, estimates that access to air-conditioning averted nearly 200,000 deaths worldwide among people aged 65 or older in 2019, for instance, cutting the groups heat-related mortality by 37%. But expanding those benefits more widely will come at a cost. The electricity needed for air-conditioning is already responsible for more carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions than the entire aviation industry. And as the laws of physics unhelpfully dictate that a single degree of cooling becomes more energy-intensive as the outside temperature rises, additional cooling will require more power per unit, risking a great deal more planetary heating.

To provide this cooling while doing minimal harm, decarbonising electricity is crucial. But making air conditioning more efficient is important too. Because commercial ACs tend to be used for up to two decades, those installed in the next few years will influence how many emissions are produced by 2050. Fortunately, a flurry of new technologies are emerging to make them less polluting and wasteful.

Making these improvements means struggling against one of natures most rigid constraints: the second law of thermodynamics. You just cant get round it," says Russ Wilcox, the chief executive of Trellis Air, an air-conditioning startup. In simple terms, the law decrees that heat cannot move spontaneously from a colder object to a hotter one. This has two sobering implications for air-conditioning engineers: first, all machines generate inefficient waste heat; and second, deliberately cooling a room requires power. (Though deliberately warming a room also takes power, heating engineers are not as bothered by the incidental production of waste heat.)

Cool running

Air-conditioners currently use this power to draw in warm air and pass it over a cold refrigerant, which evaporates as it absorbs the airs heat . The cooled air is returned to the room, and the refrigerant is condensed back into a liquid, with its trapped heat released outside.

Conventional machines also dehumidify air as they chill it. This is partly out of necessity: the water that naturally condenses on the metal around the refrigerant must be removed before it can do any damage. But this incidental dehumidification also helps make a space feel cooler, as it is easier for human sweat to evaporateand thereby keep skin coolin low humidity.

Doing both jobs at the same time, though, is wildly inefficient. Research published in Joule, an energy journal, by American scientists in 2022 concluded that almost a third of the electricity used for air-conditioning goes toward removing moisture. That fraction could become larger over time. Air-conditioning is growing fastest in developing countries like India and Indonesia, which tend to be more humid than richer places. And as hot air can also hold more moisture, average humidity is expected to rise worldwide.

One way of minimising the dehumidification work an AC needs to do is to expose the incoming air to a water-absorbing substance known as a desiccant. Though desiccants have been tried in the past, most are either limited in the amount of water they can absorb or require substantial amounts of energy to be made reusable. Transaera, a startup based in Massachusetts, has, instead, looked to crystalline structures called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These are molecular cages that can be finely tuned to catch specific guest" particles and subsequently release them when exposed to heat.

The company spreads a MOF-based coating on a wheel inside the unit through which incoming air passes. As the wheel rotates, the water captured by the MOF is carried away and emptied by the low-level waste heat generated by the machine. Field tests conducted over the summer suggest that an air-conditioner built with this system uses 40% less energy than one without. Transaera is working with existing air-conditioning manufacturers to incorporate its technology into their designs.

Trellis is exploring alternative means of dehumidification, too. It is working on a system that filters air through a selectively permeable membrane. This, the company hopes, should help a room feel cool with little need for active cooling.

Cold-blooded calculation

Another priority is cutting down on the refrigerants that conventional ACs need to function. The most popular optionsalso used by fridges and heat pumpsare hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases which are between hundreds and thousands of times more effective at warming the atmosphere than CO2. These gases sometimes leak out during a units life, but much more can be released when it is thrown away. By one estimate, the yearly warming AC gases generate is equivalent to that produced by 720m extra tonnes of CO2, a figure higher than that of the emissions produced by Canadas whole economy in 2022.

International agreements aim to reduce HFC use by 85% by 2050, but their implementation is still piecemeal and patchy. That is why some companies are trying to build units that do away with refrigerants entirely. That means coming up with a totally different method of absorbing heat.

Blue Frontier, a company based in Florida, is attempting to harness the cooling effects of evaporating water. Its approach uses a liquid desiccant, similar to ultra-salty brine, to remove moisture. The dried air is then split into two streams, one of which is passed over a thin layer of water to induce evaporation. This lowers the temperature of the surrounding metal, which in turn cools the other airstream before it is directed back into the room.

Blue Frontier currently has three units installed in commercial buildings; Daniel Betts, the companys chief executive, thinks three more will be operational by the end of 2024. Users, the company says, get to control humidity and temperature independently of one another, while reducing energy use by between 50% and 90% and the environmental impact of refrigerants by 85%. The remaining energy goes toward powering the heat pump that regenerates the desiccant.

Dr Betts points to benefits beyond efficiency. Because evaporative cooling takes advantage of heats propensity to flow from hot to cold, it becomes more efficient as outside temperatures rise. The system can therefore recharge the desiccant by connecting to the grid at night, when demand is lowest, and use minimal electricity to cool during the heat of the day.

Such flexibility in energy demand can help air-conditioners minimise the strain they put on power gridsanother crucial problem. At present, widespread synchronised demand for cooling in hot weather leads to sharp spikes in electricity consumption. These can lead to deadly outages, especially in hotter, poorer countries with weak grids. Even rich countries frequently resort to whatever energy is available to cope with the demand in the summer: in June 2023 Britains National Grid turned a coal plant back on to cope with a hot spell. A few months later a severe heatwave meant California only narrowly avoided rolling blackouts.

As a result, some Californian businesses are actively experimenting with more grid-friendly approaches. The Beverly Hilton and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, two swanky hotels in suburban Los Angeles, have begun using IceBricks" designed by Nostromo, an Israeli company. These contain hundreds of capsules of water that can be frozen when electricity demand is low, then used when it is high. Doing so, Nostromo claims, will reduce the hotels cooling-electricity costs by 50% and lessen their carbon emissions.

Much more is needed to make air-conditioning cheaper, cleaner and more reliable. But clever engineering of this kind is a good start. Done right, keeping humankind cool may not have to come at the planets expense.

 2024, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
China's spy agency has issued a warning to students with access to sensitive information, cautioning them against being enticed by "handsome men" or "beautiful women" who might try to recruit them for espionage or to compromise national security.

In a statement shared on WeChat, the Ministry of State Security detailed various methods that could be used to manipulate students into revealing confidential information.

Also Read: How spies should use technology

The ministry said that foreign spies are working to lure loyal Chinese to betray their country -- often in lurid and unusual ways -- since opening a WeChat account last year.

State security departments have found that workers of foreign espionage and intelligence organisations have carried out targeted wooing and infiltration of young students, it added.

However, the agency did not reveal specific details of any countries that have targeted Chinese students.

Workers for foreign intelligence agencies specifically target college students with access to classified and sensitive scientific research data, disguising themselves as university scholars, and employees of scientific research institutions and consulting companies, the agency said.

"They take advantage of the characteristics of young students' strong curiosity and willingness to try new things," a statement said.

The foreign spies lure young Chinese students with high-paying part-time opportunities in the name of market research or academic exchanges, it also said.

Additionally, the Chinese spy agency revealed that after students express interest, foreign intelligence agencies offer free training and guidance via social media, phone calls, or video conferencing. They often use the pretense of handsome men and beautiful women who appear intimate and considerate, luring young students into their traps with false affection.
French spirits maker Pernod Ricard has reportedly put up its Imperial Blue whisky brand for sale in India. Given the companys liquor portfolio strategy, this decision would seem driven by a desire to focus on its premium brands, such as Glenlivet, Jameson and Chivas Regal, and it comes on the heels of a similar call by its rival Diageo, which sold some low-margin brands, including Haywards and Romanov, two years ago.

In common with other global marketers that are keen to tap Indias growing market for upper-end spirits, never mind our low GDP-per-head, Ricards move to drop a popular labelImperial Blue sells about 20 million cases a yearcan be seen to reflect a preference for aspirational brands that sell less but earn more. Is that all there is to it, though?

Ricard has been facing regulatory challenges in India. Its licence in Delhi was rejected on the grounds of alleged violations of liquor policies. The company also faces a couple of antitrust cases in the country and is contesting a tax demand of nearly $250 million for allegedly having undervalued imports.

Also read: Pernod Ricard puts up Imperial Blue whisky for sale

But an unstated reason could well be its need to distance itself from Imperial Blues identification with a decidedly sexist advertising tagline: Men will be Men." First unveiled in the early 2000s, when the brand was owned by Seagram, this campaign took the country by storm.

In later years, it played a surrogate role, purportedly selling music collections, with many of its ad-clips enjoying strong recall. Two decades ago, when it began, much advertising was openly misogynistic and gender stereotypes were the norm.

Even women took it without batting an eyelid. Despite the brands sexist tone that seemed to suggest men could somehow live by different rules, it was a big success.

Today, there is a sea change in attitudes that few companies can ignore. Not only because there are virtually no products or brands that can afford to be gender insensitive if they wish to succeed, but because women are no longer willing to turn a blind eye to campaigns that objectify them.

And, by extension, to businesses that give such ads the go-ahead. With greater empowerment of women has come greater economic power, and as women become a force to reckon with in the marketplace, companies that ignore their views do so at their own peril. Gone are the days when car-makers, for instance, could advertise a new model with a woman draped across its bonnet.

This is not to say that sexism has vanished from advertising. But it is no longer overtly misogynistic. Yes, there are brands that still promote outmoded feminine ideals, especially in a country like India, where women, despite the huge strides taken over the years, are yet to be seen as truly equal to their male counterparts.

Yet, womens voices matter in a way nobody should underestimate, as shown by the Me-too movement some years ago and the current furore over the tragic rape in Kolkatas RG Kar Hospital and findings of the Hema Committee report on sexual abuse in the Malayalam movie industry.

Companies that seal themselves off from todays spirit of protest will come to regret it. They need to be sensitive to womens concerns and must stay clear of gender stereotypes, both overt and covert.

Sure, it will be a while before sneaky sexism disappears entirely, since the market response may not always be negative in every product category, but each time a company tries to shed its association with sexism, its a victory. Not just for women, but for all humankind.
The monsoon has predictably brought with it swollen rivers flooding the countryside and urban flooding on account of blocked stormwater drains. But the crushing landslides in Wayanad at the end of July were out of the ordinary.

An extreme burst of rainfall attributable to globally-induced climate change was the cause, but the impact in terms of lives lost and villages erased was a result of weakening of the topography by predatory construction, mining and quarrying.

Way back in August 2011, a Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) chaired by Professor Madhav Gadgil submitted its comprehensive report on the vulnerability of the Western Ghats to encroachment.

The WGEEP classified the Western Ghats into three zones by degree of ecological sensitivity, based on criteria set out in a refereed academic paper in the journal Current Science.

The severest strictures on permissible economic activity were imposed on ecologically sensitive zone one (ESZ1). The assignment of area under each zone was by taluk, the next level below the district in the administrative hierarchy. All three taluks of Wayanad district were in ESZ1.

It follows from this taluk-wise geographical assignment that the six Western Ghat states (Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu) were each treated separately, as the report explicitly says (page 88). That being the case, there was no need for all states to agree unanimously to the restrictive measures proposed.

States could have been left free to opt in fully, or with modifications subject to negotiation with the Union ministry of environment. A final set of notifications could have set out the agreed parameters specific to each state, along with the monitoring mechanism.

Following the WGEEP, another high-level working group (HLWG) was appointed, chaired by space scientist Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan. Its report in April 2013 had a single Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zone covering an area of about 60,000sq-km (half that of the WGEEP), by demarcating areas within taluks rather than taluks as a whole.

Half of Wayanad falls in their single ESA category. The HLWG recommendations are not notified either, although several draft notifications have been in circulation.

Cascading committees are a common practice in the Indian policy space. The subject of petroleum pricing holds the record, with several committees having been appointed over the years.

Each committee might have had different membership, but the secretariat serving them was often the same. In one such case, the official charged with drafting the report comically bemoaned to me that he found it difficult to differ from the previous report since he was the one who had written it.

Also read: The Wayanad landslide showed how easily minds are manipulated

Is it really necessary for the government of the day to appoint another committee to modify the recommendations of a prior committee? Not at all. Parliament has 16 Lok Sabha departmental standing committees and eight in the Rajya Sabha, with membership drawn from all parties.

One of the Rajya Sabha committees covers science, technology, environment, forests and climate change (too wide a remit; it should be split into two).

These committees are well positioned to assess the report of an external panel in a non-partisan way. They have seriously declined in importance over the years because all governments, irrespective of party affiliation, find it easier to outsource the task of modifying a politically difficult set of recommendations, thereby shifting responsibility to another set of professionals.

In the WGEEP report, the activity restrictions in ESZ1 as listed in Table 6 of the report include construction, mining and quarrying. Since these activities are not presently restricted, it is possible today to obtain legal permits to engage in them in ESZ1 taluks.

Despite that, these activities are still carried out illegally to evade royalty and other payments. The final outcome in terms of the extent of illegal activity is a function of a number of forces, of which key elements are the probability of detection and the penalty imposed.

The mystery is why, neither in the Western Ghats nor in the Himalayan states, there is no peoples movement against this kind of predatory activity, legal or not, which risks their lives.

Short-term job opportunities, in the absence of other alternatives, seem to prevail over the (still low but rising) risk of extinction. This is where the panchayat level of governance could have mapped out alternative medium-term avenues to jobs and livelihoods, and, at the very least, acted as watchdogs over illegal activity.

In Kerala, panchayats are well funded by the state government, but the influx of funding from above has made them cut back on their own tax efforts (my joint paper, EPW, 12 August 2000), and essentially led to a surrender of autonomy to the state government. The state push to develop tourism in Kerala (Gods own country) has handed over scenic districts like Wayanad to the devil.

That is why a commitment between the Union government and the state, on the protection and monitoring of ecologically sensitive areas within their respective jurisdictions, is so vital.

Just as climate change mitigation can only be tackled internationally between countries in a spirit of mutual cooperation, states in India have to be persuaded to subordinate short-term interests to the longer-run imperative of sustainability.
With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

DreamSmart Groups STARAUTO automotive BU official Weibo account goes online

On September 5, DreamSmart Group launched the official Weibo account of the STARAUTO automotive business unit, posting its first message and announcing a new chapter in intelligent cockpits under the theme "Defining Cars with Passion."

Changan NEVO delivers 12,823 vehicles in August

Changan Automobiles new energy vehicle range NEVO announced that it delivered 12,823 vehicles in August 2024.

NEVO A07; photo credit: NEVO

Radar chip maker AIRTOUCH completes Series D funding

On September 4, radar chip developer AIRTOUCH announced the completion of its Series D funding round. The funds will be used to expand the market presence of its current radar chips, accelerate the development of next-generation millimeter-wave radar chips, and broaden the companys product line to maintain its market competitiveness and innovation.

Changan Automobiles Thai production base to start operation in Q1 2025

On September 4, Changan Automobile revealed during an investor briefing that construction of its new energy vehicle production base in Thailand is progressing as planned, with production expected to commence in the first quarter of next year.

Continental Tires' Hefei plant hits production milestone of 100 million passenger vehicle tires

On September 2, 2024, Continental Tires' Hefei plant in China reached a significant milestone, producing its 100 millionth passenger car tire, according to a post on Continental AG's WeChat account. This achievement highlights the company's robust growth in the Hefei region, where it has been operating for more than a decade.

Dongfeng Motor's MHERO, NIO Power forge partnership in EV charging field

On September 5, MHERO Technology, the new energy off-roader manufacturer under Dongfeng Motor, announced a strategic charging partnership with NIO Power, allowing MHERO vehicles to access NIO's electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

BYD introduces Yuan UP model in Ecuadorian market

BYD made a major presence at the Automundo Auto Show in Quito, Ecuador, unveiling the Yuan UP (locally named BYD Yuan Pro in Ecuador), marking the automaker's seventh model introduced to the Ecuadorian market.

Qianxun SI, Hi-Target to co-facilitate BeiDou-based positioning solution deployment

On September 4, spatiotemporal intelligent infrastructure company Qianxun SI and Guangzhou Hi-Target Satellite Navigation Tech Co., Ltd. (Hi-Target) officially formed a comprehensive strategic partnership. According to the agreement, the two companies will collaborate in areas including product services, application cooperation, technical support, and joint innovation.

SERES allies with SAE-China for intelligent connected new energy vehicle development

On September 4, 2024, Seres Group Co., Ltd. (SERES) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the China Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE-China) in Chongqing. The partnership aims to align closely with the national strategy for intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), leveraging SERES' comprehensive presence across the NEV industry chain and SAE-China's expertise in the automotive sector.

IDV chassis technology developer Ecar Tech secures 200 million yuan in strategic funding

On September 4, IDV chassis and vehicle technology developer Shanghai Ecar Technology Co., Ltd. (Ecar Tech) announced that it has secured 200 million yuan in strategic investment.

Mercedes-Benz to invest over 14 billion yuan in China for expanded local production

Mercedes-Benz Group announced plans to invest over 14 billion yuan in China, in partnership with local collaborators, to expand its lineup of localized passenger vehicles and vans, according to the companys official WeChat post on September 4.
RAMAT GAN, IsraelYechiel Wais was so excited to join the Israeli military that he couldnt sleep the night before he went to a military enlistment site this week. The 19-year-old from an ultra-Orthodox family hoped to join an Air Force unit that loads munitions onto planes.

At a military recruitment center a few miles away, Shlomo Roth, also 19 and ultra-Orthodox, said he burned the last draft letter he received as he stood with a group protesting against the militarys enlistment of men from this self-secluding corner of Israeli society.

For us, being in the army is worse than death," Roth said.

Israels ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim as they prefer to be called, are at a critical juncture. So is the Israeli military, which, after a June Supreme Court ruling, is now aiming to draft some 3,000 Haredi men who had previously been exempted if they studied Jewish holy texts in religious seminaries full-time.

Despite the interest shown by young men like Wais, most Haredi leaders fear the military is a melting pot that will pull ultra-Orthodox men into mainstream Israeli culture. The military might soon have to decide how to handle large-scale draft dodging at a time when its struggle for additional manpower has been exacerbated by the nearly yearlong war in Gaza.

About 300 men from Haredi and religious backgrounds enlisted alongside Wais on Monday, a special day the military arranged for religious recruits. But most Haredim are still resisting draft, even with the deadline for their conscription expected by years end.

In mid-August, Israels military said only 48 of the first 900 ultra-Orthodox youths who received the court-mandated draft orders appeared at an induction center to complete their initial evaluations. In the past, most Haredi men would appear and receive an exemption, said Israel Cohen, a political commentator for a Haredi radio station. But the community is now hardening its position. Before the June court ruling only extremist fringes of Haredi society pushed men to avoid contact with the military, he said.

Today all of the Haredi mainstream says this," he said, referring to rabbinical leadership that leads Israels various Haredi communities. It is a de facto extreme step."

The debate around Haredi enlistment comes as the military struggles to boost its ranks, stretched by fighting in Gaza, on Israels northern border with Lebanon and in an expanding front in the West Bank. Last month the military said it was recalling thousands of discharged reservists back into service, and the Defense Ministry is pushing legislation to increase mandatory-service minimums and reserve-duty commitments.

The push is also igniting long-simmering tensions between ultra-Orthodox society and the largely secular Israeli state. Haredi communities argue they contribute to Israels Jewish soul and provide protection through prayer. Mainstream Israelis feel resentful that they leave the burden for building Israels economy and security to others.

There is a huge chunk of society for which nothings changed, Oct. 7 never happened," said Uri Keidar, who served as a reservist for five months in Gaza after the Hamas-led attack on Israel that day. He heads an Israeli civil-society organization that seeks to reduce religious sway over the state. The contrast is so stark at the moment," he said.

Haredi participation in broader Israeli society is an increasingly urgent matter. The group is one of the populations fastest-growing. Out of the 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews living in Israel today, about 80,000 are men of draft age. By 2050, experts say ultra-Orthodox men will represent 41% of Israels potential draft base, putting further pressure on the issue for a solution.

Moti Kaminshtein, 27 and Haredi himself, is working to persuade his coreligionists to join the military.

I dont say that every Haredi has to enlist," he said. I say that enlisting in the army doesnt hurt being Haredi."

To avoid running afoul of rabbinical leadership, Kaminshtein and the program he works with dont push men still engaged in religious study. But he said he believes it is possible to remain Haredi while serving. We show them that there is a good way to do something good for Israel," he said.

Kaminshtein said he escorted about 150 men from ultra-Orthodox Jewish backgrounds to their enlistment on Monday with a group he runs called Tahles, which translates to bottom line.

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, the military told the conscripts to report the next morning to a park ground outside Tel Aviv to begin their enlistment procedures to head off harassment. The few who did walk through the bases gates were greeted by groups of Haredi protesters screaming traitor" and demanding they remove their kipotor skull capsmarkers for observant Jews.

The military has made some efforts over the years to attract ultra-Orthodox recruits, from creating special units for religious soldiers with support infrastructure to launching campaigns to entice men in under the premise it would help them build a career. But experts say that fewer than 2,000 soldiers today are from an ultra-Orthodox background, many of whom have subsequently become less religious.

They didnt really come," said Yossi Klar, who formerly served as a member of the militarys Haredi recruitment unit.

The war changed the militarys approach toward ultra-Orthodox recruits, which werent previously seen as a priority. Directives from the top pushed the Israel Defense Forces to redouble efforts to bring in Haredim, and made it more willing to put in the investment to accommodate their lifestyle. We got to the point that the IDF needs them and wants them," said a defense official involved with Haredi enlistment.

The official said that the military just opened two new programs for Haredi recruits, including the Air Force unit that Wais is joining. She said efforts to personally call Haredi youth and explain their options have boosted interest, but protests and social pressure remain obstacles. There is a will, but there is doubt," the official said.

It is still unclear how both Haredi youth and the military will handle widespread draft dodging. The militarys general process is to send about three appearance orders before beginning a legal procedure, and if someone is declared a deserter, they can be blocked from leaving Israel or arrested.

The tension, among Haredim and in the country at large, is unmistakable.

We are a state in war, in an existential war," said Wais, moments before boarding a bus to join the military.

Carrying placards decrying attempts to draw Haredi society into Israels mainstream, Roth and his fellow protesters said the same.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said Thursday that PM Narendra Modi should apologise to everyone in Maharashtra for the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg district. A 35-foot statue of the iconic Maratha warrior king, Shivaji Maharaj, collapsed at the Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of the district on August 26, nearly nine months after PM Narendra Modi unveiled it.

Speaking at a public meeting in Sangli, Rahul Gandhi asked what is PM Modi apologising for?" "is it because the contract to make the Shivaji statue was given to an RSS person who had no merit, or for the corruption in the process, or for disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj," Rahul Gandhi said. He said PM Modi should also apologise to the country for demonetisation, anti-farmer bills and GST.

The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP coalition government in Maharashtra has come under fire over the collapse of the statue last month; the prime minister during his subsequent visit to the state said he apologised to the iconic king, his "deity", and also the people whose sentiments were hurt.

Leveraging this incident, Congress leaders launched a scathing attack on the NDA-ruled government in Maharashtra, sparking a political row.

Whatever the reason, the prime minister and the BJP are criminals of entire Maharashtra along with Shivaji Maharaj - they should apologise to every resident of the state for their behavior and corruption, he said.

The Sangli event was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. But ally Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was conspicuous by his absence.

PM Modi should answer why all contracts are given only to Adani and Ambani and why he was running the government only for two people, Rahul Gandhi further said.

"Forgiveness is asked for when you make a mistake," the Congress leader added.
Hvaldimir, a celebrity white beluga whale, was recently found dead in southern Norway, leading to speculations and theories. Some animal rights groups are suggesting that the whale might have been intentionally killed.

OneWhale and NOAH have requested a criminal investigation, claiming there is strong proof that the whale had died from gunshot wounds.

Also Read | Thousands of whales swim with man in the Atlantic ocean | Watch

According to OneWhale, a nonprofit focused on safeguarding Hvaldimir and moving him to a wild beluga group, multiple expertsincluding vets, biologists, and ballistics specialistshave examined the evidence and concluded that a deliberate act caused the whale's death.

The injuries on the whale are alarming it is shocking it is crucial that the police are involved quickly. All facts must be brought to light regarding his death, said Siri Martinsen, veterinarian and leader of NOAH.

Also Read | Whale breach seen during Paris Olympics surfing semifinal competition in Tahiti

OneWhale founder Regina Haug spoke about her close relationship with the whale over the past five years.

When I saw his body, I immediately knew he had been killed by gunshots. I even saw a bullet lodged in his body. This kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered. We will pursue justice for Hvaldimir and hope that someone comes forward with information about his killing, Haug said.

Hvaldimir became famous in 2019 after being seen with a custom harness, which led to rumours of his possible training by the Russian military, according to CNN. Now, with his sudden death, there are claims that he was potentially shot, adding a layer of mystery and concern about the true cause of his demise.

Kind of a celebrity The superintendent of the Southwestern Police District, Victor Fenne-Jensen, refused to comment about whether his department looked into the claims that the whale might be a spy from Russia.

I dont think weve had a case like this before, he told CNN while calling Hvaldimir kind of a celebrity.

Also Read | Viral video: Giant humpback whale jumps out of water in air
Royal Sundaram, a leading General Insurer in India, has announced a comprehensive rebrand that not only aligns the company's visual identity more closely with the Sundaram Group but also deeply reflects the Groups core values. With a heritage spanning over 70 years, the Sundaram Group has established itself as a trusted industry leader, anchored by an unwavering commitment to its core values across its family of brands. This evolution of the Royal Sundaram brand marks an exciting new chapter in the company's ongoing commitment to these core values within the Sundaram Group.

The rebrand includes an updated logo and colour palette that better reflects Royal Sundaram's commitment to Honesty and Openness. The streamlined design pays homage to the Sundaram Groups legacy, while the bolder colour palette reflects the vibrancy and prudence of Royal Sundarams approach.

The refreshed brand identity of Royal Sundaram goes beyond aesthetics, emphasising its cohesive relationship to the Group and a promise of transparency and fair play in all its endeavours, while at the same time ensuring that the core of the Royal Sundaram brand remains unchanged, viz., their dedication to service, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Through this evolution, Royal Sundaram wants to reemphasize its pursuit of building strong relationships with its customers, partners, and the broader industry, underpinned by a dedication to discipline and humility.

In addition to the visual updates, Royal Sundarams rebrand includes a complete refresh of the company's digital presence. These changes are designed to enhance the customer experience and ensure integrity in all interactions.

Royal Sundaram is confident that this evolution will help them better serve their customers and position the company to aim for even greater success and growth in the years to come.
Philo of Byzantium, an inventor of the third century BC, described how crushed gallnuts, dissolved in water, could make invisible ink. Technology has shaped spycraft for millennia, but today it is having an unprecedented effect. The internet enables covert action on a grand scale. Biometric border controls impede spies operating abroad. Smartphones haemorrhage secrets.

Some conclude that intelligence services in their current form are obsolete. Why steal secrets when open and commercial sources such as satellite imagery and phone-location data can expose mischief? Who needs human spooks when it is so hard to protect their identities and so easy to snoop digitally?

In truth, intelligence needs both the old and new ways. Human intelligence is getting harder, costlier and riskier. Yet, for all that, it remains essential. That is not just because there are still some things that only an agent can do, such as read the mood in the corridors of the Kremlin. It is also because human and technical operations are intertwined. When an unknown operator, presumably a state, recently attempted to insert a surreptitious backdoor into a vital piece of software called XZ Utils, they did so by spending years pretending to be a well-meaning volunteer on the project.

Public and commercial sources are increasingly valuable. Around 90% of NATOs intelligence on cyber threats now comes from private firms, for instance. But the real value is derived by blending open and secret sources. That is harder than it sounds. For good reason, spy agencies have long maintained a gap between the classified and unclassified worlds. Now it has to be bridged.

Intelligence services will need top-secret cloud servers. Currently these are built largely by American or Chinese firms, which spy agencies from most other countries do not trust. Within and between countries, those agencies will often want to share data that are now siloed. And they will need to experiment with artificial intelligence to exploit it all, balancing the hallucinatory habits of todays large language models against the huge promise of future ones.

Whereas the secret world once far outstripped the private sector, it is now often the reverse. Spy agencies will have to work with companies at the cutting-edge and recruit talent that may balk at the prospect of working in a windowless room without access to phones or the internet.

More broadly, a world in which digital technology has seeped into everythinginto everyones pockets, power plants and the cameras that watch over government buildingsis one in which access to data becomes central to the intelligence contest between America, China and other big powers. At the moment, that is a lopsided fight.

Chinese hackers hoover up data from around the world, giving them potential leverage over their adversaries. American and European intelligence services also collect a lot. But they are far more constrained by law. It is easier for a private firm to collect bulk data, such as phone-location logs, than for a state agency to do so.

Data brokers who buy and sell private data, often to law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, need tighter rules and a brighter light shone on their often murky business. States which bar their agencies from collecting and fusing data about rivals will blind themselves. But those that allow such activities without proper legal authority and robust oversight do not just stomp on individual rights, they also risk provoking a backlash, as after Edward Snowdens revelations in 2013.

It is tempting to dismiss the technologies of spycraft as just an entertaining diversion from real geopolitics. In fact, the two are intertwined. Americas interception of Russian war plans in 2021 allowed allies to prepare for the invasion of Ukraine that followed. Israels failure to foresee Hamass assault on October 7th was a national calamity. If China chooses to invade Taiwan, intelligence will be crucial to denying it the element of surprise. Forewarned is forearmed.

 2024, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
This article has been changed to reflect that the Nez Perce County has $100,000 for the Lewiston-Nez Perce Regional Airport as a placeholder for any potential grants.

The Nez Perce County Commissioners passed its budget for 2025 for a total of $62.8 million.

Nez Perce County Auditor Patty Weeks said the budget was passed Tuesday night by county commissioners Don Beck, Doug Havens and Doug Zenner. While some of the changes to the budget were typical expenditures, some additions were made in response to situations that arose in 2024.

One was the result of the Gwen Fire, which burned areas in Nez Perce County in July.

We have found its a priority to improve communications with first responders, Weeks said.

The mountainous terrain of the area makes it difficult for cellphone service to connect firefighting efforts. The county is looking into purchasing a microwave simulcast repeater, a device that would transmit a signal using a GPS to avoid interference between radio sites. The cost for that device would be $640,000 but Nez Perce County has $440,000 so far and is looking at grants to fund the rest. That brings the cost of emergency communication to $3.04 million.
Do like Jesus did

Welcome to Idaho, now go home. Oh, youre one of those people. If it aint broke, dont fix it. Dont californicate Idaho.

We heard it all when we moved here 30 years ago.

We toughed it out and became contributing members of the community and raised our daughters here. And as people got to know us, we were accepted.

Im writing this letter because I believe in diversity, equity and inclusion. I believe that once you get to know someone, its easier to accept them.

A community culture is not static. Change happens. You have a choice in it.

I choose to give other people a chance, to get to know them, to walk a mile in their shoes. Were stronger together.

To label and judge and fear others is to live a sad life. We need new ideas to face the real challenges of this changing community and world. Everyone has something to offer.

Please consider that all of us came from another place and culture. Think about how you want to be treated. Remember the golden rule. If you want to call yourself a Christian, you need to advocate for others, like Jesus did.
This editorial was published in The Columbian of Vancouver, Wash.



Depending upon the survey, somewhere between one-third and one-half of American voters identify themselves as independents or members of a third political party. But in many states, those who have registered as independents are locked out of the primary election process.

Five states  including Washington  have truly open primaries in which candidates from all parties appear on the primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election. Several other states have primary systems that allow for cross-party voting with some caveats.

A bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Rep. Marie Gluesen-kamp Perez, D-Skamania, would expand that system. The Let America Vote Act of 2024 would require states to adopt open primaries for federal and state elections.

Good ideas come from both sides of the aisle, so Americans shouldnt be denied the right to vote for the candidate of their choosing because they arent affiliated with a political party, Perez said in introducing the legislation in July.

Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America, which supports election reform, said, By abolishing closed primaries nationwide, the Let America Vote Act represents the single greatest expansion of voting rights in a half-century, since the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age in 1971.

To Washington voters, all of this might sound like a solution in search of a problem. For more than a decade, we have not registered by party affiliation and have been allowed to vote for the best candidates regardless of party in primary elections. But common sense and academic studies suggest that partisan primaries contribute to political polarization. The system encourages extremism on both sides, often leaving centrist candidates without a political home in primary elections.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 5, MHERO Technology, the new energy off-roader manufacturer under Dongfeng Motor, announced a strategic charging partnership with NIO Power, allowing MHERO vehicles to access NIO's electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

MHERO 917; photo credit: Dongfeng Motor

Effective immediately, MHERO users can locate and utilize NIOs charging stations through the MHERO app and in-car systems, significantly improving convenience and charging efficiency. NIO Power offers a seamless, intelligent charging experience, allowing users to easily find stations, check prices, availability, and reviews in real-time through the NIO app, NIO Power app, and NIO's vehicle interface.

Designed for user convenience, NIO's lightweight charging cables can be operated with one hand and support plug-and-charge, password-free, and automatic payment features, providing an efficient and streamlined charging process for all users.

NIO has been rapidly expanding its energy replenishment network in 2024. Currently, over 80% of the energy provided by NIO's services is used by non-NIO brands' vehicles. The company has established charging interoperability with numerous car brands, including Huawei's Harmony lntelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), Hongqi, DEEPAL, AION, IM Motors, ZEEKR, Lotus Cars, Cadillac, Buick, and XPENG.

On September 2, NIO announced the launch of its 2,500th battery swap station in China, located in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia. This marks the first such facility in the eastern part of Inner Mongolia, further expanding NIO's extensive battery swap network.

At the Chengdu Motor Show 2024, NIO's co-founder and president, Mr. Qin Lihong, unveiled plans to enhance the battery swap infrastructure along the 318 Sichuan-Xizang Highway. The company aims to add nine more stations to the existing five, ensuring complete coverage from Chengdu to Xizang.

On August 20, NIO announced the Power Up Counties plan to expand the charging and swapping network to counties across China, with the aim of providing convenient, efficient and extensive services.

According to this plan, NIO intends to achieve full battery swap coverage in 1,200 county-level regions across 14 provincial-level administrative divisions by June 30, 2025. The first phase will include Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Macao, Guangdong, Hubei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, Anhui, and Fujian. By December 31, 2025, NIO plans to expand the coverage to 27 provincial-level regions, reaching over 2,300 counties.

Starting in 2026, NIO aims to complete the coverage in more than 2,800 counties nationwide, ensuring that its battery swap stations are accessible in virtually every county across China.

As of September 2, NIO has deployed 2,500 battery swap stations (838 stations located along expressways), 3,968 EV charging stations with 23,202 charging piles across China. Additionally, NIO has had access to over 1,038,000 third-party charging stalls.
A very serious situation: Volkswagen could close plants in Germany for the first time in history
School & Education, Crime

By Long Island Published: September 05 2024

A 911 caller reported a 15-year-old male student at Brennan High School threatened to shoot people at the school.

Suffolk County Police have arrested a Lindenhurst teenager after he made a threat of mass harm online on Wednesday afternoon.

A 911 caller reported a 15-year-old male student at Brennan High School, located at 550 Mount Ave., threatened during an online chat involving other students from the school, to shoot people at the school.

The threat was not made during school hours.

Following an investigation by Second Precinct Crime Section officers and Second Squad detectives, as well as First Precinct patrol officers, the 15-year-old, whose name is not being released due his age, was charged with Making a Threat of Mass Harm, a misdemeanor.

He was released into the custody of family and will be arraigned at Suffolk County Family Court on a later date.

A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: September 05 2024

It has been my tremendous privilege and a pleasure to give local student opportunities to serve the public and get an up-close view of local government in action, Drucker said.

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D  Plainview) recently thanked his team of summer interns for their hard work on behalf of the residents of the 16th Legislative District.

During the program, students learned about the relationship between politics and government and the difference between the two; worked with legislative staff to address constituent issues; aided in the creation of content for Deputy Minority Leader Druckers social media platforms and assisted with the staging of community events, and more. Special emphasis was placed on developing planning, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Each of the four interns  George Sekavec, Cory Wright, Chelsea Joseph and Rebecca Hernandez  are current college students and returning participants in Deputy Minority Leader Druckers internship program, which is supervised by LD 16 Chief of Staff Sereine Cave-Leon.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: September 05 2024

The Salvation Army sends 200+ local children back to school with brand new backpacks, supplies, and confidence.

The new school year is here, but that doesnt mean summer fun needs to end. The Salvation Army Hempstead Corps is making sure that more than 200 local children return to school with high quality backpacks and school supplies. Along with the back-to-school donation, the Hempstead Corps is hosting a carnival with games, a giant inflatable obstacle course, a bouncy house, carnival foods, and more.

This program enables children to get the supplies they need, as well as the confidence to focus on learning. The donation and carnival event is an extension of the work the nonprofit does to support kids literacy and development throughout the school year. Students, parents, and Salvation Army representatives will be available for interviews.

WHERE: The Salvation Army Hempstead Corps Community Center, 65 Atlantic Ave, Hempstead, NY

WHEN: Saturday, September 7 from 1:00 to 3:30pm

ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY GREATER NEW YORK DIVISION

An integral part of the community for 140+ years, The Salvation Army (TSA) Greater New York Division operates more than 100 community and social-service programs, consistently serving more than one million people annually regardless of race, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation. In 2023, TSA Greater NY Division served more than nine million meals. For more information, please visit www.salvationarmyny.org.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: September 05 2024

The initiative aims to transform post-summer perceptions & support efforts to boost year-round tourism business.

Discover Long Island, the regions only accredited tourism marketing organization announced the official rebranding of 'Tumbleweed Tuesday,' historically known as the quiet day after Labor Day, to 'Tourism Tuesday,' signaling a bold new chapter in the regions burgeoning year-round tourism industry. This announcement was made during a press conference on Tuesday at the historic Southampton Inn, where local officials, business leaders, and community members gathered to celebrate Long Islands record-shattering tourism achievements and to spotlight Discover Long Island's data-driven marketing efforts that are fostering industry growth during critical off-peak periods.

Based on recently released data from New York State's annual Tourism Economics report, travelers spent an unprecedented $7.5 billion across diverse sectors in the Long Island region in 2023, surpassing 2022s record-breaking spending of $6.6 billion by 12.7%. This level of growth places Long Island among top-tier metropolitan tourism destinations across the United States, right alongside cities like Anaheim, Dallas, Scottsdale, and Tampa Bay. Tourism-related employment also saw remarkable growth, with 76,227 jobs now attributed to the tourism sector, up from 72,606 jobs in the 2022 report.

"Today, we are not just closing the chapter on another summer season; we are celebrating a historic moment for Long Island's tourism industry," said Kristen Reynolds, President & CEO of Discover Long Island. "The rebranding of 'Tumbleweed Tuesday' to 'Tourism Tuesday' represents a strategic shift, reflecting our ongoing efforts to transform Long Island into a dynamic, year-round destination through innovative, data-driven marketing campaigns designed to boost visitation during traditionally slower seasons."

"This initiative recognizes that Long Island has so much to offer beyond the summer season, said Dede Gotthelf, Owner of the Southampton Inn. For local businesses out on the East End, this type of strategic effort is essential not just for attracting visitors but for sustaining operations and keeping staff employed year-round. Its about showcasing that the charm, beauty, and experiences of Long Island are available in every season, making it a must-visit destination all year long."

With the new North Fork Arts Center, events like the holiday tree lighting, music, film, parades, and more, the historic village of Greenport is the perfect winter destination for fun and festivities for all, said Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi.

Record-Breaking Tourism Growth

The press conference highlighted new data from New York State's Tourism Economics report, which showcases Long Island's unprecedented growth in the tourism sector. Highlights include:

Visitor Spending: $7.5 billion in 2023, a 12.7% increase over the previous year.

Tourism Jobs: Long Island now supports over 76,000 tourism-related jobs, the strongest recovery in the state.

Economic Impact: Suffolk County saw a 15.6% increase in overall tourism spending.

Tax Revenue: Tourism generated $900 million in state and local taxes, equating to a savings of $932 per household.

According to a separate report highlighting 2023 Travel USA Visitor Profiles by Longwoods International, Long Island received 41.8 million visitors in 2023. Of that 41.8 million visitors, 18.7 million, or 45%, are overnight trip visitors, and 23.1 million, or 55%, are day trip visitors.

Discover Long Island will continue to build on this momentum by implementing innovative and data-driven marketing strategies geared towards targeted audiences that position Long Island as a year-round destination. Utilizing cutting edge technology and tapping into consumer trends to build on the success of its award-winning campaigns, Discover Long Island aims to keep Long Island at the forefront of travelers' minds, ensuring sustainable and equitable growth for the destination.

Strategic Off-Season Marketing Initiatives

The tourism organization has implemented a series of sophisticated marketing strategies to boost off-season visitation. Last years winter campaign generated 25.8 million impressions, with a new investment of over $300,000 expected to drive even greater engagement this year. Highlights of their winter season strategies include:

Holiday Season Marketing: High-impact campaigns in New York City during peak holiday times, when the city receives over 6 million global visors between Thanksgiving and New Years, including digital billboards in Times Square and ads in taxis and Broadway playbills, position Long Island as a premier winter destination for an extended stay in town or a quick getaway.

Geo-Fencing: Targeted digital and social media ads around holiday hotspots like Bryant Park to attract New York City residents and international visitors to explore Long Islands winter landscapes.

Short Flight Long Island Campaign: Capitalizing on new direct flight routes to Long Island MacArthur Airport, encouraging those visiting friends and relatives for the holidays to explore Long Island during the off-season while supporting the new flights.

Corporate Bookings: Discover Long Islands sales team secured corporate bookings that generated over $26 million in economic impact during critical off-season periods in 2022 and remains dedicated to this effort.

Sustained Growth: The rebranding of Tumbleweed Tuesday supports a broader strategy to ensure Long Island remains a vibrant destination throughout the year, benefiting local businesses and communities.



Turning on the Off Season

The event concluded with the symbolic 'flipping of the switch' to "turn on the off-season," illuminating a newly unveiled neon sign. This gesture represents the exciting future of Long Island's tourism, where every season is filled with opportunity, excitement, and growth.

"Shoulder seasons, particularly fall, have now become a peak season for a significant portion of East End businesses. Were seeing a shift where the colder months, long considered quiet, are now vibrant with activity and new economic growth, Reynolds continued. This renaming initiative isnt just a change in terminology  were reflecting a new reality. By changing the narrative around 'Tumbleweed Tuesday,' we are not only changing perceptions but actively supporting our local communities and businesses, ensuring they thrive throughout the year."
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Atlanta Street Takeover Guy Cries While Getting Arrested

The street takeover crowd loves talking tough and acting like big men constantly  we know this from experience  but theyre really all just big soft marshmallows on the inside. Recently the City of Atlanta Police Department shared video proof of this when an officer busted a street takeover participant as he was gassing up his BMW M4. Its a thing of true beauty.

Watch a trooper in Arkansas bust a left lane camper.

At first, 22-year-old Nathaniel Adike was the cool guy sliding his Bimmer around a city intersection, all his friends whooping and hollering while taking photos and video they can post on social media. That right there fuels these street takeovers as the kids want online clout chasing some dream career as an influencer or whatever.

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Police had been noting the rather distinct M4 for a while, thanks in part to those social media posts. Were constantly amazed how many people document their illegal activity online, handing evidence over to authorities. Its cute how they do half the work for cops and prosecutors.

A Sergeant Epps whos part of the departments Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit caught wind of a takeover event on August 25. While waiting for backup to come and break up the illegal gathering, he spotted the BMW driving away and decided to follow.

And wouldnt you know it, Adike pulled into a gas station to refuel his baby. But as Sergeant Epps pulled up with his lights on, the street takeover star suddenly was struck with a case of stage fright, acting like he isnt a social media icon who goes through tires on the regular.

Cops are wise to the playing dumb routine, trust us. That didnt throw off Sergeant Epps at all, who proceeded to order Adike out of the car, cuffed him, and placed the guy under arrest.

Sitting in the back of the cruiser, likely realizing his BMW was being seized and he was going to face other consequences, the waterworks started to flow. Maybe the guy didnt realized theres a camera pointed at the backseat of all cruisers and/or that the police department likes mocking criminals on its Facebook page.

Story continues

Weve shared the video, which also details out how Adike has been charged with Participation in Street Racing and Alteration of a License Plate. We wonder if hell cry in court, too.

Image via City of Atlanta Police Department/Facebook

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 Read the full article on Motorious

It resulted in them reporting the dealership to the state.

A senior couple from Acworth, Georgia, is sounding the alarm over what they describe as a deceptive transaction with Dream Auto Collection, a South Florida car dealership. Jeanne Clark and Steve Hawes paid $15,000 for a rare, low-mileage 2003 Lexus LS, only to find themselves without a car and without responses to their refund requests.

Read more from Motorious here.

Clark and Hawes discovered the vehicle on Dream Auto Collections website and saw it as a perfect match for Clark's existing 2001 Lexus LS. According to Hawes, they interacted with a man named Sebastian Merfea, who promised that the car would be delivered to them once their check cleared. Not only did they not receive the car, but they later found out it had been registered to another buyer in Kennesaw, Georgia, just days after their check had been cashed.

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In a twist to the tale, Merfea texted the couple claiming that the car had power steering issues needing a $5,000 repair, promising a different car in exchange. However, the person who actually received the Lexus confirmed to Local 10 News that the car had no such issues.

When Local 10 News visited Dream Auto Collection in Hollywood, Florida, co-owner Alex denied the couple's allegations, calling them "impossible." Interestingly, when confronted on the phone, Merfea was unable to explain the whereabouts of the vehicle. Alex promised to resolve the situation but failed to provide any further details.

The couple has since filed a police report and is considering additional steps, including contacting the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which licenses and investigates dealerships.

Their unfortunate experience serves as a warning to prospective car buyers to thoroughly research dealerships and exercise due diligence before making any large financial commitments. In the meantime, Clark and Hawes are insisting on an immediate refund via cashier's check, hoping to close a chapter they describe as a 'nightmare.'

Source: Local 10

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Brian May, lead guitarist for legendary rock band Queen, revealed that a minor stroke left him unable to play for about a week.

May, 77, detailed the recent health scare in a video posted to his website and social media on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The musician started the video by saying that he can play guitar after the events of the last few days.

I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, May recounted.

The musician said the stroke caused him to lose control of his left arm all of a sudden, adding that it was a little scary. But May reassured fans that he is OK and is following doctors orders.

[Im] just doing what Im told, which is basically nothing, he said. Im grounded. Im not allowed to go out  well Im not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high, not allowed to have planes flying over, which will stress me. But Im good.

May originally didnt want to tell people about the incident because he didnt want sympathy.

"Please dont do that [because] itll clutter up my inbox and I hate that, the musician said.

However, that didnt stop fans from filling the comments section of Mays Instagram post with supportive messages.

Love you so much, dear Brian. I write you from my hospital room where Ive had a week long hiccup, one person wrote. At our age we really never know what might happen suddenly. You, my love, have kept yourself in admirable condition. That helps your body survive these hiccups. Im so proud of you. Get better, as will I, and well compare battle scars later.

Youre going to live to 150 at least, so take this in your stride, another comment reads. We love you, Brian.

May also thanked the staff at Frimley Hospital, located in Camberley, United Kingdom, for their fantastic care and attention.

May, a founding member of Queen, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 alongside bandmates John Deacon, Roger Taylor and the late Freddie Mercury. May and Taylor have continued to perform as Queen since Mercury died in 1991.
A 13-year-old girl who was hit by a car in Worcester in July woke up from her coma on Sunday, according to a GoFundMe.

Ayuen Leet was hit crossing the street at 164 Shrewsbury St. at around 3:51 p.m. Monday, July 29, according to the Worcester Police Department. Worcester Police believe she was hit by a Buick.

By the time police arrived, paramedics, firefighters and an off-duty police officer had begun providing medical aid to the girl, according to a statement from Worcester Police. The girl was taken to a hospital.

The driver involved in the crash remained on scene and was cited for speeding, police told WCVB.

On Sunday, the GoFundMe was updated to say Ayuen had woken up from her coma and was headed to rehab on Tuesday.

She still has a long road ahead of her and her family is so grateful for the love and support from the community, the GoFundMe read.

The teen attended Sherwood Middle School and had recently moved to Worcester from South Sudan, according to a GoFundMe.

The teens family has taken time off work to support their daughter and now must pay for her medical expenses, according to the post. A GoFundMe was set up to help them financially while meals could be donated through Meal Train.
A 20-year-old man was identified by Boston Police as the person who died in a shooting at a Dorchester barbershop on Monday.

Elijah Ricardo Clunie, of Dorchester, died Monday after a shooting at 184 Washington St.

Around 12:55 p.m. Monday, Deputy Superintendent Paul McLaughlin said there was a shooting where two people had been shot near the intersection of Washington and Erie streets.

Paramedics treated the men at the scene before they were taken to a hospital, McLaughlin said. One of the men was declared dead at a hospital, and the other was found to have non-fatal injuries.

Officials said Wednesday the second man is expected to survive.

Investigators do not believe the shooting was random, McLaughlin said. Officers canvassed the area for witnesses and security footage that might have captured the shooting Monday afternoon.

The two men were inside Exclusive Barber Shop  which is located near the intersection  when they were shot, WCVB reported. Police believe they were customers at the barbershop.

Homicide detectives are asking the public for help in investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting, who witnessed it or might have video of the scene is asked to call them at 617-343-4470. Anonymous tips can be submitted to police by calling 1-800-494-TIPS.

Additionally, officials said anyone who needs support can call Boston Neighborhood Trauma Team (NTT) for free at 617-431-0125.
Summer is officially ending and heating season is upon us.

The final day for landlords to keep the air conditioning on in Massachusetts is Sunday, Sept. 15. That means for many apartments without window units, landlords will switch over from air conditioning to heat for the cold winter months.

The change isnt based on yearly temperatures. Instead, it changes based on a set day.

If youre living in a large building or even a semi-large building with an HVAC system, its not always easy to switch between cooling and heat, Ethan Masscoop, a clinical instructor in environmental health at Boston University, told GBH.

The local boards of health can decide to change the date of heating season, instead starting on Sept. 30. Temperatures also should not exceed 78 degrees, the state clarified.

Air conditioning will then turn back on starting May 31.

That means officially we have three months of spring, summer, and fall in Massachusetts, Mass Landlords, a non-profit for owners and managers of Massachusetts residential real estate, states on its website. The rest is legally considered the dead of winter!

Prior to April 2023, heating season lasted until June 15, meaning landlords couldnt turn on air conditioning until then.

Mass Landlords said they worked to change the date in response to climate change.

Representative Bud Williams told Western Mass. News he hopes one day every tenant will have their own A/C unit.

I understand the frustration, Williams told the news outlet. When youre in those apartments and it gets to 90 and youre there, doesnt matter if its for one day or two days and you have to live through it and bear through, its almost unbearable.
RALEIGH, N.C.Earlier this year, North Carolina lawmakers adopted House Bill (HB) 971 with the support of Gov. Roy Cooper, a moderate Democrat.

Adopted with broad support in both chambers of the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly, HB 971 is a sweeping measure that overhauls human trafficking prevention measures statewide. This includes amending existing criminal statutes to make soliciting a sex worker for their services a felony charge.

Sex workers who are legally defined by North Carolina criminal statutes as prostitutes and engaging in the act of prostitution are shielded from charges. This type of regulatory and criminal regime over consensual sex work emulates the so-called Nordic model, also known as the Equality model, that only punishes sex buyers.

These portions of HB 971 enter force on December 1, 2024, while the remainder of the overhauled human trafficking laws enter force next summer.

AVN has previously reported on how HB 971 bans the viewing of pornography on government-owned devices and broadband networks. However, the Nordic model provisions were buried in the engrossed law. Yes Weekly, an alternative weekly newspaper based in Greensboro, N.C., recently highlighted these provisions.

The weekly's journalist for the report, Ian McDowell, obtained comments from an anonymous sex worker operating in the Greensboro area.

"These laws conflate coercion with agency and in doing so, remove the acknowledgment of agency for all sex workers who choose their profession," the unnamed sex worker told McDowell. "Presuming victimhood for all sex workers is inaccurate and inhumane.

Blair Hopkins, the executive director of SWOP Behind Bars, told AVN something similar when asked about her organization's reaction to the increased penalties.

"Legislation that affects sex workers should be informed by those with lived experience, and by experts in agencies who do direct-client service provision, not by people whose livelihoods depend on trading moral panic for cheap political gains," said Hopkins, explaining that there is no human rights or civil liberties basis.

Non-governmental organizations from all over the world have criticized Nordic model laws, including criminalizing and overcriminalizing consensual sex work transactions. For example, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) supports total decriminalization.

"Sex workers deserve the same legal protections as anybody else," the ACLU wrote in an issue brief published in July 2023. "Decriminalization would help bring sex workers out of the dangerous margins and into the light where people are protectednot targetedby the law."

There is also a bevy of academic and practical evidence to suggest Nordic model regulation makes sex work much more dangerous.

For example, a study of European laws published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Law and Economics in 2023 concluded that decriminalization and total legalization led to lower incidence rates of sexual assault in legal environments where Nordic and criminalization models are in place.

viewpoint article published in 2017 in the American Medical Association's peer-reviewed AMA Journal of Ethics also characterized decriminalization as a key public policy factor to effectively combat human and sex trafficking in the United States.

"When demand is constrained by criminal liability, the basic laws of supply-and-demand dictate that the supply side is the one having to make concessions," Hopkins added. "Which is to say, those trading sex are put at a 'market' disadvantage and are more likely to be coerced into riskier terms and lower prices."

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International all support decriminalization

Other groups backing decriminalization include some agencies of the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
A Malden man was sentenced on Tuesday in Boston federal court after he and others robbed two spas and beat and duct-taped the victims, federal authorities said.

Li Wen Tang, 33, was sentenced to 78 months, or 6.5 years, in prison with three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery affecting commerce in April, acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement.

The guilty plea came after a jury convicted Alfeu Barbosa  a co-defendant  in March for the same crime, the statement said. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022.

Tang and Jonas Nunez  another co-defendant  were arrested and charged in August and September 2022 respectively. A federal grand jury later indicted all three people.

Tang went into the Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline on June 12, 2022, around 8:51 p.m. pretending to be a customer looking for a massage, federal prosecutors said.

The victim was the only employee in the spa that night, so she locked the door before taking Tang into the back room for a massage, federal prosecutors added. Tang asked if other people were in the spa, and if so, he wanted to meet them.

Right after the massage started, Tang said he didnt want one anymore because his stomach hurt and asked for a refund, prosecutors said. The victim said she had to call her boss to approve a refund. But while she was on the phone, Tang unlocked the front door and two men wearing masks  later identified as Barbosa and Nunez  walked inside carrying guns.

One of the men hit the victim in the face, knocking her down and putting a gun to her head, the prosecutors said. Barbosa and Nunez pulled her by her hair into the back hallway and told her to be quiet. They then tied her hands and ankles with duct tape and gagged her while asking her Where is the money?

The men trashed the spa for about three minutes before they found and stole about $500 along with the victims work phone and then left the spa, prosecutors said. Surveillance footage showed all three men came to the spa in the same vehicle that was parked nearby and they drove away together after the robbery.

Later that same day, around 10:19 p.m., Barbosa, Nunez and someone close to Barbosa robbed Mays Spa Massage in Stoneham, prosecutors said. Like the spa in Brookline, the men also walked in wearing masks, carrying guns and duct-taped the spas victims. They stole about $600 in cash from the spa and the victims and took three phones that belonged to the three female victims, their licenses, gift cards and credit and debit cards before leaving in the same vehicle.

Nunez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 23 months, or 1.9 years, in prison in April and three years of supervised release, Levys office said. Barbosa was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to 121 months, or 10 years, in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
A Haitian national will soon have to face a federal judge after he was accused of abusing a child in Mansfield in late August, according to federal authorities.

Akim Marc Desire, 18, was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a child under 14 on Aug. 28 by Mansfield police officers, immigration authorities said.

Desire came to the U.S. legally on June 4, 2023, but he violated the terms of his stay, authorities said.

Akim Marc Desire allegedly victimized a minor member of our Massachusetts community, [Enforcement and Removal Operations] Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement. We cannot tolerate such potentially dire threat to the welfare of children in our community. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our New England neighborhoods.

Desire was arraigned in the Attleboro District Court on Aug. 29, ICE said. Officers from the Boston chapter of Enforcement and Removal Operations arrested Desire at the court on Aug. 30 and handed him papers to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

According to authorities, Desire remains in federal custody.
A Massachusetts corrections officer has been suspended without pay after he was accused of raping a woman in the prison and buying underwear for inmates, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryans office.

Joao Gomes, 49, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was indicted in Woburn Superior Court and arrested Wednesday. He is charged with four counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault and battery. He is also charged with three counts of delivering articles to prisoners in a corrections institution.



He was working as a correctional officer at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Framingham.

Gomes was placed on paid leave starting May 13. He was then suspended without pay after he was arrested on Sept. 4.

In 2020, the police reform law included that law enforcement officers who have sex with or indecently assault a person in custody can be charged with rape or indecent assault and battery.

The Massachusetts Department of Correction harshly condemns these deeply disturbing allegations, an egregious violation of a correction officers duty to ensure the safety and security of those entrusted to DOCs care. The Department does not tolerate any form of sexual abuse or harassment, a Department of Corrections spokesperson said in a statement. We remain committed to preventing, detecting, and responding to any such conduct and will aggressively pursue justice for victims of abuse. Immediately upon becoming aware of the allegations, the Department promptly placed the employee on leave, launched an internal investigation, and referred the matter to the Middlesex County District Attorneys Office for review.

This is the first case in Middlesex County charged under the updated statute.

According to the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) dashboard (click here if you cant see the dashboard above), there was one substantiated staff-inmate sexual harassment case, five unsubstantiated and 19 unfounded claims in 2023. The same year, there were eight unsubstantiated sexual abuse claims of an inmate by a staff member, contractor or volunteer and 51 unfounded claims. There are still five sexual abuse claims involving a staff member, contractor or volunteer under investigation.

The year before, there were no substantiated staff-inmate sexual harassment cases or sexual abuse claims. However, there were 10 unsubstantiated and 22 unfounded sexual harassment claims and 10 unsubstantiated and 38 unfounded sexual abuse claims.

In 2021, there was one substantiated staff-inmate sexual harassment case and two substantiated staff-inmate sexual abuse cases. And in 2020, there were three substantiated staff-inmate sexual abuse cases.
While a recount still seems possible, votes in the 25th Middlesex District race now favor incumbent Democrat state Rep. Marjorie Decker despite challenger Evan MacKay already proclaiming victory.

The race between the 12-year incumbent and the labor organizer has Decker ahead with 3,472 votes (50.3%) while MacKay has 41 fewer votes, at 3,431 (49.7%), according to unofficial Associated Press results.

Recounts can be requested if the margin of victory is not more than half of 1% of the votes cast for the office, according to Massachusetts state law.

Were either campaign to demand a recount, it would need to submit enough signatures by Friday, Secretary of State William Galvins office told the Boston Globe.

Decker has not conceded the race, and told supporters on Tuesday that shes not going away, trust me, according to the Globe.

But MacKay declared victory early Tuesday night and told supporters Our movement has won this election, while at a bar in Cambridge.

Democratic consultant Jay Cincotti said MacKays declaration was irresponsible, the Globe reported.

Were certainly encouraged by what the elections commission announced today but we want to give the process time to work itself out, Cincotti told the newspaper on Wednesday. ... Were not going to declare victory until this entire process is over.

Decker served 14 years on the Cambridge City Council before she was elected to the Legislature .

She worked as a teacher and then was executive director of the Equal Justice Coalition before joining the City Council in 1999. Gun safety, tackling climate change, labor and worker rights and maternal health and reproductive rights are among her areas of focus, according to her website .

A Cambridge resident, MacKay is also a pro-democracy organizer and a Harvard teaching fellow, according to their profile on Ballotpedia .

They also are a Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commissioner and the former president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union, according to their campaign website.
(*This story was updated at 2:20 p.m., on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, to include comments from Babson College President Stephen Spinelli.)

Babson College, a private institution in Wellesley, beat out the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to earn second place in The Wall Street Journals new ranking of the 2025 best colleges in the United States.

Babson placed 10th in the 2024 ranking from the publication.

I will tell you, I got the ranking at 9:30 last night  didnt sleep a lot, Babson College President Stephen Spinelli told MassLive with a smile.

Spinelli told MassLive that while he was excited about last years ranking, he knew the college could improve.

The natural, I think, response to that is, how do we get better? It is also part of the Babson ethos of aspiration  good, better, best, never, ever, rest, Spinelli said.

The improved ranking is expected to help Babson increase the number of applicants and partners who might be interested in working with Babson through alternative educational models such as asynchronous learning or part-time programs, Spinelli said.

Theres so many ways to serve the learning needs of society, Spinelli said.

While Spinelli said it will be more difficult to improve from the second spot, he said the college will continue to strive to do better and stay in the top 10.

But it isnt all about the rankings, Spinelli said. He said Babson believes continually improving is the right thing to do.

Thats what higher education should be doing for learners and with learners, Spinelli said.

Princeton University earned first place in the rankings. Babson is followed by Stanford University, which took third. Yale University took fourth, Claremont McKenna College took fifth followed by Massachusetts institutions MIT and Harvard University.

Spinelli said Boston is an epicenter of higher education. He said he has almost boundless respect for other Massachusetts institutions.

However, what set Babson apart from them might have been the institutions competitive advantage in having a focused value proposition, he said.

Where some other colleges or universities have broad programs and sometimes theres competing Interests, we can stay super laser-focused, Spinelli said.

The Wall Street Journal praised Babson College for its emphasis on hands-on experiences with opportunities for experiential learning.

One example the publication referenced was a mandatory class in which students create startups in groups during their first two semesters of college and use a loan of up to $3,000 from the college.

The publication also pointed to the colleges ability to prepare students for unexpected challenges and create entrepreneurial leaders.

Ninety-eight point six percent of undergraduate students from the Class of 2023 were employed, continued their education or were involved in volunteer, military or service programs six months after graduation, according to the college.

Starting salaries for the class averaged $75,579 a year.

The Wall Street Journal evaluates colleges based on:

Student outcomes (70%). This includes how the college has boosted its graduates salaries (33%), the years it takes to pay off the net price of the institution (17%), and the graduation rate impact (20%).

Learning environments (20%). This includes the opportunity for learning opportunities (4%), the preparation for a career (4%), student satisfaction with the colleges learning facilities (4%), whether students would recommend their college (4%) and whether students feel the college has developed character strengths (4%).

Diversity (10%). This includes student satisfaction with and frequency of interacting with students from different backgrounds (10%), the ethnic diversity of the institution (1.7%), the inclusion of lower-income students (1.7%) and the inclusion of students with disabilities (1.7%).

Spinelli said that while he was a bit surprised by earning a second place spot in the rankings, he said he had a feeling they would climb in the rankings due to improving in job placement, students post-graduation salaries, career advancement and graduation rates.

Were being very intentional about your career. Were here to prepare you to go be a leader in business. I believe very clearly that entrepreneurship is an important pathway to that leadership and that success, Spinelli said.
AMHERST  Spurred by mass arrests after an anti-war protest in May, a task force created by the University of Massachusetts Amherst chancellor has released a report with recommendations for policies and procedures and guidelines for campus demonstrations.

The Campus Demonstration Policy Taskforce began its work in June, following the arrest of over 130 people during pro-Palestinian protests last spring. Chancellor Javier Reyes made the decision to call in police forces from a number of agencies to put down the unsanctioned protest over the war in Gaza.

Within the report are a series of recommendations guided by complicated questions ..., Reyes said in his email addressed to the UMass community Wednesday. ... such as how do we ensure that in exercising rights protected by the First Amendment, we do not infringe the rights of others? How do we address civil disobedience in our governance? And how do we respond in a way that is aligned with our values when policies or laws are violated?
With President Joe Biden out of the race, and Vice President Kamala Harris leading the Democratic ticket, young voters in the states that will decide the election are making their voices heard.

And theyre making them heard for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, according to a U.S. News/Generation Lab poll out Thursday.

Two-thirds (65%) of respondents to the poll of voters aged 18-34 in seven, key battleground states said theyd support Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.

Trump took 35% support among that same cohort, according to the poll.

Thats a gap thats 12 points greater than the respective gap between Biden and Trump when Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to the poll.

These younger voters, who played a central role in Bidens win in 2020 , and the Democrats strong showing in the pivotal 2022 midterms , are once again expected to play a central role in 2024 .

Eighty-two percent of the polls respondents said they strongly agree or agree that Biden made the right call when he exited the race and handed the baton to Harris.

And they say theyre more likely to vote in the Nov. 5 election now that Harris is the partys nominee.

Our poll shows that younger Americans are with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz in several of the swing states that will tip the balance of power  and many intend to voice their support at the voting booth in November, Dafna Linzer, U.S. News editorial director and executive vice president, said in a statement.

While the national polls show a tight race that either candidate could win, support is clearly growing for the Democratic ticket among this key voting bloc, Linzer said.

Harris also got a bump by adding Walz, who went viral for calling Trump and running mate J.D. Vance weird for her No. 2.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they were much more or somewhat more likely to vote for Harris since her decision last month to pick Walz, compared to 13% who said they were much less or somewhat less likely to support her.

There was no such bump for Vance, who has polarized voters with his comments about women who choose not to have children.

Just 15% said they were more likely to vote for Trump since he tapped Vance as his veep pick, compared to 30% who said they were much less or somewhat less likely to vote for him.

Among that cohort who said they were less inclined to vote for Trump because of Vance, 18% said they felt he didnt understand or represent them, according to the poll.

From Aug. 25 to Sept. 3, pollsters sampled the opinions of 2,003 young voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio. The poll had a margin of error of 2.2%.
Massachusetts two United States senators have called for Steward Health Cares controversial CEO to be held in contempt if he fails to appear on Capitol Hill for a hearing next week.

Stewards boss, Dr. Ralph de la Torre, has said hes going to ignore a subpoena ordering him to appear before the U.S. Senates Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which is probing the Dallas-based companys financial collapse.

The panel is scheduled to meet in Washington on Sept. 12. Lawmakers plan to hold a seat open for de la Torre, just as they did when he skipped a hearing on Beacon Hill earlier this year.

During a press conference in Boston on Thursday, Democratic U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren vowed that de la Torre would be held accountable for the chains bankruptcy, even as they said he and other executives enriched themselves and lived a high-flying lifestyle.

Steward owns hospitals in Massachusetts and other states. Three of its Bay State facilities since have closed, and others are in the process of being sold to new owners.

Ralph de la Torre has shown contempt for our health care system, now the U.S. Senate must bring contempt charges, Markey, who sits on the Senate panel, and chairs one of its subcommittees, said.

Warren, who has been a vocal critic of Stewards private equity owners, and has joined Markey in calling for reform and increased oversight, noted that subpoenas from congressional committees are exceedingly rare.

But it is not an invitation. It is an order, the Cambridge Democrat said.

Markey and Warren were joined at Wednesdays news conference by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd District, who represents communities with Steward hospitals, including Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, which shut down over the weekend.

Carney Hospital in Dorchester also closed.

Labor leaders representing nurses and other workers across the Steward system also were in attendance.

Through his attorney, de la Torre shot down the Senate committees request on Wednesday, denouncing it as a pseudo-criminal proceeding, that would be used not to gather facts, but to convict [him] in the eyes of public opinion.

Through that same attorney, de la Torre asked for the hearing to be delayed until the companys bankruptcy proceedings, which started in May, and continue to wend their way through the courts, are finished.

In July, Markeys committee voted to authorize an investigation into the companys bankruptcy and to subpoena de la Torre.

On Thursday, Markey could not offer a concrete timeline for a vote on a possible contempt resolution, which would have to clear his committee and get a vote from the full U.S. Senate.

Nor could Markey say whether it would be a criminal or civil resolution.

He did say, however, that Democrats were working across the aisle with the committees Republicans on the issue.

Were working with Republicans to send the strongest possible message, Markey said, adding that lawmakers will determine the best pathway over the course of the next week.

The Senate panels ranking GOP member, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has Steward facilities in his state, Markey noted.

The Senate should enforce its subpoena with a contempt resolution, Warren said. If he continues to resist, federal marshals can arrest him, and bring him before the committee.

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd District., speaks during a news conference at the John F. Kennedy Federal Building in Boston, on Thursday. Trahan and other lawmakers were addressing the financial collapse of Steward Health Care (John L. Micek/MassLive).John L. Micek

While her Senate colleagues have been working on Capitol Hill to pursue regulatory fixes to prevent future Steward-style meltdowns, Trahan said shes been working on the local level with those directly impacted by the bankruptcy.

Trahans district also includes Holy Family Hospital, which has campuses in Methuen and Haverhill.

Those facilities, along with Nashoba Valley, are pillars of our communities that hardworking families depend on for health care.

When that access is threatened, its not just an inconvenience, its a matter of life and death, she said. Steward knew this, but decided to prioritize profit over care.

In a statement, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey tore into de la Torre, saying the hospital executive lived a life of luxury at the expense of workers and patients at his Steward hospitals.

His refusal to testify before the Senate is shameful, but it follows his pattern of complete disregard for his responsibilities, Healey continued. The people of Massachusetts deserve answers. Im grateful to [Sens.] Markey and Warren for their continued efforts to hold Ralph de la Torre accountable.

Thursdays news conference came as a federal bankruptcy court in Texas gave Steward the green light to sell six of its Massachusetts-based facilities.

Judge Christopher Lopez ruled Wednesday that Boston Medical Center can buy St. Elizabeths Medical Center and Good Samaritan Medical Center, The Boston Globe reported.

The judge also authorized Lifespan Health Systems acquisition of St. Annes Hospital and Morton Hospital, and Lawrence General Hospitals purchase of Holy Family Hospital, the newspaper reported.

Steward announced last week that it had reached purchase agreements for Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and St. Elizabeths Medical Center in Brighton, MassLive previously reported.

The Healey administration also announced the takeover deals for Rhode Island-based Lifespan Corporation and Lawrence General Hospital for its respective Steward properties.

Healeys office has said that UMass Memorial Health could convert Nashobas shuttered emergency room into an urgent care facility.
When it comes to the fall U.S. Senate campaign pitting Democratic incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Warren against Republican cryptocurrency lawyer John Deaton, two things can be true at the same time.

First, its true that Deaton, of Swansea, who coasted to a win in Tuesdays GOP primary election, will face an uphill battle against Warren of Cambridge, a deeply entrenched and well-funded pol, whos running for a third term in heavily Democratic Massachusetts.

Read More: Results from the 2024 Massachusetts primary election Tuesday

But it also is the case that the race might not be a romp for Warren.

Its already shaping up to be an expensive, competitive, and aggressive one, as the rhetorical barbs fired between the two camps in the hours after the polls closed Tuesday made clear.

Democrats have attacked Deatons residency and his ties to the cryptocurrency industry. Deaton has painted Warren as out-of-touch with Bay State voters.

And, in a time-honored rite of campaign season, theres already a debate over, well, debates.

More on the latter in a minute. First up, the crypto-question.

Deaton entered Tuesdays three-way primary contest against conservative activist Robert Antonellis and Quincy City Council President Ian Cain buoyed by a wave of cash from the cryptocurrency industry.

Deaton defended tech firm Ripple Inc. in a high-profile court fight with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. The SEC accused Ripple of selling XRP in an unregistered security offering, according to Investopedia.

In his memoir, Food Stamp Warrior, Deaton explained his support for, and interest in, cryptocurrency, saying the industrys story is one much like my own: it is a story of survival and evolution, not just for the few but for the many.

The more I learned about it, the more I realized that our entire financial world sat on a precipice. This was something important, he wrote. A whole new world was about to be born, and the powers that be did not want us to know about it.

The industry took note, pumping serious cash, in the form of direct contributions and super PAC support, into Deatons campaign.

Warren, meanwhile, is an avowed critic. So the industry is looking to replace what it sees as a hostile regulatory voice with a far friendlier one.

 ... The SEC, under its current chair, Gary Gensler, has asserted that most cryptocurrencies are securities that need to be registered as such. And the industry has not done this, Lee Reiners, a lecturing fellow at the Duke Financial Economics Center and Duke University School of Law, told MassLive.

In a fundraising email on Wednesday, Warren aimed at the industry, charging that it bought the GOP nomination, and now [its] trying to buy this U.S. Senate seat.

But Ive got news for them: Massachusetts is not for sale, Warren continued.

State Democratic Party officials similarly went on the attack on Wednesday, describing Deaton, a Rhode Island transplant, as a carpetbagger with shadowy ties to Big Tech.

Deaton, who moved to the Bay State earlier this year, has argued that he has Masshole cred to match any pol.

Hes also sought to portray himself as the pragmatic alternative to what he said is Warrens Ivy League elitism.

Voters are turning their back on divisive partisan politics and are ready to support a message of optimism, unity, and solving problems, Deaton wrote in a post to X on Tuesday night.

That might be true, but its still going to be a tough sell, according to one veteran observer.

Massachusetts is a challenge for any Republican to win, Boston-based Democratic analyst Mary Anne Marsh said. In a presidential election, it is impossible. That is what John Deaton faces. The fact that Kamala Harris and abortion rights are on the ballot too is the accelerant that no one can stop.

Still, Warrens campaign is taking Deaton seriously.

On Tuesday night, the Democrat announced that shed agreed to two debates in October in Boston and Springfield.

Usually, its the challenger clamoring for those kinds of confrontations, which provide both free airtime and the opportunity to catch the incumbent in a flub.

In a statement, Warrens campaign manager, Janice Rottenberg, sticking with the cryptocurrency line of attack, said voters deserve a substantive policy conversation about abortion rights, the Supreme Court, funding for Medicare and Social Security, and other issues critical to our countrys future.

Deaton, who went through an extensive round of debates on his way to the GOP nomination, parried, proposing five, single-issue face-offs with Warren before Election Day on Nov 5.

Two debates or five, Deaton needs the exposure if he hopes to stay competitive and build critical name recognition for a general election audience.

A June UMass/WCVB-TV poll highlighted the problem. A third (36%) of its Republican and unaffiliated respondents said they didnt know which of the three GOP hopefuls to support. None of the GOP hopefuls polled above 19%.

Warren also led Deaton 47%-24% in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up in the same poll.

He needs to run all-out, everywhere in the state, including Western Mass., where we have not seen much of him, political consultant Tony Cignoli said. He needed to be running a year ago like the election is tomorrow.

On Election Night, Deaton told his supporters in an email that the fall campaign marked the start of an effort that will hold Elizabeth Warren accountable for her failures on the border, the unaffordable cost of supporting a family, a broken healthcare system, abandoning our ally Israel, and restoring faith in our politics.

And there are just 60 days left to seal the deal.
Xenophon Beake as a devoted Greek has for years been attending Glendi, which begins on Friday and runs through Sunday at the Greek Cultural Center in Springfield.

He has now served for seven years as chair of the celebration of everything Greek that centers around friendship, good times, music and dancing, as well as the Greek Orthodox faith and culture.
NEW YORKNicotine replacement therapy brand Blip and DIRTY Magazine have announced an NYFW pop-up from Sept. 6 to 8, at Cafe Forgot located at 29 Ludlow Street in the Dimes Square area of New York City. The event features a custom-designed newsstand that blends fashion, culture, and a commitment to health and harm reduction.

The "Stand" emphasizes a modern approach to health and moderation, offering Blips nicotine lozenges, gum, and non-nicotine toothpicks as solutions for managing cravings. The Stand at Cafe Forgot also will showcase a diverse array of 18-plus magazines, including DIRTY, which is known for its levity and provocative content. This installation highlights how managing personal habits can be both effective and fashionable, setting a new standard for lifestyle choices.

The activation underscores DIRTY Magazines ongoing commitment to advancing public health awareness. Since its founding, DIRTY has supported harm reduction models with initiatives like Narcan and fentanyl test strips distribution, aimed at addressing the overdose crisis. This pop-up continues DIRTYs mission to integrate health consciousness into contemporary culture, making safe consumption and harm reduction a key part of the lifestyle conversation.

Hours for the pop-up cafe include Sept. 6, between 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. EST, and Sept. 7 to 8, from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. EST. On Friday, Sept. 6, an opening ceremony will include a two-hour open bar at Cafe Forgot, with drinks sponsored by Misguided Spirits.

The weekends programming will feature:

 9/6: DJs Princess Gollum, FTP Rip, Hu Dat, Donatella LeRoc, and Nebula, with an open bar.

 9/7: Performances and readings by a lineup of New York literary personalities including poet Riley Mac, actor Bobbi Salvor Menuez, musician and artist NYCL Kai, adult industry veteran and journalist Veronica Vera, The Whitey Review founder Whitney Mallett, and Cherry author Nico Walker.

 9/8: An overdose prevention demonstration where audiences will learn how to test substances for fentanyl and how to administer Narcan nasal spray. DJs will showcase their talents in an Open Deck Challenge, offering a dynamic soundtrack and a platform for emerging artists in 15-minute sets.

For more information, visit the Blip and DIRTY Magazine websites.
A proposal from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to buy two hotels and turn them into student housing has drawn the ire of city officials who worry the move will result in a loss of annual tax revenue.

WPI is looking to purchase the Hampton Inn & Suites at 65 Prescott St. and the Courtyard by Marriott at 72 Grove St., according to a letter sent to the schools president, Grace Wang, and chair of the Board of Trustees, William Fitzgerald, from the Worcester Economic Development Coordinating Council (EDCC).

The two hotels are located within the Gateway Park redevelopment district, a 55-acre development that features numerous businesses and offices, according to WPIs website.

The letter  signed by EDCC members Mayor Joseph Petty, Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Tim Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Worcester Business Development Corporation Craig Blais and President and CEO of the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives Jon Weaver  read that the purchase of the hotels could result in a loss of $758,000 annually in local property taxes and $850,606 in annual hotel and motel tax revenue. Additionally, the letter reads that WPIs purchase could result in 25% of the citys hotel room capacity and the loss of 100 jobs.

The Gateway Park Project was never at any point about utilizing public resources to solely facilitate WPIs campus expansion or student housing needs, taking property off of the citys tax rolls, and further burdening Worcesters residential and commercial industrial taxpayers, the letter reads.

The letter went on to read that the council was stunned to learn that WPI has been considering purchasing the two hotels for months and that the plans were not mentioned in previous meetings and asked why the school did not acquire space from the adjacent Becker College, which closed in 2021.

During a City Council meeting on Aug. 27, Batista said the city spoke with WPI representatives about the purchase and said he hopes a solution can be found.

A spokesman for Worcester City Manager Eric Batista told MassLive they had no further comment on the matter at this time.

District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson criticized WPIs proposal during the meeting  arguing the hotels were never supposed to be used as dormitories.

This certainly was not partnership, Mero-Carlson said. I just dont get it. I just dont understand how you think you can do something this big that has such an impact on our city.

WPI confirmed in a letter written by Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Michael Horan and Senior Vice President for Enrollment Phillip Clay to the WPI community dated Aug. 26. that the university was looking to purchase the hotels for student housing.

The letter reads that the proposed purchase of the hotels is to address a projected student housing shortage. While WPI guarantees on-campus housing for all first-year and transfer students, there is not enough space for upper-level students, according to the letter.

Many of you live in the city and therefore know that the Worcester housing market is extremely tight, with ever-increasing apartment rents and a vacancy rate of 1.7%, one of the lowest in the country, the letter reads. This situation puts considerable strain on our students ability to find affordable housing and adds pressure to the citys housing crunch. Our plans to increase our on-campus housing will not only help our students, it will also create space in the market for families and other renters impacted by the housing shortage.

After the purchase of the hotels, both will remain on the citys property tax rolls and generate hotel tax revenues for the city while they continue to operate as hotels, the letter reads. Additionally, the letter states that WPI does not foresee a loss of any jobs for those currently employed at the hotels and plans to maintain the current management company.

The Hampton Inn will transition into student housing in 2026, while the Courtyard Marriott will continue operations as a hotel until 2030, according to the letter.

A specific date of when the hotels will be purchased was not stated in the letter and a spokesperson from WPI declined to offer any additional comment to MassLive.
A MAYO writer was among the winners of a Zebbie Award at the 17th Writers Guild of Ireland (WGI) for his script in the RTE television series, Obituary.

Ray Lawlor, from Castlebar won a Zebbie Award for Best TV Drama Script for his RTE television series, Obituary. Lawlor received the award for the opening episode of the first series of Obituary.

The six-part series was conceived and penned by Lawlor, who has described it as a fun, darkly twisted drama. Set in the fictional Mayo town of Kilraven, Obituary is a dark comedy crime drama in which the newspaper that 24-year-old Elvira Clancy works for falls into hard times, meaning she is now being paid per obituary.

When work dries up, Elvira soon discovers that by murdering the unpleasant residents in her small town, she will not only earn more money but discovers she has an untapped bloodlust. The only problem for her lies with the papers new hire, Emerson Stafford, a suspicious crime correspondent who she begins to develop feelings for.

The awards ceremony was hosted by writer and actor Tara Flynn at The Sugar Club in Dublin on Tuesday night with writers from all over Ireland in attendance to celebrate the best of Irish writing for stage, screen and radio.

Actor Patrick Bergin presented Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor with the Best Feature Film Script Zebbie for Baltimore, their film of the true story of English Heiress Rose Dugdale who became an IRA member and carried out an art heist and a failed bomb attack on an RUC barracks, and Janet Moran won a Zebbie for Best Theatre Script for Quake.

Nell Hensey and Brigid Leahy won Best Short Film Script for Good Chips; Hugh OConor won Best Animation Script for Worry World; Best Radio/Audio Drama Script went to Dorothy Cotter and Cillian O'Donnachadha for Carthanacht Chliodhna [Eagran 2]; and Caitriona Daly won Best Continuing Drama Script for Doctors.

Former Senator David Norris, who hosted the Zebbie Awards for many years, was presented with the WGIs Special Services to Writers Award last night in honour of his support for the WGI and Irish writers.

The awards are named in honour of OZ Zebby Whitehead, a Broadway and Hollywood actor who was a great supporter of theatre and writing in Ireland after he moved to Dublin in 1963.

Only WGI members could vote for the winners from the nominated scripts.

The WGI, which campaigns for rights, remuneration, more control of work and better recognition for its members, represents over 400 Irish writers for film, television, theatre, radio, animation and games. The Guild is celebrating its Emerald Anniversary this year  55 years since it was originally established as the Society of Playwrights in Ireland.

In October, the WGI will be hosting the World Conference of Screenwriters 2024 in Galway with over two hundred screenwriters from across the world expected to attend to discuss their craft and their industry.

The WGI gratefully acknowledges the support of Zebbie Awards sponsors Comisiun na Mean and the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency (ICLA).

Jennifer Davidson, Chair of the Writers Guild of Ireland, said: As always it is a privilege to get to celebrate the phenomenal talents of Irish writers, and our WGI members, through our Zebbie Awards. In a year when theres so much talk of cutbacks and global contraction, its a really important reminder of how bright the future actually is, and how irreplaceable the craft of human writers remains, despite all the posited advancements of Generative AI. My warmest congratulations, not just to the winners of the 2024 Zebbie Awards, but to all the nominees who can be rightly proud of the work that they have achieved.

As we celebrate our Emerald Anniversary and 55 years since the Society of Irish Playwrights was founded, its a very special year for us in the Writers Guild. Those 55 years are 55 years of Irish writers being truly excellent at their craft, and of standing together in power and in solidarity. The landscape in which we all write may be changing, but the talent, and passion of Irish writers remains unchanged.
THE sinking of a ship to create Irelands first artificial reef in north Mayo is expected to take place within the next week, weather permitting.

The infamous smuggling ship, the MV Shingle, which is currently the property of the Revenue Commissioners, is expected to arrive in Killala Bay next week.

Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef Ltd, which is made up of a group of diving enthusiasts, was granted permission to sink the ship in July. However, before this can be done, an Underwater Archaeological Impact Assessment must be submitted.

The assessment is due to be completed this week, and it is expected the green light to sink the ship will be given within 24 hours of the assessment being submitted.

Once this final hurdle has been cleared, the MV Shingle, which is currently in dry dock in New Ross Harbour, will be towed to Killala Bay where it will be sunk.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Mayo News (@themayonews)

Big investment

CROSSMOLINA-based councillor Michael Loftus who is involved in Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef Ltd told The Mayo News that he does not foresee any further delays. If the weather conditions are favourable, he expects the ship to be at the bottom of Killala Bay within the next week.

The ship is literally in New Ross boxed up and ready for shipping. Once the archaeological assessment is completed and the council rubber stamps it, Revenue will bring the ship up from New Ross once they get a good weather window to do so.

It will take three days to bring it up, and we are hoping that the Revenue will be able to bring it up from September 9. It is very exciting for us the most frustrating part is we cannot specifically a date, but once we get permission we expect the Revenue to get the ship up as soon as possible, he said.

Those behind Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef Ltd have invested up to 35,000 of their own money into the project, and they have also received 50,000 in funding from Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) towards it.

Cllr Loftus, who is a member of the Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club, first raised the possibility of creating an artificial reef for diving at a tourism SPC meeting in 2018.

The MV Shingle, which was seized in 2014 after customs officers discovered 32 million packets of cigarettes worth 13 million on board the 60-metre-long vessel, was identified as a possible ship.

World attraction

REVENUE was due to scrap the ship, but it agreed to make it available to Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef. It also carried out all the work to clean up the ship, make it environmentally safe to sink and render it diver friendly.

We were fortunate with the Revenue Commissioners, who were so good to us. They did so much of the heavy lifting, commented Cllr Loftus who thanked all the State agencies for their cooperation throughout the process.

It has been a challenge to get it done. This was something which was never done before and we had to do so many reports to get a MAC [Maritime Area Consent] licence and planning permission. We have a great relationship with the Department of Marine they have been really good to help us.

We have a great committee who have done fantastic work on the project and who all see the benefits of it to the community. Both Mayo and Sligo County Councils have been behind us all the way,and the Revenue Commissioners really saw the benefits of it.

I know it may have been a slow process, but when you do something right and do it well it is well worth it, he said.

As Irelands first artificial reef, Cllr Loftus expects the ship wreck to attract divers from around the world, bringing economic benefits to the region.

Going away to places around the world to dive you see the benefits of the artificial reefs to the communities and how well they do. It has always been our dream to get a wreck in Killala Bay, as it would do the same for our communities here in north Mayo and west Sligo. We had 100 divers down last week for a dive rally and all they were talking about was the wreck which was going to come to Killala Bay, he said.

It will be the first marine artificial reef off Ireland, and with the connection with Knock Airport, the amount of people who will potentially come to dive will be enormous.
The Heritage Council has announced details of this years National Heritage Week Awards, inviting nominations from all event organisers in Mayo.

Every year, the Heritage Council seeks nominations for individuals or groups of people who showcased successful heritage projects and hosted engaging events during the festival.

Among the nominees last year were Mayos Climate Action Louisburgh Locality Group, who were runners-up in the Water Heritage Award for their Explore Louisbughs River Life event.

The event brought biologists to the banks of the Bunabhann River to identify fish and insects, and to explain how these creatures live.

Event organisers must put themselves forward for consideration for an award before the deadline on Tuesday, September 24.

Included in the award categories is a county award, which recognises the best heritage project in each county.

In 2023, the Irishtown Heritage Group won the Mayo award for their Irishtown Piper event which celebrated the memory of the Brooklyn-based uilleann piper Michael Carney, a native of the Mayo village.

Mayos Irishtown Heritage Group won the Mayo award for their Irishtown Piper event (Photo: Breda Raftery)

This years National Heritage Week Awards will comprise the county awards, as well as a number of special categories, including:

Connections, Routes and Networks Award

The Connections, Routes and Networks Award is awarded to an event that made a special effort to incorporate the 2024 theme of National Heritage Week - Connections, Routes and Networks.

Wild Child Event Award

The Wild Child Event Award Is awarded to an event that happened on Wild Child Day, 24th August 2024, that successfully encouraged children and families to get outdoors and explore the natural heritage and biodiversity in their locality.

Water Heritage Day Award (In conjunction with the Local Authority Waters Programme)

The Water Heritage Award is awarded to a Water Heritage Day event, held on 25th August 2024. Events considered include those that explored how a canal, river, lake or sea shaped the heritage of a locality or celebrated water as an integral part of our natural heritage.

Inclusive Heritage Award

The Inclusive Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made a special effort to share heritage with everyone in the community, including those who are:

new to heritage,

those who do not have local roots,

those who have additional accessibility needs,

those of varying age categories.

Irish Language Award

The Irish Language Award is awarded to an event that took place through the Irish Language and/or encouraged participation or activity in the Irish language.

Sustainability and Climate Award

The Sustainability and Climate Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that made efforts to incorporate environmentally friendly practices to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the natural world, or an event that provided education on the impact of climate change and good sustainability practices.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Award  The Micheal O Muircheartaigh Award

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Award is awarded to an event or project that encouraged a greater appreciation of an element of our intangible cultural heritage - crafts, skills, customs and practices.

Heritage Hero Award

Every year, the Heritage Council awards the Heritage Hero Award to an individual or organisation that has demonstrated  over a substantial period of time  an outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of heritage. This award is based on nominations from the public.

County Award

In addition to the National Awards (above), the Heritage Council also gives a "County Award" to the best event or project in each local authority area as nominated. This award is based on how well the event or project raised awareness about an element of heritage and how they promoted the event and involved the community.

All participants who successfully upload a heritage project on the National Heritage Week website by September 24 will be considered for the awards.

Projects will be assessed on the basis of their local reach and community engagement, educational value and the level to which they involve different age groups.

The awards ceremony will take place on November 15 at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.

You can submit for nomination on the Heritage Week website.
Enable Irelands Life With No Limits campaign takes place in September each year.

It provides a platform for children and adults with disabilities who use Enable Ireland services to share their life experiences. The campaign also aims to raise much-needed funds to support the charitys work.

Castlebar residents can support the campaign by making a purchase in the Enable Ireland shop on Main Street, Castlebar.

Alternatively, they can drop a bag of quality pre-loved items into the shop, an Enable Ireland Clothes bank or the TK Maxx store in Lannagh Road Retail Park.

Jer OConnor is one of Enable Irelands 2024 Life With No Limits Champions.

Jer attends Enable Ireland Adult Services. At the age of 18, he was diagnosed with Friedrichs ataxia (FRIDA), a genetic, progressive movement disorder.

Since then he has embarked on some incredible physical adventures. Adventures which have taken him soaring through the sky (hes jumped out of a plane  twice) Jer has also been diving to great depths in the ocean, despite having had a life-long fear of water.

When I was young, I was terrified of the water. I remember going to the beach with my family. Even trying to dip my toes in the water gave me motion sickness.

After I was diagnosed, I spent a long time putting off certain things. However, I realised that my condition was getting worse and that my time was becoming limited to do the things I wanted to do in life.

I wanted to try and conquer my fears and not let anything hold me back. I told Conagh, my key worker at Enable Ireland services, about my phobia of water. She introduced me to Passion of Diving by taking me to one of their open days. They are a voluntary organisation that specialises in making scuba diving accessible to everyone.

Thats when I decided I wanted to overcome my fear and achieve a diving certification.

My first day of training with Passion of Diving, I was so afraid. But the team there are amazing. They didnt force me to do anything I didnt want to. I was slowly introduced to the water and got familiar with the equipment.

 Passion of Diving were very methodical and good at slowly building your confidence. Now I trust them with my life. However, back then, my fear was getting the better of me.

But on the third day, something clicked in me. I realised that I was in no danger. I was surrounded by scuba diving instructors who would quickly pull me up if anything went wrong. I found that the fears which were limiting me were all in my head.

It was so freeing to have conquered my fears and be able to dive. I dont feel disabled when I am under the water. Its like my disability fades away.

To achieve the practical part of my qualification, I was fortunate to take a trip to Egypt and go diving in the Red Sea. We went for a week and spent four days diving. 20 people of mixed abilities went from Passion of Diving and they are the some of the best people Ive met in my life.

It was a scary transition going from a still pool to the open sea where you can be thrown around by the waves. However, having my friends from Passion of Diving around me boosted my confidence. I reminded myself of my training and I was able to push those fears aside. The diving was stunning. Being among the corals, the fish and the different sea life was beautiful.

I would love to get more people with a disability interested in scuba diving, simply for the freeing feeling it gives you. Ive learnt its important to be open to new opportunities in life and to not let fears or self-doubts restrict you.

As well as scuba diving, I try to go skydiving at least once a year. Theres a great sense of exhilaration and freedom to do something where your disability is not a factor. When the parachute opens you get to see the world from a different perspective. Its made me realise how small my problems are.

Im very proud of myself for taking on these challenges.

Read Jers full story here  www.enableireland.ie/ JersStory

Enable Ireland provides vital therapy and support services for over 13,000 children and adults with disabilities. Their services for children with disabilities and their families cover all aspects of a child's physical, educational, and social development from early infancy through adolescence.

For adults, they offer a range of services which include daycare, training, personal development, supported and independent living, and social and leisure activities.

Donal Kitt, Enable Ireland National Fundraising Manager comments on the campaign:

"Life With No Limits is a pivotal campaign in the Enable Ireland calendar. It helps to provide a platform for children and adults who use our services to share their stories.

By spotlighting the lived experiences of people with disabilities the campaign raises awareness and helps support inclusion. It is also crucial in raising funds for Enable Ireland's services. You can show your support by donating to one of our charity shops or online at www.enableireland.ie.

Now more than ever we need your help to raise funds. Please support our vital services for children and adults with disabilities.

Every year, Enable Ireland needs over 2 million in additional funding to meet the costs of delivering their services. The additional income generated from Enable Ireland's shops and fundraising is crucial.

Without it, the charity would not be able to meet the needs of the children and their families relying on Enable Ireland services.

Support the Enable Ireland Life With No Limits campaign this September by making a purchase in one of their charity shops or donating online at www.enableireland.ie.

The public can also support Enable Ireland by giving to volunteers collecting for the charity throughout the month. Or drop a bag of quality pre-loved items into their local Enable Ireland shop or clothing bank or into any TK Maxx store nationwide as part of their Give Up Clothes For Good campaign.
Screen grab: AEW

Nearly three months after promising to, Kevin Kelly is taking legal action against All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

As first reported by The Wrestling News, the former AEW announcer is suing the pro wrestling promotion for his firing. Joining Kelly in his lawsuit are Brandon and Brendan Tate  the tag team known as The Boys  who were also fired by AEW earlier this year.

Per The Wrestling News, the trio of ex-AEW talents are seeking to void the arbitration clause of their talent contracts, as well as requesting the court certify a class-action suit against AEW over claims the company is misclassifying its wrestling talent as independent contractors, rather than employees. Taking to X, Stephen P. New, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit on the trios behalf, commented on the matter.

How fitting and appropriate that on Labor Day weekend a lawsuit is filed seeking to correct, among other things, the abhorrent practice of misclassification of pro wrestlers as independent contractors and not employees, New wrote. All AEW wrestlers are now members of this putative class.

How fitting and appropriate that on Labor Day weekend a lawsuit is filed seeking to correct, among other things, the abhorrent practice of misclassification of pro wrestlers as independent contractors and not employees. All AEW wrestlers are now members of this putative class https://t.co/lEARTPAhBt  Steve New (@StephenPNew) September 4, 2024

An AEW spokesperson said in a statement to The Takedowns Steven Muelhausen, AEW does not comment on pending litigation.

While Kelly and The Boys firings werent connected, both were controversial in their nature.

First hired as the lead announcer of AEWs weekly Saturday show, AEW Collision, in 2023, Kelly seemingly quickly fell out of favor in the company while engaging in a personal feud with fellow AEW announcer Ian Riccaboni. According to Kelly, Riccaboni criticized him on a pro wrestling Discord server, portraying him as a QAnon supporter due to his public support of the controversial film Sound of Freedom.

Appearing on Eric Bischoffs Wise Choices podcast in June, Kelly detailed the impact his personal issues with Riccaboni had on his relationship with AEW, who fired him shortly after he went on a social media tirade in March. In addition to suing AEW for breach of contract, Kelly also seeks monetary damages from Riccaboni, accusing his former colleague of defamation.

Real name Kevin Foote, Kelly is seeking monetary damages claiming, among other things, that AEW breached his contract, and has interfered with ability to find work elsewhere. Also named in the lawsuit is AEW announcer Ian Riccaboni, whom Kelly also seeks monetary damages from and  The Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsAV) September 4, 2024

As for The Boys, the tag team was released from AEW in April, with the companys owner and president, Tony Khan, initially claiming that the duo had shown multiple dates they had been booked for. The Tate Twins, however, claimed that they had only missed dates due to miscommunications with the company regarding their travel plans.

The brothers are accusing Khan of defamation as a part of their lawsuit.

In April, it was reported that the Tate Brothers, known professionally as the Boys, were released from their Ring Of Honor contracts due to budget cuts. ROH owner Tony Khan claimed during media events that their release was due to no-showing several events, a claim the brothers  The Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsAV) September 4, 2024

Like most lawsuits in pro wrestling, its hard to imagine this one makes it to a trial, whether its thrown out or settled beforehand. Breach of contract and defamation accusations aside, the question of whether pro wrestling talents should be classified as independent contractors or employees has been a highly debated topic dating back to the 1980s, and AEW presumably wouldnt want to leave that answer in the hands of a judge or jury.

Its also worth noting that New, one of the attorneys representing the group, is also the lawyer for former pro wrestling manager-turned-podcaster Jim Cornette, who has established a reputation for being critical of AEW and Khan. Ultimately, such a lawsuit possesses the potential to create a pro-wrestling-like spectacle, but it remains to be seen how much buzz it will build past the initial reporting of its existence.

[The Wrestling News]
by Barbara Lippert , Columnist, September 4, 2024

This super-charming, 90-second Lavazza commercial is so packed with joyful content that it could be the start of three different campaigns.

Post-viewing, you get the feeling that Lavazza could be producing and packaging some magic, performance-enhancing beans.

First comes the robot named Luigi.

When I heard about this new ad mascot, I admit I was a bit wary.

Visions of Nintendos stereotypical Super Mario character danced in my head, with his mustache, cap, and propensity to talk with extra vowels about pizza-making.

But the Mario Bros. were filtered through a Japanese cliched sense of a Mediterranean macho man from the 1980s.

Whereas Lavazza is a hallowed Italian coffee company from the 1890s.

Im happy to report that there was no need to fret.

It turns out that this Luigi fella is a delightful, joyful soul, about the size of a penguin. Hes got enormous, expressive saucer eyes, the sleek body of an espresso machine, and the intestinal fortitude to brew coffee in his belly all day long while zipping around an industrial-looking office, serving it sweetly to the employees.

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Hes like a sentient and sensitive cross between Wall-e and E.T., the opposite of cold and threatening. He moves his neck, blinks his eyes, and makes little techno-cooing noises.

The poetic tag line is Pleasure Makes Us Human. And oh, the humanity! Throughout the spot, the coffee is served in small ceramic espresso cups and saucers, which returns us to a pre-Starbucks, more refined time of social caffeination.

Theres a timeless quality to the spot, which brings us to the second concept: the music. Que Sera, Sera, the philosophical Doris Day hit song of 1956, which broke in the Alfred HItchcock movie, The Man Who Knew Too Much is perfect, funny and stirring. (Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Heres what she said to me....") The songs cheerful fatalism underscores the transition that Luigi makes after he unfortunately blows a fuse after trying to sip his own delicious brew.

His loss of consciousness leads us to an adorable dream sequence in Italy, with Luigi indulging in La Dolce Vita on the beach, the piazzas, and the road with his office colleagues, packed into a tiny red Fiat 500.

Then comes the third concept, when our favorite guys from The Office show up at the very end to put Luigi back together.

Yes, Michael and Jim, aka Steve Carell and John Krasinski, the hugely popular, top-of-the-heap Office characters, kindly come out of nowhere to tend to the guy who blew his own circuits.

The spot was great even without this icing on the icing, but the two Office stars performance together is so natural and fresh that it seems unscripted. They crack each other up, and we delight in their genuine delight.

Therell be two more ads with our friends Steve and John launching in October.

The Luigi introductory spot will air across national linear and cable TV, CTV, and paid online video ads, beginning Sept. 30.

Kudos to the creators of this hero video, developed in-house and with the help of RDL Worldwide, for figuring out how to create a robot character who is warm and amenable, but never saccharine.

Id grab a coffee with him anytime.
by Fern Siegel , September 5, 2024

Tequila Don Julio has taken an artistic approach to its latest campaign.

The new work, produced by Anomaly, celebrates the Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino Artist Edition bottle.

The new bottle was created by Mexican-American fashion designer Willy Chavarria. The two 15-second campaign spots were shot in his Brooklyn studio by Diego Bendezu and pay homage to one of Mexicos most important holidays, Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead).

In the two ads, a diverse cast of Hispanic talent wears pieces from Chavarrias past collections.

The campaign runs across OOH, paid media, social and digital.

The bottles distinct design features iconography of traditional and modern Mexico, fusing cultural influences. It will also be part of an exclusive Willy Chavarria capsule collectioninspired by Tequila Don Julio, debuting at the designer's spring/summer 2025 runway show in New York. The promotion continues this fall with Mexican Independence Day in Chicago and Dia de Muertos in Los Angeles.

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Willys creative genius is truly inspiring and having his direct input into each element of the work from the thoughtful and diverse casting to the styling and music, captures the vibrancy of modern Mexico in a way that makes us collectively feel deeply proud, Karen Harris, vice president of Tequila Don Julio, Diageo NA, told Agency Daily.

Aged for 18 months in ex-bourbon American white oak barrels, the Tequla Don Julio 70 has a medium finish, with notes of vanilla, white chocolate and caramel.

Tequila/mezcal reported $6.5 billion in revenue in 2023, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. The spirit may overtake vodka as the bestseller within a few years  the fastest growth coming from premium brands.

Tequila Don Julio 70 Anejo Cristalino is celebrated for its smoothness and rich complexity, making it the ideal canvas for creative expression. We are in deep adoration of Chavarrias dedication to his craft that truly embodies the essence of por amor, Harris added.

Diageo NA's has a large portfolio of brands, including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies; Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas; Captain Morgan; Baileys; Tanqueray; and Guinness.
A federal appellate court has blocked enforcement of a California law that requires large social media platforms to disclose their editorial policies -- including how they treat hate speech and other objectionable material.

In a decision issued Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law (AB 587) likely violates the First Amendment by compelling companies to speak about controversial matters.

AB 587, signed last year, requires large social media platforms to post information about their content moderation policies, and provide semiannual reports to the state attorney general about enforcement. Those reports are supposed to include information about whether and how the companies define and handle certain categories of objectionable material -- including hate speech, extremism and disinformation.

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The law also allows the attorney general to seek penalties of up to $15,000 a day from a platform that materially omits or misrepresents its policies.

X (formerly Twitter) sued to block the law last year, arguing that the statute interferes with editorial judgments about how to treat users' speech. The company contended that even though the state touts the law as a transparency measure, the legislature intended to pressure platforms to suppress constitutionally protected speech.

In general, the First Amendment protects all lawful speech -- including material considered hate speech and disinformation.

Late last year, U.S. District Court Judge William Shubb in Sacramento rejected X's request to block enforcement. He wrote that even though the law appears to place a substantial burden on social media companies, it wasn't unjustified or unduly burdensome within the context of First Amendment law.

X then appealed to the 9th Circuit, arguing that the law forces it to engage in controversial speech against its will.

Attorney General Rob Bonta countered that the statute is merely a transparency measure, and that the matters that companies must disclose are purely factual and uncontroversial.

The appellate panel sided with X, writing that the law's requirements are not narrowly tailored to the goal of transparency.

Consumers would still be meaningfully informed if, for example, a company disclosed whether it was moderating certain categories of speech without having to define those categories in a public report, Circuit Judge Milan Smith, Jr. wrote in an opinion joined by Mark Bennett and Anthony Johnstone. Or, perhaps, a company could be compelled to disclose a sample of posts that have been removed without requiring the company to explain why or on what grounds, Smith added.
Xem them

...

Tin bai cuoi cung

Khong con du lieu e load
by Barbara Lippert , Columnist, September 5, 2024

You might have heard that this week Judge Thomas Thrash (now theres a name) ordered Donald Trump's Presidential campaign to stop using the song Hold On, Im Comin at his rallies. This was in response to a lawsuit from the family of the co-writer of the song, Isaac Hayes, and his son, Isaac Hayes III.

Hayes died in 2008. But for much of the 1970s, he was considered the heart of soul and funk. Hold On, Im Comin was made famous by the soul duo Sam and Dave in 1966. Then Hayes went on to compose and record the Theme from Shaft in 1971, which included such memorable lyrics as They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother/shut your mouth.

Hayes cool persona  given to wearing beaded tunics and shades  earned him the nickname Black Moses.

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It turns out that in one courtroom in Atlanta this week, the drama played out between Black Moses and White Jesus (as some Trump followers have referred to him).

In a preliminary ruling, Black Moses won.

"We have to take a stand that we want to separate ourselves from someone with Donald Trump's character," Isaac Hayes III said outside the courthouse, adding that they had repeatedly asked the campaign to desist before suing.

Music licensing and publishing rights are a complicated and murky legal area, and the Trump camps M.O. seems to be to ask permission later.

Ronald Coleman, a lawyer for Trump, said that the campaign had already agreed to "cease further use" of Hold On, I'm Comin.

As a result, the Trump campaign has returned to using Village People's 1978 hit song Y.M.C.A. as exit music since the lawsuit was filed last month.

But even the Village People sent the Republican candidates legal team a cease and desist letter in 2023.

In so doing, they are among a seemingly endless list of top musicians and groups whove objected to the former Presidents appropriation of their work for his campaign. Among them are Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, R.E.M, Rihanna, Rolling Stones, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Abba, Beyonce, and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few.

Aside from copyright and licensing complications, these artists dont want their music to be heard as an endorsement of a candidate they abhor.

And heres the big disconnect: Trump is liberal, and democratic, if you will, in his musical picks, which are completely detached and disconnected from his politics. Hes attracted to hip hop culture, and likes to be seen with rappers, while his political rhetoric has the unalloyed racism baked in.

In the case of the Village People, his magnetic attraction to Y.M.C.A. is quite head-scratching, too, since his politics are not LGBTQ-friendly to put it kindly. JD Vance, his VP pick, also enrages the gay community with his inflammatory statements and his extreme issues with trans-people, childless cat ladies and those who dont hew to Biblical White Christian heterosexual baby-making standards.

Trump on the stump is often seen dancing, in his own way, to Y.M.C.A. While crowds traditionally dance to the song spelling out the four letters with arm movements, Trumps signature move is to extend his arms, slowly, one by one, and pump his fists in time to the music. Hes like a reverse River Dance, moving only the top of his body.

But before the real estate heir got into politics, he was a semi-regular at places like Studio 54 and the downtown clubs playing disco and catering to gay culture.

As a hit song, Y.M.C.A. immediately became a cultural milestone and gay anthem, with its lyrics implicitly understood as an invitation to hang with the boys; in the early 1970s, the Y facility was known as a hookup place for gay men.

And famously, the Village People bandmembers wore costumes that embodied various gay archetypes. But the almost 50-years-old songs jubilant, high energy chorus and ultra-danceability has since kept it as a global go-to dance floor number  including for Mar-a-Lagos event guests.

Of course, theres always been a disconnect between the use of music in campaigning and the intention of the artist. Nowhere was this clearer than during Ronald Reagans second Presidential campaign in 1984, when Reagan started saluting that New Jersey patriot, Bruce Springsteen, and used his Born in the U.S.A. song, released that same year.

Reagans campaign wanted to co-opt the song to symbolize the greatness of America and the gift it is to be one of its citizens. The song is actually a bitter and disenchanted ballad about how America failed its Vietnam vets.

Any cursory look at the lyrics proves Bruces anti-war views: So they put a rifle in my hand / Sent me off to a foreign land / To go and kill the yellow man, Springsteen sings. I had a brother at Khe Sanh fighting off the Viet Cong / Theyre still there, hes all gone. That was 40 years ago.

As with most Trump issues, the backlash to him from musicians is more extreme, and so is the disconnect. Theres always Kid Rock and Lara Trumps tracks to safely fall back on, but from his time on the Mar-a-Lago dance floor, the former President knows better.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 5, 2024

Google has been hit with a second privacy lawsuit over its Google Cloud Contact Center AI -- an artificial intelligence service used at call centers operated by some outside companies.

In a complaint filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, California resident Christopher Barulich alleges that Google secretly wiretapped phone calls he placed to Home Depot.

Google, through its Cloud Contact Center AI, surreptitiously listened in and monitored plaintiffs communications with Home Depot, he alleges in a class-action complaint claiming that Google violated California's wiretap law, which prohibits the interception of electronic communications without all parties' consent.

He adds that Google used its technology to transcribe and analyze the conversation, and suggest potential replies to the Home Depot agent who was on the phone.

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In a completely unauthorized manner and without consent from callers, Google eavesdrops, taps, or connects to, calls between plaintiff and class members on one end, and Home Depot on the other end, and reads, attempts to read, or learns the contents of communications between the parties to each call, the complaint alleges.

Google already faces a similar lawsuit over the generative artificial intelligence tool. That case was initially filed last year by Misael Ambriz, who alleged that Google eavesdropped on his conversation with a Verizon employee.

A Google session manager monitored the conversation between Plaintiff and Verizon, and Google ... transcribed plaintiffs conversation in real time, analyzed the context of plaintiffs conversation with Verizon, and suggested 'smart replies' and news articles to the Verizon agent plaintiff was communicating with, Ambriz alleged in that matter.

Google countered that the allegations against it, even if proven true, would only show that it provided a software program, which it described as the modern equivalent of a tape recorder, to Verizon.

Among other arguments, Google specifically contended that providing software to outside companies doesn't violate California's wiretap law.

The law is clear that parties to communications (like Verizon) can use tools (like software provided by other entities) to record or analyze their own conversations with others (like plaintiff), the company argued in papers filed earier this year with U.S. District Court Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco.

Lin dismissed that matter in June. She said in the ruling that the California wiretap law exempts phone companies like Verizon, and that Google was also exempt in these circumstances because it was acting as Verizon's agent.

Lin's ruling allowed Ambriz to revise his complaint and bring it again, which he did in July. The amended complaint includes allegations by six other plaintiffs who alleged that Google eavesdropped on conversations between themselves and Hulu, GoDaddy and Home Depot.

That matter is still pending in front of Lin.
Highlights: The National Medical Register provides detailed records of MBBS doctors, including qualifications and contact information

Ensures the authenticity of the registered data

The portal will be regularly updated to maintain accurate information

  Trusted Source

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare



Go to source Trusted Source

Did You Know?

The National Medical Register Portal will link all registered MBBS doctors' data with Aadhaar IDs to ensure authenticity and secure verification. #medindia #digitalhealth

The National Medical Register Portal will link all registered MBBS doctors' data with Aadhaar IDs to ensure authenticity and secure verification. #medindia #digitalhealth

Advertisement

Key Features of National Medical Register (NMR)

The NMR will include detailed records of all registered MBBS doctors, including their qualifications and contact information.

Linking to Aadhaar IDs ensures the authenticity of the registered data.

The NMR will be continuously updated to reflect accurate and current information.

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Statements from the Officials Regarding the Inauguration of the National Medical Register

Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda

Smt. Anupriya Patel

Shri Prataprao Jadhav

Shri Apurva Chandra

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Registration Process of the National Medical Register (NMR)

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2048222)

Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, inaugurated the National Medical Register (NMR) Portal of the National Medical Commission (NMC). This significant event was attended by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, and virtually by Union MoS Shri Prataprao Jadhav ().The National Medical Register (NMR) is established under Section 31 of the NMC Act, 2019. It aims to be a comprehensive and dynamic database for all allopathic (MBBS) doctors in India. The register is linked to the Aadhaar ID of doctors, ensuring authenticity and secure verification.State Medical Councils (SMCs) play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of the NMR. They are responsible for the verification of applications and ensuring the accuracy of the data entered into the register.Shri Nadda highlighted the NMR as a crucial step towards enhancing the digital healthcare ecosystem in India. He emphasized that this initiative aligns with the Prime Minister's vision of a digitally robust health sector. He also noted that the NMR will be upgraded with continuous improvements.Smt. Patel stressed the long-standing need for a centralized medical register. She noted that the NMR will rectify the existing scattered data and facilitate easy registration, forming a cornerstone of India's digital health ecosystem.Shri Jadhav underscored the importance of the NMR for maintaining transparent and consolidated data about doctors. He linked the launch of the NMR to the governments commitment to quality healthcare under the vision of "Reform, Perform, and Transform."Union Health Secretary Shri Chandra pointed out that the NMR will address the lack of comprehensive data regarding the medical workforce in India. He highlighted that the portal will be part of the Healthcare Professional Registry under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.The NMR registration process involves several steps:Doctors need to upload their MBBS Degree Certificate, State Medical Council Registration Certificate, and Aadhaar number.Applications are forwarded to the respective State Medical Council for verification, then to the National Medical Commission.After successful verification, a unique NMR ID is issued.The National Medical Register (NMR) portal will evolve to include additional features such as linking doctors to the broader digital health ecosystem. Future updates will include direct integration with new software, continuing medical education, and credit points.The launch of the National Medical Register Portal marks a significant advancement in the digitization of healthcare in India. It aims to provide a comprehensive, authentic, and easily accessible database of MBBS doctors, supporting the broader goal of enhancing the quality and transparency of healthcare services.Source-Medindia
Highlights: 82% rise in medical colleges from 2014 to 2023

112% increase in MBBS seats and 127% in PG seats

Improved doctor-patient ratio to 1:834 and nurse-patient ratio to 1:476

  Trusted Source

Update on Ratio Of Patients And Doctors Nurses



Go to source Trusted Source

Did You Know?

India now has over 1.3 million registered doctors and 36.14 lakh nursing personnel! #healthcare #doctors #medindia

India now has over 1.3 million registered doctors and 36.14 lakh nursing personnel! #healthcare #doctors #medindia

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Growth in Medical Education

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Government Initiatives to Improve Healthcare Access

Click here to view the detailed statistical tabular columns on the state/UT-wise list of registered doctors and trained nurses as of December 2022.

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Relaxation of Norms to Boost Medical Education

Increasing the Number of Nurses

Current Doctor and Nurse Population

Update on Ratio Of Patients And Doctors Nurses - (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1985423#)

Over the years, the Indian government has implemented significant reforms to enhance the healthcare infrastructure , focusing on increasing the availability of medical professionals. This highlights the progress made in expanding medical education and the subsequent improvements in the doctor and nurse populations in India ().Between 2014 and 2023, the number of medical colleges in India rose by 82%, from 387 to 706. This expansion has been a key strategy in addressing the shortage of medical professionals across the country.The number of MBBS seats saw a remarkable 112% increase, from 51,348 in 2014 to 1,08,940 in 2023. Similarly, postgraduate (PG) medical seats increased by 127%, from 31,185 in 2014 to 70,674 in 2023. This substantial growth reflects the government's commitment to producing more qualified doctors to meet the growing healthcare demands.The government has launched several centrally sponsored schemes to establish new medical colleges, particularly by upgrading district and referral hospitals. Of the 157 new medical colleges approved under this initiative, 108 are already functional.Efforts to upgrade existing State and Central Government medical colleges have also been undertaken to increase the number of available MBBS and PG seats. Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), 75 projects to construct Super Specialty Blocks have been approved, with 64 projects already completed.The government has approved the establishment of 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Undergraduate courses have commenced in 19 of these institutions, further enhancing the availability of specialized healthcare services.The government has relaxed several norms to facilitate the establishment of new medical colleges and increase the number of medical professionals. These include adjustments to the requirements for faculty, staff, bed strength, and other infrastructure. Additionally, the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) qualification is now recognized for faculty appointments, addressing the shortage of teaching staff in medical colleges.In line with the expansion of medical colleges, the government announced the establishment of 157 new nursing colleges in the 2023-24 budget. These colleges are expected to complement the existing healthcare infrastructure and address the shortage of nursing personnel.To encourage more institutions to offer nursing programs, the government relaxed the student-patient ratio from 1:5 to 1:3. Additionally, the land requirement for establishing Nursing Educational Institutes has been reduced, allowing the construction of nursing colleges on smaller plots of land.The government has also relaxed the norms for starting General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) and B.Sc. Nursing programs. For instance, a 100-bedded parent hospital is required for these programs, but this requirement has been eased in hilly and tribal areas.As of June 2022, there are 13,08,009 allopathic doctors registered with the State Medical Councils and the National Medical Commission (NMC). Assuming 80% availability, the doctor-population ratio in India stands at 1:834, indicating significant progress in improving healthcare access.By December 2022, India had 36.14 lakh nursing personnel. With 80% assumed availability, the nurse-population ratio is 1:476. This marks a notable improvement in the availability of nursing care across the country.The Indian government's strategic initiatives and reforms in medical education have significantly improved the availability of doctors and nurses. With continued efforts, the country is on a promising path to achieving better healthcare access and outcomes for its population.Source-Medindia
  Trusted Source

Generation of footprint-free, high-quality feline induced pluripotent stem cells using Sendai virus vector



Go to source Trusted Source



A major breakthrough! Feeder-free iPSCs could revolutionize treatments for feline chronic #kidneydisease. #cats #stemcells #vetmed 

A Breakthrough in Regenerative Medicine

Generation of footprint-free, high-quality feline induced pluripotent stem cells using Sendai virus vector - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352320424001494?via%3Dihub)

While cats are often seen as adorable internet memes, they frequently suffer from kidney disease . In a significant breakthrough, researchers have successfully created the world's first high-quality feline induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This groundbreaking achievement holds promise for improving the lives of both companion animals and humans ().Human iPSCs have been generated using just four genes known as transcription factors, but feline iPSCs have been difficult to generate. Graduate School of Veterinary Science Professor Shingo Hatoya led the team in introducing six transcription factors via the Sendai virus vector to generate feline iPSCs from the cells of cats, including those derived from the uterus that were donated when cats were sterilized.The team reports in Regenerative Therapy that these are the first high-quality feline iPSCs. They exhibit the properties that many iPS cells do, such as the formation of teratomas, which proves that they can differentiate into a variety of cells.The stem cells generated also do not have a genetic footprint, meaning there is lower risk that they form tumors when implanted in another cat. Furthermore, they can be maintained without feeder, such as fibroblast from mice, making them safer as they do not mix cells from different species.Especially in cats, chronic kidney disease and diabetes are serious problems, Professor Hatoya declared. Establishing a method to have cells form a kidney or pancreas from feline iPSCs will be a challenge for future research.Professor Hatoya, who previously reported on advancements in feeder-free canine iPSCs, added, High-quality feline iPSCs made possible by this research are expected to be provided to researchers around the world for use in veterinary regenerative medicine research, understanding of the pathophysiology of genetic diseases, and development of new therapeutic agents.Source-Eurekalert
A lawsuit filed by two mothers of minor children sexually assaulted by a now dishonorably discharged soldier who served at Fort Cavazos, Texas, claims that the Army did not act quickly enough to stop him or prevent him from harming more young victims.

Rashad Parkinson, 29, a former Bradley Fighting Vehicle maintenance technician, pleaded guilty to three sexual assaults in a Texas court in 2023 and is serving a 35-year jail sentence. The lawsuit filed Aug. 21 in the U.S. district court for western Texas alleges Parkinson assaulted at least eight children between the ages of 12 and 16 between 2018 and 2021.

The mothers say some of the assaults occurred just days after Parkinson was interviewed by police or released from custody. Prosecutors said the former soldier contacted children and offered to sell them vapes as a way to meet and sexually assault them, according to media reports.

Read Next: 2 Virginia Guardsmen Are Running a Rural Anti-Government Militia

"Parkinson's actions were foreseeable," the lawsuit claims. "Had the Army appropriately and timely investigated Rashad Parkinson upon receipt of information of his initial crimes, he would have been subject to pretrial restraint."

The lawsuit notes that Parkinson's assaults took place in the same time frame as the murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen in 2020. An Army investigation found that, at the time, there were numerous issues with leadership at the installation, including poor management of soldier welfare. At least a dozen officials were subsequently fired.

Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesman for III Armored Corps, told Military.com in an email that, while he could not comment on pending litigation, "the crimes committed by Mr. Parkinson were heinous and he is currently incarcerated for those crimes."

Sztalkoper said the Army is "committed to preventing sexual assaults and sexual harassment."

According to Army records, Parkinson finished his basic training in March 2017 and arrived at Fort Cavazos, then known as Fort Hood, in September 2017, but he left a month later for a tour in Korea, returning in February 2018.

His highest held rank appears to be specialist.

According to the suit, Parkinson's first assault occurred around Christmas 2018 -- a 13-year-old girl. The complaint argues that the Army became aware of those allegations "as early as 2019."

Several outlets reported that investigators would later testify that Parkinson contacted underage girls on social media with the promise of selling them vapes. He would meet them claiming to be a high-schooler and then assault them in his car or in a home off post.

At the time, Parkinson was married and shared a home with his wife. The lawsuit says that, despite being a junior enlisted soldier, he kept a second home off base where some of the assaults took place.

The lawsuit says it wasn't until April 21, 2021, after he had assaulted three more victims, that law enforcement -- the Lampasas Police Department, working in conjunction with Fort Hood military police -- interviewed Parkinson.

"Just nine days after this interview at Fort Hood, on April 30, 2021, and after an arrest warrant had been issued for him, Parkinson assaulted S.K. (Victim #5), another 12-year old girl," the lawsuit alleges.

Both the lawsuit and local media reports say that Parkinson was arrested by Lampasas police on May 10, 2021, for charges of sexually assaulting a child, but he was released the same day.

"Parkinson's arrest was known or should have been known to the Army," the lawsuit argues, and just days later, it says, Parkinson assaulted a sixth victim.

"It was not until early November 2021 that the Army took action to confine Parkinson to Fort Hood, despite the Army's knowledge of Parkinson's assaults of children dating back to 2019," the lawsuit alleges. By that point, it says, he had assaulted two more victims.

On Nov. 11, 2021, Parkinson was arrested for the last time on another sexual assault charge.

In August 2023, several months after his sentencing in Texas court, Army records show the service court-martialed Parkinson on three charges of sexually assaulting a child, which it said occurred in November 2018 and June 2019, as well as possessing and distributing child pornography.

By January 2024, though already in a Texas jail, Parkinson was dishonorably discharged from the Army and reduced in rank to private, records show.

-- Steve Beynon contributed to this story.

Related: Army Disciplines 13 Leaders, Confirms Murdered Soldier Vanessa Guillen Was Sexually Harassed




Workers at the construction site of the Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Project near Postmasburg, Northern Cape province in South Africa, on April 4, 2024. Wu Xiaohui/China Daily

Global Times-Agricultural cooperation between China and Africa has greatly enhanced the agricultural production capacity of African countries, fostered innovation and sustainable development in local agricultural technology, and transformed the production methods and concepts of African farmers, bringing revolutionary changes to the local agricultural industry.

The introduction of China's hybrid rice technology is a prime example. China's hybrid rice is now growing in more than 20 African countries, Xu Jianping, an official of the National Development and Reform Commission, said during a press conference on Monday.

As one of the important achievements of China-Africa agricultural cooperation, the application of China's hybrid rice technology has greatly improved the grain self-sufficiency of African countries. If anything, this serves as a microcosm of how the introduction and adoption of Chinese agricultural technology, which increases crop yields and introduces innovative planting techniques and management principles, plays a positive role in advancing the modernization of African agriculture.

Africa has long grappled with the severe challenge of food shortages. African agriculture has been continuously affected by various disruptions caused by historical issues like colonialism during the long process of globalization, which has made agricultural development in Africa even more complex and challenging.

However, the introduction of Chinese hybrid rice technology has brought changes to this landscape. Take Madagascar as an example. The planting area of hybrid rice in the country has exceeded 75,000 hectares, with an average yield of 7.5 tons per hectare, more than three times the output of local crop varieties, according to media reports. This advancement boosts food production across Africa.

The rise in food output is a significant shift in agricultural production, encompassing a transformation in farmers' methods, production philosophies and even the broader social and economic framework.

Among the main reasons for the stagnation of agricultural production in Africa are outdated production technology and traditional agricultural practices. In this context, Chinese hybrid rice technology, known for its high efficiency and impressive yields, has brought revolutionary changes in the perception of agriculture across the continent.

Deepening agricultural cooperation between China and Africa is evident in their joint efforts in agricultural technology innovation and transfer. In addition to providing technology, China also emphasizes training local agricultural technicians in Africa to ensure that these innovations can take root and thrive, fostering sustainable development.

China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers across the continent, promoting more than 300 advanced and practical technologies, including maize planting, vegetable cultivation and cassava propagation. This development has led to an impressive increase in local crop yields, ranging from 30 to 60 percent compared with previous levels.

It is through these projects that Chinese modernization has entered the lives and work of African people, bringing new ideas and methods. The presence of Chinese agricultural experts extends beyond merely transferring technology; it also involves refreshing agricultural concepts.

Through field research, technical training and demonstration activities, these experts incorporate advanced planting techniques into local agricultural practices, enhancing food production and combating hunger in Africa. This enables African farmers to directly experience the transformative impact of new agricultural technologies, fostering their acceptance and adoption of modern production methods and ideas.

Overall, China-Africa agricultural cooperation has yielded significant achievements both technically and economically. More importantly, it has fostered a transformative shift in social perspectives across Africa, thereby advancing the modernization of the continent's agricultural sector. As this cooperation continues to deepen, there is every reason to believe that agricultural development in Africa is poised to enter a promising new stage.
WASHINGTON  Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro broke the law by publicly endorsing the reelection of President Joe Biden and criticizing former President Donald Trump in several statements he made while on official duty overseas, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said Thursday.

In a report to the White House, the watchdog agency said Del Toro's comments about the presidential election came in a BBC interview and when he was responding to questions after a speech in London. While he later reported the remarks, his unwillingness to take responsibility for them is troubling, the special counsel said.

The agency said Del Toros comments, which were made before Biden dropped out of the presidential race, violate the Hatch Act, which prohibits U.S. officials from engaging in political activity while they are on duty and from using their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the result of an election.

The United States and the world need the mature leadership of President Biden," Del Toro said in response to a question after giving a speech at the Royal United Services Institute in late January. He added, We cannot afford to have a president who aligns himself with autocratic dictators and rulers whose interpretation of democratic principles is suspicious (at) best.

Later, during an interview on BBC News Sunday, Del Toro was asked about his comments on Trump's democratic principles. Del Toro responded that in the past, Republican and Democratic presidents abided by core American values and protected democracy.

When you have someone who doesnt align to those core principles, it makes you wonder, you know, should you be supporting that individual? he said.

Del Toro was asked, You said he had a suspicious attitude to democracy? And the Navy secretary responded, Absolutely so.

Several days later, Del Toro self-reported the blunder to the special counsel, saying his intention was to focus on the importance of strong international alliances. But, he added, In retrospect, I believe my response should have been delivered more broadly without reference to specific candidates.

In a separate written response to the watchdog's findings, the secretary's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said Del Toro's remarks were spontaneous and unpremeditated and did not constitute a violation of the Hatch Act. Bromwich said Del Toro was responding to questions and did not directly speak Trump's name.

Special counsel Hampton Dellinger said in his report that Del Toro crossed a legal line. And he said the secretary's "unwillingness to acknowledge a mistake is striking and troubling.

Dellinger said he appreciates that Del Toro reported the comments, but this fact alone should not absolve him. Del Toro has also issued his own directive for his Navy force, Dellinger said, noting that "it is more important than ever for us to remember that the DON (Department of the Navy) is an apolitical body. . Public trust and confidence depend on this.

The findings come after two Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to the Pentagons top two leaders in August, pressing them to ensure the military is not swept up in politics during the presidential election.

Career government officials found to have violated the Hatch Act can be fired, suspended or demoted and fined up to $1,000, though few penalties are ever levied against federal employees.

The Navy and White House did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.
LONDON  A member of the UK Royal Navy personnel has died after a helicopter ditched in the Channel during a night-flying exercise.

There were three crew members on board at the time of the incident and two of them were rescued and taken to hospital, the Ministry of Defence said.

The Merlin helicopter crashed off the coast of Dorset on Wednesday night during the training exercise with the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, according to the Royal Navy.

An investigation into the cause of the incident is taking place.

The family of the deceased, who has not been named, have been informed.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, posting a message on X, said: Deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of a member of the Royal Navy.

My thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this painful time.

Starmer paid tribute to the ships company particularly those involved in the search-and-rescue operation.

Defence Secretary John Healey has described the news as dreadful.

He told the PA news agency while on a visit to HMS Diamond in Portsmouth: Dreadful news. Truly dreadful news.

I use dreadful because this is what everyone connected to the armed forces (dreads), news of personnel in service dying.

All my thoughts and the thoughts of those in the wider Navy Ive been with today are with the family, the friends and the close colleagues of the one weve lost today.

In a statement, the Royal Navy said: It is with great sadness that we must report a member of the Royal Navy has died following a training incident last night.

Our thoughts are with the family  who have been informed  and all those affected at this sad time. A full investigation will take place.

The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter in the English Channel near Dorset that ditched while conducting night-flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth. There were no other fatalities or serious injuries.

The Merlin Mk4 helicopter is used by the Royal Marines and has been deployed globally to provide disaster relief.

It is considered the worlds most advanced amphibious battlefield helicopter and can carry up to 24 troops, according to the Royal Navy.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is described on the Navys website as the largest and most powerful vessel ever constructed for the Royal Navy, which is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft.

The vessel is the Navys Fleet Flagship and can carry senior naval staff, receive foreign dignitaries and act as a command and control centre for the Royal Navy.

It is understood the carrier is still working at sea.

2024 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
LOS ANGELES  About 75 miles northwest of San Diego, beyond the view of much of the mainland, the rugged and remote Navy outpost of San Clemente Island remains a mystery to most Californians.

For nine decades, San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the eight Channel Islands, has been owned by the Navy and is largely inaccessible to civilians. Throughout this time the volcanic isles sprawling shoreline and rolling hills have served as a crucial military training ground where U.S. troops detonate grenades and fire heavy artillery. Its also the Navys last live-firing range for ship-to-shore bombardments.

So, in late July, few noticed when a catastrophic wildfire swept over more than 13,000 acres of the island outpost. Between July 24 and July 30, the blaze scorched more than a third of the island, damaging more than nine miles of high-voltage power lines, including more than 160 utility lines and a transformer, according to Navy documents.

The fire also swept through parts of the island that have rare habitats for sensitive plant and animal species found nowhere else, such as the endangered San Clemente loggerhead shrike, a carnivorous songbird.

The conflagration left the southern end of the island charred, and numerous Navy buildings without power.

It is expected to take at least a year to restore electricity to those facilities. In the meantime, the Navy will rely on diesel-powered backup generators to maintain communications for its operations, as well as for Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control functions and Coast Guard search-and-rescue missions.

Navy spokesman Kevin Dixon said the fire may have been caused by live-fire military exercises in the so-called shore bombardment area, although it remains unclear what type of training might have sparked the blaze. After two years of above-normal rainfall, Dixon said, there was much more grass to catch fire. No one was injured or evacuated.

We did have training going on there where there was bombardment, Dixon said. So I cant definitively say that it is, but, just looking at it logically, it may be related to this.

Just before the fire, several units of the California National Guard had been on the island for military training exercises that included the firing of howitzer shells and mortar rounds. The military units posted photos and videos of the exercises on social media.

California National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Brandon Hill said guard members did not spark the fire.

If a fire would have started because of those training rounds impacting it would have been immediately reported to range control, Hill said. We completed all training on July 23rd and cleared the training areas with no issues.

NASAs Worldview tool, which publishes daily satellite imagery and wildfire data, detected a possible wildfire on San Clemente Island around 5:30 a.m. July 24.

Previous reports commissioned by the Navy have found that weapons testing on San Clemente Island increases the likelihood of devastating wildfire and imperils some of the islands species. In a 2009 environmental assessment, a Navy contractor concluded that most fires were the result of military training, and about half occurred on the southern end of the island in the ship-to-shore bombardment zone.

In the past, the Navy has restricted the use of live ammunition during the wildfire season to curtail the risk of these disasters. No restrictions were apparently in place around the time of the July wildfire.

If there was some type of fire danger then the units would not have been allowed to train, but that did not occur, Hill said.

Despite decades of military bombardment, the island remains home to a variety of native plant and animal species. The islands mosaic of shrubs and grasslands provides habitat for mice, lizards, foxes and numerous birds. Bald eagles have also been spotted.

In recent decades, the Navy bolstered funding for environmental conservation.

Its forces eradicated herds of voracious feral goats that had been brought to the island years ago, and they restored some of the native flora. The Navy also launched captive breeding programs for threatened and endangered species, which significantly boosted their numbers.

The Navy has also reduced the amount of pollution generated by its diesel power plant by installing wind turbines in the late 1990s.

The turbines, which are located on the northern part of the island, were not affected in Julys fire. However, the Navy will be seeking contractors to repair damage to islands transmission system and power grid.

Last year, the Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrated delisting the San Clemente Bells sparrow and four plant species  the largest group delisting from population recovery in the 50-year history of the Endangered Species Act.

However, several species, such as the San Clemente loggerhead shrike  a robin-sized predator known as the butcher bird  remain on the brink of extinction, with just 14 known to be alive.

During Julys fire, Navy personnel moved captive breeding cages as a precaution, although these facilities were not ultimately damaged, according to Dixon, the Navy spokesman.

The Navy has also found hundreds of ancient relics from the islands original inhabitants.

An outcropping of volcanic rock, San Clemente Island was formed by eruptions millions of years ago. It had once been inhabited by a prehistoric Native American tribe, believed to be related to the Tongva who occupied present-day Los Angeles.

In the 1500s, Spanish explorers landed on the island and conducted trade with the tribe. By the early 1800s, however, the Indigenous population could no longer be found on the island. Some say they departed their ancestral home with Spanish missionaries.

Under President Franklin Roosevelt, the Navy acquired San Clemente Island in 1934. Workers built barracks, roads and piers, setting the stage for the island to become the Navys premier weapons testing ground. The naval island is where the Navy developed the Higgins boat  the pivotal landing craft that ferried troops to the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion.

___

2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TODAY: The move is official, with Miami announcing it.

YESTERDAY, 5:05pm: The Marlins will also receive pitching prospects Zac Gallen and Daniel Castano, per Spencer (Twitter link). Gallen, a 22-year-old righty, ranks as the Cardinals 13th-best prospect at MLB.com. The outlet did not rank Castano among the Cardinals top 30 prospects, on the other hand. The 23-year-old left-hander, a 19th-round pick in 2016, spent last season at the low-A level and posted a 2.57 ERA, 8.01 K/9 against 1.29 BB/9 and a 51.9 percent groundball rate over 14 starts (91 innings).

4:35pm: Sierra is in the deal, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports on Twitter.

1:54pm: There are three other prospects in the deal, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. But those are lesser assets and Alcantara is considered the centerpiece of the swap.

1:12: Young righty Sandy Alcantara is going to Miami in the deal, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. Goold had mentioned his possible inclusion; Alcantara was slated to join the Fish in the scuttled Stanton deal.

Alcantara, 22, reached the majors briefly in 2017 as a reliever, but hes seen as a high-ceiling starting prospect. Over 125 1/3 Double-A innings in his first attempt at the upper minors, Alcantara posted a 4.31 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. We did not learn much from his first eight appearances in the majors, but Alcantara did show a 98+ mph fastball and generated swings and misses at a robust 17.4% rate.

12:49pm: It sounds as if young arms will make up a significant part of the return, with Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeting the package will include multiple pitchers and a position player. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch adds some more detail, saying the Cards offered a pitching prospect as the centerpiece of a deal and that an outfielder will be among the players changing hands.

12:06pm: The Cardinals have struck a deal to acquire outfielder Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins, according to Craig Mish of MLB Network Radio (via Twitter). MLB.coms Jesse Sanchez confirms the move on Twitter but notes it is pending a physical. Indications earlier today were that the deal was moving closer, and it has evidently now been completed.

Ozuna, who turned 27 earlier in the offseason, is projected by MLBTR to earn $10.9MM in his second-to-last season of arbitration eligibility. At his age and with his track record of productivity, thats a bargain rate of pay  which, no doubt, will be reflected in the still-unknown trade return for Miami.

While the teams had attempted to line up on a deal for slugger Giancarlo Stanton, those efforts were nixed when Stanton declined to waive his no-trade clause to go to St. Louis. But the talks werent for naught: they also paved the way to todays reported agreement on Ozuna, who has no trade protections.

The Cardinals have looked far and wide for bats this winter as they seek to consolidate a broad group of talent into a few more premium lineup pieces. Ozuna certainly represents the top-end bat they were in search of  at least, that is, so long as he can replicate something like his 2017 output.

In the just-finished campaign, Ozuna drove the ball out of the yard 37 times, carried a personal-high 9.4% walk rate, and ended with an appealing .312/.376/.548 slash line over 679 plate appearances. Thats a big step forward for a player who had hewed closer to league-average production over his prior two seasons.

Beyond the fact that Ozuna has not yet repeated that level of output, there are a few other slight red flags. He carried a .355 BABIP thats unlikely to be replicated and was perhaps a bit fortunate to send 23.4% of the fly balls he hit out of the park. On the whole, though, Ozuna has always been considered a player with the talent for this sort of dominance, and his healthy 39.1% hard-hit rate shows he was rewarded for making good contact.

Itll be interesting to see how the Cards plan to utilize Ozuna, who has previously spent time in center field but shifted to the corner in 2017. He graded quite well upon the move and has at times done the same up the middle. That leaves the team with a variety of players who could be described similarly in regard to their glovework.

Odds are, the Cardinals will plan to give primary time to Ozuna, Tommy Pham, and Dexter Fowler. Perhaps which player plays center is less important than the fact that the club will feel it has three useful defenders on the grass. Regardless, that would leave Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk among those looking at possible reserve duty.

More likely, one or both will be traded. Piscotty and Grichuk, after all, both hit from the right side  as do the three top outfielders (with Fowler representing switch-hitting option who fares better traditionally from the right side). Indeed, the Cards could move yet more pieces from a 40-man roster that is full of right-handed-hitting outfielders, some of whom could be included in this trade. The only southpaw-swinging outfield bat currently on hand is youngster Magneuris Sierra. He might be destined for some added seasoning, so perhaps its not inconceivable that St. Louis could end up seeking another reserve piece that hits from the left side or perhaps look for creative ways to boost the functionality of the teams infielders.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
DETROIT, MI - As Michigan regulators mull DTE Energys pending request to raise electric rates some $456 million, theyre offering an in-person opportunity for the utilitys customers to have their say.

A public hearing is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Mumford High School, located at 17525 Wyoming Ave. on Detroits northwest side.

The three members of the Michigan Public Service Commission, the state panel that oversees major utilities, will be on hand to take input from ratepayers and other members of the public, officials said.

The gathering comes as DTE seeks to hike residential electric rates by nearly 10% in whats become an annual process of seeking permission to require residents, businesses and industrial power users to pony up for the costs of running the grid as climate change-fueled storms batter the state and regularly leave large swaths in the dark.

Read more: Michigans utilities struggle to keep the power on as climate change intensifies

DTE filed the request in late March, less than four months after winning a $368-million rate increase in a previous case before state regulators.

In legal filings, the company claims the new ask to raise electric bills is driven by continued investments to improve power reliability and bring cleaner energy faster to Michigan.

DTE Electric is focused on improving reliability for the companys customers  reducing power outages by 30% and cutting outage time in half in the next five years, company officials wrote. Were using technology to create a smarter, stronger, more resilient grid that will deliver the energy our customers demand and deserve.

But the process of increasing rates involves a head-spinning amount of legal jockeying between the utility and a slew of organizations attempting to pick apart portions of DTEs rate hike request.

In thousands of pages of testimony filed with the Public Service Commission, environmental groups, major commercial power users like Walmart and consumer watchdogs have pushed for regulators to take some of DTEs asks off the table.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is among them.

A deep dive into DTEs latest electric rate case reveals a disturbing pattern of exaggerated projections and unsubstantiated projects that clearly prioritize corporate interests over customer benefits, the top Democrat said in a July news release detailing her offices analysis of the rate hike.

The utility should receive no more than a $139.5 million rate hike, a residential increase of around 2.5%, she has argued, urging ratepayer dollars be reprioritized to proven outage-reducing strategies like tree-trimming and away from more expensive capital and technological investments DTE has proposed.

In legal testimony, the Attorney Generals Office has also taken issue with spending on corporate jet travel for high-level company executives included in the rate hike ask  a practice the utility has said covers only limited air travel for business-appropriate needs, like industry association meetings and meetings necessary to attract capital investment in the state.

The rate case process must be settled within 10 months of its initial filing, which could allow new rates to go into effect as early as late January 2025.

If the past is any guide, its unlikely DTE receives its full ask. The Public Service Commission frequently only grants a portion of a utilitys rate increase request, disallowing some proposed expenses.

The mid-September hearing in Detroit comes as regulators work to implement 2023 legislation setting clean energy standards for the state.

Theyre also seeking to expand public engagement amid public concern about power costs and reliability, officials said. The rate case has already garnered more than 150 written comments, many from residents worried about the impact of rising electric bills.

Comments made at the Detroit public hearing will be filed in the rate case and become part of the public record, according to state regulators.

The commission looks forward to hearing from DTE Electric customers about their thoughts and concerns about the rate application, said Public Service Commission Chair Dan Scripps in a statement. As the MPSC examines ways to broaden public participation in regulatory matters, this hearing is a chance for ratepayers to speak directly to commissioners and MPSC Staff.
Michigans iconic travel campaign announced new leadership, after saying goodbye to its longtime vice president, David Lorenz, at the end of the last year.

Pure Michigan, the states beloved travel brand, will now be headed up by Kelly Wolgamott.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation named Wolgamott Vice President of Pure Michigan after she served as interim Vice President since January.

Additionally, Carrie Jones Grace will join the MEDC as the Senior Vice President of Travel, Media and Industry Relations, coming to the MEDC from her position as Deputy Chief of Staff for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

These leadership changes fulfill the role left open by Lorenz, who acted as Vice President of Travel Michigan and led the Pure Michigan campaign for two decades.

RELATED: After two decades promoting Pure Michigan, its David Lorenzs turn to enjoy it.

Wolgamott joined MEDC and Travel Michigan in 2011 and served as Director of Travel Marketing for more than 12 years. Prior to joining MEDC, Wolgamott served in marketing and public relations roles with General Motors and advertising agency Leo Burnett Worldwide, according to the MEDC press release.

As Vice President of Pure Michigan, Wolgamott will lead the states tourism marketing, branding and public relations efforts, including overseeing the award-winning Pure Michigan campaign and management of the Travel Michigan team at MEDC.

Kellys talents, personal commitment, wealth of industry knowledge and marketing expertise position her to advance Michigans efforts to promote our state as the top four-season destination for travelers across the country and around the world, said MEDC CEO, Quentin L. Messer, Jr.

RELATED: The state needs Pure Michigan magic to revive its shrinking talent pool

The Pure Michigan brand turns 20 in 2026 and has become an economic engine as more travelers become full-time Michigan residents.

The leadership additions are part of MEDCs larger goal to intertwine tourism and economic development, Messer said.

Related: Michigan is a climate haven in a warming world. Will everyone move here?

As Senior Vice President of Travel, Media and Industry Relations, Jones Grace will oversee the Travel Michigan team, along with the Michigan Film Office and MEDC Communications team.

The Make It In Michigan economic development strategy emphasizes attracting and developing people, revitalizing and cultivating places and competing for and winning projects, Messer said in a statement.

The tourism and hospitality industry is important across all three pillars, he said. Carries new role will enable MEDC to deliver even greater stakeholder engagement and position our state for continuing success over the next twenty years.

For more than five years, Jones Grace has worked for the city of Detroit where she oversaw citywide initiatives such as Project Clean Slate and the Detroit Promise Scholarship Program.

Prior to joining the city, Jones Grace was the Executive Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association, focused on marketing Michigans growing role as a center of innovation and entrepreneurship.

She also previously served as the Michigan Film Commissioner and Director, ensuring Michigans creative industry supported the state economy by encouraging high wages, high-tech jobs and talent retention.
PONTIAC, MI  A substitute teacher is accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with minor students.

Allen Daugherty, 61, of White Lake, was charged with with six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald announced on Wednesday.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- While educators are celebrating broad increases in proficiency rates on the states standardized test scores announced a week ago, some Ann Arbor parents may be taking a more critical eye to the performance at their childrens school.

The Michigan Department of Education on Aug. 28 released results on the M-STEP, the SAT and its pretest, the PSAT that students took during the 2023-24 school year.

Related: See how your Michigan school fared in the 2024 M-STEP, SAT/PSAT tests

Ann Arbor Public Schools students continued to outperform the state as a whole, spokesman Andrew Cluley said, as did the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, with a higher percentage of students at proficient or advanced levels among the 20 tests given to students in third through eighth grades, and high school juniors.

However, when compared to its districtwide numbers for the 2022-23 school year, Ann Arbor saw the proficiency and advanced rate improve in just 11 out of 20 tests overall.

For parents like Kristen Ochomogo, a mother of three, those results are a source of worry school by school.

The testing data is important to me because the recent scoes display a quantitative picture of the inequity across AAPS. Myself and several other parents at Mitchell Elementary School have raised concerns that our children are not receiving an equitable educational experience as students in other elementary schools across the district, she said in a message.

We have felt very unheard and overlooked. Mitchell was hit harder than any other elementary building with the recent cuts due to the budget, and we continue to lose amazing teachers by choice because the situation is untenable.

According to the state scores, Mitchell students in grades 3, 4, and 5 saw rates of advanced or proficient test levels of 22.9%, 31%, and 18.8% in English Language Arts and 28.2%, 22.4%, and 15.6% for math, respectively.

Each of the three grades districtwide for both subjects had results close to the 60% range.

By the start of this school year, Ochomogo said one of her children went on to Scarlett Middle School, while two others were moved to Pittsfield Elementary School for many various reasons.

But having children at Mitchell the last six years, she was careful to clarify that her concerns arent about the quality of teachers -- instead challenging the district to share a plan to reduce the extreme gap despite other factors, such as the schools number of English learners, that may impact test scores.

Of the 12 elementary schools supporting students from preschool, young 5 or kindergarten through grade 5, Mitchell had the fourth highest number of English learners in 2023-2024 with 64.

King, Lakewood, and Carpenter elementary schools had the most with 107, 82, and 65, according to the state.

While it may be easy to dismiss the anecdotes of parents and families, I would hope that Mitchells low scores in comparison to other AAPS buildings and the scores downward trend over time would be a wake-up call to administration, Ochomogo said.

How did Ann Arbor schools perform versus other districts?

For the M-STEP, students in grades 3, 4, 6, and 7 are tested in ELA and math, while fifth-graders are also assessed for science and social studies. Eighth-graders and 11th-graders are tested for all four subjects, but for reading and writing and math through the PSAT and SAT.

The change in proficiency rates for Ann Arbor schools by grade were largely marginal in both directions.

All test scores but one showed proficient or advanced rates at or well above 50%. The one that didnt was fifth-grade social studies, where students tested at 36.5%. AAPS highest rate of 81.1% was in eighth-grade English language arts.

As in most districts statewide, Ann Arbor students in 11th grade saw a decrease in proficient and advanced levels in every subject, with AAPS biggest decline from 56.1% to 50.7% between 2022-2023 and 2023-24 coming in math.

For all schools in the WISD, there were nine improvements and declines in proficient or advanced students among the 20 assessments. Two of those tests -- fourth-grade math and 11th-grade social studies -- remained the same.

Elsewhere, Dexter Community Schools students also performed at proficient or advanced levels on 11 of the 20 tests. Its lowest proficient and advanced rate was 24.2% for fifth-grade social studies, while the highest was at 85.5% for English Language Arts in eighth grade.

The district continues to use assessments and test data to monitor teaching and students learning, Ryan Bruder, Dexters executive director of instruction, said

Assessments, such as the M-STEP, can help us measure the impact of our instruction, Bruder said in a statement. The growth we are seeing in our M-STEP data, which is also present in our other data sources, reaffirms the work we are doing as a district. Like many districts, we are seeing incremental growth from this past year; however, the return to pre-COVID proficiency levels, in most grades and content areas, is a testament to our staff and students.

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

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ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor leaders have spoken out against hate and antisemitism after flyers were found outside 40 homes in the past week.

These flyers aggress Jews specifically, but we must recognize they also attack the whole of Ann Arbor by working to degrade community cohesion and undercut the foundational value of pluralism, Mayor Christopher Taylor said in a message posted to social media.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A judge hammered the mastermind of an internet fraud scheme that cost Meijer more than $1 million, ordering a prison sentence that far exceeded the recommended penalty.

Nicholas Hunter Mui, 22, of Grand Haven, was sentenced Thursday, Sept. 5 to 5-20 years in prison for a high-tech scheme that stole customer mPerks log in credentials.

The credentials were then sold on the dark web.

mPerks is the retail giants customer loyalty program. Customers earn points with each purchase that can be redeemed later.

Because Mui had no prior record, as well as other factors, his recommended minimum penalty based on sentencing guidelines was 12-20 months.

Kent County Circuit Judge Mark Trusock reasoned that the guidelines did not account for the sheer value of the theft and also that the fact that there are thousands of people this affects.

When Trusock issued the sentence, some of Muis friends and family in the courtroom could be heard sobbing.

Trusock said Mui knew he was committing a crime.

You sold these on the internet to people who were buying those for criminal reasons, he said. People werent buying peoples names and passwords because they wanted to write a poem about it, they were going to use if for criminal activity and you knew that.

Related: Michigan man charged with widescale fraud of Meijer mPerks accounts

Trusock also said that police interviews shows Mui admitted to committing similar crimes involving other corporations, not only Meijer, since 2019.

That behavior is outrageous, he said.

As part of a plea agreement, Mui agreed to forfeit cryptocurrency valued at $611,000.

Michigan Attorney General Senior Attorney Eric Sterbis, during Thursdays sentencing, said Mui has cooperated with state police and Meijer investigators to give them insight about how he committed the crime.

His input has been valuable and we thank him for that, Sterbis said.

Because of the cooperation, prosecutors agreed to drop several counts of identity theft against Mui.

Defense attorney Andrew LaPres said Mui is a high school graduate, with some college education as well.

Obviously he is a very intelligent young man, LaPres said. He has people in the community and his family who were just shocked and saddened upon learning this was happening and has taking part in it.

LaPres said Muis parents are first-generation Chinese immigrants who operated a restaurant. They worked long hours.

As a child, Mui didnt have many friends, the attorney said.

His friend was his computer, LaPres said.

During the COVID quarantine, when he didnt have much direction in life, he takes an interest in computers and cyber security and, one thing led to another and here is, trying to make money, and he made a horrible judgment.

Hes very remorseful. The whole thing got out of control very fast, LaPres said.

As part of the sentencing, Mui was ordered to pay restitution of $1,087,168 to Meijer.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
KENT COUNTY, MI - Police had a large presence in a Wyoming neighborhood on Thursday, Sept. 5, while tracking down a suspect in an assault, Wyoming police said.

The incident began around 11:30 a.m. when the suspect fled police on foot near Clyde Park Avenue SW and Oakcrest Street.
MARQUETTE, MI  Two Nigerian brothers were sentenced Thursday, Sept. 5, to 17  years in federal prison in a deadly sextortion scheme.

Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, both of Lagos, Nigeria, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker for conspiracy to sexually exploit minors.

A third Nigerian is fighting extradition.

Jordan DeMay, 17, a high school student in Marquette, died by suicide after he was sexually exploited by the brothers, who had targeted over 100 others  including at least 11 minors, federal prosecutors said.

Parents Jennifer Buta and John DeMay provided emotional statements about the devastation brought by the Ogoshis and others tied to the scheme.

Related: Victims mom gives emotional statement at deadly sextortion plot sentencing

Federal prosecutors announced in August that five U.S. citizens were indicted for money laundering in the Nigerian-based sextortion scheme.

The defendants posed as women online and convinced targets  teen boys and young men  to send nude photographs. The photos were then used to blackmail the targets.

The targets were told to pay ransom or have the photos shared with family and friends. Jordan DeMay said he only had $300 of the $1,000 ransom and was told: Enjoy your miserable life.

Todays sentencing of Samuel and Samson Ogoshi sends a thundering message, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement.

Related: Nigerian men plead guilty in sextortion case that led to Michigan teens suicide

To criminals who commit these schemes: you are not immune from justice. We will track you down and hold you accountable, even if we have to go half-way around the world to do so. The day when you could commit these crimes, rake in easy cash, destroy lives, and escape justice is gone.

He said everyone with a cellphone could be targeted by criminals.

These devices can connect you to criminal networks around the world. Dont assume people are who they say they are. Dont share compromising images. And if youre a victim, please reach out. Theres help, and law enforcement stands ready.

Related: 5 men in U.S. allegedly tied to Nigerian sextortion that led to Michigan teens death by suicide

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the statement:

These defendants sexually exploited and extorted more than 100 victims, including at least eleven minors, resulting in the tragic death of a 17-year-old high school student.

These sentences should serve as a warning that the perpetrators of online sexual exploitation and extortion cannot escape accountability for their heinous crimes by hiding behind their phones and computers. The Justice Department will find them, no matter where they are, and we will bring them to justice in the United States.

The government said the Ogoshis bought hacked social-media accounts and made fake profiles of young women. They sent messages from the accounts after conducting online research about the targets: where they lived, went to school and worked and the identities of family and friends.

They made collages of sexually explicit photos, along with other images of the target, family and friends, and school.

The U.S. Attorneys Office provided the following safety information:

The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:

Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.

Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.

Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.

Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.

Be in the know. Any content you create onlinewhether it is a text message, photo, or videocan be made public. And nothing actually disappears online. Once you send something, you dont have any control over where it goes next.

Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that dont seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.

If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.
KALAMAZOO, MI  A 32-year-old man has been arrested for arson in Kalamazoo in connection with several recent city fires.

This marks a significant development in the investigation into recent fires, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said in a news release on Thursday, Sept. 5.
GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP, MI -- A southeast Michigan internet services provider plans to deliver high-speed internet to rural parts of Grand Haven Township.

Southfield-based 123NET recently finalized an agreement with Grand Haven Township to construct 5.5 miles of high-capacity fiber in rural parts of the township that are currently unserved.

The Grand Haven Township build is an extension of a projected $25 million project Ottawa County finalized with 123NET in December to deliver 380 miles of additional fiber and bring high-speed internet to approximately 4,000 unserved residents countrywide.

Ottawa County is actively working with 123NET to improve connectivity across the region with an open-access, high-performance network, said Township Manager William Cargo. Were strategically adding fiber in Grand Haven Township to benefit residents today and stimulate future development. This project will realize significant cost and operational efficiencies by aligning with the broader county-wide grant project.

Ottawa County has a total population of 296,200, just over 18,000 of whom live in Grand Haven Charter Township, as of the 2020 Census.

The cost of the countywide project is offset in part by $7.5 million from Ottawa Countys American Rescue Plan Act funds, $14 million in state grant funds and $3.5 million from 123NET.

For Grand Haven Township, the future network will service about 120 commercial and residential addresses, but 123NET said the network will have the capacity to also serve future residential and commercial developments.

Chuck Irvin, executive vice president at 123NET, said in a statement that Grand Haven Township has taken a great step forward by considering how the area will evolve over time and deploying the necessary infrastructure today to support future development opportunities.

Were excited to be part of this innovative, forward-looking program, and are always ready to discuss how communities can maximize these opportunities for connectivity.

Construction is just beginning on the broader Ottawa County project, and the Grand Haven Township portion will be completed in sections over the next few years. 123NET said it would use a combination of West Michigan contractors and its own in-house construction crews to complete the buildout.

Surf Internet of Elkhart, Indiana, also has begun construction of its own fiber optic build for the city of Grand Haven and parts of Grand Haven Township. The network, expected to be finished in early 2026, will service about 4,900 homes.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Never underestimate the power of a teacher.

Gwen Walz, wife of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, made a stop in the battleground state of Michigan to address educators with the Michigan Education Association.
Vehicle thefts are on the rise in Michigan and around the country, prompting state leaders to update laws to reflect evolving technology.

In 2023, auto insurers reported 25,272 stolen vehicles, which was a 45% increase, or 7,854 more thefts than the state reported in 2018.

Thefts had generally been on the decline before 2018 thanks to improved high-tech, anti-theft devices.

Since then, however, Michigan had four year-over-year increases, followed by last years 2% dip. Nationally, last year represented the highest total in more than a decade.

Related: Theft of more than 400 vehicles in Michigan leads to the arrest of 6 men

David Glawe, president and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), said criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, including the use of advanced technology to bypass security systems.

From keyless entry hacks to relay attacks on key fobs, perpetrators are exploiting vulnerabilities in modern vehicle security measures with alarming success rates, Glawe said in a prepared statement.

It is critical that industry and law enforcement work together to develop more effective strategies for combating auto theft and safeguarding public safety.

This summer, Michigan strengthened its existing law prohibiting possession of technology designed to unlock or start a motor vehicle, with the intent to steal the vehicle. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a pair of bills after they cleared the House and Senate with bipartisan support.

A violation of the updated law is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, or 10 years if found to be part of a criminal enterprise.

Previous laws already prohibit traditional burglary tools with the intent to break into a structure and/or to steal money or property. The updated legislation addresses evolving technology.

Legislators specifically referenced devices like AutoProPADs which are used by mechanics to reprogram a vehicles remote key fob. Such devices have been used criminally to steal vehicles in less than a minute, according to state officials.

Related: Dude, wheres my car? The 10 most stolen vehicles in 2023

Attorney General Dana Nessel said her department plans to aggressively enforce the new law in ongoing and future cases.

By cracking down on the possession and illegal use of tools like pro pads, these bills represent a step toward enhancing our ability to prosecute and dismantle criminal organizations involved in these crimes, Nessel said.

Vehicles are most commonly stolen from a residence (36.5%), on a street, alley or highway (28%), or in a parking lot/garage (22.4%), according to state police data from 2022. Michigans data from 2023 isnt expected to be available until October.

Of the vehicles reported stolen in 2022, about 54% were recovered.

To reduce the risk of your vehicle being stolen, officials recommend parking in well-lit areas, shutting off and locking your doors before leaving your vehicle, rolling up all windows, and taking your keys with you.

If a vehicle is stolen, report it as soon as possible to local law enforcement and your insurance provider. Often times, insurers need a police report before honoring a claim.
MISSOULA  An Anaheim, California, man, Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, 36, convicted by a federal jury of trafficking pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills in the Butte and Helena communities as part of a large conspiracy was sentenced Tuesday in Missoulas U.S. District Court to 30 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

After a four-day trial in April, a jury found Fuentes guilty of conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Fuentes thought he could use his California connections to set up a drug trafficking ring to profit at the expense and misery of Montanans to whom he peddled meth and fentanyl pills. He was wrong, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

In court documents, the government alleged that from June 2022 until about January 2023 in the Butte and Helena areas, Fuentes, along with seven other co-defendants, conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. In June 2022, the Utah Highway Patrol stopped an individual traveling in a vehicle carrying 3.5 pounds of meth and 6,000 pills containing fentanyl and learned that the individual was transporting the drugs to Butte for distribution by Esco, who was Fuentes. Law enforcement further learned that Fuentes was staying at a house in Whitehall along with at least one co-defendant, James Andrew Stringari of Whitehall, and that Fuentes was supplying both fentanyl and meth throughout the Butte area from the Whitehall residence.

In addition, law enforcement inspected a sources cell phone and corroborated information about meth and fentanyl trafficking that implicated Fuentes, Stringari, co-defendant Janet Dean White of Butte, and another co-defendant. Stringari and White were convicted at trial with Fuentes and are pending sentencing.

Law enforcement conducted coordinated stops and raids of addresses in Helena and Butte. In the Butte residence, law enforcement located about six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms. In the Helena residence, law enforcement located about seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl.

The government further alleged that Fuentes was one of the main organizers and suppliers of the criminal conspiracy, which trafficked pounds of meth and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills over approximately six months.

The U.S. Attorneys Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Utah Highway Patrol and Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation.
Garza was previously convicted for assault with a weapon, in 2002, for driving up to a car and shooting someone in the face. He was incarcerated again in 2009 for illegal possession of a firearm. He has also been convicted of six misdemeanors.

Due to his criminal history and the results of his psychological evaluation, which suggest that he has a personality disorder in the group of psychopath or sociopath, his assessment found him to be at a high risk of committing another violent offense.
Hodges Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of 3M (NYSE:MMM  Free Report) by 37.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,704 shares of the conglomerates stock after acquiring an additional 2,931 shares during the period. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in 3M were worth $1,094,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in MMM. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in 3M by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,001 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $307,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC acquired a new stake in 3M during the second quarter valued at $325,000. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its holdings in 3M by 0.6% in the second quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 47,546 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $4,859,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Northstar Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of 3M by 237.5% during the 2nd quarter. Northstar Advisory Group LLC now owns 13,296 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,359,000 after acquiring an additional 9,357 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wolverine Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of 3M by 293.8% during the 2nd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 31,500 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $3,219,000 after acquiring an additional 23,500 shares in the last quarter. 65.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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3M Stock Performance

NYSE MMM opened at $132.11 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.95, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.36. The stocks fifty day moving average is $117.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $104.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $73.10 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.95. 3M has a fifty-two week low of $71.12 and a fifty-two week high of $134.99.

3M Dividend Announcement

3M ( NYSE:MMM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 26th. The conglomerate reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.68 by $0.25. 3M had a net margin of 3.08% and a return on equity of 112.92%. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.85 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.17 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that 3M will post 7.2 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 26th will be paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 26th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.12%. 3Ms dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -22.01%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently weighed in on MMM. Bank of America upped their price target on 3M from $120.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. HSBC raised shares of 3M from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $91.13 to $115.00 in a report on Friday, May 10th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of 3M from $120.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Vertical Research raised shares of 3M from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $92.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 16th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of 3M from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $124.38.

Check Out Our Latest Report on 3M

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Theresa E. Reinseth sold 2,100 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.12, for a total value of $260,652.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 4,364 shares in the company, valued at $541,659.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, Chairman Michael F. Roman sold 5,675 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.46, for a total value of $700,635.50. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 174,036 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,486,484.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Theresa E. Reinseth sold 2,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.12, for a total transaction of $260,652.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 4,364 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $541,659.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.

3M Profile

(Free Report)

3M Company provides diversified technology services in the United States and internationally. The company's Safety and Industrial segment offers industrial abrasives and finishing for metalworking applications; autobody repair solutions; closure systems for personal hygiene products, masking, and packaging materials; electrical products and materials for construction and maintenance, power distribution, and electrical original equipment manufacturers; structural adhesives and tapes; respiratory, hearing, eye, and fall protection solutions; and natural and color-coated mineral granules for shingles.

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AltaGas Ltd. (TSE:ALA  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Thursday after BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on the stock from C$37.00 to C$40.00. The company traded as high as C$34.83 and last traded at C$34.79, with a volume of 66200 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$34.27.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on ALA. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on AltaGas from C$34.00 to C$37.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. National Bankshares boosted their target price on shares of AltaGas from C$36.00 to C$39.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of AltaGas from C$34.00 to C$37.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. ATB Capital boosted their price target on shares of AltaGas from C$35.00 to C$36.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of AltaGas from C$36.00 to C$38.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, AltaGas currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$37.40.

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Insider Activity

AltaGas Trading Down 0.1 %

In other AltaGas news, Senior Officer Randy Warren Toone sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$33.82, for a total transaction of C$101,460.00. In related news, Senior Officer Vernon Dai-Chung Yu acquired 16,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$30.71 per share, for a total transaction of C$506,715.00. Also, Senior Officer Randy Warren Toone sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$33.82, for a total value of C$101,460.00. In the last ninety days, insiders bought 20,500 shares of company stock valued at $627,795 and sold 66,970 shares valued at $2,125,503. Insiders own 0.58% of the companys stock.

The company has a market capitalization of C$10.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.56, a PEG ratio of -4.97 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 115.50, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The businesss 50-day moving average price is C$32.38 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$30.67.

AltaGas (TSE:ALA  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported C$0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$0.12 by C$0.02. The firm had revenue of C$2.78 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$2.54 billion. AltaGas had a return on equity of 5.78% and a net margin of 3.58%. As a group, analysts forecast that AltaGas Ltd. will post 2.1087355 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AltaGas Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be given a dividend of $0.298 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. This represents a $1.19 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.48%. AltaGass dividend payout ratio is currently 82.07%.

About AltaGas

(Get Free Report)

AltaGas Ltd. operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through Utilities and Midstream segments. The Utilities segment owns and operates franchised, cost-of-service, rate-regulated natural gas distribution and storage utilities in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the District of Columbia serving approximately 1.6 million customers.

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ASOS (LON:ASC  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reissued by analysts at Berenberg Bank in a report issued on Thursday, Digital Look reports. They presently have a GBX 490 ($6.44) price target on the stock. Berenberg Banks target price indicates a potential upside of 11.77% from the companys current price.

ASOS Stock Performance

Shares of LON:ASC opened at GBX 438.40 ($5.76) on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average of GBX 361.36 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 359.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 158.84, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 1.51. ASOS has a twelve month low of GBX 328.84 ($4.32) and a twelve month high of GBX 450 ($5.92). The firm has a market cap of 522.18 million, a PE ratio of -220.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -1.26 and a beta of 2.86.

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ASOS Company Profile

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See Also

ASOS Plc operates as an online fashion retailer in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, and internationally. It offers womenswear and menswear products. The company sells its products under the ASOS Design, ASOS Edition, ASOS Luxe, ASOS 4505, Collusion, Reclaimed Vintage, Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, HIIT, AsYou, Dark Future, UNRVLLD/SPPLY, Crooked Tongues, Daysocial, Actual, and Weekend Collective brands, as well as through third-party brands.

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Aveo Capital Partners LLC lowered its stake in shares of Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR  Free Report) by 5.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 4,507 shares of the companys stock after selling 255 shares during the period. Aveo Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Carrier Global were worth $284,000 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 stock. Founders Financial Securities LLC boosted its position in shares of Carrier Global by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 5,834 shares of the companys stock worth $368,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares during the period. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund boosted its position in shares of Carrier Global by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 71,998 shares of the companys stock worth $4,542,000 after purchasing an additional 610 shares during the period. Little House Capital LLC boosted its position in Carrier Global by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Little House Capital LLC now owns 9,358 shares of the companys stock valued at $590,000 after buying an additional 407 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Carrier Global by 13.2% in the second quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 223,104 shares of the companys stock worth $14,073,000 after acquiring an additional 25,972 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Telos Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Carrier Global by 3.0% in the second quarter. Telos Capital Management Inc. now owns 114,418 shares of the companys stock worth $7,217,000 after acquiring an additional 3,300 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.00% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Carrier Global

In related news, VP Ajay Agrawal sold 62,382 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.55, for a total value of $4,026,758.10. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 103,066 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,652,910.30. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 6.95% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Carrier Global Price Performance

Carrier Global stock opened at $69.09 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $62.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $66.74 and a 200-day simple moving average of $62.33. Carrier Global Co. has a 12-month low of $45.68 and a 12-month high of $73.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80.

Carrier Global (NYSE:CARR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.02. Carrier Global had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 23.68%. The firm had revenue of $6.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.79 earnings per share. Carrier Globals quarterly revenue was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Carrier Global Co. will post 2.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CARR has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup upgraded shares of Carrier Global from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $65.00 to $74.00 in a research note on Monday, June 24th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Carrier Global from $75.00 to $74.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Baird R W upgraded shares of Carrier Global from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Carrier Global from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $72.00 price target on shares of Carrier Global in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $67.08.

View Our Latest Stock Report on CARR

Carrier Global Company Profile

(Free Report)

Carrier Global Corporation provides heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: HVAC, Refrigeration, and Fire & Security.

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Core & Main (NYSE:CNM  Get Free Report) had its price target reduced by investment analysts at Bank of America from $38.00 to $34.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an underperform rating on the stock. Bank of Americas price target suggests a potential downside of 12.80% from the stocks previous close.

CNM has been the subject of several other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Core & Main from $54.00 to $52.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Core & Main in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Core & Main from $50.00 to $38.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on shares of Core & Main from $62.00 to $53.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on Core & Main from $65.00 to $57.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $50.55.

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Core & Main Trading Down 1.0 %

Shares of NYSE:CNM traded down $0.41 during trading on Thursday, reaching $38.99. 3,811,559 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,519,233. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $50.10 and its 200-day simple moving average is $52.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 2.14 and a quick ratio of 1.23. Core & Main has a 12-month low of $27.75 and a 12-month high of $62.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.85 billion, a PE ratio of 18.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.06.

Core & Main (NYSE:CNM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, September 4th. The company reported $0.61 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.74 by ($0.13). Core & Main had a net margin of 5.53% and a return on equity of 20.01%. The business had revenue of $1.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.05 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.66 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Core & Main will post 2.32 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director James G. Castellano sold 12,500 shares of Core & Main stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.22, for a total transaction of $652,750.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 11,769 shares in the company, valued at $614,577.18. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 3.49% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Core & Main

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CNM. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Core & Main during the first quarter worth $27,000. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new position in Core & Main during the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its position in Core & Main by 74.5% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 855 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Core & Main during the 4th quarter worth approximately $43,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. purchased a new position in Core & Main in the second quarter valued at $76,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.19% of the companys stock.

Core & Main Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Core & Main, Inc distributes water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products and related services to municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors in the municipal, non-residential, and residential end markets in the United States. Its products portfolio include pipes, valves, hydrants, fittings, and other products and services; storm drainage products, such as corrugated piping systems, retention basins, inline drains, manholes, grates, geosynthetics, erosion control, and other related products; fire protection products, including fire protection pipes, and sprinkler heads and devices, as well as fabrication services; and meter products, such as smart meter products, meter sets, meter accessories, installation, software, and other services.

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Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) by 4,997.2% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 5,403 shares of the restaurant operators stock after purchasing an additional 5,297 shares during the quarter. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $339,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth $25,000. Riverview Trust Co raised its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,900.0% in the 2nd quarter. Riverview Trust Co now owns 400 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 392 shares in the last quarter. RiverPark Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,900.0% during the 2nd quarter. RiverPark Advisors LLC now owns 400 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 392 shares in the last quarter. Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Finally, Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.31% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Chipotle Mexican Grill

In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, insider Curtis E. Garner sold 17,394 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.68, for a total value of $951,103.92. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 358,300 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,591,844. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.02% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CMG has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $57.00 to $55.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Oppenheimer cut their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $70.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $74.00 to $62.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Loop Capital reduced their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $58.00 to $53.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $62.36.

Read Our Latest Report on CMG

Chipotle Mexican Grill Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock opened at $53.32 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $73.23 billion, a PE ratio of 56.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.24. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 52 week low of $35.37 and a 52 week high of $69.26. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $55.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $80.78.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The restaurant operator reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.94 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 44.01% and a net margin of 13.23%. The businesss revenue was up 18.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $12.65 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.08 EPS for the current year.

About Chipotle Mexican Grill

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It sells food and beverages through offering burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company also provides delivery and related services its app and website. It has operations in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

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Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT  Free Report) by 12.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,709 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 187 shares during the period. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Trane Technologies were worth $562,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in shares of Trane Technologies by 138.0% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,667 shares of the companys stock worth $2,001,000 after buying an additional 3,866 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in Trane Technologies by 3.0% during the first quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 453,212 shares of the companys stock worth $135,796,000 after acquiring an additional 13,078 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in Trane Technologies by 379.2% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 306,165 shares of the companys stock valued at $91,909,000 after purchasing an additional 242,271 shares during the period. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new stake in shares of Trane Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $3,086,000. Finally, Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Trane Technologies by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 2,176,595 shares of the companys stock worth $530,870,000 after purchasing an additional 11,930 shares during the period. 82.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Trane Technologies Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE TT opened at $346.53 on Thursday. Trane Technologies plc has a twelve month low of $184.02 and a twelve month high of $363.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $338.02 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $319.06. The firm has a market cap of $78.44 billion, a PE ratio of 37.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.01.

Trane Technologies Announces Dividend

Trane Technologies ( NYSE:TT Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $3.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.08 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $5.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.13 billion. Trane Technologies had a net margin of 12.33% and a return on equity of 33.97%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.68 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Trane Technologies plc will post 10.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.84 per share. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.97%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. Trane Technologiess payout ratio is 35.90%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

TT has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Trane Technologies from $310.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Trane Technologies from $360.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Trane Technologies from $385.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Trane Technologies from $334.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $350.00 target price on shares of Trane Technologies in a research note on Monday, August 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $323.29.

View Our Latest Report on Trane Technologies

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Raymond D. Pittard sold 1,805 shares of Trane Technologies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $328.65, for a total value of $593,213.25. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 83,517 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,447,862.05. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CEO David S. Regnery sold 29,450 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $321.25, for a total transaction of $9,460,812.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 132,946 shares of the companys stock, valued at $42,708,902.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Raymond D. Pittard sold 1,805 shares of Trane Technologies stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was 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 directly owns 83,517 shares in the company, valued at $27,447,862.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.38% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trane Technologies 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.

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BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUJ  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $12.05 and last traded at $12.05, with a volume of 1 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $12.02.

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Stock Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $11.65 and a 200 day simple moving average of $11.46.

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BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Company Profile

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 6.2% in the second quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 37,472 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $429,000 after purchasing an additional 2,197 shares in the last quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 8.6% in the 2nd quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 202,369 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,305,000 after acquiring an additional 15,996 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC lifted its position in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund by 22.6% during the 2nd quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 24,294 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $277,000 after acquiring an additional 4,474 shares during the period. Wolverine Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund during the second quarter worth about $141,000. Finally, TIAA Trust National Association purchased a new stake in BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund in the second quarter worth about $439,000. 15.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc The fund is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of United States. The fund invests primarily in long-term, investment grade municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes and New Jersey personal income taxes.

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BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:FNGU  Get Free Report) shares saw strong trading volume on Thursday . 666,871 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 38% from the previous sessions volume of 1,081,053 shares.The stock last traded at $370.84 and had previously closed at $349.50.

BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN Stock Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $419.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $368.97. The stock has a market cap of $265.99 billion, a PE ratio of 123.65 and a beta of 4.82.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. DRW Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $226,000. VitalStone Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN by 245.9% during the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 505 shares of the companys stock worth $225,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. acquired a new position in BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN in the first quarter valued at approximately $37,000.

BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN Company Profile

The MicroSectors FANG+ Index 3X Leveraged ETN (FNGU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the NYSE FANG+ index. The fund tracks 3x the daily price movements of an equal-weighted index of US-listed technology and consumer discretionary companies. FNGU was launched on Jan 22, 2018 and is issued by REX Microsectors.

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CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:CX  Get Free Report) announced a Variable dividend on Tuesday, September 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of 0.021 per share by the construction company on Tuesday, September 24th. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th.

CEMEX Stock Up 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE CX traded up $0.10 during trading on Thursday, reaching $5.87. 1,711,999 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,961,764. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $6.34 and its 200 day moving average price is $7.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. The company has a market capitalization of $8.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.21 and a beta of 1.47. CEMEX has a twelve month low of $5.66 and a twelve month high of $9.27.

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CEMEX (NYSE:CX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The construction company reported $0.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. CEMEX had a return on equity of 1.66% and a net margin of 1.05%. The firm had revenue of $4.49 billion for the quarter. As a group, equities analysts forecast that CEMEX will post 0.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on CX. Barclays upgraded shares of CEMEX from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $9.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Royal Bank of Canada started coverage on CEMEX in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. They issued an underperform rating and a $9.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com upgraded CEMEX from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on CEMEX in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. They set a buy rating and a $9.00 price objective for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $8.00 target price on shares of CEMEX in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, CEMEX presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $8.70.

Get Our Latest Analysis on CX

CEMEX Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

CEMEX, SAB. de C.V., together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, distributes, and sells cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, urbanization solutions, and other construction materials and services worldwide. The company offers gray ordinary portland, white portland, oil-well, and blended cement products; mortar; and standard ready-mix, architectural and decorative, rapid-setting, fiber-reinforced, fluid-fill, roller-compacted, self-consolidating, pervious, and antibacterial, and other concrete products.

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Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (OTCMKTS:CJEWY  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $7.76 and last traded at $7.76, with a volume of 1070 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $8.19.

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Stock Down 5.3 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $9.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $12.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

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Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 1st were issued a dividend of $0.3341 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 1st. This is a positive change from Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Groups previous dividend of $0.27.

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Company Profile

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures and sells jewelry products in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Cambodia, Canada, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. The company offers gem-set, platinum and k-gold jewelry, and gold jewelry and products under the CHOW TAI FOOK, HEARTS ON FIRE, ENZO, MONOLOGUE, and SOINLOVE brands.

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Simon Quick Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C  Free Report) by 4.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,543 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 254 shares during the period. Simon Quick Advisors LLCs holdings in Citigroup were worth $352,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Citigroup by 12.2% in the 2nd quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 229,255 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,549,000 after buying an additional 24,915 shares in the last quarter. First National Trust Co grew its position in Citigroup by 5.4% in the second quarter. First National Trust Co now owns 19,596 shares of the companys stock worth $1,244,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its position in Citigroup by 0.6% in the second quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 163,741 shares of the companys stock worth $10,391,000 after acquiring an additional 1,026 shares in the last quarter. Naviter Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Citigroup by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Naviter Wealth LLC now owns 31,658 shares of the companys stock worth $2,009,000 after purchasing an additional 1,156 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Citigroup by 51.5% during the 2nd quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 15,287 shares of the companys stock valued at $970,000 after purchasing an additional 5,195 shares in the last quarter. 71.72% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

C has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on Citigroup from $66.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, June 20th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Citigroup from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Piper Sandler upped their target price on Citigroup from $70.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Citigroup from $66.00 to $79.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Citigroup has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $68.06.

Citigroup Stock Performance

NYSE C opened at $60.96 on Thursday. The companys fifty day moving average is $62.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $61.18. Citigroup Inc. has a 52-week low of $38.17 and a 52-week high of $67.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $116.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.08, a P/E/G ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 1.46.

Citigroup (NYSE:C  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The company reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $20.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.07 billion. Citigroup had a return on equity of 6.26% and a net margin of 4.95%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.37 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Citigroup Inc. will post 5.82 EPS for the current year.

Citigroup Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Investors of record on Monday, August 5th were paid a $0.56 dividend. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.67%. This is a positive change from Citigroups previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 5th. Citigroups dividend payout ratio is presently 62.75%.

Citigroup Company Profile

(Free Report)

Citigroup Inc, a diversified financial service holding company, provides various financial product and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions worldwide. It operates through five segments: Services, Markets, Banking, U.S. Personal Banking, and Wealth. The Services segment includes Treasury and Trade Solutions, which provides cash management, trade, and working capital solutions to multinational corporations, financial institutions, and public sector organizations; and Securities Services, such as cross-border support for clients, local market expertise, post-trade technologies, data solutions, and various securities services solutions.

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CMS Energy Co. (NYSE:CMS  Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $68.22 and last traded at $68.21, with a volume of 158887 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $67.86.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on CMS. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of CMS Energy from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. Evercore ISI raised CMS Energy to a hold rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on CMS Energy from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. StockNews.com raised shares of CMS Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of CMS Energy from $66.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, CMS Energy has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $67.33.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on CMS Energy

CMS Energy Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $20.65 billion, a PE ratio of 21.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.38. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $63.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.28. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80.

CMS Energy (NYSE:CMS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.03. CMS Energy had a net margin of 13.10% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The company had revenue of $1.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.73 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.75 EPS. CMS Energys revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that CMS Energy Co. will post 3.33 EPS for the current year.

CMS Energy Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 2nd were given a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.95%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 2nd. CMS Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 62.80%.

Insider Activity at CMS Energy

In other news, Director Jon E. Barfield sold 2,360 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.79, for a total value of $143,464.40. Following the transaction, the director now owns 14,556 shares of the companys stock, valued at $884,859.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, SVP Brandon J. Hofmeister sold 1,667 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.98, for a total transaction of $99,986.66. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 68,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,098,433.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Jon E. Barfield sold 2,360 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.79, for a total transaction of $143,464.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,556 shares of the companys stock, valued at $884,859.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CMS Energy

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in shares of CMS Energy by 6.2% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 27,850 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,658,000 after purchasing an additional 1,631 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC raised its holdings in CMS Energy by 15.3% during the 2nd quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC now owns 6,619 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $394,000 after buying an additional 878 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp lifted its position in CMS Energy by 29.9% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 735,233 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $43,768,000 after buying an additional 169,160 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP boosted its stake in CMS Energy by 118.0% during the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 3,325 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $198,000 after buying an additional 1,800 shares during the period. Finally, Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC increased its position in CMS Energy by 6.6% during the second quarter. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC now owns 313,493 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $18,662,000 after acquiring an additional 19,349 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.57% of the companys stock.

CMS Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

CMS Energy Corporation operates as an energy company primarily in Michigan. The company operates through three segments: Electric Utility; Gas Utility; and Enterprises. The Electric Utility segment is involved in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. This segment generates electricity through coal, wind, gas, renewable energy, oil, and nuclear sources.

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Consolidated Planning Corp lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA  Free Report) by 41.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,233 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 1,240 shares during the period. Consolidated Planning Corps holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $332,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in EFA. Triad Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the second quarter valued at $25,000. Arjuna Capital purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC now owns 346 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 198.6% in the 4th quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management now owns 418 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. 79.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Stock Performance

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF stock opened at $81.30 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $79.85 and a 200-day simple moving average of $79.30. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a 12 month low of $65.68 and a 12 month high of $83.28.

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Funds investment objective is to seek investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by MSCI Inc as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance.

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Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 35,575 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,379 shares during the period. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators holdings in Pfizer were worth $995,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 4.9% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 239,209,768 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $6,886,849,000 after buying an additional 11,099,024 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,129,927,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 68,506,441 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,972,300,000 after purchasing an additional 8,298,920 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its position in Pfizer by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 16,104,088 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $450,593,000 after purchasing an additional 290,760 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its stake in Pfizer by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 9,250,303 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $256,696,000 after purchasing an additional 83,556 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Daiwa America upgraded shares of Pfizer from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Barclays boosted their price target on Pfizer from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $34.54.

Pfizer Stock Up 0.9 %

Shares of PFE traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $28.64. The stock had a trading volume of 3,683,615 shares, compared to its average volume of 38,240,422. Pfizer Inc. has a 1-year low of $25.20 and a 1-year high of $35.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $162.29 billion, a P/E ratio of -472.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.68. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $29.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.60.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.14. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.42% and a negative net margin of 4.66%. The firm had revenue of $13.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.67 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th were issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.87%. Pfizers payout ratio is -2,799.53%.

Pfizer Profile

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Free Report)  Analysts at Zacks Research cut their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for Edison International in a research note issued on Monday, September 2nd. Zacks Research analyst A. Dutta now expects that the utilities provider will post earnings per share of $4.96 for the year, down from their prior estimate of $5.03. The consensus estimate for Edison Internationals current full-year earnings is $4.94 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Edison Internationals Q2 2025 earnings at $1.20 EPS.

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Several other research analysts also recently commented on the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Edison International from $80.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on shares of Edison International from $82.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Edison International from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of Edison International from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Edison International from $86.00 to $89.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $82.36.

Edison International Stock Up 0.4 %

EIX stock opened at $87.72 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $79.13 and its 200 day simple moving average is $73.99. The company has a market cap of $33.88 billion, a PE ratio of 38.47 and a beta of 0.91. Edison International has a twelve month low of $58.82 and a twelve month high of $88.77.

Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $4.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. Edison International had a return on equity of 13.01% and a net margin of 6.60%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.01 earnings per share.

Edison International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th were issued a dividend of $0.78 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 8th. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.56%. Edison Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 136.84%.

Insider Transactions at Edison International

In related news, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 28,995 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.43, for a total transaction of $2,274,077.85. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 19,660 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,541,933.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Edison International news, VP Natalie K. Schilling sold 2,341 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total value of $187,280.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 6,338 shares in the company, valued at $507,040. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 28,995 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.43, for a total transaction of $2,274,077.85. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 19,660 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,541,933.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 89,099 shares of company stock valued at $7,223,342. 1.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Edison International

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its holdings in Edison International by 1.7% in the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 20,344,752 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,438,984,000 after buying an additional 345,189 shares during the period. Pzena Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 13,605,080 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $962,287,000 after acquiring an additional 305,459 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 6.4% in the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 13,297,917 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $940,562,000 after acquiring an additional 795,950 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,276,016 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $734,632,000 after acquiring an additional 433,845 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,261,803 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $376,166,000 after acquiring an additional 202,541 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.95% of the companys stock.

About Edison International

(Get 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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FineMark National Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 0.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 23,445 shares of the asset managers stock after acquiring an additional 19 shares during the period. FineMark National Bank & Trusts holdings in BlackRock were worth $18,459,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Stablepoint Partners LLC lifted its holdings in BlackRock by 8.5% during the second quarter. Stablepoint Partners LLC now owns 1,321 shares of the asset managers stock worth $1,139,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of BlackRock by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 1,921 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $1,513,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the period. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas raised its stake in shares of BlackRock by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 2,149 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $1,692,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of BlackRock by 13.4% in the 2nd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 432 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $340,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Finally, Foundations Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of BlackRock by 6.3% in the 2nd quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 907 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $714,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares during the period. 80.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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BlackRock Trading Down 0.0 %

BlackRock stock opened at $886.41 on Thursday. BlackRock, Inc. has a 52 week low of $596.18 and a 52 week high of $903.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 5.06 and a current ratio of 5.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $131.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.53, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.32. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $845.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $810.81.

BlackRock Announces Dividend

BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $10.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $9.96 by $0.40. BlackRock had a return on equity of 15.44% and a net margin of 32.36%. The company had revenue of $4.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.85 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $9.28 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that BlackRock, Inc. will post 41.34 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be issued a dividend of $5.10 per share. This represents a $20.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.30%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is presently 51.84%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have issued reports on BLK shares. Argus lifted their price target on BlackRock from $880.00 to $910.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on BlackRock from $1,025.00 to $1,013.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Barclays assumed coverage on BlackRock in a research report on Tuesday, August 27th. They issued an overweight rating and a $985.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group lowered their target price on BlackRock from $842.00 to $837.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on BlackRock from $912.00 to $937.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $883.13.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on BlackRock

Insider Transactions at BlackRock

In other news, Director Pamela Daley sold 1,531 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $842.08, for a total transaction of $1,289,224.48. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,732 shares in the company, valued at $4,826,802.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $834.42, for a total value of $22,529,340.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,480 shares in the company, valued at $5,407,041.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Pamela Daley sold 1,531 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $842.08, for a total value of $1,289,224.48. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,732 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,826,802.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 93,042 shares of company stock worth $79,387,117 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock.

BlackRock Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB  Free Report)  Research analysts at Cormark dropped their FY2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, September 3rd. Cormark analyst L. Persaud now expects that the company will post earnings of $3.90 per share for the year, down from their prior forecast of $3.97. The consensus estimate for Laurentian Bank of Canadas current full-year earnings is $3.94 per share.

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LB has been the subject of a number of other reports. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$28.00 to C$26.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. Raymond James increased their price objective on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$26.00 to C$27.00 in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$26.00 to C$25.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 3rd. Desjardins increased their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$25.00 to C$26.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, CIBC reduced their price objective on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$30.00 to C$28.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and nine have given a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of C$27.42.

Laurentian Bank of Canada Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada stock opened at C$26.39 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$26.28 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$26.59. Laurentian Bank of Canada has a 12-month low of C$24.45 and a 12-month high of C$38.25. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.16 billion, a P/E ratio of -94.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.25.

Laurentian Bank of Canada Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, October 1st will be issued a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 1st. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.12%. Laurentian Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio is currently -671.43%.

About Laurentian Bank of Canada

(Get Free Report)

Laurentian Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services to personal, business, and institutional customers in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Capital Markets. The Personal Banking segment offers financial services, such as financial advisory services to financial intermediaries; and operates digital direct-to-customer platform to retail clients.

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Hodges Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 10,350 shares of the restaurant operators stock, valued at approximately $648,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,816.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,356,173 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $523,514,000 after buying an additional 8,186,198 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. lifted its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,260.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 3,132,332 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $196,241,000 after acquiring an additional 3,060,498 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 3,988.6% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,996,492 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $187,730,000 after purchasing an additional 2,923,203 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers increased its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,947.9% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 2,633,801 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $165,008,000 after purchasing an additional 2,581,625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4,537.6% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,677,738 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $105,110,000 after purchasing an additional 1,641,561 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 91.31% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CMG has been the subject of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $67.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $61.00 to $56.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $58.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. KeyCorp reduced their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $68.00 to $66.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $58.00 to $55.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $62.36.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, insider Curtis E. Garner sold 17,394 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.68, for a total value of $951,103.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 358,300 shares in the company, valued at $19,591,844. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 1.02% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 0.4 %

CMG stock opened at $53.32 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $73.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 56.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.24. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $55.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $80.78. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 12 month low of $35.37 and a 12 month high of $69.26.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The restaurant operator reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.94 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 44.01%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 18.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $12.65 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Profile

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It sells food and beverages through offering burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company also provides delivery and related services its app and website. It has operations in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Further Reading

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In the new gym, I easily converse with people and behave with dignity and

respect and according to my rank and age. Everyone reciprocates as an equal and

the sense of freedom felt intoxicating for me, an immigrant struggling for so

many years to adapt to America.

1. Compete?

Rarely in the first three years did I feel so obsessed as the past few weeks

with jiu-jitsu. (By the time I received the first stripe on my blue belt(month

33), I even felt I hit a technical plateau.) My health and recovery kept

improving as I showed up reguarly. Darren said I should compete, which reminded

me of Jon who encouraged me to step in the ring in 2023.

In tournaments, it'll be rare to find blue belts about my age and size, I am

sure from experience. I feel confident that I could do well in competition.

But what's the point of overpowering people my age, size, and belt level when on

the street I could face bigger, stronger, and younger ones? At this point in my

life, what do I really gain by competing? The improvement from preparing for

fights I can get by training regularly as I have been. Besides there is a whole

body of knowledge of rules that I don't need but have to learn. More ain't

better and moreover, it takes the time away from the things I do want.

2. Counter the Single-leg Takedown

The first time I rolled with V, a two-striped blue belt, was on Aug 10's

competition class. I got him by the single-leg but he grabbed my head in a

guillotine and sat back down, flipping me over. I drilled this move years ago,

with Gene or Pablo, I think, but this was the first time I was on the receiving

end of it. I should try to master the move as it's so intuitive. Besides I

learned again that, as the attacker, I need to keep the head to his chest to

avoid the guillotine. The fact was that I couldn't think of the possibility

before he did it to me.

3. Potluck

Aug 10 was a Saturday. After the morning class, we had a potluck, occasioned by

a brownbelt leaving for the east coast. I used to feel like an outsider in any

group and shun events like this. But my skin had thickened. I made rice the

previous night and gimbap in the morning and brought it over. They loved it!

Tim, a 40-ish dad and my training partner asked if I was Korean as he was.

"No, I'm Chinese" I said.

"I love your gimbap."

"Thanks. I learned from Maangchi. That's the good thing about America. You

can learn from anyone."

"Right. BJJ is Japanese and Brazilian."

"You've got it!"

We connected right away and started talking about kids, American culture, and

food. Sarah, a judo girl and three-striped white belt, whom I just rolled with,

was also Korean and liked my dish.

I saw James, the four-striped blue belt I met and fought at one open-mat. In a

tee and backpack, he looked a bit down, and told me he hadn't been training

because of life. It was hard for him to commute from south San Jose. I liked him

instantly as I knew what it takes for a small person to achieve his level in

BJJ. That guy was a fighter.

I entered the lockeroom where Ronaldo, a Filipino about my age and former

Australian Taekwondo national team member and now BJJ blackbelt, was gushing

about what a blessing jiu-jitsu was. As they turned to me, I told them the last

blessing the guy shared with me was an armbar. Everyone laughed. Ronaldo did not

practice Catholicism, as I learned later, but liked the Tao and Buddhism. We

talked about Kali, a Filipino martial art, Covid, food, exercises, etc., and saw

eye to eye on all of them. It was amazing.

4. Mr. Lee's back, Michael returned to school, and a Spaniard joined us.

Aug 16, Mr. Lee came back to the noon class! It had been a month and he told me

he had not fully recovered. I apologized again and he insisted it was not my

fault. Aug 28, I attended his class. He said he didn't go through any therapy

for his neck, although some pain would stay the rest of his life.

Michael the young Chinese whitebelt left for school as summer ended. He was light

but very strong and he made good progress in jiu-jitsu. I often asked him to

drill moves with me before the class started. We all liked him and wished him

well.

At the same time, Jorkey joined us from Spain. I learned later he was a dancer

visiting the Bay Area for six-month's work. He was small, strong, and intensive

as hell. He became my trusted training partner.

5. The Right Gym

It might be in the genes. Darren's family came from Japan where people have the

reputation of devoting a whole life to an art or a craft: tea ceremony, ikebana,

judo, etc. Darren had been taking our mugshots and putting them on the wall with

belt-and-stripe levels and the promotion dates. It was a lot of work and he

seemed to enjoy it, just as he painted gym logos and city skylines over the

wall. It was a labor of love.

6. The Sit-out and more on the Turtle

Brian was a knowledgeable purple belt and came during noon class. One day, when

I asked for feedback, he pointed out that a few times during sparring, I was

ready for a sit-out but never went through.

The fact was that I wasn't going to. I knew the move for a long time but was not

even aware I could do it. The following days, I did the sit-out whenever I

could!

The other day, he trapped my arm twice from the back and I asked why and he said

it was something from Danaher straight-jacket. He then kindly explained and let

me try the move.

Next, grapplingeric on Facebook posted sensei Vito's turtle lecture and I was

hooked! It's a wealth of knowledge and so far, I tried the turtleplata and leg

attacks.

7. Hip Pain

I feel a slight pain in my left hip when sitting half-lotus after jiu-jitsu, a

warning sign. It goes away the next morning and comes back with training. My

former instructor, Brenda, is a life-long martial artist and competed till 65.

She had her hips replaced over the past year and it was not pleasant.

8. To Be Trusted

Wed Aug 28, Mr. Lee taught half-guard bottom. The key was to scoot directly

under the opponent to start to sweep or get up. Don't get cross-faced. [Henry

didn't teach this. If his guard is passed, he would stretch away to create

distance and retract and bring his leg again to the front. He was big on the

far-side underhook.] He showed a hook retention drill which was new to me and I

didn't do well.

By Wed, half of the gym had gone to Las Vegas for tournaments. Darren sent me a

message asking me to open the door Thu noon and maybe teach something if I'd

like. I didn't plan to train as I would fly to Beijing that night but said yes

nonetheless. I felt so honored that my self-conciousness with my missing front

tooth was gone!
Hodges Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ  Free Report) by 11.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 6,012 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 601 shares during the period. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF were worth $410,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in EWJ. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 4.7% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 34,382,317 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,453,178,000 after purchasing an additional 1,529,202 shares in the last quarter. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 8,308.4% in the 2nd quarter. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,864,311 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $536,562,000 after acquiring an additional 7,770,782 shares during the period. First Command Advisory Services Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. now owns 5,671,347 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $387,108,000 after acquiring an additional 42,690 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 2,345,578 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $167,357,000 after purchasing an additional 15,148 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1607 Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 15.6% in the 4th quarter. 1607 Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,209,600 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $141,724,000 after purchasing an additional 298,100 shares during the period.

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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Stock Down 1.0 %

NYSEARCA:EWJ opened at $70.16 on Thursday. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a 12-month low of $57.20 and a 12-month high of $72.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.63 and a beta of 0.73. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $69.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $68.98.

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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iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:EAGG  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $48.47 and last traded at $48.47, with a volume of 135 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $48.37.

iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $47.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.87.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of EAGG. Private Ocean LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Private Ocean LLC now owns 561,002 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,148,000 after acquiring an additional 11,687 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 3.0% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 512,965 shares of the companys stock worth $23,909,000 after purchasing an additional 15,080 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 13.6% during the first quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 210,212 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,893,000 after buying an additional 25,212 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 10.0% in the second quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 172,620 shares of the companys stock worth $8,046,000 after buying an additional 15,624 shares during the period. Finally, Mascoma Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 17.0% during the 2nd quarter. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC now owns 142,833 shares of the companys stock worth $6,657,000 after acquiring an additional 20,770 shares during the last quarter.

About iShares ESG Aware U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

The iShares ESG U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (EAGG) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a market-value-weighted index of US dollar-denominated bonds from issuers evaluated for favorable ESG practices. EAGG was launched on Oct 18, 2018 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Cozad Asset Management Inc. trimmed its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWS  Free Report) by 2.0% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,473 shares of the companys stock after selling 129 shares during the period. Cozad Asset Management Inc.s holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF were worth $781,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in IWS. BCGM Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $308,000. STAR Financial Bank increased its holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. STAR Financial Bank now owns 19,059 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,216,000 after purchasing an additional 723 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 29.5% in the 4th quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 3,127,508 shares of the companys stock valued at $363,698,000 after purchasing an additional 712,662 shares in the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC increased its holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 13.5% in the 4th quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 5,962 shares of the companys stock valued at $693,000 after purchasing an additional 707 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF by 16.5% in the 4th quarter. Cassady Schiller Wealth Management LLC now owns 743 shares of the companys stock valued at $86,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSEARCA IWS opened at $128.06 on Thursday. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF has a 12-month low of $97.40 and a 12-month high of $130.50. The company has a market cap of $13.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.15 and a beta of 0.97. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $124.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $122.61.

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF Profile

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell Midcap Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Midcap Value Index (the Value Index). The Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market.

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Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY  Get Free Report) issued an update on its second quarter 2025 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.140-1.260 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.200. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Korn Ferry also updated its Q2 guidance to $1.14-1.26 EPS.

Korn Ferry Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE KFY opened at $71.29 on Thursday. Korn Ferry has a one year low of $44.45 and a one year high of $75.30. The firm has a market cap of $3.76 billion, a PE ratio of 22.14 and a beta of 1.54. The firms fifty day moving average is $69.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.83 and a current ratio of 1.79.

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Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 13th. The business services provider reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.13 by $0.13. Korn Ferry had a return on equity of 13.18% and a net margin of 6.05%. The firm had revenue of $690.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $687.36 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.01 EPS. The firms revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Korn Ferry will post 4.81 earnings per share for the current year.

Korn Ferry Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 19th will be paid a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.08%. Korn Ferrys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.96%.

KFY has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Korn Ferry from $72.00 to $79.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, June 14th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $78.00 price objective (up previously from $74.00) on shares of Korn Ferry in a report on Friday, June 14th. StockNews.com raised Korn Ferry from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, June 20th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Korn Ferry from $66.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, June 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Korn Ferry presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $75.00.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Korn Ferry

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Mark Arian sold 5,000 shares of Korn Ferry stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.01, for a total transaction of $330,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 91,484 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,038,858.84. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Korn Ferry

(Get Free Report)

Korn Ferry, together with its subsidiaries, provides organizational consulting services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consulting, Digital, Executive Search, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) & Professional Search. The company provides executive search services to recruit board level, chief executive, other senior executive, and general management talent of organizations.

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Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS boosted its position in Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG  Free Report) by 1.9% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 754,254 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 14,155 shares during the quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KSs holdings in Conagra Brands were worth $21,436,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crumly & Associates Inc. raised its holdings in Conagra Brands by 11.9% in the second quarter. Crumly & Associates Inc. now owns 12,931 shares of the companys stock worth $367,000 after purchasing an additional 1,373 shares in the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI raised its holdings in Conagra Brands by 21.3% in the second quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 145,750 shares of the companys stock worth $4,124,000 after purchasing an additional 25,559 shares in the last quarter. Hohimer Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Conagra Brands in the second quarter worth $3,792,000. TD Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in Conagra Brands by 16.4% in the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 212,734 shares of the companys stock worth $6,046,000 after purchasing an additional 29,999 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Weaver Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Conagra Brands by 2.9% in the second quarter. Weaver Capital Management LLC now owns 15,956 shares of the companys stock worth $453,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.75% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, COO Thomas M. Mcgough sold 40,000 shares of Conagra Brands stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.29, for a total transaction of $1,211,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 161,443 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,890,108.47. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.88% of the companys stock.

Conagra Brands Stock Performance

NYSE:CAG traded up $0.12 on Thursday, hitting $32.53. The stock had a trading volume of 1,008,112 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,641,138. The stock has a market cap of $15.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $29.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $29.67. Conagra Brands, Inc. has a 52-week low of $25.16 and a 52-week high of $32.81.

Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 11th. The company reported $0.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.04. Conagra Brands had a return on equity of 14.31% and a net margin of 2.88%. The business had revenue of $2.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.93 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.62 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Conagra Brands, Inc. will post 2.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Conagra Brands Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 1st were given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 1st. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.30%. Conagra Brandss payout ratio is currently 191.78%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Conagra Brands from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Conagra Brands from $32.00 to $31.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Barclays reduced their price target on Conagra Brands from $34.00 to $33.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 12th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Conagra Brands from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 12th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price objective on Conagra Brands from $32.00 to $30.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 28th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Conagra Brands presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $30.90.

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Conagra Brands Company Profile

(Free Report)

Conagra Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company primarily in the United States. The company operates through Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice segments. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels.

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Lowery Thomas LLC boosted its position in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF (NYSEARCA:XSMO  Free Report) by 7.8% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 15,697 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,142 shares during the quarter. Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF comprises 0.7% of Lowery Thomas LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Lowery Thomas LLCs holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF were worth $943,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of XSMO. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF by 86.0% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 278,586 shares of the companys stock worth $15,784,000 after purchasing an additional 128,780 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF by 284.3% in the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 96,256 shares of the companys stock worth $5,453,000 after purchasing an additional 71,208 shares in the last quarter. Theory Financial LLC acquired a new position in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF in the 4th quarter worth about $4,017,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF by 1,070.8% in the 4th quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 75,293 shares of the companys stock worth $4,266,000 after purchasing an additional 68,862 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF by 14.9% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 196,737 shares of the companys stock worth $11,814,000 after purchasing an additional 25,515 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF Trading Down 0.0 %

XSMO traded down $0.02 on Thursday, reaching $63.20. The stock had a trading volume of 203,392 shares, compared to its average volume of 213,493. The company has a market capitalization of $443.66 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.91 and a beta of 1.19. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $63.24 and a 200-day moving average of $60.65. Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF has a fifty-two week low of $45.10 and a fifty-two week high of $68.32.

Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF Profile

The Invesco S&P SmallCap Momentum ETF (XSMO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P Small Cap 600 Momentum index. The fund tracks an index of US small-caps stocks selected by momentum. Holdings are weighted by a combination of market cap and momentum. XSMO was launched on Mar 3, 2005 and is managed by Invesco.

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Mattern Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin Co. (NYSE:PH  Free Report) by 8.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,975 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 921 shares during the quarter. Mattern Capital Management LLCs holdings in Parker-Hannifin were worth $6,057,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of PH. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Parker-Hannifin by 2.3% in the first quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 851 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $473,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 60.6% in the 1st quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 53 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. GoalVest Advisory LLC increased its position in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 40.0% in the 1st quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 70 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. American Trust raised its stake in Parker-Hannifin by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. American Trust now owns 649 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $361,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. Finally, TFG Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in Parker-Hannifin by 0.9% during the second quarter. TFG Advisers LLC now owns 2,171 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,098,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. 82.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Parker-Hannifin Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of Parker-Hannifin stock opened at $577.12 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $74.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.20, a P/E/G ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. Parker-Hannifin Co. has a 12-month low of $362.49 and a 12-month high of $601.30. The businesss 50 day moving average is $551.75 and its 200-day moving average is $542.33.

Parker-Hannifin Announces Dividend

Parker-Hannifin ( NYSE:PH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The industrial products company reported $6.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $0.55. Parker-Hannifin had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 29.08%. The firm had revenue of $5.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.08 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $6.08 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Parker-Hannifin Co. will post 26.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 28th will be issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.13%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 28th. Parker-Hannifins payout ratio is currently 30.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

PH has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Parker-Hannifin from $622.00 to $654.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $618.00 to $610.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $629.00 to $613.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Parker-Hannifin from $595.00 to $645.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $600.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Parker-Hannifin presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $623.00.

View Our Latest Report on PH

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Parker-Hannifin news, Director Joseph Scaminace sold 1,751 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $589.73, for a total transaction of $1,032,617.23. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 3,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,299,947. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, VP Berend Bracht sold 850 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $592.92, for a total value of $503,982.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 3,350 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,986,282. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Joseph Scaminace sold 1,751 shares of Parker-Hannifin stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $589.73, for a total value of $1,032,617.23. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 3,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,299,947. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.03% of the companys stock.

Parker-Hannifin Company Profile

(Free Report)

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to ensure purity and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors used in fluid and gas handling; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment.

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MFS Government Markets Income Trust (NYSE:MGF  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Tuesday, September 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 17th will be given a dividend of 0.0202 per share on Monday, September 30th. This represents a $0.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.49%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 17th. This is an increase from MFS Government Markets Income Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.02.

MFS Government Markets Income Trust has raised its dividend payment by an average of 4.3% per year over the last three years.

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MFS Government Markets Income Trust Stock Up 0.3 %

MGF opened at $3.24 on Thursday. MFS Government Markets Income Trust has a 12 month low of $2.91 and a 12 month high of $3.26. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $3.15 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.12.

MFS Government Markets Income Trust Company Profile

MFS Government Markets Income Trust is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Massachusetts Financial Services Company. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of United States. It primarily invests in investment grade debt instruments. The fund also invests in mortgage backed, U.S.

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Parex Resources Inc. (TSE:PXT  Get Free Report) Director Sigmund Cornelius bought 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$13.16 per share, for a total transaction of C$98,718.75.

Parex Resources Price Performance

Shares of TSE PXT opened at C$13.37 on Thursday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is C$18.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$21.17. Parex Resources Inc. has a twelve month low of C$11.33 and a twelve month high of C$28.23. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.25, a P/E/G ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a quick ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.90.

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Parex Resources (TSE:PXT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported C$0.05 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of C$499.23 million for the quarter. Parex Resources had a net margin of 26.15% and a return on equity of 17.02%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Parex Resources Inc. will post 4.0255814 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Parex Resources Announces Dividend

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be given a dividend of $0.385 per share. This represents a $1.54 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 11.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. Parex Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.38%.

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Scotiabank dropped their price objective on shares of Parex Resources from C$23.00 to C$19.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 30th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded shares of Parex Resources from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and cut their price objective for the stock from C$23.00 to C$17.00 in a report on Thursday, August 29th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Parex Resources from C$23.80 to C$19.50 in a report on Thursday, August 29th. Eight Capital lowered Parex Resources from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the stock from C$32.50 to C$16.00 in a report on Friday, August 30th. Finally, Haywood Securities dropped their price objective on Parex Resources from C$33.00 to C$25.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$25.27.

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About Parex Resources

(Get Free Report)

Parex Resources Inc engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and natural gas in Colombia. The company's principal land holdings and exploration blocks are in Colombia Llanos and Magdalena Basin. It has 55% working interest in Block LLA-34; 100% working interest in Cabrestero Block; and 50% working interest in Capachos Block and Block VIM-1.

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Pilbara Minerals Limited (ASX:PLS  Get Free Report) insider Kathleen Conlon purchased 30,000 shares of Pilbara Minerals stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average price of A$2.86 ($1.95) per share, for a total transaction of A$85,800.00 ($58,367.35).

Pilbara Minerals Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 4.52, a quick ratio of 2.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 17.13.

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Pilbara Minerals Company Profile

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Pilbara Minerals Limited engages in the exploration, development, and operation of mineral resources in Australia. The company primarily explores for lithium. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

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The South China Sea issue has always been the focu...
Pzena Investment Management LLC reduced its position in Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI  Free Report) by 93.2% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,460 shares of the electronics makers stock after selling 20,107 shares during the quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLCs holdings in Acuity Brands were worth $353,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Acuity Brands in the second quarter worth $238,000. Versor Investments LP bought a new position in Acuity Brands in the second quarter worth $1,473,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management lifted its position in Acuity Brands by 32.1% in the second quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 4,218 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $1,018,000 after purchasing an additional 1,026 shares during the period. Picton Mahoney Asset Management bought a new position in Acuity Brands in the second quarter worth $154,000. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in Acuity Brands by 17.4% in the second quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 13,937 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $3,365,000 after purchasing an additional 2,068 shares during the period. 98.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AYI has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered Acuity Brands from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Acuity Brands from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $295.00 to $260.00 in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Acuity Brands from $286.00 to $280.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $279.00.

Acuity Brands Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:AYI opened at $247.00 on Thursday. Acuity Brands, Inc. has a twelve month low of $156.49 and a twelve month high of $272.74. The firm has a market cap of $7.60 billion, a PE ratio of 20.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 2.77. The business has a fifty day moving average of $243.53 and a 200-day moving average of $251.78.

Acuity Brands (NYSE:AYI  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, June 27th. The electronics maker reported $4.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.82 by $0.33. Acuity Brands had a return on equity of 20.97% and a net margin of 10.12%. The company had revenue of $968.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $996.52 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.50 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Acuity Brands, Inc. will post 14.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Acuity Brands Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 18th were paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 18th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.24%. Acuity Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.88%.

About Acuity Brands

(Free Report)

Acuity Brands, Inc provides lighting, lighting controls, building management system, location-aware applications in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Acuity Brands Lighting and Lighting Controls (ABL); and the Intelligent Spaces Group (ISG). The ABL segment provides commercial, architectural, and specialty lighting solutions, as well as lighting controls and components for various indoor and outdoor applications under the A-Light, Aculux, American Electric Lighting, Cyclone, Dark to Light, eldoLED, Eureka, Gotham, Healthcare Lighting, Holophane, Hydrel, Indy, IOTA, Juno, Lithonia Lighting, Luminaire LED, Luminis, Mark Architectural Lighting, nLight, OPTOTRONIC, Peerless, RELOCWiring Solutions, and Sensor Switch.

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Barclays began coverage on shares of RenaissanceRe (NYSE:RNR  Free Report) in a research note published on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage issued an equal weight rating and a $287.00 target price on the insurance providers stock.

RNR has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $257.00 to $240.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of RenaissanceRe from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 28th. Bank of America upped their target price on RenaissanceRe from $334.00 to $347.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. UBS Group reduced their price target on RenaissanceRe from $251.00 to $248.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $265.55.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on RenaissanceRe

RenaissanceRe Trading Up 0.8 %

Shares of RNR opened at $259.04 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $13.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.38. RenaissanceRe has a 1 year low of $186.45 and a 1 year high of $260.97. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $232.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $228.38.

RenaissanceRe (NYSE:RNR  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The insurance provider reported $12.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.88 by $1.53. The firm had revenue of $2.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.93 billion. RenaissanceRe had a net margin of 25.38% and a return on equity of 27.74%. On average, equities analysts expect that RenaissanceRe will post 39.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

RenaissanceRe Dividend Announcement

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 given a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. RenaissanceRes payout ratio is 3.45%.

Insider Activity at RenaissanceRe

In related news, EVP David E. Marra sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 85,544 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,675,120. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.56, for a total value of $561,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 73,915 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,598,352.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David E. Marra sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $230.00, for a total value of $230,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 85,544 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,675,120. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On RenaissanceRe

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in RenaissanceRe by 19.8% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 272 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $63,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its stake in RenaissanceRe by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 610 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $143,000 after buying an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its stake in RenaissanceRe by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 5,714 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,342,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank raised its holdings in shares of RenaissanceRe by 14.9% during the second quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 400 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $89,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its position in shares of RenaissanceRe by 23.0% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 342 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.97% of the companys stock.

About RenaissanceRe

(Get Free Report)

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Property, and Casualty and Specialty segments. The Property segment writes property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance and excess of loss reinsurance to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes, including hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis, as well as winter storms, freezes, floods, fires, windstorms, tornadoes, explosions, and acts of terrorism; and other property class of products, such as proportional reinsurance, property per risk, property reinsurance, binding facilities, and regional U.S.

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Revolution Bars Group plc (LON:RBG  Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as GBX 0.85 ($0.01) and last traded at GBX 0.87 ($0.01), with a volume of 3658894 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.88 ($0.01).

Revolution Bars Group Stock Performance

The companys 50-day simple moving average is GBX 1.16 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 1.59. The stock has a market capitalization of 2.17 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.86 and a beta of 2.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 81.70.

About Revolution Bars Group

(Get Free Report)

Revolution Bars Group plc operates premium bars located in towns or city center high streets in the United Kingdom. Its bars provides food and drink products. The company operates bars and pubs under the Revolution, Revolucion de Cuba, Peach, Playhouse, and Founders & Co brand names. Revolution Bars Group plc was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Ashton-Under-Lyne, the United Kingdom.

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DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,010,000 shares, a decline of 5.1% from the July 31st total of 5,280,000 shares. Approximately 6.2% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 823,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 6.1 days.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DVA has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com cut DaVita from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, June 8th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of DaVita from $139.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of DaVita from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on DaVita from $139.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on DaVita from $169.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $157.00.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on DVA

DaVita Price Performance

DVA stock opened at $151.37 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $143.01 and a 200-day moving average of $138.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.86. DaVita has a 12 month low of $71.51 and a 12 month high of $156.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.94.

DaVita (NYSE:DVA  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $2.59 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.47 by $0.12. DaVita had a net margin of 6.86% and a return on equity of 77.00%. The firm had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.08 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that DaVita will post 9.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at DaVita

In other news, CFO Joel Ackerman sold 64,029 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.06, for a total value of $9,928,336.74. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 111,481 shares in the company, valued at $17,286,243.86. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other DaVita news, CEO Javier Rodriguez sold 32,176 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.93, for a total value of $5,017,203.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 905,659 shares in the company, valued at approximately $141,219,407.87. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Joel Ackerman sold 64,029 shares of DaVita stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.06, for a total transaction of $9,928,336.74. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 111,481 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,286,243.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 113,601 shares of company stock worth $17,525,449. Insiders own 2.00% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Point72 Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in DaVita during the second quarter valued at approximately $9,615,000. Chase Investment Counsel Corp purchased a new stake in shares of DaVita during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,933,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of DaVita by 78.9% during the 2nd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 4,130 shares of the companys stock worth $572,000 after acquiring an additional 1,822 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning grew its position in DaVita by 5.0% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,297 shares of the companys stock worth $1,150,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares in the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its stake in DaVita by 0.3% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 45,244 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,269,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.12% of the companys stock.

About DaVita

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DaVita Inc provides kidney dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure in the United States. The company operates kidney dialysis centers and provides related lab services in outpatient dialysis centers. It also offers outpatient, hospital inpatient, and home-based hemodialysis services; operates clinical laboratories that provide routine laboratory tests for dialysis and other physician-prescribed laboratory tests for ESRD patients; and management and administrative services to outpatient dialysis centers.

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Haemonetics Co. (NYSE:HAE  Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,050,000 shares, an increase of 5.2% from the July 31st total of 4,800,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 652,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 7.7 days. Currently, 10.0% of the companys shares are sold short.

Insider Buying and Selling at Haemonetics

In other Haemonetics news, insider Stewart W. Strong sold 4,312 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.15, for a total transaction of $393,038.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 18,196 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,658,565.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Stewart W. Strong sold 4,312 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.15, for a total value of $393,038.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 18,196 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,658,565.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Anila Lingamneni sold 2,136 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.00, for a total transaction of $192,240.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 21,410 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,926,900. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in HAE. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its position in Haemonetics by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 3,673 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $304,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Haemonetics by 6.9% during the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,031 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in Haemonetics by 2.0% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 14,217 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $1,176,000 after purchasing an additional 272 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its holdings in Haemonetics by 2.1% in the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 14,600 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $1,246,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Michigan Retirement System grew its position in Haemonetics by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 12,474 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,065,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.67% of the companys stock.

Haemonetics Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:HAE opened at $75.00 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $82.75 and its 200 day moving average is $83.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 3.76 and a quick ratio of 2.33. Haemonetics has a 1 year low of $70.74 and a 1 year high of $97.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.75, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.29.

Haemonetics (NYSE:HAE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.03 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $336.17 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $335.08 million. Haemonetics had a net margin of 8.61% and a return on equity of 21.86%. The businesss revenue was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.05 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Haemonetics will post 4.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on HAE shares. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of Haemonetics in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Needham & Company LLC upgraded Haemonetics from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $112.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Haemonetics from $94.00 to $85.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Barrington Research raised their price target on shares of Haemonetics from $107.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Haemonetics has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $107.50.

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About Haemonetics

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Haemonetics Corporation, a healthcare company, provides suite of medical products and solutions in the United States and internationally. The company offers automated plasma collection systems, donor management software, and supporting software solutions including NexSys PCS and PCS2 plasmapheresis equipment and related disposables and solutions, as well as integrated information technology platforms for plasma customers to manage their donors, operations, and supply chain; and NexLynk DMS donor management system and Donor360 app.

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STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, September 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 17th will be given a dividend of 0.09 per share by the semiconductor producer on Friday, December 27th. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.22%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 17th.

STMicroelectronics has raised its dividend by an average of 8.9% annually over the last three years. STMicroelectronics has a payout ratio of 15.7% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect STMicroelectronics to earn $2.14 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.36 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 16.8%.

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STMicroelectronics Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSE STM traded down $0.28 during trading on Thursday, reaching $29.50. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,042,263 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,677,180. The company has a current ratio of 3.35, a quick ratio of 2.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.65 billion, a PE ratio of 7.63, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 1.58. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $35.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $40.10. STMicroelectronics has a 1-year low of $28.19 and a 1-year high of $51.27.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

STMicroelectronics ( NYSE:STM Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The semiconductor producer reported $0.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.04. STMicroelectronics had a return on equity of 18.18% and a net margin of 19.68%. The firm had revenue of $3.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.55 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.06 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 25.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that STMicroelectronics will post 1.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

STM has been the topic of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of STMicroelectronics from a sell rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price target for the company from $35.50 to $45.80 in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Morgan Stanley cut STMicroelectronics from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on STMicroelectronics from $54.00 to $41.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. StockNews.com raised shares of STMicroelectronics from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Craig Hallum cut their target price on STMicroelectronics from $48.00 to $42.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $43.13.

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STMicroelectronics Company Profile

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STMicroelectronics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Automotive and Discrete Group; Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group; and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group segments.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report published on Monday.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on shares of STMicroelectronics from $54.00 to $41.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. TD Cowen cut their target price on STMicroelectronics from $50.00 to $40.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of STMicroelectronics from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Craig Hallum decreased their price target on shares of STMicroelectronics from $48.00 to $42.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded STMicroelectronics from a sell rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $35.50 to $45.80 in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Four research 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 presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $43.13.

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STMicroelectronics Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE STM opened at $29.76 on Monday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $40.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.89 billion, a PE ratio of 7.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 1.58. The company has a current ratio of 3.35, a quick ratio of 2.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. STMicroelectronics has a 12 month low of $28.19 and a 12 month high of $51.27.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The semiconductor producer reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.04. STMicroelectronics had a net margin of 19.68% and a return on equity of 18.18%. The company had revenue of $3.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.55 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.06 EPS. STMicroelectronicss quarterly revenue was down 25.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that STMicroelectronics will post 1.66 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Creative Planning increased its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 36.6% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 59,604 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $2,341,000 after acquiring an additional 15,985 shares during the last quarter. Scientech Research LLC purchased a new stake in STMicroelectronics during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $381,000. Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC boosted its position in STMicroelectronics by 25.0% in the 2nd quarter. Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC now owns 50,000 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $1,975,000 after buying an additional 10,000 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can increased its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 50.3% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 47,425 shares of the semiconductor producers stock worth $1,903,000 after acquiring an additional 15,870 shares during the period. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd boosted its holdings in STMicroelectronics by 581.9% in the second quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd now owns 225,428 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $8,855,000 after purchasing an additional 192,369 shares during the period. 5.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

STMicroelectronics Company Profile

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STMicroelectronics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Automotive and Discrete Group; Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group; and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group segments.

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Strategy Asset Managers LLC increased its position in shares of Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE:DC  Free Report) by 141.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 45,900 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 26,900 shares during the quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC owned about 0.05% of Dakota Gold worth $117,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in shares of Dakota Gold during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in shares of Dakota Gold by 28.3% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 15,562 shares of the companys stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 3,437 shares in the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Dakota Gold during the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in shares of Dakota Gold by 17.3% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 80,867 shares of the companys stock worth $206,000 after acquiring an additional 11,926 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Dakota Gold by 32.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 194,347 shares of the companys stock worth $496,000 after acquiring an additional 47,172 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 37.41% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Dakota Gold news, CAO Patrick Shay Malone sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.45, for a total transaction of $66,150.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 228,846 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $560,672.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Dakota Gold news, insider James Mccoy Berry acquired 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $2.48 per share, with a total value of $49,600.00. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 273,752 shares of the companys stock, valued at $678,904.96. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Patrick Shay Malone sold 27,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.45, for a total transaction of $66,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 228,846 shares in the company, valued at $560,672.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 26.02% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Dakota Gold Trading Down 1.8 %

NYSE:DC opened at $2.14 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $188.31 million, a PE ratio of -4.86 and a beta of 1.11. Dakota Gold Corp. has a twelve month low of $1.84 and a twelve month high of $3.25. The companys 50 day moving average is $2.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.42.

Dakota Gold (NYSE:DC  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 13th. The company reported ($0.10) earnings per share for the quarter.

About Dakota Gold

(Free Report)

Dakota Gold Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in the United States. It primarily explores for gold deposits. The company holds 100% interest in the Blind Gold, City Creek, Tinton, West Corridor, Ragged Top, Poorman Anticline, Maitland, South Lead/ Whistler Gulch, the Barrick Option, Richmond Hill and Homestake Paleoplacer Properties located in Homestake Mining District, South Dakota.

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Strategy Asset Managers LLC bought a new position in KBR, Inc. (NYSE:KBR  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 4,255 shares of the construction companys stock, valued at approximately $277,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its stake in KBR by 17.5% in the second quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,204 shares of the construction companys stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 179 shares during the period. CWM LLC grew its position in shares of KBR by 39.4% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 817 shares of the construction companys stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 231 shares in the last quarter. Harbour Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of KBR by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Harbour Capital Advisors LLC now owns 54,135 shares of the construction companys stock worth $3,412,000 after buying an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of KBR by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 37,473 shares of the construction companys stock worth $2,076,000 after buying an additional 293 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of KBR by 27.7% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,457 shares of the construction companys stock worth $93,000 after buying an additional 316 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.02% of the companys stock.

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KBR Trading Down 0.7 %

KBR stock opened at $66.73 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $65.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $64.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.10. KBR, Inc. has a one year low of $49.37 and a one year high of $69.50. The stock has a market cap of $8.96 billion, a PE ratio of -34.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.90.

KBR Announces Dividend

KBR ( NYSE:KBR Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The construction company reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.79 by $0.04. KBR had a return on equity of 27.92% and a net margin of 2.77%. The company had revenue of $1.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.88 billion. On average, research analysts anticipate that KBR, Inc. will post 3.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. KBRs payout ratio is -31.25%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

KBR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. DA Davidson reissued a buy rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of KBR in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. StockNews.com downgraded KBR from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. UBS Group raised their price objective on KBR from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on KBR from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, KBR currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $76.00.

View Our Latest Research Report on KBR

Insider Transactions at KBR

In other news, insider Jalal Ibrahim sold 35,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.56, for a total value of $2,329,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 106,550 shares in the company, valued at $7,091,968. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.08% of the companys stock.

KBR Company Profile

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KBR, Inc provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. It operates through Government Solutions and Sustainable Technology Solutions segments. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

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First Dallas Securities Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 46.4% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 11,678 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,701 shares during the quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $2,030,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in TSM. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 226.9% in the 2nd quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 1,180 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $205,000 after buying an additional 819 shares during the last quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.2% in the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,304 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $574,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc grew its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 5.6% in the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 722,608 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $125,596,000 after purchasing an additional 38,381 shares during the period. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 26.7% during the second quarter. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,051 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $356,000 after purchasing an additional 432 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mattern Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 24.2% during the second quarter. Mattern Capital Management LLC now owns 4,295 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $747,000 after purchasing an additional 837 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the companys stock.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Up 1.5 %

NYSE:TSM traded up $2.43 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $163.30. The stock had a trading volume of 3,191,029 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,803,685. The company has a market cap of $846.94 billion, a PE ratio of 31.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.14. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $170.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $154.82. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a 1-year low of $84.01 and a 1-year high of $193.47. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.48 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.11. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 37.85% and a return on equity of 25.54%. The business had revenue of $20.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.33 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.14 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 34.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 6.45 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 12th will be issued a $0.4871 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 12th. This represents a $1.95 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.19%. This is an increase from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio is currently 37.52%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

TSM has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays upped their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $168.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $130.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Susquehanna restated a positive rating and issued a $250.00 price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $150.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, June 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $200.00.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Profile

(Free Report)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides a range of wafer fabrication processes, including processes to manufacture complementary metal- oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, embedded memory, bipolar CMOS mixed-signal, and others.

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The move puts Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus minority at risk of falling at any time in the coming weeks or months if it loses any confidence votes, which could trigger a snap election as soon as this fall.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a video released by the NDP on Wednesday that the Liberals have let people down and failed to take on corporate greed.

He also pitched the NDP as the only party that can stop a surging Conservative Party from winning the next election, arguing the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people.

Today, I have notified the prime minister that I have ripped up the supply-and-confidence agreement, Singh said.

Big corporations and wealthy CEOs have had their government. Its the peoples time.

The House of Commons is set to reconvene from the summer break on Sept. 16, after which the NDP will be voting on government bills on a case-by-case basis, a party official told Global News.

The NDP official told Global News on background that the video was shot some time ago, and that the decision to pull out of the deal has been in the works for months.

The official added a key reason for pulling the trigger now was a fundamental difference in values on corporate greed between the two parties.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations about the decision. No one from the NDP was made available to speak to media Wednesday.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has urged Singh to pull out of the deal, called Wednesdays announcement a media stunt and criticized the NDP leader for not committing to a non-confidence vote.

My message to Sellout Singh is this: if youre serious about ending your costly carbon tax coalition with Trudeau, then commit today to voting for a carbon tax election at the earliest confidence vote in the House of Commons, Poilievre told reporters in Nanaimo, B.C.

Multiple bills are still outstanding in the House that would need support from the NDP or another party to pass. They include the Online Harms Act and legislation addressing rail and port safety, airport standards, advance voting expansions and changes to the military justice system and how it handles sexual misconduct cases.

A likely candidate for a potential confidence vote would be the fall economic statement thats typically delivered in October or November. Confidence votes can also be put forward by the opposition by declaring a lack of confidence in the government or at the prerogative of the government, which can designate any matter it chooses as a matter of confidence.

Poilievre indicated Wednesday the Conservatives are prepared to introduce a confidence motion at the earliest opportunity.

Trudeau: 'I am not focused on politics'

At an announcement in Newfoundland and Labrador Wednesday, Trudeau wouldnt say if an election was imminent, telling reporters a vote will come in the coming year, hopefully not until next fall.

I am not focused on politics, he said, highlighting actions the government has taken to try and bring costs down for Canadians.

I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics.

Trudeau wouldnt say what conversations he had with Singh leading up to Wednesdays announcement, but said he hopes to continue working with the NDP on legislation.

4:35 Not focused on politics: Trudeau reacts to NDP pulling out of supply-and-confidence deal with Liberals

The NDP entered into the supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals in 2022, months after voters returned the Liberals to government with another minority in late 2021.

Supply and confidence deals are different than coalition governments, which are when members from more than one party serve in cabinet together, governing jointly.

Under the terms of the agreement, the NDP would ensure the Liberals stay in power until the next mandated election in 2025, in exchange for the government backing key NDP priorities.

The deal has allowed the NDP to achieve legislative wins on pharmacare and dental care, two of the partys biggest platform pillars.

But Singh and his caucus have railed against the Liberals for not doing more to tackle rising profits among corporations and executives amid the cost-of-living crisis. Calls to tax those excess profits and raise corporate taxes higher have not yielded action from the government.

The NDP sharply criticized the governments intervention in the labour dispute that caused last months rail shutdown, accusing the Liberals of undermining union bargaining.

Singh criticizes Trudeaus imposition of binding arbitration on rail workers: Shameful

At the time, Singh declined to answer if he would pull out of the supply-and-confidence agreement over the labour dispute, but accused Trudeau of standing on the side of corporations against working Canadians.

The NDP has also criticized the governments approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict, though the Liberals supported a motion that froze additional arms sales to Israel earlier this year.

NDP support stagnant as Liberals slide

Singh has been under increasing pressure to pull out of the deal  particularly from the opposition Conservatives, who have been itching for a snap election as they lead Trudeaus Liberals in the polls by double digits.

An Angus Reid survey released Wednesday found the Conservatives leading the Liberals 43 to 21 per cent, a gap that is three times what it was in 2022. Support for the NDP, meanwhile, has remained relatively stagnant during that same period, standing at 19 per cent in Wednesdays poll.

In June, close to 70 per cent of Canadians polled by Ipsos for Global News said Trudeau should resign as prime minister.

1:52 Liberals stand by Trudeau after byelection loss

Ipsos also found 70 per cent of Canadians believe that Canada is broken, a charge regularly made by Poilievre. The sentiment was felt most strongly by younger Canadians who have gravitated toward the Conservatives in opinion polls.

The Conservatives have sought to tie the NDP to the unpopular Liberals by referring to the supply-and-confidence agreement as the Liberal-NDP coalition.

Poilievre last week held a press conference and sent a letter to Singh demanding he pull out of the deal and trigger a carbon tax election. He reiterated accusations that Singh was only staying in the deal to qualify for a government pension which require six years in office.

Poilievre and Trudeau have both already qualified. Singh became an MP on Feb. 25, 2019, meaning he would hit that six-year benchmark in early 2025.

With additional files from Globals Touria Izri
Teck Resources Ltd (TSE:TECK.B  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Buy from the eleven analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$76.60.

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their target price on Teck Resources from C$80.00 to C$76.00 in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Teck Resources from C$80.00 to C$77.00 in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Eight Capital boosted their target price on shares of Teck Resources from C$72.00 to C$75.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Scotiabank decreased their price target on shares of Teck Resources from C$84.00 to C$78.00 in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Teck Resources from C$76.00 to C$74.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 25th.

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Teck Resources Stock Performance

Teck Resources Company Profile

Shares of TECK.B stock opened at C$60.91 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 37.46. Teck Resources has a 12-month low of C$47.47 and a 12-month high of C$74.37. The businesss 50 day moving average is C$65.11 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$64.23. The company has a market capitalization of C$31.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.83, a P/E/G ratio of -0.38 and a beta of 1.36.

(Get Free Report

Teck Resources Limited researches, explores for, develops, and produces natural resources in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through five segments: Steelmaking, Coal, Copper, Zinc, Energy, and Corporate. The company's principal products include steelmaking coal; copper concentrates and refined copper cathodes; refined zinc and zinc concentrates; energy products, such as bitumen; and lead concentrates.

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NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG  Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $110.00 to $120.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the utilities providers stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target would suggest a potential upside of 53.30% from the stocks previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of NRG Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of NRG Energy from $73.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of NRG Energy from $70.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $72.57.

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NRG Energy Stock Down 1.1 %

NRG stock traded down $0.85 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $78.28. The companys stock had a trading volume of 374,835 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,442,024. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.51. The company has a market capitalization of $16.32 billion, a PE ratio of 11.09 and a beta of 1.10. NRG Energy has a 12 month low of $36.61 and a 12 month high of $87.58. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $78.20 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $74.23.

NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The utilities provider reported $3.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $1.82. The business had revenue of $6.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.32 billion. NRG Energy had a net margin of 7.19% and a return on equity of 43.69%. NRG Energys quarterly revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.10 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that NRG Energy will post 4.45 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NRG Energy

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Banco Santander S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of NRG Energy during the 2nd quarter worth about $217,671,000. Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC increased its position in shares of NRG Energy by 253.2% during the 1st quarter. Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC now owns 1,766,000 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $119,541,000 after purchasing an additional 1,266,000 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of NRG Energy by 11.1% during the 1st quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 1,610,562 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $109,007,000 after purchasing an additional 160,415 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in shares of NRG Energy by 65.8% during the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,596,684 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $124,318,000 after purchasing an additional 633,765 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zimmer Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of NRG Energy during the 1st quarter worth about $64,306,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.72% of the companys stock.

NRG Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

NRG Energy, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and home services company in the United States and Canada. It operates through Texas; East; West/Services/Other; Vivint Smart Home; and Corporate Activities segments. The company produces and sells electricity generated using coal, oil, solar, and battery storage; natural gas; and a cloud-based home platform, including hardware, software, sales, installation, customer service, technical support, and professional monitoring solutions.

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Zuora, Inc. (NYSE:ZUO  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the seven analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $11.86.

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on ZUO shares. Craig Hallum cut shares of Zuora from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their target price for the stock from $12.00 to $10.00 in a research report on Monday, July 8th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Zuora from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Zuora from $8.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 28th. Canaccord Genuity Group reissued a buy rating and issued a $13.00 price objective on shares of Zuora in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Lake Street Capital upped their price target on shares of Zuora from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd.

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Insider Activity

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other news, insider Andrew M. Cohen sold 3,861 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.71, for a total value of $33,629.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 148,640 shares in the company, valued at $1,294,654.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . In other news, insider Andrew M. Cohen sold 3,861 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.71, for a total value of $33,629.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 148,640 shares in the company, valued at $1,294,654.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, CFO Todd Mcelhatton sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.72, for a total transaction of $87,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 310,622 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,708,623.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders sold 372,666 shares of company stock worth $3,408,961. 8.62% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ZUO. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in Zuora during the 2nd quarter valued at $44,000. CWM LLC boosted its stake in Zuora by 25.0% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 7,945 shares of the companys stock valued at $79,000 after acquiring an additional 1,590 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Zuora during the 1st quarter valued at $83,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new position in Zuora during the 2nd quarter valued at $85,000. Finally, Williams Financial LLC bought a new position in Zuora during the 2nd quarter valued at $119,000. 83.02% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Zuora Stock Performance

Shares of ZUO opened at $8.58 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.77, a quick ratio of 2.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. The stock has a market cap of $1.25 billion, a P/E ratio of -19.94 and a beta of 1.72. The company has a 50-day moving average of $8.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.21. Zuora has a 12-month low of $7.05 and a 12-month high of $10.85.

Zuora (NYSE:ZUO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 21st. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $115.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $112.63 million. Zuora had a negative net margin of 10.60% and a negative return on equity of 12.54%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($0.12) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Zuora will post -0.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Zuora

(Get Free Report

Zuora, Inc provides a monetization suite for modern businesses to help companies launch and scale new services and operate dynamic customer-centric business models. The company offers Zuora Billing that allows customers to deploy various pricing and packaging strategies to monetize their recurring revenue streams, bill customers, calculate prorations when subscriptions change, and automate billing and payment operations; Zuora Revenue, a revenue recognition and automation solution that accounting teams use to manage their complex revenue streams; Zuora Payments to provide payment orchestration services for companies looking to operate globally; and Zephr, a digital subscriber experience platform that helps companies orchestrate dynamic experiences that increase conversion, reduce churn, and nurture ongoing subscriber relationships.

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Abhishek Sahu covers HR and Education (Careers) at Moneycontrol. He can be reached at Abhishek.Sahu@nw18.com and @Abhishek44sahu.
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A Pennsylvania man who pleaded guilty to the statutory sexual assault of a 13-year-old Grand Island girl has been sentenced in a Pennsylvania court to nine to 18 years in prison, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Dale R. Kumler, 26, of Glen Rock, Pa., was sentenced Wednesday in York County Court to the prison term plus three years of probation, the District Attorney's Office here said in a news release.

Under an agreement with Pennsylvania prosecutors that was consented to by the victim and her mother, a second-degree kidnapping charge Kumler faced here has been dropped as a condition of his plea, prosecutors said.

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Sacramento, CA  The Democratic leader of the California Senate from 2005-08 made an announcement outside of the state capitol on Wednesday.

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Yves here. This is one of the few proposals I have seen regarding how to advance the BRICS aim to reduce its members use of dollars in trade transactions. Note the crypto-blockchain whiz bangery is not a part of this, although it could be grafted on for sex appeal. This is still effectively a bilateral trade scheme, but the use of an intermediate accounting currency is expected to lower transaction costs, as it did with the ECU. As this article indicates, the ECU came to be traded and even used as central bank reserves. The private sector trading not on a large scale but apparently sufficient to provide for pricing seen as reliable, but that did not happen quickly. I spent the summer of 1984 (the ECU had been launched in 1979) consulting to Citibanks London treasury operation, which including its foreign exchange trading, then the largest in the world. ECU trading was so de minimus as to not even be worth thinking about then.

Mind you, theres a fundamental conflict here seldom acknowledged. A big rallying cry of BRICS is increasing national sovereignity. This article points out that the ECU is now seen as a stepping stone toward a common currency, which any MMT advocate or observer of EU fiscal rules or watcher of the ECB will tell you would represent a substantial loss of national sovereignity were BRICS to go there. Even though Micheal Hudson has highlighted a bancor-type scheme as an alternative, that too entails a loss of national soverignity. A big aim of a bancor system is to force balanced trade by imposing penalties on both trade surplus and trade deficit nations. But the trade surplus country faces more severe sanctions. Mercantilism has long been a very popular economic strategy since it amounts to taking demand from trade partners. Countries like China that see their surpluses as the result of technical prowess and investment will almost certainly reject this sort of curb.

By Nicholas Shubitz, an independent BRICS analyst. Originally published at BusinessLive; cross posted from InfoBRICS

The deputy foreign minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Ryabkov, has stated that under Russias chairmanship of Brics in 2024, the bloc should consider creating a form of mutual settlements similar to the European currency unit (ecu) that served as the precursor to the euro.

He clarified that he was not proposing a common currency but rather a unit of account for clearing trade that would lower the costs associated with converting foreign exchange.

The ecu was a basket of currencies used as the unit of account for the European Community before it was eventually replaced by the euro in 1999. Apart from its official role in the European Monetary Union, a private market for the ecu developed, allowing its use in monetary transactions and for denominating financial instruments, including bonds.

Unlike the euro, the ecu was simply an electronic unit of account without any official coins or notes that could be used for cash transactions (though some commemorative tokens that could be used as legal tender were produced in Gibraltar). The value of the ecu was based on a weighted basket of European currencies, the weighting of which was determined by the relative size of each member states economy.

The ecu attracted bond investors because bonds denominated in the currency were better diversified than other European sovereign debt, which came with individual currency risk. The adoption of a similar system within Brics could similarly increase demand for Brics securities.

Another benefit of the ecu was that it helped reduce currency risk for European businesses. By using a single currency for financial transactions businesses could avoid some of the costs and risks associated with currency exchange. This could benefit Brics as forex transaction costs can account for as much as 3%-5% of global trade.

Cost reductions associated with currency volatility (including the need to purchase derivative contracts to hedge against currency fluctuations) could help boost inter-Brics trade. Combined with the ability to denominate bonds in a diversified joint unit of account, these benefits make a Brics currency based on the ecu an intriguing suggestion.

Trade Balance

At the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, British economist John Maynard Keynes proposed the adoption of a new currency he hoped would address imbalances in global trade relations. Though his suggestion was ultimately rejected, the idea is of particular relevance today, with trade imbalances emerging as a source of geopolitical tension.

Keynes suggested a supranational unit of account (the bancor) be used within a multilateral clearing system for settling international trade. While individuals would not hold or trade the currency, all international trade would be valued and cleared in bancor, with surpluses and deficits accruing penalties so as to encourage balanced trade.

The economists scheme may have been somewhat extreme, favouring balanced trade over all other considerations. Nevertheless, if a portion of trade between Brics states were conducted under such a system it could encourage states such as China to purchase more goods from nations with which it runs a trade surplus, with obvious benefits for the other Brics members.

This would certainly resolve one issue with SAs Brics membership in that the country has trade deficits with most of the Brics states while running a surplus with the West. Under a bancor style system, if SA runs a trade deficit with Saudi Arabia because we import Saudi oil, Saudi Arabia would have an incentive to spend those earnings purchasing goods from SA to avoid the penalties charged by the clearing house.

Alternatively, adjusting the weighting of the Brics currency basket offers another way in which trade imbalances can be addressed within the grouping. Basing the weighting of the basket on export volumes within inter-Brics trade could strengthen the currencies of Brics states that run trade surpluses, improving the balance of trade between the respective member states.

On the other hand, an equal weighting, which ignores economic output or trade volumes, would allow a Brics unit of account to be used without influencing trade dynamics. This may appeal to countries such as China and Russia, as their inter-Brics trade surpluses would be unaffected by the use of the new currency, while still offering obvious benefits for smaller countries in the Brics by increasing demand for their currencies.

Suggestions that the Brics could adopt a system similar to the ecu become particularly interesting when one considers that before the introduction of the euro, the ecu already had international status as a global reserve currency, with central banks holding ecus within their forex reserves.

The adoption of a similar mechanism within Brics would give central banks the opportunity to diversify their reserve holdings with the Brics reserve currency (BRC). Based on a basket of Brics currencies, the BRC would be more stable than any individual Brics currency, making it attractive to central banks, while the New Development Bank could issue BRC-denominated bonds to raise development capital for infrastructure projects within the member states.

With a balance between food and energy importers and exporters within Brics and modest trade relations between many of the members, there is a relatively low degree of correlation between the Brics currencies. This would potentially make a Brics unit of account (based on a weighted basket of Brics currencies) even more stable than the ecu, which still came with geographic risk concentrations due to its exposure to Europe and inter-European trade. The Brics units stability would be further supported by Chinas exchange rate controls and Saudi Arabias dollar peg.

Increased trade efficiencies, reduced currency risk and greater access to development finance offer benefits to the Brics that make the adoption of a joint unit of account similar to the ecu an exciting prospect. That such a currency may be used as an alternative global reserve currency is another advantage.

While trade imbalances between members make a joint unit more attractive than a switch to trade in domestic currencies, it is unlikely this important issue will be resolved, and it remains to be seen whether the bloc will be able to implement its ambitious proposals.
This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 143 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal. Clover, or Wise. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year,, and our current goal, strengthening our IT infrastructure.

Beekeeper inspired by grandfathers long lost hives BBC

Dancing raisins  a simple kitchen experiment reveals how objects can extract energy from their environment and come to life The Conversation. From May, still fun.

US economic activity falling in more districts, says Feds Beige Book Anadolu Agency

Is the Everything Bubble About to Pop? Charles Hugh Smith, Of Two Minds

Climate

#NatlPrep: National Preparedness Month 2024 Kicks Off Avian Flu Diary

Syndemics

China?

Bangladesh launches drive to recover looted weapons and Bangladesh factories close after protests: Police Channel News Asia

Syraqistan

European Disunion

Dear Old Blighty

New Not-So-Cold War

BRICS enables Russia to displace US farmers Glenn Diesen, Glenns Substack (MT).

The Caribbean

Blinken to visit Haiti as US-backed mission to take on gangs struggles The Hill

2024

The Supremes

Digital Watch

Healthcare

Everybody Hates a Tourist

Imperial Collapse Watch

The End of Western Pluralist Democracy Craig Murray

Class Warfare

Tree of Peace, Spark of War JSTOR

Antidote du jour (Mdf):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
By Matt Stoller, author of Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy and the research director of the American Economic Liberties Project who writes regularly at Substack

Im a former writer for Naked Capitalism, and someone who has learned a lot over the years from Yves Smith and the crew here. I spend a lot of time focused on laws against monopolization, which is to say, antitrust. And despite the fact antitrust is what I do, I still learn about the broader impact of policy from this site.

Take the piece from a few days ago by Conor Gallagher on how the suit against landlords and RealPage has caused a spike in homelessness. Gallagher connected investment in RealPage to dozens of public pension funds, showing the truth today of what Louis Brandeis once noted, that The fetters which bind the people are forged from the peoples own gold.

But Brandeis had another phrase, which I really love, and which bears upon why Naked Capitalism matters. Despotism, be it financial or political, is vulnerable, unless it is believed to rest upon a moral sanction. The longing for freedom is ineradicable. It will express itself in protest against servitude and inaction unless the striving for freedom be made to seem immoral.

The truth of oppression is that it is done with the assent of the public, not because we accept it willingly, but because we come to believe that we cannot resist. And yet, we can. And it is voices like those you read on this site who remind us of that, a lighthouse for our morality. In these dark times, times when most seem confused and frustrated, it is the donations that you provide that helps keep that light on.

So if you can, give. Give generously. Please go to the donation page to support this community.

And if you cannot, that is ok. Just read and learn, because we must all keep that light on, for ourselves.

Over the years, Naked Capitalism has, like our world, changed substantially. New writers have floated in, old ones have left, and the topics have shifted.

I started reading this site in 2006, when the financial crisis was starting its earth-shaking rumbles, and no one knew anything about what was going on. Yves Smith actually delved into the details, as a lone voice describing the machinations of the mortgage market. Yves actually figured out that the establishment narrative was bullshit, figuring out that a few predatory hedge funds were rigging the credit markets. But she followed this as a financial and a political story, ignoring the artificial divisions the press likes to carve out by separating their government and banking coverage.

(Also, she knew the Michael Lewis narrative was bullshit years before he came out with his absurd book on Sam Bankman-Fried. I know thats not relevant to this piece, but you can never say enough about Lewiss self-promotional nonsense.)

And it mattered. And not because of one lone dissident writer, but because Naked Capitalism was a community where the genuinely curious could gather and learn from one another, a place where we could all realize that no, were not crazy, the men in suits are actually doing things beyond belief.

Today the topics and writers have changed, but the detail-oriented writing and sense of outrage hasnt. Its as likely Ill see something on Nigerias disastrous experiment with digital currencies, Honduras leaving the neoliberal international investor tribunal system, or rental collusion and homelessness.

And something else hasnt changed. The courage. Naked Capitalism, like a lot of independent sites, is under threat by Google, told to shape up or get de-listed from the internet. Most publishers just fold up shop under threat, but not this community. You guys fight back, win or lose. This site, this community, agree or not, is one that must be reckoned with.

And thats worth preserving. So give, if you can. Please go to the Tip Jar to keep Naked Capitalism fit and fierce.

I dont always agree with what you write. In fact, I often dont. But I read Naked Capitalism, and the commenters (love you guys!) because theres a heterodox style of thinking based on details and substance. Thats critical. I often dont know who to trust, and I know in my area that a lot of the writing and coverage is nonsense. But I have worked with Yves, written for Yves, and read Yves for years. And I know I can trust you to operate free from fear. And thats worth something. In fact, its worth a lot.

I say this every, but Ill say it again because its still true. If you believe, as I do, that a community of truth matters, then give what you can. If you have a lot, give a lot at the donation page. If you have nothing, then give words of encouragement. It all matters.

If you cant afford anything, you can still help by spreading the word about Naked Capitalism by telling friends and family, circulating important stories, posting links on Facebook (or Meta), Twitter (or X) and other horrible social media sites that keep changing their names because everyone hates them.

And now lets talk politics for a second. My grandfather had a joke that I think applies to the world today, and to the upcoming Presidential election. One day, I was feeling down, and my friend said, cheer up, things could be worse. So, I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.

But on the other hand, its not all bleak. At least one of them is going to lose. And either way, well still have this site where we can come together and stare in disbelief at our elites and how stupid they are.
This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 141 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal. Clover, or Wise. Read about why were doing this fundraiser, what weve accomplished in the last year,, and our current goal, strengthening our IT infrastructure.

Yves here. The post below has an extremely important finding: that the damage done by deindustrialization is lasting, extending across generations and even afflicting those able to relocate. This shows that the societal cost of outsourcing and offshoring to health and earning potential. This finding is particularly jarring, since as yours truly has described over many years, at many companies, the financial case for offshoring was often weak and rarely allowed for costs like loss of know-how and increased business risk. A couple of public company executives have told me that even in the face of not-compelling forecasts, they still went ahead with offshoring plans because they knew the announcement would give the stock a pop.

And remember, this study looked at the coal mining industry, with its famously backbreaking and often health-harming labor. But in the UK, these were union jobs, or at least had been union jobs. I was in London on an extended assignment when the Thatcher government was prosecuting its ultimately successful campaign to break the coal miners union. It was front page news most days.

The authors find the shock of a pit closure had a huge, negative lifetime impact on children. Yet our putative betters have handwave answers of the Let them eat training sort.

By Bjorn Brey, Assistant Professor Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and Valeria Rueda, Associate Professor of Economics University Of Nottingham. Originally published at VoxEU

Industrial decline has been directly linked to a worsening of various social and economic indicators. This column examines how the impacts of deindustrialisation in the UK reverberate across generations, finding significant effects on the health, wealth, and living standards of those who grew up under industrial decline. The ability to migrate to wealthier parts of the country is not sufficient to offset these negative effects.

The recent decline in industrial jobs in developed and emerging countries has been linked to worsened health (Case and Deaton 2020, Case 2020), the disintegration of family ties (Autor et al. 2018), and the formation of a geography of political discontent (Autor et al. 2020, Rodriguez-Pose 2018, Rodriguez-Pose et al. 2024). Previously prosperous places are now left behind, with worse relative living standards, education, and productivity (Moretti 2022, Overman and Xu 2022). Few countries in the developed world have seen such stark increases in regional inequality as the UK, the country with the fastest deindustrialisation in the developed world (Mcann 2019, Stansbury et al. 2023).

In this column, we show that deindustrialisation has persistently affected living standards in the UK. Our recent research documents effects on the health, wealth, and living standards of those who grow up under industrial decline. These effects persist even if people migrate out of affected regions, and they carry over generations (Brey and Rueda 2024). Industrial decline thus not only affects those who work in endangered industries; their children and their grandchildren are also durably worse off. Moreover, the availability of better economic conditions elsewhere does not fully mitigate this impact. Deindustrialisation thus directly threatens equality of opportunities for future generations.

We focus on the collapse of the British coal industry, one of the starkest cases of industrial decline in the 20th century. Economic historians have extensively written about the importance of Britains coal in the Industrial Revolution (e.g. Pomeranz 2000, Allen 2009, Wrigley 2010, Fernihough and ORourke 2021). Coal mining employed more than 700,000 people by the end of the 1950s. That number halved within a decade, following the industrys most dramatic shrinkage post WW2 (see Figure 1). Waves of pit closures continued washing over British coal production until its virtual disappearance in the 1990s. Today, the former coalfields consistently rank among areas with the highest levels of deprivation in the country, a matter of sufficient public concern to grant the formation of an all-party parliamentary research group working on policy proposals for these regions (All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coalfield Communities 2023).

Figure 1 Employment in mining in the UK in the twentieth century

Note: See Brey and Rueda (2024) for details.

Our paper estimates the impact of mine closures on those who experienced this economic shock as children. We leverage longitudinal data that follows all children born during a week of 1958 and of 1970 (UK Longitudinal Studies). These data allow us to track people throughout their life and gather information on their parents and their children. We combine them with data produced and shared by the Northern Mine Research Society giving information on all coal mines that have operated in the UK. We can thus compare outcomes, at each life stage, between counties and cohorts, depending on their exposure to mine closures and conditional on a rich set of controls. We ensure that our findings are not driven by unobserved confounders of pit closures and living standards in a variety of ways. In particular, we verify that before the shock, children are comparable: at birth, there is no relation between health outcomes and socioeconomic conditions depending on later exposure to the shock. Moreover, using fixed effects, we account for determinants of living standards that are specific to each county and to each cohort. Finally, we use an instrumental variable that exploits the fact that older pits were closed first.

Finding 1: Individuals Exposed to Pit Closures During Childhood Have Worse Health Throughout Life

Individuals who grow up in counties with a higher ratio of pit closures to population are significantly shorter. Height, a well-established indicator of overall health and living conditions, correlates with economic outcomes in adulthood (e.g. Hatton 2014). Height gaps are strongest in early childhood; despite some catching-up, a significant difference persists into adulthood (see Figure 2). This adult gap  4% of a z-score, or 0.3 cm  is substantial, comparable to the lower-bound estimated impact of the Irish famine on survivors height (Blum et al. 2022).

Figure 2 Effect of pit closures relative to the population on height over life

Note: Coefficients are standardised.

Furthermore, those exposed to pit closures in childhood have BMIs that lean more towards extreme categories, with the effect on overweight categories starting in adolescence to mid-30s and the one on underweight categories starting later in life (see Figure 3). Further analysis reveals that the impact on underweight is stronger for women, while that of overweight is slightly more pronounced for men.

Finally, we also observe worse indicators of general physical health in childhood and higher incidences of a variety of health conditions in adulthood such as diabetes, back pain, and cancer. We also observe worse self-reported mental health in adulthood, including a markedly higher likelihood of states of depression (see Figure 4).

Figure 3 Effect of exposure to pit closure relative to the population on extreme BMI categories over life

Note: Coefficients are standardised.

Figure 4 Effect of exposure to pit closure relative to the population on reporting states of depression over life

Note: Coefficients are standardised.

Finding 2: Pit Closures Are Associated with Worse Living Conditions in Childhood

What can explain the durable impact of pit closure on health? Figure 5 illustrates that mine closures correlate with more deprived living conditions in in mid-childhood (age 10): parents are more likely to have worse employment outcomes, to have taken weeks off work due to illness and to receive benefits; children receive fewer resources from the family, as proxied by leisure expenses and a higher propensity to receive free school meals; finally, their housing conditions are worse following a variety of indicators. In sum, affected children experience economic hardship in childhood, potentially explaining worse health outcomes over life.

Figure 5 Effect of exposure to pit closure relative to the population on living environment of children

Finding 3: Individuals Exposed to Pit closures During Childhood Accumulate Less Wealth as Adults and Their Children Are Less Healthy

How persistent is this effect? Does it affect economic conditions in adulthood? Does it carry through to the next generation? Figure 6 shows that the economic impact carries through adulthood, with respondents less likely to be homeowners and more likely to receive benefits, women also tend to earn less (left-hand panel). Moreover, when they have children, their sons and daughters have a more difficult start in life: the parents have them much earlier (teenage years), and the babies are more likely to be born late and to have had some health condition at birth (right-hand side panel, outcome Disorder).

Interestingly, exposure to pit closures in childhood is associated with better education, significantly so for men. This result aligns with previous findings showing that manufacturing and mining industries increase the opportunity cost of education, especially for men (Black et al. 2005, Esposito and Abramson 2021, Franck and Galor 2021). Further research is needed to understand why despite higher male education, exposure to the shock still shapes wealth. Potential explanatory channels are the direct impact of health, inheritance, and assortative matching on the marriage market.

Figure 6 Effect of exposure to pit closure relative to the population of economic conditions in adulthood and children of respondents

Finding 4: Migration is an Imperfect Mitigation Strategy

In the aftermath of local economic shocks, migrating to opportunity is a natural coping strategy. In our case, this was the option favoured by the government and the reason invoked to dismiss any additional targeted support. Longitudinal studies permit tracking movers. We observe three main facts about migration (see Section 5.4 in Brey and Rueda 2024). First, pit closures did not trigger mobility later in life. If anything, the probability of migrating decreases. Although incentives to out-migrate were heightened, the resources to do so decreased, an effect appears to dominate. Second, migration was not accessible to all. Those who migrated were born in families with more educated mothers and fathers or with fewer local ties (younger parents of single-parent households). Finally, the impact of the shock is diminished but not fully reverted after migration. Taken together, our findings suggest that migration was not a perfect solution. Access to it was unequally distributed and those who migrated still see some negative impact.

Lessons

Our research shows that deindustrialisation can durably affect living standards, and the effects are carried across multiple generations. These findings are salient to current policy debates about increasing levels of inequality and poverty in developed countries (e.g. Institute for Fiscal Studies 2024). They highlight that in the absence of any additional support, people born in places that industries have left behind carry health and economic scars that are transmitted to the next generation. These long-lasting consequences are not resolved by access to better opportunities. Few people move, and those who do keep a scar.

See the original post for references
American universities rolling out BANS on anti-Israel protests; any criticism of Zionism to be considered hate speech

Following the lead of New York University (NYU), American colleges and universities are imposing new rules to ban all criticism of Israel as "hate speech" and "antisemitism."

At least 17 schools, including NYU, have already altered their policies to punish students and faculty for disagreeing with Israel's war on Gaza. Some are prohibiting all Israel-related protests while others are going so far as to ban entire student organizations on campus.

In more extreme cases, schools are prohibiting students and faculty from protesting even online while others are expanding their conduct codes to basically keep quiet about Zionism or else face a school tribunal, of sorts, for punishment.

Indiana University, for instance, changed its "expressive activity" policy to ban all protests within 25 feet of university buildings and demonstrations that block "any building, facility, driveway, parking lot or parking ramp."

The University of South Florida is banning all protests after 5 p.m., as well as during the entire final two weeks of every semester. If USF students want to set up a tent or canopy on campus, they will now be required to first get approval  and under no circumstances can anything be left out overnight without prior authorization.

(Related: Some teachers and preachers of prophecy, including Amir Tsarfati, want to justify genocide by claiming that the mass killing of Palestinians is God's will for Israel.)

Zuckerberg, a true Zionist lapdog

At Vanderbilt University, all demonstrations that "require individuals to sleep or gather overnight" are now strictly prohibited. All on-campus displays from now on must also be during daylight hours only, and for no longer than three consecutive days at a time.

The University of California (UC) system says that encampments are no longer allowed on any of its 10 campuses. Protesters are also strictly prohibited from wearing masks or otherwise disguising their identity now that the people doing it are protesting Israel rather than destroying property in solidary with George Floyd.

The California State University (CSU) has implemented the same new rules as the UC system at its 23 statewide campuses.

At Rutgers University in New Jersey, the entire chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is prohibited from the campus until July 2025, which is the same thing George Washington University did except that GWU also kicked out Jewish Voices for Peace, an anti-Zionist Jewish organization.

At Columbia University, SJP is permanently banned from having an Instagram account. The school is so involved in making this new rule stick that it convinced Meta to send a notice to its SJP chapter informing members that their group's account "doesn't follow our Community Guidelines."

The list goes on and on as the Zionist contingent in America makes its moves trying to silence all of their critics. They are really playing their hand now and showing just how many schools, government agencies, corporations and other institutions are under their thumb, hence the systematic abolition of free speech we are witnessing.

It turns out that one of the first entities to start doing all this was Facebook (Meta), which has been working on trying to silence anti-Zionist speech on its platform since at least 2020 when Mark Zuckerberg issued new speech codes banning all Holocaust denial and other content that depicts "Jewish people running the world or controlling major institutions such as media networks, the economy or the government."

"The idea of banning content that promotes stereotypes of Jewish global control came up a year ago, in a meeting with several Jewish groups convened by Facebook, and was pushed primarily by the World Jewish Congress," The Jewish Daily Forward reported at the time.

Is killing in the name of God a valid excuse to persecute the world for speaking against Israel? Find out more at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

InformationLiberation.com

NaturalNews.com
News / National

by Staff reporter

Senator Sengezo Tshabangu from Matabeleland North has accused contractors of misappropriating funds meant for the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road project, which has remained incomplete for 31 years. Tshabangu, who is the leader of the opposition in Parliament, voiced his concerns during a virtual discussion organized by the Bubi Community Parliament (BCP).The Bulawayo-Nkayi Road project, which began in 1993, covers a 158km stretch, but only 65km from Bulawayo to Queens Mine have been completed. Tshabangu criticized the slow progress, noting that at the current rate of 2km per year, it could take up to 90 years to finish. He attributed the delays to corruption among the contractors, claiming that funds have been diverted from the project.Tshabangu also highlighted that the companies involved in the road construction are not from Matabeleland and lack a history of meeting international road standards. He suggested that local companies should be given the opportunity to complete the project and urged Matabeleland residents to form consortiums to bid for the tender.Nkayi South legislator Jabulani Hadebe echoed Tshabangu's sentiments, expressing shock and disappointment over the prolonged delays. He noted that other roads in Zimbabwe, particularly in the eastern regions, have been completed much faster. Hadebe promised to collaborate with other MPs and chiefs to advocate for quicker road construction in the region.The road, intended to connect Bulawayo with Nkayi Centre, was supposed to be completed by 1999. Despite some recent efforts under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2, significant progress remains elusive.
Arkansas Supreme Court confirms radical pro-abortion amendment WONT APPEAR on November ballot

A proposed amendment to add a "right" to abortion to the Arkansas Constitution will not appear on the November ballot after the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that its supporters failed to meet the necessary documentation requirements.

Currently, abortion is illegal in Arkansas except in cases where it is necessary to save a mother's life. However, the proposed "Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024" would have prevented the state from restricting abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization for elective abortions and at any point in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies, or when a physician determines an abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of a woman. The amendment also sought to nullify any state law conflicting with these provisions.

The proposal sought to modify Amendment 68, which states that Arkansas aims to protect the life of every unborn child "to the extent permitted by the Federal Constitution," by adding the words "and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas." This change was intended to support pro-abortion rights within the state.

In January, Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin approved the final version of the amendment. This, in turn, allowed the pro-abortion group Arkansans for Limited Government (ALG) to proceed with gathering signatures. (Related: Abortions drop to ALMOST ZERO in Texas after states near-total ban on infanticide.)

However, in July, Republican Secretary of State John Thurston announced that ALG was 3,322 signatures short of the required 90,704 and had failed to properly identify paid canvassers and confirm they were adequately informed of the requirements for collecting signatures.

The ALG vowed to challenge the decision, but the Arkansas Supreme Court dashed their hopes on Aug. 29.

"We find that the Secretary correctly refused to count the signatures collected by paid canvassers because the sponsor failed to file the paid canvasser training certification," Justice Rhonda Wood wrote in the 4-3 majority opinion.

10 other states still have abortion-related ballot initiatives slated for the November elections

The setback of Arkansas' "right" to abortion ensures that the existing pro-life protections of the state remain intact, but then there are other 10 abortion-related measures set to appear on state ballots in November. States such as Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota are among those with certified abortion-related measures on their ballots.

Arizona : Voters will decide on a Right to Abortion Initiative to establish the fundamental right to abortion before fetal viability.

: Voters will decide on a Right to Abortion Initiative to establish the fundamental right to abortion before fetal viability. Colorado : A measure seeks to constitutionally guarantee abortion rights and allow public funding for abortion.

: A measure seeks to constitutionally guarantee abortion rights and allow public funding for abortion. Florida : Amendment 4 aims to establish a constitutional right to abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health.

: Amendment 4 aims to establish a constitutional right to abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health. Maryland : The Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment seeks to add a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including decisions about abortion.

: The Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment seeks to add a constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including decisions about abortion. Missouri : A proposed amendment would guarantee reproductive freedom, covering various aspects of reproductive health care, including abortion.

: A proposed amendment would guarantee reproductive freedom, covering various aspects of reproductive health care, including abortion. Montana : CI-128 seeks to provide a constitutional right to make decisions about ones pregnancy, including the right to abortion.

: CI-128 seeks to provide a constitutional right to make decisions about ones pregnancy, including the right to abortion. Nebraska : Voters will see two measures: one that prohibits abortions after the first trimester and another that protects the right to abortion until fetal viability.

: Voters will see two measures: one that prohibits abortions after the first trimester and another that protects the right to abortion until fetal viability. Nevada : A proposed initiative would establish a constitutional right to abortion, with regulations applicable only after fetal viability.

: A proposed initiative would establish a constitutional right to abortion, with regulations applicable only after fetal viability. New York : The Equal Protection of Law Amendment would expand protections against discrimination based on sex, pregnancy, reproductive healthcare and related outcomes.

: The Equal Protection of Law Amendment would expand protections against discrimination based on sex, pregnancy, reproductive healthcare and related outcomes. South Dakota: Constitutional Amendment G proposes a trimester framework for regulating abortion.

Meanwhile, states with traditionally conservative legislatures, such as Nebraska and South Dakota, will vote on measures that seek to restrict abortion access, while states like New York and Maryland propose constitutional protections for reproductive freedom.

Since 2010, ballot measures with pro-life campaigns have been defeated in 10 states and passed in six, with all successful measures occurring in states that voted Republican in the previous three presidential elections. However, since 2022, there has been a clear trend: voters have rejected all measures described as pro-life while approving all those championed by pro-choice campaigns.

Meaning, the fight against abortion still has a long way to go.

Watch the video below that shows the anti-life organization Planned Parenthood's mobile abortion truck at the recent Democratic National Convention 2024.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Iowa Supreme Court UPHOLDS states heartbeat law, says theres no right to abortion in state constitution.

Unmistakable presence of EVIL causes some doctor to stop performing ABORTIONS.

Post-Roe infanticide numbers continue to rise, thanks to TELEHEALTH ABORTIONS.

British Labour government to ban silent prayer near abortion clinics.

Woman arrested TWICE for SILENTLY PRAYING outside abortion clinic in Birmingham receives apology and settlement from police.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

BallotPedia.org
Lame duck Biden flooding government departments with unvetted hires before high-tailing it out the door

It appears that the regime of Joe Biden is trying to destroy the United States as much as possible before's White House time is up.

We have learned that rather than do things the established way, the Biden regime is using a hiring authority called Schedule A to pack the Department of Justice (DOJ), and particularly its Environmental, Antitrust, and Immigration divisions, with unvetted people who are likely to remain in their positions long after whoever ends up winning the election this fall gets installed.

What seems to be happening is that the Biden regime, knowing that these appointees will probably remain in their positions well into the next administration's term and even beyond, wants to maintain long-term control over Washington for many years to come.

By packing the DOJ with unvetted people who will surely end up beholden to the hidden powers that put them there, whoever controls Biden will still be able to pull the strings of government from behind the curtain no matter which figurehead gains access to the Oval Office.

(Related: Speaking of "China Joe," as some people refer to Biden, Chinese e-commerce giants Shein, Temu and AliExpress are in hot water after it was determined that many of the Chinese-made consumer products they sell are loaded with toxic chemicals.)

Biden regime appointed 100 immigration judges through Schedule A

Many critics who can see what is happening feel that Biden's people know Donald Trump is slated to win, probably by a landslide, unless massive cheating endeavors are a success. As such, Biden's controllers are planning to make it as difficult as possible for Trump to reverse any of their policies.

Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public's Trust (PPT), is the guy responsible for uncovering the Biden regime's Schedule A hiring spree. He warns that "exploiting non-competitive hiring authorities to fill career civil service positions" will only further erode the public's trust in the U.S. government as a legitimate entity.

PPT was able to get its hands on proof-positive documents showing that the Biden regime, including Kamala Harris who has now been selected by the powers that be and not We the People to be the Democrat candidate this fall, has already hired 100 immigration judges through Schedule A.

"The backlog in immigration courts has skyrocketed from 1.3 million cases in 2020 to over 3 million under Biden-Harris, and these judges will play a crucial role in deciding whether noncitizens can remain in the U.S.," writes Jack Montgomery for The National Pulse.

The overall staff size within the DOJ's Environmental and Natural Resources Division has also ballooned under the Biden regime's Schedule A hiring spree. This particular DOJ division is tasked with enforcing progressive environmental regulations that erode Americans' constitutional rights in the name of being "green."

Research shows that more than half of all American voters fully believe that Biden is ushering in all the migrants to become a massive Democrat voting bloc. If left unchecked, this mass importing of voters will eventually, if it has not already, create a permanent Democrat majority to control the nation forever.

A full 54 percent of voters, as of last April, believe that the Biden regime is "encouraging" illegal aliens to enter the U.S. unlawfully to "create a permanent majority" for Democrats to rule the nation with an iron fist. That percentage has likely increased, by the way, due to all the latest revelations about Biden regime corruption that have come out publicly in the months since.

Will Biden and his cronies succeed at burning down the country on their way out the door? Find out more at Tyranny.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com (1)

NaturalNews.com

TheNationalPulse (2)
Boatloads of illegal migrants making their way into Europe via Spain

As illegal migration picks up speed across the Mediterranean region, Spain is suffering a massive increase in migrant arrivals throughout its Canary Islands, a popular vacation destination.

Before the migrants arrive to Spain's mainland shores, many of them are appearing in places like Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. The video below shows hundreds of illegal migrants waiting at Tenerife's airport to be flown to Spain's mainland:

? This is happening in my country, #Spain! It happened today, at #Tenerife airport (Canary Islands). The government is sending hundreds of illegal immigrants by plane from the Spanish islands to the country's capital. From there they will be distributed by region and soon they pic.twitter.com/CfE2sl1Psh  Ruben Pulido (@rubnpulido) August 25, 2024

The Spanish government is reportedly footing the bill  using taxpayer dollars, of course  to escort illegal migrants from the Spanish islands to the country's capital city of Madrid.

Since last October, the Spanish government has sent a whopping 300,000 illegal migrants who showed up in the Canaries to cities throughout Europe. The migrants are coming from places like Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia, Mali and Morocco, with most of them ending up in France  the vast majority of migrants are sent to France  Germany, Holland, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

(Related: Germany has been leading the way in punishing and excluding native citizens from their normal freedoms while sending migrants to the front of the line for everything, including during the Wuhan coronavirus [COVID-19] "pandemic" when German officials treated migrants better than citizens.)

Canary Islands expecting 70,000 illegal migrants

The few hundred illegal migrants seen in the video above is a mere drop in the bucket. The Canary Islands are expected to receive more than 70,000 illegal migrants in the coming days now that the world knows Spain has become "the biggest gateway for illegal immigration in Europe," to quote Ruben Pulido, a Spanish political analyst.

Pulido says he is routinely threatened for trying to bring these truths to light because there are some very powerful people who are on a mission, it seems, to destroy native Europe and turn it into a massive holding zone for illegal migrants from places like Africa and the Middle East.

Spain's government right now is far-left, so it makes sense what is happening. Ever since Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a socialist, took office, illegal migration has increased dramatically. Between January 1 and August 15 of this year, 22,304 migrants arrived to the Canary Islands  this compared to just 9,864 during the same time period last year.

"That is a 126 percent increase," noted Remix.news.

During the first six months of 2024, Spain as a whole saw 31,115 migrants arrive to its shores, this compared to 18,745 migrants arriving during the same time period in 2023. This represents a more than 60 percent increase.

????? @Vox_es leader @Santi_ABASCAL slams Spanish PM Sanchez on illegal immigration. ?? 'Spain's demographic crisis should be solved by encouraging a higher birth rate, not by "transplanting people from one place to another as if they are vegetables."' pic.twitter.com/GezRSPtZwd  Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) April 24, 2024

Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands regional government, took aim at the European Union (EU) in a recent statement that blames the European globalist bloc for all that is happening.

According to Clavijo, the EU has to do more to stop this "so that the Canaries do not have to bear all the migratory pressure on Europe alone. Clavijo added that the migrants "are arriving in Europe, in Spain, and not only in the Canaries."

"We need massive deportations now!" someone wrote on X about the crisis. "Enough is enough! We must stand together as a whole against the Islamification of Europe in order to preserve our democracies, cultures, and values!"

Illegal migration is destroying the West. Find out more about how it is affecting the United States at InvasionUSA.news.

Sources for this article include:

RMX.news

NaturalNews.com
Elections Canada UNABLE TO REFUTE allegations that CCP agents infiltrated the 2021 federal election

Elections Canada, the main government agency responsible for administering Canadian federal elections and referendums, has essentially admitted that agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) likely infiltrated the 2021 federal election

The agency said it could not conclusively refute the allegations by former Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Alleslev.

On Aug. 26, Alleslev revealed in an affidavit that the Chinese Canadian Community informed her that CCP agents worked as poll workers during the 2021 federal campaign. Alleslev claimed that approximately "half the Chinese Canadian constituents she canvassed" expressed fear of voting due to potential repercussions against themselves or their families, both in Canada and China. (Related: Canada to begin inquiry into allegations that CCP agents meddled in Canadian elections.)

Alleslev also revealed that some constituents think there were CCP agents present in local Elections Canada offices and polling stations.

"Around half the Chinese Canadian constituents she canvassed would tell Ms. Alleslev they were afraid to vote for her because they feared repercussions against themselves or their family members both in Canada and in China," read the affidavit filed by Alleslev and her lawyers. "Some claimed they took the threat seriously because there were agents of the Chinese Communist Party working in the local Elections Canada office and in the polling stations or monitoring outside of the significantly reduced number of polling stations to watch who voted."

In line with this, Elections Canada admitted that no background checks were conducted on volunteers even though all poll workers were required to sign a declaration promising nonpartisanship and the protection of voter secrecy.

"It would be impossible for us to make any kind of determination with certainty," Elections Canada stated. "All poll workers sign a solemn declaration that they will be non-partisan while working at an election and protect the secrecy of the vote."

However, Elections Canada argued that "safeguards are present at every stage of the electoral process" and that transparency is a core principle of electoral democracy.

Foreign Interference Commission to investigate potential foreign infiltration in Canadian elections

This raised questions about the possibility of foreign operatives infiltrating the polls, particularly in Aurora-Oak Ridges, where Alleslev lost her seat to Liberal MP Leah Taylor Roy by 1,460 votes in one of the closest races of the 2021 federal election.

In line with this, the Foreign Interference Commission, headed by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, was established to investigate potential interference by China, Russia and other foreign or non-state actors in Canada's 43rd and 44th general elections in 2019 and 2021, respectively. The Commission seeks to uncover the truth about any impacts on the integrity of these elections.

Earlier this year, Hogue pledged to remain impartial and committed to uncovering the truth.

"Commission lawyers and I are neutral and impartial," said Hogue. "We represent the public interest. Our goal is to uncover the truth whatever it may be Foreign interference in our democratic institutions is a very serious issue."

To date, the commission already identified 13 electoral districts with suspicious activities and will continue hearings in September.

CommunistChina.news has more stories related to China and the Chinese Communist Party.

Watch Chinese affairs analyst Gordon Chang expounding on the CCP's infiltration of the United States.

This video is from the Free4eva Media channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Canada's government virologists exposed for "clandestine relationship" with Chinese agents.

Canada expresses intent to join the anti-China AUKUS military bloc.

MP Han Dong resigns from Trudeau's Liberal Party following allegations questioning his loyalty to Canada.

China established "remote" police stations in CANADA to retrieve its own citizens for deportation.

Leaked documents show Justin Trudeau welcomed Chinese troops to train at Canadian military bases.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com 1

LifeSiteNews.com 2

LifeSiteNews.com 3

Brighteon.com
Syrian migrant taken into custody for deadly stabbing at German festival

A 26-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker turned himself in to the police , saying he was responsible for the Aug. 23 Solingen knife attack in Germany that left three dead and eight wounded.

Duesseldorf police said in a joint statement with the prosecutors office that the man "stated that he was responsible for the attack" at the Festival of Diversity. The three-day festival was a celebration of the city's 650th anniversary, but was marred by tragedy after the stabbing.

The suspect, identified as Issa al H., was taken into custody, more than 24 hours after the attack. According to German tabloid Bild, Issa approached a police patrol car and confessed, saying, I am the one you are looking for. During the day-long manhunt, Issa reportedly evaded capture by hiding in a backyard.

The attack, which took place in the heart of Solingen, targeted attendees of the Festival of Diversity. Witnesses described the attacker as aiming for the necks of his victims, leading to speculation that the incident was terror-related. Police have since confirmed that Issa al H., originally from Deir al-Zor in Syria, arrived in Germany in 2022 as an asylum seeker. He was granted protection due to the ongoing civil war in his homeland.

While Issa was not previously known to security authorities as an Islamic extremist, he is said to be a Sunni Muslim. According to witness statements gathered by police, Issa allegedly shouted Allahu Akbar during the attack, a phrase commonly associated with jihadist motivations.

The suspect is a Syrian citizen who had applied for asylum in Germany, police confirmed to the Associated Press.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, without providing evidence. The extremist group said on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and that he carried out the assaults to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere. The claim couldnt be independently verified.

The attack comes amid debate over immigration ahead of regional elections in Germany's Saxony and Thueringia regions where anti-immigration parties such as the populist Alternative for Germany are expected to do well.

Solingen stabbing fuels rise of AfD in polls

In Thuringia, which has a population of 2.1 million and where the famous Buchenwald concentration camp memorial is located, the fiercely anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading with 30 percent in the polls for the upcoming September state elections.

The eastern German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg are set to elect new parliaments next month, and in all three states the AfD is ahead in surveys.

The attack also raised fears that Europe could face another wave of terror attacks. Solingen, a city of about 160,000 residents near the bigger cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf, was holding a Festival of Diversity to celebrate its anniversary.

The horrific incident has raised concerns about the security situation in Germany, particularly concerning the countrys asylum policies. As the investigation continues, the focus will be on uncovering any potential connections between Issa al H. and extremist networks, as well as addressing the broader implications of the attack on public safety in Germany.

Today, the threat of terrorism in Germany comes from Islamic radicals, which is viewed as the country's primary national security concern. In 2005, German authorities began recording the number of potential Islamic militants in the country. (Related: Top German politicians demand "maximum" penalty for young people expressing their discontent with unrestricted migration.)

The arrest of Issa al H. marks a significant development in the case, but questions remain about how he was able to carry out an attack at a public event and what measures can be taken to prevent similar incidents.

Visit Terrorism.news for similar stories.

Watch this video about German police raiding all Islamic centers of Iran in the country, including the Hamburg Islamic Center.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Germany: Nigerian migrant grabs 9-year-old boy and stabs 2 police officers, immediately released by the courts.

Germany: Murder victims in the Solingen massacre were activists in favor of 'tolerance' and 'integration.'

Germanys AfD party just lost a major court case that makes it legally vulnerable to mass surveillance by spy agencies.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

NPR.org

Brighteon.com
Trump reveals Zuckerberg plotted against him during last election, threatens META CEO with jail time if he interferes again

In a new book to be released on Sept. 3, former President Donald Trump, 78, revealed that META CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 40, plotted against him during the 2020 election . He further warned that if the technocrat does this again in November, he would "spend the rest of his life in prison."

The Trump-authored coffee table book titled "Save America" seen by Politico includes an undated photograph of the Republican presidential nominee meeting with Zuckerberg in the White House.

Trump captioned the photo with "Zuckerberg would come to the Oval Office to see me. He would bring his very nice wife to dinners, be as nice as anyone could be, while always plotting to install shameful 'Lock Boxes' in a true plot against the president."

He added that Zuckerberg told him that "there was nobody like Trump on Facebook. But at the same time, and for whatever reason, steered it against me. 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."

The book also cited Trump's statements about the Big Tech mogul in the past. Back in July, the 45th U.S. president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that once he regains the White House seat, he would pursue election fraudsters and that he would make sure to make them serve long jail periods.

"We already know who you are. Don't do it! Zuckerbucks, be careful!" he said.

"Zuckerbucks" refers to the $420 million contribution Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, made during the 2020 election to fund election infrastructure.

A Meta spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Politico wrote.

Meanwhile, on Aug. 26, Zuckerberg wrote to the House Judiciary Committee that the Biden administration had tried to "pressure" his tech company to downplay certain content about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) back in 2021. According to the Facebook founder, "government pressure was wrong" and expressed regret for not speaking out about it at the time.

Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things: 1. Biden-Harris Admin "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. Big win for free speech. pic.twitter.com/ALlbZd9l6K  House Judiciary GOP ?????? (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2024

Zuckerberg also said he would not make similar contributions to fund election infrastructure ahead of this year's election, promising that he would no longer compromise Facebook's content standards due to pressure "from any administration in either direction." (Related: Zuckerberg claims he 'regrets' censoring Americans under 'pressure' from Biden-Harris admin.)

He also pledged to "push back if something like this happens again" and will remain politically "neutral" ahead of the November election.

Republicans have long scrutinized Zuckerberg and his platforms for initially suppressing stories about the then-future first son Hunter Biden's "laptop from hell" issue and its alleged coordination with the administration to throttle certain COVID-19 content.

Zuckerberg apologized for META's AI "misinformation" related to Trump's assassination

According to the former president, Zuckerberg apologized to him regarding META's artificial intelligence (AI) tools' claim that Trump wasn't shot.

"He actually apologized; he said they'd made a mistake," Trump said on "Mornings with Maria" on Fox Business. "He actually announced he's not going to support a Democrat because he can't because he respected me for what I did that day."

As per Business Insider, the tech giant's spokesperson declined to comment but didn't dispute that the two had talked. The spokesperson also referred the news outlet to Zuckerberg's previous statement, saying he wouldn't be endorsing any presidential candidate in 2024.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg talked about Trump in an interview with Bloomberg, lauding his reaction when he experienced a liquidation attempt, even calling Trump a "badass."

"Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I've ever seen in my life," Zuckerberg said of Trump's assassination attempt. "On some level as an American, it's like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that that's why a lot of people like the guy."

In 2021, Meta "indefinitely" suspended Trump's accounts following the January 6 Capitol riots, citing "use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government."

"His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world," Zuckerberg said at that time. "We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect, and likely their intent, would be to provoke further violence."

But in July, Meta removed the additional guardrails that remained in place on Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts following their reinstatement.

"In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis," Meta said. As a result, former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties."

Head over to Technocrats.news for stories similar to this.

Sources for this article include:

Politico.com

Amazon.com

BusinessInsider.com
Trumps Israel advisor: Were gonna annex the West Bank and make America pay for it

David Friedman, the former US Ambassador to Israel under the Trump administration, is out with a new book pushing a plan to have Israel annex the West Bank and American taxpayers foot the bill.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

From The Jewish Daily Forward:

Trump's Israel adviser suggests diverting $1 billion from Palestinian aid to fund West Bank annexation Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman writes in new book that U.S. support for Israeli sovereignty is 'based first and foremost on biblical prophecies and values' By Jacob Kornbluh | September 2, 2024 Former President Donald Trump has largely remained silent on what he might do in a potential second term regarding issues of particular interest to Jewish Americans. However, if his close adviser's perspective offers any insight, it could involve the U.S. actively funding a previously shelved Israeli plan to annex the occupied West Bank. Israel will need financial assistance "to assert and maintain its sovereignty over Judea and Samaria," former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman writes in a new book, One Jewish State: The Last, Best Hope to Resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, scheduled for release on Tuesday. Friedman suggests that the next Republican administration and Congress could redirect $1 billion from existing aid to the Palestinians, including funds meant for the Palestinian security force, to finance the annexation plan, which he said will help improve the lives of Palestinians under Israeli control. "The easiest bucket to tap into and reposition is that of the United States."

We've gone from Trump in 2016 saying "We're gonna build a wall and make Mexico pay for it!" to Trump's Israel advisor in 2024 saying "We're gonna annex the West Bank and make Americans pay for it!"

The actual easiest "bucket to tap" is for Israel to spend the billions we already gave them (they're holding $46.1 billion in US treasuries that we paid for which they lend back to us with interest) but instead our "ambassador" is demanding we give Israel yet another billion dollars!

In the book, Friedman dedicates an entire chapter to comparing the fate of the Palestinians living under Israeli sovereignty to citizens of Puerto Rico, which was designated a U.S. territory. "Palestinians, like Puerto Ricans, will not vote in national elections," he writes. "Palestinians will be free to enact their own governing documents as long as they are not inconsistent with those of Israel." While Puerto Ricans are considered U.S. citizens and have the right to vote if they move to another state, Friedman does not advocate applying that to Palestinians in the West Bank. Trump's 2020 Middle East peace plan included potential U.S. recognition of some Israeli West Bank settlements. But such moves were postponed as the administration prioritized normalization agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and three other Arab nations. Friedman, who also served as campaign advisor to Trump in 2016 and is still closely connected with the former president, told the Forward he has yet to discuss his annexation plan with Trump. "I hope to share it with him at an appropriate time," he said.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Miriam Adelson, the wife of the late Israel First GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson, wanted Trump's support for Israel annexing the West Bank in return for her $100 million donation to his campaign.

She denied that was the case but now we have Friedman (who Sheldon Adelson likely told Trump to hire) putting it in writing.

As I reported in June, Friedman threw a fit on X over anti-Israel protests at college campuses and demanded that Americans be imprisoned en masse for "antisemitism."

Last month, Trump held an event on "fighting antisemitism" with Adelson where he pledged to restore the power of the Israel Lobby over Congress.

WATCH: Trump pledges to restore the power of the Israel Lobby over Congress during "fighting antisemitism" event with pro-Israel megadonor Miriam Adelson. "You're gonna end up winning because you're going to have the president, okay?" pic.twitter.com/QKtV4tDxEl  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) August 16, 2024

He reiterated the same sentiment in an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin on Sunday.

Trump once again laments that the pro-Israel lobby is no longer sufficiently powerful, and Congress has been infiltrated by "Hamas agents" like... Chuck Schumer. He also brags about his Executive Order punishing "anti-Semitism," and alleges some surge of new-wave Holocaust denial pic.twitter.com/KQQfpEMtAe  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) September 2, 2024

The fact this Israel First lunacy is somehow being pitched as "America First" is beyond parody!

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
Ukraine closing in on deal with U.S. for new advanced long-range missiles that could strike deep into Russia

The U.S. and Ukraine are close to finalizing an agreement to provide Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles that could strike targets deep into Russia . The next military aid package to make its way to Ukraine could include AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs)

However, Ukraine would have to wait several months before the missiles begin making their way to Eastern Europe, as the Department of Defense works out technical issues ahead of any shipment. (Related: Russia launches over 200 drones and missiles targeting critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine.)

Officials said sending JASSMs to Ukraine could significantly alter the strategic landscape of the conflict by putting more Russian targets in range of Kyiv's powerful, Western-supplied precision-guided munitions. White House officials noted that the appearance of JASSMs could even complicate Russia's ability to sustain its offensive operations in the contested Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, applauded the sending of JASSMs. Hodges has been vocal about how Washington needs to provide Ukraine with more strategic long-range weaponry, but he laments the significant delays in their arrival to Eastern Europe.

"I'm glad that they're considering it, but it highlights the utter failure to deliver these capabilities more than two years ago," he said.

"What have we been waiting on? Why is the administration moving in slow motion, when it moves at all, to deliver the various capabilities to help Ukraine win the war, in time to have real effect?" added Hodges. "Our immovable self-deterrence due to excessive fear of Russian escalation is going to be a stain on U.S. credibility in Europe."

JASSMs could hit targets hundreds of miles within Russia

Developed by Lockheed Martin, JASSMs are 2,400-pound, air-launched, stealthy long-range cruise missiles. They carry 1,000-pound warheads that, depending on the version of the JASSM, could travel between 330 to 575 miles.

As an air-launched missile that has only been integrated into U.S.-designed aircraft, Ukraine must fit JASSMs into one of the several dozen Western-supplied F-16s it operates. Each F-16 can carry up to two of these cruise missiles per sortie.

A U.S. official who spoke with Reuters noted that there were previous efforts to make the missile operable with non-U.S. fighter jets in the inventory of the Ukrainian Air Force, but there is no word on whether any of these efforts have progressed or were abandoned.

Launching JASSMs anywhere within Ukraine would put Kyiv in the range of striking up to 30 Russian airbases, some of which have been regularly used to launch attacks on Ukraine and some of which are located in Crimea, which Ukraine claims Russia has illegally occupied since 2015. A JASSM launched from northwestern Ukraine could even reach a Russian Air Force base in the exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea.

Military analysts further note that JASSMs represent more technologically advanced versions of cruise missiles already in Ukraine's armory, notably the British Storm Shadows and the French SCALP-EGs.

JASSMs are believed to be more survivable and are more capable of reducing their signature to the point that they can wind their way through the most advanced and dense air defense networks they come up against. An AGM-158B version of the JASSM, one of the newest versions, costs about $1 million each.

Visit MilitaryTech.news for more similar stories.

Watch this episode of "Alex in Cyprus" as host Alex Christoforou comments on the imminent transportation of JASSMs to Ukraine.

This video is from the Oldyoti's Home Page channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russian official warns U.S. will face WORSE CONSEQUENCES for backing Ukraine's strikes on Kursk.

Ukrainian military shoots down its own F-16 fighter jet provided by U.S. earlier this year.

South Africa halts delivery of artillery shells to Poland over concerns they could be sent to Ukraine.

Germany halts new military aid to Ukraine amid budget shortfall.

Downing Street BANS Ukraine from using Storm Shadow missiles to strike Kursk.

Sources include:

Reuters.com

Newsweek.com

TWZ.com

Brighteon.com
Former British diplomat: Benjamin Netanyahu is the enemy of peace in Israel

In his latest interviews with Judge Antony Napolitano, former British diplomat and highly influential MI6 operative Alastair Crooke brings to his audience a view of the crisis in world events notably absent from the mainstream headlines.

(Article by Frank Wright republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

In one of two videos below, Crooke argues that it is the Netanyahu regime rather than Hamas which is making any peace or hostage deal impossible  to prolong and escalate war in the region.

His work offers a comprehensive appraisal of the system of mind management pursued by the liberal-globalist West, whose partnership with Israel sees it focused on narrative control through media propaganda, while it loses wars in reality. Crooke is strongly committed to trying to bring about peace between warring factions.

Crooke writes frequently on the crises in the world, arguing that Europe (and the U.S.) are in a period of alternate revolution and civil war.

Crookes reading of the past informs his view of the present:

History warns us that such conflicts tend to be extended, with peak episodes which are revolutionary (as the prevailing paradigm first cracks); yet which, in reality, are but alternate modes of the same  a toggling between revolutionary peaks and the slow slog of intense cultural war.

He says this is the state of the West today: We are, I believe, in such an era.

You may not have heard of Alastair Crooke, as it is impossible to post links to his writings on social media. If you attempt to link his piece on, say, The Western way of war  Owning the narrative trumps reality, the owners of the narrative will not publish it.

X (formerly Twitter) automatically censors any links to Strategic Culture, on which Crookes essays often feature. If you try to post a link to his analysis, X says no:

We cant complete this request because this link has been identified by X or our partners as being potentially harmful. Visit our Help Center to learn more.

The partners of X include CHEQ, a content moderation service run by former members of Israeli intelligence, as I reported for LifeSiteNews in June 2023

Netanyahu  The enemy of peace

Another recent video with Napolitano is full of shocking revelations to those whose worldview is shaped by the stated aim of the Netanyahu regime to police the planet.

So severe is the threat, and so obvious is Netanyahus opposition to any move toward peace, that U.S. support of Israel may be ended as a result, Crooke says.

The motives behind this madness include an armageddonist Divine Plan, urged by Zionist extremists in the Netanyahu-led coalition, to force a conflict so devastating as to usher in the appearance of the Messiah.

Crooke states this strategy is being pursued by the deliberate elimination of the Palestinians, by extermination or population transfer out of Israel.

Finally, he notes the existence of 700,000 armed settlers proclaiming the independent State of Judea in territories nominally reserved for a Palestinian state in the West Bank.

Backed by extremist government ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, these militant Zionists are involved in the armed attempt to free the soldiers filmed raping Palestinian prisoners with metal instruments in Sde Temain.

Ben-Gvir repeatedly seeks to enrage Muslims, threatening to destroy their third holiest site  the Al-Aqsa mosque, and in recent days vowing build a synagogue on the grounds of Al-Aqsa. This is obviously a provocation, and a move toward the building of the Third Temple that Gvir and other extreme Zionists have been planning to do in the near future.

Many have long warned that this would lead to an explosion in the entire Muslim world against Israel, which the Zionists welcome as the necessary Armageddon that would pave the way for the supposed coming of their messiah.

The picture Crooke offers of Israel is not one permitted on most mainstream media outlets. Under Netanyahu, Israel aims to police the planet, silencing reporting of its actions through intimidation, defunding, and online censorship carried out by former members of its intelligence agencies.

Crooke explains mass media censorship

In an August 26 article, also impossible to share on X, Crooke explained why this sort of censorship is now routinely exercised across the West:

The West has come to view owning the winning narrative  and presenting the Others as clunky, dissonant, and extremist  as being more important than facing facts-on-the ground. Owning the winning narrative is to win, in this view. Virtual victory thus trumps real reality.

His commentary on Ukraine and on Israel expand on the basic premise that the mass media is used to mislead the Western public and conceal from them the truth of the wars and their true cost in financial, moral, and diplomatic terms. As his article above concluded:

So, war becomes rather the setting for imposing ideological alignment across a wide global alliance and enforcing it via compliant media.

Crooke clearly believes that the liberal-global order projects and secures its ambitions toward worldwide domination partnered with a captive media.

The West completely dominates and completely manages the international media, Crooke " target="_blank" rel="noopener">tells Judge Antony Napolitano in his most recent video interview.

This, he says, is one reason that the Russians, and what is called the resistance to Israel, do not attempt to fight back with their own propaganda.

Another is that they are, according to Crooke, not only fighting the real war instead of a media campaign, but they are also winning.

Warfare has changed. It is a revolutionary change in warfare and we [in the West] are still going on as if its just the post Second World War era.

Crooke is referring to the use of cheap drone swarms, missile attacks, and advanced electronic countermeasures which have seen the US Navy fail to secure the Suez against Ansurallah (the Houthis), and Israel fail to prevent missile strikes on its critical military infrastructure. The U.S., together with its allies, announced Operation Prosperity Guardian in December 2023, to secure safe passage for international shipping through the Red Sea. It has failed

Report from the U.K.s Daily Telegraph, a typically pro-war publication, from August 24, 2024.

Crooke also notes that the Israeli media blackout on reporting damage resulting from Hezbollahs missile strikes has not prevented the destruction of a Mossad intelligence center roughly 1 kilometer from Tel Aviv.

It was also the headquarters of Lavender, says Crooke, reminding Napolitano of Israels artificial intelligence-powered targeting system, responsible for marking tens of thousands of Gazans as suspects for assassination by facial recognition and tracking.

Effectively an automated kill list with little human oversight, Lavender was investigated by +972 magazines Yuval Abraham in April 2024.

Crooke is arguing that the Russians, Iranians, Hezbollah, and the rest of the anti-Zionist resistance in the Middle East have all developed paradigm-shifting innovative forms of next generation warfare, while the U.S.-led West remains focused on manufacturing headlines in the media.

Crooke says that the Israeli media blackout is in place to obscure the fact that Israel has lost its military superiority in the region. As a wave of Hezbollah missiles and drones were launched at Israel early on Sunday, Immediately at 5:00 in the morning the Israeli government issued an absolute ban on any reporting of any damage or any attacks on either major infrastructure or military objectives in Israel.

A complete censorship was imposed on what happened in Tel Aviv, at the airbase which they also attacked  absolute ban, no reporting, no photographs, no visuals and so they put a complete blackout on any news of any damage to any infrastructure any defense sites or to the intelligence bases in Tel Aviv.

Ukraine has developed a similar policy after it began experiencing major damages from Russian attacks in Kiev and elsewhere.

Crooke has visited one site which his sources tell him was struck by the Hezbollah attack.

So, of course, we cant see and we cant prove it; but, as I say, I do know independently what I said about that.

Hezbollah stated, according to the Times of Israel, their target was indeed the Glilot intelligence base outside Tel Aviv, home to Mossad, Lavender, and the Israeli 8200 signals intelligence unit, some of whose former employees now police content on X.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed that one missile had struck the Israeli intelligence headquarters.

Crooke also says that Israeli claims of having destroyed thousands of Hezbollah launch sites is completely untrue.

Where they say they knocked out thousands of rocket launchers is complete phooey  its nothing. Its completely untrue.

Crooke points out that Hezbollah are happy with the outcome because they have achieved their aims, which were to respond to Israeli attacks in kind, and demonstrate a military capacity which the Israelis cannot counter.

In doing so, Crooke says, Hezbollah have reestablished the equation with Israel and clearly Israel for the moment doesnt wish to go to all-out war against Hezbollah.

Alastair Crookes reports on video and in writing provide a perspective absent from the mainstream coverage of two of the worlds most urgent crises, each of which has a dangerously low nuclear threshold.

His view of the factors informing these dangerous times includes a routine examination of what he called on August 15, this Western mind-management in which appearance and reality are cut from the same cloth of hostile extremism.

One example of the identification of arguments for peace with extremism  and even treason  is cited by Crooke in the same article. He mentions a meeting of Christians United For Israel (CUFI) in the U.S. state of Maryland, reported by the Times of Israel on August 8. The Israeli news outlets headline said Pro-Israel U.S. conservatives concerned over isolationism, and antisemitism, on far right, in a piece which said talk of curbing aid to the Jewish state was antisemitic.

Boris Zilberman, the director of policy and strategy for the CUFI Action Fund, described an intricate fabric of bad actors working hand-in-hand with U.S. isolationists who seek to end the forever wars backed by Israel and its lobby in the U.S.

Sandra Parker, chairwoman of the CUFI Action Fund, told the meeting that quoting scripture on the death of Christ was anti-Christian.

Its not Christian, it is anti-Christian. Anybody who says that the Jews killed Jesus has a fundamental misunderstanding of the Christian faith.

Crooke argues that the use of the mass media creates a false narrative of world events, which is itself in a moment of crisis. He cites the work of American cultural critic Douglas Kirn, who noted in 2022:

For years now, the answer, in every situation  Russiagate, COVID, Ukraine  has been more censorship, more silencing, more division, more scapegoating. Its almost as if these are goals in themselves  and the cascade of emergencies mere excuses for them. Hate is always the way.

Crookes insight extends beyond his diplomatic experience to a full-scale review of the nature of political reality in the West. Quoting Kirn, he asserts that the liberal-global system is a behavioural-engineering enterprise, which is in conflict with the wishes of its own populations:

The corporate and state interests dont believe you are wanting the right things.

Crookes work is one attempt to show not what is said to be right or wrong, but simply what is there.

You can access Alastair Crookes writings here, and here, and view his weekly appearances with Judge Napolitano here.

Wikipedia provides a fascinating biography of Crooke here.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
Catholic archbishops lament Western LGBT indoctrination making its way into Africa

Catholic archbishops in Africa have come together to denounce the creeping Western-style LGBT indoctrination in the continent , as more and more young men are recruited into making homosexual pornography for the money.

In exclusive interviews with the newspaper National Catholic Register, clerics from all across sub-Saharan Africa decried the subversive attempts by Western NGOs, aid workers and even tourists to promote LGBT ideology and attract Africans into homosexual activity for money.

"It's just like the missionaries who went all over to evangelize," said Archbishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande of the Archdiocese of Mwanza in Tanzania. Except now, he lamented, the West is "sending us missionaries of evil."

Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast in Ghana told the newspaper how tourists would entice boys with money to pull them into homosexual activity.

"They've come to enjoy themselves and they are messing with our little boys on the beach, sexually abusing them for a little money," Palmer-Buckle said. "They are already warped. And they are warping these young people. It's like, sorry to say, the devil trying to get more disciples."

Palmer-Buckle added that foreign aid workers have also often promoted LGBT ideology in classrooms and other venues despite prohibitions in their charters on such activism. "As a teacher, it is not your right to expose the child to that which is harmful to them in the long run, as if you are proselytizing," he said.

Kenya's encounters with activists for homosexuality are the same as what happened in Ghana where the Western NGO staff promote LGBT ideology in schools and pay youth to engage in gay sex, according to clergy.

Meanwhile, in Tanzania, gay pornography propositions have become so common that the Archdiocese of Mwanza launched a task force geared toward teaching youth how to deal with invitations to engage in immoral sexual activity.

"We have decided to do it because we have seen a number of people coming, gathering young people, and entertaining them," Archbishop Leonard Nkwande said. "At the end, they are like that."

The moves are consistent with the declaration of United States Department of State spokesman John Kirby last year that so-called "LGBTQ+ rights" are a "core part" of U.S. foreign policy and the December 2023 report that the U.S. had spent more than $4.1 billion in taxpayer money on LGBT-promoting initiatives around the world.

The widespread reports indicate that this homosexual indoctrination is part of a large, coordinated plan, according to African archbishops.

"We don't speak about it openly, but it's intentional," Nkwande told the Register. Related: Transgender ideology comes "from the depths of hell," warns Christian journalist.)

Bishops warn Western secularization and hedonism are promoted by social media

Social media has a great impact on the Western's promotion of LGBTQ+ ideologies. More than 60 percent of residents have a smartphone, a much higher rate than the average sub-Saharan country, especially in places like Kenya.

Makumba draws a sharp distinction between the message brought by outside evangelizers decades ago and the Western messages of secularization and hedonism promoted in Kenya by the social media platforms of today.

"When the missionaries came, they came with the Good News," he said. "Now, the culture coming through social media is not good news. It is bad news."

In Obala, Cameroon, Bishop Sosthene Leopold Bayemi Matjei said that social media content from countries like France, the central African country's former colonizer, is leading to a dramatic remaking of values among Cameroonian youth. Matjei added he is aware of reports that young boys are organizing sex groups after being exposed to the idea through online videos.

"These are things that I've never dreamt of," he said. "But now we see that they are arriving."

Ideological proselytization in Africa at the personal and cultural level is moving in tandem with ideological colonization at the level of public policy, which Pope Francis has said "destroys the human personality."

Abortion is illegal in Cameroon, but the bishop said the French embassy actively promoted it in March after France enshrined abortion as a "guaranteed freedom" in its constitution. NGOs also reportedly give grants to facilities in Cameroon to perform free abortions, which are tolerated by the local government.

Meanwhile, several African nations have responded to the West's ideological push on homosexuality by drafting stringent measures meant to curb the spread of LGBTQ ideology. Some of these bills make it illegal to publicly identify as gay, while others carry with them harsh sentences for gay sex.

In return, the U.S. sanctioned Uganda for passing a bill that makes homosexual activity a possible capital offense. There is speculation that Ghana's legislation restricting the spread of LGBTQ activism could lose the African country $3.8 billion from the International Monetary Fund.

Head over to GayMafia.news for similar stories.

Watch the video below that talks about Pope Francis promoting an LGBT event.

This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Kamala Harris loves transgender child mutilation and other degenerate LGBT perversion.

California pushing radical "LGBTQ+" propaganda on state employees, reveals mental health professional.

Nickelodeon features drag queen in latest LGBT Pride grooming video for kids.

Children's book giant Scholastic releases LGBT guide for K-12 teachers.

CDC, Pfizer affiliate sponsor pro-LGBT public school event for fifth-graders.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

KATV.com

NCRegister.com

Brighteon.com
News / National

by Staff reporter

President Mnangagwa today led a pivotal meeting in Beijing between ZESA Holdings and China's TBEA Corporation, resulting in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These agreements aim to boost power generation and distribution in Zimbabwe, tackling the nation's ongoing energy challenges.This partnership supports Zimbabwe's Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate the country to an upper-middle-income economy. The MoUs are expected to drive investments in infrastructure and technology, enhancing the reliability of electricity supply for both households and industries.Zimbabwe has experienced persistent power shortages in recent years, hindering economic growth. The collaboration with TBEA Corporation, a leading Chinese energy company, is viewed as a key step in strengthening the national grid and promoting sustainable energy production.Aligned with the Framework for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2024, this initiative highlights the growing Chinese investment in African energy projects and further strengthens the ties between Zimbabwe and China.
REPORT: Nearly 1.7 million economically inactive migrants in the U.K. are costing taxpayers an additional $11.2 billion annually

A new report from the United Kingdom found that nearly 1.7 million foreigners living in the country are costing taxpayers an estimated 8.5 billion British pounds ($11.2 billion).

This report comes from the watchdog group the Center for Migration Control. The figures, which represent non-U.K. nationals aged 16 to 64 living in Great Britain, represent an all-time high in the number of migrants currently in the country, surpassing the previous record of 1.63 million foreigners in the U.K. in 2012 and 1.67 million at the beginning of the year.

The said amount does not account for the costs associated with asylum seekers who are often housed in four-star hotels, nor does it include the expenses related to foreign students. (Related: United Kingdom only has 83 JAILS OPEN after arresting protesters who oppose the INVASION of their own country.)

Meaning, when additional public spending on health, education, transport, housing and welfare for workless migrants were added, the total cost could rise to as much as 20.3 billion pounds ($26.7 billion) annually.

Furthermore, another report from the London-based research organization the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that the Home Office overspent its budget for asylum, border and visa management by as much as 7.6 billion pounds ($9.9 billion) over the past three years.

These findings suggest that the actual financial burden on British taxpayers could be significantly higher in the coming years.

U.K. government remains in denial over the financial burden associated with migration

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Robert Bates, the research director of the Center for Migration Control, criticized the current approach of the U.K. government to migration.

"For all the talk of a fiscal 'black hole', the Labour Government seems to be missing the glaringly obvious fact that mass migration is causing economic pandemonium," he said.

"There is no reason for us to continue handing out so many long-term visas when we are currently having to bail out over a million migrants who are already in Britain but not working," he continued. "This is the very definition of a Ponzi scheme and we will only compound the problem if we do not change course soon. Our elderly are facing a potentially deadly winter as Keir Starmer cancels the lifeline of the winter fuel allowance, but at the same time he is doing nothing to clamp down on workless migrants."

Conservative Party Member of Parliament Neil O'Brien, who has researched the impact of migration on the British workforce, echoed these sentiments in a statement reacting to the reports.

"This report shows migration policy is literally not working. We need a system where the numbers coming are capped at a much lower level and the system is much more selective," he said. "No one has a problem with a small number of highly skilled workers coming here but that is not what our current migration rules are delivering and sadly there is no sign of that changing under Keir Starmer."

However, the U.K. government remains in denial of its lapses despite the data presented to them.

"It is incorrect to apply an average cost to migrants out of work as estimates need to take into account individual circumstances. Most education and welfare costs are not applicable to working-age migrants who are not students," a U.K. government spokesperson said.

Check out Migrants.news for more stories about illegal immigration.

Watch the video below that talks about U.K. protesters being jailed for "inciting violence" on social media posts.

This video is from the TKWK T.V channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Re-reconquista now! Spains airports overrun by migrants.

"Keyboard warrior" in the U.K. slapped with 3-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE for urging online followers to support anti-migration protests.

U.K. authorities have arrested more anti-mass migration protesters than human traffickers.

Met Police (UK) threaten TERRORISM charges against "keyboard warriors" who comment on immigration protests.

Violent criminals getting released from U.K. prisons to make room for peaceful protesters who oppose illegal immigration.

Sources include:

Modernity.news

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.com
GENDER WARS: Irish teacher ARRESTED for refusing to address male student as she/her

Another educator's career was ruined after a male student in Ireland suffering from gender dysphoria complained that teacher Enoch Burke refused to refer to the student using "she" and "her" pronouns, resulting in Burke being arrested and imprisoned.

Burke, a Christian man, has been jailed three times over his refusal to play gender pronoun games with his students and coworkers. Burke's faith requires him to reject the mental delusions of LGBTs who often respond by bullying him as retribution.

The High Court in Dublin has ordered Burke to be committed for contempt after he appeared at Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath after being told via an injunction that he is prohibited from entering the premises.

Back in August 2022, the evangelical Christian was suspended from his job for refusing to use a transgender student's preferred gender pronouns. That suspension was later dismissed following appeal, and Burke will remain on the school's payroll until a ruling is issued.

(Related: Did you know that Joe Biden's 2024 Title IV revisions threaten to criminalize students who are caught "misgendering" their LGBTQ classmates?)

LGBTs persecuting normal people

On September 2, Justice Michael Quinn ruled that Burke remains in "ongoing contempt" of previous court orders demanding that he stay behind bars at Mountjoy Prison until he agrees to obey the Cult of LGBTQ and its demands.

Burke continues to argue that the school and the courts are trampling his religious rights by trying to force him to play the transgender pronoun game, which he refuses to do out of obedience to God.

"This is a mockery of justice," Burke told Justice Quinn, arguing that he is being punished by the state for his Christian beliefs.

Amazingly, Burke has thus far spent more than 400 days in prison with multiple previous incarcerations, all of which were predicated upon his refusal to refer to boys as "girls," and vice versa.

Burke's most recent release was back in June when the school where he teaches was closed for summer break. At the time, he released a video statement  watch below  explaining the toll his legal battle is taking on him and his family.

"I've been here for 400 days consecutively and two years of my life have been taken from me," Burke explains in the video.

"It's a sad place, Mountjoy Prison. A lot of very genuine people who have been let down, I would say, by the state, by the government, and in some cases by the courts."

Wilson Hospital School, a boarding school located about 55 miles (88 kilometers) west of Dublin is historically part of the Church of Ireland. The school still claims to honor its Church of Ireland heritage by "fostering Christian practice and teaching."

How can this be true, though, when Burke, a Christian himself, is being persecuted by the Wilson Hospital School and some of its students?

When the summer break ended and Burke returned to class on August 22, the Wilson Hospital School board tried to get him arrested again  so much for "fostering Christian practice and teaching," eh?

Burke is continuing to fight the false allegations against him and continues to try to battle his way out of persecution with an appeal. The school's leadership, meanwhile, is arguing that Burke's mere presence on campus is disruptive to both staff and students and that he must be removed immediately.

The world economy is currently in the throes of what appears to be an impending total collapse but LGBT extremists are much more concerned about policing the pronouns that other people choose to use in reference to them  can you say misplaced priorities and hypocrisy? Learn more at Transhumanism.news.

Sources for this article include:

X.com

CatholicNewsAgency.com

NaturalNews.com

YouTube.com
3 Israeli police officers KILLED by former Palestinian presidential guard

A former Palestinian presidential guard has killed three Israeli police officers in a shooting attack near the Palestinian city of Tarqumiyah in the southern West Bank.

The incident, which took place near the Idhna-Tarqumiyah junction of Route 35 on Sept. 1, involved a 31-year-old Palestinian gunman named Muhannad al-Aswad from Idhna. Al-Aswad, a former member of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) Presidential Guard and affiliated with the Fatah political party, opened fire at a police vehicle from a passing car and fled the scene on foot.

Al-Aswad, a resident of Idhna in Hebron, was born in Jordan and returned to the West Bank in 1998 with his family. He served in the Palestinian Presidential Guard until he resigned in 2015. He has been working with Fatah, the main political party in power in the West Bank, since then. (Related: IDF recovers 6 bodies of Israeli hostages from Gaza tunnels.)

As of now, it remains unclear if other accomplices were involved in the attack.

Al-Aswad's victims were identified as Ch. Insp. Arik Ben Eliyahu, 37; Command Sgt. Maj. Hadas Branch, 53; and First Sgt. Roni Shakuri, 61.

Ben Eliyahu, from Kiryat Gat, was survived by his wife and three children. Branch, from Sde Moshe, left behind her husband, three children and a granddaughter. Shakuri, from Sderot, was survived by his wife, daughter and granddaughter. Tragically, Shakuri's daughter, also a police officer, was killed during Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Magen David Adom, Israel's main national emergency service, treated the three victims immediately after the shooting. Ben Eliyahu and Branch were declared dead at the scene, while Shakuri died en route to a hospital.

Al-Aswad killed by Israeli soldiers the same day he killed the police officers

In response to the shooting, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a manhunt later that same day.

The operation, conducted by the Duvdevan Commando Unit, involved a tactic known as "pressure cooker," in which the soldiers escalated the intensity of fire to force a suspect out of hiding. Israeli soldiers located and cornered al-Aswad in a house in Hebron. The soldiers repeatedly opened fire and threw a grenade into the building.

After a brief exchange of fire, soldiers removed the body of a man from inside the house and confirmed that it was Al-Aswad. Soldiers stated that Al-Aswad was killed during the exchange of fire and an M16 rifle was found on his body.

This attack happened amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where the IDF and other Israeli security forces illegally occupying the West Bank are engaged in a military operation called "Summer Camps." The operation has seen the Israeli military advancing into cities and refugee camps in the northern West Bank, including Jenin and Tulkarm, while facing significant resistance from Palestinian factions.

The operation has led to severe restrictions on Palestinian movement in these areas, with the Israeli forces enforcing a strict siege on Jenin, where many families have been forcibly displaced.

Learn more about the conflict in Israel at IsraelCollapse.com.

Watch this report from Al Jazeera discussing Hezbollah's recent missile barrage involving over 200 rockets aimed at military installations in Israel.

This video is from the channel Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Armed Israeli settlers attack West Bank village, burning down properties and killing a young Palestinian man.

MORE WAR CRIMES: Israeli soldiers dressed up as fake MEDICS to kill Palestinian patients at hospital in West Bank.

Canada revokes Jewish National Funds charitable status after audit found group used donations to fortify Israeli military infrastructure.

Hezbollah unveils vast tunnel network capable of launching missiles.

More and more Israeli soldiers becoming DISABLED as Gaza conflict drags on.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.net

TimesOfIsrael.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
New data from New Zealand confirms COVID-19 vaccines significantly increase all-cause mortality

New data from New Zealand shows that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine significantly increases a vaccinated individual's risk of dying

Data from Health New Zealand, the main public health government body in the country, indicates that 85.5 percent of New Zealanders over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, and significant portions of New Zealand society have also received first and second rounds of booster vaccinations.

The data presented by Health New Zealand does not warn of the increased risk of all-cause mortality. Instead, the government webpage that provides data on COVID-19 vaccinations only has a one-paragraph reminder that the COVID-19 vaccine may cause "usually mild" side effects. (Related: New Zealand legalizes FORCED VACCINATIONS  refuses to be tied to beds and forcibly injected.)

"Like all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccine may cause side effects in some people," Health New Zealand warned. "These are common, are usually mild, don't last long, and won't stop people from having the second dose or going about daily life. Serious allergic reactions do occur but are extremely rare."

Researcher Steve Kirsch and his team analyzed the data using methodology used by governments around the world. Through this investigation, he notes that it has become very clear that the COVID-19 vaccines are causing all-cause mortality to increase.

"When seasonal mortality is strongly declining, the mortality of the vaccinated is increasing. When seasonal mortality is strongly increasing, the mortality of the vaccinated is increasing even more," wrote Kirsch on his Substack blog. "In short, if you chose to get vaccinated, your mortality increased. The mortality increase happened every time you got a shot. It's crystal clear."

COVID-19 vaccines reason for spike in all-cause mortality in New Zealand

According to the data, when the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began in New Zealand, all-cause mortality in New Zealand increased from its baseline by 11.8 percent.

Kirsch noted that the New Zealand government told the public that deaths were up at the time because the population grew, which is technically accurate.

"But they deliberately misled the public because the deaths per capita (which is what matters) increased," wrote Kirsch. "So even though the population increased, deaths increased even more."

In 2020, the number of deaths per 100,000 was 639. In 2021, that number rose to 682.7 deaths per 100,000 people, and by 2022 it surged even more to 748 deaths per 100,000  a per-capita death rate not seen in over two decades.

"When they deliberately deceive the people like this and the press lets them get away with it, it is an indicator of a very high level of corruption," warned Kirsch, who lamented the lack of transparency regarding the COVID-19 vaccines in New Zealand.

"The entire system is corrupt and bought off  there isn't any transparency of public health data," he continued. "This should make everyone furious. Every mainstream media outlet should be calling for  transparency so that the public learns the truth about the vaccines. But they are all silent. There is absolutely no excuse for public health authorities not providing this."

Watch this video reacting to how the New Zealand government has legalized the use of physical force against people who refuse to be vaccinated.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Korean scientists claim Pfizer, Moderna mRNA vaccine vials contain self-assembling nanoparticles that can form into clots.

Explosive hearings: Philippine government briefed on the declining birth rate and skyrocketing excess deaths related to COVID vaccines.

Japanese study: Third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine linked to significant increase in cancer mortality rates.

America records over 1 million excess deaths among the over 65 years old since beginning of COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

DATA: England's vaccination population had close to one million deaths in 23 months; unvaccinated population had less than 61,000 deaths over the same period.

Sources include:

KirschSubstack.com

TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

Brighteon.com
Putin blames the Wests DESTRUCTIVE STRATEGY for the Ukraine conflict

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the West's "destructive strategy" is to blame for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He made the remark during a Sept. 2 interview with the Mongolian newspaper Onoodor, ahead of his visit to the landlocked nation on the same day. Putin explained that the conflict in Ukraine is the natural consequence of "the destructive strategy of the West toward Ukraine," adding that the war stems from the West's long-standing ambitions to control it.

"For decades, [the West has] sought total control over Ukraine," the Russian president told the news outlet. "They funded nationalist and anti-Russian organizations there. They persistently worked to convince Ukraine that Russia was its eternal enemy and the main threat to its existence."

"The hatred for everything Russian has become Ukraine's official ideology. The use of the Russian language has been increasingly restricted, and the canonical Orthodoxy has been subjected to persecution  which now has come to the point of a direct ban."

Putin's statements to Onoodor referred to the 2014 Maidan coup in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which he claimed was orchestrated by the U.S. and its "satellites" and driven by "radical neo-Nazi groups" in the country. These entities, he said, continue to determine the country's policies. Thus, the Kremlin has reiterated the "denazification" of Ukraine as one of the key objectives of Russia's special military operation there.

He also referred to the law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which has historical ties to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). The aforementioned legislation gives the UOC nine months to sever ties with the ROC. (Related: Ukrainian parliament approves law BANNING the country's biggest Orthodox church.)

"The West has continually interfered in this conflict  siding wholly with Ukraine and supplying a massive amount of funding, military equipment and weapons in what is becoming well-known as its proxy war against Russia," remarked Mac Slavo of SHTF Plan.

Inconvenient facts are deemed as "Kremlin propaganda"

Putin also mentioned how the West hides the truth by dismissing inconvenient facts as "propaganda" from Moscow during the Sept. 2 interview. This contrasts with Russian media that seeks to convey the Kremlin's position on global issues, he added.

"The West, which claims to be a model of freedom, has opted to hide from inconvenient facts and the truth by launching a blatant bullying campaign against Russian journalists and indiscriminately labeling them as 'Kremlin propagandists,'" the Russian leader said.

"Almost all the Western countries where our journalists try to work are creating obstacles for them, banning Russian television channels and directly censoring our media and online resources. [This censorship] runs counter to the democratic principles of freedom of speech and the free flow of information."

He continued that pluralism and openness in the information space are vital for society. In this light, media outlets in Russia have freedom guaranteed by the country's constitution.

"Our authorities cooperate constructively with television channels, news agencies, newspapers, online media and other media outlets regardless of their editorial policy," Putin told Onoodor. He argued that through those means, Moscow has managed to strike a balance between press freedom and national security.

Watch Russian President Vladimir Putin stressing that Moscow "has nothing to talk about with Kyiv" in the aftermath of Ukraine's incursion into Kursk.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Matrixxx Grooove: Putin, Russia want denazification, demilitarization of Ukraine.

Putin lambasts Ukraine, West for "distorting WWII history" to further stoke regional conflicts.

Putin: Russian elections are far more HONEST and TRANSPARENT than rigged U.S. elections.

Putin exposes the truth about evil, SATANIC western leaders who PILLAGE the world and destroy human freedom.

Putin says he has evidence that CNN colluded with Ukrainian Nazis to conduct false flag operation by filming staged killing of civilians.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

Brighteon.com
Be careful what you wish for: Victims of Solingen knife attack were pro-migrant activists supporting integration and tolerance

The three casualties of the Aug. 23 knife attacks in the German city of Solingen were reportedly pro-migrant activists supporting "integration" and "tolerance," according to a report.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the attack happened during the first day of the three-day Festival of Diversity that celebrated Solingen's 650th anniversary. The festival, which was supposed to end on Aug. 25, was canceled following the aftermath of the stabbing that killed three persons and wounded eight.

The AP initially reported that police believe a lone attacker carried out the stabbings. Remix News confirmed in a separate piece that this was the case, identifying the perpetrator as Issa Al H., who hails from Syria. The 26-year-old migrant was supposed to have been deported in 2022, but Germany's leftist government even gave him protected status after he went into hiding for six months. (Related: Germany: Nigerian migrant grabs 9-year-old boy and stabs 2 police officers, immediately released by the courts.)

According to Remix News, the casualties were reportedly "liberal-minded" and at least one of the three belonged to a pro-migrant organization. "Given that the murders happened at the Festival of Diversity, it is no surprise that many of the victims belong to left-leaning organizations dedicated to progressive topics, such as an openness to refugees," the outlet continued.

Stabbing victims got a taste of the policies they fought for

Pharmacist Ines W. was one of the three victims in the stabbing. According to the German newspaper Rheinische Post, she attended the Festival of Diversity because it was "very important to her." Ines W. was a member of the OTV canoeists, who had campaigned for integration with foreigners and whose members have reportedly met to mourn together.

Florian H., the second victim, was a resident of Dusseldorf whose workplace was located in Solingen. While details about him have been scant, neighbors have described him as a "rock and roll" guy who sported a ponytail and liked to play guitar.

Stefan S., the third victim, worked in Wuppertal. The Rheinische Post described the 67-year-old as "a liberal, educated person, someone who wanted to understand all sides." The broadsheet continued: "For a cosmopolitan person like him, it was only logical to visit the 'Festival of Diversity' in Solingen."

Stefan S.'s colleagues at Oetelshofen said they were "deeply affected by the loss of their long-time colleague." Till Iseke, managing director for the lime works, described the victim as "a person who thought outside the box and lived by values ??such as openness and tolerance."

Aside from the three, members of the Solingen cultural association Cobra  including its board members  were injured in the attack. The association is not political but organizes live events and concerts in the city, Remix News noted.

"We are still shocked by the events of [Aug. 23]. We feel deep sadness for the dead and great sympathy for their relatives," the association wrote on Facebook.

Berlin announces ban on knives, but not migrants

During an Aug. 29 press conference, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the Solingen attack has "shocked us" deeply. She then proceeded to announce "tough measures" to ostensibly prevent similar incidents, alongside German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann.

According to the interior minister, knives will be prohibited at festivals, "sports events and other similar public events," as well as on long-distance trains. Faeser also mentioned that police officers will be given more powers to search members of the public for knives. However, there will be reasonable exceptions to the ban  such as for performers and those working in hospitality.

But even though Berlin puts prohibitions on knives in place, such stabbings won't stop as long as migrants who don't obey German laws are admitted in the name of openness, inclusion and diversity.

Head over to LeftCult.com for similar stories.

Watch Manuel Ostermann, chairman of the German Federal Police Union, lamenting that Germany is no longer a safe country following the Solingen stabbing.

This video is from the VoluntaristDK channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Group of young migrants attack German children and teens with sticks.

Teenage son of Rwandan migrants responsible for recent U.K. STABBING SPREE that killed 3 children.

South African transgender refugee charged with manslaughter for stabbing Syrian security guard to death in Germany.

Top German politicians demand "maximum" penalty for young people expressing their discontent with unrestricted migration.

German train system turning into life-threatening "battlefield" as violent migrants unleash chaos across European powerhouse.

Sources include:

RMX.news

APNews.com

TheLocal.de

Brighteon.com
The persecution of Dr. Reiner Fuellmich

Well-known attorney Reiner Fuellmich is being detained under terrible conditions for reasons that have nothing to do with what he is accused of.

(Article republished from Malone.news)

He had the courage to speak out on the truth and he is now paying for that courage.

He is, without any doubts, a political prisoner!

We need to spread the word regarding this scandal in order to put pressure on the orchestrators of these events in Germany.

I will give you an overview of the situation, but to start with, let me briefly summarize who Dr. Reiner Fuellmich is.

Reiner Fuellmich, 66, has been a trial lawyer in Germany and California for about 30 years and has always defended consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises against large corporations.

He has won major cases against Volkswagen (the diesel issue), Kuhne und Nagel, and Deutsche Bank, for which Fuellmich himself worked, and which he defines as one of the largest criminal organizations.

During the lockdowns in 2020, Fuellmich and his wife were in their ranch in California, but as the situation appeared to them to be quite strange, they decided to return to Germany to find out what was really going on.

He soon recognized the COVID crimes against humanity and on July 10, together with three other lawyers, Viviane Fischer, Antonia Fischer (no relation) and Justus Hoffmann, he created the CORONA INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE in Berlin, whose aim was to shed light on the actions of governments, institutions, the medical community, etc. in the context of the C-19 pandemic.

The main questions Fuellmich sought answers to were:

 how dangerous is this virus?

 how reliable is the PCR test recycled by Drosden?

 what damage is being caused to the worlds economy by the lockdowns?

Fuellmich conducted a vast series of interviews (approx. 400) and consulted nearly 150 scientists and experts from around the world in all fields, such as:

 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Luc Montagnier,

 Famed American cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Peter McCullough

 Dr. Mike Yeadon (ex vice-president of Pfizer)

 Dr. Judy Mikovits (scientist)

 Dr. Robert Malone (American biochemist and pioneer of the mRNA technology)

 Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Hodkinson

 German forensic pathologist Dr. Arne Burkhardt (who, together with a group of pathologists, performed autopsies on vaccinated persons)

 Dr. Astrid Stuckelberger (scientist and researcher)

 Dr. Simone Gold (founder, America's Frontline Doctors)

 Dr. Antonietta Gatti (scientist)

 Dr. Mattias Desmet (psychologist)

and many others.

He also consulted financial experts, historians, investigative journalists and writers, such as:

 Ernst Wolff (writer, journalist and finance expert)

 James Corbett (writer and investigative journalist)

 Matthew Ehret (writer and journalist)

 David Icke (writer and journalist)

 Naomi Wolf (journalist, writer and US political consultant)

Fuellmich also interviewed other very influential persons, such as:

 Vera Sharav (Holocaust survivor and human rights activist)

 Catherine Austin Fitts (Former US Assistant Secretary for Housing and Urban Development and financial expert)

 Calin Georgesco (former high ranking member of the United Nations)

 Monsignor Carlo Maria Vigano (Archbishop)

 Pascal Najadi (former Swiss banker and current film producer who denounced the president of the Helvetic confederation, Alain Berset)

and many, many others.

His investigations led to the conclusions that the COVID emergency was never about public health, as there was no pandemic. If anything, one can speak of a PCR test pandemic.

It was precisely thanks to these tests, which generated more than 95% false positives, that it was possible to inflate the number of COVID cases.

According to Fuellmich, this was the fundamental point on which allegations of intentional wrongdoing by the governments of most nations worldwide could be based.

Furthermore, all governments have acted and are acting against the interests of their citizens and are evidently under the control of the large, multinational corporations and NGOs that Fuellmich henceforth referred to as Mr. Global.

Mr. Global has committed and is still committing, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest crime against humanity.

It is important to mention that most of the interviews conducted by Reiner Fuellmich and Viviane Fischer were taped in Berlin via Zoom.

Justus Hoffmann and Antonia Fischer however, only participated at the very beginning.

In the summer of 2022, Fuellmich left Berlin and spent several weeks in the USA where he embarked upon the Crimes against Humanity speaking tour, together with Dr. Judy Mikovits, Dr. Richard Fleming and Patrick Wood.

His absence from Berlin led to some dissension among the members of the Corona Investigative Committee. In autumn 2022, Viviane Fischer who, together with Fuellmich was the most active member of the committee, ousted Fuellmich from the committee without forewarning. This action was done by way of a Zoom meeting, and was done in a deceptive manner. She told Fuellmich that the Zoom meeting, which had already been planned, would no longer take place.

Instead, the scheduled Zoom meeting was held, and in that meeting she informed the participants that there were some irregularities which needed to be clarified, and that the Corona Investigative Committee would continue without Reiner Fuellmich.

Fuellmich only learned of this afterwards.

After some time, he then started his own new project: the ICIC (International Crimes Investigative Committee).

BACKGROUND

Before being ousted from the Corona Committee, aware of the imminent threat of seizure of the Corona Investigative Committees bank accounts by the German government, and the fear of no longer being able to use the funds raised by private donations to continue the Committees very important work, Reiner Fuellmich and Viviane Fischer decided to protect the donations by purchasing gold for the value one million Euros.

They also each took a personal loan in order to secure the funds: 700,000 (Fuellmich) and 100,000 (Viviane Fischer). These loan agreements were made in writing by way of signed contracts.

Viviane Fischer repaid the loan in installment, starting in mid-August 2022 and ending in October 2022.

In that same period, Reiner Fuellmich was negotiating the sale of his home in Gottingen, which was expected to sell for 1.350.000. Part of this sum was to be used to repay the loan.

REINER FUELLMICH MADE IT CLEAR FROM THE OUTSET THAT REPAYMENT OF THE LOAN WOULD TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMPLETION OF THE SALE OF HIS PROPERTY!

In the meantime, however, since Reiner Fuellmichs bank accounts had been frozen, he delegated Marcel Templin (attorney-at-law, partner of Justus Hoffmann and Antonia Fischer) to manage and supervise, amongst other things, (1) a class action project which Fuellmich had been working on; and (2) the sale of Fuellmichs home.

Reiner Fuellmich's home was indeed sold, and the money from the sale ended up in Marcel Templin's bank account, thus preventing Reiner Fuellmich from repaying the 700,000 loan. This gave Antonia Fischer, Justus Hoffman and Marcel Templin the opportunity to accuse him of having embezzled funds from the Corona Investigative Committee.

FUELLMICHs DEPORTATION FROM MEXICO

Reiner Fuellmich had traveled to England to interview a former British Secret service agent.

Upon his return to the United States, he was denied entry, no doubt due to his activities exposing the true nature of the COVID emergency measures.

Denied entry into the U.S., Fuellmich and his wife went to Mexico where they remained for a few months while attempting to resolve the many problems which had arisen.

As they had lost their passports, they applied for new ones and were instructed by the German embassy to go to Tijuana to pick up the new passports.

Seeing as how the embassy was closed for remodeling, Fuellmich and his wife were told to go to directly to the airport to pick up their new passports.

Once at the airport, the Mexican police took Reiner Fuellmich into custody with the excuse that he did not have a valid passport/visa. He was then put on a flight (paid for by the German government!) to Frankfurt, where he was arrested and told that a European arrest warrant was pending on him.

Strangely, his wife who allegedly had the same problem with her travel documents-- after having spent the night in jail, was released and allowed to remain in Mexico, where she is to this day.

As it ends up, there was NO international arrest warrant, NOR any formal extradition process in place. This means that Fuellmich was abducted under false pretenses.

A week after his arrest in Frankfurt, Fuellmich was transported to the maximum-security prison in Rosdorf, where he remains even today in custody.

All motions to have him released on bail were rejected.

In the past 11 months or so, there have already been 28 hearings, and in each one of these some startling and baffling facts have come out about what is going on.

Of the initial 18 charges made against Fuellmich, only one remains: that regarding the personal loans. The judge, Carsten Schindler, decided that he DOES NOT CONSIDER them to be personal loans, despite the written and signed contracts.

In fact, judge Schindler considers these loans to be fictitious loans and, on May 3 he announced that for him the facts were already clear; that Reiner Fuellmich had acted in bad faith and had embezzled those funds.

He also stated that he intended to convict Fuellmich at all costs, and that there was no need to hear the testimony of any other witnesses for the defense.

His conclusions are based almost exclusively on the inconsistent testimony of Viviane Fischer.

It is important to note that, up to that point, the witnesses allowed to testify were almost exclusively those of the prosecution.

However, the key witness, namely Marcel Templin --one of Fuellmich's accusers!-- into whose bank account the money from the sale of Fuellmichs home ended upWAS NOT CALLED TO TESTIFY!

The defense, stunned by these statements made by Judge Schlinder, requested a stay of proceedings and was given time until June 10 to bring forth further evidence and witnesses.

Read more at: Malone.news
The thought police want Elon Musk ARRESTED for not forcing speech on X to conform to government propaganda and globalist narratives

A former labor secretary of President Clinton named Robert Reich is going after Elon Musk for his "out of control" refusal to censor more content on X (formerly Twitter).

Reich, who also once called for President Trump to be banned from state ballots for being a "traitor," wrote a piece for The Guardian the other day in which he called for Musk to be arrested on "hate speech" charges  all because Musk has been turning X from a far-left echo chamber into a place where other ideas can also be shared.

After X started stripping away some of the censorship tools that were in place at X while it was still known as Twitter, Reich and other 'protectors' of "democracy" began taking aim at him for threatening the status quo.

Musk's promise to reduce censorship on X is just "dangerous nonsense," according to Reich. This sounds a whole lot like what Hillary Clinton, Reich's friend, said after Musk first announced that he was purchasing Twitter.

Since Americans are still protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, Hillary and other Democrat politicians turned to Europe, calling on regulators there to use the Digital Services Act as a workaround to censor Americans from abroad.

(Related: A 2023 study found that X censorship has actually increased, not decreased, under Elon Musk's leadership.)

Cutting off Musk from government contracts

Reich has taken Hillary's baton with his own quest to promote the public interest through censorship. He believes that some views are dangerous and inappropriate, and that the First Amendment does not cover those like all the others.

The way Musk is allowing free speech on X makes him a threat, especially since he "may be the richest man in the world," according to Reich.

"He may own one of the world's most influential social media platforms, but that doesn't mean we're powerless to stop him," Reich said.

Reich is doing the same thing Hillary once did by trying to exploit Europe as a weapon against Americans. Reich wants foreign regulators to threaten Musk with jailtime in the hopes that he will start obeying the powers that be in censoring X users.

If that does not work, Reich wants the U.S. government to stop forging lucrative contracts with Musk and his various companies.

"Why is the U.S. government allowing Musk's satellites and rocket launchers to become crucial to the nation's security when he's shown utter disregard for the public interest?" Reich wants to know.

"Why give Musk more economic power when he repeatedly abuses it and demonstrates contempt for the public good?"

The right to free speech is one of the bedrocks of the American way of life, and Reich recognizes that. At the same time, he would like to see it take more of a back seat to the more pressing issues of the day that he feels require more speech restrictions in order to solve.

Reich wants there to be less of a focus on free speech and more emphasis on "how the times have changed." He would prefer that everyone agree with him that "moving towards how we recommend content and ... how we direct people's attention is leading to a healthy public conversation that is most participatory."

"Just further confirmation of my thesis (observation, actually) that within every Leftist is a totalitarian screaming to get out," one commenter wrote about Reich's words.

"Where there is no freedom of speech, there is no freedom," added another.

"Had this tiny terrorist been in Germany circa 1440, he'd have used those very words to justify smashing Gutenberg's printing press," wrote another.

What do you think about the direction X is taking under Elon Musk? Learn more about the fight for online free speech at FirstAmendment.news.

Sources for this article include:

JonathanTurley.org

NaturalNews.com
US 2024 may be our last

This years election is shaping up to be decided in court rather than the ballot box. Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are preparing for what will become a very heated and nasty legal battle that is certain to tear the country further apart. The mainstream media will naturally betray the country and everything the American Constitution once stood for. They will support all the illegal aliens and Kamala no matter what. When Communism fell, they tore down statues of Lenin everywhere. He was the champion of the mainstream press, and ushering in equality and fairness was the dream. The problem is that it necessitates authoritarian control to make everyone equal materially rather than by human rights and freedom to be what you want to be.

(Article republished from ArmstrongEconomics.com)

The mainstream press has become the enemy of the people just as they did in Communist Russia. They seem to be married to their dogma, and we should not expect them to repent. Warner Brothers will lament the day they championed CNN. Those in the media will probably fear for their lives, just as the communist politicians. As the New York Times reported on the Russian press when Communism fell:

Can you believe that this has happened? asked Pravdas editor, Aleksandr A. Ilyin, who was preceded in his job by Stalin and Nikolai Bukharin, among others. If they no longer want us, we will have to find people who do.

Nobody ever sees a change of this nature coming. However, this change heading into 2032 will also destroy Western society insofar as it is the dominant financial capital. Our Neocons are destroying Western society all for their hatred of Russians and Chinese, which will result in the financial capital of the world that the United States took from London in 1918 because of World War I; we will lose 112 years later because of World War III and the press is cheering them on. (half the 224 years cycle of political change)

The Democrats have sent this out to their fold:

 were strengthening our largest-ever voter protection program to protect against Trump and his allies attacks on our voting rights. Its why weve made a six-figure investment in the Democrats Abroad program to register and earn the votes of the nearly 9 million Americans living and serving overseas. And its why were expanding our successful virtual organizing efforts to engage and mobilize as many volunteers as we can, so you can get involved no matter where you are.

Georgia has adopted new rules for the states election board, allowing members to potentially delay certification of the election over inquiries into ballot discrepancies. In Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada, the GOP has been pushing for voter rolls to be purged of non-citizens. Republicans in Nevada filed a suit to prevent mail-in ballots from being counted if theyre received after Election Day, which seems reasonable. Still, the Democrats are fighting that as well.

In the swing states of Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, we are looking at contested voting that may end up in the Supreme Court as the LEFT is so desperate to force their Marxist agenda upon all of the nation. The flooding of Europe and the United States with illegal aliens where the majority offer nothing to society raises the goal of a specter of Dictatorship to establish their control over the people, scheming to get them to vote Democrat. They intend to use aliens against the American people to usher in their Utopian Dream of Karl Marx.

This is no longer about equal justice for all. Class, philosophical, and religious discrimination was Karl Marxs goal, turning churches into museums. This has become the cornerstone of the Democratic Party, championing transgender rights over parents and forcing abortion rights on every part of the country, even where it offends their religion. The Supreme Court was correct in giving such issues back to the states. But no, the Bible Belt must surrender their religion to the new Democratic dogma  there is no God.

Religious and cultural rights offend the Democratic view of forced equality, just as the Bolsheviks in Russia  our way to death. California has adopted the same position as Joseph Stalin, that the state is the parent  not the biological parents of children. At 17, you are a child incapable of deciding to have sex, but at 18 years old, you suddenly know what sex is to consent. However, at 12 years old, you can decide to change your sex. Nothing makes sense anymore. This is the Democratic way  change the rules to win at all costs.

Religion is incompatible with Marxism.

This election will be so bitterly contested that it will probably end up in the courts. Then, if a Democrat or a Republican appointed the judge rules, the loser would argue that the decision was political. There is no escaping this crisis because the LEFT knows it has been losing, and instead of questioning its philosophies, it intends to win by any means possible.

At the Democratic Convention, Biden poured gasoline on the fire that if Trump wonsomehow, that is not Democratic. He said, This will be the first presidential election since January 6th. Biden told the crowd in his speech that on January 6th, we almost lost everything about who we are as a country. And that threatthis is not hyperbolethat threat is still very much alive.

This report is $10

All the evidence shows that January 6th was a Deep State coup to shut down the challenge to any states count. The Deep State, with their Neocons, had to get rid of Trump just like JFK because both were anti-war. Pelosi refused to call in the National Guard because they feared that they were Trump supporters. That is why there was a 3-hour delay in asking for the National Guard  the Deep States (FBI/NSA/CIA) were in control. Pelosi used the event to impose emergency rules to block any challenge to the count involving seven states. The Constitution required any challenge to be debated on the full floor. Pelosi imposed a COVID rules restricting the number of people on the floor to just 53. They then imprison anyone who was there except FBI and their operatives while trying to use the 14th Amendment against Trump for what they very cleverly pulled off. Not a single mainstream media outlet would dare report the truth.

Never in my entire life have I witnessed such hatred and derogatory comments dividing the country. We are reaching that point where it will be impossible to mend. Our computer that has forecast the end of the United States does not seem so far-fetched anymore. It has become impossible for a nation to stand this divided.

Read more at: ArmstrongEconomics.com
STUDY: Voice analysis tech can accurately detect Type 2 diabetes through speech patterns

A groundbreaking new study from Canada suggests that doctors could diagnose diabetes by simply analyzing the voice of a patient from the initial conversation.

Voice analysis technology is emerging as a powerful tool in medical diagnostics, offering a non-invasive method to detect various health conditions. It uses artificial intelligence to detect subtle changes in speech that are imperceptible to human listeners. The software can analyze recordings from regular phone conversations  focusing on aspects like melody, pauses, pitch and speech rhythm. By examining these elements, AI can identify specific vocal patterns associated with different health conditions.

The recent Canadian study uncovered a novel link between blood sugar levels and voice pitch, suggesting new ways to monitor health without invasive procedures. Published in Scientific Reports in 2024, the study found that as blood sugar level rises, so does the pitch of a person's voice. This pattern was observed not only in people with diabetes but also in those with normal blood glucose levels  indicating a broader application for this discovery. The relationship was slightly less pronounced in individuals already diagnosed with diabetes.

The human voice has up to 200,000 unique characteristics and AI algorithms can filter through these to find patterns linked to specific diseases. For detecting Type 2 diabetes, the AI evaluated brief voice recordings  only six to 10 seconds long  by analyzing variations in loudness and pitch. When combined with basic health information, such as age, gender, height and weight, this method can accurately indicate the presence of Type 2 diabetes.

The results of this technology are impressive, with the AI achieving an accuracy rate of 90 percent for women and 86 percent for men. Researchers like Jaycee Kaufman from Ontario Tech University gathered over 18,000 voice samples from 267 participants  both with or without diabetes  to train the AI system. This research identified 14 specific acoustic features that vary between those with and without the condition, paving the way for more accessible diagnostic methods.

Kaufman noted that current detection methods can be costly and require significant time and travel. In contrast, voice analysis could eliminate these barriers  making early diagnosis more accessible. Moving forward, Klick Labs plans to explore the potential of voice analysis to detect other conditions, such as hypertension and prediabetes  expanding its use in preventive healthcare.

By studying speech patterns, researchers can identify early signs of diseases and conditions like heart problems, mental health disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and even post-traumatic stress disorder. This enables health care professionals to diagnose conditions sooner.

In earlier research by Klick Labs in Toronto, AI was used to analyze short voice recordings to detect Type 2 diabetes. A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health demonstrated that just a few seconds of recorded speech could determine the likelihood of Type 2 diabetes with a high degree of accuracy.

This technology is particularly valuable in identifying undiagnosed diabetes, which affects an estimated 240 million people worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation. Most of these cases are Type 2 diabetes, a condition that increases the risk of severe health issues like heart attacks, poor circulation and strokes.

Traditional diabetes tests, such as fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and oral glucose tolerance test, typically require visits to health care facilities and can be expensive and time-consuming.

In contrast, voice analysis offers a faster, more convenient screening method  potentially increasing early detection rates and reducing health care burdens,

Risks associated with voice analysis technology

Voice analysis technology is being hailed as a fast and efficient way to detect various diseases using just a person's speech. However, there are significant concerns about its limitations and potential misuse.

While AI-based tools can provide detailed insights from voice patterns, relying solely on a few voice samples is not enough to make a reliable medical diagnosis. There is a considerable risk of false positives or overdiagnoses, where conditions might be flagged incorrectly. Ultimately, a human professional should always review the results and make the final judgment.

This is especially true for diagnosing mental health issues. For example, certain voice tones might suggest someone is experiencing depression, but a thorough evaluation by a trained professional is essential to confirm this.

AI might detect changes in speech patterns that suggest disorganization or impulsiveness  potentially pointing to conditions, like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, only a medical expert can accurately diagnose such conditions, ensuring that any findings are not misinterpreted.

There are also serious concerns about how voice analysis could be misused. Privacy advocates warn that this technology could be exploited by employers or insurance companies without proper consent. This could lead to individuals being unfairly treated based on sensitive health data gleaned from their voice. Additionally, there is a risk that protected and personal health information could be hacked, shared or sold without the person's knowledge. (Related: Health apps are BAD for your privacy: 80% or more share your data, research reveals.)

Given these risks, it is crucial to have clear guidelines and strict regulations to prevent misuse. While scientists can highlight these issues, setting boundaries and ensuring the ethical use of voice analysis technology is ultimately the responsibility of policymakers.

New AI tool uses voice to screen for Type 2 diabetes. Watch this video.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Its not your imagination  your phone really is spying on you: Hundreds of Android apps use the microphone to secretly monitor and record your TV habits.

AI chatbot admits artificial intelligence can cause the downfall of humanity.

iPhone, Android devices totally defeated by CIA zero day exploits massive collection of CIA spyware revealed in secret document dump.

Sources include:

StudyFinds.org

DW.com

Nature.com

MCPDigitalHealth.org

IDF.org

Brighteon.com
News / National

by Staff reporter

Five women appeared before the Karoi Magistrates' Court facing charges of attempted murder after allegedly assaulting a man during a bar brawl.The accused, Shelta Svori (21), Charity Daison (26), Susan Maloyo (21), Natasha Mukota (24), and Monalisa Yona (25), are accused of attacking Tichawirirana Manyoni with sticks following a dispute at a local bar. The State alleges that Manyoni sustained head injuries and collapsed during the assault. He was taken to the hospital, treated, and later discharged.The women have been remanded in custody until September 10, 2024.In response to the incident, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe urged the public to avoid resolving conflicts through violence, encouraging peaceful resolution or third-party mediation instead.
Zelensky: Ukraine plans to hold Kursk region INDEFINITELY

Ukraine is planning to hold Russia's western Kursk region, which it seized from Moscow's control in August, for an indefinite period

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed this during a Sept. 3 interview with NBC News. According to the comedian-turned-chief executive, Kyiv will hold the territory as it is integral to his "victory plan" to end the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February 2022. Zelensky said he plans to present this proposal to the U.S. and other international partners.

"For now, we need it," he said of the Kursk region. "[Ultimately], we don't need their land. We don't want to bring our Ukrainian way of life there."

Zelensky noted during the interview  his first one-on-one since the Aug. 6 incursion into Kursk  that the operation was a "preemptive strike" to stop the Russians from creating a buffer zone along the Ukrainian border.

"Kyiv now claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and has taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war," NBC News wrote. "With Kyiv intensifying its attacks on border regions, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has vowed to take Ukrainian border territory to stop the assaults."

When asked whether Kyiv planned to try seizing more Russian territory beyond Kursk, Zelensky declined to expound. "I will not tell, I'm sorry. With all (due) respect, I can't speak about it," the Ukrainian leader said. "I think the success is very close to surprise."

While talk of peace negotiations has become louder, Kyiv has insisted that it would only sit down with Moscow from a position of power  with its control of Kursk giving it the edge. A second peace summit is scheduled for November and, according to Zelensky, Russia ought to attend.

"We understand that without the Russian side, ending this war diplomatically is very difficult," he remarked. But given the Aug. 6 incursion of the Kursk region, Russian officials have remarked that peace negotiations were impossible.

Zelensky claims U.S. had no idea about the Kursk incursion

During his interview with NBC News, Zelensky also pointed out that the Biden administration had no idea about the Aug. 6 incursion. Even the U.S. government has repeatedly stressed that it was not in on Kyiv's plans for the Russian territory.

According to the Ukrainian president, it was a closely guarded secret that even Ukrainian intelligence services did not know about. "Yes, we did not inform anyone  and it's not the question of lack of trust," he said.

Zelensky explained that Kyiv's counteroffensive last summer failed in many ways because of how much it was talked about in the media. This publicity, he continued, gave the Russians a chance to prepare.

"I shrunk to the maximum the circle of people who knew about this operation. I think it was one of the reasons why it was successful"

Retired Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense, said Washington was definitely aware of the plan for Kursk despite its denials. She voiced out her skepticism during an interview with Sputnik News. (Related: Analyst: Ukraine's attack on Kursk IMPOSSIBLE without U.S. support.)

"All Ukrainian military activities  especially long-planned ones  utilize U.S. surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance assistance. The Kursk invasion qualifies here. The weapons systems themselves included U.S. and NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] systems, and some of those are operated by U.S. and NATO personnel," she told the outlet.

"I don't believe Western government officials  were surprised. While bold, it was destined to be repelled. And it risked and made vulnerable the rest of the [Ukrainian] military and the remainder of Ukraine."

Head over to UkraineWitness.com for similar stories.

Watch this news report about Russia's claim that Ukraine is planning a "provocation" at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukraine fails to force ultimatum on Russia following August 11 attack on Kursk nuclear plant: "Most of the equipment has already been destroyed."

Russian official warns U.S. will face WORSE CONSEQUENCES for backing Ukraine's strikes on Kursk.

Ukraine wants to start talks using Kursk nuclear plant seizure as ultimatum  Akhmat head.

Zelensky now willing to negotiate peace deal to end conflict with Russia.

Zelensky: Russia SHOULD ATTEND the next Ukraine peace summit.

Sources include:

NBCNews.com

SputnikGlobe.com

Brighteon.com
Namibia, known for its vast wildlife reserves and rich biodiversity, has faced one of its worst droughts in decades. In response, the government has initiated a controversial wildlife cull, allowing hunting over 850 animals, including elephants, zebras, buffaloes, and antelopes.

This 'cruel' measure addresses the extreme drought conditions that have left animals and humans in rural areas struggling for survival.

The Namibian government has emphasized that the cull aims to provide meat for its rural population, where food and water shortages are acute due to the severe drought conditions.

Namibia's Extreme Drought

The drought has gripped Namibia and parts of southern Africa, causing water and food shortages for wildlife and local communities. The Namibian Ministry of Environment has justified the mass cull by stating that it will prevent animals from dying of thirst and reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflict, as animals are increasingly encroaching on settlements in search of water.

By culling the animals, the government believes they are alleviating pressure on dwindling resources, and the meat from these animals is being distributed to rural communities in dire need. Over 150 animals have been culled, resulting in about 57 tons of meat distributed across affected regions.

Read Also: 20,000 Botswana Elephants Threatened to Be Sent to Germany Over 'Hunting Trophy' Bans

Backlash from Environmentalists

However, animal rights organizations and environmentalists are outraged by the decision. Groups like the Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) argue that this is the largest mass cull in Namibia's history, criticizing the lack of proper environmental assessment of its long-term impact on wildlife tourism and ecosystems.

EHRA has accused the government of allowing trophy hunters to profit from the situation, raising concerns that some animals are being killed not solely for survival but for sport.

These groups have called for alternative solutions, such as improved water management or enhanced coexistence strategies between humans and wildlife. They also believe that the cull is politically motivated during an election year when Namibia's ruling party is under pressure to maintain its rural voter base.

As Namibia battles this severe drought, the debate over the ethical and environmental impact of the cull continues, highlighting the broader challenge of balancing human needs and wildlife conservation in the face of extreme climate events.

Related Article: Pigeon Culling Underway in German Town as Locals Vote for Eradication of the 'Sky Rats'
IBMs managed security services teams and its security operations center (SOC) consulting groups can use Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSIAM suite to help customers build next-generation SOC solutions, reduce security risks, improve visibility, and achieve faster response times, IBM stated.

IBM also said it intends to expand its use of Palo Altos AI-powered security platforms internally, adopting Cortex for next-gen security operations and Prisma SASE 3.0 for zero-trust network security to safeguard more than 250,000 of its global workforce. In addition, IBM plans to build industry-vertical capabilities on top of Cortex XSIAM using its watsonx technology.

IBM and Palo Alto Networks have already moved swiftly to expand their partnership, commencing work to train over 1,000 IBM consultants on Palo Alto Networks security solutions and delivering joint offerings to help organizations build cyber resiliency into every part of the business, IBM stated.

Additionally, the partnership combines Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud platform with IBM Consultings global system integration and managed security services to provide customized solutions across the DevSecOps lifecycle, improving cyber resiliency across cloud and enterprise applications, IBM stated.

When the sale of QRadar was first announced in May, Steven Dickens, chief technology advisor at Futurum Group, wrote that the move represented consolidation in a vast market of security players.

Specifically, it marks the exit of a major security information and event management (SIEM) software provider from the security operations space (at least at the product level) and is a nod to the newer XDR offerings that are gaining ground at the expense of SIEM tools, Dickens stated.
Opinion / Columnist

In recent years, Zimbabwe has seen significant political and administrative shifts, one of which is the introduction of devolution. Devolution refers to the decentralization of power from a central government to regional and local authorities. For Matabeleland, a region with a distinct cultural and historical identity, devolution presents a multitude of benefits that promise to enhance local governance, economic development, and social cohesion.Enhanced local governance and representationOne of the foremost advantages of devolution is the improvement in local governance. In Matabeleland, devolution allows for greater autonomy and decision-making power at the regional and local levels. This means that local authorities can tailor policies and programs to better address the unique needs and priorities of their communities. By having more control over local affairs, Matabeleland's leadership can ensure that resources are allocated more effectively and that local issues receive the attention they deserve.Economic development and resource managementDevolution empowers local governments to manage and utilize regional resources more efficiently. In Matabeleland, this can lead to a more targeted approach to economic development. Local authorities can identify and develop key economic sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, and mining, that are specific to the region's strengths and needs. By fostering a favorable environment for investment and business growth, devolution can stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and improve livelihoods in Matabeleland.Improved infrastructure and service deliveryWith increased autonomy, local governments in Matabeleland can focus on improving infrastructure and service delivery. Devolution allows for more responsive and effective management of essential services such as healthcare, education, and transportation. For instance, local authorities can prioritize the construction and maintenance of roads, schools, and health facilities based on community needs and feedback. This localized approach ensures that infrastructure projects are more closely aligned with the needs of residents.Strengthened cultural identity and social cohesionMatabeleland has a rich cultural heritage that is distinct from other regions of Zimbabwe. Devolution provides an opportunity to celebrate and preserve this cultural identity. Local governments can promote cultural programs, heritage sites, and traditional practices that are important to the people of Matabeleland. By supporting cultural initiatives and fostering a sense of local pride, devolution can contribute to social cohesion and unity within the region.Increased accountability and transparencyDevolution enhances accountability by bringing governance closer to the people. Local authorities are more accessible to residents and are directly answerable for their actions and decisions. This proximity fosters greater transparency and encourages active citizen participation in governance processes. In Matabeleland, this means that residents have more opportunities to engage with their leaders, voice their concerns, and contribute to the decision-making process.Resilience and local solutionsDevolution can also enhance resilience by enabling local governments to respond more effectively to crises and challenges. In times of disaster or economic downturn, Matabeleland's local authorities are better positioned to implement immediate solutions and support their communities. The ability to develop localized responses ensures that interventions are more relevant and impactful.ConclusionDevolution offers a range of benefits for Matabeleland, from improved local governance and economic development to enhanced cultural preservation and community engagement. By empowering regional and local authorities, devolution can drive positive change and create a more dynamic and responsive governance structure. As Matabeleland embraces this shift, the region stands to gain significantly in terms of development, representation, and overall well-being.
Clearly, the technical pace is quickening. But why has it taken so long to address BGPs failings, and will the latest initiative do the trick?

Back of a napkin

In 1989  the same year British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee wrote himself into posterity by inventing HTML, hyperlinking and the web  two IBM engineers devised BGP in their lunch break on the back of napkins (hence its later two napkin protocol nickname).

Unfortunately, nobody back then thought that security was a big deal, which explains why engineers have been trying to retrofit it onto the web and BGP ever since.

In that time, BGP security has gone from oversight to one of the biggest problems that barely anyone who uses the Internet knows exists.

BGP is the protocol without which the Internet would not be possible. It allows packets to find a path through a large mesh of other interconnected networks and reach the correct destination.

Doing this is complex and requires both multi-path routing (i.e. different ways to reach a destination to account for problems such as congestion) and the use of algorithms that let routers choose the best path at a given moment in time.
Super Typhoon Yagi is making landfall on Chinas Hainan island, bringing heavy rain and powerful winds to much of the southern Chinese coastline as well as Hong Kong and Macau.

Chinese state media said 400,000 had been evacuated in Hainan as schools were closed for a second day and flights were cancelled across the region.

The storms windspeeds reached 245kmph this morning, making Yagi the second-most powerful tropical cyclone anywhere in the world for 2024.

The eye of storm reached the northern tip of Hainan island on Friday afternoon, weather maps showed. It is expected to impact a large swathe of China before moving off towards Vietnam and Laos over the weekend.

Hainan had relocated 419,367 residents, transport links and businesses have been shut across the region, including the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, the worlds longest sea crossing. The storm also closed the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Four airports in northern Vietnam, including Hanois Noi Bai International Airport, have been shut.

Yagi doubled in strength after striking northern Philippines where it killed 16 people.

Scientists warn that typhoons are becoming stronger due to warmer oceans, fueled by climate crisis.

Key Points

Yagi makes landfall on Chinas Hainan

Yagi to make second landfall in Guangdong

China evacuates over 400,000 people ahead of Typhoon Yagi landfall

Mapped: Super Typhoon Yagi path and arrival time

Vietnam cancels hundreds of flights and shuts down airports ahead of Typhoon Yagi arrival

Why super typhoons like Yagi are becoming more common

This blog has been paused

Friday 6 September 2024 18:09 , Tom Watling

We are pausing our blog for now.

Please check in later for more coverage.

Photos: Rescue operations in Philippines following landslide triggered by Storm Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 06:30 , Stuti Mishra

Search and rescue operations continue in Antipolo, Rizal, at the site where people may be buried following a landslide triggered by Tropical Storm Yagi (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Search and rescue operations continue in Antipolo, Rizal, at the site where people may be buried following a landslide triggered by Tropical Storm Yagi (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Search and rescue operations continue in Antipolo, Rizal, at the site where people may be buried following a landslide triggered by Tropical Storm Yagi (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Super Typhoon Yagi is strongest tropical cyclone of 2024 so far

Thursday 5 September 2024 06:58 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi, also known as Enteng in the Philippines, is the strongest tropical cyclone of 2024 worldwide, Matthew Cuyugan, a disaster management office in the Philippines, wrote on X.

It achieved this status with a minimum central pressure of 915 millibars and winds likely exceeding 160 mph, making it a Category 5 equivalent typhoon by various classifications, including the Japan Meteorological Agencys (JMA) highest storm classification as a violent typhoon.

BREAKING: #Yagi (formerly #EntengPH) becomes the strongest tropical cyclone WORLDWIDE this 2024.



It is now a VIOLENT typhoon by Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) - the highest storm classification by the RSMC Tokyo in the Western Pacific (WPAC) basin, and becoming the first pic.twitter.com/MV16vU6k0p  Matthew Cuyugan (@mscuyugan) September 5, 2024

How Hong Kong's typhoon alert system works

Thursday 5 September 2024 07:10 , Stuti Mishra

As Super Typhoon Yagi approaches Hong Kong, the city is set to raise the No 8 typhoon signal, prompting widespread closures and disruptions.

The Hong Kong Observatory uses a numbered typhoon warning system to alert residents to the severity of approaching storms and guide them in taking appropriate action. Heres how the system works:

No 1 Signal: The first level, No 1, is issued when a tropical cyclone is within 800 kilometres of Hong Kong. At this stage, the storm does not pose an immediate threat, but the signal serves as an early alert for the public to stay informed and monitor updates on the storms development.

No 3 Signal: As the storm draws closer and winds intensify to between 41 and 62 kmph, the No 3 signal is raised. This warning typically results in the closure of kindergartens and special schools, as seen earlier when Typhoon Yagi approached. Residents in exposed or vulnerable areas are advised to secure loose objects and take precautions against potential wind damage.

No 8 Signal: When winds reach 63 to 117 kmph, the No 8 signal is issued, as will be the case with Super Typhoon Yagi at 6.20pm local time (10.20am GMT) on Thursday. This is a critical alert, leading to the closure of businesses and a halt to most public transport services. Residents are urged to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

No 9 and No 10 Signals: For the most severe conditions, No 9 and No 10 signals are issued, indicating winds above 118 kmph. These warnings signal extreme danger, advising residents to stay away from windows, avoid coastal areas, and remain indoors until the storm passes.

As Yagi is expected to pass 300 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong, the observatory has warned of deteriorating weather and stronger winds, with further alerts possible if the storm intensifies. Residents were asked to prepare for the impact expected from Thursday night through Friday morning.

Which countries will be affected by Super Typhoon Yagi?

Thursday 5 September 2024 07:30 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi is expected to bring heavy wind gusts and rainfall to several countries in Southeast Asia. Starting with Chinas southeastern coast, particularly Guangdong and Hainan Island, Yagi will also affect northern Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand as it moves westward.

In China, Yagis landfall on Hainan will bring dangerous winds and torrential rain, with the strongest impact from Friday through Sunday. Major cities like Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou are bracing for possible flooding and disruptions.

As the storm moves inland, northern Vietnam will experience heavy rains and strong winds, with the risk of flooding and landslides in mountainous areas.

Northern Laos and Thailand are also expected to face similar conditions, with intense rainfall potentially causing flash floods and landslides. Although the storm will weaken by the time it reaches these areas.

Photos: Residents in Philippines clean flooded homes after Tropical Storm Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 08:10 , Stuti Mishra

Residents sweep mud off the street, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Yagi, locally known as Enteng, in Pilila, Rizal province, Philippines (REUTERS)

Jefernell Cervantes, 28, takes a break from cleaning the mud off their home after it was flooded due to Tropical Storm Yagi, locally known as Enteng, in Pilila, Rizal province, Philippines (REUTERS)

Workers collect garbage after floods caused by Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, subside in Antipolo city, Rizal province, Philippines (AP)

Rainfall from Typhoon Yagi could exceed 30 inches as storm strengthens, forecaster warns

Thursday 5 September 2024 08:43 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Yagi, known as Enteng in the Philippines, is expected to intensify further as it tracks westward across the northern South China Sea in the coming days, according to warnings from AccuWeather meteorologists.

The storm, which is already generating substantial rainfall, is forecasted to bring between 16 and 30 inches (400 to 760 mm) of rain to regions including southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, and northern Thailand from Friday through Sunday. Such heavy rainfall could lead to severe flooding, mudslides, and significant transportation disruptions.

Wind speeds associated with Yagi are also projected to be extreme. Gusts could reach up to 160 mph (260 kmph), with AccuWeather forecast showing it potentially peaking at 180 mph (290 kmph). These powerful winds pose risks of substantial structural damage, widespread power outages, and major logistical delays. The most intense winds are expected near the storm's landfall, potentially impacting the Leizhou Peninsula or Hainan Island.

Photo: Funerals held for victims of landslide triggered by Storm Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 09:00 , Stuti Mishra

A funeral wake of Arlene Patangan Calano, 44 years old died due to the onslaught of Tropical Storm Yagi are seen with their family in Antipolo, Rizal. Arlene died by saving her siblings and grandchild against the flash flood. (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Dozens of flights cancelled in Hong Kong amid Super Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 09:30 , Stuti Mishra

Thirty-eight flights were cancelled in Hong Kong today as the city prepared for Super Typhoon Yagi. The Airport Authority announced that transport arrangements will be made for affected passengers.

Chapman Fong Shui-man, deputy director for airport operations, said that all cancelled flights will be rescheduled on Friday, according to SCMP.

The most impacted airlines were Cathay Pacific Airways, budget carrier HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines, and Hong Kong Airlines.

Some bus services to the airport will also be suspended, with MTR trains adjusting services to fill the gaps left by the buses, Mr Fong said.

Hong Kong is set to issue its third-highest typhoon signal, No 8, at 6.40pm local time, which will shut many businesses and reduce transport in the region.

The city's weather observatory warns of intense rain bands affecting the territory, with heavy showers expected to continue today and tomorrow.

Macau under alert ahead of Super Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 09:55 , Stuti Mishra

Macau has raised its alert level as Super Typhoon Yagi, currently in the northern South China Sea, moves west-northwest toward the region between Guangdong and Hainan Island.

Yagi is expected to pass within 300 kilometres south of Macau tomorrow bringing strengthening winds and frequent thunderstorms.

Due to the storm's extensive circulation, the Tropical Cyclone Signal No 8 may be issued on tonight, a government statement said.

Hong Kong is also expected to raise No 8 alert this evening.

In addition to the typhoon warning, low-lying areas in Macau's inner harbour could experience minor flooding of up to 0.5 meters, it said, raising the possibility of a Blue or Yellow Storm Surge Warning, depending on Yagi's exact path and intensity.

Photos: Waves thrash Chinese shore and dark clouds cover the sky ahead of Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 10:15 , Stuti Mishra

A ship passes by as storm clouds gather over Victoria harbour in Hong Kong on September 5, 2024, as super typhoon Yagi tracked across the South China Sea towards the southern China coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Tourists take photos on the promenade at Victoria harbour in Hong Kong on Thursday as super typhoon Yagi tracked across the South China Sea towards the southern China coast (AFP via Getty Images)

A man looks up on a promenade at Victoria harbour in Hong Kong on Thursday as super typhoon Yagi tracked across the South China Sea towards the southern China coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Urgent action ordered as Vietnam prepares for Super Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 10:30 , Stuti Mishra

Vietnam's prime minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a call for urgent action as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches, with the storm expected to impact northern the and central regions of the country.

The typhoon, which intensified on Thursday while churning towards China's Hainan province, is expected to bring dangerous winds and heavy rains to coastal and inland areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand over the next few days.

A directive was sent by the Vietnamese PM to leaders of provinces and cities, including major regions such as Hanoi, Haiphong, and Quang Ninh, urging them to prioritise storm preparedness and public safety, according to Vietnam Plus.

The storm is forecast to impact the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam on Friday as it makes landfall in China, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, and the risk of floods and landslides.

Local authorities are instructed to postpone non-essential meetings, focus on securing vulnerable communities, and protect critical infrastructure like dykes, dams, and transportation networks, the news outlet reported.

Coastal areas and offshore vessels are also being secured, and all efforts are being made to prevent urban flooding and damage to agricultural production.

Deputy prime minister Tran Hong Ha has been tasked with overseeing response efforts, ensuring swift action to minimise the storm's impact on lives and property.

Photos: People wade through knee-deep water in Philippines after flooding from Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 10:50 , Stuti Mishra

Roshien Bantog, 33, cooks a stew in the flood, during Tropical Storm Yagi, locally known as Enteng in Apalit, Pampanga, Philippines (REUTERS)

A resident cycles through a flooded street following heavy rains brought about by Tropical Storm Yagi at a village in Cainta town, Rizal province, East of Manila (AFP via Getty Images)

Residents push their motorcycle through a flooded street following heavy rains brought about by Tropical Storm Yagi at a village in Cainta town, Rizal province, East of Manila (AFP via Getty Images)

Hong Kong schools to stay closed on Friday as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches

Thursday 5 September 2024 11:10 , Stuti Mishra

Hong Kong will halt all school classes tomorrow as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.

The suspension affects all day schools, including kindergartens, primary, secondary, and special schools, the Education Bureau announced on Thursday.

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) will issue its No 8 typhoon signal  the third level in a five-tiered system  at 6pm (local time) on Thursday, and it is set to remain in effect until at least noon on Friday.

Thursday evening classes have also been cancelled as a precaution.

Super Typhoon Yagi is expected to pass 300km southwest of Hong Kong on Friday morning. The current No 3 warning has been in place since yesterday night.

Dozens of flights have also been cancelled.

Mapped: Super Typhoon Yagi path and forecast

Thursday 5 September 2024 11:30 , Stuti Mishra

Storm Yagi has intensified into a super typhoon as it churns towards China, making it possibly the strongest storm to hit the country in nearly a decade.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 209kmph (130mph) near its eye, Yagi registers as the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024 so far, after the Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane Beryl.

Its epicentre was located around 400km southeast of Zhanjiang City in Guangdong province on Thursday evening, moving westward at 10-15kmph.

The storm will have the biggest impact on Guangdong and Hainan, with landfall expected between Qionghai and Dianbai on Friday but Vietnam, Laos and Thailand can also expect heavy rainfall.

Major cities like Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou are bracing for possible flooding and disruptions.

Here's the path for Super Typhoon Yagi and forecast for next few days.

Mapped: Yagi becomes a super typhoon as it heads for Chinese coast

Super Typhoon Yagi rainfall forecast: Up to 30 inches of rain expected

Thursday 5 September 2024 11:50 , Stuti Mishra

The latest rainfall forecast from AccuWeather shows Yagi is expected to bring up to 16 inches (400 mm) of rain, with some areas possibly receiving as much as 30 inches (760 mm), across southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, and northern Thailand between Friday and Sunday.

Map shows rainfall forecast from AccuWeather across southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, northern Laos, and northern Thailand between Friday and Sunday (AccuWeather)

Super Typhoon Yagi to lash east and west coasts of Thailand

Thursday 5 September 2024 12:10 , Stuti Mishra

Thailand's Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain and windstorms this weekend as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches.

The storm, moving slowly westward from the South China Sea, is expected to pass over Hainan Island in China and reach northern Vietnam by Friday or Saturday, bringing significant weather impacts.

Thanasit Iam-ananchai, acting director-general of the Meteorological Department, said northern and northeastern Thailand will see heavy downpours and strong winds on Saturday and Sunday as a result of Yagis outer bands.

Coastal areas along the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand will also experience monsoon-driven rains on Thursday and Friday, with warnings of potential flash floods and runoffs.

Small boats are advised to remain ashore along both coasts until Sunday due to rough seas.

While Yagis main impact is centred on southern China, it is also expected to affect Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, bringing significant rainfall to the region over the weekend.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange to close on Friday amid Typhoon Yagi disruptions

Thursday 5 September 2024 12:30 , Stuti Mishra

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) will be closed on Friday morning due to Typhoon Yagi and could remain shuttered for the whole day.

The storm has prompted a No 8 alert from the Hong Kong Observatory, the third level in a five-tier warning system.Issued at 6.20pm local time, this alert indicates gale or storm-force winds near sea level and is expected to remain in effect at least until noon on Friday.

Under the current rules of the HKEX, a Typhoon Signal No 8 leads to the cancellation of the morning trading session.The status of the afternoon session will depend on whether the alert is lowered by noon.

If the signal is still in place, trading for the day will be entirely suspended.In addition to financial market impacts, Typhoon Yagi has also led to dozens of flight cancellations in Hong Kong and Hainan.

In photos: Rescue operations in Philippines after landslides

Thursday 5 September 2024 12:50 , Stuti Mishra

Rescuers carry the body of a resident who was found dead following a flooding that crushed a house, after Typhoon Yagi (Enteng) bringing heavy rains and strong winds hit the country, in the mountainous area of Antipolo, Rizal, The Philippines, on Tuesday (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Shoes are seen near a site that has seen three people missing following a flood, as Typhoon Yagi (Enteng) bringing heavy rains and strong winds hit the country, in the mountainous area of Antipolo, Rizal, The Philippines (Anadolu via Getty Images)

How typhoons like Yagi are getting stronger and more dangerous

Thursday 5 September 2024 13:10 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoons have been growing more intense in recent years, a phenomenon closely linked to the effects of the climate crisis.

Warmer ocean temperatures are providing the fuel that intensifies these storms, increasing their wind speeds and the amount of rain they produce.

Scientists warn that as the planet continues to warm, typhoons and hurricanes will become more frequent and destructive.In 2024 alone, weve seen several powerful storms, including Super Typhoon Yagi, which devastated the Philippines and is now heading towards China, and Hurricane Beryl that tore through the Caribbean, Mexico and the US.

Yagis winds have exceeded 200kmph, placing it among the strongest storms on record. Similarly, Typhoon Shanshan, which hit Japan last week, was the countrys most powerful storm in decades.

These supercharged storms pose significant threats to coastal regions, as they bring not only strong winds but also the risk of extreme flooding and landslides.

Rising sea levels exacerbate this risk, making coastal areas even more vulnerable to storm surges.

Read how tropical storms are intensifying:

Climate crisis driving increasingly damaging hurricanes on US East Coast

Video: Flooded streets in Philippines after Typhoon Yagi

Thursday 5 September 2024 13:30 , Stuti Mishra

What does 'Yagi' mean?

Thursday 5 September 2024 14:00 , Stuti Mishra

Yagi is the Japanese word for goat and for the constellation of Capricornus, a mythical creature that is half goat, half fish.

Tropical storms in the Western Pacific are named by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo. They use a pre-determined list of names contributed by countries in the region, such as Japan, China, and the Philippines. Each list cycles every four years.

Fishing trips, rail services and flights cancelled

Thursday 5 September 2024 14:20 , Jane Dalton

Chinas official news agency, Xinhua, said tens of thousands of fishing boats returned to ports in Hainan and elsewhere to seek shelter, along with nearly 70,000 fishermen.

State broadcaster CCTV said some railway services were suspended, starting Thursday evening.

Hainan Meteorological Service forecast that the typhoon would make landfall tomorrow along the region from Qionghai in Hainan to Dianbai in neighboring Guangdong province.

Meteorological authorities said it could be the strongest typhoon to hit Hainan in the past 10 years, Xinhua reported. The tropical island is a popular tourist destination known for its holiday resorts and duty-free shopping allowance.

In Guangdong, all coastal tourist attractions and beaches were ordered to close from Wednesday evening, with dozens of flights cancelled at the airport in Zhuhai city, state media China Daily reported.

Check emergency kits, embassy in Vietnam suggests

Thursday 5 September 2024 14:50 , Jane Dalton

The US embassy in Vietnam has advised people to check emergency kits to ensure they have medicines and other supplies in case they have to flee their homes in an emergency.

It also advises residents to reinforce roofs and secure loose objects.

An urgent directive issued by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, states that Yagi is highly likely to affect the sea and mainland of the northern and north-central regions. Coastal provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ninh are advised to prepare for the storm, it says.

(US embassy in Vietnam)

Vietnam predicted to be hit on Saturday

Thursday 5 September 2024 15:15 , Jane Dalton

After causing havoc on Chinas Leizhou Peninsula, Typhoon Yagi is forecast to hit northern Vietnam on Saturday, according to hurricane tracker Zoom Earth.

After pummeling Chinas Leizhou Peninsula, Typhoon #Yagi is forecast to pass straight into the Gulf of Tonkin and strike northern Vietnam on Saturday  pic.twitter.com/LnzMa7diQF  Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) September 5, 2024

Yagi may be strongest in nearly a decade

Thursday 5 September 2024 15:45 , Jane Dalton

Super-Typhoon Yagi could turn out to be the strongest storm to hit the country in nearly a decade. Heres how it developed:

Mapped: Yagi becomes a super typhoon as it heads for Chinese coast

Storm chasers ignore warnings

Thursday 5 September 2024 16:15 , Jane Dalton

Storm chasers have ignored warnings to stay safe and have been seen travelling to areas to view the typhoon, according to the South China Morning Post.

Some were seen at spots such as Heng Fa Chuen and the East Coast Park Precinct, it reported.

In may the government pledged to step up enforcement and prosecution against such dangerous behaviour, which could put rescuers in danger.

People who enter public beaches or country parks that are closed during a typhoon face a HK$2,000 fine or 14 days in jail.

Yagi second only to devastating Beryl

Thursday 5 September 2024 16:45 , Jane Dalton

Yagi registers as the worlds second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024 so far, after the Category 5 Atlantic hurricane Beryl.

In early July, Beryl tore through the southeastern Caribbean, killing seven people and leaving two islands of Grenada in almost complete destruction.

Seven people killed and islands flattened as hurricane Beryl devastates Carribean

Selfie time in Hong Kong

Thursday 5 September 2024 17:15 , Jane Dalton

(REUTERS)

(REUTERS)

Typhoon strongest yet in South China Sea area

Thursday 5 September 2024 17:45 , Jane Dalton

Yagi is the strongest typhoon on record in that part of the South China Sea, one meteorologist says.

The eye of Typhoon Yagi is now within radar range of the southern coast of China 



With 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 195 km/hr, Yagi is the strongest typhoon on record in this part of the South China Sea.#11 | #Yagi | # pic.twitter.com/wnFiCthUjC  James Cosgrove (@MrJamesCosgrove) September 5, 2024

Philippines clearing up

Thursday 5 September 2024 18:15 , Jane Dalton

Householders in the Philippines are still clearing up after the super-typhoon struck on Wednesday, killing 14 people.

Jasper Miranda, 26, wades through floodwaters with his pet ducks (REUTERS)

Storm Yagi heads for Chinese coast after leaving 14 dead in the Philippines

Surfers flout beach closure order

Thursday 5 September 2024 18:45 , Jane Dalton

Police in Hong Kong searched a popular beach for a group of surfers who flouted a closure order, just an hour before the city issued a severe No 8 warning over Super-Typhoon Yagi on Thursday, the South China Morning Post reported.

Typhoon equivalent to category 4 hurricane

Thursday 5 September 2024 19:15 , Jane Dalton

The typhoon has wind speeds equivalent to a category 4 hurricane, according to the US Navys Joint Typhoon Warning Center, with maximum sustained winds of about 150 mph.

The storm is forecast to hit Guangdong and Hainan provinces after moving west over the South China Sea on Friday evening.

A window is taped in anticipation of typhoon Yagi at a clothing store in Hong Kong (REUTERS)

Yagi intensifies slightly

Thursday 5 September 2024 20:00 , Jane Dalton

Gale-force winds are hitting Hong Kong and the Pearl River Estuary, with occasional storm winds offshore and on high ground, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

Yagi, which is skirting the southwest of the territory, has intensified slightly.

Intense rainbands associated with Yagi will continue to bring heavy squally showers, the observatory said, adding: Members of the public should remain on the alert.

Typhoons fuelled by climate crisis

Thursday 5 September 2024 21:00 , Jane Dalton

Yagi strengthened into a super-typhoon on Wednesday night as it barreled towards China.

Typhoons are becoming stronger, fuelled by warmer oceans, amid climate change, scientists say. Read more here about typhoons around the world since 2017.

Airport footage shows gale-force winds

Thursday 5 September 2024 22:00 , Jane Dalton

Footage from Hong Kong International Airport illustrates how strong the winds already are in the region.

#HCHInternacionales | En imagenes desde la zona de la plataforma del Aeropuerto Internacional de Hong Kong mientras avanza el super tifon Yagi, que podria convertirse en el ciclon tropical mas poderoso de 2024.



 Un total de 38 vuelos fueron cancelados en el Aeropuerto pic.twitter.com/7zsFrArzak  HCH Television Digital (@HCHTelevDigital) September 5, 2024

Three people injured in high winds and rain

Thursday 5 September 2024 23:00 , Jane Dalton

Two men and a woman in Hong Kong were injured during the storm and needed hospital treatment, the South China Morning Post reports.

And 32 reports of fallen trees have been received, it said.

A second amber warning of heavy rain was issued.

Six people killed by Japan storm last week

Friday 6 September 2024 00:01 , Jane Dalton

Its only a week since Typhoon Shanshan lashed Japan, killing six people and injuring at least 130.

It also caused flight cancellations, train suspensions and factory shutdowns:

Typhoon Shanshan wreaks havoc across Japan despite weakening to tropical storm

Residents of Haikou city in great danger'

Friday 6 September 2024 01:20 , Jane Dalton

Residents of the city of Haikou on the island of Hainan are in the direct line of super-typhoon Yagi, its claimed.

This is a very dangerous situation for the city of Haikou, #Hainan, a city that has 2 million people who are in great danger as it looks like Typhoon #Yagi is making a direct aim on it, said @StormHQwx, a social media account that gives storm forecasts and analysis.

This is a very dangerous situation for the city of Haikou, #Hainan, a city that has 2 million people who are in great danger as it looks like Typhoon #Yagi is making a direct aim on it.



With the recent trends of the storm with it at least maintaining strength/strengthening a pic.twitter.com/ftAqvONtxD  StormHQ  (@StormHQwx) September 5, 2024

How storm threatening Hainan and Vietnam

Friday 6 September 2024 02:45 , Jane Dalton

A map from Accuweather shows the worst of the storm sitting east, west and south of the island of Hainan, and just off Vietnam.

(Accuweather)

Yagi left 14 dead in Philippines

Friday 6 September 2024 04:00 , Jane Dalton

Storm Yagi heads for Chinese coast after leaving 14 dead in the Philippines

Super Typhoon Yagi drenches southern China as it inches closer

Friday 6 September 2024 05:02 , Stuti Mishra

Powerful gales and heavy rain from Super Typhoon Yagi drenched southern China on Friday, with schools shut for the second day and flights cancelled.

China's government sent task forces to Guangdong and Hainan to guide flood and typhoon prevention, official news agency Xinhua said as authorities issued high risk warnings for geological disasters in northern Shanxi, southern Guangdong and most areas of Hainan island.

In Hainan's capital Haikou, streets were deserted as people stayed indoors, photographs on social media showed.

Typhoon Yagi to make landfall as it inches closer to Hainan

Friday 6 September 2024 05:53 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi is inching closer to Chinas southern coast as it is set to make landfall today.

Packing winds of 152mph, the storm is one of the strongest in Asia this year and equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane.

The storm is moving at a speed of 20km and is about to make landfall somewhere between Hainans Wenchang city and Xuwen county in neighbouring Guangdong province this afternoon.

Yagi has maintained its intensity as a super typhoon and is likely to weaken slightly as it interacts with land, but it will still hit the region with significant force.

After China, Yagi will move towards Laos and Vietnam.

Heres the storms path:

Typhoon Yagi inches closer to Hainan (Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA))

Hong Kong Stock Exchange shut today

Friday 6 September 2024 06:14 , Stuti Mishra

Trading on the stock market, bank services and schools were halted in Hong Kong after the citys weather authority raised a No. 8 typhoon signal for Typhoon Yagi, the third-highest warning under the citys weather system.

The warning will stay in place until noon before potentially getting downgraded as the storm moves away from Hong Kong.

Tourists walk on the promenade under stormy skies over Victoria harbour in Hong Kong (AFP via Getty Images)

Hainan residents brace for Typhoon Yagi

Friday 6 September 2024 06:51 , Stuti Mishra

In Hainan, a tropical holiday island in southern China, residents were bracing for the powerful storm.

Schools were shut for the second day and flights were halted as the storm inched closer.

The province's meteorological service expected Yagi to make landfall somewhere between the province's Wenchang city and Xuwen county in neighboring Guangdong province later Friday.

People built sandbag barriers outside buildings to guard against possible floods and reinforced their windows with tape on Thursday, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.

The official China Daily said classes, work, transportation and businesses were suspended in parts of the province as early as Wednesday evening.

Some tourist attractions were closed and all flights at its international airport in Haikou city were grounded on Friday.

Why Super Typhoon Yagi's landfall is rare

Friday 6 September 2024 07:10 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi is expected to make landfall in Hainan in a few hours, marking the most severe storm to hit the island since 2014.

Before Yagi, the last super typhoon to hit Hainan was Rammasun, which killed 88 people and caused over 44 billion yuan ($6.25 billion) in damages.

Following a similar path as Rammasun, Yagi formed over the warm waters east of the Philippines and was projected to arrive as a Category 4 storm, bringing winds strong enough to overturn vehicles, uproot trees, and damage infrastructure.

Landfalls of this magnitude are rare for Hainan, where only nine out of 106 typhoons between 1949 and 2023 were classified as super typhoons.

Vietnam cancels hundreds of flights and shuts down airports ahead of Typhoon Yagi arrival

Friday 6 September 2024 07:31 , Stuti Mishra

Four airports in northern Vietnam, including Hanois Noi Bai International Airport, will be closed on Saturday, Vietnam's civil aviation authority said.

Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport will remain closed from 10am to 7pm local time (3am to noon GMT).

Airports in the coastal cities of Quang Ninh and Haiphong will be shut from early Saturday until 4pm the same day, and the airport in Thanh Hoa will suspend services from midday until late Saturday, CAAV said.

Airports are also shut in the port city of Haiphong and the province of Quang Ninh, home to the UNESCO heritage site Ha Long Bay and many large factories.

About 240 domestic and 70 international flights would be suspended to "ensure absolute safety" and "prevent the impact of the storm on the technical infrastructure."

Photo: Workers cut redundant branches off of trees in Hainan

Friday 6 September 2024 07:50 , Stuti Mishra

Workers cut redundant branches off of trees along a street ahead of the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south Chinas Hainan Province (AP)

Super Typhoon Yagi making landfall in Hainan

Friday 6 September 2024 08:15 , Stuti Mishra

The eye of Super Typhoon Yagi has reached the northeastern tip of Hainan Island in southern China.

The typhoon's bands have been lashing the island province since yesterday with the wider region, especially the Guangdong province, also feeling the impact.

Over the next few hours, the storm will slowly move westwards, eventually coming out into the waters again as it takes aim at northern Vietnam next.

Powerful Typhoon #Yagi is making landfall over the northeastern tip of #Hainan Island in southern #China. It is the strongest typhoon to hit the island since Typhoon Rammasun in 2014. pic.twitter.com/DUo0HizB4d  Met Office Storms (@metofficestorms) September 6, 2024

China evacuates over 400,000 people ahead of Typhoon Yagi landfall

Friday 6 September 2024 08:24 , Stuti Mishra

China's southern island of Hainan has evacuated more than 400,000 people ahead of Yagi's arrival, state media said.

"The southern Chinese province of Hainan had relocated 419,367 residents as of 11.30am on Friday with super typhoon Yagi approaching," state news agency Xinhua said, citing local authorities.

Photo: Businesses tape glass windows as Typhoon Yagi brings strong winds to Hainan

Friday 6 September 2024 08:48 , Stuti Mishra

A worker reinforces a glass window with tape at a cafe after the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention for Typhoon Yagi (AP)

Satellite image shows Typhoon Yagis eye at the tip of Hainan island

Friday 6 September 2024 08:55 , Stuti Mishra

Infrared image from Japans Himawari-9 satelite shows the eye of Super Typhoon Yagi over the northern tip of Hainan island as it continues to churn westward (Himawari-9)

Tracing Super Typhoon Yagi path as storm makes landfall in China

Friday 6 September 2024 09:28 , Stuti Mishra

Yagis eye has reached the northwest tip of Hainan. The storms outer bands have been generating heavy rainfall and wind gusts in southeast China, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, and Laos.

The storm is expected to weaken over the next few hours as it moves over land, but it will continue on its path to northern and western Vietnam, intensifying rain in Laos and impacting Thailand over the weekend.

Heres the path of the storm:

Map from Japan Meterological Agency (JMA) shows path of Typhoon Yagi as it enters Hainan province of China (JMA)

Typhoon Yagi downgraded from 'violent' to 'very strong'

Friday 6 September 2024 09:45 , Stuti Mishra

Yagi is now graded as a "very strong" typhoon instead of a "violent typhoon" by the Japan Meteorological Agency after it made landfall in Hainan, China.

The storm has a central pressure of 925 hPa and is packing winds of up to 180 kmph near the centre. But wind gusts can reach as high as 252 kmph.

Very strong typhoons, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, have maximum sustained wind speeds of 157-193 kmph, while violent typhoons have maximum sustained wind speeds of 194 kmph or greater, according to the JMA classification.

Hurricane vs typhoon: What is the difference?

Friday 6 September 2024 10:04 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricanes and typhoons are essentially the same weather phenomenon, but they are distinguished by their geographic location.Hurricanes are tropical storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Typhoons form in the western Pacific Ocean, including the seas around Asia.Essentially, the same storm would be called a hurricane if it formed in the Atlantic and a typhoon if it formed in the Pacific. They are known as cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Australia.

All tropical storms are characterised by low pressure centres and a warm core in which the minimum sustained surface wind is 119 kmph (74 mph).

They cause strong thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and high winds.

In photos: Inactive cranes and containers stand idle as Dinh Vu port in Vietnam shut

Friday 6 September 2024 10:20 , Stuti Mishra

Inactive cranes and containers at the closed Dinh Vu port ahead of the approaching Typhoon Yagi in Hai Phong (AFP via Getty Images)

Containers at the closed Dinh Vu port ahead of approaching Typhoon Yagi in Hai Phong (AFP via Getty Images)

Yagi to lash east and west coasts of Thailand

Friday 6 September 2024 11:00 , Stuti Mishra

Thailand's Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain and windstorms this weekend as Yagi approaches the country.

The storm, which is nearing the southeastern Chinese coast, is expected to pass over the Hainan Island in China and reach northern Vietnam by Friday or Saturday, bringing significant weather impacts.

Thanasit Iam-ananchai, acting director general of the Meteorological Department, said northern and northeastern Thailand will see heavy downpours and strong winds on Saturday and Sunday as a result of Yagis outer bands.

Coastal areas along the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand will also experience monsoon-driven rains today, with warnings of potential flash floods and runoffs.

Small boats were advised to remain ashore along both coasts until Sunday due to rough seas.

While Yagis main impact is centred on southern China, it is also expected to affect Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, bringing significant rainfall to the region over the weekend.

Why super typhoons like Yagi are becoming more common

Friday 6 September 2024 11:20 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi, one of the most powerful storms of 2024, is part of a growing trend of increasingly intense typhoons and hurricanes in recent years.

Yagi was a "violent storm" this morning, according to Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) classification, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. Storms of this magnitude are rare for Hainan, where only nine out of 106 typhoons between 1949 and 2023 were classified as super typhoons.

But these storms are more common now both in the Atlantic and Pacific, a phenomenon closely linked to the effects of the climate crisis, scientists say.

Warmer ocean temperatures are providing the fuel that intensifies these storms, increasing their wind speeds and the amount of rain they produce.

Scientists warn that as the planet continues to warm, typhoons and hurricanes will become more frequent and destructive.

In 2024 alone weve seen several powerful storms, including Super Typhoon Yagi, which devastated the Philippines and is now heading towards China, and Hurricane Beryl that tore through the Caribbean, Mexico and the US.

Similarly, Typhoon Shanshan, which hit Japan last week, was the countrys most powerful storm in decades.

These supercharged storms pose significant threats to coastal regions, as they bring not only strong winds but also the risk of extreme flooding and landslides.

Rising sea levels exacerbate this risk, making coastal areas even more vulnerable to storm surges.

Yagi to make second landfall in Guangdong

Friday 6 September 2024 11:40 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in Hainan this afternoon, will make another landfall in Xuwen County in neighbouring Guangdong province, Chinas national meteorological authorities said.

Yagi was the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China. It made landfall in Hainan provinces Wenchang city at around 4.20pm (8.20am GMT).

It is expected to sweep toward other parts of the island before moving to the Beibu Gulf, it said.

Hong Kong downgrades warning after Typhoon Yagi halts stock market trade

Friday 6 September 2024 12:00 , Stuti Mishra

The Hong Kong Observatory today downgraded its warning signal for Typhoon Yagi from No 8, the third highest alert, to No 3, a level down, as the storm moved away from its 400km radius.

Heavy rains and wind lashed the financial capital for hours starting yesterday evening.

With the warning in force, schools and business activities shut down, roads were emptied as people were asked to stay home, and trading was halted on its $4.9trillion stock market.

However this will likely be the last time a typhoon automatically halts trading in Hong Kong, as the financial hub is ending its decades-long practice of shutting markets during severe storms from 23 September, according to Bloomberg.

In photos: Hong Kong's skyline covered in dark clouds

Friday 6 September 2024 12:20 , Stuti Mishra

Storm clouds gather over buildings in Hong Kong on Thursday as super typhoon Yagi tracked across the South China Sea towards the southern China coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Storm clouds gather over buildings in Hong Kong on Thursday as super typhoon Yagi tracked across the South China Sea towards the southern China coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Super Typhoon Yagi to hit Vietnam's northern coast tomorrow, agency says

Friday 6 September 2024 12:45 , Stuti Mishra

Super Typhoon Yagi is expected to make landfall in Vietnam tomorrow, according to the country's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The storm is currently located about 230 km southeast of Quang Ninh, a coastal province in northern Vietnam, as it hovers over China's Hainan province.

The storm is the third to enter the East Sea this year and is packing winds of 184-201 kmph near its centre, with even stronger gusts, the agency said in its forecast.

Yagi is moving west at around 20 kmh and is forecast to enter the Gulf of Tonkin by early Saturday.

By morning, Yagi is expected to be about 160 km from Quang Ninh, with winds ranging from 133-166 kmph.

The storm will weaken as it approaches the coast later in the day, with wind speeds dropping significantly as it reaches the mainland.

Several airports in northern Vietnam will close temporarily on Saturday due to the storm.

Flights resume as Typhoon Yagi causes little damage in Hong Kong

Friday 6 September 2024 13:15 , Stuti Mishra

Flights and businesses resumed in Hong Kong as Super Typhoon Yagi moved away, causing minimal damage in the city.

The Hong Kong Observatory downgraded its typhoon warning to T3 at 12.40pm (4.40am GMT), allowing daily life to return to normal after the storms passage.

The citys stock exchange and schools were closed as a precaution, but the airport authority said that operations had mostly returned to normal after 50 flights were cancelled the previous day, according to the Hong Kong Free Press.

A total of 918 flights were rescheduled during the typhoon, but by this morning the Hong Kong international airport was running smoothly.

The world's longest sea bridge, connecting Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, also reopened in the afternoon after being shut during the storm.

While winds weakened, intense rain bands from Yagi continued to bring squally showers to the region. At least five people were hospitalised with injuries during the typhoon period, and authorities reported 79 fallen trees across the city.

Temporary shelters set up by the Home Affairs Department provided refuge to 269 people, while beaches remained closed as a safety measure.

By afternoon, public transportation, including MTR, ferries, and buses, had fully resumed, with the MTR increasing service frequency to meet demand as people returned to work.

A window is taped in anticipation of typhoon Yagi at a clothing store in Hong Kong (REUTERS)

In photos: Rainfall from Typhoon Yagi continues as people wade through flooded streets in Philippines

Friday 6 September 2024 13:45 , Stuti Mishra

Pedestrians wade through a flooded street in Manila caused by heavy rains due to the southwest monsoon influenced by Tropical Storm Yagi which hit the main island of Luzon (AFP via Getty Images)

Jasper Miranda, 26, wades through floodwaters with his pet ducks that he saved from their flooded house during Typhoon Yagi, locally known as Enteng in Apalit, Pampanga, Philippines (REUTERS)

Which countries are affected by Typhoon Yagi?

Friday 6 September 2024 14:15 , Stuti Mishra

Typhoon Yagi has impacted several countries in East and Southeast Asia, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread disruption as it moves through the region. Heres a breakdown of the countries affected by Yagi:

China: Typhoon Yagi has made landfall on Hainan Island and will make another landfall in the southern coast of Guangdong Province, bringing powerful winds and torrential rains.

Cities like Hong Kong and Macau also experienced storm signals, business closures, and flight cancellations as the typhoon passed by, though it left minimal damage in Hong Kong. The storm also disrupted transportation and forced the closure of major infrastructure, like the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge.

Vietnam: Next in Yagi's path is Vietnam, where the northern regions, particularly along the Gulf of Tonkin, are expected to experience heavy rains and strong winds. Vietnams Quang Ninh Province and coastal areas may face flooding and storm surges.

Laos and Thailand: As Yagi moves inland, it will weaken but still bring significant rainfall to Northern Laos and Northern Thailand, raising concerns about flash floods and landslides in these areas. While Thailand may not be in Yagi's direct path, the storms outer bands affect the country.

Hurricane vs typhoon: What is the difference?

Friday 6 September 2024 14:45 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricanes and typhoons are essentially the same weather phenomenon, but they are distinguished by their geographic location.Hurricanes are tropical storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Typhoons form in the western Pacific Ocean, including the seas around Asia.Essentially, the same storm would be called a hurricane if it formed in the Atlantic and a typhoon if it formed in the Pacific. They are known as cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Australia.

All tropical storms are characterised by low pressure centres and a warm core in which the minimum sustained surface wind is 119 kmph (74 mph).

They cause strong thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and high winds.

Heres a quick guide to all atmospheric terms:

What a super typhoon is as Category 5 storm barrels towards Philippines

Vietnam's Noi Bai airport to delay opening on Saturday due to typhoon Yagi

Friday 6 September 2024 15:32 , Tom Watling

Vietnams civil aviation authority said Hanois international airport would open two hours later than planned on Saturday due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi, which is expected to make landfall in Vietnam late on Friday.

Hanois Noi Bai airport will be shut from 1000 to 2100 (0300 to 1400 GMT), it said in a statement, adding typhoon Yagi had caused damage when moving through Chinas Hainan Island and was gaining in intensity.

Yagi registers as 2nd most powerful cyclone in 2024

Friday 6 September 2024 16:01 , Tom Watling

Packing maximum sustained winds of 245 km per hour (152 mph) near its eye, Yagi registers as the worlds second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024 so far, after the Category 5 Atlantic hurricane Beryl.

Mapped: Super Typhoon Yagi lashes China and takes aim at Vietnam next

Friday 6 September 2024 16:43 , Tom Watling

Mapped: Super Typhoon Yagi lashes China and takes aim at Vietnam next

Yagi hits second part of China

Friday 6 September 2024 17:21 , Tom Watling

Super typhoon Yagi has made a second landfall in Chinas southeast province of Guangdong, the countrys meteorological centre has reported.
Nostalgia alert: Tara Sutaria revisits her school, drops pictures from visit

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ctor Tara Sutaria, on Wednesday, dropped pictures from her visit to her school.

Tara took to Instagram and shared pictures where she can be seen meeting and giving autographs to students in the school.

In one of the images, Tara can be seen sitting on a desk and posing for the cameras.

She also shared a glimpse of her school which was surrounded by greenery.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_f7WmDMoyT/?img_index=8

Tara wrote a heartwarming note in the caption which read, "BACK TO SCHOOL! In my opinion, the most beautiful acres on Pali Hill...How fortunate we were to grow and learn among trees, flowers, endless cottages, open skies and the sweetest cats and dogs (my truest friends then, other than my twin @piasutaria and my sister @missmehtaaa who've had my back since day one)."

She concluded, "Going back to school today was a (much needed) warm embrace. We hugged our teachers, met so many lovely students and reminisced about the past, as one must in such circumstances. In such a fleeting, fancy, new world, how wonderful it is to look back on simple, sweet days... When we had not a care in the world and life was just... slower."

As soon as she shared the post, netizens bombarded the comment section.

A user wrote, "Nostalgia at its peak"

Another fan commented, "Your golden memories Tara"

Meanwhile, on the work front, Tara was last seen in the film titled 'Apurva' which was released on Disney+ Hotstar.

 Nostalgia alert: Tara Sutaria revisits her school, drops pictures from visit

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PM Modi's Singapore visit aims at fortifying ties of friendship

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rime Minister Narendra Modi reached Singapore on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a significant second leg of his two-day nation visit. He is slated to hold numerous engagements in the city-state on Thursday as well.

This visit is poised to further bolster the bilateral ties between India and Singapore.

Sharing a post on his X handle, PM Modi expressed his happiness at meeting his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong. "Happy to have met my friend, PM Lawrence Wong. Had an excellent discussion on a wide range of issues. India cherishes the friendship with Singapore," the post read.

Wong also shared a picture of their meeting on X and welcomed PM Modi for dinner at Istana, the official residence and office of the president of Singapore. He said, "Welcome PM Narendra Modi to Singapore! Delighted to have the chance to catch up over a meal at the Istana, before the official meetings tomorrow."

On Prime Minister Modi's Singapore visit, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, sharing a post on X, wrote that the visit will further fortify ties between the two nations.

"Fortifying India-Singapore bonds of friendship. PM Narendra Modi warmly hosted by PM Lawrence Wong at the iconic Sri Temasek in Singapore. An evening cherishing the deep and long-standing India-Singapore ties awaits," he said.

Prime Minister Modi, who concluded a historic visit to Brunei, was received by the Singaporean Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugham at the Changi airport on Wednesday and received a warm welcome from the Indian community. PM Modi was seen giving autographs to diaspora members outside the hotel.

He also tried his hand at playing the dhol there. Sharing from pictures, PM Modi later posted on X and said, "Thank you, Singapore! The welcome was truly vibrant."

Before his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. Earlier in the day, he held "wide ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. During their talks, both the leaders discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties. On Tuesday, PM Modi inaugurated the new Chancery of the High Commission of India in Brunei's capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan. The Prime Minister also visited the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesday as a part of his historic visit to Brunei.

Regarding PM Modi's visit to Singapore, Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the significance of the trip, and said that it will provide a major boost to India's Act East policy, aligning with India's vision for the Indo-Pacific region and further strengthening economic and technological ties between the two countries.

Jaiswal, taking to X, said, "This visit is important as it gives a major push to India's Act East policy to India's vision of the Indo-Pacific to India-Singapore economic ties and to India-Singapore technological ties. All these are very important for both countries."

PM Modi is set for a busy day in Singapore on Thursday, with a packed schedule of meetings, and engagements.

"He has meetings with the Prime Minister of Singapore in the morning, where he will also receive a ceremonial welcome and thereafter, he will have meetings with the President of Singapore and with the Emeritus Senior Minister and several other dignitaries.

He will also visit AEM, which is a semiconductor facility, along with the Prime Minister of Singapore. PM also has business engagement; he will be meeting CEOs of Singaporean companies," Jaiswal said, while sharing a post on X. Many MoUs are expected to be signed during the visit. He will also meet with leaders of Singapore's vibrant business community.

Notably, India-Singapore relations were elevated to Strategic Partnership during the visit of PM Modi to Singapore in 2015. With shared history, a long tradition of friendship based on trust and mutual respect, and extensive cooperation across a wide range of areas, India-Singapore cooperation has deepened and diversified over the years.

The close ties between India and Singapore have a history rooted in strong commercial, cultural and people-to-people links across a millennium. The more modern relationship is attributed to Sir Stamford Raffles, who, in 1819, established a trading station in Singapore on the route of the Straits of Malacca, which later became a crown colony and was governed from Kolkata till 1867.

In 2018, India and Singapore added new momentum and direction in the Strategic Partnership, anchored in the official visit of Prime Minister Modi to Singapore from May 31 to June 2, 2018 and his second visit on November 14-15 for attending the ASEAN-India and RCEP and 13th East Asia Summit. PM Modi became the first Indian PM to deliver a keynote address at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue on June 1, 2018. In the November 2018 visit, he also became the first Head of Government to deliver the keynote address at the Singapore Fintech Festival, the world's largest Fintech event.

 PM Modi's Singapore visit aims at fortifying ties of friendship

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We cannot continue to accept this as normal...: Biden condemns shooting incident in Georgia school

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xpressing condolences for the victims of a shooting incident at a school in Georgia, President Joe Biden has called on Republicans to work with Democrats in the US Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence in the United States.

At least four people, including two students, have been killed and nine others were injured when a fellow student opened fire in a high school in the US state of Georgia on Wednesday, CNN reported.

Biden described the shooting incident as "another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart."

"Jill (Biden) and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart," Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

The US president lamented that students across the country are "learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write."

"We cannot continue to accept this as normal. We are closely coordinating with officials at the federal, state and local levels and are grateful for the first responders who brought the suspect into custody and prevented further loss of life," Biden said.

Further, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the gun violence epidemic in the US and highlighted his efforts to address the issue, including the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

"Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me. It's why I signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act--the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades--and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions. I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. We've made significant progress, but this crisis requires even more," the US president said.

Biden called on Republicans to work with Democrats in Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence and stated that 'enough is enough.'

"After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say 'enough is enough' and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but they will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart," Biden said.

US vice president Kamala Harris also took to X and expressed condolences for the people who are impacted by this shooting and describe it as a "senseless tragedy."

"Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. This is a senseless tragedy -- and it does not have to be this way. We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for," said Kamala Harris.

Georgia Governor Brian P Kemp also posted on X and stated that "I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state."

"We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation." he added.

Meanwhile, the suspected gunman is in custody and was identified as 14-year-old Colt Cray, a student of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, about an hour outside of Atlanta. Two of those killed were students and two were teachers. Law enforcement agencies are still investigating the shooting and the motive behind it.

The high school had received an earlier phone threat, multiple law enforcement officials told CNN.

The phone call Wednesday morning warned there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first. It is not known who placed the call. Officials tell CNN they are investigating the call and where it originated.

The US has suffered at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. That's an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.

 We cannot continue to accept this as normal...: Biden condemns shooting incident in Georgia school

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Paris Paralympics: Archer Harvinder clinches gold in Men's Individual Recurve Open

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okyo 2020 bronze medallist Harvinder Singh made further history for India by winning the gold medal in the Men's Individual Recurve Open, becoming the first Indian archer to win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games. With a consistent and rock-solid performance, Harvinder Singh, a bronze medallist in the second event in the Tokyo Paralympic Games three years back, bagged the gold medal by blanking Lukasz Ciszek of Poland 6-0 in the final on Wednesday.

With this achievement, Harvinder became the first and only Indian archer to win a gold medal in the Paralympics and Olympics. He is also the first and only archer to secure medals in consecutive editions of the Paralympics.

Harvinder's gold medal took India's tally to 22 medals in Paris with four gold, eight silver and 10 bronze. India have thus moved to the 15th spot in the standings. Harvinder's gold comes after Sachin Khilari claimed a silver medal earlier in the day.

In the Gold Medal Match on Wednesday, Harvinder came up with a dominant display.

A 10 in the first set besides two 9s secured Harvinder Singh the first set as the Pole shot a seven in between nine and eight for a 28-24 win. Up 2-0, Harvinder started the second set with two successive nines and then topped it with a 10 for 28 while Ciszek had three 9s for another narrow defeat. Harvinder, from a farmer's family from Kaithal in Haryana, sealed the gold medal with two 10s followed by a nine (29) while Ciszek started with a seven and then scored two 9s for a 29-25 win.

Earlier, Harvinder had assured himself a second successive medal in the Paralympic Games as he stormed into the final with a come-from-behind win over Iran's Arab Ameri Mohammad Reza in the semifinal here on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old Harvinder came up with a brilliant performance, coming back after losing the first set to stun the Iranian 7-3, sealing a place in the maiden final at the Paralympic Games.

In the semifinal, Harvinder lost the first set 26-25 because of a seven on his second arrow. The second set ended in a tie at 27-27. he then levelled scores at 3-3 by winning the third set 27-25 and surged ahead to a 5-3 set points lead by winning the fourth set 26-24.

Harvinder Singh then sealed a place in the final with another steady performance, shooting two 9s and an eight for a 26-25 win after the Iranian started with a 10 but faltered for an eight and seven on his next two arrows.

Earlier, Harvinder, who had bagged a bronze medal in the Tokyo Paralympic Games after losing in the semifinals, got the better of Colombia's Julio Ramirez Hector 6-2 in a quarterfinal clash.

The Indian had started the day with a 7-3 win over Tseng Lung-Hui of Chinese Taipei and continued to march ahead with a fine 6-2 win over Indonesia's Setiawan Setiawan in the prequarters.

 Paris Paralympics: Archer Harvinder clinches gold in Men's Individual Recurve Open

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PM Modi visits chip manufacturing unit in Singapore, discusses collaborations

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rime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his counterpart Lawrence Wong, on Thursday visited AEM Holdings, a leading company in semiconductor and electronics sector, here and discussed opportunities for collaboration.

PM Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the 'SEMICON INDIA' exhibition, to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13.

According to an MEA statement, the Prime Minister also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha's 'World Skill Center', undergoing training in Singapore, as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the 'CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme' and Indian engineers working at the AEM facility.

Both the leaders were briefed about AEM's role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India.

Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Representatives of several other Singaporean companies from this sector were also present.

"Given our efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singapore's strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation," according to the MEA.

During the second meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, both sides agreed to add advanced manufacturing, with a focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation.

According to the MEA, both sides have also concluded the MoU on India-Singapore semiconductor ecosystem partnership.

"This visit by both the Prime Ministers underscores the commitment of both sides to develop cooperation in this area. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Wong for joining him in this visit," the MEA statement read.

Earlier this week, the Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved the proposal of Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd to set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat, with an investment of Rs 3,300 crore. The proposed unit, under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), will produce nearly 60 lakh chips per day.

In March, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of three semiconductor projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore. As per reports, India's semiconductor-related market will reach $64 billion in 2026, nearly triple the size in 2019.

 PM Modi visits chip manufacturing unit in Singapore, discusses collaborations

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US Open: Muchova battles past health issues, Haddad Maia to reach second straight semis

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arolina Muchova of the Czech Republic endured a break for medical treatment on her way to booking a place in her second consecutive US Open semifinal with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of No.22 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in 1 hour and 25 minutes in the women's singles. The Czech star also left the court on multiple occasions in the second set but kept her focus to close out a victory that marks a remarkable comeback from injury.

"A little weird match, I have to say," Muchova said in the on-court interview as quoted by the WTA tour in a report. "I had a lot of problems, I wouldn't like to comment on it. I'm happy I managed, to run to the bathroom and back. Sorry if it disturbed anyone, but I had no other choice!"

Muchova will play either No.1 seed Iga Swiatek or No.6 seed Jessica Pegula as she bids to make her second Grand Slam final following Roland Garros 2023. Swiatek has a 2-1 record against Muchova, while Pegula leads her 1-0; all of those matches went to three sets.

Muchova's run to the 2023 semifinals turned out to be the last tournament she would play for another nine months as she underwent wrist surgery. But in just her sixth event since returning to action in June and now ranked No.52, Muchova has roared into the fourth major semifinal of her career without dropping a set. She is the fourth unseeded major semifinalist of 2024, following Dayana Yastremska (Australian Open), Mirra Andreeva (Roland Garros), and Donna Vekic (Wimbledon).

The result is Muchova's fourth win in as many meetings with Haddad Maia. The pair first met in the qualifying of the 2016 Cagnes-sur-Mer ITF W100 event, which Muchova won 7-5, 6-1. She went on to triumph in both their tour-level encounters as well, in the first rounds of Ostrava 2022 and Cincinnati 2023.

The US Open is the first tour-level event at which Muchova has reached multiple semifinals. She is the first Czech woman to reach consecutive US Open semifinals since Helena Sukova in 1986-87.

The match opened with two multi-deuce tussles -- and Muchova set the tone by winning them both. Three consecutive service winners extricated her from an opening game in which she saved two break points, then she sealed her fifth break point on Haddad Maia's delivery with a powerful off forehand.

That start didn't help Haddad Maia settle. The Brazilian fell away in the first set, committing 10 unforced errors to only six winners. Though she raised her level in the second, it was Muchova who struck first, nailing a backhand winner down the line to break for 3-2.

 US Open: Muchova battles past health issues, Haddad Maia to reach second straight semis

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Western actions will influence Russia's renewed nuclear doctrine: Kremlin

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ussia will consider the actions of the US and its allies such as their refusal to engage in dialogue, when revising its nuclear doctrine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok on Wedn esday, Peskov noted that Russia is revising its current nuclear doctrine and developing new approaches in response to the current state of affairs and Western actions, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said that these actions include the refusal of Western countries to engage in dialogue with Russia, their attack on Russian interests and security, and their role in provoking a continuation of the war in Ukraine.

"This cannot but have consequences. All of this is being taken into account in Moscow and will form the basis for proposals that will be formulated," Peskov said.

Russia has said recently it was set to make changes to the policy setting out the circumstances for its use of nuclear weapons, but has not yet detailed the changes.

The existing nuclear doctrine, set out in a decree by President Vladimir Putin in 2020, says Russia may use nuclear weapons in case of a nuclear attack by an enemy or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the state.

The revisions come "against the backdrop of the challenges and threats provoked by the countries of the so-called collective West", Peskov told the media.

Moscow is taking into account the possibility of Ukraine using US-supplied long-range weapons in its attacks deep into the Russian territory, he added.

Ukraine has long urged its allies to let it fire Western weapons at targets far into enemy territory, and those calls have grown louder as Russian steps up airstrikes on Ukrainian energy and other infrastructure as well as apartment blocks.

"It is obvious that the Ukrainians will do this," RIA cited Peskov as saying. "We are taking all this into account."

At least 50 people were killed and 271 wounded when Russia hit a military institute in Ukraine's central town of Poltava with two ballistic missiles on Tuesday, in the year's single deadliest attack of the war.

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Want to create many Singapores in Bharat, says PM Modi

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rime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, said that India wants to make many Singapores in the country.

He said this during a meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong and also discussed ways to boost bilateral ties.

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to the country at the invitation of Wong.

"Singapore is not just a partner country but an inspiration for every developing country. We also want to create many Singapores in Bharat. I am happy that we are working in that direction together. Ministerial roundtables formed between us are a path-breaking mechanism .. Skilling, digitisation, mobility, semiconductor, advance manufacturing, AI, healthcare, sustainability cybersecurity.. areas of cooperation have become symbols of the initiatives...." said PM Modi in his remarks while leading delegation-level talks with his Singapore counterpart.

Several MoUs were signed between India and Singapore in the fields of Digital Technologies, Health and Medicine, Educational Cooperation & Skills Development and India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership in the presence of PM Modi and Singapore PM Wong.

Ahead of the talks, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. PM Modi and Singapore PM Wong meet ministers and delegates from each other's countries at the Parliament House.

PM Modi also signed the visitor's book there.

The meeting between the two leaders comes days after Singapore PM Wong took over as premier and PM Modi began his third term as the prime minister.

PM Modi greeted him on becoming the Prime Minister and said, "I thank you for your warm welcome. This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even faster."

PM Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday as part of the final leg of his two-nation tour from Brunei.

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My wife thinks most politicians are 'scumbags', needs prayers for strength, says JD Vance

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epublican vice presidential candidate J. D.Vance has said that his wife Usha Chilikuri Vance has a low opinion of politicians, most of whom she thinks are "scumbags" and needs prayers for strength. "She's not a political person, she doesn't like politics," J. D. Vance said on Wednesday.

"Before I got involved, she said, "Well, I think [in] politics, pretty much everybody's a scumbag".

J. D. Vance said that he responded, "And well, honey, you're right, all but, like five people".

Speaking at a campaign event inside a church in Mesa, Arizona, he said, "Please pray for strength and courage for my wife".

Despite her reservations about politics, now that he is running for office, he said, "She's been such a trooper about this. She's been going out and doing her interviews."

He repeated his constant praise of her and her oratory while deprecating himself.

"She's an unbelievable person. I don't know if you saw her at the Republican National Committee (RNC). She did a great job," Vance said.

"I told my team never make me follow my wife again, because, you know, you want to follow somebody worse than you, not better than you," he said.

"She just did such a good job, and I was so proud of her, but she needs strength," he added.

He brought his campaign to Arizona, one of the swing states with inordinate electoral power, because of the system where states' votes in the Electoral College can undo a majority of the national vote.

According to polls aggregation by RealClear Politics. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has a razor-thin lead of 1 per cent in the state, where he lost by under 10,500 votes in 2020.

The town hall-style event was held as a chat with a conservative political organiser, Charlie Kirk, under a banner over the stage, "Chase the Vote".

Fitting for a church venue, the conversation was peppered with quotations from the Bible.

On foreign policy, Vance tied the deindustrialisation of the US - for which he blamed the Republicans too - to the national security threat from China.

The US imports most of the medicines like the anti-inflammatory drug Ibuprofen and anti-biotics and even weapons the military uses from China, and Trump made it a national security issue, he said.

While Trump was tough and was feared, he believed that it was more advantageous to use diplomacy, Vance said.

He cited the Abraham Accords, agreements Israel reached with the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, and Sudan with the help of the Trump administration to bring peace to the Middle East, now shattered by violence.

There were no major wars during Trump's four years in office and "let us bring peace back to the world" - and Trump is the person for it, he asserted.

He said that Israel should be allowed to "finish" Iran and its financing of Hamas so that US can focus on the threat from China.

Vance, who took questions from the public through Kirk, joined him in lampooning Vice President Kamala Harris for not holding news conferences or town halls and using teleprompters for her speeches.

That is because she is running away from her past "radical" positions, he said and joked that she might come to a meeting with a red tie and the Trumpian 'Make America Great Again' insignia.

He and Kirk rehashed her statements from her failed bid for the Democratic Party presidential nomination by appealing to the party's left and said she now claims the opposite.

They listed her turn away from a mining method for gas known as fracking, offshore drilling for oil, "open borders" and cutting police budgets.

Vance repeatedly nailed Harris to the policies of President Joe Biden stressing that she was the vice president and could have done three and a half years ago everything she promises now.

He blamed her for the flow of drugs through the borders, especially the deadly narcotic Fentanyl.

Striking a personal note, he recalled that his mother, a drug addict abandoned him to her mother, who raised him.

Ten years ago his mother overdosed on drugs, but could be saved and has been sober for a decade, he said.

But if Fentanyl - which drug smugglers had now flooded the US with - was available then, his mother would have died, he said.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

 My wife thinks most politicians are 'scumbags', needs prayers for strength, says JD Vance

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Spain, Palestine will hold first summit this year: PM Sanchez

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panish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that Spain and Palestine will hold their first bilateral summit this year to strengthen ties.

"Before the end of this year we are going to hold the first bilateral summit between Spain and Palestine in which we hope to sign several collaboration agreements between the two states," Sanchez announced during the opening ceremony of the political year in Madrid, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also said that Spain will continue supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In a coordinated move, Norway, Ireland, and Spain recognised Palestine as a state in May amid international outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza following Israel's military operation.

The Spanish Prime Minister on July 11 urged the West to reject "double standards" regarding the conflict in Gaza as he joined NATO leaders in supporting Ukraine.

Spain under Sanchez has infuriated Israel's right-wing government by recognising a Palestinian state and criticising Israel's conduct of its war against Hamas.

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Vivek Agnihotri rejects Oxford Union debate invite on Kashmir, terms topic 'anti-India'

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ilmmaker and author Vivek Agnihotri on Thursday said he had declined the Oxford Union invite to participate in a debate on Kashmir as the topic was "anti-India".

He shared a post on his social media account, X informing about the invite and his decline. He also posted the letters on his wall.

In his post, Vivek Agnihotri wrote: "I was invited by the prestigious Oxford Union to debate on Kashmir. I found the theme offensive, anti-India, and anti-Kashmir. On principle, I have declined the offer."

In his letter, the filmmaker further explained: "Thank you for your invitation to grace the Oxford Union with my presence for a debate. Though it is every opinion-maker's dream to speak at the Oxford Debating Society, I find myself reflecting on the irony of your invitation, and after due consideration, I have decided to respectfully decline. Your invitation to debate 'This House Believes in the Independent State of Kashmir' is a direct challenge to India's sovereignty, and it is unacceptable to me. I find it not just obnoxious but offensive--not just to 1.4 billion Indians, but also as a humiliation of the hundreds of thousands of displaced indigenous Hindu victims of the Kashmir genocide of 1990. Framing it as a debate feels like turning a tragedy into a parlour game, where the stakes are human lives, and the cost is in blood, not just ink."

"Kashmir's story is not a debate topic; it is a narrative of suffering, resilience, and a quest for peace. To reduce it to a 'yes' or 'no' on independence is to ignore the complex tapestry of human emotions and history involved. The genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is a story where the cost has been paid in blood, not in witty retorts or applause from an audience," Agnihotri further said in the post.

Vivek Agnihotri wrote this letter to the Oxford Union on September 2, which he shared on his social media on Thursday.

In 2022, Vivek Agnihotri was widely discussed for his film 'The Kashmir Files'. While many people appreciated the film, it also faced criticism from others. The film depicts the violence that the minority communities, especially the Kashmir Pandits, faced in the 1990s which forced them to flee their homes. Over seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits fled to escape the violence unleashed by Pakistan-backed various terror outfits.

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BJP chief Nadda goes to L. K. Advani's house to renew his BJP membership

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JP President J. P.Nadda on Thursday visited the residence of party founder L. K. Advani to renew his BJP membership under the 'Sangathan Parva, Sadasyata Abhiyan 2024' campaign. The BJP chief will also visit the residence of senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi in the evening to renew his membership.

The BJP on September 2 launched its membership drive with the aim of expanding its base and reinforcing its organisational structure ahead of forthcoming elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged BJP members to make special efforts among women, youth, and in areas where they have been traditionally weak, to expand its base.

On Thursday morning, BJP National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal visited the home of senior leader and former Union Minister Vijay Kumar Malhotra to renew his party membership. Northwest Delhi MP Yogendra Chandolia was also present at the occasion.

Malhotra, reflecting on his long association with the Janata Party and BJP, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to rejoin the party.

As per Article 9 of the BJP Constitution, the membership has to be renewed every six years. Existing memberships are renewed and new members are enrolled into its fold.

The BJP membership campaign is being overseen by General Secretary Vinod Tawde, and the party aims to achieve the target of 10 crore members this time.

The membership drive will happen in two phases: September 2-25 and October 1-15. Registration will be available through missed calls (8800002024), the NaMo app, QR codes, and traditional application forms to ensure accessibility for people in areas with limited mobile coverage or without mobile phones.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Wednesday said that over 27,000 individuals had signed up for BJP membership online, saying that this reflects the strong public trust in the party, surpassing that of any other political organisation in India. The BJP said that it aims to be a ubiquitous, all-encompassing, and inclusive organisation, working to connect with every individual through its membership campaign.

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Paris Paralympics: Harvinder, Pooja move to mixed team recurve open QFs

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ara-archers Harvinder Singh and Pooja Jatyan moved into the Mixed Team Recurve Open quarterfinals with a close 5-4 win over Australian duo of Taymon Kenton-Smith and Amanda Jennings in a shoot-off at the Paris Paralympics, here on Thursday.

Harvinder and Pooja will next take on Poland's Lukasz Ciszek and Milena Olszewska for a place in the semifinals.

The Indian duo started off well, taking the first two sets comfortably but a one from Pooja gave the Australian pair an opportunity to bounce back as they took the next two sets to level the scores at 4-4 after the end of the fourth set.

In the shoot-off, Harvinder started off with nine, followed by seven from Pooja. The Australians had no match to the Indians' shot as Kenton-Smith shot five while Amanda missed the target, giving India a win and a place in the quarterfinals.

On Wednesday night, Harvinder made history, becoming India's first-ever Olympic or Paralympic champion in archery. The 33-year-old showed a stellar performance en route to gold medal in the recurve men's competition at the Paris 2024.

Three years ago in the Tokyo Para Games, he reached the first milestone. His bronze was India's premiere medal at either the Olympics or Paralympics achieved in archery.

On the other hand, in the mixed 50m rifle prone SH1 shooting competition, India faced disappointment as Mona Agarwal and Sidhartha Babu failed to secure a spot in the final.

Mona, who won the bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle SH-1 event, finished 30th with a score of 610.5 while Sidhartha finished 22nd with a score of 615.8 in the 60-shot qualification round.

 Paris Paralympics: Harvinder, Pooja move to mixed team recurve open QFs

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1st consignment of Indian pomegranates reaches Melbourne from Mumbai

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he first consignment of Indian pomegranates from Mumbai to Melbourne in Australia has been successfully facilitated, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) informed on Thursday.

The export (on August 31) not only underscores India's capabilities in meeting global quality standards but also provides a significant boost to Indian farmers by opening up new revenue streams, said APEDA in a statement.

The consignment was successfully cleared in Melbourne and was showcased at 'Fine Food Australia 2024' at the APEDA India pavilion, further highlighting the global appeal of Indian pomegranates. The consignment weighing 1.1 metric tonnes (MT) consisted of 336 boxes (each weighing 3.5 kg).

In the financial year 2023-24, India exported 72,011 metric tonnes of pomegranates worth $69.08 million to markets including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain and Oman.

Australia granted market access to Indian pomegranates in 2020, paving the way for Indian farmers to tap into a new and lucrative market.

India, being the second-largest producer of horticulture crops, sees major pomegranate production in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

APEDA, which comes under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said it has established Export Promotion Forums (EPF) specifically for pomegranates, aimed at boosting exports and removing supply chain bottlenecks.

The authority's commitment to promoting the export of fresh fruits and vegetables, despite their perishable nature, is evident in their development of sea protocols to retain product attributes when exporting to long-distance destinations.

"This initiative not only reinforces India's position in global markets but also directly supports Indian farmers by creating sustainable export opportunities," said APEDA.

These pomegranates were meticulously packed at their Australia-approved packhouse in Ahmednagar, guaranteeing that they meet the stringent quality standards required for international markets.

 1st consignment of Indian pomegranates reaches Melbourne from Mumbai

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Ganesh Chaturthi: A rallying point for Hindu solidarity and strength

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n an era marked by attempts to fragment Hindu society along the lines of caste, class, language, and culture, the need to embrace the unifying cultural roots of Sanatan Dharma has never been more critical.

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Chaturthi exemplifies how collective cultural practices can foster unity in a community, irrespective of their differences.

The festival, initiated by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, is not only a significant cultural event, but also a symbol of resistance against colonial and contemporary adversities.

The importance of this festival is underscored in the research document 'Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Initiated by Lokmanya B.G. Tilak and its Role in Freedom Movement' by Dr. Geetali Tilak.

Historical context and origins

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav finds its origin in the late 19th century, a period when British rule in India sought to deepen existing social divisions and create new ones to undermine Indian unity. In response to this 'divide and rule' strategy, Lokmanya Tilak, a prominent leader advocating India's Independence, perceived a unique opportunity to unite Hindus across diverse caste and regional lines.

Traditionally, Ganesh Chaturthi was observed as a private family celebration. Recognising the potential of this festival to serve as a unifying force, Tilak transformed it into a public event.

His vision was to harness the festival's spirit to foster a collective identity and resistance against colonial oppression. Thus, in 1893, Tilak launched the first Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in Pune, setting the stage for a tradition that would become a powerful emblem of unity.

Fostering unity through public celebrations

The introduction of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav marked a significant shift in the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. For the first time, Hindus from various castes, regions, and social backgrounds congregated in the public domain to celebrate a shared cultural event. This collective celebration effectively dismantled barriers, fostering a sense of common identity and purpose among the participants.

Tilak's approach was multifaceted. He leveraged religious gatherings to galvanise mass mobilisation, using the public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi as a platform to promote cultural pride and political dissent. The festival rapidly gained traction, extending beyond Pune to other parts of Maharashtra as well as the country.

The public nature of the festival also facilitated the spread of nationalist ideas. Tilak utilised the occasion to deliver speeches advocating for self-rule (Swaraj) and unity among Indians in their struggle against British colonialism.

Ganesh pandals, or temporary structures for housing Ganesh idols, became hubs of cultural and intellectual activities, blending religious devotion with nationalist fervour and strengthening the communal fabric.

The freedom movement

Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav transcended its religious origins to become a strategic instrument in the fight against colonial rule. The British authorities, recognising the subversive potential of these public gatherings, attempted to disrupt them through various means, including bans on Tilak's photographs and processions. Despite these efforts, the festival's significance and scale continued to grow.

The festival played a pivotal role in promoting the Swadeshi movement, which emphasised the use of indigenous goods as a means to challenge British economic dominance.

Moreover, Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav helped bridge gaps between different castes and regions, fostering a cohesive Hindu identity.

The collective celebrations allowed Hindus from diverse backgrounds to connect over their shared cultural heritage, reinforcing a collective consciousness crucial for the nationalist movement. The festival became a rallying point, providing a sense of belonging and purpose that transcended individual identities.

Symbolism of Ganesh Chaturthi in the struggle against oppression

Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity, is venerated as the remover of obstacles and the bringer of good fortune. Tilak's innovative use of Ganesh Chaturthi for political mobilisation was a strategic masterstroke. By associating the festival with the nationalist cause, he harnessed the deep reservoir of religious devotion among Hindus and directed it towards the goal of Independence. The festival became a form of defiance against British rule and a testament to the cultural and spiritual resilience of the Hindu community.

Relevance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav

In contemporary times, as forces continue to seek division within the Hindu society, the spirit of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav remains profoundly relevant. The festival serves as a poignant reminder of the strength found in unity amid adversity. Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi publicly not only honours our traditions, but also reinforces the bonds of communal harmony that unite us.

The enduring significance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav lies in its capacity to inspire unity and collective pride. As we face modern challenges, the festival encourages us to celebrate all Hindu festivals with the same spirit of communal harmony and pride. By doing so, we can fortify the bonds that connect us and build a more cohesive and resilient Hindu society.

Reflecting on the historical significance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav underscores the importance of cultural unity in preserving the strength of the Hindu society. Amid ongoing divisive forces, the festival stands as a beacon of Sanatan Dharma's enduring power to unite and inspire.

Embracing the spirit of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav enables us to ensure that our cultural traditions continue to serve as sources of strength and solidarity for future generations.

As highlighted by Dr. Geetali Tilak in her research document, the festival not only represents a significant cultural heritage, but also offers a powerful model for fostering unity in the face of contemporary challenges.

(The writer is an author and columnist. Her latest book is titled 'Blood in the Sea: The Dark History of Hindu Oppression in Goa'. The views expressed are personal)

 Ganesh Chaturthi: A rallying point for Hindu solidarity and strength

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PM Modi invites top Singaporean business leaders to join India growth story

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rime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met leading CEOs from diverse sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics, in Singapore and invited them to look at immense investment opportunities in India.

PM Modi also announced the setting up of an 'INVEST INDIA' office in the Southeast Asian city-state to boost bilateral trade.

Top business leaders who met PM Modi included Lim Ming Yan, Chairman, Singapore Business Federation; Kok Ping Soon, CEO, Singapore Business Federation and Gautam Banerjee, Chairman, India and South Asia Business Group and Senior MD and Chairman, Blackstone Singapore, among others.

PM Modi told the delegation that "the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations".

Appreciating their investment footprint in India, the Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between the two nations.

"India had made transformative progress in the last 10 years and would continue on the same path given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, ease of doing business, and its reform-oriented economic agenda. It is set to become the third largest economy in the world over the next few years," he said.

Highlighting that India is contributing 17 per cent to global economic growth, PM Modi spoke about various initiatives to enhance India's participation in global value chains through programmes such as production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, India Semiconductor Mission and establishment of 12 new industrial smart cities. For businesses looking for resilient supply chains, the Prime Minister noted that India is the best alternative given its strengths.

Other top business leaders who met PM Modi were Lim Boon Heng, Chairman, Temasek Holdings; Lim Chow Kiat, CEO, of GIC Private Limited; Piyush Gupta, CEO and Director, DBS Group; Yam Kum Weng, CEO, Changi Airport Group, and Yuen Kuan Moon, CEO, SingTel.

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam, also participated in the event.

Meanwhile, the countries have announced a partnership to cooperate in the field of semiconductors. Under an MoU, Singapore and India will leverage complementary strengths in their semiconductor ecosystems and tap into opportunities to build resilience in their semiconductor supply chains. This will include government-led policy exchanges on ecosystem development, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.

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Genuine rational single window key for ease of doing business: Piyush Goyal to states

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nion Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday emphasised that a genuine rational single window is key for ease of doing business in the country.

Addressing a conference of industries and commerce ministers of states in the national capital, the minister said if all states and union territories (UTs) come to one platform for approvals and facilities, it would attract global investment in each state.

"The government is making sincere efforts to promote India as the investment destination for the world and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) across different states and UTs," the minister emphasised.

The government has created a level-playing field for states and UTs to attract FDI.

"The investments coming from abroad is going to different states and each of them are beneficiary of our efforts to attract FDI," said Minister Goyal, adding that Centre and states can work together in all sectors and push towards greater employment opportunities.

"The approvals to industries in states should be time-bound and should be easy. We are experimenting with a system whereby people should not need to come to government offices for approvals and compliances," the minister informed.

Minister Goyal also recognised the outstanding work of states and UTs in enhancing the ease of doing business, highlighting States like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat for their remarkable reforms in streamlining processes and providing efficient services to businesses and citizens alike.

"Orissa has reformed its mines sector, UP has started promoting investment, Maharashtra is attracting FDI by improving infrastructure, Sikkim is adding value to the organic farming," said the minister, adding that each state should study the industry policies of other states and try to improve themselves.

"Rajasthan can teach other states on ways to improve their policies to make themselves more attractive to tourism," said the minister.

Industries and commerce ministers from 16 states and senior officials attended the conference.

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Putin says Ukrainian leaders like 'aliens'; praises India, others for conflict resolution efforts

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ussian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Ukraine's leaders seem to be like "aliens", who make ruthless decisions without regard for the people's suffering, while praising friends and partners like India who seek to resolve the conflict.

"I sometimes get the impression that those who rule Ukraine are like aliens or foreigners... They don't think... you see, their losses are colossal. I can't even fathom what they will do next," he said at the plenary of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), RT reported.

The Russian President recalled that his country and Ukraine had essentially reached a peace deal - based on a Ukrainian commitment to neutrality - during the Istanbul talks soon after at the beginning of the conflict, but accused Western powers of derailing these efforts as they sought Russia's "strategic defeat".

Ukraine's behaviour under these circumstances raised questions, he noted.

He said that Kiev's only option is to lower the maximum age of conscription once again and this would allow them "to recruit children, as the German Nazis did with the Hitler Youth", in a reference to how Adolf Hitler's regime forced teenagers into makeshift militias in the closing stages of the Second War as the Allies advanced into German territory.

"But this will not solve the problem... The next step is to call up students, to bleed the country dry. Once again, it seems that Ukrainians are not their people," Putin said.

"They don't really think about the country. But they disguise it with nationalist slogans, deceiving people."

Ukraine announced general mobilisation shortly after the start of the conflict with Russia, but widespread draft-dodging and graft were reported. This spring, in a bid to recover military losses, the Ukrainian government passed two bills, one lowering the draft age from 27 to 25, and the other significantly tightening mobilisation rules.

The Russian leader also opined that the high casualties incurred by the Ukrainian military since its incursion in Russia's Kursk Region could render its armed forces useless.

He said the Ukrainian attempt to disrupt the Russian advance with the massive attack across the border last month had backfired.

"Our military has stabilised the situation and is now gradually pushing the opponent from the border territories. More importantly, there is no resistance to our advancement (in Donbass) The opponent has weakened itself on the key axis by moving those relatively strong and well-trained units to the border areas," he said, as per RT.

Ukraine expected Moscow to redeploy some of its forces from the east to repel the incursion in the north, but the gamble failed, as top Ukrainian general Aleksandr Syrsky recently admitted.

Putin said Russian troops had been securing more land in Donbass, which is a priority for Moscow, at a pace unseen in a long time. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are "suffering very high losses in manpower and hardware".

"Because of that, (Ukraine) risks a collapse of the front line on the most important axis. The casualties may result in a loss of fighting capability of the entire armed forces, which is what we are looking to achieve," he added.

With the Russian Defense Ministry estimating that Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk operation had surpassed 9,700 men, as well as 81 tanks, dozens of other armoured vehicles, and multiple heavy weapons, Putin told the audience that the intelligence had been confirmed by multiple sources.

He praised nations that were "sincerely interested" in resolving the conflict and its issues.

"We respect our friends and partners who I think are sincerely interested in addressing and resolving all the issues associated with the conflict (with Ukraine). China, Brazil, India... I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, and we have the relations of trust and confidence with one another, will be really interested in providing a helping hand," he said.

 Putin says Ukrainian leaders like 'aliens'; praises India, others for conflict resolution efforts

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Gautam Adani delivers lecture at Mumbai college which once rejected him

G

autam Adani applied for admission at Mumbai's Jai Hind College in the late 1970s but was rejected. On Thursday, the Chairman of the Adani Group delivered an inspiring lecture to students on Teachers' Day at the same college.

Sharing this information, Vikram Nankani, President of the Jai Hind College Alumni Association, introduced Gautam Adani to deliver the lecture.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, the college did not accept him and he went on to work full time and pursued an alternative career," Nankani told the gathering, declaring Gautam Adani as a "deemed alumni" since he had applied to join.

Gautam Adani had moved to Mumbai at age 16 and started working as a diamond sorter. And the rest is history. He turned to business and went on to build a more than $220 billion empire.

During his lecture at the college, Gautam Adani said this institution, born from the ashes of India's partition, is a great example of the resilience of the human spirit.

"I find it fascinating that, 75 years ago, two visionary professors from the D.J. Sind College in Karachi laid the foundation for this institution in two tiny rooms. Despite the immense challenges and human displacement happening during the partition of our country, they dreamed of a future where the force of education could heal and unite," said Gautam Adani.

Sharing his life story, the Chairman of the Adani Group said it was Mumbai that taught him that "To think big, you must first dare to dream beyond your boundaries".

"Just as I was turning 19, I was called back by my elder brother to assist in running our small-scale PVC film factory situated near Ahmedabad. The business was faced with many challenges primarily due to extreme government control and restrictive import policies, leading to severe shortages of raw materials. This was my first real encounter with the limitations of the business environment in India," shared Gautam Adani.

By the time he turned 23, the trading venture was doing well.

"And my third major break was about to come - one that would propel us into a new orbit. In 1995, the Gujarat government announced its port-led industrial development plan through public-private partnerships," said Gautam Adani.

Around that time, he was approached by the global commodities trader Cargill. It was a proposal to partner for manufacturing and sourcing salt from the Kutch region. While the partnership did not materialise, "we were left with about 40,000 acres of marshy land and approval to build a captive jetty at Mundra for the export of salt. What others saw as marshy barren land, we saw as a canvas waiting to be transformed. That canvas is now by far our nation's largest port", Gautam Adani said.

 Gautam Adani delivers lecture at Mumbai college which once rejected him

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Land Warfare Weekly Defense-Update

Netherlands to Acquire Leopard 2A8 Tanks and Spike LR 2 Anti-Tank Missiles

The Netherlands has announced plans to procure Spike LR 2 anti-tank missiles from Israeli defense company Rafael. The Spike LR 2 is an advanced multi-purpose missile system known for its precision and versatility in various combat scenarios. The new missiles will replace earlier generation Spike missiles that have been in service for 20 years.

The Dutch army will reinstate part of its heavy armored force with the induction of 50 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks. The move could be part of the Netherlands increasing contribution to NATO following the withdrawal of its heavy armored force, including relatively advanced Leopard 2A7 tanks, in 2011. The Dutch army leased some German tanks and stationed them in Germany but did not deploy their units.

Pre-Production Challenger 3 is Here

The first pre-production variant of the Challenger 3 main battle tank in the United Kingdom was unveiled at Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land, RBSL, the manufacturers site in Telford, UK. The tanks prototypes undergo field trials under operational conditions to validate and refine their performance before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army.

Maiden Flight of the Model 437 Vanguard

Greece Declines U.S. Offer of Bradley Fighting Vehicles

In a surprising decision, the Greek Army has declined an offer from the United States to receive decommissioned Bradley Fighting Vehicles. This decision comes amid Greeces ongoing efforts to modernize its military forces. The Bradleys, a staple of U.S. armored forces, were offered as part of a broader military aid package. However, Greece cited logistical and operational concerns, including the cost of maintenance and integration into their existing systems, as reasons for the refusal. Greece currently operates several versions of the Leopard 2 and tanks with the Leonidas, a locally produced armored vehicle.

Croatias Acquisition of HIMARS Artillery Systems

Croatia is poised to enhance its military capabilities by acquiring eight M142 HIMARS artillery systems from the United States, valued at approximately $300 million. This move is part of Croatias broader strategy of modernizing its defense forces and strengthening its alignment with NATO allies.

Korean MBT for Poland on Display at MSPO 2024

The Korean Hyundai Rotem company displayed the K2EX main battle tank at MSPO. This is a more advanced variant, equipped with the Trophy active protection system. Another tank version also appeared at MSPO, equipped with a soft kill countermeasure system utilizing warning sensors and directional smoke dispensers. Rak mortar with new M69 turret system mounted on the Borsuk chassis

Latvia Establishes NATO Multinational Brigade Center

Latvia has taken a significant step in bolstering regional security by establishing a NATO Multinational Brigade Center. This initiative aims to enhance the coordination and interoperability of NATO forces in the Baltic region. The center will serve as a hub for multinational military cooperation, facilitating joint training exercises and improving rapid response capabilities. This development is significant given the heightened security concerns in Eastern Europe.

Effectiveness and Drawbacks of Thermal Camouflage Surface in Ukraine

Recent footage from Ukraine has showcased thermal camouflage technologys real-world effectiveness and limitations in modern warfare. The video demonstrates how thermal camouflage can significantly reduce the heat signature of military vehicles, making them harder for thermal imaging systems to detect. This technology is crucial in the ongoing conflict, where thermal imaging is vital in target acquisition and reconnaissance.

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The Bailey Buzz this week has questions from an excited Danville High School girls' flag football fan who's really looking forward to today's inaugural game at Ned Whitesell Field. This week's column also looks to some of the end-of-summer annual Labor Day weekend festivities in Vermilion County.
The Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation (APDI), a nonprofit consortium led by Children's National Hospital and funded through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announces today the recipients of grants totaling $200,000 to advance pediatric medical devices that improve the monitoring, diagnosis or treatment of youth suffering from substance use disorder and addiction. Selected by a panel of expert judges, each awardee receives $50,000 and opportunities for APDI support services across all phases of the medical device product lifecycle, including facilitating access to technical assistance from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The four pediatric innovations selected for their potential impact on the issue of adolescent substance misuse are:

AltruMed, Philadelphia, Pa.  Creators of DOVE, an innovative, shoulder-mounted device designed as a safety tool for those most at risk from overdose toxicity. Smaller than a matchbox, DOVE employs multi-modal sensing to detect severe respiratory depression and alerts bystanders and first responders.

Levl, Brooklyn, N.Y.  Developing a remote therapeutic monitoring platform designed to address the critical challenges associated with stimulant medication treatment for adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a group at greater risk for substance abuse. Based on collected patient data, Levl's proprietary, early risk detection mechanism is designed to enhance the safety and effectiveness of stimulant medication treatments in response to the rise in misuse and diversion among youth.

Sibel Health, Chicago, Ill.  Providers of the FDA-cleared ANNE platform that includes advanced wearable sensors, artificial intelligence-enabled data analytics and an integrated mobile software and cloud platform for adolescents ages 12 and up. Grant funds will be used to modify the existing monitoring solution for use by patients and healthcare providers to detect opiate-induced respiratory depression in high-risk adolescents.

Toivoa, Washington, D.C.  Developer of an evidence-based digital therapeutic platform that aims to increase access to care, reduce wait times, provide caregiver tools and offer personalized mental health support. Grant funds will be used for platform modifications that address mental health challenges for adolescents with dual diagnoses, including mental health and substance use disorder, and to address the support needs of caregivers.

ADPI developed this funding initiative in response to the alarming rate of illicit drug use by U.S. youth - about 3.6 million among ages 12 to 17 in 2022, as reported by the National Institutes of Health. That year, fatalities from drug overdose averaged 22 per week among youth ages 12 to 18, with most having no history of treatment for a substance use problem or prior nonfatal overdose.

Recognizing that drug overdose is now the third leading cause of death among adolescents, we see an urgent need to support new technologies that can help families and providers address this problem. We look forward to working with these grantees and see great potential in the lifesaving and life-changing impact that their technologies could make possible." Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president and chief innovation officer at Children's National and APDI principal investigator and program director

APDI's grant awards follow the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) approval in May 2024 of the concept "Promoting Medical Device Development for Youth Affected by Drug Addiction and Substance Misuse," which describes potential funding opportunities. APDI aims to provide early support to promising innovations, recognizing that additional funding may be available from NIDA in the future.

APDI is one of five nonprofit consortia in the FDA's Pediatric Device Consortia grant program that receives funding to provide a platform of services, expertise and grants to support pediatric innovators in bringing medical devices to the market that specifically address the unmet needs of children. Along with Children's National, APDI members include Johns Hopkins University, CIMIT at Mass General Brigham, Tufts Medical Center, MedStar Health Research Institute, MedTech Color and OrthoPediatrics Corp.
A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham has found that obesity may be an important risk factor for infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers analyzed electronic health record data from Mass General Brigham and found that individuals with obesity were 34% more likely to become COVID positive after reported exposure than individuals without obesity. Their findings, published in PNAS Nexus, indicate that obesity, a well-known risk factor for more severe symptoms and complications from the virus, may also increase risk of infection.

We knew that obesity raises risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes, but we were surprised to find that it also increases the likelihood of catching the virus in the first place. This suggests that obesity may play a more significant role in COVID-19 transmission than previously thought. Our results add to the growing body of evidence that maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall health." Masanori Aikawa, MD, PhD, corresponding author, director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences (CICS) at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Led by first author Joan T. Matamalas, PhD, a research scientist in the CICS, the researchers conducted a case-control study evaluating data in the Mass General Brigham COVID-19 Data Mart, which included COVID-19 results for 687,813 subjects tested for COVID-19 from March 2020 to March 2022 -; a period of rampant infection before vaccines were widely available. The team examined data from more than 72,000 participants who had reported contact with or suspected exposure to COVID-19.

The authors note that the study relied on self-reported information about potential exposure to the virus, which may not accurately reflect actual exposure, and was conducted in a single health system in Massachusetts, so the results may not be generalizable to other populations. Future studies could examine the biological mechanisms that may explain why individuals with obesity may be more susceptible and could help to identify new drug targets or more personalized vaccination approaches to help protect against infection and complications.

The researchers add that their hope is the study serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining good health and reducing risk as COVID-19 rates increase.

"Although our study was conducted on pre-vaccine data, numerous studies have shown that vaccines are the most effective and safe way to prevent COVID-19 infection and severe outcomes, regardless of weight or other risk factors," said Aikawa.
About half of adults can identify cigarettes and e-cigarettes, but just one in four would recognize oral nicotine pouches, and these easily available products are growing increasingly popular among teens and young adults, according to a recent study commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center  Arthur G. James Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC  James).

Oral nicotine pouches are small packets filled with a flavored powder containing nicotine and other chemicals that are tucked between the lip and gums. Researchers at the OSUCCC  James Center for Tobacco Research are concerned that these oral nicotine pouches are so appealing and easy to use that they could be a gateway to future tobacco product addiction for Gen Z.

Epidemiologist Brittney Keller-Hamilton, PhD, says these products are available in low- and high-nicotine concentrations, making them appealing to both new users and people who are already addicted to nicotine.

"We're starting to hear from college students that they find it easier to use nicotine pouches at work or in class because they are easier to conceal. They also do not require you to spit excess saliva like older tobacco oral products (dip, snuff)," said Keller-Hamilton, who studies nicotine pouch use and regulation at the Center for Tobacco Research. "One of my biggest concerns with nicotine pouches is that as youth experiment with these products, they might not find them to be satisfying enough to continue to meet a growing nicotine craving and then might transition to more harmful products."

She notes that regulation of these products is minimal, and that removing flavorings, prohibiting online sales, and increasing the price could discourage youth experimentation and, therefore, reduce their risk of becoming addicted to nicotine.

As students go back to school, Keller-Hamilton cautions parents to pay attention to what is in their teenagers' backpacks.

Many products are cleverly packaged to conceal the real content  vapes as highlighters or pens, oral nicotine pouches as mints. Unfortunately, due to loose industry regulation, they are very easy to obtain for underage youth, and they are far from harmless. We know that when people start using any nicotine product, including nicotine pouches, before their brain is finished developing, it primes their brain for a stronger nicotine addiction and also primes their brain for addiction to other substances. It's really important for parents to talk with their kids about the dangers of these products and seek help from their pediatrician if they're concerned about nicotine addiction." Brittney Keller-Hamilton, PhD, Epidemiologist

Study results and methods

For this survey, 1,000 adults aged 18 or older were asked about their ability to recognize nicotine products with and without the visual aid of packaging, as well as their perceptions about the health effects of these products.

Ohio State's recent survey showed that 70% of adults believe nicotine pouches are harmful to health and lead to addiction, but just 25% say they could identify a nicotine pouch out of its container or packaging. The survey also found that those between the ages of 18-29 are more likely to know someone who uses nicotine pouches, as opposed to older adults.

This study was conducted on behalf of the OSUCCC  James by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from July 19-22, 2024, among a sample of 1,008 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=976) and telephone (n=32) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/- 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.
An innovative study for the treatment of post-COVID syndrome (PCS) is starting under the direction of Frankfurt University Hospitals Department of Infectious Diseases. The research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), will investigate new ways of alleviating the long-term effects of COVID-19, including fatigue and cognitive impairment. The first patient has been enrolled in the study this week.

There is still an urgent need for the treatment of post-COVID and associated symptoms, says Prof. Dr. Maria Vehreschild, who heads the study and oversees Frankfurt University Hospitals Infectious Diseases Department. That is why we are pleased to conduct RAPID_REVIVE, the first adaptive clinical study within the Network of University Medicine. The German Network of University Medicine (NUM) was set up in 2020 as part of the countrys COVID-19 pandemic crisis management to coordinate clinical COVID-19 research at German university hospitals.

RAPID_REVIVE (Randomized Adaptive Assessment of Post COVID Syndrome Treatments_Reducing Inflammatory Activity in Patients with Post COVID Syndrome) is a phase 2, adaptive, randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind clinical trial sponsored by Goethe University Frankfurt and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of NUM. The structural conditions required to commence the study were created as part of the NUM project NAPKON Therapeutic Intervention Platform (NAPKON-TIP). A total of 376 patients at eleven different NAPKON locations will be included in the study.

Post-COVID syndrome

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that most people who have had COVID-19 recover fully. However, after overcoming the infection, a subset of those affected suffer long-term effects, known as post-COVID syndrome (PCS). PCS is defined by symptoms that remain even three months after the onset of COVID-19, that continue for at least two months thereafter and that cannot be explained by another diagnosis. While the symptoms are diverse, those affected by PCS often suffer from pronounced fatigue, shortness of breath as well as cognitive impairments.

The RAPID_REVIVE study examines changes in the physical functions of participants, which are recorded at different points in time using questionnaires and tests. Beyond that, the study also looks at general mental and physical health, fatigue, cognitive functions, the severity of mental health impairments, shortness of breath and physical resilience. The study also seeks to identify prognostic biomarkers that provide information about the individual progression of PCS, which should pave the way for the selection of a treatment strategy tailored to the individual patient.

Vidofludimus calcium: Testing a promising drug candidate

Study participants will receive either the drug vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838) or a placebo. The decision as to who receives which preparation is randomly made (blinded 1:1 randomization). Once 150 patients have been included in the study, the allocation will be adjusted in accordance with the studys interim evaluations. Vidofludimus calcium is a novel drug candidate that activates the neuroprotective transcription factor Nurr1, a novel target for neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the drug inhibits the enzyme DHODH, thereby blocking the production of pyrimidines, which cells rely on primarily for RNA synthesis. It is particularly effective in highly activated immune cells as well as virus-infected cells, which have a high demand for pyrimidines. Administering vidofludimus calcium could also help in treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, since the drug reduces excessive inflammation and prevents viral infection and reactivation.

Vidofludimus calcium showed promising results in an earlier clinical trial involving COVID-19 patients: Those who received the drug recovered faster and suffered less long-term fatigue compared to those who received a placebo. The treatment was well tolerated with few side effects. Vidofludimus calcium could thus not only help with the acute treatment of COVID-19, but also alleviate long-term symptoms.
The heavy metal cadmium, which is found in the air, water, food and soil, is known to cause health problems. A new study published in the September 4, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, examined if thinking and memory skills were associated with cadmium exposure. They found no association when they looked at the group as a whole. However, when looking at Black and white people separately, it found cadmium may be tied to problems with thinking and memory skills in white people. The study found no such association in Black people. The study does not prove that cadmium causes memory problems in white people; it only shows an association.

Cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal that enters the body mainly through cigarette smoking, breathing polluted air and food. It is released into the environment through industrial and agricultural activities.

With the high occurrence and high cost of dementia to families and to society, it's important to identify risk factors for early cognitive problems that could be affected by changes in people's behavior or in society." Liping Lu, MD, PhD, study author of Columbia University, New York City

The study involved 2,172 people with an average age of 64 and no problems with thinking or memory skills. Black people made up 39% of the participants and white people made up 61%. Levels of cadmium in the urine were tested at the beginning of the study. Participants took tests of thinking and memory skills every year and were followed for an average of 10 years.

During that time, 195 people developed cognitive impairment. When researchers looked at the overall group, they found no association between cadmium levels and cognitive impairment. However, when they looked at Black and white participants separately, they found that white people with high levels of cadmium were more likely to develop cognitive impairment. They found no association in Black people.

With participants divided into two groups based on cadmium levels, white people with high levels were twice as likely to develop cognitive impairment as those with low levels, even after adjusting for other factors that could affect cognitive impairment, such as physical activity, alcohol use and education. A total of 9.2% of those with high levels developed thinking and memory problems, compared to 6.7% of those with low levels.

Lu said one explanation for the difference between white and Black people could be cigarette smoking. After dividing the participants into three groups based on cadmium levels, researchers found that white people in the highest level smoked an average of 23 pack-years compared to nine pack-years for Black people in the highest level. Pack-years are a way to measure smoking over time. It is determined by multiplying the number of packs smoked per day by the number of years smoked. So, 23 pack-years is equal to one pack a day for 23 years, or two packs a day for 11.5 years, for example.

"These results need to be confirmed with studies that measure cadmium levels over time, include more people and follow people over a longer time, but there are many reasons to reduce exposure to cadmium, whether it's through implementing policies and regulations for air pollution and drinking water or people changing their behaviors by stopping smoking or being around cigarette smoke," Lu said.

A limitation of the study was that cadmium levels in the urine were tested only at the beginning of the study and exposure may have changed over time.

The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging.
With the support of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a global framework to help Member States comprehensively investigate the origins of new and re-emerging pathogens. While there are a number of tools available for investigating infectious disease outbreaks, this is the first unified, structured approach to investigating the origins of a novel pathogen. This framework aims to fill that gap by providing a comprehensive set of scientific investigations and studies. It is the first version of a "how-to" guide that will be updated as and when needed, based on feedback from users.

As each outbreak and pandemic demonstrates, human and animal health is threatened by the increasing risk of the emergence of known (such as Ebola, Nipah, avian influenza, Lassa and Monkeypox viruses) and novel pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential (novel influenza, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2), the ability to prevent, and when we cannot prevent, to swiftly contain outbreaks and identify their origins is scientifically, morally, and financially more critical than ever.

The WHO global framework outlines scientific investigations and studies for six technical elements:

Early investigations of the first identified cases/ clusters / outbreaks to identify potential sources of exposure, collection of samples at the source, define the characteristics of the novel pathogen involved for establishment of diagnostic assays.

of the first identified cases/ clusters / outbreaks to identify potential sources of exposure, collection of samples at the source, define the characteristics of the novel pathogen involved for establishment of diagnostic assays. Human studies : to understand the epidemiology including clinical presentation, modes of transmission, pathology and earliest presence in syndromic surveillance samples.

: to understand the epidemiology including clinical presentation, modes of transmission, pathology and earliest presence in syndromic surveillance samples. Human/Animal interface studies to identify potential animal reservoirs, intermediate hosts and reverse zoonoses.

studies to identify potential animal reservoirs, intermediate hosts and reverse zoonoses. studies to identify insect vectors or other sources of infection as well as earliest presence in the environment. 

Genomics and Phylogenetics studies to identify precursor strains, genomic characteristics, evolution in intermediate hosts and humans and spatial distribution over time.

studies to identify precursor strains, genomic characteristics, evolution in intermediate hosts and humans and spatial distribution over time. Biosafety/Biosecurity studies to determine if a breach in laboratory or research activities may have been associated with the first cases.

The WHO Global framework has been designed as a resource for scientists, researchers, public health authorities, and investigators in Member States. It provides guidance when and how to initiate such multi-disciplinary investigations and offers recommendations to countries on the capacities and tools needed to successfully implement them. This includes the capacities needed such as human resources, human, animal, and environmental surveillance systems; biosafety and biosecurity regulations; and laboratories with testing and sequencing expertise  and the importance of sharing the findings of such investigations as soon as possible to guide next steps. These recommendations were developed to align with the International Health Regulations (IHR) and using a One Health approach.

Timely and comprehensive investigations into pathogens' origins are critical for preventing and containing global health crises. The findings from such investigations provide the basis for stopping outbreaks before they begin, halting transmission chains and reducing the risk of pathogen spillover from animals to humans. They also can confirm or exclude the possibility of an unintentional breach in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.

To achieve this, is it critical for countries to conduct these are sharing initial findings in a rapid, complete and transparent manner as soon as results are available to ensure the implementation of measures to mitigate further transmission and prevent new spillover events and, eventually, future pandemics.

Understanding when, where, how and why epidemics and pandemics begin is both a scientific imperative, to prevent future outbreaks, and a moral imperative for the sake of those who lose their lives to them. This framework provides for the first time comprehensive guidance on the studies that are needed to investigate the origins of emerging and reemerging pathogens. If it had been in place when COVID-19 struck, the quest to understand its origins may have been less contentious and more successful. WHO continues to call on China to share all information it has on the origins of COVID-19, so that all hypotheses can be investigated." Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

Established in November 2021 and made up of independent experts from around the world, the SAGO was tasked with identifying the best technical and scientific approaches to understanding the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens and developing this global framework. The SAGO forms part of a strengthened health emergency preparedness and prevention system developed by WHO, its Member States and many health and scientific partners.
A team of researchers has developed a radical new technique for analyzing evidence in sexual assault cases. The new approach could streamline the forensics pipeline and reduce delays in the processing of DNA evidence.

The research is described in a paper published today in the journal Advanced Science.

There are almost half a million sexual assaults in Canada every year with many more going unreported. The new approach could mitigate one of the reasons victims are reluctant to report assaults: the perception that analysis of forensic evidence is too slow.

For this research, we read reports and surveys that asked victims why they weren't reporting assaults. And the most common answer was that they didn't have confidence in the justice system -; and that lack of confidence was partly because of how long the process takes." Mohamed Elsayed, lead author

The lead author is Elsayed, who worked on this project as part of his PhD in Biomedical Engineering and who is now a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto (U of T). His U of T co-authors include Professor Aaron Wheeler from the Department of Chemistry, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at U of T, and the Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies, and Leticia Bodo, a member of Innis College and a master's student in the Department of Chemistry. All three are also affiliated with the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research.

Additional co-authors of the study include researchers from the Department of Forensic Science, University of Toronto Mississauga; Ontario's Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS); and the ANDE Corporation. Funding was provided by NSERC Alliance Society and ANDE.

"CFS and ANDE were critical contributors at every step of the project," says Wheeler. "I'm also grateful to NSERC for having the foresight to establish the 'Alliance Society' program which has a mission to 'address a societal challenge that will result in new natural sciences and engineering knowledge and societal impact.'"

Processing forensic evidence in sexual assault cases is a highly technical, multi-step process. Typically, DNA evidence is first collected from the victim, then sent to a well-equipped forensic laboratory for analysis by a skilled technician. Once there, the sample is first processed to isolate the assailant's DNA from the victim's; analysis of the assailant's DNA can then be conducted and used to identify a suspect.

The entire process can take days, weeks or longer. Most of that time is taken up with transporting the evidence to the lab; also, once at the lab, the speed with which the sample is analyzed depends on the number of other cases requiring analysis.

The researchers focused on the first step -; that of separating the DNA of two individuals from a single sample. Currently, this can only be done manually by trained and experienced experts in a lab; i.e. there is no automated solution.

What Elsayed and his collaborators have developed is a process for separating two individual's DNA employing a process called differential digestion technique using digital microfluidics. The new approach mitigates the current logistical and technical challenges.

The researchers simplified the process by reducing the number of manual steps needed to isolate the assailant's DNA from 13 to five. "Also, because micro-fluidic processes tend to be faster, we expect that one of the eventual benefits will be shortening the overall time needed," says Elsayed.

What's more, the new approach could lead to a mobile solution that doesn't require a lab. For example, testing could be done at a hospital where a victim would typically be taken in a sexual assault case -; thereby eliminating the time necessary for the sample to reach the lab and circumventing the lab's queue.

The new technique is compatible with the technology known as Rapid DNA Analysis, already in use for the second step of identifying an individual from their DNA. According to the authors, the long term goal would be to integrate the two technologies to make the process even more streamlined.

There are many challenges to overcome before the new technique is operational and deployed. But Elsayed is confident those challenges will be solved and has turned his efforts toward making it commercially viable and widely accessible.

"Our plan is to develop an instrument that will do in five minutes what currently takes 45," says Elsayed. "And to run many more samples than previously. Once we do that, the next step would be to introduce the technology to forensic labs and hospitals. It will take years but the potential is very exciting."
A group of Brazilian researchers has found a potential target for novel therapeutic strategies to combat fungal infections  more specifically, those caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. An article reporting the discovery is published in the journal Communications Biology.

This species and other Aspergillus fungi are responsible for complications such as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a potentially fatal infection that can only occur in patients with weakened immune systems, such as those hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). Depending on the patient's condition, the mortality rate from IPA ranges from 20% to 72%.

We found that silencing a specific gene attenuated virulence. When it was deleted, the fungus remained viable, but important biological processes were affected, making the fungus less virulent and increasing the likelihood of its being eliminated by existing medications or even by the human immune system," Natalia Sayuri Wassano, Study First Author and PhD Student, University of Campinas

The study was conducted while she was a PhD candidate at the State University of Campinas's Biology Institute (IB-UNICAMP) with a scholarship from FAPESP, and was part of a project supported by FAPESP.

Resistance to existing antifungals is frequent, and chronic IAP patients may spend years undergoing treatment. The available therapies can also have adverse side-effects, such as vomiting and headache.

"Very few new antifungal drugs have been approved for use in recent years. Molecules that can have complementary action with others already in use, however, have shown significant potential and are highly likely to be approved," said Andre Damasio, co-corresponding author of the article and a professor at IB-UNICAMP.

The other corresponding author is Nilmar Moretti, a professor at the Federal University of Sao Paulo's Medical School (EPM-UNIFESP). He and Damasio belong to the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) in Human Pathogenic Fungi, one of several such institutes in Sao Paulo State funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in partnership with FAPESP.

Another research group supported by FAPESP recently patented a novel compound that combats drug-resistant fungi when combined with commercially available antifungals. Two of the researchers involved in that study are co-authors of this article (more at: https://agencia.fapesp.br/41848).

Novel target

Next steps for the research group include finding a molecule that inactivates sirtuin E, the protein that produced the best results among six tested. If they find one, it could serve as a basis for a drug that would make the fungus more sensitive to existing medications.

Sirtuins, the class of proteins analyzed in the study, are also present in humans, playing a part in several cellular and physiological processes. The researchers found that 25% of the sirtuins studied were identical in the fungus and in humans; the low percentage means sirtuin could be a safe drug target.

"It isn't necessarily bad for a future drug with this target to inhibit human sirtuin as well as fungal sirtuin, but it's something we should look out for. Marginal side-effects can be acceptable in novel drugs, provided the benefits are substantial," Damasio said.

One of the difficulties of finding new antifungals is precisely the similarity between some of the proteins found in fungi and humans. The reason is that we are closer to fungi in evolutionary terms than we are to bacteria, for example. Genes from some common ancestor have been conserved in both humans and fungi. This partly explains why it has been possible to produce so many drugs to combat bacteria.

Aspergillus spp is prioritized by WHO

To arrive at their results, the researchers bred seven mutant strains of A. fumigatus, in one of which six sirtuins were deleted, while a different sirtuin was inactivated in each of the others by means of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique.

Cultured on plates in the laboratory, the mutant that did not produce any of the six sirtuins and the mutant without the gene sirE (which produces the protein sirtuin E), grew less than the wild strain at 37 C, the average normal temperature of the human body.

The researchers then infected mice with the wild strain and the mutant without sirE. The mice infected with the mutant fungus did not develop the disease, whereas the mice infected with the wild strain died after six days.

"We were unable to determine exactly what made this strain more virulent, but the analyses showed several possibilities. The gene in question appears to regulate key functions such as cell wall integrity and production of secondary metabolites that help defend it from the human immune system, among other things," said Wassano, who conducted part of the experiments during a research internship at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the United States.

Wassano and Damasio are co-authors of another article about the mutant that does not produce SirE, reporting a study led by the group at UW Madison.

The new antifungal options on the market and the emergence of drug-resistant strains led the World Health Organization (WHO) to list A. fumigatus as a fungal priority pathogen to guide research, development, and public health action.

"In vitro and in vivo synergy studies would allow optimization of treatment regimes", according to the 2022 document.
Study reveals how semaglutide not only aids in weight loss but also offers a surprising defense against severe infections, including COVID-19, in at-risk populations.

Study: The Effect of Semaglutide on Mortality and COVID-19Related Deaths: An Analysis From the SELECT Trial. Image Credit: MillaF / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in The Journal of The American College of Cardiology, researchers assessed the effects of semaglutide on mortality.

The obesity epidemic has led to a global increase in obesity-related complications. Besides, obesity is associated with a heightened risk of all-cause mortality across populations. It aggravates various cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and is, per se, an independent risk factor for CV mortality. Improving obesity-related mortality is challenging as fewer interventions yield clinically meaningful, safe, and sustained weight loss.

While observational studies report associations between bariatric surgery or intentional weight loss and reduced mortality, no randomized clinical trials show that weight loss therapies augment CV outcomes. The Semaglutide Effects on CV Outcomes in Patients with Obesity or Overweight (SELECT) trial found a statistically significant reduction in the rate of all-cause mortality among patients receiving semaglutide compared to placebo recipients.

Besides, semaglutide also reduced the primary composite endpoint (CV death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke). However, it is important to note that the reduction in CV deaths did not reach the prespecified threshold for statistical significance, meaning subsequent analyses should be viewed as hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic ensued after the SELECT trial commenced. The most severe COVID-19 periods were concurrent with the trial, thus allowing for studying the effects of COVID-19 in patients at risk of COVID-19 complications and mortality and whether semaglutide could modify the risk.

About the study

In the present study, researchers evaluated the effects of semaglutide on CV, non-CV, and all-cause mortality. The SELECT trial investigated semaglutide in decreasing the risk of the primary composite endpoint in 17,604 patients with overweight/obesity and CV disease but without diabetes. Eligible participants were aged  45 and had a body mass index (BMI)  27 kg/m2 and CV disease (symptomatic peripheral artery disease, prior myocardial infarction, or prior stroke).

Patients were randomized to receive 2.4 mg semaglutide or placebo once weekly for 16 weeks. Randomization occurred between October 2018 and March 2021, thus overlapping with COVID-19 periods. The present study assessed the effects of semaglutide on all-cause death, non-CV and CV death, and COVID-19 death.

Despite the overall positive results, the study found that semaglutide did not reduce the incidence of COVID-19 itself but did lower the severity of COVID-19-related adverse events.

A clinical events committee independently reviewed deaths to determine the cause. The SELECT trial prospectively collected clinical information on COVID-19 treatment, outcomes, and death shortly after the pandemic began. Time-to-event outcomes were examined using hazard ratios estimated from a Cox proportional hazards model. However, it is essential to acknowledge that competing risks, such as non-CV death during the pandemic, could have influenced the observed effects on CV death rates, as non-CV deaths might have 'competed' with CV deaths as causes of mortality. The study employed the Aalen-Johansen estimator to account for these competing risks, which is more accurate than traditional methods in such scenarios.

Findings

In the SELECT trial, 833 deaths occurred over a median of 3.3 years of follow-up. Of these, 58% were CV deaths, and 42% were non-CV deaths. Lower rates of all-cause death, non-CV death, and CV mortality were noted among semaglutide recipients than in the placebo group. However, it is crucial to note that the lower rate of non-CV death with semaglutide was largely due to fewer infection-related deaths, especially those due to COVID-19, rather than a broad reduction across all non-CV death causes.

In general, consistently lower mortality rates were observed in the semaglutide group across subgroups (age, race, sex, heart failure, renal function) compared to placebo subjects.

Notably, there was a trend toward a higher treatment effect with semaglutide in patients with glycated hemoglobin levels  6% for non-CV and all-cause death compared to placebo. The most common cause of CV death was sudden cardiac death. Infections and malignancy were the most common causes of non-CV death. Overall, 24.2% of patients reported COVID-19 diagnosis.

Semaglutide did not decrease the number of patients with COVID-19 compared to placebo. However, among patients with COVID-19, fewer semaglutide recipients had serious adverse events related to COVID-19. Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have a non-CV cause of death. However, an inverse relationship was observed in those without COVID-19. The study highlighted that this unexpected pattern might be due to the unique circumstances of the pandemic, which increased the prominence of non-CV deaths as competing risks.

Throughout the trial, 137 non-CV deaths were reported among those with COVID-19. Fewer deaths were adjudicated as COVID-19-related in the semaglutide arm. Numerically, fewer deaths occurred in the semaglutide arm in COVID-19 subgroups. Most non-CV deaths occurred after COVID-19 onset. Rates of CV death were lower before and after the pandemic in both arms and did not increase during the pandemic.

Conclusions

Together, once-weekly 2.4 mg semaglutide reduced all-cause mortality by 19%, CV deaths by 15%, and non-CV deaths by 23% among non-diabetic obese or overweight patients with CV disease. However, it is important to recognize that the reduction in non-CV deaths was primarily due to fewer deaths from infections, particularly COVID-19, and not necessarily from a broader reduction across all causes of non-CV death. Further, non-CV death may have been a competing risk for CV death during the pandemic.

Subjects with COVID-19 were more likely to have a non-CV death, while those without COVID-19 were more likely to die from CV causes. The study's findings are significant, but they should be interpreted cautiously, considering the limitations, including the potential for misclassification of causes of death and the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the findings underscore the mortality benefit of semaglutide and reinforce that obesity and overweight elevate mortality risks through several etiologies, which can be modified with potent therapies like semaglutide.
In an effort to please commuters during Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra government has decided to waive toll tax for all Ganesha devotees from Thursday, September 5 to September 19.

Ganesh devotees from across the state travel to their villages for Ganeshotsav, often paying tolls along the way. However, during Ganeshotsav, tolls will be discounted, providing relief and benefits to the devotees.

Ganesh devotees will be exempted from tolls on the Mumbai-Goa Highway, Mumbai-Bangalore Highway, and all toll booths under the Public Works Department and Maharashtra Road Development Corporation. The state government has issued a circular directing the toll administration to implement this order.

Ganesha devotees traveling to villages for Ganesh Utsav, along with State Road Transport Corporation buses, will be exempted from tolls. The state government has advised contacting the transport department to obtain a free pass.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has spearheaded efforts for an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav. He has urged devotees to use Shadu clay idols instead of Plaster of Paris ones.

Additionally, authorities have been directed to immediately repair all potholes on arrival and immersion routes, before the festival. The Chief Minister has also instructed to increase the number of artificial lakes in all cities, including Mumbai.

The government has been taking measures to ensure that potholes do not hinder travel for those heading to Konkan for Ganeshotsav. Chief Minister Shinde has pledged to make the Mumbai-Goa highway pothole-free before the festival.
Mumbai is all set to get its first pod taxi service for the bustling business hub of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has approved the project, which was first proposed in March by the state government.

According to TOI, the new route will connect Bandra and Kurla railway stations through BKC, aiming to cut down travel time from 45 minutes to a swift, congestion-free ride.

The contract has been awarded to Sai Green Mobility, teaming up with Ultra PRT, the same company that brought pod taxis to Londons Heathrow Airport. With upcoming projects like the bullet train and new commercial developments, MMRDA sees the pod taxis as the perfect solution for last-mile connectivity in this high-traffic area.

A detailed study by Tata Consulting Engineers found that pod taxis are the best option for BKC, considering the areas layout and expected growth. MMRDA Chairman and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the system will set the standard for urban transport across India, boosting sustainable and efficient mobility.

The project, approved in MMRDAs 156th authority meeting, will cost an estimated Rs 1,016 crore and will be completed in three years. It will operate under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with a 30-year concession period including revenue-sharing with MMRDA.
Stocks To Watch On September 5: Equity markets took a breather after a 14-day winning run and closed on Wednesday amid weak global trends. In todays trade, shares of GIC Re, RIL, Vedanta, Sona BLW, PNB Housing Finance, Suzlon Energy among others will be in focus due to various news developments.

Vedanta: Vedanta said its display glass business is expected to grow 10-fold, following the consolidation of its holding in AvanStrate Inc.

Sona BLW Precision: Auto component maker Sona BLW Precision Forgings is likely to raise up to Rs 2,400 crore through a qualified institutions placement. It has set a floor price of Rs 699 per share.

Reliance Industries: The company has secured the full 10 GWh capacity of the Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) under the second phase of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. RIL is constructing a 30 GWh battery manufacturing facility in Jamnagar, with production expected to start in the latter half of 2025. Additionally, Reliances board will meet on September 5 to discuss a 1:1 bonus share issue.

Suzlon Energy: Suzlon Energy has signed a conveyance deed with OE Business Park for sale of One Earth property for Rs 440 crore.

Adani Enterprises: The companys first retail bond issue, aiming to raise up to Rs 800 crore, has been fully subscribed. The company has also set up a subsidiary in Kenya to pursue a potential acquisition of Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with an estimated investment of up to $810 million.

General Insurance Corporation of India: The first day of GIC Res offer for sale (OFS) saw bids worth nearly Rs 2,300 crore. The OFS, which aims to divest up to 6.78 per cent of the governments stake, has received bids for 58 million shares. The final divestment may be less than 3.4 per cent, with further divestments required to meet the 25 per cent public shareholding mandate.

Prestige Estates Projects: The company has raised Rs 5,000 crore via a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) by issuing 2,98,68,578 equity shares at Rs 1,674 each, a discount of 4.62 per cent on the floor price.

Suzlon Energy: The company has sold its Pune headquarters, One Earth, for Rs 440 crore in a sale-and-leaseback deal with OE Business Park Private Limited. The transaction will help Suzlon focus on core manufacturing and improve liquidity, with the option to repurchase the property in the future.

Star Health and Allied Insurance: The company is exploring collaborations with insurers in Africa and West Asia for inward reinsurance opportunities via GIFT City. The company has also launched its first Braille insurance policy, Special Care Gold, aimed at individuals with disabilities.

HDFC Bank: Quant Mutual Fund has likely liquidated its entire position in HDFC Bank, which was previously one of its top holdings.

Mastek: Capital Group sold a 5.6 per cent stake in Mastek for over Rs 475 crore. Concurrently, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund acquired shares in Mastek, indicating its active interest in the IT services company.

Allied Blenders and Distillers: ABDL has received board approval to acquire an 80 per cent stake in a new venture with film star Ranveer Singh. The new entity will focus on luxury and premium spirits, with an investment of up to Rs 70 crore.

Canara Bank: The bank has successfully mobilized $300 million through its IFSC Banking Unit in Gandhinagar. The bonds, which carry a 4.896 per cent coupon rate, were well-received by investors from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Linde India, Tata Steel: The company has entered into an agreement to acquire two 1800 tpd air separation units from Tata Steels Kalinganagar expansion project.
St. Stephens College on Wednesday contended before the Delhi High Court that admitting a student under single girl child quota, fixed by the Delhi University (DU), is violative of the right to equality before law.

The counsel for the college argued that the quota for girl child is ultra vires Article 14, 15(3) and 15(5) and 30 of the Constitution and allocation of seats under this quota goes against these four articles.

The high court asked if the college raised this objection anywhere before.

Did you raise this objection anywhere earlier at any stage? Did you challenge this policy ever or write to them or filed any case ever? asked Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

To this, senior advocate Romy Chacko said, This year they agreed that they will only allocate 5 per cent excess of the seats and will allocate one candidate for each program. But today we are actually forced to challenge it on the ground that instead of one candidate they are actually allocating 13 candidates. We would have no problem if we were asked to admit one girl child. However, today DU argued that if BA (prog) has 13 combinations, 13 girl child students would have to be admitted, he said, adding the state cannot deny to any person equality before law.

The submission was opposed by the counsel for petitioner students and the Delhi University who said this objection was never raised before.

Why did the college not challenge the varsitys bulletin of information for admission if they are aggrieved by this provision? said the counsel for DU.

The judge orally observed, for this I think you (college) will have to challenge it separately.

As per the universitys bulletin for information on admission, one seat in each program of every college is reserved under the supernumerary quota for a single girl child.

The parent/ guardian (in case parents are deceased) will have to declare that the girl child is the only child of the parents and they have no other male/ female child other than the girl child for which the application is being submitted for admissions in the academic session 2024-25, it said.

The colleges counsel contended that there is no law on this and it is a decision taken by the university only.

Fundamental rights cannot be taken away by an executive order. This has no statutory backing. All these quotas imposed on us have no statutory backing. Therefore, this particular quota is ultra vires Article 14, 15(3), 15 (5) and 30, he argued.

He added that the college had agreed for the quota but now the DU is trying to impose something which is contrary to the university bulletin.

The college contended that the varsity was trying to impose quotas against minority institutions.

All these quotas imposed on us have no statutory backing. Today you are trying to impose something which is beyond the universitys bulletin, the counsel said.

Advocate Mohinder Rupal, appearing for the Delhi University, said there are about 7-8 minority colleges under it and only one college is having an issue and others have no problem with respect to allocation of seats.

He said the varsitys bulletin was not challenged by the college at any point of time.

He said the college ought not have played with the career of the petitioner students by refusing them admission when their names were already released by the university in the selected candidates for admission to the college.

At the fag end of the days hearing, the court took exception to a submission made by the colleges lawyers that it would be unfair to them in case they are not granted an opportunity to file reply to a counter affidavit filed by the varsity.

The court noted that it heard the arguments in the case from 11:30 AM to 1 PM and from 2:30 PM to 4 PM and during this period, the counsel for the college also addressed arguments.

The court listed the matter for Thursday for hearing arguments on some limited points.

It was the case of petitioners that despite being allocated seats by the university with the college for the courses of BA Economics (Hons) and BA Programme, yet their admissions were not completed within the stipulated time frame.

The single judge had earlier granted the relief of provisional admission to the six students while noting that there was no fault of these students who had successfully cleared the CUET exam and other formalities and despite being meritorious they were being kept under suspense regarding the fate of their admission.

However, the college challenged the order before the division bench which barred the six students, who were granted provisional admission in St. Stephens College on the basis of the DUs allotment of seats, from attending classes till pendency of the main petition.
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has revised the Karnataka National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) Round 1 seat allotment 2024 and the Karnataka Undergraduate Common Entrance Test (UG CET) Round 1 choice entry date. As per the updated schedule, the deadline to confirm admission, choose to upgrade, or withdraw from Karnataka NEET UG counselling has been extended to September 5.

The official notification reads, Date Extended for selection of Choice, payment of fees, submission of original documents and reporting to the college by the candidates who have been allotted engineering, architecture, agriculture, veterinary, B- Pharm, B.Sc. (Nursing), Yoga & Naturopathy etc seats in the first round. (Public holidays on September 7 and 8 may be noted on account of Ganesha Chaturthi and Sunday).

KEA NEET UG 2024: Revised Counselling Schedule

Exercising Choices by the seat allotted candidates in consultation with the parents: September 5 up to 11.00 am.

Payment of fees only by Choice-1 selected candidates: September 5 up to 4.00 pm Working Hours.

Downloading of Admission Orders only by fee paid Choice-1 Candidates: Up to 2.00 pm on September 6.

The last date for reporting to the allotted colleges by Choice 1, the fee paid and admission order downloaded candidates only: September 6 before 5.30 pm.

Applicants must select one of the four alternatives offered to them. Choice 1 is for applicants who want to be admitted into the first available seats, Choice 2 is for applicants who are satisfied with their seat allotment but would like to be considered for a higher preference, Choice 3 is for applicants who are unhappy with their seat assignment and would like to request an upgrade, and Choice 4 is for applicants who would like to withdraw from the counselling process.

The official notice also states that all participating institutes colleges have been directed to treat all Saturdays and Sundays and Gazetted Holidays as working days to ensure faithful obedience of schedule and also keeping in view the limited time available for conducting counselling.
A third-year LLB student at National Law University, Delhi, reportedly died by suicide on Monday. Her body was discovered in her hostel room on Tuesday afternoon, alongside a suicide note, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The suicide note left by the student mentioned that she did not blame anyone for her decision and expressed apologies to her parents for taking this extreme step, reported the police.

Additional DCP (Dwarka), Nishant Gupta was quoted by Indian Express as saying that the student, a Chennai native, had been struggling with academic pressure and had previously expressed suicidal thoughts to her roommates in April this year. He further added that the student was taken to Chennai by her family for a week after her roommates informed them.

Her parents are anticipated to arrive today, and the body is already in the mortuary with a post-mortem examination planned for today.

In a separate incident, a 24-year-old MBBS student was found hanging in his residence in Assams Cachar district, police reported. Two handwritten notes, confirmed by the family as written by the student, were recovered from the scene.

The student, who was in his final year at Silchar Medical College and Hospital, was discovered hanging in his room late on September 3. The police were notified immediately after the discovery. According to a senior officer, the notes left behind by the student sought forgiveness from his mother and stated that no one was to be blamed for his death.

If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
Teachers have a huge influence on the lives of students. They not only make students receive education or knowledge but also instill principles that make them better individuals. September 5, celebrated as Teachers Day in India commemorates the birth of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was Indias second President and its first Vice President. He was also a scholar, philosopher, exemplary teacher, politician and holder of the Bharat Ratna award who committed his life to education and influencing the countrys youth. Radhakrishnans contributions to education in India are remarkable.

ALSO READ: Happy Teachers Day 2024: Best Wishes, Messages, Images, Quotes and WhatsApp Greetings to Share!

In 1962, some of his students visited Dr Radhakrishna to wish him a happy birthday. It was then he advised the students to mark the day (September 5) in remembrance of all of Indias teachers. The day is a reminder of the important role that teachers play in nation-building by leading and teaching our countrys brightest minds.

ALSO READ: Teachers Day 2024: History, Quotes, Wishes, and Global Celebrations!

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan received the Bharat Ratna, Indias highest civilian distinction, in 1954. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize 27 times, including 16 times for the Nobel Prize in Literature and 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Motivational Messages from Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan to Celebrate Teachers Day
As we celebrate Teachers Day on September 5, our focus often centres on classroom teachers who spend their days within the walls of their classrooms. However, today, we shine a spotlight on another vital group of educators: dance teachers. Unlike their classroom counterparts, dance teachers are constantly on the move, dedicating themselves to nurturing talent and instilling a love for dance in their students. Despite their relentless efforts, dance teachers often dont receive the recognition they truly deserve.

Honouring Dance Educators: A Milestone Achievement

In a significant milestone for dance education, Priyanka Shinde, a dance teacher from CP Goenka School, Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, received the Best Teacher Award at Vidhyaiva Sarvadhanam. In its 10th year, this was the first time a school had nominated an activity teacher for the award, underscoring the growing appreciation for the vital role dance teachers play in education.

The Holistic Impact of Dance Education

According to Dr. Smita Gandhi, Principal of CP Goenka International School, Ulwe: As an educationist, I believe in the holistic development of learners. Even if we only think of academic performance, dance plays a crucial role. The amount of stress children are going through these days to prove themselves in school makes dance or any performing art imperative. It heals their mind and soul, relaxes every muscle of their body, rejuvenating them and preparing them for upcoming challenges.

Dance as Emotional Expression and Inclusive Practice

Dr. Gandhi continues: Dance is an expression of emotionsa window for children to express themselves. With so many emotions pent up, embedding dance and other art forms in the curriculum is essential for providing this healing outlet. Also, if we talk about inclusive practices, embedding performing arts in the curriculum and promoting it supports inclusion in a big way. Not everyone is going to excel in STEM, and performing arts give students the platform to showcase their talents, boosting their confidence and enhancing academic performance.

INCENTIVES FOR DANCE AND ARTS EDUCATION

In Maharashtra, students who have studied classical dance, drama, and singing for at least five years from a government-approved institution and passed five exams in these arts are awarded 15 marks by the state education board. Those who pass three exams receive 10 marks, and winners of national and state-level tournaments or scholarships in these arts are given a total of 25 marks. This policy underscores the value of these disciplines and encourages students to excel in the arts.

THE IMPACT OF DANCE EDUCATION

Sunil Kumar Prabhakaran, Programme Director of Major City and organizer of Vidhyaiva Sarvadhanam  which honours teachers from Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad across around 80 schools every year  emphasises the crucial role of dance teachers in fostering a balanced education.

Schools should promote the arts, including dance, to create a balanced learning environment. This approach helps students who may struggle academically feel valued and engaged, providing additional reasons to attend school. A well-rounded education that includes both academic and extracurricular pursuits can significantly enrich students learning experiences.

INTEGRATING DANCE INTO THE CURRICULUM

Jennifer Browne, IB Diploma Coordinator & Drama Teacher at Stonehill International School, Bangalore, underscores the importance of integrating dance into the curriculum: The International Baccalaureate (IB) views the Arts as equally important as other subjects. During the Middle Years Programme, students explore Drama, Music, and Art, choosing one as their focus from grade 9 onwards. At Stonehill, we incorporate movement as part of the Drama course and encourage students to explore physical theatre and movement. We also celebrate our host culture with performances of Indian dances, from classical to Bollywood, during special events.

THE INSPIRING PATH OF DANCE TEACHERS

Browne, who studied Theatre at Guildford School of Acting in the UK, adds: Dance teachers, often perceived as strict, push their students because they believe in their potential and take joy in their progress. Witnessing a student master a dance routine and perform with passion is deeply rewarding. Recently, I saw a poignant IB Diploma performance that conveyed a romantic journey through movement alone, highlighting how dance uniquely captures and communicates profound human experiences.

ENSURING RECOGNITION AND RESOURCES

Ensuring that dance education receives recognition and resources alongside other subjects involves several strategic steps.

Dr. Swati Mukherjee, Vice Chairperson of Saviors Foundation and Founder of Unskooler Education, Mumbai, explains, Dance education should be supported through advocacy and awareness, inclusion in the curriculum, professional development for teachers, and resource allocation. Performance opportunities and community engagement also play crucial roles in positioning dance as an essential component of a well-rounded education.

ADDRESSING UNIQUE CHALLENGES

Addressing the unique challenges faced by dance teachers is crucial. Dr Mukherjee suggests, Schools can support dance teachers by aligning their roles with academic teachers, providing a supportive work environment, and offering professional development. Recognition through awards and incorporating dance into broader school culture are also important. Ensuring physical and mental health support, involving dance teachers in decision-making, and engaging the community can help create an environment where dance teachers feel valued.

DANCE CLASSES BOOST EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

According to Khusbu Gupta, parent of a Class 5 student, since their child started learning dance at school, they have observed a remarkable change in behaviour. The dance classes have provided a positive outlet for their childs emotions and significantly helped in managing anger more effectively. Khusbu is truly grateful for how this has improved both their childs well-being and the familys harmony.

A DAY IN A DANCE TEACHERS LIFE

Priyanka Shindes recognition as Best Teacher at Vidhyaiva Sarvadhanam highlights the growing appreciation for the role of dance teachers.

Priyanka shares insights into her demanding role: A typical day for me involves preparing for school, teaching several periods, and managing additional responsibilities such as taking proxy classes. The physical demands of teaching dance are significant, and while we dont handle notebook corrections like academic teachers, our workload is equally challenging.

Despite these challenges, Priyanka remains motivated by her passion for dance: My background in BEIT might seem unrelated, but teaching dance is my true passion. It gives me the strength to face each day, especially when supported by a great team.

HONOURING ALL EDUCATORS

As we honour our teachers today, let us also recognise and support the dance teachers who contribute so profoundly to students holistic development. Their dedication and passion deserve the same level of acknowledgment and respect as their classroom counterparts.
The BJP will be making the abrogation of Article 370, promise of jobs, and empowerment of women as the mainstay of its campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to kick-start his rallies next week. Home Minister Amit Shah will unveil the manifesto on Friday (September 6) and then hold a rally in Jammu on Saturday.

Rahul Gandhi was in J&K on Wednesday for his first rally and skipped any mention of Article 370. Congress has maintained silence on the issue. On the same stage was Farooq Abdullah of National Conference whose party has promised in its manifesto that Article 370 will be brought back. Both allies have divergent stands, a senior BJP leader told News18, saying top party leaders will attack the alliance on this issue.

The BJPs manifesto may project the big changes brought in J&K due to abrogation of Article 370 five years ago, including reservation benefits and high tourism numbers. Rahul Gandhi has promised that statehood will be restored to J&K after electionsbut Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have already promised the same earlier, saying statehood will be restored once the law and order situation improves and elections are held, the leader said.

The BJPs manifesto could also have promises for Kashmiri Pandits, job opportunities for youth and empowerment of women. New avenues for tourism could also form a part of the manifesto. The concept of Naya Kashmir has often featured in speeches of BJP leaders and the party would promise prosperity, peace and stability in J&K unlike the agenda of NC and PDP which is to take J&K back to dark days of violence and terrorism and turn the clock back, the BJP leader said.

BJPs J&K in-charge Ram Madhav on Wednesday said it will be a BJP-led government in J&K and claimed that BJP will emerge as the single-largest party.
As the political mercury in Jammu and Kashmir is rising with each passing day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the BJPs poll campaign and release the partys manifesto during his two-day visit to the Union Territory on Friday.

Shahs visit comes at a critical time for the saffron party in J&K as the party faces growing challenges ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections with several leaders and workers protesting and some of them leaving the saffron party after they were denied tickets.

Amit Shah ji is arriving in Jammu for a two-day visit starting tomorrow. He will be arriving in the late afternoon from Delhi, a senior leader was quoted as saying.

It was informed that Shah is set to release the party manifesto at around 4 pm on Friday. Later in the evening, he will chair a meeting with party leaders and meet delegations of party workers.

J&K is witnessing a new era of peace and development under the Modi government. The region has transformed from a terrorist hotspot into a tourist hotspot, with an increase in educational and economic activities.Leaving for Jammu on my two day visit, where I will launch the  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 6, 2024

Shah will officially launch the BJPs campaign from Jammu, where he is scheduled to address a rally in the city on Saturday, he said.

His visit to Jammu is seen as crucial, given the resentment within the BJP over its ticket distribution in the Union Territory. This has prompted the party to launch a damage control exercise, deploying several top leaders, including Union ministers, to calm the situation over the past week.

Jammu district, which has 11 assembly constituencies, holds significant importance for the BJP. The party secured nine of these seats in the 2014 elections, contributing to its total tally of 25.

Shahs launch of the campaign from Jammu is aimed at reassuring the people of the region about the BJPs commitment to their welfare and development. Security has been tightened in and around Jammu ahead of Shahs visit. Multi-tier security arrangements have been made at two venues, including the media centre set up by the BJP at a hotel in the Channi area.

Preparations, including security measures, are underway for Shahs rally at Palora Top. Sanitisation operations have been conducted and area domination protocols are in place.

(With inputs from PTI)
Two cow-related murders  one a 25-kilometre chase before a student was shot dead and another a lynching  in two different parts of Haryana have warmed up the assembly election in the state. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has targeted the BJP, the latters state leadership has been careful to avoid the subject. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini has condemned the incidents but addressed the issue more from the prism of peoples sentiments toward cows.

THE LYNCHING

A mob lynching of a migrant labourer from West Bengal  Sabir Malik  who was picked up from near the Badhra bus stand on suspicion of consuming cow meat rocked the state last month. Malik and his friend Asserudin were lured to a scrap shop near the bus stand where they were attacked. While Asserudin fled, Malik could not. He was carried away on a two-wheeler, further tortured and eventually killed.

The incident triggered fear in the Hansawas Khurd village of Charkhi Dadri district in Haryana, which is mostly occupied by migrant labourers from Bengal and Assam, many of whom have started to flee.

While five cow vigilantes have been arrested, what is shocking is that two minors have also been apprehended in the matter. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Suspecting that the victim had eaten beef, the accused  Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit, and Sahil  called him to a shop on the pretext of selling empty plastic bottles. There, they beat him, PTI quoted a police officer as saying.

THE 25-KM CHASE & MURDER

The end of August also witnessed another cow-related murder, this time around 174 kilometres away from Charkhi Dadri. A 19-year-old in Faridabad, Haryana, was shot dead on August 23 by a group of individuals suspected to be cow vigilantes. They pursued him under the assumption that he was surveying the area for cattle smuggling.

The police identified the victim as Aryan Mishra, a Class 12 student. Mishra had left his home at night to join five friends in an SUV. The accused chased the vehicle in which Mishra and his friends were travelling and opened fire, hitting Mishra with two bullets. According to the police, Anil Kaushik  the main suspect  is associated with an organisation called Live for Nation, which promotes cow protection. Five men were later apprehended and placed in judicial custody.

COW SENTIMENTS & HARYANA

These are not the first such murders by cow vigilantes in Haryana. The state falls in the quintessential cow belt where the animal is held in high regard and products from milk, buttermilk to butter are consumed by the entire family.

Gau Raksha Dals (cow protection groups) play a pivotal role here. They have a presence down to the tehsil level where they are regularly informed about peoples meal practices and given tip-offs about suspicious behaviour. Acharya Yogendra formed a group of Gai rakshaks at a temple in Haryanas Bhadra. Ravinder Sheoran, who was appointed the group president, is one of the eight accused in the Charkhi Dadri mob lynching case.

Mohit alias Monu Manesar  a self-styled cow vigilante  is a hero of sorts among cow vigilantes and was arrested by the Nuh Police last September for an alleged provocative post on social media. The Rajasthan Police also arrested him in connection with the infamous Nasir-Junaid murder case where the charred bodies of Nasir and Junaid were found in a vehicle on the Rajasthan-Haryana border on February 16 after they were allegedly abducted by some vigilantes who accused them of cow smuggling.

COW POLITICS

If such is the penetration of cow sentiments in Haryana, could the politics of the state stay detached from it, particularly in the face of an assembly election? The chief ministers carefully chosen words illustrate a great deal. 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, Saini told reporters when asked about the migrant workers murder.

The strong law he is referring to is a legislation brought by his predecessor who he also politically looks up to. In 2015, Manohar Lal Khattar enacted the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan (HGSG) Act, which banned cow trafficking, slaughter, beef possession and consumption in the state.

While the BJP would not want the spotlight on these two cases, the ongoing discussion in vernacular press helps the party, which is batting the twin demons of anti-incumbency and Jat anger. Congresss Jat face and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda too has been exploiting that.

But if such incidents  particularly in the Nuh area which is largely inhabited by minorities  blur the caste lines and make people vote on religious considerations, BJP could gain from it. Even in Faridabad, the Lok Sabha constituency has 2.5 lakh Jats  the highest  followed by Gujjars and other castes.

No wonder, Rahul Gandhis strong words like reign of fear are shunned by the Hoodas or Kumari Selja  Congresss state leadership  which knows the nuanced political situation they are dealing with. In 2017, Bhupinder Singh Hooda went to visit Khandawli, days after local boy Junaid Khan was stabbed to death by a mob on a Mathura-bound train. But, this time, he has shunned visiting Charkhi Dadri.
The collapse of statue of iconic Maratha emperor Shivaji at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra last week has become a hot topic in state politics. Where the Opposition parties have blamed the ruling BJP-led coalition (Mahayuti) of insulting the emperor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had apologised at an event in Palghar.

The PM inaugurated the 34-foot statue on December 4 last year as part of Navy Day celebrations at the fort. It fell on August 26 amid heavy rain and gusty winds in the area.

Sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte wanted in the statue collapse case was arrested on Wednesday, the police said. Sindhudurg Police have been searching for Apte ever since the statue collapsed.

Confrontation Between Mahayuti and MVA Over The Collapse

With the Maharashtra assembly elections around the corner, the issue has snowballed into a major political confrontation between the Opposition coalition (Maha Vikas Aghadi)  comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) and the Congress  have accused the Mahayuti government.

While Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has dismissed strong winds as the reason behind the statues collapse, NCP-SP patriarch Sharad Pawar has accused the state government of attempting to shift the blame to the Navy, reminding them that permissions had been sought from the state, as per a report by The Hindu.

The MVA held a protest rally, where Uddhav Thackeray said Maharashtras soul has been insulted and the people will never forget those who insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The BJP held a counter-protest in Mumbais Dadar area against the MVA. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavais said the MVAs agitation is completely political. MVA or Congress never honoured Chhatrapati Shivaji. Remember the speeches made by Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi from Red Fort. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs name was not mentioned When Kamal Nath was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji was removed by bulldozers, said Fadnavis.

How Political Leaders Cashed In On Shivajis Legacy

During Independence

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Jyotirao Phule and Babasaheb Ambedkar invoked the Maratha emperor to instill national pride among citizens, unite them towards the freedom cause and emulate his actions in fighting for Independence.

In 1869, Jyotirao Phule wrote and published Shiv Charitra, a collection of poems in Marathi, praising Shivaji. He also discovered Shivajis Samadhi made by his son Sambhaji while walking from Pune to Raigad Fort.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who started public celebrations of Ganesh Utsav, made Shiv Jayanti a public celebrations in 1895. Apart from Shiv Jayanti, Tilak also invoked Shivaji in his magazines, Kesari and Mahratta, to criticise the British government.

Dr BR Ambedkar, the Father of Indian Constitution, who often referred to Shivaji in his speeches, mentioned in his 1946 book Who Are The Shudras that the emperor was perceived as Shudra (untouchable) by the Brahmins and Marathas in his court.

Dr Ambedkar in his speech at the Constituent Assembly in 1949 bemoaned how Shivajis fight for liberation of Hindus from the Mughal rule faced hurdles because of his own fellow kings  Rajputs and Marathas.

Bal Thackeray

Bal Keshav Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena on June 5, 1966. His father Keshav (Prabodhankar) Thackeray named Shiv Sena, which literally meant army of Shivaji Maharaj and was created to fight for the Marathi manoos (common Marathi man).

The Shiv Senas growing influence across Maharashtra often turned into vandalism and attacks on non-Marathi migrants, media houses and Opposition parties. Thackeray, who never held an elected position, used the Shiv Senas shakhas (branches) for Marathi people to address grievances.

Bal Thackeray also launched the party mouthpiece, Saamana, in 1989, which propagated Hindu views and often quoted Shivajis ideals of Hindavi Swaraj and Marathi pride.

In 1992, Thackeray declared that his Shiv Sena workers were involved in bringing down the domes of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, publishing the same in Saamana.

Renaming Cities and Building Projects

In 1995, with Thackerays close aide Manohar Joshi becoming the CM, the city of Bombay was renamed as Mumbai after Mumbadevi  the local deity to protect fishermen.

The domestic and international airports in Mumbais Santacruz and Sahar area were renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in 1999.

In 2000, the Prince of Wales Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of historic artefacts in India, was renamed Chatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sanghrahalya by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.

Aurangabad was renamed as Sambhaji Nagar  a long-standing demand of the Shiv Sena since 1988  by chief minister Eknath Shinde in 2022.

In 2004, the Congress-NCP government announced its intention to build Shiv Smarak, a monument depicting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj off Mumbais Girgaum Chowpatty beach on a man-made island. PM Modi in 2016 performed its stone-laying ceremony but the project is yet to take off.

The Statue of Unity  dedicated to Sardar Vallabhai Patel  is the tallest in India, made at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore. Shiv Sena, which then ruled the BMC, vowed that it would lengthen the Maratha emperors sword to surpass the Statue of Unity in height, thereby making it the tallest, as mentioned by a report in The Hindu.
Applying for Canadas visitor visa? Chances are that it might be rejected. Recent government data showed a surge in the rejection of visitor visas and those who reached Canadian borders with official documents were turned away.

The data obtained by news agency Reuters showed that a surge in the entry denied of foreign travellers at Canadian borders, marking the highest rejection rates since January 2019.

In July alone, Canada turned away 5,853 foreign travellers, including students, workers, and tourists. On average, 3,727 foreign travellers were denied entry per month in the first seven months of 2024, reflecting a 20% increase from the previous year.

The move coincides with the stricter immigration enforcement trend under Justin Trudeaus Liberal government, which is trailing behind in polls ahead of the federal election expected next year.

This shift is seen by some as a response to growing public concern over immigrations impact on housing shortages and high prices, issues that have become politically charged.

Although Canadians have welcomed newcomers but polls show a large section of people think the country is admitting too many immigrants.

What is Behind This New Development?

Although the Canadian government has not publicly acknowledged any specific policy changes driving this increase in visa rejections, but a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) stated that the CBSAs role, policy, and practice has always been to assess the admissibility of persons coming to Canada. This has not changed.

At the same time, Canadas immigration department is approving fewer visas. The ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved ones was higher in June than at any point since the height of the pandemic. In January, February, May and June 2024, more applications were refused than approved, according to immigration department data, according to a Reuters report.

On the student visa front, the immigration department has attributed the decline in study-permit approvals to a cap announced in January, although the decline began as early as last year.

How has the Move Impacted Foreign Workers?

The number of approved study and work permits has dropped from multi-year highs in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decline is part of a broader effort by the government to reassess the number of people applying for permanent residency, a move that Immigration Minister Marc Miller described as a necessary step to address public concerns.

The government is also working on to scale back its Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) programme, which was criticized by a UN special rapporteur for being a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.

Trudeau had announced that employers in sectors with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher will no longer be able to hire low-wage TFWs, except in certain food security sectors like agriculture and food processing.

Eight lawyers told Reuters they have heard from clients of greater scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land border crossings.

How Many Indians Applied for Canadian Visa?

Between 2013 and 2023, Indians immigrating to Canada rose from 32,828 to 139,715, an increase of 326%, according to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis.

Highly skilled foreign nationals, including international students, have been choosing Canada over America because it is difficult to gain H-1B status or permanent residence in the United States, and easy to work in temporary status and acquire permanent residence in Canada, according to a NFAP, as quoted by Forbes.

Indian enrollment at Canadian universities rose more than 5,800% in the last two decades, from 2,181 in 2000 to 128,928 in 2021, an increase of 126,747 students.

Between 2016 and 2019, Indian international students enrolled in US universities dropped by 13% but increased by 182% at Canadian universities. Diplomatic issues between India and Canada have reduced Indian student visa approvals in the short term.

International student enrollment at Canadian universities rose from 62,223 in 2000 to 400,521 in 2021, increasing by 544%, according to the NFAP analysis. International student enrollment in America increased by 45% between 2000 and 2021.

Whats Next?

Opposition parties in Canada have accused the Liberal government of mismanaging the system. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party currently leads in the polls, criticised the Trudeau government for growing the population at a rate far faster than the construction of new housing. Poilievre pledged to tie Canadas population growth rate to a level below the number of houses built if his party wins the election.

In response, Trudeau defended his governments immigration policies, stating, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure theres pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada. However, he has hinted at reducing the number of permanent residents accepted each year.
Six cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) including two women were killed after an exchange of fire between the ultras and police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Thursday, police said.

Two commandos of the Greyhounds, the elite anti-naxal force of Telangana Police, were also injured in the exchange of fire and were shifted to a hospital, they said.

The incident happened in a forest area under Karakagudem police station limits of the district, a senior police official told PTI.

6 Maoists were killed and two security personnel were injured in an encounter with police in Telanganas Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Police also recovered arms and ammunition from them.(Source: Police PRO, Bhadradri Kothagudem district) https://t.co/YKcwcLJV47 pic.twitter.com/BUepugG2Hl  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

Based on inputs that a Maoists team crossed over to Telangana from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, special police parties took up combing in the area when the incident happened, he said.

Bodies of the six Maoists including two women cadres were recovered from the spot and their identification was being done, police said.

The dead included a senior cadre of the Maoists, he said based on preliminary investigation. Police seized six weapons including 2 AK47s, SLRs and others from the spot. Further investigation was on. police added.
The district administration has intensified its scrutiny of private schools operating in Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur, targeting eight prominent institutions for alleged financial misconduct. These schools have been ordered to return a total of Rs 54 crore to parents after being fined Rs 2 lakh each for unauthorised fee hikes.

The action follows a thorough investigation under the Madhya Pradesh Private School Fee and Other Subjects Regulation Act of 2017. The administrations probe uncovered that these schools had raised their fees without proper authorisation or notification to the district administration or the district education committee. The increased fee structures, applied in previous academic sessions, were deemed illegal, prompting the latest enforcement measures.

Following an investigation, the administration instructed all private schools to revert to charging the previously agreed fees instead of the increased rates. In a decisive move, the administration also ordered the owners of the eight implicated private schools to deposit a fine of Rs 2 lakh each into the bank account of the Directorate of Public Instruction within 30 days.

The investigation revealed that these eight schools had collected over Rs 54 crore in fees from more than 74,000 students. The administration has mandated that this amount be refunded to the parents.

The administrations latest actions have caused significant disruption among private school owners. Earlier in May, Collector Deepak Saxena led a swift response against schools engaging in arbitrary fee increases.

During that period, FIRs were filed against the principals and owners of over a dozen schools, leading to their arrests. These schools are alleged to have formed an organised network in Jabalpur, extracting billions of rupees from parents over recent years. The ongoing investigation revealed that the total amount involved exceeds Rs 200 crore.
After disastrous floods in Gujarat, the southwest monsoon has turned vigorous over the south causing floods in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. As the intensity of the current rain spell decreases after Thursday, the MeT has alerted regarding another weather system brewing over the Bay of Bengal.

The low-pressure system  major rain-bearing system of the monsoon  is likely to form over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal around September 5. The entire region from coastal Andhra Pradesh to Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala is forecasted to receive isolated spells of heavy rains till September 10.

The monsoon has continued to bring rains over India without a break since its arrival over Kerala on May 30. While June ended with a deficit of nearly -11 per cent, July (+9 per cent) and August (+15.7 per cent) saw above-normal rains  higher than the MeTs forecast. IMD chief Dr M Mohapatra attributed this to multiple low pressure systems which kept the monsoon active.

As monsoon approaches its fag-end, the department has predicted successive systems forming almost every week in September too, bringing above-normal rains. The southern peninsular region has by far received surplus rains from June to August  closing September 4 with nearly 26 per cent excess rains.

So far, all sub-divisions in southern India have recorded excess rains filling up the reservoirs  Tamil Nadu (58%), Andhra Pradesh (42%), Telangana (38%), and Rayalaseema (44%) among the top. As of August 30, the storage in as many as 43 reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (2 combined projects in both states), Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) remain higher than last year.

The monsoon trough remains active. A large part of India is under an active monsoon spell this week with widespread rains from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh to Madhya Maharashtra, as well as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. A cyclonic circulation also persists over Assam as well as Haryana bringing rains.

As of September 5, the monsoon is nearly 8 per cent above-normal over India, with normal rains over 17 sub-divisions, and excess in 13 others. The deficit only persists in four meteorological subdivisions  Arunachal Pradesh (-20%), Punjab (-22%) and Himachal Pradesh (-20%) and Bihar (-27%).

The four-month season ends in September, as the southwest monsoon normally begins to withdraw from the western end  Bikaner, Rajasthan by September 17, and completely exits by October 15. However, this time, its retreat is likely to be delayed considering the heavy rains forecast over the region over the next two weeks. The IMD has forecasted above-normal monsoon over India this September with more than 109 per cent of the long-period average (LPA).
The Rajasthan High Court delivered a significant verdict holding that the fathers superior financial condition alone cannot be the decisive factor in determining custody and prioritised the welfare of the child, affirming that custody should remain with the mother.

The court, presided over by the Division bench comprising the Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Shubha Mehta, dismissed a petition filed by the father seeking custody of his minor son. The court observed: Weighing pros and cons on the basis of the pleadings on affidavit made by the respective parties, except the father having better financial condition, all other factors are almost at par but the edge is provided in favour of the mother because it is the mother who is closest to the child of tender age because of the childs dependency on his mother for everything.

The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, filed by the the father (petitioner), alleging that his minor son was being illegally detained by his mother and the maternal grandfather in India. The petitioner, who works in Dubai, married the childs mother in 2015, and their son was born in Dubai in 2017. The family lived in Dubai until March 2022 when the mother, along with the child, traveled to India. Following this, the mother refused to return to Dubai with the child, accusing the father of domestic violence and dowry harassment.

The father argued that the childs welfare would be better served under his custody, emphasising his financial ability to provide a superior standard of living, education, and healthcare for the child in Dubai. He claimed that the mother had no means to support the child and was financially dependent on him. Furthermore, the father pointed to a Dubai courts order directing the mother to return the childs passport, arguing that her refusal amounted to illegal custody.

The mother, on the other hand, contested the fathers claims, alleging that he was a drug addict and unsuitable to have custody of the child. She asserted that the childs best interests would be served by staying in India, where he had already been enrolled in a prestigious school in Jaipur. The mother also emphasised her own capacity to care for the child, highlighting that despite her financial struggles, she had secured employment and was capable of providing a stable and nurturing environment for the child. The mother further argued that the allegations made against her by the petitioner were unsubstantiated and that keeping the child in her custody was more conducive to his mental and emotional well-being.

The High Court, after considering the arguments and the welfare of the child, ruled in favour of the mother. The court stated that while the fathers financial standing was better, it could not be the sole criterion for awarding custody. The court observed that the child, aged seven to eight, had been living with his mother for most of his life and had established roots in Jaipur.

The court also considered the fathers allegations of illegal detention and the order from the Dubai court regarding the childs passport. However, it noted that the passport order was a technical ruling and did not address the question of custody based on the welfare of the child. The court emphasised that the childs welfare must be the paramount consideration, and in this case, the childs well-being was best served by remaining with the mother.

The court further observed that there was no compelling evidence to suggest that either parent was unfit to have custody. Both parents had made allegations against each other, but without any conclusive proof, the court was reluctant to disturb the existing arrangement. The court noted Father being financially effluent, it would be easier for him to frequently travel to India and visit the child rather than the mother going to Dubai to meet her minor son. Therefore, the arrangements of child being in the custody of the mother would be more beneficent and in the best interest of the child

The court emphasised that no straitjacket conclusion could be drawn merely because the father has a better financial condition as compared to the mother, ruling that the child should remain in the mothers custody, considering her ability to provide for his emotional, physical, and educational needs.

However, the court granted the father visitation rights, advising the parents that it is of utmost importance that irrespective of the differences and disputes between the parents, the child grows with the care, love, affection, bonding and attachment equally with the father as well as the mother.

The court, thus, allowed the father to meet the child on weekends and during school holidays when he visits India. The court also directed that the father be allowed to interact with the child via video conferencing from Dubai.
Police have arrested a man who has only completed his eighth grade for duping around a dozen women constables into marriage by posing as a fake cop. The accused also extorted over Rs 2 crores from his victims and had even married one of the women constables.

Bareilly Superintendent of Police (City) Rahul Bhati said that they arrested the suspect at the Satellite Bus Stand. The accused, who has only completed his 8th grade, used to claim that he was posted at the Lucknow ADG office, Bhati said.

Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, Bhati stated that the suspect used to extract information about the postings of women police personnel from the official police website to identify his potential targets. He would then deceive them by introducing himself as a police officer, sending photos of himself in a police uniform, and luring them into marriage.

According to his statement, the accused, identified as Rajan Verma, a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri, has confessed to around eight to ten incidents so far. Five cases have been registered against him.

In one case registered at a Bareilly police station, Verma was accused of duping a woman police officer of Rs 30 lakh. Moreover, Verma would arrange loans for his targets by taking their Aadhaar and PAN cards and contacting a known associate in Lucknow.

According to the police investigation, a constable in the Special Operations Group from Lakhimpur had earlier cheated Verma by taken money in exchange for getting him a job in the police force.

When he failed to get into the force, Verma began living among police personnel and learning their lifestyle, leading to increased interactions with the police. Verma learned how to wear the police uniform, salute, and handle weapons. He then lied to a woman police officer about being enrolled in the police force and married her. After his wife discovered the truth, they parted ways. Following this, he began deceiving other women police officers in the same manner.

When one of his victims, a woman constable from Bareilly, lodged an FIR against him at a police station, the police launched an investigation and search operation.

The woman constable stated that after Verma took her documents to apply for a loan for a plot of land, he fraudulently bought a car on loan. When the amount was deducted from the victims account, the fake constables secret was exposed.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has shared a purported letter signed by former principal of RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh ordering renovation near the institutions seminar hall where the body of a 31-year-old trainee doctor, who was allegedly, raped and murdered was found on August 9. The viral letter ordering repair work was dated August 10, just a day later.

Several news reports have already been making claims Ghosh had ordered renovation near the seminar hall, fanning speculations of evidence tampering.

West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Mazumdar took to social media platform X to share the letter that ordered renovation citing a lack of proper and separate doctors rooms and washrooms.

The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victims death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it. @CBIHeadquarters pic.twitter.com/FEOirTn0ho Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) September 5, 2024

The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victims death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it, Mazumdar wrote in his post.

#BreakingNews | #CNNNews18 accesses renovation order copy signed by former principal Sandip Ghosh- Proof that he ordered renovation one day after trainee doctor was found dead@KamalikaSengupt and @_anshuls with latest on this report | @poonam_burde pic.twitter.com/uyo91sQw9U News18 (@CNNnews18) September 5, 2024

The memo  written to the executive engineers of several departments of the public works department, Kolkata, by Sandip Ghosh  said the hospital authorities wanted to repair the attached toilets.

The purported letter was titled, Repair/Renovation/Reconstruction of on duty Doctors Rooms along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata on urgent basis.

It read, I would like to inform you that there are deficiency of on duty Doctors Rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata. You are hereby requested to do the needful immediately as per demand of Residents Doctors of RGKMC&H.

The issue is already discussed and resolved in the meeting with Principal Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal & and Director of Medical Education, Department of Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal today in the Board Room of PIE of RGKMC&H. Please do the needful immediately, it further mentioned.

Sandip Ghoshs Arrest & SC Plea

The anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Monday, Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the medical establishment during his tenure.

Ghosh was questioned for the 15th day at the agencys Salt Lake office over the alleged rape and murder of the RG Kar hospital post-graduate trainee on August 9. After a day-long questioning by the special crime branch, the anti-corruption unit picked Ghosh up in the evening and left for the Nizam Palace office.

The ex-RG Kar head, on Wednesday, challenged the Calcutta High Court order transferring the corruption case against him to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Supreme Court. On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday allowed a 17-year-old sexual abuse survivor to continue her pregnancy, noting that it was conscious of her reproductive freedom and right to choice.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Neela Gokhale said that while the teen initially sought to terminate the pregnancy, she later chose to deliver her baby as she intended to marry the man who had allegedly abused her.

We are conscious of the right of the petitioner (teenager) to reproductive freedom, her autonomy over the body and her right to choice, HC said.

The court said it permits the teenager to medically terminate her 26-week pregnancy if she so desires. However, since she has also expressed her willingness and desire to continue with the pregnancy, she is fully entitled to do so, the bench said.

The girl and her mother learnt about the pregnancy when she was taken for a check-up for fever. A case was later registered against a 22-year-old man for sexually abusing her. The survivor then moved the HC seeking to terminate the pregnancy.

However, the teen later claimed that she was in a consensual relationship with the man and that they intended to get married and raise the baby.

The minor was examined by a medical board at the state-run JJ hospital which submitted a report to the HC, saying that there were no abnormalities with the foetus but being a minor, she was not in a proper mental state to deliver the baby.

The high court noted that both the teen and her mother have shown their inclination to continue the pregnancy and take it to its full term.
Human urine-soaked dolls, used by the UP forest department as bait to lure man-eating wolves in Mahsi tehsil of Uttar Pradeshs Bahraich seem to have failed in the mission as the elusive predators remained at large. The UP government, however, has escalated Operation Bhediya, deploying over 300 foresters, sharpshooters, and a fleet of drones to catch the wolves  dead or alive.

Over 50,000 people of 25 villages in Bahraichs Mahsi tehsil are enduring sleepless nights as man-eating wolves continue to terrorise the region, killing 10 people so far, including nine children. In an effort to lure the animals, the foresters had placed dolls soaked in human urine as bait but it failed to bring any positive results.

We placed the dolls strategically near the riverbanks, close to the wolves resting places and dens, said Ajit Pratap Singh, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Bahraich, who is part of Operation Bhediya.

The dolls were soaked in childrens urine to simulate a natural human scent. Our strategy was to create a false sense of human presence near the traps and lure them away from residential areas towards traps or cages placed near their dens, he explained.

As the wolves never approached the bait, some foresters criticised the move, calling it futile. Wolves are highly intelligent animals with advanced cognitive abilities, particularly in social contexts, said a senior forester. Compared to dogs and humans, wolves are caring, playful, and devoted to their families. They educate their young, care for the injured, and live in tight-knit groups. In intelligence tests, wolves have even outperformed dogs, making it easy for them to sense a trap, even when dolls are soaked in human urine, he added.

Experts also say shooing away the wolves wont work as they strictly move within their territory. Come what may, a wolf wont leave its territory as it may face aggression from a different pack. So, shooing away the pack wont help (locals), said Dhananjay Mohan, senior IFS and head of the Uttarakhand Forest Department.

Bilal Habib, a scientist with Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India, added that the member of the dog family stays close to grasslands and agriculture fields to get food and water easily for new members of the pack.

Wolves in United States or Canada stay in the wild since the forests are huge. Hence, fewer or no territorial issues arise with other carnivores. Indian Wolves move to the wild only for breeding. For the rest of the time, they choose grasslands in a bid to get easy prey and water, Habib told News18.

WHY THE DELAY IN CATCHING WOLVES?

The constant shift in attacking sites is the main reason behind the delay in catching the wolves. On the night of August 21, a wolf attacked Barah Bigha village in Mahsi tehsil. It first attempted to lift a child but failed. Later, it attacked a woman, leaving her badly injured. A few hours later, the wolf successfully lifted a girl from another part of the village. Similar incidents were reported in Makka Purva, Nakwa, Kulela, Pura Hind Singh, and Basti Gadaria villages, where children became its prey. The wolf moved from one village to another, evading capture with every attack.

Locals have raised concerns about the ineffective combing hours in the ongoing campaign. The wolves are being hunted mostly during the day, but they attack at night, said a villager. Wolves are spotted daily, with residents capturing videos on their mobile phones and sending them to the forest department and police. Many from our village have done the same, he added. The villager said on August 3, a wolf was seen sitting in Asmanpur and two were spotted in Hindu Purva village during night.

The government has intensified the search operation, with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing the foresters to shoot the wolves on sight. So far, the forest department has trapped four man-eater wolves in the last six months. However, the delay in catching all the wolves is adding to the anxiety and fear of the villagers who are forced to live under a constant threat. In many villages, mothers sleep with sticks while villagers spend nights guarding homes in groups in order to keep the killer wolves at bay.

(With inputs from Sunil Navprabhat)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited business leaders from around the world to invest in Kashi (Varanasi), the constituency he represents in the Lok Sabha, with a mention of paan, a traditional Indian treat made from a betel leaf which is famous in the historic city.

Addressing the Business Leaders Summit in Singapore, PM Modi said, Whenever there is discussion of paan in India, it remains incomplete without Varanasi. I am an MP from Varanasi.

If you want to enjoy eating paan, then you must invest in Kashi, he added in a lighter tone at the meeting with top executives, reaching out to the business community in a unique message calling for global investment in India.

Banarasi paan, which gets its name from the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, is a famous delicacy that often finds itself on wedding menus. It has also made its way into Indias popular culture, including Bollywood films, with references in superhit songs.

Interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore. We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation. pic.twitter.com/3xkFllIJyw Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

The Prime Minister met with business leaders and CEOs of Singapore and underlined the reforms underway in India that will encourage investment and innovation.

Invest India Office in Singapore

In a bid to boost investment opportunities in India, PM Modi, during his last day of a 2-day visit to Singapore, announced the setting up of an Invest India Office in the foreign country. It will be a hand-holding office for Singaporean investors in diverse areas, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi also met with H.E. Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore and thanked the latter for his countrys consistent support of the India  Singapore partnership.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister remarked, Had a very good meeting with Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the President of Singapore. Our talks focused on the full range of bilateral ties between our nations. We discussed the key focus sectors like skill development, sustainability, technology, innovation and connectivity.
India and Singapore on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed four MoUs, including on cooperation in semiconductors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his counterpart Lawrence Wong.

During his opening remarks, Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country.

A new chapter in  ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.

The leaders agreed to elevate the  ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability, he said.

The MEA in a statement said both leaders reviewed the progress of India  Singapore bilateral relations.

Given the breadth and depth of bilateral ties and immense potential, they decided to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This would also give a major boost to Indias Act East Policy, it said.

Taking stock of the robust progress in economic ties, the leaders called for further expanding trade and investment flows between the two countries. Prime Minister highlighted that Singapore with an investment of around USD 160 billion in the Indian economy, is a leading economic partner for India. He further noted that rapid and sustained growth in India has opened up immense investment opportunities for Singaporean entities, it added.

They also reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of defence and security, maritime domain awareness, education, AI, Fintech, new technology domains, science and technology and knowledge partnership. The two leaders called for strengthening connectivity between the countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties. They also called for acceleration in green corridor projects.

The two leaders discussed the outcome of the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore in August 2024.

Noting that the Ministerial Roundtable is a unique mechanism, the leaders appreciated the work done by senior ministers from both sides in deliberating and identifying a new agenda for bilateral cooperation. The leaders called for accelerated action under the pillars of cooperation identified during the Ministerial Roundtables  advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare & medicine, skills development and sustainability, the statement said.

The leaders underscored that the cooperation under these pillars, particularly in the areas of semiconductors and critical and emerging technologies, opens a new chapter in bilateral relations making our ties future-oriented, the statement said.

Their discussion also covered the celebration of the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2025. Highlighting that the cultural connect between the two countries is an important component of these ties, the Prime Minister announced that Indias first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre would be opened in Singapore.

The leaders also exchanged views on important regional and global issues of mutual interest, including India-ASEAN relations and Indias vision for the Indo-Pacific.

Both leaders witnessed the exchange of MoUs for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and healthcare. These are the outcomes of the deliberations during the two rounds of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtables held so far.

Prime Minister invited Wong to visit India, which he accepted.

Modi in his opening remarks thanked Wong for the warm welcome.

This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of premier. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G (the fourth-generation leaders), Singapore will progress even faster, Modi said.

We also want to create many Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism. He said the partnership between the two nations in skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, sustainability and cyber security has become an identity of this mechanism.

The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations, Modi said in a post on X after the talks.

Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wong.

Ahead of the talks with Wong, Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitors book there.

The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Wong took over as premier and Modi began his third term as prime minister.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will also call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

He would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee will host a lunch for Modi.

Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the countrys semiconductor ecosystem.

Modi and Wong will also visited a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival here.
Indias Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) may have contributed to averting 60,00070,000 infant deaths annually, as per a study published in the prestigious international science journal Nature. Five researchers have conducted the study and the article in Nature is titled Toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission and infant mortality in India.

SBM was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, as the worlds largest sanitation programme aimed at turning India open-defecation free by 2020. The government built over 100 million household toilets in these six years and over six lakh villages were declared open-defecation free.

Five researchers, Suman Chakrabarti, Soyra Gune, Tim A Bruckner, Julie Strominger, and Parvati Singh, have authored the article which says a quasi-experimental study was done to investigate the association between SBM and infant mortality rate and under five mortality rates (U5MR) in India. Data from 35 Indian states and 640 districts was analysed spanning 10 years (20112020).

2014 marked a tectonic shift in Indias approach to public hygiene & sanitation. #SwachhBharatMission will be remembered as one of the biggest achievements of Modi administration. Its far-reaching impacts include generational improvements in health indicators and safety of women pic.twitter.com/HUshPpcC20 Prof. Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) September 5, 2024

What the Study Found

The post-SBM period in India exhibited accelerated reductions in infant and child mortality compared to the pre-SBM years. Based on our regression estimates, the provision of toilets at-scale may have contributed to averting approximately 60,00070,000 infant deaths annually, the article has mentioned. Results from the study suggest every 10-percentage point increase in district-level toilet access following SBM corresponds with a reduction in district-level IMR by 0.9 points and U5MR by 1.1 points, on average.

Improvement of water and sanitation conditions may reduce infant mortality, particularly in countries like India where open defecation is highly prevalent, the article says.

Our study provides evidence of the benefits of Indias national sanitation campaign, the Swachh Bharat Mission or Clean India Mission, for infant and child mortality reduction. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence linking national sanitation campaigns to improved child health outcomes and emphasises the need for similar interventions in other low- and middle-income countries, the article mentions.

The study found evidence of a threshold effect wherein the district-level toilet coverage of 30 per cent (and above) corresponds with substantial reductions in infant and child mortality. Our study provides novel evidence of reductions in infant and child mortality following a comprehensive national sanitation program in India, potentially indicating the transformative role of SBM, the article says.

Why Deaths Happened Earlier

The article says that Infant and child mortality due to faecal pathogen-based infections (diarrhoea, in particular) and malabsorption of nutrients may decline following improved access to toilets and elimination of open defecation.

It adds that it is essential to interpret these findings in light of Indias existing primary health care infrastructure, which provides a considerable portion of the population with preventive and curative health services that address various diseases stemming from inadequate sanitation and resulting in child mortality.

Consequently, the effectiveness of the SBM may have been influenced by the availability of universal health services. We contend that that the benefits of improved sanitation measures may vary based on availability of comprehensive healthcare access and synergistic programming aspects of the SBM campaign, above and beyond toilet construction, in relation to behaviour change and oral-faecal exposure to contaminants, the article says.
A 24-year-old MBBS student was found hanging at his residence in Assams Cachar district. Two hand-written notes, which his family members verified as that of the student, were recovered from the spot, police said.

The final-year student of Silchar Medical College and Hospital was found hanging in his room late on September 3 following which the police were informed. A senior officer said in the notes, the student sought forgiveness from his mother and claimed that no one was responsible for his death.

Mother, forgive me. I am leaving you today. I am unable to handle the depression and I feel a pain near my chest NDTV quoted from one of the notes recovered by the police. I am willingly committing suicide, nobody is responsible for my suicide, the second note is quoted.

Police said the student claimed that he was suffering from acute depression. The hand-written notes will be examined by a handwriting expert and the body has been sent for post-mortem examination and further investigation is on, they said.

Prima facie, it appears to be a case of death by suicide, a police official told NDTV. Reports said fellow students described the 24-year-old as someone who was reserved and academically bright.
In a worrying development, fragments of an aircraft that apparently took off from Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were found in the capitals Vasant Kunj locality.

As soon as the South-West District Police informed the airport authorities about this incident, it led to panic. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) alerted the pilots of all the planes that were to take off during that time period about this incident. After a long exercise, the plane was identified and the Air India Express aircraft was instructed to return to the airport.

According to airport sources, the incident took place on the night of September 2 at around 9:30 pm. When the plane was passing through the Vasant Kunj area, some pieces of metal from the aircrafts body fell onto the roof of a house located in the area. The owner of the house immediately shared this information with the Delhi Police Control Room.

The Delhi Police Control Room shared this with other agencies including the IGI Airport. The process of identification of those planes which had flown towards the Vasant Kunj area kicked off immediately. The ATC informed all the pilots of the planes taking off and landing from the IGI Airport during that period about this incident. After a long exercise, the aircraft was identified as Air India Express flight number IX-145.

The ATC contacted the pilot of the plane and informed him about the metal pieces found from the house in Vasant Kunj. The pilot was instructed to return immediately and make a precautionary landing.

Following all arrangements, the plane landed at the IGI airport. According to sources, all the passengers and crew members on board the plane were safe.

Officials from Air India Express said that flight IX 145 took off from Delhi on September 2. After takeoff, a problem in the engine was detected. The pilot followed the prescribed procedures and made a precautionary landing at the Delhi airport. The regulator and other related agencies have been informed. The investigation is ongoing.

Speaking about the metal pieces of the aircraft found at the Shankar Vihar area of Vasant Kunj, the airline said that they received the information about metal pieces of their aircraft at Shankar Vihar. They were not in a position to confirm whether these pieces fell off from their plane and the pieces are being investigated.

The South West District Police said that the investigation report of the plane is yet to come. It can only be ascertained whether the pieces that fell off, belonged to the Air India Express aircraft after the report, they said.
Virtually kickstarting the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to each and every person in Maharashtra for the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj recently in Sindhudurg.

Slamming the ruling MahaYuti alliance comprising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rahul Gandhi wondered why the PM should say sorry only to the Chhatrapati and he should tender an apology to all Maharashtrians for the tragedy at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, arising out of a corruption-ridden project.

Only a person who has committed a mistake will apologise. Why did the PM say sorry? There are several reasons. Firstly, the project was given to RSS-linked persons, secondly, there was corruption in its construction and the people who built it had robbed the state, and thirdly though a statue of Chhatrapati was built, they did not take care whether it would stand or not. Thats why the figurine of a great icon like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj crashed in such a short period, said Rahul Gandhi in a no-holds-barred attack.

The Congress leader was addressing a public rally after inaugurating a statue of the local strongman, the late Patangrao Kadam, who passed away in March 2018, in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who is also Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar and other top Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders.

Rahul Gandhi pointed out that Maharashtra is a progressive state and soaked in the ideologies and teachings of legends like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, B.R. Ambedkar, and today, the country is witnessing not politics but an ideological war.

The Congress ideology is also very similar to theirs but the BJPs ideals are opposite to these great legends. The BJP has been spreading hatred, fomenting violence and dividing the people all over India for decades. Earlier, the great icons fought that tendency, now the Congress is fighting against the BJP, asserted Rahul Gandhi.

He reiterated how the BJP wants to give the fruits of development to a select few while keeping all others backwards through hatred, fomenting violence, pitting communities, language and individuals against each other.

The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that the BJP is assaulting the Constitution every day, placing their people in all democratic and constitutional institutions to subvert them. Merit is discarded if they belong to the RSS-BJP.

We have been demanding a Caste Census since long, as we want to find out whos really benefiting from the nations resources and the fruits of progress. But the BJP has been consistently against it. It was only after we built up pressure that they have now admitted that Caste Census is needed. The Congress and our allies are committed to conduct a Caste Census and shall do it at any cost, declared Rahul Gandhi.

Referring to the two editions of his Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress stalwart said that it secured huge response because it propagated mohabbat (love) against the BJPs nafrat (hatred).

Manipur has been facing a civil war-like situation since over one-and-half years. But the PM has not visited the state He cannot even go, as its the BJP which has ignited the situation there, he said.

Rahul Gandhi also pulled up the government for giving loan waivers to his handful of rich industrialist friends but not extending the same benefit to crores of poor farmers across the country.

In his speech, Kharge paid tributes to Kadam, who hailed from a poor farmers family, worked as a teacher and then rose onto become an educational baron through his Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University and other prestigious academic institutions.
Karnataka Police has accessed photos of Renukaswamy begging for mercy during his assault by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his gang, moments before his death. One photo of a shirtless Renukaswamy, 33, sporting an injury mark and appearing scared was accessed by News18. Another photo showed Renukaswamy on the floor after being assaulted.

The photos emerged after the Karnataka Police submitted the chargesheet in the kidnap and murder case of Renukaswamy, detailing the role of jailed Kannada superstar Darshan and others involved. The chargesheet also contains the details of the brutal and inhumane torture incurred upon Renukaswamy up until his death.

After being assaulted by Darshan and his gang, Renukaswamys chest bones were broken. There are a total of 39 injury marks all over his body. There is also a deep cut on the victims head, the chargesheet read.

It added that a megger machine, an electrical device used to measure insulation resistance, was used to deliver electric shocks to Renukaswamys private parts.

Darshan and his gang used the megger device to damage Renukaswamys testicle, the chargesheet said.

On June 9, Renukaswamys body was found near a flyover in Bengaluru.

According to the police, Renukaswamy, a fan of actor Darshan, was kidnapped and murdered by a gang at the actors behest after he allegedly sent offensive messages on social media to actor Pavithra Gowda, who is rumoured to be Darshans partner.

Darshan is named as the second accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, and his legal team is preparing to submit a bail plea. Quoting police sources, an India Today report said that since he is booked in three new cases related to luxury treatment inside the prison, obtaining bail will not be easy.
Parents of Renukaswamy, a 33-year-old who was brutally murdered allegedly by actor Darshan and his aides in June, broke down after photos of their sons torture surfaced. While Renukaswamys mother could not muster the courage to look at the visuals, his father said they were washing their hands with their tears and wanted the murderers to experience the pain that their son had to go through.

Karnataka Police accessed photos of Renukaswamy begging for mercy during his assault allegedly by Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his gang, moments before his death. One photo of a shirtless Renukaswamy sporting an injury mark and appearing scared was accessed by News18. Another photo showed Renukaswamy on the floor after being assaulted.

The photos emerged after the Karnataka Police submitted the chargesheet in the kidnap and murder case of Renukaswamy, detailing the role of jailed Kannada superstar Darshan and others involved. The chargesheet also contains the details of the brutal and inhumane torture incurred upon Renukaswamy up until his death.

Despite my sons constant pleas and agreeing that he did wrong, they have tortured him so badly with no mercy. It causes me immense pain. Did they have no mercy whatsoever? They gave him shocks and tortured him, sparing no body part. Imagine how much pain he must have experienced. Thinking about this causes us a lot of pain, Renukaswamys father Kashinath Shivanagoudar told NDTV.

We are washing our hands with our tears, and seeing these images has caused intolerable pain. I hope the court awards maximum punishment to the perpetrators and they face the same thing that my son went through, he added.

She Will Experience Same Fate: Victims Mother On Pavitra Gowda

Grappling with sorrow and anger, the victims mother said her daughter tried to show her the photos, but she didnt have the courage to look at them. She also cursed Pavitra Gowda and said she should meet the same fate as her son if she was behind his murder.

I didnt see the viral photos, my daughter tried to show them to me, but I dont have the patience or the strength to see it. Despite his constant pleas, they beat him up so badly. Are they even human? she asked.

On Gowda directing Darshan and the others to kill Renukaswamy, she said, If thats the case, she should be punished. She will experience the same fate for doing this to my son.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals pleas seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with his alleged involvement in the excise policy scam.

The case was heard by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented Kejriwal, while Additional Solicitor General SV Raju represented the CBI.

During the proceedings, Singhvi noted that this is the only case in which bail has been granted twice to Kejriwal under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provisions, in addition to regular bail.

The senior counsel further emphasised that Kejriwal poses no threat in the PMLA case.

He is not a threat in the PMLA case. Currently, there is only the triple test remaining; the next step is to obtain regular bail from the trial court under Section 45 of the PMLA. This order was stayed by the High Court through an oral mention. Effectively, there are three orders in play, Singhvi said.

Singhvi also noted that the central agency made an insurance arrest after Kejriwal was granted bail in the ED case. Arguing for bail for the jailed Delhi CM, he stated that Kejriwal is a constitutional functionary and is not a flight risk.

Singhvi also argued that all the co-accused in the Delhi excise case have been released. The trial court noted that the timing of the arrest is unusual. The triple test has been fully met. It is ironic that nearly all co-accused have been released, with perhaps only one exception, he said.

The Supreme Court have so far granted bail to senior AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K. Kavitha, and AAPs former communication-in-charge Vijay Nair in the now-scrapped excise policy case.

Kejriwal files two separate petitions

Kejriwal filed two separate petitions, challenging the denial of bail and his arrest by the CBI on June 26 in the case. He also contested the August 5 order of the Delhi High Court, which upheld his arrest.

The top court had, on August 23, permitted the CBI to file its counter affidavit and granted Kejriwal two days to submit a rejoinder.

On June 20, a trial court granted bail to Kejriwal after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the money laundering case. However, this bail order was subsequently stayed by the Delhi High Court.

Additionally, the Supreme Court, on July 12, had ordered, that Kejriwal be released on interim bail in connection with the case filed by the ED. However, he remained in custody due to his arrest by the CBI.

On August 5, the Delhi High Court upheld the arrest of the Chief Minister as legal, stating that there was no malice in the CBIs actions. The court noted that the CBI had demonstrated how the AAP supremo could potentially influence witnesses, who only found the courage to testify after his arrest.

The high court had directed him to apply for regular bail in the CBI case before the trial court.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the CBI against Kejriwal and other accused in the liquor policy scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued a production warrant for Kejriwal on September 11 and extended his custody until the same date.

(With inputs from agencies)
After being absent from the limelight for several years, Preity Zinta has made a stunning comeback this year. She has been attending some of the most prestigious events and is expected to grace the silver screen with Rajkumar Santoshis Lahore 1947 slated for 2025. Be it her noteworthy looks at Cannes 2024 or her appearance at the Paris Couture Week, the actress has proved that she is the OG fashion icon, and no doubt everyone loves her style. Recently, in an interview with Vogue, the actress opened up about her iconic fashion choices. She also shared the vision behind pulling off some exquisite looks this year.

Speaking about her fashion choices, Preity Zinta stated, On or off screen, I never wear anything that makes me feel uncomfortable or I dont like. Clothes are meant to enhance you and make you feel good about yourself. So if you are not feeling like that in an outfit, dont wear it.

Preity Zintas unique and comfortable sense in her films has always been admired be it in Dil Chahta Hai or Soldier. On this, she said that she does not prefer clothes that are revealing or too bold. Sharing more details, she stated, During any film shoot, if I felt the outfit was too revealing or a bit too crazy for me, I would always pull out clothes from my own wardrobe and wear them. For me, sex appeal is in the eyes and in some mystery.

Moreover, while talking about her international presence at events this year, Preity mentioned how its high time we promote the wonderful work of Indian designers rather than choosing foreign labels. She mentioned, Its about time we are proud of our home-grown talent and showcase their creativity at global events with pride.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz)

Taking note of some of the latest styles, her Cannes 2024 red carpet look in a pink Seema Gujral saree was certainly breathtaking. It was indeed a look that is going to be remembered for years to come. Preity told Vogue that this look was her attempt to give an Indian touch on the international stage. She expressed, For my red-carpet appearance, I wanted to wear something simple and Indian, as I was representing India on a global stage. The idea was to wear something elegant and classic with less drama.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by VOGUE India (@vogueindia)

Among other stunning red carpet looks, Preity Zintas ombre Rahul Mishra sequined gown in Paris back in June surely stole the show. She told the publication, that she wanted to try something old school and therefore added a veil for a little bit of drama and mystery. The look was curated by Sonika Grover and is another statement piece from her wardrobe.
Most of our day starts with social media these days, whether its Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp. Everything comes to us through social media, be it office messaging, birthday wishes, photos from an event, or schoolwork from the kids. Social media has become so ingrained in our lives that it sometimes feels as though life would be incomplete without it. Because of this, its getting harder to live modern life without social media. When social media begins to encroach on childrens lives in addition to adults, something is seriously wrong. Social media is currently a topic of conversation, regarding how to protect kids from its dangers and whether or not to start warning them off early. Dr Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, said in an interview that preventing kids from using social media would preserve their youth. He claimed that childrens mental health is suffering as a result. Social media apps must come with warnings, much like cigarettes and alcohol do.

Children who use social media for more than three hours a day are more likely to experience depression, according to 2019 American Medical Association research. Kids are using social media for five hours a day, according to a Gallup poll. Adults are utilising social media to such a degree that they are visible online around the clock, in addition to youngsters. A Pew Research Centre survey estimates that 378 crore people worldwide used social media in 2021. 84% of these users were in the age range of 18 to 29.

Psychiatrist Priyanka Srivastava thinks that similar to alcohol and tobacco, social media addiction is becoming more common. When they use it, they feel good. This is because using social media causes their bodies to emit the pleasurable hormone dopamine, which keeps people glued to this platform.

Psychiatrist Dr Rajiv Mehta of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi claims that social media use has turned into peoples me time. For them, it has a feel good factor, yet this sensation itself is removing them from reality. They are moving away from their friends and family and have begun to view the virtual world as their own. They are unintentionally falling prey to loneliness. Because social media has such a strong hold on them, they struggle to interact with others, dont communicate their ideas to others, lack confidence, and are more susceptible to anxiety and despair.

Warning and alerting is needed, according to Dr Rajiv Mehta. People will be more aware of how much to use social media and how to maintain good mental health if businesses issue cautions before users launch the applications. It is safe to use social media for 2.5 to 3 hours, according to numerous research. Because people frequently are unaware of how much time they have spent on social media, they will also begin to avoid it if the alert begins to flash on their phone after three hours.

Every household should establish a rule prohibiting the use of mobile phones for three hours in the morning, as well as during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mobile phones should be kept out of the bedroom on Sundays, when the whole family is present. It should not be permitted to enter the bedroom at all. Refrain from sharing images of your joyful private moments on social media. Through self-improvement, one can avoid the negative consequences of social media.
Johnny Depp recently made waves with his noticeably brighter smile. The 61-year-old actor was featured in a social media clip showcasing his new look, which quickly garnered attention from fans. The video, posted by a bartender known as Rap Rap Zoilo on Instagram, captures a playful moment at Lorraine Cafe in the Bahamas, where Depp humorously embodied his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow character from Pirates of the Caribbean.

In the clip, Depp and Zoilo share jokes over rum, reminiscent of Sparrows affinity for the drink. The caption accompanying the video reads, Jack Sparrow meets the killer bartender of Exuma, Bahamas. Once in a lifetime moments with Mr. Johnny Depp.

Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rap Rap Zoilo (@killerbartender)

Depp had been vacationing on the island for a week and visited the cafe to try their signature drink. However, it was his strikingly bright smile that captured widespread attention. Speculation soon swirled, with some reports suggesting that the actor might have undergone a dental transformation. Fans took to social media to express their surprise and admiration, with many noting his noticeably whiter teeth.

One user commented, Def got his teeth done! Looks so good, while another added, Hello new teeth! He looks great.

Someone else questioned, Am I right too see that his teeth are locking brighter than ever before???

Depps latest smile makeover is a stark contrast to his appearance at last years Cannes Film Festival, where his teeth sparked a widespread discussion. When Depp hit the red carpet for the premiere of his film Jeanne du Barry, fans and critics seemed to focus on his dental condition rather than his acting. Images of his discoloured and even teeth quickly circulated online, leading to a flurry of comments and speculation about his health.

Johnny Depps teeth are literally ROTTING pic.twitter.com/H5FSg5JabJ Sanji Kun (@syahrilaken) May 18, 2023

Social media users didnt hold back then and posted reactions that ranged from concern to humour. Comments like Johnny Depps teeth are crying out for help and Johnny Depps teeth are literally ROTTING, highlighted the general reaction. Someone went too far and commented, Very very very inspired to brush my teeth, floss and use a tongue scraper every time I see a pic of Johnny Depp at Cannes.

Depp has long been known for his reluctance to get dental work done. In a 1995 interview with Premier magazine, the Oscar winner expressed his dislike for perfectly polished teeth. When I see people with perfect teeth, it drives me up the wall. Id rather swallow a tick than have that.

Ive got loads of cavitiesI had a root canal done eight years ago thats unfinished. Its like a rotten little stubBut I like it. Im proud of these, he further added.
Thalapathy Vijays film The Greatest of All Time has already created a massive buzz among the fans as the film starts its journey today. Fans have been waiting for the films release. The teaser that was shared earlier by the makers also attracted massive audience attention. The first show of GOAT in the state of Tamil Nadu started at 9 AM while in Kerala and Karnataka, the first show was held at 4 AM.

The songs and trailer from the film, which have already been released, have garnered a lot of attention and excitement from fans. Over the past few days, the film crew has been actively engaged in promotional events. According to media reports, after listening to the songs and watching the final cut before the release Vijay said to director Venkat Prabhu that music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja has done a great job. He said, Yuvan has nailed it!. The reports further stated that a special screening was held for prominent personalities. Everyone reportedly loved the film and also expressed their satisfaction.

In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Venkat Prabhu spoke about his experience of working with Vijay. He mentioned that it was a very wonderful experience to work with such a wonderful actor. It was a truly wonderful experience. At first, I was a bit scared, but he made me extremely comfortable. The director added that he is a very professional person and always takes proper preparation before coming to the set. Vijay is very observant and sits silently checking all the arrangements. But when he comes in front of the camera and it starts rolling he becomes so energetic and delivers a perfect shot every time.

Alongside Thalapathy Vijay, the film features popular actors like Prabhu Deva, Prashanth, Sneha, Jayaram, Yogi Babu, Mohan, Kaniha, Laila, Ajmal Ameer, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Vaibhav Reddy, VTV Ganesh, Premgi Amaren, Aravind Akash, Durai. K and Ajay Raj. It was produced by Kalpathi S. Agoram, Kalpathi S. Ganesh and Kalpathi S. Suresh. The cinematography was handled by Siddhartha Nuni.
When Kashmera Shah marked her 18 years of togetherness with Krushna Abhishek earlier this year, she penned down an emotional note on social media and revealed how a lot of people initially thought that their relationship would not last long. Now, in an interview, Krushna has jokingly revealed that their relationship started only as a one night stand.

Krushna Abhishek was speaking to ETimes when he recalled how happy he was when he started to date Kashmera. Kash was a hot, sexy and popular actress working with Shah Rukh Khan and Jackie Shroff. I was a newcomer then. The age difference was not important. I connected with her and enjoyed flaunting her as my girlfriend, saying, Dekho main Kashmera Shah ko date kar raha hoon, he said.

The actor, known for his appearances on Kapil Sharmas comedy shows, revealed that they first met on a film set in Jaipur. He admitted that they were not serious about each other initially and thought that their dating would not last long. However, things changed with time and they became each others best friends.

I first met her on a film set in Jaipur, where we were casually introduced and eventually became friends. One day, she called me to her room for dinner, and thats how our relationship startedwith a one-night stand (laughs). Funnily, the joke we share is how, after that one dinner, I just stayed back with her! he said.

Initially, we were not serious about each other, we travelled and had a good time for many years. When we started dating, we were not thinking of marriage and felt it would end in a few months. But I was always happy around Kashmera. We are each others best friends. People often joke about how Krushna likes two things: Kash and cash! the actor added.

Krushna was also joined by Kashmera during the interview when she revealed that the former was hardly 22 years old when they started to date. She also admitted that many people thought she would leave Krushna for a rich man because he was 10 years younger than her.

I was always an independent woman and did not need anyone to pay my bills. Secondly, I was never looked at as the girl next door, I was perceived as hot and sexy, and society often considers women like me as someone you can date, but not marry. People assumed we were just having fun together and it would not last long, she shared.

Krushna and Kashmera are married for 11 years now. They are currently seen in the show, Laughter Chefs.
Malayalam actor Sowmya has accused a Tamil director of sexually assaulting her. In a recent interview, the actress alleged that the filmmaker groomed her as a sex slave and kissed once her while his wife was not at home. Sowmya revealed that she decided to act in one of his films because she felt obligated but admitted that she wasnt comfortable with the man even after their first meeting.

Even though she did not name the director, the actress said that she would reveal the mans identity to the special police team formed by the Kerala government, which is currently probing sexual harassment allegations in the film industry.

One fine day, when his wife wasnt around, this man, while calling me his daughter, kissed me. I completely froze. I was so desperate to tell my friends but couldnt I was ashamed, thinking I had done something wrong and that I was obligated to be nice to this man, she told NDTV.

So I continued going for practice, for dance rehearsals every day I went back and gradually, step by step, this man completely used my body to his advantage. At some point he forced himself on me so he raped me. This went on for close to a year while I was in college, she claimed.

Sowmya claimed that even though the director used to call her his daughter, he messed up with her and assaulted her. She further accused that he groomed as a sex slave. It took 30 years for me to heal and recover from this sense of shame I encourage survivors to report all such abuse, she said.

The allegations come at a time when several cases of sexual assault in the Malayalam film industry have left the entire nation shocked. It all started after the findings of the Justice Hema Committee Report were made public earlier this month. As of now, FIRs have been registered against nine film personalities, which include Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Nivin Pauly, Maniyan Pillai Raju, directors Ranjith, V. K. Prakash, production executives Vichu and Noble after women actresses registered complaints.

Disclaimer: As per legal and ethical guidelines, we generally refrain from naming victims in cases of sexual harassment or assault. The inclusion of the name in this article is based on the fact that the individual has publicly identified themselves in connection with the case. We respect the privacy and dignity of all individuals involved and urge readers to approach the matter sensitively.
Malayalam directors Vineeth Sreenivasan and Arun have come out in support of actor Nivin Pauly amid sexual assault allegations against him. On Thursday, the two filmmakers issued a joint statement and claimed that contrary to the claims, Nivin was shooting in Kerala on the dates when the complainant alleged sexual assault.

Nivin was shooting for Vineeths movie in Kochi on December 14 till the 15th morning in Cochin and later he moved on to join the sets of Pharma, a web series shoot that happened in Cochin itself. As per the case filed by the 40-year-old lady, the actor along with a gang raped her in Dubai during the said dates. Now it has been evident that Nivin was in Kerala on those days for shooting his film and an upcoming web series, the statement read.

On September 3, a case was filed against Nivin Pauly for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman under the pretext of offering her a role in a movie. The complainant claimed that the incident happened in Dubai in last November.

Later, Nivin also publicly responded to sexual harassment allegations and called them baseless. I have come across a false news report accusing me of abusing a girl. Please know that this is entirely untrue. Im determined to go to any extent to prove these allegations are baseless and will take all necessary steps to bring those responsible to light. Thank you for your concern. The rest will be handled legally, Nivin wrote on his social media handle.

Nivin Paulys sexual assault allegation comes at a time when several revelations regarding such cases in the Malayalam film industry have left the entire nation shocked. It all started after the findings of the Justice Hema Committee Report were made public earlier this month. As of now, FIRs have been registered against nine film personalities, which include Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyan Pillai Raju, directors Ranjith, V. K. Prakash, production executives Vichu and Noble after women actresses registered complaints.
Namashi Chakraborty, the younger son of legendary actor Mithun Chakraborty, is stepping into the world of direction with his debut project. On his birthday, Namashi took to social media to share the exciting news, saying, On my birthday today, I announce my first venture as a director, to be made under my home production MYRND MOVIES. I will also essay the lead role in the film.

The yet-untitled film, described as an experimental romantic-drama, features a star-studded cast, including Mahaakshay Chakraborty, Dishani Chakraborty, Kaushik Dasgupta, Vishnu Warrier, Shrikant Watts, Raahul Kanodia, and Samrat Rattan. Fans can look forward to its release in February 2025.

Namashi, known for his roles in films like Bad Boy and Indian Fashion Factory, is taking his career to the next level with this ambitious project.

In an interview with Etimes last year, the young actor had revealed that he was a born actor. He went on to add that when he was born, his mother (Yogita Bali) was not informed that a baby boy was born; instead, it was conveyed to her that an actor had been born. The nurse didnt tell my mother (Yogita Bali) ladka hua hai; she told her actor paida hua hai. I have had an obsession with becoming an actor. There was no Plan B for me. When Dad (Mithun Chakraborty) used to get ready and do his make-up, I also would start applying make-up on myself. Unke dialogues recite karta tha. And, I watched every film of Shah Rukh Khan and Govinda, he said.

Meanwhile, Mithun Chakraborty, an iconic figure in Indian cinema, continues to be a towering presence. Born into a Bengali Hindu family in Kolkata, he made his debut in Mrigayaa (1976), a performance that earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor. Over the years, Mithun has added two more National Film Awards to his name for Tahader Katha (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998). His contributions to films like Disco Dancer, Agneepath, and The Kashmir Files have cemented his status as a cinematic legend. This year, he was honored with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, Indias third-highest civilian award.

Earlier this year, Mithun faced a health scare when he was hospitalized in Kolkata following an ischemic stroke. Fortunately, he is recovering, and his legacy in Indian cinema remains as strong as ever.
Disney+ Hotstar is ready with the second season of its popular drama, Taaza Khabar. Featuring Bhuvan Bam as Vasya, the one with a gift of foreseeing news, the drama will take an intense turn with Jaaved Jaaferi joining as the dark and fierce Yusuf Akhtar. A trailer has been released, giving a glimpse into Vasyas struggles after he loses his gift and ends up dealing with the aftermath of his actions, even putting his and his familys lives at stake.

The trailer shows Bhuvans character crossing with the wrong man, who happened to lose a lot of money due to Vasyas prediction. With no intention to show any mercy, Jaaferis Yusuf Akhtar grants two weeks to Vasya to return Rs 500 crore, leaving him in a tough spot.

Desperate to save his life, Vasya goes on another risky path with his group, leading to more chaos, drama and life-threatening situations. Will the magic work once again or will things take a turn for the worse? The second season will have all the questions answered. Along with the trailer, Disney+ also confirmed the shows release date on social media. Karza aur gunah chukaane padhte hain! Kabhi kabhi marr ke bhi. #HotstarSpecials #TaazaKhabar Season 2 streaming from September 27, it wrote.

Besides Buvan, returning is Shriya Pilgaonkar as Madhu, Prathamesh Parab, Deven Bhojani and Shilpa Shukla. Made under the banner of Bhuvan Bams BB Ki Vines Productions, the show is directed by Himank Gaur, who also helmed the previous season. The comedian-turned-actor spoke about the emotionally challenging second season, adding that the character of Vasya reflects his own life journey.

While Jaaved Jaaferi is also ready to take on a different role as an antagonist, he shares his thoughts about the character. When I was offered Taaza Khabar S2, I was excited about playing the antagonist. Yusuf is layered, powerful, and has a fierce demeanour, which is unlike any role I have played in the past. Taaza Khabar has been a creatively satisfying experience for me, and audiences are in for a treat with Vasya and Yusufs ultimate showdown, he said, as quoted by India Today.

Taaza Khabar Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on September 27, 2024.
When Vijay said GOAT, he meant the internet slang  The Greatest of All Time. However, actor Cool Suresh decided to bring a real-life goat along to celebrate the release. In videos gone viral, Cool Suresh was seen making his way to a theatre with a goat by his side. He also spoke to the media and confirmed that he did bring a goat with him to celebrate the films release and also sang songs with fans on camera.

The actor admitted hes a fan of Vijay and expressed his excitement over watching GOAT in theatres with fans. GOAT is said to be Vijays last film before he shifts his complete focus to politics. Check out videos of Cool Suresh with a goat below:

GOAT was released with much fan-fare in Tamil Nadu. In several parts of the state, fans were seen bursting crackers and pouring milk on lifesize posters of Vijay.

While fans have enjoyed GOAT, News18 Showshas review said that while Vijay is great in the film, the script fails his performance. Superstar films in India suffer from the same problem as Hollywoods superhero films. It has come down to getting the dopamine hit seeing the cameos, the easter eggs, the bigger universe, and the post-credit scene. It leaves one wondering how these hollow fan services will age making up to titles like The Greatest of All Time, the review read.

Directed by Venkat Prabhu, the Vijay headlined film also stars Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Ajmal Ameer, Mohan, Jayaram, Sneha, Laila, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Vaibhav, Yogi Babu, and Premgi Amaren.
Malayalam cinema star Tovino Thomas says every industry has its own set of skilled actors and he has no desire to foray into Bollywood for the sake of it. The actor was offered the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha but he couldnt do the 2022 comedy-drama due to prior work commitments.

Every industry is blessed with a lot of great actors so I dont want to come here as an outsider and steal roles from them. I would love to work in any industry as long as the character is Malayali, and is living in Mumbai or Hyderabad. Otherwise, I dont find any point, Thomas told PTI.

I watch all language films like Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English, Spanish or Japanese, said the actor, who currently stars in ARM. The film will have a pan-India release in theatres on September 12 in Malayalam, Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

The 2018 star, whose other noteworthy performances in the Malayalam industry are 7th Day, Ennu Ninte Moideen, Charlie, Guppy, Minnal Murali, and Anweshippin Kandethum, said every film, regardless of whether it was a hit or flop, has been a turning point and a learning experience for him.

I started with small and supporting roles, comedic and villain roles, and then played lead, and again did supporting roles, I love switching between roles. I wanted to be an actor and when I completed my first movie, I achieved my dream and since then Ive been living my dream. So, whatever Ive achieved after that, I consider it as a bonus, said the actor, who made his debut in 2012 with Praabhuvinte Makkal.

His ARM co-star, Harish Uthaman, said Thomas has gradually made a mark. When you say its a Tovino film, they will know that theres a good story and content in it, Uthaman, who has worked with Thomas on films Maayanadhi, and Kalki, said.

Set in northern Kerala across three timelines of 1900, 1950 and 1990, ARM will see Thomas play the characters of Maniyan, Kunjikkelu, and Ajayan, each trying to protect a treasure of land through different generations.

The actor said he collaborated with an acting trainer to meticulously design each characters nuances, from mannerisms to voice. Im a worrisome kid in general, Ill be worried about the smallest problem on the sets. This was one of the biggest challenges as Im playing three distinct characters. I wanted each character to be distinct, it shouldnt have any similarities. Theres already one similarity, in which one actor is playing three characters.

I wanted to complete one character and then move to another and my director and writer were also on the same page. We had many setups and it was not easy to switch between these timelines.

Billed as a visual spectacle with a compelling story, ARM is directed by debutant Jithin Lal and written by Sujith Nambiar.

Uthaman, known for his villainous roles in films like Gouravam, Pandiya Naadu, Meagamann, and Srimanthudu, shared his struggle with being typecast and said he consciously avoided accepting roles in 2018 that seemed similar. He said he isnt playing a negative part in ARM but his character of Sudev Verma has an agenda.

As an actor, who wants to perform and do different roles, live different journeys, they dont want to do the same thing, because it kills the fire and interest in you. One day, I realised about being boxed and since then Ive been careful. Getting into the box is very easy, and getting out of the box is very tough, it might take double or triple the time, but its not impossible.

Thomas heaped praise on the actor and said his potential is yet to be explored.

Asked about ARM being turned into a potential franchise, the actor said it all depends on how the viewers respond to the movie.

Thomas is equally excited about his other film, L2 Empuraan. Helmed by Prithviraj, the movie, starring Mohanlal, is a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Lucifer. Ive shot for a few days and Ill shoot for the remaining part, he said, adding that a sequel to Minnal Murali has not happened yet because the director Basil Joseph is caught up with other commitments.
Todd Phillips Joker: Folie a Deux has finally made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, earning an impressive 11-minute standing ovation. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the highly anticipated sequel is slated for theatrical release in October. The villainous musical sequel captivated the audience on Wednesday night, with the entire team, including Phillips and the lead stars, deeply moved by the enthusiastic reception.

Videos circulating online show the audience erupting in applause, with chants of Brava and enthusiastic whistles for Gaga and Joaquin filling the theatre. During the extended standing ovation, the actors were seen engaged in a deep conversation, likely discussing the film and their initial reactions to the audiences response.

joker 2 starring lady gaga and joaquin phoenix received an 11-minute standing ovation at the venice film festival pic.twitter.com/ZUQU6rMcSJ pop culture gal (@allurequinn) September 4, 2024

While Lady Gaga waved at the audience after receiving a warm applause by staying for an extra minute or so, Phoenix exited the stage first. Prior to the premiere, Phoenix spent a lot of time on the red carpet with his fans by taking selfies and signing autographs. Gaga also created a frenzy as soon as she arrived at the venue, making photographers trip over each other to take a shot of the pop superstar.

The first reviews for Joker: Folie a Deux have started rolling in. Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera has praised the film as the most daring, brave, and creative recent entry in American cinema, according to Deadline. Meanwhile, David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter lauded the performances by Phoenix and Gaga but criticised the films narrative, calling it thin and dull. The Independents Geoffrey Macnab shared how Phillips brings a sense of fun to his direction with the use of musical numbers and Hollywood references to add flair.

More About The Joker Sequel

A follow-up to Phillipss 2019 film Joker, Folie a Deux picks after the events of the first film. Phoenixs Arthur Fleck aka The Joker, is now in the asylum waiting for his trial. As the story unfolds, he ends up meeting his true love and breaks free. The first Joker film was also premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and it even won the prestigious Golden Lion.

Besides, the film also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Phoenixs performance.
Bollywoods popular couple, Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda, recently headed out for a romantic dinner date in Mumbai. The duo, who recently got married in March this year, were all smiling as they posed for the camera outside the restaurant. During this time, the Fukrey actors hilarious banter with his paps was unmissable; he was seen joking with the media personnel. In the video, Pulkit and Kriti could be seen coming out of the restaurant after their dinner.

Both looked amazing in casual attire. While Pulkit chose a checked shirt with black cargo jeans and a black cap, Kriti chose a black outfit with a denim jacket.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bolly Lens (@bollylens)

As they headed for the car, Pulkit was seen joking with the paps, asking if he should close the door or if they would sit inside with them. After dating for quite some time, Kriti Kharbanda and Pulkit Samrat got married on March 15 at the ITC Grand Manesar in a lavish ceremony with family and friends. From the deep blue sky, To the morning dew. Through the low and the high, Its only you. From the start to the end, In every now and every then, When my heart beats different, Its got to be you. Constantly, Consistently, Continually, You! the couple wrote in a joint post on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda)

Pictures and videos from the wedding have been shared across social media platforms, showing the couple enjoying their special day to the fullest. Later, they also dropped pictures from their reception party. Setting perfect husband goals, Pulkit also took part in a post-wedding ritual and prepared his pehli rasoi for Kriti. The actress shared a picture of her husband, showing him making halwa in their kitchen.

Notably, the couple has worked together in 2018s Veerey Ki Wedding.

Upcoming Projects For Pulkit And Kriti

Pulkit Samrat was last seen in the third installment of his superhit Fukrey franchise. The film came out last year, receiving a warm response from the audience.

The film recently premiered on &Pictures. The actor is yet to announce his next project. On the other hand, Kritis last project, titled 14 Phere, came out in July this year. Reportedly, she has now teamed up with Rana Daggubati for an upcoming project. According to Pinkvilla, the film is currently in production, with 50 per cent of the shoot being complete.

The Raaz Reboot actress also has Abir Senguptas Risky Romeo alongside Sunny Singh.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee introduced a stringent anti-rape law  Aparajita  on Tuesday. While addressing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, she also held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for such crimes, even demanding his resignation. This aggressive stance from Bengals Didi has come at a time when her government is facing relentless protests over the RG Kar doctor rape and murder case, despite the police arresting the accused within 12 hours.

The past three weeks have seen a series of hits and misses on the part of West Bengal police, state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of the doctors rape and murder. With the new anti-rape law, several questions have come to the fore  Where did her government falter and where did she score? Why is the tough anti-rape law bill, brought on Tuesday, not resonating with the protesters? And, why did the chief ministers fiery speech at Bengal assembly did not change anything?

While the swift arrest by Kolkata Police was a commendable move, it failed to quell public outrage. People got fixated over an idea that there was a systemic cover up. The theory of a cover-up has taken such deep root and is now so well-entrenched in the public psyche, that the call for justice  driven by this very notion  has been steadily gathering steam, cutting across all sections, professions, and age groups in society.

One Triumph, Many Traps

Several lapses by the Kolkata Police may have fuelled this perception. However, these missteps are more about systemic flaws in the criminal justice system than some deliberate wrongdoing. But, these common lapses, which have now become glaring and are spread across social media platforms, have almost eroded public trust, leaving the police in the state battling widespread scepticism.

Take, for instance, the handling of the General Diary Entry (GDE) and the initiation of an Unnatural Death (UD) case. The first GDE was registered at Tala Police Station around 10:10 am when the initial call was received. The officer, who left for the scene of crime then, returned late at night at the police station after all the procedures, and wrote the days report, but made it the part of the GDE. The report, when picked up by the counsels, was shown as a GDE entry, only recorded after 13 hours of the incident. The Supreme Court was also shocked by such a lapse. However, in reality, it was lack of professionalism in that specific officer and it is nothing unique for such thana level officers. While this might seem routine, its emblematic of the procedural gaps that have amplified the belief in a cover-up, causing public confidence in the police to crumble.

Second and one of the crucial lapses include the alleged alteration of the crime scene. Even the pictures, available on social media, show over a dozen persons at the crime scene, while the crime scene didnt look secured with tape or other demarcations. Even though the Kolkata Police identified the persons as people related to investigations, the protesting doctors came up with names of those who were not related to any investigation. Even if it was not directly affecting the investigation process, it added fodder to the theory of crime scene manipulation and hence, the cover up.

Third, and another pivotal point about an alleged cover up stemmed from the recorded time of lodging an FIR. The hospital authority gave an intimation note to the police station stating discovery of a half naked body, but the authorities did not lodge an FIR. In this case, the police, instead of lodging a suo moto FIR immediately, waited for the post mortem to be concluded as demanded by the parents of the victim.

According to a hand written note, signed by the parents and four colleagues of the victim, there were some demands made out before conducting the autopsy. They had listed the demands including videography, photography, presence of magistrate and presence of two experts from the hospital. By that time, it was late and the protests outside had already begun. After completion of the autopsy, the FIR was lodged. However, the officer on duty committed faux pas there too. He wrote in the content  willful rape and murder  while it should have been written  rape and wilful murder.

Fourt, with Kolkata Police initially tight-lipped and non-reactive to some fake narratives , the theory of gangrape and 150 mg semen found on body spread. People, who are generally not so conversant of PM reports, crime scenes, and investigation of rapes, started saying that this (the crime) was not one persons work. Some doctors contributed to such misconceptions.

Among all such major deviations, and disturbing narratives, the Kolkata Police did investigate the case properly, arrested the accused in 12 hours. As of now, while the CBI is now on the job, no fact otherwise has officially come out. In fact, the CBI has been seemingly following the same line of investigation, taken by the Kolkata Police. The probe and the arrest have actually been a triumph for Kolkata Police. However, the traps overshadowed the triumph.

Where did the CM stumble?

The protests persist, fuelled by perceived lapses in governance, allegations of lack of safety for women, and a growing distrust in the administration. Mamatas aggressive posturing against the Centre, instead of addressing local grievances and talking in an emphatic way, has only intensified the unrest, leaving the fire of protest far from extinguished. The governments missteps began with the ill-judged decision to transfer ex-principal Sandip Ghosh to a higher-ranked college instead of placing him on leave or suspending him.

As the incident occurred within the hospital premises, Ghosh should have been subject to scrutiny, but this move only raised suspicions. The action by the Chief Minister emboldened the cover up narrative.

Next, the governments failure to immediately order an inquiry into the recruitment and role of the civic police volunteer accused of the crime was a glaring oversight. The civic police volunteer force should have been thoroughly vetted and reformed, yet no such action was taken. There was no formal probe ordered.

The final blow to the police administrations credibility came on August 14, when they failed to secure the hospital during the night march. The police couldnt protect the protesting doctors or the hostel residents, leading to the hospital being vandalised. While some arrests were made, the authorities failed to clarify the motives behind the ransacking, deepening public mistrust.

To make matters worse, statements from senior Trinamool leaders, including the Chief Minister, only fuelled public outrage. Artists who supported the doctors and joined the protests were targeted and humiliated, further souring public perception.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, supported by officials from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, has recently undertaken several strategic bilateral visits. These visits are designed to increase Indias profile in Chinas backyard. This comes as China has been attempting to dominate and bully the ASEAN region, the countries bordering the East and South China Sea, and beyond. Additionally, these visits hold great potential for increasing bilateral trade and cooperation.

PM Modi is the first Indian head of government to visit Brunei, a strategically located and oil-rich country on the island of Borneo, to strengthen bilateral ties and economic activity. The Indian expatriate and ethnic community was greatly enthused by the brief visit, and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th ruler in his line, extended a red-carpet welcome that was second to none. This, despite Bruneis location in the Malay Archipelago, southeast of the Malay Peninsula, and southwest of the Philippines. It is therefore not at all far from China and the South China Sea, risking a possible menace from China for warming up towards India.

Brunei is, however, very close to the Western powers and has nothing to fear in waters regularly patrolled by the US Navy. India, as a member of QUAD and under its Act East Policy, is upgrading its previously neglected relationship with the island nation.

A new chancery was inaugurated at the Indian High Commission, located near the US Embassy, to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Brunei. News reports state that the moderate Islamic nation of Brunei and India have agreed to engage in the areas of defence, space, and the long-term supply of LNG to India. India currently imports a significant portion of its long-term LNG supplies from Qatar. A regular flight between the Brunei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan and Chennai was also announced.

Prime Minister Modi is currently in Singapore for a two-day visit. Singapore, a tiny Asian country with first-world standards, is a familiar destination for our prime minister, with steady bilateral visits from both sides over the years. Singapore has participated in the Malabar military exercises with India, alongside Japan and Australia. Additionally, Singapore and India conduct another naval exercise bilaterally, called SIMBEX, held on a yearly basis. All this, even though Singapore also enjoys a good relationship with China. It is a major transhipment port for China, serving as a key hub for trade and logistics.

Similar to Brunei, Singapore has a large, historically established Indian community, as well as modern residencies and ongoing exchanges. Indians invest in Singapore real estate, and students travel there for secondary and higher education, drawn by its high academic standards, discipline, safety, and strong law and order. Singapore is also a preferred regional headquarters for numerous US and European companies.

Prime Minister Modi met with his counterpart, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as well as President Tharman Shanmugaratnam (of ethnic Indian or Sri Lankan origin from the days of British indentured labour in then Malaya, following the abolition of slavery), Senior Minister Hsien Loong, and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. He also met with leading members of the business community and the Indian diaspora.

Singaporean citizens trace their ancestry primarily to Malaysia, China, and India, with roots going back to the Malayan rubber plantation days of the British Empire.

Singapore is already Indias largest trading partner in Asia, with a trade value of $36.6 billion, and is a key partner in its Act East Policy. In 2023, Singapore was the largest FDI investor in India, with investments totalling $11.77 billion.

The two prime ministers, Modi and Wong, visited AEM Holdings Ltd., a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductors and electronics sector, and discussed collaboration in this high-technology area. During the visit, the two countries elevated their bilateral cooperation to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This is an upgrade of the existing Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), established in June 2005, which had eliminated tariffs on 81 per cent of Singapore exports to India.

The two countries signed four MoUs, including one on collaboration in the semiconductor industry. The other three pertained to educational cooperation and skill development, health and medicine, and the rapidly growing field of digital technologies.

Singapore had previously agreed to play a key role in promoting Indias involvement in ASEAN countries, where China is the dominant player. Singapore is part of the global semiconductor value chain and is keen to invest in India to develop semiconductor clusters and enhance Indian talent in design and manufacturing. India, for its part, is equally enthusiastic about growing this trillion-dollar opportunity alongside its emerging electronic chip industry.
Life, both personal and societal, presents moments that call for a pause, a chance to reflect on our actions, traditions, and beliefs. These are opportunities for reassessment, for re-evaluating our past and envisioning a new path forward. This period of natality, or fresh beginnings, requires a visionary approach that is both inclusive and forward-thinking, fostering the well-being of society and the nation.

Unlike the Western notion of modernity, the Indian tradition of newness embraces renewal and rejuvenation. This tradition values continuity rather than rupture, advocating for the reinvention of civilisational ethos and cultural practices. The ongoing re-visioning of values, laws, philosophies, and other aspects of life is essential to ensure that societal structures align with the material development and progress of the times. Such alignment paves the way for the seamless progress of individuals and communities, minimising friction and attrition.

In this context, the role of philosophers becomes particularly significant. The etymological root of the word philosophy means love of wisdom. Wisdom, rather than mere knowledge, has been the cornerstone of our great Indian civilisation. Where knowledge may falter, wisdom prevails. This article explores one such philosopher of our times, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who connected education with the cultivation of wisdom. For Dr Radhakrishnan, the purpose of education was to teach that life has meaning and to awaken the innate ability to live a soulful life through the development of wisdom.

Born on September 5, 1888, in Tiruttani (now Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh), then part of the Madras Presidency under British colonial rule, Dr Radhakrishnan passed away on April 17, 1975, in Madras (now Chennai), leaving behind a rich legacy. His profound wisdom left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of countless Indians. It is no surprise that Dr Radhakrishnans academic rise was closely tied to his philosophical roots. He was deeply influenced by the teachings of ancient Indian philosophers and drew inspiration from great thinkers like Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahansa. His extensive knowledge of Western traditions and ideas also enabled him to bridge the gap between these seemingly opposing schools of thought.

Dr Radhakrishnans philosophical beliefs complemented his administrative skills, allowing him to expand the reach of Indian culture abroad. As Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University and later as Ambassador to the Soviet Union, he showed deep commitment to Indias cultural ethos, using these roles to promote its values and civilisational frameworks.

During the height of the Cold War, Dr Radhakrishnan served as Indias Ambassador to the Soviet Union, yet maintained friendships with American statesmen. Widely respected in the West, Dr Radhakrishnan was seen as an authority on Indian philosophy and a persuasive interpreter of the role of Eastern institutions in contemporary society. He was arguably the first to bring India closer to both the Soviets and Americans simultaneously.

In terms of religion, Dr Radhakrishnan emphasised how Hinduism reformed itself in response to the religions introduced by foreign rulers. He advocated that Hinduism should abandon imperfect conceptions and democratise its institutions to eliminate prejudice and inequality. Dr Radhakrishnan played a key role in transforming Indian education, with subsequent education models and policies built on the foundation he laid.

Dr Radhakrishnan believed that education should be both man-making and society-making. He argued that education should not be limited to the acquisition of facts and knowledge but should aim to achieve wisdom and truth. Critics who label him a traditionalist must recognise that Dr Radhakrishnan was ahead of his time.

In his report to the University Education Commission (1948-1949), Dr Radhakrishnan recommended teaching through discussion and learning by doing as complements to textbook education. He also noted in the same report, No society can progress satisfactorily with the backwardness of women. If women are uneducated, society will remain uneducated.

For Dr Radhakrishnan, education was a tool to strengthen the cultural foundations of society and to introduce new ideas and pathways for the material and spiritual progress of all its members. His writings, when revisited today, align closely with the current National Education Policy (2020).

In 1962, when Dr Radhakrishnan was elected President of India, a group of students requested to celebrate his birthday. He suggested they observe it as Teachers Day instead. Thus, September 5 came to be recognised as Teachers Day, honouring the invaluable contributions of teachers to society.

Moreover, Dr Radhakrishnans idea of blending Western and Eastern methods, particularly his advocacy of the Socratic method in education, stemmed from his belief that such an approach would foster a vast pool of critical thinkers. He emphasised the importance of strengthening national philosophy by empowering students to grasp the essence of the country, thereby enabling them to uplift society.

Dr Radhakrishnans ideas on education are arguably what the country needs today, and the fact that they resonate with key aspects of the National Education Policy highlights the enduring relevance of his philosophical thought. It is fitting that he was awarded the Bharat Ratna for his invaluable and immeasurable contributions to Indian culture and education.

While there has been criticism against Dr Radhakrishnanregarding his views on social institutions, his educational philosophy, and his interpretations of Indias spiritual canonsno one can deny that he was a unifier, not a divider. His writings championed unity, peace, democracy, and learning for all. It is heartening to see that India continues to commemorate his birthday as Teachers Day every year.

K. Sreenivasarao is Secretary of Sahitya Akademi, National Academy of Letters, India. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The rebellion of February this year, in which six MLAs defected to the BJP in Himachal Pradesh and led to the loss of its candidate for Rajya Sabha Abhishek Manu Singhvi still irks and stings the Congress as well as chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

So, in a first, the government introduced and passed a Bill to deprive pension to those who defect as per the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. According to the Bill, any member disqualified under the 10th Schedule will forfeit their pension entitlement. Legislation also enables recovery of pension.

This is a first and Sukhu, while speaking to News18, called it a landmark legislation. No one will defect or think of it. I think all governments and states should think of this as it will ensure political stability, he said.

In fact, sources say all Congress-ruled states are mulling a similar law. The Grand Old Party has burnt its fingers with the fall of its government in Madhya Pradesh under Kamal Nath earlier and under Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra. While numbers are not a problem in Telangana or Karnataka, the Congress wants to send a message that loyalty has no price.

The pension in Himachal is Rs 36,000  a substantial amount for a retired or former MLA. The BJP, meanwhile, called it a diversionary tactic by the state government in the face of a financial crisis.

On Wednesday, News18 had reported that as per data available, the debt liabilities in the state increased to Rs 76,651 crore in 2023. According to the state administration, Himachal is staring at a Rs 520 crore revenue deficit. Sukhu says this is because of the BJP government before him that depleted the economy and emptied coffers.

Our expense annually on pension and salaries is Rs 25,000 crore. Monthly, it is Rs 1,200 crore on salaries and Rs 80 crore on pension. The BJP has been liberal with sops and freebies leading to this situation. Those who should pay income tax are exempted. Almost everybody has got water and electricity free and this is something I wont allow. We have tried to improve the finances. For example, we began auction of liquor tenders and earned Rs 485 crore in one year, while BJP government earned Rs 635 crore in five years, Sukhu said.
A massive protest erupted outside the Sanjauli Masjid in Himachal Pradeshs Shimla with members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), various Hindu organisations, and local residents demanding the demolition of what they allege to be an illegal mosque.

Ankush Chauhan, a BJP worker at the protest, called the mosques construction as illegal, stating, This mosque has been built illegally. The four floors of the mosque are illegal. If we construct anything illegally, it is immediately demolished. It has been 10 years, but no action has been taken on the mosque. This illegal mosque should be demolished.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: A protestor says This mosque has been built illegally. The four floors of the mosque are illegal. If we construct anything illegally, it is immediately demolished. It has been 10 years, but no action has been taken on the mosque. This illegal mosque pic.twitter.com/WpNbicJCSF ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

The controversy over the mosque intensified on Wednesday after a heated debate in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, where Congress leaders Anirudh Singh and Harish Janartha clashed over the mosques legality.

Janartha had argued that there was no tension in the area and claimed that the mosque, built before 1960, had three additional stories constructed illegally in 2010 on Waqf Board land.

He added that not only outsiders but local Muslims were living in the mosque, and that illegally constructed toilets had been demolished. Janartha accused certain elements of exacerbating the issue.

Action Not Against Community, But Illegal Construction

In response, Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh stated that the number of Muslim Tehbazaris was not 190 but 1,900, asserting that Tehbazari (licence to hawk) permission should be granted only to bona fide Himachalis, with permissions given to outsiders being cancelled.

In an interview with CNN-News18, Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh addressed the issue, stating that the councillors will soon pass a bill for the verification of all vendors operating in the state. He also noted that any illegal construction will be demolished according to the law.

He questioned why the issue was overlooked for so long, asserting, Illegal is illegal, whether its a temple or a mosque.

Weve urged the Chief Minister to maintain records of illegal immigrants and to verify their police backgrounds, whether theyre coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even within India. If these individuals are arriving from outside, we must understand what criminal activities they might be involved in, the minister stated.

Singh also said that the action was not being taken against any particular community. This action is not being taken against any one community. It is against illegal construction, he said.

Singh, however, said that all communities are welcome in the state. He further added that there is an illegal Bangladeshi migrant issue in Himachal Pradesh and the government is looking into it.

Sukhu Reacts

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the government does not intend to disturb any community. We will not let any incident happen in the state. Political protests keep happening but no political worker has any right to disturb law and order in the state, Sukhu said, while speaking to news agency ANI.

He said local MLAs and ministers have been dispatched to the site and are holding talks there.
Family members of a trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, have made startling accusations against the city police. Joining the protesting junior doctors at the medical institution on Wednesday (September 4), the victims parents alleged that the Kolkata Police attempted to hush up the case through bribery and by hurriedly cremating their daughters body.

This has led to another political meltdown with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) countering the allegations by posting a video of the parents on social media in which their version is different.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, pressed on for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal.

What are the parents saying?

The doctors parents made strong allegations and said, that on August 9, a senior police officer offered them money and asked them to give their signatures on a white sheet of paper. They further alleged that there was a lot of pressure on them to cremate the body of their daughter against their wishes.

The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined, the victims father said.

At the same time, countering the parents claims, Trinamool Congress IT cell head, Debangshu Bhattacharya Dev, posted a video on a social media platform, where the parents can purportedly be heard saying money was not offered to them.

Posting the purported video of the parents, Dev said, Hear what the parents have to say.

In the video, which could not be independently verified by News18, two persons can be heard saying, We want justice, police did not offer us money

Here are a few questions posed by the parents:

Why did the authorities tell us our daughter had died by suicide without checking?

Why did it take three hours for us to see our daughter even after we begged the police to let us see her body?

Why did the authorities delay the post-mortem and registration of a First Information Report (FIR) in the case?

Why did the police file the case as an unnatural death in the beginning?

Why did the hospital not talk to us for at least seven hours?

WHAT TMC SAID

Amid the row over the parents allegations, state minister Shashi Panja said, A video has gone viral and it suggests that the parents were offered money by the police to hush up the case. In another video, the parents have said this allegation is false. They said they only want justice for their daughter. They are heart-broken. There should have been no politics here. Political parties should not bother them.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh told news agency ANI, Now, the investigation is under CBI and the case is being monitored by the Supreme Court When someone writes a letter to the President or Union Home Minister  then all India perspectives must come into the picture A minimum of 90 brutal crimes against women are happening on average, daily. The union HM and the president must look into it.

The investigation is on, but only one arrest has been made and that by Kolkata police, the CBI has not given any breakthrough update to us An allegation is being raised that a police officer on duty offered money to the victims family. A video has also surfaced in which the family is saying that nothing like this has happened, these are baseless. I dont want to comment on that, I am with the family. I have just one point, there are two videos  when CBI has taken their statement, was this gross allegation there in their statement or not? he added.

What is the BJP saying?

Posting purported videos of the doctors family members speaking at the RG Kar protest, the BJP launched an attack against the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on social media.

If Mamata Banerjee and the commissioner of Kolkata Police have any shame, they must resign immediately. If not, the people of West Bengal will anyway bring them down. Listen to the family of the victim as they narrate their ordeal, tweeted BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya.

IF MAMATA BANERJEE AND THE COMMISSIONER OF KOLKATA POLICE HAVE ANY SHAME, THEY MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY. IF NOT, THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL WILL ANYWAY BRING THEM DOWN. LISTEN TO THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM AS THEY NARRATE THEIR ORDEAL.Video 1 (1 min 33 sec long) A relative of the pic.twitter.com/Ny79ZIqSya  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 4, 2024

Malviya also narrated the familys ordeal after the doctors body was found inside a seminar hall at the RG Kar Hospital. There are numerous accounts of how the parents were not allowed to see their daughters body for at least three hours after they reached the medical institution. Besides, the authorities tried to mislead them about their daughters death by calling it a suicide, he said.

A relative of the young lady doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital says that the West Bengal administration was in a hurry to cremate the body. The family didnt want the cremation to take place but the Mamata Banerjee administration didnt listen and went ahead without the permission of the family, Malviya alleged.

He accused senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is the counsel for the West Bengal government in the Supreme Court, of lying about the delay in the registration of the FIR. Malviya further alleged that the deputy commissioner of police (north) offered money to the victims father to withdraw the case.

Saying unless the Chief Minister and the Kolkata Police Commissioner step down, a free and fair probe is not possible. He said Banerjee and Goyal should be subjected to a lie-detection test and their call records must be examined.

Unless Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal, Commissioner of Kolkata Police step down, free and fair probe is not possible. Much of the evidence has already been destroyed. Call records of the CM and Kolkata CP, for 72 hours after the crime, should be put in the public domain. Their conversations investigated. Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal must be subjected to polygraph test, to unearth the truth. The movement for justice will continue, he added.
A dangerous new trend called chroming is becoming popular among young people, but it comes with deadly risks. Recently in the UK, a 12-year-old boy named Cesar Watson-King tried this trend after an older boy introduced him on social media. His mother, Nichola King, found Cesar having a seizure on the kitchen floor after she heard a loud noise. She immediately provided CPR while her eldest son called for help. Medical team arrived quickly and rushed Cesar to the hospital, where he suffered multiple seizures and went into cardiac arrest several times. Police later discovered a can of deodorant and other items linked to chroming, leading them to believe that Cesar had inhaled the toxic fumes before collapsing.

Speaking with Daily Mail, the mother of four explained, I had just finished breastfeeding my baby and was drifting off to sleep when I heard this really loud bang. I thought one of the kids had done something. I had heard Cesar creeping downstairs and thought hed gone downstairs for something to eat. The bang sounded like someone had fallen over. I heard a moaning sound from downstairs and thought Cesar had broken a bone or something.

I started going downstairs and saw Cesar lying on the floor and his eyes were rolling back into his head. It was terrifying. He was having a seizure. I ran upstairs to get my phone. I couldnt even unlock my phone to ring an ambulance because my hands were shaking so much so my eldest rang 999. I thought hed fallen over and hit his head. I had no idea what had happened. He went blue and stopped breathing. I thought hed died. I was in complete shock. Id watched my son die and watched the light go out of his eyes, Nichola King added.

Cesar Watson-Kings mother admitted that she had never heard of chroming before and was shocked to learn that an older boy had introduced him to this dangerous practice. After being taken to Sheffield Childrens Hospital, the boy was put into a medically induced coma for two days. He was discharged within 8 days, after he showed improvements like he was able to breathe, walk and talk on his own. Nichola was thrilled and relieved to see her son recovering, but he still feels tired and has trouble remembering things. She is worried about the long-term effects.

Nichola King is now urging other kids to stay away from the dangerous challenge, as according to her its not worth the risk. She explains that while it might seem fun at first, the reality is very painful, as it could land them in hospital. The mother also highlights that its crucial for parents to know first aid, as it can make a big difference in emergencies and could even save lives.

According to the portal, 11-year-old Tommie-lee Gracie Billington died in March after trying the chroming trend at a friends house. Similarly, in September 2023, 14-year-old Sarah Mescall also lost her life due to participating in this dangerous online trend.
A journalist has accused Amethi SDM Priti Tiwari of lashing out at her, telling her to leave the office, saying mood kharab ho gaya [Im in a bad mood]. The journalist, whose mother has been visiting the SDMs office for over two months regarding a house dispute, claims that instead of addressing the issue, the SDM rudely asked her to leave. In response, the journalist staged a unique protest outside the SDMs office, using her microphone to inform the public about the situation and the SDMs behaviour. A video of the incident has since gone viral online.

In the now-viral video, the journalist claims that the SDM threatened to have her jailed. She further alleges that Priti Tiwari said, Mood kharab ho gaya [Im in a bad mood], when she approached her regarding a house dispute complaint.

She goes on to describe her ordeal, saying, Priti Tiwari ji, aapne hamari zameen par kabza karwaya hai, aur aap hi us kabze ko mukt karwaengi [Priti Tiwari, you enabled the illegal occupation of our land, and now you will be the one to free it from that occupation].

Mai yahan partkaar ki haisiyat se nahi aai thi, mai ek pidit ladki ki hasiyat se Lucknow se daur daur ke aa rahi hun. Mujhe nyay chahiye. Aapke galat aadesh ki wajah se mere ghar par kabja kia gaya. Aapne galat kabza kar lia, prashasan ne aapko gumrah kia. Mai bata rahi hun, meri baat sunne ko tayyar nahi hai [I didnt come here as a journalist; I came here as a victim, running back and forth from Lucknow. I want justice. Because of your wrong order, my house was taken over. You allowed the illegal occupation, and the administration has misled you. But youre not even ready to listen to me], she claimed.

She further alleges, Mujhe karyalay se bahar nikala gaya, mujhe dhakka dia gaya, mere sath durvyavahar kia gaya [I was thrown out of the office, I was pushed, and I was mistreated].

Watch the video here:

           SDM        ,             pic.twitter.com/M1PggCbmcb  Vineet kumar (@vineetspeaks) September 3, 2024

According to a report by Navbharat Times, the female journalist has accused SDM Priti Tiwari of facilitating illegal encroachment on her familys land in Musafirkhana. She claims that Tiwari, in coordination with the Bhale Sultan Shaheed Smarak police station, carried out the encroachment based on verbal orders. Despite repeatedly submitting applications, the journalist alleges that no action has been taken to address the issue.

News18.com tried reaching out to Amethi SDM Priti Tiwari but she is unavailable for a comment. This copy will be updated if she provides a quote.

Heres how people reacted to this video:

All the officers in UP are ignoring the orders of Yogi Adityanath ji, journalists are not a part of the crowd, misbehavior with journalists will not be tolerated, is this order just a rumour or a reality? wrote an individual.

Another added, If you have to fight for your rights then you will have to come in this form.

The public cannot meet any official easily, and even if they do, their mood gets spoilt, expressed a third.
In a horrific incident, the 53-year-old father led his daughter to the garage where he had brutally murdered his wife. Joe Lo Bianco attacked and murdered Kaliopi Roumeliotis. When her daughter asked about her mothers whereabouts after returning from school, he suggested that her mother might be in the garage. This incident took place on November 30, 2022. Initially, Lo Bianco made an effort to paint the murder as an accident. However, he later confessed and submitted a guilty plea in court.

As reported by the Guardian, on November 30, 2022, Roumeliotis was stepping out of her vehicle when Lo Bianco struck her, hitting her head and neck with a metal car ramp.

He staged an accidental death by leaving her dead on the garage floor with the murder weapon underneath her head. He then proceeded to take off and conceal his clothing, which was stained with blood.

To pass the time, Lo Bianco walked next door and spoke with his in-laws for over an hour, the report said.

When the daughter arrived, she reportedly asked about her mother and stipulated she be in the garage. After that, Lo Bianco instructed his daughter to check if she was still there.

The child screamed for help as soon as he saw the horrific scene. When the rescue personnel arrived, Roumeliotis sister-in-law started CPR on her while her family hurried over from next door. Paramedics verified that she had already passed away.

Initially, Lo Bianco told authorities that his wife must have stumbled and fallen and that he was in the backyard cleaning a rabbit enclosure.

According to The Guardian, on September 4, 2024, he entered a guilty plea to murder before the Victorian Supreme Court, acknowledging what had transpired.

The report states that because Roumeliotis did not receive the COVID-19 vaccination, he lost his job, which led to a dispute over money.

On November 30, they had a when Roumeliotis informed Lo Bianco that he must bring in additional income.

Then, after 7 PM, Lo Bianco killed his wife.

His defence attorney, Moya OBrien, claimed that he did so in the heat of the moment following months of marital discord rather than carrying out a planned attack, The Guardian cited him saying.
It is common for people to forget about knowing when it is appropriate to drink and when it is not. Many people dont even have the common sense to know how to exercise self-control, when it comes to alcohol. It makes sense if you lose track of your stop or nod off while riding a train. Still, very few people make a mistake while purchasing a plane ticket. One woman purchased a plane ticket for herself while drunk and experienced a similar situation. The woman was shocked by what came to light following this.

In the video, we can see that a woman is seated on an aeroplane. She appears a little perplexed. The woman gets even more agitated when she hears the captains statement in Hindi inside the aircraft. In the video it was written  POV: You drunkenly booked a flight to Georgia  and now you are sitting on a plane, realising you are actually headed to India. The video got more than 3,000 likes and more than 310 thousand people have watched it. Four days after it was shared, hundreds of people have watched and loved this video. People have remarked, Are intoxicated people allowed to board planes? in response to this. Many others began informing the woman about places to visit in India at the same time.

But through this video, it seems this announcement is also included in the Crew movie music, which caused the girl to make an odd expression. The video also reveals that the woman had made an inebriated flight reservation to India rather than Georgia. Upon sharing the video, the woman received questions from lots of the public. How can someone be so careless that she reaches somewhere else? Others have also claimed that the girl rather than the person who checks the boarding pass was intoxicated.
As Vistara prepares to merge with Air India on November 11, a wave of nostalgia has swept through the Indian aviation industry. The airline, known for its exceptional brand identity and customer experience, has left an indelible mark on the hearts of many. As the bookings will be redirected to the Air India website from November 12, an individual took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to bid farewell to the countrys favourite airline.

Devaiah Bopanna, a Mumbai resident, expressed, Vistara is one of those rare products where brand identity and brand experience overlap in perfect harmony."

Bopanna praised the airlines distinctive purple hue, the in-flight rock album playlist, and the overall sense of calm that helps create a truly memorable journey. He went on to say that Vistara can create a premium experience, even in its regular economy class: From its headrest to the cushioning to its nomenclature, everything was thought through, making one feel at ease in the skies."

They created a foolproof, uncancellable, and beloved brand in a category that is the toughest in which to achieve any sort of love or loyalty. I know of friends who didnt mind paying a thousand more because its Vistara. They created a foolproof, uncancellable, and beloved brand in a category that is the toughest in which to achieve any sort of love or loyalty. I know of friends who didnt mind paying a thousand more because its Vistara," he further added.

The former Bangalore boy concluded, Its sad that this brand is now sailing into the sunset, but it will be remembered as one of the few brilliant brands built by India in a short span of time."

Take a look at the entire post below:

Vistara is one of those rare products where brand identity and brand experience overlapped in perfect harmony. The purple looked different from the sea of reds being plastered on every airline. The in-flight rock album playlist before take-off, played at lobby music volume, pic.twitter.com/fExjZnErpH  Devaiah Bopanna (@devaiahPB) September 4, 2024

Vistara shared a response to this fitting farewell, saying, Were truly humbled by the love, Devaiah! Its been a pleasure to create an experience that resonated in the way we always hoped it would  with subtlety, care, and comfort. The memories made will hold a special place in our heart. Were grateful to have been part of yours."

Heres how others reacted to Air India-Vistara merger:

Im not ready for a post-Vistara world," expressed an individual.

Another added, One of those fine airline which I was an absolute fan of. Even at economy prices they gave you feel of biz travel with their smacking food & internet with bunch load of movies to watch, also the option to fix your phone on the seat & charge it while watching. Thank you Vistara."

I second this purple theory. And I subconsciously related to it when I flew with Batik airlines. Felt really nice for some reason. Also, their seats/cushions being better quality like Vistara might have added a bit to that feeling," wrote a third.
Volcanic eruption is no doubt one of the most beautiful natural phenomena. You need to be lucky enough to witness this majestic beauty through naked eyes. Recently, a Belgian photographer was able to capture a hypnotic glimpse of a volcano during his visit to Iceland. The Nordic island country, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, is home to more than 100 volcanic mountains and thus, such a phenomenon is not quite rare there.

Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove, who shared the footage on Instagram, claimed that the latest eruption at the volcanic craters named Sundhnuksgigar has been going on for over a week. It is showing no real signs of slowing down at this time but that can, of course, rapidly change. I managed to squeeze in an evening of capturing some clips in my busy summer schedule, Van Nieuwenhove shared in the caption.

According to the photographer, the area is restricted and as a member of the press, he had special permission to go there and capture the drone video. In the mesmerising clip, thick rivers of molten lava can be seen gliding into the crater, forming different artistic patterns and offering a breathtaking view.

The various patterns and movement directions are really mind-boggling to watch. From top to bottom, I estimate the distance to be about 30 metres based on altitude and the lens I used, Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove wrote in his post. According to Fox Weather, the volcano has erupted six times since the end of last year.

Marco Di Marco, a visual journalist, was recently in Iceland where he managed to capture a surreal video of the Northern Lights. What made the footage more fascinating was an active volcanic crater adding a fiery red hue to the night sky. Di Marco shared the video on Instagram with the title Lights and Fountains.

The aurora season just started again and its always special to see it dancing above the active craters, Di Marco noted in the caption. According to him, as many as three vents opened up on the site on August 22 and one of them was producing 70-80-meter high sustained lava fountains.

The lava flows are enlarging the lava field mainly towards the northwest and fortunately, no infrastructure is in danger at the moment, Di Marco added. Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove reacted to the post and commented, This is what happens when the golden duo comes together.
Although the Alaska Triangle is less popular than the Bermuda Triangle, it has been linked with strange disappearances. At least 20,000 people have reportedly disappeared in the rural region near Juneau, Alaska, since the 1970s, says a report.

Geographically, the Alaska Triangle connects Anchorage and Juneau in the south to Utqiagvik (previously Barrow) on the north shore. With an annual average disappearance rate of roughly 2,250 persons, this sparsely populated area has earned its mysterious reputation.

According to IFL Science, this area came to public attention in October 1972, when a plane carrying two US senators went missing en route from Anchorage to Juneau. US House Majority Leader Thomas Hale Boggs Sr. and Alaska Congressman Nick Begich vanished while flying in a light aircraft from Anchorage to Juneau with Begichs staffer, Russell Brown, and the pilot, Don Jonz. A search operation was initiated to find them, but neither the bodies nor the plane was ever discovered.

This led to conspiracy theories about what couldve happened, especially since Boggs was a Warren Commission member (the official body formed to investigate John F. Kennedys assassination) and supposedly disagreed with the groups findings, according to Indy100.

IFL Science states that the area has untouched wilderness, ragged mountain ranges, horribly cold weather, and bears.

Another notable case was Gary Frank Sotherden, a 25-year-old New Yorker who went hunting in the Alaskan wilderness in the mid-1970s but never returned. In 1997, a human skull was discovered along the Porcupine River in northeastern Alaska, and DNA was received in 2022. It was determined that the skull belonged to Southern, who died due to bear mauling.

Meanwhile, many suggested various causes for the disappearances. While some claim extraordinary magnetic activity in the Alaska Triangle, some believe that extraterrestrial visitors have been visiting the area.

However, simpler interpretations are that it is a vast area full of wildness and natural perils, which may explain why many have gone missing and never been found again. However, much like the Bermuda Triangle, this mystery has been solved.
A Bengaluru couple sought a better quality of life and relocated to a tiny European nation. In 2020, Prateek Gupta and Neha Maheshwari moved to Luxembourg and began living the kind of life that many people only dream about. However, the couple is still dedicated to making all of their investments in Indian stocks. This dream lifestyle, complete with expensive vehicles and frequent trips to Europe, is the result of careful financial preparation.

Prateek is employed as a senior analyst at Amazon, while Neha manages finances for a German real estate firm. Although they might have made more money by relocating to the US or Dubai, the NRI couple admits that residing in India would have led to larger increases.

So why did they move to Luxembourg?

Continuing in India or moving to the US would have given us more career and earning opportunities. But we wanted to taste the superior quality of life, which Europe offers, Prateek stated to Live Mint.

According to Prateek, working-class Indian immigrants to Europe do not come to Europe for financial gain. Nevertheless, they could potentially effortlessly earn 1.52 times as much money if they migrate to the US or Dubai. Of course, there would also be more net savings, he said.

The news outlet reports that Prateek and Neha spend approximately 28% of their income on tax, which means they pay slightly less than what they would have paid in India, 2-3% to be precise. Still, even the average of 28% seems reasonable as they are compensated with a range of services in return.

In the interview with the business news portal, Neha disclosed that they are legally required to fund government-sponsored health insurance by 3% of their personal earnings. For as little as 3% cost, healthcare is absolutely free to them with the exception of dental services. One more aspect of Luxembourg taxation that they like is the unemployment fund to which they are both obliged to pay 2% of their earnings.

According to Neha, if one is fired under this scheme, the government will award the fired individual up to 80% of the previously drawn wage for two years while the individual looks for another job. Neha figures that at a mere 5% of her overall annual salary, she is sufficiently covered for two significant emergencies: health and unemployment, negating the need for her to establish a separate emergency fund.

Moreover, for Neha and Prateek, another benefit of living in Luxembourg is cheap travelling within Europe and the use of luxury cars. They own a Mercedes Benz A-class which they bought for about 43,000 euros. At the purchasing power parity rate, 43,000 euros is roughly equivalent to Rs 10.3 lakh. But a similar car from the same manufacturing company in Bengaluru costs Rs 55 lakh.

During the conversation, Prateek said that they would not freely purchase a luxury car costing more than Rs 50 lakh in India but German luxury cars were considerably cheaper in Luxembourg and relatively affordable relative to the income from euros.

Why do they invest in Indian stocks?

The couple invests 2025% of their monthly income, with India being their only investment focus. Approximately, 70% goes towards direct stock, 20% goes towards mutual funds and the other 10% is distributed among gold bonds, digital gold, provident funds and the National Pension Scheme.

Prateek told the publication that since they are more knowledgeable about the Indian stock market, they specialise in it. He continued by saying that in the US they only know about blue chips and are unable to select value-oriented businesses since they dont pay close attention to the stock market or the economy. Prateek thinks there are currently better investment prospects in the Indian stock market.
Whether youre enjoying a meal at a restaurant, on a train, or opting for online delivery, food safety remains a pressing concern in India. There are numerous instances of contaminated or spoiled food, from train passengers complaining about substandard meals to social media posts showcasing contaminated items. In a recent incident, a customer who ordered a burger and fries from Burger King via Zomato was shocked to discover mould on the burger. The customer expressed his disappointment on social media, tagging Burger King and Zomato in his post to bring attention to the issue and seek a resolution.

Read| Mumbai Man Finds Cockroaches in Dal on Vanda Bharat Express: They Were Crawling in the Pantry

Ordered from Burger King via Zomato. After finishing the fries, opened the burger (Veg Whooper), and today I came to know that they have launched a new flavour. Where mould is coming free with the burger bread, reads the caption to the video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) by journalist Yaman Dev Sharma.

The picture shared by Sharma shows mould on one of the sides of the half-eaten burger.

Take a look at the spoilt burger here:

After the post gained significant traction online, Zomato shared a response to the post. The company wrote, This is very shocking. We are sorry you had to go through this. We will investigate it. In the meantime, a member of our team will definitely call you. For this, please DM us your registered contact number.

Also Read| Shocking Video: Man Shows Fungus In Patties Sold At Varanasi Restaurant

Burger King, too, responded to the post. They wrote, Hi Yaman, we never intend to provide such an experience. Can you please DM us your Contact Number, Store Location, Order ID and Email ID so that we can get in touch with you. Rest assured we will investigate this thoroughly.

Check out how others reacted to this post here:

Hari chutney hogi [It must be green chutney, joked an individual.

Another added, This is nasty. Ugh so terrible!

Oh! Looks like the company ran out of preservatives, expressed a third.
As both Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for 2024 US elections on November 5, professor Dr. Allan Lichtman, renowned for his ability to predict presidential polls, has predicted a winner of the highly-anticipated contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

In a recent video shared by the New York Times, Lichtman predicted that Democrats will retain power in the White House with Vice President Kamala Harris winning against former President Donald Trump.

Lichtman, who has gained prominence for his Keys to the White House systema set of 13 criteria used to evaluate major party candidateshas predicted Harris to hold an edge in eight of these categories, while Trump is favored in three, the NewYork Post reported.

Lichtman, known as the Nostradamus of US presidential polls, asserts he has accurately predicted the outcome of every presidential election since 1984, though this claim is contested by some. For instance, in the 2000 election, he forecasted a win for Al Gore, who, despite securing the popular vote, lost the Electoral College to George W. Bush. Conversely, in 2016, Lichtman correctly anticipated Donald Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton, even though Trump lost the popular vote.

Critics, including Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito of the Postrider, argue that Lichtmans record might not be as flawless as claimed, suggesting his streak might have faltered in either 2000 or 2016, depending on whether his Keys are interpreted to predict the popular vote or the Electoral College results.

Meanwhile, both candidates are preparing for the presidential debate in Philadelphia next week, marking their face-to-face meeting as the former president did attend President Bidens inauguration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also thrown his weight behind Kamala Harris in US election, an apparent wry remark a day after the United States issued indictments accusing Moscow of vote interference.

(Former US President Donald) Trump has imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions, he said.

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more predictable. The White House called on Putin to stay out of US elections in response.

(With inputs from agencies)
Hamas called on the United States Thursday to exert real pressure on Israel to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there is no deal in the making.

The two sides have traded blame over stalling talks for a ceasefire and hostage exchange as Netanyahu faces pressure to seal a deal that would free remaining captives, after Israeli authorities announced on Sunday the deaths of six whose bodies were recovered from a Gaza tunnel.

If the US administration and its President (Joe) Biden really want to reach a ceasefire and complete a prisoner exchange deal, they must abandon their blind bias towards the Zionist occupation, Hamass Qatar-based lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said, calling on the US to exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government.

But Netanyahu told US talk show Fox & Friends: There is not a deal in the making Unfortunately, its not close but we will do everything we can to get them to the point where they do make a deal and at the same time we prevent Iran from resupplying Gaza as this great terror enclave.

Netanyahu insists that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas, whose October 7 attack on Israel started the war.

Hamas is demanding complete Israeli withdrawal from the area and on Thursday said Netanyahus position aims to thwart reaching an agreement.

The Palestinian militant group says a new deal is unnecessary because they agreed months ago to a truce outlined by Biden.

We do not need new proposals, Hamas said in a statement.

We warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu.. who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people, the group said.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby nonetheless said that Washington believes a ceasefire deal is 90 percent agreed.

But he added that nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated, and the things that are still in play right now are very, very detailed issues, and thats when things get difficult.

Not in coffins

At Israeli protests in several cities this week, Netanyahus critics have blamed him for hostages deaths, saying he has refused to make necessary concessions for striking a ceasefire deal.

We are just waiting for them to come back to us, to come back alive and not in coffins, said Anet Kidron, whose Beeri kibbutz was one of the worst affected on October 7.

Key mediator Qatar has said that Israels approach was based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies.

Such moves will ultimately lead to the demise of peace efforts, Qatars foreign ministry warned.

The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians including some hostages killed in captivity, according to official Israeli figures.

Of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the attack, 97 remain in Gaza including 33 the Israeli military says are dead. Scores were released during a one-week truce in November.

Israels retaliatory offensive in Gaza has so far killed at least 40,878 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Most of the dead are women and children, according to the UN rights office.

Strikes continued across Gaza on Thursday, with medics and rescuers reporting a total of 12 dead in separate attacks in the north and south of the territory.

Full strength

While Israel presses its Gaza offensive, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the military should use its full strength against Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank.

These terrorist organisations that have various names, whether in Nur al-Shams, Tulkarem, Faraa or Jenin, must be wiped out, he said, referring to cities and refugee camps where an Israeli military operation is underway.

The Israeli military said Thursday its aircraft conducted three targeted strikes on armed terrorists in the Tubas area, which includes Faraa refugee camp.

A strike on a car killed five men aged 21 to 30 and wounded two others, the territorys health ministry said.

Eyewitnesses told AFP they saw a large number of Israeli troops storming Faraa camp, where explosions were heard.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said the Israeli military handed over the dead body of a 17-year-old, after medics were prevented from reaching him when he was wounded.

Israel has killed at least 35 Palestinians across the northern West Bank since its assault there started on August 28, according to figures released by the health ministry, including children and militants.

One Israeli soldier was killed in Jenin, where the majority of the Palestinian fatalities have been.

Polio vaccination drive

Israels bombardment of Gaza has left the territory in ruins, with the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure blamed for the spread of disease.

The humanitarian crisis has led to Gazas first polio case in 25 years, prompting a massive vaccination effort launched Sunday with localised humanitarian pauses in fighting.

Nearly 200,000 children in central Gaza have received a first dose, the World Health Organization said, and a second stage got underway Thursday in the south, before medics move north.

The campaign aims to fully vaccinate more than 640,000 children, with second doses due in about four weeks.

Louise Wateridge, spokeswoman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), warned, however, that in the southern area its going to be more difficult to reach a lot of the population, because not all children are in the designated humanitarian zones  where Israel has agreed not to strike.
Russias primary aim is to take full control of the Donbas region of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday.

The enemys goal was to make us nervous and worry and to transfer troops from one sector to another and to stop our offensive in key areas, primarily in the Donbas. Did it work? No, Putin said.

He also said that Ukraines incursion into the Russian region of Kursk had failed to slow Russias own advance in eastern Ukraine and had weakened Kyivs defences along the frontline in a boost to Moscow.

He added that Russian forces were now gradually pushing Ukrainian soldiers out of Kursk, where on August 6 Ukraine launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War Two.

Ukraine had weakened its defences elsewhere and allowed Russia to accelerate its push into the eastern Donbas area, he said.

Putin, who ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 in what he called a special military operation, said it was now the sacred duty of the armed forces to expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk and to defend Russian citizens.

Ukraines top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has said that one of the objectives of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from other areas, primarily in eastern Ukraine near the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

Though the Kursk incursion was an embarrassment for Putin and the top military brass, Russian officials are now portraying it as one of Kyivs biggest tactical mistakes of the war, saying it ties down thousands of troops for little real gain.

By transferring rather large and well-trained units to these border areas with us, the enemy weakened itself in key areas, and our troops accelerated offensive operations, Putin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv plans to hold territory in Kursk and that the operation, which he says is part of a not fully disclosed victory plan, has brought the war home to Russians.

Putin said Russian forces were taking chunks of territory in eastern Ukraine more swiftly than ever  and that recruitment rates were increasing in Russia.

No action is taking place to contain our offensive, Putin said. He said Russias advance on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk was successful.

Russian forces, which control 18% of Ukraine, have been advancing in eastern Ukraine since the failure of Kyivs 2023 counter-offensive to achieve a major breakthrough.

Although the Kremlin says the conditions for peace talks with Ukraine do not currently exist, Putin named China, India and Brazil as potential mediators and repeated his view that an initial agreement reached in the first weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as a basis for talks.
Officers fired shots at a suspicious person in Germanys Munich on Thursday in an area near the Israeli Consulate and a museum on the citys Nazi-era history. The Israeli consulate was closed on Thursday due to the commemoration ceremony for the massacre of Munich athletes in 1972.

A shooting incident took place near the Consulate General of Israel in Munich. The consulate is closed today due to the commemoration ceremony for the massacre of Munich athletes in 1972. September 5th is the anniversary of the 1972 Olympic terrorist attack when 11 Israeli athletes were attacked, taken hostage and killed. The shooter in todays incident was neutralized by the German security forces and the incident is under their care, Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

There was no immediate information on why the person was considered suspicious, an AP report said.

According to a Jerusalem Post report, Munich police said that officers were operating at the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism in the Karolinenlatz area, next to the Israeli consulate, when they opened fire on a suspicious person.
Indian officers handed the body of a 14-year-old girl back to Bangladesh on Thursday after she was found shot dead near the border, with a top Indian official vowing to stop infiltration.

A report by Times of India said that the girl was allegedly killed by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) while trying to cross the border with her parents.

Bangladeshi police have accused Indian officers of killing the girl, who was shot in the chest, according to Binoy Bhushon Roy, a police officer in the Moulvibazar border district, who spoke to news agency AFP.

The report said Indias Border Security Forces (BSF) discovered the body near the zero point of the India-Bangladesh border in Kailashahar, a town in Unakoti district on Monday. She was identified as 16-year-old Swarna Das.

It also said that Swarna, along with her parents Rebati Das and Rani Das, attempted to cross over to Tripura thrice but failed. Swarna and her parents had been facing problems in Bangladesh since regime change, the report by the Times of India said.

When they attempted to cross the border near Pillar No. 57, taking advantage of the BSFs absence at night, the BGB opened fire, the report further added citing officials.

Swarna was killed by BGB and after all the formalities, we have handed over her body to the family through BGB in Manu check post on Tuesday, a BSF official told the newspaper.

Neighbourly relations have been strained by the student-led uprising that toppled Bangladeshs leader Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5.

Since Hasinas ousting, Indian security forces have detained or sent back dozens of Bangladeshis accused of trying to sneak across the border.

Bangladesh is almost entirely encircled by India, and their shared border stretches more than 4,000 kilometres (2,485 miles).

Last month, security forces from India and Bangladesh had a tense confrontation over the construction of a fence supposedly meant to keep cattle from straying over the border.
US President Joe Biden expressed his concerns about the safety of people in Bangladesh and the future of democratic institutions in the country during his call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, the White House said.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told a press conference on Wednesday that during the call, Biden and Modi shared concerns about the recent developments in Bangladesh.

I mean, the president made clear his continued concerns about the safety and security of the people in Bangladesh and the future of their democratic institutions, Kirby said.

The White Houses statement comes after the US readout of the August 26 call did not mention Bangladesh and focused only on the Ukraine-Russia war. However, PM Modis post on X and a statement issued by his office mentioned that Bangladesh was discussed during the telephone conversation.

The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasized restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) had said.

The External Affairs Ministry also noted last week that US President Biden and PM Modi Modi very much discussed substantially the situation in Bangladesh when both leaders spoke over a phone call earlier this week.

The subject of Bangladesh, which has been highlighted by certain quarters, was very much discussed substantially by both leaders, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.

We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, PM Modi had said in an X post.

On the other hand, the White House readout of the conversation between the two leaders had no reference to Bangladesh, saying the two leaders discussed PM Modis recent trip to Poland and Ukraine.

The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector, it said.

(With agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met his Singapore counterpart, Lawrence Wong, and the two countries signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)s.

Ahead of the talks with Wong, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitors book there.

Singapore Is An Inspiration For Every Developing Country: PM Modi

Upon his arrival in the country, PM Modi expressed gratitude to the Singapore Prime Minister for his warm welcome and stated that the ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism.

I thank you for your warm welcome. This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even faster. Singapore is not just a country, Singapore is an inspiration for every developing country. We also want to create many Singapores in India and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism, the Prime Minister said.

#WATCH | Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says I thank you for your warm welcome. This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even pic.twitter.com/m4S6BfDWwa ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

The meeting between the two leaders comes days after Wong took over and Modi began his third term as the Prime Minister of India.

Taking to microblogging site X, PM Modi noted that the discussions with his Singapore counterpart, Wong focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more.

The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations. @LawrenceWongST pic.twitter.com/FOSxXQOI3u Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Four MOUs Signed

During the meeting, the two leaders oversaw the exchange of four MoUs after the talks.

The four MOUs signed between India and Singapore are 

Cooperation in the field of Digital Technology

India, Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership

Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine

Educational Cooperation and Skill Development

#WATCH | Several MoUs signed between India and Singapore in the fields of Digital Technologies, Health and Medicine, Educational Cooperation & Skills Development and India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore pic.twitter.com/mowXSLxzaB ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

Top Singapore CEOs Meet PM Modi And Pledge Commitment to Invest in India

Top Business leaders include CEOs of Blackstone Singapore, Temasek Holdings, Sembcorp Industries Limited, CapitaLand Investment, ST Telemedia Global Data Centers, and Singapore Airways among others met PM Modi and reiterated their commitment to invest in India.

Prime Minister Modi also met former Prime Minister of Singapore and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. The two leaders had earlier met in 2018, during which, Tong had said PM Modi has a personality and charm to strike up personal relationships with leaders.

It is very important to be a very charming diplomatic leader. You go to China, Japan, Russia, US, Indonesia. Still, you do not go there with an attitude like a leader; you instead speak about common vision. It helps, Tong had said.

PM Modi further attended the lunch hosted by senior minister Lee Hsien Loong.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the lunch hosted by Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister of Singapore.(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/PYerd3zzhR  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

PM Modi also met with Singaporean business leaders and interacted with those in the countrys semiconductor ecosystem. The Prime Minister, along with his Singapore counterpart, Wong, also visited a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the country.

Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more opportunities, PM Modi wrote in an X post.

Semiconductors and technology are important facets of India-Singapore cooperation. This is also a sector where India is increasing its presence. Today, PM Wong and I visited AEM Holdings Ltd. We look forward to working together in this sector and giving our youth more pic.twitter.com/Bdh8nU1w6Y Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

The prime minister also met and interacted with interns from Odishas World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme.

I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM Holdings. Such cooperation is indeed special and celebrates human talent as well as innovation, Modi wrote in an X post.

It was wonderful to interact with interns from Odishas World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM pic.twitter.com/orXSLE1GEk Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival there.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that China, India and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks over Ukraine on Thursday. According to a Reuters report, Putin said a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for talks.

Putin said that he was ready for talks with Ukraine, after having previously rebuffed the idea of negotiations while Kyivs offensive into the Kursk region was ongoing.

Putins statement comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Moscow and recent Visit to Ukraine where he reiterated Indias stance on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and stated that India has always been on the side of peace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions, since the onset of the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict, has urged both parties to use diplomacy to resolve the conflict instead of continuing the war on the battlefield.

In Kyiv, PM Modi told Ukraines Zelensky that India is ready to contribute to resolving the conflict. In Poland, the PM had said that issues cannot be resolved on the battlefield.

He also told Vladimir Putin during the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan that it is not an era of war.

He is one of the few leaders in the world who has urged both sides to stop the conflict and choose a path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Ukraine launched an unprecedented cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region in August, sending thousands of troops across the border and seizing several villages. Putin said shortly after there could be no talk of negotiations.

According to an AFP report, Putin was speaking at a question and answer session at Russias Eastern Economic Forum in the city of Vladivostok where he said Russia was ready for talks but on the basis of an aborted deal between Moscows and Kyivs negotiators reached in Istanbul in 2022, the terms of which were never made public.

Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul, Putin said.

The Kremlin has repeatedly claimed Russia and Ukraine were on the verge of a deal in the spring of 2022, shortly after Moscow launched its offensive in Ukraine.

We managed to reach an agreement, that is the whole point. The signature of the head of the Ukrainian delegation who initialled this document testifies to this, which means that the Ukrainian side was generally satisfied with the agreements reached, Putin said.

It did not come into force only because they were given a command not to do so, because the elites of the United States, Europe  some European countries  wanted to achieve a strategic defeat of Russia, Putin added.
Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted the rules set forth for next weeks debate with former President Donald Trump, although she said the decision not to keep both their microphones live throughout the matchup will be to her disadvantage.

The development, which came on Wednesday (September 4) by way of a letter from Harris campaign to host network ABC News, seemed to mark a conclusion to the debate over microphone muting that had for a time threatened to derail the September 10 presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Her acceptance of the debate rules came as Trump  using a night he had proposed as a debate with Harris on Fox News Channel  instead took part in a solo town hall with host Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a version of debate preparation with a longtime ally who queried him about his plans to take on the Democratic presidential candidate.

President Joe Bidens campaign had made the muting of microphones, except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, a condition of his decision to accept any debates this year. Some aides have said they now regret that decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trumps outbursts during the June debate. A disastrous performance for the incumbent Democrat fuelled his exit from the campaign.

Once Harris rose in Bidens stead and became their partys pick for president, her campaign had advocated for live microphones for the whole debate, saying previously that the practice would fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates.

But on Wednesday, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Harris advisers wrote that the former prosecutor will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President. We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaigns insistence on muted microphones, her campaign added.

Despite those concerns, Harris campaign wrote we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format. So as not to jeopardize the debate, Harris campaign wrote we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones.

According to an official with Harris campaign, a pool of journalists will be on hand to hear what the muted candidate may be trying to say when his or her microphone is turned off. That detail was not in the full debate rules, also released Wednesday by ABC, which are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and Biden.

The network laid out parameters from the basic format  90 minutes, with two commercial breaks  to specifications that moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis will be the only people asking questions, perhaps hoping to avert a free-for-all between the candidates.

Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion, the network noted.

The Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand whats happening.

After a virtual coin flip held on September 3 and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.

In the town hall on Wednesday, Hannity steered Trump through many of the topics typical of the GOP nominees campaign events, with a heavy focus on immigration, and posed questions after showing video clips of Harris in media interviews and other appearances.

Trump also repeatedly returned his focus from Harris to Biden, calling Democrats substitution of their top candidate a coup and saying he would have preferred a debate with Harris, rather than the town hall.

Asked about next weeks debate, Trump repeated his former criticism of ABC as a dishonest and unfair network, also reiterating his previous claims that Harris campaign is going to get the questions in advance.

The location of Trumps town hall, coupled with next weeks debate in Philadelphia, highlights the importance of battleground Pennsylvania, where 19 Electoral College votes are up for grabs in the November election.
Meteorologist/Multimedia Journalist

Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.


CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi yesterday welcomed the release of party members and other pro-democracy activists.

Something needs to be done to transform and restore confidence and credibility in Zimbabwes judicial system and other key institutions of government that are captured and being abused and exploited by the regime, he said.

We condemn the needless prolongation of Timba and others detention on flimsy and frivolous grounds.

We cannot continue to have court judgments that are churned out and dictated from the Shake Shake [Zanu PF] building.

The release of the activists comes barely a month after Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said there was no reason to continue detaining the activists after the summit, which saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa assuming chairmanship of the regional bloc.

It was essential to ensure that nothing detracted from the summits importance. Zimbabwe needed to present itself as a stable and secure nation to our Sadc partners, he said.

So if you are a deviate, you are going to be dealt with in the right way, which is to put you in jail so that you dont create a sideshow which takes the attention away from the event.

Information minister Jenfan Muswere later issued a statement distancing government and Zanu PF from the arrest of the activists, but observers said Mutsvangwa had already let the cat out of the bag.

Observers, pro-democracy groups and the opposition said Mutsvangwas statement betrayed the abuse of State power and weaponisation of the law against critics by the ruling party.
Jay Klein and Bill Sanders founded a startup last year to meld artificial intelligence with Washington lobbying, quickly attracting big-name clients including Toyota. Along the way, several employees became suspicious of their bosses and discovered they're actually Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, a couple of convicted felons and far-right conspiracy theorists. Those LobbyMatic employees quit, Politico reports, after realizing whom they were working for. One discovered Klein was Wohl by taking a photo of him on the sly, then doing a Google image search.

Wohl and Burkman were convicted in 2022 of telecom fraud over a robocall campaign they ran in Black neighborhoods in several states telling people not to vote by mail. They were sentenced by a judge in Ohio to spend 500 hours registering voters, and the Federal Communications Commission fined the pair $5 million. They have a history of spreading conspiracy theories and trying to set up public figures involving:

False sexual assaults : Wohl and Burkman tried to frame multiple officials for sexual assault, including former Special Counsel Robert Mueller and current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. They hired a woman to claim Dr. Anthony Fauci had assaulted her.

: Wohl and Burkman tried to frame multiple officials for sexual assault, including former Special Counsel Robert Mueller and current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. They hired a woman to claim Dr. Anthony Fauci had assaulted her. Conspiracy theories: Wohl has pushed false claims including that President Biden would die of COVID in 30 days, that Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren had a relationship with a Marine veteran, and that Vice President Kamala Harris was ineligible to run for president in 2020.

Toyota and other companies no longer have deals with LobbyMatic. One was interested in the service to track legislation and summarize congressional hearings. "We quickly determined the tool did not work," the cofounder said. LobbyMatic missed payroll and appeared to lack an occupancy permit for its offices, per Politico. One employee who quit said if he'd known the background of Wohl and Burkman, he wouldn't have gone near the job. (More fraud stories.)
Former President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has embarked on his freshman year at New York University's Stern School of Business, his father revealed on Wednesday. The 18-year-old, who graduated in May from Oxbridge Academy, will be attending one of the nation's top business schools, confirmed Trump in a video interview with the Daily Mail. "He's a very high aptitude child, but he's no longer a child," Trump said. "He's doing great."

Barron's enrollment at NYU places him a few miles from Trump Tower, where his family maintains a residence. Details about his living arrangements remain unclear as NYU's spokesperson did not respond to inquiries on Barron's enrollment specifics. Located in downtown Manhattan, the Stern campus has heightened security measures amid concerns of renewed protests, following last spring's pro-Palestinian demonstrations that briefly occupied the business school's plaza.

Interestingly, while three of Trump's childrenIvanka, Tiffany, and Donald Trump Jr.graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Barron opted for NYU over his father's alma mater. "I went to Wharton, and that was certainly one that we were considering. We didn't do that. We went to Stern," Trump said. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar have vowed to promote peace and environmental protection during Francis' visit to Indonesia. This interfaith pledge occurred at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, symbolizing their commitment to mutual understanding. The meeting included representatives from Indonesia's six officially recognized religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

The two religious leaders stood at the "Tunnel of Friendship" entrance, a passage linking the mosque to the nearby Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral. This tunnel represents Indonesia's dedication to religious freedom despite frequent challenges to minority rights. Francis emphasized the importance of different religions in guiding humanity through life's challenges, stating, "we respond with the sign of fraternity."

Francis' visit marks the beginning of an 11-day tour across Asia and Oceania, focusing on combating extremism and reinforcing Catholic-Muslim relations. Enhancing ties with Muslim nations has been central to Francis' papacy. Additionally, addressing climate change remains a high priority, reinforcing his call for moral responsibility in safeguarding the planet.

story continues below

Word count: 161 (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
In May, federal prosecutors announced fraud charges against several people who'd allegedly helped individuals with ties to North Korea secure jobs with over 300 US companies, generating $7 million for Kim Jong Un's regime. But that's just one small part of an ongoing fraud scheme that's seen North Korea pull in hundreds of millions of dollars a year to fund its weapons program despite international sanctions. According to the Wall Street Journal , North Koreans "capitalizing on a post-Covid boom in remote work and advances in generative artificial intelligence" have been hired for "potentially thousands ... of low-level information-technology jobs and other roles in recent years, using stolen identities of foreigners."

KnowBe4, an IT company in Clearwater, Florida, ended up hiring a North Korean man who gave his name as Kyle to fill a remote IT job in July. Kyle, who'd supplied what turned out to be an AI-generated photo of himself, nailed the video interview. KnowBe4 then sent a computer to the address he provided in Washington state. The address was actually home to a middleman who was assisting with the fraud, the Journal reports, adding that Kyle "attempted to deploy malware on his first day," but was caught. "For a cybersecurity company like us to get caught with egg on our face was a big wake-up call," Anna Collard of KnowBe4 Africa tells CIO Africa, which offers tips on how to spot fraudsters.

Cyber operatives like Kyle use laptop farms run by middlemen in the US to log into internal company servers from overseas. They might try to launch cyberattacks or steal intellectual property. Some even provide actual IT support, resulting in a paycheck "at least partially claimed by Pyongyang," per the Journal. "Once we peeled back these onion layers, we realized these IT workers are everywhere," Michael Barnhart, an analyst with Google Cloud's Mandiant cyber-threat division, tells the outlet. Mandiant compiled a list of nearly 800 email addresses believed to be tied to North Korean IT workers and found 10% had been used to apply for jobs, including at a critical infrastructure organization in the US, between February and August, resulting in hundreds of conversations with recruiters. (More North Korea stories.)
Two men in northern Ontario picked up a highly unusual passenger and took it on a road trip, complete with Taco Bell to scarf down. The problem? That passenger was a black bear cub. According to Myriam Armstrong of the Pet and Wildlife Rescue center in Chatham-Kent, her group took in the juvenile bear over the weekend after it was discovered in the back of a van in Windsor, per the Canadian Press . "There are some pretty strict rules on keeping wildlife. You are not able to keep wildlife captive for so many reasons," Armstrong tells CTV News . "Just common sense to start, you know, they're wild animals, so leave them in the wild, and a bear, obviously, there is some risk associated with housing a bear."

Armstrong says the two men had found the bear in Cochrane, about 10 hours north, and pulled it into their vehicle. She notes the pair fed the bear tacos from Taco Bell during their ride, and that when they arrived in Windsor, local police got wind of their furry passenger. "I'm sure his innards weren't feeling so great," she says. Armstrong adds that the 4-month-old bear cub didn't have any visible injuries, but it was lethargic and stressed from the van ride, and frightened.

"He was just a little bit off," she tells the Canadian Press. "So we just made sure to give him lots of space and a dark place to decompress." A bear rescue group in Huntsville came to take the bear into its custody. Apparently, ursine eaters enjoy making their runs to the border: In November, a black bear swiped a nearly $50 Taco Bell order from a Florida family's front porch after it was delivered by Uber Eats. "He came, and he grabbed the foodthen he came again for the soda," a niece of the homeowners told FOX 35 at the time. (More strange stuff stories.)
Tennessee police are investigating after they say gunfire rained down Tuesday evening upon the home of controversial Christian pastor Greg Locke. Dozens of rounds were fired at the Global Vision Bible Church leader's residence, garage, and vehicle, though Wilson County Sheriff's Office Capt. Scott Moore says there were no injuries, reports the Tennessean.

More on the shooting: When deputies arrived at the scene around 10:30pm local time, they retrieved between 30 and 40 casings from the property, says Moore. The shooting is being investigated, with no arrests reported as of Thursday morning.
UPDATE

Sep 13, 2024 10:05 AM CDT

An inmate serving a 20-year sentence in a federal prison in New York can remain on the ballot for Alaska's sole US House seat, Alaska's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The court affirmed the Tuesday ruling of an Anchorage Superior Court judge who dismissed a lawsuit from the Alaska Democratic party, which argued that Eric Hafner is ineligible. The judge said redesigning the ballot could cause the Division of Elections to miss deadlines, the Alaska Beacon reports. Hafner, who has never lived in Alaska, is running as a Democrat. The race is considered a toss-up between Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola and GOP rival Nick Begich, and it could determine control of the House, reports NPR.

Sep 5, 2024 1:18 PM CDT

Eric Hafner has never been an Alaska residentand since he's serving a 20-year sentence in a federal prison thousands of miles away, he's unlikely to become one anytime soon. But he's still set to appear on the ballot for the state's only US House seat in November, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The Alaska Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Wednesday, saying he "has no business being placed on the ballot."
Police say that Gisele Pelicot had no idea she was being sexually abused and raped by her own husband , as well as by dozens of strangers he invited to do the same, until officers showed her photo and video evidence in 2020. On Thursday, the Frenchwoman took the stand in Avignon at the trial for her now-former spouse and 50 of those other men to reveal what went through her mind when she first saw that evidence that stretched back over a decade. "My world fell apart, everything I had built up with [husband Dominique Pelicot] collapsed," she said, per Al Jazeera . "Three children, seven grandchildren ... Even our friends told us we were the perfect couple."

The 72-year-old said she didn't even recognize herself initially in the photos and videos the police showed her, thousands of which they'd pulled from Dominique Pelicot's electronic devices after an unrelated 2020 arrest for taking upskirt photos. Gisele Pelicot noted she couldn't even look past a few photos, telling the cop showing them to her, "These are rape scenes. I'm inert, asleep, and they're raping me." Though "rape is not the right word," she added. "It is barbarism." Pelicot testified that she was "sacrificed on the altar of vice," per the AP. "They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag."

Pelicot, a mother of three, said the situation was "unbearable," and that she left her family home after the revelation, leaving with just two suitcases"all that was left for me of 50 years of life together." Al Jazeera notes that 18 of the 51 accused, including Dominique Pelicot, are in custody, while 32 are attending the trial of their own volition. One suspect is still at large and will be judged in absentia. Meanwhile, Gisele Pelicot's daughter left the courtroom in tears earlier this week when it was revealed that her father had kept a folder on his computer featuring naked photos of her, per the Guardian. More on that here. (More rape stories.)
A day after two Russian media executives were charged with trying to influence the upcoming US election, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered up his choice of election victor: Kamala Harris. In what Reuters views as an "ironic remark," Putin said Russia preferred Harris over Donald Trump, partly due to her "infectious" laugh. In February, before President Biden withdrew from the race, Putin had also backed the Democrat, whom he said would be more "predictable" than Trump. But that was "another comment widely seen as not to be taken at face value," per Reuters.

Asked about the US election at an economic forum in Russia's far east on Thursday, Putin noted Biden had asked his supporters to back Harris. "We will do the same, we will support her," Putin said with what the South China Morning Post describes as a "wry smile." Politico describes him as "smirking." "She laughs so expressively and infectiously. That means that she is doing well," the smiling Putin continued of Harris, per Politico. "Trump has imposed more sanctions on Russia than any president has imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, then perhaps she will refrain from doing this kind of thing."

In fact, US intelligence agencies believe Russia favors Trump because he is less committed to supporting Ukraine following its invasion by Russia, per Reuters. Furthermore, Putin previously admitted he wanted Trump to win in 2016 because he believed he would be more friendly to the Kremlin. "He talked about bringing the US-Russia relationship back to normal," Putin said in 2018. US intelligence agencies determined Russia ran a disinformation campaign to boost Trump's campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton. (More Vladimir Putin stories.)
After an isolated Amazonian tribe attacked loggers who got too close to their Peruvian territory this summer, Indigenous rights group FENAMAD warned that, without government intervention, more violent clashes could come. Now, two loggers have been shot dead with arrows, another has been injured, and two others have disappeared from the Mashco Piro tribe's ancestral territory, the Guardian reports. "There are people wounded, dead, missing. We don't know what's happening or what has happened," says Eusebio Rios, an exec with FENAMAD, which represents 39 Indigenous groups in Peru's Madre de Dios and Cusco regions.

The loggers were attacked Aug. 29 while opening a trail in the forest near the Madre de Dios region's Pariamanu River, FENAMAD says, per Reuters. "This is a tragedy that was entirely avoidable," says Caroline Pearce, executive director of Indigenous rights group Survival International, per the Guardian. "The Peruvian authorities have known for years that this area that they chose to sell off for logging was actually the Mashco Piro's territory." She says authorities are "not only endangering the very survival of the Mashco Piro people, who are incredibly vulnerable to epidemics of disease brought in by outsiders, but they've knowingly put the lives of the logging workers in danger."

A day after the attack, the Forest Stewardship Council suspended the sustainability certification of Canales Tahuamanu, the logging company accusing of encroaching, for eight months. "How terrible that people have to keep dying ... for action to be taken," Julia Urrunaga, director of the Peru program at the Environmental Investigation Agency, tells the AP. FENAMAD has called for all loggers to be evacuated from the area. Peru's Ministry of Culture acknowledged on Monday a clash that "may have caused deaths, injuries, and disappearances," saying an investigation was underway, per Reuters. But FENAMAD said that, as of Tuesday, authorities hadn't responded to the area. (More Indigenous peoples stories.)
The Democratic Republic of Congo has received the first 100,000 doses of the mpox vaccine, donated by the European Union and manufactured by Bavarian Nordic. The vaccine arrived three weeks after the World Health Organization categorized the mpox outbreaks in 12 African nations as a global emergency. An additional 100,000 doses are anticipated on Saturday, with UNICEF designated to oversee the vaccination effort in the most impacted provinces.

Congo's Health Minister, Roger Kamba, spoke about the delivery but did not specify when vaccinations would commence. Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that about 380,000 doses have been pledged by Western partners, far below the 3 million doses needed to halt the outbreak in Congo. The disease continues to spread, with over 22,800 cases and 622 deaths reported on the continent last week.

The vaccine is currently approved for adults, and the European Medicines Agency is evaluating its use in children aged 12 to 17; approval may come by month's end. Last week, the US donated 10,000 doses to Nigeria, marking its first known donation to Africa since the current outbreak. Efforts are underway to develop a unified response strategy that can be considered at a meeting of African leaders later this month. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
Harvey Weinstein will not face charges of indecent assault in Britain, prosecutors announced Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service greenlit two charges against Weinstein in 2022 but has decided to discontinue proceedings due to "no longer a realistic prospect of conviction." The CPS emphasized, "We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police."

Weinstein has been a central figure in the #MeToo movement since 2017 when numerous women disclosed accounts of his misconduct. The British police had been investigating multiple allegations stretching from the 1980s to 2015. In June 2022, the CPS authorized London's Metropolitan Police to file the now-dropped charges, which were tied to an alleged incident in 1996.

Despite the halted charges in the UK, Weinstein remains in custody in New York while awaiting retrial in Manhattan. After his retrial, he will begin serving a 16-year sentence in California for a separate rape conviction. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A North Carolina judge has turned down Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s request to yank his name from the state's presidential ballot. Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt ruled against the temporary restraining order Kennedy sought, in a move made the day before the first chunk of absentee ballots start to make their way to voters. Kennedy's team announced plans to appeal, and Holt gave him 24 hours to do so; as such, absentee ballots likely won't be distributed first thing Friday morning.

Kennedy, who endorsed Donald Trump after suspending his campaign, originally appeared on the ballot as the nominee for the We The People party, which was formed by his supporters. Kennedy asked that his name be withdrawn, but in a divided decision on Aug. 29, the state elections board chose to retain his name citing logistical constraints posed by the already printed ballots. State officials emphasized reprinting ballots would require two additional weeks, potentially breaching federal mandates to mail ballots to military and overseas voters by September 21.

Attorney Phil Strach, representing Kennedy, argued the refusal to remove Kennedy's name violates state law and free speech rights and said it could lead to confusion for voters who knew he had dropped out. Special Deputy Attorney General Carla Babb contended that delaying the ballot issuance would create greater confusion, and reprinting costs would burden taxpayers. Judge Holt concluded the harm to Kennedy from remaining on the ballot was minimal compared to the substantial impact on the state. Kennedy is fighting a similar legal battle in Wisconsin. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A woman who was severely injured when a gunman killed five girls and wounded her and four other girls during an attack on their one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania has died 18 years later, per the AP . Rosanna S. King, 23, died at her home on Tuesday, and a funeral is planned at her home in the farming community of Paradise on Friday, according to an obituary from Furman Home for Funerals in Leola. King was among those shot at the West Nickel Mines Amish School in October 2006.

Charles Carl Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk truck driver, barricaded himself inside the schoolhouse and let boys and several adults go as he tied up 10 girls and shot them before taking his own life as police closed in. King, who belonged to an Old Order Amish Church community, was 6 years old at the time and had been considered the most severely injured survivor. She had been shot in the head and the attack left her unable to talk and in need of a feeding tube. She was dependent on others for personal care and mobility.

A year after the shooting, her family said she was able to recognize family members, smiled a lot, and had limited physical movement. They said in 2007 that "the hardest part has been to see her suffer." Roberts' mother, Terri Roberts, regularly visited Rosanna King, inspired by the forgiveness the Amish community expressed to her and her family after the attack. The schoolhouse was torn down 10 days after the killings and a new one was constructed nearby.

(More Amish stories.)
After months of dozens of restaurant closings and headlines about "endless shrimp" woes, Red Lobster is poised to soon exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A US bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved the casual seafood chain's reorganization plan and sale to a lender group led by asset manager Fortress. The green light arrives about four months after Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy protection as it pursued a sale, the AP reports, following years of mounting losses and dwindling customers while it struggled to keep up with competitors.

At the time of filing in May, Red Lobster's leadership shared plans to "simplify the business" through a reduction of locations. The Orlando, Florida, chain shuttered dozens of its North American restaurants in recent monthsboth leading up to and during the bankruptcy process. That includes more than 50 locations whose equipment was put up for auction just days before the Chapter 11 petition, followed by dozens of additional closures throughout the bankruptcy process. Red Lobster said Thursday that it expects to operate about 544 locations across the US and Canada upon emerging from bankruptcy. That's down from 578 disclosed as of May's filing.

The chain will also get a new CEODamola Adamolekun, former chief executive of PF Chang's. Adamolekun was appointed to head RL Investor Holdings, the newly formed entity acquiring Red Lobster, by Fortress last week. In a statement Thursday, Adamolekun said Red Lobster "has a tremendous future." For the first nine months of 2023, a $19 million loss had been reported for Red Lobster. While not the sole reason, among sources of loss indeed were those endless shrimp, per the AP. Last year, Red Lobster significantly expanded the iconic all-you-can-eat special. Customer demand overwhelmed what the chain could afford.

(More Red Lobster stories.)
Most US stocks fell on Thursday following a mixed round of data on the economy, keeping them on track for their worst week since April, per the AP .

One report released Thursday suggested US companies slowed their hiring last month, falling well short of economists' forecasts for an acceleration. Another report, though, said fewer US workers filed for unemployment benefits last week than expected, an indication layoffs remain low. A report released later in the morning suggested growth for businesses in the mining, finance, health care, and other services industries was stronger last month than economists expected.

Old Dominion Freight Line fell to one of the sharpest losses in the S&P 500 Thursday after reporting discouraging revenue trends for August. The freight company's stock fell 5.5%. Verizon's stock slipped 0.5% after it announced it's buying Frontier Communications in a $20 billion deal to strengthen its fiber network. Frontier Communications, which soared nearly 38% the day before, gave back 9.1%. On the winning end of Wall Street was Tesla, which rose 5.2% after its AI division laid out a roadmap for upcoming developments, including the possibility of full self-driving in Europe and China. JetBlue Airways flew 9.2% higher after raising its forecast for revenue in the summer.

(More stock market stories.)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com

A 21-year-old Asian man was arrested at Bahrain International Airport after attempting to smuggle over 1,000 pills of the psychoactive substance Lyrica into the country.

The suspect, who arrived from his home country, concealed the pills in his luggage, hoping to sell them for profit. However, a vigilant customs officer at the airport thwarted his plan.

The incident occurred when the customs officer, while on duty, noticed suspicious items in the suspect's luggage during an X-ray scan. Upon questioning the suspect, he denied having any illegal substances. However, a thorough inspection of the luggage revealed 1,260 pills hidden within two black nylon bags, cleverly concealed beneath the fabric lining of the bag.

Upon examination, the pills were confirmed to contain Lyrica, a psychoactive substance. The customs officer immediately alerted the Drug Enforcement Administration at Bahrain International Airport.

Further investigations, including the use of confidential sources, revealed that the suspect was involved in trafficking Lyrica from his home country with the intention of selling it in Bahrain. He had previously purchased 44 boxes of Lyrica for 50 Bahraini dinars and sold them in the country for 750 Bahraini dinars.

The suspect confessed to purchasing 90 boxes of Lyrica in his home country and concealing them in a black nylon bag beneath the fabric lining of his luggage to avoid detection by airport security.

The Public Prosecution charged the suspect with importing psychoactive substances without legal authorisation. The High Appeals Court has scheduled a hearing for September 23rd to consider the suspect's appeal against his five-year prison sentence and a 3,000 Bahraini dinars fine.
Dr. Frances Gertrude McGill played a leading role in the advancement of public health and forensic science in Saskatchewan and contributed to the development of both fields.

GATINEAU, QC , Sept. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of Dr. Frances Gertrude McGill (18821959) as a person of national historic significance under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration.

Dr. McGill was born to a farming family in the Fairmount district of Manitoba in 1882. In 1915, she graduated with a medical degree from the University of Manitoba as one of only three women in her class, receiving several awards for academic achievement. In 1918, Dr. McGill became provincial bacteriologist for Saskatchewan, contributing to vaccine development. In 1922, she was promoted to director of the Provincial Laboratories.

As there were no dedicated forensic laboratory services in Saskatchewan at the time, police often turned to Dr. McGill for guidance. She began to build a reputation for herself after determining that a gunshot wound was self-inflicted and not evidence of murder, as the local doctor had concluded. Following this case, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began to regularly consult her in cases of sudden, unnatural, and suspicious deaths. She became widely known for her expert testimony, travelling great distances to provide skilful analysis which proved critical to many cases.

In 1943, Dr. McGill came out of retirement to lead the RCMP forensic laboratory in Regina. She was the first woman to hold this position and to serve as honorary surgeon and consultant to the force after 1946. Dr. McGill raised the profile of forensic pathology in Canada through the press coverage she attracted and served as an important example of female leadership in the decades before women gained entry into the RCMP as police officers.

The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada's past and present.

The designation process under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,240 designations have been made nationwide. To nominate a person, place or historic event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/proposer-nominate.

Quotes

"Today, I am honoured to announce the national significance of Dr. Frances Gertrude McGill and her leading role in the advancement of forensic and health science in Canada. Her achievements and legacy exemplify the many professional contributions made by women in the fields of forensic pathology and public health. By commemorating the national historic significance of individuals like Dr. McGill, we illustrate the defining moments in the story of Canada and hope to foster better understanding of the various lived experiences of people in Canada throughout time."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault

Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

"The Government of Canada's recognition of Dr. Frances McGill's legacy as a national historic person is of significance for one who modelled the way for women to rise to the top in non-traditional roles. When Dr. Frances McGill put down her roots in Regina, Saskatchewan, no one suspected that from this out-of-the way great plains region would emerge Canada's first female pathologist and a pioneer in forensic medicine. Often referred to as 'the first woman Mountie,' she was named the first 'Honorary Surgeon to the RCMP' in 1946, a rare distinction as the only other woman to receive that title is her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

Myrna Petersen,

Author of The Pathological Casebook of Dr. Frances McGill

Quick Facts

Dr. McGill became widely known for her expert testimony in court proceedings, bringing forensic pathology into the courtrooms of Saskatchewan to testify as an expert witness for the prosecution on many occasions, including on several criminal cases that became media sensations.





to testify as an expert witness for the prosecution on many occasions, including on several criminal cases that became media sensations. Throughout her career, Dr. McGill held several lead roles in the fields of both public health and forensic science, serving as provincial bacteriologist (19181920), provincial pathologist (19201922), and then director of the Saskatchewan Provincial Laboratories (19221942). After retiring from the Provincial Laboratories in 1942, she continued to help build capacity for forensic science within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the first female director of its forensic laboratory in Regina (19431945), and the first female honorary surgeon and consultant to the force (19461959).





(19431945), and the first female honorary surgeon and consultant to the force (19461959). Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked Canada's history. Together with Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration and these important stories are shared with Canadians.





advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked history. Together with Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration and these important stories are shared with Canadians. Parks Canada is committed to working with Canadians in our efforts to tell broader, more inclusive stories in the places that it manages. In support of this goal, the Framework for History and Commemoration outlines a new, comprehensive, and engaging approach to sharing Canada's history through diverse perspectives, including shedding light on tragic and difficult periods of Canada's past.

Related document

Related links

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

Contacts: Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812, [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Tax literacy is an important life skill, and we want to make sure that students have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make the right decisions about taxes. This back-to-school season, we've got you covered! Whether you are an educator, a parent, or an organization that supports educational growth, there are many resources that you can take advantage of this academic year.

Be a tax literacy influencer

Calling all teachers! Participate in the Learn about your taxes competition and your school could win a share of the $5,000 prize pot. This competition runs from September 3rd to October 15th.

If you are eager to teach your students or child about finances and taxes, check out our Learn about your taxes online learning tool. There are free lesson plans and quick videos that help explain the basics like how to understand your pay stub, how to file a tax return, and what's in a notice of assessment.

We also have free webinars for students, international students, and more! Check out Upcoming events to see what we have planned.

Bookmark our Get ready to do your taxes page. When tax time comes around, it provides eight steps that can help your students or child get started. Find out about what's new, key dates, what to report and claim, and more.

Save for your child's post-secondary education

Post-secondary education can be expensive. Save for your child's future by contributing to a registered education savings plan (RESP). RESP is a tax-deferred investment designed to help people save for a child's education after high school. The government also contributes to your plan with Canada Education Savings Grant payments, the Canada Learning Bond, and provincial incentives if the beneficiary is eligible.

Educational assistance payment limits from an RESP have been increased from $5,000 to $8,000 in the first 13 weeks of enrollment in a qualifying educational program for full-time studies, and from $2,500 to $4,000 for part-time studies.

Teachers' corner: Make your claim

Your role as an educator extends beyond the classroom. Take advantage of these education-related credits and deductions so you can invest in your professional development:

Claim up to $1,000 of supply purchases  As a teacher or early childhood educator, you are eligible to a 25% refundable tax credit on up to $1,000 of supply purchases each year. Make sure you keep your receipts and obtain a written certificate from your employer, as we may ask to see these later.

 As a teacher or early childhood educator, you are eligible to a 25% refundable tax credit on up to of supply purchases each year. Make sure you keep your receipts and obtain a written certificate from your employer, as we may ask to see these later. Claim moving expenses  Claim costs for transportation, storage etc., if you moved at least 40 kilometers closer to your new work location. Make sure you keep supporting documents from your move, like receipts from travelling or hiring movers. Once you've moved, do not forget to update your address with the CRA.

Contacts

Media Relations

Canada Revenue Agency

613-948-8366

[email protected]

Stay connected

Follow the CRA on Facebook

Follow the CRA on X  @CanRevAgency

Follow the CRA on LinkedIn

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Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list

Add our RSS feeds to your feed reader

You can also watch our tax-related videos on YouTube

Listen to our Taxology podcast

SOURCE Canada Revenue Agency
Nextbigfuture at substack has all of the big AI news for the week.

There was big news this week in AI, AI startups, AI research and AI funding.

1. OpenAIs Japan CEO reveals GPT-Next will be released this year, and its effective computational load is 100x greater than GPT-4

2. Two $125 Billion AI Training Centers, Starting at 0.5-1 GW and Scaling to 5-10GW

3. XAI 100k H100 AI data Center

4. AI Research

5. Major recent AI funding announcements including Safe Superintelligence

1. OpenAI GPT Next and Orion in 2025

GPT-Next will be released this year, and its effective computational load is 100x greater than GPT-4.

GPT-4 NEXT, which will be released this year, is expected to be trained using a miniature version of Strawberry (for better reasoning) with roughly the same computational resources as GPT-4, with an effective computational load 100 times greater.

The AI model called GPT Next that will be released in the future will evolve nearly 100 times based on past performance. Unlike traditional software, AI technology grows exponentially.

This 100 times increase does not refer to the scaling of computing resources, but rather to the effective computational volume + 2 OOMs, including improvements to the architecture and learning efficiency.

Orion, which has been in the spotlight recently, was trained for several months on the equivalent of 10k H100 compared to GPT-4, adding 10 times the computational resource scale, making it +3 OOMs, and is expected to be released sometime next year.

Two $125 billion AI Training Data Centers

Two companies are looking to develop artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in North Dakota. Commissioner of Commerce Josh Teigen revealed during a Public Service Commission meeting in August that two companies had approached him and state Governor Doug Burgum about developing AI data centers.

The data center projects would start between 500MW and 1GW projects, but could scale up to 5-10GW facilities eventually. The projects would cost up to $125 billion each. This should enable the 10,000 greater compute compared to what was used for GPT 4. This should enable GPT 6 class LLM (Large language models).

See the substack article for more.
Charlottesvilles city attorney will not be returning to the job after he was placed on administrative leave amid an investigation into an undisclosed complaint lodged earlier this year.

The city announced Wednesday that although that investigation cleared Jacob Stroman of wrongdoing, he had nevertheless decided to retire.

The announcement makes no mention of Ryan Franklin, an assistant city attorney who was placed on leave at the same time as Stroman and was fired before the investigation into Stroman concluded.

Richmond-based law firm Sands Anderson, which was brought on when Stroman was first put on leave in April, will continue to serve as the citys counsel for the time being.

Stroman came to Charlottesville in July of 2023 after he was forced to resign from his position as the city attorney in Chesapeake.

It is unclear what exactly prompted that departure, though multiple rationales have been floated.

Earlier reporting on the matter highlighted a stern warning Stroman issued Chesapeake city councilors in November of 2022 after he determined that the city had wrongfully denied a public records request. Multiple City Hall sources told the Virginian-Pilot at the time that Stromans legal interpretations were frustrating Mayor Rick West, and it was decided Stroman would be fired.

Stroman resigned the following January. Chesapeake was later sued and forced to hand over the public records requested.

That wasnt the only time during his tenure in Chesapeake that Stromans relationship with the council there was strained.

The Virginian-Pilot reported just last month that while he was still employed in Chesapeake Stroman was tasked with assisting the mayors step-brother with a personal legal matter. The brother, emails from August of 2022 show, needed help getting a septic tank permit in Georgia and Stroman agreed to assist.

While the latter incident did not break any Chesapeake laws, it was flagged by ethics experts.

None of that history is noted in Charlottesvilles official announcement of Stromans retirement. In fact, city councilors have been mute on the matter since Stroman was put on leave, referring to the investigation only as a personnel matter, declining to provide any additional details to the press and holding all discussions regarding Stroman in closed-door meetings.

Instead, Stromans retirement announcement includes only praise.

The Council appreciates his service as City Attorney, Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade is quoted in the statement, including his work on the Citys Development Code; his leadership in defending the City in litigation, including the ongoing lawsuit defending the Development Code; his work on real estate matters including the Avon-Levy acquisition earlier this year; his efforts assisting the Council with the formation of its successful General Assembly legislative program, and his commitment to insuring the Citys compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act and the Citys procurement ordinance. We wish him the best in his retirement.

Stroman thanked the city for the opportunity, however brief, to serve as its counsel.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the City of Charlottesville as City Attorney, he is quoted. The array of legal issues on which I was privileged to work were challenging, important to the continued prosperity of the City and, in many cases, cutting edge. While I look forward to retirement, I will miss the practice of local government law to which I have devoted most of my career. I wish Council, City Administration, and the residents of Charlottesville well.

Sands Andersons contract with the city is a sore subject for some. The law firm also serves as counsel for Charlottesvilles Police Civilian Oversight Board. Critics of the deal have said the firm cannot work for both the city and an independent board meant to hold the city accountable, not without creating a conflict of interest. The city has denied any such conflict of interest exists.

If a conflict arises, well deal with it then, city spokeswoman Afton Schneider told The Daily Progress in July.
DEAR ERIC: When I was in my very early 20s, some 27 years ago, I dabbled in drugs. My car was stolen one night, and with it my drugs. I didnt know what to do, fearing I would be arrested myself for the drugs.

I had to come clean to my dad, the owner of the car. He called his attorney and then the cops. The attorney told us to keep quiet about the drugs, dont answer any questions other than the car theft, and if directly asked about the drugs, to refer the questions to him.

The thief was apprehended by the police. They searched my car and found the drugs. The thief was adamant they werent his. When they questioned me, I panicked and lied, denying all knowledge of them. The thief ended up getting charged for my drugs and received an additional two years.

He went to jail; I went on vacation to a very private drug rehab clinic. Ive been clean ever since. I try not to think of it anymore but occasionally I do and have a great deal of remorse about it. Coming clean all these years later to the cops doesnt make sense, not that I could even be charged all these years later. An apology to this car thief (who had a significant arrest history, including for drugs) doesnt sound like a good idea either. Any advice on how to put this behind me?

 Reformed Remorse

DEAR REMORSE: Im a little curious about why the apology is a no-go for you. Yes, his actions and your actions put him in jail, so hes not a blameless victim. But you played a crucial role. If you want to make amends, an apology is how you start. You may not want to get involved in this persons life again, but the fact is you have been for the last 27 years.

Look, it doesnt come without its risks. He could be angry; he could lash out. But he could also be understanding or forgiving or phlegmatic.

One way to put this behind you is to just forgive yourself and move on. Thats also an option. You made a mistake and took the advice you were given. But I think this other person is going to keep riding around in the passenger seat of your guilt until you address it.

(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)

2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Two people have been arrested and charged in an armed robbery and shooting incident from July, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced Wednesday.

Jaquil M. Brown, 29, of Paterson and Shaheem A. Clark, 19, of Elmwood Park are accused of participating in an armed robbery and shooting that began on Route 17 in Lodi and ended on Route 80 in Paterson.

On July 21 at 11:24 p.m., local and state police responded to a report of an armed robbery and shooting in Lodi that started when a group of friends exited a business on Route 17, authorities said.

Once the friends entered their vehicle in an adjacent parking lot, authorities said someone on foot opened the passenger door, reached across the passenger area and pointed a gun at an occupants head.

Investigators said the person demanded an expensive wristwatch the victim was wearing and hit the victim in the head with the gun.

The suspect removed the wristwatch and escaped to a waiting getaway car where a second suspect had parked next to the vehicle and then fled the scene, authorities said.

The victims followed the suspects onto Route 17 and eventually onto Route 80 when the passenger in the getaway vehicle leaned out the window and fired two shots at the victims car following behind them, officials said.

One bullet hit the windshield of the car, causing glass to injure the driver, according to authorities. The victims pulled over on Route 80 in Paterson and called police, officials said.

Detectives with the Bergen County Prosecutors Office eventually identified the vehicle used by the suspects in the incident and located it on July 24 in Paterson, officials said.

After an investigation, authorities linked Brown to the vehicle and alleged he was the getaway driver while Clark was the passenger in the car the evening of the robbery and shooting, officials said.

Brown was arrested on July 25 in Paterson and charged with first-degree armed robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, weapons offenses and receiving stolen property.

Authorities learned on Aug. 28 that Clark was already in custody at the Hudson County Jail for an unrelated matter and was charged with first-degree attempted murder and armed robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery and weapons offenses.

Brown was taken to the Bergen County Jail and detained after a detention hearing on Aug. 7 pending further court proceedings, according to authorities.

Clark remains in custody at the Hudson County Jail pending the resolution of an unrelated criminal case. Details on that incident were not immediately available.

Attorneys for Brown and Clark were not able to reached for comment Wednesday.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X.
Its been nearly five years since Dulce Maria Alavez and her family went to a Cumberland County park for a fun afternoon outing.

She didnt come home that day and her disappearance remains a mystery.

Dulce was 5 years old and had just started kindergarten when she asked to play at Bridgeton City Park on Sept. 16, 2019.

Dulces mom, Noema Alavez Perez, remained in her car at the park with her sister while the Dulce and her younger brother, Manny, ran off to the playground nearby.

A short time later, Alavez Perez said she realized Dulce was missing and, after a search of the area, called 911 for help.

Investigators believe Dulce was taken from the park, but clues to her fate remain elusive.

Family and friends marked her 10th birthday last April with a gathering at a tree dedicated to Dulce near the spot at the park where she was last seen.

The family and supporters will return to Dulces Tree on Sept. 16 this year to mark the five-year anniversary of her disappearance and offer prayers for her return.

Organizers are calling it an awareness day for Dulce and urge anyone with information about the missing girl to come forward.

Attendees are asked to wear yellow for the occasion, which will begin at 4 p.m. More information about the event is on the Facebook page for the group Justice for Dulce Maria Alavez.

Supporters of Dulce's family hold awareness events several times a year to remind the public that the child remains missing.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media

Officials say the investigation of Dulces case remains a top priority.

Soon after the girls disappearance, police released witness descriptions and a sketch of a person of interest, but those have yielded no apparent leads.

An unclaimed reward for information about the case stands at $75,000.

On the fourth anniversary of her disappearance, officials released a new age-progression image of how Dulce may appear today.

Anyone with information about Dulces disappearance is asked to contact authorities via one of these options:

Bridgeton Police: 856-451-0033

Cumberland County Prosecutors Office: 856-453-0486

New Jersey State Police: 609-882-2000, ext. 2554

Anonymous tips may be sent to Bridgeton Police at bpdops.com/tips or to the prosecutors office at njccpo.gov/tips

Information may also be submitted to the Anti-Predator Project, by calling 305-796-4859 or emailing info@antipredatorproject.org

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
George R.R. Martin said in a blog post last week that he would be sharing everything thats gone wrong with House of the Dragon, the HBO series based on his book Fire & Blood.

And Martin recently delivered, detailing a divergence of character and story from A Son for a Son, the first episode of the shows second season, which concluded in August.

In a since-deleted blog post titled Beware the Butterflies, Martin, the Game of Thrones author who lives in Santa Fe and hails from Bayonne, wrote about key differences from Fire & Blood, his 2018 history of House Targaryen, and what ended up onscreen in the series.

Martin, 75, co-created the show with Ryan Condal, 45, a fellow Jersey guy who grew up on Hasbrouck Heights and now resides in the United Kingdom, where the series films.

House of the Dragon, which takes place 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones, premiered in 2022 as the first spinoff series from the enormously popular fantasy drama.

The author zeroed in on the decision of showrunner Condal and his team to omit a character named Maelor, which he said would have ramifications for the rest of the story, and their decision to change some details about the ages of Targaryen children in a particularly disturbing and violent part of the saga.

(Spoiler alert) When the characters Blood and Cheese plot to kill one of the Targaryen children, Prince Jaehaerys, son of married siblings Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) and King Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), they ask Helaena to pick which child will die. The death of the child  a son for a son, they say  will be payback for the death of Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), the son of Aegon and Helaenas half-sister, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma DArcy). Rhaenyra, the named heir to the Iron Throne, is locked in a blood feud with Aegon and his camp, who occupy Kings Landing.

In Martins book, which tells the story of the Targaryen civil war, aka the Dance of the Dragons, Helaena has three children. In the episode, she has two, and they are significantly younger than in the book. Omitted in the show is her son Maelor Targaryen, who Martin labeled Maelor the Missing in his blog post.

Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, who both hail from New Jersey, co-created "House of the Dragon." Condal, who is showrunner, has diverged from characters in Martin's "Fire & Blood" book in telling the story.Jeff Kravitz | FilmMagic

In delivering his criticism, preserved in excerpts shared by Variety and Deadline, Martin both praised the show and noted different reactions based on whether or not people had read his book.

I promised you some further thoughts about Blood and Cheese and Maelor the Missing after my commentary on the first two episodes of HotD season 2, A Son for a Son and Rhaenyra the Cruel, Martin wrote. Those were terrific episodes: well written, well directed, powerfully acted. A great way to kick off the new season. Fans and critics alike seemed to agree. There was only one aspect of the episodes that drew significant criticism: the handling of Blood and Cheese, and the death of Prince Jaehaerys. From the commentary I saw on line, opinion was split there. The readers of Fire & Blood found the sequence underwhelming, a disappointment, watered down from what they were expecting. Viewers who had not read the book had no such problems. Most of them found the sequence a real gut-punch, tragic, horrifying, nightmarish, etc. Some reported being reduced to tears. I found myself agreeing with both sides.

READ MORE: Inside House of the Dragon with George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal, N.J. creators of Game of Thrones prequel (creator interviews)

Then, addressing the differences, Martin continued:

In my book, Aegon and Helaena have three children, not two, he wrote. The twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, are six years old. They have a younger brother, Maelor, who is two. When Blood and Cheese break in on Helaena and the kids, they tell her they are debt collectors come to exact revenge for the death of Prince Lucerys: a son for a son. As Helaena has two sons, however, they demand that she choose which one should die. She resists and offers her own life instead, but the killers insist it has to be a son. If she does not name one, they will kill all three of the children. To save the life of the twins, Helaena names Maelor. But Blood kills the older boy, Jaehaerys, instead, while Cheese tells little Maelor that his mother wanted him dead. Whether the boy is old enough to understand that is not at all certain.

Martin, noting that the show leaves out Maelor, also notes the twins look younger than six, but I am no sure judge of childrens ages, so I cant be sure how old they are supposed to be.

Blood cant seem to tell the twins apart, so Helaena is asked to reveal which one is the boy, he said. You would think a glance up his PJs would reveal that, without involving the mother. Instead of offering her own life to save the kids, Helaena offers them a necklace. Blood and Cheese are not tempted. Blood saws Prince Jaehaeryss head off. We are spared the sight of that; a sound effect suffices.

Helaena Targaryen has two children in season two of "House of the Dragon" and three in George R.R. Martin's book "Fire & Blood." Ollie Upton | HBO

Martin wrote that he prefers his original version of events.

I still believe the scene in the book is stronger, he said. The readers have the right of that. The two killers are crueler in the book. I thought the actors who played the killers on the show were excellent but the characters are crueler, harder, and more frightening in Fire & Blood.

Martin also explained how the lack of Maelor at this juncture in the show affects the course of the story.

When Ryan Condal first told me what he meant to do, ages ago (back in 2022, might be) I argued against it, for all these reasons, he said. I did not argue long, or with much heat, however. The change weakened the sequence, I felt, but only a bit. And Ryan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year old toddler. Kids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications. Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could.

Moreover, Ryan assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him, Martin said. Queen Helaena could still give birth to him in season three, presumably after getting with child late in season two. That made sense to me, so I withdrew my objections and acquiesced to the change. I still love the episode, and the Blood and Cheese sequence overall. Losing the Helaenas Choice beat did weaken the scene, but not to any great degree. Only the book readers would even notice its absence; viewers who had never read FIRE & BLOOD would still find the scenes heart-rending. Maelor did not actually DO anything in the scene, after all. How could he? He was only two years old. There is another aspect to the removal of the young princeling, however.

Condal addressed missing Maelor and the change in childrens ages in an episode of HBOs House of the Dragon podcast.

Tom Glynn-Carney plays King Aegon Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."Ollie Upton | HBO

The casualty in that was that our young children in this show are very young, he said. Very, very young. Because we compress that timeline. So those people could only have children of a certain age and have it be believable where it didnt feel like we werent hewing to the realities of the passage of time and the growth of children in any real way. And people, people look at that stuff. And particularly with a show like this, they look at it very closely. So it was a choice made. It did have a ripple effect, and we decided that we were going to lean into it and try to make it a strength, instead of playing it as a weakness.

While Maelor hy himself means little, Martin said, the where and when and how of his death in Fire & Blood matters (spoilers for further parts of the unfolding series story ahead).

Losing Maelor weakened the end of the Blood and Cheese sequence, but it also cost us the Bitterbridge scene with all its horror and heroism, it undercut the motivation for Helaenas suicide, and that in turn sent thousands into the streets and alleys, screaming for justice for their murdered queen. None of that is essential, I suppose but all of it does serve a purpose, it all helps to tie the story lines together, so one thing follows another in a logical and convincing manner.

HBO responded to Martins airing of grievances, per Variety.

There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon, both in production and at HBO, the network said in a statement. Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.

But Martin indicated that his criticisms of the series would not end with those mentioned in the blog post.

And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4, Martin said in the deleted post.

House of the Dragon, which airs on HBO and streams on Max, is set to end after its fourth season.

Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
A legal dispute over a popular rock bands name usage has been resolved after months of negotiations between former bandmates.

Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, co-founders of the Guess Who, filed a lawsuit against former bandmates Garry Peterson and Jim Kale over false advertisement back in October of 2023. The lawsuit claimed Peterson and Kale led fans to believe Bachman and Cummings, who had left the group years ago, were still part of their band that was recording and touring under the Guess Who name even though they were not.

Bachman, 80, and Cummings, 76, told Rolling Stone that shared trademarks have been worked out with the former bandmates although details of the settlement have not been announced.

We are pleased to have reached a resolution that honors our shared history and allows us to move forward with a new sense of purpose and camaraderie, Bachman told Rolling Stone.

The 60s and 70s Canadian rock staple, originally named Chad Allan and the Reflections, was formed in Winnipeg by Bachman, Kale, Peterson, Bob Ashley and Chad Allan. The name change came in 1965.

While the lawsuit was filed in 2023, the situation has been an issue for the Guess Who for years. A version of the Guess Who played in Ocean Grove back in 2013, but Kale was the only original member performing.

Cummings and Bachman said it was an arduous process, but they are relieved they resolved the situation.

It was painful, but wed have done it indefinitely just to stop that fake band from taking over our history, Cummings told Rolling Stone. They took over streaming sites; they were using old photos of me and Randy. It gets me going thinking about it, but thats over. Its a painful success. It cost a lot of money with lawyers and I gave up a lot of publishing money, but we finally won this terrible battle.

The Guess Who is famous for hits like No Sugar Tonight (New Mother Nature), American Woman, These Eyes and more.

More entertainment coverage:

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Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips/.
Two ballot questions this fall will measure support for a proposed $2 billion South Jersey regional light rail line. Citizen-led petitions garnered enough signatures to put the questions on ballots in Brooklawn and Glassboro.

Four other towns on the the 18-mile, 14-stop Glassboro-Camden light rail line have already passed referendums opposing it. A resolution passed in Wenonah in 2022, after voters voiced opposition to the proposed rail line, said the project will negatively impact the peace and quiet enjoyment of residents.

People of the Borough of Wenonah  overwhelmingly voted against both the GCL and a proposed stop, with 73% voting NO against the construction of the rail and 65% voting NO against the location of the stop within the Borough of Wenonah, the resolution stated.
If a representative from New Jersey has his way, there will be more safety regulations for school buses across the country come the start of next school year.

U.S. Rep Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., is reintroducing legislation to require three point lap and shoulder seat belts on school buses nationwide, and adding a new bill requiring real time background driving record checks for bus drivers.

The legislation, announced in Midland Park Wednesday morning, is in response to the May 17, 2018 school bus crash on Interstate 80 that killed Paramus fifth grader Miranda Vargas and teacher Jennifer Williamson, and injured another 43 students and staffers who were on a class trip.

The seat belt bill is reintroduced 2022 legislation that would require the same three point seat belts that are already required in cars and trucks to be installed in school buses.

New Jersey already has such a law, which Gov.Phil Murphy signed in August 2018. But only 8 states, including New Jersey require any type of school bus seat belts.

In addition to seat belts, Gottheimer said he wants to require technology be installed on buses to alert the school bus driver if any passengers arent buckled up

Mirandas father, Joevanny Vargas, went to Washington to lobby for the 2022 bill.

Joevanny will be back on Capitol Hill with me soon to go door to door to members of Congress, Gottheimer said. Every child in every state should have those same protections on their way to school or a field trip.

The new legislation, called Mirandas law in honor of Miranda Vargas, requires notification of school districts and bus companies within 24 hours after a driver is convicted of a serious motor vehicle violation across the nation and includes setting up a national database.

The legislation was proposed after the bus driver in the I-80 crash, Hudy Muldrow Sr., 79, was found have received eight speeding tickets and had his license suspended 14 times between 1975 and 2017, according to state motor vehicle records.

Can you believe he was allowed to drive a school bus?, Gottheimer said. We must strengthen background checks.

The 2018 crash occurred when Muldrow was driving a bus filled with students and teachers from Paramus to Waterloo Village in Stanhope when he got on I-80 going the wrong way. Instead of going to the next exit, Muldrow cut across several lanes of highway in an attempt to reach a turn around in the median to make an illegal U-turn.

A dump truck hit the bus from behind, knocking the bus body off its frame and injuring every person on board.

Current laws only require an annual background check of school bus drivers driving record, meaning a driver convicted of a motor vehicle offense could drive for almost a year before their school district or bus company learned about it, Gottheimer said.

The bus safety legislative package has bipartisan support from U.S. Reps. Mike Lawler, R-NY-17th Dist., Jared Moskowitz, D- Florida 23rd Dist., Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii 2nd Dist., and Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-District of Columbia.

Gottheimer cited a statistic that only 50 to 80% of commercial drivers license holders, which includes school bus drivers, self-report violations to their employer.

Its a crucial bill that requires real time notification so districts can take immediate action, he said.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry.
Fred Daibes, the wealthy Gold Coast developer who was a key figure in the corruption and bribery trial of former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, pleaded guilty Thursday to separate bank fraud charges that became a focal point of the criminal case against the New Jersey Democrat.

Daibes, 67, of Edgewater, the former CEO and chairman of the board of directors at Mariners Bank, admitted making false entries in connection with a loan memorandum relating to a $1.8 million loan which falsely stated the identity of the borrower  which in fact was a line of credit for his own benefit.
Good morning New Jersey. Heres your audio update highlighting a national school bus safety proposal in the memory of a tragic New Jersey crash, the standoff between a nonprofit and the state over an historic lighthouse and the hunt for a wedding dress missing since 1994.

Plus, well tell you about a parade of planets visible in the night sky during the next two weeks.

Listen by clicking the player above and read more about those stories at the accompanying links.

This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result.

We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us know what you think.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Labor Day weekend is the unofficial kick off of the presidential election season because its around the time many voters begin to tune into presidential politics.

And for good reason.

The election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump isnt until Nov. 5. But ballots around the country will be cast well before then and early voting for many in key states is around the corner.

(More than 100 million people  a majority of the electorate  voted early in-person or by mail in 2020 when the world was amid a pandemic, so expect that number to be lower this election cycle)

The first batch of ballots typically sent out are ones to military and overseas voters. Under federal law, that must happen at least 45 days before an election  which this year is Sept. 21.

Election offices in North Carolina are scheduled to begin sending mail ballots to all voters who request them on Friday, though that could be delayed because Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sued to have his name removed from the states ballot after he suspended his campaign.

In Pennsylvania, counties are allowed to begin processing mail ballot applications up to 50 days before the election, or Sept. 16 this year, unless a county decides to do it earlier. But counties do not yet have a certified ballot from the state because there are three third-party ballot-access challenges pending in the state Supreme Court. After certification, counties will need time to print and test the ballot, leading some county officials to caution that they might not go out until late September or early October.

In other key states, early voting begins:

Arizona : Oct. 9

Nevada : Oct. 12

Georgia : Oct. 15

Wisconsin : Oct. 22

Michigan: Oct. 26

Voter registration deadlines vary by state, with most falling between eight and 30 days before the election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The deadline is Oct. 7 in Georgia, one of this years most prominent presidential battlegrounds.

Nearly all states offer some version of in-person voting, though the rules and dates vary considerably.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
A lawyer for Donald Trump clashed on Thursday with the judge in the federal election interference prosecution of the former president after suggesting the government was rushing forward with an illegitimate indictment at the height of the White House campaign.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are bitterly at odds over the next steps in the case after the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the prosecution by ruling that former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges.

While Trumps attorneys argued in the cases first court hearing in nearly a year that it should be tossed out altogether, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan made clear she did not accept the argument.

CBS News Scott MacFarlane posted excerpts of the hearing to X where Trumps lawyers sparred with Chutkan:

Defense: What is the rush to judgment the special counsel is suggesting? Chutkan: This case has been pending for a year. Were hardly sprinting to the finish line.

Chutkan: When the Supreme Court had this case... they had the indictment in front of them.. yet they sent the case back to me to decide issues I cant just dismiss the superseding indictment based on the Supreme Courts decision.

Defense: Were being put in an incredibly unfair position. For no reason at all. Were talking about the Presidency of the United States. Chutkan intervenes: Im not talking about the Presidency of the United States.. Im talking about a four-count indictment.

As defense approached podium again, Judge Chutkan warned: I dont need anymore rhetoric about how grave and serious this moment is. Defense attorney John Lauro counters: Its not rhetoric, its a legal argument.

!!! Judge Chutkan says she does not find the decision/ruling against Special Counsel by Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida "very persuasive"  Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) September 5, 2024

The dueling proposals and testy courtroom exchanges reflected the extent to which the justices July opinion had upended the path of the case that charges Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Special counsel Jack Smiths team filed a revised indictment last week to strip out certain allegations against Trump for which the Supreme Court said Trump, the Republican nominee for president, enjoyed immunity. Defense lawyers, however, believe that that indictment did not fully comply with the justices ruling.

The case is one of two federal prosecutions against Trump. The other, charging him with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, was dismissed in July by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon. She said Smiths appointment as special counsel was unlawful.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
Polarization in politics has been at a fever pitch, so theres no wonder why voters view presidential hopefuls as too extreme or a threat to the country.

But when it comes to Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, who do voters fret more over?

According to a recent CNN/SSRS poll of six battleground states, the all-important voters in swing states view Trump as the more significant threat over Harris.

An average of 54% of voters said Trump was too extreme and 46% said he was a threat to the country, compared to 44% who said Harris is too extreme and 39% said she was a threat to the country. Thats among voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Washington Posts Aaron Blake writes:

The gaps are similar among independent voters, with nearly half (an average of 47 percent) saying Trump was a threat to the country, compared to just 38 percent for Harris.

And Republicans were significantly more likely to regard their own partys candidate as both too extreme and a threat to the country. Fully 14 percent of Trumps own party said he was too extreme, and 7 percent said he was a threat (compared to 6 percent and 2 percent, respectively, for Harris).

Across 6 key swing states, an average of 48% label Trump a "threat to the country."



For Harris, it's 39%.https://t.co/1DtudoYbgY pic.twitter.com/EKcHte2fQa  Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) September 5, 2024

The poll showed Harris ahead of Trump in Wisconsin and Michigan and leading by a percentage point in Georgia and Nevada. But Trump is ahead in Arizona and both are tied in Pennsylvania.

According to the poll:

Wisconsin : Harris 50%  Trump 44%

Michigan : Harris 48%  Trump 43%

Georgia : Harris 48%  Trump 47%

Nevada : Harris 48%  Trump 47%

Pennsylvania : Harris 47%  Trump 47%

Arizona: Trump 49%  Harris 44%

The two presidential nominees are using the week before their debate to sharpen their economic messages about who could do more for the middle class. Harris discussed her policy plans on Wednesday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, while Trump will address the Economic Club of New York on Thursday.

Harris used the New Hampshire campaign stop to propose an expansion of tax incentives for small businesses, a pro-entrepreneur plan that may soften her previous calls for wealthy Americans and large corporations to pay higher taxes. Trump, meanwhile, is betting that Americans crave trillions of dollars in tax cuts  and that growth will be so fantastic that its not worth worrying about budget deficits.

The candidates will debate next week in what will be their first meeting ever. The nations premier swing state, Pennsylvania, begins in-person absentee voting the week after. By the end of the month, early voting will be underway in at least four states with a dozen more to follow by mid-October.

In just 61 days, the final votes will be cast to decide which one of them will lead the worlds most powerful nation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
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A worker cuts a piece of pipe as crews repair the corner where a car struck a fire hydrant Sunday morning and flipped over after being fired upon by an unknown shooter. One woman was killed and four others were shot, the NOPD said.
Guest column: First day of school brings new challenges. And new opportunities. Here's how we see them.
An injured backpacker was rescued at Duffy Lake thanks to a joint effort by local search and rescue and the National Guard.

The teenage backpackers mother sent a nearby good Samaritan to call in the emergency from Maxwell Sno-Park on Sunday, Sept. 1, according to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff's Office.

The backpacker, a 16-year-old Portland boy, reportedly suffered a broken leg.

Linn County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue, primarily composed of volunteers, mobilized a ground team that worked with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management to coordinate support from the Oregon Army National Guard for a helicopter.

However, thunderstorms near Duffy Lake delayed the helicopter mission for an hour as the crew waited for the weather to clear up, according to the release.

Meanwhile, the Sheriffs Office hastily sent out a Search and Rescue team with medically trained members, arriving at the trail to Duffy Lake around two hours after the 4 p.m. call for help came in, with more rescuers arriving shortly after.

Search and Rescue team members reached the injured and prepared him for transport by the National Guard, who conducted a hoist rescue just before 8 p.m. and took the teen to St. Charles Hospital in Bend, the release states.

The rescuers made it back to the Duffy Lake Trailhead around midnight Monday.
MICHIGAN CITY  A motorcyclist is accused of leading police on a high speed chase while impaired by alcohol, and with cocaine and an illegal handgun in his possession.

Tyrone Morris, 45, is charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated, possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, both Level 4 felonies, and Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement.

According to court documents, a Michigan City police officer tried pulling Morris over for not having a license plate on the 2001 Kawasaki he was driving early on Aug. 29 near Bolka Avenue.

However, police said Morris fled westbound to Earl Road, then County Line Road, reaching speeds of about 100 miles per hour before turning eastbound on U.S. 12.

The chase reached the north side of the city when Morris drove toward a police vehicle blocking the street, abandoned the motorcycle and fled on foot.

He allegedly tried outrunning officers between several houses and along a fence and sidewalk before being captured by a police K-9 dog in an alley in the 800 block of West 7th Street.

Police said a bag of cocaine weighing nearly 10 grams along with a loaded .40 caliber handgun with an extended 22-round magazine were recovered from the path Morris took during the foot pursuit.

A much smaller amount of cocaine was allegedly found in his possession.

Morris, who had an odor of alcohol on his breath, police said, refused to have his blood-alcohol level tested, which resulted in his arrest for OWI.

A 2002 conviction for dealing in cocaine made his possession of the gun a felony, police said.

According to court documents, the motorcycle was last registered in Michigan in 2021.

Morris could face a prison sentence ranging from two to 12 years on each of the most serious felony counts.

He was being held in the LaPorte County Jail Thursday on a $20,000 bond set during his initial court hearing on Tuesday.
A 14-year-old student opened fire today in the hallway of a Georgia high school, killing two students and two teachers and injuring at least nine others, the authorities said. The shooting  the deadliest episode of school violence in Georgias history  took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, roughly 50 miles from the center of Atlanta. Heres the latest on what we know.

Students inside the school described a chaotic atmosphere after they realized that a lockdown was not a drill. They barricaded themselves inside classrooms as gunshots rang out, and some students called their parents in fear. They prepare you for these things, one student said. But in the moment, I started crying. I got nervous.

The suspect surrendered when he was confronted by law enforcement and is in custody, officials said. He will be charged with murder as an adult. President Biden called the shooting another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.
Months after a low-level aide in the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo returned from a visit to China in 2019, she got a curious inquiry from federal investigators.

The F.B.I. wanted to know about the nature of the trip that the aide, Linda Sun, had taken.

The interaction in 2020 was one of the first known instances of governmental interest in Ms. Suns activities, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday. But it was not the last.

In February 2023, Ms. Sun was interviewed by the states Office of the Inspector General about her unauthorized procurement of official proclamations from the governors office, according to the indictment.

And when Ms. Sun was fired by Gov. Kathy Hochuls administration weeks later, state officials suspicions surrounding Ms. Sun were reported immediately to law enforcement, the governor said on Wednesday.
On Sunday, Dustin Grage, a columnist for the conservative website Townhall and a Republican strategist who describes himself as a Minnesota G.O.P. hype man, posted on X a clip from a 2012 speech by Tim Walz to the American Legion. In the clip, Walz says: When I was in Afghanistan, you know what our troops were worried about? They were worried about their familys health care, and they were worried about their pensions.

Grages post said Walz claiming he was in Afghanistan was another example of Stolen Valor.

But Walz did, in fact, visit Afghanistan and speak with troops as part of a congressional delegation in 2008. Grage concedes as much in a note that was later appended to the post, complaining that Walz didnt specify that he was referring to the trip four years prior.

But Grage didnt remove the stolen valor post, which has been viewed more than 340,000 times. The note, on the other hand, has been viewed only about 4,000 times. This differential is how misinformation spreads.

Some legitimate questions have arisen about statements that Walz made about his service, but four veterans who specialize in investigating cases of deception about service told The New York Times last month that they do not believe Mr. Walz engaged in stolen valor, but that he did misrepresent his record at times or, at the very least, has not always been precise.
Luca Guadagnino has added creative director to his list of jobs.

As a filmmaker, his credits include Challengers, the Oscar-nominated movie Call Me by Your Name and the upcoming Queer, an adaptation of William S. Burroughss semi-autobiographical novella starring Daniel Craig, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival. He is also the founder of Studio Luca Guadagnino, an award-winning interiors firm in Milan that has designed several homes, boutiques and, most recently, the Palazzo Talia hotel in Rome.

Now, Mr. Guadagnino has marshaled the staging and curation of Homo Faber, a monthlong, biennial craftsmanship exhibition that opened on Sunday at the Giorgio Cini Foundation, a cultural center on San Giorgio Maggiore island in Venice. Homo Faber, which means man the maker in Latin, is put on by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, a Geneva-based non-profit established by Italian author Franco Cologni and luxury industry billionaire Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont, which owns the brands Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Alaia. Mr. Guadagnino partnered with his design studio project manager, Nicolo Rosmarini, to conceive this third edition as a holistic experience  like a narrative, he said.

To achieve this, Mr. Guadagnino and Mr. Rosmarini created an immersive journey throughout the islands 16th-century Palladio-designed monastery and assorted buildings that carries visitors through 10 multisensory set pieces, each dedicated to an aspect of the human experience like Childhood, Courtship and Dreams. They designed everything (the lighting system, the uniforms, the tote bag, the tables, the cover of the cable on the floor, Mr. Guadagnino said) then filled the rooms with 800 objects by 400 artisans from 70 countries.
More than three decades after Carmen Van Huss was found dead in her Indianapolis apartment, a homicide victim at 19, the police said on Tuesday that they had arrested a suspect, a break in a cold case that had long consumed the Van Huss family.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Boone County Sheriffs Office in Missouri arrested Dana Shepherd, 52, in Columbia, Mo., on Friday in connection with Ms. Van Husss death. The authorities charged Mr. Shepherd with murder, felony murder and rape, according to Ryan Mears, the Marion County prosecutor.

Thirty-one years ago she was tragically killed, and today we finally have some answers, Kendale Adams, the deputy chief of the Indianapolis police criminal investigations division, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Jimmy Van Huss Jr., Ms. Van Husss younger brother, thanked law enforcement officials for their efforts to bring the case to a close.
Anetra Pattman, 43, was teaching social sciences at the alternative school in Barrow County, Ga., when she received a text on Wednesday at 10:24 a.m.

It was from her 14-year-old daughter, Macey Wright, at Apalachee High. It said, Mom, I heard gunshots. Im scared. Please come get me.

Dr. Pattman knew that she could not hurry to her daughter. She had to stay with her own students, and keep calm.

At that moment, the primary thing was continuing this communication with my daughter, but now Im also responsible for keeping my other children safe, she said of her students.

Then her own school went into hard lockdown mode. Her students hid in the corner. Lights out. Quiet. They stayed that way from 11 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m.

The reunion of mother and daughter finally came about an hour later. A friend had picked Macey up from Apalachee and taken her to a convenience store, where her mother was waiting. They hugged each other and cried.

Two students and two teachers were killed at Apalachee, the authorities said, and at least nine other people were injured.

Maceys friend, a fellow freshman, had been shot in the shoulder, and Macey was worried about her. She told her mother she did not want to go back to school and get shot.

It was difficult for Dr. Pattman, an educator for 22 years, to accept that so many students have to live with such a possibility every day that they set foot on an American high school campus. But she said that she and her daughter would find a way to soldier on. She spoke on Wednesday afternoon with a resolve that seemed laced with resignation.

I think most of it just comes from not living in fear, knowing that things like this happen, she said. Not just in schools, but in grocery stores, in churches. Im almost to the point where I feel that no place is exempt.
Bryan Garcia heard what sounded like gunfire  boom, boom, boom, he said  coming from outside his math class at Apalachee High School. A lockdown alert flashed on a screen inside the room.

Following protocol, the students and teacher ran to the back of the class and huddled in the corner furthest from the door.

Bryan looked toward the door. It was open.

Almost immediately, Bryan said, a classmate ran across the room and slammed the door shut.

He saved us, Bryan said.

Another student, Nahomi Licona, described a similar scene in her math class. As students hustled to the back of the room, she said, one of them ran up to close the door. They heard gunshots, then footsteps, then lots of shouting, she said.

Nahomi, 15, a sophomore, said her family moved to the United States nine years ago from Guatemala. Walking beside Nahomi on Wednesday afternoon, her mother, Jackeline, said shootings in their native country tended to happen in the streets, not in schools. Nahomi said she recognized the sound of gunfire at once.

Its normal over there, but its still scary, Nahomi said. She added: I never expected to hear that in a school.

Within a few minutes, Bryan said, school resource officers responded. Bryan said he heard a confrontation involving the shooter, whom the authorities identified as a 14-year-old student at the school. The officers were engaging the suspect, Bryan said, telling him to raise his hands and surrender.

Nahomi said she knew people were at least injured while she was evacuating the school. In a hallway, she said, she saw white powder used to absorb blood.
Federal investigators said on Wednesday that the suspect in the shooting at a Georgia high school had been interviewed more than a year ago by local law enforcement officials in connection to threats made online of a school shooting.

The authorities were led to the suspect, Colt Gray, who was 13 at the time, after the F.B.I.s National Threat Operations Center received several anonymous tips in May 2023 reporting threats that had been posted on an online gaming site warning of a school shooting at an unidentified location and time, according to statements from the F.B.I. field office in Atlanta and local law enforcement officials. The threats included photographs of guns.

Investigators from the sheriffs office in Jackson County, Ga., interviewed the suspect and his father, the F.B.I. said. His father told investigators that he had hunting guns in the house, but said that his son did not have unsupervised access to the weapons. The suspect denied making the threats.

The F.B.I. said that the Jackson County authorities alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject. But it was unclear if officials at Apalachee High School, where the shooting took place and the suspect was a student this year, had been among those informed; the school is in Winder, Ga., in neighboring Barrow County.

The F.B.I., in its statement, said that investigators lacked probable cause to arrest the teenager or take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels.

In a separate statement, Janis G. Mangum, the sheriff in Jackson County, said that a thorough investigation was conducted, but that the gaming site threats could not be substantiated.

Ms. Mangum cautioned residents to be careful of posts containing misinformation circulating online. My phone is blowing up with messages from people about social media postings about other possible incidents, she said in a note on Facebook. To my knowledge, there is not a list indicating any of this.
The families of some of the 16 patients who died after contracting bacterial infections at a southern Oregon hospital have sued the facility, accusing it of failing to prevent a nurse from replacing fentanyl in intravenous drips with tap water that caused the infections.

The former nurse, Dani Marie Schofield, was arrested in June and charged with 44 counts of second-degree assault.

Investigators said Ms. Schofield had swapped tap water for liquid fentanyl meant for dozens of patients in the intensive care unit. Instead, they said, the nurse used the powerful painkiller herself. Ms. Schofield, who was 36 at the time of her arrest, has pleaded not guilty.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Jackson County Circuit Court on Tuesday on behalf of the families of nine of the patients who died and nine others who were infected, claims that the hospital, Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, in Medford, Ore., failed to detect the theft. (Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is commonly considered a street drug, but it can be legally prescribed and used as an anaesthetic and painkiller in medical settings.)
The great debate microphone muting drama of 2024 has come to a quiet end.

Vice President Kamala Harriss campaign has begrudgingly agreed to have her and former President Donald J. Trumps microphones muted when they are not speaking, a position top Harris officials tried to change last week to give themselves an advantage when the candidates meet onstage next Tuesday.

Brian Fallon, a top Harris aide, wrote on Wednesday to officials at ABC News, which is broadcasting the debate from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, that Ms. Harris will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with Ms. Harris.

President Bidens campaign, when he was still running, had insisted on having the microphones muted when the candidates were not speaking as a condition of participating in debates with Mr. Trump. But once Ms. Harris became the Democratic nominee, her aides wanted the microphones unmuted, in an effort to goad Mr. Trump into interrupting Ms. Harris and creating an organic moment for her like when she told Vice President Mike Pence, Im speaking, during a 2020 vice-presidential debate.

Mr. Trump said last week that it doesnt matter to me whether the microphones are muted. Id rather have it probably on, he said. But the agreement was that it would be the same as it was last time.
A top House Republican on Wednesday issued a subpoena to Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, for details about a years-old fraud scheme in his state in which a nonprofit organization used a pandemic-era program aimed at feeding hungry children to steal $250 million.

In a letter demanding documents about the scheme, Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina and the chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee, sought to tie Mr. Walz to the wrongdoing. Mr. Walz was selected just last month as Vice President Kamala Harriss running mate, and the subpoena was the latest sign that House Republicans, who have spent most of the Congress using their majority to investigate and attack President Biden, were pivoting to take aim at the new Democratic ticket.

Ms. Foxx said that Mr. Walz must produce records to show the extent of your responsibilities and actions addressing the massive fraud that resulted in the abuse of taxpayer dollars intended for hungry children.

Minnesotas Education Department, which oversaw the child nutrition program, has already been providing documents for and cooperating with the committee, according to a state official familiar with the case who did not have authorization to comment on it and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official also noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funded the pandemic-era program, refused during the Trump administration to act on the states repeated warnings about the fraud scheme.
Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas went to court on Wednesday to try to stop county leaders in San Antonio from sending out more than 200,000 voter registration applications to unregistered residents of Bexar County.

The lawsuit by Mr. Paxton followed a letter he sent days earlier warning Bexar County officials, most of whom are Democrats, against proceeding with the mailing. The countys governing commissioners voted 3 to 1 on Tuesday to approve the proposal anyway.

Mr. Paxton has also threated to sue Harris County, which includes the Democratic stronghold of Houston, where officials have been weighing a similar effort to expand the number of registered voters ahead of the registration deadline early next month for the November election.

The suit is the latest chapter in a yearslong conflict over voting and elections in Texas between Republicans, who dominate state government, and Democrats, who control most of the states largest urban areas.
The shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday took place in a rural, unincorporated area between the cities of Atlanta and Athens in Georgia.

The school  where a 14-year-old student fatally shot four people and injured nine others, according to the authorities  is on the edge of Winder, which is home to about 20,000 people. The city is roughly 50 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and about 25 miles west of Athens.

The area around the school, once largely farmland nestled in the Georgia pines, has been developing rapidly in the last 15 years, as new buildings have cropped up along its winding, two-lane roads, according to Winders mayor, Jimmy Terrell.

Winder is the seat of Barrow County, which has nearly doubled in population to 83,500 since 2000, according to census data.

Winder is a family-oriented, middle-income community with an aging population, Mr. Terrell said. The area has not had a crime of this magnitude since a series of murders in the 1960s and 70s, Mr. Terrell said in a phone interview.

In Winder, about 60 percent of the population is white, about 20 percent is Black and about 15 percent is Latino, according to census figures.The area has grown more diverse in recent years, Mr. Terrell said. The citys median household income is about $57,000, according to the census, and about one in five people in the city have attained a bachelors degree. Barrow County as a whole has a larger share of families with children than other places in Georgia and the United States, according to the data.

The city leans Republican, Mr. Terrell said. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald J. Trump won Barrow County, which surrounds the city, with about 71 percent of the vote.

Apalachee High School opened in 2000, and has about 1,800 students in grades nine through 12.

Robert Gebeloff and Emmett Lindner contributed reporting.
African flags have been flown over Tiananmen Square. Leaders of African nations have been greeted by dancers, honor guards and children waving flags. They have been escorted in extensive motorcades past banners celebrating A Shared Future for China and Africa and giant, elaborate flower arrangements.

China has pulled out all the stops for a gathering of leaders and top officials from more than 50 African nations this week in Beijing, welcoming them with pomp and pageantry. Xi Jinping, Chinas leader, has cast his country as a defender of the developing world, one that can push the West to listen to the voices of poorer nations.

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries, he told the gathering on Thursday. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries.

Mr. Xi had hosted a banquet for the visiting officials at the start of the event on Wednesday, after three straight days of back-to-back bilateral talks with nearly two dozen leaders of nations ranging from impoverished Chad to the continental economic powerhouse of Nigeria.
Adam Brodys bar mitzvah was held six months late. It was barely held at all. This was in San Diego, Calif., in the early 1990s, and Brody, who spent most of his free time surfing, attended Hebrew school only under duress. He knew few other Jews.

I wanted long, straight blond hair, he said. All my idols were named Shane.

A decade later, after a cursory stint at community college, an impulsive move to Los Angeles, a handful of television one-offs and a brief arc on Gilmore Girls, Brody became the most famous Jewish (well, half Jewish) high schooler in America. (He was actually 23, which made the fandom a little tricky.) Starring as Seth Cohen on the sun-kissed teen romantic dramedy The O.C., he played a curly-haired heartthrob, responsible for introducing the holiday portmanteau Chrismukkah into the lexicon.
In The Circle, a reality competition show on Netflix, a group of strangers are sequestered for days inside a multistory apartment complex, angling to survive rounds of eliminations to win a cash prize, much like Big Brother. The twist is that the players cant see or hear one another, and must communicate via text  people might not be what they seem, and anyone, at any time, could be catfishing.

As it turns out, The Circle has been doing some impersonation of its own, with one sleek setting standing in for a local building across several international versions of the show.

The neon-lit compound  which was initially a housing block in Salford, England, before moving, in 2023, to a complex in Atlanta, Georgia  has not only been the set for the series flagship American edition, which returns to Netflix for a seventh season on Sept. 11. It has also been used for The Circle Brazil, Frances The Circle Game, the British version of The Circle and its 2020 spinoff The Celebrity Circle. With minimal adjustments, the show can look like its located virtually anywhere in the world.

We need a building with 10 rooms, without noise bleed, that looks great, is in a cool location, and that can house a team of 200 people in the basement, Jack Burgess, an executive producer on The Circle, said in a recent interview. Thats a hard thing to find, so of course you want to make the most of it.
Hunter Biden, the presidents son, pleaded guilty today to nine federal tax charges in Los Angeles. He told his lawyers that he did not want to subject his family to another round of humiliation after his wrenching gun trial in Delaware nearly three months ago.

The dramatic development signaled the final stages of a five-plus-year investigation into the period in which Biden was bankrolling his uncontrollable drug and alcohol addiction through lucrative overseas consulting contracts  while not paying his taxes.

The plea exposes Biden, 54, to an outcome that seemed unthinkable last year, when his lawyers were on the cusp of no-prison plea agreement: significant time behind bars. He now faces a maximum prison sentence of up to 17 years or a fine of up to $1.3 million, on top of the possible sentence of 25 years for federal gun charges on which a jury convicted him in June.

President Biden has the power to pardon people convicted of federal crimes. But as his son appeared in court today, the White House press secretary said that the president did not plan to pardon him.
Harriss big business move

After weeks of largely sticking to President Bidens economic agenda, Vice President Kamala Harris has made her first break in policy: scaling back a proposed increase of the capital gains tax.

The moves actual economic effect may be minimal, experts say, but it shows how Harris is seeking to keep a wave of corporate backers on board without alienating her more progressive supporters.

Harris made an explicit pitch to the business community. At a speech in New Hampshire on Wednesday, she proposed raising the capital gains rate for Americans who make more than $1 million a year to 28 percent, far lower than the 39.6 percent that Biden has proposed. We know when the government encourages investment, it leads to broad-based economic growth and it creates jobs, Harris said.

She also introduced a plan to allow new companies to deduct up to $50,000 in start-up expenses, a tenfold increase over an existing tax break.
A fresh jobs report set for release on Friday could mark a turning point for the American economy, making it one of the most important and closely watched pieces of data in years.

The employment numbers will shed crucial light on whether a recent jump in the unemployment rate, which tracks the share of people who are looking for work but have not yet found it, was a blip or the start of a problematic trend.

The jobless rate rose notably in July after a year of creeping higher. If that continued in August, economists are likely to increasingly worry that the United States may be in  or nearing  the early stages of a recession. But if the rate stabilized or ticked down, as economists forecast, Julys weak numbers are likely to be viewed as a false alarm.

The answer is coming at a pivotal moment, as the Federal Reserve moves toward its first rate cut since the 2020 pandemic.
Saudi Arabia and seven other members of the oil-producing group known as OPEC Plus said on Thursday that they would extend production cuts until at least December, amid recent pressure on oil prices.

The move, which surprised some analysts, is a retreat from plans announced in June to begin unwinding more than two million barrels a day in production cuts, which were intended to help sustain oil prices.

The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, has fallen roughly 15 percent since July, to around $72 a barrel.

Analysts have attributed the drop in prices to weak demand, especially in China, and anticipation of a continued increase in supplies from countries outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel, including Brazil, Canada, Guyana and the United States.
Is it at all like improv? she asks brightly, encouraging us to view the readings through a different lens. Throughout, the films gaze is tender and its tone respectful as Wilson  who experienced her first psychic reading the morning after Donald Trump became president  interjects rarely and never during a session. Like Orna Guralniks troubled clients in Showtimes Couples Therapy, these brave supplicants willingly expose the demons they struggle to exorcise.

Their stories are often poignant and sometimes traumatic, like the E.R. nurse whos haunted by the memory of a childs violent death. Yet whether its the Chinese adoptee wondering if her birth parents ever think of her, or the young man voicing a similar concern about his re-homed bearded dragon, most appear comforted by their psychics responses, be they intuitive or occult. Though it cant be much fun to learn that your grandmother is still complaining about your husband from beyond the grave.

I was especially moved by the woman who expressed deep distress over her Boston terriers refusal to walk on a leash.

She loves me, right? she asks her psychic, wistfully. Maybe thats the only thing any of us needs to know.

Look Into My Eyes

Rated R for heartbreaking stories and heartwarming connections. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.
A veteran arrives in a rural town to find his friend. He comes in peace  but the police demand submission. Rebel Ridge, written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, wears its First Blood inspirations as boldly as John Rambo sported a patch of the American flag. That franchise distended into Afghanistan, where Sylvester Stallone machine-gunned the Red Army during the long Soviet war there. But Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room), a specialist in thrillers set in the margins of society, keeps this efficient tale of ethical outrage as simple as a punch to the throat  or rather, given its stark cinematography, like a shot of someone patiently walking up to a bully and then punching them in the throat.

The law remains more or less the same as it was 40 years ago, when it didnt strain the audiences credulity to imagine conservative cops loathing a hippie drifter. These Southern officers are nearly all indistinguishable, fatuous men with cropped goatees and dull stares, headed up by a swaggering police chief (Don Johnson) who drawls that he wouldnt cut a guy a break for eee-ternal life and a catfish sandwich.

But today, and with pointed reason, Saulnier has cast Aaron Pierre, a Black actor, as Terry, a former Marine who is simply pedaling a bicycle when he gets stopped and frisked. The officers, played by Emory Cohen and David Denman, confiscate the cash Terrys carrying to bail out his cousin (C.J. LeBlanc) whos been arrested on a weed possession charge, plus a few extra dollars Terry intended to use to buy a new truck. Here, as in the real world, civil forfeiture, the seizure of money or property from people who have not been charged with or convicted of a crime, is extra income for police departments. (Terrys situation, not an uncommon one, mirrors an incident reported in The New York Times in 2021.)
As the school year opens for an American education system facing multiple crises, one education leader is staking out a curious stance. He is sublimely optimistic.

Public schools in the United States lost more than one million students between 2019 and 2022. The deluge of cash relief distributed during the coronavirus pandemic is drying up. And in a politically polarized era, fresh fights over what students learn in class are continuing to emerge.

But David C. Banks, the New York City schools chancellor, whose national profile rose this spring after his unyielding testimony at a House hearing on antisemitism in schools, argues in a recent interview that the state of urban education is not so bad.
A North Carolina man used artificial intelligence to create hundreds of thousands of fake songs by fake bands, then put them on streaming services where they were enjoyed by an audience of fake listeners, prosecutors said.

Penny by penny, he collected a very real $10 million, they said when they charged him with fraud.

The man, Michael Smith, 52, was accused in a federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday of stealing royalty payments from digital streaming platforms for seven years. Mr. Smith, a flesh-and-blood musician, produced A.I.-generated music and played it billions of times using bots he had programmed, according to the indictment.

The supposed artists had names like Callous Post, Calorie Screams and Calvinistic Dust and produced tunes like Zygotic Washstands, Zymotechnical and Zygophyllum that were top performers on Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify, according to the charges.

Smith stole millions in royalties that should have been paid to musicians, songwriters, and other rights holders whose songs were legitimately streamed, Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement on Wednesday.
A new school year often means new notebooks, pencils and folders. For some New York City students this year, it means a new school or building, too.

Administrators in the city opened nine new schools and 24 new buildings, some replacing older structures, as public school students returned to class this week.

The changes come as the number of New Yorkers younger than 20 fell by more than 186,000 over three years, according to recent census data analysis, and enrollment in the school system, the nations largest, declined from a decade ago.

But David C. Banks, the citys schools chancellor, has highlighted an influx of migrant children as a bright spot. A spokesman for the Education Department also pointed to the pent-up demand for special programming that the new buildings could provide and new state requirements to gradually shrink class sizes by 2028.
The first test on the first day of the fall semester for public school students in New York City today will not involve reading comprehension or math skills.

It will be the test of getting there: Public school students will be carrying OMNY transit cards for the first time.
Rarely will you read about a case with more heartbreaking facts. In 2021, a 10-year-old girl named Nylah Anderson was viewing videos on TikTok, as millions of people do every day, when the apps algorithm served up a video of the so-called blackout challenge on its For You page. The page suggests videos for users to watch. The blackout challenge encourages people to record themselves as they engage in self-asphyxiation, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness. Nylah saw the challenge, tried it herself and died. She accidentally hanged herself.

The case is horrific and beyond devastating for her family, but it might also lead to meaningful legal reform. Thanks to a key court of appeals ruling, we may be on the verge of imposing some constitutional common sense on Americas social media giants. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia, held that TikTok could be potentially liable for its own actions if it contributed to Nylahs death, specifically the act of suggesting the video to her, even though she did not ask to see it.

At the heart of the legal dispute is a single question: Who is responsible for Nylahs death? Blaming a 10-year-old is absurd. She was hardly able to understand the risk. Should we blame the person who created the video that she watched? Certainly. An offline analogy might be useful. Imagine that a person walked up to Nylah at school and suggested that she asphyxiate herself. Wed immediately recognize the persons culpability.

But does TikTok have any responsibility? After all, it not only hosted the video. According to the claims in the legal complaint Nylahs mother filed, TikToks algorithm repeatedly put dangerous challenges on Nylahs For You page. To continue with the offline analogy, imagine if an adult walked up to Nylah after school and said, I know you, and I know youll like this video, and then showed her a blackout challenge performed by somebody else.
A bloody shooting spree in California this week left at least 80 animals dead and sent neighbors fleeing to safety in the middle of the night, the authorities said.

A man, Vicente Joseph Arroyo of Salinas, was taken into custody after he fired multiple weapons in a vineyard in Prunedale over a three-hour period on Tuesday, the Monterey County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Prunedale is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, about 100 miles south of San Francisco.

Just before 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the sheriffs office responded to calls of multiple shots being fired, and soon issued a shelter-in-place order for residents within a five-mile radius.

Various calibers of weapons could be heard being fired in an area that was extremely dark and covered in thick vegetation, the news release said. This made it difficult for deputies to immediately locate the person or persons responsible for firing the weapons.
When Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law in 2022 that allowed most Georgia residents to carry a firearm without a concealed carry permit, he celebrated the expansion of gun rights in the state.

The law makes sure that law abiding Georgians  including our daughters and your family, too  can protect themselves without having to ask permission from state government, he said at the time.

Republicans in control of state government have steadily loosened restrictions on firearm ownership in recent years. The state does not have universal background checks for gun purchases, safe storage laws or a so-called red-flag law  measures that have been instituted elsewhere in the nation in response to gun violence.

It remains unclear how the 14-year-old suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting obtained the weapon, which the police have described as an AR-15-style rifle.
The anonymous tips were sent to the F.B.I. last May from as far away as Australia, warning that a user on Discord, a social media platform, had threatened in a chat group to possibly shoot up a middle school. The authorities were led to a 13-year-old living in Jackson County, Ga.

A report from the Jackson County sheriffs office, obtained by The New York Times, detailed how investigators looked into but were unable to definitively link those threats to the teen, who is now in custody after a shooting on Wednesday morning at his high school in Winder, Ga. He is accused of killing two students and two teachers.

Hours after the shooting, the F.B.I. disclosed that law enforcement had investigated the online threat, which was made in May 2023. But the report from the sheriffs office reveals more about how the authorities were able to trace the post to the teenager, and why  after interviewing the boy and his father  they did not take further action, other than a warning to his middle school.

According to the report, the F.B.I. received several tips from users with internet addresses in Palmdale, Calif., Los Angeles and Cockburn, a city in Western Australia, which included the posts made in a group chat on Discord. The email associated with the account belonged to Colt Gray, the teen accused of the shooting at his school.

The investigators found that the username on the Discord account had been written in Russian. Translation of the Russian letters spells out the name Lanza, the investigator wrote in his report, noting that it was the surname of the perpetrator of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in which 20 students and six teachers were killed.

In interviews with investigators, both Mr. Gray and his father, Colin Gray, said that they did not speak Russian, and the boy denied that he had been the author of the threats. He said that he had previously had a Discord account, but had deleted it, claiming he had been repeatedly hacked and was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes, an investigator wrote.
The deadliest episode of school violence in Georgias history could have ended with even more bloodshed, if not for the schools newly installed security systems, according to law enforcement officials.

The Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., killed two teachers and two students, and injured at least nine others. But the gunman may have been stopped from taking more lives after a staff member appeared to activate an alarm that triggered a police response, officials said.

All teachers at the school were equipped with an ID badge on a lanyard that had a panic button, which alerts the police to an active threat, according to the authorities. The badges can also initiate a schoolwide lockdown when activated, according to Centegix, the company that makes them.

The alert system can send both administrators and responders details on the floor and classroom where the staff member sends up the alarm, and it operates outside of a school Wi-Fi network, according to Centegix.
British prosecutors have dropped a case against Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul, just two years after authorizing indecent assault charges against him.

In a statement on Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service said that, following a review of the evidence, it had decided to halt the proceedings against Mr. Weinstein.

Frank Ferguson, head of the services special crime and counterterrorism division, said in the statement that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties, he added.

On Thursday, a spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said in an email that the service would not be giving any further details of the reasoning behind the decision.
Hector Reyes parked his truck in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez, his phone lighting up with photos and videos of his son Daniel receiving his high school diploma.

The ceremony was happening only a mile away in El Paso. But Mr. Reyes had been deported in 2017 and barred for 20 years from entering the United States for having twice illegally crossed the border.

His wife and two children, all American citizens, have made a life in El Paso, while Mr. Reyes lives eight blocks from the border. He recalled looking up at the sky on the night of the graduation in May, waiting to see the fireworks that would mark the end of his sons high school years.

This life, he said, I dont wish it to nobody.

Families like Mr. Reyess have been closely watching a new Biden administration policy that aims to provide a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens. Though the initial program was not open to people living outside the country, the families said it was a first sign that there was an openness to reconsidering their plight. The deported spouses understood it to be a long shot, but perhaps their only chance of overcoming lifetime or decades-long bans from coming to the United States.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken visited Haiti on Thursday in a display of American support for international efforts to wrest the nation from the grip of tyrannical violent gangs.

After reviewing a fleet of U.S.-provided military armored vehicles and a line of Kenyan police officers who are leading an international security mission in the country, Mr. Blinken expressed hope about Haitis future. But he also said there remained an enormous amount of work to be done.

The Kenyan officers, clad in green-and-black fatigues, arrived in Haiti this summer as part of a United Nations-authorized mission. Its mandate is to support the Haitian police as they combat the gangs, which have subjected large areas of the Caribbean nation to brutal rule enforced by torture, rape and murder.

Overshadowed by crises in the Middle East and Europe, Haitis collapse into criminal anarchy is among the most intractable problems faced by the Biden administration and the international community.
As Debbie Mucarsel-Powell revved up the Democratic faithful in a restaurant named for Thomas Edison, she was looking for a little electricity in her campaign to unseat Senator Rick Scott of Florida.

So she turned the attention of the crowd at Edisons Lab Restaurant and Bar in Fort Myers, where the inventor had a winter estate and laboratory, to the abortion referendum in Florida that could decide the fate of her bid.

The man has never run in a presidential election when our voters turn out, she said of Mr. Scott. Perhaps more important, she added to the boisterous crowd, he has never run against the millions of women and men that are ready to come out to the ballot box to protect reproductive freedom.

Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, a former medical school dean who was swept into the U.S. House by the 2018 blue wave, and then swept right back out two years later, is an underdog. Mr. Scott, a wealthy fixture of Florida politics who served for eight years as governor, has the high ground in the red-tinted state as he seeks his second term in the Senate.
Vice President Kamala Harris is turning to tax policy as a way to differentiate herself from both her Republican rival and her Democratic boss, an attempt to simultaneously project a more moderate image and stand by the soak-the-rich populism that animates much of her party.

During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Wednesday, Ms. Harris for the first time explicitly said she would scale back one of President Bidens policy proposals. Instead of taxing the investment earnings of Americans making more than $1 million a year at a 39.6 percent rate, as Mr. Biden has suggested, she called for 28 percent, though a surtax would apply on top of that.

Raising taxes on the rich has long been a central talking point for Mr. Biden and other Democrats, and while Ms. Harris has said she would increase taxes on the wealthy, the capital-gains adjustment was a message to investors and corporate executives: Ms. Harris is a different type of Democratic nominee.

Mr. Biden, who defeated progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the 2020 primary, still embraced some of their ideas for taxing the wealthy. The plans largely targeted the investment earnings of the very rich, including a so-called billionaire minimum tax that would require Americans worth at least $100 million to pay taxes on unrealized gains of their stocks, bonds and other assets.
The United States expanded its hunt on Thursday for Russias most elite cyberwarriors, indicting five members of the countrys military intelligence agency for attacks on Ukraine and American companies in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The State Department and American allies also offered a reward of up to $60 million for their arrests; the reward for Osama bin Laden and other leaders of Al Qaeda after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was $25 million.

The attacks, known as Whisper Gate, on Ukraines government agencies, NATO countries and American firms were essentially the opening salvos in the invasion of Ukraine. They were intended to cripple the government, bring down a major satellite communications network and scare off NATO nations from coming to Kyivs aid. But the attacks were countered by U.S. Cyber Command and firms like Microsoft, Google and Amazon, who moved the operations of the Ukrainian government to the cloud and kept the country running in a remarkable digital defense operation.

The Whisper Gate attack in January of 2022 could be considered the first shot of the war, said William J. DelBagno, the F.B.I.s special agent in charge of the Baltimore field office. The cybercriminals sent a message with their malware to, quote, be afraid and expect the worst. A month later, Russia physically invaded the country.
A federal judge placed a temporary hold on another component of President Bidens student debt relief plan on Thursday, siding with a coalition of seven Republican states that filed a lawsuit to halt the program on Tuesday.

The ruling comes as yet another blow to the presidents student debt relief agenda after the Supreme Court upheld a similar hold on the SAVE program, the centerpiece of his strategy to cancel tens of millions of dollars in student debt.

The plan at issue in Thursdays ruling is meant to cancel debt for as many as 27 million borrowers who saw interest on their loans balloon over time, or who were still paying off loans after at least 20 years.

Even though the policy was not scheduled to go into effect until the fall, the states bringing the lawsuit argued that they had obtained evidence that the Education Department had notified federal contractors to immediately begin canceling some balances.
A federal judge declared at a court hearing on Thursday that she would not let former President Donald J. Trumps campaign for the White House affect the schedule of the criminal case in which he stands accused of plotting to overturn the 2020 election.

Hours later, the judge, Tanya S. Chutkan, fulfilled that vow by setting a schedule for the matter that moved speedily ahead and opened the possibility that prosecutors could make public more of the evidence they hope to use against Mr. Trump at trial in a court filing before Election Day.

Judge Chutkan established a series of deadlines for filings from both sides to assess the impact of several legal issues on the case, including the Supreme Courts recent ruling granting Mr. Trump some immunity from criminal prosecution for official actions he took as president.

After an occasionally tense proceeding in Federal District Court in Washington, Judge Chutkan set a date of Sept. 26 for prosecutors in the office of the special counsel, Jack Smith, to submit an opening brief to her on the question of immunity. In that brief, prosecutors intend to set out the evidence they plan to use at trial and arguments for why none of that material  or any of the allegations in their newly revised indictment of Mr. Trump  is subject to the standards set for presidential immunity by the Supreme Court.
The Biden administration has spent the past three years promoting a policy of friend-shoring, which aims to contain China and Russia by forging closer ties with U.S. allies like Europe and Japan.

That policy appears to stop at the state lines of Pennsylvania.

As the administration nears a decision to block the proposed acquisition of the Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel by Japans Nippon Steel, the traditional debate over national security and economic security is being dwarfed by a more powerful force: presidential politics.

Legal experts, Wall Street analysts and economists expressed concern about the precedent that would be set if President Biden uses executive power to block a company from an allied nation from buying an American business. They warn that scuttling the $15 billion transaction would be an extraordinary departure from the nations culture of open investment  one that could lead international corporations to reconsider their U.S. investments.

This was a purely political decision, and one that stomps on the Biden administrations stated focus on building alliances among like-minded countries to advance the economic competition with China, said Christopher B. Johnstone, a senior adviser and the Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. At the end of the day, it represents pure protectionism that draws no apparent distinction between our friends and our adversaries.
After Boko Haram fighters threatened them, they could not risk staying. Over a decade, the extremist group had killed tens of thousands of people in the cross-border scrubland around them. So the residents of Mafa, a village in northeast Nigerias Yobe State, fled in terror.

About two weeks after that evacuation in late July, according to a village leader, a local official told them it was safe to go back.

The government assured us that everything is OK and nothing is going to happen, said Mai-Bano Kanembu, the community head of Mafa.

The official named by Mr. Kanembu denies encouraging villagers to return. But return they did.

It was a catastrophic decision that ended last Sunday in fighters killing dozens of villagers, mostly men and boys, and burning Mafa to the ground. At least 170 people were killed, according to Mr. Kanembu and Ibrahim Hassan, a local farmer who helped recover the bodies, and more are missing. A statement listing purported grievances against the village was left at the scene in the name of Islamic State West Africa Province, known as ISWAP, a Boko Haram splinter group.
The Maori of New Zealand named a new monarch on Thursday, selecting a 27-year-old queen in a symbolic but weighty role as some of the Indigenous groups hard-fought rights have been rolled back.

Nga Wai Hono i te Po succeeds her father, Kiingi Tuheitia, who died last week after 18 years as king and was laid to rest in funeral rites that ended Thursday. The new queen, his youngest daughter, is the eighth Maori monarch since the role was created in 1858 to unite the tribes as European settlers encroached.

She was chosen by Maori leaders and introduced on Thursday in a ceremony before thousands gathered for Kiingi Tuheitias last rites, the Kiingitanga, the Maori King Movement, said in a statement.

Live footage of the ceremony carried on Radio New Zealand, the public broadcaster, showed her taking her place on a wooden throne with intricate carvings, next to her fathers coffin, amid cheers from the crowd and with some in attendance wiping away tears.
The case of a former mayor of a small town in the Philippines who is accused of working with organized crime and has been questioned about whether she was born in China has gripped the country for months. This week, she was arrested in Indonesia after fleeing, the Philippine authorities said, and faced extradition.

In March, the police searched an online gambling operation at an office in the town of Bamban  where the accused former mayor, Alice Guo, was still in office  and said in statements that the gambling company was a front for online scams and human trafficking.

Philippine senators questioned Ms. Guo in May at a hearing about accusations that she had ties to organized crime. They also asked whether she had misled the authorities about being a natural born citizen, a requirement for holding public office in the Philippines.

Ms. Guo and her lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday. She has previously rejected all accusations of wrongdoing and said that she is a natural born citizen of the Philippines.
Yagi formed as a tropical cyclone on Sunday in the Philippine Sea. In the Philippines, it dumped about 10 inches of rain this week, killing at least 13 people, displacing tens of thousands and damaging hundreds of homes, according to the Philippine government.

The China Meteorological Administration warned residents of a risk of floods and storm surges and raised the emergency response to the second-highest level. Guangdong Province issued the highest-level emergency warning.

Some towns in Hainan were expected to receive more than four inches of rain in the next 24 hours, the provincial meteorological bureau said on Thursday. The province suspended all trains and boats on Thursday, and canceled all flights that had been scheduled at Haikou Meilan International Airport from Thursday evening to Friday night.

Haikou, the capital of the island province of Hainan, ordered all nonessential services, businesses, public transportation, markets, schools and construction sites closed on Thursday. The authorities in Zhanjiang, a city in Guangdong, ordered similar closures ahead of the storms arrival.
Swedish public health authorities recommended this week that children under the age of 2 should not use any digital media, as parents, pediatricians and governments struggle to respond to the challenges of todays tech-soaked world.

We have to take back control, said Jakob Forssmed, the minister of social affairs and public health, and give children the ability to have a different kind of childhood.

The intention of Swedens policy  and others like it  is to cut down on distractions, promote healthy development and help preserve the innocence of childhood. But some experts wonder if the guidance  however well-intentioned  may be too unrealistic and too judgmental to stick.

Heres an overview of the debate.

What are Swedens recommendations?

There are four main categories to Swedens new screen-time recommendations:

Duration. No screens for children under 2, an hour maximum for children aged 2 to 5, two hours for children aged 6 to 12 and three hours for teens.
Hours before families in Gaza lined up on Thursday to start the second phase of an emergency polio vaccination campaign, a deadly Israeli airstrike hit near a hospital in an area where a previous round of inoculations had just concluded.

Health officials have heralded the vaccination program, which began on Sunday and is built around a deal by Israel and Hamas for brief pauses in hostilities, as an unexpected success in the early going. The World Health Organization said the first phase, in the central Gaza Strip, finished on Wednesday and the second, in southern Gaza, began Thursday.

But the limited nature of those pauses was highlighted by the strike overnight, which killed four people and wounded a number of others, including women and children, according to Wafa, the Palestinian Authoritys official news agency. Witnesses said it landed in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, where displaced civilians had taken shelter.
Five Palestinians were killed by an Israeli airstrike on their vehicles early Thursday, Palestinian news media said, as one of the longest and most destructive recent Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank stretched into a ninth day across several cities.

Wafa, the Palestinian Authoritys official news agency, reported the deaths, in the town of Fara. They added to the toll of an already devastating military offensive, with at least 39 people killed in the raids and 145 others injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Israeli military said the strike in Fara targeted armed fighters who hurled explosives and shot at security forces. It has described the raids as an effort to crack down on Palestinian armed groups and combat rising attacks against Israelis.

Such raids have become a near-daily reality for the nearly three million Palestinians who live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. More than 600 Palestinians have been killed there since the Hamas-led attack on Israel last October, both in military strikes and at the hands of extremist Jewish settlers, according to the United Nations.
No state is more coveted by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris than Pennsylvania, since their best strategies for an Electoral College victory hinge on winning it. With polls showing a tied race there, we spoke with 12 Pennsylvanians for our new Times Opinion focus group: voters who supported Joe Biden or Mr. Trump in 2020 and are not hard-core partisans.

While the group leaned toward Ms. Harris, her support was pretty soft. Few of the participants could articulate a strong argument to vote for her on her merits. They are eager for a candidate to rally behind, given their worries about the country, especially the economy, but they havent heard enough specifics from her about how she would lower costs.

It feels like break my arm or break my leg, George, a 63-year-old 2020 Biden voter, said of his choices. He was open to considering Mr. Trump but added, I just cant fathom voting for a felon who says on Day 1 that hes going to be a dictator and has a list of 5,000 people who are going to be replaced in the government. At the same time, I see how liberal she was and how she has flip-flopped. You want to talk about fracking in Pennsylvania? Were all from fracking.

Those who liked Mr. Trump saw him as a businessman, while those who leaned against him thought of him as a child. That suggests that the Harris team may be onto something by making him seem small rather than a big threat. Ms. Harris is viewed as fairly unknown and untested. I dont feel like Ive seen Harris throughout Bidens presidency. So shes just OK, said Lania, a 34-year-old 2020 Biden voter. Kay, a 61-year-old Biden voter, said Ms. Harris was almost nonexistent in the last four years.

The risk to Ms. Harris is that voters like Lania and Kay wont be committed voters by Election Day, while the risk to Mr. Trump is that his history puts him beyond the pale, as George indicated. The economy and, to some degree, abortion look like the driving issues in Pennsylvania, and Mr. Trump had the edge in our group on economic issues, while Ms. Harris was way ahead on reproductive rights.
4 p.m. Climb to a high perch

Look at the grand shoreline, tiny islands and rugged rocky ledge known as the Niagara Escarpment from the best spot possible: the top of the Eagle Tower, a wooden structure that offers panoramic views 250 feet above the waters of Green Bay, an inlet of Lake Michigan. The tower, in Peninsula State Park, has stood in some form for more than a century; it was originally a spot to watch for wildfires, but was later opened up to visitors. Rebuilt in 2021, it now offers an invigorating 100-step climb to the summit  and it is newly accessible to visitors with disabilities, who can ascend to the top on an 850-foot-long zigzagging ramp. The name of the tower is no accident: Keep an eye out for bald eagles.
The world is full of stinky cheeses, but according to a team of researchers from Cranfield University, Frances Vieux Boulogne is the stinkiest of them all.

Limburger, Munster, Epoisses de Bourgogne, or Brie de Meaux are only some of the cheeses famous as much for their pungent aroma as for their taste, but the unofficial title of worlds stinkiest cheese goes to a French delicacy called Vieux Boulogne. Two decades ago, scientists at Cranfield University north of London tested 15 of the worlds stinkiest cheeses to determine which of them had the worst smell. They used human sniffers as well as a computer-linked electronic nose to rank the odor of the cheeses and determined that Vieux Boulogne was by far the stinkiest.

Photo: Les Produits Laitiers

Vieux Boulogne is an unpasteurized, unpressed artisanal cheese made from cows milk. Developed in 1982 by Antoine Bernard and Philippe Olivier, the square-shaped-cheese quickly became famous for its pungent aroma described by Cranfield University academics as a mix of body odor and cow dung. It stinks so bad that it is banned from being eaten on public transport in France.

Surprisingly, Vieux Boulogne cheese has a smooth, mellow taste that doesnt match its smell at all. Thats because its not the cheese itself that causes people to turn up their noses, but the orange rind around it. During the two months it spends maturing in cellars around the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, Vieux Boulogne cheeses are washed with beer, which gives them their signature orange look and aroma. Apparently, the interaction between bacteria in the beer and the cows milk enzymes creates this pungent smell that Vieux Boulogne is famous for.



After their 2004 cheese smell test, scientists at Cranfield University performed a second test in 2007, using a more advanced electronic nose. Vieux Boulogne retained its title and hasnt given it up since.

For more interesting cheeses, check out the worlds hardest cheese, and Milbenkase, a cheese infested with live mites.
Chinese authorities are investigating the case of an elderly man who died 13 days after having 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants inserted on the same day at a dental clinic.

Ms. Shu, a resident of Yongkang City, in Chinas Zhejiang Province, recently filed a complaint with the Municipal Health Bureau against a local dental clinic after her fathers death. The woman presented evidence that her parent had had 23 teeth extracted and 12 new teeth implanted in a single session, which she claims caused his untimely demise 13 days later. Ms. Shu told authorities that her father suffered agonizing pain throughout the last 13 days of his life, before suffering a fatal heart attack on August 28. Now the woman wants those responsible to be brought to justice.

According to the patient consent form, Ms Shus father did in fact get 23 of his natural teeth extracted before having 12 holes drilled into his skull and mandible to have new teeth implanted. All of this was done in a single day, which meant he had to endure unimaginable pain after the anesthesia wore off. Although the number of extractions seems a bit excessive for a single session, a spokesperson for the clinic where the procedure was carried out said that the number of teeth that can be removed at one time needs to be determined by the doctor in a face-to-face consultation based on the patients physical condition.

According to Dewei Dental Hospital records, the 23 extractions were carried out by a doctor named Yuan, whose specialties include root canal treatment, removal of impacted wisdom teeth, and full dentures. Although there is currently no specific regulation on the number of teeth to be extracted in a single session, the clinic and the doctor must take into consideration the patients pain tolerance and the risk of infection.

The more teeth you extract, the greater the patients pain response and the greater the probability of postoperative infection, Xiang Guolin, director of the Oral Medicine Center of Wuhan Fourth Hospital, told The Paper.

An investigation in this case is currently underway, but a representative of the Municipal Health Bureau told journalists that proving causality could prove difficult, considering that the mans death occurred 13 days after the controversial procedure.


MI State Wants to Tout Economic Impact Thu., Oct. 3, 2024 Michigan State University wants bids from PR and communications firms to promote its University Research Corridor alliance with the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
I am shocked that the former Russia Today is not a legit media outlet but rather a shady Kremlin propaganda tool that is spreading dis/misinformation in the US.

According to the Justice Dept., two RT staffers funneled cash to US-based right-wing pro-Trump influencers to whip up fear about an invasion of immigrants from the southern border, promote American isolationism, undermine support for Ukraine and boost the image of the Mango Mussolini.

Those influencers on the Russian take are the same phonies who chant USA, USA at the drop of a dime.

The Justice Dept. indictment alleges that the Kremlin funneled $10M to Tennessee-based Tenet Media, home of YouTube and social media commentators who reach millions of Americans, to do its dirty work.

Tenet is unnamed in the document but is described as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues. Thats what the firm calls itself on its website.

Moscow denies the Justice Dept.s charges. Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants to know why in the world he would want to float pro-Trump stories in the US.

Putin said he supports Kamala Harris for US president. Boy, that guy is good at the propaganda game.

Best future for US Steel is with Nippon Steel... As a proud former member of the Service Employees International Union, Im a strong advocate for organized labor. Unions are part of the family's heritage. My dad was a long-time member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Despite that background, I believe the United Steelworkers Union opposition to Nippon Steels $14B takeover of US Steel is a reflexive and short-sighted decision.

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making political points by opposing the deal. They apparently have bought the USUs line that the transaction is nothing but bad news for its membership.

Thats too bad because the opposite is true.

USS has been in long decline, posting years of losses up until 2020. Clocking in at No. 24, It barely cracks the world's Top 25 steelmaker roster.

Nippon Steel is the globes No. 4 steelmaker. Nucor Corp, a minimill operation, is Americas biggest steelmaker, ranking No. 16 on the global list

Nippon Steel has promised to invest $2.7B to keep US Steels older mills in operation. Thats money that USS simply doesnt have.

USS CEO David Burritt has threatened to close those mills in the event the Nippon Steel deal falls apart.

Instead of dealing with that reality, the USU took a shot at Burritt.

His reckless statements and mismanagement are the only true obstacles to U.S. Steel remaining a sustainable steel company, the union said in a statement.

Burritt isnt bluffing.

USS, which chalked up a strong of losses prior to 2020, has a history of shutting plants. It recently shuttered portions of its mills near Detroit and St. Louis, moves that threw 4K unionized workers off the payroll.

Nippons investment plan includes a $1B upgrade to USS Mon Valley Works so it remains open for business for future Pennsylvania steelworkers. USS had cancelled its Mon Valley investment.

President Biden has deemed USS an asset that is vital to the security of the US.

But Japan is not China. It the worlds No. 3 economy and Americas top ally in Asia.

How can the US ask Japan to step up its defense spending to counter the military threat to China, and then turn around and deny it the right to to serve as a custodian for USS? That's being two-faced. Rejection of the Nippon Steel would be bad news for the USU, and Americas foreign policy.

Unfortunately, the Nippon/USS situation has been caught up in presidential politics. Pennsylvania is a must-win state for both Harris and Trump. Let the pandering begin.

The best way out of the political mess is for Nippon Steel to put a pause on its effort to take over USS until the next president actually makes it to the White House and the loser concedes the election.

Cooler heads would then prevail.

ODwyers Free Speech Champion Award Goes to Michael Roth, Wesleyan University president, for welcoming nonviolent protests that do not disrupt normal university operations on his campus.

He believes the civic mission of universities is to help students develop character traits that would make them better citizens. The last thing any university should want is an apolitical campus, he wrote in a guest essay in the New York Times on September 2.

Roth believes protests should be more than just rhyming chants. They should encourage a person to inquire about how different people feel about issues.

The classic liberal approach to freedom of expression underscores that discussions are valuable only when people are able to disagree, listen to opposing views, change their minds, he wrote.

Protests can help people break out of their silos of like-mindedness that is the root for much of the hyper-partisanship and polarization that infects American society.

Roth is right.

Dept. of Sweet Irony A memo from Donald Trumps campaign braintrust that banned chatting with the press gets leaked to NBC News.

Campaign chairs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita informed underlings that they shouldnt speak or communicate with the press, on or off the record, unless they received authorization from the top.

The duo's memo praised Team Trump for doing a great job at preventing leaks because everyone knows what the policy is and what we expect from everyone. Oh well, maybe not everybody, Susie and Chris.

You can bet the great mole hunt is on at Trumps campaign HQ for the rat that leaked the memo to the parent of 24/7 Trump-bashing MSNBC.

A double dose of sweet irony.
A new Deputy Principal has been appointed to a secondary school in Offaly

Colaiste Naomh Cormac has announced the appointment of their new Deputy Principal, Mr. Mark Lyons.

An Offaly native, Mark hails from Belmont in the west of the county. Mark holds an Arts degree from Maynooth University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Limerick.

He has also earned a Postgraduate Diploma and a Master's degree in Education Leadership and Management from Maynooth University.

Additionally, he has experience working with Oide, a support service which provides professional development and support to teachers and schools.

Most recently Mark has been a teacher of Maths and Business in Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa, Clara, where he had been actively involved in various extra-curricular activities.

His experience in school leadership and management is extensive, having been appointed as Assistant Principal and Acting Deputy Principal in Clara.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Mark said, I am delighted to have been appointed Deputy Principal of CNC Kilcormac and look forward to working closely with the Principal , the dedicated staff, enthusiastic students, and the entire school community. I recognise the vital role CNC Kilcormac plays in the local community and aim to strengthen and build upon the strong relationships between the school and its surroundings.

I am also eager to advance the educational pathways and opportunities for CNC Kilcormac students and am excited about contributing to the school's future.

The Principal, Victoria Guinan, the staff and the whole school community are delighted to welcome Mark to Colaiste Naomh Cormac and look forward to Marks contribution to the continued success of the school.
The community of Borrisokane this morning are rejoicing after it was confirmed that a government decision to transfer six asylum seeker families, who have been living in the town since 2019, to alternative accommodation in Birr will not go ahead.

A protest march of several hundred people was held in the town yesterday evening and was attended by a Tipperary TD and local Councillors supporting the campaign against the decision.

Labour TD Alan Kelly was scathing in his criticism of the decision, adding that Borrisokane should be held up as a blueprint for other towns about how integration can be successful.

The decision to proceed with their eviction from the Riverside accommodation complex in Borrisokane to emergency accommodation at a former nursing home in Birr has been paused.

19 asylum seeker families have been living in the town since 2019 after they were granted asylum status, but face losing their residence in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation.

Six of the families were due to be moved today and the 13 remaining families over the coming weeks and months - depending on when their asylum status had been granted. 30 of the residents are children who attend local schools and are members of local sporting teams.

Local Parish Priest, Father Tom O'Halloran addressed the crowd at last night's demonstration and a letter from local GP, Dr. Ruari Glynn, described the government's decision as "unethical and morally wrong" and said many of the people living in Borrisokane suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after fleeing life threatening situations in their homelands.

Councillor Joe Hannigan addresses the large crowd outside the Rviverside Apartments in Borrisokane. Photo: D. Keegan

Local Independent Councillor, Joe Hannigan, told the crowd at last night's demonstration that Minister for Integration, Roderic O'Gorman, needs to sit down with the owners of the building and find a solution.

This morning Deputy Alan Kelly told RTE that Mr OGorman had been in touch with him to confirm that the proposed transfer of six families from Borrisokane to Birr would not go ahead and the department would "redouble its efforts" to find alternative accommodation for them in the Borrisokane area with the assistance of the local authority.

"Im glad the Minister and the Government saw sense on this matter and that any evictions of these residents will not now go ahead and they will work on soluctions to allow them to stay", he told RTE.

"The heavy-handed tactics treating these families and children in this way was never on and Borrisokane should be embraced as one of the best examples of integration in the country."

In a statement released to all Tipperary TDs, Mr OGorman said that his department understands the challenges that exist for people moving on from the International Protection system in accessing alternative accommodation in the community.

Tthe department will work with the remaining families at Riverside IPAS centre, Tipperary County Council and local community groups and representatives, to find suitable alternative accommodation for these families, the Minister said.

When the accommodation is found it is important the Riverside IPAS centre continues to be used to provide much needed accommodation for people seeking International Protection, he added.
THERE was a touch of stardust in Kinnitty when former Oasis Drummer Tony McCarroll visited on Saturday evening.

There was a very warm welcome for Tony where a blue plaque was unveiled in his honour at the Parish Hall beside the Catholic Church, and the Hall was afterwards packed out for a Q & A between Tony and his lifelong friend John McFadden.

The elegant and beautiful plaque featured crossed drumsticks at its top and stated, Tony McCarroll Founding member of Oasis - First pre-Oasis public performance, at Kinnitty Parish Hall, circa 1980 - Anthony (Tony) McCarroll (born 4 June 1971) drummer with Oasis from 1991 to April 1995. Tony played on their debut album, 'Definitely Maybe', selling over 8,000,000 albums worldwide, and on 'Some Might Say', Oasis' first number one single.

Cllr John Clendennen, who organised Saturday evening's event, along with John McFadden, said this was a great occasion when the village honoured one of its own. We first mooted the idea of erecting a plaque in Tony's honour back in 2019. He said it was only coincidental that the event was coinciding with the selling of tickets for the Oasis concerts in Croke Park next year.

Cllr Clendennen said he would like to see more blue plaques in the village and parish commemorating famous people from the area. For example, the famous Hollywood Director Rex Ingram was from the village. Nine years ago we held a big event commemorating Rex Ingram. There are also a number of GAA and sporting people who should be commemorated.

The Councillor said Tony couldn't have been nicer throughout this project. You couldn't meet a more relaxed fella than Tony.

He also praised John McFadden. This evening was John's brainchild, he remarked.

The plaque was then unveiled in front of a crush of photographers, a number of them national media.

The Oasis drummer attended the local primary school and has family members living in the village.

He told the gathering that he was very proud to have a plaque unveiled in his honour.

He said he gave his first public performance in the school nativity in Kinnitty parish hall during which he played the drums, with another young boy playing the tin whistle. They performed Silent Night.

"It must have sounded ridiculous but the village have never forgotten that, nor my connection with the village, he remarked. They saw the success with the band, but now theyve recognised me and the band, theyve brought me back and unveiled this Blue Plaque and it's an absolute honour."

John McFadden said they invited the drummer to the village because his roots are in Kinnitty.

"Tonys aunt and my mother went to Manchester, then Tonys mother Bridie followed them over and met his dad Anthony, and their first born child was Tony McCarroll."

The family moved to Kinnitty for a few years and it was during that period that he performed for the first time ever (in the Parish Hall).

Despite the difficult period he went through when his drumming was criticised and he was asked to leave the band, Tony looks back on his time with Oasis with affection and nostalgia, pointing out that they were five lads from Manchester who grew up on council estates within a two mile radius of each other.

We had a dream of becoming successful, we worked hard, did lots of rehearsals and managed to achieve the dream.

Asked about the frustration with Oasis ticket prices, as 800,000 people scrambled to buy tickets for next year's two Croke Park concerts, and the associated accusations of price gouging, Tony defended the band, pointing out that he had been wondering if the rising ticket prices over the weekend (going from 86 to over 400) had even been down to the band.

I dont think it is, Ive never seen prices like that. It isnt any of my business I suppose, but between promoters, this, that and the other, who knows whats going on behind the scenes.

"We havent seen the line up yet, Ive got a feeling theres going to be some amazing bands on that line up. They [the tickets] are a little bit expensive, considering, back in my day, to be in Oasis and selling the tickets for a pittance we really did think about the fans. After seeing the statement issued by Oasis last night in relation to reselling tickets, I believe the band is on the fans' side.

"When tickets roll onto certain websites for triple, six times or more, I dont think thats fair. There really should be some control over that."

After leaving Oasis in April 1995, Tony continued with music by opening a little studio for "latchkey kids" in Manchester teaching them drums, keyboards, guitar, singing and dj-ing. "There was one guy who came out of there and he joined up with Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays. He actually plays with his other band called Black Grape. So there was a success story that did come from there."

John McFadden pointed out that the former Oasis drummer is the first person who has had a plaque or any kind of similar acknowledgement in Kinnitty. He's really, really proud, and we're really proud that he's been attached to this village. We're talking about somebody who made an album that sold over eight million copies worldwide. So, for Kinnitty to be attached to an artist of that calibre and proud of it, we're just really, really proud.
Two recent deals in Sierra Leone and Malawi underline the continuing role of Chinese telecommunications in general, and tech giant Huawei in particular, in the ongoing digital development of the African market.

The Government of Sierra Leone has signed a US$50 million agreement with Chinese state-owned global trading company and engineering firm China National Technical Import & Export Corporation to establish a SMART Sierra Leone Project.

As news service the Sierra Leone Telegraph explains, the three main objectives of the SMART Sierra Leone Project are: to expand internet connectivity to over 400,000 previously unconnected citizens; to establish national data centres to manage and protect sovereign data; and to enhance security measures around critical state infrastructure in the capital, Freetown.

There has also been an agreement with Huawei Group for a Digital Village Project, which will be based in Tormabum, in the south of the country.

The aim of this project is to provide farmers and community members with access to vital online information that will improve agricultural yield and expand market opportunities.

A similar project is to be undertaken by Malawi, which has announced plans to launch a Smart Village Initiative, again working with Huawei. This effort, according to the government, seeks to bring digital transformation to rural areas across the country, improving connectivity and access to digital services.

An aim of the plan is to establish technical training centres in rural areas to provide young people with necessary digital skills such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and smart agriculture solutions.

The Smart Village Blueprint, which serves as the project's foundation, is intended to be a tool for improving access to the internet in rural and isolated communities.
Service provider Ooredoo Qatar has announced the successful completion of its trial of Wi-Fi 7 technology. The trial was completed on fibre-to-the-room (FTTR) devices for the first time in the region. The company plans to launch the technology in 2024.

Ooredoo explains that Wi-Fi 7 is set to redefine the internet landscape by enhancing Wi-Fi speed by four times, offering wider coverage and more reliability and reducing latency.

Describing the key features of Wi-Fi 7 on its website, technology company Qualcomm explains that is built upon the IEEE 802.11be Extremely High Throughput (EHT) standard and incorporates ultra-wide 320MHz channels, allowing for massive capacity gains and accommodating the ever-growing demands of modern connectivity.

Additionally, Qualcomm says, the implementation of 4K QAM modulation enables peak speeds to surge for lightning-fast data transfer. Wi-Fi 7 also introduces multi-link operation (MLO), a groundbreaking feature which significantly boosts throughput and maintains consistent low latency even in highly congested environments.

In the case of Ooredoos FTTR offering, these improvements are critical for supporting next-generation home applications such as 8K video streaming, immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences, and high-definition interactive gaming.

Beyond home use, says Ooredoo, Wi-Fi 7 will drive substantial innovation across various industrial sectors, including telemedicine, cloud computing and industrial IoT, catalysing Qatars ongoing digital transformation.

The initial commercial launch of Wi-Fi 7 will be with Ooredoos FTTR solution, designed to enhance connectivity across larger homes, thereby, it says, providing a consistently superior internet experience for its customers across all corners of their premises.
47 injured in collision between two buses in Bibile

Posted by Editor on September 5, 2024 - 9:45 pm

47 people have been hospitalized following an accident involving two buses in the Nagala area of Bibile around 7:30 PM today (September 05).

According to the police, the accident occurred on the Bibile-Ampara road within the Bibile Police Division when a Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus collided with a private bus traveling from Bibile to Ampara.

The private bus was carrying workers from a garment factory.

As a result of the collision, 47 passengers from both buses were injured and admitted to Bibile Hospital for treatment.

The police revealed that the accident happened when the private bus, which was carrying employees of a private company, stopped to allow workers to disembark, and the SLTB bus following behind collided with it.

The Bibile Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.
The global subscription business landscape is undergoing significant transformations as companies strive to expand internationally and adapt to evolving customer demands. However, these ambitions are increasingly being met with challenges, particularly concerning billing systems.

According to a recent report, the subscription economy is experiencing robust growth. In Australia, nearly half (46%) of businesses are planning to invest in global expansion over the next year to tap into new markets. Despite this optimistic outlook, a staggering 73% of business leaders express doubts about whether their current billing systems can effectively support their international expansion strategies. This has prompted many businesses to consider reevaluating and upgrading their billing software to ensure it can handle global scalability.

Beyond international growth, many subscription businesses are also looking to innovate their pricing models. A significant majority (78%) of local companies plan to experiment with more flexible subscription plans, such as usage-based billing. However, the rigidity of existing billing systems often poses a barrier to implementing these creative pricing strategies, limiting the ability of businesses to offer the flexibility that modern consumers expect.

The report also highlights a persistent challenge in the subscription industry: involuntary churn. Involuntary churn occurs when customers subscriptions are terminated due to issues such as failed payments, often because of expired credit cards. Alarmingly, 47% of Australian businesses have seen an increase in involuntary churn over the past year. Despite this, many companies lack the necessary data to quantify the financial impact, with 42% unable to measure the revenue loss resulting from churn or payment failures.

Reducing customer churn should be on every business leaders agenda: its cheaper than acquiring new customers and an effective way to maximise revenue and increase customer lifetime value. We hope businesses find this report and Stripes revenue recovery features a useful foundation, said Karl Durrance, managing director ANZ at Stripe.

To address these challenges and support businesses in their growth endeavors, Stripe introduced Stripe Billing in 2018. This software product is designed to help companies manage complex billing relationships with their customers. Stripe Billing enables businesses to easily set up various billing plans, customize pricing logic, calculate amounts owed, preview upcoming invoices, apply discounts, send payment reminders, and track payments. It supports a wide range of pricing models, including one-off transactions, sales-based contracts, tiered pricing, and usage-based pricing, making it a versatile tool for companies of all sizes.

Notable companies like Atlassian and OpenAI are among the over 300,000 businesses that use Stripe Billing to manage their billing operations. Stripes leadership in the recurring billing space was recently recognized in Gartners Magic Quadrant for Recurring Billing Applications, underscoring its effectiveness in helping businesses navigate the complexities of the subscription economy.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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"Either this nation shall kill racism, or racism shall kill this nation." (S. Jonas, August, 2018)

"A Vote for 'ABBH' (Any Body But Harris) is a Vote for Trump and Republo-Fascism" (S. Jonas, March, 2024)

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I am very pleased to announce in this space (with our Editor/Publisher Rob Kall's permission) the publication of the 3edition of my book "The 15% Solution: A Political History of American Fascism, 2001-2022, as projected from 1996. Purportedly published in 2048 By Jonathan Westminster." The Kindle version is on-line now. The print version will be following shortly. In this column, I am presenting a brief (well, knowing me, a relatively brief), introduction to it.

I wrote this book in 1994-95 and published the first edition in 1996. In the 1990's the Republicans were telling us what they would do if they ever got significant control of the Federal and State governments. The reader can decide whether or not they have achieved at least part of their then-stated goals, and to what greater extent they would achieve them were Donald J. Trump to be re-elected in 2024.

A second edition, virtually unchanged from the first was published in 2013. In advance of the 2024 election, I am publishing this third edition, again virtually unchanged from the 1996 first edition, to reinforce the warning that I set forth in the first edition. That is because under a second Trump term many of the developments that I predicted back then, might/would/surely could, happen under Trump.

The time-line between fiction and reality is of course different. In the book I predicted that a Republican/Christian-Nationalist takeover of the nation would happen in the early 21st century, that it would eventually lead to partition of the old United States into a racially segregated "New American Republics," which would then lead to a 2nd civil war (2019-23). The Movement for the Restoration of Constitutional Democracy would win that war (yes, of course I had to have the good guys win), and then would undertake that Restoration, to (fictionally) be completed by 2023. The text of the book itself, written by "Jonathan Westminster," is purported to having been published on the 25th Anniversary of that restoration, in 2048. The name "Jonathan Westminster" is a play on the name of Jack London, who, as it happened, in 1908 published a book called "The Iron Heel." It predicted a future United States, the nature of which would in modern terms, be called "fascist."

From the perspective of 1994-95, the book indeed describes a fictional religious/authoritarian future that for the nation that was predictable back then. Under the Trumpites and their current Republican iteration, a version of it could still well become a reality. "The 15% Solution" itself refers to an electoral strategy to ensure victory for the Republican Christian Right which was actually developed in real-time in the late 1980's (see the current GOP voter suppression campaign). Written as "fictional non-fiction," the book is focused on the threat of developing fascism "American style," that was indeed posed by the Right-wing Christian fundamentalist movement operating in close alliance with the Republican Party in the mid-90's.

The book's primary purpose was, and still is, to show how a theocratic authoritarianism can be gradually introduced into any country, even the "world's greatest democracy," behind a facade of Constitutional legality no less. That is, if there is no awareness in some significant sectors of the population, and opposition elected and party officials nationally, of what might happen and is happening. In that sense, it follows the tradition established by both The Iron Heel and Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here (1936).

When originally published in 1996, the book was a warning about what might happen in the U.S. as a result of the alliance between the Christian Right and the Republican Party. With its first re-publication, virtually unchanged, in 2013, the book warned about the consequences of what was by then actually happening. By now it has become an ever more threatening reality (see The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025). Projected in the book in 1996 was that the Republican Party would transmogrify into a then-fictional "Republican-Christian Alliance." As early as 2012, the late Howard Fineman of The Huffington Post and MSNBC had determined that the Republican Party had really become what he termed the "American Faith Party." The book takes it from there.

The Origins of the Book

I began thinking about what would eventually become the book you see before you in the mid-1980's, after the re-election of Ronald Reagan. The thinking process went on for quite a while, and both the story-line and the format (novel, non-fiction, some combination of both?) underwent numerous changes. Whatever form the book would eventually take, I was concerned that during the Presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush (1980's to the early 1990's), what I called the Republican Religious Right (RRR) was becoming ever more powerful. I began to think about what might happen were they to take over effectively full governmental power at the Federal and widely at the state levels.

Being an academic, to support whatever form I might come up with, I began collecting material on positions that both governmental and non-governmental representatives of the RRR were then taking about the matter of what they would indeed do, were they to gain that effective control. I gathered it from a variety of sources: published articles, books, fund-raising letters, position papers, newspaper, and magazine articles about them. Finally, in 1994, I came up with the outlines of a scenario that they might follow, and began writing this book.

I am a writer of non-fiction, not fiction. (Believe me, there are major differences in skills between the two. I regard the latter as much more difficult than the former. Non-fiction writers simply need to be able to undertake description and analysis, sometimes simply reporting. We need to use references. However, we do not need to be able to write dialogue, describe scenes and settings in appropriate prose, or engage in character development.) Thus, for this book, even though I decided that I would be writing primarily in the non-fiction style, at the same time I would of course be writing fiction, in the sense that after a certain point, I would be making up the plot-line and introducing fictional characters.

At the same time, while the story-line would be set in the then-future, it would be based on real policies and politics that real people on the Right were promoting in the 1980s and '90s. And so, I came up with what I describe as a "cross-over" book: fictional non-fiction, purportedly written by "Jonathan Westminster," a future professor of political science. The book is a supposed retrospective on the (supposed) U.S. fascist period, published in 2048 on the 25th anniversary of the re-establishment of U.S. Constitutional Democracy, July 4, 2023, following the triumph of the Movement for the Restoration of Constitutional Democracy in the Second Civil War (2022).

To my mind the most important feature of this book is that what was projected to happen was to the extent possible based on what the Republican Religious Right had been telling us, prior to the time I wrote the book in 1994-1996, they would do if they were ever able to gain full control of the government. Indeed, they were telling us that as far back as the 1980s, but back then nobody wanted to listen. They are telling us what they would do much more loudly now (2024).

More people are listening and more people are getting very afraid of a future governed by the (Trumpist) Republican Religious Right. Fortunately, the Democratic Party is beginning to openly respond to the threat. One of the main points that I made in the book is that the fictional transformation of the Republican Party into what I call the "Republican-Christian Alliance," then on to the "American Christian Nation Party," takes place out in the open and nobody in a position of political power and political authority says boo to a goose. Hopefully, that is beginning to change.

One nice coincidence in the book is that I named the Fascist President "J.D. Hague." His (fictional) parents, roaring racists of their time, were descendants of the notorious mid-20th century Mayor of Jersey City, N.J. Frank Hague. "Jefferson Davis" Hague was their second son. They had named their first after Nathan Bedford Forrest, the ex-Confederate general who was one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan. Obviously, since I made J.D. Hague's name up in the mid-1990's, the coincidence with modern times is entirely coincidental.

The Structure of the Book

This book has three sections. Section I sets the stage. Chapter one, "Prelude to Fascism," is an essay written in 1995 by "Dino Louis," a fictional political analyst of the time. Several late 20th-century analytical and prescriptive essays or notes for essays by "Mr. Louis," concerning major sociopolitical issues of the Transition Era, are included in the book in Appendices II-VI. Chapter two, Section I, presents an overview of the book and its historical scenario in outline.

Section II, the book's longest, features for the most part selected (fictional, to-be-sure) historical documents which marked major events of the Fascist Period. Annotating, highlighting, and punctuating each of the documents are writings by four (fictional) selected observer/participants of the time (as noted, for descriptions, see just below). They provide comments/perspectives/reflections from several different points of view. The bulk of the text, however, is provided by "Westminster" in his "Author's Commentaries" and "Author's Notes."

Section III presents a retrospective chapter (20) by "Westminster" considering "What Could Have Been Done" (in the 1990's) to prevent the national nightmare from ever occurring.

In Conclusion, as "Jonathan Westminster" himself puts it (in the year 2048)

"Many books have been written about the Fascist Period. In fact, it has been estimated that if not for the chronic paper shortage, in the 25 years since the Restoration more books would have been written about both the Period and the Second Civil War than had been written about slavery and the First Civil War in the 100 years following the latter's conclusion. Many of these books have been devoted to detailed historical descriptions of the events, monumental and not so monumental, that took place during the time. Some of the more important ones are cited in the reference lists for this book.

"However, as noted, this book has a rather different perspective from that of a conventional history book. I want people living now to know, not in detail about the depredations wreaked on our economy, polity, and society by the Fascists (although those are covered in outline), not about the defeats the Constitutionalist forces endured at first and the detailed story of their eventual victory, not about the widespread environmental degradation at all levels that took place and from which we are still struggling to recover, but rather about how easily the forces of the Republican Religious Right took over, how step by step they created Fascism by apparently legal means, how precious and at the time unappreciated our Constitutional Democracy was, and what must be done, even now, to defend it and eventually transcend it toward a far more real form of egalitarian power."

(Article changed on Sep 05, 2024 at 3:12 PM EDT)

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Takes 4 minutes to read. Please do not turn away from injustice.

An entrenching apartheid regime gets more genocidal. Not only besieging us the indigenous Palestinians in ever shrinking concentration camps but actually committing a genocide supported by Western Governments. It is now spreading to cities and towns in the West Bank. Israeli colonization forces intentionally destroyed infrastructure (roads, water, sewage) in Jenin for example. The weapons are primarily from the US and Germany but the political and media cover come from many western countries (thanks to the Zionist lobby). The Palestinian people for 76 years have faced the most brutal regime almost alone relying on trying different tactics of resistance (see my book on this). But genocide continues and almost 10% of the population of the Gaza strip were murdered, injured, or "disappeared." Israeli policy of erasing the indigenous people was like the British policy with aboriginal people in Australia or the USA except that relative to land size and population, things are different in scale. Palestine is a tiny country and now 8 million are refugees/displaced and 250,000 Palestinians were murdered. As noted in my last message, it also has far more global ramifications.

Most people avoid taking on challenges to make things better for the people. The 1-2% who face the challenges of oppression and dual occupations here in Palestine are truly heroic. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I am to have met people like the late Nizar Banat (killed by Palestinian security forces) or Basil AlAraj, or Shireen AbuAqleh or Rachel Corrie (killed by the Zionist apartheid forces). Dozens of my friends and colleagues murdered in the past few years. Their faces and words haunt my nights. I check on other friends in Gaza regularly to see if they are still alive. I am blessed to know many people who protested the ongoing genocide globally and some of them were then arrested and mistreated.

But what does not kill you makes you stronger and I find it humbling to see how Palestinians beaten and oppressed grow to resist in stronger ways. Oppression does not create silence or pacification. Further, Palestinians resist oppression in many ways and light candles of hope via positive work every day. Just as an example, the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (palestinenature.org) has been serving people and nature for seven years. Children are now here for summer camps and the environment created to them by staff and volunteers ensures transformative experiences that change lives. We also have women's activities almost weekly. Words cannot describe how important work is in areas like agriculture, environment, early education, health, and justice!

All people understand that it takes both resistance to evil in this world and also building a better future for our children. But most of those same people spend far more of their time consuming: consuming news, consuming food, consuming products. Retweeting and liking on facebook may be useful but I think most people understand this is not an answer to existential questions. Many who respond to my weekly newsletter ask what can they do. I point them to this list of 76 things that can be done The young people, being idealistic are in the streets trying to actually change things. But there is very little protection for them or organizing and long term planning (Palestinian aging political parties seem unable or unwilling to provide that). Progressive groups abroad do great work but are hardly networked and all overstretched. Below are questions many of us are asking and you can either: a) visit us today after 2:30 PM for us to chat and to act together, or b) write to us of your thoughts and actions and additional questions/answers, or c) bring a circle of trusted friends together to answer these or similar questions:

What are the best methods for helping those in most need (e.g. hundreds of thousands of families made homeless by Israeli bombings)? How do we respect ourselves (empowerment), respect others (joint struggle), and respect nature? How do we stop the mad dash to armaments particularly weapons of mass destruction (Israel has hundreds of those including on German supplied nuclear-powered submarines)? How do we protect idealistic youth from the relentless attack and pressures they encounter (arrests, beatings, etc.?) How do we ensure maximum impact for the utilized resources? How do we network the thousands of local and global organizations working for Palestinian human rights and sustainability and increase their effectiveness? How do we both oppose evil deeds such as the killing of innocents (17 children so far in last 3 days) while also building an alternative positive future for all children? How do we reach out to churches and mosques around the world? How do we grow our own food instead of consuming products that fund wars and harm our health? What are best practices to counter the destructive power of special interests like AIPAC and other lobbies on western governments? How do we counter media spin that distorts reality and blames the victims? How do we support each other emotionally? How to be transparent, express emotions, yet be guarded from being exploited? What is the best way to work on changing the destructive direction of many Arab states (normalizing and colluding with colonial oppressors and damaging the interests of teir own people)? How do we organize to make (civil) resistance sustainable and that it achieves discrete short term and long term goals?

Please gather in small groups and address these and/or other questions. Your public communication needs to be guarded and your private communications limited to trustworthy people. Doing so, we not only can help come up with some answers to these questions but to ask many more questions and answer them together towards a better future.

Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton and others did not let daily news/challenges prevent them from literally changing the world. They had a passion. We must use injustices to motivate (not frustrate us) and positive liberating action must follow. What we find most interesting is that people who worry too much end-up losing the opportunity to build a better future. This is precisely why many years ago we decided that, while it is important to stay abreast of "current events" (and even use them to motivate us), we must devote the vast majority of our time and effort and money to build a better future. We envision a future of caring and respect: for ourselves, for fellow human beings, and for all other living beings that share this beautiful but fragile planet. This is the vision of the pioneering "Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability" at Bethlehem University (palestinenature.org). The questions are raised in line with our vision to seek sustainable human and natural communities

Changing others? Changing ourselves!

You can't be neutral on a moving train. Stay Human/e 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
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

I've recently begun reading Caroline Alexander's new book, Skies of Thunder, The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World. Its focus is the theater of operations in which my father served as operations officer for the 1st Air Commandos, an all-volunteer unit, in World War II. And no, he isn't mentioned, though his commander Phil Cochran ("Flip Corkin" in the comic strip of that time, Terry and the Pirates) is. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. was instantly at war in both Asia and Europe and my father, then too old to be drafted, soon volunteered. Though, as a Jew, he undoubtedly wanted to fight the Nazis, he was sent to India as part of that unit's operations against the Japanese in Burma.

By May 1945, the Nazi regime had gone down in flames, and that August, after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were A-bombed more or less to smithereens, the Japanese surrendered, ending "his" war, but, as it turned out -- from Korea to Vietnam, Afghanistan to Iraq -- anything but ending Washington's disastrous urge to be a global war state. Like so many former soldiers of that war, he never really talked to his son about his experiences. Fortunately, he at least got to see (and help) the genuine good guys win.

However, by the time American-style war hit my world -- in Vietnam -- the United States looked like anything but the good guy (at least to me and so many young people like me) and I found myself volunteering (so to speak) to turn in my draft card and protest that war in the streets. By then, of course, the American national (in)security state was already succeeding in a striking fashion at only one thing (other than turning itself into a remarkable growth industry): it was largely freeing itself of us and of Congress. And of course, as retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, historian, and TomDispatch regular Bill Astore, whose Bracing Views Substack is a must-read, makes all too clear today, this country, the globe's (once) dominant power, has only gone from bad to worse when it comes to both preparations for and making war in a big time and, in both cases, remarkably disastrous fashion. Tom

From the Arsenal of Democracy to an Arsenal of Genocide

The Pernicious Price of Global Reach, Global Power, and Global Dominance

By William J. Astore

During World War II, American leaders proudly proclaimed this country the "arsenal of democracy," supplying weapons and related materiel to allies like Great Britain and the Soviet Union. To cite just one example, I recall reading about Soviet armored units equipped with U.S. Sherman tanks, though the Soviets had an even better tank of their own in the T-34 and its many variants. However, recent news that the United States is providing yet more massive arms deliveries to Israel (worth $20 billion) for 2026 and thereafter caught me off guard. Israel quite plainly is engaged in the near-total destruction of Gaza and the massacre of Palestinians there. So, tell me, how over all these years did the self-styled arsenal of democracy become an arsenal of genocide?

Israel, after all, couldn't demolish Gaza, killing at least 40,000 Palestinians in a population of only 2.1 million, including thousands of babies and infants, without massive infusions of U.S. weaponry. Often, the U.S. doesn't even sell the weaponry to Israel, a rich country that can pay its own bills. Congress just freely gifts body- and baby-shredding bombs in the name of defending Israel from Hamas. Obviously, by hook or crook, or rather by shells, bombs, and missiles, Israel is intent on rendering Gaza Palestinian-free and granting Israelis more living space there (and on the West Bank). That's not "defense" -- it's the 2024 equivalent of Old Testament-style vengeance by annihilation.

As Tacitus said of the rampaging Romans two millennia ago, so it can now be said of Israel: they create a desert -- a black hole of death in Gaza -- and call it "peace." And the U.S. government enables it or, in the case of Congress, cheers on its ringleader, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Of course, anyone who knows a little American history should have some knowledge of genocide. In the seventeenth century, Native Americans were often "satanized" by early colonial settlers. (In 1994, a friend of mine, the historian David Lovejoy, wrote a superb and all-too-aptly titled article on exactly that topic: "Satanizing the American Indian.") Associating Indians with the devil made it all the easier for the white man to mistreat them, push them off their lands, and subjugate or eradicate them. When you satanize an enemy, turning them into something irredeemably evil, all crimes become defensible, rational, even justifiable. For how can you even consider negotiating or compromising with the minions of Satan?

Growing up, I was a strong supporter of Israel, seeing that state as an embattled David fighting against a Goliath, most notably during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Forty years later, I wrote an article suggesting that Israel was now the Goliath in the region with Palestinians in Gaza playing the role of a very much outgunned and persecuted David. An American-Jewish friend told me I just didn't get it. The Palestinians in Gaza were all terrorists, latent or incipient ones in the case of the infants and babies there. At the time, I found this attitude uncommon and extreme, but events have proven it to be far too common (though it certainly remains extreme). Obviously, on some level, the U.S. government agrees that extremism in the pursuit of Israeli hegemony is no vice and so has provided Israel with the weaponry and military cover it needs to "exterminate all the brutes." Thus, in 2024, the U.S. "cradle of democracy" reveals its very own heart of darkness.

Looking Again at the World Wars That Made America "Great"

When considering World Wars I and II, we tend to see them as discrete events rather than intimately connected. One was fought from 1914 to 1918, the other from 1939 to 1945. Americans are far more familiar with the Second World War than the First. From both wars this country emerged remarkably unscathed compared to places like France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and Japan. Add to that the comforting myth that America's "greatest generation" pretty much won World War II, thereby saving democracy (and "Saving Private Ryan" as well).

Perhaps, however, we should imagine those years of conflict, 1914-1945, as a European civil war (with an Asian wing thrown in the second time around), a new Thirty Years' War played out on a world stage that led to the demise of Europe's imperial powers and their Asian equivalent and the rise of the American empire as their replacement. Germanic militarism and nationalism were defeated but at an enormous cost, especially to Russia in World War I and the Soviet Union in World War II. Meanwhile, the American empire, unlike Germany's Second and Third Reichs or Japan's imperial power, truly became for a time an untrammeled world militarist hegemon with the inevitable corruption inherent in the urge for near-absolute power.

Vast levels of destruction visited upon this planet by two world wars left an opening for Washington to attempt to dominate everywhere. Hence, the roughly 750 overseas bases its military set up to ensure its ultimate global reach, not to speak of the powerful navy it created, centered on aircraft carriers for power projection and nuclear submarines for possible global Armageddon, and an air force that saw open skies as an excuse for its own exercises in naked power projection. To this you could add, for a time, U.S. global economic and financial power, enhanced by a cultural dominance achieved through Hollywood, sports, music, and the like.

Next Page 1 | 2

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An Albertsons executive said Thursday the selloff is a completely different equation from the disastrous sale of stores to the tiny Northwest grocery chain Haggen in the last decade.

The specter of that failed deal has loomed over the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger and is a key point in the antitrust case now being heard by a federal judge in Portland. Regulators want to block the deal and have pointed to Haggens collapse as a cautionary tale.

Haggen acquired nearly 150 stores in 2014, when Albertsons bought Safeway and sold off redundant locations. Washington state-based Haggen, which had only 18 stores prior to the sale, soon collapsed under the weight of its massive expansion, filing for bankruptcy and closing or selling most of the stores. Haggen eventually sold itself to Albertsons.

To preserve competition and win approval from antitrust regulators, the grocery giants have proposed to sell 579 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers, a supplier of independent grocery stores nationwide that only runs 25 stores of its own.

The plan hasnt satisfied regulators, who are asking a federal judge to block the deal. Both sides are making their case in a federal courtroom an ongoing hearing set to run three weeks.

If the merger moves ahead, Albertsons Chief Operating Officer Susan Morris would leave the company and join C&S to run the new nationwide grocery chain.

Morris testified Thursday the plan to divest, or sell off, hundreds of stores is fundamentally different from the Haggen debacle.

Its a different scenario in a different time, she said. Im confident in my ability to run these stores.

Morris said she was not personally involved the 2014 Haggen deal. In court, she attributed the failure of Haggen in part to its overnight rebannering of Albertsons and Safeway stores under its own brand. She said that was a requirement set in place by the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory body that approved that merger  and which is now fighting Kroger and Albertsons combination.

In the ongoing proceedings, attorneys for the FTC have also questioned the assortment of store and private-label brands that C&S would acquire, saying that to replace established brands with unfamiliar ones would undermine the fledgling C&S chain in new markets.

Morris said C&S would license Safeway and Albertsons most popular private labels, the Signature Select and O Organics brands developed by Safeway, for four years after it acquired the stores.

She added that C&S, a grocery supplier, has access to hundreds of private label brands stocked by its other customers.

Morris also said she wasnt concerned about rebannering stores that C&S would acquire from the deal. She argued that while store banners are important for performance, other factors play a role.

I think what matters most is how youre running the stores, she said.

The viability of C&S as a competitor to an enlarged Kroger has been a key point of contention, with federal regulators arguing the divestiture plan is not sufficient to maintain competition in key markets like Portland, where Albertsons competes directly with Krogers Fred Meyer chain.

The agency says the merger would likely result in higher prices for customers and lower wages for workers. The grocery chains have tried to make the opposite case.

-- Kristine de Leon covers the retail industry, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com.

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A bail hearing was held for Robert Horning, who is accused of killing his brother Carl, in Washington County Circuit Court in Hillsboro, OR on Wed., Sept. 4, 2024.Dave Killen / The Oregonian
A Portland police sergeant who pleaded guilty to touching a woman inappropriately at a bar has resigned from the Police Bureau, records show.

Darke Hull, 47, resigned on Aug. 26 after 25 years of service. He was assigned to the Traffic Division and earned $176,053 in 2022-23, including overtime. He declined to comment.
For those who only know James Ivory as the director of such critically acclaimed films as A Room With a View, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, and other adaptations of literary classics, it might be surprising to learn that the filmmaker grew up in Klamath Falls, and attended the University of Oregon, where his papers are held in the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives.

In a recent Zoom interview, when told that his admirers include Oregonians who are proud to claim him as as one of our own, Ivory wryly noted, They know Im not English, so thats good.

The 96-year-old writer and director, who has been nominated for four Oscars and won in the best adapted screenplay category for the 2017 drama, Call Me by Your Name, also sounded pleased to be speaking with The Oregonian.

That was my Sunday newspaper growing up, Ivory said. He had, he added, just left his familys cabin in southern Oregons Lake of the Woods after two weeks, to do press for Merchant Ivory, a documentary feature film that explores the remarkable history of Merchant Ivory Productions which, as the film observes, is one of the longest partnerships in the history of cinema.

Id still be there, otherwise, Ivory said.

Ivory was joined in the interview by Stephen Soucy, the director of Merchant Ivory.

Merchant Ivory tells the story of the principal contributors to the Merchant Ivory world, including director Ivory; his professional and personal partner, producer Ismail Merchant; screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; and composer Richard Robbins.

Featuring a wealth of clips representing the 43 Merchant Ivory films made from 1961 to 2007, as well as interviews with Ivory himself, actors such as Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave, Rupert Graves, and other creative collaborators, Merchant Ivory is a celebration of the people who made so many memorable, award-winning movies.

Beyond that, the documentary also highlights how many of the Merchant Ivory films, which often looked luxurious and plush, were actually made for little money, thanks to the ingenuity of the India-born Merchant.

When asked why he wanted to make the documentary, Soucy said, Merchant Ivory films were very important films that I first encountered when I was a teenager in upstate New York many years ago. He and Ivory have a mutual friend, the novelist Peter Cameron, who wrote The City of Your Final Destination, which was Merchant Ivory Productions final film, and Soucy had interviewed Ivory for a short film about the music in Merchant Ivory films.

The personal and professional partnership of James Ivory, left, and Ismail Merchant, is explored in the documentary, "Merchant Ivory."Courtesy of Cohen Media Group

Soucy wanted to make a feature documentary about Merchant Ivory, and it was shocking to me that it had never been done before. He asked Ivory, who said yes, and basically, he kind of gave me his stamp of approval.

Though it took about three years to make the film, Soucy said, I really felt it had to be made, and I felt that my love for Merchant Ivory films made me the right person to do it, and luckily, Jim gave me his blessing to do so.

As for Ivory, he said, I didnt see any reason not to participate in the documentary. It wasnt going to be a lot of work for me. Im generally optimistic about things like this. Weve been written about a lot over the years, and its never bothered me, or been troublesome. I had no secrets, particularly. Any secrets I had are all published in my book, Solid Ivory, a memoir Ivory wrote that was published in late 2021.

Soucy said that the final interview he conducted with Ivory for the documentary happened after Solid Ivory was published. He was grateful, he said, that in the book Ivory discussed some of the more personal details of his life, which made Soucy feel more comfortable asking Ivory about his relationship with Merchant, and their life as a couple at a time when being gay wasnt discussed as openly as it is today.

Ivory said that in the case of Merchant, who died in 2005, he came from a very conservative Muslim family in Bombay, and so his private life, and his most personal feelings, were not something that would have been discussed, or known. But once he was gone, it was easier.

The documentary underscores how influential Merchant Ivory films were, and also how they were ahead of their time in telling stories about LGBTQ+ characters, most notably in 1987s Maurice, adapted from a novel by E.M. Forster, about romantic relationships among gay men living in the repressive Edwardian era.

Well, you dont feel that youre being ahead of your time, Ivory said. You dont know that. All you know is that youre doing something that you want to do, because youre interested in certain subjects and certain people.

Those are perhaps things, subjects, and people that generally have been avoided, Ivory said. But I havent avoided them. Theyre normal and natural to me. What is normal and natural to me is what has gone into the films.

The documentary includes several of the actors recalling how different Merchant and Ivory seemed, in terms of their personalities. Jim was calm and gentle behind the camera, and Ismail was a firecracker, as actress Felicity Kendal recalls. Merchant would just turn up on set, and say, Right, action! and nobody had even rehearsed the scene.

Merchants scrappiness in finding money, and ways to economize  he had a habit of cooking meals for people working on the films  is remembered with affection by actors and members of the creative team.

Asked if independent filmmakers today might benefit from seeing just how much behind-the-scenes effort went into Merchant Ivory movies, Ivory said, It needs an Ismail Merchant to make them happen. He was fanatical, and clever beyond anything. In your film, Ivory said looking at Soucy, hes called a con man, which he was. Any film producer, and any independent filmmaker, is a con man. They cant help but be. They have to juggle everything.

One of the things that stuck with me, that Jim said to me early on, is that Ismail Merchant gets the lions share of the credit for Merchant Ivory Productions, Soucy said.

Absolutely, Ivory said.

Because he made those films happen, Soucy said. Jim directed it, Ruth wrote the screenplays, Richard Robbins wrote the music, and everybody showed up. But they all showed up because Ismail was running around, raising the money.

Among the highlights of Merchant Ivory are the interviews, rich with droll and perceptive comments from the likes of Hugh Grant (who recalls Merchant Ivory film sets as crackling with subliminal lust), and Emma Thompson praising Ivorys straightforward feedback (That was boring), along with vintage clips from such stars as Daniel Day-Lewis, who says of 1985s A Room With a View -- which provided him with one of his earliest noteworthy roles -- Its been directed very sensitively.

Asked if there were veterans of Merchant Ivory films they werent able to interview, Ivory said, I just wish that Maggie Smith had agreed to an on-camera interview. Shes one of the worlds wittiest women.

I did talk to Maggie Smith on the phone when I was in London, kind of gathering interviews, Soucy said. Smith said she didnt have a lot of contribute, Soucy recalled, but then she added, The thing I remember about Merchant Ivory Productions was the chaos, and the curry.

Merchant Ivory will release on Video On Demand (VOD) platforms in early November.

Want to stream some Merchant Ivory films? A Room With a View is available on Max; Howards End is available on Amazon Prime Video; The Remains of the Day is also streaming on Amazon Prime Video, as is Maurice.

 Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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U.S. Bank will not renew its lease in Portlands Big Pink skyscraper, the latest sign of turbulence in downtowns commercial real estate market.

The bank communicated the decision to bank employees on Wednesday.

U.S. Bank leases approximately 222,000 square feet inside the tower, formally called U.S. Bancorp Tower, according to the latest available data from real estate analytics firm CoStar.

Its important to note that were not exiting downtown Portland  we will continue to support our downtown clients through our branch presence as well as our client center at 900 S.W. Fifth Ave., the bank said in an email sent to employees and viewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The email does not give a reason for the decision.

In a statement, the bank said it doesnt expect any job cuts or changes in service at local branches. U.S. Bank will continue to operate its four branches in the downtown area.

The Portland area is a significant part of our company history and were committed to maintaining our presence and involvement there, which is why we chose it as one of our hub markets, the bank said in a statement.

Portlands central city had the highest office vacancy rate of the 50 largest downtown office markets in the country at the end of last year, according to a report by real estate firm Colliers. Brokerage CBRE most recently reported that nearly a third of central Portlands offices were empty.

The loss of a marquee tenant marks the latest setback for Unico Properties, a powerful landlord that has seen its portfolio diminished in the wake of COVID-19s reshaping of office culture in favor of hybrid schedules.

The area around 111 S.W. Fifth Ave. has experienced open drug use, crime and graffiti, though public-private initiatives have aimed to address the issues in the so-called Ankeny Triangle. As part of its security measures, Unico set a 420-pound robot to patrol its property, feeding information to security personnel indoors. The recently opened Midtown Beer Garden food cart pod nearby is regularly busy on weekdays.

All of us at Unico are incredibly disheartened to hear this news today, Brian Pearce, a Unico executive vice president, said in an emailed statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Our teams have been working very closely with U.S. Bank over the past four years to address their concerns and encourage their employees to return to downtown.

Big Pink is a jewel in Seattle-based Unicos local holdings. But more than half  nearly 583,000 square feet  of Big Pinks approximately 1 million square feet was available for lease as of the second quarter, according to data from Colliers.

Two large tenants  pollster SurveyMonkey and law firm Miller Nash  declined to renew their leases at Big Pink last year, together accounting for roughly 100,000 square feet for Unico to fill in Oregons second tallest building.

Most of the U.S. Bank employees at Big Pink will move to Columbia Center in Gresham, a 365,000-square-foot building which the bank has owned for decades. The banks sales staff will mostly move to locations in downtown Portland and Vancouver. The bank expects most of the moves to happen before the end of the year.

It is a severe blow to the downtown community and the City of Portland to lose such a significant, urban-oriented business to its suburban neighbors, Unicos Pearce noted. This is a dramatic statement and decision by the Banks leadership on their view of the state of Portland.

U.S. Bank holds more than 22% of bank deposits in the Portland metropolitan area, more than any other bank, according to FDIC data. It has 67 offices here, also the most of any bank.

The bank is based in Minnesota, but it takes its name from the U.S. National Bank of Portland, which opened in 1891, and which later merged with a Minneapolis bank.

It remains a major regional employer, with 3,144 employees here, according to the Portland Business Journals most recent Book of Lists.

 Matthew Kish covers business, including the sportswear and banking industries. Reach him at 503-221-4386, mkish@oregonian.com or @matthewkish.

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Bloodworks Northwest is urging healthy people 16 and over to donate blood to help Oregon and Washington recover from high demand during the summer months, when car crashes and other calamities stress the regions supply.

The need for blood is constant, said Dr. Kirsten Alcorn, the co-chief medical officer for the nonprofit, and the donation rate needs to keep ahead of that.

To meet demand, Alcorn said the group needs 1,000 people per day to give blood. About half the population is eligible, but only 3% donate, she said.

The group also needs donors who can give platelets that help stop bleeding and are used with cancer patients as well as people with traumatic injuries.

Bloodworks Northwest lists donor centers and mobile drives on its website and offers a handy guide to various blood types and their uses, too.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised its blood donation rules to screen all donors for risk factors in the spread of HIV, fully reversing a blanket policy against accepting donations from men who have sex with men and their female partners.

 Beth Slovic is a deputy editor on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach her at 503-221-8551 or bslovic@oregonian.com.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com/subscribe.
Its not everyones cup of tea: youre running many miles, operating on minimal sleep and youre in a packed van filled with sweaty runners. Just the thought of Hood to Coast relay baffled co-host, Vickie Connor, two years ago. Now, she owns a finishers medal.

On this weeks episode of Peak Northwest, Vickie talks with The Oregonian/OregonLives audience engagement editor, Julie Evensen, about what its like to run Hood to Coast for the first time.

Here are some highlights from this weeks show:

What makes the Mother of All Relays an appealing Oregon running tradition.

How to choose the segments that work best for you.

What it physically feels like to run 16 miles over the course of 36 hours.

Why you might get your best sleep in the middle of a field.

How to participate in 2025.

Heres the full episode:

Subscribe to Peak Northwest on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

-- Vickie Connor
90% of Australian SMEs have declared they are open to partnering with a non-bank lender, a remarkable turnaround from 2018 when 44% of SMEs said they would not consider non-bank lending.

In the near-term, more than half of those SMEs planning to invest in their business in 2024 will partner with a non-bank lender. This is a dramatic shift from 2014 when just 7% of SMEs said they would find a lending solution from outside the banks.

The headline findings are contained in the 10th anniversary edition of ScotPacs SME Growth Index Report, Australias longest-running SME sentiment check.

Key related findings include:

A record 52% of SMEs planned to use non-bank lending to fund new business investment, exceeding the total planned bank lending figure of 42%.

59% of SMEs plan to invest in their business in the next six months, mirroring 2023 levels, but down from the high of 65% in September 2019.

Just 15% of SMEs in a declining growth phase planned new investment in the next six months.

The high level of investment intention across the SME spectrum is consistent with capital expenditure (capex) data released last week from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It reported the final estimate of capex for 2023-24 saw an increase of 10.2% compared to last year, with planned capex for 2024-25 to rise by a further 10.3%.

ScotPac CEO, Jon Sutton said the strong trend towards non-bank business lending for new investment could be traced to a greater awareness of the range of specialist business lending products available in the market, and the speed and flexibility on offer.

Most owners who are planning to invest in their business want quick and easy access to working capital, preferably without having to put up their home as collateral, Mr Sutton said.

At ScotPac, we understand that time is a business owners greatest asset, and sometimes 24 hours can be the difference between seizing or losing a new opportunity.

That is why, over 35 years in business, ScotPac has developed a comprehensive suite of fast and flexible lending products to support SMEs in just about every investment scenario.

Whether it is buying new assets, hiring more staff or helping to pay down a tax bill, ScotPac has the right product to help.

According to the SME Growth Index Report, the top three reasons SMEs sought to partner with a non-bank lender were easier onboarding processes, faster availability of funds, and the peace of mind of not having to borrow against the family home.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The stage is set for a hot late summer day in Portland on Thursday with morning temps already in the 60s and 70s across the metro area as of 5:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service says Portland will see widespread haze Thursday with some areas of smoke visible by the late afternoon that could moderate temperatures a few degrees, but the amount smoke coverage is uncertain.

Portlands air quality was mostly in the moderate range as of 5:30 a.m. The bulk of Oregon was moderate with one pocket of hazardous air in central Oregon near the Prineville Reservoir, according to Airnow.gov.

Thursday should be Portlands hottest day of the week, and likely the last triple digit temperature day, other than maybe Friday, of 2024. Current historical records dont show any 100+ temp days after the 5th of September. The official high temperature forecast is 101 degrees. This would tie a record on this date set in 1944. Current probabilities show a 90% chance of temps from 100-107 degrees across the Willamette Valley.

On top of the high heat, much of the region is under a red flag warning for high fire danger due to low humidity, high winds, and high heat. Fire danger is high across the Cascades, where high temps today may be in the low 90s, in the Columbia River Gorge, and in the mountain foothills. Burn bans have been in place for months now. Residents should use extreme caution with allowed heat sources including outdoor cooking devices, and gas or diesel farm and yard equipment.

Overnight temperatures wont provide much cooling. The weather service says temps may cool to around 68 degrees as measured at the Portland International Airport. Urban areas may not cool below the low 70s overnight and into Friday morning.

Friday is set to be another hot day with sunny, and sometimes hazy, skies and a high of about 99 degrees.

The high pressure system currently over the Pacific Northwest shifts east beginning later Friday allowing for a few degrees of cooling.

Portland will see a mostly sunny Saturday with highs dropping to about 91 degrees.

Sundays temps will take another drop under mostly sunny skies. The high will reach about 85.

Long range forecasts are looking at a system moving south out of the Gulf of Alaska that should make its way to the Pacific Northwest by early next week. Much depends on where the trough sets up, but it should bring cooler temperatures and clouds to the region. Will it rain? Its possible, but models are not in agreement.
Sixteen Vietnamese students recently participated in a two-week program at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, where they studied both the theoretical and practical aspects of semiconductor chip production.

This marks the first time Vietnamese students have attended this course, with participants coming from Vietnam National University in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vo Thien Nhan, a student from the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Technology, Vietnam National University in HCMC, shared that the program, which took place from July 17 to early August, focused on two main topics: chip design and digital/analog integrated circuit design.

International students attend a class on semiconductor at the National Cheng Kung University, August 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Thien Nhan

Like many of his peers, Nhan joined the course with the desire to witness modern chip production processes firsthand and to observe how Taiwan trains its students. He was surprised to find that many engineers, master's, and PhD students from countries such as South Korea, Japan, India, the U.S., and the Netherlands were also participants.

National Cheng Kung University is one of Taiwan's top five universities, and the course Nhan attended is the third of its kind organized by the university.

Duc Minh, a student from the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications at the University of Science, Vietnam National University, HCMC, noted that the course provided extensive knowledge about the steps involved in chip production, including design, manufacturing, testing, and packaging. He found the course innovative, as domestic programs mainly focus on design.

"I got to enter the room where chips are manufactured and see for myself technologies and machinery that I had previously only seen online," he said.

Both students mentioned that the program covered their airfare, visa costs, and a portion of their tuition fees. The remaining amount they had to pay was around $1,000 per person.

International students in a room where chips are manufactured at the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute. Photo by VnExpress/Thien Nhan

During the course, Nhan and Minh practiced chip design using Electronic Design Automation tools, which are crucial for modern integrated circuit design. This allowed them to familiarize themselves with the process from circuit design to simulation.

According to Nhan, the chip design knowledge taught in Taiwan is not significantly different from what is taught by their professors in Vietnam. However, students in Taiwan have easier access to advanced design software. The course was divided into two classes: digital and analog chip design. Additionally, students had the opportunity to enter fabrication and testing labs at various research institutes and companies to observe and learn directly.

"What impressed me the most was seeing my design go into production, resulting in a circuit board, and then carrying out post-production steps to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the design," Nhan shared.

Many nights, Nhan stayed late in the lab to complete his assignments and learn how to use new design software. He is now considering pursuing further studies in semiconductor technology.

International students visit a semiconductor laboratory at the National Cheng Kung University. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Minh

Taiwan currently supplies more than half of the world's semiconductor chips. In March, the Taiwan Education Bureau announced the International Talent Education Program (INTENSE) for students from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. With support from businesses and universities in Taiwan, international students receive sponsorship for airfare, tuition, and a monthly living allowance of TWD10,000 ($310) to study engineering and semiconductors.

Students who have graduated from vocational schools or colleges, participants in joint programs between Vietnamese and Taiwanese universities, or master's and PhD candidates are eligible to apply. Upon graduation, they will be awarded bachelor's, master's, or PhD degrees corresponding to their program of study.

In its first year, the program aims to recruit 2,000-2,500 Vietnamese students, with enrollment starting in February or September.

Professor Tran Hoa Hien, Education Counselor at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in HCMC, believes that with a complete ecosystem and abundant human resources, Taiwan can support Vietnam in training professionals in semiconductor chip design.
Toddlers under the age of two should not be allowed screen time or access to digital media to prevent mental health issues and other problems, according to Swedish health officials.

As of 2014, children aged 2 and under in the United States averaged at least three hours a day of screen time, according to a study published on JAMA Network. Among children ages three to five, the study found that they had an average daily screen time of two hours and 28 minutes.

However, health officials for Sweden's Public Health Agency now say toddlers under the age of two should be banned from using any digital media and TV to avoid poor sleep, depression, and body dissatisfaction. The warning was first reported by Fortune magazine.

How Much Screen Time Should Children Have?

Swedish health officials said screen time limits vary depending on a child's age. While toddlers under the age of two should not have any screen time, health officials recommend a limit of one hour of daily screen time among children between the ages of two and five.

Among older children, those aged six to 12 should not spend longer than two hours on a device while teens aged 13 to 18 should have a daily screen time limit of three hours. This would allow children to have time for communal or physical activities.

In addition to limiting screen time, Swedish health officials recommend against letting teens use smartphones and other gadgets before bed. They added that devices should be kept out of the bedroom at night.

Sweden said their country's teens---specifically those aged between 13 and 16, spent 6.5 hours daily on their devices. Meanwhile, in the US, teens of the same age averaged eight hours and 39 minutes of screen time per day, per to a study by Common Sense Media.

How Does Screen Time Affect Toddlers?

Numerous studies have shown that too much screen time can lead to adverse health effects. For instance, Drexel University researchers found that babies and toddlers who had screen time were more likely to display behaviors associated with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A separate study found that toddlers are also more prone to emotional outbursts when they are allowed to use tablets at 3.5 years old.
A 14-year-old male student identified as the suspect in a mass shooting at a Georgia high school Wednesday morning was previously investigated by authorities over online school shooting threats.

On Wednesday, 14-year-old Colt Gray shot at students and teachers at the Apalachee High School in Georgia. Following the shooting, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Atlanta released a joint statement with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office where they revealed that Gray had been investigated by bureau officials in 2023 in connection to "online threats to commit a school shooting."

That online threat did not specify a location or time. However, it did include photographs of guns, the statement noted.

What Happened to the FBI Investigation?

Following the online threats, the FBI said they interviewed Gray and his father---the latter of whom confirmed that he had hunting guns in the house but said his son did not have unsupervised access to the weapons. The FBI also said Gray had denied making the online threats.

The FBI said they did not find probable cause to arrest Gray or to take additional action at the time. However, officials noted that they alerted local schools to continue monitoring then-13-year-old Gray.

Apalachee High School Mass Shooting

Wednesday's shooting incident led to the deaths of two students and two teachers whose identities authorities have not disclosed. Nine other people at the school were also hospitalized with gunshot wounds, including two victims who were airlifted to the hospital, per New York Post.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday night, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said all hospitalized victims are expected to survive.

A law enforcement official said Gray used an AR-15-style rifle in the mass shooting, as first reported by CNN. It was not immediately clear how the 14-year-old obtained the weapon. It was also unclear what motive was behind the shooting and whether Gray had specific targets.

After the shooting, officials said the 14-year-old immediately surrendered. Gray is currently in police custody and will be charged with four counts of murder. He will be tried as an adult.
As the release date for Six Days in August approaches, I find myself thinking about the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, the Patriarch.

Thomas Sharp and his conspirators down in Warsaw to the south, and the mob that did the deed in Carthage to the east, thought that, by murdering Joseph and Hyrum, they had put an end to Mormonism.

Now, though, Thomas Sharp and his cronies are completely forgotten  except as evil footnotes in the history of the Church. Virtually nobody visits Warsaw unless (as I did some years ago) its to visit the wreckage of the place where they hatched their plot.

And the only thing of interest in the dusty, sleepy, nondescript little town of Carthage  the town that time forgot, as Im tempted to call it  is the jail in which Joseph and Hyrum were murdered. Beautifully landscaped, meticulously maintained, adorned with statues of the martyred Prophet and Patriarch, its become something of a place of pilgrimage. Every year, thousands and thousands people come from across the United States and beyond to pay their respects to the two men whose lives were unjustly taken here, to contemplate one more time the appalling and solemn events that occurred on 27 June 1844.

To their enormous discredit, some detractors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have vainly sought to defend the perpetrators of that quasi-official frontier assassination or, at least, to minimize the guilt that they bear and to try to blame the victims.

I quote from an item that I wrote quite a few years ago in response to some materials produced by the Southern Baptist Convention:

In the view of Rev. Wright, who is an ordained minister in the Southern Baptist Convention, not even the murder of Joseph Smith was undeserved. He goes further, in this regard, than did the experts at the SBCs Denominational Summit on Mormonism, which was held in North Carolina on the one hundred and fifty-third anniversary of the Prophets death. Smith was killed while escaping jail, they said, untruthfully. Responding to some remarks made by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Pastor Wright notes that the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum on June 27, 1844, didnt occur until after Joseph had fired upon the so-called mob with a pistol that had been secreted to him while in jail and had killed one man and injured several others. Rage and persecution may have followed the Mormons to Illinois, but the Saints of that day brought most of it upon themselves! Rev. Wright is wrong about Hyrums death, which occurred immediately prior to Josephs drawing the pistol. But he is almost certainly correct in his claim that Josephs firing of the pistol took place while Joseph was still alive. His description of the events at Carthage represents an important and novel historical reconstruction, and it is vital that we understand it with precision. Apparently, Rev. Wright feels that Joseph Smith was obligedthough he was unjustly imprisoned and had not yet been tried, let alone convicted of anything, much less convicted of a capital offense, to allow the so-called mob' to butcher not only himself and his brother Hyrum but his two friends, Willard Richards and John Taylor, whose only crime was that they had come to visit the prisoners. (John Taylor was, in fact, severely wounded by the so-called mob.') Rev. Wrights revised version of the events in Carthage seems to run along the following lines: The wily criminal lunatic Joseph Smith, who had remained quiet throughout his captivity, deliberately chose the very time when the peace-loving Carthage Greysfully armed and with traditional blackened faceswere innocently gathered about the jail for their annual June 27th Militia Picnic. Frolicking with their weapons and calling out the death threats that customarily accompanied that grand holiday in frontier Illinoisit was a simpler time, and June 27th had not yet been commercializedthe proto-Gandhian Greys had merely been playing the venerable party game known among these gentle rustics as Eat Hot Lead, Mormon Scum! Then, wholly without provocation, Joseph Smith opened fire on the revelers, using the pepperbox pistol that Cyrus Wheelock had smuggled into his cell. Naive historians, both Latter-day Saints and others, have always assumed that Josephs action had something to do with the fact that his brother Hyrum had just been shot to death. (Presumably, Hyrum was killed by a stray bullet from a local hunter, or perhaps from an evil Mormon assassin.) Rev. Wright, however, cannot be taken in by such sophistries. When Joseph continued to shoot at them as they mounted the jails interior staircase bearing a peace offering of cookies and punch, they had no choice. They killed him and his (already dead) brother in self-defense. It is true that they also shot John Taylor at least four times. But then, he had been very naughty to them with his cane, and needed to be taught a lesson.

I received a note yesterday or the day before from Deseret Book, calling my attention to this duet of It Is Well With My Soul, performed by Clotile Bonner and Casey Elliott. I thought that you might enjoy it. But I also want to mention that Casey Elliott, a member of mens trio Gentri, will be recording a special musical number tomorrow (Thursday) that we intend to run behind the credits and the acknowledgements for Six Days in August. (The rest of the score for the film is being composed by Sam Cardon.) I invite you, when you see the film, to stick around for the credits; I think that youll enjoy the music.

And, speaking of Six Days in August, weve released a second trailer for the film. Interestingly, thus far at least, our demographic data indicate that this second trailer seems to be heavily favored by women. This contrasts dramatically with the first trailer, which apparently resonates better with men (though not to the same decisive extent that women apparently prefer trailer number two). Go figure. Im not sure that I get it, but there it is.

Three new items have appeared on the website of the Interpreter Foundation from our Africa-focused video project, Not by Bread Alone: Not by Bread Alone Blog Post #7: Just in Time: Three Converts Return Home (Episode 3). These include the title video and two others:
James Refutes Faith Alone / Faith Without Love is Dead, Too / Love & Justification / Jesus Denies Faith Alone (Rich Young Ruler)

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.

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)

*

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 blue . I use RSV for biblical citations. sola fideLoci Communes

*****

Nor does this refutation conflict with Paul, when James adds, A man is justified by works, for he is speaking of the righteousness or works which Paul also proclaims with great emphasis as being necessary; but he denies that remission of sins is given on account of this righteousness. Therefore the word to justify should not be understood as being the equivalent of reconciliation, but as we have often said elsewhere, it means to be approved. A man is justified by his works, that is, he has a righteousness of works which is approved and which pleases God. That obedience is necessary in the reconciled and how it is pleasing to God has been said above. The person is not righteous or pleasing or accepted if he lacks this obedience and if sins against conscience remain. Therefore the statement that a man is obliged to have the righteousness of works must be confessed by us. But in the meantime the hearer must also learn some other things, namely that he does not receive the remission of sins because of his works, or that they are pleasing to God, for they do not satisfy His law, but they are pleasing only for the sake of the Mediator. It is clear that he must add these points. (p. 111)

*

Melanchthon tries very hard  as all Protestants must, to retain faith alone  to explain James 2 in a way harmonious with his novel soteriology, but he fails, for some of the reasons  besides others  that I have explained elsewhere

James 2:20-26 refers back to Genesis 15:6 (as well as Genesis 22), and gives an explicit interpretation of the Old Testament passage, by stating, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, . . . (2:23, RSV, as throughout). The previous three verses were all about justification, faith, and works, all tied in together, and this is what James says fulfilled Genesis 15:6. The next verse then condemns Protestant soteriology by disagreeing the notion of faith alone in the clearest way imaginable. Moreover, Nehemiah 9:8 states, thou didst find his heart faithful before thee, and didst make with him the covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanite . . . * James 2 is usually applied by Protestants to sanctification, but that is not what the passage says. It mentions justified (dikaioo: Strongs word #1344) three times (2:21, 24-25): the same Greek word used in Romans 4:2, as well as 2:13; 3:20, 24, 28; 5:1, 9; 8:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 2:16-17; 3:11, 24; 5:4; and Titus 3:7. If James actually meant sanctification, on the other hand, he could have used one of two Greek words (hagiazo / hagiasmos: Strongs #37-38) that appear (together) 38 times in the New Testament (the majority of times by Paul himself). * James  take note  doesnt deny that Abraham also had faith, which was part of his justification as well (2:18, 20, 22-24, 26). We already knew Abraham was justified by a work in Genesis 22 because God rewarded him for something he had done and because he obeyed him.

Melanchthon has no basis in the actual text for asserting that justification has an essentially different meaning in James. He simply reads that into the passage (eisegesis), because James (writing like a good Catholic) ties works too closely to faith and justification, and in order to shore up his false theology. In a debate on justification , I observed:

James, just like Paul, ties both faith and works into salvation, not just flattering and God-honoring appearances before men. They are connected to salvation itself (1:12, 21-22; 2:14) as well as to justification (2:21, 24-25); both things directed Godward and not merely towards other persons. . . . * Kittels Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (one-volume edition, pp. 172-173) . . . [on] the meaning of James 2:24: * How we can be righteous before God is dealt with in 2:23-24. The concern here is to combat a dead orthodoxy that divides faith and works. The works that justify are not legalistic observances but the works of loving obedience that Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. Abraham was justified by a faith which found fulfillment in works. . . . the practical concern, namely, that the only valid faith is one that produces works, is very much in line with the total proclamation of the NT, including that of Paul himself. * . . . Catholics say that Paul and James are talking about exactly the same thing, . . .

I again cite my article, Salvation Via Sanctification & Merit: Bible Proofs (Compendium of 78 Biblical Passages On Catholic Justification, Sanctification, Faith & Works, & Merit: Contrary to Protestant Faith Alone Soteriology) [8-26-24], which includes 32 passages from the Bible in which sanctification and works are directly tied to salvation in terms of contributing causes. All of that cant be ignored or rationalized away. God plainly intended to convey the message of an organic, intrinsic connection of faith and works, seeing that it is repeated so many times. The exegete and theologian is tasked with consistently incorporating these portions of the Bible into a coherent overall framework. I submit that Catholics and Orthodox do just that, while Protestants do not.

*

Thus it is very apparent that James is not disputing about the entire matter but has spoken about only one aspect; he is demanding the righteousness of works and refuting those who imagine that they are righteous merely on the basis of their profession. (p. 111)

*

This is inaccurate, since he repeatedly mentions faith in context (2:5, 14, 17-18, 20, 22-24, 26). Faith in the sense of justification appears twelve times in James 2, and works are also mentioned twelve times. Thus, we see that James view is precisely the same as Pauls: an organic relationship of faith and works (neither faith alone nor works alone). James isnt simply discussing works in some separate sense. Thats a force-fit interpretation, and it doesnt fly. The text is too clear.

*

But with regard to reconciliation and how our imperfect obedience is pleasing to Godof this he does not speak at this point, but above in ch. 1:18 he alludes to this matter a little when he says, Of His own will God begot us with the Word of truth, that we should be the first fruits of his creatures. (p. 111)

*

Indeed, but in the same chapter, he also merges faith and works, and expressly refutes faith alone: just as he does in chapter 2:

James 1:22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [23] For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; [24] for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. [25] But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.

Compare that to Paul:

Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

1 Cor. 13:2, If I have all faith, but do not have love, I am nothing. The reply to this is straightforward, easy, and clear: I grant the entire point. For we clearly affirm that love must be present, but it does not follow from this that we receive reconciliation on account of our love, and that our love is pleasing to God on the grounds that it satisfies the Law. (p. 111)

*

Love, like works, is part of the overall equation of justification and salvation. Melanchthon has again futilely attempted to separate what Holy Scripture does not separate:

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. * 1 Timothy 2:15 Yet woman will be saved through bearing children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. * Hebrews 6:9-12 Though we speak thus, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things that belong to salvation. [10] For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. [11] And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, [12] so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Note that we inherit the promises not through faith alone but rather, through faith and patience. Despite these three passages, Melanchthon falsely asserts that  it does not follow from this that we receive reconciliation on account of our love. Hes right if were talking about initial justification, but not subsequent maintenance of justification. Faith, works, and love are all together and cannot and must not be separated. Paul combined faith and love in 1 Corinthians 13:2 (above), which could then be paraphrased as faith without love is dead. He combines faith and love thirteen other times as well:

1 Corinthians 13:13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. * Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, * Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, * Ephesians 3:17-19 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. * Colossians 1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints, * 1 Thessalonians 3:6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love . . . * 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. * 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. * 1 Timothy 1:5 whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith. * 1 Timothy 4:12 . . . set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. * 2 Timothy 1:13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; * Titus 2:2 Bid the older men be temperate, serious, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. * Philemon 1:5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,

Paul even combines faith, works, and love in one verse, six times:

2 Corinthians 8:7 Now as you excel in everything  in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for us  see that you excel in this gracious work also. * Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. * 1 Thessalonians 1:3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. * 1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. * 2 Timothy 2:22 So shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. * 2 Timothy 3:10 Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

Jesus does the same:

Revelation 2:19 I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Moreover, the writer of Hebrews mentions love and works together: and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (10:24). He had mentioned the full assurance of faith in 10:22, so in the space of three verses, he also mentions all three. So readers may notice that Melanchthon provides one prooftext in the effort to try to separate love from justification and remission of sins. I provide 24 passages to refute him. Who is being more biblical?

*

Indeed, love cannot exist unless faith precedes it, . . . (p. 111)

*

Im not at all sure that that is true (and he provides no proof that it is). I do know that divine grace must precede both things. I dont see that it would be any more implausible for God to produce love in us without faith (at first) than it would be for Him to produce faith without love.

*

Matt. 19:17, If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. Therefore it is possible to satisfy the Law and our obedience merits eternal life. I reply: Our adversaries have established their errors by the use of this passage that man can satisfy the law of God and that the wickedness which is born with us is not an evil which is in conflict with the law of God, and that because of our fulfillment of the law the price of our eternal life has been paid. These errors have arisen because they did not distinguish the Law from the Gospel. (p. 112)

*

The they Melanchthon refers to here is Jesus Himself. Hes the one Who made errors according to the logical end result of Melanchthons theology. The rich young ruler had asked Him, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?(Mt 19:16). If Jesus had been a good Lutheran, or just about any kind of Protestant, He obviously would have had to respond, you cant do any work to attain eternal life! Youre dead wrong, even in your question. You must have faith alone! But of course He didnt say that. Rather, He said, If you would enter life, keep the commandments (19:17); that is, works, without mentioning faith.

*

Then the ruler answered, All these I have observed; what do I still lack? (19:20). And again, if Protestantism is right, Jesus had a second chance to affirm, you must believe in Me with faith alone to attain eternal life. But He again chose to answer like a Catholic and recommended another meritorious work: If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven . . . (19:21). So was Jesus wrong (because He didnt  distinguish the Law from the Gospel ); or is Melanchthon wrong? The answer is a no-brainer.

*

The young man went away and Jesus observed, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. . . . it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle . . . (19:23-24). Why is it so hard? It sure isnt hard because he didnt exercise the faith that Jesus never recommended. Its hard because the work that was required to attain salvation (giving away all his possessions) is hard. And this is supposed to prove faith alone and disprove Catholic teaching? In what universe?

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The Law requires complete obedience, and it promises life on the condition of complete obedience, as it has been said, This do and you shall live, Gal. 3:12. But it is evident that no one satisfies the law of God, as Paul clearly testifies in Romans 7 and 8. (p. 112)

*

But Jesus wasnt talking about the Law in His second reply. Nothing in the Law that Im aware of requires a person to give up all their possessions in order to be saved. This was a thing that the rich young ruler had to do because he had made money his idol (i.e., He had raised it above God in his affections). All he had to do was give it up to have eternal life. But easier said than done . . . In any event, that wasnt keeping the whole Law to be saved. Rather, it was obediently doing one meritorious work that would accomplish it. Thats according to the express word of Our Lord and Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Who are we to disagree with Him?

*

Therefore we must compare the passages under discussion here with other statements which properly apply to the Gospel. Rom. 6:23, The gift of God is eternal life through Christ. And John 6:40, This is the will of Him who sent Me that everyone who believes in the Son shall have eternal life. (p. 112)

*

Then why didnt Jesus tell him, for heavens sake (pun half-intended), that very thing, instead of talking about commandments and meritorious works for salvation? Why? Obviously, faith alone cant be the truth  faith in Jesus is fine  , because if it were in fact the only way to obtain salvation and heaven, Jesus would have absolutely had to say so when directly asked about that very thing. But He didnt; therefore, faith alone collapses in a heap and is a false, unbiblical doctrine, foreign and unknown to Jesus Himself.

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God wills for the sake of His Son to receive us and to make us heirs of eternal life, and this takes place through faith. (p. 112)

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It was through (implied existing) faith and definitely also works in the case of the rich young ruler: confirmed by Jesus. Faith alone is deader than a doornail after reading and pondering this passage for about 30 seconds.

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And when we are received, then the new light and the new obedience do begin which are in agreement with the law of God. (p. 112)

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But the order was the other way around in this story. The ruler had to be obedient to Jesus direct command first, and then he would be received : all the way to heaven.

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Therefore to all the words of the Law add the Gospel. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments, that is, according to the voice of the Gospel or according to the spirit which the Gospel adds. You cannot begin to love without a knowledge of Christ and without the Holy Spirit. (p. 112)

*

But thats not what the text says, and is purely wrongheaded eisegesis: rather pathetically and desperately imposed on the text from the outside.

*

Nor does our obedience please God because it satisfies the Law, but on account of the Mediator, . . . (p. 112)

*

Yes, in this case, Jesus told him what to do to attain eternal life: keep commandments and sell all that he owned. That would have saved him; not a word about faith or belief in Jesus. That doesnt mean those things are denied, but it does mean that works cant be excluded from the overall equation of salvation. Jesus seemed to think that they were supremely, crucially important, just as He did in Matthew 25 (the sheep and goats passage), where He mentioned works as being the direct cause of eternal life.

*

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Photo credit: Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon (1537), by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) [public domain / [public domain / Wikimedia Commons

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Summary: Replies to Philip Melanchthon, including James refutation of faith alone, faith without love is dead, too, love and justification, Jesus denies faith alone (the rich young ruler).
Old-fashioned address books and rolodexes are becoming an increasingly rare sight as the world goes digital. Whats more, digital address books are not something you need to buy separately.

If you have an email address with Google (Gmail), Microsoft (Outlook), or Apple (iCloud), for example, an address book, or contact list as its usually called, is also included.

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Google Contacts is the service that Gmail uses when you send emails. If a person is entered here, you dont have to type the full email address manually, it will appear when you start typing their name in the To field.

But Google Contacts doesnt just keep track of email addresses. You can also add things like phone numbers, postal addresses, postcodes, dates of birth, and places of work. The point is that you can keep everything in one place, and you only have to do it once.

The data contained in the contact list is used not only by Gmail but also by other services. In other words, you can look up a persons home in Google Maps and get a reminder of their birthday in Google Calendar. You can also send meeting invitations in Google Meet and share documents in Google Sheets.

If you have an Android phone, it will also use the phone numbers in Google Contacts to make calls  and you can see who is calling you in plain text.

Because Google Contacts is so widely used, its a good idea to make sure its always up to date and complete.

What are the risks?

Your contact list is valuable, and its important to be careful about sharing it. This is especially true for mobile apps that often ask for access to your contacts.

Of course, you also need to decide whether you want to give Google access to your contacts. Many people see this as a problem from a privacy perspective. As always, there is a trade-off between simplicity and security, and here each user has to choose how to make it.

What are the options?

In this article, Im focusing on Googles contact list, but competitors services work in much the same way.

For example, if you prefer to use Microsofts option, there is an address book called Outlook People. To use it, surf to www.outlook.com and log in. Click on the icon with small squares in the top-left corner. Click on the More apps and select People. You can also browse to outlook.live.com/people.

The setup is similar to what we describe here for Google services.

Getting started

Foundry Foundry Foundry

To open your contact list, surf to contacts.google.com and log in. To add new contacts, tap Create contact > Create a contact. Fill in the details shown or select Show more.

View and edit

Click on the Contacts to view your entire contact list and clicking on a person will display their contact details. You can change these via Edit at the top right and you can also mark someone as a favorite  or delete the contact. You can also add a photo of your contact here.

Foundry Foundry Foundry

Check interactions

By opening a contact, you can also see your interactions in the right-hand column. This shows, for example, your latest emails and files that you have shared with each other. Of course, you can click on these to open them in Gmail or Google Drive, for example.

Star your favorites

People you contact often can be starred. This means that they appear at the top of various listings. This feature is also called Favorites.

To star a person, open their contact card and click on the star at the top right. You can also hover your mouse over a persons name to display the same star. Click again to remove the star.

Group work with labels

Foundry Foundry Foundry

For those who work together with others, it is smart to create groups in the contact list. A group, or Label as its called in the Google world, is a collection of contacts, and the point is that you can interact with all of them in one go. For example, you can create a group for the association board and another for your colleagues.

When you want to send emails, you dont have to type in the addresses one by one. Similarly, you can invite everyone to a video meeting or share files.

You can add labels via a persons contact card. Press the Label > Create a label or use an existing one already displayed in the list.

Editing the labels

All your labels are displayed under the Labels heading in the left-hand menu. Click on a label to see which contacts are included here. You can also rest your mouse on the label name to bring up icons to rename the label and to delete it.

Merge

Foundry Foundry Foundry

If you have accidentally entered the same person twice, it is easy to merge them. Select the duplicates in the contact list and press Merge-icon in the top-right corner. You can also select Merge and fix in the left-hand menu to do this automatically for the whole contact list.

Foundry Foundry Foundry

If you have an address list from another application, you can press Import > Select the file and locate the list. Follow the instructions to import. You can also select Create contact > Create multiple contacts to add many at once.

It can be tempting to delete people you rarely contact, but this is unnecessarily drastic. Instead, choose to hide them. They will no longer be visible in the regular contact list, but you can bring them up at any time.

To do this, tap the three dots to the right of a contact and select Hide from contacts. To find hidden contacts, tap Other contacts in the menu on the left.

Use Android

Foundry Foundry Foundry

Youll get the best overview on your computer, but Google Contacts is also available as an Android app. The layout is much the same, although it is adapted for a smaller screen. If the app is missing, you can search for Google Contacts via the Google Play Store.

 or iPhone

The Google Contacts app is only available for Android, but if you have an iPhone or iPad, you can link your Google contacts list to the Apple Contacts app. You do this by opening Settings on your iPhone/iPad. Here you tap on Passwords and accounts > Add account > Google. Enter your email address and password, press Next button and follow the instructions.

Use the right phonebook

Some mobiles have their own phone book where contacts are stored locally. This means it doesnt end up in your Google contacts list and cant be accessed anywhere else. In other words, when youre asked how to save, make sure you do it in your Google Account.

Increase security

Foundry Foundry Foundry

The more you work with different Google services, the more important it becomes to think about security. You can increase it by switching on so-called Two-step verification. You will need a code delivered to your mobile phone to log in.

Switch on the feature by browsing to myaccount.google.com, log in, and select Security, yo log in to Google. Press the button Two-step verification and a wizard will start showing you how to do it.

Take control of the automation

Does your contact list include people you didnt add yourself? The explanation is that Google automatically adds people youve had contact with. If you want to avoid this, heres how:

Google account. Surf to myaccount.google.com, log in, and select People & sharing in the left menu. Under the heading Contacts you can switch off Contact info from interactions and Contact info from your devices.

Gmail. Surf to www.gmail.com and log in. Press the settings icon at the top right and select See all settings > General settings. Go to Create contacts for auto-complete and select Ill add contacts myself.

Print your address book

Do you feel insecure just having your contact list in the cloud? You can choose to print it on paper (or as a pdf file).

Open the Contacts in the left menu to view your contact list and press Print-button in the top right corner. Now you get to choose what to print  and how to do it.
At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Remarkable battery life

A great array of ports

Sturdy, lightweight design

High-visibility display Cons Variable performance trails competitiors

A bit pricier than competition Our Verdict You can get faster and flashier systems, but the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 efficiency on levels we havent seen elsewhere. Its an all-around strong machine for general productivity on the go, and may prove a tough one to beat on that front.

Price When Reviewed

1849 Euro

Best Prices Today: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6

Retailer Price Lenovo 1.849,00  View Deal Product Price

Lenovo has joined the bandwagon, introducing a new version of its ThinkPad T14s built around Qualcomms Snapdragon chips for PC. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, which is a lower-spec variant, but the laptop itself is one of the more expensive options at $1,745 as tested (and that price is with Lenovos ever-shifting discounts that obscure the real price of products), and the price comes above competitive Intel- and AMD-powered laptops like the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 (2024) and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED.

While the performance and reliability of the Snapdragon chip inside the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 still has to prove itself in the long run, what were seeing from the system so far is respectable in everyday operation and downright brilliant in efficiency when combined with the rest of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6s hardware. This is a very well rounded machine for productivity and well worth digging further into.

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Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Specs and features

At the time of testing, Lenovo was not offering multiple configurations of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. Since then, it has introduced a custom configuration option that is still built around the same Snapdragon chip and display but features Windows 11 Home and configurable storage that starts at 256GB alongside a starting price of $1,279. As it still comes with 32GB of memory, wed expect performance in most situations to remain largely unchanged.

Lenovo offers some upgrades with the custom configuration, including 64GB of memory for $193 extra. The bump to 1TB of storage costs $490 extra, though theres also a $180 option for 512GB, both of which seem too expensive.

You can get a touch display for $125, but it will feature a different panel with lower color gamut and may not have the same energy savings that this model gets. A 28801800 OLED display is also available with a wider color gamut, 120Hz refresh rate, and anti-glare finish, but it costs $315 more and is also likely to impact battery life.

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100

Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X

Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics

Display: 14-inch FHD+ IPS

Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD

Webcam: 1080p

Connectivity: 2x USB4, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K60Hz), 1x 3.5mm combo audio

Networking: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.3

Biometrics: Windows Hello fingerprint, facial recognition

Battery capacity: 58 watt-hours

Dimensions: 12.37 x 8.64 x 0.67 inches

Weight: 2.66 pounds

MSRP: $1,754 as-tested ($1,279 base)

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Design and build quality

IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 comes out looking much like just about any other ThinkPad. Its rocking the signature black and red design that makes it a little sleeper with subtle style. Lenovo has kept embellishments to a minimum, with only a small Lenovo badge on one corner of the lid and ThinkPad engraved into the opposite corner with a small illuminated dot in the i of the name.

The chassis doesnt make a statement. Its not obscenely thin or made out of obviously luxury materials, as Lenovo has hidden the recycled aluminum, magnesium, and CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) in a soft-touch-like black coating. But the whole system still ends up fairly svelte at just 0.67 inches. The frame feels just a little cheap because of how lightweight it is at just 2.66 pounds, but thats further offset by the smoothness and sturdiness of it. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 just feels built well. Theres some keyboard deck flex, but I have to really press hard to see much. If ever there was a delightfully utilitarian laptop, this feels like it, and its done well.

The frame sits on three rubber feet, with two small feet out front and one long foot spanning the width of the laptop at the back. These arent the grippiest, but they hold the laptop steady enough while typing and navigating.

The lid moves smoothly, but it has enough friction that it requires holding the base down while opening  no one-handed opening despite the lid having a small lip that ought to have facilitated easier one-handed operation. It also wiggles a bit after its been moved, but thankfully it doesnt shake around while Im typing.

Theres a small gap between the base of the laptop and the display hinge, and the exhaust vents live in that gap. This lets vented air go both up toward the display and get directed down by the edge of the display. Air intake is handled by a single fan visible right behind a grate on the underside of the laptop.

All put together, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is a nice little laptop that doesnt get caught up in efforts to exude style but still has elegance and impressive robustness for such a lightweight system.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp

The keyboard on the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is good, but not quite as rock-solid as Id have hoped. The keys have a good bit of travel to them, but they dont offer much resistance and are therefore not incredibly well stabilized or poppy to type on. This leads to more errors drifting off the edge of one key and hitting its neighbor because of their tendency to tilt, and it results in plenty of missed presses if I dont slow down.

Rushing, I end up with low accuracy. At the best, I was able to hit 117 words per minute with 96 percent accuracy in Monkeytype, which is decent but still a ways away from my best performance. Still, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6s keyboard has its pluses.

For one thing, it has offset arrow keys that are easy to feel out. They also include small Page Up and Page Down keys. For writing or editing, the top-right of the keyboard also squeezes in Home, End, Insert, and Delete to provide some easier navigation, selection, and editing.

The keyboard features white backlighting, and Lenovo claims it is spill-resistant. Like other ThinkPads, the keyboard features the classic TrackPoint nib, which provides an extra way to mouse around the computer. Its effective and plays well with the physical left-, right-, and middle-mouse buttons above the trackpad, letting me keep my hands on the keyboard at all times.

There is also a small trackpad below the keyboard, which is wonderfully smooth with its mylar surface. Navigating with it is responsive and accurate, though it can get a little cramped for multi-finger gestures.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Display, audio

IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp

Utility is at the forefront of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6s display. Its a simple 19201200 option with no high refresh rate or snazzy OLED panel, but its great for work all the same. The resolution is reasonably sharp on a 14-inch panel, and even if its not dazzlingly colorful, it still covers 100 percent of the sRGB color space.

Perhaps best of all of productivity is that the matte finish is incredibly effective, knocking out glare left and right. That combines with the panel that hit 473 nits in testing, making indoor and outdoor use possible. Even contrast is strong, reaching 1670:1 to put most other IPS panels out there to shame. Its not exceptional, but its a good looking display that will stay out of your way when youre trying to get work done.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 has a pair of two-watt speakers that sit at either side of the keyboard. Despite low power, they actually pump out some impressive volume. In a quiet room, they readily get too loud for comfortable listening at arms length. For boisterous music, they can be a bit grating at high volume levels, but they play nice with more mellow tracks, like Mariya Takeuchis Plastic Love and offer a surprising amount of bass depth. For video calls, the speakers are plenty to be able to hear fellow attendees.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp

The webcam on the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is a small 1080p unit that offers mixed performance. Without great lighting, it winds up turning visuals into an incredibly blurry mess. But turn on a nice light to fall directly on your face, and it produces a nice, sharp picture. Go too bright, as with sunshine coming through a window, and the contrast cant keep up and will dim too much of the rest of the picture, casting many details into shadow.

The camera offers a wide enough field of view to crop into or fit a couple people if you enjoy group calls. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 includes a convenient privacy cover for the camera that slides over the lens and shows an easy-to-see red dot so you can plainly tell when its covered.

In addition to serving for calls, the webcam supports Windows Hello facial recognition. This makes for quick sign-ins, and since the webcam has a wide field of view, it doesnt take much fussing around to get centered for recognition. Theres also a small fingerprint scanner at the top-right corner of the keyboard for yet another quick and easy way to securely sign into the laptop.

The microphones paired with the camera can also do a good job. Even with a small bit of background noise, they pick up my voice loud and clear. My voice is fairly full and doesnt sound far away.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Connectivity

IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp IDG / Mark Knapp

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 shows that being a thin-and-light laptop doesnt have to entail a sacrifice of ports. The right edge of the laptop includes two USB-A 5Gbps ports and a Kensington Nano lock slot. The left side offers a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone/mic combo jack and two USB4 ports. Id love to see SD or microSD card support, but Im not mad at the combo of Type-A and Type-C ports with the display output to boot.

Wireless connectivity is also ready for the future with Wi-Fi 7 that proved fast and stable when tested on my Wi-Fi 6 network. Bluetooth 5.3 is also onboard, though Bluetooth 5.4 would have been a welcome upgrade.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Performance

Like quite a few of the thin-and-light laptops weve tested here at PCWorld in the last two months, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 runs on a Qualcomm chip instead of something from AMD or Intel. In this case, its the lower-end Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 that was also in the HP Omnibook X 14.

This is a couple steps down from the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 we saw in the Asus Vivobook S 15 (S5507), and that model comes in at $1,299, which is quite a bit more affordable than the $1,754 of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. There are even more affordable threats with more tried-and-true Intel and AMD chips, like the $999 Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or the $849 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED with an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS.

As Ive seen on the other systems tested with Snapdragon chips, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 struggles to prove competitive when it needs to run x86 programs through emulation and doesnt get to use ARM-native programs. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 puts up only a modest 6,824 multi-core score in Cinebench R23, which is an x86 program, and 1,119 points for single-core performance.

This lags behind both the Omnibook X and Vivobook S 15 by a considerable margin. Its worth noting that single-core performance on the ThinkPad actually beats the other Snapdragon systems, helping to explain why the ThinkPad still felt incredibly responsive in practice even while falling short of its competitors in overall might.

If youre after a dependable machine that will keep up with light workloads wherever you go, this might just be the one.

Lenovos performance starts to seem like a conscious choice as well. While this test was performed with the system set to its default Balanced mode and plugged into AC power, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 actually was able to reach a 7,700 multi-core score in Performance mode. Making matters even weirder, performance on battery power was better still. Balanced mode reached a 7,623 multi-core score and Performance mode went as high as 9,099, really closing the gap.

Running Cinebench R20 on battery power, with the Balancer power plan and Chrome and Slack both running, occupying system resources, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 managed to hit a 3,676 multi-core score, which is more than a 30 percent improvement over its results on AC power with no other applications running.

For Cinebench R24, the jump was similarly dramatic, going from a 567-point average to 792 points when switching from Balanced settings on AC power to Performance settings on battery power. I saw some similar funkiness on the HP Omnibook X and have heard other reviews make similar observations. Still, none of this is enough to let the Snapdragon chip catch up with the stalwart Intel or AMD chips, which beat the best results by a wide margin. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus hits 13,363 in Cinebench R23s multi-core test and the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED reaches 13,777 and both also manage substantially higher single-core performance.

Weve seen some staggering differences in performance when the Snapdragon chips get to run native apps instead of emulating x86, as shown in our Surface Laptop 7 review. Sure enough, running the ARM version of Cinebench R24, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is able to put forward a 106-point single core score and 567-point multi-core score.

This is close to the results of the Framework Laptop 13 with an Intel core Ultra 7 155H with a 595 multi-core score or the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U and 456 multi-core score. But the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 still seems to be holding back, as it falls well short next to Snapdragon-powered competitors like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, which hit 1,043 points on the same chip.



The combined CPU and GPU performance for the system isnt proving any better as we see the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 again come up short in 3DMarks Time Spy benchmark. With a score of just 1,702 it lags ever so slightly behind its Snapdragon compatriots, which in turn fall very short of the performance available in AMDs Radeon 780M found in the Zenbook 14 OLED or the Intel Arc Graphics inside the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus.

The Night Raid benchmark tells a somewhat different story, as the benchmark has native ARM support. Here, all of the Snapdragon-powered systems regain some ground, though the overall hierarchy still remains with the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 narrowly trailing the pack and the AMD and Intel systems out front and practically tied.

While the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6s performance is clearly best in ARM-native applications, in general use, where the system isnt trying to put the pedal to the metal, the performance hit that comes from emulation isnt as likely to feel like a big problem. Its still a responsive laptop, and since thin-and-light laptops arent really intended to serve as workstations, it may be fitting its role well. For what its worth, I also noticed far fewer graphical hang-ups in everyday use compared to the HP Omnibook X and Dell XPS 13, which both run Snapdragon chips but have only 16GB of memory and may be seeing the GPU stumble when that memory fills up.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Battery life

Every blow the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 took in our performance benchmarks seems to have been with one goal in mind: longevity. Its clear the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 can run faster, as some benchmarks showed when using different settings, but by default its not geared to.

Instead, its set up to leave all the competition in the dust when it comes to runtime. In our 4K video playback test, it put even the great-performing slate of recent laptops to shame. With an average runtime of 1,412 minutes (about half an hour shy of 24 hours), it led the next closest system in this pack by almost six hours. It also obliterates the Asus Vivobook S 15, which sat at what now seems an anemic 15 hours.

While the tempered performance is surely playing a part in the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6s longevity, the choice of display likely has a role as well. Lenovo has opted for a low-power display with a not-so-demanding 19201200 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. The 28801620 OLED of the Vivobook is probably hurting it. Its all the more impressive when considering that the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 has the smallest battery as well. Its 58Wh battery sits 1Wh below the Omnibook, 6Wh below the Inspiron, 12Wh below the Vivobook, and 17Wh below the Zenbook.

Its not just in video playback that the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 impressed. In regular office-related use, it generally put itself on track for around a 10-hour runtime.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Conclusion

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 could be a brilliant laptop in the right hands. Its not a high-performance workhorse and the variable performance it sees in different conditions makes it a little hard to rely on for speed. Some of that volatility may get ironed out as Snapdragon laptop chips spend a little more time in the real world. In spite of this, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 still remains a consistent machine in lighter tasks, likely thanks to the extra memory Lenovo is essentially insisting on.

Beyond that, this is a high-utility laptop. The keyboard is OK. The display isnt the sharpest or most gorgeous, but ensures visibility in most conditions. The battery can chug along for ages, putting pretty much anything weve tested to shame. And all this is coming from a little laptop that weighs under three pounds and feels quite well built.

While our test configuration is a little pricey to have somewhat underwhelming performance, those who can do without the extra storage can save a ton with the $1,279 base configuration. If youre after a dependable machine that will keep up with light workloads wherever you go, this might just be the one.
In a remarkable achievement, Samuel Naamgwinaa, a first-year student pursuing a Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology (UMAT), has emerged as the overall winner of the 2024 Presidential Pitch.



Samuels innovative creation, the "Smart Switch," captured the attention of Ghanas president, the judges and audiences alike, earning him top honors in a 3-day competition, which took place between 20th  23rd August 2024.



The Smart Switch is an automated system that allows users to remotely control their light consumption, significantly reducing energy wastage and contributing to Ghana's energy conservation efforts. Samuels pitch stood out for its ingenuity, ease of use, and seamless integration into existing systems, leaving a lasting impression on the panel.



This years Presidential Pitch attracted over 300 applicants, with only 10 finalists making it to the final round. Samuel not only claimed the ultimate prize of GHS 200,000 but also received an additional GHS 50,000 pledge from the President, on 23rd, the final day of the pitch, who was notably impressed by Samuel's presentation and the depth of his innovative thinking.



Samuels journey to this victory began with his participation in the 2024 KIC Agritech Challenge Classic, representing Takoradi Technical University. In an interview with KIC Program Officer Anthony Agee-kum, Samuel credited the Challenge for playing a pivotal role in his success.



The KIC Market Research Tours, Capacity Building Trainings, particularly on Business Concepts, and the Pitch Decks shared by Ato Ultzen-Appiah and other resource persons were crucial in my preparation for the final pitch, he explained.



Although I had participated in similar pitches before, I rarely won prizes. However, since joining the KIC Agritech Challenge, I have been empowered through its structured capacity-building programs, inspiring me to aim for and achieve success this time around. I extend my sincere appreciation to KIC, the Takoradi Technical University team, and the Mastercard Foundation for their unwavering support.



Looking ahead, Samuel expressed enthusiasm and optimism about the future of his KIC Agritech journey. He and his team are now focused on developing a new concept that applies the same automation principles to the agricultural sector, with the goal of benefiting smallholder farmers in the Western Region and across Ghana.



The 25-year-old young mans story is a testament to the transformative impact of the KIC Agritech Challenge Classic, which continues to nurture young innovators and equip them with the tools and knowledge needed to excel, even beyond the borders of the Challenge. His success not only highlights the importance of such initiatives but also serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators across the country.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Sekyere South District Health Promotion Officer, Mr Joseph Asore, says exposure to smoke poses significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups like pregnant women.



He enumerated the health risks from prolonged exposure to smoke from charcoal and firewood as low birth weight, infant mortality, asthma, respiratory tract infections, reduced lung function, and heart failure.



Speaking at the National LPG awareness and sensitisation campaign in Jamasi, Mr Asore said Particularly pregnant women are at high risk, putting their lives and their unborn children at risk.



In most cases, it affects babies to the extent that it becomes visible in their weight. The normal weight of a newborn starts from 2.5kg, but due to these risks, some children are born weighing less, which has lasting implications for them from an early stage.



The national campaign, being executed in collaboration with the Oil Sustainability Program (OSP), an initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Energy, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and Digicraft Advertising/Brand Management, includes market sensitisation, community durbar and town-hall meetings.



The four-day campaign in the Ashanti Region kicked off with market sensitisation in Ahwia Nkwanta and Agona, educating vendors and residents about the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM). A community durbar was held at the Jamasi Community Centre, where participants were urged to support the initiative.



Speaking at the event, the Assistant Headmaster of Administration at Adu Gyamfi Senior High School, Mr Emmanuel Eshun, praised the NPAs CRM, calling it a valuable opportunity and added this initiative allows you to easily exchange your old cylinder for a new, filled cylinder at an exchange point, making it a hassle-free process that benefits everyone.



The Twafohene of Jamasi, Nana Kofi, expressed his appreciation to the NPA and partners for bringing the awareness to Jamasi and its environs, saying our forests have been severely damaged by fires, and we welcome the introduction of gas as a safer alternative for cooking, which I believe will help protect our forests and environment.



In a presentation on CRM, a Supervisor from the Gas Directorate of the NPA, Johnson Gbagbo Jnr. gave comprehensive insights into CRM and shed more light on the policy.



Addressing the challenge of accessing gas refilling stations in Jamasi and why CRM was a necessary, Mr Gbagbo made parallel explanations to the cost of spending about GH6 on transportation from Jamasi to Agona to refill a cylinder, and the associated risks involved.



Since Jamasi doesnt have a gas refilling station, and people travel to Agona to refill their cylinders incurring transportation cost. The NPA and, by extension, the government has introduced this scheme to bring gas closer to you all. Under this scheme, the exchange points will be at various strategic centres for you to have easy access to gas without spending much or no money at all on transport, he stressed.



Addressing consumers at a Town Hall Meeting in Bekwai, Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, Head of Consumer Services at the NPA, urged the public to regularly check the cylinder rubber seals (washers) around the valves and the connecting hoses to see if they are worn out or damaged.



She encouraged consumers not to repair damaged hoses and rubber seals (washers) by themselves, but rather take the cylinders to nearest LPG dealers for a safety check and replacement of the worn-out hoses and seals. Additionally, hoses should be secured with proper hose clips.



Mrs Nyarko urged the public to keep LPG cylinders outside the kitchen to prevent explosion and resultant injury, death and property damage.

Source: Ghanaian Times









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The aftermath of a traffic accident in Ha Giang Province in northern Vietnam, Sept. 3, 2024. Photo courtesy of HBHG

Approximately 1,200 drivers had alcohol-related traffic violations during this year's National Day holiday, with a decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries from traffic accidents compared to the previous year.

The traffic police department under the Ministry of Public Security said 20 traffic accidents occurred on National Highway 1 during the four-day holiday between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3, resulting in seven deaths and 18 injuries, a drop of eight deaths and three injured cases compared to the same period last year.

During the holiday period, traffic police handled 7,500 cases of traffic violations, involving over 650 buses, 920 trucks, 1,350 cars and 4,200 motorbikes. Authorities imposed fines totaling more than VND14.6 billion ($587,241), an increase of VND5.6 billion compared to last year. Over 1,500 driving licenses and 1,500 vehicles were confiscated.

Speeding violations were the most common, accounting for over 2,800 cases, while 1,200 cases involved violations related to alcohol consumption.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama asserted that the recent footage of the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and the owner of DKM, Martin Delle, has vindicated him in the DKM scandal.



Speaking at a campaign event in the Bono Region, Mahama said that after members of the NPP accused him of being behind DKM, it has now turned out that the owner of the defunct microfinance institution is a bona fide member of the NPP.



You remember back in 2016 when I was president, the NPP party and MPs held a press conference and falsely accused me of being the owner of DKM. Recently, the vice president Bawumia visited Nandom and was seen in the company of the real owner of DKM.



His (the owner of DKM) uncle, former interior minister Ambrose Derry, admitted that the owner of DKM is a member of the NPP and one of the financiers of the vice president. The lies they spread about me have now been exposed, he said in Twi.



He added, The owner of DKM is actually affiliated with the NPP. The money that was embezzled is what he is now giving to Bawumia for his campaign. Lies take the lead, but in the end, the truth will always prevail.



About the DKM scam:



The DKM scandal was about a scam allegedly orchestrated by some microfinance institutions in the Brong Ahafo Region, including DKM, which led to residents losing their investments running into several millions of Ghana cedis.



The scandal led to the arrest of of managing director of DKM microfinance, Dr. Martin Delle, and three others were arrested for fraudulent breach of trust. Delle was released on a GHC80 million bail while the others, including the Chief Executive Officer of God Is Love Fan Club, Nortey Noel, and Managing Director of Jastar Motors, Charles Asum, had their bond set at GHC50 million and GHC20 million respectively.



The victims stated that the financial institutions convinced them of a 50 per cent interest offer on investments in three months. Based on the information, a number of people were said to have deposited various sums of money in the suspects companies.



However, on the maturity dates, the clients found the offices of the suspects locked when they went to collect their money.



Former President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina Mahama, were accused of being behind DKM.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has blamed the lack of rainfall across the country on the poor governance of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).



Even though the government has announced measures to mitigate the effects of the dry spell, the former president expressed sympathy for farmers dealing with losses noting that the situation has also led to an increase in food prices.



Former President John Mahama made these comments at the Babatokuma Market in Kintampo North during his four-day campaign tour of the Bono East Region where he engaged with traders.



We know that when youre running a country, the most important thing is that the people can afford food. Today, food is very expensive. The rains have not been coming this year because of the NPP government which has damaged many of our crops.



This is why the next NDC government will introduce the Farmers Service Sector in each district and give them ten tractors each, Mr. Mahama pledged.



The government has been taking steps to mitigate the effects of a looming food crisis. Last week, the Ministry of Agriculture announced an export ban on some food products including maize, soybean, and other grains.







Source: starrfm









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The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and OccupyGhana have expressed disappointment over Cabinet's reluctance to approve the 2022 Conduct of Public Officers Bill (CoPO) for enactment.



In a joint statement, the coalition said its reaction followed repeated assurances by the President and the Attorney-General that the Bill would be passed into law.



It, therefore, challenged Cabinet's assertion that existing laws were sufficient to address the conduct of public officers, urging for the swift approval and enactment of the CoPO Bill by Parliament.



Context

Since 1993, successive governments in Ghana have unconstitutionally extended the period for public officials to declare their assets. Rather than fulfilling the constitutional requirement to declare assets before assuming office, officials have been allowed up to three months after their appointment to do so.



This extension has led to a troubling trend where many public officials either never declare their assets or make presumptive declarations of assets they anticipate acquiring during their tenure. Such practices undermine transparency and accountability, contributing to the erosion of public trust in government institutions, the groups stated.



CoPO Bill

The statement argued that recent issues surrounding unexplained acquisition of wealth by public officials could have been mitigated or even resolved if the 2022 CoPO Bill had been enacted.



We are convinced that the recent issues arising and concerning public officials and apparently unexplained wealth would have been resolved if the 2022 CoPO Bill had been enacted.



Possibly, that is why the Bill is facing strong resistance in Cabinet against its approval, it sated.



Show commitment to tax payment just like tithing - GRA tells faith based organisations told

The statement said, This is inexplicably shocking, considering that the 2018 CoPO Bill was previously recommended for Parliaments adoption with minimum suggestions by the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs (Parliamentary Committee) in July 2020.



The non-passage of any CoPO Bill since 2013 suggests governments and parliaments lack of commitment to fight the rising cases of alleged corruption, bordering on procurement and conflict of interest breaches in the Fourth Republic.



The bill represents a critical tool in the fight against rising corruption, particularly in areas related to procurement and conflicts of interest. The reluctance of successive governments and parliaments to pass the CoPO Bill raises serious concerns about their commitment to combating corruption in the Fourth Republic, it stressed.



It is noteworthy that although citizens elect presidents or executives and give them the authority to make policy decisions on their behalf, due to personal interests the elected officials actions do not usually align with the interest of the citizens, it observed.



Good governance

It stressed that transparency and accountability were cornerstones of good governance.



Many jurisdictions around the world have implemented legislation to ensure that public officers adhere to high ethical standards. For instance, the United States implemented the Ethics in Government Act of 1978; Kenya enacted the Public Officers Ethics Act in 2003; and the United Kingdom passed the Constitutional and Governance Act in 2010.



These laws have been instrumental in ensuring that public officials serve the needs of their citizens, and that public funds are managed effectively to minimise corruption, the statement added..



It said, a recent Afrobarometer survey shows majority (77 per cent) of Ghanaians say the level of corruption in the country has increased and the government is doing a poor job of fighting corruption and many citizens (69 per cent) see widespread corruption in key public institutions, but fear retaliations should they report cases of corruption to the authorities (CDD, News Release, 28th July, 2022).



As widely reported, public institutions are undermined by corruption, leading to low public confidence in government and economic systems, and a low level of trust required for the operation of a market economy.



Moral imperative

Consequently, the coalition said the enactment of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill was not just a legal necessity but a moral imperative to ensure the efficient and transparent functioning of Ghanas public sector.



It is essential for achieving the broader goals of economic development and ensuring the welfare, freedom and happiness of every Ghanaian, as enshrined in Article 36(1) of the Constitution, it said.

Source: graphiconline.com









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Business mogul and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Veros Petroleum, Yahya Tarek Diab has been honoured for his outstanding contributions towards building the Oil and Gas sector at the just-ended 8th edition of the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame held on Friday, 30th August, 2024.



The esteemed recognition underscores his exceptional leadership and Veros Petroleum's rapid ascent in Ghana's Petroleum landscape.



Held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame awards ceremony celebrated Ghana's top Businesses and individuals driving positive change in the country.



The event was attended by high-profile dignitaries, including; Emeritus Prof. Kwesi Yankah ( Former Minister of State for Tertiary Education), Immediate Past Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ing. Dr. Kwasi Abeasi, representatives from the Ghana government, diplomatic corps, and traditional institutions.



The honours automatically induct him as a member of the "Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame", which is the topmost connective Corporate network platform in Ghana.



The Hall of Fame initiative is an executive association that embodies top CEOs and Group Chairmen placed on a platform on which members can more easily reach out for assistance in a required field without incurring cost.



Yahya Tarek Diab's direction has redefined tremendous professionalism with customer-centric approach and innovative service delivery at all times.



The companys commitment is to create and enhance a redefined service " through warm, open communication, and world-class care has resonated with clients and industry peers alike.



Yahya Tarek Diab in a post-media interview, expressed gratitude to his colleague board members, staff of the Veros Petroleum and his clients for their unflinching contributions always.



He emphasised the need for improved working conditions and stronger client trust to elevate Ghana's Oil and gas sector.



"I am extremely excited for such a wonderful recognition at this highest magnitude. We at Veros Petroleum are committed to give customers the best of experience in every aspect of our operations. This is a big win for us all" he noted with smiles.



Veros Petroleum has positioned itself as a leader in the industry with credibility and reputation in the market and also setting benchmarks for others to follow.



PROFILE OF YAHYA TAREK DIAB



Yahya Tarek Diab is an Entrepreneur, Technologist, Pilot and Philanthropist committed to the highest professional standard's in each of the industries he specializes in.



His qualities and values cultivate Consistency, commitment, Accountability, Reliability, Performance, Responsiveness, Teamwork and Creativity in any sector that he serves.



Yahya Tarek Diab has a degree in Business Management, Microsoft Engineering and Piloting.



In 2014, he established an Oil and Gas downstream company which grew to be Veros Petroleum Today which engaged in the supplies and distribution of petroleum spirits and products which helped him gain a vast field experience in the Oil and Gas sector.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Burkina Faso has launched new biometric passports without the logo of West Africa's main political and economic bloc on their cover, further signalling its determination to withdraw from the regional alliance after military leaders took power in a coup.



Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, three neighbouring states now led by military juntas, jointly announced in January they would leave the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, which has since sought to persuade the three to reconsider their decision.



"On this passport, there's no ECOWAS logo, and no mention of ECOWAS either. Since January, Burkina Faso has decided to withdraw from this body, and this is just a realisation of the action already taken by Burkina Faso," security minister Mahamadou Sana told reporters at the launch on Tuesday.



ECOWAS has warned that the three countries' withdrawal would undermine the freedom of movement and common market of the 400 million people living in the 50-year-old bloc.



Their departure comes as their armies battle groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, whose insurgencies have destabilised West Africa's central Sahel region over the past decade and threaten to spill over into coastal states.



Since their militaries seized power in a series of coups in 2020-2023, the three countries have formed a three-way defence and cooperation pact known as the Alliance of Sahel States and severed long-standing military and diplomatic ties with Western powers, seeking instead closer relations with Russia.

Source: Reuters









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The Deputy Director of Protocol for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Frimpong was honoured by the Floodlights Excellence Media Awards for his remarkable contributions to society.



The recognition came in the form of a citation, celebrating his dedication to supporting the underprivileged and highlighting the plight of the downtrodden in various communities.



The citation acknowledged Frimpongs commitment to serving those often overlooked by society, bringing attention to their struggles, and providing much-needed assistance.



His efforts have not only brought visibility to the issues facing marginalized groups but have also inspired positive change within these communities.



The Floodlights Excellence Media Awards team commended Frimpong for his exceptional service, noting that his humanitarian efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of many.



His work, they said, exemplifies the kind of leadership and compassion that is needed to uplift those who are most vulnerable in society.



In their presentation, the awards team emphasized that Frimpongs dedication to helping the helpless has not gone unnoticed. His contributions have been a beacon of hope for many, and this recognition serves as a testament to the positive influence he has had on countless lives.



Frimpong, who has long been an advocate for social justice and community development, expressed his gratitude for the award.



He reiterated his commitment to continue working tirelessly to support those in need and to use his platform within the NPP to promote initiatives that benefit societys most vulnerable.



The Floodlights Excellence Media Awards is known for honouring individuals and organizations in the media space for their dedication to society.



This years event held over the weekend in Kumasi celebrated media houses, journalists, media personalities, politicians, among others.



SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Parliament, on September 3, 2024, was turned upside down as the minority and the majority engaged in a blame game as they seek to settle scores on who destroyed more water bodies with the increase in galamsey activities.



During the extra ordinary meeting of Parliament, the Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh Dompreh blamed the erstwhile Mahama government for championing the course of galamsey activities in the country.



The debate and blame game stemmed from a recent announcement from the Ghana Water Company Limited that water supply to Cape Coast and its environs could be reduced drastically due to the imminent negative impact of the illegal mining on the major rivers that supply water to their pump stations.



In the wake of the worrying situation, Majority Chief Whip stated that, it is out of place for the minority in parliament to apportion the blame to the incumbent government for allowing the menace to continue.



If we are to look and investigate both sides of the House (NPP and NDC), I can tell you that the NDC polluted the water more than us. So, lets get matters straight, he said.



However, Majority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Member of Parliament for Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam in the Central region, indicated that under this government even though security personnel have been deployed to help fight galamsey, the practice is still taking place.



Other MPs raised concerns about the scarcity of water in most parts of the country. The MP for Bodi, Samson Ahi said there is water shortage in places such as Kumasi, Western Region and parts of Greater Accra region due to the ripple effect of galamsey activities.



If care is not taken, we may not get water to bath before coming to Parliament tomorrow, he warned.



It is feared that, if the canker is not curbed and sanctity brought into the fight against galamsey, Ghana stands the risk of importing potable drinking water, which could only be afforded by a select few.



In a panel discussion on Peace FMs 'Kokrokoo' morning show on Wednesday, September 3, Atik Mohammed, a policy analyst joined in the call for the dismissal of the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor for failing to combat the galamsey activities.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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In a bold display of political strength, Alan Kyerematen, the presidential candidate and leader of the Movement for Change/Alliance for RevolutionaryChange, has once again electrified Accra with his dynamic meet-and-greet campaign. The event, which swept through key areas like Maamobi, Nima, New Town, and Circle, showcased the soaring popularity of the Afrafranto Movement, as traders and residents alike rallied behind Mr. Kyerematens vision for a transformed Ghana.



The overwhelming enthusiasm, love and support witnessed during the campaign underline Alan Kyerematens emergence as a formidable alternative to the entrenched NDC-NPP duopoly. As Mr. Kyerematen traversed the vibrant markets and diverse communities, the energy on the streets was unbelievable, with large crowds eagerly gathering to support the leader they believe can usher in a new era of economic transformation and governance reform.



A woman known as Auntie Maggie, residing in New Town, became emotional and shed tears upon seeing Mr. Alan Kyerematen. She remarked that Mr. Kyerematen had endured significant challenges within the NPP, noting that Nana Addo had not treated him well, but she believes that God will reward his efforts.



This growing wave of support highlights a deep-seated discontent with the traditional political establishment. Citizens from all walks of life - traders, artisans, and ordinary Ghanaians expressed their desire for genuine change, a change that Alan Kyerematen is determined to deliver. His innovative plans, including the creation of a Traders Bank and the development of modern markets equipped with essential facilities like clinics and creches, have resonated powerfully with the public.



These initiatives are central to Mr. Kyerematens strategy to economically empower traders by providing them with access to tailored financial services and secure, modern business environments. By fostering a robust middle class anchored by empowered traders, he envisions a future where these individuals play a pivotal role in driving national growth and prosperity.



During an interview with the media, Alan Kyerematen reinforced his commitment to implementing key economic reforms, including the removal of import duties on spare parts. This policy is aimed at reducing transportation costs and, by extension, lowering food prices across the nation, further solidifying his appeal among the electorate. He also appealed to Ghanaians to look beyond the two main political parties and embrace his proposed government of national unity which is superior to the current winner-takes-all syndrome.



The Afrafranto Movement presidential candidate was accompanied by senior figures from the Alliance for Revolutionary Change, including Dr. Abu Sakara, Mr. Akeasi Odike, Nana Ohene Ntow, Lawyer Boaben Asamoa, and Miss Tina Mensah. Their presence underscores the broad-based support within the movement, which is rapidly gaining traction as a credible political force.



As the Afrafranto Movement continues to build momentum ahead of the upcoming elections, it is clear that a significant shift in the political landscape may be underway. The scenes in Accra suggest that Ghanaians are ready to break away from the traditional political cycle and embrace a new leader who offers a transformative vision for the future. With Alan Kyerematen at the helm, the Afrafranto Movement is poised to lead Ghana into a new chapter of economic empowerment and national transformation. 







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Flagbearer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has urged vice President and flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to urge his parliamentary candidates to remove their political posters imprinted on the equipment for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).



At a mini rally in the Yeji, in the Pru East District, the former President, John Mahama stated that, imprinting NPP paraphernalia on the equipment meant to carry out national assignments should be stopped immediately, noting that the funds used in the procurement of the equipment were from taxes paid by all Ghanaians.



He emphasised that the equipment, distributed across the country, belongs to all Ghanaians, not just the NPP.



John Mahama urged President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia to recognise their duty to serve the entire nation, rather than just their party.



He called for the immediate removal of the posters and cautioned that the NDC would take further action if necessary should the NPP fail to do the needful.



Its the governments money, funded by the taxes we all paywhether youre NPP, CPP, Christian, or Muslimeveryone contributes. Theyve used those taxes to import earth-moving equipment for road construction, and each district has been allocated some. But now, were seeing posters of NPP parliamentary candidates on the DRIP equipment.



I want to remind Akufo-Addo and Bawumia that they serve the entire country, not just the NPP. The equipment doesnt belong to the party; it belongs to all Ghanaians.



No one has the right to place their posters on the DRIP equipment. They must order the immediate removal of these posters, or well be forced to take action ourselves, he stated.



DRIP is a nationwide initiative aimed at improving road conditions across all 275 constituencies

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has intensified his street-to-street campaign in Accra with surprise visits to lorry stations and markets.



The NPP flagbearer, who has adopted an energetic meet and greet campaign in markets, lorry stations, on the streets and house to house in communities, stormed the popular Neoplan Station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.



Drivers, traders and the public were excited to see him; they shook hands with him with some also hugging him in an unrestrained expression of excitement.



Dr. Bawumia, whose style has been to exchange pleasantries with people at random, also greeted as many of those who trooped to catch a glimpse of him and interacted with them.



The Vice President also paid a surpsrise visit to the office of Telecel, formally Vodafone, and interacted with the staff.



He further moved to Kaneshie market where he was mobbed by the traders and shoppers who embraced him and chanted his name and his It Is Possible mantra in support of his candidacy.



Dr. Bawumia also had similar reception when he visited the Abeka market and Nii Boi Town where he also interacted with the community members from house to house.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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On July 28, Venezuelans went to the polls to decide who will lead the country for the next six years. The election was highly anticipated both by Venezuelans and outside observers, as Nicolas Maduro, who has held the office for the past eleven years, is highly unpopular. His opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, is a 75-year-old former diplomat.

On July 28, both candidates claimed victory. The electoral authorities, loyal to the current President, declared Maduro the victor soon after the polls closed. However, they failed to publish results broken down by voting machine, as they had done in previous presidential elections.

Each of the 30,000 voting machines prints several copies of tally sheets that are considered to be the ultimate proof of election results in Venezuela. Adherents of Edmundo Gonzalez obtained copies of tallies from 83.5 percent of the voting machines and declared that their candidate garnered 67 percent of the vote.

Utilizing the tried and effective tactics used by unpopular dictators for decades, Maduro and his government decided that since they could not defeat Edmundo Gonzales, they would arrest him instead. Having declared on August 22 that the vote tallies published by the opposition were fake, the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice, every member a Maduro loyalist, certified Maduros victory. And on September 3, a Venezuelan judge issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, accusing him of usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, instigation to disobey laws, conspiracy, and sabotage to damage systems.

The United States strongly condemns this unjustified arrest warrant, said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Its not just the United States thats condemning this arrest warrant. Its countries in the region  Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay  who have all condemned this unjustified arrest warrant.

Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuelas July 28 presidential election, said Spokesperson Miller. Maduro and his representatives cannot indefinitely suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Venezuelan people and maintain power by force.

The arbitrary and politically motivated action demonstrates the extraordinary lengths to which Nicolas Maduro will go to try and maintain power following his attempt to steal the July 28th presidential election, he said.

The will of the people and their rights must be respected, said Spokesperson Miller. We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of those who have been unjustly detained.
The National Chief of Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu has prayed for the Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for Allah's favour and victory in December presidential election.



Dr. Bawumia was in the Okaikoi Central Constituency on Wednesday and together with the Member of Parliament for the area, Patrick Boamah, paid a courtesy call on Sheikh Sharubutu.



Sheikh Sharubutu invoked the 110th chapter of the Holy Quran while praying Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



The National Chief Imam asked those present to recite the 110th chapter of the Quran titled "The Victory" which speaks about victory.



The National Chief Imam also prayed for the peace of Ghana before, during and after the elections.



Accompanying Dr. Bawumia were the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Titus Glover, National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Stephen Ntim, former General Secretary and presidential aspirant, Kwabena Agyepong.

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 26-year-old woman beaten in a downtown Harrisburg apartment last week pleaded for a bystander to help her right before she died, according to court documents filed against a husband and wife charged with killing her.

Kyle and Chanise Burton, 42 and 36, have each been charged with homicide in connection to the Thursday night killing of Allie McFadden, 26, inside the Burtons apartment at 117 Pine St., police said. Police initially released very few details about the killing.
The final moments of the July 26 plane crash that claimed the lives of members of the gospel group The Nelons have been revealed in a new preliminary report.

The National Transportation Safety Board released the report on Aug. 28, which is a month after six plane passengers and the pilot were killed in the devastating crash. The horrific incident took the lives of three members of the Grammy-nominated gospel group.

The report revealed that the plane took off in Nebraska on July 26 and was enroute to Montana. During the last part of the flight, the pilot declared an emergency to the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center and reported the loss of autopilot.

When the controller went on to ask the pilot where hed like to land, there was no initial response, according to the report. The pilot later resumed communication and told the controller he was attempting to gain control of the plane. When the controller told the pilot to let them know if he needed any more assistance, there was no further reply.

After the loss of radio and radar contact, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice and local law enforcement discovered that the plane crashed around 12 miles northeast of Recluse, Wyoming.

Witnesses were able to describe the moments before and after the crash.

One witness located near the accident site heard a loud whining noise that diminished and then increased followed shortly thereafter by smoke emanating from the area of the accident site, the report read. Another witness observed the airplane overhead in a barrel roll maneuver and heard the airplanes engine roaring loud until they heard the airplane impact terrain. The witness stated that they saw the smoke in the area shortly after.

As a result, The Nelons co-founder Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelson Kistler died in the crash, according to a previous statement shared by daughter and fourth band member Autumn Nelon Streetman.

Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jasons parents, Dan and Linda Clark, she said at the time. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days.

Also killed in the crash were Ambers husband Nathan Kistler, their assistant Melodi Hodges, the pilot Larry Haynie and his wife Melissa.

As previously reported, The Nelons were traveling to join Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska. Nelon Streetman was not traveling on the plane with her parents and sister and had already made it to Seattle at the time.

The preliminary report regarding the crash also added that the information was subject to change and a final report on the probable cause of the crash could take up to two years to complete, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway previously said.

The award-winning gospel group were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016 and hold 10 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards.
The question of who gets to be a medical marijuana doctor in Pennsylvania is facing new scrutiny from lawmakers following a Spotlight PA investigation.Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PA
By AMY TAXIN, DEEPA BHARATH, ALEX VEIGA and CLAUDIA LAUER, the Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Hunter Biden is changing his not guilty plea in his federal tax case, his defense attorney said Thursday just as jury selection was set to begin for the trial.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge about Hunter Bidens plans to change his previous plea.

Mark Geragos, another Biden lawyer, said in a text message that the presidents son intends to enter whats referred to as an Alford plea, an unusual plea under which a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to gain a conviction.

There is overwhelming evidence of the defendants guilt, Lowell told the judge. This can be resolved today. Its not a complicated issue.

FILE  Hunter Biden arrives at federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, June 11, 2024, in Wilmington, Del. He plans to enter a plea today in his federal tax case. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)AP

Biden is facing misdemeanor and felony charges over what prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes while pulling in millions of dollars from foreign business entities. He is already confronting potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.

The defenses announcement appeared to take the prosecution and the judge by surprise. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi quickly ordered a break so the two sides could talk about the next steps. More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse Thursday to begin the process of jury selection, with opening statements expected in the case Monday.

A last-minute plea would allow Hunter Biden to avoid a trial that was expected to put a spotlight on his foreign business dealings, which Republicans have spent years scrutinizing to accuse his father, President Joe Biden  without evidence  of corruption in connection with his sons work overseas.

The potential political ramifications of the trial just weeks before the presidential election may have faded somewhat since President Bidens July decision to drop out of the 2024 race. But the president is deeply concerned with the well-being of his son, so the trial is likely to weigh heavily on him in the final months of his five-decade political career.
The remains of 11 children, all former students at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School more than a century ago, may soon be returned to their families.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Army, the Office of Army Cemeteries and archaeologists and anthropologists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started the seventh disinterment of Native American childrens remains at the cemetery on the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks.

The children died while attending the school, operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1879 to 1918, and were buried at the cemetery.

Fencing has been erected around the cemetery, which is closed to the public until about Oct. 14.

The return of these eleven children to their Native American families is one of the Armys highest priorities, and we hope it will bring them the long-awaited peace and closure they deserve, said Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries and the Office of Army Cemeteries earlier this year. We will continue to work with families and tribes in their courageous undertaking to return these children home.

The Army has conducted exhumations at the cemetery since 2017 to help bring closure to Native American families and tribes by reuniting them with the remains of the children, who were buried far from home. It has repatriated 32 children over the last six years and will continue with the next group in 2025.

This years disinterment is the largest since the program started. The 11 children represent six tribes and are being disinterred at the request of family members or tribes.

The decedents names are: William Norkok from the Eastern Shoshone Tribe; Almeda Heavy Hair, Bishop L. Shield, and John Bull from the Gros Ventre Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian Community; Fanny Chargingshield, James Cornman, and Samuel Flying Horse from the Oglala Sioux Tribe; Albert Mekko from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and Alfred Charko and Kati Rosskidwits from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. One tribe wishes to remain anonymous.

About 200 students died at the school and were buried in the governments care at the cemetery. Many of the children died from diseases including tuberculosis, according to Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center at Dickinson College.

Alfred Charko died at age 15 just five months after arriving from Kansas and was sick before he came, so he was in the hospital ever since he came [to Carlisle], according to a student newspaper.

Another student, Fanny Chargingshield, died 13 months after arriving from South Dakota at the age of 16. Records indicate her father Chief Chargingshield visited her while she was sick, but its not clear if he reached her before she died, or why he didnt bring home her remains at that time for reburial.

In 1879, the Carlisle Barracks became the site of the school, which enrolled more than 10,000 Native American children representing about 50 tribes from across the nation.

Some children thrived, while others were traumatized as they were forced to become Anglicized. Some were captured and sent to the school, while others were sent by tribes following negotiations between the chiefs and the U.S. government. Still, others, whose parents attended the school, went voluntarily to learn to read, write and speak English.

The transition from tribal life to the military-style regime of the school was often difficult and traumatic. Their clothing was replaced with uniforms, their hair was cut and they were forbidden to speak their language or practice their customs and they took on new names.

The Army has worked closely with many of the tribes who travel to Carlisle.

Its special, but its hard, Emma Filestell, Fort Belknap Tribes deputy tribal historic preservation officer, told Native News Online earlier this year.

Families and tribes will choose the final resting place for these children and the Army covers the cost of family traveling to witness the disinterment, transport of the remains and reinterment.

The Office of Army Cemeteries recognizes that this has been an extremely difficult journey for families and tribes, said Renea Yates, project director and director of the Office of Army Cemeteries. We sincerely appreciate the trust they have given us to assist in returning their children. The Army team will continue to treat every gravesite, family, tribe and child with dignity and respect.

Last September, Filestel traveled from Montana to Carlisle to initiate the return of her tribes ancestors, according to Native News Online. Filestell noted the Office of Army Cemeteries has been cooperative about negotiating the return of her ancestors, saying, Its going to be good to have them home.
Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect that Sen. Bob Casey and Dave McCormick have only agreed on one debate so far.

There will be at least one debate between Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick in October.
Police in Cumberland County were called to a middle school Wednesday morning after a student brought an airsoft gun to the schools entrance, according to a press release.

Camp Hill Police responded to the Camp Hill Middle School at 7:35 a.m. and searched the student, who had an unloaded airsoft gun, according to a police report.

Officers are investigating the incident in collaboration with the school district.

Airsoft guns are typically made out of plastic  but can be made of metal  and shoot lightweight spherical pellets. Unmodified airsoft guns also have neon orange tips to differentiate them from real firearms.
ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (AP)  A 13-year-old Pittsburgh-area girl who was reported missing early last month spent time with adult inmates at a Pennsylvania jail after she lied to authorities about her age and identity following a shoplifting arrest, a prosecutor said.

Someone at the Beaver County jail eventually recognized the girl as a missing person, leading officials to separate her from the jails adult population, Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible said Tuesday. The teens parents were then notified and they picked her up, and the charges against her were moved to juvenile court, he said.

Pittsburgh police posted information about the missing teenager on Aug. 6, and subsequent reports said she had been seen in the city and riding on public transportation.

The girl was charged with retail theft after she was caught stealing items from a store in Beaver Falls on Aug. 17, Bible said. At the time, she gave police a false name and birthdate that led authorities to believe she was 18.

The teen eventually told officers on several occasions that she was a juvenile from the Pittsburgh area, and they told her they would release her to her parents. However, the girl falsely told them she was homeless, Bible said.

During this time, Beaver Falls police contacted child services agencies in Beaver County and Allegheny County  where Pittsburgh is located  to try to find information about her, but since she had given authorities a fake name no records were found, said Bible, who didnt note how many days she spent with the jails adult population.
WILLIAMSPORT  A Lycoming County businessman believes the affidavit submitted to ensure District Attorney Thomas A. Marino is not involved in his homicide prosecution is grossly deficient.

Kenneth R. Michaels, 66, in a motion filed Tuesday, asks county Judge Ryan M. Tira to clarify and enforce compliance of his Aug. 19 order requiring the affidavit.

Michaels, who is accused of fatally shooting his brother-in-law John Roskowski inside family-owned Cable Service Co. on Aug. 17, 2023, sought to have the entire district attorneys office disqualified.

However, Tira on Aug. 19 formalized Marinos decision to voluntarily recuse himself by ordering the prosecutor not to have any involvement in or influence over any aspect of the case.

The judge also ordered first Assistant District Attorney Martin L. Wade to file an affidavit swearing everyone in the district attorneys office had been made aware of the following screening requirements:

The paper file and all copies of documents related to the case shall be kept locked in Wades office.

Marino shall not discuss this case either verbally or in written communications with any member of his office including support staff.

Marino shall not attend any court proceedings in his matter including as an observer.

Marino shall refrain from speaking about the case to Michaels lawyers, potential witnesses, the media and the general public.

On Aug. 23 Wade filed a one-sentence affidavit swearing all members of the district attorneys office had been made aware of the screening requirements.

One of Michaels attorneys, E.J. Rymsza, claims the truncated affidavit denies the judge any meaningful ability to evaluate compliance of his order.

There are no details on how the office employees were advised of the screening requirements, the document states.

The affidavits just trust me approach is woefully inadequate, Rymsza claims.

Michaels tried to have the prosecution transferred to the state attorney generals office given Marinos past friendship with Roskowski and his involvement in the case last year before he was elected district attorney.

Michaels admits he shot Roskowski inside the lobby of the Cable Services just north of Williamsport on Aug. 17, 2023.

The issue is whether it was intentional as the prosecution claims or self-defense as argued by the defense.

Michaels maintains he shot when an irate Roskowski lunged at him after he opened the front door of the Williamsport area business.

Investigators dispute that, citing police body camera video that showed the fatally wounded man lying just inside the door.

Michaels, who is married to Roskowskis sister, worked at Cable Services, a telecommunications company, for 40 years, the last 20 as CEO.

He was a former long-time business partner of Roskowski until he bought his shares in the business.

Although Roskowski no longer was employed, he would visit often because his son worked there and he was friends with the mechanics in the fleet building.

He was told the day before he was killed he no longer was allowed on the property.

Last week, the state Superior Court affirmed Tiras decision that Michaels, due to the homicide charge, is not entitled to bail. He also is charged with possession of an instrument of crime.
Tensions in Syria have reached a new, dangerous level as violent incidents are on the rise. The United Nations reports a significant escalation of hostilities in Syrias northeast, while at the same time, ISIL is ratcheting up its rate of attacks, particularly in the central desert area. Meanwhile, the suffering of the Syrian people keeps increasing.

One bright spot is the Syrian regimes reauthorization of three border crossings for delivery of humanitarian aid. This includes Bab al-Hawa, which has for many years served as the only point of entry for aid heading to Syrias northwestern regions, where it is needed the most.

Nonetheless, the Syrian regime is still playing games with peoples lives.

[I]t continues to grant consent only in short-term increments, said Robert Wood, U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the U.N.

On August 12, the regime extended permission for the UN to use the Bab al-Salam and al-Rai border crossings just one day before their authorization expired. And it once again granted consent for only three months, he said.

While this extension was welcome news by the people who depend on and deliver humanitarian assistance, the United States continues to urge the Council to call on the regime to allow for more predictable and longer-term access. This would enable humanitarian actors to plan, deploy staff, and use resources more effectively.

Syria is struggling with a slew of problems that cannot be addressed without a political process in place, but the Syrian Constitutional Committee has not met since June 2022. Ambassador Wood called on the regime not only to agree to a meeting of the Constitutional Committee, but also to commit to meaningful participation.

We reiterate that we will not fund regime-led reconstruction and that U.S. sanctions will remain in place until, at a minimum, there is concrete, measurable progress toward a political solution in line with Resolution 2254, he said.

Resolution 2254 calls for a political settlement in Syria.

We continue to support the Syrian peoples calls for peace, dignity, security, and justice, and we support the exercise by Syrians of their rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, said Ambassador Wood.

Syrians have suffered for far too long, and their increasingly dire plight demands a robust response from the international community.

We must recommit ourselves, said Ambassador Wood, to providing the political will and collective action to help Syrians who are in desperate need.
By NICHOLAS RICCARDI, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney on Wednesday said she would support Kamala Harris for president, ending weeks of speculation about how fully the member of a GOP dynasty-turned-Trump critic would embrace the Democratic ticket.

Cheney, who co-chaired the House investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, became a fierce Trump critic and was ousted in her 2022 Republican primary in Wyoming as a result, made her announcement at an event at Duke University. In a video posted on the social media network X, she finished by talking about the danger she believed Trump still poses to the country.

I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, she said. As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this.

Because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Harris campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon said in a statement Wednesday night: The vice president is proud to have earned Congresswoman Cheneys vote. She is a patriot who loves this country and puts our democracy and our Constitution first.

The daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney has been perhaps Trumps highest-profile Republican critic. She joins other Republicans like her former Jan. 6 committee member, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger and former Rep. Denver Riggleman, as backers of Harris.

More than 200 alumni of the Bush administration and former Republican presidential campaigns of the late Sen. John McCain and Sen. Mitt Romney also announced their endorsement of Harris last week.

Asked for comment, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded: Who is Liz Cheney and what does she do?

Cheney was in House Republican leadership at the time of the Jan. 6 attack but broke with most of her caucus over Trumps responsibility. She lost her leadership post and was one of the few Republicans willing to serve on the Jan. 6 committee, which was appointed by Democrats who controlled the House at the time.
PITTSBURGH -- Beanie Bishop is the type of player who can easily get fired up just by someone planting some doubt into his mind. Coming from a background where he had to claw his way to relevance at the NCAA level at Western Kentucky before transferring to West Virginia, Bishop vowed that he would make the Steelers 53-man roster after going undrafted.

Yet, just because Bishop is listed on the depth chart as the starting slot cornerback does not mean he has that spot locked up. The Steelers did re-sign their other slot cornerback, Thomas Graham, to the practice squad. He could be elevated against the Falcons to give Bishop some competition at that slot cornerback spot.

At his weekly press conference, Tomlin said that he is not giving Bishop any guarantees. He has not proven himself just yet as the starting slot cornerback, and so the Steelers will look at what they have at slot cornerback throughout the week and decide what to do from there.

I dont know that hes done it yet, Tomlin said when asked if Bishop has proven himself. We have player elevation opportunities and things of that nature in the course of a work week that determines how we divide the labor up. Beanie is an exciting, youngguy. Well watch him during the week, along with some others, and well make decisions at the end of the week thats best suited for winning this game.

Bishop missed over a week with a soft-tissue injury. That set him back in the competition, but it was enough to hold off Graham despite Graham playing well throughout the last two preseason games. Bishop, on the other hand, seems like someone the Steelers will use heavily on run-downs. They can use their big nickel set with three safeties if Bishop comes off the field on passing downs.

If Graham is elevated, he is the more pure coverage cornerback, and he might play in those situations. However, the likely projection would be the Steelers mixing in DeShon Elliott into the mix in the slot as someone they like rather than mixing and matching Bishop and Graham.
It may seem a little early to get into the Christmas spirit, but a holiday film thats being shot in downtown Summerland needs the quaint little town to look the part.
Threats to international peace and stability continue to emanate from the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Indeed, as Russia deploys chemical weapons on the battlefield and continues to kill civilians and destroy Ukrainian critical infrastructure, Iran, North Korea, and China are providing Russia with the material support it needs to wage its war.

Iran, the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism, is fueling Russias aggression with direct military support, providing lethal weapons, which the Kremlin is using against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, said U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood, Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations:

On the anniversary of Ukraines independence from the Soviet Union, Russia reportedly used approximately one hundred Shahed UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] and glide bombs in a major attack targeting critical infrastructure throughout Ukraine, including the electricity grid, power plants, and natural gas facilities. Russia procures or produces these UAVs thanks to its partnership with Iran.

If Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, it would represent a dramatic escalation and a serious risk to international peace and security, warned Ambassador Wood.

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or DPRKs, arms transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia are also inflicting massive damage on Ukraine, said Ambassador Wood:

The DPRK has unlawfully transferred dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 16,500 containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel to Russia, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Russias procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles violates the UN arms embargo on the DPRK that Russia itself supported in this Council.

Russia also receives significant support from China, said Ambassador Wood:

China is exporting to Russia nitro-cellulose, machine tools, microelectronics, optics, and UAV and cruise missile technology that Russia deploys in its attacks against civilians and Ukraines infrastructure. We have seen a massive buildup of Russias weaponry over the last year and a half  including tanks, missiles, and munitions  all fueled by Chinas dual-use imports.

The United States will continue to call for justice for the victims of the Kremlins war of aggression and accountability for those responsible, said Ambassador Wood. And we will continue to call out those who enable Russia and its brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine.
After four hours of explosive action, Event #40: 10,200 Pot-Limit Omaha has concluded here at the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) at Casino Barcelona. Gergo Nagy started the day with the second-shortest stack out of fifteen players. At the start of the final table, he was easily the shortest stack with just four big blinds. By the end of the day he held every chip in the tournament, defeating Patrick Kennedy after a back-and-forth heads-up duel to take home his first PokerStars spade and the top prize of 268,600.

Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Gergo Nagy Hungary  268,600 2 Patrick Kennedy United Kingdom  173,300 3 Henri Puustinen Finland  123,500 4 Youness Barakat Italy  95,200 5 Slade Fisher New Zealand  73,250 6 Mike Watson Canada  56,350 7 Mark Buckley Ireland  45,050 8 Jorryt van Hoof Netherlands  36,050 9 Christopher Philippou Cyprus  30,050

Final Day Action

Only 15 players from a field of 106 entrants managed to find a bag on Day 1 and make it to the second and final day, where all players were guaranteed a min-cash worth 17,800. Theo Jorgensen was the first player to fall after getting it in with a wrap against Triple Crown winner Mike Watson's two pair and failing to improve. Jorgensen was quickly followed out the door by fellow short stacks Alexander Petersen, Yuriy Boyko and Tor Ivarsson in a rapid flurry of early eliminations.

Ka Kwan Lau

Omaha crusher Ka Kwan Lau came into the day with the second-largest stack while eventual runner up Kennedy had the chip lead coming into the day. The two players had opposite trajectories from the start; Kennedy seemingly could not lose a pot while Lau found no momentum, sliding further and further down the chip counts as the day progressed. Lau finally bowed out in eleventh place in a four-bet pot against Kennedy after which Kennedy had more than double the chips of any opponent with just ten players remaining. Samuel Albeck then fell in tenth place soon after Lau's elimination to set up the nine-handed final table.

There was a massive disparity in chip stacks at the start of the final table. Kennedy had more than one-third of the total chips in play with nine players remaining while five players had 15 big blinds or less. Kennedy seemed poised to score a double elimination in one of the first hands after the final table began after flopping a flush draw and turning a straight draw to go with it against two short-stacked opponents. A miracle nine on the river gave Youness Barakat the same straight as Kennedy to keep himself in contention while Christopher Philippou became the first final table casualty.

Gergo Nagy

Nagy, who had been quietly surviving on his short stack for the entire day up to this point, began his comeback with eight players remaining. First, he doubled up through Jorryt van Hoof in a preflop confrontation that saw his pocket queens hold against Van Hoof's pocket jacks. Van Hoof was left with crumbs after that and bowed out in eighth soon after. A few hands later, he took a sizable chunk out of Mark Buckley's stack without having to go to showdown. Not long after, he cracked Kennedy's aces with a set of nines to double up once more. Roughly one hour after Nagy entered the final table as the bottom stack with four big blinds, he was in pole position with the chip lead.

Mike Watson

Watson started the day with the third-largest stack and was also third in chips going into the final table. Shortly after Buckley was eliminated in seventh place, Watson's momentum came to a screeching halt after a brutal runout against Nagy that saw the Canadian poker legend make his exit in sixth. Just two hands after Watson's elimination, perpetual final table short stacks Slade Fisher and Barakat were eliminated in fifth and fourth places, respectively.

Online poker wizard Henri Puustinen, also known by his screen name "buttonclickr," was among the shorter stacks throughout the day but did an excellent job navigating the field, doubling up several times en route to making it to the final three. Puustinen's momentum finally ran out when he fell in third place in a hand against Kennedy, who flopped the nut flush leaving Puustinen drawing dead on the turn.

Patrick Kennedy

Following Puustinen's elimination, Kennedy entered heads-up play with roughly a 2:1 chip lead over Nagy. Things were going Kennedy's way at first, and after a few hands he quickly found himself with a 3:1 chip lead over his opponent. The ever-resilient Nagy was not going down without a fight, and he managed to take down a few hands without showdown to start closing the gap. The turning point saw Kennedy flop a set of fives only for Nagy to turn a straight and get paid with a big river bet. Nagy took a slight lead over Kennedy after that hand and Kennedy never recovered, losing several pots that did not go to showdown before Nagy won a preflop race to win the final pot of the night, his first PokerStars spade, and the top prize of 268,600.

That concludes thePokerNews coverage for this event but be sure to stay tuned to our ongoing coverage of the 5,300 Main Event.
The 20th anniversary of the PokerStars European Poker Tour was always going to be a special occasion as the tour returned to where it all began in 2004, here in Barcelona. Simon Wiciak and Rania Nasreddine are doing their best to make it a historic one as well.

Wiciak (1,300,000) and Nasreddine (2,005,000) ended Day 4 among the 40 remaining players and on the verge of doing something nearly unprecedented, going back-to-back. For Wiciak, it would make him the first ever to win the same EPT Main Event in consecutive years. Nasreddine, who finished third in EPT Monte Carlo, is looking to join the short list of players to make it to the final table of consecutive tournaments.

Theyre both looking up at Stephen Song, who ended the night as chip leader with 4,130,000. The American tournament crusher, with more than $6.5 million in live tournament earnings on his resume, was on the right side of a number of big pots over the course of the day that made him the man to beat. He coolered Matthew Gillingham with aces against ace-king, spiked a set of jacks on the river to crack Sindre Hansens kings, then took out Eero Rantala with a better kicker after both players flopped a pair of aces. Song has already eclipsed his previous best EPT result, a 47th-place finish in this event last year.

Day 4 Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Stephen Song United States 4,130,000 165 2 David Coleman United States 3,900,000 156 3 Harry Lodge United Kingdom 3,450,000 138 4 Jianwei Lin China 2,835,000 113 5 Sriharsha Doddapaneni India 2,730,000 109 6 Pablo Beltran Spain 2,640,000 106 7 Yurii Zabrodotsky Ukraine 2,635,000 105 8 Timothy Chung Hong Kong 2,525,000 101 9 Jack Kiriakus Sweden 2,005,000 80 10 Rania Nasreddine United States 2,005,000 80

Fellow American and high stakes regular David Coleman earned a massive double up when he hit a set of treys against Jonathan Sanvicens queens in a 3,000,000-chip pot to end up in second place with 3,900,000. Harry Lodge (3,450,000), Jianwei Lin (2,835,000), and Sriharsha Doddapaneni (2,730,000) round out the top five.

Other players still in the hunt for the title include start-of-day chip leader Timothy Chung (2,525,000), EPT veteran Govert Metaal (1,705,000), 2022 EPT London runner-up Jack Sinclair (1,575,000), 2022 EPT Barcelona finalist Fabiano Kovalski (1,460,000), Nick Palma (1,265,000), PSPC champion Aliaksandr Shylko (935,000), and Andrew Hulme (780,000).

The day began with 113 players, and along the way Alexander Wolfgang Poker Seibt (99th), PokerStars Team Pro Ramon Colillas (98th), EPT Monte Carlo champion Derk van Luijk (97th), Byron Kaverman (92nd), Enrico Camosci (90th), Brock Wilson (89th), and Asher Conniff (76th) were sent to the payout desk. EPT champion Mark Teltscher had his run end on the last hand of the night, when his aces were cracked by Chungs quad eights.

Wiciak, Nasreddine Chasing History

Simon Wiciak

The attention Friday, however, will mostly be on Wiciak and Nasreddine. Wiciak was a massive chip leader at this point in last years tournament on his way to conquering a field of 2,120. He ended Day 4 in 17th place on the leaderboard today and recognizes that, while this feels so similar to last year, it will be a much different experience.

It feels amazing because, at the same time, Im the last French. So thats a bit special. Unfortunately, its not in the same position as last year. Im in the middle of the pack so I have to fight back. Last year I had heaps at this time. So its really interesting to recreate the same deep run but under different conditions, he said upon bagging up his chips for the night.

Wiciak would join a short list of players with multiple EPT titles, but none have ever done it in the same event, let alone in back-to-back years over such massive fields. It would be an accomplishment fitting for the 20th-anniversary edition, but Wiciak isnt looking too far ahead.

Its a bit too soon to say. Two or three days to battle is pretty big. It feels like a lot, but at the same time there is still a lot to accomplish. So Ill take it step by step. Well see where it goes, he said. Right now Im really tired so I have to recompose myself. When we start fresh tomorrow, I will be angry as always.

Rania Nasreddine

Nasreddine almost didnt make it through the day. She was left with just over 200,000 after running queens into Lin's aces in a massive pot. She then flopped a set of nines to double off Pablo Beltran, then hero-called Chung with second pair to double up again near the end of the night. In 2011, the late Max Heinzelmann finished runner-up in two consecutive EPT Main Events, but both of those fields had fewer than 1,000 players. What Nasreddine is trying to accomplish, like Wiciak, stands apart.

They and 38 others have made it this far out of a starting field of 1,975. Everyone remaining is guaranteed 23,350, with the eventual champion earning 1,512,000. The action Friday picks up at 12 p.m. local time with 48 minutes in Level 23 with blinds of 10,000/25,000 and a 25,000 big blind ante.

It's already been a special week here at the Casino Barcelona, but there is still so much to come as PokerNews returns tomorrow to provide live updates as play continues toward the final table.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney said that voters, especially in swing states, cant afford to write in a different name, which is she is voting for Kamala Harris.

Cheney said while speaking at Duke University:

Because we are here in North Carolina, I think it is, it is crucially important for, for people to recognize not only is what I just said about the danger that Trump poses, something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states.

And as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump is, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris .

Video:

Liz Cheney endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris at Duke University@newsobserver pic.twitter.com/taoMYNQ6d1  Emma Cline (@emmacline_) September 4, 2024

What makes Liz Cheneys endorsement so impactful is that Cheney didnt vote for Trump, but she also didnt endorse Joe Biden . In 2024, Liz Cheney has taken the step of not just making the case against Trump, but she is also driving the point home that the best way to stop Trump is non-MAGA America to unify and vote for Vice President Harris.

It was just 20 years ago when Liz Cheneys dad, then vice president Dick Cheney, was thought of my many on the left as war criminal for lying the nation into the invasion of Iraq.

Those days quaint compared to the domestic threat posed to the country by Donald Trump and his ambition to end democracy.

There will be plenty of time for Liz Cheney to go back to being a Republican and trying to rebuild what is left of her party, but for right now, it is an all hands on deck moment for America to come together to stop Donald Trump.
Chubamenla Jamir Principal

The education sector in India is a thriving domain with a diverse range of institutions working towards creating a bright future for the country and the world. With a keen focus on providing quality education to the future of tomorrow, these institutions play a pivotal role in the lives of students. Going one step ahead are boarding schools that house students throughout the academic term, instilling not just knowledge, but also key life skills and discipline in them.Within this segment,a pioneering educational day cum boarding institution based in Dimapur, Nagaland, stands out for making quality education accessible and nurturing individuals in innovative and inspiring ways, enabling students to achieve their full potential. Established in 2006, Hollotoli is renowned for its holistic approach towards learning aimed at transforming young minds into global learners driven to bring positive change.Since its inception, Hollotoli has brought several changes in the schooling options in the region, being one of the initial schools in the state to shift to the CBSE curriculum at a time when NBSE was the norm. Dedicated to providing a truly well-rounded and holistic educational experience that focuses on academics while also equally focusing on sports, and arts, Hollotoli strives to develop the well-rounded personality of all its students. The school takes pride in knowing every pupil, and offering a personalized education to each across activities, lessons, as well as performances on a daily basis.The schools well-structured curriculum is mapped to align with NEP 2020 and NCF guidelines. In extension of adhering to these curriculums and guidelines, the school supports a wide range of enrichment activities ensuring that its selection of co-curriculars cater to the interests of all students. In order to achieve educational excellence, the school also fosters creativity for the critical and holistic development of students by encouraging innovative teaching methods. The school pays close attention to academics which have enabled Hollotoli School to register outstanding exam results (100 percent pass), setting it apart from otherAt Hollotoli School, we are committed to provide accessible quality education that nurtures individuals in innovative and inspiring ways to achieve their potential. It is our earnest endeavour to create an environment that is underpinned by the well being and learning principles to make our students global learners with the ability to lead positive changes, impacting the world through their skills, talents and purpose for
With director Matt Reeves' release of blood-red test footage, showing Robert Pattinson in costume for The Batman, one question comes to mind: Is it even possible to care?

It seems like just yesterday people were freaking out at the prospect of Ben Affleck playing Batman. After Christian Bale's virtuosic performance as a gravelly mumble personified, people scoffed at the notion of this iconic character being taken up by the star of 2003's smash hit Gigli. And they were kind of right. Not that Ben Affleck's performance was particularly bad, but the casting choice may have reflected a general lack of respect for the Batman legacy that would manifest in Batman shooting a bunch of people and the infamous "Martha" revelation.



www.youtube.com

And now Affleck has departed from the DCEU, Robert Pattinson has been brought on, and people who can best be described as terminally online are picking apart the minute details of the costumecomparing it to Affleck's Daredevil (from 2003's Daredevil), speculating about the out-of-frame ears, and doing some CSI photo enhancement to show that the bat symbol is made of guns. But does anyone really care? Is it even possible?



The outrage that would have erupted over this casting in 2015 would have set fire to server towers across the globe"The fuc*ing guy from Twilight?! OMFGN%E^%$"but Zach Snyder and DC have already done so much to erase the fan sentiments that Christopher Nolan's films built up. Even the shocking critical acclaim for Birds of Prey isn't enough to get people excited for the DCEU. The only thing that is still capable of working the fandom into a lather these days is imagining an alternate reality in which Zach Snyder is actually a secret genius who made a better version of 2017's Justice League that's hidden away in a vault somewherebecause, yes #ReleaseTheSnyderCut is trending again.

Honestly this might be the best scenario for Pattinson. He's had a chance to prove his chops as an actor with movies like The Lighthouse sowhile he still seems a little improbable as an action heroat least he's not just an emo heartthrob anymore. And as of last week, he's also riding high with his laughable ascension to the title of "most handsome man in the world." Couple all this with the fact that expectations for The Batman are so low, and Pattinson and Reeves have the chance to duck the fan pressure and really surprise us. It wouldn't be the first time that Batman has bounced back from an embarrassing eraeven George Clooney's bat-nips and Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze couldn't kill the bat brand. But all of this is assuming that any of us will have the capacity to care, since caring takes hope.

The Batman is scheduled for release in June of 2021, so they still have a year and change to work up some enthusiasm for Pattinson's turn in the batsuit. Failing that, they could just say "fu*k it," and bring back Michael Keaton.
ELKO  Elko County commissioners plan to send a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar asking for a change in hand-counting procedures for paper ballots that could be more efficient than the failed ballot test the county conducted earlier this year.

Commissioners agreed after the test count that converting to hand counting wouldnt be feasible for this Novembers general election, but they agreed to keep the door open.

Commissioner Rex Steninger told commissioners on Wednesday we had more than 100 people come to us and ask us ask commissioners to investigate the feasibility of this, and I think that when 100 people come ask us to do something, we should try to accommodate them.

Proponents talked about the Missouri plan as a more efficient way to count paper ballots, and the original letter cited that plan, but the letter Aguilar will receive wont specify the Missouri plan.

Commissioner Delmo Andreozzi said the state has granted counties the right to do hand counting, so the letter could say you allow us by state statute to do this, but the methodology doesnt work.

Steninger said he could easily modify the letter to ask Aguilar to allow another method that would be more efficient.

Commissioner Jon Karr was the lone vote against sending the letter, stating, I dont know anyone in this room who has tried the Missouri plan, so he is 100% adamantly voting against sending the letter until the plan can be proven, and not just on YouTube.

How many plans are there and whats out there? asked Commissioner Travis Gerber.

Elko County Clerk Rebecca Becky Plunkett told commissioners the Missouri plan is a 292-page document that was written by Cause for America, not the state, while Nevada actually came up with its own plan.

She said she contacted Missouris secretary of states office and learned the Missouri plan is only used as an audit tool or for recounts, rather than as the primary way of counting votes. Missouri uses voting machines, according to the state website.

Plunkett also said the countys agenda was wrong and she didnt request or support the letter but, rather, the agendas item on the proposed letter came from the Coalition of Nevada Voters and commissioners.

Missouri is an official paper ballot state but the ballots are fed into a tabulator that is not connected to the internet, and the Missouri plan is not from the Secretary of States Office, JoDonn Chaney, director of communications for the Missouri Secretary of States Office, said on Thursday.

He said by phone Missouri law allows hand counting, but one of the smaller counties in the state that tried hand counting said they would never do that again.

Mary Ellen Burkhardt of the Coalition of Nevada Voters submitted a lengthy hand-count proposal earlier this summer and Steninger said then her proposal was too long. He agreed to help, and the letter is the result.

The letter is simply to ask the secretary to allow another method of counting, he said.

The letter states, We have a large group of citizens interested in hand counting here in Elko and our commissioners voted earlier this year to study the feasibility of that idea, and describes how the test using sample ballots and four counters proved to be unworkable.

They used the instructions from a Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau file that left two of the four in a vote-count team idle while two others recorded votes on separate tally sheets, according to the letter.

Elko County Commission believes allowing our citizens to hand count paper ballots is a good way to involve our citizens in the election process and eliminate the distrust of voting machines. The commission is also discouraged by the low voter turnouts in our elections and thinks this may help stimulate higher participation, the letter says.

Stephanie Licht of Spring Creek said in public comment she supported the letter and thanked Steninger for requesting the secretary of state to consider something else.

Brian Gale, a candidate for county commissioner, said, This is a pretty big issue. I dont believe all the kinks are ironed out, but the secretary of state needs to know we are interested, and his method was an utter disaster.

Lee Hoffman, chairman of the Elko County Republican Party, had a warning. He said supporters of hand counting need to vote against Proposition 3 on the ballot that calls for rank choice voting because hand counting wouldnt work with rank choice balloting.
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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Animal Surgical Center's Youth Day Inspires Kids With Veterinary Education and Rescue Dog Interactions, Fostering Compassion and Responsible Pet Ownership on Sept. 21, 2024OCEANSIDE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Animal Surgical Center (ASC), an accredited American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) located in Oceanside, New York, is excited to announce the launch of its first-ever Youth Day Experience, taking place on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in celebration of National Responsible Pet Owner Day. This event offers a unique and educational experience for children ages 8-12+ to learn about the world of veterinary medicine, responsible pet ownership, and animal rescue.Animal Surgical Center Youth DayEvent OverviewYouth Day at ASC is designed to inspire and educate young animal lovers, providing them with an inside look at veterinary medicine, the operations of a veterinary hospital, and the importance of responsible pet ownership. The event will include interactive activities, a hospital tour, and the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from local rescues."We believe it's crucial to instill a sense of responsibility and compassion for animals in the younger generation," said Dr. Tomas Infernuso, founder and CEO of Animal Surgical Center. "Youth Day will be an educational experience and a fun and engaging way for children to connect with animals and learn about the veterinary profession." Event HighlightsInteractive Hospital Tour: Participants will get a behind-the-scenes tour of ASC, meet the hospital team, and learn about various roles within the veterinary field.Meet the Pets: Kids will have the opportunity to interact with adoptable pets from local rescues and some of the pets owned by ASC staff.Educational Games and Activities: Engaging games like "What Would You Do as a Vet?" and animal trivia, alongside arts and crafts sessions, will make learning fun.Photo Opportunities: Children can dress up in hospital gowns, pose with toy stethoscopes, and take photos in the surgery area with stuffed toy animals.The event will be hosted by dedicated ASC team members, with participation from Dr. Tomas Infernuso, who are generously volunteering their time for this cause. The goal is to foster a love for animals and provide insight into the veterinary world, potentially inspiring future careers in animal care.Collaboration With Local RescuesTo enhance the experience, ASC is partnering with Hurley's Heart Bulldog Rescue, founded by Summer Somer, to bring adoptable pets to the event. This collaboration offers a hands-on learning opportunity for the children while supporting the rescue organization by encouraging donations, volunteerism, and future adoptions. The interaction between the children and the dogs benefits both; it allows the dogs to engage with families in a positive environment, creating a meaningful learning experience for everyone involved.Admission and DonationsWhile there is no admission fee for Youth Day, we encourage parents to donate to the participating rescue organization. The event is open to all children and local community members interested in the veterinary field.Contact InformationKarla HojasMarketing Directorkhojas@ asc.vet (516) 776-7127Alyssa RodriguezSocial Media Managerarodriguez@ asc.vet (516) 749-7436SOURCE: Animal Surgical CenterView the original press release on newswire.com
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AXIROS NORTH AMERICA, INC. ADDS CUSTOMER BASE IN NORTH DAKOTATAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Telecommunications software leader Axiros North America, Inc. is pleased to announce that SRT Communications, Inc. has selected Axiros Advanced RDM & Performance Test Services for its industry respected critical Internet and telephone services in North Dakota.Axiros logo Axiros logo"SRT's fiber network supports complex critical infrastructure, including two legs of the United States defense triad, that requires robust Internet service,"stated Shawn Grosz, Chief Technology Officer of SRT."We selected Axiros to upgrade our current capabilities to manage any type of customer premise equipment (CPE) needed for delivering high-speed, highly dependable Internet in our service area. The Axiros services are highly customizable, and their roadmap allows for continuous evolution, automated provisioning, and management and monitoring of critical network infrastructure. These attributes support SRT's mission to provide high quality communications services that are responsive to the needs of our customers." Delivered via managed services including Axiros software, together with the AX BBT Broadband Test Service for performance testing as required by regulatory agencies involved with Connect America Fund (CAF), Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and similar Universal Service (USF) funding programs, the solution selected by SRT is considered by many to be the most robust, reliable and customizable for provisioning, management, testing and monitoring of multivendor network CPE devices via TR-069 and TR-369 (USP)."Broadband Service Providers such as SRT who have been recognized by the industry for their innovation and reliability exemplify the best examples of continuous improvement - in technology, service and reliability,"stated Michael Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Axiros North America, Inc. "We could not be more proud of their selection of the Axiros software-based Advanced RDM and FCC Performance Test Services." Axiros solutions are known for their technical reliability and value. The companyis dedicated to certified industry standards, user portal customization, incorporating the needs of its users into its ongoing software features roadmap and bespoke service delivery options.ABOUT AXIROSAxiros North America, Inc., an Axiros GmbH company, provides software and managed services to a diverse customer base. Axiros specializes in powerful device management software that leverages industry standards such as TR-069 and TR-369. With a global presence, Axiros is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses in today's digital landscape. To learn more about Axiros, visit https://www.axiros.com ABOUT SRT COMMUNICATIONSSRT Communications, headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, is the state's largest telecommunications cooperative. Established in 1951, SRT serves customers across north central North Dakota. SRT earned the distinction as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider in 2017, and in 2024 CTO Shawn Grosz earned the NTCA Innovation Award for SRT's role in deploying North Dakota's first end-to-end Internet Protocol 911 service. SRT services include high-speed internet, phone, and security/surveillance systems for home and business. To learn more about SRT, visit https://www.srt.com Contact InformationTeam AxirosMedia Contactms@ axiros.com (202) 641-2001Michael ShawPresident and Chief Executive Officershaw@ axiros.com (202) 641-2001Related ImagesAxiros logo Axiros logo SRT Logo SRT Logo SOURCE: Axiros North America, Inc. and SRT CommunicationsView the original press release on newswire.com
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In the Face of DEI Backlash, Belonging Emerges as the Key to Long-Term SuccessAuthored by: Andrea Carter, Adjunct Faculty in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Adler UniversityContributor: James D. Halbert, Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Adler UniversityTORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 4, 2024 / As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives face increasing scrutiny and rollback in workplaces across the United States, a new perspective is emerging that could reshape the future of these efforts. In a recently published article, Andrea Carter, an expert in belonging and workplace culture, argues that the concept of "belonging" holds the key to revitalizing and sustaining DEI initiatives.Carter, who serves as an Adjunct Professor at Adler University and is the CEO and Founder of Belonging First, highlights the growing disillusionment with traditional DEI approaches. While DEI has become a prevalent focus in American workplaces, recent trends reveal a significant decline in the commitment to these initiatives, with some companies scaling back or abandoning their DEI efforts altogether. This shift, Carter suggests, is partly due to misunderstandings and oversimplifications in how DEI is implemented."Belonging is the heartbeat of a thriving organization," asserts Carter. "To truly experience belonging, it's not enough to be included; my research shows five critical indicators must also be present. This distinction underscores that belonging is a unique and essential experience, distinct from inclusion, and critical for fostering a truly cohesive and supportive environment." Carter's research, supported by James D. Halbert, a Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Adler University, introduces five critical indicators of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and wellbeing. These indicators, she argues, are essential for fostering a truly cohesive and supportive workplace environment."Belonging is the bedrock of a thriving, innovative workplace," explains Carter. "When organizations prioritize these five indicators, they not only enhance individual wellbeing but also unlock the full potential of their teams, driving innovation and long-term success." Carter and Halbert emphasize that belonging goes beyond inclusion by addressing the need for genuine connection and shared responsibility within the workplace. By focusing on creating environments where these indicators of belonging are prioritized, leaders can cultivate passion, loyalty, and excellence in their organizations. Click To Read ArticleAs businesses grapple with the challenges of sustaining DEI initiatives in an increasingly complex and polarized environment, Carter's research provides a roadmap for leaders seeking to build more resilient and inclusive workplaces. By integrating belonging into the fabric of their organizations, companies can navigate the current backlash against DEI and emerge stronger and more united.About The Conversation:The Conversation exists to unlock knowledge for the public by helping academic experts share their insights. Our mission is rooted in the belief that informed discussions on topics ranging from culture to politics to science can lead to a better world. In today's media landscape, where extreme positions often dominate, we stand out by elevating voices of true expertise-university-affiliated researchers who deeply understand their subjects.We invite our readers to engage with our content, ask questions, and contribute to our mission of fostering informed public discourse.About the Authors:Andrea Carter is an Adjunct Faculty member at Adler University and the CEO and Founder of Belonging First, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations refine their DEI strategies through the lens of belonging.James D. Halbert is a Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Adler University. He has no relevant affiliations beyond his academic appointment.For Media Inquiries:Contact: Andrea CarterEmail: ancarter@ adler.edu Phone: (312) 555-1234SOURCE: Belonging First
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Calgary residents and businesses can now benefit from fast, affordable, and guaranteed painting services by PerfectPRO Painters, supported by a Price-Matching Guarantee and award-winning expertise.CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / PerfectPRO Painters, a leading family-owned painting company, is thrilled to announce the opening of its new location in Calgary, Alberta. Specializing in residential and commercial painting, PerfectPRO Painters provides flawless, efficient, and cost-effective painting services to Calgary's rapidly growing population of 1.3 million residents and over 60,000 businesses.Calgary Painters Calgary PaintersCalgary is experiencing a period of robust economic activity driven by record population growth, strong commodity prices, and healthy consumer spending. According to Calgary Economic Development (CED), these factors have solidified Calgary and Alberta's positive outlook for the year ahead. ATB Financial projects Alberta's GDP to grow an additional 2% in 2024. With provincial real GDP expected to expand by 2.5% in 2024-more than double the national average-there is considerable optimism in Calgary's future.This economic buoyancy is reflected in the business community, with 78% of Calgary businesses anticipating stable or increasing profits in the coming months.In the residential sector, the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) reports that home prices have risen by 10% this year, with row properties seeing the highest gain at 19%. Despite an increase in new listings, the market continues to favor sellers, with a Q2 sales-to-new-listings ratio of 75% and a months-of-supply of just one month.As new home sector developments contribute to a better-supplied market, PerfectPRO Painters is well-positioned to meet the needs of homeowners and businesses looking to capitalize on Calgary's dynamic real estate landscape."Our new Calgary location allows us to extend our award-winning services to more homeowners and businesses across the city," said Justin Assaly, Co-Owner of PerfectPRO Painters. "We take pride in delivering outstanding painting results, whether a small residential project or a large commercial undertaking. Our mission is to ensure your property looks its absolute best, all while offering unbeatable value." Why Choose PerfectPRO Painters?With 24 years of combined experience in the painting and trades industry, the Assaly brothers and their team at PerfectPRO Painters are committed to delivering flawless results that exceed client expectations. As proud recipients of the HomeStars Best of Awards, the company consistently demonstrates its dedication to integrity, customer satisfaction, and superior results.PerfectPRO Painters offers competitive rates with a Price-Matching Guarantee, ensuring top-quality services at the best value for Calgary clients. Their comprehensive painting services include:Residential Painting: Whether refreshing your walls or undertaking a complete home makeover, PerfectPRO Painters helps clients choose the perfect colors and delivers impeccable finishes.Commercial Painting: Maintain a professional and inviting appearance for your business with expert interior and exterior painting services tailored to your brand's image.Large Project Painting: No project is too large or complex for the team. PerfectPRO Painters handles niche-specific and specialty paint jobs with excellent precision.Industrial Painting: PerfectPRO Painters is fully equipped to handle industrial painting projects, ranging from storage units and parking garages to warehouses and beyond, all while possessing the required certifications and specialized expertise.As a third-generation family business, PerfectPRO Painters embodies a tradition of excellence beyond mere painting services. Owners Justin and Fedi Assaly infuse a personal touch into every project, approaching each home or business as if it were their own. Their dedication to painting and unwavering focus on customer satisfaction has established a new standard for Calgary painters."We launched PerfectPRO Painters to raise the bar for painting services in Calgary. Our goal is to make the entire process stress-free and revitalizing for our clients," said Fedi Assaly, Co-Owner of PerfectPRO Painters. "We're thrilled to serve the Calgary community with the same dedication and care that has earned us loyal customers and top accolades." PerfectPRO Painters, renowned Calgary painters, welcomes residents and businesses in the area to discover their outstanding painting services for themselves. Visit https://perfectpropainters.ca/locations/calgary or contact them at (403) 560 1001 for a free estimate.About PerfectPRO PaintersPerfectPRO Painters is a trusted family-owned painting company serving homeowners and businesses across Canada. With over 40 years of combined experience, they specialize in delivering high-quality, fast, and affordable painting services, backed by a "Price-Matching Guarantee" and a one-year warranty.Contact InformationJP RichardsDirector of Communicationsreleases@ drakedigital.com (613) 801-2385SOURCE: PerfectPRO Painters OttawaView the original press release on newswire.com
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September 14 Event to Support American Military Family FoundationCOLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Pikes Peak Indian Motorcycle, Colorado's leading Indian Motorcycle dealer, and the only standalone dealer in the state, is set to celebrate their fifth-year anniversary with a community fundraising event Saturday, September 14, 11 am - 5 pm at 6650 Corporate Drive, Colorado Springs.Photo from Grand Opening in 2019 Photo from Grand Opening in 2019Pikes Peak Indian Motorcycle opened its doors in 2019 and has since experienced exponential growth, despite the effects of the pandemic. Since opening, the proud Hispanic, family-owned Colorado Springs-based business has gone from zero to number two in sales in the country in just five years. They currently employ 20 team members and continue to grow. Indian Motorcycle's market share has grown year after year in the Colorado area since the location has been open, and they are on track to have a 50% increase in bike sales by 2025, according to Ceballos.Free to attend and open to all, the event will feature live classic rock music from a local band, and include activities like Axe throwing, bike games, kids bounce house, Drinks 4 Charity, tricycle pedal races, an Indian Motorcycle demo truck, food trucks, giveaways, cornhole, interactive vendors, and a performance of the National Anthem with a flag raising ceremony to kick-off the festivities. There will also be a bikini bike wash station available for any guests wishing to ride to the event."As a family-owned business, this milestone is instrumental and we are thrilled to invite our incredibly supportive community out to celebrate right alongside us," said Tito Ceballos, owner and general manager of Pikes Peak Indian Motorcycles. "All bikers are welcome to attend and encouraged to bring their bikes. Parking is available onsite and showroom tours will also be available. We're welcoming everyone, regardless of what you ride or if you ride at all. Our passion for community is what drives us, and we wanted to create an experience that is welcoming to everyone," said Ceballos.To learn more about the fifth-year anniversary celebration event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pikes-peak-indian-motorcycle-5th-anniversary-party-tickets-982109083707 # # #ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE Indian Motorcycle is America's First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists worldwide and earned distinction as one of America's most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess, and countless innovations and industry-firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com Contact InformationCortney QuinteroPR Directorcortney@ redenergypr.com 719-465-3565SOURCE: Pikes Peak Indian MotorcycleView the original press release on newswire.com
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Tickets on Sale NOW for October Event at Irving Convention CenterDALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 4, 2024 / Grant Gustin, best known for his roles as Barry Allen/The Flash in the CW series The Flash, is the first celebrity guest announced for Dallas FAN FESTIVAL 2024."We are thrilled to welcome Grant Gustin, a multitalented performer and pop culture favorite, to Irving in October. As part of the Arrowverse for nearly ten years, Gustin developed a loyal fan following. Now, fresh from his critically acclaimed turn as Jacob Jankowski in the original Broadway production of Water for Elephants, Gustin will be on hand to share his experiences in front of the camera and on the stage, with guests at our annual pop culture celebration in Irving," says Andrew Moyes, Vice President of FAN EXPO.Dallas FAN FESTIVAL is this Fall's premier pop culture celebration, offering the ultimate playground for comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming fans. Highlights include celebrity photo ops and meet-and-greets, opportunities to interact with legendary comic book creators, a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, family-friendly fandom, and cosplay fun! Dallas FAN FESTIVAL features programming that celebrates the vibrant pop culture community thriving in North Texas and beyond.Tickets ON SALE NOW:Weekend Passes: $50Adult Single Day Passes (13+): Saturday $40 and Sunday $30Child Passes (6-12): $10Family Passes: Saturday $90 and Sunday $70Gold Package: $129DETAILS: Dallas FAN FESTIVAL runs Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, 2024Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.Sunday, October 20, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.The Irving Convention Center is located at 500 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039ABOUT FAN EXPO HQ:With over a million fans and counting, FAN EXPO HQ attracts pop culture enthusiasts, locally and internationally, to come together to celebrate all things fandom. Collectively, it hosts nearly one million fans annually at FAN EXPO Dallas, FAN EXPO Canada, MEGACON Orlando, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO San Francisco, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Cleveland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, Toronto Comicon, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL and EDMONTON EXPO. The latest schedule of events is available on the Website, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.Contact: Dana CobbFAN EXPO Dallas/The Vokol Group dana@ thevokolgroup.com 972.955.9747MEDIA ACCREDITATIONHERESOURCE: FAN EXPO Dallas
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DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Newtopia Now, the inaugural health and wellness event for the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, organized by New Hope Network and held at the Colorado Convention Center, received over 7,000 registered attendees, 4,000 of which were registered buyers, creating a vibrant environment where connection and community were at the heart of the experience. With 560 exhibiting companies, including 180 companies exhibiting at a tradeshow for the first time, Newtopia Now successfully reimagined the traditional tradeshow by focusing on authentic interactions and purposeful discovery.Newtopia Now is the immersive experience designed to foster deep connections and provide a platform for emerging brands and product innovation within the conscious products industry through four intentionally curated neighborhoods: Thrive, exploring the future of human health; Represent, celebrating diverse founders and multicultural products; Regenerate, championing sustainability and environmental impact and Glow, featuring conscious beauty and holistic wellness.Attendees were introduced to a range of innovative activations, including the Thrive Cafe, Tasting Bar, Represent Kitchen and Glow Salon, all opportunities crafted to help buyers experience products in real-life applications and encourage engagement with sponsors and exhibitors. Beacon's product discovery platform and the Newtopia Now show mobile app further informed connections before, during and after the show with product information and buyer criteria being incorporated throughout the event. A standout feature of the show format was also The Market, a unique experience where attendees could explore products through self-discovery in a natural, grocery store-like environment. Instead of traditional price tags, QR codes linked to Beacon Discovery profiles, enabling a seamless and educational experience.Receptions throughout the Thrive and Regenerate neighborhoods offered attendees an occasion to mingle and sample functional beverages, zero-proof mocktails and tasty bites as consumer demand grows for mindful alternatives for snacks and refreshments.The event also hosted speed networking sessions and curated one-on-one meetings through the event's matchmaking program, Conscious Connections, designed to pair investors and retailers with emerging brands and products, offering a rapid and effective way to build valuable relationships. Additionally, to cultivate organic connections and further deepen the sense of community, attendees participated in offsite experiences such as yoga at Red Rocks Amphitheater, neighborhood-themed dine-arounds throughout Denver and a brunch for women in CPG at Ophelia's."Conscious Connections made it easier to meet with the buyers that wanted to meet with us, which made our meetings that much more intentional," noted Jessica Harvey, sales operations manager, Dr. Bronner's."Newtopia Now was everything we hoped for and more. The opportunity to sample our pizza with this audience and the connections we made were invaluable. The show was a game changer for our brand," remarked Kristin Caman, founder and chief executive officer, Etalia.Newtopia Now's four stages, found throughout each of the neighborhoods, hosted an impressive lineup of content focused on inspiring and educating buyers, brands and other members of the CPG ecosystem looking to differentiate their businesses. Keynote speakers included culinary icon Carla Hall, Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner and Vitamin Shoppe Chief Executive Officer Lee Wright. Additionally, the content lineup brought to the stage leaders from top retailers including Whole Foods Market, Target, Bristol Farms, Ulta Beauty, PCC and Thrive Market, sharing insights that would help brands not only get into those retail stores but also more effectively move their products off shelves."It has been an eye-opening experience to meet so many diverse and innovative brands that I had never seen before here at Newtopia Now. Although this is still a large conference, it felt more intimate, and I have been able to connect deeper with brands as a result," shared Rick Burian, senior manager of supplier diversity, Ulta Beauty."Newtopia Now feels different, this feels like the conscious connections we are looking for with brands," added Le'Spencer Walker, director of merchandising vendor development, Target.Casey Gaston, executive leader of local and emerging brands for Whole Foods Market, noted on LinkedIn, "The energy at the show was incredible and I hope to see this kind of format, focused on new and emerging conscious brands and trends, continue. It was approachable, with excellent programming, and offered a lot of quality time and conversations for me and my team." Broadcast celebrity chef and entrepreneur Carla Hall expressed, "I am looking for products to move forward in the well-being space and this is a very captive audience to come and check out some of these things as I am looking for future partners." Veena Krishnan, co-founder and chief operating officer of Daybird, winner of the first-ever Conscious Beauty Pitch Event Presented by Giannuzzi Lewendon, exclaimed, "Newtopia Now is electric and interactive. A lot of the people who are passing through the neighborhood are going through with intention; they are the buyers we want to talk to, and they are looking for brands like us." "Newtopia Now has proven the demand for authenticity and purpose in the natural products industry. From curating the space so likeminded brands and attendees would organically encounter each other, to the on and off-site mindful moments that brought us closer together, our community needs these intimate and intentional touchpoints. We are more than a place to do business, we are a platform for learning, growing, expanding and uniting, as we strive to create a positive market that supports more health for our environment and our people," explains Danica Cullins, Executive Vice President of Health and Nutrition, Informa Markets North America.True to New Hope Network's ethos, Newtopia Now demonstrated its commitment to sustainability throughout the event, from replanting all trees featured on the show floor across the Denver area in partnership with The Park People Association, to donating unused samples and merchandise featured at the show via the program We Don't Waste, allowing brands to give back to the local communities. The implementation of reusable serve ware system r.Cup, provided reusable plastic cups for large networking sessions, reducing trash and single-use plastic waste.Newtopia Now is setting a new standard for industry events by blending innovation with intention. The event underscor
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 20:46:14

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BEN Investors with Losses Encouraged to Contact the FirmSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may assist the investigation to contact its attorneys.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/ben Contact the Firm Now:BEN@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Investigation Into Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN):The investigation focuses on Franklin's controls over trading-related matters, including without limitation, those related to the marks of treasury derivatives and investment performance of its Western Asset Management Macro Opportunities fund strategy.On July 26, 2024, Franklin revealed that "[f]ollowing the launch of an internal investigation focusing on certain past trade allocations of treasury derivatives in select Western Asset Management (WAM') accounts, WAM received notification of parallel investigations by the SEC and U.S. Department of Justice." This news drove the price of Franklin shares significantly lower.Then, on August 21, 2024, Franklin disclosed that WAM placed co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech on leave "effective immediately" and 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." Franklin also revealed that Leech received a Wells Notice from the SEC. A Wells Notice is a formal notification that the SEC has concluded an investigation with charges likely to follow.This news drove the price of Franklin shares over 12% lower on August 21, 2024."We are looking into whether Franklin may have misled investors about the firm's Western Asset Management unit's trade practices," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Franklin and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Franklin investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Franklin should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email BEN@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 15:01:35

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / 1933 Industries Inc. (the "Company" or "1933 Industries") (CSE:TGIF)(OTCQB:TGIFF), a Nevada-focused cannabis cultivator and producer, announces that Mr. Rick Skeith has tendered his resignation from the Board of Directors effective immediately. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Skeith for his valuable contributions over his tenure as director of the Company since 2015 and wishes him success in his future endeavours.About 1933 Industries Inc.1933 Industries is a Nevada-based licensed producer, focused on the cultivation and extraction of a large portfolio of cannabis consumer products in a variety of formats under its flagship brands, Alternative Medicine Association (AMA) and Level X. Its product offerings are cultivated at the Company's 68,000 sq. ft. indoor facility and marketed directly to retail dispensaries. AMA branded flower, infused pre-rolls, and in-house boutique concentrates consistently rank as the top products sold in Nevada. For more information, please visit www.1933industries.com For further information please contact:Alexia Helgason, VP, Investor Relations 604-728-4407 alexia@1933 industries.com Paul Rosen, CEO paul@1933 industries.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com . 1933 Industries undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.SOURCE: 1933 Industries Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 19:24:44

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The CDC reports that healthcare workers in the U.S. face an estimated 385,000 needlestick and sharps-related injuries every year.SAN ANTONIO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Facing an increase in needlestick injuries, BioMedical Waste Solutions, a prominent medical waste disposal company, with locations in San Antonio, TX, is actively working to let the public know about the hazards of improper medical waste disposal, particularly needles.San Antonio Biomedical Waste Solutions San Antonio Biomedical Waste SolutionsThe CDC approximates that about 385,000 needlestick and sharps-related injuries happen each year among U.S. healthcare workers. This figure is likely an underestimation due to underreporting, especially in private homes where the elderly and the 38.4 million Americans with diabetes depend on needle usage daily.The World Health Organization (WHO) has underlined the threat of sharps injuries in the transmission of severe diseases, reporting annual global infection rates among healthcare workers as:Nearly 2,005,000 cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)66,000 cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV)16,000 cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV)Various outcomes could arise from these infections, such as long-term health problems, disabilities, and even death.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that a third of sharps injuries occur at the point of disposal, citing the importance of stringent medical waste disposal practices to protect both healthcare workers and the general public.To address this critical issue, the San Antonio medical waste disposal company, BioMedical Waste Solutions, releasedThe Definitive Guide to Medical Waste Disposal in 2024 . This guide is the best resource on the safe disposal of needles, syringes, and other sharp objects, showcasing the company's commitment to boosting safety and preventing the spread of infections through proper waste management.The guide offers five crucial tips for preventing needlestick injuries:Employing FDA-endorsed containers for sharps disposalRefraining from exceeding the capacity of disposal binsRefraining from reaching inside waste containersRefraining from putting caps back on needlesKeeping hazardous sharp objects and waste containers away from young onesJP Richards, Director of Communications at BioMedical Waste Solutions, said, "The increasing rate of needlestick injuries and their serious repercussions on healthcare workers and the community are of great concern. Our guide is vital for preventing these injuries and ensuring the safety of healthcare providers and individuals handling needles at home. We are committed to providing reliable San Antonio medical waste disposal solutions. Together, we can reduce the risks associated with needlestick injuries." BioMedical Waste Solutions, a leading medical waste disposal company in San Antonio, encourages healthcare establishments, professionals, and individuals who utilize needles to refer to their comprehensive guide for the proper disposal of sharps and medical waste. Their vast expertise and advanced technological solutions guarantee the secure handling, transportation, and disposal of medical waste, following the strictest national, state, and local standards.For further details on safe medical waste disposal or to view the guide from BioMedical Waste Solutions, please visit their website at https://www.biomedicalwastesolutions.com/medical-waste-disposal/ or reach out directly at 346-660-4994 or JPRichards@ BioMedicalWasteSolutions.com . For more info about this San Antonio medical waste disposal company, visit: https://www.biomedicalwastesolutions.com/locations/texas/san-antonio-medical-waste-disposal/ About BioMedical Waste Solutions:BioMedical Waste Solutions is a leading medical waste disposal company dedicated to providing safe and reliable solutions for the management and disposal of medical waste. With a commitment to environmental responsibility and public health, the company serves healthcare facilities, private practices, dental offices, veterinarians and laboratories across America. BioMedical Waste Solutions offers comprehensive services to ensure the proper collection, transportation, and disposal of medical waste, including sharps, in compliance with all regulatory requirements.Contact InformationJP RichardsDirector of Communicationsreleases@ drakedigital.com (346) 660-4994SOURCE: Biomedical Waste SolutionsView the original press release on newswire.com
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In Long Beach, Accountant Partners offers a unique pricing guarantee for premier small business accounting services, including tax planning and cloud accounting.LONG BEACH, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Accountant Partners, a leading provider of small business accounting and tax services, aims to aid business growth and development as it announces the opening of its newest office in Long Beach, California. This expansion marks an exciting milestone in the firm's commitment to offering personalized and effective financial solutions to small businesses in the vibrant Long Beach area.Long Beach Small Business Accountant Long Beach Small Business AccountantLong Beach has historically battled a shrinking workforce and lack of affordability in housing. These factors directly impact local and small businesses holding out hope there will be better economic stability for them to improve financially, especially in the post-pandemic era. As per the Downtown Long Beach Alliance Business Survey in 2022, 58% of local business owners agree that the Long Beach economy will expand in the next two years. Consequently, 53% believe their business will expand with the local economy.With this new location, Accountant Partners is set to serve the local market with a wide array of services designed to optimize tax savings, streamline business operations, and support sustainable growth. Their expertise includes advanced tax planning, strategic business growth consultations, and seamless cloud accounting integration to reduce tax liabilities. Their approach is designed to significantly minimize tax burdens, potentially saving local businesses from $10,000 to $1 million, thus helping them grow and compete."As a Long Beach small business accountant, we are deeply familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities faced by local businesses," said Allan Bayer, Managing Partner at Accountant Partners. "Our mission is to empower business owners with the financial insights and tools they need to succeed. We are excited to bring our tailored services to the Long Beach community." As Accountant Partners opens its doors in Long Beach, the firm invites local small business owners to experience the benefits of expert, personalized accounting services. Committed to integrity, efficiency, and the success of their clients, Accountant Partners is eager to help Long Beach businesses thrive.For more information on working with a Long Beach small business accountant, visit https://accountantpartners.com/small-business-accountant-long-beach/ or contact Accountant Partners at (657) 300-6966.About Accountant Partners:Accountant Partners is a leading small business accounting firm helping business owners in Long Beach, CA, save up to $1M per year in taxes through partner-level accounting, reporting, and strategic advisory. With 27 years of experience, Accountant Partners specializes in best-in-class tax minimization strategies, personalized advisory, and technology-driven efficiency.Contact InformationJP RichardsDirector of Communicationsreleases@ drakedigital.com 844-703-0880SOURCE: Accountant PartnersView the original press release on newswire.com
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FNA Investors with Losses Encouraged to Contact the FirmSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Paragon 28, Inc. (NYSE:FNA) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/FNA Contact the Firm Now: FNA@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Paragon 28, Inc. (FNA) Investigation:Paragon 28 Inc. suffered a sharp decline in its share price on August 9 after lowering its revenue forecast, announcing layoffs, and replacing its finance chief. The stock plunged 22%, erasing hundreds of millions of dollars of shareholder value.The medical device company said it now expects full-year revenue between $249 million and $255 million, down from a previous range of $249 million to $259 million. In an effort to cut costs and preserve cash, Paragon 28 is implementing an operational efficiency strategy that includes laying off approximately 7% of its workforce. The company is also reducing inventory and adjusting executive compensation.Kristina Wright, who had been serving as interim CFO since April, has been replaced by Chadi Chanine, formerly of Zimmer Biomet Holdings.The latest developments come as Paragon 28 has revealed accounting irregularities. CFO Stephen Deitsch's abrupt resignation on April 4, 2023 portended problems with the company's financial reporting.On July 30, concerns came to fruition when Paragon 28 announced that its previously reported financial results for 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 were unreliable. The company admitted to material weaknesses in its internal controls and disclosed significant accounting errors. Specifically, Paragon 28 understated its cost of goods sold by 19%, resulting in an overstated operating loss by 22% and net loss by 20%.The company's stock has fallen over 56% over the past year, raising concerns about its financial health and prompting prominent shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman to commence an investigation into potential violations of U.S. securities laws."We're looking into any potential connection between Paragon 28's dismal outlook and past improper accounting," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.If you invested in Paragon 28 and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Paragon 28 investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Paragon 28 should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email FNA@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 22:11:15

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Downing & Co. brings comprehensive family office services to Portland, OR, offering expert wealth management solutions typically reserved for the ultra-wealthy.PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Downing & Co., a leading name in wealth management and financial advisory services, is proud to announce the expansion of its comprehensive family office services in Portland, OR. Traditionally available only to billionaires, these services are now accessible to the Greater Portland and Southwest Washington area's 2.2 million residents. From West Linn and Lake Oswego to the Pearl District and beyond, Downing & Co. is redefining what it means to be a Portland Wealth Management firm.Portland Wealth Management Portland Wealth ManagementA McKinsey report published in January 2024 shows a 60% increase among clients looking for holistic financial advice, a trend that has increased since 2018. Statista data supports this, forecasting that the assets under management (AUM) will reach $128 trillion in 2024. Financial advisory is the strongest player in this market, showing a positive overall performance for the wealth management market.Unlike most wealth management companies that focus solely on brokerage services, Downing & Co. addresses over 29 additional critical areas of financial planning. Their holistic approach provides clients convenient access to a team of 70+ professionals, including attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, and risk mitigation specialists. This level of service, often associated with billionaire family offices, is now available to Portland residents looking to protect, grow, and preserve their wealth for generations."A recent Spectrum study revealed that while 78% of high-net-worth clients expect wealth transfer advice and trust services, only 2% receive it. We aim to close that gap and make billionaire-level wealth management attainable for everyone in Portland," said Tim Downing, Managing Principal at Downing & Co.Downing & Co.'s services are designed for those who want to protect their wealth with a proactive and comprehensive approach. Whether it's minimizing tax liabilities, ensuring estate planning, or providing legal and business advisory services, the firm's family office model delivers unparalleled value. Portland Wealth Management is no longer exclusive to billionaires; Downing & Co. makes it accessible to anyone looking to secure their financial future.For more details on Downing & Co. and its wealth management services, visit https://downingpdx.com/services/portland-wealth-management/ . For a free consultation, call (503) 445-3578.About Downing & Co:Downing & Co. is a leading estate planning CPA firm dedicated to helping high net worth individuals and small businesses in Portland, OR to save up to 40% in taxes now and for the legacy they leave behind. Established in 1964, Downing & Co. offers comprehensive services, including tax planning, accounting and bookkeeping services, estate planning, and wealth management.Contact InformationJP RichardsDirector of Communicationsreleases@ drakedigital.com (346) 660-4994SOURCE: Downing & Co.View the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 15:02:15

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FORT MILL, SC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Catheter Precision, Inc. (NYSE American:VTAK) today announced that at the recently held European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Symposium, interim results demonstrating the use of VIVO in localizing the site of origin of ventricular tachycardia (VT) for patients with scar related re-entrant VT were presented. Additionally, the presentation showed the relationship to the relevant myocardial scar on cross-sectional imaging from the CT scan. The study, ongoing at the Warwick Medical School at the University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire is ongoing with lead investigator Professor Tarv Dhanjal. The presentation was entitled "Accuracy of a non-invasive mapping system for the localization of re-entrant VT site of origin and its relationship to myocardial scar on cross-sectional imaging".The interim results were presented on twenty patients with structural heart disease and a mean ejection fraction of 35.5 and included patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The results showed a VIVO accuracy of 90% as compared to invasive mapping, performed with the Abbott Advisor HD Grid multipolar catheter. VIVO non-invasive mapping showed a significant match especially in the area of myocardial scar in these patients. At a mean follow up of seven months, procedural success has been noted in 90% of the patients.David Jenkins, CEO of Catheter Precision, commented, "These are significant results shown in very sick post heart attack patients with scarred heart muscle and structural heart disease. We look forward to the enrollment of additional patients and the conclusion of the study. We are hopeful that the results and continued research will bring about additional indications for use here in the US. As well, we are hopeful that the VIVO technology will be seen as a very useful tool in treating this expanded group of patients in need of state-of-the-art medical care." About VIVOCatheter Precision's VIVO (View Into Ventricular Onset), is a non-invasive 3D imaging system that enables physicians to identify the origin of ventricular arrhythmias pre-procedure, thereby streamlining workflow and reducing procedure time. VIVO has received marketing clearance from the U.S. FDA and has the CE Mark.VIVO is intended for acquisition, analysis, display and storage of cardiac electrophysiological data and maps for analysis by a physician.VIVO is intended to be used as a pre-procedure planning tool for patients with structurally normal hearts undergoing ablation treatment for idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias.About Catheter PrecisionCatheter Precision is an innovative U.S.-based medical device company bringing new solutions to market to improve the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. It is focused on developing groundbreaking technology for electrophysiology procedures by collaborating with physicians and continuously advancing its products.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to substantial risk and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "may," "might," "can," "could," "continue," "depends," "expect," "expand," "forecast," "intend," "predict," "plan," "rely," "should," "will," "may," "seek," or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding product evaluations at the hospital, and that the purchase order indicates that the hospital and its staff see the value and benefits that LockeT can bring and expectations regarding LockeT evaluations in the coming weeks. The Company's expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances, including but not limited to risks and uncertainties included under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov . These risks and uncertainties include, but aren't limited to, that we do not have sufficient liquidity to fund our operations through May 2024 unless we are able to obtain additional financing or enter into a strategic transaction that would provide additional liquidity, we will not be able to reach profitability unless we are able to achieve our product expansion and growth goals, our research and development and commercialization efforts may depend on entering into agreements with corporate collaborators, we have entered into joint marketing agreements with respect to our products, and may enter into additional joint marketing agreements, that will reduce our revenues from product sales, royalty agreements with respect to our LockeT device will reduce any future profits from this product, if we experience significant disruptions in our information technology systems, our business may be adversely affected, litigation and other legal proceedings may adversely affect our business, if we make acquisitions or divestitures, we could encounter difficulties that harm our business, failure to attract and retain sufficient qualified personnel could also impede our growth, failure to maintain effective internal controls could cause our investors to lose confidence in us and adversely affect the market price of our common stock, we have determined that our internal controls and disclosure controls were not effective as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024, and as a result, without effective remediation of the material weaknesses that we have identified, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, our revenues may depend on our customers' receipt of adequate reimbursement from private insurers and government sponsored healthcare programs, we may be unable to compete successfully with companies in our highly competitive industry, many of whom have substantially greater resources than we do, our future operating results depend upon our ability to obtain components in sufficient quantities on commercially reasonable terms or according to schedules, prices, quality and volumes that are acceptable to us, and suppliers may fail to deliver components, or we may be unable to manage these components effectively or obtain these components on such terms, if hospitals, physicians and patients do not accept o
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 16:01:19

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~A Partnership to Transform the Future of GenAI for Global Enterprises~MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / SOUTHWORKS, a globally recognized leader in technology consulting with over two decades of experience in delivering high-impact solutions, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Kmeleon, an industry frontrunner in Generative AI (GenAI) solutions. This alliance is set to redefine the landscape of enterprise AI, bringing together the unparalleled expertise of both companies to drive innovation and deliver exceptional value."Helping our clients navigate the ever-changing world of technology has always been our top priority. As the landscape evolves, we understand the importance of providing cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead," said Alejandro Jack, CEO of SOUTHWORKS. "For more than two decades, SOUTHWORKS has been at the forefront of emerging technologies. Through our partnership with Kmeleon, we will support various industries in their AI acceleration, leveraging our combined AI expertise to help businesses thrive." SOUTHWORKS has earned its reputation through a long-standing commitment to excellence, working with some of the world's largest companies to deliver cutting-edge technology solutions. In recent years, SOUTHWORKS has made significant inroads into the GenAI space, collaborating with industry titans like Microsoft and SAP. Their contributions to SAP's AI assistant, Joule, underscore their growing influence in this rapidly evolving field.The decision to partner with Kmeleon underscores SOUTHWORKS' dedication to deepening its focus on Gen AI. Kmeleon, based in Miami and founded by former Microsoft experts, is at the forefront of AI innovation. Specializing exclusively in the design, development, and implementation of Gen AI solutions, Kmeleon's teams are heavily invested in research and development, partnering with leading technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and Databricks to push the boundaries of what's possible.Through this strategic alliance, Kmeleon will leverage SOUTHWORKS' extensive experience and global scale to expand its project capabilities, enabling a broader range of enterprises to benefit from their specialized Gen AI expertise. In turn, SOUTHWORKS will tap into Kmeleon's deep well of knowledge and innovative prowess in Gen AI to enhance its offerings, ensuring their projects deliver even greater value and transformative impact."We are thrilled to join forces with Kmeleon," said Johnny Halife, CTO of SOUTHWORKS. "Their singular focus on Gen AI and their impressive track record of delivering groundbreaking solutions perfectly align with our vision. Together, we are poised to deliver more specialized, scalable, and impactful AI solutions to our customers." "This partnership is a major milestone in our journey to revolutionize enterprise AI," added Dustin Gallegos, CEO of Kmeleon. "With SOUTHWORKS' vast industry experience and our deep expertise in Gen AI, we are confident that this alliance will set new standards in the industry, delivering exceptional value to our clients across the globe." This alliance marks the beginning of a powerful collaboration, combining the strengths of both companies to push the frontiers of enterprise AI. Together, SOUTHWORKS and Kmeleon are set to lead the charge in transforming the future of AI solutions, delivering innovations that are both pioneering and impactful on a global scale.--About SOUTHWORKSSOUTHWORKS is the global premium technology partner, known for its passionate and proactive approach to software engineering that gives companies the confidence to take on what's needed now. With over 20 years of experience delivering exceptional solutions to global enterprises, SOUTHWORKS specializes in developing cutting-edge technology. Recently, the company has expanded into the GenAI space, partnering with industry giants such as Microsoft and SAP to deliver transformative AI solutions. When businesses need to innovate at speed and scale, they turn to SOUTHWORKS to get it done right.About KmeleonBased in Miami, Kmeleon is a GenAI consulting firm dedicated to the design, development, and implementation of enterprise GenAI solutions, as well as the foundation of an AI enterprise framework to easily scale and control AI solutions. Founded by former Microsoft experts, Kmeleon is committed to advancing the field of AI through extensive research and collaboration with top tech companies.For media inquiries, please contact:Nicole Revers Global Marketing Lead, SOUTHWORKS nicole.revers@southworks.com +44 7783 517 780 www.southworks.com Dustin GallegosCEO, Kmeleon dustin@ kmeleon.tech +1 703 835 5657 www.kmeleon.tech SOURCE: SOUTHWORKS
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-05 02:32:16

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 4, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE:SPIR) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: Mar. 6, 2024 - Aug. 14, 2024Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Oct. 21, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/SPIR Contact the Firm Now: SPIR@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Class Action Lawsuit Against Spire Global, Inc. (SPIR):Spire Global, the beleaguered space data provider, has managed to stave off financial distress by securing a waiver and amendment to its debt obligations with Blue Torch Capital. The agreement, reached on Aug. 27, 2024, provides immediate relief from leverage ratios in exchange for a hefty price tag.The company will now be required to pay an amendment fee of 3.5% of the outstanding term loan principal and it had to make a $10 million principal payment by August 31. This comes at a time when Spire's cash reserves are already stretched thin, with only $46 million in cash and equivalents as of June 30.The debt relief comes amidst a growing accounting scandal that has rocked the company. Spire recently admitted that virtually all of its previously reported financial statements for 2022 and 2023 would need to be restated due to improperly recognized revenues for pre-space mission activity. This revelation marks a significant escalation from the company's initial announcement in early August, when it announced that it would not timely file its Q2 2024 quarterly report. The company said then it was in the process of reviewing its accounting practices and procedures with respect to revenue recognition related to certain contracts in its "Space as a Service" business. The company further explained that "[t]he re-evaluation relates to the potential existence of embedded leases of identifiable assets in the Contracts and the related recognition of revenue for pre-space mission activities." The accounting irregularities have not only led to financial covenant violations but have also triggered a class-action lawsuit against the company. Investors are alleging that Spire misrepresented and failed to disclose the true nature of certain contracts and the related revenue recognition.Shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman is now investigating whether the company and its executives violated U.S. securities laws."Spire Global's recent admissions of accounting irregularities raise serious concerns about the company's corporate governance and financial practices," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. "We are looking into whether Spire's recent disclosures and stock performance warrant lengthening the alleged class period." If you invested in Spire Global and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Spire Global case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Spire Global should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email SPIR@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
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DALTON, GA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /SYNLawn, a leading global manufacturer and innovator of sustainable synthetic turf, is proud to support Victory Junction, a year-round camp in North Carolina for children with complex medical conditions, with the donation of an artificial grass lawn to improve accessibility for camp attendees at the newly debuted Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Water Park.Charity Ride Across America Water Park SYNLawn Installation at the Charity Ride Across America Water Park."We are honored to create a safer and more inclusive play space for children of all abilities," said George Neagle, president of SYNLawn Global. "Philanthropy is important to our company and our culture is built on serving people around the globe through charitable endeavors that align with our mission to improve the planet through synthetic turf." SYNSport was used to create the green space. It's the ideal turf for this type of high-traffic space since it provides superior durability and support. It's also a more environmentally friendly option due to being made with SYNLawn's exclusive plant-based EnviroLoc+ backing system created from renewable resources such as soybean oil. The sustainable grass offers a smoother and more stable outdoor space than natural grass for camp attendees who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Synthetic surfacing is proven to reduce injury and lessen the impact of falls by absorbing the shock better than real grass, which creates a safer play environment for all."We're all very appreciative of this generous and beautiful gift from SYNLawn - especially the children who will benefit from the donated lawn," said Chad Coltrane, president and CEO of Victory Junction. "The addition of the artificial turf allows us to extend our water park activities and programming from the pool to the poolside. It also adds the perfect landscape appeal and symbolizes a generous spirit of giving back. Our charitable partnerships are valuable and enable us to provide more exciting experiences for the kids." Photos of the installation are available upon request. Learn more about SYNLawn and its sustainable turf solutions at www.synlawn.com ABOUT SYNLAWNFor more than 20 years, SYNLawn  has led the industry as the largest manufacturer and unrivaled innovator of artificial grass and synthetic surfacing in North America. As part of the Sport Group Holding family of companies, SYNLawn delivers the best products available on the market. SYNLawn's turnkey network of over 120 distributors seamlessly combines environmental stewardship with industry-leading innovations. SYNLawn uses bio-based ingredients and consumer-conscious additives to meet customers' wide range of needs. With more than 300,000 residential and commercial installations, the company is raising the bar for global synthetic turf standards and transforming the idea of grass. We have a proprietary system with a large percentage of renewable content. From rooftops to road medians and rocket-launch viewing sites, SYNLawn has installed over 150 million square feet of U.S. soy-backed grass across 300,000 installations in the United States of America and over 20 other countries since 2008. SYNLawn added more soy than ever to its products in 2021, which increased its use of U.S. soy by 10%. For more information visit www.SYNLawn.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.ABOUT VICTORY JUNCTIONVictory Junction is a year-round camp facility for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions. Founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of his son Adam, Victory Junction provides life-changing camp experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a medically-safe environment, always free of charge. In addition to traditional camp sessions, Victory Junction's REACH program takes camp experiences to children and their families at hospitals, clinics, and other community partner sites throughout the Carolinas and Virginia. Since opening in 2004, Victory Junction has delivered more than 126,000 camp experiences and has served children from all fifty states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, as well as four countries. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children's Network of camps founded by Paul Newman, and is accredited by the American Camp Association. To learn more, please visit victoryjunction.org # # #Contact InformationMackenzie Smith mackenzie@ labearcommunications.com 574-524-5916SOURCE: SYNLawnView the original press release on newswire.com
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Combining Tanvex's biosimilar development expertise and U.S. FDA-licensed commercial-scale facility in San Diego, California, with Bora's extensive global CDMO capabilities, the alliance aims to provide comprehensive solutions to biologics CDMO customers around the world.SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Tanvex BioPharma ("Tanvex" or the "Company"), a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biologics and a biosimilars products company, recently announced that the Board of Directors approved the acquisition of Bora Biologics Co., Ltd. ("Bora Biologics"), a CDMO subsidiary of Bora Pharmaceuticals ("Bora"). This strategic alliance will bring together Bora's extensive CDMO capabilities and client-centric culture with Tanvex's development expertise, scalable operations, and U.S. FDA-licensed commercial capacity facility in San Diego, California. Upon completion, Bobby Sheng, Chairman and CEO of the Bora Group, will be appointed Chairman of the merged organization. The transaction is expected to conclude in Q1 of 2025.Tanvex CDMO and Bora Pharmaceuticals Logo Partnership LogosBora Pharmaceuticals is a leading global CDMO with 10 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the world. Bora will closely collaborate with Tanvex to leverage its global CDMO operations and capabilities to provide comprehensive solutions to biologics customers, including Bora's new fill-and-finish capabilities in Camden, Maryland. Tanvex has created strong biologics development and manufacturing operations and brings over 100,000 square feet of biomanufacturing space and 1,000-liter bioreactors, which complement Bora's 500-liter bioreactors to provide a highly scalable service offering. Combined, these capabilities offer a more robust development and manufacturing platform to global biologics customers.Henry Chen, Chairman and CEO of Tanvex, stated, "Tanvex has been dedicated to the development and manufacturing of biologics since its inception and now offers an integrated suite of services from early-stage non-GMP pre-clinical development to commercial-stage CGMP manufacturing. This strategic investment by Bora presents an optimal opportunity to combine our strengths with Bora's proven success in building a global CDMO platform characterized by exceptional quality, excellent manufacturing track record and strong customer relationships." "This strategic investment focuses on both parties' shared vision for the biologics CDMO business," added Bobby Sheng, Chairman and CEO of the Bora Group. "It combines Bora's strong reputation, industry-leading quality and global operational resources with Tanvex's established USFDA-approved commercial-scale biologics facility and biosimilar expertise in San Diego. This partnership will enable the combined entity to rapidly respond to evolving industry demands and policy developments, such as the U.S. BIOSECURE Act, and capitalize on new opportunities in onshoring, friendshoring, and the growing CDMO demands driven by these policy changes." About TanvexTanvex BioPharma USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tanvex BioPharma, Inc. (TWSE: 6541), was founded in 2011 with a mission to revolutionize the healthcare industry by making biologics more affordable and accessible to patients. Over the years, Tanvex has honed its expertise in biologics development and manufacturing, culminating in the successful commercialization of our first product. With another Biological License Application (BLA) pending U.S. FDA approval, Tanvex's journey is characterized by an unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and a passion for improving patient care.Tanvex's dedication to advancing healthcare has led to extending its capabilities, including its technical and operational expertise, to a broader audience as a CDMO - Tanvex CDMO. Biopharma companies leverage Tanvex CDMO's state-of-the-art, U.S.-based and FDA-licensed facility, and deep knowledge in biologics development and manufacturing, to bring their products to market efficiently and effectively.Relevant Links https://www.tanvex.com/https://tanvexcdmo.com/ About BoraFounded in 2007, Bora Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer with well-connected global distribution to supply more than 100 countries around the world. Bora is dedicated to becoming a global leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing by offering its clients the best quality, efficiency, and reliability.Contact InformationMedia ContactMarketingmedia@ tanvex.com CDMO Inquiriescdmosales@ tanvex.com SOURCE: Tanvex BioPharma USA, Inc.View the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of The Chemours Company ("The Chemours Company") (NYSE:CC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.Chemours issued a press release on August 1, 2024, reporting its financial results for the second quarter of 2024. Among other items, Chemours reported non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.38, missing consensus estimates by $0.20. The Company advised that it "anticipates a low to mid-single digit sequential decline in Net Sales for the third quarter," citing "[r]esidual impacts from Q2 unplanned downtime at our Altamira, Mexico manufacturing site" in its Titanium Technologies segment; "[r]efrigerant seasonality paired with weaker Freon Refrigerants pricing in its Thermal & Specialized Solutions segment; and "[a] continued modest recovery in" its Advanced Performance Materials segment. Following this news, Chemours's stock price dropped over 11% on August 2, 2024. To obtain additional information, go to:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212)363-7500.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212)363-7500 Fax: (212)363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
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BOLTON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / R&D can occur in almost any sector. It can arise when a business develops a new product or creates a unique solution to a real-world problem. Additionally, investing in R&D can offer significant tax benefits. The UK government provides R&D tax relief, which allows businesses to claim tax credits or deductions on qualifying R&D expenditure for up to 27%. For small and medium-sized enterprises, this can mean a cash payment or a reduction in the company's Corporation Tax bill. Larger companies can benefit from the Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC) scheme, which provides a tax credit for qualifying R&D costs. These incentives are designed to encourage innovation and technological advancement, helping businesses to offset the costs associated with research and development.Planning Your R&D ProjectFor those considering an R&D tax claim, it's important to understand that R&D tax relief is designed to incentivise planned research and development. To be eligible, your discovery must result from a structured project aimed at scientific or technological advancement. This doesn't mean you must have a plan to claim R&D tax relief from the start. Many businesses find they are eligible for R&D tax rebates after they have started their projects, especially when they retroactively realise the innovative nature of their work.Scope of Eligible R&D ProjectsAn R&D project will qualify for R&D tax relief if it specifically aims to resolve uncertainties in the fields of science or technology. This includes sectors ranging from architecture to more tech-focused fields such as artificial intelligence and biological engineering. R&D tax specialists at Growth Hive UK can help determine if your project falls within these eligible categories.Advancing Science or TechnologyThe goal of an R&D project is to achieve a significant 'advance' in science or technology. This could be developing new materials, processes, products, or services, or significantly improving existing ones. Research and development tax credits are awarded to projects that contribute to the overall knowledge in a field, not just to the company's internal processes. These advancements should be non-obvious to someone with expertise in the field and represent more than just incremental improvements.Establishing the Scientific or Technological BaselineBefore embarking on an R&D project, establishing a solid understanding of the current scientific or technological landscape in your area is crucial. This serves as a foundation for identifying the specific uncertainties your project aims to address. R&D tax specialists can assist in documenting how your project extends beyond existing knowledge, helping to justify your claim for research and development tax relief.Documenting Your R&D EffortsFor a successful R&D tax claim, maintaining detailed records of your R&D activities is essential. Documentation should cover the scope of the project, who participated, materials used, and financial expenditures. These records are crucial for meeting R&D tax compliance requirements and responding to any R&D tax enquiries. Even if a project does not fully resolve the identified uncertainties, it can still qualify for R&D tax funding if there was a genuine attempt to advance scientific or technological knowledge.Navigating the complexities of R&D tax projects and ensuring compliance can be challenging. At Growth Hive UK, we specialise in providing R&D tax assistance and ensuring that businesses like yours can maximise their claims and continue to innovate. If you're considering an R&D project or want to ensure your current projects qualify for research and development tax credits, contact us today. We are your dedicated R&D tax partners, here to support every step of your innovation journey.Contact InformationMark HoctorHead of Business Developmentmark@ growthhiveuk.co.uk 0161 850 4558SOURCE: Growth Hive UKView the original press release on newswire.com
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 /Zeus North America Mining Corp. (formerly Umdoni Exploration Inc.) (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRANKFURT:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") is pleased to announce that it has increased the size of its non-brokered private placement announced on July 30, 2024 (the "Placement") and now intends to issue up to 5,664,400 units ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,416,100.Each Unit will comprise one common share and one full share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years following closing of the Placement.Finder's fees may be payable on all or any portion of the Placement, which is subject to regulatory and exchange approval.The proceeds of the Placement will be utilized for exploration programs on the Company's Idaho copper projects, including its flagship Cuddy Mountain project, and for general working capital purposes.Completion of the Placement is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary approvals and the acceptance by the Canadian Securities Exchange.This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.On behalf of the board of directors."Dean Besserer" President and CEOFor more information, please contact the Company at info@ zeusminingcorp.com FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: Kin Communications Inc.Ph: 604-684-6730 ZEUS@ kincommunications.com About Zeus North America Mining Corp.The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 82 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 3822.1 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.Forward Looking StatementsWhen used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions.The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.SOURCE: Zeus North America Mining Corp.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has emphasised that the approval-in-principle granted to two crypto exchanges recently is in line with the commissions desire to ensure that youths in Nigeria are given the opportunity to participate in the capital market.

The Director General of the SEC, Emomotimi Agama, who stated this during a meeting in Abuja Wednesday, said that in line with the desire of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to engage with the youthful population in the country, it became important to create a structure that will enhance that participation of the youths and other Nigerians in the market.

The commission had last week granted approvals to Busha Digital Limited and Quidax Technologies Limited.

According to the SEC DG, It is important that we act accordingly, we are a country but we cannot be left out of the global phenomenon that is beginning to take shape. The SEC as a future looking institution is poised to making sure that we are in the league of countries that do what is needed.

As much as possible, we are building talents to be able to deal with the challenges that these asset classes could bring to our shores. A lot of young Nigerians are fully involved in it and we cannot shut the door against them, rather the intention of Mr. President is to have them inclusive in the capital market and that is why we are ensuring that there is regulation and no one is hurt at the end of the day. Thats our responsibility at the SEC by protecting investors and developing the market.

Mr Agama said the SEC is doing all of these cautiously to ensure these institutions do not pose risks to the national economy and to citizens who are investors too.

He disclosed that the SECs programme on the digital assets exchanges comes from its virtual Assets Service Providers Regulation adding that in view of the nature of crypto exchanges and the entire industry, it was important to outline a regulation that allows the Commission to fully understand crypto exchanges and virtual financial assets services providers.

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The SEC boss said the idea was borne out of the initial Regulatory Incubation Programme of the SEC in its desire to understudy fintech platforms and products that are new to the market in order to be able to dimension the risks that are associated with these institutions and their products as clearly, the SECs primary responsibility is investor production and market development.

In our bid not to stifle innovation we decided to set up a Sound Box to be able to understand exactly what these companies are getting into, how it affects the customers, how it affects the Nigerian public and how it affects the Nigerian economy.

That was the idea, soon after that with the emergence of the VAPS regulation, we thought it wise to move forward by setting up the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme. The first stage is the Regulatory Incubation Programme, the next stage is the Accelerated Incubation Programme which takes care of the desires of a lot of institutions to be regulated by the SEC. As you are aware, non-regulation of these entities poses a serious risk to our economy and so it was important in building trust and in building confidence and more so, he explained.

He emphasised that the commission has not yet outrightly licenced any exchange, but has provided an approval in principle adding that it is a controlled experiment wherein companies that have applied, meet the fit and proper persons test and other regulatory guidelines are invited into a regulatory incubation wherein they are understudied.

It gives us an opportunity to know exactly what they are doing, we know the risks that they pose to our economy, we know the risks they pose to investors and the risks they pose to themselves as operators.

The idea is you need to do that to be able to study them and provide all the guidance and regulations required by them to operate in the system seamlessly while also not defrauding Nigerians, not causing chaos to Nigerians, our economy and the entire system at large. We are making sure that they operate within regulations similar to what is obtainable also in other jurisdictions, Mr Agama added.

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Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State (Oil) Petroleum Resources, on Thursday, said the Federal Government was not responsible for the recent increase in the price of petrol across the country.

The minister said this while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Mr Lokpobiri said the industry has been deregulated, and that the government was not fixing prices of petrol and other petroleum products.

This sector is deregulated. And we believe that with the availability of products, the price will find its level.

What is important is that the product is available in the country; between now and the weekend, there will be availability of the product (petrol) across the length and breadth of the country, he said.

He said it was important to convey to Nigerians that the President was empathetic about what was going on in the country.

He is concerned about the hardship of Nigerians, and that was why he directed the Vice President to call this meeting, for us to reflect on what is going on in the country.

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But, we believe that by the time there is availability of the product (petrol) across the country, the price itself will stabilise, said the minister.

Lokpobiri said Shettima had summoned him along with Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, over the recent hike in the price of petrol.

Also, Ogbugo Ukoha, executive director, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), said regulatory efforts were geared toward stabilising supply of petrol in the country, which he said would impact positively on stability of price.

The objective of the regulator is to ensure that theres increased operating hours from all loading depots; vessels are being cleared promptly and extended hours where safety can permit truck outs as well.

More importantly also is the reinforcement of the support being given to local refinancing, because with increased production there will be higher supply, which will stabilise the price, said Okuoha.

it would be recalled that the price of petrol was increased from N855 to N897 per litre, depending on the location, from the previous N568-N617.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian government has cautioned Nigerians not to engage in panic buying of petrol, saying it has sufficient product in the country.

Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday.

Mr Lokpobiri explained that President Bola Tinubu is deeply concerned about the hardship Nigerians are facing, noting that a meeting was held with Vice President Kashim Shettima, reflecting on the current fuel situation across the country.

We want to reassure the public that there is sufficient fuel supply in the country, and by the weekend, we expect products to be available nationwide.

While prices may vary in different regions, we believe that once distribution stabilises, prices will regulate naturally. Its important to emphasise that the government is not fixing prices, as the sector is deregulated, Mr Lokpobiri said.

He said there is no need for panic buying, as supply is adequate.

Our primary message to Nigerians is that we are working hard to ensure that the situation normalises quickly, and prices will stabilise as product availability improves, he added.

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In recent months, fuel scarcity has hit major cities across Nigeria, with attendant effects on businesses and households.

This has also prompted commercial bus drivers to increase their fares in major towns and cities, including the nations capital. As a result, black marketers have made brisk business selling to willing buyers at higher prices ranging from N1,000 to N1,200.

On Tuesday, NNPC Ltd adjusted the pump price of petrol to N897 from N617 as motorists and commuters grumbled amid the uncertainty. Other independent stations have also adjusted their pump prices, in some instances above N900 per litre.

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The 2024 MTV Video Music Award (VMA) Nominees Party held at the US Consulate in Lagos over the weekend, was an electrifying night of Afrobeats excellence.

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Pheelz, Cohbams, Director Pink, E-Money, Leo Dasilva, Fiokee, Dorathy Bachor, Uti Nwachukwu, Saskay, VJ Adams, and Candy Bleakz were some of the events guests.

The event, themed Afrobeats Royalty, brought together music lovers and industry elites who perfectly embodied the theme to celebrate the global impact of Afrobeats, a music genre that has transcended borders and united cultures.

Hosted by MTV Base and sponsored by Budweiser, the evening began with a live performance from Coloz Band, setting the stage for an unforgettable night.

William Stevens, the US Consular, officially opened the event with a heartfelt remark, highlighting the global strides Afrobeats has made and the pivotal role of the US Consulate in strengthening the cultural bond between Nigeria and the United States through music.

The performances were the highlight of the eveningAyo Maff, known for his hit song Dealer, set the bar high for the rest of the exciting performances. Dotty the Deity charmed the audience with his rendition of Forever Sweet Valentine.

At the same time, Zadok wowed everyone with a medley of significant hits from each Afrobeats category nominee for this years VMAs.

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Other highlights

Event host and MTV Base Culture Squad Member Ilo celebrated the stars nominated in the Best Afrobeats category, a category that was introduced this year to recognize the growing influence and popularity of Afrobeats in the global music scene. Ilo reflected on the genres remarkable journey, which led to a dedicated category in its honour at the VMAs.

This years nominees include Ayra Starr (Last Heartbreak Song ft. Giveon), Burna Boy (City Boys), Davido & Lojay (Sensational with Chris Brown), Tems (Love Me JeJe), Tyla (Water), and Pheelz (Ruin with Usher).

The energy reached new heights with a series of surprise performances. Pheelz, one of the nominees, delighted the crowd with his hit song Finesse, featuring BNXN (formerly known as Buju).

DJ TTB then kept the party going with a seamless mix of Afrobeats, ensuring the dance floor stayed packed. Eltee Skhillz closed out the performances for the night, and it was nothing short of amazing.

Adding a layer of excitement to the vibrant night, MTV Base and BET Africas Culture Squad Members Oluchi and Daala, respectively, interviewed some of these personalities.

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Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has reported the efforts of some African researchers to develop new drugs from the continents vast natural biodiversity using Artificial Intelligence.

Gavi, referring to an interview with SciDev.Net, an organisation that publishes news, views and analysis about science and technology for global development, confirmed the efforts of the group as narrated by the lead researcher, Fidele Ntie-Kang, an associate professor at the University of Buea in Cameroon.

Mr Ntie-Kang said his team is deploying AI to screen hundreds of natural compounds to find effective remedies for globally neglected diseases.

He said AI is key to unlocking Africas potential for homegrown healthcare solutions.

By tapping into our own natural and human resources and applying new technologies like AI, we can develop homegrown solutions to our healthcare challenges, Mr Ntie-Kang said.

He added that with over 40,000 unique plant species in Africa, the team aims to tap into the continents natural resources to develop homegrown solutions to healthcare challenges, adding that this innovative approach has the potential of unlocking new, less toxic treatments and reducing reliance on external solutions.

Unlocking potential of African medicinal plants

According to the researcher, traditional medicines play a crucial role in Africa, with over 80 per cent of the population relying on them.

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He said Africa is home to over 40,000 unique plant species, representing 25 per cent of the worlds plant genetic resources, adding that more than 5,000 plants are used in traditional African medicine, containing unique molecules that have been used effectively in modern medicine, such as quinine for malaria and salicylic acid for aspirin.

He, however, said despite their effectiveness, African medicinal plants have seen limited systematic exploration by pharmaceutical researchers, with most of their medicinal properties remaining unstudied and few molecules being developed into drugs.

Also, the researcher said drug discovery from African natural products faces numerous challenges.

He said: Drug discovery has traditionally been a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process, which has led to limited investment in exploring natural products from Africa. Additionally, there are infrastructural challenges, like frequent power shortages, which weve had to overcome by installing solar panels to ensure research continuity.

Because the scientific study of African natural compounds remains largely untapped, knowledge-sharing and capacity development are crucial for rapid advancement in the field. Yet, visa rules and requirements in the West make it difficult for African scientists and students to access training overseas and build collaboration with international partners. These challenges have underscored the necessity of building our online natural compound database and ensuring it remains accessible to researchers across the continent.

He revealed that the availability of basic research resources poses a significant challenge. Sourcing reagents from Europe can take weeks or months, whereas online orders in Europe are fulfilled within days at a lower cost. Additionally, there is a prevailing bias against integrating African natural compounds into pharmaceutical drug development.

However, Mr Ntie-Kang said they are making progress by showcasing capabilities and publishing research in reputable journals, gradually dispelling doubts about Africas potential for innovative drug discovery.

Accelerating drug discovery in Africa with AI

The team said AI is revolutionising drug discovery in Africa by dramatically shortening the process of identifying molecules that can bind with or interact with proteins in desirable ways adding that machine learning and AI enable the screening of millions of molecules in less than a day, a process that previously took weeks or months.

Mr Ntie-Kang said his research team is establishing a state-of-the-art drug discovery regional centre.

He said: My research team at the University of Buea in Cameroon is establishing a state-of-the-art drug discovery regional centre, which will screen and utilise 400 natural compounds from the continent in order to identify new antiviral drugs. Using AI-supported techniques and working with an international, interdisciplinary team of biologists, chemists, geneticists, and computer scientists, we are adopting innovative screening techniques to identify natural compounds that may hold treatments for viral diseases such as COVID-19 and HIV.

To support drug discovery efforts across Africa, the team is creating a freely accessible online database of African natural product compounds, including those from fungi, plants, corals, and bacteria.

According to him, the platform requires no login and provides researchers with a valuable resource to identify potential treatments for diseases such as TB and malaria, and neglected diseases like Chikungunya and Schistosomiasis.

He said their work has broader implications for Africa, as it leverages local natural and human resources, combined with technologies like AI, to develop innovative solutions for healthcare challenges.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a global framework to investigate the origin of new and re-emerging pathogens.

Developed with the support of the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of novel pathogens (SAGO), the comprehensive guide aims to help member states conduct thorough scientific investigations into the sources of novel pathogens, WHO said, in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the global health body, the pioneering framework fills a critical gap in the existing toolkit for outbreak investigations, providing a structured approach to understanding the origins of new pathogens.

It stated that as the world continues to grapple with the threat of emerging diseases like Ebola, Nipah, and SARS-CoV-2, this framework is a timely and vital resource.

Re-emergence of Ebola, other diseases

The re-emergence of Ebola, Nipah, and SARS-CoV-2 has significant public health implications.

Ebola re-emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018, causing the second-largest outbreak in history, and has continued to cause sporadic cases and outbreaks in Africa.

Nipah virus, a deadly zoonotic virus spread through animal-human contact, contaminated food, or human-to-human transmission, causing respiratory and brain diseases with high mortality, re-emerged periodically, primarily in Southeast Asia, with recent outbreaks in India and Bangladesh resulting in significant morbidity and mortality.

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The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has ravaged the world since 2020, with ongoing transmission and new variants emerging.

These re-emerging diseases highlighted the importance of the WHOs global framework for investigating the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, enabling swift action to prevent and contain future outbreaks.

The WHO emphasises that the ability to swiftly contain outbreaks and identify their origins is more critical than ever, with significant scientific, moral, and financial implications. This framework serves as a how-to guide, which will be updated regularly based on user feedback

By providing a unified approach to investigating pathogen origins, the WHO aims to enhance global preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks, ultimately protecting human and animal health worldwide.

Framework

The organisation stated that global framework for investigating new pathogen origins consists of six key elements: early investigations to identify exposure sources and pathogen characteristics, human studies to understand epidemiology and transmission, human-animal interface studies to identify animal reservoirs, environmental studies to investigate insect vectors and environmental presence, genomics and phylogenetics to analyse pathogen evolution, and biosafety/biosecurity studies to determine if laboratory breaches contributed to the outbreak, adding that this structured approach helps in understanding the origins of new pathogens.

It also revealed that the framework guides investigators in tracing new pathogen origins, promoting swift info sharing, and One Health approach to prevent global health crises.

Rapid and transparent sharing of findings

WHO explained that to achieve the goals of the framework, countries need to conduct investigations into the origins of new pathogens and share their initial findings in a rapid, complete, and transparent manner as soon as results are available, stating that this timely sharing of information is crucial to ensure the swift implementation of measures to mitigate further transmission, prevent new spillover events, and ultimately, prevent future pandemics.

By sharing findings promptly and transparently, countries can facilitate a coordinated global response, accelerate the development of effective countermeasures, and protect public health worldwide, WHO noted.

WHOs Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said understanding epidemic origins is a scientific and moral imperative.

He said: Understanding when, where, how and why epidemics and pandemics begin is both a scientific imperative to prevent future outbreaks, and a moral imperative for the sake of those who lose their lives to them.

This framework provides for the first time comprehensive guidance on the studies that are needed to investigate the origins of emerging and reemerging pathogens. If it had been in place when COVID-19 struck, the quest to understand its origins may have been less contentious and more successful. WHO continues to call on China to share all information it has on the origins of COVID-19, so that all hypotheses can be investigated.

About SAGO

SAGO was established in November 2021, comprising independent global experts, with a mission to develop a global framework for understanding emerging and re-emerging pathogens origins, identifying the best technical and scientific approaches.

As part of WHOs enhanced health emergency preparedness and prevention system, SAGO collaborates with WHO, member states, and health and scientific partners to strengthen global health security.

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The police have confirmed the arrest of the operatives who allegedly extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man in Bayelsa State, South-south Nigeria.

The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Thursday.

The extortion

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how some police operatives allegedly extorted money from the man, Kelechi Isaac, on 26 August at Odi Axis of Bayelsa State.

Mr Isaac, who is based in Ghana, hails from Nguru Nworie, a community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state, Nigerias South-east.

The victim narrated that five police operatives flagged down his vehicle while he was driving back from a marriage ceremony with two of his friends.

He said the operatives subsequently forced him at gunpoint to transfer the N3 million to two separate bank accounts.

Officers arrested

On Monday, the police authorities announced that the operatives involved in the extortion of the man had been identified.

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The police said the operatives are from Zone 16 Police Headquarters, the zonal police headquarters for Bayelsa and Rivers States in South-south Nigeria.

It was unclear, before now, if the operatives were arrested or not.

But the force spokesperson, Mr Adejobi, an assistant commissioner of police, confirmed in the X post on Thursday that the operatives have been arrested.

The policemen involved in this case of extortion of N3 million have been arrested, he said.

The spokesperson said authorities of Zone 16 Police Headquarters have been asked to produce the operatives at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The Force Headquarters will continue to sanitise the system and ensure justice is done in all cases brought to its notice, he wrote on the microblogging platform.

Money recovered, but hasnt been returned to me  Victim

When contacted on Thursday morning, Mr Isaac, the victim, told PREMIUM TIMES that the N3 million has been recovered from the operatives, but has not yet been returned to him.

The victim said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in-charge of Zone 16 Headquarters, Paul Omata, informed him of the development.

They havent returned the money. I was in Bayelsa yesterday (Wednesday). They (AIG) said the money is there (in Bayelsa). But they will not return the money to me because there is no order from IGP to release the money to me, he said.

They said the policemen are being moved to Abuja, but they have not gotten to Abuja for the IGP to see them and give orders. So they said they are waiting for directives from the IGP (to return the money to me).

The spokesperson of the Zone 16 Police Headquarters, Gunn Ewhoborwo, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking his comments.

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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Benedict Akika, aka Benee, has been abducted by unknown gunmen in Ibadan.

Mr Akika was picked up at his home on Wednesday, the state spokesperson of the party in the state, Michael Ogunsina, said on the phone to PREMIUM TIMES.

We do not live on the same axis. However, I heard that he was kidnapped at his home in Akobo Ojurin-Olohunda, Mr Ogunsina said.

He said nobody was killed during the incident, debunking earlier reports to the contrary as false.

The Police Spokesperson in the state, Adewale Osifeso, also confirmed the incident via WhatsApp.

Investigation has commenced into the matter. Updates will be provided accordingly, he said.

Mr Akika is an ally of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, and a leader of the PDP in Lagelu local government Area of the state.

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A 31-year-old pastor of a Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ondo State, Victor Oluwasegun, has been remanded at a correctional centre for impregnating a minor.

Mr Oluwasegun also allegedly put five other young girls in the family way before his latest escapade, for which he was arraigned before a magistrate in Akure.

The prosecution alleged that the pastor had unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor on 24 July in the Oba-Ile area of the state.

Mr Oluwasegun was arraigned before the magistrate by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on a one-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

The prosecutor, David Ebriku, said the offence contravened Section 31(1) of the Child Rights Laws of Ondo State 2007 and is punishable under Section 31(2) of the same laws.

He urged the court to remand the suspect to a correctional centre.

The magistrate, Taiwo Lebi, remanded the suspect and adjourned the hearing of the bail application to 19 September.

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Cases of rape of minors have been on the increase in Ondo as legal actions appear to have failed to deter offenders.

In July, a state Family Court ordered the remand of a pastor, Adetunji Obatayo, in the Olokuta Correctional Centre for sexually assaulting his foster daughter and illegally procuring an abortion for her three times.

The victim had been living with the accused person since 2020 when her parents handed her over to the pastor.

Mr Obatayo, a pastor of the Deeper Christian Life Church, is also the principal of the school where his 14-year-old victim attends.

The 55-year-old defendant was arrested by the police after the victim informed her parents about the sexual relationship with him.

He was arraigned on three counts of rape, unlawful prescription of drugs to procure an abortion and killing an unborn child.

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Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has directed the immediate deployment of buses to different parts of the Ilorin metropolis to ease the movement of commuters.

The governors spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye, announced this in a statement on Thursday.

The buses are to take people to the most central destinations free of charge. We hope that persons attending the SUBEB job placement interviews would find this helpful, particularly in the metropolis, the statement said.

The governor also appealed to transporters and members of the public to exercise patience over the new fuel price hike, saying different government stakeholders were reviewing the situation.

The inconveniences are regretted, and we are confident that things will ease as soon as possible, the governor added.

READ ALSO: Ilorin emir backs Governor AbdulRazaq on development projects

The high cost of transportation rose further after the latest hike in petrol price from about N617 to N955, worsening Nigerias worst economic crisis in a generation.

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Armed robbers Thursday morning attacked a passenger bus and a private car near Osu in Atakumosa Local Government Area of Osun State, shooting the bus driver and raping a passenger.

The two vehicles were coming from Lagos when they were attacked by the robbers.

One of the victims narrated the incident to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.

We were between Ile-Ife and Osu when the robbers stopped us. They were eight in number and armed, he said.

Our nus driver was shot and injured. One of the passengers in the car, a woman, was raped. They collected all our money and ATM cards and made us transfer various amounts into their account.

Some of the passengers escaped into the bush and alerted security men. Not long after, policemen, vigilantes, and members of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service arrived and began to comb the area.

They arrested one of the robbers, and the driver of our bus was rushed to a hospital in Ile-Ife.

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READ ALSO: Police confirm arrest of officers who extorted N3 million from Nigerian man at gunpoint

The acting police spokesperson in Osun State, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, confirmed the incident.

One person was arrested, and the investigation is ongoing, he said.

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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dissolved the executive committees in Taraba, Benue, Oyo, Bauchi and Gombe states.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, in Abuja on Thursday, said that the dissolution was for the entire executive structure of the party from state to ward level in the affected states.

Mr Johnson said that the action was part of the resolutions reached at the end of the partys NWC emergency meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the decision was taken as part of measures to reposition and revitalise NNPP in the affected states.

He said the dissolved state excos would be replaced with caretaker committees in line with the constitution of the party.

Mr Johnson further explained that the decision was pursuant to articles 14.2.1 (iv, v) and 15.2.1 (xvi) of the partys constitution as amended on 6 April.

The dissolved executive committees shall in accordance with the partys constitution be replaced by caretaker committees, which will be announced in a few days, for the stipulated period of time, he said..

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Mr Johnson appreciated members of the dissolved state executives for their service to the party and urged them to be ready to serve in other capacities in the future.

Similarly, he said that after an extensive evaluation of all the other state executives nationwide, the NWC was satisfied that they were legally and morally ready to conduct the local government elections in their states.

He added that the NNPP noted that the Kano State executive, in particular, was well constituted to undertake the crucial local council election with a very high standard of leadership and effectiveness as backed by law.

(NAN)

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The National Economic Council (NEC) has urged all states that are yet to make submissions on the proposed State Police to submit their report on or before 9 September.

The acting governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Lawal, made this known while briefing journalists at the end of 144 NEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

All the states have submitted their reports except Adamawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

At todays NEC meeting an update for the establishment of State Police was considered and this was as a result of security challenges that we have across the nation  North-east, North-west, North-central, South-west, South-east and South-south  so that we will have a robust security in our nation.

And for that purpose sometime in the past, NEC considered the establishment of a Sate Police and asked states to make submissions for consideration.

Today all states were supposed to submit for consideration of the NEC. Incidentally four states couldnt submit.

And for that purpose NEC decided that all states must make their submission on or before Monday next week otherwise whatever decision NEC takes on the establishment of State Police will be binding on those states that refuse to make submissions, Mr Lawal said.

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(NAN)

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A lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has written to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, to terminate the ongoing prosecution of accused #EndBadGovernance protesters. He also urged Mr Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, to ensure the release of all detained protesters.

Mr Olajengbesi made the call following Mondays arraignment of 10 protesters for treason and treasonable felony, among other charges.

The lawyer argued that criminalising protesters demand for good governance in Nigeria last August is an affront on rule of law.

In the letter received by the AGF office on Tuesday, the lawyer maintained that Nigerian authorities, the lawyer said the Nigerian government must recognise the citizens right to express their grievances.

The right to peaceful assembly and protest is the bedrock of any democratic society, enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and safeguarded by international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.

To criminalise citizens for exercising their legitimate right to dissent through peaceful protest not only constitutes a breach of these legal protections but also tarnishes Nigerias standing on the global stage, he said.

He also said that the approach of the government is counterproductive and inimical to the ideals of democracy and free expression.

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It is incumbent upon us to prevent the normalisation of criminalising lawful dissent, which undermines the democratic fabric of our society.

Historically, governments that have resorted to such heavy-handed tactics have invariably eroded their legitimacy in the eyes of both the citizenry and the international community, he wrote.

The lawyer added, Therefore, I earnestly appeal to you to ensure that all charges against the arrested protesters are immediately rescinded and that they are released without further delay.

It is vital that we uphold the rule of law and refrain from punitive actions against those who merely seek to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Section 174(1) of the Nigerian constitution and section 107 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 empower the AGF to take over or discontinue (by entering nolle prosequi) any criminal proceeding in the overriding public interest.

Trail of protesters

The President Bola Tinubu-led administration has targeted many of the #EndBadGovernance protesters in a sweeping crackdown that saw it declaring a Briton, Andrew Wynne, wanted.

On Monday, the government arraigned 10 Nigerians who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and other states. Part of the charges against them was that they collaborated with 70-year-old Mr Wynne with intent to destabilise Nigeria and that they called on the military to take over the government from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They were also accused of conspiring with Mr Wynee to plot a war against the Nigerian state.

The judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered the 10 defendants remanded in prison until 11 September to rule on their bail application.

Also, the police declared Mr Wynne wanted on Monday and obtained a warrant for his arrest from the same judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

Earlier on 22 August, the judge ordered the remand of 75 protesters, including at least 28 minors, in prison for two months to await police investigations into alleged terrorism-related offences.

Many Nigerians participated in the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in major cities around the country from 1 to 10 August to protest against the economic hardship attributable to the economic policies of President Tinubu.

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Staff members of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) have decried the non-payment of their salaries and overhead of the establishment from January till date.

Some of the workers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja described their living conditions as pathetic.

They urged the federal government to rescind its decision to stop funding the councils activities, both salaries and operations.

A management staff member who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the government had stopped funding the organisation.

The officer said the Budget Office of the Federation in June 2023 sent a memo to the council, which stated that from January 2024, the federal government would no longer fund the organisation.

One of the workers, Kolo Ibrahim, said following the circular from the Budget Office, they have not received salaries since January.

Narrating his ordeal, Mr Kolo said he has been begging friends and relatives in order to feed his immediate family members and pay his childrens school fees.

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I have become an object of ridicule and stigmatisation; people have stopped borrowing me money because there is no hope of paying back.

I am appealing to President Bola Tinubu to hear our cry and rescind his decision on this so that we can deliver our mandate, he said.

Another worker of the council, Dan Gomna, said his children had dropped out of school because he could no longer pay their school fees

Feeding my family is a heavy burden. I have to beg to feed my wife and four children.

I am owing my landlord, and he has given me up to December 31 to pay my rent or pack out of his property.

I am sure that all workers in NPC are facing difficulties.

I beg President Tinubu, in the name of God, to help us. We are suffering due to lack of salaries for eight months and still counting, Mr Gomna said.

Established under the Nigerian Press Council Act No 85 of 1992, the parastatal under the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is statutorily empowered to ensure ethical press standards and maintain high professional standards for the Nigerian press.

Reacting to the development, a lawyer, Yemi Oyebamiji,, faulted the governments decision to halt funding of an institution without amending the Act establishing it.

I know this administration has promised to implement the Stephen Oronsaye-led Committee Report on federal civil service reform on learner government.

However, the exercise should be done with the due process of the law. I am not aware of any amendment to the statute establishing the council to the effect that government will no longer fund it.

Assuming without conceding that it has been amended, implementing it should be with a human face.

Where do you expect an organisation like the Nigerian Press Council, that has been bedevilled with many challenges, to source funding for workers salaries and its operations from? he queried.

READ ALSO: FG speaks on reported directive to NNPC to increase petrol price

Mr Oyebamiji appealed to the federal government to reconsider its decision, for the sake of the councils workers.

Alternatively, he said if the government found no usefulness in the council, it should be scrapped legally and its workers redeployed or paid off.

(NAN)

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Following the discovery of the Vaccine Derived Poliovirus (VDPV) in some states in the country, the Nigerian government on Wednesday set up an intervention committee to urgently address the crisis.

This was one of the resolutions reached on Wednesday at the 144th edition of National Economic Council Meeting (NEC) chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

This is contained in a statement shared at the end of the meeting and signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communcations to President in the office of Mr Shettima, Stanley Nkwocha.

NEC, which comprises the 36 state governors, the governor of the, among other relevant government officials, sits once in a month with the responsibility to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various governments of the federation.

The Wednesdays meeting had in attendance the Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and the Chairman of National Economic Council

Tagged: Committee on Eradication of Vaccine Derived Poliovirus, the committee is expected to be chaired by the Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Yahaya, and will have as members, the governors of five states in Nigerias North-west where the strain has been discovered.

Backstory

The council made this resolution in response to the presentation by Mr Gates indicating an urgent need to address the challenge.

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Nigeria was declared free of wild polio in 2020, but the spread of a different strain, known as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2), is still a concern.

In 2021, the country reported 1,028 cases, followed by 170 cases in 2022. So far this year, 51 cases have been reported, mostly in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

To address this, the Nigerian government intensified routine immunisation using two vaccines; the fIPV vaccine and the new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).

The government is focusing on 13 high-risk and conflict-affected states and has so far carried out campaigns in nine states, in phases.

NECs resolution

To accelerate the governments efforts, NEC said it resolved to create a poliovirus eradication committee which will report back to it monthly.

NEC said members of the committee will also include The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and representatives from the NEC Secretariat and UNICEF.

Additionally, the Special Adviser to the President on NEC & Climate Change, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, a representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors Forum will also serve on the committee.

Vice president speaks

At the meeting, the Vice President emphasised the need to expand the health sector alongside other sectors in the pursuit of national development.

He said the future of this nation hinges on the health and well-being of the children.

According to him, the success of the country and the current administration relies on recognising the socio-economic threats that have continued to pull down the countrys development index.

He said; More importantly, on our resolve to walk the talk. We are gathered here because none of us can fulfil the goal of guaranteeing the survival of our people in isolation.

Whether by expanding access to quality education, improving healthcare, or offering skills training and job opportunities, it is clear that each one of us has the power to influence policy and decisions at various levels.

He also commended the efforts of Mesrs Gates and Dangote as development partners to Nigeria, noting that they have companies have invested enormous resources into the welfare of Nigerians, spanning critical areas such as health, nutrition, agriculture, and education.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt discloses petrol quantity expected monthly from Dangote refinery

Mr Shettima added: Their philanthropy is not seasonal but a steadfast commitment that continues to shape our nations future.

We did not survive the lowest points of our journey as a nation by the proactivity of the government alone; we did so because we remained partners in rain and sunshine.

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The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Nnaghe Obono, has ordered the detention of some officers for the alleged murder of an unidentified civilian in the state.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday night.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, did not give the identities of the officers.

He said the officers allegedly murdered the civilian along Owerri Road in Onitsha, Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson said the officers were attached to a police patrol team in the state.

He said a preliminary investigation showed that a police corporal is a prime suspect in the alleged murder.

Mr Ikenga did not mention when the alleged murder occurred and the number of officers in the patrol team.

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However, PREMIUM gathered that the officers allegedly murdered the victim earlier on Wednesday.

Investigation

The commissioner of police directs the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, Mr Ikenga said in the statement.

He said the police chief has assured the state police command will carry out thorough investigation into the case to ensure justice prevailed.

Not the first time

Cases of extra judicial killings by the police have continued in Nigeria despite punishment such as dismissal from service by police authorities.

In October 2020, Nigerian youths protested against police brutality across the country and called for the disbandment of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Unit (SARS) of the police.

Despite the disbandment of SARS, such cases have persisted across the country.

On 17 April for instance, a police operative shot dead an entrepreneur in Abia State over refusal to give a bribe.

The police authorities in the state, after investigation, found the operative guilty and subsequently dismissed him.

Also, six officers were caught in a viral video, in April 2023 using a machete to smack two unidentified people in Imo State.

The police in the state would later begin an orderly room trial of the officers.

Within the same period, a police officer who was filmed slapping a motorist in Emohua, Rivers State, was demoted.

The Emohua incident occurred a few days after Ubi Ebri, another officer, allegedly shot dead a young man in the neighbouring Delta State for reportedly refusing to give N100 bribe

PREMIUM TIMES reported how youths in Delta State protested with the victims corpse along major roads in Asaba.

Mr Ebri, the officer, was immediately arrested, dismissed from service and later arraigned.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed 9 October for ruling on a fresh bail application filed by the detained Binance Holdings Limiteds executive, Tigran Gambaryan, who is standing trial over the companys activities in Nigeria.

The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, set the date for ruling after a hearing on Wednesday on Mr Gambaryans bail application, which the prosecution  the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  vehemently opposed.

Mr Gambaryan, previously denied bail by the trial court a few months ago, is standing trial alongside Binance, a cryptocurrency company, on five counts of money laundering and currency speculation involving as much as $34.4 million.

Binance is facing tax evasion charges in a separate case before another judge.

The United States citizen has been held at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja since his arraignment in April.

In May, the court denied the Binance executives bail application, judging him a flight risk.

The courts decision came about two months after Mr Gambaryans colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, reportedly escaped from a pre-trial custody in Abuja in March.

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Mr Gambaryan anchored his fresh bail application on health grounds.

EFCC opposes fresh bail application

Opposing his fresh bail application on Wednesday, the EFCC told the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, that Mr Gambaryan rejected the medical treatment at the State House Clinic.

Counsel for the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, told trial judge Emeka Nwite while opposing Mr Gambaryans second bail application moved by his lawyer, Mark Mordi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Mr Iheanacho, who drew the courts attention to the State House Clinics medical report, said Mr Gambaryans ill health was not as bad as it was being painted.

He said the report showed that the defendant was dissatisfied with the medical attention offered and rejected it.

The lawyer objected to the bail plea and urged the court to dismiss the fresh application.

He explained that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, wrote to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) management requesting Mr Gambaryans medical records.

He said that the NSA received a response from the NCoS on 28 August, with the attached report of Nizamiye Hospital, among others.

According to him, the report indicated that Mr Gambaryan had been receiving adequate medical care from the NCoS and had been taken to several hospitals, including the State House Clinic.

Mr Iheanacho insisted that NCoS could take Mr Gambaryan to any hospital in Nigeria, adding that surgeons could not force surgery on the defendant without his consent.

He said Mr Gambaryan cannot suddenly become sick, as is allegedly commonplace with some suspects facing trial.

The fresh bail application

Earlier, Mr Mordi urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms or, alternatively, to admit him to limited bail for six weeks on the basis of ill health.

He argued that though the EFCC denied Gambaryan had a severe health issue, the exhibits, including the medical reports, showed that he needed medical care.

The lawyer argued that Mr Gambaryans health challenge could not be adequately managed in Nigeria.

What medical reports say

The medical report referenced by the EFCC prosecutor and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) showed that the NCoS took Mr Gambaryan to the State House Clinic in Asokoro, Abuja.

According to the State House Annex Clinics medical report dated 29 August, the clinic received a directive on 17 July 2024 to conduct a preliminary medical evaluation on Mr Gambaryan and possibly retrieve him from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Kuje for a more detailed medical examination.

The report stated that a medical team comprising a doctor, a nurse and a support staff was dispatched for the assignment.

It said the team immediately proceeded to the Kuje Correctional Centre, where they met the patient, who volunteered a medical history of recurrent low back pain for 12 years and an anxiety disorder for which he was receiving treatment.

The report added that, given the patients medical history and worsening symptoms, a neurosurgeon was called to review the patient on 18 July.

The neurosurgeons findings were consistent with the MRI report of early multilevel disc disease with exit nerve root impingement at L4/L5.

To relieve symptoms and avoid further potential complications, the neurosurgeon placed Gambaryan on medication, advised physiotherapy, and strongly recommended lumbar discectomy surgery as soon as possible.

These findings and recommendations were consistent with those of a second neurosurgeon whose opinion was sought, the medical report read in part.

However, the report added that the patient was dissatisfied with the medical interventions being offered, insisting that a court had ordered that he should be treated at Nizamiye Hospital.

Consequently, he intermittently refused prescribed medications and food to force a transfer out of the facility.

He was subsequently discharged and returned to the Nigerian Correctional Service at around 1300 hours on 21 July 2024, with no obvious deterioration in his health during the five-day admission period, the report said.

Another medical report from Nizamiye Hospital Limited was also orally cited by counsel in open court.

The report, dated 29 August, partly reads that The above-named patient (Gambaryan) was brought to the emergency room on 3 June 2024, on account of left-sided chest pain.

He had a history of sinusitis and lung infection prior to his presentation. He had frequent urination but no pain during urination.

In June, Mr Gambaryans wife raised concerns over his health conditions. She called on the United States government to pressure the Nigerian government to withdraw the charges against him and release him.

NAN reports that, on many occasions, EFCC had countered the health claims made by the family and legal team of the detained Binance executive.

(NAN)

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Nigerias National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed the N-774 programme as a primary platform for combating malnutrition in the country.

NEC endorsed the programme Wednesday at its 144th meeting chaired by Nigerias Vice President, Kashim Shettima, a decision that followed a presentation on the state of nutrition in Nigeria by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate.

The council approved the programme and other critical resolutions aimed at enhancing the countrys nutritional outcomes, according to a state house press release issued after the meeting.

The statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, noted that the council encouraged development partners to provide financial and technical assistance, particularly in the areas of annual results monitoring and scaling successful interventions.

Other NECs resolution

The council also agreed to prioritise nutrition interventions in the 2025 budget across federal, state, and local levels, ensuring that sufficient funding is allocated to meet the nations nutrition goals.

It also resolved to reinforce the functionality and financing of State and Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition.

The NEC said: The establishment and operation of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) task forces at subnational levels will also be supported to ensure effective coordination, monitoring, and reporting.

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Malnutrition in Nigeria

Malnutrition is a direct or underlying cause of 45 per cent of all deaths of under-five children, according to the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF)

Nigeria faces a severe malnutrition crisis, with 32 per cent of children under five suffering from stunted growth. This ranks the country second globally in the number of stunted children.

In 2023, the UN agency said its findings showed that federal and state governments were not budgeting enough funds to address malnutrition among children in Nigeria.

It said four states: Kano, Borno, Katsina and Lagos  were presently ranked highest in the food insecurity ladder.

It emphasised the need for increased funding to carry out sensitisation and advocacy campaigns in remote areas and provide succour for children facing severe malnutrition in the country.

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The police in Lagos State say they are not officially aware of the kidnap and murder of a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Benjamin Hindeyin, the pilices spokesperson in the state, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday that the case has not been reported to us.

Abduction, murder

Christiana Idowu was abducted along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road, Lagos in August.

Ayomide Adeleye, a 200-Level Philosophy student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State is the prime suspect in the murder case.

According to the Punch newspaper, the deceased was kidnapped when she left her Ikorodu home to the University of Lagos where she was undergoing industrial training.

The newspaper reported that the kidnappers made contact with the victims family and demanded N3 million as a ransom for her release.

They are communicating with the family through her WhatsApp, demanding N3 million. We appealed to them and it was reduced to N1 million, then N500,000 and later they asked us to pay N350,000, a family disclosed.

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After we paid the N350,000 ransom, they refused to release her and they were demanding that we send the bank statement of the account we made the transfer from before they would release her to us.

Suspect

Mr Hundeyin said that he had contacted the military who has been handling the case from the onset.

The military confirms that the suspect is with them and they will hand over very soon, the spokesperson told PREMIUM TIMES.

The Foundation of Investigative Journalism also provided insight into how the suspect was located and arrested by the military on Sunday.

The online newspaper said that the 174 Batallion tracked the deceaseds phone to the suspects residence where they picked him up.

He confessed to killing and burying her in a shallow grave in his compound.

The medium reported that the suspect made an attempt to rape her but she resisted.

#JusticeForChristianah

Her murder is generating a buzz across social media platforms in the country, especially on X.

Using the #JusticeForChristianah, many users including the Nigerian hip pop star, Ayra Starr, demand justice.

Stop killing us! Stop raping us! Women deserve better, the Grammy nominee posted. Her post alone has been seen by over one million people.

Also, Chinonso Egemba, a medical expert popularly called Aproko doctor, urged the enforcement authorities to ensure that members of his (suspect) family who also covered up the previous murders should face the law.

There are insinuations that the suspect had previously killed his sister and girlfriend before this recent development. However, PREMIUM TIMES has not been able to verify the claim.

In light of the trending issue, Rita @FGirlrita advised women to be security conscious and go out with safe tools.

She also mentioned the tools to include, a big size taser, a combo knife, pepper spray and lipstick taser not expensive.

Gender-based violence

Nigeria has continued to record an increase in sexual and gender-based violence.

Lagos, for instance, recorded 24,009 cases of gender-based violence in the last five years between January 2019 and December 2023.

Also, in the northern part of the country, the Salma Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Kafanchan, Kaduna State recorded 3,977 cases of sexual and gender-based violence since its inception in 2019.

A civil society, DOHS Cares recently marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly to demand legislation against femicide  the intentional killing of a woman because of her gender.

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In June 2023, Abubakar Giza, a Nigerian politician planning to relocate to the United States with his family, sued the US government following a prolonged wait for a final decision on the temporary denial of his visa application. However, court records obtained by PREMIUM TIMES reveal that on 27 August, a US District Court in Washington DC, dismissed the suit.

Mr Giza, a notable member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, North-central Nigeria, had his EB-5 visa application temporarily refused and further subjected to an administrative process.

The EB-5 visa programme allows non-citizens to migrate to the US by investing substantial capital in a new commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.

Angered by the US governments action, Mr Giza filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Consul General to Nigeria Will Stevens in their official capacities. The suit challenged the decision of the US Consulate General in Lagos to refuse his application and place his familys applications on administrative processing for months.

However, District Judge Christopher Cooper dismissed Mr Gizas case, citing failure to prove that the administrative processing was delayed unreasonably.

According to the district court, administrative processing generally means that additional information is needed before a consular officer can determine whether an applicant is qualified for the visa for which he or she has applied.

Background

Open-source details show that Mr Giza, who holds the traditional title, Chiroman Giza in Giza, Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, ventured into politics after retiring as a federal civil servant.

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Recently, various interest groups have started promoting him to run for governor of Nasarawa State, in 2027.

In 2015, Mr GIza filed a Form I-526 petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to be classified as an approved investor eligible for an EB-5 visa.

This visa category is available to individuals who make a significant capital investment in a new commercial enterprise that will benefit the United States economy by creating full-time employment for not fewer than 10 US citizens, nationals or certain other residents.

In June 2022, the USCIS approved the Gizas Form I-526 petition and forwarded the familys visa applications covering Mr Giza, his wife, Kande, and their children  Abba, Zainab, and S.A.G  to the State Departments National Visa Centre for processing. The documents were subsequently sent to the United States Consulate General in Lagos for further processing.

In February 2023, the entire family appeared before the consulate in Lagos for an interview. The two eldest children of the family, Abba and Zainab, both studied and worked in the United States at Texas Southern University, where the youngest child, S.A.G., was admitted. Abba and Zainab flew to Nigeria from the US for an interview on 15 February 2023 in Lagos.

The interviewing officer collected the Gizas passports and reportedly said their applications would be approved and their visas issued within four weeks.

However, in the judgement, the court cited a record saying Mr Giza was informed of the refusal of his application on 15 February 2023the day of the interview. It noted further that on 20 March 2023, the visa officer placed Mr Gizas visa application in administrative processing.

The family stated in court that their visa requests are predicated on Mr Gizas investments in the United States, and their applications also cannot proceed until he is judged eligible for a visa.

Angered by his visa refusal and the protracted administrative process for his familys visas, Mr Giza approached the US court in June, stating that the State Department had unlawfully delayed final adjudication of the applications and asking the court to order the government to act more swiftly.

The Gizas said they had not received any requests for further documentation since their interview and had been informed by the consulate in Lagos that it did not know the exact time frame as to when any visa would be issued.

They also said the government had unreasonably delayed processing their applications in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.

US government calls for dismissal

However, the US governments defendants requested that the court dismiss the matter for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim. The government added that Mr Giza was informed of the refusal status on the day of the interview and the subsequent decision to place him on administrative processing on 20 March 2023.

Regarding the long delay of the administrative processing, the government argued that the process was not unreasonably delayed and that if the court were to grant the request, the family would be placed ahead of others waiting on the administrative processing list.

A court need not accept inferences drawn by the plaintiff that are unsupported by facts alleged in the complaint, nor must the court accept a plaintiffs legal conclusions as true, the government said, adding that courts are barred from reviewing consular decisions because of non-reviewability.

Judges decision on non-reviewability claim

However, Judge Christopher Cooper dismissed the governments argument, stating that since the Gizas applications had been placed on administrative processing, the court could still decide if there were unreasonable delays.

When the government simply declines to provide a decision in the manner provided by Congress, it is not exercising its prerogative to grant or deny applications but failing to act at all. Because the government has not yet decided on the Gizas application, the doctrine of consular non-reviewability poses no bar to the courts power, Mr Cooper said.

Plaintiffs in administrative processing have not received final word on their visa applicationsas evidenced, here, by the fact that the consulate is holding onto the Gizas passports as it continues to assess their eligibility. The Gizas, like others stuck in administrative processing, are therefore not asking for a reevaluation of any determination. They are merely requesting that the government comply with its duties under the INA by rendering a final decision on their applications in a timely manner, the judge added.

Judges decision on unreasonable delay claim

However, Mr Cooper dismissed the plaintiffs argument that the US government had unreasonably delayed the application process, thus affecting the Gizas educational progression and job prospects.

The courts decision on the issue of unreasonable delay was the pivotal finding that led to the suits overall failure.

Mr Cooper ruled that the 17-month delay was within the acceptable threshold, adding that the US Congress has not prescribed a statutory deadline for addressing administrative processing.

Courts have generally found that immigration delays in excess of five, six, [or] seven years are unreasonable, while those between three to five years are often not unreasonable. The seventeen-month delay in processing the Gizas petitions since their interview in February 2023 falls comfortably within the range that courts in this district have held not to be unreasonable, he said.

Mr Cooper also said that granting the Gizas request would necessarily mean additional delays for other applicantsmany of whom undoubtedly face similar circumstances.

While understanding of the Gizas frustration as they wait for final word on their visas, the court is also mindful that many others face similarly difficult circumstances as they await adjudication of their visa applications, Mr Cooper said.

The judge, therefore, dismissed Mr Gizas case.

Affluent people, older generations join japa rush

The term Japa, derived from the Yoruba expression meaning run away, has evolved into a popular Nigerian slang representing the pursuit of economic migration or the search for greener pastures.

This phenomenon has become particularly prevalent among young people, who view Western countries like the U.S., Canada, and the UK as lands of opportunity. Many explore various pathways to achieve this aspiration.

However, the migration trend is no longer limited to the youth, as older generations also consider this option.

The allure of Western countries like the US, Canada, the UK, and others as greener pastures remains popular among mostly young people, with many exploring varied routes to actualise the aspiration. Older generations are also increasingly embracing migration options in Nigeria.

Despite the significant financial costs and risks involved, the desire to leave Nigeria persists, contributing to a substantial brain drain in critical sectors such as healthcare and education.

For many Nigerians, asylum, academic pursuits, and professional pathways are the most common routes to migration. Meanwhile, individuals like Mr Giza and other politically exposed persons can access more expensive, exclusive options.

As Nigerias public schools and hospitals struggle with inadequate funding and the pervasive state of insecurity, many politically connected and affluent individuals seek refuge in developed nations. Whether through permanent migration by joining the Japa movement or through temporary stays as circumstances dictate, they find solace in the stability and opportunities offered abroad.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the conduct of local government elections in Rivers State.

The judge, Peter Lifu, said at the final hearing on Thursday that parties to the suit would be notified of the judgment date in due time.

The APC filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024 to stop the elections, scheduled for 15 October.

During the session, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), lead counsel for the APC, pushed for the court to grant the prayers sought by his client, arguing that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had not met the necessary conditions to conduct the local government elections.

Taiwo Taiwo, a SAN representing the Attorney General of Rivers State, and Femi Falana, also a SAN representing the RSIEC, both opposed the suit and challenged the courts jurisdiction to hear the case.

They contended that the proper venue for the case should be the Federal High Courts division in Rivers State, not Abuja.

They also argued that the suit was statute-barred and should not be entertained by the court.

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They also challenged the courts authority as a vacation court to hear the matter without the consent of all parties.

However, the plaintiff maintained that RSIEC had failed to meet the legal prerequisites for conducting the local government elections.

The suit

In its suit, the APC contended that RSIEC breached the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Nigerian constitution requiring state election bodies to give a 360-day notice to INEC before any election.

The party said the notice would have enabled INEC to stop the continuous voter registration and update the register at least 90 days before the election.

The APC also argued that the law permits political parties to conduct primaries and submit the list of their nominated candidates no later than 180 days before the election. Since RSIEC breached the law by failing to give adequate notice, it has become impossible for INEC and political parties to meet other legal requirements concerning them.

The party argued that RSIEC failed to adhere to the law when it applied to INEC to release a copy of the Register of Voters for Rivers State.

It said INEC was still conducting continuous registration and updating the National Register of Voters, including for Rivers State. The party said that the continuous registration exercise had not stopped, nor did INEC receive the 360-day notice.

The APC prayed the court to, among others, declare that INEC is not authorised to compile, certify, and release the voter register to RSIEC unless it had received notice of the election 360 days before the proposed date and ceased continuous registration and updating of the register at least 90 days before the election date.

Background

On 18 July, the court issued an interim order at the APCs instance barring INEC from releasing the voter register to RSIEC for use in the upcoming election.

The order also barred the police and the State Security Service (SSS) from providing security during the elections.

In the ruling, Mr Lifu ordered all the parties to maintain the status quo until the substantive suit could be heard.

The case is connected with the broader political crisis in Rivers State, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is battling with his predecessor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, for political control.

The administration of local governments has been stalled in the state, an offshoot of the political tension between the two leaders.

Mr Fubara dissolved the elected local government chairpersons after their terms expired on 17 June.

He appointed administrative heads to oversee the councils.

However, 27 state lawmakers, loyal to Mr Wike, amended the local government administration law to extend the chairpersons tenure by six months and stripped Governor Fubara of the power to appoint a caretaker committee.

A police officer was killed in June in Eberi-Omuma in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State during a clash between rival groups beholden to Governor Fubara and Mr Wike in the aftermath of the appointment of local government caretaker committees.

Due to the violent development, the police have since taken over the secretariats of the 23 local government areas in the state, preventing the newly appointed caretaker committees from assuming office.

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Amnesty International has expressed worry over the poor handling of femicide cases, the killing of a woman or girl, in particular by a man and on account of her gender, in Nigeria.

The global rights group expressed its displeasure over the trend in a series of tweets on its verified X handle in reaction to the killing of Christianah Idowu, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, South-west Nigeria.

The group also said that the incident mirrors a crucial need for authorities in Nigeria to direct attention towards femicide prevention and the need to establish investigative units to track and prosecute cases.

The brutal killing of Christianah Idowu, a 300 Level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), by her friend highlights the urgent need for the Nigerian authorities to effectively address femicide.

Slow pace of investigation and prosecution of recent femicide cases across Nigeria is worrying. We urge the security agencies to develop and establish femicide investigation expertise and units, parts of the post read.

According to the organisation, Nigerian authorities have, over the years, failed to facilitate justice for the victims of femicide.

It said the inaction leads to increased violations of the rights of women.

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In almost all recent cases of femicide in #Nigeria, the authorities do not rigorously pursue all lines of inquiry, and their failure further endangers womens human rights to life and physical safety, it said.

Abduction, murder

Ms Idowu was reportedly abducted along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road, Lagos in August.

The police have identified Ayomide Adeleye, a 200-level philosophy student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State, as the prime suspect.

According to the Punch newspaper, the deceased was kidnapped sometime last week when she left her Ikorodu home to the University of Lagos, where she was undergoing industrial training.

The kidnappers were said to have made contact with the victims family and demanded N3 million as a ransom for her release.

A family source told the newspaper that the abductors communicated their demand for N3 million ransom through the victims Whatsapp number. We appealed to them, and it was reduced to N1 million, then N500,000, and later they asked us to pay N350,000, the family source said.

After we paid the N350,000 ransom, they refused to release her, and they were demanding that we send the bank statement of the account we made the transfer from before they would release her to us.

Police speak

In a later development, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in Lagos State, confirmed the incident. The news of the incident has gone viral on social media, prompting an online campaign for justice using different hashtags, including #JusticeForChristianah.

23-year-old Ayomide Adeleye has been handed over to @LagosPoliceNG by 9 Brigade @HQNigerianArmy. The handover took place today, September 5, 2024, at about 1400hrs. Investigation is ongoing, Mr Hundeyin wrote on X.

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The Jigawa State House of Assembly has passed a bill for the creation of a Tsangaya Education Board to address the menace of out-of-school children in the state.

The bill, which is now awaiting the governors assent to become law, aims to integrate Tsangaya (Almajiri) schools into the mainstream educational system.

The bills passage followed deliberations in the Committee of the Whole House during the plenary session,

presided over by the Speaker, Haruna Aliyu, on Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the states 2024 budget, presented to the house by Governor Umar Namadi, provided for the creation of a Tsangaya Education Board.

The chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education, Ado Zandam, told reporters that the Almajiri are the pupils categorised as out-of-school children in the state even though they were undertaking Quranic education.

He said the proposed Board would address the out-of-school children menace in the state by allowing the Almajiri to enrol in both Islamic and Western education systems.

The bill also promotes the integration of the Almajiri school system into the mainstream educational system.

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The bill, if passed into law, will strengthen the educational system to enable the pupils to get both Western and Islamic education.

The Almajiri system is an old system which has been in existence in the country even before the coming of the Whiteman.

We want to integrate the system in a proper way that would take the children out of the streets begging for food, Mr Zandam said.

The state government, in July, agreed to collaborate with Alfurqan Quranic Foundation, a Saudi Arabia-based Islamic organisation, to enhance the Tsangaya (Almajiri) Quranic education system in Jigawa.

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The Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) to conduct their dealings in line with provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition and Prevention Act 2022.

Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the EFCC, said this in a press statement on Thursday.

Mr Oyewale explained that the Acting Director, Lagos Directorate of the EFCC, Michael Wetkas, gave the charge at a sensitisation programme organised by the EFCC Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) for DNFBPs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DNFBPs include casinos, real estate agents, dealers in precious metals, dealers in precious stones, lawyers, notaries and others.

Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Lagos, Mr Wetkas noted the global efforts to keep terrorism at bay.

Mr Wetkas, therefore, urged the participants not to create any room in their respective businesses for criminally minded people to thrive.

The financial institutions, to a large extent, have been regulated; and the issues of terrorism have been of great concern, globally.

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As a result, nations have tightened measures to ensure that the bad people have very limited space or even no space to operate, thereby helping to improve safety and security.

But if you allow these criminal activities to pass through your businesses, it will worsen the insecurity situation in the country, he warned.

He urged them to do their part and report activities that they were obligated to report.

We are doing our part to sensitise you. We do this, so you know what you are supposed to do and you are not caught on the wrong side of the law.

We should all work together to make it difficult for the bad actors.

You have come today so that we can work together to make this country a better place for us all to live in, he said.

Also speaking, Aminu Ahmed, an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE 11, urged DNFBP operators to comply with the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act.

He urged them to report currency transactions of N5 million and above from individuals and N10 million and above from corporate body.

He advised them to also appoint a compliance officer and comply with the AML/CFT regulations.

In her remarks, Folasade Oluwasanya, an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE 11, spoke extensively on financial sanctions as well as Politically Exposed Persons( PEPS) reporting.

The training focused on creating more awareness for the DNFBPs on issues such as beneficial ownership and targeted financial sanctions.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian government is set to establish another agency to be responsible for the regulation of healthcare facilities in the country.

This is in defiance of the recent directive by President Bola Tinubu on the implementation of Stephen Oronsaye Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, on Wednesday inaugurated a committee tasked with the role of establishing the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA), described as part of the efforts to improve healthcare services across the country.

The agency, according to the minister, will serve as a regulatory body for health facilities, ensuring that citizens get the highest standard of care.

The new development may have called to question the commitment of Mr Tinubu-led administration to carry out the much touted harmonisation of the MDAs as announced earlier in the year.

As part of the efforts to implement the report, the President set up an eight-member committee and gave it a 12-week deadline to ensure necessary legislative amendments and administrative restructuring needed for effective implementation.

The members of the committee include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; and Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, among others.

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However, while it is not clear if the committee already submitted its report, the new action of the health ministry indicates poor commitment of the government to the calls for cutting costs of governance by many Nigerians.

New committee

At the inauguration of the committee in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr Alausa said it will be chaired by Richard Ajayi, an expert whose profile details could not be obtained as of the time of filing this report.

Also on the list is the incumbent Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Tomi Coker, and others including Ajibike Oyewumi, Manason Garkuwa, Aminat El-Imam, Abubakar Kullima, Damilola Matti, Njide Ndili and Tosin Runsewe.

Others are: Omede Idris, Iseko Iseko, I. Anukwu, Adebimpe Adebajo, Ndagi Aljassan, Jimoh Saludeen, Kamil Shoretire, Mariya Saleh, and Benson Cole.

The minister explained that based on the need for a robust regulatory framework, the mandate of the committee is multifaceted and crucial.

Mandate

Mr Alausa said the agency being planned is of utmost importance given that healthcare facilities are the frontline in the battle against diseases, as well as the sanctuary where life begins and is often saved.

The minister said a thematic area for the committee was the creation of a governance model and structure, describing it as the first step in designing the organisational structure of the NHFRA.

The creation of a legislative framework, operational guidelines, stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilisation are some of the core mandates of the committee, according to the minister.

He urged committee members to make a lasting impact on the nations healthcare system through the establishment of NHFRA.

He said the agency will be a cornerstone in the governments effort to ensure that every health facility in the country operates at the highest standards of safety and quality.

The minister said: It is the governments duty to ensure that these institutions operate at the highest possible standards, providing care that is not just adequate, but exemplary and ethical.

Formation of this committee stands as a testament to President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administrations dedication to this cause. We know that effective regulation is the foundation of a healthcare system that is safe, efficient, and equitable.

Model

Mr Alausa said the country is drawing inspiration from global best practices as obtainable in the United Kingdoms Care Quality Commission (CQC).

He said this commission has set a gold standard for healthcare regulation by improving transparency and accountability through comprehensive inspections and ratings of health and social care services.

Nigeria, he said, is on the path to replicating such high standards for its health system.

Substandard healthcare facilities

Nigerias health system is faced with a series of challenges, part of which is poor service delivery at many healthcare facilities.

In many cases, medical facilities, particularly primary healthcare centres (PHC), service delivery is weak resulting in the provision of sub-standard medical care.

This, in part, is responsible for the countrys poor health indices.

According to the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the provision of sub-standard care contributes to the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) which the country currently grapples with.

The agency said treating the burden of HAIs gulped 3.8 per cent of the total healthcare expenditure for the health sector in 2023.

HAIs are infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions within a healthcare setting.

The agency noted that healthcare seekers are also highly prone to HAIs in hospitals and primary health centres due to low levels of prevention and control in hospitals.

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After nearly three hours of driving, we finally arrived in Yenagoa, turning off at the Yenagoa-Mbiama part of the East-West Road at Igbogini Junction onto Glory Drive. The driver said the new road was constructed last year. The one-road state capital had a new access road, which I later learnt was the third.

When I was invited to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in June, I didnt know what to expect. I had not visited the place since 2005. Even though I had been to nearby Rivers and Delta States several times, Bayelsa didnt cross my mind.

To make matters worse, the state was often in the news for the wrong reasons. Not that it was an exception, but press headlines seemed to suggest that if you wanted the most depressing news about intra-party wrangling, post-election disputes, or the scariest stuff about kidnapping and youth militancy, Bayelsa was the place to go.

Bayelsa, the home of Nigerias first president from the South-South and one of the jewels of Nigerias oil reserve, also appeared to be one of its most volatile spots.

I didnt plan to go there. And as if to validate my lethargy, days before this visit, there was something in the news that Bayelsa was the leading state in the prevalence of monkeypox. I kept the news to myself to save my family from panic. It was now looking like a suicide mission.

To Go or Not?

Yet, if Yenagoa was Nigerias chaos capital, it didnt show in the voice of Esueme Dan-Kikile, the general manager, Corporate Affairs of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), who never once wavered in his commitment to me to read my book there.

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When anxiety and prejudice nearly prevailed, I yielded to Dan-Kikiles reassuring calmness and my nagging curiosity for adventure.

After 19 years of mental pictures, mostly from unflattering news reports, I decided to face the demon. By a quirk of fate, I used the longer route  Warri to Yenagoa. What a trip this second missionary journey turned out to be!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, one travel mile is worth two thousand. Words sometimes fail to describe the joys and excitement of new faces, places, sounds, and smells of travel.

The book reading was electrifying. It was attended by a fine collection of students from four universities in the state with their teachers. Accomplished writers and professionals from other walks of life were present, too. The audiences enthusiasm and determination to seize the moment for their own good were remarkable.

Jonathan Was King

The last time I visited, former President Goodluck Jonathan was governor. The state was nine years old, and there was only one road in and out of the capital.

Bayelsa, located in southern Nigeria, edges the Atlantic Ocean. It was the hotbed of militancy by youths who, sometimes at the behest of politicians, took hostages for ransom and blew up oil and gas pipelines as bargaining chips. Its people are mostly fishermen and farmers whose environment and toils have been ruined for decades by oil spills and the ravages of gas flaring.

This visit felt different from when I landed at the airport in Warri, Delta State, for the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Yenagoa.

The East-West Road

After over N350 billion and 18 years, the construction of the East-West Road, highway to the six states in the Niger Delta region and gateway to the East, is still on. They say it would take nearly three times that amount, and God knows how long to finish.

This was what Senate President Godswill Akpabio said four years ago when he was Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs  that the road, which NDDC was handling under his supervision, would cost about N1 trillion to complete.

Large portions of it were still impassable as of last week. Where you could drive freely for a mile or two, you had to look out for barricades and sand-filled drums at makeshift checkpoints, where the security men and local youths appear to have agreed on a joint approach and a standard extortion formula.

Tollgate Ahead, Off the Mic!

If this sounds confusing, you havent heard the more confusing part. Extortion doesnt only happen on the highway. Four years ago, just before Akpabio said the East-West Road might cost N1 trillion to finish, a tollgate was mounted for him inside Nigerias parliament in Abuja.

A joint session of Nigerias Senate and House of Representatives was conducting an audit of the NDDC, and the Commission had not completed the East-West Road after many years and billions of naira spent. As Akpabio proceeded to open the can of worms, after hinting that the contracts for the road were awarded to companies belonging to his interlocutors, the committee chairman and current Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo interjected: Off your mic! Honourable Minister, its OK, off the mic!

That interjection became the national joke for killing any potentially embarrassing thing that would be said. Talking too much is against the convention at any tollgate  whether in Abuja or on the East-West Road. Off the mic, pay the toll, and move.

Akpabio, an accomplished toll collector, should have known the tradition. According to a NEITI report in 2013, the NDDC received about N400 billion between 2007 and 2011, which is almost one-quarter of its 20-year existence. If the Commission were a state with a revenue of N168 billion in 2011, for example, it would be the sixth highest earning in the country, displaced only by Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers.

In Yenagoa, the makeshift food shops on wooden stilts at the waterfront at the end of Alamieyeseigha Road, just a stones throw from the imposing Content Board Tower, were great. The food, smell, neon lights, music, and the energy of the solicitous food vendors courting mostly young customers were hard to resist.

Yet, as the car taking me to Yenagoa drove by, the most prevalent evidence that the Commission is working on the East-West Road is the enormous square slabs, each engraved with its name erected shamelessly within every two kilometres or so. It would be a surprise if this work is finished in another 18 years, even if Nigeria robbed a Chinese bank of N1 trillion.

Waterfront and Petrol Queues

After nearly three hours of driving, we finally arrived in Yenagoa, turning off at the Yenagoa-Mbiama part of the East-West Road at Igbogini Junction onto Glory Drive. The driver said the new road was constructed last year. The one-road state capital had a new access road, which I later learnt was the third.

In Yenagoa, the makeshift food shops on wooden stilts at the waterfront at the end of Alamieyeseigha Road, just a stones throw from the imposing Content Board Tower, were great. The food, smell, neon lights, music, and the energy of the solicitous food vendors courting mostly young customers were hard to resist.

The place reminded me of Tampa Bay in Florida  if, for a moment, from behind any of the wooden shacks, you looked far beyond the large water weeds and abandoned wooden canoes at the shore to the Ocean just at the horizon.

On our way to the venue of the book reading at Golden Tulip the next day, we saw long queues of vehicles snaking for miles from a nearby NNPC filling station where drivers were waiting to buy petrol.

Its heartbreaking that residents in this state, home of Oloibiri, where crude oil was first discovered in Nigeria and home to the countrys fourth highest concentration of oil wells, must go through this to buy petrol. My driver said drivers unable to buy petrol the same day would leave their vehicles at the station and return the next day. They are used to it. I shook my head.

Read the Book!

The book reading was electrifying. It was attended by a fine collection of students from four universities in the state with their teachers. Accomplished writers and professionals from other walks of life were present, too. The audiences enthusiasm and determination to seize the moment for their own good were remarkable.

Dan-Kikile spoke from the heart about NCDMBs passion for upskilling capacity at institutional and individual levels; the moderator, Dr Doubra Timi-Wood of Channels TV, made the reading a shared moment of intimacy, and the audience loved it.

The cure for my lethargy was facing my fears. Im glad I did.

Azu Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the new book, Writing for Media and Monetising It.

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Over time, there have been some universities that will not admit students who are less than 16 years. If we are not going to pretend that the immaturity of some of our newly-churned out graduates is of grave concern, then the policy may be regarded as long overdue. Nevertheless, the timeline for the transition is too short and sudden, and that may compromise its effective implementation. What yardstick will be used to authenticate the true age of the students, given our porous national environment where any document can be obtained?

Since the new policy on the new age for writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations was announced by the Federal Government, a lot of reactions have continued to trail its probity or otherwise.

While some of the reasons adduced speak to the need for good scholarship, which may require further interrogation, quite a few are borne out of pure emotions. While the latter is usual in our clime, it however makes all policies to be viewed with much disdain.

However, beyond the two foregoing groups of comments that are almost-parallel, let us endeavour to consider, dispassionately, the crux of the matters that the policy may affect.

The intention of the policy, in my opinion, may be to address some issues that have become of great concern, with dire consequences, over a long period of time.

One of the critical issues the policy may be aiming to address might be the rate at which children are being denied their childhood in an indifferent manner. In the past few decades, children have been bundled into schools shortly after coming out of their mothers wombs. No time to be children again. They are often not even allowed to develop cognitively before they are burdened with school works to keep them busy, so that they may not disturb their busy parents. As a matter of fact, these youngsters are raised on autopilot by absentee parents in search of economic fortunes in the marketplace.

The consequence of the above is that an average child is already in the school environment from age one or at most two years old. With this situation, the entire syllabus for elementary school is completed by these children by the ages of eight or nine, at the most. With that, they proceed to junior and senior high schools, which take another five or six years in most cases. Therefore, by the ages of 14 to 15, these young folks are done with secondary education.

Of course, with that, the struggle to pursue higher education begins. With insufficient placements, despite the plethora of private institutions, there is always a backlog of many students hanging in there for possible placements. Those whose parents can afford the huge financial requirements for backdoor placements bribe their ways through to get the placement of their wards. This anomaly automatically means denying children of the proper admissions processes.

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However, to address this imbalance, we need much more than a mere pronouncement, with almost immediate dispatch (still a military hangover!), as there are many possible unintended consequences of this situation.

Therefore, a years notice for this transition is grossly inadequate. Possible reactions may be the unwholesome falsification of the ages of children by desperate parents in order to circumvent the system, as usual.

It is a truism that the issue of children finishing school before the age of 18 did not just start today. Even in our time, when we started school averagely at the age of six years, some still managed to beat the system. For instance, I wrote my West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), as it was known then, at about sixteen years plus, despite schooling in a fairly remote area. Even at that, I happened not to be the youngest in my class.

As such, it stands to reason that there has been a spill-over of a pool of unemployed youths over time. Again, we have affirmed, time and again, that many of such youths are not even employable. One of the reasons may be due to the lack of proper cognitive development and the falling standards across board.

The foundations of many of these children who are thrust into the care of accidental teachers (apologies to El-Rufai, the self-acclaimed accidental civil servant), with little or no interest in knowledge impartation and the capacity development of the youngsters fostered on them, is a factor we dare not neglect at all.

The situation is worsened by many unscrupulous private school owners, who despite charging exorbitant fees, pay their teachers peanuts, and these tutors, in turn, offer below-par services to the students in their care.

At the other end of the spectrum are senior public servants, with their unwholesome practices of age reduction or falsification to remain much longer in service. These unscrupulous workers are inadvertently blocking the chances of youths, including those within the age bracket of their grandchildren, from climbing the ladder to public service.

The resultant effect is the shrinking opportunities for many graduates. The situation is further exacerbated by the private sector that is skewed towards the informal sector, and is also groping under the yoke of policy inconsistencies and an unfriendly business environment. When there is employment in this sector at all, the conditions are mostly unpleasant.

At the minimum, a policy as fundamental as this should be given at least three years to take effect, from the date of announcement to full commencement. The reasons for this are not far-fetched.

First, the public school system needs to be rebuilt to address the issues of quality and standardisation. Second, the public service requires some thorough auditing to remove deceitful workers who through age falsification, and which has shrunk opportunities for the incoming generation. Third, there should be a better way of addressing the age of commencement of schooling for children. The current system is not helping the situation at all.

It is a truism that the issue of children finishing school before the age of 18 did not just start today. Even in our time, when we started school averagely at the age of six years, some still managed to beat the system. For instance, I wrote my West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), as it was known then, at about sixteen years plus, despite schooling in a fairly remote area. Even at that, I happened not to be the youngest in my class. A few of my classmates finished a little above 15 years old.

Over time, there have been some universities that will not admit students who are less than 16 years. If we are not going to pretend that the immaturity of some of our newly-churned out graduates is of grave concern, then the policy may be regarded as long overdue. Nevertheless, the timeline for the transition is too short and sudden, and that may compromise its effective implementation. What yardstick will be used to authenticate the true age of the students, given our porous national environment where any document can be obtained?

how does the government intend to enforce the minimum age of a child before he/she can be admitted into the elementary school? Can the curriculum of creches and nursery schools be modified to restore the childhood of the newly born? Can those concerned be asked to stop over-flogging the budding brains of these lads? Can we collectively appeal to them to let children remain as children and play as children, even if they are dumped in the supposed school environment?

While I am not in doubt about the appropriateness of this policy, again there seems to be an unnecessary hastiness in its implementation. If the aim of the policy drafters and approving authority is to address the imbalance in our educational quality and the shrinking placements in higher institutions, there is the need to make it in a way in which it can achieve its desired objective.

What will happen to students of the ages of 14 to 15 years who will be resuming in the final class in the coming session? Will they be withdrawn to a lower class? If yes, is the Federal Government ready and willing to bankroll their school fees for the additional year?

It will be humbling for the government to take another look at the timeline and possibly re-engage stakeholders (assuming they had been previously engaged before the policy rollout) to find a common ground for the transition and full implementation.

In addition, the government should, as a matter of urgency find means of restoring the public schools at the primary and secondary levels to their past and lost glory. After all, most of the topmost technocrats and politicians are products of the public educational system.

If these few suggestions and many others by those directly involved in our educational system can be looked into again by the government, then the policy may be a success.

Lastly, how does the government intend to enforce the minimum age of a child before he/she can be admitted into the elementary school? Can the curriculum of creches and nursery schools be modified to restore the childhood of the newly born? Can those concerned be asked to stop over-flogging the budding brains of these lads? Can we collectively appeal to them to let children remain as children and play as children, even if they are dumped in the supposed school environment?

The government should address these issues from the roots and not focus on the upper end and undesirable outcomes.

Will the government have the courage to revise itself, once again, for the altruistic benefit of the larger society?

I hope so.

Bolutife Oluwadele is a chartered accountant, author, and public policy scholar based in Canada. He is the author of Thoughts of A Village Boy. Email: bolutife.oluwadele@gmail.com

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Stakeholders unanimously called for concerted efforts towards adding value to non-oil export products by processing them into semi-finished and finished goods in order to unlock significant economic benefits for the nation. This clarion call was made at the 9th Edition of the Annual Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar themed Nigerian Non-Oil Export Industry: Awakening the Giant, which was held on Wednesday, 4 September, 2024, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos and virtually.

In her welcome address, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Adaora Umeoji, highlighted the importance of non-oil export as a catalyst for job creation. According to her, Our theme Awakening the Giant, speaks directly to the untapped potentials within the non-oil segment of the economy and how to optimize them. This involves an increase in the number and volume of exportable non-oil items and value addition to exportable items into finished products. Increasing the number and volume of exportable non-oil products implies more business for you, our esteemed exporters, and increased foreign exchange earnings for our country. In addition, this sector will drive employment generation for Nigerian youths who constitute 60% of the estimated 233 million population, and Zenith Bank is committed to being at the forefront of these efforts.

Delivering his keynote address, the Secretary, National Action Committee, AfCFTA, Segun Awolowo, commended Zenith Bank and its leadership led by the Founder and Chairman of the Board, Jim Ovia, for its laudable initiative in organising an annual export seminar targeted towards exploring opportunities for growth in Nigerias non-oil export industry and for its consistent exploits in supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA. Commenting on the theme of this years export seminar, he added that In awakening the giant, we must focus on scaling production, productivity and value addition for some specific export products with high potential across three main sectors  solid minerals, agriculture and petro-chemicals. We should also aim to capture at least 5% of the global trade and export volumes for these products. Additionally, in the genie bottle is the services sector, which is not only a major contributor to Nigerias GDP but also a key driver of economic diversification, job creation, and innovation.

Also in his keynote address, the Managing Director of Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Abba Bello, emphasised the need to amplify the export of services in order to facilitate economic growth. In his words, A key area that needs mentioning is the need to intensify efforts to support the promotion of export of services to leverage on the sectors economic strength in which the services sector annually contributes over 50% to the GDP. Specifically, strategic frameworks need to be developed to complement current Governments US$620 million programme under the Digital and Creative Enterprise (IDiCE), which is designed to empower youths to create IT and skilled / technical jobs that could promote and expand export of ICT and creative industries products and services.

In his goodwill message, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, highlighted the efforts of the Lagos State Government in facilitating non-oil export for the growth of the Nigerian Economy. He said, This seminars theme resonates deeply with the strategic objectives of the Lagos State Development Plan 2052. Nigerias creative economy is a powerful engine of growth and a key pillar of our export diversification strategy. Our focus is on value additiontransforming raw agricultural products into finished goods that command higher prices in international markets.

For instance, Lagos State is rapidly becoming a hub for the processing of cocoa, cashew nuts, palm oil, and sesame seeds. These products, when processed and packaged to international standards, can significantly boost our export revenues and create thousands of jobs for our citizens. The manufacturing sector offers another promising avenue for export diversification. Our vision is to transform Lagos into a global manufacturing hub, where high-quality, made-in-Lagos products are exported to every corner of the globe, she stressed.

Also in his goodwill message, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir, represented by his Special Adviser, State Affairs, Usman Bala Muhammad, emphasised strategic advantages in economic diversification in non-oil exports. In his words, Our strength begins with agriculture, which has been the cornerstone of our economy for decades. Kanos agricultural sector has a strong base that we are leveraging for diversification. However, diversification is not just about increasing crop yields; it is about adding value.

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Through strategic investments in agro-processing, we are converting raw agricultural products into finished goods, creating jobs, and enhancing local consumption.

By aligning our export diversification strategies with global market trends and standards, and leveraging opportunities such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), we can significantly expand Nigerias non-oil exports to African markets and beyond, he added.

Speaking on diversification, the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, represented by the Commissioner of Finance, Abdullahi Bello Auta, urged stakeholders to explore other untapped areas for export. According to him, One major important sector which contributes to non-oil export which is not harnessed and which is giving us a lot of trouble simply because it is not organised is the mining sector. I can tell you with all sincerity and courage that once we are talking of mineral resources in Nigeria, Zamfara state is the hub. There is no single solid mineral that you can talk of that you cannot find here in abundance and in good quality.

Zenith Bank launched the Non-Oil Export Seminar in 2015 as an initiative to deepen the discourse on promoting the non-oil export business in Nigeria, and remains committed to promoting the non-oil export sector in Nigeria by identifying emerging opportunities which help stimulate non-oil exports and develop robust financial products as well as incentives for operators in the sector.

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The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday led a team to Jigawa State and assessed some primary healthcare facilities in the state for the implementation of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) meant to improve healthcare for Nigerians from the sub-national level.

The team led by UNICEFs Chief of Health, Abuja, Eduardo Celades Blanco, includes representatives from the Nigeria Governors Forum, Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, among others. The team visited some healthcare facilities in rural areas of the state for the implementation of the programme.

One of the team members, the Permanent Secretary of Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Kabiru Ibrahim, told reporters that the visit aimed to optimise the delivery of healthcare services in the state for the implementation of the swaps programme, which is a unit in the federal ministry of health.

Mr Ibrahim said the SWAp programme was designed to provide a platform where resources would be put together alongside the burden of illnesses and diseases within the country to apportion resources according to the magnitude of health challenges across the country.

The SWAp is a new paradigm in the delivery of resources in Nigerias health programming; it entails the collection of contributions from donors organisations from the governments into one common basket to address challenges across the different programmes without duplicating efforts and ignoring the underserved populations, Mr Ibrahim said.

He said with the SWAp you can access a portion of resources so that there wont be heavy disparity within the states and at the local government levels.

Its a planning approach to allocate resources according to needs; the more the problem, the more the resources. The team is here to look at how the operationalisation of the SWAp as a programme can function at the subnational level.

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The team decided to pick Jigawa because its a state that is working, the government is dealing with problems head-on, partners are always behind the government, and the government is taking the leadership in the provision of healthcare and places where there are results-based on intervention put together by the government and partners.

Jigawa has a very good rate in terms of immunised people, delivery at healthcare facilities, provision of antenatal care, and people who have access to bednets. These are all the parameters that count progress in the healthcare sector, which Jigawa is doing well, Mr Ibrahim said.

The team picked Jigawa to learn lessons on how can the coordination platform in terms of planning, pulling resources, looking at the burdens and allocation of resources according to burdens and what kind of strategy is going to work to provide that kind of dimension that other states can copy from Jigawa state, that is the mission of coming to Jigawa, Mr Ibrahim added.

The team has visited about three healthcare facilities in rural areas and is satisfied with what they see on the ground. Mr Ibrahim added that they use Jigawa states coordinating resource model as a yardstick for implementing SWAp nationwide.

The SWAp is an aid delivery mechanism whereby national governments lead the partnership, and all funding is directed toward supporting a set of national policies through common management systems guided by agreed policy, expenditure and institutional frameworks, as well as strong accountability mechanisms.

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Olam Agri, a leading agribusiness in Nigeria focused on food, feed, and fibre, has expanded its initiatives to improve food security and support the countrys rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) policy.

Recently, the company commissioned and handed over its Safe Water Project in Kano and Jigawa.

The project involves constructing three new hand pump boreholes, rehabilitating seven existing ones, and adding one solar-powered borehole. This initiative aims to provide clean, drinkable water to farming communities, thereby enhancing food security, boosting agricultural productivity, and reducing health issues like waterborne diseases.

The project is delivered in partnership with the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, a partner to UNICEF, under Olam Agris Seeds for the Future program. It will provide safe water to 15 communities, benefiting approximately 34,150 residents and 1,684 farmers across Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Benue, and Plateau states, which are key regions for wheat, sesame, and rice production.

Key local officials who attended the handover events in Kano and Jigawa, included, Mustapha Hamidan Toranke, Secretary Ajingi LGA, representing Ajingi LG Chairman; Muhammad Shuaibu Gaya, Head of Department, WASH Ajingi LGA, Hamza Lamido, representing the Managing Director Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Abdullahi Maiangwa Iyamiyu, Head of Chiefs, Biyamisu Ajingi LGA.

Attendees at the Jigawa event comprise Ali Hamina, representative of the Chairman, Mallam Madori LGA, Abdullahi Saleh, representative of the Chairman Sule Tankarka LGA, Engr Usman Usman, representative of the General Manager of RUWASA, and Danlandi Gumel Wakili Sani, the District Head, Danladi Gumel.

They expressed their gratitude for Olam Agris intervention and acknowledged the project would mitigate the adverse effects of water scarcity on livelihoods, food production, and health in their communities.

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Anil Nair, Managing Director of Olam Agri in Nigeria, emphasised that the Safe Water Project is part of their broader Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy, with a budget of approximately 6.5 billion.

He highlighted Olam Agris long-standing commitment to socio-economic development in Nigeria, where the company has operated for over 34 years. To ensure the projects sustainability, local community members have been trained as Local Area Mechanics (LAMs) to maintain the water facilities, providing them with a source of income and promoting economic growth.

In 2023, Olam Agris Global CR&S conducted a food security baseline survey in Nigerias sourcing regions, which revealed a severe lack of access to clean drinking water, particularly in the north. Only 30% of the population in this region has access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

This shortage contributes to high rates of waterborne diseases, threatens the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and hinders school enrollment, especially among girls. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by inadequate WASH services. The Safe Water Project aims to address these challenges and improve the well-being of farmers and their communities.

Olam Agri is a market leading, differentiated food, feed and fibre agri-business with a global origination footprint, processing capabilities and deep understanding of market needs built over 33 years.

With a strong presence in high-growth emerging markets and products across grains & oil seeds, integrated feed & protein, rice, edible oils, specialty grains & seeds, cotton, wood products, rubber and commodity financial services, Olam Agri is at the heart of global food and agri-trade flows with 38.3 million MT in volume traded in 2022.

Focused on transforming food, feed, and fibre for a more sustainable future, it aims at creating value for customers, enable farming communities to prosper sustainably and strive for a food-secure future.

Olam Agri is a fully owned subsidiary of Olam Group. For more information and to subscribe to our news alerts, please visit https://www.olamagri.com/.

Olam Group is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed, and fibre to 20,200customers worldwide. Our value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing, anddistribution operations, as well as a global network of farmers.

Since June 2020, Olam Group has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global sustainable investment index series developed by FTSE Russell, following a rigorous assessment of Olams supply chain activities, impact on the environment and governance transparency.

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The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, says the Dadin-Kowa Dam in Gombe State is stable and fully operational.

Mr Utsev spoke in Dadin-Kowa, a village in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe, on Wednesday during an official assessment of the dam.

He dismissed recent reports that the dam was on the verge of collapse due to flooding.

What some observers interpreted as flooding was actually the natural flow of water from the dams spillway, a routine process that poses no danger to the structure.

The water flow observed from the spillway is a natural and expected phenomenon, not indicative of any structural failure or flooding.

The water flowing from the spillway is what some people mistook for flooding. This is not flooding, it is a natural phenomenon, Mr Utsev said.

He assured Nigerians that the dam was functioning normally with all components, including the spillway and penstock for hydropower generation, in proper working condition.

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There is no cause for alarm, the Ministry is committed to safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians, and all necessary measures are in place to ensure the safety and stability of this dam, he assured.

The minister also noted the dams inclusion in the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria Project (TRIMING), which ensures that the dams safety and irrigation facilities are well-managed.

The federal government is preparing to implement further sustainable power and irrigation programs nationwide, in line with President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda.

These efforts are in line with the federal governments broader agenda to enhance water supply, irrigation, and food security across the nation, he explained.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Bello Goronyo, called on individuals without expertise in dam hydrology to avoid making statements that could incite unnecessary panic.

The recent misinformation spread via social media and some news outlets has caused undue concern.

We urge all inhabitants and stakeholders to remain calm as the situation at Dadin-Kowa is under control, Mr Goronyo said.

The minister reiterated the federal governments commitment to maintain and monitor all water infrastructures across the country.

The Dadin-Kowa dam is a critical national asset.

The dam is not only secure but also being managed to the highest standards.

The government remains focused on delivering essential services to Nigerians, in line with President Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Bello, the Area Manager of the Dadin-Kowa dam, said the dam was functioning perfectly.

The inflow and outflow are operating as expected, and Dadin-Kowa Dam is safe, he said. (NAN)

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said Nigerias main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will experience a tsunami if he leaves the party.

If today I say I will move to another party, it will be a tsunami but we have said we are going to remain where we are, Mr Wike said on Saturday, suggesting an exodus of party members from PDP if he dumped the party.

Mr Wike stated this at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt, during the partys state congress, where he threatened to put fire in PDP governed states if their governors do not stay clear of the partys affairs in Rivers.

The PDP governors, at a meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State, on 23 August, threw their weight behind Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers over the crisis rocking the state.

They urged the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to accord Mr Fubara his rightful position as the leader of the party.

The governors also urged the partys NWC to revisit the outcome of the partys ward and local government congresses in Rivers State, which Mr Wikes loyalists had absolute control. Mr Fubaras supporters boycotted the exercise because of a court order barring its conduct.

Speaking on Saturday, Mr Wike vowed that nobody can take over the PDP structure in Rivers from him and his allies who currently controlled the party.

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Let me assure all of you, not when we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors say they will take over the structure and give it back to somebody, Mr Wike said, apparently referring to Governor Fubara as the 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 (it), he added.

The political feud between Mr Fubara and his predecessor, Mr Wike has torn Rivers PDP apart, splitting it into two factions.

Mr Wikes total control of the party structure in the state and the failure of the partys national leadership to address the perceived anomaly triggered speculations that Mr Fubara was planning to dump the party whose platform he was elected into office.

The speculations came after Mr Fubara told some senators who visited him in Port Harcourt that he and his supporters were not doing party.

The party has failed us here, Mr Fubara told members of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation.

Again, Mr Fubara, while receiving members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) who visited him in Port Harcourt last month said he had at some point doubted his membership of the party.

Honestly, if I was having any doubt about my membership first of this great party, I think today, I have gotten a reconfirmation that I am still, not minding the drama around, a member of the party, Mr Fubara told the BOT members.

The governor dismissed speculations of his exit from the party as a mere rumour and propaganda.

So, for those people outside who are carrying all sorts of rumours and propaganda, at least, this visit will put those propaganda to rest, and to tell the people that we are and we will remain members of the PDP, he said.

They are joining APP  Wike

Addressing delegates on Saturday at the party secretariat in Port Harcourt, Mr Wike, without mentioning the governors name, said he was aware that some unstable characters in the PDP in the state would join the Action Peoples Party (APP).

They thought we would come to them and start begging. Are we begging? he queried in a remark that was intermittently disrupted by cheers and applause.

Let them go and see what is happening in Abuja. So they know if youre talking about politics in Nigeria, we are more relevant than them.

Mr Fubara has not reacted to his speculated move to the APP. However, recent events in Rivers APP suggest the party may be Mr Fubaras destination if he dumps the PDP.

For instance, the Rivers APP secretariat has been attacked twice in less than a month. Channels Television on Wednesday reported how gunmen shot a security guard at the APP secretariat in the state.

The attack came less than a month after the party secretariat in the New GRA of Port Harcourt, the state capital, was bombed.

The APP Chairperson in Rivers, Sunny Wokekoro, while taking reporters around the party secretariat, insisted that the attacks will not dissuade the party from participating in next months local government election in the state.

Punch newspaper last month reported that Mr Wokekoro has denied that Mr Fubara was a member of the APP but urged the governor to seek re-election under the APP platform in 2027.

Barely a week after the report, another newspaper, The Guardian, reported that Mr Wokekoro had dismissed speculations that Governor Fubara was funding the party.

According to the newspaper, the governors rumoured defection to the APP led to the bombing of the party secretariat in the state. The office complex had since been repaired.

The governor is not in any way funding the APP, Mr Wokekoro said, describing the PDP as a dying party.

Fubara has PDP DNA in his blood  Rivers Govt

When contacted, the Rivers State Commissioner of Information, Joseph Johnson, dismissed rumours that the governor was joining the APP.

Mr Johnson wondered why the people keep speculating Mr Fubaras defection to APP when the governor reenacted to members of the PDP BOT that he remains a member of the PDP.

He is a member of the PDP. He preaches PDP. It is in his DNA. He is the vice chairperson of the PDP Governors Forum. You cannot be a vice chairperson of the forum without being a member of the PDP.

When reminded that Mr Wike while addressing the PDP delegates on Saturday, said he was aware that some unstable characters in the party were joining the APP, Mr Johnson declined comments, saying the minister did not mention Governor Fubaras name.

But to put the record straight, Mr Fubara is a bona fide member of the PDP and vice chairperson, Nigerian Governors Forum: PDP caucus, Mr Johnson said.

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The Ministry of Health in Edo State on Thursday declared a cholera outbreak in the state, confirming six cases of the disease so far.

Stephenson Ojeifo, director, public health in the ministry, announced this during a news conference in Benin.

Mr Ojeifo, a medical doctor, said that the six confirmed cases were identified among the 40 suspected cholera cases recorded to date in the state.

We sent 23 suspected samples that tested positive to the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja for confirmatory test.

We also have three suspected samples that tested negative to RDT but with obvious clinical signs and symptoms.

The total number of samples sent to the national reference laboratory for confirmatory testing are 26.

As of Tuesday this week, we received 15 results out of which six were confirmed positive to cholera and we are still expecting some outstanding results, he said.

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He noted that while the results were expected, the patients were managed in line with the cholera protocol management procedure.

The patients are well and have been discharged and luckily we have not had any person in the community that have come down with symptoms of cholera, he said.

He also said that three of the confirmed cases of the disease were from Egor, two from Uhunmwonde while one was from Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area.

He noted that more actions had been taken to ensure that the outbreak was adequately addressed.

We are activating all pillars to swing into actions to help in addressing the outbreak we have in our hands.

The state, in collaboration with the Edo Primary Health Care Development Agency, have selected some Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at the grassroots to manage suspected cholera cases.

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital; Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua; Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi; and the Central Hospital, Benin City, have been mapped as the referral centre point for management of severe suspected cholera cases.

But we now have selected PHCs at the different local government areas with doctors and nurses to adequately manage these cases, Mr Ojeifo said.

He advised against self-medication, urging persons suffering from watery stool and diarrhoea to visit the hospital for treatment.

He also urged the public to stay calm, practise good hygiene and sanitation as well as promptly report suspected cases to relevant authorities.

(NAN)

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The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development in Ebonyi State, Francis Ori, has warned contractors yet to complete housing projects awarded to them not to take his gentle appearance for weakness.

Mr Ori issued the warning Thursday in Abakaliki while speaking with reporters about the state governments decision to prosecute contractors who failed to complete projects before 25 September.

The commissioner, who made special reference to the resettlement housing projects at Izzo and Amaeze communities of Ishielu Local Government Area of the state, said the 25 September deadline was sacrosanct.

This issue of my gentle and calm nature has nothing to do with implementing this order by 25 September. I am a determined person, and if I appear gentle, I have Tigers around me.

I dont have problems with the timing of the deadline because even if it is tomorrow, we have marshalled plans on how to execute the order, he said.

He said that on 23 September 2023, contracts were awarded for the construction of 140 units of three-bedroom bungalows at Izzo and Amaeze autonomous communities.

These bungalows were shared evenly per autonomous community, and the contractors signed agreements with the ministry for a three-month completion period.

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The contractors were mobilised 50 per cent, but during the construction, they made variation requests from the ministry, which was considered.

We held a meeting with them on 22 January 2024, reminded them that they have stayed up to the required time on site as the governor graciously granted that we extend their time to April, he said.

Mr Ori said the contractors were mobilised back to the site, and those with outstanding certificates applied and were paid.

We did not know that some of them did not complete their projects and when we had another meeting in June, they started giving excuses.

We told the contractors to go back to the site and complete their jobs, but some of them are still waiting to see what the government will do.

Governor Francis Nwifuru, on 31 August, directed that any contractor who fails to finish his job on or before 25 September should be arrested and prosecuted according to the contract agreement, he said.

The commissioner, however, said that 24 out of the 87 contractors had completed their jobs while many were working assiduously to meet the deadline.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jude Okpor, who participated in the media briefing, urged the public to disregard the notion that the erring contractors were related to the governor.

The governor believes in promoting the local content, which is fundamental to developing the Ebonyi economy.

Every Ebonyi citizen is the governors brother, as the most important thing is that the law guiding contract execution in the state respects no one, he said.

(NAN)

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Nigerias former finance minister, Nenadi Usman, has emerged as the chairperson of the Labour Party Caretaker Committee.

Ms Usman was appointed to the position at the partys National Executive Council (NEC)/ extended Stakeholders meeting, held on Wednesday at Government House, Umuahia, Abia State.

However, the controversial chairman of the party, Julius Abure, has dissociated himself and his executives from the Wednesday meeting and said he would not recognise the caretaker committee.

A former Senate minority leader, Darlington Nwokocha, was appointed the caretaker committee secretary.

Other members of the caretaker committee were selected to represent various interest groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Senate, House of Representatives, House of Assembly, and governorship candidates in the last election.

Channels Television reported that the 29-member caretaker committee will facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days.

The committees terms of reference include ensuring the conduct of Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses and the National Convention as soon as possible, in line with the partys constitution.

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According to the report, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State convened the meeting to address the partys challenges and chart a way forward.

Governor Otti, at the meeting, said that the tenure of the National Working Committee of the Party headed by Julius Abure had elapsed since 10 June. He urged the party leaders to work together to resolve the internal problems of the party.

Save LP from collapse  Obi

In his remark at the event, Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, said that the caretaker committee must adhere to the established guidelines to save the party from total collapse.

Mr Obi said the party has the potential to be the brightest if things are put in their proper perspective. He solicited members support for the caretaker committees success in the assignments given to them.

Its illegal  Abure

Meanwhile, Mr Abure has dissociated himself from the meeting, Channels Television reported. The station quoted Obiora Ifoh, the spokesperson of the Abure-led executives, declaring the outcome of the Umuahia meeting as illegal and urging the public to disregard it.

As clearly stated in our previous statement, Governor Otti and all others who converged in Umuahia have no power within the party constitution, the Electoral Act, and even the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convene any meeting of the party, Mr Ifoh said.

He challenged Governor Otti to produce a letter addressed to him from INEC on the subject matter, arguing that there was no vacuum in the party leadership.

Consequently, the so-called caretaker committee set up by Governor Otti is not known to any constitution of the party and can best be described as a department in Abia State Government House.

LP crisis

The Labour Party, which has been in existence for several years, became a major opposition party last year after its presidential candidate, Mr Obi, led the party to third position in the general election.

The party has witnessed a leadership crisis following the fallout between Mr Abure and the NLC, which led to the NLC picketing the partys national headquartersh.

The NLC led by the chairperson of its Political Commission, Theophilus Ndubuaku, had demanded the resignation of Mr Abure, whom it said was not properly elected.

It accused Mr Abure of proposing a secret national convention in Umuahia where he would be reelected as the national chairperson of the party to continue running the party as a sole administrator.

The national convention was later held in Nnewi, Anambra State, where Mr Abure was reelected as the partys national chairperson. However, the NLC rejected his election, describing the exercise as illegal.

Both NLC and TUC boycotted the convention, leaving their slots in the executive vacant.

It is illegality, a nullity. The whole exercise was a charade. Nothing can legitimise such brazen impunity, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah had said, according to Punch newspaper.

The two labour unions, however, attended the meeting convened by Governor Otti on Wednesday and nominated representatives to the new caretaker committee.

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The Enugu State Government said it asked private schools to pay between N100,000 and N300,000 as education tax, not N5 million.

The State Commissioner for Education, Ndubueze Mbah made the clarification in a statement in Enugu.

New and existing private schools in the state are required to either register for provisional approval or have their licences renewed.

This is between N100,000 and N300,000, depending on the category the schools fall in. The approved schedule of fees was released to the public earlier in June, he said.

He urged the public to disregard the publication that the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration has imposed N1 million to N5 million mandatory payments on private schools in the state as educational taxes.

Extant laws empower the Ministry of Education of Enugu State to maintain minimum standards of education for both public and private schools.

The ministry is also empowered to streamline and enhance the effective administration, monitoring, and supervision of private schools, the commissioner said.

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The commissioner said that the defaulters resorted to a smear campaign against the government because they feared the consequences of operating unlicensed private schools, which can result in imprisonment of up to 10 years and the possible closure of the schools.

The government is undeterred, as Governor Mbah will not fold his arms and watch the future of Enugu children destroyed by illegal and unscrupulous schools and proprietors.

He added that the ministry held engagements with stakeholders in the education sector across the state during the revision of the 2024 Enugu State Schools Licensing Fees Regulation.

He vowed not to back down on the reforms.

(NAN)

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GLENDALE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 11th Annual NoHo CineFest is thrilled to announce its return, showcasing a diverse array of independent films from around the globe. From September 12th through the 15th, cinephiles and film enthusiasts will gather at the LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale for a captivating four-day celebration of creativity and storytelling.

11th Annual NoHo CineFest Film Festival Set to Light Up Glendale Next Week

This year's festival promises to deliver an eclectic mix of films, including Tapawingo with Jon Heder, In My Sleep with Lacey Chabert, and Glowzies, along with innovative shorts, such as the celebrity-filled Once More, Like Rain Man starring Bella Zoe Martinez, Matt Jones, Joe Mantegna, James Paxton, Sosie Bacon, and Sue Ann Pien. With a reputation for highlighting emerging talent and bold new voices, NoHo CineFest continues to be a vital platform for independent filmmakers.

Festival-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy screenings of more than 90 carefully curated films that push the boundaries of conventional cinema. In addition to the diverse film slate, the festival will feature Q&A sessions with directors, panel discussions with industry professionals, and networking events, offering valuable insights into the art and business of filmmaking.

"We're incredibly excited to bring NoHo CineFest back to Glendale for our 11th year," said Festival Director Gustavo Sampaio. "This year's lineup exemplifies the vibrant spirit of independent cinema. We can't wait to share these remarkable stories and connect our audience with the talented filmmakers behind them."

The LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Glendale will serve as the festival's hub, providing an exceptional viewing experience with its state-of-the-art facilities and gourmet dining options. Whether you're a local resident or visiting from afar, NoHo CineFest offers an immersive and engaging experience that celebrates the power of storytelling.

Tickets for the festival are now available and can be purchased online through the NoHo CineFest website. For more information on the film schedule, ticketing, and special events, please visit http://www.nohocinefest.com.

Join us for an unforgettable celebration of independent cinema and discover the next generation of filmmakers at the 11th Annual NoHo CineFest!

SOURCE North Hollywood CineFest
Fastest-Growing Physical Therapy Franchise Celebrates Five Years of Enhancing Houston Patients' Quality of Life, Announces Two More Houston Locations

HOUSTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers, the nation's fastest-growing physical therapy franchise, is celebrating five years of successful operation within the Houston market. With 18 locations currently serving the community and two more slated to open before the end of 2024, FYZICAL continues to expand its reach and impact in Texas's largest city.

Throughout the past five years, FYZICAL has rapidly expanded its footprint in Houston and beyond. Driven by its innovative approach to physical therapy, strong commitment to fall prevention, and proven franchise model, the brand plans to expand to 40 Houston-based locations within the next five years.

"We're thrilled with the success of our Houston locations and the positive impact our physical therapists have made on the community over the past five years," said Olga Torbello. "Our goal is to expand our reach, improve the quality of life for Houston residents, and raise awareness of the incredible benefits of physical therapy. We want to empower individuals to understand their pain, overcome challenges, and live pain-free lives."

The differentiator for FYZICAL is their balance and vestibular therapy programs which include an overhead harness system called the Safety Overhead System (SOS). This is designed to provide patients the freedom to safely perform functional types of activities without the patient having the fear of falling. FYZICAL is dedicated to enhancing patients' quality of life through a comprehensive, personalized approach. By combining advanced techniques, state-of-the-art technology, and open communication, their physical therapists create tailored treatment plans to address the root causes of pain and dysfunction. The goal is not only to treat symptoms, but also to empower patients with the knowledge and tools to prevent future issues.

Underpinning its growth, FYZICAL has earned multiple recognitions and prestigious awards this year. Franchise Business Review named FYZICAL as one of their Top 100 Best Franchise Culture as well as a Top Recession-Proof Franchise for the fourth year. For these awards, FYZICAL franchisees were surveyed and shared high franchisee satisfaction ratings. Additionally, FYZICAL secured a spot on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list, ranking #1 in Physical Therapy in 2024 as well as #58 on the Fastest-Growing Franchises list.

Please visit https://www.fyzical.com/greater-houston-tx to see FYZICAL's full list of clinics in the Houston area, or explore franchising opportunities at https://www.fyzicalfranchise.com/

About FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers:

FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers stands at the forefront of the health and wellness industry as the nation's fastest-growing physical therapy franchise, boasting an extensive network of over 575 locations that span across 46 states. Committed to a holistic approach, FYZICAL provides top-notch, personalized care plans to treat patients of all ages experiencing muscle, joint, and neurological conditions including balance and vestibular issues. As an advocate for patient choice and direct access, FYZICAL empowers individuals to take control of their well-being to achieve optimal physical health and balance. For more information about FYZICAL or to find the nearest location, visit fyzical.com.

Media Contact: Logan Ruby, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or 847-945-1300

SOURCE FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers
The American Center for Mobility (ACM) has signed an agreement with Michigan Technological University to partner on engineering services at its 500-acre proving ground for advancing safe, sustainable, and secure technologies in Ypsilanti, MI.

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michigan Technological University has been selected as the new engineering services provider for the American Center for Mobility (ACM), reinforcing its pivotal role in the automotive field. Through renowned facilities like the Advanced Power Systems Laboratories (APS LABS), the Keweenaw Research Center (KRC) and the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI), the university has built a record of excellence in sustainable vehicle technologies and advanced mobility solutions. Leveraging its cutting-edge research and development, testing programs, and industry expertise, Michigan Tech will offer comprehensive engineering services to ACM's customers.

Michigan Tech and ACM have worked together for years to advance safe, sustainable, and secure technologies utilizing the technical expertise of the combined teams and the extensive capabilities available at ACM's 500-acre proving grounds facility in Ypsilanti. Together Michigan Tech and ACM have collaborated to secure $20M in joint federal funding to date. We are confident in Michigan Tech's ability to enhance our capabilities and drive forward our mission of advancing mobility technologies. We look forward to the continued success and groundbreaking support services this partnership will bring.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Michigan Technological University to the American Center for Mobility," said Reuben Sarkar, President & CEO of ACM. "Their exceptional support and engineering expertise will undoubtedly enhance our capabilities and industry knowledge. This partnership affirms ACM as the leader of mobility innovation and leader in the ecosystem."

Through the multi-year agreement, Michigan Tech will provide an extensive range of engineering services to ACM customers utilizing the university's expertise and depth of industry knowledge. Michigan Tech's impact in the mobility sector, which is well known within technical circles, will now be available to an even wider client base through the ACM partnership. ACM's customers include some of the largest mobility companies, manufacturers, and suppliers in the world.

"The American Center for Mobility and Michigan Tech are recognized leaders in advanced mobility research and technology," said Rick Koubek, President of Michigan Tech. "Joining forces will not only accelerate our efforts, but also provide opportunities previously unrealized for pushing the boundaries of advanced mobility."

Michigan Tech's APS LABS, a multidisciplinary collaborative at Michigan Tech that develops clean, efficient, sustainable mobility and power systems technologies, will lead the university's partnership with ACM. From propulsion systems research and development to complete vehicle builds, APS LABS blends university resources and expertise with industry familiarity in the mobility, propulsion, and energy sectors. APS LABS' energy expertise includes standing up a DOE Solar Regional Test site in 2020, as well as developing Level 4 connected and autonomous vehicles, or L4 CAVs, for research and testing. Recent mobility efforts have focused on several projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, working jointly with ACM. These projects include the Energy Efficient Mobility Systems Model Validation project of the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy and the NEXTCAR project of the DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program. The NEXTCAR project's goal is to reduce energy consumption by 30% utilizing forward-looking optimization and automated vehicle technologies. ACM, General Motors, and Stellantis are partners on this project.

"Over the past seven years, ACM and Michigan Tech have collaborated with great success, securing research projects through partnerships with federal agencies," said APS LABS Director Jeffrey D. Naber. "This collaboration unites our synergistic teams, dedicated to advancing the development of the next generation of mobility technologies."

Michigan Tech's presence at ACM's historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti will complement and extend the university's influence in Michigan's lower peninsula, which includes the Translational Health and Engineering Research Center in Grand Rapids and the Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) in Ann Arbor. MTRI researchers conduct cutting-edge automotive and transportation research involving infrastructure assessment, safety, mobility, and sensing, often in collaboration with APS LABS and KRC.

About American Center for Mobility

ACM offers a one-of-a-kind global development center to transform the way industries advance safe, sustainable, and secure mobility technologies. Located in Southeast Michigan on over 500-acres at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti. ACM offers: an Advanced Mobility Proving Ground with test environments featuring specialized infrastructure, equipment, facilities and resources; An innovation and technology campus with an industrial tech park for the co-location of mobility companies; Event and demonstration areas for showcasing mobility technologies and convening industry activities. ACM is open to private industry, start-ups, government, standards bodies, and academia.

For more information about ACM, visit acmwillowrun.org.

About Michigan Technological University

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and home to over 7,000 students from 55 countries. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.

For more information about Michigan Technological University visit: https://www.mtu.edu/

American Center for Mobility Media Contact: Madison Baughey, Marketing Coordinator [email protected]

Michigan Technological University Media Contact: Hailey Hart, PR Manager, [email protected]

SOURCE American Center for Mobility
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Anastasia Beverly Hills, leading global beauty brand, proudly introduces its latest breakthrough in brow innovation: Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel. Designed to provide effortless, salon-quality brows at home, this new product offers instant color, volume, and definition for a flawless finish.

Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel delivers a lightweight, buildable formula that transforms brows with ease. The gel's mousse-like texture blends seamlessly, adding natural fullness and definition while maintaining a soft, matte finish.

"Our new Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel is the ultimate solution for achieving perfectly groomed brows in seconds," said Anastasia Soare, CEO and Founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills. "The custom-designed, precision brush, with long and short bristles, ensures every hair is coated and instantly enhances your brows with natural-looking color and volume."

Key Features of the Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel:

Lightweight, Buildable Formula: Delivers a soft, natural finish that enhances brow definition without feeling heavy.

Water-Resistant & Long-Wearing: Stays put for up to 24 hours, making it perfect for all-day wear.

Instant Color & Volume: Adds immediate color and fullness for a natural, well-defined look.

Custom-Designed, Dual-Action Precision Brush: Features short bristles for detailing and defining, and long bristles for tinting and volumizing.

Seamless Application: The brush fits perfectly in the brow for a precise, mess-free application, allowing time to blend before setting.

Versatile Shade Range: Available in 9 shades, including Blonde, Taupe, Soft Brown, Auburn , Chocolate, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Ebony, and Granite. Suitable for covering grey hairs and color-correcting.

Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel is ideal for beginners and on-the-go beauty lovers, providing a quick and easy solution to achieve perfectly defined brows. Its unique formula and brush design make it a must-have in your beauty routine.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel will be available on 9/4 on anastasiabeverlyhills.com and in all retailers on 9/12. It will be available in full size ($25) as well as mini size ($13).

For more information about the Volumizing Tinted Brow Gel and other Anastasia Beverly Hills products, please visit anastasiabeverlyhills.com.

**About Anastasia Beverly Hills:**

Romanian-born beauty entrepreneur Anastasia Soare launched her namesake brand with a Beverly Hills flagship salon in 1997 and the company's first product line in 2000. Rooted in the sacred geometry of the Golden Ratio, ABH creates prestige cosmetics for a passionate prosumer audience. Soare was first to introduce brow shaping followed by a product line based on her patented Golden Ratio Eyebrow Shaping Method and is widely credited for fueling the multi-million dollar business that surrounds the category.

Anastasia Beverly Hills products are available at anastasiabeverlyhills.com, Dillard's, Macy's, Nordstrom, Sephora, ULTA, and select retailers in over 30 countries.

SOURCE Anastasia Beverly Hills
Anytime AI's Vision

Co-founded in 2023 by Dr. Lingfei (Teddy) Wu, Henry Hu, and Dr. Yu (Hugo) Chen, Anytime AI is revolutionizing the legal industry through the application of cutting-edge generative AI technology. The company's flagship product, AnytimeAI, serves as a premier AI Legal Assistant, offering a suite of AI-powered tools designed to boost revenue, enhance efficiency, and unlock more client opportunities for plaintiff law firms.

"The future of law is here, and it is powered by AI. Our mission at Anytime AI is to build a trustworthy and powerful AI legal assistant dedicated to various legal professionals, starting with plaintiff lawyers. We are thrilled to have reached this critical funding milestone," said Dr. Teddy Wu, Co-founder of Anytime AI. "This investment will enable us to further develop our technology and expand our capacity to serve more law firms, helping them achieve greater efficiency and results for their clients."

Investor and Legal Industry Support

Anytime AI's innovative approach to legal technology has attracted attention from both investors and legal industry professionals. The seed round was led by Gopher Asset Management U.S. and Kao Family Office, with additional support from various law firms and angel investors, all of whom bring invaluable expertise and strategic insight to support Anytime AI's growth and innovation in the legal sector.

A Unique Solution for Plaintiff Lawyers

Distinguishing itself from competitors, Anytime AI is building a trustworthy and powerful AI legal assistant along with various AI agents specifically designed for plaintiff lawyers. Our unique solution leverages Large Language Models (LLMs) as a Legal Reasoning Engine and integrates them with Legal Workflow Customization and other advanced technologies such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Information Extraction (IE), and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). We address AI risks, including ''AI hallucinations'' and inaccurate results, guiding lawyers to validate AI outputs easily and thoroughly while maintaining client confidentiality and data security. AnytimeAI empowers lawyers to perform their daily core legal work activities much more efficiently and effectively, ranging from legal research to document review, and from medical record analysis to demand letter generation, all in minutes instead of hours or days.

Anytime AI's legal assistant has proven to reduce manual efforts by up to 90% and quadruple the capacity of legal professionals, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks and clients. Notably, AnytimeAI streamlines workflows in personal injury cases by auto-extracting key data from medical records and police reports and drafting demand letters and interrogatory responses. With hundreds of professionals already using or trial-testing its innovative solutions, Anytime AI is continually expanding its capabilities.

A Milestone Achievement

The milestone $4 million in seed funding is a testament to Anytime AI 's class-of-its-own innovation, marking a significant achievement for the company and further propelling the adoption of AI as a force for good in the legal industry, thereby accelerating justice in society.

Experience firsthand how Anytime AI can help you better serve your clients. For more information about Anytime AI and exclusive access to a free trial, please visit www.anytimeai.ai . Legal professionals can request a demo at: https://www.anytimeai.ai/book-a-free-demo .

About Anytime AI:

Anytime AI, the innovative developer of the premier AI legal assistant for plaintiff lawyers, was co-founded in 2023 by Dr. Lingfei (Teddy) Wu, Henry Hu, and Dr. Yu (Hugo) Chen. The company focuses on revolutionizing the legal industry with cutting-edge generative AI technology. Its flagship product, the AnytimeAI, offers a suite of AI-powered tools designed to boost revenue, amplify efficiency, and unlock more client opportunities for law firms. Learn more at [ www.anytimeai.ai ].

CONTACT: Catherine Lee, Phone# +1 646 764 4872, Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Anytime AI Inc.
TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V): LITFrankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE): OAY3OTCQX Venture Market: LILIF

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. (TSXV: LIT) (FSE: OAY3) (OTCQX: LILIF), ("Argentina Lithium" or the "Company") announces that over the past ten months it has fully exercised three option agreements for 100% interest in, subject to production royalties, 22 optioned properties totalling 25,391 hectares at the Company's Rincon West, Pocitos and Antofalla North Projects.

Following the receipt of the investment from Stellantis, we deployed the funds to secure a large portion of our most prospective optioned properties, where we have advanced drilling and geophysics throughout 2024.These acquisitions secure large land packages where our reconnaissance work has validated initial exploration hypotheses." stated Nikolaos Cacos, President and CEO.

Details of Exercised Property Options

The Argentina Lithium news release on August 4, 2021 announced the option to acquire 100% ownership of three mining concessions totaling 5,380.5 hectares at the Antofalla Salar in Salta Province from a group of local vendors (refer to Map 1). The agreed terms stipulated US$ 4,000,000 in payments spaced over 42 months, plus an exploration investment commitment.

In November 2023, the Company exercised the option by advancing US$ 3,200,000 to complete the remaining payments. At the time of the final exercise payment, the parties agreed that outstanding exploration investment commitments would be waived. A 2% net smelter royalty remains payable to the local vendors from the time the property enters production.

The Argentina Lithium news releases dated September 28, October 14, 2021 and March 16, 2022 announced the option agreement with a local vendor to acquire 100% ownership of multiple mining concessions in Salta Province including: eleven contiguous properties at Pocitos Salar (Pocitos 200-209 & 211, totalling 15,857.5 ha), and at Rincon Salar, the Villanoveno II property (2370.5 ha) and other properties advancing through the mining claim process including Demasia Villanoveno II (20.5 ha) (refer to Map 2 and Map 3). The total contracted value of the option was US$ 4,200,000 and CA$ 700,000 in Argentina Lithium shares, payable to the vendors over 36 months.

This option was exercised by the Company in November 2023, by advancing the remaining payment of US$ 2,900,000 to complete the terms of the option agreement, thereby earning 100% title and with no royalties pending to the vendors.

The Argentina Lithium news release on January 10, 2022 announced the option of five mining concession totalling 1,762 hectares at the Pocitos Salar in Salta province (the "Ramos Properties") (refer to Map 3). The option terms stipulated US$ 700,000 in payments to the vendors, spaced over two years.

The Company completed the final US$ 550,000 payment per schedule in January, 2024, thereby satisfying the agreement terms to earn 100% title to the properties. A 1% net smelter royalty remains payable to the local vendors from the time the property enters production

Qualified Person

Frits Reidel, CPG is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, is the Principal of Atacama Water Consultants, and is independent of Argentina Lithium. Mr. Reidel has reviewed the work carried out by the Company's exploration team at the exploration-stage Rincon West property. The disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Reidel.

About Argentina Lithium

Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp is focused on acquiring high quality lithium projects in Argentina and advancing them towards production in order to meet the growing global demand from the battery sector. The Company's recent strategic investment by Peugeot Citroen Argentina S.A., a subsidiary of Stellantis N.V., one of the world's leading automakers, places Argentina Lithium in a unique position to explore, develop and advance its four key projects covering over 67,000 hectares in the Lithium Triangle of Argentina. Management has a long history of success in the resource sector of Argentina and has assembled some of the most prospective lithium properties in the world renowned "Lithium Triangle". The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Nikolaos Cacos"

_______________________________

Nikolaos Cacos, President, CEO and Director

www.argentinalithium.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments management of the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, statements about the Company's plans for its mineral properties; the Company's business strategy, plans and outlooks; the future financial or operating performance of the Company; and future exploration and operating plans are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks and uncertainties related to the ability to obtain, amend, or maintain licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with mining activities; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; the state of financial markets in Canada and other jurisdictions; the Company's ability to meet its working capital needs; fluctuations in metal prices; operations in foreign countries and the compliance with foreign laws; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; failure to obtain or delays in obtaining necessary governmental and regulatory approvals; labour disputes and other risks generally in the mining industry. There may be other factors that cause results or events to not be as anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, unless required pursuant to applicable laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties.

SOURCE Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp.
MIRAMAR, Fla., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Awaysis Capital, Inc. (OTCMARKETS: AWCA), is pleased to report it has filed its amended Form 10-K/A which incorporates a re-audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the years ended June 30, 2022. The 10-K/A amendment also removed the going concern qualifications as of the Report Date.

The re-auditing of its consolidated financial statements for the June 30, 2022, fiscal year was required due to the Company's prior audit firm, BF Borgers, being sanctioned by the SEC. The re-audit was completed by the Company's independent auditor, Moore Belize LLP in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board standards. These re-audited financial statements highlight the Company's commitment to maintaining transparency, accuracy, and compliance in its financial reporting.

Dr. Andrew Trumbach, The Company's Co-CEO and CFO said, "Our accounting firm Moore Belize LLP has worked diligently to complete the re-audits of our financial statements, and their thorough and swift completion reinforces the accuracy and reliability of our financial disclosures. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of financial governance and to ensure that our financial reports accurately reflect the Company's performance and position us for continued success."

Awaysis Capital will continue to provide updates on the reauditing process and any related developments as they become available.

About Awaysis Capital, Inc.

Increased global trends towards "work from home" opportunities have impacted both residency and travel. We believe that more people are seeking comfortable and convenient places to travel, visit, and live for extended durations. We seek to capitalize on these trends by transforming residential/resort properties in desirable locations into convenient enclaves that facilitate this type of travel or residency. We define an enclave as a gated community that has all the amenities that will allow a person to live, work and play without having to leave the community.

To learn more, visit www.awaysiscapital.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "would" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Although Awaysis believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, they involve numerous risks and uncertainties and Awaysis is unable to give any assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge, and it is not possible to predict all of them. Awaysis' assumptions used for the purposes of the forward-looking statements represent estimates of future events and are subject to uncertainty as to possible changes in economic, legislative, industry, and other circumstances. Such forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or our achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from historical results, any future results, or performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause Awaysis' actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, which are set forth in certain of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward looking statement, except as may be required by law.

SOURCE Awaysis Capital, Inc.
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Waterways Operators, the trade association of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, is commending the California legislature's recent passage of Assembly Bill 1122 as a major milestone in protecting mariner safety and port operations stability on California's waterways.

Led by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield), AB 1122 protects mariner lives by ensuring that the California Air Resources Board cannot require the use of equipment such as Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) onboard commercial vessels unless it contains a bypass-safety system and is certified as safe by third-party experts; and ensures safety and stability in California port operations by giving vessel operators increased flexibility to install CARB-mandated equipment during already-scheduled vessel inspection periods, so that vessels performing essential port functions are not excessively pulled out of service. The bill was voted on favorably in several Senate and Assembly committees, and then passed by the entire Senate and Assembly, by overwhelming margins.

The need for this bill was prompted by CARB's efforts to lower emissions through application of its Commercial Harbor Craft rule. As written, the rule requires installation of DPFs onboard tugboats, dredges and other vessels critical to California's supply chain. DPFs, however, are not commercially available for maritime engines and have been linked to fires when used in the trucking industry. The U.S. Coast Guard had previously informed CARB of its own safety concerns surrounding the CHC rule's DPF requirement, noting that it would not enforce the CHC rule with that requirement in place.

The CHC rule currently also requires vessels be pulled out of service for the mandated engine upgrades separately from their already-scheduled "dry dock" vessel inspections. By aligning the engine upgrade requirements with dry dock inspection periods, AB 1122 prevents shortages of vessels to provide ship-assist, escort, and other vital services needed to keep port operations running safely and efficiently.

Jennifer Carpenter, AWO's President and CEO, commented:

"The passage of AB 1122 is a critical development for mariner safety, sustainability, and the California and global supply chain. As the most sustainable mode of freight transportation in the United States, we share CARB's goal of lowering emissions. But the CHC rule as written will create fire hazards that put mariners in harm's way, and will reduce the availability of vessels essential to safe and efficient port operations  operations that are the backbone of California's status as a global trade and renewable energy leader. We urge Governor Newsom to protect California mariners, and keep California ports running safely and efficiently, by signing AB 1122 into law."

The following individuals are available for interviews:

Jennifer Carpenter , President & CEO, American Waterways Operators

, President & CEO, American Waterways Operators Peter Schrappen , Vice President  Pacific Region, American Waterways Operators

, Vice President  Pacific Region, American Waterways Operators Capt. Sly Hunter, Northern California Regional Representative, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots

SOURCE American Waterways Operators
Black Directors Health Equity Agenda Aims to Mitigate Health Disparities With New Grant From Kaiser Permanente

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Directors Health Equity Agenda (BDHEA) has secured a transformative $1.5 million grant to address health disparities through public hospitals and community health centers. The organization will develop a health equity playbook geared towards board directors and executive leaders in healthcare.

This grant, provided by Kaiser Permanente's fund at the East Bay Community Foundation , will propel BDHEA's mission forward by fostering the education and engagement of board directors and executive leadership.

Kaiser Permanente is the largest integrated, nonprofit health care organization in the U.S., providing high-quality health care and coverage for 12.5 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia.

The grant will also support the BDHEA's Board Diversification and Inclusion Project, which seeks to increase the diversity and inclusion of healthcare boards.

"Our duty as healthcare board members extends beyond oversight; it's a commitment to the heart of care," says BDHEA Board Chair Caretha Coleman. "This grant empowers our shepherds of health equity to forge a path toward justice, ensuring that those facing the harshest conditions and barriers find high-quality, equitable care."

Empowering Change Through Board Governance

An unprecedented 31.5 million people rely on community health centers for affordable care. The grant will significantly advance the BDHEA's goal of eliminating health disparities in Black communities and beyond. Spanning three years, this funding underscores the imperative to champion Black health through healthcare board governance structures.

The award enables BDHEA to expand upon its foundational health equity toolkit. This toolkit includes the Prioritizing Health Equity in the Boardroom Playbook and Health Equity's Essential Role in ESG Conversations, two guides for board directors developed through collaboration between BDHEA and Deloitte Consulting LLP with support from the Deloitte Health Equity Institute.

Supporting boards for public hospitals and Community Health Centers (CHCs) presents a unique opportunity to empower leaders of community-based organizations instrumental in providing access to care nationally, bridging urban and rural areas alike. The grant will facilitate community assessments, strategic framework development, and evidence-based action plans creation culminating in a new health equity playbook for CHCs and public hospitals.

This playbook will be disseminated via collaborative engagements with critical leaders at conferences, webinars, roundtable discussions and other education forums. Through these engagements of Board directors and executive leaders, BDHEA will unify and challenge leaders to listen to community voices and to respond to their critical health needs with forceful and effective action. Deloitte Consulting LLP will also support the creation of this new playbook.

"To achieve health equity, we must commit to working together to make sure everyone has access to high-quality care," says Dr. Ronald L. Copeland, senior vice president and chief equity, inclusion, and diversity officer for Kaiser Permanente. "Through BDHEA's efforts, we hope to strengthen and empower community health centers and nonprofit hospitals to reduce, if not eliminate, all preventable and unjust health disparities, with trustees who are steadfast advocates for their communities."

Addressing the Need for Black Voices in Healthcare Boardrooms

This grant also underscores a commitment to increase, enlist, and engage Black corporate directors through the launch of the BDHEA's Board Diversification & Inclusion Project. This initiative seeks to champion and support increased recruitment and participation of Black board directors who often represent the heart of their communities.

The project reflects the stark scarcity of Black voices in boardrooms, revealed by an Ernst & Young (EY) study for BDHEA, that few healthcare boards have more than one Black corporate director. "Representation matters, and it is crucial to ensure diverse voices are heard in boardrooms across the healthcare sector," notes BDHEA Executive Director Deborah Phillips. "Our work extends beyond representation and invites diverse perspectives and ideas to identify critical health equity solutions." EY will provide support to the Board Diversification & Inclusion Project.

The grant is crucial in building the BDHEA's growth and impact. To realize its ambitious goals, BDHEA is seeking additional corporate and philanthropic support.

Strategic alliances with organizations like Deloitte, EY and U.S. News & World Report help enhance and propagate the BDHEA model for health equity action with educational offerings for its members to refine board governance and to establish health equity programs.

Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of their legal structure.

About BDHEA

The Black Directors Health Equity Agenda (BDHEA), founded in 2020, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that unites board directors, senior executives, and educators in healthcare from across the country with a common mission: to transform the healthcare industry by closing the gap in care, talent, research and policies for the Black community and, in turn, improve treatment outcomes, innovation and care for the entire nation. By developing a common agenda, continuous communication and shared outcomesand by centralizing shared resources, data and innovationsthe BDHEA will be the first and only national organization led by board directors and executives to address health disparities and outcomes among the Black community. The BDHEA envisions continuous, effective effort and action on eliminating disparities among Black people, where inequities have been the most persistent despite significant efforts by an array of interested parties over many years. As a trusted convener, educator and translator of data that represents and impacts Black communities, BDHEA is pursuing a holistic, comprehensive, national solution to mitigate health disparities and outcomes. The BDHEA's health equity toolkit offers extensive resources for board directors and C-suite executives to facilitate and track productive boardroom discussions and innovative responses to health disparities. Learn more at bdhea.org .

CONTACT:

Jane Sharma

[email protected]

Purpose Brand

purposebrand.com

SOURCE Black Directors Health Equity Agenda
Backed by US$30M from the Bezos Earth Fund, the Centre aims to revolutionise sustainable protein research and commercialisation in Asia

SINGAPORE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (NUS) was launched today, marking a major milestone as the first of its kind in Asia to advance research in alternative proteins. With a US$30 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, the Centre is poised to lead groundbreaking research and commercialisation efforts to develop "ultimate proteins"  advanced hybrid foods that match traditional meatbased products in both taste and price.

By focusing on regional preferences and addressing the urgent challenge of feeding a growing global population, the Centre aims to drive global food security and accelerate innovation across the region. A priority area will be biomass fermentation, which, for example, utilises tofu waste to feed algae, creating high-quality protein.

The NUS Centre joins similar Bezos Centres at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and North Carolina State University in the United States, forming a global network dedicated to advancing sustainable protein research. The Centre's primary focus areas include microalgae and biomass fermentation, supported by complementary research into cultivated meat and plant-based technologies. These efforts are strategically aligned to produce next-generation hybrid proteins that are affordable, nutritious, and widely accepted.

"NUS and the Bezos Earth Fund are united by a shared commitment to actively combat climate change. The world's growing appetite for meat has put a huge strain on our global food system, and we need to develop sustainable food solutions with researchers, government and industry," said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President. "With the generous support of the Bezos Earth Fund, we look forward to leveraging our unique position in Asia to drive innovation and collaboration across the region, ensuring sustainable protein solutions that benefit consumers and industry, and protect the environment."

"Asia is pivotal to the future of sustainable proteins, and Singapore is leading the way," said Sir Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund. "Just five months ago, we announced our commitment to establish these Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein and today, US$100 million has been granted to make that vision a reality. The new Centre at NUS harnesses the region's influence and expertise to drive solutions that can reshape food systems globally, with significant potential impact for East and South-East Asia's 2.3 billion consumers."

Research at the Centre will be led by 23 expert Principal Investigators from institutions in the ecosystem including NUS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Institute of Technology, and ETH Zurich. These leaders will also focus on developing talent through various education initiatives, and venture-building programmes at NUS Enterprise, the University's innovation arm, which aim to translate research into impactful solutions.

By nurturing the next generation of innovators and fostering discussions among scientific, industry, community and policy stakeholders, the Centre is well-positioned to expedite the adoption of sustainable proteins across the region. Professor Zhou Weibiao, Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology (NUS FST) and Acting Director of the new Centre, emphasised the importance of research that addresses both consumer needs and industry demands.

"NUS is well-positioned to host the new Centre given our extensive research expertise and strong partnerships in developing alternative proteins, demonstrated through many joint projects at NUS FST with internal and external partners, as well as our deep understanding of important areas such as nutrition, safety, and consumer perceptions," said Prof Zhou. "We look forward to making tangible impact by translating cutting-edge research into affordable, attractive, and nutritious alternative proteins for consumers, supporting the industry, and nurturing young talents for a resilient food system."

The NUS Centre will work closely with partners across industry, government, and academia to translate its research into market-ready products. Key focus areas include microalgae research, biomass fermentation, and cell-cultured and plant-based research. These focus areas will also integrate cross-cutting platforms such as nutrition science, safety, and consumer acceptance into its research.

Please refer to the Annexe for more information on these research areas.

"The NUS Centre is pioneering breakthrough innovations, such as transforming tofu waste into high-quality protein  a practical example of zero-waste, circular economy principles in action," said Dr Andy Jarvis, Director of Future of Food at the Bezos Earth Fund. "As part of our US$1 billion commitment to reshaping food systems globally, this Centre  alongside our network of sustainable protein hubs  will drive lasting change that meets both environmental sustainability goals and consumer needs."

The Good Food Institute (GFI) played a key role in partnering with the Bezos Earth Fund to develop its alternative protein strategy. Through its work as a scoping partner, GFI has helped craft the vision for the Bezos Centres for Sustainable Protein.

"With meat demand skyrocketing across the world's most populous continent, the opportunity for large-scale transformation in Asia's food supply has never been greater," said Mirte Gosker, Managing Director of the GFI APAC. "By connecting Singapore's brightest scientific minds with their counterparts in other global innovation hubs, the Bezos Centre at NUS has the capacity to fully unlock the enormous economic and ecological potential of sustainable proteins."

Read more at: https://news.nus.edu.sg/bezos-centre-for-sustainable-protein-opens-at-the-national-university-of-singapore/

SOURCE National University of Singapore
The September editions of FinTech Magazine and InsurTech Digital include an exclusive interview with Saphyre Co-Founders Gabino Roche Jr and Stephen Roche plus exclusive insights from Temenos, Old Mutual and Tealbook

LONDON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BizClik, the UK's fastest-growing publishing company, has published the latest editions of FinTech Magazine and InsurTech Digital. These publications are highly regarded voices within the Financial Sector for their in-depth reports and interviews with prominent figures in the industry.

FinTech Magazine

This month's edition features an extensive lead report with Saphyre Co-Founders Gabino Roche Jr and Stephen Roche on the importance of real-trading solutions post T+1.

"With Saphyre, traders can digitally authenticate and authorise a resolution to a trade exception issue in post-trade with real-time automation"

The edition also contains extensive interviews with key thought leaders from Temenos, GCash and Tealbook. Plus the Top 10 Fintech Founders.

You can visit FinTech Magazine for daily news and analysis of the ever-changing financial industry.

InsurTech Digital

This month's edition features an exclusive report with May Govender, CIO of Old Mutual on the 179 year old institution's migration to the Cloud.

"As an Insurance organisation, it's imperative for us to stay abreast of these customer trends and meet their evolving expectations"

The edition also contains extensive interviews with key thought leaders from Woodruff Sawyer, Fadata and more. Plus the Top 10 Insurtech Platforms.

You can visit InsurTech Digital for daily news and analysis of the ever-changing insurance industry.

About BizClik

BizClik is one of the fastest-growing digital media companies in the UK, host to a growing portfolio of industry-leading global brands and communities.

BizClik's expanding portfolio includes Technology, AI, FinTech, InsurTech, Supply Chain, Procurement, Energy, Mining, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Mobile, Data Centre, Cyber, and Sustainability.

For more information, please visit our website.

SOURCE BizClik Media
100,000 daily riders get uninterrupted wireless connectivity throughout the underground route.

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boldyn Networks (Boldyn), the world's leading neutral host provider in wireless infrastructure solutions, announced the launch of a 5G wireless network throughout the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) 42nd Street Shuttle line. This groundbreaking move ensures that Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile customers will now have full cell service in one of the system's most traveled tunnels.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber and MTA C&D President Jamie Torres-Springer announce 5G activation in the 42nd Street Shuttle tunnel and a new connectivity expansion project with Boldyn Networks on September 4, 2024.

The Shuttle is the first line in Manhattan to have full mobile communication service underground. It marks a key milestone in the expanded project for Boldyn Networks, which is dedicated to delivering a neutral host network throughout the system. The 42nd Street Shuttle line is a vital link for more than 36 million riders annually. It connects Times Square to Grand Central for approximately 100,000 daily users.

"Our partnerships with the MTA, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile underscore Boldyn's long-term commitment to implementing technology in New York City for the better," said Christos Karmis, CEO of Boldyn Networks, US. "This is just the beginning because we are modernizing the vital systems necessary for how a city moves and communicates in today's modern world."

Boldyn Networks has deployed a high-capacity, low-latency network for all tier-1 mobile carriers to offer fully connected services to their customers. Even during peak commutes, when up to 12,000 passengers per hour are traveling on the Shuttle line, riders will experience an enhanced connection on their mobile devices.

"This is an exciting moment for Verizon as we make seamless wireless connectivity possible along one of the busiest subway lines in New York City," said John Gallup, Verizon Executive Director of Wireless Network Engineering and Operations for NY. "Our goal is to keep New Yorkers connected wherever they are, and this expansion is another testament to that commitment."

"AT&T is proud to collaborate with Boldyn Networks and the MTA on this transformative project for New York's subway riders," said John Emra, President, AT&T Atlantic Region. "Offering wireless connectivity on the Shuttle line tunnel is a significant step towards our goal of seamless, city-wide connectivity. This initiative not only improves the daily commute for millions but also marks a key achievement in our ongoing efforts to connect communities and empower New Yorkers with reliable, high-speed connectivity."

"T-Mobile is dedicated to connecting people in the places they live, work and play with the best possible wireless experience," said Luis Reyes, Vice President, Field Engineering for T-Mobile Northeast Region. "Working with Boldyn and MTA has enabled us to do exactly that, forever enhancing the commutes for millions of riders every year."

The major carriers are taking significant leadership roles in modernizing the city's communications systems by testing, deploying, and integrating their equipment into Boldyn Networks' infrastructure so riders can begin seeing service immediately on the Shuttle.

The network is also designed to provide seamless connectivity for first responders, with bandwidth prioritization for the public safety community. Many New Yorkers welcome this early phase of connectivity enhancement and applaud the efforts of so many to make the subway safer, more accessible, and tech-forward.

"Having our phones connected through the Shuttle significantly improves the daily commute," said Betsy Plum, Executive Director of Riders Alliance. "It's a testament to the mobile carriers that understand the importance of offering service in the subway for their customers and to New York for improving public transportation in the city."

The project is part of an ongoing initiative to equip the entire New York City Subway system with robust wireless coverage using a neutral host network, improving the transit experience for millions of New Yorkers and visitors.

As a neutral host, all wireless carriers can utilize the same infrastructure to serve their consumers on the network deployed by Boldyn.

Under the agreement, 418 track miles of subway tunnel will receive the infrastructure for mobile carriers to offer cell coverage. Free Wi-Fi service will also be expanded to all 191 above-ground subway stations and 21 Staten Island Railway stations.

The installation of 5G infrastructure to receive connectivity is aligned with MTA's capital projects and includes:

G-Line: The deployment will be available for all carriers to expand coverage this year. The infrastructure will also enhance operational efficiencies in service to the line's 160,000 daily riders.

Joralemon Street Tunnel: The oldest and longest underwater tunnel in the system, the Joralemon Tunnel, will have 5G connectivity, allowing mobile operators to deliver full service throughout the 1.1-mile tube.

4-5-6 Grand Central to 161st Street: As this phase of the project develops, five track miles of the 4-5-6 will be upgraded with 5G mobile infrastructure.

About Boldyn Networks

Boldyn Networks is one of the world's largest neutral host providers, delivering the advanced shared network infrastructure needed for a smart, inclusive, and sustainable future. It combines the combined scale and expertise of industry-leading companies with a single purpose: to unlock the power of an interconnected future. From interconnected transit, venues and enterprises, smart cities, next-generation and bespoke private networks to smart campusesthrough Apogee Telecom, a Boldyn Networks companyBoldyn enables new possibilities in the way people live, work and play. Bringing connectivity to the most complex environments. Our portfolio is harnessing fiber, advancing 4G/LTE, accelerating 5G, preparing for 6Gand looking beyond to the next breakthroughs. Our global operations span North America, Europe, and Asia. Boldyn Networks. Reimagine tomorrow. Transform today. www.boldyn.com

For more information, contact

Scott Christiansen

Vice President, Marketing Communications

Boldyn Networks

E [email protected]

SOURCE Boldyn Networks
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- When the former Fayette County Memorial Hospital was welcomed into the Adena Health family in 2021, Adena President and CEO Jeff Graham expressed a desire to make a significant investment in the future of health care in Fayette County. The future, he promised at the time, included plans for construction of a new critical access hospital.

That future is now.

New Adena Fayette Medical Center opening in 2027

Design work that has been ongoing for a new 65,000-square-foot hospital to be located on the site of the present Adena Fayette Medical Center in Washington Court House is nearly complete and the health system plans to break ground and begin construction on the two-year building project around mid-year of 2025.

"This is us seeing our commitment through," said Josh McCoy, vice president of Adena's west region. "We know the community is set to grow significantly and it is our responsibility to be a partner in that growth, making sure residents have the quality health care this community deserves well into the future."

Once completed, the new, modern facility will provide several opportunities to further build upon the quality care already provided at Adena Fayette Medical Center.

"We will have the ability to enhance our service offerings," McCoy said. "What this will do is improve patient access to those services, create better efficiencies in providing those services, and provide an environment that makes care for our patients and their families more convenient. It also will give us the opportunity to provide more advanced treatment options within those services."

For example, the technology and additional operating room space being integrated into the new hospital will enhance the ability to perform precision robotic-assisted surgical procedures. Addition of a progressive care unit will provide flexibility in responding to fluctuating patient volumes and care needs, integrating telemetry units into the infrastructure will advance the scope of care, while having a dedicated trauma room will provide immediate, specialized care for critical cases.

Several departments will see enhanced services as the result of the new hospital construction, including OB/GYN, surgical services, endoscopy, orthopedics, gastroenterology, and more.

Other benefits will accompany the new hospital, including enhanced patient privacy, convenient parking, additional patient care technology, and availability of an on-site retail pharmacy.

The construction of a new hospital will be an asset contributing to the economic growth of the community, as having high-quality health care available for employees is considered one of the key selling points for businesses and industries as they decide where to locate new facilities. In addition, the new hospital will help Adena's ongoing recruitment work to bring even more highly skilled physicians and advanced practice providers to Fayette County and the health system as a whole.

While the facilities will be new, quality patient care has always been about people and the relationships that are built. Those who have been patients of Adena Fayette Medical Center will find the same skilled, compassionate caregivers they have come to rely upon over the years.

"It takes more than bricks and mortar to make a hospital," McCoy said. "What makes Adena Fayette Medical Center special now and what will continue to make it special in the new facility are the dedicated physicians, advanced practice providers, and the entire caregiving team who put the well-being of their patients first."

The new hospital construction will take place directly behind the current 74-year-old hospital on Columbus Avenue, thus ensuring that construction will not impact patients' access to care throughout the project.

About 14 months went into the design of the new hospital, utilizing feedback from not only leadership at Adena Fayette Medical Center and within the health system but from those who work every day within the walls of the current facility in determining such things as the most efficient space configurations and upgrades that will further enhance patient care. As a special nod to Fayette County, the design also incorporates subtle elements that pay tribute to the agricultural heritage of the community, its location within Washington Court House, and the resilience of the hospital's staff.

Most importantly, the design puts patient care and the ability to continue developing options for advancing that care above all else.

"This project aligns with our mission to be our region's most trusted partner in health care, so we're very excited about the opportunity this new hospital presents for Washington Court House and all of Fayette County," Graham said. "We are thrilled to be able to live up to our commitment to area residents and look forward to being an active partner in the exciting growth coming to this community."

For more about the new Adena Fayette Medical Center, its current health care providers and full range of services, visit Adena.org/Fayette.

Adena Health

Adena Health is an independent, not-for-profit and locally governed health care organization delivering on its mission, "called to serve our communities," for more than 125 years. A regional economic catalyst, Adena Health is composed of more than 4,200 employees  including more than 200 physicians and 150 advanced practice providers. With hospitals containing a total of 341 beds, regional health centers, emergency and urgent care services, and primary and specialty care practices, Adena Health serves more than 400,000 residents across nine counties in south central and southern Ohio through its network of more than 40 locations. Its hospitals include the 266-bed Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe and three 25-bed critical access hospitalsAdena Fayette Medical Center in Washington Court House; Adena Greenfield Medical Center in Greenfield; and Adena Pike Medical Center in Waverly. Adena Health specialty services include orthopedics and sports medicine, heart and vascular care, pediatric and women's health, and oncology services.

SOURCE Adena Health
ASHEVILLE, N.C., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of President Trump's new focus on North Carolina and recent visit to Asheville, NC, Democratic congressional candidate Caleb Rudow is redefining political engagement by combining compassionate action with effective politics. Over the past weeks, Rudow's campaign has seen increased donations and attention, which he has swiftly turned into community initiatives. These include distributing school supplies and personal hygiene products, welcoming students on their first day, and contributing $10,000 to MANNA FoodBank's hunger relief efforts across the district. This donation translates to 40,000 meals, directly combating food insecurity exacerbated by recent economic challenges.

Congressional Candidate, Caleb Rudow, Donates 40,000 Meals and Distributes School Supplies. Post this Photo Credit, Paul King Photo Credit, Rudow for Congress Photo Credit, Paul King

"Politicians must deliver on their promises through meaningful action," said Rudow. "Our campaign prioritizes people over politics, demonstrating that political resources can create immediate good in our communities."

Western North Carolina has seen a 19% increase in food insecurity this year, affecting over 23,000 children. Rudow's donation provides crucial support as pandemic-related food bank benefits expire nationwide.

"I aim to invest in our communities and use paid media to amplify these efforts," Rudow emphasized. "We show that effective politics can directly support our communities."

In August, Rudow's campaign engaged extensively with the community through four festivals celebrating local culture, five community events addressing local concerns, five house parties connecting intimately with voters, three 5Ks supporting local causes, and nine canvassing events to hear directly from constituents.

"August was a month of meaningful engagement and action," reflected Rudow. "We've listened to concerns, celebrated community spirit, and supported our neighbors. Our campaign exemplifies leadership through action, not just promises."

As the campaign progresses, Caleb Rudow continues to lead by example, challenging conventional norms by focusing on community impact and effective representation.

For more information on Caleb Rudow and his campaign, visit rudowforcongress.com.

About Caleb Rudow

Caleb Rudow is a Buncombe County native and Asheville High graduate. Caleb is proud to represent WNC in the NC General Assembly as a Democratic State House Representative for District 116 in Buncombe County. Caleb has a master's degree in Global Policy Studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Caleb has dedicated his life to public service, and at the heart of it all is his love for people and cultures and his desire to work towards a common goal.

CONTACT

Jefferson Ellison, Rudow for Congress

[email protected]

O: (828) 222-0456 / C: 828-505-6415

SOURCE Rudow for Congress
MIAMI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- From August 16 to 30, 2024, select Walgreens locations in Miami-Dade County continued their tradition of community support through their annual "Community Cares" campaign. During this period, Walgreens shoppers were given the opportunity to donate $1, $3, or $5 at checkout to support Care Resource, raising a total of $31,667.

Care Resource receives $31,667 from Walgreens during annual Community Cares campaign.

Keri Kratofil, PharmD, Chief Executive Officer of Care Resource, expressed gratitude for the support: "Thank you, Walgreens, for your commitment to supporting Care Resource's educational and medical programs, combating the effects of HIV/AIDS, and expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare for South Florida's communities. We are grateful for your continued support and partnership."

"The Community Cares Campaign showcases the power of corporate and community collaboration to enhance the health, well-being, and vitality of the communities we serve," said Georgia Lehoczky, RPH, Regional Healthcare Director at Walgreens. "Championing healthier communities is critical to both current and future generations."

Since its founding in 1901, Walgreens has demonstrated a strong commitment to giving back to the community and supporting health and well-being initiatives.

About Care Resource:

Care Resource is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with locations in Midtown Miami, Little Havana, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. The health center provides comprehensive health and support services to meet the needs of South Florida's pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations.

About Walgreens:

Walgreens (walgreens.com) is part of the United States segment of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., a leading integrated pharmacy, healthcare, and retail organization serving millions of customers and patients daily. With a 170-year legacy of community care, Walgreens operates nearly 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system, providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. Walgreens is dedicated to creating healthier communities by offering an omnichannel experience that integrates physical and digital platforms, supported by the latest technology.

SOURCE Care Resource
The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge features beautiful location with two-story floor plans from the high $700s

SEATTLE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS)one of the nation's largest homebuilders, an industry leader in online home sales, and the highest-ranked homebuilder on Newsweek's list of America's Most Trustworthy Companies 2024announced it will host a Grand Opening event on Saturday, September 7 for its anticipated new community in Marysville: The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge. The community is currently offering pre-Grand Opening opportunities on select new homes, available from the high $700s.

Hadley Floor Plan Rendering | The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge by Century Communities | New Homes in Marysville, WA Shelby Floor Plan Rendering | The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge by Century Communities | New Homes For Sale in Marysville, WA

Join community interest list and view pre-Grand Opening homes at www.CenturyCommunities.com/TheBluffsWA.

"Our second community in Marysville, The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge offers homebuyers an exceptional lineup of two-story floor plans in a beautiful location north of Seattle," said Mick Cermak, Washington Division President. "We're excited to have buyers and their agents out to our Grand Opening event to learn about available homes, as well as savings opportunities that make it easier for them to achieve their dream home."

GRAND OPENING EVENT

Saturday, September 7 | 10 AM to 12 PM

Grand Opening event will feature model home tours and complimentary refreshments, along with information about available homes and savings opportunities.

Tours and refreshments will begin at The Diamonds at Whiskey Ridge (located across the street from The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge).

8623 52nd Place Northeast

Marysville, WA 98270

425.599.2202

More About The Bluffs at Whiskey Ridge

Now pre-selling from the high $700s

Limited homesites available

Two-story floor plans

3 to 5 bedrooms, 2.25 to 2.5 bathrooms, up to 2,577 square feet

2-bay garages

Convenient setting north of Seattle along I-5

along I-5 Gourmet kitchens, maple wood cabinetry, quartz countertops and more included

DISCOVER THE FREEDOM OF ONLINE HOMEBUYING:

Century Communities is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in Washington.

How it works:

Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com

Click "Buy Now" on any available home

Fill out a quick Buy Online form

Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit

Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign

Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying.

About Century Communities

Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is one of the nation's largest homebuilders, an industry leader in online home sales, and the highest-ranked homebuilder on Newsweek's list of America's Most Trustworthy Companies 2024, consecutively awarded for a second year. Through its Century Communities and Century Complete brands, Century's mission is to build attractive, high-quality homes at affordable prices to provide its valued customers with A HOME FOR EVERY DREAM. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding  including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Company operates in 18 states and over 45 markets across the U.S., and also offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loans subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.

SOURCE Century Communities, Inc.
Leslie to be honored for his book, Chicago Skyscrapers 1934-1986: How Technology, Politics, Finance, & Race Reshaped the City

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Newberry Library and The Pattis Family Foundation will present the third annual $25,000 Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award during an event at the library on September 14. Thomas Leslie, author of Chicago Skyscrapers 1934-1986: How Technology, Politics, Finance, & Race Reshaped the City, will receive the award, which celebrates works that transform public understanding of Chicago, its history, and its people.

"Thomas Leslie's book is a wonderful example of a work that helps readers better understand Chicago," said Astrida Orle Tantillo, President and Librarian of the Newberry. "At first glance it is a book about architecturea topic of great interest to many Chicagoans. Chicago Skyscrapers is much more than that, however. It tells a compelling story about the politics, technology, and personalities behind the construction of some of Chicago's most iconic buildings and helps us better appreciate the history of how our city grew."

The award is open to writers working in a variety of genresall relating to Chicago. Post this

In addition to awarding Thomas Leslie, the juried panel also recognizes John William Nelson as the shortlist award recipient for authoring Muddy Ground: Native Peoples, Chicago's Portage, and the Transformation of the Continent. Nelson will receive an award of $2,500.

The presentation of the 2024 Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award takes place at a free, public event at the Newberry Library on Saturday, September 14. Both recipients will be recognized, and Thomas Leslie will discuss his work with newly appointed Chicago Tribune architecture columnist Ed Keegan. Emceed by journalist Rick Kogan, the event also serves as a celebration of the power of storytelling, featuring a lineup of speakers sharing their Chicago stories, a performance by the Joel Hall Dancers, and a presentation of items from the Newberry's collections. Visitors will also have the chance to view two Newberrry exhibitionsIndigenous Chicago and Chicago Style: Mike Royko and Windy City Journalism. The program gets under way at 1:30pm with the award presentation taking place at 3pm.

The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award is open to writers working in a variety of genres, including history, biography, social sciences, poetry, drama, graphic novels, and fictionall relating to Chicago. Toya Wolfe received the 2023 Pattis Award for Last Summer on State Street, and Dawn Turner received the inaugural award in 2022 for Three Girls from Bronzeville.

"I'm incredibly honored and grateful to have Chicago Skyscrapers 1934-1986 receive The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award," Leslie said. "The books that have received this award previously have helped me understand our city better, in all of its richness and complexity. I've always thought that architecture is one of the ways that people and cities tell their stories. I'm thrilled to have the book recognized for bringing these to light."

Leslie spent seven years as an architect with Norman Foster and Partners in London. He is now a professor of architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Leslie is the author of Louis I. Kahn: Building Art, Building Science; Chicago Skyscrapers, 1871-1934; and Beauty's Rigor: Patterns of Production in the Work of Pier Luigi Nervi.

Mark Pattis of The Pattis Family Foundation commented: "With the selection of Chicago Skyscrapers 1934-1986 as this year's award recipient, the Newberry Library continues the tradition of selecting a book that broadens the understanding of our city, its history, and its people. Our congratulations to Mr. Leslie and the other authors recognized by the selection committee. We are delighted to see so many different works about Chicago recognized and are grateful to the Newberry and the members of the selection committee for their dedication to the selection process."

SOURCE Newberry Library
NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation- The global cognac market size is estimated to grow by USD 897.31 million from 2023-2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 3.64% during the forecast period. Rising awareness of health benefits of cognac is driving market growth, with a trend towards consumption of cognac with food or as cocktail mix. However, growing competition from other alcoholic beverages poses a challenge. Key market players include Bacardi Ltd., Branded Spirits Ltd., CAMUS LA GRANDE MARQUE SAS, Cognac Meukow, Delord Freres SA, KELT International SARL, Louis Royer SA, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Maison Delamain, MAISON FERRAND, Pernod Ricard SA, Remy Cointreau SA, Suntory Holdings Ltd., Thomas HINE and Co., and Zino Davidoff SA.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Cognac Market 2023-2027

AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View your snapshot now

Forecast period 2023-2027 Base Year 2022 Historic Data 2017 - 2021 Segment Covered Distribution Channel (Off trade and On trade ), Product (VS, VSOP, and XO ), and Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Region Covered North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Key companies profiled Bacardi Ltd., Branded Spirits Ltd., CAMUS LA GRANDE MARQUE SAS, Cognac Meukow, Delord Freres SA, KELT International SARL, Louis Royer SA, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Maison Delamain, MAISON FERRAND, Pernod Ricard SA, Remy Cointreau SA, Suntory Holdings Ltd., Thomas HINE and Co., and Zino Davidoff SA

Key Market Trends Fueling Growth

Cognac is a versatile drink with a wide range of applications. It can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or diluted with water. Additionally, cognac is commonly used as a mixer in various cocktails such as Sidecar, B and B, Horses Neck, and Brandy Alexander. Brands like Hennessy and Meukow are popular choices due to their distinct flavors and high quality. Hennessy Black, in particular, is marketed as a mixable brandy with a delicate taste and high alcohol content, making it ideal for dilution and cocktail creation. Cognac's growing popularity is driven by consumers seeking unique experiences and moving away from traditional beverages. This trend is particularly noticeable in the US, where cognac is often associated with status and sophistication. As a result, the global cognac market is expected to grow due to the increasing number of restaurants and bars offering cognac-based cocktails.

The alcohol market, including cognac and other alcoholic brands, is experiencing trends such as increased online sales and alcohol-oriented communities. Brands like Hennessy and Torres continue to dominate the scene. Health-conscious consumers seek non-alcoholic beverages and RTD cocktail mixers. The Future Drinks Expo showcases innovative products like the Distell brand's non-alcoholic spirits. Renewable energy sources, such as wind farms from Dulacca, Karara, Flender, Moventas, Wind Prime, Dobele Wind Farm, Innergex Renewable Energy, Boswel Spring Wind, and Planetary gearboxes from Dana Motion Systems and Stork Gears, are powering the production of premium alcoholic liquors like very special cognac, distilled spirits, and craft beverages. Millennials prefer higher alcohol by volume and unique offerings, driving the demand for craft beverages and cocktail culture. Socialization remains a key factor in the consumption of premium alcoholic liquors in restaurants and bars. Copper pot stills continue to be used in the production of very special cognacs like Under Larsen's Double Toasted cognac. Fruit juice bases and white grapes are popular in the production of premium alcoholic liquors. The spirits volume consumption is expected to grow, driven by the cocktail culture and socialization trends.

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Market Challenges

The cognac market faces challenges from increasing competition with other alcoholic beverages, such as vodka, rum, and whiskey. This competition is expected to negatively impact sales and revenues in certain regions like Germany , France , Italy , Russia , Belgium , and Sweden . In APAC, China is the largest market for alcoholic beverages, but the market is dominated by Baijiu, and consumers prefer beer over spirits, which will negatively impact cognac sales. To sustain and grow in the competitive market, cognac manufacturers must focus on innovative marketing strategies and product development.

, , , , , and . In APAC, is the largest market for alcoholic beverages, but the market is dominated by Baijiu, and consumers prefer beer over spirits, which will negatively impact cognac sales. To sustain and grow in the competitive market, cognac manufacturers must focus on innovative marketing strategies and product development. The Cognac market faces unique challenges in the current business landscape. Millennials prefer lower alcohol by volume (ABV) drinks and are moving towards craft beverages, affecting the sales of traditional distilled spirits like Cognac. Copper pot stills are used to produce very special Cognacs under the Larsen brand, but the market for premium alcoholic liquors is increasingly competitive. The brewing industries and retail sectors, including restaurants and bars, are embracing premiumization, leading to a rise in sales of premium spirits. However, the pandemic phase has disrupted the profit outcome for the spirits industry, with online shopping platforms like Bacardi India gaining popularity. Gen Z and young adolescents are turning to health-imparting properties of alcohol, such as anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and anti-aging potential, which could open new opportunities for high-end cognacs. Brands like Bardinet, Barista cocktails, Quintessence, Revelation, and Grand Marnier are innovating with fruit juice bases and super-premium spirits. The ProWine trade fair is a key platform for showcasing these offerings to the global market. The spirits industry must adapt to these trends to maintain its share in the premium alcohol market.

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Segment Overview

This cognac market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Distribution Channel

1.1 Off trade

1.2 On trade

Product

2.1 VS

2.2 VSOP

2.3 XO

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 APAC

3.3 Europe

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Off trade- The Cognac market is a significant sector in the global spirits industry. Producers in the Cognac region of France create this distinctive brandy using specific grape varieties and following traditional methods. The market value has been growing steadily due to increasing demand, particularly in Asia. Exports to China and the US are major contributors to this growth. Consumers value Cognac for its unique taste and prestige, making it a premium spirit choice. Producers invest in research and development to maintain quality and innovation. The market is competitive, with key players like Hennessy, Remy Martin, and Martell dominating. Overall, the Cognac market is a thriving business with a rich heritage and promising future.

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Research Analysis

The Cognac market is experiencing a resurgence, particularly among Millennials who are rediscovering this very special distilled spirit. Cognac is known for its high alcohol by volume (ABV) and is traditionally produced using Copper pot stills. The Under Larsen brand, for instance, offers a Double Toasted cognac, adding an extra layer of complexity to the spirit. Cognac is a premium alcoholic liquor, often enjoyed neat or as a base for cocktails in the growing cocktail culture. Its consumption is not just limited to home settings but is also popular in restaurants and bars. The trend towards premiumization in the spirits industry is driving the growth of the Cognac market. Flender, Moventas, Wind Prime, Innergex Renewable Energy, Boswel Spring Wind, Dobele Wind Farm, and Karaara Wind Farm are some of the companies leading the charge in the renewable energy sector, powering the production of this craft beverage. White grapes, primarily Ugni Blanc and Colombard, are used to produce Cognac. The fruit juice base is fermented and distilled, resulting in a unique and delicious spirit. Despite the increasing popularity of craft beverages, Cognac remains a standout in the world of premium alcoholic liquors.

Market Research Overview

The Cognac market is experiencing a surge in demand, particularly among millennials and Gen Z, who are driving the trend towards craft beverages and premium alcoholic liquors. With an alcohol by volume range of 40-60%, cognac is a distilled spirit made primarily from white grapes, aged in copper pot stills. Its very special character and high-end status make it a popular choice for cocktail culture and socialization in restaurants and bars. The spirits industry, including cognac, has seen a shift towards premiumization and super-premium spirits, with sales of liquor reaching record highs despite the pandemic phase. The brewing industries and retail sectors are also capitalizing on this trend, with online shopping platforms and alcohol-oriented communities becoming increasingly popular. Cognac production involves distillation and aging in oak barrels, with brands like Bardinet, Barista cocktails, Campari Group, Quintessence, Revelation, and Grand Marnier leading the way. The health-imparting properties of cognac, including its anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and anti-aging potential, add to its allure. The spirits industry is also embracing renewable energy, with companies like Dana Motion Systems, Moventas, Wind Prime, Innergex Renewable Energy, Boswel Spring Wind, and Planetary gearboxes investing in wind energy to power their production processes. Despite the focus on premium spirits, non-alcoholic beverages and RTD cocktail mixers are also gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers. The Future Drinks Expo and ProWine trade fair are platforms for showcasing the latest innovations in the spirits industry. Overall, the market for cognac and other premium spirits is expected to continue growing, driven by changing consumer preferences and a focus on sustainability.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Distribution Channel

Off Trade



On Trade

Product

VS



VSOP



XO

Geography

North America



APAC



Europe



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

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SOURCE Technavio
Report highlights Deloitte's significant investments made into building its own IP and industry-specific solutions.

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte has been positioned as a Leader in Everest Group's Life & Annuity (L&A) Insurance IT Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024. Deloitte was one of only three service providers that have established strong credentials in assisting insurance carriers with comprehensive transformation needs and was positioned highest for Market Impact. Many leading organizations around the globe trust these comparative assessments because of their unbiased evaluation of factors such as vision, capabilities/functionality, talent availability, market success/impact, and cost.

"Life & Annuity carriers are navigating a complex business environment which requires multi-disciplinary IT capabilities. Deloitte's positioning as a Leader with the highest market impact in the Life and Annuity IT services provider market by Everest Group reaffirms Deloitte's excellence in delivering tailored IT capabilities to address a carrier's unique business expectations," says Santosh Kutty, Life and Annuity/Group Technology leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "We're proud of our L&A IT capabilities and curated technology ecosystem which enable our client's business transformation goals, and we are grateful for this acknowledgement."

As a Leader, Deloitte is part of a leading class cohort providing L&A insurance IT services as the industry grapples with "aging legacy systems, changes in regulatory compliance, and evolving market dynamics," according to Everest Group. Deloitte's well-rounded portfolio of work is focused on delivering custom and third-party platform-based solutions that guide clients to excel in areas like pension risk transfer (PRT), retirement and pension omnichannel experience management, L&A distribution channel digitization, and life or group benefits modernization.

"We appreciate that Everest Group provides a specific Life & Annuity Insurance focus and Deloitte's highest Market Impact rating is also a credit to our clients and technology platform collaborators," says Doug Welch, Life Annuity Market lead, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "We plan to continue combining deep technology skills with the deep domain knowledge, differentiated talent model, significant investments in industry-specific solutions which has been proven to best assist our clients."

Everest Group's report also recognized Deloitte as the only Leader that ranked high overall in both market impact and vision capability, which accounts for influence over market adoption, portfolio mix, value delivered, vision and strategy, scope of services offered, innovation and investments, and delivery footprint.

The report evaluated 24 leading services providers, providing a comprehensive profile of service focus, key IP or solutions, domain investments, and case studies. The assessment itself is based on Everest Group's annual Request for Information (RFI) process for calendar year 2024, interactions with Life & Annuity Insurance IT service providers, client reference checks, and an ongoing analysis of the L&A Insurance IT services market.

About Deloitte



Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), its global network of member firms, and their related entities (collectively, the "Deloitte organization"). DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") and each of its member firms and related entities are legally separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm and related entity is liable only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of each other. DTTL does not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more.

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, financial advisory, and risk advisory services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500 and thousands of private companies. Our people deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable society, and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 457,000 people worldwide make an impact that matters at www.deloitte.com.

For more about Deloitte Analyst Relations, please visit our Analyst Recognitions page.

SOURCE Deloitte Global
JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP) (the "Company", "we", "us" or "EastGroup") announced today its recent business activity.

Commenting on the Company's activity, Marshall Loeb, CEO, stated, "We continue to be pleased by the resiliency of the Sunbelt, shallow bay industrial market. Our year to date results remain in line to slightly ahead of our forecast. Looking ahead, we are excited to see the market opportunities that will be created given the rapid decline in the industrial construction pipeline along with slowly improving tenant demand. To take advantage of the potential opportunities, we continue to improve the strength and flexibility of our balance sheet."

In August, EastGroup acquired Hays Commerce Center 3 & 4, which contains two industrial buildings totaling 179,000 square feet in Austin, for approximately $36,000,000. This property, which was developed in 2022, is 100% leased to five tenants, increasing the Company's ownership in Austin to approximately 1,756,000 square feet.

As of September 4, 2024, EastGroup's portfolio was 97.0% leased and 96.8% occupied. During the third quarter of 2024 to date, 1,355,000 square feet of new and renewal leases were signed with rental rate increases averaging 51.2% on a straight-line basis and 35.8% on a cash basis.

During the third quarter of 2024 to date, EastGroup began construction of two development projects located in Houston and Austin which will contain approximately 310,000 square feet and have projected total costs of approximately $40,000,000.

Also, during the third quarter of 2024 to date, the Company executed five leases on development properties totaling approximately 250,000 square feet.

During the third quarter of 2024 to date, EastGroup sold 162,100 shares of common stock directly through its sales agents under its continuous common equity offering program at a weighted average price of $185.07 per share, providing aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $30,000,000.

In addition, during the third quarter of 2024 to date, EastGroup entered into forward equity sale agreements with respect to 502,958 shares of common stock with an initial weighted average forward price of $186.56 per share and approximate gross sales proceeds of $94,000,000, based on the initial forward price. The Company did not receive any proceeds from the sale of common shares by the forward purchasers at the time it entered into forward equity sale agreements. Also, during the third quarter of 2024 to date, the Company settled outstanding forward equity sale agreements that were previously entered into under its continuous common equity offering program by issuing 300,502 shares of common stock in exchange for net proceeds of approximately $49,000,000. As of September 4, 2024, EastGroup had 802,509 shares of common stock available for settlement prior to the expiration of the applicable settlement periods ranging from June 2025 to September 2025, for approximate net proceeds of $143,000,000, based on a weighted average forward price of $178.25 per share.

Management is scheduled to participate in two upcoming conferences:

The 16th Annual Evercore ISI Real Estate Conference on Friday, September 6, 2024

Bank of America Securities 2024 Global Real Estate Conference scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024 through Wednesday, September 11, 2024

During the conferences, EastGroup executives may discuss the Company's transaction activity, leasing environment, market trends and conditions, financial matters and other business that may be affecting the Company. Presentation materials that may be referenced during the EastGroup presentations are available on the "Investor Relations" page of the Company's website.

About EastGroup Properties, Inc.

EastGroup, a member of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 and Russell 1000 Indexes, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers (primarily in the 20,000 to 100,000 square foot range). The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup's portfolio, including development projects and value-add acquisitions in lease-up and under construction, currently includes approximately 60.3 million square feet. EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net.

Forward-Looking Information

The statements and certain other information contained herein, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "seek," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "targets," "intends," "should," "estimates," "could," "continue," "assume," "projects," "goals," "plans" and variations of such words and similar expressions or the negative of such words, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views about its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and on assumptions it has made. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects as reflected in or suggested by those forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that such plans, intentions, expectations, strategies or prospects will be attained or achieved. Furthermore, these forward-looking statements should be considered as subject to the many risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company's operations and business environment. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to: international, national, regional and local economic conditions; the competitive environment in which the Company operates; fluctuations of occupancy or rental rates; potential defaults (including bankruptcies or insolvency) on or non-renewal of leases by tenants, or our ability to lease space at current or anticipated rents, particularly in light of the impacts of inflation; disruption in supply and delivery chains; construction costs could increase as a result of inflation impacting the costs to develop properties; acquisition and development risks, including failure of such acquisitions and development projects to perform in accordance with projections or to materialize at all; potential changes in the law or governmental regulations and interpretations of those laws and regulations, including changes in real estate laws or real estate investment trust ("REIT") or corporate income tax laws, potential changes in zoning laws, or increases in real property tax rates, and any related increased cost of compliance; our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT; natural disasters such as fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes; pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the coronavirus pandemic; availability of financing and capital, increase in interest rates, and ability to raise equity capital on attractive terms; financing risks, including the risks that our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest, and we may be unable to refinance our existing debt upon maturity or obtain new financing on attractive terms or at all; our ability to retain our credit agency ratings; our ability to comply with applicable financial covenants; credit risk in the event of non-performance by the counterparties to our interest rate swaps; how and when pending forward equity sales may settle; lack of or insufficient amounts of insurance; litigation, including costs associated with prosecuting or defending claims and any adverse outcomes; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks related to the failure, inadequacy or interruption of our data security systems and processes, including security breaches through cyber attacks; potentially catastrophic events such as acts of war, civil unrest and terrorism; and environmental liabilities, including costs, fines or penalties that may be incurred due to necessary remediation of contamination of properties presently owned or previously owned by us. All forward-looking statements should be read in light of the risks identified in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors within the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's periodic filings and current reports filed with the SEC. The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE EastGroup Properties
Acquisition expected to transform Energy Fuels into a world leading rare earth element, titanium and zirconium producer, while maintaining its position as a U.S.-leading uranium producer

DENVER, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), an industry leader in uranium and rare earth elements ("REE") production for the energy transition, is pleased to announce that it has achieved a major milestone toward its planned acquisition of Base Resources ("Base") with the approval of the acquisition by Base shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders held in Perth, Australia on September 5, 2024. Further, as previously announced by Base, all required regulatory approvals for the acquisition have been obtained.

Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels stated:

"We are pleased that the Base shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve Energy Fuels' combination with Base Resources. We believe that the combined company will clearly emerge as a world-leader in producing several of the critical minerals and materials needed for the clean energy transition. The Toliara, Bahia and Donald projects are expected to become large-scale, world-class, and low-cost heavy mineral sand projects in the coming years, producing titanium, zirconium and rare earth minerals. Energy Fuels is uniquely placed in the world to unlock the value of the rare earth minerals (monazite and xenotime) at our White Mesa Mill, and we have proven our ability to recover and produce advanced separated rare earth materials in the USA. I am also very pleased to see recent improvements in REE prices, with the price of NdPr recently increasing to $60.21 per kilogram.

We look forward to completing the next steps in our acquisition of Base Resources and closing the Transaction on October 2, 2024."

Base Shareholders Overwhelming Vote in Favor of Combination with Energy Fuels:

As previously announced on April 21, 2024, Energy Fuels entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the issued shares of Base in consideration of the issuance by the Company of 0.026 Energy Fuels Common Shares for every Base share held and the payment by Base of a special dividend of AUD $0.065 per Base share (the "Transaction"). The Transaction is to be effected by way of a scheme of arrangement under Australia's Corporations Act (the "Scheme").

At their September 5, 2024 meeting, the shareholders of Base overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Scheme, with 99.88% of the votes cast by Base shareholders in favor of the transaction, and 93.18% of the Base shareholders present and voting (in person or by proxy) in favor of the transaction. Both voting results significantly exceed the requirements for shareholder approval, being more than 75% of the votes cast and more than 50% of the shareholders present.

As a next step, Base will apply to the Federal Court of Australia (the "Court") for approval of the Scheme, which is scheduled to occur on September 12, 2024. If the Court approves the Scheme, a copy of the Court order will be lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ("ASIC") and the Scheme will become effective, which is expected to occur on September 13, 2024. As a result, September 13, 2024 is expected to be Base's last day of trading on the Australian Stock Exchange ("ASX"). The Special Dividend (AUD$0.065 per share) is expected to be paid to Base shareholders on October 1, 2024, and Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur on October 2, 2024. The closing remains subject to this Court approval and other routine conditions.

All Required Regulatory Approvals have been Obtained:

On July 1, 2024, Base received notice from the Competition Authority of Kenya that it had approved the proposed combination pursuant to the Competition Act of Kenya. On August 21 2024, Base announced that Energy Fuels had received written confirmation from the Foreign Investment Review Board that the Australian government has no objections to the proposed combination, and on August 27, 2024, Base received confirmation from the Malagasy Competition Council that it does not object to the proposed combination of Energy Fuels and Base and that the Transaction may proceed. As a result, all the regulatory conditions precedent to the Scheme are considered satisfied, and there are no remaining regulatory approval conditions precedent to implementation of the Scheme and closing of the Transaction.

The acquisition of Base Resources and its 100%-owned Toliara Mineral Sand Project in Madagascar ("Toliara"), together with the Company's 100%-owned Bahia Mineral Sand Project in Brazil ("Bahia") and the Company's recently announced joint venture with Astron Corporation to develop the Donald Mineral Sand Project in Australia ("Donald"), is expected to transform Energy Fuels into a world-leader in REE's, titanium, and zirconium production, while maintaining it's position as a leading U.S. uranium mining producer. The Toliara, Bahia, and Donald projects are heavy mineral sand ("HMS") projects that, upon development, will primarily produce titanium and zirconium minerals, including ilmenite, rutile, and zircon. Subject to receipt of further permitting and development, these HMS projects are also expected to produce a valuable monazite sand byproduct, which is one of the best sources of the "magnet" REE's used in electric vehicles ("EVs"), plug-in hybrid vehicles, direct-drive wind energy, and other technologies. The Toliara Project is expected to be Energy Fuels' cornerstone source of monazite supply, providing a long-term and large-scale supply of monazite to the Company's White Mesa Mill in Utah (the "Mill") for processing into REE oxides and other advanced REE materials, along with the recovery of contained uranium. As the monazite is expected to be a very low-cost byproduct of Toliara's primary ilmenite and zircon production, the production of REE oxides at the Mill is expected to be low-cost and globally competitive. The Toliara Project is subject to negotiation of fiscal terms with the Madagascar government and the receipt of certain Madagascar government approvals and actions before a current suspension on activities at the Toliara Project will be lifted and development may occur.

Energy Fuels Successfully Commissions REE Separation Circuit; Turns Focus to Uranium Production for the Remainder of 2024:

During Q2- and Q3-2024, the Company successfully commissioned an REE separation circuit at its 100%-owned White Mesa Mill. This "Phase 1" circuit has the capacity to produce up to 1,000 metric tons ("tonnes") of separated NdPr per year. During commissioning, the Company recovered, dried, and packaged approximately 40 tonnes of high-purity, on-spec separated NdPr. The Company estimates that it recovered an additional 10 to 20 tonnes of separated NdPr, which remains in circuit and will be packaged at a later date. This 50  60 tonnes of NdPr production exceeds the Company's original guidance of 25  35 tonnes by over 40%.

The Company is currently in the process of shifting its production focus at the Mill from REE's to uranium. During 2024, the Company expects to produce 150,000 to 500,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 from stockpiled alternate feed materials and conventional ore. In addition, ore production and underground development at its Pinyon Plain and La Sal mines continues on schedule and on budget.

ABOUT ENERGY FUELS

Energy Fuels is a leading US-based critical minerals company. The Company, as a leading producer of uranium in the United States, mines uranium and produces natural uranium concentrates that are sold to major nuclear utilities for the production of carbon-free nuclear energy. Energy Fuels recently began production of advanced rare earth element ("REE") materials, including mixed REE carbonate in 2021, and commenced production of commercial quantities of separated REEs in 2024. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant, and is evaluating the recovery of radionuclides needed for emerging cancer treatments. Its corporate offices are in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver, and substantially all its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds two of America's key uranium production centers: the White Mesa Mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery ("ISR") Project in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the US today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant, as well as REE products, from various uranium-bearing ores. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is on standby and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Company recently acquired the Bahia Project in Brazil and entered into a joint venture agreement to develop the Donald Project in Australia, each of which is believed to have significant quantities of titanium (ilmenite and rutile), zirconium (zircon) and REE (monazite) minerals. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the US and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU," and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "Forward Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: any expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a leading U.S.-based critical minerals company or as a leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; any expectation with respect to timelines to production; any expectation as to rates or quantities of production; any expectation as to costs of production; any expectation that the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project, if acquired, will be fully permitted and developed; any expectation that, upon development, the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project will be low-cost sources of monazite feed for the Mill; any expectation that the acquisition of Base Resources will be completed or if completed, completed on the terms and time proposed; any expectation that any production at the Bahia Project, Donald Project and/or Toliara Project, if acquired, or Mill will be world or globally competitive; any expectation that Energy Fuels will be successful in agreeing on fiscal terms with the Government of Madagascar or in achieving sufficient fiscal and legal stability for the Toliara Project, if acquired; any expectation that the current suspension relating to the Toliara Project will be lifted in the near future or at all; any expectation that the additional permits for the recovery of Monazite at the Bahia, Donald and Toliara Projects will be acquired on a timely basis or at all; any expectation that the Toliara Project will become a world-class HMS project; and any expectation that the Company's evaluation of radioisotope recovery at the Mill will be successful. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely," "budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity prices and price fluctuations; engineering, construction, processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting and licensing requirements and delays; changes to regulatory requirements; legal challenges; the availability of feed sources for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion; government and political actions; the failure of the Company to complete the acquisition of Base Resources; the failure of the Government of Madagascar to agree on fiscal terms for the Toliara Project or provide the approvals necessary to achieve sufficient fiscal and legal stability on acceptable terms and conditions or at all; the failure of the current suspension affecting the Toliara Project to be lifted on a timely basis or at all; the failure of the Company to obtain the required permits for the recovery of Monazite from the Bahia, Donald and/or Toliara Projects; the failure of the Company to provide or obtain the necessary financing required to develop the Bahia, Donald and/or Toliara Projects; available supplies of monazite; the ability of the Mill to produce REE carbonate, REE oxides or other REE products to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs or at all; market factors, including future demand for HMS and/or REEs; actual results may differ from all such estimates and projections; the ability of the Mill to recover radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar , on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca , and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com . Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.
Franchisor Achieves New Milestones, Issues Highest Number of Sales Achievement Awards

CARROLLTON, Texas, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the world's leading custom sign and visual solutions franchisor with more than 770 FASTSIGNS centers worldwide, hosted its 14th annual Outside Sales Summit August 22-24 in Schaumburg, Ill. The event achieved record attendance with over 600 participants, including franchisees, sales professionals, corporate staff and exhibitors.

FASTSIGNS Outside Sales Summit 2024

"Our 14th Outside Sales Summit in Schaumburg was an exhilarating experience for FASTSIGNS attendees. This year's event was the highest attended for the network, and I am proud to say we issued the most sales awards given to date for individual sales excellence," said FASTSIGNS President Andrea Hohermuth. "We also unveiled our new Value Selling System emphasizing the value we bring to our customers and the ongoing relationships we have with them."

With the theme "Lead With Value", the FASTSIGNS 2024 Outside Sales Summit celebrated the network's sales achievements between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, and added two new awards: The Diamond Award for Outside Sales Professionals who achieved over $2 million in sales, and The Rising Star Award, recognizing an outstanding Outside Sales Professional, promoted from within the center in 2022 or 2023, who achieved the highest total sales in their first full 12 months as an Outside Sales Professional.

At the awards event, 307 Outside Sales Professionals were recognized, including nine individuals who received the new Diamond Sales Award for achieving over $2 million in individual sales during the 12-month period, 46 Platinum Sales Award winners for sales between $1 million to $1.9 million, 64 Gold Sales Award winners for sales between $700,000 to $999,999, 63 Silver Sales Award winners for sales between $500,000 to $699,999 and 125 Bronze Sales Award winners for sales between $300,000 to $499,999.

Shelly Wells from FASTSIGNS of Tigard, Ore., was recognized as this year's recipient of the Catherine Monson Salesperson of the Year Award, marking the sixth year for this honor. With this award, FASTSIGNS recognizes one Outside Sales Professional who best represents the concept and the spirit of the brand, both in the business community and within the FASTSIGNS network.

Additional awards included The National Sales Achievement Award for the highest total sales, The CRM Ambassador Award for outstanding proficiency, dedication and innovative use of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. Ten center employees received the Circle of Excellence Award recognizing their daily commitment to the success and growth of their FASTSIGNS center. The Rookie of the Year Award was issued to an individual with the highest total sales in their first full 12 months of employment. An additional 63 individuals became Certified FASTSIGNS Sales Executives after completing an extensive certification program.

Featured speakers included FASTSIGNS President Andrea Hohermuth and Damon Dunn, a Dunkin' brand operator and the founder and CEO of Lagunita Franchise Operations. Jay Baer, bestselling author and sales growth catalyst, also spoke at the event. Speakers also covered a variety of topics, including AI, creating proactive inside sales cultures, managing personalities for sales growth and more, along with informative roundtable discussions.

FASTSIGNS franchisees and their employees, vendors and FASTSIGNS International, Inc. corporate staff participated in the FASTSIGNS Community Giveback "Breakfast with a Purpose" event to assemble 200 care packages for teachers and single-parent families in the Chicago area with the nonprofit Brightpoint. This giveback event was also made possible by the generous support of the FASTSIGNS Community Giveback sponsors, including Colex Finishing, Epson, Graphic Image Flooring, Grimco, iZone imaging, Kapco, Retreva, Specialty Tapes Manufacturing (STM), Plasticade and WS Display.

Some 90 vendors participated in this year's Outside Sales Summit, including Diamond sponsors Epson, Fellers, Grimco and Signs365 as well as Gold sponsor 3M and Silver sponsors 4Over and Avery Dennison. The Opening Night Networking Party was sponsored by Retreva.

"Leading With Value is not just our theme, but our commitment to our customers, our community and our network," said Hohermuth. "By focusing on delivering exceptional value, we ensure that our growth is sustainable and that our impact is meaningful. This summit has reinforced our dedication to these principles and has inspired us to continue pushing the boundaries of excellence."

About FASTSIGNS:

FASTSIGNS is the leader in the custom signs and visual solutions industry. With nearly 40 years of experience, FASTSIGNS helps customers bring their vision to life and achieve more than they ever thought possible. As the largest service-oriented business within the Propelled Brands family, FASTSIGNS spans over 770 independently owned and operated centers across the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, Malta, the Dominican Republic and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE).

FASTSIGNS is frequently recognized for franchisee satisfaction and with awards that include being ranked #1 in its category on Entrepreneur's highly competitive Franchise 500 List in 2024 for the eighth consecutive year, and being named a 2024 Best-in-Category Franchise by Franchise Business Review for the sixth consecutive year.

For more information or to learn about opportunities, visit fastsigns.com .

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.
CINCINNATI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Scripps Howard Fund will honor the best in American journalism during the 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards on Oct. 20. From excellence in breaking news and investigative reporting  to visual storytelling and opinion writing, this year's finalists produced journalism that not only informed but transformed.

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, one of the nation's most prestigious journalism competitions, honor work from television stations and networks, radio and podcasts, visual media, online media outlets, independent producers, newspapers and print publications.

"The journalism produced by this year's finalists exposed wrongdoing, held the powerful accountable, shaped policies and helped correct historical records," said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund. "The 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards will shine a light on the responsibility these journalists have to tell their community's stories  and serve as democracy's watchdog."

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards judges  a panel of veteran journalists and media leaders  selected this year's finalists from 775 entries across 14 categories. The Fund will present $170,000 in prize money to the winning news organizations and journalists.

The winners will be announced during a special program airing at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Scripps News. The awards show, hosted by Christian Bryant, also will reveal the winner of the coveted Impact Award, which is chosen from the finalists of the other 14 categories. The award honors the journalism that produced the greatest impact.

The 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards finalists are:

View the gallery of finalists here.

Excellence in Audio Storytelling, honoring Jack R. Howard

Rococo Punch and iHeart Podcasts  "The Turning: Room of Mirrors"

Serial Productions and The New York Times  "The Retrievals"

The Boston Globe in association with HBO Documentary Films  "Murder in Boston"

Excellence in Breaking News

The Associated Press  "Deadly Maui Wildfires"fall

Lookout Santa Cruz  "Santa Cruz County Storms"

Los Angeles Times  "A Massacre in Monterey Park"

Excellence in Business/Financial Reporting

KFF Health News  "Payback: Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash"

ProPublica and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in collaboration with the Medill Investigative Lab  "With Every Breath: Millions of Breathing Machines. One Dangerous Defect"

The New York Times  "Alone and Exploited"

Excellence in Environmental Reporting, honoring Edward W. "Ted" Scripps II

San Francisco Chronicle  "Firefighters are Being Poisoned by Wildfire Smoke. We're Doing Little to Protect Their Health"

The New York Times  "Uncharted Waters"

The Washington Post  "The Human Limit"

Distinguished Service to the First Amendment, honoring Edward Willis Scripps

Hearst Connecticut Media Group  "Transparency Failures Sow Distrust in City Marred by Corruption"

Open Vallejo  "'No Responsive Records': How Vallejo Hid Killings by Police"

The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle  "Marion Record Raid"

Excellence in Innovation, honoring Roy W. Howard

ProPublica  "Roots of an Outbreak"

ProPublica and The Desert Sun  "Thirsty Valley"

The Washington Post  "3D Analyses of Violence in the West Bank"

Excellence in Local/Regional Investigative Reporting

City Bureau and Invisible Institute  "Missing in Chicago"

Miami Herald  "The Foreclosure Franchise"

The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Columbus Dispatch, Akron Beacon Journal, Canton Repository  "Chaos in Ohio's Youth Lockups"

Excellence in Local Video Storytelling, honoring Jack R. Howard

KARE-TV Minneapolis  "KARE 11 Investigates: Broken Promises"

KUSA-TV Denver and WTSP-TV  "UNDETERMINED"

New York Amsterdam News  "Be-Loved"

Excellence in Multimedia Journalism

The Associated Press  "Adrift"

Reuters  "The Bat Lands"

The Boston Globe  "Nightmare in Mission Hill"

Excellence in Narrative Human-Interest Storytelling, honoring Ernie Pyle

NPR  "Ukraine Kindergarten"

The Boston Globe  "Nightmare in Mission Hill"

The Texas Tribune  "She Was Told Her Twin Sons Wouldn't Survive. Texas Law Made Her Give Birth Anyway."

Excellence in National/International Investigative Reporting, the Ursula and Gilbert Farfel Prize

ProPublica  "Friends of the Court"

Reuters  "The Musk Industrial Complex"

The New York Times  "Alone and Exploited"

Excellence in National/International Video Storytelling, honoring Jack R. Howard

FRONTLINE (PBS)  "Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court"

FRONTLINE (PBS) and The Associated Press  "20 Days in Mariupol"

Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting  "Victim/Suspect"

Excellence in Opinion Writing

Coda Story and Ukrainska Pravda  "Fallout: Tracking the Global Impacts of Russia's War in Ukraine"

Los Angeles Times  "Inside Out: Normalizing Incarceration to Increase Public Safety"

The Washington Post  "Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness"

Excellence in Visual Human-Interest Storytelling

El Paso Times  "Dreams, despair & death  A migrant's journey. A year of covering the Immigration crisis"

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution  "The South Got Something To Say"

NBC News  "On Assignment with Richard Engel: Ukraine's Secret Resistance"

The Scripps Howard Fund, in partnership with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication also announced the winners and finalists for its two journalism education awards:

Teacher of the Year

Winner: Nicole Kraft, The Ohio State University

Finalist: Leon Alligood, Middle Tennessee State University

Administrator of the Year

Winner: Ann Brill, University of Kansas

Finalist: Laura Lindenfeld, Stony Brook University

These national awards recognize excellence in teaching and administration within journalism and communication programs. Both awards were presented at the 2024 AEJMC Conference in August.

Learn more about past Scripps Howard Journalism Award winners at SHJAwards.org.

Media contact: Molly Miossi, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3713, [email protected]

About the Scripps Howard Fund

The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education, childhood literacy and local causes. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry's top honors for outstanding journalism. The Fund's annual "If You Give a Child a Book " childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. The Fund partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support organizations that build thriving communities. The Scripps Howard Fund administers funding for the Scripps Howard Foundation, a private foundation established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families.

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company
Leveraging the power of the cloud and AI to improve clinical outcomes

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Odin Medical Ltd., an Olympus Corporation company, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the first cloud-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology designed to assist gastroenterologists in detecting suspected colorectal polyps during colonoscopy procedures, the CADDIE computer-aided detection (CADe) device.

In the constantly evolving, fast-paced world of AI, this innovative cloud-based technology supports doctors to improve the detection of the early signs of colorectal cancer using AI software that can be remotely updated. The flexibility, speed-to-innovation, and potential cost-savings of a cloud-based system are designed to help endoscopists provide a high level of care to patients.

"Together with Olympus, we are proud to bring this groundbreaking technology to the U.S. The cloud gives us the ability to keep hospitals up-to-date with advances in AI and gives peace of mind to doctors that they can easily access current technology for their patients," said Peter Mountney, Ph.D., CEO of Odin Vision.

CADDIE device improves adenomas detected per colonoscopy

A prospective, multi-center randomized controlled trial successfully demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the CADDIE device, underscoring its potential to enhance detection capabilities and patient care without increasing procedural risks or duration. The trial was conducted across eight medical centers in Europe.

"The trial shows that use of the CADDIE device improved the adenomas detected per colonoscopy, which is linked to cancer prevention.i The potential for this system to support more endoscopists in helping more patients is truly exciting," said Professor Alessandro Repici, Chairman, Department of Gastroenterology at Humanitas University & Humanitas Research Hospital, Italy, and principal investigator of the trial.

The CADDIE device works by analyzing colonoscopy video in real-time and using visual markers to alert the endoscopist to the potential presence of polyps. The endoscopist is responsible for reviewing the CADDIE device's suspected polyp areas and confirming the presence or absence of a polyp based on their own medical judgment.

Olympus aims to reduce the societal burden of colorectal cancer

Supporting advancements in colorectal cancer screening and detection, Olympus aims to reduce the societal burden of lives lost to colorectal cancer, which is expected to claim more than 53,000 lives in the U.S. in 2024ii and is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women in the U.S.iii Of concern is the rising incidence of colorectal cancer in people under 50, with forecasting models predicting that colorectal cancer will be the leading cause of cancer deaths in people under 50 by 2030.iv Early detection has never been more important. More than 90% of patients survive five years or more when the cancer is found at an early stage.v

Improving the effectiveness of colonoscopy, considered the gold standard for colorectal screening,vi by strengthening clinical decision-making is one of the primary goals of the Olympus Intelligent Endoscopy Ecosystem, which will leverage the CADDIE device's cloud connectivity and AI capabilities.

"As a global leader in endoscopy, it is our vision to make AI a key component of our digital transformation," said Miquel Angel Garcia, Global Head of Endoscopy Solutions Ecosystem at Olympus Corporation. "Odin's success with this FDA clearance is an important step forward. A digitally transformed endoscopy ecosystem has the potential to support doctors and hospitals as they navigate global industry mega trends like cost pressures and staff shortages, in the context of an aging population. We are very excited about the huge opportunities for patients and healthcare systems that these advancements make possible."

The CADDIE device is not intended to replace a full patient evaluation, nor is it intended to be relied upon to make a primary interpretation of endoscopic procedures, medical diagnosis, or recommendations of treatment/course of action for patients. The CADDIE device is limited to use with standard white-light endoscopy imaging only.

About Olympus

At Olympus, we are committed to Our Purpose of making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals to provide best-in-class solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states. For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit olympus-global.com and follow our global X account: @Olympus_Corp.

About Odin Vision

Odin Vision, an Olympus company, is a pioneering Cloud AI endoscopy company. Our mission is to revolutionize endoscopy with the next generation of cloud AI-enabled applications. Odin Vision is a trading name of Odin Medical Ltd. For more information, visit odin-vision.com and follow our updates on the X account: @Odin_Vision.

i Schottinger JE, Jensen CD, Ghai NR, et al. Association of Physician Adenoma Detection Rates With Postcolonoscopy Colorectal Cancer. JAMA. 2022;327(21):21142122. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.6644

ii Key Statistics for Colorectal Cancer. Cancer.org. Revised Jan. 29, 2024. Accessed Aug. 2, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html.

iii Cancer Statistics. Cancer.gov. Updated May 9, 2024. Accessed Aug. 15, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics.

iv Chun-Wei Pan C, Villaroman A, Cuartas MC, Gupta S. Rising trend of early-onset colorectal cancer in the US: Incidence and projections to 2030 [Abstract]. J. Clin. Oncol. 2024;42(16). doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.e15523

v Survival Rates for Colorectal Cancer. Cancer.org. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html. Revised Jan. 17, 2024.

vi Colorectal Cancer: What You Should Know About Screening. FDA.gov. Revised March 28, 2024. Accessed Aug. 2, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/colorectal-cancer-what-you-should-know-about-screening.

SOURCE Olympus Corporation
Multiple attorneys named to the Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch lists.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominguez Firm proudly announces that five of its distinguished attorneys have been included in the highly respected 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists. This achievement underscores the firm's commitment to legal excellence and the outstanding contributions of its legal team.

Best Lawyers - One's To Watch Dominguezfirm.com

Partner and Supervising Attorney Larry J. Litzky has been named to the 2025 Best Lawyers in America list in the category of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Larry's inclusion marks his second appearance on this prestigious list. He was previously honored in 2021. As a Partner and Supervising Attorney at The Dominguez Firm, he oversees the firm's complex serious accident cases, employing his extensive legal expertise and strategic decision-making to secure justice and significant compensation for injured clients.

In addition, four Dominguez Firm attorneys were included in the 2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list. This list highlights promising legal talents who have demonstrated excellence in their respective practice areas with 5-9 years of private practice experience.

Partner Patricia Alabise was honored for her exemplary work in Personal Injury Law  Plaintiffs. She earns her third consecutive placement on the Ones to Watch list. Patricia has consistently demonstrated her ability to navigate the complexities of personal injury cases, delivering outstanding results for her clients. Her leadership within the firm and the legal community sets a high standard for her peers.

Joining Patricia on the Ones to Watch list are, Attorneys Analicia Avila, Angella Farokhzad, and Pamela Rodriguez. Analicia, who has earned this accolade for the second consecutive year, continues to excel in representing clients in personal injury cases with tenacity and compassion. Angella and Pamela are also making their second appearance on this list. They have also established themselves as formidable litigators in personal injury law, bringing dedication and innovation to every case they handle.

Having multiple attorneys from The Dominguez Firm on these esteemed lists highlights the firm's exceptional legal team and commitment to the highest standards of practice. Founder and CEO, Attorney J.J. Dominguez, remarked, "We are extremely proud of Larry, Patricia, Analicia, Angella, and Pamela for this well-deserved honor. Their work on behalf of our clients and profession is a cornerstone of our firm's success."

This year's edition of Best Lawyers marked a significant milestone, with an unprecedented level of participation from the legal community. Over 250,000 attorneys contributed to the rigorous peer-review process, underscoring the value of peer recognition within the profession. These evaluations ensure the honored attorneys are truly among the best in their fields.

The Dominguez Firm is a powerhouse personal injury law firm that has been helping clients for over 30 years. For a free consultation, call (800) 818-1818. Available 24/7.

Media contact:

Rosalia Tredwell

[email protected]

(213)388-7788

SOURCE The Dominguez Firm, LLP
AS GROCERY PRICES SKYROCKET THE AMOUNT OF EXTRA MONEY FAMILIES NEED PER WEEK TO THRIVE REACHES ITS HIGHEST POINT IN OVER 20 YEARS

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This September, Food Bank For New York City joins forces with major hunger-relief organizations across the country for Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness about and take action against food insecurity, which continues to impact hundreds of thousands of families right here in New York City.

Currently, even with two workers in the household, 1 in 3 NYC families are struggling to make ends meet with 50% of New York City families unable to afford the rising costs of food and rent. As families make sacrifices to keep food on the table and lights on overhead, they turn to organizations such as Food Bank, for the protein, fresh produce, and culturally relevant food items they need to thrive. Food Bank For New York City continues to see an increase in the number of visits families across New York City are having to make, which is why we need all New Yorkers to join Food Bank in the fight against hunger NOW.

"Times have never been tougher for the families we serve across New York City," said Leslie Gordon, Food Bank For New York City President & CEO. "Many of the moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who come to our doors are working multiple jobs to make ends meet... and still struggling to put food on the table. That's why we need all our neighbors to join us in the fight against hunger now... not just for one family, but for all the families making unbelievable sacrifices to feed the people they love most."

Families help each other survive in New York City, whether it's a family of origin or a chosen family of neighbors and friends. At a time when more than 1.2 million New Yorkers are facing food insecurity, these families have never been more important. Join Food Bank For New York City this Hunger Action Month in celebrating these vital communities as we work to ensure that no parent or caregiver ever has to make the impossible choice between food, rent, utilities, or medical care as they fight to feed the people they love most.

To join our efforts this Hunger Action Month, supporters can:

Donate : Financial contributions directly support our mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good.

Financial contributions directly support our mission to empower New Yorker to achieve food security for good. Volunteer : Help prepare meals and distribute bags of shelf-stable pantry goods at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in Harlem.

Help prepare meals and distribute bags of shelf-stable pantry goods at our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in Harlem. Advocate: Join our action team to advocate for policies that prioritize food security for all New Yorkers.

For more information, please visit www.foodbanknyc.org.

About Food Bank For New York City

Driven by our mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good, we harness the collective power of our network of food providers, partners, and volunteers to activate the right resources, supports, and expertise across the five boroughs. Our work with more than 800 soup kitchens, food pantries, and campus partners provides immediate and reliable access to food and nutrition education, while our economic empowerment programs give people the tools and know-how to improve their financial wellness. Community by community, we work together to make progress on a more hopeful, dignified, and equitable future for all. To learn more about our impact or get involved, visit foodbanknyc.org.

SOURCE Food Bank For New York City
Offer Results in a CAD$0.48 Per Share Distribution or 6.6% Yield (to Frontera's Share Price Prior the Offer's Announcement) Assuming Full and Pro-Rata Shareholder Participation

Over US$52 Million Returned to Stakeholders in 2024, Including Successful Completion of the Offer

Additional Dividends, Share Buybacks, Distributions, Bond Buybacks or Other Investor Initiatives May Be Considered in the Future

CALGARY, AB, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") announces that its board of directors (the "Board") has approved the commencement of a substantial issuer bid (the "Offer") pursuant to which the Company will offer to purchase from holders ("Shareholders") of common shares of the Company (the "Shares") up to 3,375,000 Shares for cancellation at a purchase price of CAD$12.00 per Share (the "Purchase Price"), for an aggregate purchase price not exceeding CAD$40,500,000 (equivalent to US$30,000,000).

The Offer is expected to commence on September 11, 2024, and remain open for acceptance until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on October 17, 2024, unless extended, varied, or withdrawn by the Company (the "Expiration Date"). Pursuant to the Offer, tendering Shareholders will have the right to elect to tender a specified number of Shares.

The Company plans to fund the Share repurchases through available cash on hand. The Offer is denominated in Canadian dollars, and Shareholders will have the option to elect to receive payment in either Canadian or United States dollars.

Purpose of the Offer

As part of its efforts to maximize value for Shareholders, the Company has identified the Offer as an attractive and efficient means to return capital to Shareholders. Upon successful completion of the Offer, the Company will have returned over US$52 million of capital to its stakeholders this year, including US$11.7 million in declared dividends, US$7.7 million of share repurchases and US$3.5 million in buybacks of its 2028 unsecured notes.

On August 6, 2024, the last full trading day prior to the date of announcement of the Company's intention to make the Offer, the closing price of the Shares on the TSX was CAD$7.25 per Share.

Assuming full and pro-rata shareholder participation, the Offer represents a CAD$0.48 per Share distribution equivalent to a 6.6% yield on the Company's stock price prior to the announcement of the Offer during the Company's second quarter 2024 results. Including all dividends declared this year, the year-to-date distribution total to shareholders would be CAD$0.67 per Share (equivalent to a 9.2% yield). The Board shall continue to consider future investor initiatives in 2024 and beyond, including potential additional dividends, share buybacks, distributions, bond buybacks or other initiatives, based on the overall results of the businesses, cash flow generation and the Company's strategic goals.

Purchase Price

Frontera will pay the Purchase Price of CAD$12.00 per Share for each validly deposited Share taken up by the Company up to a maximum of 3,375,000 Shares, for an aggregate purchase price not exceeding CAD$40,500,000 (equivalent to US$30,000,000).

Each Shareholder who has properly deposited Shares and who has not withdrawn such Shares will receive the Purchase Price, payable in cash (subject to applicable withholding taxes, if any), for all Shares taken up by the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer.

If more than 3,375,000 Shares are tendered for purchase, the Company will purchase the Shares on a pro rata basis after giving effect to "odd lot" tenders (Shares tendered by Shareholders beneficially owning fewer than 100 Shares), which will not be subject to proration. In that case, Shares that are tendered but not purchased, will be returned to Shareholders.

Manner of Tender

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, Shareholders wishing to tender to the Offer may do so by making an election to tender a specified number of Shares (representing, in the Shareholders' discretion, all or a portion of the Shareholders' Shares) at the Purchase Price.

Additional Information

As of September 3, 2024, the Company had 84,188,756 issued and outstanding Shares. The Offer will be for up to approximately 4.0% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis.

The Offer is optional for all Shareholders, who are free to choose whether to participate, and if they participate how many Shares to tender. Any Shareholders who do not deposit their Shares (or whose Shares are not purchased under the Offer) will realize a proportionate increase in their equity interest in the Company, to the extent that Shares are purchased under the Offer.

In connection with the Offer, Frontera has suspended Share repurchases under its normal course issuer bid ("NCIB") effective September 4, 2024, and therefore the Company shall not repurchase any of its Shares under its NCIB during the term of the Offer.

The terms and conditions of the Offer, including instructions for tendering Shares, will be included in the formal offer to purchase and issuer bid circular, letter of transmittal, notice of guaranteed delivery and other related documents (the "Offer Documents"). On or about September 11, 2024, the Offer Documents will be mailed to Shareholders, filed with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and made available without charge on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The Offer is not conditional upon any minimum number of Shares being tendered. However, the Offer will be subject to other conditions described in the Offer Documents. Frontera reserves the right, subject to applicable laws, to withdraw, extend or amend the Offer, if certain events occur at any time prior to the payment for the tendered Shares.

The Catalyst Capital Group Inc. ("Catalyst") and Gramercy Funds Management LLC ("Gramercy" and, collectively with Catalyst, the "Principal Shareholders") are the beneficial owners of, or exercise control or direction over, 34,775,609 and 11,300,032 Shares, respectively, which in the aggregate represent approximately 54.73% of all issued and outstanding Shares. Each of Catalyst and Gramercy has advised the Company that their current intention is to deposit Shares pursuant to the Offer, however, their decision to participate in the Offer is subject to market conditions and other factors. Each of Catalyst and Gramercy reserves the right without notice and for any or no reason, to change its investment decision at any time prior to the Expiration Date. In addition, officers of the Company have expressed an intention to tender 247,569 Shares to the Offer.

The Company has engaged Computershare Investor Services Inc. to act as depositary for the Offer and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. to act as financial advisor and dealer manager. Shareholders who have questions regarding the Offer or require any assistance tendering Shares may contact Computershare Investor Services Inc. by telephone at 1-800-564-6253 (North America) or 514-982-7555 (International), or by e-mail at [email protected], or BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. by email at [email protected].

The Offer referred to in this news release has not yet commenced. This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Shares. The solicitation and the offer to buy Shares will only be made pursuant to the Offer Documents to be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Offer will not be made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of Shares in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of offers to sell Shares would not be in compliance with the laws of that jurisdiction. None of Frontera, its Board or the depositary makes any recommendation to Shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering any or all of their Shares pursuant to the Offer. Shareholders are strongly urged to read the Offer Documents carefully and to consult with their financial, tax and legal advisors prior to making any decision with respect to the Offer.

Estimated Paid-Up Capital Determination

The Company also announces that it has re-determined the estimated "paid-up capital" for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) of its Shares to be CAD$14.98 per Share as of the date hereof.

The Company entered into Minutes of Settlement dated July 12, 2024, with the Minister of National Revenue (Canada) to resolve a dispute in connection with the Company's 2016 restructuring process and relating to, among other things, the fair market value of the Shares as at November 2, 2016, the computation of the net capital losses and the computation of non-capital losses of the Company in respect of its taxation year ending December 31, 2016 (the "Settlement").

The Company has assessed the impact of the Settlement on the computation of the historical paid-up capital in respect of the Shares. This assessment has resulted in a decrease in the net capital losses of the Company, as last reported in the 2023 Annual Consolidated Financial Statements, and an increase in the computed amount of the historical paid-up capital in respect of the Shares. This adjustment may impact the quantum of dividends deemed to have been received by certain shareholders of Frontera in respect of the repurchase of Shares pursuant to the Company's substantial issuer bid that was completed on August 11, 2022.

About Frontera

Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 22 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner.

If you would like to receive News Releases via e-mail as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements as to the Company's current intentions regarding commencement of the Offer, the timing, terms and conditions of the Offer, the participation of the Principal Shareholders and certain officers, the number of Shares to be purchased and the amount of capital returned to Shareholders under the Offer and the consideration of future investor initiatives in 2024 and beyond. Any such forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends and current market and other conditions. Readers should also refer to the risk factors set forth in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, each dated March 7, 2024, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which forward-looking statements are based will be realized. Actual results may differ, and the difference may be material and adverse to the Company and its Shareholders.

Social Media

Follow Frontera's social media channels at the following links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en

Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/

LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp

SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation
BEIJING, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, hosted a banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday evening, welcoming African and international guests attending the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and posed for a group photo with the guests. In his toast at the welcoming banquet, President Xi frequently mentioned the China-Africa community with a shared future, emphasizing that it is built on a strong foundation, has been blessed with a good start, and enjoys broad prospects. He noted that it sets a stellar example for building a community with a shared future for mankind. There is no doubt that this summit will be another historic event witnessing and developing the China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Over the past few days, heads of state, government leaders and representatives from over 50 FOCAC members, along with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, the secretary-general of the UN and several heads of international organizations, have gathered in Beijing. This has not only set a new record for the scale of diplomatic events that China has hosted in recent years and the number of attending leaders, but it has also become a significant milestone in the history of China-Africa relations and interactions among "Global South" countries. Meanwhile, enthusiasm for the 2024 Beijing Summit of FOCAC continues to rise on multiple levels. According to statistics, the summit has attracted over 3,000 registered journalists from China and abroad, setting a new record for FOCAC. An important supporting event, the Eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs, is also expected to reach a scale of 1,000 participants this year. Enthusiastic registration far exceeded expectations, with 408 representatives from 48 African countries signing up to participate.

Matching the rising momentum, the content of China-Africa cooperation is also continuously being updated and elevated. This summit is expected to achieve three "new" outcomes: embarking on a new journey toward building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, gathering new momentum for deepening cooperation across various sectors between China and Africa, and writing a new chapter in the friendship between the people of China and Africa. China-Africa cooperation, while is being strengthened in traditional industries such as agriculture, infrastructure, and manufacturing, is also expanding to include more emerging sectors and new elements like green development, healthcare, finance, and digital innovation.

For example, at the Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs, corporate representatives will mainly discuss about and share experiences on the two topics of "promoting the integration of industrial and supply chains" and "driving the development of emerging industries." Cooperation in the field of new energy vehicles has also become a highlight of the summit. The strong complementarity between China and Africa, along with China's massive production capacity and Africa's high expectations for cooperation with China, provides powerful support for the joint pursuit of modernization between China and Africa.

The deepening of China-Africa cooperation and the enduring spirit of China-Africa friendship are rooted in the shared destiny that has been evident at every stage of the development of China-Africa relations. Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China, China's first-generation leaders, together with the older generation of African politicians, pioneered a new era of China-Africa relations. Since the 21st century, especially in the new era, China and Africa have continuously strengthened their comprehensive, multi-dimensional cooperation across various fields, including trade, agriculture, education, science and technology, and healthcare, yielding fruitful results. In 2023, China-Africa trade reached $282.1 billion, with China maintaining its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.

"We have been fighting shoulder to shoulder imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonism, and advancing hand in hand along the path of development, revitalization, and modernization." This is the most direct, accurate and vivid summary of China-Africa relations.

In recent years, driven by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, Africa's industrialization and various infrastructure capabilities have seen significant improvements. The previous sessions of the FOCAC have consistently emphasized "industrial integration" and "industrialization" in their action plans. To date, 52 African countries and the African Union Commission have signed BRI Cooperation Documents with China. China will also sign new cooperation plans with some African countries to promote the continued deepening of the China-Africa cooperation in building the "Belt and Road." In recent years, China and Africa have collaborated to build and upgrade nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, over 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly a thousand bridges, and close to a hundred ports. This has greatly improved Africa's transportation network, significantly enhancing logistics efficiency and market access, and playing a significant role in promoting the economic development of African countries.

In fact, at a time when economic globalization is facing a severe "trust crisis," the collaboration between China and Africa to expand the economic development "cake" provides insights and direction for global economic development. China and Africa have also been actively practicing their commitment to the pursuit of universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization through concrete actions.

There is a proverb in Africa: "You can never tie a knot with one hand." Similarly, there is a Chinese proverb: "A single strand does not make a thread. nor can one hand clap." In the journey of development and revitalization, China and Africa have achieved fruitful results through mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges. In the future, the 2.8 billion people of China and Africa will strengthen their unity and cooperation, which will surely inject new momentum into cooperation among the "Global South" and open up new horizons for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

SOURCE Global Times
SHANGHAI, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 28, 2024, Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. announced the launch of 65 kinds of monkeypox antibodies, antigens and cell lines, which has won wide praise from the public.

Monkeypox human antibody, as the core product launched by Sanyou Bio has excellent affinity activity and complete data verification, which can be used not only for the development of therapeutics, but also for structure analysis and bispecific antibody research, as well as diagnostic reagents and scientific research.

Except for monkeypox human antibody, the product line Sanyou Bio launched this time features 65 items across three main categories: 26 natural epitope antigens, 28 high-affinity, high-specificity monoclonal antibodies and 11 overexpression cell lines. These products target multiple key sites on the surface of monkeypox virus, including A29L, M1R, H3L, E8L, A35R, B6R, and critical sites such as A28L, A30L, B21R, L1R and I1L, which are vital for viral infection and assembly. All monkeypox products are subject to rigorous data verification.

Developed using Sanyou Bio's proprietary "over-trillion innovative antibody discovery" platform, the monoclonal antibodies span multiple species, including fully human, nano, and mouse antibodies. These antibodies are essential for therapeutic drug development, with high-affinity nano antibodies being particularly valuable for structural analysis and bispecific research. Additionally, the entire range of antibodies, natural epitope antigens, and overexpression cell lines can be utilized in diagnostic reagents and scientific research.

Through activities such as free application of monkeypox virus full range of antigens and antibodies trial kits, Sanyou Bio has successfully helped global customers to facilitate research in different directions such as vaccines, drugs and diagnostic reagents, and accelerate the exploration of the unknown world of monkeypox virus.

Dr. Lang Guojun, CEO of Sanyou Biology, emphasized the great breakthrough in monkeypox antibodies, especially monkeypox human antibodies, Sanyou Bio aims to strengthen the development of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostic tools and research initiatives, furthering its commitment to global public health.

About Sanyou Bio

Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is a world-leading high-tech biotechnology enterprise focusing on R&D and services of innovative biologic drugs. Sanyou has built the 4C business patterns that integrate "differentiated CRO, integrated CDO, innovative CPO and characteristic CRS", to accomplish the mission "to make the R&D easy for innovative biologics".

Sanyou has established an integrated innovative biologic drug R&D laboratory with advanced facilities, and has a professional team with the majority holding a Ph.D. or master degree. Sanyou has built three industry-leading innovative technology platforms featured by "super-trillion, integration, and intelligence" , which are comprised of more than 50 sub-platforms with the core innovative super-trillion phage display platform, and supported by platforms of material preparation, biologics discovery, molecule optimization, in vitro and in vivo efficacy, production cell line construction, upstream and downstream process development, preclinical R&D, industrialization development, etc.

Sanyou's business network has expanded to all parts of the world, including Asia, US and Europe, and established branches in Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego and London. Sanyou has established friendly business relationships with more than 1000 pharmaceutical companies, drug R&D institutions and diagnostics companies worldwide. Sanyou received National-level certification as a high-tech enterprise and a Specialized and Sophisticated enterprise, and passed the ISO9001 quality assurance certification and GB/T intellectual property management system certification.

SOURCE Sanyou Bio
This acquisition represents a pivotal milestone in Harbor Capital's Texas industrial strategy. It provides significant exposure to Texas's largest industrial market at the top of the Texas Triangle and reinforces the company's position as a prominent player in the industrial sector.

Constructed in two phases, the first in 2005 and the second in 2014, this classic metal industrial park offers an average building size of 30,346 square feet, clear heights of up to 24 feet, industrial outdoor storage space, grade-level and dock-high loading facilities, and over 700 parking spaces. With this acquisition, Harbor Capital now controls 15% of Denton's sub-75,000-square-foot industrial market.

Harbor Capital's investment strategy for this portfolio includes individual and bulk sales of leased and vacant properties over a 5-8-year hold period.

The location offers access to robust markets with a concentrated pool of skilled blue-collar workers, supporting over 150 employees solely within the park. The park is also situated near major manufacturers and distribution hubs such as Target, Peterbilt, Aldi, Winco Foods, Fastenal, and ESAB, all within easy access to I-35W.

Harbor Capital's investment thesis focuses on acquiring value-added, income-generating commercial real estate in Texas's Class A/B industrial space. This transaction underscores the firm's unwavering commitment to this investment strategy.

Harbor Capital is pleased to work with Michael Lohan and Luke Burns of Nineteen Blocks as equity placement partners, Chris McColpin with Newmark Capital Markets as the debt sourcer, and an entity managed by Argentic Investment Management LLC ("Argentic") as the lender. Harbor Capital appreciates Steven Pollan, Joseph Kassin, and Joseph Ash from KSR for adeptly sourcing this opportunity. It recognizes Don and Cole Frazier of Frazier Commercial Real Estate in Denton for skillfully facilitating this transaction. Frazier Commercial Real Estate will continue representing Harbor Capital and overseeing park leasing and individual building sales. Harbor Capital is also excited to partner with TIG Real Estate Services, which will lead the park's property management effort.

For media inquiries, contact Morgan Allen from Harbor Capital at [email protected] or (717) 209-0121.

For all leasing or purchase inquiries, please contact Frazier Commercial Real Estate at [email protected] , [email protected] , or (940) 566-0404.

About Harbor Capital

Harbor Capital is a real estate private equity firm with more than $250 in AUM that operates with a targeted focus on Texas industrial real estate. Based in Austin, Texas, the firm operates exclusively in its backyard markets of Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. Harbor Capital seeks to acquire well-situated, quality industrial assets, demonstrating a clear path to profitability for its investors. For more information, visit www.harborcap.com .

About Argentic

Argentic is an investment manager of commercial real estate lending and investment vehicles focused on providing fixed-rate and floating-rate debt financing solutions to property owners throughout the United States. www.argentic.com .

SOURCE Harbor Capital
HHRD South California Office In-Kind Gifts reached to the Gaza Strip 2024

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On International Charity Day, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) pays tribute to the enduring legacy of Mother Teresa through its In-Kind Gifts program. This initiative underscores the organization's commitment to providing tangible support to orphans, refugees, and internally displaced persons IDPs around the globe.

HHRD South California Office In -Kind Gifts reached to the Gaza Strip 2024

Unlike traditional monetary donations, The In-Kind Gifts Program delivers essential goods and services to those in need. The program's efforts include distributing clothing, food, bedding, hygiene products, school supplies, and medical equipment. By addressing immediate needs, the program aims to alleviate the hardships faced by vulnerable populations in various crisis situations.

Since its inception, the In-Kind Gifts program has facilitated the shipment of thousands of containers worldwide. Notable interventions include support for the Palestinian Refugees, Syrian Refugees, African refugees, Rohingya Refugees, and the COVID-19 Pandemic and IDP's around the globe.

"Smiles Across Miles" is the slogan for the In-Kind Gifts program, which was developed by the In-Kind Gifts team. "We developed this initiative to support underprivileged communities around the world," said Sister Nadia Zeeshan, Director of the In-Kind Gifts program.

You can donate to the In-Kind Gifts Program by contacting any of HHRD'S 12 regional offices, in MI, AZ, South CA, North CA, NJ, GA, IL, MO, MA, MD, Dallas TX, and Houston TX. For additional information or to contact a regional office, visit the Contact Us page on HHRD's website.

Ranked among the top 3% of 9,000+ NGOs, HHRD has received a perfect 4-star rating from Charity Navigator over the past nine years. HHRD is a member of Inter-Action as well as an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. With an overall score of 100%, HHRD has earned the trust of US donors.

HHRD is a global humanitarian organization responding to human suffering in emergency and disastrous situations all over the world regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, class, and religion. They also have partners ranging from small community support groups to national alliances along with their international networks. To donate please visit www.hhrd.org or call 1-888-808-4357 (HELP). HHRD is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Tax ID# 31-1628040

CONTACT:

iLyas Choudry

HHRD USA

Development Director

313-279-5378

[email protected]

SOURCE Helping Hand for Relief and Development
SINGAPORE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HTX delivers an impressive Performance Report for August. In celebration of its upcoming 11th anniversary, HTX has rolled out a series of exciting events that have elevated the anniversary festivities to new heights. During this month, the highly anticipated HTX 11th Anniversary event series kicked off, generating excitement throughout the month and culminating in a Futures Trading Contest that showcased intense competition among veteran traders. All these highlight moments demonstrated HTX's industry-leading prowess and marked remarkable milestones of HTX over the past eleven years, while paving the way for an exciting new chapter.

HTX's 11th Anniversary Celebration Commenced with Thrilling Events

HTX launched its 11th Anniversary Celebration in August, featuring events that excited users. On August 7, HTX held the launch ceremony for its 11th-anniversary event series themed 'Turning Trials to Triumph', with attendance from Justin Sun, Global Advisor of HTX, and several renowned crypto influencers. At the ceremony, Justin Sun highlighted that HTX, as a crypto pioneer, will remain committed to delivering the best user experience.

On August 21, HTX unveiled the battle report for its 11th-anniversary Futures Trading Contest, with rewards totaling $200,000 in $HTX distributed. Additionally, the champion of the Individual Challenge won a free trip to TOKEN2049 and a grand reward of $30,000 in $HTX. HTX also offered multiple perks to both new and existing users, making sure everyone can benefit from the platform.

HTX Partners with SunPump to Lead the Meme Coin Charge

In August, HTX supported the listing of seven popular SunPump meme coins, including SUNDOG (Sundog), SUNCAT (Suncat), and IVFUN (Invest Zone).

Currently, the first governance collaboration between SunPump and HTX is now live, establishing a bridge between the TRON ecosystem and HTX users. This allows users to vote for meme token projects to get listed on the HTX exchange by locking their $SUN tokens. The collaboration not only streamlines the listing process but also enables seamless integration between CEX and DEX, injecting new life into market liquidity.

HTX Gains Major Ground in Russian Market, Traffic Share Surpasses 21.2%

In August, HTX saw its traffic share in Russia rise to 21.2%, demonstrating its strong market presence in the region. This milestone is a testament to the platform's success in delivering a superior user experience, driving innovation, and fostering local market engagement. Furthermore, it also reflects the high recognition of HTX's security, liquidity, and innovation among Russian users.

HTX has notably increased brand awareness and user loyalty by consistently enhancing the trading experience, introducing new financial products and services, and engaging with local communities. The convenience of local payment options has further improved the experience for Russian users. Besides, HTX's innovative features like Restaking and Trade to Earn have broadened investment opportunities and effectively boosted user retention and trading volume, strengthening its presence in the Russian market.

Exploring Investment Opportunities by Attending Major International Events

In August, HTX Ventures released two major research reports on the investment opportunities in the first half of 2024 , and the potential impacts of Ethereum's Pectra upgrade , providing forward-looking guidance for investors. Meanwhile, HTX Ventures announced strategic investments in Corn and Nexio, two innovative projects, to drive the advancement of blockchain technology. Through these initiatives, HTX Ventures continues to solidify its investment layout in the industry, highlighting its keen eye for emerging tech and market opportunities.

On August 13, HTX participated as a sponsor and partner in the Istanbul Blockchain Week (IBW) 2024. During the event, Serdar Serdengecti, Listing Director of HTX, delivered a speech at a roundtable discussion on the theme "Ushering in the New Wave of Trading". He emphasized the significance of user experience, innovation, security, and high-quality assets for the future development of cryptocurrency trading. He also demonstrated HTX's ongoing efforts in innovation and investment in these areas, further consolidating its leadership position in the global market.

On August 30, HTX DAO hosted a successful offline gathering in Chengdu. The event offered community members the chance to engage in face-to-face discussions, exploring trends in blockchain technology and potential collaborations.

Ensure Protection for User Assets by Strengthening Security and Compliance

HTX updated its Merkle tree-based proof of reserves data in August, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the security and transparency of user assets. The latest details are as follows: 100% for USDT, 100% for BTC, 100% for ETH, 105% for $HTX, and 105% for TRX. The data includes a range of asset types, ensuring robust protection for user assets.

Compared to July, HTX has seen a continued increase in asset reserves in August. Specifically, BTC assets grew by 0.5%, while ETH assets rose by 3%. The growth reflects users' sustained confidence and enthusiasm for popular cryptocurrencies, as well as HTX's ongoing efforts to enhance user experience, bolster security, and introduce innovative offerings.

In addition, HTX continued to enhance its security measures by sending 309,212 security alerts to users, successfully combating and shutting down 6 phishing websites and fake app download sites, and intercepting transactions to scam addresses. The platform also addressed 4 incidents involving stolen assets from external sources and assisted users in freezing over $80,290 in stolen funds. HTX also blacklisted 2,739 new addresses and intercepted 34 deposits to the blacklisted addresses, totaling $75,827.

User safety is always HTX's top priority. The platform is committed to providing a safe trading environment through optimized security measures. In the future, HTX will continue to strengthen technological innovation and security measures to ensure the security of user assets.

Start a New Chapter This September

Adhering to its user-first philosophy, HTX is set to introduce a range of new events and product upgrades this September, offering users richer investment opportunities and more attractive rewards. HTX is eager to tackle challenges head-on and work alongside users to forge a promising future together.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE HTX
BEIJING, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is being held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. It takes place at a critical juncture when the world is grappling with various regional and global crises and there is a pressing need for countries from the Global South to join hands. How will this year's FOCAC elevate ties between China and Africa? What is the significance of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future? The Global Times (GT) interviewed a number of former officials and pundits from various African countries to share their insights and stories.

In the fifth article of this series, GT reporter Su Yaxuan interviewed Busani Ngcaweni (Ngcaweni), director-general of the National School of Government in South Africa and research associate in world economics at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

GT: The theme of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC is "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." What's your perspective on this theme?

Ngcaweni: FOCAC is a significant platform for engagement between China and Africa. "Joining hands to advance modernization" indicates that this forum aims to focus on mutual development in a context of mutual respect, recognizing the need for cooperation.

"A shared future" reflects how China views its relationships with other parts of the world and how it engages with other countries and regions, emphasizing that establishing common goals is essential. In practice, it means that shared aspirations are combined with the sharing of resources. It also entails deepening collaborative efforts and treating others with respect and as equals.

GT: In what ways can China assist Africa in its energy transition?

Ngcaweni: There is an incredible opportunity for mutually beneficial cooperation between Africa and China on the green energy transition. Africa has many opportunities to do things differently and to utilize our natural endowments more effectively. The continent has many of the minerals needed for new green energy equipment. China increasingly recognizes that Africa, as an industrial hub for production, makes much more sense than merely serving as a source for raw material exports. This approach emphasizes mutual benefit and win-win strategies. Naturally, we must continually restate the importance of industrialization and manufacturing in Africa so that China continues to benefit from infrastructure investments. A much more aggressive approach to investments in industrialization would be the next step in demonstrating to the world that this relationship is about mutual development and it's not as one-sided as many would like to propose.

GT: You mentioned that "it is crucial to tell the real China-Africa story." Could you share some examples of such stories?

Ngcaweni: Let me give you an example about South Africa. In South Africa, we are one of the fastest-growing markets for Chinese vehicles.

In my interpretation, ordinary South Africans use their money, go to a bank, and obtain loans to buy cars made in China, such as those from Great Wall Motor or Haval. It means that people are embracing products from China, which are increasingly perceived as being of good quality.

This is not a government activity. These are individuals and households making their own spending choices. That's the real story of how South Africans connect with China on a personal level. This mutual appreciation highlights the people-to-people connections between the two countries.

To measure the relationship between the two countries, you must go deeper into it. Then you will find that South Africans want to study in China because they feel safe, see opportunities, and believe they will receive higher-quality education.

GT: What are your prospects for the future of China-Africa cooperation?

Ngcaweni: The opportunities for the future are great. If we sustain the current momentum, we will likely tell a very different story of development moving forward.

The prospects for China and Africa are very positive. China is focused on developing and navigating realities that are mutually beneficial. Our people welcome relationships where they can experience the tangible benefits of modernization and mutual development. This FOCAC summit has substantial and real value for China and Africa.

We need to communicate better and more effectively to convey the real story. It is the people who will defend the relationship between our countries for a long time to come.

SOURCE Global Times
"We are currently seeing price reductions across most aircraft categories," says Controller Manager Brant Washburn. "Aircraft are continuing to sell, but we're noticing sellers are repricing to accommodate the current market structure." The reports cover pre-owned jets, piston single airplanes, turboprop airplanes, and Robinson piston helicopters in Sandhills marketplaces.

Sandhills' aviation products include Controller, Controller EMEA, Executive Controller, Charter Hub, Aviation Trader, Aircraft Cost Calculator, and AircraftEvaluator. AircraftEvaluator is Sandhills' proprietary asset valuation tool for all types of aircraft, built using the same technology behind FleetEvaluator. Widely used and trusted across equipment, truck, and trailer industries, FleetEvaluator identifies asset values with unparalleled accuracy.

The key metric used in all of Sandhills' market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in the Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. The Sandhills EVI data include equipment available in auction and retail markets, as well as model-year equipment actively in use.

Additional Market Report Takeaways

This report includes detailed analyses of asking value and inventory trends in used aircraft markets along with charts that help readers visualize the data. It describes and quantifies important trends in the buying and selling of used jet, piston single, turboprop, and Robinson piston helicopter aircraft.

Global Used Jets

Inventory levels of used jet aircraft worldwide decreased by 1.7% month over month in August but are trending upward. Inventory was up 7.85% year over year.

Sandhills observed a slight M/M change in asking values, down 0.05%, and a more significant YOY drop of 6.09%.

U.S. and Canada Used Piston Single Aircraft

In the U.S. and Canadian piston single aircraft markets, inventory levels inched downward 1.08% M/M in August and are trending sideways. Inventory was 11.09% lower than year-ago levels.

Asking values decreased by 0.45% M/M and 1.24% YOY and are trending downward.

U.S. and Canada Used Turboprop Aircraft

Inventory levels of U.S. and Canadian turboprop aircraft rose 1.52% M/M and 6.07% YOY in August, continuing several months of growth.

Asking values were up 1.97% M/M and 1.55% YOY and are trending sideways.

Global Used Robinson Piston Helicopters

Inventory levels are trending upward in the worldwide used piston helicopter market. Sandhills observed increases of 2.56% M/M and 5.26% YOY in August.

Meanwhile, asking prices fell by 8.06% M/M and remain lower than last year, down 1.03% YOY, but are trending upward.

Obtain the Full Report

For more information or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at [email protected].

About Sandhills Global

Sandhills Global is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our products and services gather, process, and distribute information through trade publications, websites, and online services that connect buyers and sellers across the aviation, construction, agriculture, and commercial trucking industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Globalwe are the cloud.

About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assetsboth currently and over timeacross the construction, agricultural, commercial trucking, and aviation industries represented by Sandhills Global marketplaces, including Controller.com, AuctionTime.com, TractorHouse.com, MachineryTrader.com, TruckPaper.com, and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by FleetEvaluator and AircraftEvaluator, Sandhills' proprietary asset valuation tools, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry.

Contact Sandhills

www.sandhills.com/contact-us

402-479-2181

SOURCE Sandhills Global

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SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinetic Seas Incorporated (OTC: ECGR) is pleased to announce the signing of its initial customer, as well as 2nd Quarter revenue of $61,771 and 6-Month revenue of $72,325, with a gross margin of 24.9% and 25.0% respectively.

Revenue commencement comes at an already exciting time for the Company as we have recently announced:

Completing Offerings totaling $850,000 to fund Phase 1 of our business plan and working capital

to fund Phase 1 of our business plan and working capital Finishing Phase 1 of constructing a new Data Center with NVIDIA GPUs

Launching a new HIPAA compliant AI Toolkit for the Healthcare Industry.

Establishing a partnership with Oasis AI Learning (Oasis) to expand educational outreach and development program.

Partnering with Reed Medical Group and Concierge Medical Management to integrate data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence into concierge medicine.

CEO Edward Honour spoke on the developments saying, "under our leadership the Company has raised the capital necessary to complete Phase 1 of Our AI Data Center proving high-speed GPU and CPU resources to Our clients. The Company has also introduced a HIPPA-compliant AI toolkit designed to help medical professionals with management, administrative, and clinical processes and most recently we partnered with Oasis AI Learning to provide training for the next generation of AI professionals. These developments serve as essential steps in Kinetic Seas' commitment to growth, innovation, and education in the AI sector. The Company also continues to develop new services while working to provide innovative solutions to businesses' AI needs."

Complete Company News Releases can be found at https://www.kineticseas.com/pr-news

About Kinetic Seas Incorporated:

Kinetic Seas, previously Bellatora Inc, appointed Edward Honour as Chairman and CEO to lead the new company on December 14, 2023. Kinetic Seas is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) consulting, research and development, infrastructure, and software company with a primary focus on GPU Cloud Hosting, consulting, and education. Kinetic Seas' primary focus is helping clients navigate the rapidly changing environment of AI. Under the new leadership team, the Company will work to provide practical solutions on how to implement the modern technology into existing businesses successfully.

For more information about the Company, visit https://kineticseas.com .

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the company's control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 10, 2024, and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 14, 2024, and any other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of the Company's filings with the SEC are available on the Kinetic Seas website at https://www.kineticseas.com/sec-filings and the SEC's website.at www.SEC.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

SOURCE Kinetic Seas Incorporated
Local and lightning-fast garage door control with Control4 GDO blaQ will be on Display at CEDIA 2024, Booth 3252

DENVER and ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Konnected will showcase GDO blaQ smart garage door opener accessory, compatible with Chamberlain, LiftMaster and Merlin brand Security+ and Security+2.0 garage openers, at CEDIA 2024 in Denver, CO. The interactive demo will highlight the product's new Control4* integration developed in partnership with Chowmain Software, with SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Alexa integrations enabling unrestricted garage door control and automation with 3rd-party smart home apps.

Konnected Introduces GDO blaQ at CEDIA 2024: Unlocking Local Integration and Control for Leading Garage Openers With 3rd-party Platforms That myQ Says You Can't Have

"We created the GDO blaQ in response to myQ's failure to support a diverse ecosystem of integrations for professional integrators and smart home consumers alike," says Nate Clark, CEO and Founder of Konnected. "The open-source software community figured out how to tap into the Security+ protocol, and we improved upon it to create a standards-compliant plug-and-play alternative to myQ that's 100% local, open source, providing unprecedented access beyond opening and closing the garage".

In 2023, Chamberlain Group, maker of myQ, officially closed access to most independently developed software integrations using its cloud service. This left many integrators scrambling to find viable solutions for garage door monitoring and control.

Alan Chow, Managing Director of Chowmain Software, a leading developer of home automation drivers and apps said "With Konnected's GDO blaQ there are no additional reed switches or cables neededeverything is conveniently located at the garage door opener, with built-in audio and visual pre-close warnings that adhere to UL325 standards. Konnected blaQ is the premier solution for integrating Chamberlain and LiftMaster garage door openers with Control4 including garage door openers with myQ, making it the top choice for professional integrators."

GDO blaQ directly communicates with the majority of residential garage openers on the market. Simply by connecting two wires to the garage opener motor or wall button. GDO blaQ instantly emulates a digital wall button, enabling it to know the state of the garage door and control it without additional sensors or hacks. It also enables control of the garage light and remote lock-out, and monitoring of the wall-button motion sensor and safety beam sensor.

Featuring built-in audible and visual pre-closing warning, the GDO blaQ is a professional solution that meets the safety standards specified by U.S. 16 CFR Part 1211 and UL 325 for unattended garage control accessories* without any additional effort by the integrator.

Use the GDO blaQ to keep your customers' garage safe and secure. Automate closing and alerts if the garage is left open, automatically lock-out the remote controls at night, and integrate the garage's motion sensor with smart home security. GDO blaQ is a purpose-built device designed and assembled in North America.

Konnected will be featuring the GDO blaQ and its suite of Smart Home solutions at CEDIA 2024, September 5-7, 2024 in Denver, CO. Stop by booth 3252 for more details or visit the website at https://konnected.io/

* The product has not been evaluated by UL.

Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Merlin, Security+, Security+ 2.0 and myQ are registered trademarks of Chamberlain Group.

About Konnected

Established in 2017, Konnected (konnected.io), is an Orlando-based startup and maker of open-source smart home technology boasting flagship products like the Alarm Panel Pro and Smart Garage Door Openers; compatible with over nine smart home platforms. The company is focused on releasing next-gen versions of its flagship products, cultivating new partnerships, expanding its global reach, and making home automation and security open, easy, and accessible to all.

MEDIA CONTACT

Ronjini Joshua

[email protected]

(949) 295-9779

SOURCE Konnected
Premier pre-settlement funding firm expanding personal injury and sexual harassment underwriting departments in response to the surge in violent encounters on Los Angeles Metro

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay Pre Settlement Funding reports an expansion of not one but two of their underwriting departmentspersonal injury and sexual harassmentin response to the alarming surge of lawsuit funding applications they have been receiving under these headings. In recent months, California's public transportation systems, particularly the Los Angeles Metro, have seen a disturbing increase in violent incidents. These acts of violence, ranging from physical and verbal assaults to sexual harassment, have raised significant concerns about the safety of both passengers and transportation workers alike.

A 53-year-old woman says she was harassed and physically attacked while on a Metro train in Long Beach this past May. While riding with a friend, she claims a random man shouted racist slurs at her. Two women also joined in, but their verbal attacks soon became physical, as a camera caught them throwing punches until witnesses interceded. She has filed a lawsuit seeking $2 million, citing Metro authorities' failure to keep passengers safe.

A homeless man hijacked a Los Angeles Metro bus and crashed into multiple cars before slamming into the Ritz Carlton last March. A week later, Metro's top security officer was fired and she promptly filed a $7 million wrongful termination lawsuit. Whether the case is found to have merit or not isn't necessarily the biggest issue at hand. One has to imagine hers is only the first of numerous lawsuits yet to be filed in this case.

The surge in violent crime has forced city officials and transit authorities to rethink security strategies. Efforts to curb these incidents include increasing the presence of law enforcement officers on buses and trains and deploying social workers to assist vulnerable individuals. Despite these measures, however, the violence persists, leaving both passengers and staff feeling unsafe.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal Bay, had this to say, "The issue of violence on California's public transportation requires urgent attention from both the authorities and the community. Plaintiffs in public transportation injury cases can send a message to those in charge that comprehensive solutions are needed to ensure safe and viable travel for all residents. Legal Bay stands at the ready to assist these plaintiffs with non-recourse funding for those that need it."

If you're a plaintiff involved in an active public transportation lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance lawsuit loan against an impending settlement, please visit Legal-Bay here: Lawsuit Settlement Funding California

Legal-Bay offers cash settlement funding and lawsuit loans for all types of cases including personal injury, physical assault, slip and fall, construction accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful termination or imprisonment, police brutality, dog bites, and more.

Their loan for settlement funding programs are designed to provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. While it's common to refer to these legal funding requests as settlement loans, loans for settlements, law suit loans, loans for lawsuits, etc., the "lawsuit loan" funds are, in fact, non-recourse. That means there's no risk when it comes to loans in lawsuit settlements because there is no obligation to repay the money if the recipient loses their case. Therefore, terms like settlement loan, loans for lawsuit, loans on settlement, or lawsuit loan funds don't necessarily apply, as the "loan on lawsuit" isn't really a loan at all, but rather a stress-free cash advance.

Legal-Bay is known to many as the best lawsuit funding provider in the industry for their helpful and knowledgeable staff, and one of the best lawsuit loan companies overall for their low rates and quick turnaround, sometimes within 24-48 hours once all documents have been received.

To apply right now for a loan settlement program, please visit the company's website here: Lawsuit Settlement Funding California or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by to answer any questions.

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
MIAMI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amplify is pleased to announce a significant addition to our team of digital legal marketing experts. Scott Santese , a nationally-renowned senior business development officer, joins the team, bringing over 25 years of experience in law firm marketing. Scott is set to provide invaluable knowledge and strategic insight to Amplify's clients as VP of Sales.

Amplify brings on Scott Santese, nationally-renowned senior business development officer. Post this Scott Santese, Business Development, Amplify

"I'm excited to join the Amplify team in their mission to deliver excellence in digital media marketing and strategy for law firm clients," said Santese. "My background in Mass Communications has helped me guide some of the best law firms in the nation in local, regional, and national marketing efforts through targeted Media Buying, award-winning Creative Services, Multi-Media campaign tracking, analysis, and implementation."

Throughout his career, Santese, a Texas Tech graduate, has consistently driven exceptional results for catastrophic injury and mass tort law firms. He has maximized their marketing investments in website and landing page development, SEO, SEM, PPC management, Social Media Marketing, and video content syndication.

Amplify CEO Matt Salvato remarks, "Welcoming Scott to the Amplify team sends a powerful message to the industry about our commitment to scaling and solidifying our position as the nation's premier boutique legal marketing agency. Scott's expertise and perspective will be instrumental in achieving our ambitious goals."

Amplify is not just a legal marketing agency; it promises a dynamic approach to shaping the narrative of law firms across the nation . Amplify is a catalyst for transforming how legal brands connect with their audience.

Amplify is deeply committed to the people our law firm clients serve and is always an engaged and empathetic partner on their journey to justice. We are equally committed to being fully present for the advocacy organizations - such as the Florida Justice Association , American Association for Justice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association - that help lawyers make a difference in the lives of their clients.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Matthew Hughes

Chief Brand Ambassador

Amplify

[email protected]

www.amplifyforlawyers.com

(561) 717-6499

About Amplify:

Amplify is a revolutionary/evolutionary legal marketing and content agency based in Miami, New York/New Jersey, San Antonio and Montreal. Committed to reshaping the narrative of legal brands, Amplify focuses on strategic storytelling, brand building, and targeted reach to ensure clients connect with the right audience, in the right places, at the right time.

SOURCE Amplify for Lawyers
MIAMI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), one of the nation's largest homebuilders, announced today that the Company will release earnings for the third quarter ended August 31, 2024 after the market closes on September 19, 2024. Additionally, the Company will hold a conference call on September 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The call will be broadcast live on the Internet and can be accessed through Lennar's website at investors.lennar.com. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived at investors.lennar.com for 90 days.

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com.

Contact:

Ian Frazer

Investor Relations

Lennar Corporation

(305) 485-4129

SOURCE Lennar Corporation
Volkswagen is Biggest Mover, Rising Four Spots to #8; New Vehicle Inventory Stays Under 3 Million at 2.95 Million Units

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexus moved into the top spot in Cloud Theory's Inventory Efficiency Index (IEI), moving past its sister company, Toyota, which had held the top spot for eight consecutive months. Lexus jumped 63 points to 246.2, while Toyota fell 14.9 points to 220.8. The findings were part of Cloud Theory's September report, "On the Horizon," a comprehensive review of inventory, pricing and vehicle movement in the auto industry.

Inventory Efficiency Index Scores

Lexus has been rising in the Inventory Efficiency Rankings for several months, and benefited from the beginning stages of its model year changeover, which is leading to 2024 sell-downs as 2025 vehicles begin to arrive on dealer lots.

"While Lexus' most recent performance on Inventory Efficiency may be boosted by its MYCO, that brand and its parent company have a long history of selling inventory efficiently," said Ron Boe, Chief Revenue Officer for Cloud Theory. "Whether it is Lexus-Toyota or Toyota-Lexus, there is no denying that Toyota Motor Corporation knows how to move metal in a highly proficient manner."

Lexus and Toyota topped the field by a wide margin. Third-place finisher Honda had an IEI score of 160.9. General Motors continued its overall strong IEI performance, as Chevrolet, Buick and GMC finished 7th, 9th and 10th, respectively. Volkswagen was the biggest mover, jumping four spots to 8th.

Cloud Theory's patent-pending Inventory Efficiency Index (IEI) provides a real-time view of market-relevant automotive supply and demand of all makes and models and across all geographies. Key decision-makers can use the IEI to confidently allocate valuable marketing and incentive dollars to models or geographies requiring a boost in demand, or to redistribute vehicles to locations that are moving inventory more efficiently. Cloud Theory's Inventory Efficiency Index assigns scores to vehicle makes and models based on current active inventory and sales data relative to competitors.

A score of 100 means that an OEM's demand is balanced with its relative supply in the marketplace.

A score above 100 indicates that a make or model is selling its inventory more efficiently than average.

A score below 100 means that there are opportunities to bring demand into better alignment with supply (or vice versa).

In other findings, vehicle inventory has jumped by nearly 50 percent year-over-year (1.96 million units in August 2023 to 2.95 million units in August 2024), but has plateaued at just under 3 million units after hitting 2.95 million units in August, 2.93 million units in July, and 2.94 million units in June.

Click here to download a copy of Cloud Theory's On The Horizon Report.

About Cloud Theory

Cloud Theory is more than a concept. It is the eye of the storm, where cutting-edge data, software, and artificial intelligence meet deep industry knowledge and experience. Built for automotive manufacturers, agencies, and affiliates, Cloud Theory enables our customers to understand  in real time  the complex competitive world in which they do business and to make bold decisions that drive them forward. The combination of billions of data points, interactive tools, and expert consulting gives our clients the ability to weather any storm and find their way to clear blue skies. Learn more at cloudtheory.ai. To learn more about our entire portfolio of automotive brands, visit www.advancelocalautomotive.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mike DeVilling

[email protected]

Jenn Haun

[email protected]

SOURCE Cloud Theory
EL ALAMEIN, Egypt, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Egyptian Armed Forces announced today at the Egypt International Air Show that Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will deliver two C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters to the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) with the U.S. Air Force. Egypt is the 23rd nation to join the worldwide Super Hercules operating community.

Egypt is the 23rd nation to join the Super Hercules fleet with the acquisition of two C-130J-30 tactical airlifters. Post this Egypt is the 23rd nation to join the global C-130J Super Hercules fleet with the acquisition of two C-130J-30 tactical airlifters.

As the most advanced and proven tactical airlifter in the world, the C-130J-30 delivers enhanced capability, additional versatility and increased power to EAF crews. Egypt operates one of the world's largest C-130H fleets, which has a significant presence in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, supporting military, peacekeeping, humanitarian and natural disaster response mission requirements. Egypt joins seven MENA operators that have chosen the C-130J as a preferred medium-sized tactical airlifter and tanker.

"Egypt is a distinguished C-130 operator, flying its Hercules fleet to support some of the most challenging mission requirements," said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business. "Welcoming Egypt to the C-130J Super Hercules global fleet is an honor that truly represents the longstanding partnership between our two nations and with Lockheed Martin. With these new C-130J-30s, the Egyptian Air Force's tactical airlift presence will deliver unmatched capabilities and aligned force amplification to serve Egypt, North Africa and the world."

Always evolving, continually innovating and ready for what's next, the Super Hercules leads the charge by setting standards and shaping the future of tactical airlift missions, offering many advantages found in no other medium-sized tactical airlifter in production or operation today. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 545 C-130Js and the Super Hercules global fleet has surpassed more than 3 million flight hours.

Super Hercules discriminators include proven operational readiness with the greatest ease of transition, increased reliability, superior tactical airlift and combat airdrop capabilities, certification by more than 20 airworthiness authorities, and enhanced survivability. The C-130J also delivers unmatched interoperability with NATO and partner nations, robust industrial partnerships and verified low life-cycle costs with significant fuel savings, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint compared to other medium-sized jet airlifters.

See how and why the C-130J continues to be the worldwide choice in tactical airlift through the newest episode of "Into the Cockpit" on Lockheed Martin's YouTube channel, which offers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Super Hercules.

For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/c130.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
ROSEVILLE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent news report in Roseville, CA highlighted a terrifying trend that two elder abuse attorneys are speaking out on.

According to recent reports, a 90-year-old woman died after she was assaulted at a Roseville care facility, and a 77-year-old suspect was being investigated. Mark Peacock and Paul Goyette currently represent the family of a 98-year-old woman who they allege was attacked and killed by a 76-year-old fellow resident of a senior care facility.

KCRA reported the woman died on September 3 because of her injuries suffered at a residential senior care facility.

"This keeps happening, and it's completely unacceptable," said Roseville nursing home abuse attorney Mark Peacock. "These care facilities providing anything but care, and instead are putting potentially dangerous residents in close proximity to completely vulnerable ones. It must stop, these precious loved ones are our most vulnerable family members."

The attorneys filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of a 98-year-old woman who the complaint claimed was killed by a fellow resident in Santa Clara, CA. The younger resident had a history of being violent at the care facility and had a history of prior 5150 holds (a mental illness designation that someone poses a danger to themselves or others.) According to the complaint, the 98-year-old began her residency in April of 2023, but by July there were already issues. She was transferred to the hospice wing due to a bed sore on her sacrum that wasn't healing properly. While she was in the hospice care wing, she was never prescribed end of life care, rather the goal was to facilitate her bed sore to heal.

But her path to healing was cut short when at approximately 6:00 pm on the night of December 13, 2023, Vera was brutally attacked by the younger resident causing severe injuries. She had excruciating bruises on her arms, hands, neck, face and mouth. She also suffered a chipped tooth and was bleeding from her mouth when she was finally discovered. The family was not immediately notified by the facility, and eventually the 98-year-old woman died of her injuries.

The case is Adam Plares Sr. v. Covenant Care California, Mission Skilled Nursing & Subacute Center, Covenant Care Mission, Suncrest Hospice San Jose, Santa Clara Superior Court, Case No. 24CV440133.

"Every time we read about this type of horrific treatment, we're sickened and saddened," added Roseville elder abuse attorney Paul Goyette. "These facilities aren't just dropping the ball, their negligence puts the lives of seniors at risk."

Anyone interested in learning more about their legal rights can reach out to the firms at:

Paul Goyette and Victoria Gutierrez of Goyette, Ruano + Thompson - 916 851 1900

of Goyette, Ruano + Thompson - 916 851 1900 Mark Peacock of Peacock & Bartlett A.P.C. - 949 660-7762

About Goyette, Ruano + Thompson

Goyette, Ruano + Thompson (GRT Law) has provided world-class legal services across the state of California. Our law firm has a proven track record of success representing 5,000+ clients on both the defendant and plaintiff sides of a wide range of issues.

About Peacock & Bartlett A.P.C.

We partner with our clients to pursue legal remedies and thorough representation for cases involving civil rights, personal injury, and other general civil matters. Our primary goal is to provide relief through experienced legal support that helps make the road to recovery for our clients easier.

SOURCE Peacock & Bartlett, a.p.c.
NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Medscape Education, the leader in continuing medical education for healthcare professionals, is expanding its commitment to closing gaps in women's health through the creation of the Innovations in Women's Health Coalition (IWHC). The Coalition will focus its efforts on the key areas of women's health through the provision of holistic, patient-centered, and comprehensive healthcare across the phases of a woman's life. Founding members of the Coalition include women's health leaders from the American Medical Association (AMA), the March of Dimes (MoD), the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH), and the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR).

Innovations in Women's Health Coalition logo

According to a report from McKinsey Health Institute,1 women live longer on average, although they spend 25 percent more time in poor health compared to men. "Despite significant progress made in medicine in recent years, there are still disparities in health care for women throughout the United States. Bringing together such esteemed, dedicated leaders in women's health will allow us to make an impact through education and centralizing resources that are sorely needed," said Haleh Kadkhoda, MS, Founding Member and Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Division of Public Health for Medscape Education. "This Coalition supports our common goals and dedication to women's health and brings together our combined capabilities to enact change."

"The creation of the Innovations in Women's Health Coalition marks a pivotal moment in advancing healthcare for women and individuals across the nation. By uniting leaders from diverse healthcare organizations such as the Society for Women's Health Research, the American Medical Association, and the March of Dimes, NPWH joins them in a commitment to addressing the critical gaps in women's health across an individual's lifespan. At NPWH, we believe that comprehensive, patient-centered care throughout a woman's life is essential. This Coalition will enhance education and resources and drive meaningful change in women's health outcomes. We are proud to be a part of this transformative initiative," said Heather L. Maurer, MA, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, NPWH.

The Coalition has launched a dedicated women's health learning center on the Medscape Education platform. The learning center offers free accredited education and resources for the entire healthcare team practicing across women's health specialties. Stay informed and empowered in providing quality care for women's health by accessing these valuable resources today.

1. McKinsey Health Institute. Closing the women's health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies. January 17, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-a-1-trillion-dollar-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies

About Medscape Education

Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free accredited CME and CE courses for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Medscape Education is a part of WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands company.

About WebMD Health Corp.

WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands company, is at the heart of the digital health revolution that is transforming the healthcare experience for consumers, patients, healthcare professionals, employers, health plans and health systems. Through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications, WebMD delivers leading-edge content and digital services that enable and improve decision-making, support and motivate health actions, streamline and simplify the healthcare journey, and improve patient care.

The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, WebMD Ignite (encompassing Krames, The Wellness Network and Mercury Healthcare), Jobson Healthcare Information, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, PulsePoint, The Wellness Network, SanovaWorks, MNG Health, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD, Medscape, CME Circle, Medpulse, eMedicine, MedicineNet, theheart.org, and RxList are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

SOURCE Medscape Education
Immediate past Director of BARDA's Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) and health innovation entrepreneur accepts first Board position with a stated mission to make vaccines and treatments more accessible

ATLANTA, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Micron Biomedical , a life science company developing the world's first dissolvable, needle-free microarray-based products that could replace injectable pharmaceuticals and vaccines, today announced the appointment of former BARDA DRIVe Director, Dr. Sandeep Patel, to its Board of Advisors. In this capacity, Dr. Patel will bring his expertise in public health innovation to advance the commercialization of Micron Biomedical's unique technology. Recently, the company announced a grant to fund mass manufacturing of the technology following positive phase 1/2 data.

Micron Biomedical can be a game-changer in bringing vaccines and therapies to more people," said Dr. Sandeep Patel. Post this Medtech Innovation Leader, Sandeep Patel, PhD, has been appointed to Micron Biomedical's advisory team, to accelerate commercialization of the worlds first dissolvable, needle-free microarray-based products that could replace injectable pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

"Dr. Patel is well-known globally both for championing efficient, impactful and disruptive innovations that transform lives and for his creative, energetic and smart approach to advancing technologies he believes can make a significant and positive impact," said Steven Damon, CEO of Micron Biomedical. "We're thrilled he has decided to join Micron Biomedical as an advisor. As we demonstrate the ability to deliver medications and vaccines in a significantly more convenient, affordable and accessible way, our focus is on continued growth of our product portfolio and Dr. Patel's expertise is critical to our approach to getting needle-free technology into the hands of more people."

Dr. Sandeep Patel was the first Director of BARDA's DRIVe, where he oversaw a diverse portfolio of high-risk, high-reward R&D programs to address existing and emerging health security threats. He also oversaw the development of the US government's first public-private venture capital partnership. Previously, Dr. Patel served in the Secretary's Office of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) where he led multiple initiatives to advance innovative policies and funding solutions to complex, long-standing health problems.

"Globally, we must prioritize the development and commercialization of technologies and business models that can reduce barriers and improve access to vaccines and therapies," said Dr. Sandeep Patel. "There are a few players emerging but I believe Micron Biomedical can be a game-changer in bringing vaccines and therapies to more people around the world."

Dr. Patel joins a Board of Advisors that includes global health pioneer, Dr. Seth Berkley, who was announced as Scientific Advisor to the CEO earlier this year.

About Dr. Sandeep Patel

In addition to his leadership role at BARDA, Dr. Patel co-founded and led a public-private partnership, KidneyX, that catalyzed the development of breakthrough therapies for kidney disease, including renal replacement technologies. He spearheaded the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative, aimed at reforming the nation's organ transplant system, getting more patients off dialysis, and increasing focus to prevent kidney failure. He led HHS' program to use novel methods, including incentive prizes and crowdsourcing, to solve complex health problems across the family of HHS agencies. He is the recipient of the American Society of Nephrology's President's Medal, and a Secretary's Distinguished Service award. Prior to that he was a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Patel holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a BA in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis.

About Micron Biomedical

Micron Biomedical is the leader in dissolvable microarray-based, drug and vaccine administration technology. Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage life science company on a rapid path to commercializing its proprietary dissolvable, microarray technology. Micron's technology is designed to improve access and achieve better health outcomes globally through injection-free, painless, and simple and/or self-administration of drugs and vaccines, and by eliminating or reducing the need for cold chain transport and storage, enhancing safety and efficacy, and improving patient compliance. Micron partners with and/or receives funding from private and public pharmaceutical and biotech companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PATH and the Georgia Research Alliance. For more information visit www.micronbiomedical.com

Media Inquiries:

Chrystal Loyer

Cuttlefish Communications

+1 917 280 2498

[email protected]

SOURCE Micron Biomedical, Inc.
Workplace violence, high RN turnover, and dangerous nurse staffing conditions plague hospital

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The registered nurses working at Marlborough Hospital, and who are unionized with the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), will hold an informational picket in front of the hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The purpose of the picket is to draw public attention to the serious ongoing problems inside of the Marlborough UMass facility, including workplace violence, high RN turnover, and dangerous nurse staffing conditions.

For more than ten months, the nurses have been negotiating with hospital management to secure contract language that will address the problems plaguing the hospital. Hospital management, however, has refused to make the necessary headway to improve staffing and safety at Marlborough.

What: An informational picket in support of the Marlborough Hospital RNs, their patients, and the community

When: September 10, 2 to 4 p.m.

Where: In front of Marlborough Hospital; 157 Union Street, Marlborough

Who: MNA RNs, their families, friends, neighbors; other local unions; and elected leaders

The informational picket follows 14 negotiation sessions between the MNA RNs and management, with little movement on management's part to address the nurses' key concerns:

Nurses are being injured on the job regularly due to violence, but hospital management wants to continue with its failed policies and refuses to explore new solutions.





RN turnover in all hospital units is above average because of the significant pay discrepancies between Marlborough and other local UMass hospitals. On average, senior Marlborough Hospital RNs earn $10 per hour less than their counterparts at other area hospitals, including all UMass-affiliated hospitals





and other local UMass hospitals. On average, senior Marlborough Hospital RNs earn per hour less than their counterparts at other area hospitals, including all UMass-affiliated hospitals Nurse staffing levels are unpredictable and dangerous, with as many short-term travel nurses working as permanent RNs.





And new grads, who the hospital invests significant time and resources in, repeatedly leave for jobs at other UMass facilities because the staffing levels and pay are better.

"Marlborough Hospital is essential to the health and welfare of this community," said Julie Lyver, RN and chairperson of the nurses' MNA bargaining unit at Marlborough. "But at this point  with wages so low, nurse turnover so high, and in-hospital violence such a threat  if management does not agree to appropriate remedies the health and safety of this very community, and all other communities the hospital serves, is in jeopardy."

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses  Instagram.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
PHOENIX, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Moatable, Inc. (OTC: MTBLY) ("Moatable" or the "Company"), a leading US-based SaaS company, today announces that Lofty Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement (the "Stock Purchase Agreement") with Jennifer Susan Gledhill (the "Seller"), the founder and 100% shareholder of The Letting Partnership Ltd ("TLP"), on August 30, 2024 to acquire the entire issued share capital of TLP. TLP is a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales that provides client accounting outsourcing for the lettings industry. Currently, TLP handles over 30 million of rent every month, allocating deposits, managing payments, and processing invoices to provide a complete accounting service.

Pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Company will purchase from the Seller all of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of TLP for a total purchase price of 3.5 million (approximately US$4.6 million) in cash, subject to certain purchase price adjustments relating to TLP's surplus cash as of the date of the consummation of the transaction (the "Closing"). The Closing is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions. The Company expects the Closing to take place by the end of 2024. Upon the Closing, TLP will be a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, and the Seller will continue to engage with TLP as a consultant.

About Moatable Inc.

Moatable, Inc. (OTC Pink: MTBLY) operates two US-based SaaS businesses including Lofty and Trucker Path. Moatable's American depositary shares, each of which currently represents forty-five Class A ordinary shares, trade on OTC Pink open market under the symbol "MTBLY". For more news and information on Moatable, please visit Moatable.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Moatable's beliefs and expectations, including statements on making investments and operating businesses that generate long-term returns for investors, and expectations for future growth and innovation are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Moatable's goals and strategies; Moatable's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Moatable's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its services; Moatable's plans to enhance user experience, infrastructure and service offerings. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our recent annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Moatable does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

Moatable, Inc.

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Moatable, Inc.
ANKENY, Iowa, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Mom's Meals celebrates its 25th anniversary, increasing support to reduce food insecurity through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts became even more important as a way to give back to the communities it serves. In the second quarter of 2024, Mom's Meals donated more than 20,000 shelf stable-meals to 19 community-based organizations across the United States; $10,000 to Three Square Food Bank in Southern Nevada; and $5,000 to the Red Cross for disaster relief efforts.

"We are fortunate to have partners like Mom's Meals who share our passion for nourishing our community with healthy, wholesome food," said Beth Martino, president and CEO of Three Square Food Bank. "Their generous gift will allow us to provide an additional 30,000 meals for neighbors facing hunger in Southern Nevada. On behalf of the one in seven individuals we are privileged to serve, we are grateful for Mom's Meals and their commitment to ending hunger in our community."

These donations are in addition to the Mom's Meals announcement of providing 30,000 medically tailored meals this year through the Mom's Meals Hunger Challenge initiative. Meals go to people who are food insecure and not otherwise eligible for programs to help them get the nutrition they need.

"Food insecurity is an issue that directly aligns with our mission of improving life through better nutrition at home," said Chris Choi, Mom's Meals chief executive officer. "With 44 million food insecure individuals in the United States, reducing this number will take all of us  public and private sectors  working together. We are proud to do our part and will continue to look for additional ways we can make a difference."

Mom's Meals' corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on food insecurity by:

Ensuring equitable food access  While Mom's Meals delivers millions of medically tailored meals to individuals nationwide every year, team members also work closely with health plans, health care providers, state and local governments and community-based organizations to ensure access is continually expanded to vulnerable Americans. Over the past four years, nearly 57,000 meals have been donated through our Hunger Challenge initiative.





While Mom's Meals delivers millions of medically tailored meals to individuals nationwide every year, team members also work closely with health plans, health care providers, state and local governments and community-based organizations to ensure access is continually expanded to vulnerable Americans. Over the past four years, nearly 57,000 meals have been donated through our Hunger Challenge initiative. Supporting our communities  Mom's Meals supports other like-minded organizations who are working to reduce food insecurity. This includes the 19 organizations who received shelf-stable meals in April: Ampla Health (Calif.) Ascencia (Calif.) Bird Seed Collective (Colo.) Bridgeport Police Department (Pa.) Food for Others (Va.) Harvest Hope Food Bank (S.C.) Healthcare in Action (Calif.) Helping Hands Bentonville Arkansas (Ark.) Indigenous Pact Foundation (Wash.) Kings View  PATH Program (Calif.) La Soupe ( Ohio ) Loudoun Hunger Relief (Va.) Pine Street Inn (Mass.) PneumaCare Health and Wellness (Calif.) Second Harvest Food Bank (Calif.) Shepherds House (Del.) Sigma Betz XI Inc (Calif.) The Breakfast Mission of Covington (Ky.) Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (Va.)

Mom's Meals supports other like-minded organizations who are working to reduce food insecurity. This includes the 19 organizations who received shelf-stable meals in April:

These shelf-stable meal donations bring the total number donated to over 58,000 since 2021.

Engaging employees  Employees showcase Mom's Meals' core values in the communities where they live, work and play. In the second quarter of 2024, more than 20,000 meals were packed for Meals from the Heartland and $5,800 donated to help feed those in need.

To learn more about Mom's Meals, visit our website.

About Mom's Meals

Mom's Meals provides fully prepared, refrigerated, home-delivered meals through Medicaid or Medicare Advantage health plan benefits or for direct purchase. Mom's Meals delivers nationwide and offers many medically tailored options for different health conditions. Its long-term care, chronic care and post-discharge care programs allow clients to lead healthier lives while remaining independent at home. For more information, visit www.momsmeals.com

SOURCE Mom's Meals
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NetDiligence, a leading provider of cyber risk management solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural Career Pathways Program for Students and Young Insurance Professionals at the upcoming Cyber Risk Summit Philadelphia.

This special programming will take place on September 30, 2024, kicking off the three-day conference with a full day of sessions and networking opportunities designed specifically for the next generation of cyber insurance professionals.

NetDiligence

In response to growing demand from the cyber risk community for more training opportunities aimed at its newest members, NetDiligence has curated two distinct tracks within the Career Pathways Programone for students and one for young professionals. The goal is to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to thrive in the fast-paced world of cyber insurance.

This program was developed in collaboration with the Spencer Educational Foundation and is supported by sponsoring firms Berkely Cyber Risk Solutions, ESET, and TransUnion.

Career Pathways Program for Students

The student track is designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Participating students will gain insights into the cyber insurance field, engage in skills development sessions, and network with top employers actively seeking new talent. This program is ideal for students majoring in relevant fields who are eager to start their careers in cyber risk management.

Career Pathways Program for Young Insurance Professionals

Targeting individuals with one to four years of experience in the cyber insurance industry, this track offers targeted education on core security practices, incident response strategies, and the latest legal and regulatory developments. Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and peers, expanding their professional networks in a meaningful way.

Free Access for Eligible Participants

NetDiligence is offering complimentary passes to this program for students enrolled in select majors and for young professionals with one to four years of experience in the insurance industry, working for either a carrier or brokerage.

This initiative underscores NetDiligence's commitment to fostering the next generation of cyber insurance leaders by providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.

Get Involved

Students and Young Professionals: To learn more about the agendas and secure your spot in the program, please visit: https://netdiligence.com/conferences/cyber-risk-summit-philadelphia-2024/special-program

Media Contact:

Heather Osborne

Director of Global Events & Programming

610.896.9715

[email protected]

SOURCE NetDiligence
As the landscape around laws, technology, and substances found in drugs is rapidly changing, Inova Health System urges the community to Act on Addiction

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Inova kicked off its sixth year of the Act on Addiction campaign, aimed at bringing awareness of the local landscape around addiction and substance use disorder in Northern Virginia. Timed to National Addiction Awareness Month, the campaign stresses the importance for the community to work together to tackle this issue and act on addiction.

The campaign comes during a critical time when fatal overdoses have claimed more lives in Virginia than motor vehicle and gun violence deaths combined (Operation Free Virginia) and can be primarily attributed to fentanyl. In 2022, these substances resulted in the majority (nearly 80%) of drug overdose deaths in Fairfax County, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Since 2016, the percentage of opioid overdose fatalities involving fentanyl has increased each year to 95% as of 2023 (Fairfax County). Inova and Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) are teaming up this year to tackle these unprecedented challenges our local community faces.

"The landscape surrounding addiction and substance use disorder will always be an area that evolves and changes over time," said Dr. Marquitta Duvernay, Senior Director CATS and Recovery Services, Inova Health System. "That's why campaigns like Act on Addiction and partnerships between organizations such as Inova and VOICE are key to reaching communities to educate, inform, and share available resources around the challenges our community members face every day."

Another growing concern is the changing perceptions around cannabis due to shifts in its legal status in Virginia and nearby jurisdictions. A recent Gallup study found that individuals are more likely to try cannabis because they think there are fewer potential consequences. According to the 2022 Virginia Young Adult Survey and Virginia Department of Health, nearly 45% of 18-20-year-olds in Virginia have used cannabis, many of them starting between ages 12 and 17. The knowledge gap around cannabis leaves many at risk, as substances containing THC that are purchased on the street may still contain harmful substances, including fentanyl, and even legally procured cannabis can have adverse impacts that lead to poor outcomes.

In addition to the direct impacts of substances on the community, Inova Behavioral Health leaders also report that technology and social media use have the potential to create negative indirect impacts. A recent study found teens who spent more than three hours a day on social media faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition to the direct impact of devices on mental health, devices may also indirectly impact a young person's likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors.

Inova will host two virtual community education webinars in English and Spanish, open to the public, where local experts will discuss addiction and anti-stigma. On Tuesday, September 17th at 7 pm ET, join Dr. Marquitta DuVernay to discuss the topic of addiction and anti-stigma. Additional details on the event can be found here  Webinar link: English & Enlace del seminario web: Espanol. On Thursday, September 19th at 7 pm ET, join Dr. Dan Avstreih, Associate Operational Medical Director, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, to discuss the topic of overdose: fatal and non-fatal. Additional details on the event can be found here  Webinar link: English & Enlace del seminario web: Espanol.

VOICE hosts an in-person assembly focused on youth and family behavior, bringing together those directly impacted and over 1,000 individuals including youth, families, workers, faith leaders, foundations, healthcare, law enforcement, and educators, to aim at educating and addressing pressing issues in our community. VOICE will hold an assembly focused on addiction and substance use on Sunday, September 29th at 3:15 pm ET at Fairfax High School. Additional details on the event can be found here https://voice-va.org/2024-sponsorship/.

Whether for yourself, a loved one, a friend, or a neighbor, you have the power to Act on Addiction Now. For more information about Act on Addiction, visit www.ActOnAddictionNow.org .

About Inova

Inova is Northern Virginia's leading nonprofit healthcare provider. Our mission is to provide world-class healthcare  every time, every touch  to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. Inova's 22,000 team members provide more than 2 million patient visits each year through an integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services, and destination institutes.

Inova's five hospitals are consistently recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. News & World Report, and The Leapfrog Group for excellence in healthcare. Inova is home to Northern Virginia's only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Its hospitals have a total of 1,926 licensed beds. More information about Inova can be found at inova.org.

About the Act on Addiction Campaign

First launched in 2019, the Act on Addiction campaign was created as part of a $16 million gift from the Hitt family to the Inova Health Foundation to provide more resources for those dealing with addiction and to drive a community dialogue around the issue within the Northern Virginia area. This year, the campaign is focused on addressing the new challenges our community faces due to the dangerous rise of fentanyl, more relaxed attitudes about cannabis use, and the mental health impact of technology and social media. The campaign remains dedicated to continuing the community conversation about addiction.

"Our community must continue having conversations around the current state of addiction and substance use disorder as the risk continues to be present, specifically among our local youth," said Tracy Hitt Millar, daughter of Joan and Russell Hitt. "That's why we're proud to support the Act on Addiction campaign to help raise awareness and provide resources to our community."

Media Contacts:

Tracy Connell

Inova

703-289-2087

[email protected]

Michael Atkinson

BRG Communications

703-739-8350

[email protected]

SOURCE Inova
CINCINNATI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Directions Group agri-food team, formerly known as Aimpoint Research, released The Future of Agriculture Checkoffs research report today highlighting the crucial and unique role checkoffs play in bolstering national security, enhancing social betterment, and promoting environmental sustainability.

"The strategic importance of checkoffs cannot be overstated. U.S. checkoff programs are distinctly American, and uniquely address the broad needs of all U.S. producers while safeguarding national security," said Mark Purdy, The Directions Group Executive Vice President of Agri-Food. "The research uncovered specific areas where checkoff organizations can focus to be prepared for future complexities in agriculture and the food system. This will allow them to continue their role in supporting the economic stability of the agricultural sector."

Over the past four decades, U.S. agriculture checkoff programs have been instrumental in driving domestic demand, expanding export markets, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainability. Recently, these programs have experienced a surge in political and legal scrutiny, prompting questions about their ongoing value.

Analysts leveraged multiple research methods to develop the report, including producer research, expert interviews, market intelligence, and a strategic wargame. Future state projections on geopolitics and the agri-food system, along with insights from the 'Farmer of the Future' report, are also incorporated. The research findings point to specific areas of checkoff impact and areas of opportunity to ensure checkoff organizations continue to serve a broad cross-section of U.S. producers.

Key findings include:

Checkoffs are foundational to national security with their U.S.-centric, producer-focused mission.

The commodity and research advancements driven by the checkoffs are essential to social betterment through nutrition-based human health.

Checkoffs are important for environmental sustainability through their ability to invest, pilot and scale innovation, bridging the gap from producer to consumer.

The research uncovered specific areas where checkoff organizations can evolve to optimally serve U.S. producers in the future, such as the need for agility, tiered innovation strategies and a segmented approach to producer programming.

"Considering the geopolitical environment and the importance that our competitors and adversaries place on agriculture, the United States must comprehensively promote commodities and support access to research and innovation for all farmers. To maintain and strengthen America's agricultural leadership, checkoffs must continue to fulfill these roles," said Purdy. "It's worth noting that checkoffs must continue to improve and evolve to position U.S. producers for future success, and the report provides a starting point for checkoff organizations to continue on that path."

An executive summary of the report is available for download at AimpointResearch.com.

About Aimpoint Research

Now known as The Directions Group, Aimpoint Research has worked extensively with agri-food clients for decades to provide a competitive advantage through a unique blend of military intelligence techniques and innovative research methodologies. Led by former military intelligence officers, agricultural experts, and research professionals, The Directions Group agri-food team is driven by the core belief that food security is essential to national security.

About The Directions Group

The Directions Group is a strategic insights firm helping businesses grow, innovate, and differentiate themselves in the marketplace through integrated intelligence. Their team of expert advisors partner with clients to design custom solutions that uncover the dynamic, human-centric insights that drive business outcomes and offers expertise across a range of industries, including restaurant, agriculture, health and wellness, technology, financial services, and consumer-packaged goods. The Directions Group is a privately held firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio conducting work globally.

SOURCE Aimpoint Research
NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New South Institute (NSI), a leading South African think tank committed to strengthening democracy and fostering peace, announced the African Global Dialogues , a landmark event set to take place in Johannesburg from September 18-20, 2024. This three-day event will gather prominent global experts to explore sustainable solutions for the Israel/Palestine conflict, drawing on South Africa's own experiences in conflict resolution and reconciliation.

Learning from South Africa's History:



The African Global Dialogues is inspired by South Africa's journey from apartheid to democracy, a transition marked by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process that sought to heal the nation through truth-telling, acknowledgment of past atrocities and a commitment to restorative justice. The African Global Dialogues event aims to apply similar principles of open dialogue, empathy and understanding to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on building a sustainable future for both communities.

"Just as South Africa faced deep divisions and overcame them through a commitment to dialogue and reconciliation, we believe that a nuanced, empathetic approach is crucial to address the complexities of the Israel/Palestine conflict," said Ivor Chipkin, Director of the New South Institute. "The African Global Dialogues seeks to create a platform where historical grievances are acknowledged and constructive paths forward are explored."

The African Global Dialogues will bring together a diverse group of speakers, including:

Ivor Chipkin ** - Director of the New South Institute

** - Director of the New South Institute Chile Eboe-Osuji** - Former President of the International Criminal Court

Salam Fayyad** - Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority

Marco Sassoli** - Professor of International Law

Fania Oz-Salzberger ** - Historian and Writer

These experts, among others, will engage in moderated discussions aimed at understanding the roots of the conflict, the impact of historical narratives and the potential for international law to serve as a framework for peace. The event is designed to move beyond binary narratives to foster a more inclusive and humane understanding of the underlying issues  and how to move forward without conflict.

"We believe that political narratives matterabout history, identity, friends and enemies. Without speaking truth, active listening and an honest commitment to openness, change cannot happen," Chipkin continued. "Informed by the idea that understanding the past is essential to building a better future, we hope to create a safe environment that promotes positive engagement and mutual recognition."

Event Details and Registration



The African Global Dialogues will take place from September 18-20, 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will be broadcast online to ensure global participation. To register for the event and receive a virtual invitation, please visit https://africanglobaldialogue.org .

About New South Institute

The New South Institute is dedicated to the practical work of institution-building as a foundation for democracy. With a focus on regions recovering from the legacies of colonialism, military dictatorship, and authoritarian rule, NSI operates across Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe.

SOURCE New South Institute
Harris' VP pick has helped excite Gen-Z, while Trump's VP selection is hurting more than helping, the poll also shows.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that Vice President Kamala Harris has taken President Joe Biden's place in the presidential race, younger people in critical swing states are more likely to support the Democratic frontrunner, according to an exclusive U.S. News-Generation Lab poll.

The poll, conducted on the heels of the Democratic National Convention, is the second from U.S. News and Generation Lab that examines attitudes and opinions of the nation's youngest voting bloc in key battleground states. The poll was last run in the wake of the first presidential debate in June.

Among the key findings of the survey of adults ages 18-34 in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio:

Young adults affirm Biden's decision to step aside. Eighty-two percent say they strongly agree or agree that Biden made the right choice.





Eighty-two percent say they strongly agree or agree that Biden made the right choice. Support for Harris is larger than it was for Biden. If the election were held today, 65% say they would support Harris compared to 35% who say they would support Trump  a gap 12 points greater than the respective gap between Biden and Trump when Biden was still the presumed nominee.





If the election were held today, 65% say they would support Harris compared to 35% who say they would support Trump  a gap 12 points greater than the respective gap between Biden and Trump when Biden was still the presumed nominee. Harris' VP pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has helped her energize young adults, while Trump's selection of Sen. JD Vance of Ohio appears to be hurting more than helping. Thirty-nine percent say they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to vote for Harris since her selection of Walz, compared to 13% who say they are much less or somewhat less likely to support her. Meanwhile, only 15% say they are more likely or somewhat more likely to vote for Trump since his selection of Vance, compared to 30% who say his pick means they are much less or somewhat less likely to vote for him. Among those who say they are much less or somewhat less likely to vote for Trump because of Vance, 18% say it's because they feel like he doesn't understand or represent them.





Thirty-nine percent say they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to vote for Harris since her selection of Walz, compared to 13% who say they are much less or somewhat less likely to support her. Meanwhile, only 15% say they are more likely or somewhat more likely to vote for Trump since his selection of Vance, compared to 30% who say his pick means they are much less or somewhat less likely to vote for him. Young adults are more likely to vote now that Harris is the Democratic candidate. Forty-three percent of young people "strongly agree" or "agree" that they are more likely to vote in the election now that Harris is the Democratic candidate. Meanwhile, 48% of registered Democrats say they are more likely to vote because she has a better shot at beating Trump than Biden did.





Forty-three percent of young people "strongly agree" or "agree" that they are more likely to vote in the election now that Harris is the Democratic candidate. Most young adults are committed to their chosen candidate  a commitment that has increased in recent months. Seventy percent say they're either "very committed" to their candidate and "nothing could change my mind," or "pretty committed," and "it would take something major to change my mind"  a 19 percentage-point swing from how they answered the question in June and July.

"Our poll shows that younger Americans are with Vice President Harris and Governor Walz in several of the swing states that will tip the balance of power  and many intend to voice their support at the voting booth in November," said Dafna Linzer, U.S. News' editorial director and executive vice president. "While the national polls show a tight race that either candidate could win, support is clearly growing for the Democratic ticket among this key voting bloc."

The survey was conducted online by Generation Lab on August 25-September 3, 2024, among a nationally representative sample of 2,003 U.S. adults, ages 18-34 living in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, yielding an overall margin error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

For additional survey findings, U.S. News has published related content including an overview as well as an analysis on the top issues impacting young americans.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OCMBC, Inc, a leading mortgage lender and servicer, as reported by Scotsman Guide, a top 5 wholesale lender, active in all loan products, and the nation's #2 NonQM originator today announced the successful acquisition of HomeStar Financial Corporation. HomeStar is a respected Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and GNMA-approved corporation. The acquisition was formally closed on August 29, 2024, marking a significant expansion in OCMBC's nationwide operations.

Founded in April 2002, HomeStar Financial Corporation started as a small local mortgage banking company in Gainesville, Georgia. Under the leadership of Founder and CEO Wes Hunt, HomeStar is licensed to conduct business from coast to coast. The company has been recognized in the state of Georgia as a Top Place to Work, #1 FHA Purchase Lender, and Top Mortgage Originator.

Serene Vernon, President of OCMBC, Inc., expressed her excitement about the acquisition: "We are thrilled to welcome Wes Hunt and the entire HomeStar Financial team to the OCMBC family. Their extensive experience in servicing and their commitment to providing outstanding customer service align perfectly with our values at OCMBC. We look forward to achieving remarkable things together."

Rabi Aziz, CEO of OCMBC, Inc., also commented on the acquisition: "HomeStar is a great fit for the OCMBC Family of Companies. Their dedication to creating strong community relationships and the strength of their team enhances our ability to serve our clients."

OCMBC, Inc. (NMLS #2125) is a leading mortgage lender and servicer, proudly recognized as a Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Seller/Servicer. Approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and USDA, OCMBC boasts one of the nation's largest NonQM origination channels. OCMBC, Inc is reported by Scotsman Guide as a top 5 wholesale lender, active in all loan products, and the nation's #2 NonQM originator. Licensed and approved in 48 states and the District of Columbia, OCMBC offers a wide range of mortgage products and services to meet the diverse needs of its clients. For more information, visit www.OCMBC.com.

SOURCE OCMBC, Inc.
Postsecondary support organization will increase effectiveness and service offerings with the addition of a free online college fit comparison tool

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OneGoal , a leading postsecondary access and success organization working with students, schools and districts to transform postsecondary advising and support, announces its acquisition of DecidED , an online college cost comparison tool developed and brought to market by the national nonprofit Moneythink .

"DecidED is an easy-to-use online financial literacy tool that provides students, families, advisors and partner organizations with an efficient way to understand and compare college costs, financial aid benefits and other fit factors," said OneGoal CEO Melissa Connelly. "Our research tells us that 71% of OneGoal students who stop out of their postsecondary path list 'financial reasons' for not continuing their postsecondary plans. We're excited to see OneGoal students, their families and the public take advantage of this free tool to help prevent these stopouts."

"Despite the incredible early traction we've seen among students, advisors and partnering organizations using DecidED for the last several years, it became evident to me and our leadership that our product deserved a larger, more established mission-aligned organization to truly bring our vision to life. OneGoal emerged as the ideal partner, offering a strong, reputable brand and extensive direct provider networks across schools, districts and states, as well as having an increasing hand in systems change work," said Moneythink CEO Joshua Lachs. "I'm so thrilled to see this game-changing partnership come together, fueled by Melissa's forward-thinking leadership and OneGoal's commitment to leverage accessible, practical and equity-focused college affordability tools and data to help create an informed education marketplace of consumers."

With DecidED, students can search schools and compare them for fit factors such as cost, location, graduation rates, campus diversity and more. Once students begin to receive financial aid award letters from schools to which they've been accepted, these letters can be uploaded to DecidED. The tool will then provide a breakdown of free financial aid alongside individual college costs so students can easily compare how much money would be needed to attend each school of interest, quickly and accurately helping them understand the affordability of their college options.

By suggesting ways to pay for college, such as scholarships, work-study and loans, to offering assistance with planning and budgeting for comprehensive college expenses, DecidED can help students and families explore, compare and choose the best college option that aligns with their goals. Additionally, advisors and administrators can use DecidED to track and support multiple students' progress on their college journeys. The tool shows a real-time snapshot of schools students are interested in, what types of awards they've received and how affordable their options are. Advisors can also download reports complete with college costs and fit factor data, financial aid results and student preferences.

"DecidED makes understanding true college costs simple so that students can easily gauge what their out-of-pocket costs will be," Connelly said. "Adding DecidED to OneGoal's suite of supports helps us provide clear and factual information that empowers students to enroll at affordable schools where they have the greatest chance of graduating with the least amount of debt."

To access DecidED, visit https://decided.org/

B-roll and images can be found here .

About OneGoal:

OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. Striving to build a movement to close the opportunity gap, OneGoal works side by side with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity. The result is more equitable and effective support for all students. OneGoal's unique approach, honed over 15 years, prioritizes strong human relationshipsand it has proven to deliver real student impact. Of OneGoal high school graduates, 81% enroll in a postsecondary institution, and 73% of those who enroll persist one year after high school. An independent study by the University of Chicago found that OneGoal students are about 40% more likely to earn postsecondary degrees than students from similar backgrounds.

Media Contact:

Amie Hornbaker, Senior Publicist

myWHY Agency

[email protected]

312-291-1099

SOURCE OneGoal
Expanding their footprint across the Northwest PCRK has secured locations Texas and in New Mexico

PHOENIX, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PCRK Group, a leading provider of high-quality skincare and body care services, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of 36 Massage Envy locations, with 35 in Texas and one in New Mexico. This strategic acquisition solidifies PCRK Group as the largest franchisee in the Massage Envy system, now boasting an impressive 131 locations across the United States, operating in 13 states.

Expanding their footprint across the Northwest PCRK has secured locations Texas and in New Mexico Post this Kristi Mallioux & Todd Recknagel

"We are so happy to welcome our new clinics and team members to the PCRK family," said Todd Recknagel, Co-CEO of PCRK Group. "The Texas and New Mexico group's passion for creating satisfied customers aligns perfectly with our mission."

As a company committed to enhancing the well-being of its members, PCRK Group aims to grow its member base and help more individuals feel better, look better, and lead happier lives.

PCRK group recently hit a milestone of its 20 millionth massage and facial service, and now with this recent acquisition, are tracking to do over 1.5 million services this year alone.

This acquisition marks a significant milestone in PCRK Group's journey as they strive to become the world-class model for health, wellness, and beauty businesses.

"We are blessed with our continued growth and are passionate about making PCRK Group a truly great place for people to work," said Kristi Mailloux Co-CEO of PCRK Group. "Together, we will continue to create exceptional customer experiences and foster a supportive and dynamic work environment."

The acquisition of these Massage Envy locations is a testament to PCRK Group, a portfolio company of Trivest Partners and Three20 Group, and their dedication to delivering superior services and creating a positive impact on the communities it serves. The company remains committed to its vision of providing unparalleled health and wellness experiences to its members.

About Trivest Partners

Trivest Partners LP, with offices in Miami, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Toronto, is a private investment firm that focuses exclusively on the support and growth of founder-led and family-owned businesses in the United States and Canada in both control and non-control transactions. Since its founding in 1981, Trivest has completed more than 400 investments, totaling over $7 billion in value. To learn more, visit www.trivest.com

About Three20 Capital Group

Three20 Capital Group is a private equity firm led by franchise veterans Todd Recknagel and Kristi Mailloux. Three20 has a depth of experience in franchising, distribution, energy efficiency, and multi-unit businesses. To learn more, visit www.three20group.com

About PCRK Group

PCRK Group, headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, owns and operates 131 Massage Envy locations across 13 states and is Massage Envy's largest franchisee. PCRK is committed to connecting with each member and guest to assist them throughout their well-being journey. To learn more, visit www.pcrkgroup.com

MEDIA CONTACT: Todd Recknagel, PCRK Group, [email protected]

SOURCE PCRK Group
NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI- The global prosthetic robot arm market size is estimated to grow by USD 640 million from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 14.84% during the forecast period. Increase in amputation cases is driving market growth, with a trend towards 3D-printed prosthetic robot arm. However, high cost of equipment poses a challenge. Key market players include Advanced Arm Dynamics Inc., Aether Biomedical sp. Z o.o., Bionic Hope Pvt. Ltd., BrainCo Inc., Cardinal Health Inc., COVVI, exiii Inc., HDT Global, Makers Hive Innovations Pvt. Ltd., Mobius Bionics LLC, Open Bionics Ltd., Ossur hf, Ottobock SE and Co. KGaA, Shadow Robot Co., Steeper Inc., TASKA Prosthetics, Unlimited Tomorrow, and Vincent Medical Holdings Ltd..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global prosthetic robot arm market 2024-2028

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Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered Application (Hospitals, Household, and Clinics and ambulatory surgical centers), Technology (Microprocessor-based and Myoelectric), and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Region Covered North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Key companies profiled Advanced Arm Dynamics Inc., Aether Biomedical sp. Z o.o., Bionic Hope Pvt. Ltd., BrainCo Inc., Cardinal Health Inc., COVVI, exiii Inc., HDT Global, Makers Hive Innovations Pvt. Ltd., Mobius Bionics LLC, Open Bionics Ltd., Ossur hf, Ottobock SE and Co. KGaA, Shadow Robot Co., Steeper Inc., TASKA Prosthetics, Unlimited Tomorrow, and Vincent Medical Holdings Ltd.

Key Market Trends Fueling Growth

The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is experiencing significant growth, with a major challenge being the high cost of traditional prosthetic arms. However, the forecast period is expected to witness increased adoption of 3D-printed prosthetic robot arms due to their advantages, such as cost-effective manufacturing. Companies like Open Bionics and exiii Inc. Are leading this trend, offering custom-fitted prosthetic arms using 3D scanning and 3D printing technology. Open Bionics' project allows for a custom-fitted socket and hand to be made in less than two days, while exiii Inc.'s HACKberry arm can be assembled at home with affordable parts and a USD1,000 consumer 3D printer. Easton LaChappelle's Unlimited Tomorrow is also making waves with a USD4,000 prosthetic arm, focusing on battery technology, miniaturization, and wireless connectivity, while offering free designs for 3D printing. With growing consumer awareness of 3D printing, more vendors are expected to enter the market, increasing competition and driving down costs.

The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is experiencing significant growth due to the rising number of amputations caused by injuries, chronic diseases, and congenital conditions. Robotics and artificial intelligence are driving innovation in this field, with advancements in 3D printing, biosensor technology, and bionic prosthetics. Companies like LUKE arm system and Mobius Bionics are leading the way in creating high-quality, customized prosthetic arms using advanced materials and biomimetic design. Better materials and technology, such as microprocessor prosthetics, myoelectric prosthetics, and mind-controlled prostheses, are improving the quality of life for amputees. The market volume is increasing due to the growing need for prosthetic arms among healthcare providers and individuals affected by limb loss from diabetes, vascular diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, trauma, and other conditions. The use of raw materials and transportation costs are key considerations for manufacturers, while financial aid and insurance coverage help make these advanced technologies more accessible to those in need. Companies like Ace Matrix, Fillauer Companies, and Steeper are also contributing to the market with their innovative solutions. Quantitative units of prosthetic arms are expected to grow steadily in the coming years as technology continues to advance and improve the lives of those with limb loss.

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Market Challenges

The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is experiencing gradual adoption in developed countries due to advanced robotic medical systems in healthcare. However, affordability remains a challenge for patients in developing and emerging economies. High costs, attributed to the advanced technology, restrict access to prosthetic robot arms for most patients. The ASP is expected to decrease due to emerging technologies like 3D printing. Functional limitations and a short replacement cycle are additional hindrances to market growth. Prosthetic robot arms range from USD15,000 to USD100,000 for advanced models. Despite advancements, the high capital and recurring costs limit market penetration in emerging markets.

to for advanced models. Despite advancements, the high capital and recurring costs limit market penetration in emerging markets. The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is experiencing significant growth due to advancements in technology, particularly in the areas of biosensor technology, bionic prosthetics, and AI. However, challenges persist, such as the need for better materials, affordability, and customization. Raw material procurement and transportation costs remain a concern for manufacturers. Microprocessor and myoelectric prosthetics, including the LUKE arm system and Mind-controlled prosthesis, are popular choices, but the steep prices limit their accessibility. Companies like Ace Matrix, Mobius Bionics, Fillauer Companies, exiii, Ossur, Vincent Medical Holdings, and Ottobock are leading the way in innovation, offering advanced materials and biomimetic designs. Healthcare providers and insurers must navigate financial aid and coverage options to make these technologies more accessible to those in need. Quantitative units and volumes in the Global Robotic Prosthetics market continue to rise, transforming the lives of amputees and pushing the boundaries of technology in the extremity devices sector.

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Segment Overview

This prosthetic robot arm market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Application

1.1 Hospitals

1.2 Household

1.3 Clinics and ambulatory surgical centers

Technology

2.1 Microprocessor-based

2.2 Myoelectric

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Hospitals- The Prosthetic Robot Arm Market is experiencing significant growth due to advancements in technology. These arms offer improved functionality and mobility for amputees, enhancing their quality of life. Key players in the market include DEKA Research & Development, Mobius Bionics, and Hocoma. Collaborations and partnerships between these companies and healthcare institutions drive innovation and expansion. The market's future looks promising, with increasing demand for advanced prosthetic solutions.

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Research Analysis

The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is a rapidly growing segment of the Robotics industry, driven by advancements in Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing, and Biomimetic Design. Amputation due to injuries, chronic diseases, and congenital conditions continues to fuel demand for these advanced devices. The Amputee Coalition estimates that over 2 million Americans live with limb loss, creating a significant need for prosthetic solutions. Global Robotic Prosthetics market volumes are measured in quantitative units, with Extremity Prosthetics being the largest segment. Prosthetic Robot arms offer advanced features such as customization, improved functionality, and increased user comfort. Advanced materials and Brain-Computer Interfaces are key technologies driving innovation in this field. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in the adoption of Prosthetic Robot arms, with financial aid and insurance coverage being major factors influencing accessibility. Companies like Ace Matrix, Mobius Bionics, Fillauer Companies, exiii, Ossur, and others are leading the way in this market, offering solutions tailored to individual user needs. 3D printing and AI are revolutionizing Prosthetic Robot arm production, allowing for more affordable and customized solutions. The future of Prosthetic Robot arms lies in continued innovation, with potential applications in rehabilitation, industrial settings, and beyond.

Market Research Overview

The Prosthetic Robot Arm market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing prevalence of amputations, injuries, chronic diseases, and congenital conditions. Robotics and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing the field with advanced bionic prosthetics, microprocessor prosthetics, myoelectric prosthetics, and mind-controlled prostheses. Better materials, such as 3D printed components, and biosensor technology are improving the quality of life for amputees. The Amputee Coalition reports that over 2 million Americans are living with limb loss, with diabetes, vascular diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and trauma being common causes. The market includes voluminous units of prosthetic arms, with key drivers being technological advancements, healthcare providers' adoption, and financial aid and insurance coverage. Companies are focusing on advanced materials, prosthetic arm customization, biomimetic design, and brain-computer interfaces to meet the evolving needs of the market. Global Robotic Prosthetics, Steeper, Myo Kinisi hand, Ace Matrix, Mobius Bionics, Fillauer Companies, exiii, Ossur, Vincent Medical Holdings, and Ottobock are some of the leading players in the industry.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Application

Hospitals



Household



Clinics And Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Technology

Microprocessor-based



Myoelectric

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Animal Advocates Demand Immediate End to Resumed Rabbit Sales at Petco

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco has resumed selling rabbits in southern U.S. stores, shattering its commitments made in 1994 and 2008 to cease all rabbit sales.

Selling rabbits in pet stores often leads to impulse buys by customers unaware of the extensive care and significant veterinary costs involved. These hasty purchases often lead to "summer dump season," when many pet rabbits are abandoned outdoors, becoming roadkill or prey for predators.

"Petco's decision to sell rabbits is hypocritical and shows blatant disregard for their past commitments," said Paige K Parsons, President of the Rabbit.org Foundation. (rabbit.org)

"It is a huge disappointment that Petco has decided to sell rabbits again, especially designer rabbits. It will negatively impact rabbit rescues nationwide," says Beth Woolbright, Executive Director of the House Rabbit Society. (houserabbit.org)

"It's egregious that any pet store plans to exploit ignorance by selling purebred 'boutique' rabbits. When you hear 'purebred,' think inbred. So many 'imperfect' animals are 'culled' to create breeds with short faces (brachycephaly) and lop ears," said Dana Krempels, PhD, evolutionary biologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Miami. "These in-bred animals are genetic disasters, veterinary time bombs predisposed to chronic dental disease, ear infections, and other maladies. The process is cruel, and the result is expensive. Veterinary bills can quickly run into thousands."

1994: Petco vowed to stop selling rabbits under pressure from rabbit advocates.

2000: Petco resumed rabbit sales.

2008: Petco promised to end rabbit sales and support in-store adoptions, after lengthy negotiations with House Rabbit Society.

2024: Petco resumed selling rabbits in Southern U.S. stores.

"Rabbits are among the most surrendered companion animals in the U.S.," says Mary Cotter, former President of House Rabbit Society.

"It doesn't have to be this way," said Marinell Harriman, founder of the House Rabbit Society. "In 2008, Petco committed to partnering with local rabbit rescues and promoting adoptions, which we saw as a positive step for animal welfare."

"We are deeply disappointed by Petco's decision to sell rabbits in 25 stores nationwide, including three here in North Carolina," said Jeanette Lyerly, co-founder of Triangle Rabbits. "As a rabbit rescue, we advocate for adopting homeless rabbits from shelters and rescue groups, not selling them in retail stores. So far in 2024, our small rescue was asked to take in over 175 rabbits. Shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed."

Rabbit.org Foundation demands Petco honor its commitments and end rabbit sales. "Everyone who cares about animals should speak out against Petco," said Parsons. "Exploiting rabbits for profit is unacceptable."

Rabbit.org Foundation improves the lives of rabbits through education and advocacy.

More at https://rabbit.org/activism/petco/

Images https://bit.ly/rdo-petco-pix

Media Contact: Paige K. Parsons, President, Rabbit.org Foundation, 650-520-4290, [email protected]

SOURCE Rabbit.org Foundation
Under Chapter 11 plan, Red Lobster will be acquired by RL Investor Holdings LLC, an entity backed by Fortress Investment Group

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Lobster Management LLC, along with its direct and indirect operating subsidiaries ("Red Lobster" or "the Company"), owner and operator of the Red Lobster restaurant chain, today announced that the Company has received court approval of its Chapter 11 plan.

As part of the Chapter 11 plan, RL Investor Holdings LLC will acquire the Red Lobster restaurant chain from the Company. RL Investor Holdings LLC is an entity created by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC ("Fortress"), alongside co-investors TCW Private Credit and Blue Torch. The acquisition is anticipated to close before the end of September.

On completion of the acquisition, Damola Adamolekun will become the CEO of the Red Lobster restaurant chain, and Jonathan Tibus, who has served as the Company's CEO during the reorganization, will step down from the role and leave the Company.

"This is a great day for Red Lobster," said Mr. Adamolekun. "With our new backers, we have a comprehensive and long-term investment plan  including a commitment of more than $60 million in new funding  that will help to reinvigorate the iconic brand while keeping the best of its history. Red Lobster has a tremendous future, and I cannot wait to get started on our plan with the Company's more than 30,000 team members across the USA and Canada. I want to thank Jonathan Tibus and his team for their stewardship, and look forward to welcoming them as frequent Red Lobster guests."

Red Lobster will continue to operate as an independent company, with 544 locations across 44 U.S. states and four Canadian Provinces.

Jonathan Tibus added, "I'm proud of what Red Lobster has achieved during this restructuring  the Company will emerge from Chapter 11 stronger financially and operationally, and with new backers who are resolutely focused on investment and growth. I'm incredibly grateful for the support we've received from our team members and diners, and from so many of our landlords and vendors throughout this process. I'm looking forward to cheering on Red Lobster as an ardent fan in the years ahead."

About Red Lobster restaurant chain

Red Lobster is the world's largest and most-loved seafood restaurant company, headquartered in Orlando, Fla. With a proud heritage, Red Lobster is focused on serving the highest quality, freshly prepared seafood that is traceable, sustainable, and responsibly sourced. To learn more about Red Lobster, including locations and menu options, please visit http://www.redlobster.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, or TikTok.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Red Lobster Seafood Co.
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rochester Midland Corporation ("Rochester Midland" or the "Company") a leading provider of route-based, technical services and specialty chemical products across water treatment, food safety and other verticals, today announced that it has acquired Industrial Water Technologies ("IWT"), a water treatment services provider and technical consulting firm based in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.

Founded in 1988, IWT offers a wide range of services across water treatment applications, including cooling tower & boiler water treatment, laboratory services and program monitoring. IWT services plant utilities across a variety of end markets including healthcare, critical systems engineering (data centers), government, manufacturing, higher education and co-generation, amongst others.

Jim White, CEO of Rochester Midland, commented, "Rochester Midland's acquisition of IWT strategically expands our technical expertise, service capabilities and customer base in the New York Metropolitan Area. We look forward to working with IWT to achieve its growth aspirations as a combined platform."

Richard DeMartino, Founder & CEO of IWT, commented, "The decision to partner with Rochester Midland was based on its values and customer-oriented approach. This combination creates an organization even better equipped to service the industrial water treatment community, as our customers will have access to a wider array of high-quality products and services."

ABOUT ROCHESTER MIDLAND



Founded in 1888, Rochester Midland is a leading provider of route-based, technical services and specialty chemical products across water treatment, food safety and other verticals. Rochester Midland is headquartered in Rochester, NY with additional facilities in the U.S., Canada and U.K. For more information on Rochester Midland, visit us online at www.rochestermidland.com.

Media Contact:

Daniel Yunger

Kekst CNC

(212) 521-4800

[email protected]

SOURCE Rochester Midland Corporation
NORTH BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rock Creek Foundation , a staple of support for individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illness in Montgomery County, MD and the Greater Washington DC region, is proud to announce continued growth and expansion initiatives on the heels of its successful gala event in April. The Foundation continues to enhance its service capacity and expand its reach, furthering its mission and commitment to the community.

Since the gala, Rock Creek Foundation has made considerable strides in expanding its residential services. The organization was awarded a 15-bed expansion of our Residential Rehabilitation Program (nine in Montgomery County and six in Prince George's County). This is specifically the first bed expansion in Montgomery County in over 30 years. Additionally, these properties are uniquely single occupancy per room and gender neutral.

In line with its mission to promote independence and meaningful lives, Rock Creek Foundation plans to expand its supported employment program this fiscal year. The organization will be expanding to youth-based services under the developmental disabilities administration.

Najla Wortham, MA LCPC , President of Rock Creek Foundation has been accepted into the 2025 Connecting Our Region's Execs (CORE) program of Leadership Montgomery , a program dedicated to fostering cross-sector collaboration to tackle complex issues in Montgomery County and build thriving, inclusive communities. "Since our inception in 1973, Rock Creek Foundation has been dedicated to offering comprehensive care and striving for the independence of the individuals we support. Our recent gala was not just a celebration of our past achievements but a launch pad for our future endeavors. We are excited about our expansion efforts and the positive impact we will continue to make in our community," said Najla Wortham.

The Foundation's Residential Rehabilitation Program (RRP) continues to demonstrate success in providing supportive counseling and rehabilitative treatment to individuals previously hospitalized due to mental health diagnoses. A notable success story includes Mr. A, who was admitted to RCF's RRP in November 2022. Mr. A has achieved psychiatric stability, learned independent living skills, and secured part-time employment at a local Giant Foods. He has successfully maintained this employment for six months while remaining stable in the community.

Rock Creek Foundation has also increased its engagement in community events, reflecting its commitment to education and collaboration. The organization participated in the Prince George's County LBHA Expo on May 11, 2024, and joined Family Fun Day on June 15, 2024, with Tree of Hope Association and Positive Recovery. These events provided opportunities for the Foundation to educate the community about its history and services while building ties with other health providers. The Foundation's Day Program has initiated a new volunteer-based partnership with GROWN@Pope Farm in Gaithersburg. Participants engage in farming, planting and agriculture education. This ongoing partnership ensures bi-monthly participation from Rock Creek's Day Program, fostering community engagement and skill-building.

If you are interested in supporting Rock Creek Foundation please visit this link .

About Us

Rock Creek Foundation is an innovative nonprofit established in 1973 specializing in providing exceptional care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or severe and persistent mental illness. Rock Creek stands out for its dual-licensed capabilities, addressing both intellectual disabilities and mental health needs. Operating in the Maryland/DC area, Rock Creek emphasizes creating meaningful lives and independence for its clients, offering a range of services through group homes and day programs. https://www.rockcreek.org/

Media Contact:

Olivia Ludington

551-795-5950

[email protected]

SOURCE Rock Creek Foundation
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In compliance with paragraph 3.59 of the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited (JSE), shareholders are advised that the Board of Directors (the Board) of the Company has appointed Ms Elizna Viljoen as Sasol's Group Company Secretary with effect from 1 January 2025.

Elizna will be joining Sasol from Anglo American where she has been leading the company secretarial teams of Anglo American South Africa and Anglo American Platinum. With over 23 years of expertise in the company secretarial field, both in consulting and in-house roles, Elizna has been involved in a wide range of corporate transactions across the industrial, mining, information technology and telecommunications sectors.

Elizna holds a B.Com in Marketing Management degree and is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute of South Africa (FCIS). She also is a member of the Advisory Committee of the JSE.

The Board is of the view that Elizna has the necessary expertise and experience to carry out the responsibilities of this role, in accordance with the JSE Listing Requirements.

On behalf of the Board and the Company, Ms Muriel Dube, the Lead Independent Director said: "We are pleased to welcome Ms Elizna Viljoen to Sasol. Elizna's extensive experience in the company secretarial field gives us confidence that she will add great value to the work of the Board".

Ms Helaine Joubert, the Deputy Group Company Secretary will continue to act as Group Company Secretary of the Company until 31 December 2024.

Ms Dube added: "We are most grateful to Helaine for the contribution she has been making to the Board".

For further information, please contact:

Sasol Investor Relations,

Tiffany Sydow, VP Investor Relations

Telephone: +27 (0) 71 673 1929

[email protected]

SOURCE Sasol Limited
#EyesForEmily Communication Campaign Grows

WEST GLACIER, Mont., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The family of Emily Rea has launched a full-scale communications campaign, #EyesForEmily, and a dedicated website as a source of information to help locate the missing young woman, a resident of West Glacier, Montana. Ms. Rea has been missing since Tuesday, July 16, 2024, and was last known to have gone to the Hungry Horse Reservoir in the Flathead National Forest to go paddleboarding.

Emily Rea, a 33-year-old woman, is an active outdoors enthusiast, and a beloved staff member of the Skola School, an independent nature-based school for pre-k through 3rd-grade students in the Whitefish community, and the manager of Half Moon VRBO.

Widespread communication including radio, billboards, fuel pump announcements, and flyers are being distributed to build broader awareness of the #EyesForEmily campaign. In response to generous public assistance, a volunteer form and a downloadable missing person flyer are available on the campaign website. A donation link has been provided to aid in the ongoing search efforts and #EyesForEmily community. Official Facebook and Instagram accounts have also been set up to streamline information and offer regular updates.

In addition, the family has offered a $25,000 reward for the first valid tip leading to the return of Emily Rea by November 30, 2024. The reward applies to non-water recovery information, due to the intensive search and rescue work actively underway at the Hungry Horse Reservoir by trained personnel. The Flathead County Sheriff's Office has been conducting an ongoing search for Ms. Rea for over a month actively searching land and water. Most recently, specialized side-scan sonar has been brought in to navigate challenging deep-water terrain.

"Emily is still missing, and we are broadening and intensifying our search for her," said Emily's mother, Nina Rea. "We are now offering a $25,000 reward in the hope of more information that will help us locate and bring our daughter home. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped in the search effort so far, and I pray we find answers soon."

The authorities urge anyone who might have seen, heard, or know anything about Emily Rea's disappearance to please contact the tip line including photos, videos, and sightings, at 406-758-5610 or [email protected] .

SOURCE The Rea Family
The round was led by Foundation Capital with Amex Ventures joining as an investor

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedric AI, ("Sedric"), the pioneering compliance-dedicated AI platform for financial institutions, today announced it has closed a $18.5 million Series A funding round to further its efforts to transform compliance operations across the industry. The latest funding round, led by Foundation Capital with participation from Amex Ventures, brings the total amount raised by the company to date to $22 million. The funds will be used to grow Sedric's AI lab in Tel Aviv and expand its global go-to-market teams.

Financial institutions are embracing technologies like Gen AI to expand their product offerings, understanding that emerging technology comes with increased potential compliance risk. Regulators are applying more focus and expectations on financial institutions to ensure that those leveraging Gen AI are safeguarding their customers across all customer touchpoints, including communications and marketing.

The current regulatory environment, coupled with the growing scope of financial services, is driving demand for innovative solutions to help compliance officers execute their organization's policies, guidelines, and standards. Studies show that the current cost of compliance for financial services worldwide is US$206 billion, equivalent to 12% of global research and development expenditures.

Sedric empowers compliance officers with a holistic view of their customer touchpoints across multiple channels to flag deviations from their established compliance policies and guidelines. Sedric's technology enables companies to quickly take corrective actions without the cost and burden of manual review.

This technology is powered by the financial services industry's first compliance-dedicated large language model (LLM), providing organizations with a mature, enterprise-ready platform to oversee and manage compliance risks. While starting with vertical-specific battle-tested models, Sedric is a learning system. Its models are customized to an organization's unique requirements, automating policy enforcement, mitigating deviations, and streamlining audits.

"For financial institutions, compliance and growth can be seen as two competing priorities," said Nir Laznik, co-founder and CEO of Sedric. "With our compliance LLM, we turn risk into a growth opportunity. Enterprises now have an opportunity to implement a proven, bank-ready solution that is successfully operational and already widely adopted across the financial services industry."

Sedric's revenue has increased fivefold over the last 12 months. The company has a growing base of customers in the U.S. and Europe, including global lenders, banks, trading platforms, and insurers.

"Sedric's AI compliance platform fills a critical industry need as regulatory requirements become more stringent and complex," said Charles Moldow, General Partner at Foundation Capital. "Nir, Eyal, and the Sedric team have developed a forward-looking solution that is 100 times more effective, faster, and efficient compared to traditional methods. This is a rare 'better-faster-cheaper' compliance solution for financial institutions."

Sedric's existing investors include StageOne Ventures, The Garage, Gefen Capital, Skywell Capital, Secret Chord, and K20 Fund.

"I believe that GenAI is going to dominate all aspects of the financial sector, yet in my experience, it's a challenge to ensure it's being used responsibly," said Eyal Peleg, co-founder and CTO of Sedric. "Sedric enables financial institutions to unlock the potential of these powerful tools safely and within regulatory boundaries. Our platform puts guardrails and protections in place to help financial institutions adopt AI in a private, observable, and reliable way."

About Sedric AI

Sedric developed the first dedicated compliance large language model (LLM) for financial services. Its AI-driven compliance platform transforms compliance operations and empowers compliance officers with a holistic view of risk across every integrated customer touchpoint. With offices in New York and Tel Aviv, the company provides financial services firms with a proven, enterprise-ready solution that is customized to an organization's unique requirements, enabling organizations to turn risk into a growth opportunity. The company was established by Nir Laznik and Eyal Peleg in 2020 and has a growing base of customers in the U.S. and Europe. For more, please visit: https://www.sedric.ai/

About Foundation Capital

Foundation Capital is an early-stage venture firm founded in 1995. Our enterprise, fintech, consumer, and crypto investmentsincluding Netflix, Lending Club, Sunrun, TubiTV, Chegg, Solana, Stripe, and Uber have reinvented industries and defined new markets. For a quarter of a century, the firm has endured, evolved, and thrived, with over $5B assets under management, 33 IPOs and ICOs, and 80+ acquisitions to our name. Building companies is in our bones. For more info, visit: foundationcap.com.

Media contact:

Sivan Ron

[email protected]

SOURCE Sedric AI
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Gatos (NYSE:GATO) (TSX:GATO) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with First Majestic.

Click here to learn how to join our investigation https://www.ademilaw.com/case/gatos-silver-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

In the transaction, Gatos stockholders will receive 2.550 common shares of First Majestic for each common share of Gatos held. The consideration implies a total offer value of $13.49 per common share of Gatos based on the closing price of First Majestic's common shares. The proposed Transaction implies a total equity value for Gatos of approximately $970 million. Following completion of the Transaction, existing Gatos shareholders will own approximately 38% of First Majestic shares on a fully-diluted basis.

The transaction agreement unreasonably limits competing transactions for Gatos by imposing a significant penalty if Gatos accepts a competing bid. Gatos insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements.

We are investigating the conduct of Gatos's board of directors, and whether they are fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders.

If you own Gatos common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/gatos-silver-inc.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
Statement from Kathy Crosby, Truth Initiative CEO and President

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) shows significant progress in reducing youth e-cigarette use, with half a million fewer middle and high school students currently vaping. However, despite this encouraging decline from 2.1 million in 2023 to 1.63 million in 2024, the survey reveals a troubling reality: youth nicotine addiction remains a serious public health concern. Among middle and high school students who currently vape, nearly 40%  over 620,000 teens  report using e-cigarettes frequently (38.7%), signaling signs of persistent nicotine addiction.

Nicotine pouch use remains low at 1.8% (480,000 middle and high school students), but 29.3% of current users report frequent use, and 22.4% use pouches daily, a disturbing trend given the high nicotine levels. Zyn, the most popular brand (chosen by 68.7% of youth pouch users), is aggressively marketed through "Zynfluencers" and youth-appealing rewards programs. These products have exploded in popularity nationwide, with soaring sales and increasing nicotine levels, and should be continuously monitored to protect youth and prevent addiction.

This is particularly concerning given nicotine is harmful to developing brains, and dependence has been shown to negatively impact mental health by amplifying feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. There is no safe level of use for youth, and the vast majority of these products do not have FDA authorization, making their presence on the market illegal. Truth Initiative research shows that between 2017 and 2022, disposable e-cigarettes nearly tripled in nicotine strength, quintupled in e-liquid capacity, and dropped in price by nearly 70%  all at the expense of young people's physical and mental health.

The rise of nicotine addiction underscores the critical importance of Truth Initiative's market-leading quit programs. This is Quitting, our free text-based program now part of the EX Program, has enrolled over 780,000 young people nationwide. A recent first-of-its-kind study among teens, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that participants in the interactive program were 35% more likely to report not using nicotine at the 7-month study endpoint. Additionally, our free digital curriculum, Vaping: Know the truth, has reached more than one million middle and high school students, providing them with essential facts about e-cigarette use.

The NYTS data further demonstrates the allure of flavors, with 87.6% of youth stating their preference for flavored e-cigarettes. Fruit (62.8%), candy (33.3%), and mint (25.1%) were the flavor types most frequently reported. Disposable products remain the most popular among youth, with Elf Bar (36.1%), Breeze (19.9%), Mr. Fog (15.8%), Vuse (13.7%), and JUUL (12.6%) topping the list. Four out of the top five brands have not received pre-market authorization from the FDA and are on the market illegally. Despite many warning letters from the agency to both retailers and manufacturers, these brands persist in popularity among youth.

While this drop in youth e-cigarette use is an encouraging public health win, we cannot ignore the persistent nicotine dependence among youth. We must continue supporting evidence-based programs to help young people quit, while holding the tobacco industry accountable for relentlessly pursuing a new generation. We also urge retailers to stop selling illegal, youth-appealing flavored nicotine products that continue to flood the market. So far, the FDA has authorized only 34 e-cigarette products, primarily tobacco and menthol flavored. Our work is far from over, but together, we can work toward a future free from nicotine addiction.

About Truth Initiative

Truth Initiative is a national nonprofit public health organization committed to a future free from lifelong addiction, fostering healthier lives and a more resilient nation. Our mission is to prevent youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empower quitting for all. Through our evidence-based, market-leading cessation EX Program and the nationally recognized truth public education campaign, we are leading the fight against youth and young adult tobacco use, which threatens to put a new generation at risk of nicotine addiction. Our rigorous scientific research and policy studies, community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco, and innovation in tobacco dependence treatment continue to contribute to ending one of the most critical public health battles of our time. Based in Washington, D.C., our organization was established and funded through the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories, and the tobacco industry. To learn more, visit truthinitiative.org.

SOURCE Truth Initiative
Company donates 30,000 backpacks of school supplies to students and awards 20 teachers with $500 gifts to commemorate 20th anniversary

CARROLLTON, Ga., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwire, North America's leading wire and cable company, celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Back to School giving efforts by expanding its impact in the communities where team members live and work. This year, the company donated 30,000 backpacks full of school supplies to students across more than 25 communities. In addition to the school supplies, the company also expanded its My Favorite Teacher competition to award 20 teachers with $500 gifts for the upcoming school year.

Southwire recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Back to School giving efforts. Post this As part of its Back to School efforts, Southwire also hosts a My Favorite Teacher Competition where students and parents are invited to nominate an educator who has made a positive impact on their family. Each year, the company provides Southwire facilities across its footprint with the necessary supplies to donate backpacks full of materials for students in need in their communities.

"Our commitment to Giving Back comes from our desire to create shared value for our communities and our team members. We all depend on each other," said Kristian Whittington, director of Giving Back at Southwire. "We're incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to support local students and teachers during the past 20 years, and we are excited for the future of our Giving Back initiatives."

Each year, the company provides Southwire facilities across its footprint in North America with the necessary supplies to donate backpacks full of materials for students in need in their communities. This year, in July and August, team members at 27 sites packed and distributed 30,000 backpacks in their local communities. Over the last 20 years, Southwire has donated more than 380,693 backpacks to students in need.

As part of its Back to School efforts, Southwire also hosts a My Favorite Teacher Competition where students and parents are invited to nominate an educator who has made a positive impact on their family. In honor of the event's 20th anniversary, Southwire expanded this year's contest by teaming up with long-standing educational partner West Georgia Technical College to award 20 teachers with $500 gifts. The 20 winning teachers represent school districts across five states: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan and Texas.

Southwire's Back to School initiatives are one signature piece of the company's larger philanthropic efforts around Giving Back. Southwire focuses resources on environmental sustainability and supporting educational endeavours aimed at science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics programming, as well as innovation and workforce development. In addition to Back-to-School efforts, Southwire also fosters a culture of service through several signature Project GIFT events each year:

Disaster Relief Collection and Distribution

Walk for Water benefiting Water Mission

Hope for the Holidays and Annual Toy Drive benefitting Toys for Toys

In 2023, Southwire team members gave close to 17,000 volunteer hours to their communities through Project GIFT opportunities, and the company made nearly $3 million in charitable contributions with $750,000 focused on inclusion initiatives. View Southwire's 2023 Sustainability Report here.

For more information about Giving Back at Southwire, visit southwire.com/sustainability.

About Southwire

Southwire Company, LLC is North America's leading wire and cable company. The $8B organization is made up of more than 9,000 team members across the globe who unite as ONE Southwire each and every day to serve each other, their customers and their communities. Southwire and its subsidiaries provide solutions including building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, utility products, portable and electronic cord products and OEM wire products. In addition, Southwire offers electrical products, engineered solutions and a variety of field support services. For more on Southwire's products and solutions, its community involvement and its vision of sustainability, visit www.southwire.com.

Media Contact:

Ashley Bush

Director, Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Southwire
Hypergalactic: Monkey Quest set to become the central player hub for Hypergalactic IP on Roblox

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spaceport Technologies, a leader in intellectual property (IP) licensing, is excited to announce that Toei Animation has chosen Twin Atlas, 2023 Roblox Studio of the Year, to build the core Roblox experience for their highly anticipated film, Hypergalactic. The core experience created by Twin Atlas will serve as the central player hub for the IP on Roblox, connecting users to a broader universe of Hypergalactic games created by other developers and licensed through the Spaceport platform, creating ongoing, high quality engagement with the film's universe, characters, and storyline.

Hypergalactic: Monkey Quest

The strategic partnership underscores Spaceport's commitment to collaborating with the largest global IP portfolios to create licensing opportunities for top-tier developers and UGC creators. By selecting Twin Atlas for core development in conjunction with Spaceport's licensing technology, Toei Animation demonstrates its dedication to delivering high-quality, engaging content from the studio on Roblox while also creating opportunities for fan-developers to contribute to their favorite IP and be enriched by their creations. Twin Atlas has accumulated an impressive 3.6B+ game plays and 8.2M+ community members and currently offers more than 17 titles.

The Hypergalactic: Monkey Quest game, set to launch in November 2024, will act as a hub for all related games, tying together various experiences and keeping players immersed in the Hypergalactic universe. This interconnected approach is designed to enhance user engagement and provide a seamless experience across multiple games.

Le Zhang, Founder and CEO of Spaceport, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: "We are thrilled to work with Toei Animation and Twin Atlas to bring Hypergalactic to life on Roblox. This project exemplifies our mission to empower developers and brands by providing innovative licensing solutions that drive revenue and engagement."

Spaceport's technology enables Toei Animation to collaborate with multiple developers, a significant departure from traditional single-developer licensing models. This multi-party approach leverages the full potential of the UGC economy, encouraging creativity and innovation while maximizing revenue opportunities for brands.

With UGC platforms like Roblox experiencing unprecedented growth, brands are still exploring how to simultaneously optimize for fan and brand aligned engagement with native Gen Z and Alpha players on the platforms. Spaceport addresses this challenge by facilitating broad licensing agreements that connect brands with a wide range of creators and developers to build fan-first content.

Toei Animation, known for its globally beloved anime titles, is enthusiastic about the partnership. Yoshi Ikezawa, the lead producer at Toei Animation commented:

"We are thrilled to see our cherished new IP come to life in Roblox, where fans can engage with our characters in innovative and interactive ways. At Toei Animation, we deeply value the support of our fans, and this partnership is a great opportunity to collaborate with UGC creators, fans, and the broader community. Their creativity and passion are what make both Roblox and Toei Animation's IPs so special, and we're excited to see the incredible content that will emerge from this collaboration. Spaceport allows us to explore these new dimensions of fan engagement and content creation."

Twin Atlas CEO Samuel Garcia expressed his excitement about collaborating directly with Toei Animation on this project. "Twin Atlas is excited to collaborate with Toei Animation and Spaceport on bringing Hypergalactic to Roblox. As a studio that respects and admires Toei's creative legacy, we are proud to contribute our expertise to help connect players to the Hypergalactic universe. We look forward to seeing the incredible creations that the Roblox community will bring to life as part of this experience."

About Spaceport

Spaceport is building the Internet of IP (Intellectual Property) by seamlessly connecting brands and agencies with the world's largest network of creators and developers. The company's mission is to democratize access to the world's best IPs, empowering owners to unlock new revenue streams and enhance fan engagement. As the leading solution for creators on top platforms like Roblox, Fortnite and Threadless, Spaceport is shaping a future where all IP, both online and offline, is efficiently managed and monetized through their innovative web3-based infrastructure. Founded in 2022 with offices in Boston and Los Angeles, Spaceport is pioneering the future of IP. For more information on Spaceport's preferred developer program or to set up a meeting at the Roblox Developer Conference September 6-7 visit: https://www.spaceport.xyz/devs

About Toei Animation Inc.

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. ranks amongst the world's most prolific animation production studios. The company's operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing. The company is expanding its business worldwide under its corporation principle of "becoming a leader in initiating creations which deliver 'dreams' and 'hope' to children and people all over the world". Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation Co., Ltd. has produced more than 13,316 episodes of TV series (more than 230 titles) and more than 258 long feature films (as of March 2022), such as "Mazinger Z", "Dragon Ball" series, "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon" series, "One Piece", and more. Many works transcend generations and are enjoyed by parents and children alike.

About Twin Atlas

Twin Atlas is a leader in Roblox development and the metaverse. With notable award-winning games and activations with top brands, Twin Atlas has accumulated over 3.6 billion total plays, alongside a dedicated team of over 60 full-time developers internationally. Committed to creating breakthrough experiences and original content, Twin Atlas strives to achieve high quality entertainment, as well as creating innovative and engaging metaverse experiences that captivate players of all ages.

SOURCE Spaceport.xyz
DENVER, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SSA Holdings, the parent entity to SSA Group, announces that it has hired Sean Coughlin as its chief revenue officer. He is an experienced growth catalyst and will implement a strategy that allows our partners to focus on their core mission and vision.

"Sean brings a wealth of experience and valuable insight to our growing SSA Holdings team. His experience across multiple industries and his focus on innovation brings a broad perspective to our company. Sean will help our organization mature as we improve the guest experience in concert with our partners," said Sean McNicholas, president and CEO of SSA.

Prior to joining SSA Holdings, Coughlin served in various executive capacities at global consulting firms. There, he honed his skills as an exceptional client advocate, always putting the client's greater goals and purposes at the forefront of every interaction. Through his client-centric approach, he has helped some of the world's largest companies meet and exceed their objectives.

Coughlin's tenured career includes leadership positions at PwC and Slalom, Inc. He has also served on various non-profit boards.

"I am excited to join the SSA family and a company that truly cares about its partners, clients, and employees," says Coughlin. "At the core of SSA is the unwavering desire to bring the best guest experience through strong execution and innovation. I look forward to working with this team and our partners."

In his new role at SSA Holdings, Coughlin will serve as a catalyst for advancing SSA's strategy of helping their partners and clients deliver an exceptional guest experience. This focus will allow SSA's partners to forward their mission and vision.

For more information about SSA Ventures and its innovative initiatives, please visit https://thessagroup.com/ventures.

About SSA Group

SSA Group partners with cultural attractions across the United States to maximize their mission and streamline the guest experience across integrated food and beverage, retail, and admissions services. SSA makes visits to cultural attractions unique and memorable for more than 58 million guests annually. With focuses on sustainability, technology and people, SSA Group brings products you can feel good about, smart technology to create efficiencies and friendly staff to each guest's visit. Built by families, for families, SSA Group is a family-owned business headquartered in Denver, CO. To learn more, visit: https://thessagroup.com/

SOURCE SSA Ventures
25 Inspiring Education Leaders Join the Surge Chicago Fellowship

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Surge Institute 's Chicago Fellowship is thrilled to announce a powerful new collective of 25 brilliant education leaders beginning their Surge journey this month as they set out to accelerate their leadership and personal growth to become influential change agents in their communities. During their time in the Surge Fellowship program, the collective will hone their executive skills, problem-solving abilities and team-building techniques as they navigate complex topics surrounding the historical inequity in education and politics.

Surge Institute

"I am incredibly honored to welcome this exceptional group of leaders into the 2025 Chicago Surge Fellowship," said Ulric Shannon, Chicago Executive Director, Chicago Fellowship. "Each of these individuals brings a unique perspective and an unwavering commitment to transforming the educational landscape for our communities. As they embark on this journey, I am confident that they will grow as leaders and advocates for justice and equity in education."

Meet the 2025 Chicago Surge Fellows!

Aaron Talley English Teacher, Lindblom Math and Science Academy

English Teacher, Lindblom Math and Science Academy Brian J. Riddick Principal, Noble Schools | Butler College Prep

Principal, | Butler College Prep Camielle Taylor Managing Director, Scholar Support, LINK Unlimited Scholars

Managing Director, Scholar Support, LINK Unlimited Scholars Carina Kearley Associate Director, Academy for Urban School Leadership Chicago Teacher Residency

Associate Director, Academy for Urban School Leadership Chicago Teacher Residency Carletha Becton International Baccalaureate English Teacher, National Honor Society Advisor, Chicago Public Schools

International Baccalaureate English Teacher, National Honor Society Advisor, Public Schools Christina Weathersby Instructional Support Leader, Chicago Public Schools

Instructional Support Leader, Public Schools David Brown Senior Director of Communications, Noble Schools

Senior Director of Communications, Dr. Alyssa Hamler Dean of Students, Noble Schools (UIC College Prep)

Dean of Students, (UIC College Prep) Fantasia N. McGee-Jackson Literacy Specialist, Chicago Public Schools

Literacy Specialist, Public Schools Imani Strong Director of Enrollment and Recruitment, Chicago Tech Academy High School

Director of Enrollment and Recruitment, Chicago Tech Academy High School Jackie Ovalle English Learner (EL) Specialist, Chicago Public Schools - Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Education (OMME)

English Learner (EL) Specialist, Public Schools - Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Education (OMME) JaKendra Williams  School Counselor, Chicago Public Schools

 School Counselor, Public Schools Justin Walker Director of Culture and Engagement, Namaste Charter School

Director of Culture and Engagement, Kenneth Varner Senior Community Engagement Manager, Healthy Schools Campaign

Senior Community Engagement Manager, Healthy Schools Campaign Kyla Mathews  EdDPrincipal, Epic Academy

 EdDPrincipal, Epic Academy LaJenne Alcantar Director of Scholar Experience & Engagement, Chicago Scholars

Director of Scholar Experience & Engagement, Chicago Scholars Laurel Baker Senior Assistant General Counsel, Chicago Board of Education - Law Department

Senior Assistant General Counsel, Board of Education - Law Department Lauren Norwood Principal, Chicago Public Schools

Principal, Public Schools Makinde A. Adedapo Development Associate, It Takes A Village Family of Schools

Development Associate, It Takes A Village Family of Schools Philicia Wheatley Kindergarten Teacher/MTSS Lead, Poe Classical Elementary School

Kindergarten Teacher/MTSS Lead, Poe Classical Elementary School Rashad Davis Teacher, Gary Comer College Prep

Teacher, Gary Comer College Prep Rene Rodriguez Director of Pre-K, LEARN Charter Network

Director of Pre-K, LEARN Charter Network Tamara Littlejohn Principal, Chicago Public Schools

Principal, Public Schools Tyler Portis Senior Data Analyst, Noble Schools

Senior Data Analyst, Violeta Xochitl Cerna-Prado Assistant Principal, Chicago Public Schools

A signature program of Surge Institute , the Surge Fellowship serves as a best-in-class cohort experience that unites, accelerates and unleashes emerging leaders of color in education. The recruitment and selection of the 2025 class of Surge Chicago Fellows began earlier this year.

The Surge Fellowship experience is a 10-month journey of individual leadership development and racial healing, kinship building and collective transformation and movement-building. A key milestone in the experience is the Freedom Dreams Project (formerly known as the Capstone presentation ). Each fellow designs a major project that is reflective of their hopes and aspirations of love, justice and equityfor the community and for themselves as education and youth-serving leaders.

Initially created with the goal of expanding diversity in the education leadership pipeline, the Surge Institute Chicago Fellowship has now expanded in reach, activating, elevating and connecting mission-driven minds and thought leaders across the nation.

The Chicago Fellowship is made possible through collaboration with and support from a host of Chicago funders, investors and community partners who deeply believe in the genius within the Surge community.

About Surge Institute:

Surge Institute is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established with a simple but important mission: to develop and elevate leaders of color who create transformative change for children, families and communities. Founded by Carmita Semaan in 2014, the organization was designed to empower emerging diverse leaders to change the landscape of education by providing them with a unique, authentic leadership development experience. To learn more about Surge Institute, please visit www.surgeinstitute.org .

PR Contact:

Kara Prior

myWHY Agency, Inc. for Surge Institute

[email protected]

(210) 846-4486

SOURCE Surge Institute
Meet the Local Entrepreneurs: David and Amanda Swedler

The couple is poised to contribute a new way for the community to experience the Bluegrass State's booming craft beer scene, new distilleries, wine culture, vibrant nightlife, and deep-rooted love of bourbon. David, an Akron, Ohio native, is a bariatric surgeon at CHI St. Joseph's Health in Lexington, while Amanda, who hails from Seattle, has a background working in the emergency room and as a bartender. Now proud Lexington residents, their combined expertise and passion for hospitality promise to make Tapster a standout community hub.

"For years, we have been looking for a great opportunity to open this type of business, and we believe this is it. We think Tapster will have an immediate impact on our new hometown," said David. "Lexington is a really fun 'going out' town, but we've noticed that every bar is packed to the point where it can be a long wait just to get a drink. We're hoping to fill that gap. With Tapster's self-pour concept, guests serve themselves as they please, eliminating long lines and wait times. People will have more time to spend with their friends, and to make new ones."

The Swedlers' decision to bring Tapster to Lexington was fueled by their professional ambition and personal connection to their new hometown. Their immersion in Lexington's vibrant social scene, characterized by a dynamic nightlife and a community thirsting for new experiences, highlighted a significant business opportunity. They recognized the city's blend of Southern charm and contagious energy, coupled with crowded bars and a strong demand for unique social venues, would make Lexington an ideal market for Tapster.

Realizing this potential, the Swedlers reached out to Tapster Founder & CEO, Roman Maliszewski, to turn their vision into reality. They knew the combination of Tapster's innovative self-pour beverages and community-first atmosphere would be the perfect solution for Lexington's diverse population, offering guests the freedom to explore and enjoy a wide range of drinks at their own pace without the usual wait.

Tapster and Lexington, the Perfect Match

"David and Amanda epitomize the true spirit of camaraderie that defines Tapster," said Maliszewski. "Previous industry experience isn't required to become a Tapster franchisee. Rather, we're focused on growing with entrepreneurs like David and Amanda who are all in. They need to be passionate about their community and lifting others up."

Lexington's growing population of young professionals, increasing tourism, proximity to the University of Kentucky and the new convention center, and strong nightlife scene, make it a prime location for Tapster's self-serve bar concept and curated beverage selection. Embracing Kentucky's status as the Bourbon Capital of the World, Tapster Lexington will feature several taps dedicated to self-pour bourbon tasting, allowing guests to enjoy 1- or 2-ounce servings, alongside a mostly locally curated selection of craft beers, wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages.

The new Tapster location aims to become a cornerstone of the Lexington community. The Swedlers plan to host a variety of engaging activities throughout the week including paint nights, game nights, trivia, karaoke, and more  establishing Tapster as more than just a bar, but a vibrant social destination for locals and tourists alike.

Maliszewski added, "Everything lines up for Lexington to be a fantastic opportunity for our expansion. We're confident the Swedlers will be successful in making Tapster an inviting experience for all."

This Lexington development is a testament to Tapster's national franchise expansion strategy, targeting prime markets across the country. The self-pour concept offers franchisees a simplified bar franchise model with a proven track record of success. Tapster's innovative approach streamlines operations and eliminates the burden of complex staffing, food service requirements, and inventory frustrations. The hot, emerging franchise brand also caters to the growing consumer desire for customization and control.

To learn more about the Tapster franchise opportunity, visit https://tapsterfranchise.com.

About Tapster:

Tapster is a pioneering force, revolutionizing the social drinking experience. The innovative, self-pour bar concept offers 40-plus taps with a wide variety of beer, craft cocktails, wine, cider, hard seltzer, kombucha, cold brew coffee, and craft sodas. Guests sample a wide variety, at their own pace, and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere. Founded on core values surrounding environment, empowerment, and education, Tapster opened its first tasting room in 2017 and has five locations across the United States. With a proven business model focused on simplicity, profitability, and community engagement, Tapster offers owner-operator franchisees the opportunity to be part of a dynamic brand that is poised to reshape the way people experience and enjoy their favorite brews and cocktails. For more information, visit https://tapstertastingroom.com/ or https://tapsterfranchise.com.

Contact: Betty Anne Richardson | Franchise Elevator PR | [email protected] | (847) 945-1300 ext. 245

SOURCE Tapster
BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL, a pioneer in display across feature-rich smartphones, tablets, and connected devices, proudly announces a strategic partnership with Microsoft to introduce cutting-edge AI capabilities to the TCL 50 NXTPAPER smartphones, the first in the innovative NXTPAPER series. Focused on improving readability, efficiency and accessibility, this partnership is dedicated to democratizing advanced technology  delivering exceptional value and elevating the standards of TCLs NXTPAPER portfolio with the integration of AI.

TCL 50 PRO NXTPAPER 5G

This collaboration leverages Microsoft's cloud-based AI technologies including Azure's Open AI's Large Language Models (LLM) and Azure's Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), to enhance productivity and efficiency in TCL devices. These technologies provide sophisticated text processing and voice memo, tailored to users' dynamic needs. These innovations highlight the potential for broader integration across the NXTPAPER series, ensuring a continuous evolution of intelligent, user-focused features.

"Today's mobile users demand more than just connectivity; they seek smart, seamless assistance that integrates into their daily lives," said Jefferson Li, General Manager of TCL Mobile Phone BU. "Our partnership with Microsoft enables us to address these needs by embedding advanced AI directly into their devices, transforming technological innovation into practical solutions that are both accessible and genuinely beneficial for our users."

Simultaneously, TCL underscores its commitment to robust data security practices, aligning with partners like Microsoft who are equally dedicated to maintaining user trust. Adherence to GDPR and other rigorous regulations ensures that every aspect of user data handling  from collection to processing, storage and disposal  is transparent and secure. Notably, upon first interaction, TCL AI devices present users with a comprehensive privacy policy and security measures through an initial notice and consent pop-up window. All user data is encrypted and stored on local European servers. Supported by the secure framework of Microsoft Azure, TCL AI can generate valuable responses while ensuring data safety. Furthermore, cloud-stored data is systematically purged after 7 days, and users retain the option to remove their data from the servers at any time, demonstrating TCL's proactive approach to data security in every user interaction.

"At Microsoft, we see AI not just as a tool for automation, but as a means to forge deeper, more meaningful connections between technology and everyday life," said Jeannette Baasner, Microsoft AI Technology Lead. "Partnering with TCL allows us to bring this vision to life, empowering users worldwide with our sophisticated AI technologies in ways that are intuitive and enriching. This initiative goes beyond productivity; it's about creating a more secure and understanding digital ecosystem that respects user needs and privacy."

The launch of AI capabilities on the TCL 50 NXTPAPER series smartphones is strategically designed to enhance the unique features of NXTPAPER technology, renowned for its eye comfort and superior readability. By incorporating AI, these devices offer a more personalized and responsive user experience, making reading and viewing simpler and more tailored. This integration of AI with NXTPAPER's core strengths sets a new standard for technology that intuitively meets and anticipates user needs.

TCL's Text Assistant introduces a seamless way for users to interact with text. It enables users to effortlessly manipulate text through simple drag and drop actions for translation, summarization, or content rewrite and style adjustments, enhancing productivity and convenience. Additionally, users can activate the writing assistant for composing emails, work summaries, invitations, and more, further simplifying access to these intelligent capabilities.

The Voice Memo feature employs AI to revolutionize meeting management for professionals. It allows users to record, transcribe and summarize both online and offline conversations, meetings and discussions. This functionality captures vital details and provides excerpts, allowing professionals to concentrate on discussions without the fear of missing important points  substantially increasing efficiency and streamlining meeting management.

TCL's AI partnership with Microsoft begins with the TCL 50 NXTPAPER smartphones and will expand to encompass the future NXTPAPER series. This strategic expansion is designed to continuously refine the user experience, leveraging AI to develop new functionalities that capitalize on the distinct advantages of NXTPAPER technology. The future roadmap includes a broader spectrum of AI-driven enhancements aimed at enriching user interactions and system efficiency. Beyond the realm of smartphones, TCL is actively extending the application of AI technology to other device categories, enhancing not just connectivity, but also the overall functionality across its diverse product lines to 'Inspire Greatness' in everyday life.

About TCL Mobile

TCL Mobile specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of smartphones, tablets and connected devices. On a mission to deliver 5G for all, TCL Mobile helps its customers 'Inspire Greatness' in their lives through industry leading technology and solutions.

For more information on TCL mobile devices, please visit: https://www.tcl.com/global/en/mobile

About TCL

TCL Electronics specializes in the research, development and manufacturing of consumer electronics including TVs, mobile phones, audio devices, smart home products and appliances. Combining thoughtful design and innovative technology to inspire greatness, our lineup delivers must-have features and meaningful experiences. As one of the world's largest consumer electronics brands, our vertically integrated supply chain, and state-of-the-art display panel factory help TCL deliver innovation for all. For more information, please visit: https://www.tcl.com

TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd.
QINGDAO, China, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news release from qingdaonews.com:

With the theme of "Multinationals and China", the 5th Qingdao Multinationals Summit officially kicked off at Qingdao International Conference Center on August 27th. Let's get close to the opening ceremony to experience this grand event.

Summit

This year's summit continues to focus on the theme of "Multinationals and China", taking stock of the results of Shandong and multinational companies in the past five years, looking forward to the future at the same time, and designing four "firsts". This year is the first time that the summit has launched the multinationals investment exchanges and cooperation conference and organised the SCODA and other functional areas for thematic promotion. The summit also arranges a thematic forum on new quality productive forces-empowered high-quality development and carries out the special promotion of innovative talents in the marine field.

In addition, the summit sets up a "Remarkable Shandong" interactive experience link to provide a better participation experience for multinational companies. This link lets the guests experience the unique charm of Shandong's high-quality products.

SOURCE qingdaonews.com
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Higher education and policy leaders should act now to make civic learning and democracy engagement (CLDE) part of all students' degree requirements. And they should broaden the meanings of "student success" to include students' gains in civic purpose, bridge-building across differences, and career-related work on public good issues and problem-solving.

That's the action agenda outlined in Every Student, Every Degree: College Civic Learning for Today's Students and Tomorrow's Democracy. The report, written with support from Endeavor Foundation, was released September 4, 2024, in a national webinar.

The report comes from the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement (CLDE) Coalition, which is led by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Campus Compact, College Promise, Complete College America (CCA), and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).

"Civic purpose should always have been included in the meanings of student success. And going forward, it will be," said Yolanda Watson Spiva, President of CCA, who spoke in a national webinar publicizing the new report.

Research presented in Every Student, Every Degree shows both students' waning confidence in democracy and an acute shortfall in college students' opportunities to talk with people whose experiences are very different from their own.

The needed course correction, says Every Student, Every Degree, should be each college student's exploration of their own roles in a democratic society, and each student's developmentthrough their college studiesof "small-d democratic skills," including the ability to talk and work productively with partners who disagree.

Civic inquiry and projects should be woven into students' major fields, including the career-related and STEM fields that most students select.

The report highlights research showing that employers are significantly more likely to hire graduates with the skills and experiences that college civic learning provides.

The report features a new CLDE Framework for college civic learning that coalition leaders developed in dialogue with educators throughout the United States. The CLDE Framework includes:

Democracy Knowledge and Levers for Change

Bridge-Building and Problem-Solving Skills

Practical Experience and Projects, and

Career-Related Civic and Ethical Learning.

Moving civic learning from neglected to expected may seem like a big lift. But as Every Student, Every Degree shows, many trail-blazing leaders have already begun this work. The report features numerous "Full Participation" (FPI) examples  across all sectors in US higher educationthat already are tailoring required civic inquiry and democracy studies to decidedly different institutional missions and student interests.

Actively encouraging this college civic learning momentum, two of the seven institutional accrediting commissions have recently changed their standards to make civic engagement requiredpotentially influencing over a thousand two-and four-year institutions and millions of students. All seven are actively partnering with the CLDE Coalition.

The report also highlights the Multi-State Collaborative (MSC), which works in partnership with the CLDE Coalition and now includes 14 state systems. The MSC's stated goal is to make civic learning part of what it means to earn a degree or credentialand to help their member institutions achieve that goal.

"Too often, in higher education," said Timothy Eatman, Chair of the AAC&U Board of Directors, "we fetishize things that are novel. Bringing Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement (CLDE) into the curriculum is important work that builds on long-term efforts to reward and expand publicly engaged scholarship and teaching. Our democracy clearly needs us to speed it up."

About the CLDE Coalition:

The Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement (CLDE) Coalition brings together education and policy organizations committed to making college CLDE a priority across higher education and in public policy. The coalition was formed in 2021, in response to the serious challenges facing democracy, at home and abroad

For more information, please visit www.collegeciviclearning.org or contact [email protected]

For press inquiries:

Siah Annand (she/her)

Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition | collegeciviclearning.org

[email protected] | 202.494.9329

SOURCE The Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition (CLDE)
Scholarships Made Possible By Airbnb Community Fund Grant, Enable Selected Primary Care Providers from Underserved Communities to Attend Intensive CBT Training for Treating Anxiety in Children and Teens

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the CDC, nearly one in five children in the United States has a diagnosable mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, yet only 20% receive the treatment they need. This gap in care is largely due to a lack of mental health training among clinicians, including primary care providers (nurse practitioners, family physicians, physician assistants, and pediatricians). To address this critical shortfall, The REACH Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to effective, evidence-based mental health care for children and families, has awarded 50 REACH Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) Scholarships to primary care clinicians nationwide. Recipients will use the scholarships to attend REACH's CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care program, which begins today.

Funding for these CBT Scholarships was made possible by a grant from the Airbnb Community Fund that supports organizations working to strengthen communities Airbnb hosts call home. REACH CBT Scholarships are awarded to primary care providers working in underserved communities throughout the United States. The 50 clinicians receiving this round of CBT Scholarships represent medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine, nurse practitioners, and certified physician assistants, from 19 states. Several recipients work in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), which provide healthcare services to patients regardless of their ability to pay.

The REACH Institute provides gold standard training developed with renowned experts in the field of youth mental health. Post this

A doctor in California said the CBT Scholarship will "significantly impact my professional development as an African American pediatrician," and continued, "integrating cognitive behavioral techniques into my practice will help bridge the gap in mental health services and reduce the stigma associated with seeking therapy in minority communities."

REACH provides gold standard training developed with renowned experts in the field of youth mental health, grounded in the science of behavior change, and supported by rigorous program evaluation. Participants consistently score REACH training programs in the top 10% of continuing education courses, citing presentation quality, content, and relevance to their practice.

Another CBT Scholarship recipient, a nurse practitioner in Georgia, shared, "I work in a rural community, and the patients we serve have very limited resources. Our pediatric psychiatry population is multiplying greatly, and even those with resources cannot receive quality care in a timely fashion. Even those with resources have difficulty finding CBT. My goal is to learn ways to 'mind the gap' while waiting for therapy and equipping families who are struggling."

CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care program includes a full-day training session followed by four group learning and mentoring sessions, during which participants learn to effectively use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to support children and teens with anxiety. The course aims to help primary care clinicians identify and understand the core components of youth anxiety, screen and assess for anxiety in the primary care setting, and use evidence-based CBT techniques to support anxious children.

A nurse practitioner and CBT Scholarship recipient in Texas said, "Since noticing the significant increase in anxiety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and completing my DNP project on anxiety screening, I have gained an appreciation for the mental health crisis and the need to promptly treat children and adolescents experiencing anxiety and other mental health concerns to decrease their long-term risks and increase their quality of life."

Registration is now open for the next CBT for Anxiety in Pediatric Primary Care program, which begins Oct. 18, 2024.

About The REACH Institute

The REACH Institute is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that the most effective, scientifically proven mental health care reaches all children and families. Since 2006, REACH has trained more than 8,000 primary care providers in evidence-based mental health care. The organization addresses the critical shortage of pediatric mental health services, especially in underserved areas, by providing intensive training programs for healthcare professionals to better diagnose, treat, and manage mental health issues in children and adults. For more information, visit https://thereachinstitute.org .

SOURCE The REACH Institute
NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends- The global threat intelligence security market size is estimated to grow by USD 17.00 billion from 2023-2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 23.7% during the forecast period. Rising number of cyberattacks on connected devices or systems is driving market growth, with a trend towards threat intelligence sharing. However, increasing complexity of it infrastructure poses a challenge. Key market players include Anomali Inc., BlueVoyant, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Datto Holdings Corp., F Secure Corp., Farsight Security Inc., Fortinet Inc., Intel 471 Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Juniper Networks Inc., KKR and Co. Inc., LogRhythm Inc., Musarubra US LLC, NortonLifeLock Inc., Open Text Corp., Splunk Inc., Trend Micro Inc., ZeroFox Inc., and Palo Alto Networks Inc.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Threat Intelligence Security Market 2023-2027

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View the snapshot of this report

Threat Intelligence Security Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2022 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 23.7% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 17000.22 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 22.01 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 35% Key countries US, China, India, UK, and Germany Key companies profiled Anomali Inc., BlueVoyant, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Datto Holdings Corp., F Secure Corp., Farsight Security Inc., Fortinet Inc., Intel 471 Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Juniper Networks Inc., KKR and Co. Inc., LogRhythm Inc., Musarubra US LLC, NortonLifeLock Inc., Open Text Corp., Splunk Inc., Trend Micro Inc., ZeroFox Inc., and Palo Alto Networks Inc

Market Driver

Threat intelligence, gathered from various sources, is essential for enterprises to protect their networks from cyber attacks. However, accessing a vast amount of threat information can be costly, making it a challenge for smaller organizations. The Cyber Threat Alliance, comprised of leading security companies like Symantec, McAfee, Palo Alto Networks, and Fortinet, aims to address this issue by sharing and validating real-time threat data. This collaboration reduces detection and remediation time for members, enabling them to understand their network's threat status in comparison to their peer group companies. Crowdsourcing platforms for threat intelligence further enhance this effort by involving a large group of skilled individuals and organizations to combat newly emerging threats, such as ransomware, increasing overall efficiency in the fight against cyber attacks.

The cybersecurity threat intelligence market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing volumes of new threats and cyberattacks. Adversaries are using innovative tactics, such as deepfake technology and distorted multimedia material, to bypass detection procedures. Threat analysis and detection are crucial for cybersecurity operations, as data breaches can lead to customer trust issues and damage to brand reputation. Silobreaker and enterprise geopolitical intelligence are key players in this market, providing valuable insights into adversarial behavior and potential geopolitical hazards. Advanced algorithms and quantum computing are being used to enhance threat intelligence systems and improve threat hunting skills. Specific industries, such as healthcare, finance, energy, and IoT security, are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. Ransomware and advanced persistent threats are common attacks, and mobile security is becoming increasingly important with the continuous digitization process and the widespread use of cloud computing and mobile technologies. Strict regulations, such as those in the BFSI industry regarding sensitive financial data, require organizations to invest in cutting-edge cybersecurity measures, including Zero Trust Architecture, behavioral biometrics, and insider threat detection. Mobile threat management and instructional materials are also essential for staying ahead of the curve in this ever-evolving threat landscape.

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Market Challenges

The Threat Intelligence Security Market faces a significant challenge due to the increasing complexity of IT network infrastructure. With the introduction of new security solutions from vendors, integration issues and system slowdowns can occur. These problems may lead to customer dissatisfaction and potential loss of business. To address this, vendors must ensure their threat intelligence security products seamlessly integrate with both third-party solutions and previous information systems. However, this increased complexity could potentially introduce operational or interface issues for end-users. Thus, managing the intricacy of network infrastructure remains a critical concern for vendors in the Threat Intelligence Security Market.

In today's digital world, businesses face increasing threats to their IT assets from various sources. Digital transformation, connected devices, and industrial systems bring new risks, such as Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, handheld devices, and M2M communication vulnerabilities. Threat intelligence is crucial to stay ahead of these risks, including deceptions from hackers using phishing, zero-day attacks, and insider assaults. Industries like banking and finance, energy, and mining face significant financial losses from cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Next-generation security services are essential to combat these risks, especially in the cloud segment where the attack surface is vast and unknown threats abound. SMEs and large enterprises alike require risk intelligence products to manage their security architecture and comply with mandates and regulatory pressure. Cyber risks come from various sources, including cybercriminals, nation-states, and insiders. Security operations need to be intelligence-driven to make informed decisions and prevent delivery, exploitation, command-and-control, and control ability threats. Risk analytics provide supporting data for effective risk management and compliance. The global community must work together to mitigate cyber risks and protect critical accesses from cyberattacks.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now!

Segment Overview

This threat intelligence security market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Deployment

1.1 Cloud

1.2 On-premises

End-user

2.1 BFSI

2.2 IT and telecom

2.3 Healthcare

2.4 Transportation and logistics

2.5 Others

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Cloud- The cloud-based threat intelligence security segment is currently leading the global threat intelligence security market. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly adopting cloud-based solutions due to their cost-effectiveness and ease of use. These services do not require any software installation and can be accessed on a subscription basis, with monthly fees covering maintenance and system upgrades. During the forecast period, cloud-based threat intelligence security is expected to experience significant revenue growth compared to on-premises solutions. This trend is driven by the increasing shift of enterprises towards cloud-based security, which requires threat intelligence products and services to offer comprehensive security solutions such as email and web security, hosted DDoS mitigation, and advanced persistent threat (APT) protection. Threat intelligence products and services provide 24/7 monitoring capabilities to prevent advanced malware activities and a scalable, secure cloud environment to protect against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. However, concerns around data confidentiality and lack of control over security may hinder the adoption of cloud-based threat intelligence security among large enterprises, resulting in a moderate decline in the market growth rate during the forecast period.

Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics

Research Analysis

The Threat Intelligence Security market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing volumes of cybersecurity threats and the emergence of new threats that require constant analysis and detection. With cybercriminals employing innovative adversarial behavior and cutting-edge cyber tactics, organizations are turning to threat intelligence systems to stay ahead of potential hazards. Data breaches, cyber attacks on sensitive data, and deceptions such as zero-day attacks pose a significant risk to businesses in various sectors, including defense contractors, retailers, e-commerce, and international trade unions. The digital transformation and the proliferation of connected devices, from handheld devices to Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, have expanded the attack surface and heightened the need for robust threat intelligence. Silobreaker and other threat intelligence providers offer valuable insights into adversarial behavior and potential geopolitical hazards, helping organizations to fortify their cybersecurity operations and protect their assets.

Market Research Overview

The Threat Intelligence Security market is experiencing exponential growth due to the increasing volumes of new threats in the cybersecurity landscape. With innovative adversaries employing cutting-edge cyber tactics, threat analysis and detection procedures are becoming essential for businesses to protect against data breaches and potential geopolitical hazards. Threat intelligence systems are being utilized to identify and respond to adversarial behavior, including deepfake technology and distorted multimedia material. As the digital revolution continues, industries such as healthcare, finance, energy, and IoT security face unique challenges. Advanced algorithms and quantum computing are being used to enhance encryption techniques and Zero Trust Architecture, while behavioral biometrics and mobile threat management help mitigate insider threats. Sensitive data in specific industries, such as BFSI, is under constant threat from cyberattacks, ransomware, advanced persistent threats, and insider assaults. Strict regulations and the continuous digitization process require holistic cybersecurity partners to provide advanced threat identification, incident handling, and vulnerability management. Cybersecurity architecture must adapt to provide flawless customer experiences while maintaining a high level of security. Next-generation security services, including threat hunting skills and mobile threat management, are crucial in this ever-evolving landscape. The digital transformation has led to an increase in connected devices, point-of-sale systems, handheld devices, and M2M communication. Secure control systems for industrial systems, subsea oil wells, and mines are vital to prevent financial losses and protect against cyber-attacks, phishing, and zero-day attacks. Threat intelligence plays a critical role in staying ahead of the curve and ensuring customer trust and brand reputation. Deceptions, such as Silobreaker and enterprise geopolitical intelligence, provide valuable insights into potential threats and help businesses make informed decisions. Overall, the Threat Intelligence Security market is a crucial component of any organization's cybersecurity strategy.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Deployment

Cloud



On-premises

End-user

BFSI



IT And Telecom



Healthcare



Transportation And Logistics



Others

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
ATLANTA and BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketing solutions agency Luckie today announced that Tina Chadwick has joined the agency as head of accounts.

Tina Chadwick joins Luckie as Head of Accounts

In this new role, Chadwick is responsible for oversight of Luckie's client solutions and account management functions, ensuring client engagements are met with innovative, high-impact solutions and providing leadership for Luckie's cross-office team of account and project managers. Chadwick will collaborate closely with Luckie's creative, strategy, and business intelligence teams to align client goals with agency expertise, ultimately driving long-term partnerships and business outcomes.

Throughout her career, Chadwick has held director and creative leadership roles with multi-national and independent advertising agencies including Moxie, 22squared, and J. Walter Thompson, leading programs for national brands such as Verizon Wireless, Shoney's, Oshkosh, Georgia-Pacific, SunTrust Bank and Florida's Natural. She is joining Luckie from Miller Zell, where she most recently was senior vice president of strategy, creative and digital. She previously served as managing director of creative strategy for the American Cancer Society.

"Tina brings to Luckie a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of our industry that will be invaluable to both our client partners and our team," said John Gardner, president and CEO of Luckie. "I know her leadership will elevate our relationships and have a big impact on the success and growth of the agency."

Chadwick holds a bachelor's degree in communications/advertising from Florida State University. She also earned a Strategic Marketing program certificate and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School Executive Education, where she was voted to give the commencement speech for her program's graduating class.

Chadwick lives with her family in Atlanta and is based out of Luckie's Atlanta office.

ABOUT LUCKIE: One of the top privately held marketing firms in the Southeast, Luckie is a creative, data-driven agency that builds brands and brand experiences to solve real business problems and achieve results luck can't explain. Luckie works with companies in healthcare, travel & tourism, CPG, and financial services including Regions Bank, RaceTrac, BCBSAL, and Panama City Beach.

SOURCE Luckie and Company
5 data center shell site will offer 2.5M SF of space and 300 MW of secured critical power (with potential for more), providing an excellent opportunity for CSP's and Hyperscale users

NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Town Lane, a real estate investment management firm, and PowerHouse Data Centers ("PowerHouse"), a leading real estate developer and owner of next-generation hyperscale data centers, and fully owned division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP), today announced the completed purchase of 122 acres in Charlotte, North Carolina via a joint venture partnership between both companies. The land site is the future home to PowerHouse Charlotte, a five-building, 2.5 million square feet data center campus that will have 300 MW, with the potential to increase to 500MW, of secured power by April 2027.

Tyler Henritze, Founder & Managing Partner, Town Lane, commented, "We recognize the ongoing demand for digital infrastructure and that Charlotte has emerged as a compelling data center market given its access to renewable power and connectivity; which is why we are excited to partner with an experienced developer like PowerHouse, who has strong proven technical and power procurement capabilities, to develop this site."

We are proud to bring PowerHouse Charlotte to market with Town Lane as our partner and in lockstep with Duke Energy. Post this

Brian Katz, PowerHouse President & Co-founder, commented, "Our deep real estate relationships are foundational to PowerHouse's success and instrumental in our ability to rewrite the data center development playbook. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Town Lane and are thrilled to collaborate on our first project together."

The site is conveniently located less than 10 miles from downtown Charlotte and has great access points due to immediate proximity to the nearby intersection of I-485 and Highway 49. The site will have access to 15 MW of bridging power in Q4 2026, given an existing adjacent substation, and has partnered with Duke Energy to build an additional substation on the site to deliver the incremental 500MW of power utilizing Duke's ability to deliver >50% renewable power given nuclear power generation.

Doug Fleit, PowerHouse CEO & Co-founder, added, "We are proud to bring PowerHouse Charlotte to market with Town Lane as our partner and in lockstep with Duke Energy. The site is ideally located with near-term power already secured, offering unparalleled opportunity, connectivity, and access to carbon-free power".

Advisors: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as legal counsel to Town Lane, and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP is serving as legal counsel to PowerHouse. Eastdil Secured, LLC advised on the land sale.

ABOUT TOWN LANE

Town Lane is a boutique, relationship-driven real estate investment manager. The Firm, based in New York City, invests thematically and nimbly across commercial real estate sectors and through the capital stack. Town Lane was founded in 2024 after raising $1.25 billion of institutional investor capital targeting opportunistic returns for its inaugural fund. Town Lane's investment strategy seeks to identify emerging trends, evaluate misunderstood opportunities, and capitalize on episodic market dislocations. For more information on Town Lane, please visit www.townlane.com .

ABOUT POWERHOUSE DATA CENTERS

PowerHouse Data Centers, a wholly owned division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP), is a developer and owner of next-generation data centers and provides technical real estate solutions for hyperscalers across the country. Starting in Northern Virginia's Data Center Alley, the world's largest data center market, before strategically expanding to key markets across the United States, PowerHouse owns its land sites, offering unparalleled fast-track approvals and zoning approvals in its full suite of development services. As an industry disruptor, PowerHouse provides flexible next-generation data center models with the quickest speed to market of any data center while meeting hyperscalers' growing market, data, utility, and space demands. The company has 30 buildings currently in planning or underway, representing over 2.3 GW of power in six major US markets. Operating as the data center division of AREP, PowerHouse is uniquely positioned as a leader in world-class data center development. With some of the industry's deepest real estate relationships, PowerHouse leverages its strategic joint venture partnerships, proven leadership, and best-in-class technical expertise to deliver innovative real estate solutions nationwide. Visit our newsroom for more information, and follow us on LinkedIn , YouTube, and X .

SOURCE PowerHouse Data Centers
Valmet Oyj press release September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. EEST

ESPOO, Finland, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Valmet starts change negotiations on September 5, 2024, that affect its Paper business line's Board and Paper Mills business unit. The business unit develops and delivers board and paper making lines and technologies globally.

The negotiations include a plan to consider measures aimed at improving the profitability and competitiveness of the business operations. The business unit has already earlier this year initiated actions to adapt to the changed market situation, but those actions have not been sufficient. The scope of the negotiations starting now covers all employees in Board and Paper Mills business unit in Finland, in total, approximately 1,300 people. Other organizations or employees in Paper business line are not included in the scope.

The plan includes restructuring organizational structures, development of ways of working and adjustment of personnel to the work situation. According to company's preliminary view, the potential measures include temporary and permanent layoffs, retirements, and internal work arrangements within Valmet. The estimated number of permanent employee reductions is approximately 200 positions. The exact details regarding the extent and targeting of the potential temporary and permanent layoffs will be clarified during the negotiation process.

Valmet has in total more than 19,000 employees globally, and in Finland it employs around 6,600 people.

VALMET

Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:

Mikko Sillanpaa, Vice President, Paper business line, Board and Paper Mills business unit, Valmet, tel. +358 40 766 4971

Petri Rasinmaki, Business Line President, Paper, Valmet, tel. +358 40 042 8422

Valmet has a global customer base across various process industries. We are a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, and with our automation and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our more than 19,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward  every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. Valmet's net sales in 2023 were approximately EUR 5.5 billion.

Valmet's shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.

Follow us on valmet.com | X | X (IR) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram |

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This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/valmet-oyj/r/valmet-to-start-change-negotiations-in-finland-in-its-paper-business-line-s-board-and-paper-mills-bu,c4033594
Harris to Meet with Teamsters, Leadership on Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters will host a rank-and-file Presidential roundtable with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, Sept. 16, at the union's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Harris has committed to meet with union members, the Teamsters General Executive Board, General President Sean M. O'Brien, and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.

"We appreciate Vice President Harris taking the time to meet in person with rank-and file Teamsters. Our members are the backbone of this nation, working in all 50 states and representing every political background. We look forward to having a conversation on the direction of the country and the issues that matter to working people," O'Brien said.

Harris will have the opportunity to discuss how she and the Teamsters can work together to empower and protect workers, promote high labor standards, and strengthen the American economy while expanding the middle class.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump attended Teamsters rank-and-file roundtables earlier this year. In December, the Teamsters invited all declared candidates for U.S. President to participate in individual roundtables to discuss issues that are important to rank-and-file Teamsters and their families.

Rank-and-file members participating in the roundtables represent the diverse Teamsters membership, including UPS drivers, American Red Cross workers, film and television professionals, freight operators, law enforcement, and public employees.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has not issued an endorsement in the 2024 race.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters .

Contact:

Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Western Group, a leading logistics provider connecting global trade to Canada's marine, rail, and road transportation corridors, today announced that it has rebranded under the SSA Marine name, reflecting the company's important role as part of the global SSA Marine network of marine terminals.

Since 2006, Western Group has been part of the Carrix family of companies and has worked closely with SSA Marine to leverage their collective strengths, best practices, and extensive industry experience for the benefit of their container, breakbulk, bulk, auto, and cruise customers in North America.

As part of this transition, Western Group and its marine terminal and stevedoring entities, Western Stevedoring and Squamish Terminals, will rebrand under the SSA Marine brand name. Western IntermodeX will become IntermodeX, an SSA Marine Enterprise. Intermodal brands Coast 2000, Interhold, and Quickload Logistics will unify under the IntermodeX brand.

"Western Group and SSA Marine have worked very closely together for many years, and bringing our teams and operations together under one brand name is a fantastic opportunity to further unify our North American operations in service to our customers," said Lauren Offenbecher, President of SSA Marine's conventional division. "While our brand names may be changing, our day-to-day operations and commitment to our customers remains exactly the same."

Dave Lucas, President of Western Group, added, "Integrating Western Group's Canadian operations with SSA Marine's extensive global reach will provide a wealth of new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners. I couldn't be more thrilled for the future of our combined maritime and intermodal operations."

About Carrix and SSA Marine

Carrix and its subsidiary SSA Marine are among the world's leading independent, privately held marine terminal operators, with activities at more than 250 terminal facilities and rail yards in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Asia. Its subsidiary, Tideworks Technology, offers innovative technology solutions for the transportation industry. Founded in 1949, Carrix has continuously expanded its global footprint while always prioritizing customer interests, and now employs more than 19,000 people worldwide.

SOURCE Western Group
WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the total cost of insurance fraud is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year. Insurance fraud affects not only the insurance industry but also policyholders, who end up paying higher premiums (between $400 and $700 annually per U.S. household) as a result. Don't get caught up in an insurance schemeour white collar crime lawyers in Wichita, Kansas, at the McConnell Law Firm are detailing everything you need to know about insurance fraud. Keep reading to learn more!

What Is Insurance Fraud?

Insurance fraud is considered a form of white collar crime in which a claimant seeks insurance compensation for a falsified claim (something that hasn't occurred or has occurred under false pretense). When it comes to such activities, insurance fraud generally falls into two broader categorieshard fraud and soft fraud.

Hard Fraud occurs when someone deliberately plans or invents a loss, such as faking an accident or injury, to collect money from an insurance company.

Let's See an Example: A claimant stages a car crash and then submits a false claim to collect on the policy.

Soft Fraud is more subtle and often involves inflating or exaggerating an otherwise legitimate claim.

Let's See an Example: A homeowner who experienced a minor flood might add a few extra items to the list of damaged goods in hopes of receiving a larger payout from the insurance company.

How Can I Be Charged?

While misrepresentation of claims remains one of the most common forms of insurance fraud, you could be charged as a result of various different activities. Some other activities that may cause individuals and businesses to face charges include:

Filing False or Exaggerated Claims

Filing false or exaggerated claims could involve anything from reporting a nonexistent theft and exaggerating the extent of an injury to submitting claims for damage that was intentionally inflicted. Insurance companies often conduct their own investigations into claims, and if discrepancies are found, they may be reported to law enforcement, leading to fraud charges.

Intentionally Providing False Information

Falsifying information on an insurance application is a serious offense that can result in insurance fraud charges. Providing incorrect details about your health, lifestyle, or the value of property or assets in an attempt to secure lower premiums or higher payouts can quickly lead to criminal charges.

Working With Co-Conspirators

In some cases, insurance fraud involves more than one party. For example, an individual might work with a doctor to submit fraudulent medical claims or with a mechanic to inflate the cost of auto repairs. Make no mistakethese co-conspirators can also face criminal charges.

Engaging in Fraudulent Billing Practices

Individual claimants aren't the only ones who may face criminal charges due to insurance fraud; businesses can also be charged for fraudulent billing practices. This might involve charging insurance companies for services that were never rendered or inflating the cost of services that were performed. Because insurance companies often audit providers' billing practices, extensive discrepancies can lead to criminal investigations.

Understanding Legal Penalties

In the state of Kansas, insurance fraud is typically classified as a felony unless the amount involved is less than $1,000, in which the act is considered a class C nonperson misdemeanor. Depending on the severity of the fraud and the amount involved, consequences will vary; however, typical penalties include:

Prison TimeConvictions for insurance fraud may result in significant prison sentences, especially for large-scale or repeated fraud.

FinesFines can be substantial, sometimes amounting to thousands of dollars, depending on the case.

RestitutionCourts may order those convicted of insurance fraud to repay the money they illegally obtained, plus interest.

Loss of Professional LicensesHealthcare providers, attorneys, and other professionals who commit insurance fraud may lose their licenses, barring them from continuing their work.

Have You Been Accused?

If you are facing fraud charges, we encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm as soon as possible. While every case is different, and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting one of our white collar crime lawyers in Wichita about the specifics of your case, it is always in your best interest to have a skilled attorney by your side from the beginning.

Request a Free Consultation

Do you or a loved one need the assistance of an experienced white collar crime lawyer in Wichita? We encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm at (316) 243-5903 for a free consultation.

jonathanwmcconnell.com

SOURCE McConnell Law Firm
Vertafore introduces AI automation in industry's leading benefits solution, reducing medical plan data entry by up to 45 minutes

DENVER, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertafore, the leader in modern insurance technology, announced its latest innovation to empower benefits brokers: automated importing for SBC data into BenefitPoint. The feature leverages artificial intelligence technology to identify and map data from benefits and coverage documents and populate the data directly into BenefitPoint. With this simplified and automated process, brokers save up to 45 minutes per plan and increase overall data quality.

Summary of Benefits and Coverages (SBC) documents are essential components of the benefits process, laying out a health plan's costs, covered services and other information important to end-insureds. Traditionally, benefits brokers must manually enter SBC data into their system or outsource data entry at a significant cost.

The AI capabilities in BenefitPoint address those challenges by converting the information from SBC documents into the correct fields in the system in approximately a minute. Brokers benefit from improved data accuracy, faster data entry, enhanced benchmarking and overall analytics.

BenefitPoint is the industry's first benefits solution to offer this time-saving technology, just as brokers gear up for the busy benefits season. Users will see immediate value with faster data mapping and will experience even greater speed and accuracy as the technology learns.

"The BenefitPoint OCR SBC auto upload is an extremely helpful enhancement," said Melissa Wade, senior training associate consultant at Connor Strong & Buckelew. "This feature saves our employee benefits account team time and it's a great solution to a previous pain point."

Vertafore rolled out medical plan upload automation during its most recent BenefitPoint release. Other new features include streamlined NAICS code entry; an Applies to Rates section, enabling users to select, move and track rates seamlessly; and a View Audit Log, allowing comprehensive tracking of attachment-related actions.

"Tens of thousands of independent agents and benefits brokers rely on BenefitPoint to connect their clients with the coverage options they need to be an employer of choice," said James Thom, chief product officer at Vertafore. "As our benefits customers prepare for their busiest time of the year, this latest release delivers even better product performance and efficiency to streamline their operations."

BenefitPoint is the only agency management system built for benefits brokers. Learn more at www.vertafore.com/products/benefitpoint.

About Vertafore

As North America's InsurTech leader for 55 years, Vertafore is modernizing and simplifying the insurance life cycle so that our customers can focus on what matters most. Vertafore's solutions provide end-to-end connectivity across the distribution channel, improve the client and agent experience, unlock the power of data, and streamline essential workflows to drive efficiency, productivity, and profitability for independent agencies, MGAs and carriers. For more information about Vertafore, visit www.vertafore.com.

2024 Vertafore and the Vertafore logo are registered trademarks of Vertafore. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MEDIA CONTACT:

INK Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Vertafore, Inc.
New Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer Join Better-For-You Restaurant Platform

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WOWorks, the parent company of good-for-you restaurant brands Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos and Z!Eats, has tapped two restaurant industry veterans to join the leadership team and help propel the brand's marketing and growth initiatives.

Joel Bulger has been named the company's Chief Marketing Officer. Bulger brings with him a 25-year career in marketing and brand development in the restaurant space, including with brands On The Border, Zaxby's, Johnny Rockets and Focus Brands/GoTo Foods where he earned a reputation for his ability to drive guest traffic and enhance menu profitability.

Steve Corp will step into the role of Chief Growth Officer. With a robust background in franchise development and sales, Corp's proficiency in steering brands through rapid expansion and cultivating strong relationships with franchisees will be instrumental to WOWorks' portfolio of brands. Corp previously held leadership roles at Dinebrands and Focus Brands/GoTo Foods.

Bulger and Corp both started their new roles Sept. 4.

"We are looking forward to expanding our leadership team as we continue to build a strong foundation that drives our mission to become one of the leading plant-forward and good-for-you restaurant companies in the space," said Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks. "With Joel and Steve's extensive experience within this industry, our brands are well-positioned for sustained growth and success."

WOWorks, which has close to 400 restaurants operating nationwide, continues to lead the industry in innovation and growth opportunities for its franchisees, while ensuring that customers enjoy delicious and wholesome meals. For more information about franchise opportunities with WOWorks brands, visit woworksusa.com/a-place-to-invest/.

About WOWorks

WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthier for you and flavorful meals along with its Vow to "WOW!" guest hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks' portfolio, in addition to its newest brands, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Z!Eats, consists of: Saladworks, the nation's leading fast-casual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting. WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.

Media Contact: Sara Faiwell, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or (847) 945-1300

SOURCE WOWorks / Fishman PR
New learning modules will help students make informed choices with the goal of achieving their post-high school financial aspirations.

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zogo, a Gen Z-powered financial literacy company, and BigFuture, a free platform for college and career planning in high school, announced their new partnership that will provide free financial education to high school students and families.

Zogo offers a suite of tools with bite-sized content and rewards that make learning about various financial topics, from loans to insurance, fun and engaging. BigFuture is a free online resource powered by College Board that assists millions of students in taking the first step after high school by helping them explore careers, plan for college, and pay for college. The partnership brings together College Board's trusted expertise through BigFuture and Zogo's sought-after, interactive tools to power easy skill-learning about paying for college and applying for financial aid.

Planning for your future after high school can be overwhelming when everyone's path is different. For many, how to afford those future choices is a large and persistent concern, especially for families unaware of the many ways they can receive assistance for college and career pathways. Zogo and BigFuture's partnership is addressing this barrier for the next generation with accessible, engaging financial education that enhances students' and families' knowledge and understanding of the diverse financial aid options available.

"Zogo is excited to partner with BigFuture to bring engaging financial wellness learning modules to high school and college students through fun, easily accessible tools. Each interactive financial program will empower them to make better, more educated decisions about their money," said Chuck Long, senior manager at Zogo.

The first skill to launch as a part of this new partnership, "Apply for Scholarships and Grants," is now available in the Zogo app. This comprehensive program gives students a better understanding of different types of financial aid, resources on how to find scholarships and grants, and best practices when applying for college. The co-developed skill will launch Zogo's newest financial literacy module and advance Zogo's ever-evolving curriculum of skills.

"Every year, financial aid goes unclaimed, often because students lack access to quality information and easy-to-understand platforms. That's especially true for those navigating the college process for the first time," said Amy Reitz, senior vice president at BigFuture. "Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed after high school and when students can consider the affordability of their choices earlier, they can better plan and prepare. Our partnership with Zogo aims to improve awareness of financial aid options and is an impactful, important step in that direction."

"The financial world is a complicated one and many students are thrown into it without the right tools or knowledge. We aim to debunk money myths and support students with proper education about applying for loans, financial aid, and more long-term financial topics like learning about credit scores and how credit cards work," said Long. The partnership's new "Apply for Scholarships and Grants," module can be found in the Zogo app.

About Zogo

Zogo is a technology company that works with financial institutions to promote financial education and well-being through short-form content. Its award-winning platform offers bite-sized modules and tangible incentives to make financial literacy and education accessible, fun, and rewarding. The company partners with over 250 institutional partners in all 50 U.S. states to help educate, engage, and empower the next generation of financial decision-makers regardless of their background and experience. The platform has garnered nearly one million users since its creation in 2018.

To learn more, visit zogo.com.

About BigFuture

BigFuture is a free, online resource that helps students take the right first step after high school. We help you plan for college, pay for college, and explore careers. Whether you're interested in a four-year university, community college, or career training, BigFuture has what you need to start planning your future, your way.

To learn more, visit bigfuture.org.

SOURCE Zogo
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Singapore, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Singapore on Wednesday as part of the final leg of his two-nation tour from Brunei, will receive an official welcome at the Parliament House on Thursday, followed by meetings with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Prime Minister Modi will also meet senior Emeritus Minister Goh Chok Tong on Thursday to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Following the bilaterals, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in a business roundtable with Singaporean business leaders organised by the Singapore Business Federation, interact with semiconductor ecosystem players, and engage with students from the country who did internships in India in the 'India Ready Talent Programme'.

He will also interact with the Odisha World Skills Center interns in Singapore companies.

PM Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday afternoon after wrapping up a historic two-day trip to Brunei, the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to the Southeast Asian nation.

Upon his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi was received by the country's Minister of Home Affairs and Law, K. Shanmugam.

At the hotel, members of the Indian diaspora gave a rousing welcome to the Prime Minister with traditional Maharashtrian dance and drums. Adding to the excitement of those present at the venue, including several children, PM Modi also tried his hand at the 'dhol'.

The bilateral discussions on Thursday are expected to focus on deepening cultural connections and fostering stronger people-to-people ties between the two nations.

The key areas of enhanced cooperation under consideration include digital innovation, skill development, sustainability, healthcare, connectivity, and advanced manufacturing.

Last week, a high-level Indian delegation, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had participated in the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in Singapore.

PM Modi's visit is expected to further enhance the relationship between the two countries, emphasising both economic and cultural collaborations.

Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had said before PM Modi left for his two-nation visit, "Singapore is India's largest trade partner in ASEAN and it is a leading source of foreign direct investment.

"Singapore is India's sixth largest trade partner worldwide and the largest source of FDI during the last financial year. Investments have also been very large since 2000 and till now we have had cumulative FDI of about $160 billion. There will be an interaction with the business leaders during Prime Minister's visit where CEOs will be listening to India's growth story first hand from the Prime Minister."
Los Angeles, Sep 5 : Unite Here, the union representing hotel workers, has said that "the labour dispute is ongoing" as more than 9,500 of its members who struck Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott hotels in multiple US cities over the Labour Day weekend are back on the job.

More than 10,000 hotel workers in nine cities, including Baltimore, Boston, Greenwich, Honolulu, Kauai, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, walked off the job over the weekend, Xinhua news agency reported.

The striking workers' primary demands include higher wages, more staffing to ease their workload, and the reversal of service cuts implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.

After months of unresolved negotiations, the limited duration strikes lasted one to three days in each city, said the union in a news statement, adding that strikes have also been authorised and could begin at any time in Baltimore, New Haven, Oakland, and Providence.

"Continued picketing and other disruptions are possible," the union noted.

Around 700 hotel workers at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront have decided to remain on an open-ended strike, and workers will be on the picket line until they win their contract, according to the news statement.

Unite Here said on its website that the labour union represents 300,000 working people across Canada and the US.

The union added that its members work in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries.

"During Covid, everyone suffered, but now the hotel industry is making record profits while workers and guests are left behind. Workers aren't making enough to support their families, and many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to," said Gwen Mills, International President of Unite Here, in the news statement, adding that "Too many hotels still haven't restored staffing or the services that guests deserve, like automatic daily housekeeping and room service, and painful workloads are breaking workers' bodies".

"We won't accept a 'new normal' where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers," Mills noted.

Room rates are at record highs, and the US hotel industry made more than $100 billion in gross operating profit in 2022. But hotel staffing per occupied room was down 13 per cent from 2019 to 2022 as many hotels maintained Covid-era cuts, including understaffing, ending automatic daily housekeeping, and removing food and beverage options, according to the union.
Rome, Sep 5 : Italy has been battered by storms in the last few hours, with risk warnings issued for several regions, according to the country's Civic Protection Agency.

The agency issued a storm alert for nine regions on Wednesday, including northern Piedmont, Lombardy, central Marche and Umbria, and southern Campania, Xinhua news agency reported.

Northwest Piedmont and southern Calabria were also put under an additional high risk alert for flooding.

The warning came after streets flooded in several cities on Tuesday, causing disruption to local transport.

In Rome, the landmark Constantine Arch was damaged by lightning during a thunderstorm.

However, the damage was limited, and the fragments were retrieved and secured as soon as the storm ended on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, maintenance work began on Wednesday morning, according to the agency managing the site.

Heavy rains are expected to continue throughout the week.

Local authorities have issued an orange warning (second most severe level) for hydrogeological risk in some areas of central Tuscany and the Emilia Romagna region on Thursday, while the municipality of Venice put the lagoon city under red alert (the highest level).

In August, the European Commission approved a 447-million-euro allocation from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help Italy offset costs associated with severe storms and flooding in Italy last year.

The funds, on Tuesday, come as Italy swelters through the third extended heatwave in three years. Each year, the country has struggled with droughts, floods, wildfires, and landslides.

This year, water shortages have spread across the southern part of the country; repeated fires have occurred in central and southern Italy, as well as urban areas including Rome; and farmer's union Coldiretti has recorded a negative impact on agricultural production nationwide.

Last week, a waterspout that climatologists said was likely caused by warming ocean temperatures sank a 56-metre luxury yacht, killing seven.

Earlier in the month, an Indian flower picker died in the fields of Latina, near Rome, during an intense hot spell, hitting international headlines.

In some parts of the country, especially in the island regions, high temperatures could again top 40 degrees Celsius. In central Italy, temperatures will peak at around 37 degrees Celsius.

Weather monitoring site Il Meteo said that in the coming days, hail may accompany hot weather in the northern part of the country, with storm and flood alerts being posted for the central regions.

Nevertheless, the severe weather so far this year has not been as bad as the flooding experienced by the central Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany last year. Flash floods there in May 2023 killed 17 and caused an estimated 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion) in damages. Another round of flooding in November 2023 caused eight more deaths and another 1.9 billion euros in damages.

On the same day, the EU also announced it would back the use of EUSF for Slovenia, Austria, Greece, and France, though Italy will receive the lion's share of the aid, amounting to nearly 46 per cent of the total amount approved for the five countries.

The money still needs to be approved by the European Parliament before it will be distributed to the affected areas.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, said that India wants to make many Singapores in the country.

He said this during a meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong and also discussed ways to boost bilateral ties.

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to the country at the invitation of Wong.

"Singapore is not just a partner country but an inspiration for every developing country. We also want to create many Singapores in Bharat. I am happy that we are working in that direction together. Ministerial roundtables formed between us are a path-breaking mechanism .. Skilling, digitisation, mobility, semiconductor, advance manufacturing, AI, healthcare, sustainability cybersecurity.. areas of cooperation have become symbols of the initiatives...." said PM Modi in his remarks while leading delegation-level talks with his Singapore counterpart.

Several MoUs were signed between India and Singapore in the fields of Digital Technologies, Health and Medicine, Educational Cooperation & Skills Development and India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership in the presence of PM Modi and Singapore PM Wong.

Ahead of the talks, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. PM Modi and Singapore PM Wong meet ministers and delegates from each other's countries at the Parliament House.

PM Modi also signed the visitor's book there.

The meeting between the two leaders comes days after Singapore PM Wong took over as premier and PM Modi began his third term as the prime minister.

PM Modi greeted him on becoming the Prime Minister and said, "I thank you for your warm welcome. This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of Prime Minister. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G, Singapore will progress even faster."

PM Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday as part of the final leg of his two-nation tour from Brunei.
Kolkata, Sep 5 : The parents of the woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, who became a victim of the ghastly rape and murder last month, have now directly accused the Kolkata Police of deliberate 'laxity and ill-intention' in handling the preliminary probe into the case before it was handed over to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court.

Besides accusing the city police of deliberately delaying in registering their complaint as an FIR, the parents have also accused an officer of the city police of trying to convince them to settle the matter against money.

Speaking to a section of the media late Wednesday night while joining the protesting junior doctors at the same hospital premises, the victim's parents questioned the gap between the time of their filing the complaint and that of getting it registered as an FIR by the cops of local Tala Police Station.

"We filed our complaints between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on August 9 and the same was registered as an FIR at 11.45 p.m. Why? When the body of our daughter was brought home, a senior officer of Kolkata Police requested us to settle the matter against money, which we refused immediately," said the father of the victim.

He also alleged that there was an attempt to convince him to sign a blank paper which he denied immediately.

At the same time, the victim's parents have also questioned the abysmal hurry on the part of the city police in completing their daughter's cremation process at Panihati crematorium.

"We wanted our daughter's body to be preserved for some time. But we were not allowed and were virtually forced to cremate the body in a hurry. Even the crematorium authorities did not accept any cremation fee from us," said the victim's father.

He also accused an officer of Kolkata Police of deliberately trying to mislead people through incorrect media statements even after CBI had taken over the investigation in the matter.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Amid strong protests from farmers, opposition parties and also ruling party members, the MahaYuti government has taken a crucial decision to scrap the land acquisition process for the ambitious 802 km Shaktipeeth Highway connecting Nagpur-Goa, sources have said.

The project entails an investment of a whopping Rs 86,300 crore which will pass through 12 districts and is expected to reduce the travel time to 8 hours from the present 13 hours. It aims to increase connectivity, tourism, especially religious tourism, and the general development of the region.

The expressway will cover Hindu pilgrimage places such as two jyotirlingas -- one in Parli Vaijnath and the second in Aundh Naganath (Nageshwar) in Hingoli district. The Mahur Renu Devi temple, Tuljabhavani in Tuljapur, Vitthal Rakhumai temple of Pandharpur, Mahalaxmi temple of Kolhapur, and Goaas Patradevi temple are other popular temples in both these states that the expressway will cover.

In the wake of the raging protest, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde intervened and directed to cancellation of the land acquisition process.

State government sources said, "The government will soon cancel the notification released for the land acquisition for the project. The government had appointed 27 land acquisition officers in 12 districts and it hoped to complete the land acquisition by December this year so that the state-run Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) could begin the bidding process. MSRDC is a nodal agency for the project implementation and it started the land acquisition in June. MSRDC has already forwarded its proposal to the state government for cancelling the land acquisition process."

Protests from farmers, especially from Kolhapur, were the trigger for the state government to put the project on the back burner ahead of the Assembly election. Farmers had argued that nearly 27,000 acres of land would be lost due to the highway. This will make thousands of farmers landless.

The farmers were joined by members from ruling and opposition parties arguing that the Shaktipeeth Highway would severely hit agriculture and it should be scrapped. They also demanded the realignment of the existing route.

The Chief Minister has assured the farmers and the members from ruling and opposition that the government will not go ahead in project implementation in haste but pursue it only after considering their views and sentiments.

The governmentas move comes a day after NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday strongly opposed the development of Shaktipeeth Highway saying that he would soon meet the Chief Minister in this regard.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Home Minister Amit Shah, on Thursday, extended warm wishes to all teachers on the occasion of Teachers' Day, lauding their invaluable contributions to nation-building.

Amit Shah took to social media platform X to share his message, emphasising the critical role that teachers play in shaping the future of their students and the country.

"On Teachers' Day, I bow to all the teachers who not only build the lives of their students but also make invaluable contributions to building a great nation."

Amit Shah also paid homage to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, whose birth anniversary marks the occasion of Teachers' Day. "On the Jayanti of Bharat Ratna Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, I bow to the former President of India and extend my heartfelt greetings to all our hard-working teachers," Shah added.

Teachers' Day is also marked by a national-level event organised by the Department of School Education and Literacy, under the Ministry of Education. This function is held to honour the countryas most dedicated and exemplary teachers by conferring upon them the prestigious National Teachersa Awards.

President Draupadi Murmu will present the National Teachersa Awards 2024 to 82 outstanding educators on Thursday during a special ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. These awards honour teachers who have significantly contributed in the education sector.

Among the 82 recipients, two awardees are differently-abled, and one specialises in working with children with special needs (CWSN). The recipients comprise educators from other departments as well, including 16 teachers from the Department of Higher Education and 16 from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

In a unique gesture to honour teachers, the Amrit Udyan at Rashtrapati Bhavan will be exclusively opened to educators on Teachers' Day. To facilitate access, a free shuttle bus service will operate between the Central Secretariat Metro Station and Gate No. 35 of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Actress Sharvari said that she was a very "filmy kid" and that she would imagine herself wearing a chiffon saree and dancing to songs from Hindi films.

Mumbai, Sep 5 (IANS) Actress Sharvari said that she was a very "filmy kid" and that she would imagine herself wearing a chiffon saree and dancing to songs from Hindi films.

Sharvari, who is currently basking in the success of "Munjya", said: "I can immediately start to dance if music comes on. This has always been me since I was a child. Growing up, I became a super filmy kid and I used to imagine myself as a Bollywood heroine, wearing a chiffon saree and running through mustard fields and dancing to the beautiful songs from our Hindi films."

The actress revealed that she is inspired by names such as late star Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Katrina Kaif to name a few.

"I am hugely inspired by the leading ladies of Bollywood who have danced their way into the hearts of people. Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, have left a legacy for actors like me to be inspired constantly," she said.

The actress, who sweeped the audiences by their feet with her impeccable performance on the song "Taras", feels she manifested this profession for herself.

"I think I manifested this profession for myself and I definitely manifested landing a big dance song like Taras. I was thrilled when my producer Dinesh Vijan sir trusted me with a dance song. I gave it my everything while filming 'Taras'."

The actress said that the song "Taras" was an opportunity to show the industry that she can dance well.

"And there was no way in hell that I would be doing this half-heartedly."

Sharvari said that she practiced the steps everyday.

"I'm grateful that people loved what they saw. To witness such an amazing response from people, to see them dance on my song in theatres was a huge deal. I hope I keep entertaining people with my acting, my dancing, my hard work and dedication to my profession," said the actress, who will next be seen in "Alpha" starring Alia Bhatt.
Singapore, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his counterpart Lawrence Wong, on Thursday visited AEM Holdings, a leading company in semiconductor and electronics sector, here and discussed opportunities for collaboration.

PM Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the 'SEMICON INDIA' exhibition, to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13.

According to an MEA statement, the Prime Minister also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha's 'World Skill Center', undergoing training in Singapore, as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the 'CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme' and Indian engineers working at the AEM facility.

Both the leaders were briefed about AEM's role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India.

Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Representatives of several other Singaporean companies from this sector were also present.

"Given our efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singapore's strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation," according to the MEA.

During the second meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, both sides agreed to add advanced manufacturing, with a focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation.

According to the MEA, both sides have also concluded the MoU on India-Singapore semiconductor ecosystem partnership.

"This visit by both the Prime Ministers underscores the commitment of both sides to develop cooperation in this area. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Wong for joining him in this visit," the MEA statement read.

Earlier this week, the Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved the proposal of Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd to set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat, with an investment of Rs 3,300 crore. The proposed unit, under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), will produce nearly 60 lakh chips per day.

In March, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of three semiconductor projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore. As per reports, India's semiconductor-related market will reach $64 billion in 2026, nearly triple the size in 2019.
Hyderabad, Sep 5 : Andhra Pradesh Police on Thursday arrested former MP and YSR Congress Party leader Nandigam Suresh in connection with the attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) office in Andhra Pradesh in 2021.

A police team from Andhra Pradesh arrested Suresh in Hyderabad and shifted him to Mangalagiri in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, where a case was registered against him for the attack on the TDP office.

The YSRCP leader was arrested a day after the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail petitions filed by him and other leaders.

After the High Court order, police had launched a search for Suresh. Police had gone to his house at Uddandarayunipalem village in Guntur district but he was not found there.

On receiving information about Suresh's presence in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Police reached here and arrested him.

The High Court had Wednesday dismissed anticipatory bail petitions of Suresh and other YSRCP leaders in the case related to the attack on TDP headquarters at Mangalagiri. The court also dismissed their petitions, seeking suspension of the orders to enable them to approach the Supreme Court for relief.

YSRC MLCs Lella Appireddy and Talasila Raghuram, and party leader Devineni Avinash are among those named in the TDP office attack case. With the High Court denying them anticipatory bail, police have formed special teams to arrest them.

The High Court also dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former minister Jogi Ramesh and his followers involved in the case related to the attack on the residence of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu when he was the Opposition leader.

After TDP along with its allies Jana Sena and BJP came to power in June, police launched fresh probe in both cases.

A large number of supporters of YSRCP attacked the TDP office on October 19, 2021, after TDP spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram had made some objectionable comments against the then Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The YSRCP supporters had barged into the TDP office and ransacked the premises damaging furniture and breaking window panes. The TDP leaders had alleged that the attackers seen armed with sticks and even hammers damaged the cars parked outside the office.

The police also launched a fresh probe into the attack on TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's residence in Amaravati in September 2021 in which then MLA Jogi Ramesh allegedly took part.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : The makers of "Jhimma 2" have announced their next Marathi film christened "Fussclass Dabhade" directed by Hemant Dhome, which is set to release on November 15.

Mumbai, Sep 5 (IANS) The makers of "Jhimma 2" have announced their next Marathi film christened "Fussclass Dabhade" directed by Hemant Dhome, which is set to release on November 15.

The title and release date were recently unveiled on social media and mentioned that the film is "a quirky story of crazy siblings."

Colour Yellow Productions took to Instagram, where they made the announcement and wrote: "From the team of Jhimma, A quirky story of crazy siblings Sonu, Pappu, Taidi and their equally crazy yet heartwarming family. From 15th November, in cinemas near you! #FussclassDabhade #FD #FDInCinemas15November Written & Directed by: @hemantdhome21"

Dhome said: "It's a story that's extremely close to my heart. It has pieces of what I have experienced and witnessed in life. Someone has rightly said that when the story of a film is close to the writer and director's heart, it becomes equally close to the audience as well."

"Before making the film, I had decided that this would be shot at my farm and in the heart of my village. Thankfully, I got the chance to do that and share an experience of a lifetime with my team. We are all excited for the audience to watch the film from November 15 onwards."

Presented by T-Series Films and Aanand L Rai, 'Fussclass Dabhade' is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Aanand L Rai, Kshitee Jog and Krishan Kumar. The poster features Kshitee Jog, Siddharth Chandekar and Amey Wagh sitting on a tractor, with Amey dressed as a groom.

Producer Aanand L Rai said: "'Fussclass Dabhade' is a story that beautifully delves into the quirks and complexities of sibling relationships. It's a celebration of the bond where love, rivalry, and humor coexist in the most delightful way."

"Hemant Dhome has brought this unique sibling story to life with such charm and relatability, and I'm proud to be a part of bringing it to the audience through Colour Yellow Productions. I'm confident that this film will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever shared that special bond with a sibling."

Producer Bhushan Kumar shared that "Fussclass Dabhade" portrays raw human emotions in relationships with a beautiful simplicity.

"The film connects deeply through its humane storytelling. It authentically reflects family life in India, especially Maharashtra, and brings its vibrant culture and heartfelt stories to the audience with both grace and sincerity."
New Delhi, Sep 5 : In a bid to empower the farmers' community, the government is targeting to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers over the three fiscals which will be similar to Aadhaar card.

The goal is part of 'AgriStack' initiative which has been designed as a farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to streamline services and scheme delivery to farmers.

A crucial feature of AgriStack is the introduction of a 'Farmer ID', similar to Aadhaar card, serving as a trusted digital identity for farmers.

The government said it will aim to create 6 crore such digital IDs for farmers in FY 2024-25, 3 crore in FY 2025-26 and 2 crore in FY 2026-27.

"These IDs, created and maintained by the state governments/union territories, will be linked to various farmer-related data, including land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, and benefits availed," said the government.

The government also plans to launch the 'Digital Crop Survey' nationwide within two years, covering 400 districts in FY 2024-25 and all districts in FY 2025-26.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, digital revolution has significantly transformed governance and service delivery in recent years by creating digital identities, secured payments and transactions.

This paved the way for a thriving digital ecosystem across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, and retail, positioning India as a leader in citizen-centric digital solutions.

For a similar transformation of the agriculture sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the 'Digital Agriculture Mission' with a substantial financial outlay of Rs 2,817 crore, including a central government share of Rs 1,940 crore.

The mission is built on two foundational pillars: Agri Stack and Krishi Decision Support System.

Additionally, the mission includes 'Soil Profile Mapping' and aims to enable farmer-centric digital services to provide timely and reliable information for the agriculture sector.

The implementation of AgriStack is progressing through partnerships between the central and state governments, with 19 states having signed MoUs with the Ministry of Agriculture.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Filmmaker and author Vivek Agnihotri on Thursday said he had declined the Oxford Union invite to participate in a debate on Kashmir as the topic was "anti-India".

He shared a post on his social media account, X informing about the invite and his decline. He also posted the letters on his wall.

In his post, Vivek Agnihotri wrote: "I was invited by the prestigious Oxford Union to debate on Kashmir. I found the theme offensive, anti-India, and anti-Kashmir. On principle, I have declined the offer."

In his letter, the filmmaker further explained: "Thank you for your invitation to grace the Oxford Union with my presence for a debate. Though it is every opinion-maker's dream to speak at the Oxford Debating Society, I find myself reflecting on the irony of your invitation, and after due consideration, I have decided to respectfully decline. Your invitation to debate 'This House Believes in the Independent State of Kashmir' is a direct challenge to India's sovereignty, and it is unacceptable to me. I find it not just obnoxious but offensivea"not just to 1.4 billion Indians, but also as a humiliation of the hundreds of thousands of displaced indigenous Hindu victims of the Kashmir genocide of 1990. Framing it as a debate feels like turning a tragedy into a parlour game, where the stakes are human lives, and the cost is in blood, not just ink."

"Kashmir's story is not a debate topic; it is a narrative of suffering, resilience, and a quest for peace. To reduce it to a 'yes' or 'no' on independence is to ignore the complex tapestry of human emotions and history involved. The genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is a story where the cost has been paid in blood, not in witty retorts or applause from an audience," Agnihotri further said in the post.

Vivek Agnihotri wrote this letter to the Oxford Union on September 2, which he shared on his social media on Thursday.

In 2022, Vivek Agnihotri was widely discussed for his film 'The Kashmir Files'. While many people appreciated the film, it also faced criticism from others. The film depicts the violence that the minority communities, especially the Kashmir Pandits, faced in the 1990s which forced them to flee their homes. Over seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits fled to escape the violence unleashed by Pakistan-backed various terror outfits.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, TV actors Lakshay Khurana, Brinda Dahal and Sahil Uppal have shared their love and devotion to Lord Ganesha, revealing personal stories and spiritual connections.

From offering heartfelt prayers to recalling cherished childhood memories, they highlighted how the festival fills them with peace and positivity.

Lakshay, who is playing the role of Aditya in the show aIshq Jabariyaa said: "Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most celebrated and cherished festivals for me. There's a unique magic in the air during these days that makes Mumbai look even more beautiful."

"The city comes alive with vibrant colors, the sound of dhols and aartis, and the sight of people coming together in devotion. The streets are adorned with lights and decorations, and every corner feels like it's filled with Bappa's blessings. It's a time when the spirit of Mumbai shines the brightest, and being part of such grand celebrations fills my heart with immense joy and gratitude," added Lakshay.

Brinda, essaying the character of Vaishanavi in the show aChhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiyaa said: "Ganesh Chaturthi is special to me because I was born on Tuesday the 4th, a day for worshiping Ganesh Ji. Since childhood, I've felt a deep connection with Ganesh Ji."

"When I was about seven, something upsetting happened at school. I went to the temple, prayed while crying, and suddenly, a flower fell into my hands. It felt like a scene from a movie. In Nepal, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated more simply, with regular prayers using the Ganesh statue at home, unlike the elaborate celebrations elsewhere. This year in Mumbai, I've received many invitations and am excited to see how the celebrations unfold. I am so excited to enjoy some delicious modak and experience the Ganesh Utsav in Mumbai," added Brinda.

Sahil, who portrays the role of Gagan in the show aSaajha Sindoora said: "Even though I grew up in Delhi, where Ganesh Chaturthi isnat widely celebrated, I have some really fond memories from Mumbai, where Iave spent most of my time. Every year, our society would bring in Ganpati Ji, and we were always right there at the mandal, helping with decorations and collecting contributions."

"We were so wrapped up in the celebrations from morning till night that wead often forget to eat or sleep. What really sticks with me is the vibrant festive spirit and the endless supply of sweets. It was like the entire community came together to welcome Lord Ganesh as our special guest. Ganesh Chaturthi is more than just a festival; itas a celebration of unity," he added.

'Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya' follows Vaishnavi (Brinda), an orphan who sees Chhathi Maiyya (Devoleena) as her mother.

'Ishq Jabariya' tells the story of Gulki (Siddhi Sharma) and her struggles to become an air hostess.

'Saajha Sindoor' depicts Phooli (Stuti Vinkle), who is labeled an unmarried widow after her groom dies on their wedding day.

The show airs on Sun Neo.
Srinagar, Sep 5 : In yet another setback to the pre-poll alliance between the Congress and National Conference, Irfan Shah, a prominent NC leader, on Thursday announced his decision to contest against JKPCC president, Tariq Hameed Karra in J&K's Srinagar district.

Shah is the son of the former Minister and NC general secretary, the late Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah.

Irfan Shah told reporters that he has decided to fight against JKPCC president, Tariq Hameed Karra in the Shalteng Assembly constituency of Srinagar district.

The Congress-NC pre-poll alliance had decided to leave this Assembly constituency for the grand old party and on this understanding, JKPCC president, Tariq Hameed Karra had announced his decision to stand from this constituency.

Irfan Shah told reporters that he is on his way to the office of the district election office to file his nomination papers for the Shalteng Assembly seat.

"I am contesting because the National Conference has consistently demoralised its workers. My people have compelled me to take this step and now I am moving forward with this decision," Irfan Shah said.

Once Irfan Shah joins the electoral battle against Karra, the alliance between the NC and Congress will be jolted seriously.

Irfan Shah and his late father had significant influence in the Batmaloo area of the Shalteng constituency and the Shahs lived within this locality.

Before delimitation, this constituency was called the Batmaloo Assembly constituency.

Irfan Shah undoubtedly would chip into Tariq Hameed Karra's vote bank making victory uncertain for the J&K president of the Congress party.

Shah's decision comes a day after the Congress district president of Ganderbal, Sahil Farooq defied the party and filed nomination papers against the former chief minister and NC vice president, Omar Abdullah in the Ganderbal Assembly constituency.

After long deliberations, Congress and the NC have managed a pre-poll alliance in J&K.

As per the seat-sharing arrangement of the alliance, NC would field candidates in 52 constituencies and the Congress in 31.

Two Assembly constituencies, one for the CPI(M) in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in the Jammu division have been left by the alliance.

On five Assembly seats of Nagrota, Banihal, Doda and Bhaderwah in the Jammu division and Sopore in the Valley, NC and Congress could not reach any consensus.

Both parties have decided to field candidates from these five constituencies and engage in a 'friendly contest'.

J&K goes to vote for the first phase on September 18, the second phase on September 25 and the third and last phase on October 1.

The counting of votes would be taken up on October 8.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : In order to achieve a $30 trillion GDP by 2047, India will require a 20 times growth in the financial services sector, with banks playing a pivotal role, a report showed on Thursday.

Future growth will require $4 trillion of capital base in banks, one-third of which will have to be fresh capital deployment, according to the report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in association with FICCI and Indian Banks' Association.

India's banking system is in a strong position today acting as an ideal launchpad for the 'Viksit Bharat' mission.

"It will have to build for the next 2 decades through structural shifts  growing deposits, enhancing asset quality, and improving productivity, while advancing digital capabilities and future competencies," explained Ruchin Goyal, managing director and senior partner at BCG.

"To fuel inclusion and credit growth, we must continue to innovate and reimagine our deposit strategies, aligning them more closely with the evolving needs and preferences of our customers," according to MV Rao, Chairman at Indian Banks' Association.

The report highlighted key structural themes that banks need to work on for continued success of Indian banking sector.

These are the future of household savings, addressing challenges with asset quality and pockets of leverage, take a bold vision on productivity, continue investing to drive digital funnel growth, along with focus on building future capabilities.

India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has laid the foundation for a strong and resilient financial infrastructure and accelerated the pace of digitisation.

"It is now about taking capabilities to the next level and building for the next two decades - resilience, climate and cyber security needs to be strengthened, with centralised, real-time network and specialized talent," said Jyoti Vij, Director General at FICCI.

The Indian banking system has made significant strides in building future-ready competencies but must embrace the next wave of opportunities.

Resilience must extend beyond technology to encompass entire business processes. Banks face a "GenAI paradox," struggling to scale initiatives beyond pilots.

"Climate risk presents both threats and a $2.5 trillion financing opportunity, demanding a shift in operating models. Additionally, India's banks must tackle increasing cyber risks, necessitating a centralised, real-time network and specialised talent to mitigate threats," the report mentioned.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : The Joint Parliamentary Committee, constituted to deliberate the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, began its third meeting on Thursday in the Parliament premises, with presentations from various Union Ministries on the agenda.

Interacting with the media before the meeting, JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal said: "Representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Ministry of Railways, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have been called to present their respective presentations on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in today's meeting."

"These representatives will provide oral evidence on the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024," he added.

The Chairman further stated that JPC has been formed to consult all stakeholders regarding the bill, and many stakeholders have already been consulted in previous meetings. The JPC aims to engage in discussions with all those involved in the bill. Additionally, the committee plans to visit various states outside Delhi to engage with stakeholders.

Since the government has referred this bill to the JPC, the objective is to draft a bill that fulfils the purposes of the waqf while benefiting the poor, women, and children in the areas of health and education, he said.

The fourth JPC meeting is scheduled for Friday, and will be officials from the Archaeological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, present their views on the Waqf Bill. Muslim organisations like the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board have also been invited to attend the meeting.

The first JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill was held on August 22, and the second on August 30, and both reportedly witnessed confrontations as BJP and opposition party MPs engaged in heated arguments. According to sources, the BJP parliamentarians were frequently interrupted by Opposition MPs during the discussions.
Srinagar, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three election rallies in J&K, said BJP's J&K general secretary Ashok Koul on Thursday.

Koul told local reporters here that PM Modi will address two rallies in the Jammu division and one in Kashmir. He added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the BJP poll manifesto in Jammu on September 6 and would be here on a two-day visit.

The BJP UT general secretary said Amit Shah could also visit the Valley during his Friday visit to J&K.

He said BJP candidates filed their nomination papers in Srinagar on Wednesday and many people turned out in their support.

"People of Kashmir have faith in Narendra Modi-led government and they will support the BJP during the ongoing Assembly elections," Koul said.

BJP sources said PM Modi's rally is likely to be held in the Doda district which has been witness to terrorist attacks in the recent past.

"To highlight infrastructure, security and tourism development that took place during the last ten years in J&K, the party needs a great charismatic leader and crowd puller like the PM," sources said.

BJP is fighting the J&K Assembly elections without any alliance. The party's J&K president, Ravinder Raina has said the BJP might support some independents depending upon the situation on the ground in some constituencies of the Valley.

Congress and the National Conference (NC) have forged a pre-poll alliance to give the BJP a united fight. The NC is fielding candidates on 52 seats and the Congress on 31 seats while both parties have left two seats, one for the CPI(M) in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in the Jammu division.

On five seats of Nagrota, Banihal, Doda and Bhaderwah in the Jammu division and Sopore in the Valley, both NC and Congress will field candidates to engage in what the alliance calls a 'friendly contest'.

J&K has 90 Assembly seats, 47 in the Valley and 43 in the Jammu division. Out of these, nine are ST seats and seven are SC reserved seats.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made an "insurance arrest in hurry" to prevent his release on bail in the alleged excise policy scam case.

Appearing for Kejriwal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that his client was released on three different occasions in the money laundering case registered under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), where rigours for grant of bail are much higher.

He referred to the 21-day interim release of the AAP supremo in May this year to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the interim bail granted subsequently by the top court on July 12, and the trial court order granting him regular bail, which was stayed later by the Delhi High Court on an "oral mention" made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Singhvi contended that the CBI did not arrest Kejriwal for two years since August 2022 but made an "insurance arrest in hurry" in anticipation of his release on bail in the money laundering case.

The CBI arrested Kejriwal for "his non-cooperation and evasive replies" but there were several apex court judgments that held that cooperation with the probe should not mean that the accused should incriminate himself and confess to the offences alleged, he said.

He said that Kejriwal, a constitutional functionary holding the position of Delhi Chief Minister, satisfied the triple test for grant of bail.

"He is not a flight risk, he will turn up to answer the questions of the investigative agency, and cannot tamper with documents, running into lakhs of pages, and digital evidence after two years," Singhvi submitted.

Opposing the arguments, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the CBI, said that Kejriwal should first approach the trial court for bail.

He argued that arrest is a part of investigation and ordinarily, an investigative officer will not require any permission from a court to make an arrest. "But, in the present case, there was an order of the court granting the power (to arrest)," he said.

The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan will assemble post lunch to resume hearing Kejriwal's pleas assailing CBI arrest and seeking bail.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Tuesday took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the CBI against CM Kejriwal and other accused in the alleged liquor policy scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja issued a production warrant for Kejriwal on September 11, apart from extending his custody till the same date.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Buoyed by overall infrastructure growth and expanding commercial market, the hospitality investment sector in the country showed robust growth in the first half this year, according to a new report.

Hotel investment transactions reached $93 million and are expected to reach $413 million by year-end  a 22 per cent increase compared to last year, according to latest data from JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group

Top hotel companies led by contributing 44 per cent of the total transaction volume. It was followed by owner-operators at 30 per cent and high-net-worth individual (HNIs), family offices, and private hotel owners at 26 per cent.

According to the report, the positive momentum is set to continue throughout the second half of the year.

Key markets, including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai, remain dominant, accounting for 78 per cent of the projected transaction volumes.

Tier 2 and 3 markets are likely to contribute the remaining 22 per cent.

Notably, JLL has already facilitated two significant transactions at the onset of the second half of 2024, comprising an operational hotel in Mumbai and a premium hotel land sale in Goa.

"The surge in investor interest for both - operating assets and land sales illustrate the attractiveness of the investment landscape, bolstered by favourable macroeconomic factors, an expanding commercial market, and improved air connectivity," said Jaideep Dang, Managing Director, Hotels and Hospitality Group, India, JLL.

This positive outlook is further reinforced by the substantial hotel development activity witnessed across various tiers, with over 19,440 keys signed in the first half of 2024 alone, the report mentioned.

Another report earlier this month said that 2,706 new rooms were added in the upscale and premium segment in the first half of this year, amid a notable growth in infrastructure development. Out of these, 994 rooms (37 per cent) were upscale while the remaining (63 per cent) consisted of premium inventories.

Indian hospitality industry is on a strong footing marked by a rise in occupancy, new projects opening and a bullish pipeline for the future, according to Skye Hospitality.
Ahmedabad, Sep 5 : A tragic accident struck the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) when an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III, bearing frame number CG 863, crashed into the sea during a medical evacuation mission.

On the night of September 2, the helicopter was responding to an emergency call to airlift a seriously injured crew member from the Motor Tanker Hari Leela at 11.15 p.m.

The search efforts, spearheaded by the ICG, have been intensified with the involvement of the Indian Navy and other marine stakeholders. The fuselage of the downed helicopter is also sought to facilitate an investigation into the incident.

"We are deploying two aircraft and four ships for an intensive search operation. We have requested the Indian Navy's assistance, with a vessel equipped with side-scan sonar technology expected to join the mission soon," officials shared.

When it went down, the helicopter had four personnel on boardtwo pilots and two aircrew divers. The ICG launched a large-scale search and rescue operation in the aftermath of the crash. One crew member has been found and rescued, while two others did not survive. Their remains have been recovered from the sea, and a cremation with military honours is to be conducted as per service traditions.

The dead have been identified as Commandant (Junior Grade) Vipin Babu and Pradhan Navik Karan Singh. A formal board of inquiry has been established to investigate the cause of the crash. The mortal remains of Commandant Babu, from Alappuzha, Kerala, and Pradhan Navik Karan Singh, from Jhajjar, Haryana, have been returned to their families for last rites.

Search operations are still ongoing to locate Commandant Rakesh Kumar Rana, TM, who was the helicopter's pilot at the time of the crash.

Side-scan sonar systems help create images of large seafloor areas, enabling the detection of submerged objects. The Coast Guard has also sought support from the Gujarat Fisheries Department and local fishermen to aid the search.
Oslo, Sep 5 : Norway is poised to cooperate with Qatar on peace talks and reconciliation efforts in the Middle East, said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

Store made the remarks after meeting with visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is on a tour of the Nordic region, Xinhua news agency reported

"Qatar is playing an increasingly significant role in peace and reconciliation work, and we have a strong partnership in this area," said Store.

"Norway fully supports ongoing efforts to establish a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and we share Qatar's deep concerns over the instability in the region," he said.

Store also underscored the robust partnership between Norway and Qatar, not least their cooperation in diverse areas, including peace diplomacy, energy, green transition, and business.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : The IT Ministry on Thursday announced the second cohort of its startup accelerator where 125 early-age startups, selected and supported through potential accelerators, will be provided funding support and mentorship.

The last date to submit application under the Startup Accelerators of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development and Growth (SAMRIDH) is October 2.

In the first cohort, 22 accelerators from 12 states were selected through open calls for proposals. These accelerators then selected 5-10 startups each in the focused areas of health-tech, ed-tech, agri-tech, consumer-tech, fin-tech, software as a service (SaaS) and sustainability through a multi-level screening process.

As second cohort is part of the 100-day agenda of the government to select and support 125 startups through potential accelerators so as to achieve the target of nurturing 300 startups.

MeitY said it is working for the growth of India's software product industry under the National Policy on Software Products (NPSP)-2019.

Launched in August 2021, the SAMRIDH programme aims to support 300 software product startups with outlay of Rs 99 crore over a period of 4 years.

The scheme is being implemented by MeitY Start-up Hub (MSH), Digital India Corporation (DIC).

"SAMRIDH is being implemented through potential and established accelerators across India which provide services like making products market fit, business plan, investor connect and international expansion to startups plus matching funding up to Rs 40 lakh by MeitY," said the government.

According to the ministry, the domestic software product industry including startups are being supported through various programmes such as Centre of Excellences, Technological Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) programme, Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS), ICT Grand Challenges, Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS) etc.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Tauqeer Raza, an Islamic cleric and politician stuck to his guns on Thursday, regarding his provocative statement on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said that he only stated the truth and the onus was now on the Right-wing outfit to clear the air.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Tauqeer Raza spoke on a range of issues including the stiff opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill and also explained why he thinks that the hatred against the Muslim community is worrisome for the nation.

A day ago, the UP-based cleric dubbed the RSS and other Right-wing groups VHP and Bajrang Dal as aterror outfitsa and demanded a ban on their operations.

The remarks earned him a huge backlash and demands were also raised for his arrest.

Below is the full interview.

IANS: You have demanded a ban on the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal? Why did you label them as terror outfits, isnat it a ploy to instigate religious sentiments?

Tauqeer Raza: Today, the state of affairs in the country is worrisome. Peace has given way to violence and bad blood between people. After every few days, some flare-ups happen. There is a force behind all this and they are the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Whether it be any incident, pertaining from assault to lynching of minorities or cow vigilantism, a certain section of people are behind all this. Today, the hatred against the Muslim community is rising because of their polarising tactics.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, being the oldest body, serves as the nodal centre. It has allocated roles to various Right-wing outfits for furthering its communal agenda. It keeps itself aloof from direct involvement but remains the real brain behind all incidents of flare-ups and violence. I stand by my statement.

If I have spoken something wrong, the RSS must come forward and explain why it shouldnat be blamed for stirring communal divide.

India has had a rich tradition of diversity, for ages. But, today the social and religious fabric of the country has been shredded because of the Sanghas contentious and divisive agenda.

Unlike Muslim leaders and clerics, the RSS is sowing seeds of hatred in the minds of the youth and this will prove suicidal for the country. No one should be encouraged or persuaded to rise above the law and vitiate the countryas atmosphere.

The government deserves equal blame for letting loose these groups. However, the onus remains on the RSS to clear the air. It must come forward and inform people whether it has the backing of the government for promoting hatred, it must tell people that Bajrang Dal and VHP are not its offshoots.

The RSS talks about the country's development and empowerment of all sections but its approach belies all its claims. It has a responsibility towards all sections. Itas time that it rises above its parochial agenda and doesn't foment a Hindu-Muslim divide.

IANS: Your remarks on Right-wing outfits have created a furore in political circles, particularly the BJP. What would you say on this?

Tauqeer Raza: I only stated the truth. I just want to apprise the people as well as the government about growing intolerance and hatred against Muslims and how this is being fanned by some Right-wing outfits, who also enjoy patronage from those in power.

The government has turned a blind eye on the atrocities against minorities. It is not paying heed to incidents of violence against them. It is the duty of PM Modi to treat all citizens at par and not discriminate against any section as he is the Prime Minister of the whole nation and not just a particular community.

What does the government want to achieve by amending the Waqf Act? The Waqf Board is already operational across the country. The Centre could have sent instructions and directions to the Waqf Boards to streamline their operations, if it found them defunct and not up to the mark.

However, the introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill shows the government's clear intent to infringe upon the right of minorities. We wonat allow such intrusion in our rights, we will oppose it tooth and nail.

IANS: BJP leaders see your remarks on the RSS as inflammatory and provocative. Demands are being made for your arrest, for maintaining peace in the country. Your views?

Tauqeer Raza: Itas okay to arrest me if I have made any provocative statement. We have kept our youth under check and restraint. If they get out of control, the administration will struggle to contain them. Bajrang Dal and VHP are terrorist organisations, they are ruining the nation. They think that they are doing the right thing by hurting the interests of the Muslim community but in reality, they are harming the country's future.

We are nation-loving citizens. Whoever works against the country or tries to derail its growth journey must be stopped. It pains us to see the country getting a bad name because of some fringe elements.

IANS: It is being said that those opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill are worried about control over land and losing their fiefdom and hence trying to stall it. What is your view?

Tauqeer Raza: Who says that the Waqf properties are under control of a few? It is the government which wants to usurp Muslim properties by enacting an amended Bill. They want to take control of Madrasas, mosques, dargahs and other Muslim properties and there is a motive behind it. We wonat allow this to happen.

IANS: You said that Muslim Ulemas will meet in Delhi to chart the next move on opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill. What will be your strategy?

Tauqeer Raza: We donat want the situation to escalate and snowball into something serious. But, there is a limit to our patience and tolerance. The government has mistaken our protest as weakness but it is not the case. There is a pent-up anger among the Muslim society, particularly the youngsters as they believe that it amounts to impinging on their religious beliefs. We have kept them under check but that is not the case on the other side. There is no one on the other side to guide their youth.

The minds of Hindu youth are being fed with dislike and hate for the minorities. If corrective steps are not taken, this would make a recipe for disaster.

IANS: The Yogi Adityanath administration is vacating the Nuzul land in UP? What is your view?

Tauqeer Raza: There is nothing wrong in vacating the illegal constructions at Nuzul land. Whoever has illegally captured the government-owned land, this must be freed up. I support the drive but the government must also be considerate about hapless and poor people and their resettlement. Also, there must not be any discrimination towards any community.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is following the "Raj Dharma" and setting new standards in governance, said UP-based Islamic cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan on Thursday.

Tauqeer Raza's showering praise for CM Yogi comes amid a huge uproar over his provocative remarks on the right-wing outfits RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP.

The Islamic cleric has found himself in the crosshairs of the BJP over demanding an umbrella ban on Hindu outfits.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Tauqeer Raza referred to an old Ayodhya incident and explained how Chief Minister Adityanath's upright governance ensured that the matter was not given a communal colour.

Raza, also the founder of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, a political party, made gushing praise for CM Yogi, saying that if the latter wanted, the Muslim community could have been shown in bad light as the circumstances favoured such an outcome.

"Some people wearing skull caps were headed towards a temple with beef. As they were caught, the state administration could have portrayed them as those belonging to a minority community but it probed and exposed the diabolical plot to foment trouble. The accused were given stern punishment for hiding their real identity and posing as belonging to the minority community," Raza stated while adding that "CM Yogi is following the Raj Dharma."

He further said that the Muslim clerics and Ulemas have no problem with the BJP dispensation at the Centre, however, added their patience was wearing thin over the government's "forced" amendment of the Waqf Act.

"The government is trying to meddle in our religious beliefs by amending the Waqf Act. We will never accept such interference and oppose it with all our might," he added.

Speaking on Kolkata horror, he said that the Mamata government was being unfairly targeted and the BJP was being vociferous in its protest because it wanted to draw political mileage from the issue.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : The makers of the thriller "Sector 36" dropped its trailer on Thursday, the film's actor Vikrant Massey spoke about his character and said that to convincingly play a layered and terrifying killer who could pass off as any other person has been difficult.

Mumbai, Sep 5 (IANS) The makers of the thriller "Sector 36" dropped its trailer on Thursday, the film's actor Vikrant Massey spoke about his character and said that to convincingly play a layered and terrifying killer who could pass off as any other person has been difficult.

Vikrant said: "Stepping into the character of Prem for this film was unlike anything I've done before. To convincingly play a layered and terrifying killer who could pass off as any other person has been difficult."

"Aditya (Nimbalkar) has done a great job in creating this gritty world meticulously. This is an incredibly important film, and as storytellers, alongside Netflix and Maddock Films, we hope the audience will be able to see the need to tell stories like these."

The trailer shows inspector Ram Charan Pandey played by Deepak Dobriyal chases after a serial killer despite warnings to desist. With the lives of missing children in the balance, he hunts the enigmatic yet beguiling Prem Singh essayed by Vikrant Massey, hiding in plain sight.

The film is inspired by true events, "Sector 36" is directed by debutante Aditya Nimbalkar.

Deepak Dobriyal added: "I was captivated by the Sector 36 script from the very beginning. It's a powerful thriller that brings to light class disparity, and how crime thrives when left unchecked."

"Inspired by true events, my character brings an investigative urgency to an exciting film that focuses on the hunter and the hunted."

"Sector 36" is set to stream on Netflix from September 13.

Talking about Vikrant, the actor started his career with television and made his acting debut "Dhoom Machaao Dhoom". He made his debut in films with the Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha-starrer "Lootere" in 2013.

Deepak is known for films such as "Omkara," "Shaurya," "Tanu Weds Manu," "Dabangg 2," "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo," and "Hindi Medium".

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bhubaneswar, Sep 5 : A war of words ensued between the members of the ruling BJP and Opposition BJD in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday over the Ravenshaw University name change issue.

The row erupted following the statement of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in this regard, a couple of days ago.

BJD leader Byomakesh Ray raised the issue in the House during the Zero Hour and demanded a statement by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi confirming the Odisha government's stand on the issue in the wake of the rising student discontent over it.

Ray asserted that Ravenshaw University, named after the then Commissioner of Odisha, TE Ravenshaw, has remained a milestone in the development of modern education in the state for 156 years.

He further stated that the then Odisha Commissioner TE Ravenshaw, after whom the university has been named, joined just a few months before the devastating famine in 1866.

The BJD MLA asserted that Ravenshaw had laid special emphasis on the use of Odia language in schools instead of Bengali.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sofia Firdous also said that Ravenshaw University was a notable educational institution of the state which boasts of having a galaxy of great intellectual alumni.

She also urged the government to make its stand clear on the name change row.

"Old students as well as the students currently studying in the institution and intellectuals are demanding a statement from CM Majhi on the matter. We also today sought a clarification from the CM in this regard. Those who want to change the name of Ravenshaw University are trying to turn a non-issue into an issue.

"We oppose this move to turn a non-issue into an issue instead of addressing more important matters concerning the institution," Ray told media persons outside the House on Thursday.

He warned that the student agitation would be intensified if any steps were taken to change the name of Ravenshaw University.

Countering the BJD's allegations, BJP MLA Irasis Acharya said, "They (BJD) were ruled by an IAS officer from another state and the party is yet to get rid of its habit. When Rome was burning, Nero was playing music. Similarly, when lakhs of Odia people were dying in the famine, Ravenshaw went on 70-days' leave."

Referring to the statement of the Union Education Minister, Acharya said that it was not right to raise someone's personal statement in the Assembly.

Notably, Education Minister Pradhan had recently told media persons that the people of Odisha as well as intellectuals should ponder whether we need an institute named after Ravenshaw during whose tenure the devastating famine in 1866 occurred in Odisha.
Yangon, Sep 5 : A total of 30 people were killed and 89 others injured in bus accidents in Yangon, Myanmar, during the first eight months of this year.

The report, citing the Yangon Region Public Transport Committee (YRTC), said the fatalities included four each in January, February, March, and May, two in April, three in June, seven in July, and two in August, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the state-run daily The Global New Light of Myanmar on Thursday.

The types of accidents involving Yangon Bus Service (YBS) buses included falling from buses and collisions with motorcycles, private cars, taxis, and trucks, the report said.

The YBS is a bus transport network that operates in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial city. With approximately 3,800 buses across 131 routes, the network transports about 1.4 million passengers daily.

To educate undisciplined bus drivers, the YRTC organised monthly road safety awareness seminars for them during the eight months, and over 1,200 drivers attended the seminars, the report added.
Jaipur, Sep 5 : A NEET aspirant from Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh committed suicide in Rajasthan's Kota district, confirmed officials on Thursday.

Jawahar Nagar SHO Harinarayan Sharma said: "The deceased student has been identified as Parshuram (21), who was a resident of Manpur in Barsana, district Mathura, UP. His landlord saw him hanging from the noose and informed the control room on Wednesday. Around 11.30 pm, a police team rushed to the spot and saw the student hanging by the ceiling fan and took him down. Then his body was taken to MBS Hospital. Meanwhile, his family reached Kota on Thursday," when the process of postmortem began.

Sharma said that the student lived in a rented house in Old Jawahar Nagar area. He came to Kota from his home on August 30.

Parshuram's father said that he had been preparing for NEET in Kota for three years. He scored 490 marks in his first attempt. Recently, he scored 647 marks in the exam. However, he was stressed after the recent NEET controversy. He was, however, good in his studies.

His uncle, Chatar Singh, said that it was his nephew's third year in Kota. "Recently, he had come to Kota from home. He used to talk to his father and brother daily. He had told his father that he was coming. Information about his death was received at 12 o'clock on Wednesday night," he said.

He had last spoken to his brother and father. He told his father: "I am not feeling well, I want to come," and he hung up.

His father tried calling him but he did not receive the call and hanged himself in his room on Wednesday night, said police.

Further investigation is in progress.
Seoul, Sep 5 : North Korea on Thursday denounced a major military exercise between South Korea and the United States last month, warning the allies will have to pay a "dear price" for what it called "provocative war" drills.

Seoul, Sep 5 (IANS) A North Korea on Thursday denounced a major military exercise between South Korea and the United States last month, warning the allies will have to pay a "dear price" for what it called "provocative war" drills.

An unnamed chief of the public information office at North Korea's Defence Ministry issued the statement a week after the annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise ended its 11-day run on Thursday.

"The Korean People's Army will never tolerate the US and ROK's military moves threatening the security environment on the Korean peninsula," the official said, using the acronym of South Korea's official name -- the Republic of Korea, Yonhap news agency reported.

"The hostile forces can never evade the heavy responsibility for escalating tension and will have to pay a dear price."

Pyongyang has long condemned the allies' joint military drills, accusing them of being rehearsals for an invasion against it. Seoul and Washington have rejected the claims, saying their drills are defensive in nature.

The official also took aim at the allies' other military drills, including the Ssang Yong exercise set to conclude Friday. Ssang Yong is focused on training the Allies' marines in amphibious landing operations.

"(The exercise) is an extremely reckless and dangerous military racket presupposing an open invasion upon the sacred territory of North Korea," the official said.

Pyongyang had relatively remained silent during the UFS this year, without launching any ballistic missiles or staging other major provocations.

Observers say the North appears to be focused on recovery efforts after heavy downpours in late July flooded large areas in the northern provinces of Jagang and North Phyongan, displacing thousands of people.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Senior JD-U leader Neeraj Kumar on Thursday hit out at Islamic scholar Maulana Tauqeer Raza who had termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) "a terrorist organisation", saying he only makes such statements to draw attention.

Speaking to IANS, Neeraj Kumar said that Raza makes such statements just to stay in the media spotlight and claimed that even Raza's own community doesn't take his words seriously.

The JD-U leader further stated that the cleric lacks knowledge of the Constitution. "This country operates under a Constitution. We have the Bible, the Quran, the Ramayana here."

"Can any terrorist organisation function in this country? Don't we have laws and a judiciary here? These statements are made only to gain media attention. Even his own community does not take him seriously. Such people are not role models in society. They want to enter politics and are known for their foul language," he said.

Raza, the President of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, had on Wednesday called the RSS a terrorist organisation, and demanded a ban on it as well as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Bajrang Dal.

"If the government truly wants to work honestly, these terrorist organisations should be shut down. We live for India, we can die for India, but we are not ready to compromise on our dignity," he said.

Addressing the media after a meeting called to discuss the Waqf Amendment Bill, Raza said: "I am saying this openly. If we want to maintain peace and harmony in the country, these organisations must be banned."

He also opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that the Waqf properties should be freed from government control, and threatened protests if this was not done.

He said they are ready to make any sacrifice within the legal framework, and if necessary, protests will be held in Delhi as well.

The Maulana also questioned the judiciary's functioning, claiming that courts in the country operate under government pressure.
Damascus, Sep 5 : Three Syrian soldiers were killed in an armed attack on a military vehicle near the Naima Bridge, east of the southern province of Daraa on Thursday, local Sham FM radio reported.

The attack occurred in the early morning hours as unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle, killing three soldiers at the scene, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the popular radio station.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid ongoing instability in southern Syria, a region that has seen a resurgence of violence in recent months despite reconciliation agreements.

The assault came just one day after a government convoy, including the Daraa governor and the head of the Baath Party branch in Daraa, was targeted in eastern Daraa.

Daraa, often referred to as the birthplace of Syria's 2011 uprising, continues to experience sporadic clashes between government forces and various armed factions.
Bhopal, Sep 5 : The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) claimed to have come across a "gross violation" of government's rules pertaining to the operation of a Madrasa in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar.

The NCPCR alleged that one particular Madrasa is being operated on a license obtained for running a private school, adding this was learned during an inspection carried out by its team on August 9.

The inspection was carried out with prior permission from the Madhya Pradesh government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has initiated an inspection drive in Madrasas operating across the state.

Omkar Singh, a member of NCPCR, who headed the inspection drive, told IANS on Thursday that the Madrasa was operating on the license of a private school.

"The permission was granted to enroll students up to Class 8 but students of 9th and 10th standards were found enrolled in Madrasa. It wasn't an educational institution but a religious institution where children are being imparted Islam religious learnings," Singh said.

He further said that many children enrolled in Madrasa were from other states, whereas the government's guidelines do not allow children from other states.

"The classes for students are being conducted only for three hours, while the government rules say classes would be run for 6 hours a day. An ibaadat-gah (place of worship for Muslims) was also found in the campus. That is also against the rules," Singh added.

He further stated that the Commission has submitted its report to the state government and has recommended immediate action against the Madrasa.

Responding to NCPCR's claims, School Education Minister in Madhya Pradesh government, Uday Pratap Singh, said that action would be initiated against Madrasa.

"Inspections are being carried out in Madrasas operating across Madhya Pradesh. The registration of 56 Madrasas has been cancelled," the minister told IANS.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 5 : Youth Congress vice president Abin Varkey was brutally thrashed by the police in front of the Kerala secretariat on Thursday during a protest seeking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's resignation.

Youth Congress workers were protesting across Kerala and in the state capital to press for CM Vijayan's resignation over allegations of phone tapping and gold smuggling against an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).

It was during this protest that Abin Varkey was beaten by a Sub Inspector (SI) and a few other policemen.

"This particular SI, Jiju is a fellow traveler of the youth wing of the CPI(M). It was he who singled me out and hit me. You can check social media posts where he can be spotted in the company of leading youth wing leaders of the CPI(M). If the police think they can end our protests by using force, they are mistaken. I will not go to hospital unless he is removed from here," said Varkey.

The Youth Congress is demanding the resignation of CM Vijayan after a Left-supported independent legislator PV Anvar alleged that ADGP incharge of Law and Order, Ajith Kumar was indulging in shady deals which include tapping of phones of politicians and gold smuggling.

PV Anvar equated the ADGP to a notorious "criminal" who has "modeled" himself like fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim.

Anvar also slammed the political secretary to Vijayan, P Sasi for giving all support to Ajith Kumar.

Incidentally the Youth Congress' protests across the state went off peacefully, but in the state capital things went out of hand.

For an hour it was a free-for-all between the protesters and the police, and the cops used water cannons seven times.

After that Varkey was badly mauled by the police and despite suffering serious injuries with blood streaming down his face, the youth leader was adamant that he would not seek medical treatment unless the erring official was removed.

Hearing about the brutal attack on Youth Congress workers and leaders, Kerala Congress President K Sudhakaran arrived at the state secretariat.

"It was Varkey who gave the first complaint and he has been targeted. The Congress party will now take over this protest and wish to remind all that we will take on those erring police officials on a personal level," said an angry Sudhakaran.

Later Sudhakaran ensured Varkey was moved to the hospital and left the venue.

On Friday the Congress party will stage a secretariat march demanding the resignation of Vijayan, who they accuse of shielding Ajith Kumar as the cop allegedly has a storehouse of secrets pertaining to the CM.

Senior Congress leader and UDF Convenor MM Hassan said if Anvar needs any support, the Congress party will be there with him.
Amaravati, Sep 5 : The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday suspended its MLA Koneti Adimoolam after a woman leader of the party accused him of sexual assault.

Adimoolam is the MLA from the Satyavedu constituency.

The party suspended him hours after a video surfaced on social media in which he was seen misbehaving with a woman in a hotel. She alleged that the MLA was sending her vulgar messages on the phone during night hours.

Taking serious note of the allegation, TDP state President Palla Srinivasa Rao issued a statement, announcing the suspension of the MLA.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in Tirupati, the woman leader of the TDP revealed the video evidence of the MLA's alleged misbehaviour with her. She claimed that the video was shot through a pen camera. She said that she also wrote to TDP President and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and TDP General Secretary and state Minister Nara Lokesh to expel Adimoolam from the party.

The woman leader said she had earlier opposed giving him a ticket in the recent Assembly elections after he defected from the YSR Congress Party to the TDP. However, when the party decided to field him, she accepted the decision and campaigned for him.

She alleged that after taking her contact details during party events, Adimoolam began making inappropriate advances toward her by sending messages. She alleged that last month, he called her to a hotel room in Tirupati, where he sexually assaulted her. She claimed that the MLA threatened to kill her and her family if she disclosed the abuse. She also alleged that he raped her on three separate occasions in the same hotel.

The TDP leader said she wanted to expose Adimoolam and when he called her to the hotel, she carried a pen camera and recorded the abuse. She also alleged that Adimoolam raped multiple women and targeted those who refused to comply with his demands.

Adimoolam has denied the allegations and claimed that it was a morphed video. He said it was the conspiracy of his rivals within the party to defame him.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : The first consignment of Indian pomegranates from Mumbai to Melbourne in Australia has been successfully facilitated, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) informed on Thursday.

The export (on August 31) not only underscores India's capabilities in meeting global quality standards but also provides a significant boost to Indian farmers by opening up new revenue streams, said APEDA in a statement.

The consignment was successfully cleared in Melbourne and was showcased at 'Fine Food Australia 2024' at the APEDA India pavilion, further highlighting the global appeal of Indian pomegranates. The consignment weighing 1.1 metric tonnes (MT) consisted of 336 boxes (each weighing 3.5 kg).

In the financial year 2023-24, India exported 72,011 metric tonnes of pomegranates worth $69.08 million to markets including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bahrain and Oman.

Australia granted market access to Indian pomegranates in 2020, paving the way for Indian farmers to tap into a new and lucrative market.

India, being the second-largest producer of horticulture crops, sees major pomegranate production in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

APEDA, which comes under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said it has established Export Promotion Forums (EPF) specifically for pomegranates, aimed at boosting exports and removing supply chain bottlenecks.

The authority's commitment to promoting the export of fresh fruits and vegetables, despite their perishable nature, is evident in their development of sea protocols to retain product attributes when exporting to long-distance destinations.

"This initiative not only reinforces India's position in global markets but also directly supports Indian farmers by creating sustainable export opportunities," said APEDA.

These pomegranates were meticulously packed at their Australia-approved packhouse in Ahmednagar, guaranteeing that they meet the stringent quality standards required for international markets.
Ranchi, Sep 5 : The Centre on Thursday told the Jharkhand High Court that the growing presence of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in Santhal Pargana area of the tribal state is alarming.

Appearing for the Centre as the High Court took up a PIL on the issue, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who joined the court proceedings virtually, said that the demography of the area is changing due to infiltration from Bangladesh. The decline in the percentage of tribal population is a serious issue, he said.

He said, Infiltrators can enter other states also through Jharkhand and affect the population there. The central government will soon file a comprehensive reply in the court after consultation with all stakeholders -- IB and the BSF.

Accepting his request, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice A.K. Rai has fixed the next hearing on September 12.

The Solicitor General of India urged the court to remove the IB from the list of respondents in this case, as it has many confidential information which cannot be made public. Then the court asked the central government to file an application.

In its earlier hearing on August 22, the court expressed displeasure over the non-filing of reply by the Centre, Intelligence Bureau, UIDAI and the BSF. The state government was ordered to identify the infiltrators with the help of Special Branch. The Deputy Commissioners of all the six districts of Santhal Pargana division were also asked not to issue Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter cards, BPL cards without matching them with the land records. The court had also observed that it cannot be said that the documents procured on the basis of ration cards, voter cards or Aadhaar cards were legitimate. Owing to this, people are also being deprived of their rights in the public welfare schemes of the state government.

This PIL, filed by Jamshedpur resident Daniel Danish, says that Bangladeshi intruders are infiltrating in Jharkhand from border areas like Jamtara, Pakur, Godda, Sahibganj etc. This is having an egregious effect on the population of these districts. A large number of madrasas have also been established there. Bangladeshi migrants are even marrying local tribals.

According to the data presented before the High Court citing the National Census, the tribal population in Santhal Pargana region has decreased from 44.67 per cent in 1951 to 28.11 per cent in 2011. A major reason behind this is Bangladeshi infiltration. If this trend continues, the situation will further aggravate, the Centre said.
Sangli : , Sep 5 (IANS) Virtually kickstarting the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to each and every person in Maharashtra for the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj recently in Sindhudurg.

Slamming the ruling MahaYuti alliance comprising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rahul Gandhi wondered why the PM should say sorry only to the Chhatrapati and he should tender an apology to all Maharashtrians for the tragedy at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, arising out of a corruption-ridden project.

"Only a person who has committed a mistake will apologise. Why did the PM say sorry? There are several reasons. Firstly, the project was given to RSS-linked persons, secondly, there was corruption in its construction and the people who built it had robbed the state, and thirdly though a statue of Chhatrapati was built, they did not take care whether it would stand or not. That's why the figurine of a great icon like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj crashed in such a short period," said Rahul Gandhi in a no-holds-barred attack.

The Congress leader was addressing a public rally after inaugurating a statue of the local strongman, the late Patangrao Kadam, who passed away in March 2018, in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who is also Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar and other top Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders.

Rahul Gandhi pointed out that Maharashtra is a progressive state and soaked in the ideologies and teachings of legends like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, B.R. Ambedkar, and today, the country is witnessing "not politics but an ideological war".

"The Congress ideology is also very similar to theirsa but the BJP's ideals are opposite to these great legends. The BJP has been spreading hatred, fomenting violence and dividing the people all over India for decades. Earlier, the great icons fought that tendency, now the Congress is fighting against the BJP," asserted Rahul Gandhi.

He reiterated how the BJP wants to give the fruits of development to a select few while keeping all others backwards through hatred, fomenting violence, pitting communities, language and individuals against each other.

The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that the BJP is assaulting the Constitution every day, placing their people in all democratic and constitutional institutions to subvert them. Merit is discarded if they belong to the RSS-BJP.

"We have been demanding a Caste Census since long, as we want to find out who's really benefiting from the nation's resources and the fruits of progress. But the BJP has been consistently against it. It was only after we built up pressure that they have now admitted that Caste Census is needed. The Congress and our allies are committed to conduct a Caste Census and shall do it at any cost," declared Rahul Gandhi.

Referring to the two editions of his Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress stalwart said that it secured huge response because it propagated 'mohabbat' (love) against the BJP's 'nafrat' (hatred).

"Manipur has been facing a civil war-like situation since over one-and-half years. But the PM has not visited the statea He cannot even go, as it's the BJP which has ignited the situation there," he said.

Rahul Gandhi also pulled up the government for giving loan waivers to his handful of rich industrialist friends but not extending the same benefit to crores of poor farmers across the country.

In his speech, Kharge paid tributes to Kadam, who hailed from a poor farmer's family, worked as a teacher and then rose onto become an educational baron through his Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University and other prestigious academic institutions.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Paris, Sep 5 : In a bid to break the deadlock over the new French government after the elections to the National Assembly threw up a fractured mandate, President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday named right-wing leader Michel Barnier as Prime Minister.

Republicans (LR) party leader Barnier, 73, will be the oldest to take over as the Prime Minister of France, since the Fifth Republic commenced in 1958. He succeeds Gabriel Attal, the youngest-ever to hold the post after his appointment in early 2024 and who has been serving as caretaker in the post since the July elections, the BBC reported.

The EU's former chief Brexit negotiator, who led talks with the UK government between 2016 and 2019, Barnier has held various senior posts, both in France and within the EU, during his long political career.

However, he now faces the challenge of a government that will need to survive a National Assembly divided into three big political blocs - the largest being the left-wing New Popular Front coalition, followed by Macron's centrist Ensemble, and the far-right National Rally. The three hold nearly 500 seats in the 577-member Assembly and remains to be seen how Barnier will secure a majority - given all three are distant from majorities and a coalition between any two is difficult given their divergent ideologies.

Interestingly, Barnier had announced his plans to contest against Macron in the 2022 Presidential polls on a campaign plank of limiting immigration. However, he failed to be nominated by his party for the polls.

The Republicans are divided into two factions - with one allied to the Marine Le Pen-led National Rally.

Macron had earlier rejected the NFP's Prime Ministerial candidate Lucie Castets, saying he was not sure that the leftist coalition could ensure a majority in the Assembly.
Bengaluru, Sep 5 : The Karnataka BJP on Thursday accused the Congress in the state of misleading Muslims.

Speaking at a state-level workshop on the occasion of the BJP Minority Morcha membership drive held at the party's office in Bengaluru on Thursday, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, stated that the BJP prioritises protection of the nation's interests and gaining power was not the main objective.

"If this is understood, everything will be fine," he said and accused the Congress of misleading minorities, particularly Muslims.

"How many Muslim Chief Ministers the Congress party, which claims to support Muslims, has appointed?" Narayanaswamy questioned.

"Has the Congress party made a single Muslim their president? Have they paid attention to their condition? Have they visited their colonies?" he asked.

"They put two people in front like jokers. They give them power, and they rule over the entire community as if they have taken it on contract. The situation is similar for Dalits," Narayanaswamy opined.

"The BJP is not against anyone. The country must remain secure. The safety of the people is our priority," he said.

"To prevent others from interfering, Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir," he maintained.

"There is less trust among Muslims in the BJP. It is not their fault, nor is it the BJP's fault. If we understand who is poisoning us and why, there will be no conflict among us. If this is not understood, conflict is inevitable," he said.

"People say the BJP is anti-minority; that if the BJP comes to power, they will send Muslims to Pakistan or Afghanistan. Is any of this possible?" he asked.

"The BJP has been in power at the Centre for 11 years now. Why hasn't the BJP sent you to Pakistan yet?" he questioned.

"It is impossible to send anyone anywhere. It's not even possible to throw you into the Arabian Sea," Narayanaswamy said.

"Where there is less education, there is also less awareness. The poisonous ideas they have instilled in our minds are working. In this country, Dr. Ambedkar drafted the Constitution, providing opportunities to everyone beyond caste and religion. His vision was to build India by including everyone," Narayanaswamy underlined.

"On Wednesday, we launched the Karnataka membership drive under the leadership of state President, BY Vijayendra. Before that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National President JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched it in New Delhi. Already, in just one day, more than one crore memberships have been registered," he said.

"In the state, 5 lakh people have already become members," he added.

"Last time, there were 1.05 crore members in the state. This time, even if it is less, our target is 1.50 crore members," he noted.

"Previously, in many states, districts, and constituencies, our party was not strong. Our party is now stable. Adding 1.50 crore members will not be difficult," he analysed.

"Let's register 300 to 400 members at each booth. With 55,000 booths, there will be 2 crore members. Minorities do not mean just Muslims; it is not just Christians, Jains, or Buddhists. Minorities include everyone," he stressed.

State coordinator Alla Baksh Timmapur said, "There are 18 crore members in the country today. The BJP was born in 1980. Before that, there was the Jan Sangh. The party was not formed for comfort but for the glory of Bharat Mata."

"Membership registration is a democratic process. Ours is a living party. In other parties, there is no process for membership registration," he stated.

"Our Morcha has been given a target of 5 lakh members," he added.

Former Chairman of the Minority Commission, Abdul Azeem, said, "Other party leaders have anger and hatred towards the BJP. They objected to saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai.' I responded by saying that for me, the nation is like a mother."

"Congress leaders do not understand all this," he said.

"The BJP has treated me with respect," he noted and appealed to make 50 lakh people from minority communities members of the party.

On this occasion, BJP Minority Morcha National President Jamal Siddiqui, National Coordinator Jojo Joseph, Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya, former President of the Morcha Syed Salam, state General Secretary Indrakumar Jain, and other state and district office bearers of the Minority Morcha were present. State Secretary of the Morcha, Jesel D'Souza, was present.

The state president of the BJP Minority Morcha, Anil Thomas, presided over the event.
New Delhi: In an era marked by attempts to fragment Hindu society along the lines of caste, class, language, and culture, the need to embrace the unifying cultural roots of Sanatan Dharma has never been more critical.

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Chaturthi exemplifies how collective cultural practices can foster unity in a community, irrespective of their differences.

The festival, initiated by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, is not only a significant cultural event, but also a symbol of resistance against colonial and contemporary adversities.

The importance of this festival is underscored in the research document 'Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Initiated by Lokmanya B.G. Tilak and its Role in Freedom Movement' by Dr. Geetali Tilak.

Historical context and origins

The Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav finds its origin in the late 19th century, a period when British rule in India sought to deepen existing social divisions and create new ones to undermine Indian unity. In response to this 'divide and rule' strategy, Lokmanya Tilak, a prominent leader advocating India's Independence, perceived a unique opportunity to unite Hindus across diverse caste and regional lines.

Traditionally, Ganesh Chaturthi was observed as a private family celebration. Recognising the potential of this festival to serve as a unifying force, Tilak transformed it into a public event.

His vision was to harness the festival's spirit to foster a collective identity and resistance against colonial oppression. Thus, in 1893, Tilak launched the first Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in Pune, setting the stage for a tradition that would become a powerful emblem of unity.

Fostering unity through public celebrations

The introduction of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav marked a significant shift in the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. For the first time, Hindus from various castes, regions, and social backgrounds congregated in the public domain to celebrate a shared cultural event. This collective celebration effectively dismantled barriers, fostering a sense of common identity and purpose among the participants.

Tilak's approach was multifaceted. He leveraged religious gatherings to galvanise mass mobilisation, using the public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi as a platform to promote cultural pride and political dissent. The festival rapidly gained traction, extending beyond Pune to other parts of Maharashtra as well as the country.

The public nature of the festival also facilitated the spread of nationalist ideas. Tilak utilised the occasion to deliver speeches advocating for self-rule (Swaraj) and unity among Indians in their struggle against British colonialism.

Ganesh pandals, or temporary structures for housing Ganesh idols, became hubs of cultural and intellectual activities, blending religious devotion with nationalist fervour and strengthening the communal fabric.

The freedom movement

Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav transcended its religious origins to become a strategic instrument in the fight against colonial rule. The British authorities, recognising the subversive potential of these public gatherings, attempted to disrupt them through various means, including bans on Tilak's photographs and processions. Despite these efforts, the festival's significance and scale continued to grow.

The festival played a pivotal role in promoting the Swadeshi movement, which emphasised the use of indigenous goods as a means to challenge British economic dominance.

Moreover, Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav helped bridge gaps between different castes and regions, fostering a cohesive Hindu identity.

The collective celebrations allowed Hindus from diverse backgrounds to connect over their shared cultural heritage, reinforcing a collective consciousness crucial for the nationalist movement. The festival became a rallying point, providing a sense of belonging and purpose that transcended individual identities.

Symbolism of Ganesh Chaturthi in the struggle against oppression

Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity, is venerated as the remover of obstacles and the bringer of good fortune. Tilak's innovative use of Ganesh Chaturthi for political mobilisation was a strategic masterstroke. By associating the festival with the nationalist cause, he harnessed the deep reservoir of religious devotion among Hindus and directed it towards the goal of Independence. The festival became a form of defiance against British rule and a testament to the cultural and spiritual resilience of the Hindu community.

Relevance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav

In contemporary times, as forces continue to seek division within the Hindu society, the spirit of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav remains profoundly relevant. The festival serves as a poignant reminder of the strength found in unity amid adversity. Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi publicly not only honours our traditions, but also reinforces the bonds of communal harmony that unite us.

The enduring significance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav lies in its capacity to inspire unity and collective pride. As we face modern challenges, the festival encourages us to celebrate all Hindu festivals with the same spirit of communal harmony and pride. By doing so, we can fortify the bonds that connect us and build a more cohesive and resilient Hindu society.

Reflecting on the historical significance of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav underscores the importance of cultural unity in preserving the strength of the Hindu society. Amid ongoing divisive forces, the festival stands as a beacon of Sanatan Dharma's enduring power to unite and inspire.

Embracing the spirit of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav enables us to ensure that our cultural traditions continue to serve as sources of strength and solidarity for future generations.

As highlighted by Dr. Geetali Tilak in her research document, the festival not only represents a significant cultural heritage, but also offers a powerful model for fostering unity in the face of contemporary challenges.

(The writer is an author and columnist. Her latest book is titled 'Blood in the Sea: The Dark History of Hindu Oppression in Goa'. The views expressed are personal)
Singapore, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met leading CEOs from diverse sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics, in Singapore and invited them to look at immense investment opportunities in India.

PM Modi also announced the setting up of an aINVEST INDIAa office in the Southeast Asian city-state to boost bilateral trade.

Top business leaders who met PM Modi included Lim Ming Yan, Chairman, Singapore Business Federation; Kok Ping Soon, CEO, Singapore Business Federation and Gautam Banerjee, Chairman, India and South Asia Business Group and Senior MD and Chairman, Blackstone Singapore, among others.

PM Modi told the delegation that "the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations".

Appreciating their investment footprint in India, the Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between the two nations.

"India had made transformative progress in the last 10 years and would continue on the same path given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, ease of doing business, and its reform-oriented economic agenda. It is set to become the third largest economy in the world over the next few years," he said.

Highlighting that India is contributing 17 per cent to global economic growth, PM Modi spoke about various initiatives to enhance Indiaas participation in global value chains through programmes such as production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, India Semiconductor Mission and establishment of 12 new industrial smart cities. For businesses looking for resilient supply chains, the Prime Minister noted that India is the best alternative given its strengths.

Other top business leaders who met PM Modi were Lim Boon Heng, Chairman, Temasek Holdings; Lim Chow Kiat, CEO, of GIC Private Limited; Piyush Gupta, CEO and Director, DBS Group; Yam Kum Weng, CEO, Changi Airport Group, and Yuen Kuan Moon, CEO, SingTel.

Singaporeas Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam, also participated in the event.

Meanwhile, the countries have announced a partnership to cooperate in the field of semiconductors. Under an MoU, Singapore and India will leverage complementary strengths in their semiconductor ecosystems and tap into opportunities to build resilience in their semiconductor supply chains. This will include government-led policy exchanges on ecosystem development, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.
Raichur : , Sep 5 (IANS) Two students were killed and 32 others injured after a school van collided with a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus here on Thursday.

The deceased were identified as seven-year-old Samarth and 12-year-old Srikanth.

Of the 32 injured, 18 children were admitted to the Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and 14 to a private hospital.

When parents rushed to the hospital to see their children and were denied entry to the ICU, they entered into an argument with the police.

The situation has been brought under control and injured children are being shifted from the ICU to the general ward, police said.

Few children were still in the ICU.

Expressing grief over the incident, Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy said: "I am deeply shocked to hear the news of two students losing their lives in a horrific accident between a state transport bus and a school bus near Kapagal in Manvi, Raichur district."

"It is extremely saddening to know that several more children have been severely injured, and some have lost their limbs. The visuals of the accident have disturbed my mind," Kumaraswamy said.

"My heartfelt condolences to the deceased children. The Karnataka government must provide all necessary medical treatment to the injured children for free and immediately announce the required compensation. Negligence in following road safety rules and the recklessness of drivers are causing such tragedies. I earnestly appeal to everyone to strictly follow transportation rules," Kumaraswamy said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: "I am deeply saddened to hear about the tragic accident involving a school van and a government bus near Kapagal in Manvi taluk of Raichur district, in which two children lost their lives and several others were seriously injured."

"I pray that the departed souls may rest in peace," he stated.

"Arrangements will be made for free treatment of the injured, and the state government will provide compensation to the families of the deceased," CM Siddaramaiah stated.

Raichur Deputy Commissioner K. Nitish, talking to media persons, said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has given directions to provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh compensation for the injured.
Gurugram, Spe 5 : BJP state Vice President G.L. Sharma and party's Business Cell's State Convenor Naveen Goyal along with their supporters quit the BJP after the party released its first list of 67 candidates for the Haryana Assembly elections and their names were not on the list.

"Only one person in the party is distributing the ticket. I have met Congress MP from Rohtak Deepender Hooda and will soon join Congress without any promise," Sharma said.

BJP fielded Mukesh Sharma from the Gurgaon seat while dropping G.L. Shamra

Naveen Goyal, along with his support, also resigned from all the party posts with immediate effect.

Mukesh Sharma was declared as the candidate from the Gurgaon Assembly, after which Naveen Goyal announced to contest the election as an independent.

He said that this was not his own decision but the voice of the people of Gurgaon.

"I have engaged in the service of the party since the beginning. For seven years, I have engaged day and night to serve the people of Gurgaon and propagate the party's policies but the party ignored my services. The voters of the Gurgaon constituency love me. On October 5 poll day, the people will cast their vote in my favour," Naveen Goyal said while addressing a press conference.

The BJP released its first list of candidates for the October 05 Haryana Assembly elections on Wednesday evening.

The party has fielded Mukesh Sharma from the Gurgaon constituency, replacing sitting MLA Sudhir Singla.

The party declared tickets for 67 of the 90 seats, including three constituencies in the Gurugram district, denying nominations to two sitting MLAs -- Kunwar Sanjay Singh from Sohna and Sudhir Singla from Gurgaon.

The BJP has nominated former minister Rao Narbir Singh from Badshahpur seat, Mukesh Sharma from Gurgaon, and former MLA Tejpal Tanwar from Sohna, Pataudi (SC reserve), is yet to be decided. Satya Prakash Jrawata is a sitting MLA from Patudi's seat.

Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to release its list for the upcoming Haryana Assembly election.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have seized diamonds weighing about 163 gm in various sizes concealed in the waist belt of two passengers at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi.

CISF personnel detected the illegal smuggling of diamond at Terminal-3 of IGI Airport on Wednesday. One of the arrested persons, who was carrying about 80 gm diamond, was later identified as Jitendra Farsio who was bound for Istanbul by a Turkish Airlines flight. He was nabbed during the pre-embarkation process.

The matter was informed to senior officials of the CISF and Customs.

The CISF said that on thorough scanning of his mobile phone and following tactful questioning, it was revealed that his accomplice, M. Anuj Patil Bhagwan, who was travelling by the same flight, was also carrying loose diamonds.

With the help of CCTV footage, the passenger was located and intercepted, the CISF said.

On thorough checking of Bhagwanas hand bag, diamond in various sizes weighing about 83 gm was detected.

Later, both the passengers along with seized diamonds weighing about 163 gm and worth approximately Rs 60 lakh were handed over to the Customs officials for further action in the matter.

Earlier in April, a US woman was apprehended at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after she allegedly attempted to 'bribe' a CISF officer with smuggled gold.

The woman was identified as Farah Deeko Mohamed, who arrived from Nairobi, Kenya, aboard an Air India flight.

The passenger was intercepted by the CISF personnel while she was being frisked before taking a connecting Air India flight to Hyderabad.

She was found carrying five gold bars weighing 50 gm each and some jewellery worth about Rs 35 lakh by concealing them in her undergarments.
Singapore, Sep 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the progress made in bilateral cooperation in a multitude of forward-looking areas as he wrapped up his two-day visit to Singapore.

"My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth," PM Modi posted on X before leaving for India.

Prime Minister Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Parliament House on Thursday, held meetings with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong besides engaging separately with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

He also visited AEM, a leading Singaporean company in semiconductor and electronics sector, addressed the India-Singapore business roundtable meeting and interacted with interns from Odisha's World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme.

"Singapore and India share a deep and enduring friendship, built on strong economic and people-to-people ties. Had a productive meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House. We've set out a forward-looking agenda for the next phase of our bilateral relations. This includes closer cooperation in areas like sustainability, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and connectivity. We're also upgrading the Singapore-India Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," said Singapore PM Lawrence Wong.

During their meeting, Singapore President Tharman and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between both countries as they discussed India's potential as a leading centre of growth over the next decade, driven by both social and digital investments across the wide span of its population, as well as its new economic linkages.

"They also discussed the potential for India and ASEAN to complement each other's growth and build stronger supply chain linkages. They looked forward to celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India in 2025, which is a significant milestone," stated Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Together, PM Modi and his Singaporean counterpart witnessed the exchange of four government-to-government Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the areas of digital cooperation, education and skills development, health and medicine, and semiconductor ecosystem cooperation.

"The Prime Ministers discussed potential collaboration in new and innovative areas, including cross border electricity trade and green ammonia supply chains, a joint flagship programme for skills training, enhancing cross-border data flows via the Gujarat International Finance and Tec-City (GIFT City), and cooperation in developing industrial parks in India," said the country's Foreign Ministry.

The statement added that Emeritus Senior Minister Goh and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the close friendship and historical ties between Singapore and India at their meeting.

"They discussed ways to build on this strong foundation to strengthen people-to-people ties and exchanges. They also discussed how India could power the next wave of Asian growth," it mentioned.

During his visit to the AEM, PM Modi interacted with Singapore's semiconductor ecosystem players.

He was briefed about AEM's role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India. Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association also gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Representatives of several other Singaporean companies from this sector were also present.

"The Prime Minister invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON India exhibition to be held in Greater Noida on 11-13 September 2024. Given our efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singaporeas strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation," mentioned the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Prime Minister Modi had arrived in Singapore from Brunei on Wednesday and met PM Lawrence Wong at the historic Sri Temasek bungalow - the official residence of the Singaporean Prime Minister.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : At least three labourers were killed and another three hurt when a slab on the 20th floor of an under construction building crashed here on Thursday, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's Disaster Control said.

The incident -- second of its kind in two days -- happened around noon when the workers were going about their normal duties on the 20th floor of the upcoming 23-storey Slum Rehabilitation Authority's building intended for market sale.

The tragedy occurred in the Navjeevan Building in Malad east suburb of north-west Mumbai, trapping the labourers.

Shortly after the crash, the Mumbai Police, Mumbai Fire Brigade and other agencies rushed to the site to carry out a rescue operation, and the civic agencies have initiated a probe to determine the causes.

They managed to retrieve three bodies from the rubble, and three more who were seriously injured in the crash, and rushed to the nearby M.W. Desai Municipal Hospital in nearby Govind Nagar.

The three who were brought dead have been identified as Gopal B. Modi, 32; Sohan J. Rotha, 26, and Vinod K. Sadar, 26, said the BMC Disaster Control.

The injured include Jalil R. Shaikh, 45, admitted to the orthopaedic ward with multiple bone injuries, Rupsan B. Mamin, 30, currently in the ICU and his condition is stable, while another critical worker, Mohammad S. Shaikh, 30, was later shifted to the RN Cooper Hospital in Juhu for further treatment.

In a similar incident on Wednesday, a minor child was killed, and a woman seriously injured when a two-storey residential building crashed in Chembur suburb of north-east Mumbai.

Both the tragedies in the country's commercial capital occurred when the monsoon rains had taken a respite but has revived vigorously in most parts of the city since Wednesday night.
Shimla, Sep 5 : Hindu outfits in Shimla staged a massive protest on Thursday after days of simmering dissent against the 'illegal' construction of a mosque in the Sanjauli area of the state capital.

Holding the Tricolour, the protesters comprising BJP activists and others demanded demolition of the structure, claiming that the Waqf Board illegally occupied the land and built a mosque on it.

"The masjid has been constructed illegally for 10 years but no action has been taken so far. It should be demolished by the government," a protester demanded.

Local authorities said the protest intensified after some Muslim 'miscreants' attacked a man who was against the construction of the mosque.

"The agitation intensified after the assault incident. Even people from the nearby villages joined the protest today," said a police officer requesting anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the issue.

The protesters are demanding that the antecedents of the local Muslims should be verified by the police to know their origin as they suspect some of them to be Rohingyas or Bangladeshis.

Responding to the row over the construction of the mosque, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh told the media, "For a long time the issue of building a mosque in Sanjauli has been gaining momentum. The government is taking action as far as the structural illegality is concerned."

Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh said, "Illegal constructions should not be tolerated anywhere in the state. The mosque issue was raised before the Municipal Corporation in 2010, and there have been around 44 hearings in courts. Despite this, the construction was carried out illegally."

"When ordinary citizens violate rules, they face immediate action. So why has this issue been overlooked for so long? What is illegal is illegal, whether it's a temple or a mosque," he added.

Anirudh Singh also urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to maintain records of illegal immigrants and to verify their police backgrounds to find out whether they're coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even from within India.

On Wednesday, the issue of unauthorised construction of the mosque was raised in the Vidhan Sabha.

Responding to the issue raised under Rule 62 by Balbir Verma and Harish Janartha, Vikramaditya Singh urged all concerned to tread cautiously on a sensitive issue like this.

"Himachal is known for maintaining communal harmony and all communities have been living here peacefully. I assure that action will be taken as per the law. The case is also being pursued by the Municipal Corporation," he said.
Patna, Sep 5 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, strongly criticised the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government for its failure to apply pressure on the central government to include 65 per cent reservation in the Ninth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

While addressing party workers at the RJD's office in Patna on the martyrdom day of Jagdev Prasad, Yadav expressed his frustration over the government's inaction on this crucial issue.

Tejashwi highlighted that despite Nitish Kumar leading the NDA government in Bihar for the past eight months, he had not pushed the Centre to include quotas in the Ninth Schedule that was required to protect it from legal challenges.

"When the Grand Alliance government was initially formed, I had urged Nitish Kumar to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advocate for a nationwide caste-based census. While an all-party delegation led by Nitish Kumar met the Prime Minister, the central government ultimately rejected the proposal for a caste census just two days later, and even failed to conduct the general census in the country," Tejashwi said.

This criticism underscores ongoing tensions between Tejashwi Yadav's RJD and Nitish Kumar's NDA government, particularly around issues of social justice and reservations, which are key political concerns in Bihar.

The Grand Alliance government had conducted the caste-based survey in Bihar followed by reservations, expanding it up to 65 per cent for OBCs (Other Backward Classes), EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes), Dalits, and tribal people.

However, he noted that BJP leaders had challenged the reservation policy in court, leading to its cancellation by the Patna High Court two months ago.

Tejashwi Yadav explained that the Grand Alliance had anticipated such legal challenges and had been demanding from the beginning that the reservation policy be placed in the Ninth Schedule to shield it from court intervention.

He accused Nitish Kumar of failing to use his position as head of the NDA government in Bihar to pressure the Union government.

"The BJP and RSS leaders have been conspiring against OBCs, EBCs, Dalits, and tribal communities. On the other hand, Lalu Prasad Yadav's inclusive approach has always promoted leaders from various castes, including Kushwaha leaders. Abhay Kushwaha, an MP representing Aurangabad, is an example of it," he said.

Tejashwi Yadav underscored that Kushwaha and Yadav communities would unite in their fight against the BJP to protect reservation and ensure a caste census across the country.

Tejashwi Yadav, during his address, highlighted that he had promised 10 lakh government jobs during the 2020 Bihar Assembly election campaign and claimed to have fulfilled half of that promise by providing 5 lakh jobs as the Deputy Chief Minister.

"CM Nitish Kumar had previously mocked the feasibility of such a promise, questioning how Tejashwi would secure the necessary funds for 10 lakh jobs but I did that," Tejashwi said.

He also spoke about his forthcoming Yatra starting on September 10, which will focus on mobilising support among his party workers around key issues like the caste-based census and the demand for 65 per cent reservation for marginalised communities in Bihar.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. Azerbaijan has become the essential link between Europe and Asia, says an article by the Italian daily online newspaper Formiche, Trend reports.

"With one foot in both Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan embraces diversity and absorbs the values of different cultures and civilizations, enabling it to assume the role of a true bridge. There is a subtle but significant geopolitical thread linking Italy to Central Asia, represented by relations with a key country like Azerbaijan, located in a very strategic geographic axis: Georgia, Turkiye, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania. These countries straddle two highly strategic quadrants - the Euro-Mediterranean and the Caucasus - and over the past few years, Italy has become increasingly aware of how crucial this segment of Asia has become in light of so-called horizontal development," the article reads.

The authors highlighted the growing trade turnover between Baku and Rome, noting that Italy is now Azerbaijans largest trading partner, while Azerbaijan is Italys top partner in the South Caucasus region.

"Last year, an agreement was signed between Ansaldo Energia and Azerenerji, the largest electricity producer in the Republic of Azerbaijan, marking the beginning of the development and modernization of a plant to which the Italian company will supply four AE94.3A gas turbines, worth over 160 million euros," the authors added.

It is further noted that today, the impact of the war in Ukraine on Italys energy supply is no longer an immediate emergency, thanks in part to the farsighted decision to build the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

"The role of TAP cannot be overlooked. It is a central component of the Southern Gas Corridor, which transports natural gas from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. To date, approximately 26 billion cubic meters of gas have been delivered to Europe. Connecting at the Turkish-Greek border with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), TAP enters northern Greece, crosses Albania, and then passes through the Adriatic to the coast of Puglia, bringing together a series of countries that form a bridge between Europe and the Caucasus," the article added.

At the same time, as the authors rightly pointed out, Azerbaijans role extends beyond energy and covers two key areas: the organization of COP29 in November and intercultural dialogues.

"Azerbaijan has initiated the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, now in its sixth edition. This initiative was born from the Baku Process, launched in 2008 by the Republic of Azerbaijan in close collaboration with important international partners. It aims to promote intercultural dialogue, understanding, and harmony within and between different cultures. The forum serves as a platform for governments, international organizations, experts, scholars, politicians, and professionals to engage in meaningful discussions about the evolving dynamics of intercultural communication and global security in an interconnected world. For this reason, the forum is promoted in close cooperation with UNESCO, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Council of Europe, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)," the article concludes.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday slammed Rahul Gandhi for his remark that INDIA bloc will "restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir" after coming to power, saying the Congress leader is still trapped in his feudal mindset and arrogance.

Addressing a rally in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, asserted that the next INDIA bloc government will restore statehood to J&K if the current BJP-led government fails to do so during its tenure.

"In J&K, his party and family members have ruthlessly and shamelessly shattered happiness, development, and trust of the people. Even after all these, if he claims that they will bring prosperity to J&K, that prosperity will not be for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but for the separatists there," Naqvi told IANS.

Naqvi also called the elections which took place in J&K earlier as jokes.

"Five per cent to 8 per cent votes were cast. We all know how the voting was done, and how the government was formed, and how it was run remotely," he claimed.

"But elections today are held with transparency in J&K. In the last 10 years, people in large numbers have used their voting rights, be it local body elections or state polls," the BJP leader added.

The 90-member J&K Assembly will go to the polls -- the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 -- in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results will be declared on October 8.

The National Conference and Congress have entered into a pre-poll seat-sharing arrangement in J&K with the NC contesting 51 seats and the Congress fielding its candidates on 32 seats. While there will be a friendly contest on five seats, two seats have been reserved for the CPI(M) and Panthers Party.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the top military leadership must develop a broader understanding of the northern border given the security situation in the region.

"There must be broader and deeper analysis by the top military leadership of the situation along the northern border. Happenings in neighbouring countries are posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region," said the Defence Minister while presiding over the maiden Joint Commanders' Conference.

He said that India is a peace-loving nation and the armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace in the country.

On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts and Bangladesh situation, the Defence Minister said that the military leadership needs to analyse these episodes, predict the problems that the country may face in the future and stay prepared to deal with the "unexpected".

"Despite global volatility, India is enjoying a rare peace and is developing peacefully. However, due to the increasing number of challenges, we need to remain alert. We must keep our peace intact during Amrit Kaal," the Defence Minister said.

He said that the country needs to on present, keep an eye on the activities happening around us at present, and focus on being future-oriented.

"To achieve this vision, we should have a strong and robust national security component and must develop full-proof deterrence," the Defence Minister said.

He also stressed the significance of evolving joint military vision and preparing for the type of challenges the country may face in future.

"We should also have the capability development in space and electronic warfare. They are integral to tackling modern-day challenges. Military leadership should focus on increasing the use of the latest technological advancements in the fields of data and artificial intelligence," the Defence Minister said.

He said that these components do not participate in any conflict or war directly, adding, that their indirect participation is deciding the course of warfare to a great extent.
Tehran, Sep 5 : Iran on Thursday slammed the United States for seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's airplane in the Dominican Republic, earlier this week terming it as a breach of international law.

"Iran, while stressing the necessity to respect international laws and regulations, considers the recent move by the US government in confiscating the plane used by the Venezuelan president contrary to the rules and norms of international law, especially the immunity of property belonging to governments and the international civil aviation law regulations, including the Chicago Convention, and deems it unacceptable," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

"The move, which is in line with the unilateral hostile measures by the US against other nations and international law, is fomenting chaos and promoting skyjacking and poses a threat to the peace and security of the airspace," the spokesperson noted.

Kanaani voiced solidarity and support for the Venezuelan government in protecting and reclaiming public property belonging to the people of the country, and stressed that cooperation between countries should be promoted in order to confront the US unilateral sanctions and hostile moves.

According to the US Justice Department, the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the Southern District of Florida at the request of Washington "based on violations of US export control and sanctions laws".

"This morning, the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by NicolAs Maduro and his cronies," said US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Monday.

"The Department will continue to pursue those who violate our sanctions and export controls to prevent them from using American resources to undermine the national security of the United States," the attorney general mentioned.

Denouncing Washington's move, Venezuela said that it was part of a "repeated criminal practice".

"Venezuela denounces to the international community that once again, the authorities of the United States of America, in a repeated criminal practice that cannot be classified as anything other than piracy, have illegally confiscated an aircraft that has been used by the President of the Republic, justifying themselves on the coercive measures (sanctions) that they unilaterally and illegally impose around the world," Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil said on Telegram on Monday.

Venezuela made it clear that "it reserves the right to take any legal action to repair this damage to the nation, as well as all other damage caused by the criminal policy of unilateral coercive measures," Gil added.

In February, the United States seized a plane belonging to Venezuelan airline Emtrasur Cargo that landed in Argentina in June 2022 and was then detained for an alleged investigation.
Hyderabad, Sep 5 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS has condemned the arrest of the former director of Telangana Digital Media Dileep Konatham and demanded his immediate release.

BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao termed the arrest of Dileep as "illegal".

Dileep had been reportedly arrested for certain objectionable posts on his social media accounts.

Rama Rao said in a statement that in a brazen display of "autocratic" governance, Dileep Konatham was "illegally" arrested without any formal information or clarity on the charges against him.

He stated that this arrest comes after a series of incidents where Dileep questioned the inefficiency of Revanth Reddy's government, which seems to be using revenge politics to silence critics.

BRS Working President KTR added that despite a previous reprimand from the High Court for such actions, the state government continues to target those who speak out, showcasing a complete disregard for democratic principles.

Demanding Dileep's immediate release, KTR asserted that no number of false cases or arrests will stop the voices that question this administration.

The BRS leader further added that the blatant suppression of freedom of speech in Telangana has been going on for the last nine months, reflecting a shift towards autocracy under Congress rule.

Meanwhile, on learning about Dileep's arrest several BRS leaders rushed to Hyderabad Police Commissioner's office and demanded his immediate release.

Former minister Jagadish Reddy, R S Praveen Kumar, Dasoju Sravan and others reached the Police Commissioner's office.

Former minister and BRS leader T. Harish Rao has condemned Dileep's arrest and termed it a clear sign of growing authoritarianism in the state.
Vladivostok, Sep 5 : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Ukraine's leaders seem to be like "aliens", who make ruthless decisions without regard for the people's suffering, while praising friends and partners like India who seek to resolve the conflict.

"I sometimes get the impression that those who rule Ukraine are like aliens or foreignersa They donat thinka you see, their losses are colossal. I canat even fathom what they will do next," he said at the plenary of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), RT reported.

The Russian President recalled that his country and Ukraine had essentially reached a peace deal a" based on a Ukrainian commitment to neutrality a" during the Istanbul talks soon after at the beginning of the conflict, but accused Western powers of derailing these efforts as they sought Russiaas "strategic defeat".

Ukraine's behaviour under these circumstances raised questions, he noted.

He said that Kiev's only option is to lower the maximum age of conscription once again and this would allow them "to recruit children, as the German Nazis did with the Hitler Youth", in a reference to how Adolf Hitler's regime forced teenagers into makeshift militias in the closing stages of the Second War as the Allies advanced into German territory.

"But this will not solve the problema The next step is to call up students, to bleed the country dry. Once again, it seems that Ukrainians are not their people," Putin said.

"They donat really think about the country. But they disguise it with nationalist slogans, deceiving people."

Ukraine announced general mobilisation shortly after the start of the conflict with Russia, but widespread draft-dodging and graft were reported. This spring, in a bid to recover military losses, the Ukrainian government passed two bills, one lowering the draft age from 27 to 25, and the other significantly tightening mobilisation rules.

The Russian leader also opined that the high casualties incurred by the Ukrainian military since its incursion in Russiaas Kursk Region could render its armed forces useless.

He said the Ukrainian attempt to disrupt the Russian advance with the massive attack across the border last month had backfired.

"Our military has stabilised the situation and is now gradually pushing the opponent from the border territories. More importantly, there is no resistance to our advancement (in Donbass) The opponent has weakened itself on the key axis by moving those relatively strong and well-trained units to the border areas," he said, as per RT.

Ukraine expected Moscow to redeploy some of its forces from the east to repel the incursion in the north, but the gamble failed, as top Ukrainian general Aleksandr Syrsky recently admitted.

Putin said Russian troops had been securing more land in Donbass, which is a priority for Moscow, at a pace unseen in a long time. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are "suffering very high losses in manpower and hardware".

aBecause of that, (Ukraine) risks a collapse of the front line on the most important axis. The casualties may result in a loss of fighting capability of the entire armed forces, which is what we are looking to achieve," he added.

With the Russian Defense Ministry estimating that Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk operation had surpassed 9,700 men, as well as 81 tanks, dozens of other armoured vehicles, and multiple heavy weapons, Putin told the audience that the intelligence had been confirmed by multiple sources.

He praised nations that were "sincerely interested" in resolving the conflict and its issues.

"We respect our friends and partners who I think are sincerely interested in addressing and resolving all the issues associated with the conflict (with Ukraine). China, Brazil, India... I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, and we have the relations of trust and confidence with one another, will be really interested in providing a helping hand," he said.
Chandigarh, Sep 5 : After being denied tickets for the October 5 Assembly elections in Haryana, scores of BJP functionaries, including a sitting minister, a legislator, former ministers, and party leaders, announced their resignation on Thursday, a day after the state's ruling party announced its first list of 67 candidates.

Power Minister Ranjit Chautala, who contested the 2019 Assembly elections as an Independent but was later inducted into the Cabinet, announced his decision to resign as Minister as well as from the primary membership of the BJP after meeting his supporters in Rania on Thursday.

Addressing his supporters, Ranjit Chautala said that being the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, he cannot compromise in any situation.

"I will contest the elections as an Independent nominee from Rania. The BJP offered me a ticket from Dabwali, but I turned down the proposal. I am resigning from the Cabinet and the primary membership of the party," he said.

In the 2019 elections, Ranjit Chautala contested as an Independent candidate after the Congress denied him a ticket.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, he joined the BJP after resigning as an MLA. He contested the Lok Sabha polls from Hisar but lost to Congress' Jai Parkash.

In Ratia, the party has given ticket to former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Duggal was denied re-nomination from Sirsa where former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar was fielded by the BJP. Tanwar, however, lost to Congress veteran Kumari Selja.

Joining a league of rebels, sitting BJP legislator from Ratia (SC) Lakshman Dass Napa quit from all positions in the party after being denied a ticket. Speculation is rife that he will join the Congress after meeting former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 67 candidates, fielding Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district. Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as the Chief Minister in March this year, is currently the MLA from Karnal.

BJP's key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj, who was denied a ticket from Indri, also resigned from all party posts on Thursday.

"Me and my family have been part of the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. I have worked with a lot of dedication, but now the party has adopted Congress' culture," Kamboj told the media.

Without mincing words, he said the Congress would form the next government while "BJP's dream will just remain a dream".

Upset over denial of nomination from Sonipat, former minister Kavita Jain was in tears at a meeting with her supporters, giving the party high command an ultimatum to change its candidate Nikhil Madan within three days.

Jain also claimed that she was cheated after senior party leaders assured her of a ticket.

In Safidon in Jind district, former MLA Bachan Singh Arya resigned after JJP rebel Ram Kumar Gautam was fielded from the seat. Arya will now contest as an Independent. Gautam had joined the BJP earlier this week.

Interestingly, Sunil Sangwan, the prison officer who granted parole to rape convict Ram Rahim six times before resigning from his position, has been given a BJP ticket, raising questions about the party's stance on women's safety.

Meanwhile, supporters of former minister Savitri Jindal, mother of Kurukshetra BJP MP Naveen Jindal, met her at her residence in Hisar on Thursday and urged her to contest as an Independent after the BJP retained Health Minister Kamal Gupta as its candidate.

Savitri Jindal and her son Naveen Jindal had joined the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. She was seeking a BJP ticket from Hisar.
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President Alok Kumar on Thursday rejected Maulana Tauqeer Raza's controversial statement terming the RSS a "terror organisation" and calling for a ban on it, as well as the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, saying the comments displayed his "distorted mentality".

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President Alok Kumar on Thursday rejected Maulana Tauqeer Raza's controversial statement terming the RSS a "terror organisation" and calling for a ban on it, as well as the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, saying the comments displayed his "distorted mentality".

In an interview with IANS, Alok Kumar said that everyone is aware of what happens in the name of Jihad in this country. He asked if it was "right to attack those who are not Muslims, to loot, to kill, to kidnap women, and to claim that all of this is sanctioned by Allah? Hinduism teaches peace. After every mantra, we say 'Om Shanti Shanti Shanti' three times". How can we be considered a terrorist organisation, he said.

IANS: Maulana Tauqeer Raza said that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal are behind lynchings and that RSS shakhas are working to divide the country between Hindus and Muslims. What is your response to this?

Alok Kumar: I'm not surprised by these comments. Maulana Tauqeer Raza represents the Barelvi branch of Sunni Muslims. In this country, people know what happens in the name of Jihad - attacking non-Muslims, looting, killing, kidnapping women, and claiming that Jihad is approved by Allah.

People with such distorted mentalities say this. Hinduism teaches peace, after every mantra, we say 'Om Shanti Shanti Shanti' three times. We respect the Constitution and the law. In the history of the world, no one has ever been forcibly converted to Hinduism.

These accusations are baseless. VHP and Bajrang Dal do not support lynching or violence. We believe that anyone who takes the law into their own hands and commits violence is misguided.

Maulana Tauqeer Raza is trying to insult and call for a ban on Hindu nationalist forces. We are not afraid of such statements, nor do they deter us from our path.

IANS: On one hand, Maulana Tauqeer Raza praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but on the other hand, he criticised the law and order situation, saying that criminals are given a free hand to harm Muslims. What is your opinion on this?

Alok Kumar: I disagree with this. The government had the courage and ability to prosecute terrorists in court. They were brought to justice, and proper arrangements were made to maintain law and order in Uttar Pradesh. As for his claim, I challenge him to name any Muslim who has been wronged illegally. I believe he wonat find any.

IANS: Maulana Tauqeer Raza also said that what happened in Bengal is happening everywhere and that the Uttarakhand government is trying to cover up the incident involving a nurse, blaming the BJP and Hindu nationalist organisations. How true is this?

Alok Kumar: This claim is not true. I believe that every woman, whether a mother or a sister, deserves protection. Our response to crimes against women should not be influenced by which party is in power. Any government that fails to protect women should be criticised. I am confident that the Uttarakhand government will thoroughly investigate these matters, gather evidence, and bring the guilty to justice.

IANS: Maulana Tauqeer Raza also warned that if even one per cent of Muslims rise, it will be difficult to respond. He said they have been holding back, but the government is mistaking their silence for weakness. What do you say to this?

Alok Kumar: Why is he issuing threats? If they dare to act on these threats, they will be met with a response. Hindus are capable of defending themselves, but such threats are meaningless. In India, the rule of law prevails, and the law will take its course. If anyone acts recklessly, they will be punished.
Jaipur, Sep 5 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday got emotional after seeing his teacher Shankarlal Sharma who was sitting among the audience during the teachers' felicitation programme in Jaipur on the occasion of Teachers Day.

The Chief Minister recognised the teacher who taught him in his school and stepped down from the dias touched his feet and took him along to the dias while holding his hands.

"Teachers are like potters who knead the clay with experience and make a beautiful statue. Their dedication has no price," the Chief Minister said while addressing a teachers' felicitation programme in Jaipur's Birla Auditorium where his school teacher was also present.

He added that teachers work tirelessly for the success of the students.

The Chief Minister also shared his childhood education experiences and recalled his old school days, saying that school admissions were considered an auspicious ritual in the old days.

"Jaggery was distributed once the kid was admitted to the school. When I went to school, Shankar Lalji was the only school teacher. He taught me till 5th class," the Chief Minister said.

In the ceremony, the Chief Minister distributed free tablets to 11 meritorious students and also released the Teacher Samman booklet and Shivira.

Tablets were distributed to 55,800 students across the state while a short film related to school health check-ups was also screened by the Education Department.

Sharma said that the state government is continuously working on ambitious schemes and programmes to strengthen the infrastructure of education from village to city.

"The state government has made a provision of Rs 350 crore for the construction of classrooms, labs, libraries, and toilets in government schools while a Rs 100 crore provision has been made for the repair of buildings of 750 schools," the Chief Minister said.

He added that the government is also benefiting one lakh students through business innovation programmes in schools and colleges.

"In the next two years, the state government will also open 20 ITI and 10 polytechnic colleges," the Chief Minister said.
Sindhudurg : , Sep 5 (IANS) A Sindhudurg Court has sent sculptor Jaydeep Apte -- the prime accused who constructed the ill-fated statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that crashed on August 26 at Rajkot Fort -- to police custody till September 10, an official said here on Thursday.

Simultaneously, his aide and the project's structural consultant Chetan Patil, who was nabbed from Kolhapur on August 30, was given extended police custody till September 10, after his five-day police remand ended on Thursday.

Apte had surrendered to the police late on Wednesday night and was subsequently placed under arrest by the Bazargate Police Station in Kalyan town of Thane district.

Early on Thursday, he was whisked off to Malvan town, which has registered a case against the duo for the Chhatrapati figurine crash that erupted into a massive political crisis and sparked a public furore.

The Apte-Patil duo were produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class Malvan Court, Mahesh K. Devkate amid tight police security.

At the hearing, the police prosecutor Tushar Bhange strongly argued and sought police custody for the accused, saying that the investigators wanted to find out where Apte was hiding for nearly nine days since the statue crash, and related aspects to the case.

However, the accused's lawyer Ganesh Sovani argued against the police remand, pointing out that Apte had already surrendered before the police.

After hearing both sides, Mahesh K. Devkate granted police custody to Apte, and extended Patil's police remand by another five days, both ending on September 10.

Shortly after the incident, the Malvan Police lodged a case in the matter, invoking Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita Sections 109, 110, 125, 318 and 3(5) pertaining to attempt to murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, conspiracy, cheating, etc.

On August 26, the 28-feet tall hollow bronze statue mounted on a 10-feet high pedestal suddenly crashed below and broke into multiple pieces, ostensibly due to inclement weather conditions, and later erupted into a massive row.

The figurine was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, coinciding with Navy Day celebrations, and it tumbled down in barely eight months.

Later, as the controversy snowballed with potential implications in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, PM Modi, CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar tendered individual apologies for the monumental tragedy.

Meanwhile, in Sangli on Thursday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanded that PM Modi must tender an apology to all the people of Maharashtra.

Unimpressed by the apologies, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT) is carrying out a serial agitation in different parts of the state alleging massive corruption in the statue project and attempts by the MahaYuti government to shield the accused sculptor.
Kolkata, Sep 5 : Noted visual artist Sanatan Dinda on Thursday resigned from the Rajya Charukala Parishad, an autonomous body under the West Bengal government's Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, as a mark of protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor of Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.

The Rajya Charukala Parishad was set up to promote visual arts in West Bengal.

Making the announcement on social media, Dinda also expressed his anguish over the 'silence' of his fellow artists associated with the autonomous body on the R.G. Kar issue.

Claiming that although being autonomous in nature, the body is not free of political influence, Dinda said, "Several other reputed artists are attached to this organisation. But I could not see any reaction from them on the gruesome murder of the victim. Their silence in such a moment of crisis has hurt my sentiments. I am an ordinary citizen. But as a conscious artist, I feel it is better not to remain associated with them."

Explaining his claim that the Rajya Charukala Parishad is not free from political influence, the artist said taht any advertisement related to any programme of the body carries the picture of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"So how can it be described as an autonomous body? Any decision of the executive committee of the Parishad needs the sanction of the state government. I do not want to get into further details since I do not want to divert the focus of the mass movement demanding justice for the R.G. Kar victim," Dinha said.

The Rajya Charukala Parishad was established in 1987 during the previous Left Front regime led by late Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

On Tuesday, noted playwright Chandan Sen announced his decision to return the Dinabandhu Mitra Award, the highest state award in the field of theatre conferred on him in 2017 by the state government. Sen also offered to return the award money as a mark of protest against the R.G. Kar incident.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The Armenian government approved the regulations for the joint work of the commissions on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and submitted them to the country's Constitutional Court on September 2, Trend reports via Armenian media.

The Armenian government published a draft for the ratification of provisions on the joint work of the border delimitation commissions with Azerbaijan.

According to the draft law, the commissions will use all available maps and documents with legal justification during the delimitation process.

After being reviewed by the Constitutional Court, the paper will be discussed by the Armenian parliament.

The provisions are written in three languages (Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Russian) and must also be ratified by the Azerbaijani side.

To note, following the Protocol of the eighth meeting of the State Commission on State Border Delimitation between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between Armenia and Azerbaijan signed on April 19, 2024, the commissions completed the work on agreement of the Regulations on Joint Activities. The Regulation on Joint Activity of the Commissions was signed on August 30, 2024.

Presently, Azerbaijan and Armenia have initiated domestic procedures.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Dakshina Kannada, Sep 5 : Reacting to the withholding of the 'Best Principal Award' to the Kundapura principal, former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Hijab and anti-national forces are still active in the state.

"Hijab forces are still at work while anti-national forces are still active in the state. Not awarding the principal is an insult to the entire teaching community. Forces and favouritism politics are at play. The Chief Minister should intervene and ensure the award is given to the principal otherwise the public will revolt," the former Chief Minister said while talking to media persons after a party meeting at the BJP office in Mangaluru.

He said that the principal was doing his duty at the time while the high court also supported his actions, adding, that the case is still pending in the Supreme Court and it will not be right to withdraw the award.

Karnataka government, on Thursday, withheld the award to B.G. Ramakrishna, Principal of Government Pre-University College in Udupi district. Ramakrishna had courted controversy by asking Muslim female students wearing hijab to stand in the sun outside the classroom for months in 2021, at the height of the hijab row in the state.

Responding to a question about the BJP Mahila Morcha State President's call for an investigation into sexual harassment in politics, he said: "Wherever there is harassment, it should be investigated. How the investigation is conducted is up to the government."

On the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, Bommai said that the government has suspended an officer involved in the MUDA scam, thereby admitting to legal violations.

When asked about the state government's move to investigate cases during the BJP government's tenure, he said, "Let them investigate cases from our tenure. We are ready to face an investigation. There is law and there are courts."

On the Dakshina Kannada-Udupi Legislative Council by-election, the former Chief Minister said that a meeting has been held today regarding the selection of candidates for the upcoming local administrative council constituency.

"The selection process will be conducted based on fundamental guidelines. We will discuss with leaders and seniors about how to proceed with the election process. The core committee had decided to send me to Mangaluru to submit a report on this. We will gather opinions from everyone," the former Chief Minister said.
Tehran, Sep 5 : Western countries' accusations of Iran's alleged involvement in the Ukraine crisis are "baseless and misleading," Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said Wednesday.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Samuel Zbogar, who holds the UN Security Council's rotating presidency for September, Iravani said any claim about Iran's involvement in the sale, export or transfer of arms to Russia and so-called violation of its international commitments is "categorically rejected."

He reaffirmed Iran's commitment to observing international humanitarian law, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Friday, the United States, Britain and France accused Iran at an open briefing of the UN Security Council of being involved in the "sale, export or transfer of arms to Russia for use against Ukraine, violating its international obligations and supporting terrorism."

Iravani called such accusations "ironic and hypocritical" as the three countries are those directly involved in the Ukraine crisis and have prolonged the war, harmed civilians and destroyed infrastructure by offering advanced weaponry to Kiev.

The accusations showed their "narrow and short-sighted political agendas" aimed at "advancing their own political interests," he said.

"It is actually the United States, not Iran, which is the main supporter and promoter of terrorism in the region and the world," he added.
Seoul, Sep 5 : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday denounced recent military exercises between the United States and South Korea, saying the joint drills "maximized" military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and vowed the country would build up its defense capabilities to guarantee national security and regional peace, state media said.

In a press statement issued Thursday by the chief of the Public Information Office of the Ministry of National Defence, the DPRK lashed out at last month's Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise. It was the largest-ever military drill between South Korea and the United States, involving more than 200 warplanes and a US Army unit equipped to cope with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear attacks, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The statement also condemned the "extremely reckless and dangerous" joint landing drill Ssangyong, which started on August 26, for "presupposing an open invasion upon the DPRK territory," KCNA said.

"The accumulation of such threatening actions on the Korean Peninsula will only spark off tensions and drive the security environment in the region into an irreversibly catastrophic situation," the statement warned.

The DPRK will build up its defense capabilities to "guarantee the security of the state and the peace in the region by dint of strength and action," it added, Xinhua news agency reported.
Guwahati, Sep 5 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday reiterated that the persons who are involved in Rs 2,200 crore online trading scam will be properly punished and nobody will be spared by the police and administration.

"A bunch of fraudsters has duped peopleas money by illegal means. This is totally unacceptable. Those who have collected public money without any authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will face the wrath of law. The investigation has been going on properly. Police have arrested at least 38 people in connection with their involvement in the multi-crore online trading scam," the Assam CM told reporters here.

The Chief Minister had earlier warned citizens not to fall into the hands of fraudsters who promise to give exceptionally higher returns by investing money in online trading.

"I want to appeal to citizens that they should not fall into the hands of fraudsters. Nobody on this earth can give anybody 25 or 30 per cent through trading," he said.

Sarma also mentioned that the fraudsters who duped the public of their money were living a grand lifestyle.

He stated: "I hope that the people have seen in TV that the fraudsters lived a king-size life with public money. I urge every citizen of the state... your hard-earned money should not be wasted on those fraudsters."

To recall, the Assam Police uncovered a large financial scam involving brokers who made false online stock market investments by promising to double people's money, totaling Rs 2,200 crore.

In connection with the crime, the police arrested two prime accused -- Guwahati resident Swapnil Das, and Vishal Phukan, who hails from Dibrugarh.

In connection with the state-wide scam, several more arrests have occurred, and some more people are expected to be arrested soon.

According to the police, Phukan used his lavish lifestyle to entice people and assured his investors of a 30 per cent return on their money within 60 days.

In addition to investing in Assamese cinema, he had established four fictitious businesses and bought other houses.

The police conducted a raid at his residence in Dibrugarh and seized documents linked to the multi-crore scam.

Meanwhile, the police have been looking for Assamese choreographer and actress Sumi Borah, who is also reportedly connected to Phukan's network.

It has been alleged that Phukan spent crores of rupees on Sumi Borah's wedding in Rajasthan's Udaipur.
Damascus, Sep 5 : Syrian business representatives and industry insiders view the country's first international trade expo as a significant opportunity for local businesses to enter global markets.

Expo Syria 2024, which opened Wednesday at Exhibition City near Damascus, has drawn over 600 companies from various sectors and attracted more than 3,000 foreign traders and business figures.

Raed Al-Nouri of Syria's Al-Nouri Food Company told Xinhua news agency that the five-day expo is "a great opportunity for Syria's recovery, especially in expanding exports to neighbouring countries."

Ridwan Debs Wlaban, media director at Columbus Company, expressed confidence in the competitiveness of Syrian goods in international markets, citing their "quality, variety, and competitive pricing."

"This expo is a gateway to new markets, with Aleppo alone representing more than 50 percent of textile industry participants, along with significant involvement in the chemical, engineering, and food sectors," Mustafa Kawaya, vice president of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, told Xinhua.

However, some participants expressed concerns about the impact of Western sanctions on Syrian businesses. Eyad Mohammed, head of the Export Committee at the Syrian Federation of Agricultural Chambers, noted that Syria's annual export revenue has plummeted from eight billion US dollars to one billion dollars due to sanctions.

"Sanctions affect transportation, banking transfers, and the cost of production components, making it harder for Syrian products to compete in global markets," he said.
Sangli, Sep 5 : Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg is not only an 'insult' to the legendary Maratha warrior-king but also to India and Maharashtra.

Addressing a rally in Sangli, Kharge held the RSS-linked persons for the poor quality construction which eventually led to the statue's crash on August 26, at the Rajkot Fort in the coastal Sindhudurg district.

The Congress chief said that after the statue crash, the whole country realised what kind of construction the BJP and RSS have done and how they hastily built the figurine that collapsed and brought disgrace to the state and the nation.

"Somewhere in Gujarat, a bridge collapsed, elsewhere a tunnel crashed, at another place the roof of an airport crumbled down After the inauguration of Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya, water started leaking from the roof, and a similar leakage scenario was witnessed in the new Parliament building," said Kharge, citing examples.

"The RSS is intruding into the education system of the country by changing the study syllabus. Their academic policies are contrary to the progressive ideology of the country. They are also attempting to tamper with the Constitution written by B. R. Ambedkar. The Congress will not allow this," warned Kharge.

He accused the BJP-RSS of pursuing the sole task of "damaging the ideology of a progressive Maharashtra" propounded by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule and Dr BR Ambedkar.

Kharge said that the RSS is recruiting people of its ideology into the education sector through the backdoors, curriculums are being changed arbitrarily, and now it is up to the people of Maharashtra to stop this.

Along with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar, Ramesh Chennithala, Nana Patole and other bigwigs, Kharge joined a function to inaugurate a statue of the late Congress stalwart, Patangrao Kadam and paid glowing tributes to his contributions to the party, the people of the state and the education sector.
Kolkata, Sep 5 : The Health Department of West Bengal government on Thursday suspended two doctors known to be close confidants of controversial former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, who is presently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities at the state-run hospital when he in charge of its affairs.

The two suspended doctors are Avik De, the resident medical officer (RMO) in the radiodiagnosis department of Burdwan Medical College, and Birupaksha Biswas, the senior resident doctor attached to the pathology department of the same hospital who was transferred on Wednesday.

The suspension order of Avik De states that a department inquiry has also been initiated against him. Copies of both the suspension orders are available with IANS.

On Wednesday, Biswas was transferred from Burdwan Medical College in East Burdwan district to the Kakdwip Sub-divisional Hospital in South 24 Parganas district.

Ever since the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital last month, several junior doctors have accused De and Biswas, both close to Ghosh, of introducing a "threat culture" where junior doctors and interns were threatened unless they acted as directed by the duo.

On Tuesday evening, the day after Ghosh was taken into custody by the CBI, the Health Department issued a notification suspending him from state medical services because of the ongoing probe against him.

On Wednesday, Ghosh moved the Supreme Court challenging the CBI probe into the alleged financial irregularities.

There had been several complaints of financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College when Ghosh was at the helm of affairs as its principal.

The charges include tendering of different contracts to private and outsourced parties of his confidence without getting the necessary approval from the Health Department and the college council; getting infrastructure-related tasks of the hospital done by private outsourced entities or individuals, instead of following the standard practice of getting them done by the Public Works Department (PWD); and selling biomedical wastes of the hospital, including organs of the unidentified bodies coming to the mortuary for post-mortem purposes, outside.
Guwahati, Sep 5 : The faculties of Assam University in Silchar protested on Teacher's Day against the prolonged election duties entrusted to professors impacting the education and research at the varsity.

Guwahati, Sep 5 (IANS) The faculties of Assam University in Silchar protested on Teacheras Day against the prolonged election duties entrusted to professors impacting the education and research at the varsity.

The Assam University Teachersa Association (AUTA) raised concerns about the extended election duties assigned to university professors and they have to remain absent from their classrooms and research projects for a long period of time due to these responsibilities, especially in their roles as District Level Monitoring Teams (DLMT) and Assistant Local Management Teams (ALMT) in the election.

As a result, thousands of students at Assam Universitya"many of them are international studentsa"have seen their futures directly threatened, according to AUTA.

The discrepancy between the university professorsa titles, pay scales and their allocated election duties was one of the main points of contention brought to light.

The faculties objected to being assigned to dangerous positions like Static Surveillance Teams (SST) and Flying Squad Teams (FST) during the most recent elections.

Somaditya Dutta, general secretary of AUTA, underlined once more how unfair it is to entrust elderly teachers over 60 and divyaang (differently-abled) educators with election-related responsibilities. Additionally, he demanded that female faculty members who are single parents or have small children be excused from voting duties.

During the one-and-a-half-hour demonstration, teachers congregated close to the university entrance in the September heat, engaging in some light sloganeering.

The universityas registrar, Pradosh Kiran Nath, met the protesters and listened to their demands.

AUTA President Debashish Sengupta spoke to the protesters via video conference while he was in Delhi taking part in a countrywide demonstration against the proposed Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) organised by the Federation of Central University Teachers' Associations (FEDCUTA).
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that the government's various schemes will not be stopped because of the implementation of the much ambitious Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana for which the budgetary allocation of Rs 46,000 crore has been made.

He denied media reports that due to the Ladki Bahin scheme other welfare and development schemes would be discontinued.

His clarification came after media reports quoting the circular issued by the relief and rehabilitation department that the government would stop the financial aid to heirs of the farmers who had committed suicides due to the implementation of the Ladki Bahin scheme.

"The media reports are wrong. The government has made adequate provision for funds for providing aid to heirs of farmers. The Relief and Rehabilitation Department has clarified in the Cabinet meeting today in this regard," said Shinde.

Citing the relief and rehabilitation department's circular, the NCP SP state president Jayant Patil slammed the state government saying that the MahaYuti government is responsible for Maharashtra heading for bankruptcy.

According to state government sources, nearly 1,267 farmers' suicides were reported in the state during the last six months. Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar are the worst hit.

A senior minister expressed concern over the spate of farmers' suicides and admitted that these cases are taking place despite the state government's repeated appeal to farmers not to resort to extreme steps.

Besides, farmer suicides are also taking place despite the implementation of a slew of schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Shetkari Samman Yojana, State Namo Shetkari Yojana, One Rupee Crop Insurance Scheme and loans at subsidised rate of interest.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's Office said that the state government has deposited Rs 4,787 crore for July and August in the bank accounts directly to 1.59 crore eligible women beneficiaries under the Mukyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. The government hopes to enrol 2.5 crore women beneficiaries and it has extended the registration till September 30.
Seoul, Sep 5 : Japan has provided South Korea with a part of the list of passengers in a controversial 1945 deadly explosion and sinking of a Japanese vessel known to have killed thousands of Koreans aboard, Seoul officials said Thursday.

The Ukishima Maru sank in waters off the Aomori Prefecture in August 1945 following an explosion in the hull. The ship was transporting Koreans, many of whom were forcibly mobilised for wartime labour, back to their homeland then, as Korea was liberated from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, Yonhap news agency reported.

For the first time, Japan gave some 19 cases of materials relating to the Korean passenger list and promised it would provide South Korea with further details once it concludes its internal review process, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

The move came as South Korea requested Japan provide the relevant materials related to the Ukishima Maru explosion.

The ship, which belonged to the Japanese Navy, had departed from a port in the Aomori Prefecture on August 22, 1945, and was to make a port call in Kyoto two days later, but it sank in the water after an explosion in the lower part of the hull.

Japan had announced that the ship hit an underwater mine and 524 out of 3,700 passengers were killed in what it called an accident.

But the bereaved family members of the Korean victims claim more than 3,000 lost their lives, out of as many as 8,000 people aboard, and have charged that Japan intentionally blew up the ship.

Japan, for many years, did not acknowledge the existence of the passenger list, insisting that it was lost in the sinking. But in May, it was revealed during a lower house session that there are approximately 70 documents tagged as "passenger lists and related records".

The controversy has grown as Tokyo has done little to salvage the ship or recover the remains of the victims.

Survivors and bereaved family members filed a lawsuit in Japan in 1992, accusing the Japanese government of neglecting safety management obligations, but they ultimately lost the case in 2004.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

ROME, Italy, September 5. On September 5, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Claudio Descalzi, the CEO of the Italian company Eni S.p.A, in Rome, Trend reports.

The meeting addressed the importance of documents to be signed between SOCAR and Eni S.p.A. They discussed expanding and diversifying cooperation in the application of new technologies in the oil and gas sector, renewable energy, and various fields of the economy.

They noted that following the signing of these documents, Eni S.p.A will develop a working plan and strategy to achieve tangible results within a shorter timeframe.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Hollywood Actress Sharvari, whose 'Munjya' emerged as a breakout hit of the year, is preparing to welcome Lord Ganesha ahead of the Ganpati celebrations in the city.

Mumbai, Sep 5 (IANS) Hollywood Actress Sharvari, whose aMunjyaa emerged as a breakout hit of the year, is preparing to welcome Lord Ganesha ahead of the Ganpati celebrations in the city.

The actress recently took to the Stories section of her Instagram and shared a Boomerang of herself preparing gujiyas, a traditional sweet delicacy that it offered to Lord Ganesha.

Gujiya is a sweet, deep-fried pastry, and is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent. This delicacy is made using either semolina or all-purpose flour. It is stuffed with a mixture of milk solids and dried fruits. The dumpling is then fried in ghee to give it a crispy texture.

The maximum city of Mumbai is bracing itself for its biggest celebrations for Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7. The city is known for hosting iconic Ganpati celebrations similar to Durga Pujo in Kolkata. Many members of the film fraternity flock to Ganpati pandals, particularly Lalbaugcha Raja and Andheri Cha Raja to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha during the holy period.

Meanwhile, Sharvari recently returned to her home for the Ganpati celebration after shooting for her upcoming movie aAlphaa in Kashmir. She took to the Stories section of her Instagram on Wednesday and shared a picture in which she gave a glimpse of her home.

aAlphaa is the first female-led film in the spy universe, and also stars Alia Bhatt. In the film, both Alia and Sharvari play super-agents, and it looks like Aditya Chopra is presenting them as the Alpha girls of the pack in the spy universe. aAlphaa is directed by Shiv Rawail of aThe Railway Mena fame, and created by producer Aditya Chopra.

Sharvari made her Bollywood debut with aBunty Aur Babli 2a, which was a sequel to the 2005 film aBunty Aur Bablia, the film also starred Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Siddhant Chaturvedi. She then essayed the role of Bela in the horror comedy aMunjyaa, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, and was also recently seen in aVedaaa.
Amaravati, Sep 5 : The Department of Financial Services of the Union Finance Ministry on Thursday asked insurance companies to ensure swift claim settlements in flood-affected Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

In view of the heavy rains and floods in the Telugu states, the Department of Financial Services issued directions to the public sector insurance companies to extend and provide full support to the people affected by floods. The insurance companies have been instructed to ensure swift claim settlements by organising special camps and easing claim processes and thereby, providing relief to those affected, reads a post on the Department of Financial Services' X handle.

The insurance companies have been also instructed to widely advertise the names and contact numbers of nodal officers to whom the policyholders can contact. It added that the Central government and the Ministry of Finance are committed to supporting those affected by this calamity and ensuring they receive the necessary assistance at the earliest.

Heavy rains and floods early this week caused havoc in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. More than 40 people were killed in both the states and more than five lakh people were affected.

The rains and floods caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property, especially in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam of Telangana.

The direction by the Department of Financial Services came a day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had urged the insurance companies to settle the claims of flood victims within 10 days. During a meeting with representatives of banks and insurance companies on Wednesday, he noted that thousands of houses were submerged and vehicles and electronic equipment lost due to the Budameru floods in Vijayawada. He discussed with insurance company representatives the issue of damage to the vehicles in the floods. He told them that vehicles were damaged in every house. Two-wheelers and cars were submerged in water and household appliances like fridges, TVs, and ACs were damaged. All the equipment of the cottage industries also got flooded.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Gautam Adani applied for admission at Mumbai's Jai Hind College in the late 1970s but was rejected. On Thursday, the Chairman of the Adani Group delivered an inspiring lecture to students on Teachers' Day at the same college.

Sharing this information, Vikram Nankani, President of the Jai Hind College Alumni Association, introduced Gautam Adani to deliver the lecture.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, the college did not accept him and he went on to work full time and pursued an alternative career," Nankani told the gathering, declaring Gautam Adani as a "deemed alumni" since he had applied to join.

Gautam Adani had moved to Mumbai at age 16 and started working as a diamond sorter. And the rest is history. He turned to business and went on to build a more than $220 billion empire.

During his lecture at the college, Gautam Adani said this institution, born from the ashes of India's partition, is a great example of the resilience of the human spirit.

"I find it fascinating that, 75 years ago, two visionary professors from the D.J. Sind College in Karachi laid the foundation for this institution in two tiny rooms. Despite the immense challenges and human displacement happening during the partition of our country, they dreamed of a future where the force of education could heal and unite," said Gautam Adani.

Sharing his life story, the Chairman of the Adani Group said it was Mumbai that taught him that "To think big, you must first dare to dream beyond your boundaries".

aJust as I was turning 19, I was called back by my elder brother to assist in running our small-scale PVC film factory situated near Ahmedabad. The business was faced with many challenges primarily due to extreme government control and restrictive import policies, leading to severe shortages of raw materials. This was my first real encounter with the limitations of the business environment in India," shared Gautam Adani.

By the time he turned 23, the trading venture was doing well.

"And my third major break was about to come a" one that would propel us into a new orbit. In 1995, the Gujarat government announced its port-led industrial development plan through public-private partnerships," said Gautam Adani.

Around that time, he was approached by the global commodities trader Cargill. It was a proposal to partner for manufacturing and sourcing salt from the Kutch region. While the partnership did not materialise, "we were left with about 40,000 acres of marshy land and approval to build a captive jetty at Mundra for the export of salt. What others saw as marshy barren land, we saw as a canvas waiting to be transformed. That canvas is now by far our nationas largest port", Gautam Adani said.
Kochi, Sep 5 : In relief for actor and two-time CPI-M legislator and actor Mukesh and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes' former General Secretary Edavela Babu, who have been booked by police on complaints of sexual assault by a former actress, a court in Kerala's Kochi on Thursday night granted them anticipatory bail.

The Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court, while granting Mukesh interim relief from arrest last week till its final orders, granted him anticipatory bail. Likewise, Babu also got bail.

Trouble has been brewing in the Malayalam film industry ever since the August 19 release of the damning report of the Justice K. Hema Committee, which probed the conditions of the women working in the Malayalam film industries, and made explosive revelations, triggering a storm of complaints against top film personalities.

Kerala Police have so far registered FIRs against 11 people, ten of which are from the film industry based on the complaints from actresses. Those who are in the dock after the police registered FIRs, include actors Mukesh, Nivin Pauly, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, directors Ranjith and V.K. Prakash, and production executives Vichu and Noble. Actor Baburaj and director Tulasidas have been named in complaints too, but no FIRs have been registered against them so far.

Meanwhile, the special investigation team of 7 police officials, of which four are woman IPS officers, are currently taking statements from those victims who have come forward with their complaints but are yet to question the accused.

In a related development on Thursday, the Kerala High Court's acting Chief Justice A.Muhamed Mustaque ordered the formation of a special two-member bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.S. Sudha to look into all cases which will be registered based on Hema Committee report.

Meanwhile, the powerful Producers Association, in its first reaction to the explosive report, on Thursday expressed its concern about the manner in which "fake allegations are coming".

"The stage is such that with the Hema Committee report coming out, anyone can make any allegations and that will not augur well for the civil society and hence, the state government should take note of this. The whole purpose of the Hema Committee also could take a beating," the Association said.
Singapore, Sep 5 : Top Singaporean business leaders on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision that is transforming India's presence on the world stage.

During his visit to Singapore on Thursday, PM Modi met top CEOs from various sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics, and invited them to look at the immense investment opportunities in India.

Gautam Banerjee, Senior MD and Chairman of Blackstone Singapore, said he was impressed by PM Modi's commitment to 'reform, perform and transform'.

Banerjee highlighted that under PM Modi's third term, "India is set to achieve even greater milestones".

While Bruno Lopez, Group CEO of ST Telemedia GDC, highlighted the transformative impact of PM Modi's digitalisation efforts which are driving economic growth, Lee Chee Koon, CEO of CapitaLand Investments Limited, said the Prime Minister's reforms have boosted economic growth, showcasing the nation's promising future.

According to Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore, PM Modi's proactive engagement with Singapore businesses is transforming India's investment landscape.

"With increased investments and focus on skills development, India is opening doors to new opportunities," Soon said.

During his meeting with the business leaders, the Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between the two nations.

Sean Chiao, CEO of Surbana Jurong, said from economic strides to global leadership, PM Modi's vision is transforming India's presence on the world stage.

PM Modi also announced the setting up of an 'INVEST INDIA' office in the Southeast Asian city-state to boost bilateral trade.

Other top business leaders who met PM Modi included Lim Boon Heng, Chairman, Temasek Holdings; Lim Chow Kiat, CEO, GIC Private Limited; Piyush Gupta, CEO and Director, DBS Group; Yam Kum Weng, CEO, Changi Airport Group; and Yuen Kuan Moon, CEO, SingTel.
Mumbai, Sep 5 : Shiv Sena ministers at the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting held on Thursday took strong objection against NCP and the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for not mentioning the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the advertisements and video clips and also during their rallies for the promotion of much ambitious Muhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Shiv Sena minister Sanbhuraj Desai after the presentation on the presentation of Ladki Bahin scheme took a strong objection.

Desai objected to the omission of reference of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and claimed Finance Minister Ajit Pawar was giving the money to women under the ambitious Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

He was joined by other Shiv Sena ministers as they were not happy for not mentioning the Chief Minister in the Ladki Bahin scheme and thereby Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar took the credit for the same.

Desai questioned how the Chief Minister's name could be removed from the advertisements.

Shiv Sena ministers were unhappy that the name of the scheme changed to Majhi Ladki Bahin instead of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was absent as he was unwell.

In the absence of Pawar, the veteran NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal intervened to argue the NCP's case saying that the Chief Minister's name will not be removed from anywhere.

The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too tried to ease the situation. Shinde said that all three parties need to stick together and work together and avoid any differences.

Earlier this week, Pawar-led NCP released a promotional advertisement on social media where it was claimed that Ajit Pawar was giving money to women and the scheme was called 'Majhi Ladki Bahin' removing the reference of the Chief Minister.

However, NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil said that there was no need for the Shiv Sena to get agitated. "After the budget, Shiv Sena raised banners giving credit to Eknath Shinde. Did we raise any objection? On another occasion, Sena minister Tanaji Sawant attacked our minister for which the Chief Minister did not say anything. What does it indicate?" asked Patil.

Meanwhile, the government informed that 1.59 crore women have been the beneficiaries of this scheme and Rs 4787 crore have been distributed. Under this scheme, each eligible woman below the poverty line gets Rs 1,500 per month.
Agartala, Sep 5 : Border Security Force (BSF) officials on Thursday strongly refuted Bangladesh government's accusation on the killing of a 13-year-old girl, Shwarna Das, saying its troopers during a routine patrolling found the girl's body on September 1 from near the Laitapura Border Outpost (BOP) in Tripura's Unakoti district.

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, "The MoFA has lodged a formal protest with the Government of India on the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl named Shwarna Das from Juri upazila in Moulvibazar district, who was shot by the BSF on September 1."

Strongly denying Bangladesh's claims, a BSF spokesman said that immediately after the recovery of the body, they talked with their counterpart Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and apprised them in what condition it was found.

"On September 3, a Deputy Inspector General-level meeting between the BSF and BGB was held where BGB officials were again explained in detail in what condition the body of the girl was found," the spokesperson told the media.

He added that as per routine procedure, the BSF is internally investigating the case and the probe is expected to be completed soon.

Tripura Police and the BSF on September 3 formally handed over the body of the minor girl found with bullet wounds to the BGB and Bangladesh Police authorities.

A police officer said that after the recovery of the body, a post-mortem was conducted at a hospital in Kailashahar, the headquarters of Unakoti district.

"After the autopsy, the girl's father from Bangladesh identified her body. We have handed over the body to BGB and Bangladesh Police," the officer told the media.

Sources said the girl was part of a group of people which was trying to flee from Bangladesh and enter the Indian territory illegally on September 1.

The girl's body was found lying around 50-odd metres outside the border fence, close to the zero point near border pillar No. 57.

The teenager reportedly died from a bullet wound.

Some local media reports claimed that the girl was shot by BGB troopers when she was illegally entering the Indian territory.

In recent months, over 300 Bangladesh nationals who had illegally crossed the border have been arrested by various security agencies, including the BSF in Tripura.
Patna, Sep 5 : BJP President and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda will begin a two-day tour of Bihar starting August 6.

He will hold meetings with the BJP leaders and party workers in Patna in preparation for the upcoming 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

Nadda is expected to arrive at Patna Airport via a Vistara Airlines flight at 9:30 AM, where senior BJP leaders and workers have been instructed to welcome him.

Following his arrival, he will head to the government guest house before meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence - 1 Anne Marg.

Later in the day, as part of his official engagements, Nadda will visit the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) to inaugurate a new facility. His visit underscores the BJP's efforts to strengthen its strategy in Bihar ahead of the elections.

His two-day tour will include several key events focused on healthcare infrastructure and party strategy.

Nadda will travel to Bhagalpur to inaugurate a hostel at Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital. He will then proceed to Gaya for the inauguration of another hostel and a multispecialty hospital.

Returning to Patna in the evening, Nadda will hold a crucial meeting with BJP leaders and workers, where the focus will be on countering the upcoming Yatra of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, set to begin on September 10. This meeting is expected to shape the BJP's strategy as it prepares for the 2025 Assembly elections.

After staying overnight in Patna, Nadda will head to Darbhanga the next day to inspect the proposed site for the construction of AIIMS Darbhanga, a highly anticipated project approved by the Narendra Modi government.

The new AIIMS in Darbhanga will be a major boost to healthcare in North Bihar, complementing the existing AIIMS in Patna. Nadda will also attend a program in Darbhanga before concluding his tour and returning to New Delhi on Saturday evening.
Paris, Sep 5 : India suffered a setback in the Paralympic Games archery competitions with the Mixed Team Recurve Open category with two-time medallist Harvinder Singh and Pooja Jatyan losing in the shoot-off in the bronze medal match.

Harvinder, who won the gold medal in the Men's Individual Recurve Open in Paris, and Pooja missed out on a medal as they went down to Ziva Lavrinc and Dejan Fabcic of Slovenia in a tie-break shoot-out after the two pairs had finished 4-4 at the end of the four-set semifinal clash.

Harvinder and Pooja had started with a bang as they won the first set 33-30, as Fabcic started with two sevens. The Indians however lost the next set as they could manage only 29 points with Harvinder scoring a 6 and Pooja 5 on their first arrows. Though Harvinder shot a 10 in his second arrow, they still lost as the Slovenians scored two eights and two 9s.

The Indian pair surged ahead 4-2 by winning the third set with both Harvinder and Pooja landing a 10 each besides two 9s. The Slovenians had a 10 and two 8s but a seven by Dejan Fabcic meant they lost the third set 34-38.

The Indians failed to capitalise on the opportunity as a seven and a five by Pooja meant they could manage only 29 points while their opponents tallied 34 thanks to a 10,9 and 8 besides a 7.

In the shoot-off, Harvinder scored eight and Pooja nine for a score of 17 while Ziva Lavrinc scored a 10 while her partner struck nine to seal bronze, their maiden Paralympic Games medal.

Earlier, Harvinder and Pooja had lost to eventual gold medallist Elkisabetta Mijno and Stefano Travisani of Italy in the semifinal. The Indian duo went down 2-6 in the last-four clash as the Italians shot brilliantly including a perfect 40 in the second set. The Indians had done well to win the third set with three 9s and a 10 while Travisani scored a seven as India won 37-35.

But the Italians won the next set 38-37 to eventually seal a place in the final.

Harvinder and Pooja had moved into the quarterfinals with a close 5-4 win over the Australian duo of Taymon Kenton-Smith and Amanda Jennings in a shoot-off.

On Wednesday night, Harvinder made history by becoming India's first-ever Olympic or Paralympic champion in archery. The 33-year-old showed a stellar performance en route to a gold medal in the recurve men's competition at the Paris 2024.

Three years ago in the Tokyo Para Games, he reached the first milestone. His bronze was India's premiere medal at either the Olympics or Paralympics achieved in archery.
Chandigarh, Sep 5 : After being denied tickets for the October 5 Assembly elections in Haryana, scores of BJP functionaries, including two ministers, one legislator, former ministers, and party leaders, announced their resignation on Thursday, a day after the state's ruling party announced its first list of 67 candidates.

The ministers in the Nayab Singh Saini-led government who quit include Energy Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, and Minister of State for Social Justice Bishamber Singh Balmiki.

Chautala, who contested the 2019 Assembly elections as an Independent but was later inducted into the Cabinet, announced his decision to resign as Minister as well as from the primary membership of the BJP after meeting his supporters in Rania.

Addressing his supporters, Chautala said that being the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, he cannot compromise in any situation.

"I will contest the elections as an Independent nominee from Rania. The BJP offered me a ticket from Dabwali, but I turned down the proposal. I am resigning from the Cabinet and the primary membership of the party," he said.

In the 2019 elections, Chautala contested as an Independent candidate after the Congress denied him a ticket. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, he joined the BJP after resigning as an MLA. He contested the Lok Sabha polls from Hisar but lost to Congress' Jai Parkash.

In Ratia, the party has given ticket to former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Duggal was denied re-nomination from Sirsa where former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar was fielded by the BJP. Tanwar, however, lost to Congress veteran Kumari Selja.

Joining a league of rebels, sitting BJP legislator from Ratia (SC), Lakshman Dass Napa, quit from all positions in the party after being denied a ticket. He later joined the Congress after meeting former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 67 candidates, fielding Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district. Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as the Chief Minister in March this year, is currently the MLA from Karnal.

Meanwhile, BJP's key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj, who was denied a ticket from Indri, also resigned from all party posts on Thursday.

"Me and my family have been part of the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. I have worked with a lot of dedication, but now the party has adopted Congress' culture," Kamboj told the media.

Without mincing words, he said the Congress would form the next government while "BJP's dream will just remain a dream".

Upset over denial of nomination from Sonipat, former minister Kavita Jain was in tears at a meeting with her supporters, giving the party high command an ultimatum to change its candidate Nikhil Madan within three days.

Jain also claimed that she was cheated after senior party leaders assured her of a ticket.

In Safidon in Jind district, former MLA Bachan Singh Arya resigned after JJP rebel Ram Kumar Gautam was fielded from the seat. Arya will now contest as an Independent. Gautam had joined the BJP earlier this week.

Interestingly, Sunil Sangwan, the prison officer who granted parole to rape convict Ram Rahim six times before resigning from his position, has been given a BJP ticket, raising questions about the party's stance on women's safety.

Meanwhile, supporters of former minister Savitri Jindal, mother of Kurukshetra BJP MP Naveen Jindal, met her at her residence in Hisar on Thursday and urged her to contest as an Independent after the BJP retained Health Minister Kamal Gupta as its candidate in Hisar.

Savitri Jindal and her son Naveen Jindal had joined the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. She was seeking a BJP ticket from Hisar.

Former minister Krishan Murti Hooda also called a meeting of his supporters after the BJP fielded Zilla Parishad Chairman Manju Hooda from Garhi-Sampla-Kiloi against former Chief Minister Bhupinder SIngh Hooda.

Murti will soon take a call on whether to stay with the BJP.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly will go to the polls on October 5. The results will declared on October 8.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The delegation headed by Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev is on a working visit to Vladivostok, Russia, Trend reports.

The delegation took part in the Eastern Economic Forum on September 5.

In his opening remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped that the forum will serve as a model for productive discourse and help bring about solutions to the world's economic crises.

The Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan also gave an interview to Russia 24 TV channel.

Addressing the session devoted to the protection of the rights of business entities organized by the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia, Kamran Aliyev noted that under the political course of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, development of entrepreneurship is one of the major priorities of state policy. Recent reforms have strengthened the legal framework and infrastructure for entrepreneurship. The Prosecutor General explained that large-scale rehabilitation is underway in territories liberated from the 30-year Armenian occupation, establishing a favorable business environment for investments in Karabakh and East Zangezur.

Aliyev also touched upon large-scale reforms carried out in Azerbaijan in the prosecutor's office, the activity of relevant structures of the prosecutor's office in the sphere of protection of interests of legal entities and individuals engaged in entrepreneurship.

The Azerbaijani prosecutor general also informed that COP29, the world's most prestigious international event, will be held in November this year in Azerbaijan.

There were other speakers during the event, and everyone had a chance to voice their thoughts and ideas.

Within the framework of the visit, the Azerbaijani prosecutor general held bilateral meetings with colleagues from Thailand and Laos, and prospects for cooperation were discussed.

The working visit of the delegation to Russia has concluded.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Bengaluru, Sep 5 : Bengaluru Police arrested the accused auto driver on Thursday in connection with abusing and assaulting a woman over the ride cancellation issue.

The accused driver has been identified as Mutturaj.

"The auto driver assaulted the victim for boarding another auto after cancelling his trip. He quarrelled with her even after the trip was cancelled. The assault footage is not available in the video captured by the lady. The locals have informed the police that the lady was assaulted. We will get a complaint from the victim and initiate action," said DCP (West) S. Girish.

Earlier, a young woman was abused, slapped and harassed by a middle-aged auto driver associated with Ola for cancelling a ride in Bengaluru.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vijayanagar sub-division, Chandan Kumar, has assured the victim that the police would register a case, conduct an enquiry, and take legal action.

Meanwhile, Ola Support has sent a request to the victim's registered email ID to investigate the matter further.

The young woman, Niti, said that she faced severe embarrassment and was physically assaulted by an Ola driver after a simple ride cancellation.

On September 3, the victim and her friend booked two autos on Ola during peak hours. The victim cancelled her trip as her friend's vehicle arrived first and boarded that vehicle.

The auto driver followed them and after stopping the vehicle she was traveling in, he furiously started shouting and hurling abuses.

"The auto driver verbally assaulted us, told us whether the auto belonged to my father and made derogatory comments. I began recording, which enraged him further. When I mentioned reporting him, he challenged me, showing no fear of consequences," the victim said.

The victim also shared videos showing the Ola auto driver hurling vulgar abuses at her, claiming that he was made to wait for five minutes after arriving at the spot and questioning whether "her father would pay for the gas" since she decided to cancel the ride.

The victim asked the driver not to shout and abuse her, to which the driver asked her what else he should do.

When the young woman told him that she would approach the police, the auto driver challenged her to go to the police right away. The auto driver told her to lodge a police complaint.

The video shows the auto driver grabbing her phone. The victim alleged that he slapped her.

The young woman is seen in another video questioning the auto driver about why he slapped her.

The young woman is also heard saying that she was still addressing him respectfully and questioning how he could talk to her in that manner.

The young woman asked the auto driver in Hindi whether cancelling a ride was a crime.

Using vulgar language, he told her to speak in Kannada. He could also be heard saying, "Whatever happens today, I am not going to be quiet."

The victim wrote to Ola stating, "Despite reporting, your customer support has been unresponsive. Immediate action is needed."

Meanwhile, the rival cab aggregator 'Namma Yatri' company apologised for the incident involving the victim on Thursday.

On social media platform X, Namma Yatri stated to the victim, "We hope you are doing well. We are really sorry to hear about the unfortunate incident. We wanted to get in touch with you to know the auto driver's details so that we can take precautionary steps on our platform."
Gurugram, Sep 5 : Gurugram Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Nishant Kumar Yadav, said on Thursday that all preparations by the district administration for voting in the four Assembly constituencies -- Pataudi, Badshahpur, Sohna, and Gurugram -- of Haryana Assembly polls are completed.

"The district administration is fully committed to ensuring the 2024 Assembly elections are conducted in a peaceful, impartial and harmonious environment," he added, while addressing a press conference here regarding the preparations for the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Yadav said that 14,97,000 voters in the district will cast their votes at 1,504 booths on October 5, the day of polling for the Haryana Assembly polls.

Among these, 126 booths have been set up in high-rise buildings, expected to directly benefit around 150,000 voters, which should increase the voter turnout in the district.

He added that 12,000 polling staff have been deployed for voting in the Gurugram district, and they will soon receive three levels of election process-related training.

Additionally, 12 Static Surveillance Teams and 20 Flying Squads Teams have been stationed here to ensure peaceful voting. As many as 101 sector officers will receive special training as well.

The Election Commission has also appointed one general observer, one expenditure observer for every two Assembly constituencies, and one police observer for all four Assembly constituencies.

Similar to the Lok Sabha elections, the district administration will once again engage NCC and NSS volunteers to assist at every polling centre in the four Assembly constituencies for smooth voting.

The Gurugram Deputy Commissioner said that at 200 sensitive polling booths, sufficient police, paramilitary forces, and administrative officers will be deployed to ensure no disturbances occur.

He also added that on the day of voting, all polling centres would be equipped with basic facilities, including paramedical staff.

To maintain peace during the elections, the district administration has issued orders under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code, 2023, directing all licensed weapon holders to deposit their weapons at the nearest police stations or registered weapon dealers.

"Exemptions are provided to authorised security guards posted at various banks, ATMs, and cash transport vans. This order does not apply to police and other public servants on duty. Those seeking exemptions can apply to the screening committee at the Police Commissioner's office. Additionally, all liquor shops will remain closed 48 hours before voting and on the day of polling, with the prohibition also applying to restaurants and bars," Yadav said.

He also urged the people not to link religious events with political activities during the state Assembly elections.

The Gurugram Deputy Commissioner clarified that if anyone engages in such behaviour, it will be considered a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, and appropriate action will be taken according to the rules.

Responding to a query about a religious event in Gurugram's Sector-70, he said that due to the unexpected rainfall in the city on Wednesday, the event site was flooded, posing a risk to public safety. Therefore, the district administration cancelled all administrative approvals for the event and instructed the organisers to postpone it.

He asserted that complaints received on the C-Vigil app are being addressed within the stipulated 100-minute timeframe as part of the adherence to the Model Code of Conduct.

"Around 160 nodal officers have been appointed across the district's municipal and village panchayat areas to address these issues. So far, 214 complaints have been received in the district, of which 211 have been resolved," he added.

Yadav shared that all efforts are being made to increase the voter turnout in the district.

Meetings are being held with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and letters have been written to them, urging to cooperate in voting.

"The RWA with the highest voter participation will be felicitated after the elections. Also, 41,000 new voters aged 18 and above have been registered in the district. Awareness programmes are being organised in all colleges and universities to encourage them to vote. Additionally, facilities are being provided to differently-abled voters to cast their votes from home. Similarly, a pick-and-drop service is available for those who register on the '1950' toll-free number," Yadav said.
Bengaluru, Sep 5 : Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is on a four-day visit to Mauritius, on Thursday, shared a vision of achieving a drug-free Mauritius.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar discussed a range of topics with the Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth including the preservation of Mauritian culture and the shared vision of achieving a drug-free Mauritius.

Earlier, he was received by the President of the Republic of Mauritius Prithvirajsing Roopun and the Prime Minister.

During his four-day visit, the spiritual leader is slated to address several public gatherings, filled with wisdom, music, chanting and celebration at various locations including Pailles, Goodlands, and Wooton.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also met with the President, where he emphasised the importance of youth empowerment, the promotion of harmony through stress elimination programmes, the introduction of Ayurveda to Mauritius, and the various ongoing Art of Living programs including the Prison Program which have made a huge impact.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed to continue the Art of Living's Prison Programs in Mauritius, owing to their proven effectiveness.

These rehabilitative programs aim to break the cycle of violence by relieving emotional stress and helping inmates reintegrate into society.

"Their worst brings them to prison, but spirituality brings out the best in them. They become good citizens and contribute positively to society," Sri Sri Ravishankar stated.

Thousands of Mauritians attended the event, alongside the President, members of the opposition, and key government officials. Adrien Duval, Speaker of the National Assembly; Her Excellency Nandini Singla, High Commissioner of India; Lady Sarojini Jugnauth, wife of the former President of Mauritius; Arvind Boolell, Leader of the Opposition were present.
Bengaluru, Sep 6 : Three persons were arrested on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the rape and murder of a 19-year-old girl belonging to the Scheduled Caste community in Karnataka's Bidar district, an official said.

Bidar Superintendent of Police Pradeep Gunti, said that a case under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been filed along with rape and murder charges.

"Of the three accused, one hails from the same village (as that of the girl). The other two are from a neighbouring village. All the three are arrested, and legal action is initiated against them," the police officer said, adding the incident happened in the Basavakalyan taluk.

According to police, the girl was missing since August 29.

The girl's parents tried to trace her for two days. On August 31, they filed a complaint with the police.

The body was eventually found in a bush on September 1.

A deep head injury mark was spotted on her head.

Following the recovery of the body, the police registered a murder case.

Rape charges were added to the case after the postmortem and forensic tests.

The police had then launched a hunt for the accused and managed to apprehend them.

On Thursday, several groups, organisations and the opposition BJP in Karnataka condemned the incident and staged a protest demanding justice for the victim and her family.

The police learned during the probe that the victim knew the prime accused, and both were friends.

The investigation revealed that the main accused had come in a car to pick up the victim along with two other accused individuals.

Since then, she never returned home, following which her parents got worried and began looking for her. After they failed to learn about her whereabouts, they approached the police.

Further investigation into the case is underway, a police officer said.
Bharuch : , Sep 5 (IANS) A young woman, who runs a beauty parlour in Gujarat's Bharuch district, was held hostage at knife point by a man she had befriended on social media app Instagram.

The suspect, Prakash Dashrath, hailing from Patan, entered the woman's beauty parlour and threatened her with a knife after she refused further communication with him.

According to sources, "the victim had developed a friendship with Prakash through Instagram messages. However, when the woman decided to cut off contact, Prakash grew enraged. He then visited her beauty parlour, located in the Vagra market area, and held her at knife point. Fearing for her life, the woman managed to message the parlour owner, alerting him to the situation."

"Upon receiving the distress message, the beauty parlour owner immediately informed the Vagra police. Police officers arrived quickly, broke through the parlour's glass door, and rescued the woman. The suspect, Prakash Dashrath, was arrested at the scene. The woman was safely evacuated, and police have lodged a formal complaint against the accused."

Following the incident, Police Sub-Inspector A.K. Jadeja of the Vagra police station issued a public advisory, urging people to be cautious when interacting with strangers on social media.

The officer said that "such interactions can lead to dangerous situations, as seen in this case. Authorities have also advised the responsible use of social media platforms to avoid similar incidents in the future".

In another incident reported from Bharuch on Thursday, a physical education teacher at an international school on National Highway No. 48 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a first-grade student in 2017.

The POCSO court delivered the judgment after hearing the compelling evidence and arguments from the chief public prosecutor and reviewing medical reports. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on the teacher and ordered a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to be paid to the victim.

The incident occurred on December 12, 2017, when the victim attended her regular school session from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Her mother sent her to school in a private van around 6:15 a.m. Later that afternoon, the child returned home and confided in her family about the assault. Upon learning about the incident, the victim's mother complained to the local police.

Following the complaint, the police arrested the accused, Prithvisinh Dilipsinh Ambaliya, and filed a charge sheet in the POCSO court.

The investigation revealed that the teacher had been involved in multiple instances of misconduct with children.
Bhopal, Sep 6 : A disturbing video has surfaced in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain which shows a woman being raped on a road, raising questions about the safety of women in the state.

Bhopal, Sep 6 (IANS) A disturbing video has surfaced in Madhya Pradeshas Ujjain which shows a woman being raped on a road, raising questions about the safety of women in the state.

An official said that the police rushed to the spot and brought the victim to the police station where a complaint was registered based on her statement.

Subsequently, the police carried out a search and claimed to have arrested the accused.

According to police, the victim met the accused near a liquor shop and they consumed alcohol together. After she came under the influence of alcohol, the accused overpowered and raped her.

Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Omprakash Mishra said that the incident occurred on Wednesday.

"Police team swung into action soon after video surfaced on social media. An FIR was registered and the accused was arrested," Mishra said.

This incident has raised questions about the safety of women in Ujjain city. Ujjain is also the home district of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who was in the city for the past two days following the death of his father.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari shared the video on X and questioned about the law and order situation of the state.

"Women are not safe even on busy streets and they are being raped in broad daylight in MP. This is possible only when law and order end completely," Patwari said.

He added that if this is the condition in the Chief Ministeras home town, then the condition of the rest of the state can be easily understood.
At a time when candor in publishing is being championed even as book banning is burgeoning, PW queried publishers about their recent or upcoming books navigating the challenges kids face during adolescence and puberty. The wide-ranging responses encompassed nonfiction and novels and ranged from picture books for youngest readers to guides for teens. What surfaced repeatedly were editors and authors passionate beliefs that todays readers deserve books on these topics that are honest, inclusive, and accurate. Their commitment to publishing such titles is unflinching, despite the possibility of backlash or censorship.

I have seen a large number of books being published about puberty and sex education in the past couple of years and I love itthe more information thats out there, the better, said Joy Bean, editorial director at Arctis Books USA, adding, And the more candid the books are, the better. All the changes going on in a growing body can be confusing and overwhelming and kids need their questions answered. If were not candid, it leads to more questions and confusion.

This conviction led to Beans acquisition of two books by Barbara Pietruszczak, due from Arctis on November 5: Understanding Adolescence for Girls: A Body-Positive Guide to Puberty and Understanding Adolescence for Boys: A Body-Positive Guide to Puberty, which are translated from the Polish by Agnes Monod-Gayraud and illustrated in full-color by Anna Rudak.

Bean explained that Pietruszczak, a sex and menstruation educator and journalist in Poland, has been trying to break taboos and popularize knowledge about puberty for years. Her frank discussions about puberty and growing up focus on creating a positive relationship with your body, dealing with new emotions that might be overwhelming, and knowing what to say if you get unwanted remarks or questions.

Filling Market Gaps

Multiple authors commented that they wrote their books to satisfy a need in the marketplace, exposed by either their own or other parents inability to find pertinent books for their kids. This was the motivating inspiration for the explicitly titled All About Penises: A Learning About Bodies Book and All About Vulvas and Vaginas: A Learning About Bodies Book by Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, who have presented programs on sexuality topics nationally for two decades.

Published by Holt in April and illustrated by Tyler Feder, these picture books for ages three to seven were sparked by a request from Solots sister, who asked her to recommend a book to help answer her four-year-olds questions about his penis. I told her there wasnt any such thing and she was shocked, Solot recalled. So, I asked her what would be in such a book if it existed, and she listed off a bunch of topics. I immediately sat down and wrote the first draft of All About Penises. From there it was easy to follow the same structure to write All About Vulvas and Vaginas.

Solot emphasized the importance of raising children to be body-positive by talking to them about their bodies at an early age. Reading a book together gives parents the words, she said. If you think its awkward to talk about penises and vulvas with a preschooler, its way more awkward to have those conversations for the first time when your kid is in middle or high school. Normalizing these topics when children are little lays the foundation for later, so theyll continue to turn to you, not the internet or a peer on the schoolyard, as they grow up.

Miller, who shares two daughters with Solot, underscored another pertinent aspect of their picture books. It was important to us that they be inclusive, he noted. Theyre about body parts, not genders. Either book can be read by a kid of any gender, including trans and non-binary kids.

Opening Doors to Conversation

Helping adolescents find honest answers to their questions about their changing bodies is at the heart of two recent nonfiction books. Published in July by Union Square & Co., The Birds, and the Bees, and the Elephant in the Room: Talking to Your Kids About Sex and Other Sensitive Topics is written by Rachel Coler Mulholland, a nationally certified counselor and university professor whose TikTok videos for kids address such topics as bodies, puberty, consent, and sex.

The guide, Mulholland explained, grew out of her social media followers requests for a book consolidating information from her videos, which inspired her to blend information she had gathered from her research as a clinician and a parent and amalgamate it into something both informative and entertaining for readers.

Covering anatomy, consent, dating, gender, sexual orientation, and pornography, Mulhollands book provides age-appropriate sample scripts for parent-child conversations, suggests how and when to initiate them, and offers guidance in using gender-neutral and inclusive language.

I am so grateful to see more books on puberty and comprehensive sex education coming out, Mulholland noted. The research is clearcomprehensive sex education is protective for kids and teens in a myriad of ways. With a wide variety of books available, parents can jump in where theyre comfortable and find information before their kids ever ask a question.

Published last month by Nosy Crow, Rachel Greeners Growing Up: An Inclusive Guide to Puberty and Your Changing Body was spawned by the authors determination to create a book that she needed for her own preteenbut could not find. Illustrated by Clare Owen, Greeners overview of puberty covers biological sex and gender identity, emotional development, creating and respecting boundaries. and online safety and cyberbullying.

My goal is for readers to finish this book feeling mentally equipped for the biological, psychological, and emotional changes they may encounter as they grow up, Greener said, adding that she also hoped her book helps kids build empathy for others and the confidence to keep asking questions.

On the Fiction Front

The years robust crop of middle grade and YA novels encompassing themes of puberty and first love features some innovative approaches and voices.

In January, Atheneum released a new edition of Judy Blumes trailblazing novel, Forever, featuring an updated cover. Originally published in 1975, this was one of the earliest YA novels to deal frankly with a teenagers first sexual experience. The book has sold 100,000 copies in North America since its last repackaging in 2014, with 2024 being the strongest sales year in a decade. Like many of Blumes titles, Forever has appeared repeatedly on lists of most challenged and banned books.

References to another of Blumes classics, 1970s Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret, appeared in reviews of two March middle-grade novels. School Library Journals review of Ali Tereses debut book, Free Period (Scholastic Press) drew a comparison to Blumes book, as did a review in the Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books of The World Divided by Piper by Caela Carter (HarperCollins/Quill Tree).

In Free Period, when two best friends are nailed for yet another prank, they make amends by joining their schools community action club and spearhead the groups campaign to ensure free maxi pads in the restrooms for menstruating students.

As Terese contemplated how to approach the subject of menstruation and period equity in a novel, her adolescent memories helped her out. I remembered the physical pain and shame around my period as a kid, but I also kept coming back to the friendship and laughterit was my friends who got me through it, she said.

I hope the novel lets people know that periods are not a gender issue, but a human issue, Terese added. We all have to talk candidly and accurately and bring periods out of the shadows. She emphasized that she wrote her novel as a comedy, in hopes of letting readers see themselves in the pages and letting them know that its okay if they dont have everything figured out about whats happening with their bodiesthey are not alone.

The title character of Carters The World Divided by Piper was diagnosed with early-onset puberty at the age of six and has been taking blockers to keep it at bay. But when her doctor suggests its time for her treatment to end, Piper worries that going through puberty will thwart her ambitious plans, including winning the academic decathlon with her best friend.

Carter, an educator and author of three previous middle-grade novels, was inspired to write this story after reading an article about a girl with a similar medical quandary. I began to think about what might happen when a girl has agency over when she gets her periodand I wanted to explore that story, she said. My challenge was to create a character who could carry off the role of an average 11-year-old whos also a very sophisticated thinker.

Candor and humor are pointedly balanced in The New Girl, a debut middle-grade graphic novel by Cassandra Calin, published by Scholastic Graphix in June; the book was selected as a Flying Start by PW. The plotprotagonist Lias first period arrives as she and her family are waiting to board a plane to emigrate to Canada from Romaniawas inspired by Calins own experience as a young Romanian immigrant to Canada.

Addressing themes of puberty directly and honestly is a great way to destigmatize it and allow readers to have a clearer understanding of what to expect and how to manage it, Calin said, noting the value of adding humor to the mix. Discussing challenges and uncomfortable topics in a lighter tone helps provide a different perspective. Lias clearly dealing with changes and struggles, but thats okay. Shes humanwe all areand humor is a great way to remind us that were all collectively trying our best.

Fittingly, Blume provided a blurb endorsing Jason Reynoldss frank and funny Twenty-Four Seconds from Now, a YA novel due October 8 from Atheneums Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. Told from the perspective of Neon, a Black teenager about to experience a monumental first with his girlfriend, this stream-of-consciousness story is built from a series of snapshots presented in reverse chronologyfrom 24 seconds to 24 months before the pivotal eventas the couples relationship unfolds and their intimacy grows.

The novel stands out for its absolute honesty and Neons unfiltered viewpoint, said Dlouhy, Reynoldss editor. Jason is a skilled writer who knows innately when to bring in a new level of insight or humor. Everyone deserves their Neonhe is thoughtful and cautious, kind and compassionate, silly and embarrassedand willing to be vulnerable. And Blumes advice to readers?: Girls (and everyone) wait for your Neon!

Dlouhy was hopeful that the apparent movement toward increased candor in literature and nonfiction for young adults will continue. I have the sense that kids are becoming more open about their own sexuality at a younger age, and that the world is becoming more receptive to books for teens that explore intimacy honestly rather than skirt around it, she said. It seems to me that this is a natural progression. Ultimately, the best result is that books like Twenty-Four Seconds from Now, with language that is deliberately and carefully chosen and nothing lewd or salacious, will help open up conversations among kids and adults rather than close them down.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. A footage dedicated to the first day of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Italy was posted on his official page on X, Trend reports.

The post reads: "First day of President Ilham Aliyevs working visit to Italy".
Shelf Awareness cofounder Jenn Risko will step down as publisher of the bookselling trade newsletter on September 6, with her fellow cofounder, editor-in-chief John Mutter, assuming full ownership of the company. Risko and Mutter launched Shelf Awareness in 2005.

"For almost 20 years, I have carried the Shelf in my head and my heart, a constant and welcomed companion," Risko said in a statement. "As much as I look forward to my next chapter, the Shelf is part of my DNA, and no amount of remapping will change that. I will always be its biggest fan, and now I will be the crazy one with a giant hat and flags and a foam finger on the sidelines cheering you on to continued success."

As a result of the move, Matt Baldacci is being promoted to publisher, overseeing sales and marketing as well as ideas for new products and services. He joined the company as director of business development following several decades in publishing, working as such companies as DK, Simon & Schuster, and St. Martin's Press.

In addition, Neil Strandberg is being promoted to CEO, overseeing administration, HR, tech, and execution of new products and services. He joined Shelf Awareness as director of technology and operations from the American Booksellers Association, where he was director of technology, and previously worked at the Tattered Cover in Denver, Colo., ultimately as manager of operations, and at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books in San Francisco. He has served on the boards of the Book Industry Study Group and the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, and won MPIBA's Gordon Saull Bookseller of the Year award in 2007.

Both Baldacci and Strandberg joined Shelf Awareness in 2015.

I can't thank Jenn enough for all she's done for Shelf Awareness, Mutter said in a statement. I've always been so in awe of her drive and creativity. Together, starting in 2005, we took what was an idea for an e-newsletter and made it into a thriving company with a range of products and services that have done so much to help booksellers and the book world. He added: Both Matt and Neil have already helped immensely in the transition. They're both amazingly talented and experienced in the book world, and I am so looking forward to working with them on a daily basis.
In a significant development, a federal judge has ruled that a wrongful termination suit filed by a Llano County librarianallegedly fired for refusing to remove books from library shelves as ordered by county officialscan go forward.

In a 23-page decision dated August 27, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitmanthe same judge who, in March 2023, ordered several books banned by Llano County officials returned to library shelvesdenied most of the Texas countys motion to dismiss librarian Suzette Bakers wrongful termination suit, trimming only a small part of the suit as duplicative. Despite claims from Llano County that Baker, the former head librarian at Llano Countys Kingsland library, was dismissed for insubordination, Pitman found that Baker had plausibly asserted that she was fired for opposing orders to improperly pull books that overwhelmingly represented the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities.

Baker alleges that she was associated with patrons who were racial minorities or members of the LGBTQ community because she protested the removal of books that advocated for CRT and LGBTQ rights. Baker also alleges she was punished and terminated for advocating against the removal of pro-CRT and LGBTQ books. Based on these factual allegations, it is plausible that Baker was terminated in part because she advocated for minority groups against the wishes of Defendants or was associated with these groups, Pitman found. It is plausible that the stated reasons for Bakers terminationinsubordination, creating a disturbance, and failing to follow directionswere pretextual. It is also plausible that Defendants policies themselves were unconstitutional, and that those actions preceded any alleged insubordination by Baker.

First filed in March of 2024, Baker is seeking economic damages including back pay, compensatory damages including for emotional pain and suffering, and punitive damages to the maximum amount permitted. In June, Baker was honored at the Authors Guilds 32nd Annual Gala in New York with the inaugural Champion of Writers Awardpresented in New York by George M. Johnson, author of such frequently banned titles as All Boys Arent Bluefor her courage in fighting book bans in Texas.

Bakers 2022 firing was one of several factors that motivated a group of concerned citizens to file a federal lawsuit against Llano County officials in April 2022. In March 2023, Pitman issued a preliminary injunction ordering several books returned to library shelves and blocking further removals, holding that the evidence showed that they were likely removed because of their viewpoint or content.

In June, after a year of waiting, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld Pitmans order. But in a twist, the court vacated the three-judge panel's decision on July 3, with the case now set to be reheard en banc by the court on September 23.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. In accordance with the directive from President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the return of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the reconstructed city of Shusha continues, Trend reports.

Another group of former internally displaced persons, dispatched on September 5 from the Garadagh district of Baku, has arrived in Shusha.

Today, 30 families, totaling 102 residents, have returned to their hometown. This group consisted of families who had temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, pioneer camps, unfinished buildings, and administrative buildings in various regions of the country.

A permanent residence has now been established for 177 families (672 people) in Shusha.

06:36

On September 5, another group of former internally displaced persons, consisting of families temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, pioneer camps, and administrative buildings in various territories of Azerbaijan, was sent to the city of Shusha from the Garadagh district of Baku, Trend reports.

At this stage, another 30 families (102 people) moved to the city of Shusha.

Shusha residents thanked President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for their comprehensive care and expressed gratitude to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, which liberated the lands from occupation.

Until today, a permanent settlement in the city of Shusha has been provided for 177 families672 people.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/04/2024



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. According to the order of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Health with the participation of authorized representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transportation, State Border Service, State Customs Committee, State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance, Territorial Medical Units Management Association (TABIB), Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, and Baku International Sea Trade Port, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health.

The meeting covered the action plan that was prepared to coordinate the efforts of relevant structures for the upcoming international event, COP29, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan this November.

Furthermore, considering the rapid spread of monkeypox in many nations, preventive measures on the country's territory were prioritized
In the Global War on Terror, theres one vehicle marque that stands out, used by both the Islamic extremists and the Western forces who were fighting them: Toyota.

In 2010 and 2013, I had the honor to serve alongside the Third Infantry Division in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was a law enforcement professional, a contractor assigned to advise on identifying, targeting, and actioning the improvised explosive device (IED) bomb makers. I also served as a rule of law advisor, a battlefield investigator, and advised the host country police and intelligence services.

200 series at an entry control point

During these tours, I was overwhelmed by the number of Toyota Land Cruisers used by coalition forces, non-governmental organizations, and just all over. There were 100 series, 70 series, 200 series, and Hilux trucks.

Virtually all of these trucks were up-armored, meaning that they were armored to withstand 7.62 munitions, as well as to offer protection against IEDs. The armoring consisted of ballistic panels in the doors, roof, floor, and engine compartment.

79 series next to a G-wagon

The tires were fitted with run-flat inserts, and the glass was replaced with ballistic glass and polycarbonate windows a couple of inches thick.

105 series with comms and electronic countermeasures (ECM) antennas

Some of the trucks were also fitted with gun ports in the doors and/or windows, and some with a roof hatch for a gunner. Many trucks also had a Trunk Monkey option. This variant fitted a rear facing seat in the cargo area for a gunner to cover the rear of the vehicle.

UN 79 series with a winch bumper and HF antenna

Most of the vehicles were fitted with ARB bumpers and roof racks. The roof racks held the spare tire, while the bumpers were fitted with communications antennae and a winch. Fixed to the front and rear recovery points were tow straps coiled up and zip tied to the ARBs and tucked inside the rear door, ready for immediate deployment. Many were also equipped with red/blue strobe lights and sirens.

Depending on the trucks role, the interiors might be stock or heavily modified for mission-essential use. Like the Trunk Monkey option, rear seats were sometimes replaced with side-facing seats for better access to the doors.

79 series outfitted with ECM and comms antennas

In defensive situations in vehicles without gun ports, the doors would be cracked open, and defensive fire directed from the vehicle. Front seat backs would have pouches containing extra weapons, magazines, and trauma kits. Most trucks carried large floor jacks for the fastest possible tire changes.

The dashboard would typically have a video camera and navigation aids. U.S./NATO vehicles would navigate using a Blue Force Tracker (BFT), allowing the truck commander to see other friendly forces as well as known enemy locations. The BFT were also used in navigation and allowed tracking of all friendly vehicles by the local tactical operations center. The console area would be filled with radio equipment.

79 series troopy

Bristling from these trucks were a myriad of aerials. Some were for radio communications (COMMS), BFT, satellite communications, and electronic countermeasures (ECM) to defeat IEDs.

ECMs are devices that block or jam radio frequencies that certain IEDs use to detonate. One of the drawbacks of the 200 series Land Cruisers with all its electronics was that ECM gear would often interfere with the operation of the electronic remote and keyless start.

200 series used for VIP transport. Note the size of the cable from the ECM antennas.

Except for the Hiluxes, the Land Cruisers were usually used for VIP movements. Seeing a civilian Afghan or Iraqi in a Land Cruiser usually meant that person was some sort of big shot.

The Hiluxes, along with some Tacomas, were often used by Special Forces. These double-cab trucks were armored, lifted, and fitted with mounts for a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M240 general-purpose machinegun, or a 40mm grenade launcher.

105 series fitted with an ARB bumper and attached tow strap

COMMS antennas were also fitted infrared light for night vision goggle use.

While at Kandahar Airfield, I spotted an Arctic Trucks-built Land Cruiser that belonged to the Lithuanian special forces. This Arctic Truck was armored with gun ports in the doors, a truly remarkable vehicle.

In talking with many different people and having driven an armored Land Cruiser while stationed in Peru, the consensus was that Land Cruisers were the best platform for an armored vehicle. They were rugged enough to handle the extra weight and were reliable. There were also a couple of Suburbans, Expeditions, Land Rovers, Nissan Patrols, and a couple of G-wagons, but Toyota Land Cruisers were in the majority.

200 series with comms and ECM antennas

Toyotas played a significant role in civilian and insurgent life. When outside the confines of my base, the streets were filled with Toyota Hiluxes, minivans used as buses and sedans. We also saw the Toyota trucks being used by the various terrorist groups.

79 series; note the hood pins and emblem.

If theres one common thread running throughout low level conflicts in various sh*thole countries, its the presence of vehicles produced by Kiichiro Toyodas company.
Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School, was charged with the murder of two students and two teachers, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. He will be tried as an adult. This story is ongoing, with more reporting and updates to follow.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation will support a mosque restoration in Azerbaijan's liberated Gochahmadli village of the Fuzuli district, Trend reports.

The issue is envisioned in the memorandum of understanding on the protection and restoration of historical and cultural monuments located in the territory of Azerbaijan signed between the foundation's President Aktoty Raimkulova and Head of the Azerbaijani State Service for the Protection, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture Sabina Hajiyeva.

The memorandum signing is intended to preserve, restore, and conserve historical and cultural monuments in Azerbaijan that are under state protection.

It also includes organizing training in this area and further expanding cooperation in the field of cultural heritage.

During the signing ceremony, the development of relations with fraternal Turkic nations in all areas, particularly the strengthening of cultural ties, was highly praised.

It was noted that the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation plays an active role in this regard, contributing to the preservation, promotion, and popularization of Turkic peoples' culture and heritage.

Azerbaijan's strong support for this field was also emphasized, and there was confidence expressed that cooperation will deepen in the coming years.

At the event, participants exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Gautam Adani had in the late 1970s applied to join a Mumbai college for education, but the college rejected his application.

Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters

He did not pursue education but turned to business and went on to build a $220 billion empire. About four-and-a-half decades later, he gets called to the same college to deliver a lecture to students on Teachers Day.

Adani had moved to Mumbai at the age of 16 and started working as a diamond sorter.

Around the same time in 1977 or 1978, he applied for admission to Mumbai's Jai Hind College.

"But they rejected him," said Vikram Nankani, President of the Jai Hind College Alumni Association, as he introduced India's second richest person before his lecture.

He had applied to Jai Hind College because his elder brother Vinod had earlier studied in the same college.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, the college did not accept him and he went on to work full time and pursued an alternative career," Nankani said, declaring Gautam Adani as a "deemed alumni" since he had applied to join.

After working as a diamond sorter for almost two years, he returned to his home state of Gujarat to run a packaging factory managed by a brother.

He never really looked back after he launched his firm in 1998, trading in commodities.

Over the next two-and-half-decade, his debt-fuelled companies diversified into ports, mines, infrastructure, power, city gas, renewable energy, cement, real estate, data centres and media.

The infrastructure tycoon, who runs 13 seaports in India, operates seven airports, is the largest private player in power, is the biggest renewable energy producer, runs the country's second-largest cement company, is building expressways and re-developing Asia's largest slums, is described by some as the most aggressive of India's new generation of entrepreneur.

Delivering the lecture 'Breaking Boundaries: The Power of Passion and Unconventional Paths to Success', Adani, 62, was just 16 years old when he chose to break his first boundary.

"It had to do with giving up my education and choosing to move to an unknown future in Mumbai.

"People still ask me, 'Why did you move to Mumbai? Why did you not complete your education?' The answer lies in the heart of every young dreamer who sees boundaries not as barriers but as challenges that test his courage.

"I was driven by a need to see if I had the courage to make a life for myself in the most happening city of our country," he said.

Mumbai was his training ground for business as he learned to sort and trade in diamonds.

"The field of trading makes a good teacher. I learnt very early that an entrepreneur can never be frozen by over-evaluating the choices in front of him," he said.

"It is Mumbai that taught me 'To think big, you must first dare to dream beyond your boundaries'."

In the 1980s, he established a trading organisation for importing polymers to supply to the struggling small-scale industries.

"By the time I turned 23, my trading venture was doing well," he said.

After the 1991 economic liberalisation, he established a global trading house dealing in polymers, metals, textiles, and agri-products. He was just 29 then.

"Within two years, we had become the largest global trading house in the country.

"This is when I understood the combined value of both speed and scale," he said.

"Thereafter, in 1994, we decided that it was time to go public, and Adani Exports, now known as Adani Enterprises, launched its IPO.

"The IPO was a strong success and underscored for me the importance of public markets."

Adani realised that to break the next set of boundaries, he would have to first start by challenging his own status quo and investing in assets to provide a solid foundation.

In the mid-1990s, he was approached by the global commodities trader Cargill for a partnership to manufacture and source salt from the Kutch region in Gujarat.

"While the partnership did not materialise, we were left with about 40,000 acres of marshy land and approval to build a captive jetty at Mundra (in Gujarat) for the export of salt," he said.

What others saw as marshy barren land, he saw as a canvas waiting to be transformed.

That canvas is now by far India's largest port.

"Mundra today hosts India's largest port, the largest industrial Special Economic Zone, the largest container terminals, the largest thermal power plant, the largest solar manufacturing facility, the largest copper plant, and the largest edible oil refinery.

"And yet, we're only about 10 per cent of what Mundra will eventually become," he said.

He is now building the world's biggest renewable energy park in the inhospitable deserts of Kutch and redeveloping Dharavi slums in Mumbai.

"While we have helped redefine India's infrastructure across airports, ports, logistics, industrial parks and energy it is not the victories that define us.

"It is the mindset to take on and overcome challenges that have shaped the Adani Group's journey," he added.
Indigo has zero competition on 61.2 per cent of its 838 domestic routes.

The number of domestic routes in India with no competition surged from 55.2 per cent in April 2019 to 69.2 per cent in April 2024.

This means by April this year, only 30.8 per cent of the 1,083 domestic routes had more than one airline operating, according to a report by aviation analytics firm Cirium reviewed by Business Standard.

With reduced competition, airlines have become more aggressive in raising airfares, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

For instance, on the Delhi-Mumbai route, average fares dropped by 20.5 per cent between April 2019 and April 2023 but soared by 34.6 per cent in the past year alone.

Similarly, on the Delhi-Bengaluru route, average economy fares increased 53.1 per cent in just the last year alone.

This shift in pricing strategy has primarily been driven by the bankruptcies of Jet Airways in 2019 and Go First in 2023, along with SpiceJet's substantial network reductions due to financial difficulties.

By July 2024, IndiGo and the Air India Group controlled over 90 per cent of the domestic air passenger market, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

As competition has waned, airlines have shifted their focus to achieving higher yields (average revenue per passenger per kilometre) rather than filling planes by lowering fares.

Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Reuters

The new tactic was evident during the long weekend between August 15 and 19, when air travel surged amid Independence Day, the weekend, and Rakshabandhan.

On certain routes, the load factors were low, but airlines barely dropped the spot fares, a revenue management executive of a major airline told Business Standard.

"Before the pandemic, on such routes, one or two airlines would drastically cut fares if planes weren't full close to departure. Other airlines would then follow the suit. Now, sudden fare drops are rare. The focus across our industry is on better yields," the executive said.

IndiGo, India's largest carrier, had no competition on 33.4 per cent of its 491 domestic routes in April 2019.

Five years later, by April 2024, the airline faced zero competition on 61.2 per cent of its 838 domestic routes, according to Cirium.

"India has seen a rapid rise in connectivity over the past few years. One way of looking at the monopoly routes is that had it not been for the airline operating, there would not have been connectivity between the two city pairs. Overall, the count of monopoly routes has gone up more or less in line with the count of total routes in operation in India," said Ameya Joshi, an aviation researcher and founder of the aviation blog Network Thoughts.

"With the Air India group growing rapidly, a lot of IndiGo monopolies are becoming duopolies," Joshi added.

The duopoly, Joshi said. would influence pricing strategies, and the days of airlines dropping fares to fill seats may be over.

"The duopoly will play its part in pricing strategy, and the earlier days of one airline dropping fares to fill seats may well be history, with a maturing market. The pricing strategy in the next two-three years will be dependent on supply chain constraints easing out, availability of planes, and expansion of airports," Joshi said.

"Currently, with grounded planes and slower deliveries, the growth is not as rapid as it was expected to be," he added.

The grounding of around 70 of IndiGo's 380 planes due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, along with delays in aircraft deliveries to Indian carriers by Airbus because of supply chain problems and by Boeing for regulatory hurdles, has also played a role in the rise of airfares at a time when demand is surging.

On August 5, IndiGo promoter Rahul Bhatia said India deserves more than just two major airlines, and that IndiGo's market dominance is not entirely of its own volition, as certain airlines have fallen by the wayside.

'We welcome the competition. Clearly, a country like India deserves more than just two airlines. Just look at China; they have five or six major airlines and some smaller ones. So, this country (India) clearly has room for others to come out,' Bhatia had told reporters at an event where IndiGo launched its frequent flyer loyalty programme called Blue Chip and revealed details about business class on its planes.

Bhatia, who along with his family currently own about 36 per cent of IndiGo, had said that the airline's growth had been partly due to other airlines exiting the market and that the company is not guilty of creating a duopoly.

'Our business is to keep costs low, provide affordable fares, fill up planes, buy more planes, and keep that cycle going,' Bhatia said.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 4,787 crore for 2023-24 (FY24)  more than three times the earnings recorded the previous year.

This growth can be attributed to robust demand for its vehicles, particularly hybrid models and cross-badged cars from the Toyota-Suzuki alliance.

TKMs country head and executive vice-president, Vikram Gulati, attributed the profit surge to a strong product portfolio, financial partnerships, value proposition, and customer-centric strategies that have expanded the companys customer base and market understanding.

As a next phase of alliance, the company is preparing for hybrid system supply... (and) other new technology models, TKM stated in its documents submitted to the Registrar of Companies (RoC) and reviewed by Business Standard.

The companys last financial years performance marks a significant turnaround from FY21, when TKM reported a net loss of Rs 55 crore.

Since then, TKM has consistently improved its financial health, recording net profits of Rs 519 crore in FY22 and Rs 1,404 crore in FY23.

In FY24, TKMs sales volume surged by 48 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 263,512 units, while sales revenue rose by 65.6 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 55,866 crore, according to RoC.

Meanwhile, total expenditure increased by approximately 57 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 49,026 crore.

TKMs portfolio includes four rebadged models from Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL)  the Glanza (Baleno), Urban Cruiser Taisor (Fronx), Rumion (Ertiga), and Urban Cruiser Hyryder (Grand Vitara)  which account for nearly half of its total sales in India, according to sources.

The first cross-badged model from TKM to MSIL was introduced as the Invicto (from Innova Hycross) in FY24.

The global partnership between Toyota and Suzuki, announced in FY19, involves the mutual supply of products and components, including model swaps between their Indian subsidiaries  TKM and Maruti Suzuki India.

On the success of the Toyota-Maruti Suzuki alliance in India, Puneet Gupta, director-mobility, S&P Global, stated that it rapidly amplified the two companies product portfolio across mass-market segments.

The vehicles from Toyota present an impeccable synergy of pricing, product excellence, and premium positioning, compelling consumers to choose Toyota, thereby bolstering the brands market share, he said.

Toyota holds an 89 per cent stake in TKM, with the remaining 11 per cent owned by Kirloskar Systems Private Limited.

Commenting on TKMs recent success, Gulati said: "We have always remained ahead in assessing and understanding the diverse needs of our varied customers and market trends.

He highlighted that the company's sport utility vehicle (SUV) and multi-utility vehicle (MUV) segments, with models like the Innova Crysta, Fortuner, and Urban Cruiser Hyryder, have been the biggest contributors to its growth.

Gulati noted that TKM's manufacturing facilities in Bidadi, Karnataka, have been operating at 100 per cent capacity for quite some time due to strong demand.

This allowed us to not only increase production but also tap into the booming demand in both domestic and export markets.

"In the current calendar year, over 14,000 units of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder were exported, he noted.

In response to rising demand, TKM introduced a third shift at its manufacturing facilities in 2023, expanding its annual production capacity by about 32,000 units.

Total annual production capacity at its two Bidadi facilities now stands at 342,000 units.

Last November, TKM announced plans to establish a third facility near the existing ones at a cost of Rs 3,300 crore, which will increase the companys total installed capacity to 432,000 units per annum.

TKM is further expanding its production capacity.

Last month, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to explore the establishment of a greenfield manufacturing facility in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

The proposed new facility will focus on advanced green technologies and is aimed at serving wider markets within the country and abroad, Gulati added.
The government is set to examine concerns over quick commerce companies potentially undermining businesses of local kirana stores, particularly in the context of the draft Digital Competition Bill, according to official sources.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhury/Reuters

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs recently raised the issue with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs during discussions around the proposed legislation.

We need to assess if and how the Bill can address these concerns and explore further steps to include provisions to keep a check, a senior official stated.

Email queries sent to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs did not elicit any response at the time of going to press.

The Bill proposes ex-ante (preventive) regulations, which would require digital companies to notify the Competition Commission of India (CCI) if they meet the criteria to be classified as systemically significant digital enterprises (SSDEs) based on a set of qualitative and quantitative parameters.

The government, according to reports, may refine the SSDE criteria to broaden its scope, potentially encompassing a wider variety of digital companies, including social networking platforms and online marketplaces.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal last week had said that while the government is not opposed to e-commerce, it is committed to ensuring a level playing field between online and offline businesses.

Goyal previously expressed concern that the rapid expansion of the e-commerce sector could be a cause for concern rather than a matter of pride, warning that it might result in job losses within traditional retail.

Industry experts note that companies operating in this space are well aware of the growing regulatory scrutiny.

Many are already working to incorporate kirana stores into their business models.

Sources familiar with the matter indicate that Flipkart  a recent entrant in the quick commerce market  is running its service, Minutes, on a kirana store model.

Rather than relying heavily on dark stores, Flipkart has partnered with several kirana stores, equipping them with the necessary supply chain technology to facilitate quick deliveries.

However, players in the quick commerce sector argue that the regulatory pushback is premature.

The sector is too nascent for this level of regulatory scrutiny.

"While there may be some initial impact on kirana stores, quick commerce companies are actively working to integrate these stores into their business models.

"It will take time to resolve these challenges, said an executive from a quick commerce firm.

Recently, the industry body All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation sent an email to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, highlighting that the rapid growth of quick commerce platforms posed significant challenges to traditional retail and the FMCG distribution network across the country.
In his call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, United States President Joe Biden expressed his concerns about the safety of people in Bangladesh and the future of democratic institutions there, the White House has said.

IMAGE: US President Joe Biden speaks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Savelletri, Italy on June 14, 2024. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

During the call, Biden and Modi 'shared concerns' on the recent developments in Bangladesh, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told a press conference on Wednesday.

"I mean, the President made clear his continued concerns about the safety and security of the people in Bangladesh and the future of their democratic institutions," he said in response to a question.

The statement issued by the White House after the August 26 call did not mention Bangladesh. However, a post on X by Modi and a statement issued by his office mentioned that Bangladesh was discussed during the telephonic conversation.

'The two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh,' the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had said.

In his post on X, Modi had said, 'We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.'
Family members of a doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered in Kolkata last month, joined the protesting medics at RG Kar hospital on Wednesday and accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of the doctor.

IMAGE: Junior doctors and PG students take part in a torch rally as they join people in a candlelight tribute to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder victim, in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Participating in the protests at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the body of their daughter was recovered on August 9, the parents demanded justice and accused a senior police officer of trying to bribe them after the incident came to light.

"The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined," the father of the deceased doctor said.

The Calcutta high court ordered the handover of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the second week of August.

The parents of the postgraduate trainee stated that they joined the protest to support the junior doctors fighting for justice for their daughter.

Since August 10, protests have erupted across the state, with people from various sectors demanding justice for the victim.

On Monday, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.

On Tuesday, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed a state anti-rape bill seeking capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and a life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.
Expressing anguish over the latest picture of Renukaswamy which has emerged on social media, the victim's parents called the jailed Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his accomplices 'demons' for allegedly torturing their son to death.

IMAGE: Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa being sent to police custody after a medical checkup following his alleged role in murder over obscene texts, in Bengaluru, June 11, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The photograph shows a shirtless Renukaswamy pleading for mercy before he was allegedly murdered. There were also several injury marks all over his body.

Renukaswamy's father Kashinath S Shivanagoudru claimed that the developments have had adverse effect on their pregnant daughter-in-law these days.

"After seeing the photograph which has gone viral, we are confused. We don't know what to say and how to react. We can now imagine how much he would have suffered and screamed and pleaded to them. He was tortured beyond tolerance," Shivanagoudru said.

He said he is unable to console his daughter-in-law.

Shivanagoudru said, "My son requested Darshan and his gang members that he has a mother and a pregnant wife but they did not pardon him. They were all demons. They did not have even a trace of humanity in them."

The victim's father lamented that Darshan and his gang members could have complained to the police.

According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to actress Pavithra Gowda, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder.

His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli in Chitradurga on June 9.

Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in RR Nagar in Chitradurga, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him.

It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

As per the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the 'major cause' for Renukaswamy's murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country is 'exaggerated' and questioned the manner in which India projected it.

IMAGE: Hindus protest in Dhaka against against the brutal atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal.

He suggested that the attacks were not communal, but a fallout of a political upheaval as there is a perception that most Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime.

"I have said this to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks," the Nobel laureate told PTI.

The minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as the destruction of Hindu temples, during the student-led violence that erupted following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India.

"Now, while beating up Awami League cadres, they had beaten up Hindus as there is a perception that Hindus in Bangladesh mean Awami League supporters. I am not saying that what has happened is right, but some people are using it as an excuse to seize property. So, there is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus," he said.

In his first direct contact with New Delhi last month, shortly after becoming the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Yunus conveyed to Prime Minister Modi that Dhaka would prioritise the protection and safety of Hindus and all other minority groups.

During the conversation, Modi reaffirmed India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, and progressive Bangladesh and emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety of Hindus and other minority communities in the violence-hit country.

Hindus, who made up 22 per cent of Bangladesh's population at the time of the 1971 Liberation War, now constitute about 8 per cent of 170 million and have predominantly supported the Awami League, known for its secular stance.

Describing the attacks as more political than communal, Yunus questioned the manner in which India is 'propagating' them.

"These attacks are political in nature and not communal. And India is propagating these incidents in a big way. We have not said that we can't do anything; we have said that we are doing everything," the Chief Adviser said.

Prime Minister Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, expressed hope that the situation in violence-hit Bangladesh would return to normal soon and said 1.4 billion Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus and minorities in the neighbouring country.

Discussing the future of India-Bangladesh relations, Yunus expressed a desire for good ties with India but insisted that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that Bangladesh will turn into another Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina at the helm.

"The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, BNP is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only.

"India is captivated by this narrative. India needs to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is just another neighbour," he said.

The noted economist added, "The issue of trying to portray the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse."

Yunus said that when he met leaders of the minority community, he urged them to protest as citizens of the country with equal rights and not merely as Hindus.

"Even when I met members of the Hindu community, I had requested them: please don't identify yourselves as Hindus; rather, you should say you are citizens of this country and you have equal rights. If someone tries to snatch your legal rights as citizens, then there are remedies," he said.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), a prominent Hindu minority group in Bangladesh, had also reported attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5.

Thousands of Hindus staged protest rallies in Bangladesh's capital and the northeastern port city of Chattogram on August 10-11, demanding protection amid nationwide vandalism that saw attacks on temples and their homes and businesses.

Earlier in August, the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance said that the minority Hindu community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since the fall of the Hasina-led government and termed it as an 'assault on the Hindu religion'.
Kolkata experienced a unique and powerful display of civic solidarity when residents turned off their lights for an hour from 9 pm on Wednesday and came down to the streets with burning candles to protest the murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital and to express support for the deceased doctor's family.

IMAGE: People light candles at RG Kar hospital to pay tribute to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder victim, in Kolkata on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Significant pockets across districts of West Bengal also witnessed spontaneous protests from citizens hitting roads late in the evening with burning torches, candles and even backlit mobile phones demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which had called for the protest, titled the event 'Let There Be Light, Let There Be Justice' had planned it to coincide with the Supreme Court's scheduled hearing in the rape-murder case on September 5.

The protesters demanded that the case, which is currently being heard by an apex court bench, be resolved expeditiously so that justice doesn't get delayed any further.

At 9 pm sharp, prominent landmarks such as the Victoria Memorial and Raj Bhavan, along with many homes across the city, its suburbs and districts, plunged into darkness as part of the protest.

Governor C V Ananda Bose also lit a candle at the Raj Bhavan and said, "When light is fear, darkness is dear."

Large crowds gathered across the city, Howrah, and Salt Lake, taking to the streets with candles and mobile phone torches, chanting 'We want justice' and demanding accountability for the alleged gruesome rape-murder of the trainee doctor.

In Kolkata, protests were held in prominent landmarks including Shyambazar five-point crossing, Moulali, New Town Biswa Bangla Gate, Rashbehari crossing, Behala, Garia, Ballygunge, Hazra crossing and Jadavpur 8B bus stand.

Doctors, both junior and seniors, held a protest at the epicentre -- RG Kar Medical College and Hospital -- where the victim's parents and her extended family members were also present.

Addressing the media from the hospital premises, the victim's relatives levelled serious charges of the Kolkata Police's 'hyper-activity in cremation of the victim's body and insensitive treatment towards family members' post the discovery of the crime on August 9.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called upon the top military brass to analyse the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as well as the current situation in Bangladesh to "predict" any future problems and stay prepared to deal with the "unexpected".

IMAGE: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari attend the second day of the Joint Commanders Conference 2024, Lucknow, September 5, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

In an address at the maiden joint commanders conference in Lucknow, he also said that the armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace and emphasised on "synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations", in comments that came amid the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The defence minister pitched for deeper analysis of the situation along India's border with China and developments in the neighbouring countries, which are posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region.

The conference with the theme 'Sashakt aur Surakshit Bharat: Transforming the Armed Forces' held extensive discussions on the contours of the government's ambitious plans to roll out 'Integrated Theatre Commands'.

In his remarks, Singh, in presence of the chiefs of the three services, stressed on evolving a joint military vision as part of preparation to confront future security challenges and urged the commanders to identify and include the right mix of traditional and modern military hardware in the arsenal.

On the evolving regional security matrix in the region, Singh said India is a peace-loving nation and the armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace, according to the defence ministry.

It said he stressed upon the significance of evolving joint military vision and preparing for challenges that the country may face in future wars, while emphasising on "synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations."

"Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts and the current situation in Bangladesh, the Raksha Mantri exhorted the commanders to analyse these episodes, predict the problems that the country may face in the future, and stay prepared to deal with the 'unexpected'," the ministry said in a statement.

Singh emphasised on the need of a broader and deeper analysis by the top military leadership in view of the situation along the Northern border and the happenings in neighbouring countries, it said.

"Despite global volatility, India is enjoying a rare peace dividend and it is developing peacefully. However, due to the increasing number of challenges, we need to remain alert," Singh said.

"It is important that we keep our peace intact during Amrit Kaal. We need to focus on our present, keep an eye on the activities happening around us at present, and focus on being future-oriented," he said.

"For this, we should have a strong and robust national security component. We should have fail-proof deterrence," Singh added.

The two-day joint conference began on Wednesday.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane were among those who attended the deliberations.

In his remarks, Singh commended the armed forces for their "invaluable contribution" in safeguarding national interests and advancing the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India).

The defence minister also appreciated the efforts being undertaken for furthering jointness and integration among the three services.

The defence minister stressed on capability development in space and electronic warfare domains, describing them as integral to tackle modern-day challenges.

He also urged the military leadership to focus on increasing the use of latest technological advancements in the fields of data and artificial intelligence.

"These components do not participate in any conflict or war directly. Their indirect participation is deciding the course of warfare to a great extent," he added.

Singh listed the steps being taken to achieve 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence and reiterated the government's commitment to equip the armed forces with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons and platforms.

Singh also voiced the government's resolve towards the welfare and well-being of the soldiers, both serving and retired, and their families.

The conference brought together the combined apex-level military leadership of the country, who deliberated upon the current and future security challenges facing the nation.

The focus of the conference was on future capability building including organisation structures for joint and integrated response and ushering in efficiency, transparency and accountability in the work process during peace and war.

The deliberations spanned across a broad spectrum of contemporary issues such as theaterisation, indigenisation and technological developments including those in the field of robotics and Artificial Intelligence-enabled autonomous weapon systems, the ministry said.

It said special attention was given to the strategic importance of cyber and space-based capabilities in modern warfare, underlining the necessity of preparing for future conflicts that will increasingly span multiple domains.

The conference provided an opportunity for the commanders to review national and international developments that impact India, while discussing measures to further improve the country's defence capabilities, the ministry said.

Singh also launched eight innovative applications including e-Museum and e-Granthalaya along with one publication on Colonial Practices and the Armed Forces -- A Review marking a significant step towards greater cohesion and synergy among the three Services.
Seers of Haridwar on Thursday pitched for the removal of Urdu words like 'shahi' used in Hindu religious contexts and suggested replacing them with their Hindi or Sanskrit substitutes.

Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: AN Photo

The development comes after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, while referring to the Lord Mahakal procession in Ujjain recently, used rajasi sawari instead of shahi sawari.

The seers said that a meeting of the various Akharas will soon be convened in Haridwar to pass a resolution seeking the replacement of words like shahi or peshwai with their Sanskrit substitutes.

According to them, these words are symbolic of India's slavery to the Mughals.

Shahi is often used in the context of Kumbh congregation in which royal bath is referred to as shahi snan.

Supporting the Madhya Pradesh CM, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad -- the highest body of seers -- said that the word 'shahi' is not in the tradition of Indian culture.

"Words like shahi and peshwai are symbols of slavery and were used by the Mughal rulers to show their pride. These words are from the Urdu language, whereas the language of ancient Indian Sanatan culture is Sanskrit from which Hindi has originated," Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri (Niranjani) said.

Words like rajsi were used in ancient times for shahi or royal, he said.

A meeting of the Akharas will soon be called to discuss the matter and pass a resolution for the replacement of the Urdu words used in Hindu religious contexts with Sanskrit-origin words.

The resolution will be sent to the administration of all cities where the Kumbh fair or similar religious congregations are held, Puri said.
Leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) Jagmeet Singh has announced that he is withdrawing support to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

IMAGE: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets community members in Holland park, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on August 4, 2024. Photograph: Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters

The NDP leader on Wednesday in a video posted on social media stated that he 'ripped up' the supply-and-confidence agreement his party made with Trudeau's Liberal government, the Canadian news outlet CBC News reported.

The deal struck between the two leaders in 2022 and scheduled to run until June 2025 ensured the survival of the minority Liberal government and was the 'first such formal agreement between two parties at the federal level'.

Trudeau first took office in November 2015.

Singh accused Trudeau of not being able to take on the opposition Conservatives, who polls indicate are set to easily win an election that must be held by end-October 2025.

"Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians," Singh said in the video as cited by CBC.

The NDP leader spoke of an 'even bigger battle ahead'.

"The threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts. From workers, from retirees, from young people, from patients, from families -- he will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs," said Singh.

Speaking after Singh's announcement, Trudeau said his government is more focused on tackling the affordability crisis and climate change.

The Canadian PM said he hopes the next election will not happen 'until next fall' so that his government has time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care and school food programs.

In a media statement accompanying his announcement, Singh said 'the NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure'.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Singh's announcement a 'stunt' and criticised him for not saying whether he would vote non-confidence in the government.

Through the deal with Trudeau's party, the NDP according to CBS News kept the minority Liberal government in power in exchange for movement on key priorities such as dental care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Thursday said contesting from two assembly seats is not a sign of weakness, but proves the strength of his party.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah after filing nomination papers for Budgam assembly constituency for the assembly elections, in Jammu and Kashmir, September 5, 2024.

Abdullah has filed nomination for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls from two seats -- Ganderbal and Budgam.

"My colleagues wanted to show that the NC is not fighting this election from a weak position, but a strong one. My contesting from two seats is not a sign of weakness, but strength, it is the proof of the NC's strength," Abdullah told reporters here after filing nomination papers.

The former chief minister said if there was any danger of his losing from Budgam, then his party colleagues would not have allowed him to contest from Budgam.

"Whether it is Baramulla, Srinagar or Anantnag, there is a wave in favour of the NC and we hope that the party will be successful and the alliance candidates will also win," he added.

The NC has an alliance with the Congress for the three-phase assembly polls.

Abdullah said the ground situation is in favour of his party and expressed hope the results of the election would prove that.

"We are not like those fools who talked about 400 plus (seats) and then stopped at 240. I hope when the counting takes place, we will be successful," he said.

To a question about Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ram Madhav's allegations that ex-militants are campaigning for NC and People's Democratic Party, Abdullah said the BJP leader should prove his charges.

"Even that we know who the independents are that are being fielded in this election, and who will benefit from their fighting, I think it is a bit rich of Ram Madhav to say that NC is taking benefit from ex-militants. Show us where?"

"The campaign has just only started. I am sure he has access to all the intelligence reports. There is not a single function of ours that is not monitored by the IB, CID or others, all the videos are there, please show us where we are taking support from militants or surrendered militants," he said.

The NC vice-president said he was under the impression that as a result of what New Delhi did in August 2019, "these people were rendered neutral, that they had no more say".

"But, clearly Madhav is suggesting these people actually hold power over what the voters will decide. Which then would suggest that everything they have done after August 5, 2019 has been for nothing," he said.

Abdullah said if his party is elected to power, investigations will be launched into the allegations of corruption and "mis-governance" during the last few years of lieutenant governor's rule.

"We have already said it in our manifesto that the world will be let known through the assembly that people of J-K are not in favour of the decisions taken here. There will be an investigation into the era of mis-governance in the last five-six years, allegations of corruption, and allegations made by senior IAS officers. If any discrepancy is found, then they will be held accountable," he added.

Asked about Congress' district president in Ganderbal announcing to contest against him, Abdullah said such things were expected when the alliance between the two parties took place.

"We knew such things will happen. You cannot make 100 percent people happy in a party during elections. I am satisfied that the dissentions in our party are less than what we expected.

"My colleagues have left their expectations on one side to work for the party and the alliance. I do not have words for them and my regards for them has increased. But, there are some people who have kept their self-interest on top. The voters will decide on them," he said.

Expressing hope that the people will follow the example set in the Parliamentary polls of participating in the elections in large numbers and not boycotting the process, the NC leader said the maps of certain constituencies were redrawn in the delimitation exercise to benefit the BJP and the voters will have to see to that.

"Most of its (delimitation) impact is seen in Jammu. Attempts have been made to change Muslim-dominated constituencies so as to help the BJP, but it remains to be seen how much it would benefit the BJP. We are hopeful that people will participate in the elections in large numbers.

"It used to be said that the NC benefits from boycott. But, we did not see any boycott in the parliamentary polls and we won two out of three. God willing, there will be no boycott this time also and NC will succeed," he added.

To a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on contracts in J-K going into the hands of non-locals, Abdullah said the people of J-K have a right on their resources.

"Outsiders should not get any contracts. They do not do it in other states. Let them do it in Ladakh. There are different sets of laws for Ladakh and for J-K despite the fact that we were created from a single state, by a same order. A non-local cannot buy land or work there or take contracts, but that rule is not applicable for J-K," he said.

Earlier, addressing his party workers here, Abdullah said the assembly election is a fight for "our identity and if we don't fight for it, all the development has no meaning".

"New Delhi will try its best to muzzle our voices. Those who stayed away from elections throughout their lives have suddenly started believing in democracy," he said, referring to the participation of some former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami.

Asking people to stop the BJP from forming the government in J-K, Abdullah said his party needs to get at least 60 to 70 seats in the elections.

"The assembly that is going to be formed won't be the same assembly, it won't have the same powers. But we will put our best show to revive back that strong assembly of ours," he added.

He also expressed gratitude to the people of Budgam for showering love on him.
Indian Americans are likely to vote in the United States presidential elections based on what the candidates have done for them and not on the basis of their heritage or race, a newly formed body representing Asian communities has said, claiming that Republican candidate Donald Trump has a better track record than his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

IMAGE: Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns in North Hampton, New Hampshire, on September 4, 2024. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Harris, 59, is the first ever presidential candidate of Indian heritage on the top of a Democratic presidential ticket which has generated a lot of excitement among members of the Indian-American community in the US. They number about five million.

Co-founder of Asians Make America Great Again (MAGA) Holly Ham told PTI, "I think Indian Americans really look, and not just heritage because someone is on the ticket, but what has that person done? Do they espouse the same values?"

"What has Kamala Harris done for Indians and Asian Indians? What about education rights? She supported, I believe, Proposition 47 in California, and that was to support racial quotas for universities in California. That's a big issue," she said.

While Indian Americans live primarily in Democratic bastions like New York, California and Illinois, and Texas, a Republican stronghold, but in some of the key battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, they can be the margin of victory in a closely contested race.

AsiansMAGA, formed some grassroots Asian American leaders, is a national alliance -- independent expenditure political action committee -- that aims at mobilising Asian American conservatives and moderates across multiple ethnic groups -- Chinese, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipinos -- to help President Trump win the 2024 election.

It is co-founded by Asian community leaders who have proven records fighting for equal education rights and other conservative causes. Many of them escaped communist regimes and are scared by the ongoing Marxist take-over of America, the group said.

"President Trump has always been about meritocracy. I know he's worked hard, his administration has worked hard. He believes in the hard work and the dedication and commitment of Americans. What gets us ahead is hard work and meritocracy. Not because we can check a box and it is our heritage and not because of the color of our skin, the shape of our eyes or that heritage that becomes a racial quota," Holly said.

Holly, who served in the Trump administration, said under President Trump, America had great relationships, especially with India.

"These are the alliances that need to be strengthened. But under (President Joe) Biden and (Vice President) Harris, we seem weak. There are three wars now that would not have happened under President Trump. The relationships that were one strong with President Trump seemed fractured. Definitely not strength. We want to continue by building that," she said.

"Trump is at the end of the day, a people person, right? When you shake hands, he's going to look you in the eye. He is a people lover and he's a people person. When the stakes are at his highest, I know that he will be that people person. But he also knows that protecting our priorities and our safety and our security and our prosperity is going to be top of mind," Holly said.

AsiansMAGA, Holly said, is targeting swing states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada, and Arizona.

"We are targeting Asian-American voters in those states. Our website actually is being translated in multiple languages," she said.

According to Asians MAGA, with 39 per cent of new immigrant Asians supporting the Republican Party and 29 per cent of Asian voters as independent, Asian votes in swing states could become a decisive factor in the 2024 Presidential Election.

AsiansMAGA has started multiple Asian language campaigns to effectively address the key concerns of Asian American communities.

"A Harris-Walz Administration will expand their failing policies from California and Minnesota to the entire nation, further harming Americans. We call upon all Asian Americans to elect President Trump on and before November 6. This is the only way to make America great again, and to restore the American Dream for all Americans!" said AsiansMAGA President Mike Zhao in a statement.
'A campaign that goes beyond caste, creed and religion.'

'This is a campaign that aims to end hunger in society.'

All photographs: Shobha Warrier/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Pothichoru has boiled matta rice, a couple of sides such as thoran and mezhukkupuratti (a vegetable stir-fried with spices), a plain or vegetable-laced moru curry, pickle and chammanthi which is packet in a banana leaf. Omelette and fish fry sometimes makes a special appearance.

A 45 minute drive from Thiruvananthapuram on the Kochi-Kanyakumari highway and you reach Neruvamoodu, a tiny green village.

It is a day of intense activity for DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI-M) workers of this area. Inside the kitchens of many households also.

It is the turn of the DYFI unit to supply pothichoru (rice and curries wrapped in a plantain leaf) to thousands of patients and bystanders at the Trivandrum Medical College.

IMAGE: Food ready to be packed at Suchitra's home.

Sreejith, the area president of the DYFI, tells me that all the 164 units in Thiruvananthapuram have been taking turns in supplying pothichoru ever since the Hrudayapoorvam Pothichoru (loosely translated as Pothichoru, with love or from the heart) project started in 2017.

"We visit each house in our unit two days before the D-day and tell them to prepare pothichoru. The number of pothichoru depends on the capacity of each household. Our volunteers collect the packets from each house in the morning and pack them in cartons in our party office. By noon, our vehicle will be there at Medical College," Sreejith says.



IMAGE: President DYFI A A Rahim.

The beginning of Project Hrudayapoorvam Pothichoru

On the first floor of the DYFI office in Thiruvananthapuram A A Rahim, the Rajya Sabha MP and the DYFI's current all India president, remembers the early days of Hrudayapoorvam Pothichoru.

"It was in this office that we first discussed and gave shape to the project. Two small initiatives that happened at two different places prompted us to start something of this nature. One initiative was by a retired person in a place called Valappil where he was rehabilitating homeless people," says Rahim.

"When he was unable to feed all of them, local DYFI workers took turns in collecting food packets. Almost at the same time DYFI workers of Mannanthala started collecting food packets for the patients at the palliative care centre."

IMAGE: Volunteers at the DYFI's Neruvamoodu office.

Both initiatives came to the notice of the DYFI's state unit and its officials felt it was a good idea to start a project on similar lines at the Trivandrum Medical College.

"We have seen thousands of patients visiting the medical college every day. A majority of them are poor and daily wage labourers. Though the treatment is free, they have to bear other expenses which include food during their stay at the hospital," says Rahim.

"We can imagine how difficult it is if they have to buy food from outside every day for say 7 to 10 days when they don't have any earnings. We thought if we could at least provide food, it would be a big help for those poor people," adds Rahim.

But the DYFI team was anxious on two counts. "One, whether we would get enough packets, that too on a regular basis. Two, whether there would be a demand for food packets daily. Not even in our wildest dreams did we visualise thousands of people standing in queue to collect the food packets."

IMAGE: A Long queue for pothichoru.

The plan they had was to designate one day to one village level DYFI committee to collect lunch packets -- there are 164 such village units in Thiruvananthapuram.

So, on the 1st of January 2017, the DFYI's Mannanthala village committee launched the project in a small way.

Though the plan was to collect 300 packets of pothichoru, there was an overwhelming response from the residents, and they got 500 packets.

"When our target was 300, and we got 500 packets, we knew there were enough kind-hearted families who are willing to contribute. But what shocked us was the number of people who had gathered at the medical college. There were thousands of people queued up and we didn't have enough pothichoru for everyone the first day," Rahim remembers.

"So, from the very next day, we increased the number to 1,000 but we found that was also not enough. 1,000 became 2,000 and then 3,000. On an average we give around 3,000 to 4,000 pothichoru every day."

From the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, they expanded to other medical colleges in Kerala.

IMAGE: Pothichoru packets ready for distribution.

They make pothichoru for strangers

Vidya got up very early in the morning, earlier than usual.

Yes, she has to go to the hospital where she works as a nurse, she has to get her elder daughter ready for school.

In the morning madness, she has to take care of the needs of her 2-year-old daughter too.

But today is a special day. It is her turn to pack a few packets of pothichoru for needy people.

She doesn't know who those people are; she only knows the pothichoru she cooks will help a few hungry people.

Her packed lunch has rice, sambar, a vegetable, egg, fish and pickles in it. She had made 10 packets earlier but with a small child to look after, she could make only 3 pothichoru that day.

"Mornings are crazy at my place. Luckily, my duty today is in the afternoon. Even if I have morning duty, I don't miss an opportunity like this. I have been making pothichoru ever since the project started and I have not missed a single time when my turn came," says Vidya.

"Since I work as a nurse, I have seen many bystanders and patients struggling to get a meal in the afternoon. I know that so many people depend on this pothichoru. The treatment may be free, but it is a big burden for many poor families to even buy one meal a day.

"Sometimes, they have to be in the hospital for many days. So, a free packet of lunch is God sent for the poor. A gift from God. So, it gives me immense happiness and satisfaction that I am also part of this extraordinary effort, and I am able to give food to a hungry and needy person, a stranger," Vidya says with a smile.

IMAGE: Najima and Subraida.

Najima's husband is a daily wage labourer, but he insists that even if there is no food at home, they should not miss giving pothichoru for the unknown patients at the medical college when their turn comes.

Today Najima has made 10 pothichoru packets with rice, sambar, avial and pickles.

Najima's mother-in-law Subaida is "so happy that we are able to help a poor person who is hungry. When I was hospitalised also, I got pothichoru prepared by some unknown person. I know how much a lunch packet like this helps when you are in the hospital."

"It is a very difficult time for us, but we thought even if we can give only rice and chammanthi (a chutney native to Kerala), we should give. My husband told me not to say 'no' when our turn comes. I am happy that I am able to make sambar and avial also with rice," Najima says with pride.

IMAGE: Sherina.

Sherina has been working as a volunteer for this project even when she was in college.

"I collect pothichoru from all the houses in this area and pack them in a carton. I volunteer to distribute the packets at the medical college. My family have also pothichoru and we know how much this helps. My grandmother was at the Regional Cancer Centre for cancer treatment and the pothichoru prepared by an unknown family helped us immensely. We are not doing anything special; just preparing something extra for the needy."

IMAGE: Suchitra and her mother.

Unlike the other households, the spread Suchitra, a temporary employee at the Examination Board and a DYFI worker has cooked, is quite sumptuous: Rice, sambar, vegetables, fish, and chammanthi.

"It gives me so much happiness that I am able to cook with my own hands for some stranger who is in the hospital, and hungry. I am proud of the fact that I am part of such a remarkable effort. We have been making pothichoru from the time the project started."

"We used to make up to 30 packets. Because we are passing through some financial difficulties now, we have made only 8 packets today. We want those who get our packets to feel satisfied after they have their lunch."

IMAGE: Sherina distributes pothichoru.

Endless queue to receive pothichoru

12:30 in the afternoon, and I am at the Trivandrum Medical College.

There is a long queue of thousands of men, women and children, of all age groups.

By the time the van with several cartons of food arrives, it is 1 pm.

Sreejith and Sherina have come from Neruvamoodu to oversee the distribution.

"We have more than 3,500 packets today," says Sreejith.

While the auto drivers who stop work to be volunteers load the food packets on the table, Sherina started distributing the pothichoru, one packet per person.

Many pleading for one more pothichoru but they are politely asked to stand in the queue again for the "priority is to give at least one packet to one person..."

IMAGE: Yasoda and Babu with his children.

The first in the queue is Yasoda, an elderly ailing woman who has been coming to get pothichoru almost every day.

"When you are alone, sick and with no money, none of your relatives are interested in keeping in touch. I have no house and no income. I am sick, but I don't have anyone to take care of me. I am living today only because of the pothichoru I get here... I thank and pray for that unknown woman who took pains to cook pothichoru for sick people like me..."

IMAGE: A mother and child with pothichoru.

Babu is second in line with his two small boys. They have come all the way from Varkala for his wife's third delivery.

The child was born premature and is in the incubator. "My wife is ill. We don't have anybody else. So, I have to be here with my boys to look after her. I have no work and my children can't go to school. I have no money to buy food from outside. Four of us sustain on the two packets we get here. I have no words to say how thankful we are," he says.

This the reason why Rahim calls Hrudayapoorvam Pothichoru an "apolitical movement".

"Our aim is to nurture a generation of young people who can think beyond themselves, think of other people and society as a whole. This is a campaign that goes beyond caste, creed and religion. This is a campaign that aims to end hunger in society."

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
BRATTLEBORO  The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC)'s annual gala will take place at the museum on Sept. 21, from 6 to 10 p.m., and will honor Sara Coffey and Dave Snyder of Guilford for their extraordinary contributions to art and culture in Brattleboro and beyond.

"For over two decades, Sara and Dave have enriched the artistic and cultural life of our entire state, not just Brattleboro," said BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld. "They are true Vermont art champions, and we are grateful for the opportunity to honor them."

The gala raises vital funds for the museum's contemporary art exhibitions, transformative education initiatives and dynamic public events serving thousands of local residents and visitors to Brattleboro.

The museum is offering two ticketing options for the gala: For $125, guests may attend the entire event, starting at 6 p.m. For $30, guests may attend the dance party beginning at 8:30 p.m., which includes complimentary desserts and a cash bar by Saxtons Distillery. The dance party will take place outside the museum, under a tent, with music provided by DJ Wooly Mar.

BMAC invites those unable to attend to contribute to the cause by making a donation in honor of Coffey and Snyder or in support of one of four special initiatives: museum exhibitions featuring the work of emerging, overlooked or historically underrepresented artists; a BMAC program called Head Start with Art, which serves local infants, toddlers and preschoolers; K-6 field trips to the museum; and Glasstastic, a popular bi-annual event in which children's drawings of imaginary creatures are transformed into glass sculptures and exhibited at BMAC.

The BMAC gala is sponsored by Brattleboro Savings & Loan and The Richards Group. Tickets and more information are available at brattleboromuseum.org. Donations may be made online, in person at the museum, or by calling 802-257-0124 x101.

Graduates of Marlboro College, Sara Coffey and Dave Snyder returned to southern Vermont 20 years ago to raise their two children after working in the arts in New York City, Coffey as an administrator for a dance nonprofit and Snyder as a musician and music producer. They launched Vermont Performance Lab (VPL), an artist residency and performance incubator, and Guilford Sound, a recording studio. Together, they have brought noted artists to the area to create work, perform, and collaborate with community members, and they have created opportunities for local artists to broaden and deepen their practices.

Coffey founded VPL in 2006 as a place where dancers, choreographers, musicians, and theater artists could conduct research, partner with regional cultural organizations, and engage with local performing artists and audiences throughout Windham County. VPL's innovations have been recognized by the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the Vermont Community Foundation. Coffey went on to serve as a representative in the Vermont legislature from 2019 to 2024.

Snyder built Guilford Sound over six years, creating an environment with perfect acoustics and cutting-edge equipment but with a notably smaller environmental footprint than traditional recording studios. This established Guilford Sound as an industry leader in energy-efficient, eco-friendly construction. In the studio, Snyder has worked with internationally known performers such as The Pixies and Noah Kahan and local artists such as Eugene Uman of the Vermont Jazz Center, as well as numerous young emerging performers.

Both Coffey and Snyder have served as leaders and volunteers for dozens of of organizations in Guilford, Brattleboro, and throughout the region, including the Brattleboro Music Center, the Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro, the Vermont Arts Council, the New England Foundation for the Arts' Advisory Council, and Guilford's Broad Brook Grange and Community Center.

"Sara and Dave know that a healthy community requires a vibrant cultural life, with opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves, broaden their individual perspectives, and make meaningful connections with one another," said Lichtenfeld. "They turn that knowledge into action every day; the funds we raise on September 21 will enable BMAC to do the same in the coming year and beyond."

Founded in 1972, the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center presents rotating exhibits of contemporary art, complemented by lectures, artist talks, film screenings, and other public programs. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is on a "pay-as-you-wish" basis. The museum, in historic Union Station in downtown Brattleboro at the intersection of Main Street and routes 119 and 142, is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 802-257-0124 or visit brattleboromuseum.org.

The museum is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Brattleboro Savings & Loan, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Sam's Outdoor Outfitters, and Whetstone Beer Co.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The keys to new apartments were handed over to another group of former displaced persons who arrived in Azerbaijan's liberated Shusha city, Trend reports.

The ceremony preceded with 30 families, including 102 inhabitants of Shusha city, making their way back to their homeland today.

As part of the ceremonial handover, representatives from the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs, the State Reserve Department of Shusha city, and the Special Representative Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Shusha district took part in the event.

The families eagerly accepted the keys to their apartments and settled into their new homes.
PUTNEY  Gordon Clark and his Vermont Comedy All-Stars return for a night of stand-up comedy at Next Stage Arts! Featured performers will include several contest-winning and touring comedians most often seen in the Burlington area.

"We've got to keep laughing to handle the news, these days," says Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts. "The Vermont Comedy All Stars bring the best and brightest from around the state and beyond. We've had a number of Vermont comedians go into New York and start careers. We're proud to give them a space in Southern Vermont to be seen."

Ang Buxton is a wild comedian and tiny handed DJ. Born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, Ang is high-energy and smart in a stupid way. Theyve done Denvers Rise Festival and were featured as P3 Comedy Festivals Queer of the Year. Ang has headlined at Radio Bean, Cinema Salem, Dont Tell Burlington, and Nate Jacksons Comedy Club in Tacoma, Washington to name a few. They also produce a bunch of stuff like the Far Out Comedy Festival. Follow them on all social media platforms @bux_wild.

Tracy Dolan has been a staple of Vermonts comedy scene for the past 12 years and has been featured in Bostons Women in Comedy Festival and New York Citys She Devil Comedy Festival. She teaches stand up comedy at the Vermont Comedy Club and regularly features there for national headliners.

Tim Lovett launched his comedy career in Massachusetts, and has now been entertaining audiences across New England for the past 10 years with his unique blend of wit and energy, an engaging style and sharp observational comedy. Along the way Tim has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Donnell Rawlings, Talent Harris, Damon Williams, the late AJ Johnson, Jessica Kirson, and Robin Montague. Tim is also the founder of Comedy as a Weapon, a comedy production brand that showcases diverse comedic voices and brings laughter to a wide variety of venues.

Danny Pee hails from the White Mountains of New Hampshire and now calls the city of Manchester his home. He got his start in the Manchester comedy scene and soon earned write ups in the local press. Danny serves as the host of The Laugh Attic at Strange Brew Tavern and has been featured in Laugh Boston's Roast Battle series. He has enjoyed performing throughout New England and is very excited to return to Vermont.

Gordon Clark (host): Gordon Clark is proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks. A lifelong organizer and activist, he took up comedy when he was nearing 60 and never looked back. Mostly because it hurts his neck when he turns that way.

Gordon is the director of the nonprofit Vermont Comedy All Stars, through which he produces and hosts monthly stand up comedy showcase specials in Burlington (at the iconic Nectars) and Montpelier (Bent Nails Bistro), as well as the quarterly showcase here at the Next Stage Arts Theater in Putney. He lives in Burlington with his wife, dog and cat.

Next Stage is at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets are available at nextstagearts.org. For more information, call 802-387-0102 or visit the website.
U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., looks at some poems written by students from Green Street School during a tour of the floodplain restoration project along the Whetstone Brook in Brattleboro on Friday, June 14, 2024.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Sunshine and a few clouds. High around 65F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 39F. Winds light and variable.
Plans are underway for converting 12-14 Elliot Street into a 10-unit apartment building with a preference for refugee tenants and a commercial space on the ground level.
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.

WEST DOVER  The Vermont Wildlife Festival is promised to be a day full of fascination and fun for all ages.

"The whole point is people who are interested in the outdoors of Vermont have a whole lot more in common than not and this is a great opportunity to experience that, whether you're hunting or you're bird watching," said Michael Clough, managing director of the Vermont Museum of Natural History, formerly known as Southern Vermont Natural History Museum.

Hosted at Mount Snow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, the festival includes live programs, demonstrations and exhibits from more than 25 participating organizations.

"We'll bring all of our critters," Clough said, including snakes, turtles, bugs, hawks and an opossum.

Participating organizations include the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Orienne Society, Turtle Rescue League, The Caterpillar Lab, Squam Lake, Wildlife Encounters, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, Audubon and Vermont State Parks.

"This year, we're going to do a little bit of a diversion from the past," Clough said. "We've been very only native animals but Wildlife Encounters is going to bring a variety of wild animals to meet."

Food trucks will be onsite. BSA Scout Troop 461 will be offering hotdogs, popcorn, fresh cider and an archery range using foam-tipped arrows. Strengthen Your Mind will be conducting a fly fishing demonstration. VINS is bringing birds.

Admission is by donation. Contributions will fund community outreach programs and caring for the museum's educational animals.

"It's something we always wanted to offer to people for free," Clough said of the festival. "We never charged people admission for it, the idea being anybody could go."

Clough said the Deerfield Valley tends to host events that can be expensive to attend.

"We wanted to make sure it was something everyone could access," he said of the festival. "We've had, over the years, a lot of different groups participate."

He noted that having the event at Mount Snow also allows attendees the chance to ride the chairlift, hike or bike.

Clough said the first festival was held in 2010 on Hogback Mountain next to what is now Beer Naked Brewery. Mount Snow began hosting the event in 2016.

"We were invited to piggyback on to the Wine & Harvest Festival," Clough said of the event put on by the Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce. "They do Saturday and we do Sunday."

Clough said he sees "some overlap" in the attendees from both festivals, especially last year when he had a booth at the Wine & Harvest Festival. People asked what was going on with the wildlife festival, leading him to the conclusion that it draws locals, tourists and second homeowners alike.

A hiatus occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and again last year when the museum was getting its footing.

Southern Vermont Natural History Museum's home in flux MARLBORO  The Southern Vermont Natural History Museum is closed for an indefinite period of

Last fall, the museum closed its location on Hogback Mountain in Marlboro due to building issues. A capital campaign is being planned to construct a new museum.

"It hasn't affected our educational programming at all," Clough said. "We're rocking and rolling."

Clough said the Pool Nature Center in Wilmington is working out well for his group. The building and adjacent grounds at the former Pool Learning Center on 117 Adams Cross Road were gifted to the museum in late 2021 after the learning center closed.

Gift to Southern Vermont Natural History Museum provides 'endless opportunities' MARLBORO  In search of more space for a while now, the Southern Vermont Natural History Mus

For the festival, the museum is looking for volunteers. Contact info@vermontmuseum.org for more information.

Sponsors include the town of Dover, Mount Snow, Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce, Green Mountain Tents, Vermont Distillers, Greenes Service Center, Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country Realtors, WW Building Supply and Food Connects.
Robert Beck of Peterborough, N.H. served for 30 years overseas with the United States government in embassies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He now teaches foreign policy classes at Keene State Colleges Cheshire Academy for Lifelong Learning. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
BRATTLEBORO  If you're coming by the Royal Diner on a Friday evening for ice cream or a smash burger and fries, you might find yourself walki
On 4 September, Bakcell, the country's fastest mobile operator, together with Baku City Circuit Operations Company, organised a breakfast for journalists.

At the meeting, representatives of Bakcell and Baku City Circuit Operations Company spoke in detail about the importance of holding motor racing competitions in Azerbaijan and answered journalists' questions.

Speaking at the event, Bakcell's PR and Corporate Communications Director Aysel Suleymanova stressed that the partnership between Bakcell and the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2024 was no coincidence: "Both parties are characterized by speed and innovation. After launching a new brand strategy in April, Bakcell has delivered a series of innovative and high-speed products to users in recent months. For example, the company launched the fastest internet in Azerbaijan, known as Fiber 1. In addition, Bakcell's new products such as the VoWiFi (Wi-Fi calling) service, the Bakcell Card with the widest partner network, and the AI-enabled Tariff Advisor have been of particular interest to our customers.

It should be noted that Bakcell is the official Event Sponsor of the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2024. In this context, Bakcell and Baku City Circuit Operations Company have signed an agreement.

About Bakcell

Bakcell is Azerbaijans first and largest private telecommunications company. Currently, Bakcell serves over three million customers, providing them with high-quality and fast telecommunication services. The company strives to contribute to Azerbaijan's sustainable development through AI-based innovations and solutions and is one of the largest investors in the country's non-oil sector.

Bakcell is part of NEQSOL Holding, an international group of companies operating in various countries across the energy, telecommunications, high technology, and construction industries.
One New Zealand is promoting Kieran Byrne to the role of chief technology officer as Tony Baird steps down after 14 years with the business.

Byrne, who joined the telco in 2021, will now lead the companys mobile and fixed networks, cybersecurity, IT operations and wholesale division.

One NZ CEO Jason Paris said Byrne was an engineer at heart and brings to the role expertise in setting and executing strategy, driving customer and commercial outcomes and strengthening key partner relationships.

He has deep industry knowledge and will be supported by an incredibly strong technical leadership team, Paris said.

While we are sad to see Tony depart the business, we know we are in great hands with Kieran at the helm.

Byrne has spent three years leading technology commercial operations and most recently as general manager, strategy and transformation. He was also appointed a director of the Rural Connectivity Group in October 2023.
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
ROME, Italy, September 5. Italian companies are eager to participate in the reconstruction of Karabakh, Manuela Traldi, President of the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, told journalists, Trend reports.

"The Italian government is making every effort to secure more contracts for Italian companies to implement projects in Azerbaijan. There are increasing opportunities for Italian businesses, including in the liberated territories," Traldi said.

She mentioned that shortly after the 44-day war ended, Italy sent its mission to Karabakh.

"Italy has always supported Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue, and we are happy to be able to contribute to the reconstruction of Karabakh in various ways. This is one of the fundamental aspects of our relationship," Traldi added.

Italy is one of Azerbaijan's major trading partners, with bilateral trade amounting to billions of dollars.
Mongolian officials rolled out the red carpet on September 2 for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin. While visiting the vast East Asian country, which borders Russia to the north and China to the south, east, and west, Putin reportedly inked agreements on the supply of aviation fuel to Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator, and presented proposals to improve rail connections between the two countries.

But Putin's visit made the headlines for different reasons: It was the Russian president's first visit to a member state of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since it issued an arrest warrant for him in March 2023.

The warrant is related to the illegal repatriation and relocation of children from areas of Ukraine seized by Russia following Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Member countries of the ICC are treaty bound to detain suspects if an arrest warrant has been issued, but Putin left the country on September 3 a free man.



What Is The ICC And Why Does It Matter?



The Rome Statute -- which was signed in 1998 and went into force in 2002 -- established the International Criminal Court. The permanent international court is responsible for prosecuting individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.

Campaigners for global justice see it as a significant milestone, as it set up a legal mechanism to hold individuals to account for crimes that transcend national borders.

The ICC is seen as a court of last resort. That means that, under "the principle of complementarity," the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction only if a national court is either unwilling or unable to prosecute grave crimes.

Since 2002, the ICC has indicted more than 50 individuals, mostly from African countries. Twenty-one people have been detained in The Hague, where the court is based; 10 have been convicted, and four have been acquitted.

Who Are Its Members?

There are some notable absences among the court's 124 signatories, including the United States, China, Russia, India, and Israel. Those countries have cited various concerns about the court, including national sovereignty, politicization, and the targeting of their militaries.

In 2016, Russia pulled its signature from the Rome Statute after the court branded its 2014 annexation of Crimea an occupation.

Why Didn't The Mongolian Authorities Arrest Putin?

Mongolia became a member of the ICC in 2003, and, in 2023, a Mongolian judge, Erdenebalsuren Damdin, joined the ICC's panel of sitting judges.

In an August 30 statement, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah underscored that Mongolia, as "a state party to the ICC Rome Statute," must cooperate with the court, including with regard to arrest warrants.

Following calls from, among others, Ukraine, the European Union, and the ICC to either deny entry to Putin or to arrest him, a Mongolian government spokesperson told Politico that the country was dependent on Russian energy and thus wasn't prepared to arrest the Russian president.

"Mongolia imports 95 percent of its petroleum products and over 20 percent of electricity from our immediate neighborhood.... This supply is critical to ensure our existence and that of our people," the spokesperson said.

The ICC does not possess an enforcement mechanism.

What Consequences Could Mongolia Face?

Several international human rights watchdogs warned Mongolia about the consequences of failing to arrest Putin. "If Mongolia provides even a temporary safe haven for President Putin," said Altantuya Batdorj, executive director of Amnesty International Mongolia, "it will effectively become an accomplice in ensuring impunity for some of the most serious crimes under international law."

For Marian Elena Vignoli, senior international justice counsel at the New York-based Human Rights Watch, "welcoming Putin, an ICC fugitive, would not only be an affront to the many victims of Russian forces' crimes, but would also undermine the crucial principle that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law."

"In case of noncooperation, ICC judges may make a finding to that effect and inform the Assembly of States Parties [governing body]," El Abdallah said in the ICC statement before Putin's visit. "It is then for the assembly to take any measure it deems appropriate."

It isn't clear, however, how exactly Mongolia might be sanctioned for failing to arrest the Russian president.

One possibility would be removing both Mongolia's judge from the ICC and removing the country from the list of signatories and ratifiers of the Rome Statute.

What Was Russia Hoping To Get Out Of Putin's Visit?



According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, "all aspects of the president's visit have been carefully prepared." And Bloomberg reported before Putin's visit that Russia had secured guarantees that he wouldn't be arrested during the visit.

Russia was using the trip to "mock the ICC," wrote Elena Davlikanova, a fellow with the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis.

For Russia, the trip provided not only a distraction from Ukraine's recent incursion into the Russian border region of Kursk but was also a way to "help maintain Putin's image as a strong leader at home and abroad," Davlikanova wrote.

She also said that that Putin's trip helped to undermine the ICC and any prospect of future prosecution of suspected war crimes. There is an ongoing discussion among various countries and international bodies about establishing a special tribunal to prosecute so-called crimes of aggression committed by Russian forces against Ukraine.

However, Kenneth Roth, the former director of Human Rights Watch, said that Putin's trip to Mongolia was "a sign of weakness." In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Roth said that was because Putin "could manage a trip only to a country with a tiny population of 3.4 million that lives in Russia's shadow."

Has Something Like This Happened Before?



In 2023, Putin had to skip a BRICS summit in South Africa, following pressure on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's government to detain the Russian leader if he arrived in the country.

South Africa had been criticized before, after it failed, in 2015, to arrest then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, an ICC indictee, during a visit to the country.

And Mongolia itself was among 94 countries that signed a joint statement in June expressing "unwavering support" for the ICC following criticism of the court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. The prosecutor had tried to obtain arrest warrants for two Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and three leaders of the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas.
In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered the keynote address at a posh conference titled Modern Medical Technologies: Tomorrow's Challenges Ahead Of Time.

"We have created this forum for the discussion of promising solutions that are only now appearing and being tested, but that will very soon fundamentally changepeople's lives," the 71-year-old Putin said, pausing several times to clear his throat.



The centerpiece of Putin's speech was the announcement of Russia's 14th "national project," an undertaking called New Health-Saving Technologies. The national projects are multilateral government-led initiatives aimed at improving key areas such as demography, education, agriculture, and health care that were introduced by Putin in 2005 and regularly feature in his campaigns for noncompetitive elections.



On May 16, little more than a week after Putin's fifth presidential inauguration, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova officially presented the new project and announced it would begin in 2025. Golikova stressed that Russia's "demographic trends" have created new "challenges for health care" that, in turn, can help develop "advanced avenues of medical technology."



She specifically mentioned technologies aimed at slowing the aging of cells, neurotechnologies, and "other avenues for increasing lifespans." A key aspect of the new initiative will be working on "biomedical technologies of the future for active and healthy aging," the state news agency RIA Novosti reported.



The focus on slowing aging and increasing longevity attracted the attention of many in medical circles.

The new national project reflects "the whims of an aging Politburo," a specialist at one Moscow hospital said.*



"Everyone ages, including politicians," he said. "Anti-aging therapies are very popular, and the conditions for introducing new technologies are favorable."



A new investigation by Systema, RFE/RL's Russian investigative unit, and the exiled Russian-language media outlet Meduza examines Putin's new national priority project and takes a look at some of the ideas and key players.



'They Wanted The Answers Yesterday'



The budget for the new national project has not been announced. According to the RIA Novosti summary, the project aims to "save 175,000 lives" by 2030. Another target established for the project is that "the share of cases of medical treatment using new medical technologies and innovative medical products" should reach 10 percent within five years.



In early June, the Health Ministry's Department of Science and Health-Care Innovation sent a letter to leading Russian research institutes asking for quick grant proposals in the following areas: developing medical products aimed at reducing the burden of cellular aging, developing new neurotechnologies and related medical products aimed at detecting and treating cognitive and sensory impairments, developing methods of directing the immune system based on its role in the aging process, and developing new medical technologies based on bioprinting.



Bioprinting uses living cells, proteins, and other raw materials to produce human tissues to treat injuries and disease.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Systema and Meduza, was confirmed by two doctors working at medical research centers and an employee of an academic institute. They expressed surprise at the urgency of the request.



"We were asked to immediately send all our ideas," one of the doctors said. "The letter arrived today, say, and they wanted the answers yesterday."



"To be honest, it is the first time in my life that I've seen something like this," he continued. "Usually for a national project or any federal program there are a series of meetings with various specialists, and everything is discussed publicly."



The other doctor said he was "blown away" by the letter.



"Looks like no we have no one to treat but our 'old stumps,'" he said, referring to the aging leadership circle who have ruled during Putin's 25 years as president or prime minister. "Right now [with the war in Ukraine going on], we are supposed to stop everything else. The cynicism is incomprehensible."



The sources Systema and Meduza spoke with said they had not yet responded to the Health Ministry's call for proposals.



"Modern research like what they mention in this national project is pretty expensive," a source connected to the Kremlin said. "They demand a lot of money and resources. Developing new therapies costs billions, which no national project can afford these days."



"I don't think they are going to get anything well considered so quickly," a source in the pharmaceuticals industry said.



'A Servant Person'



One Kremlin-connected source told Systema and Meduza that the genesis of the new national project was "an obsession magnified by lobbying."



"This is Mikhail Kovalchuk, who raves about eternal life and the 'Russian genome,'" the source said. "He ran to the president."

Kovalchuk, 77, is a physicist and the older brother of billionaire businessman Yury Kovalchuk, who has been described as "Putin's personal banker" and who has been closely tied to Putin since the latter was deputy mayor of St. Petersburg in the early 1990s. Mikhail Kovalchuk is the president of the Kurchatov Institute, a nuclear research facility in Moscow, and has been a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences since 2000. Last year he was named president of Moscow's Polytechnical Museum.

Three sources familiar with the evolution of the new national project also named Kovalchuk as the possible initiator of the idea. Kovalchuk is already in charge of the federal genetics program, in which Putin's unacknowledged elder daughter, endocrinologist Maria Vorontsova, plays a prominent role.

In an outlandish speech in 2015, Kovalchuk accused "foreign elites" of attempting to hijack "the evolutionary process" to create "a servant person."



Those people, he said, would have "limited consciousness," their reproduction would be "managed," and they would be fed on "cheap feedfrom genetically modified organisms." He provided no evidence to support the bizarre claims.



Russian media have reported often that Putin believes such ideas. "You can already imagine, and not just theoretically, that man can create people with a given set of characteristics," Putin said in 2017. "It could be a mathematical genius or a brilliant musician. Or it could be a soldier, a person who can fight without fear or a sense of compassion, regret, or pain."



'By Any And All Means'



In October of the same year, Putin claimed that foreigners were "systematically and professionally" gathering Russian citizens' "biomaterial."



"Why are they doing this?" he asked.



In 2009, Kovalchuk's institute carried out a project to "decipher the Russian genome."



He has repeatedly spoken out about the desirability of living a long and productive life. His thinking on the topic has been influenced by Konstantin Skryabin, who worked under Kovalchuk at the Kurchatov Institute on the Russian genome project.



"We [scientists] love to discuss the problem of human immortality," Skryabin told RFE/RL's Russian Service in 2019.



Putin's latest national project on New Health-Saving Technologies would appear to be a result of such discussions, several experts questioned by Systema and Meduza agreed after reading the Health Ministry's letter.



"The big boss has set the task," a researcher at a Moscow research center said. "And the bureaucrats have undertaken to achieve it by any and all means."

Robert Coalson contributed to this report.



*EDITOR'S NOTE: Because the Russian government has designated RFE/RL an "undesirable organization," RFE/RL conceals the identities of its sources in Russia to protect them from prosecution.
Russia was planning to attack Ukraine from the Kursk region before Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion last month, Ukraines top military commander, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said in an interview broadcast on September 5, after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the incursion has not affected Moscows special military operation.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Syrsky said in an interview with CNN that he considers the operation in Kursk a success because it reduced the threat of an enemy attack.

"We prevented them from acting. We moved the fighting to the enemy's territory so that he could feel what we feel every day," he said.

According to Syrskiy, Moscow has transferred tens of thousands of troops to the Kursk region, including some of its best airborne assault units.

Syrskiy also admitted that Ukraine is under significant pressure in the Pokrovsk area, but he said that Ukrainian forces have so far succeeded in stopping the Russian advance there.

"Over the past six days, the enemy has not advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk area. In other words, our strategy is working," he said.

Syrskiy said that the ability of Russian forces to maneuver and deploy reinforcements from other directions has been limited and "this weakening is undoubtedly felt in other areas."

In recent weeks, the front line in the Donetsk region has moved closer to the strategically significant city of Pokrovsk, which in the first two years of the full-scale war was deep behind the front line.

Since its surprise incursion into Kursk, Kyiv claims to have seized control of more than 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory, while Russian forces have pushed ahead with their effort to capture Pokrovsk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview with U.S. broadcaster NBC this week that the aim of the incursion was to accrue Russian territory and troops for future exchanges, emphasizing that Ukraine does not need Russian territory.

"Our operation is aimed at restoring our territorial integrity. We capture Russian troops to replace them with Ukrainian [ones]," he said. "We tell them, you know, we need our military soldiers in exchange for Russian ones. The same attitude is to the territories. We don't need their land."

Putin, speaking on September 5 at the Eastern Eurasian Forum in Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, claimed that by sending troops into the Kursk region Ukraine had weakened its forces in its eastern Donbas region.

"The enemy's goal was to make us get nervous, mess around, move our troops from one site to another, and stop our offensive in key directions, first of all in the Donbas," Putin said. "Did the enemy manage to do so? No, it managed nothing."

Putin claimed that Russia's forces "stabilized the situation and started gradually pushing the enemy from the territories along the border." The move left Ukraine without the means to "contain our offensive" in eastern Ukraine, Putin said.

"To the contrary, by sending its sufficiently big and well-trained units to the border districts, the enemy weakened itself on key fronts, while our troops have expedited their offensive operations," he said.

Putin has previously called the Ukrainian incursion "a provocation" and publicly said it left Russia with no reason to negotiate with Kyiv. He backtracked from that position on September 5, saying that "we never refused to hold negotiations." However, he said in Vladivostok that any peace talks must take into account Moscow's long-standing conditions -- that parts of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops must remain under Moscow's control. Kyiv has rejected these conditions.

Putin also hinted in Vladivostok that when talking about possible talks, Kyiv must take into consideration the future losses it faces.

"It sometimes seems to me that those who now lead Ukraine are aliens or some sort of foreigners. As a matter of fact, they simply do not think, and I am serious about this. You know, [they have] such colossal losses. What can they do further, I do not understand," Putin said.

Putin's statements came as Russian forces targeted the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, with more overnight drone strikes. The Ukrainian military said that several other regions, including the northern Chernihiv and northeastern Sumy regions, were targeted by Russian drones.

In the Sumy region, the government expanded the mandatory evacuation from five towns in two districts.

Sumy Governor Volodymyr Artyukh discussed evacuation measures during a meeting in Glukhiv, one of the areas where shelling has intensified.

In view of the destruction of infrastructure and housing, the regional authorities decided to expand the list of settlements for mandatory evacuation, he said. The order now includes Glukhiv, Esman, and Svesa in the Shostkinsky district, and Manukhivka and Ivanivka in the Konotopsky district.

With reporting by Current Time and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service


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ROME, Italy, September 5. Azerbaijan and Italy plan to establish joint ventures across various sectors soon, Manuela Traldi, President of the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, told journalists, Trend reports.

"We had many productive and fruitful meetings with our Azerbaijani colleagues, involving private sector representatives. A high-level roundtable is also planned, with the participation of Italys minister for enterprise and Azerbaijans minister of economy," she said.

Speaking about the work of the chamber, Traldi emphasized that the organization is focused on attracting investments to Azerbaijan.

"We are doing this in various ways, promoting Azerbaijan in Italy, highlighting all opportunities and government support available, and leveraging every element that could help attract Italian company investments. We established the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce back in 2012, with a focus on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project. I was personally convinced that TAP would eventually be realized, bringing our countries closer together," said the chamber president.

Traldi added that several projects are currently under development.

"In this context, we are closely working with Azerbaijani investment companies, the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), and the Ministry of Economy. I believe the outlook is very positive. We will create joint ventures that will introduce the most advanced Italian technologies into Azerbaijan's business and manufacturing environments. This will further enhance the development and diversification of the economy," she said.

The chamber president noted that the priority sectors for joint ventures include the industrial sector, particularly petrochemicals, as well as metallurgy and agriculture in Azerbaijan.

"In particular, we have several projects in the pipeline that will support the further development of agriculture in Azerbaijan. Additionally, we are developing new projects in healthcare, the industrial sector, and other areas where Italy has significant expertise. These include sectors such as agro-food processing, food production, leather processing, footwear manufacturing, and textiles," she concluded.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland is to make a two-day visit to County Roscommon later this month to meet local businesses.

Governor Gabriel Makhlouf is scheduled to visit Roscommon on September 19th and 20th where he will meet local businesses to hear their experiences and views on the current economy.

During his visit, the Governor will gain an understanding of what is happening on the ground in the county, and the biggest challenges businesses are facing.

He is also due to meeting students from TUS Athlone as well.

Governor Makhlouf took up his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in September 2019.

Before joining the Central Bank, he was secretary to the New Zealand Treasury and the Government's chief economic and financial adviser there from 2011 to 2019.

He also served for a time as principal private secretary to the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, during the Tony Blair led Government.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. COP29 electronic visa portal has been launched, Trend reports.

The State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in collaboration with "ASAN Visa," has launched a special visa application module for COP29 at www.evisa.gov.az/cop29. Given that tens of thousands of representatives from nearly 200 countries will be attending COP29, the portal is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Korean. It offers 24/7 support and a fully electronic, paperless visa process.

Officials, delegations, and other guests seeking a special COP29 visa via the portal must first register through the UNFCCC online registration system. The special COP29 visa is free and can be issued within three business days after submitting the application.

You can find more details about the visa process, including an electronic guide and an informational video, on the portal.

This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COPthe Conference of the Partiesis the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin with its secretariat in Bonn.
County Roscommon is set to enjoy one of the warmest days of the year this weekend, but for one day only.

Met Eireann is forecasting that parts of the county could see temperatures in excess of 25c on Friday as a rare blast of heat hits Ireland.

"Warm and humid with spells of sunshine occurring widely. However, by evening time, thundery rain may affect southern counties, especially coastal areas.

"Highs of 21 to 25 degrees in moderate northeasterly winds," said Met Eireann.

However, while the weather will be mostly dry over the coming days, temperatures are expected to recede gradually and could be as much as 10 degrees lower by the middle of next week as winds change to a northerly direction.

Earlier this week, Met Eireann confirmed that 2024 was the coldest summer across Ireland since 2015.
Wikipedia to shut down in India? Shocking news coming in

Delhi High Court issued contempt of court notice to Wikipedia.

Wikipedia Shut Down in India Latest News? The Delhi High Court issued a contempt notice to Wikipedia on Thursday after news agency ANI alleged that the platform failed to comply with a court order to provide subscriber information about individuals responsible for making allegedly defamatory edits to ANI's Wikipedia page.

Justice Navin Chawla expressed strong disapproval of Wikipedia's actions, warning that failure to comply could result in serious consequences, including potential contempt of court and even a government-imposed ban on the platform in India.

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"I will impose contempt. It is not about whether Defendant No. 1 [Wikipedia] is an entity in India or not. We will shut down your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia," Justice Chawla remarked, stressing that similar arguments had been rejected in previous cases. He added, "If you don't like India, please don't operate in India."

The court has directed an authorized representative of Wikipedia to appear in person on October 25 for the next hearing.

ANI has filed a defamation lawsuit against Wikipedia, accusing the platform of allowing edits that labeled the news agency as a "propaganda tool" for the current government.

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Previously, the High Court had summoned Wikipedia and ordered the disclosure of information regarding three individuals who made these edits. ANI's recent contempt application was filed due to non-compliance with this order.

Wikipedia's legal counsel responded, explaining that the platform needed time to address the court's order, citing the fact that Wikipedia is not based in India. However, Justice Chawla rejected this reasoning, reiterating that it had been dismissed in earlier cases and signaling that the court is prepared to take further action if necessary.

(For more news apart from Wikipedia Shut Down in India Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Setback For Canada PM Justin Trudeau As Key Ally Jagmeet Singh Withdraws Support

Singh emphasized that the real battle now is to defeat the Conservatives.

Canada General Elections 2024 Latest News: In a significant blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Jagmeet Singhs New Democratic Party (NDP) has withdrawn its support for his minority Liberal government, just a year before the upcoming general elections.

In a video shared on social media, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP, criticized Trudeau's ability to effectively counter the opposition Conservatives. Recent polls suggest the Conservatives are likely to win easily in the next elections.

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Justin Trudeau has shown time and again that he caves to corporate greed. The Liberals have let Canadians down and do not deserve another chance, Singh said in his message.

The deal is done.



The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to stop the Conservatives and their plans to cut. But the NDP can.



Big corporations and CEOs have had their governments. It's the people's time. pic.twitter.com/BsE9zT0CwF Advertisement September 4, 2024

Singh emphasized that the real battle now is to defeat the Conservatives, accusing their leader, Pierre Poilievre, of favoring big corporations over ordinary Canadians. Singh warned that Poilievres policies would result in cuts to essential services like healthcare and pensions while benefiting large corporations and wealthy CEOs.

The withdrawal of support comes after an agreement made in 2022 between Singhs NDP and Trudeaus Liberals to support the minority government until October 2025. However, an NDP spokesperson revealed that discussions to end this agreement had been in progress for the past two weeks. Trudeaus Liberal Party was reportedly caught off-guard by Singhs sudden social media post announcing the split, which followed minutes after informing the party.

Singh made it clear that the NDP is prepared for an election and will consider voting against the government on every confidence measure moving forward.

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In response, Trudeau said his government remains focused on addressing the affordability crisis and delivering vital services to Canadians. "These are the things we're focused on. I'll let others focus on politics," he said, expressing hope that elections wouldnt take place until next fall so the government could continue working on programs like pharmacare, dental care, and school meal initiatives.

The sudden withdrawal of support signals a turbulent political landscape in Canada, with both parties now gearing up for the next elections.

(For more news apart from Canada General Elections 2024 Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
New budgetary and fiscal measures

The Romanian government has approved fiscal measures aimed at recovering as much as possible from the debts of natural persons and legal entities to the state budget. The goal is to reduce the budget deficit, one of the highest in the European Union.

Photo gov ro

Sorin Iordan, 05.09.2024, 14:00

The Romanian Government approved, by emergency ordinance, a series of measures aimed, mainly, at improving budget revenue collection and at recovering a significant part of the debts of natural persons and legal entities to the state budget. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu rejected the accusations leveled by the opposition politicians that this move was, in fact, an ordinance of austerity, and showed that the document introduces, for the first time, bonuses for taxpayers who paid their taxes in due time. In turn, the Finance Minister, Marcel Bolos, declared that the debts of companies and individuals to the state budget exceeded, at the end of last month, 70 billion lei (about 14 billion Euros). He showed that there are 330,000 legal entities and more than 840,000 natural persons who are in this situation, and, according to the ordinance, they could benefit from exemptions and even cancellations if they comply with payment obligations by November 25.

Marcel Bolos: For legal entity taxpayers, the cancellation of accessories has been approved as a percentage of 100% of their value, accessories meaning interest, late payment penalties and non-declaration penalties, and for natural person taxpayers we have, depending on the value of the debts, fiscal facilities; so, if these debts are up to 5,000 lei, the cancellation of the accessories is 100%. Also, we have the cancellation of 50% of the main budgetary obligations, and if the debt is over 5,000 lei, then the cancellation of the main obligations is 25%.

Another provision of the document approved by the Romanian executive aims at a better use of the funds allocated for expenses in public services. The finance minister explained that the investments carried out by town halls and county councils are exempt from this provision and that, moreover, the treasury loan ceiling for these projects has been increased.

Marcel Bolos is back with explanations: To support the local public authorities and the investment projects they implement, the ceiling for contracting loans from the State Treasury for the implementation of investment projects was increased to the amount of 2 billion lei. Also the government approved the increase in the withdrawal ceiling by the amount of 700 million lei and, at the same time, a category of special loans was increased by the amount of 1.5 billion lei.

The tax authority estimates that the measures approved by the government on Wednesday will reduce Romanias budget deficit by approximately 9 billion lei (about 1.8 billion Euros) and this in the context in which the country has one of the largest budget deficits in the European Union. Economists anticipate that it will exceed 7% of the Gross Domestic Product at the end of the year. (LS)
President Joe Biden has called on Republicans in Congress to finally say 'enough is enough' and work with Democrats to pass gun safety legislation.

"We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers," Biden said in a statement issued in the wake of the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia.

"These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart," he added.

Two teachers and two students of Apalachee High School in the city of Winder were killed in a shooting spree by a 14 year-old boy on Wednesday.

Eight students and one teacher were wounded.

Police arrested the suspect, Colt Gray, from the campus.

Gray, who is a student of the school, will be prosecuted as an adult, reports say.

Nearly two dozen incidents of shooting have been recorded in U.S. schools this year, according to data by magazine Education Week. This resulted in 11 deaths.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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The United States has warned that any nuclear attack by North Korea against it or its allies will result in the end of the authoritarian Communist regime.

The warning comes in a readout of the U.S.-South Korea Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group meeting, issued by the Pentagon.

The United States reiterated its ironclad commitment to utilize the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to support extended deterrence for South Korea.

In the meeting, the two sides shared assessments on Pyongyang's "dangerous and irresponsible behavior" including its ongoing missile launches and continued pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions. Both sides also shared concerns over North Korea's recent reckless and dangerous behaviors along the DMZ that raise the risk of inadvertent escalation on the Peninsula.

"Both sides reaffirmed that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response, and the United States reiterated that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," the statement says.

The United States reiterated its strong support for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's aim to open a path for serious and sustained diplomacy with the North.

South Korea and the United States identified measures to address the challenge posed by increased security cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Both sides resolved to closely monitor what Russia provides to Pyongyang.

The foreign affairs and defense agencies of the United States and South Korea convened the fifth meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group in Washington Wednesday. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins and Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Cara Abercrombie led the U.S. delegation. First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun and Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Dr.Cho Chang Lae led the South Korean delegation.

The EDSCG serves as a key annual forum for the Alliance to discuss and coordinate on security strategy and policy issues affecting the Korean Peninsula and broader Indo-Pacific.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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Political trouble is brewing in Canada as the New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh withdrew support for Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party of Canada and its minority government. In a video message, Singh alleged that Trudeau will "always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians."

Though Trudeau plans to avoid an early election, however, it would be a difficult time for his government.

Investors might be reacting to the political crisis and the early signs show that Canadian shares might open in negative territory.



On Wednesday, the S&P/TSX Composite Index closed at 23,040.76, down 1.60 points.



European shares are trading broadly down. CAC 40 of France is sliding 37.54 points or 0.50 percent. DAX of Germany is adding 16.35 points or 0.09 percent. FTSE 100 is declining 1.32 points or 0.02 percent.

The Swiss Market Index is falling 115.33 or 0.95 percent.

Asian stocks ended mixed on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite edged up 0.14 percent to 2,788.31.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index finished marginally lower at 17,444.30.

Japanese fell sharply. The Nikkei average fell 1.05 percent to 36,657.09. The broader Topix index settled 0.48 percent lower at 2,620.76.

Australian stocks eked out modest gains. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.40 percent to 7,982.40. The broader All Ordinaries index inched up 0.38 percent to 8,187.70.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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Safe Superintelligence Inc. or SSI, the new safety-focused AI startup founded by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, has raised around $1 billion in the latest round. With the latest investment, the company is reportedly valued at around $5 billion.

As per an update on the SSI site, investors for the new firm, which was launched in June, include NFDG, a16z, Sequoia, DST Global, and SV Angel.

The American firm with offices in Palo Alto, California, and Tel Aviv, Israel notes that building safe superintelligence is the most important technical problem of the present time.

Reuters quoted SSI chief executive Daniel Gross, "It's important for us to be surrounded by investors who understand, respect, and support our mission, which is to make a straight shot to safe superintelligence and in particular to spend a couple of years doing R&D on our product before bringing it to market."

SSI was founded by Sutskever along with Gross, who earlier was with Apple's AI and search, and former OpenAI employee Daniel Levy.

SSI, which currently has 10 employees, reportedly plans to use the funds to acquire computing power and to hire highly talented executives.

On the SSI website, the founders noted that they have started the world's first straight-shot SSI lab, with one goal and one product: a safe superintelligence. According to them, technical problems need to be solved through revolutionary engineering and scientific breakthroughs, and they plan to advance capabilities as fast as possible, while making sure safety always remains ahead.

The company said it is assembling a lean, cracked team of the world's best engineers and researchers dedicated to focusing on SSI.

Sutskever was the chief scientist of OpenAI, the developer of the generative chatbot ChatGPT, and co-led the company's Superalignment team.

Sutskever was one of the OpenAI board members involved in the ousting and rehiring of co-founder and CEO Sam Altman. After Altman's return, Sutskever was immediately removed from the board. Following this, he stayed away from the company's day-to-day operations for months.

In May this year, he left the artificial intelligence startup, indicating about an upcoming project, and in June, SSI was launched.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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The Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of mpox outbreak, has received its first delivery of 99,000 doses for the virus, which was previously known as monkey pox virus.

A second delivery of 101,000 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine, manufactured by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic (BVNKF.PK), is expected to arrive on Saturday.

Congo's minister, Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, told Reuters, "We know which provinces are heavily affected, notably Equateur and South Kivu... The idea is to contain the virus as quickly as possible."

The vaccines were donated by the European Union through the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority.

The Congolese health officials plan to quickly distribute the vaccines to front-line health workers and close contacts of confirmed cases, although logistics challenges might slow down the process.

Another major concern with the vaccines is the cold chain storage issue, as the vaccines must be stored at minus 130 degree Fahrenheit until administered.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, addressed the issue by stating that the WHO had "supported the government to get the necessary cold chain in place for the vaccine delivery," according to CBS News.

Last week, Nigeria received its first shipment of 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent smallpox and mpox in adults aged 18 and older who are at risk of infection.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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With a stylish coupe SUV design, Tata Curvv intends to captivate buyers of C-Segment SUVs and offer tech-savvy and in-trend features

Foraying into the highly competitive and overcrowded compact SUV space, Tata Motors has just launched the Curvv coupe SUV. This is the second coupe SUV launched in compact SUV segment, after Citroen Basalt. Tata Motors has revealed full variant pricing filling in the blanks. This includes automatic variant prices too. Lets take a look.

Tata Curvv DCA Prices Revealed

Considering the massive appeal and profitability associated with compact SUV genre, car manufacturers like to test these waters. Tata Motors, on the other hand, has had significant success in sub 4m segment and relatively decent success in mid-size SUV segment.

The company just launched their first compact SUV in the form of Curvv. Styled as a Coupe SUV, Tata Curvv has an emotional quotient and is pitted as the most stylish offering in its segment. Price-wise, Tata Curvv has an advantage, if you dont bring Citroen Basalt in the picture.

Tata Motors had partially revealed Curvvs pricing at launch. Now, the mystery is over and all the variants now have a definitive price tag on them. Tata has now revealed the prices of all automatic gearbox variants, completing the puzzle. As seen in the table below, prices of just-announced DCA gearbox variants are denoted by * suffix.

Revotron Turbo Petrol engine, Hyperion Turbo GDi engine and Kryojet Diesel engines get a 7-speed DCA (Dual Clutch) automatic gearbox. Prices go till Rs 18.99 lakh (Introductory, Ex-sh) for top-spec Accomplished+ A Turbo GDi DCA and Turbo Diesel DCA variants. These are introductory prices and are subject to change.

What does Curvv offer?

We have driven the Curvv EV at the media drive event held by Tata Motors in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Curvv ICE will offer a similar ethos, but equipped with ICE powertrains. While Curvv is short on occupant space, there is abundant boot space. In fact, Curvv has the biggest boot in its segment at 500L.

There is a very tempting style quotient associated with Curvv owing to its coupe SUV design, which has just arrived in the mainstream Indian car segment. Curvv can easily be the most stylish compact SUV on sale and offers a lot of technology expected in this segment. First-in-segment features like flush door handles, electric tail gate and other elements are notable too.

Coupe SUV genre was not really a thing in the mainstream Indian car market. However, the race between Citroen and Tata Motors began with coupe SUVs being the goal. Citroen Basalt not only broke covers first, but it also strikes extremely aggressive pricing, undercutting Curvv by Rs 2 lakh (Ex-sh).
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. Azerbaijan and Italy have signed agreements on the establishment of joint ventures, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on X, Trend reports.

During the Italy-Azerbaijan Round Table, we signed agreements aimed at establishing new joint production and service ventures, advancing research and development initiatives, and facilitating knowledge exchange. These agreements will not only drive innovation and economic growth but also further solidify the bilateral relationship between our countries, the publication reads.

To note, President of the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce Manuela Traldi earlier stated that Azerbaijan and Italy will soon establish joint ventures in various spheres.

In this context, we are working closely with Azerbaijani investment companies, the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), and the Ministry of Economy. I believe that there's a great deal of potential. In order to improve Azerbaijan's commercial and industrial climate, we plan to form joint ventures that will import cutting-edge Italian technology. Because of this, the economy will be able to grow and diversify even more, she said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. A joint work within COP29 has been discussed during a meeting of the country's Prime Minister Ali Asadov with a delegation led by Ines Rocha, Regional Director for Europe of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Trend reports.

The meeting emphasized a long-term efficient partnership between Azerbaijan and the World Bank (WB), and structures of the WB Group have been discussed.

The importance of the World Bank Country Partnership Framework with Azerbaijan was noted, and views were exchanged on the preparation of a new partnership document to run from 2025 through 2029.

Satisfaction was expressed with the current level of cooperation between the country and the International Finance Corporation and the results of joint projects implemented in various fields.

The meeting also discussed opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including public-private partnerships, attracting foreign investment, and other relevant areas.

This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COPthe Conference of the Partiesis the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin with its secretariat in Bonn.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Researchers at Stanford University have found that an aqueous solution of a common food color approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tartrazine, has the effect of reversibly making the skin, muscle, and connective tissues transparent in live rodents.

We combined the yellow dye, which is a molecule that absorbs most light, especially blue and ultraviolet light, with skin, which is a scattering medium. Individually, these two things block most light from getting through them, said study first author Dr. Zihao Ou, who, with colleagues, conducted the study while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University before joining the University of Texas at Dallas in August 2024.

But when we put them together, we were able to achieve transparency of the mouse skin.

To master the new technique, Dr. Ou and colleagues developed a way to predict how light interacts with dyed biological tissues.

Those predictions required a deep understanding of light scattering, as well as the process of refraction, where light changes speed and bends as it travels from one material into another.

Scattering is the reason we cannot see through our body: fats, fluids within cells, proteins, and other materials each have a different refractive index, a property that dictates how significantly an incoming light wave will bend.

In most tissues, those materials are closely compacted together, so the varied refractive indices cause light to scatter as it passes through. It is the scattering effect that our eyes interpret as opaque, colored, biological materials.

The researchers realized if they wanted to make biological material transparent, they had to find a way to match the different refractive indices so light could travel through unimpeded.

Building upon fundamental insights from the field of optics, the researchers realized dyes that are the most effective at absorbing light can also be highly effective at directing light uniformly through a wide range of refractive indices.

One dye the scientists predicted would be particularly effective was tartrazine, the food dye more commonly known as FD & C Yellow 5.

It turns out, they were correct: when dissolved into water and absorbed into tissues, tartrazine molecules are perfectly structured to match refractive indices and prevent light from scattering, resulting in transparency.

The authors first tested their predictions with thin slices of chicken breast.

As tartrazine concentrations increased, the refractive index of the fluid within the muscle cells rose until it matched the refractive index of the muscle proteins  the slice became transparent.

Then, they gently rubbed a temporary tartrazine solution on mice.

First, they applied the solution to the scalp, rendering the skin transparent to reveal blood vessels crisscrossing the brain.

Next, they applied the solution to the abdomen, which faded within minutes to show contractions of the intestine and movements caused by heartbeats and breathing.

The technique resolved features at the scale of microns, and even enhanced microscope observations.

When the dye was rinsed off, the tissues quickly returned to normal opacity.

The tartrazine did not appear to have long-term effects, and any excess was excreted in waste within 48 hours.

Its important that the dye is biocompatible  its safe for living organisms, Dr. Ou said.

In addition, its very inexpensive and efficient; we dont need very much of it to work.

The team has not yet tested the process on humans, whose skin is about 10 times thicker than a mouses.

At this time it is not clear what dosage of the dye or delivery method would be necessary to penetrate the entire thickness, Dr. Ou said.

In human medicine, we currently have ultrasound to look deeper inside the living body.

Many medical diagnosis platforms are very expensive and inaccessible to a broad audience, but platforms based on our tech should not be.

The study was published this week in the journal Science.

_____

Zihao Ou et al. 2024. Achieving optical transparency in live animals with absorbing molecules. Science 385 (6713); doi: 10.1126/science.adm6869

This article was adapted from original releases by U.S. National Science Foundation and the University of Texas at Dallas.
Doug Coombe Legacy Land Conservancy Land Protection Director Susan LaCroix.

Doug Coombe Legacy Land Conservancy Development Director Krista Gjestland.

Doug Coombe Iron Creek Preserve in Manchester Township.

Doug Coombe Krista Gjestland and Susan LaCroix at Iron Creek Preserve.
Macomb Countys first-ever small business pitch contest was held on Thursday, Aug. 22, at Velocity in Sterling Heights. The inaugural Best of the Zest Food Pitch Competition awarded more than $30,000 in grants and technical assistance to a total of nine packaged food and beverage producers based in Macomb County.The Best of the Zest Food Pitch Competition hosted finalists as they made pitched their businesses to a panel of judges, a la Shark Tank. Each contestant had five minutes to convince judges why they were the Best of the Zest for a chance at a share of the more than $30,000 in grants and small business support services offered by program partners.The contest was launched by Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) and hosted at Velocity. Winning contestants selected from a bevy of small business and technical support services offered by contest partners, a group that included Macomb Community College, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, MSU Product Center, Pure Michigan Business Connect, Taste the Local Difference, and Velocity.The winning small businesses shared in more than $30,000 in grants and business support services. They include Belledines BBQ Sauce and Seasonings Keto Katz Bakery ; Pronko Enterprises, LLC, for Maria's House Made Salsa Teta Foods ; and Thai Feast This was a great contest between a variety of phenomenal new businesses that are really working to establish and grow their footprint in Macomb County, says MCPED Director Vicky Rowinski. It was exciting to learn more about their future plans, and Macomb County and our partners are ready to provide support in helping them achieve their goals. Velocity is located at 6633 18 Mile Rd. in Sterling Heights.Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith
I was always the kid that wanted to know how things worked," says Jesse Hopkins.

The Straightener is based on the classic solid body, single cutaway (electric guitar) that we all know and love from the 1950s," Hopkins says.

Jesse Hopkins in front of his Hazel Park workshop.

Usually with guitar makers, if they do repairs and if theyre good at it, they end up getting bogged down with that kind of work, Jesse Hopkins says.

Clay Avenue Guitar Co. moved to Hazel Park in 2023.

A string of businesses have operated out of the corner building at 24211 John R Rd. throughout the last several years here in Hazel Park, including everything from taxi companies to tax preparers. Its latest tenant, however, doesnt fill the space with the hum of ringing telephones and tapping keyboards. Instead, its a faint radio in the background punctuated by the occasional buzz and blast of power tools. But Jesse Hopkins finds music in the clang and clatter of his workshop  and, as owner of the Clay Avenue Guitar Company , he makes it here, too.For this kind of work, you make a lot of noise. That was a concern for a lot of the people I talked to (before finding this place), Jesse says. Some of the more industrial spaces that we looked at were actually anything but. They had grown into something substantially less industrial and more like call centers and dental labs where they didnt want to listen to saws and Shop-Vacs running.Its not a constant racket that Jesse is making here. Although making guitars requires turning on the occasional saw or CNC machine, its an otherwise quiet workshop. And Clay Avenue Guitar Co. is, at least for now, pretty much a one-man show. Jesse recently brought on an apprentice to help fix the guitars that clients bring to the shop; fixing guitars is what helps pay the bills but making them is Jesse's passion. Bringing on an apprentice affords Jesse more time to focus on that which really motivates him, building out his boutique guitar company to the point of not even needing to fix guitars to pay the bills anymore.Easier said than done, of course.Usually with guitar makers, if they do repairs and if theyre good at it, they end up getting bogged down with that kind of work, Jesse says.Making guitars is a luxury. In the time it takes Jesse to build one electric guitar, currently anywhere from 150 to 200 hours, he could be filling repair orders and paying the bills. And over the decade-plus run of his company, its often been the case that hes had to do just that: fill repair orders and pay the bills. Bootstrapping a boutique guitar company is no easy endeavor. But opening his Hazel Park workshop represents a new chapter for Clay Avenue Guitar, he says. With a plan and a product, Jesse now has the space to bring it all together.The idea is to build these guitars as best we can, approach players that we think are a match and build from there, Jesse says. Were trying to build a Ferrari here, and Im confident at this point that we really are.While Clay Avenue Guitar Co. is primarily run by Jesse Hopkins, his father Larry plays a prominent role. Larry is often at the shop himself, running the machines and bouncing back Jesses ideas with a few of his own. The company itself actually started in 2010 as J & L Guitars, named for the father-and-son team but eventually changed because of an already-established and similar-sounding guitar company.It was Larry who first encouraged his son to entertain the idea of becoming a luthier, the term for someone who fixes or builds stringed instruments. Jesse wasnt enjoying traditional college as a young man, he says. It was his dad who saw Jesses desire and ability to make things with his hands, as well as his love for guitars and music. Larry recommended his son check out Galloup Guitars in Big Rapids, a world-renowned lutherie school that offers apprenticeship programs, professional certifications, and more. Jesse would leave after a short stint at Central Michigan University to attend Galloup, setting him on the path to becoming a full-time luthier.I was always the kid that wanted to know how things worked, and this is the case with people that I've worked for, as well. They say the exact same things, Jesse says. I had Tinkertoys. I had Erector Sets. I had Legos. Anything that I could get my hands on and build things with, I was always doing that. Always spread that stuff out all over the floor on Saturday morning in front of the cartoons, building spaceships and God knows what.After school he left home and worked out of state for well-established guitar companies like Reverend Guitars and First Act. Hed move back to Michigan and purchase a home in Hazel Park in 2006, eventually launching his guitar company from a small workshop in the basement there. By 2010, he approached his dad and they started J & L Guitars. They rented a space at the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit, renaming the company after that locations Clay Avenue frontage. Theyd leave the Russell after that companys building code violations forced an intervention from city officials just one year later.So back to Jesses Hazel Park basement it was. The fits and starts of Clay Avenue Guitar Co. can be traced to any number of reasons, from the difficulties of bootstrapping your way into the boutique guitar business to never finding a proper space to build the intricate instruments. Jesse credits his wife with the companys latest iteration; the couple agreed to sell their home and use some of the money to fund a proper space for Jesse to do business.Hazel Park is conveniently located. The pricing down here is more affordable than four miles north of here, and more accommodating. But youve got to put a little sweat equity into it, Jesse says, which is something he has no problem doing.Jesses flagship guitar is called The Straightener, so named after one of Jesses mentors referred to the riff from Black Sabbaths Wheels of Confusion as the straight. The companys first model, The Boxer, rounds out the current product line and remains integral to their future. But its The Straightener where Jesse sees a path forward.Its based on the classic solid body, single cutaway (electric guitar) that we all know and love from the 1950s that are worth, in some cases, $100,000 today. And thats absolutely prohibitive to most players, Jesse says. So my idea was to take everything that I've learned about guitar making and take that iconic platform that has remained largely unchanged for decades, and carry it lovingly and thoughtfully into the modern age while incorporating some sensible design. What improvements would better fit the modern player? That's this guitar.Where before Jesse would build custom guitars as theyre ordered, maybe making and selling three to four guitars per year, hes now working toward building an inventory of guitars before bringing them to market. It currently takes him anywhere from 150 to 200 hours to build one guitar, but with the new workshop, equipment, and an apprentice that can help with guitar repairs, Jesse is working toward completing each new guitar in about 80 hours. Thats a big difference, and one of the reasons he thinks Clay Avenue Guitar Companys future is brighter than its ever been.The Straightener is kind of the sum of it all. Heres everything that Ive learned manifested into an electric guitar, Jesse says. We call it The Straightener because if you have something that needed to be done and you needed a tool in order to do it, you would want to pick the right tool.
Dela Rosa: Hold Alice Guo accountable to clip possible risk against PH national security

Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo should be held accountable to prevent possible risks against the Philippine national security, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said.

The former national police chief-turned-lawmaker made the statement in light of the arrest of the former mayor in Indonesia.

"Managot ang dapat managot. Kung merong government people na involved kung bakit nagkakaroon tayo ng ganito. At pangalawa, kailangan talagang masiguro natin 'yung ating national security dahil 'yung problema nga natin sa POGO from mere public order issue, it has elevated to a national security issue," Dela Rosa said.

He raised the possibility that Guo's case might be a "state-sponsored migration" which could be a part of a bigger plan against the Philippines.

"May mga tao na pala na nabigyan ng birth certificate. Hindi sila Pilipino, hindi tama na proseso, sa maling paraan. Kaya at stake ang ating national security dito. Baka hindi natin alam, 'di ba, 'yun ang ating kinakatakutan na baka mamaya 'yan ay state-sponsored migration into our territory para advanced party for whatever plans they have against us," Dela Rosa said.

"Kaya dapat talagang ma-establish natin nang husto kung anong dapat na gawin dito sa mga problemang ito," he stressed.

The Senate is conducting an investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in the country.

The investigation into the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac centered on the alleged involvement of Guo to its operations and it was later on discovered that the former mayor of the town is not a true Filipino.

Following these exposs, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered a total ban against POGOs in the country.

Prior to this, Dela Rosa was among the senators who called for the total ban on POGO as several criminal activities are linked to its operations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. Azerbaijan and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have discussed strategic priorities for the transition to a green economy, the chairperson of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Taleh Kazimov wrote on X, Trend reports.

The publication notes that a meeting was held with a delegation led by Ines Rocha, IFC's regional director for Europe.

During the meeting, we discussed strategic priorities for the transition to a green economy in our country, initiatives aimed at developing the necessary infrastructure, and key issues of the Central Bank's sustainable finance agenda. We also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and explored potential areas for cooperation between our institutions, the publication reads.

To note, the IFC has made significant investments in Azerbaijan, totaling over $850 million as of July 1 of this year. These investments have supported a wide range of projects in financial services, infrastructure, and production. Additionally, it has provided valuable consulting services to improve the business environment, develop the financial sector, enhance corporate governance, and support small and medium-sized businesses and agribusiness.
All eyes at the end of the week will be on the US non-farm payrolls report for August, which may decide whether the Federal Reserve opts for a 25 or 50 basis point cut when its meets in two weeks' time.

Consensus is for a moderate improvement in the pace of hiring in comparison to the previous month.

Economists are anticipating 160,000 job gains after the 114,000 increase initially reported for July.

In parallel, the rate of unemployment is seen ticking down to 4.2% and growth in average hourly earnings picking up to 0.3% month-on-month.

Worth noting, in a research note sent to clients, Oxford Economics said that the Fed could not be complacent as up until now people laid off in a given sector had been quickly reabsorbed by rival companies.

But should that change then a sudden rise in unemployment was possible which could snowball.

Nonetheless, Oxford Economics believed that Friday's payrolls number would print at 170,000 such that the Fed would cut by 25bp.

A larger reduction would necessitate a "significantly weaker" August jobs report, they added.

The consultancy was anticipating two 25bp Fed rate cuts before the end of 2024, against Fed funds futures currently on three cuts.

On the company side of things, luxury homebuilder Berkeley Group will provide investors with a trading update.

In particular, investors will want to hear from the builder about the outlook and the operating environment in the first four months of its 2025 fiscal year, said Gregor Kuglitsch at UBS.

The analyst thought that there might have been some improvement over the summer.

At the time of its full-year results, on 19 June, management had guided towards profit before tax of 525m and reiterated its forecast for profit of to 450m in FY26.

Kuglitsch was anticipating profit of 500m in FY26.

For FY25, completions excluding joint ventures were seen at 4,050, versus 3,521 one year before.

Friday 06 September

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More than a quarter of advertisers are planning to cut spending on Elon Musks X over concerns about the social media platforms content and trust in the information disseminated, according to new global research. Advertising revenue flowing to X has been in freefall since Musk bought the site, then known as Twitter, for $44bn (38bn) in October 2022, claiming it had not lived up to its potential as a platform for free speech.  Guardian

Marks & Spencer is using artificial intelligence to advise shoppers on their outfit choices based on their body shape and style preferences, as part of efforts to increase online sales. The 130-year-old retailer is using the technology to personalise consumers online experience, and suggest items to buy.  Guardian

The BBC has confirmed plans to cut dozens more jobs in its local operations even as bosses pledged to spend 80m on diversity programmes. The BBC will cut around 115 editorial and production roles as it battles to plug a black hole in its finances, equivalent to 3pc of the divisions workforce. Further cuts are planned in operations departments.  Telegraph

Volvo, the Swedish car marque renowned for its environmental commitment, has scrapped plans to sell only fully electric cars by 2030 in the latest sign of a global slowdown in growth for battery-powered vehicles. Another of Europes leading car makers, Germanys Volkswagen, has indicated it could shed thousands of jobs because of expected lower demand in a market disrupted by political and regulatory diktats on zero-emission vehicles.  The Times

The proportion of former rental properties for sale is the highest on record, an increase that may be driven by landlords fears of an increase in capital gains tax in the budget, according to Rightmove. Eighteen per cent of properties for sale were previously on the rental market, compared with 8 per cent in 2010. The property website said that landlords fears that the budget on October 30 would result in an increase in capital gains tax  a tax on the profit made when an asset is sold  could be behind the surge.  The Times
R.L. Stine Mackenzi Lee

R.L. Stine is one of the bestselling children's authors in history--his Goosebumps and Fear Street series have sold more than 400 million copies around the world and have been translated into 32 languages. Several TV series have been based on his work, as well as two feature films, Goosebumps (2015) and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018), starring Jack Black. Stine lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, an editor and publisher.

Mackenzi Lee holds a BA in history and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Simmons College. She is the author of the bestselling historical fantasy novels This Monstrous Thing, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (which won a 2018 Stonewall Honor Award and was a Shelf Awareness Best Book) and its sequel, The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. When not writing, Lee works as an independent bookseller, drinks too much Diet Coke and romps with her Saint Bernard, Queenie.

Here, Lee, whose YA novelization of Marvel's Loki in Loki: Where Mischief Lies was just published by Disney, chats with Stine about the Just Beyond series, his first original graphic novels, now available from Boom! Studios.

Mackenzi Lee: I'm so happy to be talking to you. Your books are legendary--as I'm sure you know.

R.L. Stine: Well, thank you.

Lee: So, my first question is, did you always want to be a writer?

Stine: I was this weird kid. I dragged a typewriter into my room and started typing all kinds of stories, joke books and little magazines. I would stay in my room for hours. My mother would stand outside my door and say, "What's wrong with you? Go outside and play!" and I'd say, "It's boring out there."

Lee: We were all weird kids. I think that's why we're writers now.

Stine: Well, to be serious, I was a very fearful kid. I was afraid of a lot of things and very shy. So I think it was comforting. It was a great escape to be in my room creating all this stuff.

Lee: If you were a fearful kid, were you into horror? Or did the interest in writing horror come later?

Stine: Everything I wrote was funny. But when I was a kid there were these horror comics, Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror. I loved them partly because the art was so amazing! I was a big comic book freak. They were gruesome, horrible, bloody stories and they all had a funny twist. I just loved that. They were very influential on me back then.

Lee: And now you're writing this original graphic novel series, Just Beyond. How is the process different than writing prose?

Stine: I'm having fun doing something different. It's a lot like script writing, which I've done. I'm not good at description. I don't have the writer's eye for describing things. When you write a comic book, you don't have to describe much. It's all dialogue. You can give art direction and say, "You flew across the room," then the artist has to figure out what the room looks like. It's kind of a pleasure for me to mostly write dialogue.

Lee: That sounds kind of like a dream.

Stine: Well, it is. It's not anything I ever really thought I would do. Everything that ever happened to me wasn't my idea. It wasn't my idea to be scary.

Lee: So how did that come about? Being scary?

Stine: I was writing a humor magazine with Scholastic called Bananas. One day I was having lunch with the editorial director at Scholastic. She had had a fight with a guy who wrote teen horror novels. She said, "Hey! You can write a good horror novel for teenagers! Go write a book called Blind Date." I didn't know what she was talking about. But I was at that point in my career where you don't say no. So, I said, "Sure, no problem." And I ran to the bookstore to find out what other people were doing. I wrote Blind Date and it became a bestseller. A year later I wrote Twisted. That was a number-one bestseller, and I thought, forget the funny stuff! Kids want scary! I'm going to be scary. I've been scary ever since, but it's kind of embarrassing because it wasn't my idea.

Lee: What is it about horror that attracts kids so much?

Stine: It was quite a discovery. I went to schools saying, "Why do you like these books?" Every time, they said, "I like to be scared." They like to be scared if they know they're safe at the same time.

Lee: What can readers expect from this new graphic novel series?

Stine: The stories go just beyond. The very first one, called the Scare School, is a about very normal-looking school but you have to go just beyond to find the horror that lies there. All the stories start out with something nice.

Lee: I've got one more question. As the most prolific horror author for young people, what scares you?

Lee: I can tell you the scariest moment of my life. When my son, Matt, was four, I took him to the New York Automobile Show. Thousands of people and hundreds of cars. And I lost him. I can still feel that moment of incredible fear, looking around in total panic. Then I spot him over by a car. I went running over to him and said, "Matt! Matt, are you okay?" He said, "Where were you, dad? I was about to call the manager." That 30 seconds was the scariest moment of my life.

Lee: Thank you so much for talking to me, Bob. Congratulations on the new series.

Stine: This was fun. Thank you, Mackenzi.
Jamil Zaki

(photo: Vern Evans)

A professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory, Jamil Zaki is the author of The War for Kindness. His second book, Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness (Grand Central, $30) is a striking blend of science and storytelling on the harmful effects of cynicism that explores strategies for rebuilding trust on a global scale.

In Hope for Cynics, you share a powerful personal narrative of struggling with a tendency toward cynicism. Today, where are you on the journey toward what you call hopeful skepticism?

It remains a journey. As I write in the book, I've studied the science of empathy, kindness, and human connection for 20 years. Much of my research points to a simple conclusion: there is good in us, and it does good for us. But knowing something is different than feeling it, and, personally, I've long struggled with cynicism--the belief that people are selfish, greedy, and dishonest. I'm not alone; over recent decades, people around the world have lost faith in each other and in all sorts of institutions, from government to science to education.

Cynicism is an understandable response to injustice and inequality, but it hurts our health, relationships, communities, and social movements. It's also surprisingly wrong. Decades of data demonstrate that people are more trustworthy, generous, and open-minded than cynics realize. That's why I suggest hopeful skepticism: a view of the world in which we stop making assumptions and observe people more openly, with an eye toward their great potential.

I work on my hopeful skepticism each day. For instance, I practice "social savoring"--taking note of everyday kindness around me, and seeking out media sources that balance bad news with stories of people making positive change. This is not the same as burying my head in the sand or wearing rose-colored glasses--it's acknowledging and fighting a bias to see the worst: taking off the mud-colored glasses we usually wear.

At this time of national division, how do we convince those who are on the extreme end of the cynicism spectrum to engage with the ideas in this book?

The comedian George Carlin once said, "Scratch a cynic and you will find a disappointed idealist." Oftentimes, people trapped by cynicism have been betrayed or hurt; they don't want to lose faith in others but feel they must in order to be safe and smart. But none of us have to feel this way. It absolutely makes sense to suspect or reject people who have done us harm, and to take care of our interests. But cynics become "pre-disappointed," assuming the worst about strangers without evidence. Hopeful skepticism instead suggests we fact-check our feelings. What evidence do we have for our dim theories about others? What evidence would we need? By exploring the world like a scientist, we often find pleasant surprises everywhere.

That also applies to this divided moment in the U.S. and beyond. We disagree more than in decades past and also dislike the people we disagree with more than before. Our differences are real, but in our minds, they expand in unhelpful and dangerous ways. In the U.S., for instance, both Republicans and Democrats believe the other side is much more extreme, hateful, and even violent than they really are. There are, of course, actually extreme and dangerous people all across American culture, but the average person--even the average "other"--is much more moderate and open-minded. When we forget this, we end up escalating conflict that few people want. But inside the data, there's hope! Americans, for instance, agree much more than we realize. Common ground is abundant when we look for it.

Should schools include civics as part of their curriculum from an early age? Over time, could that reduce voters' cynicism toward the political establishment and toward each other?

That's a really powerful idea. I also think such education could separate children's views of the political establishment--which is unfortunately quite cynical much of the time--and each other. One approach is to remember that no matter what elites do, most people share many common goals. For instance, the majority of both Republicans and Democrats believe in expanding support for young children in poverty and other vulnerable groups in America. A supermajority in both parties also wants greater compromise and connection across difference. Educating kids on these themes might empower them to focus on these common goals instead of focusing only on our most intense divisions.

The parenting strategy you refer to as "underbearing attentiveness" is intriguing. Is it difficult to commit to in practice?

For me, yes! Even as I try to expand my own trust and hope, the instinct to protect my daughters from any harm is overwhelming. That is, of course, an ancient and positive desire. But sometimes it can go overboard, for instance through "helicopter parenting," in which kids are prevented from exploring the world in order to avoid any risk whatsoever. This keeps kids safe, but can also deprive them of opportunities and--over time--make them fearful and cynical. Younger generations in the U.S. are the least trusting on record, in part because that's what we've taught them.

For me, practicing underbearing attentiveness means hitting the pause button on my instincts and becoming more intentional. If my kid is struggling with reading, or piano, or a tiff with a friend, do they need me to come in and fix it? Or can I just listen, observe, and show my presence while allowing them to work through it?

Do you have strategies for conserving social energy in between engagements that you could share with readers?

I use two strategies here. The first is to internally commit to both being with people and being alone: enjoying each for its unique pleasures. The second is to remember that my (frequent!) nervousness about social interactions is probably misplaced.

For me, hanging out is like working out: thinking about it ahead of time can be intimidating and even unpleasant, but during and after, I'm glad to be doing it. That's a common experience. Research from around the world shows that people underestimate how good it is to spend time with others. In the hours before a dinner party or school event, I try to remind myself of those studies, and remember that my future self will probably thank me for spending time with people.

What are your aspirations for Hope for Cynics once it is released into the world?

Back in 2021, when my cynicism was at its peak, I needed this book. Diving into the decades of data on human goodness was not just a scientific exercise, but a deeply personal journey that changed how I think, feel, and decide. Cynicism is like quicksand for our minds--it traps us in a version of the world and our lives few people want. My hope is that this book can spring people from that trap, the same way it did for me, and empower them to connect more, pay closer attention to humanity, and work together to build the future most of us want. --Shahina Piyarali
At an event hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, introduced the Vishvasya Blockchain Technology Stack. This new service provides Blockchain-as-a-Service with a geographically distributed infrastructure, designed to support a range of permissioned blockchain applications.

In addition, the Secretary of MeitY also launched the NBFLite-Lightweight Blockchain Platform and Praamaanik, a cutting-edge blockchain solution for verifying the origin of mobile apps, along with the National Blockchain Portal. With the aim of establishing trusted digital platforms, MeitY introduced the National Blockchain Framework (NBF) to promote research and application development, thereby ensuring state-of-the-art, transparent, secure, and reliable digital services for citizens.

National Blockchain Framework technology stack is architected with Distributed Infrastructure, Core Framework functionality, Smart Contracts & API Gateway, Security, Privacy & Interoperability and Applications development offering Blockchain as a Service (BaaS). NBF currently supports two permissioned Blockchain platforms and is extensible. The Technology Stack is hosted on geographically distributed infrastructure at NIC Data centers i.e. Bhubaneswar, Pune, Hyderabad.

NBFLite, a Blockchain sandbox platform, is developed especially for startups/academia for rapid prototyping of applications, carrying out research and capacity building. These technologies have been developed by collaborating efforts of C-DAC, NIC, IDRBT Hyderabad, IIT Hyderabad, IIIT Hyderabad and SETS Chennai under the MeitY support.

At the launch, S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, emphasized that the National Blockchain Framework would be crucial in enhancing security, trust, and transparency for various citizen-centric applications, as part of the Government of India's efforts to deliver reliable digital services. He also urged stakeholders to work towards establishing India as a global leader in blockchain technology, promoting the adoption of developed solutions worldwide, and using blockchain to drive economic growth, social development, and digital empowerment.

Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, MeitY, highlighted that the Blockchain technology holds immense potential for transforming governance in India by making public services more transparent, efficient, and accountable. He stressed the need for scaling the applications on NBF across various states & departments and also suggested to explore onboarding new applications/ platforms/ innovative components on the NBF stack.

Smt. Sunita Verma, Scientist G and Group Coordinator for R&D in Electronics & IT at MeitY, explained that the goal of the National Blockchain Framework (NBF) is to create a scalable framework using a Blockchain technology stack on a distributed infrastructure. This initiative aims to tackle challenges such as the shortage of skilled professionals for developing blockchain applications, vendor lock-in issues, and research challenges related to security, interoperability, performance, and other factors.
India and Singapore have signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the areas of digital technologies, semiconductors, healthcare cooperation, and skill development, enhancing the partnership between the two countries. During his visit to Singapore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed with a ceremonial reception upon his arrival at Parliament House.

Prime Minister Modi met with his Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong, and the two delegations engaged in bilateral discussions, culminating in the signing of the MoUs. The first MoU was signed between India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information, aimed at fostering collaboration in the area of digital technologies.

It will facilitate closer cooperation between India and Singapore in the areas of digital technologies, such as DPI, cyber-security, 5G and emerging technologies such as Super-computing, Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence. The MoU will further enable cooperation for upskilling and reskilling of workers relating to the digital domain under the ambit of this MoU.

Another MoU was signed between India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry, focusing on the India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership. This agreement will promote collaboration between the two countries in the development of semiconductor clusters, as well as the nurturing of talent in semiconductor design and manufacturing.

Notably, Singaporean companies, which are part of global semiconductor value chains are keen to invest in India. Dialogue mechanisms set under this MoU will facilitate their investments in India. The third MoU was signed between India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Singapore's Ministry of Health on cooperation in the field of health and medicine.

This agreement will facilitate joint efforts on research and innovation in areas of mutual interest. The MoU also aims to promote closer cooperation in the areas of human resource development in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. It will complement New Delhi's efforts to promote Indian healthcare professionals in Singapore.

India's Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Singapore's Ministry of Education also signed an MoU focused on educational cooperation and skills development. The agreement seeks to enhance collaboration in technical and vocational education and training. With both nations already actively working together in the field of skill development, this MoU will further support and strengthen ongoing initiatives.
To help professionals develop their skills and expand their career opportunities, LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional network, has launched a list of Top 20 MBA Programs to help professionals identify the top business schools to grow their careers.

The Indian School of Business (#6) and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (#19) have been ranked among the Top 20. Stanford University, leads the global list, followed by Institut Europeen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD), France and Harvard University, USA, at second and third rank, respectively. The list evaluates each program on five key pillars including Job Placement, Ability to Advance, Network Strength, Leadership Potential and Gender Diversity to determine the ones that best set their alumni up for long-term career success.

Nirajita Banerjee, Senior Managing Editor and Career Expert, LinkedIn News India, said An MBA can be a powerful tool for professionals looking to accelerate their careers, whether they're aiming for leadership roles, exploring new industries, or even starting their own business. Beyond earning a degree, its a chance to hone key in-demand soft skills like strategic thinking, leadership, and problem-solving  all while building connections that can open doors to new opportunities long after graduation. LinkedIn's Top MBA list aims to help aspiring professionals find the right fit, making their investment truly impactful by connecting them to the programs that can best help them achieve their career goals."

Here are the Top 20 institutions who are featured in the LinkedIn 2024 Top MBA global list:

1. Stanford University

2. INSEAD

3. Harvard University

4. University of Pennsylvania

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

6. Indian School of Business (ISB)

7. Northwestern University

8. Dartmouth College

9. Columbia University

10. University of Chicago

11. University of London

12. University of Virginia

13. Duke University

14. WHU  Otto Beisheim School of Management

15. University of Oxford

16. Yale University

17. Cornell University

18. University of California, Berkeley

19. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A)

20. University of Navarra

LinkedIn has also announced the top 10 MBA programs for network-building capabilities, with a significant presence of Indian institutions. Eight out of the top 10 globally recognized for their networking prowess are based in India. The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade leads the list at #1, followed by the Indian Institute of Management, Indore at #2, and the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow at #3), highlighting the significant role Indian institutions play in fostering valuable professional connections.

Here are the Top 10 institutions for professionals to grow their network:

1. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)

2. Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM-I)

3. Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L)

4. Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C)

5. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A)

6. Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B)

7. Symbiosis Institute of International Business

8. Indian School of Business (ISB)

9. ESSEC Business School

10. ESCP Business School

Here are tips from Nirajita on how professionals pursuing an MBA can boost their career prospects:

Network, network, network . Meet everyone you can, attend school events, build your LinkedIn network as you go (add people as you meet them).

. Meet everyone you can, attend school events, build your LinkedIn network as you go (add people as you meet them). Hone your key human skills - teamwork, collaboration, communication. Business school is all about the team projects, giving you a great chance to build your leadership and collaboration skills.

Business school is all about the team projects, giving you a great chance to build your leadership and collaboration skills. Start posting on LinkedIn sharing your learnings during your course and case study exercises on any business topic you are passionate about. This can help you grow your network and build your brand.

Think about what you might want to do post-MBA. If theres a role you have in mind, look at the skills needed for that role and make sure youre building those skills during the program addressing them in your studies.

If theres a role you have in mind, look at the skills needed for that role and make sure youre building those skills during the program addressing them in your studies. Participate in club events, pitch events and case competitions. There are great opportunities to build your presentation and persuasion skills, and performing well in these events can be a feather in your cap when applying for jobs or starting a new company.

There are great opportunities to build your presentation and persuasion skills, and performing well in these events can be a feather in your cap when applying for jobs or starting a new company. Look for internships, jobs, or campus leadership roles you can take on while youre going through your program, which can help set you up for having stronger job prospects as you near graduation.

Methodology:

The ranking, published by LinkedIn News, is determined by a carefully weighted methodology analysing the career outcomes of millions of MBA alumni, globally. The Top MBA Programs methodology is based exclusively on LinkedIn data and five key pillars:

Job placement tracks hiring rates and labour market demand, measuring the percentage of recent graduate cohorts from 2019-2023 who landed a full-time job within the same year of graduation, in addition to recruiter outreach across recent cohorts at each program.

tracks hiring rates and labour market demand, measuring the percentage of recent graduate cohorts from 2019-2023 who landed a full-time job within the same year of graduation, in addition to recruiter outreach across recent cohorts at each program. Ability to advance measures promotion rates among recent graduate cohorts, in addition to how quickly alumni have reached director or VP-level leadership roles.

measures promotion rates among recent graduate cohorts, in addition to how quickly alumni have reached director or VP-level leadership roles. Network strength measures network depth, or how connected alumni of the same program are to each other; network quality of recent graduate cohorts, measured by connections to director-level professionals or higher; and the network growth rate of recent cohorts since starting the program.

measures network depth, or how connected alumni of the same program are to each other; network quality of recent graduate cohorts, measured by connections to director-level professionals or higher; and the network growth rate of recent cohorts since starting the program. Leadership potential measures the percentage of alumni with post-MBA C-Suite or entrepreneurship experiences.

measures the percentage of alumni with post-MBA C-Suite or entrepreneurship experiences. Gender Diversity measures gender parity within recent graduate cohorts.

To be eligible, MBA programs must be full-time programs and accredited by AACSB or Equis. Programs must have at least 1,500 total alumni, with at least 400 of them graduating within the recent cohort (2019-2023).
To mark this years Teachers Day, Minmini App has announced the launch of its G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) contest, inviting users to post one-minute videos highlighting the impact of a teacher from their academic life. Participants have the opportunity to win exciting prizes by sharing stories about a teacher they believe has profoundly influenced their career or personal growth.

S. Shriram, Executive Vice President of Minmini App, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative. I owe my professional success to two teachers one from high school and another from my B-School. Their guidance has been instrumental in shaping my career. I believe many of us have similar stories of teachers who have greatly impacted our lives, said Shriram. He further emphasized that Teachers Day provides a fitting occasion for users to publicly express their gratitude on a platform like Minmini.

Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, and post their video tributes to their G.O.A.T. teacher using the hashtag #GOAT. The contest remains open until 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 8, after which five winners will be chosen and receive prizes. Users can join in and download the Minmini App from either the, and post their video tributes to their G.O.A.T. teacher using the hashtag #GOAT. The contest remains open until 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 8, after which five winners will be chosen and receive prizes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an invitation to top Singaporean business leaders, urging them to explore substantial investment opportunities in India. Meeting influential CEOs from various sectors including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability, and logistics PM Modi emphasized Indias vast potential for investment and economic collaboration.

In a significant move to bolster bilateral trade, PM Modi announced the establishment of an INVEST INDIA office in Singapore. This initiative aims to further strengthen economic ties between the two nations and facilitate greater investment flows.

Among the distinguished business leaders present were Lim Ming Yan, Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation; Kok Ping Soon, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation; and Gautam Banerjee, Chairman of the India and South Asia Business Group and Senior MD and Chairman of Blackstone Singapore. These leaders play a crucial role in bridging economic relations between Singapore and India.

During the meeting, PM Modi highlighted the elevation of India-Singapore relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which he believes will significantly boost bilateral economic interactions. He praised the contribution of Singaporean industry leaders in fortifying the economic and strategic ties between the two countries.

Acknowledging Indias remarkable progress over the past decade, PM Modi underscored the country's strengths in political stability, policy predictability, and ease of doing business. He projected that India is poised to become the worlds third-largest economy in the near future.

PM Modi also discussed Indias substantial role in global economic growth, contributing 17 percent to the global economy. He outlined several initiatives designed to enhance Indias role in global value chains, including the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, the India Semiconductor Mission, and the development of 12 new industrial smart cities. The Prime Minister positioned India as a robust alternative for businesses seeking resilient supply chains, citing the countrys strategic advantages.

The delegation included other prominent figures such as Lim Boon Heng, Chairman of Temasek Holdings; Lim Chow Kiat, CEO of GIC Private Limited; Piyush Gupta, CEO and Director of DBS Group; Yam Kum Weng, CEO of Changi Airport Group; and Yuen Kuan Moon, CEO of SingTel. Singapores Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam also participated in the event.

memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the semiconductor sector. The partnership will leverage the complementary strengths of both countries semiconductor ecosystems, focusing on policy exchanges, supply chain resilience, and workforce development to enhance the semiconductor supply chains. In a related development, India and Singapore have signed ato collaborate in the semiconductor sector. The partnership will leverage the complementary strengths of both countries semiconductor ecosystems, focusing on policy exchanges, supply chain resilience, and workforce development to enhance the semiconductor supply chains.

This move signifies a deepening of the economic relationship between India and Singapore, paving the way for expanded collaboration and investment opportunities in the future.
Stocks to Watch, Thursday, September 5, 2024: Indian markets are expected to open with a slight positive bias, as GIFT Nifty futures were trading around 25,364 levels at 6:35 AM. However, global market sentiment may dampen investor enthusiasm domestically. While most Asia-Pacific markets rebounded from Wednesday's sell-off, Japan's indices declined. The Nikkei 225 and Topix fell by 0.92% and 0.49%, respectively, while South Koreas Kospi gained 1.15%, and the Kosdaq increased by 0.75%.

Reliance Industries: Reliance Industries Ltd has achieved a major milestone by securing a contract to develop a 10 GWh battery storage project under the government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. This project marks a significant advancement in India's efforts to become self-sufficient in battery manufacturing. On September 4, the Ministry of Heavy Industries revealed that the 10 GWh Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) manufacturing scheme, with a budget of Rs 3,620 crore, received bids from seven companies. These bidders included ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt Ltd, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Pvt Ltd, Anvi Power Industries Pvt Ltd, JSW Neo Energy Ltd, Lucas TVS Ltd, Reliance Industries, and Waaree Energies Ltd.

Adani Enterprises: Adani Enterprises Ltd. made a notable debut with its first bond issuance targeted at individual investors, signaling a resurgence in investor confidence after last year's difficulties. The issuance, spearheaded by billionaire Gautam Adani's conglomerate, garnered subscriptions amounting to nearly Rs 720 crore on its first day, surpassing the initial target of Rs 800 crore, according to lead manager Nuvama Wealth Management. Significantly, the retail portion of the issuance was fully subscribed on the opening day, with applications totaling Rs 250 crore compared to the Rs 240 crore allocated for retail investors.

Canara Bank: Canara Bank recently secured $300 million through its first five-year bond issuance in over five years. The bonds, issued via the bank's GIFT International Financial Services Centre, experienced robust demand, with the offer being oversubscribed by over 2.5 times. Priced at 125 basis points above the five-year US Treasury, the bonds attracted significant interest from investors in Asia and feature a semi-annual coupon rate of 4.89%.

Sona BLW Precision Forgings: Sona BLW Precision Forgings, also known as Sona Comstar, has set the floor price for its qualified institutional placement (QIP) at Rs 699.01 per share, marking a 3% discount from the previous day's closing price of Rs 721.50. The QIP was launched on Wednesday, according to an exchange filing. The company also mentioned that it might offer an additional discount of up to 5% on the floor price at its discretion.

Axis Bank: Axis Bank successfully raised Rs 3,925 crore by issuing 10-year infrastructure bonds, securing long-term capital to meet strong loan demand despite slower deposit growth in the banking sector. The private lender offered the bonds at a coupon rate of 7.45%, with an initial base size of Rs 2,000 crore and an additional greenshoe option of Rs 2,000 crore, reflecting significant investor interest.

Vedanta: Vedanta, a prominent metal company, has received an upgrade in its long-term credit rating from ICRA Ratings, reflecting improved expectations for its credit metrics. This upgrade follows Vedanta's successful $1 billion fundraising through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) in July 2024 and an additional $400 million raised from an offer for sale (OFS) of Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) in August 2024. The rating for its 'Long-term/S term  Unallocated limits' instrument has been raised to [ICRA]AA from [ICRA]AA-/[ICRA]A1+, and the 'Long-term  Fund based  Term loan' instrument has also been upgraded to [ICRA]AA. Both ratings remain on watch with developing implications.

General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re): On the first day of General Insurance Corporation of Indias (GIC Re) offer for sale (OFS), bids reached nearly Rs 2,300 crore. The OFS is designed to reduce the government's stake in the company by up to 6.78 percent. With 58 million shares bid on, the final divestment could be under 3.4 percent. Additional divestments will be required to fulfill the regulatory mandate of 25 percent public shareholding.

Prestige Estates Projects: Prestige Estates raised Rs 5,000 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The company issued 29,868,578 equity shares at Rs 1,674 per share, representing a discount of 4.62 percent to the floor price.

Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABDL): Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABDL) has secured board approval to acquire an 80 percent share in a new venture alongside actor Ranveer Singh. This collaboration will center on luxury and premium spirits, with an investment of up to Rs 70 crore in the new entity.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A woman who taught children with special needs on Staten Island was convicted of scamming over $6,000 from the city Department of Education, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon announced.

Yelena Maur, 37, of Whitman Avenue in Great Kills, pleaded guilty this week to falsifying business records in the second degree and paid back all of the money owed as restitution, with court records indicating the amount was over $6,600.

When Maur perpetrated the con in 2021, she was an employee of Smart Choice Therapy at 1250 Hylan Blvd. in Grasmere, according to the criminal complaint.

Maur stole the money from her employer and the DOE from January to November of 2021 by filling out forms claiming that she was assisting clients during hours when she was not actually working, according to the complaint.

The agency that Maur worked for serves preschool children with disabilities on Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens, according to its website.

A special education itinerant teacher entrusted to care for young Staten Islanders with special needs, Yelena Maur falsified business records for almost an entire calendar year in 2021, personally enriching herself to the tune of nearly $7,000, McMahon said in a statement.

McMahon praised the citys independent Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations (SCI) for the New York City School District, the District Attorney Offices Economic Crimes Bureau and other partners involved in pursuing the case against Maur.

This defendants gross actions  pilfering funds that were meant for children with special needs  is a crime that demands accountability, and I commend Assistant District Attorney Mark DAmato, Deputy Bureau Chief Gregg Brown, and our partners in SCI, the New York State Department of Education, and NYPD for their shared commitment to securing justice in this case, he said.

Anastasia Coleman, special commissioner of investigation for the New York City School District, said in a statement that Maur forged signatures, falsified business records, and fraudulently billed the New York City DOE for mandated services.

Rather than providing these required services to our youngest students, she chose to line her own pockets at the expense of city families, Coleman said.

The staff at SCI are dedicated to rooting out corruption and wrongdoing by school district employees, vendors, and anyone else who attempts to steal or misuse funds designated for the school children of New York.

Coleman thanked the district attorneys office for their continued hard work and support in our efforts to make the New York City public school system a safe and corruption free environment for all New Yorkers.

Maur initially was charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, falsifying business records and petit larceny, according to the complaint.

Smart Choice Therapy Inc is a special education program for preschool children who have or are suspected of having a disability, pursuant to Section 4410 of article 89 of the Education Law, according to the organizations website. Any services provided to the preschool child with a disability are based upon individual needs, as determined by the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) of the local school district that will determine the location where the needed special education services will be provided. Special education services are at no direct cost to the parent; funding is provided through county taxes and state funds earmarked for special education services.

Smart Choice Therapy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Attorney Victor Shulov, the defendants attorney, declined to comment at this time.








BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. The Azerbaijan Energy Regulatory Agency (AERA) hosted a meeting with a delegation from the World Banks Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership (GFMR) program, which was visiting Azerbaijan, Trend reports, citing AERA's press service.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of AERAs Board of Directors Samir Akhundov, World Bank senior gas specialist and delegation leader Robert van der Geest, as well as other delegation members and AERA employees.

Discussions at the meeting focused on the current and forthcoming legislation relating to gas losses and methane emissions during gas transportation and within gas distribution networks.

Additionally, the parties exchanged views on topics of mutual interest.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  New York City students across the five boroughs, including Staten Island, headed back to school on Thursday for the 2024-2025 academic year, as parents snapped pictures and kids ran to hug their friends and teachers.

There were no tears to be seen outside of PS 56 in Rossville. Just shouts of greetings as kids recognized their classmates arriving hand-in-hand with their parents. Crossing guards welcomed back parents and students as they crossed the adjacent school streets as crowds gathered outside the schoolyards gate, which was decorated with balloons, welcome-back signs, and a faint sound of Kidz Bop playing the summers top hits.

Students pose for a photo at PS 56 in Rossville on the first day of the 2024-2025 academic year. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson)Annalise Knudson

Many kids were prepared for the first day, with new backpacks, school-themed attire and first-day-of-school signs.

Im excited to learn new things and kick some academic butt, said fifth-grader Ryan Mannion.

Ayman Youssef was snapping photos of his second-grader Rona Youssef, who said she was looking forward to having the same teacher this year as last school year. She added she was excited to be meeting my friends and seeing them at lunch.

A crossing guard halts turning vehicles at an intersection near PS 56. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson)Annalise Knudson

Kyle Saryian and Wesley Brennan were attached at the hip upon arriving to school early for the first day, and the third-graders couldnt be more excited as more friends appeared.

Im excited to make new friends, said Kyle.

Parents at PS 56 also shared they feel safer with the front doors locked to their kids elementary school.

All New York City elementary public schools will have the Safer Access door locking and security camera system installed by the end of fall. The system will eventually expand to middle and high schools  though a timeline hasnt been set yet.

Rona Youssef and her dad, Ayman Youseff, on the first day of school at PS 56. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson)Annalise Knudson

Thursday also marked the first day of classes for Catholic schools across the city  though their calendars differ throughout the year.

Public schools have about two dozen days off between the first day and last day of classes, which is Thursday, June 26. Catholic schools can end as early as Friday, June 13.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Wednesday marked 57 years since Father Vincent Capodanno died in action while ministering to wounded Marines on the battlefield during the Vietnam War.

Born on Feb. 13, 1929, and ordained a priest on June 14, 1958, the Elm Park native participated in seven combat operations before dying at the age of 38 on Sept. 4, 1967.

Also known as the grunt padre, Father Capodanno was shot 27 times in the back, neck and head on the battlefield in Que Son Valley when he refused to seek cover during the battle known as Operation Swift. Despite his own injuries, the chaplain prayed with a young Marine he saw lying mortally wounded in an open field and fell by his side as he was ministering last rites.

Staten Island Advance front page from Sept. 9, 1967, first reporting news of Father Capodanno's death on Sept. 4.Archival Page

Father Capodanno, who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Navy Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts for his bravery and sacrifice, was officially proclaimed a Servant of God, the initial step to sainthood by the Catholic Church, in May of 2006.

However, in 2022, the Advance/SILive.com reported that an advisory panel of theological consultants tasked with judging possible saints recommended suspending the cause for Father Capodannos sainthood.

With ongoing military actions in the world today, raising someone from the military for veneration may not be appropriate for our Church, one consultant wrote to Dr. Nicola Gori, the postulator of Father Capodannos cause.

Staten Island Advance front page from Sept. 9, 1967, first reporting news of Father Capodanno's death on Sept. 4.Archival Page

That concern was one of several reasons given for the suspension of Father Capodannos sainthood efforts, including his care in maintaining his own appearance  something his supporters have chalked up to the cultural expectations of his Italian-American family.

Mary Preece, of the Father Vincent Capodanno Guild, a private Catholic Church association established to promote the cause for canonization, told the Advance/SILive.com that it was about two and a half years ago that the guild originally presented its findings to the theological consultants, nine priests in Rome, and that the presentation was returned to them because of the concerns about Father Capodannos candidacy for beatification.

It was a little bit upsetting because they didnt seem as if they had done a good enough job of reading the Positio, which was our position paper about why he deserves this recognition, Preece said. And so, Archbishop Brolio, who is the archbishop for the military services, created a new historic commission.

Preece went on to say that the new commission, composed of three historians, was able to address the concerns of the panel with the discovery of even more material about Capodanno than was previously submitted in the original Positio, and that those findings were re-submitted in June.

This was sent over two months ago to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Preece said. So, were at a point right now where our postulator in Rome, Dr. Gori, has accepted our newest material and will represent it to the nine priests, and they wont be the same people who reviewed it the first time. If they approve and say yes, then Father Capodanno will be declared venerable.

Should Capodanno be declared venerable, Preece explained that his body would be exhumed from St. Peters Cemetery and brought to Washington D.C. to be handled by the Military Archdiocese. She added that Rome will also ask for irrevocable proof that two miracles can be attributed through Father Capodannos intercession in heaven for him to be canonized.

Its a fascinating process, Preece said. And it has to be methodical, because otherwise, we are saying definitively that this man, this good and holy priest, missionary and chaplain, is indeed in heaven  well, thats a pretty big deal.

Asked how optimistic she is that things will turn out differently this time, Preece said: Its in Gods hands; Let me put it that way.

As his cause for canonization proceeds, Servant of God Vincent Capodannos life is remembered every Sept. 4 with a memorial Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

The 57th annual Memorial Mass for Father Capodanno was held on Sunday at the Father Capodanno Memorial Chapel at Fort Wadsworth.

For more information about the Father Capodanno Guild and to receive quarterly updates about the cause for canonization, visit: www.capodannoguild.org.
Minetto, N.Y.  A 10-year-old boy was suspended for threatening to shoot up an Oswego County elementary school, according to court documents.

The boy, who Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard is not identifying due to his age, is a sixth grader at Minetto Elementary School, according to a statement provided to troopers by Principal Jennifer Sullivan. The incident happened on Wednesday, the second day of school for the year.

The boy threatened to stab other students with a pencil and shoot up the school, Sullivan said in the statement.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  New Yorkers should consider getting updated coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines as school starts back up and respiratory illness season is right around the corner, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday.

Updated COVID vaccines for the 2024-2025 season are now available throughout the state and can be received at any pharmacy without a prescription.
As you (shopped) for back-to-school supplies for your kids or food for a Labor Day cookout, (I hope you considered) this: The clerks, shelf stockers, truck drivers, and factory workers who make that possible may be working under a threat: Pay union dues or else be fired.

Why? Because New York is one of the 24 forced-unionism states in the country. In your state, union officials enjoy a special privilege that allows them to legally threaten a worker to pay up or be terminated. By imposing a monopoly bargaining contract, all New York employees in a unionized workplace, even those who reject union membership, can be subjected to mandatory dues.

If you think this sounds unjust, youre hardly alone. Poll after poll consistently demonstrates that 8 in 10 Americans agree that its wrong to subject workers to this kind of union coercion.

Fortunately, all public employees have enjoyed First Amendment protection against being compelled to make union payments as a job condition since the 2018 landmark US Supreme Court Janus v AFSCME decision, argued and won by National Right to Work Foundation attorneys. However, private sector workforces in forced-unionism states like New York can still be forced to give money to union officials to keep their jobs.

While thats just plain wrong, coercing workers into subsidizing union officials also holds back a states economy.

A National Institute for Labor Relations Research (NILRR) report, drawing on data from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that the number of individuals employed from 2013 to 2023 grew nearly twice as fast in Right to Work states as in forced-unionism states: 16% in Right to Work states versus only 8.3% in states that allow workers to be fired for refusing to pay union bosses.



The NILRR analysis also found that the cost of living-adjusted disposable per capita income advantage for Right to Work states is equivalent to more than $11,000 a year for a family of four.

The economic data speaks for itself.

Right to Work laws do not outlaw labor unions, and they do not prevent any workers from joining a labor union if they choose. Right to Work laws simply codify one commonsense principle: Every worker should have the choice to join a labor union, but no worker should be forced to pay fees to a union as a condition of employment.

On Labor Day, (I hope we took) a moment to reflect on the benefits that Right to Work brings to workers across the nation, and the difference it could make for New York. Right to Work could mean more individual freedom and economic opportunity for you and your family. Its working in Right to Work states across the country.



Help make New York a Right to Work state. Demand your elected officials embrace the economic opportunity and worker freedom that Right to Work would bring.

(Mark Mix is president of the National Right to Work Committee and National Right to Work Foundation.)
In what feels like the opening scene of James Camerons Titanic, a rediscovered bronze statue emerged from the dark depths of the ocean floor in a recent expedition to the ships resting place.

The two-foot-tall statue of the Roman goddess Diana  nicknamed Diana of Versailles  once watched over the first-class lounge according to RMS Titanic, Inc., the company that helmed the July voyage.

It is the first time in nearly 40 years that Diana has been pictured, and it is the first time that the public can see the statue perhaps admired by passengers on the doomed ship.

She was photographed once in 1986 but a tradition of secrecy around the Titanic wreck ensured her location would remain unknown, the company explained.

Her location was rediscovered on the last day of the expedition.

The trip to the Titanic also revealed that a portion of the ships recognizable bow railing collapsed  a distressing sign that the Titanics decay is very much underway.

This image released on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, shows the bow of the Titanic with a large section of the deck railing now missing photographed this summer by a company with salvage rights to the wreck site on its first expedition there in many years. (RMS Titanic Inc. via AP)AP

The once miraculously intact railing surrounding the bows forecastle deck was missing a 15-foot-long section on the port side, the company said. The expedition team and partners at 3D a Depth immediately reviewed the multibeam imagery from two days prior to confirm that the section of railing had fallen as one piece and was lying on the seafloor directly below.

The company released images of the bow in the sand, which can be seen on their website.

The railing was a key feature in Camerons 1997 movie: Its where Jack claimed his position as king of the world, and where he and Rose shared their first kiss.

More about the RMS Titanic

In this file photo, the Titanic leaves Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912, on her maiden voyage. (AP Photo, File)AP

One of three sister ships, the Titanic was often referred to as unsinkable in its day by those who built it and those who voyaged on it. According to History, the construction of the Titanic began in 1909 and was the second of the White Star Lines Olympic line of ships, known for its luxury and size.

From the start, the Titanics title of unsinkable was flawed. Though the watertight bulkheads could be individually controlled from the bridge of the Titanic and were hailed as state of the art,the walls separating the bulkheads extended only a few feet above the water line, so water could pour from one compartment into another, especially if the ship began to list or pitch forward.

But that wasnt the only fatal error on the behalf of the Titanic: Even the movie Titanic brought up the lack of lifeboats, which couldnt hold half of the ships population of over 2,000.

Four days into the maiden voyage of the Titanic ended in tragedy when the ship hit a large iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912. The ship split in two by the force of the water cleaving it apart. By 2:20 a.m., April 15, 1912, both pieces of the ship had disappeared into the depths of the Atlantic. Only 705 people survived. They were heading to New York City.

The ship would remain undiscovered 700 nautical miles off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, for decades. However, on Sept. 1, 1985, Robert Ballards expedition found the two pieces of the famous ship with a submersible over 13,000 feet down in the Atlantic Ocean, as per Britannica.

CBS News reported that the Titanic is disappearing due to underwater conditions, and estimates it will only be a matter of decades until it is unrecognizable.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Its the first day of classes for tens of thousands of students across New York City on Thursday, as both public and Catholic schools welcome kids back to campus for the 2024-2025 school year.

Parents can prepare for both tears and cheers as students say farewell and greet their classmates and teachers for another year of school.

The last day of classes for public school is June 26, 2025. For Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York, schools can end as early as June 13, 2025.

Heres a closer look at some important information for the 2024-2025 school year.

NEW PHONICS-FOCUSED LITERACY CURRICULUM

Staten Island is part of the second phase of the NYC Reads initiative, which aims to get all students reading on grade level by focusing on phonics and the science of reading, according to the city Department of Education (DOE).

All Staten Island elementary schools will adopt the Into Reading curriculum. A product of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, it offers the same Into Reading program in Spanish, which will be used for schools with dual-language programs.

Students and parents on Staten Island  especially at the elementary school level  will receive the detailed information they need about the new curriculum at the beginning of the academic year.

BLACK STUDIES CURRICULUM

A new Black studies curriculum for students in pre-K through 12th grade will launch in New York City public schools in the fall.

The Black Education Research Center (BERC) at Teachers College at Columbia University recently launched Black Studies as the Study of the World: A PK-12 Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools. It was created in collaboration with the DOE, the City Council and the Education Equity Action Plan initiative, a group comprising educators, non-profits and government leaders.

It aims to deepen students knowledge of early African civilizations and contemporary Africa, African-American history, and the global contributions and achievements of peoples of the African diaspora, as well as to explore the enduring impact of racial inequality on society.

FRONT DOORS LOCKED

Families can prepare to ring a doorbell to enter their childs elementary school once the school day has begun.

Every public elementary school in New York City will soon have fully locked front doors and a two-way video doorbell system as part of the Safer Access system. It is a door-locking camera system, in which front doors of schools will be locked once students arrive. Anyone who comes to visit the school thereafter will have to present themselves to a school safety agent before entry is made.

All elementary schools will have the Safer Access system installed  locking the front doors  by early fall, according to the DOE.

AMENDMENTS TO LOCKDOWN DRILLS

Parents in New York state will soon be notified at least a week in advance of evacuation, lockdown and other safety drills under new education amendments.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) made several amendments related to school safety plans, according to a recent meeting of the states Board of Regents. Members of the states Safe Schools Task Force and the School Safety Improvement Team recommended certain changes, including a requirement to notify parents or guardians about school drills at least one week before they occur.

Other amendments were made to safety plans in schools, which would require schools to conduct drills and training in a trauma-informed, developmentally and age-appropriate manner.

Schools would also not be able to include props, actors, or simulations that would mimic a school shooting, incident of violence, or other emergency. Schools that use those elements, like props or simulations, must not conduct them during the regular school day and would require parental consent.

UNIVERSAL DRESS CODE

New York City public schools could soon have a universal dress code policy, thanks to new legislation approved by the City Council.

The new bill would require the DOE to post dress code policies on its website and report on dress code policies in public schools. This would include information about whether each school has a dress code policy and data on dress code violations and penalties.

Under current DOE policy, schools can form their own dress code policies using city guidelines.

If the mayor signs the bill, it would take effect immediately.

POSSIBLE CELL PHONE BAN

New York City could place a ban on cell phones in public schools by early next year, according to Chalkbeat.

Several public school principals were briefed on the possible policy that could go into effect starting in February. Schools would have to come up with their own mandates, such as if students hand over phones at the start of the school day or if they carry their phones in Yondr pouches from morning to dismissal, according to Chalkbeat.

The mayor said in August that the city wants to remove any distractions from children, but that there are reviews that need to be done to determine the extent of a full ban.

Theres a lot of things that will kick into play, including UFTs, who pays for the pouches, what mechanisms are being used. So weve been doing a lot of reviews. What are the best practices? How could it be done? There will be some action in the upcoming school year. But the extent of a full ban  were not there yet, said Adams.

Back in May, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she was considering a ban on smartphones in schools as several state officials aim to keep children safe online from social media platforms and their impact on youth mental health, according to a report.

Hochul said she plans to introduce a bill later this year that would ban smartphones in schools. If passed, it means kids would be allowed to carry cell phones  not smartphones  that cant access the internet but can send text messages.

Im saying, leave our kids alone, said Hochul during an MSNBC interview. Let them socialize.They can talk to their friends, but stop doing this. Stop selling our kids personal data for your financial gain. And also, parents should be able to turn it off at midnight, let the kids get some rest till 6 a.m. because otherwise, theyre going to this place all night long and theyre exhausted.
An iHeartRadio host is in the hot seat as the latest conservative to bash Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz son, Gus, crying at the Democratic National Convention.

In a since deleted tweet on X, Jay Weber  a former teacher  had this to say of the moment Gus cried, Thats my dad! as Walz accepted the Democratic vice-presidential nomination.

Sorry, but this is embarrassing for both father and son. If the Walzs represent todays American man, this country is screwed: Meet my son, Gus. Hes a blubbering b****h boy. His mother and I are very proud.

Walz has two children, both of whom were conceived by IVF treatments: Gus, and his older sister, Hope.

As reported by Deadline, The younger Walz has ADHD, an anxiety disorder and a non-verbal learning disorder, according to his parents in an interview published before the convention.

In case he deletes his post, this is what it said. pic.twitter.com/Jdot8OVfvg  Shawn Rolland (@shawnrolland) August 22, 2024

The internet flew into a rage over the radio show hosts comments, sparking an apology on X.

This is a fuller apology for something stupid and hurtful I said yesterday. I said it without thinking or having the facts. No excuses. Having been a teacher, Ive had a standard of never involving children, I broke that and Im disappointed with myself. I apologize to the Walz family and anyone who was offended. I feel horrible, I am so sorry, Weber said, according to Deadline.

This is a fuller apology for something stupid and hurtful I said yesterday. I said it without thinking or having the facts. No excuses.

Having been a teacher, Ive had a standard of never involving children, I broke that and Im disappointed with myself. I apologize to....  Jay Weber (@JayWeber3) August 23, 2024

Since the incident, Weber has not been hosting his show, The Jay Weber Show. According to the iHeartRadio website, Ben Yount has been filling in for his absence.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 5. inDrive is interested in cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of intellectual industry development, Trend reports.

This was stated during a meeting between the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, and the founder and CEO of inDrive, the global platform for transport and urban services, Arsen Tomsky.

In particular, inDrive proposed opening in Kazakhstan a university, inVision U, with 400 places for training qualified specialists in the areas of IT, education, science, art, etc.

In addition, the company plans to implement a number of environmental initiatives to improve air quality in large cities. The first project will be implemented in Almaty. Bektenov instructed the relevant government agencies to assist the public project.

In turn, Bektenov noted that Kazakhstan aims to increase the share of digital technologies in the structure of the economy and further increase the export of IT services.

"We welcome the presence of large IT companies in our market," he noted.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of ensuring legality and transparency of labor processes and road safety.

The inDrive service is represented in 750 cities in 46 countries. In 2021, the company achieved the status of a unicorn (a startup company valued at over $1 billion). In 2022, the company's office was relocated to Almaty. Currently, about 800 people work in the Kazakhstan office of inDrive.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 5. The Embassy of Kazakhstan has recommended its citizens to leave Ukraine, Trend reports via the embassy's statement.

"Due to rising tensions and for safety reasons, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Ukraine recommends Kazakh citizens to consider leaving the territory of Ukraine. To exit Ukraine and return to Kazakhstan, the citizens can use land routes: through Poland or Moldova, followed by commercial flights," the statement said.

Besides, the statement noted that for travel through Poland, Kazakh citizens must have a Schengen visa, and no visa is required for entry into Moldova.

"At the same time, the embassy urges all citizens not to ignore air raid warnings and to immediately take shelter, observe personal safety measures, and follow the recommendations of official authorities," the statement added.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In the CBDs west end, near Queen Victoria Market, the former Communications Workers Union headquarters on level nine of 365 Queen Street has sold to an owner-occupier for $3.85 million. Its the first deal in 12 years in the building which is majority-owned by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The ACTU bought into the property after selling its Swanston Street digs in 2006. 365 Queen Street, Melbourne. The sale of the 579 sq m office was negotiated by JLLs Tim Carr and Nick Peden at a rate of $6650 a sq m. The union paid $2 million in 2012. The CBRE team also recently sold a boutique suite on level three of the McPhersons building at 546 Collins Street for just over $8000 a sq m.

Other notable strata offices for sale include level 8 at 420 Collins Street, one the few offices in the building not previously owned by bankrupt Victory Offices founder Dan Baxter. Its for sale through JLL for $2.72 million. Meanwhile, a 196 sq m office on level eight of 140 Bourke Street is also up for grabs. Its 124 sq m neighbour sold last year for $1.23 million. Savills agents Tom OHalloran and Tim Grant are handling that one. On the edge of the legal district, part of level one at Normanby Chambers at 430 Little Collins Street is going to auction on October 3. The CBRE agents are selling the 92 sq m office on behalf of Callum Fraser who jointly developed the building with former wife Zahava Elenberg and father-in-law Morry Schwartz in 2005. Normanby Chambers, 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Its just upstairs from the Chancery Lane restaurant which chef Scott Pickett and his co-owner David Anderson are selling for $10 million. Timber tower US office landlord Hines has scored a fresh tenant for its recently completed timber tower, T3 in Collingwood. Melbourne IVF is understood to have signed up for three levels of 36 Wellington Street, joining the head office of US coffee chain Starbucks. The fertility specialist will be moving out of the Freemasons Fertility Clinic at 344 Victoria Parade into 4800 sq m of the 15-storey Collingwood building.

Hines completed the spec-built timber tower late last year, boasting its design had resulted in a 37 per cent reduction in carbon. It is targeting a 5.5-star NABERS rating and aGreen Star rating of 6. T3 Collingwood by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects. Credit: Tom Blachford In June, Jackson Clements Burrows Architects won the Australian Institute of Architects award for Commercial Architecture for its work on T3 Collingwood. Colliers agent Travis Myerscough, who negotiated the lease with colleague Damien Adkins, confirmed a deal had been done. Its understood about another 5000 sq m of space is under offer. Around the corner, Domain Hill Property Groups Peter Cahill is selling 71 Langridge Street. About half the 5357 sq m building is leased to tenants Broadsheet Media and Akcelo.

CBRE agents Scott Orchard and Will Heffernan, along with Lemon Baxters Paul OSullivan and Hans Fan, have the listing but are keeping mum on the quoted price. Records show German fund manager DWS paid $70.7 million for 88 Langridge Street (also designed by JCB) in 2022, a value of $11,780 a sq m. The part-empty No.71 isnt likely to repeat that bumper price. 71 Langridge Street, Collingwood is for sale. Going to pot Listed medical cannabis grower, the Cann Group, has put its giant glasshouse and warehouse operations up for sale but finding out the price is harder than youd expect.

Nevertheless, the Mildura-based property, which cost around $50 million to build, is being sold with a 10-year leaseback paying $4.2 million a year with 2.5 per cent fixed increases per year. Last week Cann posted its financial results for the year 2023-24 which revealed a sobering write-down of the value of its property, plant and equipment to $76.44 million from $107.39 million. Canns straightened bottom line showed a net loss of $51.24 million after revenues fell 12 per cent to $19.07 million. But looking at the numbers from another angle, revenue from operations improved 11.6 per cent to $15.37 million and if you take out that downer of a write-down, earnings improved 24.1 per cent to a mere $13.2 million loss. Despite its financial woes, the company suggested it wont be reduced to a bargain price: Any offers will be assessed not only against each other but also against other potential funding options that might be available at the time.
Lincoln Minerals has launched a uranium exploration campaign at its Yallunda project on SAs Eyre Peninsula, as it focuses on a 7km-long anomaly identified from a mix of geophysical and geochemical datasets.

Management says it has kicked off an exploration program for environmental protection and rehabilitation (EPEPR) and the lodgement of landowner notifications as it undertakes field reconnaissance and a sampling program across the uranium tenements at its 100 per cent-owned Yallunda project. It is initially focusing its energies on the 7km anomaly, with plans for soil, calcrete and rock-chip sampling in tow.

Lincoln Minerals is aiming to move its SA uranium projects into top gear after planning near-term exploration activities.

Results from the program will assist with site selection for a follow-up geophysical gravity survey and will be integrated with the historical data information to provide Lincoln with the opportunity to unveil the true uranium potential of its underexplored region.

The company recently reviewed all of the targets generated from its exploration programs between 2007 and 2011 and completed an assessment of available historical exploration datasets using modern technical processing. Historic airborne radiometric data highlighted an anomaly returning more than 150 parts per million uranium equivalent across the prospective site.

New airborne radiometric data released by the SA Department of Energy and Mines confirms the anomalous zone, with readings exceeding 150ppm. The data shows that the anomalous zone sits on the eastern margin of the Eyre Peninsula, with the local geology hosting significant magnetite deposits and Lincolns own promising Kookaburra Gully graphite deposit.

The company also referred to a 2011 airborne radiometric survey that was completed by its then-joint venture (JV) partner, Eyre Iron. The survey was responsible for identifying the 7km-long uranium surface anomaly.

Lincoln also has in its kit-bag the Jungle Dam uranium project that sits within the same Eyre Peninsula region. A gravity survey from 2008 has been integrated with modern ground gravity imaging to refine the companys drill targets that surround historic intercepts of uranium mineralisation.

Management says the latest gravity and geological information sourced from SA Government data has been pivotal to improving its knowledge of the morphology of the basement ground in its project area. It has also noted that an upcoming preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for Kookaburra Gully is ahead of schedule and due for completion next month.

According to Geoscience Australia, SA is considered the nations most uranium-friendly State as it actively supports exploration for the controversial metal. In fact, the project approvals process in SA has even been streamlined.

With several projects in SA that show great promise for yellowcake, Lincolns uranium vehicle may be about to move into top gear.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
But the man christened Gucci Scaramucci by former president George W. Bush was never going to slum it in Newcastle for long, and returned to the Harbour City for dinner and drinks that evening, after a quick pit-stop on A Current Affair.

But having rebranded as an outspoken Trump-hater, crypto evangelist and political podcaster, the Mooch is in high demand and travelled to these shores to address the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Investment Summit in Newcastle on Thursday.

Former finance bro Anthony Scaramucci is best known for his tempestuous 11-day stint as Donald Trumps White House communications director which ended soon after he delivered a profanity-laden tirade to a New Yorker journalist trash-talking various other members of the then-presidents staff.

Unsurprisingly, a Merivale joint was on the agenda, with the ASFA hosting an exclusive dinner in the private dining room of Good Luck, the latest bauble in Justin Hemmes hospitality empire.

While CBD didnt score an invitation, we did get our hands on what seemed an intriguing guest list. From the political world, Labors all-powerful national secretary Paul Erickson and Liberal senator for NSW Maria Kovacic were invited. Union types on the invite list included former Australian Workers Union boss Daniel Walton, who now chairs Labor-aligned think tank the McKell Institute, and Tony Maher, president of the Mining and Energy Union, who might not have gotten an invitation had his mob not split from the CFMEU last year.

The superannuation sector was ably represented by ASFAs chair Gary Dransfield, CEO Mary Delahunty and former Australian Super boss Ian Silk, on the boards of Hawthorn footy club and Crown Melbourne and proud owner of corporate Australias most extravagant moustache. Former ABC News Breakfast finance presenter Madeleine Morris, now a consultant with AFSA, was the closest any journos got to the power room.

Also on the invite list were American Chamber of Commerce April Palmerlee, Mills Oakley partner Mark Bland and AMPs director government Alastair Kinloch.

Whatever pearls of wisdom the Mooch delivered about the Trump White House, or the state of play in Novembers presidential race, were sure it beat talking about super.
Bureau of Meteorology head Andrew Johnson giving evidence at Senate estimates in 2022. Credit: Rhett Wyman This should have been settled promptly, Pantechis said. Instead, it took five years of threatened and actual litigation, and that takes a toll on people who stand up for their workplace rights. That cant be underestimated. Chambers said she was pleased the case had finally concluded, and she hoped it would encourage public institutions such as the BoM to put appropriate governance in place. I will take some time to gather my thoughts and have more to say in future, she said. A BoM spokesperson said the settlement was consistent with its obligations as a model litigant to settle claims where possible and appropriate. However, the Humphreys judgment found: The matter was very hard fought both at [the] hearing and in the written submissions. The respondent [BoM] has contested the matter on both fact and law, arguing every available factual and legal point.

The judge also noted that many of the witnesses who gave evidence on behalf of the bureau had since left the organisation but made no finding on this. One of the former employees critical of the BoM worked in the communications team and wound up hospitalised for three months in 2022 after the conditions at work aggravated his pre-existing mental illnesses. In documents seen by this masthead, Comcare accepted liability in 2022 and rejected an appeal by the BoM a few months later. The worst place hed worked

In comments to this masthead, the former employee claimed there was a culture of unrealistic expectations, bullying and gaslighting. The veteran public servant, who asked for his name to be withheld to protect his current job, said it was the worst place [hed] ever worked. Id wake up in the morning and feel like vomiting because I knew Id be hammered from the minute I walked in to 6.30 that evening, he said. The employee claimed he knew of colleagues who took extended stress leave, and a large number of people quit in a single year. His managers at the time have also subsequently left. The BoM spokesperson said a Comcare inspection in December 2022 did not identify any non-compliance with work health and safety legislation. The spokesperson said workplace culture was positive and improving, and staff turnover had declined since 202122. Johnson told estimates earlier this year that the bureaus culture and morale were really strong, referring to the results of the 2023 APS employee survey.

While the survey had some positive results, only about 40 per cent agreed that the senior executive level worked as a team and communicated effectively with the rest of the agency. Twenty-eight per cent said that change was managed well, 17 percentage points lower than other large public service organisations. A BoM spokesperson said this was not unusual, given the organisation had undergone significant change. Another former BoM communications employee claimed she had left because she found it distressing to work for the organisation as she believed it deliberately hampered media reporting of climate change. She claimed that whenever a journalist contacted the BoM with a simple request that mentioned climate change or severe weather, communications officers were instructed to prepare a briefing about the reporter and the questions along with a proposed response, which then had to be cleared by four layers of management and sometimes the chief executive, who often did not approve the prepared statement. No interviews with the BoMs experts were to be granted, and statements could only be written, resulting in thin responses that were often too late for journalists deadlines. She believed this approach was because the chief executive was sympathetic to the former government and then-prime minister Scott Morrison, and climate change policy was known to be a contentious political issue.

Culture of silence In 2022, this masthead quoted Professor Scott Power, a senior principal research scientist who quit the bureau in 2020, who described a culture of silence over climate change at the time. The BoM spokesperson said neither the current nor former government had given any formal or informal directive about how the organisation should communicate about climate change. The spokesperson denied that approvals for media commentary on climate change went as high as the chief executives office, saying it followed the standardised process for all media approvals in place for many years. The spokesperson pointed to the chief executives many statements to budget estimates affirming that the increase in both atmospheric land and ocean temperatures was because of human activity. However, the spokesperson said the bureaus role was to provide data, not to analyse or determine how to respond to the threat. The spokesperson said the BoM employed 297 meteorologists and 28 climatologists, and these experts regularly and publicly communicate the results of peer-reviewed climate change status and trends, consistent with the bureaus role and capability.

Loading The judgment in the unfair dismissal case established that Chambers took a pay cut from her former university role to accept the role at the BoM and was promised she would be entitled to business class flights for work travel. The attempts to fire Chambers started five years ago, after she took two days of approved personal leave after a work conference in Paris. When she returned, she was told she would be audited because she had flown business class, taken leave, and claimed expenses only available to more senior staff. In August 2019, her boss, chief scientist Dr Gilbert Brunet, who had approved the trip including all leave, told her she had not passed probation and would be dismissed, despite having earlier given positive feedback. Chambers said she would seek an injunction, and the BoM made undertakings not to sack her. In November 2019, Chambers performance was again rated by Brunet as unsatisfactory. Chambers complained to the merit protection commissioner, who found the assessment to be wrong and unsupported by evidence.
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Eating outFood Fast-paced, affordable Italian arrives on the James Street of the CBD Doughcraft is cooking Roman-style pinsa (like pizza, but not), house-made pasta and mains, accompanied by cocktails and Italian wines, in a beautiful dining room. Matt Shea September 5, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

When did all the Italian restaurants clear out of the CBD? Coppa Spuntino used to be a post-work go-to on Creek Street. But that venue went the way of the pandemic, and, despite a hugely successful, group-reviving extended pop-up in the former digs of Il Centro (also a COVID casualty), owners Tom Sanceau and Bonnie Shearston currently have the concept on ice while they focus on other projects. Doughcraft on Mary Street is now opening at nights, serving a fast-paced menu of Italian food. Markus Ravik There was Otto at 480 Queen, but it too shifted out of the city during the pandemic to its current waterside digs at South Bank. Which leaves  not much. Theres Guy Grossis Settimo at The Westin on Mary Street, but its an upmarket spot suited for occasion dining. Simone Presta wanted to create something more casual and approachable.

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Exclusive One of citys best young chefs to open restaurant in heritage church I absolutely noticed that lack of Italian restaurants in the city, Presta says. We have Scugnizzi, of course [a hole-in-the-wall on Adelaide Street opened in 2023 by Presta and chef Carmine Guarino] and now Doughcraft, but theres not too much else. City slickers might know Doughcraft as a French-Italian bakery that expanded from its original Albion home in February into the former Mary Street digs of Leonards Bar & Bistro. But now Presta and co-owners Steven Chevalier and Salvatore Compagnone are opening the venue at night as a casual, fast-paced Italian restaurant with a menu thats loosely anchored in Rome but takes inspiration from around the peninsula and beyond. Doughcrafts menu is designed to be affordable, with none of the pastas priced over $34 and the mains $48. Markus Ravik You look at this place and it gives you that dining vibe, Presta says. Its meant to be utilised from sunrise to sunset.

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Im Italian, and one of my business partners [Chevalier] is French. Hes doing his thing with the bakery with imported butter from France and a team of French bakers  and I want to do my thing: Italian dining  pasta and pinsa. Squid ink baccala mantecato and potato ravioli with a puttanesca sauce and stracciatella. Markus Ravik Dont know pinsa? Its a Roman flatbread similar to pizza but with a base made from soy, rice and wholegrain flours that (at Doughcraft) is fermented for 48 hours. Presta reckons its lighter to eat, easier to digest and it comes with a crunchier base than, say, a Napoli pizza, despite being cooked at a lower temperature in Doughcrafts bread oven. Here, its almost like a gourmet pizza, because we apply the condiments to each slice rather than put it all over the top, Presta says. Market fish with salsa verde, orange fennel and balck olive salad, and grilled lemon. Markus Ravik

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There are eight pinsas on Doughtcrafts menu including a margherita (tomato, buffalo mozzarella and crystallised basil), a tartufo (mushrooms, Italian sausage, provola and black truffle), a mortazza (mortadella with sun-dried cherry tomatoes, pistachio and stracciatella) and the Sfizio (cured salmon with rocket, whipped buffalo mozzarella, beetroot and lemon zest). Away from pinsa, Rome-born head chef Edoardo Bianchini is cooking house-made pasta such as a crab meat spaghetti with a white-wine reduction, chilli, breadcrumbs, garlic and lemon zest; gnocchi in pumpkin sauce with feta cheese, fried kale and toasted almonds; and a beef brisket fettuccine ragu with porcini mushrooms, a red wine reduction, tomato sauce and parmesan. Brisbanes most exciting restaurant openings of 2024 (so far) A short selection of main plates includes grilled free-range spatchcock with rosemary potatoes and grilled lemon, grilled tiger prawns with lardo, a cannelini bean cream, sweet paprika and lemon zest, and a 300-gram roasted sirloin with rocket, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and vincotto. Its all as approachable as promised, with none of the pastas priced over $34 and the mains $48.

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Arancini with speck, fontina and peas. Markus Ravik There are so many Italian restaurants in Brisbane, so we wanted to create something different with a little twist, Presta says. For drinks, the cocktail list has been expanded from Doughcrafts previously tight aperitivo hour selection and includes a bunch of twists on the classics, and the venue now serves a 40-bottle wine list that focuses mainly on Italian and French drops. We have the Kangaroo Point Bridge being built right here and the casino just up the road. So this little corner is going to be the James Street of the city. Simone Presta The premises themselves remain mostly unchanged from their days as Leonards, with its fetching exposed brick walls, mosaic tiled floors, and curtains and timber of the dining room.

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But Presta, Chevalier and Compagnone have added new table lamps. Along with the new (as of February) art on the walls, it gives the restaurant a livelier feel, and its difficult to argue with Prestas thought that its a space meant to be seen at night. Doughcrafts bar is serving a cocktail menu that twists the classics and a 40-bottle wine list. Markus Ravik He also thinks of Doughcraft as part of a new CBD food precinct, with Settimo located just up Mary Street, Naldham House reopening across Felix Street and the old Buffalo Bar now being refurbished. We have the Kangaroo Point Bridge being built right here and the casino just up the road, Presta says. So this little corner is going to be the James Street of the city. Open Mon 7am-2pm; Tue-Fri 7am-2pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat 5pm-10pm

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181 Mary Street, Brisbane, 0431 553 833 doughcraftbne.com

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the September 7 edition of Good Weekend. See all 12 stories . The letters arrive at the rate of a dozen a week, addressed to the headquarters of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in Canberra but omitting the official title of the intended recipient, the Australian Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers. When they write to me, theyll write something like, To the man Tom Rogers doing business as the fake election commissioner or Tom of the family Rogers, the living man, he says. Theyre always signed with red thumbprints and use archaic language directly out of the US. Most are penned  and thumbed  by SovCits, as they are sometimes called. Activists aligned with the sovereign citizen movement, a loose group of extreme libertarians who disavow the very concept of the Australian state and who distance themselves from societal institutions. Many refuse to pay taxes or obtain driving licences. The idea of compulsory voting is repellent to them. Some are quite mad, says Rogers. If weve tried to enrol them, quite often they include an invoice for $20,000 for opening the letter from the fake government. Its completely bonkers. Over the 11 years hes been in charge of overseeing Australias elections, Rogers has witnessed a worrying uptick in what he calls tinfoil hat-wearing conspiratorialism. On one level you think its only a dozen letters a week, frankly who cares? he says. But its a bit of a worry that Im getting that much stuff. The world over, democracy is under attack. On January 6, 2021, a sitting American president, who hopes to become the next US president, incited an insurrection aimed at violently overturning the result of a clear-cut presidential election. In Brazil on January 8, 2023, supporters of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro carried out a copycat attack in the countrys capital, Brasilia, after this Trump of the Tropics had also been defeated at the polls. The war in Ukraine is an emblematic struggle between freedom and autocracy. The new cold war pitting the US against China is framed in the same epochal terms. Foreign interference, from bad actors like Russia and China, is where threats to democracy become threats to national security. The worlds richest man, Elon Musk, has become a super-spewer of misinformation through his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), a billionaire who has not only disrupted the economy but been accused of destabilising democracy. The rise of generative artificial intelligence will propagate the mind poison. The body politic here is hardly immune. Adopting a Fortress Australia mentality, moreover, offers little protection from the contagion. Just consider what unfolded during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Melbourne, anti-lockdown protests paraded a gallows through the streets, seemingly mimicking the January 6 insurrectionists. Some pissed on the Shrine of Remembrance, the citys holiest shrine. Right-wing politics in Australia has also become more Trumpian. Scott Morrisons secretive multi-ministerial power grab flouted the Westminster tradition of open government. After meeting Donald Trump at Trump Tower in May, he posted on social media that the former president had been subject to a pile on, seemingly dismissing the rap sheet against him, including criminal charges relating to the storming of the US Capitol, the attempt to overturn the election. Ahead of the Voice referendum, the present Liberal leader questioned the integrity of the poll. Peter Dutton complained the vote was being rigged because the AEC ruled that a tick would likely count as a yes but a cross would not be counted as a no. Yet the decision adhered both to precedent and the strict letter of electoral law.

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Some conspiracy theorists claimed voting machines were heading for Australia. You will know that we dont use any voting machines, says Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers. Never have, never will. Credit: Getty Images So at a time when the electoral process is coming under assault on so many fronts, both foreign and domestic, maybe we should be grateful that the ramparts of Australian democracy are manned by a former soldier. Rogers, who grew up on Sydneys lower north shore, is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and served for 20 years as an officer in the Australian Army. For a time he commanded a UN peacekeeping mission in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Both a strategist, peering at the horizon for long-term threats, and a tactician, responding to day-to-day attacks, Rogers draws inspiration from Australias most revered military commander, General John Monash. He tells the story of how, during the Great Depression, a group of disgruntled veterans urged Monash to lead a military coup. He shot them down straight away, says Rogers. He said the future of Australia relies on the ballot box and an educated electorate. Ive always thought of that, and the two components of that. Not just the vote, but providing citizens with the information they need to vote. Loading Combating misinformation and disinformation now consumes much of the Commissions bandwidth. Ahead of the 2022 federal election, the AEC had to rebut claims that Dominion Voting Systems voting machines would be used to rig the vote. THE ELECTION STEAL  FIX IS IN, read a post on Facebook in October 2021, from an account called Seaman John, which got dozens of shares and more than 100 reactions. AEC to accommodate the utterly corrupt and discredited Dominion Voting Systems  in our next National Election. It was a local iteration of the Trump conspiracy theory that had been libellously amplified by Rupert Murdochs Fox News, which had to pay the Colorado-based company a staggering $US787 million to settle the defamation lawsuit before it went to trial. Yet as Rogers wearily points out: If you have ever been into an Australian polling booth, you will know that we dont use any voting machines. Never have, never will. It would be unlawful and illegal. Another canard put out by conspiracy-mongers was that the AEC was using outsourced vote-counting software vulnerable to manipulation. Yet every vote is counted by AEC staff at designated AEC venues. Also, there were allegations of voter fraud, after rumours spread that ballot papers had been found near rubbish bins in Port Macquarie. The concocted image, sent to a radio station in Sydney, featured some bona fide AEC ballot papers, which might have been discarded by people who chose not to vote. Others, however, were clearly fake  photocopied on the wrong shade of green paper.

Of all the conspiracy theories, perhaps Rogers favourite was the furphy that voters should not use pencils because the AEC would erase their votes. It came on social media with the hashtag #usepen. I had some gigantic rubber that I was going round after hours erasing 17 million votes, laughs Rogers. These are nutty mad conspiracy theories that people pick up overseas and smear across what you are doing. Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers says some of the letters he receives are quite mad. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen It was around 2013 that Rogers first noticed an escalation in conspiratorialism, which he ascribes to the rise of social media platforms such as Twitter, as X was then known. In 2016, the year of Donald Trumps shock victory, his concerns grew about the threat from misinformation. Not only was it a question of safeguarding Australia against foreign interference from countries such as China, Iran and even India, but foreign infection from its closest ally, the United States. Protecting the reputation of the AEC became paramount. What they were seeing overseas was not a failure of electoral administration, it was a failure of reputation. People were deliberately sowing doubt about the validity of electoral results. Ive got this very strong view that elections are part of national security. Trusting election results is what democratic legitimacy rests upon, so we really went to town.

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Going to town meant establishing the electoral equivalent of a special forces detachment, the Defending Democracy Unit, which was tasked with protecting the AECs reputation. Around the world, the AEC is seen as the gold standard in electoral administration, and within Australia it is widely regarded as unimpeachable. Nine out of 10 citizens say they trust how it carries out its work. At the heart of its reputation management strategy is pre-bunking, as opposed to debunking  countering conspiracy theories before they take flight. The AEC set up a disinformation register, rebutting every fallacious claim that appeared on its radar. It raised its game on social media, that cesspit of disinformation. In 2019, it also set up its own YouTube channel, AEC TV. It sounds very grand, says Tom Rogers. Its effectively a series of videos filmed in a cupboard with a backdrop. Where we see one of these conspiracy theories online, we will immediately cut one of these videos with one of our experts talking about the actual facts, bang it online straight away and promote it on social. Youve got to do it quickly. Thats the thing. Australias way of voting  including mandatory participation  has been praised worldwide. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone By responding rapidly  counter-attacking, in effect  during the Voice referendum campaign, Rogers was able to quickly refute Duttons dangerous comments about vote-rigging. In robust terms, the AEC completely and utterly rejected the claim it was acting unfairly, and complained the criticism was based on emotion rather than the reality of the law. When I raise Duttons comments, Rogers treads gingerly. I think were all responsible for our own statements is all he will now say. Yet another countermeasure is the Stop and Consider campaign, introduced ahead of the 2019 federal election, which Rogers says was shamelessly stolen from Sweden. They ran a campaign, If it makes you angry, it is probably fake. I really liked that as a tag line, and we did some testing and it didnt quite fly. So we came up with Stop and Consider. This public education campaign, promoted on all the AECs social media platforms, urges voters to be wary of what they are seeing, reading and hearing. Is it from a reliable source? When was it published? Could it be a scam? Its about getting citizens to consider how they consume information, especially at election time, says Rogers. We need to raise the level of digital competence among our citizens to give them the skills they need to work through this. Voters need to understand what is going on in the information ecosystem. Wed be foolish to think in Australia we are immune to these global trends that we have seen in other countries. Thats being turbocharged by the rise of artificial intelligence. We dont have huge computers here in the basement where we are able to detect AI. The AECs Tom Rogers

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The rise of AI unquestionably elevates the threat level. A recent report from NewsGuard, a US-based organisation which counters misinformation, found that between May and December 2023, online sites misleadingly hosting mostly AI-generated articles increased from 49 to more than 600. Deepfakes  AI-generated video, images and audio purporting to be real  have already been deployed in the US presidential election. Ahead of the New Hampshire primary in January, voters received phone calls fabricating the voice of President Biden. Fake Joe told them to stay at home rather than vote. I think were operating at the cutting edge of where our legislation is, says Rogers, but Ive also gone public and said that new developments, such as AI, are complex, and that the Election Act is not set up to deal with that. And technically, internally, we dont have huge computers here in the basement where we are able to detect AI. It speaks of the asymmetrical nature of the battle. AEC TV up against AI feels like a David versus Goliath mismatch. In his scorching 1964 polemic, The Lucky Country, Donald Horne not only complained that Australian politicians were second-rate but that the countrys democratic system was second-hand. Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck, is the quote that has echoed down the decades. But it was the beginning of his largely neglected next line that got to the nub of Hornes thesis: It lives on other peoples ideas. Horne bemoaned how Australia was lazily imitative, inheriting and mimicking Britains system of governance. As he later explained: I had in my mind the idea of Australia as a derived society. Loading Canberra appeared to prove his critique. Though the nomenclature of the House of Representatives and Senate was imported from Washington, much of the furniture looked like it had been shipped in from Britain. The green-and-red leather benches in Parliament House were modelled on those of the Palace of Westminster. As in Britain, Hansard provided a verbatim record of parliamentary proceedings. Old Parliament House could boast a near-replica of Augustus Pugins Speakers Chair in the Commons, replete with arm rests incorporating timber from Horatio Nelsons HMS Victory and a royal coat of arms hewn out of oak from Westminster Hall. To this day, a golden mace, gifted by King George VI, is carried in procession ahead of every sitting day by the Serjeant-at-Arms, who used to don on ceremonial occasions a pair of white gloves, a shirt with a butterfly collar, silver-buckled shoes, stockings and knee-breeches. The full Bridgerton. For all the ceremonial and procedural similarities, however, Hornes thesis was too self-belittling. Rather than being imitators, Australians have been the inventors of an emphatically homegrown version of democracy. In 1902, with the passage of the Commonwealth Franchise Act, Australia became the first country where women could stand for parliament. Secret voting, through ballot papers and closeted voting booths, was taken up in America in the late 19th century, where it was called the Australian ballot. Though it initially copied the first-past-the-post system used in UK parliamentary elections, in 1918 preferential voting was adopted for the House of Representatives. On October 10, 1924, compulsory voting was signed into law. As the historian Judith Brett has written in From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage: How Australia Got Compulsory Voting: In the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Australia led the world in electoral reform.

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An election-day tradition. Australia has succeeded in creating a culture of celebration around elections as full-community affairs, writes one international observer. Weekend polling also sets it apart from the US and UK. From the sausage sizzles to voters turning up in budgie smugglers and bikinis, the electoral experience is quintessentially Aussie. The writer David Malouf, during his 1998 Boyer Lectures, neatly distilled the essence of Saturday elections. Voting for us is a family occasion, he observed, a duty fulfilled, as often as not, on the way to the beach, so that children early get a sense of it as an obligation, but a light one, a duty casually undertaken. Small wonder that Australias way of doing things has won international acclaim. Australia has succeeded in creating a culture of celebration around elections as full-community affairs, wrote the influential Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne jnr and Miles Rapoport, a Harvard academic, in their 2022 book, 100% Democracy. As well as emulating the spirit of Australian democracy, they hoped that America would ape its model of compulsory participation. The United States adopted the secret ballot after Australia tried it first, they wrote. We should do the same with universal voting. Another American admirer is the Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz. There are many institutional aspects of your model which I think other countries should emulate, among them mandatory voting, he told me during a recent visit to Sydney. We spend so much money getting out the vote, that sort of spending gives power to those who contribute, creating a system of one dollar per vote as much as one person one vote. Preferential voting he also finds attractive. If the United States had had that, Trump would not even have been on the ballot. And our system gives undue influence to the extremes. Compulsory voting is a safeguard against polarisation. Elections become less of a base-mobilising exercise and more an appeal to the middle, with all the moderation that implies. Loading Weve been world leaders with the secret ballot compulsory enrolment and compulsory voting, says Tom Rogers, who is also rightly proud of the statutory independence of the AEC. America, where states set their own electoral rules, has no equivalent body. But each wacky letter that arrives in his in-tray, and each new conspiracy theory that percolates online, reminds Rogers that he cannot let down his guard. According to the Washington-based watchdog, Freedom House, Australia has slipped down the global democratic rankings. In the bodys 2024 Freedom in the World report, Australia ranked 17th on democratic health. Between 2017 and 2019, it had ranked sixth. Some of the slippage is explained by Australias tough pandemic lockdowns, which were seen to have infringed on personal liberties. But, at a bare minimum, Australia should strive to remain a top-10 democracy. Ideally, it should become the paragon nation. The democracy sausage needs to remain as succulent and nourishing as possible.

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Happy days for Kooyongs teal independent MP Monique Ryan, who has finally joined the EV club, purchasing a Volvo XC40 EV in May, according to a parliamentary filing this week.

In a Good Weekend profile published shortly after shed vanquished Josh Frydenberg at the 2022 federal election, Ryan said she couldnt afford an EV, noting that Grumpy Obnoxious Old Men often asked why she got around her electorate in a distinctly environmentally unfriendly 10-year-old VW Golf.

Teal independent MP Monique Ryan has a new car. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

A spokesman told us: EVs have come way down in price since Monique gave that quote, which is why it is more affordable  and this in no small part due to the fuel efficiency standards Monique and other independents have fought hard for.

We wondered if Ryan bought the $76,990 RRP (plus on road costs) XC40 Recharge Single Motor or the $85,990 RRP (plus on road costs) XC40 Recharge Twin Motor, which offers considerably more EV grunt. Alas, we didnt hear back.
North Shore Rapist Graham James Kay will be kept on the strictest of monitoring conditions for up to three years, a judge has ordered, after an expert diagnosed him as having sexual sadism disorder.

Survivors, who showed up to court to face their attacker, have called for longer sentences and for irredeemable criminals to be permanently removed from society.

Graham Kay, the North Shore Rapist, has been diagnosed as a sexual sadist and must wear an ankle monitor for up to three years.

Kay, 73, was recently unmasked as the North Shore Rapist who terrorised the city in the 1990s, after a court protected his identity four years ago. He attacked eight women and girls before being caught prowling for another.

Kay had complained about media attention following his release from prison in 2015, so a judge suppressed his identity in 2020 to assist his rehabilitation.
The Bridge to Brisbane race is expected to dominate the CBD on Sunday, with 30,000 runners and walkers slated to take part in the five-kilometre and 10-kilometre races, and road closures in place around the city from early morning.

The first closures will be in effect from 2am Sunday and the last will be lifted at 4pm.

The Bridge to Brisbane road closure map and list. Credit: The Bridge to Brisbane

Organisers have arranged detour routes for motorists, lifting tolls on the Clem 7 southbound and Airport Link M7 from 5am to 9.30am.

The five-kilometre and 10-kilometre races will start from Hamilton and the Gateway Bridges southern end in Murarrie, respectively, ending at the Brisbane Showgrounds where a Finish Village including food and entertainment will be erected.

More information can be found at the Bridge to Brisbane website.
Private schools are pocketing thousands of dollars more per student in taxpayer funding than similar public campuses just down the road, according to a new education union report.

Using Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) data, the union compared the income per student of Werribee Secondary College and MacKillop Catholic Regional College, located 1.6 kilometres apart in Melbournes south-west.

Despite having fewer students with high needs, MacKillop received $1689 more per student in government funding in 2022. Factoring in all income sources, which includes fees, the Catholic school received almost 50 per cent more per student than its neighbour, according to the union.

Two comparable independent schools in the same federal electorate  Al-Taqwa College and the Islamic College of Melbourne  also received significantly more government funding.
A record 245 patients have died or suffered serious harm due to errors that unfolded at Victorian hospitals within a year.

Three patients died or suffered serious harm after surgery on the wrong part of their body, while four patients had foreign objects such as surgical sponges and dressings left inside them following surgery and other invasive procedures.

There were 245 sentinel events in Victorian hospitals in 2022-23, which are unexpected events that lead to death or serious harm of a patient due to deficiencies in system and process. Credit: iStock

In one case, a woman who was admitted to hospital with a sore leg after falling off a step, developed blood clots in her lungs after being prescribed an inappropriate medication which left her on life-support.

The incidents are detailed in a Safer Care Victoria report published online last week, which revealed that approximately 167 patients died as a result of errors in Victorian hospitals in 2022-23.
Up to 300 jobs could be affected as US-based lithium producer Arcadium Lithium announced it would place its Mt Cattlin mine near Ravensthorpe in the Great Southern into care and maintenance next year.

Arcadium president and chief executive Paul Graves said:

Unfortunately, production at Mt Cattlin beyond the current stage of the open pit cannot be justified in the current price environment for spodumene. We will maintain open and transparent dialogue with all of our stakeholders while supporting our employees and communities in Western Australia during this transition period.

The mine will shut down after the current stage of mining and spodumene processing is complete by next June.

The decision is another blow to WAs critical minerals sector after over supply of both lithium and nickel has closed several mines in the state.

The nearby First Quantum nickel mine shut down earlier this year.

Member for Roe Peter Rundle said the shutdown was a devastating blow to the community and could affect up to 300 jobs.

He said the state government needed to step in and help communities like Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun:
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 5. Kyrgyzstan exported 50,173 tons of oil products to Turkiye from January through June 2024, a 60 percent increase compared to 31,358 tons during the same period in 2023, Trend reports.

According to the country's State Statistical Committee, the exports were valued at $34.295 million, up 51.9 percent from $22.584 million in January-June of the previous year. Turkiye received the largest share of Kyrgyzstan's oil product exports, with Uzbekistan as the second-largest recipient, importing 30,410 tons valued at $8.846 million.

Overall, Kyrgyzstan exported 99,133 tons of oil products worth $64.477 million in the first half of 2024. The volume increased by 45.9 percent compared to 67,961 tons in the same period of 2023 and by 40.2 percent in value from $45.980 million in JanuaryJune 2023.

Kyrgyzstan's foreign trade turnover reached $7.6 billion from January through June 2024. The figure increased by 9.4 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Within this turnover, exports accounted for 16.9 percent, while imports made up 83.1 percent.

Exports from Kyrgyzstan in JanuaryJune 2024 decreased by 3.2 percent year-on-year, totaling $1.3 billion. The value of imported goods into Kyrgyzstan was $6.3 billion, which is a 12.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
If you went to an Australian university any time since about the 90s, chances are international students were paying for your education.

That doesnt mean you werent paying anything. Indeed, theres every chance you railed against university fees or the size of your student debt. But those international students were paying much more than you were  maybe even three or four times as much  and without them, your debt would have been much larger.

Illustration: Simon Letch

So it is a matter of serious consequence when the federal government decides, as the Albanese government announced last week, to reduce the number of international students universities can accept by 16 per cent.

This is not some minor tweak to university coffers. If the government reduced its funding to universities by that much, we would instinctively understand how savage that might be. But a place like the University of Sydney gets more money from international students than it does from government funding. This goes straight to the heart of its business model.
Politics is a cruel business. Defeat can be shattering. Mark Latham not only lost an election as Labor leader in 2004 but went on to lose friends and the respect of his peers. What is most remarkable about Shorten is that he was able to recover from two election defeats, as well as the loss of the Labor leadership, and emerge as one of the best members of a Labor cabinet in a subsequent government. Loading Who else can claim a recovery like that? John Howard lost the 1987 election, won in 1996 and governed as prime minister for 11 years. His example shows just how rare it is for political leaders to climb their way back from brutal rejection. Shorten was no stranger to bitterness at times, but his career proved his stamina and his character. And the twist is that Shorten became one of the best cabinet ministers because of that recovery. To borrow from a popular book title, he learnt the subtle art of not giving a f---. His interview on the ABCs Insiders program on the Sunday before last, when he spared viewers the usual anodyne claptrap and spoke directly about the cost of disability support, was an example of this straight talk. Critics may gag at the praise for Shorten they are likely to see in the media. The truth is that Shorten was central to defending the National Disability Insurance Scheme despite attacks from the Greens and others about his controls on spending. He was an advocate for the NDIS almost as soon as he became a parliamentary secretary after the 2007 election. It is fair to wonder whether anyone else could have balanced the competing pressures  to curb spending growth, but deliver essential services  in that portfolio.

That makes it all the stranger that factional enemies in Victoria were so determined to bring him down. Shorten knew that the key powerbrokers who run Victorian Labor wanted him out of parliament. He fell out with Richard Marles, the deputy prime minister, and Stephen Conroy, the former cabinet minister. An unhealthy dynamic emerged: some were more motivated by internal jealousies than the fact Shorten delivered results as a minister. In the usual pattern of politics, young MPs complained that it was time for him to go: the only way for them to move up was for him to move out. Anthony Albanese made a key point on Thursday: in a rare move for anyone in politics, Shorten chose his departure on his own terms. It is fair to assume he was offered diplomatic posts. The prime minister is obviously a winner from this move: his one-time leadership rival leaves the caucus and is removed from any future chess moves on the leadership. Bill Shorten, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard in 2019. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Regrets, he had a few. Shorten recited the Frank Sinatra classic My Way for good reason on Thursday. A shift in the Labor tax strategy in 2019 might have taken him to The Lodge. Who will ever be sure? His critics will always blame him for helping to bring down Kevin Rudd in 2010 and then doing the same to Julia Gillard in 2013. For some, he will always be the calculating numbers man with a mobile phone in each hand at the height of a leadership spill. As Gough Whitlam put it, only the impotent are pure. This is an incredibly unusual departure. Shorten is not taking a government job. He applied for a competitive interview for his next post, as vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra, and secured the position. He is not joining a lobbying outfit, a consultancy or a corporate titan. Yes, he will have a generous salary, but he chooses to work in education, where it is possible to do some good in the world.
As voters go to the polls on Saturday, we explore whats at stake in the NSW local government elections.

Sydneys highest-earning residents receive greater representation at a local level than their less affluent neighbours in a disparity that is leading to entrenched disadvantage and increased insularity between council areas, critics say.

Of the 10 highest-earning LGAs in metropolitan Sydney, eight Woollahra, Hunters Hill, Mosman, Waverley, Lane Cove, Willoughby, North Sydney and Randwick  have the most favourable ratios of councillors to residents, while the lowest earning LGAs  Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, and Liverpool  have some of the worst ratios.

The situation is so pronounced that one local councillor in Hunters Hill represents 2106 people but someone in the same position in Canterbury-Bankstown represents 24,536 residents.

Eamon Waterford, the CEO of the Committee for Sydney, says this dynamic is entrenching Sydneys economic divide and lets wealthy residents protect their quality of life while shunning neighbouring communities in need of support.
A $5 billion private-sector plan to build a giant rail terminal west of Werribee  a project that promised to remove thousands of trucks a year from Melbournes roads  has been abandoned.



The Little River project, which was opposed by community groups and the local Wyndham Council, was planned by Pacific National, Australias largest private rail freight company.

Pacific Nationals proposed Little River rail freight terminal would have claimed 595 hectares of farmland and native grassland west of Melbourne. Credit: Jason South

But on Wednesday night it informed stakeholders, including the state government, that it would withdraw planning and environmental applications and approvals for the site known as the Little River Logistics Precinct Project.

Pacific National has made the decision given the changed timeline for associated freight and infrastructure projects and broader economic factors at this time, which have impacted on the project business case, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
The first-ever Samoan MP is set to be sworn into Victorian parliament following a hotly contested ballot of Greens party members in Melbournes inner north.

Pacific health campaigner Anasina Gray-Barberio beat seven other candidates to replace former Greens leader Samantha Ratnam in Victorias upper house, the party confirmed on Thursday.

Incoming Greens MP Anasina Gray-Barberio.

Ratnam announced in April her intention to quit state politics and run for the federal lower house seat of Wills, which the Greens hope to win from Labor with momentum from the pro-Palestine protest movement.

Eight candidates had nominated for Ratnams Northern Metropolitan Region seat, which takes in lower house districts already held by the Greens  such as Melbourne, Richmond and Brunswick  as well as divisions the party came close to winning at the 2022 election, like Northcote.
Europes renewed affair with long-distance train routes continues apace, and this time the destinations being linked are popular big cities: Paris and Berlin. It was in December last year that the French and German capitals were connected, with great acclaim, by sleeper train for the first time in nine years. The next step will be the start of direct high-speed daytime services between the two cities. Commencing in December with one service a day via Frankfurt, the journey will take about eight hours. A second service is planned for late 2025, heading via Strasbourg. See sncf-connect.com, int.bahn.de Austrias new Railjet trains Sleek, stylish Austrian Federal Railways new Railjet trains. Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) never likes to let the grass grow under its tracks; having revived the European sleeper train from near-death, its now improving daytime rail experiences. Its streamlined new-generation Railjet trains have recently entered service, replacing tired EuroCity carriages on journeys between Munich, Germany, and Verona, Italy. Decorated in burgundy and grey, the interiors of these new trains are sleek and stylish, with low-floor access and charging options by all seats. There are also mini-lockers for luggage, LED lighting throughout, and air-conditioning regulated via a heat pump system. All trains from Munich to Italy via the Brenner Pass will be new Railjets by 2025. See oebb.at Railjet trains will replace EuroCity carriages on journeys between Munich, Germany, and Verona, Italy.

Amtraks Cascades trains, US An unsung hero of the USs long-distance train services is Amtrak Cascades. Running from Eugene, Oregon, via Portland and Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia, the Cascades trains link great cities via beautiful landscapes. In 2026 that scenery will be complemented by the evergreen and mocha livery of eight new train sets and two new locomotives, funded by the Biden administrations infrastructure funding boost. The new carriages are decked out with comfortable new seats and plenty of passenger amenities (including charging points and Wi-Fi), and theres a cafe car serving food favourites from the Pacific Northwest, including beer, wine and spirits. See amtrakcascades.com Chinas new sleepers New high-speed sleeper trains, from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to Beijing/Shanghai. If youre catching a long-distance train, the choice often boils down to a high-speed daytime service or a slower night train. But why not combine both? Two high-speed sleeper trains have recently launched, heading from Hong Kong to either Beijing or Shanghai. Both depart the shiny new Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and take 12.5 hours and 11 hours respectively to reach each city, arriving just before 7am. Thats roughly half the duration of the previous sleeper services over those routes. Running four nights a week, these new sleepers are a great environmentally friendly way to cross China. See highspeed.mtr.com.hk

Cabin in the new high-speed sleeper trains, from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to Beijing. Overnight to Barcelona European Sleepers Good Night Train from Brussels-Berlin to Prague. The sleeper train renaissance in Europe has been so profound that its drawn new operators into the fray. European Sleeper, a Belgian-Dutch company founded in 2021, recently made a splash by extending its initial Brussels-Berlin Good Night Train to Prague. It now intends to run an even more ambitious sleeper service from Amsterdam all the way south to Barcelona, Spain. The company hopes to have that train running by 2025, but it could be 2026 pending tricky negotiations for rail access across France. Watch this space. See europeansleeper.eu East Station, Chongqing, China

Artist impression of Chongqing East Station. Credit: Chongqing Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission Chinese railways are known for their colossal new station buildings, and the new Chongqing East Station in western China fits that description. Its roof will cover 120,000 square metres, punctuated by vast skylights and supported by columns; respectively referencing the mountains and trees of the region. Expected to open in 2025, its platforms will serve high-speed services to such far-flung destinations as Hunan, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Kunming. As the station will also be linked to Chongqings local metro system, it should be a highly useful as well as a decorative facility. See china-railway.com.cn Canadas new long-distance trains VIA Rails new state-of-the-art fleet with redesigned carriages. Credit: VIA Rail The railway which runs from Windsor, Ontario, to Quebec City has long been the backbone of Canadas passenger train service, including as it does the metropolises of Toronto and Montreal. Over the next year, by the northern summer of 2025, VIA Rails entire fleet on this route will be replaced by new trains. The new carriages include ergonomically redesigned seating, big windows for scenic viewing, and a host of accessibility features. Business class is also worth a look, as it comes with a range of perks including wider seats, station lounges, and priority boarding. See viarail.ca
Climate-resilient tourism Given the growing unpredictability of weather patterns, climate-resilient tourism is emerging as another significant trend. Destinations including the Maldives, Vanuatu and Miami are incorporating climate resilience into their tourism planning, by building flood defences and other infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events, and promoting eco-tourism to reduce future environmental impacts. Travellers are also now travelling to learn climate-resilient skills such as natural building and permaculture farming, while becoming more literate in how to safely travel in extreme and prolonged heat waves and rain periods. Coolcationing is another growing trend as travellers seek out cooler climes, which will completely shift the map of where we will travel in the future. Economic equity Community-based tourism is continuing to gain momentum, with travellers seeking authentic experiences that support local communities. A good thing, since one of the best ways to give back while travelling is by putting our powerful travel dollars directly into the pockets of locals who have full ownership and management of the tourism experience. In an increasingly homogenised world, what could be more satisfying than booking a tour with a locally owned operator, buying one-of-a-kind souvenirs made by locals, or signing up for a cooking class or ceramics course that contributes directly to a local family? Biodiversity conservation

Much Better Adventures offers a chance to give back Ban Gioc waterfall in Vietnam. Trips focused on conservation and learning to steward nature will continue to grow, as we become more aware of the importance of maintaining ecosystem balance and protecting vital natural resources for future generations. Much Better Adventures, for example, is offering more trips based around supporting critical rewilding projects, including tracking wild bison in the Southern Carpathians in Romania and wolf-tracking in the Swedish wilderness. Meanwhile, Earthwatch Australia, which pairs researchers with volunteers to address environmental challenges, is adding more expeditions, such as rainforest revival in Costa Rica and restoring habitats in Kenyas Greater Maasai Mara. Water conservation will also be a significant issue as water scarcity intensifies globally, so well be seeing more stringent water-saving measures in hotels, resorts and tourist areas. See muchbetteradventures.com; earthwatch.org

Cultural heritage preservation Indigenous people make up five per cent of the worlds population, but protect 80 per cent of the planets biodiversity. It makes sense, then, that at a time of great biodiversity loss were seeing more travel experiences that highlight Indigenous wisdom, ancestral knowledge and artisan skills. This includes group trips featuring Indigenous guides, the rise of organisations that promote Indigenous tourism such as the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance, and more experiences that elevate Indigenous knowledge, such as the Culture Camp gatherings run by the First Nations-led foundation The Returning, which include workshops on weaving, earth-based mindfulness and dance and more. See thereturning.com.au Community resilience

Local Igorot women in The Philippines. With the rising number of natural disasters annually, were seeing more travel initiatives that help build and support the resilience of local communities. Organisations like the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council, bring together leaders from the travel industry to support destinations in preparing for and recovering from natural disasters and economic downturns. Climate-related voluntourism, where travellers help with relief efforts including distributing supplies or providing medical aid, is also increasing. Initiatives like the Global Volunteer Network are expanding their programs to include climate-focused initiatives in destinations such as the Philippines and Zimbabwe. See resiliencecouncil.com Sustainable agriculture and agri-tourism Learn about traditional farming techniques Sacred Valley in Peru. Consumers are paying much more attention to the ethics of what they eat, so expect to see more experiences that allow travellers to engage with sustainable farming practices, and learn about how the food they buy and eat supports environmental health. This includes staying on permaculture farms that mimic natural ecosystems, visiting organic farms or vineyards, or eating at farm-to-table restaurants. Group trips that focus on food production and security are also on the rise, with the likes of G Adventures taking travellers to the Sacred Valley in Peru to learn about traditional Andean farming techniques from local Quechua communities. See gadventures.com
Clear air turbulence (CAT) has hit the headlines in a big way this year. When it encounters CAT, an aircraft can plunge rapidly, causing some passengers to shoot into the overhead bins, fracturing skulls, necks and spines in extreme cases. CAT is becoming more frequent and severe due to disruptions to the jet streams caused by climate change. Although forecasting of CAT has advanced over recent decades, the phenomenon is virtually impossible to detect with onboard instruments. More than 95 per cent of those who suffered injuries were not wearing seatbelts. Airlines have taken note, advising passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened even when the fasten seatbelt signs have been switched off. Separate seats for women flyers Indian airline IndiGo allows female travellers to see the gender of other passengers when choosing their seats. Credit: Getty Images Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo has become the first airline to allow women travellers to choose a seat next to another woman. Starting in August 2024, and initially on a trial basis, female travellers checking in online for their flights will be able to see which adjacent seats have been booked by other female passengers. Males will be able to see which seats are vacant, but not the gender of the occupant. Theres no sign of any other airlines following IndiGos example, but it may catch on. India is hardly the only country where women often feel threatened, eyeballed and the objects of unwelcome attention. No wonder some would prefer to sit among other women. See goindigo.in Pets on board

Prefers the window seat  Virgin to allow furry passengers. Credit: iStock Virgin Australia plans to allow pets to travel with their owners in the airlines cabins. Subject to regulatory approval, the proposal could see pets travelling in cabins by early in 2025. The service will be limited to small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes with pets travelling in pet-specific rows. Sitting on laps or roaming around the cabin is strictly forbidden. Pets must be carried in an approved airline carrier that fits under the seat in front and stays there. There will be a fee for this service, but no fee applies to approved assistance animals, which are allowed to travel in Virgin Australia aircraft. See virginaustralia.com Flight costs to Europe Affordable Europe fares may soon be within reach. Credit: Getty Images Airfares to Europe are finally easing. Return flights to European hubs including Paris, London, Rome and Frankfurt, departing in mid-May 2025 and returning a month later, are sitting at about $1500 in economy, and from $2500 in premium economy. In business class, return fares to Europe for those same months are starting from about $6000 with premier-league carriers on Skyscanner. The reason for the price drop is the supply of seats has finally caught up with demand. Airlines have returned most of their fleets to service and there are now more international carriers with more aircraft back in Australias skies. See skyscanner.com.au

Overhead bins Loading Packing everything needed for a two-week holiday into carry-ons has become a matter of pride for some travellers. That means bending the carry-on weight limit rules, but many airlines are reluctant to enforce those rules. Apart from budget carriers, carry-ons are seldom weighed at the check-in desk, and some resort to underhand strategies, packing clothes into pillow cases or coats with jumbo size pockets. Others with multiple bags rush on board to be sure of securing space in the overhead bins near their seat, or stash them in the first available space at the front of the cabin. Until airlines enforce their own rules, expect the madness to continue. Blended wing aircraft An artists rendering of JetZeros BWB aircraft prototype design.

Rising fuel costs and the need to reduce the aviation industrys carbon emission are a growing headache for the worlds airlines but the Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft could be the solution. Shaped like a manta ray, the BWB aircrafts wings merge seamlessly with the fuselage, engines are mounted on top of the fuselage and theres no tail or rudder. Instead of just the wings providing lift, the entire aircraft generates lift, and that means a significant reduction in fuel consumption. Airbus, Bombardier and Boeing have all flight tested experimental unmanned scale-model versions of BWB aircraft and California-based aerospace company JetZero hopes to get a BWB aircraft with passengers into the air in the next decade, good news for our planet as well as our pockets. See airbus.com; bombardier.com; boeing.com; jetzero.aero The Maya business class seat The Maya seat, with its giant screen for business class. This seat from the US-based Collins Aerospace stole the limelight at the 2024 Aircraft Interiors Expo held in Hamburg. Developed in collaboration with Panasonic Avionics, Maya adds a 114-centimetre wrap-around OLED video screen with stereo speakers embedded in the headrest to a business class seat to create an immersive experience. Packed with tech, the seat responds in sync with the feed from the cinema screen, so a POV motorbike ride gives a different impression from a skier racing an avalanche to a Taylor Swift. The lie-flat, temperature regulated seat is a stunner in its own right. Expect to see it soon in a leading airline. See collinsaerospace.com Qantas Wellbeing Zone

Qantas award-winning Wellbeing Zone on board its non-stop flights from Australias east coast to London and New York. At the same 2024 aircraft interiors event, Qantas took the award for Passenger Comfort with its Wellbeing Zone. Created by Diehl Aviation, the zone will feature on the Airbus A350 aircraft Qantas will use for its 20-hour Project Sunrise flights between east coast Australia and New York and London, now rescheduled to 2026. Located at the front of the economy cabin, the central corridor of the zone is a glass-fronted cabinet with self-serve refreshments. According to Qantas, the Wellbeing Zone is a space where you can follow specially curated guided movements on large monitors and enjoy a selection of healthy refreshments. Unlike the bars that some airlines provide for their premium-class passengers, the Wellness Zone is designed for a quick break rather than lingering. See qantas.com In-flight Wi-Fi Live sport and low-bandwidth Wi-Fi on board Air New Zealands Boeing 787-9. Chances are your next flight will have in-flight Wi-Fi. Some carriers such as Air New Zealand and Malaysia Airlines offer it free of charge on most flights, many carriers typically charge a fee except for their business class travellers and frequent flyers. Free Wi-Fi is available on all Qantas domestic flights and selected international flights aboard some aircraft to Asian destinations. Wi-Fi usually becomes available when the aircraft crosses the 10,000-foot threshold. The Wi-Fi quality depends on the number of passengers using the system, where the aircraft is in relation to the satellite or ground station providing the feed, atmospheric conditions and the system used. See airnewzealand.com.au; malaysiaairlines.com

Pay-for-use airport lounges Pay-per-use The House lounge at Melbourne Airport. Many of the pay-for-use airport lounges that were shuttered during the pandemic slowdown are returning to life, and theyre a gift from the travel gods for anyone on a long layover. The best have showers, food and beverages as good as a decent business class lounge, comfy chairs and in some cases, quiet zones where you can snooze in comfort. You can simply show up and pay at the door, join a pre-paid scheme such as LoungeBuddy or Priority Pass or use the membership benefit that comes with some credit cards. Check reviews before you book. See loungebuddy.com; prioritypass.com Business light Singapore Airlines offers Business Lite fares out of Australia.

An increasing number of international airlines are offering business light fares, shaving several hundred dollars off the cost of flying at the pointy end. In exchange for making do without lounge access, a lower checked baggage allowance and higher fees for flight changes or cancellations, the frugal flyer gets a cheaper business class seat, and for many travellers, that lie-flat seat is the prime reason for travelling in business class. Singapore Airlines is one carrier that offers Business Lite fares out of Australia while a Qatar Airways Lite return ticket to Europe can save more than $1000 over the cost of a Classic business fare. See singaporeair.com; qatarairways.com Terminal boost The design of the new international terminal at Newcastle Airport. Newcastles new international terminal is expected to be completed in 2025. Designed by Cox Architecture, the new facility will provide a major boost for regional tourism and generate thousands of jobs across the Hunter, the sixth-largest regional economy in the country. In tandem with border processing facilities, the upgrade will include work to allow the runway to handle wide-body aircraft such as Boeings 787. It is expected that airlines will take advantage of the expanded airport operations to offer daily flights to New Zealand and major Asian ports including Bali and Singapore. See newcastleairport.com.au Dramatic weather events
Singapore: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has praised President Vladimir Putin for steering Russias development and pledged to deepen ties, saying there was enormous potential to enhance regional trade relations.

Anwar, who is on two-day visit to Moscow, said it would be to Malaysias benefit if Russia shared its achievements and agreed to collaborate in all fields of endeavour. Both countries are discussing tie-ups ranging from aerospace and advanced technologies to agriculture and food security.

You have shown your determination to be able to undertake difficulties and survive, and we would certainly benefit from this experience, Anwar said in a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of Russias Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) meets Russias Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. Credit: AP

Anwar has followed in the footsteps of other Asian leaders in meeting Putin since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, unmoved by the Wests condemnation of the Russian leader and his charges for alleged war crimes. The decision to visit Russia, Anwar said, was not an easy feat but it was the right decision.
A campaign had begun in the tabloid newspapers the previous year following the deaths of seven people, including three children: 17-month-old Bella Rae Birch, four-year-old Alice Stones, and 10-year-old Jack Lis. The latter was mauled so badly by a 43-kilogram dog, Beast, that his mother had to identify him by his shoes. XL bullies originated in the United States in the 1990s as a result of the fashion for weapon dogs and gangsta rap. The largest of the American bully breed  a mix of American pit bull terrier and American, English and French bulldog  they are thought to have been brought to the UK around 2014. Many say they are genetically engineered with just one purpose in mind, to go into a pit and kill another dog. Yet somehow they have emerged as one of Britains most popular and beloved pets. Although not recognised by kennel clubs as a specific breed, they are described as large dogs with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for [their] size.

Ownership of XL bully dogs increased dramatically during the pandemic, quickly followed by an increase in abandonment. Irresponsible breeding, in turn contributed to the rise in attacks. The dogs are often used as a status symbol by people involved in crime and gang culture. BullyWatch, the community campaign to ban them, suggested that 97 per cent of breeders were unlicensed. XL bully dogs were bred as weapon dogs. Credit: UK Government But since the ban came in just seven months ago, there have been at least seven more fatal dog attacks. In several cases, XL bullies killed their owners, including David Daintree, 53, in August, and Angeline Mahal, also in her 50s, in May. More than 50,000 dogs were granted exemption applications before the February ban which makes it a criminal offence to own an XL bully without a certificate. It meant owners could keep their pets under the requirement they be muzzled and on a lead in public.

Data obtained by The Independent this week found the number of recorded incidents of out-of-control dogs injuring people or guide dogs has risen by nine per cent since the ban came in. Despite the obvious horror at the many incidents and deaths involved, the ban has been met with huge opposition from animal welfare groups, such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, who have called for the new Labour government to review the legislation, arguing breed-specific bans are harmful to dogs welfare, and also do not protect the public. Loading They say the ban had been devastating for owners, some of whom will have felt they had no choice but to have their pets put to sleep. More than 400 were euthanised before the February deadline. This current approach is not working, as is evident by these figures, and needs a complete overhaul, not only to better protect public safety but also to ensure good dog welfare, the RSPCA says.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 5. Kyrgyzstan and the World Bank (WB) discussed the choice of dam type for the construction of Kambarata HPP-1 at a roundtable in Bishkek, Trend reports.

The information notes that, the event was attended by representatives of Kyrgyzstan, the working group of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the World Bank, as well as a group of international experts.

Today's round table is a key stage in the development of the Kambarata HPP-1 project. As part of the construction, trilateral agreements have been signed between the Ministries of Energy of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. This is a unique case when the three countries of the region come to a common understanding and support of the project. We are confident that joint work will lead to the creation of a quality project that will provide Central Asia with clean and renewable energy, improve the water and energy regime, and contribute to strengthening regional cooperation, the Deputy Chairperson of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev stated.

Kyrgyz Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibrayev said the 1,388-meter TT-2 transport tunnel was finished on August 30. About 15 kilometers of concrete roads are being built, with one lane finished. Power supply work is underway, with 80 percent overhead line installed.

According to the plan, the completion of work on the 110 kV transmission line and construction of the 110/6 kV substation is scheduled for the end of 2024. The construction of a bridge over the Naryn River is underway. In parallel, the construction of a work camp is underway. All works are going according to plan, and we are confident that all preparatory stages will be completed by May next year, Ibrayev said.

In turn, World Bank Senior Energy Specialist Maksudjon Safarov recalled that the WB is financing the comprehensive preparation of the Kambarata HPP-1 construction project. Swiss company AFRY is developing the feasibility study.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has today formally announced the Council of Ministers' position concerning the potential sale of WINAIR shares, following an in-depth discussion during the Third-Party meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.



The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the insights while assessing the potential impact of selling WINAIR shares. He clarified that the previous Council of Ministers had made the initial decision regarding the sale without adequate communication with WINAIR, and the current government has thoroughly reviewed this situation.



We must acknowledge the tremendous resilience and operational success of WINAIR in the face of significant challenges, said Dr. Mercelina. The airline has made a remarkable recovery after the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and has successfully navigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The leadership and staff of WINAIR have shown extraordinary dedication, and their efforts have resulted in an impressive financial turnaround for the company.



After careful deliberation, the Council of Ministers has unanimously decided that the sale of WINAIR shares will not proceed. The Prime Minister emphasized the rationale behind this decision, highlighting both WINAIR's strategic importance to the country's infrastructure and economy and the airlines current robust financial position.



We firmly believe that the proposed sale price does not reflect the true value of WINAIR, and to sell under these circumstances would not be in the best interest of either the country or the company, Dr. Mercelina stated. We are committed to ensuring that WINAIR continues to thrive and expand, in line with its promising outlook for the future. The decision to retain our stake is based on careful analysis of what is best for the long-term prosperity of Sint Maarten.



Prime Minister Mercelina reiterated the Councils commitment to fostering continued collaboration between WINAIR and the government, underlining the importance of ongoing communication to ensure the airlines sustainable growth and contribution to the country.



We deeply value WINAIR as a strategic partner in our development, added Dr. Mercelina. We look forward to continued proactive communication and collaboration between WINAIR and the Government, seeing WINAIR achieve even greater heights in the coming years.



The Council of Ministers expresses its full confidence in the Management and Staff of WINAIR and anticipates continued success for the airline as it moves forward.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Positive and Elektralyets Foundations, in collaboration with St. Maarten Laboratory Services, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), and NAPA Auto Parts, are pleased to invite all men 40 years and older to participate in a crucial prostate cancer screening event.

Screening Details:

 Dates: September 7 and 14, 2024

 Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

 Locations: NAPA Auto Parts in Philipsburg and Colebay

Participants will receive a Prostate Antigen Specific (PSA) test, a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer. Men 40 year and older are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Please bring your ID card. For uninsured men, the Foundations and St. Maarten Laboratory Services will cover the cost of the PSA test.

Follow-Up Event:

 Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024

 Time: From 9:00 AM

 Location: St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) in Cayhill

Join us for the annual Mens Health Open House, where we will review the PSA test results from the screenings on September 7 and 14. The event will also feature a variety of other health screenings and informative sessions.

We are committed to improving mens health in our community, said Shelly Alphonso, President of the Positive Foundation. Early detection of prostate cancer can save lives, and we encourage all eligible men to participate in these screenings.

For more information, please contact Shelly Alphonso or Mercedes Van Der Waals Wyatt at +1-721-580-9658 or +1-721-523-7418 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
~ APS pulls out of loan negotiations while bank overdrafts are canceled. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- The financial situation of the countrys telephone company, TELEM, has worsened in recent months. TELEM is finding it difficult to pay its creditors due to the lack of proper cash flow.

The situation worsened since the Supervisory Board of Directors (SBOD) opted to publish the Chief Executive Officers position (CEO) as the recruitment for a candidate began.

Banks on the island have since canceled their overdrafts with TELEM since it is clear that the current CEO, Kendall Dupersoy, will not be in that position come January 2025. Therefore, committing the company to long-term financial commitments is not feasible for any institution.

APS pulled out of the loan negotiations, citing the company's lack of long-term leadership.

Currently, Dupersoy is the only person in management with the longest service record; TELEM's Chief Financial Officer was appointed just over a year ago, and there was no CTO or COO in place. BDO also published these positions, but to date, they have not been filled.

Last week, the Minister of TEATT, Grisha Heylioger Marten, announced that the government of St. Maarten was considering purchasing the TELEM main building on Pond Island to house the Parliament of St. Maarten. Still, no concrete decision has been made regarding that plan. In the meantime, Prime Minister Luc Mercelina said last week, when asked if the government was going to bail out TELEM from its financial woes or if the government was thinking of selling the company, that as a shareholder, the government would have to do everything possible to assist the company since it is a government-owned entity.

Some research conducted by SMN News showed that TELEM's management tried to salvage the company by making several proposals to the Supervisory Board of Directors, one of which was the sale of the main building, which the SBOD rejected.

The Governors office had offered to purchase the two top floors of the SMITCOMS building, which was also rejected by the SBOD. Information showed that those two floors remained empty, and TELEM has not earned any income from them.

TELEM management also proposed that the company sell the Cable TV Building and the ITELSA Building in Cole Bay, all of which was rejected by the SBOD, which believed that the company should hold on to its assets. Had these buildings been sold, TELEM would have accumulated at least $10M, which would have served as their own bailout.

It is only a matter of months, if not weeks, that the financial situation at TELEM will get to the boiling point and the company would have to think about filing bankruptcy if the shareholder does not find a salvageable solution almost immediately.
US disinformation researcher laments 'incredible witch hunt'



Washington, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Understanding disinformation has emerged as a lightning rod in the United States ahead of the November election, with academics and think-tanks facing lawsuits by right-wing groups and subpoenas from a Republican-led congressional committee.

The researchers are accused of colluding with the government to censor conservative speech online under the guise of fighting disinformation. They deny the claims and denounce the sweeping offensive as an intimidation campaign.

AFP spoke with Renee DiResta, author of "Invisible Rulers: The people who turn lies into reality."

She was formerly with the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO), a non-partisan disinformation research project.

Following the Republican-led investigation, her contract, along with those of many other staffers, was not renewed, leading to reports that the group was being dismantled under political pressure.

The interview was edited for length and clarity.



QUESTION:

What pressure did the Stanford Observatory face?



ANSWER:

We received a letter and then a subpoena from Jim Jordan, who heads a (Republican-led) committee that asked us for our emails with the executive branch of the United States and with tech platforms.

It was a very broad request ostensibly to investigate whether there had been some sort of cabal by which the government was telling us to tell tech platforms to take information or content down. That never happened.

We turned over copious amounts of material, several colleagues who had worked on this project sat for multi hour private interviews with the committee.

There was nothing found to bolster their theory, but it created extensive costs in terms of time and lawyer costs. Students were targeted, doxxed and harassed.

Ultimately, Stanford made the determination to not continue to pursue rapid response election research and many of our contracts weren't renewed for funding reasons.



QUESTION:

What impact has this had on election disinformation research?



ANSWER:

There has been a chilling effect. This idea that inquiries from congressional committees are shutting down research or making students afraid to pursue them because they're afraid of being harassed is remarkable.

We are one institution among many. I saw a statistic that something like 91 subpoenas had gone out from this committee. It's just an incredible witch hunt and the cost of that is that less resourced institutions may choose to not fight, to just comply as quickly as possible.

There has been a sense that doing work on certain topics is going to attract unwanted attention, and so you shouldn't do work on those topics. That's terrible. Academia is supposed to be about asking hard questions, doing complicated research, doing things that perhaps industry might not want to take on, or that government is not positioned to take.



QUESTION:

How do you deal with personal attacks? You have been branded "CIA Renee" by trolls insinuating that you have secret ties with the US intelligence agency.



ANSWER:

I've dealt with idiots on the internet for a decade now. People have their opinions.

I am not troubled by the harassment of the trolls online. I'm troubled by the fact that the United States government (through the congressional committee) is facilitating it at this point with misleading investigations, misleading reports, cherry picked sentences, leaked documents and badly framed stories that bear no relation to the truth.

That I think is the problem that we need to be focusing on. That is an affront to free speech.



QUESTION:

Many tech platforms have scaled back content moderation. Are they equipped to tackle the flood of election disinformation?



ANSWER:

There's this belief that if you just label something or take it down, you solve the problem. You don't.

We can debate the areas where the platforms are not doing enough, because there certainly are some. But you also can't solve a human problem with technology. People are going to share rumors.

To address disinformation, platforms have traditionally appended a label, a fact check perhaps (but) it's not clear how well the labels work.

One of the things that we've seen is that we need more proactive content participation from the institutions. We need election officials out there proactively countering rumors.
Like Brazil, the European Union also has an X problem



Brussels, Belgium, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Elon Musk's woes are hardly limited to Brazil as he now risks possible EU sanctions in the coming months for allegedly breaking new content rules.

Access to X has been suspended in South America's largest country since Saturday after a long-running legal battle over disinformation ended with a judge ordering a shutdown.

But Brazil is not alone in its concerns about X.

Politicians worldwide and digital rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about Musk's actions since taking over what was then Twitter in late 2022, including sacking many employees tasked with content moderation and maintaining ties with EU regulators.

Musk's "free speech absolutist" attitude has led to clashes with Brussels.

The European Union could decide within months to take action against X, including possible fines, as part of an ongoing probe into whether the platform is breaching a landmark content moderation law, the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Nothing has yet been decided but any fines could be as high as six percent of X's annual worldwide turnover unless the company makes changes in line with EU demands.

But if Musk's reactions are anything to go by, another showdown is on the cards.

When the EU in July accused X of deceptive practices in violation of the DSA, Musk warned: "We look forward to a very public battle in court."

The temperature was raised even further a month later with another war of words on social media between Musk and the EU's top tech enforcer, Thierry Breton.

Breton reminded Musk in a letter of his legal duty to stop "harmful content" from spreading on X hours before an interview with US presidential challenger Donald Trump live on the platform.

Musk responded by mocking Breton and sharing a meme that carried an obscene message.



- EU ban 'very unlikely' -



Despite the bitter barbs, the European Commission, the EU's digital watchdog, insists that dialogue with X is ongoing.

"X continues to cooperate with the commission and respond to questions," the commission's digital spokesman, Thomas Regnier, told AFP.

Experts also agree that a Brazil-like shutdown in the 27-country EU is unlikely, although it has the legal right.

The DSA would allow the bloc to demand a judge in Ireland, where X has its EU headquarters, order a temporary suspension until the infringements cease.

Breton has repeatedly insisted that "Europe will not hesitate to do what is necessary".

But since X has around 106 million EU users, significantly higher than the 22 million in Brazil, the belief is that Musk would not want to risk a similar move in Europe.

"Obviously, we can never exclude it, but it is very unlikely," said Alexandre de Streel of the think tank Centre on Regulation in Europe.

Regardless of what happens next, de Streel said the case would likely end up in the EU courts, calling X "the least cooperative company" with the bloc.

Jan Penfrat of the European Digital Rights advocacy group said a ban was "a very last resort measure" and that X would "probably" not close shop in the EU.

"I would hope that the commission thinks about this very, very hard before going there because this (a ban) would have a tremendously negative effect on the right to freedom of expression and access to information," Penfrat said.



- EU's X-File -



The commission in July accused X of misleading users with its blue checkmarks for certified accounts, insufficient advertising transparency and failing to give researchers access to the platform's data.

That allegation is part of a wider probe into X, launched in December, and regulators are still probing how it tackles the spread of illegal content and information manipulation.

X now has access to the EU's file and can defend itself including by replying to the commission's findings.

The list of governments angry with Musk is growing. He also raised hackles over the summer in the UK during days of rioting sparked by online misinformation that the suspect behind a mass stabbing that killed three girls was a Muslim asylum seeker.

The billionaire, whose personal X account has 196 million users, engaged in disputes with British politicians after sharing inflammatory posts and claiming a "civil war is inevitable" in the country.

Non-EU member Britain will soon be able to implement a similar law to the DSA with enforcement expected to start next year.

aro-raz/del/gv
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 5. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan are strongly discouraged from traveling to Russia unless absolutely necessary, Trend reports.

"The Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Russia advises Kyrgyz citizens who lack valid reasons to enter Russia to temporarily abstain from traveling to its territory until these measures are lifted, as a result of the ongoing implementation of additional security measures and the more stringent control over the entry of foreign citizens at the State Border of Russia," the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said.

Russia is implementing stricter measures regarding its migration policy. On July 31, a bill was introduced to the Russian State Duma suggesting a prohibition on migrant workers in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, as well as in school and preschool education. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin proposed the development of laws to discourage low-skilled migrant workers from bringing their families to Russia.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Iraq agrees deal to buy 12 Airbus military helicopters: AFP



Baghdad, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Iraq reached an agreement on Thursday to purchase a dozen Caracal H225M multi-role combat helicopters from European aviation giant Airbus, said an AFP journalist who witnessed the signing ceremony.

Defence Minister Thabet al-Abbassi attended the signing ceremony for the deal in Baghdad alongside the French ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, and a representative of Airbus Helicopters, the AFP journalist said.

Arnaud Montalvo, head of Airbus Helicopters for the Middle East, said the agreement was for 12 H225M helicopters to be delivered starting in early 2025. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Durel said the agreement stemmed from "exchanges and discussions" between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

"We can only be pleased that today we have achieved this result, which will allow Iraq to strengthen its capacities and which will allow Iraq to strengthen its sovereignty," he added.

Baghdad and Paris have been working to strengthen bilateral defence ties.

France has deployed troops in Iraq as part of the US-led international coalition set up to fight the Islamic State jihadist group.

Iraq declared victory over IS in late 2017, but jihadist cells remain active, carrying out sporadic attacks, particularly in rural areas.

Baghdad is now seeking to end the coalition's mission and replace it with bilateral military partnerships with other countries, saying its forces can lead the fight against the weakened IS group.

tgg/dv/dcp
Cambodia says China to hand over two warships



Phnom Penh, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Cambodia said Thursday that China will soon hand over two warships to improve its defence capabilities, despite US fears about Beijing boosting its military influence in the strategic Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia is a close ally of Beijing and Washington has long harboured concerns about the Chinese-funded renovation of the kingdom's Ream naval base.

Maly Socheata, a spokeswoman for the Cambodian defence ministry, told AFP that China would send the two new so-called Type 056C corvettes next year, at the earliest.

She said the vessels are being built specially for Cambodia, and "are expected to be completed and given to Cambodia in 2025 or later."

"The only goal is to strengthen the capacity and ability of Cambodia to protect and maintain peace, stability, security as well as for supporting search and rescue operations and other humanitarian activities at sea," Socheata added.

China has been funding the renovation of the Ream naval base, originally built partly using US funds.

But Washington says the base could give Beijing a key strategic position on the Gulf of Thailand near the disputed South China Sea, which China largely claims.

Last year, Cambodian officials denied a new 363-metre (1,190-foot) pier at Ream was intended to berth Chinese aircraft carriers.

Socheata said the "first phase" of expansion of the Ream base had been completed and the second phase of work was underway and would be finished soon.

She denied that the Ream Naval Base would be used by a foreign military, saying Cambodia would not allow any foreign military set its base in the country.
Iraq agrees deal to buy 14 Airbus military helicopters



Baghdad, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Iraq reached an agreement on Thursday to purchase 14 military helicopters, including a dozen H225M multi-role combat aircraft, from European aviation giant Airbus.

Defence Minister Thabet al-Abbassi attended the signing ceremony for the deal in Baghdad alongside the French ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, and a representative of Airbus Helicopters, an AFP journalist reported.

Arnaud Montalvo, head of Airbus Helicopters for the Middle East, said the agreement was for 12 H225M helicopters to be delivered starting in early 2025. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

The French embassy in Baghdad told AFP the deal was for 14 helicopters in total, including the 12 H225Ms.

Durel said the agreement stemmed from "exchanges and discussions" between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

"We can only be pleased that today we have achieved this result, which will allow Iraq to strengthen its capacities and which will allow Iraq to strengthen its sovereignty," he added.

The H225M, known as the "Caracal" in French military service, is the latest evolution of the Puma helicopter family and can be used for search and rescue operations, transport, assault missions and special forces insertion.

Baghdad and Paris have been working to strengthen bilateral defence ties.

"Our forces have fought together against terrorism, against IS," Durel said, referring to the Islamic State group.

"You can count on France to contribute to strengthening the country's sovereignty and security and I am sure that you can count on both our armed forces, on our various industrialists... to strengthen this relationship in all areas", Durel added.

France has deployed troops in Iraq as part of the US-led international coalition set up to fight IS and last year announced plans to train Iraqi units.

Iraq declared victory over IS in late 2017, but jihadist cells remain active, carrying out sporadic attacks, particularly in rural areas.

Baghdad is now seeking to end the coalition's mission and replace it with bilateral military partnerships with other countries, saying its forces can lead the fight against the weakened IS group.

In a January 2023 trip to Paris, Sudani held talks with representatives of various French defence manufacturers as well as Airbus on the potential acquisition of helicopters, radars and the Dassault Rafale fighter jet.

Montalvo told AFP that Airbus was aiming to deliver the helicopters "as quickly as possible because there is a pressing operation need".

tgg/dcp/dv

Airbus Group
Dutch boost arms spending to face 'ruthless Russian aggression'



The Hague, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



The Dutch government announced a multi-billion-euro boost in its defence spending Thursday, investing in tanks, jet fighters, and frigates to bolster the NATO alliance against "ruthless Russian aggression."

The Netherlands will increase its defence budget by 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion) to 24 billion euros, the government announced in its annual defence memorandum.

"The army will get tanks again, the air force will receive extra F-35s and the navy can count on extra frigates for anti-submarine warfare," the defence ministry said.

The extra cash will mainly go into boosting combat power, but the ministry said it would also spend an additional 260 million euros on recruiting and training personnel.

"The ruthless Russian aggression in Ukraine shows that an attack on the NATO alliance is no longer unthinkable," said Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans.

The Netherlands was taking "a major step" towards preventing such an attack by increasing its arms spending, said the minister.

"The best way to prevent war is to keep potential opponents at bay," he added.

The NATO alliance commits members to spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence.

According to the latest estimates from the alliance, the Netherlands was projected to spend 2.05 percent of GDP on defence in 2024.

"With this budget, the cabinet is ensuring that the Netherlands meets the NATO standard," according to the memorandum.

The 32-member NATO alliance will soon have a Dutch leader, as former prime minister Mark Rutte takes over on October 1.
Palestinian medics say 5 killed as Israel raids West Bank's Tubas



Tubas, Palestinian Territories, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Palestinian medics said an air strike targeting a car in the occupied West Bank killed five people on Thursday, while the Israeli military reported it hit "an armed terrorist cell".

"Five killed and (one) seriously wounded in a strike (on) a car in Tubas," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement, referring to an area that has been a focus of Israeli operations for more than a week.

The Israeli military said its aircraft "conducted three targeted strikes on armed terrorists" in the Tubas area.

It did not provide a toll but said the dead included Muhammad Zakaria Zubeidi, "a significant terrorist from the Jenin area", also in the northern West Bank.

It said Muhammad was son of Zakaria Zubeidi, a chief of the armed wing of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party and the alleged mastermind of a daring prison break from northern Israel in 2021.

"Several other terrorists who were involved in terrorist activity and shooting attacks against security forces were eliminated in the strike," an Israeli military statement said.

A large number of Israeli troops stormed the Al-Faraa refugee camp in Tubas governorate, where explosions were heard, eyewitnesses told AFP.

"One martyr was shot by the occupation (Israeli) forces in Al-Faraa camp," the Palestinian health ministry said.

Driver Iyad Dagharmeh, 34, said there was "intense Israeli warplane activity over Tubas city for the first time".

Hamas, whose October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, said the operation amounted to a "re-invasion", adding: "We mourn our martyrs who fell as a result of this brutal aggression."

Israel launched a large-scale offensive across the northern West Bank on August 28, fighting Palestinian militants and leaving widespread destruction.

Israeli forces have killed at least 36 Palestinians in the assault, the Palestinian health ministry says, including children and militants.

One Israeli soldier was killed in Jenin, where most of the Palestinian fatalities have taken place.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and the military has ramped up its deadly raids in the territory since its war in Gaza against Hamas militants erupted on October 7.

At least 661 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli military and settlers since October 7, according to the health ministry.

At least 23 Israelis, including security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the territory during the same period, according to Israeli officials.
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Actually, the Vikings play an interesting role on the Silk Road, surfacing anywhere from Ireland to the Islamic world, from the Baltic along the river routes through Russia and Ukraine. It isnt the usual historical revisionism about them being traders rather than specialists in rape and pillage. This is about how the rapine translates into trade. They paid for their wonderful silver hoards using the currency of slaves whom they captured in the normal Viking way and traded in the Islamic world for silver coins, dirhams, which they mostly melted down and repurposed back home. There was, however, one that got away: a ninth century Irish nobleman, Findan, who was captured by the Vikings not once, but twice, and finally escaped by jumping ship during a stopover in Orkney.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, September 5. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan and Russia's Tatarstan Republic signed a cooperation agreement during a business forum in Dushanbe, Trend reports.

Over sixty Tajikistani businesses participated in the forum's business-to-business (B2B) sessions, as reported by the Tatarstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It is encouraging that companies from Tatarstan are eager to continue collaboration with partners from Tajikistan, and our business mission is proof of that. I know that Tajikistan is actively working on establishing technology parks. Tatarstan is ready to offer all its accumulated positive experience, Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan and Minister of Industry and Trade Oleg Korobchenko, said.

According to Head of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan Sherali Kabir, the main goal of the forum is to increase industrial cooperation between Tajikistan and Tatarstan, boost investments, and prepare new professionals.

The business mission orchestrated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tatarstan will be in full swing until September 6. During the visit, there will be chances to delve into Tajikistan's economic prowess and pay a visit to diverse enterprises.
At the time of the shooting, Mr Gordon had been taking a shower while his sister emerged from her room to find her mother slumped on the floor and was with her when she died, Mr Fenhalls said.
The error was that it stated that Melissa walked between two buses, but this was not correct. The wording was erroneous and based on preliminary information that had been obtained at the time of the incident, and prior to any investigation. It did not fully reflect the circumstances and it should not have been used.
To be clear, we are not calling for tuition fees to rise to this level. In fact, more and more of the burden is falling on graduates, and the UK is increasingly an outlier within the OECD on this.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has confirmed the administrative arrest of Irakli Edzgveradze, a member of the Tbilisi City Council representing the National Movement party. According to the ministry, Edzgveradze was obstructing an investigation related to drug offences, despite not being directly involved in the investigation itself.Video footage from the scene shows a confrontation outside Edzgveradze's home in the Gldani district. He has been detained under Articles 166 and 173 of the Administrative Offences Code, which relate to disorderly conduct and disobeying law enforcement.Prior to the arrest, Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the National Movement's political council, claimed on social media that Edzgveradze had been "taken hostage" by the authorities. Additionally, another council member, Irakli Nadiradze, was also reported to have been arrested.The European Union has strongly condemned the hasty approval of a controversial homophobic bill during its second reading in Georgia's parliament. According to a statement from the spokesperson of the EU High Representative, the bill undermines fundamental rights and increases the risk of stigmatisation and discrimination against certain segments of Georgia's population.The statement highlights concerns that the legislation, which was passed without proper public consultation or alignment with European and international standards, threatens Georgia's democratic development. The EU emphasised that protecting human rights is a cornerstone of its enlargement process, which is evaluated annually in the European Commission's reports.The EU has urged the Georgian government to reconsider the bill entirely, warning that such legislation, along with other restrictions like the "Foreign influence transparency" law, could further strain relations between Georgia and the EU. The EU also reminded that Georgia's accession process has effectively stalled and called on the government to return to the path of European integration.The Georgian parliament passed the bill with 81 votes in favour during the second reading, without opposition members present. The ruling Georgian Dream party claims the bill is meant to protect "family values", but critics argue it restricts LGBT+ rights and imposes censorship. The opinion has been issued by the Venice Commission.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, September 5. Russia's Tatarstan is keen on advancing bilateral projects with Tajikistan, particularly in the light and mining industries, Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan and Minister of Industry and Trade Oleg Korobchenko, said, Trend reports.

According to the Russian Embassy to Tajikistan, he expressed these interests during a meeting with Semyon Grigoryev the Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan, and Tatarstan's Khimgrad company Director General Airat Gizzatullin.

Korobchenko stressed Tatarstan's commitment to interregional relations, cooperative ventures, and bilateral light and mining projects. They identified active chambers of business and industrial linkages.

The discussions also shed light on the development of humanitarian cooperation, with a focus on stepping up collaboration in primary, secondary, and vocational education.

The business mission organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tatarstan will be going full steam ahead until September 6. During the visit, there will be chances to delve into Tajikistan's economic prowess and pay a visit to different enterprises.
Young Romanian musicians between the ages of 16 and 26 can register, until September 30, for the annual selection for the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO), informs Agerpres.

The auditions will take place on October 23 in Bucharest and October 24 in Timisoara, informed a press release of the Romanian Cultural Institute, sent to AGERPRES.

Registration is done online at https://euyo.eu/auditions/.

Starting from 2010, the participation of Romanian musicians at EUYO is supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute. Until now, more than 20 instrumentalists from Romania have taken part in the EUYO training courses, in partnership with ICR.AGERPRES.
Romania's Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu told a recent informal conference of justice ministers from the Council of Europe member and observer states in Vilnius, Lithuania, that the rules for the use of artificial intelligence should be clearly defined by the world community.

According to a press statement released by the Romanian Justice Ministry on Thursday, Gorghiu on Wednesday and Thursday attended the informal conference called "Towards Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine."

The conference began with the European Commission signing the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.

"The convention establishes common general principles and rules for the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Human health and the environment are taken into account, as well as socio-economic aspects such as employment and labour. The convention aims to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law and to promote reliable artificial intelligence systems," according to the Justice Ministry.

"It is a necessary step in a world dominated by propaganda and hybrid attacks. The rules for the use of artificial intelligence should be clearly defined by the world community. It is the only way to make sure that technology is used responsibly. Not to do harm. Not to undermine human rights," Gorghiu is quoted as saying in the statement.

The Romanian official also addressed a second session of the event on a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and the role of the Council of Europe.

Gorghiu said that the tribunal has to pierce the personal immunities of the head of the Russian state, the head of the Russian government and the foreign minister.

"Romania hosted the tenth meeting of the core group. I am glad that progress has been made with the technical details for the establishment of the tribunal. It is the only way to restore logic in Europe. Fast action sends the most powerful message. A multilateral agreement among all states can take years. But a bilateral agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine is faster. Moreover, the Council of Europe gives more legitimacy to our approach. The initiative must not remain a regional approach. Countries outside Europe have to get involved. This tribunal must pierce the personal immunities of the Russian head of state, the head of the government and the minister of foreign affairs. Prosecutors must be independent. And nations must be cautious with the idea of introducing trials in absentia. The risk of procedural errors is high in the case of specialised and temporary courts."

She added that, at the moment, the preservation of evidence is a top priority, and this summer 14 countries presented evidence for the crime of aggression in over 2,000 cases, with Romania being one of the largest contributors.

"What the Russian Federation has done is, after all, a crime against peace. And it is continuing to threaten peace in many other countries through hybrid attacks. The establishment of this tribunal as soon a
The National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) ordered the establishment of additional measures to prevent the outbreak of sheep and goat pox in our country, after Bulgaria notified, through the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), the first outbreak of sheep pox.

"Following the confirmation on September 4, 2024 of the sheep and goat pox outbreak in Straldzha, Yambol region, Bulgaria, the National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority took actions to prevent the introduction of the virus of this disease into Romania. Today [Thursday] a videoconference was organized with the County Veterinary and Food Safety Directorates (DSVSAs), during which the situation of the smallpox outbreak in Bulgaria was presented, including the restricted areas, the territorial structures were trained and the legislation regarding sheep and goat pox", the representatives of the institution say.

ANSVSA representatives ordered the establishment of additional preventive measures, such as informing the representatives of the main associations of sheep and goat breeders in the county about the symptoms and evolution of the disease in Bulgaria and about the obligation to notify the veterinarian about animals that show changes in behavior, illnesses or cases of mortality.

At the same time, the need and obligation of animal owners to notify the veterinarian whenever they observe animals with behavioral changes, illnesses or any case of mortality will be publicized.

Also, information was sent regarding the obligation of animal owners to notify the veterinarian whenever they observe animals with changes in behavior, illnesses m cases of mortality, through printed materials (posters) to be posted at town halls, churches, etc.

On the list of additional measures taken by ANSVSA representatives, there is the increased monitoring of sheep and goat animal transports within the intra-community trade with Bulgaria, including the analysis of their temporary suspension.

At the same time, traffic controls will be intensified to identify any unauthorized transport of animals, especially on the border with Bulgaria.

"For each transport of sheep and goats, the veterinarian will assist the unloading of the animals from the means of transport and will perform a clinical examination of all the animals. The newly introduced animals will be kept in isolation for a period of 21 days until they are introduced into the indigenous herd", the press release states.

According to the cited source, this information will be provided during the meetings organized by the County Veterinary and Food Safety Directorates with the representatives of the main associations of sheep and goat breeders and with those of the economic operators involved in the ruminant trade activity, from the county.

ANSVSA has sent instructions to the territory through memos regarding the evolution of sheep and goat pox, both in Bulgaria and in Greece, which will be implemented by organizing meetings with the involved and interested parties.

At the same time, ANSVSA requests economic operators in Romania involved in ruminant trade activity to pay maximum attention to the instructions sent by ANSVSA through the county DSVSAs, in order to protect their herds of small ruminants from this disease.

"Any suspicion of illness must be notified as soon as possible to the county DSVSAs", the press release informs.
The REPER party will run for elections with the clear objective of coagulating a liberal, democratic, reformist platform open to all those who want to end "the era of PSD and feudalism in Romania", according to a party's press release sent on Thursday.

"Amid the various public statements and speculations of the last few days, I remind you that REPER did not knock on anyone's door, but was invited by both the PNL and the USR to a dialogue about a possible alliance of liberal forces for these elections, a project that we have supported and continue to consider a solution. We are not more concerned with our own mandates than with a political project that will gather good people around certain values and some objectives. We have seen firm concerns for mandates around us, rather than in our organization. I think these concerns will have a serious political cost, but it is not our priority to make assessments for other parties. we said where and how we can best contribute, based on demonstrated results, not what "claims" we have", said Ramona Strugariu, co-president of REPER, according to the press release.

She emphasizes that there is a liberal, progressive, open Romania, of rights and freedoms, of active pro-Europeanism, of inclusion, of equal opportunities, of social justice and respect for the rule of law, to whom no one and no presidential candidate speaks to and no party takes it seriously with a tailor-made political offer.

"There is a Romania that does not understand why conservatism and populism should be the golden electoral rules that fascinate the masses. There is a Romania that says a resolute "no, thank you" to opportunistic alliances of any kind. There is a Romania for which the family also means single parents or life partners, it means a community of values, affection, trust, security. There is a Romania for which freedom of choice, without brutal constraints and medieval practices that endanger lives, is fundamental," Strugariu states.

He draws attention, at the same time, that "there is a Romania where poverty and lack of education make victims every day and those people, regardless of which party they vote with, must be helped to get out of vulnerability and humiliation".

"There is a Romania where entrepreneurs feel that they pay taxes just to be left alone, not that they have any added value for the economy and society. We are here and we will fight with all our resources and all our energy in the electoral competition, until in the end, because all these sides of Romania matter. They are worth fighting for. They are a goal that should never be abandoned, in all the background noise surrounding it," says Ramona Strugariu.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 4. The total volume of commercial banks assets in Uzbekistan reached 711.1 trillion soums ($56.2 billion) from January through July 2024, Trend reports.

According to the data from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the assets of state-owned banks amounted to 475.2 trillion soums ($37.5 billion), while the assets of other banks amounted to 235.8 trillion soums ($18.6 billion) during this period.

Among Uzbekistans state-owned banks, the National Bank of Uzbekistan accounted for the largest volume of assets, totaling 133.1 trillion soums ($10.5 billion). The smallest amount of assets was registered at the countrys Poytaxt bank with 256 billion soums ($20.2 million) during this period.

Meanwhile, the capital of Uzbekistans commercial banks amounted to 105.1 trillion soums ($8.3 billion) from January through July 2024.

The capital of state-owned banks reached 65.5 trillion soums ($5.17 billion), and the capital of other banks totaled 39.6 trillion soums ($3.1 billion) during this period.
President of the Senate Nicolae Ciuca, leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), announces that a code of practices for reporting acts of violence and sexual harassment will be presented at the parliamentary level and at the same time a set of legislative measures will be initiated "to combat this scourge", informs Agerpres.

He was asked, on Wednesday evening, on TVR Info, how he comments on the accusations brought by the prosecutors against the former teacher from SNSPA Alfred Bulai.

"It is absolutely unacceptable. We discussed with the Minister of Justice, with the Minister of Education and very soon we are preparing an event at the level of the Senate in which to present a code of practices for reporting acts of violence and sexual harassment. In Romania, from the data we have, on a scale from 1 to 10, there is great fear and concern about this inhuman behavior, this scourge. I am convinced that, as happened in the case of Bulai, the state institutions, the state antibodies, must react and do their duty. From a legislative point of view (...) we discussed with [Justice] minister Gorghiu to come up with that set of legislative measures, for which I have no limit, to be introduced in the legal provisions to combat this scourge," the PNL leader declared.

Sociologist Alfred Bulai, former professor at SNSPA, was detained, on Wednesday, after being questioned at the 2nd Police Station in the Capital in the case of abuse of office for sexual purposes and sexual assault. According to some judicial sources, he has the status of a suspect and did not want to give statements to the police, availing himself of the right to remain silent.

On Wednesday, the prosecutors of the Prosecutor's Office next to the 1st District Court searched Alfred Bulai's home and car.

Also on Wednesday, raids took place at the residences of two other people.

The investigators carry out investigations in rem regarding suspicions regarding the commission of the crimes of abuse of office for sexual purposes and sexual aggression.

According to a journalistic investigation carried out by the Snoop website, Alfred Bulai allegedly sexually harassed several female students.
For artist Sherelle Speed, aka the Art Doll, dreams come true every day. Her surrealistic paintings often originate in the haze of her dreams. Its also a dream that this successful artist and entrepreneur makes her living doing what she loves, making art every day.

She doesnt sit like a princess in an ivory tower applying paint to canvas, though. In just 10 years shes actively built a successful art business now headquartered at the House of Art Doll, her tattoo shop on Delmar.

Her savvy business side contrasts with the ethereal, sometimes otherworldly paintings she produces. She doesnt limit her creativity; she celebrates its many facets. Not everyone can afford to buy original paintings, so you capitalize off of things that reward you as well as give you income, she says. Thats how I came up with tattooing, teaching private paint and sip classes, and mural making  its all under the same umbrella of art. You have to have an entrepreneurial mindset and think how many streams of income can you get off of your passion?

She didnt plan to become an artist and entrepreneur. My dream was to become a psychiatrist, she says. She enrolled in classes at Florissant Valley Community College with the intent of transferring to a university after shed completed her general studies. She took one art class as an elective, a choice that would later change her life. It set the stage for her life, and for healing from a traumatic life event.

Ten years ago she lost her home and all her possessions. She turned to art to heal, expressing the trauma in her art. She reached back to her childhood love of stories and invested the paintings with personal meaning.

I often have vivid dreams about the Disney princesses. If you look at their backstories, they were all were treated poorly. Theyve all been broken. Thats where the pins, the stitches, and the needles appear, she says. The dolls once broken become whole, the visible signs of their trauma are also a source of strength.

In her doll series she uses a bright palette of colors. She uses different colors for each of her explorations. Her works always explore representation, a conscious choice. As a woman of color, right now times are changing for us. I have a 5-year-old daughter. Representation matters to me for her.

In addition, Speed wants people to self-identify in her work as well. She leaves room for personal projection. I know Im not going buy a painting of a random person, so I leave my paintings faceless. I want you to be able to put yourself into the painting. You can use your imagination and put any faces you want in the painting, she says.

Although her style is uniquely her own, her influences include Jean-Michel Basquiat, renaissance art and Tim Burton. Im a huge Tim Burton fan so my tattoo shop is a girl horror thing, she says. My whole aesthetic is a little creepy and Goth. Fans call it pastel Goth, which is dark, but its still pretty and still bubbly.

Her art influences in St. Louis include Brock Seals and Cbabi Bayoc. I met Brock in my only art class at Flo Valley 10 years ago and weve stayed connected ever since, she says. I look up to Cbabi because of his lifes journey.

Shes carved out her own path in idiosyncratic, dream-driven paintings that speak of hardship, strength, courage and the importance of representation. She plays not only with race, but with gender roles, social class, sexuality, and female strength and power. Its a potent cocktail, meant to be savored.

Art Doll LLC Artist: Sherelle Speed aka as the Art Doll Family: Sherelle has one daughter, Yuri Marz, 5, who named their pet baby yellow belly turtle Minja Turtle. Age: 36 Home: St. Charles County What she makes: Speed makes original paintings and offers limited reproductions in varying sizes of some images. She also works as a tattoo artist in her own shop and gallery, the House of Art Doll. She is an accomplished muralist and teacher as well. She will be teaching a murals class at Soldan High School in September, and she also holds private art class events at her shop. Where to buy: Purchase her artworks at her website, theartdoll.net, and from her shop, the House of Art Doll at 6277 Delmar Boulevard How much: Her original paintings range from $500 to $5,000; murals start at $2,500, and private painting classes are $40 per person. See her website for available original art and reproductions.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 5. The Uzbekistan Atomic Energy Agency (UzAtom) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) discussed the implementation of national projects aimed at developing nuclear infrastructure and the peaceful use of atomic energy, Trend reports.

UzAtom held a meeting with Director of the IAEAs Technical Cooperation Division for Europe Eve-Kulli Kala.

During the meeting, the parties had a fruitful discussion on important matters regarding their collaboration, where special attention was given to the current status and future prospects of national projects being implemented with the support of the IAEA.

The participants also agreed to continue active collaboration, including holding expert meetings and working sessions to address issues related to the implementation of national projects and strengthening Uzbekistan's nuclear infrastructure.

Cooperation between UzAtom and the IAEA has been actively developing since Uzbekistan joined the organization in 1994. In recent years, more than 20 Uzbek specialists annually undergo training and advanced training within the framework of IAEA programs aimed at developing nuclear energy and radiation safety.

By 2030, it's planned to commission two VVER-1200 reactors, built jointly with the Russian Rosatom Corporation.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
U.S. Steel is threatening a shift away from integrated steelmaking, which it's done in Northwest Indiana for nearly 120 years, if the $14.9 billion Nippon Steel acquisition falls through.

The steelmaker, one of Northwest Indiana's largest employers and the founder of the City of Gary as a company town, said it could move away from making steel with blast furnaces like it does at its flagship Gary Works mill in favor of less capital-intensive mini-mill operations in the south.

U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt warned at a rally Wednesday that it could move its headquarters from Pittsburgh as well.

Burritt and other U.S. Steel employees rallied at the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh for a buyout and plan to call elected officials to make the case for Nippon Steel buying the company.

Todays rally is about displaying support for the transaction with Nippon Steel. We want elected leaders and other key decision makers to recognize the benefits of the deal as well as the unavoidable consequences if the deal fails, Burritt said.

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris said on Labor Day that she wanted U.S. Steel to remain American-owned and operated. President Joe Biden and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump also have voiced opposition to a sale.

U.S. Steel warned there could be dire consequences if no merger takes place.

"Without the Nippon Steel transaction, U.S. Steel will largely pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, putting thousands of good-paying union jobs at risk, negatively impacting numerous communities across the locations where its facilities exist, and depriving the American steel industry of an opportunity to better compete on the global stage," the company said in a news release.

"In addition to moving away from integrated steelmaking, the lack of a deal with Nippon Steel raises serious questions about U.S. Steel remaining headquartered in Pittsburgh. The departure of U.S. Steel, a company that has been making steel in the Mon Valley since 1901, would deprive the Pittsburgh area of jobs, tax revenue, and community-based contributions.

"A 2023 economic impact study shows that U.S. Steels operations in (Pennsylvania) generated $3.6 billion in total economic impact, supported and sustained 11,417 jobs through its operations and purchases from the local supply chain, and generated $138.2 million in state and local taxes as a result of operations and capital spending."

U.S. Steel has lost money in six of the last 13 years, including $1.6 billion losses in 2013 and 2015 and a $1.16 billion loss in 2020. It's brought in $7.5 billion in profit over the last three years but its profit has started to slide as a result of a cooling steel market. Cleveland-Cliffs tried to buy U.S. Steel to consolidate all of the remaining integrated steelmaking under one banner, but U.S. Steel rejected that offer, put itself on the open market and got a $55 per share offer from Nippon Steel, which said it will run U.S. Steel as a U.S. subsidiary serving the North American market.

Nippon has promised $2.7 billion in investments at Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania and Gary Works and said it would retain all the hourly employees and recognize the United Steelworkers union as its bargaining partner. U.S. Steel said it would not make those financial commitments on its own.

USW District 7 Director Mike Millsap and International President David McCall described the company's threats as "baseless" and "reckless."

"While U.S. Steel continues pressing forward with its ill-conceived merger with Nippon, its executives clearly are getting increasingly rattled. The future of U.S. Steel has never been the sole domain of executives and shareholders, but with his $70 million change-in-control bonus on the line, CEO David Burritt has reached new lows," they said in a prepared statement. "Up until now, Burritt has described USS as a world-class steel company, but now he is making baseless and unlawful threats, saying if the transaction with Nippon is rejected, the future of U.S. Steel as a viable steel company is at risk. His reckless statements and mismanagement are the only true obstacle to U.S. Steel remaining a sustainable steel company."

The union faulted U.S. Steel for canceling billions of dollars of investments planned into Mon Valley Works in Pittsburgh just before buying the Big River Steel mini-mill in Arkansas, saying it would continue down the same path.

"Nippon stated on the day that the transaction was sprung on the public in December that it will continue to follow Burritts plan, which to date means running away from USW employees and the communities that have for decades made the company profitable," Millsap and McCall said. "Weve seen Burritts work in action as hes sought to increase the short-term stock price but shrink stockholder value to restructure U.S. Steel as a mini-mill. The 'plan' has been to shut down steel making in Great Lakes and Granite City and expand Big River, to kill four tin lines, opening the market to Nippons imports."

They questioned whether Nippon would go through with the promised investments, saying that a news release is not a contract and that Nippon has insisted on many conditions.

"With the latest announcement, we have every reason to believe that Nippon will simply make our finishing mills a destination for Japanese overcapacity of imported slabs. Todays pathetic attempt to orchestrate a rally in downtown Pittsburgh shows that U.S. Steel is becoming increasingly desperate to save the deal," Millsap and McCall said. "Nippons $55 per share offer is a significant premium to stockholders, and it will no doubt enrich Burritt and his top executives. But the merger sells out the future for workers, the retirees, the communities and jeopardizes our nations ability to produce the melted, poured and finished steel products that we need for our national defense and critical supply chain. Burritts harassment, threats and bullying of loyal employees wont work and they must stop."

The union questioned whether the deal had any path forward when the administration could block it on national security concerns regardless of the results of the November election.

"Dave Burritt wasted the past year pursuing this merger, and he has failed. Its time for the board of directors to hold Burritt accountable for his reckless leadership, which risks turning an iconic American steelmaker into a foreign-controlled subsidiary of a Houston-based shell company  with serious adverse consequences for our economic and national security," Millsap and McCall said. "The fact remains: U.S. Steel would hold no value, would not be world class, without the hard work and tireless dedication of generations of USW-represented Steelworkers. As long as we remain united in solidarity, we will keep U.S. Steel U.S.-owned."
The culture-war piffle that so often passes for policy among Missouris radical right-wing political leaders today is more than just an offensive failure of public service. It can also get expensive for the very taxpayers who are being ill-served by those policies.

The price of Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcrofts silly crusade against socially responsible investing, for example, is currently edging past $2 million in legal fees for litigation that has failed once and will certainly fail again if it continues. Talk about an irresponsible investment.

Ashcroft, whose duties include regulating securities, created a rule last year that required investment brokers to obtain written permission from clients before using socially responsible criteria in their investment strategies.

The rule had no particular impetus except Ashcrofts gubernatorial aspirations, which necessitated convincing GOP primary voters of his right-wing reactionary cred.

A trendy bogeyman on the right these days is the concept of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment strategies  that is, investments that take into account environmental impact, social justice and other liberal-leaning priorities savaged as unacceptably woke by much of todays MAGA-fied Republican Party.

Ashcrofts argument relies on the false notion that investors might be duped by having their money invested in ESG-focused funds without their knowledge. That notion misunderstands the entire point of ESG, which is showcased by its advocates to attract socially conscientious investors.

As with Ashcrofts earlier library censorship stunt, his anti-ESG investment rules are an ideologically loaded solution in search of a problem.

More than that, they reveal that when it comes to pandering to extremism, Ashcroft is willing to cast aside genuine conservative principles  like the one about keeping governments nose out of free-market business decisions. The fact that the policy put him crosswise with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and other mainstream business groups speaks volumes about the wayward path of todays GOP.

Another of those mainstream business groups, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, sued Ashcroft last year over the policy, saying the new rules were burdensome state regulation that stepped on the overriding authority of the federal Securities and Exchange Commission to regulate investment activity.

A federal judge last month agreed, and struck down Ashcrofts rules as both an improper preemption of federal law and an unconstitutional infringement on the free-speech rights of investment professionals.

Ashcrofts office has said it is considering an appeal. If so, it should be prepared to explain to Missouris taxpayers why Ashcroft would throw good tax money after bad on a clearly losing case in defense of a politically malicious policy.

The bad money burned so far is significant.

As the Post-Dispatchs Kurt Erickson reported this week, Missouris defense of the litigation against Ashcrofts rule, combined with attorneys fees being sought by the other side, currently total about $2.1 million. Even if Ashcroft does the responsible thing and drops the matter rather than appealing, the final figure will certainly be larger. Should he appeal, it will be much larger.

It is not, by a long stretch, the only waste of Missouris public money for ideological antics by Republican politicians.

The states Second Amendment Preservation Act  a deranged statute that presumes to give Missourians the power to ignore federal gun laws and sue any police department that tries to enforce them  is losing one court challenge after another on its way to an inevitable overturn. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has made a virtual cottage industry out of filing legally ludicrous lawsuits with no apparent purpose other than providing campaign fodder as he seeks election to his seat in November.

Why should Missouris residents  more than a million of whom vote for the Democratic presidential candidate in every modern-day election  have to fund what amount to Republican campaign bumper stickers in the form of brazenly partisan policies that are doomed the second they encounter the bright light of a courtroom?

Ashcroft lost his gubernatorial bid, placing third in the GOP primary last month; his political career will end (for now, at least) in January. So if he keeps this dumb case going, it will presumably be for nothing but pride. Its certainly not a matter of legitimate principle, there being none of that in this policy.

Ashcroft is among the most disappointing of Missouris radical Republicans today because he wasnt always like that. Pre-MAGA, he was one of the more serious and responsible Republicans in the states leadership. Alas, the Trump era has had that effect on too many once-responsible conservatives.

Mr. Secretary, as a final act in office, please regain some of that seriousness by dropping the legal defense of this nonsense policy before it costs your constituents another dime.
EQS-Ad-hoc: Raiffeisen Bank International AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous

Raiffeisen Bank International AG: AO Raiffeisenbank (Russia) shares are subject to a transfer ban imposed by a Russian court decision



05-Sep-2024 / 20:13 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





AO Raiffeisenbank (Russia) shares are subject to a transfer ban imposed by a Russian court decision

Vienna, 5 September 2024. A Russian court has today issued a preliminary injunction, by which shares of AO Raiffeisenbank are subject to a transfer ban with immediate effect. Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) is the 100% shareholder of AO Raiffeisenbank.

The decision is related to the legal proceedings recently initiated by Rasperia Trading Limited in Russia against STRABAG SE, its Austrian core shareholders and AO Raiffeisenbank. AO Raiffeisenbank is mentioned in the claim as related to the other defendants, although not accused of any wrongdoing. RBI is not a party to these proceedings.

As a result of todays decision RBI cannot transfer its shares in AO Raiffeisenbank. This complicates the sales process in which RBI seeks to sell a controlling stake in AO Raiffeisenbank  and will inevitably lead to further delays. RBI will attempt to reverse todays court decision by all legal means.

For further information please contact:

John P. Carlson, CFA

Head of Group Investor Relations

Raiffeisen Bank International AG

Am Stadtpark 9

1030 Vienna, Austria

ir@rbinternational.com

phone +43 1 71 707 2089

www.rbinternational.com
September 5, 2024: As of August 2024, Ukraine has received several dozen F-16 fighters but has not yet used them in combat. Ukrainian personnel are still learning how to operate and maintain the aircraft. The United States government currently forbids Ukraine from using them because it is unhappy over Ukraine forces recently invading Russian territory in the Kursk area.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, Ukraine wanted F-16s because it had done what it could with its Russian-built MiG-29s, but heavy combat losses meant replacements were needed and Ukraine preferred F-16s over other Western fighters. So would Russia but Ukraine had a better chance of getting them. Both Russian and Ukrainian fighter pilots were familiar with the superiority of the F-16 over the MiG-29 and even its major upgrade, the MiG-35. For a few years after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russian and Ukrainian pilots had an opportunity to fly in an F-16. Western pilots had already done this with MiG-29s because some MiG-29 pilots defected to the West while flying their Mig-29s.

The Russian situation in Ukraine has become increasingly perilous and the Ukrainian F-16s may not become operational before the war ends or degenerates into Russian defeat Russia refuses to acknowledge. Such a situation would likely result in NATO nations supplying F-16s to suggest that Ukraine not use its F-16s inside Russia or too close to the Russian border because the Russians would make an extraordinary effort to down one or more F-16s. Russia is embarrassed by the inability of their answer to the F-16, the MiG-29, to match the F-16s in aerial combat. Instead Russia is concentrating lots of anti-aircraft systems in border areas where the F-16s might operate. This is an effort to shoot one of the F-16s down. This would deflect criticism of the poor performance of the MiG-29.

Since 1981 over 1,600 MiG29s have been produced and the aircraft is still produced in small quantities each year. Upgrades were added haphazardly and many of these did not work as intended. There was inadequate quality control and Russian manufacturers were not able to fix these problems. There was no uniformity in adding or maintaining upgrades. This resulted in a lot of MiG-29s with different capabilities. It was difficult just to keep track of which MiG-29 could do what and with what degree of consistency. There was also a problem with ergonomics, or ease of use. Ukrainian pilots who trained to use F-16s found the layout of the F-16 cockpit more efficiently organized and much easier to use.

MiG-29s were expensive to maintain and, without adequate maintenance, became dangerous to fly. Russian warplanes were never as durable and long-lasting as western models. Western aircraft were designed to spend much more time in the air because western pilots received a lot more training.

Both the Ukrainian and Russian Air Forces had a difficult time recovering and rebuilding after the end of the Cold War. The Russian Air Force had over 10,000 military aircraft in 1991. The mighty Soviet Red Air Force instantly lost nearly half its strength because the 14 new states formed from the Soviet Union took possession of whatever warplanes were stationed within their borders. For both Russia and Ukraine, 1991 was followed by two decades of sharply lower defense budgets that cut maintenance and eliminated all but a few purchases of new aircraft.

There were efforts to refurbish older aircraft. After 2000 Russia steadily increased defense spending, but it was not enough. By 2015 Russia could only put into action about ten percent of the warplanes the Red Air Force could at its 1991 peak. To make matters worse, growing development problems with its new Su-57 stealth fighter meant that Russia had to depend even more on late Cold War designs which included the Su-27/30, MiG-29, and Su-25, plus some older heavy bomber and recon aircraft. Upgrades made to those aircraft since 1991 were mainly for export customers. Russian defense firms needed the cash, not another IOU from the Russian government.

Ukraine inherited 200 MiG-29s in 1991 but only kept about three dozen in service because of the high cost of maintenance. Despite that, after the Russian 2014 attack Ukraine began an upgrade program for its operational MiG-29s. The first of Ukraines MiG-29MU1 aircraft entered service in 2018 and, by the second time Russia invaded in February 2022, there were 18 MiG-29MU1s and one MiG-29MU2 with further enhancements available.

The air war over Ukraine was initially a tactical win for Ukraine, but that was costly, with 47 fighters or attack aircraft lost. Twenty of these were MiG-29s, four were Su-27 fighters and the rest were twelve Su-24 and Su-25 ground attack aircraft. Russia lost four Su-24s, 13 Su-25s, ten Su-34s, successor to the older Su-24 and one Su-35 (an upgraded Su-27). The Ukrainians prevented Russia from achieving air superiority and forced them to launch their airstrikes from inside Russia using air-to-ground missiles. Four of the new Su-57 stealth aircraft were also used for this and the Su-57s never entered Ukrainian air space.

Ukraine has been offered several dozen MiG-29s that were still in use, or in active storage, by NATO nations that were phasing out their MiG-29s for Western jets. Those transfers were initially stalled by disagreements within NATO about sending these MiGs or F-16s and A-10s to the Ukrainians. That hasnt prevented less visible assistance, like supplying Ukraine with MiG-29 spare parts as well as pilot transition training programs operated by American volunteers, some of them former F-16 and A-10 pilots, who know how to obtain unclassified manuals and equipment to create flight simulators adequate for pilot transition training. Programs like this have already succeeded for other types of Western weapons Ukraine wanted and anticipated getting them by selecting and training operators in advance.

Meanwhile Russia had given up on its Mig-29s, which it had been unable to upgrade successfully. There were many upgrades available and some of them did not work.

In 2019 Russia made a desperate effort to keep the venerable MIG company, founded in 1939 as MiG or Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau, in business. This was done out of a combination of nostalgia, national pride, and practicality. That last item is all about maintaining competition, in the form of having at least two firms designing and producing fighter aircraft.

Nostalgia and national pride are also important because during the Cold War the MiG organization was the primary developer of fighter aircraft. During World War II MiG was one of three, Yakovlev, Lavochkin and MiG, developers of successful fighter aircraft. One of the earliest successes was the MiG-3 fighter. After the war, Yakovlev and Lavochkin moved on to other aerospace endeavors while the Sukhoi Design Bureau, which had worked on ground attack aircraft during the war, began developing jet fighters which were competition for MiG and eventually surpassed MiG by the 1990s.

After World War II MiG was famous for developing the first two generations of Russian jet fighters. This included the first successful Russian jet fighter, the MiG-15 and several subsequent improved versions like the MiG 17 and 1919. Then came the MiG-21, the most widely used jet fighter of the Cold War. In the 1960s the MiG-23/27 showed up, along with a lot of MiG design problems. Despite that MiG manufactured most Russian jet fighters during the Cold War. For over three decades, MiG has been losing its edge and by the end of the century was in danger of disappearing. This decline continued despite efforts to turn the quality problems around.

For example, in 2019 the Russian Air Force received the first two production models of the new MiG-35 fighter. Four more followed by the end of 2019. Air force tests under operational conditions were encouraging but there were no more orders. That was largely because no export customers for the MiG-35 could be found. Bad experiences with older MiG aircraft, even after 1991, had ruined MiGs reputation. For many potential export customers, the fact that the Russian Air Force did not order a lot of MiG-35s confirmed their fears.

The MiG-35 was designed to replace hundreds of Cold War era MiG-29s and Su-27s but the lack of export orders proved fatal to the independence of the MiG firm, which was now known as MAC, or Mikoyan Aircraft Corporation. Soon MiG became part of the UAC or United Aircraft Corporation, a state-owned firm that now controls nearly all Russian combat aircraft development and production. In June 2022 UAC dissolved its MAC division and the Mig-29/35 became just another product line, and one with no future.

The MiG-35 has been in development for nearly three decades because MiG was no longer the outstanding combat aircraft developer and manufacturer it was during the Cold War. Russia was trying to change that so that there would still be two organizations, MiG and Sukhoi developing and building fighters. The long gestation time for the MiG-35 is an example of the problems MiG has been having. The MiG-35 is basically a much-improved Cold War era MiG-29. The MiG-35 is a 29-ton, twin-engine fighter with a combat radius of 1,000 kilometers and can refuel in the air. It has an internal 30mm autocannon and nine hardpoints that can carry 6.5 tons of bombs and missiles. It has an AESA radar and a fire control system that can handle smart bombs and missiles. Max altitude is 19,000 meters and the MiG-35 can reach that altitude in about a minute. Max speed is 2,400 kilometers an hour at high altitude and 1,400 at sea level. It is a very maneuverable aircraft meant to provide superior performance in combat. Air force tests of these new capabilities against the latest Su-30 models revealed that the new MiG was not worth the expense.

The Russian air force was not optimistic about the MiG-35 because its experiences with new MiG aircraft in the previous decade were disappointing. For example, in January 2016 the air force received the last of 16 MiG-29SMT jet fighters it ordered in early 2014. The Russian Air Force paid $30 million for each of these MiGs but really didnt want them. The government insisted in order to keep the MAC from going bankrupt. That became a possibility in 2013 when it was revealed that Russia would not order 37 of MACs new, and still in development MiG-35 fighters. Because of development problems the MiG-35 was delayed from 2016 to 2018 and finally showed up in 2019. You could see where this was going. Cancellation of the billion-dollar MiG-35 order put MAC in a financial bind and the best solution seemed to be purchasing more of the existing MiG-29SMTs. The 22-ton MiG-29SMT is an upgrade of the original MiG-29 with improved avionics, a more powerful engine, and the ability to use smart bombs and missiles against ground targets. It could carry 4.5 tons of bombs and missiles. All that was not enough.

Meanwhile, MAC was running out of time, cash, and options. It had orders for some MiG-29Ks, for use on aircraft carriers and upgrades to Indian MiG-29s. Serbia was close to placing an order. MAC could not expect much more help from the government which was dealing with a major cash shortage as a result of record low oil prices and trade sanctions because of Russian aggression in Ukraine that began in 2014.

This was not the first time Russia purchased MiGs mainly for financial, not military reasons. In 2006 Russia agreed to buy 28 MiG-29 fighters to prevent the MAC from going bankrupt. That crisis was triggered when Algeria told Russia that it was canceling their 2007 $1.3 billion order for 28 MiG-29 fighters and returning the ones already delivered. Algeria insisted that there were quality issues and that some of the aircraft were assembled from old parts. The accusation turned out to be true and Russian prosecutors tried and convicted several MAC executives for passing off defective, or used, aircraft parts as new. Many of these parts made their way into MiG-29 jet fighters that were sold to Algeria.

The MiG-29 has been in service since the 1980s, but stocks of Cold War era spare parts were still around, and it was suspected in the Russian aviation community that some of these older parts were used to build the Algerian aircraft. These were supposed to be new aircraft but some of their components were definitely not. Some MiG employees were very unhappy with the corrupt practices involving aircraft parts. This sort of crime often extends to parts for airliners. The MiG employees felt personally responsible for any defective aircraft leaving their plant and didn't want to be flying in an airliner containing fraudulent parts either. Russian prosecutors, already involved in an anti-corruption program underway for several years, jumped on these allegations and quickly convicted senior executives who presided over widespread fraud in the aircraft components industry.

MiG hoped that the new MiG-35 would save the company. Described as the equivalent of the American F-35, the MiG-35 would be the low-end to the high-end Su-57, seen as the Russian F-22 stealth fighter. The Su-57 was no F-22, and the MiG-35 was no F-35. The MiG-35 is a considerably redesigned MiG-29. The MiG-35 was originally designed to carry a 30mm autocannon and up to five tons of bombs. The big selling point for the MiG-35 was its offensive and defensive electronics, as well as sensors for finding targets on land or sea. All this looked very impressive on paper, but the Russians have long had problems getting the performance to match promises. This is particularly the case with the advanced electronics of the MiG-35, which was running into problems because the competing F-35 electronics set a very high bar. The MiG-35 has little stealth capability and first flew in 2007. Russia had hoped to buy a hundred or so MiG-35s after 2016 but the reality of MiG-35s poor performance halted any purchase plans.

The MiG-29 entered Russian service in 1983. Some 1,600 MiG-29s were produced, with about 900 of them exported. The original MiG-29 was a 22-ton aircraft roughly comparable to the F-16, but it depends a lot on which version of either aircraft you are talking about. Russia is making a lot of money upgrading MiG-29s. Not just adding new electronics but also making the airframe more robust. The MiG-29 was originally rated at 2,500 total flight hours. At that time, the early 80s, Russia expected MiG-29s to fly about a hundred or so hours a year. Reality was different. India, for example, flew them at nearly twice that rate, as did Malaysia. Russia offered to upgrade the airframe so that the aircraft could fly up to 4,000 hours, with more life extension upgrades promised. This was not easy to do, as the MiG-29 had a history of unreliability and premature mechanical and electronic breakdowns. It was also more expensive to maintain than comparable Su-27/30 and foreign fighter jets.

Ukraine made the most it could out of its MiG-29s with its own upgrades. But early in the 2022 war Russian missiles damaged the Lviv facility, the only place equipped to carry out upgrades. Ukraine needed more fighters and, like most long-time MiG customers, wanted anything but more MiGs.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 5. Uzbekistan and Qatar discussed the establishment of a center for distribution of Uzbek products in the Persian Gulf countries through the port of Hamad (Qatar), Trend reports.

The matter was reviewed during a meeting between Chairman of Uzbekistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Davron Vakhabov with the board member of Qatar's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ali Bin Abdullatif Al Misned, and First Secretary of Qatar's Embassy in Uzbekistan Fahad Ali Al-Hammadi.

During the meeting, the parties noted that Qatar Airways will actively participate in the above mentioned project to organize cargo transportation.

In addition, the sides agreed to hold an Uzbek-Qatar business forum in October this year in the Namangan region (Uzbekistan) and the first meeting of the joint business council in Doha (Qatar) on November 11-12. The meeting will form the composition of the council and identify further steps to expand bilateral cooperation.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to strengthen economic connections, which should pave the way for further commerce and investment prospects between Qatar and Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, in June 2023, as a result of the visit of the Emir of Qatar to Samarkand, the countries reached an agreement on the participation of leading Qatari companies in the implementation of investment projects in Uzbekistan with a total value of $12 billion.
September 5, 2024: As of this year, Russia has increased its efforts to influence operations in Africa that cause political and economic problems for NATO countries. Russian troops have been increasingly active in Africa since 2018. Even with the problems Russia is having in Ukraine, their operations in Africa continue to succeed. This actually helps them in Ukraine because NATO nations depend on raw materials from Africa, while Russian military operations in Africa are disrupting shipments to Western Europe. Currently Russia is believed to have about a thousand mercenaries operating throughout Africa.

For example, in early August 2024, Russian and Malian soldiers in northern Mali suffered heavy casualties fighting CSP rebels. CSP stands for the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad, or CSP-DPA. Malian soldiers backed by the Wagner Group Russian mercenaries have been cooperating for over five year and their joint operations are successful most of the time.

CSP was formed in 2021 and mainly consists of Tuaregs, a North African Berber group that dominated the region for over two thousand years until European colonial forces showed up in the early 19th century. The Tuaregs put up a fierce resistance to the French and were not defeated in Mali until 1905. The Tuaregs continued to feud with their North African and sub-Saharan African neighbors. The colonial powers left most of Africa in the 1960s. This was bad for the Tuaregs, who are outnumbered by the people of Niger, Mali, Algeria, Libya, and Burkina Faso, countries the Tuaregs used to dominate. The French colonial governments used the Tuaregs as their enforcers and this backfired on them when the French left and the newly independent governments of Niger, Mali, Algeria, Libya, and Burkina Faso sought to suppress Tuareg power in the region. This effort is still underway as Tuareg power and influence continues to decline. An example of this continued resistance was the recent clashes with Tuareg militias in northern Mali that left over a hundred Malian troops and Russian mercenaries dead.

In July 2024, the opposition political parties in the landlocked African nation of Mali finally received some cooperation from their transitional military government. On July 10, 2024, Assimi Goita, the interim president of Mali told opposition political parties they could resume operations after a three-month suspension imposed in April. The opposition parties were angry that Goita reneged on his promise to retire from government by March 2024.

By allowing a revival of planning for national elections, Mali could finally look forward to the return of democratic government that would be elected and effective.

Mali is in northwest Africa just south of the Sahara desert. Its northeastern neighbor Algeria is where drug smugglers move their cargoes from ports in Guinea or Ivory Coast north via Mali and Algeria, and then to markets in Europe and the Middle East. Islamic terrorist groups handle the smuggling that passes through Mali.

In 2023 and 2024 the economic and political situation in Mali worsened, with more Islamic terrorist violence and growing areas of northern and central Mali coming under the control of Islamic terrorist groups. The Mali army and a small number of Russian Wagner Group military contractors have been unable or unwilling to carry on with that effort or prevent the Islamic terror groups from crossing the Niger border and advancing into Mali. The terrorists include groups affiliated with al Qaeda, an alliance called JNIM (Jamaah Nusrah al Islam wal Muslimin, or Group for the support of Islam and Moslems), and the more violent groups like ISGS (Islamic States in Greater Sahara), which is one of the two ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) groups in the region. When they showed up in 2018, ISGS operated mainly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, especially the area where the three borders met. Until recently those Islamic terrorists were only a problem, but now they are a real threat to the normally well defended capitals of all three countries. Islamic terrorist violence in northern Mali has left over a hundred dead each month the fighting continues as does the advance of the Islamic terrorists into Mali and its capital Bamako

In central Malis Mopti region, thousands of civilians have been blockaded by Islamic terrorist groups angry over the way locals have cooperated with the army against Islamic terrorists.

Back in September 2023 representatives from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso met in the Mali capital Bamako to work out details for forming AES (Alliance of Sahel States). The alliance is meant to improve security for all these nations. Currently Islamic terror groups are attacking all AES members. Burkina Faso is the worst hit, with about 40 percent of its territory controlled by Islamic terrorists. Mali and Niger fear the same fate will befall them. Recently, AES was formally established July 6th, 2024, as an anti-French and anti-ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).

The Mali government forced the French and African G5 peacekeepers out by the end of 2021. In 2017 the prior Mali government, Chad, Niger, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso agreed to form a new G5 counter-terrorism force that would work in cooperation with the similar but larger and better equipped French force that had been operating in the Sahel since 2014. The Sahel is the semi-desert area south of the Sahara Desert that covers much of northern Africa.

Back then the French concluded that the Sahel was still troubled by thousands of Islamic terrorists and that this situation could not be taken care of quickly. In order to maintain pressure on the Islamic terrorists, France established a special force of 3,000 troops to fight Islamic terrorists throughout the Sahel. In practice this meant just part of the Sahel and included Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso. This French force grew to some 4,000 troops equipped with 200 armored vehicles, 20 transport and attack helicopters, six jet fighters and three large UAVs. There were also two twin-engine C-160 air transports available for use within the Sahel. Supplies and reinforcements were regularly flown in using long-range transports like the C-17 belonging to NATO allies, especially the U.S. and Britain.

From the beginning the French force included a thousand French troops in Mali and the rest dispersed to other Sahel bases and ready to quickly move anywhere in the region where Islamic terrorist activity had been detected. The G5 nations already cooperated by sharing intelligence and providing quick access to their territory by the French force. In addition, the Americans provided satellite and UAV surveillance and other intel services, especially analysis and access to nearly all American data on Islamic terrorist activities in the region. Each of the G5 member countries contributed 500 to 2,000 personnel consisting largely of special operations troops. Many of these troops had already worked with their French counterparts or been trained by French or American special operations advisors.

All this was meant to keep the Islamic terrorists in the Sahel weak and disorganized. That worked until the current Mali military regime ordered the French/G5 force out. AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), which has been around since 2007, was still in business as gangsters smuggling drugs and illegal migrants north and getting support from Islamic terrorists in Europe and the Persian Gulf. Islamic terrorists continued to carry out attacks in Mali, mainly the north and the G5 states to let the world know that Islamic terrorists are still present in the area.

The Mali population is now about 23 million and the economy is one of the worst in the world, with millions of Malians barely surviving on foreign aid. There is less foreign aid because Mali has not been able to prevent gangsters or Islamic terrorists from stealing the aid to sell on the market for cash to finance their operations. There are other armed groups like, like tribal militias and rebellions soldiers that interfere with foreign aid distribution. This chaotic situation has been going on since 2012, when a separatist rebellion in the north was defeated. Continued high levels of corruption, ethnic rivalries and Islamic terrorism kept Mali from achieving a lasting peace and much prosperity.

In 2021 the situation got worse when there was another military coup. The Mali military has staged three government takeovers since 2012. One, in May 2021, was an internal dispute within the military. Since the May coup foreign donors have warned that most of the foreign aid will stop coming if Mali does not carry out a significant reduction in corruption, government ineffectiveness and overall instability. None of these three military takeovers were about corruption, but rather anger at the corrupt politicians stealing money meant to finance operations against Islamic terrorist and separatist minorities in the north. The colonels running the military government are unwilling to step down and are trying to make it on their own, despite the large number of UN peacekeepers and French troops dealing with the Islamic terrorist problem up north.

As of early 2024 the chaos remains the same even though some military training detachments from the European Union and Russia operate. Russia is also involved in several economic development projects, like a solar power plant The 15,000 UN peacekeepers were gone by the end of 2023. The Mali government, run by rebellious army officers, doesn't want any UN personnel in the country to witness and record the crimes the military government continues to commit. The only thing keeping the Mali military government operating is taxes from the gold mines. These were developed and continue to be operated by foreign firms and recruit their own security personnel to guard the mines and the convoys taking the gold out of the country.

Russian mercenaries are also active in the CAR (the Central African Republic) and eastern Congo, where many essential raw materials are mined for foreign customers. Eastern Congo provinces like North and South Kivu are the center of all this mining and fighting, and the Russians are now involved unofficially but very effectively. Russia is also active in Libya, which has a North African coastline and enables Russia to supply its mercenaries in Libya as well as ship out local raw materials.
Soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade march through a town after parachuting into into a village field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

HOHENFELS, Germany  Farms in Bavaria served as the drop zone this week for a practice run showing what allied forces might experience if ever faced with a Russian incursion.

On Wednesday, scores of paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade jumped from Air Force C-130s and C-17s into the tiny hamlet of Eglsee as part of exercise Saber Junction.

After landing in freshly fertilized fields, the Vicenza, Italy-based Sky Soldiers marched about 2 miles to the 7th Army Training Commands Joint Multinational Readiness Center, where the realities of the Russia-Ukraine war had been readied: dragons teeth, trenches, drones, electronic jamming devices and a seasoned opposition.

Whats awaiting them is probably the hardest fight theyve ever been in, training unit commander Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter said. But we want it to be hardest here so when they get to combat, it seems just a little bit easier.

Soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachute out of C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules aircraft to a field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. The annual exercise in Bavaria tested U.S. and NATO troops in joint operations, with a focus on airborne tactics and lessons learned from Russia's war with Ukraine. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) A soldier with the 173rd Airborne Brigade links up with his team after parachuting into a field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachute near the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Two soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade provide security after parachuting into a field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. The multinational land warfare exercise incorporated battlefield lessons from the Ukraine war. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade march through a German town after a parachute landing outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area on Sept. 4, 2024. Saber Junction 24 brought together over 4,000 troops from the U.S. and 10 partner nations. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

The annual Saber Junction land warfare exercise, which runs through Sept. 19, features approximately 4,300 troops, mostly from the U.S. and 10 other partner nations under an Italian high command.

It is being held at the training areas in Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels. The exercise includes simulated artillery, armor, medical, communications and even psychological operations.

Brigade commander Col. Joshua Gaspard said the Army had monitored battle labs like Ukraine in preparation for the exercise. The force had already flown drones to survey its surroundings and had its signals jammed.

The paratroopers face stiff resistance from the Army training centers resident opposition force, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, which comes equipped with faux Russian vehicles.

Spectators watch soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachute outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) A soldier with the 173rd Airborne Brigade inspects his weapon after parachuting into a field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Army soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachute into a field outside of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) A soldier with the 173rd Airborne Brigade awaits his next task after parachuting near Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, for Exercise Saber Junction on Sept. 4, 2024. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

Carpenter said Ukraines ability to attack from the rear using a tactic known as vertical envelopment has frustrated Russian advances and showed the continued need for airborne operations.

Our ability to get vertical envelopment, to get soldiers deep, not just to do reconnaissance operations, but disrupt the rear lines would be incredibly valuable, he said.

He stressed the importance of rotating all NATO allies and partners through the commands suite of yearly exercises. This years participants include Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia and the United Kingdom, an Army statement said.

Georgias continued participation is notable. Russia occupies about 20% of the once solidly pro-Western countrys internationally recognized borders. But over the past year, Georgias ruling party has moved closer to Russia politically amid fierce domestic opposition.

After their landing, the paratroopers marched through villages toward the 40,000-acre training facility, known as the Box. German spectators set up patio chairs and gathered in groups to watch the spectacle.

Sgt. 1st Class Austin Pounds, a platoon sergeant from Galveston, Texas, said they had parachuted down a bit more quickly than expected. His troops had eight days of fighting ahead of them, he said.

As soon as we get in, were going to get our teeth kicked in, he said. But were scrappy, so well kick right back.
The Navy received the New Jersey, its 23rd Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine in April 2024. The first fully integrated sub for mixed-gender crews, the New Jersey will join the fleet on Sept. 14, 2024, during a commissioning ceremony. (Ashley Cowan/Newport News Shipbuilding)

WASHINGTON  The first submarine fully integrated for mixed gender crews will join the Navy fleet next week during a commissioning ceremony in its namesake state of New Jersey.

The future USS New Jersey, a fast-attack submarine, will become a deployable part of the Navys force during the ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey on Sept. 14, culminating five years of construction that represents a historic shift in how Navy submarines are designed.

The New Jersey is the 23rd Virginia-class submarine, but it is the first of its kind  designed from the keel up with specific modifications for gender integration.

The submarine community is a fully gender-integrated warfighting force, said Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Forces Atlantic.

Modifications included obvious ones  more doors and washrooms to create separate sleeping and bathing areas  and some that are more subtle  lowering some overhead valves and making them easier to turn and installing steps in front of the triple-high bunk beds and stacked laundry machines.

The design changes were made to accommodate the growing female force of submariners. In the past five years, the Navy has seen the number of officers and enlisted sailors in the submarine force who are women double and triple, respectively, Gaucher said.

As of August 2024, 730 women were assigned to operational submarines  serving as officers and sailors on 19 nuclear-powered, ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines, and 19 nuclear-powered attack boats, according to Submarine Forces Atlantic.

The increase follows the 2010 lift of the ban that barred women from serving aboard submarines. A decade later, in 2021, the Navy announced a long-term plan to integrate female officers on 33 submarine crews and female enlisted sailors on 14 submarine crews by 2030.

To support women serving onboard submarines, the submarine force, starting with [the Pre-Commissioning Unit] New Jersey, is building all future [nuclear-powered attack submarines] and the new Columbia-class, [ballistic-missile submarines] gender-neutral from the keel up, Gaucher said.

Construction on the New Jersey began in 2019 at HIIs Newport News Shipbuilding division in Virginia. The warship was christened in 2021 and delivered in April to the Navy at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

Before construction of the New Jersey, the Navy retrofitted existing Ohio-class submarines with extra doors and designated washrooms.
The Henkerhaus Museum, located along the Pegnitz River in Nuremberg, Germany, was once home to the city's municipal executioners and offers a glimpse into medieval crime and punishment. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

Meister Franz Schmidt beheaded, hanged, burned or drowned 361 people deemed criminals while he held the role of municipal executioner in Nuremberg between 1577 and 1617.

Schmidt used torture to extract confessions and maimed lesser offenders with corporal punishment an additional 345 times. His position was thought to be fairly prestigious, though still viewed with derision.

Schmidt documented his gory tenure in the book A Hangmans Diary, which provided insight into crime and punishment in the Middle Ages and beyond.

Present-day Nuremberg also has a more immersive legacy of Schmidt and his fellow executioners: a residence built for them on the Pegnitz River in 1320.

The Henkerhaus, or hangmans house, offers visitors glimpses into one of medieval and Renaissance Europes darkest professions. It was home to the municipal executioner until 1806.

A pen-and-ink drawing from the judicial record of 1591 depicts executioner Franz Schmidt beheading Hans Froeschel for stealing. A photo of the drawing is among the exhibits on display at the Henkerhaus in Nuremberg, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) A display at the Henkerhaus Museum, home to centuries of municipal executioners in Nuremberg, Germany, depicts the gallows, also called the ravenstone, because bodies would often be left for the birds. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) A visitor enters the Henkerhaus in Nuremberg, Germany, on July 7, 2024. The building once served as the house of the city's executioners. It was later turned into a museum. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

The information and imagery at the house, including some lifted from official documents and Schmidts journal, are spellbinding. There are no axes or tools on display, which made the visit seem more academic than shocking.

The office of executioner developed as the ruling class consolidated power, according to literature at the Henkerhaus. Ancient Roman law influenced the decision to separate sentencing from punishment.

The imperial city of Nuremberg may have had an executioner as far back as 1378, records indicate.

Cells and a torture chamber underneath City Hall were where executioners would extract confessions, a requirement for conviction at the time. Sentences of imprisonment were rare.

Punishments ranged from public humiliation to death. Corporal punishment included branding and mutilation.

The resulting physical handicap meant a lifelong loss of honor and esteem, the exhibit said.

Murder, rape, robbery, theft and even blasphemy were often punishable by death. Decapitation was considered the most humane capital punishment, while death on the breaking wheel and being burned alive were far worse.

Hanging was the second-most-used form of public execution. Women were usually drowned, until that practice was abandoned in favor of beheading.

The standout of the experience for me, besides the callous indifference to the loss of life, was seeing the bay window where the executioners toilet had been, above the swiftly flowing Pegnitz.

The outline of a hole marks the former location of the executioner's toilet above the Pegnitz River in the Henkerhaus in Nuremberg, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) The Henkerhaus Museum in Nuremberg, Germany, seen here on July 7, 2024, features historical displays housed in the building where the city's executioners lived in centuries past. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) The Henkerhaus in Nuremberg, Germany, once home to the city's municipal executioners, offers a glimpse into medieval crime and punishment. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

In Schmidts time, the bottom half was left open, allowing excrement to fall into the river. Apparently, merchants werent the only ones doing business on the Pegnitz.

Its unknown where he cooked and slept, so those mundane aspects of his life are left to the visitors imagination.

After being damaged during World War II, the Henkerhaus was restored in 1954. It has been a museum since 2007.

On the QT

Address: Trodelmarkt 58, Nuremberg, Germany

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Cost: Admission is free for children under 14, 3 euros for most adults, and 2 euros for ages 14 to 18, students and the severely disabled.

Information: Online: henkerhaus-nuernberg.de
The first round of all-you-can-eat snow crabs at the Kanimatsuri restaurant in Tokyo. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)

Festival season may be ending, but Kanimatsuri restaurant keeps the party going with all-you-can-eat crab in Tokyos vibrant Tsukiji Outer Market.

There are fans of crabs, and then there are fans of crabs. My partner falls into the latter category. A romantic stroll on the beach usually ends with him chasing crabs along rocky outcrops, holding them up triumphantly for the family once hes caught them.

When I heard of an all-you-can-eat crab restaurant in Tokyo, I knew we had to visit.

Making a reservation online was easy with Google Translate. The restaurant is only a four-minute walk from Tsukiji Station and right above a Lawson.

Red and white lanterns mark the entrance stairs to the left of the convenience store. Festive lanterns strung across the interior of the restaurant and its bright fishing flags give the space an Instagram-friendly look.

A poster inside the Kanimatsuri restaurant in Tokyo displays various crab species. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)

Once seated, a worker arrived to explain the rules. She gave us the choice of either an hour of all-you-can-eat snow crab for 6,000 yen  about $42  or an upgraded deal featuring Hokkaido crab for 15,000 yen per hour. We went for the more economical snow crab.

A waitress arrived with our first platter, which included two whole crabs, plus extra crab legs. Then she demonstrated with pliers how to extract meat from each part of the crab, cracking the leg segments above each joint and deftly exposing an entire portion.

After showing us how to open the crab legs, she set a crab-shaped timer at the table and left us to it. With her helpful instruction, we were able to make the most of our meal within the time limit.

The snow crab was better than I expected, though I suspect even if it was poorly cooked, it would still be pretty good. The meat was sweet and juicy, and we made good use of the complimentary sauces. My favorite was the classic garlic butter dipping sauce, but there was also regular butter, Cajun sauce and sweet vinegar.

We used a QR code to order more crab, and the orders arrived quickly at the table.

Skip the miso soup and rice; there isnt anything unique about them and the crab is filling. The menu also contains a la carte items such as a single order of crab and sashimi if youd rather not attempt the all-you-can-eat deals.

Either way, with so many options and such a fun atmosphere, you can be certain that no one will leave crabby.

Kanimatsuri restaurant in Tokyo is decorated with red and white lanterns, giving the space a festive feel. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)

Kanimatsuri crab restaurant

Location: 2F, 4-8-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Prices: All-you-can-eat snow crab for one hour is 6,000 yen. The next-level course, which includes Sandai crab, is 15,000 yen.

Dress: Casual

Directions: A four-minute walk from Tsukiji Station.

Information: An online reservation is recommended at hotpepper.jp/strJ003410694
President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro speaks to the press after appearing before the electoral chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice during a press conference on Aug. 9, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas, Getty Images/TNS)

With flags and voting receipts in hand, thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets in Caracas and worldwide to protest Nicolas Maduros refusal to recognize his overwhelming defeat in the presidential election a month ago. The United States can do more to back them up.

The opposition partys leader, Maria Corina Machado, recently came out of hiding to ride through the streets among throngs of demonstrators. Emerging from an armored truck, she urged her supporters to maintain their courage, defend the truth and ramp up defiance against Maduros fraudulent regime. Calling the protests the greatest civic feat in the history of the country, Machado warned that the movement would not relent.

After Maduro ordered his military leaders to respond to the protesters with an iron fist, at least 24 were found dead and 2,200 were imprisoned. Undaunted, opposition leaders plan to keep a critical mass on the streets, lure military leaders to their side and drain the dictators resources and power. But to achieve all that, they will need all the help they can get from Washington.

The Biden administration has expressed openness to negotiations with Caracas, but Maduro has shown he cant be trusted to abide by his agreements. After talks with the United States in Qatar last year, Maduros government promised to allow free and fair elections. It turned out to be another bluff: Not only was the election stunningly unfair, but Maduro responded to the result by cracking down on opposition leaders and their supporters.

Waiting for intervention by Maduros fellow leftists in Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, meanwhile, will only buy the dictator more time for deception and repression.

The Biden administration has alluded to the possibility of offering Maduro amnesty from prosecution on drug trafficking charges if he agrees to a peaceful transfer of power. But given his past failures to comply with international agreements, and with four long months left in his term, that carrot probably wont be enough to dislodge the strongman. The United States and other foreign powers will have to threaten him with sticks, imposing economic and diplomatic consequences to push him out of power.

The harshest possible sanctions must be leveled against Maduro and all state-owned industries to make an exit plan his best option. Hector Briceno, a Venezuelan postdoctoral researcher at Germanys University of Rostock, told me that although sanctions on private business could hurt ordinary Venezuelans, targeting state-owned enterprises such as the countrys petroleum industry can be effective when the regime is as cash-starved as it is now.

Profits from the petroleum industry dont reach the people, Briceno said. Maduro spreads them between his allies among the military and other top officials.

Maduros regime, like that of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, operates on a top-down system of bribes and threats. The threats alone work for only so long; at some point, Maduros minions will expect to be paid.

In April, responding to Maduros interference with and intimidation of the opposition ahead of the election, President Joe Biden reinstated some of the Trump-era sanctions that had been eased following the Qatar deal. But the administration indicated that it would allow certain foreign oil operations to continue in the country.

The Maduro governments objections to the reimposition of sanctions showed that they have an impact, but his continued intransigence also reveals that they havent gone far enough to affect his behavior. And this is the worst moment to be generous with the regime. Why not hold up authorizations of the remaining low-yield, risky and environmentally hazardous foreign oil ventures, at least until a democratic government is in place?

Washington should also officially recognize Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the countrys rightful incoming leader. The Biden administration has joined a few other countries in acknowledging that Gonzalez won the election, but it stopped short of calling him the president-elect.

The administration cant necessarily ensure that Venezuelas valiant struggle for liberty prevails. But doing less than it can will only help Maduro and his cronies get richer and bolder in prolonging their hold on political power.

The stakes couldnt be higher. Nearly 8 million Venezuelans have migrated to the United States and other countries in search of a better future, and 40% of those remaining say they plan to leave if Maduro doesnt. A once-thriving economy has been devastated by years of inept and corrupt rule, and the country has become a haven for institutionalized crime and terrorism and a security threat to the entire hemisphere.

The brave Venezuelan resistance isnt giving up, and the United States shouldnt either. This is a golden opportunity to end 25 years of misery under Chavez and Maduro. Kristina Foltz is a researcher and writer based in California and Colombia.
Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission Force Commander Godfrey Otunge EBS, OGW on their job in Haiti: We come here for a reason. We come here with a purpose. We come here to do something, and we must do it. (Jose Iglesias)

(Tribune News Service)  The Kenya-led police force mission in Haiti remains well below its envisioned 2,500 personnel, seriously underfunded and has yet to make a major impact against armed gangs.

The United States, which has provided more than $300 million for the mission, remains its largest financial backer, along with Canada, which recently provided $59 million Canadian dollars to a United Nations controlled trust fund.

Approved for only a year in October 2023, the Multinational Security Support missions re-authorization is scheduled to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 30. Supporters face questions about the forces long-term sustainability and its effectiveness in helping Haitis beleaguered police take down gangs, who earlier this year united to lead a broad assault on key government infrastructure.

The Biden administration, aware of the challenges, now wants to transform the force into a more formal U.N. peacekeeping operation or some hybrid that would allow for funding and staffing to be stabilized. In the meantime, the Kenyan cops and the Haiti National Police have been training together.

In an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald, Godfrey Otunge, the commander on the ground of the Kenyan force, recently reflected on the missions challenges and needs, and his focus. He insists that the mission, which currently has 400 Kenyan police officers in Haiti, is well poised to restore the lost glory of security to Haiti. Godfrey says once additional police and military personnel from Jamaica and five other nations join them in Haiti and we have the equipment, we have the funding, gang leaders days will be numbered.

The following is a question-and-answer session with Otunge during an hour-long sit down interview in Port-au-Prince. It has been edited for brevity and clarity:

Q: Many people have questioned why Kenya is interested in helping Haiti.

A: We value service to humanity, and thats very key. Number two, the historical background between Kenya and Haiti dates back so many years because Haiti, historically, is the first African country to get independence. And after getting independence, that is what made other countries in Africa to become bold enough and to say, Oh, we can also become independent. And Haiti didnt stop after getting its own independence. They sent some of their people back to African countries and they supported the Africans and thats why as a country, we saw that at least we have a debt, and we have to come to Haiti, being that Haiti is part of us, to support them, to ensure that at least the lost glory of security is restored.

What makes this different from United Nations peacekeeping missions?

The only issues that ties this mission so much to the U.N. is about the trust fund, the human-rights due diligence and compliance and accountability in terms of international human-rights law. The mandate says we have to support the Haiti National Police. We cannot work alone. We complement and support them fully.

It was designed in a way that after this mission, the international community, other countries, expect the Haitian police to be professional as the way we are working with them, because part of our mandate is to build up the Haitian police in terms of giving them some subject-matter expertise that we have in various areas.

The 400 Kenyan officers have faced some challenges. Is that surprising?

The way the [mission] is structured, the expectation was that there were going to be some problems, some challenges... in a new thing, in a new environment.

Just two contingents of the mission have deployed so far, raising questions about the slow process.

The mission had four phased deployment timelines. The first phase that we are currently in is the deployment phase. The deployment phase is supposed to run for a certain duration, and the focus is supposed to be on mobilization of resources, personnel coming in, induction, training.

But we have seen some engagement with gangs.

Security is perception. The Haitians had hope and had confidence in us, and thats why we said we could not sit down and wait for the next phase and we immediately engaged with the Haiti National Police.

What are some of the results of this engagement?

I can report confidently that when we came here, the [State University of Haiti] hospital was taken over by the gangs. It was a no-go zone. Together with the HNP, we recaptured the hospital, and the hospital is currently under our patrols together with the Haiti National Police. Number two, the seaport was a no-go zone. Nobody dared to go to the seaport because it was totally barricaded. We worked together with the Haiti National Police and people are now moving and theres movement of vehicles.

You previously said that Kenyan police had nowhere to set up a base after joining Haitian police on an operation to stop a gang takeover of Ganthier, just east of Port-au-Prince, and the Kenyan forces left. What is the latest on setting up forward operating bases?

We are in the process of developing forward operating bases in the areas that weve mapped out to be key to us.... Weve identified a place next to the seaport. I can tell you the international community has supported us fully, and they are establishing it to become the first forward operating base for us.

Haitians complain that they do not see Kenyan police officers on patrol.

Every day and night, I send patrols together with the Haiti National Police to ensure security within downtown, within the perimeter, the airport and other areas within Port-au-Prince.

Youve insisted that the mission is in the deployment phase. What should gang leader like Lanmo Sanjou, who continues to threaten a takeover of Fond Parisien, near the border, expect after the deployment phase?

I can tell you that Lanmo Sanjou, his days are numbered. Take it to the bank, because we came here for a reason. We came here with a purpose. We came here to do something, and we must do it.

Before you left Kenya, President William Ruto prayed for the officers. Did he give you any advice?

He told us, Go there and dont let me down. So at any given point the way we are as a mission, with Kenya taking the lead, we cannot let our president down at whatever cost. And thats something the Haitian people must be sure of: We will not leave Haiti until we achieve our mission.

The mission recently received an additional 24 armored vehicles with gunner turrets and gun mounts.

We are getting equipment because when the Hait National Police gets equipment, I have equipment. We are still expecting more, and thats why Im telling you, the days of the gangs are numbered.

Recently some foreign diplomats have approached you personally to ask how their governments can assist.

Countries have now come up, and theyve now said they want to support the mission to its fullest. Others have even come directly and asked me, What kind of equipment do you want locally that can be found here so that we can fund you?

The missions lack of helicopters has been criticized. Were they ever considered?

From our initial logistical plan, helicopters were considered and they are still.... Everybody, even my country, is still negotiating on getting air support. Im very clear about what we wanted for air support in terms of operations. For example, when the gangs have barricaded the roads, how do you get officers in to save lives, to protect the communities, and now, to tell the gangs, If you barricade the roads, we still have an option. Number two is about surveillance. We want aircraft fitted with cameras to be able to move around and see whatever the gangs are planning and what they are doing.

How else would air support be useful?

Rescue. If you look at the roads here, so many are narrow and there are so many high buildings, so the gangs have devised a way that they can barricade and... sandwich the security vehicles in between.... You can insert, very quickly, specialized teams and rescue assets, rescue the public and any officers.

There is a perception that the MSS is purely a Kenyan force.

The MSS is a multinational force, its not a Kenyan force. The perception, even in social media, people are referring to MSS as Kenyan. Kenya is just taking the lead. But we are expecting Belize, Jamaica, The Bahamas.

The word war is often used to describe whats happening in Haiti. You disagree?

It is not war. This is a gang issue. We are coming from Kenya, where we are neighboring Somalia. We know what terrorism is all about. We know the capabilities of terrorists. These people here are gangs, they want to fight and go home alive.

How do you view the Haiti National Police in this fight?

Its not that the HNP cannot deal with the gangs here. The HNP lacked some of the equipment. Thats the reality. They are brave people. They are courageous people.

Some critics have suggested the Kenyan forces appear to be afraid to be in Haiti.

The team that has been sent here are elites, elites trained in anti-gang actions... . Kenya trained their best skilled and competent officers to bring to Haiti. We were not gambling, and we cannot gamble, coming 15,000 kilometers and bring people who are amateurs to Haiti. Kenya is the country that developed the pre-deployment training curriculum that was approved and has been approved by the U.N., and this curriculum was customized as per the mandate that was provided for under the United Nations Security Council.

Will your officers be charged only with protecting key government installations?

We are expecting some countries will bring the military, like the Jamaicans, they will have elements of military and police. In policing, its very clear you cannot use the military in some policing aspects. So what are we going to use the military for? They are going to provide static security, like, for example, if we take the port, we are going to deploy the military at that particular port so they ensure that the gangs dont come again and occupy the port.

What is your focus?

Our focus is about ensuring we clear all the roads, the major roads, so that theres access for all the humanitarian organizations that ought to support the population. Number two, we ensure all critical infrastructure, the airport, the seaport, the hospital and the schools are well protected. Number three, all intersections, we must ensure that all intersections are accessible to everybody without limitation.

2024 Miami Herald.

Visit miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 5. Uzbekistan Airways will increase the number of flights to Makhachkala (Russia), Trend reports.

According to the airline, the flights will be up and running twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays from September 15.

On May 9, 2024, Uzbekistan launched regular flights from Tashkent to Makhachkala and back. The flights were operated once a week on Thursdays.

In general, Uzbekistan Airways increased the number of flights to Russia with the beginning of the spring-summer season in 2024. The number of flights from Tashkent to Russia's Irkutsk, Nizhny Novgorod, and Khabarovsk increased.

Thus, the airline added a regular flight on Sundays to the Tashkent - Irkutsk - Tashkent route. Also, a regular flight on Thursdays to the Tashkent - Nizhny Novgorod - Tashkent route and a flight on Saturdays to the Tashkent - Khabarovsk - Tashkent route are added.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures to supporters next to opposition figure Delsa Solorzano during a rally in Caracas on Aug, 28, 2024. (Juan Barreto, AFP, Getty Images via TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Thursday she has no plan of leaving her country even as the Nicolas Maduro regime moves to imprison the leadership of her democratic movement.

Machado, who shared her outlook for the countrys democratic struggle in two public events on Thursday, said Caracas socialist regime is growing desperate and isolated amid claims that Maduro stole Julys presidential election, and that this makes him increasingly more dangerous.

Every day that goes by is harder and riskier. We face a ruthless regime that is willing to do anything in terms of forcing people, blackmailing people, threatening people and their families, and that has no limits to its cruelty, Machado said in a video press conference with foreign media.

Nonetheless, I believe my duty is to stay in Venezuela, to assist our teens and our people that are in prison or in hiding, and we are doing as much as we can to take care of ourselves, she added.

Her comments came a few days after the regimes Attorney General ordered the arrest of presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who alongside Machado currently heads the Venezuelan opposition, accusing him of forging public documents, conspiring against the government and promoting public disobedience.

The Venezuelan judiciary, which has often been described by the United Nations and other international organizations as a persecution tool subservient to Maduro, claims that Gonzalez and Machado have been conspiring against the government by forging the election tallies backing their claim that Maduro lost the election to Gonzalez.

Machado and Gonzalez have been in hiding in Venezuela for some time, suspecting that the regime would eventually move to arrest them alongside the close to 2,000 people Maduro has already detained as part of the latest wave of repression.

Claiming that Gonzalez defeated Maduro by margin of more than 2-1, the opposition published the official vote tallies, known as actas, gathered in more than 80% of the countrys voting stations.

Doubts about the official electoral councils results have also spread to the international community, leading a number of governments to repeatedly ask Maduro to produce the documentation proving his victory. To date, the regime has failed to do so.

Describing Maduros wave of repression as the worst seen by Venezuelans in recent years, Machado said that the Venezuelan people have courageously confronted what the world now understands to be a bloodthirsty dictatorship, and find themselves in the midst of an existential struggle that will define the nation.

That is why our movement is so strong and it is why it does not have a way back, she said.

The July 28 election demonstrated that Venezuela is no longer a polarized nation and that the vast majority of people want an end to Maduros dictatorship to regain their freedoms and hope for the future, she added, and that while the official tallies gathered by the opposition had Gonzalez wining by nearly 70% of the vote, that margin would had been closer to 90% had the Venezuelan voters who were forced to leave the nation in recent years been allowed to participate.

Machado said Venezuelas democratic movement is currently following a plan to confront Maduro and erode his internal support within the military and his security apparatus, but that protests against the regime have been carefully orchestrated in an attempt to minimize the risk of imprisonment for the oppositions supporters.

The fight for countrys freedom was never going to be easy, she said, emphasizing that Venezuelans are facing a regime that is essentially a criminal structure, but added that this time Venezuelans understand that this is a fight to the end.

Nevertheless, Venezuelans could use a more decisive reaction from the international community to hold accountable the regime leaders people responsible for crimes against humanity.

I certainly think that the United States should do much more. And Ive been very clear with them and with other countries, she said. I think that perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes against humanity should... be held accountable, because it sends a message to the rest of them that it is in their best interest not to commit those crimes.

2024 Miami Herald.

Visit at miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Recent Chinese incursions into Japan's airspace and territorial waters represent a larger strategy, according to defense experts. (Pixabay)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  Recent incursions by China into Japans territorial waters and airspace showcase a deliberate effort by Beijing to normalize its increasingly assertive actions against its regional neighbors, according to two defense experts.

A Chinese survey vessel on Saturday briefly entered territorial waters off Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japans four main islands. Five days earlier, on Aug. 26, a Chinese Y-9 surveillance aircraft breached Japanese airspace over a small island off Kyushu, an unprecedented action by a Chinese military aircraft.

The incidents add to an already tense relationship between China and Japan, whose claims in the Senkaku Islands are repeatedly tested by the Chinese coast guard. Chinas coast guard is even more aggressive against the Philippine coast guard, bumping hulls and employing water cannons and other measures in territorial disputes in the Philippine exclusive economic zone of the South China Sea.

The two incursions of Japanese territory were provocative and risked flaming tensions in the region, according to Brian Hart, a fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies China Power Project.

The greater long-term implication is that Beijing is employing its military forces in increasingly provocative ways, which heightens the risks of misperceptions, miscalculations, and dangerous accidents, Hart told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.

The actions also underscored Beijings strategy of expansively asserting its power in the region and highlight its goal to be a dominant power in the Indo-Pacific, according to Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies and history at Temple Universitys Japan campus.

[China] is keen to demonstrate that it is not deterred by the heightened security cooperation between the U.S. and its allies in the region, he told Stars and Stripes by email Thursday.

Beijing will continue to probe and assert in an effort to normalize such actions, something its been doing since 2010, Kingston said.

Chinas Foreign Ministry denied the military aircraft intended to enter Japans airspace, and later defended the survey vessels actions as a fully lawful and legitimate exercise of its right to transit the area, according to transcripts of press conferences on Aug. 28 and Sept. 2.

There is no need to arbitrarily link or interpret them, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Sept. 2, according to the transcript. China remains firmly committed to the peace and stability in this region.

However, Hart said connecting the two is not difficult given they occurred just five days apart.

Neither Kingston nor Hart could pinpoint Beijings motivations for the two incursions.

Kingston suggested that the ongoing U.S. presidential election and the upcoming election for Japans Liberal Democratic Party leadership on Sept. 27 could play a part.

The U.S. campaign particularly has featured negative rhetoric about China, but Chinese President Xi Jinping should not be so thin skinned, Kingston added.

Hart pointed to a variety of possible causes, including the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces own incursion into Chinese territorial waters on July 4 and a joint search and rescue drill by Japan and Taiwans coast guards on July 18.

Chinese state media has also blasted Japans new proposed defense budget, accusing Tokyo of militarism, he said. Of course, Chinas own defense budget has grown continuously for decades, and Japans growing defense spending is largely in response to Chinas military buildup and aggression.

The incursions also drew criticism from U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel.

China says its still investigating and verifying the recent violation of Japans airspace by one of its surveillance planes, he wrote Tuesday on social platform X. But with a Chinese survey ship sailing into Japanese waters only the other day, two territorial incursions in less than a week looks more intentional than accidental.

Emanuel doesnt pull his punches, which is unusual for a diplomat, Kingston said. Rather than trying grab the limelight, his rhetoric may signal Washingtons support for allied interests in the region, he added.

Some regional leaders may welcome his calling out Beijings unrelenting efforts to modify the regional status quo in its favor, Kingston said.
The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly building in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, on July 12, 2024. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  A U.S. Marine is suspected of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in Okinawa in June, according to Okinawa Prefectural Police, the third case of its type to surface on the island this year.

Police forwarded a case on Thursday against a 20-year-old man to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office, a spokesman for the prosecutors office said by phone that day.

The Marine is suspected of non-consensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury, a spokesman for the police investigative team said by phone Thursday. He declined to identify the Marine, saying doing so may affect the investigation.

He said the incident occurred on Okinawa, and that medical personnel who treated the woman reported it to police.

He said the Marine and the woman were acquaintances but declined to say how they knew each other.

Some government officials in Japan are required to speak to the media only on condition of anonymity. In Japan, police forward cases of alleged criminal conduct to area prosecutors for a charging decision.

The Marine is not in Japanese custody, but is confined to military installations in Japan, according to spokesman for the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

The Marine Corps is aware of an allegation of criminal misconduct by an Okinawa-based Marine, and we are fully cooperating with all appropriate authorities during the ongoing investigation, said 1st Lt. Owen Hitchcock, spokesman for III Marine Expeditionary Force, in an email Thursday to Stars and Stripes.

Hitchcock declined to identify the Marine, his unit or duty station.

The alleged behavior does not reflect the core values of the U.S. Marine Corps, nor does it represent the conduct of the overwhelming majority of Okinawa-based Marines. The Marine Corps goes to great lengths to instill these values in every Marine through regular education and training throughout their service and we take these allegations seriously, his email states.

This case follows indictments of two U.S. service members on separate charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault that came to light over the summer and roiled Okinawa.

Senior Airman Brennon R.E. Washington pleaded not guilty July 12 in Naha District Court to charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December. Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was charged in May with attempting to sexually assault a woman in Yomitan.

Those cases led to formal complaints from the prefecture to the U.S. Embassy, U.S. military and the Japanese government and calls for changes to the status of forces agreement governing the U.S. military population in Japan.

The prefectural government, led by Gov. Denny Tamaki, also complained that it was kept in the dark about the two indictments and other reports against service members who were not charged.

Japans investigative authorities announced in July that they would begin sharing more information about criminal cases involving U.S. service members with local governments as much as possible.

This case is the first under that agreement.

We believe that the notification was made in accordance (with the agreement), the Military Affairs Division spokeswoman said.

U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Ricky Rupp announced in July a new forum of cooperation with the Japanese and Okinawan governments and community members.

The Marine Corps has increased courtesy patrols in Okinawas popular nightlife spots and instituted near-100% outbound sobriety checks at all its Japan installations on weekends in response to the incidents.

Rupp, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and III MEF commander Lt. Gen. Roger Turner have called for consistent liberty policies for all U.S. troops in Japan. But so far, no changes have been announced.
Europe has tried to wean itself off Russian gas since Moscows invasion, but some nations continue to receive it through those pipelines. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he doesnt want to extend the transit contract with Russia. (Wikimedia Commons)

Russia is ready to continue sending gas to Europe via pipelines across Ukraine beyond 2024, according to President Vladimir Putin.

Europe has tried to wean itself off Russian gas since Moscows invasion, but some nations continue to receive it through those pipelines. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he doesnt want to extend the transit contract with Russia.

We dont want them making money here, he said in July.

Speaking in the keynote session of the Eastern Economic Forum on Russias Pacific coast, Putin said Moscow cant force Kyiv to extend the agreement, but could re-direct those volumes to alternative export routes such as Turkey. While some of that gas could also be switched to the domestic market, Putin acknowledged that state-controlled Gazprom PJSC would lose revenues.

Gazprom, which all but stopped supplies to Europe in 2022 in retaliation for Western support for Ukraine following Russias invasion, posted its first annual net loss this century in 2023.

Now the US and its allies have toughened restrictions on Russian gas, an industry that was for long spared due to the significant role it played in firing Europes economy. The European Union will ban transshipments of Russian liquefied natural gas at its ports from March, while the US has focused on sanctioning future projects for the super-chilled fuel that could eventually boost Moscows energy revenues.

We will resolve our issues, potentially with some losses, but we will do it anyway, Putin said. Even if sanctions are imposed on all gas supplies from the nation, prices will jump to the skies and yet our sales will still happen, he added.

Putin also said that one string of the controversial underwater Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany remains intact after explosions destroyed the other conduit in September 2022. It would take just one push of the button from Germany to start Russian gas flows on that route, which can deliver 27.5 billion cubic meters a year, he said.

If Europe doesnt want Russian pipeline gas, Gazprom will increase exports to other markets, according to Putin. Gas flows via the Power of Siberia link to China are set to reach annual export capacity of 38 billion cubic meters next year. Russias gas giant also plans to boost supplies to the Asian nation by another 10 billion cubic meters per year via the so-called Far Eastern route.

LNG Supplies

In addition, we will develop gas liquefaction business, Putin said. They are trying to create problems for us here too, and Mr. Mikhelson knows this better than anyone else, he said referring to Leonid Mikhelson, the billionaire chief executive officer of Novatek PJSC.

Its the first time that Putin has publicly acknowledged the challenges that US sanctions present for Russias newest LNG plant, the Novatek-led Arctic LNG 2.

The US restrictions stopped the delivery of ice-ready carriers, delaying exports from Arctic LNG 2 for several months. Still, by amassing a small dark fleet of regular LNG tankers, Russia started exports in August.

Russia will continue expanding its share of the global LNG market, according to the president. We will do this despite any difficulties that they are trying to create for us, Putin said.
Staff Sgt. Alex Jimenez, left, and Spc. Byron Fouty, soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division who were captured and killed by terrorists in Iraq in 2007. A federal judge has ordered Syria to pay $364 million in compensation to their families, holding the Syrian government responsible for sponsoring the terrorist group involved. (U.S. Army)

Syria owes hundreds of millions of dollars to the families of two U.S. soldiers who were tortured and killed by Damascus-sponsored terrorists in Iraq more than 15 years ago, a federal court in Washington, D.C., ruled recently.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton on Aug. 30 awarded compensation and punitive damages of $364 million to the families of Spc. Byron Fouty and Staff Sgt. Alex Jimenez.

It followed Waltons judgment in July that the Syrian government was liable for the deaths of Fouty and Jimenez, who were beheaded after their capture with a third soldier.

Fouty, 19, of Oxford, Mich.; Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; and Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif., were captured May 12, 2007, during an assault of a military observation post in the village of al-Taqa, near Yusufiyah, south of Baghdad. They served in the 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, N.Y.

Four other U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter died in the attack. Anzacks body was found about 10 days later in the Euphrates River. The remains of Fouty and Jimenez werent found until July 2008 and were identified through dental records.

The damage award is vindication for the soldiers families, their attorney, Ron Jenkins, said Wednesday.

I think they do feel a sense of justice, he said, adding that no amount of money can undo that type of loss.

Gordon Dibler, Foutys stepfather, said Thursday that he never looked at it as, Oh, this will make me feel better. 

But its a relief for the court to acknowledge the people responsible, he said.

Jenkins filed a complaint in 2018 against Syria on behalf of the soldiers families. It alleged that Syrian assistance enabled the former Islamic State of Iraq to abduct, torture and execute Fouty and Jimenez.

Anzacks family was not a party in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs consisted of four family members of Fouty and eight of Jimenez, as well as the soldiers estates.

The case was tried under the Foreign Sovereignty Immunities Act, which gives U.S. courts jurisdiction over a foreign country that has engaged in terrorism or provided material support to a terrorist group that injures or kills American citizens.

In his July ruling, Walton found that the Zarqawi Terrorist Organization, the renamed Islamic State of Iraq, had acted with the training, funding, material support, protection, and direction of Syria, as part of a coordinated scheme by Syria to target U.S. service members in Iraq, according to court documents.

The case had aggravating factors, Jenkins said, which enabled the judge to make a very sizable award.

Jimenezs widow, Yaderlin Jimenez, testified to the emotional pain she suffered while waiting to learn of her husbands fate.

It was very hard for the family not knowing what had happened, what (was) being done to him. It was a very desperate (14) months for everybody, she said, according to court records.

Dibler said hes always had trouble sleeping but sometimes will wake up kind of suddenly, thinking about what they were going through, he said of Fouty and Jimenez. I still live this every day.

The plaintiffs were awarded varying amounts, the court ruling shows. The Syrian government did not appear in court or otherwise respond to the complaint, according to court documents.

However, the Syrians will be notified of the courts decision, said Jenkins, who has been involved in similar cases.

In this case, the U.S. could freeze Syrian assets in the United States, for example, and make those available, or lawyers could try to seize Syrian assets abroad, Jenkins said.

Its not easy to do, he said. But it is a project we will undertake. If it takes years, we will work on it for years.

Dibler said that the last time he spoke to his stepson was on his 19th birthday on April 17, a month before the attack. Fouty had been in the Army less than five months, not including boot camp, he said.

Things happened so fast, he said. We miss him every day.
Owned by the Navy, San Clemente Island is used for live-fire military exercises. On July 24, 2024, a wildfire burned more than 13,000 acres and severely damaged the islands electric system. (William Franco Espinosa/U.S. Army National Guard/TNS)

LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service)  About 75 miles northwest of San Diego, beyond the view of much of the mainland, the rugged and remote Navy outpost of Island remains a mystery to most Californians.

For nine decades, San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the eight Channel Islands, has been owned by the Navy and is largely inaccessible to civilians. Throughout this time the volcanic isles sprawling shoreline and rolling hills have served as a crucial military training ground where U.S. troops detonate grenades and fire heavy artillery. Its also the Navys last live-firing range for ship-to-shore bombardments.

So, in late July, few noticed when a catastrophic wildfire swept over more than 13,000 acres of the island outpost. Between July 24 and July 30, the blaze scorched more than a third of the island, damaging more than nine miles of high-voltage power lines, including more than 160 utility lines and a transformer, according to Navy documents.

The fire also swept through parts of the island that have rare habitats for sensitive plant and animal species found nowhere else, such as the endangered San Clemente loggerhead shrike, a carnivorous songbird.

The conflagration left the southern end of the island charred and numerous Navy buildings without power.

It is expected to take at least a year to restore electricity to those facilities. In the meantime, the Navy will rely on diesel-powered backup generators to maintain communications for its operations, as well as for Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control functions and Coast Guard search-and-rescue missions.

Navy spokesman Kevin Dixon said the fire may have been caused by live-fire military exercises in the so-called shore bombardment area, although it remains unclear what type of training might have sparked the blaze. After two years of above-normal rainfall, Dixon said, there was much more grass to catch fire. No one was injured or evacuated.

We did have training going on there where there was bombardment, Dixon said. So I cant definitively say that it is, but, just looking at it logically, it may be related to this.

Just before the fire, several units of the California National Guard had been on the island for military training exercises that included the firing of howitzer shells and mortar rounds. The military units posted photos and videos of the exercises on social media.

California National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Brandon Hill said guard members did not spark the fire.

If a fire would have started because of those training rounds impacting it would have been immediately reported to range control, Hill said. We completed all training on July 23rd and cleared the training areas with no issues.

NASAs Worldview tool, which publishes daily satellite imagery and wildfire data, detected a possible wildfire on San Clemente Island around 5:30 a.m. July 24.

Previous reports commissioned by the Navy have found that weapons testing on San Clemente Island increases the likelihood of devastating wildfire and imperils some of the islands species. In a 2009 environmental assessment, a Navy contractor concluded that most fires were the result of military training, and about half occurred on the southern end of the island in the ship-to-shore bombardment zone.

In the past, the Navy has restricted the use of live ammunition during the wildfire season to curtail the risk of these disasters. No restrictions were apparently in place around the time of the July wildfire.

If there was some type of fire danger then the units would not have been allowed to train, but that did not occur, Hill said.

Despite decades of military bombardment, the island remains home to a variety of native plant and animal species. The islands mosaic of shrubs and grasslands provides habitat for mice, lizards, foxes and numerous birds. Bald eagles have also been spotted.

In recent decades, the Navy bolstered funding for environmental conservation.

Its forces eradicated herds of voracious feral goats that had been brought to the island years ago, and they restored some of the native flora. The Navy also launched captive breeding programs for threatened and endangered species, which significantly boosted their numbers.

The Navy has also reduced the amount of pollution generated by its diesel power plant by installing wind turbines in the late 1990s.

The turbines, which are located on the northern part of the island, were not affected in Julys fire. However, the Navy will be seeking contractors to repair damage to islands transmission system and power grid.

Last year, the Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrated delisting the San Clemente Bells sparrow and four plant species  the largest group delisting from population recovery in the 50-year history of the Endangered Species Act.

However, several species, such as the San Clemente loggerhead shrike  a robin-sized predator known as the butcher bird  remain on the brink of extinction, with just 14 known to be alive.

During Julys fire, Navy personnel moved captive breeding cages as a precaution, although these facilities were not ultimately damaged, according to Dixon, the Navy spokesman.

The Navy has also found hundreds of ancient relics from the islands original inhabitants.

An outcropping of volcanic rock, San Clemente Island was formed by eruptions millions of years ago. It had once been inhabited by a prehistoric Native American tribe, believed to be related to the Tongva who occupied present-day Los Angeles.

In the 1500s, Spanish explorers landed on the island and conducted trade with the tribe. By the early 1800s, however, the Indigenous population could no longer be found on the island. Some say they departed their ancestral home with Spanish missionaries.

Under President Franklin Roosevelt, the Navy acquired San Clemente Island in 1934. Workers built barracks, roads and piers, setting the stage for the island to become the Navys premier weapons testing ground. The naval island is where the Navy developed the Higgins boat  the pivotal landing craft that ferried troops to the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion.

2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis said he wants to build collaboration and communication for what he said is a strong group of grassroots organizations serving veterans across the state. (Mike Cason)

(Tribune News Service)  Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is calling for the resignation of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis after she alleged that the agency mishandled a grant program through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Iveys request that Davis resign was provided in a one-page letter the governors office sent out to the media on Thursday. The letter also states that she removed John Kilpatrick from his position as a member on the State Board of Veterans Affairs.

Ample cause exists for your removal as Commissioner, Ivey wrote. For example, your agency mishandled an ARPA grant program by, among other things, proposing  on a substantially delayed basis  uses of grant funds that would be ineligible under U.S. Treasury rules and regulations and/or state law or policy.

Ivey said the handling of the grant money put in jeopardy Alabamas ability to fulfill its obligations under ARPA and your agencys ability to most effectively serve veterans. It thus seriously calls into question your ability to secure additional services for Alabama veterans and to cooperate with all other heads of the state departments as are your duties under state law.

The governors office did not provide specific examples to the grant programs.

Ivey also accuses Kent of failing to consult with the Office of Governor as required by Executive Order No. 726. The governor is giving Kent until 5 p.m. to resign, which would make the resignation effective by Sept. 30.

No one was available to provide immediate comment at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The governors request for the resignation of Davis was not discussed during the Joint ARPA Oversight committee meeting Thursday in Montgomery.

State Sen. Greg Albritton, R- Atmore, chair of the Senate General Fund committee and a member of the ARPA oversight committee, said had heard there were plans to spend ARPA funds for purposes not allowed by the ARPA regulations and that those plans were stopped before the money was spent.

What Im aware of is that there were concerns about how are the means and the methodologies that the ARPA monies were not being distributed or being granted according to the federal regulations, Albritton said. Those were seen, as I understand it, by the finance director and those given the oversight authority. And those questions were raised and thats the result of where we went.

Albritton said he did not think any money was spent improperly because the problems were caught by the Finance Department. He said he thought Examiners of Public Accounts was also involved.

No monies went out the door, Albritton said. No monies were mishandled in that regard. Its my understanding that if the Finance Department had not caught it and had not taken the appropriate steps, money would have gone out the door, and then it would have been a significant problem. So, I think the system worked in this regard.

Davis became the commissioner of the agency on Feb. 19, 2019, upon selectin by the State Board of Veterans Affairs. The commissioner is charged with managing the agencys operations and coordinating the work of approximately 1,200 state and contractor employees in 70 facilities throughout Alabama. The agencys budget is around $190 million.

Davis, an attorney, is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and is the seventh commissioner to head up the Department of Veterans Affairs. Before heading up the agency, he spent 14 years with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and served as a staff attorney for former Secretary Tom Ridge.

Davis retired from military service in 2016. He served for two years as the Director of Economic Development and as City Manager in Anniston. In late 2017, he served as the civilian director of communication and outreach at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, moving back to his hometown of Montgomery.

This story was updated at 12:06 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2024, to include remarks from Sen. Greg Albritton.

Reporter Mike Cason contributed to this report.

2024 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit al.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Keith Martin (41) was found hiding in a bedroom at his mothers home

A father of three allegedly caught with almost 58,000 worth of sedative tablets in his attic has been denied bail after gardai said he absconded to the UK.

Keith Martin (41) was found hiding in a bedroom at his mothers home after gardai discovered through intelligence that he had come back to Ireland, a court was told.

Judge Monika Leech said she accepted garda evidence that he was a flight risk and remanded him in custody.

Mr Martin is charged with possession of zopiclone worth more than 13,000 with intent to sell or supply at his home at Shangan Avenue, Ballymun, Dublin, on March 1 last year.

He had already been accused of simple possession and sale or supply before the more serious charge was brought.

Objecting to bail, a garda told the court in a search, tablets worth 57,960 were found concealed behind a locked attic door and it was alleged the accused was caught red-handed storing them. He was charged last year on the initial counts and admitted to bail.

It was alleged the accused then absconded to the UK late last year, and failed to keep contact with the gardai.

Mr Martin returned to Ireland and managed to get through the airport but gardai found out about his return through intelligence.

He was later discovered staying in a bedroom at his mothers home, the garda said.

Its my strong belief that he will leave the jurisdiction if granted bail, the garda said.

Mr Martin had left his wife and three children to go to the UK, and travelled there without a passport.

So even handing me his passport would not alleviate my fears, the garda said.

Applying for bail, defence barrister Luke OHiggins said the alleged offences were 18 months ago and Mr Martin could have absconded further instead of going to the UK.

He had been there for a particular purpose that meant he could only contact his family at weekends and it was not like he was gallivanting. However, he accepted he could have kept in contact with the gardai through his family.

He did return to this jurisdiction in circumstances where he could have sought to go on the run, Mr OHiggins said.

He could have gone to the other side of the world, but he returned. Its quite likely he knew what was going to happen when he returned to this jurisdiction.

The barrister said Mr Martin could be in custody for over a year awaiting trial if he was denied bail. He would abide by bail conditions including signing on twice daily at a garda station to build up trust.
Nga Wai Hono-i-Te Po Paki, the only daughter and youngest child of former Maori king Tuheitia Puatau To Wesero VII was given the crown by her father. She became the second female ruler during the eight dynasties of the Kinggitanga (king) movement in New Zealand. The Queen's proclamation was celebrated with an emotional ceremony attended by thousands of people.

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Nga Wai Hono-i-Te Po Paki came to the throne on the final morning of her father's six-day funeral. Tuheitea died peacefully in his sleep on Aug. 31, at the age of 69 after heart surgery. As per tradition, warriors escorted the boat carrying the monarch's body down the river. The Guardian reports that.

At a Te Vakawahinga (elevation) ceremony in the small town of Ngaruawahia, 27-year-old Nga Wai Hono was elevated to the throne by an advisory council of 12 elders from different tribes who elected her as their queen. The role is not automatically inherited, as the newly crowned royal also has two brothers.

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Tekau-Maa-Rua chief Che Wilson said the elevation is an important ceremony that eight generations have gone through: "We emulate the tikanga of our ancestors who created the office to unite and uplift our people, and we have elected Nga Wai Hono as our new monarch." She was anointed with sacred oils and blessed with the sacred book used to crown the first Maori king in 1858.

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Nga Wai Hono has an MA in Maori Cultural Studies from the University of Waikato, and she got her chin tattoo (moko Kauae) at the age of 19 as a gift to her father to commemorate the years he spent on the throne. She has been by her dad's side at many events over the past few years, and greeted the news of her coronation in Ngaruawahia with tears and joy.

ADVERTISIMENT

The title "Maori king" was founded in 1858 as a force opposing colonization and attempting to preserve Maori culture and land. It has no legal mandate, and while the monarch's role is largely ceremonial, he is also considered the paramount chief of several tribes.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
He also faces a second charge of possession of a firearm at the same location on the same date, contrary to Section 25 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.

A young man has been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with a shooting in the capital.

Bobby Griffin (21), of Eugene Street in Dublin 8, was brought before a sitting of Dublin District Court this morning.

He was arrested following an investigation into the alleged discharge of a firearm in the south-inner city last year.

Garda Colm Carroll, of Pearse Street Garda station, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He told the presiding judge that he met Mr Griffin at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street this morning and charged him with two offences.

Garda Carroll said the accused made no reply when the charges were put to him.

Mr Griffin is accused of recklessly discharging a firearm at the Mercer House flat complex in Dublin 2 on November 23, 2023.

The offence is contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.

He also faces a second charge of possession of a firearm at the same location on the same date, contrary to Section 25 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.

The court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the matter should be sent forward for trial on indictment at the Circuit Criminal Court.

The prosecuting garda also informed Judge Paula Murphy that he would be objecting to bail.

However, defence solicitor Niall OConnor said that they would not be making an application for bail at this stage.

An application for legal aid was also granted.

Judge Murphy remanded the accused in custody to appear before Cloverhill district court next week.

The judge said that the book of evidence could be served on that date but acknowledged that it may not be finalised yet.

Mr Griffin will appear in court again via video link on September 12.
According to the 2023 annual report of the DPP, fees paid to senior counsel and junior counsel to prosecute cases in the criminal courts across the country last year increased by 4m or 20pc from 20.07m to 24.11m

Fees paid to the barristers who successfully secured convictions in 2023 against the killers of school-teacher, Ashling Murphy, and Garda Colm Horkan contributed to DPP fees to counsel increasing by 20pc to 24.1m last year.

According to the 2023 annual report of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), fees paid to senior counsel and junior counsel to prosecute cases in the criminal courts across the country last year increased by 4m or 20pc from 20.07m to 24.11m.

The report states that overall, fees to counsel by the DPP have increased by 41pc or 6.9m from 17.14m in 2021 to 24.11m in 2023.

The report states that despite the increase to the DPP annual gross budget for 2023, the office had to seek an additional 4.5m from Government in November 2023 to fund the offices activities for last year.

The report states that there were a number of factors which gave rise to this, but primarily it was due to demand led pressures on expenditure on counsel fees which is to a large extent dependent on the level of activity in the courts at any time.

The report states that there was a general increase in the number of indictable prosecutions directed across all courts in 2023, and a significant increase in activity in the Central Criminal Court where the number of judges assigned increased from five to twelve in recent years. This resulted in a significant increase in court sittings, trials and lists to be supported by our Office.

The overall spend by the Office of the DPP, Catherine Pierse, last year increased by 8.49m or 17pc from 50.04m to 58.54m - fees paid to counsel accounted for 41pc of the DPP's overall spend with salaries for staff totalling 19.6m or 34pc of the overall outlay.

One of the DPPs most high profile murder cases last year resulted in the successful conviction of Jozef Puska (33) for the January 2022 murder of 23-year-old school teacher Ashling Murphy on day 18 of his trial at the Central Criminal Court last November.

In another case, DPP barristers secured the conviction of Stephen Silver (47) in March 2023 for the capital murder of Garda Colm Horkan (49) in June 2020 at the end of a second trial.

The first trial ended in November 2022 when the jury could not agree on a verdict.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the DPP has confirmed that the DPPs legal fees for the two trials across 2022 and 2023 total 502,082 (incl VAT).

The office of the DPP confirmed that senior counsel received a brief fee of 18,450 and received a daily fee of 2,460 for the capital murder trial with junior counsel receiving a brief fee of 12,300 and a daily fee of 1,639.

In April of last year, Gerry Hutch was found not guilty at the Special Criminal Court for the murder of David Byrne at Dublins Regency Hotel in February 2016.

The trial of Mr Hutch ran for 52 days before the court reserved judgment on January 26th 2023.

In a separate FOI response, the DPP confirmed that its legal fees concerning the Gerry Hutch trial totalled 433,264 (incl VAT).

Three counsel were employed by DPP for the trial and the DPP has confirmed that the brief fee for two senior counsel was 24,600 each and a daily fee of 2,460 each. A junior counsel received a brief fee of 16,399 and a daily fee of 1,639.

The DPP annual report states that fees paid to counsel in the Circuit, Central and Special Criminal Courts cover advising on proofs, drafting indictments, holding consultations, arraignments, presentation of the case and other necessary appearances, for example, for sentence.

The largest proportion of counsel fees arose from work in the circuit court at 10.69m or 44pc last year with Central Criminal Court work accounting for 8.7m in fees to counsel.

DPP counsel received fees of 1.29m for work in the Court of Appeal and fees of 981,572 in the Special Criminal Court.

The report shows that fees paid to counsel in Dublin Circuit Court accounted for 50pc or 5.32m of fees to DPP barristers in the circuit courts last year.
Sean Farrell, 24, avoided jail and walked free from court on a six-month suspended sentence

A SECURITY engineer was caught spying on a vulnerable female student using the toilet at a Dublin university campus after she spotted him on her phone in "selfie-mode", a court has heard.

Sean Farrell, 24, avoided jail and walked free from court on a six-month suspended sentence after being convicted of indecent conduct of a sexual nature in women's toilets at Dublin City University (DCU) on September 20, 2023.

Farrell, of Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin, claimed he went in by "mistake" but denied the allegation that he was peering over the cubicle at the young woman.

However, Judge John Hughes found him guilty of what he described as a "Peeping Tom" offence.

The verdict followed a contested hearing, which concluded at Dublin District Court yesterday evening.

The judge said the victim was in a vulnerable situation while the accused was in a position of trust in the university, and she had to give evidence and face cross-examination in court.

He noted, however, that Farrell had no prior convictions and imposed a six-month sentence suspended on the condition he did not offend again for two years.

The college security engineer, who was suspended from work, was also fined 500 and ordered to pay 1,000 compensation and to obey conditions, or the sentence would be activated. He must remain under Probation Service supervision and prove he attended therapy for the offence, and psychological counselling.

The judge also warned him to have no contact with the complainant and told him he must stay out of DCU and all public toilets "save for those assigned to those of male gender".

The student told the court she had gone into a cubicle in the ladies bathroom, pulled down her pants and was sitting on the toilet.

There was a person in the cubicle beside her.

Sean Farrell

She received a Snapchat text message and went on her phone; the screen opened up straight into the camera, and "it was in selfie mode".

Because of that, the witness said, "I saw a male peering into the stall on top of me".

She could see him on the top corner of the screen before he ducked.

The student said she was scared and it was an invasion of her privacy, and "I wanted to get out as soon as possible".

Since then, "I have my phone out constantly, just in case", she said before thanking the court, gardai and college officials for listening to her account.

The court heard that the student met her friend in the toilet afterwards, and they left but waited outside until the accused came out when she pointed to him and recognised his eyes, hair and eyebrows.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Roy O'Neill, she explained she did not have time to take a picture to get a clear photo of him, "even if I had straight away, his head went straight down." She thought he ducked after seeing her screen was on the selfie setting.

The complainant agreed with the solicitor that it was her word against his.

Her friend came in and was told about the accused peering over the stall. She alleged that when Farrell emerged from the bathroom, he kept saying "Hi" as she stared at him, and then he began working on an electrical box.

A faculty head told the court the two students were frazzled when they reported the incident and he alerted campus security.

The court heard Farrell had been working on an access door in the lobby outside the men's and ladies' toilets.

Farrell told investigating Garda Paul Higgins two weeks later that he needed to run wiring through the female toilet. However, in evidence, he claimed he was there because he was "bursting" and needed to go to the toilet.

He claimed he made a mistake and realised when he heard female voices.

Farrell told the court he had a lot on his mind because his girlfriend was unwell, and he had not been concentrating.

Cross-examined by prosecutor Ruth Walsh, he agreed he had used the male toilet next door earlier that day.

Ms Walsh also put it to him that it was "no accident" that he selected the centre cubicle of three so he could look down into the stalls on either side, which he did not accept.

Garda Higgins told the court that a person would have had to stand on a ladder or the toilet bowl to be able to see over the partition.

Farrell testified and tried to convince the judge that the complainant must have seen his work trousers and tools around his ankles and that she "jumped the gun" and exaggerated.

He gave an affirmative reply when the judge asked if he thought she was lying when she previously gave the same account to her friend, the college lecturer, the campus security team, and the garda and then again in court yesterday/today (Wed).

The court heard he appeared shocked when he first learned about the allegation.

Farrell claimed to have been embarrassed by mistakenly going to the wrong toilet, so he smirked at the complainant and her friend when he exited the bathroom.
Hazel Templeton pleaded guilty to one charge committed against a male child but denied a further seven historical sexual offences

A pensioner from Co Down was placed on the sex offenders register yesterday after she admitted indecently assaulting a male child four decades ago.

Hazel Templeton, from Ballyrainey Road in Comber, pleaded guilty to one charge committed against a male child but denied a further seven historical sexual offences.

The 79-year-old, who will stand trial later this year, appeared at Belfast Crown Court where, after confirming her identity, she was charged that on a date unknown between July 1 and August 31, 1984, she indecently assaulted the child.

When asked how she pleaded, Templeton replied: Not guilty.

She was then charged with a further three indecent assault offences against the same complainant on dates spanning the same time period and entered not guilty pleas to each.

Templeton also had three separate counts of inciting the same male child to commit an act of gross indecency with her on a date unknown between July 1 and August 31, 1984, put to her, all of which she denied.

A court clerk then put an additional charge of indecently assaulting the male child on a date between July 1 and August 31, 1984, to her. When asked how she pleaded to this offence, Templeton replied: Guilty.

Following the arraignment, prosecuting barrister James Johnston told Judge Patricia Smyth the plea to the single count was not accepted by the Crown and that a trial would be required.

Judge Smyth set the date for the trial as December 9, 2024, and said she would review the case the week before the hearing is due to commence.

The Belfast Recorder said that, in light of the guilty plea, Templeton was now required to sign the sex offenders register, on which the length of time she will spend will be determined at the conclusion of the trial.

Defence barrister Luke Curran asked Judge Smyth if his client could be released on continuing bail, which was granted.
Its suspected he was told to stop at the home of a violent criminal who had the package waiting for him to smuggle or there would be reprisals against him.

A PRISONER, who went to the High Court to secure bail to attend a drug treatment assessment, was caught with a stash of drugs on his return to prison.

The remand prisoner, who cannot be named as he is currently before the courts on serious charges, was granted bail allowing him to be taken from Cork Prison to the Cuan Mhuire drug treatment facility on Thursday of last week.

Sources said on the morning of the assessment he was picked up by a female associate who had undertaken to transport him to and from the assessment.

However, on his subsequent return to the facility, he was discovered in possession of a large stash of drugs.

Sources said authorities at the facility, where a prisoner died from a drug overdose earlier this year, believe he may have been put under pressure to bring the contraband back to the facility.

Its suspected he was told to stop at the home of a violent criminal who had the package waiting for him to smuggle or there would be reprisals against him.

The prisoner is well known to gardai in Cork.

He previously served a two-year-sentence for ramming two garda cars.

During one incident of joyriding, he drove at high speeds through eleven red traffic lights and four stop signs.

He also drove down pedestrian steps in the city to avoid arrest.

His has more than 60 previous convictions including three for endangerment and 20 for dangerous driving.

The prisoner is currently in custody on remand awaiting trial on further motoring charges.

The discovery of the drugs last week comes as the prison service is grappling with the issue of lethal drugs making their way inside the prison system.

Several drugs alerts have been issued in the last 12 months following both fatal and non-fatal overdoses in prisons across the county.

Last month, eleven inmates were hospitalised when they ingested a substance on Portlaoise prisons C Wing.

The drug that they ingested has since been identified as Clobromazolam.

It was the first time the potent sedative and hypnotic drug has been identified in Ireland.

The overdoses came three weeks after the Irish Prison Service issued an urgent drug alert across prisons following the detection of the synthetic opioid Nitazene, which can cause fatal overdose.

The commonly used antidote to opioid overdose, naloxone, did not work on the inmates affected in Portlaoise.

Clobromazolam was first synthesized in the 1980s but was never developed for medical use.

In recent years it has been sold as a designer drug.

It was first detected in Sweden in March 2016 following a police seizure of capsules there.

Professor Eamon Keenan, HSE addiction services' clinical lead, told RTE that it is an extremely potent sedative type of drug.

He said: "The situation at Portlaoise Prison recently is an example of how volatile the drug market is. New substances are appearing on the market and causing harm quickly."

Gangland killer Peter Kenny was one of the prisoners most affected in the mass overdose in Portlaoise.

Kenny, who is serving life for the murder of drug dealer John Carroll in 2009, was admitted to intensive care and at one stage there were fears for his life.

Another high-profile prisoner among those treated was drug dealer Tony McInerney who is serving a total of 27-years for attempted murder and running a cocaine factory.

According to Prison Officer Association (POA) figures released in April, there was a 160pc increase in drug seizures in Irish jails from 2015 to the end of last year.

During that time in Dublins Cloverhill Prison, drug seizures increased by 294pc from 104 to 410 per year.
Bernard McDonagh absconded from the low-security jail, HMP Springhill, in Buckinghamshire, England at around 4pm on Friday.

UK police have launched a manhunt for an Irish prisoner who absconded from prison six days ago.

Bernard McDonagh (59) is believed to have walked out of the open prison, HMP Springhill, in Buckinghamshire, England at around 4pm on Friday.

The majority of the prisoners held at Springhill are long-term inmates, transferred from other prisons for the last few years of their sentence.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police has appealed for help from members of the public but asked them not to approach McDonagh if sighted.

McDonagh is described as a white man, around 5 ft 10 in tall and of medium build with brown hair.

He is reportedly clean-shaven, has blue eyes and speaks with an Irish accent.

McDonagh, who is known to frequent the Brighton area, also has a tattoo of a swallow on his left hand, a tattoo of three dots on his right hand and a scar above his left eye.

Detective Constable Melanie Cannon said: We are appealing to the public for any information around McDonaghs whereabouts, or anyone who may see him to get in touch.

We would advise members of the public not to approach him if they see him but call 999 instead.

If you have any information as to where he may be, you can call 101 or make a report online, quoting (0044) 43240418179.

Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
Jennifer Thomas (46) appeared before Judge Mary Dorgan at Cork District Court

A WOMAN has been charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a mother-of-two and special needs assistant.

Jennifer Thomas (46) appeared before Judge Mary Dorgan at Cork District Court yesterday.

Thomas of Oakfield View, Glanmire, Co Cork is charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Sheila Dunne (54) on February 11, 2024.

The charge, which is brought contrary to Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 alleges that Jennifer Thomas did, on February 11 last on the L2973 road at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire, drive in such a manner that was dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of an individual, namely Sheila Dunne.

The defendant appeared in court wearing a black trouser suit.

She did not speak during the brief hearing.

Thomas also faces a number of summary charges.

These include being under the influence of an intoxicant to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of a vehicle at Sarsfield Court, dangerous driving at Hazelwood Road, Sallybrook, not having a driving license and failure to produce a driving license.

Detective Mark Durcan of Mayfield Garda Station gave the court evidence of arrest, caution and charge.

He said that, in response to all of the charges put to her, Thomas made no reply.

Judge Dorgan was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has instructed that the dangerous driving causing death charge be dealt with on indictment before a judge and jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The State applied for the matter to be returned to the next sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court after the service of the book of evidence in the matter.

The book of evidence was served and defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, told the court there were no matters arising at this stage.

Gardai applied for the defendant to be remanded to the next sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court on October 29 next.

An application for free legal aid was made and Judge Dorgan noted that the defendant was working with a copy of her pay slip now required by the court.

Mr Burke said the application for free legal aid could be renewed before the Circuit Criminal Court when all the relevant documentation would be available.

Gardai confirmed that there was no objection to Thomas being remanded on continuing station bail.

Judge Dorgan remanded the defendant on bail to appear before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on October 29 for trial.

The court was also asked to set a date for the summary matters after that.

Judge Dorgan adjourned all other matters until a hearing before Cork District Court on November 27.

Sheila Dunne died in Cork University Hospital (CUH) on February 13, two days after she was rushed to hospital having suffered injuries in a traffic incident as she travelled home.

The special needs assistant was originally from Limerick and was predeceased by her husband, Ted.

She was the mother of two children, Lilley and TJ.

Her Requiem Mass heard that she was a highly valued member of staff at Watergrasshill national school.

Locals hailed her work at the school and said she was "priceless" and "one-in-a-million" whose total devotion to the education and happiness of her special needs pupils was legendary.

Heart-breaking tributes were paid at her Requiem Mass in the Sacred Heart Church in Glounthaune.

Fr Patrick Fogarty said family was everything to Sheila and she held a great sense of pride for her two children Lilley and TJ who she adored.

Im told Sheila met the love of her life 30 years ago on Valentines Day. Sadly, Ted was taken from us three short years ago. They had a wonderful loving relationship and today they are reunited, he said.

Sheila's daughter Lilley said her mother had a beautiful, amazing life and did amazing things.

She sounds too good to be true but she really was, the word no wasnt in my moms vocabulary, she said

It was her lifes mission to make sure TJ was happy, if I can be half the mom to him that you were, I can be happy. You were his world and he was unbelievably happy to have your love. Im going to mind TJ, hes going to mind me and together we will mind Esther (Sheila's mother).

You will always be the best mother I could have wished for and I know you and dad are both up in the sky looking down on us every step of the way, she said.

A family friend told the Requiem Mass that if there was an Academy Award for Special Needs Assistants then Sheila Dunne would have easily won it.
Aggravated burglary at home of murdered gang boss Fat Andy Connors may be linked to feud

Two gangland criminals suspected of committing a violent burglary in Dublin last weekend were stabbed during the incident and fled to a nearby house to beg for help.

Gardai in Tallaght are investigating events in Saggart in the early hours of last Saturday, starting with a break-in at a site known as The Ranch.

This was once the home of burglary gang boss Fat Andy Connors, who was shot dead in an unsolved murder 10 years ago.

It is now managed by some of Connors close associates, with parts of it rented out.

The stabbed criminals are believed to have broken in to the home of two male tenants who are understood to be related to each other.

Individual is considered a serious player in terms of organised and disorganised crime in Tallaght and Clondalkin

The tenants were attacked with iron bars, and one of them suffered a broken arm.

However, it is believed the burglars suffered stab wounds during the break-in.

Less than 90 minutes later, they woke up the occupants of a house in nearby Crooksling by banging on the door and pleading for help, saying they had been injured.

Emergency services were called, and the pair were taken to Tallaght University Hospital for treatment.

They were later arrested there for public order offences after becoming abusive to staff.

The pair are considered to be among the main players in the west Dublin drugs scene.

Burglary happened at property formerly owned by murdered gang boss 'Fat' Andy Connors

One of them, aged in his late 20s, works for a Clondalkin-based trafficker and was heavily involved in the Tallaght feud that threatened to spiral out of control last year.

He was previously arrested in relation to an attempted murder last year., during which his alleged target was rammed off a bike.

A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A source said: This individual is considered a serious player in terms of organised and disorganised crime in the Tallaght and Clondalkin areas.

They have taken a side with another family-based gang who were involved in extreme violence in Tallaght last year

He has been known to gardai for involvement in violent crime since he was a teenager, and many of his closest associates are involved in the drugs trade.

They have taken a side with another family-based gang who were involved in extreme violence in Tallaght last year.

The other aggravated burglary suspect (28) is also well-known to gardai. Originally from Tallaght, he now lives in Co Kildare.

It eased off recently after gardai secured charges against some of the main players.

The Tallaght feud has resulted in numerous shooting incidents, arson attacks and attempted murders.
The Boy That Never Was is the story of an Irish couple, Harry and Robin, and their three-year-old boy who disappears during an earthquake in Morocco

Harry spots a boy who he thinks could be his and the drama unfolds

Scenes from the new RTE drama The Boy That Never Was

Hannah with the crew of The Boy That Never Was on location in Morocco

When Dubliner Hannah Quinn read through the first pages of a script for new RTE drama The Boy That Never Was, she was fascinated  but after 25 years in movies she knew the end mattered even more.

The director of the big-budget RTE offering, a four-part series which aired on Sunday and is now available on the RTE Player, says: Its a fabulous ending. I mean, a tragedy is only so good if there is catharsis and will I feel good at the end of this?

Theres a fabulous twist. It has such a good ending that it hooked me.

Read more RTEs Dermot Bannon reveals he suffered a pulmonary embolism on holiday

The gripping fictional story of a little boy who goes missing in Morocco is beautifully shot and acted, with a strong performance from Colin Morgan, who plays the boys daddy.

Hannah says: When I heard Colins accent I was like, oh wow, that really changes things .

He is so comfortable with his Armagh accent and I just loved that scene in the police station, its powerful.

The two leads, Colin and Toni ORourke, came in all guns blazing and they just bring that magic to it. They did a lot of research and it paid off.

The Boy That Never Was is the story of an Irish couple, Harry and Robin, and their three-year-old boy who disappears during an earthquake in Morocco.

Three years later, father Harry becomes obsessed that a boy he has spotted in Dublin is his son.

Director of photography Tim Fleming on set

The subsequent events threaten to tear apart his marriage to Robin and expose secrets about the night their child went missing.

A fictional earthquake in Morocco is a storyline that is bound to cost movie makers lots of money though  and it works perfectly.

Hannah says: I never thought theyd give me the budget to go to Morocco, but they did. Ive been there before on location and we went on a family holiday to Morocco too. Ive great affection for it.

I was thrilled when I read the script and I was like, there is no way they are going to give me the resources to have an earthquake.

The script is written in a lovely, simple way but there was no way of doing it without an earthquake either.

She adds: It was weird because we were due to begin filming there with the whole crew on October 9, but on September 8, there was actually an earthquake there.

Scenes from the new RTE drama The Boy That Never Was

I went to a wedding in London and I woke up to all these texts. One of the stunt guys was up the mountains and his village was really badly damaged, and he helped with the rescue.

Everywhere had a tremor. Some of the Irish crew were in Casablanca in a bar and the swimming pool was kind of shaking. Imagine! And we were very worried could we go ahead but the Moroccans were like, we are used to it, its fine.

I just love Morocco and I love the heat and the nature of the people, she adds.

Hannah worked on the Ridley Scott movies Gladiator and Black Hawk Down in Morocco.

She says: They still live in centuries-old ways of living and its very relaxing, and really peaceful.

Everyone is connected to nature. They are just beautiful people. I am a real homebody, but Id be happy to go back there tomorrow.

Harry spots a boy who he thinks could be his and the drama unfolds

The Boy That Never Was begins with the dead heat and the exotic sounds of Morocco, with viewers knowing that the peaceful family scene is about to be shattered.

Hannah says: My friends were watching it the other day and they were on the edge of the seat. I was worried that it is too unbearable.

The topic of missing children brings up a deep fear in every adults belly and a child missing in a foreign country reminds most people of Madeleine McCann.

Hannah says: When I went to work in Morocco for the first time, my son was only five months old and my mother was like, you are not to let him out of your sight because he was this little blondie baby.

But my husband actually came to look after him as it happened, and the women were lovely. They would hold him in the restaurant and show him off to other diners  they were lovely.

Hannah with the crew of The Boy That Never Was on location in Morocco

Hannah comes from a creative family and began her career as a runner before moving on to become an assistant director and then turning her hand to becoming a director.

She says: I just realised that I could direct after taking a career break because I already had the skills.

I shadow directed with Lisa Mulcahy on Red Rock who Id known for years and my career has moved on from there.

The Boy That Never Was airs on RTE One and the RTE Player.
On the 70th anniversary of Gregory Peck and Orson Welles making of the movie Moby Dick in Youghal, Pub Spy decided to visit the 144-year-old pub to see if business was still booming.

NOTHING creates a thirst quite like a three-hour trek to the peoples republic of Cork, and our most recent journey to Youghal resulted in an enormous amount of porter being sunk in Moby Dicks pub along the seafront.

On the 70th anniversary of Gregory Peck and Orson Welles making of the movie Moby Dick in Youghal, Pub Spy decided to visit the 144-year-old pub to see if business was still booming.

Legend has it the whole town earned a living off the making of this film back in the 50s, the Old Commando told us.

Our designated driver parked in Market Place just across the road from the pub, and the Old Commando led the way inside where we were greeted by a grey haired barman who was very welcoming.

The counter is cleverly shaped like a boat on one end. Pints of Carling, Murphys, Birra Moretti, Coors and Orchard Thieves are all available on draught.

The Old Commando didnt delay in quizzing the locals about the filming of Moby Dick and many a yarn was told by what was a predominately older, mixed clientele.

The creamy pints of Guinness cost 5.50 which is considerably more than what the cast and crew of John Hustons film would have paid in 1954  around approximately six pence.

Six pence for a pint, no wonder everyone was an alcoholic back in those days, the naive Young Commando joked.

There are three sections in the pub and we stayed in the bar overlooking the sea view from the front window while enjoying our pints and soaking in the atmosphere and stories from yesteryear.

It did surprise us, however, that most, but not all, of the customers appeared to be local rather than the tourists we were expecting.

One local told us we were almost three months late visiting this pub and that on the June bank holiday there was a Moby Dick 70th anniversary festival.

That would have suited the Old Boy down to the ground.

The purple coloured bench seating was old and torn in parts but the tiled floor was clean and the brown leather barstools were in better condition. The blue wall panelling helps brighten up the place and they had live music advertised for Saturday and Sunday nights.

In the section furthest from where we were seated there is an old video recorder behind the counter and a collection of videos  and we were very curious as to whether or not it still worked.

One of our Commandos confessed that hed never used a video recorder, highlighting his youth and our old age.

The Old Commando in particular was having a whale of a time on our trip to Youghal and he had the two barmen kept busy for the duration of our stay while also probing them for more yarns. He loved the old school style of the pub and the nostalgia he felt from the furniture as it really took him back in time.

We need to preserve pubs like this. Make sure they never close. All the great Irish stories involve the local boozer somehow or another, he laughed.

Having spent our allowance for the week, it was time to stumble back to the pub-mobile where our designated driver was finishing a decade of the rosary in the hope wed all drift off and he could have a peaceful drive up the M9 and back to headquarters.

Wed hardly crossed the River Blackwater and the drunken snores had well and truly started.

Rating: Three pints out of Five

One for the road:

The Quays  Youghal

FOR an area heavily reliant on tourists and having seen that this bar won a customer service award in 2019, we were very surprised at the manner in which we and some other customers were treated by one of the more experienced waitresses on duty.

The younger waitresses and bar staff, however, were very friendly and welcoming and we decided to put the other situation down to someone having a bad day.

It was very busy during our visit with a mixed clientele of all ages and the pints of plain set us back 5.50 each. Carling, Murphys and Orchard Thieves are also available on draught.

There was a brilliant atmosphere in this beautiful and very upmarket boozer and they were very busy serving food as well as porter. The toilets are upstairs, checked half hourly and contained four urinals, two cubicles and two sinks.

Theres also a lovely view overlooking the water and it must be nice to sit outdoors on a warm summers evening  if we ever got one!

Rating: Four pints out of Five
Every September, students around the world return to school. The young members of the British royal family are no exception. The children of Kate Middleton and Prince William: George, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6, will soon resume their studies at Lambrook School.

ADVERTISIMENT

The editors of Hello magazine have collected touching footage of the young royals on their first day of school. Parents sincerely supported their children at an exciting moment.

Prince Louis

The youngest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales began his studies in 2022. At that time, the young monarch appeared in the reception class, holding his mother's hand.

Princess Charlotte

In September 2019, Princess Charlotte became a schoolgirl for the first time. The young royal was welcomed by the school's principal, Helen Haslem, to make the four-year-old feel comfortable.

ADVERTISIMENT

Prince George

The eldest son of Kate Middleton and Prince William began his education in 2017. At the time, George's mother was unable to support her son at an exciting moment in his life because she was feeling unwell due to pregnancy. However, his father held the young monarch's hand tightly to make him more confident.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UATelegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
He has been named today as Valerri Strunhar

A man who perished when he fell from rocks off the coast of Donegal this week was a Ukrainian man who had fled the war-torn country.

He has been named today as Valerri Strunhar.

Mr Strunhar was in his 60s and had settled in the Gaoth Dobhair area of West Donegal.

He was a well-known figure in the area and was often seen on his bicycle traveling to fish in the area.

It was while fishing on Monday evening last that Mr Strunhar fell from rocks and entered the water around 8pm at Marameelan near Dungloe.

His body was later recovered by the emergency services and taken to Letterkenny University Hospital for a post mortem.

People from across the West Donegal community have extended their heartfelt condolences to Mr Strunhar's family and friends following their sudden loss.

A service will take place in memory of Mr Strunhar tomorrow.

His remains will repose at Mc Glynns Funeral Home Dungloe (F94ND68) on Friday 6th September from 3pm with service at 5pm. Cremation will take place at Lakelands Crematorium Cavan at a later date.
It is the latest serious dog attack in the country in recent months which includes a fatal incident in Limerick in June

A woman has been hospitalised with serious injuries after being mauled by two dogs in south Dublin.

The dog attack happened at a residential property in the Dun Laoghaire area this afternoon.

It is the latest serious dog attack in the country in recent months which includes a fatal incident in Limerick in June.

At around 1pm today, emergency services received reports of a dog attack and gardai, including members of the Armed Support Unit, rushed to the scene.

A woman was discovered at the property and was initially treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital to be treated for what have been described as serious injuries.

Gardai have begun an investigation into the incident and the circumstances of the dog attack.

Inquiries are also being made to identify the registered owner of the dogs, and its understood the animals were in the care of a person known to the victim.

The dogs involved have since been taken into the custody of the local dog warden.

In a statement a garda spokesperson told sundayworld.com: Gardai were alerted by emergency services to an incident at a residence in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin this afternoon, Thursday 5th September 2024.

A woman was attacked by a number of dogs. She has been taken to St. Vincent's Hospital for treatment of her injuries, which are understood to be serious.

The dogs are currently in the custody of the Dog Warden. Investigations are ongoing.

Concerns have been raised about the number of serious dog attacks around the country in recent months including one fatal incident.

On the night of June 3, Nicole Morey was killed after two dogs attacked her at her home in Ballyneety, Limerick.

The young woman had earlier been celebrating her 23rd birthday and had just returned home when the incident occurred.

One of the dogs involved, an XL Bully, was shot dead at the scene by armed gardai while three other dogs that were at the property were later destroyed.

A day earlier on June 2, gardai received reports of a care worker being attacked by a number of dogs in the Maryland area of the south-inner city.

Weeks later a man was taken to hospital after being attacked by a Rottweiler in Co Donegal.

The man was jogging on the greenway between the villages of Muff and Quigley's Point on the Inishowen peninsula, when he was set upon by the dog after 12pm.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, recently announced a ban on XL Bully Dogs.

From October 1, 2024, new regulations will prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bullies.
Master carver Dean Flavell is kaumatua for the project and, as Makahae Marae chairman, was able to make the marae available.

The programme  Nga Niao o te Kaituna  is a combined initiative of Tapuika iwi and Makahae Marae, Nga Kakano Foundation and NZ Landcare Trust.

A hugely significant event, the waka launch is the culmination of a pilot project aimed at fostering kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and reconnecting whanau, hapu, iwi and the wider community to the Kaituna catchment through matauranga Maori practices.

The waka Te Tauihu o te rangi was built at Makahae Marae over five months under the watchful eye of tarai waka (waka builder) Haimona Brown. He has been guiding Josh Roberts, Israel Hapi, Kahukura Williams, Elisha Ryan, Manahi McNeill, Horouta Corbett, Tahae Roberts and Tapua Robert through the build that has a wider purpose.

For the first time in 100 years, a new waka was launched on the Kaituna River on Friday.

He says the project is designed to offer the opportunity to teach another generation the skills required to build a waka. With a toi whakairo [carving] background I understand the importance of sharing such traditional knowledge, he says.

Heads bowed for the karakia, blessing the waka, said by kaumatua Dean Flavell before the launch.

I also see and know the benefits of being trained in carving which can deliver additional skills and opportunities that can provide jobs in the future. If this is a skill that these young men can take with them in their lifes journey, then great.

Nga Kakano Foundation initiated a hui to discuss a programme which can deliver traditional skills through waka building with a focus on waiora tangata (personal well-being).

We were asked if we would be able to provide a programme for young people to engage in and teach a traditional skill and we took on that challenge.

A suitable place was already available at the marae.

We happened to have just completed the new carvings for the centenary of the Makahae meeting house  the meeting house turned 100 years old in April - so we had all this tarpaulin structure up here and we thought, lets put this to use and start building a waka in there.

That was when Haimona came on board.

Waka building was identified as being an endangered culture and one of huge importance, says Haimona.

But he says the waka is merely a vessel to help people reconnect with the awa (river) and that connecting with culture and improving the wellness of the Kaituna helps people improve their own wellness.

If the Kaituna and its wellness is being improved, then the wellness in ourselves will be improved as well, and thats why connecting with our identity, we pick up the wellness of ourselves.

The waka about to be launched.

Haimona says standing on a voyaging canoe had a profound influence on him.

I was well and truly bitten when I first jumped on the waka and it really opened up my eyes to what was out there and Ive been with the kaupapa for quite a long time now.

He grew up in the area and felt it was important to be part of the programme.

Because of the skills Ive acquired and inherited and been taught, there is almost an obligation to foster it with my community down here.

We are touching back with our culture to have a different outlook on the world and be good people.

A desire to reconnect was also enshrined in the Tapuika Treaty of Waitangi settlement, enacted in 2014

Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority was created as part of the settlement. The authority is a co-governance partnership mandated to restore, protect and enhance the environmental, cultural and spiritual health and wellbeing of the Kaituna River.

It is made up of iwi representatives from Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust, Te Kapu O Waitaha, Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust, Te Tahuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust and Te Komiti Nui o Ngati Whakaue, and council representatives from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council.

Waka kaihoe (paddlers) Josh Roberts and Horouta Corbett.

When we were talking with central government about the formation of a co-governance group for the river one of the aspirations was to be able to bring our people back onto the river and reconnect them, says Dean.

The issue that we have faced for the last 200 years was when our lands were confiscated in the mid-1800s, we as tangata whenua lost our connection and tribal practices with the many rivers within the catchment, in a sense this has largely contributed to our loss of identity as river people. Our hope is that through this programme we can help to rectify and re-establish this connection  through such future activities like tira hoe waka (journeys by waka).

Under Te Maru o Kaituna, we have all the councils involved in that, we were able to talk to local council, Western Bay District Council, which has been really supportive.

One of the roles of the authority is to identify where the historic places are, and how to connect with them.

Our kaumatua elders [at Te Kahika Pa / Makahae Marae] used to tell us that on the Waiari, where the bridge is, thats where all our canoes used to be.

Before the roads were built, visitors to Te Puke would arrive at Maketu by sea, then travel along the Kaituna to Canaans Landing from where they would be brought up the Waiari by waka to go to Te Puke.

So we thought, wouldnt it be a great thing to be able to have a waka again, maybe not to do that, but to reconnect and also tell our stories?

One of the things that we need to do ensure is that the next generations are told these purakau korero tawhito [stories from the old people] and transferring this knowledge to the next generation and thats a role the marae provides.

Tarai waka (waka builder) Haimona Brown (right) watches on as rangatahi from the programme and their supporters perform a haka.

So thats the overall aspiration and our approach is year by year as resources allow. This is the pilot and with the wonderful outcome witnessed on Friday we feel this is the way forward.

The programme is also in partnership with NZ Landcare Trust. It is a legacy project that falls under its Junior Landcare Programme, sponsored by the Bupa Foundation.

The trusts Bay of Plenty Regional co-ordinator Tireni Ratema says her background in waterways and canoe and her relationships with the projects leaders have been quintessential to the partnership.

The project is essentially built on that relationship, trust and genuine passion and aroha for the kaupapa through personal commitments through canoe and waterways.

The initial task was to listen to hapu and iwi and their aspirations to reconnect with their awa, the Kaituna catchment.

Really, its being able to align NZLT values with those of the people at place such as Ngati Tuheke, Makahae Marae, Tapuika and the wider rohe.

Essentially by listening to their aspirations, there was clear synergy in terms of kaitiakitanga and the desire to reconnect people to water which is absolutely the main focus of the team at NZ Landcare Trust.

-Te Puke Times.
Police were notified of a two-vehicle crash on SH2 near the Sandhurst Drive off-ramp at around 12pm.

"One person is believed to have minor injuries," said a police spokesperson.

"The road will be blocked for a period of time while emergency services are at the scene.

"Contractors have been contacted.

"Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and expect delays."

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
When I told friends I was taking a winter break from New Zealand to Uzbekistan, there was some scratching of heads, writes Coast & Country News journalist Steve Edwards.

Mainly because very few knew anything about this central Asian nation and even its position on the map.

It probably doesnt help much to say Uzbekistan borders Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

In the bigger global picture, it is a former Soviet state, below Russia, west of Turkey and east of China.

Why go? I saw a television documentary on the historic Silk Road  Venice to Beijing  and Uzbekistan looked the most interesting.

My 11-day solo tour took in the capital, Tashkent, along with other Silk Road stops including Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand.

I went in August  the low season for tourists as most go in spring or autumn to avoid the summer heat.

It was mid-to-late 30s during my stay, so not oppressive, and I avoided jostling with hordes of tourists. It is particularly popular among Russians and an increasing number of western European, American and Asian visitors.

I found Uzbekistan to be very tourist-friendly  safe, clean and cheap.

Just three-and-a-half hours from Dubai (direct to Tashkent), travelling from New Zealand is relatively straightforward.

My flights, other transport, accommodation, guides and drivers were all pre-booked. A tour manager kept in constant contact to make sure things were going well.

The Silk Road adventure obviously included all the historic sites such as the fort in Khiva, Old Town in Bukhara, the splendors of Samarkand and the vibrant but relaxed atmosphere of Tashkent.

Yes, there were plenty of museums. mosques and mausoleums, but I was never bored as this was intermingled with bazaars, palaces and excursions into the country.

Apart from the heat, the first thing that hit me on arriving in Tashkent was the cost. or lack of it.

Being reasonably well-travelled over the last 35-plus years, I cant think of another developed country where you can get a top-class dinner for $10 NZ and a beer for $2 (sometimes less).

Restaurants seem to cater for all, offering options obviously including local dishes, plus full Italian, Chinese, American and Russian sections in their respective menus.

With a farming-based economy, you are guaranteed fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. The bread is to die for.

You know you are in a pretty good bit of countryside when every second farmer is selling watermelons at the gate.

I stayed in a good variety of accommodation, all clean and tidy, although English was a bit lacking in some.

This included a boutique hotel down a very salubrious side street off the main road to the airport in Tashkent. My neighbours were private kindergartens, obviously upmarket judging by the new BMWs and Audis that well-dressed mums were driving when dropping off their little cherubs.

The internal passenger railway is superb  fast, efficient and very comfy. Mind you I was in the VIP carriage for separate trips from Bukhara to Samarkand and Samarkand to Tashkent.

Highlights of Tashkent were a busy bazaar  and a proper shave nearby  Independence Square and a ride on a very modern metro (underground railway) system.

A partnership with General Motors America sees vehicles made in Uzbekistan and I travelled in the popular Chevrolet Cobalt.

On my return to Tashkent at the end of the tour I travelled by car out of town to a skifield  obviously not up and running in summer  complete with a gondola which takes you more than 2km and 2290m up the mountains.

Amirsoy Mountain Resort only opened in 2019 and the facilities appear to be top class. At $30 for a day pass, it could be the next big thing for those wanting an inexpensive ski holiday.

On the way out to the mountains, it was interesting to see construction of New Tashkent on the outskirts of the city.

State-of-the-art stadia, plus an athletes village and associated hotels, are being bult for next years Asian Games.

Closer to home, Tashkents wonderful dining and shopping pedestrian-only boulevard is named Broadway  probably not after my hometowns (Matamata) main street.

Uzbekistan is more than 90 per cent Muslim, but there does not seem to be any related restrictions for locals and visitors.

There obviously needs to be a degree of respect regarding standard of dress when visiting mosques, but light garments are usually provided at the respective sites.

The Soviet influence remains in some of the buildings alone, as independence was gained in 1991.

As a solo traveller, albeit outside the high season, I felt safe in Uzbekistan.

In busy months, I understand Tourist Police are on patrol in popular spots, but more in an advisory role than anything else.

FACT BOX

Uzbekistan

History: 1000 BC

Population: 35 million

Capital: Tashkent (2.6 million)

Spoken Language: Uzbek

Currency: Uzbekistani Som ($1 NZ = 7800 UZS)
Waihis Colin Purcell is called the golden boy for a few reasons.

One... he literally makes gold bars at Waihis Oceania Gold.

But his real claim to fame is being the last baby born at the old Katikati Maternity Hospital along Beach Rd before its doors closed.

Colin decided hed return to Burstein House on this 60th birthday on Friday where the Katikati Advertiser caught up with him.

Burstein House has seen better days, but still exists at the back of Katikati Community Centre and a family lives there.

The old maternity hospital opened in 1942 and closed in 1964.

By the time Colin was born, the annexe was being utilised less as the roads to Tauranga and Waihi were improving and expectant mothers travelled there.

In 1964 an old mens home in Te Puke burnt to the ground and its residents were rehoused at the empty Katikati annexe.

Colin can be seen here as a baby, flanked by seniors who made Burstein House their new home after a fire destroyed their home for senior men in Te Puke.

Colin has a photo at the steps of the old building flanked by seniors. He was the last baby there, and the annex became a home for seniors. It was renamed Burstein House.

When Colin was 26, he was asked to recreate being the last Burstein House bouncing baby on a float for the Lions Club of Katikati Christmas parade.

Colin recreates being the last baby at the local Lions Christmas parade on a Burstein House float.

The Bay of Plenty Times captured the hilarious snapshot of Colin in a cot with baby bonnet and dummy. He had agreed to do it as long he could have beer instead of a milk.

Colin attended Katikati Primary School and Katikati College with his siblings. He joined Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade while still at high school, trained as a plumber with his uncle at Purcell Plumbing and eventually moved to Waihi.

Colin is a dad to two, and grandfather to one. He says hes in Katikati every few weekends.

He celebrated his birthday at Waihi RSA on Saturday and the theme was gold and black.

Katikati Maternity Hospital - By Ellen McCormack/abridged

The opening of the Katikati Maternity Hospital on June 1, 1942 was the culmination of more than 40 years of effort and fundraising by the local community who were determined to obtain medical services for the district.

Health issues had always been a major concern in Katikati due to the long distances that had to be travelled to reach the nearest doctor or hospital and the condition of the roads.

Settlers also lobbied for a permanent doctor.

In early 1942 a house was built and Dr Joseph Burstein from Austria was appointed resident doctor for Katikati.

The long trek for medical attention to either Waihi or Tauranga has ended.

In the early days Dr Burstein ran his surgery without appointments or nurse. Patients would show up at his surgery.

Known as Katikatis man of medicine and music was Doctor Joseph Burstein, honoured here as one of Katikatis murals.

Everyone knew whose turn it was next and if the doctor was called away to deliver a baby or any other emergency, patients went home and returned the next day. It had a room for patients after minor operations and a dentist also extracted teeth at the hospital.

For the next 20 years Dr Burstein served but with the road improvements, some women preferred to have their babies in Tauranga or Waihi.

In 1964 the old mens home in Te Puke was burned to the ground so the residents were moved to Katikati Maternity Hospital and this was the beginning of a resthome service in Katikati.

In 1997 Lexham Park was built and the residents were transferred to their new home.

Source: Tauranga City Libraries / Ellen McCormack https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/19715
True Colours is a Split Enz classic  an anthem of sorts, heralding in the age of Aquarius for us ageing hippies of the late-1970s and early-1980s who can still remember it today, writes Tommy Wilson.

True Colours and Ngaruawahia go hand-in-hand, face-to-face and heart-to-heart, as it was there that the true colours of love peace and happiness  some called Ko Tahi Aroha or One Love, was born on the banks of the Waipa River at the very first Sweetwaters Festival of 1980.

For those of us who made the pilgrimage to Ngaruawahia in Tainui territory back in the day, we were there to witness what went down at Sweetwaters 1980, and that was a whole lot of love, laughter and loud music, all enhanced by the permeating sweet smell of electric puha.

Fast-forward almost 50 years and something incredibly special has been born on the banks of the Waikato River at Ngaruawahia again, this time at Turangawaewae Marae, following the sad passing of the late Maori Monarch Kingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero V11. Tuheitia died at the age of 69 last Friday morning surrounded by his wife, Makau Ariki, and their children Whatumoana, Korotangi, and Ngawai Hono I Te Po.



Kingi Tuheitia, the seventh Maori monarch, died on Friday at the age of 69. Photo: supplied.

The last week has seen tens of thousands show up to share in the sadness and to also celebrate the legacy hes left behind in a prophetic final message to his people.

The message (sidehead)

The message was one of Kotahitanga and how to conquer an approaching storm that was gonna cause havoc. He shared it only a few short days before his passing at the annual Koroneihana Festival held at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, and just like Sweetwaters Ill be forever grateful to have been there to see and hear his true colours.

Kotahitanga translated is trust and collaboration, sometimes more symbiotic than suited and it is a word we need to keep hearing until it is embroidered into our countrys korowai of conversation for every New Zealander of Aotearoa to understand.

I am, and have always been, a strong believer in Kotahitanga. In my last posting on the frontline of the Ps, Pandemic and Poverty, at Te Tuinga Whanau, it was our anthem of Kotohaitanga that kept us all pono to the kaupapa and going for 11 long years.

Kotahitanga, some say in the context of his message is all about unity and to a degree that is true, but for some of us it is unity of purpose as shared by Che Wilson, the spokesperson of Tekau ma rua, the Kings advisory council.

Kingi Tuheitias has given Maoridom a unity of purpose and direction to work together. We dont need to think the same. We dont need to act the same as long as we know where we are going, said Mr Wilson.

The nation has expressed a flood of love and in times of sorrow and adversity we need to lean into supporting each other. King Tuheitias tangi has been an example of how we should support each other as a nation.

The silver lining (sidehead)

The silver lining in the sadness of our long white cloud was, for me, when Prime Minister Chris Luxon showed his true colours at Turangawaewae Marae by firstly showing up  kanohi ki te kanohi face-to-face and then speaking from the heart.

He had parked his political potae (hat) and the people took their hat off to him. It was a turning point for many Maori who listened to raw unscripted and unrehearsed honesty by Prime Minister Luxon and in doing so we got to see a side of our countrys leader that was exactly the Kotahitanga our beloved King was talking about only a week before on the very same stage.

We all need someone to hold on to, somewhere to belong to and a set of values to give us hope in these challenging times of today, and perhaps the prophetic final message of Kotahitanga left as a legacy by the late Kingi Tuheitia, is the same sweet waters message of one love yesterday which we can all live by today?

* Tommy Wilson is Bay of Plenty resident, best-selling author, and columnist for 17 years.

- SunLive
During archaeological excavations near the Spanish city of Guarena, archaeologists found a 20-centimeter tablet. However, they did not immediately realize that they were looking at a unique alphabet with 27 characters and fuzzy outlines of a warrior.

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An expert in Paleo-Spanish languages helped the National Research Council of Spain decipher the riddle, as he accidentally saw more than the rest of the researchers. He recognized a unique writing system that was used on the Iberian Peninsula before the Latin alphabet appeared, Iflscience reports.

Spanish archaeologists have found a valuable tablet near the city of Guarena. This area belonged to the late Tartesse civilization, which emerged in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula about 2500 years ago.

At the presentation of the found 20-centimeter plaque, the National Research Council of Spain explained that it depicts individuals fighting, i.e. warriors.

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While casually reading the news about the shale tablet found in Spain, a sharp-eyed researcher, computer scientist and expert in Paleo-Spanish languages from the University of Barcelona, Joan Ferrer i Janae, noticed that archaeologists had missed a huge discovery. Having once again looked closely at the presented photos, he noticed not only engravings of warriors, but also a mysterious alphabet of the ancient language. The scientist realized that the artifact was more significant than the Spanish archaeologists had described.

"Outside of the figures, when I looked at the tablet, I saw that there seemed to be a Paleo-Spanish sign on one side. This sign cannot be confused with any other," Joan said.

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He immediately contacted the Merida Institute of Archaeology to get better images of the slab. "After a careful study of the images, everything pointed to it being a southern alphabet with the initial sequence ABeKaTuIKeLBaNS?STaUE, which is almost the same as documented in the Spanish alphabet, except for the eleventh character, which has a special shape," Ferrer explained.

The researcher realized that he was looking at a very rare example of southern Paleo-Spanish writing.

Paleo-Spanish scripts are the writing systems used on the Iberian Peninsula before the advent of the Latin alphabet. They are divided into at least two families: northeastern and southern. All of these scripts are believed to be descended from the Phoenician writing system developed by the Phoenician civilization that flourished about 3000 years ago along the eastern Mediterranean coast in what is now Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.

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The new discovery is very important. Because there are only two other artifacts that show the alphabets of southern Paleo-Spanish scripts. So scientists know very little about this writing system.

According to Ferrer, there could have been more letters or symbols on the found tablet, because its lower part is broken off.

"This alphabet has 27 characters and is the only complete one we know of today. Another athefact was found during the excavations of Villazviejas del Tamuha (Caceres), but it is very fragmented. It has only some central characters. Therefore, the found alphabet will be the third example and will provide a lot of information," Ferrer explained.

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Speaking from China to Andalucia's Canal Sur Radio on Tuesday 4 September, the president of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, estimated that investment that China has committed to "so far" in Andalucia, specifically in six of the eight provinces, amount to more than 2.5 billion euros.

Moreno, who has been on an official visit to China since 27 August, explained that he is very "enthusiastic about the welcome" that the Chinese authorities are giving the Andalusian delegation.

The regional president is heading a trade mission, along with business leaders from Andalucia "to intensify, basically, the economic relations that exist between China, which has 1.5 billion inhabitants, and Andalucia".

"And in this objective, so far, the investments that have already been committed in Andalucia exceed 2.5 billion euros spread over six provinces," said the president, who is confident that the figure will increase in the remaining days of meetings in China.

Direct flights to China

"This shows that when you work, when you invest and when you sow, in the end you reap something," said Moreno, who pointed out that the Junta has been working for more than a year on this official visit to China, both with companies and with the Chinese Embassy.

The president said that the agenda in China has been "intense, long and complex", but that he is confident that it will generate not only investment, but also "highly qualified" jobs "throughout Andalucia". He went on to say, "It is very important to generate trust and complicity with the world's second largest economy."

The president also referred to the possibility of a direct flight between China and Andalucia, a region that receives many Chinese tourists, who "spend more and stay longer".

As such, Moreno has indicated that there is a real possibility that there could be a weekly flight to Seville or Malaga, either from Shanghai or from Beijing. The destination airport is still to be decided and it would be a decision of the Chinese airline, according to the president.
A video showing an alien walking on a mountain slope is actively circulating online. Tourist Sara Dalete noticed two strange figures 3 meters high while walking on the island of Ilha do Mel in Brazil, saying that they were aliens. Internet users began their own research and speculation about the presence of aliens in that place, because, according to Sara, it is impossible to reach the top of the mountain from the bottom.

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The woman posted a video of the "unknown creatures" on Instagram. Both of them were moving their arms quickly, and then one of the "three-meter" figures began to descend the slope. "And one more thing, if you compare, he is more or less the size of that tree. Yes, he's big," the tourists said in the video, which was transcribed by X users.

Naturally, this news was checked for disinformation. One of them was UFO expert Nick Pope. "There is no credible evidence that anything related to UFOs or aliens happened, or that it was anything else," the expert told Metro.

Active discussions also began on social network X: one of the users created a thread explaining why it was actually ordinary people who were photographed on top of the mountain.

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"Her husband shared the location of the shooting on his Instagram. Using Google Maps, we can determine the location and compare it with the footage. For the roof of the tent to be framed by a hill, it is concluded that they were 1 km away. When we approach the hill using Google Maps, we realize that it is not as high as it looks in the video," explained Diogo Milagres.

He continued: "The verdict: You can clearly see that it was a person of normal height, that the hill is small, and that's why the person was able to go down without difficulty."

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After declassifying the fact that there were in fact normal people on the mountain, Sarah edited her Instagram post and wrote that one of the people present "really looks like a normal person, but taller than most."

In the comments to the post, people also responded to the woman's misinformation: "Looking at the video, you can see that he is taking pictures, and I am filming with my cell phone, then he puts his hand on his waist and looks at his cell phone. It must be a person because if you look at the vegetation near him, it's low bushes, not trees." "It's clearly visible that this is a person who walked the trail to the top. His shirt is tied on his head, and he is taking it off."

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Two people from Upstate New York are competing for a $1 million prize on reality TV.

Andy Rueda, a Buffalo native, and Sue Smey, whose hometown is the Broome County town of Kirkwood, are among the 18 castaways on season 47 of Survivor. Theyll face unexpected obstacles in a twist-packed season from the moment they step on the beach in Fiji, according to the CBS show.

I have the ability to charm and disarm, said Rueda, a 31-year-old AI research assistant who currently lives in Brooklyn. I can... play like a snake.

In a preview video, Rueda appeared with two children, including one wearing Buffalo Bills gear.

I was really, really close with my cousin Ashley, Rueda said. She named me the godfather to her firstborn. A year later, we lost Ashley to domestic violence and they dont have parental figures. I can be someone that they can look up to. What better way of showing that than following my dream?

Andy Rueda, a Buffalo native, competes on "Survivor" season 47. (CBS video still)CBS

Smey, 59, is a flight school owner who currently lives in Putnam Valley, N.Y. She said she received pushback from men when she first got into the aviation industry, but is now extremely successful and wants to empower more women to get involved.

As this seasons oldest contestant, she expects to be similarly underestimated while proving everyone wrong.

I want to be remembered as the oldest woman to ever win Survivor, Smey said. These people look at the old person, they think theyre the weak person here. Between my work ethic and my level of competition theyre going to soon realize that theyre gonna want me here and my grandson will always remember his grandma kicking butt on Survivor.

Sue Smey, from the Southern Tier town of Kirkwood, N.Y., is a contestant on "Survivor" season 47. (CBS video still)CBS

The competition also includes Pod Save America co-host and former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett, a Baltimore radio host, an ER doctor from San Francisco, a construction worker from Michigan, and an E-sports commentator from Phoenix, Arizona. The cast and contestant details were announced Wednesday.

Jeff Probst returns as host and showrunner.

Survivor season 47 premieres Sept. 18 with a two-hour episode starting at 8 p.m. on CBS. Fans can also watch episodes with DirecTV Stream.
Manlius, N.Y. -- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday called for a national assault rifle ban and red flag laws in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Georgia that killed four people.

Weve had enough, Hochul said during a visit to East Syracuse Minoa Central High School. This nation has seen enough.

Police said a 14-year-old student opened fire with an AR-platform-style weapon at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, killing two teachers and two students and wounding nine other people.

Such military-style weapons are banned in New York. They were also banned nationwide under a federal law enacted in 1994, but the ban expired in 2004 under a sunset provision. Since then, AR-15-style rifles have been used in some of the nations deadliest mass shootings, including the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six staff members.

You turn on the news and youre stunned to see yet another school shooting in the United States, Hochul said.

It hurts on so many levels. As a parent who for many years who sent my children off to school, I know the inherent anxiety as soon as your children are out of your sight. And then to see these stories where a 14-year-old has access to an assault-style weapon, military-style assault weapon.

She called out Republicans in Congress for opposing a new assault weapons ban.

I know the Biden-Harris administration wants to do more, she said. I know that the Senate led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to do more, and Im calling on the Republican-led House of Representatives to stop putting up roadblocks to saving childrens lives.

Hochul also called for a national red flag law like the one in New York. The states law, also known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order law, prevents individuals who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing any kind of firearm.

That should be a national policy, she said.

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Rick Moriarty anytime:Email|X|Facebook| 315-470-3148.
New York  A secret Chinese police station hiding in plain sight in New York City. Clandestine efforts by Communist Party operatives to spy on and bully Chinese expatriates. And now, charges that a former aide to two New York governors was secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government.

The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a wave of prosecutions in recent years aimed at rooting out covert agents advancing Beijings interests on American soil.

In Brooklyn alone, federal prosecutors in the last four years have brought at least a dozen such criminal cases against more than 90 people  the latest being Tuesdays arrest of Linda Sun, who once served as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul and was earlier an aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The charges against Sun are the most startling example yet of a threat U.S. officials have warned about for years: Chinas determination to influence American policy and cultivate relationships with political figures seen as having access to the levers of power, even if only at a local level.

While the public might think of foreign agents as people who eavesdrop on military officials or steal state secrets, China has demonstrated an eagerness to exert influence in less splashy areas, like currying favor with American officials with control over things like local land use regulations or labor issues.

There is definitely an effort to develop relationships and friendships and connections in state and local governments, said Adam Hickey, a former senior Justice Department national security official who led the departments enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which Sun is charged with violating.

Prosecutors say Sun  a midlevel aide in two Democratic administrations  developed a close relationship with officials in the Chinese consulate in New York and did their bidding in ways that were important, albeit unlikely to make the plot of a spy novel.

Among other things, she is accused of quietly spoiling efforts by representatives of Taiwans government to meet with top New York state officials. The Chinese government considers Taiwan to be part of China. She also allegedly encouraged Cuomo and Hochul to make supportive remarks about China such as thanking Chinese companies for donating medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An indictment says she solicited talking points from a Chinese official for a video Hochul recorded as lieutenant governor wishing people a happy Lunar New Year. Prosecutors said Sun took credit for keeping Hochul from mentioning human rights issues in that video. And the indictment said Sun provided unauthorized invitation letters from the governors office that helped Chinese officials enter the U.S.

In return, prosecutors say Sun got tickets to performances by Chinese arts groups and multiple Nanjing-style salted ducks that were sent to her parents home. More lucratively, the indictment said, Suns husband got help for his business dealings in China, which brought in millions of dollars for the couple, who had a $4 million mansion on Long Island and a condominium in Hawaii.

Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Suns lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, said she was understandably upset that these charges have been brought, but didnt discuss the charges in detail.

Hochul on Wednesday called Suns alleged actions an absolute betrayal of the trust of two administrations in state government.

The alleged foreign influence efforts are part of what FBI and Justice Department officials have described as a broader attempt to manipulate public opinion in Chinas favor.

The Chinese government understands that politicians in smaller roles today may rise to become more influential over time, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a January 2022 speech. So they look to cultivate talent early to ensure that politicians at all levels of government will be ready to take a call and advocate on behalf of Beijings agenda.

Justice Department officials have charged dozens of Chinese nationals in the last five years, though many have remained out of reach of American law enforcement.

Among those who have faced charges are 40 officers with the Ministry of Public Security accused of harassing and threatening dissidents, as well as a cluster of operatives alleged to have stalked Chinese individuals living in the U.S. as part of an effort to coerce them into returning to China, where they wanted for prosecution.

A Chinese American scholar known as a pro-democracy activist was convicted in New York earlier this month of gathering information on dissidents and feeding it to his homelands government.

In 2022, a Chinese government operative was charged with plotting to undermine the candidacy of a little-known congressional candidate in New York by planning to locate, or even manufacture, derogatory information that could prevent him from being elected. The allegation was part of a broader plot resulting in charges against five people, including for spying on a Chinese national living in Los Angeles and plotting to destroy his artwork.

Two U.S. citizens were charged last year with establishing a secret police station in Manhattan under the direction and control of the Chinese government.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, Liu Pengyu, dismissed the concerns as overblown, blaming the U.S. government and media for having frequently hyped up the so-called Chinese agents narratives, many of which have later been proven untrue.

China has long maintained that U.S. authorities are simply discrediting its international crime-fighting work, such as Operation Fox Hunt, a nearly decade-old effort ostensibly focused on pursuing Chinese fugitives, including corrupt officials.

It also claims that police stations, which have been reported across North America and Europe, arent law enforcement offices at all, but provide routine services for Chinese citizens, including renewing Chinese drivers licenses.

Yaqiu Wang, research director for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Freedom House, which tracks transnational repression, applauded efforts to counter Chinese activities that she says undermine human rights and democracy.

Last year, a congressional committee warned that Beijing runs an extensive network of organizations that seeks to influence U.S. universities, think tanks, civic groups, other prominent individuals and institutions and public opinion broadly.

But Wang warned that federal efforts must be targeted and proportionate, given civil rights concerns raised by the Chinese American community and others.

In 2018, the Trump-era Justice Department launched a nationwide effort known as the China Initiative targeting Chinese espionage at American universities.

But the initiative was rebranded early in the Biden administration following multiple unsuccessful prosecutions of researchers and concerns from some of the nations top colleges that the program had a chilling effort on academic research and amounted to racial profiling.

No Americans should have to live in fear that their entire lives may be turned upside down due to wrongful accusations, unwarranted racial profiling, or ugly xenophobia, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat, said in July as she stood with Feng Franklin Tao, a Chinese-American professor who had an espionage case thrown out by a Colorado judge earlier this year. There is no room for this prejudice in our federal government or in our country.
The Syracuse Fire Department will hire up to 20 new firefighters after winning a competitive federal grant for almost $7.6 million, New Yorks two U.S. senators said today.

The grant is the largest in the departments history, said U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Monds.
Liverpool, NY - Liverpools school board tonight severed ties with its superintendent in a unanimous vote, drawing cheers and applause from the nearly 100 people who attended the meeting one day before school starts.

In a 9-0 vote, the board approved a separation agreement between the district and Daniel Henner, who in his two-year tenure has drawn criticism from some district residents and lost support of the majority of current school board members.

The board also appointed Douglas Lawrence, who is deputy superintendent, as interim superintendent. That move also drew cheers from the crowd.

READ MORE: Liverpool superintendent gets hefty buyout after two years on the job

Henner became superintendent over Liverpool, the countys third-largest school district, in May 2022.

The three-paragraph resolution posted this afternoon on the boards meeting agenda -- just hours before tonights meeting -- does not specify any amount negotiated as part of the settlement.

Even with the short notice, about 100 people showed up at the meeting this evening for the vote.

No specific reason was given in the resolution for Henners proposed departure.

Shortly after the vote, board President Nicholas Blaney read from a prepared statement that said the separation was in the best interest of the school district. He said Henners exit was a mutual agreement between the former superintendent and the board.

Blaney called the change a brand new day, but he did not give any specific reasons for Henners departure.

Douglas Lawrence, a Liverpool deputy superintendent, takes an oath to become interim superintendent on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The same night, the board unanimously decided to sever ties with Daniel Henner, who had served as district leader for two years.Elizabeth Doran | syracuse.com

The proposed resolution to sever ties with Henner states, in part:

the Board authorizes the President of the Board to sign the Separation Agreement between the District and Daniel Henner on its behalf, and to take any and all further actions necessary or deemed advisable by the President of the Board to implement the terms of the Separation Agreement.

Henner has been controversial and unpopular with some in the Liverpool community since his appointment as superintendent.

At that time, the school board - which had some different members - were divided over his appointment. Six voted to hire him and three voted against.

Dozens of people showed up to a Liverpool School Board meeting Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The board was scheduled to vote on parting ways with Superintendent Daniel Henner, who lost support from the board toward the end of his two years as the district's leader.Elizabeth Doran | syracuse.com

The following year - in June 2023 - the school board voted to extend Henners contract by a 5-4 vote. That extended his contract through June 2026 and gave him a raise, despite a petition from some in the district that asked the board to reject the contract extension.

When the contract extension was approved last year, some people at the meeting yelled disgusting and another said you should be ashamed of yourselves.

The bulk of the support for that extension came from board members with just three weeks left in their terms. Today, none of those board members remain on the school board.

This year, district voters put three new people on the board in May. That meant the makeup of the board has shifted away from supporting some of Henners proposals, including items such as salary raises for several administrative staff members.

Since then, Henner has faced weakening support from the school board.

Henner also came under fire from parents after Onondaga County Sheriffs deputies began investigating reports that an Elmcrest Elementary teacher had physically abused kids at the school. The district suspended the teacher but refused to comment on the incident for several days.

Parents on social media called for more transparency from Henner.

The teacher, Melissa Harrington, was subsequently arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, according to deputies. Those charges are still pending, according to the Onondaga County District Attorneys office.

After the arrest, Henner said in an email to parents that the arrest was profoundly disappointing.

Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com
Defense-Update from the Russo-Ukraine War. Following are some of this weeks military technology news highlights from the Russo-Ukraine conflict

Ukrainian Forces and Russian Laser Threats

Ukrainian sources have reported sightings of green light rays on the battlefield, which were identified as a new threat from Russian forces. These rays, visible only at night, are thought to be emitted by an EO/IR payload developed by Russian drone maker ZALA. The Z-16IRQ-V/L uses an HD thermal imager and a video camera with an integrated laser rangefinder and designator. The laser is effective at distances up to 1,500 m. Laser designation is used to guide guided ammunition with semi-active laser homing. The visibility of these laser beams, which typically operate in the infrared range, is considered a drawback as it unmasks the user platform. The green light is probably the laser used as a spotter beam.

Ukraine and Russia Use Drones with Incendiary Payloads

Russian and Ukrainian drones now use incendiary payloads. Ukraines Dragons Breath FPV drones employ thermite incendiary munitions that can reach temperatures exceeding 2,400 degrees when ignited. Thermite consists of a mixture of iron oxide and aluminum powders.

Maiden Flight of the Model 437 Vanguard

Drone Interceptors Appear on the Russo-Ukraine War

Both Russia and Ukraine have recently displayed First-Person View (FPV) drone video footage showing intercepts of reconnaissance drones by FPV drones. One of these events shows an intercept of a Russian reconnaissance UAV, Zala Z-20, in the lens of Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drones. This UAV has a longer range and can guide the Lancet to a target at a distance of 70+ km.

Russia Extends Range of UMPC Bomb Glide and Guidance Kit

Russia has reportedly upgraded its UMPC (Universal Planning and Correction Module), bomb guidance, and range extension kit with larger wings and tail area, enabling the weapon to glide over longer distances. The current glide bombs used by Russia, namely the FAB500, 15000, and 3000, can glide up to 65 km, enabling Russian fighter bombers such as the Su-34 to strike targets within Ukraine when flying deep over occupied lands in Eastern Ukraine Luhansk or Donetsk. The new winged kit will bring more targets deeper inland within the Russian aviation strike range. The UMPC is considered a more affordable and powerful attack weapon than ballistic missiles (like Iskander) or Cruise missiles.

Ukrainian Air Forces Use of JDAM-ER Bombs

The Ukrainian Air Force has publicly detailed its use of American JDAM-ER glide bombs, revealing their operational range and integration onto Soviet-era MiG-29s. A recent video showcased the destruction of a bridge in Russias Kursk region, demonstrating the JDAM-ERs effective range of approximately 40 km when dropped from a pull-up maneuver. The video also highlighted the programming process for JDAM-ER bombs, which involves uploading the flight mission via a laptop on the ground. Previously, during the war, GPS-guided weapons like Excalibur, HIMARS, and JDAM initially demonstrated very effective results but failed to cope with Russian electronic countermeasures and have lost their effectiveness over time, driving Western manufacturers to implement more advanced jam-resistant techniques into their weapons.

Romania Plans to Transfer Patriot Missiles to Ukraine

Romanias government approved a bill to donate a Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine. Romania also seeks a replacement system from allies, particularly the US, to sustain its air defense capabilities.

For weekly more news by topic, refer to the following reports:
CCTV: The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation opened today. President Xi Jinping attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered a keynote address. Could you share more details with us?



Mao Ning: This morning, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) opened with the theme of Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future. President Xi Jinping attended the Opening Ceremony and delivered a keynote address.

President Xi Jinping noted that the friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. Over the past 24 years since the inception of the FOCAC, especially in the new era, China and Africa have firmly defended our legitimate rights and interests in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We have created touching stories of China-Africa friendship, and set a stellar example of a new type of international relations. Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.

President Xi Jinping stressed that China is going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee lays out systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. This will profoundly further transform China. It will also provide new opportunities and new driving forces for African countries and for our joint pursuit of modernization. China and Africa should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win and eco-friendly, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, and is underpinned by peace and security. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the ten partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

President Xi Jinping announced that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China are now elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations is now elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. The Summit adopted the Beijing Declaration on Jointly Building an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027).

AFP: The Japanese and Australian foreign and defense ministers met in Australia today and agreed to enhance defense cooperation and support the work of the Philippine Coast Guard. In the context of the ongoing maritime tension between China and the Philippines, whats Chinas comment on that latest development?



Mao Ning: China believes that defense and security cooperation between countries should be conducive to keeping the region peaceful and stable and nurturing mutual trust between regional countries, and should not target any third party.

Trouw: According to the US Department of State, the PRC Ministry of Civil Affairs has notified the American government that since August 28, civil affairs departments across China will no longer carry out foreign adoption work. Could you confirm the stop? And if so, could you elaborate on it?



Mao Ning: The Chinese government has adjusted its cross-border adoption policy. Henceafter, apart from the adoption of a child or stepchild from ones collateral relatives by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship by foreigners coming to China, China will not send children abroad for adoption. This is also in line with the spirit of relevant international covenants. We express our appreciation to those foreign governments and families, who wish to adopt Chinese children, for their good intention and the love and kindness they have shown. For more specifics, Id refer you to competent authorities.

AFP: According to a research paper published in Nature journal this week, 125 virus species were identified in animals from Chinese fur farms, including 36 new pathogens. According to a world famous virologist, the fur industry worldwide is likely to produce virus that can spill over to humans. Has China noticed this research and does China intend to raise the health standard of the fur industry?



Mao Ning: Id refer you to competent authorities on that.

Trouw: We have seen a surge of adoptees coming back to China hoping to find their birth families. Will the stop of the adoption program in any way influence their attempts to visit China to view their files



Mao Ning: I would refer you to competent authorities for answers to those specific questions. There are sound communication channels on this issue.
The all-new Dacia Duster will go on sale this fall. The model will offer an efficient range of powertrains and many more advantages for quite affordable money.

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The British edition of Top Gear told more about the updated car. For example, fans of electric vehicles will be pleased with the fact that a hybrid version will be available in the lineup. Prices will start at 18,745 for the basic Essential equipment and reach 26,745 for the fully equipped Extreme version.

The Dacia Duster Hybrid 140 will be powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and a pair of two electric motors that produce a total of 141 hp. Yes, it is not the fastest in the world, but the advantage of such an engine is that it is efficient. The model can run on electricity up to 80% of the time. This is also the only powertrain option that comes with an automatic transmission, while the rest are equipped with six-speed manuals.

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An alternative in the mid-range segment is called the TCe 130, which is a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine complemented by a 48-volt mild hybrid motor that delivers 131 hp to a choice of two or four wheels. Or, if you want to go off the beaten path, you can opt for the 100 hp four-cylinder Bi-Fuel engine, which is claimed to deliver up to 1300 km on a single tank. For comparison, this is the distance from London to Milan. All-wheel drive models will offer up to five driving modes to adapt the vehicle to different conditions.

Duster also received a fresher and more impressive appearance. For example, it has thicker underbody and wheel arch protection, and the bumpers are made of a new material called Starkle. It is a partially recycled composite. Since it retains its natural color, traces of encounters with lampposts should be less noticeable.

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Inside, the new Dacia Duster will use the new CMF-B platform, which will open up more space for various Fruit Shoot small items. Body roll has also been reduced and cornering stability improved. The ride in the updated car feels softer.

Standard features on the model include a 10.1-inch multimedia center and a seven-inch digital driver display with Apple CarPlay and Android equivalent installed as part of the basic tech package. Dacia has also gone a step further with its YouClip accessory mounting system, which has several additional places for GoPro and other gadgets.

The new Duster will go on sale in November. Due to its reasonable prices and good equipment, it is expected to be in great demand.

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Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
Partisans are working in the Leningrad region to help Ukraine fight against the aggressor country. A reconnaissance was conducted at the Levashovo military airfield on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, where the 33rd Separate Transport Mixed Air Regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces is based.

ADVERTISIMENT

The operation was conducted by an Atesh agent. The relevant photos were published on September 5 by the resistance movement's Telegram channel.

This military facility of the Russian Federation is an important base, providing support for aviation operations. Training flights are also actively conducted at the airfield.

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"During the reconnaissance, it was found that transport and combat aircraft, as well as helicopters used for various military tasks, including the transfer of personnel and cargo, are deployed at the airfield," the Atesh members found out.

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The guerrillas paid special attention to studying enhanced security measures and enemy aviation activity.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 Earlier, the Atesh agent conducted reconnaissance of the port in Taganrog (Russia) and the surrounding area. The patriots provided the Ukrainian Defense Forces with data on the location of important facilities and nodes.

 The guerrillas also found out where the enemy has deployed one of the air defense systems covering the skies on the approaches to Moscow. The invaders' equipment was found in the Kaluga region, 100 kilometers from the capital of the aggressor state.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!

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tbppjpr BHPian



Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: India Posts: 889 Thanked: 1,935 Times

Re: VW considers closing down its German plants for the 1st time as part of its cost-cutting measure Quote: AMG Power Originally Posted by - most probably a suggestion based on an informal arrangement with Mahindra to protect the tenure of the Indian management yet again.



VAG isn't investing in diesel due to uncertainties all over the world. Indian govt policies are getting way too much confusing for the manufacturers as well for the buyers. Anyone having their brain in the right place will hold their new investment plans in such uncertain and confusing scenario.



For the time being VAG wants to join hands with someone who has some govt lobbying power, has strong presence in diesel and also has some electric tech so that they do not have to risk their investments to start from the zero in the EV segment in India. Its nothing new, Maruti had technological partnership with Fiat for very long, Tata still has.



This VAG-Mahindra JV is similar like Maruti-Toyota where neither of them want to risk heavy investments in diesel and petrol segments respectively until the govt policies are clear, but since they want to keep their dealerships running in profits, they need some cars available on sell hence co-sharing the cars models with each other.



Even car users like me have postponed car upgrade plans for atleast 5-7 years and have been advising same in the family and friend circle until there is clarity that my car will remain my car as long as I want to keep it, not like the current scenario when govt can snatch it from me anytime they want.



I also want to make sure that I get pure fuel, not the adulterated garbage in the name of E10, E20, biodiesel and all which are reducing the FE and resulting into increased crude import. Such fuel is also adversely affecting the engine life but no one will ever be able to know about this huge scam because the cars are being scrapped prematurely in India, thanks to the unlawful govt laws.



No one can have interest of doing business in such scenarios. VAG-Mahindra venture is more important for Mahindra than VAG. Mahindra has presence only in the diesel segment but with the recent pressure from the govt, they need some backup plan in the petrol and alternative fuel.VAG isn't investing in diesel due to uncertainties all over the world. Indian govt policies are getting way too much confusing for the manufacturers as well for the buyers. Anyone having their brain in the right place will hold their new investment plans in such uncertain and confusing scenario.For the time being VAG wants to join hands with someone who has some govt lobbying power, has strong presence in diesel and also has some electric tech so that they do not have to risk their investments to start from the zero in the EV segment in India. Its nothing new, Maruti had technological partnership with Fiat for very long, Tata still has.This VAG-Mahindra JV is similar like Maruti-Toyota where neither of them want to risk heavy investments in diesel and petrol segments respectively until the govt policies are clear, but since they want to keep their dealerships running in profits, they need some cars available on sell hence co-sharing the cars models with each other.Even car users like me have postponed car upgrade plans for atleast 5-7 years and have been advising same in the family and friend circle until there is clarity that my car will remain my car as long as I want to keep it, not like the current scenario when govt can snatch it from me anytime they want.I also want to make sure that I get pure fuel, not the adulterated garbage in the name of E10, E20, biodiesel and all which are reducing the FE and resulting into increased crude import. Such fuel is also adversely affecting the engine life but no one will ever be able to know about this huge scam because the cars are being scrapped prematurely in India, thanks to the unlawful govt laws.No one can have interest of doing business in such scenarios. Last edited by tbppjpr : 4th September 2024 at 23:31 .
narayans80 Senior - BHPian

Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Madras Posts: 3,290 Thanked: 4,948 Times

Re: Emigrating to a Foreign Land! Quote: download2live Originally Posted by "Most debates are not really debates; They are two people with different life experiences talking over each other."

I am afraid you will not find a single answer here. People have different backgrounds.



I remember a post from Samurai a long time back. You will not be able to move unless you 'hate' your current place.



The motivation for immigration (whichever direction) only lasts on a short-medium term, not on a long term. Statements like "I'll move to India in 5 years if this and this happens" make no sense. I have a close friend from university, who has been saying he'll settle in India for the last 20 years, only on his recent trip did he admit he isn't moving back in the near term.



Quote: Foxbat Originally Posted by This is absolutely true, my sister and I moved to India from the US in the mid 1990s when we were in our early teens. Quote: ajmat Originally Posted by Same thing happened to be in the mid 1970's..



Fortunately by 2010s there is internet and loads of information documenting the struggles of moving back with kids. There are also IGCSE and IB board schools that soften the transition.



We moved in 2017 when my elder was getting into 3rd grade. It still took 2 academic years to adjust even in an IB school.



Quote: Mystic Originally Posted by Now is the million dollar question of me shuttling between India and USA and how long I can do it with out any disruption?



Quote: How are different generations handling kids when sent abroad



My mother wouldn't even consider moving to another location in the same city. An old friend's father said he wouldn't come and visit his son in Hyderabad from Karaikudi, when he was in his 50s.



Quote: I see a huge problem still in my generation and finally this issue is resolved at my next generation wrt calling a home abroad as permanent place for whatever reasons.



Quote: Streetracer_372 Originally Posted by I was wondering if moving out makes sense if your parents do not have a problem in living abroad even for extended periods of time as is the case with mine. Correct. And you shouldn't be looking for answers here either. Leaving aside work background, the personal situation of each one is different and so is the individual (and his/her spouse) mindset. Lot of which cannot be written in a public forum.I remember a post from Samurai a long time back. You will not be able to move unless you 'hate' your current place.The motivation for immigration (whichever direction) only lasts on a short-medium term, not on a long term. Statements like "I'll move to India in 5 years if this and this happens" make no sense. I have a close friend from university, who has been saying he'll settle in India for the last 20 years, only on his recent trip did he admit he isn't moving back in the near term.Feel sorry for you guys, all this happened at a time your parents didn't know the struggles of moving late.Fortunately by 2010s there is internet and loads of information documenting the struggles of moving back with kids. There are also IGCSE and IB board schools that soften the transition.We moved in 2017 when my elder was getting into 3rd grade. It still took 2 academic years to adjust even in an IB school.A couple I know in close quarters are shuttling in their 80s The mileage would vary depending on their physical fitness to handle the weather transitions and mental strength to do so.Isn't this a direct result of their own exposure and mindset?My mother wouldn't even consider moving to another location in the same city. An old friend's father said he wouldn't come and visit his son in Hyderabad from Karaikudi, when he was in his 50s.Haven't we seen kids and parents argue this at a city level? This keeps moving from generation to generation where they find their true calling.Assuming your parents are game. It would still depend on the policies of the adopted country, whether and how they allow you to sponsor your parents as dependents.
robimahanta Distinguished - BHPian



Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: BLR/GAU Posts: 879 Thanked: 8,330 Times

Weekend in Australia with a Toyota Land Cruiser 300



Let me share some pictures from the trip.



Taking off from the new Bangalore Terminal in a direct service to Sydney with Qantas





Landing in Sydney





Picking up the rental LC300 with Toyota branded off road bumpers

















Drove out along M1 all the way to Polkobin and reached the lovely AirBnB in Lambs Valley









The 100 acre property had some lovely horses and was frequented by wallabies and tons of birds











Lorakeets





Horses









Mesmerising sunset





Kookabura sculpture en route





The real thing





The imposing LC









I travelled to Sydney for work and a had a couple of days holiday over the weekend, so decided to rent an LC300 and explore some areas around Barrington Tops National Park and Lambs Valley. Drove the car around 800kms and it was extremely capable as expected. Having said that, it is not worth the price for what it is sold in India, just like most Toyotas.Let me share some pictures from the trip.Taking off from the new Bangalore Terminal in a direct service to Sydney with QantasLanding in SydneyPicking up the rental LC300 with Toyota branded off road bumpersDrove out along M1 all the way to Polkobin and reached the lovely AirBnB in Lambs ValleyThe 100 acre property had some lovely horses and was frequented by wallabies and tons of birdsLorakeetsHorsesMesmerising sunsetKookabura sculpture en routeThe real thingThe imposing LC Attached Thumbnails



Last edited by vb-saan : 5th September 2024 at 07:20 . Reason: Cleared a error link
Indoor air quality monitors arent the only smart home products SwitchBot has to show off at IFA 2024 in Berlin. The smart home device manufacturer also unveiled a 3-in-1 vacuum system, smart roller shades, and a pair of air purifiersincluding one that doubles as a nightstand.

SwitchBot K10+ Pro Combo vacuum system

The SwitchBot K10 Pro Combo combines the companys ultra-small robot vacuum with a cordless stick vac. Both tools empty their dustbins into the same base. The SwitchBot K10 Pro Combo combines the companys ultra-small robot vacuum with a cordless stick vac. Both tools empty their dustbins into the same base. SwitchBot The SwitchBot K10 Pro Combo combines the companys ultra-small robot vacuum with a cordless stick vac. Both tools empty their dustbins into the same base. SwitchBot SwitchBot

SwitchBot has taken the K10+ Pro Mini robot vacuum and added a cordless stick vac that uses a modified version of that bots auto-emptying base station to come up with the SwitchBot K10+ Pro Combo vacuum system.

The manufacturer describes the K10+ Pro as the worlds smallest robot vacuum. Since robot vacs cant be used on furniture or to suck down cobwebs on the ceiling, adding a cordless stick vac to the package renders it a more complete cleaning system. The all-new FusionBase charging station that can empty the dustbins from both appliances provides the third element in SwitchBots 3-in-1 home vacuuming solution. Unfortunately for those whove already purchased a K10+ Pro, its base station does not work with the new stick vac.

SwitchBot says the base stations 3-liter dust bag should require emptying just once every 70 days. The ultra-compact, dual-purpose base should be a boon for smaller domiciles, since it has a footprint smaller than an A4 sheet of paper. Measuring 8.27 x 11.69 inches (210 x 297mm), its slightly larger than an 8.5 x 11-inch U.S. letter.

The SwitchBot K10+ Pro Combo is available for pre-order now, with an asking pricing of $799.99.

Dont miss TechHives in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuums.

SwitchBot Air Purifier and Air Purifier Table

This multi-purpose air purifier can double as an end table or nightstand, complete with a Qi charger. The non-table version looks virtually identical, less that tabletop. This multi-purpose air purifier can double as an end table or nightstand, complete with a Qi charger. The non-table version looks virtually identical, less that tabletop. SwitchBot This multi-purpose air purifier can double as an end table or nightstand, complete with a Qi charger. The non-table version looks virtually identical, less that tabletop. SwitchBot SwitchBot

Speaking of multi-function appliances, SwitchBot is showing two new air purifiers at IFA this year, and one of them can also function as a side table or nightstand. The aptly named SwitchBot Air Purifier Table has a columnar form factor, with an integrated LED nightlight and table on top of thatwith an embedded Qi charger for Android and iOS devices no less.

Both this model and the more conventional air purifier feature three-layer filters with a washable pre-filter, an activated carbon filter, and a HEPA filter to remove up to 99.97 percent of airborne particles, according to the manufacturer. Both devices have clean air delivery (CADR) rate of 236 cubic feet per minute (400 cubic meters per hour), making the air purifier suitable for cleaning the air in larger rooms.

Buyers who also own one of SwitchBots Matter-certified hubs will be able to integrate the air purifiers into their smart homes. You can pre-order the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table now for $269.99. The more conventional SwitchBot Air Purifier, $219.99, is also available for pre-order.

SwitchBot adjustable roller shade

SwitchBot says the width of its smart roller shades can be adjusted from 22.8 to 72.8 inches. SwitchBot says the width of its smart roller shades can be adjusted from 22.8 to 72.8 inches. SwitchBot SwitchBot says the width of its smart roller shades can be adjusted from 22.8 to 72.8 inches. SwitchBot SwitchBot

Now this is a product Ill need to experience before I can fully understand it: SwitchBot says it has the worlds first adjustable and fabric replaceable smart roller shade. The company says the shades width can be adjusted from 22.8 to 72.8 inches to ensure a precise fit. Not only that, but you can replace its fabric to match your rooms decor.

I can mostly wrap my head around the concept of a width-adjustable roller shade, although Im curious ifand if so, howthe motor will adjust its torque to compensate for narrower widths, but how will you go about cutting the fabric when you change the size of the roller?

In any event, SwitchBot says the roller shade will be available with options such as 100-percent blackout fabric for privacy protection, UV protection, and thermal insulation. The shade is operable via the SwitchBot app, voice commands, or remote control. It can also be integrated into the major smart home platforms through Matter, although that will require you also have one of SwitchBots smart home hubs.

SwitchBot expects to fetch $199.99 for the SwitchBot adjustable roller shade, which is available for pre-order now.

As mentioned above, SwitchBot also announced a pair of indoor air quality monitors ahead of the show.
At first glance, the tiny town of Baarle looks quite familiar to Europe. Narrow streets where tourists walk to find a place to drink coffee and buy a fresh bun, long rows of cute houses, old cathedrals, and new buildings. But the town has one secret: it is located in two countries at once: The Netherlands and Belgium!

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A border passing through the town is not uncommon. But the uniqueness of Baarle is that it is chaotic and looks more like a mosaic. So walking down one street you can make one of the fastest trips between countries. This feature attracts tourists.

The border can go not only through streets but also through houses or even apartments. It happens to residents that the living room is located in the Netherlands, and the bathroom is in Belgium. How do you know which country owns the house in this case? It's simple: the one on whose side the front door is located. For convenience, the signs on the houses are designed in the form of the flag of a particular country.

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But this is not the only curiosity associated with this bizarre division of borders. There was a time when Dutch law required street cafes to close earlier than Belgian ones. Back then, restaurateurs who wanted to make more money would place their establishments right on the border, and after the Dutch part closed, they would transfer customers to the Belgian part.

Crosses on the sidewalk and signs "B" and "NL"  Belgium and the Netherlands, respectively  will help you understand which part of the city you are in. The city has two mayors, two postal services, police departments, and transportation companies. And they all work under the laws of their respective countries. But fortunately, there are no border guards here, and the markings are more tourist than legal.

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How did it happen?

As is often the case in Europe, the roots of this strange division go back to the Middle Ages. Back then, it was possible to freely buy and sell land here, which is what Duke Brabant and Lord Brad did. The former's family preferred farming and cattle breeding, so he tried to buy more pastures and fields that were located randomly. When the Peace of Westphalia was signed, these territories became part of the Northlands, i.e. the Netherlands, and the Spanish colony that became Belgium. After the signing of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1843, this unusual arrangement of borders was consolidated.

This agreement was considered indisputable, and no one even thought of simplifying the division between the countries. But when the independent Belgium and the Netherlands wanted to arrange the border, it turned out to be such a complicated matter that a bilateral commission had to be assembled to analyze every island and piece.

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We've seen the border  now let's see the countries

Barle is a very unusual and interesting town, but still tiny, with a population of only 9,000 people. So one day will be enough for you to explore it up and down. What else to see in these two countries? Let's take a closer look.

Belgium

Brussels.

The Pissing Boy fountain.

The Royal Palace.

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.

The red light district.

Rene Magritte Museum.

Museum of Victor Horta.

Museum of trucks.

Museum of comics.

Antwerp.

The building of the railway station.

Astrid Square.

The zoo is one of the oldest in Europe.

Dominique Person's chocolate workshop.

Museum complex MAS.

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Bruges.

Basilica of the Holy Blood of Christ.

City Hall

The Church of Our Lady of the Cross.

Museum of Brewing.

Museum of chocolate.

Museum of French fries.

Ghent

The medieval castle of Gravensteen.

Town Hall, Belfort bell tower, and its observation deck.

Houses of the Guilds.

Cathedral of St. Bavon.

The bridge of St. Michael.

Netherlands

Amsterdam.

The Rijksmuseum is a museum spanning several blocks.

The House of Anne Frank.

Dam Square and the Royal Palace.

IJ-Hallen flea market.

Electric Ladyland Museum of Fluorescent Art.

Cat boat Poezenboot.

Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum.

Rotterdam.

Maritime Museum.

Cubic houses.

Utrecht

Dome Cathedral.

Sonnenborg Observatory  Museum of Astronomy.

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The Hague

Binnenhof  the former residence of the kings.

Ridderzaal is a castle with the throne room of the royal dynasty on the territory of Binnenhof.

There is a lot to see in both Belgium and the Netherlands. One article is not enough to tell you about all their attractions. But we hope that we have inspired you to travel.

Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In a nutshell: The recent IFA event in Berlin featured new product launches and announcements from various companies. Acer seized the opportunity to unveil several new PCs across multiple hardware tiers, including a behemoth desktop powered by Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake CPU architecture and Acer's first entry into the rapidly growing handheld gaming PC market.

Acer's showcase featured an upcoming gaming desktop, two mainstream laptops, and the company's first handheld gaming PC. Although Acer's branding attempts to align these new products with the emerging AI PC trend, they primarily feature relatively mature processors.

The new Predator Orion 7000 desktop, equipped with unspecified "next-gen Arrow Lake" chips, is the flagship of the lineup and the only model to include CPUs that meet Microsoft's "AI PC" specifications. Intel has not yet fully unveiled Arrow Lake, but this series, which succeeds the 14th-generation Raptor Lake Refresh, will be the company's first desktop CPU lineup to incorporate powerful neural processing units (NPUs). Intel's laptop Meteor Lake and Lunar Lake series also use NPUs to enhance onboard generative AI workloads.

Pricing for the Orion 7000 isn't available yet, but its remaining system specs suggest a high-end rig. It includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, up to 32 GB of DDR5 memory, up to 6 TB of NVMe SSD storage, a Thunderbolt 4 port, Wi-Fi 7 support, and a 1200W power supply.

Acer also announced new 14-inch and 16-inch Nitro V laptops, starting at $1,100 and $1,300, respectively. The two variants are broadly similar, offering options for high-refresh-rate 1200p or 1600p displays, up to 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, and up to 2 TB of SSD storage.

However, the Nitro V 16 features an Intel i5 or i7 Raptor Lake Refresh CPU, while the V 14 includes an AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 8040HS processor. Both laptops offer entry-level RTX 3050 and 4050 graphics options, but customers can upgrade the 16-inch variant to an RTX 4060, whereas the cheapest 14-inch model uses the aging RTX 2050.

Acer is marketing these GPUs as part of its "AI PC" branding, echoing Nvidia's claim that RTX cards can easily outperform Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm APUs in onboard generative AI tasks.

Finally, Acer is entering the handheld gaming PC market with the Nitro Blaze 7. It features AMD's Ryzen 7 8840HS processor paired with a Radeon 780M GPU, likely offering performance similar to competitors from Asus, Antec, Zotac, and Ayaneo. The Nitro 7's display supports 1080p resolution at 144Hz with 500 nits of brightness and AMD FreeSync. Internal SSD storage is available up to 2 TB.

Looking further into the future, Acer also revealed a concept for a gaming laptop with a detachable wireless controller. By pressing two fingers on the release button at the top of the keyboard, users can remove the touchpad, which transforms into an oddly shaped gamepad.
Why it matters: International tax issues are invariably complex, and that is exponentially true in the digital age, when taxes are now being applied to intangible assets such as intellectual property, data, and user participation. These new concepts have led to trade disputes worldwide, including, now, with one of the US' closest allies. The outcome of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for both the tech industry and US-Canada trade relations.

A controversial tax enacted by Canada has sparked a significant trade dispute with the United States. For US tech companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta, which operate in Canada, the stakes are enormous, as it has the potential to cost them billions of dollars and no small amount of red tape.

The Canadian government enacted the Digital Services Tax (DST) on June 28, 2024, retroactively applied to revenue from January 1, 2022. However, even though the law has been passed, the first payments under the DST are not due until June 30, 2025.

The DST aims to levy a 3% tax on revenue generated by large foreign tech companies from Canadian users. To qualify, companies must have global annual earnings exceeding $1.1 billion, with at least $20 million in revenue from Canadian users. This tax is expected to generate over $7 billion in revenue for Canada over five years.

The US government strongly opposes this tax, arguing that it discriminates against American tech companies and violates international trade agreements. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai has initiated trade dispute settlement consultations with Canada, stating that the US "opposes unilateral digital service taxes that discriminate against US companies."

If an agreement isn't reached within 75 days, the US may request a dispute settlement panel under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This could lead to retaliatory US tariffs on Canadian imports.

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland maintains that the tax, or at least the revenue it will generate, is necessary to modernize the tax system and ensure fair contributions from large corporations. Freeland points out that other G7 countries, like the UK and France, have implemented similar taxes without facing US retaliation.

Freeland has admittedly made overtures to the US, although they have not led to a practical resolution. She noted that Canada has engaged in bilateral conversations with the US and remains confident that a "win-win" outcome can be reached. However, she did not specify what such a deal would entail. Freeland has also previously said that Canada would not enact the tax if a global tax treaty through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is implemented. But this treaty has yet to be ratified by the US.

Meanwhile, critics, including the US Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, warn that the tax could increase prices for digital services in Canada and harm trade relationships. In the bigger picture, the outcome of this dispute could influence how other countries approach digital taxation, potentially leading to a proliferation of similar taxes worldwide if Canada's DST is upheld.
In brief: A South African man who pulled off one of the biggest qualification-fraud cases in recent memory has finally been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Daniel Mthimkhulu's con job allowed him to climb the ranks at the state-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), eventually becoming their chief engineer while earning a cool $156,000 per year salary - not bad at all for a person whose highest educational attainment was high school.

Mthimkhulu's CV claimed he had multiple mechanical engineering degrees, including a prestigious one from Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand and even a doctorate from a university in Germany. As it turned out, those qualifications were found to be completely fabricated.

The 49-year-old's lies first started unraveling in 2015 when he was arrested not long after he resigned from his head of engineering position at Prasa, kicking off a legal saga that recently reached its conclusion this month.

Not only did he fake his way into the role he was wildly unqualified for, but Mthimkhulu continued exploiting his qualifications to take the fraud to the next level while on the job.

The court heard how he forged a job offer from a German company, using it to con Prasa into raising his salary so they wouldn't lose their "talented" engineer to the competition. He was even involved in a $100 million+ deal for dozens of new trains from Spain that ended up being too tall for South African railways.

Now, for his misdeeds, he's been ordered to pay back $323,000 to Prasa, which police said were the proceeds of crime.

In a 2019 interview, Mthimkhulu simply said "I failed to correct the perception that I have it. I just became comfortable with the title." Of course, it's easy to get comfortable hauling in six figures without exactly grinding for it.

Officials have praised the sentence, with the head of the Hawks unit that investigated the case saying it "should serve as a lesson to would be fraudsters that crime doesn't pay."

Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said that the case sends "a strong message that the perpetrators of white-collar crime will not go unpunished."

While Mthimkhulu plans to appeal, the social media crowd largely celebrated a small win against grifters gaming the system. However, they also called out the administration for allowing something like this to happen in the first place.

Inline image credit: Power FM
What just happened? Nvidia has denied a report that it received a subpoena from the Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of an antitrust probe. The initial claim, which came from Bloomberg, sent Nvidia's share price crashing a further 2.4% in post-market trading after it had already dipped more than 9% during regular hours, wiping $279 billion off the company's value  a US record for a one-day loss.

According to Bloomberg's report from earlier this week, DOJ officials subpoenaed Nvidia and companies including AMD and Intel as part of its antitrust investigation into whether Team Green is abusing its dominating position in the AI market.

Bloomberg wrote that there were concerns Nvidia could be giving preferential supply and pricing to customers who use its technology exclusively or buy its complete systems. It also reported that the DOJ was investigating Nvidia's acquisition of Israeli AI startup Run:ai, suspecting that the deal could lock Run:ai customers into using Nvidia chips. There have also been claims that it threatened to cut off or delay orders for customers buying AI chips from rivals such as AMD, Intel, or smaller startups.

Now, Nvidia has denied Bloomberg's report. Company representatives said that it enquired with the DoJ to confirm it has not been subpoenaed, adding, "Nonetheless, we are happy to answer any questions regulators may have about our business."

Nvidia's share price over the last five days

The DOJ has not said which companies are part of its investigation, and while some firms have received subpoenas, it appears that Nvidia is not one of them  at least not yet.

The DOJ launched a probe into whether Nvidia used anti-competitive tactics to maintain its grip on the AI market last month. Regulators are also investigating whether Nvidia pushed cloud providers into making bundled purchases, such as buying Mellanox networking gear alongside Nvidia's A100 or H100 AI chips.

Nvidia is estimated to have more than 80% of the AI chip market, a share that has helped it become the third most valuable firm in the world. However, its market cap fell a record $279 billion this week on the back of weak data on the state of the manufacturing sector and Bloomberg's report. The decline has also led to fears that the generative AI bubble may soon burst.
In a nutshell: When Panasonic ended production of its vaunted plasma televisions in 2013 and pulled out of the US market a few years later, some assumed we'd never see Panasonic-branded TVs in the states again. But you know what they say about making assumptions

Panasonic has announced its return to the US TV market after nearly a decade away, and they're bringing some heavy hitters.

Leading the charge is the Z95A, a 4K flagship OLED TV with a 65-inch, 144Hz panel and a $3,199 price tag. It's powered by an HCX Pro AI Processor MK II and packs several noteworthy features including a 360-degree Soundscape Pro integrated audio system tuned by Technics and a micro lens array with multi-layer heat management for "unprecedented brightness."

The Z85A OLED TV, meanwhile, is offered in 55-inch and 65-inch variants and is essentially a lesser version of the Z95A that excludes some bells and whistles to reduce costs. The Z85 doesn't come with the flagship's fancy integrated speaker system with Technics tuning, nor does it have the micro lens array to elevate brightness. Furthermore, the set's refresh rate only goes up to 120Hz instead of 144Hz. The omissions are reflected in the price as the 55-incher retails for $1,599 while the 65-inch model will set you back $1,799  a full $1,400 less than the same-size flagship.

Panasonic has also brought its W95A mini-LED series to the US. Available in four sizes ranging from 55 inches up to 85 inches, the W95A series affords a refresh rate up to 144Hz, multiple HDR picture modes, and Local Dimming Ultra tech to boost the set's contrast ratio. Panasonic has also baked in a Quantum Dot Sheet to further enhance color reproduction, we're told.

Pricing starts at $1,299 for the 55-inch W95 and scales up to $2,999 if you want the 85-inch variant. All of Panasonic's sets in the US also come with Amazon's Fire TV platform baked in, complete with an Alexa-enabled voice remote. They're available now directly from Panasonic or through Amazon.
South Korea's National Police Agency has launched an investigation into the popular messaging app Telegram, following accusations that the platform has been "abetting" the distribution of deepfake pornographic material. Among the alarming claims are that images of teenagers have been doctored and shared in large messaging channels, exacerbating the country's struggle with a growing epidemic of digital sex crimes.

Human Rights Watch describes the situation in South Korea as an "epidemic," with "hundreds of women and girls" having their likenesses manipulated and shared in deepfake form. These altered images are being distributed in Telegram channels that reportedly host up to 220,000 members, creating a pervasive culture of digital exploitation.

Deepfake Related Offenses in South Korea

Deepfakes are images created using artificial intelligence (AI) to superimpose a person's face onto another body, often for explicit, non-consensual content. Offenders typically use social media platforms like Instagram to obtain photos of victims, which are then manipulated into pornographic material. This practice has proliferated globally, with South Korea particularly impacted.

In one case, a university student shared how she was sent a message on Telegram, warning that her personal information had been leaked. She was then shown a doctored image of herself in a sexually explicit scenario. Unfortunately, such cases are common.

South Korea's National Police Agency reported 297 deepfake-related offenses in the first seven months of 2024, nearly double the 2021 figures, according to BBC. Authorities are under pressure to take stronger action as chatrooms continue to share these images.

In response to public outrage, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has launched a seven-month crackdown on digital sex crimes, focusing on those targeting women, children, and teenagers. However, women's rights groups argue that the root issue-misogyny in online culture-is being ignored.

Activists point to deepfake abuse as part of a broader pattern of crimes against women, including the "spy cam" epidemic. They demand action against structural sexism, which President Yoon has denied, while cutting funding for victim support and dismantling the gender equality ministry.

Telegram Under Scrutiny

Telegram's minimal moderation policies are under fire for allowing criminal behavior to thrive. In 2019, the platform was used by a sex trafficking ring in South Korea, and despite police requests, Telegram ignored appeals for assistance. Now, in the wake of the current investigation, Telegram has removed 25 videos at the request of South Korea's Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) but faces ongoing criticism for its role in the spread of deepfakes.
The widely believed claim which said that mobile phones could cause users brain cancer because of their radio waves is not as legitimate as people thought based on a recently published review backed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The study found "no link" between mobile phones and brain cancers, saying that either has no association with the other.

It has been a common belief that talking for a long time or frequent use of mobile devices through handset calling can cause a type of brain cancer, but apparently, it was misleading.

Mobile Phones Cannot Give You Brain Cancer According to Latest Review

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) conducted a systematic review backed by the World Health Organization regarding how mobile phones cause users to develop brain cancer in the future. In their extensive review, ARPANSA concluded that there are mobile phones have no links to developing a type of brain cancer.

It also noted that other forms of head and neck cancers have no links to mobile phones.

The review highlighted the International Agency for Research on Cancer's (IARC) classification of mobile phones, placing it under the "possibly carcinogenic" list in 2013. According to the review's lead author, Professor Ken Karipidis, the IARC's 11-year-old study was based on limited evidence only.

Read Also: Blue Light Radiation Emitted from Mobile Phones Can Damage Your Skin

WHO-Backed Review Explored Large Datasets to Make Its Case

With this systematic review, ARPANSA scrubbed through over 5,000 studies about this ordeal, with these researches done between 1994 and 2022, making it an extensive dive into brain cancer's link to mobile phones.

Professor Karipidis claimed in a recent statement that exposure to radio waves via wireless devices like mobile or smartphones "is not a human health hazard."

Radio Waves, Mobile Phones, and Cancers

The question of cellular or mobile phones causing cancer has been around for decades now, and since the emergence of these portable devices, users have been torn about their use. There have been many massive claims that cell phones are among the top reasons behind brain cancer because of their electronic radiation and use of radio waves according to previous studies.

France's National Frequency Agency also highlighted this only last year, and it has since asked Apple to pull the iPhone 12 series from its stores because of its high radiation levels.

It is also important to note that an Italian court also believed that mobile phones can cause brain tumors to its users, and has sided with the plaintiff who fought against telcos after manifesting the tumors.

However, the tech industry has since pushed back against these claims, with Apple claiming this information is fake, especially about its iPhone 12.

ARPANSA's latest study took a deep dive into this issue and found that there are no links between mobile phones and brain cancers, proving this previous belief wrong.
The British Army is training soldiers to fly unmanned aircraft systems of explosives, which they use in one-way missions. These "kamikaze drones" look like those that the Ukrainian' Armed Forces employed successfully.

Instruction of Unmanned Aerial System from First Person View

Footage of soldiers knot-wearing VR headsets or using gaming joysticks to train how to fly these FPV UAS is emerging. The MoD understands the efficiency in use of these drones more so exhibiting unparalleled features such as their ability for aerial maneuverability and the ability to annihilate armored trained vehicles.

According to the UK-based newspaper The Sun, the local Non-Governmental Organization is known as Project Lewes and the jHub Drone Academy.

Under Project Lewes also known as the Army's technology insertion program that's been seeing troops trained at the jHub Drone Academy. The Strategic Command's directorate called the jHub was to help in the growth of the implementation of technology in the military force.

Training and Equipment

Parrot and Black Hornet UAS are still actively employed by soldiers for reconnaissance purposes. Nevertheless, FPV drones or the "kamikaze drones" are a little more difficult to control because of the lack of such features as GPS and stabilization. This makes them less susceptible to jamming and more effective in engagements.

Benefits of FPV UAS

Former operations sergeant major in the Parachute Regiment of the British Army, Adam Barnes said that FPV UAS had its merits.

Barnes said that they had comparative advantages over conventional drones due to their simplicity and flexibility, and the costs of manufacturing them are considerably low.

FPV UAS is effective in reconnaissance, and for strike missions as well it shortens the kill chain and offers more choices to commanders.

"An infantry unit equipped with FPV UAS can fly them to attack targets that it would otherwise have to call in mortars, artillery, or an air strike to hit," he added.

Drone Racing and Tactical Skills

The training program from Point Zenith includes FPV drone flying through different objects and a racing simulator. 2 PARA has indicated that they have a drone racing club that aims at ensuring that the soldiers develop a spirit of practicing the talent that they have in this field.

What the Soldiers Experienced So Far

More testimonies came from Lance Corporal Morgan McConnell of the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment on the usage of FPV drones. He said that he had fewer problems with maneuvering them compared to ordinary drones yet he was excited about the technology and how it can be useful on the battlefield.

Speaking of kamikaze drones, the Russian "Shahed" drones were reportedly shot down outside Belarus, according to Kyiv Post. The reports said that two blasts took place between 1:34 AM and 1:36 AM.
Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" or FSD as it is called is due to arrive in other markets next year according to the company.

The automaker's CEO Elon Musk has stated that the paid service will be launched in China and the EU region in the first quarter of 2025.

Specifically, in the latest conference held over X, the tech billionaire argued that there is a market for such products. But before it is released in both regions, it has to undergo the approval of the authorities governing the sector.

Tesla's FSD to Expand in Two More Markets

Tesla's FSD was announced to be coming out in its glory in China and Europe within a few months. Well, this will not be very possible given the standards set down by the two regions on policies. Because of this, Musk requires permission from them that is regulatory, per CNBC.

Due to popular demand, Tesla AI team release roadmap:



September 2024

- v12.5.2 with ~3x improved miles between necessary interventions

- v12.5.2 on AI3 computer (unified models for AI3 and AI4)

- Actually Smart Summon

- Cybertruck Autopark 

- Eye-tracking with sunglasses 

-  Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) September 5, 2024

Speaking of which, the tycoon said he is optimistic that this will work, claiming that the company might receive approval by late 2024.

FSD is a premium feature available to Tesla customers. It aims to enhance vehicle autonomy, but it's important to note that it doesn't make cars fully self-driving. Drivers must remain attentive and ready to take control at any time.

FSD: Tesla's Key to AI-Centric Strategy

Full Self-Driving has been a cornerstone of Elon Musk's long-term strategy to transform Tesla into an AI-driven company.

With AI technology on the pedestal right now, Tesla is doing everything possible to push the self-driving functionalities to its limit. Regarding FSD upgrade, we always see the word Autopilot system, which only gets better each time FSD receives an update.

The Full Self-Driving system in China has been available for years, but a catch-it is only launched as a limited version. It's important to note that many local customers are growing interested in the product.

The company's goal is to move beyond driver assistance toward fully autonomous vehicles, but there are still technical and regulatory hurdles to overcome before this vision can be realized.

Regulatory Challenges and Delayed Promises

Regarding fully autonomous cars, Musk previously claimed that Tesla's ability would revolutionize how we drive EVs.

The richest man in the world repeatedly told investors that Tesla would soon provide technology that allows cars to drive themselves without any human involvement. However, despite several advancements, car makers have faced numerous setbacks. It's still plagued with tech limitations which further delay the deployment of the autonomous technology.

In its current form, Full Self-Driving is an advanced version of Tesla's Autopilot, which aids drivers in navigating highways, changing lanes, and parking. However, it still has not achieved the full autonomy Musk initially promised.

The Road Ahead for Tesla's Self-Driving Technology

Tesla is keenly aware of the need to secure regulatory approval. Different regions have varying regulatory scrutiny regarding autonomous driving technology, so Tesla must meet stringent safety standards before the FSD system can be widely available.

The ambitious expansion of FSD could go a long way if Tesla immediately receives the clearance it badly needs. 2025 is only a few months from now, and this could be the best year for the EV maker if it succeeds in bringing the technology to Europe and China.

A few weeks ago, Tesla deleted its blog post claiming that all Tesla cars have FSD hardware, according to Electrek. The now-removed post can still be found on archive.org if you want to view it.
Google has identified and patched a critical zero-day vulnerability in its Android operating system that is being exploited actively in the wild.

The high-severity vulnerability tracked as CVE-2024-32896 (CVSS score: 7.8) is classified as a high-severity elevation of privilege (EoP) flaw in Pixel firmware.

An elevation of privilege vulnerability occurs when a user or app with lower privileges gains access to functions or content usually reserved for users or apps with higher privileges. If exploited, an attacker can perform actions such as stealing data or installing malware.

CVE-2024-32896 is related to a logic error in the Android framework component, which could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed, reads the description of the bug in the NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD).

However, user interaction is needed to exploit this vulnerability.

This vulnerability was first reported in the June Pixel security update when a patch was released only for the Google-owned Pixel line-up. However, the impact of the CVE-2024-32896 flaw is not limited to Pixel devices and includes the entire Android ecosystem.

There are indications that CVE-2024-32896 may be under limited, targeted exploitation, Google wrote in its September 2024 Android Security Bulletin.

As usual, Google has not provided any technical information on how the vulnerability is being exploited in the wild.

To protect against potential exploits, it is strongly recommended that all Android users install security updates immediately on their devices.

To install the latest security updates, go to Settings > System > Software updates > System update.

Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates > Security update and click on the Check for update button.

Besides the CVE-2024-32896 vulnerability, Google has also patched another nine high-severity flaws affecting the Android framework and system in the September 2024 security update.
Archaeologists from the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo have discovered an unknown burial site in a quarry near Fredrikstad, in southeastern Norway. The find was found to contain the remains of mostly children, all of whom died more than 2,000 years ago.

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The partially burned bones of the children, whose ages ranged from birth to six years old at the time of death, were buried directly beneath stone circles, in exquisitely crafted ceramic pots, long since broken into fragments. The burial field is unique in the European context, writes Arkeo News.

After dating the skeletal remains, it was discovered that almost all of the children were buried in the Bronze and Iron Ages of Norway, between 800 and 400 BC.

"The dating shows that the burial site was used for a long period, so they could not have all perished during a single natural disaster, disease outbreak or epidemic," says Guro Fossum.

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The stone circles were found in 2023 while excavating a rural field near the southern Norwegian town of Fredrikstad. The stone formations were all one to two meters in diameter and had a perfectly round or oval shape. Some had large stones placed inside or around the edges, signaling some variety or creativity in design.

The tombs show variations in the arrangement of cremated remains, some arranged in urns, others simply under stone circles. In many cases, the amount of bone found was minimal, ranging from 0.1 to 240 grams per tomb, presenting a significant challenge to the archaeologists and osteologists involved in the study.

In addition to the children's tombs, everyday objects such as bonfires and cooking pits were found near the site. This means that the site may have functioned as a community gathering place in addition to a cemetery, possibly for funerals.

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"There was something special about this place. The tombs are very close together. They were apparently in an open landscape, there were transportation routes nearby, so everyone knew about them. Also, all the tombs were very beautiful and elaborately decorated. Each stone came from a different place and was precisely placed in the formation.

The burial site, unique in the European context, generated interest not only for its rarity but also for its emotional consequence.

Associate Professor of Archaeology at the University of Stavanger, Hakon Rijersen, emphasizes that this find connects us deeply to the universal human emotions associated with losing children and mourning them, showing that people in the past were not very different from us in terms of how they honored their dead.

"The social structure seems to have been more egalitarian because there wasn't much difference between graves. The same types of graves, implements and burial methods were used. This suggests a society where community was important" - she said.

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For years, scientists have been trying to unravel the mysteries of a large ancient salt mine in northwestern Iran, in the province of Zanjan, which buried many miners in its wilds. A new study of the found mummies of the "Salt Men of Iran" shows the exact moment of their death more than 2500 years ago.

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Archaeologists believe that they are closer than ever to understanding the peculiarities of the remains of the salt mine miners. After all, some of the dead look like zombies, petrified with an expression of death cry, writes DailyMail.

Exploring an ancient mine

Based on settlements unearthed nearby, a new study shows that the first people to extract salt from the mines died here more than 2,500 years ago.

Of the eight mummified Iranian remains found recently, most date from the Achaemenid Empire, which ruled as far as Egypt in the west and the Indus Valley in the southeast. These areas are now part of Pakistan and India.

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According to a new study, scholars claim that at the height of the dynasty's rule, "the Achaemenid mine was abandoned after a mining disaster that cost the lives of three miners." Salt production did not resume at this site for almost two centuries.

However, it is thanks to the salt that the mummies of the miners, who died between 405 and 380 BC, are so well preserved to this day. According to scientist Lena Erstrom and her colleagues from the Mummy Research Group at the University of Zurich, the "hygroscopic" or moisture-absorbing effect of the large salt deposits in the mine caused the diggers to dehydrate until they were "naturally" mummified.

"The resulting dehydration inhibits bacterial growth and stops decomposition," the researcher explained.

But turning back the clock even further to the ancient days of the mine, now officially called the Chehrabad Salt Mine in Duzlak, proved more difficult. For centuries, local residents have been engaged in unauthorized salt mining here.

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To understand when salt mining began at the site, a new study has collected data from 18 nearby archaeological sites.

Experts are convinced that the salt mountain, especially one as easily accessible and suitable for surface mining as the Duzlak salt dome, played a central role in the economic life of the local rural population.

The earliest settlements found at the site date back to the Eneolithic or Copper Age, approximately 5000-4000 BC.

An international team of researchers, including expert Lena Erstrom and her colleagues from the Mummy Study Group, as well as Iranian archaeologist Hamed Zifar from the Zolfaghari Archaeological Museum, have suggested that Stone Age communities may have mined salt using methods lost to time.

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An old man with a beard and a teenage miner

Fortunately, the researchers were lucky enough to unearth evidence from the mine's later history, during the great empires of Persia. The first Iranian Saltman (salt man in English) was discovered in the winter of 1993. It was an extremely well-preserved severed head with long white hair and a beard, as well as a gold earring in the left ear.

Carbon-14 dating of the head showed that Saltman 1 lived in the early years of the Sassanian dynasty in 220-390 AD. This so-called Sassanian period was the last of the Persian empires to rule before the Muslim conquests in the seventh century.

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Also well preserved is Saltman 1's left shin, which was discovered nearby during previous excavations.

The researchers were able to determine that a complex system of salt production, possibly export-oriented and managed by the empire, was in operation during this period. Over the past several decades of excavations, experts have documented salt mine rock incisions that correspond to wedges and tessellations of Sassanian-era tools.

"Moreover, there is a lot of evidence that donkeys were kept in the mining areas of the Sassanian period. After all, the donkey stalls found indicate that salt in small pieces was transported from the pit in bags and baskets on the animals' backs," the researchers noted.

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The scientists also emphasize that "no further activity in the region has been documented after the end of later Sassanian salt production, sometime in the sixth century AD."

Another mummy found Saltman 4, suggests that he was a teenage miner who was almost completely preserved. His remains date back to an early version of the Achaemenid salt mine. The young man was buried alive in a disaster around 400 BC that closed the mine for centuries.

Mummy Saltman 4 is called "the icon of excavations in Chehrabad". "This is primarily due to its excellent preservation. The mummy is fully clothed in woolen pants, a tunic, leather shoes, and a fur cape. Silver earrings were found on the right and left ears. Two clay pots with doughy contents and a knife were found on the boy's body," said the mine researchers.

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According to scholars, there are few written sources about salt production in northwestern Iran during the early period and none about the Achaemenid and Sassanian periods. Therefore, research on the mummies found makes a great contribution to the history of this region.

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Chinese cities suspend schools, cancel flights ahead of Super Typhoon Yagi



Hong Kong, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Cities in southern China suspended schools and cancelled some flights on Thursday as Super Typhoon Yagi headed towards the holiday island province of Hainan after strengthening from a tropical storm.

Yagi triggered floods and landslides on the main Philippine island of Luzon this week, killing 13 people, according to official figures.

It intensified into a super typhoon as it tracked west across the South China Sea, China's Xinhua news agency said, carrying winds of up to 209 kilometres (130 miles) per hour as it headed for Hainan.

"Hainan upgraded its emergency response to Yagi to the highest level at 11:30 am Thursday, according to the provincial disaster management authority," Xinhua said.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon in either Hainan or neighbouring Guangdong.

Work, school and local transport services were suspended from noon on Thursday (0400 GMT) in Haikou, Hainan's capital.

Hong Kong's weather observatory issued the third-highest typhoon warning at 6:20 pm (1020 GMT), limiting public transport across the finance hub.

The city's stock exchange halted after-hours trading because of the typhoon warning, while 38 flights were cancelled at Hong Kong's airport Thursday.

Classes at primary and secondary schools will remain suspended on Friday, the Education Bureau said.

"Yagi will remain at super typhoon intensity and skirt around 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the southwest of Hong Kong tomorrow morning," the observatory said.

"Gale winds associated with Yagi are expected to affect the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary tonight and tomorrow morning," it said.

After southern China, Yagi will move towards Vietnam, on course to hit the northern and north-central regions around the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay.

Vietnamese authorities urged around 2,200 tourists on coastal islands to return to the mainland ahead of the storm's arrival.

They warned heavy rains may cause widespread flooding in mountainous and urban areas, including the capital Hanoi.

Vietnam's meteorological agency issued a storm warning earlier on Thursday and the government mobilised more than 2,700 military personnel in readiness.

Coastal provinces are planning a sailing ban on Friday, while Vietnam's mountainous provinces have also been ordered to prepare rescue vehicles.

burs-hol/dhc/pbt
More than 560,000 affected by 'unprecedented' Yemen floods: UN



Dubai, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Severe flooding and violent windstorms have affected 562,000 people across Yemen in recent weeks, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday, appealing for $13.3 million in donations amid a funding shortfall.

The "unprecedented weather events" have compounded suffering in the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country, which is already grappling with one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, said the IOM.

"The scale of the destruction is staggering, and we urgently need additional funding to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind," said Matt Huber, the IOM's acting Yemen mission chief.

Since late July, torrential rains and flooding have destroyed homes, displaced thousands of families and severely damaged critical infrastructure, including health centres, schools and roads, according to the UN agency.

Late last month, torrential rains caused flash floods in Yemen's Mahawit governorate, leaving around 40 people either missing or dead, according to the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA.

Dozens of houses were damaged or destroyed, forcing 215 families into displacement, it said.

Another 60 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in earlier flash floods across Yemen since late July, according to UN figures.

"These rains have not only led to tragic loss of life but have also wiped out entire communities' belongings and means of survival," the IOM said.

"Immediate funding is necessary to address the most pressing needs on the ground," the IOM said, warning that severe weather conditions are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Mozambique okays Africa's largest mangrove restoration project



Johannesburg, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



Mozambique has approved Africa's largest mangrove restoration project with 200 million trees to be planted over 60 years, the developer which bagged the licence said on Thursday.

Gulf-based Blue Forest said it would start work in November, adding it had obtained the licence after around two-and-a-half years of feasibility studies.

"We will start planting the first of the 200 million mangroves in Quelimane, Zambezia, this November, in line with the start of the rainy season in Mozambique," Blue Forest founder and CEO Vahid Fotuhi told AFP.

The project aims to cover an area spanning 155,000 hectares (over 38,000 acres), or twice the size of Singapore, he said.

The trees will restore Mozambique's degraded coastline and create around 5,000 forestry jobs, Fotuhi added.

Mangroves are one of the world's most efficient plants at capturing carbon dioxide and their tangled roots stabilise coastlines and reduce erosion, also providing shelter for fish and other creatures.

Mozambique has an extensive mangrove ecosystem which has been damaged by cyclones and flooding as well as logging and clearing.

Over its 60-year lifespan, the MozBlue project is expected to remove about 20.4 million tons of CO2, contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change, Fotuhi said.
Five-year-old child killed by hyena in Kenya



Nairobi, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024



A five-year-old child has been mauled to death by a hyena in Kenya, the East African country's wildlife service said Thursday, promising that it was tackling the "rising hyena attacks".

"Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) deeply regret to the tragic loss of a 5-year-old child caused by a hyena attack," it said.

The KWS said the attack occurred on Wednesday evening in Juja, Kiambu County, around 35 kilometres (21 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

The service said it was "intensifying efforts to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in the area" and had launched an operation to "address the hyena threat".

Since August 8, "following a similar incident in Juja", the KWS said it had captured and relocated around 38 hyenas.

Local media said a 10-year-old child was also killed by a hyena in the area earlier in the year.

Reports of wildlife straying into human habitats in Kenya have increased in recent years as the animals come under growing pressure from cities expanding into ancient migration and hunting grounds.

In December 2021, hyenas killed two people in 24 hours in a village just 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Nairobi.
The travel expert, who has already visited 107 countries, shared his sincere impressions of the destinations that are often underestimated. He noted that the famous resorts of France, Italy, Spain, and others are a great choice, but those who prefer atmospheric and less noisy vacations may find less popular regions more appealing.

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The tips of an experienced traveler were published on the Insider website. The list includes countries from all over the world.

Estonia

The travel guru called the Baltic country a "European dream" and the capital Tallinn "fabulous".

"Walking along the cobblestone streets inside the fortress walls of the old city took me back to the Middle Ages," the author of the article said.

The cozy atmosphere and picturesque architecture of Estonia will not leave indifferent tourists who are used to spending time exploring historical monuments and museums.

Oman

The expert advised travelers looking for a good vacation spot in the Middle East to visit Oman, which borders Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen.

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"Walking through the beautiful Corniche, you will pass along the water and the lively Grand Bazaar. Even better, the amazing Wadi Shab is less than a two-hour drive from the capital. The trail takes you through narrow gorges across streams and ends with a surreal swim through incredible caves," said the extern.

Namibia

The country, located in Southern Africa, is perfect for a safari vacation, as it is famous for its impressive landscapes and diversity of wild animals. An experienced traveler advised renting a van and enjoying nature.

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Sri Lanka

Asia beckons with its fantastic beaches, dense forests, and unique culture. Sri Lanka is one of the best destinations that the tourist discovered.

"The locals I talked to were incredibly friendly, and the island is small enough to explore in depth in a relatively short time," he said.

Costa Rica

Although this country is quite popular among those looking for new experiences, the expert believes that it is suitable for a quiet family vacation or honeymoon. Many places in Costa Rica are fascinating: clear waters, volcanoes, tropical forests, etc.

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Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
Scientists have announced that they have discovered the first case of Down syndrome in Neanderthals, suggesting that archaic humans were compassionate caregivers. The team analyzed a small fragment of the skull of a six-year-old child named Tina, who lived more than 1450,000 years ago, finding that the fossil has features typical of children with the genetic disorder.

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The analysis showed that Tina suffered from a congenital inner ear disorder that is associated with a genetic disorder and likely caused severe hearing loss and vertigo, leading to disability, MailOnline reports.

The discovery suggests that Neanderthals were able to provide altruistic care and support for a vulnerable member of their social group, as the child survived years after birth.

"Until now, it has only been possible to diagnose Down syndrome in fossil samples by analyzing ancient DNA. In our work, we were able to diagnose it through an anatomical examination of the inner ear. This opens up the possibility of studying the potential presence of Down syndrome in fossil specimens and thus being able to document its prevalence in past populations," commented Dr. Mercedes Conde-Valverde, professor at the University of Alcala.

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The fossils were found in the Cova Negra cave in Valencia, which was excavated from 1929 to 2017. Researchers recently analyzed the remains found during the 1989 excavation, discovering three new fossils that had not been previously seen. Among the three was an "immature temporal bone (CN-46700)," according to a study published in Science Advances.

It was a fragment of one of the two temporal bones that form the sides and base of the skull, protecting the brain and surrounding the ear canal. The researchers used micro-CT on the fossil, a 3D imaging technique that uses X-rays to see the inside of an object, slice by slice.

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A digital scan of the specimen showed a combination of inner ear abnormalities consistent with Down syndrome.

"The pathology suffered by this child has resulted in disabilities, including at least total deafness, severe attacks of dizziness, and an inability to maintain balance. Given these symptoms, it is highly unlikely that the mother herself could provide all the necessary care while also taking care of her own needs. Therefore, for Tina to live at least six years, the group would have to continuously assist the mother by replacing her in caring for the child or helping her with her daily tasks, or both," explained Dr. Conde-Valverde.

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Previous evidence that Neanderthals cared for their sick and injured has sparked debate about whether this was motivated by mere expectation of reciprocal behavior or genuine compassion.

"It has been known for decades that Neanderthals cared for their vulnerable companions. However, all known cases of care concerned adults, which led some scientists to believe that such behavior was not true altruism, but simply an exchange of help between equals: today I am for you, and tomorrow you are for me," the expert says.

However, this discovery confirms the existence of true altruism among Neanderthals, as the child could not provide help in return, but only received it from her mother and other residents.

Tina's age at death, based on the maturation of certain structures of the inner ear, showed unusual longevity for a child in such circumstances with a condition known as intellectual disability and developmental delay.

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"Tina's discovery is the earliest known case of Down syndrome and demonstrates that the diversity seen in modern humans existed in prehistoric times. This discovery ensures that the history of human evolution includes us all," the scientist says.

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Measures demanded under a law for festivals deemed risky are adding $30 to the ticket prices of a popular Cockatoo Island event, its organisers claim.

Sydneys Mode Festival, a celebration of electronic music and digital art, has been required to pay for three police boats, dozens of supervising police officers, and put on private ferries as a result of a law the industry says is throttling the sector.

The co-founders of Sydneys Mode Festival, Joe Ireland and Robin Sen. Credit: Nick Moir

Their claim adds pressure on NSW Labor to axe the Music Festivals Act, which promoters say is adding tens of thousands of dollars to their bottom-line costs, and turbocharging ticket prices during a cost-of-living crisis.

Australian Festivals Association launched a social media campaign on Monday calling on festival goers to write to the NSW police and arts ministers to revoke the act, which is now under review.
Vanessa Ash at home in Kew. Credit: Wayne Taylor The victim did not read the documents she was asked to sign and her husband, who previously managed her finances, was too ill to do so. The second victim was about to turn 60 and concerned she did not have a retirement plan in place. She had no assets but $100,000 in funds and $55,000 in super available. She reported previous financial setbacks, this was her life savings. You told her the money would triple in five years no matter which way the market went, OConnell said. You did not tell her you had a personal interest in the company.

In both cases, the court heard the victims money was transferred into self-managed super funds and used to purchase shares in companies Grimm was the sole director of and which had no real market value. You knew how wrong that was, the judge said. The court heard the third victim had undergone major surgery and wanted to ensure she could access support payments during her recovery. Grimm transferred $72,000 out of her super with some of the funds later moved into a hedge fund he wholly controlled. In mid-2015, ASIC had begun winding up Grimms companies, and he was later restrained from providing financial services by the Federal Court in October. But the court heard he continued to provide financial advice and services to the third victim. None of that was disclosed, OConnell said.

The third victim, the court heard, was subsequently forced to sell her home and live in impoverished conditions at the back of a friends house and then in a unit without proper heating during the pandemic. As an Australian financial service licensee you were well aware of obligations to act honestly and in the best interest of your clients, and to disclose relevant information about financial products in advice. You abused that position of trust, OConnell said. Grimm, a married father of two, attended a private Catholic school in Sydney before obtaining a commerce degree and diploma in financial services. He then went on to work as a stockbroker at Macquarie before starting his own company in 2004, which operated out of Collins Street. He now runs a successful car rental business and had made full restitution to two victims, with the third being compensated by a Commonwealth scheme. After OConnell revealed Grimm would be jailed immediately for at least nine months, the 56-year-old appeared surprised, unclipping his watch and throwing it to his wife who was sitting sobbing in court.

Grimm first came to public notoriety in 2005 when Luke Donnellan, then a Labor MP, referred to him as the Grimm Reaper of Melbournes stockbroking world, under parliamentary privilege. Those comments related to the now disgraced financial services gurus involvement at public company Equity Partnerships and private business Campton. Loading Mr Grimm is indeed the Grim Reaper in the Melbourne stockbroking world, Donnellan said in a statement to parliament. Donnellan alleged Mr Grimm raised $1 million from mum and dad investors leading up to and during the dot-com boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s through investment company Equity Partnership. I am led to believe that most of the money ended up in his pocket or in the private company of Campton Pty Ltd, Donnellan alleged. The corporate watchdog first took civil court action in 2015 against Grimm and his companies following a series of investor complaints.
Weather patterns

One feature of the climate crisis that we see every night on TV is the weather report. And for years we have been told that its been the hottest, driest, most windy and whatever other description, since records have begun. You dont have to be a statistician to realise that in a non-compromised world, records would be randomly distributed over time and not show such a linear progression.

David Fry, Moonee Ponds

Thanks to Bill Shorten

As a grandparent of two young children with disabilities (one quite severe), I thank Bill Shorten for his work in making sure the NDIS funding goes to those in most need (who are not the administrators, of which there seem to be many layers).

Thank you, too, to the Julia Gillard Labor government for getting the NDIS off the ground.

Hopefully, the next person in charge of the NDIS will continue to ensure that those young children with special needs are given all the equipment and aids as well as support from the allied health professionals they need. My grandsons will become useful members of society, but they do need that NDIS support to continue for years to come. Any ways that can be found to make the application process for the next level of technical aids and people support more efficient each year would be gratefully received by those families who need it.

Gaell Hildebrand, Cohuna

ALP in search of focus

I hope the Anthony Albanese read Ross Gittins article (Albos lack of courage makes headlines, but doesnt tell the full story of his government, 4/9) and highlighted the quote provided for his media minders and spin doctors to contemplate that to compete successfully, focus on your customers, not your competitors. Perhaps to put it another way, focus on why your supporters voted you in, not on why your opponents didnt.

Currently, the LNP are not on the path to winning the next election, but Labor are certainly stumbling their way to a potential loss.

Stephen Farrelly, Donvale

Misguided bipartisanship

Two correspondents (Letters, 5/9) pinpoint the Albanese governments lack of courage, failure to communicate effectively, and its apparent obsession with denying Peter Dutton opportunities for criticism  as if Dutton, operating from a policy vacuum, wont find fault everywhere, regardless of our national interest and reputation, and get support from the Murdoch press.

This is bad enough on issues like negative gearing and capital gains tax, but foreign policy and national security are really crucial matters. The government waved through the AUKUS deal, secretly negotiated by Scott Morrison, with little, if any obvious debate. We apparently support the US preoccupation with maintaining global hegemony, while increasing the risk of war with our major trading partner. This rare show of bipartisanship, and refusal to critically review any aspects of our US alliance, is alarming.

Norman Huon, Port Melbourne

Unions doing damage

As a long-retired, lifetime activist, and full-time official of the AMWU and the ACTU, I am outraged at the support by several unions, including the AMWU Victorian branch, given to the criminally associated CFMEU.

The whole union movement must condemn any union which either acts criminally, or consorts with criminals. The AMWU Victorian branch in supporting the CFMEUs previous leadership has trashed the wonderful history of the AMWU, particularly the Victorian branch, which was the heartbeat of our union nationally. It was well led by an excellent collective of my contemporaries, not one of whom would have considered supporting any union consorting with criminals.

I doubt those unions consulted their members, as I am confident that they would not support their leaderships actions.

Unfortunately, these ALP-affiliated unions damage the party, through their undemocratic and powerful factions, and often unlawfully interfere in other unions elections, to get new leaderships, not for the members best interests, but to change a unions factional alliance.

Unions should be independent of all political parties, while encouraging their members to join the ALP, as currently, most ALP-affiliated unions have few ALP members within their ranks.

This latest experience reinforces that view, as the damage to the ALP would be far less, if these unions were not affiliated, and so influential.

Max Ogden, Fitzroy North
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Erick Erickson was furious. The American conservative talk show host had just watched Donald Trump give an interview to NBC suggesting he was about to soften his stance on abortion. Asked about the Florida ballot measure, which could overturn a ban preventing women from terminating a pregnancy after six weeks and establish a right to abortion in that state, Trump acknowledged the six-week restriction was too short. We need more than six weeks, the Republican candidate said when pressed on how he would be voting as a local Floridian when the Right to Abortion Initiative is on the ballot later this year. The backlash from Trumps conservative base was swift and blunt. I have never  and I will never  vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights, and Donald Trump came very close to sounding like he does yesterday, Erickson lamented on his popular program the day after seeing the former presidents remarks. And if he loses [the election] in November, yesterday  August 29 in the year of our Lord 2024  will be the day he lost if he doesnt do some damage control pretty quickly. Trump did indeed do some damage control, walking back his comments and declaring within 24 hours that he would not vote to overturn the six-week ban after all and would instead stick to the status quo.

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However, the dramatic U-turn was not only emblematic of the balancing act he faces when it comes to reproductive rights but also of a much deeper challenge confronting Trump as he seeks another term in the White House: his growing unpopularity among women. A Reproductive Freedom Bus leaves after the kick-off of the Harris-Walz campaigns reproductive rights bus tour in Boynton Beach, Florida, on Tuesday. Credit: Bloomberg Women have registered and voted at higher rates than men at every US presidential election since 1980. Now, theyre leaning heavily towards Kamala Harris, the 59-year-old prosecutor-turned-politician who could end up being the first woman to occupy the Oval Office. There are 94 million mom voters in America alone, and they want the freedom to be able to go to work and have kids in safe, enriching places; the freedom to be able to make ends meet by receiving fair pay; the freedom to be able to decide if were having children and if so, when and how many, says Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, who runs the grassroots group MomsRising, which has worked to mobilise families in key battlegrounds. Were on the precipice of a big decision on November 5, and I suspect we will vote with an eye to the future. While the overall race remains too close to call, polls suggest that Trumps support among women is deteriorating. An ABC/Ipsos poll released this week, for example, found that Harris now leads her Republican rival by 13 points among this key demographic  a seven-point jump since she accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention  with 54 per cent of women supporting her compared with 41 per cent backing Trump. Trump is also losing his edge among white women  the very group that helped propel him to office in 2016, particularly in the Midwest battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

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According to the poll, Trump  who still rates better than Harris among men  had a 13-point advantage among white women before the convention last month; now, that advantage has dropped to a mere two points. So whats behind the shift, and could this crucial demographic hold the key to the 2024 election? Veteran political analyst Larry Sabato says polls are only ever a snapshot in time. As a cautionary tale, he cites Hillary Clinton  who led Trump by an 18-point margin among women at this stage of the cycle in 2016 and still went on to lose the election that year. But he adds that theres no doubt that Harris support is higher overall than President Joe Bidens, driven partly by the fact the vice president offers voters a fresh choice and has been able to define herself as a capable candidate who will champion their freedoms and fight for the middle class. While many Americans are still getting to know her, some clearly like what they see. Trump, on the other hand, has long symbolised a kind of machismo that many women find off-putting. He has bragged about grabbing womens genitals; he was found liable for sexual assault; he covered up an affair with a porn star that could have derailed his chances of becoming president. But while his history and character were not as much of a liability against Biden, an 81-year-old president who most Americans viewed as too old for another term, its less palatable against Harris.

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Hes the political Hugh Hefner, Sabato says, referencing the founder of the Playboy magazine empire that became synonymous with scantily clad models, parties and mansions. The cover of the March 1990 magazine featured Donald Trump, who some have branded a political version of the magazines founder Hugh Hefner. That image may have sold in the 70s, 80s, and even the 90s with [then-Democrat president] Bill Clinton, but its as old as the hills now. So Trump often looks out of touch, and its hurting him because he cant adapt. Theres no doubt Trump has struggled to recalibrate ever since Biden announced on July 21 that he would withdraw his campaign for re-election and immediately endorsed his vice president as his preferred nominee. After attacking Harris on everything from the way she laughs to her racial identity, the 78-year-old Republican has tried in recent days to focus more on policy. Hes accused her of flip-flopping on issues such as immigration and fracking; hes claimed her economic policies will push up the national debt even further; and he has sought to tie her to the failings of the Biden administration. Some voters wholeheartedly agree. If she wins the election, we are doomed, says Kim Clark, who lives in the swing state of Georgia, where she works both as an Uber driver and a house cleaner so she can afford to have food. Trump is a businessman  he knows what hes doing. Our economy was better than it had been in a long time with him, our border was secure, and we didnt have all these wars. Harris has no idea.

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The problem for Trump is that many of his attacks dont appear to be sticking  at least not enough to dent the momentum Harris has garnered among the Democratic base and some independent voters who were not enthused by the prospect of a Trump-Biden rematch. Now, the enthusiasm among left-leaning voters is palpable. It was evident in Pennsylvania last month when Harris conducted her first joint rally with running mate Tim Walz. Thousands of jubilant people lined up hours before the event was due to begin. We are going to elect our first woman president! declared Philadelphia resident Gail Vladimir, who attended the event with her husband, Lary. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton addresses the Democratic National Convention last month. Credit: AP It was evident, too, at last months Democratic National Convention, where thousands of women wore white  the universal colour of female empowerment  to watch Harris formally accept her nomination. We are so close to breaking through once and for all, Hillary Clinton said during her speech on the first night of the event, conjuring up the image of Harris raising her hand on the other side of that glass ceiling to take the presidential oath of office. And it was evident in Georgia last week, where Harris and Walz embarked on a two-day bus tour targeting traditionally conservative areas in a bid to boost their votes outside left-leaning metropolitan areas such as Atlanta.

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DENVER, Sept. 4, 2024 -- Bye Aerospace has officially launched the construction of its first all-electric aircraft, the eFlyer 2. This significant project aims to fabricate and assemble an all-composite structure, validate approved design plans, and establish innovative production processes. The outcome will be a full-scale aircraft that will undergo extensive aerodynamic testing derisking the remaining certification compliance tasks. This milestone aircraft, Serial Number 00001, is being assembled at Bye Aerospace's facilities at Centennial Airport, located in Denver, Colorado.

The eFlyer 2 is specifically engineered to meet the unique demands of the aviation training market. With a clean-sheet design that maximizes aerodynamic efficiency and incorporates lightweight composites, the eFlyer 2 is set to disrupt aviation flight training. The aircraft is expected to reduce operating costs by up to 80 percent and cut maintenance requirements by up to 75%, all while offering quieter, sustainable aviationmaking it an ideal choice for flight schools and surrounding communities.

"The commencement of the eFlyer 2 build marks a historic moment for our company and the aviation industry as a whole," said Rod Zastrow, CEO of Bye Aerospace. "This clean-sheet design allows us to deliver an aircraft that not only meets but exceeds the performance and efficiency expectations of our aviation clients."

About Bye Aerospace

Bye Aerospace, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, stands at the forefront in electric aviation innovation and certification. The eFlyer series of fixed-wing aircraft is meticulously designed to disrupt general aviation, starting with the crucial Aviation Training sector, with an FAA-certified, zero-emission, highly cost-effective, low-drag, low-noise, intelligent, and safety-enhanced aircraft.

SOURCE Bye Aerospace, Inc.
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Strategic Analysis of the 2024 China Auto Show, Beijing" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

At Beijing's AutoChina 2024, local businesses such as BYD and NIO demonstrated the major technological and commercial strides made in China's electric car industry. These businesses have grown both internationally and domestically to acquire significant market share. Strategic alliances between Western and Chinese OEMs, a combination of resources and expertise, further enrich the environment.

Prominent partnerships such as Volkswagen's joint venture with SAIC and Honda's association with GAC signify a movement toward increased mutual growth and integration. For foreign OEMs hoping to successfully enter the Chinese market, localization will be key. For instance, Volkswagen and Honda are progressively customizing their products to satisfy regional consumer demands and legal constraints. This strategy gives them an advantage over their competitors and demonstrates their dedication to supporting China's EV transition.

While the Chinese Media conveys optimism, market potential, government assistance, and innovation when reporting on EV technology, the Western media takes a more cautious stance, emphasizing challenges related to market saturation, regulatory barriers, and geopolitical concerns. This thorough analysis of the changing electric vehicle (EV) scene in China and its global ramifications captures the dynamic interaction of innovation, strategic alliances, and market perceptions.

Key Topics Covered:

Key Summaries

Summary of the Event

Overview of Auto China 2024 - Key OEM Brands

Takeaways from Auto China 2024

Key OEM Spotlight

OEM Spotlight - BYD

OEM Spotlight - Honda

OEM Spotlight - VW

Key Tier 1 Spotlight

Tier 1 Spotlight - Bosch

Tier 1 Spotlight - Valeo

Conclusion and Takeaway

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/s2vv3l

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
Citizens of Belarus threw a tantrum online because of the attack by Russian Shahed kamikaze drones. In particular, residents of Gomel complained about the powerful explosions and thought that a war had "begun."

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At the same time, Belarusians were outraged that officials did not comment on the nighttime explosions. This was reported by the Telegram channel "Belarus of the Brain."

At around 01:30 am, the explosions were heard by residents of Gomel. At the same time, residents managed to record on video the work of air defense, which resulted in a flash in the sky.

Several powerful explosions were heard in the southwestern part of Gomel, particularly in the Soviet and Novobelitsky districts. Belarusians complained that the Emergencies Ministry did not provide any details about the consequences of the explosions.

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In turn, the Belarusian Gayun monitoring channel wrote that at least 8 Russian kamikaze drones flew into Belarus during the night, two of which were destroyed.

The first group of two UAVs was heading for Gomel. The wreckage of the drone fell on a warehouse in Gomel, causing the building to catch fire. It is noteworthy that no air raid alarms were activated during the air defense and UAV flight over the city of Gomel.

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As a reminder, on September 5, the Russians launched another drone attack on Ukraine, with some of the UAVs again flying into Belarus. The "Shaheds" launched by the Russian Federation were shot down in the sky over Gomel.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, on the night of August 29, during another Russian attack on Ukraine, one of the Shaheds flew into the territory of Belarus in the Yel district. It was the first time the country used aviation to destroy an attack drone.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Our planet Earth has only one satellite, the Moon, but there are planets that have hundreds of satellites, or like Venus, none. There is a logical physical explanation for this.

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Physicist from the American University of Quinnipiac Nicole Granucci explains that with the help of gravitational force, objects attract other objects. And the larger the object, the greater the force of attraction it has, writes The Conversation.

"I am a physics teacher who subscribes to current theories that explain why some planets have satellites and some do not. There are currently two main theories that explain this phenomenon. Moons are either entrained by gravity if they are within the so-called Hill sphere radius of a planet, or they form with the solar system," Nicole Granucci explained.

What is gravity and the Hill sphere radius, and does it all work?

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Gravity or gravitation, attraction is the property of bodies with mass to be attracted to each other. Therefore, some objects are able to attract other objects nearby. And the larger the object, the greater the force of attraction it has. It is the Earth's gravitational force that attracts people and keeps us from flying off into space.

The solar system is dominated by the large gravitational force of the Sun, which holds all the planets in orbit. The Sun is the most massive object in our solar system, so it has the greatest gravitational influence on objects such as planets.

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For a satellite to orbit a planet, it must be close enough to the planet. Instead, the planet must exert enough force to keep it in orbit. The minimum distance that a planet can hold a satellite in orbit is called the radius of Hill's sphere.

The Moon orbiting the Earth is a good example of how Hill's sphere radius works. The Earth revolves around the Sun, but the Moon is close enough to the Earth that the Earth's gravitational pull grabs it. The Moon revolves around the Earth, not the Sun, because it is within the Hill sphere radius of the Earth.

Small planets, such as Mercury and Venus, have tiny Hill sphere radii because they cannot exhibit a large gravitational force. So any potential satellites, near small planets, will be attracted by the Sun.

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Mars has two satellites, Phobos and Deimos. Scientists are still debating whether they come from asteroids that passed close to the radius of the Mars Hill sphere and were captured by the planet, or formed at the same time as the solar system. More evidence supports the first theory, since Mars is close to the asteroid belt.

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune have large Hill sphere radii because they are much larger than Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Venus, and are farther from the Sun. Their gravitational pull can attract and keep more natural satellites in orbit. For example, Jupiter has 95 satellites and Saturn has 146.

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Moons form along with the solar system

According to physicist Nicole Granucci, another theory suggests that some satellites formed at the same time as their solar system.

Solar systems begin as a large disk of gas orbiting around the sun. As the gas revolves around the sun, it condenses into planets and satellites that revolve around them. Then all the planets and satellites orbit in the same direction.

The presented video shows how the planets of our solar system were formed. The dark rings on the disk symbolize the formation of planets and satellites. Gas later condenses into planets, natural satellites and asteroids.

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But only a few satellites in our solar system were probably created this way. Scientists hypothesize that the inner satellites of Jupiter and Saturn were formed at the origin of our solar system because they are very old. The other satellites in our solar system, including the outer satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, were probably entrained by the gravity of their planets.

The special origin of Earth's moon

However, Earth's moon is special, according to scientists, because it probably formed in a different way. Scientists believe that once upon a time, a large object the size of Mars collided with Earth. And during that collision, a large piece flew away from the Earth into its orbit and became the Moon.

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Scientists are considering a special origin for Earth's moon because they have discovered a type of rock called basalt in the soil on the moon's surface. Lunar basalt looks similar to basalt found inside Earth.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
The U.S. Department of State has responded to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's latest nonsense about "red lines" in the context of a possible transfer of JASSM missiles to Ukraine. The department advised the aggressor country to withdraw its occupiers from Ukraine if they were afraid of American weapons.

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This statement was made by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller at a briefing in Washington on Wednesday, September 4. He emphasized that Washington's support for Kyiv is due to the illegal war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine.

"Therefore, if Russia wants to end the actions against Russian soldiers, the best way to do that is to end the war and withdraw from Ukraine," Miller said.

The day before, Lavrov, commenting on the possible supply of long-range US missiles to Ukraine, said that the US was playing with "red lines." The representative of the terrorist country said that Washington is "losing the sense of mutual deterrence" that has underpinned the security balance between Moscow and Washington since the Cold War.

"They should realize that they are joking about our 'red lines'. They should not joke about our 'red lines'," Lavrov told Russian propagandists.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, earlier Reuters, citing sources, wrote that the United States had come close to an agreement to provide Ukraine with long-range JASSM cruise missiles that can strike deep into Russia. However, Kyiv will have to wait a few months, as the US side is still working out the technical details.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has said that the occupiers' primary goal in the war is the "liberation" of Donbas. According to him, Ukraine is trying to distract Russia's attention from this goal by launching an offensive in the Kursk region, but it will fail.

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The war criminal made these statements during a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. He dreamed that Kyiv had weakened itself in other areas by attacking the Kursk region, and the Russian Armed Forces' offensive had allegedly accelerated.

"The Russian Armed Forces have stabilized the situation and began to squeeze the enemy out of the border areas," the chief Russian terrorist said.

As a reminder, military expert Mykola Sunhurovskyi expressed the opinion that if the occupiers reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the pace of the enemy's offensive may significantly decrease. However, we should not expect that the aggressor country Russia will stop if the goals of the "SMO" are achieved.

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The following narrative will be the pretext for continuing the war of aggression against Ukraine: "We continue to kill Ukrainians because they are our enemies," Sungurovsky suggested.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 Sunhurovskyi believes that the Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin is not going to retreat from Pokrovsk. At the same time, the withdrawal of our forces from Kursk region would be politically wrong.

 The expert also believes that the new wave of massive missile attacks by the aggressor country Russia on major cities of Ukraine pursues two main goals. The first is the destruction of our country's energy infrastructure, and the second is psychological pressure on Ukrainians.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
4 Indian nationals burnt alive in road accident in Texas





HOUSTON/HYDERABAD :

FOUR Indian nationals, including a woman, lost their lives and several others were injured in a tragic multi-vehicle road accident in the US state of Texas during the Labour Day weekend. According to the Collin County Sheriffs Office, the accident involving five vehicles occurred on the northbound US 75 just past White Street at Anna near Dallas. Consul General of India in Houston D C Manjunath confirmed the identities and shared that the Consulate General of India (CGI) is in touch with the families and community organisations, providing full support during this tragic moment. According to preliminary reports, traffic was at a standstill on the highway and an SUV was among those vehicles that were halted when the accident took place on Friday afternoon. A truck travelling at a high speed failed to slow down and struck the rear of the SUV. The force of the collision was such that the SUV caught fire and the four occupants were trapped inside which resulted in their deaths. It took days to officially identify the victims as the bodies were charred beyond recognition. Several others sustained non-life-threatening injuries though the exact number remains unclear.

The victims were identified as Aryan Raghunath Orampatti from Kukatpally suburb of Hyderabad, his friend Farooq Sheikh, Lokesh Palacharla, another Telugu student, and Darshini Vasudev from Tamil Nadu. Orampatti and Sheikh were returning after visiting a cousin in Dallas while Palacharla was heading to Bentonville to reunite with his wife. Darshini Vasudev, a postgraduate from the University of Texas, was on her way to visit her uncle in Arkansas. The identification of the victims was delayed due to the long weekend and the need for DNA fingerprinting, using bone remnants to confirm their identities. Darshinis uncle Ramanujam lives in Bentonville, Arkansas. She was going to visit him. Darshini had just completed her Masters and had started her job in Frisco, Dallas, Manjunath said.

The other two, Umar Farooq Sheikh and Aryan Raghunath Orampatti, were recent graduates from the University of Texas at Dallas, with Sheikh completing his MS in Business Analytics in Spring 2023, and Orampatti pursuing his MS in Finance, set to graduate in Spring 2024. Lokesh, who was driving the vehicle, was also a working professional, Manjunath added. Meanwhile, a friend of Aryans father in Hyderabad said Wednesday that four people, including Aryan and his friend Farooq, had joined in the vehicle using a carpooling app. After getting to know about the accident from a relative staying in the US on Saturday, Aryans parents already left for the US, he told PTI. Aryan after completing his engineering degree had left for the US to pursue MS and his parents had attended his convocation in May, he said, adding that Aryan wanted to work in the US for two years and then return to India.

Farooqs father Mastan Vali, who stays in Hyderabad told PTI that he was informed on Saturday that an over speeding truck hit the vehicle in which his son and three other Indians including Aryan were travelling, from the rear side. Some friends of Farooq had informed my daughter, who lives in the US about the accident. She informed me about it on Saturday. My daughter is following up with authorities there, Mastan Vali said, adding they were planning to bring Farooqs mortal remains to Hyderabad. Farooq had left for the US in August 2021 from here and after completing his MS there he was now working, his father said.
Anti-Rape Bill





THE unanimous passage of the Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024 by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly certainly has its own importance in the current, highly politicised scenario. That it symbolises certain constitutional approach to the terrible barbarism that rape -- of any kind -- stands for, is only one aspect of the story. The other aspect refers to the political compulsion under which West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee felt cornered to undertake the legislation. In time to come, this legislation may get value-added by different extra provisions etc not just in West Bengal but also in other States. In other words, the country will have a legal provision to treat rape in a more specific manner -- in addition to the existing legal provisions under the law. To that extent, this change needs to be looked at positively. Of course, much societal emotion had to explode before which Ms. Mamata Banerjee took up the cause of the anti-rape legislation. The whole country not just suspected but also believed that she was protecting the wrong-doers in the West Bengal rape-and-murder case for whatever compulsions.

The whole country believed that the West Bengal Government was doing everything within its power to allow the wrong-doers enough time and space to fudge the dirty details of the terrible act of rape and murder of a medical doctor woman. This impression gave rise to nationwide protests not just by the medical fraternity but also other segments of the larger Indian society seeking stern, no-nonsense action. Unfortunately, political elements entered the arena and usurped the issue and tried to foist different narratives upon the discourse. Because politics entered the arena, Ms. Mamata Banerjee first adopted a hard and hostile stand, but later softened so much so that she decided to adopt a legislation -- and take the winds out of the Opposition sails. But before she arrived at that point, Ms. Mamata Banerjee took her own time in assessing the situation and formulate her political and official response. During that interlude, she indulged in all sorts of arrangements and adjustments that would suit her ultimate political objectives in short and long terms. And that dilly-dallying gave rise to many a doubt in the peoples minds about her intentions.

This collective experience and emotion of the nation has to be considered before the new Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024 is welcomed whole-heartedly. Finally, the legislation has arrived, in whatever form and with whatever content. In time, it may go through certain metamorphosis and may become an altogether different legal provision in the ultimate analysis. But the fact that the society took a major step in certain direction -- may be out of a political compulsion -- will have its own importance. Of course, the most reprehensible crime of rape -- and murder (!) -- was being dealt with by the society under an existing legal provision. The West Bengal Government under Ms. Banerjee thought that another arrangement may resurrect her political career. Therefore came the new legal arrangement -- which the West Bengal Legislature felt compelled to pass unanimously. Whether Ms. Banerjee would achieve the unstated political objective or not only time will decide. But suffice it is to say at this point that she tried to assuage the hurt feelings of the larger Indian society by bringing in the legislation and tried to validate herself, is a fact that nobody can refute. It may be said that that way, she saved her political career in the nick of time !
Before Its Too Late





By Rahul Dixit :

The RG Kar Hospital case should be the proverbial last straw for Mamata Banerjee. She has miserably failed to save the life of an innocent girl and the later whataboutery has more or less confirmed that the rot has run deeper in many other spheres in West Bengal. The culture of violence and oppression prevailing in the State needs to be dealt with an iron hand and it can happen only if the Centre follows the evidence seriously and acts accordingly.

A TIGHT corner is a sure inventor of whataboutery. It is the final indicator of reversal in fortunes which usually ends up in braggartism and is invariably followed by hubris. Whatever is happening in West Bengal in wake of the barbaric killing of a young, innocent medical practitioner at the RG Kar Hospital reflects the last stage of arrogance that the ruling dispensation is brazenly employing to muzzle a just fight. After attempts of dirty cover-up, threats are being doled out from the office of the Chief Minister to the neighbouring States about unrest and violence if valid and legal questions are asked to Bengal administration. The State, under CM Mamata Banerjee, has failed and how! And yet, there is inexplicable hesitation from the Centre to intervene in the affairs for the sake of human lives which are constantly under threat in West Bengal.

The CMs speech warning of violence and anarchy in other parts of India if Bengal burns over the heinous crime definitely demands strong and absolute action. Ever since the young doctor Abhaya has been brutally killed at the hospital followed by subsequent incidents of vandalism, protests and violence, the Trinamool Congress governments conduct has remained suspicious with an apparent intention of a cover-up. Even the Calcutta High Court has come down heavily on the massive lapses by the State machinery in the investigation forcing a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Such things happen when the powers-that-be are complicit with the perpetrators of bigger crimes and rackets. The series of incidents leading to the lady doctors killing and ensuing events are proof enough that there is more to the story than meets the eye.

The burning question is, when will the higher authorities, including the Centre, step in to stem this dirty rot? The RG Kar Hospital case should be the proverbial last straw for Mamata Banerjee. She has miserably failed to save the life of an innocent girl and the later whataboutery has more or less confirmed that the rot has run deeper in many other spheres in West Bengal. The culture of violence and oppression prevailing in the State needs to be dealt with an iron hand and it can happen only if the Centre follows the evidence in hand seriously and acts accordingly. The grouse of the common Bhadralok is why is the Government taking so long to put an end to this misery? The rape and murder of the junior doctor is still drawing response around the country. It is primarily because of the insensitivity shown by the TMC government which has failed in dealing with the issue of womens safety.

The case has instigated a serious anger opening a door into the past failures of Mamata Banerjee in maintaining law and order in West Bengal. When the TMC pushed out the Left in 2011, the State had hoped for a peaceful tomorrow. Instead, what the people are witnessing is a repeat of the Lefts playbook by TMC-backed goons with even greater ferocity. There is simply no check on violence. Ground report from political and social activists establishes that the TMC has been able to overpower all institutions with a culture of insensitivity pervading through swathes of land, especially the rural areas and border regions. There is a growing disappointment and grievance against the TMC and the Chief Minister for her tacit support to the motivated violence unleashed by local strongmen. Illegal residents, mostly from Bangladesh, have contributed to the reign of terror in these regions. First-hand accounts of Hindu organisations engaged in religious activities are appalling and disturbing. That there is no heed to their complaints with the law-enforcing agencies is more frightening. Problems have clearly been allowed a free run when the ruling party could have easily nipped them in the bud. Regular incidence of these problems underlines the gravity of the issue which calls for a compelling action from the Centre. Looking at the situation in West Bengal through a political prism will not bring any results.

The stronghold maintained by parties in various pockets cannot be easily broken through political measures. The problems in the eastern State must now be viewed from humanitarian angles. The prevailing situation calls for a decisive action with thorough analysis of the history of violence plaguing the State for years together. Bengal has a long and ignominious history of political violence. The partition of 1905, the massacres that followed, the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946, political murders in Birbhum district, sexual exploitation of tribal women in Sandeshkhali and the latest rape and murder of a young girl in the State capital, West Bengal has provided some chilling accounts to Indias history. At present, there is all-pervasive domination of a single party in West Bengal with no check on violence. The culture of bloodshed and brutality is continuing with far greater intensity. Politics of retribution is at its peak. History cannot be allowed to repeat itself again and again while waiting for a political coup. The Centre must act, before it is too late.
CGs KCG Police in Golden Book of World Records





Chhattisgarh Head of the Golden Book of World Records, Sonal Rajesh Sharma officially presented the world record certificate and medal to SP Trilok Bansal in presence of Durg Divisional Commissioner S N Rathore, Rajnandgaon IGP Deepak Jha and others

The Hitavada State Bureau Raipur/KCG,

Reach over 35,000 citizens in a single day under cyber awareness campaign

In a ground-breaking achievement, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai (KCG) Police have made history by conducting a record-setting cyber awareness campaign that reached 35,130 citizens across 218 locations in a single day. This remarkable initiative, spearheaded by the visionary leadership of Superintendent of Police Trilok Bansal, has earned the KCG Police a coveted place in the prestigious Golden Book of World Records, solidifying their contribution to advancing cyber security education in India. Recognised officially by Sonal Rajesh Sharma, the Chhattisgarh Head of the Golden Book of World Records, KCG Polices efforts were celebrated as a monumental step in combating the growing threat of cyber crimes such as phishing, digital fraud, job scams, and sextortion, using accessible language and innovative methods like theatrical performances.

The KCG Polices far-reaching campaign was designed to protect citizens from the increasing dangers of cyber fraud. Under SP Trilok Bansals leadership and the strategic guidance of Rajnandgaon Inspector General of Police Deepak Jha, 75 specially trained teams of police officers were deployed to both urban centres and remote rural areas.

This unprecedented mobilisation ensured that vital information on cyber crimes and preventive measures reached not just urban citizens but also vulnerable rural populations, empowering them to safeguard themselves from online fraud. Citizens were educated on how to report cyber fraud through helplines like 1930 and the national cyber crime portal. The grand event to celebrate this world record took place at Dr Narendra Dev Auditorium, Khairagarh Music University, where dignitaries, including Durg Divisional Commissioner S N Rathore, IGP Deepak Jha, District Magistrate Chandrakant Verma, District Judge Chandrakumar Kashyap, and Divisional Forest Officer Alok Tiwari, gathered to witness this proud moment. During the ceremony, Sonal Rajesh Sharma officially presented the world record certificate and medal to SP Trilok Bansal, recognising his innovative and tireless efforts in making this campaign a groundbreaking success.
Ex-Atlas Cycles President Salil Kapoor found dead, suicide note recovered





NEW DELHI :

FORMER President of Atlas Cycles, Salil Kapoor, allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday by shooting himself at his house in Delhis A P J Abdul Kalam Marg. After receiving the information about Kapoors death, a police team reached his residence and found a suicide note from the spot. According to a police officer, Kapoor shot himself on the head with a licensed revolver. In the suicide note recovered from the spot, Kapoor purportedly mentioned a financial burden on him, the officer said. Four persons have been named in the suicide note recovered from Kapoors house, who have been accused of physically and mentally torturing the businessman. The Delhi Police has filed an FIR of abetment of suicide and said, the case is being investigated from all possible angles. According to an officer, a case under section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the BNS has been filed at Tughlak Road Police Station against the four named in the suicide note.

The officer said all four people, who are stated to be from Haryana, will be summoned to join the probe soon. Tthe police formed a board of three doctors and conducted the post mortemof his body before handing it over to his family members.His wife and three children were staying separately, the officer added.Kapoors manager and his family were staying with him in the three-storey building, the officer said, adding that Kapoor was immediately rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.In 2015, Kapoor was arrested from Uttarakhand by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police in 2 cases related to cheating. amounting to Rs 9 crore.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has threatened to strike Ukrainian nuclear power plants. The war criminal claimed that this would be a "mirror response" to the alleged shelling of the Kursk and occupied Zaporizhzhia NPPs.

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It is noteworthy that the nuclear rhetoric of the Kremlin leader did not impress Russian citizens, and they recalled the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region. Putin voiced his next threats at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

The dictator cynically accused Ukraine of "striking at the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants." At the same time, the Kremlin killer did not provide any evidence of this.

At the same time, the Russian dictator actually threatened a "mirror response," hinting at Russia's desire to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

"One can only imagine what will happen in this part of Europe if we start responding in a mirror image," the criminal said.

Russians on social media complained that even such loud statements by Putin no longer impress them and demanded an end to the war. They also called on the dictator to come to the Kursk region and learn the truth from the people.

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In particular, Russian citizens complained that Putin talks about the "consolidation" of society, while people in the Kursk region are "suffering." In addition, Putin was reminded of his false statements that the Russian border was "under lock and key," while the Ukrainian Armed Forces continued to advance in Kursk.

Earlier it was reported that dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to achieve Ukraine's surrender. Therefore, the Kremlin leader's statements about Russia's alleged readiness for peace talks are just a screen. Putin still claims the territories of Ukraine and dreams of "incorporating" them into Russia.

As a reminder, Putin said that Moscow is supposedly ready to negotiate with Kyiv. The war criminal wants the agreement reached in Istanbul in 2022 to be the basis.

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Financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital Sandip Ghosh moves SC challenging High Court order





NEW DELHI :

FORMER principal of Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh has moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Calcutta High Court order dismissing his plea to be added as a party to a petition alleging financial irregularities at the institute during his tenure. On August 23, the High Court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI. The murder and alleged rape of a junior doctor at the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests. The medics body with severe injury marks was found in the seminar hall of the hospitals chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.

The High Courts August 23 order had come on a petition by a former deputy superintendent of the facility, Akhtar Ali, who had requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into alleged financial misconduct at the hospital during Ghoshs tenure. The High Court had also dismissed Ghoshs plea to be added as a party in the petition, holding that he was not a necessary party in the matter. It had noted in its order, In light of the apparent nexus between the aforementioned allegations and the locus of the incident, and considering that the investigation in the case (of murder and rape) has already been entrusted to the CBI, in the interest of ensuring a comprehensive and unbiased inquiry, the investigation into the present matter ought to be similarly transferred to the CBI.

On September 2, the CBI arrested Ghosh and three others in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment. Ghosh, through his advocate Siddhartha Chowdhury, has approached the apex court against the High Courts August 23 order. As per the cause list of September 6 uploaded on the apex court website, his plea is slated to come up for hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud. Before the High Court, the ex-principals lawyer had prayed for being given an opportunity to defend his client since serious allegations had been levelled against him by the former deputy superintendent. On August 20, the apex court termed the rape and murder case of the medic at the hospital horrific and issued a slew of directions, including the setting up of a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

RG Kar: Crucial SC hearing on Thursday to determine Trinamools next strategy

KOLKATA,

THE Supreme Courts hearing on the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder case on Thursday will to a great extent determine the next strategy for the Trinamool Congress, which is already on the back foot due to the continued mass protests in the state over the issue. Party insiders said on condition of anonymity that the next strategy will depend on the findings that will surface in the progress report on the investigation to be submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the apex court on Thursday. If the progress report has something really very damaging for the state government, then the strategy will be adopted accordingly, and if it is not then the strategy will be different, said a senior party leader who did not wish to be named.
For N-Es Peace Centre, Tripura sign pact with 2 insurgent groups





NEW DELHI :

A PEACE agreement was signed between the Central and Tripura Governments and two insurgent groups of the State here on Wednesday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to end violence and bring peace in the North-eastern State. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the State Government were also present during the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement with the representatives of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF).

Addressing those present on the occasion, Home Minister Shah said, the Modi Government has given highest priority to peace and development in the North-eastern region. All peace agreements signed in the North-East has been implemented by the Government, he said. The Home Minister said a Rs 2,500 crore development package announced by the Central Government has been implemented in the North-East.
Indias policy is of development, not expansionism: PM in Brunei





BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN,

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said that India supports a policy of development, and not expansionism, a remark that appeared directed at China as he wrapped up a bilateral visit to Brunei, where the two countries also reiterated their commitment to freedom of navigation in the region. India and Brunei elevated their ties to enhanced partnership as Prime Minister Modi held wide-ranging talks with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah covering defence, trade and investment. We support the policy of development, and not expansionism, Prime Minister Modi said at a banquet hosted by Sultan Bolkiah, without naming any country. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) and the East China Sea (ECS). China claims most of the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. We agree that a Code of Conduct should be finalised in this region, Modi said, adding that India has always given priority to ASEAN Centrality and will continue to do so.

We support freedom of navigation and overflight under international laws like UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), said Modi, the first Indian PM to travel to Brunei on a bilateral visit.A joint statement issued after their talks said both leaders reiterated their commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, as well as respecting freedom of navigation and overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce, consistent with international law, notably the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea 1982.It added that the two leaders urged all parties to resolve disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law. Narendra Modi described Brunei as an important partner in Indias Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Vision, and said his talks with the Sultan included ways to further cement bilateral ties and the two sides are going to further expand trade relations, and people-to-people exchanges.

The Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation to Brunei for continuing to host the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)s Telemetry Tracking and Telecommand Station, which has contributed towards Indias ongoing efforts in the field of space. India and Brunei have deep historical and cultural ties. This year, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. On this occasion, we have decided to commemorate our relations as Enhanced Partnership, Modi said. Their talks covered a range of topics including defence, trade & investment, food security, education, energy, space technology, health, capacity building, culture as well as people-to-people exchanges. They agreed to explore and pursue collaboration in areas such as ICT, fintech, cyber security, new and emerging technologies and renewable energy.
Now, polling booths to come up in societies, multi-storey colonies





State Chief Electoral Officer Sukhveer Singh chairing the meeting through video conferencing.

Staff Reporter :

Youths completing 18 years of age on 1 October can apply in advance to get their names added in voter list

The newly-arrived State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sukhveer Singh chaired a meeting with all the Collectors and District Election Officers (DEOs) through video conferencing on Wednesday. During the meeting, he discussed the pre-revision activities going on in the districts under the special summary revision of Voter List-2025 and gave necessary instructions in this regard. CEO Singh said that all officers should take the work of photo electoral roll seriously. Booth Level Officer (BLO) must compulsorily survey the voters door-to-door and report the progress daily. Ensure that the name of any dead person is not in the voter list. Singh said that the youth who are completing 18 years of age as on 1 January, 2025 can apply in advance to get their names added in the youth voters list.

Along with this, the youth who are completing 18 years of age as on 1 October, 2024 can also apply in advance to get their names added in the voters list. Singh said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to set up polling stations in societies and multi-storey colonies as well. He said that the community hall of the colonies or the society office can be made a polling station. Chief Election Officer Singh said that special campaigns should be run to add names of women voters in the districts where the gender ratio is low. Take the help of Anganwadi workers, assistants, Asha, Usha, Gram Panchayat secretaries and women teachers posted in Government schools, he added. Name of any individual who passed away should not be there in the voters list. Along with this, take action to remove such voters whose name is registered at more than one place through Form 7. Voters can also get the errors in the voter ID card rectified by filling Form 8, he said. Notably, under the Special Summary Revision of Voters List-2025, preliminary activities have started from August 20.

During this, BLO (Booth Level Officer) should go to every house and do physical verification of voters. He instructed all the officers and employees to be cautious and not to be negligent in this work. Upload the photo of the polling station on the app after physical verification of polling stations. Send a proposal to build new polling stations in place of dilapidated polling stations. The names of members of a family should be registered at one polling station and one part. Also ensure that the distance of the polling station should not be more than 2 km and the number of voters at one polling station should not be more than 1500, mentioned CEO Singh while addressing the meeting. Additional Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Kumar Kaul, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Basant Kurre, Vivek Shrotiya and other officers were present in the meeting.
Why target only hospitals?





Vijay Phanshikar :

THIS is a very valid issue -- as anybody would agree -- Why target only hospitals?. This issue came up as regards the urban mess in Nagpurs Dhantoli area -- which was once upon a time known for its serenity and civic orderliness. Today, however, Dhantoli is becoming infamous for exactly the opposite reasons. And the general impression is that the sudden rise in the number of hospitals and nursing homes in Dhantoli area is the main reason for the urban mess -- resulting in traffic congestion or parking woes or over-crowding of roads and lanes etc etc ...! But is that really so? -- asked an esteemed reader, Dr. Shubhangi Deshmane (who is also a regular contributor to The Hitavada). This question does merit a serious and wholesome attention, so to say. The loosefooter -- or The Hitavada -- harbours no grudge or bias for or against hospitals. He agrees that other entities -- including high-rising housing complexes -- also contribute to the mess urban mess in Dhantoli.

And that was the reason why he wrote in the last edition of Footloose in Nagpur that many other areas of the city were becoming victims of civic mess, thanks to bad urban planning and worse administration. There is no doubt that the plots that held only bungalows housing just a family or two previously now host dozens of families and hundreds of persons as regular residents. Even the fulfillment of their basic needs also puts a great pressure on the plots and the lanes and the roads and the areas. Add to the housing complexes and hospitals the countless numbers of commercial establishments that line the streets in truly bewildering numbers. Each of these establishments are hosts to countless numbers of visitors who also use the space for transit parking. Let us, therefore, imagine a scenario of just 30 minutes in peak time of evening -- say between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm. If Dhantoli has, say, 1,000 commercial establishments (which are besides hospitals) and each of those has average five visitors or customers at a time, then there are 5,000 additional people on roads mostly with their vehicles in transit parking -- during peak time.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of the density of road-usage in an already congested place like Dhantoli -- or any other area, for that matter. This general comprehension of the situation leads us to serious questions about the method and manner of our urban planning and management. In this scenario, the hospitals alone need not be made targets, all right. But the issue is not just about hospitals; it is about the process and thinking of urban planning and management. The trouble in Dhantoli -- or in many other areas in similar conditions -- is that of absence of sensible urban leadership. There are residential areas that now suddenly boast of countless numbers of restaurants etc within 100 meters of one another. Similar is situation with hospitals, so to say. For, there are many areas where dozens of hospitals have sprung up from the ground in the past some time.

Those who has studied classic approach to town planning know that there are regulatory arrangements to restrict numbers of establishments of the same nature in an area or a locality, so to say. That basic principles appears to have been given a go-by in Nagpur. Hence the urban mess. Hence the chaos which does not appear to have a credible solution -- unless, of course, the urban authorities take a hard stand and ensure a logical and sensible dispersal of establishments. And this is applicable to all establishments -- which do not exclude hospitals in the least. The target, thus, is not just the hospitals; it is the faulty approach to urban planning and management -- which the loosefooter often insists upon.
Romania has made the final procedural decision to transfer the Patriot system to Ukraine. On Thursday, September 5, President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree to that effect.

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This is reported on the official website of the Romanian president. It is a supplement to Article 1 of Law No. 222/2017 "Ground-based air defense capabilities".

The Patriot air and missile defense system will be donated to our country. This step is envisaged in the bilateral agreement on security cooperation signed by Iohannis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July this year.

The decision was first approved by the Romanian government on September 2. The very next day, the lower house of parliament also voted in favor of a law authorizing the free transfer of the Patriot air defense system to the Armed Forces,

"As soon as President Klaus Johannis signs the law, the government will issue an order for the donation," the authorities stated.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 In early September, Norway allocated 570 million Norwegian kroner (more than $53 million) for Ukraine for drones and strengthening air defense. Oslo noted that Kyiv needs more military equipment to protect itself from Russian aggression.

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 According to Reuters, Germany will transfer 12 IRIS-T SLM systems to Ukraine, and the first half will be deployed to our territory by the end of this year.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Russian occupiers in the Kharkiv region have not changed their intentions  they will continue to advance if given the chance. The enemy is probing Ukrainian positions, but the Defense Forces are trying to be proactive.

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Volodymyr Degtyarev, a representative of the public relations service of the 13th Operational Brigade of the National Guard "Charter", told Kyiv24 TV channel. According to him, the concept of defense at the front is rather conditional.

"This is a constant probing of our positions, our constant proactive actions to see earlier, as far as possible into the enemy's positions, their movements, logistics routes, to cut them off, not to allow them to accumulate and to take countermeasures somewhere," noted Degtyarev.

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As a reminder, in August 2024, soldiers of the 71st separate hunting brigade of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine neutralized almost 1200 Russian occupiers in their area of responsibility, killing and wounding them. The invaders are returning home in the 200th and 300th after short excursions to Vovchansk, Kharkiv region. All the replenishment that the enemy throws at this direction is quickly running out.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine fired mortars at the fortifications that the occupiers are trying to equip in the Vovchansk direction. The SBGSU soldiers also hit trench lines and places of concentration of enemy manpower.

 The State Border Guard Service soldiers, who are fighting at the front along with other units of the Defense Forces, have demonstrated new attacks on the enemy Russian troops. The soldiers managed to hit enemy manpower and equipment in the Vovchansk direction in the north of Kharkiv region.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
ABM Industries Incorporated (NYSE:ABM  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $57.25 and last traded at $56.78, with a volume of 11326 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $57.15.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ABM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com downgraded ABM Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. UBS Group boosted their price objective on ABM Industries from $45.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, June 7th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their target price on ABM Industries from $48.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, June 10th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $48.80.

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ABM Industries Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $3.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.65 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $53.39 and a 200-day simple moving average of $48.05.

ABM Industries (NYSE:ABM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 6th. The business services provider reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.79 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $2.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2 billion. ABM Industries had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 12.52%. ABM Industriess revenue for the quarter was up 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.90 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that ABM Industries Incorporated will post 3.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at ABM Industries

In related news, CAO Dean A. Chin sold 2,042 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.70, for a total transaction of $103,529.40. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 18,493 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $937,595.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other ABM Industries news, CAO Dean A. Chin sold 2,042 shares of ABM Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.70, for a total value of $103,529.40. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 18,493 shares of the companys stock, valued at $937,595.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, COO Rene Jacobsen sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.67, for a total transaction of $2,066,800.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 72,062 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,723,443.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 78,778 shares of company stock worth $4,039,248 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 1.04% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of ABM Industries

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ABM. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in ABM Industries by 37.5% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,001 shares of the business services providers stock worth $51,000 after buying an additional 273 shares during the last quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in ABM Industries by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 17,623 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $891,000 after purchasing an additional 324 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System increased its position in ABM Industries by 2.6% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 17,718 shares of the business services providers stock worth $896,000 after buying an additional 442 shares during the last quarter. Adirondack Trust Co. raised its stake in ABM Industries by 250.0% in the second quarter. Adirondack Trust Co. now owns 700 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in shares of ABM Industries by 1.6% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 35,036 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,772,000 after buying an additional 539 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.62% of the companys stock.

ABM Industries Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

ABM Industries Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of integrated facility, infrastructure, and mobility solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates through Business & Industry, Manufacturing & Distribution, Education, Aviation, and Technical Solutions segments.

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Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF (BATS:SMIN  Free Report) by 87.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 21,044 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 9,790 shares during the quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.18% of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF worth $1,702,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SMIN. Simplex Trading LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $43,000. National Bank of Canada FI grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF by 88.7% in the 4th quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 566 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $822,000. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF by 22.6% in the 4th quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 950 shares of the companys stock worth $66,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Adams Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $6,024,000.

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iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF Stock Performance

Shares of SMIN stock opened at $84.78 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $1.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.28 and a beta of 0.46. iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF has a fifty-two week low of $40.25 and a fifty-two week high of $55.12. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $82.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $76.99.

About iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF

The iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF (SMIN) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI India Small Cap index, a market-cap-weighted index of the bottom 14% of companies traded on Indian stock markets. SMIN was launched on Feb 8, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SMIN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI India Small-Cap ETF (BATS:SMIN  Free Report).

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Shares of Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE:BERY  Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Hold from the twelve research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $71.82.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on BERY shares. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Berry Global Group from $89.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Bank of America increased their target price on Berry Global Group from $74.00 to $81.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, May 10th. StockNews.com lowered Berry Global Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley began coverage on Berry Global Group in a research note on Wednesday. They set an equal weight rating and a $76.00 price objective for the company.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Berry Global Group Trading Down 0.4 %

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BERY. M&T Bank Corp raised its stake in Berry Global Group by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 8,854 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $597,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Berry Global Group by 1.9% in the second quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC now owns 9,424 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $555,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of Berry Global Group by 0.6% during the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 33,400 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,020,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. State of Michigan Retirement System boosted its position in Berry Global Group by 0.7% in the first quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 28,500 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,724,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Guardian Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in Berry Global Group by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. now owns 29,623 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,743,000 after buying an additional 287 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.36% of the companys stock.

BERY opened at $67.98 on Friday. Berry Global Group has a 52 week low of $53.92 and a 52 week high of $69.93. The company has a market capitalization of $7.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.15, a PEG ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.17. The stocks fifty day moving average is $63.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $60.73. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.57.

Berry Global Group (NYSE:BERY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.18 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.02 by $0.16. Berry Global Group had a return on equity of 27.32% and a net margin of 4.55%. The firm had revenue of $3.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.26 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.90 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Berry Global Group will post 7.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Berry Global Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a $0.275 dividend. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.62%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. Berry Global Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.13%.

Berry Global Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Berry Global Group, Inc manufactures and supplies non-woven, flexible, and rigid products in consumer and industrial end markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Consumer Packaging International; Consumer Packaging North America; Engineered Materials; and Health, Hygiene & Specialties segments.

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Shares of Black Hills Co. (NYSE:BKH  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $60.36 and last traded at $60.28, with a volume of 20065 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $59.75.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Black Hills from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Black Hills from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Scotiabank raised their price target on shares of Black Hills from $54.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Black Hills from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $58.00.

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Black Hills Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $4.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.82 and a beta of 0.68. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $57.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is $55.06.

Black Hills (NYSE:BKH  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.33 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.04. Black Hills had a net margin of 12.96% and a return on equity of 8.21%. The business had revenue of $402.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $498.00 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.35 EPS. The firms revenue was down 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Black Hills Co. will post 3.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Black Hills Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 19th were paid a dividend of $0.65 per share. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. Black Hillss dividend payout ratio is presently 64.04%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BKH. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in shares of Black Hills by 108.0% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 101,774 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,557,000 after buying an additional 52,837 shares in the last quarter. Nebula Research & Development LLC purchased a new stake in Black Hills in the 4th quarter worth $1,564,000. Leeward Investments LLC MA lifted its stake in Black Hills by 5.6% in the 2nd quarter. Leeward Investments LLC MA now owns 170,148 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $9,253,000 after purchasing an additional 9,048 shares in the last quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. lifted its stake in Black Hills by 39.7% in the 1st quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. now owns 483,120 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $26,378,000 after purchasing an additional 137,356 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Versor Investments LP lifted its stake in Black Hills by 227.3% in the 4th quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 31,425 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,695,000 after purchasing an additional 21,825 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.71% of the companys stock.

Black Hills Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Black Hills Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in the United States. The company operates in two segments: Electric Utilities and Gas Utilities. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 222,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and owns and operates 1,394 megawatts of generation capacity and 9,106 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines.

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Due to serious delays in Western military assistance, the aggressor country Russia had a 12-to-1 advantage over Ukraine in the use of artillery shells at one point in the war. The situation is better now, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces have not yet received all the weapons promised by our partners.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on this issue in a new interview with NBC News. According to him, due to the significant shortage of shells, the Ukrainian Defense Forces had to look for other solutions.

"Just imagine, at some point in this supply gap, our use of weapons was 1 to 12  artillery. One of our shells to 12 of Russia's shells. What do you have to do? It doesn't matter how many people you have standing here if they have 12 shells and you have 1, you will simply have more people standing and more people dying," Zelenskyy said.

He said that Ukraine had to look for smart solutions and ideas. In this context, the president recalled the Kursk operation, which helped to pull back enemy forces.

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Currently, the ratio of artillery strikes between Russia and Ukraine is 3 to 1, not 12 to 1.

"Do you realize the difference? Have we increased the number of weapons? No. Or have they decreased? Yes! Because certain forces and certain means have been redeployed," the head of state said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Volodymyr Zelenskyy answered the question why the United States did not know about the Armed Forces operation in Kursk region. Ukraine was preparing it in secret and did not inform its partners so that the details would not get to the Russians. Even many Ukrainian institutions did not know about the upcoming offensive.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB  Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Cibc World Mkts to a hold rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on CWB. Raymond James lowered shares of Canadian Western Bank from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating and boosted their target price for the company from C$52.00 to C$54.00 in a research report on Tuesday. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$30.00 to C$52.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. BMO Capital Markets cut Canadian Western Bank from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and upped their price objective for the stock from C$35.00 to C$52.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. National Bankshares cut their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from C$37.00 to C$30.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. Finally, CIBC raised their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from C$55.80 to C$60.30 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$45.41.

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Canadian Western Bank Stock Performance

Insider Buying and Selling at Canadian Western Bank

Shares of CWB traded up C$0.01 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching C$51.97. The company had a trading volume of 21,906 shares, compared to its average volume of 370,099. Canadian Western Bank has a 52 week low of C$24.66 and a 52 week high of C$52.80. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of C$47.12 and a 200 day moving average price of C$35.42. The company has a market capitalization of C$5.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 1.39.

In other news, Senior Officer Jenny Siman sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$46.05, for a total transaction of C$46,050.00. In other news, Senior Officer Trent Albert Erickson acquired 4,312 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 14th. The shares were bought at an average price of C$41.44 per share, for a total transaction of C$178,680.66. Also, Senior Officer Jenny Siman sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.05, for a total transaction of C$46,050.00. 0.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Canadian Western Bank

(Get Free Report)

Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, US dollar, chequing, flex notice, organization, business trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, equipment financing and leasing, aviation financing, and dealership financing products; agriculture lending products and AgriInvest savings account; variable and fixed rate mortgages; line of credit; registered retirement savings plan, consolidation, and vehicle loans; and credit cards.

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Strategy Asset Managers LLC lessened its stake in shares of CMS Energy Co. (NYSE:CMS  Free Report) by 5.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,216 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 229 shares during the period. Strategy Asset Managers LLCs holdings in CMS Energy were worth $248,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main grew its stake in CMS Energy by 320.9% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,305,602 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $250,026,000 after acquiring an additional 3,282,697 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in CMS Energy by 14.0% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 22,662,964 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,367,483,000 after acquiring an additional 2,786,071 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in CMS Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $111,004,000. Capital International Investors grew its stake in CMS Energy by 24.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 6,208,876 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $360,537,000 after acquiring an additional 1,234,791 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in CMS Energy by 34.3% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 3,456,713 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $200,731,000 after acquiring an additional 883,180 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.57% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other CMS Energy news, SVP Brandon J. Hofmeister sold 1,667 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.98, for a total transaction of $99,986.66. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 68,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,098,433.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, Director Jon E. Barfield sold 2,360 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.79, for a total value of $143,464.40. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 14,556 shares in the company, valued at approximately $884,859.24. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Brandon J. Hofmeister sold 1,667 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.98, for a total transaction of $99,986.66. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 68,330 shares in the company, valued at $4,098,433.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Evercore ISI raised shares of CMS Energy to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of CMS Energy from $66.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of CMS Energy from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of CMS Energy from $66.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, May 20th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of CMS Energy from $66.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, CMS Energy has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $67.33.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on CMS

CMS Energy Stock Performance

NYSE:CMS opened at $69.16 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.09, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $63.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $61.28. CMS Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $49.87 and a fifty-two week high of $69.57.

CMS Energy (NYSE:CMS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $1.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.73 billion. CMS Energy had a net margin of 13.10% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.75 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that CMS Energy Co. will post 3.33 EPS for the current year.

CMS Energy Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 2nd. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.95%. CMS Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.80%.

CMS Energy Profile

(Free Report)

CMS Energy Corporation operates as an energy company primarily in Michigan. The company operates through three segments: Electric Utility; Gas Utility; and Enterprises. The Electric Utility segment is involved in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. This segment generates electricity through coal, wind, gas, renewable energy, oil, and nuclear sources.

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Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBAPK  Get Free Report) announced a interim dividend on Wednesday, September 4th, MarketIndexAU reports. Investors of record on Sunday, September 15th will be given a dividend of 1.256 per share on Sunday, September 15th. This represents a yield of 1.21%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 4th. This is an increase from Commonwealth Bank of Australias previous interim dividend of $1.25.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Performance

About Commonwealth Bank of Australia

(Get Free Report)

Commonwealth Bank of Australia provides financial services in Australia, New Zealand, and internationally. It operates through Retail Banking Services, Business Banking, Institutional Banking and Markets, and New Zealand segments. The company offers transaction, savings, and foreign currency accounts; term deposits; personal and business loans; overdrafts; equipment finance; credit cards; international payment and trade; and private banking services, as well as home and car loans.

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Consolidated Planning Corp bought a new stake in shares of Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 3,614 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $260,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Equitable Trust Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Edison International by 0.9% during the second quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 15,424 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,108,000 after buying an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. TIAA Trust National Association boosted its holdings in Edison International by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 6,723 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $483,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the period. Carson Advisory Inc. grew its position in Edison International by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Carson Advisory Inc. now owns 54,625 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,864,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares during the last quarter. Cohen Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Edison International by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Cohen Capital Management Inc. now owns 35,744 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,528,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares during the period. Finally, Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC raised its position in shares of Edison International by 1.1% during the first quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 14,743 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,043,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.95% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Edison International

In related news, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 23,896 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.45, for a total value of $2,041,913.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 19,850 shares in the company, valued at $1,696,182.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, VP Natalie K. Schilling sold 2,341 shares of Edison International stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total transaction of $187,280.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 6,338 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $507,040. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 23,896 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $85.45, for a total transaction of $2,041,913.20. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 19,850 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,696,182.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 89,099 shares of company stock worth $7,223,342 in the last three months. Insiders own 1.03% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Barclays boosted their price target on Edison International from $80.00 to $91.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Guggenheim upped their target price on Edison International from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Edison International from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Edison International from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Edison International from $86.00 to $89.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Edison International currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $82.36.

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Edison International Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of EIX opened at $87.72 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $79.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $73.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.47 and a beta of 0.91. Edison International has a 52 week low of $58.82 and a 52 week high of $88.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.03.

Edison International (NYSE:EIX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.18. Edison International had a return on equity of 13.01% and a net margin of 6.60%. The firm had revenue of $4.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.01 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Edison International will post 4.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Edison International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th were paid a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.56%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 8th. Edison Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 136.84%.

About Edison International

(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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Consolidated Planning Corp acquired a new position in Brunswick Co. (NYSE:BC  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 2,891 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $210,000.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Inspire Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Brunswick by 7.9% during the 1st quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 2,268 shares of the companys stock valued at $219,000 after acquiring an additional 166 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its position in Brunswick by 7.3% in the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 2,905 shares of the companys stock worth $280,000 after buying an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank raised its stake in shares of Brunswick by 0.6% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 35,548 shares of the companys stock worth $3,431,000 after buying an additional 205 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Brunswick by 249.5% during the 1st quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 325 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp lifted its position in shares of Brunswick by 77.1% during the 1st quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 602 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,000 after buying an additional 262 shares in the last quarter. 99.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Brunswick Trading Up 1.1 %

Shares of BC opened at $78.07 on Thursday. Brunswick Co. has a fifty-two week low of $66.47 and a fifty-two week high of $99.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 1.70. The companys fifty day moving average is $76.42 and its 200 day moving average is $81.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.27 billion, a PE ratio of 14.51 and a beta of 1.52.

Brunswick Announces Dividend

Brunswick ( NYSE:BC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $1.80 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.90 by ($0.10). The business had revenue of $1.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.55 billion. Brunswick had a return on equity of 23.46% and a net margin of 5.92%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 15.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.35 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Brunswick Co. will post 5.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 21st will be given a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 21st. Brunswicks dividend payout ratio is currently 31.23%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Brunswick from $97.00 to $95.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Benchmark restated a buy rating and set a $100.00 target price on shares of Brunswick in a research note on Friday, July 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Brunswick from $78.00 to $75.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on Brunswick from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 8th. Finally, B. Riley cut their target price on Brunswick from $108.00 to $97.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $88.21.

View Our Latest Analysis on Brunswick

Insider Activity at Brunswick

In other Brunswick news, Director Nancy E. Cooper sold 358 shares of Brunswick stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.34, for a total transaction of $29,119.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 23,877 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,942,155.18. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Brunswick Company Profile

(Free Report)

Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Propulsion, Engine P&A, Navico Group, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, inboard engines, propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers for boat builders through marine retail dealers under the Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, Mariner, Mercury Racing, Mercury Diesel, Avator, and Fliteboard brands.

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Cozad Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 16,637 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Cozad Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,729,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ABT. Fortem Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter. Fortem Financial Group LLC now owns 7,754 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $806,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC now owns 183,839 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $19,103,000 after buying an additional 853 shares during the last quarter. Archer Investment Corp raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 8.2% during the 2nd quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 3,385 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $352,000 after buying an additional 256 shares during the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 17.8% during the 2nd quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 3,209 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $333,000 after buying an additional 485 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 149,420 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $15,526,000 after buying an additional 906 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ABT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They set a buy rating and a $121.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $119.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Barclays raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Edward Jones cut Abbott Laboratories from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $121.80.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 0.2 %

ABT stock opened at $114.40 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $199.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.64, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.72. The businesss 50-day moving average is $107.51 and its 200 day moving average is $108.76. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $89.67 and a 12-month high of $121.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $10.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.37 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.18% and a net margin of 13.65%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.08 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 15th were given a dividend of $0.55 per share. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 15th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is presently 68.54%.

Abbott Laboratories Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Direct Line Insurance Group (LON:DLG  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reaffirmed by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report issued on Thursday, Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 240 ($3.16) price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts target price would indicate a potential upside of 25.46% from the stocks current price.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Berenberg Bank decreased their price target on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group from GBX 220 ($2.89) to GBX 215 ($2.83) and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a GBX 195 ($2.56) target price on shares of Direct Line Insurance Group in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of GBX 206 ($2.71).

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Direct Line Insurance Group Stock Up 1.5 %

Insider Buying and Selling

DLG opened at GBX 191.30 ($2.52) on Thursday. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is GBX 188.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 193.78. Direct Line Insurance Group has a 52 week low of GBX 149.50 ($1.97) and a 52 week high of GBX 240.10 ($3.16). The firm has a market cap of 2.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,195.63, a PEG ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 8.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.89.

In related news, insider Carol Hagh acquired 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 195 ($2.56) per share, with a total value of 19,500 ($25,641.03). Over the last quarter, insiders purchased 10,152 shares of company stock valued at $1,980,088. Insiders own 1.98% of the companys stock.

Direct Line Insurance Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Direct Line Insurance Group plc engages in the provision of general insurance products and services in the United Kingdom. The company operates through Motor, Home, Rescue and Other Personal Lines, and Commercial segments. It offers motor, home, van, landlord, rescue, pet, tradesperson, business, creditor and select, and travel insurance products, as well as commercial insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

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EastGroup Properties (NYSE:EGP  Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Mizuho from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report issued on Thursday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $200.00 target price on the real estate investment trusts stock, up from their prior target price of $175.00. Mizuhos price target would suggest a potential upside of 7.72% from the companys current price.

EGP has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on EastGroup Properties from $158.00 to $186.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, August 22nd. BNP Paribas started coverage on EastGroup Properties in a report on Tuesday, June 4th. They issued a neutral rating and a $167.00 target price for the company. Barclays lifted their target price on EastGroup Properties from $175.00 to $198.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Wedbush lifted their target price on EastGroup Properties from $208.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upgraded EastGroup Properties from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $179.00 to $214.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 28th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $191.20.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on EGP

EastGroup Properties Stock Performance

NYSE:EGP opened at $185.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.21 and a quick ratio of 0.21. EastGroup Properties has a 1 year low of $154.75 and a 1 year high of $192.61. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $182.31 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $174.13. The company has a market cap of $9.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.28, a PEG ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 0.98.

EastGroup Properties (NYSE:EGP  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The real estate investment trust reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.05 by ($0.91). The company had revenue of $159.09 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $156.70 million. EastGroup Properties had a return on equity of 8.69% and a net margin of 37.16%. EastGroup Propertiess revenue for the quarter was up 13.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.89 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that EastGroup Properties will post 8.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On EastGroup Properties

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EGP. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of EastGroup Properties by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 8,471 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,555,000 after buying an additional 283 shares during the period. Metis Global Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of EastGroup Properties by 15.9% in the 4th quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 3,086 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $566,000 after buying an additional 424 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of EastGroup Properties by 5.4% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 584,851 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $107,344,000 after acquiring an additional 30,136 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of EastGroup Properties in the 4th quarter worth $69,000. Finally, Versor Investments LP bought a new position in shares of EastGroup Properties in the 4th quarter worth $447,000. 92.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About EastGroup Properties

(Get Free Report)

EastGroup Properties, Inc (NYSE: EGP), a member of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 and Russell 1000 Indexes, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

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TD Asset Management Inc cut its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 2.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,439,752 shares of the companys stock after selling 39,845 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company comprises approximately 1.2% of TD Asset Management Incs holdings, making the stock its 15th largest position. TD Asset Management Inc owned approximately 0.15% of Eli Lilly and Company worth $1,303,523,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Del Sette Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,743,000. Commons Capital LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $262,000. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.2% during the second quarter. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,188 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,981,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Vance Wealth Inc. grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 12.8% during the second quarter. Vance Wealth Inc. now owns 450 shares of the companys stock valued at $407,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PACK Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $203,000. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have commented on LLY shares. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $913.00 to $1,025.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Argus boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. Berenberg Bank boosted their target price on shares of 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. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $961.76.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

NYSE:LLY opened at $936.55 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $890.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 139.37, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $516.57 and a one year high of $972.53. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $895.96 and a 200 day moving average price of $826.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.87.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.64 by $1.28. The firm had revenue of $11.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.83 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 18.86% and a return on equity of 67.52%. Analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 16.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 76.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 75,510 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $860.78, for a total value of $64,997,497.80. Following the sale, the insider now owns 97,793,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $84,178,955,771.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Insiders have sold 876,900 shares of company stock valued at $788,605,032 in the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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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Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS  Get Free Report) Director Amal M. Johnson sold 2,453 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total transaction of $735,900.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,585 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $775,500. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Essex Property Trust Price Performance

ESS stock opened at $301.63 on Thursday. Essex Property Trust, Inc. has a 1 year low of $203.85 and a 1 year high of $307.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.37 billion, a PE ratio of 36.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.86. The companys 50-day moving average is $283.86 and its 200-day moving average is $262.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.62 and a quick ratio of 1.62.

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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 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.85 by ($2.40). Essex Property Trust had a return on equity of 9.14% and a net margin of 30.31%. The firm had revenue of $442.36 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $433.26 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.77 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Essex Property Trust, Inc. will post 15.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently issued reports on ESS shares. Morgan Stanley raised their target price 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. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Essex Property Trust from $284.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Mizuho lifted their price objective on Essex Property Trust from $250.00 to $266.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $244.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Essex Property Trust from $315.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, August 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $281.25.

Check Out Our Latest Report on ESS

Institutional Trading of Essex Property Trust

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Continuum Advisory LLC boosted its stake in Essex Property Trust by 214.3% during the 2nd quarter. Continuum Advisory LLC now owns 110 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in shares of Essex Property Trust by 600.0% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 112 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. bought a new stake in Essex Property Trust during the second quarter worth $31,000. Venturi Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Essex Property Trust by 112.3% in the 1st quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 138 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vima LLC bought a new position in Essex Property Trust during the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.51% of the companys stock.

Essex Property Trust Company Profile

(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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The increase in Russia's losses in August 2024 on the frontline in Ukraine is likely due to the Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation and the Russian offensive in the Pokrovsk direction. In September, the occupiers' pressure and high level of losses will continue, but due to the limited capabilities of personnel and equipment, the army of the aggressor country is unlikely to achieve significant operational results.

ADVERTISIMENT

This is stated in the UK military intelligence report, which was published on September 5. The agency noted that, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the average daily losses of Russian troops in killed and wounded in August increased to 1187 people per day.

And since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has probably lost more than 610,000 people.

"The increase in the number of losses in August 2024 is apparently due to Ukraine's Kursk operation and the ongoing pressure on the Pokrovsk direction," the report says.

ADVERTISIMENT

British intelligence also noted that the Russian Federation continues to "rely on mass" to compensate for the lack of manpower and equipment.

"While Russian pressure across the front line will continue over the next month, their limited capabilities are likely to continue to limit their ability to leverage any tactical successes to achieve wider operational gains, " the agency said.

UK intelligence also predicted that the average Russian casualty rate is likely to continue to exceed 1,000 per day throughout September "as Russia continues operations on a broad front from Kursk in the north to Robotyno in the south."

ADVERTISIMENT

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on September 5, Kremlin dictator Putin said that Russia's primary task in the war is to "liberate" Donbas. According to him, Ukraine is allegedly trying to divert the enemy's attention from this goal by attacking the Kursk region, which allegedly weakened itself in other areas and allegedly accelerated the Russian offensive. Putin also claims that the occupiers have allegedly begun to "squeeze the enemy out" of the border areas.

ADVERTISIMENT

According to ISW analysts, as of September 4, Ukrainian troops continue to advance deeper into the Kursk region, in particular, they have recently advanced southeast of Durivka and southeast of Korenevo. Russian troops, in turn, withdrew from their positions in Mala Lokna, and fighting continued in the Korenevo and Sudzha areas.

On September 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Armed Forces' operation in the Kursk region brought Ukraine not only captured occupants. The soldiers of the Defense Forces have been assigned several tasks, and all of them are being fulfilled, the head of state said.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
FDx Advisors Inc. lowered its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP  Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 38.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,037 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 7,022 shares during the period. FDx Advisors Inc.s holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $869,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. GPM Growth Investors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the second quarter valued at approximately $4,822,000. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the second quarter valued at approximately $433,000. Fiera Capital Corp boosted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 2.0% in the second quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 5,707,094 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $449,640,000 after acquiring an additional 111,613 shares during the last quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. boosted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 6.3% in the second quarter. Financial Counselors Inc. now owns 155,961 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $12,279,000 after acquiring an additional 9,246 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Summit Financial LLC bought a new position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the second quarter valued at approximately $361,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.20% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on CP shares. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $105.00 to $100.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an overweight rating and a $90.00 price objective on the stock. Susquehanna restated a neutral rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $88.50 to $89.06 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $96.56.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Stock Performance

NYSE CP opened at $84.47 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $78.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.96. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a 12-month low of $68.92 and a 12-month high of $91.58. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $80.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $82.55.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (NYSE:CP  Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The transportation company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.31. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a net margin of 24.45% and a return on equity of 8.77%. The company had revenue of $3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.58 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.62 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 3.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 28th. Investors of record on Friday, September 27th will be given a dividend of $0.1373 per share. This represents a $0.55 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 27th. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys dividend payout ratio is 17.31%.

About Canadian Pacific Kansas City

(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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Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE:BAH  Get Free Report) and Bureau Veritas (OTCMKTS:BVVBY  Get Free Report) are both business services companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends, valuation, institutional ownership, profitability and risk.

Profitability

This table compares Booz Allen Hamilton and Bureau Veritas net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Booz Allen Hamilton 5.57% 65.80% 10.51% Bureau Veritas N/A N/A N/A

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Booz Allen Hamilton and Bureau Veritas top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Booz Allen Hamilton $10.95 billion 1.85 $605.71 million $4.60 34.09 Bureau Veritas N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Analyst Ratings

Booz Allen Hamilton has higher revenue and earnings than Bureau Veritas.

This is a summary of current ratings for Booz Allen Hamilton and Bureau Veritas, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Booz Allen Hamilton 1 2 7 0 2.60 Bureau Veritas 0 0 1 0 3.00

Booz Allen Hamilton currently has a consensus price target of $156.56, indicating a potential downside of 0.16%. Given Booz Allen Hamiltons higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Booz Allen Hamilton is more favorable than Bureau Veritas.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

91.8% of Booz Allen Hamilton shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.6% of Booz Allen Hamilton shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Booz Allen Hamilton beats Bureau Veritas on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Booz Allen Hamilton

(Get Free Report)

Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation provides management and technology consulting, analytics, engineering, digital solutions, mission operations, and cyber services to governments, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations in the United States and internationally. It focuses on artificial intelligence services comprising of machine learning, predictive modeling, automation and decision analytics, and quantum computing. The company offers artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer network related operations. In addition, it provides data science, engineering, visualization, and analysis related capabilities. Further, the company engages in user experience, user interface, graphic and web design, design thinking, sketching, and digital product design capabilities. Additionally, it architects and engineers help accelerate, scale, secure, and transform mission and business outcomes using the technologies and partner offering; offers software engineering in agile practices, DevSecOps, automation and Cloud, and Low/No Code Platform engineering; systems and digital engineering; and tech strategy and product management. Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

About Bureau Veritas

(Get Free Report)

Bureau Veritas SA provides laboratory testing, inspection, and certification services. It operates through six segments: Marine & Offshore; Agri-Food & Commodities; Buildings & Infrastructure; Industry; Certification; and Consumer Products. The company engages in inspecting, analyzing, auditing, and certifying the products, assets, and management systems of its clients in relation to regulatory or self-imposed standards, as well as issues compliance reports. It also provides laboratory and on-site testing services for manufacturing and process industries; inspection services for products, services, assets, and installations, as well as various services designed to control quality, verify quantity, and meet regulatory requirements; and certification services for management systems, products, and people. The company serves automotive and transportation, building and infrastructure, chemicals, commodities and agriculture, consumer products and retail, food, marine and offshore, oil and gas, and power and utilities industries, as well as financial services and public sectors. It operates in approximately 140 countries through a network of offices and laboratories. Bureau Veritas SA was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.

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FineMark National Bank & Trust grew its position in shares of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report) by 0.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 212,512 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after purchasing an additional 1,110 shares during the quarter. TJX Companies makes up 0.9% of FineMark National Bank & Trusts holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. FineMark National Bank & Trusts holdings in TJX Companies were worth $23,398,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in TJX. Commons Capital LLC lifted its stake in TJX Companies by 25.3% in the second quarter. Commons Capital LLC now owns 6,173 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $680,000 after buying an additional 1,245 shares during the period. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies in the second quarter valued at approximately $214,000. Arbor Trust Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in TJX Companies by 0.6% in the second quarter. Arbor Trust Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 22,588 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $2,487,000 after buying an additional 142 shares during the period. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of TJX Companies by 61.5% during the second quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 8,686 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $956,000 after acquiring an additional 3,307 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Consolidated Planning Corp raised its position in shares of TJX Companies by 6.9% during the second quarter. Consolidated Planning Corp now owns 31,848 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $3,506,000 after purchasing an additional 2,054 shares during the period. 91.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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TJX Companies Trading Down 0.0 %

Shares of TJX Companies stock opened at $117.52 on Thursday. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $86.71 and a 1 year high of $121.13. The firm has a market cap of $132.82 billion, a PE ratio of 29.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 0.89. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $113.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $104.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.60.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 21st. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.92 by $0.04. TJX Companies had a return on equity of 63.19% and a net margin of 8.56%. The firm had revenue of $13.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.31 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.85 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.15 EPS for the current year.

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on TJX shares. StockNews.com lowered TJX Companies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $128.00 target price on shares of TJX Companies in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Barclays upped their target price on TJX Companies from $114.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. TD Cowen upped their target price on TJX Companies from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on TJX Companies from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $126.76.

View Our Latest Analysis on TJX

TJX Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise.

Further Reading

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First Dallas Securities Inc. grew its holdings in Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF  Free Report) by 11.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 161,600 shares of the mining companys stock after acquiring an additional 16,250 shares during the quarter. Cleveland-Cliffs accounts for 1.1% of First Dallas Securities Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest holding. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in Cleveland-Cliffs were worth $2,487,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of CLF. Hodges Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Cleveland-Cliffs by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,199,634 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $33,852,000 after purchasing an additional 104,197 shares during the period. CIBC Asset Management Inc grew its position in Cleveland-Cliffs by 34.1% during the second quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 18,711 shares of the mining companys stock worth $288,000 after buying an additional 4,753 shares in the last quarter. Verus Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Cleveland-Cliffs by 11.2% during the second quarter. Verus Capital Partners LLC now owns 13,375 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $206,000 after acquiring an additional 1,350 shares during the period. Mraz Amerine & Associates Inc. raised its holdings in Cleveland-Cliffs by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter. Mraz Amerine & Associates Inc. now owns 144,665 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $2,226,000 after acquiring an additional 4,816 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ritholtz Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Cleveland-Cliffs by 144.5% in the 2nd quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 51,857 shares of the mining companys stock worth $798,000 after acquiring an additional 30,651 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.68% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other Cleveland-Cliffs news, Director Ben Oren bought 6,700 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $14.99 per share, for a total transaction of $100,433.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 14,167 shares in the company, valued at approximately $212,363.33. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, CFO Celso L. Goncalves, Jr. bought 7,250 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $14.98 per share, with a total value of $108,605.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer now owns 314,362 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,709,142.76. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Ben Oren bought 6,700 shares of Cleveland-Cliffs stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were bought at an average price of $14.99 per share, for a total transaction of $100,433.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 14,167 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $212,363.33. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.76% of the companys stock.

Cleveland-Cliffs Price Performance

Shares of NYSE CLF traded down $0.18 during trading on Thursday, reaching $11.81. The company had a trading volume of 3,045,977 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,268,146. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has a 52 week low of $11.81 and a 52 week high of $22.97. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $14.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.25. The stock has a market cap of $5.62 billion, a PE ratio of 16.22, a PEG ratio of 7.70 and a beta of 2.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 1.87.

Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:CLF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 22nd. The mining company reported $0.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Cleveland-Cliffs had a return on equity of 4.94% and a net margin of 0.21%. The firm had revenue of $5.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.18 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.69 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 14.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. will post 0.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CLF has been the topic of a number of research reports. Bank of America lowered their price objective on Cleveland-Cliffs from $20.00 to $18.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Cleveland-Cliffs from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 27th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Cleveland-Cliffs in a research note on Monday, May 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $22.00 price objective on the stock. B. Riley restated a buy rating and set a $23.00 target price on shares of Cleveland-Cliffs in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Cleveland-Cliffs from $17.50 to $15.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $18.94.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on CLF

Cleveland-Cliffs Company Profile

(Free Report)

Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel company and the largest iron ore pellet producer in North America. The company is vertically integrated from mining through iron making, steelmaking, rolling, finishing and downstream with hot and cold stamping of steel parts and components. The company was formerly known as Cliffs Natural Resources Inc and changed its name to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc in August 2017.

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First Dallas Securities Inc. grew its position in Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (NYSE:HR  Free Report) by 35.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 80,750 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 21,000 shares during the quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in Healthcare Realty Trust were worth $1,331,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its holdings in Healthcare Realty Trust by 38.1% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 628 shares during the last quarter. Muzinich & Co. Inc. increased its stake in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust by 98.1% during the 4th quarter. Muzinich & Co. Inc. now owns 2,179 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 1,079 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue raised its holdings in shares of Healthcare Realty Trust by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 222,297 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,144,000 after purchasing an additional 1,140 shares during the period. Peak Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Healthcare Realty Trust by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. Peak Financial Advisors LLC now owns 25,867 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $426,000 after purchasing an additional 1,160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in Healthcare Realty Trust by 4.8% during the second quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 27,317 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $450,000 after purchasing an additional 1,261 shares during the period.

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Healthcare Realty Trust Stock Up 2.7 %

Shares of HR traded up $0.49 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $18.41. 553,261 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,483,244. Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated has a 52 week low of $12.77 and a 52 week high of $18.47. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $17.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $15.70. The firm has a market cap of $6.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -13.47 and a beta of 0.89.

Healthcare Realty Trust Announces Dividend

Healthcare Realty Trust ( NYSE:HR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 2nd. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.39) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.38 by ($0.77). The company had revenue of $316.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $317.90 million. Healthcare Realty Trust had a negative net margin of 42.79% and a negative return on equity of 8.50%. Healthcare Realty Trusts revenue was down 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.39 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated will post 1.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 12th were issued a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 12th. Healthcare Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently -93.23%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Healthcare Realty Trust from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $17.00 to $16.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Healthcare Realty Trust from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Wedbush upped their price objective on shares of Healthcare Realty Trust from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $17.00.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on HR

Insider Buying and Selling at Healthcare Realty Trust

In other news, Director Thomas N. Bohjalian purchased 9,000 shares of Healthcare Realty Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $17.39 per share, for a total transaction of $156,510.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 22,252 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $386,962.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.56% of the companys stock.

Healthcare Realty Trust Company Profile

(Free Report)

Healthcare Realty (NYSE: HR) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates medical outpatient buildings primarily located around market-leading hospital campuses. The Company selectively grows its portfolio through property acquisition and development. As the first and largest REIT to specialize in medical outpatient buildings, Healthcare Realty's portfolio includes more than 700 properties totaling over 40 million square feet concentrated in 15 growth markets.

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First National Trust Co decreased its stake in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS  Free Report) by 1.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 35,346 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 495 shares during the quarter. First National Trust Cos holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $3,435,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of MS. Atalanta Sosnoff Capital LLC raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 8.1% in the 4th quarter. Atalanta Sosnoff Capital LLC now owns 373,686 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $34,846,000 after purchasing an additional 27,845 shares during the period. Evercore Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. Evercore Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,274,605 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $118,857,000 after purchasing an additional 48,812 shares during the period. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 1,987,524 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $185,337,000 after purchasing an additional 9,260 shares during the period. DRW Securities LLC raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 247.2% in the 4th quarter. DRW Securities LLC now owns 22,335 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,083,000 after purchasing an additional 15,903 shares during the period. Finally, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 1,059,376 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $98,787,000 after purchasing an additional 23,991 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.19% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup upped their price target on Morgan Stanley from $98.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. UBS Group increased their target price on Morgan Stanley from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. JMP Securities reissued a market perform rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Thursday, July 18th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Morgan Stanley from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, Oppenheimer cut Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $101.45.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Daniel A. Simkowitz sold 40,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.54, for a total value of $4,261,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 442,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $47,146,293.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Mandell Crawley sold 3,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.25, for a total value of $368,375.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 43,224 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,549,326. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Daniel A. Simkowitz sold 40,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.54, for a total value of $4,261,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 442,522 shares in the company, valued at approximately $47,146,293.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 252,000 shares of company stock valued at $26,546,370 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock.

Morgan Stanley Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of Morgan Stanley stock opened at $100.15 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $162.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.24, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.38. Morgan Stanley has a fifty-two week low of $69.42 and a fifty-two week high of $109.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.78. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $100.73 and a 200 day moving average of $95.75.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $15.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.32 billion. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 11.85% and a net margin of 10.17%. Morgan Stanleys revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.24 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 7.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Morgan Stanley Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 31st were issued a dividend of $0.925 per share. This represents a $3.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.69%. This is an increase from Morgan Stanleys previous quarterly dividend of $0.85. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, July 31st. Morgan Stanleys payout ratio is 67.40%.

Morgan Stanley Company Profile

(Free Report)

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments.

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Foster & Motley Inc. cut its position in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 21,500 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 605 shares during the quarter. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $4,372,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. Beacon Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Travelers Companies by 74.2% in the 1st quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 155 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in Travelers Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Travelers Companies in the first quarter worth $42,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the first quarter valued at $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.45% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.44, for a total value of $2,114,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 22,798 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,820,409.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.33% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently weighed in on TRV shares. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $210.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 19th. William Blair reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Travelers Companies in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Barclays began coverage on Travelers Companies in a research note on Wednesday. They set an overweight rating and a $286.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $242.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $225.00 price target on shares of Travelers Companies in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $227.05.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Travelers Companies

Travelers Companies Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE:TRV traded down $0.90 on Thursday, reaching $230.52. The stock had a trading volume of 150,547 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,324,701. The company has a 50-day moving average of $213.66 and a 200 day moving average of $216.10. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The stock has a market cap of $52.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.61. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $157.33 and a 12-month high of $234.18.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 19th. The insurance provider reported $2.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.23 by ($0.72). Travelers Companies had a net margin of 8.37% and a return on equity of 15.90%. The business had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.35 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.06 EPS. Travelers Companiess revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 10th will be given a $1.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 10th. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.82%. Travelers Companiess payout ratio is 31.20%.

Travelers Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

Further Reading

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Foster & Motley Inc. decreased its position in Toyota Motor Co. (NYSE:TM  Free Report) by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 42,667 shares of the companys stock after selling 908 shares during the period. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Toyota Motor were worth $8,746,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in TM. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Toyota Motor by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,823 shares of the companys stock valued at $459,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Toyota Motor by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,524 shares of the companys stock worth $312,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Toyota Motor by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,899 shares of the companys stock worth $594,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Seven Mile Advisory boosted its position in shares of Toyota Motor by 5.3% during the 4th quarter. Seven Mile Advisory now owns 1,275 shares of the companys stock worth $234,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Finally, Vista Investment Management increased its holdings in Toyota Motor by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Vista Investment Management now owns 1,584 shares of the companys stock valued at $290,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 1.48% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Toyota Motor in a research note on Friday, June 14th.

Toyota Motor Trading Down 1.0 %

NYSE:TM traded down $1.91 on Thursday, reaching $182.80. 29,554 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 305,770. The firm has a market capitalization of $246.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.42 and a beta of 0.68. Toyota Motor Co. has a 52-week low of $159.04 and a 52-week high of $255.23. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The business has a fifty day moving average of $190.52 and a 200-day moving average of $214.82.

Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $6.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.01 by $2.34. Toyota Motor had a net margin of 10.70% and a return on equity of 14.28%. The firm had revenue of $75.94 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $72.48 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $7.05 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Toyota Motor Co. will post 17 earnings per share for the current year.

About Toyota Motor

(Free Report)

Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells passenger vehicles, minivans and commercial vehicles, and related parts and accessories in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East. It operates in Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other segments.

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GPM Growth Investors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 45,946 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $3,386,000. Charles Schwab accounts for 1.4% of GPM Growth Investors Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Markel Group Inc. grew its stake in Charles Schwab by 1.0% in the second quarter. Markel Group Inc. now owns 1,366,766 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $100,717,000 after purchasing an additional 13,000 shares during the period. Hodges Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Charles Schwab by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 44,543 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,282,000 after acquiring an additional 1,501 shares during the period. Weaver Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Charles Schwab during the second quarter worth about $499,000. FSB Premier Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 63.3% in the 2nd quarter. FSB Premier Wealth Management Inc. now owns 18,595 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,370,000 after purchasing an additional 7,206 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its position in Charles Schwab by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 128,192 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $9,446,000 after buying an additional 880 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 84.38% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Charles Schwab news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were 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 of the companys stock, valued at $9,124,950. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,124,950. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 12,320 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.10, for a total transaction of $802,032.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 562,129 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $36,594,597.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 107,800 shares of company stock worth $7,145,364. 6.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Charles Schwab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE SCHW opened at $63.90 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $66.86 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $70.11. The stock has a market cap of $113.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.74, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a current ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12 month low of $48.66 and a 12 month high of $79.49.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.68 billion. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 26.30% and a return on equity of 18.14%. The firms revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.75 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Charles Schwab Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 41.84%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Charles Schwab from $82.00 to $78.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $85.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 8th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $71.00 to $70.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 16th. Barclays lowered their price objective on Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $68.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Charles Schwab from $91.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $74.00.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Gries Financial LLC reduced its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 74.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,148 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 50,969 shares during the quarter. Gries Financial LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $712,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Traynor Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 2.8% during the first quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,672 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $416,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 12.8% during the 1st quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,910 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Bfsg LLC increased its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 24.4% in the 1st quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 1,120 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 220 shares in the last quarter. Paragon Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.1% in the first quarter. Paragon Capital Management LLC now owns 20,500 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,112,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. Finally, OmniStar Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1.7% during the second quarter. OmniStar Financial Group Inc. now owns 13,316 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $553,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares in the last quarter. 76.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on BMY shares. StockNews.com raised Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $53.00 to $45.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $45.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $41.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $54.67.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Down 1.1 %

Bristol-Myers Squibb stock opened at $49.94 on Thursday. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12-month low of $39.35 and a 12-month high of $62.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $101.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -16.11, a P/E/G ratio of 12.92 and a beta of 0.44. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $45.64 and a 200 day moving average of $46.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 26th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.07 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.64 by $0.43. The firm had revenue of $12.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.54 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a negative net margin of 14.06% and a positive return on equity of 12.51%. The companys revenue was up 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.75 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 0.77 earnings per share for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 5th were paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.81%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 5th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -77.42%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin claims that Moscow is supposedly ready to negotiate with Kyiv. The war criminal wants the agreement reached in Istanbul in 2022 to be the basis.

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The so-called Russian president made the statement on September 5 from the stage of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The statement was captured on video.

Putin claims that Russia has "never refused" to negotiate.

"Are we ready to negotiate with them [Ukraine]? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of the documents that were agreed upon and actually initialed in Istanbul," the leader of the aggressor state said.

He would like to see China, Brazil, and India as mediators because he has "trusting" relations with representatives of these countries.

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As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev called Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region an "act of terrorism." He said that the West was allegedly trying to lure Russia into a "negotiation trap with unclear prospects and consequences," but now there can be "no negotiations" for sure.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HTZZ  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $2.90 and last traded at $2.92, with a volume of 4736561 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $2.99.

Hertz Global Stock Down 2.3 %

The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $3.60 and its 200 day simple moving average is $5.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 2.91 and a current ratio of 2.91.

Hertz Global Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides airport and off airport vehicle rental and leasing services. It operates through three segments: U.S. RAC, International RAC, and All Other Operations. The company provides its vehicle rental services under the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Firefly, and Flexicar brands from approximately 12,000 corporate and franchisee locations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and New Zealand.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.920-1.970 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.920. The company issued revenue guidance of $29.4 billion-$30.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $29.8 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise also updated its Q4 guidance to $0.52-0.57 EPS.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:HPE opened at $17.85 on Thursday. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a fifty-two week low of $14.47 and a fifty-two week high of $22.82. The companys 50-day moving average is $19.52 and its 200 day moving average is $18.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.90. The company has a market capitalization of $23.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 1.20.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, September 4th. The technology company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.47 by $0.03. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 6.38% and a return on equity of 8.49%. The firm had revenue of $7.71 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.67 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.35 EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Announces Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 19th will be paid a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.91%. Hewlett Packard Enterprises payout ratio is presently 37.96%.

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on HPE. Susquehanna boosted their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $14.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $18.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, Bank of America increased their target price on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, June 21st. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $21.18.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Neil B. Macdonald sold 36,671 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.51, for a total transaction of $752,122.21. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 111,054 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,277,717.54. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, SVP Kirt P. Karros sold 30,686 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.49, for a total value of $628,756.14. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Neil B. Macdonald sold 36,671 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.51, for a total value of $752,122.21. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 111,054 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,277,717.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 90,141 shares of company stock valued at $1,874,608 over the last quarter. 0.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise

(Get Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

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Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc (OTCMKTS:HTKKY  Get Free Report)s share price fell 2.2% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $53.89 and last traded at $53.89. 100 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 0% from the average session volume of 100 shares. The stock had previously closed at $55.10.

Hitachi Kokusai Electric Price Performance

The businesss fifty day moving average price is $53.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $53.89.

Hitachi Kokusai Electric Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc provides video and wireless network, and eco-and thin film processing solutions in Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Korea, other Asian countries, Europe, and internationally. The company offers wireless communications and information systems, such as infrastructure for mobile telecommunications, disaster-preventive administration radio systems, radio systems for transportation, land mobile radio communication products, and wireless broadband systems.

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Hodges Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in General Motors (NYSE:GM  Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,500 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc.s holdings in General Motors were worth $441,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. LifeSteps Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of General Motors during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its position in General Motors by 56.1% during the second quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 626 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares during the last quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. grew its stake in General Motors by 75.9% in the 4th quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 832 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 359 shares during the period. 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. acquired a new stake in shares of General Motors during the first quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.67% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on GM shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on General Motors from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America reiterated a buy rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of General Motors in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of General Motors from $58.00 to $54.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 9th. Nomura lowered shares of General Motors from a neutral rating to a reduce rating and set a $34.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on General Motors from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $55.17.

General Motors Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of GM opened at $48.45 on Thursday. General Motors has a one year low of $26.30 and a one year high of $50.50. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $46.21 and a 200 day moving average price of $44.67. 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 company has a market capitalization of $54.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.92, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.43.

General Motors (NYSE:GM  Get Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The auto manufacturer reported $3.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.67 by $0.39. The company had revenue of $47.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $45.13 billion. General Motors had a return on equity of 15.77% and a net margin of 6.22%. The businesss revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.91 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that General Motors will post 9.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

General Motors Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 6th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.99%. General Motorss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 5.87%.

General Motors declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, June 11th that authorizes the company to buyback $6.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the auto manufacturer to reacquire up to 10.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at General Motors

In other news, President Mark L. Reuss sold 14,858 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.01, for a total value of $683,616.58. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 162,049 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,455,874.49. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, President Mark L. Reuss sold 14,858 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.01, for a total value of $683,616.58. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 162,049 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,455,874.49. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, President Mark L. Reuss sold 35,142 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.34, for a total transaction of $1,628,480.28. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 126,907 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,880,870.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 391,402 shares of company stock valued at $18,818,536. Insiders own 0.72% of the companys stock.

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.

Further Reading

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Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. (NYSE:HPP  Get Free Report) Director Jonathan M. Glaser sold 9,287 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.20, for a total value of $48,292.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,713 shares of the companys stock, valued at $19,307.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Hudson Pacific Properties Stock Performance

Shares of HPP opened at $5.08 on Thursday. Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. has a 12-month low of $4.26 and a 12-month high of $9.85. The company has a current ratio of 1.47, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. The company has a market cap of $717.02 million, a PE ratio of -3.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 1.32. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $5.21 and a 200-day moving average price of $5.56.

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Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE:HPP  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.33) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.17 by ($0.50). Hudson Pacific Properties had a negative net margin of 25.42% and a negative return on equity of 7.41%. The company had revenue of $218.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $216.08 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.24 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc. will post 0.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of Hudson Pacific Properties from $6.50 to $4.70 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. BMO Capital Markets lowered Hudson Pacific Properties from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $8.00 to $6.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Wolfe Research downgraded Hudson Pacific Properties from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Scotiabank reduced their target price on Hudson Pacific Properties from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Piper Sandler downgraded shares of Hudson Pacific Properties from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $7.00 to $6.00 in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $7.17.

Read Our Latest Analysis on HPP

Institutional Trading of Hudson Pacific Properties

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC bought a new position in Hudson Pacific Properties in the second quarter valued at $53,000. Versor Investments LP bought a new position in shares of Hudson Pacific Properties during the 4th quarter valued at about $99,000. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Hudson Pacific Properties during the 4th quarter valued at about $102,000. NorthRock Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Hudson Pacific Properties during the first quarter valued at about $104,000. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. bought a new stake in shares of Hudson Pacific Properties in the 1st quarter valued at about $107,000. 97.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Hudson Pacific Properties

(Get Free Report)

Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE: HPP) is a real estate investment trust serving dynamic tech and media tenants in global epicenters for these synergistic, converging and secular growth industries. Hudson Pacific's unique and high-barrier tech and media focus leverages a full-service, end-to-end value creation platform forged through deep strategic relationships and niche expertise across identifying, acquiring, transforming and developing properties into world-class amenitized, collaborative and sustainable office and studio space.

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Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) insider Thomas Benjamin Curtis sold 6,536 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.63, for a total transaction of $448,565.68. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 37,179 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,551,594.77. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Restaurant Brands International Stock Up 0.3 %

QSR opened at $68.64 on Thursday. Restaurant Brands International Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $61.77 and a fifty-two week high of $83.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.71, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 0.78. The company has a market capitalization of $21.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $70.51 and a 200-day moving average of $72.64.

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Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR  Get Free Report) (TSE:QSR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The restaurant operator reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.01. Restaurant Brands International had a return on equity of 30.78% and a net margin of 16.99%. The company had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.05 billion. On average, equities analysts expect that Restaurant Brands International Inc. will post 3.36 EPS for the current year.

Restaurant Brands International Dividend Announcement

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.58 per share. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.38%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 20th. Restaurant Brands Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 59.79%.

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on QSR shares. TD Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $88.00 price target on shares of Restaurant Brands International in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. KeyCorp decreased their target price on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $80.00 to $77.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $86.00 to $83.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $72.00 to $79.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $83.07.

View Our Latest Research Report on QSR

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Restaurant Brands International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Restaurant Brands International in the second quarter valued at about $792,000. Fiera Capital Corp raised its stake in Restaurant Brands International by 6.5% in the second quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 3,517,417 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $247,955,000 after purchasing an additional 213,877 shares in the last quarter. Chase Investment Counsel Corp raised its stake in Restaurant Brands International by 7.9% in the second quarter. Chase Investment Counsel Corp now owns 5,439 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $382,000 after purchasing an additional 396 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Restaurant Brands International by 37.3% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 52,637 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $3,704,000 after purchasing an additional 14,296 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning raised its stake in Restaurant Brands International by 1.2% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 62,040 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $4,366,000 after purchasing an additional 759 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.29% of the companys stock.

Restaurant Brands International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Restaurant Brands International Inc operates as a quick-service restaurant company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Tim Hortons (TH), Burger King (BK), Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLK), and Firehouse Subs (FHS). The company owns and franchises TH chain of donut/coffee/tea restaurants that offer blend coffee, tea, and espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks; and fresh baked goods, including donuts, Timbits, bagels, muffins, cookies and pastries, grilled paninis, classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, and other food products.

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Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 0.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 60,545 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 321 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF comprises approximately 0.3% of Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC.s holdings, making the stock its 27th largest position. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. owned approximately 0.05% of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF worth $6,194,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 59.6% in the 2nd quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 57,248 shares of the companys stock worth $5,856,000 after buying an additional 21,371 shares in the last quarter. FFG Retirement Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter. FFG Retirement Advisors LLC now owns 26,380 shares of the companys stock worth $2,699,000 after buying an additional 860 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 2nd quarter worth $647,000. Strategy Asset Managers LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 142.1% in the 2nd quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC now owns 5,315 shares of the companys stock worth $507,000 after buying an additional 3,120 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Certus Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 23.0% in the 2nd quarter. Certus Wealth Management LLC now owns 68,127 shares of the companys stock worth $6,969,000 after buying an additional 12,733 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF stock traded down $0.73 on Thursday, reaching $104.49. 414,685 shares of the company were exchanged. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $103.31 and a 200-day moving average price of $102.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.36 and a beta of 0.97. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $67.58 and a fifty-two week high of $85.81.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Journey Advisory Group LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 17.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 2,402 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 500 shares during the period. Journey Advisory Group LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $569,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Foster & Motley Inc. grew its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 3,909 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $926,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the period. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators boosted its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 1,356 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $321,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 10.4% during the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,104 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $262,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the period. Range Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 8.9% in the second quarter. Range Financial Group LLC now owns 3,685 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $873,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc lifted its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 2.9% in the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 104,847 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $24,845,000 after buying an additional 2,985 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.77% of the companys stock.

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Illinois Tool Works Stock Down 0.9 %

ITW traded down $2.22 during trading on Thursday, reaching $242.51. The stock had a trading volume of 121,743 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,118,474. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a one year low of $217.50 and a one year high of $271.15. The company has a market capitalization of $72.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.03 and a beta of 1.10. The stocks 50 day moving average is $242.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $248.96. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.17.

Illinois Tool Works Increases Dividend

Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.45 by $0.09. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.15% and a return on equity of 99.74%. The firm had revenue of $4.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.08 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.41 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.18 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.47%. This is a boost from Illinois Tool Workss previous quarterly dividend of $1.40. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 30th. Illinois Tool Workss payout ratio is 59.17%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on ITW shares. Wells Fargo & Company lifted 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. Truist Financial decreased their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $283.00 to $281.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Barclays cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $217.00 to $215.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. StockNews.com downgraded Illinois Tool Works from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Argus upgraded Illinois Tool Works to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Illinois Tool Works has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $250.22.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Illinois Tool Works

Insider Buying and Selling at Illinois Tool Works

In related news, Director David Byron Smith, Jr. acquired 775 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $238.82 per share, with a total value of $185,085.50. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 121,506 shares of the companys stock, valued at $29,018,062.92. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(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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nVent Electric plc (NYSE:NVT  Free Report)  Equities research analysts at KeyCorp issued their Q3 2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for nVent Electric in a research note issued on Tuesday, September 3rd. KeyCorp analyst J. Hammond anticipates that the company will post earnings of $0.82 per share for the quarter. KeyCorp currently has a Overweight rating and a $80.00 target price on the stock. The consensus estimate for nVent Electrics current full-year earnings is $3.26 per share. KeyCorp also issued estimates for nVent Electrics Q4 2024 earnings at $0.85 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $3.60 EPS.

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NVT has been the topic of several other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on nVent Electric from $88.00 to $82.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays boosted their price target on nVent Electric from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, nVent Electric presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $86.50.

nVent Electric Stock Down 0.8 %

NVT opened at $62.85 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $70.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $73.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 2.17. nVent Electric has a one year low of $45.60 and a one year high of $86.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.27.

nVent Electric (NYSE:NVT  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.83 by ($0.01). nVent Electric had a return on equity of 17.21% and a net margin of 16.59%. The firm had revenue of $880.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $892.89 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.77 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On nVent Electric

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its stake in shares of nVent Electric by 15.5% during the 1st quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 75,323 shares of the companys stock worth $5,684,000 after acquiring an additional 10,135 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC lifted its stake in nVent Electric by 194.1% in the 4th quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 39,432 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,330,000 after buying an additional 26,024 shares in the last quarter. Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers Inc. ID lifted its stake in nVent Electric by 85.1% in the 1st quarter. Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers Inc. ID now owns 116,629 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,794,000 after buying an additional 53,633 shares in the last quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its stake in nVent Electric by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 190,240 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,344,000 after buying an additional 8,489 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Principal Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in nVent Electric in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,221,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.05% of the companys stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other nVent Electric news, Director Herbert K. Parker bought 7,566 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $65.71 per share, for a total transaction of $497,161.86. Following the transaction, the director now owns 34,524 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,268,572.04. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Lynnette R. Heath sold 8,242 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.26, for a total transaction of $496,662.92. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 30,432 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,833,832.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Herbert K. Parker purchased 7,566 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $65.71 per share, for a total transaction of $497,161.86. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 34,524 shares in the company, valued at $2,268,572.04. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 2.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About nVent Electric

(Get Free Report)

nVent Electric plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, installs, and services electrical connection and protection solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Enclosures, Electrical & Fastening Solutions, and Thermal Management.

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Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS increased its stake in shares of VAALCO Energy, Inc. (NYSE:EGY  Free Report) by 5.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,417,950 shares of the energy companys stock after purchasing an additional 134,615 shares during the quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KSs holdings in VAALCO Energy were worth $15,161,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in EGY. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in VAALCO Energy by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,024,145 shares of the energy companys stock worth $41,988,000 after purchasing an additional 124,853 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC bought a new stake in VAALCO Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $502,000. Foundry Partners LLC grew its holdings in VAALCO Energy by 12.0% during the 1st quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 982,350 shares of the energy companys stock worth $6,847,000 after acquiring an additional 105,145 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in VAALCO Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $458,000. Finally, First Sabrepoint Capital Management LP grew its holdings in VAALCO Energy by 5.3% during the 1st quarter. First Sabrepoint Capital Management LP now owns 1,790,000 shares of the energy companys stock worth $12,476,000 after acquiring an additional 90,000 shares during the last quarter. 50.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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VAALCO Energy Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE:EGY traded down $0.04 during trading on Thursday, reaching $5.70. The stock had a trading volume of 295,942 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,018,662. The firms fifty day moving average is $6.53 and its 200 day moving average is $6.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.19. VAALCO Energy, Inc. has a 52 week low of $3.85 and a 52 week high of $7.51. The stock has a market cap of $591.32 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.50 and a beta of 1.19.

VAALCO Energy Announces Dividend

VAALCO Energy ( NYSE:EGY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The energy company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.09. VAALCO Energy had a net margin of 17.82% and a return on equity of 16.00%. The company had revenue of $116.78 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $119.30 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.11 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that VAALCO Energy, Inc. will post 0.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 23rd will be paid a $0.063 dividend. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 23rd. VAALCO Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 41.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on EGY shares. Roth Mkm boosted 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. StockNews.com lowered shares of VAALCO Energy from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, June 6th.

View Our Latest Stock Report on EGY

About VAALCO Energy

(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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Ukraine will prepare a detailed plan to end the war by the second Peace Summit. It must be attended by representatives of the Russian Federation, because it is "very difficult" to end the hostilities diplomatically without the aggressor country, and this was also requested by the participants of the first summit.

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A corresponding statement was made by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with NBC News published on September 5. In particular, he said that a plan to end the war would be prepared together with partners who supported the communique of the first Peace Summit.

"We will work out every point of these crises that Putin has brought. We will work out our option for ending the war," the president said.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine understands that it is "very difficult" to end the war diplomatically without Russia, so the second summit should include representatives of the aggressor country.

This was also requested by the participants of the first Peace Summit, he said.

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"All countries asked us to have representatives of Russia at the second summit. We said: we don't mind, we understand everything, we will prepare a plan and invite them," the head of state said.

What is the plan to end the war in Ukraine

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine's victory plan should show whether its allies are ready for Kyiv to win or whether they only want to contain Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukrainians should know the answer to this question, the president said.

"I wanted to show the victory plan to President (US  Ed.) Biden. But I wanted to show it after we had success in the Kursk region. That's why I hadn't done it before. And that's why I will definitely show it to him. Our understanding of how things should be, how Ukraine can win," Zelenskyy said.

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The plan stipulates that it can be implemented thanks to Ukraine's partners, not thanks to Russia's willingness or unwillingness. This "feature" was important so that no one would later ask whether the Kremlin would "go for it," the president said.

"This plan does not depend on them (Russia  Ed.). And this is the choice of our partners. Either they agree that Ukraine will win, or they are not ready for our victory but are only ready to contain Putin. And I want to find this answer for our people as well. It is very important for these people," Zelenskyy said.

The President also added that, in his opinion, the victory plan is subjective and does not depend solely on Ukraine.

ADVERTISIMENT

In this regard, the head of state cannot be sure that Ukraine will be able to implement it.

"But it seemed to me that this plan was correct. And the first part of it was a response operation, part of which you saw in the Kursk region," he explained.

Points of the 4+1 plan

Zelenskyy explained that the Ukrainian victory plan is "4+1". Four points are what is necessary, and one should be implemented after the war.

"That is, the basic plan is four points. I will not tell you all the details. I will talk about all the details with President Biden," Zelenskyy said.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, on September 5, Putin said that Russia's primary task is the alleged "liberation" of Donbas, and Ukraine is allegedly trying to distract Russia from this goal by attacking the Kursk region, unsuccessfully and allegedly to its detriment. Putin also declared his readiness to negotiate with Ukraine based on the Istanbul agreements.

ADVERTISIMENT

The ISW also stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are advancing further into Kursk, and have recently been successful southeast of Durivka and Korenevo. The Russians withdrew in Malaya Lokna, and fighting continued in the Korenevo and Sudzha areas.

On September 4, Zelenskyy said that the operation in Kursk region gives Ukraine not only a fund for exchanging prisoners with Russia, but that the Ukrainian military has been assigned several tasks, and they are all being fulfilled.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Mattern Capital Management LLC trimmed its holdings in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE  Free Report) by 0.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 61,313 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 304 shares during the quarter. Mattern Capital Management LLCs holdings in Intercontinental Exchange were worth $8,393,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Annapolis Financial Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 1,018.8% during the first quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 179 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. New Millennium Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange during the second quarter worth about $25,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. 89.30% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Intercontinental Exchange Stock Performance

Shares of ICE stock opened at $162.43 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $151.12 and a 200-day simple moving average of $140.84. The company has a market cap of $93.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 1.06. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has a 12-month low of $104.49 and a 12-month high of $162.76.

Insider Buying and Selling

Intercontinental Exchange ( NYSE:ICE Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.31 billion. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 12.70% and a net margin of 21.43%. Intercontinental Exchanges revenue was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.43 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. will post 6.04 EPS for the current year.

In other news, CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher sold 58,389 shares of Intercontinental Exchange stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.68, for a total transaction of $8,272,553.52. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,179,993 shares in the company, valued at approximately $167,181,408.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher sold 58,389 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.68, for a total value of $8,272,553.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 1,179,993 shares in the company, valued at $167,181,408.24. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Judith A. Sprieser sold 1,941 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.69, for a total transaction of $311,899.29. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 26,908 shares in the company, valued at $4,323,846.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 66,346 shares of company stock valued at $9,472,911. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on ICE. StockNews.com raised Intercontinental Exchange from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Intercontinental Exchange from $160.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Argus reiterated a buy rating and set a $153.00 price target on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Intercontinental Exchange from $152.00 to $154.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and set a $168.00 target price on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Intercontinental Exchange currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $154.93.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on ICE

Intercontinental Exchange Company Profile

(Free Report)

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of market infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for financial institutions, corporations, and government entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, India, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and Canada.

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Mattern Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Visa Inc. (NYSE:V  Free Report) by 8.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 24,210 shares of the credit-card processors stock after buying an additional 1,855 shares during the quarter. Mattern Capital Management LLCs holdings in Visa were worth $6,354,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Visa during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,895,015,000. National Bank of Canada FI boosted its holdings in shares of Visa by 787.1% in the first quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 4,619,881 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $1,296,820,000 after acquiring an additional 4,099,122 shares during the period. Swedbank AB purchased a new position in shares of Visa during the first quarter worth approximately $511,321,000. GQG Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Visa by 40.1% in the 1st quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 5,990,634 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $1,671,866,000 after acquiring an additional 1,715,686 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado raised its position in Visa by 14,306.3% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 1,500,270 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $390,595,000 after purchasing an additional 1,489,856 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.15% of the companys stock.

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Visa Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of Visa stock opened at $280.46 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $265.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $273.10. The company has a market capitalization of $512.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.37. Visa Inc. has a 1 year low of $227.78 and a 1 year high of $290.96.

Visa Dividend Announcement

Visa ( NYSE:V Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The credit-card processor reported $2.42 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $2.42. The company had revenue of $8.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.92 billion. Visa had a return on equity of 51.94% and a net margin of 54.72%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.16 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Visa Inc. will post 9.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th were issued a $0.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.74%. Visas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 23.24%.

Insider Transactions at Visa

In other Visa news, CEO Ryan Mcinerney sold 8,620 shares of Visa stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $276.37, for a total value of $2,382,309.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 538 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $148,687.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.19% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on V. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Visa from $320.00 to $318.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. William Blair raised Visa to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on Visa from $315.00 to $311.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Macquarie reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Visa in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Visa from $321.00 to $319.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $309.54.

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Visa Company Profile

(Free Report)

Visa Inc operates as a payment technology company in the United States and internationally. The company operates VisaNet, a transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions. It also offers credit, debit, and prepaid card products; tap to pay, tokenization, and click to pay services; Visa Direct, a solution that facilitates the delivery of funds to eligible cards, deposit accounts, and digital wallets; Visa B2B Connect, a multilateral business-to-business cross-border payments network; Visa Cross-Border Solution, a cross-border consumer payments solution; and Visa DPS that provides a range of value-added services, including fraud mitigation, dispute management, data analytics, campaign management, a suite of digital solutions, and contact center services.

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Mad River Investors lifted its stake in Mesabi Trust (NYSE:MSB  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 firm owned 291,646 shares of the mining companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,809 shares during the period. Mesabi Trust accounts for about 3.4% of Mad River Investors investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Mad River Investors holdings in Mesabi Trust were worth $5,025,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of MSB. OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new stake in Mesabi Trust during the 2nd quarter valued at about $576,000. Pecaut & CO. bought a new stake in Mesabi Trust during the 4th quarter valued at about $280,000. NBC Securities Inc. increased its stake in Mesabi Trust by 5.4% during the 1st quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 16,670 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $295,000 after purchasing an additional 860 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its stake in Mesabi Trust by 38.0% during the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 10,760 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $220,000 after purchasing an additional 2,961 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mesabi Trust in the first quarter worth approximately $124,000.

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Mesabi Trust Stock Performance

Shares of MSB stock traded up $0.09 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $17.21. The company had a trading volume of 9,090 shares, compared to its average volume of 26,648. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $17.31 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.46. Mesabi Trust has a one year low of $15.93 and a one year high of $22.39. The firm has a market cap of $225.80 million, a PE ratio of 10.44 and a beta of 0.85.

Mesabi Trust Increases Dividend

Mesabi Trust ( NYSE:MSB Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 13th. The mining company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $6.25 million for the quarter. Mesabi Trust had a net margin of 78.65% and a return on equity of 101.61%.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 30th were issued a $0.30 dividend. This is an increase from Mesabi Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 30th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.97%. Mesabi Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 73.17%.

Mesabi Trust Company Profile

(Free Report)

Mesabi Trust, a royalty trust, engages in iron ore mining business in the United States. The company was founded in 1961 and is based in New York, New York.

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Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. reduced its position in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 1.2% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 32,907 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 393 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC.s holdings in Southern were worth $2,553,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in SO. Gilbert & Cook Inc. raised its stake in Southern by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. now owns 11,202 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $785,000 after buying an additional 462 shares during the period. Aveo Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $233,000. Spire Wealth Management raised its stake in Southern by 316.4% during the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 13,445 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $927,000 after buying an additional 10,216 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC raised its stake in Southern by 16.5% during the 4th quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 101,818 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $7,139,000 after buying an additional 14,405 shares during the period. Finally, Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management bought a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $207,000. 64.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Southern Stock Performance

NYSE:SO traded up $0.19 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $89.32. The stock had a trading volume of 778,987 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,446,784. The stock has a market cap of $97.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.52. The Southern Company has a 12-month low of $61.56 and a 12-month high of $90.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.91. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $83.54 and a 200 day simple moving average of $77.03.

Southern Announces Dividend

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $1.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.10 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.88% and a net margin of 17.67%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.79 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that The Southern Company will post 4.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 19th will be given a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 19th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 74.42%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Sloane N. Drake sold 12,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.61, for a total transaction of $931,320.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,771 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,301,597.31. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, EVP Sloane N. Drake sold 12,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.61, for a total transaction of $931,320.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,771 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,301,597.31. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total value of $211,796.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,112,375. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 21,280 shares of company stock worth $1,678,625. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on SO shares. Wolfe Research lowered Southern from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Southern from $77.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Southern from $87.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Southern from $80.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Southern from $72.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Southern has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $83.71.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Southern

Southern Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Nottingham Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS  Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 2,396 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $255,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Founders Financial Securities LLC lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 2,832 shares of the companys stock worth $301,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. grew its holdings in Novartis by 0.9% during the second quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 10,492 shares of the companys stock worth $1,116,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 5.1% during the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,013 shares of the companys stock worth $196,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the period. Portside Wealth Group LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 3.4% during the second quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,000 shares of the companys stock worth $319,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the period. Finally, Evermay Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 9.3% in the first quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,176 shares of the companys stock valued at $114,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 13.12% of the companys stock.

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Novartis Stock Down 2.3 %

NYSE NVS traded down $2.71 during trading on Thursday, reaching $116.67. 314,256 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,403,009. Novartis AG has a 1 year low of $92.19 and a 1 year high of $120.92. 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 stock has a market cap of $238.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $112.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $104.31.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share 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 business had revenue of $12.87 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.24 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.83 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 7.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several research firms have recently weighed in on NVS. Barclays upgraded Novartis to a strong sell rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and issued a $121.00 target price (up previously from $119.00) on shares of Novartis in a research report on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $118.38.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on Novartis

Novartis Profile

(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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Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM  Get Free Report)s stock had its market perform rating reissued by analysts at Telsey Advisory Group in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $110.00 target price on the textile makers stock. Telsey Advisory Groups target price points to a potential upside of 30.01% from the companys current price.

OXM has been the subject of several other research reports. Citigroup decreased their price target on Oxford Industries from $94.00 to $92.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 13th. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Oxford Industries from $101.00 to $91.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $100.60.

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Oxford Industries Stock Down 1.1 %

Shares of Oxford Industries stock traded down $0.93 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $84.61. The companys stock had a trading volume of 134,071 shares, compared to its average volume of 241,141. The company has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.18 and a beta of 1.53. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $94.86 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $101.64. Oxford Industries has a one year low of $82.33 and a one year high of $113.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 1.32.

Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, June 12th. The textile maker reported $2.66 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.70 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $398.18 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $404.81 million. Oxford Industries had a net margin of 2.62% and a return on equity of 23.78%. Oxford Industriess revenue was down 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $3.78 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Oxford Industries will post 8.8 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Thomas E. Campbell sold 17,540 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.91, for a total value of $1,752,421.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 24,865 shares in the company, valued at $2,484,262.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 5.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Oxford Industries

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its position in Oxford Industries by 1.4% during the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 7,400 shares of the textile makers stock worth $741,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Oxford Industries by 2.0% in the second quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 7,253 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $726,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its stake in shares of Oxford Industries by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 3,359 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $336,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp lifted its holdings in Oxford Industries by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 12,854 shares of the textile makers stock worth $1,445,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Oxford Industries by 7.4% in the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 3,012 shares of the textile makers stock worth $339,000 after purchasing an additional 207 shares during the period. 91.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Oxford Industries

(Get Free Report)

Oxford Industries, Inc, an apparel company, designs, sources, markets, and distributes products of lifestyle and other brands worldwide. The company offers men's and women's sportswear and related products under the Tommy Bahama brand; and women's and girl's dresses and sportswear, scarves, bags, jewelry, and belts, as well as children's apparel, swim, footwear, and licensed products under the Lilly Pulitzer brand.

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Pan American Silver Corp. (NYSE:PAAS  Get Free Report) (TSE:PAAS) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the five ratings firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $24.42.

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on PAAS. CIBC raised their target price on shares of Pan American Silver from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an outperformer rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. StockNews.com upgraded Pan American Silver from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, May 11th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Pan American Silver from $22.00 to $24.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Scotiabank raised their price target on Pan American Silver from $23.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Pan American Silver from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th.

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Pan American Silver Stock Performance

NYSE PAAS opened at $18.98 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 2.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Pan American Silver has a fifty-two week low of $12.16 and a fifty-two week high of $24.27. The business has a fifty day moving average of $21.18 and a 200-day moving average of $18.95. The stock has a market cap of $6.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -41.26 and a beta of 1.35.

Pan American Silver (NYSE:PAAS  Get Free Report) (TSE:PAAS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The basic materials company reported $0.11 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.15 by ($0.04). Pan American Silver had a negative net margin of 5.54% and a positive return on equity of 0.66%. The firm had revenue of $686.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $696.08 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.04 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Pan American Silver will post 0.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pan American Silver Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 19th were paid a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.11%. Pan American Silvers dividend payout ratio is presently -86.96%.

Institutional Trading of Pan American Silver

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC boosted its position in Pan American Silver by 943.4% during the 2nd quarter. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC now owns 1,659 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares during the period. Perritt Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Pan American Silver by 76.9% in the first quarter. Perritt Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,300 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in Pan American Silver by 31.6% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,124 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 510 shares during the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd grew its stake in Pan American Silver by 73.3% during the 1st quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 5,200 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $78,000 after purchasing an additional 2,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Pan American Silver in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $103,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 55.43% of the companys stock.

About Pan American Silver

(Get Free Report

Pan American Silver Corp. engages in the exploration, mine development, extraction, processing, refining, and reclamation of silver, gold, zinc, lead, and copper mines in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. The company was formerly known as Pan American Minerals Corp. and changed its name to Pan American Silver Corp.

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Petrus Resources Ltd. (TSE:PRQ  Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Tuesday, September 3rd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 17th will be paid a dividend of 0.01 per share on Monday, September 30th. This represents a $0.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 9.09%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 17th.

Petrus Resources Trading Up 1.5 %

TSE PRQ traded up C$0.02 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching C$1.32. The company had a trading volume of 2,465 shares, compared to its average volume of 52,854. Petrus Resources has a 1-year low of C$1.11 and a 1-year high of C$1.65. The stock has a market capitalization of C$164.17 million, a P/E ratio of 6.60 and a beta of 3.03. The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$1.35 and a 200 day moving average of C$1.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.56.

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Petrus Resources (TSE:PRQ  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported C$0.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Petrus Resources had a return on equity of 8.65% and a net margin of 28.06%. The business had revenue of C$23.15 million during the quarter. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Petrus Resources will post 0.1967213 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Petrus Resources

Petrus Resources Company Profile

In other Petrus Resources news, Director Don Gray purchased 41,200 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost of C$1.32 per share, for a total transaction of C$54,384.00. In related news, Director Don Gray purchased 41,200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost of C$1.32 per share, for a total transaction of C$54,384.00. Also, Director Kenneth Graham Gray sold 18,600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$1.40, for a total transaction of C$26,040.00. In the last three months, insiders bought 71,100 shares of company stock valued at $94,392 and sold 40,468 shares valued at $55,772. Corporate insiders own 75.21% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Petrus Resources Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and exploitation of assets in Canada. The company primarily explores for crude oil and condensate, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. Its principal property is the Ferrier Area with approximately 94,614 acres of land located in the west Central Alberta near the town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.

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Phreesia (NYSE:PHR  Get Free Report)s stock had its sector perform rating restated by investment analysts at Royal Bank of Canada in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They presently have a $23.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank of Canadas price objective would suggest a potential downside of 2.67% from the companys current price.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on PHR. KeyCorp reduced their target price on Phreesia from $27.00 to $25.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. DA Davidson reiterated a buy rating and set a $32.00 target price on shares of Phreesia in a report on Thursday. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $29.00 target price on shares of Phreesia in a research report on Thursday. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $34.00 target price on shares of Phreesia in a research report on Thursday. Finally, JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $30.00 price objective on shares of Phreesia in a research note on Friday, August 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $30.54.

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Phreesia Stock Performance

Insider Activity at Phreesia

PHR traded down $0.54 during trading on Thursday, hitting $23.63. The stock had a trading volume of 533,488 shares, compared to its average volume of 464,209. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.36 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.65 and a beta of 0.93. Phreesia has a twelve month low of $12.05 and a twelve month high of $30.70. The companys 50-day moving average price is $23.24 and its 200 day moving average price is $22.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a current ratio of 1.76.

In other news, General Counsel Allison C. Hoffman sold 14,110 shares of Phreesia stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.03, for a total value of $367,283.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 121,003 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,149,708.09. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, General Counsel Allison C. Hoffman sold 14,110 shares of Phreesia stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.03, for a total transaction of $367,283.30. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 121,003 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,149,708.09. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Chaim Indig sold 2,644 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.74, for a total transaction of $62,768.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,219,361 shares in the company, valued at $28,947,630.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 29,337 shares of company stock valued at $736,750. 5.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PHR. nVerses Capital LLC boosted its stake in Phreesia by 76.5% during the second quarter. nVerses Capital LLC now owns 3,000 shares of the companys stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of Phreesia by 5,462.3% during the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,838 shares of the companys stock valued at $89,000 after acquiring an additional 3,769 shares during the period. EntryPoint Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Phreesia in the 1st quarter worth approximately $169,000. Quadrature Capital Ltd purchased a new position in Phreesia in the first quarter valued at approximately $202,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp bought a new position in Phreesia during the second quarter valued at $202,000. Institutional investors own 92.10% of the companys stock.

Phreesia Company Profile

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Phreesia, Inc provides an integrated SaaS-based software and payment platform for the healthcare industry in the United States and Canada. The company offers access solutions that offers appointment scheduling system for online appointments, reminders, and referral tracking management; registration solution to automate patient self-registration; revenue cycle solution, which offer insurance-verification processes, point-of-sale payments applications, post-visit payment collection, and flexible payment options; and network connect solution to deliver clinically relevant content to patients.

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Regions Financial (NYSE:RF  Get Free Report) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report issued on Tuesday.

RF has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Regions Financial from $25.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Regions Financial from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Regions Financial from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $21.51.

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Regions Financial Trading Down 0.7 %

NYSE:RF opened at $22.83 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $21.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $20.07. Regions Financial has a one year low of $13.72 and a one year high of $23.47. The firm has a market cap of $20.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.41, a P/E/G ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.83.

Regions Financial (NYSE:RF  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The bank reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.49 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.76 billion. Regions Financial had a net margin of 18.91% and a return on equity of 12.64%. The firms revenue was down 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Regions Financial will post 2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Regions Financial in the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. Quarry LP lifted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 157.2% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,335 shares of the banks stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 816 shares in the last quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Regions Financial during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. MV Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Regions Financial by 75.6% in the 1st quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,435 shares of the banks stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 618 shares during the period. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. increased its holdings in Regions Financial by 530.0% in the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 1,493 shares of the banks stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,256 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.39% of the companys stock.

About Regions Financial

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Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services.

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Police patrol after a suspected terrorist was shot dead near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday, September 5.

German police have shot dead a man in an exchange of fire near the Israeli consulate and Nazi history documentation center in the southern city of Munich. This is a male individual and we know he was carrying a long weapon, a police spokesman told state television.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has confirmed the police operation and that the man, who was initially seriously injured, died at the scene. Police said on social media that there is no evidence that he was accompanied by anyone else and that there is therefore no danger to the population.

The incident comes on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics bombing, in which Palestinian Black September gunmen murdered 11 Israeli athletes.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the consulate was closed on Thursday to commemorate the Munich Olympics massacre and that no one at the consulate was injured.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the incident as serious but did not want to speculate on the circumstances and background of what happened, she said during a press conference to discuss the fight against organized crime. The protection of Israeli facilities is the highest priority.
WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC  Free Report)  Investment analysts at Zacks Research issued their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for shares of WEC Energy Group in a research report issued on Monday, September 2nd. Zacks Research analyst R. Department forecasts that the utilities provider will post earnings per share of $4.86 for the year. The consensus estimate for WEC Energy Groups current full-year earnings is $4.88 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for WEC Energy Groups Q4 2025 earnings at $1.17 EPS and Q1 2026 earnings at $2.19 EPS.

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Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on WEC. KeyCorp dropped their price target 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. StockNews.com cut shares of WEC Energy Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $91.00 to $93.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Scotiabank raised their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $90.00 to $103.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $89.77.

WEC Energy Group Stock Performance

Shares of WEC opened at $94.54 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $85.77 and a 200-day moving average of $82.55. The company has a market cap of $29.86 billion, a PE ratio of 20.64, a P/E/G ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.44. WEC Energy Group has a one year low of $75.13 and a one year high of $94.99.

WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 revenue for the quarter was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.92 EPS.

WEC Energy Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th were paid a dividend of $0.835 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 14th. This represents a $3.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.53%. WEC Energy Groups payout ratio is currently 72.93%.

Insider Transactions at WEC Energy Group

In other news, VP Anthony Reese sold 1,362 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.78, for a total transaction of $120,918.36. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 1,462 shares in the company, valued at approximately $129,796.36. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, VP Joshua M. Erickson sold 350 shares of WEC Energy Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.75, for a total value of $31,412.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,377 shares in the company, valued at approximately $213,335.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, VP Anthony Reese sold 1,362 shares of WEC Energy Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.78, for a total transaction of $120,918.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 1,462 shares of the companys stock, valued at $129,796.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 11,702 shares of company stock worth $1,078,058 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new position in WEC Energy Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its position in shares of WEC Energy Group by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 1,355,909 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $106,385,000 after purchasing an additional 22,026 shares in the last quarter. New Century Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $231,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its position in shares of WEC Energy Group by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 119,951 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $9,411,000 after purchasing an additional 4,835 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Truist Financial Corp grew its position in shares of WEC Energy Group by 10.4% during the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 100,240 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $7,865,000 after purchasing an additional 9,480 shares in the last quarter. 77.20% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

WEC Energy Group Company Profile

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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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Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY  Get Free Report) (NYSE:RY)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$163.46 and last traded at C$163.46, with a volume of 77274 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$162.98.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

RY has been the subject of several recent research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price target on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$159.50 to C$172.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$162.00 to C$180.00 in a report on Thursday, August 29th. UBS Group set a C$165.00 price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$145.00 to C$150.00 in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, National Bankshares raised their price objective on shares of Royal Bank of Canada from C$160.00 to C$169.00 in a report on Thursday, August 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Royal Bank of Canada presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of C$161.50.

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Royal Bank of Canada Price Performance

The businesss 50-day moving average price is C$152.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$143.39. The company has a market capitalization of C$234.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.61, a PEG ratio of 10.64 and a beta of 0.85.

Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY  Get Free Report) (NYSE:RY) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 28th. The financial services provider reported C$3.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$2.95 by C$0.31. The company had revenue of C$14.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$14.27 billion. Royal Bank of Canada had a net margin of 28.37% and a return on equity of 13.38%. Research analysts expect that Royal Bank of Canada will post 12.8601286 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Royal Bank of Canada Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, October 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 24th. This represents a $5.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.44%. Royal Bank of Canadas payout ratio is 50.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Senior Officer Bruce Washington Ross sold 12,170 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$141.46, for a total transaction of C$1,721,604.71. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 235 shares in the company, valued at C$33,243.81. In other Royal Bank of Canada news, Senior Officer Douglas Antony Guzman sold 54,354 shares of Royal Bank of Canada stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$145.15, for a total value of C$7,889,646.16. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 25 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$3,628.83. Also, Senior Officer Bruce Washington Ross sold 12,170 shares of Royal Bank of Canada stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$141.46, for a total transaction of C$1,721,604.71. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 235 shares in the company, valued at C$33,243.81. Insiders have sold a total of 86,524 shares of company stock worth $12,431,091 over the last ninety days.

About Royal Bank of Canada

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Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses.

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CCL Industries Inc. (TSE:CCL.B  Get Free Report) Director Sebastian Rubino sold 18,934 shares of CCL Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$76.39, for a total value of C$1,446,320.93.

CCL Industries Stock Up 0.7 %

TSE CCL.B traded up C$0.56 on Thursday, reaching C$79.05. The company had a trading volume of 263,077 shares, compared to its average volume of 263,386. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.08, a current ratio of 1.96 and a quick ratio of 1.31. CCL Industries Inc. has a 1 year low of C$52.82 and a 1 year high of C$81.38. The firm has a 50-day moving average of C$73.97 and a 200-day moving average of C$71.62. The firm has a market capitalization of C$13.21 billion, a PE ratio of 21.05, a P/E/G ratio of 0.26 and a beta of 0.56.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently commented on CCL.B. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on CCL Industries from C$83.00 to C$84.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of CCL Industries from C$81.00 to C$83.00 in a research note on Friday, May 10th. National Bankshares increased their target price on CCL Industries from C$84.00 to C$87.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. CIBC boosted their price target on CCL Industries from C$86.00 to C$88.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on CCL Industries from C$79.00 to C$83.00 in a research note on Friday, May 10th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, CCL Industries currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$84.78.

CCL Industries Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

CCL Industries Inc manufactures and sells labels, containers, consumer printable media products, technology driven label solutions, polymer bank note substrates, and specialty films. The company operates through four segments: CCL, Avery, Checkpoint, and Innovia. The CCL segment offers pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for decorative, instructional, functional, and security applications in the consumer packaging, healthcare, chemicals, consumer electronic device, and automotive markets.

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StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Envestnet (NYSE:ENV  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Sunday morning. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the business services providers stock.

ENV has been the topic of several other reports. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Envestnet from an underperform rating to a hold rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $47.00 to $59.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. UBS Group reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $63.15 target price (down previously from $75.00) on shares of Envestnet in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Envestnet from $56.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 8th. William Blair restated a market perform rating on shares of Envestnet in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Raymond James lowered shares of Envestnet from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $61.88.

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Envestnet Stock Performance

ENV opened at $62.85 on Friday. Envestnet has a twelve month low of $33.12 and a twelve month high of $73.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.46 billion, a PE ratio of -17.65 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.70. The firms 50-day moving average price is $62.28 and its 200 day moving average price is $60.79.

Envestnet (NYSE:ENV  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, August 9th. The business services provider reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.62 by ($0.07). Envestnet had a positive return on equity of 17.02% and a negative net margin of 19.33%. The company had revenue of $348.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $342.90 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.22 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Envestnet will post 1.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Envestnet

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ENV. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its position in shares of Envestnet by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 11,552 shares of the business services providers stock worth $723,000 after acquiring an additional 286 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Envestnet by 2.0% in the first quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 28,201 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,633,000 after purchasing an additional 543 shares during the last quarter. Natixis raised its holdings in Envestnet by 12.9% during the first quarter. Natixis now owns 4,767 shares of the business services providers stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 544 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Envestnet by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 25,200 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,577,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund boosted its holdings in shares of Envestnet by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 28,271 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,637,000 after buying an additional 619 shares in the last quarter.

About Envestnet

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Envestnet, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides wealth management software and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Envestnet Wealth Solutions and Envestnet Data & Analytics. The Envestnet Wealth Solutions segment offers Envestnet | Enterprise, an end-to-end open architecture wealth management platform, as well as offers data aggregation and reporting, data analytics, and digital advice capabilities; Envestnet | Wealth Analytics that transforms data into actionable intelligence; Envestnet | Tamarac which provides trading, rebalancing, portfolio accounting, performance reporting, and client relationship management software; and Envestnet | MoneyGuide that provides goals-based financial planning solutions to the financial services industry.

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Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK  Free Report)  Stock analysts at Wedbush dropped their Q3 2024 earnings per share estimates for shares of Cinemark in a research note issued on Tuesday, September 3rd. Wedbush analyst A. Reese now forecasts that the company will earn $0.46 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $0.54. Wedbush has a Outperform rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. The consensus estimate for Cinemarks current full-year earnings is $1.35 per share. Wedbush also issued estimates for Cinemarks FY2024 earnings at $1.53 EPS.

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CNK has been the topic of several other reports. Roth Capital raised Cinemark from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Macquarie increased their price target on Cinemark from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Cinemark from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. StockNews.com cut Cinemark from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Cinemark from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $25.20.

Cinemark Stock Performance

CNK stock opened at $27.73 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.39 billion, a PE ratio of 19.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 2.36. Cinemark has a 12-month low of $13.19 and a 12-month high of $28.43. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.23. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $24.09 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.04.

Cinemark (NYSE:CNK  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 2nd. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.25. The business had revenue of $734.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $691.74 million. Cinemark had a return on equity of 41.87% and a net margin of 5.05%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 22.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.80 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cinemark

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CNK. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Cinemark in the 4th quarter worth $3,000,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund increased its stake in Cinemark by 8.1% in the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 72,372 shares of the companys stock worth $1,020,000 after buying an additional 5,452 shares in the last quarter. Versor Investments LP increased its stake in Cinemark by 252.4% in the 4th quarter. Versor Investments LP now owns 54,152 shares of the companys stock worth $763,000 after buying an additional 38,786 shares in the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. increased its stake in Cinemark by 17.2% in the 4th quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 4,764 shares of the companys stock worth $67,000 after buying an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Cinemark in the 4th quarter worth $254,000.

Insider Transactions at Cinemark

In other news, insider Valmir Fernandes sold 25,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.19, for a total value of $679,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 204,729 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,566,581.51. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 2.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Cinemark Company Profile

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Cinemark Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the motion picture exhibition business. As of February 16, 2024, it operated 501 theatres with 5,719 screens in 42 states and 13 countries in South and Central America. Cinemark Holdings, Inc was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

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Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII  Free Report)  Investment analysts at Zacks Research dropped their FY2025 earnings estimates for shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a report released on Monday, September 2nd. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now anticipates that the aerospace company will earn $18.89 per share for the year, down from their prior forecast of $18.95. The consensus estimate for Huntington Ingalls Industries current full-year earnings is $16.55 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Huntington Ingalls Industries Q4 2025 earnings at $5.47 EPS and Q2 2026 earnings at $5.25 EPS.

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Separately, Citigroup began coverage on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a report on Monday, May 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $310.00 price objective for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Huntington Ingalls Industries currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $278.00.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE HII opened at $274.27 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Huntington Ingalls Industries has a 12 month low of $199.11 and a 12 month high of $299.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.82 billion, a PE ratio of 15.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.53. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $264.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $267.84.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The aerospace company reported $4.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.61 by $0.77. Huntington Ingalls Industries had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 18.55%. The company had revenue of $2.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.27 EPS. The firms revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 37,813 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $9,314,000 after acquiring an additional 653 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 34.7% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,687 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $4,111,000 after acquiring an additional 4,295 shares in the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp increased its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 4,620 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,138,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. bought a new position in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in the 2nd quarter worth about $455,000. Finally, Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group increased its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 9.1% in the 2nd quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group now owns 492 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $121,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. 90.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.90%. Huntington Ingalls Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.31%.

About Huntington Ingalls Industries

(Get Free Report)

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc designs, builds, overhauls, and repairs military ships in the United States. It operates through three segments: Ingalls, Newport News, and Mission Technologies. The company is involved in the design and construction of non-nuclear ships comprising amphibious assault ships; expeditionary warfare ships; surface combatants; and national security cutters for the U.S.

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Early Thursday morning, the Nicaraguan regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo released 135 political prisoners and put them on a plane to Guatemala, the U.S. government said in a statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The Biden-Harris Administration today secured the release of 135 unjustly detained political prisoners in Nicaragua, on humanitarian grounds. No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion, the press release stated.

Shortly thereafter, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed the arrival of the political prisoners in Guatemala City. According to Washington, there was no direct negotiation with Nicaragua to obtain their release. But there was pressure from the U.S. Congress to secure the release of 13 pastors from Puertas de la Montana, an evangelical organization based in Texas. The regime agreed to release them and 122 others. It was a unilateral decision by them to increase the list, Sullivan said.

Our country has shown its firm democratic conviction, which categorically rejects threats of authoritarian regression, Arevalo said on X. Today we reaffirm that commitment and give back the international solidarity that we have received so many times, welcoming 135 Nicaraguan brothers, released political prisoners. Only in freedom and democracy do life and humanity flourish. Welcome, Nicaraguan brothers and sisters!

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked the Guatemalan president and his administration for their efforts and support in welcoming those persecuted by the Sandinista regime and noted through a statement that these freed Nicaraguan citizens will now have the opportunity to apply for lawful pathways to resettle to the United States or elsewhere and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

The Ortega and Murillo regime has not yet commented on the release. This is not the first time that the United States has mediated for the release of political prisoners. The first major undertaking was Operation Nica Welcome, conducted by a small group from the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Managua on February 9, 2023. On that occasion, 222 political prisoners  among them opposition leaders, presidential pre-candidates, journalists and academics  were sent into exile in the United States, where they were beneficiaries of the Humanitarian Parole program.

While they were traveling on the plane to Dulles International Airport in Washington, on the so-called freedom flight, the Sandinista government stripped them all of their Nicaraguan nationality, confiscated their assets, and declared them fugitives from justice. Last January, Managua banished Bishop Rolando Alvarez and the priests and seminarians it had held in prison to Rome after a mediation with the Vatican.

As of Thursday, civil society organizations counted 151 political prisoners in Nicaragua. The identities of the 135 sent to Guatemala are not yet known. The United States only said that the group includes 13 members of the evangelical organization Puerta de la Montana, along with lay Catholics, students, and others that Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo consider a threat to their authoritarian government.

This is the day we have been praying and believing God for, said Jon Britton Hancock, founder and president of Puerta de la Montana, the organization accused by the Ortega-Murillo regime of money laundering as part of their ongoing religious persecution, especially against Catholicism. Members of Congress, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security worked tirelessly to effect their release from their unjust imprisonment, he said in quotes reported by The New York Times after the pastors release.

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Alveda King: Make It Plain, Keep Looking Up

"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" -- KJV 16:4 Galatians



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Alveda King Ministries

Sept. 5, 2024



ATLANTA, Sept. 5, 2024 /Standard Newswire/ -- The following is released by Dr. Alveda King:

Today's message is simply for your information/heads up. I wish I could say top of the morning to you, however things are escalating so quickly and seem to be so serious, that I'm choosing to take a somber tone. These two videos have come across my desk so to speak. One from my pastor of over 30 years, Allen McNair. He went to be with the Lord in 2015. This is one of his messages. The other, from Apostle Williams is more recent, although I have known him and his family for many years. Please watch these videos, pray with loving and repenting hearts, and as my grandfather Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Sr. would say if he were here with us today, make it plain and keep looking up. I love you. Alveda.





Pastor McNair: Don't Vote for Sin





African American Pastors Preaching Goes Viral Alton R Williams World Overcomers



On a lighter note, Ginger, Eartha and I are still traveling. Please pray for us, and enjoy this video.

Alveda King Ministries is funded by generous individuals like yourself. We have many ongoing projects that help us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a world much in need of His message. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Alveda King Ministries.



About Alveda C. King:

Evangelist Alveda C. King, PhD is Chair of the AFPI Center for the American Dream. She is a guardian of The King Family Legacy and is a graduate of Aidan University. She is the founder of Alveda King Ministries (www.alvedaking.com) and co-founder of She Leads Georgia and Speak for Life.



Alveda is also an acclaimed author, television host, blog contributor and co-producer of The Vision TV Show. Alveda was twice elected to the Georgia State House, a presidential appointee, the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, Senior Advisor at Priests for Life, senior Advisor Coral Ridge Ministries, Founder of King Legacy Farms, a lifetime member of Cooking Club of America and Optimist International and is a film and music veteran.



SOURCE Alveda King Ministries

CONTACT: Allison Schuster, 630-808-0371, aschuster@americafirstpolicy.com


Alarm bells began ringing more than a year ago. An FBI investigation into online threats of a school shooting, accompanied by photos of guns, led law enforcement officers to the home of Colt Gray, a 14-year-old accused of killing two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Wednesday. Nine other victims  eight students and one teacher  were taken to hospital and are expected to survive their injuries, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The suspect surrendered to school resource officers who confronted him.

During that early investigation last year, officers from the sheriffs office in Jackson County questioned the teen and his father, but found no grounds for arrest. Gray, whom a classmate described on Wednesday as a quiet boy who barely spoke at school, will be charged with murder and prosecuted as an adult, according to the authorities.

In May 2023, the FBIs National Threat Operations Center received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified time and location. The threats contained photographs of weapons. Within 24 hours, the FBI determined that the online posts had originated in Georgia. The FBIs Atlanta office forwarded the information to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, according to a joint statement by the FBIs Atlanta office and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office.

Local officers identified a possible suspect, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father. The father stated that he had hunting weapons at home, but that his son did not have unsupervised access to them. The boy denied making the online threats. Jackson County alerted local schools to continue monitoring the teen. However, at the time authorities saw no probable cause to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels.

Grays current school is in another county, Barrow County, and apparently the information exchange was deficient. According to local radio station WSB-TV, a neighbor of the family saw the boy take the school bus on Wednesday morning wearing a sweatshirt and a backpack, although his father normally drove him to school.

Eyewitnesses told local media that Gray walked out of the math class and that the door to his classroom locked automatically. When he tried to return, one of the students inside saw that he was carrying a gun and did not open it. Shortly afterward the shooting began, apparently in a hallway of the school and an adjoining classroom. Gray used an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, according to authorities, who are still investigating how he got hold of it. Police carried out searches at the accuseds home on Wednesday.

He never talked

In an interview on CNN, Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School who said she sat next to the shooter, described him as a quiet kid who had recently transferred to the school and often skipped class. He never really talked. He was pretty quiet. He wasnt there most times, he just didnt come to school or he skipped class. But even when he did talk, it was one-word answers or just short statements, she said. I couldnt tell you what his voice sounded like, or even describe his face. He was just there.

Sayarath said he wasnt surprised that he was the shooter. When you think about shooters and how they act or the things they do, its usually the quiet guy or at least thats the stereotype, and he was the one that fit that description in our class, he said.

Little more has emerged about the suspect. It is not yet known if there was any trigger for him to carry out those threats made almost a year and a half earlier.

There have been 45 school shootings so far this year. The U.S. has experienced at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot.
Delhi searching for a solution ? What has it done so far ?

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On September 5, with the dateline given as Imphal, September 4, The Sangai Express ran two exclusive stories, one dealing with how Delhi may effect a change in leadership and the other on how Chief Minister N Biren was convinced not to visit Koutruk with the said two stories quickly going viral on the social media and drawing sharp comments from the people. September 15 is the date on which the story on leadership change, with a big question mark, revolved around and the significance of this date can be seen in the backdrop of the fact that this date would mark the completion of the first 100 days of the Modi 3.0 Government. The question mark that followed the big story and the crux of the news could be the reason for one of the stories going viral on the social media but this also reflects the toll the ongoing conflict has taken on everyone. How Delhi proceeds to mark its first 100 days in power is anybodys guess, but to Manipur it could mean something significant for remember Delhi had set the 100 days mark as the date to resolve the Manipur crisis. The interesting point is, the Manipur of today, that is September of 2024 is very different from the June of 2024, that was when the Modi 3.0 Government assumed power for the third consecutive term, and one wonders if the parameters that the BJP Government may have set itself on back in June would hold water now in September. This much is true with respect to the ongoing ethnic violence and back in June and before that, the clash between the two communities was one of gun battle and stand offs but September has heralded a totally new dimension in so far as the weapons used in the conflict is concerned. September 1 and September 2 saw the use of high tech weaponised drones with devastating impact, having already claimed the lives of two people and inflicting injuries on over 10 people. The use of weaponised drones also came along with the understanding of turning the life saving ambulance to a vehicle being used to ferry killers and this is a point that should be taken note of. Delhi could be studying the different options before it, including change in leadership, but it should also understand that the conflict has taken so many twists and turns in the last 15 months and it has only to hold itself responsible for turning Manipur into a sort of a killing field. Delhi should also get down to the business of asking itself why and how weaponised drones got to be fired from the hills and this is where one is reminded of the You look after the valley, while I will look after the hills instruction given to Chief Minister N Biren by Union Home Minister Amit Shah sometime in 2023. Something is just not right in how Delhi has been dealing with the great human tragedy here and this is a point which it must acknowledge even as September 15 draws nearer with each passing day.

So what are the feedbacks with which BJP North East coordinator, Sambit Patra would have gone back to Delhi and brief Union Home Minister Amit Shah ? The answer will not come soon, and one has to wait till September 15, that is if one goes by what was assured back in June and one can only hope that whatever is taken up does not go against the interests of Manipur. Something has to give is a line which The Sangai Express has been maintaining after it became clear that Manipur does not figure anywhere on the agenda of the BJP led Government at Delhi, and now after having waited for over 15 months, that something should not mean anything that goes against the interests of Manipur. This observation is being made in the belief that the BJP Government would stick by what it had announced back in June, with Manipur featuring in the list of to do in the first 100 days of being in office but given the way Delhi has been responding to the situation here, nothing will be too surprising if it continues with its indifference. Looking back one wonders what Delhi has in mind, and the important question is what it has done ever since Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023 ? Flew in 60,000 troops to help the State Government deal with the fast deteriorating law and order situation, draw buffer zones across the length and breadth of the State, divest the post of Chairman of the Unified Command from the Chief Minister and hand over the same to Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, hand pick the man to head the State police force as the DGP. The question is have these measures helped in any way ? The answer should be clear to all, particularly to New Delhi and hereby hangs a tale.
In 27 days, Alicia Barcena will stop being President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors foreign secretary to become Claudia Sheinbaums environment minister. But before leaving, the official is trying to outline Mexicos migration strategy for the coming years. The plan, which she has called the Mexican Model of Human Mobility, includes investing $133 million in countries of origin, creating two new care centers in Chiapas, and the safe transfer to the northern border of migrants with an asylum appointment in the United States. The foreign minister said on Wednesday that her model, which has reduced irregular crossings into the neighboring country by 66%, is not going to go away when she leaves her position: I presented it to President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who was very interested, so I am sure that this strategy will continue.

Mexico is trapped between migration figures. In the north, Joe Bidens administration has agreed to manage 4,000 crossings a day, 1,500 through its CBP One platform. But no more, says Barcena, who remembers December 18, 2023, when the United States announced the closure of seven of its border posts. Why? Because 12,500 people had arrived at the northern border. Meanwhile, in the south, 712,000 migrants have entered Mexico in the first six months of 2024 alone. In this bottleneck are the overcrowded camps from Tapachula to Ciudad Juarez, the violence, corruption and the massacres.

The foreign ministers focus is on creating safe routes for migrants upon entering Mexico. We have managed some very concrete achievements, said Barcena, who took over 15 months ago from Marcelo Ebrard. For those who want to go to the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has negotiated with the Biden administration that an appointment for CBP One can be requested from anywhere in the country. Previously, the platform could only be accessed from the 19th parallel, which runs through Mexico City, or further north. Since August 23, it also operates from Chiapas or Tabasco, where migrant processing is concentrated.

Along those lines, Barcenas latest measure is that once the migrants have a confirmed appointment with CBP One, the Mexican authorities will be the ones to transport them: We will take them to the border so that they do not have to go through the enormous risks of the journey. In some cases it will be Matamoros, in others, Tijuana, we already have clear routes, taking care of them, because we believe that guaranteeing safe mobility is part of our job. This implies an immense change in the destinations of thousands of migrants, who identify the journey through Mexico as the most dangerous part of the entire journey to the north.

Much of the solution to the northern border is on the southern border, investing in the south is the strategy, she said. Behind this objective, in addition to the investment in cooperation of 2.25 billion pesos to create jobs in Belize, Cuba, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, is the construction of two comprehensive aid centers in Chiapas. This morning, the foreign minister signed agreements with the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the management of resources directed to these spaces. UNHCR, through its donors, has provided $3.5 million for the Multi-Service Center in Tapachula while the Government of Mexico is providing an additional $9.3 million. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has secured additional philanthropic funds of $2.6 million.

The first center is being built in Tapachula; it will have the capacity to serve 1,500 asylum seekers a day and will be managed by the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (Comar). Most of the people who arrive in Tapachula are seeking international protection. More and more were arriving and Comar was on the verge of collapse, Andres Ramirez, general coordinator of the commission, acknowledged this morning. In 2023, 140,000 migrants requested asylum in Mexico, a historic number in the country. It is impossible to process all of them, said Alicia Barcena: Comar, the government had left you alone, but now the government is with you very strongly and so is the United Nations. The second space will be in Huitxla, in an expanded DIF centre, and will be oriented to the employment of migrants not seeking refuge, as well as migrant families. Foreign Affairs and Interior, along with Comar and UNHCR, will inaugurate the Tapachula center in January 2025, while the IOM will begin operating the center in Huixtla this year.

Mexico is a country of origin, transit, destination and return of migration, said the foreign minister, who believes that the unique migratory characteristics required a new strategy. Migration was seen as a problem between the United States and Mexico  in the US it is an electoral issue, no doubt  and the new narrative demands that we see it as a regional phenomenon, she noted, We did so with a very clear compass: humanize mobility. The migrant is a person seeking opportunities for a better life.
As part of the Make in India initiative, the government on Wednesday announced it would promote both Indian alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages globally, with a target of $1 billion in export revenue over the next few years, amid a surge in global demand for Indian spirits.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said it has been targeting to increase exports of Indian spirits to major foreign destinations.

The country currently ranks 40th in the world for alcoholic beverage exports. Indias alcoholic beverages exports stood at over Rs 2,200 crore in 2023-24 to major destinations like the UAE, Singapore, Netherlands, Tanzania, Angola, Kenya, and Rwanda.

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Godawan single malt whisky is all set to launch in the United Kingdom as an artisanal single malt whisky made in Rajasthan. The ministry said that the initiative will support farmers of the Alwar region. The whisky was created as part of corporate conservation efforts for the endangered Great Indian Bustard.

According to the ministry, the first batch of Godawan was flagged off to the UK jointly by Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Debra Crew, Chief Executive of Diageo Plc, Abhisek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, and Hina Nagarajan, MD and CEO, Diageo India, along with other senior representatives. Godawan Single Malt whisky was featured at the International Food and Drinks Event (IFE), London in March this year. This worked as a precursor to launching Godawan in the UK and commencing exports. The six-row barley used in the production of Godawan, has been locally procured which helps in enhancing the agricultural income of the local farmers through its backward linkages.
Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said on Thursday that he has written to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner demanding an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

In his letter to the CVC, the BJP leader accused the Delhi government of deliberate financial mismanagement in the citys water board. He alleged that the intentions of the government are dubious. They have not prepared a balance sheet of the DJB since 2018 to hide the corruption.

He said following the intervention of the high court, the government prepared balance sheets for the first three years, but the balance sheets for 2021-22 and 2022-23 were deliberately left out.

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Gupta said due to this, the DJBs expenses have not yet been audited by the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), which indicate a deep conspiracy to hide financial irregularities and corruption, he alleged.

The Leader of the Opposition further mentioned in his communication that on March 15 this year, the chief secretary of Delhi had submitted a detailed report to the Water Minister regarding DJBs debt of Rs 73,000 crore.

He added that this report contained numerous reasons and details about alleged financial irregularities; however, to cover up these misdeeds, the minister allegedly stashed the report and did not present the same in the Assembly.

Gupta further claimed that the minister was aware that if the report was presented in the Assembly, copies would have to be given to opposition members, leading to the exposure of their financial misconduct.

The BJP leader also claimed that the report states the DJB was allocated Rs. 28,500 crore from 2015 until now for various projects, but there is no record of where this money was spent, Gupta added.

Without a balance sheet or audit, these expenditures cannot be traced, which seems to be the governments intention as well, hence the delay in preparing the balance sheet, he claimed.

Gupta further alleged that funds allocated in the budget for DJB are not fully utilized, and claimed that in 2021-22, Rs. 210 crore remained unspent, and in the 2022-23 budget, Rs. 3,035 crore could not be utilized by the water agency.

The BJP MLA has also claimed that Delhi Ministers took the power of approving all projects of the board in their hands, which has caused delays in completing small projects as officials are forced to wait for approval from the ministers office.
Whenever there is a mention of either Raj Kapoor or Nargis, the others name is always taken as well. The duo remains one of the most iconic pairings of the Hindi Film Industry. It is said that Raj Kapoor and Nargis had a long-standing affair. Recently the word that Raj Kapoor burned himself with cigarettes and broke down when his beloved Nargis tied the knot with Sunil Dutt in 1958. As per Madhu Jains book, The Kapoors: The First Family of Indian Cinema, the Awara actor felt betrayed by Nargis decision.

The book reveals Raj Kapoors conversation with the journalist Suresh Kohli. In the conversation, the showman talked about their breakup saying, The world tells me I let Nargis down. It was she who betrayed me. Madhu Jains work also states, He broke down and cried in front of his friends and colleagues when he found out that she had married Sunil Dutt. Raj Kapoor took it very badly: he would reportedly burn himself with cigarette butts to check if he was not dreaming, wondering how she could have done this to him.

Also Read: Ranbir Kapoors Viral Rockstar singing clip sparks hilarious reactions

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Moreover, Raj Kapoor also developed a drinking habit and it took a toll on his family. His wife Krishna Raj Kapoor revealed to author Bunny Reuben, Night after night hed come home drunk Hed come and collapse almost unconscious in the bathtub weeping bitterly. Night after night. Do you think I thought he was weeping for me? No. Of course not. I knew he was weeping for her. A friend was quoted as saying, Nargis was his only true love. He never spoke against her publicly. He blamed her brothers for driving a wedge between them. In private, he often babbled on about what he termed a great betrayal.

While Raj Kapoor had turned Nargis into a betrayer in his mind, the duo was together for several years but he never married her. Reportedly, Nargis wanted to be engaged in matrimony, but Kapoor always rebuffed the idea and kept telling her that he would marry her. Madhu Jain even noted, So important was the sanctity of marriage for Nargis that she apparently even cornered Morarji Desai, then Home Minister in Bombay and asked him for his advice on how she could legally marry the actor. Kapoor was a Hindu and already married. However, as the world knows, Nargis then fell in love with Sunil Dutt and they got married.

Raj Kapoor and Nargis starred together in 16 films. Some of the hit titles they did together include Awara, Shree 420, Aah, Chori Chori, and Barsaat among others.
Janhvi Kapoors latest track, Daavudi, from the much-anticipated film *Devara* is making waves, and its not just for her impressive dance moves. The song, which also features the charismatic Jr NTR, showcases Janhvis exceptional talent and dedication. She dazzles with intricate choreography and high-energy performances, capturing the spotlight and ensuring that Daavudi stands out as a must-see for fans of dance and music.

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is Janhvis recent health scare. Just a few months ago, she was in hospital due to food poisoning. Despite this setback, her commitment to her craft was unwavering. Remarkably, she was back on set just three days after the discharge from the hospital, diving straight into the demanding shoot for Daavudi. This swift return highlights not only her resilience but also her deep passion for acting and performing.

Reports have been praising Janhvis impressive recovery and dedication. One source noted, Janhvi Kapoor shot for the song Daavudi just three days after being discharged from the hospital. Her energy and dedication shine throughout the song, earning her accolades as she transforms into a major star for her first big commercial pan-India film.

In Daavudi, Janhvi Kapoor exudes a magnetic charm that is hard to ignore. As she continues to rise in prominence, Janhvi is setting new benchmarks for both her craft and her industry standing.

Fans and critics alike are eagerly watching to see what she will do next, and its clear that she is a star on the ascent.
Mark your calendars! The highly anticipated Tamil film Petta Rap, featuring the dynamic duo of Prabhu Deva and Sunny Leone, is officially slated for release on September 27. The announcement came via the films social media channels, along with an eye-catching new poster showcasing the talented trio of Sunny Leone, Prabhu Deva, and Vedhika.

Fans of the two stars can expect a thrilling cinematic experience, as Petta Rap is being touted as a mass entertainer designed to captivate audiences. The recently unveiled poster highlights Sunnys glamorous return, piquing the interest of her fans who are eager to see her in action alongside the legendary choreographer and actor, Prabhu Deva. The film promises an electrifying dance number featuring the two, a collaboration that has fans buzzing with excitement.

Sunny Leone has been making waves in the Tamil film industry, recently leaving a lasting impression in her role as an assassin in Quotation Gang. This film showcased her versatility and garnered significant attention, setting high expectations for her upcoming projects.

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In addition to Petta Rap, Sunny is also set to star in Badass Ravikumar, directed by Prabhu Deva and featuring music by Himesh Reshammiya. This film further cements her place in the Tamil cinema landscape and showcases her ability to take on diverse roles. Alongside these projects, she has also been involved in Shero and an untitled Malayalam film, indicating a busy schedule ahead.

Beyond her film endeavors, Sunny Leone is carving out a significant niche in the entrepreneurial world with her cosmetic brand, proving that her talents extend far beyond the silver screen. Her venture into beauty products is gaining momentum, reflecting her ambition and drive to succeed in various fields.
In a fresh attack on the ruling BJP, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the saffron party of spreading hatred in every corner of the country.

Addressing a rally after paying tributes to veteran Congress leader Patangarao Kadam, Gandhi said, BJP is spreading hatred in every corner of the country. This is not a new thing, they have been doing it since long. This battle of ideologies is old. Today this fight is between BJP and Congress.

People from the BJP want to finish the Constitution. They want to keep their own people in every department. Today there is only one type of merit in India. If you belong to RSS then there is merit. If you are not from RSS, there is no place for you, he said.

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Referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi said, During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, lakhs of people were with us.

Our only goal was to open a nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love in the market of hatred) because we do not want an India of hatred. We want an India of love.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the state recently, he said, A few days back, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed here. After this Narendra Modi ji said I apologize to Shivaji Maharaj. There can be different reasons for apologizing The contract for this statue may have been given to someone from RSS.. Perhaps, the PM is saying that I should have given the contract on merit. There may have been corruption in the making of the statue The PM is apologizing for this.

Notably, during his recent visit to Maharashtra, apologised for the collapse of the statue.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House lauded the people of Maharashtra and asserted that they had the Congress DNA in them.

Gandhi also reiterated his commitment to carrying out the caste census in the country.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday, had a narrow escape when a speeding train went past him as he was walking on the narrow stretch of the Budameru railway bridge to take stock of the damage done by floodwater.

However, Naidus security personnel ensured that he remained safe as the train sped past him. The railway bridge is narrow with the tracks right beside it.

Meanwhile, the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and another team of officials from the Union Ministry for Home Affairs held meetings with the state officials.

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The Central team led by Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, additional secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs arrived at Vijayawada to visit the flood-affected districts of NTR, Guntur and Prakasam. The team will assess the total damage caused by heavy rain and the resultant flood waters. The team reviewed the flood situation with the state officials at AP disaster management authority headquarters. The central team inspected the works of filling the sinkholes.

State HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and BJP MLA Y Sujana Chowdary accompanied the Union agriculture minister while taking stock of the crop damage in the state. Later, Lokesh wrote on X, I inspected Budameru and catchment areas through an aerial survey along with the Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the flood affected areas. After the aerial survey in the flood affected areas such as Jakkampudi Milk factory, Kandrika and Ajitsingh Nagar, I explained the damage to the union minister.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also visited the flooded parts of Budameru on a barge. He also inquired about the damage to crops from the residents. While, Opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy blamed the current government for failing to monitor the Budamerus flooding which resulted into submergence of Vijayawada city Chandrababu Naidu has blamed the previous YSRCP government for neglecting Budamerus upkeep which led to the floods.
The Congress on Thursday reiterated its demand for resignation of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, days after the party accused her of conflict of interest.

The Congress has been demanding resignation of Buch following the Hindenburg Research report against her last month. The US-based shortseller alleged that Buch and her husband Dhaval Buch had stakes in obscure offshore entities used in the Adani money siphoning scandal.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Chairman of Professionals Congress and Data Analytics Praveen Chakravarty said, On 10th August, an American research firm made serious charges against the Chairperson of SEBI Madhabi Puri Buch alleging that SEBIs unwillingness to take meaningful action against suspect shareholders in the Adani Group stemmed from Buchs complicity in using the exact same funds used by Vinod Adani, brother of Gautam Adani.

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Attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said, The Congress along with several other voices including journalists and other professionals, demanded that the SEBI Chairperson step aside while urging an immediate impartial inquiry into the matter. (Union) Cabinet, instead of this, cabinet ministers and BJP MPs came to Buchs rescue when the allegations were against an individual and her family.

Accusing Buch of conflict of interest, Chakravarty said,On 2nd September, 2024, the Congress revealed with documentary evidence that Buch was eligible to receive income from ICICI stock, which was regulated by SEBI, a clear conflict of interest. Again, ICICI Bank, which is indirectly implicated, responded to this charge while Buch, the primary accused, remained silent.

Why did ICICI respond on behalf of Buch, when in a similar case with Chanda Kochar, it did not defend her and instead set up an independent inquiry? he questioned.

The Chairman of Professionals Congress and Data Analytics further said, Today, we learnt through a news article that Buch, during her tenure at ICICI Bank between 2011 and 2013, was also employed at Greater Pacific Capital, a private equity fund where Shaurya Doval (son of NSA Ajit Doval), is a member of the leadership team. Given the long list of previous charges, this news today raises even further concern over Buchs ability to function objectively and independently.

There are several investors, domestic and foreign, who have expressed concern to us over the series of charges against the market regulator. There is an erosion of trust and credibility of Indias stock markets. The Congress party wants a strong and robust stock market with many foreign and domestic investors participation, he said.

Asserting that it is not in the nations interest to have clouds of doubt, fear and uncertainty over the market regulator, Chakravarty said, Only an objective, independent inquiry with the SEBI Chairperson Ms Buch stepping aside was needed, until then can restore trust and confidence in Indias stock markets and hence the economy.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that cultural degradation observed in nations like America, Poland, and countries affected by the Arab Spring has now been witnessed in Bangladesh, stating that such tendencies bring about national catastrophes and nations get ruined.

Speaking at the Vedsevak Sanman Sohala, an event organised by the Sadguru Group, on Wednesday, the RSS Chief felicitated 200 gurujis involved in Vedas recitation during the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.

Bhagwat criticised those who seek global dominance and cause divisions.

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He also said that evil forces that flourish in the rest of the world meet their end in India due to the countrys knowledge and adherence to law, the constitution, and its rich legacy.

Bhagwat underscored the necessity of vigilance against these forces, emphasising that history shows their eventual decline in India due to the countrys knowledge and adherence to law, the constitution, and its rich legacy.

The RSS Chief also spoke on increasing disbelief among the educated class and the issue of untouchability, raising questions about religious conversions spurred by social discrimination.

Evil forces exist across the globe, and their evil acts continue to play out everywhere. Bangladesh is not the first case. The first case is America. I read a book written by an American author titled Cultural Development of America, in which he discusses the cultural degradation of America over the last 100 years.

This degradation was replicated in Poland, then in Arab countries in the form of Arab Spring, and recently it happened in Bangladesh. Those who want to tighten their grip on the world and assume they are the only ones who are right, while others are wrong, such proud tendencies seek to pit people against each other and benefit from it, Bhagwat said.

We need to keep track of such tendencies without fear. History shows that such forces grow larger, eventually reach India, and face decline here, as we perform their last rites. We are able to do this because we possess knowledge, and by using that knowledge, such tendencies can be tamed following the discipline of law, the constitution and legacy, he said.

Disbelief (anastha and ashraddha) is increasing, especially among the educated classes, because they do not have examples to look up to, the RSS Chief added.

Untouchability has no place in the shastras (Hindu scriptures) but it exists in practise, he noted.

If someone, after being fed up with such adamant behavior of Hindu religion, converts to another religion, who is to be blamed, he asked.

Swami Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj and Champat Rai, treasurer and secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust, respectively; BVG Group Founder Hanmantrao Gaikwad, and Sakal Media Group chairman Abhijit Pawar were also present at the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong on Thursday reviewed India-Singapore bilateral relations and decided to elevate relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

On the second day of his visit, the prime minister held talks with the Singapore prime minister and took stock of the robust progress in economic ties with Singapore. The two leaders called for further expanding trade and investment flows between the two countries.

Their decision to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership is expected to give a major boost to Indias Act East Policy, given the breadth and depth of bilateral ties and immense potential.

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Concluding his visit to Singapore, the prime minister said, My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth.

Mr Modi and Mr Wong witnessed exchange of MoUs for cooperation in Semiconductors, Digital Technologies, Skill Development and Healthcare. Mr Modi invited Prime Minister Wong to visit India which he accepted.

At his meeting with Mr Wong, Mr Modi said Singapore is not merely a partner country; it serves as an inspiration for every developing nation. We also aim to create multiple Singapore within India. I am pleased that we are collaborating towards this goal. The ministerial roundtable we have established is a path-breaking mechanism.

The prime minister said collaborative initiatives have been identified in areas such as skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and AI, healthcare, sustainability and cybersecurity.

Singapore is also an important facilitator of our Act East policy, Mr Modi said. Our shared belief in democratic values connects us with each other. Mr Modi said our strategic partnership is completing a decade. Over the past 10 years, our trade has more than doubled.

Mr Modi said mutual investment has increased almost threefold to cross $150 billion. Singapore was the first country with which we launched the UPI Person-to-Person payment facility, he said.

The prime minister said, I am delighted to inform you that Indias first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be inaugurated in Singapore. The great saint Thiruvalluvar provided guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language Tamil. His work, the Thirukkural, was composed nearly 2,000 years ago, yet its ideas remain relevant today.

The Prime Minister met President of Singapore Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam also. Mr Modi appreciated the Presidents passionate support for the India-Singapore partnership.

The two leaders noted the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries, which is based on trust, mutual respect and complementarity. Mr Modi conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Tharman to India next year.

Among his high-level engagements, Mr Modi met Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister and former Prime Minister of Singapore also. The Senior Minister hosted a lunch in honour of the Prime Minister.

Mr Modi appreciated Senior Minister Lees contributions to the development of India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and expressed his hope that Senior Minister Lee will continue to give attention and guidance to Singapores relations with India in his new role as Senior Minister.

The prime minister also met Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and noted that he had started the India Fever in Singapore and paid special attention to India-Singapore ties when he was the Prime Minister of Singapore.

At his talks with Mr Wong, the prime minister said Singapore with an investment of around USD 160 billion in the Indian economy, is a leading economic partner for India. He noted that rapid and sustained growth in India has opened up immense investment opportunities for Singaporean entities.

The two leaders discussed the outcome of the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore in August 2024 and appreciated the work done by senior ministers from both sides in deliberating and identifying a new agenda for bilateral cooperation.

The leaders called for accelerated action under the pillars of cooperation identified during the Ministerial Roundtables  Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalization, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability.

The leaders underscored that the cooperation in these areas, particularly in the fields of semiconductors and critical and emerging technologies, will open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 11:50 | All, Japan, World

U.S. President Joe Biden is set to block Nippon Steel Corp.'s plan to acquire United States Steel Corp. on national security grounds, media reports said Wednesday.

It would be a rare rejection of a proposed buyout by a company from Japan, a key U.S. ally. With votes from blue-collar workers seen as critical in the U.S. presidential election in November, both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have voiced opposition to the takeover plan, without providing a detailed rationale.

The Washington Post reported Biden is planning to announce that he will formally block the acquisition by Japan's largest steelmaker.

While the timing of the Biden administration's announcement remains unclear, the Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States told Nippon Steel recently that the planned acquisition posed national security concerns that could not be mitigated by the two producers.

Nippon Steel, however, said it has not received any update on the committee's review, while noting that "since the outset of the regulatory review process, we have been clear with the administration that we do not believe this transaction creates any national security concerns."

"Nippon Steel strongly believes that the U.S. government should appropriately handle procedures on this matter in accordance with the law," it said in a statement.

Without confirming the media reports, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the review is "incredibly independent" and it "hasn't transmitted a recommendation yet to the president and that's the next step in this process."

She also told a press briefing that Biden and Harris are "committed to ensuring steel is made in America."

The committee, chaired by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, is in charge of examining whether foreign investment transactions in U.S. firms pose national security threats.

Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest producer, and U.S. Steel, the 24th-largest, announced the $14.1 billion acquisition deal in December. U.S. Steel and its shareholders are in favor of the takeover, which would make it more competitive globally and create the world's third-largest steelmaker by volume.

But the powerful United Steelworkers union -- which has endorsed Harris for president after Biden's withdrawal from the race against Republican nominee Donald Trump -- is strongly opposed to the deal, dragging the two companies into political controversy.

Harris, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, said at a Labor Day campaign rally in Pittsburgh on Monday that U.S. Steel should remain domestically owned and operated.

Her first reference to the planned acquisition since launching her presidential campaign was in sync with Biden, who has said multiple times this year that the company should remain in American hands.

"It is vital for our nation to maintain strong American steel companies," Harris told the crowd at the rally. "I couldn't agree more with President Biden...and I will always have the back of America's steelworkers and all of America's workers."

U.S. Steel, founded in 1901, and the labor union are both headquartered in Pittsburgh, a city in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the Nov. 5 election.

In response to Harris' remarks, Nippon Steel said it is confident that the envisaged acquisition will "revitalize the American steel rust belt" and "benefit American workers, local communities and national security in a way no other alternative can."

On Wednesday, the Japanese company made an additional announcement, saying that U.S. citizens would still make up the majority of board members and core senior management of U.S. Steel if the acquisition goes ahead.

"We want elected leaders and other key decision makers to recognize the benefits of the deal as well as the unavoidable consequences if the deal fails," a U.S. Steel statement released separately quoted its president and CEO, David Burritt, as saying.

Without the tie-up, it said, "U.S. Steel will largely pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, putting thousands of good-paying union jobs at risk, negatively impacting numerous communities across the locations where its facilities exist, and depriving the American steel industry of an opportunity to better compete on the global stage."

It added that losing the deal with the Japanese company would also raise serious doubts about the company remaining headquartered in Pittsburgh.

Related coverage:

Majority of U.S. Steel board to be U.S. citizens: Nippon Steel

Harris opposes sale of U.S. Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel

Nippon Steel to invest additional $1.3 billion in U.S. Steel plants
The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest petition seeking a fair investigation by a Central investigation agency into the allegations levelled by CPI-M-backed independent legislator P V Anvar against M R Ajith Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, and former Malappuram District Police Chief Sujith Das.

A Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque and Justice S. Manu said it did not understand how a public interest litigation came to be filed even before the government or authorities acted on the allegations. There was absolutely no reason to entertain the petition, the court said.

The counsel for the state government submitted before the court that the petitioner was making an allegation that the investigation was not proper even before the investigation agency conducted its first meeting or started the investigation.

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The court observed that the writ petitioner approached the court even before the investigation agency had a chance to investigate the allegations.

P V Anvar on Sunday came out with serious allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans political secretary, P Sasi, and Additional Director General of Police(ADGP), Law and Order, M R Ajith Kumar.Anwar accused ADGP Ajith Kumar of being involved in gold smuggling operations that have led to killings.

Anvar also alleged that Pathanamthitta SP Sujith Das(former MalappuramSP) has connections within Customs that are used to smuggle gold through Kozhikode airport.

When gold arrives from Dubai, Sujith Das gets information .through insiders. Das has strong connections in Customs, where he previously worked. Customs officers detect gold during scanning but pretend that it didnt come to their notice. The, they pass the information to the police as the smugglers exit. The police then follow and catch them, seizing 50 to 60 per cent of the gold. This is their modus operandi. Sujith Das is controlled by MR. Ajith Kumar. Anvar further alleged.
At least six persons, including a woman, were killed as landslides damaged many houses besides washing away a large portion of the vital National Highway-29 in Nagalands Chumoukedima district, officials said on Wednesday.

Disaster management officials said that six persons were killed when their houses collapsed due to landslides triggered by heavy rain in Pherima village late on Tuesday night.

According to the officials, the landslides also washed away a large portion of NH-29 at Pherima and Pagala Pahar, snapping road links between the states commercial hub Dimapur and capital Kohima.

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Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said in a post on X, Convened a meeting and took stock of the disaster situation on NH-29, which resulted in six casualties. I urge citizens to heed to official advisories. The government is providing emergency services and ex-gratia. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.

In another post, the Chief Minister said, Im deeply concerned by large scale destruction on NH-29 caused by incessant rainfall. Authorities are on the site assessing the situation and helping those affected. The state government will continue to pursue with the Government of India and the NHIDCL (National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited) for immediate measures to restore normalcy at the earliest.

Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang said, I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families of six precious souls that were lost in the unfortunate natural calamity. May the departed souls rest in eternal peace and may the Almighty give strength and solace to the bereaved families.

An official statement said that a massive mudslide at Pherima, along with landslides in Tseipama, Piphema, Pagala Pahar, and New Chumoukedima resulted in the complete blockage of NH-29.

The affected section of the road has been washed away, making it impassable for all vehicular traffic between Kohima and Dimapur.

In light of the road conditions, the police have also advised against using the alternate Pimla-Mhainamtsi route for travel between Kohima and Dimapur, as it is also affected by mudslides and landslides.

For those willing to travel, the Niuland-Kohima route via Zhadima remains open for light motor vehicles only.
A district court in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday awarded death sentence to a man for raping and killing his minor niece in 2021.

Suresh Kumar Choube, the Additional District Judge (ADJ) of Sohagpur court in Narmadapuram district, found the accused guilty of rape and murder and awarded death sentence.

Before pronouncing the judgement, ADJ Choube read a quatrain from the Ramcharitamanas and said, Raping an innocent, minor girl falls under heinous crime. And, killing a minor after raping her cant be judged as a normal case.

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The investigation by Sohagpur police, the DNA reports, and the testimony of the victims elder brother, who is also a minor, led the court to decide the fate of the accused, who is the maternal uncle of the victim.

The heinous crime was committed on December 25, 2021. The Sohagpur police upon receiving a missing complaint carried out a search and found the victims body on the rooftop of her house.

After committing the crime, the accused misled the victims family and the police by pretending that he too was searching for the missing girl.

The autopsy report revealed that the victim was sexually assaulted before being smothered to death.

The police nabbed the accused on the basis of bite marks on the victims body. The case had triggered widespread anger among the residents of Sohagpur who staged a massive protest, blocking highways and roads besides laying siege to the offices of the district collector and the superintendent of police demanding death penalty for the accused.
The Meghalaya government has informed the Supreme Court that it has officially banned the use of the two-finger test for determining whether survivors of rape or sexual assault were previously habituated to sexual intercourse. The controversial test has long been criticised as invasive and scientifically baseless.

In a circular dated June 27, 2024, issued by the states Health and Family Welfare Department, all medical practitioners were strictly prohibited from conducting the two-finger test. Disciplinary action would be taken against any medical personnel found violating this directive, the directive added.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Sanjay Karol acknowledged this circular while reviewing a case on September 3, 2024. The bench referred to the Supreme Courts strong condemnation of the two-finger test in its earlier ruling on May 7, which decried the practice as an affront to a womans dignity.

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Amit Kumar, the Advocate General for Meghalaya, presented the circular to the court. The circular emphasised that medical professionals in the state must refrain from performing the test, as it not only lacks scientific merit but also revictimises survivors of sexual assault.

The bench, while dismissing an appeal from a convict challenging his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, welcomed the states prohibition of the practice. It stressed the importance of ensuring survivors receive compassionate and respectful care, including psychological support and counseling services.

The court made it clear that any deviation from this directive would result in strict disciplinary measures as outlined in the Meghalaya Discipline and Appeal Rules, 2019. It also expressed hope that the state of Meghalaya would fully adhere to the circular, avoiding the need for future reprimands.

This decision aligns with a Supreme Court judgment delivered in October 2022, which had condemned the two-finger test for its lack of scientific validity and for causing further trauma to survivor
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday expressed strong confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition will emerge victorious in the Maharashtra assembly elections, anticipated later this year.

When questioned about who would be the Chief Minister if the MVA wins, Raut remained non-committal but hinted that the party securing the most seats would likely claim the top position.

The people will choose the CM who resonates with them Lets see which party wins how many seats. The decision on the CM face will come later. Our primary goal is to oust this corrupt government. After that, we can discuss leadership, Raut stated during a press conference in Mumbai.

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The MVA is a coalition of three major Opposition parties: Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP), and the Congress.

In the previous MVA government, Uddhav Thackeray served as Chief Minister. However, since then, both Thackerays and Pawars parties have faced internal splits, while the Congress has seen a resurgence, strengthening its position after a strong showing in this years general elections.

While both the BJP-led ruling MahaYuti alliance and the Oppositions MVA claim they will triumph in the upcoming elections, the latter is seen as the frontrunner by many.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a programme marking the launch of Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative at Surat in Gujarat through video conferencing on Friday.

In furtherance to the PMs vision of water security, the initiative seeks to conserve water with strong emphasis on community partnership and ownership and is driven by a whole of society and government approach.

Building on the success of the Jal Sanchay initiative led by the Government of Gujarat, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the state government, is launching the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative in Gujarat.

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The Government of Gujarat has endeavoured to mobilize citizens, local bodies, industries and other stakeholders to ensure a water secure future.

Under this programme, about 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures across the state are being constructed with community partnership. These recharge structures will be instrumental in enhancing rainwater harvesting and ensuring long-term water sustainability
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong, visited AEM, a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector, on Thursday.

The Prime Minister also interacted with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability, and logistics.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law Mr K Shanmugam of Singapore participated in the event.

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At AEM, the leaders were briefed about the companys role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations, and its plans for India. The Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India.

Representatives of several other Singaporean companies from this sector were also present. The Prime Minister invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition to be held in Greater Noida on 11-13 September.

Given efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singapores strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation.

During the 2nd meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, both sides agreed to add Advance Manufacturing, with a focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation. Both sides have also concluded the MoU on India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership.

At the facility, the two Prime Ministers also interacted with Indian interns from Odishas World Skill Centre undergoing training in Singapore as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM.

Appreciating the CEOs investment footprint in India, the Prime Minister acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and Singapore.

To further facilitate their collaboration with India, the Prime Minister announced the setting up of an INVEST INDIA office in Singapore. He said the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations.

Mr Modi noted that India had made transformative progress in the last ten years and would continue on the same path, given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, Ease of Doing Business, and its reform-oriented economic agenda.

India is set to become the third-largest economy in the world over the next few years, he said. Talking of Indias impressive growth story, its skilled talent pool, and expansive market opportunities, he highlighted that India is contributing 17 per cent to global economic growth.

The Prime Minister spoke about various initiatives to enhance Indias participation in global value chains through programmes such as the Production Linked Incentive scheme, the India Semiconductor Mission, and the establishment of 12 new Industrial Smart Cities.

He called upon business leaders to look at opportunities in India in the field of skill development. For businesses looking for resilient supply chains, the Prime Minister noted that India is the best alternative given its strengths.

The PM assured that India would increase the pace and scale of infrastructure development in his third term and apprised the CEOs of new opportunities in the fields of Railways, Roads, Ports, Civil Aviation, Industrial Parks, and Digital Connectivity.

The Prime Minister invited Singaporean business leaders to look at investment opportunities in India and to increase their presence in the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed his willingness to negotiate peace with Ukraine, suggesting that India, China and Brazil could serve as potential mediators, according to reports.

The statement was made during the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok.

Putin, responding to a question regarding which countries he would trust for mediating peace talks with Ukraine, said, First of all, the Peoples Republic of China, Brazil and India. I am in contact with my partners we have trust and confidence in one another.

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If there is a desire on part of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that, he said, according to Reuters.

The Russian president also mentioned that a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in early weeks of the war in Istanbul could form the basis for future negotiations. Although this agreement was never implemented, it may still offer a path forward, he added.

The suggestion underscores Putins interest in involving key global players in efforts to resolve the conflict amid rising pressure.

The development comes months after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latters visit to Russia. Furthermore, it also coincides with Modis recent visit to Ukraine, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

During this meeting, Modi emphasized that Indias stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not neutral, and that New Delhi firmly supports peace efforts.

We should move in that direction without losing any time, he had stated.

Upon his return from Ukraine, Modi spoke with Putin, giving him his insights from the visit and reinforced Indias position on the conflict.

Exchanged perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and my insights from the recent visit to Ukraine, Modi posted on X, reiterating Indias firm commitment to support an early, abiding, and peaceful resolution of the conflict.

The prime minister also engaged in discussions with US President Joe Biden following his visit to Ukraine.

The leaders are believed to have discussed ways to find an early resolution to the nearly three-year-long conflict.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for the early return of peace and stability, Modi has posted on X.

The suggestion from Putin underscores Russias interest in involving key global players in efforts to resolve the conflict amid rising pressure.

The fact that India maintains friendly relations with both the US and the Russia makes it a key player in resolving the Ukraine conflict.
At least six naxals were killed in an encounter with police in the dense forest area of Bhadradri Kothagudem district in Telangana Thursday morning, officials said.

Two security personnel were injured in the incident, with one of them in a critical condition, Superintendent of Police Rohit Raj said.

According to police sources, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the site following the encounter.

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Sources from the police PRO office in Bhadradri Kothagudem district indicated that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb naxal activities in the region.

The encounter comes just days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah set a target to eradicate Naxal insurgency in India by March 2026.

Addressing a high profile meeting last month, he emphasised that Naxalism represents a significant challenge to Indias democratic framework and expressed confidence that the battle is nearing its final phase.
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh will chair the Stakeholder Consultation on Fisheries Export Promotion with focus on strengthening shrimp farming and value chain on Friday at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organising the Stakeholder Consultation.

Ministers of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Prof S P Singh Baghel and George Kurian are also expected to attend the stakeholder consultation along with senior officers of the Ministries and Departments concerned.

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The fisheries sector, a cornerstone of the Indian economy, plays a crucial role in national income, exports, and food security. Known as the Sunrise Sector, it supports around 30 million people, especially from marginalised communities.

As the worlds second largest fish producer, India achieved a record production of 17.5 million tonnes (in 2022-23), contributing 8 per cent to the global fish production.

The sectors significance is highlighted by its 1.09 per cent contribution to the countrys Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 6.724 per cent to agricultural GVA. With immense growth potential, the fisheries sector requires focused policy and financial support for sustainable, responsible, and inclusive development.

The Union government has spearheaded the transformation of the fisheries sector through various schemes and initiatives such as PMMSY, FIDF, Blue Revolution and PMMKSSY, with the highest ever investment of Rs 38,572 crore since 2015.

As a result of these policies and initiatives, India proudly stands second in global fish production. Indias seafood exports touched an all-time high in volume during the financial year 2023-24 despite various challenges in significant export markets.

India shipped 1.78 million tonnes of seafood worth Rs 60,523.89 crore during 2023-24. In the last one decade, there has been a boom in shrimp cultivation and export.

The shrimp exports have more than doubled with an increase of about 107 per cent from Rs 19,368 crore (in 2013-14) to Rs 40,013.54 crore (in 2023-24). This has resulted in tremendous progress in seafood exports, which has increased with an average annual growth rate of 14 per cent in the last 10 years.

The Stakeholder Consultation on Fisheries Export Promotion is being convened to foster dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders, including fish farmers, fishers, industry leaders, seafood exporters, policymakers, and researchers.

By focusing on innovation, sustainability, and value addition, the meeting aims to enhance Indias position in the global seafood market and drive inclusive growth for fish farmers and coastal communities.

Participants will engage in discussions on best practices, sustainable aquaculture technologies, and infrastructure development to enhance productivity, ensure food safety, and improve traceability in the seafood export and its value chain.

The consultation will also focus on formulating actionable strategies to expand Indias footprint in global seafood markets, thereby maximising export potential of diverse fish/seaweed/seafood products and supporting the livelihoods of millions of fishers, coastal communities and fish farmers of the country.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 20:28 | World, All, Japan

Japan and Australia on Thursday reaffirmed defense cooperation and pledged to provide assistance to Pacific island nations to help improve their digital infrastructure, in a bid to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The two countries' foreign and defense ministers also shared concerns about Chinese military activities in Japan's territory, including the violation of its airspace by a Chinese spy plane last week, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said at a press conference after their meeting at Queenscliff in the southeastern state of Victoria.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said at the press conference that she and the other ministers recognized their nations are facing strategic challenges, adding that they oppose "unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force" in the region.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Australia and Japan said they are "determined to further deepen and expand our strategic and security cooperation" to help prevent conflict and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

As part of the assistance to Pacific island nations, Australia and Japan will work with other like-minded partners to secure undersea telecommunications cable connectivity for the nations, the statement said.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles said the ministers had agreed to enhance engagement between the two nations' air forces and further develop trilateral engagements with the United States.

Australia will also join the Orient Shield annual joint exercise held by the U.S. Army and Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force next year for the first time, Marles said.

In an effort to streamline planning for joint exercises and operations, the two countries agreed to embed Australian and Japanese liaison officers in each other's command headquarters, he added.

The security talks held by Marles, Kihara, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Kamikawa were the first "two-plus-two" talks between the two nations since December 2022 in Tokyo.

Responding to the talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press conference that Beijing believes defense and security cooperation between states should be conducive to maintaining regional peace and stability and "should not target any third party."

Australia and Japan have deepened their security partnership, engaging in more frequent joint exercises and collaboration between defense forces under a bilateral reciprocal access agreement that took effect in August last year.

The agreement enables quicker dispatch of defense personnel between the two nations and eases restrictions on the transport of weapons and supplies for joint drills and disaster relief operations.

The ministers are believed to have talked about Japan's bid to join Australia's planned development of a new warship in the meeting, as Tokyo pushes for cooperation on defense equipment and technology with its allies.

But when asked by a reporter about the bid, Kihara refrained from sharing any details, saying Japan has not made any decision about Australia's plan.

Related coverage:

Japan, Australia look to cooperate on long-range missile capability
With the Tamil Nadu government accepting the apology of Union minister Shobha Karandlaje for linking the Rameswaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru in March this year with Tamils, the Madras High Court on Thursday quashed the FIR registered against her.

The minister, hailing from Karnataka, had filed the affidavit before the Madras High Court, apologising for her comments if they have hurt the Tamil people. She had said that the bombers were trained in Tamil Nadu.

Granting relief to the minister, Justice G Jayachandran quashed the FIR after Advocate General PS Raman submitted that the case can be closed after recording the affidavit of apology filed by her.

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Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government insisted on her making the apology through a press conference, since she had made the hurtful remarks before the media. During the previous hearing, the Judge too observed that it was only appropriate for her to tender the apology in a presser. He also questioned how she could make such a statement even before the NIA, probing the blast, could come out with its findings.

I state that the alleged comments made by me about the people of Tamil Nadu while addressing the media about the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast in Bengaluru was made without any intention to hurt the sentiments and feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu.

I have the highest respect and regard to the history, rich culture, tradition and to the people of Tamil Nadu and I had or have no intention whatsoever to hurt the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu by any conduct of mine. I hereby once again tender my apology to the people of Tamil Nadu, reads the affidavit.

Previously, the minister had contended that she had contended that she had expressed her apology through social media and that was enough for the case to be quashed.

The FIR was registered by the Madurai police on a complaint that the ministers remark was intended to foment enmity between Tamils and Kannadigas. And the minister had approached the High Court, seeking to quash it, contending that the case, filed with an ulterior motive, was an abuse of the process of law and against freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
In its ongoing efforts to tackle agricultural challenges and drive growth while empowering farmers, the Uttar Pradesh government organized the Ag-Tech Start-up Summit here on Thursday.

The event was held in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and in partnership with the European Unions ACSIIS program, and Google. The summit aimed to modernize agriculture in Uttar Pradesh and explore the future of farming in the state.

This high-profile conference brought together over 25 ag-tech innovators from across the country, alongside policymakers, investors, educators, and international ecosystem builders. The summit provided a platform to showcase customized technologies and solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural income and sustainability.

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During the AgTech Start-up Summit 2024, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh launched the Vision Document for AgTech, marking a significant step towards revolutionizing agriculture in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at the event, Singh highlighted Uttar Pradeshs critical role as an agricultural powerhouse, not only for India but also on a global scale.

He emphasized that two major challenges facing agricultureweather and pricingrequire urgent solutions. Singh noted that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank could play key roles in providing much-needed relief to farmers in these areas.

He stressed the importance of adopting technology, particularly digital advancements, to address these challenges, an initiative the states Agriculture Department has been driving for the past few years.

Mr Singh expressed confidence that AgTech will bring transformative changes to both agriculture and the lives of farmers. He outlined key goals such as ensuring farmers receive full credit at lower costs and securing maximum prices for their produce.

During this, Agriculture Production Commissioner Monica Garg emphasized the Uttar Pradesh governments commitment to doubling farmers income, aligning with CM Yogi Adityanaths vision.

Ms Garg pointed out that the state has made significant strides in digital agriculture through the implementation of Agristack, a key initiative aimed at modernizing agricultural practices. With the Government of India introducing several proposals, such as soil health testing, Uttar Pradesh is focusing on building stronger partnerships with the private sector to further these efforts.

Wendy Werner, IFC Country Manager for India and the Maldives, commended Uttar Pradeshs progress in agriculture, noting the states immense potential. She highlighted the collaborative efforts between the IFC and the UP government to ensure that the private sector plays a vital role in delivering innovative agricultural solutions.

Werner also mentioned that the IFC has invested around $9 billion in India, supporting projects that drive agricultural innovation.

The summit also featured an exhibition showcasing start-up solutions, ranging from sowing technologies to post-harvest innovations and market access strategies.
The police have arrested the attendant of an ambulance in connection with the attempted rape and robbery of a woman in a moving ambulance recently.

The woman was allegedly molested inside the ambulance while accompanying her husband to the hospital. After assaulting her, the ambulance workers reportedly threw her and her husband out of the vehicle after removing his oxygen support.

The womans husband subsequently died during treatment at Gorakhpur Medical College.

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The police have also recovered the ambulance involved in the incident. The driver has been identified, and police are conducting raids at various places to locate him.

Lucknow ACP Anidyra Vikram Singh said that on Thursday, with the help of surveillance, the police arrested the ambulance helper, Rishabh Singh, a resident of Kunharganj in Ayodhya. The ambulance was also recovered at the same location.

He said that during interrogation, the accused identified the ambulance driver as Suraj Tiwari, a resident of Purwa in Unnao. The police raided several places in search of the driver but have not located him. The accused also said that the journey of 200-kilometre journey was covered for Rs 9,000.

The accused claimed that at the time of the incident, driver Suraj Tiwari was drunk and misbehaved with the woman in his drunken state. In the Cantonment area of Basti, Tiwari and the accused snatched Rs 10,000, a mangalsutra, anklets and other documents from the woman, before fleeing the scene with everyone in the ambulance.

The incident occurred on August 30 in Siddharthnagar district.

According to reports, the woman had taken her husband, Harish, to Basti Medical College after he had been unwell for several days. Due to his deteriorating condition, the doctors at the hospital referred him to a different facility. Unable to afford the fees at the private hospital, the woman decided to return home in Siddharthnagar for treatment.

During the journey, the ambulance driver forced the woman to sit in the front with him and, along with his aide, sexually harassed her. When she attempted to protest and shout, they cut off her husbands oxygen supply and threw both of them out from the ambulance.

The ambulance driver also stole her jewellery, the woman alleged. Her husband was severely injured, and his health deteriorated after the oxygen supply was cut off.

After the victim recounted her ordeal to her brother over phone, he informed the police.
A march by Youth Congress workers to the Secretariat here on Thursday, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, turned violent following allegations made by CPI-M-backed Independent MLA P V Anvar against ADGP M R Ajith Kumar and the Chief Ministers office.

Led by Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil and vice-president Abin Varkey, the protest turned violent as workers attempted to breach barricades. Several activists sustained injuries in the commotion.

The police blocked the activists at the Secretariats main gate, where repeated attempts by the protesters to breach the barricades led to the deployment of water cannons. Despite seven rounds of water cannon use, the protesters remained unyielding. The situation further intensified when demonstrators shattered a police shield, prompting police to resort to lathicharge to regain control.

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According to reports, police beat youth Congress workers who fell to the ground. Many youth Congress workers sustained injuries in the police action. Youth Congress state vice-president Abin Varkey sustained head injuries in the lathicharge, while Thiruvananthapuram district president Nemom Shajeer suffered an eye injury. Many police personnel were also injured in the clash, including the Cantonment Circle inspector, who sustained hand injuries.

The Youth Congress activists said they will continue their protest demanding action against the Cantonment Sub Inspector who allegedly assaulted Abin Varkey. Varkey claimed that the SI, a DYFI activist, was responsible for the incident. We knew there would be physical harm for protesting against the Chief Minister and the ADGP. Let them keep beating. We are prepared to endure more, Abin Varkey said. The Youth Congress activists also alleged that the police acted on instructions from the DYFI and CPI-M leaders.

KPCC president K Sudhakaran, who rushed to the site of the agitation, criticised the police, accusing them of unleashing brutal violence against the Youth Congress workers. Even if the army comes and fires, this protest will not end here. Dont try to suppress us by fighting, threatening with weapons, or beating us until we bleed. We will personally confront each police officer standing before us. We will resist. No doubt. Watch out from tomorrow, Sudhakaran said.
A heartfelt, unfeigned card with a thank you note, a flower, perhaps a few chocolates and maybe a Happy Teachers Day sticker over WhatsApp text is what we are well-attuned with when it comes to celebrating the guiding lights of our lives, the teachers who help us traverse through the complex tapestry of school, college and education. But how do you express gratitude to a teacher who is a luminary in the field of parallel cinema, a virtuoso filmmaker who has ambitiously worked in producing innumerable legendary feature films, TV series and documentaries and has won several National Film Awards as well as Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan?

Shyam Benegal, a name that is revolutionary with alternative cinema, his debut feature film Ankur has turned 50 this year. With an impressive career arc ranging from Nishant, Manthan, Samar, Hari-Bhari, Well Done Abba, Bhumika, Mandi, Sardari Begum, and several more, his career started even before that in the advertising industry, where he met Mohan Bijlani, who was the first to finance in Benegals movies. Therefore, manifestly, a student of Shyam Benegal too would be a peerless actor and filmmaker, just like Satish Sharma, who first associated with Shyam Benegal while he was making Hari-Bhari. He played a role in Benegals film Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose-The Forgotten Hero (2004), garnering the privilege of being a part of Benegals directorial team, where they worked together on films like Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008), Well Done Abba (20009), Samvidhaan (TV series-2014) and Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023). In 2024, Satish Sharma added another feather to his cap with his written and directed 10-minute short film Yaan which has been globally acclaimed for being a cinematic masterpiece. Taking it one step further, apart from this short film winning the National Award in the Best Sound Design Category and travelling across multiple film festivals, Satish Sharma dedicated this film to his guru, Shyam Benegal.

In a vivacious conversation with The Statesman, Shyam Benegal and Satish Sharma share the memories of their days together and beyond.

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Q. Completing 50 years in cinema and being a path-breaking filmmaker, what kept you going?

Shyam Benegal: Well, this is the only thing I know. I dont know how to do anything else except make movies (laughing).

Your journey with Mr Benegal started when you acted in his movie Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero. Can you help us walk through it?

Satish Sharma: Well, I was extremely fortunate to meet Shyam babu; that is what I call him fondly. We actually met at the Hari-Bhari set, where I had gone to introduce myself, but his team thought that there was no role for me in the film. I had taken my nephew there because they required a kid for a role, and my nephew got the part. That is exactly how I had the privilege of being in close association with Shyam babu for those 30 days in Hyderabad. After that, I came to Bombay, and then later on, when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero happened, he called me for it. Shyam babu knew what he wanted from me, yet I did not!

Can you share a few memorable moments that you had while working with Mr Benegal from the sets of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, your first film together and Mujib your last film together?

Satish Sharma: Shyam babu is an institution. When you are around him, you get positivity and knowledge; he is an encyclopaedia, and he knows everything. You know, even when you are a master of your subject, and you sit beside Shyam babu, you will start counting your knowledge because he knows so much. During the phase of shooting for Netaji, Shyam babu knew that I knew Russian, and that was also a reason why I was taken for the movie; he made me realise my capabilities, that I could handle production, direction as well as acting. For Mujib, I was his shadow. We did our shooting during a very troubled time with Covid and everything, and Shyam babu gave me the huge responsibility of handling the production of the film, and I will always be grateful for that. It was one of the biggest projects we had worked on.

Being in the industry for so many years, can you share your journey when it comes to understanding the evolution of cinema.?

Shyam Benegal: My experience in cinema has now crossed the threshold of 60 years, so naturally, its been a long time. The entire medium itself is changing. It is now the world of technology, and technology will always keep on developing, which means you have to keep on learning all the time, and that is what makes it so interesting. If there hadnt been development, lets say it had stopped 20 years ago; it would have been boring then, and I probably wouldnt have done it till now. Technology in cinema is changing so much, it keeps you on your toes all the time.

If you look at cinema from then to now, the change has been so dramatic. It sometimes is difficult to keep track of everything. Fortunately for me, I have always kept my interest in cinema ignited. Equipment, camera, everything has now changed. You know you dont use celluloid anymore. In the world of cinema, you stumble upon something new every day. You know, previously, until you got that one great shot, you continued with that one shot and then moved on to the next, but now it is so much simpler.

I have done everything you could possibly do in the cinema. I have not just directed but operated the cameras, handled new lenses, and been a part of the editing team; you almost tend to become Charlie Chaplin, who used to write, direct, and star in his own movies, except that I never acted.

Satish Sharma: Advancement of new technology and AI; while we do not know really what is going to happen, the change has been humongous and has benefitted us a lot as well.

What have been the biggest lessons you have garnered from this veteran filmmaker?

Satish Sharma: Whatever is there in my film. How to tell a story, how to choose the right frames, locations, and actors and how to write well. How to give your heart and soul to whatever you do, so I guess everything.

Who has been your teacher and guide/inspiration while you made films?

Shyam Benegal: I have learned from so many people and not just one. But Ill say, Satyajit Ray. It was way back in the 1950s when Satyajit Ray had made his first film, Pather Panchali, and it won the Cannes Film Festival Award. I wanted to watch it; however, they hadnt released the film in places where Bengali was not spoken. So I had to travel to Calcutta to see the film. Made on a shoestring budget, and he was a graphic artist; because he was an artist, he had scripted shot by shot to understand how he wanted each shot to look, and the whole story of the film was done as a storybook and that had blown me away.

Can you walk us through your experience of having Satish Sharma as your pupil for so many years?

Shyam Benegal: I dont see him as a student but as a person who works with me. He participated in everything and handled so much. He was there all the time, looking after different aspects of filmmaking. He is an enormous asset; he and I speak the same language- the language of cinema.

Your film Yaan has solidified its position as a landmark film at various film festivals. What influenced you to write and direct this film?

Satish Sharma: One day, I was watching a piece of news of this horrible incident where an individual could not take his loved one to the hospital because of poverty and no ambulance, and I cried that whole night. The next day I woke up, and I decided that I needed to write it and make a short film.

Dedicating Yaan to Shyam Benegal, how has he influenced you and what you are today?

Satish Sharma: You know Manthan was re-released this year in several cities, and I told Shyam babu that its impossible how much I have inherited so much from my teacher, my guru. When I saw Yaan, I realised I had imbibed the qualities that Shyam babu had used while making Manthan, and I had done the same thing with my national award-winning short film. When I saw the film, even the viewers who saw it realised that it was close to Manthan and the qualities you receive from your teacher. I am no equal to him, but if I could do something with the lessons I have received from him, it would be an achievement.

How would you describe Satish Sharmas achievement in directing Yaan and paying this film as a tribute to you?

Shyam Benegal: It only flatters me. He is more of a colleague, and we have been working together for many years.

Satish Sharma: This is the best thing about Shyam babu. Look at where I am and where he is, yet he is there, elevating and supporting you always.

You have often been considered a pioneer of parallel cinema, known for showing the reality of society. Is there any plot in life based on real current challenges that you think should be focused upon and should be made into a film?

Shyam Benegal: You learn from everything. In a film, the subject matter or plot has always been what I have seen in life. I am not saying that I am making a film right now, but the concept of Lakhpati Didi, which focuses on the achievements and economic empowerment of rural women, has caught my attention because I feel it is a great initiative.

Just like how Shyam Benegal has been an integral part of your learning, a teacher in a true sense, how do you plan on passing the baton and your learnings to the future filmmakers

Satish Sharma: When you work together as a team, you always have younger ones coming in and joining. Years ago, I became a part of this team, and, while doing Mujib, we had several interns and students joining us. (Shyam Benegal is receiving a call from an intern.) Perfect timing! Just while answering this question, now we have an intern calling, the perfect example of passing on the baton because, ultimately, its about passing on the characteristics, the zeal, and your learnings to the younger ones.
Teachers Day is a special occasion celebrated across India to honour and appreciate the contributions of educators who play a crucial role in shaping the future of students. Observed annually on 5 September, the day marks the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a teacher, philosopher and former President of India. It is a day for students to express their gratitude, respect and admiration for their teachers, who dedicate their lives to imparting knowledge and guiding them through lifes challenges. The significance of Teachers Day extends beyond formal recognition; it is a celebration of the enduring bond between students and teachers, reflecting the great impact that education has on society.

As part of this celebration, we spoke with students and teachers to understand what Teachers Day means to them.

Arnita Bhattacharjee, student, Class 6, South Point High School

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Teachers Day is a special occasion dedicated to honouring and showing respect to our teachers. I believe this day is crucial because our teachers work tirelessly throughout the year to guide and support us. They not only teach us academics but also help us develop values and skills that shape our future. Having a dedicated day makes them feel appreciated and valued for all their hard work. Last year was my first experience attending a Teachers Day celebration at school when I was in Class 5. Before that, we used to have holidays on Teachers Day, so I didnt really understand the significance of the day. But when I participated in the celebration, I realised how much effort goes into making our teachers feel special. We organised a programme that included dance performances, songs, recitations and speeches. It was an exciting day filled with joy and togetherness. I remember the happiness on our teachers faces as we performed for them; it was a moment of pride for all of us. I look forward to this years celebration, where we can once again show our teachers how much they mean to us.

Seema Chatterjee, teacher, Mongrace Montessori House, Park Street, Kolkata

This is the day when teachers like us are celebrated and appreciated by our students, making it truly special. In my experience, the programmes that students organise are filled with warmth and thoughtfulness. One of my most cherished memories as a student was when we used to organise similar programmes for our teachers. Back then, all the students would pool in money to buy food and gifts for our teachers, and we would arrange a small but heartfelt programme. It was a simple yet meaningful way to express our gratitude. Over the years, Ive noticed that Teachers Day celebrations have evolved. Nowadays, students bring flowers, handmade cards and gifts, showing their appreciation in more visible ways. While these gestures have become more elaborate, I believe that the essence of respect and love for teachers remains unchanged.

Ahana Das, student, Class 8, Narayana Group of Schools, Sonapur

Teachers Day holds special significance because its dedicated to appreciating the crucial role teachers play in our lives. While we might not express our gratitude every day, Teachers Day gives us the perfect opportunity to do so through our celebrations. For me, this day is a reminder of how much our teachers contribute to our growth, not just academically but also personally. I had a recent experience that made this even clearer. My chemistry teacher, who I admired greatly, left the school recently. Chemistry was a subject I struggled with, but thanks to his patient teaching and encouragement, I began to understand and even enjoy it. More than just academic help, he also boosted my confidence, helping me grow as a person. His departure was a big loss for me, but Im grateful for everything he taught me. On Teachers Day, I think of him and all the other teachers who have made a difference in my life.

Piyali Mandal, teacher, B.D.M. International School

One of the most fulfilling aspects of Teachers Day for me is hearing from my former students. Many of them, now grown up with families of their own, send me messages on this day. Each message brings immense happiness and a deep sense of satisfaction, knowing that I have played a part in their journey and that they remember me fondly. Reflecting on my own school days, Teachers Day was celebrated in a unique and memorable way. Students would take on the roles of teachers for a day, and even our principal would hand over her keys to the acting student-principal, who would then oversee the activities. We took pride in conducting classes and were even awarded prizes based on our performances. It was a fun and educational experience that brought us closer to understanding the responsibilities of our teachers. Today, in my school, the celebration has evolved. Due to half-yearly exams, the current students conduct a small programme after their exams, while the main event is organised by the alumni. Ex-students return to the school to arrange programmes for us, which is always a heartwarming experience. It reminds us of the lasting impact we have on our students, and its a day that fills us with joy and pride.

Sarmistha Chakraborty, teacher, Akshar School

Teachers Day serves as a reflection of the trust and respect our students have in us, and its essential for us to uphold and value that trust. Teachers Day is important because it underscores the significance of education beyond just textbooks and exam scores. True education is about the holistic development of a childnurturing their ability to think independently, form their own opinions, and grow as individuals. As teachers, our main goal should be to guide students in this journey, helping them to become thoughtful and informed members of society. Teachers Day is not just a celebration but also a reminder of the essential role we play in shaping the future, and the responsibility we have to fulfill that role with dedication and integrity.

Ambar Maitra, student, Class 8, Akshar School

Teachers Day holds a special place in my heart, especially because my mother is a teacher. For me, this day is not just about the celebration at school, but also about acknowledging the hard work and dedication that she, and all teachers, put in every single day. I see firsthand the effort my mother invests in her students, and Teachers Day feels like a well-deserved moment for all teachers to be celebrated and appreciated for their tireless work. This day is important because it shines a spotlight on those who spend the entire year guiding us, teaching us, and helping us grow both academically and personally. In my school, Ive been fortunate to have teachers who have made a significant impact on me. Theyve not only helped me become more disciplined but also encouraged me to develop better reading habits, which I know will benefit me in the long run. Teachers Day gives us a chance to reflect on how much our teachers do for us. Its more than just a day of giving flowers or cards; its about truly appreciating the role they play in shaping who we are and who we will become. For me, its also a day to make my mother feel proud and to let her know how much I value the work she does as a teacher.
An intelligence officer was killed and three soldiers injured in a bomb explosion in Iraqs northern province of Kirkuk, an Iraqi army source said.

Lieutenant Colonel Laith al-Hayali of the Iraqi Armys 8th Division Intelligence Service was killed and three soldiers injured on Wednesday when an explosive device detonated near their vehicle while moving in a village near the town of Dibis, northwest of the namesake provincial capital, Kirkuk, nearly 250 km north of Baghdad, an army officer told Xinhua news agency on condition of anonymity.

Iraqi security forces rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims to Kirkuk General Hospital, the source said.

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No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sporadic attacks still haunt Iraq despite an improvement in the security situation after the defeat of the extremist militants of the Islamic State (IS) group across the country in 2017.

IS fighters still carry out sporadic attacks in Kirkuk province, even after the extremists were defeated in Iraq in 2017 and two years later in Syria.

IS had swept over the neighbouring countries in 2014 and set up a caliphate in which they brutally imposed their extreme interpretation of Islamic law.

Since losing its last redoubts in Iraq and in Syria, the group has been reduced to small bands of guerillas operating in remote areas but no longer controlling any territory.

Iraqi security forces insist they are now capable of tackling IS remnants unassisted, as the group poses no significant threat.

At the end of August, a joint operation by US and Iraqi forces killed 15 IS group fighters in Iraqs western desert, with seven US troops wounded in the operation, US Central Command said at the time.

A UN report released in July found the groups combined strength in Iraq and Syria had fallen to between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters as a result of battlefield losses, desertions, and recruitment challenges.

In Iraq, its activities remain largely contained but the group remains capable of sporadic, impactful attacks, the UN report found.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 20:13 | All, Japan

A U.S. Marine in his 20s in Okinawa Prefecture was referred to prosecutors on Thursday on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in her 20s in late June, investigative sources said.

The case comes after two other alleged sexual assaults involving U.S. servicemen became known in June in the prefecture, which hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan.

The latest incident, which occurred in the northern part of the prefecture's main island, was reported to police by a medical institution that the victim visited shortly after the alleged assault.

The suspect, who is in U.S. military custody, has been questioned voluntarily by local police, who have built the case on his social media posts and security camera footage around the suspected crime scene, according to the sources. Other sources said he denied the allegation.

The military base affairs division of the Okinawan government expressed regret over the latest case, saying it will urge the U.S. military to take steps to prevent such an event from recurring.

The earlier two cases led the Japanese government to review its rule of sharing information on crimes involving U.S. military members after a failure to report them to the prefectural government angered local citizens. The cases came to light following local media reports.

A U.S. Air Force serviceman was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor, while a U.S. Marine was arrested in May on suspicion of attempted rape resulting in injury.

The police did not disclose these cases at the time, citing the victim's privacy, and the central government did not report them to the prefectural government.

Related coverage:

Japan government vows best possible info-sharing on U.S. crimes in Okinawa

Okinawa protests central government not sharing U.S. troop sex crime cases

U.S. Marine in Okinawa arrested over female injured in attempted rape
Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. It is ironic that it is one of Indias growth poster boy sectors that is chanting this rhyme. Even more ironic that they were pinning all their hopes during the downturn of the summer on a good monsoon.

As the Federation of Automobile Dealers (FADA) released the auto sales figures for the month of August on Thursday morning, it was clear that the warning trends were correct  sales of both cars and two-wheelers have both tumbled.

While passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs etc) dropped 4.53% year-on-year and 3.46% compared to July, the drop was sharper for commercial vehicles, often a bellwether for the state of the nations economy  they fell 8.5% compared to even July, also a rain-heavy month, and compared to last year, the drop was more than 6%.

Two-wheelers fell 7.29% compared to July, and that is not good news for the government, because it shows that farmers and the rural economy are not comfortable enough to spend  meaning the fear over rural revival still persists.

This has prompted FADA to raise an SOS, calling for easier loans so that sales can be revved up. FADA President, Manish Raj Singhania, said, In August, India witnessed 15.9% excess rainfall across the country, with northwest India seeing a surplus of 31.4%, 7.2% in the east and northeast, 17.2% in central India and a minor deficiency of 1.3% in the peninsular region. This monsoon season brought unpredictable weather, starting with extreme heat waves which delayed monsoon and transitioned into heavy rainfall, leading to flood-like conditions in several areas.

This has obviously had a direct impact on consumer confidence, coming as it does after a scorching summer and a long-drawn out election period.

Making matters worse is the high unsold inventory with dealers across the country, nearly 8 lakh vehicles worth more than 77,000 crore rupees.Dealers (are) under pressure due to aggressive OEM dispatches, with dealers facing cash flow challenges and reduced profitability, said a note released by automobile dealers.

While the festive season starting, first with Ganesh Chaturthi followed by Onam this month, is something to look forward, there are some very real fears. One, is whether the excess rainfall has affected the Kharif crops nearing harvest. Other is the Shraddh period, a nearly two-week inauspicious period as per Hindu beliefs, when people dont indulge in shopping or spending money.
Amid #MeToo wave in Mollywood, actress Sowmya has accused a Tamil director of "grooming her as a sex slave" and even allegedly inserted a rod into her genitals.

Speaking during an interview with NDTV, the actress alleged that the man came to her with his wife when she was aged 18. She claimed that the director "messed with her brain", saying he wanted to have a child with her.

Sowmya said she will disclose the alleged perpetrator's name to the Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT) which tasked with probing #MeToo allegations against actors and directors in Malayalam film industry following the release of the Hema Committee Report. This report had brought to light the alleged sexual abuse against women in the movie industry.

"I was in a fantasy world. So I went for a screen test with this couple. I was a child, I didn't know much," she told the TV channel. She said her family was forced into letting her act after the director told her father about the expense for the screen test.

Sowmya said that during the shooting, he didn't speak to her and gave her the "angry silent treatment". While his wife the director on paper, he was actually directing the whole film.

She went on to reveal that the the man's daughter had accused him of rape and left him. However, the couple told her the daughter was lying. They then allegedly took her to their home, giving her good food and saying nice things. As a teenager who was rebellious at home, she took a like to this nice couple. "That was the grooming process... he knew fully well what he was doing," she told the channel.

Sowmya said once, when his wife was not around, the man called her his daughter and kissed her. "I completely froze. I was so desperate to tell my friends but couldn't. I was ashamed, thinking I had done something wrong," NDTV quoted her as saying.

She said she continued going for dance rehearsals and came back. "...At some point, he forced himself on me... so he raped me. This went on for close to a year while I was in college," she said.

Sowmya said it took her 30 years to heal and recover from this "sense of shame"
KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 06:59 | World, All

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged Thursday that his country will deliver about $50 billion of financial support to Africa over the next three years and jointly pursue the modernization of developing and emerging countries collectively dubbed the Global South.

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of a China-Africa summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi proposed elevating relations between China and all African nations that have diplomatic ties with the Asian powerhouse to strategic ones and building a "community with a shared future for the new era."

In the previous summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2018, the Chinese leader vowed to extend $60 billion of financing to Africa.

Observers say China is keen to promote unity with African nations and other countries in the Global South as part of its efforts to establish alternative institutions for global governance to those led by the West.

Participants of the three-day forum that runs through Friday and involves China and 53 African member countries adopted the Beijing Declaration and an action plan stipulating concrete measures for closer relations between the two sides.

They agreed on stronger cooperation through Xi's signature Belt and Road global infrastructure program and in the security area, among other issues.

Xi said China is ready to deepen collaboration with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, and promote high-quality cooperation under the initiative, including 30 projects to enhance connectivity and another 30 to promote clean energy.

He added that China will implement 10 partnership actions with Africa over the next three years, which include projects to boost green development and public health capacity, and create 1 million jobs on the continent.

In the security field, Xi said China will offer some $140 million in grants for military assistance and provide training for 1,000 police officers and 6,000 military personnel from Africa, with the two sides conducting joint exercises and patrols.

As part of people-to-people exchanges, the leader said Beijing will invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to share governance experience.

The president also said China will unilaterally open its market wider to African economies, giving zero-tariff treatment to the least-developed countries that have diplomatic ties with Beijing.

The declaration said China will support African countries in increasing their influence and role in global governance by requiring a more inclusive framework to address the world's problems.

Beijing would welcome more African countries joining the BRICS framework that brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as well as several other emerging economies, according to the declaration.

Later in the day, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said at a press conference that the summit has sent out a "powerful message" of China and Africa working together for common development and seeking unity and cooperation among Global South countries.

The China-Africa forum was launched in 2000 to boost trade and investment between the two sides, with meetings every three years hosted alternately between Beijing and an African country. Its less-frequent leaders' summit was first held in 2006 in the Chinese capital.

Japan has hosted a summit with African countries known as the Tokyo International Conference on African Development since 1993. The next TICAD summit is scheduled to take place in Yokohama, near the Japanese capital, in August 2025.

Related coverage:

Japan to back women's peacemaking role at African development confab
Actor Nivin Pauly has approached the Kerala State Police Chief against the woman who levelled sexual abuse allegations against him. He had earlier said he would file a legal complaint against the woman, who he claims to have never met.

The actor said the complaint filed against him was baseless and requested the authorities to consider his complaint while investigating the allegations. Nivin, in his complaint, added that he will file a detailed complaint once he gets access to the FIR filed against him in connection with the case. He has also alleged conspiracy behind the complaint.



The actor has reportedly received legal advice to pursue action only after receiving the details of the complaint filed against him by the woman. There are speculations that the actor might seek dismissal of the case in the court as evidence is in his favour. The actor is the sixth accused in the case.



Nivin had appeared before the media just hours after the allegations were levelled against him, stating that he would cooperate with any investigation. "The allegation against me is part of a conspiracy. I doubt if its an attempt to blackmail me, he said.



Meanwhile, the woman reiterated that she would go forward with the police complaint. The woman has termed Nivin Pauly's statement that he did not know her as false.



The complainant alleges that the actor and six other friends raped her for days after drugging her in Dubai in November 2023. She alleged that Nivin Pauly met her via producer A K Sunil who offered her a role in the movie. She alleged that she was asked to appear for an interview where she was assaulted by the producer. He later introduced her to his associates



The complainant alleged that the accused subjected her to brutal physical and mental abuse and threatened to endanger her family. She added that she got the confidence to file a complaint again following the release of the Hema Committee report. "I am ready to cooperate with the police to gather evidence," she told reporters on Wednesday.


The abrogation of Article 370 not only impacted the politics of Jammu and Kashmir but also affected the people. As a result, individuals from various walks of life are entering the political arena, trying their luck in the elections and pitching themselves as alternatives to legacy politicians, like Sheikh Ashiq, former president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI). After being associated with the KCCI for 15 years, Ashiq has joined the Awami Itehad Party (AIP), led by Abdul Rashid Sheikh, better known as Engineer Rashid. Rashid had contested the Lok Sabha polls from jail and defeated National Conference (NC) heavyweight Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla parliamentary constituency.

The AIP has now fielded Ashiq from the Ganderbal assembly segment against Omar Abdullah.

Ashiq told THE WEEK that he joined politics because traditional parties have failed to deliver and safeguard the interests of the people post-Article 370.

When Article 370 was removed, the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) claimed they would preserve the honour and dignity of the people, he said. As Kashmiris, we had faith in them, but as the elections approached, PAGD fell apart.

The PAGD, also called the Gupkar Alliance, was formed by regional parties under the leadership of NC patron Farooq Abdullah for the defence and restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

The former KCCI president said his decision to join politics was motivated by the political crisis in Jammu and Kashmir following the reading down of Article 370 by the BJP government at the Centre.

I thought peoples voices needed to be heard and grievances addressed, he said. I found AIP was the only party that enjoyed the trust of the people and had no baggage.

He likened his decision to join politics to a sudden fire that needed to be doused to prevent its spread.

If there is a fire, you dont need qualifications to put it out, he said. You just step forward and douse the fire. Similarly, he said, when the political situation in Kashmir worsened after the removal of Article 370, he decided to step in for the sake of the people.

I found Engineer Rashid to be the right person to join, he said. He is the voice of the voiceless.

He said the AIP would put the interests of the people ahead of the party if given the mandate. He further added that the elections have generated hope that the situation will improve and the environment of suffocation will end.

People will have the opportunity to elect their representatives, get their issues resolved, and work towards positive change, regardless of winning or losing, he said.

A lot needs to be done in my constituency, Ganderbal, which is just 15 km from Srinagar, he said. It is my dream to serve the people of my district. But how will the elections help the people when power lies with the Lieutenant Governor? Thats why it's crucial to elect the right person and the right party, he said.

In the coming days, the AIP will receive a strong mandate, and Engineer Rashids mission will succeed.

He said people will have no choice but to support AIP. Things will become clear within a month, he said, adding that the AIP will not align with the BJP or any other party.

Our strength and hope is the youth of Kashmir, he said. Wherever we go, we receive support, like in south Kashmir. On the challenge of facing Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal, he said, I am aware of the challenge, but I hope they will elect me.

He hoped that the elections would positively impact business. The elected representatives will address the problems of their supporters and work towards solving them, he said.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday took note of detestable posts against the victim in Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case and asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to file a report within two weeks.



Hearing a PIL, the High Court took note of the defamatory posts against the victim on social media and noted some posts had the victims photograph. The High Court observed the posts were far from being acceptable to any member of the society.

In the PIL, the petitioner appealed to the Court to direct the central agency to probe the cybercrimes connected with the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya directed the CBI to check whether it could find a way to block these posts. The bench directed the central agencys joint director or any other competent officer to file a report in this regard by September 18.

A postgraduate trainee woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, following which Sanjay Roy, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer was arrested. The gruesome crime resulted in nationwide protests by doctors and citizens.

The case, initially probed by Kolkata police was transferred to the CBI after the High Court found lapses in the latters probe. The Supreme Court also took suo motu cognisance of the case and formed a National Task Force to formulate an action plan for the safety of doctors.
In a fresh development in the ongoing investigation into the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar medical college hospital, it was reportedly found that Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the college, ordered renovation work near the crime scene, barely a day after the victims body was found on August 9.

According to an NDTV report, the CBI officials probing the case have accessed the permission letter issued by Ghosh to the state public works department to conduct renovation work near the seminar hall where the doctors body was found.

Bharatiya Janata Party state chief Sukanta Mazumdar has shared the purported letter on social media. The letter dated August 10 bears the signature of Ghosh.

The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victims death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it," Mazumdar wrote on X.

The order, signed by Sandip Ghosh, former director of RG Kar Medical College, is dated August 10, just one day after the victim's death. Despite allegations from colleagues and protesters about tampering with the crime scene, the Police Commissioner denied it. @CBIHeadquarters pic.twitter.com/FEOirTn0ho  Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) September 5, 2024

The letter titled Repair/Renovation/Reconstruction of on duty Doctors Rooms along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata on urgent basis claims that there are deficiencies of on-duty doctors rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments of the hospital.

You are hereby requested to do the needful immediately as per demand of Residents Doctors of RGKMC&H," it said.

The NDTV report claims that on August 13, hours after the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into the rape-murder case, the state PWD staff attempted to carry out renovation work at a room adjacent to the seminar hall.

Ghosh, who is accused of negligence in reporting the rape-murder incident to the police and is also facing charges of corruption in a separate case, was arrested by the CBI on September 2.

Ghosh had resigned from his post days after the incident, taking moral responsibility, but within hours the West Bengal government appointed him as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. The governments move sparked a fresh wave of protests, prompting the High Court to intervene and send him on long leave.

On Tuesday, a Kolkata court sent him to 8-day CBI custody. On the same day, the West Bengal governments health department placed him under suspension, fulfilling a longstanding demand of the protesting junior doctors at RG Kar hospital.
The parents of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College Hospital have alleged that the Kolkata police tried to bribe them. The father of the postgraduate doctor, who was found dead inside the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9, made the allegations while attending the protest to support the junior doctors fighting for justice for their daughter.

Pointing fingers at a senior police officer, the victim's father said: "When our daughter's body was brought home, DC Indira Mukherjee took us inside the house and tried to give money. We declined it," he said.

#WATCH | RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case | Kolkata: Parents of the deceased doctor addressed the media as they joined the protest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last night. pic.twitter.com/D24EZPjaiJ  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

He added the police tried to push for hasty cremation of the body in an apparent bid to suppress the case. "The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined," the father of the deceased doctor said.

He also accused the Kolkata Police of lying to the media. "An attempt was made to get a signature on a white paper. I tore up the paper," the father said, questioning the undue haste shown by the police.

The victim's mother, who attended the protests, said she wanted the criminals to be sleepless like me." As long as we don't get justice, let the movement continue," she added.

Also read: RG Kar hospital former principal Sandip Ghosh took 20% cut on every tender: Report

'Reclaim the Night'

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Massive protest held in Jadavpur area against the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder incident. pic.twitter.com/33k0TRHMtc  ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2024

The city also witnessed thousands of women rallying, seeking justice for the doctor who was raped and murdered at a hospital. The "Reclaim the Night" campaign began at 9 pm on the streets of Kolkata and residents joined the protest by turning off their lights for an hour and descending onto the streets with candles in hand.

The "Reclaim the Night" movement, largely driven by social media, gained momentum as protests kicked off at 11:30 pm. Interestingly, no political party flags were seen as the participants chanted, "We want justice."

Women from all walks of life, students, professionals and homemakers, joined the protest not only in Kolkata but in other regions as well. The movement spread to other key locations, including Berhampore, Chinsurah, Santiniketan, Krishnanagar, Bardhaman, Siliguri, Barasat, Barrackpore, Rajarhat-Newtown, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's lawyer argued that the Aam Aadmi Party leader was the most captive interrogatee in the probe into alleged liquor policy scam and said his arrest by the CBI was an 'insurance' to prevent his release from prison.



A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan is hearing the Aam Aadmi Party leaders bail plea. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, argued that the CBIs was an insurance arrest. He argue Kejriwal was the most captive interrogatee. The only point of arrest was to have insurance if Kejriwal wins in the Enforcement Directorates case. The imminence of Kerjiwal committing further offence was minus, not zero. He was found fit for release by Supreme Court two times, argued Singhvi, Live Law reported.

Singhvi said no notice was served to Kejriwal by the CBI before the arrest and an ex-parte arrest order was passed by the trial court. He added Kejriwal is a constitutional functionary and was not a flight risk.

Singhvi said Kejriwal was not named in the CBI FIR and moreover, he is not a flight risk.

Singhvi added every possible co-accused in the case has been released on bail, including former Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader K. Kavitha.

The ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with alleged scam in the scrapped Delhi liquor policy. The CBI arrested him from Tihar prison on June 26 in a prevention of corruption case registered in connection with the alleged scam.

The matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which has now been scrapped.

The apex court granted bail to Kejriwal in EDs case on July 12, observing the AAP leader has been in prison for 90 days. However, he had to remain in prison as he was serving remand in CBIs case. The Supreme Court had also granted interim bail to Kejriwal during the Lok Sabha polls for campaigning.
A Bhopal court sentenced Tarun Jinaraj, a Gujarat-based Malayali man accused of murdering his wife on Valentine's Day in 2003, to 19 years in prison for identity theft. Jinaraj, who absconded two days after his wife was found dead, had been living under a stolen identity in Bengaluru until he was arrested in 2018.



The court sentenced Jinaraj to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000 for cheating by personation. He was also jailed for seven years for forgery of valuable documents. Jinaraj got another five years for forgery committed with the intention of cheating and another five years for the use of a forged document or electronic record.



Jinaraj, who lived under the identity of Pravin Bhateley, a college mate, had been working as a senior executive of a multinational company. Police said Jinaraj took the documents from Bhateley under the guise of arranging him a job. Jinaraj had managed to assume a new identity, remarry, and reside in Bengaluru with his second wife and their two children until the law finally caught up with him.



It was in 2003, two days after the body of his wife Sajini was found, that Jinaraj disappeared from Gujarat. Sajini was strangled to death allegedly by Jinaraj, who hoped to live with his girlfriend. Though he staged the incident as a burglary attempt, her family's suspicion fell on him. He vanished two days later.



He managed to evade arrest until police found he had been contacting his mother Annamma Chacko. Gujarat police pursued the link and found him living under the alias of Pravin Bhateley in Bengaluru. He was arrested.



However, Jinaraj managed to escape once again after he jumped bail. The Gujarat High Court granted Jinaraj a two-week temporary bail on the pretext of accessing his provident funds in Bengaluru. Under the terms of his bail, he was required to regularly update local police officials in Karnataka about his whereabouts and make bi-weekly visits to the nearest police station. He exploited these conditions to make his escape.

Also read: High-profile fugitive Tarun Jinaraj arrested in Delhi after second bail escape

He was re-arrested from Delhi within a month. Interestingly, Jinaraj had been living under the identity of 'Justin Joseph' in Delhi. He also had plans to escape to Australia.



The trial for the Sajini murder case is still going on in Gujarat.
The White House said on Wednesday that US President Joe Biden shared his concerns over the safety of people in Bangladesh in a phone call he made with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week. The statement by the White House comes one month after the country witnessed massive protests which led to the downfall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Biden shared his concerns about the safety of people in Bangladesh and the future of democratic institutions there, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said on Wednesday.



The phone call was made on August 26. Though the US had until now made no mention of the duo having discussed Bangladesh, Modi had mentioned on X that the leaders did share concern over the situation in Bangladesh. "They emphasised the restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had said.



After Hasina fell, the US remarked that it was "monitoring the situation" while emphasising that President Joe Biden was "consistent in speaking loud and clear" on human rights issues. The Biden administration also rubbished reported claims that the US was involved in former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation. Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, Vedant Patel termed such reports "laughable". "Any implication that the United States was involved in Sheikh Hasina's resignation is absolutely false," principal deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State Vedant Patel.



However, the new interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus recently met with US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Helen Lafave in Dhaka and both countries agreed to work together and strengthen ties on a range of issues.



Lafave said the US would work closely with Bangladesh in health, education, labour, governance and Rohingya issues. On the US being the largest contributor to the Rohingya humanitarian responses, Helen said the amount of Rohingya monthly food aid has increased this year after more US funding.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd in Singapore on Thursday, the second day of his two-day visit. The Prime Minister also signed four MoUs and elevated the bilateral ties with Singapore to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."

On Thursday morning, Modi and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited the facility and interacted with the staff. They explored synergies between the two countries in semiconductor manufacturing. Modi is also slated to meet those in the country's semiconductor ecosystem.



#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong at AEM Semiconductor facility, exploring synergies between the 2 countries in semiconductor manufacturing pic.twitter.com/LdFHeK8Ulb  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024 #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong visits the Semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd in Singapore.



(Source: DD News/ANI) https://t.co/vfyxa8Yjly pic.twitter.com/65DWQCpKHO  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

The Prime Minister's visit to Singapore hold significance since the island nation has a well-developed semiconductor industry and India is looking to develop a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem.



The sector can also enhance the ties between both countries, including in talent development as Singapore universities have customised courses for the semiconductor sector. India could also learn the best practices of managing semiconductor industrial parks.

Singapore contributes to around 10 per cent of global semiconductor output and the sector contributes to 8 per cent of Singapore's economic growth.



Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country. "A new chapter in - ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.



"The leaders agreed to elevate the - ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability," he said.



The Prime Minister also hopes to create "many Singapores in India." " I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism," he said.

Both countries will partner up in skilling digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, sustainability and cyber security.



Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor's book there. The Prime Minister will also call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.


Patna, Sep 5 (PTI) The Bihar government is making serious efforts to give a fillip to small-scale and medium enterprises which would play a crucial role in the overall economic development of the state, a top official of the Industries department said.

Around Rs 2,900 crore have been disbursed to nearly 74,540 beneficiaries under two schemes, one of which was launched only last year, for promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs) in the state, the official said.

Bihar has a strong MSME base. To promote innovation ecosystem and unlock the enormous entrepreneurial potential of the state, the Mukhya Mantri Udyami Yojana (MMUY) and Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana (BLUY) were launched in 2018 and 2023 respectively focusing on promotion of MSMEs in the state.

"A total of Rs 2,697 crore was disbursed to 34,441 beneficiaries from 2018 till now under MMUY. Similarly, till date Rs 200 crore of the first instalment has been disbursed to 40,099 beneficiaries under BLUY", Secretary, Department of Industries, Bandana Preyashi told PTI.

On the one hand, Bihar is getting big ticket investments for major manufacturing units and on the other hand, the state government is also enabling an ecosystem where the MSMEs can thrive on the ground level for the benefit of the rural economy, Preyashi said.

The Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana aims to provide job opportunities to at least one member of poor families whose monthly income is less than Rs 6,000 a month, she said.

The state government is providing Rs 2 lakh to each beneficiary in three instalments to set up and run micro and small industrial and processing units, Preyashi said.

The government's objective is promotion of MSMEs through awareness, training and handholding support, the Industries secretary said.

The state government is encouraging entrepreneurs and investors through the provision of a safe and sound work environment and basic infrastructural facilities which include land, roads, electricity, and water availability, she said.

The Industries secretary further said, "With new policies of the state government, Bihar is witnessing significant investment promotion activities, reinforcing its position as an emerging business and industrial hub in the country. During the Bihar Business Connect 2023, 278 companies signed MoUs, committing to investments totalling Rs 50,530 crore." the secretary said.

The state government has implemented the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (BIPP), Bihar Logistics Policy 2023, Ethanol Production Incentive Policy 2021 and Textile and Leather Policy 2022 to promote industrial growth and investment in the state.

"Under these policies, stage-1 clearance was given to 481 applications, with a proposed investment amount of Rs 4,512.85 crore. A total of 175 units were given clearance for financial incentives with an investment of Rs 2,195.10 crore, an all-time high, since the inception of the state investment promotion policies," she said.

In 2023-24, 255 startups were recognized in the state and a total of Rs 11.92 crore has been disbursed as seed funding to these startups. From April 2023 to January 2024, Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) allotted plots/sheds to 427 units having a total investment size of Rs 6,145 crore covering 492 acres of land and also creating 35,224 employment in the state, said the secretary.

"Infrastructure development in industrial areas was given top priority. Funds of Rs 409.33 crore were approved under Part I and Rs 212.68 crore for construction of unity mall under special assistance to states in 2023-24. In the current financial year of 2024-25,149 units have been granted stage I clearance for a proposed investment amount in Rs 3,950.48 crore in Bihar State Investment Promotion Board", she said.

At present, Bihar's proposal to establish a multi-sector Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Nawanagar and Kumarbagh has been approved by the Government of India. "Authorities concerned are also working on the establishment of Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) in Bihar that will help Bihari Exporters to expand their businesses to international markets", said the secretary.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on August 3 this year laid the foundation stone for Rs 1,600 crore cement grinding unit of Ambuja Concrete North Private Limited, a subsidiary of Adani group's Ambuja Cements, in Warisaliganj block in Nawada district.

This is considered the largest investment in the state by a cement industry player.

"The project is expected to create 250 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs on the site. The project will meet the growing infrastructure needs of Bihar. Adani Group has decided to invest additional Rs 5,500 crore in Bihar in various sectors, including cement manufacturing (in Muzaffarpur), logistics (near Patna) and projects related to agro-industry in Araria, Kishanganj and Begusarai. A total of 40,000 employment will be generated by these investments", said the statement issued by the CMO after the conclusion of the event on August 4.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 19:13 | All, Japan, World

A Japanese fishery product importer, the former representative director of the company and two others have been referred to prosecutors over allegations of importing freshwater clams from North Korea in breach of a ban on all trade with the country, police said Thursday.

The company in Saitama Prefecture and the three individuals allegedly imported 17,960 kilograms of freshwater clams from North Korea on Jan. 23, 2020, violating the foreign exchange and trade law, according to a joint police investigative team.

The Japanese government has imposed economic sanctions to prohibit all trade with North Korea in response to its nuclear tests and repeated ballistic missile launches in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The former director is a 37-year-old Chinese male citizen. The two other individuals referred to prosecutors are a 64-year-old Japanese male, a former employee of the company, and a 60-year-old Chinese woman who had business dealings with the importer.

Moji Customs in Fukuoka Prefecture separately said it referred the company and the three individuals to prosecutors Thursday for allegedly mislabeling and selling clams from North Korea as Russian.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 5 (PTI) The Odisha government has so far provided subsidy of Rs 154.27 crore to electric vehicle owners since the 2022-23 financial year, a minister said on Thursday.

The sale of EVs has also shown an increasing trend in Odisha, after the government started giving subsidy from September 1, 2021, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said.

Jena said this in a written statement in the assembly.

The state government has so far distributed a subsidy of Rs 154.27 crore to EV owners since the 2022-23 financial year, Jena said.

While a subsidy of Rs 8.83 crore was disbursed during 2022-23, it was increased to Rs 57.21 crore during 2023-24.

The Odisha government has provided subsidy for 14,182 EVs registered during the fiscal year 2022-23, which rose to 36,518 during 2023-24, it said.

During 2024-25 till August, the Odisha government has already distributed subsidies for 38,766 EVs registered in the state, the statement said.

The state is providing a maximum subsidy of Rs 20,000 for each two-wheeler (a subsidy of Rs 5,000 per kilowatt hour), while Rs 30,000 subsidy is being provided for electric-operated three-wheelers, Jena said.
Mumbai, 5th September 2024  To mark Teachers Day, JK Paper, a leader in the paper manufacturing industry, is proud to unveil a powerful film that celebrates the profound relationship between teacher and students. This film shines a light on the extraordinary work of Sumeet Sanjay Patil, an art teacher at Snehajyoti Nivasi Blind School in Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, and his innovative approach to tactile learning. Over the years, Sumeet has taught over 1,000 visually-impaired students the art of painting, using his unique technique of linking colors to fragrancesknown as "Rang-Gandh." This method not only motivates students to paint but also builds their confidence, demonstrating that art can be experienced through senses other than sight. Some of these paintings have been exhibited across the country and has also been used to spread awareness.



Set against the contrasting backdrops of the bustling city of Mumbai and the tranquil Konkan villages, the film narrates Sumeets remarkable journey as he introduces his visually impaired students to the realms of art and creativity. The film begins with a poignant image of a blank canvas, symbolizing the untapped potential within every child. As the story unfolds, viewers witness Sumeets groundbreaking methodssuch as linking colours to fragrances and using 3D outlinersthat enable his blind students to experience and create art in a tangible way.



The narrative is enriched by testimonials from the students, sharing their fears, struggles, and ultimate triumphs. Their words echo the transformative power of Sumeets teaching, showcasing how art can be felt with the heart, not just seen with the eyes. Sumeets commitment extends beyond the classroom in Mumbai, as he travels to the remote villages of Konkan to spread his unique form of art education, ensuring that no child is left behind in their creative journey.



The film concludes with a heartfelt message, highlighting the students vibrant, textured artworks that tell their stories through touch rather than sight. These masterpieces represent the limitless possibilities that arise when imagination is nurtured by a passionate and committed teacher.



Partha Biswas, Chief of Sales & Marketing at JK Paper, commented on the campaign, This Teachers Day, we wanted to shine a light on the incredible impact that teachers like Sumeet have on their students, especially those with special needs. His innovative approach to teaching art is not just a lesson in creativity but a testament to the power of tactile learning. The objective of this campaign is to highlight the crucial role of teachers in shaping the lives of their students, particularly those with special needs. It also emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities for differently abled individuals to express themselves creatively. Just like our teachers are dedicated towards playing a crucial role in shaping the lives of their students, JK Paper is also dedicated towards shaping an eco-friendly world. Our paper is sourced from 9.50 lakh acres of Agro Social Farm Forestry Program, which not only supports sustainable practices but also provides livelihoods for close to 1,30,000 farmer families.



The campaign also highlighted how visually impaired students connected with JK Paper on a tactile level. The texture, weight and feel of the paper became their canvas, allowing them to perceive art through touch, creating a deep emotional bond between the students and the medium. For these students, JK Paper has been more than just a medium, its a source of emotional expression. The feel of the paper in their hands evokes emotions and allows them to create art that resonates with their experiences, making the paper an integral part of their artistic journey. The connection between the students and JK Paper is a testament to the brands commitment to making a difference in the lives of those with special needs. JK Paper honours the unwavering dedication of teachers like Sumeet, who go the extra mile to ensure every student has a chance to shine.



By showcasing this film, JK Paper and Snehajyoti Nivasi Blind School aim to inspire others to support initiatives that foster creativity in education. With 295 million visually impaired individuals worldwide, including over 10 million in India, waiting for their creative potential to be realized, this campaign emphasizes the ongoing, transformative nature of learning and teaching.



This campaign is not just a tribute to Sumeet and all the teachers but a celebration of the human spirits resilience and creativity.



Video Link - https://youtu.be/khYoVibfUEw



About JK Paper



JK Papers legacy dates back to 1938 with the establishment of Straw Products Ltd. In Bhopal. Today, JK Paper is a leading Indian player in Office Papers, Coated Papers, Writing and Printing Papers, and High-end Packaging Boards. The company operates three integrated Pulp and Paper Mills: Unit JKPM in Rayagada, Odisha, near the Eastern coast of India, Unit CPM in Songadh, Gujarat, on the Western coast, and The Sirpur Paper Mills (SPM), a subsidiary in Kagaznagar, Telangana. With a recently completed 170,000 TPA capacity expansion in Packaging Board at Unit CPM, JK Papers present installed capacity stands at 761,000 TPA. The company has also ventured into the Corrugation business through the acquisition of Horizon Packs Pvt. Ltd. And Securipax Packaging Pvt. Ltd. In FY 23-24, JK Paper acquired a 100% stake in Manipal Utilities Packaging Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Moving forward, the company will focus on improving the efficiency of these plants for better cost advantages.



JK Paper has embarked on a digital transformation journey in key manufacturing processes to reduce variations, improve quality, enhance cost efficiency, deliver better and faster service, and create a direct connection with end customers.



RSVP



Yasin Hamidani | 9967836604 | yasin@mediacare.co.in



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with HT Syndication and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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Bengaluru, 05 September 2024: MoEngage, an industry-leading, insights-led customer engagement platform, celebrated a significant milestone in its history. In the dynamic and constantly changing world of technology, it marks ten years in business, empowering customer experience, and pioneering brand growth globally.



MoEngage is committed to helping brands succeed with its comprehensive platform. It provides cutting-edge technology solutions with best-in-class marketing automation features. Its platform empowers brands to create personalized, omnichannel experiences that resonate with their audiences and drive business growth. This approach has propelled enterprises worldwide to unlock remarkable success.



MoEngage is a privately held company that began with the note-worthy entrepreneurial spirit of our two visionary Co-founders, Raviteja Dodda (Chief Executive Officer) and Yashwanth Kumar (Chief Technology Officer), who brought all their experience, knowledge, education, and skills to establish MoEngage.



Ten Years of Milestones and Achievements



This dedication to customer success has translated into impressive growth for MoEngage. The company has experienced a remarkable growth:



1. A 9X Uplift in Revenue over the last five years.



2. 1200+ new customers added, out of which over 150 are enterprise (large-scale) brands, including Dominos, Unilever, PNB, SBI Securities, TATA Digital, Tanishq, BigBasket, IndusInd Bank, The Indian Express, Wynk Music, Nestle, Samsung, 7-Eleven, McAfee and more.



3. Customers present in 56 countries as of April 2024 and expanded into the LATAM region in the last five years



4. Partnered with over 257 partners, including 170 tech integrators, 45 resellers, 30 agencies, and 12 Global System Integrators (GSI). These include big names like EY, Digitas, mParticle, AWS, Meta, and Infosys.



5. Onboarded a team of over 750 talented individuals across various functions



6. Created a robust security infrastructure with 6 data centers globally



7. Garnered security compliance certifications like Philippines NPC Seal of Registration, PIMS ISO 27701: 2019 Certification, BCMS ISO 22301:2019 Certification, ISO 27001:2022 Compliance, SOC 2 Type 2 Attestation, CSA STAR Level 2, CCPA Compliance, GDPR Compliance as well as HIPAA Compliance



8. Operating at a massive scale, processing 1 Trillion+ Data points per month, sending 80 Billion+ Messages per month and 1 Billion+ Emails per month, and engaging 900 Million+ MAUs per month



9. Evolved the product with ground-breaking innovation, and purpose-built offerings like MoEngage for Financial Services, Server-side Personalization, Warehouse Audiences, and Merlin AI (our generative AI engine), among others



10. Expanded to over 12+ channels, including Mobile Push, Web Push, Email, SMS, RCS, Facebook Audience, Google Ads Audience, and Connectors, among others, providing consumer brands with access to the latest tech (and channels) with minimal downtime



MoEngage is also deeply invested in fostering a thriving community. The company has been empowering marketers and product owners through initiatives like:



 #GROWTH community with insightful summits, mixers, roundtables, masterclasses, and a dedicated content hub for customer engagement best practices, has brought together over 50,000+ growth and marketing professionals. Additionally, since its inception in 2019, the #GROWTH academy, a peer-to-peer learning community for product, marketing, and growth professionals worldwide, has grown exceptionally well



 Customer Engagement Leadership Program (CELP), a cohort-based program to impart customer lifecycle management and strategy knowledge via CRM and Growth leaders



These initiatives have not only provided valuable educational resources and facilitated knowledge exchange but also enabled businesses to connect with industry veterans



Marking a Decade of Superior Enterprise Customer Engagement



As MoEngage celebrates its 10th anniversary, the company looks towards a future of continuous innovation and unwavering dedication to customer success. With a focus on enterprise-centric solutions, MoEngage is well-positioned to empower businesses of all sizes to thrive. The platform is designed for scale, accommodating the growing needs of large enterprises.



"Our commitment at MoEngage transcends mere product offerings; it is our unwavering dedication to our customers' success that distinguishes us. We've consistently received praise for our platform's speed, agility, and the ease with which it integrates with their Martech stacks. This ensures that enterprise businesses can modernize their infrastructure with MoEngage without facing major disruptions. In addition, our purpose-built features and functionalities enable large-scale businesses to swiftly adapt to evolving customer needs and market trends," reflects Raviteja Dodda, Founder of MoEngage.



MoEngage's 10-year journey is a testament to its unwavering commitment to driving exceptional customer experiences. With a focus on scalability, security, and fostering a thriving community, the company is poised to continue its impressive growth trajectory and remain a leader in the enterprise customer engagement landscape.



About MoEngage



MoEngage is an insights-led customer engagement platform trusted by more than 1,200 global consumer brands such as Ally Financial, McAfee, Flipkart, Dominos, Nestle, Deutsche Telekom, OYO, and more.



MoEngage empowers marketers and product owners with insights into customer behavior and the ability to act on those insights to engage customers across the web, mobile, email, social, and messaging channels. Consumer brands across 35 countries use MoEngage to power digital experiences for over 1 billion customers every month. With offices in 13 countries, MoEngage is backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, B Capital, Steadview Capital, Multiples Private Equity, Eight Roads, F-Prime Capital, Matrix Partners, Ventureast, and Helion Ventures. MoEngage was recognized as a Customers Choice Vendor in the 2022 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for the Multichannel Marketing Hubs Report and a Strong Performer in the Forrester Wave: Cross-Channel Marketing Hubs, Q1 2023 Evaluation.



To learn more, visit www.moengage.com



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with HT Syndication and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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MUMBAI, India, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Startek, a digital first global customer experience (CX) solutions provider, announced that Startek India has been conferred with the prestigious 'HR Excellence Award for Excellence in Line of Business Strategy' by BW People and BW Businessworld.



BW People, the HR Community initiative of BW Businessworld publication, has a rich legacy spanning over 30 years. These awards are designed to recognize outstanding HR practices that contribute significantly to organizational success.



On this achievement, SM Gupta, Global Chief People Officer at Startek, said, "We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from BW People and BW Businessworld. At Startek, our people are our greatest asset, and this award underscores our unflinching commitment to creating a workplace environment where our employees can thrive and drive our business forward. Our focus on innovative HR practices ensures that we not only attract top talent but also foster their growth and development within the organization."



The selection process for this award was highly competitive, involving a three-step rigorous assessment process. This process included a detailed submission of our people practices, thorough editorial screenings, and an exhaustive jury evaluation. Startek was recognized for its exceptional practices in hiring, engagement, career development and growth, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This accolade is a testament to our commitment to building a strong, inclusive culture that defines our workplace.



About Startek



For more than 35 years, Startek has delivered customer experience (CX) excellence for the world's leading brands. Spread across 12 countries, our 38,000 associates create memorable, personalized experiences in both voice and non-voice channels. Our clients span from Fortune 500s to fast-growing startups in a diverse range of industries including cable, media and telecom; travel and hospitality; retail and e-commerce and banking and financial services.



By creating closer connections, Startek delivers value for our clients, opportunity for our people and sustainable growth for our shareholders.



To learn more, visit www.startek.com and follow us on LinkedIn@Startek.



About the BW Awards



The 2024 BW People HR Excellence Summit & Awards is a celebration of exceptional HR professionals who have made major contributions to the human resources industry. In order to share their expertise, insights, and experiences on the most recent trends and best practises in HR, this summit brings together some of the most well-known HR executives, experts, and practitioners.



Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2222919/Startek_Logo.jpg



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

PWR
Mumbai, Sep 5 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices rebounded in early trade on Thursday amid steady foreign fund inflows along with buying in frontline stocks Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank.

The 30-share BSE Sensex rebounded 264.85 points to 82,617.49 in early trade. The NSE Nifty climbed 76.75 points to 25,275.45.

Among the 30 Sensex firms, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, ITC, Titan, ICICI Bank, JSW Steel, Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank were the biggest gainers.

Nestle, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance and Mahindra & Mahindra were among the laggards.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Shanghai were trading higher while Tokyo and Hong Kong quoted lower.

The US markets ended on a mixed note on Wednesday.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 975.46 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

"FIIs turning net buyers of domestic equities in past few sessions has been lending a major support," Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd, said.

India's services sector activity growth touched a five-month high in August on stronger rise in new work orders, while payroll numbers rose solidly as companies remained upbeat regarding the economic outlook, a monthly survey said on Wednesday.

The BSE benchmark dropped 202.80 points or 0.25 per cent to settle at 82,352.64 on Wednesday.

Snapping its 14-day rally, the Nifty declined 81.15 points or 0.32 per cent to 25,198.70. The Nifty had surged nearly 1,141 points or 4.59 per cent in 14 straight days.

Meanwhile, global oil benchmark Brent crude traded 0.19 per cent higher at USD 72.84 a barrel.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Gautam Adani had in the late 1970s applied to join a Mumbai college for education, but the college rejected his application. He did not pursue education but turned to business and went on to build a USD 220 billion empire. About four-and-a-half decades later, he gets called to the same college to deliver a lecture to students on Teachers Day.

Adani had moved to Mumbai at the age of 16 and started working as a diamond sorter. Around the same time in 1977 or 1978, he applied for admission to the city's Jai Hind College. "But they rejected him," said Vikram Nankani, President of the Jai Hind College Alumni Association, as he introduced India's second richest person before his lecture.

He had applied to Jai Hind College because his elder brother Vinod had earlier studied in the same college.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, the college did not accept him and he went on to work full time and pursued an alternative career," Nankani said, declaring Gautam Adani as a "deemed alumni" since he had applied to join.

After working as a diamond sorter for almost two years, he returned to his home state of Gujarat to run a packaging factory managed by a brother.

He never really looked back after he launched his firm in 1998, trading in commodities. Over the next two-and-half-decade, his debt-fuelled companies diversified into ports, mines, infrastructure, power, city gas, renewable energy, cement, real estate, data centres and media.

The infrastructure tycoon, who runs 13 seaports in India, operates seven airports, is the largest private player in power, is the biggest renewable energy producer, runs the country's second-largest cement company, is building expressways and re-developing Asia's largest slums, is described by some as the most aggressive of India's new generation of entrepreneur.

Delivering the lecture 'Breaking Boundaries: The Power of Passion and Unconventional Paths to Success', Adani, 62, was just 16 years old when he chose to break his first boundary.

"It had to do with giving up my education and choosing to move to an unknown future in Mumbai. People still ask me, 'Why did you move to Mumbai? Why did you not complete your education?' The answer lies in the heart of every young dreamer who sees boundaries not as barriers but as challenges that test his courage.

"I was driven by a need to see if I had the courage to make a life for myself in the most happening city of our country," he said.

Mumbai was his training ground for business as he learned to sort and trade in diamonds.

"The field of trading makes a good teacher. I learnt very early that an entrepreneur can never be frozen by over-evaluating the choices in front of him," he said. "It is Mumbai that taught me 'To think big, you must first dare to dream beyond your boundaries'."

In the 1980s, he established a trading organisation for importing polymers to supply to the struggling small-scale industries. "By the time I turned 23, my trading venture was doing well," he said.

After the 1991 economic liberalisation, he established a global trading house dealing in polymers, metals, textiles, and agri-products. He was just 29 then.

"Within two years, we had become the largest global trading house in the country. This is when I understood the combined value of both speed and scale," he said. "Thereafter, in 1994, we decided that it was time to go public, and Adani Exports, now known as Adani Enterprises, launched its IPO. The IPO was a strong success and underscored for me the importance of public markets."

Adani realised that to break the next set of boundaries, he would have to first start by challenging his own status quo and investing in assets to provide a solid foundation.

In the mid-1990s, he was approached by the global commodities trader Cargill for a partnership to manufacture and source salt from the Kutch region in Gujarat.

"While the partnership did not materialise, we were left with about 40,000 acres of marshy land and approval to build a captive jetty at Mundra (in Gujarat) for the export of salt," he said.

What others saw as marshy barren land, he saw as a canvas waiting to be transformed. That canvas is now by far India's largest port.

"Mundra today hosts India's largest port, the largest industrial Special Economic Zone, the largest container terminals, the largest thermal power plant, the largest solar manufacturing facility, the largest copper plant, and the largest edible oil refinery. And yet, were only about 10 per cent of what Mundra will eventually become," he said.

He is now building the world's biggest renewable energy park in the inhospitable deserts of Kutch and redeveloping Dharavi slums in Mumbai.

"While we have helped redefine India's infrastructure across airports, ports, logistics, industrial parks and energy it is not the victories that define us. It is the mindset to take on and overcome challenges that have shaped the Adani Group's journey," he added.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Floods in Andhra Pradesh damaged crops in 1.8 lakh hectares (ha), and 2 lakh farmers have been impacted as per initial estimate, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday and assured of providing help from the central government.

Chouhan, who is on a two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to assess the flood situation, said: "The crops have suffered a lot of damage... Flowers are cultivated here, turmeric is cultivated, all the crops have been damaged".

The assessment process has begun, and NDRF teams and Agriculture Department officials are evaluating the damage, he said, adding that "after completing the damage assessment work, the central government will provide all possible support".

Chouhan mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the flood situation, an official statement said.

In Andhra, Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Vijayawada, including Budameru, Jakkampudi Milk Factory, and Kandrika, and inspected the Prakasham Barrage Dam and damaged fields along the Krishna River.

The Union Minister interacted with local residents and farmers by getting into the water in Jakkampudi. He also inspected the flood situation with NDRF teams and officials.

Chouhan emphasised the central government's commitment to providing relief.

The state government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, is ensuring the delivery of essential supplies like food, drinking water, and milk to the affected areas.

The central government will assist in restoring normalcy and providing compensation for damaged crops and household goods, he added.

On Friday, Chouhan is scheduled to visit Khammam village in Telangana, which has been severely impacted by floods and will assess the damage and discuss relief efforts with officials.
Chandigarh, Sep 5 (PTI) With farmers protesting against delay in implementation of state's new agriculture policy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday assured the policy draft will be shared with them by September 30 and their suggestions will be incorporated before its implementation.

Mann stated this after holding an over two-hour meeting with the farmer leaders of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU) to discuss their demands.

Farmers under the banner of BKU (Ugrahan) and the PKMU on Sunday began their five-day protest here in support of their various demands including implementation of the agricultural policy.

Asked about their further course of action following the meeting with the chief minister, BKU (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said they will take a call on their protest in Chandigarh after holding their meeting on Friday.

During Thursday's meeting, Mann assured farmers that the state government is committed to safeguard their interests and the new agriculture policy will be a step forward in this direction.

Mann said the draft of the agriculture policy is ready but it will be finalised only after due deliberations with food growers.

He said the draft will be shared with the farmers by September 30 and their suggestions will be sought on the policy.

Suggestions of farmers will be duly incorporated in the policy as the state government does not want to impose anything on food growers and rather it is committed to consult them for making agriculture a profitable venture, he said.

Ugrahan said farmers were informed in the meeting that a 1,600-page draft of the agriculture policy will be shared with them by September 30.

The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Power minister Harabhajan Singh, Chief Secretary Anurag Verma, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and other officials.

Mann, while speaking on another agenda, said the state government is also mulling over introducing a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme to offer relief to debt-ridden farmers who have been struggling to repay loans to the state cooperative banks.

Every effort will be made to bail out farmers of the state from the ongoing agrarian crisis, he asserted.

On the issue of withdrawal of cases registered against the leaders of farmers' unions, the chief minister asked the officers to explore the feasibility in this regard.

Mann assured farmers that the state government will re-examine the rejected cases pertaining to compensation in suicides committed by farmers and labourers.

Mann also told the delegation of farmers and farm labourers to sympathetically look into issues like compensation in death of dairy livestock, depleting ground water table, water pollution and others.

Later speaking to reporters, Ugrahan said his group also raised the issue of 'buddha nullah' in Ludhiana, asking the state authorities to ensure that treatment plants be set up by industries. The 'buddha nullah', which crosses Ludhiana city, carries industrial effluents, solid waste and domestic sewage.

Farmers also demanded that compensation be given to the families of farmers who committed suicides.
Guwahati, Sep 5 (PTI) The third sequel to Assamese martial arts-comedy trilogy 'Local Kung Fu' was released in over 150 screens across the Northeast on Thursday, actor-director Kenny Deori Basumatary said.

With the release of the movie, Assam's film industry, for the first time, has a trilogy.

Made with a budget of around Rs 75 lakh, 'Local Kung Fu 3' retains most of the actors featured in the earlier two editions, Basumatary told PTI.

"People gave us so much love for the first two LKF films that it was inevitable that we would want to entertain them again with a third film. But we started working on it only when we had a really solid story that would stand on its own," he added.

Basumatary, who has acted in several Bollywood films such as 'Jawan', 'Mary Kom' and 'Yaara', asserted that judging by the audience reaction on the opening day, the team believes it has achieved what it wanted to.

On the film's subject, he said that the movie releasing on Teachers' Day is a wonderful coincidence because the relationship between teachers and students is the most important part of the film.

"We have one epic fight shot with five heroes and 24 villains that goes on for 72 steps without a cut. That's one of our highlights as we wanted to show that a skilled team can put together great fight scenes without a thousand cuts per minute," said Basumatary, who is himself a martial arts expert.

He said that a total of 38 fighters were hired from Guwahati, Morigaon and Kokrajhar. Among them is the National Games Taekwondo Bronze medallist Rishabh Choudhury, who along with his brother Ravi featured in an important sequence in the film.

"The team has put together big fight scenes without using any wires or cables," Basumatary said, adding most of the lead actors are his old friends from the earlier movies who learnt martial arts together during their student days.

Asked if a fourth sequel will be made, the producer-director of Assam's only action-comedy trilogy said, "There might be LKF-4 in future. But again, it has to be a worthy, exciting story."

'Local Kung Fu', which was released in 2013, was made with a meagre budget of only Rs 95,000. It became a sensation after it was released online and the film's characters turned out to be household names.

'Local Kung Fu 2' was released in 2017 and it was also a huge hit commercially.

LKF-3 was released across the state and other parts of Northeast on the occasion of Teacher's Day in over 150 screens in 70 cinema halls, Basumatary said.

Talking about releasing the film in other parts of the country, he said it has hit the screens in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland along with those in Assam.

"In the coming days, we will try as many cities as possible. But we do not know it yet as it is not completely in our hands. We will definitely try to release it in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad," Basumatary added.
Guwahati, Sep 5 (PTI) The 1st Guwahati Asian Film Festival (GAFF) will take place in February next, showcasing some of the prominent movies from the region, its organisers said on Thursday.

In a press release, the festival organisers said the three-day fest from February 7-9 marks a significant milestone in the celebration of Asian and North-East Indian films.

GAFF director (Hon) Monita Borgohain said, "The festival promises to be a landmark event, bringing together the best of Asian films while shining a spotlight on the unique voices from Northeast India."

She exuded confidence that the festival is set to become an unmissable part of the cultural calendar of Assam and appealed to all to be part of this historic celebration of films.

The festival will include a competitive section specifically for films from Northeast India, offering cash awards across different categories to recognise outstanding achievements in filmmaking from the region.

In addition to the competition section, there will be a non-competition section showcasing select Asian and Indian films, which will celebrate exceptional cinematic brilliance, the statement said.

It said film submissions are officially open from Thursday.

Apart from Borgohain, who was the former festival director of the Assam government-sponsored Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF), the advisory board boasts several distinguished members from the film fraternity.

Renowned film critic and festival advisor Srinivasa Santhanam, national award winning film critic and filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, and prominent film critic, music journalist and editor Dalton Christopher are also part of the 1st GAFF.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 23:31 | All, Japan

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi on Thursday dismissed the idea of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines amid the tough regional security environment, which had been suggested by one of the ruling party's candidates to become the next prime minister.

Taro Kono, who currently serves as digital minister under the government of outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, said earlier in the day that nuclear-powered submarines, capable of remaining underwater for long periods of time, will be necessary, apparently in view of aggressive behavior by China.

"We do not have any plans to possess nuclear-powered submarines. Based on the current interpretation of the law (on atomic energy), it's difficult for Japan to acquire one," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi told a press conference.

The law limits the use of nuclear power to peaceful purposes only. Japan, which upholds a pacifist postwar Constitution and is the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack, also officially maintains the principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.

In unveiling his policy visions ahead of the Sept. 27 leadership race of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kono stressed the need for a domestic debate on whether the current lineup of weapons is enough amid the severe security environment.

"Do we need to deploy nuclear submarines that can be submerged for long hours by Japan joining AUKUS...and foil (foreign attempts) to pass through the East China Sea into the Pacific Ocean? We've entered an era in which these issues must be discussed," Kono said.

The remarks came as Australia plans to acquire a fleet of such submarines under AUKUS, a three-way partnership involving the United States and Britain that was launched in 2021 to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Japan is considering cooperation with AUKUS on advanced technology projects.

Nuclear propulsion technology is extremely sensitive, with the United States only having shared it with Britain in 1958. Submarines powered by nuclear reactors are also said to be quieter than diesel-powered alternatives.

Japan has detected an increase in Chinese military activity in the East China Sea, particularly around the Senkaku Islands, which are administered by Japan but claimed by China.

Kono, who has served as defense and foreign minister, is one of the leading candidates to become the next LDP chief, who will almost certainly replace Kishida as prime minister.

Related coverage:

Japan, Australia look to cooperate on long-range missile capability

Japan gov't spokesman Hayashi joins ruling party leadership election

Japan's LDP pushes for revising Constitution to state defense forces
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The restored version of legendary filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli's 1977 film "Ghatashraddha" had a world premiere at the ongoing 81st Venice International Film Festival, the not-for-profit organisation Film Heritage Foundation said.

The 108-minute Kannada movie, based on a short story of the same name by U.R. Ananthamurthy, was showcased in the Venice Classics section on September 4.

The restoration of "Ghatashraddha" -- titled "The Ritual" in English -- is a collaboration between Hollywood master director Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur of FHF, with funding from "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.

It was conducted at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, considered one of the best restoration labs in the world.

The FHF, based out of Mumbai, said the film was received well at the gala. Kasaravalli and Dungarpur attended the screening.

"A wonderful photograph at the world premiere of the newly restored 'Ghatashraddha' (1977) at the Venice Film Festival yesterday with Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Venice Film Festival, renowned filmmaker and director of the film, Girish Kasaravalli, Davide Pozzi, Director L'Immagine Ritrovata, Elena Tammaccaro and Caterina Palpacelli of L'immagine Ritrovata and Film Heritage Foundation Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. We are proud to say that the film was very well received and a discovery for many people," a post on the foundation's official Instagram page read.

Ghatashraddha is a ritual that was practised by the orthodox Brahmins in the old days.

The film revolves around Yamuna, a child widow, who lives with her father Udupa. Yamuna's father runs a residential Vedic school for Brahmin boys where Naani, a new student at the school, develops a deep bond of affection with her.

"Yamuna has a forbidden affair with a school teacher and becomes pregnant. Yamuna attempts suicide but is rescued by Naani. She then tries to abort her child secretly, but the schoolboys spy on her and reveal her secret to her father.

"She is excommunicated from the village by her father, who performs a funeral rite for his living daughter. The heartrending end of the film sees Naani going back home with his father when he spots a forlorn Yamuna sitting alone under a tree on the outskirts of the village with her head shaved," read the film's synopsis on the gala's official website.

In the story of "Ghatashraddha", the subjugation of Yamuna by the Brahmin orthodoxy, and of Naani by his colleagues, are knitted so organically that the personal and the political blend together, said Kasaravalli.

"The fertility cult is central here: Indian society revels in it, but in practice it abhors it. As we were designing the style of the film, me, my brother and other visual artists of Karnataka felt we needed to shed more light on the fertility cult and the Kundalini art," the filmmaker said in a statement.

Produced by Suvarnagiri Films, "Ghatashraddha" features an ensemble cast of Meena Kuttappa, Narayana Bhat, Ajit Kumar, Ramaswamy Iyengar Udupa, Jagannath Suresh, and Shantha H.S. Parvathi Ramakrishna.

It is among the 18 films that were restored over the past year, which will be premiered at the gala.

The Venice Film Festival opened on August 28 and will run through September 7.
Mumbai, Sep 5 (PTI)) Malayalam cinema star Tovino Thomas says every industry has its own set of skilled actors and he has no desire to foray into Bollywood for the sake of it.

The actor was offered the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha but he couldnt do the 2022 comedy-drama due to prior work commitments.

"Every industry is blessed with a lot of great actors so I dont want to come here as an outsider and steal roles from them. I would love to work in any industry as long as the character is Malayali, and is living in Mumbai or Hyderabad. Otherwise, I dont find any point," Thomas told PTI.

"I watch all language films like Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English, Spanish or Japanese, said the actor, who currently stars in "ARM".

The film, which will have a pan-India release in theatres on September 12 in Malayalam, Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

The "2018" star, whose other noteworthy performances in Malayalam industry are 7th Day, Ennu Ninte Moideen, Charlie, Guppy, Minnal Murali, and Anweshippin Kandethum, said every film, regardless of whether it was a hit or flop, has been a turning point and a "learning experience" for him.

"I started with small and supporting roles, comedic and villain roles, and then played lead, and again did supporting roles, I love switching between roles. I wanted to be an actor and when I completed my first movie, I achieved my dream and since then Ive been living my dream. So, whatever Ive achieved after that, I consider it as a bonus, said the actor, who made his debut in 2012 with Praabhuvinte Makkal.

His ARM co-star, Harish Uthaman, said Thomas has gradually made a mark. "When you say it's a Tovino film, they will know that theres a good story and content in it, Uthaman, who has worked with Thomas on films Maayanadhi, and Kalki, said.

Set in northern Kerala across three timelines of 1900, 1950 and 1990, ARM will see Thomas play the characters of Maniyan, Kunjikkelu, and Ajayan, each trying to protect a treasure of land through different generations.

The actor said he collaborated with an acting trainer to meticulously design each character's nuances, from mannerisms to voice.

Im a worrisome kid in general, Ill be worried about the smallest problem on the sets. This was one of the biggest challenges as Im playing three distinct characters. I wanted each character to be distinct, it shouldnt have any similarities. Theres already one similarity, in which one actor is playing three characters.

"I wanted to complete one character and then move to another and my director and writer were also on the same page. We had many setups and it was not easy to switch between these timelines.

Billed as a visual spectacle with a compelling story, ARM is directed by debutant Jithin Lal and written by Sujith Nambiar.

Uthaman, known for his villainous roles in films like Gouravam, Pandiya Naadu, Meagamann, and Srimanthudu, shared his struggle with being typecast and said he consciously avoided accepting roles in 2018 that seemed similar.

He said he isnt playing a negative part in ARM but his character of Sudev Verma has an agenda.

"As an actor, who wants to perform and do different roles, live different journeys, they dont want to do the same thing, because it kills the fire and interest in you. One day, I realised about being boxed and since then Ive been careful. Getting into the box is very easy, and getting out of the box is very tough, it might take double or triple the time, but its not impossible.

Thomas heaped praise on the actor and said his potential is yet to be explored.

Asked about ARM being turned into a potential franchise, the actor said it all depends on how the viewers respond to the movie.

Thomas is equally excited about his other film, L2 Empuraan. Helmed by Prithviraj, the movie, starring Mohanlal, is a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Lucifer.

"I've shot for a few days and Ill shoot for the remaining part, he said, adding that a sequel to Minnal Murali has not happened yet because the director Basil Joseph is caught up with other commitments.
New York, Sep 5 (AP) Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will debate for the first  and perhaps, last  time on Tuesday night as the presidential candidates fight to sway voters on the biggest stage in U.S. politics.

The meeting comes just 75 days after President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance triggered a political earthquake that ultimately forced him from the race. Few expect such a transformative result this time, but Trump is on a mission to end Harris' honeymoon as polls suggest the Democratic vice president is now even  or slightly ahead  of the Republican former president in some swing states.

Harris, a former courtroom prosecutor, will enter the night with relatively high expectations against a Republican opponent with 34 felony convictions and a penchant for false statements. The question is whether Harris, who did not particularly stand out during primary debates in her 2020 presidential campaign, can prosecute Trump's glaring liabilities in a face-to-face meeting on live television with the world watching.

The 90-minute meeting begins at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday inside Philadelphia's National Constitutional Center. It will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. In accordance with rules negotiated by both campaigns, there will be no live audience.

Here's what we're watching for on a historic night:

Can Harris do what Biden could not?

Biden set an incredibly low bar for Harris in the June 27 debate. The president struggled to offer coherent arguments or even finish his sentences. But the anti-Trump coalition was most disappointed that he failed to take advantage of Trump's obvious political liabilities  whether on abortion, the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, character issues or his legal trouble.

Harris is expected to do much better. But even with such fertile terrain, scoring points against Trump on the debate stage is easier said than done. Trump may be the most experienced debater in modern presidential history. As a former reality television star, he knows how to dominate television coverage. And he clearly likes to fight.

Harris recently suggested that she may be looking forward to a political brawl. Donald, she told a cheering audience last month in Atlanta, if you've got something to say, say it to my face.

Can she back up the tough talk? The world is about to find out.

Can Trump focus?

Trump is not known for his discipline or preparation. His debate performances, like his governing style, are typically fueled much more by instinct than thoughtful analysis.

Therefore, few expect Trump to offer a clear and concise line of attack against Harris on Tuesday night. Still, he needs to do better than the kitchen-sink approach he's been testing on the campaign trail for much of the last month.

Trump has questioned Harris' racial identity. He's falsely called her a communist. He's questioned her strength. He's jabbed her as a San Francisco liberal. And he's reminded voters that she has served in the Biden White House for nearly four years and would presumably continue the president's policies for another four years if she wins.

It is the Biden connection that many Republicans, inside and outside of Trump's campaign, believe is most effective. They want him to evoke Ronald Reagan's 1980 debate-stage jab  Are you better off?  early and often.

The question is whether Trump can deliver that message in a way that isn't immediately overshadowed by a much more controversial statement. Recent history offers reasons to be skeptical.

Body language matters

There will, of course, be an obvious gender dynamic on stage Tuesday night.

Fair or not, body language and tone are viewed differently in a debate between a man and a woman. Just ask Hillary Clinton. She said Trump made her skin crawl when he stood behind her as she was speaking during a town hall-style debate in 2016.

The candidates will be expected to stay behind their podiums on Tuesday night. But Republicans are hopeful that Trump will avoid any other provocations like pointing, yelling or otherwise approaching Harris in a way that might be off-putting to suburban women or other swing voters.

Harris, too, will face unique challenges related to her race and gender as voters consider whether to make her the nation's first female president. Some voters still say they're not comfortable with the idea. If she comes across as angry, she risks playing into racist tropes about Black women.

While the gender dynamic looms, do not underestimate the significance of their age difference, either.

Harris is almost two decades younger than the 78-year-old Trump. Age was viewed as a political advantage for Trump when he was facing the 81-year-old Biden, but the situation is now reversed against the 59-year-old Harris. If he wins, Trump would be the oldest U.S. president ever elected.

The format will be somewhat different as well, in accordance with a set of rules the candidates agreed upon this week.

There will be no live audience, no opening statements and no props allowed. Candidates' microphones will be muted when their opponent is on the clock, a stipulation that created some controversy in recent days.

Trump reluctantly agreed to the mute function when he faced Biden in June, but after that debate, his team determined it was a net positive if voters did not hear from the Republican former president while his opponent was speaking. Harris' team was pushing to return to a normal format without mute buttons.

Abortion vs Immigration

Policy sometimes plays second to personality in presidential debates, but there are dramatic differences between the candidates on key issues that are on the minds of millions of voters.

Republicans hope Trump makes immigration a defining issue of the debate.

The GOP has effectively condemned the Biden administration's handling of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border for much of the last four years. Once an issue that appealed mostly to the Republican base, illegal immigration  and related concerns about drugs, crime and national security  is now a top issue for voters across the political spectrum.

Harris will be eager to remind voters that Trump helped kill a bipartisan immigration bill that would have done much to fix the problem. But overall, Harris is likely to be on the defensive when the issue comes up.

Democrats, meanwhile, want to focus on abortion.

Trump, of course, appointed three Supreme Court justices who later overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that protected a woman's right to choose abortion. Trump has repeatedly said he was proud that Roe was defeated. But aware that such a view isn't popular among many women, he has tried to moderate his stance on the divisive issue.

Harris won't make that easy. Stating the obvious, as a woman, she is positioned to be a much more effective messenger on the issue than Biden was. And Trump can't afford to lose many more female voters.

Look out for wild card Trump

If you ask Trump's previous debate opponents what they're watching for on Tuesday night  and we did  many say the same thing: Look out for the thing he says or does that Harris can't possibly prepare for.

Trump is the ultimate wild card who has found tremendous political success by ignoring the traditional rules of politics. He will say or do whatever he thinks is best in the moment. And Harris, who has dedicated several days to debate prep, can't make a plan for everything.

At this point, it's hard to imagine Trump surprising anyone with new material. He has praised dictators, talked about genitalia size, suggested suspending the U.S. Constitution and said that Harris only recently turned Black.

Trump's own team doesn't know what he'll do or say on any given day. That's incredibly risky for Trump. But it also puts enormous pressure on Harris. (AP)



AMS
Kuala Lumpur, Sep 5 (AP) Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the country's waters.

Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following China's accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory. Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on Aug. 29.

We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory, Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijing's controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea. The diplomatic note also expressed Beijing's displeasure over Malaysia's oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.

Anwar said it wasn't the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it shouldn't mar a strong relationship. Anwar had called China a "true friend during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

We have said that we will not transgress other people's borders, Anwar said. They know our position ... They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory. But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.

Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijing's claims to almost the entire South China Sea. Unlike the Philippines which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysia's government prefers diplomatic channels. It rarely criticizes Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysia's waters. This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysia's top trading partner since 2009. (AP)



AMS
Beijing, Sep 5 (AP) Dozens of African leaders gathered Thursday in Beijing for a summit that signals China's influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against a US-led global order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised the leaders billions of dollars in loans and private investment over the next three years, and proposed that relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the strategic level.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests," he said at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

China has become a major player in Africa since the forum was founded in 2000. Its companies have invested heavily in mining for the resources Chinese industry needs, and its development banks have made loans to build railways, roads and other infrastructure under Xi's Belt and Road program.

African leaders have welcomed China's assistance but are pushing for a closer alignment of aid with the continent's development goals. They are seeking to industrialise their economies and expand agricultural exports to reduce a trade deficit with China, which has become sub-Saharan Africa's largest bilateral trading partner.

In the context of our industrialization effort, the portfolio of private investments in Africa should be sufficiently diversified to extend beyond the traditional field of mining and energy resources, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the African Union Commission, said, addressing the forum in French.

In a reflection of China's broadening relationship with Africa, Xi outlined 10 partnership actions that included training for African politicians and future leaders, further opening of Chinese markets, agriculture demonstration areas, vocational and technical training, green energy projects and 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in military assistance grants.

Xi said China would eliminate tariffs on products from most of the world's poorest countries, including 33 in Africa, in an expansion of existing exemptions.

While commending the overall progress so far achieved, we also appreciate the announcement of further areas of partnership actions, said Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, speaking on behalf of eastern Africa. We salute a new characterisation of China-Africa relations.

China is training more military professionals in Africa than anyone else, and its widespread leadership and governance training gives the country an extra layer of influence by putting it in touch with consecutive generations of politicians, said Paul Nantulya, who specialises in relations with China at the African Center for Strategic Studies in Washington.

The relationship has moved beyond trade and investment to take on political overtones.

Modernisation is an inalienable right of all countries, Xi said. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence...and have been endeavouring to redress the historical injustices of the modernisation process.

China has tried to position itself as a leader of the Global South, a catchphrase for the developing world. While others don't necessarily see China as the leader, its message of rewriting the international order resonates with African nations that feel frustrated and abandoned by their traditional Western partners.

Many African nations have been openly critical of the US role in the war in Ukraine and refused to condemn Russia's invasion, taking a non-aligned stance that has led to political frictions with the US.

As our history demands, South Africa will continue to pursue progressive internationalism, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said during talks with Xi earlier this week. Building on the firm foundation of solidarity, we continue to provide support in promoting our interests, those of the African continent and the Global South.

China's development loans to Africa have fallen sharply from a 2016 peak, though they bounced back from COVID-era lows to $4.6 billion last year, according to the Global Development Policy Centre at Boston University.

The drop-off came partly in response to government budget crises in several recipient countries that are unable to repay their loans from multiple lenders.

Many heavily indebted African countries cannot meet the basic needs of their populations, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the forum.

This situation is unsustainable and a recipe for social unrest, he said, highlighting the need for deep reform to what he called an outdated, ineffective and unfair international financial system.

Kenya is seeking financing to finish a partially built rail project that was meant to connect the port city of Mombasa to neighbouring Uganda, but it is unclear whether China would agree. (AP) SCY

SCY
Moscow, Sep 5 (PTI) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday named India among the three countries he is constantly in touch over the Ukraine conflict and said they are sincerely making efforts to resolve it, state-owned TASS news agency reported.

Reporting on his remarks at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, US media outlet Politico reported him as also saying, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that."

Putin's remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ukraine where he held talks with President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict, primarily China, Brazil and India. I constantly keep in touch with our colleagues on this issue, Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

Separately, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Izvestia daily that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.

Underlining the existing "highly constructive, even friendly relations" between Modi and Putin, he said the Indian Prime Minister can "lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict," as he freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans.

"This gives a great opportunity for India to throw its weight in world affairs, to use its influence that would drive the Americans and Ukrainians towards using a greater political will and entering the peaceful settlement track, Peskov said.

He, however, said there are "no specific plans" on Modi mediating on the issue.

"At this time they can hardly exist, as we do not see any preconditions for talks for now, the Kremlin spokesman said.

Modi on August 23 visited Ukraine where he conveyed to President Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with President Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

In his talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Modi said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Ottawa, Sep 5 (PTI) Alleging that the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has said he is terminating the supply-and-confidence agreement his party made with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government in Canada.

The deal entered into in March 2022 was scheduled to run until June 2025 and the NDPs decision has put Trudeaus party in the minority.

In a video posted on his social media handles, the New Democratic Party (NDP) leader also claimed that Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed.

The deal is done. The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to stop the Conservatives and their plans to cut. But the NDP can. Big corporations and CEOs have had their governments. It's the people's time, Singh said in a post on X on Wednesday.

Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News) said quoting Singh as saying in the video.

Singh said the Liberals will not stand up to corporate interests and he will be running in the next election to stop Conservative cuts, it said.

An NDP spokesperson told CBC News the plan to end the agreement had been in the works for the past two weeks but it informed the Liberal government of the decision barely minutes ahead of the video going live online.

The confidence-and-supply agreement struck between the two parties in March 2022 committed the NDP to supporting the Liberal government on confidence votes in exchange for legislative commitments on NDP priorities, CBC News said, adding, that the deal, which ensured the survival of the minority Liberal government, was the first such formal agreement between two parties at the federal level.

Reacting to Singhs announcement, Trudeau said his government is more focused on tackling the affordability crisis and climate change. These are the things that we're focused on. I'll let others focus on politics, Trudeau said.

I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics, the CBC News quoted Trudeau as saying.

Trudeau said he hoped the next election will not happen until next fall so that his government had time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care and school food programmes.

Singh, in a media release accompanying his video announcement, said: The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure.

Meanwhile, the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leader Pierre Poilievre termed the NDP leader as Sellout Singh and called his announcement on video as a media stunt.

In a longish post on X, Poilievre said: Two years ago, Sellout Singh sold out workers and signed on to a costly coalition with Justin Trudeau that hiked taxes, ballooned food costs, doubled housing costs and unleashed crime and chaos in our once safe streets.

In today's media stunt, Sellout Singh refuses to state whether the NDP will vote with non-confidence to cause a carbon tax election at the first chance, he added.

Stating that Sellout Singh has voted to quadruple the carbon tax, a plan, he said will hurt the Canadian economy, the post further said, Sellout Singh did all of this after promising he would be an opposition voice.

In an analytical piece, the Canadian media outlet said that Singhs decision injects a lot of uncertainty into Canadian politics  and it could lead to a federal election earlier than planned.

Canada's fixed-date election law dictates that a vote will happen in October 2025  but that date is moot if a majority of MPs turn on the Liberals or if Trudeau goes to the Governor General to request an early election, it added.
London, Sep 5 (PTI) A 14-year-old boy arrested following the fatal assault on 80-year-old Bhim Kohli while he was out walking his dog in a park near the eastern England city of Leicester appeared in court on Thursday charged with his murder.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons as he is a minor, appeared at Leicester Youth Court sitting at Leicester Magistrates' Court. He was among five children aged 12-14 years arrested following the death of Kohli in hospital on Monday night by Leicestershire Police, with the other four released earlier with no further action.

Meanwhile, Kohli's family released a statement via the police to say they were heartbroken and struggling to cope with the loss of a loving and caring person.

"Bhim was a loving husband, dad and granddad. He was also a son, brother and uncle. He adored his grandkids with all his heart and loved spending time with them. He really was such a loving, caring person whose life was centred around his family," the statement reads.

"He has always been a very hardworking man and even at the age of 80 he was still very active. One of his great passions was his allotment, he would go everyday to tend to his plots and was so proud of them. He also enjoyed walking the family dog Rocky in the park many times a day, it goes on.

The family shared how Kohli "loved to laugh" and was always very happy and talkative, the "joker of the family" who always loved to outsmart us with a smile.

"Our family have lived in the same house in Braunstone for 40 years, so he was very well known in the community  we have been overwhelmed by the messages and support from many who knew him. Our hearts have been completely broken. We are now pulling together as a family to try and support each other through the most difficult time imaginable and would ask for privacy while we do this, the statement concludes.

A post-mortem examination carried out after his death in hospital following the attack at Franklin Park in Braunstone Town on Sunday evening confirmed the cause of death as a neck injury, while further tests were to be carried out.

"The circumstances surrounding Mr Kohlis death are extremely tragic and upsetting not only for his family and friends but also the wider community, Detective Inspector Emma Matts, Senior Investigating Officer at Leicestershire Police, said earlier this week.

We continue to offer support to the family through our family liaison officers and the local policing teams are in the area to provide reassurance and discuss any issues or concerns, she added.

Now that a suspect has been charged in the case, further details will be restricted to prevent any interventions that may prejudice a murder trial.

Earlier, Leicestershire Police had admitted prior police contact with the victim, which initially led to a voluntary referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) before being escalated to a mandatory referral after further contact with the watchdog.
Singapore, Sep 5 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that India's first-ever Thiruvalluvar centre in the world will be set up in Singapore to enhance cultural ties between the two countries and an Invest India office will also be established in the city-state to boost trade and investment.

Modi, who is here on a two-day visit, Thursday held a productive meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong during which they elevated the bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

In a special gesture, Premier Wong hosted a private dinner for the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Secretary (East), the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaideep Mazumdar, said at a media briefing here.

"Today, Prime Minister Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House followed by official talks. And, they (the two leaders) discussed cooperation in a wide range of subjects, including trade and investment, defence and security, fintech and digital economy, green corridors and sustainability, food security, advanced manufacturing including semiconductors, connectivity, health and resilient supply chains," Mazumdar said.

Four MoUs on cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development and education and healthcare were exchanged between the two sides.

"It is fair to say that with this India and Singapore relations have been made future-ready. And, accordingly, both PMs decided to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership," Mazumdar said.

Modi is visiting Singapore after a "very successful" visit to Brunei. This is his fifth visit as prime minister, all prior visits were made in his first term as prime minister.

In his opening remarks, Modi said Singapore is not only a partner nation but it is an inspiration for every developing country.

"The next stage in our bilateral relation has been set by the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable that met recently and identified six pillars of our futuristic cooperation, and the four MoUs address four of those pillars," Mazumdar added.

At the press interaction, the Secretary (East) said that to boost trade and investment, Prime Minister Modi also announced the setting up of an Invest India office in Singapore, which will be a handholding office for investors in Singapore in various areas identified in the six pillars.

Both leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues including India's Act East policy and the centrality of ASEAN in this policy, he said.

Prime Minister Modi also announced that the first-ever Thiruvalluvur Cultural Centre in the world will be set up in Singapore, the official said.

Thiruvalluvar was a noted Tamil poet and philosopher.

In response to a question on the timeline of this cultural centre, he said, "I don't have a timeline, but I can tell you the government is very keen to do it at the earliest."

Modi earlier said, "I am delighted to inform you that Indias first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be inaugurated in Singapore. The great saint Thiruvalluvar provided guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language Tamil. His work, the Thirukkural, was composed nearly 2,000 years ago, yet its ideas remain relevant even today."

Quoting Thiruvalluvar's words: "Nayanodu Nanri Purind Payanudaiyar Panbu Paratattum Ulagu (The world admires those who are known for their sense of justice and service to others), the prime minister said he is confident that millions of Indians living in Singapore are also inspired by these ideas and are contributing to strengthening the relations between the two countries.

Modi invited Wong to visit India, which he accepted.

Prime Minister Modi accompanied by Wong on Thursday also visited a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector and discussed ways for collaboration in this critical industry.

At the facility, a group of interns from both countries had undergone skill training as part of bilateral programmes. The Indian interns were from the World Skill Centre in Odisha, and Singaporean students received skilling in India under the India Ready programme, Mazumdar said.

"In terms of people-to-people contacts, in discussion over the two days, the two sides have discussed increasing flight connectivity between the two countries," he said.

The Prime Minister also invited CEOs here to the SEMICIONB India exhibition and conference which is being held in India from September 11-13.

"Across this entire spectrum of semi-conductor ecosystem, we find great convergences with Singapore. And, you will see rapid growth in our joint efforts in this direction," the Secretary added.

India and Singapore have multi-dimensional relationship, multi-dimensional partnership, very strong relationship in the defence sector and the two sides conduct joint exercises, the MEA said.

"We would like to cooperate further in maritime domain awareness," he said.

The discussion between the leadership in Singapore and the Indian Prime Minister "focussed on how India and ASEAN, with Singapore as one of our most important partners in ASEAN, can play (a role) in making this an Asian century".

When asked whether China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea was discussed during the bilateral talks, he said, "Peace, stability and open commerce are important things for both India and Singapore, so these subjects do come in discussion in between our leaders."

Asked if Andhra Pradesh's Amaravati capital issue was discussed, he said, "I don't believe it was discussed, didn't come up."
Munich, Sep 5 (AP) The man killed in a shootout with police in Munich Thursday was an 18-year-old citizen of neighboring Austria, police said. Authorities believed he may have planned an attack on the Israeli Consulate in the city.

The suspect was fatally wounded in an area near the consulate and a museum on the city's Nazi-era history after officers were alerted to man carrying a long gun.

There was no indication that anyone else was hurt.

According to a police spokesperson, officers were alerted to a person carrying a long gun in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, at around 9 am. There was then an exchange of shots in which the suspect sustained fatal injuries, but there no was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesperson Andreas Franken told reporters.

There was no immediate information on the suspect's identity or on any motive, Franken said. The man, who was carrying an old make of firearm with a repeating mechanism, died at the scene. Bavaria's top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had opened fire at police and they returned fire.

It was unclear whether the incident was in any way related to the 52nd anniversary Thursday of the attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which ended with the death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants.

Police said there was no evidence of any more suspects connected to the incident. They increased their presence in the city, Germany's third-biggest, but said they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects.

Five officers were at the scene at the time the gunfire erupted. Police later deployed to the area in force.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed when the shooting occurred and that none of its staff had been hurt.

The nearby Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the city's past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He wrote on the social media platform X that together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the shooting.

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described Thursday's shooting as a serious incident but said she didn't want to speculate on what had happened.

She reiterated that the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority. (AP) NPK

NPK
KYODO NEWS - Sep 5, 2024 - 23:27 | All, Japan, World

Major Japanese retailer Seven & i Holdings Co. plans to turn down a takeover bid proposed by Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., as its offer price is not high enough, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The Japanese company's board concluded that the deal does not benefit its shareholders, and it is expected to send a notification letter to the Canadian firm soon, the sources said.

Seven & i said in August that it had received a nonbinding, preliminary buyout proposal from the Canadian retailer, without revealing the offer price.

The Japanese firm set up a special committee of independent outside directors to review the proposal.

If eventually realized, the planned buyout could be one of the biggest acquisitions of a Japanese company by a foreign firm, given the retailer's market capitalization of over 5 trillion yen ($35 billion).

In the letter to be sent, Seven & i will state that the Canadian firm misjudges its business strategy and that the proposal does not take antitrust issues into account properly, the sources said.

Alimentation Couche-Tard, which runs brands including Couche-Tard and Circle K, has about 17,000 stores in over 30 countries and regions, including Canada and the United States.

Seven & i operates more than 80,000 Seven-Eleven convenience stores around the world.

Related coverage:

Seven & i takeover bid by Canadian retailer faces Japan government review

Japan 7-Eleven operator to review takeover bid by Canada retail giant
Beijing, Sep 5 (AP) The Chinese government is no longer allowing foreigners to adopt its children, a spokesperson said Thursday.

The only exception will be for blood relatives adopting a child or a stepchild, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said.

She didn't explain the decision other than to say that it was in line with the spirit of relevant international conventions.

Many foreigners have adopted children from China over the decades, visiting the country to pick them up and then bringing them to a new home overseas.

China suspended international adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government later resumed adoptions for children who had received travel authorisation before the suspension in 2020, the US State Department said in its latest annual report on adoptions.

A US consulate issued 16 visas for adoptions from China in the 12 months from October 2022 through September 2023, the first in more than two years, the State Department report said. It wasn't clear if any more visas had been issued since then. (AP) SCY

SCY
Kyiv, Sep 5 (AP) Ukraine's parliament approved the appointment of a new foreign minister Thursday, two lawmakers said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to breathe fresh life into his administration with the war against Russia poised for what could be a pivotal phase.

Andrii Sybiha, a former ambassador to Turkey, is the country's new chief diplomat. He replaced Dmytro Kuleba, who became one of Ukraine's most recognizable faces on the international stage as he petitioned and pleaded with Western countries to support Ukraine's war effort.

Sybiha, 49, has been working as Kuleba's deputy since April.

Zelenskyy wants to replace almost a dozen top officials in his biggest government shake-up since Russia's full-scale invasion started on Feb 24, 2022. Other changes included the heads of strategic industries, justice, natural resources and farming.

Parliament's approval is required for the changes. Ukrainian lawmakers Yaroslav Zhelezniak and Oleksii Honcharenko confirmed the vote to The Associated Press.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday of the reshuffle that Ukraine needs new energy.

The war, more than 900 days long, is on the cusp of what could be a key period.

A likely hard winter lies ahead, testing the country's resolve. Ukraine's power grid is under severe strain after Russian missiles and drones knocked out around 70% of the country's generation capacity. That could mean going without heat and water.

On the battlefield, Ukraine is waiting to see whether the military's gamble with its surprise thrust into Russia's Kursk border region a month ago pays dividends. Meanwhile, outgunned Ukrainian soldiers are gradually being pushed backward by Russia's monthslong drive deeper into eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian civilians are at the mercy of Russia's deadly long-range aerial strikes.

The casualty list from a Russian missile strike Tuesday on a military training school in the Ukrainian city of Poltava grew to 55 dead and 328 wounded, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said Thursday. A search and rescue operation was continuing.

No major policy changes were expected under the new administration. Zelenskyy's five-year mandate expired in May, but he remains in power under the provisions of martial law, and his leadership is largely unchallenged.

Sybiha, the new foreign minister who also previously worked in the president's office, takes on the role as Ukraine endeavours to prevent war fatigue from eroding the West's commitment.

Kyiv officials will also have to navigate the result of the US election in November, which could produce important policy shifts in Washington.

Top of Ukraine's wish list at the moment are more Western air defence systems and permission from its Western partners to let it use their weapons to hit targets on Russian soil. Some Western leaders are reluctant to grant that request, because they fear an escalation that could drag them into the fighting.

Top US military leaders, including Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen C Q Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will meet in Germany on Friday to discuss those issues with European allies.

Zelenskyy hasn't shrunk from major decisions that risk alienating senior officials and perplexing the public.

In February, he replaced his top general in a shake-up aimed at reigniting battlefield momentum, and the then defence minister Oleksii Reznikov quit a year ago, after Zelenskyy said that he would be replaced and named his successor. (AP) SCY

SCY
Colombo, Sep 5 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday sacked four junior ministers from his government in what is being seen as a purge of the Rajapaksa backers in the run-up to the September 21 presidential elections.

A statement from the president's office said that the decision was made under the authority granted to him by Article 47 (3) of the Constitution.

The sacked ministers are State Minister of Ports and Aviation Services Premalal Jayasekara, State Minister of Power and Energy Indika Anuruddha, State Minister of Agriculture Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva, and State Minister of Highways Siripala Gamlath.

The deposed ministers had announced their support for Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna's (SLPP) Presidential Candidate Namal Rajapaksa -the heir to the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty - who is vying to become the president.

The Rajapaksas withdrew support for Wickremesinghe, 75, who is competing as an independent candidate despite being the leader of the grand old party, the United National Party.

The decision to sack the ministers came as a grand coalition -- Peoples United Freedom Alliance -- was formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

It comprises over 25 political parties that gathered to consolidate support for Wickremesinghe in the presidential election.

Several ministers and politicians from the SLPP, who are backing Wickremesinghe, were also present at the party's launch ceremony.

We have formed this alliance to contest the parliamentary election that will be coming after the presidential election, Gunawardena said.

Wickremesinghe, who took over the presidency for the balance term of the ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022, was installed as the stop-gap president by the majority vote in parliament by the SLPP.

The younger members of the SLPP, who helped Wickremesinghes work in reviving the bankrupt economy, decided to back the president in helping the country overcome the economic crisis.

The SLPP has vowed to take disciplinary action against the members for backing Wickremesinghe over Rajapaksas candidacy.
Thane, Sep 5 (PTI) A man was arrested in Dombivali in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday for allegedly outraging the modesty of his minor daughter, a police official said.

The incident took place on March 18 this year but the complaint, by the child's mother, was filed on Wednesday night, the Manpada police station official said.

"The complainant had left her minor daughter in the care of her husband when she had gone to Nagpur to complete a course. However, at 2am on March 18, during a video call, the child, who was crying continuously, showed her mother that her father was sitting naked on bed," he said.

"The child's mother lodged a complaint, based on which the victim's 36-year-old father was arrested under IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for insulting a woman's modesty and other offences," he said.

The official did not specify the age of the victim or why the case was lodged by her mother after so much delay.
Ahmedabad, Sep 5 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday said the new National Education Policy (NEP) prepared under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will serve as a catalyst in building a developed India.

He was speaking at an event held here on the occasion of Teachers' Day, which is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of the country's second president Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

During the event, 28 school teachers were given the 'Best Teachers Award', said an official release.

"It is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed country when it celebrates 100 years of Independence in 2047. The National Education Policy formulated under the visionary leadership of PM Modi will serve as a catalyst in building a developed India," Patel said.

"It is the responsibility of all teachers to make students capable of writing their own destiny when India will become a developed nation by 2047 as envisioned by PM Narendra Modi," he added.

Hailing Dr Radhakrishnan, the CM said his contribution in the field of education has always inspired people to work for the nation.

"Despite becoming the President of India, Dr Radhakrishnan continued to remain a teacher by heart, because a teacher neither retires nor does he take rest. Since children spend more time with teachers than anyone else, your responsibility is greater than others in shaping the future of students," the CM told the gathering.

Since students of today's generation are full of curiosity and remain updated with the help of Artificial Intelligence and Google, it is necessary for you to be prepared as a teacher, he asserted.

"PM Modi has given us the mantra of 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' (both heritage and development are important). We have adopted this approach of combining both to keep the teaching profession vibrant," Patel said.
Mumbai, Sep 5 (PTI) During the British rule, social reformer Lokmanya Tilak initiated public celebration of Ganesh festival to bring people together and foster a sense of unity, but over the years, apart from fulfilling these objectives, Ganesh mandals have also been serving as grooming ground for budding politicians.

Through the "sarvajanik" (public) Ganesh mandals, the future leaders can get to master different key skills like managing finances, human resources management and establishing coordination between various agencies, says Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS).

The Ganesh festival is celebrated across Maharashtra on a large scale. This year, this 10-day cultural extravaganza will begin on September 7.

There are several political leaders in Maharashtra who earlier worked as humble "karyakartas" (volunteers) of Ganesh mandals before making a foray into the world of politics.

Talking to PTI, Dahibavkar said that NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol are among some of the leaders, who were earlier associated with Ganesh mandals in Mumbai and Pune, respectively, before making it big in politics.

Bhujbal, who was president of Anjirwadi Sarvajanik Mandal in Byculla in central Mumbai, rose to become a corporator, city mayor and then a cabinet minister. Mohol, a corporator and former Pune mayor, won this year's Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate and was then appointed as Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation, he said.

Dahibavkar said he wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde two months ago to ensure that election code of conduct does not come into force during the Ganesh festival and the demand was accepted, he added.

Assembly elections in Maharashtra are likely to be held mid-November.

"If a mandal volunteer or its office-bearer becomes a politician and gives donation to the organisation, the latter becomes duty-bound to put up his posters, irrespective of whether it is an election year or not," he said.

"Donations are used during the festivities because expenses have also increased. These days, we have to put up CCTV cameras," he added.

According to Dahibavkar, apart from grooming politicians, the sarvajanik Ganesh mandals also served as platforms for budding actors to showcase their talent through cultural activities.

"But since there are no musical programmes and plays during the festival due to the 10 pm deadline on loudspeakers, the grooming of new actors has also stopped. Several theatre and film personalities have attributed the plays organised by local Ganesh mandals as their debut in the field of art," he said.

There are 3,300 public Ganesh mandals and 8,700 ones from housing societies in the suburbs which are registered with the BSGSS, he said.

The Ganesh mandals are required to obtain licences from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), police, traffic department and fire brigade licences are required and the committee has to coordinate with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Metro rail authorities to install pandals, he said.

The civic body has issued guidelines regarding the height of the pandals and stage, he said.

"Now, online permissions are valid for a period of five years instead of one year. But the traffic and police departments check if the rules regarding height are being followed or not every year," he said.

Each mandal has "Gan Sevaks", who coordinate with the local police on the safety and security aspect. Women also participate in large numbers as volunteers.

Various competitions are held for local residents by each Ganesh mandal, including cooking competitions for women, educational contests for children.

"The festival might be for 10 days only, but Ganesh mandals are active throughout the year, carrying out various social initiatives. During the pandemic, 730 COVID-19 patients were saved due to efforts of the coordination committee," he said.

Dahibavkar noted that the city never witnessed caste or religious tensions during the festivities.

"We consider this our achievement. At some places, like Dongri, Muslims head Ganesh mandals," he said.

Talking about the business aspect, he said the turnover during the Ganesh festival is worth a few crores as there is requirement for various objects like, bamboo, tarpaulins, decoration material, flowers, fruits, dry fruits, instruments and sweets apart from Ganesh idols.

"The government gets revenue in the form of Goods and Services Tax (GST)," he said.
Bhopal, Sep 4 (PTI) Two girls were swept away when five members of a family tried to cross an overflowing Anaas river through a stop dam near village Dhebar in Jhabua district on Wednesday, an official said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has directed the administration to provide four lakh assistance besides Rs two lakh from the chief minister relief fund to the kin of each of the victims, the official said.

The body of Kabbu Pargi (16) was recovered by the rescue team while a search is on to trace Maya Makwana (05), Jhabua collector Neha Meena said.

Besides the above assistance, financial aid of Rs 20,000 each was also sanctioned from the Red Cross, Meena said.

The chief minister, after taking part in the funeral of his father in Ujjain, took stock of the situation in rain-affected areas.

He spoke to the collector over phone from Ujjain and directed him to provide financial assistance to the kin of the deceased, the official added.

Yadav also reviewed the situation in Dhar district where an Adivasi ashram was flooded following excessive rains.

The collector informed the chief minister that prompt action had saved the trapped children in the ashram with the active assistance of social workers and other citizens, the official said.

The chief minister while praising the efforts of social workers and locals, said that the state government will honour and reward them for their valiant efforts.
Patna, Sep 5 (PTI) CPI (ML) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad on Thursday alleged that he was shoved around by security personnel accompanying Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who was on a tour of Arrah, his Lok Sabha constituency.

Prasad, who had wrested the seat from BJP heavyweight and former Union Minister R K Singh, also asserted that the shabby treatment was "an insult to 5.30 lakh people who had voted for me in the general elections".

"I do not make a big deal of my prestige or humiliation. But, certainly, the people felt insulted. You can imagine the treatment received by common citizens when even elected representatives were being shoved around," the Left party MP told reporters later.

Notably, Kumar was in Arrah, the town, where Bhojpur district is headquartered, to launch projects worth nearly Rs 100 crore and inspect an under-construction government medical college.

Officials were tight-lipped over the allegations made by the MP though the main opposition party RJD, an alliance partner of the CPI (ML) L, shared the news on X claiming the ageing CM had grown "benumbed" and was oblivious to what was happening around him.

Prasad, who pointed out that his name figured among the invitees, said he stood carrying a bouquet which he tried to present the CM with "but his commandos couldn't care less".

He claimed that the brusque behaviour of the entourage had embarrassed Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha and state health minister Mangal Pandey, both of whom tried to humour him later by "nodding at me and greeting me with Pranam".

Prasad pointed out that many locals had turned up at the function with the hope of drawing the chief minister's attention to the plight of the district, "a large part of which is reeling under floods".

"Of course, the chief minister has too many engagements and is short on time. But then he should not have bothered to come here, all the way from Patna. He could have done all that he did here, virtually, from his residence," Prasad said with a hint of sarcasm.
Mathabhanga (West Bengal) Sept. 4 (PTI) The 'Reclaim The Night' campaign across West Bengal, demanding justice for a doctor who was raped-murdered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last month, encountered violence in Mathabhanga town when a protester was allegedly assaulted by members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Pradyut Saha, a branch secretary of the CPI(M) and an employee of the Mathabhanga municipality, was reportedly attacked during a demonstration by the West Bengal Democratic Writers and Artistes Association and the People's Theatre Association to demand justice for the murdered doctor.

The event featured songs, poems, and street art highlighting violence against women, with slogans such as 'We Want Justice', among others.

Moksedul Islam, a CPI(M) district committee member, claimed that TMC activists attempted to disrupt the protest by threatening the participants and pressuring them to erase their artwork. When Saha objected, he was allegedly beaten by ruling party workers, before being rescued by other members of the protest group.

CPI(M) district committee members have filed a complaint with police regarding the incident.

In response, Biswajit Rai, president of Mathabhanga Town Block TMC, denied any assault, stating that the party had organised its own protest at Mathabhanga Chowpathi and that no violence occurred.

Police have been deployed in the area to maintain order and prevent further unrest.

Condemning the alleged violence, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar posted on X, "Trinamool is anti-democratic, Trinamool is anti-humanity! The notorious forces of Trinamool Congress suddenly attacked the peaceful citizen's protest in Mathabhanga, North Bengal. The protest program demanding justice for Tilottama was marred by unprovoked violence and threats."

He added, "Pictures were forcibly removed from the street. The police stood silent like a mute spectator! Can you extinguish the fire of protest by stifling democracy using notorious forces, Honorable Chief Minister?"

In Kolkata, actor Rituparna Sengupta faced hostility from a group of protesters at Shyambazar who were demanding justice for the RG Kar victim.

As Sengupta attempted to address the crowd and show solidarity, she was met with shouts of "Go Back."

The situation escalated, leading to Sengupta being escorted away by police and her bodyguard to her vehicle, which then left the area.

In a separate incident during a solidarity rally at Garia in southern Kolkata, a youth was detained by police after allegedly misbehaving with women. The youth, reportedly intoxicated, was beaten by other protesters before being handed over to the authorities.

"No amount of coercion and threats will deter us from our fight for justice for the victim, Ushashi Paul, a woman protestor said.
Kolkata, Sep 5 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hailed the teaching community on the occasion of Teachers Day and described them as "backbone of the society".

Governor CV Ananda Bose also extended his wishes to the teachers on this occasion.

"On this auspicious occasion of Teachers' Day, marking the birth anniversary of the great scholar and the second President of India Dr S Radhakrishnan, I humbly remember his great legacy and simultaneously express my deepest respect for our entire teaching community," she posted on X.

Apart from parents, they are the only ones before whom people bow their heads in respect, she said.

"Our teachers are our guides, pillars of our inspiration and strength. They are the backbones of our society. We will be always grateful to them for guiding us through our formative years, and even later," the chief minister said in the post.

Governor CV Ananda Bose also wished the teachers.

"On the occasion of Teacher's Day, HG conveys his best wishes and high regards to all teachers," the Raj Bhavan said in a statement.
By Akbar Hasanov, Day.az





The Armenian media threw a fit of hysteria over the fact that Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to the country Luca Di Gianfrancesco. This hysteria was clearly of a controlled nature. Indeed, on August 31, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a press conference, during which he said a lot of ridiculous, confusing, mutually exclusive and even false things.





Nikol Vovaevich, trying to justify the supply of weapons to Armenia from France and India, said that Azerbaijan buys weapons from Italy as well. It was a primitive manipulation. Because there is a very obvious difference between the purchase of weapons by the occupying State and by the victim State of the occupation. Moreover, the "revanchists" are reminding themselves more and more loudly in Armenia.





Which, I would like to emphasize, are supported by pro-Armenian politicians of various levels in Russia, France, and the United States. And against this background, we also see the persistent unwillingness of official Yerevan to eliminate the main problem on the way to signing a peace agreement - to amend the Armenian constitution, where there are territorial claims against Azerbaijan.





So, now the Armenian media is implementing an agenda launched "from above". The purpose of this agenda is to "justify" Armenia's purchases of weapons from France and India by the growing military-technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy. And the meeting of the head of the national defense ministry with the Italian ambassador in Baku became a formal "reason" for the launch of this campaign.





The Armenian media and the expert community there retell reports from Azerbaijani publications that some of the 31 planned military events between Azerbaijan and Italy for 2024-2025 have already been implemented between Azerbaijan and Italy. In the neighboring country, they recall that the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry purchased Leonardo C-27J Spartan turboprop military transport aircraft from the Italian company Leonardo last year.





In addition, the Armenian "ishkhans of the pen" indignantly state that in 2021 Baku signed an agreement with Leonardo on the acquisition of a batch of M-346 Master combat training aircraft. After that, the detailing went on. They say that in the United States, this type of aircraft is used by the Coast Guard and Special Operations Command. But, if it has come to this, we will have to remind the Armenian journalists of something else.





For example, the fact that most of our trade relations in the European space are accounted for by Italy, whose trade turnover has exceeded $ 15 billion. Moreover, the Azerbaijani-Italian cooperation in the oil and gas sector is important not only for our countries, but also for the entire European space. Can Armenia boast of something like this? Obviously not.





Meanwhile, on September 1, the Azerbaijani oil company SOCAR began supplying natural gas to Croatia. It is already the tenth country receiving Azerbaijani gas, joining Turkiye, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia. All this is highly appreciated in these countries. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric openly stated that his country has doubled its GDP over the past 10 years and Azerbaijan has provided significant support to Serbia in achieving this result.





Accordingly, trust and respect for our state have grown in each of these countries. In Armenia, the whole process can only be watched with sadness and anger. They calculate how many NATO member countries are already receiving natural gas from Azerbaijan. They shy away from one extreme to the other, from the status of an outpost to the status of an appendage of one center of power or another.





At the same time, Armenia is not interesting to anyone, because there is simply nothing to take from it. Everything she could potentially use to attract attention to herself is already in someone else's hands. Whereas, for example, relations between Baku and Rome are based on strong political ties and the "Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic."
The success of FOCAC and a broader partnership emphasizes the important truth that global progress is not a zero-sum game, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (#FOCAC) on Thursday.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Guwahati, Sep 5 (PTI) Five Bangladesh nationals were apprehended while trying to enter Assam's Karimganj district illegally and handed over to authorities of the neighbouring country, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

"Maintaining alert along the Indo-Bangladesh border, @assampolice managed to identify and push back Bangladeshi nationals at 00:40 hours," the chief minister posted on X.

The people who were pushed back have been identified as Md Sabir Rahman, Md Sakil, Dilwar Hussain, Md Ali and Md Bhaijit.

"We are committed to an infiltration-free Assam," Sarma added.

On Wednesday, five people were nabbed by Assam police while they were trying to enter Karimganj from neighbouring Tripura and were later handed over to Bangladesh authorities at the India-Bangladesh border.

The BSF has intensified its vigil along the 1,885-km Indo- Bangladesh border in the North East following the recent turmoil in Bangladesh.

Assam Police is also maintaining a high alert along the border to ensure that no person can enter the state illegally, Director General of Police G P Singh had said.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The CBI has registered a case into the alleged rape and murder of a schoolboy in Gujarat's Morbi district nine years ago, officials said on Thursday.

The case was registered on the directions of the Gujarat High Court, which handed over the investigation to the CBI on August 16 this year and flagged the CID Crime, Rajkot's "inability "to "trace the suspect and offender or properly detect the offence".

The case pertains to a schoolboy in Morbi who did not return from school on December 15, 2015. His father went to the school trustee to seek the whereabouts of his son, where he was told that all the students had already left.

The minor's friends confirmed they had all left the school at about 12:15 PM.

The father informed his relatives and searched again when he found his son's bicycle near a pan shop. When confronted again, the school trustee told the father that students of a particular caste said the boy had left with someone on an Activa or Pledger motorcycle.

When the boy could not be traced, a case of kidnapping was registered at a police station in Morbi. Three days later, the body of the boy was found near the Machchhu Dam.

The postmortem report revealed that the boy had been "brutally murdered after being subjected to unnatural sex", the High Court had noted. The police added sections of murder and unnatural sex in the case after the report came.

Not satisfied by the probe, the victim's father approached the Gujarat High Court.

"The petitioner (father of the victim) raised concerns about the Mahants of the Swaminarayan Temple, where his son used to go for worship. However, the investigating officer did not pursue this line of inquiry, leading to the filing of the present petition," Justice Hasmukh D Suthar noted.

The Director General of Police had constituted a Special Investigation Team on September 27, 2017, to investigate the offence, it said.

"However, till date, no fruitful outcome of the investigation has been reported, and no suspect or offender has been traced," the High Court had pointed out.

The High Court gave three weeks, on July 25 this year, to investigate the offence and submit a report. K.K. Jadeja, Detective Police Inspector, (CID Crime) Rajkot, submitted a report before the High Court on August 16.

"After perusing the report, it appears that the same story has been repeated, which indicates his inability to trace the suspect and offender or properly detect the offence," Justice Suthar said.

"Considering the seriousness of the offence" and "the inability" of the police to detect an offence and the fact that more than nine years have passed without any fruitful outcome of the investigation, he said, it is expedient to direct the police to hand over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The Parliamentary panel examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was on Thursday apprised of the Waqf properties in the national capital region and those on the land parcels belonging to the ministries of road transport and railways.

Urban Affairs and Road Transport Secretary Anurag Jain and Anil Kumar Khandelwal, Member Infrastructure, Railway Board, along with the officials from the respective ministries made presentations to the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

The officials of the Urban Affairs Ministry briefed the panel on the land acquisition process undertaken by the then British government in 1911 to build the city of Delhi.

Parliamentary sources said there were heated moments during the meeting when the officials of the Urban Affairs Ministry were unable to respond to questions from members on the land acquisition process undertaken by the British administration.

"There were also attempts to suppress certain information," claimed an opposition member of the Committee chaired by BJP member Jagadambika Pal.

Parliamentary sources said DMK member A. Raja pointed out that a Waqf Act was passed in 1913 and there was no mention of it in the presentation by the Urban Affairs Ministry about it.

According to the presentation by the ministry, the Waqf Board made claims between 1970 and 1977 on 138 properties that were acquired for building New Delhi by the British government.

A total of 341 sq km of land was acquired to build the national capital region and due compensation was paid to the affected persons, a claim that was contested by the members.

The members also wanted the government to ascertain whether the claims by the Waqf Board on properties in Delhi were made after following the due process laid down in the Waqf Act of 1954.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) In a major step in the probe into the 2023 attack at the Indian High Commission in London, the NIA on Thursday charge-sheeted a key accused in the incident, an official statement said.

The charge sheet was filed in a special NIA court in Delhi.

Inderpal Singh Gaba, a UK national residing in Hounslow and originally hailing from New Delhi, was charge-sheeted as one of the agitators who actively participated in the anti-India protest on March 22, 2023, in front of the Indian High Commission in London, as part of the Khalistani secessionist agenda, it said.

The accused was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 25 after exhaustive investigations that established his role in the secessionist activity.

He was detained in December 2023 by immigration authorities at the Attari border upon his arrival from London via Pakistan, based on a lookout circular against him.

Investigations were then initiated against Gaba and he was asked not to leave the country while the probe continued, said the NIA statement.

During the months-long investigation, the NIA seized his mobile phone and scrutinised the data, including several incriminating videos/photos of the incident, and eventually established his involvement in the incident, it said.

NIA investigations have so far revealed that the attack in London was conspired and perpetrated in retaliation to the action taken by the Punjab Police against Amritpal Singh, chief of Waris Punjab De, with the objective of influencing the crackdown on the outfit and its leader, the statement said.

The violent attack at the high commission was aimed at furthering and achieving the cause of Khalistan by secession of the state of Punjab from India, the probe agency said.
Gopeshwar (U'khand), Sep 5 (PTI) Pauri Garhwal MP Anil Baluni has requested the Centre to extend air connectivity under the UDAN scheme to Gopeshwar, Jyotirmath, Ramnagar, Lansdowne and Pauri towns of his constituency to boost tourism and reduce migration from the hills of Uttarakhand.

In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Baluni also sought upgradation of the Gauchar airstrip.

"Ramnagar is the gateway to the world renowned Jim Corbett National Park. Linking Ramnagar with air connectivity will give a much-needed boost to the tourism sector," Baluni said in the letter.

Being the headquarters of Pauri district, Pauri is an important administrative hub. Good air connectivity between Dehradun and Pauri is the need of the hour, he said.

Describing Lansdowne as an important tourist destination nearest to Delhi, besides being the headquarters of the Garhwal Rifles, the BJP MP said it deserved to have good air connectivity.

Pitching for good air connectivity to Gopeshwar and Jyotirmath (Joshimath), he said these were two remote townships with strategic importance, being close to the India-China border in Chamoli district.

Baluni also requested the minister to take up upgradation of the Gauchar airstrip on a priority to enhance connectivity to the remote locations of the Garhwal region.

Linking Uttarakhand's remote towns with good connectivity under the UDAN scheme will help address the problem of migration, besides giving a boost to tourism, Baluni said in his letter.

The Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik -- UDAN -- initiative is a regional airport development programme of the Centre and part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme of upgrading under-serviced air routes.

Rishi Prasad Sati, a former president of the municipal council of Jyotirmath, thanked Baluni for his efforts, saying modernisation of facilities at the Gauchar airstrip would provide convenience to the common people as well as pilgrims.
Srinagar, Sep 5 (PTI) People of Jammu and Kashmir are not slaves of the Centre but the real owners of their land, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said.

"Let me tell you one thing ... we are not their slaves. People of this state are the owners of this place, remember it," Abdullah told reporters at Beerwah in Budgam district.

The former chief minister made the remark when he was asked if he expected the Centre to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after assembly elections.

Abdullah, who accompanied the party candidate from Beerwah segment for filing of nomination papers, said the supporters of the BJP in Kashmir should come to senses as soon as possible.

"I tell their lapdogs to get back to their senses. There will be a storm and they will have to face it," he said.

On some leaders leaving the National Conference, Abdullah said it is a normal process during the elections.

"People come and go. What can we do about it? This process goes on during the elections," he said.

On separatists contesting elections, the NC president said the question should be asked of those who were raising the pro-Pakistan slogans here.

Asked about his frequent demand for dialogue between India and Pakistan, he said, "These talks can be held by the Prime Minister of India with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, not by Faooq Abdullah."
Shimla, Sep 5 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Thursday conferred state awards upon 27 teachers and felicitated another with a national award at a function held at Raj Bhavan here.

The governor also paid tributes to former president of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birthday is celebrated as Teachers' Day in the country.

Congratulating the award-winning teachers, the governor said "Teachers should be sensitive towards their role of imparting education and values as only then, the process of teaching and learning could be effective," he said.

The importance of teachers as nation-builders has been clearly expressed in the National Education Policy 2020, he said.

"Many provisions have been made in this policy about the students and teachers relationship and the role of teachers in shaping the future of the youth" he said,

Shukla said Himachal Pradesh has always performed excellently in the field of education and can improve by implementing the NEP in letter and spirit.

Highlighting the central government scheme Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI), the governor said, "Under this scheme, provision has been made to strengthen the existing schools under NEP-2020 so as they emerge as exemplary institutions over the span of time and be a role model to be followed by other schools.

"It will nurture students in a way that they become engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by the National Education Policy 2020," he said.

He said that 180 schools of the state would be developed under the scheme.

The governor expressed concern over the drug menace among the youth. "There is a need to start a strong campaign against drugs," he said.

Students should be made aware about the ill effects of drugs and teachers could play an important role in it, Shukla said.

He said that soon a strong anti-drug awareness campaign would be launched at the district level.
Mumbai, Sep 4 (PTI) The Mumbai Police Crime Branch apprehended four members of the gang involved in drug peddling at Juhu Gulli in western suburbs, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, who were taken to the police station, were seen chanting the reason for the action against them. They said that they used to sell drugs to the youth and now onwards they will not sale drugs ever.

The video of their parade in police security and their chants went viral on social media platforms.

A large number of locals gathered during the parade of the accused and asked why the four persons were taken into custody.

The police officials told them to ask this to the accused persons, for which they replied that they were selling the drugs to the youth.

The police then asked them to repeat it and they started chanting that they will not sell the drugs again.

Based on specific information, the Crime Branch Bandra unit conducted a raid at Dogar area in Juhu Gulli on Tuesday evening, an official said.

The crime branch team, led by Senior PI Daya Nayak, seized 80 grams of Mephedrone from the accused persons in the raid, he said.

The accused persons has been handed over to D N Nager Police Station and a case under the NDPS Act has been registered against them, the official said.
Chennai, Sep 5 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday informed the Madras High Court that the Krishnagiri District Educational Officer has recommended to the Director of Private Schools to appoint a Special Officer to administer a school in Krishnagiri where some girls were allegedly sexually abused at a fake NCC camp recently.

As per the earlier direction of the court to file a report in respect of the action taken against the school, Advocate General P S Raman filed a report from C K Gopalappa, DEO, Krishnagiri to the above effect.

The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice P B Balaji posted to September 12, further hearing of the Public Interest Litigation filed by advocate A P Suryaprakasam.

In his petition, Suryaprakasam sought to transfer the probe pertaining into the matter from the Krishnagiri police to the CBI for proper investigation and to infuse confidence in the mind of the common man and parents of the school going children that their wards were well protected in the society.

In his report, Gopalappa said the recommendation to appoint a Special Officer to administer the school was under active consideration.

He said soon after the incident, a show cause notice was issued and explanation was sought for from the school and that it submitted its response. But it was not satisfactory.

"The incident that happened in the school is completely unlawful and detrimental to the safety of the students", he added.

Meanwhile, Jayashree Muralidharan, the Chairperson of the Multi-Disciplinary Team formed by the government, filed her status report detailing about the enquiry conducted with students, parents and teachers of four schools, counseling given to the students and other welfare measures provided to them.

In her report, the IAS official said the Special Court (Mahila Fast Track) has awarded interim compensation to 10 survivors, with an amount of Rs 50,000 to two of them and Rs 30,000 to the rest. Additionally, special relief funds were provided, with Rs 5,000 allocated for two survivors and similar recommendations made by the Child Welfare Committee for eight others, she added.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) An ongoing exhibition by poet-diplomat Abhay K explores the Buddhist philosophy of 'Shunyata' (emptiness) here in the national capital.

The solo exhibition, currently underway at Alliance Francaise, has 26 paintings on display, evoking "diverse moods, rasas, forms, but unified with an underlying theme of emptiness".

"When I stared at the empty canvas, I had no clue what I was going to paint. I started with making a circle and filling it with paint and it started taking a form. Each time a new form took shape on the canvas I felt mesmerized. I started enjoying the process.

So, these paintings are visualizations of emptiness. Forms are visible when one looks at them closely but as one moves away from them, forms disappear and what remains is emptiness, a true validation of the crux of Heart Sutra: form is emptiness, emptiness is form, Abhay K said in a statement.

Shunyata, a Buddhist concept, refers to the interdependent nature of all things, and how everything that one encounters in life is empty of absolute identity, permanence, or 'self'.

The artworks were praised by the likes of eminent artist and Padma Shri awardee professor Biman Das and veteran sculptor Gopal Namjoshi.

This is a wonderful solo painting exhibition by Abhay K. All the exhibits are full of creativity and aesthetical essences, said Das in his praise for the exhibition.

Abhay K, who is also an award winning author, started his artistic journey in 2005 in Moscow. Since then he has exhibited his artworks in Paris, St. Petersburg, New Delhi, Brasilia and Antananarivo, some of which are in private collections across the world.

The exhibition will come to a close on September 10.
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Concerns grew over the vacuum of medical services in South Korea amid a prolonged lack of doctors, triggered by the government's announcement in February of medical reform plans to raise medical school enrollment by 2,000 per year for the next five years.

The medial reform, intended to address the expected shortage of doctors in the rapidly aging country, boosted the understaffed hospitals as intern and resident doctors resigned en masse on the grounds that the sharp increase in enrollment would aggravate medical education and eventually worsen medical services.

Some of the medical staff suffering from excessive work burden quitted hospitals, some of which curtailed surgeries, outpatient treatment and emergency care services, while some patients scrambling for doctors died in emergency rooms.

Earlier this week, a worker in his 70s who fell to the ground while carrying materials at a construction site was taken to a hospital in the country's second largest city of Busan, but he died after failing to get a doctor performing an emergency surgery, local newspaper JoongAng daily reported Thursday.

It was one of the cases that increasingly occurred across the country amid a growing number of patients who died in critical condition after failing to find emergency rooms or doctors.

An emergency patient in his 40s who collapsed at a convenience store in the capital Seoul died inside an ambulance last week after being rejected by 14 hospitals for hospitalization, according to a Korea Economic Daily report.

A pregnant woman on the verge of delivery gave birth inside an ambulance last month while looking for emergency rooms in South Chungcheong province.

The economic daily report noted that the anxiety of 'if you're sick, you'll die' spread from rural areas to big cities, highlighting a rising number of deaths after the refusal of hospitalization.

Politicians were not an exception. Kim Chong-in, former interim leader of both the ruling conservative People Power Party and the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, was rejected by 22 hospitals after falling down at dawn and hurting his forehead.

The father of Kim Han-kyu, a Democratic Party lawmaker, recently died after failing to find emergency rooms.

Worries escalated over the medical vacuum ahead of the five-day Chuseok holiday in the middle of this month, after which the number of emergency patients is expected to increase sharply.

To tackle the possible medical disruption after the holiday, the government raised medical expenses for mild patients to prevent them from going to emergency rooms.

Local broadcaster MBC reported that the higher medical expenses would not solve the emergency room disruption amid the shortage of doctors who can see patients.

The government deployed 15 military doctors to emergency rooms of five big hospitals, but three of them returned to their units as they were deemed unsuitable for emergency room duty, according to local newspaper Chosun Ilbo.

The government has planned to dispatch more than 200 military doctors and public physicians to short-staffed hospitals across the country. 
Bengaluru, Sep 5 (PTI) Karnataka Minister H K Patil on Thursday said the Justice John Michael Cunha panel in its report on the COVID-19 management has mentioned irregularities to the tune of crores of rupees during the previous BJP government in the state.



The preliminary inquiry report has been assigned to a team of officers comprising Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Secretary and some other officers to analyse it and file the report in a month, Patil, who holds law and parliamentary affairs portfolio, told reporters after the cabinet meeting.



The minister said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah raised the subject related to Justice Michael DCunha commissions report on irregularities during COVID-19 pandemic.

The report has been submitted comprising five to six volumes, he added.



Justice DCunha has mentioned about the irregularities to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees. There is also reference to the missing files. The report has taken into account the public accounts committee report and many details. After the details are analysed, the steps to be taken and other information will be revealed.



The Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to CM, and some other officers have been entrusted with it. Within a month, they will submit the report.



According to Patil, the Chief Minister told the cabinet that the probe panel has made three observations.



Justice DCunha has made serious observations. There are hundreds and hundreds of crores of misappropriation, mishandling and malpractice has taken place. The report has also said that there are many files which are missing, which were not brought before him despite repeatedly asking about it, the Minister said.



He said the report will be examined as also those officers who did not bring the file before the retired High Court judge.



Very soon, maybe in less than a month the report will be examined and submitted to the Chief Minister and cabinet, Patil said.



The Minister further said, The investigation is not completed yet. We have again given six months extension. The preliminary report of Justice DCunha has been given to the Chief Minister. We have given six months more time.



On the quantum of the misappropriation of public money, he said it is worth hundreds of crores of rupees.



Once the officers bring out details of the probe report, they will be shared with public.



The judicial inquiry was ordered in August, 2023 and it was entrusted to probe into the procurement of medicines, equipment and the alleged irregularities in oxygen supply during the COVID-19 pandemic when the BJP was in power.



The government order said it has taken serious note of charges made by the Public Accounts Committee in its report in July-August regarding the procurement of medicines, equipment and oxygen mismanagement that led to the deaths of people.



As per the order the departments concerned will have to provide the documents required for the investigation and all necessary facilities including staff, space, stationery, vehicle and equipment needed to operate an office.



The ruling Congress has been alleging largescale irregularities in the COVID management during the previous BJP rule in the state. It had promised to conduct a fair inquiry into the irregularities if voted to power.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 5 (PTI) Kerala will host a conclave of five opposition-ruled states--four from South India and Punjab from the North--to discuss how to ensure their fiscal needs are addressed in the upcoming 16th Finance Commission, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said on Thursday.

Besides the Left-ruled Kerala and AAP-governed Punjab, the states that will take part in the conclave are Tamil Nadu (DMK) and the Congress-ruled states of Karnataka and Telangana.

The move by the Left government is seen as an effort to bring together the opposition-ruled states to strengthen their bargaining position with the BJP-ruled Centre. Last year, the state had filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the Centre for imposing limits on its borrowing capacity.

Balagopal said that the conclave, which will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on September 12, aims to 'protect and strengthen' the cooperative and fiscal federalism of the country.

Besides himself, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan will also take part in the conclave, Balagopal said.

Additionally, officials including finance secretaries of all the five states and several subject matter-related experts, like former Economic Advisor to the Central Government Arvind Subramanian, will also attend, the minister said.

He further said the conclave was being hosted by Kerala at a time fiscal federalism in the country was under challenge to a great extent.

"The main objective of the conference is to conceptualise the developmental and financial issues being faced by the states and present them before the 16th Finance Commission.

"A healthy Centre-State relationship requires fiscal stability of the states," Balagopal said.

The minister contended that the Union government was taking a completely different stand by adopting "unfair methods of distribution of funds" to the states.

He also contended that a huge amount of revenue collected by the Centre from the states as cess and surcharge is not put in the divisive pool and therefore, the states do not get a share of that amount which is to the tune of several lakhs of crores of rupees.

In 2011-12, the share of cess and surcharge in Central government revenue was 9.4 per cent and by 2022-23, it had gone up to 22.8 per cent, he said.

As a result, the states get only 29.6 per cent of the Centre's revenue as against the recommendation of 41 per cent by the 15th Finance Commission, Balagopal contended.

The minister also alleged that the discriminatory approach of the Centre also exists in the matter of borrowing rights of the states.

He further said that the state should get the tax share that it is eligible for and there should be a timely increase in grants to local bodies.

Kerala is also eligible for special additional assistance due to its emphasis on welfare activities, he said.

"Various other states are also facing this kind of financial discrimination. All these things will be part of the discussion in the conclave," he said.
Bengaluru, Sep 5 (PTI) A day after police filed a chargesheet against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, a photograph of the victim pleading for life emerged on social media on Thursday.

"Fear writ large on a shirtless Renukaswamys face as he stared at the camera, the image is a tell-tale about the trauma he endured as he was given a torturous death," a police official said, adding, several injury marks are also seen all over his body.

In another picture, the victim is seen lying on the ground near a parked truck.

According to police sources, he was beaten up with clubs, given electric shock in his private parts, and thrown against the wall leading to multiple fractures.

The chargesheet filed on Wednesday has the forensic report which confirms that Renukaswamys blood stains were found on Darshans clothes, the sources said.

Darshan along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and 15 others, who are accused in the case, are currently under judicial custody in different prisons in the state.

According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June nine.

Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered.

According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries.

Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamys murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.
New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Two robbers of the Kaliya gang have been arrested from the railway lines near the Shahdara Railway Station here, police on Thursday said.

The two accused were identified as Monu Choudhary (26) from Bihar's Samastipur and Sunny (23) from Delhi's Shahdara who used to target people at isolated places during early morning and late-night hours, using stolen scooters to flee, they said.

"We received a complaint related to robbery on August 30 from Mansarovar Park Metro Station where the complainant, Mahesh Chand Pal, was robbed of his bag containing valuables by two strangers who attacked him with a sharp-pointed weapon," police said.

The complainant told the police that the two accused robbed his bag, containing a tiffin box, diary, ATM card, metro card, purse and mobile phone by threatening him, they said.

An FIR was registered and two police teams conducted a raid by analyzing the CCTV footage and gathered clues, leading to the identification and arrest of the two accused, police said.

During the investigation, the teams also verified the antecedents of more than 75 criminals having such type of criminal attitude and having snatching/robbery modes operandi, they said.

"Monu was a drug addict, involved in 12 theft cases, and had previously been jailed for two years in a robbery case," the officials said.

During the interrogation, the accused Sunny disclosed that he along with his other associate namely Gaurav alias Kalia used to rob people, police said.

Further investigation is in progress to nab the other third absconding criminal of the gang, they said.
Chennai, Sept 5 (PTI) The Madras High Court has directed the Director General of Prisons to issue consolidated instructions to all the subordinate prison authorities to ensure that the leave applications filed by or on behalf of the prisoners were processed scrupulously in accordance with the rules and decisions were taken within a period of 28 days as contemplated under Rule 24(5) of the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982.



In a recent order, a division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and N Senthil Kumar said failure in complying with the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982 regarding adherence of time limit contemplated was to be construed as lapse, dereliction of duty or negligence, as the case may be and appropriate disciplinary actions were to be initiated against the officials who all were responsible for such misconduct.





The bench said the writ petitions filed prematurely before expiry of the statutory time limit of 28 days as contemplated under the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982 were not entertainable for grant of ordinary leave. Applications for emergency leave were to be considered forthwith by the competent authority without causing any delay. An order of rejection of leave application would provide a cause for instituting the writ petition challenging the same, the bench added.







The bench gave the above directives while disposing of a petition filed by Usha, wife of Karthi, a convict prisoner confined in Vellore Prison, seeking a direction to the authorities to grant 28 days ordinary leave to her husband.



The bench said in the present case, the petitioner filed an application seeking leave on June 27, 2024. The writ petition was filed on July 15, 2024, even before the date of expiry of the statutory period as per the rules to dispose of the leave petition by the competent authority under the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982.

Thus, the present writ petition was premature on the date of filing. "However, we are inclined to take an exception in the present case, since during the pendency of the present writ petition, the statutory period expired and again remanding the matter became unnecessary", the bench added.



Pointing out the submission of the Additional Public Prosecutor that the prisoner was eligible for ordinary leave for 21 days, the bench granted ordinary leave for 21 days commencing from September 6, 2024 with certain conditions to the convict prisoner.
At least 100 villagers were killed in northeastern Nigeria when suspected Boko Haram Islamic extremists opened fire on a market, on worshippers and in peoples homes, residents said Wednesday, the latest killings in Africas longest struggle with militancy.

More than 50 extremists on motorcycles rode into the Tarmuwa council area of Yobe state on Sunday evening and began firing before setting buildings ablaze, according to Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim.

The police blamed the attack on Boko Haram, which since 2009 has launched an insurgency to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, in the region. Boko Haram has since splintered into different factions, together accounting for the direct deaths of at least 35,000 people and the displacement of more than 2 million, as well as a humanitarian crisis with millions of people in dire need of foreign aid.

At least 1,500 people have so far been killed in the region this year in attacks by armed groups, according to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED.

Yobe Deputy Gov. Idi Barde Gubana gave a much lower death toll of 34 from Sundays attack. Contradictory statistics are a common trend in the security crisis, with the death toll from survivors count often higher than the official figure.

The 34 dead cited by the deputy governor were the ones buried in a single village, said Zanna Umar, a community leader, who said they have so far confirmed 102 villagers killed in the attack. Most of the others were either buried before officials arrived, or their bodies were taken to other places for burial.

We are still working to search for more because many people are still missing, said Umar.

Sundays attack is one of the deadliest in the last year in Yobe. The state is less frequently attacked than neighboring Borno, the epicenter of the war with Boko Haram.

Local media reported that the extremists claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in reprisal for villagers informing security operatives about their activities. A number of Boko Haram members were killed as a result of the information passed on by villagers, the militants were quoted as saying.

Reprisals are rampant in the northeast and villagers sometimes pay the price after military operations, said Confidence MacHarry with SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based security firm.

This is the first time our community has faced such a devastating attack, said Buba Adamu, a local chief, his voice mixed with grief and fear. We never imagined something like this could happen here.

There are some places (in the region) totally out of the control of the Nigerian army and villagers often live in fear of reprisals, MacHarry said. In such places, he added, Nigerian security forces only go there for operations but do not have enough manpower to remain on the ground.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was elected last year on a pledge to end the conflict with Boko Haram, condemned the attack in a statement that tried to assure villagers of justice but was silent about security measures.

Security analysts have faulted Tinubus security policies, saying he has not taken any bold steps so far to resolve the killings and that the problems he inherited, such as inadequate resources and manpower, remain.

(AP)
Elon Musk has deleted a tweet in which he praised Tucker Carlsons interview with Darryl Cooper, a self-proclaimed historian who attempted to whitewash the Holocaust. The interview, published on Monday on The Tucker Carlson Show, featured Cooper making controversial claims, including calling Winston Churchill the chief villain of World War II and asserting that the millions of deaths during the Holocaust were an unintended consequence of Germanys inability to handle prisoners of war.

Musk had initially described the interview as very interesting and worth watching, but later removed the tweet from his timeline. It remains unclear why Musk deleted the post, though it may be related to growing criticism of Coopers views, including his tendency to side with Adolf Hitler on various issues.

Following the release of the episode, Cooper defended his position in a Twitter thread, reiterating his belief that Churchill was the chief villain of the war and doubling down on his argument that Churchill was worse than Hitler.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

It is well-known that the world of Brisk is one of meticulous observance of Mitzvos. It is also well known that Rav Refoel Soloveitchik was the right-hand man of his saintly father, the Brisker Rav.

A story is told by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Brim (1922-2002) about Rav Refoel Soloveitchik (1924-1996), the son of the Brisker Rav. One Erev Sukkos, Rabbi Brim was a bit desperate. He had not found a suitable set of Arba Minim (the four kinds  a Lulav, an Esrog, Hadassim and Aravos) yet. He asked Rav Refoel Soloveitchik that if he finds a better one than the one that he had obtained, if the Rav could sell him the lesser quality one and that he, Rav Chaim Brim, would purchase it at any price.

Rav Soloveitchik answered, Actually, I do not have a Sukkos set of Arba Minim yet, and I am not as concerned because if I do not find one, I can always use someone elses. I am concerned now and dealing with a different set of Arba Minim. What Arba Minim do I mean? Hashems Arba Minim  the Levi, the Ger, the Yasom and the Almanah. It is Erev Sukkos and many of the Yasomim and the Almanos do not have where to eat, where to stay, and what to do with themselves. I need to worry about their accommodations and looking out for them. The Arba Minim that you are seeking  I can always borrow.

The story is quite poignant because not only does it emphasize our Torah obligations to yesomim and almanos and Geirim, but it also alludes to the fact that they are not on everyones radar.

It is well-known that Rav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg ztl did not say any extraneous words on Shabbos. He made one exception. If there was any situation wherein an Almanah needed something, he picked himself up and attended to it, not measuring his words in any form of silence at all. When matters were settled, he went back to his general silence.

Rav Yaakov Chalofsky was very close to Rav Chaim Kanievsky ztl and his saintly wife  Rebbitzen Bas Sheva. Once, Rebbitzen Bas Sheva asked Rabbi Chalofsky to deliver some borsht she had made to a poor Almanah in the neighborhood. He did so. After he gave her the borsht she tearfully told him: I wait for this every day. You have no idea, what this means to me  it give me chizuk  it strengthens me. It shows that people do care.

Rebbitzen Rishel Kotler ah was the wife of Rav Shneur Kotler and the mother of many of Lakewoods Roshei Yeshiva (and mother-in-law). Her practice was to call an almanah daily and speak to her on a regular basis and listen to her, so that she would have someone to talk with.

It is not just Gedolei Torah who can do this Mitzvah  we can all do it and we must do it. So lets make a list of who we can invite for a Shabbos or Yom Tov meal. It is important to remember that they have extraordinary yichus  they are the daughters of Avrohom Avinue, Yitzchok Avinu, and Yaakov Avinu. We will discover that the experience is very rewarding as well.

Practically This is What Can Be Done:

Show you are thinking of them.

Call them regularly and take an interest in what they are doing.

Invite them.

Yom Tovs are key  Help them plan.

The author can be reached at [email protected]
Dear New York Residents,

A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their childrens education, saving the state nearly a half a billion dollars annually in East Ramapo alone, the state enacted punitive tax levies to compensate for a broken formula that doesnt account for these nonpublic school students. Agudath Israel of America expressed outrage and concern with the ramifications of the order and is working with others on pathways to respond to these actions.

For the next few days there is something that every New Yorker, and especially East Ramapo residents, can do about it.

The Rockefeller Institute has been tasked by the state to conduct a study to assess the States Foundation Aid education funding formula and discuss potential modifications to how the formula works. As the form letter describes, the major issues with the formula is that it does not account for nonpublic students at all and uses obsolete data.

Please write your own comment letter or personalize the form letter below to make your voice heard.

Comments to the Rockefeller Institute can be submitted by clicking here and are due this Friday, September 6th.

Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum

Director, Rockland Regional Office

Agudath Israel of America

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber

Director of New York Government Relations

Agudath Israel of America

Mr. Avrohom Weinstock

Director of KnowUs

Agudath Israel of America
WELLINGTON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand paid tribute to the Maori King as Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII was laid to rest Thursday after 18 years of leadership.

Maori King Tuheitia died in hospital on Aug. 30 at age 69, while recovering from heart surgery. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.

Tuheitia's commitment to solidarity will have a lasting impact on New Zealand, according to a government statement.

"Over the last few days, thousands of people have gathered at Turangawaewae from all corners of our country to pay their respects, a testament to the profound impact Kiingi Tuheitia has had on so many lives," said New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

"We reflect on his legacy and look to the future with hope and anticipation," Luxon said.

Maori Development Minister Tama Potaka said Tuheitia was not only a symbol of unity and resilience for Maori, but an advocate of all New Zealanders growing together.

He was dedicated to the advancement of Maori, New Zealanders, Pacific peoples and indigenous peoples worldwide, the minister said, citing Tuheitia's contributions, particularly in bringing Maori and the government together.

Tuheitia's daughter, Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po, 27, has been announced as the new Maori monarch.

Tuheitia was the seventh monarch in Kiingitanga, or the Maori King movement, which originated in 1858 in an attempt to unite the indigenous Maori tribes to strengthen their resistance to colonialism, according to local media reports.

Government and public buildings have lowered their flags at half mast in New Zealand. 
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens wrote an article entitled A Hostage Deal Is a Poison Pill for Israel, saying that as a critic of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, its important for him to acknowledge when hes right.

Since the days of Abraham  who, according to Genesis, rescued his nephew Lot after hed been seized by an invading army  Jewish tradition has placed supreme value on the redemption of captives. It is, in a sense, the fulfillment of a primary, implicit commandment: to be ones brothers keeper. It is also a source of Jewish communal cohesion over millenniums to never forsake those who have been taken, even if only to give them a proper burial.

Its also, to mix references from antiquity, a Jewish Achilles heel.

In 2006, an Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas and held in Gaza. He was released five years later in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners  a euphemism, in many cases, for terrorists. The deal, which was approved by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, included the release of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of Oct. 7.

These two reference points are now at the heart of the debate Israelis are having about what comes next in Gaza. Huge demonstrations in Tel Aviv, coinciding with the heartbreaking funerals of six murdered hostages, have demanded that the prime minister agree to a cease-fire deal to obtain the release of additional hostages, at the cost of conceding one of Hamass core demands: an Israeli withdrawal from a strip of land known as the Philadelphi Corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt. Netanyahu has refused, insisting in a news conference on Monday that Israeli forces will not leave.

Netanyahu is right, and its important for his usual critics, including me, to acknowledge it.

Hes right, first because the highest justification for fighting a war, besides survival, is to prevent its repetition. Israel has lost hundreds of soldiers to defeat Hamas. Thousands of innocent Palestinians have died and hundreds of thousands have suffered, because Hamas has held every Gazan hostage to its fanatical aims. Hamas was able to initiate and fight this war only because of a secure line of logistical supply under its border with Egypt.

Israels control of the Philadelphi Corridor largely stops this. To relinquish it now, for any reason, forsakes what Israel has been fighting for, consigns Palestinians to further misery under Hamas and all but guarantees that a similar war will eventually be fought again. Why do that?

The answer, many of Netanyahus critics (including Yoav Gallant, his defense minister) would rejoin, is that the imperative to save the hostages supersedes every other consideration  and that Israel can always retake the corridor if Hamas fails to fulfill its end of the bargain or if Israelis feel their security is again at risk.

That last argument is a fantasy: Once Israel leaves Gaza, international pressure for it not to re-enter for nearly any reason short of another Oct. 7 will be overwhelming. And Hamas will ensure that any Israeli effort to retake the corridor will be as bloody as possible, for both Israelis and Palestinians, whom Sinwar treats as human shields. Those risks, too, should weigh on the moral scales of what Israel does next.

The more powerful case, especially emotionally, concerns the remaining 95 hostages, of whom 60 are believed to still be alive. Their agony is immense, as is that of their families. Any decent human being must feel acutely sympathetic to their plight.

But sympathy cannot be a replacement for judgment. Israelis  the hostage families above all  have spent the past 11 months suffering the bitter and predictable consequence of the Shalit deal, which also came about on account of intense public pressure to free him.

A good society will be prepared to go to great lengths to rescue or redeem a captive, whether with risky military operations or exorbitant ransoms. Yet there must also be a limit to what any society can afford to pay. The price for one hostages life or freedom cannot be the life or freedom of another  even if we know the name of the first life but not yet the second. That ought to be morally elementary.

Also elementary: Whatever one thinks of Netanyahu, the weight of outrage should fall not on him but on Hamas. It released a video of a hostage it later murdered  24-year-old Eden Yerushalmi, telling her family how much she loved them  on Monday, the day after her funeral. Its another act of cynical, grotesque and unadulterated sadism by the group that pretends to speak in the name of all Palestinians. It does not deserve a cease-fire so that it can regain its strength. It deserves the same ash heap of history on which, in our better moments, we deposited the Nazis, Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

There are bright people who say that what Israel ought to do now is cut a deal, recover its hostages, take a breather and start preparing for the next war, probably in Lebanon. Israelis should remember that wars will be worse, and come more often, to those who fail to win them.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
IDF spokesperson in Arabic Avichay Adraee on Wednesday revealed a secret document with details of a secret meeting of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in August 2022.

According to a transcript of the meeting, which took place after Operation Breaking Dawn, a three-day IDF military operation against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group in Gaza, a dispute broke out about the failed PIJ rocket launches that killed Gazan civilians, including children.

The PIJ official said that failed rocket launches could lead to 1,000 Gazan deaths. The senior Hamas official responded without hesitation: A thousand dead people is the price of war.

Adraee added: The document confirms Hamas and Islamic Jihads view of Gazan residents and their exploitation of them as a tool, as the two movements are aware of the danger of these rockets to the lives of the residents and consider them a war tax  directly or indirectly. This is also evident during the current war as Hamas and Islamic Jihad persist in launching rockets from areas populated by civilians and even from humanitarian areas, which puts the people of the Strip at risk.

More Gazan civilians were killed, including 12 children, during Operation Breaking Dawn by failed PIJ rocket launches than by IDF fire, a fact that even the anti-Israel Associated Press admitted.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
In a classified discussion held this week in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding three bills aimed at halting UNRWAs activities, a representative from the Shin Bet warned that the UNRWA poses a security threat to the State of Israel and therefore its important to advance its closure, Yisrael Hayom reported on Thursday morning.

According to the report, following the Shin Bet representatives comments, Foreign Ministry and National Security Council officials warned that pursuing overly aggressive legislation on the UNRWA could lead to arrest warrants against senior political figures.

Currently, the IDFs Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) continues to work with the UNWRA in Gaza despite its employees involvement in terrorism. The organizations activities also continue uninterrupted in east Jerusalem and Yehudah and Shomron.

A representative from the Justice Ministry present at the meeting also expressed support for the UNWRAs closure but warned of the consequences. A debate arose between Likud MK Amit Halevi and representatives of the Justice Ministrys Legal Counsel and Legislative Affairs Department who argued that defining UNRWA as a terror organization is a circumvention of existing lawthe 2016 Anti-Terror Law, which designates the Defense Minister as the sole authority to declare organizations as terrorist entities.

Halevi vehemently disagreed, saying: Theres no such thing as a law circumventing another law; its an expansion of the law and a moral declaration from the legislator that is within its authority.

Committee chair Yuli Edelstein emphasized, The common thread of the proposals is to clarify Israels stance towards the UNRWA. When I hear that polio vaccinations in Gaza will be carried out by the UNRWA, I dont understand Israels positionafter this committee was informed that the intention is to minimize cooperation and usage of the UNRWA in every possible way. Clarity is needed on this matter and legislation is indeed needed.

I personally, and Im sure many others, didnt need October 7 to understand what UNRWA is but I think after October 7 its quite clear to all. In my opinion, the attempt to rationalize that the organization is fine with just a few bad weeds is appalling.

Three bills were presented to the committee. One, by Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, proposes to prohibit UNRWA from operating within Israels sovereign territory, meaning it would not be able to establish any representative office, provide any services, or conduct any activities, either directly or indirectly, in Jerusalem.

The second proposal, by Yisrael Beiteinu MK Yulia Malinovsky, seeks to declare UNRWA a terrorist organization and for the State of Israel to sever its relations with the organization both directly and indirectly. The third proposal, put forward by Yesh Atid MK Ron Katz, which was merged with a similar proposal from Likud MK Dan Illouz, aims to establish that the provisions of the United Nations Immunities and Privileges Act will not apply to UNRWA, its officials, or individuals employed by it.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A terrorist opened fire with an M-16 rife outside the Israeli embassy in Munich on Thursday morning.

Police officers fired at the terrorist, neutralizing him. Baruch Hashem, no one was injured in the incident. The terrorist was killed after engaging the police in a gun battle. The police later identified the suspect as a teenage Austrian national known to the police as an Islamist.

Police searched the area with the help of a police helicopter to rule out accomplices to the attack and residents were advised to avoid the area. No evidence was found of any other suspects.

Ironically, the embassy was closed on Thursday due to a memorial ceremony for the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes in the 1972 Munich Olympics attack.

Police officers standing near the Nazi Documentation Center, a museum next to the consulate that is dedicated to the history and consequences of the Nazi regime and the role of Munich as the capital of the movement, were the ones who responded to the attack. The museum is located at the site of the former Brown House, the Nazi Party headquarters.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated: There was a shooting near the Israeli consulate in Munich. The consulate is closed today due to a memorial service for the Munich massacre victims and no consulate staff were harmed in the incident. The shooter has been neutralized by German security forces, and the situation is being handled by them.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
In what seems to be a quite belated realization and perhaps because the Biden administration is losing hope that it will pull off a hostage deal that it can tout as a major accomplishment amid an election period, it is now questioning whether Hamas even wants a deal.

In a change from his usual tactic of blaming Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the lack of a deal, Axios reporter Barad Ravid, who is viewed as a mouthpiece for the Biden administration, reported on Thursday that Biden and his top advisers were shocked after Hamas murdered six hostages and have started to rethink the way forward in the negotiations over the deal.

We still think the deal is the only way to save the lives of the hostages and stop the war. But the executions not only increased our sense of urgency but also called into question Hamas willingness to do a deal of any kind, a U.S. official said.

According to the report, one of the main arguments made during a meeting of President Biden, Vice President Harris and their national security team on Monday, was that in the wake of the murder of the hostages, including an American, the US should apply more pressure on Hamas instead of advancing a proposal that grants the terror group additional concessions.

Another concern that was raised is that the US could pressure Israel to reduce IDF forces on the Philadelphi Corridor or regarding other issues, and then discover that Hamas refuses to agree to other parts of the deal. But the new proposal with further Israeli concessions to Hamas would then become the new foundation for future negotiations.

A US official said that the issue of control over the Philadelphi Corridor is not the only sticking point. Hamas has backtracked from its previous position regarding the number of Palestinian terrorists to be released, including many serving life sentences for murdering Israelis, and are now demanding a higher number.

We had a very frustrating process around that in Doha last week. Hamas presented demands that were different from what was agreed on in the past, a U.S. official said.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Rescued Bedouin hostage Farhan Al-Qadi was interviewed this week by Channel 12 News and revealed that he was shot in the leg by Hamas terrorists after he refused to help them find Jews.

Farhan, a 52-year-old father of 11, worked for decades as a security guard at a packaging factory near Kibbutz Magen in the Gaza border area. He was at his post on October 7 at 6:30 a.m. when terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz.

I thought it was just another round of rockets, he said. I went into the safe room and then I got a phone call from my brother telling me that there was an infiltration. I went outside and I saw three Hamas terrorists about 100 meters away shooting in my direction and running toward me.

I dropped my phone and raised my hands. One of them hit me with his weapon and a second one kicked me. They knocked me to the ground and tied my hands. A foreign worker passed by and they shot him right next to me.

I spoke to them in Arabic. I told them I was Muslim. They tested me to see if I was telling the truth and then they said, Take us in your car to where the Jews are. I was ready to die rather than point out a Jew, not even a cat. All the people on the kibbutz are good friends of mine.

Thats how we were raised, he said. That how my grandfather was raised, my father was raised, and thats how my children were raised.

The terrorists then shot him in his leg, dragged him to a vehicle and brought him to Gaza through a breach in the security fence. When they reached the other side, the car stopped after about 150 meters. He noticed foreign workers being abducted and taken to a tunnel shaft in the ground. You see them suddenly disappear, he said. I was in a lot of pain from my leg. I fell a few times on the way. There was a guy who decided to take me to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

When he finally got to the hospital, he couldnt stand on his feet anymore. I couldnt walk from the pain; I had to crawl up the stairs on all fours. They said, Look, our dog is walking. There were a lot of people around and you could see their joy. They felt like they had won.

They took an X-ray of his leg, which was broken and then a doctor carried out surgery without anesthesia, a form of torture that at least one other hostage also endured.

Later, he arrived in Khan Younis. He recounted that residents started evacuating the city in anticipation of Israeli forces entering. The terrorists decided to take advantage of this opportunity. When the residents began to leave, they mixed me in with them, Al-Qadi explained. He walked the streets of Khan Younis, accompanied by his guards, along with thousands evacuating to a refugee tent camp.

Eventually, he was taken into a tunnel 40 meters deep. You tell yourself  theres no way out from here. He was given a mattress and a blanket and stayed there under Hamas guard for no less than 8 months.

Farhan said: For them, Im a greater enemy than you. Because Im a traitor. Im Muslim and I betrayed them so they see me as an enemy more than you. They told me, If you had showed us where the Jews were, you would have stayed with your family.'

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A video posted by the Australian Jewish Association shows a disturbing scene at Monash University in Melbourne, one of Australias most prestigious universities.

Students were asked to stand to honor the murdered hostages and the remaining hostages in Gaza out of respect for our common humanity.

Only a small group of students, apparently Jewish students, arose and the majority of the students remained sitting. When those who stood began filming them, they screamed: Stop filming! [Do they have a guilty conscience?] Some of them began chanting Free, free Palestine! as seen in the second video below.

Sadly, in the post-October 7 world, it cannot be taken for granted that the non-Jewish world has any common humanity regarding Jews, even those murdered by a sadistic terror group.

Ironically, the university is named after Sir John Monash, a Jewish Australian born to German-born parents who commanded the Australian Corps and fought the Germans during World War I. He was considered one of the wars outstanding commanders and many historians consider him to be the foremost Allied military commander of the First World War. He was also a successful businessman and was one of Australias foremost experts in reinforced concrete for bridges, and railways, and served as the chairman of Victorias State Electricity Commission.

He died of heart disease at age 66 in 1931 and over 250,000 people attended his state funeral.



(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
European intelligence agencies have successfully thwarted a series of Iranian-backed terror plots aimed at Jewish institutions in France and Germany, according to a report by German daily Der Spiegel. The plots, which relied on organized crime groups, were uncovered after a terror cell carried out four arson attacks against Israeli-owned companies in southern France last year.

The cells leader, a drug dealer from Lyon, France, was identified as the mastermind behind the attacks. Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects, currently detained in France, had also conducted surveillance on a lawyer with Israeli clients in Berlin and an Israeli family in Munich.

This is not the first time Iranian involvement in European terror plots has been exposed. Last month, Der Spiegel reported that the head of the now-banned Hamburg Islamic Center (IZH) in Germany received direct instructions from Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, including guidance on how to portray Hamass October 7 massacre.

The report comes on the same day that a terrorist opened fire with an M-16 rife outside the Israeli embassy in Munich on Thursday morning.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
My father is 86 and has been pursued by debt collectors working for O2.

In March, he received a call saying that as an O2 customer he was eligible for a 'free gift package'. He recognised this as a scam, so said he didn't want it.

He phoned O2 to report what happened, and customer service told him to cancel his direct debit until the fraud was resolved, which he did.

But shortly after, he got a letter from O2 stating that he had taken out a contract for a new iPhone.

Scam call: K.K's father got a call offering him a 'free gift' from his phone network, O2

Presumably the phone went to the fraudster's address, and dad must have given enough information for them to order it on his account.

The problem is that he has never had it confirmed that the fraud is resolved, so his direct debit has remained cancelled.

Throughout April and May, we called O2 to try and pay directly over the phone, or restart his direct debit. But they said his account wasn't visible on the online system and told us we couldn't pay.

In May, he received a letter threatening to disconnect the phone unless 168.59 was paid. We called O2 but they said we couldn't speak to the fraud department, and they would contact us in 10 to 14 days. The phone was then disconnected.

Shortly after, he received a letter from debt collection firm Moorcroft offering a deal to pay 84.73, including a 15 reconnection fee.

My father told Moorcroft he didn't want the phone reconnecting and paid it 79.73 - the amount less the reconnection fee.

However, in June he received a further letter from O2 requesting payment of the original 168.59, with no mention of the 79.73 payment made. It has now issued a default notice. K.K, Teesside

Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion, replies: I'm sorry to hear this happened to your dad.

Crimes involving mobile phones are rife, whether it is tricking someone into ordering a criminal the latest iPhone, or snatching their device as in the story I will relate below.

While he is in his eighties, your father was switched on enough to realise the person who called him pretending to be from O2 was up to no good.

But unfortunately, he had already given enough account information for them to log in to his online account, place an order for a brand new iPhone with a contract and have it sent to the fraudster's address.

CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk

Confusingly you've received bills stating different amounts, so you can't pinpoint the exact cost of this - but a top iPhone with unlimited data can come to 70 a month. You also aren't sure when the contract for that phone was cancelled.

By cancelling his direct debit, your father also stopped paying the bill for his existing phone - which was about 30 per month.

The last bill you had suggested that your father owed 169 for March to July.

When you contacted me, I suspected that the advice your dad had been given to cancel his direct debit was incorrect.

However, I can see why he followed it. It was what the person he spoke to told him to do - and he was frightened that the fraudster still had access to his online O2 account and could potentially order more phones or take out another contract.

Companies will almost never recommend that customers cancel a direct debit for a service they want to continue receiving. Why would they? Doing so makes it much more likely that they will fail to pay, and end up in debt.

But you and your father went to significant lengths to try and pay O2 the money he owed. You made regular 20-mile round trips to his home to call the phone network together, and ask to pay the bill over the phone or restart the direct debit.

But every time you did, they essentially told you the computer said no.

He couldn't make a payment as he wasn't on the system - but warning letters continued to arrive. And then, letters started to arrive from a debt collection agency.

Called out: The father recognised the call was a scam, but too late. He had already given the fraudster some of his O2 account details, enabling them to order a new iPhone in his name

After this, he decided he wanted to pay up, close his O2 account and go elsewhere.

I spoke to O2 to ask it to clarify exactly what your father owed and ask him to pay his bill.

It admitted that the agent your father spoke to gave him incorrect advice when they told him to cancel his direct debit. O2 said it issued regular briefings to its call handlers, and would speak to this person to make sure it does not happen again.

O2 has cleared the debt on his account as a goodwill gesture, as well as refunding his most recent payment of 74.23 and an additional 60. It has also promised to amend any changes to your dad's credit file.

A spokeswoman said: 'We apologise to [the customer] for the issues he's experienced resolving the fraud on his account.

'We've wiped all debt and have provided a goodwill gesture for the poor customer experience, which has been accepted.

'Unfortunately, this fraudulent activity was enabled because [he] was tricked into handing over his security information to the fraudster.

'We urge customers to be vigilant when they receive unexpected calls, we'll never call and ask you to read out your one-time access code over the phone. The best thing to do if you suspect you're speaking to a scammer is hang up and call us back by dialling 202 from your O2 phone.'

O2 claims my Sim 'isn't an O2 number'... even though I bought it in an O2 shop

I had my phone stolen in June, while walking back to my hotel in Bournemouth. The phone had an O2 device and airtime plan costing 75.67 per month. I reported the theft to the police, but haven't had a response.

I bought a new phone, and tried to get a new Sim with the same number. I asked O2 for this three times, but was told it wasn't possible due to 'technical issues'.

I was about to go on holiday abroad and was anxious to have a working phone, so I visited the O2 store in Salisbury and took out a new Sim-only contract, with a new phone number, for 16.99 per month.

Nicked: C.M.G's phone was taken from his hand - and he's struggled to cancel the contract

But I haven't been able to receive any signal on that Sim, so it was useless.

When I called O2 customer support I was told the number associated with the Sim was 'not an O2 number', even though I had proof it was purchased in an O2 store.

I can't cancel the 16.99 per month contract, and am also still paying the 75.67 per month for the stolen phone and the other contract that I couldn't cancel. Can you help? C.M.G, Wiltshire

Helen Crane replies: This is a mobile mess of substantial proportions. I'm sorry that you fell victim to the ruthless gangs of phone snatchers terrorising Britain's streets, which sadly show no sign of going away.

The advice is to keep your phone in your pocket or bag when you are out and about - but that is much easier said than done when we rely on them for everything from getting directions to paying for parking, and storing train tickets to ordering taxis.

Luckily, they didn't manage to get into any of your banking apps or steal any cash.

Your real problem began when you tried to sort out a replacement phone ahead of a trip abroad.

Buying the handset was easy enough - though getting a new phone of the same specification set you back a painful 1,099.

But getting a new Sim card with the same number proved impossible, for reasons you say O2 couldn't explain.

About to head on holiday and desperate, you went to an O2 shop and took out a new Sim-only contract with a different number for 24 months - but even that didn't work, as the Sim never received a signal.

You were baffled to be told that it wasn't an O2 Sim, even after you provided the receipt and the contract given to you in the O2 store. What on earth was going on?

When I contacted the company, it told me that the Sim card you bought - which was indeed from O2 - failed to activate properly due to an error.

It has apologised to you and cancelled the airtime agreements for both the phone that was stolen, and the new Sim-only contract.

Not so Sim-ple: Our reader tried to get his phone number transferred to a new Sim after his handset was stolen, but O2 told him that it wasn't possible

It has also cleared the remaining loan balance on the stolen phone, which is good news. Mobile phone networks aren't obliged to do this when a phone is stolen, and many customers are left paying off a phone they no longer have.

It has also paid you 200 as a gesture of goodwill, and you will be able to get back your old phone number if you want it.

An O2 spokesman said: 'We've spoken with [the customer] directly to apologise for the experience he's had.

'Due to a technical error the Sim card he purchased after his device was stolen failed to activate. We've now closed both accounts, waived any outstanding fees and provided 200 as a gesture of goodwill.'
Shoplifting doubled last year and retailers are introducing new measures

Britain is facing a shoplifting epidemic.

Retailers are losing serious money to theft and the problem only seems to be getting worse.

An annual survey by the British Retail Consortium, which represents over 200 of the UK's biggest retailers, found incidents of theft in 2023/24 had more than doubled to 16.7million.

The Government has promised to crack down on shoplifting, which will include the reversal of legislation that meant thefts worth under 200 were subject to less serious punishment.

Big Brother: Some supermarkets have introduced body cameras for staff to help stop shoplifting

A new centralised police unit, set up earlier this year, is also looking to crackdown on prolific shoplifters.

Despite this, retailers are taking matters into their own hands as they introduce new, wide-ranging measures to crack down on organised criminals targeting their stores.

With this has also come some outrage from shoppers who feel inconvenienced by the introduction of security tags on basic items, and the increased use of CCTV.

We look at what measures the major supermarkets have taken to stop the scourge of shoplifting.

Security tags and plastic boxes

The sight of plastic boxes and security tags on has become commonplace in most major supermarkets since the start of the cost of living crisis.

Social media has been awash with images of security tags on items like baby formula, meats and cheeses.

The Co-op recently put 2 chocolate bars in security boxes, while it has also locked away other items like baby formula, meats and cheeses.

The supermarket also said it had included 'dummy' or empty packages and had limited products on shelves in the stores most affected.

Other retailers have introduced similar measures to curb theft. Tesco has put Grenade protein bars, which cost 2, as well as Monster energy drink cans behind security tags.

Discount retailer Aldi also introduced security tags for its 1.29 chocolate bars earlier this year.

More often than not, these measures are introduced on a store-by-store basis at the discretion of store teams and aren't rolled out across every store.

Tesco is one of many retailers which have introduced security tags for basic items

However, the items that are put into security cases or tags, tend to be higher-value items such as olive oil and alcohol.

Olive oil, which has become increasingly expensive due to tough conditions in the Mediterranean, has become the latest casualty of the shoplifting epidemic.

Tesco introduced netted bags and security tags for olive oil as the price of some bottles neared 20, although cheaper bottles have also been tagged.

Shoplifters also often target the alcohol aisles, with most supermarkets now introducing security tags or netted bags as a deterrent.

Some supermarkets have moved bottles of more expensive alcohol, like spirits and champagne, to behind counters which only staff can access. However, other lower-value bottles displayed on aisles are also security-tagged.

Anti-theft tags and security boxes can only be taken off by staff at the checkout, otherwise they will set alarms off at the exit.

Alcohol cabinets

Tesco recently introduced locked alcohol cabinets to discourage shoplifters in some of its stores.

The idea is that bottles will be locked away before the door is unlocked remotely, without waiting for a Tesco employee to unlock it.

Customers press a button on a screen attached to the cabinet, wait 10 seconds until the doors open and pick out the bottle they want.

Tesco says no camera or facial recognition software is used.

The supermarket has chosen, for now, to only put some sparkling wine, champagne and spirits behind the cabinets.

This is Money visited a store in Perivale, west London, to see the alcohol cabinets in person. One employee told us that the store had been hit by the shoplifting of food, drink and even electric toothbrushes.

Self-checkout cameras

CCTV has long been a feature of shopping on the high street, from major retailers to smaller convenience stores.

Retailers are now ramping up the use of CCTV in stores to help crack down on theft.

Shoplifting is rife

Commentary by This is Money editor Lee Boyce... In the past few months, I have seen so many instances of shoplifting that it's not even a shock anymore. I've seen numerous examples at Liverpool Street station, namely shoplifters strolling into WH Smith and Greggs, helping themselves to whatever they want. One colleague tells me that their local Greggs has resorted to putting cans and Coca-Cola and Red Bull behind the tills, given how much it's pinched. This week, my wife was in a local Peacocks store, and a man simply strolled in, took the clothes he wanted, and walked out. It's clear that without some serious change, the problem isn't going to get better - and unfortunately, for the 99.9 per cent of innoncent shoppers, it'll mean more intrusive use of cameras, unfriendly security staff and an all-round worse experience. Have you noticed the problem getting worse? Get in touch: editor@thisismoney.co.uk

Holland & Barrett recently announced it was adding new remote access CCTV cameras as well as increasing the use of body cameras to another 80 stores.

Supermarkets, including Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury's, have also introduced CCTV cameras on self-checkout tills in a bid to bolster the monitoring of their stores.

Big Brother cameras in alcohol aisles

In one Essex branch of a large Sainsbury's, the supermarket has put screens above the alcohol aisle that show they are filming you via CCTV.

It means you can see yourself on the screen - and is being used as a deterrent to those thinking about pinching booze.

Body cameras

Lidl recently announced that its staff would start to wear body cameras in a bid to curb shoplifting, after an uptick in theft and violence towards its employees.

Ryan McDonnell, chief executive, said: 'While our stores are typically safe environments, retail crime is something that is impacting the whole industry.'

While they won't be required for every member of staff, Lidl said staff 'will receive training to ensure the cameras are used safely and in a way that protects an individual's privacy.'

Co-op also introduced body cameras which send real-time audio and visual footage to its security operations centre at the touch of a button.

It also said it had security guards, both undercover and not, who were specially trained to detain criminals.

Other supermarkets have also ramped up the presence of security guards

Scanning receipts

Sainsbury's came under fire for last year for installing security gates that force customers to scan their receipts from self-checkout tills before being allowed to exit.

The barriers block customers from leaving stores until the receipts are scanned, meaning those who leave empty-handed have to ask security to be let out.

At the time, Sainsbury's told Mail Online that the gates were used in a 'small number' of its stores and form part of a 'range of security measures'.
President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua meets with Miguel Angel Oliver, president of Spanish news agency Agencia EFE, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua met with Miguel Angel Oliver, president of Spanish news agency Agencia EFE, in Beijing on Thursday.

Fu noted that Xinhua is China's state news agency and a global news agency, while EFE is a news agency of important influence in the international media community and the Spanish-speaking world.

Since the 1970s, the two media organizations have maintained sound cooperation, Fu said, expressing the hope that both sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as news exchange, personnel exchanges and new media development to push bilateral relations to a new level.

Fu added that the World Media Summit, jointly initiated by Xinhua and other renowned international media organizations, has become an important framework for global mainstream media to strengthen exchanges and cooperation. He welcomed EFE to continue to actively participate in activities under the summit mechanism.

Oliver introduced the news operations of EFE, noting that the Spanish news agency attaches importance to increasing the global influence of its news report.

He said EFE looks forward to deepening cooperation with Xinhua and jointly exploring the application of new technologies to improve the performance of media. 
Landlords are being warned to ready themselves for increasing numbers of tenants falling into rent arrears.

Rising rental prices continue to outpace growth in people's incomes, according to analysis from tenant referencing company HomeLet, and this is putting strain on household budgets.

The firm, which processes references for more than one million renters every year, says the household income to rental ratio - the share of income households spend on rent - has risen significantly over the past decade.

Across the UK as a whole, tenants spent an average of 32.6 per cent of their gross income on rent, up from 26.8 per cent 10 years ago.

> The best buy-to-let mortgages for landlords: Should they fix or risk a tracker?

Renters under strain: The household income to rental ratio - the share of income households spends on rent - has risen significantly in the past decade

Andy Halstead, chief executive of HomeLet and Let Alliance is concerned that renters will continue to spend ever-increasing proportions of their income on rent.

'The rental market continues to be challenging,' said Halstead. 'The next six months or so will be interesting, and I am not optimistic.

'Tenant affordability will be the challenge for 2025. Every indicator suggests this, and, to quote our new Prime Minister, "things will get worse before they get better."'

Where do rents eat up the most of tenants' income?

Some regions have seen the household income to rent ratio jump even more acutely over the past decade.

London, which is the most expensive region to rent in, has seen one of the biggest jumps over the past 10 years.

In August 2014, renters in London were spending 28.1 per cent of their income on rent. Now they are spending 38.9 per cent on average.

The average salary in London is around 44,000 a year, and a renter earning this amount of money will on average be spending 17,116 on rent a year based on HomeLet's referencing data.

After income tax and national insurance, someone earning 44,000 will be taking home 2,933 a month or 35,200 a year.

After paying the average annual rental cost of 17,116, they will be left with 18,084 to spend on other things including bills, food and travel.

Essentially the average London renter is spending close to half of their net income after tax and national insurance on rent.

That does not take into account other common salary deductions, such as a pension or student loan, which can amount to hundreds of pounds.

A London renter choosing to live alone would have to typically spend even more given the average rental property in the capital is fetching 2,148 a month (25,776 a year). Many renters therefore choose to live in flat shares or as couples.

> The first-time buyer's step-by-step guide

Renters are spending more of their income on rent than they were 10 years ago, HomeLet says

Tenants in the East of England are also spending an ever-larger proportion of their income on rent.

The typical household is spending 34 per cent of its income, up from 26.6 per cent a decade ago.

The North East of England has also seen one of the most significant rises in affordability pressures. Households now spend 31.8 per cent of their income on rent, up from 22.4 per cent in 2014.

The South West has the second highest rent-to-income ratio in the country, at 35.1 per cent, highlighting the rapid increase in costs across that region.

Not all UK regions have seen significant changes over the past decade when it comes to the proportion of income being spent on rent, however.

According to HomeLet's data, Scotland and the North West of England have only seen a slight uptick with renters in both regions still paying under 30 per cent of their gross income on rent on average.

HomeLet's Andy Halstead believes that, as renters are having to use up an increasing proportion of their income on rent, they are more vulnerable to falling into arrears.

He says this is the biggest risk for landlords at the moment - more than the banning of no fault evictions, EPC rule changes, capital gains tax rises, or increased regulation and licencing.

'Our data, from providing rent guarantees for millions of properties over many years, indicates that rent arrears will be the biggest risk to landlords,' said Halstead.

'Increases in taxation, the removal of winter fuel payments, rising fuel duties, essential services, and the overall cost of living are all putting tenants under growing financial strain.'

Big risk: HomeLet's data indicates that rent arrears will be the biggest risk to landlords

Will rents keep rising?

Rents are currently rising at a slower pace than they have been for the past three years, according to HomeLet's data.

The annual rate of growth has halved since this time last year to 5.1 per cent and is now a long way off the double digit increases recorded between 2021 and 2023.

The average rental property across the UK is now 1,325 a month. Excluding London, that average is 1,126 a month.

However, there has been a large jump in August, according to HomeLet, with a monthly increase of 1.3 per cent - higher than the last two months put together.

While the national market remains buoyant, the sharpest increases are now being seen outside London, signalling a major shift in the rental landscape.

In the East of England and the North East, average rents have risen by 9.4 per cent and 9.2 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

The average rent in the East of England now stands at 1,302 per month, up from 1,190 last year, with a 1.4 per cent increase over the past month alone.

Tough times: Rising rental prices are increasingly outpacing income growth, putting further strain on household budgets, according to HomeLet

Letting agents quoted in the latest market survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) say that demand for rented homes is outstripping supply.

David Boyden of Boydens estate agents in Colchester said: 'Another positive month, demand remains high, stock dipped a little throughout the month but seems to now be recovering again post election.

Kevin Burt-Gray, of Pocock + Shaw estate agents in Cambridge added: 'A shortage of stock remains with multiple applications being received on most property types.'

Meanwhile, demand in London, which has the most expensive rental prices in the country, has barely changed since last year, though rents did increase by 2.2 per cent in August to reach 2,148 a month on average.

The new Government must entice landlords back into the private rental sector David Shaun Brannen of Brannen & Partners estate agents in Whitley Bay

The latest Rics market survey suggests that London rents have hit a ceiling and that more available rental homes are hitting the market.

Javier Lauret of Hurford Salvi Carr estate agents in London said: 'Landlords have begun to accept rents are slightly softening after last year's boom.'

'Marcus Goodwille, of Savills in London added: 'While prime London rental values are still rising, the annual rate of growth has softened significantly from the highs of the past few years.

'Market conditions have continued to stabilise as more stock enters the market and affordability barriers constrain further significant rental increases.'

Regional rental markets outpace London: East and North East of England are seeing fastest growth in UKs shifting rental landscape

In the North East of England, which is traditionally one of the UK's most affordable regions, according to HomeLet, tenants are still experiencing a sharp rise in rental prices.

Rents in the region have climbed to 715 in August 2024, up from 655 in August last year, with a 1.9 per cent month-on-month increase since July.

HomeLet says this marks a significant shift, as the North East becomes a focal point for renters looking for more affordable yet increasingly competitive housing options.

The fear among letting agents working in the region is that rents will only continue to increase as landlords sell up.

David Shaun Brannen of Brannen & Partners estate agents in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, said in the latest Rics market survey: 'The new Government must entice landlords back into the private rental sector, as the supply must increase significantly to keep pace with the constant high demand.'

State of flux: Rental demand is surging in regions that have traditionally been more affordable

Northern Ireland recorded a slight drop in rental prices, with a 0.3 per cent fall month-on-month.

However, on an annual basis, rents in Northern Ireland have still risen by 6.8 per cent, reflecting ongoing demand in the region, despite the monthly dip. The current average rent stands at 898.

Wales and the South East saw similar year-on-year growth rates, both rising by 7.5 per cent annually.

The West Midlands and North West regions also reported strong annual growth of 8.3 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively, while Scotland saw more modest increases of 3.4 per cent.
Landlords appear to be selling up in their droves, according to latest figures from Rightmove.

The proportion of former rental properties being listed for sale is at its highest on record, the property portal revealed today.

It says 18 per cent of homes now for sale were previously available for rent, compared with 8 per cent in 2010.

Had enough: The proportion of former rental properties moving into the sales market is at its highest on record, according to Rightmove, indicating more landlords are selling up

London landlords in particular appear to be heading for the exit. In the capital, nearly a third of homes for sale were previously for rent.

Scotland and the North East of England also are seeing a large number of landlords sell up with 19 per cent of homes on the market previously being a former rental property in both regions.

Is this an exodus or a gradual exit?

Although it looks clear more landlords are selling, it is by no means a full scale exodus - at least, not yet.

On average, over the past five-years, 14 per cent of homes for sale on Rightmove are ex-rental properties, so the 18 per cent proportion being seen today isn't necessarily a massive shift.

Rightmove says the number of homes for sale has risen to a seven-year high, with the average estate agent having 33 homes to sell.

This would mean there are roughly six to seven former rental properties being sold by each estate agent branch on average at the moment.

Losing its calling: Nearly a third of all homes for sale in London were previously available on the rental market

Tim Bannister, a property expert at Rightmove argues that despite the trend of more landlords choosing to sell up, it doesn't appear to be a mass exodus.

'We will need to monitor the longer-term impacts of what happens to the rental supply that is put up for sale,' said Bannister.

'For example, these homes could provide first-time buyers with more choice.

'They might also be purchased by other landlords and put back into the rental market, which would signal a changing of the guard rather than a complete exit from landlords.'

However, while some landlords appear to be selling up, fewer landlords also seem to be buying.

The proportion of homes being bought by landlords has fallen to a 14-year low, according to the estate agent Hamptons.

It reported that only one in ten homes sold during the first half of this year went to a buy-to-let investor - the lowest share since its records began in 2010.

The result of all of this is the rental market appears to be gradually shrinking.

Selling out: Landlords purchased just 10% of all homes sold during the first half of this year, the lowest share seen since 2010 according to the estate agent Hamptons

In fact, the number of properties available to rent across the UK is down by a quarter since 2019, according to consultancy firm TwentyCi.

It says available properties to rent are at the lowest level since it began recording data 15 years ago.

And with fewer homes for tenants to choose from, it means rents continue to rise.

Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), argues that Rightmove's findings will be a serious concern for all those renters struggling to find somewhere to call home.

'With demand already massively outstripping supply, Rightmove suggests the situation is set to get worse,' said Norris.

'Every rental home that is sold simply exacerbates the imbalance between supply and demand.

'Whilst some of these properties will inevitably end up on the owner-occupied market, that will be of little comfort to those households struggling to access quality housing.'

Why are landlords selling?

Some landlords may potentially be selling because of the mooted increase in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in the Autumn Statement on 30 October thanks to the purported 22 billion blackhole in the nation's finances.

It is no secret that the chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, is looking for ways to address this issue with many fearing tax hikes are incoming.

One such tax hike on the table could be on CGT. This is the tax paid on the gain made during the time someone owns an asset.

At present, higher-rate taxpayer landlords face a 24 per cent CGT tax rate on any gain they make when selling property.

There are fears that CGT could be equalised with income tax, which could mean CGT rates rise to 40 per cent for higher rate taxpayers or even 45 per cent for additional rate taxpayers.

What CGT changes could mean for property investors Capital gain Current basic If aligned Impact Current higher If aligned Impact Current additional If aligned Impact Gain 18% 20% 24% 40% 24% 45% 10,000 1,260 1,400 140 1,680 2,800 1,120 1,680 3,150 1,470 20,000 3,060 3,400 340 4,080 6,800 2,720 4,080 7,650 3,570 30,000 4,860 5,400 540 6,480 10,800 4,320 6,480 12,150 5,670 Source: Quilter

Neela Chauhan, a partner at accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young thinks a CGT rise could push more landlords into selling up.

'A rise in CGT in the budget is only going to accelerate landlords quitting the buy to let market. Fewer landlords could lead to higher rents.

'The fall in the number of landlords is the result of multiple Governments working to make buy to let investment less attractive. That isn't going to get any better under the new Government.

'Many smaller landlords with just one or two properties are finding that the income simply isn't worth the work any more.'

Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves estate agents in London also fears a CGT hike will damage the investment case for bricks and mortar.

Marc Von Grundherr, director at Benhams & Reeves estate agents says a potential CGT rise will be concerning many landlords

'The potential equalising of CGT is, of course, a concern for many landlords,' said Von Grundherr.

'If the Labour government was to follow through with it, it could make for a significant increase in the tax paid by the average landlord when the time did come for them to exit the sector.

'This would be yet another blow to those who provide vital housing stock that is sorely needed within the rental sector, following a string of legislative changes already introduced in recent years to dent profitability.'

On top of the CGT threat, there are other changes that will be worrying landlords.

Not least, the banning of no fault evictions, EPC rule changes, and increased regulation and licencing.

Rightmove suggests that there needs to be incentives for landlords to stay and continue to invest in the private rented sector to provide a healthy market for tenants.

'In recent years it has become more attractive for some landlords to leave the rental sector rather than to continue to invest in it, due to rising costs, taxes, and legislation,' added Rightmove's Tim Bannister.

'A healthy private rented sector needs landlord investment to provide tenants with a good choice of homes.

'We've seen over the last few years how the supply and demand imbalance can contribute to rising rents, so there is a worry that without encouragement for landlords to stay in rather than leave the rental sector, it is tenants who will pay the price.
BMW has laid out its intentions to bring a hydrogen-powered passenger car to the market in 2028 in a major announcement on Thursday.

The German manufacturer confirmed it has partnered with Japanese car giant Toyota - one of the brands at the forefront of hydrogen fuel cell technology - as it looks to extend its green vehicle portfolio away from just battery-powered EVs.

The new Beemer is expected to be able to travel around 20 per cent further than existing hydrogen fuel cell cars on the market today, which means a range close to 500 miles between refuelling.

And, in a significant advantage over battery electric vehicles, it which would take just a matter of minutes to fill up, similar to a petrol car.

BMW has announced it will launch its first hydrogen passenger car in 2028 having signed a deal with Toyota to collaborate on the development of fuel cell technology. Pictured: Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG (left) with Koji Sato, President and Member of the Board of Management at Toyota Motor Corporation

The announcement sets out BMW's intention to launch its first hydrogen production car using Toyota's forthcoming third-generation hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Its Japanese partner is expected to debut its new hydrogen models around 2026 and 2027.

Toyota sold its first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle - the Mirai - in the UK in 2015, with it offering a range of 312 miles. However, its 66,000 price tag meant limited sales.

In 2020, it launched the sequel Mirai - which remains available today - with an improved range of 406 miles.

Again, a price tag of 64,695 restricted appetite, as did the limited hydrogen filling station network in Britain.

As a result, only 99 Mirais are registered in the UK - that's an average of 11 sales per year since it arrived on the market almost a decade ago.

The Hyundai Nexo SUV is the only other hydrogen fuel cell passenger car sold in the UK so far but, like the Mirai, is vastly expensive, starting from a whopping 69,495.

Just 24 Nexos are currently registered in Britain.

The announcement sets out BMW's intention to launch its first hydrogen production car using Toyota's forthcoming third-generation hydrogen fuel cell technology. It should means a passenger vehicle with a range of almost 500 miles that can be refulled in minutes

BMW is by far the strongest proponent of hydrogen technology among German car makers, and has been testing a hydrogen passenger vehicle, the iX5 Hydrogen (pictured), with a range of 310 miles and an ability to refuel in three to four minutes

Despite the underwhelming success of hydrogen vehicles so far, manufacturers continue to develop them.

Toyota is also producing a hydrogen-powered version of the Hilux pick-up truck while Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Automotive brand has also partnered with Hyundai to test the benefits of a fuel cell Grenadier.

Renault and Jaguar Land Rover have also dabbled with hydrogen fuel cell technology for its passenger models.

Shell's three hydrogen sites were opened between 2017 and 2019, coinciding with the availability of the Mk1 Toyota Mirai (left) - Britain's first hydrogen fuel cell electric car. A Mk2 Mirai arrived in 2020

While the Mirai Mk2 offered an improved 403-mile range, its price tag of over 60,000 has limited its popularity. In fact, only 99 Mirais across both generations are currently in use in the UK

With hints that BMW's 2028 hydrogen car will have a range of around 485 miles, it would far exceed its best EV on the market to date.

The hydrogen vehicle's range will be almost 100 miles longer than that of it's furthest-travelling EV on a single charge, the i7, which costs over 115,000.

The company said the fuel cell technology will be retrofitted into one of its existing models, though failed to give further details if this would be a combustion engine car or an EV.

It also did not give details on price or production volume.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse called the announcement a 'milestone in automotive history, saying the vehicle would 'highlight how technological progress is shaping the mobility of the future'.

President of Toyota, Koji Sato, added: 'BMW and Toyota share the same passion for cars and belief in technology openness and a multi-pathway approach to carbon neutrality.'

Hyundai is the only other major car maker to have a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle on the market, though the Nexo isn't cheap at a smidge under 70,000. Only 24 examples are registered in the UK

A Hyundai Nexo on display showcasing the hydrogen fuel cell technology under the bonnet

The partnership with Toyota will allow the groups to cut costs while also developing a passenger car drive unit whose technology will have applications for commercial vehicles, the two car giants said.

BMW is by far the strongest proponent of hydrogen technology among German car makers, and has been testing a hydrogen passenger vehicle, the iX5 Hydrogen, with a range of 310 miles and an ability to refuel in three to four minutes.

The group is developing fuel cell vehicle prototypes alongside battery ones to hedge its bets depending on which 'green' technology becomes dominant.

Despite the BMW and Toyota hydrogen cars being sister models underpinned by the same technology, the German outfit says its version will retain the brand's 'distinct identity and characteristics'.

Why haven't hydrogen fuel cell cars taken off in Britain? We explain the two main reasons why

Why haven't hydrogen cars taken off in Britain?

A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle uses an electric motor like an EV, but draws power from a fuel stack where hydrogen is separated by a catalyst to produce electricity.

The biggest benefit of hydrogen-powered vehicles - apart from being extremely green - is that they can have a long range, like a battery electric car, but can fill up quickly, unlike a battery electric car.

However, few car makers have invested in the technology because of the high costs and a limited network of fuelling stations.

BMW said it assumed hydrogen charging infrastructure would have developed significantly by 2028 to accommodate its plans to launch a fuel cell model.

The EU has recently announced it will accelerate its network of hydrogen filling stations, guaranteeing to have one every 200km (124 miles) by 2031.

With battery-electric vehicle sales booming in recent years, hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars simply haven't caught on with the public

Shell in 2022 pulled the plug on hydrogen filling stations for passenger cars. The oil giant confirmed it had closed its three fuelling sites in Cobham, Gatwick and Beaconsfield

Shell and its hydrogen partner in the UK said the hydrogen fuelling station technology had 'reached its end of life'

In a statement released by Shell's hydrogen station partner Motive, which is a subsidiary of the UK electrolyser manufacturer ITM Power, it said: 'The sites are not performing satisfactorily'

At present, the UK has just six hydrogen refuelling stations.

The network has shrunk in recent years, predominantly as a result of Shell closing all three of its UK locations in Cobham, Gatwick and Beaconsfield towards the end of 2022.

The oil giant said its decision was the result of the technology 'reaching its end of life' as it embarked on concentrating on creating hydrogen refuelling sites for larger vehicles rather than passenger cars.

The government has recently provided an 8million grant to Element 2 (a British startup) to build four hydrogen stations available to the public.

In comparison there are 68,273 battery EV charging points across the UK as of August 2024, spread across 35,230 charging locations.
EnQuest has finally returned to profitability after suffering two consecutive years of losses largely as a result of the UK's energy profits levy (EPL).

The North Sea exploration and production firm posted a $30.3million (23million) post-tax profit for the six months to 30 June, after suffering losses of $30.8million and $41.2million in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

London-listed EnQuest owed $34.1million to HM Treasury related to the EPL, down sharply from $73.8million during the same period last year.

Enquest was helped by higher oil prices in the first half, but prices remain well short of 2022 highs

The Government currently plans to extend the EPL on 'extraordinary' earnings from November, taking the tax rate from 35 to 38 per cent and building the headline rate of tax on upstream oil and gas activities to 78 per cent.

EnQuest chief executive, Amjad Bseisu, said: 'We are disappointed with the ongoing application of the Energy Profits Levy despite operating in an environment where no windfall conditions exist.'

EnQuest, which produced 6 per cent fewer barrels of oil year-on-year in the first half, benefited from higher prices over the period.

The group reported realised oil prices of $83.40/barrel for the half, up 10 per cent from $75.80 last year.

However, while Brent crude was up roughly 11 per cent over the first six months of the year to $84.30/bl, but is down more than 30 per cent from its June 2022 high of $112.24 in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It is currently trading at $72.73/bl.

The EPL was brought in after loosening Covid restrictions and Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to an energy price spiral and bumper profits for oil and gas firms.

Plans to extend the EPL, despite lower wholesale energy prices, have led to industry warnings it would lead to thousands of jobs losses and undermine Britain's progress to net zero emissions.

Bseisu said: 'The current fiscal regime is causing irreversible damage to an indigenous and strategically important UK industry.

'The UK energy industry needs a progressive tax regime that recognises the maturity of the North Sea and re-establishes the UK as a globally competitive investment basin.'

EnQuest shares were down 0.3 per cent to 12.26p in early trading, bringing losses to more than 20 per cent since the start of the year.

Shore Capital analyst James Hosie said Bseisu's commentary 'highlights the impact that the continuation of the EPL is having on the competitiveness of the UK North Sea'.

He added: 'The company does remain committed to the UK, where it is seeking acquisition opportunities that would leverage its operating capabilities and accumulated tax losses to realise additional value.

'However, the release also makes the point that the focus is on deals to acquire UK assets with limited future capital spending requirements.

'At the same time, EnQuest continues to pursue opportunities to expand its operations in SE Asia.'
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that the United States should rectify its wrongdoings and immediately remove all additional tariffs on Chinese goods.

The remarks were made by spokesperson He Yongqian in response to a media inquiry about the United States recently delaying again an announcement of decisions on increasing tariffs on imports from China under Section 301.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has already ruled that the Section 301 tariffs violate WTO rules, and the spokesperson said the U.S. move to increase the additional tariffs on China would only compound the mistake.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative had previously sought public opinions on the results of the Section 301 tariff review. The majority of the opinions either opposed the imposition of additional tariffs or requested broader tariff exemptions.

"This shows the Section 301 tariffs are unpopular among the U.S. public," said the spokesperson. 
A staff member (L) presents the digital car key to a visitor at an exhibition during the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Photo by Cheng Zhibing/Xinhua)

An outdoor displaying area of the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund is seen in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

A staff member (L) presents bags made from recycled materials to a visitor on the sidelines of the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

People watch Xpeng's flying car X2 displayed at an exhibition during the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

A visitor tries a gear driven by smart AI security system at an exhibition during the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

People attend the 2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Sept. 5, 2024. With the theme Technology for a Sustainable Future, the conference kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
This file photo taken on April 22, 2021 shows Michel Barnier in Paris, France. French President Emmanuel Macron nominated Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister, French presidential office Elysee said on Thursday. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)

PARIS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister, the Elysee said on Thursday.

Macron has tasked Barnier with forming a unified government to serve the country and the French people, the Elysee said in a press release.

According to Elysee, Barnier's nomination came after an unprecedented cycle of consultations. Macron ensured that the future government led by Barnier would meet the conditions of being "as stable as possible and give themselves the chance to unite as broadly as possible," the press release added.

On July 16, Macron accepted Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's resignation but asked him to remain in charge of a caretaker government until a new cabinet is formed.

In the two rounds of legislative elections held on June 30 and July 7, Macron's centrist coalition finished second with 163 seats, trailing the left-wing parties' alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP). The NFP secured a relative majority with 182 seats in the 577-member National Assembly.

Macron's nomination of Barnier from the right-wing party The Republicans (LR) was criticized by the left-wing parties, who expected an NFP candidate in line with the election results.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), said that the nomination shows Macron has decided to "officially deny" the results of the snap legislative elections. The prime minister should come from the NFP alliance, he added.

Meanwhile, the First Secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure said that Barnier's nomination brings "democratic denial to its peak," emphasizing that the LR only came fourth in the legislative elections.

As a pro-European politician, Barnier's nomination has not met with opposition from the French far-right party National Rally (RN).

The RN's ex-President Marine Le Pen said on her X account that she and her party members would be "attentive" to the project that the new prime minister would implement.

Along with Le Pen, the current RN President Jordan Bardella said that the new prime minister should "respect" the 11 million voters who chose the RN in the legislative elections.

"We reserve all political means of action," Bardella said on his X account, urging Barnier to address issues such as purchasing power, security, and immigration.

Former French President Francois Hollande, who is now a Socialist Party deputy, said on X platform that the RN has given a form of "approval" for Barnier's nomination.

Born in 1951, Michel Barnier was elected to the French National Assembly in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy at that time in France. Elected as president of the departmental council of Savoie, he led the city of Albertville to win the hosting of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games.

During his political career, he has served as French environment minister, minister delegate for Europe, foreign affairs minister, and agriculture minister. He also served as the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator.

Barnier's first urgent mission is to form a government capable of completing a draft budget for 2025 before Oct. 1 and submit it for voting in a National Assembly that has so far been hostile towards the right-wing prime minister.

The handover ceremony for the Fifth Republic's youngest Prime Minister Attal, to its oldest Prime Minister Barnier, is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time (16h00 GMT). 

This file photo taken on April 22, 2021 shows Michel Barnier in Paris, France. French President Emmanuel Macron nominated Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister, French presidential office Elysee said on Thursday. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Celebrity chef Catherine Fulvio is encouraging Transition Year students in South Tipperary to get brewing and baking in support of South Tipperary Hospice Movement as part of Together for Hospices biggest fundraiser.

Catherine was joined at Ballyknocken House and Cookery School in Co Wicklow by TY students, Grace Christie and James Ryder, as she threw her support behind Bewleys Big Coffee Morning for Hospice.

The event takes place nationally on September 26 and raises funds for hospice and homecare services across Ireland.

And there is a real sweetener for students in South Tipperary to organise one in their school - two free places are up for grabs on Catherines 13-week TY online cookery course plus a cash prize of 250 for the winning school.

"There is a lot of momentum in TY to understand about charities and giving back," said Catherine.

"No matter what happens in life, most of us know someone who has been in a Hospice; it brings great comfort to the family and a patient to have a Hospice to care for them."

She told how her mother Mary received Hospice care before her death in 1998.

"We were very grateful to have them to help us and give us quality time with our mum. It took the pressure off a lot."

To be in with a chance of winning two places on the TY course, plus a 250 cash prize for your class or school, TY classes in South Tipperary need to register their coffee morning on https://www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie/register-today/ or contact their local hospice.

Any TY class that returns the proceeds of their event before November 29 will be entered into the draw.

Terms and conditions of the competition can be found at www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie/competition-2024.
There is an opportunity to create a Polish-Irish synergy on shaping European policy, Polands prime minister has said.

Donald Tusk made the remarks as he hosted Taoiseach Simon Harris for a bilateral meeting in Rzeszow.

Mr Harris was in eastern Poland on his return from engagements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

In Rzeszow, the Irish and Polish leaders discussed the Russian war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza as well as issues on the agenda of the European Council, including migration and security.

Mr Tusk said Ireland sets an important example for other countries by providing unequivocal support for Ukraine while maintaining its military neutrality.

Neutrality cannot mean indifference towards evil and the tragedy that befalls innocent people, he said.

Therefore I want to emphasise how much we appreciate the personal engagement of the Irish prime minister in providing non-military but humanitarian aid to Ukraine in these difficult times for the country.

Mr Tusk also said the two countries shared views on what European politics should look like.

He said this follows on from a traditional friendship which was founded on the fact that many Polish people emigrated to Ireland in the past.

Praising Irelands economic resilience and creativity, Mr Tusk said the two countries could leverage a Polish-Irish synergy to profile new European policies on security and competitiveness.

He said he counted on Irish support for calls for increasing protection of Europes eastern border in Poland, including an air-defence system.

As Mr Tusk was president of the European Council for almost the entirety of the strenuous negotiations with the UK over post-Brexit arrangements, Mr Harris said he was grateful for the solidarity the prime minister showed to the people of Ireland.

He said: Thank you for your leadership during a most difficult time for my country and indeed for the European Union as we together navigated the unprecedented challenges posed by Brexit.

Your friendship, your solidarity, but also your skill really helped managed that process.

He added: The people of Ireland and the Government of Ireland will always be grateful and consider you a true friend.

Mr Harris said Ireland had benefited from the approximately 100,000 Polish people living in Ireland.

Whilst we are geographically far away, in our hearts and in our minds, we are close.
Workers cut redundant branches of trees ahead of the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches. Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in the Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as Typhoon Yagi approaches.

The eye of Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, was located on the sea approximately 540 km southeast of Xuwen County, Guangdong Province, at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong.

Due to the approaching typhoon, the main section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be closed temporarily from 9 p.m. Thursday, according to the bridge's emergency rescue headquarters.

Affected by Yagi, parts of Guangdong and Hainan will be pounded by rainstorms from Thursday to Sunday, with daily rainfall likely to reach around 500 mm or more. All childcare institutions, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and secondary vocational schools in Guangdong's Zhuhai City have been asked to suspend classes, local authorities have said.

China has a four-tier flood-control emergency-response system, with Level I being the most severe response. 

A staff member reinforces a glass window in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Workers cut redundant branches of trees ahead of the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

The closed Dadonghai scenic area is seen in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan)

The closed Dadonghai scenic area is seen in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan)

An employee arranges a sandbag barrier ahead of the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

A construction site is seen in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

The Qilou old street is seen in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows fishing ships docking at Tanmen port in Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/Xinhua)

The closed Xiuying Port is seen in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

A fisherman fastens a fishing boat in Boao township of Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/Xinhua)

A staff member makes an emergency call to remind the fishermen to make preparations for the typhoon in Tanmen township of Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/Xinhua)

A staff member of a cafe reinforces a glass window in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows fishing boats docking at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows fishing boats docking at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

A fishing boat returns to Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

A person rides a scooter at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

Fishermen carry frozen seafood at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows fishing boats docking at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

A fisherman prepares to go home at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

A fisherman observes the weather conditions at Bohe port in Dianbai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 5, 2024. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention from level III to level II in Guangdong and Hainan provinces at 3 p.m. Thursday, as typhoon Yagi approaches.

Yagi is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening somewhere between the city of Qionghai in Hainan and Maoming City in Guangdong. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)
Geng Shuang (C, front), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), speaks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 4, 2024.

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for greater diplomatic effort towards the immediate release of all detainees, be they Israeli or Palestinian, so that they could go home without further delay. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for greater diplomatic effort towards the immediate release of all detainees, be they Israeli or Palestinian, so that they could go home without further delay.

"The six hostages who perished in Gaza are distressing. The tragic end that befell them evokes sympathy," Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said in remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

"China condemns all violence against civilians and denounces all violations of international law and international humanitarian law," said the ambassador.

He stressed that "the stark reality speaks volumes" about the futility of attempts to win a "total victory" by prolonging the war, which was at best "wishful thinking."

The use of force would not pave the way for hostage release, Geng pointed out, adding that it would only aggregate antagonism and make the confrontations more intense and the situation more volatile.

He called on the Israeli leadership to listen to the public's forceful appeals, give top priority to securing the release of hostages and saving lives, and do their utmost to make the ceasefire happen and end the war.

He also called on the countries that held sway over the parties concerned to show good faith and a responsible attitude by taking tangible actions "to put out the flames of war in Gaza."

Commending the World Health Organization and other humanitarian agencies "that are going against all odds" to provide polio vaccination for Gazan children, Geng said "These children have the same right to grow up healthily as their peers elsewhere in the world" and should not continue to face the deadly threat of lethal weapons after receiving vaccination.

"Every life matters, and no one deserves to be deprived of their right to live," he said. 

The United Nations (UN) Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question is held at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 4, 2024.

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for greater diplomatic effort towards the immediate release of all detainees, be they Israeli or Palestinian, so that they could go home without further delay. (Xinhua/Xie E)
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will dispatch a Marine Corps detachment to Brazil to take part in a multilateral joint exercise, following an invitation from the Brazilian military.

The exercise will primarily concentrate on joint landing and anti-landing combat drills.

It aims to strengthen the friendship and collaboration between the Chinese military and its counterparts from the participating nations as well as to bolster their collective capacity to tackle security risks and challenges. 
The restoration of the mosque in the liberated village of Gocehmadli in Fuzuli district will begin, Azernews reports.

This is stipulated in the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Protection and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments Located in the Territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan," signed between the State Service for the Protection, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture and the Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation.

The document was signed by the head of the State Service, Sabina Hajiyeva, and the president of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Aktot? Raimkulova.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding aims at the preservation, restoration, and conservation of historical and cultural monuments located in Azerbaijan and under state protection, the organization of training in relevant areas, and the further expansion of cooperation in the field of cultural heritage.

According to the memorandum, the Foundation will initially support the restoration of the mosque in the village of Gocehmadli in Fuzuli.

At the signing ceremony, it was emphasized that the development of relations in all fields with the fraternal Turkic republics, especially the strengthening of cultural ties, is a positive development. It was noted that the Turkish Culture and Heritage Foundation plays an active role in this direction, contributing to the preservation, promotion, and recognition of the culture and cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples. It was also highlighted that Azerbaijan provides special support in this field, and confidence was expressed that cooperation would deepen further in the coming years.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 412,023 tons of milled rice in the first eight months of 2024, earning a total revenue of 305 million U.S. dollars, the Cambodia Rice Federation said in a news release on Thursday.

Fifty-three companies shipped milled rice to 65 countries and regions during the January-August period, the news release said, adding that China was still one of the key buyers.

The kingdom exported 77,792 tons of milled rice to China during the above-mentioned period, making a gross revenue of almost 48.9 million dollars, the news release said.

Rice exports of the Southeast Asian country included fragrant rice, white rice, parboiled rice, and organic rice.

Im Rachna, an undersecretary of state and spokesperson for Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said China is one of the major markets for Cambodian agricultural products.

"The purchase of our agricultural products by China and other friendly countries have significantly contributed to the development of Cambodia's agriculture and brought a lot of benefits to our people, especially farmers," she told Xinhua. 
Zimbabwe and China enjoy a time-honored friendship and are now carrying out fruitful cooperation in the political, economic and social sectors, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in India's eastern state of Odisha have issued an advisory urging restricted supply of chickens after an outbreak of avian flu near the state capital Bhubaneswar, officials said Thursday.

"We received the information regarding the spread of bird flu near Bhubaneswar. So, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued an advisory, wherein it has been strictly instructed that no poultry or related items will be allowed inside the city limits," Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das told media.

"We have also requested the people in Bhubaneswar to avoid procuring and consuming chicken for a few days."

Das said the move was aimed at containing the spread of the avian flu.

"Health department has also issued an advisory and their officials are carrying out checks," she said. "People need not to worry as such precautionary steps are necessary to prevent the spread of the outbreak."

The epicenter of the outbreak was in Puri district, adjacent to Bhubaneswar.

Authorities have engaged 51 rapid response teams to carry out culling, disposal of birds and sanitation in the infected zones. Reports said over 35,000 birds and 15,000 kg poultry feed have been destroyed so far.

A three-member federal government team has arrived in Puri to review containment and surveillance measures in the affected areas.

Officials said avian influ has been detected in samples collected from Pipili, Satyabadi, Delanga and Nimapara areas in Puri.

Authorities have directed the field officials to intensify clinical surveillance in nearby areas where the outbreak is reported, by preventing the entry of poultry, feed and poultry-related products from the affected areas. 
This week Jackson County Exec's office made a bold statement and started a legal battle against Missouri over controversial property tax increases.

The bad news . . .

Insiders already know that very little of the legal complaint will impact Missouri regulatory action against the Courthouse.

And so we question . . .



Will Missouri grant an injunction against enforcement of Missouri Tax Commission rules?!?!

Insiders say that's unlikely and if it DOESN'T happen then things will get politically dire for the Executive very quickly.



Here's the word . . .



"(Jackson County Executive) Frank White is playing with fire. What he doesn't know is that Missouri can EASILY appoint a "Special Master" and take control of the Assessment Department if he doesn't comply.

Moreover, he is likely going to have a hard time making arguments about political influence to Missouri judges.

At some point the legal games will have to end that might be sooner rather than later. What few people in the Exec's office seem to understand is that there is a wide array of tools Missouri holds to sanction any elected official who isn't obeying their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States AND of the state of Missouri."



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Jackson County files legal challenge against State Tax Commission's order Jackson County filed a legal challenge against the Missouri State Tax Commission's order on Wednesday, arguing the move was highly politicized and unprecedented.

Jackson County sues to undo order to roll back property values, citing political bias The county filed a court challenge seeking to undo last month's State Tax Commission order to roll back property tax assessment increases.

Property assessments: Jackson County files challenge to State Tax Commission's order Jackson County has filed a legal challenge against the State Tax Commission's order regarding property assessments.

Developing . . .
This legal move puts Jackson County at odds with most of Missouri State government in a longstanding battle over property taxes.



Our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community will have more to talk about regarding this legal power move but for now it's appropriate to simply share the latest word from the Courthouse . . .



Jackson County files legal challenge against STC order

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Jackson County has filed a legal challenge against the State Tax Commission's (STC) unlawful order. The order, which is filled with factual inaccuracies, is both unprecedented and dangerously politicized. It was issued on the same day the Attorney General won his August primary election. Notably, the STC dropped its lawsuit against the County the very next day, just before the Attorney General's scheduled deposition concerning potential ethical violations.



Additionally, if implemented, the order would undermine fair and accurate property assessments and jeopardize the essential services that residents rely on daily.



The County's petition to the court argues that the State Tax Commission's order:



1. Violates Missouris State Constitution (paragraph 109)

2. Goes beyond the agency's legal authority (paragraph 126)

3. Is not backed by actual evidence (paragraph 144)

4. Is illegal and was issued improperly (paragraph 156)

5. Is unjust and unreasonable (paragraph 169)

7. Shows an abuse of authority (paragraph 181)



As a result, Jackson County is asking the court to overturn the STCs order, declare it unconstitutional, illegal and unenforceable, and take any other necessary actions to prevent the order from being enforced.



"We believe the State Tax Commission's order is not only misguided and dangerous, but also violates state law and constitutional standards, said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. This legal challenge is about ensuring that the assessment process remains fair, transparent and in line with the law. We are committed to defending our procedures and the work that has been done."



Properties in Jackson County have been inaccurately and inconsistently valued for decades, leading the STC to repeatedly direct the County to increase valuations in accordance with state law requirements, including during the 2021 reassessment. In response, the County invested significant effort, time and resources to comply, including bringing in outside experts to help with the 2023 reassessment.



The STC played an active role in this process, overseeing and assisting the County. They approved the assessment departments maintenance plan, held regular meetings with the Assessor and staff, provided guidance on administrative, legal, appraisal, and technical matters, and reviewed and created reports on how the reassessment was being conducted.



This collaborative effort between the STC and the Assessment Department led to the County successfully meeting the STCs compliance standards for the 2023 reassessment.



State law requires properties to be assessed at their true market value, which we've worked hard to achieve, said County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty. While the process has been challenging, it's essential for a fair and just tax system. This effort ensures that everyone in Jackson County is treated equitably, regardless of where they live, who they know or how much their home is worth.



The 37-page filing details how the unlawful and dangerous order is the latest move in a political game, one that threatens to cause significant harm to taxpayers, school districts, cities and essential servicesimpacting them to the tune of approximately $117 million.



"The financial stability of our schools, fire districts and cities is critical to our ability to provide essential services to our residents, said County Administrator Troy Schulte. This filing is not just about the legalitiesits about safeguarding the resources that support our schools, public safety and community programs. We are determined to defend against this order to protect the future of our County.

##############



Developing . . .


But first here's our pet theory . . .

All that talk from the Internets telling youngsters: "You don't need college" was nothing more than just another online trick.

In fact . . . Even a cursory guide to salaries and career options reveal some kind of higher education requirement for higher paying gigs.

Our TKC conspiracy theory: Middle-class people tell po'folk to skip college because they want to hire better manual labor workers and don't want anybody competing with their youngsters for the cushy jobs.

Discouraging OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS is probably some kind evolutionary trait that persists in the modern era.



Meanwhile . . .

Here's the local public radio station spreading university gospel given that the broadcast from the city college campus . . . Check-it . . .



The University of Missouri-Kansas City just ushered in its biggest-ever freshman class with more than 1,350 students. Thats the second year in a row the university has broken its enrollment record.



William Jewell College, Rockhurst University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Johnson County Community College are also celebrating record-high student numbers.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City area colleges start the school year with some of their biggest classes ever Nearly every college and university in the Kansas City area is seeing record-high enrollment rates. Some schools attribute their success to making college more accessible to lower-income and nontraditional students, while others credit the campus atmosphere.

Related . . .

Heading to college? At some Missouri schools, you won't even have to apply Some public and private colleges in Missouri are sending graduating high school seniors acceptance letters even though the students never applied. The direct admission program is in seven Missouri schools this semester.

Developing . . .
Aftermath report following a tragic drug-related tragedy wherein relatives threw wild allegations in the media and didn't want to acknowledge illicit substances later found in toxicology reports.

Here's the postscript . . .



"Attorney John Picerno said that while he can't yet give details, he doesn't anticipate his client will be charged with felony murder or any type of homicide, maintaining his client had nothing to do with the men's deaths ."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Lawyer provides update in case of 3 Chiefs fans found dead in backyard of Northland home An attorney for the man who rented a Northland home where three Kansas City Chiefs fans were found dead provides update in case, noting lack of information being released on autopsies.

Related . . .
Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Li Xi on Thursday met with President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, expressed China's readiness to work with Libya to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, consolidate friendship and mutual trust, expand exchanges and cooperation across various sectors, and continuously open up broader prospects for the China-Libya strategic partnership.

China is willing to strengthen anti-corruption cooperation with Libya under the FOCAC framework, he said.

Menfi said it is encouraging that China and Libya have established a strategic partnership, adding that he looks forward to enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation with China under the frameworks of the FOCAC and Belt and Road cooperation. 

Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed al-Menfi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)
Dubai Chambers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Tianjin Sub-council (CCPIT Tianjin) aimed at stimulating the growth of trade and bilateral investments.

The MoU aims to support the expansion of Chinese investors into Dubai and assist them to establish and grow their businesses in the emirate, in addition to enhance the ability of companies operating in Dubai to enter the Chinese market and build promising business partnerships in Tianjin.

Under the terms of the MoU, the two parties will cooperate to enhance relationships between the business communities in Dubai and Tianjin. The agreement focuses on diverse sectors and areas of collaboration to contribute to strengthening bilateral economic relations.

The MoU was signed by Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, and Chen Liyu, Vice Chairman of CCPIT Tianjin, as part of a meeting between the parties hosted at Dubai Chambers headquarters.

Global hub for business

Dubai Chambers is dedicated to supporting the international expansion of businesses operating in Dubai into strategically important global markets, attracting foreign investments and international companies to the emirate, and strengthening Dubai's position as a leading global hub for business, trade, and investments.

The organisation is committed to playing a key role in achieving the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which seek to double the size of the emirate's economy over the next ten years and consolidate Dubais position among the top three global cities.--TradeArabia News Service
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Empowering Adventurers with Expert Insights and Practical Tips



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - September 4th, 2024 -

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###
HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Through global cooperation, China is set to construct an international lunar research station (ILRS) with a network linking the moon's south pole, equator and far side by 2050, according to a key engineer in the country's space industry.

The blueprint for an expandable, maintainable system capable of long-term robotic operations with short-term human participation on the moon was revealed by Wu Yanhua, chief designer of the major Chinese deep space exploration project, in a speech at the second International Deep Space Exploration Conference in Tunxi of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province.

The ILRS, a scientific experimental facility consisting of sections on the lunar surface, in lunar orbit and on Earth, is projected to be built in two phases: a basic model to be built by 2035 in the lunar south pole region, and an extended model to be built by about 2050.

Per the blueprint, the extended model will be a comprehensive lunar station network that utilizes the lunar orbit station as its central hub and the south pole station as its primary base, and it will include exploration nodes on the lunar equator and the far side of the moon, according to Wu.

The extended model will be capable of laying a foundation for manned landings on Mars in the future, Wu said. China is currently planning to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.

In his speech, Wu mapped out the composition of the planned ILRS, which will be powered by solar, radioisotope and nuclear generators. It will also include lunar-Earth and high-speed lunar surface communication networks, as well as lunar vehicles like a hopper, an unmanned long-range vehicle, and pressurized and unpressurized manned rovers.

Wu noted that orbital and lunar-surface refueling stations, a launch vehicle, an orbiter, a landing-and-ascent vehicle, and a return capsule are in development to ensure Earth-moon transportation.

At the conference, Wu invited nations around the world to participate in the program across different tiers, which include concept study, equipment, system and mission levels. 
In this episode of Morning Edition, We discuss the issue of bullying following the suicide o
HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first near-Earth asteroid (NEA) defense mission is expected to observe an asteroid closely before impacting it to alter its orbit around 2030, according to a key engineer in the country's space industry.

The blueprint for the country's asteroid defense involves two spacecraft -- an impactor and an observer -- launched into space with one rocket, said Tang Yuhua, deputy chief designer of Chang'e-7 Mission on Thursday.

The observer will first move around the small asteroid to be targeted, for the purposes of detection, before guiding the impactor from afar to strike it. After the kinetic impact, the observer will further have an accompanying flight with the very asteroid that changes its orbit, according to Tang.

In September 2022, a single NASA spacecraft slammed into an asteroid in a test called DART to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. About two weeks later, NASA confirmed that the DART mission changed the asteroid's motion.

The potential impact of near-Earth asteroids on Earth is a major threat to the long-term sustainable development of mankind, and the research and development of defense technology is an important initiative to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in outer space.

The Deep Space Exploration Lab (DSEL) is currently conducting on a global campaign soliciting proposals for more plans for asteroid defense design and modeling, including target selection, orbit design and specific solutions.

"We sincerely look forward to your active participation, integrating your creativity and ideas into these tracks," said Wu Weiren, director general of the DSEL, in the invitation letter. 
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius assured his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov of continued assistance to Ukraine.

Germanys Ministry of Defense reported this on X following the negotiations between the two countries defense chiefs met in Berlin on September 4, reports Ukrinform.

"Air defense remains at the heart of German support. This year we will deliver IRIS-T systems, including munitions, and Gepard (self-propelled guns). We will continue to help in the future  without any ifs or buts, the posting reads.

The ministers held negotiations at the German Defense Ministry HQ.

Earlier on Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, while visiting along with Boris Pistorius one of the Bundeswehr bases, said that the German government and industry are doing everything possible to cover Ukraine's need for air defense systems.

"We were able to deliver the first system to Ukraine a few months after the start of the war.... Four IRIS-T SLM systems are currently operating in Ukraine. There are also a large number of munitions and three adjacent IRIS-T SLS systems. We have placed a firm order for eight additional IRIS-T SLM systems and nine IRIS-T SLS systems. Two of them will be delivered this year, the rest  in 2025," said Scholz.

He added that to date, IRIS-T had shot down more than 250 missiles, drones, and cruise missiles in Ukraine thus saving countless lives. The system performs impressively, with a hit rate of 95 percent, or even more, he noted, adding that this success made IRIS-T one of the worlds most sought-after air defense systems.

It should be noted that Ukraine received these systems earlier than the Bundeswehr.

This is Umerov's first visit to Berlin in the capacity of defense minister.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format) will be held in Germany this Friday.
An American media company linked to six conservative influencers was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were often consistent with the Kremlins interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition

This is according to the AP with reference to an indictment filed Wednesday, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that among the influencers mentioned are Tim Poole, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson.

The U.S. Justice Department doesnt allege any wrongdoing by the influencers, some of whom it says were given false information about the source of the companys funding. Instead, it accuses two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of funneling nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creation company for Russia-friendly content.

It is noted that Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, who are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, are at large.

After the indictments were announced, both Pool and Johnson issued statements on social media, which Rubin retweeted, saying they were victims of the alleged crimes and had done nothing wrong.We still do not know what is true as these are only allegations, Pool said, adding: Putin is a scumbag.

Though the indictment does not name the Tennessee-based company, the details match up exactly with Tenet Media, an online media company that boasts of hosting a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues. Tenets website lists six influencers who provide content, including those mentioned above. They have over seven million subscribers on YouTube and more than seven million followers on X.

In recent months, the Tenet Media shows have featured high-profile conservative guests. According to prosecutors, nearly 2,000 videos posted by the company have got more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on September 4, the US government announced sanctions against RT, Margarita Simonyan, and other Russian propagandists and hackers for interfering with US presidential elections.
NATOs commitment to collective defense under Article Vwhere an attack on one member is an attack on allstands as a cornerstone of transatlantic security. However, this principle is increasingly at odds with the Cluster Munitions Convention (CMC), which many NATO members have signed.

The CMC, aimed at banning the use of cluster munitions, inadvertently hampers NATOs ability to defend its members effectively. The CMC was drafted and signed in a drastically different security environment than the one NATO faces today. Russias invasion of Ukraine, its threats to the wider European security community, and the resurgence of great power competition due to the rise of China demand stalwart leadership ready to dispense with the utopian CMC.

At the Crossroads of Defense and Diplomacy

The conflict between these two international commitments is not merely theoretical. Suppose Russia invades Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, or Poland. In that case, NATOs Article V will be triggered, and all 32 NATO members will be drawn into the conflict. However, several NATO members, including those like Norway, Moldova, and Lithuanianations that have been directly threatened by Russiaremain bound by the CMC. Despite recognizing the existential threat posed by Russia, these nations are unable to deploy cluster munitions, a critical tool for defense. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, has openly acknowledged the more dangerous world we live in following Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the E-tjenesten (Norwegian Intelligence Service) has similarly echoed that Russias war production - much of which is cluster munitions - is a threat to Norways sovereignty, its people, territory, public functions and infrastructure. Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned in 2023 that Russia could attempt a coup in Moldova if it could by "sabotage and militarily trained people disguised as civilians to carry out violent actions, attacks on government buildings, and taking hostages." Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized "if Russia is not stopped, it will continue to advance, and the front line will be getting closer to us." Yet, despite these dire warnings, these nations and others continue to cling to the belief that they can deter Russia without fully embracing the military tools necessary for effective deterrence.

Russian threats are not without precedent or teeth. Russia has occupied and invaded Lithuania multiple times; in 1795 during the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, again in 1918 during the Soviet westward advance, in 1940 before the Soviet-German war, and after repelling the Germans, the Russians occupied Lithuania again until the USSRs collapse. Despite the very real threat of future invasions by Russia, highlighted by Vladimir Putin's remark that "The collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century," Lithuania continues to remain a signatory of the CMC, and is being strong armed by advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch. Despite its decision to withdraw from the CMC with a decisive parliamentary vote of 103 to 141, on August 1, 2024, Mary Wareham of Human Rights Watch stated "Lithuanias withdrawal will only take effect six months after the documents are submitted to the United Nations and the conventions States Parties as long as Lithuania is not engaged in armed conflict at that time. Article 20 of the Convention explicitly prevents a State Party that is engaged in armed conflict from withdrawing before the end of the conflict. This hamstringing of a states military capability that is evidently aware of both the historical and present threat that Russia represents limits the sovereign decision to withdraw. Furthermore, the inability to withdraw in a timely manner limits Lithuania and states who might withdraw in the future ability to defend themselves in the critical time between an invasion and the employment of these munitions.

This is verbatim from Cluster Munitions Convention: Article 20:

1. This Convention shall be of unlimited duration.

2. Each State Party shall, in exercising its national sovereignty, have the right to withdraw from this Convention. It shall give notice of such withdrawal to all other States Parties, to the Depositary and to the United Nations Security Council. Such an instrument of withdrawal shall include a full explanation of the reasons motivating withdrawal.

3. Such withdrawal shall only take effect six months after the receipt of the instrument of withdrawal by the Depositary. If, however, on the expiry of that six- month period, the withdrawing State Party is engaged in an armed conflict, the withdrawal shall not take effect before the end of the armed conflict.

In the context of a rapidly escalating conflict, this inability to withdraw in a timely manner could result in catastrophic consequences. The time between an invasion and the actual employment of cluster munitions could be the difference between a successful defense and a devastating defeat. For Lithuania, and for any other NATO member that might seek to prioritize its national security over adherence to outdated conventions, this legal straitjacket not only limits their sovereign decision-making but also exposes them to the very dangers the alliance is meant to guard against. It is imperative, therefore, that NATO members reconsider their commitments under the CMC, ensuring that legal frameworks do not hinder their capacity to defend themselves and the broader alliance effectively.

Lessons from the Frontline: Ukraines Struggle and NATOs Challenge

The CMC is even more significant in light of recent events in Ukraine. During the Russian invasion, the Wests legal and moral hesitations over providing cluster munitions cost Ukraine valuable time and lives. It took 19 months for Ukraine to receive a full array of cluster munitions, during which tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians died. If NATO members are required to wait the agreed upon sixth months, the costs may be just as high.

The Ukrainian case demonstrates that these constraints can delay critical military assistance, allowing adversaries to gain the upper hand. In a conflict involving NATO members, such delays could result in the loss of strategic territory, the weakening of defensive lines, or even the failure of a key military operation. The human and strategic costs of adhering to the CMC in such a scenario would be immense, calling into question the wisdom of maintaining such constraints in the face of existential threats.

Legal Warfare by Russia; Undermining NATO from Within

Russia exploits such legal constraints through its strategy of Legal Warfare, a tactic that involves using international law to create divisions and inhibit the strategic operations of its adversaries. This approach is particularly evident in the case of the Cluster Munitions Convention (CMC), where Russian state media, TASS, has reported that the United States is transferring cluster munitions through Germanya signatory of the CMC. By highlighting this transfer, Russia frames Germany as potentially violating international law, sowing discord within NATO and creating hesitation among its members. Such maneuvers are designed to undermine collective defense efforts by casting doubt on the legality and unity of NATO's military actions.

Historically, NATO has faced similar challenges with other arms control agreements that have limited its capabilities. For instance, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty) imposed restrictions on the number and deployment of conventional military equipment in Europe. While the treaty aimed to reduce the risk of large-scale conflict, it also placed significant limitations on NATO's ability to respond swiftly to emerging threats. Russia's suspension of its participation in the CFE Treaty in 2007 further complicated NATO's strategic posture, as the alliance had to navigate the legal and political ramifications of Russia's non-compliance while maintaining its own commitments under the treaty.

Another example is the discord within NATO over the deployment of intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) during the Cold War. The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the United States and the Soviet Union, eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons. However, the treaty also sparked significant debate within NATO, particularly concerning the deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe. Some member states were reluctant to host such weapons, fearing escalation and the potential for their territories to become primary targets in a conflict. This internal discord weakened NATO's deterrence posture and exposed fractures within the alliance that could be exploited by adversaries.

To counter these tactics, NATO must prioritize unity and clarity in its legal and strategic frameworks. Ensuring that all member states are on the same page regarding the use of specific weapons systemssuch as cluster munitionsis crucial to maintaining a robust and effective defense posture. Without such unity, NATO risks being hamstrung by legal ambiguities and internal disagreements, which adversaries like Russia are all too eager to exploit.

Reconciling NATOs Defense Mandate with International Norms

To address these challenges, NATO must adopt a unified policy on weapons approval and interoperability. Defending Europe with 32 different military forces, each adhering to different weapon bans, is impractical. NATO should establish an official policy recommending all members withdraw from the CMC, following Lithuania's example. To further solidify this unified approach, it is essential that the alliance collectively reconsiders its stance on cluster munitions. NATO should not only recommend that all member states withdraw from the CMC but also unify in endorsing the production, transfer, and deployment of these munitions as necessary defensive tools. By taking a strong, coordinated approachbacked by key members such as the United States, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and FinlandNATO can present a united front that prioritizes collective security over outdated legal constraints. This strategy would turn the alliance into a powerful counterbalance to the CMC, ensuring that NATO remains fully equipped to meet the security threats of the modern era.

NATOs ability to defend its members effectively is paramount. The Cluster Munitions Convention, while noble in its intent, hinders this mission. NATO must prioritize cohesive and robust defense strategies, ensuring all member states can fully participate in collective defense without legal or moral impediments. It is time for NATO to act decisively, ensuring the alliance remains capable of meeting contemporary security challenges.

Dr John Nagl is the Professor of Warfighting Studies at the U.S. Army War College.

Dan Rice, president of the American University Kyiv; Special Advisor to General Zaluzhnyi (May 2022-March 2023).

Dr John Nagl and Dan Rice are both West Point graduates and decorated Iraq War veterans. Dan Rice was the major advocate for Ukraine to obtain U.S. cluster munitions.

*The authors' opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Ukrinform's editorial board.
CHANGCHUN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- FAW Jiefang, a truck subsidiary of leading Chinese automaker FAW Group, sold a record 41,700 complete vehicles overseas in the first eight months of 2024, up 30 percent year on year, according to the company.

FAW Jiefang currently operates over 100 key dealerships across more than 40 countries and regions, exporting to countries such as South Africa, Tanzania and Vietnam.

The company produced 143,300 trucks in the first half of this year, a 4.11 percent increase compared to the same period last year, and its sales surged by 15.4 percent to 151,800.

Founded in 1953 and headquartered in northeast China's Jilin Province, the state-owned FAW Group is considered the bedrock of China's auto industry. The first Jiefang truck rolled off the assembly line in 1956. 
TEHRAN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Thursday condemned the U.S. seizure of a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, calling it a violation of international law.

The U.S. Justice Department announced on Monday it had seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic, which it said was owned by and operated for Maduro and his associates.

Kanaani said this action is unacceptable and contravenes international norms, including the Convention on International Civil Aviation. He added that the move represents a continuation of U.S. coercive measures against other countries and could undermine aviation security.

Kanaani expressed Iran's support for Venezuela's efforts to protect and reclaim its public property, calling for increased cooperation among nations to counter U.S. sanctions.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said on Monday the aircraft was "illegally purchased for 13 million U.S. dollars through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Maduro and his cronies."

Venezuela denounced the seizure as a "repeated criminal practice" on Monday, with Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil stating the country reserves the right to take legal action to repair the damage caused by U.S. sanctions. 
A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student was fatally shot late Friday night near campus, marking the fifth college student death in a week as the new academic year begins.

Whitewater police found 21-year-old Kara Welsh of Plainfield, Illinois, with multiple gunshot wounds in an apartment near Main and Whitewater streets. A 23-year-old man, also in the apartment, is in custody and was charged with first-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing.

"We know the news of Kara's death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community," UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King said in a statement. "It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve."

King said Welsh was majoring in management at the College of Business and Economics and was a standout member of the gymnastics team.

The shooting marks the fifth untimely death of a college student within a week, around the time most campuses are beginning classes again.

Harrisburg University student Rupak Reddy Padini, 25, drowned while visiting Lake George in New York on Aug. 27 with friends. The Warren County Sheriff's Office said marine patrol officers arriving at the scene found a group of individuals in distress near the shore, close to a pontoon boat. While the officers were able to rescue those in the water, they realized one person was missing.

Padini was recovered from the water. Despite lifesaving efforts by first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased's name is being withheld until the family can be notified.

The initial investigation determined that no watercraft was directly involved in the incident.

"Our thoughts are with all those involved, especially the family and friends of the student we have lost. Rupak Reddy Padini brought the eagerness to learn that our institution was founded to celebrate and cultivate," university officials said in a statement.

At the University of Delaware, 18-year-old student Noelia Gomez was struck and killed by a motorcycle on Aug. 28, the first day of classes. The motorcycle, evading a police traffic stop, also injured four others as it sped through a crosswalk, according to police.

Police have since arrested and charged 27-year-old Brian Briddle, of Newark, Delaware, for second-degree murder. The crash remains under investigation.

In a joint statement to the school community, university President Dennis Assanis and Vice President Jose-Luis Riera said, "Especially in a moment like this, we must all come together, to lean on each other, and to do so with extra kindness and empathy. Together, we are stronger, and we must live this truth in the coming days. We are one Blue Hen community."

At Rice University, a student was gunned down in her dorm room on the first day of classes in an apparent murder-suicide.

The Rice University Police Department responded to a welfare check request last Monday from the family of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior from Maryland. Police later found Avila shot in her dorm room, school officials said. The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Habeneyom Belai, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

In a letter to the school community, Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman said there was no sign of forced entry. RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez told Fox News that Avila had likely given the man access to the building, noting that the two had a preexisting romantic relationship. A note found at the scene by the suspect suggested they were in a "troubled relationship."

"This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead," university President Reginald DesRoches said in a statement. "Tonight, I want our students, parents and Rice community to know that our campus is safe, that there is no further threat and that we are wrapping our arms around you with care and concern. As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be  to Andrea's family and our community."

Gorman said the community was mourning "the loss of a wonderful person taken from us too soon."

The University of Colorado Boulder is also mourning the death of junior Jeremiah Park, who was found off campus in the University Hill neighborhood.

Boulder police responded to an apartment complex on Pleasant Street, less than a mile from campus, around 4:42 p.m. on Aug. 23. The Boulder County Coroner's Office, which will determine the cause and manner of death, said they do not suspect foul play at this time, police said.

The university expressed its condolences over Park's death and is offering support through its Office of Counseling and Psychiatric Services, as well as other campus resources.

"The CU Boulder community is deeply saddened to confirm the death of CU Boulder student, Jeremiah Park, a rising junior who was found deceased off campus late Friday afternoon," the university released in a statement.
As the new academic year begins at Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student and key figure in last semester's pro-Palestinian protests, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that "the limit is the sky," when it comes to making their voices heard.

Students and faculty are preparing for renewed demonstrations, following the intense protests last spring that sparked nationwide college demonstrations.

Columbia is still recovering from the spring's upheaval, which included encampments and a takeover of Hamilton Hall. Over 40 students were charged after the incident, but many have had those charges dropped. Most of those arrested following the demonstrations will be allowed to return to campus this fall, according to documents received by the congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce, which subpoenaed school officials on Aug. 21 as part of an ongoing antisemitism investigation.

Small protests and barricades have since cropped up around Columbia's Barnard College in recent weeks, with reports of drones and a police presence. A history professor also shared photos of fenced-off green space on campus, "presumably to stop future encampments."

On Tuesday, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside one the school's entrances while students and staff made their way through a security checkpoint, according to the AP.

"As long as Columbia continues to invest and to benefit from Israeli apartheid, the students will continue to resist," Khalil said. "Not only protests and encampments, the limit is the sky."

Students on both sides are exploring new ways to express their viewpoints.

Hundreds of Jewish and pro-Israel students gathered in Washington, D.C., last month for a leadership summit aimed at strategizing for the upcoming year, according to Fox News Digital. The summit, hosted by the Israel on Campus Coalition, focused on rallying students against rising antisemitism and bolstering pro-Israel activism.

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian activists are gearing up for more protests. Despite over 2,000 arrests across the country last year, they are planning to intensify their efforts to push their institutions to divest from Israel, among other demands. Protesters are also strategizing new ways to raise awareness and apply pressure, despite more universities adopting stricter protesting policies surrounding demonstrations.

"We've been working all this summer on our plans, on what's next to pressure Columbia to listen to the students and to decide to be on the right side of history," Khalil told The Hill in August.

Tensions have remained high at the Ivy League institution throughout the summer. Chief Operations Officer Cas Holloway had his Brooklyn residence vandalized by protesters, three university deans resigned after "antisemitic" text exchanges were revealed, and Columbia's President Minouche Shafik resigned following her controversial handling of student protests last semester.

A recent report from the school's task force on antisemitism also stated that "the testimonies of hundreds of Jewish and Israeli students have made clear that the University community has not treated them with the standards of civility, respect, and fairness it promises to all its students."

The group recommended anti-bias and inclusion training for students, resident advisers, resident assistants, teaching assistants, student-facing staff, and faculty, among other measures.

University officials are considering giving campus police broader authority to arrest protesters, though it's unclear if or when those policies will be put in place.
A 23-year-old man from Loves Park, Illinois, has been charged in connection with the death of a 21-year-old college gymnast from Wisconsin who was originally from Plainfield, according to Whitewater police.

Chad T. Richards has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed in the death of Kara Welsh, Whitewater Wisconsin police said.

Richards is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday at the Walworth County Courthouse, the police department revealed.

Welsh, a 21-year-old college senior of Plainfield, Illinois, was allegedly shot to death Friday in her off-campus apartment in Whitewater, Wisconsin, according to authorities.

Responding officers found Kara, a national title-winning athlete, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities have not yet elaborated on details, given that it is an ongoing investigation.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald.
September 5 2024

A purpose-built life science facility in Govan is taking shape with the completion of its structural core.

The NHS and University of Glasgow are lined up to be the first tenants of the Health Innovation Hub, undertaking research and development for digital health technologies.

Delivered by Kadans with Hawkins/Brown, HarrisonStevens, Morrison Construction and WSP the 87,000sq/ft laboratory and office space is scheduled to complete in autumn 2025.

Katie Nelson, head of leasing, UK & Ireland for Kadans, said: This is an exciting milestone on the journey to create a truly world-class precision medicine facility. The Health Innovation Hub will help to position Glasgow as a global leader in the key area of precision medicine."

Developed in partnership with The Living Laboratory, a partnership between the University of Glasgow, Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City Council the hub aims to become a leader in healthcare innovation.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) The Army Museum Lahore encompasses panoramic history of the region spanning over thousands of years from foreign invasions of Sikander Azam, Central Asian warriors and the Europeans, subjugation, political struggle against the British rulers, creation of Pakistan, military expeditions against internal strife and foreign aggression to decorating military heroes with the Nishan-e-Haider (the highest military award) during the 1965, 1971 and the Kargil wars.

The Army Museum, unlike other Army and War Museums of the world which cover specific history of wars fought to defend the land, records the proud civilization of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, the war of independence 1857, and the unarmed political struggle for independence under the dynamic leadership of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The museum also glorifies services of our soldiers on the Siachen Glacier post besides the war on terror and ultimate victory of the army over the forces of disintegration and darkness. The Army Museum also hails the services of women and minorities to the soil.

Among the other salient historic events, the Indian machinations in Jammu and Kashmir and the ultimate 1965 war is one of the important features of the Army Museum. It captures the humiliation of the Indian army at the hands of Pakistan armed forces as the Indian tanks captured during the 1965 war serve a prologue to the tale of heroic military exploits of Pakistan military.

6th September 1965  observed as the Defense Day  is a high watermark in the military history of Pakistan when our armed forces defeated a much mightier enemy in military muscle than us through the valor and supreme will of our soldiers who inflicted heavy losses on the Indian Army on the Chawinda (Sialkot), Sargodha and Lahore fronts. Through overwhelming whacking on the ground, in the air and waters, Pakistans armed forces brought the enemy to a rude awakening from the intoxication of power.

Major Aziz Bhatti, also known as Defender of Lahore, was awarded posthumous award of Nishan-e-Haider as he defended the Burki check post during the 1965 war imposed by India and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy through his lion-like vigil of the sacred motherland without a nap for six days and six nights. He sacrificed his personal sleep and rest for the peace and safety of his children and future prosperity of the country. The other 10 Nishan-e-Haider, awarded so far, including two soldiers of the India-Pak Kashmir war of 1947, one officer from the 1958 Indo-Pak border skirmish, 5 soldiers and officers from the 1971 Pak-India war and two from the Kargil war of 1999.

Defence Day is an apt reminder to the glorious acts of bravery, valor and patriotism by the Ghazis and martyrs in the wars against the enemies of the state and inspires us to follow in the foot-steps of those who etched their Names on the slate of eternity.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Thursday expressed a deep grief and sorrow over the demise of Mohsin Shirazi who is the brother of Senior Anchor Persons Asma Shirazi from Hum News and Asim Shirazi of Such News.

The minister, in a condolence message, sympathized with the bereaved family, saying he shared their grief and sorrow in such a difficult time.

The minister, who was deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Mohsin Shirazi, said the relation of brother and sister is the strongest bond after parents and this is a gift from the Almighty for the humans.

He termed the demise of Mohsin Shirazi a big loss for the bereaved family.

The minister prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in the highest ranks of Jannah and grant the courage to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
THE HAGUE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and another injured on Thursday afternoon in a shooting incident in Vlissingen, a city in the southwestern Dutch province of Zeeland, police said.

"We are currently investigating a shooting incident on Visodeweg in Vlissingen," said Zeeland police on the social platform X.

The victims were discovered around 1:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) on a road in Vlissingen, according to local media.

The police have not yet released further details regarding the motive or the shooter. The area has been cordoned off with police tape. 
QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Thursday paid homage to all the martyrs of the motherland on the occasion of Defense Day.

In his message on the occasion of 6th September Defense Day, he said that the Defense Day is a renewal of the pledge that we would not let the sacrifices of our great martyrs go in vain adding that we could always play our role collectively as patriotic Pakistanis for the defense, development, integrity and stability of our country.

He said that 6th September is a day in the history of Pakistan that we must always maintain the collective national spirit and determination for the protection, integrity and defense of our beloved homeland.

The CM said that this was demonstrated by the entire nation during the war of 6th September 1965, when our brave armed forces and the entire nation came together to prove that arms or numbers do not mean anything before the strength of unity and faith.

The Chief Minister said that it was a historic day when our forces uprooted the enemy's footholds and became a leaden wall to defend the motherland.

When, despite being outnumbered and lacking in war equipment, our forces showed great courage and bravery, he said.

Mr Sarfraz Bugti said that the Pakistan Army successfully defended the geographical borders of the country and thwarted the nefarious intentions of the Indian forces.

He said that since the establishment of Pakistan till today, our brave forces have made eternal sacrifices for the nation and has always protected the country from the evil eyes of the enemy.

The people of the province have always stood shoulder to shoulder with their brave armed forces and other security agencies to maintain peace and order in the province and against subversive elements, he noted.

He said that no exception would be taken with those who spread terrorism and chaos in Balochistan saying that the provincial government would defend every inch of its territory with the support of its security agencies and those who spread sabotage, chaos and terrorism in the province to be brought to their logical end.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, stated on Thursday that the complete digitization of official work in the National Assembly would significantly enhance the productivity of the organization.

While addressing recently promoted employees of the Secretariat on Thursday, he extended heartfelt congratulations and assured them that promotions were carried out in strict adherence to laws and regulations.

Ayaz Sadiq encouraged the employees to perform their duties with dedication, underscoring that dignity and respect for the Parliament are paramount. He added, "Allah Almighty rewards those who work hard."

Highlighting the government's commitment to austerity, the Speaker announced that over one billion rupees would be saved this year by implementing cost-cutting measures.

He mentioned that non-essential posts had been eliminated and that no further recruitment would take place in the National Assembly Secretariat.

"A strong Parliament is essential for the development and prosperity of the country," he remarked, stressing the importance of Parliament's role in Pakistan's progress.

Later, Ayaz Sadiq and the employees recited Fatiha for the deceased son-in-law of former Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza, and prayed for the departed soul's highest place in Jannah and patience for the grieving family.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has established a state-of-the-art Daycare Centre at its Islamabad office, under the Prime Minister`s Women Empowerment Package 2024.

General Manager (HR) Engr. Sohail Mumtaz Bajwa and General Manager Project Delivery (North) Engr. Shahid Nazir inaugurated the Daycare centre here on Thursday, said a press release.

The Daycare center has been established to facilitate female officers and staff, working in the said office. While addressing the ceremony, chief guests commended the dedication of Human Resource Directorate NTDC for its efforts in establishing the centre.

They also visited the playroom, nursery, and kitchen, expressing their appreciation for high standards of the facilities.

The Daycare Center is facilitated with indoor play area, a comfortable environment, decorated with toys, sofas and equipped with modern facilities including LCD and fridge.

The centre will offer significant advantages for female officers and staff by improving their work-life balance, enabling them to concentrate more on their tasks and enhance their contributions towards the organization.

This marks the third addition in NTDC, following two centres at Shaheen Complex and TSG Training Centre in Lahore.

As part of this initiative, more Daycare Centres are also planned for offices in Multan, Hyderabad and other major cities.

In compliance with the directions of Ministry for Energy (Power Division) a cross-functional team at head office level has been constituted to oversee the matters for establishment of Daycare centres and amenities for female employees.

Focal Person for NTDC Daycare centres and other senior officers and female staff were also present on the occasion.
(@Abdulla99267510)

DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif is also expected to provide an update on the current national security situation.

RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 4th, 2024) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry would hold a press conference on Thursday (today).

During the press conference, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif will discuss matters related to internal security, counter-terrorism efforts, and other relevant issues.

The DG ISPR is also expected to provide an update on the current national security situation.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar met police employees and their families at the Central Police Office and listened to their requests, and issued immediate orders for relief.

He emphasized that the best possible welfare of police employees is top priority, and every possible relief is being provided for their personal and professional issues. IG Punjab directed officers to maintain close contact with their subordinates and send reports on actions taken regarding their requests to the Central Police Office.

During the meeting, IG Punjab forwarded the Constable Muhammad Aqeel Akhtar's request for assistance with medical expenses to DIG Welfare for relief.

Head Constable Muhammad Saleem's request for his son Muhammad Uzair Saleems family claim-based recruitment was directed to AIG Admin for processing. Langari Syed Mubeen Shah from PTS Rawat requested a transfer to Multan, and his case was sent to the Additional IG Training for relief. Similarly, constable Muhammad Amjads sons family claim recruitment request was forwarded to AIG Admin for action, while immediate relief was given for the health welfare requests of Head Constable Imran Ali and Sub-Inspector Haq Nawaz from Lahore Police. IG Punjab also issued orders regarding requests related to discipline, promotions, administration, and other departmental matters.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) President Asif Ali Zardari paid a visit on Thursday to the family of Captain Muhammad Ali Qureshi, who was recently martyred in Balochistan.

During his visit, he expressed his profound condolences to the grieving family. He prayed for elevation of ranks of Captain Muhammad Ali in Jannah. He paid tribute to Captain Qureshi's courage and dedication, recognising his invaluable contributions to the nation's fight against terrorism.

President Zardari highlighted the significant sacrifices made by many young individuals in the battle against terrorism and noted that former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was also a martyr in this war against terror.

The president reassured the nation of unwavering commitment to eradicating terrorism from the country, emphasising that efforts would continue till the threat was completely removed. He praised Captain Qureshis family for their patriotism and selflessness and affirmed that the sacrifices of martyrs and their families would always be remembered.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) On the occasion of Pakistan Defence Day, Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora, in his statement, said that the unparalleled sacrifices made by our armed forces during the 1965 war rendered the country's defence invincible.

"The day reminds us to honor the sacrifices of the martyrs and pledge to follow in their footsteps for the stability of the nation," he said. He emphasised that Pakistan's religious minorities have always stood side by side in safeguarding the country's sovereignty and defence.

The notable contributions of individuals from minority communities to country's armed forces prove that all nations and communities in Pakistan work together to strengthen the country's defense.

Ramesh Arora further stated that Defence Day serves as a reminder that for the country's progress, prosperity, and peace, we must all work together. Unity and solidarity among all segments of society are our true strength for the defence of the nation.

He prayed on this occasion that Allah may always keep our country safe and stable and elevate the ranks of the martyrs.
(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Former Federal Minister Sheikh Aftab Ahmed on Thursday called for the urgent appointment of a Managing Director for Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) to ensure the smooth functioning of the organization.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he highlighted how the absence of the MD is negatively impacting the department's operations, leaving the poor and needy without adequate support.

Sheikh Aftab recalled the effective functioning of PBM during the tenure of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, emphasizing the critical role the organization played in providing welfare assistance to the underprivileged.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Algiers, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Around 24 million Algerians are poised to head to the polls on Saturday for a vote in which experts say incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune faces no real risk to his rule as he seeks a second term.

His main challenge, though, is achieving a higher turnout than in 2019, when he was declared president with 58 percent of the vote but with a record abstention rate of over 60 percent.

"The President is keen to have a significant turnout," Hasni Abidi, an Algeria analyst at the Geneva-based CERMAM Study Center, told AFP. "It's his main issue."

Abidi said Tebboune "has not forgotten that he was elected in 2019 with a low turnout. He wants to be a normal president and not a badly elected one", he said, referring to Tebboune's election five years ago amid the massive Hirak pro-democracy protests.

Tebboune, 78, is the clear favourite to see off moderate Islamist Abdelaali Hassani and socialist candidate Youssef Aouchiche in the race to lead the country of some 45 million people and Africa's largest exporter of natural gas.

Although he has distanced himself from political parties and is presented as an independent candidates, Tebboune's bid is backed by major political parties, including the historic FLN, which led Algeria's independence fight against France.

Hassani, a 57-year-old civil engineer, is the leader of the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), Algeria's main Islamist party.

Aouchiche, a 41-year-old former journalist and parliamentarian, heads the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Algeria's oldest opposition party with a historic stronghold in the Berber-majority Kabylie region. The FFS has boycotted elections in Algeria since 1999.
Dhaka, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2024) Bangladesh's ousted premier Sheikh Hasina should "keep quiet" while exiled in India until she is brought home for trial, interim leader Muhammad Yunus told Indian media on Thursday.

Hasina, 76, fled to India by helicopter one month ago as protesters marched on her palace in a dramatic end to her iron-fisted rule of 15 years.

An interim government led by Nobel laureate Yunus has been under public pressure to demand her extradition and trial over the hundreds of demonstrators killed during the weeks of unrest that ultimately toppled her.

"If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet," Yunus, 84, told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"Sitting in India, she is speaking and giving instructions. No one likes it. It's not good for us or for India."

Hasina has remained in India, her former government's biggest patron and benefactor, since her August 5 overthrow, inflaming tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.
Israeli military vehicles are seen during an Israeli operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces killed six Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tubas on Thursday, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting their vehicle in Tubas, which is located in northwestern West Bank.

A sixth man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Far'a camp south of Tubas, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said, adding that the army delayed access to the victim for several hours.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it conducted a drone strike in the Far'a camp and three more strikes in Tubas on early Thursday. The IDF stated these strikes targeted Palestinian gunmen who were shooting and hurling explosive devices at troops during a raid.

Tubas Governor Ahmed al-Asaad told Xinhua that Israeli raids have caused widespread destruction to infrastructure and services in the Far'a camp.

In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that since Aug. 28, Israeli military operations across the West Bank have resulted in 39 Palestinian deaths and 145 injuries. The ministry added that 691 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023. 

Israeli military vehicles are seen during an Israeli operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Smoke rises during an Israeli raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Smoke rises during an Israeli raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Smoke rises during an Israeli raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Israeli military vehicles are seen during an Israeli operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 5, 2024. In Jenin, Israeli forces continued operations for the ninth consecutive day. Mayor Nidal Obeidi said the ongoing attacks have severely damaged local infrastructure, with the full extent yet to be assessed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

A Palestinian checks a damaged car after an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank city of Tubas, Sept. 5, 2024. Israeli forces killed six Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tubas on Thursday, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting their vehicle in Tubas, which is located in northwestern West Bank.

A sixth man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Far'a camp south of Tubas, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said, adding that the army delayed access to the victim for several hours. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Palestinians mourn for their relatives who were killed in an Israeli military airstrike in the West Bank city of Tubas, Sept. 5, 2024. Israeli forces killed six Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tubas on Thursday, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting their vehicle in Tubas, which is located in northwestern West Bank.

A sixth man was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Far'a camp south of Tubas, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said, adding that the army delayed access to the victim for several hours. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
Small-business owners will have an opportunity to learn how to work with U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) contracting Thursday, Sept. 12.

Sarah Mikesell Growney and Eric Weisman will discuss the subject during a Wyoming APEX Accelerator Lunch and Learn webinar titled The Pros, Cons and Hows of Working With GSA Contracting and More from noon-1 p.m. To register, go here. Registration is free.

Wyoming APEX Accelerator, part of the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network housed at the University of Wyoming, is the states expert in government contracting assistance.

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule is an efficient, long-term, governmentwide contract. However, getting on a GSA schedule takes dedication and work and may not be the perfect avenue for every business.

During the webinar, Weisman, Region 8 small-business specialist, will give small-business owners a periphery view of the GSA schedule and help determine whether small businesses should make this part of their government contracting goals.

Mikesell Growney is a procurement adviser for Wyoming APEX Accelerator.

For more information, call Tyler Schanck, marketing, communications and database manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email tschanck@uwyo.edu.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
In accordance with the plan of bilateral cooperation for 2024, signed between the Defense Ministries of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, a delegation of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan visited our country, Azernews reports.

As part of the visit, the Uzbek guests visited the Main Department of Engineering Troops of the Ministry of Defense.

Welcoming the guests, Major General Anar Karimov informed the delegation about the engineering support measures carried out in the liberated territories by the Engineer-sapper units of the Azerbaijan Army.

The importance of such visits in terms of experience exchange was emphasized, a detailed exchange of views on several issues of mutual interest was held, and a briefing was given at the meeting.

Then the guests watched practical exercises held with the participation of servicemen in a specially designed engineering camp.
Police vehicles are seen near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 5, 2024. An armed man was shot dead by police near the Israeli Consulate General in central Munich, Germany, local police confirmed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

BERLIN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- An armed man was shot dead by police near the Israeli Consulate General in central Munich, Germany, local police confirmed on Thursday.

Police said in a statement on social media platform X that the individual was deemed "suspicious" and was involved in an exchange of fire with the police.

Authorities have not yet clarified the identity of the man.

According to local media, the incident occurred after officers saw a man "apparently carrying a firearm" near Karolinenplatz in the city center. Police have confirmed that no other suspects are involved and that the area was cordoned off as a precaution. No other injuries have been reported so far.

German Press Agency DPA said that Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the shooting as a "serious incident."

The shooting took place on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack, in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed. 

Photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows a police cordon near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich, Germany. An armed man was shot dead by police near the Israeli Consulate General in central Munich, Germany, local police confirmed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

Police vehicles are seen near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 5, 2024. An armed man was shot dead by police near the Israeli Consulate General in central Munich, Germany, local police confirmed on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam.
Police and protesters clashed outside Botswana's National Assembly in Gaborone on Wednesday as members of parliament voted on a bill that would have given the president sweeping powers to appoint civil servants holding key positions.

Opposition members of parliament boycotted the vote, while protesters, waving placards, protested the bill outside. Members of the remaining ruling party failed to raise enough votes to pass the bill.

Opposition party leader Dithapelo Keorapetse said the bill, if it had been approved, would have given too much power to the president.

"Today was a momentous day in that the evil constitution amendment bill, which sought to clothe the president with enormous powers to appoint the chief justice, to appoint the court of appeal president, to appoint the secretary of the IEC [Independent Electoral Commission], died, Keorapetse said.

Minister for State President Kabo Morwaeng blamed the opposition and civil society organizations for misleading the nation on what he called a progressive bill. He said the bill contained clauses that would have improved citizens lives, including provisions on health rights, the right to strike and workers rights.

Motheo O Mosha, a nongovernmental organization, was behind Wednesdays protests. Chairperson Morena Monganja said some members were hurt during clashes with the police.

Many of our activists were beaten, she said. We have one who is in hospital with injuries. We look at this event of citizens trying to express their displeasure at a certain piece of legislation and being met with this kind of violence as very unacceptable in a democracy.

Morwaeng said protesters did not seek the required permit to hold the demonstration.

The proposed law was rejected a day before Botswanas parliament was dissolved as the country prepares for next months general election.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday pledged more than $50 billion in financing for Africa over the next three years, promising to deepen cooperation in infrastructure and trade with the continent as he addressed Beijing's biggest summit since the pandemic.

More than 50 African leaders and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are attending this week's China-Africa forum, according to state media.

African leaders already secured a plethora of deals this week for greater cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining, trade and energy.

Addressing the leaders at the forum's opening ceremony in Beijing's ornate Great Hall of the People on Thursday morning, Xi hailed ties with the continent as their "best period in history."

"China is ready to deepen cooperation with African countries in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment," he said.

"Over the next three years, the Chinese government is willing to provide financial support amounting to $50.7 billion," Xi said.

Over half of that will be in credit, he said, with $11 billion "in various types of assistance" as well as $10 billion through encouraging Chinese firms to invest.

He also promised to help "create at least one million jobs for Africa."

Also addressing the meeting, UN chief Guterres told African leaders that growing ties between China and the continent could "drive the renewable energy revolution."

"China's remarkable record of development -- including on eradicating poverty -- provides a wealth of experience and expertise," he said.

Deals and pledges

China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner and has sought to tap the continent's vast troves of natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals.

It has also furnished African countries with billions in loans that have helped build much-needed infrastructure but sometimes stoked controversy by saddling governments with huge debts.

Analysts say that Beijing's largesse towards Africa is being recalibrated in the face of economic trouble at home and that geopolitical concerns over a growing tussle with the United States may increasingly be driving policy.

But bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the summit delivered a slew of pledges on greater cooperation in projects from railway to solar panels to avocados.

Following meetings on Wednesday, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said he had overseen a deal between the country's state-owned power company ZESCO and Beijing's PowerChina to expand the use of rooftop solar panels in his country.

Nigeria -- one of Beijing's biggest debtors on the continent -- and China inked a joint statement agreeing to "deepen cooperation" in infrastructure, including "transportation, ports and free trade zones."

Expanding transport links

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in turn, obtained a commitment from Xi to push for new progress on a long-stalled railway connecting his country to neighboring Zambia.

That project -- which Zambian media has said Beijing has pledged $1 billion towards -- is aimed at expanding transport links in the resource-rich eastern part of the continent.

Zimbabwe also won promises from Beijing for deeper cooperation in "agriculture, mining, environmentally friendly traditional and new energy (and) transportation infrastructure," according to a joint statement by the two countries.

The southern African nation and Beijing also agreed to sign a deal that would allow the export of fresh Zimbabwean avocados to China, the joint statement said.

And Kenyan leader William Ruto said Xi had promised to open up China's markets to agricultural products from his country.

The two sides agreed to work together on the expansion of the country's Standard Gauge Railway -- built with finance from Exim Bank of China -- which connects the capital, Nairobi, with the port city of Mombasa.

And Ruto also secured a pledge for greater cooperation with China on the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba motorway, which Kenyan media has said is expected to cost $1.2 billion.

Ruto last year asked China for a $1 billion loan and the restructuring of existing debt to complete other stalled construction projects. The country now owes China more than $8 billion.
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Thursday met with Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two sides have constantly consolidated political mutual trust and achieved remarkable outcomes in practical cooperation.

China is ready to work with Morocco to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and the fruits of the summit, deepen cooperation in sectors including infrastructure, trade, investment, culture, education and tourism, open up new prospects for the bilateral strategic partnership, and jointly build the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, he said.

Akhannouch said Morocco is willing to strengthen the alignment of strategies and practical cooperation with China, and keep advancing Africa-China and Morocco-China relations. 
China recently warned against what it described as "external interference" in Myanmar, a country increasingly caught in the crossfire of escalating geopolitical rivalry between Beijing and Washington.

This warning came as the United States has been deepening its engagement with Myanmar's pro-democracy forces, raising concerns in Beijing, where experts suggest there is deep skepticism about Washington's intentions in Myanmar.



Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed these concerns during an informal meeting with the foreign ministers of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar on August 16 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Wang emphasized that Myanmar's internal affairs should remain free from external interference, particularly from outside the region.



The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and state-controlled media quickly echoed this stance, stressing that no party should cross the line of "external intervention."

This meeting coincided with a virtual discussion between U.S. officials and Myanmar's opposition, during which Washington reiterated its support for a transition to civilian government.

Although Wang did not directly mention the United States, his remarks were widely interpreted as a response to Washington's increased involvement.

Chinese distrust

Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, noted Chinas growing distrust of U.S. intentions in Myanmar.

"From a Chinese perspective, they reject the U.S. role in Myanmar," Abuza told VOA. "The problem is the Chinese don't want to deal with us in Myanmar.



Hla Kyaw Zaw, a veteran observer of Sino-Myanmar relations based in China, echoed this sentiment, noting that China is more concerned about U.S. involvement than any other external influence.

"China prefers to take the lead in addressing the Myanmar crisis, as seen in its mediation efforts earlier this year," Hla Kyaw Zaw said, referring to China's role in talks between Myanmar's military junta and ethnic armed groups.

In response to a VOA request for comment, the Chinese Embassy in Washington reiterated China's stance opposing actions that provoke internal unrest and civil war in Myanmar. "China opposes deliberate interference in Myanmar's internal affairs by external forces," the embassy said in an email.



According to Abuza, there is little potential for U.S.-China cooperation on the Myanmar crisis, despite the two having similar goals.

"We actually both want much of the same thing  an end to military rule, an end to civil war, and a return to a stable, prosperous Myanmar. But I see very little cooperation going forward in the short term," Abuza said.

China-US differences

The divergence underscores broader tensions in Southeast Asia. While both powers ostensibly seek stability in Myanmar, their approaches differ sharply, according to a recent analysis by the United States Institute of Peace.

The United States has shown support for the democratic movements in Myanmar, for example, by imposing sanctions on the country's military government. Also, following the 2021 coup, Washington passed the BURMA Act of 2022, authorizing nonlethal aid to pro-democracy resistance groups and sanctioning the junta.

The U.S. also allowed Myanmar's opposition, the National Unity Government, or NUG, to open a liaison office in Washington, although the NUG has not been formally recognized as Myanmar's legitimate government by the U.S.

According to an August 16 U.S. State Department release, Counselor Tom Sullivan and Michael Schiffer, U.S. Agency for International Development assistant administrator, praised the efforts of pro-democracy groups in Myanmar to establish an inclusive federal democratic system and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to supporting these groups.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China's Wang addressed the issue during talks in China on August 27-28, according to a White House statement. The statement did not provide details.



China's strategic interests in Myanmar are driven by its substantial economic investments and the country's strategic location as a gateway to the Indian Ocean.

"Since China is a neighboring country, it has a greater stake in Myanmar. It's widely understood that Myanmar is vital to China's plans to gain access to the Indian Ocean," said Hla Kyaw Zaw, emphasizing Myanmar's critical role in geopolitics, particularly in relation to China's Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI.



"Myanmar's involvement in the BRI has not gone as smoothly as China had hoped," Hla Kyaw Zaw said. "That's why China wants to complete projects in Myanmar as quickly as possible. To achieve this, I believe China will do everything in its power to stabilize Myanmar and ensure peace."



May Sabe Phyu, a prominent Myanmar human rights activist who advocates for democracy and human rights at the United Nations, highlighted China's significant power on the international stage and noted that the West has struggled to counter China's influence because of Beijings expanding economic power.



"Countries around the world, including Western nations, are increasingly unable to effectively push back against China's growing dominance," she said.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized on Wednesday the purchase of Israel-made Pegasus spyware by the country's police to "intercept communications" of political leaders and activists under his predecessor's government.

The malware, which can seize control of a phone's microphone or camera and access documents, hit global headlines when a leak in 2021 showed how governments used it to spy on critics.

Petro's comments in a televised broadcast confirmed for the first time that the Colombian police intelligence service "bought in cash... software from an Israeli company to spy on mobile phones" between June and September 2021.

The police paid Israeli firm NSO Group $11 million for Pegasus and used the spyware to "intercept communications" of political leaders and activists, without the expense appearing anywhere in the public accounts, the president added.

"Where did the money come from? Why wasn't it included in the official national budget?" he asked.

The acquisition of Pegasus had previously been reported by Israeli and Colombian media but was never officially acknowledged.

Petro, Colombia's first-ever leftist president, succeeded his conservative predecessor, Ivan Duque, two years ago.

Duque's term was marked by massive anti-government demonstrations met with a police crackdown and an increase in violence by armed groups operating in the country.
South Africa's Ukrainian Association has expressed outrage that a Russian naval vessel was recently allowed to dock for several days at Cape Town harbor. Critics say the incident calls into question Pretoria's purported neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Ukrainian Association in South Africa said it was dismayed to learn the Russian naval training ship Smolnyy had anchored at the Port of Cape Town in late August.

While the vessel was docked in South Africa, Russian bombardments in Ukraine killed scores of people, including children, the associations Dzvinka Kachur said.

Meanwhile, a Russian military training ship docks in Cape Town reportedly strengthening military ties between the countries, said Kachur.

The Russian consulate general in Cape Town said on its X account August 30 that the ships command had met with South African naval counterparts and hosted a reception aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

Russian state news agency Tass also reported the ships unofficial port call. It said the ship had undertaken a long-distance voyage that included stops in Cuba and Venezuela so that 300 cadets from the Russian Ministry of Defense could conduct a maritime practice.

The Ukrainian Association of South Africa urges the government to stop all military cooperation with Russia immediately, said Kachur.

Some South African officials appeared taken by surprise when asked to comment on the ships visit. The mayor of Cape Town told the local Daily Maverick newspaper that he had been unaware of the port call and said it seems to have been under the radar.

In response to a request from VOA for comment, the South African National Defense Force issued a statement confirming the vessel had been docked in Cape Town for re-supply purposes. It added that South Africa as a sovereign state has a right and responsibility to accept the docking of foreign vessels as a maritime nation.

The statement noted, There are currently three foreign vessels in South African waters, including a Ukrainian vessel, that is here for repairs.

But the Democratic Alliance, the former opposition party that is now part of South Africas new coalition government, condemned the incident as cozying up to Russia.

Chris Hattingh is a member of parliament for the Democratic Alliance.

The latest incident, the berthing of Smolnyy, a Russian navy Baltic Fleet training vessel in Cape Town after visiting Venezuela and Cuba, underlines the contradiction of President [Cyril] Ramaphosas utterances of non-alignment in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said.

The African National Congress, which has the most seats in parliament, has ties with Moscow dating back to when the former USSR backed its struggle against apartheid. They are also both BRICS members.

Pretoria has been criticized for not condemning the invasion of Ukraine and for hosting Russian warships in controversial joint exercises last year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also visited and was warmly welcomed in 2023.

In May of last year, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety alleged that South Africa had covertly provided arms to Russia when a different ship docked in Cape Town.

The South African government set up an independent investigation into the matter, which ultimately found no evidence of that.
As monsoon season nears its end in Pakistan, higher than average rainfall and rain-related accidents leave behind a trail of deaths, nearly half of them children.

Monsoon season runs from July to September in Pakistan. Since the beginning of July, the country has counted at least 337 rain-related deaths, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. One-hundred-seventy children are among the dead. Thousands also have been displaced as floodwaters inundated villages.

Pakistans meteorological department recorded rains 60% higher than average in the first two months of the monsoon season. August saw 137% more rain than the months average after slightly below average rainfall in July. Weather officials expect mostly normal rainfall in September.

The data shows that rainfall patterns in Pakistan are changing.

The shift that we are seeing is that monsoon used to go to the upper areas, that trend is lessening a bit, Sahibzad Khan, director general of PMD, told VOA. Now its shifting more to the south.

Rain that was twice as heavy as normal battered Pakistans two southern provinces, Sindh and Balochistan, over the last two months, while the northern, mountainous regions saw average-to-below-average rain, according to the national weather agency.

Just in Sindh, 72,000 children saw their education disrupted by the severe weather, Save the Children said in a statement Wednesday.

Despite heavy rains, flooding, and displacement in parts of the country, experts say Pakistan escaped extensive damage this monsoon season, partly because of lessons learned from the devastating floods in 2022.

We are working more on anticipatory approaches. Looking at past patterns, we are predicting the scale and velocity of upcoming floods, said Shafqat Munir Ahmad, deputy executive director of the Resilience Development Program and Policy Outreach at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad.

In 2022, historic rains submerged nearly a third of the country at one time, affecting 33 million Pakistanis and causing nearly $30 billion in damage.

Since then, Pakistan incorporated technology to plan scenarios and issue early severe weather warnings to communities, said Ahmad, adding that improved coordination and response time also reduced damage.

This year, Pakistan also used lightning detectors that China provided last year.

China has collaborated with us. With their help, we have 26 lightning detector stations that tell us about the type and severity of lightning and thunder, said weather chief Khan.

Pakistan still lacks sufficient long-term planning, however, to tackle the impact of climate change, experts say. The Germany-based Global Climate Risk Index ranks Pakistan the 8th most vulnerable country.

A web app created at the University of Maryland that predicts what a citys weather will be like in 60 years shows summers and winters in several Pakistani cities will be much warmer than they are at present.

While projects to mitigate climate change may attract funding, Ahmad said efforts to help vulnerable communities adapt to changing climate lack necessary financial support in Pakistan.

Several communities across the South Asian nation are still awaiting funds to rebuild homes devastated by the 2022 weather calamity.

Just last July, the Asian Development Bank approved a $400 million loan to fund the reconstruction of homes and infrastructure in Sindh.

At a donor conference in January 2023, donors pledged more than $9 billion to help Pakistan build back after the 2022 floods. Still, the country has barely tapped the funds that were largely designated as project loans.

As authorities and charitable organizations rush to provide food, water and shelter to communities displaced by this years rains and floods, Save the Children urged increased support to prevent the current impact of the floods from becoming long-term problems.

Governments must tackle the underlying causes of these climate driven disasters, including channeling funding and support to children and their families in Pakistan to adapt, recover and rebuild their lives, the statement said, quoting country director Khuram Gondal.
Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed Thursday the delivery of 99,000 doses of the mpox vaccine  roughly the first half of a donation provided by the European Union  designed to help the country contain an outbreak of the virus that the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency.

DRC Health Minister Samuel-Rodger Kamba took delivery of the shipment at the airport outside the capital, Kinshasa, on Thursday, alongside Laurent Muschel, the European Commissions Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority chief. An additional 101,000 doses are expected on Saturday.

Kamba thanked the EU for the donation, saying it gives the country the capacity to contain the virus.

My initial reaction on the spot is one of joy and satisfaction at the cooperation we have with the European Union," he said.

WHO reports that more than 18,000 suspected cases of mpox, including 629 deaths, have been reported this year in the DRC, the epicenter of the crisis. The U.N. health agency reports that four out of five deaths have been children.

The DRC is expected to formally begin its vaccine drive early next month.

The EU said in a statement it made this initial donation of more than 200,000 vaccines in cooperation with the Bavarian Nordic pharmaceutical company. The bloc said an additional 351,500 doses will be donated to the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the coming days for distribution in the nations that need it.

WHO said cases of mpox have been reported in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda.

The agency reports that mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that can spread between people mainly through close contact and occasionally from the environment to people via objects and surfaces that have been touched by an infected person. Symptoms commonly include a rash or lesions, fever and swollen glands.

While most cases clear up on their own, some people can develop severe symptoms, complications or die.

WHO reports that two distinct clades of the mpox virus have been identified: Clade I previously known as the Congo Basin clade, and Clade II, the former West African clade.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Northern Thailands worst floods in years are causing significant damage, and experts say this could be the first real test for the countrys new prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The floods, caused by seasonal monsoon rain in August, have killed at least 22 people, injured others and damaged upwards of 30,000 homes across more than a dozen provinces, authorities said on August 26.

The bad weather in Thailand continues, with Typhoon Yagi forecast to cause more heavy rainfall over the weekend. Nine provinces are particularly at risk  Chiang Rai, Phayao, Sukhothai, Lampang, Phetchabun, Phrae, Nan, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan.

Arisara Lekkham, a lecturer at the School of Law at the Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, said the floods are more severe than in previous years. The current flooding in northern Thailand is both an annual occurrence and an extraordinary event this year, she told VOA.

Key factors include exceptionally heavy and prolonged rainfall, urban expansion blocking natural drainage paths, deforestation and conversion to monoculture agriculture reducing soil water retention, topography of mountainous regions leading to flash floods [and] high-water levels in the Mekong River and its tributaries slowing drainage, she said.

These factors have resulted in more frequent, intense and long-lasting floods, affecting areas that rarely flood and causing significant damage across multiple provinces. While flooding is expected annually in certain regions, the scale and impact of this year's floods are notably more severe than in typical years, said Lekkham, who has published papers on the legal principles of the Mekong River.

Thai politics have endured a storm of their own recently, with Paetongtarn having become prime minister after a court removed her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin. Analysts say the heavy floods will be Paetongtarns first test.

If we get this kind of rain at this pace, continuously for the month of September, it could be a big crisis for her. But if the rain dissipates and the drier season comes in by the second half of September or early October, then the pressure will be off a bit. It's a matter of nature, political analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak told VOA.

In 2011, Thailand suffered some of its worst flooding in recent history because of rain from monsoon season triggered by a tropical storm. The flooding lasted from July to January 2012, killing at least 815 people and affecting over 13 million. Sixty-five of Thailands 76 provinces were declared disaster zones. The World Bank estimated that the five-month-long floods caused economic damages and losses of over $46.5 billion.

At the time, Thailand was governed by another Shinawatra, then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck was heavily criticized for the vast damage done by the disaster, but she was not prosecuted following allegations of dereliction of duty in water management by Thailands National Anti-Corruption Committee.

Thitinan called the current situation reminiscent of the massive flooding that occurred soon after Yingluck took office.

On Paetongtarn, its a test of her personal character and personal leadership. We don't know how bad the floods will get. But if it's a lot less [than 2011] ... the floods will incur some damage, but it will not be critical to her premiership, he said.

Lekkham said Paetongtarn and her new Cabinet  announced this week  must manage the current flood problem, providing flood relief assistance and urgent aid, and monitor and warn of the risks nationwide, including in Bangkok.

Long-term measures also must be implemented, she said. What Paetongtarn and the new government need to do [is] manage the flood problem long-term, support innovation and technology for flood assistance, such as drones for supply delivery or equipment to rescue people stranded in floodwaters, develop systematic, seasonal monitoring and warning plans, ensuring central agencies have a unified view that can be disseminated to local levels, establish flood management as a routine practice, not just a seasonal activity.

Flood management should become a regular, year-round effort rather than a reactive, seasonal approach, she said.

There have been added concerns that China has been releasing water from its Jinghong Dam in Yunnan into the Mekong River.

Increased water levels in the Mekong River, partly due to dam releases, are pushing water back into tributaries, worsening flooding in agricultural areas. The dams affect the natural flow of the Mekong, impacting downstream countries like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, Lekkham said.

But a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok denied the dam was the reason for Thailands worsened flooding, asserting it had not released any water lately.

The Mekong Dam Monitor, an online platform monitoring reservoir levels in the Mekong River, says its satellite data shows no evidence that Chinas recent water releases were the reason for the Thailands heavy floods.

But China is still partly to blame, Thitinan said.

I saw the statistics that [show] the Chinese have released less water than last year, but only a little bit less than last year. But that's irrelevant, because the water that has been released is still making the floods worse in Thailand. So, in practical terms, the Chinese are partly responsible for how bad the floods are, he said.

Lekkham said more communication and trust is needed between six riparian countries that are part of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, a framework focusing on joint usage of the Mekong River.

There is a need to further promote communication on data exchange, particularly regarding water levels behind dams, daily water releases, and advance warnings during wet seasons. Implementing publicly accessible CCTV systems could foster mutual trust between China and lower Mekong countries, she said.

Economically, the floods could cost Thailand up to $176 million in damages, Thailands Chamber of Commerce has warned. Thailands agricultural, industrial and services sectors have been the most affected, while the kingdom is already suffering from a sluggish economy.
U.N. Security Council members expressed frustration Wednesday with the failure to conclude a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, amid the killing of six Israeli hostages and the escalation of violence in the West Bank.

There is a sense of outrage felt around the globe, said Slovenias Ambassador Samuel Zbogar, whose delegation holds the councils rotating presidency this month. "Outrage in Palestine that the international community is failing them; outrage on Israeli streets that the hostages continue being held in Gaza; outrage of the global public that this war does not stop.

During a meeting requested by Israel about the six hostages killed by Hamas, whose bodies were recovered Saturday, Zbogar reminded the 15-nation council that it is its job to push for peace.

Algeria also requested that the council discuss the escalation of violence in the West Bank, where the United Nations says at least 30 Palestinians have been killed, including seven children, since Israel launched a large-scale military operation on August 27.

It is gravely alarming that with each briefing this council receives, the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel steadily worsens, Maltas Ambassador Vanessa Frazier said.

There was general concern that U.S., Egyptian and Qatari efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release deal have not been successful after three months of mediation, especially after the Security Council backed the deal in a resolution on June 10.

Things have only gotten worse for Palestinians, for Israeli hostages and indeed the entire region since adoption of that resolution, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana said.

U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged patience.

Diplomacy is not a matter of snapping our fingers and  voila. It takes hard work. It takes effort, and unfortunately, it takes time, she said. It has not failed.

She noted that diplomacy helped secure the release in November of more than 100 of the 250 hostages that Hamas took during its terror attack on October 7, 2023.

And it is through diplomacy that we aim to bring the remaining hostages home and finally put this horrific conflict on a path toward a durable conclusion, Thomas-Greenfield said. The Israeli people should understand that the deal on the table is one their leaders can accept, because this is a deal that ensures Israels security.

In Washington, a senior Biden administration official told reporters that cease-fire negotiations were ongoing and a deal was basically done, except for two sticking points: which Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the remaining hostages, and where Israeli forces will be deployed during phase one of the deal. Israel has demanded it retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer strip of land in the Egypt-Gaza border area.

During a press conference Wednesday in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stuck to his position that the corridor was non-negotiable.

So, we said, as far as Gaza is concerned, three war goals: The first war goal was to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities. The second was to free our hostages, and the third was to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel, he said. And all three of those goals, all three of them, go through Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

Hamas has accused Israel of dragging out negotiations by issuing new demands, including that Israel remain in control of the Philadelphi Corridor and a second corridor running across Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, family members of some of the remaining hostages protested Wednesday outside the headquarters of Netanyahus Likud Party, calling for a cease-fire deal with Hamas that includes the release of their relatives.

Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured some 250 hostages during the October 7 terror attack on southern Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants.

Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries. At the Security Council on Wednesday, Israels envoy reiterated his demand that council members designate Hamas a terror organization.

VOAs Margaret Besheer, Patsy Widakuswara and Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
The Hamas militant group Thursday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of working to prevent a cease-fire deal for the war in Gaza, a day after Netanyahu said Israel will combine military pressure with a firm stance on its demands.

A Hamas statement said talks about a new cease-fire proposal are unnecessary since the group agreed to a July proposal put forward by the United States.

We warn against falling into Netanyahu's trap and tricks, as he uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people, the statement said.

During a news conference Wednesday in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel agreed to earlier cease-fire proposals, while Hamas refused.

Netanyahu also stuck to his position that Israel retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer strip of land in the Egypt-Gaza border area.

As far as Gaza is concerned, three war goals: The first war goal was to destroy Hamas's military and governing capabilities. The second was to free our hostages, and the third was to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel, he said. And all three of those goals, all three of them, go through Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

In Washington, a senior Biden administration official told reporters Wednesday that cease-fire negotiations continue, and a deal is basically done, except for two sticking points  which Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the remaining hostages, and the deployment of Israeli forces during Phase 1 of the deal.

U.N. Security Council members expressed frustration Wednesday with the failure to conclude a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, amid the killing of six Israeli hostages and the escalation of violence in the West Bank.

There is a sense of outrage felt around the globe. Outrage in Palestine that the international community is failing them, said Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar, whose delegation holds the councils rotating presidency this month. Outrage on Israeli streets that the hostages continue being held in Gaza. Outrage of the global public that this war does not stop.

During a meeting requested by Israel about the six hostages killed by Hamas, whose bodies were recovered on Saturday, Zbogar reminded the 15-nation council that it is their job to push for peace.

Algeria also requested that the council discuss the escalation of violence in the West Bank, where the United Nations says at least 30 Palestinians have been killed, including seven children, since Israel launched a large-scale military operation on Aug. 27.

It is gravely alarming that with each briefing this council receives, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel steadily worsens, Maltas Ambassador Vanessa Frazier said.

There was general concern that U.S., Egyptian and Qatari efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release deal have not been successful after three months of mediation, especially after the Security Council backed the deal in a resolution on June 10.

Things have only gotten worse for Palestinians, for Israeli hostages and indeed, the entire region since adoption of that resolution, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana said.

U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged patience.

Diplomacy is not a matter of snapping our fingers and  voila. It takes hard work. It takes effort, and unfortunately, it takes time, she said. It has not failed.

She noted that diplomacy helped secure the release in November of more than 100 of the 250 hostages that Hamas took during their terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

And it is through diplomacy that we aim to bring the remaining hostages home and finally put this horrific conflict on a path toward a durable conclusion, Thomas-Greenfield said. The Israeli people should understand that the deal on the table is one their leaders can accept, because this is a deal that ensures Israels security."

Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured some 250 hostages during the Oct. 7 terror attack on southern Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants.

Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries. At the Security Council on Wednesday, Israels envoy reiterated his demand that council members designate Hamas a terror organization.

VOAs Margaret Besheer, Patsy Widakuswara and Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
China is defending itself against accusations that it is flooding the Thai market with cheap goods and hurting local businesses.

In a post on its official Facebook account on September 4, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand called the trade between the two countries mutually beneficial and win-win.

Almost 80% of the goods that Thailand imports from China are capital goods and intermediate goods that are used for production and added value before being exported, the statement said.

Most of the so-called cheap goods "are products used in daily life, food, health products, clothing and accessories, etc., which account for less than 10% of the total value of goods imported from China, it added.

The statement came after Thailand announced new measures to combat the influx of cheap Chinese imports threatening its manufacturing sector. The Bangkok Post reported on August 28 that Thailand's deputy prime minister and minister of commerce, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the government would set up a task force comprising 28 agencies that would meet every two weeks to review and revise regulations to curb the threat of cheap Chinese imports to the already weak economy.

The Federation of Thailand Industry previously warned that cheap Chinese goods could cause a "tsunami" in Thailand and in the region, and that in 2023 the low-cost imported products had contributed to the closure of nearly 2,000 factories.

Pavida Pananond, professor of international business at Thammasat Business School at Thammasat University in Thailand, said low-priced Chinese goods or Chinese capital are often concentrated in Thailand's e-commerce and electric vehicle industries. While Chinese investment has increased foreign direct investment in Thailand, it has also made it difficult for many smaller local enterprises to survive.

Right now, the Chinese are facing restrictions on their products in many markets, Pavida told VOA in a Zoom interview. So, it is natural that we are seeing the Chinese products targeting more emerging markets, particularly in Southeast Asia. So, those sectors would be at risk of having direct competition from the Chinese, cheaper products. And I think in the longer term, there also is more impact on the Thai economy.

The Chinese Embassy quoted preliminary statistics in its statement and said more than 1,000 Chinese companies have invested in Thailand. In the past two years, 588 investment projects by Chinese have been submitted to the Thai government, with an investment value of nearly $7 billion, according to the Chinese Embassy. Most investments are in the electric vehicle industry, the digital economy, new energy, and modern manufacturing.

The Thailand Economic and Business Research Center forecasts that the Thai economy will grow by 2.6% this year due to tourism and exports, but it will also be dragged down by manufacturing. In the first half of 2024, Thailand's industrial output decreased by 2% compared to the same period last year.

Chinese e-commerce platform Temu entered Thailand on July 31. Observers are worried that cheap Chinese goods flooding Thailands market through Temu will lead to unfair competition, supply chain disruptions, and rising unemployment. Srettha Thavisin, Thailands former prime minister, previously asked authorities to investigate whether Temu has complied with the relevant regulations and paid the tax due.

Nisit Panthamit, director of ASEAN Studies and an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, said, If you buy it from China, you have to wait for so long to get that item. But the local [products] are easy to find in the market. Now, after more goods are coming in from the new [Chinese] companies, that's why the SME [small and medium-sized enterprise] might get heavily impacted.

Nisit said if the Thai government cannot introduce more effective policies to alleviate the problem soon, sales of Thai-made goods may decline significantly. Also, he said, some basic Thai products may be replaced in local markets by inferior Chinese-made replacements.

He said that indications are that, by the end of 2024, there will be a 10% to 20% drop in the sales and consumption of local Thai products, because of competition from more Chinese-made goods.

The New York Times reported at the end of July that Thailands auto industry, which often is referred to as the "Asian Detroit" because of its manufacturing capacity, had been dominated by Japanese cars. In recent years, however, Chinese electric vehicle companies have made inroads, resulting in local auto factories closing and some land prices soaring, economists in Thailand say.

When the Thai government welcomes the EV cars from China without much long-term planning for Thai suppliers in automotive industry, vehicles and parts, that could be something that could negatively affect the Thai economy, Pavida said.

In July, Thailand's Ministry of Industry required Chinese EV manufacturers to use at least 40% local components when assembling EVs to support Thailand's automotive supply chain. In response, China's Changan Automobile pledged to invest $282 million, in Thailand, and the proportion of local parts will reach 60% and then increase to 90%; Shanghai-based Neta Auto also said it would increase the proportion of Thai car parts from 60% to 85%.

There are also increasing concerns that Chinese companies may exploit Thailand as an "illicit transshipment hub" to evade U.S. and European tariffs and sanctions. Illicit transshipment refers to exporting products through a third country to circumvent higher tariffs.

Bloomberg reported on August 22 that since many Chinese solar companies have set up factories in Southeast Asia in an attempt to circumvent U.S. import tariffs, Washington seems to be preparing to impose high tariffs on ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia.

We should also be concerned about Thai companies that import Chinese supplies for their intermediate products, and then re-export these [finished products] to other countries like the U.S. or the EU, Pavida said. This could end up being against the regulations that the EU and the U.S. are tightening.

Pavida added that further study of the many layers and elements of Chinese imports are needed as well, so policies can clearly and specifically address different kinds of Chinese products.

VOA's Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
Israel said Thursday that it killed six Palestinian militants in new fighting in the occupied West Bank, including the son of a prominent jailed militant.

The latest attacks were part of larger-scale raids in the territory over the last week that Palestinians fear could be a widening of the Israeli war against Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said a strike overnight in the northern West Bank town of Tubas killed five people, including Mohammed Zubeidi, the son of Zakaria Zubeidi, a well-known militant commander during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s. The elder Zubeidi took part in a rare jailbreak in 2021 before being arrested and returned to prison days later.

The Israeli military said the younger Zubeidi had taken part in attacks against Israeli forces in the West Bank and that he was with a militant cell when he was targeted.

The military said another fighter was killed in an airstrike on the Al-Faraa refugee camp after hurling a firebomb at Israeli forces. The military released a video that it said showed the exchange. It said forces also uncovered roadside bombs in the camp, which dates to the 1948 Mideast war surrounding Israel's creation.

Meanwhile, hundreds marched silently Thursday night through Tel Aviv streets carrying 27 mock coffins representing 27 of the hostages who were captured alive last October 7 and whose bodies were recovered by the Israeli military during the past nearly 11 months of fighting in Gaza.

The protests in the Israeli streets are targeted at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his failure to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and secure the return of 100 or so remaining hostages held by Hamas, especially after the Israeli military last weekend discovered the bodies of six hostages who had been shot to death by Hamas.

"Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, sentenced Carmel, my cousin, to death, her and all the hostages," said Gil Dickmann, the cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the six hostages whose bodies were recovered. The government "could have brought her back  327 days she was there, in Gaza, in captivity. There were 327 opportunities to bring her back and every single one was missed."

In angry public statements, hostage families have accused Netanyahu of blocking a deal and potentially sacrificing their loved ones' lives for the sake of holding the border strip between Gaza and Egypt.

During a press conference in Haiti on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said both Israel and Hamas had to reach an agreement on the remaining issues in the cease-fire deal.

"Based on what I have seen, 90% is agreed, but there are a few critical issues that remain," including the so-called Philadelphi corridor on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, Blinken said.

There were also some disagreements over how Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages would be exchanged.

"I expect in the coming days, we will share with Israel, and they [Qatar and Egypt] will share with Hamas our thoughts, the three of us, on exactly how to resolve remaining outstanding questions," Blinken said, referring to the U.S. and mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in recent days, calling for a deal and saying time is running out to bring home the hostages alive. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of deliberately dragging his feet on cease-fire talks.

Hamas on Thursday accused Netanyahu of working to prevent a cease-fire deal, a day after Netanyahu said Israel would combine military pressure with a firm stance on its demands.

During a news conference Wednesday in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel agreed to earlier cease-fire proposals, while Hamas refused.

Netanyahu also stuck to his position that Israel must retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer strip of land in the Egypt-Gaza border area.

As far as Gaza is concerned, three war goals: The first war goal was to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities. The second was to free our hostages, and the third was to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel, he said. And all three of those goals, all three of them, go through Israel's control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

In Washington, a senior Biden administration official told reporters Wednesday that cease-fire negotiations continue, and a deal is basically done, except for two sticking points  which Palestinian prisoners will be released in exchange for the remaining hostages, and the deployment of Israeli forces during the first phase of the deal.

Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured 250 hostages during the October 7 terror attack on southern Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, while the Israeli military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas combatants.

Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China has established key pillars of its national park system, a significant institutional innovation in the country's ecological conservation construction, Zhang Liming, an official with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said on Thursday.

China has been actively promoting the construction of a national park-based nature reserve system since 2012, Zhang told a press conference.

The country has also accelerated the legislation process for national parks and strengthened their management, he added.

Due to the country's unswerving conservation efforts, the number of flagship species within national parks has continued to grow. For instance, the Tibetan antelopes population has risen to over 70,000, while the snow leopards population has returned to over 1,200. In addition, the wild population of Hainan gibbons has increased from less than 10 to 42.

A flagship species is a rare and endangered species that is scientifically significant for global biodiversity conservation, and possesses a broad social appeal.

China's ecosystem is steadily improving in terms of diversity, stability and sustainability. Overall, the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Lancang River sources have been well protected, conserving more than 70 percent of the habitat of wild giant pandas. 
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday the country will not stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea despite claims by Beijing that Malaysia was infringing on its territory.

Anwar, speaking from Russia where he is on an official trip, said Malaysia's exploration activities were within its territory and were not intended to be provocative or hostile towards China, with whom it has friendly relations.

"Of course, we will have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil, in our territory," Anwar said in a televised press conference in Vladivostok.

"We have never denied the possibility of discussion (with China). But it doesn't mean we have to stop the operation in our area."

Malaysia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it would investigate the leak of a classified diplomatic note from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

In the note, which was carried by a Philippine news outlet, Beijing asserted that Malaysia's oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea breached its territory.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, complicating energy exploration efforts by several of those countries.

Under international law, an EEZ does not denote sovereignty, but grants a country sovereign rights to extract natural resources from those waters.

Malaysian state energy firm Petronas, or Petroliam Nasional Berhad, operates oil and gas fields in the South China Sea within Malaysia's EEZ and has in recent years had several encounters with Chinese vessels.

Anwar said China has sent "one or two" protest notes to stop Malaysia's oil exploration activities, without specifying details, but stressed that the government would continue to explain to Beijing its position.

"We have said that we will not transgress other people's borders. That is our stringent policy and principles," he said.

"They know our position.... They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory."

"But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen."

An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague in 2016 ruled China's claim to about 90% of the South China Sea, made via a U-shaped "nine-dash line" on its maps, had no basis under international law, a decision Beijing does not recognize.
Moscow is using Russian President Vladimir Putins two-day visit to Mongolia earlier this week to undermine the International Criminal Court, or ICC, which charged Putin in March 2023 for the war crime of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.

Mongolia, a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, was obligated to arrest Putin upon his arrival on September 3, but it did not.

On September 3, Russian state TV correspondent Pavel Zarubin asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about concerns" from the United States and European Union over Putins Mongolia visit. Zarubin made no mention of the ICC arrest warrant.

Lavrov referenced the anniversary of a World War II battle in which Mongolian and Soviet forces defeated Imperial Japan, and he attempted to link it to current events.

[I]f someone raises questions about why such closeness [between Mongolia and Russia]  well, probably, these are the people who once again began to slip Nazi overtones into their actions, not only their thoughts, which is reflected in support for the Kyiv regime.

Like Putin, other top Russian officials and propagandists, Lavrov is falsely attempting to portray Russias invasion of Ukraine as an extension of World War II. Russia invaded Ukraine under the false pretext that Moscow was de-nazifying the country.

Lavrov previously made the provocative and false claim that German leaders efforts to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression could be explained by the German leaders inheritance of Nazi genes.

Western concern over Mongolia not arresting Putin reflects on upholding the global rules-based order, which Russia further undermined through its invasion of Ukrainian and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory.

Neither the U.S. nor the EU opposes Mongolias right to enjoy bilateral relations with Russia. They did emphasize Mongolias need to support the rule of law and to hold Putin accountable for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

When asked about Putins recent visit, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. expects Mongolia to adhere to its commitment and its support for the principles of the U.N. Charter.

But Miller also recognized the position Mongolia is in as a sparsely populated, landlocked state sandwiched between Russia and China.

Mongolia is economically dependent on Russia and China, and highly dependent on Russian energy products.

A Mongolian government spokesperson told Politico the supply of Russian energy and petroleum products is critical to ensure our existence and that of our people.

The EU, likewise, takes no issue with Mongolias relationship with Russia.

Mongolia, like all other countries, has the right to develop its international ties according to its own interests, European Commission spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said.

But she added that Mongolia is bound to the legal obligations that being a state party to the ICC entails.

Individual European countries have likewise noted Mongolias obligation to arrest Putin, saying there should be no impunity for war crimes.

Ukraines foreign ministry took a stronger stance, saying the Mongolian government had dealt a heavy blow to the ICC and international criminal justice system by not arresting Putin.

Mongolia allowed the indicted criminal to escape justice, thereby sharing responsibility for his war crimes. We will work with partners to ensure that this has consequences for Ulaanbaatar, Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Heorhii Tykhyi, wrote in a September 2 post on X.

A number of prominent pro-Russian accounts on X contrasted Putins red carpet arrival in Mongolia with the West and/or Ukraines ineffectual calls for the Russian leader to be arrested.

Despite Moscows denials, the ICC, the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, media reports, academic institutions, government bodies and non-governmental organizations have all compiled evidence documenting Moscows illegal efforts to forcibly deport children from Ukraine to Russia and Russian-occupied territory.

Ukraine says nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly displaced, although the exact figure is likely much higher.

The majority of those children were taken from Russian-occupied regions in southern and eastern Ukraine.

That ICC arrest warrant previously kept Putin from attending the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) economic summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in July 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not swayed by the protests against him in Israel as the United States on Wednesday dismissed concerns that criminal charges brought against Hamas leaders would complicate ongoing negotiations to reach a Gaza cease-fire deal. The United States accuses Russia of conducting a massive mis-information campaign ahead of the presidential election. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are still vague about their policies towards Ukraine. A man was shot by police in Munich near the Israeli consulate and a Nazi-era museum, and a teenager is under arrest for a school shooting in the US state of Georgia. The China-Africa Forum gets underway and Secretary Blinken heads to Haiti.
Pope Francis and the grand imam of Southeast Asias largest mosque vowed Thursday to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis visit to Indonesia.

In an encounter rich with symbolic meaning and personal touches, Francis traveled to Jakartas iconic Istiqlal Mosque for an interreligious gathering with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognized in Indonesia: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

There, he and the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, stood at the ground-level entrance to the Tunnel of Friendship, an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighboring Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.

Indonesia, which has the worlds largest Muslim population, has held out the tunnel as a tangible sign of its commitment to religious freedom, which is enshrined in the constitution but has been challenged by repeated instances of discrimination and violence against religious minorities.

From January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks, Amnesty International noted on the eve of Francis' visit.

Approaching the elevator to the tunnel, Francis said it was a potent sign of how different religious traditions have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned towards the light.

He encouraged all Indonesians of every religious tradition to walk in search of God and contribute to building open societies, founded on reciprocal respect and mutual love, capable of protecting against rigidity, fundamentalism and extremism, which are always dangerous and never justifiable.

Francis traveled to Indonesia, at the start of an 11-day, four-nation trip to Asia and Oceania, to encourage Indonesia to combat religiously inspired violence and pledge the Catholic Churchs commitment to greater fraternity.

The meeting at the mosque showed the personal side of that policy, with Francis and Umar  the 87-year-old pope and the more youthful 65-year-old imam  showing a clear affinity for one another. As Francis was leaving in his wheelchair, Umar bent down and kissed Francis on the head. Francis then grasped Umar's hand, kissed it and held it to his cheek.

The event began with a similarly moving moment, as a visually impaired Indonesian teenage girl, Kayla Nur Syahwa, chanted verses from the Quran about tolerance among believers of different faiths.

Francis has made improving Catholic-Muslim ties a hallmark of his papacy and has prioritized travel to majority Muslim nations to further the agenda.

During a 2019 visit to the Gulf, Francis and the imam of Al-Azhar, the 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni learning, launched a Human Fraternity movement calling for greater Christian-Muslim efforts to promote peace around the world. More recently, Francis traveled to Najaf, Iraq, in 2021 to visit the top Shiite cleric, who delivered a message of peaceful coexistence.

The new initiative launched Thursday, called The Istiqlal Declaration, now becomes another pillar of Francis interfaith push. It was signed by Francis and Umar at a formal ceremony in the tent on the Istiqlal mosque compound. The other religious representatives at the encounter didnt co-sign it but were listed by organizers as having accompanied it.

The document said religion should never be abused to justify violence, but should instead be used to resolve conflicts and protect and promote human dignity. It also called for decisive action to protect the environment and its resources, blaming man-made actions for the current climate crisis.

The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns, it read. This ongoing environmental crisis has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.

Fighting climate change has been an important priority for the Argentine Jesuit pope, who has issued encyclicals insisting on the moral dimension of caring for Gods creation. The climate issue is of existential importance to Indonesia, a tropical archipelago stretching across the equator and home to the worlds third-largest rainforest and a variety of endangered wildlife and plants.

Umar, the grand imam, recalled in his remarks to the gathering that the Istiqlal mosque was designed by a Christian architect and is used for a variety of social and educational programs that benefit everyone, not just Muslims.

Calling the mosque "a big house for humanity, he said the tunnel was a melting pot for people of different faiths. We hope and have the principle that humanity is one, so anyone can enter and benefit, he said.

The interfaith gathering was the highlight of Francis visit to Indonesia, which concludes later Thursday with a giant Mass in Jakartas stadium expected to draw some 60,000 people. Catholics represent about 3% of Indonesias population of 275 million, but the country is home to the worlds largest Catholic seminary and has long been a top source of priests and nuns for the Catholic Church.

Francis is seeking to encourage their faith by becoming the third pope to visit Indonesia, after Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989.

On Friday, Francis heads to Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his trip, one of the longest and farthest in papal history, which will also take him to East Timor and Singapore before it ends Sept. 13.
During his recent trip to Mongolia, Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted a plan to build a pipeline from his country to China. The pipeline, which could weaken U.S. energy leverage over Beijing, would have to pass through Mongolia.

In a joint press conference held after talks in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, Putin said cooperation in the gas sector looks promising.

The two sides have completed drawing up documents to design the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension in Mongolia and it is "at the stage of state expert appraisal and assessment," Putin said.

New export market

The Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension is part of the Power of Siberia 2 (PS-2) pipeline. The PS-2 pipeline would transport about 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually to China when completed.

It is seen as an effort by Moscow to divert gas that had been exported to Europe to Asia after the Nord Stream 1 pipeline under the Baltic Sea was damaged by explosions last year.

Russia uses the Power of Siberia 1 pipeline to deliver gas to China, exporting 22.7 bcm in 2023. It aims to raise the supplies to 38 bcm annually by 2025.

"China is really Russia's option to find a customer for a sizable portion of the pipeline gas it previously sent to Europe," said Erica Downs, a senior research scholar focusing on Chinese energy markets at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

"Putin will continue to champion the project and look for ways to characterize any discussion of the project with Mongolian officials as progress," she continued.

Beijing and Moscow have been in talks for years over PS-2, but a final agreement has not been reached. Mongolia also has not made a final approval for the pipeline to pass through its land.

"The pipeline, if built, would reduce U.S. LNG [liquefied natural gas] exports to China," further weakening U.S. energy leverage over China that is already declining, said Joseph Webster, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center.

Beijing seeks to reduce foreign energy dependence by "replacing imports with indigenously produced energy" including solar, wind, and nuclear energy, Webster said.

A report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service on Aug. 28 said, "PS-2 could strengthen China's bargaining position" with the U.S. if it receives additional Russian natural gas. The U.S. has been the sixth largest exporter of LNG to China between 2016 and 2023, the report noted.

The report said PS-2 could also help Russia avoid sanctions imposed by the West because "PS-2 would involve pipeline trade of natural gas" and "no existing sanctions would impact this trade."

Renewed push

Putin made an extra effort to promote the pipeline deal at the press conference with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.

He said Russia and Mongolia are "not only talking about the transit of Russian gas across Mongolia" but "the potential delivery of gas to Mongolian consumers."

Ahead of the talks, Putin said Mongolia initially "preferred to limit themselves to being just a transit country" for the pipeline but is now considering a deal to obtain "cheap pipeline gas to support the development of their economy and infrastructure."

Putin made the comments in a written interview with Mongolia's Onoodor newspaper, according to the Kremlin on Monday.

Putin's renewed push to boost PS2 came after Mongolia in August excluded the pipeline project in its national development plan through 2028.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment at the Heritage Foundation, said Putin made the remarks "to project strength" and because he "needs a market for his oil."

"He wants to see what the West says," and also "to see whether Mongolia changes its mind," but the pipeline deal is still incomplete "until we get confirmation from Mongolia," she said.

Khurelsukh did not confirm in his statements in the bilateral talks with Putin whether he agreed to allow the pipeline deal to proceed.

In a series of documents signed on Tuesday, Russia and Mongolia made agreements on the supplies of oil, petroleum products, and aviation fuel but did not mention any agreements on the pipeline deal.

China-Russia competition

Mongolia is heavily dependent on Russian energy, importing 95% of its petroleum products and more than 20% of electricity. A spokesperson for the Mongolian government told Politico on Tuesday that is why it did not arrest Putin when he was in the country.

The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin's arrest for crimes committed in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As a member country of the ICC, Mongolia was obligated to arrest him.

"Mongolia probably does not have to make a final decision about Power of Siberia 2 anytime soon because China is in no hurry to move forward with the project," Downs said.

"The fact that Mongolia did not include Power of Siberia 2 in its next four-year spending plan indicates that it does not expect the project to move off the drawing board before 2028," she said.

Russia also has been in talks with China about the project in recent months.

In May, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Beijing and Moscow are expected to sign a contract on the PS-2 gas pipeline "in the near future."

But the pipeline deal between the two remained stalled over pricing demands by Beijing, the Financial Times reported in June.

On Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui apparently told the Russian News Agency Tass on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that Beijing and Moscow would eventually launch PS-2 despite difficulties surrounding the project.

"China always drives a hard bargain on the pricing of gas imports and wants to control as much as possible of the transportation network involved in its imports and exports," said Thomas Duesterberg, senior fellow at Hudson Institute.

"Russia and China compete over influence in Mongolia, and the Russo-Mongolian deal is subject to close scrutiny because of these factors, and that likely explains the failure at this time to reach a deal," he added.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will visit Mongolia from Sept. 4 to 8 after attending the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

It is uncertain, however, whether Beijing and Ulaanbaatar will discuss the PS-2 pipeline project.
Pakistan Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said Wednesday that international sanctions have caused complications for the Iran-Pakistan cross-border natural gas pipeline project.

Media outlets reported that Iran had warned Pakistan to complete its part of the project or face an $18 billion penalty  news that sparked a debate days later in Pakistan's lower house, the National Assembly.

Responding to a question by a lawmaker on the floor of the house regarding Iran's final notice, Malik said, This is a deeply complicated matter and involves international sanctions."

Malik did not provide more details about sanctions, but said the government is available to discuss the complications.

He rejected the penalty figure of $18 billion, saying, I do not know where it has come from.

In response to a query regarding reports of Iran's notice, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said last week that Pakistan had taken note of the development.

Pakistan and Iran have robust channels of communications including this matter. We have always said that we would like to resolve all issues [with Iran] through friendly consultations, she said during a briefing.

Petroleum Minister Malik, during an informal conversation on the gas pipeline project with local journalists in March, confirmed that Pakistan would present its case to the U.S. and seek an exemption from sanctions.

We cannot bear American sanctions. We will present our stance to the U.S. We want to complete this project but without any sanctions," Malik told journalists.

However, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baloch, also in March, said that the project is progressing "in conformity with our commitment to the Iran-Pakistan pipeline." She emphasized that Pakistan perceives no grounds for objections from external parties as the construction activities are confined within Pakistani territory.

During a briefing Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that helping Pakistan address its energy shortage was a priority for the United States. He added, however, that "we will continue to enforce our sanctions against Iran. We also advise anyone considering a business deal with Iran to be aware of its possible ramifications."

Pakistan experts say Pakistan failed to meet its commitment to build its part of the pipeline for several reasons, including a volatile security situation in Balochistan, where the pipeline is supposed to pass. Gas pipelines are not safe in restive Balochistan and Baloch insurgents frequently target gas pipelines in the resource-rich southwestern province bordering Iran.

In my opinion, however, Pakistans real worry is U.S. sanctions," said Naveed Hussain, an editor of the Pakistan English daily newspaper The Express Tribune. "It has declared force majeure, but Iran says Pakistan had signed the agreement while being fully cognizant of [the] U.S. sanctions risk, especially when India had withdrawn from the project for the same reason.

Khaleeq Kiani, who writes about the economy for the Pakistan English daily newspaper Dawn, told VOA, The U.S. stance is clear, and recently it imposed sanctions on companies providing equipment to Pakistan missile programs, that was a clear indication to Pakistan to not proceed with the pipeline project.

In April, the U.S. imposed sanctions on four entities  one based in Belarus, and the other three in China  for supplying missileapplicable items to Pakistans ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program.

Despite that precedent, Pakistan's foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, said at a May press briefing that Pakistan would not succumb to international pressure on the pipeline project.

We will not let anyone use their veto, Dar said, without naming the United States.

Dar's remarks came weeks after Donald Lu, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that importing gas from Iran would expose Pakistan to U.S. sanctions.

Pakistan is facing gas shortages and relies on subsidized gas, putting pressure on the national exchequer, Petroleum Minister Malik said on the house floor Wednesday.

Originally envisaged as the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, the project was reduced to a bilateral agreement after India pulled out in 2008. Tehran and Islamabad signed a 25-year contract in 2009 to export gas from Iran through a 2,400-kilometer gas pipeline to be built jointly by both countries.

While Iran has completed its pipeline section, Pakistan keeps dragging its feet on the project. In 2019, the two countries revised their contract, and Islamabad committed to building its portion of the pipeline by 2024.

This story originated in VOAs Deewa Service.
On September 4, the U.S. departments of Justice and State announced sanctions and criminal charges against two RT employees for allegedly laundering $10 million to spread Russian propaganda through U.S. influencers, aiming to influence the November 2024 election.

The Department of Treasury also designated 10 people and 2 entities in response to Russian influence efforts.

On the same day, Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee, labeled the U.S. sanctions against RT as a "witch hunt," claiming they are an attack on freedom of speech and an example of vulgar censorship:

"U.S. sanctions against the media group Rossiya Segodnya, RIA Novosti, RT and Sputnik are a clear example of a witch hunt, pressure on freedom of speech and vulgar censorship. The adherents of the empire of lies are waging war on everyone who speaks the truth about the policies of modern neocolonialists."

This statement is false.

The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging Russian nationals RT employees with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. They are accused of orchestrating a $10 million scheme to covertly spread disinformation in the U.S. via a front company, while falsely claiming it was backed by a private investor.

The Department of State has imposed new visa restrictions and designated Rossiya Segodnya and its subsidiaries as Foreign Missions. The Treasury Department also sanctioned 10 individuals, including RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, for their roles in the covert influence campaign.

Justice Department charges

On September 4, a federal indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of New York, charging Russian nationals Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, with conspiracy to violate FARA and money laundering. Both are currently at large.

According to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the indictment alleges that Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, employees of the Russian state-controlled media outlet RT, orchestrated a $10 million scheme to covertly disseminate pro-Kremlin propaganda or disinformation in the U.S. Many of the videos produced by the company aligned with Russia's objective of deepening U.S. domestic divisions, with the apparent goal of weakening American opposition to Russia's core interests, particularly its ongoing war in Ukraine.

A Tennessee-based company concealed its connections to RT and the Russian government from both influencers and their millions of followers. Instead, the defendants falsely claimed that the company was backed by a private investor, who was, in fact, a fictitious person.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco emphasized the U.S. approach to countering foreign influence, stating that RT and its employees funneled nearly $10 million to online commentators to spread pro-Russia propaganda. She affirmed the Departments commitment to preventing illegal foreign manipulation of American public opinion.

Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva face charges that carry maximum sentences of 25 years in prison. The FBI is investigating the case.
Ukraine faces wildly different prospects under a potential Trump or Harris presidency  but analysts say it's clear Kyiv is not waiting for November to let its fate be decided.

Still, in this ancient capital that is no stranger to the whims of foreign powers, analysts seem to view a possible re-run of a Donald Trump administration with ambivalence.

"There is a prevailing opinion that the return of Trump to the White House is not the best scenario for Ukraine," said Oleksii Melnyk, of the foreign relations and international security program at the Razumkov Center, a research institution. "Although there are also cautious opinions that everything may not be that bad."

Trump has said he'll swiftly end the war, although his running mate, vice presidential candidate JD Vance, once said he "doesn't really care" about Ukraine.

This makes a future Kamala Harris administration more of a wild card to this nation that knows Trump and President Joe Biden so well. Harris has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and represented Biden at major transatlantic security summits. But on the campaign trail, Harris has only briefly spotlighted Ukraine  and how she differs from Trump.

Trump "encouraged [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to invade our allies, said Russia could, quote, do whatever the hell they want. Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelenskyy to warn him about Russia's plan to invade," she said at last month's Democratic National Convention. "I helped mobilize a global response  over 50 countries to defend against Putin's aggression. And as president, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies."

Analysts say none of this is surprising. Harris is likely to follow Biden's "Support-Ukraine" playbook, they say, adding that Trump's broad foreign policy pronouncements remain as vague as ever, such as Trump's promise that he'll end the war in one day.

"It's not entirely clear how he'll do that," said Andrew Payne, a lecturer in foreign policy and security at City St. George's, University of London. "The fear, of course, is that he'll do it by simply abandoning Ukraine, cutting off funds and pressuring Zelenskyy into negotiations at a time when Putin would enjoy all of the bargaining leverage."

Ukraine shows renewed confidence

But, Payne said, the battlefield has shifted with Ukrainian forces' recent decision to strike across the border and take a bite of Russian territory.

This development is something that stuck with John Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, on a recent visit there.

"Without a doubt, our chief impression was the energy and renewed confidence Ukraine's bold strike into Russia has provided the country's leadership and people," Herbst wrote in the Atlantic Council late last month. "They see the seizure of more than 460 square miles of Russian territory and the capture of hundreds of Russian soldiers as a clear victory, one that has changed the international conversation from a focus on peace talks or a cease-fire in place largely on Kremlin terms; they recognize that Russian President Vladimir Putin's notion of a cease-fire in place is now much less attractive to the Kremlin."

Biden still a factor

While analysts widely predict that Ukraine will neither seek to hold let alone succeed in holding this land permanently, it's a bargaining chip that will help Kyiv, whomever wins. And, Payne said, Biden could also put his hand on the scale at a pivotal stage.

"I wouldn't be expecting any shift in the U.S. position vis-a-vis Ukraine's military operations before November, but I would be watching between November and January  whatever the outcome  to see if there is a little bit more leash given to Kyiv," he said.

And he said Ukraine's leader has bolstered his relationships with European leaders and broadened his support.

Herbst also pointed to how a lame-duck Biden could give Kyiv a shot in the arm.

"Biden should also use his last months in office to reach out to Republican leaders in Congress to pass one last aid bill for Ukraine during his administration," he wrote.

Anna Chernikova contributed to this report from Kyiv.
Ukraine faces wildly different prospects under a potential Donald Trump or Kamala Harris U.S. presidency. But as their campaigns race to the finish line, neither candidate has laid out exactly how they plan to deal with Russias war on Ukraine. Experts say in that same space of time, the battlefield in Ukraine has itself radically changed, giving more power to Ukraine in determining its own fate. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.
Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was discharged from a hospital Wednesday after surgery on his left foot, following an incident Tuesday in which he was injured during an altercation with police.

The police, meanwhile, denied that Wine had been shot. Wines political party on Tuesday accused the police of shooting the opposition leader in the leg.

Wine, who heads the National Unity Platform party, or NUP, was leaving a meeting when he confronted police who were beating, arresting and using tear gas on onlookers who had gathered near the home, according to party lawyer George Musisi.

He said Wine was injured by fragments of a tear-gas canister when he got out of his vehicle to speak to the police commander.

Shortly after stepping out, thats when those canisters were thrown directly in his direction, Musisi said.

Wine is an entertainer-turned-politician who unsuccessfully challenged President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 elections. The government has denied accusations it tries to clamp down on the opposition.

Musisi described the extent of Wines injuries, saying, When they did the X-ray, they found that some fragments had hit the bone. That explains [why there was] much more pain than actually how the wound ... looked.

Police described the confrontation differently.

Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma told journalists that Wine had attended a celebration, after which he initiated a procession upon his departure. Kituuma said that authorities advised against it, but that Wine insisted on proceeding, which blocked the road and triggered the police intervention.

The information we got from the officers at that ... time was that they saw him stumble while getting into his vehicle, Kituuma said. We dont want to get into the arguments over whether Wine was injured by a bullet or a stumble.

"We want an opportunity for an investigation to prove it, which must be medical, and which must go through professional investigators, he said.

Yusuf Serunkuma, a political analyst, said that while police should have ensured no one was hurt, most of their actions are made out of fear of the crowds Wine attracts.

Because Kampala is the capital city of political activity, if you can overwhelm Kampala, youve overwhelmed the government. So, the governments fear is the if. Even if its spontaneous and completely unorganized, they worry that it might become something big and they may fail to contain it, Serunkuma said.

Critics have accused police of heavy-handedness, especially when it comes to members of the opposition.

Police say that during the altercation, three officers were injured when they were hit by stones and that two of their vehicles were damaged.
by Mahmoud Fouly, Yao Bing

CAIRO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- On an ordinary day, a bus packed with Egyptian engineers rolled into the bustling Central Business District (CBD) of Egypt's new administrative capital.

Their destination heaves into view -- a state-of-the-art training center where the Egyptian branch of China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) gives hands-on lectures.

Here, the engineers will sharpen their expertise in the art of skyscraper construction, gaining insights from industry leaders as they help shape the skyline of Egypt's future.

"Up We Build (UWB) College" is an on-site training center established by CSCEC Egypt, which has built the 20-tower CBD in the heart of the desert some 50 km east of the country's capital city of Cairo, including the 385.8-meter-high Iconic Tower, the tallest skyscraper not just in Egypt but in Africa.

Having been working with CSCEC Egypt for seven months since graduation, Fahmy Reda, a 25-year-old Egyptian electrical and mechanical engineer, depicts his current job as a big boost to his career.

Although he didn't work in the Iconic Tower, he was keen to attend the lecture to learn about the technologies used in its construction.

"The idea of having a lecture on the Iconic Tower is very useful, as I can learn how other parts of the project were carried out and know about the experiences and technologies used in the Iconic Tower construction," the junior engineer told Xinhua.

Fady Hany said that he gained a lot of expertise from working on the CBD project, "especially since it is the first time in Egypt to have such tall skyscrapers, including the tallest in Africa."

"The lectures held by the company are free for everyone, whether workers or engineers, where Egyptians and Chinese get to know each other and exchange cultures and expertise," said the 26-year-old Egyptian engineer.

The lecture was given by a 30-years-old Chinese instructor Li Luoluo, the Iconic Tower technical engineer, who has been working on the project since six years ago when the place was mostly desert.

"When I look at these high-rise buildings, I feel very proud, not only because I participate in such a world-class large-scale project, but also because it is a symbol of friendship and cooperation between China and Egypt," said the Chinese engineer.

Li has participated in seven or eight training courses and trained more than 200 Egyptian engineers in the company's UWB College. "Everyone was very excited to learn about the Chinese construction technology," he said.

The CBD project is not only a key project of Egypt's national rejuvenation plan, but also a flagship project under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Li Binghong, head of the UWB College, said that the principle of the training center goes in line with the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, which is supported by the BRI.

"I hope that through UWB we can train more outstanding Egyptian engineers so that they can not only work on our projects but also various projects in the future, and make greater contributions to their country," he added.

The CBD project consists of 20 towers that were all built simultaneously, along with a Central Utility Complex (CUC). The 20 high-rise buildings include 10 office towers, five residential towers, four hotels, and the Iconic Tower, according to Ahmed El-Banna, the CBD project manager from international consulting company Dar Al-Handasah.

"By the end of this year, we will deliver 15 towers, including 10 office towers and five residential ones, and we will also deliver the CUC," he added, noting that the remaining four hotel buildings and the Iconic Tower are scheduled to be delivered in 2025.

"These towers had an impact on the construction industry market in Egypt and the people who worked here benefited from the experience they gained," said the Egyptian project manager, referring to the CBD as the "crown jewel" of the new capital.

"We expect the CBD to be an attractive area for foreign investors and to see international companies here in its towers with a high employment rate," El-Banna told Xinhua. Enditem

(Dina Moutaz also contributed to the story.)
Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday appointed Andrii Sybiha, a career diplomat, as the countrys new foreign minister in President Volodymyr Zelenskyys reshuffling of his top advisers.

Sybiha, 49, replaces Dmytro Kuleba, who had been instrumental in lobbying Ukraines Western allies for more military assistance for Ukraines 30-month fight against Russias invasion.

Sybiha, who speaks English and Polish, has been the deputy foreign minister and had also served as ambassador to Turkey. He is considered to be closer to Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, than Kuleba, who is the most prominent departure from Zelenskyys list of top officials.

The Foreign Ministry of neighboring Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, congratulated Sybiha in a post on X, saying, "We look forward to further cooperation for Ukraine's European future."

While Kuleba's diplomatic skills were acknowledged, his removal was part of a bid by Zelenskyy to exert a tighter grip on foreign policy, Ukrainian sources suggested.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Kuleba to voice his "great appreciation and friendship" from their time working together, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Wednesday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on X that there had been "few people I've worked as closely with" as Kuleba.

A source in Zelenskyy's party, however, said the presidency had been growing frustrated with Kuleba, Agence France-Presse reported.

"He was giving interviews, speaking beautifully, going on trips, this handkerchief in his jacket. ... He was engaged in self-promotion, instead of improving the work of embassies, working systematically on countries and getting their support," the source said.

A source close to the presidential office told AFP that Zelenskyy and Kuleba "will discuss and decide" his future post amid speculation that he could be tasked to steer Ukraine's bid to join NATO, although there is little chance of Ukraine joining the Wests key military alliance until after Russias war with Ukraine ends.

Zelenskyy, when asked about the rationale for his government shake-up, told reporters, "We need new energy. And these steps are related to strengthening our state in various areas."

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday also approved new nominations for several other posts, naming two new vice prime ministers and six other new ministers.

On the battle front, Ukraines military said Thursday it shot down 60 of 78 Russian drones that targeted regions across the country.

But Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor of Dnipropetrovsk, said on Telegram a Russian attack damaged an infrastructure site and injured one person.

In Kherson, officials reported Russian strikes that hit two medical facilities and injured two people.

Poltava Governor Filip Pronin said on Telegram that Russian forces hit an educational institution, but he did not provide information about casualties.

Russias defense ministry said Thursday it destroyed a rocket and two Ukrainian aerial drones over the Belgorod region. The governor there said on Telegram there was damage to a home and that one person was injured.

Russian air defenses also shot down three drones over the Kursk region and two drones over Bryansk, the defense ministry said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
The Biden administration has announced criminal charges, the seizure of internet domains and sanctions related to Russian disinformation efforts to influence the U.S. presidential election. Four people were killed in a shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday, just weeks after classes began. And an auction with tape recordings for Bob Dylan's first album and Madonnas earliest guitar and drums, handwritten letters, and audio tapes of her first recorded song.
Efforts by Beijing to limit Taiwan's participation in the recently concluded Pacific Islands Forum underscore the intense and ongoing tug-of-war between Western democracies and China for influence in the region, analysts say.

During the Pacific Islands Forum, or PIF, which wrapped up Friday, Beijing ally Solomon Islands tried unsuccessfully to block Taiwan from future participation. Then, on Saturday, the PIF removed a reference to Taiwan in its final communique after Beijing's top Pacific diplomat expressed outrage at its inclusion.

The communique originally reaffirmed a 30-year-old agreement allowing Taiwan to take part in the PIF. That wording was later removed. Beijing's communist leaders insist that democratically ruled Taiwan is a part of China and have worked for decades to limit the island's participation in international organizations.

After the references to Taiwan were removed, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday, "Taiwan issued the strongest condemnation on China's arbitrary intervention and unreasonable actions that undermine regional peace and stability.

However, the ministry said the revision did not undermine Taiwans status at the forum or prevent it from participating in the future.

Asia Group senior adviser Kathryn Paik, who helped lead the creation of the first U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit while at the U.S. National Security Council, said that while Taiwan's status as a development partner is still solid, what happened highlights the intensity of Beijing's efforts in the region.

"China has made gaining access and influence in the Pacific a top priority in recent years, sending savvy diplomats to the region. In fact, China currently has vastly more diplomats on the ground in more countries than the United States, outnumbering the U.S. in almost every location," Paik told VOA. "The pushback on the Solomon Islands' attempt  which was transparently an attempt by China  to remove Taiwan as a development partner to the PIF demonstrated the high regard that many nations have for Taiwan's contributions to Pacific development."

PIF officials did not explain why Taiwan was removed from the communique but stressed that the PIF would continue to welcome Taiwan at its regional meetings.

Nikkei Asia reported that Chinese Special Envoy for the Pacific Qian Bo told reporters Friday the reference was a mistake that should be corrected.

"Taiwan is part of China. Taiwan is not a dialogue partner of PIF, so China has the representation on behalf of the whole China, including Taiwan and the mainland," Qian said.

VOA reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Washington and the Solomon Islands for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Partnership through 2027

On Sunday, Taiwan announced an agreement with the Pacific Islands to extend the development partnership through 2027, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The statement also highlighted programs Taiwan has supported in the Pacific Islands, efforts that have focused on areas such as agriculture, education, medical care, communications technology, women's empowerment and basic infrastructure.

Commenting Tuesday on China's efforts at the PIF, the U.S. State Department backed Taiwan's continued right to attend regional meetings.

"The PRC's efforts to pressure Pacific Island countries to remove this reference fit a pattern of PRC coercion to constrain Taiwan's international position," a State Department spokesperson told VOA, using an abbreviation of the countrys formal name, the Peoples Republic of China. "Taiwan is a highly capable, engaged, democratic and responsible member of the global community."

US Pacific territories

While China and the United States maintain status as partner nations in the PIF, U.S. territories Guam and American Samoa were granted status as associate members during last week's meetings. Although they do not have voting rights, they will be able to provide speakers at plenary sessions and nominate members to PIF working groups.

"The United States supports the U.S. Pacific territories' increased participation in the PIF and greater connectivity with PIF members," a State Department spokesperson told VOA.

The Asia Group's Paik said that having two U.S. territories "more tightly knit into the Pacific community" further reinforces that the U.S. is a Pacific nation and opens opportunities for the U.S. to influence decision-making at the forum.

Ivan Kanapathy, a former deputy senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, agrees.

"This will provide more allied voices and reduce PRC influence, which often relies on elite capture," said Kanapathy, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

He added: "Washington must convince the region that it is willing to impose real costs on Beijing  more than just diplomatic statements."

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
The United States announced new sanctions Thursday on ships that transport Russian gas from Moscow's Arctic LNG 2 terminal in Russias Murmansk region.

The measures target the owners of two LNG tankers, the New Energy and the Mulan. The U.S. State Department said the New Energy had used "deceptive shipping practices, including shutting off its automatic identification system, to load cargo from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project."

It comes as a new analysis shows Russia appears to be struggling to find buyers for its liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from its flagship Arctic LNG 2 project amid tightening Western sanctions, forcing Moscow to store the gas in a huge container vessel in the Arctic Sea.

The Arctic LNG 2 project was meant to produce almost 19.8 million metric tonnes of LNG every year to sell primarily to Asian markets, potentially earning billions of dollars for Novatek, the private company that runs the project, and the Kremlin.

Instead, Russia is struggling to sell the gas, according to analyst Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services. He has been using satellite and ship-tracking data to monitor LNG vessels servicing the Arctic LNG 2 facility.

So far, were aware of three cargoes that have been loaded from Arctic LNG 2 ... and all of them really have not gone anywhere. In recent days, what weve seen is that two of them have had to offload their cargo onto this huge floating storage unit that Russia's Novatek has had moored up near Murmansk for over a year and never used  it's also under sanctions. They're offloading these cargoes into the storage unit because they can't find a buyer, Marzec-Manser told VOA.

He said that storage unit, named the Saam, will rapidly fill up if Russia cant find buyers, creating a bottleneck and potentially forcing Novatek to halt production.

Putins flagship

Arctic LNG 2 was a flagship development for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who pledged that it would one day help Russia to become the worlds biggest producer of LNG.

Production of liquefied natural gas in the Russia Arctic zone will have increased three-fold by 2030, up to 64 million tons per year.  Of course, it will contribute significantly in the development of our northern regions and in the strengthening of Russian technological sovereignty, Putin told delegates at the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok in September 2023.

Earlier sanctions

That goal now seems unlikely. The West, led by the United States, imposed sanctions on Novatek and businesses linked to Arctic LNG 2 following Moscows February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crucially, according to Marzec-Manser, that included the vessels intended to transport the gas.

So, there's a whole fleet of cargo vessels that are sitting in shipyards in Asia, which are specifically designed to flow through the Arctic seas. They're called ice-class vessels, and they've not been able to sell them to Novatek because of these sanctions, Marzec-Manser said.

What Novatek then did was to say, Right, what we're going to try and do is buy really old LNG vessels, which aren't designed for the Arctic waters, but we can at least shuttle them backwards and forwards during the summer months. But then the U.S. has sanctioned those vessels, as well, he told VOA.

Kremlin response

Russia is looking for ways to circumvent the sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in April that attempts to squeeze Russia out of energy markets and switch to more expensive markets are continuing, adding that Moscow will look for ways to overcome these illegal obstacles, unfair competition and illegal actions.

Analysts say Russia is assembling a so-called dark fleet of LNG vessels that are difficult to track.

It's a game of cat and mouse, and as we see, new vessels which are owned by unknown Middle Eastern entities entering Russian waters, it's only then that you can properly join the dots to say, well, this is clearly being used to service some of these [LNG] projects, and it's only then that the sanctions come in, Marzec-Manser told VOA.

Novatek did not respond to VOA requests for comment.

Russia is still able to sell LNG and other hydrocarbon products from oil and gas fields that are not subject to Western sanctions. However, the state-owned gas giant Gazprom recorded a net loss of $6.9 billion in 2023  its first annual loss in more than 20 years  as Moscow cut supplies to European customers following the invasion of Ukraine and the Wests imposition of sanctions.

The United States is now by far the worlds biggest supplier of LNG, with two-thirds of it exported to Europe.
The White House announced Thursday the United States secured the release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua, who were then flown to Guatemala.

In a statement, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the prisoners had been "unjustly detained" in Nicaragua, and that "no one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association and practicing their religion."

Sullivan said the prisoners were released on humanitarian grounds and include 13 members of the Texas-based evangelical Mountain Gateway organization, along with Catholic laypeople, students and others.

"This is a day we have prayed and believed God for.  Today, we cry tears of joy because our brothers and sisters are free," Jon Britton Hancock, founder of Mountain Gateway said in a statement on the organization's website.

Sullivan said the prisoners were jailed because they were seen by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo as "a threat to their authoritarian rule."

On the ground in Guatemala, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Eric Jacobstein said, after talking with the newly released prisoners, that he was struck by the "true pettiness and cruelty" of Ortega's government for imprisoning people for no justifiable reason.

Mountain Gateway said 11 of its members had been arrested in December and charged with money laundering. It said in a statement that all its Nicaraguan assets had been seized, and its registration to operate in the country had been revoked.

The New York Times reported the organization had attracted thousands of followers and received millions of dollars in donations. The report said the Nicaraguan government accused Mountain Gateway of using its nonprofit status as a cover to purchase property and luxury.

The Times report said the group was among about 1,600 similar organizations shut down by the Nicaraguan government in the past year.

Sullivan said the government of Guatemala has "graciously" agreed to accept the prisoners  all of whom are Nicaraguan citizens  upon their release. Once in the country, he said they will be offered the opportunity to apply for lawful ways to rebuild their lives in the United States.

The statement said U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were grateful to Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo for "his continued leadership across the region in addressing humanitarian issues and championing democratic freedom."

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.
The United States has charged five Russian intelligence officers and one Russian civilian in connection with a major cyberattack, described by U.S. prosecutors as the first shot in the Kremlin's war against Ukraine.

The Justice Department unsealed the superseding indictment Thursday, accusing the Russians of carrying out the January 2022 "WhisperGate" malware attack that sought to debilitate Ukraine's civilian infrastructure ahead of the Russian invasion the following month.

"The WhisperGate campaign included the targeting of civilian infrastructure and Ukrainian computer systems wholly unrelated to the military or national defense, that include government agencies responsible for emergency services in Ukraine, the judiciary, food safety and education, seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public," said U.S. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen.

The attack "could be considered the first shot of the war," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bill DelBagno, speaking alongside Olsen during a news conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

DelBagno said the WhisperGate campaign also targeted the United States and dozens of NATO allies, going as far as to infiltrate a U.S. government agency based in Maryland while simultaneously accessing U.S. bank accounts.

"The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners and allies, will relentlessly hunt down and counter these threats," he said. "This type of cyber warfare will not be tolerated. The scope of Russia's crimes cannot be ignored."

Thursday's superseding indictment, the result of an FBI operation named Toy Soldier, builds on charges first filed in June against 22-year-old Russian Amin Stigal, a civilian accused of leveraging malware to aid Russian intelligence ahead of the invasion of Ukraine.

As part of the attack, Stigal and the agents with Unit 21955 of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, or GRU, used the cyberinfrastructure of some U.S.-based companies to launch what first appeared to be ransomware attacks, but which were actually designed to wipe out critical data.

The new indictment names Stigals Russian GRU accomplices as Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yuriy Denisov, Dmitriy Goloshubov and Nikolay Korchagin.

FBI officials said the GRU unit has also operated under the names Cadet Blizzard, Ember Bear and Dev-0586, carrying out cyberattacks on critical infrastructure across Europe, Central America and Asia.

In addition to the new charges, U.S. officials said they are offering a reward of up to $10 million for each of the Russians named in the criminal complaint.

The officials said they are also working with Interpol to serve notices that could help lead to the arrest of the six Russians.

"They are marked people," Olsen said. "We know who they are. There's a reward on their head, and we're going to pursue them relentlessly."

"The message is clear," he said. "To the GRU, to the Russians, we are onto you."

In addition to the charges, the FBI and its partners on Thursday issued a cybersecurity advisory telling organizations and companies to fix known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by the GRU's Unit 21955.

The Russian Embassy in Washington has yet to respond to a VOA request for comment.

A key Ukrainian official praised the U.S. indictments and the multinational work that helped make it possible.

"This is a very vivid example of how cooperation, international joint work will and actually can facilitate in this effort to struggle with such a strong and unfortunately quite big enemy as Russia, said Ivan Kalabashkin, the deputy head of Cyber for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Kalabaskin, speaking at a cybersecurity conference in Washington Thursday, said Ukraine is suffering from between 10 and 15 major Russian cyberattacks a day, warning the threat is unlikely to diminish.

The Russians are working very thoroughly on building their offensive [cyber] capacities, he said. They are teaching their students at the university, the civil universities, how to attack systems  how to attack infrastructure.

Meanwhile, some U.S. allies announced their own plans to crack down on Russian intelligence.

Estonia on Thursday announced it has attributed a 2020 cyberattack on three of its government ministries and is seeking the arrest of three members of the GRU's Unit 21955.

"Russia's aim was to damage national computer systems, obtain sensitive information and strike a blow against our sense of security," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement.

"Estonia condemns any malign activity, including cyberactivity that threatens our institutions, our citizens and our security," Tsahkna said.

Thursday's charges by the U.S. against Russian agents are the latest in a series of measures by Washington to crack down on what it describes as Moscow's malign activity.

Earlier Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department charged a U.S. television presenter for Channel One Russia and his wife with sanctions evasion.

On Wednesday, the U.S. charged two Russian nationals employed by the Kremlin-backed RT media outlet with funneling almost $10 million to a U.S.-based media company to spread pro-Russian disinformation.

The Justice Department on Wednesday also announced the takedown of 32 internet domains linked to what officials described as a separate Russian operation aimed at influencing the U.S. presidential election.

VOAs United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
The White House is signaling an openness to blocking the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel, as a government review of the proposed takeover by the Japanese company is wrapping up.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that President Joe Biden plans to stop the deal from going forward. A White House official, insisting on anonymity to discuss the matter, did not deny the report and said Biden still needs to receive the official recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). That review could end as soon as this month.

Biden had voiced his objections to the merger, backing his supporters in the United Steelworkers union who oppose the deal. The objection carries weight as U.S. Steel is headquartered in the swing state of Pennsylvania and is a symbol of Pittsburgh's industrial might in an election year when Republicans and Democrats alike are promising more domestic manufacturing jobs.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, came out against the deal this week. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has said he would block the merger if he were still in the White House.

Stock in U.S. Steel fell roughly 17% on the news that Biden would stop the merger.

The CFIUS review process generally pertains to business issues with national security implications. U.S. Steel spokesperson Amanda Malkowski said in an email that the company had not received any update on the process and that the company sees "no national security issues associated with this transaction, as Japan is one of our most staunch allies."

"We fully expect to pursue all possible options under the law to ensure this transaction, which is best future for Pennsylvania, American steelmaking, and all of our stakeholders, closes," Malkowski said.

A spokesman representing Nippon Steel said the company had not received any updates from the federal government on the review process.

U.S. Steel on Wednesday hosted a rally in support of the acquisition. It said in a statement that without the Nippon Steel deal the company would "largely pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, putting thousands of good-paying union jobs at risk, negatively impacting numerous communities across the locations where its facilities exist, and depriving the American steel industry of an opportunity to better compete on the global stage."
The number of cholera deaths reported last year worldwide ballooned from the previous year by 71% to more than 4,000, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lamented the death toll from a disease he described as "preventable and easily treatable."

"Conflict, climate change, unsafe water and sanitation, poverty and displacement all contributed to the rise in cholera outbreaks," he added.

People can contract cholera through food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. It can spread from a person into the drinking water supply or water used to prepare or grow food.

Cholera symptoms include profuse diarrhea, vomiting, increased thirst, leg cramps and restlessness or irritability, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of cholera cases also jumped from 2022 to 2023 by 13%, WHO said, with 38% of the reported cases among children under age 5.

Last year, Africa experienced a 125% increase in cholera cases, while cases dropped 32% in the Middle East and Asia, according to the WHO report.

2023 data from 45 countries

WHO gathered its cholera statistics in 2023 from 45 countries. Forty-four countries submitted information in 2022, while 35 submitted their countries' numbers in 2021.

In this year's report, WHO said it was the first time that multiple countries had reported cholera deaths that did not happen in health facilities. The so-called community deaths, WHO said, are an indication of "serious gaps in access to treatment and the need to strengthen this area of response."

Outbreaks in 22 countries this year

In 2023, the countries that reported large cholera outbreaks, either suspected or confirmed, included Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi and Somalia. Ethiopia, Haiti, Mozambique and Zimbabwe also reported outbreaks in 2023.

The preliminary data for 2024 show that cholera outbreaks are persisting, with active outbreaks recorded in 22 countries, according to WHO.

There is a cholera vaccine, but it is made by one manufacturer who has not been able to meet the demand. Tedros has asked other companies to begin making the vaccine.

The most important treatment for cholera, according to the CDC, is rehydration therapy aimed at replacing fluids lost through diarrhea and vomiting, but WHO says its supplies are low.

WHO said the agency has asked for $50 million for its cholera response but has not received the funding. It is a need, WHO said, that "remains unmet."
MINSK, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Belarus says its airspace was violated on Thursday, according to the country's defense ministry.

"Tonight, on September 5, a fact of violation of the State border of the Republic of Belarus in the airspace, presumably by unmanned aerial vehicles, was recorded," said the ministry on its website.

According to the ministry, the country's air defense forces destroyed all intruding targets. 
Photo: Rene Nijhuis/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Rachael Raygun Gunn, the controversial Paris Olympics breaker for Australia, has given her first post-lympos interview. Speaking to Australias Channel 10 TV, Gunn said actually it was ignorance of the sport which motivated people to dunk on her so. It was really sad how much hate that it did evoke, she said. And a lot of the responses is also just due to people not being very familiar with breaking and the diversity of approaches in breaking. She described the vitriol levied against her as alarming, and maintained that she is in fact the best B girl in Australia. I think my record speaks to that, she said. I was the top-ranked Australian B girl in 2020 and 2022, and 2023.  So the record is there, but anything can happen in a battle. Anything like T-Rex arms?

Raygun said she was sorry for the backlash the community has experienced. Unfortunately, we just need some more resources in Australia for us to have a chance to be world champions, she said, adding that shed trained all year for the Olympics: I have really put my body through it, put my mind through it. But if thats not good enough for someone, what can I say?
Kathleen Chalfant is astonishing as a woman who moves to a care facility after she is no longer able to live alone. Photo: Memento Films International

By the time Ruths granddaughter muses I bet Grandma was a babe while trying on a stylish camel-colored coat the older woman left behind, Familiar Touch has given us plenty of opportunity to reach the same conclusion ourselves. Ruth, played by Kathleen Chalfant, is in her 80s and past the point in life when people use terms like that to describe you, even if she retains a translucent beauty. But its easy to see the signs that shes long been accustomed to being pursued and admired. Its there in the care she takes with her appearance when getting dressed, not to mention the playful flirtation that creeps into her voice when shes talking to a man she finds handsome. In the opening scenes of the film, the quietly wondrous feature debut of writer-director Sarah Friedland, that playful lilt creeps into Ruths voice as she has a younger man over for lunch at her sunny California house, overflowing with plants and books. How will we get along? she teases, putting her hand on his leg, after he tells her hes married and she responds that shes married, too. The man, Steve (H. Jon Benjamin, unexpectedly sweet and owl-eyed behind glasses), reacts with subdued discomfort, because as weve already guessed  but as Ruth, who has dementia, has forgotten  hes actually her son.

Movies about dementia tend to present it like something out of a horror movie, a gradual hollowing out from the inside, as seen in Still Alice and Amour, and an experience that is measured, understandably, by those watching their loved ones fade away. Certainly, as seen from Steves perspective, his mothers making a pass at him after failing to recognize him isnt a pleasant ordeal. But Familiar Touch is something more generous  an account of dementia not as an end but as a period of transition for Ruth, as she leaves her home behind for an upscale care facility called Bella Vista that, Steve reminds her, she chose herself. This information doesnt make the prospect of leaving her home painless, but Ruth approaches it with a haughty dignity that soon becomes familiar. Im not one of those elderly people you have to watch constantly, she informs Vanessa (Carolyn Michelle, exuding tolerance and warmth), the nurse who shows her around. Indeed, Ruth regards the other Bella Vista residents  many of whom are played by the actual residents of a retirement community in Los Angeles  with skepticism and at least a little disdain.

She prefers to instead think of herself as part of the staff, at one point charging into the kitchen under the impression shes doing a shift as part of her former occupation as a cook, while the staffers there indulge her (and admire her plating). Vanessa becomes a friend, and Brian (Andy McQueen), the wellness director who gives her a checkup every other week, a suitor she has to play patient for in order to see. This comforting fiction does eventually fall apart, but Familiar Touch is finely wrought enough to not present this as a comeuppance or simply a disaster. Its too deeply entwined with Ruths experiences for that, as well as the ways in which she remains very much herself even when shes no longer entirely sure whats going on. Chalfant is one of those acclaimed theater actors who has never found the same showcase for her talents onscreen, and the delicacy of what she does in this role is astounding, transmitting Ruths tumultuous state of mind without words and making us aware of the whirring of her brain as she, say, puts a slice of toast in the dish rack and then looks at it for a while, sensing that something isnt right but unable to figure out what. Friedland refuses to condescend to the characters she puts onscreen, whether its prickly, incisive Ruth or the care workers like Brian and Vanessa, whose private encounters and overheard snippets of conversation provide reminders that they are not simply smiling figures providing nurturing for people whose families can afford the convenience.

Familiar Touch can be sad, without question, but its also salty and boundlessly tender  a decisive statement that Ruths life is not over, even if she can no longer keep living it the way she did before. Unstuck from time, shes in some ways getting in touch with her own memories in a kaleidoscopic way, reliving her childhood one moment, and restored to her prime as an experienced hand with a paring knife in another. Friedlands camera is usually still, taking in what Ruth is going through with an avid openness that the film, as a whole, exudes. Its the stillness of someone who doesnt know whats going to happen next, but whos looking forward to it with more hope than fear.
Photo: Apple TV+

This article was published on September 5, 2024. At the 2024 Emmys, Slow Horses won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

There has never been a better time to get into Slow Horses.

Actually, wait, no. Thats not true. The best time to get into Slow Horses was a while ago, both because its a terrific little thriller series and because if you had started it already, then you would be all caught up for season four when it premiered this week. Also, then I would have more people to discuss Slow Horses with, which would be nice.

Im not alone on this island. The Apple TV+ show about bumbling British spies has been building steam over its first three seasons and just picked up a slew of Emmy nominations, including biggies like Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor. It feels like were approaching a tipping point where Slow Horses moves from nice show some people say is good to A Thing People Talk About. Its always fun to have one of those. Its even better when you get to be one of the insufferable people whos all, Actually, I was watching before it became a thing about it. A little pop-culture superiority can be a nice treat once in a while.

Just in case you need more convincing, though, lets tick off the main reasons this show has become such a nasty little delight.

It is, despite the title, a frenetic blast.

Based on the series of books by Mick Herron, Slow Horses follows the adventures of a group of spies who work out of Slough House, a kind of dumping ground for wayward souls who didnt hack it in the main office of MI5. Each season tracks a new case or mystery or conspiracy or a combination of all three. Things usually start out slow and escalate quickly, with stolen diamonds or detestable weasels getting comeuppance or planes carrying bombs headed for the heart of London. It is massively bingeable in the good way, not in the way that feels like empty calories. Think of 24 with a soul, and also everyone youre rooting for is kind of terrible at their job. I promise this is a compliment.

And heres the best part, if youre thinking about starting and want to catch up quick: Slow Horses follows the very British model of six-episode seasons, which means you can get through the first three in one or two lazy weekends and jump straight into the fourth as its weekly release drips out.

Gary Oldman is televisions most flatulent spy.

Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, the leader of the team at Slough House and a truly miserable and unkempt crank. Just a disaster of a human being, mean and dismissive and generally disinterested in the most basic forms of decency. He seems to delight in his cruelty sometimes, especially when it comes to his relationship with his office administrator Catherine Standish, who is almost always on the receiving end of a crack about her naivete or struggle with alcohol.

Also, I would be surprised if the character showered more than once a week. He passes gas so frequently his farts deserve their own SAG card. Hes also a great spy when he gets motivated, and hes secretly a solid team leader who is protective of his people. (Kind of.) (Sometimes.)

But the main thing is that Jackson Lamb is a great television character, a truly original creation who can probably best be described as Columbo + Scrooge + IBS. Oldman seems to be having a hoot in the role, too, which has landed him one of the shows aforementioned Emmy nominations. I hope he wins and opens his acceptance speech with a belch.

My sweet bungly boy River makes a mess of everything.

Everyone who works in Slough House is a mess. Catherine is an alcoholic who cant get her life together. Shirley is a drug addict who steals. Marcus is a gambling addict who keeps heavy artillery in his trunk. Louisa brings loser guys home and sometimes pockets valuable evidence. Roddy is an abrasive hacker dork who says things like, What would Alexander the Great do? before crashing a party bus into a house on purpose. But no one screws up quite like River Cartwright.

River, played by Jack Lowden, is the grandson of a legendary spy. He is very handsome and means well and is also maybe the dumbest man who has ever lived. He charges into situations with the confidence of a much more competent person, then finds himself in so far over his head hed need a ladder to see where he started. Its a little charming, actually, watching this man who thinks hes James Bond find out hes Mr. Bean over and over and over. In the last two seasons alone, he has been duped by one woman into storming into British intelligence headquarters in the name of gallantry and by another woman who left him incapacitated in an airplane hangar because he could not fathom that she was the mole hed been looking all along. I am very excited to see what he screws up in the fourth season. I hope he locks himself out of a nuclear submarine and it sinks to the bottom of the Thames.

Diana Taverner is a world-class schemer with an exciting new haircut.

Hey, do you like Kristin Scott Thomas? Do you want to watch a show where she is constantly using silly little men like marionettes? Maybe one where she sometimes stages a bloody intra-agency coup at MI5 that works perfectly and yet also fails completely, leaving her still stuck inside an infuriating bureaucracy and somehow more and less powerful at the same time? Perhaps one where she gets a drastic new haircut between seasons, possibly as a result of everything in the last sentence making her desperate to control ONE THING IN HER LIFE, EVEN IF ITS HER HAIR?

Of course you do. Or you should, at least. And lucky for you, thats exactly what youre getting as we roll into season four. Its a treat to watch her operate, especially when shes slicing through the water like a shark. She has all the tact and restraint that Jackson lacks, a knack for navigating a world he doesnt even want to visit, making the periodic scenes where they share the screen riveting television.

The new haircut is pretty nice, too.

Things are escalating as we head into season four.

Season three ended with two episodes of shoot-outs and double-crosses and grenades and an MI5 shake-up as a result of, well, all the shoot-outs and double-crosses and grenades. Much of this was thanks to (and despite) the actions of the sociopaths and doofuses at Slough House who unwittingly helped (and thwarted) the plot along the way. The new season opens with a suicide bombing and what appears to be a multilayered conspiratorial plot to damage the British government, all of which is actually kind of par for the course for Slow Horses. Once again, the safety of the entire country appears to be in the hands of a group of people you wouldnt trust to watch your dog for a single afternoon. Its all really very exciting.

You might as well make use of that Apple subscription now that you have it.

Apple TV+ has been on a bit of a heater lately. Its summer has been loaded with relentlessly watchable B+ shows like Presumed Innocent and Bad Monkey, the latter of which is still humming and will continue humming right through the middle of Slow Horses. Severance is back for a second season in January. Ted Lasso is coming back too, apparently. If one or all of those things were what convinced you to sign up for a subscription, then please, for the sake of stretching your dollar and extracting value from your purchase, dive into Slow Horses as soon as you can.
The Perfect Couple Happy Wedding Eve Season 1 Episode 1 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next   Previous Episode Next Episode  Photo: Seacia Pavao/Netflix

Ah, Nantucket in the summer. Sunbathers are relaxing on the beach, the whales are putting on an acrobatic show out in the Atlantic, and dead bodies are washing up on the shores of $40 million dollar cottages on the morning of very expensive, high-profile weddings. Theres just nothing like it, is there? That is exactly how we kick off things on the journey of The Perfect Couple  we are closing out the summer season in style  and possibly murder. Fun!

You want to know the exact moment I knew The Perfect Couple was right for me? That we were in for a sudsy beach read in TV form? It was the moment I saw those opening credits. A choreographed group dance number to Meghan Trainors Criminals? When you get Nicole Kidman and Liev Schrieber to gleefully perform a line dance for a show about secrets and murder, well, weve won, okay? Yeah, Nicole Kidman might be the we come to this place for magic lady but she is also a fucking Academy Award winner; The woman commits and its clear she is committing to this vibe. A vibe that says we are here to entertain. A vibe that says, Yes, someone is dead and everyone is a suspect, but we are having fun. And if thats not your particular vibe, not to be mean, but you should get off this ride.

This is all a compliment, by the way. The first episode of The Perfect Couple, based on the queen of the beach read Elin Hilderbrands novel of the same name, gives me a lot of hope that the six-episode limited series will not only be enjoyable end-of-the-summer fare, but will ultimately be a satisfying yarn. This first episode sets up the entire mystery at hand and introduces us to a truckload of characters with a whole heap of personality  and in under 60 minutes, no less.

We are gathered here today for the nuptials of Amelia Sacks, a normie zoologist, and Benjamin Benji Winbury, son of famed author Greer Garrison Winbury and trust fund DILF (so says his daughter-in-law, yes, for real) Tag Winbury. The Winburys are extremely loaded and come with all the pretentious fixings. We get a quick look at Amelia and Benjis beachside rehearsal dinner on the Winbury estate, Summerland  more expensive and elaborate than many peoples weddings  where things seem to be going along swimmingly. Were happy! The champers is flowing! The bride and groom-to-be seem excited and in love. But you never realize just how creepy the sentiment I love this woman to death is until you immediately cut from that line to blood-curdling screaming and some type of water-based struggle.

Weve got a floater, a Nantucket Deputy named Carl tells his boss, Chief of Police Dan Carter, in the wee hours of the following morning. The wedding will be called off  the investigation has begun. The episode uses the interrogations of some of the characters to dump a whole lot of exposition in a short amount of time. Theres Gosia, the Winbury housekeeper who definitely has a thing for Tag; Roger, the wedding planner, who calls the Winburys kill someone and get away with it rich; Isabel, a family friend from France who describes Greer as having a stick up her asshole; and pregnant wife of eldest Winbury son Thomas, Abby, who is quite unbothered about saying things like Gosia wants to fuck Tag so bad. I bet she rubs one out to that little baby picture of his she keeps next to her bed during a police interrogation.

Friends, I did not know I needed Dakota Fanning as a heinous rich bitch, but now I cannot believe I lived so long without Dakota Fanning as a heinous rich bitch. What a gift. Fanning plays the boundless entitlement and cutting passive aggressiveness with aplomb. Abby is the scariest of mean girls  the ones who do it all with a smile. Later, we learn that Amelias mother Karen is dying of cancer, and they moved up the wedding to the Fourth of July weekend to make sure she could be there (or, as Gosia puts it, accommodate [her] dying schedule). When Karen and Amelias father Bruce arrive at the Winbury estate, Abby greets them with a cheerful so happy we could rearrange our plans for the Fourth to be here. She is the worst and also the best.

Theres one more character currently pulled in for questioning: Amelia, in her wedding dress and in a state of complete shock after finding the body in the water. The Perfect Couple waits until the end of the episode to reveal the victim, but based on not only the characters we see during the short time we spend at the crime scene, but also the fact that really only Amelia is beside herself over the death, it wasnt much of a surprise to learn that the morning of her wedding, Amelia found her best friend and maid of honor Merritt Monaco dead in the water. Even if you guessed that big episode one reveal before it happened, it doesnt mean there isnt still a lot of mystery to mull over. We still dont know the exact cause of death  at this point, it could be some sort of accident. If Merritt was murdered, though, there is more than one motive, and there is a whole gaggle of suspects.

At the moment, two at the top of the list are for sure the titular Perfect Couple  Greer and Tag. Once we return to the morning of the rehearsal dinner to get the full story of that day, we watch Greer discover in real time that Tag is having an affair. When the jeweler delivers the rings for Benji and Amelia (it says so much about Greer that she is the one picking these out, doesnt it?), the woman asks her about the gorgeous gold bracelet with the pave diamonds that Tag bought for her. You immediately see on Greers face that not only did she never receive that bracelet, but she knows exactly what it means: Tag bought it for someone else. When Greer finds the receipt  for a cool $18,476  we get a good look at the bracelet, too. Eagle-eyed viewers, Im sure, spotted that same bracelet on Merritts wrist when she was giving her toast at the rehearsal. Perhaps Greer spotted it, too.

Just the idea of Tag having an affair serious enough to warrant such a purchase, even if she has yet to figure out who hes cheating with, is enough to throw Greer off her axis a bit. Benji walks in right after Greer finds the receipt. Hes there to talk to his mother about being nicer to Amelia. Like, if youre wondering whether or not Greer could kill a person, just watch that moment in the kitchen when Amelia takes a bite of a croissant and Greer says, Wedding dress be damned, huh? You couldve just tipped me over into a coffin at that point. So, yes, Benji is right that Greer isnt a fan of Amelia, most likely because Amelia doesnt care about keeping up appearances or acting the part of a Winbury. Greer doesnt take the accusations well, trying to explain that shes just watching out for her son  she doesnt buy that Amelia has feelings for him the way he does for her, and she wishes she would show a little more interest in being part of the family. Greer is, obviously, a woman obsessed with keeping up appearances, but her anger is kicked up a few levels due to Tags extracurriculars. She tells Benji that marriage doesnt necessarily mean devotion  something we know shes dealing with at that very moment. And if you dont think Greer could be deceptive enough to cover up a murder, its worth noting that Benji walks into that room demanding his mother try harder to be nicer to his fiancee and walks out of it telling Greer that hell get Amelia to try harder to be a part of the family.

Greer also lets her emotions come to the surface a bit when shes on the phone with her editor, Enid. Greer has a new novel coming out  shes made her name with her Dash & Dolly series of novels  and People magazine is doing a big interview with her and Tag this week. The headline will apparently be, ahem The Perfect Couple, playing up Greer and Tags 29 years of marriage and enviable love  they are the inspiration for Dash & Dolly, after all. Greer wants to lean away from that angle, but shes too deep into this idyllic picture shes painted for her adoring readers to get out of it now. All of this anger and frustration might boil over at the exact wrong time for Merritt.

And speaking of Merritt, shes kind of the opposite of Greer in most ways. Shes warm and open and free. Sure, both Abby and Isabel mention she likes to have a good time, which is definitely their code for slutty, and Abby has a heart-warming story about Merritt being a gold digger in the past, but mostly she seems like a pretty great friend. We get a poolside conversation between Amelia and Merritt the day of the rehearsal in which Amelia worries that she isnt head over heels for Benji (no one tell Greer shes right). Merritt assures her that its just cold feet but also tells her that if she wants to call this wedding off she has every right to  Merritt will back her friend up no matter what she decides. She also immediately decides that Abby is a huge bitch (true) and the gals also have a nice conversation about how Greers butthole is definitely bleached and waxed and thats just real friendship right there.

Merritt is sweet to Will, who just got dumped and definitely has a crush on Merritt. Is it a strong enough crush to get overwhelmingly jealous? She also seems quite attached to Amelia. Could their closeness bother Benji? And then theres the mysterious best man, Shooter Dival. Amelias definitely lusting over him, but does he have anything to do with what happens to Merritt? Like I said, the suspect list is a long one at the moment  its time for The Perfect Couple to start whittling it down.

Wedding Favors

 Other crime scene details: Theres a trail of blood leading to the water from two Adirondack chairs. There is one broken glass in the sand and one with a lipstick stain still sitting on one of the chairs.

 Okay, hi, hello, I am already obsessed with our police duo. Chief Carter is a man born and bred in Nantucket, and although he isnt one of them, you can tell he has experience handling the uber-wealthy lot. He certainly doesnt love the detective from out of town the DA sends in to babysit  Detective Nikki Henry. She is rough around the edges and does not give a shit. Shes here to get the job done. Although, she will admit when a donut is out of this world, shes not a monster. They have a rough start but I cannot wait until these two become a real team.

 When Chief Carter informs his teen daughter Chloe that her wedding catering gig will be canceled because someone died, she starts to freak out. It might have something to do with the bloody shirt shes hiding in her room.

 Um, couldnt Amelia have found a window to free that ladybug? Wouldve saved us all a lot of trouble.

 People getting strange phone calls and ignoring them: Greer dismisses a call from a Broderick Graham and looks rather vexed about it; Merritt gets a call from a DL and explains that its a codename for a guy she used to hook up with.

 One of my favorite details from the interrogations is when Gosia tells the police that Greer has a gift-wrapping room in her house but its Gosia who actually does all the gift wrapping, and all from her bedroom. So not only does Greer force someone else to do that job, but she still wants people to think she does it for herself.

 I dont think it can be a coincidence that we learn about Toms favorite pastime, pill roulette, in which you toss a bunch of random prescription pills together and take one at random and get an extended scene in which Karen tucks away three pills from a baggie with a caution sign on it. Lets expect that to come into play at some point, right?
HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China plans to carry out the Tianwen-3 mission through two launches around 2028, aiming to bring back samples from Mars, a Chinese space expert said on Thursday.

Liu Jizhong, chief designer of China's Mars sample-return mission, unveiled the details of the plan at the 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference in Tunxi of Huangshan City in east China's Anhui Province.

"China has retrieved the first ever samples from the far side of the moon with the Chang'e-6 mission this year. Since Mars is much farther away than the moon, it will take two launches to carry out the Mars sample-return mission due to the limited carrying capacities of our current rockets. Two Long March-5 carrier rockets will be used for the mission," Liu told Xinhua in an interview.

The primary scientific goal of the mission will be to search for signs of life. Other exploration subjects will include the Martian climate and its evolution, Martian geology and the planet's internal processes.

This mission will be very difficult and challenging, and the Chinese research team has conducted extensive preliminary studies to identify candidate locations with scientific discovery potential, Liu said.

The retrieval of samples from Mars is the most technically challenging space exploration mission since the Apollo program, and such a retrieval has never been realized, Liu said.

To meet this goal, Chinese space engineers have to tackle key tasks such as collecting samples on the Martian surface, taking off from the Red Planet, rendezvousing in the Mars orbit, and protecting the planet from contamination, Liu explained.

The entire process of the mission plan is very complex, involving 13 phases and utilizing in-situ and remote-sensing detection technologies.

Liu said that the mission will use three methods to obtain diverse samples: multi-point surface sampling, fixed-point in-depth drilling and in-flight vehicle sampling.

China will earnestly adhere to international conventions and carry out measures to safeguard both Mars and Earth, as well as the samples, from contamination during the mission, Liu said.

The Tianwen-3 mission will carry payloads developed through international cooperation, and China will collaborate with scientists from around the world to conduct joint research on Mars samples and detection data, Liu said.

In the long term, China will collaborate with other countries or research institutions around the world to complete mission and task definition, requirement analysis, conceptual research, implementation plan design and key technology breakthroughs for the construction of a research station on Mars, Liu added. 
Not surprisingly, given the fact that salmon season is in full swing, the Elochoman Marina was buzzing with activity the evening of Thursday, August 29, as folks sought to put a fresh salmon on the barbeque or in the freezer. But there was certainly more going on than just salmon fishing, at least for a few hours, as military men and women along with Gold Star families gathered at the marina pavilion for the 10th Annual Warriors and Widows Salmon Derby. A Gold Star family, for those unfamiliar with the term, is one that has experienced the loss of an immediate family member who died as a result of active-duty military service.

The brainchild of the late Bud Mickelsen, the derby, designed to honor veterans, law enforcement personnel, and first responders, was first held in 2015. Except for a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic the derby has been a tremendous success.

This year, as in years past, my wife, Julia, and I were invited to volunteer for the event, an invitation that we gladly accepted. That said, what follows is a personal account, certainly with the help of many others, of the proceedings.

Thursday evening, August 29

The organizing committee, spearheaded by locals Doug and Jill Martin, Willie Johnson, Nancy McCoy, Cecile Bamer, Rich Casapulla, Shane and Dayle Conrad, Sherrill Bollen, and a longand I do mean longlist of other folks, had everything ready to go in advance of the attendees arrival. I had the pleasure of helping register the military men and women who would be fishing the next morning, which meant I got to personally speak with each and every one of them. As the son of a U.S. Army artillery captain (Vietnam, 1965-66), I couldnt have felt more honored to shake the hands of these individuals. Beside me, Puget Islands Laura Borak handled registration for the boat captains who would be leading the assault on the river the next morning. A tip of the ole fishing cap to the 25 or 30 folks who volunteered their time, fuel, expertise, and boats in order to accommodate all.

Following a wonderful dinner catered by The Crowded Kitchen Catering Company out of Toledo, Washington, the veterans were assigned to their boats and given a chance to hob-nob with their captains prior to bunking down for the evening. Lodging for the participating veterans was graciously provided by The Hotel Cathlamet and the Elochoman Marina.

And a HUGE Thank You to Ms. Ashley Hilton of Puget Island for her wonderful, albeit baby interrupted  Inside joke!  rendition of our National Not surprisingly, given the fact that salmon season is in full swing, the Elochoman Marina was buzzing with activity the evening of Thursday, August 29, as folks sought to put a fresh salmon on the barbeque or in the freezer. But there was certainly more going on than just salmon fishing, at least for a few hours, as military men and women along with Gold Star families gathered at the marina pavilion for the 10th Annual Warriors and Widows Salmon Derby. A Gold Star family, for those unfamiliar with the term, is one that has experienced the loss of an immediate family member who died as a result of active-duty military service.

The brainchild of the late Bud Mickelsen, the derby, designed to honor veterans, law enforcement personnel, and first responders, was first held in 2015. Except for a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic the derby has been a tremendous success.

This year, as in years past, my wife, Julia, and I were invited to volunteer for the event, an invitation that we gladly accepted. That said, what follows is a personal account, certainly with the help of many others, of the proceedings.

Thursday evening, August 29

The organizing committee, spearheaded by locals Doug and Jill Martin, Willie Johnson, Nancy McCoy, Cecile Bamer, Rich Casapulla, Shane and Dayle Conrad, Sherrill Bollen, and a longand I do mean longlist of other folks, had everything ready to go in advance of the attendees arrival. I had the pleasure of helping register the military men and women who would be fishing the next morning, which meant I got to personally speak with each and every one of them. As the son of a U.S. Army artillery captain (Vietnam, 1965-66), I couldnt have felt more honored to shake the hands of these individuals. Beside me, Puget Islands Laura Borak handled registration for the boat captains who would be leading the assault on the river the next morning. A tip of the ole fishing cap to the 25 or 30 folks who volunteered their time, fuel, expertise, and boats in order to accommodate all.

Following a wonderful dinner catered by The Crowded Kitchen Catering Company out of Toledo, Washington, the veterans were assigned to their boats and given a chance to hob-nob with their captains prior to bunking down for the evening. Lodging for the participating veterans was graciously provided by The Hotel Cathlamet and the Elochoman Marina.

And a HUGE Thank You to Ms. Ashley Hilton of Puget Island for her wonderful, albeit baby interrupted  Inside joke!  rendition of our National Anthem. It was, truly, one of the finest Ive heard presented anywhere.

Friday morning, August 30

The morning was clear. Still. A little fog. Perfect. I wasnt surprised to find the hive buzzing around the coffee pot and the boxes upon boxes of Heavenly Donuts on the table. Thank you, Ladies, for the maple bars! It was quiet, as captains sat under the glow of multiple LEDs readying gear and warming up four-stroke outboards. Myself, Id been asked to deckhand for our good friend and former New Jersey pin-setter, Rich Casapulla, and I jumped at the chance to spend the morning with the U.S. Army veteran, expert salmon fisherman, and maker of the finest pumpkin bread on the planet.

Our angler  our veteran  was U.S. Army (retired) field artillery sergeant, Floyd Cunningham. An experienced fisherman with a penchant for everything sturgeon, Cunningham provided me with an opportunity to stand and listen to, for lack of a better phrase, what made him tick. Looking back at my notes

Cunningham grew up in Indianapolis, and lives in Vancouver now with his wife, Celeste, with whom hes been married 32 years, and their 16-year-old daughter, Skai, both of whom he was obviously insanely proud of. Shes a straight A student, he boasted of his daughter. Plays lineman. Is a second degree black belt in jiu jitsu. Shes my lifeline. Cunninghams resume was most interesting. Fifteen year U.S. Army vet. Assistant pastor. Ford assembly line. And finally, a Ford parts place, he called it, on Marine Drive in Portland.

He was a lot of things, Cunningham was, I learned as I listened to him and Casapulla talk, including, Id discover, pretty darn good with a fishing pole, handling onetwothree big kings from start to finish and making it look like something he did every day, all day. Done, our captain said, as we made ready to make the run back upriver to the marina. Casapulla smiled. Cunningham grinned and called Celeste to tell her the news. Bloody and covered in scales, I felt damn good myself.

A long story short

Back at the weigh-in, Cunninghams biggest, a wide-shouldered 15.56-pound beauty, would land him in second place overall, a pound shy of the leader, veteran Amais Grant, and his 16.84-pound king. Grant was captained by Mr. Mike Nelson, who himself tagged a dandy 10-pound chinook. All 15 of the veterans caught fish, averaging a healthy 12 pounds give or take.

On the first responder/law enforcement side of The Big White Board, it was District 4 firefighter James Smith, captained by Fred Hoven, who walked away with first place with his 14.97 pound chinook.

The event culminated with an excellent lunch catered by Cathlamets own, Marias Place Mexican Restaurant, the collective rubbing of full bellies, awards, thank yous, and, ultimately, goodbyes.

From the folks who made it happen

The marina pavilion was quiet. The tables and chairs are gone. As Jackson Browne sang, Let the roadies take the stage. Pack it up and tear it down. Theyre the first to come and the last to leave. But its true. Its quiet. Empty. A low murmur here and there. Its now I had a chance to stop Dr. Doug Martin and his wife, Jill, committee chair-people for the event, and talk logistics: the behind the scenes, the appreciation, the community support, and how and why events like the Warriors and Widows benefit all those who participate from roadies like me, to the men and women who run the skiffs, organize the event, sponsors, friends, families, and all those who support the effort.

Martin has been involved at some level since the derbys inception in 2015. Today, he holds a seat on the board of what he refers to as the Warriors and Widows Foundation, but hes quick to point out hes far from a one-man show. Im, I guess youd say, the operations portion for the group. Theres another person (Willie Johnson) whos more involved with the fundraising, and we have a group (lead by Nancy McCoy) that handles the food service. We have a good core group, Martin continued. It has taken a while to figure out how to make things work smoothly, but were getting there. Every year, the event seems to flow a little better. And now that we have the systems down, I think its time to reach out and get a bigger group of volunteers. We need to train our successors in order to ensure the organization continues on.

And so heres a shameless plug. If youd like to get involved with this event, which I would strongly suggest you do if you have the time, youre welcome to contact Dr. Doug Martin via text at 360-751-4497 or by email at dr.doug@live.com. Theres something for everyone to do. Its a neat opportunity for people to not only give, but to receive as well, Martin said. I see all these captains giving of themselves and their time. I was talking to one of the veterans, and he compared the event to the act of paying it forward. He came and experienced this, and now he wants to get involved.

Everybody brings something to the table, said Jill Martin. I would say this year, we had more volunteers in great positions. Its nice when you have people available just to go and talk with passerby in the marina who are simply curious as to whats going on. But yes, theres a role (here) for everyone. If you can drive a boat. If you know how to fish. If you want to touch a fish, she laughed. Theres a role for kids. Kids can help hand out t-shirts. We had a young person drawing the (awards) names. I think its great that we have kids involved.

An event such as this, the Martins reminded me, would be impossible without the help and support of the community, the sponsors, and the almost infinite list of folks who give. And give. And give. We really couldnt do any of this without our sponsors, Doug said. We have the hotel rooms donated. Big or small, all of our donors are vital, and it all adds up to the whole event. We greatly appreciate whatever can be given. We have folks who provide merchandise. Who provide meals. We have financial donors. And the people who donate their time. No one sponsor or donor is more important than another.

Martin, and Im sure the whole of the event organizational staff, the captains, the food service providers, the volunteers, and the community, summarized the concept of the Warriors and Widows Salmon Derby, past, present, and future, with these simple, yet heartfelt words. A lot of the veterans were coming up to me and thanking me for all this stuff. And it strikes me that we appreciate so much what theyve done and what theyve sacrificed for our country. Here they are coming up and thanking us. Its amazing to me the character of these people. Theyre not entitled. They feel very grateful, and what strikes me most is the quality of these people. And thats what keeps us doing this. They deserve it.
Sangiuliano admits affair in tearful TV apology.

Italy's premier Giorgia Meloni has rejected the resignation of embattled culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano amid a controversy over a failed attempt to hire his lover as a ministry advisor.

In a tearful TV interview with state broadcaster RAI on Wednesday night, Sangiuliano admitted having an affair with social media influencer and fashion entrepreneur Maria Rosaria Boccia.

Sangiuliano, 62, said that he revoked Boccia's appointment as a ministerial advisor for major events to avoid a conflict of interest due to their romantic relationship.

The minister reiterated that no public money was spent on expenses related to Boccia's participation at official events and that she had no access to confidential documents.

Sangiuliano insisted that he paid personally for all trips and overnight stays for Boccia, 41, who was photographed accompanying the minister to multiple events around Italy over the summer.

During the 15-minute TV interview, Sangiuliano waved around documents which allegedly proved he had picked up the bill for all Boccia's expenses, claiming: "I am not blackmailable".

The emotional minister apologised to the prime minister and the entire government "for the embarrassment", to his colleagues, but above all to his wife who he described as "an exceptional person".

Sangiuliano: "Chiedo scusa a mia moglie. Poi a Meloni che mi ha dato fiducia per l'imbarazzo" pic.twitter.com/NvrRRArGl2  Il Grande Flagello (@grande_flagello) September 4, 2024

The controversy erupted last week when Boccia publicly thanked Sangiuliano for appointing her as an advisor for major events, a claim denied by the minister who said his ministry never gave her "a euro, not even a coffee".

Sangiuliano said that Boccia had never taken part in operational meetings in relation to an upcoming G7 culture summit in Pompeii or that she had access to classified documents, claims rejected by Boccia.

Despite growing calls for him to stand down, Sangiuliano survived a meeting with Meloni on Tuesday during which he "reiterated the truth" of the statements he gave to La Stampa.

Boccia responded by sharing a screenshot of an email from the minister's secretary with airline boarding passes for "Sangiuliano/Boccia flights" along with a recording of her phonecall with a culture ministry official regarding her "appointment as advisor to the minister for major events".

Following Sangiuliano's TV interview, the opposition continued to call for his resignation, with former premier Matteo Renzi saying the minister "has become the laughing stock of the country".
By Cillian Sherlock, PA, in Kyiv

Ireland should be increasing support for a UN agency training mine clearance specialists in Ukraine, according to an Irish expert.

David McMahon, head of the mine action unit at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), started working in the area of demining in Cambodia during the early 1990s.

UNOPS is tasked with delivering a variety of projects for other UN agencies around the world, including the Mine Action Service.

In Ukraine, UNOPS is primarily working on improving the states capacity to carry out demining.

Its operations in the region are funded by France, the UN Development Project and the Netherlands.

Since hostilities in 2014, Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

The National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) estimates that more than a third of Ukrainian territory is potentially contaminated with explosive ordnance as a result of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Mr McMahon said land mines are being used by both Ukraine and Russia in the conflict.

Based on data collected and on prior land release in 2023, the World Bank says the current total costs for the clearance of explosive ordnance across Ukraine are an estimated 34.6 billion dollars.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says that as of January 15th this year, there were 339 civilian victims of mines and explosive remnants of war and 757 people were injured.

Clearing explosive hazards will be a prerequisite to the return of safe living in Ukraine after the war.

Mr McMahon, who also has experience in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Georgia and Sudan, said: At the moment, we are training and equipping the bomb squad of the Ukrainian national police.

They have 350 men and women that are out clearing munitions, clearing IEDs, clearing devices.

They plan to scale up to about 1,500 personnel over the next year, and were helping them with that.

UNOPS is also training Ukraines state transport service, a specialist unit of the defence ministry tasked with protection and construction of the national transportation system.

Mr McMahon said UNOPS is helping train and equip up to 480 deminers.

He said UNOPS works on humanitarian sites in areas of Ukraine which have been retaken from the Russian military and does not work within 20 kilometres of the frontline.

Asked about the scale of the task to clear mines and other explosives from all of Ukraine, Mr McMahon said the process will take years.

Mr McMahon, based in Kyiv, also said there is a huge requirement for prosthetics and orthotics due to injuries from mines and other explosives.

There are world-class centres here but the scale of the problem is huge, its absolutely massive.

Asked how demining has changed since he began in the early 1990s, Mr McMahon said the process in Cambodia relied on mass numbers of people, interviewing local residents about the contamination and carrying out a technical survey of the land.

He said equipment and processes around mine action have drastically improved.

Drone technology has advanced greatly, artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced greatly. Were using dogs, were using big tiller machines, were using IED robots  theres a whole plethora of things.

He said there are algorithms which can look at patterns in satellite photos of land and determine they are clear, for example if a field had been cultivated since hostilities ceased.

However, Mr McMahon cautioned: The problem here is the scale  which is just massive.

A further issue is a shortage of personnel for demining, due to the large numbers killed or fighting in the war as well as those displaced by the conflict.

Asked what the Government could do to support UNOPS, Mr McMahon said: Ireland has world-class training facilities with the Irish Defences Forces. You cannot send people in here, however we can send people to Ireland for training.

As a neutral state, Ireland does not support offensive military operations. However, we (UNOPS) work with the national police, we work with non-combatants. Everything we do is humanitarian and neutral.

The Irish Defence Forces has been at the forefront of writing IED doctrine for the UN, thats used in Somalia and Mali and elsewhere.

Here in Ukraine, we have an IED problem and Ireland could really help with that.

Mr McMahon argued that it would be more sustainable for Ireland to deal with the Ukrainian state in the area of demining, rather than NGOs.

He called for Ireland to support the training of the Ukrainian polices bomb squad.

He also suggested Ireland could be involved in the production or procurement of required IED robots in Ukraine.

This will be an intergenerational problem, he said.
Vivienne Clarke

The former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, is urging people to come forward and report incidents of abuse.

He also said he feared the numbers could have been underestimated.

In an interview on RTE radios Today with Claire Byrne show, Dr Martin said that when he was Archbishop he simply had to throw the files on the ground when he read upsetting reports.

I'm extraordinarily struck by the numbers in the special schools. I think that sexual abuse of particularly vulnerable children is very shocking and that the second thing is that the numbers are very high.

"For example, if you look at the three paying schools, one of the reasons for this is that I think most people may have thought this scoping inquiry was primarily about those schools. And this would mean, I think, that the numbers regarding other schools is probably under underestimated and probably higher.

Dr Martin added that he had been pleased to see a garda statement asking people to come forward. I think if people realised they would have a safe and friendly reception, they would come forward. And the more we learn about this, I think in the long term it's better.

One of the most important aspects of any inquiry was to examine the area of safeguarding, he said.

Sexual abusers don't abuse small children because they're sexually starved. They're only interested in abusing small children.

The moving of known abusers was something that he found very hard to stomach.

While he dealt with many fires over the years, the people for whom he had the highest regard were poor, ordinary working-class women who came to my predecessors and said to them, I would not like any other child to have to go through what my child did, and they were not listened to.

They were never going to send their children to fee-paying schools, but they knew what it meant to abuse a child.

The damage from abuse was more than the actual physical or sexual abuse, he said.

It takes away the entire self-esteem of a child. The abuser is actually saying to a child, I could do anything I like with you, you are worthless. And that's the thing that drags right throughout their life.

"And then the sexual abuse of a child isn't, doesn't just damage the child, it damages parents, spouses, generations, children. It's an extraordinary thing. The numbers and the incidences are frightening. But the reality is much greater, thats the sad thing.

Great damage had been caused by some orders who took decisions to safeguard their own institution, he said.

Not only did they do immense damage to children, they also damaged the good name of the backbone of their own institutions, which are their own brothers, sisters who do good work and were blameless in the law.

Dr Martin said he believed one way forward was for the government to establish a lead public government figure to take charge of the issue.

The Irish government is not too good at joined up thinking, and we should have some person, some senior person in government who says I will stand up, carry the flag and take responsibility to explain where we are, where progress is being made, where the obstacles are, that people can turn to them.

This was not to absolve religious orders of responsibility, but the lead had to come from the state, who could ensure that the orders carry out their responsibilities.
MANILA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Thursday that it has launched a new six-year country partnership strategy designed to ensure that the Philippines' growth is sustained, inclusive, and resilient in the face of climate challenges.

Spanning from 2024 to 2029, the strategy will focus on addressing the country's critical development needs and bolstering support in three key areas: human development, economic competitiveness and quality infrastructure, as well as nature-based development and disaster resilience, the Manila-based bank said in a press release.

Crosscutting initiatives that promote digital transformation, gender equality, and improved governance and institutional capacity are integral to the strategy, ensuring a holistic approach to development, it added.

"This new strategy will further a flourishing collaboration to support the country in achieving a prosperous future that leaves no one behind, particularly as it faces the dual challenges of accelerating economic growth and addressing persistent poverty and income inequalities," said ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran.

To help the Philippines remain on its growth trajectory, the ADB, under the new strategy, will intensify support for initiatives that benefit low-income households, promote regional economic growth corridors through flagship infrastructure investments, and shift focus to emerging sectors like clean energy, blue economy, and nature-based investments.

Under the new country partnership strategy, the ADB said it will also catalyze private sector-led development by supporting policy and regulatory reforms, strengthening markets and investment pipelines, and expanding funding availability. 
Rescue services were tasked to a popular mountain lake in County Waterford after receiving reports that a hiker had suffered an injury after a fall.

The incident occurred at Coumshingaun Lough on Saturday, August 31, with South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association (SEMRA) receiving the report at around 3pm that day.

Outlining details of the incident online, the organisation said team members and vehicles responded to Kilclooney woods and began carrying the stretcher and equipment up the hill to the where the casualty was located on a ridge.

However, as the rescuers were making their way up the incline, SEMRA's Incident Manager at Kilclooney was approached by a group of walkers as one of their group was missing and they were unable to make contact.

Because it looked like the members would have to carry out a search in addition to a rescue operation the decision was made to contact the Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 117, for assistance.

"We are very grateful for their help today, especially when they were so busy themselves and came to us after completing a tasking at sea," stated the organisation in its online post.

"SEMRA members at the casualty site prepared the casualty and assisted the other members of the group and provided hi-line assistance for R117," stated SEMRA.

The Rescue 117 helicopter was tasked to the scene near Coumshingaun Lough. Pic: South Eastern Mountain Rescue Association

In the meantime, the missing walker turned up safe and well which was a huge relief to all. The Search and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland) had just been contacted to provide assistance for the search.

The casualty was brought to Waterford airport by R117 and then transferred to University Hospital Waterford by the National Ambulance Service.

Meanwhile, SEMRA members walked the rest of the group safely the hill and the operation was stood down at 7.50pm, when everyone was safely down and accounted for.

"We would like to thank Garda Ciaran Kenrick, for his outstanding help," stated SEMRA.

"He carried equipment up the hill and directed walkers away from the casualty site to keep the area clear for R117, he was brilliant."
Sinn Fein proposals will fix school transport chaos currently ongoing in County Waterford.

That's the view of Waterford City & County Councillor, Conor McGuinness, who told Waterford News & Star that his party's policy document on reform of the school transport system will "fix the chaos" that families across Waterford are facing.

The plan, which was launched by Sinn Fein education spokesperson, Sorca Clarke TD, sets out how the party would expand school transport and deliver an additional 100,000 school bus places, which Cllr McGuinness said would benefit students and their parents, as well as reduce traffic congestion.

Speaking on the matter in Dungarvan, Cllr McGuinness said: "Sinn Fein has just launched a comprehensive plan to reform school transport and ensure that it works for students and their parents. This would involve an investment of more than 250 million. Our plan would expand school transport and deliver an additional 100,000 school bus places. It would expand the eligibility criteria for mainstream school transport and build capacity in the school transport system."

He said the investment would be provided to meet the projected increase in demand for SEN transport services, to ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are met.

Crucially, our plan keeps the current payment rates to ensure affordability for families at a time when money is already stretched for so many," said Cllr McGuinness.

"Government have overseen a school transport system that is chaotic and not fit for purpose," he added.

"It does not meet the needs of students and their families."

He also referred to a protest that took place recently in Ardmore, in Co Waterford, where a campaign for a public school bus is ongoing while commenting that in other areas parents are left in limbo or forced to take on the expense of a private service.

This week, schools have already started back and many communities have been left without their school bus service," he said.

"Some communities have no school transport options at all, meaning students are left entirely in the lurch," he added. "This means some families are faced with forking out 50 per student, per week, for private transport which is totally unaffordable."

The Sinn Fein General Election candidate said each year families face school transport chaos and confusion and that many families are "at their wits end".

Sinn Feins plan sets out how a better, fairer and more sustainable way is possible," he said.

"I am calling on the Government to listen to Sinn Feins proposals and to act," he added.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein spokesperson on Disability, Pauline Tully TD, said: All children should be able to travel to school comfortably and safely. No child should feel left behind or treated as an afterthought by Government. Sinn Fein are committed to providing the investment needed to match the projected demand for Special Educational Needs transport services in Government."

"We support the integration of SEN pupils within mainstream transport services where this is appropriate and the preference of pupils families," she said.

"Sinn Feins plan will ensure families of all pupils can look to the future with certainty and plan ahead.
The Winterval elves are busy getting prepared for the biggest Christmas festival in Europe, and they want everybody in the Deise to know about it.

This year will see the 12th outing of Winterval, the massively popular Christmas extravaganza that takes over Waterford from mid-November until Christmas Day.

Waterford was crowned European City of Christmas 2024, after the huge success of Winterval last year.

While we here at the Waterford News & Star try to observe Spooky Season first (especially the Hill at Halloween), the elves could not be ignored, bartered or reasoned with.

More events have yet to be announced, but already the festival schedule has something for everyone. Festival Directors John Grubb and Trevor Darmody have created a thrilling line-up that will delight attendees and capture the spirit of the Yuletide.

They've made their arrangements with Santa so that on Friday, November 15, the big man himself will be in Waterford City to switch on the Christmas lights with a little help from Mayor of Waterford City and County Council Jason Murphy.

Afterwards, Santa will take up his post at the brand new Winterval Grotto in the 12th Century medieval undercrofts in Waterford City. Santa will be at the Grotto to welcome visitors until December 23, when he has to go back to the North Pole for some pressing business.

The Winterval Ice Rink, Fair Ground on the Quayside and the Winterval Illuminates Lightshow will also be returning this year.

Australian comedy troupe Dummies Corp will be performing their unhinged slapstick comedy throughout the festival. The group are bringing their show 'Trash Test Dummies' to Garter Lane for audiences of all ages.

The show opens at Garter Lane on Friday, November 15, and will run for six weekends, finishing on Sunday, December 22. The show time pattern would be one show on Fridays at 7pm, and two shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm and 4:30pm.

To find out more about events and tickets go to winterval.ie. Tickets to Santas Grotto at Winterval went on sale from Wednesday, September 4.
At this time of the year when the first round CAO offers come out for college places, the thoughts of anyone in Waterford interested in the third-level future of the city might turn to the late Ollie Clery.

For 20 years between 1985 and 2005 as secretary of the Waterford University Action Group he spent an inordinate amount of his time and probably an uncountable amount of his own money pushing the idea of a university for Waterford.

He beat the drum continuously and metaphorically beat a lot of our politicians as well to drive home the idea that Waterford city was entitled to the same investment and the same facilities as other cities in the country.

For some reason, this idea of equity was not accepted by some of our political representatives, who thought that we should be satisfied with our lot.

Ollie had worked in other parts of the country and never accepted us being treated as second-class citizens.

He had seen first-hand the huge contribution university status made to places and he knew that this status was the vital missing link in Waterford.

He often said that everything was connected to everything else, that a successful Waterford university and third-level education product would attract industry and business but would also help develop our acute medical sector.

At its most basic, if it came to a competition for investment between Waterford and Galway, the university in Galway would be the deciding factor.

Ollie knew from his business experience that educating and retaining young people in Waterford was vital to the prosperity, economic and social success of the city. None was more delighted than he when WRTC was upgraded to WIT.

The progress of the college seemed inexorable, driven by a raft of great people with a vision for the future of the city who hoped to halt the brain drain.

As Waterford welcomes 9,000 students to SETU, bringing vital life to the citys economy and cultural scene, Ollie would want to wish them well in their studies.

The college works very well for students. Quality of learning is broadly the same as any of Irelands universities and is audited by QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland), the state agency responsible for promoting the quality, integrity and reputation of Ireland's further and higher education system.

It is cheaper to live at home and/ or commute, as well as more socially balanced, not having to leave your family at 18 to live in Dublin, Limerick or Cork. Younger students are perhaps less likely to go off the rails from partying too much. And, remember, Waterford city won the Irish Times award as the best place to live in Ireland in 2021 and this is testament to quality of life and facilities.

As an aside, it was reported nationally that Waterford with Galway is one of only two places in Ireland with the proper quota of medical GPs in practice. As is its default, the Irish Times high-tailed it to Galway to find out why.

The answer about the importance of quality of life came back.

We could easily make the same argument here, but tend to be reserved about saying anything perceived as boastful. Something in the Viking or Scandinavian blood?

It is important to reflect that the fruits of the TU have yet to arrive in Waterford. Despite the 2011 Fine Gael promise of full university to halt the brain drain, WIT/SETU is still the same size, no new courses, buildings or disciplines.

Vet and pharma curses are still being sat on by the Department.

Last week, a meeting in Kildalton, Co. Kilkenny, was held to acquaint regional Oireachtas members with the excellent facilities and work there.

WIT has a long and fruitful relationship with Teagasc and was promised last year by then Minister for Further Education Harris that the proposed new veterinary college would be established in Kildalton to underpin the new SETU in a region with no alternative national university.

However, with the new minister and junior ministers for further education being both from Limerick, a biased political decision on the location looks possible.

People in Kilkenny have lobbied for third-level facilities. Now is their chance to support that aim with the development of veterinary courses in Piltown.

It has to be hammered home, despite a disgraceful wait since 2009, that the PPP development of the proposed new Engineering Building is still not done. Taoiseach Harris talks about getting it done, Marc OCathasaigh TD talks about laying an egg. Matt Shanahan hardly believes anything that Simon Harris promises. Senator John Cummins has assured us from the very start of the SETU proposal that everything is in hand. It obviously is not.

David Cullinane has exorcised the very word Waterford from his vocabulary lest it interfere with his partys electoral ambitions, while Minister Mary Butler is ineffectual, silent on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, in recent months, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick ODonovan has officially opened three new major education facilities in Sligo. The projects, delivered at a cost of 37 million, include: an 18 million 4,000sqm extension to the EO1 Building in Atlantic Technological University (ATU) to deliver cutting-edge teaching and research facilities, a 17 refurbishment of Blocks K and L in ATU to offer improved facilities to the Faculty of Engineering and Design, as well as a new building in Sligo College of Further Education to deliver enhanced learning in IT, Health, Care, Business, Law and Engineering for 500 students.

In our case, the brownfield crystal site has been bought (4m) but development proposals, other than those of the Frisby-led private sector, are still pipe dreams.

Promised investment simply has not come. The new lecturers' contracts, professorial staff, SETU borrowing legislation and student accommodation are all still promised, still un-progressed and still on the long finger. Fine Gael has dramatically failed Waterford.

While the university of scale for Waterford and its accompanying investment, promised so often by Fine Gael, particularly by Taoiseach Simon Harris, seems as remote as ever, we cannot let that take from the new energy, vitality and craic that young people, who are starting their SETU journey, bring to Waterford. We wish them all well.
By Katie Dickinson, David Young and Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Stormont ministers have finally agreed a draft programme for government in the North.

Ministers signed off on the delayed blueprint when they met at Stormont Castle on Thursday morning.

It will not be officially published until Monday as protocol dictates that it should be presented to MLAs in the Assembly first.

It will then be subject to an eight-week public consultation exercise.

The programme for government will set out the priorities for the devolved powersharing Executive for the remaining two-and-a-half years of the Assembly term.

First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill, deputy First Minister and DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly, Justice Minister and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and Health Minister and UUP leader-elect Mike Nesbitt spoke to reporters at a press conference on Thursday following the agreement.

When asked why it had taken so long to get to this point, Ms ONeill said she was proud of the Executive coming together in a holistic way to address the fact that public services in the North are at a crisis point.

She said the four parties had done a lot of work over many areas but coming together to form a programme of government was complex.

Ms ONeill said the government was content for the public to judge us in terms of delivery.

Ms Little-Pengelly said there would always be differences between parties but the programme was a piece of compromise that does not reflect the agenda of one particular faction.

Asked whether there was a risk the programme was simply a wish list, Ms ONeill said: I think we all recognise that we are bringing forward a programme for government in a very difficult financial circumstance.

We all equally recognise that since we have a new government in London, that Labour are continuing with a policy of austerity which makes it a very challenging environment for us all to operate, but this is a very scalable programme for government.

Weve identified our immediate priorities. Weve also laid the groundwork to do more things tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after so its very much about immediate priorities and then also what we can do tomorrow around health, education, justice, safer communities, particularly given the summer that weve been in.

Ms ONeill added: None of us are naive, we know how challenging this is.

She said the battle for additional finances is top of our agenda.

The priorities within the programme for government include cutting health waiting times (PA)

Ms Little-Pengelly said that despite the difficult budget situation, the programme aims to improve lives for people in Northern Ireland in meaningful ways.

The DUP politician said there are nine priorities within the programme for government at Stormont:

To grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy

Deliver affordable childcare

Cut health waiting times

Ending violence against women and girls

Better support for children and young people with special educational needs

Provide more social, affordable and sustainable housing

Safer communities

Protect Lough Neagh and the environment

Reform and transformation of public services

The deputy First Minister said: Those of us in government have a responsibility to lead, a responsibility to listen and a responsibility to act and, despite the difficult budget situation, we can still improve lives in a meaningful way by focusing on a small number of prioritised actions that will make a real difference.

We have clearly set out in our programme for government the priorities for the remainder of this term, and well use the next number of weeks to engage with people right throughout Northern Ireland about our plan.

We genuinely want to hear from people about how we can act to improve lives for the better.

At Thursdays meeting, ministers also agreed a strategy and action plan aimed at tackling violence against women and girls and a three-year action plan for a domestic and sexual abuse strategy.

The Executive also extended the work of a programme designed to tackle paramilitarism and organised crime for a further three years.

Justice minister Ms Long said no-one in the Executive underestimated the challenge the administration was facing in the remaining years of the mandate.

It is not an exhaustive list of everything that this Executive will do, she added.

There will be many ordinary pieces of work that we do, our legislative programme and many other pieces of work that we do which will lie outside of it.

But what it does is prioritise certain aspects of the work of the Executive, particularly those elements that are cross-cutting.

It also will not all be able to be delivered in one go. It will be very much dependent on our financial situation. But it is scalable and it is realistic and I believe that it is positive.

Mr Nesbitt said it was important that the programme for government, once finalised, was closely linked to the allocations made in Stormonts budget.

There are huge challenges for health, but there are huge challenges for every minister and every department, he said.

And what is devolution about, if its not about four people, like the four people youre looking at, coming together, forming relationships and doing their best in terms of better outcomes for the people we serve.

SDLP leader of the Opposition Matthew OToole holds his partys alternative programme for government, which will be published on Monday (David Young/PA).

Leader of the Stormont opposition, SDLP MLA Matthew OToole, said the public was still none the wiser as to what the draft programme for government actually contained.

The SDLP will publish an alternative strategy when the Assembly returns on Monday, titled A Plan for Change, which it insists contains clear targets and goals.

Once again, the Executive has proved adept at PR but deficient at clarity or delivery, said Mr OToole.

Todays announcement contained no specific targets or actions but rather a press conference in which Executive parties patted one another on the back for agreeing on broad aspirations.

The public might have expected more clarity not just on vague aspiration but what exactly the Executive intends to do, how and when. What is the target for reducing waiting lists, how will that target be achieved and when can patients expect to see meaningful improvements in the failing health service.

Until the Executive gets into this level of detail and clarity, after years of collapse and dysfunction, they cannot expect the public to trust this as-yet-unpublished programme for government, they cannot expect to be hailed as heroes for simply agreeing vague aspirations.

Less waffle, more delivery is needed.
Veteran broadcast journalist Janine Perrett will fill in for Paul Barry in the Media Watch hot seat this month as the ABC continues its search for the programs next permanent host.

Perrett, who has filled in for Barry twice before, will host three episodes  starting September 16  while hes on leave. While this latest stint is not a formal audition, Perrett is widely considered a top contender to replace Barry.

Barry, who will host the show until the end of the year, confirmed his departure in June. The ABC has yet to settle on a permanent replacement for the high-rating 15-minute weekly slot but has made a number of informal approaches, internal and external, to high-profile journalists.

Janine Perrett will stand in for Paul Barry for three weeks. Credit: ABC

Externally, the ABCs early approaches included sounding out the former editor of The Age, Gay Alcorn, The Sydney Morning Heralds chief investigative reporter, Kate McClymont, and former Four Corners and 7.30 executive producer Sally Neighbour.
Loading Burberry, Gucci and Estee Lauder are just some of the luxury names whose profits have suffered because of faltering Chinese demand. But the shift away from Western brands only scratches the surface of the changes taking hold in the worlds second-largest economy. Growth is slowing. Money is tight. And trade tensions are flaring. China grew 4.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, slower than the 5.1 per cent predicted by economists as nervous foreign investors pulled a record 12 billion ($23.4 billion) out of the country over the same period, in a blow to President Xi Jinping. The four Ds

Some fear the worlds factory is now in overdrive as shrinking profits force producers to ramp up output just to get enough cash to service their debts. Zongyuan Zoe Liu, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, believes China is at risk of being sucked into a doom loop of falling prices, factory closures and job losses that will leave it facing a Japanese-style lost decade. She believes Chinas problems have long been rooted in the four Ds  debt, demand, demographics and decoupling from the rest of the world. Liu highlights government data that shows a third of Chinese vehicle manufacturers were unprofitable in May. Cars are getting cheaper quickly: the average electric vehicle produced by Chinese giant BYD now costs 20 per cent less than a year ago. Prices across the economy were shrinking at the end of 2023 and have only just started rising again, climbing 0.5 per cent in July from a year ago.

Most economists would describe a temporary fall in prices as an effective tax cut. However, Liu points out that the drop has been accompanied by weak incomes. Household income growth has basically stagnated, she says. Chinas consumers are starting to turn away from luxury brands. Credit: Getty Combine that with the property market crash, and the fact that most peoples wealth is tied up in their house, and its clear this has not been good for motivating consumption. Tina Wu, a 27-year-old PhD student living in Beijing, says the post-pandemic jobs landscape is tough.

Its not very easy for young people to find well-paying jobs due to the impact of the pandemic, she says. Many companies have reduced salaries. Wu, who used to work as a designer in a government architecture firm before returning to university, remains upbeat about the future. Im optimistic that in three to five years, the job market will recover and be thriving again, she says. Not everybody is as upbeat as Wu. Ben Cavender, managing director at China Market Research Group says it is clear that Chinese consumers have been tightening their belts.

Loading Consumer confidence is low right now, and if anything getting lower, says Cavender, who is based in Pudong, near Shanghai. There is a lot of dismay that not much has been done by the government to improve job prospects or salaries, and people are still very worried about future job cuts and a lack of rebound in the housing market. This is especially true for younger consumers. I think the feeling on the ground in Shanghai is that the economy is slow, I know very few business owners who are happy right now. Cavender adds that many are keeping their options open. The wealthier Chinese that I know are also still quite intent on getting their kids out of the country for education and green card purposes just as a hedge.

The sense is that it will be a couple of years before things truly get better. The Guochao trend They called it the Guochao trend. Literally translated as national wave, Chinas Gen Z have been shifting their purchases towards local brands that reflect national pride. Chinese brands took advantage of COVID to become much better at brand positioning and marketing, and can be as competitive or more competitive than foreign brands now in a lot of categories, says Cavender. However, this switch also masks a new frugality. Retail sales growth has struggled, and is now close to its lowest level since the country emerged from lockdowns.

Foreign investors pulled a record 12 billion ($23.4 billion) out of the country. Credit: AP Trading down is still very much a topic at hand, says Cavender. The luxury space is a good example of that. Consumers are tending to either allocate their spending up to the most premium brands or are trading down towards premium athleisure. This is partly why we see brands like Gucci struggling so much at the moment. Gen Z youngsters such as Tina Wu are keen to make up for lost time. Life in Beijing has returned to how it was before the pandemic  busy, crowded, and full of energy, she says.

Loading Im actually spending more money now than during the pandemic. Im going out more for shopping, dining and social activities, which has increased my expenses. During the pandemic, I mostly stayed at home, so my spending was much lower. While Cavender says the mood around him is more downbeat, life goes on. China is still China, he says. So very convenient daily life, lots of technology, safe and getting cleaner by the day.

Shanghais streets are much quieter than they used to be. Not because of the scars of lockdown, but simply because the diesel and petrol vehicles that used to whizz around the city have been replaced by the quiet whirr of thousands of electric cars and scooters. Andy Xie, former Morgan Stanley chief Asia economist, says life for most people is back to normal. However, he says many who used to work in Chinas $US3 trillion ($4.4 trillion) shadow banking industry are hurting. The era of cheap money has gone. The industry, which has fuelled the explosive credit growth in recent years, has enabled an easier flow of credit to small and medium enterprises. Much of this money was invested in the property market, which is now on its knees. Regulators continue their crackdown on the sector.

All these people who worked in finance wanted to create the types of profits that would allow them to live like a banker from Goldman Sachs, Xie says. But what were seeing in China is the froth in the system with this property bubble really dissipating. Xie says the speculators in China have been forced to adjust their lifestyles the most. The economy going forward will be very different, he says. The easy money is gone. And without easy money, youre not going to go out and buy a Ferrari.

Beyond China International tensions are another worry. Donald Trump has already vowed to escalate its trade war with China if he returns to the White House next year, while Kamala Harris said this week that as president she would ensure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century. Lun, who is currently in the US on a business trip, says many Chinese bosses remain worried about what the future holds. I see companies that used to export to Europe and America shifting their focus to domestic sales and export to other developing countries, he says. The concerns about future trade wars have made lots of Western buyers wary, adding to the problems of softening sales in those traditional markets. The buyers I deal with worry about tariffs, but thats out of our control.

However, he also wants to keep his options open. We are looking to expand and grow outside of traditional Western markets, Lun says. We were looking at the Middle East, also India. But demographically [they are] very different places. Fears about overcapacity are creating more trade tensions, with many countries including the UK worried about being flooded with cheap cars in order to meet net zero targets. Some nations have already sought to block this. The US has announced a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, as well as a 25 per cent tariff on batteries, parts and critical minerals in a bid to keep them out.

Xie believes this is the start of a bigger decoupling that will see the US and other Western nations pay higher prices for goods going forward as China, which is becoming less reliant on the West for technology to drive development, looks to do more business in Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Chinas citizens are turning away from Western brands to focus on home-grown products. Credit: Bloomberg He says the US in particular has not faced up to the fact that the rest of the world doesnt have to play by its rules anymore. Anglo Saxons are good at two things: talking and fighting, he says. They are not very good at working. So they usually use their skills to talk about fighting in order to get other people to work for them. The past 500 years have been like that.

But in terms of getting things done, they can never win against the Chinese. So they are basically deluding themselves. The issue is that they dont want to accept that China is going to be the largest economy. But the evidence also suggests that China remains cautious about moving too close to countries such as Russia as it worries about the potential impact of secondary sanctions. While Vladimir Putins state visit to China this year was intended to demonstrate their no limits friendship, one business owner operating in eastern China says many factories have stopped doing business with Russian intermediaries after Chinese banks began refusing to process payments. Since the invasion of Ukraine [in 2022], theres been a lot of Chinese goods exported to Russia through intermediaries facilitating these transactions mostly via the Middle East and north east China, they say. Since the beginning of this year, many of those factories stopped doing business with intermediaries for Russia. Getting paid for the goods has become a big issue because the Chinese banks wont process payments any more if they suspect its related to Russia.

The big question surrounding China going forward is growth. The International Monetary Fund believes the rate of economic expansion is likely to slow to just over 3 per cent by the end of the decade because of weak domestic demand. I dont think the Chinese problem can be solved anytime soon, even if the government is willing to enact all the reforms needed to boost consumption and separate government from industry. It will take at least a decade to reshape institutions, says Liu. For now, growth and its drivers are likely to remain on shaky foundations. The question is not just how fast the economy is growing, but the drivers of that growth, Liu says.

Loading The Chinese economy is almost $US18 trillion now. So 3 per cent on top of that in absolute terms is still a lot of growth. But the problems arise when in order to generate this amount of growth, there is a cost in terms of debt, in terms of deeper structural imbalances, and the sacrifices made in terms of geopolitics. So the question is not how much China grows in the coming years, but at what cost? The new trend towards frugality in the worlds second largest economy risks being only a foretaste of what is to come. Telegraph, London
Has Australias richest person added another feather to her iron ore cap?

The few hundred punters watching Sky News coverage of the Murdoch media empires Hancock Prospecting-sponsored Australian Bush Summit in Port Hedland last week wouldve noticed the billionaire mining magnate described as Dr Gina Rinehart, AO.

Loading

Rineharts title invoked a typically smug raised eyebrow from departing Media Watch host Paul Barry on Monday night, but left this column wondering whether the Sydney University economics dropout had acquired new academic credentials.

Now, if Gina had completed a PhD thesis, wed know. Her website details all her various gongs, down to her recent lifetime achievement award from the Ayn Rand Atlas Society. But Rinehart has one of those honorary doctorates, from Bond University, awarded in 2013 for her commitment and contribution to the Australian economy and wider community.
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Barkaa is one of the most celebrated rappers in Australia right now. And, judging by her music, she knows it. Let me preach, son, let me talk my s---, she sings in the swaggering opening track of her new EP Big Tidda. Let me big note myself because I deserve to, b----.

In real life, the 29-year-old Malyangapa Barkindji rapper (real name Chloe Quayle) is a lot more reserved. Speaking about last months National Indigenous Music Awards, she says she couldnt even believe she took out artist of the year and music video of the year (beating the likes of Budjerah and King Stingray in the former category and The Kid Laroi in the latter).

But Quayle, a former ice addict who did three stints in jail while also raising three kids, is also clear-eyed about how she got to this moment and is intent on celebrating it.

My life has changed dramatically, she says, adding she owes much of the success to her ongoing recovery. My kids dont want for nothing no more. Im at a stage in my life where I get to enjoy the fruits of my labour and where its OK to enjoy the fruits of your labour  [Ive] worked really hard for this.

Growing up in Western Sydney and taking her name from the Barkindji word for the Darling River, Barkaa rose to prominence in 2020, with some of her first tracks (Our Lives Matter and I Cant Breathe) becoming staples of Black Lives Matter rallies across the country. She then cemented her place as rising rap royalty with 2021s Blak Matriarchy, a blistering debut EP celebrating Indigenous women, laying bare the trauma they carry, and letting loose the anger behind it all.

I grew up in a time when [Indigenous musicians] could talk about dancing and culture and all the welcoming things, she says, recalling being encouraged to avoid more radical topics like racism and police brutality at the start of her career (a startling thing for a 90s girl raised on US acts like Tupac and Wu-Tang Clan). But I was a young Blak woman in jail. I wasnt doing all of that. That wasnt my story.
Carolyns body was handed back to Stuckey, who had it hastily cremated. Her friends have since told Joy they feared the consequences in Lismore should they raise what happened. Loading By the time I was old enough to understand what went on, I had been told, both overtly and indirectly, that thats over and done with, it was in the past, we dont need to bring that up any more, says Joy, who uses they/them pronouns and has dropped the surname Stuckey in favour of the middle name shared with their mother. Joy is telling their story to show what happens to the many children bereaved by family violence in Australia, and to piece together Carolyns story and why certain decisions were made about her childrens care. I just did an informal count of the number of children bereaved by domestic homicide in the first four months of this year, and it was 34 children, says Joy, who appears in the new documentary Revealed: KillJoy, eight years in the making, about the killing of Carolyn and the aftermath.

And that was an underestimate  really basic, just what I could find. Thirty-four children in four months lost their mother to domestic homicide, and when I think about the implications of that and how little support we have for children, that to me is just devastating. The lifelong effects of the trauma on Joy have included believing they would die at the same age as Carolyn  32 years, nine weeks and six days  and experiencing regular, shocking nightmares from which they wake screaming, terrified and hyperventilating. Kathryn Joy held a belated memorial for slain mother Carolyn Stuckey in an open-air cathedral near the familys then home town of Lismore. Joy was struck while doing research for the documentary by how much emphasis was placed during Allan Stuckeys sentence on what would best serve him, rather than the children or justice for Carolyn. Joy was four when they were returned to his custody and he returned to work in a pharmacy. I just kept thinking, how does anyone think that the children  would benefit from going back to live with my father in the house [where] he killed our mother? Joy says. Its so baffling to me that that would be seen as good for us. More than anything, I just felt a real sense of: this was not about us.

This was about what was in my dads best interests, and thats pretty devastating, especially given I know what came next. I had to live with the impact of that decision; so to go back and hear those [judges] words about my father getting back to his life and his family as soon as possible was just so shocking. Loading It helped inspire Joys advocacy for other child survivors at a time when leaders in Australias child protection and family violence sectors are calling for children to be regarded as victim-survivors in their own right, who require individual support responses. Melbourne University research suggests 1000 Australian children have lost a parent to domestic homicide in the past decade. Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, chair of Respect Victoria and an internationally recognised family violence researcher, says specialist responses for child survivors are critically needed because children are often invisible in the systems where they seek help.

Kathryn Joy holds an image of their mother, who was killed in the family home by Joys father. They have been responded to merely as an extension of a protective parent as opposed to being recognised as a victim-survivor in their own right, she says. Policy and practice reform to build whole-of-system specialist and child-centred responses is urgently needed. For far too long these individuals have been invisibilised and have been left alone to navigate the unimaginable challenge of recovering from the killing of a parent by another parent. Cathy Humphreys, a Melbourne University social work professor and co-chair of the Melbourne Alliance to End Violence Against Women and Their Children, says there is a growing number of Australian children and young people whose mothers have been killed by partners. These gross acts of violence leave children with trauma that resurfaces across their lifetimes, and the service system is ill-prepared to respond to these children, she says. There is no tracking or data kept about how many children are left behind after a parents death as a result of family violence.

We cannot change what we dont measure. The child victims whose mothers (and sometimes fathers) have been killed are a tragic example of this silence in the data, Humphreys says. These children have no specific rights. Many are dealt with informally through family networks, some of which are entirely supportive of the killer  There is no community sector organisation specifically funded to respond with skill, sensitivity and expertise to these children. National Childrens Commissioner Anne Hollonds agrees with Joy that childhood experiences of violence are a strong predictor of later-life problems. If we are serious about ending violence against women, we need to get serious about addressing violence in childhood. This is the hidden prevention opportunity that has been ignored because child safety and wellbeing is not a national priority.
TIANJIN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- This summer, China's visa-free entry policy has made the country a favored destination for international tourists. As more travelers share their Chinese experiences on social media, "China Travel" has surged to be a hot global social media trend.

As of July, China has implemented a 15-day visa-free entry policy for 15 countries on a trial basis and expanded its 144-hour visa-free transit policy to 37 ports of entry, offering citizens from 54 countries opportunities for short-term travel and business trips.

In north China's Tianjin Municipality, the visa-free policy has ignited interest among its foreign residents. Recently, more than 10 foreigners, organized by the Tianjin chapter of the European Chamber of Commerce in China, embarked on a tour of Tianjin's urban blocks at night, aboard bar-style sightseeing cars.

"I'm captivated by Tianjin's distinctive charm," said Mirko Turrina, general manager of Goglio (Tianjin) Packaging Co., Ltd. "With the increasing convenience for foreigners in Tianjin, I'm eager to invite more international clients to explore this vibrant city."

Even after years of working and living in Tianjin, Turrina did not want to miss the chance to immerse himself in the city's allure. As a gentle breeze and soft lighting set the mood, Turrina savored a cocktail while gazing out at the passing scenery. The beautiful, European-style buildings created a backdrop that flowed by, evoking a sense of relaxation and comfort.

"It's like being in Europe," said Nicolas Neumann from Germany, son of Joerg Neumann, general manager of TURCK (Tianjin) Technology Ltd. The young man was particularly impressed by the convenience of the visa-free entry policy.

"This is my first visit to Tianjin. China's visa-free entry policy is very convenient for foreigners. I quickly completed all the entry procedures. I hope more people will have the opportunity to visit China," said Nicolas Neumann.

"Tianjin has made good use of its tourism resources, including rivers, seas, mountains, buildings and ports, to create a unique 'intellectual property,'" said Chen Bing, deputy head of Tianjin municipal bureau of culture and tourism.

"The ancient and modern beauty of the Haihe River and the European-style buildings have become the preferred choice for many foreign tourists during their trips to the city," Chen added.

In addition, leveraging its international cruise home port, Tianjin has made significant efforts to develop the cruise tourism economy. The city is also taking full advantage of the visa-free transit policy and the medical payment convenience policy to enhance the service capabilities for foreigners.

Recently, a tour group of three Bulgarian tourists boarded the AIDA Mediterranean cruise and arrived at Tianjin. They completed the entry procedures at the entry window within just five minutes.

"We are very happy to benefit from China's visa-free entry policy, which allows us to visit the beautiful country without any trouble or worries," said Bulgarian tourist Dimitrova.

Since the resumption of cruise services in Tianjin at the end of September last year, the city has inspected more than 440,000 passengers and over 190 cruise ships entering and leaving the port.

In the first seven months of this year, the number of foreign visitors to China soared 129.9 percent year-on-year to 17.25 million, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA).

Additionally, foreign visitors are estimated to boost consumption to a total of over 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars), with a per capita daily average consumption volume reaching nearly 3,500 yuan, according to the NIA.

Through favorable measures such as the visa-free entry policy, more accessible mobile payment and the full coverage of foreign card POS machines in key tourism scenes, China has shown its goodwill and sincerity to the world and attracted more foreign tourists, said Ma Yiliang, chief statistician of the China Tourism Academy.

"With the more convenient experience in China, foreign tourists can learn a more open, confident and safe China during their travels," said Ma. 
A Westminster man has appeared in court charged over the death of a 50-year-old man on Sunday in Nollamara.

Wai Chun Wong, 65, was arrested after police appealed for information about the discovery of a severely injured man near the intersection of Ravenswood Drive and Hillsborough Drive.

Wai Chun Wong, 65, leaving Perth Magistrates Court. Credit: Nine News Perth

A passerby found him just after 9pm and alerted authorities, but the man could not be saved.

Major Crash Investigation detectives said at the time he had injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle, but they were keeping an open mind.
How lucky was Peter Dutton that only a few hours before the NSW Liberal Party publicly imploded, he had reignited debate on immigration and refugees by proposing a ban on all Palestinians desperate to escape the hellhole of Gaza.

While Liberals worked frantically  and unsuccessfully  behind the scenes to lodge nominations for council elections, Dutton was in an aircraft hangar, welcoming home Olympians who had covered themselves in glory. From there, he did an interview on Sky which finished on visas for Palestinians.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during Question Time. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Talk about perfect timing. For weeks after, Dutton did what he does best. He kept the focus on the governments competence  or lack of it, smothered discussion of any other issue, and raised questions about national security which splattered ASIO, all without being quizzed over the dysfunction of a branch of the party he leads in a state vital to his election prospects.

In that first interview on Sky, he claimed people would be shocked to think ASIOs not conducting checks and searches on these people. He later amended that to say whatever checks occurred were not rigorous enough and, in any case, ASIO could only act according to the policy of the government of the day.
Labor-turned-One Nation MP Ben Dawkins has not given up on representing Pauline Hansons party next year despite leader Rod Caddies casting doubt over his future with the party and Dawkins failing to secure the partys endorsement for another tilt at the upper house.

Dawkins said he would remain a member of One Nation, which he joined in February, and expressed interest in running as one of the partys lower house candidates.

Pauline Hanson announcing MP Ben Dawkins had joined her party in February.

However, Caddies was less clear about Dawkins future in the party, saying it would be discussed.

Caddies said he had no ill feelings toward Dawkins but that, in his view, he did not meet the expectations required during the preselection process.
Washington: Former US president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to fresh criminal charges accusing him of attempting to overturn the 2020 election, as he prepares to be sentenced this month for fraudulently covering up a sex scandal.

With two months until election day, lawyers for the Republican presidential nominee entered the plea in Washington on Thursday (Friday AEST) at the start of a hearing to determine how the election interference case should proceed after the US Supreme Court ruled that presidents should be immune from prosecution for official acts.

Donald Trump listens to a question during a campaign event at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday. Credit: AP

The new charges formed part of a superseding indictment lodged by Special Counsel Jack Smith last month to account for the immunity ruling.

On the other side of the country, President Joe Bidens son Hunter faced his own legal woes.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Three Syrian soldiers were killed in an armed attack on a military vehicle near the Naima Bridge, east of the southern province of Daraa on Thursday, local Sham FM radio reported.

The attack occurred in the early morning hours as unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle, killing three soldiers at the scene, said the report.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid ongoing instability in southern Syria, a region that has seen a resurgence of violence in recent months despite reconciliation agreements.

The assault came just one day after a government convoy, including the Daraa governor and the head of the Baath Party branch in Daraa, was targeted in eastern Daraa.

Daraa, often referred to as the birthplace of Syria's 2011 uprising, continues to experience sporadic clashes between government forces and various armed factions. 
Weber State sets school record with 830 international students

September 5, 2024

OGDEN, Utah  The international community at Weber State University is growing.

WSU boasted its largest enrollment of international students ever this fall at 372 new students, bringing the total number of that population to 832.

A combination of targeted recruitment efforts, partnerships with agents, enhanced name recognition, and Weber States affordable tuition led to the surge of international enrollment, said Mary Machira, executive director of WSUs Office of International Programs and Services.

Most students cite affordability as a key factor, along with Utah's reputation as a safe state, which appeals to parents, Machira said. Additionally, Weber State offers a wide range of programs, providing students with diverse academic options.

Sulav Chhetri from Kathmandu, Nepal, chose WSU to get his masters degree in education, with a focus on higher education leadership. During the enrollment process, he appreciated the quick responses and help he received from staff.

Being someone who has already worked in education, I was very happy to see the university meeting up with my expectations while equally focusing and prioritizing students' access, persistence and success more than anything else, Chhetri said.

More than half of Weber States international students are from Nepal. Machira said they are often drawn to WSU by positive word-of-mouth and the sense of community created by Nepalese students in Utah.

I feel glad to see so many Nepali students coming to Utah, Chhetri said. Their presence kind of makes me feel that I am not very far away from home.

After Nepal, WSUs international population is largely made up of students from Vietnam, Japan, India, China, Rwanda, Brazil, Myanmar, Germany, the Philippines and South Korea among others.

Having international students on campus enriches cultural experiences and classroom discussions for everyone, Machira said.

Their presence enhances our academic programs and provides unique perspectives, broadening the horizons of Weber State students who may not have the opportunity to study abroad, she said. For international students, Weber State offers the prestige of studying at a U.S. university, along with access to learning experiences and extracurricular opportunities that may not be available in their countries.

Through Optional Practical Training, international students can work in their field of study for up to 12 months after graduation, with STEM majors having the option to extend for an additional 24 months.

Visit the International Student & Scholar Center website for more information.
BEIRUT, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Hezbollah member was killed and another wounded in an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to official and military sources in Lebanon.

Lebanese military sources told Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes carried out 11 raids on nine villages and towns in the western and central sectors of the border area in southern Lebanon during the early hours of Thursday.

Israeli artillery also shelled seven villages and towns in the eastern and central sectors of the border area with about 25 shells.

The sources noted an Israeli airstrike on a house in the village of Kafra in the central sector resulted in the death of a Hezbollah member and injuries to another.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets fired by Hezbollah in support of Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire toward southeastern Lebanon. 
Azerbaijan and Italy are set to create joint enterprises in multiple fields in the near future, according to Manuela Traldi, President of the Italy-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, Azernews reports that speaking to reporters in Rome, Traldi highlighted the strong potential for collaboration between the two countries.

"We held very useful and effective meetings with our Azerbaijani colleagues with the participation of representatives of the private sector. A high-level round table with the participation of the Minister of Entrepreneurship of Italy and the Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan is planned," said Traldi.

Discussing the activities of the Chamber of Commerce, she emphasized that the organization is focused on attracting investments to Azerbaijan. "We do it in different ways, we try to promote Azerbaijan in Italy, we use all the elements that can help attract investments from Italian companies. Pinning our hopes on the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, we created the Italian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce back in 2012. Personally, I was sure that TAP will be realized someday and our countries will become closer," she stated.

Traldi further explained that several projects are currently in progress, noting close cooperation with Azerbaijan's investment companies, the Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO), and the Ministry of Economy. "I think that the prospects are very big. We will create joint ventures that will bring the most advanced Italian technologies to the business environment and production environment in Azerbaijan. This will contribute to the further development and diversification of the economy," she added.

The joint ventures will prioritize the industrial sector, including petrochemicals, metallurgy, and agriculture. "We have several projects that will support the future development of agriculture in Azerbaijan. In addition, we are developing new projects in the health sector, in the industrial sector, as well as in other areas where Italy has innovation. We are talking about the food industry, as well as sectors such as leather processing, shoe production, and textiles," Traldi said.

Italian companies are also eager to participate in the reconstruction of Garabagh. "The Italian government is making efforts to conclude more contracts for Italian companies to implement projects in Azerbaijan. There are more and more opportunities for Italian business in the liberated territories," said Traldi.

Shortly after the end of the 44-day war, Italy dispatched a mission to Garabagh. "Italy has always supported Azerbaijan in the Garabagh issue, and we are glad that we can participate in the reconstruction of Garabagh in various ways. This is one of the main aspects of our relations," she noted.

It is important to mention that Italy remains one of Azerbaijan's key trading partners.
TEHRAN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Western countries' accusations of Iran's alleged involvement in the Ukraine crisis are "baseless and misleading," Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said Wednesday.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Samuel Zbogar, who holds the UN Security Council's rotating presidency for September, Iravani said any claim about Iran's involvement in the sale, export or transfer of arms to Russia and so-called violation of its international commitments is "categorically rejected."

He reaffirmed Iran's commitment to observing international humanitarian law.

On Friday, the United States, Britain and France accused Iran at an open briefing of the UN Security Council of being involved in the "sale, export or transfer of arms to Russia for use against Ukraine, violating its international obligations and supporting terrorism."

Iravani called such accusations "ironic and hypocritical" as the three countries are those directly involved in the Ukraine crisis and have prolonged the war, harmed civilians and destroyed infrastructure by offering advanced weaponry to Kiev.

The accusations showed their "narrow and short-sighted political agendas" aimed at "advancing their own political interests," he said.

"It is actually the United States, not Iran, which is the main supporter and promoter of terrorism in the region and the world," he added. 
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Speaking following the presentation of ICMSAs 2025 Pre-Budget Submission to Ministers Chambers and Donohoe, the President of ICMSA, Denis Drennan, said that the forthcoming Budget represented the last opportunity for this Government to make good on the commitment contained in its Programme for Government to address the issue of ruinous excess volatility in farm incomes. Mr. Drennan said that it was simply a matter of fact that the Government had undertaken to deal with the matter and  notwithstanding the fact that several solutions had been provided to it  had so far abjectly failed to make good on its commitment.

The facts speak for themselves: the year 2023 was extremely difficult from a farm income perspective and - with farm incomes in freefall across every sector - 2024 will be no better. The taxation system is heavily weighted against farmers in terms of income volatility, and we know that most of the States 18,000-odd dairy farmers are working for less than the minimum State hourly rate while facing tax bills based on figures that bear no relation to the current situation. ICMSA has proposed an income volatility measure that will allow farmers utilise funds deposited with the State in a Good year which can then be drawn down and used to assist them in exactly the kind of Bad year that were experiencing right now. The cost to the Exchequer would be absolutely insignificant set against the national budget and any tax liabilities will be paid on these deposits placed under the supervision of the State. The impact at farm level, however, would be very significant and it would allow farmers access to tax-efficient deposits that could tide them over in the kind of high input low prices scenario that we are operating within right now. The Government recognised the need for this type of scheme five years ago  and they made a commitment to farmers to introduce just such a scheme. ICMSA is now calling on them to honour that commitment and proceed with such a scheme, said Mr. Drennan.

Alongside their call for the long-awaited Income Volatility measure, ICMSA made several other proposals including:

 The need for the Capital Acquisitions Tax and Capital Gains Tax regimes to ensure that the family farm can be transferred to the next generation without a tax burden and to ensure that people buying land for investment purposes cannot use the taxation system to undermine farmers in the land market.

 The illogical and arbitrary exclusion of calf feeders and robotic scraper systems from the VAT reclaim regime needs to be addressed as part of the Finance Bill.

 Clarity is required around the mechanism that will ensure that farm families are excluded from the Residential Zoned Land Tax.

 The need for a well-funded Dairy Beef Calf Scheme delivering 100 to the calf rearer and 100 to the finisher in recognition of the climate benefits of dairy beef and the opportunity to develop a sector that has the potential to deliver strong net foreign earnings.

 The extension of ACRES to 70,000 farmers with a focus on measures that would be suitable to intensive farmers and the delivery of a 70% grant for slurry storage for all farmers.

 The introduction of a private pension regime that takes account of the income volatility in the agriculture sector.

Mr. Drennan called on the Government to recognise the huge contribution made by the agriculture sector at local and national levels and its capacity and record in term of net foreign earnings perspective. The ICMSA President said that the whole sector was in need of reinvigoration and directed supports and he hoped that the Government understood the need for a much more proactive approach that had to start with the wipeout of particularly dairy farmer income in the last 30 months.

This is the Governments last chance to show farmers that their word, their commitment, stands for something. The Government has not been positive or engaged with farmers or the wider sector and, bluntly, this is the Governments last chance to show some degree of honour and fairness with the farming community as we face into the Budget and the likely General Election right behind that, said the ICMSA President.
Organisers have vowed to continue to hold vigils at the Upper Bridge in Ballina in solidarity with the people of Palestine until a ceasefire is declared in Gaza.

The weekly Bridgil at Ham Bridge has been taking place every week since the end of June as part of a national movement in Ireland to raise awareness of the ongoing situation in Gaza and to show support for Palestine. Similar vigils have taken place in Castlebar, Westport and Achill in recent months.

Jenny and Derek Graham, who lived in Gaza for four years, are among the weekly attendees at the Ballina Bridgil. Derek told the Western People that they want to keep local people aware of what is happening in Gaza, describing the actions of Israel as a "genocide".

We want to get people to be fully aware that this is still going on. Were into the tenth month of this and people tune out, and if everyone turns a blind eye, the genocide can continue, he said.

If we keep highlighting this here, particularly in Ballina which is Joe Bidens hometown, you will hope that the message gets through to him.

Mr Graham said they will keep up the Bridgil until there is a ceasefire.

Were over 330 days into this conflict and the numbers are going up dramatically. The official number of dead is 40,800 but even two months ago The Lancet, which would be a well-regarded medical publication, estimated the true death toll is closer to 183,000.

There are very few wars in the world with greater dead than injured. Were at about 100,000 injured and realistically closer to 200,000 dead.

The Gaza Strip is the size of the Burren and people were told to move south into an area that would be the equivalent of moving two million people into an area the size of Achill Island.

Mr Graham said they would like to see their numbers grow at the weekly Ballina Bridgil, which takes place every Friday from 5pm to 6pm.

We would call on as many people to come and join us. If you are against whats happening and youre sick and tired of watching children being slaughtered, stand with us. It is not political, it is humanitarian.

However, he acknowledged that not everyone is in a position to join them. He urged people to use their boycott by refusing to buy Israeli goods from supermarkets and pharmacies.

Mayo has a great history when it comes to boycott, it is here the boycott movement started. The boycott movement globally is affecting Israel.

It is money that talks and money is what will bring a ceasefire eventually. The Bridgils highlight what is going on and, hopefully, people will boycott Israeli goods and it is a snowball effect from there.

Every euro you spend on Israeli products, you are effectively buying a bullet to kill a Palestinian child, he said.

Mr Graham added that recent media reports that four flights from the US bound for the Israel Defence Forces flew over Irish airspace were a "flagrant violation of our sovereignty".
A Mayo business has raided vital funds to purchase a defibrillator thanks to a very clever idea.

Since the start of July, Gilligans Bar in Claremorris decided to do something good for their local community through the re-turn scheme.

The business saved up cans and bottles every week before taking their haul to the local Supervalu.

They saved enough money to buy the defibrillator for outside the pub which can be used for medical attention and potentially save someone's life.
Its a tough time to be a farmer in Ireland.

Maybe it always was but this years exceptional rainfall sees farmers feeding silage to cattle indoors in August  after doing so in the springtime too when the animals should be out grazing the land. Fields are so wet that cattle cannot be allowed out onto them in many parts.

If this wasnt enough of a challenge, the industry saw the Nature Restoration Law implemented almost immediately after the European Elections in June. The law has many far-reaching consequences for Irish farmers. The law was passed in the EU and it sets out targets and ambitions, which the Irish government has to devise a means to achieve.

Under the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 sets out the general objective of reversing biodiversity loss, so that Europe's biodiversity is on the path to recovery by 2030, and that by 2050 all of the EUs ecosystems are restored, resilient and adequately protected. This is a noble ambition. But what does it mean?

Amongst the ecosystems to be restored under the law, the natural connectivity of rivers and functions of floodplains, pollinator populations, agricultural ecosystems (including drained peatlands) and forest ecosystems will be of most interest to farmers.

The law sets out the restoration ambitions and deals with wetlands, forests, grasslands, rivers and lakes, heath, scrub, rocky habitats and dunes. It seeks to establish where these habitats are located and establish their existing condition. Governments then must put measures in place to bring at least 30% of habitats that are not in good condition up to good condition by 2030, and to bring back species populations by improving and enlarging their habitats.

The law also deals with the restoration of natural connectivity of rivers and natural functions of related floodplains and aims to remove artificial barriers that prevent the connectivity of surface waters, put measures in place to improve the natural function of related floodplains and contribute towards an EU ambition of at least 25,000 km of rivers to be restored to a free-flowing state by 2030.

The law further aims to put measures in place to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030 to achieve an increasing trend in grassland butterflies and farmland birds. Of particular interest to farmers is the plan to reverse the decline in the stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils, and the share of agricultural land with high-diversity landscape features.

The law will put measures in place to restore drained peatlands under agricultural use at the rate of 30% by 2030, of which at least a quarter shall be rewetted, 40% by 2040, of which at least a third shall rewetted, and 50% by 2050, of which at least a third shall be rewetted. Rewetting peatland means the process of changing a drained peat soil towards a wet soil.

In the short term, this rewetting can be achieved on state lands like disused Bord na Mona lands. It is ironic to be discussing rewetting land when you look out the window or walk the fields in their current state.

The Irish government must produce a draft National Restoration Plan within 24 months of regulation coming into force. What happens beyond that is likely to require significant changes in existing farming practices.

The plan must specify how targets are to be delivered and will cover the period until 2050. The plan needs to quantify and map areas to be restored, describe restoration measures in place and how targets will be reached, and outline timescales and monitoring requirements.

Farmers are likely to be offered some financial incentive to adopt the necessary changes. As of yet, what precise changes are necessary is unclear, with the National Parks and Wildlife Service  the organisation that manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities  tasked with producing Irelands National Restoration.

Trade conflict

Another potential assault on the farming industry comes from China.

Irish farmers are poised to bear the brunt of a looming trade conflict between the European Union and China, as Chinese authorities have launched an anti-subsidy investigation into imported dairy products from the EU. This development appears to be a retaliatory move by China in response to the EU's recent decision to impose tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China.

The potential impact on the Irish dairy industry could be severe, as any restrictions on EU dairy exports would primarily affect Ireland. China has become an important market for Irish dairy, particularly in supplying the countrys vast baby formula sector.

The investigation, launched by China's commerce ministry last week, will scrutinise various dairy products, including cheeses, milk, and creams intended for human consumption.

In 2022, Irish agri-food exports to China were valued at 722 million, with dairy sales alone accounting for approximately 400 million. Of the EU countries under investigation, Ireland is by far the largest exporter of dairy to China, making the Irish dairy sector particularly vulnerable to any new restrictions.

China's decision follows the EU's announcement of reduced but still significant duties on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles - a move Beijing had urged Brussels to reconsider. As the situation escalates, Irish farmers face increasing uncertainty about the future of their exports to China, a key market for their products.

Nitrates Derogation

In better news, the Government has revealed a comprehensive plan aimed at retaining Ireland's Nitrates Derogation, addressing water quality concerns that have become increasingly pressing. Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue's proposal includes key changes, most notably the introduction of a planning exception for slurry storage facilities in response to widespread objections to these developments across the country.

Under the new regulations, a distinct exempted development threshold will be introduced specifically for standalone manure storage facilities. This measure, which will follow the enactment of updated planning regulations, is intended to simplify the approval process for farmers who need to expand or improve their slurry storage. This expansion is crucial for managing nutrient run-off and safeguarding water quality.

In addition to the planning changes, the Government will seek approval from the European Commission to amend both the Rural Development Plan and the CAP Strategic Plan. A significant part of the proposed amendments is the introduction of a 60% grant rate and a dedicated 90,000 ceiling for nutrient storage investments, effective from January 2025. Eligible investments under this scheme will include mass concrete tanks, precast tanks, geomembrane-lined stores, circular slurry stores, and manure pits.

The proposal also calls for a detailed environmental and economic assessment of the potential consequences of losing the Nitrates Derogation, scheduled for 2025. This assessment will examine the impact of possible reductions in the maximum chemical nitrogen allowances for grassland stocking rates and key arable crops. The findings will be crucial for the review of the Nitrates Action Programme for the 20262029 period.

The Government's plan also includes previously announced measures, such as the employment of water quality advisors, the 60 million Farming for Life Programme, and grant aid for storage on farms importing slurry.

Residential Zoned Land Tax

The Government has opted to delay the introduction of the Residential Zoned Land Tax by a year and intends to create a new scheme that will exempt farmers. Finance Minister Jack Chambers' decision is good news for farmers, who were concerned that their working land would be heavily taxed under the original plan.

The proposed tax aimed to levy a 3% charge on land zoned for residential development based on its market value. The goal was to encourage the release of more land for housing construction and discourage speculators from holding onto serviced sites.

Originally announced in the 2022 Budget, the tax was scheduled to take effect in February 2025 with payments due by May. However, it faced strong opposition from farmers whose land, which was zoned for residential use, was actually being utilised for agriculture.

Following extensive discussions with Housing Minister Darragh OBrien and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, Minister Chambers decided to delay the tax implementation for another 12 months.
NEW YORK, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The city of Zhaotong in China's Yunnan Province is aiming to promote economic and cultural ties with U.S. cities and bolster the two countries' local-level exchanges and cooperation.

Addressing the China (Zhaotong) - USA Economic and Cultural Cooperation Conference in New York's Manhattan on Tuesday, Su Lizhong, secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhaotong Municipal Committee, said that Zhaotong is a historic city with over 2,000 years, famed for its rich natural resources and colorful intangible cultural heritage.

Located in China's southwest, the city is a well-connected transportation hub between China and Southeast Asia and South Asia, he said, adding that Zhaotong is also a favorable destination with convenient business environment for foreign investors.

Su expressed his expectation of more and closer China-U.S. exchanges at the local level, and invited American investors and entrepreneurs to seek opportunities in Yunnan and benefit from economic and cultural cooperation.

Hou Lihong, science and technology counselor in New York, said that Zhaotong, located in the northeastern part of Yunnan Province, is an important section of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Hou highlighted that China's pursuit of high-quality development will offer more opportunities for the win-win cooperation between China and the United States.

Jeffery Jones, former mayor of Paterson City and chairman of the Council for Trade and Investment Promotion (CTIP), said that he traveled in many Chinese cities such as Beijing, Wuhan and Guangzhou before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Encouraged by the news that China is adhering to the opening-up policy and moving forward, Jones said he believes that CTIP will engage with more areas in China in exploring business. 
President Biden provides an update on the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene and the preparations for Hurricane Milton.
COLOMBO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's navy arrested four Indian fishermen for poaching in the country's territorial waters on Wednesday, the navy said in a statement.

The arrests were made during a special operation to chase away Indian trawlers poaching in the seas off Kovilan Lighthouse, Jaffna, in the country's Northern Province, the navy said.

The navy also seized a trawler that the Indians were traveling in, the statement said, adding that the trawler and Indian fishermen were handed over to the local authority for legal proceedings.

Sri Lanka's navy conducts regular patrols and operations in its waters to curb the illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, the navy said.

With the arrests, the navy has seized a total of 47 Indian poaching trawlers and arrested 345 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters so far in 2024. 
In Shenyang, a historic city in NE China, int'l students are contributing to ancient city preservation projects. Two African students from Shenyang Urban Construction University are pursuing their architectural dreams through this work and plan to apply their knowledge back home.
Deadly Simplifications: Imagining the Future in a Warming World

When: Wednesday, 11 September 2024 - Friday, 13 September 2024 Where: Senate Room

Start time: 16:00 Enquiries: Katrina Lehmann-Grube on Katrina.Lehmann-Grube@wits.ac.za. RSVP: Registration Link

WiSER, the Presidential Climate Commission and the University of Pretoria will be hosting Award-winning author, Amitav Ghosh, for a series of events.

For more information please click here.
Effects of Public Investment in the Green & Care Economies & Public Infrastructure in South Africa

When: Thursday, 05 September 2024 - Thursday, 05 September 2024 Where: Online Event

Start time: 13:30 Enquiries: kitso.kgaboesele@wits.ac.za athenkosi.pono@wits.ac.za RSVP: Register now! Cost: Free but registration is required

SCIS invites you to the launch of a Working Paper titled The Effects of Public Investment in the Green and Care Economies and Public Infrastructure in SA

The Public Economy Project (PEP) at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) invites you to the launch of their Working Paper titled The Effects of Public Investment in the Green and Care Economies and Public Infrastructure in South Africa. The webinar will take place on 5 September 2024, 13:30 - 15:00. Join our speakers Professor Ozlem Onaran and Dr. Cem Oyvat, Adam Aboobaker, and Kate Phillip in what promises to be an insightful session.

Abstract:

This paper argues that a comprehensive combination of policy tools is required to trigger the necessary and urgent level of public investment needed to confront the complex crises of growth, inequality, care, and climate change in South Africa. South Africa confronts considerable macroeconomic policy challenges, most notably the need to attain sustainable and inclusive economic growth. According to the National Treasury, South Africa's growth averaged a mere 1.75% per annum between 2010 and 2019, a figure that drops further if the COVID-19 impacted years of 2020 and 2021 are taken into account. The South African National Treasury asserts that fiscal policy encompasses decisions involving the level and composition of government spending, tax revenue generation, and government borrowing, if any. Since 2013, a strategy of fiscal consolidation has been pursued with the aim of slowing the rate of growth in public spending while also enhancing tax revenues. However, the self-defeating consequences of actual reductions in public spending have resulted in a decline in public expenditure on public services, primarily due to the rapid growth in spending on debt service costs. Conversely, this paper contends that increasing, rather than cutting, public expenditure on the care economy, green economy, and public infrastructure would enhance South Africa's GDP and employment levels and result in changes in public debt/GDP ratios. This study advocates for the adoption of expansionary fiscal policy choices in conjunction with clearly defined development targets and coordinated fiscal, monetary, industrial, labour, and social policies.

To read the Working Paper: Click here
AI in Africa: Its a matter of MIND

As the world races ahead with AI advancements, concerns are mounting that Africa could be left behind. Enter the Wits MIND Institute.

Wits University is in the process of establishing the Wits Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute (MIND Institute). This Initiative is designed to push the boundaries of natural and artificial intelligence research through robust interdisciplinary collaboration.

After two years of planning, the Institute aims to deepen our understanding of both human and machine intelligence while developing technologies to tackle major AI challenges.

We dont pursue these goals because they are easy, but because they are difficult. AI development is advancing rapidly, yet Africas involvement remains limited, says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University. An African AI Institute is essential to drive forward innovative research and policy-making, ensuring that AI development and deployment reflect the continents diverse cultural landscape and address the needs of over one billion people.

A hub for interdisciplinary research

MIND will bring together experts in the fields such as computer and mathematical sciences, neuroscience, psychology, archaeology, anthropology, philosophy, the creative arts, and governance.

Wits University is uniquely placed to contribute to AI research and capacity building in South Africa and Africa. One of the key goals is to nurture and expand our AI talent pool, says Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation.

This focus on talent development is crucial for establishing a robust AI research community, capable of competing on the global stage. By focusing on talent development, defining strategic research areas, and securing necessary funding and infrastructure, the MIND Institute will accelerate the advancement and commercialization of cutting-edge AI technologies, says Morris.

AI in Africa: Consumer vs developer

AI in Africa is currently a mix of growing potential, active development, and persistent challenges.

Despite the continent's growing potential in AI, significant challengesranging from infrastructure deficits and talent shortages to limited research fundingthreaten to slow its progress. Without strategic investments and collaboration, Africa risks becoming a consumer rather than a creator in the global AI economy.

The Wits MIND Institute aims to drive homegrown innovation that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the African context, says Benjamin Rosman, Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and Director of the Robotics, Autonomous Intelligence and Learning Lab (RAIL Lab). Rosman is the Director of MIND and leading the establishment of the Institute.

As it advances the science of intelligence and shapes the future of AI policy, the MIND Institute will play a critical role in ensuring that Africa not only participates in but also leads the next wave of AI innovation, says Rosman.

*****

MIND Fellows  Applications are now open

As a first stop to introduce the MIND Institute to the Wits community, some 40+ cross-faculty and cross-disciplinary academics, and researchers gathered at Wits Universitys Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.

The meeting also announced the application for the MIND Fellows programme. This is an opportunity for any Wits academics or researchers from diverse fields of study to apply for the three-year programme. The MIND Fellows will be expected to participate in the Institutes activities and help grow MIND as a hub for inter- and multi-disciplinary AI research and idea-sharing.

The MIND Fellows are the core of the Institute. Each will apply with the details of a project they are working on that relates in some way to the study of intelligence. MIND will run deep-dive workshops and other events on themes related to the Fellows' projects, to form new collaborations and advance this research.

*****

Wits experts share what they have in MIND

A broad range of speakers also shared their visions of interacting with the new Institute in future:

The latest AI models are hugely expensive, costing $100M and needing 100 MW of electricity to train. Africa cannot easily compete with this. But the human brain runs on just 30W of power, so profound intelligence is possible with small power consumption. By bringing together researchers working on all branches of intelligence MIND has the opportunity to unlock some of the secrets of low-power natural intelligence and apply them to AI -- Distinguished Professor Bruce Bassett, School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics As the research from IDORI, the Wits Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute pushes the envelopes of discovery and impact on health in Africa and globally, MIND will be play an integral role in such areas as designing affordable screening tests for identifying cancers early enough for effective treatment, providing guidance on conventional diagnostics and therapy to general practitioners in locations without oncologists, and identifying new and feasible approaches for prevention and therapy for cancers in Africa, among many other concepts. Early-in-career scientists at Wits need to be on the cutting edge of machine intelligence to advance their research throughout their careers. MIND will be a powerful resource and partner for IDORI for promoting research careers carrying out innovative and impactful science at Wits. -- Distinguished Professor Robert Breiman, Wits Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute The School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics is a powerhouse in AI research, boasting among the highest concentration of AI experts in Africa. With 18 academics working directly in fundamental AI research and publishing in the top AI venues in the world, we are the leading AI research publishers in Africa. Further, boasting over 400 postgraduate students in AI and Data Science programmes from Postgraduate Diplomas through to PhDs, we are well positioned to act as a technical foundation for interdisciplinary research in the MIND Institute, demonstrating our commitment to fundamental and applied AI research alongside projects with profound social impact. -- Professor Richard Klein, Deputy Head of the School of Computer and Applied Mathematics The MIND Institute is a formalisation of existing collaborations that have happened fairly organically in the University with the Neuroscience Research Lab (www.witsneurl.com) and computer sciences, biomedical engineering, health sciences, anatomy and physiology (to name a few). There is no doubt that the MIND Institute would formalise these cross-disciplinary collaborations and would create a space for future cutting-edge research that compares aspects of cognition across animals, humans and machines on key features of intelligent behaviour. -- Professor Kate Cockcroft, Department of Psychology in the School of Human and Community Development In collaboration with Wits School of Governance, the MIND institute will become more than just a research facility; it will contribute to a comprehensive hub of knowledge and education. By bringing together cutting-edge AI research and practical governance training, we create a unique environment where public administrators and leaders can gain the skills and insights necessary to address the specific challenges South Africa is currently facing. -- Associate Professor Geci Karuri-Sebina, Digital Governance in the Wits School of Governance The power of fundamental research to generate ideas upstream could result in interesting downstream innovations that we can drive out of the University as a vector for change in society. There is a unique synergistic relationship between MIND and the Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) that is well-poised to drive innovations. It's the best time ever to be an innovator at Wits as we try to combine favourable policies with enabling resourcing. This means inventors have real incentives to create and to help drive change that's good for all. The MIND Institute fits in extremely well with the Wits Innovation Strategy, as it will be interdisciplinary, work at the cutting edge of technology, and potentially create the real impact that can be cultivated with the WIC. -- Dr Adam Pantanowitz, the Angela and David Fine Chair in Innovation, Wits Innovation Centre

#AIforGood | #WitsForGood

In addition to technical research, the Institute will include philosophers and ethicists to address broader questions about the relationship between humans and machines, and how to embed African values into AI systems. By engaging with policymakers, the Institute will contribute to developing of frameworks that ensure the ethical and responsible deployment of AI technologies.
Clinician-scientist in surgery receives doctoral fellowship at SA Women in Science Awards

Dr Gabriella Hyman awarded the prestigious Dr Esther Mahlangu Doctoral Fellowship for her clinician-scientist role and research in SA public health sector.

The South African Women in Science Awards (SAWiSA) recognise women scientists and researchers who are role models for younger women and who encourage early career researchers and scientists to continue in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM)-related careers.

Dr Gabriella Hyman, a Lecturer in Surgery in the School of Clinical Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, was awarded for her emerging work on health systems research for surgical care delivery in the South African public hospital sector.

Hyman says that strengthening surgical health systems ensures that the broader health system can deliver excellent surgical care.

We use innovative tools and methodologies to improve the service delivery platform, financing mechanisms, and policies needed to deliver safe, timely and affordable surgical care to all South Africans," she says.

The key components of surgical care delivery include human resources (training surgical care providers); infrastructure (upgrading facilities, equipment, and supply chains); service delivery (optimising workflows); financing (ensuring sustainable funding for surgical services); and governance (developing policies and standards for safe and effective surgical care).

Hyman says, We want to understand what is going on in surgical care delivery. Investing in health information systems to monitor provision and outcomes - such as morbidity and mortality - is important. So is developing more robust clinical governance. Through our work, we have developed instruments and methodologies that can be used from the frontline provider, to the facility manager, to the policy-maker level."

Combining research with on-the-ground and efficient patient care is the ultimate goal of medical science in under-resourced settings.

Bridging the research-patient care gap with clinician-scientist training

Clinician-scientists are particularly important in the South African public healthcare sector as they can design and implement research that is directly relevant to local health needs. This includes understanding the barriers to care, developing context-specific interventions, and advocating for policy changes that promote health equity.

The clinician-scientist training pathway is a specialised career trajectory that combines clinical practice with scientific research. It involves cross-disciplinary training, typically beginning with a medical degree, followed by specialist training and practice in a clinical specialty, and advanced training in research methodologies.

In resource-limited settings, clinician-scientists play a crucial role in innovating care delivery models and ensuring that scientific advancements translate into tangible health improvements for underserved communities," says Hyman. "It is an efficient way of addressing the human resource shortage in SA's health sector.

Furthermore, clinician-scientists can create data-driven innovative solutions to neglected health problems, such as surgical care, says Hyman. "By integrating clinical insights with research methodologies, clinician-scientists can develop targeted strategies to enhance healthcare delivery, ultimately strengthening the health system and promoting equitable access to care for all."
DAMASCUS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Syrian business representatives and industry insiders view the country's first international trade expo as a significant opportunity for local businesses to enter global markets.

Expo Syria 2024, which opened Wednesday at Exhibition City near Damascus, has drawn over 600 companies from various sectors and attracted more than 3,000 foreign traders and business figures.

Raed Al-Nouri of Syria's Al-Nouri Food Company told Xinhua that the five-day expo is "a great opportunity for Syria's recovery, especially in expanding exports to neighboring countries."

Ridwan Debs Wlaban, media director at Columbus Company, expressed confidence in the competitiveness of Syrian goods in international markets, citing their "quality, variety, and competitive pricing."

"This expo is a gateway to new markets, with Aleppo alone representing more than 50 percent of textile industry participants, along with significant involvement in the chemical, engineering, and food sectors," Mustafa Kawaya, vice president of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, told Xinhua.

However, some participants expressed concerns about the impact of Western sanctions on Syrian businesses. Eyad Mohammed, head of the Export Committee at the Syrian Federation of Agricultural Chambers, noted that Syria's annual export revenue has plummeted from 8 billion U.S. dollars to 1 billion dollars due to sanctions.

"Sanctions affect transportation, banking transfers, and the cost of production components, making it harder for Syrian products to compete in global markets," he said. 
CANBERRA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has flagged plans to introduce new laws to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Ed Husic, the minister for industry and science, on Thursday released a discussion paper proposing 10 "mandatory guardrails" to regulate AI.

The proposed guardrails include human oversight and the ability to challenge the outcomes of automated decision-making.

Husic described AI as a great opportunity for Australia but said that current standards for its use are insufficient.

"Australians know AI can do great things but people want to know there are protections in place if things go off the rails," Husic said in a statement.

"From today, we're starting to put those protections in place."

The government has proposed three possible options to set rules for AI -- adopting the guardrails within existing regulations as needed, introducing new legislation to adapt existing framework, or a new standalone cross-economy AI act.

The standalone act would enable the establishment of an independent regulator for AI, though the research paper said that setting up the new body would take resources and time.

Thursday's discussion paper proposes to define high-risk AI in two broad categories -- the first relating to instances where proposed uses of an AI system are known or foreseeable and the second relating to highly capable models where all possible risks cannot be foreseen.

It said that AI's potential to cause harm includes creating and amplifying bias, physical or psychological injury, breach of privacy and threatening national security.

According to the Tech Council of Australia, the peak industry body for the technology sector, generative AI could contribute up to 115 billion Australian dollars (77.2 billion U.S. dollars) per year to the country's economy by 2030.

Husic also on Thursday released a new voluntary set of AI safety standards to provide practical guidance to businesses to implement best practices in the use of AI. 
CANBERRA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A world-first facility in South Australia (SA) has been opened to help fight a major livestock disease.

The government of SA on Wednesday opened the Sterile Insect Technique facility on Kangaroo Island off the state's south coast.

The facility will breed and release millions of sterile blowflies in an attempt to eradicate flystrike from the island.

Flystrike is a disease that occurs when a fly lays eggs in the fleece of a sheep, and the emerging larvae create an open wound as they feed on underlying skin tissue.

It is a painful disease that can be fatal if left untreated. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in the state of Western Australia (WA) estimates the disease costs the Australian sheep industry 280 million Australian dollars (188.1 million U.S. dollars) every year.

Each week the new Kangaroo Island facility will produce up to 50 million sterile blowflies of the species that causes over 90 percent of flystrike cases.

"These are sterile males and when they mate with the females, there are no eggs produced, and so it's a way of really interacting with the wild flies to be able to reduce and hopefully eliminate sheep blowflies from Kangaroo Island," Clare Scriven, SA's minister for primary industries and regional development, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

A cost-benefit analysis compiled by the government found that eradicating sheep blowflies on Kangaroo Island would save sheep farmers up to 88 million Australian dollars (59.1 million U.S. dollars) over 25 years and improve animal welfare.

If successful, the facility, which is made out of shipping containers, can be relocated to other areas to reduce blowfly populations.

Facility manager Helen Brodie from the South Australian Research and Development Institute said it would not be possible to eradicate flystrike on the Australian mainland but that the facility could be deployed to reduce its occurrence. 
COLOMBO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Maldives has signed the United Nations High Seas Treaty, also known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), according to a post by Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

Maldives Permanent Representative to the UN Ali Naseer Mohamed signed the agreement on behalf of the country.

The treaty aims to promote equity and fairness, address environmental degradation, combat climate change, encourage sustainability, and prevent biodiversity loss in international waters.

Ibrahim described the signing as a historic breakthrough and a significant milestone in the conservation and sustainable use of Maldivian ocean resources.

The Maldives is the 92nd UN member state to sign the treaty, according to local media reports.

In a separate post on X, Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer emphasized that the treaty's signing reflects President Mohamed Muizzu's strong commitment to protecting ocean resources.

The cabinet decided to sign the treaty on Feb. 11, and the parliament approved the decision on May 14, local media reported. 
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday proposed that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.

He also proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history, Xi said. 
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei]



BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 5 delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The following is the full text of the address:

Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future

Keynote Address by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Summit of

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Beijing, September 5, 2024

Your Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye,

Your Excellency President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Chairperson of the African Union (AU),

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation,

Your Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,

Your Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission,

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Blossoms in spring turn into fruits in autumn, and a bumper harvest is the reward of hard work. In this season of harvest, I am delighted to gather together with so many old and new friends in Beijing to discuss grand plans for China-Africa friendship and cooperation in the new era. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I extend a warm welcome to you all!

The friendship between China and Africa transcends time and space, surmounts mountains and oceans, and passes down through generations. The founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000 was a milestone in the history of China-Africa relations. Over the past 24 years, especially in the new era, China has advanced forward hand in hand with our African brothers and sisters in the spirit of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith. We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests as once-in-a-century changes sweep across the world. We get stronger and more resilient together by riding the tide of economic globalization, delivering tangible benefits to billions of ordinary Chinese and Africans. We share weal and woe in fighting natural disasters and epidemics together, creating touching stories of China-Africa friendship. We always empathize with and support each other, setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations.

Thanks to nearly 70 years of tireless efforts from both sides, the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history. With its future growth in mind, I propose that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence and development one after another, and have been endeavoring to redress the historical injustices of the modernization process. As we are about to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, we are going all out to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. Africa is also awakening again, and the continent is marching in solid strides toward the modernization goals set forth in the AU's Agenda 2063. China and Africa's joint pursuit of modernization will set off a wave of modernization in the Global South, and open a new chapter in our drive for a community with a shared future for mankind.

 We should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable. In promoting modernization, we should not only follow the general rules, but also act in light of our national realities. China is ready to increase exchanges of governance experience with Africa, support all countries in exploring modernization paths befitting their national conditions, and help ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for all countries.

 We should jointly advance modernization that is open and win-win. Mutually beneficial cooperation is the sunny road to the betterment of long-term and fundamental interests of all countries. China is ready to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment, promote exemplary, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation projects, and build together a model for the delivery of the Global Development Initiative.

 We should jointly advance modernization that puts the people first. The ultimate goal of modernization is the free and full development of human beings. China will work vigorously with Africa to promote personnel training, poverty reduction and employment, enhance the sense of gain, happiness and security of the people in the course of modernization, and ensure that all will benefit from the process.

 We should jointly advance modernization featuring diversity and inclusiveness. Well-balanced material and spiritual advancement is a lofty objective of modernization. China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the Global Civilization Initiative.

 We should jointly advance modernization that is eco-friendly. Green development is a hallmark of modernization in the new era. China is ready to help Africa build "green growth engines," narrow the gap in energy accessibility, adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and jointly push for the global transition to green and low-carbon development.

 We should jointly advance modernization underpinned by peace and security. Modernization would not be possible without a peaceful and stable environment for development. China is ready to help Africa improve its capacity in safeguarding peace and stability independently, prioritize Africa in implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI), promote mutual reinforcement of high-quality development and greater security, and work together with Africa to uphold world peace and stability.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

China and Africa account for one-third of the world population. Without our modernization, there will be no global modernization. In the next three years, China will work with Africa to take the following ten partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

First, the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations. China is ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centers on China and Africa studies. We will make better use of Africa's leadership academies to cultivate talents for governance, and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.

Second, the Partnership Action for Trade Prosperity. China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider. We have decided to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This has made China the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a step. It will help turn China's big market into Africa's big opportunity. China will expand market access for African agricultural products, deepen cooperation with Africa in e-commerce and other areas, and launch a "China-Africa quality enhancement program." We are prepared to enter into framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with African countries to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantee for trade and investment between the two sides.

Third, the Partnership Action for Industrial Chain Cooperation. China will foster industry cooperation growth clusters with Africa, push forward the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, and launch an "African SMEs empowerment program." We will build with Africa a digital technology cooperation center and initiate 20 digital demonstration projects so as to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Fourth, the Partnership Action for Connectivity. China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa, promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and put in place a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development. We are ready to assist in the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and deepen logistics and financial cooperation for the benefit of trans-regional development in Africa.

Fifth, the Partnership Action for Development Cooperation. China is ready to release the Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative with Africa, and implement 1,000 "small and beautiful" livelihood projects. We will replenish the China-World Bank Group Partnership Facility to boost Africa's development. We support Africa in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. We will work together with Africa to deliver more fruits of development to the two peoples.

Sixth, the Partnership Action for Health. China is ready to establish with Africa a hospitals alliance and joint medical centers. We will send 2,000 medical personnel to Africa, and launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment. We will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa's pharmaceutical production, and continue to do what we can to help Africa with epidemic response. We support the development of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen public health capacity in all African countries.

Seventh, the Partnership Action for Agriculture and Livelihoods. China will provide Africa with RMB1 billion yuan in emergency food assistance, build 100,000 mu (about 6,670 hectares) of standardized agriculture demonstration areas in Africa, send 500 agricultural experts, and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. We will implement 500 programs in Africa to promote community welfare. We will also encourage two-way investment for new business operations by Chinese and African companies, enable Africa to retain added value, and create at least one million jobs for Africa.

Eighth, the Partnership Action for People-to-People Exchanges. China will implement with Africa more solidly the Future of Africa-Vocational Education Cooperation Plan, establish together an engineering technology academy, and build ten Luban Workshops. We will provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youths. We will launch with Africa a Cultural Silk Road program as well as an initiative of cooperation on innovation in radio, TV and audio and visual programs. The two sides have agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Ninth, the Partnership Action for Green Development. China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, put in place meteorological early warning systems, and carry out cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief as well as biodiversity conservation. We will create a China-Africa forum on peaceful use of nuclear technology, establish together 30 joint laboratories, and collaborate on satellite remote sensing and lunar and deep-space exploration. All this is designed to help with green development in Africa.

Tenth, the Partnership Action for Common Security. China is ready to build with Africa a partnership for implementing the GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation. We will give Africa RMB1 billion yuan of grants in military assistance, provide training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers from Africa, and invite 500 young African military officers to visit China. The two sides will conduct joint military exercises, training and patrol, carry out an "action for a mine-free Africa," and jointly ensure the safety of personnel and projects.

To implement the ten partnership actions, the Chinese government will provide RMB360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years. This breaks down into RMB210 billion yuan of credit line, RMB80 billion yuan of assistance in various forms, and at least RMB70 billion yuan of investment in Africa by Chinese companies. In addition, China will encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds in China to enhance our results-oriented cooperation in all areas.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

The Communist Party of China held in July the successful Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee, laying out systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. This will profoundly further transform China. It will also provide new opportunities and new driving forces for African countries and for our joint pursuit of modernization.

As an African proverb goes, a friend is someone you share the path with. On the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind. Let us rally the more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people into a powerful force on our shared path toward modernization, promote modernization of the Global South with China-Africa modernization, and write a new magnificent chapter of development in human history. Let us join hands to bring about a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

Thank you.

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha
GUIYANG, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- With the weather at a sweltering 35 degrees Celsius, Ge Yi, a project manager from China, finished his simple lunch and immediately drove to the location of his next task. He was going to verify some data for the upcoming construction of the national highway No. 2 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The highway, linking the capital with central regions, is in a poor state of repair, with extensive water damage and potholes everywhere. Guizhou Highway Engineering Group, where Ge works, has become the leading contractor tasked with restoring this essential transport route.

Ge and his colleagues have been assigned the mission of upgrading the 280-kilometer section between Mbuji-Mayi and Mbanza, building a two-way dual-lane asphalt concrete road, a reinforced concrete bridge, and a drainage system.

Ge grew up in Guizhou Province in southwest China, a relatively under-developed mountainous area, and knows well the significance of infrastructure in driving economic growth. "To get rich, you must first build roads," he noted, citing a well-known Chinese adage.

With extensive experience in major infrastructure projects across China, Ge is confident in his team's ability to deliver. "Conditions here are challenging, but we are inspired because we know our efforts will pay off when the highway ultimately contributes to DRC's development," he told Xinhua reporters stationed in Guizhou via an overseas call.

Since arriving in the DRC in early March, Ge and his team have worked tirelessly to advance the construction project. Apart from language barriers and difficulties in acclimatization, they've faced numerous technical challenges, including high temperatures that can cause the cement-stabilized soil to crack in the dry season.

To address this problem, they have come up with the solution of using a curing poly membrane, which can reduce water usage and costs while maintaining the necessary moisture level, instead of conventional geotextile or sprinkling water.

Over the past decade, China's infrastructure collaboration with Africa has yielded significant results. Guizhou Highway Engineering Group, for instance, has won contracts for several road construction projects in Africa.

The current project is scheduled to take 39 months, and once finished it will markedly slash the travel time between Kabinda and Mbanza.

"Improved transportation will not only ensure more timely and adequate supplies in Kabinda but will also help reduce the local costs of living," Ge said, adding that the project is also set to boost local employment, with over 200 workers already hired and more to come.

"While realizing my own dream of building roads overseas, I hope those projects can also help forge Africa's path for development," he said. 
Wrexham.com has invited local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here. 

In this months column Wrexhams Member of the Senedd, Lesley Griffiths, writes:

Wales new First Minister paid a visit to Ty Pawb earlier this week to listen to the views of Wrexham residents.

Eluned Morgan MS is currently undertaking a listening tour, stopping off at different towns and cities across Wales to get feedback from local businesses and citizens.

I know the First Minister enjoyed her time in Wrexham and I am grateful to everyone who took part in the discussions.

First minister Eluned Morgan visited Wrexham today as part of her Listening Tour. She spent time in Ty Pawb approaching businesses and members of the public to hear their views on the Welsh Government and the issues impacting them pic.twitter.com/pYLWXUhKf7  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) September 2, 2024

Woodys Lodge, a charity dedicated to supporting veterans, former emergency service personnel and their families, opened its very first shop in Wrexham last month.

It was a real pleasure to be invited along to the grand opening. As a city with a proud military tradition, Wrexham is the ideal location for a charity shop which is committed to raising vital funds for veterans in Wales.

In addition to offering a wide variety of pre-loved clothing, accessories, homeware and more, the shop will feature a unique display of military memorabilia, kindly loaned by local veterans and associations.

Establishing a presence in the city centre will also help raise greater awareness of the essential services Woodys Lodge provides.

The new shop can be found on Chester Street and is part of the Ty Pawb complex. It was lovely to meet the team and volunteers and I wish them all the very best.

It was a pleasure attending the opening of the very first @woodys_Lodge shop. As a city with a proud military history, #Wrexham is the ideal location for a charity shop dedicated to supporting veterans and I wish the team all the very best. pic.twitter.com/r3hT06ePgG  Lesley Griffiths (@lesley4wrexham) August 27, 2024

Andrew Ranger MP and I recently visited the team at Wrexham Lager.

These are exciting times for the iconic brewery and it was good to discuss their plans for the future.

Always good to catch up with the team at @WXM_Lager The business continues to move from strength to strength and the future is bright @AndrewRangerMP #Wrexham pic.twitter.com/paWXH1WM3K  Lesley Griffiths (@lesley4wrexham) September 2, 2024

Discussions are underway looking at potentially reinstating open-access rail services between Wrexham and London Euston.

The plan has been put forward by Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway Company Ltd (WSMR).

Under the proposals, five trains would run in each direction on Mondays to Saturdays, with four both ways on Sundays.

Starting at Wrexham General, trains would make eight stops before arriving at London Euston, including Gobowen, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes.

If the bid is successful, the new service will create 50 jobs and the first trains should depart in the summer of 2025.

The application process is competitive and the WSMRs bid is now in the hands of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), an independent regulator that will analyse the merits of restoring rail services between Wrexham and London, as well as other routes across the UK.

WSMR has been consulting with a wide range of stakeholders and, along with Wrexham Council, I have written a letter of support to the Chief Executive of the ORR, John Larkinson.

Wrexham, and the wider North Wales region, deserves better rail services, particularly now the spotlight is on our city like never before. North Wales is a destination of choice for many travellers so it is vital we have fast, frequent and reliable rail services.

I will continue to do all I can to support the WSMRs proposals.

Wrexham to London Trains a real possibility A three hour journey from Wrexham to London is a step closer today following a very positive meeting between Wrexham Council and the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway Company Ltd https://t.co/5Eci2pkmBG pic.twitter.com/sNneQqlcY1  Wrexham Council (@wrexhamcbc) August 2, 2024

Engaging with young people is a key element and enjoyable aspect of my job and it was a pleasure to talk with students from Ysgol Rhosnesni.

The virtual meeting, which took place before the schools broke up for the summer holidays, was arranged by The Politics Project.

This educational organisation specialises in running digital surgeries which aim to build relationships between young people and their politicians.

During the Q&A session we discussed a wide range of topics that matter to the students. The programme is a great way to engage young people in politics and I am grateful to The Politics Project for organising the event.

Earlier this year, I approached all Wrexhams secondary schools, as well as Coleg Cambria, highlighting the work of The Politics Project so I hope to take part in more surgeries with students in the not-too-distant future.

On Friday our young people got to experience a Q & A with @lesley4wrexham. An informative and interesting session enjoyed by all involved. Thank you to both @lesley4wrexham and @PoliticsProject for this fantastic opportunity.#TeamRhosnesni pic.twitter.com/gZDILDhSGy  Ysgol Rhosnesni (@RhosnesniHigh) July 15, 2024

As always, if youre a constituent and there is anything I could help you with, please email me: lesley.griffiths@senedd.wales or call 01978 355743. You can sign up to my regular e-newsletter by clicking here.
Contractor appointed as major Stori Brymbo works prepare to get underway

The major redevelopment of a former ironworks and steelworks in a Wrexham village will soon get underway after the main contractor for the project was appointed.

Mold based MPH Construction will be the main contractor carrying out the works at Stori Brymbo  an ambitious enterprise that will see the Brymbo site transformed into a new tourist and community attraction.

The company is expected to begin works at the former Ironworks, Steelworks and Fossil Forest site in Brymbo on 9 September.

Stori Brymbo is primarily funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery Community Fund and Cadw. The Fossil Forest, an SSSI, also has funding support from Natural Resources Wales.

This is a unique and exciting project that means a lot to the local community and to Wales, we are thrilled be a part of it, said Andy Roberts, Managing Director, MPH Construction.

The first buildings to be tackled will be the Machine Shop redevelopment and the new building to cover the Fossil Forest, followed by a refurbishment of the Pattern Shop and a partial refurbishment of the Agents House.

The Fossil Forest building is expected to finish in January, enabling an exciting series of events and activities around the live fossil excavation to begin in 2025.

Nicola Eaton Sawford, Chief Executive of Brymbo Heritage Trust, said: Using local trades and suppliers is incredibly important to us.

When you put out a tender for a big contract like this you cant show any geographical preference and so weve really struck lucky that MPH, who are based just eight miles from site, took an interest in the project and put forward a compelling bid.

Making this site something the community can be proud of once more is now happening.

Once complete Stori Brymbo will offer a unique visitor attraction that moves from the humid, mossy swamp forests of 300 million years ago (the period when coal was formed), through the industrial processes on the site over time.

Works will see the former Machine Shop building being repaired and the Heritage Area around it developed, whilst the other side of Phoenix Drive will be transformed into Lodge Valley Park  a beautiful parkland space for the community and visitors to enjoy.

Andrew Foster, trustee, said: Its taken a long time to get to this point.

Its fantastic to finally get the contractors on site and we look forward to working with them to create something special.

Prior to the construction team coming on site, resident Paleobiologist, Dr Tim Astrop led a team of 20 palaeontology/archaeology/geology students from Portsmouth, Leicester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Cambridge Universities as well as The Open University, in a dry run paleontological dig.

Stori Brymbo Fossil Group volunteers and interested parties in the local community also got involved. They excavated four pits that are needed for the vertical supports that form part of the fossil forest building.

Local Member of the Senedd, Ken Skates, a long term, loyal supporter of the project visited site to see for himself the excavation progress and the construction plans.

Its excellent news that this major project to completely transform an important local heritage site has cleared its final hurdle and work will begin imminently, he said.

This area of Brymbo is a huge part of the fabric of Wrexhams history, and once completed this ambitious redevelopment will be a truly unique visitor attraction.

Wrexham County Borough is enjoying huge attention and surging visitor numbers, and Stori Brymbo will further enhance our areas offering to people from all over the world.

Mr Skates added: Im also delighted that that a new community parkland space  Lodge Valley Park  will be created for visitors to Brymbo and for local people to enjoy.

To find out more about the history of the Stori Brymbo site and the plan for the site an Open Day will take place on 28 September between 11am  4pm.

To monitor Stori Brymbos progress over the next couple of years and be notified of events, follow Stori Brymbo on Facebook/Instagram, keep an eye on local noticeboards or submit your email address on the website for updates.

Those interested in future excavations can contact tom.hughes@brymboheritage.co.uk.
Twitter will not show our current tweets to people who don't login to Twitter, just an old 'top' viewed list, so visit Twitter.com/Wrexham direct!


The Traitors star to visit Wrexham on epic 1,200km charity trek

One of the stars of the hit BBC series The Traitors is set to visit Wrexham as part of an epic 1,200km trek in aid of Headway  the brain injury association.

Andrew Jenkins, who appeared in the second series of the show, captivated audiences when he disclosed his near-fatal car crash in 1999.

Feared dead at the side of the road, he sustained a severe brain injury, and doctors initially told his parents he would never walk or talk again and might not even wake from his coma.

Against all odds, Andrew made an amazing recovery and has been described as a miracle patient.

Andrew, from Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is now preparing to take on a monumental route which will take him through all four UK nations, walking up to a staggering 40km per day.

I am really pleased to be able to take on this challenge, explained Andrew.

My recovery has been a long journey, and I am passionate about talking about my experiences and encouraging others to talk about the adversities theyve faced in life.

This route is the perfect opportunity and Im so excited to meet people along the way, and to raise awareness of the incredible work that Headway does for brain injury survivors across the UK.

Andrew will walk between castles in the UK, starting from Ardross Castle in Scotland where The Traitors was filmed, down to Cardiff Castle in his home city. His journey will include stops at Lancaster Castle in England and Carrickfergus Castle in Northern Ireland.

The Big Trek will start on September 29 and is expected to take over 40 days.

It will see Andrew reach Wrexham from Ellesmere Port on October 31. He will then set off to Chirk Castle on November 1, before trekking to Arddleen in Powys on November 2.

As well as taking on the physical challenge, Andrew is on a mission to raise awareness of brain injury among communities along the way, by talking about trauma and the importance of addressing mental health openly.

Headway works to improve life after brain injury by providing vital support, advocacy, and information services to brain injury survivors and their families.

The money that Andrew raises will go towards essential Headway services, such as the Emergency Fund, which helps family members be at the bedside of their loved one in critical care, or the charitys nurse-led helpline, which provides essential information and emotional support to brain injury survivors and their families.

Jen Murgatroyd, Headways Director of Fundraising said: We are proud to have Andrew champion our cause and Im sure his journey will give hope and inspiration to other brain injury survivors.

Supporters can contribute to his cause by donating at Andrews Givestar page.
By Bayram Elshadov, Day.az





Former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has gone too far. A few days ago, this guy announced a meeting in Yerevan, where he promises his employers from the Armenian lobby to complain fervently about Azerbaijan. Now the corrupt lawyer has decided to write a second open letter, although the effectiveness of the first was absolutely zero.





In his new letter, Ocampo continues to make unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan, hoping to cause an international outcry. However, his attempts are again proving to be a failure, as he cannot back up his statements with convincing evidence. The corrupt lawyer has long since lost his reputation as an impartial human rights defender, and his activities increasingly resemble contract actions to please certain political circles. Apparently, Ocampos latest failure will only strengthen the opinion that his work is more political than legal in nature, and is aimed at serving the interests of the Armenian lobby rather than achieving justice.





In the face of these failed attempts, Ocampo continues to actively exploit the themes of humanitarian crisis and human rights, which tend to resonate in some international circles. However, his assertiveness and tendency to manipulate facts only undermine his credibility. Today, hardly anyone would argue that Ocampo has become a tool for achieving narrow political goals. The Armenian lobby, in turn, continues to put pressure on Ocampo, pushing him to new provocations against Azerbaijan, despite the obvious lack of concrete grounds for accusations.





International observers have already drawn attention to the biased nature of Ocampo's statements. His position, initially perceived as neutral and designed to protect the rights of the oppressed, now increasingly looks like part of a strategic game aimed at destabilizing the situation in the region. In these circumstances, it is obvious that loud statements without evidence cannot change the factual picture, but on the contrary, only push Armenia to unleash new military provocations against Azerbaijan.




The 2024 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges was held in China's Shanghai on Tuesday. Some attendees called for enhancing dialogue, understanding and cooperation between their country and China. #GLOBALink
More than six years after it opened, and seven years, two months and 21 days after the Grenfell tower inferno in London took the lives of 72 men, women and children, the public inquiry into this atrocity delivered its final report.

As was only to be expected from a state-sanctioned inquiry, the 1,700-page document is a whitewash. A few slapped wrists are administered to the companies involved, and governments going back to 1991 admonished for not learning the lessons of previous fires, and for their decades of failure over the issue of public buildings being clad in flammable material.

The first phase of proceedings, which reported its findings in October 2019, had a remit to investigate what caused the fire, concludingas everyone already knew, even in the hours while the fire was still smoulderingthat flammable cladding was chiefly responsible for the ferocity and speed of the blaze.

Just as two years were not required to establish that fact, neither were a further four required to establish the root causes of the fire, or how and why Grenfell Tower was transformed from a safe 1970s-built residential high-rise into a death trap by June 14, 2017.

The victims of Grenfell Tower died as the result of an act of social murder whose architects were companies aiming to cut costs in their refurbishment of the 24-storey building. Their accomplices were successive Conservative and Labour governments who deregulated the building industry on behalf of the capitalist class and created the lax environment for private profiteers to take advantage of.

As a result, a small fire that broke out behind a fridge in a fourth-floor flat was spread through a highly combustible cladding system to the 24th floor in around 30 minutes.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chair of the inquiry and pillar of the British establishmenta former Lord Justice of Appeal and member of the Privy Councilsaid in the politest terms as he introduced the report, The simple truth is the deaths were all avoidable and those who lived in the tower were badly failed.

Belying its tame conclusions, much of the evidence compiled is utterly damning.

The refurbishment and cladding companies engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market. There was systematic dishonesty from the companies, resulting in hazardous materials being applied to the block.

Rydon, the main contractor in charge of the refurb, gave inadequate thought to fire safety, to which it displayed a casual attitude and failed to take proper steps to investigate [construction company] Harleys competence  it was complacent about the need for fire engineering advice.

Arconic, the firm that manufactured the Grenfell Tower cladding, deliberately concealed the danger of the panels used on the tower. Celotex, which supplied most of the insulation, embarked on a dishonest scheme to mislead customers. The inquiry concluded that Kingspan knew its insulation product failed fire safety tests disastrously but continued to sell it for use in high-rise buildings.

The inclusion for blame in the inquiry report of the London Fire Brigade alongside these utter criminals is an outrage. From the outset, the inquiry has attempted to shift at least some of the blame in this way.

According to the report, the LFB did not learn the lessons from the Lakanal tower block fire of 2009, meaning there were shortcomings in its ability to fight fires in high-rise buildings. But as the World Socialist Web Site noted in response to the first phase, whatever mistakes of judgement were made on the night by the LFB, they were produced by years of cuts to the fire service and the impossible situation created at Grenfell by the private contractors.

In November 2016eight months before the firethe Grenfell Action Group, with Edward Daffarn and Francis OConnor playing a leading role, issued a blog post sounding the alarm, It is a truly terrifying thought but the Grenfell Action Group firmly believe that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO [Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation], and bring an end to the dangerous living conditions and neglect of health and safety legislation that they inflict upon their tenants and leaseholders.

They predicted, Unfortunately, the Grenfell Action Group have reached the conclusion that only an incident that results in serious loss of life of KCTMO residents will allow the external scrutiny to occur that will shine a light on the practices that characterise the malign governance of this non-functioning organisation 

Moore-Bicks response to this tragically prophetic warning says everything about the savage instincts of the British ruling class which the inquiry is supposed to conceal. He writes, The TMO regarded some of the residents as militant troublemakers led on by a handful of vocal activists, principally Edward Daffarn, whose style they found offensive, adding, The result was a toxic atmosphere fuelled by mistrust on both sides.

What a filthy slander. There is no equivalence whatsoever between a campaign demanding that the basic safety and wellbeing of tenants be respected, and a management organisation indifferent to their concerns.

Retired High Court judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick leaves St Clement's Church near to the Grenfell Tower apartment building in London, Thursday June 29, 2017. [AP Photo/Philip Toscano/PA via AP]

While naming in the vaguest terms the government as among those who failed the Grenfell victims, survivors and bereaved, Moore-Bick is at pains to avoid naming individuals responsible. The report states, In the years between the fire at Knowsley Heights in 1991 and the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017 there were many opportunities for the government to identify the risks posed by the use of combustible cladding panels and insulation, particularly to highrise buildings, and to take action in relation to them.

The report points to instances whereby the Blair Labour government (in 1999) and later Tory governments took actions creating the environment in which a Grenfell-type event was all but inevitable, yet the key actors in those governments, including Blair, Theresa May, and David I will kill off safety culture Cameron, are not held to account in any way.

One of the main political pyromaniacs responsible for Grenfell is Boris Johnson, the former Tory Mayor of London (2008-2016) and later prime minister. In 2013, Johnson infamously replied to a question put to him by the London Assembly member over cuts to fire services: Will you accept responsibility in a criminal court when people die as a result of your cuts? with Get stuffed! Protesting firefighters were present in the audience. The following year, 10 fire stations were closed in the capital and nearly 600 firefighters jobs lost.

Yet Johnsonwho as prime minister could not contain his contempt for the safety and lives of millions of people during the height of the COVID pandemic, declaring, Let the bodies pile high in their thousands!is not mentioned once in the entirety of the phase two report.

Former resident Natasha Elcock, who lost her uncle in the fire, read a statement on behalf of Grenfell United, which represents some of the affected families. They were failed by calculated dishonesty and greed, she said. Above all, the judge concludes what we already knew. Every single loss of life that night was avoidable. Human life was never a priority, and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the most horrific wayfrom greed, corruption, incompetence and negligence.

The statement continued, But justice has not been delivered.  The system isnt broken, it was built this way.

Calling on Sir Keir Starmers Labour government to implement the recommendations which were already three decades too late, the group concluded, We have an expectation that the Met Police and the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] ensure that those who are truly responsible are held to account and brought to justice.

The burnt out Grenfell Tower tower block building nine days after the June 14, 2017 fire. [AP Photo/Frank Augstein]

In Parliament, Starmer issued a handwringing apology on behalf of the British state, saying, It should never have happened. But the extent of his action was to promise that the reports 58 safety recommendations would be considered and to write to the companies involved in making Grenfell unsafe as a first step to ensuring they are awarded no more public sector contracts.

That they have continued to receive such contracts since the fire, further piling up their profits, is sickening. In total, these deals, including work for housing associations, have been worth 250 million over the last five years.

Across the country, just 1,088 of 4,374 buildings with dangerous cladding have been fixed with remedial work, leaving many thousands of people in death traps.

Maria Jafari, from the Grenfell Next of Kin group who lost her father, Ali Yawar Jafari, in the fire, was in tears as she denounced the inquiry report. Seven years have passed, and we still have no justice and we have to fight again. I dont know how many more years its going to take and nobody knows if were going to be alive for the justice.

Hisam Choucair, who lost six family members in the fire, said, This inquiry was forced on us  For me, as a direct kin, this inquiry hasnt taught me anything. In fact, its delayed the justice my family deserves.

Shah Aghlani, who lost his mother and aunt at Grenfell, said of the inquiry, If somebody wanted to create a system that prevents justice you could not have created a better system than what is in place now.

These feelings of opposition to the entire official set-uppart of a carefully orchestrated response by the ruling elite to protect those responsible for the firewill only grow.

Called by Theresa Mays Tory government, utilising the 2005 Inquiries Act enacted by the Blair government, the Grenfell Inquiry had no power to determine, any persons civil or criminal liability. To date, not a single person has been arrested and charged by the Metropolitan Police, despite everyone knowing who the guilty parties are. After the inquiry handed down its report, the Metropolitan Police reiterated what it said months ago: that it must now take another 12-18 months to complete its own investigation, requiring it to consider Moore-Bicks findings line by line.

The Socialist Equality Party, which called on the families and residents not to co-operate with Moore-Bicks cover-up inquiry, demands that this drawn-out denial of justice be brought to an end and those responsible in corporate and political circles be arrested, charged and prosecuted for one of the landmark crimes of modern British history.
Postal workers at a USPS processing and distribution center. [AP Photo/Ben Margot]

Atlanta-area postal worker Shannon Barnes collapsed on the job on Sunday, August 18 from a brain aneurysm and later died, after her co-workers were unable to call 911 in a timely manner due to a lack of cellphone coverage in the vast facility where they worked.

Barnes, a 48-year-old mother, worked at the US Postal Services Regional Distribution Center in Palmetto, Georgia. It was a full 30 minutes after losing consciousness before she received medical attention, and by then it was too late. Doctors later told Barnes family she had already passed away by the time she reached the hospital.

Reporters from WSB-TV in Atlanta interviewed workers at the facility, who reported that they were unable to place calls or text messages inside the building, or even call 911. It has been reported that an employee had to leave the facility to find a cell signal and call an ambulance, a critical delay that may have cost Barnes her life.

Barness son Quenious Holmes told the network that his mother always complained about not being able to use her phone inside the distribution center and It was real devastating. We were told a lot of storiestheres been a lot of stories... I think somethings going on at that post office because it isnt my first time hearing about this.

This tragic death is only the latest in a series of fatalities and life-threatening injuries that USPS workers have suffered in recent years as the speed-ups and efficiency schemes imposed upon them by management and their collaborators in the union bureaucracy erode what few job protections remain.

Barness death follows that of fellow postal worker Wendy Johnson of Fayetteville, North Carolina, on June 6 of this year. Johnson, a 20-year veteran of USPS, was found unresponsive in a bathroom at her facility shortly after conducting a route inspection and later died in the hospital. The temperature that day was 95 degrees.

There can be little doubt that the lack of cell coverage inside the sorting facility was a deliberate choice on the part of USPS. The distribution center where Shannon Barnes died is a new facility, recently built and opened in February 2024. The Postal Service bosses no doubt calculated that preventing workers from using their phones on the job would improve profitability, and if a worker occasionally dies as a result, it would be worth the cost.

The distribution center in Palmetto is one of a new series of giant postal hubs opened under the exploitative Delivering For America plan that USPS first rolled out in 2021. DFA aims to make the USPS profitable by eliminating local post offices, merging operations into fewer and more extensive facilities, and increasing efficiency by imposing speed-ups and putting workers out on the street. Postmaster General Louis Dejoy has gone on record stating that DFA will lead to the loss of 10,000 letter carrier routes and 50,000 jobs.

The goal of DFA is to set the conditions for the privatization of USPS, so that it might more effectively compete with UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.

The Palmetto center consolidated four smaller units that serviced the Atlanta area, and its operational roll-out has been a disaster. From the outset, the facility, which has a capacity of 200 loading docks, snarled mail delivery throughout the Atlanta Metro area, home to over 6 million people. Only 37 percent of inbound mail handled by the Palmetto center was delivered on time in March, shortly after the facility opened.

The mail delays have caused a cascading set of disruptions. Medications, mail-in ballots, income-tax filings and other important documents have taken weeks to be delivered or failed to show up at all. A series of investigations by local media led to congressional hearings where DeJoy doubled down on the need for DFA but agreed to slow its implementation.

A recently released report by the office of the inspector general found that the Palmetto facility was understaffed by nearly two-thirds when it opened and that management had failed to train postal employees on the machinery and processes at the new facility.

Under DFA, letter carriers also face heightened exploitation. USPS installed a monitoring system in May 2023 in collaboration with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) union known as the Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process (TIAREAP). This system monitors workers activities to ensure theyre always working and there is no downtime.

Rural carriers are monitored by a similar program, the Rural Route Evaluated Compensation System (RRECS). A worker that the WSWS interviewed said that under the RRECS , which is the system that determines their pay, there are counts. These counts are two-week periods designed to determine the amount of time it takes to deliver the mail, using a highly complicated system based on GPS. The problem is, when carriers deliver mail based on GPS, the system doesn't consider that a worker may have to climb multiple flights of stairs or drive through maze-like parking lots in an apartment complex. It also doesnt allow for the time it takes to remove and load mail from and into large mailboxes in the complexes.

All these issues happen while workers are driven harder and harder with less time to complete their tasks in triple-digit heat, affecting workers in the warehouses and the routes.

Another significant issue is that during these counts, the amount of mail is much less. As the worker indicated, the mail volume is much higher after a weekend because even though the carriers arent delivering, people are still mailing letters and packages. However, during the count, the volume of mail decreased. Since the letter carriers are paid based on the amount of mail they deliver, they're sometimes being cheated by up to 20 percent.

The worker stated, There are times when the customer asks you to check on a package, and I would do some research with my supervisor where Im trying to locate a package, and they would say, Oh, its been in California for two weeks, because If I scan that package, I get credit for that package. So, something is happening where some days we are light on packages, and other days were light on mail. Every day is an evaluation when we are on the count. I have to enter information on our scanners.

Postal workers all over the US-and the world-face a common struggle. Abandoned by their unions, which have long functioned as an arm of management, they are forced to work harder for less pay as management utilizes all the advances of modern technology to extract maximum productivity from each worker, even at the cost of their lives.

The Postal Workers Rank-And-File Committee was formed last year to fight back against this state of affairs. Composed of postal workers across the US, and internationally, The PWRFC laid out the way forward in their founding statement:

The only way forward is to organize ourselves, put forward our own program of demands, and place rank-and-file workers in every position critical to our job security, safety, wages, bargaining and so on. We must prepare action from below to assert the will of 635,000 career and non-career USPS workers to make sure our needs and interests take absolute priority and not the slash-and-burn policies of corporate-controlled politicians.

If you agree with this, contact us today and join the Committee by emailing USPSRankandFileCommittee@gmail.com or filling out the form below.
KINSHASA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A first batch of 99,100 doses of mpox vaccines was delivered on Thursday to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the global health crisis.

"In total, that will make 200,000 doses on Saturday. Today, we received 99,100 doses, and the rest (will be received) on Saturday," said Roger Kamba, DRC health minister, at Kinshasa's N'djili Airport, promising to contain the virus as quickly as possible, especially in the most affected provinces, such as the South Kivu and Equateur.

"It is first the vaccines for adults that have arrived," the health minister said, adding that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will be in charge of the vaccination campaign in the most affected provinces, without specifying the date for the launch of the vaccination.

However, according to a statement released Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO), the DRC Ministry of Health plans to start rolling out the vaccines this weekend. "Vaccines alone will not be enough to stop these epidemics," warned the WHO, calling on stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, risk communication, community engagement, clinical and home care, and coordination.

The DRC, which declared a national mpox epidemic at the end of 2022, has reported more than 18,000 suspected cases, including 629 deaths, since the beginning of 2024, with four out of five deaths being children, according to a statement released Sunday by the UNICEF.

The WHO declared mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern in mid-August, warning of the potential for increased transmission of the disease globally. The WHO declaration comes after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deemed the ongoing mpox outbreak a public health emergency of continental security. 
A 14-year-old shooter killed two students and two teachers on Wednesday morning with an AR-15 style rifle at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, before he was taken into custody by law enforcement.

A medical helicopter is seen in front of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. [AP Photo/Mike Stewart]

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed the shooters name as Colt Gray, a student at the school, and that nine others had injuries requiring hospitalization. Apalachee High School is part of Barrow County Schools, has about 1,900 students and is located approximately 45 miles east of Atlanta.

GBI Director Chris Hosey told news media that Gray opened fire around 10:20 a.m. and was rapidly confronted by a school resource officer and surrendered immediately. Hosey said the shooter will be charged with murder and tried as an adult. The victims have not been identified as of this writing.

A total of 30 individuals have been reported with injuries from the incident. Two gunshot victims were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Barrow and one gunshot victim was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville. The injuries sustained by these three were not considered life-threatening.

CBS News reported that some patients came to hospitals with anxiety symptoms and some were experiencing panic attacks. A spokesperson for Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta said staff had received one gunshot wound patient from the high school.

Students who spoke to the media described the chaotic and terrifying scene when the shooter opened fire in a classroom. Marques Coleman, 14, spoke to CBS affiliate WANF and said he was inside the classroom when the shooting began. He said, I see a kid with a, he had like a big gun, and just started shooting. I got up, I started running, he started shooting like, like 10 times. He shot at least 10 times, Coleman said.

The teenager said he dove behind the desk and his teacher got in front of him, My teacher started barricading the door with desks. Coleman told WANF he saw one of my classmates on the ground bleeding so bad, another girl shot in the leg and a friend shot in the stomach.

A heavy police presence on the high school campus followed the shooting. By 11:00 a.m. dozens of ambulances had responded. Police officers and a medical helicopter gathered in the parking lot and on the green outside of the building. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) dispatched agents to the scene, where they were coordinating with local law enforcement.

Some news media is reporting that there had been an online warning earlier in the day that a shooting was going to take place in the school district. Very few details about this fact have been released so far.

The FBI reported Wednesday evening that its National Threat Operations Center had received several anonymous tips in May 2023 of threats online to commit a school shooting at a unidentified location and time, which included pictures of guns. The threat was traced to Georgia and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office was alerted by the FBI and proceeded to interview Colt, then 13 years old, and his father. Colt denied making the threat and it was decided at the time that there was no reason to make an arrest or take other legal action.

Responding in template form to another in a long list of horrific school shootings in the US, President Biden said he and his wife Jill were mourning the deaths that were caused by more senseless gun violence. Biden said that what is needed is for Congress to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers.

Speaking at a rally in New Hampshire, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris called the Apalachee High School shootings a senseless tragedy, providing no coherent reason for the epidemic of school shootings in America, many of which are being carried out by teenage students. Adding to the hand-wringing of the entire US political establishment, Harris said, Weve got to stop it. It doesnt have to be this way.

Fascist Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump weighed in with his own vicious response, referring to the shooter, only 14 years old, as a sick and deranged monster. Georgia Republican Party governor Brian Kemp and Democratic Party mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens came together to promote the presence of local, state and federal law enforcement in and around schools.

In contrast, Socialist Equality Party candidate for US President Joseph Kishore issued a statement on the shooting at Apalachee High School that provided the only explanation of its root cause and the way forward out of the violence for the working class.

The response from the political establishment was entirely predictable. As after every mass shooting, there is no effort to explain what it is in American society that produces such horrors on such a regular basis. Little information is available about the shooter or the possible motives. No doubt more information will come out in the coming days. But the source of an explanation for the epidemic of school shootings lies not at the level of individual psychology, but rather social pathology.

Kishore referred to the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 in Littleton, Colorado, since which school shootings have become a constant feature of American life:

There has been a dramatic increase over the past three years, with 73 school shootings in 2021, 79 in 2022, 82 in 2023 and 45 so far this year. And it is not only school shootings. On Monday, a man in Chicago allegedly opened fire on a commuter train, murdering four individuals. On average, 117 Americans die every day from gun violence, 67 percent by suicide and 30 percent by homicide.

He quoted from the World Socialist Web Site at the time of the Columbine massacre which called attention to the social warning signs, the indications and indices of social and political dysfunction which create the climate that produces such bloody events.

Vital indicators of impending disaster might include: growing polarization between wealth and poverty; atomization of working people and the suppression of their class identity; the glorification of militarism and war; the absence of serious social commentary and political debate; the debased state of popular culture; the worship of the stock exchange; the unrestrained celebration of individual success and personal wealth; the denigration of the ideals of social progress and equality.

Kishore continued by elaborating on the development of these tendencies over the past three decades, and their implications:

Over the past quarter century, these social indices, these vital indicators of impending disaster, have only increased. The American ruling class and its state has, over the past year, armed, financed and politically justified a genocide in Gaza that has killed as many as 200,000 Palestinians. The Biden-Harris administration is escalating a global war, including the US-NATO war against Russia, that threatens nuclear annihilation. The normalization of mass death in the pandemic has been a defining experience for young people, with more than 1.4 million deaths in the US alone due to the willful rejection of basic public health by the American ruling class. Police in the United States kill more than 1,000 people every year. The political system is in an advanced state of degeneration, with one of the parties of the ruling class, the Republicans, led by a fascistic demagogue who attempted to overturn the constitution, and the other, the Democrats, focused entirely on the escalation of war. The entire official political climate and culture wallows in muck and filth, centered on the glorification of wealth, amidst deepening economic and social crisis for the broad mass of the population. Social services have been starved to pay for war and bank bailouts. The ruling class insists that there is no money for education, mental health services, basic healthcare or any semblance of a social safety net. The growing mood of resistance in the working class, however, must and will bring with it a radical change in the political, intellectual and, indeed, moral climate of the country. The source of the social pathology of the United States lies in the capitalist system. Therefore, it must be overturned. This is the basic issue confronting workers and young people in this election and beyond.

According to EverytownResearch.org there have been 133 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in the US, resulting in 38 deaths and 81 injuries, so far in 2024. This number is on track to surpass the total of 158 shootings and, 45 deaths and 106 injuries in 2023.

The number of school shootings has risen sharply since EverytownResearch.org began collecting data in 2013, when there were 51 instances of school shootings, 28 deaths and 37 injuries. The data shows that school shootings are taking place in every state in the US, in urban centers, suburban communities and rural districts.

The organization highlights the fact that gunfire in schools is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the exposure of children to gun violence. The research shows that every year, more than 4,000 children and teens are shot and killed and over 17,000 more are shot and wounded. An estimated 3 million children in the US are exposed to shootings per year. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens.
The drowning of 12 refugees in the English Channel off the coast of northern France on Tuesday is a direct product of the brutal state crackdown against asylum seekers. The authors of this preventable tragedy sit in government in London and Paris.

A pregnant woman and six children were among the dead. The victims drowned as their inflatable dinghy ripped open at around 6:50 a.m. According to the French coastguard, more than 50 people had been rescued with two in critical condition. Only eight life jackets are reported to have been on board the vastly overcrowded dingy, which sank just three miles off the French coast.

People gather in Calais, France, September 4, 2024, to pay homage to the migrants who drowned when their small inflatable boat was ripped apart in the English channel on Tuesday. [AP Photo/Nicolas Garriga]

Official reports stated that the victims were primarily from the African country of Eritrea. The United Nations Human Rights Council describes the situation in the country as dire, listing arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and torture by the authorities.

A French fisherman, Samba Sy Ndiaye, onboard one of the two fishing vessels which assisted the rescue operation and recovered some of the dead said, The bodies of two women were very young. That hurt me. I cried all day. I couldnt stop.

According to the UNs International Organisation for Migration (IMO), before this latest fatal sinking 30 people had died attempting to cross the Channel this yearthe highest loss of life since 2021 when 45 deaths were recorded. The official figure for fatalities this year does not account for the number of missing recorded by the organisation as part of its Missing Migrant Project, which estimates that 226 people, including 35 children, are missing or have died attempting the crossing.

The state crackdown on smugglers who organise the crossings has only forced migrants into undertaking even more hazardous journeys, as they try to avoid the militarised border infrastructure established by the British and French authorities against vulnerable people.

A BBC article supportive of the actions of the French police on their shorelines to intercept the boats acknowledged, The gangs pack more people inside inflatable boats of ever more dubious qualitysometimes 90 people in a boat designed, or barely designed, to hold 40. Its a problem exacerbated as the authorities succeed in disrupting the supply of boats brought to the coastline from deep within Europe.

A Guardian article described how Cameras installed on the beaches, night vision equipment and drones are used to stop boats from being launched from accessible beaches 

In such circumstances, desperate asylum seekers seeking refuge in the UK have little choice other than to take greater risks, charity workers say. They are launching from more remote beaches away from the police, committing to longer journeys, and are more likely to die at sea.

Labour Home Secretary Yvette Coopers response to the mass drowning of women and children was a grotesque example of official hypocrisy. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of all those who have lost their lives, and all those who have been seriously injured, she said, before using the deaths as justification for the policies responsible for them, giving the shabby pretext of dismantling the criminal smuggling gangs.

The tragedy comes just a fortnight after Cooper began implementing the brutal anti-migrant agenda of the incoming Labour government, pledged to outdoing its Conservative predecessors with new plans for the next 6 months to achieve the highest rate of removals of those with no right to be here, including failed asylum seekers, for 5 years. These plans involve the deportation of around 14,500 people labelled illegal migrants, exceeding the two previous six-month record highs set by the previous Conservative government of 13,410 in 2018 and 14,389 last year.

As part of its draconian approach to securing borders, the Labour government has also established a Gestapo-like Border Security Command, working with a Returns and Enforcement Unit to speed up deportations, and plans to reopen detention camps at Haslar and Campsfieldpreviously condemned by human rights groups for their human rights abuses and violations.

The governments continued war on refugees came in the aftermath of the far-right riots in cities across England which included targeted attacks and arson against asylum seekers accommodated in hotels. In its manifesto, the Labour Party promised to end what it branded Home Office asylum hotels, complaining of their cost to the taxpayer.

The drownings off the Cape Gros-Nez will be used to deepen the co-operation between the British and French governments to strengthen the militarised border against migrants and refugees.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin used the event to drum up demands for more funding from the UK for French border police. He complained that the 476 million provided to France, based on a three-year agreement signed in 2023, covered only a third of the cost.

Darmanin insisted, We need a treatya migration treaty between the UK and the European Unionbecause the people who go now [are] people from the heart of Africa who want to go to the UK. His right-wing comments, including criticism of the loosely regulated labour market in the UK acting as an attraction for undocumented migrants, were made in the context of the necessity to defend Fortress Europea collective project of the European ruling class which has drowned tens of thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean.

The meeting between Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron last month to reset post-Brexit relations focussed primarily on anti-migrant co-operation, as well as escalating the NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. The meeting was one of like-minded reactionaries and warmongers, with Macron refusing to recognise the result of the National Assembly elections and Starmer leading a government elected on the lowest turnout of eligible voters in history.

Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, responded to Tuesdays loss of life by arguing, We must create effective and humane pathways for those seeking refuge to reduce the need for dangerous crossings and prevent further tragedies, before declaring the charity ready to work constructively with the Government to build a fair, orderly and compassionate asylum system that prioritises human life and dignity.

Such an appeal could not be more misdirected. The government is intent on preventing those most in need from reaching the UK and sees drowning as an effective deterrent. The ruling class in every country has a vested interest in scapegoating migrants and refugees for the shortage of everything which should be a guaranteed to alla decent job, a living wage, an affordable home and access to high-quality health and education.

Moreover, it is not a question of reduc[ing] the need for dangerous crossings but ending them altogether. For this, a fight must be taken up to force the universal recognition of the right to asylum being torn to shreds by the British, French and all governments. Smugglers would have no market of vulnerable people to exploit if they could secure their democratic rights through official channels.

But these rights are increasingly unobtainable under capitalism, the domination of society by a corporate and financial elite and division of the world into rival nation states. They require a socialist struggle based on the unification of the international working class.

As the World Socialist Web Site responded to Coopers agenda as home secretary:
Haiti remains mired in a profound social crisis and escalating criminal gang violence, as a US-organized, United Nations sanctioned, police-military stabilization force continues to roll out its deployment in the Western hemispheres poorest country.

In a flimsy attempt to portray the mission as motivated by humanitarian concerns, not imperialist interests, the United States and Canada pushed for Kenyas right-wing government to take the leadership of what is officially known as the UN Multilateral Security Support Mission to Haiti.

Police officers, part of a UN-backed multinational force, drive past residents in armored vehicles on the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. [AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph]

Between late June and mid-July, 400 Kenyan National Police Special Forces personnel arrived in Haiti, substantially short of what had been a promised 1,000-strong contingent. They are to be joined by 1,500 troops recruited from Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, and Benin, and will work with the notoriously corrupt Haitian National Police to re-establish law and order.

The police-military mission has been organized and is principally financed by the United States. It has provided $380 million to fund the mission and in recent weeks has delivered 80 Humvees, 35 MaxxPro vehicles, sniper rifles, and drones to Port-au-Prince.

Canadian imperialism is also playing an important role, and to a lesser extent France and Spain. Ottawa has contributed more than C$80 million, some of it in the form of armored vehicles, and has provided training in Jamaica to some of the units deploying to Haiti.

The fraudulent character of the claims that the imperialist-organized intervention force is deploying to Haiti to protect its people and salvage democracy were exposed by the events occurring in Kenya, as officers drawn from its Special Forces police were deploying to Haiti.

The Kenyan government of William Ruto used National Police, and particularly the Special Forces, who are notorious for their thuggery and criminality, to violently suppress mass protests against IMF-dictated austerity measures. Last month, the Ruto government indefinitely banned protests in Nairobis Central Business District, invoking the manifestly trumped up pretext of potential violence by criminal groups.

In Haiti, Kenyas police are carrying out the same role they do in Kenya. Their purpose is to terrorize the Haitian people into submission, so as to prevent the gang crisis from triggering a mass exodus of impoverished refugees to the US and Canada or destabilizing the broader Caribbean region, which Washington has long viewed as its backyard.

Over a century of imperialist occupation, regime-changes and plunder

After plundering Haiti for over a century, leaving death and destruction in their wake, the imperialist powers are only concerned with preventing the Haitian populations desperate attempts to survive from becoming an international disturbance.

The US has a long, bloody record of intervening militarily in Haiti, stretching back over a century. In the past three decades, they have repeatedly been joined by Canadian troops.

There are several reasons that the North American imperialist powers have chosen to outsource responsibility for establishing order in Haiti to Kenya and several other African and CARICOM nations, rather than deploying their own troops. First, US and Canadian military resources are focused on supplying Ukraine and preparing for direct war with Russia and China. There is also an acute awareness of the Haitian populations hostility towards the imperialist powers. There have been repeated demonstrations in Port-au-Prince denouncing the role not just of Washington, but also of Canadian imperialism. Finally, there is a recognition that suppressing the gangs, who have intimate ties to and are sponsored by rival factions of the venal Haitian bourgeoisie, could cost considerable blood and treasure.

Since the beginning of the year, the situation in Haiti has been widely described as teetering on the brink of total collapse, with extreme violence and want having become the norm for a great portion of Haitis population.

Already burdened by over a century of imperialist occupation and oppression, Haiti suffered further devastation in a 2010 earthquake, from which it has never fully recovered. The imperialist led humanitarian efforts which followed the earthquake turned into systematic pillage. Repeated rounds of IMF imposed austerity, then the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated the ongoing collapse of Haitian society.

Armed gangs have taken control of much of Haiti, severing supply routes and isolating the capital from the rest of the country. The gang control has also restricted access to vital goods, including food, medicine, and fuel, making basic necessities a luxury. It is estimated that gangs control approximately 80 percent of Haitis capital.

According to a UN report issued late last month, some 578,000 people have been displaced and forced onto the streets, where killings, lynchings, and sexual assaults take place on a regular basis. Only a quarter of the countrys dilapidated hospitals are functioning, 1.5 million children have been shut out of school, and approximately half of Haitis population is in need of humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, with more than 8 months of the year already over, the UNs Haiti 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan, has raised just $162.5 million from member states or just 33 percent of a budgeted $674 million.

The desperate situation in Haiti is causing a migration crisis, some of the consequences of which were tragically illustrated last month when a fire broke out on a boat carrying migrants off the coast of the island nation, resulting in at least 40 deaths and multiple injuries, according to a United Nations agency.

Social tensions are at a high point, as the population is facing increasing shortages of essential goods and services. It was reported on Wednesday that Haitis largest hydropower plant, Peligre, was shut down after protesters stormed the facility demanding access to electricity. The country has been grappling with energy shortages, as the authorities prioritize the capital, Port-au-Prince, over other regions. The Peligre plant, with a capacity of 54 MW, represents nearly all of Haitis hydropower output. Hydrocarbons are also in short supply due to Venezuela halting oil exports to Haiti in 2019 amid US sanctions and declining oil production.

The tragedy now engulfing Haiti is first and foremost a product of imperialist oppression and predation.

US Marines occupied the country from 1915 to 1934 to ensure stability. This was a euphemism for guaranteeing that Haitis debts to American banks were repaid, and that a peasant uprising was crushed. The national army, shaped and trained by the US occupation forces, became the backbone of the Duvalier dictatorship, which imposed a reign of terror and torture for three decades. During this time, Washington staunchly supported the regime, seeing it as a critical Cold War ally in the Caribbean. Even after the overthrow of Baby Doc Duvalier in 1986, the US maneuvered to maintain its grip on the country amidst a popular uprising.

The cycle of intervention continued with US and Canadian troops occupying Haiti in the 1990s and again in 2004 to remove democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, partnering with far-right factions linked to the old Duvalier regime. Following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, the imperialist powers returned under the guise of humanitarian aid, pushing for the countrys neoliberal economic restructuring to further exploit Haitis resources and toiling masses.

American and Canadian imperialism and the sponsors of gang violence

On Aug. 20, the US Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Michel Joseph Martelly, a far-right figure connected to the Duvalierist bourgeoisie who served as the President of Haiti from 2011 to 2016. According to a statement from the US government, Martelly was involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and supported several Haitian gangs of the kind that currently control 80 percent of the nations capital, and plunder, and terrorize its population.

Martellys corruption and gang involvement were widely known, yet in his years in power he enjoyed staunch US support. As a recent Foreign Policy article noted, Despite the long-standing allegations against Martelly, the United States maintained a warm relationship with him for years. It goes on to explain that the sanctions against Martelly are the product of immediate political concernsthat Martellys plans for a political comeback could destabilize the transitional government of national unity the US-stitched together earlier this year to provide a fig-leaf of popular Haitian support for the foreign police-military intervention it was organizing.

As was shown by the release of emails under the Freedom of Information Act in 2016, Hillary Clintons US State Department intervened heavily in the 2010-2011 presidential election in Haiti and effectively ensured the victory of Martelly. Once in power, Martellys presidency saw corruption, suppression of local democratic processes, and the reestablishment of the Haitian army.

In 2015/16, the Obama administration and the newly elected Trudeau government manipulated Haitis election process to install Martellys protege, Jovenel Moise, as president. With the imperialists support, the latter imposed yet further IMF austerity, while trying to arrogate additional powers, and refusing to call new elections.

Protesters calling for the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry run after police fired tear gas to disperse them in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. [AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph]

Following Moises assassination in 2021, in what appears to have been a settling of accounts among rival bourgeois factions and criminal gang sponsors, Washington, backed by Canada and the other imperialist powersthe so-called Core Groupimposed Ariel Henry as the unelected head of Haitis government and de facto dictator.

However, last February, the US turned on Henry, having concluded he had become a liability, and removed him from office. It effectively kidnapped him as he returned from Kenya, having signed the security agreement that allowed for Kenya forces to lead the current police-military stabilization mission.

Henry has been replaced by an imperialist-sponsored Transitional Council, another unelected body, created with representatives from Haitis elite and civil society, including forces which formerly presented themselves as opponents of imperialism, like Aristides Fanmi Lavalas. This Transitional Council is now tasked with organizing new elections by early 2026, which will no doubt once more be closely supervised by the imperialist powers.

According to recent Haitian media reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Haiti in the next few days to hold meetings with Edgard Leblanc Fils, the Chairman of the Transitional Council, and Prime Minister Garry Conille.

Whatever political constellation results from the transitional process, it can be certain its members will be beholden to imperialism and the Haitian bourgeoisie and have corrupt links to the criminal gangs.

Last Tuesday, Haitis anti-corruption agency launched a new crackdown on government corruption, accusing high-ranking officials of crimes such as illicit enrichment and abuse of office. The investigations revealed significant misuse of funds and resources, including cases where food meant for public school students was diverted and government fuel was used for personal benefit. Among the accused is the former minister of planning and external cooperation, Aviol Fleurant. There can be no doubt that this largely demonstrative crackdown only represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Haitian elites criminality.

Haitis crisis is an extreme and highly concentrated manifestation of the crisis of capitalism as a whole. There is an intrinsic and direct link between the weak Haitian bourgeoisies incapacity to rule within the bounds of democratic legality, and its complete dependence on imperialism to maintain its rule and safeguard its ill-gotten wealth.
On Labor Day morning in Forest Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, four people were shot and killed as they slept on a commuter train. Police said the shooting happened on two different train cars. Three victims were found dead in one car and the fourth victim in a second. They were discovered by a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) employee.

A Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train waits at the Forest Park, Ill., train station for the eastern journey to downtown Chicago on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in Forest Park, Ill [AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast]

The Cook County Medical Examiners Office identified three of the four victims as 60-year-old Adrian Collins, 28-year-old Simeon Bihesi, and 64-year-old Margaret Miller, while the last victim, a 52-year-old man, has not yet been identified. Bihesi was confirmed by family to have been homeless at the time of his death. Two others reportedly were also homeless.

Rhanni Davis, 30, was arrested 90 minutes after the shooting was reported and is being held in Cook County Jail until the first hearing at the end of the month. Charged on Tuesday, Davis is accused of four counts of first-degree murder. No motive for the shootings has been made public. Local reports indicate Davis has a history of working for several different private security firms, as well as a record of petty crime.

Mass killings and shootings occur with a disturbing regularity in the United States. The shootings in Chicago were followed just a few days later by a high school shooting in Winder, Georgia, with two students and two teachers left dead. While specific circumstances may differ from one event to another, the most pressing questions are the social roots of these repeated outburst of violence and how to stop them from happening.

No serious answer will come from the political establishment, either Democratic or Republican. Officials have already made statements to distance the murders from their social and economic context. They are focusing on the individual suspect and calling for increased public safety spending.

Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin, in a press conference following the shooting, emphasized the rarity of such incidents. This is an isolated incident, so it can happen anywhere. Obviously, theres a little bit more concern because it is on a mass transit system, he said. But this offered little reassurance to the public.

Other public officials shared similar thoughts about the shooting. At a news conference, CTA President Dorval Carter said, This is a very isolated incident. I can tell you in my career at CTA, Ive never seen anything like a mass shooting.

Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx expressed that the motives of the accused may never be known, adding, I fear, however, the question of why may never be answered because sometimes truly horrific, heinous acts have no answer.

That a mass killing is an irregular event in the United States could not be further from the truth. So far this year, 385 mass shootings have occurred in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive. In Illinois alone, there have been 29 mass shootings.

The indicators of the social pathology of capitalism which underlie these grim figures are many, but include growing inequality, the suppression of working class struggle, the worship of militarism and war, the absence of any solutions to social problems from the political establishment, the lack of access to culture and art, the domination of wealth over public need, the unrestrained growth of fascism, lack of healthcare, the policy of forever COVID and support for genocide as official state policy.

But what is driving these indicators? Who is responsible? In 1999, in an article titled The Columbine High School massacre: American Pastoral ... American Berserk,David North, the chairperson of the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site, wrote:

Look honestly at this societyits political leaders, its religious spokesmen, its corporate CEOs, its military machine, its celebrities, its popular culture, and, above all, the entire economic system upon which the whole vast superstructure of violence, suffering and hypocrisy is based. It is there that the answer is to be found..

Twenty-five years later, the social crisis has metastasized, giving rise to mass shootings and daily violence in American society with an increasing frequency.

The influence of viciously right-wing policies of the Democratic Party also plays a role, creating the environment for the targeting of the homeless. Last month, Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom was filmed as part of a media blitz highlighting sweeps of homeless encampments in Los Angeles. The governor himself took part in dismantling tents and throwing away homeless residents possessions.

Rampant homelessness in the US is only one of the most visible indicators of the scale of officially sanctioned inequality and brutality in the United States. The homeless are being targeted by Democratic city leaders, backed by the super-rich and the upper middle class, as a major inconvenience to their lifestyle rather than a symptom of a profoundly broken social order.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 47 people experiencing homelessness were killed in violent incidents between 2020 and 2022. Going back further, at least 1,923 hate crimes against homeless people were reported in the past quarter century, with at least 558 of those attacks being lethal.

There can be no solution to homelessness, poverty, inequality or any of the problems confronting working people except through the ending of the capitalist system.
The US presidential election is now two months away. More than three years after former President Donald Trump and his Republican co-conspirators organized a violent insurrection aimed at overturning the 2020 presidential election, all the conditions that led to the coup not only remain but have metastasized.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Alro Steel, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Potterville, Michigan. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

Laying the groundwork to reject the results of the 2024 elections, Trump and the Republicans have embarked on a campaign combining election denialism and anti-immigrant agitation based on the neo-Nazi Great Replacement Theory. They are claiming that due to Bidens and Harriss supposed open border policies, millions of illegal aliens and non-citizens will vote in the upcoming elections. In addition, Trump has repeatedly refused to state that he will accept the results.

The Republican National Committee and other Trump-aligned groups have begun filing a series of lawsuits in battleground states aimed at suppressing the vote.

In North Carolina, the RNC and the North Carolina GOP have already sued the State Board of Elections twice in the last few weeks over alleged failures to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. The Republicans are calling on the Board of Elections to drop 225,000 people from the voter rolls and force them to cast provisional ballots in November.

In Arizona, America First Legal, the Washington D.C.-based law firm led by Trumps fascist adviser Stephen Miller, filed a lawsuit targeting all 15 counties in the state for allegedly failing to rid voter rolls of noncitizens. Millers group had originally only sued Maricopa County, the fourth largest county in the United States with over 4.5 million people. In a statement issued Wednesday, Miller said we are now suing 14 additional counties in Arizona for refusing to remove illegal aliens and non-citizens from their voter rolls.

Several other states led by Republicans, including Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama, have boasted in recent weeks of purging thousands or, in the case of Texas, 1.1 million voters from registration rolls since 2021. While many of these people may have been removed for legitimate reasons, such as moving from the state or dying, others are being removed despite being legal voters who had not voted recently or had errors in paperwork.

Nevertheless, Republicans are presenting nearly all of the cases as examples of malicious activity by illegal aliens, even though the number of such votes actually cast in the state can be counted on one hand.

The efforts to suppress the vote extend beyond purging voter rolls. In Texas last month, Attorney General Ken Paxton signed off on a series of Gestapo-style raids targeting the homes of campaign workers and Democratic Party politicians across three counties. Despite claims by Paxton of illegal voter registration operations, as of this writing no charges have been filed. This did not prevent police agents from seizing the phones and laptops of four Latina women targeted in the raid. Three of the women are in their 70s, while the other is an 87-year-old retired school teacher.

In Georgia, one of the states where Trump launched his most aggressive campaign to overturn the vote in 2020, last month the Republican-controlled State Election Board in a 3-2 vote adopted rules that allow local election officials to conduct reasonable inquiries of alleged voter fraud and examine all election-related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certifying results.

For over 100 years, the certification of election results by local election officials has been a ministerial duty, one that is done by non-partisan officials who have no independent role. Their purpose has simply been to record the completed vote total.

The new rules in Georgia are not being implemented to ensure the integrity of the US election system but to suppress and delay the outcome of election results in order to assist Trumps efforts to return to power. The rule in Georgia was advanced by Julie Adams, a regional director for the Election Integrity Network (EIN) and member of the Fulton County election board who has already refused, with the support of the America First Policy Institute, the legal combat arm of the Trump campaign, to certify election results twice in Georgia this year alone.

The EIN is led by none other than Cleta Mitchell, a longtime Republican operative and very dear friend of Virginia Ginni Thomas, the wife of arch-reactionary Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Prior to and after the November 2020 election, Mitchell worked alongside Ginni Thomas and Trump coup lawyer John Eastman to advance an authoritarian legal theory that claimed state legislatures, not voters, choose presidential electors.

Following Trumps 2020 defeat, Virginia Thomas sent emails to Republicans in battleground states such Wisconsin and Arizona, imploring them to toss out the electors chosen by popular vote and, instead, install their own slate of pro-Trump electors.

The efforts by Trump and the Republicans to suppress the vote are being undertaken with ample monetary support from sections of the financial oligarchy that, in the face of mounting class antagonisms within the United States, are promoting Trumps efforts to build up a fascistic movement.

That Trump is free to make a second bid for dictatorship is entirely the responsibility of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party. The central priority of the Democratic Party is the escalation of war, including the US-NATO war against Russia, the genocide in Gaza and the developing conflict with China.

To advance their joint war agenda, the Democrats have joined hands with their Republican colleagues to pass massive military budgets and slash social spending, impoverishing workers and fueling social grievances, which Trump and the far right exploit, mainly through scapegoating immigrants as the cause of the deepening social crisis. Seeking to divide and conquer the working class using nationalism, the Republicans are joined by the Democrats and the corporatist trade unions.

As the Republicans under Trump plot a second coup, the Democrats are hailing the endorsement of Harris by Republican Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, the leading architect of the 2003 war against Iraq.

Harris and the Democrats are doing everything in their power to downplay the danger of a return of Trump to power. The Democrats and the media have completely ignored the statements by Biden himself at the DNC last month that Trump is preparing a bloodbath if he loses and will be a dictator on day one if he returns to the White House.

Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz characterize the Republicans merely as weird, while at the same time pledging to work with them to enact Trumps anti-immigrant policies, in the process strengthening Trump and the far right.

Commenting on the non-response to Bidens statements, WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman David North stated in remarks at the second international commemoration of the work of Leon Trotsky on Buyukada, Turkey on August 25:

The silence expressed the indifference of the American ruling class to the preservation of democracy. In fact, there is a growing consensus within the ruling oligarchs in the United States but not only there, in fact, in countries throughout the world, that their interests, domestically and internationally, are incompatible with democracy. The ruling elites are fully aware that the staggering level of social inequality is provoking growing popular anger, and that the attacks on living conditions required by imperialist militarism will lead to a tremendous escalation of class conflict. The turn of the ruling class to fascism is an attempt to preempt and suppress, with violence, the political radicalization of the working class and its turn to socialism.

The danger posed by Trump and the Republican Party is very real. There is, however, no significant constituency within the ruling class for the preservation of democratic forms of rule.

The defense and expansion of democratic rights require the mobilization of the working class in opposition to both the Democrats and Republicans, the two parties of the corporate and financial oligarchy. Dictatorship is the response of the ruling class to the threat of socialism. The fight for socialism must be the response of the working class to the turn of the ruling elites toward dictatorship.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi spoke highly of Mbumba's active contribution to the success of the summit.

China is willing to work with Namibia and other African countries to fully implement the outcomes of the summit, promote common development and prosperity, and jointly build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, he said.

Xi stressed that China stands ready to strengthen the exchange of experience in party and state governance with Namibia, share development opportunities, and work together to promote the respective modernization process.

The two sides should strengthen the synergy of development strategies and create new cooperation highlights in areas such as agriculture, clean energy, infrastructure, energy, mineral resources, and science and technology, Xi said.

China encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Namibia, and hopes that Namibia will continue to provide convenience and support, he added.

China supports Namibia in its work as a co-facilitator of the UN Summit of the Future, and stands ready to strengthen multilateral strategic coordination with Namibia, Xi said.

A series of new measures announced by President Xi on Thursday to promote modernization of Africa and China will guide the two sides to create a bright future of common development and prosperity, Mbumba said, adding that Namibia will fully implement the outcomes of the summit, and maintain close exchanges with China.

During the summit, the two countries signed bilateral cooperation documents in the fields including the export of Namibia's lamb to China, as well as development cooperation. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has achieved complete success.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks when meeting the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso.

Elaborating on the major outcomes of the summit, Wang said bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China have been elevated to the level of strategic relations.

The overall characterization of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, Wang said.

Six major proposals to advance China-Africa modernization have been put forward, Wang said.

A blueprint for action to advance China-Africa cooperation has been mapped out, he said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation for the next three years.

During the summit, China and Africa agreed to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and practice true multilateralism. They also agreed to oppose prejudice, address historical injustice and advance modernization to make it benefit all people, Wang said.

The summit has demonstrated the Global South's firm confidence in solidarity and cooperation, Wang noted.

According to Fall and Gakosso, Africa-China cooperation has changed the fate of Africa and will surely go down in history as a model of international cooperation.

Africa is ready to work with China in implementing the outcomes of the summit and the consensus between the two sides, deepening Africa-China friendship, and realizing shared development and common prosperity, they said. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Journalists work at a press meeting attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

Journalists work at a press meeting attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, together with the African guests, visit exhibits showcasing China's traditional culture and achievements in women's education during the Thematic Meeting on Women's Education of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Peng on Thursday attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Over 20 spouses of African leaders, who are in Beijing for the FOCAC Summit, jointly participated in the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Thursday attended a meeting on China-Africa women's education and delivered a speech.

Over 20 spouses of African leaders, who are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), jointly participated in the event.

In her speech, Peng said China and Africa belong to a community with a shared future. Chinese and African women, through their hard work, wisdom and dedication, have written a remarkable chapter of unity, cooperation and progress.

In advancing women's education and moving toward a brighter future, China and Africa are aligned in their goals, Peng noted.

During the meeting, Marie Khone Faye, wife of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and other participants also delivered speeches.

They thanked Peng for her outstanding contributions to promoting the education of African girls and women and praised China's long-standing support and assistance in related fields.

Peng and the African guests also enjoyed children's singing and Peking Opera and visited exhibits showcasing China's traditional culture and achievements in women's education. 

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the Thematic Meeting on Women's Education of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Peng on Thursday attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Over 20 spouses of African leaders, who are in Beijing for the FOCAC Summit, jointly participated in the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, together with the African guests, visit exhibits showcasing China's traditional culture and achievements in women's education during the Thematic Meeting on Women's Education of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Peng on Thursday attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Over 20 spouses of African leaders, who are in Beijing for the FOCAC Summit, jointly participated in the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, delivers a speech at the Thematic Meeting on Women's Education of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, together with the African guests, visit exhibits showcasing China's traditional culture and achievements in women's education during the Thematic Meeting on Women's Education of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Peng on Thursday attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Over 20 spouses of African leaders, who are in Beijing for the FOCAC Summit, jointly participated in the event. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)
Fox News Jesse Watters dismissed Tim Walzs masculinity by pointing to the Minnesota governor drinking milkshakes on the campaign trail Wednesday.

The Five co-host offered his evaluation of Vice President Kamala Harris running mate after fellow co-host Jeanine Pirro mentioned a column in Salon describing Walz as driving MAGA men nuts for being living proof that their tormented masculinity is yesterdays news.

Women love masculinity and women do not love Tim Walz so that should just tell you about how masculine Tim Walz is, Watters claimed.

He continued, The other day you saw him with a vanilla ice cream shake. Had a straw in it. Again, that tells you everything.

Watters was seemingly referring to Walzs drink of choice during a stop at the Minnesota State Fair over the weekend although it appeared the shake in question might have had a spoon in it, not a straw. Last week, Walz consumed a shake alongside North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and largely used a spoon.

Watters: Women love masculinity, and women do not love Tim Walz, so that should just tell you about how masculine Tim Walz is. The other day you saw him with a vanilla ice cream shake. Had a straw in it. Again, that tells you everything. pic.twitter.com/scb9oNanf9  Acyn (@Acyn) September 4, 2024

Watters similarly attacked President Joe Biden for drinking a milkshake last year and declared that using a straw was for women and little kids.

Critics mocked Watters  who once shared a photo with a McDonalds meal showing a drink with a straw in it back in 2016  over his take and pointed to a 2010 snap of former President Donald Trump drinking a vanilla shake with a straw.

..are you supposed to lap it up like a dog? https://t.co/LJnh9s2Gbv  nikki mccann ramirez (@NikkiMcR) September 4, 2024

I love when l men dump entire milkshakes down their throats and then smash the cup on their foreheads. https://t.co/w5myEOO0fn  Tina  (@THerman23) September 5, 2024

Really? Everything? Man, you sure know your women. https://t.co/8H6N7laIXJ  Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) September 4, 2024

Related...
VIENNA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that the agency will continue investigating the cause and impact of last month's fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP).

"We will continue to closely look into this matter to try to establish what happened and what the consequences will be," IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said in a statement following his visit to ZNPP, where he examined the cooling tower damaged by fire on Aug. 11.

Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the incident. Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack, while Ukraine said Russian "negligence" or arson may have sparked the fire.

Noting that he saw "significant damage on the interior walls, debris and blackened surfaces" inside the cooling tower, Grossi said: "It is clear that the cooling tower was damaged by the fire, and may need to be demolished."

The IAEA chief noted that while the fire did not endanger nuclear safety at ZNPP, it underlined the persistent safety risks at the facility.

Grossi also reiterated the IAEA's commitment to preventing nuclear accidents.

During his visit to Ukraine this week, Grossi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev and pledged to step up IAEA's assistance to Ukraine to protect the country's vital energy infrastructure, which has been increasingly targeted in recent attacks. 
Barron Trump, former President Donald Trumps youngest son, has enrolled at New York University in Manhattan.

The former president announced Wednesday that Barron Trump had enrolled at NYUs Stern School of Business after being accepted to a lot of colleges.

The New York Post published photos Wednesday of Barron Trump arriving for his first day of class.

Its a very high-quality place, the former president told the Daily Mail of his sons choice. He liked it. He liked the school.

Barron Trump, son of former US President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump, takes part in his graduation at Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida, May 17, 2024. Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images

NYU admits just 8% of applicants every year. Tuition for the business school cost around $65,000 annually, not including housing and other expenses.

Barron Trump will live off-campus and commute there from Trump Tower, the Post reported.

The choice is a departure for the Trump family: The former president and three of his other children all attended the University of Pennsylvania.

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David Gordon Greens Nutcrackers, which will open the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival this evening, is quite a swerve from his last film, The Exorcist: Believer. Actually, its quite a swerve from his last two films, going back to Halloween Ends. You know, while were at it, lets just include all three of Greens Halloween movies.

Lets put it this way, if youve been totally on board with Greens recent horror output, which consists of his last four films, Nutcrackers is going to be quite the jolt. No one is possessed or murdered during the events of Nutcrackers. (Well, except maybe a chicken.)

More from IndieWire

Heres the story: While shooting a scene for Luca Guadagninos Bones and All in rural Ohio, Green visited an old friend he worked with on his first film, George Washington, who is now raising her family on a local farm. Green found himself so delighted by her four sons  Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, and Arlo Janson  that he called his buddy, screenwriter Leland Douglas, and asked him write a movie for them. Thats Nutcrackers.

In the film, Ben Stiller plays Michael, a real estate executive from Chicago who is working on an important new land deal. Meanwhile, he has to go to Ohio for a few days to manage a few things that relate to his recently deceased sisters estate. Michael arrives in Ohio under the impression that her four boys were already in foster care, but, as he soon finds out, this is not the case. The four boys  his nephews  need a guardian or they will be split up and sent to an orphanage.

Its a sweet film (with some pretty hilarious Rambo references, surprisingly) that drastically contrasts with the last few movies weve seen from Green. It feels like an exorcism of sorts for the filmmaker himself. Green very much likes not being pigeonholed, and is very much aware that not everyone was on board with his vision for both the Halloween movies and his Exorcist film.

Hes totally fine with that. But, as he explains, the one thing he cant do without is creative freedom, and thats what he was losing on his early plans for two more Exorcist films. (One was already written and the third had been mapped out.)

Ahead, Green explains why, with Nutcrackers, hes trying to make an 80s comedy that never got made. And he explains what his next two Exorcist movies would have been like before he left the franchise (Mike Flanagan is now rebooting the series), and if the reported $400 million Universal paid for all that Exorcist IP was the reason Green felt he was losing his creative control. And, pretty directly, he also tells us his biggest regret when it comes to not getting to make those last two Exorcist films.

The following interview has been edited and condensed.

IndieWire: I know this is not your last film, but if it were

David Gordon Green: [Laughs]

Nutcrackers does act as a nice bookend to your first film, George Washington. Very different films about kids surviving on their own.

In a lot of ways its taking  and this is intentional, too  elements of all of my movie experiences and putting it into one curated movie. So, what I mean by that, is taking what I love about working with kids, and the rawness of non-actors, taking advantage of rural landscapes  thats where I breathe easier and Im happier.

Ive learned so much from Jason Blum and the crew that hes put together at Blumhouse and the way they can very economically make movies that are very appealing, theyve been so successful launching horror movies in that way. Im looking at an industry thats really dried up with comedy. Most people are turning to television for their comedic intake, and Im thinking maybe thats an opportunity to start making funny movies. You dont need big budgets and explosions

Nutcrackers Courtesy of TIFF

Pineapple Express had a few explosions.

But heres the thing! We did Pineapple Express on the Superbad budget. Those were favors. The explosions and the car chase? Those were ways that I said, can we take the Superbad budget, then put a little muscle in it for some trailer moments? There was some fun strategy and manipulation to be able to pull off a movie thats an action comedy without an action budget. So thats a great example of me in an industry thats offering me something and getting what I want to  self-indulgently  squeeze out of the experience.

You mentioned taking elements of all your movie experiences. You have made four horror movies in a row before Nutcrackers. So is the element you bring from those just the economics?

It adds the economics of it, but Im hopeful it adds the appeal of it. What I love about making those movies is I love watching stuff I worked really hard on with a crowd. And crowds love and hate shit I do all the time, thats fun

Halloween Kills, you certainly achieved that love-hate balance with that one. I am on record for really liking Halloween Kills, but a lot of people really dont like that one.

Im not afraid of that! Im not afraid of strong feelings. But the beauty of those movies is you make it low budget and nobody is breathing down your neck to make it work for everyone. They are coming to you and saying, you make your movie, just dont make it expensive. So, if I can make movies that are respectful of the business model For example, for Nutcrackers, I wanted to make a movie my kids could see. I have young twin sons and Im not going to let them watch a lot of the movies Ive made

They are going to have to wait a few years to meet Corey Cunningham from Halloween Ends.

Exactly. Although, one of them is already bugging me about it.

Hey, I saw the original Halloween when I was eight.

I did, too!

Director David Gordon Green and crew on the set of Halloween Ends Ryan Green/Universal Pictures

It was a different world then. It was on HBO and I was like, oh, whats this?

But thats a perfect segue into what Im talking about. The movies I saw when I was eight really affected me. If it was watching Halloween, I was shaken to the core about it. If I was watching the Kenny Rogers movie Six Pack

I just rewatched that recently.

Its so good! Its on YouTube.

Yeah, thats the only place you can find it.

But it holds up! Young Diane Lane, young Anthony Michael Hall, cool Kenny Rogers. But theyre not making movies like that. They are not making Uncle Buck or Home Alone right now. Or, they are in a polished, manicured way that goes to a streaming platform. You can plug your kids into those movies, but youre not sharing those experiences. I wanted to make a movie that had the saltiness of The Bad News Bears, with messy, rough-around-the-edges kids. Im just looking over at my poster collection in my office. Its Tony Danza in Going Ape and Chris Makepeace in My Bodyguard and Steve Martin in The Jerk.

Those are pretty good posters.

My Bodyguard is one of the greatest movies ever made. That was the inspiration for Halloween Ends, but thats another story.

I think a lot of people, including myself, thought it was Christine.

And Christine. Thats the obvious one. But My Bodyguard is the real core of that movie. Someday Ill meet Tony Bill. Maybe hes dead? I dont know. [Note: Tony Bill, who directed My Bodyguard, is still alive.] But my point is, the movies I grew up on, I think theres a great appetite for, if you can market it right.

In the past, anytime I bring up that youve done a bunch of horror movies in a row, you say youre also working on The Righteous Gemstones, so it never feels that way. But that doesnt change the fact you did four horror movies in a row, and now this, which feels like your own exorcism. It is the polar opposite of what youve been doing.

Yeah, but also, it was during the writers strike and actors strike and we got a waiver to make this movie. So, if you were going to work in that time, if you wanted to be really sensitive to what was going on, and I think if youre trying to get something big and ambitious, youre looking at your industry in the wrong way. So maybe this is the perfect deep breath to take right now. Its a script that Leland Douglas, a friend of mine, had been scripting specifically for these kids. And coming after The Exorcist, its really the anthesis in a lot of ways.

So the kids were already attached with the script?

I had a cameo in this movie, Bones and All, that Luca Guadagnino made. He had me go out to rural Ohio to be in this movie and it was a really entertaining and interesting and amazing experience. And one of my college friends, Karey, lives out there and I hadnt been to her farm since college. She was one of the second unit DPs on George Washington and she left the movie business to go have a family and be a farmer. So, I hadnt met her four sons.

When Im out there on Lucas movie, I go visit her and immediately meet her kids and they are these four amazing and lovely sons. Their home and animals are all incredible and inspiring. I walked away from that weekend thinking, I just acted in a movie thats crazy and I just met the subjects of a movie Im going to make. So, I called my friend Leland and said, weve got to get you out to this farm and meet these kids, and weve got to make the great unmade 80s movie of our childhood as a vehicle for these four brothers.

Jamie Lee Curtis and director David Gordon Green on the set of Halloween Ends Ryan Green/Universal Pictures

Thats interesting. Usually the script comes first, then you find the actors

In the last six months youve thought, this guy should be in a movie. Or this is a great idea and you write it down on a barroom napkin. Or this place is beautiful, why hasnt anyone made a movie here? These types of things, at this point in my career, I like to be just like, yeah, they should be in a movie. And I can make that happen. And we should shoot in on their farm, with their animals, and go to their ballet school, and cast their friends, and then invite a movie star and see if we cant convince someone to come in here and headline it.

That was the conversation with Ben. Hey, Ben. Weve got these four non-actor brothers. Come out here. Its cold as hell and youre going to step in animal shit. But if we can get a camera to capture what is so magnetic about the personalities of these four brothers, I think were on to something really special.

So, Im not correcting you, but Im correcting Ben Stillers character. The brothers ask for a bedtime story and he chooses First Blood, which is really funny. But he says Rambo is his nickname instead of John Rambos last name.

[Laughs] Exactly! Hes only watched it once when he was 11.

Its an integral part of the story that his name is Rambo.

It is such a movie thats organic in that way that you can nitpick, but, yeah, his nickname was Rambo.

I honestly started laughing so hard when he begins the story, After the fall of Saigon

[Laughs] The first rehearsal of that scene, I was dying. It was hard to keep it together because Ben doesnt break. Its very rare. And hes so good at saying the straight shit so funny.

You had planned to do three Exorcist movies, but now thats not happening and the property is being rebooted. Last time we spoke, you said you had a roadmap for the other two movies. What would that have been?

Oh, man. Thats a long answer. Its complicated. Its long and complicated. We had our next one written and had it mapped out for the third one. Again, it was ambitious, complicated. We were going to Europe for some pretty extraordinary backdrops. It was one of those things where all of the creative parties got together.

What Im pitching, in terms of my professional ambition is, I need the creative freedom and give me the budgetary constraints so I can keep control of that. Thats something we learned pretty quickly, [with] expectations that are limitless and really daunting. So, for me to keep that creative freedom and be able to make the choices I wanted to make As you see with the Halloween movies, the choices I make arent always the most popular ones. So its trying to make something that me, and my great friends at Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, want [for] that property to be fulfilled, as much as the audience is there and has the appetite for it. I dont think they were on the journey I was excited about taking.

Would your sequels have followed the same cast from the first film?

It was going to follow Ann Dowds character.

Olivia Marcum and director David Gordon on the set of The Exorcist: Believer Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

You made the Halloween movies on a budget, and even the ones people are polarized about still made money. With The Exorcist, it felt like a big factor was the studio paid $400 million for the rights to the property, as opposed to just the budget for the movie itself. Is that what led you to realize you werent going to have the freedom you did on the Halloween movies and decide, Im done?

Yes. Basically. It was still a very economical movie.

Every article written about it always came back to the amount they paid for the property.

Yeah, that stuff gets really complicated. And I dont even know. Honestly, there are a lot of ins and outs of that stuff that I dont even know. All I know is, give me some boundaries and let me loose. If there are a lot of people poking me about ideas and thoughts and notes? Im not best in those environments. Its just trying to make everybody get what they need.

Ive made such great friends with so many executives at Universal and Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, I just want to make sure theyre doing what they feel confident in and makes them the most money. Or whatever it is theyre looking for in their satisfying experience. For me, its creative freedom. Every time. And Ill always turn a corner and figure out where the freedom is. And also where the spontaneity is. I like to reinvent myself.

Oh, thats true. The director of George Washington and the director of Your Highness is hard to reconcile sometimes.

And the other part of me thinks, well, shit, if I could have finished that Exorcist trilogy, I could be financing my own movies for the rest of my life. And that would be super cool if I could have turned that into what I had imagined it being, both creatively and financially. It would have been an amazing opportunity for me as a benefactor to indie movies and my own creative projects. So, that was kind of the goal in mind and it just seemed like that was going to not happen, so I took a different route.

Its not lost on me Nutcrackers ends with the song Pure by The Lightning Seeds. Which seems like very much the goal with this film after all that, pure and simple.

Yep, yep. That is what the goal was. Now its taking that really special something we created in this really unique environment and unleashing it on the uncertain marketplace of indie film. So, well see what happens.

Nutcrackers will premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival as the opening night film. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution, with UTA Independent Film Group handling sales. The film was produced by Rough House Pictures and Rivulet Films, who fully financed the feature.

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Oct 8, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA: Matthew McConaughey takes the field after a 49-0 Texas Longhorns victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the annual Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman- USA TODAY NETWORK

When the Texas Longhorns travel to the Big House to face the Michigan Wolverines, Fox Big Noon Kickoff will be on hand. Now we know that, in addition to Michigan fan Derek Jeter, noted Texas fan and "Minister of Culture" Matthew McConaughey join the crew.

Alright, alright, alright @TexasFootball's Minister of Culture @McConaughey will be joining Big Noon Kickoff this week LIVE from Ann Arbor  pic.twitter.com/rDRqpEwzWs  Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) September 4, 2024

Of course McConaughey is a regular fixture on the sideline at Longhorns games dating back to the Vince Young era. The film star graduated from Texas 1993.

In 2019 McConaughey officially became a professor of practice for the Radio-Television-Film Department in the Moody College of Communication at UT. He had served as a visiting instructor since 2015.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Fox Big Noon Kickoff will welcome a special Longhorns guest in Ann Arbor
Lonely Planet Streaming Release Date: When Is It Coming Out on Netflix?

The Lonely Planet Netflix release date is just around the corner, and viewers are wondering when they can start streaming the movie.

Lonely Planet is an upcoming romance drama film that follows a novelist who flies to stunning Morocco in hopes of curing her writers block. Her plan is soon upended when she meets a younger man and begins a love affair that changes her life.

Heres when the movie is coming out on Netflix.

When is the Lonely Planet Netflix release date?

The Lonely Planet Netflix release date is October 11, 2024.

Tudum by Netflix recently announced the arrival of this brand new sultry romance directed by Susannah Grant. The movie centers on a novelist named Katherine, played by Oscar-winner Laura Dern, who unexpectedly finds love while traveling overseas. Speaking with Netflix about her role, Dern said, Katherine has spent her life dedicated to narrative and therefore [hasnt spent] much time looking at deep truth within. She is at a turning point in her life where she is looking for a softening and deeper understanding, and she finds it in a love story.

Liam Hemsworth will be playing the main love interest opposite Dern in this swoon-worthy romance.

Appreciating Derns acting abilities, Hemsworth spoke about working with her and stated, Sharing scenes with Laura Dern was an absolute privilege. She has this remarkable talent for drawing you in, making every moment feel intimate and real.

When is Lonely Planet coming out via streaming?

Lonely Planet is available to watch via streaming on Netflix on Friday, October 11, 2024. Viewers will be able to stream it at this time.

Current Netflix subscribers will be able to watch the movie when it airs, and if you havent already subscribed to the service, you can do so by visiting its website.

Lonely Planets official synopsis reads:

At an idyllic writers retreat in Morocco, a newly single novelist finds an unexpected connection with a younger man.

The post Lonely Planet Streaming Release Date: When Is It Coming Out on Netflix? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Dont fret: He will rock you again.

Queens founding guitarist Brian May revealed that he had a minor stroke last week that left him unable to use his left arm for a while. But the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is recovering and assured the faithful that the episode is not career-threatening.

More from Deadline

The good news is that I can play guitar, May said in a video shared on his website on Wednesday (watch it below). It was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, and what they called it was a minor stroke. And all of a sudden, out of the blue, I didnt have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary.

That indeed is good news for the legion of Queen worshippers around the globe. The English band released a slew of platinum albums and smash singles starting in the mid-1970s, including six No. 1 hits in the UK and two stateside. The group has sold more than 87.5 million records in the U.S. alone.

RELATED: The Cures Roger ODonnell Reveals Devastating Lymphoma Diagnosis

Also featuring drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon, Queen found a new generation of fans with the 2018 rock biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. The film grossed an astounding $910.8 million worldwide, and Rami Malek won an Oscar for playing revered frontman Freddie Mercury.

Now led by American Idol alum Adam Lambert, Queen finished its long, globe-tripping, Coivd-affected Rhapsody Tour in February after more than 100 concerts.

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Stephen Colbert took aim at Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina, over his alleged porn habit on Wednesdays edition of The Late Show.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Robinson, who is running on an Evangelical Christian platform, frequented his local porn shop as often as five times a week during the 1990s and early 2000s.

A North Carolina news site is reporting that Robinson went to a porn shop nearly every day of the week in the Nineties and early 2000s, Colbert said during his opening monology. Well, of course you got to go every day, otherwise youre not getting the freshest porn. Its not like they refrigerate the stuff.

The talk show host was amazed by Robinsons supposed consistency, saying: He went almost every day for over a decade. I dont do anything almost every day for a decade. Mark Robinson went to the porn store more regularly than I floss.

Robinson wasnt just window-shopping, Colbert added. The same report says that over the years, Robinson bought hundreds of bootleg porn videos Im talking Armageddon Laid Tonight, Pulp Friction, and, of course, Sex Toy Story. Surprisingly, the theme song is also Youve Got a Friend in Me.

Robinson, who is North Carolinas first African American lieutenant governor, has a controversial history of comparing abortion to slavery, quoting Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and referring to LGBT+ people as filth. Hes also claimed that Marvels 2018 film Black Panther was made by an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic Marxists.

He was elected into office in 2020, two years after his speech supporting gun rights in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in Florida went viral.

On Tuesday, North Carolina investigative website The Assembly published an interview with a former employee of a 24-hour porn video shop in Greensboro who said Robinson would come in every night that I worked, which would have been five nights a week.

Republican Governor candidate North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (Copyright The Associated Press 2024. All rights reserved.)

He was spending a good amount of money, the shop worker, Louis Money, said. Five other customers and employees also reportedly confirmed Robinsons frequent presence.

Robinson campaign spokesperson Mike Lonergan told The Assembly in an email that Moneys claims were bulls*** and a complete and total fiction.

This false and personal attack on my boss is complete fiction, Lonergan wrote.
Tickets are on sale now for the "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: High School Edition" play that will be performed this fall at the York County School of Technology.

The high school will be the first in Pennsylvania to perform the show after winning a nationwide contest.

Six performances will be offered at the school, starting Friday, Nov. 1 and concluding on Sunday, Nov. 10.

Ticket prices are $10 to $15. They can be purchased here: ycst.info/hp24.

The York County School of Technology won Broadway Licensing Global's "Wands at the Ready" contest, which asked schools to describe why their educational institution or community would be the most magical place to produce the play, according to Playbill.

York Tech's video submission highlighted that it attracts students from 14 districts around the county and offers about 25 technical trades. Members of the drama club have "diverse backgrounds and varied dreams but we all find happiness when we turn on the stage lights," it says.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York County School of Technology selling tickets for Harry Potter play
Restaurants share a community spirit in this coastal Connecticut village.

Courtesy of Catherine Dzilenski/Idlewild Photo

Charles Mallory has a deep connection to Mystic, Connecticuts maritime heritage. His namesake arrived in Mystic, Connecticut, as a sailmakers apprentice in 1816. His grandfather, great uncle, and father have all served as presidents of the Mystic Seaport Museum, a major tourism draw for the coastal village. But recently, food has crept into Mystics top selling points  and not just because of the 1988 Julia Roberts film Mystic Pizza. Mystic has become a bona fide foodie destination over the last dozen years, Mallory says, and we are delighted to become a part of that scene.

The founder and CEO of Delamar Hotel Collection, Mallory will open Delamar Mystic this fall, adjacent to the Mystic Seaport Museum on the Mystic River. The latest in his line of luxury boutique hotels will host the restaurant La Plage Restaurant & Oyster Bar. We have already built strong relationships with local seafood vendors like Norm Bloom of Copps Island Oysters, says Mallory, and he and chef Frederic Kieffer look forward to working with many more as they celebrate incredible local seafood and produce alongside places he admires like Sift Bake Shop and The Shipwrights Daughter.

The quality and availability of the products that are the building blocks of so many of the menus in the area are second to none, echoes David Standridge, who just won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast thanks to his work as chef and partner at The Shipwrights Daughter, the restaurant inside The Whalers Inn in downtown Mystic. He partners with local fishermen to showcase a much wider, and therefore more sustainable, variety of seafood than youd typically find on menus, from invasive green crabs to his favorite summer specialty: sweet native sea snails called slipper limpets. Like many things we use, theyre everywhere along the coast but also very hard to get because no one harvests them, Standridge says. This time of year, We serve them in the shell like escargot and preserve them in jars for a fun pasta to remember the summer when winter rolls in.

Courtesy of Shipwright's Daughter

Standridge also speaks to Mystics beautiful community spirit, especially among restaurants. Like Mallory, he eagerly calls out other businesses he loves within the tight-knit community, including the roof deck at Mix, chef Adam Youngs restaurant above Sift Bake Shop; Pearl, a new fun spot with a fellow Robuchon alum helming the kitchen; Whitecrest Eatery, the sleeper that shouldnt be, where one of our former chefs is the co-chef, tucked away in the Velvet Mill in nearby Stonington; and of course The Port of Call.

The Port of Call is another of Mystics newer marquee restaurants, and the group behind it, Dan Meisers 85th Day Food Collective  which also runs Engine Room in Mystic and the new Harings just down the road in Noank  ignited Mystics modern dining renaissance with the opening of Oyster Club in 2011. As executive chef and partner at The Port of Call and Oyster Club, Renee Touponce was a finalist this year for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef, and shes making magic with produce from some of North Americas oldest family-run farms and seafood from what she describes as one of the healthiest and most diverse fisheries in North America.

In August, sweet corn reigns. She calls hers Colonels Kernels as it comes from an 82-year-old retired Army Colonel growing the best corn around just for us. Shell grate it raw and make it into a warm polenta garnished with raw cherry tomatoes, basil, and The Gray, a Cheshire-style cheese from Mystic Cheese. Shell make corn butter sauce to serve with roasted oysters and charred bell peppers, or a corn-coconut curry with fried monkfish.

Courtesy of Tony Spinelli

When shes not at work, Touponce fuels up at another of the newer Mystic establishments that any city would be lucky to have: Nanas. Im a coffee nerd, and Nanas Canyon Coffee is hands-down the best in town, she says. Nanas pizza and fried-to-order doughnuts, both made with sourdough and regional grains, are incredible too. She serves Nanas breads, made by baker and co-owner Dave Vacca, at her restaurants. James Wayman, chef and co-owner of Nanas along with Vacca and Aaron Laipply, opened Oyster Club and started developing Nanas with Meiser when he was still a partner in 85th Day. Now, he owns Nanas Mystic, two restaurants in Westerly, Rhode Island (Nanas Westerly and the new River Bar), wholesale Stone Mill Bakery, and Moromi, a traditional Japanese soy sauce and miso producer operated by co-founder Bob Florence.

Wayman, too, cites Mystics access to fresh goods as a driver of the scenes success: Great food starts with a great product. He also points to two Stonington institutions as inspirations for Oyster Club and everything that has come after: Water Street Cafe, where Walter Houlihan was the first guy to bring any sort of modern farm-to-table food to this region from New York City, and Noahs Restaurant, where John Papp was making sourdough back in the day. At Nanas, hes bringing the flavors of fermentation and koji into a casual all-day cafe. For example, pressed soy sauce lees get dehydrated and added to Parmesan atop the pizza, while the pizza sauce is simply really good tomatoes and something called shio koji, which is lacto-fermented rice koji with water and salt, Wayman says. One of the things koji does is make things taste more like themselves, so it'll make a tomato more tomato-ey. Plus you get those lactic flavors and all the nice sweetness when the rice koji turns starches into sugar.

Eat your way through Mystic before this poorly kept secret gets even less hush-hush. Especially with David winning the Beard Award and Renee's nomination, it just keeps getting busier, Wayman says. We've had a spectacular year this year.

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
Anthony Bourdain, the beloved chef, writer, and foodie, was known for his hot takes. The kitchen tastemaker had strict opinions on which foods were good, and which foods he hated with a passion -- high culinary crimes, if you will. He was also not a fan of tourist traps and chains, and therefore had tricks for finding the best restaurants in any city he visited. He appreciated authentic food, made well, as he wanted to eat dishes that came from tradition and taste.

So, several years ago when Redditors asked Bourdain which cuisines he thought were underappreciated in the U.S., he had a ready answer: Chinese food, among many others. "There are a lot that I think are underappreciated," Bourdain said. "Chinese food still remains a mystery to us, it's not really anything like what they eat in China."

But of course, he had many more to add: "Our knowledge on Japanese is not so wonderful. Countries whose food is underrepresented, Brazil, Peru, higher-end Mexican food, Burmese, West African. Food from Senegal and Ghana is amazing, delicious, complex, and interesting."

Read more: 100 Chinese Food/Drink Words And Phrases

Bourdain Had A Deep Love Of Chinese Cuisine

Street market in China - Annabelle Chih/Getty Images

Bourdain traveled widely, so he knew more than most about global cuisines. Bourdain visited China nine times in total for his various television shows, touring Beijing, Chengdu, Dali City, Harbin, Huanglongxi and Leshan in the Sichuan province, Hong Kong, Lijiang, Macau, Shanghai, and more.

Bourdain especially loved visiting the Sichuan region and enjoying its blisteringly spicy food. In one episode of "Parts Unknown" Bourdain delighted in testing the spice limits of his friend, Chef Eric Ripert. In Shanghai, Bourdain visited the Shouning Road night food market, where he praised stuffed oysters grilled over charcoal, snake fried in woks, and "the good, old stuff" that made up the no-frills street food he loved so much.

For his show "No Reservations," Bourdain especially wanted to pick travel destinations that were off the beaten path, traveling to countries and cities that didn't get enough attention in the Western world for their cuisines.

The Uniqueness Of Chinese-American Cuisine

General Tso's Chicken - Diane Labombarbe/Getty Images

When Bourdain said that the Chinese food we know is "not really anything like what they eat in China," he had a point. Chinese fare has a long and storied history in America, and Chinese-American food has become its own delicious cuisine, with unique dishes and flavors.

When a wave of Chinese immigrants came to the U.S. in the late 1800s, they brought along many traditional recipes, opened up new restaurants, and began innovating with new ingredients and combinations. They created dishes like beef with broccoli, and General Tso's, which remain hallmarks of Chinese-American food today. San Francisco's Chinatown, specifically, was a prolific incubator of new recipes and flavors. Chop suey, egg foo yung, moo goo gai pan, and shrimp in lobster sauce were all created there, and are uniquely Chinese-American dishes.

Whether you're going to tuck into a more American General Tso's cauliflower recipe, or Sichuan-level spicy noodles, both cuisines have delicious dishes to offer, and Bourdain would be proud to see them being enjoyed more in the U.S.

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INTERNATIONAL MIX: Tortona fashion district is ready to host the White Milano trade show running from Sept. 19 to 22 during Milan Fashion Week.

Always focused on small and medium-sized businesses and emerging designers, more than 300 companies will be on display during the four days for a broad international audience, buyers, press and fashion industry professionals.

More from WWD

This year, the ready-to-wear and accessory trade show presents one important innovation: Im talent showroom, the first edition of the collaboration with Istituto Marangoni, which wants to provide concrete commercial support and visibility to the creatives from the Italian fashion school. Collections from five alumni, three established and two emerging, will be on display: Unhidden, Sandra Mansour, Pronounce, Marco Vinci and Ascend Beyond.

Noteworthy is the Expo White project, which has increasingly expanded its geographic boundaries. This season it will include brands from Spain, Armenia, South Africa (with a dedicated space in the White Loft), South Korea, Brazil and Latin America, featuring the Latin American Fashion Awards. The global platform was founded by Constanza Etro and Silvia Arguello. The winners of last years inaugural contest selected to showcase their work at White are Verdi from Colombia, Desserto from Chile, Daniela Villegas from Mexico, Luar from the Dominican Republic and Karoline Vitto from Brazil.

White Show is a prestigious international platform for designers and brands aiming to gain recognition in the fashion industry and create concrete business opportunities. Through this collaboration with Latin American Fashion Awards, we are excited to introduce our talented Latin American creatives to the numerous buyers in attendance, thereby building a bridge between Latin America and the global market, said Constanza Etro, cofounder of the Latin American Fashion Awards.

Spain will participate thanks to the collaboration with the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade ICEX, which started the partnership with White in 2017. Among the Spanish designers, Mariana Mendez will showcase a collection of Japanese inspired bags in a limited and numbered series.

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The file photo taken on Dec. 13, 2023 shows Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, speaks during a press conference outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., the United States. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Thursday to all nine counts in his criminal tax case in a Los Angeles federal court. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Thursday to all nine counts in his criminal tax case in a Los Angeles federal court.

Hunter Biden, 54, was indicted in California in December on nine counts related to a Justice Department investigation into his taxes. Federal prosecutors charged him with evading at least 1.4 million U.S. dollars in tax payments.

The only surviving son of President Biden had previously pleaded not guilty in the case. But a lawyer for him announced in court Thursday that Hunter Biden planned to change his not guilty plea before the start of his trial.

Hunter Biden's stunning decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case, according to NBC Los Angeles television station.

Hunter Biden quickly responded "guilty" as the judge read out each of the nine counts, reported the television station, adding that the charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence.

His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 16, shortly after the 2024 U.S. presidential election set to be held on Nov. 5.

Hunter Biden was convicted of three felony gun charges in a separate case in June. His conviction is related to purchasing a firearm in 2018 while addicted to crack cocaine, which is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president's child has been convicted of a crime. 
Every shift starts with prepping chicken with plenty of seasoning for Chef Yee Yaya Sanney. He picks up a handful of lemon pepper, fresh herbs and adds them to jollof rice, a tomato-based rice dish traditionally served in Africa.

But you can get a taste of Africa at the Travelers Kitchen, 1732 S. MacArthur Blvd., in Springfield.

Travelers Kitchen chef Yaya Sanney prepares a meal in at the restaurant on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Springfield.

The West African cuisine restaurant has been a part of Springfields lively restaurant scene for over a year now as one of the sole providers of traditional West African food.

Business owner Ansumana Darboe said he wanted to provide the Springfield community a taste of food he grew up with in Gambia.

There was a gap in the food market in terms of variety, Darboe said. Thats a gap we filled up. Starting a business like this takes a lot of marketing and educating customers about what this is. You could just say you have fish and chicken  thats easy to do.  But I put up a sign that says African cuisine because I want people to ask, what is African cuisine?

Darboe from Gambia to Springfield in 2012 to pursue his master's in public administration from the University of Springfield. Darboe said he hopes with time and education, more members of the community will come to know typical dishes from Africa and find out if their favorite food is still out there to find.

Owner of Travelers Kitchen Ansumana Darboe poses for a photo on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Springfield.

Darboes kitchen joins several other businesses like Jamaican-style Jerk Shop Go on 5th that are owned by people of color in the city, finding gaps in cultural representation and filling them.

I had a man come in last week after taking an ancestry test and found out his family was West African, so the family came into the restaurant purposefully to connect with his (his heritage), Darboe said. He said he ate West African food, and it gets him closer to his ancestors.

According to Darboe, many people who come through the doors dont know everything about West African cuisine and are curious to try a type of food theyve never had before.

Springfield is a food city, Darboe said. African food, particularly from West Africa is not represented in the food scene at all. We wanted to bring that variety so the city and the residents of the city can have an experience that tastes like Africa.

The menu is vast. Chef Yee, who is a family member from Gambia, prepares chicken Yassa, a flavorful tomato and lemon dish that pairs with fufu, Afra, benachin and more.

Travelers Kitchen took part of the Black Business Month created by Black Lives Matter Springfield. The directory lists businesses owned and run by Black entrepreneurs in the city with addresses and more information.

Yawa Eklou of Springfield shares a meal with her son Noah Akoli, 4, at Travelers Kitchen Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Springfield.

Darboe says being part of the directory was just the start and plans to join the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Black Chamber of Commerce.

A lot of people for the experience come here and sit here and see these African artifacts as part of the experience, Darboe said. Theres African music playing in the background and its part of the experience.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Travelers Kitchen bringing taste of Africa to Springfield, Illinois


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Even with the best realtor, landing your ideal Manhattan apartment can be a challengenot to mention finding the right interior designer once youve been handed the keys. Occasionally, though, the cart gets put before the horse, and you end up with the perfect designer first. That was the case for Bachman Clem and his clientsa couple living full-time in Stamford, Connecticut, who were on the hunt for a big city pied-a-terre.

Another client from many years ago had put their apartment on the market, and these two happened to tour it, Clem, the founder of New York Citybased firm Bachman Brown Design, says. Well, they didnt like the apartment, but they loved the interior design and asked the agent if they could track me down.

Eric Petschek

It wasnt long before Clem was waiting in the wings as his new clients closed on a charming Greenwich Village getaway. What the couple scored was a 1,300-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom Waverly Place retreat on the eighth floor of a landmarked 1928 Art Deco building.

They spend a lot of time escaping to the city and wanted something that felt very loungey and atypical from what they live with in Stamford, Clem explains. So the designerknown for his bold color choices and genre-blending aestheticmet the opportunity head-on. It was a really nicely done apartment before, but they didnt want it to look traditional and basically told me to do something weird.

Eric Petschek

While the designer didnt change the bones of the apartment, he delivered on his clients request for something out of the boxand the result feels plucked from a chic version of That 70s Show, with plenty of era-appropriate design finds and a wood-paneled living room that could be mistaken for a set from Foxs nostalgia-filled series.

It was really influenced a lot by 1970s wood-paneled ranch houses, Clem explains. If we could have dug into the apartment below, we would have absolutely done a sunken living room.

Foyer

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

At 1,300 square feet, the apartment is rather petite, and its very dark when you walk in, says Clem. So, I wanted to double-down on that darkness and chose to paint the entryway Benjamin Moores Brilliant Blue, which we carried through on the trim in the living room.

The Art Deco pendant is from the 1930s. A pair of Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig rope stools are nested underneath a vintage walnut hanging cabinet. The Swedish mirror by Uno Kristiansson is from the 1960s, as is the Gerald Thurston for Lightolier lamp. To the right is a mixed media work by artist Sophie Grant. The carpet is from Inigo Elizalde Rugs.

Living Room

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

We played around with a lot of different layouts for the space and, ultimately, they werent going to be throwing big dinner parties, so we actually could have made the dining room area even smaller, Clem explains.

The built-in sofa was custom designed by the designer and upholstered in a Clarence House textile with pillows covered in fabrics from Pierre Frey. I know its usually a decorator no-no, but we blocked a lot of the living room off [with the sofa] because they wanted the space to feel more like a cocoon, the designer says.

The tubular chrome and glass cocktail table and side table are vintage, and the set of four mixed media works above the sofa are by Louisville, Kentuckybased artist Letitia Quesenberry.



Living Room

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

Opposite the fireplace, an Eames for Herman Miller lounge chair belonging to the clients has been covered in a fabric by Michael S. Smith. The 1970s floor lamp is by Harvey Guzzini, and the vintage side table is by Hans C. Andersen. Above the fireplace is an acrylic gouache artwork by Queens, New Yorkbased artist Gloria Maximo.

Dining Area

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

The Carlo Nason pendant light is one of my all-time favorites, says Clem. As a designer youre not supposed to use the same things over and over, but I will forever use this as many times as I possibly canthe glow at night is just so beautiful.



Dining Area

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

On one side of the custom dining table is a trio of vintage chairs upholstered in leather from Studio Art, and on the other is a built-in banquette designed by Bachman Brown.

Breakfast Nook

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

We did a built-in banquette here too, and I was adamant that the other pieces for the space needed to be vintage as well, Clem explains.

With that directive in mind, the Poul Kjrholm PK1 rattan dining chairs pair perfectly with the Eames for Herman Miller breakfast table. Overhead is a 1970s pendant, and on the wall is a colorful Karel Appel lithograph.

Kitchen

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

The previous owners kitchen remodel worked for his clients, so the only change was to the paint color for the cabinets (Benjamin Moores Athenian Blu) and walls (Benjamin Moores Mystical Blue).

Primary Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

In the primary bedroom, the grass-cloth Star Fire wallpaper is by Gregorius Pineo, and the ceiling light is from Rejuvenation. Propped atop the cabinet headboard are a mixed media work by Mark Heresy and a photograph by Patterson Beckwith.

When you open up the cabinets there are shelves for books and storage for extra blankets and pillows, Clem explains about the custom-designed bed.

Kitchen

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

The cabinets are painted in Benjamin Moores Athenian Blue.

Primary Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

In the primary bedroom, the grass-cloth Star Fire wallpaper is by Gregorius Pineo, and the ceiling light is from Rejuvenation. Propped atop the cabinet headboard are a mixed media work by Mark Heresy and a photograph by Patterson Beckwith.

When you open up the cabinets there are shelves for books and storage for extra blankets and pillows, Clem explains about the custom-designed bed.

Primary Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

Next to the bed is a vintage chair by Pierre Guariche for Airborne that has been reupholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric.

Those Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce desk lamps are everything! says Clem. I found them on 1stDibs, and Ive never moved faster on a pair of lampsthe proportions and color are just perfect.

Guest Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

In keeping with that 70s vibe, we custom designed the platform bed, says Clem. I wanted it to function almost like a lounge where they could cozy up and read a book.

Primary Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

Next to the bed is a vintage chair by Pierre Guariche for Airborne that has been reupholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric.

Those Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce desk lamps are everything! says Clem. I found them on 1stDibs, and Ive never moved faster on a pair of lampsthe proportions and color are just perfect.

Guest Bedroom

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

In keeping with that 70s vibe, we custom designed the platform bed, says Clem. I wanted it to function almost like a lounge where they could cozy up and read a book.

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

The granite-colored wallpaper is by Cowtan & Tout, and the custom carpet is from Inigo Elizalde Rugs. Opposite the bed is a custom floating bookcase. The vintage rope chair is by Bauhaus-trained German designer Klaus Grabe, and the 1950s flush mount light is by Italian architect and designer Ignazio Gardella.

Photo credit: Eric Petschek

The granite-colored wallpaper is by Cowtan & Tout, and the custom carpet is from Inigo Elizalde Rugs. Opposite the bed is a custom floating bookcase. The vintage rope chair is by Bauhaus-trained German designer Klaus Grabe, and the 1950s flush mount light is by Italian architect and designer Ignazio Gardella.

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Find a piece of Oktoberfest in North Jersey. Check out our list of 2024 events

Bring on the beer, bratwurst and Bavarian pretzels, Oktoberfest season has arrived!

Oktoberfest is not only the world's largest folk festival, but it is also the world's largest beer festival as millions of people from around the world gather to consume as much beer and German food as they can.

Over 200 years ago when it began, Oktoberfest was a celebration of love as a royal wedding took place in Bavaria ... beer tents and carnival rides were not present.

Today, the event is celebrated all over the world, including right here in Northern New Jersey.

The history of Oktoberfest

The first Oktoberfest took place in October of 1810 in Munich, Germany when Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria, later King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

Prior to the wedding, according to the official Munich Oktoberfest website, Andreas Michael Dall'Armi, a member of the Bavarian National Guard came up with the idea to celebrate the royal wedding in a unique way with a horse race.

The wedding took place on Oct. 12, 1810, and the festivities lasted until Oct. 17, 1810, ending with a horse race on a meadow outside of Munich.

Children dressed in Bavarian folk costumes, paying homage to the royal family with flowers, fruits and poems. The meadow was christened "Theresens-Wiese" in honor of the bride.

The following year, people wanted more, and the Bavarian Agricultural Association took over as the new organizer.

However, by 1813, the event had to be canceled for the first time due to the Napoleonic wars.

In 1819, the city of Munich took over and resumed the festival, thus beginning the evolution of the event into the modern Oktoberfest with the addition of rides and chicken roasteries.

Today, Oktoberfest is still held at the same site in Munich. It is also celebrated throughout Germany and around the world.

Why is Oktoberfest celebrated in September?

As you plan your Oktoberfest celebrations, you may be asking yourself, why does Oktoberfest primarily take place in September instead of October?

The answer to this question is simply because of the weather, according to National Geographic which writes that as early as 1828 festivalgoers began to complain about Bavaria's rainy October weather. They pushed to move the festival to a more temperate time of year, but the city did not want to disrupt the harvest season.

The date was occasionally moved, but by 1905 the festival was officially set for the end of September.

Today, it almost always ends the first Sunday of October.

In Munich, this year's 189th Oktoberfest will run from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6.

So, as we make our way into September, you may want to consider breaking out the lederhosen and preparing your stomach for North Jersey's Oktoberfest celebrations, which kick off in a few weeks.

Oktoberfest celebrations around North Jersey in 2024

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Oktoberfest 2024 events in North Jersey: September and October fun
2024 is the fourth incarnation of the WSL Finals format. Weve had three world title's decided on the cobblestones. Thats six individual world titles, spread between five surfers, decided by 31 heats. It is, just about, enough of a data set to see some trends and patterns, which might help us give a guide to the very near future. With less than a day before the 2024 world champions are decided here are some of the stats that matter, and a few that probably won't.

The Mens World Titles Follows The Rankings

In the three WSL Finals, the No. 1 ranked male surfer has claimed the World Title. The Wozzle will say this is proof of concept - the seeding system works and that the work done on the CT at Chopes, Pipeline, Fiji et all remains pivotal to your chance of success. All those top-seed wins were emphatic too with neither Gabriel Medina nor Filipe Toledo requiring a third-set tiebreaker.

The Mens Is More Condensed

That should be music to World No. 1 John John Florence's ears, who needs two heat wins to claim a third World Title. There is one caveat though; in all three previous Finals, the No.1 surfer has held more than a 10,000-point lead going into Trestles, suggesting a surfer in form that has dominated the field all year. Florences rating lead over Griffin Colapinto however is less than 3000-points and under 10,000 to No. 3 Jack Robinson. 2024 has a much more condensed field, and the Finals could reflect the tightness of the five surfers with a potential for more upsets.

Related: WSL Finals Surf Forecast: Possible Run Day Set For September 6

Average Age Of Women Shows a Changing Of The Guard

The average age of the five women this year is 22.1 (or .42 of a Kelly Slater), and even that is slightly scaled up by the veteran Tatiana Weston-Webb who is a very youthful 28. That compares to an average age of 23.8 in 2023, a significant drop from the 27.8 average in 2022. With the absence of Carissa, Steph and Johanne Defay, the next generation has quickly stepped in to fill the void. Simmers is 18, Picklum 20. With teenagers like Sierra Kerr, Erin Brooks, Betty Sakura-Johnson and Sawyer Lindblad waiting in the queue, expect the average age to go even lower in the future.

An Unlikely Rookie

In what is a remarkable statistic, the only rookie in either of the mens or womens field is a relatively unknown by the name of John John Florence. Now 31, and having been in the surfing spotlight since he was the size of a sand flea, we arent sure whether the term can be applied. And even if it could, it wouldnt be very helpful to John. No Finals rookie has ever made it to the last match-up, let alone claim a World Title.

You Need Your A-Game For The Final

Its hard to come in at lunch, have your first surf and stop a surfer who has real momentum, Carissa Moore told the WSL this week. That rang true when the No. 1 was defeated last year by a rampaging Caroline Marks. History, and the numbers, show that you need to bring big numbers to the final match-up to take the title. Last year Filipe Toledo registered the highest heat total (17.97) of the day in the first of the best of three heat format. Marks also broke the 17-point barrier to hold off Moore. In 2021, Medina came in fresh and posted the highest two-wave heat total of any of the preceeding heats. Getting to the Final is hard, winning often requires the best surfing, and the biggest numbers, of the day.

Goofy vs Natural / Lefts and Rights

This years split is one goofy (Italo) to four regulars in the Mens, and 2:3 in the womens. Those ratios roughly reflect the average of World Titles won at Trestles. Of the six claimed, a third have been won by a member of the superior stance, ie goofy. Whether the wave favours the forehand or backhand is subjective, but while Trestles is considered a peak, 78% of counting waves last year were scored on the rights. Of course, next year in Fiji, that figure will drop considerably. This year looks set to have the smallest waves seen since the format was introduced in 2021, and that could affect the ratio.

Related: World No. 1 John John Florence Talks Titles, Lowers and Olympic Surfing

Related: Stop Asking Caity Simmers Dumb Questions
How parents and caregivers can evaluate the research on MERT and other potential treatments

As diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder have increased in the last two decades, so have the number of experimental and off-label therapies seeking to address the condition.

For parents navigating the complex and often contradictory landscape of autism interventions  while also balancing medical appointments, educational specialists and countless other family needs  evaluating these treatments can be daunting.

Experts in autism research talked to The Times about what parents and patients should watch for when evaluating a potential new treatment  for autism or any other condition.

Read more: Desperate parents turn to magnetic therapy to help kids with autism. They have little evidence to go on

Take testimonials with a grain of salt

Firsthand accounts of a therapys life-changing effects can be powerfully compelling. But such stories alone cant indicate how effective a treatment will be for anyone else, autism experts said.

Be wary of therapies that are sold to you with testimonials. If you go to a clinic website and they have dozens of quotes from parents saying, This changed my child's life in XYZ ways, that isnt the same as evidence, said Zoe Gross of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit group run by and for autistic adults. If the main way somethings advertised is through testimonials, it may be because there isn't research, or what research was done showed it wasn't effective.

Without accompanying data, there is no way to know whether any patients experience with a treatment is typical or an outlier. A therapy could have only a 1% success rate, Gross said, and still yield dozens of positive outcomes once thousands of people have tried it.

Former patient stories can be a starting point for an exploration of whether a therapy is right for someone, doctors said, but the exploration shouldnt end there.

Theres an old saying in medicine, said Dr. Andrew Leuchter , director of UCLAs TMS Clinical and Research Service. The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data.'

Read more: 'I don't want him to go': An autistic teen and his family face stark choices

Look for  and at  the research

Right now, it's really sexy to call yourself evidence-based, said Dr. David Celiberti, executive director of the nonprofit Assn. for Science in Autism Treatment. For a consumer, that's amazing. You hear evidence-based and of course, you're going to be drawn to it. But people are using that term very loosely.

In the case of magnetic e-resonance therapy, or MERT, its developer, Wave Neuroscience, features on its website a library of research . Similar links feature on the sites of many licensee clinics.

Most of the publications related to autism cited by MERT clinics  and, at times, by Wave  are either limited in scope or only tangentially related to the therapy, a half-dozen experts said, including some whose work is cited.

One of them, for example, is a brief 2016 article from the Austin Journal of Autism and Related Disabilities titled The Potential of Magnetic Resonant Therapy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Its authors and advisors said they were surprised to learn the paper was being used to advertise the treatment. The paper contains no data or original research and concludes only that MERT could be studied further as an autism therapy without risk of serious harm.

This isnt an evidence-based paper. Its an opinion piece about the possibilities of this technology, said Dr. John Crawford , a neurologist at Childrens Hospital of Orange County and a co-author of the paper. Its not that impactful from a scientific perspective.

Read more: Growing need. Glaring gaps. Why mental health care can be a struggle for autistic youth

Who else has verified these findings?

Many MERT clinics feature a 2014 electronic poster presentation that examines data from the charts of 141 children who received transcranial magnetic stimulation, the therapy on which MERT is based, for autism.

Until March , Wave featured the poster on its website and highlighted that 59.1% of 44 participants who completed 12 months of treatment improved their scores on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, an assessment tool used to gauge symptom severity.

A closer look at the report shows that after five days of treatment, 38 patients were dropped from the analysis because their symptoms either showed no improvement or worsened. One had a seizure during treatment.

The authors excluded dozens more patients for various reasons. Of the remaining 44 patients, 26 saw improvement while getting the treatment. That was 59.1% of those remaining, as the poster said, but only 18.4% of the total study population.

The write-up also notes that many of those 26 children were receiving other therapies at the same time that may have been responsible for some or all of the improvements.

Posters are typically prepared as a way to highlight findings at professional conferences and cannot be interpreted as having undergone rigorous peer review, said USC neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Liu, a co-author on the poster who is not affiliated with Wave or any MERT clinics.

The main point of the abstract is and remains that more rigorous studies must [be] done.

Read more: Autism, dyslexia, ADHD. How the University of San Diego is helping 'neurodivergent' students succeed

If research shows changes, how do you know the therapy caused it?

Wave and licensees also highlight a 2022 paper by a technician at a licensee clinic in Australia who is also a doctoral candidate at Australias University of the Sunshine Coast.

It looks at data from 28 patients at two MERT clinics in Australia whose brains showed significant improvement in their individual alpha frequency waves after treatment.

Although some previous research has found correlations between atypical alpha wave frequency and autism diagnoses, six scientists told The Times that there isnt yet enough evidence to understand how changes in alpha waves affect autistic traits, or any scientific consensus on whether improvement in this pattern of brain activity has any meaningful effect on autistic behaviors.

The report is a retrospective chart review, which examines existing data from patients medical records and is often used to identify interesting outcomes worthy of further study.

By design it does not include a control group, which is what allows researchers to identify whether any changes they see are related to the variable they are studying. Its authors noted in the paper that findings are preliminary and require further study.

Because this was not a controlled trial or study, [the cause of the changes] could have been anything, including placebo effect, any additional therapies the children were receiving, etc., said Lindsay Oberman, director of the Neurostimulation Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Medical research follows a hierarchy of evidence. At the bottom are anecdotes and observations: valid points of information that alone arent enough to draw broad conclusions.

Above that are observational studies that collect and analyze preexisting data in a systematic way. And at the top are randomized controlled trials, which are designed to eliminate as much bias as possible from the experiment and ensure that the thing being studied is responsible for any changes observed.

Families need to know that there is this gold standard for studies  to make sure that something works to help people with autism, it needs to have what's called a randomized controlled trial, said Alycia Halladay, chief science officer at the Autism Science Foundation .

Read more: Too much screen time harms children, experts agree. So why do parents ignore them?

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Relive the Kennedy wedding in the Newport church where it happened. Here's how.

NEWPORT  Seventy-one years later you can relive the day then-Sen. John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier tied the knot in the church where it happened.

The Return to Camelot commemorative presentation will be hosted at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, at St. Marys Roman Catholic Church, located on the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard West. Doors will open 15 minutes before each presentation.

The presentations will include a multi-media musical remembrance of the Kennedy wedding.

The 30-minute presentation will feature vintage film clips, a live performance of organ music and hymns from the wedding ceremony, and the first dance played at the reception at Hammersmith Farm, Jackies childhood summer home in Newport. Following the presentation, guests may tour the beautiful and historic church, view pew #10, where Jack and Jackie prayed while attending Mass in Newport, and the kneelers used during their nuptial Mass.

A photo from the wedding of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on Sept. 12, 1953, at St. Mary's Church, Newport, Rhode Island.

Reservations for Return to Camelot are not required, and no tickets will be sold. A free-will offering will benefit the St. Marys Hot Lunch Program, serving community members in need. St. Marys Church is home to Rhode Islands oldest Catholic parish, established in 1828. The present church, dedicated in 1852 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, attracts thousands of visitors from across the U.S. and around the world each year to say a prayer, light a candle, and admire its architecture and beautiful interior.

For more information, visit StMaryNewportRI.org, email StMarySecretary12@gmail.com, or call 401-847-0475.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport church hosts Kennedy wedding presentation on 71st anniversary
Former high-end auction house owner Leslie Hindman has sold her 1920s-era, ocean-block house on Palm Beachs Australian Avenue to a couple who already owned a seasonal apartment at the opposite end of the Midtown street.

Retired Virginia insurance executive Thomas D. Rutherfoord Jr. and his wife, Jean, paid a recorded $9.28 million for Hindmans three-bedroom house and its poolside guesthouse at 123 Australian Ave., according to the deed recorded at the end of August.

Hindman had bought the Mediterranean-style house in January 2021 for a recorded $3.85 million and then carried out renovations, focusing particularly on the primary bedroom suite and the guesthouse.

Just sold for a recorded $9.28 million, a Mediterranean-style house with a guesthouse was built in the 1920s at 123 Australian Ave. in Midtown.

The renovations gave the interiors modern convenience and sensibilities, according to the sales listing for the property.

The main house and guesthouse have a grand total of 3,794 square feet of living space, inside and out. The narrow lot, which measures nearly a fifth of an acre, is the second property west of the oceanfront Lowell House condominium building.

Because of the houses relatively high elevation and position on the lot, one of the second-floor bedrooms offers a view of the Atlantic Ocean.

French doors and windows of the primary residence at 123 Australian Ave. in Palm Beach afford views of the pool.

Hindman founded  and twice sold  Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, which in January was renamed Freemans Hindman auction house after a merger. Hindman is no longer associated with the firm, which is headquartered in Chicago, where she also based her company.

Among its locations, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers maintained a showroom and auction facility on South Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, where the business operates today as Freeman's Hindman.

Thomas D. Rutherfoord Jr. retired in 2015 as president of Rutherfoord, his familys multi-generational insurance and risk-management business based in Richmond, Virginia. In 2010, the company was acquired by insurance powerhouse Marsh McLennon.

Agent Crista Ryan of Tina Fanjul Associates represented the Rutherfoords in their purchase of the house on Australian Avenue.

Agents Lisa and John Cregan of Sothebys International Realty acted on behalf of Hindman, who sold the house as trustee of a trust in her name. The Cregans had the house listed at $10.5 million.

John Cregan, Hindman and Ryan declined to comment, and the Rutherfoords could not be reached.

The house was built by master builder E.B. Walton in 1924, according to property records.

Hindmans renovation of the guesthouse included a fresh and modern downstairs entertaining area along with a light and bright guest suite, the sales listing said. Other features of the house included a new roof and air-conditioning system along with an updated kitchen, the sales listing said.

The Rutherfoords, meanwhile, have listed their two-bedroom apartment in the Lake Drive Co-Op Apartments  a lakefront building at 414 Australian Ave  with Ryan for $2.6 million. Ryan also represented them when they bought the unit, No. 3D, there in 2019 for $965,000, negotiating opposite listing agent Caroline Seymour, then of Brown Harris Stevens.

A balcony is accessible from the living room of Unit 3D in a co-operative building at 455 Australian Ave. in Palm Beach. The owners, who just bought a house down the street, have the two-bedroom co-op listed at $2.6 million.

The deed for the sale of 123 Australian Ave. identifies Hindmans mailing address as a restored-and-renovated 1895 landmark home she owns on North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Hindman has that three-bedroom, five-story house listed for sale at $3.8 million though agent Lisa Ames of Engel & Volkers, according to the MLS.

*

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Ex-auction-house owner sells Palm Beach home to couple on same street
A grand reopening of the Walmart Supercenter in Bucyrus will be held at 9 a.m. Friday.

The store at 1875 E. Mansfield St., will hold a celebratory ribbon-cutting that includes recognition of organizations making a difference in the community and several long-term Walmart associates.

A community-focused mural, which is part of Walmarts Community Mural Program, will be unveiled.

A Walmart logo.

Representatives of the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce will join in the celebration, including Heather Martin who will perform the national anthem.

Throughout the morning vendors including Coke, Bayer, General Mills, Little Debbie and the Sparkling Ice Company will pass out free samples to customers while the Coca-Cola Bear and County Chocula will greet customers and children. Local food trucks Mad Love and Sweet Thangs will provid food and refreshments in the parking lot.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus Walmart updates unveiling is Friday; food, vendors, samples
1,000 Smokies fans to get jars of dirt as team wraps up their time Kodak

KODAK, Tenn. (WATE)  Tennessee Smokies fans who attend the teams final Friday game of the regular season at Smokies Stadium could go home with their own piece of history.

The Smokies announced on Thursday that the first 1,000 fans in attendance at the teams game in Kodak on Sept. 13 will get stadium field dirt. The image included in the announcement also shows samples of the field dirt collected in small, clear bottles labeled Smokies Stadium 2024.

New Oak Ridge uranium enrichment facility to support more than 300 jobs

That Friday, the Smokies will be taking on the Birmingham Barons at 7 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. and tickets available through TicketReturn.com range in price from $13 up to $25. Parking at the stadium is also free throughout the rest of the 2024 season.

Just two days later, the Smokies will be playing their final regular season game at Smokies Stadium in Kodak on Sunday. That game, as well as the teams first game at the new Covenant Health Park stadium in 2025, will be broadcast on WATE Channel 6.

Kerns Food Hall suspends parking fees

In 2025, the team will be moving Knoxville, and taking on the new name of the Knoxville Smokies. While the Smokies will be starting off their season away on August against Birmingham, they will play their first game in Covenant Health Park on April 15 against Chattanooga.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
1 civilian killed and 6 injured in Russian attack on Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast  photos

An investigation has been launched into the Russian attack on the town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast. Photo: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Russian forces struck the town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on 5 September, leaving a 74-year-old man dead and six more civilians with injuries of varying severity.

Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Quote: "A 74-year-old local resident has been killed in a shell strike on the territory of his household.

Four men aged 25 to 52 have been injured. They were near one of the local shops. They were diagnosed with shrapnel wounds. The men have received medical assistance for mine-blast injuries and a fracture."

Photo: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Photo: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

Details: The prosecutor's office notes that Russian forces attacked the town several times with tubed artillery and also conducted an airstrike, likely using KAB-500 guided aerial bombs. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties and damage to building facades, the premises of a commercial facility, cars and power lines.

Photo: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

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Photo taken on Sept. 2, 2024, shows an empty lounge of a hotel in Brummana, Lebanon. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Hezbollah-Israeli conflict has severely impacted Lebanon's tourism sector, leading to a significant drop in activity, business insiders told Xinhua.

Pierre Ashkar, head of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners in Lebanon, noted that this year saw virtually no tourism activity due to fears of conflict escalation and the closure of Beirut airport. Lebanese expatriates who visited stayed for shorter periods, averaging 10 to 15 days instead of the usual month or two, resulting in lower tourism revenue.

The situation comes as Lebanon grapples with a severe economic crisis and desperately needs the financial boost traditionally provided by its tourism sector. Ashkar explained that while a few restaurants in downtown Beirut managed to attract customers at the start of summer, other areas, including Gemmayzeh, Badaro, Ashrafieh, Jounieh, Batroun, and Mount Lebanon locations such as Brummana, experienced slow activity.

People work at the site of an Israeli drone strike in Naqoura, Lebanon, on Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

The conflict has escalated since Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah towards Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attacks. Israel's retaliatory strikes, including daily raids along Lebanon's southern border and a separate attack on Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs, resulted in significant casualties, including the killing of Hezbollah military commander, Fouad Shokor, and further tensions.

"When Israel hit Dahieh, we saw some people visiting the mountain to escape a possible escalation near Beirut, but the activity in Mount Lebanon lasted for two to three days out of 150 days of summer," said Ashkar, noting the conflict's tangible impact.

He reported a 70 percent drop in restaurant activity and an 80 percent decrease in hotel occupancy.

Photo taken on Sept. 2, 2024, shows an empty lobby of a hotel in Brummana, Lebanon. (Xinhua/Xie Hao)

Kamal Lotfallah, a long-time employee at a luxurious hotel in Brummana, eastern Lebanon, echoed the sentiment, lamenting that the lack of summer reservations has made it difficult for hotels to cover expenses and pay employees adequate salaries.

Fadi Zoughaib, another employee at the hotel, observed that the hotel occupancy rate has drastically fallen, with only 10 to 15 rooms being occupied out of 110 and stays averaging just one or two nights.

"I miss the old summer tourism vibes in Mount Lebanon," he said.

The file photo taken on Sept. 2, 2023, shows tourists enjoying themselves at coffee shops in the old Souk of Byblos, Lebanon. (Photo by Dana Halawi/Xinhua)

Ashkar, with over 50 years in the hospitality business, expressed nostalgia for the days when Lebanon was known as "the Switzerland of the Middle East." He attributed Lebanon's former tourism success to its mild weather, compared to the hotter Arab countries, and its renowned hospitals and educational institutions.

Emphasizing the need for Lebanon's neutrality amid regional conflicts, Ashkar said that "war is the enemy of tourism. We have to find a way to let this country survive."
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  U.S. Marine Capt. Miguel Nava, who died earlier this year in a military training exercise, will be honored by his high school Friday during the 10th annual Freedom Cruise.

Bringing the community together to honor this patriot is important on so many levels, said Tom Antor, organizer of the event. And this has special meaning because of his ties to Comstock Park.

Bill would rename post office in honor of fallen Marine

Each year, the Freedom Cruise hosts an honor procession, which includes a limousine bus with Gold Star families and World War II veterans. The bus is escorted by local law enforcement, area fire departments and scores of motorcyclists representing the Patriot Guard and American Legion riders.

Fridays procession begins mid-morning and will cover about 60 miles. It will drive by schools in Cedar Springs, Kent City and the Comstock Park district before finishing at Comstock Park High School.

Hero, leader: Hundreds honor fallen Marine at Comstock Park High School

Students holding flags will be outside each of the schools as the procession passes by, Antor said.

He said the procession will return to Comstock Park High School around 12:30 p.m. Friday, and participants will gather inside the high school auditorium for a ceremony honoring Nava and others who made the ultimate sacrifice.

During the ceremony, a specially commissioned original portrait of Nava will be unveiled. Friends and family, including Navas one-year-old son, will be on stage for the unveiling, according to Antor.

Nava, 28, a 2013 graduate of Comstock Park High School, was killed in a helicopter crash outside of San Diego in February.

Marine killed in San Diego crash was from Comstock Park

Nava attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 2017. Nava also returned to Comstock Park schools after graduation to speak with students.

The auditorium ceremony is at capacity, but organizers are encouraging those who want to show their support to attend Comstock Parks Patriot Game Friday evening.

The Freedom Cruise is the signature event of Finish the Mission Veteran Relief Fund, which was launched in 2014 to remember and honor local members of the military, acknowledge the service of veterans and assist the veteran community.

Each year, one Gold Star family receives special recognition during the Freedom Cruise. Last years event honored Cedar Springs native and Army Specialist Timothy Brown, who was killed in November of 2005 while serving in Iraq.

Never forget: Freedom Cruise honors fallen soldiers

We promised 10 years ago when we started this that we would never forget, Antor said. People need to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that are made to preserve our freedom.

Fridays day of remembrance continues on the gridiron, where Comstock Park hosts Holland Christian for the annual Patriot Game, which will honor Navas life.

Veterans and school staff from Comstock Park and Holland Christian are admitted free and are invited to a pre-game barbecue in the north end zone from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A tunnel of flags ceremony at 6:30 p.m. by the Patriot Guard precedes kickoff at 7:01 p.m.

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Watch a previous NBC4 report on Lorains conversion therapy ban in the video player above.

LORAIN, Ohio (WCMH)  A northeast Ohio city voted this week to become the 12th in the state to ban anti-LGBTQ+ techniques known as conversion therapy, used to attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity.

Lorain City Council passed the ordinance unanimously on Tuesday to prohibit healthcare professionals in the city from engaging in conversion therapy with minors. The measure was propelled by 22-year-old Lorain resident Brandon West, who argued conversion therapy has no place in Lorain as it causes lasting harm, increases risk of youth suicide and spreads a message of intolerance.

By passing this ordinance, we are taking a stand for love and acceptance and the right for everyone to live their truth without fear or shame, said West during Tuesdays city council meeting, garnering applause from the audience. This is a preventative measure that will make Lorain a safer and more inclusive place for all.

When early voting begins in Ohios November election

The city is joining 11 other municipalities in Ohio, including Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Reynoldsburg, that have already banned the practice within city limits. Like those measures, Lorains ordinance echoes major mental health associations that discredit conversion therapy, including the American Medical Association, which says the assumption that someones sexual orientation or gender identity can be changed is not based on medical or scientific evidence.

Practitioners of conversion therapy operate under an erroneous assumption that non-heterosexual, non-cisgender identities are mental disorders, Lorains ordinance states. Those practitioners often employ averse conditioning, which includes the use of electric shock, deprivation of food and liquid, smelling salts and chemical-induced nausea.

Emily Cole, another Lorain resident who spoke during Tuesdays meeting, noted a 2022 study from The Trevor Project the found the practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ youth, and its associated harms, costs the U.S. an estimated $9.23 billion annually. The study also found more than 508,000 LGBTQ+ youth across the nation were at risk of being subjected to conversion therapy the previous year.

LGBTQ+ plant shop to open second Columbus storefront

The dangers of conversion therapy are varied and vast, said Cole. The study highlights the reality that forcing conversion therapy onto LGBTQ+ youth had deep and detrimental costs from both a humanistic and economic standpoint.

Ohio cities are passing bans on conversion therapy because Ohios general assembly hasnt advanced a proposal to implement a statewide ban. While former Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) introduced the Anti-Conversion Therapy Act last year, which would make law in Ohio the same parameters as Lorains measure, the legislation didnt receive a single committee hearing.

At the time, Lightbody said she wanted to propose the act after she received overwhelming opposition to House Bill 68, a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors and trans athletes participation in womens sports. The Statehouse overrode Gov. Mike DeWines veto of that bill, which is now in effect after the ACLU failed to persuade a Franklin County judge that the measure is unconstitutional.

Gov. Mike DeWine looks to overhaul Ohios justice system

In the meantime, West told NBC4 he is taking the first steps to propose a similar conversion therapy ban that would be implemented throughout all of Cuyahoga County. The 22-year-old advocate noted his gratitude to Lorains council for taking the time to learn about conversion therapys harmful impact, especially after some members seemed reluctant to pass the ordinance during the July meeting.

Seeing that everyone seemed to research more and voted unanimously, it shows to me that they actually took the time to consider [the ordinance], said West. I felt really heard and seen, and that my work was finally coming to fruition.

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A 13-foot (and growing) python was seized from a New York home and sent to a zoo

In this photo released by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC Officer Jeff Hull poses with a Burmese python that was confiscated from a home in New Hartford, N.Y., on Aug. 28, 2024. It is illegal to own a Burmese python in New York state without a permit. (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation via AP)

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (AP)  A 13-foot (4-meter) Burmese python was confiscated from an upstate New York man who was keeping the still-growing snake in a small tank, authorities said.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation said it got a complaint about an illegally owned snake in New Hartford on Aug. 28.

Environment Conservation Police Officer Jeff Hull responded and found the snake in a 4-to-5-foot (1.2-to-1.5-meter) tank.

The snake weighed 80 pounds (36 kilos) and measured 13 feet 2 inches (4 meters) in length. It appeared to be in good health and was still growing, the Department of Environmental Conservation said in a news release.

The snake was relocated to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, which has the state-required permits for such an animal, the agency said.

The snake's owner said he had not been prepared for how fast the snake would grow, the department said. He was ticketed for possessing wildlife as a pet and for possessing dangerous wildlife without a permit.

Burmese pythons are native to southeast Asia and have become popular pets in the United States. They are an invasive species in Florida, where they prey on native wildlife.

Burmese pythons can grow to be 16 feet (5 meters) long. The animal seized in New York, an albino Burmese python, was yellow with an arrowhead-like design on its head.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The teenager who was shot Monday in Rapid City has died.

The Rapid City Police says 13-year-old Xavier White Whirlwind, of Rapid City, died at the hospital Wednesday evening.

Rapid City schools on secure status

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Wednesday afternoon, Rapid City Police put out a release asking for the publics help in locating 16-year-old Tyrell James Yellow Thunder of Rapid City and 20-year-old Loretta Elizabeth Bettelyoun of Rapid City. They say the two are believed to be present at the time of the shooting.

Police said on Thursday that theyre still looking to speak to these two individuals. Anyone with any information about their whereabouts should contact 605-394-4134.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
15-year-old arrested after threatening to finish the job after Apalachee High School shooting

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office says they have arrested and charged a teenager with threatening to commit a school shooting.

They say deputies were made aware of a report of a threat made on the bus from one school to another school in Jackson County on Wednesday afternoon.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Investigators say the 15-year-old, who has not been identified, made statements about the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.

They say the teenager said he was planning on finishing the job and shooting another school in Jackson County.

TRENDING STORIES:

Jackson County is located next to Barrow County where the deadly shooting occurred on Wednesday.

The teenager has since been taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

On Wednesday morning, four people were shot and killed inside Apalachee High School. Nine others were shot and wounded, but are expected to survive.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School, has been charged with four counts of felony murder in connection to the shooting.

IN OTHER NEWS:
151 combat clashes took place on frontline in past day, Pokrovsk front remains most tense

Over the course of 5 September, 151 combat clashes occurred at the front. The most intense situation remains on the Pokrovsk front, but the Russians are also active on the Kurakhove front.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 22:00 on 5 September

Quote: "Russian invaders launched 58 airstrikes on Ukrainian territory, dropping 66 guided aerial bombs. They also launched 572 kamikaze drones and over 2,800 strikes on the positions of our troops and our settlements."

Details: Seven combat clashes took place on the Kharkiv front.

On the Kupiansk front, 13 combat clashes have been recorded, with two more still underway.

On the Lyman front, 14 combat clashes have been concluded, with three currently ongoing.

On the Siversk front, Ukrainian defenders repelled four Russian offensive actions.

There were thirteen clashes on the Kramatorsk front.

There were fifteen clashes recorded on the Toretsk front.

There have been 42 combat clashes recorded on the Pokrovsk front since the beginning of the day.

The Russians carried out 28 offensive actions on the Kurakhove front.

The Russian forces attempted to drive Ukrainian soldiers out of their positions on the Vremivka front six times.

The Russian forces' advance on Robotyne on the Orikhiv front was stopped.

On the Prydniprovske front, the Russians were repulsed three times as they tried to storm Ukrainian positions.

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Their 16-Year-Old Died in First Day of School Crash  How Parents Plan to Keep Her Light Shining (Exclusive)

Her legacy will continue to live on through all of the great work and all of the love that she shared while she was here for 16 years, the mom of Sophia DeTorres tells PEOPLE

courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd Sophia DeTorres

Siblings Sophia DeTorres, 16, and George DeTorres Jr., 15, were heading off to school on Aug. 22 when they were involved in a multi-vehicle crash, which she did not survive, according to their parents

In the wake of her death, her parents tell PEOPLE they're establishing a foundation in her memory

She felt like she wanted everybody in this world to be seen," says Sophias mother, Noelle Boyd

On the morning of Aug. 22, New Jersey teen Sophia DeTorres set off for North Hunterdon High School, where she was due to start her junior year. Minutes later, her mom learned that there had been a crash.

It was basically any other first day of school, George DeTorres Sr., 48, Sophias father, tells PEOPLE, sharing that his wife, Noelle Boyd, took photos of Sophia, 16, and her brother George DeTorres Jr., 15, before they left their home in Pittstown.

Five minutes later," according to the parents, Noelle got a call from a friend who said that Sophia and George Jr. had been involved in a three-vehicle crash at an intersection about a mile or two away from their house.

Their son sustained injuries, but Sophia was killed on impact. Her death not only shook her family, but also the community to whom she gave so much of herself through her kindness and volunteering.

It's the most unimaginable nightmare that could happen to both of us, says George Sr., 48.

courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd Sophia DeTorres (L) poses with her siblings Sadie (C) and George Jr. (R)

After hearing the news, Noelle immediately drove to the scene with her 8-year-old daughter Sadie, who was still at home.

Authorities at the scene allowed her to see her son, who was in the ambulance, but not Sophia. The EMS guy told me that Sophia was in critical condition and that it wasn't looking good, but he did not tell me that she died at the scene, Noelle, 46, tells PEOPLE. I've come to find out that she did.

According to the Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office, three passengers, including George Jr., were injured in the Aug. 22 crash; two drivers were treated at the scene and released. The incident is currently under investigation.

Related: Dad Opens Up After 2 Sisters Die in Crash: He Shares Last Conversation, Says They'll Be Cremated Together (Exclusive)

Noelle remembers Sophia as an incredible child who had the "remarkable" ability to make "every single person feel loved and seen."

"She wanted to make sure that even the people that didn't have friends had friends," her mom adds. "or that the people that were going through something really tough felt like they had somebody sitting by their side."

According to her obituary, as a former student of Franklin Township School, Sophia served as student council president, student board delegate and vice president of the National Junior Honor Society. She was also active in North Hunterdon High School's Unified program, in which students with or without disabilities mentor other students of lower abilities in developing social skills through interactive activities.

courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd Sophia DeTorres

She felt like she wanted everybody in this world to be seen, and that included the special needs kids that she mentored through Unified, says Noelle. They filled her heart just as much as she filled theirs.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In the aftermath of Sophias death, her parents have been touched to hear stories about the impact their daughter had on those around her.

She was a source of support for so many kids, says her dad, who was in Florida at the time of Sophia's death.

We had one girl just terribly shaken," he says. According to him, the girl said that although she and Sophia hadn't been very close, she reached out to Sophia one night while she was experiencing suicidal thoughts. "The girl just flat out told her mom and me that our daughter saved her life," he says.

courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd (L-R) George DeTorres Jr. and Sophia DeTorres

Sophia also guided her siblings, according to her parents.

He said that from day one, she was his role model and best friend, the dad says of his son. She wore the big sister hat very well and really did help him."

Sadie's doing a lot of this stuff Sophia did in terms of dance and acting, continues the dad. "Sophia would always help with Sadie's school plays. Sadie always looked at her as a mentor."

During a vigil for Sophia on Aug. 29, her dad says that they played a video of Sadie singing "Tomorrow" from Annie, which her older sister recorded. "We really didn't even think Sadie was going to be able to talk, but she went up and her exact quote was: My sister loved you all. I loved my sister. 

courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd Sophia DeTorres with her younger sister Sadie (L)

Related: Calif. Family of 4 Dead After Car Crashes into Tree: Heartbroken

The family says that before the crash, Sophia had started to look at colleges and was planning to major in psychology. She really wanted to work with underprivileged children, homeless children or children that had been abused in some capacity," Noelle says. "She really just wanted to help people.

In Sophias obituary, the family summed up her legacy by wiring, There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they're gone, the light remains.

I do think that that is exactly who she was, says Noelle. "She was so special and she made everybody else around her feel so special that her legacy will continue to live on just through all of the great work and all of the love that she shared while she was here for 16 years. I'm just so proud of that child for everything.



courtesy of George DeTorres and Noelle Boyd Sophia DeTorres

After the news of Sophias death, there was outpouring of community support for the DeTorres family, including the creation of a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $140,000 as of Sept. 5.

The majority of the funds, George Sr. says, will go to establishing the Sophia's Shining Light, which will ensure that the work "she was so proud of and passionate about continues."



Related: 6-Year-Old Boy Dead Days After Crash That Killed Parents and Brother: 'No Words for This Hurt'

Amid the tragedy, George Sr. hopes that people will take away something from the example Sophia set during her lifetime.

There's nothing great about what has happened. But I think the only glimmer of hope is that if everyone can just think about what she did  and if there's one thing that stands out to you  that maybe you could help do that and pass it forward, and keep her light shining as bright as possible, he says. "I think that's what she would want."



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Read the original article on People.
A Waltham student is facing charges after allegedly bringing a fake firearm onto school grounds.

In a letter sent home to parents, Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa said police received information that a gun was found inside a car on the grounds of Waltham High School Wednesday night.

The suspected vehicle was found unoccupied in the school parking garage on Thursday morning. Officers searched the car and saw what appeared to be a gun or an authentic replica firearm, according to officials.

Police and the school resource officers removed the vehicle and the item in question from campus. Authorities say after a brief investigation, they also removed a 17-year-old student from school grounds and arrested them.

It is unclear what charges the student will face.

During the investigation, Waltham High School was placed in a hold in place out of an abundance of caution.

Police later confirmed the weapon in question was a BB gun manufactured to look like a real Glock firearm. They provided a picture to show the striking similarities between the two.

According to authorities, this was an isolated incident and there was no evidence of any further threats.

I am deeply grateful to the community member who reached out to the Waltham Police Department to report this concern, Superintendent Mendonsa said. Please remind your children of the importance of reporting any unusual or suspicious activity to a trusted adult or school authority immediately. Our collective vigilance is crucial in maintaining a safe learning environment.

The gun scare comes just one day after two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at a Georgia high school.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW




17-year-old boy charged after trying to hit officer, police say

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  The Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD) said a 17-year-old boy has been charged after trying to strike an officer in Woodbridge earlier last month.

On Aug. 22, PWCPD said officers concluded an investigation of an assault that took place on Aug. 6 shortly after 1 a.m., in the 1300 block of Horner Road.

The investigation revealed that 17-year-old boy was seen stealing items from a car and the owner of the car saw him in the act, according to police. Officers detained the boy and released him to his guardians.

Police identify new locations of interest in search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt

Later that morning, the boy was seen in the same area, unsupervised, and brought back to his guardians, where he attempted to strike an officer in the face, according to the department.

No injuries were reported.

The PWCPD said that after consultation with Juvenile Court Services, the alleged assault resulted in a formal action that will be handled through the courts.

Following the investigation, authorities charged the 17-year-old boy of Woodbridge with assault and battery on a law enforcement officer, petit larceny, vehicle trespass, public intoxication and additional charges.

His court date is pending.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A 19-year-old San Angelo man has taken a plea deal for eight criminal charges levied in relation to a drive-by shooting that occurred on 19th Street in August 2023.

According to court records filed within Tom Green County, Andrew Garza pled guilty on Sept. 4 to six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of deadly conduct by discharging a firearm. In exchange, he will be confined within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for eight years, with all charges running concurrently.

A complaint record also filed within the county stated that law enforcement was dispatched to the intersection of 19th Street and Brown Street on Aug. 3, 2023, in reference to a shooting. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located a vehicle that had significant damage to it from gunfire. SAPD officers spoke with the vehicles owner and learned that she had been in the passenger seat at the time of the shooting.

PREVIOUSLY: One teen indicted for drive-by shooting on 19th & Brown Street

The vehicle owner stated that she had picked up four people at the Nueva Vista Apartments but let a man she knows only as Elijah drive. She stated they were driving south on Brown Street when they stopped at the intersection of 19th Street, after which a passenger vehicle with what the victim said looked to contain multiple people slowly drove past their vehicle and stopped at the stop sign.

The people, who the victim was unable to identify or describe during her interview with law enforcement, began firing shots at her car from their vehicle. The victim told detectives that she was unable to see the shooters before their vehicle fled the scene.

Law enforcement then spoke with another one of the victims at Shannon, where lead bullet fragments had to be extracted from his head. The victim stated that he believed Greg Garza and Zachary Garza to be the shooters. Despite this, he later identified the two individuals as Andrew Garza and Tayden Thibodeaux.

After searching the scene of the crime, a camera that showed two individuals firing guns from the suspect vehicle was located. From this footage, SAPD was able to determine that the suspects vehicle was a dark-colored BMW passenger vehicle and identify the owner of the car as Tayden Thibodeaux.

The BMW would later be found traveling northbound in the 2400 block of Lily Street, where an SAPD officer identified the driver as Thibodeaux and the passenger as Garza. Law enforcement also saw that Garza was wearing the same clothing as one of the passengers of the suspect vehicle. Garza told detectives he had been swimming with Thibodeaux at the Ben Ficklin Low Water Crossing and riding home with him before denying being involved in the shooting.

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A lawyer for Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, announced in court Thursday that Hunter Biden plans to change his not guilty plea before the start of his trial on tax charges in Los Angeles, western U.S. state of California.

Hunter Biden, 54, was indicted in California in December on nine counts related to a Justice Department investigation into his taxes. Federal prosecutors charged him with evading at least 1.4 million U.S. dollars in tax payments.

The only surviving son of President Biden had previously pleaded not guilty in the case.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell announced Hunter Biden's plans to change his previous plea just as jury selection was set to begin, but did not provide further details, reported Los Angeles Times, the biggest newspaper on the U.S. West Coast.

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents, said the report, adding that Hunter Biden's decision to change his plea Thursday came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

Hunter Biden was convicted of three felony gun charges in a separate case in June. His conviction is related to purchasing a firearm in 2018 while addicted to crack cocaine, which is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president's child has been convicted of a crime. 
19-year-old wanted for fatal shooting in New Jersey arrested in Poconos

A man wanted for homicide in New Jersey was arrested Thursday in Monroe County, the U.S. Marshals Service announced.

Damian Bass, 19, was arrested around 6:15 a.m. at a residence on New York Boulevard in Chestnuthill Township, according to a news release.

He was wanted by the Monmouth County prosecutor for an Aug. 26 homicide at the New Jersey Transit Long Branch Station, the release said. This was the shooting of 43-year-old James Hailey of Newark, Deputy U.S. Marshal Bobby Lenahan confirmed.

The Nazareth Police Department in Northampton County also wanted Bass, the Pennsylvania State Police said Friday. Court records show he faces burglary, robbery and other charges for a Sept. 14, 2023, incident.

Bass was arraigned and taken to the Monroe County Correctional Facility to await extradition to New Jersey.

Kathryne Rubright is the managing editor of the Pocono Record and the Tri-County Independent. Reach her at krubright@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: U.S. Marshals arrest New Jersey homicide suspect in Monroe County
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (PIX11)  Two men were shot in Brooklyn on Wednesday, police said.

The men were standing by a car when they were shot in front of 539 Park Place in Crown Heights around 3:20 p.m., according to the NYPD.

More Local News

A 31-year-old man was shot in the head and was hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said. A 33-year-old man was shot in the leg, police said.

No arrests have been made.

Police are searching for a white Hyundai that fled the area, authorities said.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Two men were shot Thursday afternoon in Rochester and sent to the hospital. The shooting happened in the area of N. Clinton Avenue and Evergreen Street around 3 p.m.

2 men were shot at the corner of N Clinton and Evergreen. A plain clothes officer was first on scene and applied a life saving tourniquet to one of the victims. Both were transported to hospital, 1 with non life threatening injuries and the other with serious injuries @News_8 pic.twitter.com/zf7n2Nr8kW  Emalee Burkhard (@EmaleeBurkhard) September 5, 2024

According to Captain Greg Bello with the Rochester Police Department, one of the men was hospitalized after being shot once in the upper body. He is expected to survive his injuries.

The other man, Bello said, was shot twice, once in the upper body, and once in the lower body. His injuries are considered serious, and according to Bello, he was provided lifesaving care on scene before going to the hospital. This victim is also expected to survive his injuries.

No one is in custody. A bag of what appears to be a significant number of narcotics was discovered at the scene, according to Bello. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
26 civilians in hospital with 10 in serious condition after 4 September Russian missile attack on Lviv

As of 09:00 on 5 September, 26 people who have been injured in the Russian missile attack on Lviv on 4 September are being treated in hospitals. Seven patients are being treated at St Panteleimon's Hospital, 11 at St Luke's Hospital and 8 more at St Nicholas' Hospital. Moreover, 10 patients are in intensive care in a serious condition.

Source: Serhii Ishchuk, the head of the emergency department at St Panteleimon's Hospital, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia (Life)

Details: There are four children in St Panteleimon's Hospital, three in St Luke's Hospital, and three in St Nicholas' Children's Hospital.

In total, 54 people were taken to hospital over the previous day; 28 of them returned home after receiving the necessary medical care.

Quote from Ishchuk: "One of the most difficult patients is a 22-year-old young woman with a missile shard near her heart, which was spotted during emergency medical care. She is at St Panteleimon's Hospital, where our surgeons managed to remove the piece, which was a great challenge during surgery.

The patient is now in stable condition in the cardiac intensive care unit. Her condition is moderate," Ishchuk said.

More details: Ishchuk noted that all patients are stable and there is no threat to their lives. He said that most of the patients who suffered from the Russian missile strike had chest and abdominal injuries. Many people also sustained shrapnel wounds to the head, neck and limbs.

Background:

A total of seven people, including a seven-year-old child, were killed in the Russian attack on Lviv on 4 September.

The Russians killed almost an entire family: only the father Yaroslav survived, while his wife Yevheniia and three daughters  Yaryna, Daryna and Emiliia  were killed in their own home.

The Russians also damaged five schools and two art centres in Lviv.

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3 charged in murder of Chicago postal worker, mother of 3 in Orland Park: police

ORLAND PARK, Ill.  Three people have been charged in connection with the murder of a mother of three who worked as a mail carrier in Chicago.

Mechellea Williams, 28, was found shot and killed in her car on March 20 in the area of 17000 Pond Willow Drive in Orland Park. Officers were dispatched to the area for multiple reports of shots fired.

According to authorities, responding officers discovered a 2020 Nissan Maxima with multiple bullet holes parked on the side of the roadway. Williams was discovered inside the vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

After months of investigation, two men and a woman have been arrested and charged in connection to her death. Kiraun Williams, 29, is charged with first-degree murder, Tyshann Boyd, 28, is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and Alexis Hernandez, 20, is charged with obstructing justice.

Family and friends gather to honor 28-year-old mother shot to death in Orland Park with balloon release

Williams worked as a mail carrier out of the US Postal Office on Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago.

Family said that she was a mother who poured herself into her three children  ages ten, six and ten-months-old  while also still finding time to care for others.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
A California man was arrested Tuesday following a three-hour shooting spree that killed dozens of animals and forced local residents to shelter in place, the Monterey County Sheriffs Office announced.

Vicente Joseph Arroyo, 39, was booked on charges including cruelty to animals and willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence after deputies say he randomly fired multiple weapons and killed about 80 animals.

Authorities began receiving calls at about 3:25 a.m. on Tuesday reporting gunshots in the unincorporated community of Prunedale, some 38 miles south of San Jose, the sheriffs office said. Deputies who responded to the scene continued to hear gunshots and ordered residents within a five-mile radius to shelter in place.

Several weapons allegedly seized at Vicente Joseph Arroyo's home, via the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. Monterey County Sheriff's Office

Deputies could hear various weapons being fired in an area with thick vegetation, but they could not immediately locate the shooter, the sheriffs office said.

As the sun began to rise, a drone was eventually able to locate Arroyo in a vineyard next to a crashed vehicle, according to the sheriffs office. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Deputies said multiple animals were shot and killed, including miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and other types of birds. Some animals survived the shooting but had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries.

Five rifles, a shotgun, a handgun and approximately 2,000 rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized during a search of Arroyos home and associated buildings. The handgun and one of the rifles allegedly did not have serial numbers.

It is without a doubt that the warrant served by our deputies and detectives, which has resulted in the seizure of these additional weapons, has made our community safer, Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said in the press release. I am confident that we have prevented another tragedy from happening in the future.

Arroyo is being held on $1,000,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 18. HuffPost could not immediately identify an attorney representing him.

Related...
FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW)  One adult and two juveniles were arrested on Thursday in connection with a series of armed robberies in Florence last month, police said.

Quenta Godbolt, 18, and two juveniles were arrested Thursday in the Aug. 19 incidents, Florence police said. Godbolt was booked into the Florence County Detention Center where he awaits a bond hearing.

Florence Emergency Response Team and Florence County SWAT members conducted an operation to arrest the three, according to police. One of the juveniles is receiving medical care for a vehicle crash and will be transferred to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice when they are released.

Last month, police charged Zion Cusack, 18, with armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and criminal conspiracy. Tyquan Williams, also 18, faces the same charges. 23-year-old Daymond Tinsley was charged with armed robbery and criminal conspiracy.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN)  Officers with the Beavercreek Police Department need your help to identify three individuals suspected in a recent theft.

The Beavercreek Police Department reports the three individuals below are suspected of stealing merchandise on Aug. 10 at the Ulta location in the 20 block of Greene Boulevard in Beavercreek.

Only local LL Flooring store closing

Authorities claim the theft of merchandise allegedly totaled more than $5,500.

If you believe you know any of the three individuals, you are encouraged to contact Ofc. Saintignon at 937-426-1225.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
ST. LOUIS  The Humane Society of Missouri welcomed 36 Chihuahuas into their care after being rescued from a hoarder property in Franklin County Thursday.

According to a release from HSMO, the shelter received an anonymous call regarding the dogs. Upon law enforcements arrival at the property, the owner agreed to surrender the dogs to the Humane Society. It is said that the owner was placed in a nursing home recently due to health issues.

All 36 dogs on the property were rescued, but not without some initial struggles. The Chihuahuas were fearful of human interaction and roamed the property freely when HSMO was on the site.

The dogs are all of various ages and health conditions, but are receiving proper care through evaluations and emergency treatments at the HSMO Macklind Headquarters in St. Louis.

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Were grateful to the concerned citizen who contacted us on behalf of these poor animals, who cant speak for themselves, HSMO President Kathy Warnick said. The conditions at this property were horrible for any living creature to have to endurewell do everything in our power to ensure these animals receive the care they need to fully recover and find loving forever homes.

The animals will be available for adoption on a case-by-case basis after receiving medical attention and are recovered both behaviorally and physically. HSMO states there is no timeline for when they will be ready, but those looking to adopt can continue to check their website.

For those who would like to donate to HSMO, click here. The organization also asks for assistance through donations of blankets, newspapers, dog toys, beds, or any other items for animals.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday issued a warning about the ongoing detention of United Nations staff and other aid workers by the Houthi group in Sanaa, Yemen.

In statements issued on social media platform X, the EU Heads of Mission to Yemen, the group of ambassadors and senior diplomats representing the EU and its member states in Yemen, expressed deep concern over the "arbitrary detention by the Houthis of staff working for the United Nations, international and local NGOs, and diplomatic missions in Yemen."

They noted that the detainees have been held "incommunicado and now over 90 days," which is "severely hampering the capacity of the international community" to deliver essential assistance to millions of Yemenis in urgent need of assistance.

The EU diplomats also voiced their full support for "the repeated international calls, led by UN Secretary-General (Antonio) Guterres, for their immediate and unconditional release."

In early June, the Houthi group arrested dozens of workers from UN agencies, international organizations, and local NGOs in Sanaa.

Following the arrests, the group, through its media outlets, accused the detainees of collaborating with foreign intelligence agencies, particularly the United States.

The Houthi group has controlled Sanaa and most of the northern Yemeni provinces since late 2014, and has since been engaged in a years-long military conflict with the Yemeni government forces. The conflict has resulted in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, according to the UN. 
Local school districts in Atlanta say they are preparing for the days ahead with heightened security after a deadly shooting at a Georgia high school 45 miles outside of Atlanta left four dead and nine injured Tuesday morning.

A 14-year-old student has been identified as the shooter at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. The identity of the slain victims, two teachers and two students, has yet to be released. The shooter has since been apprehended and charged with murder.

All Barrow County Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday, the district confirmed.

The incident marks the 385th recorded mass shooting nationwide this year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp wrote in a tweet on X.

President Joe Biden has also released a statement, noting that his administration will be working closely with officials on the federal, state, and local level to coordinate efforts.

Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed, Biden wrote. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.

DeKalb County School District Superintendent Devon Horton said the district is extending its deepest condolences to the Barrow community in light of the tragedy.

In addition, Considering the tragic events at Apalachee High School, DCSD Police Chief Tracey Whaley has ordered his command staff and officers to be in a heightened state of alert, the statement reads. This precautionary measure is not related to any known threats in our area.

DeKalbs solidarity is mirrored by other metro school districts. Cobb County told Capital B Atlanta that days like Tuesday are chilling reminders of the importance of safety training.

School campuses should be a place where teachers and students can teach and learn without fear for their safety, and in Cobb, we invest heavily to protect our students, a district spokesperson said. With extensive safety measures proactively available in all of our schools, our staff trains regularly, and we are incredibly thankful for public safety staff in and outside of Cobb, who run towards danger.

Fulton County Schools sent a statement to community stakeholders noting that the district is actively working with local officials to ensure its own safety measures are in place with increased awareness. The district also encouraged families to talk with their students about feelings they may have as a result of todays events.

Whenever something as shocking and tragic as this happens, it impacts us all, the statement read. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.

Lisa Morgan, Georgia Association of Educators president, said rebuilding community trust and ensuring that resources are readily available to meet the needs of students, educators, and families as they grieve has to be top priority for community healing.

All students deserve safe and welcoming learning environments free from gun violence, Morgan said. Schools should be the safest places in any community. But just as the new school year gets underway, lives have been shattered by yet another tragic mass shooting.

We grieve for the students, educators, and families in the Winder community, she said. We cannot  and will not  normalize mass shootings.

The post 4 Killed in Apalachee Shooting; Local Atlanta School Districts Boost Safety Measures appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
The victims were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, as well as teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39 and Christina Irimie, 53

Clockwise from top left: Christian Angulo, Richard Aspinwall, Christina Irimie, Mason Schermerhorn

The four people killed in a Georgia school shooting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, have been identified by authorities.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the fatal victims in a post on X, formerly Twitter, as students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, as well as teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39 and Christina Irimie, 53.

On a GoFundMe campaign created to help offset funeral expenses, Angulos sister said his loss was so sudden and unexpected.

Related: Victims of Georgia School Shooting Were 2 Students, 2 Teachers; Teen Suspect Will Be Charged as Adult

We are truly heartbroken, Lisette Angulo wrote on the fundraising page. He really didnt deserve this.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said that nine others were hospitalized with injuries following the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga.

The alleged shooter was identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the high school, according to Hosey. He is expected to be tried as an adult with murder, authorities said.

Clockwise from top left: Christian Angulo, Richard Aspinwall, Christina Irimie, Mason Schermerhorn

Related: Suspect in Georgia School Shooting ID'd as 14-Year-Old Student

Authorities said the shooting was reported at 10:23 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The school was put on lockdown in the aftermath of the attack.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Megan Varner/Getty

Barrow County County Sheriff Jud Smith said at the press conference that the suspect gave up his weapon after being engaged by a school resource officer and was taken into custody. Smith added that authorities do not know a motive.

School Superintendent Dallas LeDuff said schools in the district will remain closed for the rest of the week.



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Read the original article on People.
$4M going toward new Family Justice Center for victims, survivors of domestic violence

IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. (WROC)  Just over $4 million has been set aside to help victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse in the Greater Rochester area.

The funding will go toward a new Family Justice Center that is being constructed at Skyview on the Ridge, the former Medley Centre, in Irondequoit.

In a partnership between the Willow Domestic Violence Center and the Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester, the new resource center will offer supports to the community in one central location for immediate screening assessments and more.

Sen. Samra Brouk and Assemb. Sarah Clark helped to secure the funding for the project.

In the 2023 report from the NYS comptroller, there was a 9 percent increase in domestic violence than the previous year for a total of 90,000 reported domestic victims. We all know the actual truth is most of us here know someone who has faced violence in their home and thats why services like this, the Family Justice Center, are exactly where we need to invest to make sure we are bringing these services to people and that we are meeting them in their everyday lives, said Sen. Brouk.

Leaders hope to open the facility by fall of 2025.

The Willow Domestic Violence Center is asking any survivors or victims in the area, if comfortable, to fill out a form to give feedback on needed resources there in the future. The form can be found on Willows website.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
This year, the High Anti-Corruption Court turns 5. Since its inception, much has been said about both the achievements and the challenges that impede reaching the objectives of criminal proceedings. However, these five years of the HACC's operation have demonstrated something else.

Almost all cases against senior corrupt officials are closely monitored by the public. No surprise, as Ukrainian society considers corruption to be one of the most acute problems, so a fair punishment for corruption-related crimes is crucial to us. The key word here is fair.

In order for everyone to assess the path of administering such justice, that is, to monitor how the Anti-Corruption Court hears cases, we at Transparency International Ukraine are launching the HACC Decided platform, where you can not only view all court decisions, but also get high-quality analytics provided by experts.

What happens to the sentences that the HACC and the HACC AC have already passed? Which have become landmark rulings? In this material, we cover some decisions of the HACC adopted over these 5 years, which we consider illustrativeboth for convicted persons and in general for further case law.

All trial circles in the case of Solvar

The case of former MP Ruslan Solvar is one of those that has passed all court instances, some even twice, over the five years of the HACC's operation. Although the recent decision in the case was pronounced in August 2024, it may be not the end.

Former deputy of the People's Republic Ruslan Solvar

photo from his Facebook

All because there was no agreement within the High Anti-Corruption Court on how to qualify the crime Solvar was charged withthe abuse of MPs to receive compensation for apartment rental. This is not a classic example of abuse of office, but it was about MP guarantees, which are an integral part of his status.

MPs can receive compensation for renting a hotel room. Such a guarantee is provided if the MP has no housing in Kyiv but is "registered" in a settlement at a distance of more than 30 kilometers from Kyiv. Discussions were the most heated in regard to actions that should be taken if an MP receives compensation but has no right to do so.

In June 2021, Ruslan Solvar was acquitted by the first instance because it established that the MP could not set mandatory requirements for the Office of the Verkhovna Rada to compensate for the costs of renting a hotel room. That's because officials of the Office of the Verkhovna Rada are not subordinate to MPs but have other managers. That is, MPs do not use their power when submitting such applications.

However, in September 2022, the former MP was convicted by the HACC Appeals Chamber. Judges found that the accused did not abuse authority, but deliberately used the guarantees of housing provision contrary to the interests of the service and did not report that he had inherited an apartment in Kyiv, thus having lost grounds for compensation.

That is, he committed a criminal offense under Article 364, part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, abusing his office, namely the opportunities provided to him by the status of a member of parliament. The judges of the appellate instance decided that they had the right to change the qualification in terms of what exactly the MP abusedauthority or power, and ruled in view of the abuse of power.

However, this was not the end of Solvar's adventures and his guarantees as an MP. In December 2023, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of the HACC AC and sent the case for a new trial. According to the judges of the Supreme Court, the appellate court, although it is entitled to provide a different legal assessment of the factual circumstances established during the criminal proceedings, cannot aggravate the legal situation of the accused by such a change.

Solvar defended himself against the abuse of authority, which he had been charged with, and was convicted of abuse of power. Thus, the Supreme Court found a significant violation of the requirements of the criminal procedural law and improper application of the law of Ukraine on criminal liability. As a result, the contested verdict was overturned, and a new trial was appointed in the appellate instance.

Finally, after another trial, Solvar was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Interestingly, the final decision was delayed; first, Solvar failed to appear in court for a long time due to illness, and then he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This turned to be a new challenge for the HACC as in the course of the following two months, the court could not hold a hearing because of the former MP serving in the AFU. Finally, the judges did pass a verdict, and since Solvar was convicted, his contract should be terminated.

Thus, unwittingly, Ruslan Solvar contributed to the solution of an important problem in criminal lawthe definition of the concept of "abuse of authority." There are still many such cases in the High Anti-Corruption Court, and we are sure that not all accused are happy with this development of case law.

Mahuta and Shulezhko case: acquittals through legislative gaps

Since the very launch of the HACC, we have emphasized that justice is not solely about the conviction of a person, but about quality legal proceedings. It is unlikely that all law enforcement agencies, even the NABU, make no errors in their work. If the court finds mistakes, there should be an acquittal. The decision in the case of Roman Mahuta, chairman of the Accounting Chamber, and Maria Shulezhko, member of the Accounting Chamber, is one such example.

Roman Maguta, ex-head of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine

photo: Larysa Sargan's Facebook

The prosecution believed that Roman Mahuta, former chairman of the Accounting Chamber, and Maria Shulezhko, ex-member of this body, illegally seized an apartment provided in the course of office through privatization in 2014. The investigation argued that Shulezhko did not need official housing, but she received it after her nephew had privatized the apartment and given it to her as a gift. However, the SAPO prosecutor did not provide any formal violations of the current legislation.

The court, for its part, pointed to this gap in the activities of the prosecution. It paid special attention to the quality of the legislation on the exclusion of housing from the list of that provided in the course of service.

Thus, the judges pointed out the lack of clear criteria in the laws, according to which it can be established that the head of the institution, in this caseRoman Mahuta, unreasonably applied for the exclusion of housing from the list of that provided in the course of service. This made it difficult to assess his actions in the context of abuse of office. Overall, the shortcomings in the legal regulation of the treatment of official housing to improve the living conditions of employees of enterprises, institutions, and organizations, have long been known.

It was due to these shortcomings that the court recognized that in this case, there were no grounds for a dynamic interpretation of the Article 191 provisions of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in particular, the concept of "abuse of office." Notably, the pre-trial investigation and trial of this case lasted from June 23, 2016, to April 6, 2023. In November 2023, the HACC AC confirmed the legality of the acquittal.

This case shows us that lacunae in legal regulation can lead to an incorrect assessment of the circumstances by the prosecution. Thus, in this case, after a long trial, an acquittal was pronounced.

Indictment, despite the opposition to justice: 7 years of imprisonment for PGO ex-official Sus

The convicted Dmytro Sus is known for the fact that he used to work in the so-called "Kononenko-Hranovskyi Department" in the Prosecutor General's Office, a unit that investigated particularly important cases in the economic sphere and earned its title by the names of MPs from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, close to President Poroshenko.

Dmytro Sus, PGO ex-official

photo: UNIAN

According to the investigation and the court of the first instance, Sus abused the powers of the investigator and the head of the investigation when looking into cases of illegal gambling. According to law enforcement officers, and the same position was supported by the judges of the HACC, the HACC AC, and the Supreme Court, Sus misappropriated UAH 423,000 and also sold 11 gambling tables, 32 chairs, 10 slot machines, an electronic roulette, 12 displays, and a metal statue of a woman.

The HACC began hearing the case of Sus back in September 2019 and delivered a verdict in January 2023. Importantly, while considering the case, the Anti-Corruption Court confirmed most of the charges presented by the SAPO prosecutor; however, it found the charges of misappropriation of a DVR from Sus's office unjustified because the defendant, according to the evidence, was not present at this search.

As a result, Sus was found guilty of misappropriation and embezzlement of property obtained during searches and sentenced to 9 years in prison with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for 3 years and confiscation of property. But in the future, the HACC AC reduced the sentence to 7 years, and the Supreme Court confirmed the legality of such a conviction.

This case is important because even though the accused was hiding in various hospitals and despite other obstructions to justice, the court still considered the case on the merits, and Dmytro Sus was brought to real criminal liability.

Statute of limitation expiration: ex-judge Yushchuk exempted from punishment

We often talk about the statute of limitations in corruption cases, and for a good reason. The case of ex-judge Yushchuk is a vivid example of the need to cover such a topic and introduce real solutions to the problem.

Ex-judge Oleg Yushchuk

Photo: Judiciary of Ukraine

Oleh Yushchuk, former judge of the Lutsk City and District Court of Volyn Oblast, was charged with offering a bribe of USD 500 to influence a judge who was trying a person for DIU. That is, Yushchuk was accused of abuse of influence, which is criminalized under Art. 369-2, part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Yushchuk's alleged offer took place in December 2017, and in March of the following year, the ex-judge informed the accused that the money was to be transferred through the attorney. Yushchuk was detained while receiving the marked bills.

Initially, the case was heard by the Mlynivskyi District Court of Rivne Oblast, but later, it was transferred to the HACCafter its establishment. The trial in the court of the first instance lasted almost 3 years, and the first appellate review lasted almost a year.

On July 20, 2022, the HACC found Oleh Yushchuk guilty of demanding money to influence his colleague's decision. He was imprisoned for 3 years. The appellate instance did not agree with some evidence used by the first instance, but it did not change the sentence.

For its part, the Supreme Court, in October 2023, found that the HACC AC did not fully assess all the arguments of the defense thus allowing contradictory conclusions, so the verdict was overturned. The case was sent for a new trial in the appellate instance.

In April 2024, the HACC AC once again changed the verdict in terms of the evidence base. The judges stated that some covert investigative actions were carried out without the permission of the investigating judge, but the punishment remained the same. However, this did not affect Yushchuk in any way; the case was heard for so long that he was eventually exempted from serving his sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

But for the mistakes of the pre-trial investigation body and different approaches to assessing the legality of evidence, Yushchuk could have been serving a real sentence; this did not happen. This case also shows the development of the practice of applying the law in different factual circumstances.

Criminal law misinterpretation in the case of the State Aviation Service ex-head Antoniuk

The events in the case began in 2014, and we witnessed the outcome in July 2024.

During 2014, passenger flights on the Kyiv-Tehran-Kyiv route were operated by two airlinesUIA and Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines (UM Airlines). According to international agreements, the number of flights on this route should not have exceeded four per weekand with only one airline. However, this limit was exceeded, which is why Iran repeatedly appealed to the State Audit Service of Ukraine.

Ex-head of the State Aviation Service Denys Antonyuk

Photo: Facebook

In the end, in November 2014, Iran did not allow the UIA plane to Tehran, so the then head of the State Aviation Service Denys Antoniuk instructed the head of one of the departments to reject the application of Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines for an additional flight, thereby giving preference to the UIA. As a result, UM Airlines flight was canceled, the airline suffered UAH 250,000 of losses. The former head of the State Aviation Service was accused of using his official position contrary to the interests of the service, acting in the interests of the UIA.

From September 2016 and in the following three years, the case was heard in the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv and then transferred to the HACC. In January 2023, the HACC issued a guilty verdict, which was confirmed by the Appeals Chamber in less than a year.

But the case was referred to the Supreme Court, and its decision caused a heated debate. The cassation court found that there was no violation of the law that Denys Antoniuk would have allowed, and therefore he should be acquitted.

This case is interesting because the Supreme Court narrowly interpreted one of the signs of abuse of office. This caused a discussion in the legal community. The point is that in the Criminal Code of Ukraine, one of the signs of abuse of office is the commission of an act contrary to the interests of the service. The Supreme Court moved away from the established practice of its interpretation and elaborated on its content, narrowing it to a violation of the law.

Antoniuk was accused of failing to comply with the order of the Ministry of Infrastructure on the procedure for granting and revoking the rights to operate air lines. However, the issuance of this order fell within the competence of the State Aviation Service, and not the Ministry, therefore, in the opinion of the Supreme Court, Antoniuk, as the head of this service, was not obliged to comply with it. Although before that, the HACC and the HACC AC had ruled otherwise. Since this order was further overturned by the administrative court, the Supreme Court, for its part, decided that non-compliance with this order could not be considered abuse of office.

***

Over the five years of its operation, the HACC has passed truly different sentences and faced truly different problems both before and after the rulings. However, all these decisions eventually formed new, special case law, which lays the foundations for further truly effective hearing of corruption cases.

That is why it is so important for civil society to effectively monitor and evaluate the prosecution of senior corrupt officials and share the results of this monitoring with the Anti-Corruption Court. Thus, through joint efforts, we will achieve the desired results.

Pavlo Demchuk, Legal Advisor at Transparency International Ukraine
Former President Trump attended what was billed as a town hall event moderated by Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, lambasting Vice President Harris during a friendly interview in the critical battleground of Pennsylvania.

Trump took part in the town hall, which was taped earlier in the evening, after initially proposing a debate with Harris hosted by Fox News on the same date. Harriss campaign declined to add additional debates beyond a Sept. 10 clash hosted by ABC News. Wednesday nights program was only a conversation between Trump and Hannity, with audience questions scheduled to air Thursday night.

Here are five takeaways from Trumps conversation with Hannity:

A focus on fracking

Trump repeatedly hammered Harris on the issue of fracking, something likely to be a focal point of his campaign in Pennsylvania moving forward.

The former president and Hannity highlighted Harriss comments during her 2020 presidential primary campaign in which she pledged to ban fracking if elected. Harris has since said she would not do so if she wins the presidency in November.

Pennsylvania cant take a chance that that answer is true, Trump said of Harriss comments from 2019.

You have no choice. Youve got to vote for me, he added. You have to have fracking.

Fracking has led to an economic boom in parts of Pennsylvania, and a ban could cost residents jobs and complicate energy production.

Harris has been on defense over some of the positions she took during her campaign last cycle. The vice president and her campaign have tried to distance her from past comments about fracking, immigration and Medicare for All.

Trump blasts ABC ahead of debate

Wednesdays event came less than a week before Trump is set to square off with Harris on the debate stage in Philadelphia.

The former president jabbed at Harriss intelligence, but he mostly took the opportunity to ridicule ABC News, which is hosting Tuesdays event.

ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness, Trump said.

The former president has repeatedly cast doubt on ABCs fairness, setting expectations for how he may be treated ahead of the debate, which is currently the only one on the calendar between the two candidates.

They are the most dishonest network  the meanest, the nastiest  but that is what I was presented with. I was presented with ABC, Trump added. I think a lot of people are going to be watching to see how nasty they are, how unfair they are. I agreed to do it because they wouldnt do any other network.

Trump had agreed earlier this year to two debates with President Biden: one in June on CNN and another in September hosted by ABC News. When Harris replaced Biden atop the ticket, Trump backed out of the ABC debate, only for the two sides to eventually agree to attend the Sept. 10 event.

Trump returns to pivotal Pennsylvania

Wednesday marked Trumps second time in Pennsylvania in the past week, following his rally in Johnstown last Friday.

The commonwealth is poised to play a potentially decisive role in the outcome of Novembers election, as either candidates path to 270 electoral votes becomes much more difficult without winning Pennsylvania.

Both the Trump campaign and Harris campaign have poured significant time and resources into Pennsylvania. Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), has made numerous stops in the commonwealth.

Harris was in Pittsburgh on Monday alongside Biden to mark Labor Day, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), will spend two days this week campaigning in the state.

Polling has shown an extremely tight race between Trump and Harris in Pennsylvania; a Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of polls shows Harris leading by less than 1 percentage point.

Also in attendance for Wednesdays town hall was David McCormick, the Republican Senate candidate running against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in November.

Trump basks in a friendly crowd

The audience for Wednesdays town hall could have easily been mistaken for that of a Trump rally.

The former president entered the arena to thunderous applause and chants of USA and Trump.

Nice crowd, Trump remarked with a smile as he sat down at the start of the event.

The audience cheered practically all of Trumps comments and shouted out in disapproval at the mention of Harris or the Biden administrations policies.

This is a very tough interview, Hannity quipped at one point.

The raucous environment reflects the kind of crowd Trump may have hoped for when he first proposed holding a debate with Harris with a full studio audience. The former president thrives off of the energy of the crowd, something his Democratic opponents sought to deprive him of in insisting the general election debates be held without an audience.

Trumps fixation on weird

Democrats have basked in needling Trump and getting under his skin, and one line of attack seems to have done that more than others: the critique that Trump and Republicans are weird.

The attack originated with Walz, but it quickly caught on among other Democrats, who have especially used it against Vance.

Trump has taken time to push back on the descriptor during multiple events, including Wednesdays town hall with Hannity.

JD is not weird. Hes a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock. Were not weird. Were other things, perhaps, but were not weird, Trump said.

But he is a weird guy, he said of Walz. He walks on the stage, and there is something wrong with that guy. And he called me weird, and then the fake news media picks it up, thats the word of the day.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
5 things to know about the Harris-Trump presidential debate

An photo illustration shows the White House in two shaded portions, half red and half blue.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, will debate Sept. 10 in Philadelphia. (Getty stock photo)

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will take the stage next week in the only planned debate between the respective Democratic and GOP presidential candidates between now and November.

Its the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race following his own disastrous debate performance in late June against Trump. Biden, who faced mounting calls to resign, passed the torch to Harris back in July.

The veep has embarked on an unprecedented and expedited campaign as she and Trump vie for the Oval Office. The election is just two months away.

Though the Harris and Trump campaigns clashed over debate procedures in recent weeks, both candidates have agreed to the finalized rules. ABC News, host of the debate, released the rules Wednesday.

When and where is the debate?

The debate will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks, according to ABC.

The Keystone State  where both Harris and Trump have spent a lot of time campaigning  could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The battleground state has narrowly flip-flopped in recent elections, with Biden turning Pennsylvania blue in 2020 after Trump secured a red win in 2016.

How can I watch the debate?

The debate will air live on ABC News and will also be streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

ABC News David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.

Harris and Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to give rebuttals. They will also be granted one additional minute to clarify or follow up on anything.

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Will the mics be muted?

Microphones will be muted when its not a candidates turn to speak, just like the previous debate between Biden and Trump in June.

The candidates will not give opening statements. Trump won a coin flip to determine the order of closing statements and podium placement. Trump, who selected the statement order, will give the final closing statement.

Each closing statement will be two minutes long.

Harris and Trump are not allowed to bring any props or prewritten notes to the debate stage. They will each receive a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.

Will there be a live audience?

There will be no live audience at the National Constitution Center, as was the case in the last presidential debate.

Harris and Trump are not permitted to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.

Trump slams ABC ahead of debate

Trump went on the attack over the details of the debate, telling Fox News Sean Hannity during an interview Wednesday in Pennsylvania that ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness and the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest.

He accused the network of releasing poor polls on purpose ahead of a previous election to drive down voter turnout.

Trump also claimed, without evidence, that Harris would get the questions in advance of the debate. ABCs debate rules state that no candidates or campaigns will receive any topics or questions ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance will battle it out at the vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 in New York City.

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$50 billion, a million jobs and a red carpet welcome: China woos Africa as U.S. struggles to keep up

BEIJING  Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged more than $50 billion in funding and at least 1 million jobs for Africa at a summit in Beijing on Thursday as the United States and China compete for influence in the fast-growing continent.

More than 50 leaders of African nations are in the Chinese capital this week for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a summit held every three years that alternates between China and Africa.

China has been pulling out all the stops for the visiting dignitaries, with the flags of African nations flying around Tiananmen Square and multiple honor guards, red carpet ceremonies and performances being held for what China has called its most important diplomatic event since it emerged from three years of pandemic isolation. Banners and billboards around the city bear slogans celebrating A Shared Future for China and Africa.

Xi promised nearly $51 billion over the next three years, including $30 billion in credit lines, $10 billion in investment by Chinese companies and other amounts including military aid, as he vowed mutual cooperation with Africa to achieve modernization.

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries, he said in a speech at the summit on Thursday. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries.

Xi also proposed that bilateral relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be upgraded to the strategic level, saying the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.

The forum, which began in 2000, is an opportunity for China to strengthen its influence in Africa as it seeks to challenge the U.S.-led global order and revive a slowing economy at home. It sends a powerful message of China and Africa working together for common development, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

It includes every African state except Eswatini, which is one of the 12 remaining governments in the world that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory.

For China, it is about the reform of the international system in a way that is favorable to its interests, said Alex Vines, director of the Africa program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. And China should be credited for shaking the West out of its complacency related to its partnerships on the African continent.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing on Tuesday.

With its rapidly growing population of 1.5 billion people and abundant natural resources, Africa is strategically important to the U.S. and other global powers. But the continent has also felt neglected by the leading economies as it struggles with poverty, climate change and geopolitical unrest.

These challenges affect all nations, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday in remarks after Xis speech, but are more often severely felt on the African continent.

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the forums co-chair, applauded Chinas long commitment to Africas development.

The volume of trade has grown, he said, adding that China was the first to provide Africa with masks and vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic and has helped African health authorities to better cope with diseases in general.

African leaders are not without complaints in their dealings with China, however, with many of them expressing a desire for a more balanced relationship. They have also not forgotten Chinas unfulfilled pledge from the last summit in 2021 to buy $300 billion in African goods.

We would like to narrow the trade deficit and address the structure of our trade, Ramaphosa told Xi during bilateral talks earlier this week, according to a transcript of the meeting released by Ramaphosas office.

Xi vowed mutual cooperation with Africa to achieve modernization.

To that end, Xi said Thursday that China would further open its market to African agricultural products, and that products from most of the worlds poorest countries, including 33 in Africa, would be exempted from all tariffs.

Xi said China would carry out 30 infrastructure projects across the continent as part of his Belt and Road initiative, which has been criticized as saddling countries with debt.

But China also appears to be shifting away from such megaprojects, as Xi promoted 1,000 small and beautiful projects across Africa such as street lights in Addis Ababa that have transformed the Ethiopian capitals nighttime skyline.

The big-ticket infrastructure projects that it had invested in got overexposed. They were bad loans, Vines said. But the new Chinese relationship is more clinical and strategic in that regard.

China, a world leader in green technologies, is also looking to Africa as a potential market for its exports as they face growing curbs in the U.S. and elsewhere.

China, which overtook the U.S. as Africas largest trading partner in 2009, has been intensifying its overtures toward the continent, approving $4.61 billion in loans last year in the first annual increase since 2016. Xi also met with multiple African leaders last year when he attended a summit in South Africa of the bloc of developing countries known as BRICS.

While President Joe Biden has emphasized Africas importance for global issues and hosted Kenyan President William Ruto for an official state visit earlier this year, he has not visited the continent since taking office in 2021.

Everything starts with one step, and China is extending its hand, said Abra Kafui Tsolenyanu, a journalist attending the summit from the West African nation of Togo.

So, like all other countries, Togo started to walk toward China.

Janis Mackey Frayer reported from Beijing, and Mithil Aggarwal reported from Hong Kong.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
These 6 Food Dyes Could Soon Be Banned in California  Heres What to Know

This could be the end of Cheetos for recess.

Food & Wine / Getty Images

Lawmakers in California have passed a bill that will ban six chemicals from foods served in schools in the state. The bill, which is called the California School Food Safety Act, targets artificial dyes that have been linked to behavioral problems in children.

This isnt the first time state lawmakers have worked to ban certain artificial food dyes. More recently, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act, which forbids the sale of foods containing brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, or red dye 3 in the state.

But which dyes are under fire with the latest bill and where do things stand? Heres the deal.

What is happening with this bill?

The California School Food Safety Act, aka Assembly Bill 2316, was originally drafted by state assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and has been through several amendments since March 2024. It passed the California Senate on August 28 and passed in the Assembly the next day. Now, the bill has been sent to Newsom for signing.

What dyes are on the chopping block?

The bill is specifically focused on the use of certain artificial food dyes in schools. It prohibits state school districts and charter schools from offering foods or drinks that contain red dye No. 40, yellow dyes Nos. 5 and 6, blue dyes Nos. 1 and 2, and green dye No. 3 to children in grades kindergarten through 12th. These dyes often show up in foods like ice creams, drinks, candy, cheese-flavored chips, and certain cereals. Think: Cheetos, Fruity Pebbles, or Doritos.

There are currently nine different color additives or food dyes that are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in foods, says Kelly Johnson-Arbor, M.D., a toxicologist at MedStar Health. Three food dyesred 40, yellow 5, and yellow 6account for approximately 90% of all food dyes used in the United States.

What are the potential side effects of these dyes?

A lot of the focus around potential side effects of these dyes is linked to behavioral issues in children. The main concern is that consumption of these dyes in some childrennot allcause adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, such as ADHD and exacerbation of ADHD, in children, says Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. Some children are far more sensitive to these effects than others.

There has been mixed data on these dyes, but a link has been established between them and behavioral problems in kids. A report published by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in 2021 concluded that data from human and animal studies found that synthetic food dyes are linked with hyperactivity and neurobehavioral problems in children.

Related: California 'Skittles Ban' Advances to Governor's Desk, Here's What It Means for Consumers

While some of the studies were observational, others included challenge studies where kids were asked to avoid dyes for a few weeks and then given products with dyes added to them. While not all children seemed to be influenced by the artificial colors, the researchers noted that some were more likely than others to act out after having them. This didnt just happen once or twice: The majority of the studies analyzed (16 out of 25) found that there was some kind of association between kids who had the dyes and bad behavior. In more than half of the studies, that link was considered statistically significant.

However, research into this is still ongoing, including how much of these dyes is too much. Researchers have found that consumption of these dyes at safe doses do cause neurobehavioral issues in some children, Alan says. Newer studies need to be conducted.

Ultimately, Alan says that the amount thats considered safe really depends on the child. Some children are very sensitive to the dyes and some are not, she says. Its important to point out that the dyes are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are in foods in acceptable daily intake levels, meaning its estimated that they can be eaten daily over a lifetime without presenting a risk to health.

The dose of food dyes required to cause actual human health problems remains unknown, and further research studies are needed to evaluate the relationships between food dyes and behavioral issues in children, Johnson-Arbor says. It is likely that occasional exposure to food dyes is not harmful for most children.

Alans advice: If youre concerned about the impact of these artificial dyes on your child, speak with their pediatrician. Newsom has until the end of September to decide whether to sign the bill.



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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
I-70 Lewis and Clark Viaduct to be closed through the end of the year

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The eastbound I-70 Lewis and Clark Viaduct over the Kansas River in KCK has been closed for repairs according to the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).

At this time, KDOT expects the bridge will be closed through the end of the year and maybe longer. Engineering plans are currently being developed, and crews are expected to start work in about a month.

KDOT says that their inspectors identified concerns with gusset plates in the eastbound lanes during a recent bridge inspection. These plates are used to connect truss members of a bridge together.

ChiefsAholic sentenced in bank robbery, money laundering scheme

KDOT engineers determined that repairs were needed and have closed to bridge to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic while the repairs are completed. While the department realizes this is inconvenient for some travelers, KDOT also recognizes the amount of caution needed.

The safety of the traveling public is the reason the decision was made to close this bridge, said KDOT Secretary Calvin Reed.

We know that a sudden bridge closure of this magnitude will be a challenge for those who live, work and travel in this area, especially with the closure of other Kansas River crossings in the region. We will work diligently to make these repairs as quickly as possible so that we can get the bridge back open to traffic.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Parents shouldnt have to bury their children.

That was the shocking reality for the parents of 8-year-old Sydney Weston after she died while on a flight to Chicago from Joplin, Missouri.

UPDATED: 8-year-old girl was unresponsive on flight before emergency landing in Peoria

Westons cause of death was revealed to be Addisons disease, a rare auto-immune condition Mayo Clinic describes as when the adrenal glands make too little cortisol and, often, too little of another hormone, aldosterone.

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood says the signs of Addisons disease were there for Sydney.

Her skin condition was a completely different color than the rest of her family, he said. She was more tan. And so when you look at intermittent weight loss over a 6 month to one year period of time, intermittent nausea and vomiting, intermittent fevers, the cast of the skin being a little bit more tan than the normal is a huge indicator that theres an Addisons problem going on.

While Sydneys death brought sadness, she was also able to save two lives.

Sydneys parents brought her brother into the doctor, only to find out he also has Addisons Disease.

A woman in St. Louis who is from Central Illinois saw the article that was published in People Magazine about Sydney, and brought her 10-year-old son into the doctor who was also diagnosed with the disease.

The woman emailed Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood thanking him and telling him you helped save a life.

I cant imagine losing a child, Harwood said. I cannot even imagine it. Its very, very heartbreaking. Sydney Weston will stay with me for the rest of my life and her legacy is the lives she saved and then the ripple effect out of those others that will be saved because of the awareness thats been provided for Addisons disease, the crisis, and how we care for our children.

To donate to Sydneys family, you can click on the link here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
By News Centre

Russian Vice President Yuriy Ushakov announced that Turkey has applied for full membership in BRICS and that they will evaluate the application. President Erdo?an will also attend the summit in Kazan on October 22-24. The 10-member BRICS, led by Russia and China, aims for economic cooperation.

Russia made a statement regarding Turkiyes possible membership in BRICS, which is seen as an alternative to Western institutions. In Russia, which is the BRICS term president, Vice President Yuriy Ushakov stated that Turkey has applied for full membership. Ushakov, who said that Ankaras request will be evaluated by the BRICS countries, said, Turkey has submitted its full membership application. We will evaluate it.

President Erdogan is going to the top

President Tayyip Erdo?an will also attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October. In a statement from presidential sources, it was noted that Erdo?an will be at the summit on October 22-24. Speaking to reporters at a press conference yesterday, AK Party Spokesperson Omer Celik said, Our President has repeatedly stated that we want to become a member of BRICS.

It will be the first NATO country

If Ankara is accepted as a member, Turkiye will be the first NATO member in the BRICS group. Azerbaijan recently officially applied for membership in BRICS after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Baku. BRICS, which is formed by the initials of the five largest developing world countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is an organization that emerged as an alternative to the Wests one-sided economic cooperation and aims for both economic and cultural cooperation among member countries.
JUBA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan and the Chinese embassy on Thursday awarded certificates to the outgoing 11th batch of the Chinese medical team, recognizing their excellent medical services to the local people in the youngest country of the world.

Yolanda Awel Deng Juach, South Sudanese minister of health, said Chinese medical teams have positively impacted the country's health sector by sharing medical knowledge and skills.

"When Chinese doctors come here, they are also learning from us; there are some techniques that we have here that are localized to South Sudan that they will leave with. So for me, I take it as a symbiotic relationship," Deng said during the ceremony held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

She praised the 11th batch of the Chinese medical team for their medical outreach services, which have benefited local communities outside the capital.

She noted that the ongoing second phase of the Juba Teaching Hospital modernization and expansion project, which is being implemented by the Chinese government, will not only improve the delivery of health services, but also bring technological upgrades.

Anthony Lupai Simon, director-general of the hospital, said the 11th batch of the Chinese medical team has been dedicated to both treating the sick and training local South Sudanese medical staff at the health facility.

Ma Wenjun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, said the Chinese medical team has made selfless contributions and worked tirelessly, achieving outstanding results and gaining recognition, praise, and respect from the people of South Sudan.

"I hope the 12th batch of Chinese medical team will follow in these footsteps, carry forward the spirit of overcoming difficulties, be willing to contribute more, save lives with boundless love, treat South Sudan as their second home, serve patients here wholeheartedly, and make new and greater contributions to promoting China-South Sudan medical cooperation and deepening friendship between our two countries," Ma said.

Chen Si, leader of the outgoing 11th batch of the Chinese medical team, said the pediatric department, infectious disease department, and laboratory department of his team launched a series of theoretical and practical training through a counterpart hospital cooperation mechanism between China and South Sudan, which effectively improved local doctors' ability to diagnose and treat common infectious diseases.

Du Changyong, leader of the 12th batch of the Chinese medical team, said they will work to develop the specialist center and push forward to construct the cooperation mechanism between counterpart hospitals in South Sudan and China.

Over the past 12 years, a total of 164 Chinese medical personnel have served in South Sudan, providing medical care to over 70,000 patients, performing more than 1,000 surgeries, and conducting over 1,300 endoscopic examinations. They have also conducted 21 free clinics in grassroots communities, treating over 30,000 patients. 
I-85 will be closed around CLT airport and in north Charlotte during Trumps visit Friday

I-85 will be closed around CLT airport and in north Charlotte during Trumps visit Friday

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Expect heavy traffic delays on Friday during the afternoon and evening commute while former President Donald Trump visits Charlotte.

The former president will be in the Queen City to make remarks at an event held by the Fraternal Order of Police. Trump is expected to talk around 4 p.m.

According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, Interstate 85 will be closed around the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and in north Charlotte on Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The closures will be put in place to accommodate Trumps visit for the private event.

During this period, all traffic will be redirected to alternative routes. We strongly encourage you to plan ahead and expect significant delays on alternative routes, CMPD announced.

Authorities are asking drivers to avoid the area if possible on Friday. CMPD said to expect intermittent road closures at varying times.

We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we ensure the safety and security of this important event, CMPD said on Thursday.

MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  It has now been 23 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3000, with thousands more dying of complications in the years since.

Many organizations in the Rochester area are planning on holding memorials, ceremonies and events to honor the civilians and first responders lost or suffering as a result of the attacks.

Saturday, September 7:

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Rochester 9/11 Family Walk and Stair Climb

Firefighters, first responders, local businesses, and community groups from all over Monroe and surrounding counties will join together at Innovative Field to remember September 11, and the 343 firefighters that died.

Stair Climb participants pay tribute to FDNY Firefighters by climbing or walking the equivalent of 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Each participant will also get to pick an ID badge of firefighter, EMT, or Police officer.

Support of the Stair Climb event provides assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of the 343 firefighters who made the sacrifice on September 11.

Registration is at 7:30 a.m. with an opening ceremony at 8:40 a.m. You can visit this website to find more information and register.

Sunday, September 8:

Operation Patriot Foundation hosts 24th Annual Tribute

***Rescheduled from September 7 due to rain forecast***

Operation Patriot Foundation is honoring heroes of September 11 with its 24th annual Tribute at Ontario Beach Park.

The event features one of New Yorks largest and longest-running motorcycle rides known as Lets Roll. The ride is in memory of U of R alum Todd Beamer, who along with other passengers, attempted to regain control of United Flight 93 from hijackers.

The route for the ride will pass through Greece, Hilton, Hamlin, and also will include a pass by of the 9/11 memorial in Brockport before returning to Ontario Beach Park for a memorial ceremony.

Following the ceremony there will also be a concert where attendees can enjoy live music, food truck rodeo, a vendor fair, and enter a raffle with more than twelve items.

Ride registration begins at 9:00 a.m. before the beginning of the ride at 11:00 a.m. The events closing is currently scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Proceeds from this years event will benefit Crime Stoppers K9 Initiative.

Memorial Bike Ride to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

A Memorial Bike Ride will be held to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

The ride will begin at the West Webster Association Building at 8:40 a.m. Two routes  a 9-mile and a 19-mile route will both include a stop at the Lake Road 12/24 Memorial.

Awards and a breakfast will take place as after the ride is finished.

Wednesday, September 11:

Brockport Fire District hosts 23rd Annual Vigil

Brockport Fire District is hosting its annual Never Forget vigil, recognizing September 11 as a day for reflection and remembrance.

The vigil will be held at 237 South Main Street in Brockport.

Opening ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. with Ringing of the Bell at 8:47 a.m. Ring of Gold at 6:00 p.m. and closing ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Irondequoit Police Remembrance Ceremony

The Irondequoit Police Department is hosting its annual Remembrance Ceremony at the Irondequoit Town Hall.

The ceremony will begin at 8:46 a.m.

Monroe Community College Ceremony

The MCC Student Government Association hosts a ceremony at the MCC 9/11 Memorial starting at 8 a.m. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans delivers the keynote address. MCC President Dr. DeAnne Burt-Nanna, Student Government President Angelo Romero and lead designer of the MCCs 9/11 monument, Mark Maddalina, will be delivering remarks as well.

Operation We Remember

The Veterans Outreach Center is hosting Operation We Remember, a ceremony that will honor the impact of 9/11 and all that came afterwards.

Guest speaker at this years ceremony is Fishers Fire District Chief Steve Steve Tschiderer, who says the events of September 11 profoundly impacted the trajectory of his life, serving as a firefighter and in the military.

The free event open to the public will take place at Gary Beikirch Memorial Park located in Highland Park on Highland Avenue from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Check back with News 8 WROC as we will continue to update this page as more local events are announced.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Abbeville police search for man wanted in August apartment shooting

Abbeville police search for man wanted in August apartment shooting

VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY)  A man is wanted on numerous charges, including two counts of attempted murder, in connection with a mid-August shooting at Stone Bridge apartments, authorities say.

The Abbeville Police Department said they are searching for Tahj Judge on the following charges:

two counts of attempted first-degree murder

four counts of aggravated criminal damage to property

one count of possession of a firearm-free zone

one count of illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities

Abbeville police said the shooting was reported at around 11 p.m. on Aug. 16.

Following an investigation, including the execution of search warrants and review of surveillance footage in the vicinity, the incident was captured on camera, showing individuals fleeing with firearms, police said in a social media post.

Police said arrests have been made in connection with the incident but Judge has yet to be found.

Investigators believe Judge might be in Mississippi.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts can contact Abbeville police at 337-893-2511.

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Abbott follows rival Dexcom with OTC glucose monitor launch in US

FILE PHOTO: Abbott Laboratories logo is displayed on a screen at the NYSE in New York

By Sneha S K

(Reuters) -Abbott has launched its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitoring system in the U.S., the company said on Thursday, making it the second such device on the market to help people track their blood sugar levels.

The device, called Lingo, will compete with a rival from DexCom, launched last week, and will be available for adults who are not on insulin.

Continuous glucose monitors are already multi-billion dollar products due to demand from diabetes patients, and companies are looking to expand the market by targeting health-conscious customers.

"There is a great deal of interest in tracking biomarkers that provide insights into one's health and wellness that were previously undetectable using the trackers available to consumers," said Olivier Ropars, the head of Abbott's Lingo business.

A continuous glucose monitoring system consists of coin-sized adhesive skin patches with a Bluetooth link to a smartphone, versus drawing blood through a finger stick.

The readings help determine whether diabetic patients need an insulin dose.

Lingo is available for consumers 18 years and older not on insulin in three payment options - $49 for two weeks, $89 for four weeks and $249 for 12 weeks, the company said on Thursday. Each biosensor can be worn for up to two weeks.

Dexcom's Stelo is available at a price of up to $99 for two sensors. It is also available at $89 for a four-week subscription.

Abbott received the U.S. health regulator's clearance for Lingo, available in Britain since January for 120-150 pounds ($152-$190) per month, in June.

Abbott's CEO Robert Ford said in July that the company would use a mix of TV advertisements and guerilla marketing to tap people without diabetes for the U.S. launch.

(Reporting by Sneha S K; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Sriraj Kalluvila)
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Music Office announced in a Wednesday news release that $20.2 million is available to the states live music industry.

Abbott said in the release the funds were approved during the 88th legislative session in 2023. The funds are part of the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program (TMIR), which gives qualifying venues and festival promoters a full or partial refund on particular taxes.

Texas is where live music lives, said Abbott in the release. A vibrant local music industry not only adds to the quality of life, it is a competitive advantage, helping Texas attract major capital investments, culturally diverse talent, and new jobs in a range of industries.

This is an effort to help the live music industry grow by giving up to $100,000 in relief, the release said.

Those interested in applying can do so on the Texas Music Office website. Applications will be open through Nov. 30, the release said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Former President Trump and Vice President Harris have agreed to the rules set by ABC News for their first debate next week, the network announced Wednesday.

ABC News will be hosting the debate between Trump and Harris on Sept. 10, and it will mark the first debate since President Biden dropped out of the race in July. Each candidate agreeing to the rules comes after both campaigns clashed over whether the microphones should be muted when the other candidate is speaking.

The vice presidents team pushed to change the rule to keep microphones unmuted, but ABC said Wednesday that microphones will only be live during a candidates turn to speak and will be muted when its their opponents turn to speak. This is the same set of microphone rules that President Biden and Trump adhered to during the CNN debate in June.

Next weeks debate will be moderated by ABCs David Muir and Linsey Davis and will take place in the the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, without an audience. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks.

Trump won a virtual coin flip Tuesday to determine the order of the closing statements and the podium placement. He opted to select the order of the closing statements and chose to deliver the last closing statement of the debate, while Harris selected the right podium position on the screen, according to ABCs announcement.

There will be no opening statements for the debate, and the closing statements will be two minutes long for each candidate.

Each candidate will have two minutes to answer the questions, two minutes for rebuttals and one additional minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses. Candidates are not allowed to ask questions of each other, according to the rules.

They will each have a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water but will not be allowed any prewritten notes or props, according to the announcement. Campaign staff will also not be allowed to interact with their candidates during commercial breaks.

Many polls show a close race between Harris and Trump, heightening the stakes of the debate. The Hill/Decision Desk HQs national polling average shows Harris leading the former president by 4 percentage points, based on an aggregate of 155 polls.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Bill Clark/Getty Images

This story was written by one of Teen Vogue's 2024 Student Correspondents, a team of college students covering the election cycle from key battleground states.

Fourteen states across the country have instituted bans on abortion at every stage of pregnancy after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, with several more severely restricting access to reproductive care.

At the most recent State of the Union, President Joe Biden called on Congress to restore abortion protections in federal law. Yet Democrats slim margins in the Senate make that unlikely, reports Politifacts Amy Sherman. Meanwhile, Donald Trump told TIME that if he won the 2024 election, hed leave it up to individual states to decide if they wanted to monitor pregnant people and prosecute them for seeking abortions. Trump applauded the Supreme Courts decision to reverse Roe at the first presidential debate last month.

But in many places, the right to abortion will be put before the people to decide. This year, up to 10 states will allow residents to vote on ballot measures that would expand or protect access to abortion.

Abortion ballot measures could be an additional way to engage youth in an election year. According to a Tufts University study, exit polls from the 2022 midterms showed abortion was the top issue that influenced young peoples vote. Run for Something cofounder Amanda Litman, whose organization works with people who are thinking about running for local office, called it an invitation to the polls.

Young voters who are, maybe, a little bit or a lot disillusioned or actively unenthusiastic about voting for Biden, this gives them another reason to show up, Litman told Teen Vogue. These ballot initiatives and the state and local candidates who are making this a concrete issue can be really powerful drivers.

According to this springs Harvard Youth Poll, half of 18- to 29-year-olds say womens reproductive rights are among their top 2024 election issues, with 68% of Democrats, 24% of Republicans, and 49% of Independents.

Reproductive Freedom for All president Mini Timmaraju told Teen Vogue that young folks, the 18 to 35 cohort, are much more willing to cross party lines to support reproductive freedom [like abortion access], birth control, IVF. The constitutional right to abortion lost in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization was also part of a broader right to privacy, writes Voxs Ian Millhiser.

Abortion bans and restrictions affect folks who are already marginalized from the nations health care system, including LGBTQ+ youth, immigrants, BIPOC, and people living in rural areas or without access to a provider. At the end of the day, someone shouldn't have to decide where they go to college or where they take a job based on their ability to have a fundamental freedom and have their bodily autonomy respected, Timmaraju said. But, that is the world we're in.

Over the past year, youth leaders who experienced challenges receiving critical reproductive care have been telling their stories as they seek state and local seats, including Arizona senator Eva Burch, a Run for Something alum, and Tennessee House candidate Allie Phillips.

Young people see that those in charge are just out of touch in many ways, Litman said. Young people are seeing the consequences of having elected leaders who do not share our lived experience, who do not understand the real personal consequences that these bans are having.

Heres an overview of where abortion could be on the ballot this autumn and the obstacles advocates face.

Arizona: Arizona for Abortion Access collected signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would establish a right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability  a threshold determined by physicians but estimated to be around 24 weeks. The coalition of reproductive rights organizations announced that it gathered more than double the number of signatures it needed and sued Republicans over the proposed pamphlet language while awaiting certification. While the state Supreme Court reaffirmed an 1864 near-total ban on the procedure, a court-ordered stay and legislative repeal means abortion will remain available up to 15 weeks for Arizonans with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Colorado: Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom qualified a constitutional amendment for the ballot that would revoke the existing ban on public funding for abortions that state employees and people on Medicaid use for abortions covered by insurance. Proposed Initiative #89 will demand 55% of the vote to pass. Currently, abortion is legal without gestational limits. The legislature enacted a Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2022 that codified the right to abortion and contraception and confirmed that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of the state.

Florida: Floridians Protecting Freedom certified nearly a million signatures, surpassing the number required, to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would ensure a right to abortion until viability. Amendment 4 will need 60% of the vote to pass. As of May 1, a new law went into effect barring abortion after six weeks with limited exceptions.

Maryland: The states Democratic-controlled legislature moved the Right to Reproductive Freedom Act onto the general election ballot. If approved by a simple majority the constitutional amendment would cement an expanded right to abortion and additional reproductive rights. Abortion is legal until viability under a state referendum passed by Marylanders in 1992.

Missouri: Missourians for Constitutional Freedom backed a constitutional amendment that would create a right to abortion until viability and enshrine other forms of reproductive health care, such as birth control and miscarriage care. Advocates declared that they turned in more than double the number of signatures necessary and could bide ballot verification. Currently, abortion is banned without exceptions for rape or incest. This year, the governor signed into law a bill that, effective Aug. 28, bars the states Medicaid program from sending money to Planned Parenthood, even for basic health care services like cancer screenings, STI testing, and birth control.

Montana: Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights organized to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would safeguard abortion until viability. The coalition of reproductive rights organizations claimed they garnered roughly double the mandatory 60,000 signatures. In August, the state secretary certified that the general election ballot will include the initiative. Abortion is legal until viability under a previous state Supreme Court decision.

Nebraska: Protect Our Rights assembled a campaign behind a constitutional amendment that would preserve a right to abortion until viability. The coalition of advocates proclaimed that they filed more than the number of signatures needed to make the ballot and await qualification. Abortion is outlawed after 12 weeks with some exceptions, according to state law. Nebraskans will face a competing question that would ban abortion after the first trimester except in cases of medical emergency, rape, or incest.

Nevada: Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom verified an excess of signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would solidify the right to abortion until viability  a process that requires a simple majority in two successive elections. Abortion is legal until viability since voters approved a state referendum in 1990.

New York: The states Democratic-controlled legislature pushed the New York Equal Protection of Law Amendment onto the ballot. If passed by voters, it would prohibit discrimination based on a persons ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. The measure would also secure the right to abortion alongside added reproductive health care. Abortion is legal until viability and can be performed at any stage to save a pregnant persons life.

South Dakota: Dakotans for Health acted to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would reserve a right to abortion in the first trimester and demand that any second-trimester regulation must be reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman. Advocates acquired more signatures than necessary and had those verified by the state secretary, so it will appear on the November ballot. Abortion is banned without exception for rape or incest in the state thanks to a trigger law that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was banned.

This session, the legislature adopted an opposing resolution and the governor endorsed a law permitting people to withdraw their petition signatures. A pending lawsuit from an anti-abortion group questioning the legitimacy of the petition signatures won't be decided before voting begins in South Dakota.

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Tensions continue between the nurses union and one of Hawaiis hospitals as Kapiolani administration warns them to unconditionally accept their offer or else.

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The COO at the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children said the two sides had met more than 30 times to negotiate and six times with HNA and a federal mediator. None of which resulted in an agreement.

Gidget Ruscetta said that they had amended their last, best and final offer twice to show theyre committed to reaching an agreement.

Impacts of AI on Hawaiis business, economic futures

This includes across the board raises for all of our nurses. By the third year of our current offer our nurses will earn base salary of $133,000 to $160,000 a year for three-day work weeks.

Ruscetta said in their latest offer there are about a dozen items where hospital administration and HNA are aligned.

Unfortunately, HNA never took our offer to its members for ratification so our nurses have never been able to vote and accept our offer.

Kapiolani said they are prepared to impose a lockout of all registered nurses represented by HNA at the facility.

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We never wanted it to come to this and this has been a very difficult decision. The lockout would begin when the HNA strike ends. Therefore, HNA has the power to prevent this lockout by unconditionally accepting our offer.

HNA responded after receiving a letter from the CEO David Underriner with their conditions.

This is yet another example of the kind of threats nurses are subjected to every day at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. As you can see, the hospitals culture of intimidation starts with their CEO and permeates throughout the entire hospital, Rosalee Agas-Yuu, HNA president said in response to the hospitals statement.

This will be the second strike at Kapiolani Medical Center this year. The current contract with RNs expired on Nov. 30, 2023.

We will not allow a labor dispute to jeopardize our ability to serve critical healthcare needs for our state. Repeated strikes are far too disruptive for our patients who depend on us.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.


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Its been more than two decades since the body of Woodlawn High School senior Hae Min Lee was found at Leakin Park in West Baltimore, Maryland. For years, it seemed like an open-and-shut case. In 2000, Lees ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed, who has maintained his innocence, was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison for her murder. Then Syeds case garnered national attention after it became the subject of the podcast Serial in 2014.

Syeds conviction was vacated in September 2022, but a Maryland appellate court reinstated it a few months later in March 2023 due to a procedural issue. The Maryland Supreme Court reviewed that appellate decision upon Syeds request and, on Friday, upheld the reinstatementyet another twist in the ongoing legal saga.

There might be just as many questions surrounding the case now as there were then. Meanwhile, justice for Lee remains elusive.

What is certain is that the 18-year-old woman was last seen on January 13, 1999, driving her 1998 Nissan Sentra on her way to pick up her 6-year-old cousin and then head to her job at LensCrafters, The Baltimore Sun reported at the time. She never showed up to either.

Professionals and amateurs, alike, have scrutinized and studied Lees murder and Adnan Syeds trial and subsequent legal proceedings, including the U.S. Supreme Court denying to hear an appeal for a new trial in 2019. Here, we piece together the timeline of accounts as they reportedly happened in the 1999 teen murder case.



Hae Min Lees Murder

December 1998: Syed and Lee break up.

Although their relationship was kept a secret because of both religious and cultural differences, classmates Syed and Lee dated in 1998 and broke up in December of that year, according to court records.

January 1, 1999: Lee and Don Clinedinst go on their first date.

According to the Undisclosed podcast, Lee goes on her first date with her LensCrafter co-worker Don Clinedinst, who happens to be the son of the store manager.

January 13, 1999: Lee disappears.

What happened on this particular day depends on who you talk to. As described by Syed to Serial, he goes to his photography and English classes and then calls his friend Jay Wilds, offering to lend him his car during his lunch period. Wilds then drops Syed back off at school, where he has a free period and then arrives late to his psychology classit started at 12:50 p.m., but he entered at 1:27 p.m., as his teacher notes.

After class, he goes to the Woodlawn Public Library to check his email and chats with friend Asia McClain. Then he goes to track practice. Wilds picks him up, and the two go to a friends house. Its while hes there that Officer Scott Adcock calls Syed asking if he knew where Lee was. The student told the official that he was suppose[d] to get a ride home from the victim, but he got detained at school and felt that she just got tired of waiting and left, according to the 2019 appeal. Syed then picks up food on his way to meet his dad at the mosque for evening prayers, Serial reported.

Meanwhile, Wilds version of the day changed throughout his interviews and testimony. In his testimony at the second trial, he says that he and Syed drove to Security Square Mall and claims that Syed reportedly told him he was going to kill Lee. That afternoon, he says that Syed asked him to pick him up at Best Buy, where Syed shows him Lees body in the trunk of her car. They leave the car at a park-and-ride lot. That night they bury Lees body in Leakin Park and leave her car in a residential parking lot.

As for Lees family, all they knew was that she didnt show up to pick up her cousin, which is when they reported her missing. Classmates last saw her leaving school around 2:15 p.m.

February 9, 1999: Lees body is found in Leakin Park.

Maintenance worker Alonzo Sellers, known as Mr. S on Serial, claimed he was drinking a 22-ounce Budweiser while driving when he made a pit stop. I had to go to the bathroom so I pulled over, and I went further in the woods so no one could see me, he said on the HBO docuseries The Case Against Adnan Syed. I walked around through the bushes and everything, and I got back that way, and I was getting ready to urinate. When I looked down, I seen something that looked like hair, something was covered by the dirt. And I looked real good again, and thats when I seen what looked like a foot. He later becomes a suspect because he walked 127 feet to find a place to use the restroom. Sellers had a previous record as an alleged streaker. Autopsy results later show that Lee was strangled, The Baltimore Sun reports.



Investigation and Adnan Syeds Arrest

February 12, 1999: Anonymous calls inform the police to look into Syed.

HBO - HBO

Baltimore City police detective Darryl Massey received two anonymous phone calls telling him to look into Lees ex-boyfriend as a possible suspect, the Undisclosed podcast reported. There was a reward of $3,075 from CrimeStoppers for information on the case leading to the indictment.

February 28, 1999: Syed is arrested.

In the wee hours of the night, Lees car is found around 4:30 a.m., and around 6 a.m., Syed is arrested at his home on the 7000 block of Johnnycake Road. He is 17 at the time but charged with first-degree murder as an adult. Lees 16-year-old brother, Young Lee, speaking for his grandparents and mom, tells The Baltimore Sun that the news provided some closure and some peace. But they were just as shocked. We were kind of surprised because she told us that he was one of her best friends, he said.

March 1, 1999: McClain writes Syed a letter.

Just after his arrest, McClain writes a letter to Syed and details talking to him in the library on January 13, Serial reported.

Syeds Trials and Conviction

December 15, 1999: A mistrial is declared.

The Syeds trial begins the second week of December and quickly ends as a mistrial, the court appeals papers say.

January 2000: The second trial begins.

A second court proceedings begin, the papers say.

February 25, 2000: Syed is convicted.

Following a six-week trial and two-hour jury deliberation, Syed is found guilty. He remains calm as handcuffs are being put on him, saying, Ill be alright... I have faith in the Lord. I know I didnt kill her. The Lord knows I didnt kill her, The Baltimore Sun reported.

March 25, 2000: McClain writes an affidavit.

Family friend and attorney Rabia Chaudry asks McClain to write an affidavit after Syed is convicted, Serial reported.

June 6, 2000: Lees mother gives an emotional testimony, and Syed is given a life sentence.

Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service - Getty Images

Lees mother, Youn Wha Kim, says she moved to America from Korea to give her kids a better life. I would like to forgive Adnan Syed, but as of now, I just dont know how I could, she says. When I die, my daughter will die with me. As long as I live, my daughter is buried in my heart. The paper says she almost collapsed as she stepped off the witness stand and that her sobs from outside the courtroom could still be heard inside. Judge Wanda K. Heard gives Syed a life sentence plus 30 years.

March 19, 2003: Syeds appeal is denied.

Syeds first appeal is denied by the Court of Special Appeals, according to court records.

December 30, 2013: Syeds petition for post-conviction relief is denied.

After hearings in the Circuit Court between November 2010 and October 2012, Syeds petition for post-conviction relief is denied, according to court papers.

October 3, 2014: Serial debuts.

The creators of the public radio show This American Life debut the podcast series Serial, hosted by Sarah Koenig, about the Lee murder mystery. In it, Koenig talks to Syed who says he is innocent.

November 20, 2014: Syeds family gives their first interview.

Syeds brother Yusef talks to CBS This Morning and admits he listens to the Serial podcast. I wake up as soon as they put it on, he said. Some days Ill be like, This is a really great episode, and some days Ill feel down and depressed.

A 2015 Appeal Leads to a New TrialAlmost

February 6, 2015: Syed can appeal the post-conviction relief denial.

Syed is given the chance to overturn the Baltimore City Circuit Court ruling that denied him post-conviction relief, thanks to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, Vulture reported.

November 6, 2015: The post-conviction relief case is reopened.

Getty Images

The case is reopened to take into account McClains new testimony, new cell phone data, and allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel as well as prosecutorial misconduct, according to Harpers Bazaar.

February 2016: The hearing takes place.

The five-day hearing includes witness testimonies from McClain, as well as a cell phone expert, Harpers Bazaar reported.

June 30, 2016: Syed is granted a new trial.

Justice Martin Welch vacates the original conviction, saying there should be a new trial. However, Syed is not allowed out on bail while he waits for the new trial. He ends up waiting more than two years.

March 8, 2019: The trial is then denied.

In a sudden twist, the Maryland Court of Appeals votes 4 to 3 to reverse the decision, denying a new trial saying, There is not a significant or substantial possibility that the verdict would have been different, the Associated Press reported.

August 19, 2019: The Supreme Court is asked to look at the case.

Syeds lawyers asked the nations highest court to look into reversing the states decision.

November 25, 2019: The Supreme Court rejects bid for a new trial.

Without comment, the Supreme Court decided not to open a new trial. We are deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court, but by no means is this the end of Adnan Syed, attorney C. Justin Brown told AP at the time. There are other legal options, and we are exploring each and every one of them. Family friend and lawyer Chaudry added: He is hanging in there. He knows that none of us are basically giving up. He has a great legal team. He has a lot of public support, and walking away is not an option.

Latest News: Syed Walks Free as Conviction Status Flip-Flops

September 19, 2022: Syeds conviction is vacated.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn vacated Syeds conviction, effectively setting him free. Phinns decision came after prosecutors told the court they lost faith in Syeds conviction in light of new evidence and violations in the governments turning over evidence.

October 11, 2022: Prosecutors drop charges against Syed.

Prosecutors dropped all charges against Syed, eliminating the possibility of a retrial.

December 12, 2022: Georgetown University hires Syed.

Syed began a full-time job as a program associate for the Georgetown Universitys Prisons and Justice Initiative, the Washington Post reported. One of his roles is providing support for an undergraduate class called Making an Exoneree, in which students seek to help free innocent people in prison by examining their cases and creating documentaries.

March 28, 2023: Syeds conviction is reinstated.

In a 2-1 decision, a Maryland appellate court panel reinstated Syeds murder conviction after deciding a lower court violated the right of Lees family to attend the September 2022 hearing in the case in person, the Washington Post reported. The decision ordered that the Baltimore Circuit Court conduct a new legally compliant, transparent hearing on prosecutors motion to vacate the case, after Young Lee, who lived in California, argued he received less than one business days notice of the hearing at which Syed was freed. Lee attended the September hearing via Zoom. The courts latest decision is delayed 60 days to allow the parties involved time to assess how to proceed. For now, Syed remains free outside of prison.

May 24, 2023: Syed asks the Maryland Supreme Court for a review.

Syeds attorney files a motion asking the Maryland Supreme Court to review the appellate courts decision that reversed his vacated conviction, according to CNN. The motion seeks further evaluation of Young Lees stance that he wasnt given appropriate notice of the 2022 hearing at which Syed was freed. Syeds attorneys argue Young had confirmed he would attend the hearing via Zoom.

August 30, 2024: The Maryland Supreme Court upholds the reinstated conviction.

In a lengthy 4-3 opinion, the Maryland Supreme Court rules Syeds conviction should be reinstated and that the case return to the circuit court for a new hearing. The court found that prosecutors and a lower court judge worked an injustice by not giving proper notice of Syeds 2022 hearing to Young Lee, according to The Washington Post. Syed remains free, while a date for the next hearing hasnt been set.

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ISLAMABAD, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's military said on Thursday that 90 terrorists were killed in 4,021 operations across the country in August.

Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told a press conference in the eastern garrison city of Rawalpindi that security forces and other law enforcement agencies participated in the intelligence-based operations.

Chaudhry said that 32,173 operations were conducted from January to August, dealing a heavy blow to the strength of terrorists.

In addition, 193 officers and soldiers lost their lives in the first eight months of 2024, Chaudhry said. 
Adviser explains why former commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces almost never spoke to media

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, almost never gave interviews or held press conferences because he did not have time for it, due to state secrets and "jealousy" from the Office of the President (OP).

Source: Liudmyla Dolhonovska, former strategic communications adviser to Zaluzhnyi, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "He was rather indifferent to this [media activity  ed.]. When I brought him media monitoring and citations at the beginning [of my cooperation with Zaluzhnyi], he did not even look at them. He never asked how his posts were received or about the comments spreading through the media.

There was no ban [on interviews and press conferences  ed.] from the OP. I don't even know where such assumptions came from. But there was some jealousy, measuring ratings and popularity. And this was indeed a factor why Valerii Zaluzhnyi did not really want media attention too much."

Details: Dolhonovska said that another reason why Zaluzhnyi did not give interviews or press conferences was that he would not be able to answer most of the journalists' questions publicly due to restrictions imposed by state secrets.

At the same time, Dolhonovska emphasised that Zaluzhnyi constantly communicated with journalists in an off-the-record format, during which he "answered questions very clearly and openly".

Background:

Valerii Zaluzhnyi was the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 27 July 2021 to 8 February 2024.

He gave only a few interviews during the full-scale invasion, with only one for the Ukrainian media, and one briefing on mobilisation.

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Afghan women have turned to social media to protest the latest draconian edict issued by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, which the Biden administration says is aimed at erasing them completely from society. Women both inside and outside the country have posted poignant videos of themselves singing  a defiant response to the Taliban's latest restrictive laws prohibiting women and girls from using their voices or showing their faces outside their homes.

As CBS News reported, Article 13 of the 114-page law adopted by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in August states that if a woman leaves her own home, "she is obligated to hide her voice, face, and body."

The Biden administration said the law sought to remove women completely from public life in Afghanistan and it has expressed growing frustration with the country's Taliban regime, which swept back to power in the summer of 2021 as U.S. and allied forces pulled out in a chaotic withdrawal.

"I raised concerns w/ counterparts about the Taliban's 'morality law' which aims to complete the erasure of women from public life," U.S Special Envoy Rina Amiri said Tuesday in a social media post. "My message was clear: our support for the Afghan people remains steadfast but patience with the Taliban is running out."

In response to the Taliban's ongoing crackdown on human rights, activists and campaigners in Afghanistan, who already live under intense Taliban scrutiny, started uploading protest videos to social media of themselves signing and blasting the law as ignorant and repressive.

CBS News interviewed three women in Afghanistan who took part in the campaign. All of them said they would continue to defy the Taliban's new law because they have nothing left to lose, and they urged the international community to shame the Taliban for its gender-based oppression. The women concealed their identities in their videos, and CBS News is identifying them only by their first names to protect their safety.

Afghan women have been subjected to harassment, detention and even physical assault for daring to advocate for their fundamental rights since the Taliban's return to power.

"Despite the uncertain future and danger we face daily, women in Afghanistan will not silence their voices," Zuhal, who was forced to abandon her education after 10th grade due to the Taliban's draconian rules, told CBS News. "We will not surrender, because I have no hope for the future and I feel I will take all my dreams to the grave with me if I don't fight back."

Hakima, a former midwifery student who was also unable to complete her education, said the Taliban were afraid of women's voices and the influence they could have on society. She said she believed it was crucial for women to keep speaking out to hold the Taliban regime accountable for its actions before the international community.

"The Taliban are scared of women. They are afraid of women's voices. They know how powerful Afghan women are, and our voices will destroy them. That is why they want to silence half of society with their women-hating laws," she told CBS News.

Hakima recorded a video at her home in northern Afghanistan with her three sisters to post on social media. In it, the women beg the world not to "forget the women of Afghanistan."

"Talib, where are you, and how far has the world gone?" Hakima sings in the video, holding up a piece of paper with the words: "My face is not intimate."

In another video, a woman can be heard walking along a busy road in Kabul while declaring out loud: "I sing from the streets of Kabul, the very streets where we once protested for our rights and were brutally suppressed, leading to the loss of all our freedoms."

"I'm a woman, I'm the world, who sings of freedom and love," she continues. "I stand firm, and I'm not scared of your cruelty."

"Banning our voices is the last terrible command the Taliban could issue," she declares, "we will defeat you with our voices."

Women's rights activists outside Afghanistan also joined the campaign. Masih Alinejad, a prominent Iranian journalist and activist, shared a video of herself singing a well-known Afghan song in support of the protests, many of which have used a hashtag that translates to: "A woman's voice is not intimate."

An image from a video posted online by a group on the social media platform X called the

It has been three years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, but no other nation has formally recognized the group as the Afghan government since then. Hakima and Zuhal attribute that at least in part to the power and determination of Afghan women, who have continued to protest and raise their voices in defiance of the group.

"They don't want women's voices to reach the international community and U.N. agencies,"

"Our decision is that whatever new law they issue regarding the women and girls of Afghanistan, we will stand against them and raise our voices, and we will not let them win," Hakima told CBS News.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Thursday, Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his office is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to deny an application that seeks to build a hydroelectric power plant in Pushmataha County, after citing no consideration of its implications for Oklahomans, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Clean Water Act.

According to Drummond, Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation (SEOPC) is seeking approval from the Federal Commission to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Kiamichi River, but the AGs office says SEOPC has provided limited information to include not requesting the proper licensures and permits.

The AGs says, Oklahomans who call the Kiamichi region home have lived there for generations.

As the chief law officer of the State of Oklahoma, I will not tolerate violation of Oklahoma law or flagrant disregard for the sovereignty or federal law, protected rights of a tribal nation and similarly situated property owners, said Attorney General Drummond.

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The SEOPC power plant is set to have a transmission line extending through Pushmataha and McCurtain counties providing power for Texas while relying on powers of condemnation to acquire private property from Oklahomans, according to the AGs office.

I intend, as Oklahomas Attorney General, to ensure that their private property rights are safeguarded to the full extent of the law, Drummond wrote.

Read the full letter here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Agencies answer how $3 billion in recovery aid being used on Maui

HONOLULU (KHON2)  The Lahaina Civic Center was packed Wednesday as a congressional hearing on the federal governments response to Maui wildfires commenced.

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The meeting was less about reprimand and more about recovery and how to move forward.

All involved agencies were invited to provide an update on whether the $3 billion that the federal government has provided to aid in recovery efforts is being spent efficiently.

But much of the discussion revolved around housing.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they cleared fire debris from the last residential property this past week.

The EPA reported on their efforts to test drinking water and sewer lines.

But the discussion centered greatly on FEMA and how to provide quicker housing solutions to streamline the building process and provide permanent housing.

The cost our here to build is over $900K per square foot to build. So its a million dollars per house to rebuild out here which does not make it feasible, within my authority right now, to do that. Our authority right now focuses on temporary solutions, FEMAs Bob Fenton told the committee.

Integrating FEMA and HUDs role in disaster recovery was also discussed, as well as the importance of community engagement in rebuilding Lahaina.

If we dont recognize the faces of our friends and our family as we repopulate then we will have lost this battle for our people, Mayor Bissen 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 KHON2.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  American International College (AIC) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) Workforce Development Capital Grant Program to modernize its science laboratories.

The grant will fund renovations to the colleges Old Science Building and provide new equipment for life sciences courses within AICs School of Business, Arts, and Sciences.

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Renovation work on the Old Science Building, originally constructed in 1956, is set to begin this fall. The building, known for its distinctive brick facade and small greenhouse, currently houses biology and chemistry courses and has served generations of students since its construction. The upgrades will transform the learning environment, offering students access to modern tools and facilities that reflect current industry standards.

The grant is part of a broader $13.1 million initiative announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration in July 2024, aimed at expanding life sciences education and training across the state. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll emphasized the importance of the workforce in Massachusetts thriving life sciences sector, stating, We are incredibly proud to support so many institutions, students, and teachers with these awards as we expand opportunity regionally and grow a talent pool that is the envy of the world for life science employers.

The funding will also enable AIC to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and microbiology labs, providing students with real-world experience. This initiative aims to enhance student preparedness in an increasingly competitive field.

This grant represents a significant investment in the future of our students and the life sciences program at AIC, said Susanne Swanker, Dean of the School of Business, Arts, and Sciences, who led the effort to secure the funding. By modernizing the Old Science Building, we are not only preserving a piece of our history but also providing our students with the innovative tools and environment they need to excel.

The MLSC Workforce Development Capital Grant program supports post-secondary institutions in expanding life sciences education through capital investments in industry-aligned certificate and degree programs.

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WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI)  Jefferson Community College has appointed Maureen Aiken to a seven-year term on the colleges Board of Trustees.

Aiken is an English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher at the Watertown City School District. She brings over two decades of teaching experience to the Board. Aikens appointment fills the expired term of Pamela S. Beyor-Murtha.

Jefferson CC food pantry named Hannafords Fight Hunger beneficiary for August

Aikens term started on August 5 and her first board meeting was on Wednesday.

Her teaching career began in 2000 as a second grade teacher at Guardino Elementary School in the Thousand Islands School District. She joined the Watertown City School District in 2001, where she has taught ninth and 10th grade English summer school, fifth grade, and since 2005, has served as a junior high ESOL teacher.

Beyond her classroom responsibilities, Aiken administers the New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners and the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test, liaises with families, and collaborates with classroom teachers to tailor and diversify lesson plans.

Aiken serves as the building representative for the WCSD Crisis Response Committee, delivering essential information and resources to families in crises. Over the course of four years, she has held the office of secretary, then vice president, and then president of the Crescent Yacht Club: Junior Division. In 2014, she founded the nonprofit organization A Book in Every Hand, dedicated to promoting literacy by ensuring that every first-grade student in WCSD received their own book.

She holds an associate degree from Jefferson, a Bachelors degree from Le Moyne College, and a Master of Science in Education from SUNY Potsdam.

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The Russians attacked Ukraine with one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 78 Shahed-type attack drones on the night of 4-5 September. Ukraines air defence downed 60 drones, 15 more were jammed, another 2 flew into Russian territory, and one into Belarus.

Source: Ukraines Air Force on Telegram

Quote: "During the air defence battle, 60 strike drones were shot down. Two drones returned to Russia, one to Belarus, and 15 were lost within Ukraine, likely due to electronic warfare. There have been no reports of damage or casualties."

Details: Reportedly, aircraft, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups from Ukraines Air Force and defence forces were involved to repel the attack.

The air defence responded in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Poltava, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.

Background:

Explosions were heard in Kyiv on the morning of 5 September. The city authorities reported that the air defence system had been deployed.

Kyiv City Military Administration (KCMA) reported that the Shahed drones flew in one at a time, but none of them hit their targets.

The Belarusian General Staff said that on the night of 4-5 September, drones flew into the country and had to be shot down, but they pretended not to know the origin of the UAVs.

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Alabama man dead after surgeon removed liver instead of spleen

An Alabama man died last month when a surgeon in Florida mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen during an emergency procedure, his family said.

William Bryan, 70, and his wife Beverly, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, were visiting their property in Okaloosa County, Florida, when he started feeling pain on the left side of his abdomen, personal injury firm Zarzaur Law said in a statement.

He was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital in Miramar for spleen abnormalities.

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a general surgeon, and Dr. Christopher Bacani, the hospitals chief medical officer, persuaded Bryan to undergo surgery at the hospital on Aug. 21.

Beverly Bryan claims that Shaknovsky said her husbands spleen was diseased, oversized and moved to the opposite side of his body.

But according to the law firm, the surgeon removed his liver instead, which caused immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death.

Shaknovsky made a similar error in 2023 when he removed parts of a pancreas instead of an adrenal gland, the familys attorneys allege. That case was settled privately.

The hospital said in a statement Wednesday its performing a thorough investigation into the death and takes allegations like the one made by the Bryan family very seriously.

The Walton County Sheriffs Office said its also investigating Bryans death.

________
The Alaska delegation sign is seen at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. The speaker on the screen is Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. (Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom)

The Alaska delegation sign is seen at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. The speaker on the screen is Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. (Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom)

The Alaska Democratic Party sued the Alaska Division of Elections on Wednesday, seeking a state court injunction that would remove Eric Hafner from the states U.S. House election ballots.

Hafner, running as a Democrat, was the sixth-place finisher in the states August primary election but made it into the states final four November election after two higher-finishing Republicans withdrew.

Hafner has never lived in Alaska and is in federal prison in New York state, serving a 20-year sentence after threatening public officials in New Jersey.

This is about someone who is incarcerated, an unqualified candidate that shouldnt have been moved onto the ballot, said Lindsay Kavanaugh, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party.

Patty Sullivan, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Law, said by email that Law is reviewing the complaint and will respond on behalf of the Division of Elections, which followed Alaska law and the U.S. Constitution when it put Mr. Hafner on the general election ballot.

In the lawsuit, filed in Anchorage Superior Court, the Alaska Democratic Party argues that Hafner is ineligible because he doesnt meet the U.S. Constitutions residency clause for U.S. House candidates.

That clause states in part that a House candidate must be, when elected, an inhabitant of the state that contains the relevant House district.

Hafner isnt scheduled for release from federal prison until 2036 at the earliest, according to federal records.

To fix the problem, the party suggests running the election with only three candidates, or by replacing Hafner with the seventh-place finisher, Republican Gerald Jer Heikes.

If the court disagrees with the constitutional argument, the partys complaint says Hafner could be disqualified under state law for failing to list his residence address when applying to be a candidate. His documentation only includes a mail-forwarding service.

Another claim: State law allows the division to fill the final four with a fifth-place finisher, but not a sixth-place finisher if there are two withdrawals.

Attorney Scott Kendall is responsible for much of Alaskas current elections law; he wrote the language of the ranked choice ballot measure that Alaska voters approved in 2020.

Kendall isnt involved in the new case and thinks the Alaska Democratic Party is wrong about the states ability to put a sixth-place finisher on the ballot but that the party does have a case about Hafners eligibility.

I think theyve got a fair argument, he said. I think their best argument here is that theres an impossibility argument. This guy cant get out by November 25 or whenever  he just cant, and he cannot be elected.

The party requested that the case be heard on an emergency expedited schedule. Draft ballot designs for Alaskas November election have already been sent to a printer and must be mailed to international voters by Sept. 21.

To obtain an injunction, the Alaska Democratic Party will have to convince a judge that the harm of a potential delayed ballot printing  something that would affect every Alaska voter  is less than the harm caused by allowing Hafner to stay on the ballot.

Kavanaugh said by phone that she believes Hafner is on the ballot as a result of Republican gamesmanship caused by having two candidates drop out of the race in an organized fashion.

Though Alaska uses ranked choice voting in the general election  which allows voters to show a preference for more than one candidate  Republican and Democratic politicians have expressed concerns that some voters will rank only one candidate.

Two years ago, when Republicans Nick Begich and Sarah Palin ran against Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, significant numbers of Begich voters declined to list Palin as a second option, contributing to Peltolas victory in an August special election and again in a November general election.

In the complaint, the Democratic Party argues that it and its preferred candidate, incumbent Mary Peltola, will be harmed because having an unaffiliated Democrat on the ballot would confuse voters, and that even though Alaska uses ranked choice voting, some Alaskans will vote only for Mr. Hafner.

But if Hafner is replaced by Heikes, the same thing could happen on the Republican side because there would be two Republican candidates.

Avoiding that kind of situation has been a priority for Republicans since early in the campaign. Begich, now the Republican frontrunner, vowed early on that he would withdraw from the race if he finished behind another Republican.

Some candidates for the state Legislature made and followed through on similar pledges.

The case has not yet been assigned to a judge, but it will have to be decided on an ultra-speedy timeline.

Based on his experience, Kendall said ballot printing should begin this week, but that the state could fudge it by like a week.

Attorney Tom Flynn of the Alaska Department of Law, said by email that hes not sure thats accurate.

Regardless, Kendall said, the timeline is short if the party wants an answer before Election Day.

I would say if they dont have an answer a week from today, I dont think theyre getting an answer.

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Alaska judge strikes down law saying only doctors can provide abortions

A state judge in Alaska struck down a law prohibiting anyone other than a licensed physician from performing abortions.

Superior Court Judge Josie Garton ruled Wednesday the law imposed a substantial burden on patients fundamental privacy rights to make reproductive health decisions.

The Alaska Supreme Court previously found the right to privacy in the states constitution also applies to abortion rights.

Garton said advanced practice clinicians (APCs) such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants are qualified to provide abortion care and treat any complications that may arise.

The decision stems from a 2019 lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood, which challenged the law that says only a doctor licensed by the State Medical Board can perform an abortion in Alaska.

In 2021, Garton issued a preliminary injunction that stopped the state from enforcing part of the law, allowing APCs to provide medication abortions.

There is no medical reason why abortion is regulated more restrictively than any other reproductive care, Garton said.

Garton noted abortion is time-sensitive, and the few abortion clinics in the state dont employ any full-time physicians, only on a per diem basis as needed. Alaska is a largely rural state that is also facing a shortage of licensed doctors. APCs deliver most of the services provided by Planned Parenthood, which lets the organization keep costs down.

When APCs are barred from providing abortion, there are fewer available providers, fewer appointments, and potential for greater delay. Given the time-sensitivity of accessing abortion care and the way the service is delivered state-wide through three health centers many patients must travel significant distances to reach a health center, Garton said in her ruling.

Since the initial injunction, medication abortion has been available every day that advanced practice clinicians have been in Planned Parenthood clinics, the lawsuit stated.

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JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has made significant progress in combating financial crimes, potentially paving the way for the country's exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s grey list, a government official said on Thursday.

"There has been significant progress in South Africa's efforts to address technical compliance deficiencies," said Maropene Ramokgopa, acting minister in the Presidency. She said that the country has fully addressed 15 out of 20 technical compliance requirements.

South Africa was grey-listed by the FATF in February 2023 due to issues related to combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

Ramokgopa said that the Cabinet is aware of the complexities of the identified issues and is committed to intensifying efforts to address the remaining actions.

"For South Africa to completely exit the grey list, 22 actions were identified as deficiencies in effectiveness. Of these, eight have been fully addressed, leaving 14 to be resolved by February 2025," Ramokgopa added.

The FATF, an international money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, conducted an audit in 2019, followed by a mutual evaluation report issued in October 2021. South Africa was then placed under increased monitoring and was asked to address identified gaps within an agreed timeframe. 
Abortion-rights advocates start a march along several downtown blocks to protest the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. The protest was assembled hours after the June 24, 2022, ruling. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Abortion-rights advocates start a march along several downtown blocks to protest the U.S. Supreme Court ruling's June 24, 2022, ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. An Alaska judge has ruled that a longstanding provision in state law specifying that licensed physicians are the only medical professionals allowed to provide abortion services violates the Alaska constitution's equal-protection and privacy guarantees. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

An Alaska law prohibiting anyone other than a licensed physician from performing abortions violates the state constitutions equal protection and privacy guarantees, a state Superior Court judge ruled on Wednesday.

There is no medical reason why abortions cannot be provided by advanced practice clinicians, or APCs, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, said the ruling issued by Superior Court Judge Josie Garton.

Limiting abortion services to state-licensed physicians violates the equal protection guarantee because other pregnancy-related services may be provided by advanced clinicians, Garton said in her ruling. And the restriction imposes a substantial burden on patients fundamental privacy rights to make reproductive decisions and access abortion care, she said.

Her ruling bars the state from preventing otherwise qualified medical clinicians from providing abortions.

The decision came in a lawsuit filed on Dec. 12, 2019, by Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky.

The lawsuit targeted the physician-only provision, which is identified as Alaska Statutes 18.16.010(a)(1). It dates to Alaskas 1970 law that legalized abortion. It also targeted an Alaska Board of Nursing rule, based on the legal provision, that barred nurse practitioners from prescribing abortion medication.

In the decades since that law was passed, medical technology and services have changed, with more treatment provided by advanced practitioners. In its 2019 lawsuit, Planned Parenthood argued that the restriction of abortion services to physicians has become obsolete and results in unfair obstacles in a state facing a shortage of doctors and increasingly reliant on non-physicians such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Garton, in her ruling, agreed with that argument.

When APCs are barred from providing abortion, there are fewer available providers, fewer appointments, and potential for greater delay. Given the time-sensitivity of accessing abortion care and the way the service is delivered state-wide through three health centers many patients must travel significant distances to reach a health center, she said in her ruling.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, the COVID-19 pandemic started, slowing legal procedures statewide. In 2021, Garton issued a preliminary injunction that barred enforcement of part of the restriction. Her injunction allowed clinical providers to provide medication abortions. After some delays, there was a nonjury trial last November in Anchorage.

The Planned Parenthood affiliates leader praised the ruling in a news release on Thursday.

By striking down these unnecessary restrictions, the court affirmed what we knew all along: every Alaskan deserves the freedom to seek abortion care from trusted providers in their own communities, said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky.

The Alaska Department of Law is considering its next steps, said Chief Assistant Attorney General Chris Robinson. He cited a lack of information about how many patients were affected by the prohibition.

Although we are still reviewing the decision, the courts ruling contains several notable findings, including: The number of patients who experience significant adverse impacts as a result of AS 18.16.010(a)(1) is low, likely very low, compared to the overall number of abortion patients who receive care at Planned Parenthood, he said by email. It also found: The evidence was not sufficient for the court to quantify, even roughly, the number of patients who, as a result of AS 18.16.010(a)(1), were delayed in accessing care, were unable to obtain a medication abortion or aspiration abortion due to gestational age as a result of the physician requirement, had to leave the state, or were unable to access care at all.

Given the findings, it is unclear how the prohibition substantially burdens a fundamental right, he said. The statute was enacted to ensure medical safety, and those types of judgments are more appropriately made by the Legislative or Executive branches of government. The Department will continue to evaluate the courts decision and take steps it deems appropriate at a future date.

This article has been updated with Gibrons comment.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Wednesday night, Albuquerque City Councilors called out the Albuquerque Police Departments Director of Communication for recent social media posts they deemed as inappropriate. The departments social media posts from two days ago criticized peoples opinions and some posts are digs at personal preferences.

Story continues below

Mean tweets, theyre not okay. And recently, we had some from the PIO of APD and we had this conversation a year ago and its serious. We have to take a higher road and sometimes we have to bite our tongue and suck it up, said City Councilor Renee Grout.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. A year ago, this was incredibly embarrassing that the PIO did what they did, said City Councilor Brook Bassan.

Multiple city councilors spoke about Gallegos actions and asked what the consequences would be moving forward. City Attorney Lauren Keefe said that they would not be discussing personnel matters in the meeting.

This is not the first time this happened. Just last year, APD Spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos was heavily criticized for his management of APDs X page, formerly known as Twitter.

KRQE News 13 reached out to the mayors office which sent a statement:

Were focused on big issues, we dont micromanage Twitter banter. We support the department and their ability to push back on misinformation online.

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A "pistachio tide" appears in the Inner Harbor on the morning of Sept. 3. The naturally occuring algae bloom is suspeced in a massive fish kill in the harbor Wednesday. Photo courtesy the National Aquarium.

An estimated 24,000 fish, mostly juvenile Atlantic menhaden, turned up dead in the waters of the Inner Harbor on Wednesday morning, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The department said that as part of its investigation into the fishkill, it found no evidence of pollution that might have caused the fish to die. Rather, it said in a statement Wednesday, that water measurements indicated a lack of oxygen in the harbor likely killed the fish.

Recent days of cooler weather can cause the water in the harbor to turn over, a department statement said, bringing the harbors deeper waters, which are starved of oxygen, closer to the surface. Fish that cannot escape that zone of low dissolved oxygen will die.

The fish apparently died between Tuesday and Wednesday, when they were found near piers 5 and 6.

The National Aquarium echoed the department, saying in a news release Wednesday that the fishkill was likely the result of pistachio and mahogany tides in recent days. The statement said that such tides have nothing to do with water quality, but are naturally occurring, often temperature-related seasonal phenomena which happen one-to-four times per year, lasting several days at a time, after which water quality improves.

Video courtesy the National Aquarium



The aquarium statement said that a pistachio tide  named for its pistachio green color  occurs during a thermal inversion, when cool temperatures cause surface waters to sink, pushing sulfur bacteria living on the bottom of the harbor to the surface. Once exposed to sunlight, the bacteria engage in anoxygenic photosynthesis  photosynthesizing without producing oxygen in the process, but actually using up what oxygen is there in the water.

The result is a greenpistachio greenalgal bloom which looks and smells odd while depriving aquatic animals of oxygen.

The aquarium also said the harbor has seen mahogany tides recently. Those are blooms of brown algae on warm, dry days that are fed by nitrogen and phosphorous runoff. The blooms can block sunlight while causing dissolved oxygen levels to plummet, starving aquatic animals of the oxygen they need to survive.

Aquarium staff have seen more animals than usual taking shelter recently in the new Harbor Wetlands exhibit, which is equipped with aerators that help oxygenate water in the exhibit. The animals started showing up in the exhibit after the recent pistachio and mahogany tides, the aquarium statement said.

The Department of the Environment said that the estimated 24,000 dead fish in the harbor were almost all Atlantic menhaden, but that several catfish, white perch and a couple of blue crabs were also seen in the fishkill.
CHICAGO  Shackled at the arms and legs and wearing an olive jumpsuit, the suspect accused of killing four people on a Chicago Transit Authority train this week grew wide-eyed after seeing nearly a dozen news reporters lined up in a small room in the basement of the Maywood courthouse.

Flanked by Cook County sheriffs deputies during the brief hearing that followed Wednesday, Rhanni Davis was ordered detained pending trial by a Cook County judge.

Davis, 30, said nothing in court, save being asked how Rhanni is pronounced, answering Ronny. Davis is facing first-degree murder charges in the fatal shootings of four people who were sleeping on a Blue Line train early Monday as it passed through the near west suburbs.

The facts alleged by the state are absolutely horrific and appalling, Judge Elizabeth Ciaccia-Lezza said in making her detention order. This defendant defines  defines  violent.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 27.

The hearing provided the clearest outline yet of Davis alleged movements the morning of the killings.

Assistant States Attorney Eugene Wood said Davis was captured on CTA surveillance video boarding a Red Line train at 3:50 a.m. Monday. About 40 minutes later Davis transferred to the Blue Line, boarding a train bound for Forest Park.

At 5:30 a.m., after the train exited the city limits, CTA surveillance footage showed Davis wearing the same clothing but also wearing a mask. Wood said Davis was seen walking up to three of the victims as they slept before fatally shooting them, and then went to another train car where he fatally shot the fourth victim.

After the shooting, Wood said, Davis boarded a Loop-bound Blue Line train and later transferred to the Pink Line. CPD officers, alerted to the shooting, took Davis into custody at the California Pink Line station about 7 a.m. Monday.

Five spent 9 mm bullet casings were found on the Blue Line after the shooting, Wood said.

Those bullets matched the gun Davis had when taken into custody and Davis hand tested positive for gunshot residue, authorities said.

Davis attorney, Assistant Public Defender Robert Fox, said Davis graduated from Chicago Vocational Career Academy and in recent years has worked in home health care and also as a security guard.

Leonard Nyamusevya had a missed call when he saw news of a mass shooting on Chicagos public transit earlier this week.

When he called the number back, authorities on the other end of the line wanted to know if he was related to Simeon Bihesi, 28, one of those killed.

When I gave them my information, they (said) that they are sorry, but they are going to tell me that my son passed away, Nyamusevya said.

Nyamusevya last spoke to his son about a month ago, he said. Bihesi had come to Chicago just weeks before the shooting.

Nyamusevya said Bihesi had come to Chicago to be closer to his mother, who lives in the suburbs. Nyamusevya said Bihesi, who aspired to be a police officer in Columbus, was helpful and made my heart happy.

Sometimes you are in the house, and you look out and that is Simeon, mowing the yard, he said. He did not wait for me to tell him to do things.

Nyamusevya had planned to get Bihesi shortly before the shooting so he could begin studying to be a police officer, but was waylaid at the last moment, he said.

Bihesi served in the U.S. Marine Corps for about six years, the military confirmed, and Nyamusevya said he began to struggle with his mental health after his discharge in 2022.

The Cook County medical examiners office identified two of the other victims as Margaret Miller, 64, though other court records listed her last name as Johnson; and Adrian Collins, 60. A fourth victim, a 52-year-old man, was not yet identified as of Wednesday afternoon

At a Tuesday night news conference to announce the charges against Davis, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx called the shootings a horrific, heinous, inexplicable act of violence.

Foxx did not, however, offer evidence of a motive in the case. Likewise, none was presented at the court hearing Wednesday.

There is an absolute urgent need to address safety in our communities, she said. Public transportation should be a safe space for everyone.

A review of Cook County court records showed Davis has faced financial hardship and housing instability while keeping steady contact with local police, including at least two arrests for illegal gun possession. But there was no history of gun violence in the records.

Records show Davis was charged with disorderly conduct after a round of looting and rioting in the downtown area in August 2020. Davis eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one day in jail.

Davis was arrested at a Metra train station parking lot in south suburban Blue Island in 2019 and charged with illegal possession of a firearm and having an open container. Davis was arrested again in 2021, and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, records show.

Davis filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and, four years later, faced an eviction lawsuit. Several addresses on the South Side and south suburbs, as well as one in Nashville, are listed in Davis various arrest reports.

_____

(Chicago Tribunes Megan Crepeau contributed to this story.)

____
Alleged Hezbollah financier expected to plead guilty in US sanctions case

A gavel and a block is pictured at the George Glazer Gallery antique store in this illustration picture taken in Manhattan, New York City

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A dual Lebanese-Belgian citizen accused by the United States of financing Lebanese armed group Hezbollah is expected to plead guilty in a criminal case charging him with sanctions evasion and money-laundering conspiracies.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said in a court filing on Thursday that lawyers for Mohammad Bazzi told them he wishes to change his plea. Bazzi, 60, pleaded not guilty last year to three felony counts, including attempting to transact with a sanctioned terrorist organization.

Bazzi's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Treasury Department placed Bazzi on its sanctions list in 2018 over his alleged ties to Hezbollah, which Washington considers a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors said Bazzi covertly sold real estate he owned in Michigan and transferred the funds abroad, in violation of those sanctions.

Bazzi was extradited to the United States in April 2023 from Romania, where he had been arrested two months prior.

Prosecutors and Bazzi's lawyers jointly asked U.S. District Judge Dora Irizarry to schedule a hearing later this month for Bazzi to change his plea.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Advocates of school choice, or using public funds to pay for private school, often call it the civil rights issue of our time.

Thats a special kind of gaslighting, not only because numerous studies have shown how little academic progress students make with school vouchers, but also because the school choice movement was actually born out of the horror that parents and politicians had toward the 1954 Brown v. Board decision that would end legal segregation in schools.

That resistance was bolstered by Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedmans book The Role of Government in Education, which objected to any government oversight of any kind, and first suggested some kind of tax code changes to subsidize private education.

It was this idea  what became school vouchers  that allowed segregationists to frame a racist response to the Courts desegregation orders as an issue of markets and what we would call today parental choice, writes Josh Cowen in his timely new book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers.

The book is a fascinating history of how the school choice movement began in segregation, then caught steam as a way to help poor and minority students in failing systems.

All seemed lost when a series of studies showed voucher programs were actually hurting students. But then, amidst the culture wars of the Trump administration, a, yes, vast right-wing conspiracy of conservative think tanks and soldier scholars began to entwine school choice with parental rights, leading to an explosion of states offering universal vouchers, which diverts state funding to families regardless of family income.

Its uncanny, Cowen says, that in nearly every state, studies show that 70 percent of voucher dollars go to families who already send their children to private school.

Cowens book is instructive for Kentucky because in just a couple of months we will be voting on Amendment 2, which would rewrite our state Constitution to erase language that explicitly forbids public school dollars from going to private schools. Cowen is a former Kentuckian  he spent five years as a public policy professor at the University of Kentuckys Martin School  and understands how harmful the amendment is to the states public schools.

Kentucky is particularly ill-suited to this kind of reform, Cowen, now at Michigan State University, told me recently in a phone interview, because most of its school districts are rural without many or any private schools in them.

But youre also talking about a constitutional amendment to do all this damage.

If Amendment 2 passes, it would be the first time school choice was successful on a statewide ballot. Its not clear what form of school choice the GOP supermajority in the General Assembly would choose; they tried to start a kind of educational savings account program before a constitutional challenge quickly shut it down in 2022.

TJ Roberts, a particularly extreme right winger from Northern Kentucky who will probably win the 66th House District in November recently tweeted he would introduce universal vouchers on Day One of the 2025 session, and there are no doubt many of his colleagues in favor of just that.

Vast right-wing conspiracy

But reading Cowens book might change minds.

He documents the many conservative think tanks  the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the Bradley Foundation, ALEC, the Council for National Policy  funded by true believers like Charles Koch and Betsy DeVos, a billionaire who served as Trumps Secretary of Education, who followed Friedmans theories that all public education was too much government oversight.

As Cowen writes: For some it was economic self-interest combined with libertarian market ideology; for others it was religious fundamentalism that animated their priorities.

Around 2017, a series of studies on vouchers programs in Washington, D.C., Indiana, Ohio and Louisiana repeatedly showed that vouchers were not helping student academics, and were doing the opposite.

The failure of school vouchers to improve outcomes for children who transferred to private schools once the voucher idea was scaled up to a statewide level in Louisiana or Indiana represented an existential threat to the voucher movement, Cowen writes.

Josh Cowen, professor of education policy at Michigan State University

Luckily for advocates, though, a series of culture wars ignited around the same time. Moms for Liberty and other group reinvigorated the parents rights movement with manufactured panic around critical race theory, LGBTQ issues, particularly trans students.

That the creation of an evidence base to support an ideological push for school vouchers is directly and inextricably tied to the effort to end reproductive rights, to anti-LGTBQ policies and book bans, to efforts to mute a race-conscious telling of American history, and to a final goal of undermining public education is a warning sign that something truly radical is taking place, Cowen writes.

Ohio, for example, recently expanded to universal vouchers and is now taking $2 billion out of the general fund to subsidize private schools, most of them religious. In Arizona, an early adopter of universal vouchers, the state is now facing a $1.4 billion shortfall thanks to vouchers, according to Propublica.

A Washington Post investigation found that 90 percent of private school vouchers across the country were going to religious schools. And ProPublica recently found that private schools in Ohio were urging parents to apply for vouchers to help their bottom line.

Cowen noted that any kind of voucher program would be concentrated in Jefferson and Fayette counties, where most private schools, particularly Catholic systems, are based. The rest of the state would simply feel the financial pinch and more and more public dollars leave public schools. Pop-up private schools, created to take advantage of vouchers, would soon disappear, as they have in other states.

To show how little vouchers would help regular folks, education advocate Andrew Brennen recently calculated that if Kentucky gave out the average voucher amount of Indiana and Ohio  around $5,000  it wouldnt make a dent in many private school tuitions, like Louisvilles St. Xavier, which charges $17,000 a year. Closer to home, Lexingtons Sayre School charges $28,500 a year for high school.

All eyes will be on Kentucky in November. Even Corey DeAngelis, a featured character in Cowens book, is now a known quantity here after he recently used Twitter or X to aggressively hassle the Pulaski County school system for posting information opposing Amendment 2.

DeAngelis has made clear, Cowen writes, that the voucher movement started winning when it stopped making statistical arguments about performance metrics and started making moral arguments about parental rights and the content of the curriculum.

What is Cowens policy prescription? Fund schools better. Kentucky went down its own radical path in 1990 when it decided to equitably and better fund its public schools through a unique formula that no longer depended on local property taxes.

But legislators from both parties didnt keep up with funding, leading to more inequality, and now many rural districts  which are many counties largest employers  sit on a financial razors edge, despite some recent increased funding from the GOP legislature.

It could get even worse. The Kentucky Center on Economic Policy recently concluded public schools could lose as much as $1.2 billion in funding and hundreds of jobs if Amendment 2 passes and vouchers are adopted.

Are public schools a public good or should education become a private enterprise? Kentuckians will have to decide.
American Airlines Is Adding 5 New Routes to Europe  See Where

The airline will also bring back new seasonal routes it started this summer.

Getty Images

American Airlines has several new flight options for travelers eager to see the Colosseum in Rome, or take in the Prados art collection in Madrid.

The carrier will add five new routes to Europe from four of its hubs next summer. Beginning on March 30, 2025, American will connect Chicago OHare to Madrid with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Then on May 23, it will link Philadelphia to both Edinburgh and Milan also with 787-8s. From June 5, American will launch flights from Charlotte to Athens, and then a month later from Miami to Rome both on Boeing 777-200s.

Tickets for the new routes, all of which will operate daily through summer 2025, are on sale from Sept. 9.

Were seeing a lot of success in these core markets, said Brian Znotins, senior vice president of network and schedule planning at American. Except for Edinburgh, the airline already serves Athens, Madrid, Milan, and Rome from its other U.S. hubs.

American last served Edinburgh in 2019 but dropped the route during the pandemic when it retired its fleet of Boeing 757 and 767s.

The new Madrid flight comes with the added benefit of connections to hundreds of flights throughout Europe offered by Americans partner Iberia. The Spanish airline serves 70 destinations in Europe from Madrid, including popular summer spots like Ibiza, Menorca, and Porto, according to Cirium Diio schedules.

The five new transatlantic routes come as American plans to return to Copenhagen, Naples, and Nice from Philadelphia next summer. Flights to the three cities launched this summer on a seasonal basis.

American will also extend its existing winter flight between Miami and Paris through the summer, and move up the start of summer flights between Dallas-Fort Worth and Barcelona, and Philadelphia and Athens to March 30 from June and May, respectively. Summer flights to Naples from Philadelphia will also start a month earlier than planned in May.

For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
FILE - Crime scene tape is seen surrounding the boarded-up schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pa., Wednesday Oct. 4, 2006 where a gunman killed several people on Monday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A woman who was severely injured when a gunman killed five girls and wounded her and four other girls during an attack on their one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania has died 18 years later, a funeral director said Thursday.

Rosanna S. King, 23, died at her home on Tuesday and a funeral is planned at her home in the farming community of Paradise on Friday, according to an obituary from Furman Home for Funerals in Leola. Funeral director Philip Furman confirmed Thursday she was among those shot at the West Nickel Mines Amish School in October 2006.

Charles Carl Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk truck driver, barricaded himself inside the schoolhouse and let boys and several adults go as he tied up 10 girls and shot them before taking his own life as police closed in.

Rosanna King, who belonged to an Old Order Amish Church community, was 6 years old at the time and had been considered the most severely injured survivor. She had been shot in the head and the attack left her unable to talk and needing a tube to be fed. She was dependent on others for personal care and mobility.

A year afterward, her family said in a statement she was able to recognize family members, smiled a lot and had limited physical movement. They said in 2007 that the hardest part has been to see her suffer.

She will be buried in the Bart Cemetery.

Roberts' mother, Terri Roberts, regularly visited Rosanna King, inspired by the forgiveness the Amish community expressed to her and her family after the attack.

In a 2013 interview, Rosanna's father, Christ King, said there were times when he asked himself if he had really forgiven the shooter.

We have a lot of work to do to live up to what we are bragged up to be, Christ King said back then. Everyone was talking about this forgiveness thing, and I felt that was putting a lot of weight on our shoulders to live up to that.

Roberts indicated in suicide notes left behind and during a last call with his wife that he had been tormented by unsubstantiated memories of having molested a couple of young relatives and by the death of his newborn daughter in 1997.

The schoolhouse was torn down 10 days after the killings and a new one was constructed nearby.

The Amish prioritize their deep Christian faith and family life, eschewing many modern conveniences. They wear traditional clothing and use horses and buggies for much of their transportation. They often speak a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch.

Rosanna King died the same week a 14-year-old Georgia student was charged with using an assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at his high school about an hour outside of Atlanta. There have been more than 600 mass killings in the United States since 2006.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A woman who was severely injured when a gunman killed five girls and wounded her and four other girls during an attack on their one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania has died 18 years later, a funeral director said Thursday.

Rosanna S. King, 23, died at her home on Tuesday and a funeral is planned at her home in the farming community of Paradise on Friday, according to an obituary from Furman Home for Funerals in Leola. Funeral director Philip Furman confirmed Thursday she was among those shot at the West Nickel Mines Amish School in October 2006.

Charles Carl Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk truck driver, barricaded himself inside the schoolhouse and let boys and several adults go as he tied up 10 girls and shot them before taking his own life as police closed in.

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to defrauding $2M from investors

Rosanna King, who belonged to an Old Order Amish Church community, was 6 years old at the time and had been considered the most severely injured survivor. She had been shot in the head and the attack left her unable to talk and needing a tube to be fed. She was dependent on others for personal care and mobility.

A year afterward, her family said in a statement she was able to recognize family members, smiled a lot and had limited physical movement. They said in 2007 that the hardest part has been to see her suffer.

She will be buried in the Bart Cemetery.

Roberts mother, Terri Roberts, regularly visited Rosanna King, inspired by the forgiveness the Amish community expressed to her and her family after the attack.

In a 2013 interview, Rosannas father, Christ King, said there were times when he asked himself if he had really forgiven the shooter.

We have a lot of work to do to live up to what we are bragged up to be, Christ King said back then. Everyone was talking about this forgiveness thing, and I felt that was putting a lot of weight on our shoulders to live up to that.

Roberts indicated in suicide notes left behind and during a last call with his wife that he had been tormented by unsubstantiated memories of having molested a couple of young relatives and by the death of his newborn daughter in 1997.

The schoolhouse was torn down 10 days after the killings and a new one was constructed nearby.

The Amish prioritize their deep Christian faith and family life, eschewing many modern conveniences. They wear traditional clothing and use horses and buggies for much of their transportation. They often speak a German dialect known as Pennsylvania Dutch.

Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters.

Rosanna King died the same week a 14-year-old Georgia student was charged with using an assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at his high school about an hour outside of Atlanta. There have been more than 600 mass killings in the United States since 2006.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attends a joint press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (not in the picture) in Amman, Jordan, on Sept. 5, 2024. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated on Thursday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be viewed as "a declaration of war," to which his country would respond accordingly. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

AMMAN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated on Thursday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be viewed as "a declaration of war," to which his country would respond accordingly.

The minister made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Safadi called on Germany to impose sanctions on Israel in light of its continued aggression against Palestinians.

Germany should take clear steps to impose sanctions on the Israeli government and officials who spread hatred, incite violence, justify the killing of innocent people, and escalate tensions in the region, he said.

He also affirmed that Jordan would not send its soldiers as part of an international force to the Gaza Strip, nor would it accept any approach that treats Gaza as a separate entity from the West Bank.

Safadi stressed that peace, security, and stability can only be achieved with a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of the conflict, referring to ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state.

For her part, Baerbock stressed the need for lasting peace in the region and expressed her "total rejection" of any attempt to destabilize the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

She also praised Jordan's significant efforts in alleviating the suffering of the people in Gaza, adding that her country has agreed to an aid agreement worth 5 million euros (5.55 million U.S. dollars) to support Jordan. 

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attends a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (not in the picture) in Amman, Jordan, on Sept. 5, 2024. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated on Thursday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be viewed as "a declaration of war," to which his country would respond accordingly. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (R) and visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attend a joint press conference in Amman, Jordan, on Sept. 5, 2024. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated on Thursday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be viewed as "a declaration of war," to which his country would respond accordingly. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (R) and visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attend a joint press conference in Amman, Jordan, on Sept. 5, 2024. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reiterated on Thursday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be viewed as "a declaration of war," to which his country would respond accordingly. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)
By Hyonhee Shin, John Geddie and David Brunnstrom

SEOUL/TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -When Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a final summit this week with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, he will be sending a signal of support not only to the neighbouring nation, but his would-be successors as well.

Prodded by U.S. President Joe Biden, the two leaders orchestrated an about-face in ties that had sunk to their lowest level in decades amid acrimonious diplomatic and trade disputes over Japan's occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

But the strength of their new partnership is set to be tested by Kishida's imminent departure and the prospect of a shake-up in the White House with November's presidential election.

"Prime Minister Kishida may have to show that what he did with President Yoon is the right direction and he expects whoever succeeds him to follow the current direction of the Japan-Korea relationship," said Tetsuo Kotani, a senior fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

As Kishida's response to Yoon's overtures had spurred pushback from Japan's political right, his successor could face pressure from conservatives to take a harder line, Kotani added.

"We know that in the past, that when Japan and Korea have found their way to rapprochement, political change has sometimes contributed to setback, or set the conditions for setback," a senior U.S. administration official said.

"So while... our confidence is high in the future of our relationship with Japan and all of our multilateral engagements, Kishidas step here is really important," added the official, who sought anonymity in discussing diplomatic matters.

While few major announcements are expected from the summit, officials said they saw Kishida's final visit to Seoul as crucial to U.S. efforts to present a unified front against challenges from neighbouring North Korea and China.

Kishida's visit is not just a signal of support and thanks to Yoon, but also a message to the Japanese government and prime ministerial candidates that the partnership has to be a lasting part of Tokyo's foreign policy, the U.S. official added.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will hold elections on Sept 27 to choose Kishida's successor.

Last year U.S. President Joe Biden invited Yoon and Kishida to Camp David where the three leaders committed to deepen military and economic co-operation.

They also delivered their strongest joint condemnation yet of "dangerous and aggressive behaviour" by China in the disputed busy waterway of the South China Sea.

The Camp David initiatives were explicitly designed to prompt long-term partnership so that "no one of us would have an incentive to pull away from that deeper co-operation if political change did happen," the U.S. official said.

Yoon has said the partnership will remain effective in part because of the diplomatic pacts both sides had adopted.

"There could always be some anxiety about the new prime minister, especially given the personal synergy between the two leaders," said a senior South Korean government official who sought anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.

"But the fundamentals of relations wont change, and Kishidas visit will reaffirm the significance of having good relations with Korea and could send a message to the incoming leader, whoever that might be."

'STRONG REQUEST'

Kishida made a "strong request" to see Yoon a final time before he leaves office, the South Korean official said.

The summit is expected to yield a memorandum of understanding on evacuating civilians from each other's countries during emergencies in third countries, he added.

The South Koreans hope for conciliatory comments from Kishida about Koreans forced to work for Japan during its occupation, but even without these the visit could help to keep "shuttle diplomacy" on track, he said.

Tokyo wants to broaden ties to reach a "more dynamic phase", a Japanese foreign ministry official told a briefing, without elaborating.

Yoon's moves have not always been popular at home, where many believe Japan has not done enough to atone for its occupation, which included forced labour and other abuses.

Japan says the issues were resolved by a treaty that normalised relations in 1965, but some South Korean governments and court rulings have disputed that.

"From Japan's point of view, the concern is about the continuity of South Korea's foreign policy after the change of the current government in Seoul," said Kim Hyoung-zhin, the South's former ambassador to the European Union and NATO.

"You can say the same for Korea about the changes of government in Tokyo."

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, David Brunnstrom in Washington, and John Geddie in Tokyo; Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Josh Smith in Seoul; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
New analysis reveals concerning health risk affecting nearly half a billion children worldwide: 'We must act now'

Nearly half a billion children are experiencing at least twice as many extremely hot days as their grandparents experienced. A new analysis highlights the risks from heat for this vulnerable group.

What's happening?

UNICEF compared the number of extremely hot days in the 1960s to the 2020-24 average and found that 466 million children live in areas that now experience at least double the number of extremely hot days (hotter than 95 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to six decades ago.

"This new UNICEF analysis issues a stark warning about the speed and scale at which extremely hot days are affecting children. It urgently calls on governments to seize the precious opportunity to act and get temperature rises under control," said David Knaute, a UNICEF regional climate specialist, per the Guardian.

"Unlike adults, their bodies heat up faster, they sweat less efficiently and they cool down more slowly. When their small bodies are not able to regulate the heat, it leads to heat stress, and they are more likely to suffer from heatstroke or die. There is still hope for the future, but we must act now. Later is too late."

The highest exposure to extreme heat was found in West and Central Africa, where 123 million children live for more than one-third of the year in temperatures hotter than 95 degrees. The analysis also noted that 36 million children in the United States are now exposed to double the number of heat waves as there were 60 years ago.

Why is children's exposure to extreme heat important?

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that heat-related deaths in the U.S. have risen by 117% between 1999 and 2023. During that period, the study reports that more than 21,500 people died as a result of extreme heat. Record-breaking heat has continued in 2024. Extreme heat in our warming world hits susceptible groups such as children the hardest.

"The impact of climate-related hazards on child health is multiplied by how climate-related hazards affect food and water security and contamination, damage infrastructure, disrupt services for children, including education, and drive displacement," according to a UNICEF report.

What's being done about the increase of extremely hot days?

The UNICEF analysis suggests actions including reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases, adapting essential social services to our changing climate, and empowering children with the skills and education to become champions for our environment.

We can all be champions for our environment. Exploring climate issues and educating ourselves about greenwashing are important steps. Voting to put people who will take action on the climate in office is also essential.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday appointed former ambassador Andrii Sybiha to succeed Dmytro Kuleba as foreign minister with 258 voting in favour, well above the 226 required, Ukrainian media reported.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had nominated Sybiha after Kuleba tendered his resignation on Wednesday amid a wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle.

The 49-year-old diplomat, who was previously Kuleba's deputy, is expected to devote much of his time to seeking increased Western support in warding off the Russian invasion.

Before that he served as deputy head under Andriy Yermak of President Zelensky's office until April this year, working in the international section.

Sybiha served as Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey from 2016 to 2021. He joined the diplomatic service in 1997 following his studies in international relations.

Media reports said Kuleba would take up a newly created post for Ukraine's integration into NATO.

According to a report by Ukraine's national public broadcaster, Zelensky had accused him during a party meeting of unsatisfactory efforts to secure arms deliveries.

Reports in Kiev said around half of all ministerial posts would be affected by the Cabinet overhaul, with portfolio responsibilities also changed.

Zelensky has justified the reshuffle on the need for a fresh start. "We need new energy today," he said.

His opponents have characterized the changes as cosmetic and aimed at distracting attention from failures on the frontline. Energy supply problems resulting from Russian attack are also causing frustration among the population.
In a major government reshuffle, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was replaced on Sept. 5 by his deputy, Andrii Sybiha.

Sybiha's candidacy was backed by 258 members of the Ukrainian parliament.

Although reports of a possible government reshuffle emerged several months ago, for many Ukrainian and international observers, the news of Kuleba's resignation came as a surprise.

The ousted foreign minister has not commented on his resignation, and the Ukrainian political leadership has not officially elaborated on the reasons for his replacement.

For Kuleba's successor, career diplomat Sybiha, leading Ukraine's foreign service is a new yet not completely unknown task.

Andrii Sybiha speaks during an interview in Kyiv, Ukraine on Aug. 20, 2022. (Vitalii Nosach /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Avoiding the public eye, Sybiha was leading diplomatic efforts in the President's Office, that slowly but surely overtook the Foreign Ministry as the key institution dealing with the country's foreign affairs.

After being appointed as Kuleba's deputy in April, people in power who spoke with the Kyiv Independent on conditions of anonymity, said back then that it was a matter of time that Sybiha would get the top job.

Wartime diplomat

Sybiha was born in 1975 in the town of Zboriv in Ukraine's western Ternopil Oblast.

He started his career in 1997 as an attache and secretary of the Foreign Ministry. Sybiha graduated from the Ivan Franko University of Lviv with a degree in international relations the same year, and later obtained a law degree.

Over the next few years, Sybiha held several positions at the Foreign Ministry. Since 2008, he has been Minister Counselor at Ukraine's Embassy in Poland, and four years later, he was appointed director of the consular service department at the Foreign Ministry.

In 2016, Sybiha was sent to Turkey as Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara.

After five years in office, Sybiha was dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, following a "planned rotation." Soon, he returned to Kyiv to join Zelensky's team as the deputy head of the President's Office, led by Andrii Yermak.

Sybiha was in charge of foreign policy, a job that became critical following the start of Russia's all-out war.

As Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the President's Office took over much of the Foreign Ministry's tasks, sometimes creating backdoors to established long-standing diplomatic channels.

Members of the Ukrainian delegation, including diplomatic advisor Igor Zhovkva (L) and deputy head of the presidential office Andrii Sybiha (R), listen to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking to the media following talks at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany on May 14, 2023. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Sybiha was among the first to announce that Ukraine signed an application to join the European Union four days after the start of the full-scale war.

Among them was the signing of Ukraine's EU membership application, a historic step days after the start of the all-out war.

Sybiha's main task was to assist Yermak, his direct supervisor and the president, holding meetings with foreign diplomats and officials, and being at Zelensky's side during phone conversations with Western leaders.

Expectations

Speaking in parliament on Sept. 5, Sybiha outlined his main priorities for his new job. He said that making sure Ukraine receives the weapons it needs will be his top priority while in office.

His appointment came at a time when Kyiv continues to call on Western countries to allow the use of certain Western-supplied long-range weapons against targets on Russian soil. Key partners, such as the U.S. and the U.K., have partially lifted the ban.

In addition, Sybiha's predecessor in office, Kuleba, said that some promised Patriot air defense systems have not yet been delivered.

"I don't think he (Sybiha) can be better (than Kuleba). He may be new or different," Ukrainian political observer Mykola Davydiuk told the Kyiv Independent. Given Sybiha's close ties to Yermak, Davydiuk also suggests that the President's Office could have seen more "loyalty" in his candidacy.

"I don't think he (Sybiha) can be better (than Kuleba). He may be new or different."

Hanna Hopko, former lawmaker, co-founder of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory, and head of the Ants think tank, echoes Davydiuk's claims, saying that it is important to preserve the Foreign Ministry's independence.

"The issue is not about changing the names of diplomats. The question is about the system that should allow the minister, having those powers, to work effectively, and not be part (a presidential) structure," she told the Kyiv Independent.

Yet, both speakers agree that coordination is needed in times of war.

"War is a team sport," Davydiuk said, and everyone should work together no matter if they like the new appointment or not.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Another loss for Labrador means another victory for the people of Idaho | Opinion

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador suffered yet another defeat in court, this time in his effort to prevent voters from deciding how they want to elect political leaders.

His loss is a victory for the people of Idaho.

For someone who vowed to be the attorney for the people, he sure has been working hard against them.

Hes done just about everything he can think of to keep the open primaries, ranked choice voting initiative off the ballot, after publicly declaring his opposition to it by tweeting, Lets defeat these bad ideas coming from liberal outside groups.

He failed before the Idaho Supreme Court, which told him that his petition to the court fundamentally misapprehends its role. His claim that the initiative contains two subjects, a violation of the constitutional requirement of a single subject on all legislation, was premature because the initiative hasnt even passed yet.

His office was told that his accusation of fraud must first be addressed in district court, so he did that, arguing that signature gatherers duped voters into signing the petition to get it on the ballot by misleading them about the nature of the initiative.

Labrador asked the court to throw out all of the signatures and nullify the initiative. The petition was signed by nearly 75,000 people.

But 4th District Judge Patrick Miller wasnt having it.

The court finds the attorney general has not met his burden on summary judgment to establish a violation to the extent this court has the authority to declare all signatures invalid, Miller wrote in his decision released Thursday, adding that there is very little evidence, even interpreted most favorably to the attorney general, that the defendants were misleading.

Labrador lost immediately on summary judgment, where the judge is asking: If I construe all the evidence in the best possible light for Labrador, could he have a case?

The answer was no.

Even worse, the judge pointed out that Labrador hurt his own case, noting that while the Idaho Attorney Generals Office tried to argue that the initiatives website and petition were misleading, they contained accurate descriptions and language approved by the Idaho Supreme Court.

The evidence the attorney general submits actually negates the idea that the defendants perpetrated false statements to thousands of persons who actually signed a petition, Miller wrote.

At this point, can we just move on?

Can we start debating the actual merits of the initiative, its impacts, its benefits and its drawbacks?

Again, this editorial board is not yet prepared to weigh in on the initiative itself, with a recommendation one way or the other.

However, we do believe that Idaho voters  not the attorney general, who once again was serving himself and not the people  should decide the matter.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members Greg Lanting, Terri Schorzman and Garry Wenske.
Another plane linked to Venezuelas Maduro is under investigation in the Dominican Republic

A second plane linked to Venezuelan strongman President Nicolas Maduro is being investigated in the Dominican Republic, a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN.

This second plane, a Dassault Falcon 2000 registration number YV3360, is similar to the aircraft seized by authorities in the United States on Monday, and it appears on a US Treasury list of sanctioned goods belonging to Maduro.

Both planes were sent to Santo Domingo for maintenance in recent months, the source told CNN.

The plane seized by US authorities on Monday had been described by officials as Venezuelas equivalent to Air Force One and was pictured in previous state visits by Maduro around the world.

It was seized after determining that its acquisition was in violation of US sanctions, among other criminal issues. The US flew the aircraft to Florida on Monday, according to two US officials.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolas Maduro and his cronies.

The Venezuelan government described the first Falcons seizure as piracy in a statement on Monday, and accused Washington of escalating aggression toward Maduros government following a contested presidential election this July.

The Dominican Republics President, Luis Abinader, said the plane seized Monday was not registered under the name of the Venezuelan government but rather under the name of an individual.

The countrys Attorney Generals Office received an order last May from a national court to immobilize the plane, according to the Dominican Republics foreign minister, Roberto Alvarez. The US had requested it be immobilized so they could search it for evidence and objects linked to fraud activities, smuggling of goods for illicit activities and money laundering, he said.

Mondays seizure in the Dominican Republic marked an escalation as the US continues to investigate what it regards as corrupt practices by Venezuelas government.

This sends a message all the way up to the top, one of the US officials told CNN. Seizing the foreign head of states plane is unheard-of for criminal matters. Were sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions.

It also comes as the US recently placed pressure on the Venezuelan government to immediately release specific data regarding its presidential election, citing concerns about the credibility of Maduros claimed victory in the recent presidential election.

Venezuelas opposition has published more than 80% of tallies printed and collected from voting machines across the country. Though partial, the documentation appears to show that the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia actually won the vote, several experts told CNN.

Previous reporting contributed by CNNs Priscilla Alvarez.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Christian Griffiths left his position at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, marking the latest in at least five high-level departures from the agency. (Photo credit: LDEQ)

A top official at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has transferred out of the agency, marking the latest of at least five high-level departures from what current and former employees have described as a toxic workplace under Secretary Aurelia Giacometto.

Undersecretary Christian Griffiths packed up his personal effects and walked out of the office last week, apparently without notice, according to current and former employees with knowledge of the situation. LDEQs communications office confirmed Griffiths transfer to the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP).

We are blessed to have many talented individuals at LDEQ, the agency wrote in an emailed statement. We realize there will always be a need for dedicated public servants, and therefore are supportive when new opportunities arise for their growth and development. We thank Christian Griffiths for his service to this great State, and wish him the best of luck in his new role at GOHSEP.

Griffiths, who could not be reached for comment, is the second undersecretary and the fifth high-ranking executive to depart LDEQ in the nearly eight months since Giacometto was put in charge of the agency. His exit comes as the state Legislative Auditors Office investigates the workplace culture under Giacometto.

Griffiths had previously applied for a position with GOSHEP when Landry first took office, The Times-Picayune|The Advocate reported Wednesday. He and GOSHEP director Jacques Thibodeaux had crossed paths during their time with the Louisiana National Guard.

Giacometto, a former Donald Trump administration official appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry, has come under scrutiny for her management style and questionable use of taxpayer money on out-of-state trips.

When Giacomettos chief of staff, Stacey Holley, resigned in June, the governor told The Advocate the string of resignations was a symptom of bureaucratic resistance to his secretarys mandate for pro-business changes.

Its unclear if Landry still holds that view now that the agencys foremost business executive has also left. The governors office declined to comment on the matter Wednesday afternoon.

Griffiths managed LDEQs Office of Management and Finance. He previously served as a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Army and Louisiana National Guard. His biography on LDEQs website lists him as an alumnus of Jesuit High School and the University of New Orleans.

Aside from Griffiths and Holley, other resignations include former LDEQ Undersecretary Chandra Pidgeon, who left in March after a few short weeks of being hired, complaining of Giacomettos harassment of staff. Chief of Staff Justin Crossie and Communications Director Meagan Molter also left the department.

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Dear Spartans,

Its been a busy start to the academic year, and we want to thank the many people across our campus working so hard to make every Spartan feel welcome and, above all, safe. This is a big, wonderful community, and we all belong here.

We know how much potential this fall semester holds for us all, which is why we want to take a moment to reaffirm some of our universitys core values. Our individual integrity and collective empathy are what make us Spartan strong.

In addition to our values, we want to reinforce last months message on civil discourse, including an expectation of treating each other with respect, civility and dignity and fostering a positive and respectful environment in which we can all thrive.

Sadly, the strong bonds that bind us were tested this past weekend by instances of antisemitism, anti-Black racism and homophobia through hateful expression and actions in two of our residence halls and nearby grounds. These incidents were promptly reported to the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety and the Office for Civil Rights and related student conduct processes. Those found responsible through our ongoing investigation will be held accountable and disciplined. We expect better from those who are offered the privilege of joining our community of scholars.

Incidents like these are unacceptable, and we denounce discrimination and harassment of any kind. Every Spartan is a unique and valued member of our community, representing different cultures and backgrounds, and the university is stronger for it.

As university staff respond to these incidents and those affected, we want to share important resources available to our university community. A comprehensive student resource page includes information and links for reporting incidents of discrimination and harassment, relationship violence and sexual misconduct and crime.

We also want to share helpful information about understanding and reporting a hostile environment and MSUs anti-discrimination process. Additional information will be forthcoming this week in a notice of non-discrimination.

As we continue the fall semester, let us remember that words have impact, and hateful rhetoric based on personal identity can create a hostile environment corroding our campus climate. Thats why we must continue to foster an inclusive, collaborative community in which the rich backgrounds and experiences of all Spartans are appreciated as a force for good. To forge a better tomorrow, lets begin by recognizing our common humanity and the inherent dignity in each other, building shared trust and mutual respect.



Sincerely,

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.

President



Vennie Gore (he/him)

Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement



Jabbar R. Bennett, Ph.D. (he/him)

Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer



Laura Rugless (she/her)

Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator
The FBI confirmed on Wednesday that the suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting, which killed four people in Winder, Georgia, had been on its radar since 2023 after several anonymous tips.

In May 2023, the FBI received several tips about online threats made about committing a school shooting at an unidentified place and time, the federal agency wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, adding that the threats included photos of guns.

After the FBI identified that the threats were coming from Georgia, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office identified a 13-year-old boy as a possible suspect. In an interview with him and his father, the sheriffs office learned that there were guns in their home for hunting but that the suspect in the threats did not have unsupervised access to them.

The teen denied making the online threats, but local schools were alerted about the threats so that the situation could be monitored.

At that time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state and federal level, the FBI wrote in its statement.

The now 14-year-old is accused of being the gunman Wednesday at Apalachee High, killing two students and two teachers and leaving nine hospitalized. There is no apparent relationship between the suspect and the victims.

The suspect, in custody after surrendering to a school resource officer, is expected to face murder charges, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations told reporters at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

It remains unclear how the school shooter obtained firearms.

Related...
BRASILIA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) agreed Thursday to hear two lawsuits that question the decision to suspend social media platform X in Brazil after the company refused to comply with a judicial order.

STF Judge Kassio Nunes Marques issued the decision, saying that the nationwide ban on the platform was a sensitive matter that should not be decided by a single judge but by a plenary session of the court comprising 11 justices.

According to Marques, there was constitutional controversy surrounding the case that could have "repercussions for public and social order."

The Aug. 30 decision to suspend X in Brazil was made by STF Judge Alexandre de Moraes, following the company's refusal to appoint a legal representative in the country to hear concerns about disinformation campaigns and content moderation. De Moraes' decision was unanimously ratified Monday by the court's five-member First Chamber.

The First Chamber ruled the ban would remain in place until the platform complies with the court order and imposed fines amounting to some 3.2 million U.S. dollars on the company for flouting the order.

Rather than complying with the court's decisions, X owner Elon Musk has decided to close the company's office in Brazil.

The social media site's suspension has been gradually implemented by Brazilian telecommunications operators, with X content not being updated for the majority of Brazilian users.

One of the lawsuits against the ban was brought by the Brazilian Bar Association. 
Apalachee High School Shooting: Woman Says Father Was One of Teachers Shot, 'So Lucky' He Survived

The four victims killed were identified Wednesday evening

CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Law enforcement and first responders control traffic after a shooting took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4

One of the surviving victims of the mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., has been identified by his daughter.

David Phenix, a special education math teacher, was identified by his daughter, Katie Phenix, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The Barrow County School District website lists David as working in "curriculum assistance."

We are so thankful for all the texts, calls, and messages about my dad, David Phenix, Katie wrote before noting that he was shot in the foot and in the hip, shattering his hip bone.

He arrived to the hospital alert and awake. He just got out of surgery and is stable, she added. We will update as we hear new information. We are so, so lucky, but please keep our family as well as the AHS family in your prayers. .

AP Photo/Jeff Amy Law enforcement arrive as students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

Eight other wounded were hospitalized and their identities have not been revealed.

Four people were fatally shot, including two students and two math teachers. On Wednesday night, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations identified the students as Christian Angulo and Mason Shermerhorn, both 14. The slain teachers were identified as Richard Aspinwall, 39 and Christina Irimie, 54.

The suspected shooter was identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the high school. Gray allegedly wounded more than 30 people.

Authorities said the shooting was reported at 10:23 a.m. on Sept. 4 at the Winder school. Winder is about 50 miles outside Atlanta.

Related: Victims of Georgia School Shooting Were 2 Students, 2 Teachers; Teen Suspect Will Be Charged as Adult

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith called the shooting "pure evil" at a press conference held alongside Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey and other officials.

Smith said that the suspect gave up his weapon after being engaged by a school resource officer and was taken into custody. The suspect has been interviewed by law enforcement and will be charged as an adult, authorities say, adding that the weapon allegedly used was an automatic rifle.

The school was reportedly put on lockdown in the aftermath of the shooting. School Superintendent Dallas LeDuff said schools in the district will remain closed for the rest of the week.

CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Law enforcement and first responders respond to Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, after a shooting was reported. Police took a suspect into custody after the shooting on Wednesday, with students evacuated from the scene and local media reporting fatalities. CNN, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that four people had been killed and 30 wounded. Other outlets reported two deaths.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he has directed all available state resources to the school.

President Joe Biden said in a statement shared by the White House Wednesday afternoon that he is "mourning the deaths" of those killed in the shooting and that he is "thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed."

"What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write," the president said. "We cannot continue to accept this as normal."

Related: Suspect in Georgia School Shooting ID'd as 14-Year-Old Student

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Vice President Kamala Harris also made a statement during a public speech on Wednesday, calling the prevalence of gun violence in American schools "outrageous."

"This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies," Harris said. "We have to stop it. we have to end this epidemic of gun violence once and for all. You know, it doesn't have to be this way. It doesn't have to be this way at all."



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Read the original article on People.
I saw a deceased body on the floor ... and a female with a shot wound to her leg," one student recalled

TODAY/X Student Ariel Bowling and her mother Tabitha Bowling on 'Today'

Students who were present during the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., in which two students and two teachers were killed and dozens of others were injured, have recounted the frightening moments leading up to the event and the aftermath.

High school student Ariel Bowling shared on the Today show that she and a friend had been heading to the hallway to a vending machine when shots rang out on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Then there was a rush to get to safety.

... We ran back into the room and we piled up on top of each other in the corner, Ariel recalled. Her mother Tabitha Bowling said that her daughter had called her shortly after and told her, Mom theres an active shooting at school.

I told her to run in the classroom and hide in the corner and just be quiet and just do what they tell you to do. At that time I heard five gunshots and then the phone went dead, so I didnt know if she was hurt ... I was very scared," Tabitha said, adding that her daughter has told her she's "never coming back" to the school following the incident.

Ariel Bowling, a sophomore at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., was at school when a 14-year-old boy shot and killed two students and two teachers on Wednesday. She joins us with her mother, Tabitha, to share how shes grieving. pic.twitter.com/TLmTKpKI5a  TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 5, 2024

Related: Victims of Georgia School Shooting Were 2 Students, 2 Teachers; Teen Suspect Will Be Charged as Adult

After the students were given the all-clear to leave the classroom, Ariel said she finally saw how bad the incident had been. I saw a deceased body on the floor, but it was covered up. And I saw a female with a shot wound to her leg. And it was just like, a really traumatic experience, she said, adding that "you're basically never safe anywhere."

Ariel said that her math teacher had been one of the people who died in the shooting, and remembered him as a really kind-hearted man who was just really hard-working.

She wasnt the only student who lost a teacher. Isaac Sanguma told CBS Mornings that his algebra teacher, Ms. Irmie, who he described as someone who was really nice and made students feel welcome, had been one of the victims in the shooting. He said he had seen her that same morning and she had asked him if he was okay after he had gotten sick the day prior.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

I didnt know that was going to be my last time seeing her and talking to her, he shared. It just, it [doesnt] feel real. I cant believe my teacher, someone I see every day [is gone].

On Wednesday night, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations identified the students as Christian Angulo and Mason Shermerhorn, both 14. The slain teachers were identified as Richard Aspinwall, 39 and Christina Irimie, 54. The Bureau added that the 9 others who were injured were taken to various hospitals.

Sanguma said he had been walking the halls when he believes the shooting occurred. He recounted that he had gone to the restroom during class at around 10:20 a.m. and when he was heading back, he thought he heard a boom boom.

It didnt feel real: Isaac Sanguma was walking back to class at the time of the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday.



He told @GayleKing about his algebra teacher, Christina Irimie, who was killed in the shooting: She made you feel welcomed. pic.twitter.com/6mlw81mysP  CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 5, 2024

Related: Apalachee High School Shooting: Woman Says Father Was One of Teachers Shot, 'So Lucky' He Survived

My instinct was just to run back to class because Id seen, like, red sirens, red lights in the ceiling and stuff like that. So, I just run back to class and I see my teacher and other teachers [and] getting the kids to get into the classroom. And I just  it didnt feel real.

Authorities said the shooting was reported at 10:23 a.m. on Sept. 4 at the Winder school. The suspected shooter was identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the high school. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, Gray was arrested and charged with murder following the shooting.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said that the suspect gave up his weapon after being engaged by a school resource officer and was taken into custody. Authorities said he was interviewed by law enforcement and will be charged as an adult, adding that the weapon allegedly used was an automatic rifle.

The school was reportedly put on lockdown in the aftermath of the shooting. School Superintendent Dallas LeDuff said schools in the district will remain closed for the rest of the week.



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Read the original article on People.
JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV)FBI Atlanta and Jackson County Sheriffs Office (JCSO) released a joint statement about their response in May 2023 to tips of threats of a school shooting from the 14-year-old arrested for the Apalachee High shooting on Wednesday.

The statement from FBI Atlanta and JCSO said that in May 2023, the FBIs National Threat Operations Center received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time. They said that the online threats contained photographs of guns.

SCCPSS: No threat to local schools but security heightened following Apalachee shooting

The FBI said that within 24 hours, they determined the online post originated in Georgia and the FBIs Atlanta Field Office referred the information to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office for action. The Jackson County Sheriffs Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father.

The 13-year-old male was Colt Gray, the now 14-year-old who has been arrested following the deaths of four people, FBI Atlanta confirmed.

The statement said that Grays father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but that Gray did not have unsupervised access to them and that the subject denied making the threats online.

The statement said that they alerted local schools for continued monitoring of Gray.

At that time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels, the statement 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 WSAV-TV.
Members of the Conservative Political Action Conference recently announced the group intends to monitor ballot drop boxes in November in order to identify supposed illegal voters. State officials told TPM that the initiative, which was outlined to both the Democratic Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and the state Attorney General Kris Mayes in a letter last month, is merely another effort to cast doubt on the safety and integrity of the election system  and intimidate voters in the process.

In the letter, CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp and Vice Chairman Bill Walton claimed they want to address skepticism following the rapid implementation of drop boxes around the country during the COVID pandemic, by placing monitors, who they say may have photographic or video equipment on hand, near drop boxes in certain Arizona counties.

Schlapp and Walton, who asserted that the purpose of monitoring drop boxes would actually be to encouragenot discouragevoting, asked to discuss the matter with Fontes and Mayes, according to the letter. The request, of course, sidesteps the fact that there are remarkably low numbers of fraudulent ballots cast via drop boxes in any given election, as multiple experts told TPM. And as we witnessed in 2020, ballot drop box monitoring does little besides create an environment of intimidation around voting, which can stop eligible voters from participating.

Its adding fuel to a fire and potentially creating dangerous situations where the problem that theyre trying to fix isnt a problem, Mark Kokanovich, former federal prosecutor and attorney at the Arizona-based Ballard Spahr, explained to TPM. Theyre trying to fix something thats not broken, and by doing it, theyre creating a lot of serious problems.

I think this is part of a more coordinated effort to attempt to establish ground rules on their termson CPACs termsabout how this can be done in a way that perhaps can fulfill CPACs goals without leading to lawsuits or other behavior that could potentially limit the monitoring of drop boxes, election integrity consultant David Levine told TPM in an interview.

The letter has been met with pushback from state officials. In an email to TPM, JP Martin, a spokesperson for Fontes, said that the secretary of state has serious concerns about CPACs plan to monitor drop boxes.

Their claim is that this effort will bolster trust and accountability in our elections process, Martin said. However,  their true intentions, similar to an arsonist calling the fire departmenta poignant metaphor for a group that has previously sown seeds of distrust now portraying themselves as guardians of election integrity.

And similarly, Mayes, in a statement to TPM, said that she finds it ironic that an organization like CPAC, which has spent the last four years sowing chaos and fueling misinformation about Arizonas elections, now claims to be committed to instilling confidence in those very same elections.

I am more than happy to work with good faith actors to share the indisputable fact that Arizonas elections have been conducted fairly and honestly without any evidence of widespread fraud, the attorney general added.

This initiative also ignores the fact that there are safeguards in place to protect fraudulent votes from being cast. For example, as Kokanovich pointed out, voters in Arizona will be notified when their ballot has been received and counted, and that includes early ballots.

State officials disinterest in the CPAC initiative and the states safeguards against fraudulent voting likely wont stop Schlapp and Walton from attempting to carry out the scheme, Levine told TPM.

I doubt that CPAC, even though they didnt get the initial response that they wanted, I doubt that this is the end of it, he said.

Ballot drop box monitoring also serves as an outlet for the proliferation of right-wing conspiracy theories, like the 2020 version of ballot mules and the big area of fixation for Republicans this campaign cycle: the myth of non-citizens voting.

It is just feeding the narrative that there are lots of people who arent citizens who are voting thats demonstrably false, Kokanovich added.
Arkansas to get more than $32 million in federal grant to improve roads, Little Rock awarded $25 million

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas is receiving more than $32 million in federal funding to make improvements to roadways across the state.

Officials with the United States Department of Transportation announced Thursday that Arkansas will receive $32,375,304 in grant money as part of the $1 billion that was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by the Biden administration.

Study: Arkansas roads ranked among worst in US

The Safe Streets and Roads for All program provides grant money for communities to plan and implement projects for combating road fatalities.

Todays roadway safety grants will deliver funding directly to 354 communities and continue the important work were doing to reduce traffic fatalities to the only number thats acceptable: zero, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

Two Arkansas highways among most-hated in America

The city of Little Rock was awarded $25 million for the Little Rock Safe Streets for All project to make improvements to roadways. The project will look to implement safety measures, including bicycle lanes, roundabouts and lighting enhancements, USDOT officials said.

The city of Springdale was awarded more than $5 million for the Deans Trail Phase IIIB project to complete the Deans Trail, which officials said would separate pedestrians and cyclists from traffic.

Arkansas gets $2M from US DOT for local safe road projects

USDOT officials said that more than $2 million will be granted for seven other safety planning and demonstration projects around Arkansas.

For a full list of the projects receiving grants, head to Transportation.gov.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
The left side of the Carlisle Main Post Cemetery after last summers disinterments concluded. While 32 children have gone home in the last seven years, more than 160 are still waiting. (Photo/Jenna Kunze)

This week, the U.S. Office of Army Cemeteries began its annual process of disinterring, identifying, and returning the remains of eleven Native American children who died more than a century ago at a government-run Indian boarding school in Pennsylvania home to their closest living relatives.

Those former students include William Norkok from the Eastern Shoshone Tribe; Almeda Heavy Hair, Bishop L. Shield, and John Bull from the Gros Ventre Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian Community; Fanny Chargingshield, James Cornman, and Samuel Flying Horse from the Oglala Sioux Tribe; Albert Mekko from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and Alfred Charko and Kati Rosskidwits from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. One additional tribal nation receiving their relative's remains wishes to remain anonymous, according to a spokesperson from the Office of Army Cemeteries.

The students are among nearly 200 who died and were buried in the governments care between 1880 and 1910 while attending the nations flagship Indian boarding school, Carlisle Indian Industrial School, in Carlisle, Penn.

Over the last seven years, the Army has returned 32 childrens remains back to their relatives. Each project was conducted over about a month-long period during the summer by a team of professionals from the Army Corps of Engineers Center of Expertise for Curation. The team worked with tribal nations to carry out the process of exhuming and identifying each childs remains. The Army confirmed to NNO that it will be disinterring and returning an additional 18 children in 2025. This disinterment project began on September 3, 2024, and will end on October 14, according to the Office of Army Cemeteries.

In 1879, the Armys Carlisle Barracks became the site of the nations first government-run Indian boarding school. Operating under the motto of kill the Indian, save the man, school administrators tried to forcibly assimilate 7,800 Native American children from more than 140 tribal nations through a mix of Western-style education and hard labor.

Before it closed and the property was transferred to the Army in 1918, the school buried the bodies of at least 194 Indigenous children in the school cemetery, including 14 who are marked with unknown grave markers.

Many students deaths were announced in the local newspaper at the time, noting causes of death as that dread disease, consumption or tuberculosis or detailing circumstances of unknown sickness.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
The arrest of a former aide to NY governors highlights efforts to root out Chinese agents in the US

Former New York Governor Kathy Hochul aide Linda Sun leaves Brooklyn Federal Court after her arraignment, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)

NEW YORK (AP)  A secret Chinese police station hiding in plain sight in New York City. Clandestine efforts by Communist Party operatives to spy on and bully Chinese expatriates. And now, charges that a former aide to two New York governors was secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government.

The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a wave of prosecutions in recent years aimed at rooting out covert agents advancing Beijings interests on American soil.

In Brooklyn alone, federal prosecutors in the last four years have brought at least a dozen such criminal cases against more than 90 people  the latest being Tuesday's arrest of Linda Sun, who once served as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul and was earlier an aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The charges against Sun are the most startling example yet of a threat U.S. officials have warned about for years: Chinas determination to influence American policy and cultivate relationships with political figures seen as having access to the levers of power, even if only at a local level.

While the public might think of foreign agents as people who eavesdrop on military officials or steal state secrets, China has demonstrated an eagerness to exert influence in less splashy areas, like currying favor with American officials with control over things like local land use regulations or labor issues.

There is definitely an effort to develop relationships and friendships and connections in state and local governments, said Adam Hickey, a former senior Justice Department national security official who led the departments enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which Sun is charged with violating.

Prosecutors say Sun  a midlevel aide in two Democratic administrations  developed a close relationship with officials in the Chinese consulate in New York and did their bidding in ways that were important, albeit unlikely to make the plot of a spy novel.

Among other things, she is accused of quietly spoiling efforts by representatives of Taiwan's government to meet with top New York state officials. The Chinese government considers Taiwan to be part of China. She also allegedly encouraged Cuomo and Hochul to make supportive remarks about China such as thanking Chinese companies for donating medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An indictment says she solicited talking points from a Chinese official for a video Hochul recorded as lieutenant governor wishing people a happy Lunar New Year. Prosecutors said Sun took credit for keeping Hochul from mentioning human rights issues in that video. And the indictment said Sun provided unauthorized invitation letters from the governors office that helped Chinese officials enter the U.S.

In return, prosecutors say Sun got tickets to performances by Chinese arts groups and multiple Nanjing-style salted ducks that were sent to her parents home. More lucratively, the indictment said, Sun's husband got help for his business dealings in China, which brought in millions of dollars for the couple, who had a $4 million mansion on Long Island and a condominium in Hawaii.

Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Sun's lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, said she was understandably upset that these charges have been brought, but didn't discuss the charges in detail.

Hochul on Wednesday called Suns alleged actions an absolute betrayal of the trust of two administrations in state government.

The alleged foreign influence efforts are part of what FBI and Justice Department officials have described as a broader attempt to manipulate public opinion in Chinas favor.

The Chinese government understands that politicians in smaller roles today may rise to become more influential over time, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a January 2022 speech. So they look to cultivate talent early to ensure that politicians at all levels of government will be ready to take a call and advocate on behalf of Beijings agenda.

Justice Department officials have charged dozens of Chinese nationals in the last five years, though many have remained out of reach of American law enforcement.

Among those who have faced charges are 40 officers with the Ministry of Public Security accused of harassing and threatening dissidents, as well as a cluster of operatives alleged to have stalked Chinese individuals living in the U.S. as part of an effort to coerce them into returning to China, where they wanted for prosecution.

A Chinese American scholar known as a pro-democracy activist was convicted in New York earlier this month of gathering information on dissidents and feeding it to his homelands government.

In 2022, a Chinese government operative was charged with plotting to undermine the candidacy of a little-known congressional candidate in New York by planning to locate, or even manufacture, derogatory information that could prevent him from being elected. The allegation was part of a broader plot resulting in charges against five people, including for spying on a Chinese national living in Los Angeles and plotting to destroy his artwork.

Two U.S. citizens were charged last year with establishing a secret police station in Manhattan under the direction and control of the Chinese government.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, Liu Pengyu, dismissed the concerns as overblown, blaming the U.S. government and media for having frequently hyped up the so-called Chinese agents narratives, many of which have later been proven untrue."

China has long maintained that U.S. authorities are simply discrediting its international crime-fighting work, such as Operation Fox Hunt, a nearly decade-old effort ostensibly focused on pursuing Chinese fugitives, including corrupt officials.

It also claims that police stations, which have been reported across North America and Europe, arent law enforcement offices at all, but provide routine services for Chinese citizens, including renewing Chinese drivers licenses.

Yaqiu Wang, research director for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Freedom House, which tracks transnational repression, applauded efforts to counter Chinese activities that she says undermine human rights and democracy.

Last year, a congressional committee warned that Beijing runs an extensive network of organizations that seeks to influence U.S. universities, think tanks, civic groups, other prominent individuals and institutions and public opinion broadly.

But Wang warned that federal efforts must be targeted and proportionate, given civil rights concerns raised by the Chinese American community and others.

In 2018, the Trump-era Justice Department launched a nationwide effort known as the China Initiative targeting Chinese espionage at American universities.

But the initiative was rebranded early in the Biden administration following multiple unsuccessful prosecutions of researchers and concerns from some of the nations top colleges that the program had a chilling effort on academic research and amounted to racial profiling.

No Americans should have to live in fear that their entire lives may be turned upside down due to wrongful accusations, unwarranted racial profiling, or ugly xenophobia, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat, said in July as she stood with Feng Franklin Tao, a Chinese-American professor who had an espionage case thrown out by a Colorado judge earlier this year. There is no room for this prejudice in our federal government or in our country.

___

Associated Press reporters Jennifer Peltz and Anthony Izaguirre in New York contributed to this story. Tucker and Tang reported from Washington.

___

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
(NewsNation)  Ahead of former President Jimmy Carters 100th birthday celebration on Sept. 17, The Carter Center announced a second list of artists who will be joining the lineup.

Carter will be honored ahead of his 100th birthday with a musical gala at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

The Sept. 17 event  Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song  will feature musicians from a range of genres and celebrity guests. Carters birthday is Oct. 1.

Ticketmasters pricing for Oasis tickets is under investigation in the UK

Artists include Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Eric Church, GROUPLOVE, Maren Morris and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus. Notable guests include former Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy, Atlanta rap artist Killer Mike and actor Sean Penn.

Additional artists announced on Friday include Angelique Kidjo, BeBe Winans, Carlene Carter, Duane Betts, India Arie, Lalah Hathaway and The B-52s. Actress Renee Zellweger will also join the crew in celebrating Carter.

Top-tested baby products for the new parent

I couldnt be more delighted to have been asked to take part in this event honoring President Carter, Carlene Carter said. When my mother, June Carter, and her husband, Johnny Cash, went to visit him at the White House, I was pretty jealous, as I thought so highly of him even back then.

The 39th president, who served from 1977 to 1981, remains at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he has been receiving hospice care since February 2023. He was last seen publicly at funeral services for former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in November. But those close to him say he remains in good spirits, sometimes receiving visitors, regularly watching Braves games on television and still enjoying music.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Arvada WWII veteran who fought on Iwo Jima honored as FOX31 Hero of the Month

ARVADA, Colo. (KDVR)  He was so young when he joined the military that his parents had to sign a permission slip. And at 98 years old, Al Jennings is still young enough to remember his role in World War II like it was yesterday.

We just (did) the job the best we could and if something happens, it happens, Jennings told FOX31.

Jennings joined the Marines and fought the Japanese in the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, on the small Pacific island of Iwo Jima. But enlisting with the Marines was not his first choice.

I was going to go to the Navy so mom would have one in each branch, he said.

Parker paratrooper named FOX31 Hero of the Month for August

Jennings had two brothers who were already in the military.

My oldest brother was Army medic and my other brother was in the Marines, he said.

Jennings plan to join the Navy was thwarted by his brother, who taunted him by saying he was too scrawny to be a Marine. That was all it took. He switched branches and enlisted as a teenager.

He was 20 years old when he fought on Iwo Jima. Coincidentally, one of his brothers was fighting in the very same battle.

So I got permission to go look for him. And I had 30 minutes. And he gave me his .45 (caliber handgun) and he says, take care of yourself, Jennings said.

Hero of the Month fought in Iwo Jima in WWII

Somehow, both he and his brother got off that island alive. And Jennings managed to witness history, too. He watched as the American flag was famously raised atop Mount Suribachi.

A few years ago, Jennings got to go back to Iwo Jima with a group of World War II veterans as part of a program sponsored by The Greatest Generations Foundation, a charity founded in Denver that returns war heroes to the battlefields where they served. He even gathered up some of that famous black sand from the landing beaches on the island. He still has it in his basement today.

Jennings said for the first few decades after World War II, he and the other veterans he knew never quite got the recognition they earned.

The only thing we heard was a big parade in New York and one in L.A., he said.

Tiny home village for homeless veterans nearing completion in Longmont

Now, Jennings is getting some long-overdue recognition. Hes been named the FOX31 Serving Those Who Serve Hero of the Month for September 2024. Along with a plaque, he gets a $500 Visa gift card from our sponsors at Ford and the Leo Hill Charitable Trust.

Some people shy away from the title hero, but when youve seen what Al Jennings has seen and fought where hes fought and risked everything for your country, theres really no better word to describe you.

I think I qualify, he joked.

To nominate a veteran or active-duty service member for Hero of the Month honors, visit the nomination page.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A senior officer of the Yemeni military and one of his bodyguards were killed Thursday in an armed attack on a routine military patrol in the country's northeastern province of Marib, a security official told Xinhua.

The security source, who required anonymity, said that the attack took place near the Safer oil field in Marib when a group of masked gunmen targeted the military patrol from the 107th Infantry Brigade.

Light weapons and shells were used in the attack, which led to the burning of a military vehicle, said the source, adding that the attackers were able to escape the scene, and their identity remains unknown.

Yemeni government forces currently control the Safer oil field, one of the country's key oil fields, with the 107th Infantry Brigade tasked with providing special protection. Meanwhile, Houthi forces maintain a significant presence in other areas of Marib province.

Yemen has been mired in a devastating conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, along with large swathes of the country. 
Several social media posts are promoting the claim that the current leader of Afghanistan was released from prison in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump.

Let this sink in, the posts state. The new ruler of Afghanistan was in prison until Trump let him out in 2018. The posts include photos of Trump and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Talibans political leader who also serves as deputy prime minister in Afghanistan.

These claims are mostly true, but lack important context. Baradar, the second-most powerful Taliban leaderbelow only Supreme Commander Hibatullah Akhundzadaindeed spent nearly eight years imprisoned in Pakistan, and a U.S. diplomat has said that he asked for Baradars release.

In 2010, Baradarwho even then was a high-profile military leader in the Taliban command structurewas detained in Pakistan for his involvement with the terrorist organization. Pakistans interior minister said its governments security agencies led the operation to detain Baradar, aided by intelligence U.S. officials provided to them. However, U.S. officials told the New York Times at the time that Baradars arrest was carried out in a secret joint mission involving both Pakistans national security agencythe Inter-Services Intelligenceand U.S. CIA agents. Although then-White House press secretary Robert Gibbs did not clarify whether the U.S. was involved in Baradars arrest, he told reporters that the operation marked a big success for our mutual efforts in the region.

While Trump did not arrange for Baradars release personally, Zalmay Khalilzad, then the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, has acknowledged that he asked Pakistan to release him.

At the time of Baradars release in October 2018, the Trump administration was attempting to establish negotiations with the Taliban, which had declined an offer from the Afghanistan government for peace talks. The Taliban officials, however, were open to discussions with U.S. officialsnegotiations that ultimately produced the Doha Accord in 2020. In 2018, Khalilzadwho had formerly served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq, and Afghanistanrequested Pakistani authorities release Baradar from prison, in hopes it would motivate the Taliban to engage in diplomatic relations.

The release of Mullah Baradarwhich was my request[Pakistan] accommodated that because Baradar had the reputation of being more pro-peace, Khalilzad said in 2019. [Former Afghanistan] President Karzai during his administration and [Former Afghanistan President Hamid] Ghani during his period mentioned that Baradar would be a force for peace.

Less than two years after Baradars release, the U.S. and Taliban formally agreed to the Doha Accordand Khalilzad and Baradar were among the first signees. As Tom Jocelyn wrote for The Dispatchs in 2020:

The written agreement was signed by a Taliban political leader, Mullah Baradar, who was imprisoned by Pakistan for years and released solely so he could sign this deal. Baradar, a legacy Taliban leader, has no actual power on the ground in Afghanistan. None of the senior Taliban leaders who run the insurgency put their names on this agreement. It appears the U.S., Pakistan, and the Taliban used Baradar as a prop to grant the proceedings the appearance of gravitas.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

Read more at The Dispatch

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Five AstraZeneca staff have been detained in China amid claims of potential illegal activity at the British drug giant.

Authorities in Shenzhen, China, are investigating how the company collected patient data, according to Bloomberg, as well as investigating the imports of a liver cancer drug yet to be approved in China.

A spokesman for AstraZeneca said: We are aware a small number of our employees in China are under investigation and we have no further information to share at this point.

It threatens to cast a shadow over AstraZenecas Chinese operations. The company is the largest foreign pharmaceutical company in China, making 12pc of its revenues from the country. As of 2019, it employed 15,000 people in its Chinese operations, out of 90,000 employees worldwide.

Pascal Soriot, the chief executive, has praised China for encouraging innovation. He said businesses in the country were creating first-in-class products or new technologies that are going to shape the future of medicine.

Pascal Soriot is the chief of the largest foreign pharmaceutical company in China, AstraZeneca - Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Speaking in April 2023, Mr Soriot said AstraZeneca was investing heavily in China as there was a huge opportunity for companies to help patients and to grow, but also a huge opportunity to tap into innovation.

AstraZeneca has been looking for takeover opportunities in the country and bought a cancer therapy firm for up to $1.2bn (950m) last year.

The expansion of its Chinese operations has put AstraZeneca at odds with other companies which have been more cautious over the risk of being subject to government investigations.

Employees from organisations including US due diligence company Mintz Group and advertising company WPP have been detained in recent years. WPP sacked the senior Chinese executive who was detained on suspicion of bribery, while Mintz Group battled to secure its employees release last year.

AstraZeneca has not been immune from government scrutiny. In 2022, it was accused by Chinese authorities of tampering with gene-testing results. The business said at the time that it had taken disciplinary action against some of its employees.

Beijing has been stepping up its crackdown on data security and personal information, requiring businesses to keep information within China. It has also been curbing drug smuggling attempts in the country, following delays to approval of new therapies.

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Attack on Massachusetts transgender teen being investigated as possible hate crime

An attack on a transgender teenager in Massachusetts is being investigated as a possible hate crime, police said Wednesday.

Jayden Tkaczyk, 16, had been at a party in a wooded area of Gloucester, Mass., when he was allegedly assaulted by a group of teenagers around 10:45 p.m. Friday, according to local authorities. The Gloucester Police Department said in a news release that the parties involved in this incident are known to one another.

Tkaczyk told NBC Boston on Wednesday that 20 to 30 people attacked him, many of them classmates, and he believes he was targeted because of his gender identity.

One second, I was having fun, the next second, I was on the ground getting my face stomped and beat up, Tkaczyk said. They were just saying the F slur over and over and over as they were punching me and stomping me.

One of the alleged assailants, he said, is dating his ex-girlfriend, so he really doesnt like me.

Tkaczyk, a junior at Topsfield Vocational Academy in Topsfield, Mass., told The Associated Press he feared for his life during the attack, from which he sustained serious injuries. He is recovering from a broken bone in his face, nerve damage, a head injury and bruises covering his body.

As I was getting hit, it was terrifying, Tkaczyk said. I thought I was going to die, but I tried to keep a positive mindset.

Tkaczyk said he has endured over a decade of bullying at school because he is transgender, and the school district has done little to address it.

Hes been bullied by these children for years because hes trans, his mother, Jasmine Tkaczyk, told reporters Wednesday.

Craig Rourke, Jayden Tkaczyks attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment but told ABC News he considers the incident a hate crime.

The motives of the perpetrators seem pretty clear in their own words, he said.

Gloucester Police Chief Edward Conley said it is still too soon to say definitively whether the attack was motivated by prejudice against Tkaczyks identity.

Its too early to tell right now, but theres some information we have from statements  early statements  that in an abundance of caution, were going to assign a specially trained investigator to lead the investigation, who is specially trained in hate crime investigations, Conley said Wednesday at a press conference.

Were taking these allegations in this situation very seriously, said Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga. Therell be a full and impartial investigation.

Because the investigation is ongoing and involves minors, officials are limited in what details they can share publicly, Conley and Verga said Wednesday.

Gloucester Public Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis said the district is handling the allegations with the highest level of concern and is cooperating with the police department in its investigation.

Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) called for a thorough inquiry into the attack in a social media post on Wednesday.

There should be no place in our Commonwealth or our country for violence against trans children, he said. I am with Jayden & the entire transgender community. We must love, protect & respect trans kids.

The incident comes amid a surge in hate crimes against LGBTQ people, according to FBI crime statistics, with anti-LGBTQ hate crimes rising sharply in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.

Hate crimes motivated by an anti-transgender bias rose more than 35 percent, reaching 338 incidents, the agency reported in October.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Audit: U of I manager put nearly $1 million into personal account instead of universitys

Audit: U of I manager put nearly $1 million into personal account instead of universitys

A state audit has revealed that a University of Iowa manager deposited nearly $1 million into his own account rather than the universitys.

University of Iowa

The audit says that Brian Busch, the former manager of the Department of Physics and Astronomy machine shop, used the shop for his personal business, something he did not disclose to the university.

The audit alleges Busch deposited nearly $950,000 into his own accounts and not the universitys account from jobs he did using the equipment.

It also states he racked up over $6,000 in personal expenses on his university-issued card.

State Auditor Rob Sand says releasing the report was important to ensure justice is served.

Its a 300-page report, so this one took a little bit longer than usual to put together, Sand said. I will also add to that we had been working on the timeline with federal prosecutors and thats often slower because they have a longer statute of limitations that they have to work with. But we reached a point where we felt we needed to simply release this report to make sure there was some legal action taken at some level, whether state or federal.

According to the document, Busch was placed on paid administrative leave on Sept. 17, 2021. He was fired Aug. 28 of this year.

And in 2021, officials executed a search warrant for a room in Van Allen Hall. They recovered devices including an iPhone, an iPad and multiple digital-storage devices, according to the search warrant filed in Johnson County court documents.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
DENVER (KDVR)  Police say they have confirmed Tren de Aragua connections for two brothers arrested in a July shooting in Aurora, along with two of their suspected accomplices.

Jhonnarty Dejesus Pacheco-Chirinos, 24, was arrested the day after a July 28 shooting on Nome Street and is accused of attempted murder and other charges.

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We can now confirm that he is a documented member of Tren de Aragua, the Aurora Police Department said on Wednesday.

Police said his brother is Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirinos, 22, also known as Cookie or Galleta, who also faces charges in the shooting and who police say is a known member of the TdA gang.

After working with our local, state and federal partners, we are now able to share those gang-related connections, the police department posted on social media on Wednesday.

Both brothers are in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, police said.

Brothers held in ICE detention facility

An ICE spokesperson said the Pacheco-Chirinos brothers are citizens of Venezuela and are being held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora.

Border Patrol agents encountered the brothers on Oct. 2, 2022, in Del Rio Sector, Texas, and they were released with a notice to appear, according to an ICE spokesperson. An immigration judge ordered Jhonnardy Joses removal on Aug. 23, the spokesperson said.

Residents at Aurora apartments say deplorable conditions the issue, not gangs

The Aurora Police Department told FOX31 on Wednesday that the two brothers are among 10 confirmed TdA members in the area, six of whom are in law enforcement custody.

Police said two other Venezuelan citizens arrested in the July shooting are also suspected members of TdA and are accused of tampering with evidence in the crime, but they are not included in the 10 documented gang members. An ICE spokesperson said detainers have been placed on the two, who are being held in the Adams County jail.

The shooting happened around 4:30 a.m. outside 1568 Nome St. Two men were shot and a third was injured with a broken ankle.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
(Bloomberg) -- Australias government has released options for mandatory guardrails for high-risk research and development of artificial intelligence, including establishing meaningful human oversight and ensuring any AI-created content is clearly labeled.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic unveiled 10 potential mandatory guidelines for consultation on Thursday in Canberra, while introducing a voluntary safety standard thats effective immediately. A report by Australias Tech Council estimated generative AI could be worth as much as A$115 billion ($77.2 billion) annually to the nations economy by 2030.

The regulation of artificial intelligence is one of the most complex challenges facing governments around the world, Husic said. The Australian government is determined that we put in place the measures that provide for the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Australia is the latest developed nation to look into controlling the development of artificial intelligence, a technology which is rapidly advancing globally and leading to concerns over the potential consequences for workers, creative industries and the spread of disinformation.

The European Union put in place wide-reaching regulations in March, with the US and UK still weighing their approaches to the technology. The Chinese government has closely monitored the countrys developing AI industry, putting in place 24 guidelines in late 2023.

In January, Husic created a panel of experts to weigh regulations on artificial intelligence, including whether the guardrails should be mandatory or voluntary and what would constitute a high risk application of the technology.

The mandatory guardrails suggested by the expert panel this week include:

Enabling human control or intervention in an AI system to achieve meaningful human oversight

Informing end-users regarding AI-enabled decisions, interactions with AI and AI-generated content

Establishing processes for people impacted by AI systems to challenge use or outcomes

Being transparent with other organizations across the AI supply chain about data, models and systems to help them effectively address risks

The 10 restrictions will come into effect on a voluntary basis immediately, with the government to consult on making them mandatory for high risk AI research and development in the future.

Husic said Thursday that the consultation period for the proposed reforms would run until Oct. 4, after which the new guardrails would be legislated.

(Updates with comments from minister.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Austria ready to become platform for negotiations and recalls Putin's "peaceful" statements

Austria is ready to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, which "must take place without preconditions and at eye level".

Source: Karl Nehammer, Chancellor of Austria on Twitter (X), reports European Pravda

Details: Negammer wrote that the country "takes note of the Russian presidents statements regarding his openness for peace talks with Ukraine" and is ready to "serve as a venue for negotiations".

Quote from Karl Nehammer: "Any negotiations must take place without preconditions and at eye level. Austria will be ready to support a just and lasting peace based on international law and to serve as a venue for negotiations as the seat of the OSCE."

We take note of the Russian presidents statements regarding his openness for peace talks with Ukraine. Any negotiations must take place without preconditions and at eye level. Austria will be ready to support a just and lasting peace based on international law and to serve as  Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) September 5, 2024

Background:

Karl Nehammer had called for de-escalation and negotiations amid a fire incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

German Ambassador to Russia Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said in August that Russia is not ready for peace talks with Ukraine.

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Vienna is ready to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Sept. 5.

His proposal came after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin claimed on Sept. 5 that Moscow "has never refused to negotiate," adding that peace talks with Ukraine should be based on the Istanbul documents.

Kyiv and Moscow held peace talks in Istanbul in 2022, but no results were achieved.

"Any negotiations must take place without preconditions and at eye level. Austria will be ready to support a just and lasting peace based on international law and to serve as venue for negotiations as the seat of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)," Hehammer wrote on X.

In June, Putin said that, as a condition for peace negotiations, Ukrainian troops must leave Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. He added that Ukraine must recognize Russia's illegal annexation of the regions and abandon any ambition to join NATO.

President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected these conditions, saying that Putin's ultimatum was a "revival of Nazism."

Ukraine said the peace talks should be held on the basis of its 10-step peace formula, which includes a full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. The proposals also call for prosecuting those responsible for war crimes, preventing ecocide in Ukraine, and ensuring energy and food security as well as nuclear safety.

Russia has repeatedly rejected this plan.

Zelensky said that Ukraine, along with most countries, believes that Russia must be present at Ukraine's second peace summit in November in order to end the war. Moscow wasn't invited to the first global peace summit this summer and is skeptical about future participation.

According to a purported draft of a peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine agreed during the Istanbul talks in 2022, both sides agreed to exclude Crimea from the treaty, leaving it under Russian occupation without Ukraine recognizing Russian sovereignty over it, the New York Times reported in June.

The status of Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine was to be decided in later talks between Zelensky and Putin.

However, the draft has not been approved by the Ukrainian and Russian authorities.

Read also: Zelensky: Diplomacy not at the expense of 30% of our territory

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LYNCH FAMILY HANDOUT via Reuters

Four of the dead passengers who went down with the 184-foot luxury yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily on August 19 during a storm likely ran out of oxygen while trapped in an air pocket in one of the cabins of on the submerged ship, according to autopsies released Wednesday.

Medical Examiners at the Forensic Medicine Institute of the Palermo Polyclinic hospital stated that Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo, Morgan Stanley executive Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Anne Bloomer died from atypical drowning. This means that they did not directly die from water intake as would a person drowning in water, or underwater; rather, could not get more oxygen.

The four joined Lynch on the yacht as a part of his victory celebrations after being acquitted of fraud charges in Hewlett Packards case against him and were found in the cabin along with Lynch.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano Alessandro Fucarini/Getty Images

Autopsies for Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, are expected to be carried out on Friday, according to CNN. The two were discovered in separate cabinsHannah discovered aloneprosecutors revealed to reporters on August 24.

An autopsy for chef Recaldo Thomas, whose body was discovered off the ship, has not happened yet due to issues the Italian authorities have had reaching Thomas family in Antigua.

An Italian coastguard boat on the water on the fifth day of the search and recovery operation after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank. Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images

Italian prosecutors are currently investigating the ships engineer Tim Parker Eaton, night watch, Matthew Griffith and captain James Cutfield for manslaughter.

All three of the men have left Italy as the investigation continues, according to CNN.

HP is currently pursuing $4 billion from Lynchs estate after an English court ruled in 2022 that he had inflated the value of his company, Autonomy, before selling it to the technology giant.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Supporters with signs stand on the state capitol building steps during a rally by Better Boundaries in Salt Lake City on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. State Republican leadership said it provided straightforward language to explain a constitutional amendment regarding initiatives. A Better Boundaries board member said it was hopelessly slanted. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

State Republican leadership said it provided straightforward language to explain a constitutional amendment regarding initiatives. A Better Boundaries board member said it was hopelessly slanted.

Utahns will see the following language on their ballots come November:

Should the Utah Constitution be changed to strengthen the initiative process by: - Prohibiting foreign influence on ballot initiatives and referendums. - Clarifying the voters and legislative bodies ability to amend laws. If approved, state law would also be changed to: - Allow Utah citizens 50% more time to gather signatures for a statewide referendum. - Establish requirements for the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative.

It will be listed as Constitutional Amendment D on the ballot.

What Better Boundaries board member said

The ballot language issued by legislative leadership is hopelessly slanted. It is not true that this amendment will strengthen the initiative process; it will weaken that process. It is not true that the amendment will establish requirements for the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative; it will free them to override initiatives passed by the will of the people, said Better Boundaries board member Ryan Bell.

It is saddening to see legislative leadership compound their refusal to engage with the people on this issue with ballot language that is likely to mislead the people. Better Boundaries and its many allies will ensure that the people of Utah see through these tactics, continued Bell.

What Republican leadership said

Using clear and straightforward language is common practice and crucial for ensuring voters fully understand the measures they are deciding on. We recognize there will always be criticism, but our objective remains consistent  to provide a straightforward and concise description to allow voters to easily understand the core of the proposed changes, said Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz.

Additionally, voters always have access to comprehensive analysis and arguments both for and against the amendments. Modeling previous ballot titles was our guide as we drafted this constitutional amendment. Those who label these efforts as deceptive are often the ones attempting to mislead voters, continued Adams, R-Layton, and Schultz, R-Hooper.

What would the constitutional amendment do?

The proposed constitutional amendment does not change the way initiatives are passed by voters in the state. It would change the Utah Constitution to say the Legislature has the ability to amend or repeal laws that originated as initiatives.

It would also prohibit foreign  Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, specified in the special session, the intent was foreign meant out of country  influence on ballot initiatives and referenda. This means foreign entities would not be allowed to sway Utah votes through media campaigns and other methods.

When the Legislature made the decision to put the amendment on Utah voters ballots, lawmakers also passed legislation that would go into effect if voters approve the amendment. It would require state lawmakers to keep the general intent of an initiative intact when making changes the first general session after it is passed by voters. Lawmakers also raised the threshold for the numbers of days people have to gather signatures if they want to repeal a Utah law.

What would voting yes or no mean?

Utah voters who vote yes on the amendment would be voting for the Utah Constitution to be amended. In that case, they would say the Legislature should have the ability to change laws that originated as citizen initiatives, and they want it in the state constitution that foreign entities cannot influence the initiative process.

Voting no on the initiatives means Utah voters do not want to change the Utah Constitution. In that case, a recent state Supreme Court ruling that allows the Legislature to change citizen initiatives that reform the government only if they narrowly tailor the changes for a compelling government interest.

The origins of the proposed constitutional amendment

The proposal of the constitutional amendment came after the Utah Supreme Court issued a decision allowing a gerrymandering lawsuit against the Legislature to move forward.

Utah voters in 2018 passed a citizen initiative to have an independent redistricting committee draw boundaries in the state. Better Boundaries led the effort on the initiative. After the initiative was passed, the Legislature amended the law  there would still be an independent redistricting committee that could propose maps, but the Legislature would have a say on what maps ultimately were implemented.

The Legislature went with its own maps instead of those of the independent redistricting committee. Mormon Women for Ethical Government and League of Women Voters of Utah along with some Utah voters then sued the Legislature.

The Utah Supreme Court decision issued earlier this summer allowed that lawsuit to move forward. In the decision, the states highest court said if lawmakers make changes to initiatives that alter or reform the government, they need to meet a legal test: strict scrutiny.

In other words, lawmakers would need to show a compelling government interest and narrowly tailor their changes to the initiative to meet that interest.

Utah Republican Party chair Rob Axson led an effort on an open letter to lawmakers encouraging them to put an amendment on the ballot. Sutherland Institute also issued a letter with the same encouragement.

The Legislature then held a special session to consider putting the amendment on the ballot. The proposed amendment was considered in an afternoon committee meeting. The chair of the committee said he would hear from five people on the proposed amendment. There was limited additional comment during the discussion on the other two bills.

After the committee meeting, the Legislature discussed the proposed amendment in both the House and the Senate that same evening. It needed two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers to make it onto the ballot and it received the necessary votes.

What others are saying about the ballot language

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton: I wonder if those that complain about the language on the ballot know they are making the legislatures case? Initiatives mostly pass/fail because very busy voters only read what is on the ballot and DO NOT READ the actual language.

Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City: Isnt this an argument for unbiased, nonpartisan ballot language like we had in every past year? If we want voters to decide on the merits (I do) and theyre only going to read the ballot language, shouldnt it be honest?

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross: Each bullet point(s) is accurate.

Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights: Yes, the language is deceptive and yes I saw it coming ... and no they did not adopt my amendment.

Rep. Marsha Judkins, R-Provo: You have got to be kidding. What misleading language!

Why some support the proposed amendment and some oppose it

(Supports) Senate President Stuart Adams: Were not trying to take away any of their rights or any of their abilities. The initiative process has not changed at all. We just want to make sure that we keep Utah, Utah.

(Opposes) Better Boundaries executive director Katie Wright: We, the people, are the final check on the power of politicians. And that is why its so important that when were trying to form or reform the very government that is for us and by us, that we have the final say.

(Supports) House Speaker Mike Schultz: We just want to keep things the way its been for the last 130 years in the state of Utah and to show that were sincere in that we opened up the back end of that for referenda, making it easier for citizens of the state to hold the legislature accountable.

(Opposes) Rep. Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City: All political power is inherent in the people. They have the right to alter or to fund their government as the public welfare may require. I dont see anything in here the says they have to ask permission from 104 people up here.

What the text of the proposed amendment says

(3) (a) Foreign individuals, entities, or governments may not, directly or indirectly, influence support, or oppose an initiative or a referendum. (b) The Legislature may provide, by statute, definitions, scope, and enforcement of the prohibition under Subsection (3) (a). (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Constitution, the peoples exercise of their Legislative power as provided in Subsection (2) does not limit or preclude the exercise of Legislative power, including through amending, enacting, or repealing a law, by the Legislature, or by a law making body of a county, city, or town, on behalf of the people whom they are elected to represent. Proposal to Amend the Utah Constitution
HARARE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora has urged fellow health ministers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to deploy experts to countries that have been affected by mpox as a way of curtailing the spread of the virus throughout the region.

A statement issued by the regional economic bloc's secretariat on Thursday said Mombeshora, who attended a virtual meeting of regional health ministers on Wednesday, urged the SADC to use lessons learned from previous outbreaks to mitigate against current and future outbreaks.

Mombeshora said early regional outbreak response mechanism through combined efforts remains very critical and encouraged members to mobilize the much-needed financial and human resources for the immediate response to mpox and other future outbreaks.

The meeting was convened following a directive from the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare on Aug. 17 that the secretariat should convene an urgent meeting of health ministers to assess the impact of mpox and facilitate a coordinated regional response to control the spread of the disease.

The statement said the ministers discussed ways to strengthen public health surveillance at the national level and how cross-border disease surveillance should be coordinated to improve the rate of detection, strengthen prevention, and limit the spread of mpox.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease transmitted between species from animals to humans. Several African countries have been experiencing a rapid increase in mpox cases since January. 
By Ruma Paul

DHAKA (Reuters) -Thousands of students rallied in Bangladesh on Thursday to mark the one-month anniversary of the fall of long-serving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after deadly protests.

Students, teachers and families of those killed in the unrest joined the "March for Martyrs" carrying the national flag and chanting slogans such as "Blood of the martyrs is our power".

The anti-government protests started in July as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas and escalated into a nationwide uprising against Hasina.

More than 1,000 people lost their lives in the unrest, which forced Hasina to resign and flee to India on Aug. 5 just before her official residence was stormed by crowds. The violence continued for several days after she fled.

An interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus replaced Hasina's administration, with the mandate to restore stability following the country's deadliest violence since its independence in 1971, implement reforms, and organise fresh parliamentary elections.

Yunus urged students to resume their studies.

"Schools, colleges, and universities have reopened, and I encourage you to return to your classrooms. A well-educated and competent generation is essential to secure the gains of the revolution," Yunus said in a statement marking the anniversary of the fall.

"Hundreds of students and people from all walks of life made the ultimate sacrifice for one of the most glorious revolutions in history."

Amir Ali, whose son was killed during the protests, said his child's name was not included in the official list of martyrs.

"I came here to honour my son and the victory achieved through his sacrifice," he said as he joined others in remembering the martyrs.

Nahid Islam, 26, a key protest organiser now serving in Yunus' cabinet, said, "We've got a new Bangladesh in exchange for their blood. We are alive for them. Freedom of speech is back."

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal stepped down on Thursday following widespread resignations and appointments by the new government. The administration has forced out the chief justice, the central bank governor and the police chief who oversaw the crackdown on the students.

The United Nations Human Rights Office announced last Friday that it would dispatch a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh at the request of the interim government to investigate alleged human rights violations during the recent deadly violence.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Richard Chang)
A 41-year-old man from Orange County has been charged with murder and torture in the death of a 6-year-old boy he was babysitting, allegedly beating him to death with a piece of lumber late last month.

The tragic and horrifying incident occurred on Aug. 29 after the victim, identified as Chance Crawford, completed his third day of first grade and was dropped off at Ernest Lamar Loves barbershop in Placentia around 6:30 p.m.

Prosecutors said Love was babysitting the child while the boys mother worked the night shift as a nurses assistant at St. Josephs Hospital.

Barber charged in beating death of boy, 6, met childs mother at Southern California church

In a news release, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said Love grew violent with the child after he reportedly urinated in his pants at a local park.

Chance Crawford, 6, seen in this undated photo. (viewer image)

Chance Crawford, 6, seen in this undated photo. (viewer image)

Authorities said security cameras captured the 41-year-old entering his barbershop at around 11 p.m. with a large piece of raw lumber with a reluctant Chance following behind him.

Love is accused of beating the first grader with the piece of lumber, then pouring hydrogen peroxide on the open wounds before forcing the boy to do push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks, the release detailed.

When Chance collapsed, Love is then accused of carrying him into the emergency room at Childrens Hospital of Orange County at around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 30 instead of calling 911 for help.

This Los Angeles neighborhood a haven for human trafficking, officials say

Doctors at CHOC discovered that much of Chances flesh was missing from his buttocks, leaving raw, gaping wounds, along with subdural hematoma, extreme brain swelling, and other injuries consistent with violent shaking, prosecutors said. The little boy also had a healing fracture on his shoulder blade.

Seeing my son like that and in the condition he was in, in critical condition from the time he was brought in, its just devastating, Vance Crawford, the childs father, told KTLA. He didnt even die peacefully. He died a tragic death and its not fair.

The 6-year-old succumbed to his injuries and died on Sept. 3.

While his new classmates were celebrating the end of the first week of first grade, Chances seat in his classroom was empty as he fought for his life in a hospital bed, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. Words do not exist to describe the absolute terror this little boy was forced to endure  all at the hands of someone who was supposed to be protecting him, not torturing him to death.

Love, who pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, has been charged with a felony count of murder, a felony count of torture and a felony count of child abuse causing death.

If convicted as charged, the 41-year-old faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life in prison.

Hes a monster, Chances father added. Im sorry, he deserves whats coming. Im going to let God handle him.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
NEW YORK (AP)  Former President Donald Trumps youngest son, Barron Trump, began his freshman year of college this week at New York University, his father said Wednesday.

Trump revealed the decision in a video interview with the Daily Mail, confirming months of rumors that his son would attend the universitys Stern School of Business, which ranks among the nations top business schools.

Olympic athlete dies after being set on fire by her boyfriend

Hes a very high aptitude child, but hes no longer a child, Trump said. Hes just passed into something beyond child-dom. Hes doing great.

Barron Trump, 18, graduated in May from Oxbridge Academy, an exclusive private school near his fathers Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. As a freshman at NYU, he will attend classes a few miles away from his childhood home in Trump Tower, where his father retains a residence.

It wasnt immediately clear if he would live on campus or at home. A spokesperson for NYU did not respond to an emailed inquiry about the enrollment.

Man dies after doctor removes liver instead of spleen

The Stern campus is located in a bustling area of downtown Manhattan, across the street from the famed Washington Square Park. The business schools plaza was briefly occupied last spring by pro-Palestinian protesters before police came in and made arrests. Facing the possibility of renewed protests, the university has implemented additional security measures for the start of the fall semester.

Three of Trumps four children  Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Donald Trump Jr.  graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, which the former president also attended. Trump, who attended the universitys Wharton business school, said his youngest son considered the program but decided against it.

I went to Wharton, and that was certainly one that we were considering. We didnt do that, Trump told the Daily Mail. We went to Stern.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
This battery farm built by NextEra Energy entered service in Parrish, Florida in 2022. That company is also active in Oregon and wants to build the first standalone, utility-scale battery storage projects in Washingtons Skagit and Whatcom counties. (Doug Murray for FPL)

This article was first published by the Salish Current.

A new form of electricity supply is coming to neighborhoods in western Washington and greater Portland. Whether you like it or not may depend on how much you trust developer assurances about the safety of big rechargeable battery arrays.

Utilities and independent energy companies have proposed a slew of standalone battery energy storage systems, some of which have generated vocal pushback in the permitting process. Both supporters and opponents acknowledge that utility-scale battery storage will be needed for the Northwest to keep the lights on as a rising amount of variable renewable electricity  such as wind and solar  comes onto the grid.

The first urban, large-scale battery farms in the Northwest are on track to enter service by the end of this year in Troutdale, Oregon, and just over a year later in Arlington in Snohomish County. Energy developers have proposed dozens more projects to follow in 2025 to 2027 from near the Canadian border in Whatcom County to the outer suburbs of Portland. Transmission planners at Puget Sound Energy alone have 15 to 20 interconnection requests for major battery storage projects in their queue for evaluation.

The region is already at risk for blackouts and brownouts, Tommy Nelson, lead project developer for Nebraska-based energy company Tenaska, told a capacity crowd in Sedro-Woolley that came to a public hearing last month. This is going to be a backstop for a region such as this.

Tenaska proposed to place eight acres of batteries on an unsown field on the outskirts of the Skagit Valley town. Nelson said the screened-off aisles of massive batteries would be a good neighbor because they would be quiet, low-impact and cause no commute traffic when operating.

I like to tell people when they try to conceptualize what these look like, its like a self-storage facility, Nelson said about the roughly $250 million project.

Representatives of organized labor who stand to get construction jobs were, well, organized in giving early endorsements to the battery storage surge. They said the facilities are vital to ensure grid stability while the state strives to reach its climate goals.

If were going to be relying on more renewable energy, then we need a way to store energy so that it can be redistributed during critical periods, said Robert McCloud, a field agent for the Laborers International Union, Local 292, out of Everett.

But many people in the Sedro-Woolley audience were unconvinced, judging from their body language  crossed arms and frowning faces aplenty  at the hearing convened by the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. The scene was repeated on Wednesday night at the Sedro-Woolley City Council during an informational meeting about the proposed Tenaska battery farm. The city council doesnt have permitting jurisdiction, but worried residents packed the council chambers anyway to tell Tenaskas representatives to take their project and go away.

The battery skeptics arguments echoed the criticisms heard in suburban King County communities where Tenaska and other developers have applied to place battery farms next to a school in one case (near Covington), in between subdivisions in another (Renton), and by wetlands in a third case (Auburn). A common refrain is that the banks of tightly packed lithium-ion batteries present an unacceptable risk of catching fire, which neighbors fear could send toxic smoke drifting overhead and then wash fish-killing runoff into nearby creeks when responders or the rain douse the flames.

The energy industry downplays the occurrences of these fires, possibly because it would negatively affect profits. But these fires do happen and keep happening regularly even with modern equipment and technology, said Matt Phillips, a parent and professional firefighter who lives in Skagit County.

Developers of battery farms consistently use the term rare to describe the occurrence of battery fires and blame first-generation systems that they say have since been improved. In response, critics routinely link to a running list of utility-scale battery storage failures maintained by the Electric Power Research Institute.

The EPRI database lists multiple fires in California and New York over the past year and more overseas. But the database is now topped with the caveat that the number of commercial battery farms has increased dramatically worldwide in the past few years. EPRI said that means the overall rate of incidents is falling sharply even though fires keep happening among the much enlarged fleet of facilities.

A number of young companies in the battery materials business are working on alternative battery chemistry in hopes of reducing fire risk. Venture capital firms are backing sodium-ion battery startups for this reason as well as iron flow batteries, to name two trendy prospects.

The how and why of battery energy storage

A standalone battery farm basically operates like a giant rechargeable battery. The owner charges the field of batteries at off-peak times or on sunny, windy days when renewable energy is overproducing. Then when the sun sets, the wind calms and/or demand spikes, the operator sends the juice back onto the grid. In a way, its like the old stock market maxim: buy low, sell high.

Puget Sound Energy and Portland General Electric have pointedly solicited battery energy storage proposals in the last couple years. The first utility-scale battery storage systems in the Northwest were co-located with solar and wind farms. That is less controversial and is continuing, but exposes the utilities to long-distance transmission bottlenecks. Hence, the newfound push for standalone battery farms nearer to cities, which lessens the need to build more cross-state transmission.

Battery energy storage systems help us to meet Washingtons clean energy goals, said PSE spokeswoman Melanie Coon via email. They are critical to maintaining grid reliability when demand surges during summer heat waves and cold snaps. They help to accelerate the transition to clean energy and allow us to get the most value from wind and solar energy.

The standalone battery storage business is also taking off because the price of batteries is falling and the installations are now eligible for valuable federal tax credits thanks to the Biden administrations climate and energy package passed by Congress in 2022.

The many utility-scale battery farms in the interconnection queue in the Pacific Northwest range from 75 to 250-megawatts in capacity. To put that in laypersons terms, Nelson said Tenaskas proposed 200-megawatt battery farm in Skagit County could power about 100,000 homes for eight hours.

Location, location, location

Skagit County offers an early taste at how the fate of battery farm proposals may boil down to location more than anything else. While the aforementioned Tenaska project near Sedro-Woolley is generating lots of static, another developer is charging through the countys permitting process with minimal resistance. NextEra Energy Resources applied to build a 200-megawatt battery storage system on a vacant lot behind the Sierra Pacific lumber mill west of Mount Vernon

County Commissioner Lisa Janicki signed on to a unanimous statement of the county commission condemning the Tenaska plans for battery storage on land zoned for agriculture next to a salmon-bearing creek. Yet, she said she favors the other companys plans to build the same kind of energy infrastructure less than 13 miles away.

Putting an industrial type project in a place that is already zoned heavy industry is really consistent, Janicki said in an interview. It makes sense to a common person that you would put an industrial project in industrial zoning.

That pattern is repeating elsewhere in Washington. Florida-based BrightNight Power is seemingly gliding through the permitting process in Sumner with a 200MW lithium-ion battery storage array proposed in a light industrial district dominated by warehouses. Meanwhile, barely seven miles away, Texas-based Plus Power got immediate pushback when the City of Auburn published a notice of application to plop 100-megawatts worth of batteries next to a creek across from the Emerald Downs horse racing track.

NextEra Energy Resources, the developer of the uncontroversial Troutdale and Mount Vernon battery storage projects, will be the guinea pig to test Whatcom Countys tightened zoning rules, which limit large-scale battery energy storage to parcels zoned industrial or rural. NextEra Energy was scheduled to attend a pre-application meeting this week with the county planning department to discuss a proposed 100-megawatt battery farm on property near unincorporated Custer, which is zoned for no more than one house per 5 rural acres.

Another interesting test could come soon if Seattle City Light proceeds with a project on the downtown waterfront. The municipal utility recently received a $500,000 state grant to conduct detailed design for a potential 10 to 35-megawatt battery energy storage system. It would serve plug-in hybrid electric ferry charging and provide electricity grid support for the waterfront area.

Utilities and third-party developers say these big energy storage projects need to be built within a mile of a substation for maximum efficiency, which limits the location options.

Battery farms subjected to permitting cross-currents

The Oregon and Washington legislatures have put out the welcome mat for battery farms by adding an alternative permitting pathway through state government for developers who foresee regulatory obstacles at the local level. Tenaska is the first energy company to take advantage by seeking to permit its proposed Goldeneye battery farm in Skagit County through the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. The EFSEC panel makes a recommendation to Washingtons governor, who has the final say and can override what might otherwise be a rejection if left to county or city officials.

I got the impression that theyre trying to cram this through before Governor Inslee leaves, a displeased Janicki said. Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, a clean energy champion, leaves office after three terms next January.

In contrast to state-level policymakers, some local jurisdictions in Washington are slamming the brakes on this oncoming wave of unfamiliar energy infrastructure. The Covington, Black Diamond and Renton city councils and the Yakima and Benton county commissions passed six-month or one-year moratoriums on processing battery energy storage permits to give themselves time to formulate tighter siting and safety rules.

The wariness is far from universal though. Oregons first standalone, large-scale battery energy storage projects in Troutdale, Hillsboro and North Portland were permitted by city planning departments, who in some cases did not even require a public hearing. When NextEra Energys 200MW Troutdale project for PGE comes on line at the end of this year, it will be the biggest battery farm operating in the Northwest. But at the rate things are going, it will only hold that crown temporarily.
EXCLUSIVE: As echoes of the Baby Reindeer scandal continue reverberating around the industry, the BBC has moved to nix a true story billing for Dopesick on iPlayer.

The British broadcaster has been streaming Hulus series since April, describing it as the true story of the dealers, doctors and the billion dollar drug that fuelled Americas deadly opioid addiction.

More from Deadline

The BBC has removed the words true story from the description in recent days, however, and now bills it as a story about the opioid crisis.

The corporation acknowledged that Dopesick is inspired by actual events, but that certain characters, characterizations, incidents, locations, and dialogue were imagined or invented for purposes of dramatization.

It is not clear what prompted the amendment but it comes months after the saga over Baby Reindeer, produced by BBC Studios-owned production company Clerkenwell Films.

Richard Gadds hit series was described as a true story by Netflix, despite an addendum in the credits that states that elements of the story are fictionalized for dramatic purposes.

Netflix is now fighting a lawsuit from Fiona Harvey, who argues she is the victim of the biggest lie in TV history after claiming she was portrayed as stalker Martha. Netflix is vigorously defending the $170M lawsuit.

Netflix UK chief Anne Mensah backed Baby Reindeer at the Edinburgh TV Festival last month. I stand by the fact we made the show, said Mensah.

Its a drama, not a documentary, and that will be remembered. She added Netflix takes safeguarding in all of its productions incredibly seriously, and noted a huge uptick in men calling sexual abuse hotlines in the wake of the show.

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SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  A bear cub that was rescued just a few days ago after her mother was humanely killed was released on Tuesday in a what Appalachian Bear Rescue called a unique case.

The nonprofit shared Tuesday afternoon that Plum P. Bear had been released. Plum had been rescued by ABR on August 30 after her mother was humanely killed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency after she was particularly aggressive at a Gatlinburg area cabin, terrifying occupants and forcing them to barricade doors and windows against her.

Majority of bears humanely killed by TWRA in 2024 were in Gatlinburg

Plum was taken to the UT College of Veterinary Medicine where it was found that she weighed about 54 pounds and was in good health. ABR said the cub was taken to the rescue and dubbed Plum P. bear by Curator Greg who said he had never seen such a plump seven-month-old cub.

Over the next few days, ABRs daily reports noted that Plum did not seem to be enjoying confinement, saying in one update that when she wasnt pacing, she would sit on a log and stare out into the outdoor enclosure. On Tuesday, ABR said that after many discussions with TWRA wildlife biologists and UTCVM veterinarians, it was decided Plum P. could return to the wild.

In a video posted by ABR on Tuesday, Janelle Musser with the TWRA explained that bears Plums size typically wouldnt be captured, but because she already been captured and because she had been living in an area populated by a number of humans, they decided to take her to UTCVM and then the rescue to ensure she was in good health and had not been injured during the trapping process. Curator Greg also shared that by ABRs standards, Plum was a healthy size to be released.

A photo of Plum P. Bears release from Appalachian Bear Rescues care. (Appalachian Bear Rescue)

A photo of Plum P. Bears release from Appalachian Bear Rescues care. (Appalachian Bear Rescue)

A photo of Plum P. Bears release from Appalachian Bear Rescues care. (Appalachian Bear Rescue)

While in many cases, bears typically do not do well if they are relocated, ABR said this case was unique.

Greenback High School football coach removed from staff, interim named

Musser explained that because Plum was likely eating a good amount of human food, either intentionally or unintentionally, they did not want to release her back to a place where she would have easy access to it. Additionally, the area she was rescued from had a higher population of bears, and she would not have her mother to defend her, Musser said.

For young bears, relocation has higher success rates than older adult bears because those bears oftentimes dont have an established home range yet other than where their mom has been, you know raising them, ABR Curator Greg said. A young bear has a better chance of establishing a new home range, especially in a place like Janelle said, with less dense bear population. And so a young female like Plum P. would most likely stay put in the area we move her to and establish a home range and hopefully have future cubs of her own in that place. But getting her out of a high density situation. Where shes going to be, you know, running from all the big bears and possibly getting into some bad situations again is not ideal for giving her a second chance at life in the wild.

ABR also included a video of Plum P.s release, showing her jumping from bed of the vehicle she was in to the forest before bounding over to a tree and climbing up.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Become an advocate for the children of our surrounding areas

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Interested in fostering a child or becoming a CASA volunteer? Attend an upcoming event in your area to learn how you can make a difference in a childs life.

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children is a nationwide program that serves abused and neglected children right in your area.

Big Brothers Big Sisters welcomes 3 generations to the program

CASA of Red River is a non-profit organization in Wichita Falls that helps children in surrounding counties. It needs foster parents or volunteers to advocate for the children in child protection/foster care.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or just a volunteer, there will be events in Bowie, Graham and Wichita Falls in the following September weeks.

Bowie, Texas Sep. 10, 2024, 5 p.m.  6:30 p.m., NCTC 810 S Mill Street.

Graham, Texas Sep. 23, 2024, 5 p.m.  6:30 p.m., Oak Street Baptist Church, 744 Oak Street.

Wichita Falls, Texas Sep. 28, 2024, 11 a.m.  1 p.m., Park Place Christian Church, 4400 Call Field Rd.



If you cant become a volunteer, another way you can help is by donating to CAS8A for Texoma Gives this season.

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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Belarus' military confirmed the downing of a drone early on Sept. 5, shortly after the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported that Belarus had downed two Russian attack drones.

According to Belarusian Hajun, the drones were downed near the city of Homel, located around 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast.

The air alert was active in Chernihiv Oblast from 11 p.m. on Sept. 4 to 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 due to the threat of Russian drones.

Belarus recorded an airspace violation of its state border, "presumably by unmanned aerial vehicles," Sergei Frolov, Belarus' chief of the General Staff and first deputy commander of the Air Force, said in a statement.

"Due to the timely actions of the anti-aircraft defense forces, all violators were destroyed," Frolov claimed, adding that the authorities are conducting an investigation.

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Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Aug. 9 that several Ukrainian drones were downed over Belarus, calling the incident "a Ukrainian provocation."

Belarusian Hajun said the claim was false and that no Ukrainian drones had been detected.

According to Belarusian Hajun, there have been multiple cases of Russian Shahed-type drones flying off course to Belarus over the past weeks.

At least six Russian drones reportedly entered the Belarusian airspace during a recent mass attack on Ukraine on Aug. 26.

Minsk has never publicly raised objections to Moscow  its key ally  over the reported incidents.

Read also: Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russia, aiming to break war machine, sow discontent

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Belarus downing Russian drones over its airspace confirmed for first time, monitoring group reports

Editor's note: Belarus' military later confirmed downing a drone that had violated Belarusian airspace on Sept. 5, but did not describe the drone as Russian.



The Belarusian Air Force downed two Russian attack drones on Sept. 5 near the Belarusian city of Homel, the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun claimed.

If confirmed, this would be the first confirmation of a successful interception of Russian drones by Belarusian forces over the country's airspace.

Previously, a Belarusian fighter jet attempted to down a Russian Shahed-type drone that flew into the country's airspace on Aug. 29 - although there was no confirmation that Belarus was successful in downing the drone.

The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims made by the monitoring group.

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Belarus Weekly

While Russian attack drones have reportedly veered off course toward Belarus during air raids on Ukraine on multiple occasions, this would be the first known case of a Belarusian Air Force plane successfully shooting down one of them.

Russia launched another large-scale drone attack on Ukraine overnight on Sept. 5, targeting multiple regions of the country, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Multiple Belarusian fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the drones near the city of Gomel around 1:30 a.m. local time, Belaruski Hajun claimed. The city lies within about 30 km of the Ukraine-Belarus border.

A third Russian attack drone allegedly entered Belarusian airspace around 2:30 a.m., although no additional information was provided on its status.

Purported videos of falling drone debris over the skies of Gomel could be seen on social media.

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The incident marks the second time in the past week that Belarusian fighter jets were scrambled to protect the country's airspace.

During Russia's large-scale attack on Ukraine on Sept. 4, one Russian drone veered off course into Belarus. On Aug. 26, at least six Russian drones reportedly entered the Belarusian airspace during another mass attack on Ukraine.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry has not commented on the alleged incident.

Minsk has never publicly raised objections to Moscow  its key ally  over the reported drone incursions into its territory.

Instead, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko alleged that his country's forces downed several Ukrainian drones over its airspace, a claim denied by Belarusian Hajun.

The statement came amid surging tensions between Belarus and Ukraine as the Belarusian military moved a significant force to the border, allegedly for exercises.

While supporting Russian aggression against Kyiv, the Belarusian Armed Forces have not taken a direct part in the war.

Read also: Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russia, aiming to break war machine, sow discontent

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday issued an urgent appeal for 13.3 million U.S. dollars to "help hundreds of thousands affected by Yemen floods."

According to the IOM's press statement, the severe flooding and violent windstorms in Yemen have affected nearly 562,000 people, and the appeal aims to deliver urgent life-saving assistance for the affected.

"Yemen is facing yet another devastating chapter in its relentless crisis, exacerbated by the intersection of conflict and extreme weather events," Matt Huber, acting chief of mission for IOM Yemen, was quoted as saying in the statement.

According to the UN organization, the recent torrential rains and flooding have wreaked havoc across multiple provinces in Yemen, including Ibb, Sanaa, Marib, Hodeidah, and Taiz.

In recent months, torrential rains and flooding in the country have destroyed homes, displaced thousands of families, and damaged critical infrastructure, including health centers, schools, and roads, said the statement.

It added that thousands of people have been left without shelter, clean water, or access to basic services, and "scores of lives have been tragically lost."

The natural disasters occur at a time when Yemen is already facing a cholera outbreak and rising food insecurity. The combination of crises has further strained the country's healthcare systems and heightened the vulnerability of displaced families. 
Belarus' General Staff admits border breach by Russian drones but pretends not to know their origin

The Belarusian General Staff has said that on the night of 4-5 September, drones flew into the country and had to be shot down, but did not specify who launched them.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Belarus, Belarussian state-owned news outlet BelTA

Quote from Sergei Frolov, Chief of the Belarusian General Staff, First Deputy Commander of the Air Force: "At night, on 5 September, a violation of the state border of the Republic of Belarus in the airspace was recorded, allegedly by unmanned aerial vehicles.

Details: He said that a decision was made to shoot them down. "This fact is being investigated," the military said.

The Belarusian military did not in any way imply that these were drones launched by Russia at Ukraine.

Background:

Late in the evening of 4 September, Russian forces launched attack UAVs.

Belaruski Hajun reported that two Shahed attack drones entered Gomel Oblast in Belarus from Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast at around 01:00 on the night of 4-5 September. Belarusian military forces have scrambled fighter jets, and explosions have been heard in the Gomel district.

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Beluga Whale Alleged to be a Russian Spy May Have Been Killed by Gunshot Wounds, Animal Rights Groups Say

The whale was found dead in Norway's Risavika Bay on Aug. 31

Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP A white beluga whale.

The death of a beloved white beluga whale in Norway might turn into an assassination investigation after some animal rights groups are alleging he was shot.

The whale, called Hvaldimir (a combination of the Norwegian word for whale  hval  and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin) gained public attention in the country in 2019 when he was spotted wearing a custom harness that included camera mounts, which caused some people to believe that the Russian military had trained him.

OneWhale, a non-profit organization "committed to protecting Hvaldimir and relocating him to a wild population of belugas," announced the whale's death in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Aug. 4.

"Our beloved Hvaldimir was shot to death," text over a reel of photos of the whale read. "There are no words for this heinous crime. We will not allow it to be covered up."

"Hvaldimir, the Beloved 'Spy' Whale, Shot to Death in Norway. OneWhale and NOAH seek criminal investigation, filing a police report to the Sandnes Police District and the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime," the caption of the reel began.

"This action was taken based on compelling evidence that the whale was killed by gunshot wounds. Several veterinarians, biologists, and ballistics experts have reviewed evidence of Hvaldimirs injuries, determining that the whales death was the result of a criminal act."

Related: Beluga Whales Move from Aquarium to Sanctuary, Returning to the Ocean After Years in Captivity

The reel contained photographs of what appeared to be holes in a lifeless whale's body, surrounded by blood.

PEOPLE has reached out to Southwestern Police District (SPD) in Norway for comment on the matter.

The SPD confirmed to CNN on Wednesday, Sept. 4 that it had received a request to investigate Hvaldimir's death but hadn't yet determined if it would open an inquiry.

Southwestern Police District Superintendent Victor Fenne-jensen declined to comment on whether the SPD had looked into the rumors that Hvaldimir was a trained Russian spy.

Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP n this photo taken in April 2019 a beluga whale found in Arctic Norway swims next to a vessel.

I dont think weve had a case like this before, he told the news outlet, adding that the whale was kind of a celebrity.

An organization called Marine Mind said in a Facebook post it found the whale on Aug. 31 but wanted to "refrain from speculation" about Hvaldimir's death until the Veterinary Institute released its findings about it.

Related: 'Russian Spy Whale' Hvaldimir Found Dead in Norway: 'He Was Special to So Many'

"The Veterinary Institute has not yet released the results from its investigations. When we found Hvaldimir on Saturday, it was not possible to immediately determine the cause of death, and therefore it is important to refrain from speculation until the institute has completed its work. Until then, we hope people stick to the established facts," the statement began.

"We do not wish to contribute to public speculation, but we are directly assisting with what we can offer to those working to determine the cause of Hvaldimirs death. Until the cause of death is established by those responsible for the investigation, temporary assumptions will not be useful for anything other than publicity," it concluded.

Per the Associated Press (AP) The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that Hvaldimir's carcass was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Aug. 31 by a father and son on a fishing trip. The dead whale was lifted out of the water with a crane.

Sebastian Strand, a marine biologist who examined Hvaldimir after he was lifted out of the water told NPK (via the AP): Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away but its not immediately clear what the cause of death is."

Strand added that there were no major external injuries visible on the carcass, per the AP.

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Before his death, OneWhale and NOAH had been working together to get him to a safer area in Northern Norway and had reportedly obtained permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries.



In 2019, Jorgen Ree Wiig, a marine biologist at Norways Directorate of Fisheries, told CNN that Hvaldimirs harness appeared to be custom and had mounts for GoPro cameras on each side of it."

The harness clips also reportedly read Equipment St. Petersburg," which fueled rumors that Hvaldimir was trained to be a spy by the Russian navy, CNN said.



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A new lawsuit filed by a coalition of Republican-led states has alleged that the Biden administration has illegally directed student loan servicers to begin canceling student loans. The suit, filed Tuesday, claims that Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona is attempting to enforce new changes to the federal student loan program that have yet to be finalized. If true, these actions would constitute a brazen violation of federal lawand show just how desperate the Biden administration is to enact mass student loan forgiveness, despite legal constraints.

"This is the third time the Secretary has unlawfully tried to mass cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in loans," the complaint reads. "Courts stopped him the first two times, when he tried to do so openly. So now he is trying to do so through cloak and dagger."

Joe Biden has spent much of his presidency pushing mass student loan forgiveness. In 2022, he announced an ambitious plan for one-time student debt forgiveness of up to $20,000 per borrower. That plan was struck down at the Supreme Court. Another key element of Biden's forgiveness agendaan income-driven repayment plan called the SAVE plan that would have allowed many borrowers to receive forgiveness after paying back only a small portion of their loanswas blocked by several federal courts in June and July.

However, these setbacks haven't seemed to deter the Education Department. In April, Cardona released a set of proposed rules that would effectively usher in mass student loan forgiveness. The rules would target specific groups for forgiveness: borrowers whose balances have grown due to unpaid interest, borrowers who would be eligible for forgiveness had they enrolled in an income-driven repayment program like SAVE, borrowers who have been in repayment for decades, borrowers experiencing "hardship," and borrowers who enrolled in "low-financial value" programs.

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, these changes are estimated to cost nearly $150 billionthough the cost would likely be much higher if the SAVE plan remains blocked.

The lawsuit claims that Cardona has already instructed loan servicers to imminently forgive student loans under these new rules. The problem is that the rules are yet to be finalizedand federal law requires that changes like these not be implemented for at least 60 days.

The suing statesMissouri, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Dakota, Arkansas, and Ohiohave "obtained documents proving that the Secretary is implementing this plan without publication and has been planning to do so since May," the suit reads. "Those documents instruct third-party organizations that service federal loans to begin canceling hundreds of billions of dollars beginning potentially this week."

The complaint theorized that this approach was due to the particularly weak nature of this latest attempt at student loan forgiveness, especially given that, after a battery of legal setbacks, it's highly unlikely that these rules would survive a legal challenge.

"All this explains why the Secretary now is trying to quietly rush this rule out too quickly for anybody to sue," the complaint reads, adding that states are not able to reverse loan forgiveness once it's been handed out. Therefore "it does not matter how many rules he breaks in the process, so long as he forgives billions of dollars in debt before the courts stop him."

The post The Biden Administration May Illegally Cancel Student Debt This Week, Lawsuit Claims appeared first on Reason.com.
rural

Aerial view of solar power station and solar energy panels

During a visit to Wisconsin today, President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for communities across the country through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program.

Hoosier Energy was named as one of the 16 selections that will collectively leverage private investments of more than $29 billion to build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country. The projects will reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year.

Hoosier Energy now serves more than 760,000 consumers through 18 member electric cooperatives across a 15,000-square-mile area in Indiana and Illinois.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are supporting a more prosperous future for rural communities by speeding up the transition to clean energy while at the same time keeping monthly bills low and investing in the American workforce with new jobs and apprenticeships, said Vilsack. One in five rural Americans will benefit from these clean energy investments, thanks to partnerships with rural electric cooperatives  Put simply, this is rural power, for rural America.

A news release said the projects will create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for rural communities, significantly reduce pollution, enhance the resiliency of the nations electric grid and advance the Biden-Harris Administrations Justice40 Initiative. The 16 selectees cover 23 states.

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Hoosier Energy will use the investment to assist in procuring 369 megawatts of carbon-free nuclear energy and 250 megawatts of renewable energy annually  through the restart of Palisades Nuclear Plant and solar generation facilities  across rural portions of Michigan and Indiana. The investment is expected to create nearly 800 short- and long-term jobs and reduce annual carbon emissions by over 4.1 million tons  equivalent to removing 966,000 gasoline-powered cars each year.

Project labor agreements have been executed with 15 trade unions to support the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant. Once fully operational, Palisades will create approximately 235 union jobs, nearly half of the facilitys workforce.

Hoosier Energy community benefits to its members will include investing in local cooperative community grant programs, increasing investment and enrollment in critical training and safety programs, growing university partnerships and scholarships as well as expanding highly effective energy efficiency and demand side management programming for cooperative consumers, farmers and agribusiness.

Hoosier Energy greatly appreciates the opportunity to be selected in this process and looks forward to building on our effective collaboration with the USDA, said President & CEO Donna Walker. The Empowering Rural America New ERA investment will assist Hoosier Energy with the continued diversification of our resource portfolio and ensure the most effective balance of reliable, affordable, sustainable energy for our 18 member cooperatives, their 730,000 member-consumers, and the communities they serve.

The focus on community benefits has significant potential to positively impact the rural areas served by Hoosier Energy as well, helping to advance workforce readiness and programs that educate member-consumers, farmers, and agribusiness on what they can do to reduce energy consumption and save money, Walker concluded.

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SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)  The Biden Administration announced that the President and Vice President Kamala Harris will visit all three September 11 sites for the 23rd anniversary.

The President and the Vice President will travel to Ground Zero in New York, New York, the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, to honor and remember the victims of the September 11th terror attacks, the White House Press Office wrote.

The release does not specify if Biden and Harris will appear together at the Flight 93 National Memorial or if either or both will attend the 9:45 a.m. ceremony, according to WTAJ partners at the Tribune-Democrat.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
If Kamala Harris wins the 2024 election, she will be the first female president ever, and the first Black and Indian female president too. But despite the historic nature of her candidacy, she doesnt want to focus on her identityand, in a pretty notable turn, neither does her party.

For feminists like me, this is uncomfortable: For one thing, Im psyched about the prospect of the first female president. I wish the whole country were shouting it from the rooftops! No, I dont think a few individual women in positions of power are the solution to sexism, but it also seems obviously true that its good when power is more equally shared between women and men. Progress is not linear and it is often hard to measure; these firsts are not evidence of problems solved, but they are symbols of changing times. Plus, identity mattersat least, it has certainly mattered to the chain of men, all but one of them white, who have held the presidency, as well as for the American public that has put them in office.

And yet I also believe there is something shallow, and sometimes incredibly counterproductive, about a focus on identity. It flattens more than it layers on, and it is certainly damaging to progressive movements when identity is wielded as a cudgel or a gotcha. Donald Trumps four years in office were such a shock to the system, and such a victory for racism and sexism that the politics of identity on the left went into overdrive. A lot of good came out of this: movements against racial injustice and sexual abuse; a broader shared vocabulary with which to talk about power and fairness. But, as inevitably happens with well-meaning but extremely zealous social movements, there were excesses, especially in the ever-evolving linguistic demands that often obscured more than they clarified, the quickness to abandon other principles in the name of the cause, and the ritual shaming of the less-than-perfect. Zoom out, and Harriss identity-hesitancy becomes more heartening than disappointing. Shes not denying who she is or saying it doesnt matter. Shes not ignoring identity-based constituencies, or the ways in which identity shapes peoples lives. She is instead embodying the recalibration of the role of identity politics in American politicsand thats a very good thing.

In an interview last month with CNNs Dana Bash, Harris was pretty clipped when talking about race and gender. What, Bash asked, do Harriss race and gender mean to her? Harris answer: I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender. But, she added, she did see the viral photograph of her grandniece gazing up at her in awe, and I was deeply touched by it. And, youre right, shesits the back of her head, and her two little braids, andand then Im in the front of the photograph, obviously speaking. Its very humbling. Its very humbling in many ways.

It was not the most illuminating answer in the worldit doesnt really say all that much about what her race and gender mean to her. But it does explain her understanding of how meaningful her campaign is to so many people. And it still manages to emphasize the universality of her message and her leadershipsomething that too hefty a focus on identity can inhibit.

Harris isnt alone in this shift. The Democratic Party also seems to have reshaped its strategy, especially in how it appeals to particular constituencies. In the New York Times, reporter Jennifer Medina chronicles how Democrats are trying to appeal to Latinos, a group in which some votersmostly menare sliding toward Trump. How are Democrats trying to win these voters back? According to the headline, by treating them like everybody else. That means ads focused on the issues that Latinos actually say they care about in pollsthe economy, housing, and health care costsrather than the ones campaign staff assume they care about, like immigration. Many ads arent even using the word Latino, and certainly not the Trump-era progressive jargon of Latinx.

Part of the gap between how voters actually talk and how campaigns talked to them emerged because of who tends to staff up Democratic campaigns: young, college-educated liberals, often living in big cities. Norms on college campuses around language and identity are pretty different than they are out there in the American wild. Spending four years not just enmeshed in a new intellectual and linguistic universe but learning all kinds of new concepts about power and privilege really can change the way you speak and see the world. And for the record, thats still largely a good thingI was also a young person who found feminism in college, and found that new conceptual framework to be tremendously useful for understanding the world around me, for writing about it, and for trying to change it for the better. But this can also translate into campaigns run by people who talk and think in ways that are simply incoherent, alienating, or even insulting to the people they are trying to reach and persuade.

Now, were seeing a balancing out: Issues including abortion and immigration are being cast as everyone issues, not special interests for special groups; identities are salient, but not solely or even primarily determinative; the Democratic National Convention was a joyful display of racial diversity, multiculturalism, and feminist values, but everyone had a place in it. It also stood in stark contrast to the convention of white male grievance politics that the Republicans put on. And theres been an important move back toward normal language rather than a seeming competition of who could make simple concepts the most unnecessarily onerous and values-projecting. This isnt entirely overthere was, for example, a brief social media debate on whether it was a mistake for Harris to call Trump a felon because doing so further marginalizes justice-impacted individualsbut it was blessedly short-lived, and confined to a small corner of the lefty internet.

A Kamala Harris presidency will be a major milestone in a nation that has seen women and racial minorities claw and struggle for every inch weve gained. If she wins, many feminists and social justice advocates like me will celebratenot just because of her race and gender, but thanks to what she stands for ideologically, and what she stands for symbolically. But she will only win if a critical mass of Americans do exactly what social justice advocates have long advocated: if they see Harris not as a symbol or a mashup of firsts, but as simply the best person for the job.
Its pretty clear that being president of the United States is an awesome job  few people ever want to take on the responsibility because every administration brings its own set of scandals. The Monica Lewinsky scandal, which really should be called the Bill Clinton scandal, for example, has been seared into our brains over and over again.

But Clinton isnt the only one who has found himself in hot water for his sexual escapades, we can go back to our third president, Thomas Jefferson, and his long-debated involvement with his slave, Sally Hemings. Even the beauty of Camelot during the John F. Kennedy years was anything but perfect.

And of course, other presidents found themselves deep in secret deals and diverted money that marred their administrations  its not just about sex. In 2023, Donald Trumps mugshot for the Georgia election fraud case went viral on social media. Safe to say legal issues surrounding the White House are far from over either.

Read about some of the biggest presidential scandals over the centuries and decide for yourself who messed up the most.

A version of this story was originally published in 2021.

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Thomas Jeffersons Sex Scandal (1802)

Thomas Jeffersons Sex Scandal (1802)

Thomas Jefferson was the first president to have a sex scandal in 1802 when he denied having an affair with his slave, Sally Hemings, and having a family with her. But lets be clear on the historical facts of this situation, she didnt have any legal rights, nor was she allowed to deny Jeffersons unwanted sexual advances, per The Jefferson Monticello.

Jefferson was allowed to continue his presidency and in 1998, a DNA test provided credible evidence that the former president fathered at least one of Hemings children.

Warren G. Hardingss Oil Scandal (1922)

Warren G. Hardingss Oil Scandal (1922)

Warren G. Hardings administration faced some heat in 1922 when his Department of Interior Secretary Albert Fall took control of the oil reserves that were located on federal land in Wyoming. Instead of taking bids from private oil companies to have the right to operate those reserves, Fall took bribes, including gifts and no-interest loans for rights to the Teapot Dome oil fields. Of course, he didnt get to enjoy those sparkly presents because he was found guilty and sent to jail for his involvement in the mess.

John F. Kennedys Alleged Affairs (1961-1963)

John F. Kennedys Alleged Affairs (1961-1963)

Most of America didnt know that JFK had a messy personal life during his administration because they were too busy being sold the perfection of Camelot by the beautiful First Lady Jackie Kennedy. He reportedly preferred blondes for his affairs  a complete 180-degree difference from his brunette wife. It was his special assistant Dave Powers, who procured young women to sleep with the then 43-year-old president  from interns to Marilyn Monroe, the list was allegedly endless.

One Secret Service agent even described his job under the Kennedy administration, via History of Yesterday, Everybody thought you were risking your life, and you were actually out there to see that hes not disturbed while hes having an interlude in the shower with two gals from Twelfth Avenue.

Richard Nixons Watergate Scandal (1972-1974)

Richard Nixons Watergate Scandal (1972-1974)

Just before Richard Nixon was re-elected president in 1972, there was a break-in at the Watergate Hotel, where the Democratic National Committee headquarters was located in Washington, D.C. The burglary was done by five of Nixons campaign workers, and while he wasnt initially involved with the crime, it was the cover-up, wiretapping and secret recordings by the president and his advisers that shocked America.

On Aug. 9, 1974, Nixon announced his resignation on August 8, claiming that he did not have a strong enough political base to continue as president. His successor, Gerald Ford, pardoned him a month later on Sept. 8.

Ronald Reagan & The Iran Contra Affair (1985-1987)

Ronald Reagan & The Iran Contra Affair (1985-1987)

The Iran Contra Affair is messy. The U.S. had an arms embargo against Iran, but with seven American hostages and their lives at stake, Reagan made a secret deal to sell weapons to the country in exchange for the release of our U.S. citizens. The transaction came to light in 1986, when President Reagan admitted to the weapons sales, but claimed it had nothing to do with the return of the hostages.

Bill Clintons Affair (1995-1998)

Bill Clintons Affair (1995-1998)

Former President Bill Clinton notoriously had an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky but refused to admit it. (Remember that famous speech? I did not have sexual relations with that woman.)

It all took off when Pentagon employee Linda Tripp, who was confided in by Lewinsky, reported it all to lawyer and judge Kenneth Starr. Starr was already on the case regarding an alleged sexual harassment claim with former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones.

After the accusations, th House of Representatives moved toward impeachment for obstruction of justice and perjury, but the Senate saved him with an acquittal in 1998. But blue dresses, cigars and berets never looked the same again to the American public.

George Bushs Response to Hurricane Katrina (2005)

George Bushs Response to Hurricane Katrina (2005)

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana, and had a catastrophic effect on the city and its surrounding areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agencys (FEMA) response was sorely lacking as residents struggled to survive in the days after the storm had passed.

Instead of heading right to the devastated areas, Bush surveyed the damage from Air Force One on his way home from vacation  and the outcry ensued. The insensitive flyover made affected Americans furious and it led to Kanye West stating that Bush doesnt care about black people during a Hurricane Katrina telethon.

Donald Trump (2020  2021)

Donald Trump (2020  2021)

After the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Donald Trump became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice while in office. On January 13, 2021, Congress charged him with incitement of insurrection for his role in riling up his supporters before the chaos ensued.

We fight like hell, he told the crowd, via NPR. And if you dont fight like hell, youre not going to have a country anymore. Trump believed there was election fraud and allegedly encouraged his voter base to charge the Capitol before Congress could certify the Electoral College results. It was a shocking day in American history that has an ongoing investigation with arrests still being made.

Trumps first impeachment took in 2020 after a formal House inquiry found that he had solicited foreign interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election to help his re-election bid. The Senate acquitted Trump on both instances.

Donald Trumps Hush Money Trial (2016 -)

Donald Trumps Hush Money Trial (2016 -)

On May 29, 2024, Donald Trump became the first president in United States history to be convicted of a crime. Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of fraud related to the hush money given to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The former president was found guilty of falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the $130,000 payment Cohen personally gave Daniels before the 2016 election.
One of the installed turbines at the Vineyard Wind farm. (Photo courtesy of Avangrid)

Jim Boyds heart sank the first time he saw the now-infamous image of a fractured wind turbine blade dangling above the Atlantic Ocean.

Not because of the fiberglass and styrofoam debris collected from the waters and shoreline along Nantucket in the month that followed. Not because of the potential safety implications the blade failure might mean for the Vineyard Wind project, or others.

Boyds first thought?

This is going to be an incredible PR nightmare for Vineyard Wind and the nascent offshore wind industry in southern New England, said Boyd, a commercial shellfisherman who retired as the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Councils deputy director in 2022.

He was right.

In the wake of the July 13 incident, deemed a manufacturing error in preliminary review, the chorus of concerns over the offshore wind industry grew to a roar. Which has made the job of selling skeptics much harder: not just on Vineyard Wind, but the slew of projects coming up behind it, including the 700-megawatt Revolution Wind farm being built off Rhode Islands coastline. The developer announced Tuesday the first of 65 turbines in the project had been installed.

Theres a lot of concern out there that is valid, but theres also a lot of disinformation and whack-a-doo theories, Boyd acknowledged. The only thing thats going to help the wind industry at this point is to be as upfront and transparent as possible.

Which has not always been the case.

An initial statement by Vineyard Wind LLC two days after the 300-foot-long blade broke off of the Eiffel Tower-sized turbine offered no explanation or detail. Three days later, the company, co-owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Avangrid Renewables, LLC, provided another terse update after what was left of the broken blade fell off, in which it said it was working to remove debris. It took 11 days for blade manufacturer GE Vernova to offer its preliminary assessment on the failure, blaming an unspecified manufacturing error.

The 62-turbine wind farm powering Massachusetts began operating on Jan. 2. Federal regulators shut down operations after the blade failure, which remains under review.

Theres a lot of concern out there that is valid, but theres also a lot of disinformation and whack-a-doo theories. The only thing thats going to help the wind industry at this point is to be as upfront and transparent as possible.

 Jim Boyd, former deputy director for the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council

The information void has quickly filled with public reactions, hypotheses and conspiracy theories.

Social media posts abound, laden with images of the neon styrofoam scattered along Nantucket beaches and collected in the weedlines where ocean currents intersect, many accompanied by hashtags such as #stopoffshorewind. Letters flowed into local newspapers, warning that the blade failure was a sign of bigger dangers on the horizon, including the ongoing construction of the Revolution Wind farm.

Politicians who have supported offshore wind energy, like Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, a Massachusetts Democrat, expressed concern and urged federal regulators to get to the bottom of what happened  especially after the same manufacturer was tied to another blade failure on a U.K. wind project a month later.

Rhode Island officials have been noticeably quieter on the subject, save for Republican congressional candidate Patricia Morgan, a vocal offshore wind opponent.

Unintended consequences

On Aug. 25, a dozen commercial and recreational fishermen staged a protest around the broken blade 15 miles southwest of Nantucket, clutching signs that read support your local fishermen, and save our squid, according to news reports.

Experts and researchers, including Boyd, agree that there is not enough information to fully understand how building and operating the powerful projects will affect the sensitive ecosystem below them. Not to mention the safety concerns for fishermen and emergency rescue crews trying to navigate around 200 acres of turbines in rough seas or poor visibility.

While offshore wind pioneered in Europe more than 30 years ago, it only made the trek across the Atlantic in the last decade, starting with the much smaller-scale Block Island Wind Farm which began operating in 2016.

Thousands of pounds of fiberglass and styrofoam falling into the ocean was never considered as a potential hazard, not mentioned in the thousands of pages of environmental reviews by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which has final authority over where and how projects are built.

Its just an illustration that we just dont know about the potential impacts, said Rich Hittinger, vice president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association.

Hittinger soured on offshore wind before the blade failure, having served on a state volunteer advisory panel representing the fishing industry in negotiations with offshore wind developers. Hittinger, along with the rest of the Rhode Island Fishermens Advisory Board, resigned en masse a year ago, citing frustrations with the lack of adequate compensation developers offered to fishermen, and perceived deference by state regulators to the developers.

Whats going on is theres a desire to have these projects built, and that is a desire coming from high up in government, Hittinger said. Because theres so much pressure to have them built, they are trying to fast-track the environmental reviews.

Developers have said just the opposite. The federal review and regulatory process got off to a slow start, riddled with the usual red tape worsened by the nascent nature of the industry in the United States. Now, many project developers are facing a new set of delays tied up in cost hikes and supply chain slowdowns in the wake of the pandemic.

Orsted U.S., which is co-developing the Revolution Wind farm off the coast of Block Island, has now pushed its target completion date back to 2026, citing delays in the construction of the onshore substation that will connect the wind-generated power to the online electric grid, according to an earnings call with company leaders in August.

Seperating fact from fiction

Environmental activists backing offshore wind as a key way to reduce carbon emissions, including meeting Rhode Islands 2050 net-zero mandate, are waiting with bated breath for more turbines to start spinning. The blade incident was concerning, but not as worrisome as climate change, said Amanda Barker, a member of the Rhode Island State Committee with regional advocacy group New England for Offshore wind.

When these incidents occur, a thorough investigation must be conducted, Barker, who also works as a policy advocate for Green Energy Consumers Alliance, said. To say we must completely abandon technology doesnt seem like a realistic answer. Saying no to offshore wind and allowing the continued use and expansion of fossil fuels is much more negative.

Tricia Jedele, Atlantic Coast offshore wind policy manager for The Nature Conservancy, can rattle off a sea of statistics in support of offshore wind without hesitation: the amount of carbon dioxide offset by the Vineyard Wind project  1.7 million tons a year  or the threshold under which annual global temperature increases must stay  1.5 degrees Celsius. Another stat in Jedeles arsenal: the three blade failures reported this year represent .00004% of the 70,000 blades manufactured for projects worldwide.

Zero blade failures is, of course, the goal, Jedele said.

But, We have incidents and technological failures in our regular life, Jedele said. We adapt our approaches based on the evidence. We do it in our daily life, and were going to do that with existing technology.

Dave Monti, a charter boat captain and fishing columnist for The Providence Journal, also pointed out that the fiberglass from the Vineyard Wind blade pales in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of fiberglass boats sailing the ocean every day.

But facts and logic are a tough match against fear, which Jedele sees as the reason behind much of the opposition: fear of change, and fear of the unknown.

We have incidents and technological failures in our regular life.

 Tricia Jedele, Atlantic Coast offshore wind policy manager for The Nature Conservancy

Social media has provided a breeding ground for disinformation, on everything, but especially on a complicated and nuanced topic like offshore wind.

It doesnt help that fossil fuel companies and right-wing think tanks are, at least in some cases, pouring money into local campaigns opposing offshore wind, including in Rhode Island, according to a 2023 report by Brown Universitys Climate and Development Lab.

Christian Roselund, a volunteer with Climate Action RI, also blamed an anti-wind group made up of Rhode Island beachfront property owners, Green Oceans, for perpetuating disinformation about offshore wind.

Opposition has absolutely been picking up as these groups raise money, Roselund said. But its not exactly organic.

The growing power of disinformation was on display at a trio of informational panels organized by Climate Action RI with the Newport Energy and Environment Commission. While the rhetoric has grown fiercer since the Vineyard Wind blade failure, Roselund didnt think one caused the other. Instead, he blamed Green Oceans for seizing on the opportunity created by the incident to perpetuate misinformation.

Dr. Lisa Quattrocki Knight, co-founder and president of Green Oceans, did not immediately return inquiries for comment on Tuesday.

Hittinger, whose letter resigning from the Fishermens Advisory Board is featured on Green Oceans website, did not comment on the nonprofits intentions. But, Hittinger said he feared conspiracists were undermining more valid concerns by local fishermen like himself.

Some people go too far, Hittinger said. But there are real questions we need answered.

Developers mostly mum

Questions that the offshore wind developers have not been quick or open in addressing, Boyd said. He blamed the companies behind the projects for not facing concerns head-on. The community meetings organized by developers in conjunction with advocacy and education groups were no more than dog and pony shows, Boyd said.

Case in point: Vineyard Wind did not respond to multiple inquiries for comment for this story. Orsted declined to comment.

The development companies are also among those vying for another contract to supply more offshore wind power to Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Rhode Island Energy is expected to announce its tentative selection on Sept. 6 on the states bid to buy another 1,200 megawatts of offshore wind. Evelyn Garcia, a spokesperson for the state utility provider, declined to comment when asked how the Vineyard Wind blade failure might impact reviews of each project proposal.

We review a variety of aspects of construction as part of our project viability, but were unable to disclose the exact specifics of those aspects due to the confidential nature of our evaluation process, Garcia said.

Boyd is among those watching carefully for the bid award.

If I was one of these development companies, Id be wanting to do some real engineering testing and proof of manufacturing tolerances, he said. Can you imagine if this happens with Revolution Wind?

Brian Walch, a spokesperson for Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, said in an email Tuesday that the agency is still reviewing whether the Vineyard Wind blade failure warrants changes to the review and approval process, as well as incident-response protocols, for other offshore wind projects.

This story was originally published by Rhode Island Current. Like Maine Morning Star, Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com. Follow Rhode Island Current on Facebook and X.

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Bipartisan group of NC congressional lawmakers call for agricultural departments at NC State and NC AT&T to receive funding

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  Republican senator Thom Tillis, Democratic congresswoman Kathy Manning, and Democratic congresswoman Deborah Ross led the North Carolina delegation in calling for the inclusion of mandatory funding to support the agricultural departments at North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University on Wednesday.

Congressional lawmakers from the Tar Heel State are seeking mandatory funding for the Research Facilities Act in the Farm Bill. They say the act is a major priority for land-grant universities across the nation, including NC State and NC AT&T.

NC State Central Crops Research Station to receive $1.48M in federal funding for facilities and infrastructure improvements

According to the lawmakers, the funding would address upgrades to the agriculture research and teaching laboratory facilities at NC State and NC AT&T, which are all over 50 years old. The funding would also address backlogged maintenance at off-campus research facilities and buildings.

The lawmakers say agriculture is the biggest industry in North Carolina and it is supported by the groundbreaking research at NC State and NC AT&T.

A letter calling for the mandatory funding was signed by Tillis, Manning, Ross, Republican senator Ted Budd, Democratic congressman Wiley Nickel, Democratic congresswoman Valerie Foushee, and Republican congressman Greg Murphy.

While NC State and NC A&T have continued to operate world-class research and extension programs despite these issues, they will be increasingly challenged to advance our nations leadership in agriculture in deteriorating, outdated buildings, the lawmakers wrote in the letter. We respectfully request that mandatory funding for the Research Facilities Act, a high-need, high-impact program, continue to be included in any Farm Bill that advances. Simply put, robust investment in the bipartisan Research Facilities Act is an investment in the future of agriculture in America.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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GAZA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to Palestinian sources.

Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli drone targeted a gathering in northern Rafah, a city located in the southern Gaza Strip. Medical sources said two people were killed in the attack.

The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said in a press statement that a Palestinian was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a tent sheltering displaced people west of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza.

Meanwhile, ambulance and civil defense crews retrieved the bodies of three Palestinians, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a gathering near a school-turned-shelter for the displaced in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.

The Israeli army also bombed displacement tents in the courtyard of the al-Aqsa Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah. Medical sources told Xinhua that the shelling killed four Palestinians and wounded several others.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 others were taken hostage.

The nearly 11 months of Israeli assaults have resulted in 40,878 Palestinian deaths and 94,454 injuries in the coastal enclave, with 17 individuals killed and 56 injured in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza-based health authorities on Thursday. 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Birmingham Promise is offering career assistance to former Birmingham City Schools students.

According to a news release, Promise Pathways is available to former Birmingham students aged 16-24 who are not currently enrolled in high school, college or job-training programs but are interested in career opportunities. As many as 25 individuals will explore careers and get connected with opportunities through the program.

Fanatec GT World Challenger America coming to Barber Motorsports Park

The free services are being offered through a federal grant under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which is designed to help young people and others overcome employment barriers and get linked with high-quality jobs. To apply, click here.

This is for people who want to find a career and not just a job, said Zara Greene, apprenticeship program manager for Birmingham Promise, in a statement. We want to help people get on a pathway that will provide a living wage and not just a paycheck.

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Black voters in the US are often lumped into one bloc, but a new national survey has found that they can be defined by specific clusters: legacy civil rights, secular progressives, next-gen traditionalist, rightfully cynical and race-neutral conservative.

These clusters indicate that there are incredible differences within the Black community, in terms of how people think about democracy and their role in our democracy, said Katrina Gamble, CEO of Sojourn Strategies during a press conference on Wednesday,

Out of the 2,034 registered voters and 918 Black unregistered voters surveyed, 41% of respondents were found to be legacy civil rights voters who skewed older than 50 years of age and had the highest voter turnout rates. Legacy civil rights voters were also the most likely group to believe that their vote has the power to drive change. On the other end, the rightfully cynical, 22% of respondents, were the youngest cohort and the least likely to vote. Based on their personal experiences of racism at work and with the police, this cluster was the least likely to believe that their vote matters.

Related: Why Donald Trump wont make major inroads with Black voters | Musa al-Gharbi

Next-gen traditionalists, 18% of respondents, were the most religious and least educated cluster, mostly consisting of millennial and generation Z voters. They had a low voter turnout rate and a moderate belief in the power of their vote. The most progressive respondents fell within the secular progressives cluster, at 12%, of which the majority were educated women who were highly likely to vote.

Finally, the race-neutral conservatives, 7% of respondents, consisted mostly of men and were the second oldest cohort as well as the most conservative. Race-neutral conservatives had a moderate voter turnout rate and were likely to blame systemic barriers on individual choices.

Community-based organizations from Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan discussed the need to tailor mobilization efforts to different types of Black voters during a Wednesday press conference. In Pennsylvania, for instance, the grassroots group Power Interfaith is using the results of the survey to engage 50,000 eligible Black voters throughout the state. Ahead of the election, the organization will tap Black Muslim and Christian congregations to help recruit 2,000 hosts who will serve soul food dinners to young people.

Hosts from the legacy civil rights cluster will use the survey results to inform discussions with younger generations at the dinner. For Black folk, food actually is our love language, said Rev Dr Gregory Edwards, interim executive director of Power Interfaith. Something magical happens when folks sit around the dining room table with some good food; it creates space for conversation about politics, about relationships, about dreams, hopes and aspirations that arent happening elsewhere.

This fall, the Georgia-based voter engagement group New Georgia Project plans to use the research findings to tailor its door canvassing, phone and text scripts. Were able to train our canvassers and others to talk to people and to listen to them and to make sure that they are addressing what they care about, versus some traditional operations that may just talk at people, said Ranada Robinson, the groups research director.

In Michigan, a series of events called Just Effing Care Fest hosted by the grassroots group Detroit Action will engage rightful cynics by showcasing local influencers and artists while convening young Black people to discuss the issues that theyre most concerned about. Young Black community artists have a strong influence with the rightful cynics, said Branden Snyder, the groups senior advisor. Theyre able to talk about how theyve transformed their own cynicism into artistic expression, building a world that should be.

While Black registered voters overwhelmingly favor Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey, the Black values research is not targeted toward a particular campaign or party, said Gamble from Sojourn Strategies.

Instead, the survey is designed to help the Black electorate see that their vote matters. It really centers understanding, how do we not only increase Black folks across the segments perceptions of their own power, but also get this research into the hands of organizations that can organize them into having actualized power in our democracy and our elections? said Gamble.
Blank Park Zoos new member needs naming, they want your help

DES MOINES, Iowa  A Japanese macaque has been born at the Blank Park Zoo, and you could win the chance to name her.

A Japanese macaque, also known as a snow monkey, was born at the Blank Park Zoo on August 31. The mother, Miya, shows good motherly behaviors and the baby is doing well.

The family of macaques at the Blank Park Zoo is a collaboration between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) program. The program was established in 1981 to maintain healthy, genetically diverse, and stable populations for future generations.

Two weeks left to claim lost items at the Iowa State Fair Lost and Found

We are absolutely delighted to welcome this beautiful baby girl into our zoo family. This birth not only brings joy to our team and visitors but also underscores our ongoing dedication to species conservation and education, Blank Park Zoo President and CEO Anne Shimerdla said. Its a wonderful reminder of the incredible work being done every day to protect and preserve wildlife.

The public has been given the opportunity to name the new baby as part of their Safari Soiree celebrations on Thursday. A silent auction has been opened online, allowing people to bid for the chance to name the new baby. The bidding is open until Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; visit the Blank Park Zoo Soiree page to place your bid.

You can visit the new macaque and the rest of her family in their habitat just east of the carousel. To learn more about the Blank Park Zoo or their upcoming Safari Soiree visit their website.

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, and Haitian Transitional Presidential Council Coordinator Edgard Leblanc Fils speak to the press at the U.S. Chief of Mission Residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool photo via AP)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Thursday in Haiti to reaffirm the U.S. governments commitment to a multinational mission to fight gangs in the Caribbean country and push for long-awaited general elections as he supported consideration of a peacekeeping operation.

Some 400 Kenyan police have been deployed to Haiti to lead a U.N.-backed mission to quell gang violence in the Haitian capital and beyond, but concerns have grown that the mission lacks resources.

At this critical moment, we do need more funding, we do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission, Blinken told reporters.

He added that the U.S. is working to renew the mission, but we also want to make sure that we have something thats reliable, thats sustainable. Well look at every option to do that. A peacekeeping operation would be one such option.

On Wednesday, Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, confirmed the U.S. government is considering a U.N. peacekeeping operation as one way to secure money and resources to fight gangs that control 80% of Haitis capital.

Many Haitians have rejected the proposal of another peacekeeping operation, given the introduction of cholera and sexual abuse cases that occurred when U.N. troops were last in Haiti.

Blinken arrived a day after Haitis government extended a state of emergency to the entire country. It had been imposed earlier in the year in the capital and surrounding areas in an attempt to stem the ongoing violence.

Blinken met with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and a nine-member transitional presidential council that was created after former Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned. He also met with unspecified political party leaders, the head of the multinational mission and the chief of Haitis National Police.

He said the discussions centered in part on how to ensure that security personnel are well-trained, well=equipped and held accountable, adding that there's a clear plan on the mission's next steps. Talks also focused on the need to hold general elections.

That is the critical next step, he said. We want to make sure Haiti is back on a clear democratic track.

Haiti last held elections in 2016, and officials since then have blamed gang violence and political upheaval for preventing them from holding new ones.

In July 2021, former President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, and gang violence since then has surged. In February, gangs launched coordinated attacks on police stations and the main international airport, which remained closed for nearly three months. They also stormed Haitis two largest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.

The violence subsided somewhat before the first contingent of Kenyan police arrived in late June, with Blinken noting that economic activity has restarted in some areas of Port-au-Prince, and that joint operations have led to successes including regaining control of Haiti's biggest public hospital.

However, gangs continue to attack communities surrounding Port-au-Prince.

Taking back the streets from gangs is critical, Blinken said.

After meeting with officials in Haiti, Blinken is scheduled to fly Thursday night to the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

On Friday, he is scheduled to meet with Dominican President Luis Abinader and other officials before returning to the U.S. later that day.

Nichols said the talks with Abinader will focus on three priorities: strengthening economic ties, advancing values including respect for human and labor rights and promoting increased security in the region, especially in Haiti.

Abinader has come under fire in recent years for his administrations treatment of Haitian migrants and those born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents.

He also has largely closed the airspace with Haiti and is building a wall between the two nations.
The US Department of State has reported a conversation between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, who has submitted his resignation.

Source: US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller during a briefing, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "The Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Kuleba just about an hour and a half ago to express how much hes enjoyed working with him over these last several years. Foreign Minister Kuleba has been an extraordinary partner of the United States in our work to support Ukraine, in repelling Russias aggression and fighting back against Russias aggression."

Details: Blinken expressed gratitude for the close partnership that the US and Ukraine have developed through numerous initiatives and reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for the Ukrainian people as they defend themselves, their homeland and their freedom from Russian aggression.

Blinken also reported about the conversation on X (Twitter).

"Today I spoke with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to thank him for his principled leadership of Ukraines foreign policy. The United States will continue our enduring support to Ukraine in the face of Russias brutal aggression," he wrote.

Background:

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock previously stated that she only worked closely with few people the way she did with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Kuleba submitted a resignation letter on 4 September.

The vote on his resignation in the Verkhovna Rada was postponed, but David Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People party faction, said on Wednesday evening that they had agreed on a candidate for the new minister as part of government rotations.

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CHICAGO  Leonard Nyamusevya doesnt want it to be lost on anyone that his son, Simeon Bihesi, had a family who loved him.

Bihesi, 28, was among the four commuters who were fatally shot early Labor Day as they slept aboard a Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train.

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The family is now struggling to come up with the financial means to give Bihesi a proper burial, but Nyamusevya said hell do whatever it takes to make sure his life is respected. I want him to have a grave that my family can come and visit, Nyamusevya said through tears Thursday. I dont want him to be cremated. No, I dont want that.

Nyamusevya said his son grew up in Columbus, Ohio, served in the United States Marine Corps., and had hoped to one day become a police officer. After returning from the service, Nyamusevya said Bihesi lost his home to foreclosure, forcing him to face homelessness.

Hes a peaceful guy. He never had any problem with the law, Nyamusevya said, adding that his son was a great person with an inquisitive mind.

I am devastated, Nyamusevya said.

The person accused of killing Bihesi and three others was ordered detained during an initial court appearance Wednesday. The judge described the case horrific and appalling.

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The Blue Origin droneship "Jacklyn" in Port Canaveral, Florida. Blue Origin shared this photo via X on Sept. 4, 2024. | Credit: Blue Origin

More pieces are coming together for the first-ever flight of Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket.

That mission, scheduled to lift off on Oct. 13, will send NASA's twin ESCAPADE probes toward Mars from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It will also include a landing attempt by New Glenn's first stage on a droneship named "Jacklyn," which just arrived at nearby Port Canaveral to prep for the big day.

"Welcome home, Jacklyn. This sea-based landing platform is where New Glenn's reusable booster will return home again and again after each mission to quickly refurbish for its next flight," Blue Origin said today (Sept. 4) in a post on X, which included a video and photo of the droneship.

an overhead view of a dock in a sheltered cove, with several large ships moored

Jacklyn is 380 feet long and 150 feet wide (116 by 46 meters), according to Space Offshore. It's named after the mother of Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Blue Origin. ("Jacklyn" is a nickname, however; the ship's legal moniker is "Landing Platform Vessel #1.)

Jacklyn is a new ship that was specially designed to be a New Glenn landing platform, Space Offshore reports. Construction on the ship began in Romania last year and wrapped up in Brest, France in the last month or so. Jacklyn departed Brest for Florida on Aug. 8.

The new ship won't be the first to serve as a landing platform for orbital-class rockets, of course: SpaceX operates a fleet of three droneships, which service launches from Florida's Space Coast and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The SpaceX vessels are named "Just Read the Instructions," "Of Course I Still Love You" and "A Shortfall of Gravitas"  all nods to the works of legendary sci-fi author Iain M. Banks.

Related: Facts about Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company

closeup of a ship's deck, which has a large white painting of a feather and the name

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A successful New Glenn landing on Oct. 13 is a secondary objective; the main goal is to get the two ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft, named Blue and Gold, safely on their way to Mars.

If all goes according to plan, Blue and Gold will arrive in orbit around the Red Planet in September 2025. After a commissioning period, the satellites will collect a variety of measurements quantifying Mars' response to space weather, information that could help scientists better understand how the planet's climate has changed over the eons.
The Starliner spacecraft hasnt had the smoothest ride thus far, but it will soon attempt its return home.

The Boeing vessel is scheduled to come back to Earth on Friday evening, The New York Times reported on Wednesday, parachuting into White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico six hours after undocking from the International Space Station. The return will take place a full three months after Starliner arrived at the ISS in June, but it will leave behind the astronauts it delivered to the space station.

More from Robb Report

We have confidence in the vehicle, Steve Stich, the manager of NASAs commercial crew program, said during a news conference, according to the Times. Weve had two good landings with Starliner so far, and were expecting another one Friday.

In the works for years, Starliner finally took off for the ISS with astronauts in tow earlier this summer. But as the craft approached the space station, it encountered propulsion system problems, The New York Times noted. NASA officials said theyre still not sure what caused those issues, but they dont expect them to reoccur upon Starliners return.

Still, NASA decided that the vessel should come back sans the astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. The duo will stay on the ISS until February, the Times wrote, when theyll return to Earth aboard SpaceXs Crew Dragon. Dana Weigel, NASAs program manager for the space station, told the newspaper that Williams and Wilmore both trained for a longer mission, and that they know how to perform spacewalks and operate the ISSs robotic arm.

We had them well prepared to move into this role, she said.

As for what will happen with Starliner after it returns to Earth, its not clear what NASA has planned. The most recent flight to the ISS was supposed to be the space agencys last step in making sure that the craft could take astronauts to the space station once a year, The New York Times reported. Now, NASA could ask Boeing to undertake another crewed test flight before those more regular trips begin. (Last month, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that Kelly Ortberg, the new CEO of Boeing, had told him that the company would continue to work on Starliner.)

The first step, though, will be the crafts return home tomorrow. If weather or technical issues force a delay, backup dates are set for September 10, 14, and 18.

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TEHRAN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, on Thursday highlighted the necessity to continue political talks between the two countries.

In a phone call, the Bahraini foreign minister congratulated Araghchi on his recent appointment as Iran's foreign minister and noted the significance of ties with Iran for his country, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Al Zayani also expressed his hope that bilateral political talks would be promoted during the new Iranian administration's term.

Araghchi, for his part, said that expanding relations with neighbors was among the Iranian administration's main priorities, calling for the continuation of bilateral talks and discussions within the framework of the agreements between the two countries.

In late June, Iran and Bahrain announced in a joint statement that they had agreed to start talks on the resumption of bilateral political relations following an eight-year diplomatic freeze.

In 2016, Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Iran following Saudi Arabia's decision to cut ties with Tehran. The move came in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, which occurred after the execution of a Shiite cleric by Saudi Arabia.

In March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions. The two countries formally declared in April of last year the resumption of diplomatic ties with immediate effect. 
Major Turbulence

The ongoing Starliner situation isn't the only crisis facing aerospace giant Boeing.

The company is also facing a massive 32,000-worker strike, which could kick off this month if Boeing and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union aren't able to reach an agreement ahead of the expiry of their contract on September 12.

The union voted an astonishing 99.9 percent in favor of authorizing a strike in mid-July. While that doesn't necessarily mean a strike will take place, time is quickly running out to find a resolution.

The workers, many of whom produce the company's workhorse 737 commercial jets in Seattle, are looking to bargain for better job security in light of reports that Boeing may produce its next airplane program elsewhere.

It's the very last thing the embattled aerospace company needs right now. The company has been bumbling its way through a wave of overlapping crises, from shoddy workmanship leading to its commercial jets falling apart in mid-air to whistleblowers accusing it of retaliation and several government investigations.

Even the company's CEO Dave Calhoun stepped down in March, handing over the reins to the company's latest executive Kelly Ortberg last week.

Crisis Mode

Aside from having its plagued Starliner spacecraft stranding two NASA astronauts on board the International Space Station for months, Boeing has also had to deal with the aftermath of a "door plug" blowing out of a 737 MAX jet mid-air back in January.

Boeing was found to obstruct the subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, with the regulator accusing it in June of "blatantly violating" its investigative regulations.

After the door plug incident, production of the company's 737 MAX jets has slowed down to a crawl. As Reuters reports, the company has struggled to return to its original output rate of 38 planes a month.

An impending worker strike could turn the situation into an even bigger headache for the company, adding fuel to existing fires Boeing is actively trying to put out.

"We continue to bargain in good faith as we focus on the topics that are important to our employees and their families," Boeing told CNN in a statement. "Were confident we can reach a deal that balances the needs of our employees and the business realities we face as a company."

Meanwhile, IAM remains steadfast in its position at the bargaining table.

"Theyve been paralyzed to launch a new airplane," IAM District 751 president Jon Holden told CNN last month. "Its because of those decisions and the crashes that were in this position."

"We love the Boeing Company," he added. "Its the people on the board who dont. They sacrificed its integrity."

More on Boeing: NASA Will Attempt to Launch Boeing's Troubled Starliner Away From Space Station as Fast as Possible, Just in Case
Former national security adviser John Bolton dismissed claims that former President Trump is a threat to democracy and emphasized that the U.S. Constitution will withstand him.

Bolton reacted Wednesday to former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) saying she will vote for Vice President Harris because Trump is a danger to the Constitution.

And I dont agree with the idea that somehow the Constitution is such a piece of weak paper that Donald Trump is a threat to it. Donald Trump will cause a lot of damage if he is elected in a second term. He is not an existential threat to American democracy. If you really think that, you must think this country isnt worth much, he told CNNs Kaitlan Collins on The Source.

Because, weve gone 235 years with this Constitution. Weve survived a lot worse than Donald Trump. And this kind of comment undercuts those who are trying to see Trump put in this place, he added.

Cheney said Wednesday that as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

She has frequently criticized the former president as someone who threatens to unravel our Republic and is not fit to serve.

Bolton also emphasized he would not vote for someone with whom he has key disagreements.

He said Cheneys choice does not influence his decision to write in her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, for president, which he said in April he would do. And he pushed back on Liz Cheneys comments that it was a luxury to write in a candidate.

Its not a luxury to be able to write in somebody other than the two major party candidates. Its important. Its a protest vote. I understand my vote will not elect a president that has no chance to. But in Maryland, where I live, I have no chance to affect the Electoral College outcome there anyway, he said.

And I am not going to vote for anybody with whom I have a principled disagreement, or think theyre not fit to be president. Its a sad commentary, on our political process, that weve got two such inadequate candidates now, he added.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The U.S. Border Patrols Big Bend Sector will host a solemn remembrance ceremony to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Flyer courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The event will be held at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Alpine, Texas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced in a news release.

El Paso Fire ready to remember 9/11 terror attacks

CBP said the event will include a moment of silence, a wreath-laying at the stations 9/11 memorial and remarks from U.S. Border Patrol leadership and local officials.

A centerpiece of the ceremony will be the Alpine Stations 9/11 artifact  a 1,300-pound piece of steel from the World Trade Center. This significant artifact, the only one of its kind in the Big Bend Sector, serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience and strength of the American people, read the news release.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Visit Denvers Workforce Development initiative launched a new campaign Wednesday telling high school-aged students and young adults that Boredom is Fired, and encouraging the group to pursue careers in tourism, leisure and hospitality.

Visit Denver, the citys marketing bureau, is using the campaign to promote the industrys benefits, such as good starting pay, skills development, career advancement and flexibility. The campaign is showcasing ambassadors working in various hospitality venues, such as attractions, events, hotels, outdoor and food and beverage.

Fewer hikers took on Colorados 14ers in almost a decade; $70.5M economic impact

Visit Denver said the initiative is a response to concerns regarding a shrinking workforce pool in the industry, which was the hardest hit industry during the pandemic and still struggles with staffing shortages, according to the agency.

It is essential that the travel, leisure and hospitality industry invest in the next generation of workers and leaders, said Walter Isenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of Sage Hospitality Group, in the Visit Denver release. We cannot run our hotels and restaurants without the talent of thousands of workers from human resources professionals to chefs; catering managers to accountants. Our industry offers exciting careers with endless opportunities for growth, not to mention perks like flexibility, dynamic days and working alongside energetic and dedicated people.

Boredom is Fired is targeted at 18- to 20-year-old Denver-area residents. The campaign has an outreach program to secondary education institutions and skills-based programs, where ambassadors will speak directly to students.

Students are excited to enter the workforce and are thirsty for information about the kinds of jobs that exist and stories from young professionals in those fields, said Steve Day, Principal of Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, in the Visit Denver announcement. Boredom is Fired fills a unique need of exposing students to a career path that checks the boxes important to so many young people while also introducing them to people living that life.

According to Hotel Management Network, the U.S. travel and tourism industry experienced a 51% rise in new job postings in the first quarter of 2024, compared with the previous quarter. Visit Denvers new campaign is aimed at helping fill those positions, while uplifting students in a fun and exciting industry, according to Visit Denver.

Record Denver visitors generated billions for Colorado tourism industry: report

We know investing in young people and helping them get job experience that they will enjoy is essential to the future success of the travel and hospitality industry, said Richard Scharf, President and CEO of Visit Denver. We are so grateful to our local hospitality business owners, educators, industry associations and city leadership for their support of workforce development during this important time in the industry.

More information on the campaign is available at boredomisfired.com.

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Boy, 15, accused of threatening to shoot people at Long Island school: SCPD

Boy, 15, accused of threatening to shoot people at Long Island school: SCPD

LINDENHURST, N.Y. (PIX11)  A 15-year-old boy was accused of threatening to shoot people at a Long Island high school on Wednesday, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

The Lindenhurst teenager, who attends Brennan High School, allegedly made the threats in an online chat with other students from the school, police said Thursday.

More Local News

The threat wasnt made during school hours, according to authorities.

The teenager was charged with making a threat of mass harm. He was released into the custody of his family.

He will be arraigned in Suffolk County Family Court at a later date, according to authorities.

There was an increased police presence at the high school on Thursday, per police.

The arrest happened on the same day a 14-year-old boy was charged with killing four people in a Georgia high school shooting. The boy was investigated over a year ago for making online threats, according to authorities.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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Members of Unite Here Local 11 hospitality workers union and members of the Writers Guild of America picket together in Santa Monica in July 2023. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Hollywood writers, editors and producers have pledged to join a union-led boycott of two Los Angeles-area hotels mired in a labor dispute.

The boycott, which was launched last month by hospitality union Unite Here Local 11, targets Cameo Beverly Hills, which is a Hilton hotel, and the Beverly Hills Marriott. The union has been in negotiations with the company that operates the hotels, Remington Hospitality, to reach an agreement for workers at the Cameo, whose contract expired at the end of June.

The union is also pushing Remington to not interfere in a drive to unionize workers at the Beverly Hills Marriott and to voluntarily recognize the union if a majority of workers opt for it, said union spokesperson Maria Hernandez.

"Beverly Hills Marriott refused to agree to a fair process to allow workers to organize," Hernandez said.

Unite Here Local 11 announced the boycott shortly after filing a wage theft complaint with the California labor commissioner alleging the Cameo failed to pay housekeepers for work they performed before the start of their shift times. The complaint also said housekeepers were unable to take mandated 10-minute breaks because they were assigned to clean too many rooms.

The boycott gained steam over the Labor Day weekend with the announcement that more than 30 screenwriters and other unionized Hollywood figures had pledged to support it. Writers Guild of America members who have joined the hotel boycott include Grant Sloss, a screenwriter and producer on the hit show Emily in Paris; Michael Schur, co-executive producer of "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation"; and Brittani Nichols, writer and producer for Abbott Elementary."

WGA and Unite Here Local 11 have backed each other in labor disputes in the past. During last year's Hollywood writers strike, Unite Here Local 11 announced it would not cross any picket lines at hotels that frequently serve as locations for film and television productions.

Read more: With strike behind them, Los Angeles hotels look to move on

Remington Hospitality said in a statement that it recognizes "team members as our greatest asset and [takes] immense pride in fostering positive, open, and trusting relationships with them" and is "dedicated to treating every associate with dignity and respect."

"Our top priority is to create an exceptional employee experience that empowers, motivates, and inspires our team to deliver outstanding guest service. We deeply appreciate the daily contributions our employees make to both our hotel and the community we serve," the statement said.

Remington did not respond to questions about the union's allegations of wage theft.

The Cameo was formerly known as Mr. C Beverly Hills and recently rebranded. The hotel is owned by Braemar Hotels & Resorts.

The dispute at the Cameo and Beverly Hills Marriott follows a year of rolling strikes at dozens of hotels across Southern California that Unite Here used in a push for higher wages and other concessions as it negotiated new contracts for its members. In addition to the walkouts, the union organized boycotts of dozens of other hotels last summer that caused several conferences and events to be relocated, rescheduled or canceled.

The work stoppages and boycotts helped secure major wage increases for workers at 72 hotels, including immediate raises of $5 per hour for front desk clerks, dishwashers, housekeepers and other non-tipped workers.

The new boycott comes as labor tensions have heated up at other hotels across the country.

Over the Labor Day weekend, unionized front desk workers, housekeepers and other employees at two dozen hotels in cities across the U.S. walked off the job after contract negotiations broke down. The strike involved roughly 3,000 workers at eight Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott properties in California, including in San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose. The workers are represented by local chapters of Unite Here.

Workers largely returned to their jobs Wednesday, although a strike is still underway at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, which employs about 700 union workers.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BPD searches for man in connection to an assault with a deadly weapon

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the communitys assistance in identifying a man related to an assault with a deadly weapon with a vehicle.

Police say the incident happened in the 4400 block of Ming Avenue on June 5 after the suspect attempted to strike the victim with his vehicle.

Bakersfield Fire Dept. seek help IDing 2 alleged arson suspects in connection to Toucan Building fire

Courtesy: BPD

The man is described as between 50 and 60 years old, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds with curly hair. Police say at the time of the incident he was wearing a black shirt and black shorts.

Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage

If anyone has any information on this case they are asked to call the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

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Welcome to The Scoop  the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. to Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.

(NewsNation)  George Clooney lit into The New York Times this week after the paper of record claimed he and Brad Pitt made $35 million each for their starring roles in the Apple TV movie Wolfs.

Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, Clooney told reporters: [It was] an interesting article, and whatever her source was for our salary, it is millions and millions and millions of dollars less than what was reported. And I am only saying that because I think its bad for our industry if thats what people think is the standard-bearer for salaries. I think thats terrible; itll make it impossible to make films.

Heres everything you need to know about the Venice Film Festival

My source says the real figure each actor made was around $20 million for the film. Not cheap  but Clooney is correct. If the men both demanded $35 million for each film they were in, it would price them out of the market completely.

In addition, almost all streamers are rethinking their movie/theater strategies.

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: Brad Pitt and George Clooney attend the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Maria Moratti/Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: Brad Pitt (L) and George Clooney attend the Venice International Film Festival World Premiere for Apple Original Films Wolfs at Palazzo del Cinema on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. Wolfs streams globally on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT  Actor Brad Pitt attends the red carpet of the movie Wolfs presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney attend the red carpet of the movie Wolfs presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: (L-R) Amal Clooney, George Clooney, Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt attend the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: George Clooney attends the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Stefania DAlessandro/WireImage)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: George Clooney poses with photographers as he attends the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

From left : actor George Clooney, actor Austin Abrams, actress Amy Ryan and actor Brad Pitt attend the red carpet of the movie Wolfs presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 1: Brad Pitt and George Clooney attend the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema on September 1, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Gisela Schober/Getty Images)

TOPSHOT  Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney attend the red carpet of the movie Wolfs presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Actor Richard Gere jokes with photographers during the red carpet of the movie Wolfs presented out of competition during the 81st International Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido, on September 1, 2024. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: George Clooney (L) and Brad Pitt attend the Venice International Film Festival photo call for Apple Original Films Wolfs at Palazzo del Casino on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. Wolfs premieres globally on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: George Clooney and Brad Pitt attend the Wolfs photocall during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at Palazzo del Casino on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: George Clooney and Brad Pitt arrive at the Venice International Film Festival photocall for Apple Original Films Wolfs at Palazzo del Casino on September 1, 2024 in Venice, Italy. Wolfs premieres globally on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024.(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Apple TV+)

Brad Pitt, George Clooney: Bidding war for Wolfs

Apple TV won a bidding war for Wolfs in 2021 in part by promising a wide theater launch before the flick appeared on the streaming platform. That changed last week when the company announced a limited theater run and a quick-to-streamer debut for the movie, disappointing its stars and director.

Johnny Depp allegedly drops tens of thousands on new teeth

The films director, Jon Watts, told Vanity Fair that he had found out about the change in plans only days before the announcement: The theatrical experience has really made an impression on me of how valuable this thing is and how important it is.  I always thought of this as a theatrical movie. We made it to be seen in theaters, and I think thats the best way to see it.

But the bottom line has been hurt by theatrical runs  where, if theyre not successful, people dont necessarily want to watch it on streaming.

BERLIN, GERMANY  JULY 10: US-danish actress Scarlett Johansson and US actor Channing Tatum attend the To The Moon premiere at Zoo Palast on July 10, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Tristar Media/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA  JANUARY 31: Simone Holtznagel and Jono Castano attend the Sydney premiere of Argylle at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on January 31, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

MADRID, SPAIN  NOVEMBER 20: Actor Joaquin Phoenix (L) and director Ridley Scott (R) attend the Napoleon premiere at the El Prado Museum on November 20, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Borja B. Hojas/WireImage)

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA  FEBRUARY 11: Lily Gladstone, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Jillian Dion and Janae Collins seen during Apple Original Films Killers of the Flower Moon FYC screening and Q&A at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Apple TV+)

Apple TV: Big-budget flops

And Apple has seen a lot of recent hits with big-budget flops.

According to the Times: (Apple TV+) joined forces with Paramount Pictures to release Martin Scorseses Killers of the Flower Moon, which cost $200 million to make and grossed $157 million worldwide. Ridley Scotts Napoleon (Sony) cost $200 million and grossed $221 million worldwide. The $200 million spy thriller Argylle (Universal) grossed $96 million. And most recently, Apple teamed up with Sony again to release Fly Me to the Moon, which cost $100 million but grossed just $40 million worldwide despite the star power of Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice stars arrive for Venice Film Festival opening

A rep for Pitt declined comment, while reps for Clooney didnt return emails.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Welcome to The Scoop  the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. to Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.

(NewsNation)  The international press went wild this week after Brad Pitt, 60, and his longtime girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, 33, went red carpet official at the Venice Film Festival.

But readers of this column were well aware of the twos strong relationship months ago.

As I wrote in April: Meanwhile, Pitt, 60, has moved on and moved in with his girlfriend, jewelry designer Ines de Ramon, 33. The couple have been together since 2022 and a close friend says she is joining him in Europe while he films Apex, his movie inspired by the F1 racing circuit and the Grand Prix.

Venice Film Festival welcomes Pitt and Clooney, and their new film Wolfs

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: Ines de Ramon and Brad Pitt attend the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Annalisa Ranzoni/Getty Images)

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND  JULY 7: Brad Pitt, star of upcoming F1 movie, arrives in the paddock with girlfriend Ines de Ramon during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 7, 2024 in Northampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  SEPTEMBER 01: (L-R) Amal Clooney, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon attend the Wolfs red carpet during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY  NOVEMBER 04: 2015 Entertainment Innovator Angelina Jolie Pitt (L) and Brad Pitt attend the WSJ. Magazine 2015 Innovator Awards at the Museum of Modern Art on November 4, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine 2015 Innovator Awards)

An aerial view taken on May 31, 2008 in Le Val, southeastern France, shows the Chateau Miraval, a vineyard estate owned by US businessman Tom Bove. US actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are relocating to the chateau, a local official told AFP. AFP PHOTO MICHEL GANGNE (Photo credit should read MICHEL GANGNE/AFP via Getty Images)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA  DECEMBER 11: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Actor Brad Pitt onstage at The Inaugural Diamond Ball presented by Rihanna and The Clara Lionel Foundation at The Vineyard on December 11, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Clara Lionel Foundation)

LIeGE, BELGIUM  JULY 23 : Brad Pitt and his girlfriend Ines De Ramon landing in Liege with a private jet pictured on July 23, 2024 in Liege, Belgium, 23/07/2024 ( Photo by Gianni Barbieux / Photonews ) via Getty Images)

VENICE, ITALY  AUGUST 29: Angelina Jolie attends a red carpet for Maria during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 29, 2024 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon very serious: Source

Not only did Ramon join Brad in England, Iceland and Italy (where they not only went to Venice but spent time with Wolfs co-star George Clooney and his wife Amal in Lake Como) but they are now camped out at his vineyard in France  the same one that he is battling over with his ex, Angelina Jolie.

They are very serious about each other and talking long term  marriage and kids, my source said, adding Pitt would be very open to more children with de Ramon.

Pitt has six children with Jolie, none of whom talk to him and several of whom have changed their last name from Jolie-Pitt to just Jolie. (Pitts side has claimed this is due to parental alienation by Jolie.)

A rep for Pitt declined 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 NewsNation.
Exports in August reached 22.1 billion dollars, marking the highest August export record in the history of the Republic. One of the sectors that contributed significantly to this success was the "defence and aviation industry," with exports of 423 million dollars. This sector drew attention as one of the prominent areas in export growth.

Turkey, on its path to provide its own defense equipment with domestic and national resources, has now become a power that exports to 171 different countries.

The defense and aviation sector continued its upward trend in export performance in August.

Presidential Defense Industries President Haluk Gorgun evaluated the defense and aviation sector's export performance in August in a post he shared on his social media account.

Monthly exports increased by 12.6 percent

Defense and aviation exports increased by 12.6 percent in August compared to the same month last year, reaching 423 million dollars.

8-month exports increased by 9.8 percent

In addition, the sector's 8-month exports increased by 9.8 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 3 billion 738 million dollars.

"Exports increased by 13.4 percent annually in a period of 1 year"

Stating that defense and aviation exports increased by 12.6 percent in August compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 423 million dollars, Gorgun noted the following:

On the other hand, in the first eight months of 2024, our defense and aviation exports increased by 9.8 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 3 billion 738 million dollars. Thus, in the last one year, our exports increased by 13.4 percent on an annual basis.

As the defense industry, our main goal in the export strategy is to ensure a permanent increase trend in the export of high value-added products. The fact that our companies can export to almost the entire world, not to a certain region, has been another important goal that we have achieved success in our export strategy.

In line with this goal, our companies exported products to 171 different countries in 2024. In the coming period, as the Presidency of Defense Industries; we will continue our work with an approach that embraces both our large-scale companies and medium, small-scale enterprises and SMEs, with the aim of increasing the number of our exporting companies and making exports sustainable for the entire sector.
CAIRO, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Ahmed Khalifa inspected the security measures on the border with the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to a statement by the Egyptian military.

Khalifa stressed that the primary mission of the Egyptian armed forces is to safeguard the state's borders in all strategic directions, adding that "the armed forces are capable of defending the borders of the homeland, generation after generation."

He also listened to a detailed report on the coordination between various units to ensure complete control over the international border around the clock, the statement added.

Khalifa instructed the forces to remain highly vigilant and get ready for emergencies.

The visit came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that weapons were being smuggled to Hamas through the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border.

Netanyahu has insisted on Israeli military presence along the corridor, a 14-km-long buffer zone along the border between Egypt and Gaza, claiming that the corridor is a "lifeline" for Hamas to rearm.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been leading mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas to end the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,800 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis since Oct. 7, 2023, according to official tally from the two sides. However, previous rounds of ceasefire talks have failed to achieve a breakthrough. 
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH)  The City of Bridgeport is implementing bus stop arm cameras on all of their school buses.

Serial burglar arrested in Bridgeport

Over six months, the city captured nearly 10,000 instances of cars illegally passing stopped school buses, according to a release by the mayors office.

These are very important elements into what hopefully will be preventative and punitive if someone illegally passes a school bus, Mayor Joe Ganim said at a press conference on Thursday, We want to ensure that every student in this City and their parents feel safe as they leave their home and on the bus.

The cameras will capture footage of cars passing buses and issue citations accordingly.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
New York seeking to charge Harvey Weinstein with more sex crimes as Britain drops its case

NEW YORK (AP)  Spared from prosecution in Britain on Thursday, Harvey Weinstein now faces the prospect of a new indictment in New York, where prosecutors retrying the disgraced movie moguls rape case are taking steps to potentially charge him with up to three additional sex assaults.

Britains Crown Prosecution Service, which authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein in 2022, announced Thursday that it decided to discontinue the proceedings because there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties, the CPS said in a statement. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

At the same time, the Manhattan district attorneys office in New York has begun presenting evidence to a grand jury of up to three previously uncharged allegations against Weinstein - two sexual assaults in the mid-2000s and another sexual assault in 2016.

The New York grand jurys term expires Friday, and a vote on an indictment could happen by the end of the week, though its possible the process could extend beyond that. Prosecutors said they would seek to combine any new charges with ones previously brought against Weinstein so that they could be tried together.

In April, New Yorks top court overturned Weinsteins rape and sexual assault convictions and ordered a new trial. The states Court of Appeals found that the judge in the 2020 trial unfairly allowed testimony from women whose claims against Weinstein werent part of the case.

Prosecutors shared some information about the additional allegations that the grand jury is weighing at a court conference on Tuesday.

They include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006, and an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016.

Judge Curtis Farber elicited the details as Weinsteins lawyers weighed potentially having him testify before the grand jury, which they said hed wanted to do. Weinstein was not present at the conference.

Defense lawyer Arthur Aidala said Thursday that hes decided against Weinstein testifying, citing a lack of sufficient information about the new allegations. He criticized prosecutors for seeking to add additional accusers to the case rather than simply trying Weinsteins original indictment again.

The case was overturned in April and they spent six months trying to dig up someone to come after him, Aidala said.

Weinstein, 72, has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone. He remains in custody in New York while awaiting a retrial in Manhattan thats tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 12. He is expected back in court for a pretrial hearing Sept. 12.

Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement, which took root in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. After the revelations emerged, British police said they were investigating multiple allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place between the 1980s and 2015.

In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized Londons Metropolitan Police Service to file two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein over an alleged incident that occurred in London in 1996. The victim was in her 50s at the time of the announcement.

Unlike many other countries, Britain does not have a statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault.

After Weinsteins conviction was overturned, New York prosecutors said they intended to bring new sexual assault charges against him and were actively pursuing claims of rape that occurred in Manhattan within the statute of limitations.

At the original trial, Weinstein was convicted of forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actor in 2013. Those allegations will be part of his retrial. Weinsteins acquittals on charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape still stand.

After the retrial, Weinstein is due to start serving a 16-year sentence in California for a separate rape conviction in Los Angeles, authorities said. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022.

Weinstein, the co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company film studios, was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, producing such Oscar winners as Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love.

___

Kirka reported from London. Associated Press writers Brian Melley and Phil Marcelo contributed to this report.
BRONX (PIX11) A beloved Bronx restaurant owner is suffering from a brain tumor, and now news her restaurant, which has been open for more than 30 years, could close its doors.

The community is coming together and is asking for support.

More Local News

Shes known as Momma Virginia here in the Bronx. It seems like everybody knows her and loves her. 81-year-old Virginia Momma Gonzalez is a fighter. Diagnosed with a brain tumor this May, shes in a battle for her life.

Her only daughter Maribel says its hard to see her like this, a legend in the Bronx Puerto Rican community. She came to NYC when she was just 19 years old, a single mom with a dream of opening her own restaurant.

With only ten dollars in her pocket, she became a cab driver and made her dream happen, opening this restaurant on Westchester Ave more than 32 years ago. The restaurant is called South of France.

Annette Captain de Jesus has been a loyal customer and friend for over 15 years.

And hopes the community will help. Dejesus says her restaurant is known for its authentic Puerto Rican food despite its French name. Virginias generosity is also infamous. For 16 years, she has fed the community weekly and area hospitals.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Bronx teacher grazed by bullet in classroom didnt realize he was hit

A Bronx middle school teacher hit by a bullet as he prepared his classroom for the first day of school didnt immediately realize he had been struck, shaken family members said Thursday.

Jhairo Colon, 33, was in a sixth-floor classroom at the Angelo Patri School, on the corner of Webster Ave. and Folin St. in the Fordham section of the Bronx, just before noon Wednesday when someone fired several shots outside.

A bullet flew through the window and grazed the special education teacher, police said.

Colon, who had to miss the first day of school, told the Daily News he had left St. Barnabas Hospital Wednesday.

It hurts a little bit. It burns, Colon said outside his Bronx home, his right hand wrapped in a bandage.

But the teachers wife said it had bothered him so much that he couldnt sleep the night he was shot.

The hand hurts a lot, said Marleny Colon, 28. He doesnt know how the bullet got inside.

The victims brother-in-law said Colon didnt even notice hed been shot.

The other teacher told him he was bleeding. He didnt even feel it, said German Diaz, 23. He was just talking to the teacher. They were just having a conversation.

Colon got seven stitches in his palm, said the brother-in-law  and is stunned by the close call.

His sister asked him, How you feeling? He was like, Im just laughing. I dont know what else to do, Diaz said.

Colon has been a special education teacher with the New York City Department of Education since 2018 and specializes in math, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Just think about how much more tragic that could have been, Schools Chancellor David Banks said outside P.S. 257 John F. Hylan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he greeted students on the first day of school Thursday morning.

It hit his hand, and it wasnt a serious injury. He went to the hospital, he was treated, and hes home. He said, Im ready. Im anxious to get back to school. But just think about how dangerous that could have been if it had hit a different part of his body. So we were able to avert a disaster, said Banks.

When he spoke to Colon, Banks said the teacher told him he thought the sound of the gunfire was an electrical outlet in the classroom malfunctioning.

It wasnt until the [paraprofessional] told him, Youre bleeding, and thats when he realized. And then when they called the police, they saw the shell casing actually in the building, Banks said.

Police said the school was not targeted in the incident.

Let me be clear, this bullet was not fired from inside the school and at this point in the investigation, we believe it was fired from a long distance range, Deputy Chief at Patrol Borough Bronx Keiyon Ramsey said at a Wednesday press conference.

No arrests have been made.
Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown on Wednesday criticized the national media for disregarding his race against Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen, despite Nevadas status as a battleground state for control of the Senate. (Photo: Jeniffer Solis/Nevada Current)

During a campaign event in Las Vegas Wednesday, Republican Senate candidate Sam Brown hitched his wagon to right-wing provocateur and media personality Ben Shapiro in a bid to win over Nevada voters.

The move comes as national polling averages show Brown lagging 10 percentage points behind Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen.

Brown acknowledged his uphill battle for the Senate seat to a room of supporters at the South Point Hotel and Casino on Wednesday.

Even though weve been massively outspent, the race is still margin of error close on our internal polling, Brown told the audience.

The team has been shooting me straight. Were a smidge behind, but were in a position to be able to close that gap, he continued.

Brown and Shapiro criticized the national media for disregarding his race against Rosen, despite Nevadas status as a battleground state for control of the Senate. Brown argued the race will come down to independent and low-information voters, who he believes have not heard his message.

It has been absurd the way that the media has covered this race, and the way that social media has covered me, Brown said.

Weve been just under a barrage of attacks, attacks against me, attacks against other Republicans on the ticket, Brown said.

Rosens campaign has heavily invested in attacks tying Brown to policies that align with Project 2025, a controversial plan to dramatically expand presidential powers and reconstruct the federal government under a Republican administration. That includes Browns previous comments supporting nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, a position he has since recanted, and his inconsistent positions on abortion and reproductive rights

Brown has previously declined to publicly state how he will vote on Nevadas Question 6, which would enshrine the states abortion rights protections in the constitution. On Wednesday, The Nevada Independent published an audio clip of Brown at a campaign meet-and-greet on Aug. 28 suggesting that he will vote no on the ballot measure, saying its passage would change the law and essentially [create] no limit on access to abortion.

Former President Donald Trump has maintained a much tighter race against his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris, according to national polling. Brown has attempted to seize on Trumps popularity by aligning himself with the former president.

Brown highlighted Trumps no tax on tips policy during his stop at the South Point. Trump first unveiled the policy during a campaign rally in Las Vegas in June. The policy proposal quickly gained steam, leading Rosen and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto to back a no tax on tips bill introduced by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

It took them about three weeks to hear from their constituents, and then they flipped, Brown said.

With Democrats holding a razor thin majority in the U.S. Senate Nevada is considered a key battleground state in the race for a Republican controlled U.S. Senate. Brown and Shapiro warned of a dangerous Democratic agenda if they expanded their hold on the Senate, such as killing the filibuster, making Puerto Rico and Washington, DC states, and adding term limits to the Supreme Court.

Can you imagine a scenario where, if President Trump wins, but the Democrats find a way to keep the Senate majority? Will he get anything done? Brown said.

This really could be the last consequential election of the rest of our lives, he continued.

Brown said if elected his first act as a senator would be to confirm Trump loyalists into cabinet positions.

Lindsay Graham, Tom Cotton, and Women for Sam Brown

Browns hour with Shapiro was one of several campaign events scheduled for this week, which also included stops at a bagel cafe with Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and a Filipino restaurant with Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to address Chinas increasing aggression towards the Philippines.

Brown has leaned into his past as a military officer in the U.S. Army to project authority on foreign policy issues compared to Rosen. During his stop at the South Point in Las Vegas, Brown highlighted his time in Afghanistan, while criticizing Rosen and the Biden administration on border security, and the Israel-Hamas war.

This administration has had failed foreign policy from day one, Brown said. Our enemies are afoot. They see a weaker United States of America, and we need President Trump back in the White House, and we need a strong Republican Senate to ensure that we regain our footing as the strongest nation in the world.

On Tuesday, Brown was scheduled to speak at Fervent Church to the American Christian Caucus, a Nevada affiliate of the National Association of American Christian Communities, which believes churches need to be involved in politics and voice their opinion on the laws being passed when the Bible is perverted. Among the examples of things the organization believes pervert the Bible: divorce was made easier and abortion was made legal.

At almost the same time Tuesday, Browns wife, Amy Brown, with Sarah Johnson, wife of congressional candidate Drew Johnson, launched a Women for Sam Brown and Women for Drew Johnson coalitions at a Summerlin restaurant.

The irony was not lost on Nevada Democrats, who released a statement calling it a desperate coalition aimed at appealing to women while running on an anti-abortion, anti-women agenda that is deeply out of step with our state.

April Corbin Girnus contributed to this story.
Buffalo Diocese priest accused of misconduct with women placed on administrative leave

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A priest has been placed on administrative leave by Buffalo Bishop Michael Fisher pending an investigation into allegations of adult misconduct with women, the Diocese of Buffalo announced Thursday.

Rev. Walter Grabowski has been temporarily relieved of his duties due to the investigation. The diocese said that Grabowski being placed on leave does not imply any determination as to the truth or falsity of the complaint.

Grabowski shared pastoral duties with a family of parishes that includes Fourteen Holy Helpers, Queen of Heaven, St. John XXIII, St. Gabriel and St. John Vianney.

If you have information regarding adult misconduct by a Buffalo Diocese priest, you can contact the dioceses victim assistance coordinator at (716) 895-3010.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Buffalo man under prosecution for an alleged sexual assault has been indicted for a separate burglary, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced.

Lamont K. Love, 34, is accused of breaking into a residence in the early hours of Feb. 23, officials said. The victim allegedly awoke to a loud noise in their apartments kitchen and called police, finding a window screen and kitchen countertop damaged.

Responding officers allegedly found a pair of abandoned shoes and a cell phone, which were placed into evidence, officials said.

Love was charged with second-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief in connection with the incident.

For the sexual assault case, Love was arraigned in June on one count of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree assault.

Officials said around 10:30 p.m. on March 3, Love was riding a bicycle and approached the victim while she was walking in Shoshone Park on the 1900 block of Hertel Avenue. He allegedly jumped off of his bicycle and attacked the victim.

Love is accused of subjecting the victim to sexual contact by forcible compulsion, officials said.

Love is scheduled to return to court on both files on Sept. 27. He was held without bail in the burglary case.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Buffalo man was sentenced to serve 19 years and one month in prison for his role in three armed credit union robberies in 2017 and 2019, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced.

Officials said on the morning of Oct. 26, 2017, Adrian Applewhite, 37, and two others robbed the Lakeshore Federal Credit Union on Erie Road in Evans. Applewhite planned the robbery and gave instructions and a firearm to a co-defendant to assist in the robbery, the attorneys office said.

On July 25, 2019, two co-defendants went into the South Towns Community Federal Credit Union on South Park Avenue in Lackawanna while Applewhite sat in a car nearby as the getaway driver, officials said.

According to the attorneys office, the co-defendants sprayed the bank tellers with pepper spray, went into an unlocked safe and stole $290,500, of which Applewhite took a share of the proceeds.

On November 7, 2019, while armed with a pistol and wearing masks and gloves, two co-defendants robbed the Clarence Community and School Federal Credit Union on Sheridan Drive.

Officials said Applewhite, the getaway driver, sat in a car nearby and $148,793 in total was taken. Applewhite took a share of the money for his role.

In May 2021, Applewhite admitted to being the getaway driver for the robberies and pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated bank robbery.

Applewhite was previously convicted of aggravated bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and violating supervised release.

48-year-old Ronald Morris of Buffalo was found to be a part of the three robberies. In August 2023, he was sentenced to over 14 years in prison for his role.

Latest Local News

Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  An East Grand Rapids building contractor has to pay back more than $300,000 if he wants to stay out of jail.

The case stems from a construction job David Jon Jenkins took near Traverse City: A couple had paid him upfront to build them a house overlooking Suttons Bay, but Jenkins failed to pay the subcontractors.

In an April report, Target 8 investigators detailed the other unhappy customers, subcontractors and suppliers Jenkins left in his wake as he marketed his services as a high-end company called Jenkins Estates LTD.

Clients wonder if their cash is funding builders high-end lifestyle

Johannes Ploeg, who hired Jenkins to build the house on Suttons Bay, was worried Jenkins used his money to fund a luxurious lifestyle.

He has a Porsche and a Tesla and a house in East Grand Rapids and he likes nice, high-end things like Rolex watches and travels, Ploeg said.

Jenkins ultimately pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of building contractor money.

Because he was only 23 years old at the time of his crime, the judge agreed to sentence Jenkins under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. That means that if he sticks to the terms of his plea deal and pays back his victims, he can end up with a clean record. But if he fails to pay and violates the terms of his probation, he could end up in jail.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa have been more closely bonded in their pursuit of modernization as Chinese President Xi Jinping announced here on Thursday an upgrade of China-Africa relations and unveiled 10 partnership actions.

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations.

He also proposed that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

MODERNIZATION VISION FOR GLOBAL SOUTH

Xi underlined modernization as "an inalienable right of all countries" in his speech, saying there will be no global modernization without the modernization of China and Africa.

Xi said that the joint pursuit of modernization by China and Africa will set off a wave of modernization in the Global South and open a new chapter for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

He stressed jointly advancing modernization that is just and equitable, is open and win-win, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, is eco-friendly, and is underpinned by peace and security.

Xi's remarks were well received by the audience. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized the need for China and Africa to work in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

"China has a long history of friendship and solidarity with the people of Africa over many centuries. And we thank China for continuing to expand and develop this spirit of cooperation and collaboration with our continent," he said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said China's partnerships with the African continent are a main pillar of South-South cooperation.

"China's remarkable rapid development, including eradicating poverty, provides a wealth of experience and expertise. Africa can maximize the potential of China's support in areas from trade to finance and technology," said Guterres.

CONCRETE PARTNERSHIP ACTIONS

To materialize the modernization vision, Xi proposed 10 partnership actions to be implemented in the next three years, which cover areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development and common security.

For mutual learning among civilizations, Xi said China stands ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centers on China and Africa studies. China will invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.

For trade prosperity, Xi said China will voluntarily and unilaterally open its market wider and has decided to give all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This has made China the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a step, which will help turn China's big market into Africa's big opportunity.

To strengthen industrial chain cooperation, China is willing to push forward the Pilot Zone for In-depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation, and launch an empowerment program for African small and medium-sized enterprises. A China-Africa digital technology cooperation center will be jointly built, and 20 digital demonstration projects will be initiated to embrace together the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, Xi said.

In terms of partnership action for connectivity, China is prepared to carry out 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa and promote together high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he said.

As for development cooperation, China is ready to release a joint statement on deepening cooperation within the framework of the Global Development Initiative with Africa, and implement 1,000 "small and beautiful" livelihood projects, said Xi.

Regarding the partnership action for health, Xi said China is ready to establish with Africa a hospital alliance and joint medical centers, send 2,000 medical personnel to Africa, and launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment.

To improve agriculture and livelihoods, China will provide Africa with 1 billion yuan (about 140 million U.S. dollars) in emergency food assistance, send 500 agricultural experts, and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. Efforts will be made to encourage two-way investment for new business operations by Chinese and African companies, enable Africa to retain added value, and create at least 1 million jobs for Africa.

In terms of people-to-people exchanges, China will establish an engineering technology academy and build 10 Luban Workshops with Africa. About 60,000 training opportunities will be provided to the African people, mainly for women and young people, Xi said.

As for green development, China is ready to launch 30 clean energy projects in Africa, create a China-Africa forum on peaceful use of nuclear technology, establish together 30 joint laboratories, and collaborate on satellite remote sensing and lunar and deep-space exploration.

To ensure common security, China is willing to build with Africa a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and make it a fine example of the GSI cooperation. The country will also give Africa 1 billion yuan of grants in military assistance, Xi said.

To implement the 10 partnership actions, the Chinese government will provide 360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years, he said.

A declaration on jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and an action plan of the FOCAC for the next three years were adopted Thursday at the summit.

The new practical measures announced by President Xi are further proof of his constant determination to raise China-Africa cooperation to a higher level, said Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders gather for group photos prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Xi on Thursday attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivered a keynote speech. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future" while attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
BURLINGAME (KSNT)  The City of Burlingame recently shared a list of nuisance animal trappers who could help mitigate the citys local fox population  a process that usually kills the fox.

On Aug. 19, a concerned citizen addressed the Burlingame city council about the overpopulation of foxes in the community. The citizen asked what the city could do to help with the problem.

Chief of Police Matthew Baker said the city doesnt handle foxes but said the city can loan live traps to citizens. He said once an animal is caught, its up to the person who trapped it to dispose of.

Last council meeting had some complaints of foxes in town, an excessive number of them, Baker told 27 News. Its been taking out some peoples outdoor cats.

Baker said the only reports he had heard of regarding the fox issue were for cats that had been killed.

The more outdoor cats we have in the community the more likely it is to bring in foxes to the community, Baker said.

Its unacceptable: Half of Kansans didnt see a doctor due to health care costs

On Thursday, Sept. 5 the City of Burlingame shared a list of nine individuals and businesses that are licensed in the county to deal with nuisance animals. 27 News contacted one of the businesses on the list to see what they do to handle calls for foxes. Karl Soudek of Critter Capture KS said that in the 20 years of handling nuisance wildlife, hed never caught a fox in a live trap.

Theyre almost impossible to trap alive, Soudek said.

Soudek said that once easy prey like rabbits and small game runs out, foxes start looking at kittens, cats and small dogs as a food source. He said that the food source or population of foxes needs to be eliminated to solve the issue.

It can be done [trapping foxes alive] but its going to take way more skill than the average trapper has, Soudek said.

According to K.A.R. 115-16-6, wildlife may be taken under the authorization of a wildlife control permit only when one or more of the following circumstances exist:

The wildlife is found in or near buildings.

The wildlife is destroying or about to destroy property.

The wildlife is creating a public health or safety hazard or other nuisance.

Subject to the restrictions described in this regulation and on the permit, a wildlife control permit.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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Burlington, VT.  Burlington Police have advised the public to be wary after a string of scam emails were sent to residents this week.

According to the Chittenden County States Attorneys Office, these emails demand money from recipients while threatening to expose their online search history. Email scammers have also been using bitcoin QR codes to transfer payments.

BPD reminds the public to:

Never pay through unfamiliar emails, links, and portals

Not give out personal information

Report suspicious behavior

To learn more, visit the Vermont governments scam prevention webpage. Individuals can report scam behavior to the Vermont Attorney Generals Office by emailing ago.cap@vermont.gov or calling 800-649-2424.

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The Department of Transportation (DOT) launched an investigation into the four largest U.S. airlines rewards programs to ensure consumers are not facing unfair, deceptive or anticompetitive practices.

Points systems like frequent flyer miles and credit card rewards have become such a meaningful part of our economy that many Americans view their rewards points balances as part of their savings, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Thursday. These programs bring real value to consumers, with families often counting on airline rewards to fund a vacation or to pay for a trip to visit loved ones. But unlike a traditional savings account, these rewards are controlled by a company that can unilaterally change their value.

The DOT wants to guarantee consumers are receiving the value that was promised by the airlines and ensure the rewards programs are transparent and fair, Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg sent letters to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines requesting they hand over records and reports with information about their rewards programs and policies. This includes information on the devaluation of rewards, hidden and dynamic pricing, extra fees and if airline mergers have led to a reduction in competition and choice for consumers.

As part of our review, the Department is seeking more specific data to better

understand the largest rewards programs and identify potential competition or consumer

protection issues or risks, and I have enclosed an order to file a report responsive to our

questions, Buttigieg wrote in the letter, dated Sept. 5.

A spokesperson for United confirmed all four airlines received the letter. Both United and American Airlines referred The Hill to Airlines for America (A4A), a trade association and lobbying group, for comment.

Consumers have the power of choice when selecting an airline for a trip, and carriers want to reward travelers for their return business and brand loyalty. Because there is fierce competition among airlines for customers, loyalty programs are a way carriers can say thank you to travelers, a spokesperson for Airlines for America said in a comment to The Hill.

The spokesperson argued airline carriers are transparent about the programs, which are used by millions.

A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines said the company takes great pride in its Rapid Rewards program and noted the points do not expire and the number of consumers using them to purchase seats is nearly double the industry average.

Delta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter comes months after Buttigieg appeared for a public hearing on airline and credit card programs, with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra. The DOT said smaller U.S. airlines discussed their rewards programs during the hearing and also shared concerns about how the nations largest airlines are leveraging their own programs.

The CFPB released a report about credit card rewards in May. It found more than 1,200 complaints involving all credit card rewards, a more than 70 percent increase over prepandemic levels, the agency said.

At the same time, consumers in 2022 received more than $40 billion in rewards on major issuers general purpose credit cards, an increase of more than 50 percent from 2019 levels, the report stated. It also found the average value of rewards earned grew from 1.4 cents per dollar spent in 2019 to 1.6 cents in 2022.

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When parents enroll their child in school, most would say they are doing it for their child to get a good education. Many may say they are also looking at the school as a place for their child to learn how to get along with others, learn to follow rules, and learn to socialize. In other words, most parents see schools as both a primary source of book learning and as a place where their child can develop other skills that will help prepare them for adulthood.

Parents of a child with a disability have a more complicated set of factors to consider when choosing a school for their child. The Kentucky Department of Education reported for the 2022-2023 school year that 1 in 6 Kentucky students (17.3%) have a disability. These disabilities can be one or a combination of: developmental, intellectual, sensory, mobility, learning, social, and/or emotional challenges. School is a place for education and skill development that must meet that students particular needs. Federal law  the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)  requires all public schools to do that. The student with a disability has a prescribed set of special services, accommodations, and protections spelled out in an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan which the public schools are required to implement. For these students, school provides an education that allows development of learning skills and achievement to the best of the students ability.

Constitutional Amendment #2, which will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, would allow state funding to be allocated to private schools for the first time in Kentucky. Parents are being told that they will have school choice if they vote Yes on the amendment. But what kinds of choices are being offered and where are they available? Ky Center for Economic Policys report shows that 37% of Kentucky counties have at least one private school. So if you live in one of those counties, you could conceivably choose a private school and then apply for funding to help you pay some  but probably not all  of that schools tuition. What you likely give up would be free transportation to and from school, access to breakfast and lunch, and an array of resources such as school mental health professionals, a robust suicide-prevention program, health screenings and other services regularly offered in Kentuckys public schools.

If you are the parent of a child with a disability, you could be giving up much, much more. Private schools are not required to provide educational and other services spelled out in an IEP or 504 Plan. In fact, enrolling your child with a disability in a private school essentially waives your childs right to these educational services. Private schools are not required to follow state and federal anti-discrimination regulations that protect students with disabilities. They can cherry-pick students they choose to enroll, oftentimes denying admission to students with higher needs or not retaining them for the entire school year. If a students parent has a conflict with the private school, they dont have access to the Dispute Resolution Process that can include mediation, a due process hearing and/or formal complaint afforded to them if the student attends a public school.

If you live in the majority (63%) of Kentucky counties without a private school, voting Yes on the amendment wont give you a choice because there is none where you live. Unfortunately, if the Yes votes win in November, there will likely be a decrease in the current state funding level for our public schools. Keep in mind that in the 2024 Kentucky budget session, public school districts were left without funding for teachers raises, to meet full transportation costs and to address needs in other important areas.

Creating choice costs money at the expense of taxpayers and public schools. In many states, private school funding is in the billions of dollarsand growing. If Amendment #2 passes, there will be significant funding shortfalls in our public schools, particularly those in rural areas that do not have the property tax base to make up the difference. Not only would parents not have choices, their public schools will likely be less able to meet the needs of all students.

Dr. Sheila Schuster

Parents and all voters do have a choice on Nov. 5, but this is a buyer beware situation. Contrast the requirements and accountability standards public schools have to meet with the lack of requirements and accountability for the private schools. A NO vote on Amendment #2 will protect Kentuckys public school system from disastrous losses of revenue needed to maintain and grow all of the good things that our public schools do  providing a solid education, making available health and mental health resources, meeting the needs of students with disabilities, and preparing ALL students for the future.

Isabella Edghill

Dr. Sheila Schuster is a licensed psychologist who has been advocating in Frankfort for over four decades on behalf of Kentuckians with behavioral health issues, disabilities, or lack of access to health care and services. Isabella Edghill is a Senior at duPont Manual High School in Louisville, Opinion Editor of the Manual RedEye, a member of the KY Student Voice Team and a product of 12+ years of public school education.
BYUs planned medical school will be located on campus and will offer a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, President Shane Reese said Thursday in a letter to the campus community.

The announcement of a medical school was made on July 29 by The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sponsors BYU.

American medical schools offer two types of medical degrees, an MD or a DO  doctor of osteopathic medicine.

The medical school will offer a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD), President Reese said in his letter. While the work of developing curriculum takes time, we are exploring innovative approaches aimed at reducing graduation times and costs for students.

Reese did not share the exact location of the medical school but said it would be on campus in Provo, Utah, and noted that talks continue with nearby healthcare systems about providing BYU medical students access to the necessary hospital training that they will require.

The location will include classroom instruction and an administrative center, he said. Clinical training will happen in multiple off-site hospital locations. Conversations between Intermountain Health, the University of Utah, and others have been productive regarding the prospect of clinical collaborations.

Reese said BYU administrators are expending significant energy to developing and solidifying plans for the medical school.

One of the major first steps is establishing a medical advisory team, he said.

Reese reiterated the First Presidencys statement in July that the new school will be strategic for the Church of Jesus Christ.

BYUs medical school will focus on teaching and training with research in areas of strategic importance to the church, including international health issues affecting members of the church and the churchs worldwide humanitarian efforts.

Jesus Christ healed the sick and served those in need, he added. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe BYUs medical school is another way to lift Gods children. I appreciate the enthusiasm and outpouring of support for this exciting endeavor.
Morgan Martineau and Hailai Romero-Phares lay out colored pads as they try to make a road during their full-day kindergarten at Beehive Science and Technology Academy in Sandy on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

A new study by BYU and University of Notre Dame researchers found that there is not a significant loss of parent time when children attend full-day kindergarten compared to children who attend school half days.

On school days, children in full-day kindergarten only spend 57 minutes less with their mothers each day compared to half-day kindergarten peers, according to the study published in July by the Annenberg Institute.

Sometimes parents say, Having my kid away from home for so long might be harmful to their development because theyre not getting as much focused parent time. Our study, in fact, is showing the opposite, which is even when kids are in full-day kindergarten, they are playing with their parents as much. Theyre spending as much, one-on-one time with parents. Theyre reading with their parents at the same levels, said Jocelyn Wikle, BYU professor of family life, one of the studys authors.

Parents of full-day kindergarten kids are still able to have quality time with their kids, she said.

Theyre just doing it at other times of the day, rather than doing it midday, Wikle said.

Not only is full-day kindergarten a boon to childrens academic achievement, it gives parents opportunities to use their time in other ways that can benefit their families, the study states.

Enrolling full-day kindergarten relieves families of mid-day trips to school to pick up their from half-day classrooms, which gives parents, primarily mothers, more flexibility to work or pursue other family responsibilities.

Full-day kindergarten can also be a form of subsidized child care, providing mothers with increased financial opportunities, said the study, titled, A Matter of Time? Measuring Effects of Public Schooling Expansions on Families Constraints.

Abundant evidence demonstrates that mothers time use and labor force attachment track closely with their childrens ages and schooling trajectories. Existing evidence suggests that public schooling can function as subsidized child care, pointing to the expansion from half to full-day provision as a factor that could affect mothers labor force participation, the study states.

According to the study, mens labor force is not impacted by whether their child attends full-day kindergarten.

For most fathers, labor supply appears to be insensitive to the public provision of child care through early childhood education, whereas for mothers, who are more often primary care providers for children, we see sensitivity, the study states.

To understand the impact of full-day kindergarten on family relationships and time, Wikle, BYU economics professor Riley Wilson and Chloe Gibbs, assistant professor of economics at University of Notre Dame, analyzed nationwide survey data from the Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the national education data.

Earlier research by Gibbs found academic benefits for children assigned to full-day kindergarten classrooms such as a positive effect on early literacy skills (0.31 standard deviations) when comparing students across treatment conditions within the same school.

The gains were particularly profound among Hispanic students, Gibbs wrote in a 2023 study titled, Experimental Evidence on Early Childhood Investment: The Impact of a Longer School Day.

In particular, I find that Hispanic students realize large full-day kindergarten effects (0.70 standard deviations), and notably this impact is statistically different than that experienced by students who are not Hispanic, she wrote.

Gibbs said full-day kindergarten has societal and economic benefits beyond those within families.

Full-day kindergarten instruction can serve the dual purpose of childrens skill development and preparing them for success in school, as well as allowing mothers to make the choice to enter the labor market should they want to, she said.

A more educated citizenry and children who are more prepared for all of the things that come after that and their educational trajectories, obviously produces economic benefits for society. More labor market participation is also good. So to the extent that the policy is activating both of those relevant channels, I think there are economic benefits for us, more broadly, beyond what individual families are experiencing, Gibbs said.

Utah doesnt require children to attend kindergarten but now that public schools are required to offer full-day kindergarten, growing numbers of parents are enrolling their children.

The Utah Legislature has insisted that public schools also continue to offer half-day kindergarten classes so that parents have options that best suit their children and their families.

Before the passage of HB477 in 2023, 1 in 3 kindergarteners were involved in a full-day option.

The legislation made full-day kindergarten available for all school districts and public charter schools. The legislation amended state funding formulas related to kindergarten to reflect a full-day length of a kindergarten class. More than 700 kindergarten classrooms were added statewide following the change in the law and funding.

Among Utahs public charter schools, 40 of 96 schools reported 95% to 100% of kindergarteners opted for full-day instruction in fall 2023, according to the Utah State Board of Education.

Meanwhile, 27 of 41 school districts have reported that 95% to 100% of kindergartners attended full-day kindergarten during the 2023-2024 school year. Enrollment for the current school year will not be available until after the annual Oct. 1 headcount.

So far, the majority of Utah families, when offered full-day kindergarten classes for their children, elect for that option but Wikle said it is important that parents have options.

The nice thing about full-day kindergarten is that in no state are parents required to use it for their children. States require school districts to provide it, but its still a familys choice about whether they do half-day or full-day, Wikle said.

She said she hopes school administrators, parents and families will consider the research as a reference point to help them make the right choice for their children and households.
CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Caddo Sheriffs office is warning residents about a phone scam that has resurfaced.

Shreveport police need help finding missing man

The sheriffs office said a scammer is calling Caddo Parish residents, posing as a deputy and demanding money for fines. The sheriffs office said this is not the,. They would never call asking for payments over the phone or by mail. Several residents have been affected.

If you receive a call like this, hang up. Please do not share your personal information. Contact the sheriffs office is this has happened to you.

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When Kimberly Haven struggled to acquire a tampon in prison, she made one, which she said led to her getting toxic shock syndrome and needing an emergency hysterectomy.

Havens case  emblematic of an issue thousands of incarcerated women still face today  underscores the pressing need for improved menstrual product access in facilities across the US.

States like California are addressing this issue with recent strides to improve prison menstrual equity. Bill AB 1810, which would no longer require women to request access to period products and would instead make them readily available, was recently passed from the legislature to the governors desk with no opposition votes.

Advocates nationwide argue, however, that there is still a long way to go and that these incidents speak to greater injustices that women in prison face every day.

It is a much larger systemic issue of punishment, of neglect, of dehumanizing and belittling behaviors that our carceral systems inflict on the people that are in their custody, Haven told the Guardian. When I couldnt provide for myself, I had to make do.

When California advanced Bill AB 1810 to the governors desk for approval towards the end of August, it signaled a key advancement for prison period poverty in the state.

If passed, the bill will remove a dangerous barrier for people who menstruate and allow them timely access to menstrual pads or tampons.

The changes this bill proposes would apply to state, local and juvenile facilities and it emphasizes the need for women requesting these supplies to have access to them conveniently  without embarrassment or obstacles.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, the author of AB 1810, acknowledged that the previous need to request these products led to dehumanizing and unsafe conditions where incarcerated people have been forced to fashion period products out of toilet paper or bed sheets and wear bloodstained clothes between laundry days.

He went on to list reports of correctional officers leveraging access to period products to sexually assault, mistreat, harass or humiliate those in need and how policies previously exacerbated these harmful power imbalances.

Access to menstrual products is not a luxury or a privilege, it is a necessity, Bryan told the Guardian.

AB 1810 ensures the right to menstrual care is protected for all women no matter where they are.

While Haven was incarcerated, she claimed to know individuals in her facility who had to use their bedding or clothes because they didnt have the appropriate period products. She also knew some who would turn down visits with their families due to lack of access to products.

A video of a Kentucky woman went viral in 2016 after she was bright into a Louisville court seemingly wearing no pants, having allegedly not been offered menstrual products for three days.

In 2019, Colorado state representative Leslie Herod gave a speech on the need for free and accessible period products in jails, which became house bill 1224. Tampons have been used to barter, trade and sanction, she said in her address. Women were having to trade sex for access to tampons.

While lawmakers nationwide have made some efforts in the last 10 years to improve legislative protections around menstrual equity for incarcerated people, there are still shortfalls in the system.

Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren introduced the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act in 2017, mandating that federal prisons supply menstrual products.

This was followed by an announcement from the federal prison system, which declared it would provide these menstrual products free of charge. However, this only applies to those in federal jails and prisons, which make up a small percentage of the roughly 190,000 women who are currently incarcerated in various facilities across the US.

Miriam Vishniac, a PhD student in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh, has been researching this area as part of her PhD. Vishniac has been looking at what access to menstrual products is like in womens prisons through official documentation and interviewing formerly incarcerated menstruators and people who work closely with them professionally. The research she has compiled is publicly accessible on her website, the Prison Flow Project.

Every single woman who had experienced a period in prison said it was horrible to have to actually ask for things, Vishniac said.

Unanimously, no matter where they were in prison, it made them feel like they were forced to beg like dogs for every single product.

Vishniac noted that despite the new law, California will still not have any internal department of correction rules or mention of the provision of products in their facility handbooks, so they are still one of the 30 states which only mention access in one category.

There are only seven jurisdictions which have language implying that in official documents, she said, drawing on her research.

The federal government, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, and Pennsylvania. This is a comparatively progressive approach and something more states should do.

Haven, who has continued to advocate for menstrual equity in prisons since her release, has also said she continues to remain vigilant.

I do what I do because there are things that I saw, things that I heard, things that happened to me, and things that I know were wrong, Haven said.

Thats been my entire career. When I first started, I had the moniker of tampon queen. The more I fight back, Ive become tampon bitch.
From the Techne on The Dispatch

Welcome back to Techne! Reading H.G. Wells as a kid got me obsessed with the idea of terraforming Mars. Although it has abundant water, the planet is currently too cold to sustain life. For some time, scientists have thought that Mars could be warmed using greenhouse gasses, but that would require a large mass of ingredients that are rare on the planet. A new paper suggests that warming might be accomplished through Martian dust, which is rich in iron and aluminum, giving the planet its characteristic color.

Californias SB 1047 Moves Closer to Changing the AI Landscape

Last week, the California State Assembly passed SB 1047, a controversial AI safety bill that supporters contend would regulate advanced AI models to reduce the possibility of AI going haywire and posing a serious threat to people. Formally titled the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, SB 1047 now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk, where it faces an uncertain future.

I first wrote about SB 1047 back in May, when the legislative debate was heating up. Then in August, I wrote about the four fault lines in AI policy, based on my discussions with people who were actively campaigning for the bill. Since then, I have only become more convinced of the first fault line:

AI policy often echoes the misunderstood Kipling line: Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. In the Eastin Washington, D.C., statehouses, and other centers of political powerAI is driven by questions of regulatory scope, legislative action, law, and litigation. And in the Westin Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, and other tech hubsAI is driven by questions of safety, risk, and alignment. D.C. and San Francisco inhabit two different AI cultures.

I stand by what I said then. In fact, I am even more convinced that,

There is a common trope that policymakers dont understand tech. But the obverse is even more true: Those in tech arent often legally conversant. Only once in those dozen or so conversations did the other person know about, for example, the First Amendment problems with all AI regulation, and thats because he read my work on the topic.

To understand the problems with SB 1047, it needs to be viewed through a legal lens: from the viewpoint of an overly compliant legal counsel for a company, of a judge that has to rule on its legality, and of an administrator who wants to push the bounds of the law.

But from a more philosophical position, Im just not a huge fan of the approach taken by SB 1047. The bill regulates a class of advanced AI models, called frontier models, that are only just now being developed, and imposes a series of safety protocols that lack consensus among experts and havent been fully fleshed out yet. The entire framework is built on the premise that these advanced models will pose a threat, which is an assumption that remains highly contested. And to top it off, if these AI models are truly dangerous in the way that some claim, then California shouldnt be regulating them anywayit should be the purview of the federal government.

Oh, and SB 1047 likely runs afoul of the First Amendment and the Stored Communications Act. Its deeply concerning that the bills supporters are just glossing over these significant legal issues but that seems to be the state of the discourse.

The bills provisions.

SB 1047 went through 10 major revisions, but the core of the bill remains the same. A class of the most advanced AI models will be designated as covered AI models in California and then compelled to adhere to a range of requirements, including safety assessments, testing, shutdown mechanisms, certification, and safety incident reporting.

The covered designation comes from a technical definition, as I explained in a previous edition of Techne:

Covered AI models under SB 1047 are partially defined by the amount of computing power needed to train the model. The industry typically couches AI models in petaFLOPS, which are 10^15 floating-point operations. OpenAIs GPT-4 is estimated to have taken 21 billion petaFLOPS to train, while Googles Gemini Ultra probably took 50 billion petaFLOPs. Similar to the standard set by President Joe Bidens executive order on AI, SB 1047 would apply to models with greater than 10^26 floating-point operations, which amounts to 100 billion petaFLOPS. So the current frontier models are just below the covered AI model threshold, but the next generation of modelsincluding GPT-5should probably hit that regulation mark.

Stripped from the bill was a provision that regulated any models that could achieve similar benchmarks to those of 10^26 floating-point operations. In its place is the requirement that the model must also cost $100 million to train to be covered. There was also a provision added that gives Californias Government Operations Agency the ability to designate any model that cost $100 million as being covered by the law as well.

What hasnt substantially changed are the requirements for covered AI models. Among others, covered models will have to:

Implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical cybersecurity protections;

Build in a killswitch;

Implement a detailed safety and security protocol that is certified by the company;

Conduct annual reviews of the safety procedures; and

Take reasonable care to implement other appropriate measures to prevent covered models and covered model derivatives from posing unreasonable risks of causing or materially enabling critical harms.

SB 1047 is built on reasonableness standards, which are notoriously tricky to define in the law. Indeed, an astute commenter on the blog Astral Codex Ten explained what it might mean if developers were to take seriously the reasonableness requirements:

Under the traditional Learned Hand formula, you are obligated to take a precaution if the burden of the precaution (B) is less than the probability of the accident it would prevent (P) multiplied by the magnitude of the loss resulting from the accident (L). B < P*L. Given that the loss threatened by advanced AI is complete and total destruction of all value on earth, the right side of the equation is infinite, and reasonableness requires spending an unlimited amount on precautions and taking every single one within your power. Even if we just cap the L at $100T, the estimated value of the global economy, a p(doom) of even 10% would mean that any precaution up to $10T was justified. Now presumably there are smaller-scale cyber attacks and things of that nature that would be what actually happens and prompts a negligence suit, if DOOM happens nobodys around to sue, so this isnt gonna come up in court this way, but as a way to think about legal reasonableness thats what seems to be required.

Yes, it is absurd, but thats what happens when you start trying to mandate these ideas into law.

The online commentary.

While Im skeptical of the bill, it has garnered the support of influential online writers like Zvi Mowshowitz and Scott Alexander. I hold both in high regard and have learned much from them. Still, I see their analysis as being fundamentally flawed because they are grounded in rationalism rather than legality. Alexander previously ran the Slate Star Codex blog, which helped to foster the rationalist community. Mowshowitz recently discussed regulating frontier AI models in a spate of articles. What they evince, to me, is a naivete about legal processes and history.

For example, when Mowshowitz wrote about Section 22605, which eventually was removed from the bill, he pointed out that this part of the bill requires sellers of inference or a computing cluster to provide a transparent, uniform, publicly available price schedule, banning price discrimination, and bans unlawful discrimination or noncompetitive activity in determining price or access. He continues, I always wonder about laws that say you cannot do things that are already illegal, I mean I thought that was the whole point of them already being illegal. But the entire point of Section 22605 was to create rate regulation. When I read this part of the bill, I thought about the decades-long fight in telecom over total element long-run incremental cost.

Similarly, Alexander seems to underweight legal review and administrative process when he wrote:

Finally  last week discussed Richard Hananias The Origin Of Woke, which claimed that although the original Civil Rights Act was good and well-bounded and included nothing objectionable, courts gradually re-interpreted it to mean various things much stronger than anyone wanted at the time.  But Hananias book, and the process of reading this bill, highlight how vague and complicated all laws can be. The same bill could be excellent or terrible, depending on whether its interpreted effectively by well-intentioned people, or poorly by idiots. Thats true here too.

Administrative law doesnt simply depend on whether its interpreted effectively by well-intentioned people, or poorly by idiots. An aggressive, well-intentioned agency can push the bounds of its authority. The Federal Communications Commission has been in and of court for two decades because of how it interprets its authority. The Food and Drug Administration was challenged for its regulation of tobacco using statutory authority for drugs and devices. The list of agencies using their authority in one arena for a way that it wasnt intended is extensive. Admittedly, some of this has been curtailed by recent Supreme Court decisions, but SB 1047 gives a state government a lot of power to determine what is considered safe.

But more importantly, mandating a killswitch inherently involves the First Amendment. Ive touched on this point before, building on a commentary by John Villasenor of the Brookings Institution. But SB 1047s backers dont appear to have given these legal concerns the attention they deserve.

Newsom has until September 30 to sign the bill or veto it. Since the governor has been largely silent about which way hell go, both supporters and detractors of the legislation have been inundating his office with letters meant to persuade him.

Whatever happens, it is hard not to read SB 1047s passage as part of a larger normalization of relations between AI developers and the government. Only just last week, the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute announced agreements that enable the agency to access major new models from OpenAI and Anthropic before they go public. While this route has its own problems, it is far better than SB 1047.

A lot changed this summer. AI developers, once largely independent of governmental influence, are now establishing deeper institutional ties to navigate regulatory challenges. I cant imagine this latest development is a good thing.

Until next week,

 Will

Notes and Quotes

AI Roundup

Read more at The Dispatch

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California house crushed by falling tree selling for nearly $500K: Lots of meat left on the bone

(KTLA)  You might say it would be pretty easy to have an open house here.

A home in Monrovia, California, that was partially demolished by a falling tree in May has hit the market for half a million dollars  but the listing promises theres still lots of meat left on the bone.

Do you live in one of the hottest ZIP codes in the US?

Helicopter footage from Nexstars KTLA showed the enormous pine atop nearly the entire property after the incident on May 9. One of the homes renters, a woman named Shelly, told the station that when the tree came down, it sounded like a bomb had exploded.

Two people and two dogs were inside the home at the time, but fortunately no serious injuries were reported. A van parked in the driveway of the home sustained heavy damage.

A giant pine tree topples over, crushing a Monrovia home and trapping residents inside on May 8, 2024. (KTLA)

The trees massive roots are seen as the trunk crushes a van parked on the driveway of a Monrovia home. (KTLA)

The toppling of a large pine tree left a trail of destruction in Monrovia on May 8, 2024. (KTLA)

The toppling of a large pine tree left a trail of destruction in Monrovia on May 8, 2024. (KTLA)

The trees massive roots are seen as the trunk crushes a van parked on the driveway of a Monrovia home. (KTLA)

The trees massive roots are seen as the trunk crushes a van parked on the driveway of a Monrovia home. (KTLA)

The trees massive roots are seen as the trunk crushes a van parked on the driveway of a Monrovia home. (KTLA)

Now, months after it was crushed, a buyer is being sought for whats left of the one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 645-square-foot residence.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, listing agent Kevin Wheeler said that there has been considerable interest in the property, which is currently listed for $499,999. Even in the days after the tree fell on the house, several people tried to lowball the owner with offers of $300,000 or less, Wheeler said.

Is buying a home still worth it?

Half of a Monrovia home that had a tree fall on it in May has hit the market for precisely $499,999. (KTLA)

Half of a Monrovia home that had a tree fall on it in May has hit the market for precisely $499,999. (KTLA)

Half of a Monrovia home that had a tree fall on it in May has hit the market for precisely $499,999. (KTLA)

Half of a Monrovia home that had a tree fall on it in May has hit the market for precisely $499,999. (KTLA)

According to the Zillow listing, the home, located at 113 S. Mountain Ave. near Foothill Boulevard, is a partial structure that is ready for new construction or rebuild.

Lots of meat left on the bone for investors, the listing reads. Already a great location and as Monrovia rezones, could this be next? Build your dream. It was always destiny.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
LILONGWE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced that it has entered into a resource-sharing agreement with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) ahead of the September 2025 general elections.

The MEC made the announcement Wednesday in a statement signed by the electoral body's Director of Media and Public Relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa. According to the agreement, the MEC will borrow a total of 1,500 electricity generators from the ECZ for supplementary use during voter registration for the 2025 general elections.

The statement said the arrangement has been made to ensure that the MEC has the backup power capacity to conduct voter registration without any disruptions.

According to the statement, the MEC requires a total of 2,945 generators to carry out voter registration exercises for the 2025 general elections and, currently, the commission has 1,445 generators in stock, leaving a deficit of 1,500 generators to be sourced.

The MEC further said that the borrowed generators from the ECZ are expected to arrive in Malawi next week.

Resource-sharing among electoral management bodies is a common practice and key objective of the Electoral Commissions Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Countries, to which both the MEC and the ECZ are members, according to the statement.

In 2014, the MEC also borrowed gas lamps and tents from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for the tripartite elections held that year. Similarly, in 2020, the ECZ borrowed 2,200 generators from the MEC for use during voter registration for Zambia's 2021 general elections. 
A guard stands watch at the California Institution For Women in Chino in April. (Mark Boster / For The Times)

In response to growing worries about crime in California, the Democratic-controlled Legislature has passed a set of stringent bills that mark a significant change in its approach to criminal justice reform compared with previous years.

Democrats who have recently made a consistent push to reduce prison populations by prioritizing rehabilitation and drug and mental health treatment had to find middle ground with new leadership this year who made alleviating public anxieties about crime a top concern.

As a result, lawmakers voted in favor of stiffer penalties for sex offenders, repeat shoplifters and car burglars, and rejected bills to limit solitary confinement in prisons and expand eligibility for parole. The change marks a complex and controversial moment in the state's debate over balancing public safety with progressive criminal justice goals.

"If we look at the history of California, the pendulum always corrects itself and shifts one way or the other," Jonathan Raven, the assistant chief executive officer at the California District Attorneys Assn., told The Times. "I think now you're seeing the pendulum swinging back."

The association remains a powerful voice on public safety issues in California, and this year it championed a highly contested November ballot measure that, if passed by voters, will send more people to jail for drug possession and property crimes.

Whats different this year, Raven said, is that lawmakers are taking action on constituent concerns about rising crime. This comes in an election year when political careers are on the line.

Read more: Your guide to Proposition 36: Stiffer penalties for some drug and theft crimes

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Gov. Gavin Newsom disputed the idea that Democrats were suddenly moving tougher on crime, saying their approach has always been "iterative."

"We've been focused on this for years and years," he said.

The governor has already signed 12 bills that crack down on theft, and now must decide whether to sign or veto a number of other criminal justice bills lawmakers sent him before the legislative session ended Saturday.

After years of failed attempts, Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) passed a child sex trafficking bill that could increase criminal penalties for those who buy and solicit children 15 years and younger. The bill passed overwhelmingly in a bipartisan vote and is headed to the governor for his consideration.

Last year, lawmakers almost gutted a similar bill that cracked down on the trafficking of minors for sex; but in a last-minute nudge from Newsom, Democrats reversed course.

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said Democrats have always been willing to come to the table on creating stiffer penalties for sex trafficking but the bill required major changes before Democrats could get on board.

During debate on the Assembly floor last week, Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) accused Democrats of still being too lenient on one of the most heinous of crimes.

Other bills lawmakers passed to crack down on crime include one that could extend the statute of limitations for domestic violence incidences to seven years. Another would make it a misdemeanor or a felony for people who harass, intimidate or commit an act of violence against someone seeking abortion care or working at abortion clinics.

Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco has tried for several years to get lawmakers to support harsher penalties on car break-ins and finally succeeded this year. (Josh Edelson / For The Times)

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) said many of his Democratic colleagues accepted a perception of fear perpetuated by Republicans. (Sophie Austin / Associated Press)

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), a retiring member of the Legislative Black Caucus, chaired the Assembly Public Safety Committee from 2016 until 2022 when he was removed from his role after a shake-up over Groves first sex trafficking bill. He was replaced by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), a candidate for mayor of Sacramento, who has taken a more hardened approach to public safety.

He told The Times that crime has always gone up and down over time, which is why he always tried to say "right in the middle."

Jones-Sawyer opposed several bills in a package of retail theft bills that would create stiffer penalties for low-level theft offenses. He thinks his Democratic colleagues fell for the perception of fear that he said has been perpetuated by law enforcement and MAGA supporters.

I think theyre scared, Jones-Sawyer said about his colleagues, who he suggested might be scared to lose their legislative seats if they're perceived as soft on crime. "When I was here, there were people that were strong enough, brave enough to stand up to those kinds of threats.

While criminal justice advocates are split on their support for the legislative package, some have called it less punitive than Proposition 36, a ballot measure that could send far more people to prison for low-level crimes, they are still cautious of the intent of passing these bills when property crime rates are trending down in parts of the state.

Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire told reporters at a panel in July that though there were some "reservations" to bringing forward the retail theft package, he felt it ultimately met the needs of Californians.

Advocates from the Vera Institute of Justice and Ella Baker Center, both nonprofits seeking to end mass incarceration, are particularly worried about one bill awaiting the governor's signature, Assembly Bill 1960. Authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), it would add years-long sentencing enhancements for property damage or theft during any felony. They say it is identical to part of the ballot measure that Rivas has publicly spoken out against.

Another successful bill from Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), who was elected to the state Legislature in 2022 as a Democrat but switched parties this summer, makes rape of an unconscious person a felony.

If signed by Newsom, it would be added to the list of violent felonies that qualify as three strikes, which imposes longer prison sentences for repeat violent offenders  something that Democrats have resisted . California's three-strikes law mandates that individuals convicted of three or more serious or violent felonies receive a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Before this year, according to the bill analysis, lawmakers have attempted  and failed  nearly nine times to make the rape of an unconscious person a felony.

[This] has not been an easy task, Alvarado-Gil said. Its been a lot of heavy lifting.

During the 1980s and 1990s, when cocaine use and murders surged, California imposed harsher penalties and aggressive law enforcement tactics aimed at curbing drug-related crimes. This led to a dramatic increase in incarceration rates, in part due to the three-strikes law, which affected minority communities and contributed to the state's overburdened prison system.

"We have a responsibility to make good, smart public policy that we're not going to regret down the road," Wiener told The Times, referencing decisions that legislators made during the 1980s and 1990s war on drugs that "exploded" the state's prison populations to unconstitutional levels. "That's why we're trying to be responsive to a very real issue in terms of retail theft, fentanyl, auto break-ins."

The San Francisco Democrat, whose city has been hit hard with brazen car-break-ins , has tried since 2018 to get harsher penalties on car break-ins and finally had success this year.

For victims' rights advocates, the actions taken in the California Legislature this year demonstrate that lawmakers are listening to constituents and prioritizing victims and their families, rather than protecting the perpetrators of violent crimes.

"I do see this Legislature finally coming around and pursuing laws that majority of Californians see as serious crimes that shouldve been felonies all along," said Topo Padilla, board member of Crime Victims United. "I do consider that a victory but it is unbelievable we had to come to this."

But it can be considered a step back for some criminal justice advocates who have spent years pushing for legislation that reduces the prison population and alleviates the harms done particularly to Black and brown communities that they say have been overly policed for generations.

Read more: Newsom has approved three California prison closures but resists pressure to shutter more

Michael Romano, director of the Three Strikes Project at Stanford University, said he still thinks California is headed in a "positive direction," despite some losses this year.

"I think this year has felt a need to be tougher on crime," he said. "But I do think this is part of the ordinary noise in the legislative process."

There were some wins for criminal justice advocates who are seeing a few prison reform bills head to the governor, including one that would allow for more transparent media access in prison settings and another that would limit the number of empty beds in facilities to avoid wasteful prison spending.

Other bills that faltered included one that would have created protections for prisoners who endure sexual assault while serving out their term, and another adding protections for prisoners held in solitary confinement.

Senate Bill 94 by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose)  the lawmaker's second go-around  would have given an option for those who are sentenced under the state's special circumstances law to life in prison without the possibility of parole to be granted an option for a parole hearing after serving a certain number of years. It passed the Senate but was not taken up for a vote in the Assembly.

"I don't know what's happening to be honest. All we know is we're getting stonewalled," Cortese said during the final week of the session, adding he hoped that it being an election year didn't influence his bill's failure. "I hope that all members of the Legislature would put criminal justice ahead of any other consideration."

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Vicente Joseph Arroyo, 39, has been arrested after 80 animals were killed on a Californian farm during a three-hour spree (Monterey County Sheriff's Office )

A California gunman has been arrested for massacring over 80 farm animals in a killing spree that lasted three hours.

Vicente Joseph Arroyo, 39, from Salinas, is accused of murdering miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and other types of birds in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the Prunedale area, California, Monterey County Sheriffs Office said.

The suspect was apprehended in a vineyard from what appeared to be a crashed vehicle in an extremely dark area with overgrown shrubbery near Lemus Farm on Avery Lane, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Arroyo lived at the property where the animals resided, but was not employed at the site, Cmdr. Andres Rosas, Monterey County sheriffs spokesperson, said.

Police added they heard shots being fired at the scene upon arrival.

The animals which survived the attack were taken by non-for-profit group Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) but had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries, police said.

In a phone interview with LA Times, Rosas said: Ive been in law enforcement for 24 years and Ive never seen anything like this.

The suspect allegedly lived at the Lamas Farm address near Avery Lane, said police to The LA Times (Monterey County Sheriff's Office)

Being an animal lover, they become part of your family, and for them to be taken in this manner is horrible.

Bail was intially set at $50,000 but investigators petitioned to raise it to $1m.

A search of Arroyos property revealed possession of multiple firearms and Rosas estimated that 2,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition had been recovered, The LA Times reports.

Multiple shots were heard by concerned Prunedale residents which police also heard upon arrival at the scene, said officials (Monterey County Sheriff's Office)

Arroyo is being held in Monterey County Jail on multiple charges including cruelty to animals and illegal possession of an assault weapon.

SPCA Monterey County spokesperson Beth Brookhouser described the attack as horrific and heartbreaking.

All the animals involved were sadly found deceased except for five severely injured parakeets who needed to be humanely euthanized to end their suffering, she added.

The surviving animals of the attack had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries, police said (Monterey County Sheriff's Office)

While the attackers motive appears to be random, Arroyo was found to have used multiple weapons including multiple long rifles, shotguns and handguns; an unlawful assault weapon, along with numerous loaded and empty magazines.

At the time, police temporarily enforced a five-mile radius shelter while they searched for the gunman as multiple calls had been received by concerned locals.

Police have not yet confirmed a date for the suspects court hearing.
Editors note: This story contains some graphic descriptions of alleged sexual misconduct.

The California Medical Board charges that a Modesto doctor is subject to disciplinary action for alleged sexual misconduct after complaints from two patients were investigated.

The Medical Board, which oversees licensing of physicians, said in an Aug. 27 accusation that Dr. Robert Altmans conduct amounted to sexual exploitation and sexual misconduct.

Altman is an obstetrician-gynecologist and a high-profile physician, as president and chief executive officer of Gould Medical Group. Through a long-term agreement with Sutter Gould, the physicians group has 400 members working in 34 specialties at 22 care centers in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

Altman was given credit earlier this year for spearheading an effort to gain national accreditation for Memorial Medical Center to train internal medicine and family practice physicians in Modesto.

Sutter Health said in a statement Tuesday that Altman disputes the Medical Board allegations.

Dr. Altman is a respected physician and long-standing member of the local community, a Sutter spokesperson said via email Tuesday. We take safety and quality matters seriously and have confidence in the Medical Board of Californias complaint resolution process. We expect Dr. Altman will receive fair and due process regarding these allegations, which he disputes.

Altman did not return messages from The Modesto Bee.

Contents of the Medical Board accusation describe Altman as an emotionally supportive doctor who hugged patients, put his hand on their backs and wiped tears from their eyes. But some patients complained to Sutter Gould administrators that the tactile behavior with women and mothers was excessive and inappropriate. And there was no medical reason for it.

According to the Medical Board, some of the touching amounted to sexual misconduct.

A woman identified as Patient 1 in the Medical Board accusation told an investigator the physician touched her clitoris in a pronounced manner during an examination in December 2020. The Modesto woman, then 54, had made an appointment for follow-up care and told Altman in the exam room she was going through a stressful divorce and her mother was dying.

According to the complaint, the doctor brushed away her tears, placed his hand over her hands and hugged her. The woman said later it made her feel uncomfortable.

During the genital examination, an assistant was in the room but stood behind Altman, several feet away, and could not see how he touched the patient, the report said. The woman said she was shocked and upset over the vaginal exam, and when she switched to a female specialist, her new gynecologist said she should report the incident.

Patient 2 in the accusation had a long history with Altman, who delivered her first child in 2003. She continued to see the supportive and friendly OB-GYN for several years, the report said.

Once, while dealing with a difficult medical issue around 2011, the doctor hugged her tightly for a long time  and she felt uncomfortable, the accusation said. The patient later told an investigator the doctors behavior was excessively familiar and physically intimate during numerous checkups for her second pregnancy, including frequent hugging and touching for nonmedical purposes.

In addition to hugging, Patient 2 recalled occasions when (Altman) rubbed her back while she was wearing only a gown, the accusation said, adding that a chaperone wasnt there for her appointments with the male physician.

According to the accusation, a Doctors Medical Center nurse and family friends of Patient 2 observed the doctor hugging and touching her often when she was admitted for surgical delivery of her second child.

At a follow-up appointment after the birth, the doctor completed a vaginal examination of Patient 2. Standing between the patients open legs, the doctor leaned forward and hugged the patient from that position, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable, the accusation said.

Charlene Curry, a former Ceres resident and another former patient of Altmans, told The Modesto Bee on Monday that Altman gave her the same kind of hug after an exam. She said she is not one of the two patients in the Medical Board accusation.

Curry said she was lying on the table and wearing a gown. He wrapped his arms around me and pushed himself toward me, Curry said. It was like a husband would hug you.

Curry said she sent a 2018 email to Sutter Gould administrators about the doctors conduct. She said she didnt get a response from Sutter Gould but the Medical Board contacted her and arrangements were made for her to speak with a state investigator in a Ceres Police Department office.

Curry said from seven months to a year after the interview, the licensing agency informed her it wouldnt take action.

Investigation found fault with 2017 exam

The more recent Medical Board investigation found fault with Altmans conduct with Patient 2 during a January 2017 exam concerning a painful lump in the patients genital region. The doctor, without an assistant in the room, inserted his fingers in orifices for what the patient thought was an excessive amount of time and continued after the patient said okay and enough several times.

She finally shifted into a sitting position and pulled herself away.

The patient later noticed on her medical record that Altman had described finding a small mass on the vaginal wall and discussed an option for treatment with the patient. But the woman told an investigator the doctor did not relay that information to her.

The Medical Boards director concluded that Altman is subject to disciplinary action for sexual misconduct against both patients and gross negligence in not offering a chaperone for the January 2017 examination of Patient 2, not stopping the exam when asked multiple times and violating the physician-patient relationship.

Altman has a right to contest the allegations at a hearing. Licensed physicians who concede to Medical Board accusations often have their license placed on probationary status and are required to comply with probation terms designed to safeguard patients.

The Medical Board was asked if complaints from two patients were enough to justify disciplinary action. Agency staff said there is no minimum number of patients required to justify action against a physician.

Once a complaint is received, the matter is thoroughly investigated, the agency said. The Board may impose discipline on a medical license if it is determined through clear and convincing evidence that the physician violated the Medical Practice Act.

What are the professional standards?

Because of the intense emotions and vulnerability of patients in OB-GYN practice, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist maintains practice standards for those physicians. An updated ethics committee opinion in early 2020 said the patient-physician relationship is damaged when theres confusion about professional roles and behavior.

The ACOG committee concluded that physical exams should be explained appropriately and undertaken only with the patients consent and performed with the minimum amount of physical contact required to obtain data for diagnosis and treatment. The update said limited physical contact with patients, such as hugging or holding a patients hand, may be beneficial in expressing support, but OB-GYNs should be careful to ensure patients are open to it and its duration is appropriately limited.

The Modesto woman, who is Patient 1 in the report, said she first reported what happened to her to a Sutter Gould office manager. The manager said it would be passed on to risk management.

The woman said she filed a complaint with the Medical Board in November 2021. A board letter in February 2023 said the investigation was concluded and the matter was referred to the Attorney General for possible administrative action against the physician.

One of Altmans accusers said he should be forced to stop practicing as an OB-GYN.
Native Power Building Summit drew a crowd of 500 Native American organizers on July 23, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona to discuss the power of the Native vote. (Photo/Levi Rickert)

As the November 5 presidential election gets closer, both Democrat and Republican candidates are increasing the number of campaign appearances in pivotal states considered key to victory, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Indian Country says they matter, too.

In 2020, the Native vote helped secure the win for President Joe Biden, as Native Americans turned out in record numbers to the polls. Voters in precincts on the Navajo and Hopi reservations in northeastern Arizona cast nearly 60,000 ballots in the Nov. 3 election, an increase from 42,500 in 2016. Biden won Arizona by about 10,500 votes, according to unofficial results. Turnout in two of the larger precincts on the reservations rose by 12% and 13%.

Across the country, Arizona, Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota and Montana have the highest percentages of Native Americans eligible to vote, according to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). In Arizona, that was about 310,000 potential presidential votes in 2020. Now, the number of eligible Native voters has risen in some key battleground states.

Number of Eligible Native Voters in Battleground States

Source: 2024 Estimates from Four Direction Native Vote

An open letter signed by Chair Brenda Meade of the Coquille Indian Tribe, Chairman Marshall Pierite of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, and Chair Brad Kneaper of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, was sent on September 30 to presidential candidates, debate moderators, consultants, political commentators, and the media stressing the importance of Native issues being discussed in politics.

As we approach the election, it is crucial that presidential candidates do not ignore Indian Country and can articulate their positions to voters nationwide. Though there are nearly 10 million Native Americans who have the power to impact politics and elections, our rights and needs are rarely at the forefront of national conversations, the letter reads.

They go on to list several key issues that candidates could address on the presidential debate stage, including treaty rights, health, elder care, education, housing, and the protection of the environment and natural resources.

We ask moderators to take a bold step forward and put Native issues on the presidential debate stage, the letter stated.

NCAI held a series of webinars this past month focused on the importance of Native American voter participation. The series is part of NCAIs non-partisan national Native Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Campaign.

During the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast Regions webinar on August 28, presenters Dr. Aaron Payment, NCAI Get Out The Vote Campaign manager, and NCAI Executive Director, Larry Wright Jr. (Ponca Tribe), shared statistics showing just how powerful the Native vote can be.

Yes, Your vote matters. President Kennedy won his election in 1961 by just over 100,000 votes, or an average of one vote per precinct. The 2016 presidential election in Michigan was decided by just over 10,000 votes. The number of Native Americans in Michigan in 2020 is about 110,000. We can be the margin of victory, Payment explained.

In 2016, the margin of victory was 3.7 percent in North Carolina. The percentage of the Native population in North Carolina is 3.9 percent. In Arizona, the margin of victory was 4.1 percent, and the Native population is around 15.8 percent. These trends continue in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin.

If you vote in favor of candidates who have a platform supporting the treaty and trust obligations, you strengthen our sovereignty, Payment said during the webinar. If you prioritize the impact of the federal government on our tribal sovereignty and federal funding as Indians, we win. Who you vote for is entirely up to you. You are encouraged, however, to research the candidates and ask the tough questions of how they will serve you as an American Indian.

NCAI is compiling a list of priorities for Indian Country that candidates should know dubbed a sovereignty ticket. Elected officials hold a unique obligation to uphold treaties and trust obligations the federal government has for tribal nations, but how can these campaigns break into Indian Country?

OJ Semans Sr., Executive Director of Four Directions, a non-partisan voting rights advocacy group, says outreach to inter-tribal organizations is key.

They can reach out to tribal organizations. You have the Great Lakes Intertribal Council that has contact with every tribal leader in Michigan and in Wisconsin. You have the Mid-Western Alliance that covers Minnesota and a lot of tribes. You have the Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association. We have tribes in almost every state, Semans Sr. said. But the simplest way for them to do it would be to work within the Native Caucus, within their own organization, to reach out to tribal leaders. It's so simple. You have so many well-known Natives within the Native Caucus and Democratic Party that they could call anybody in any tribe in the United States, and the phone would be answered.

Winning the Native vote could clinch the win for either candidate, but campaigns have to do the work.

It is very critical that they [campaigns] are able to relay their message to tribes and the Native voting population that they're aware of how important we are, because we can, and we have, from the election of President Biden and Vice President Harris have shown that power that vote, Semans Sr. said.

About the Author: "Neely Bardwell (descendant of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian) is a staff reporter for Native News Online. Bardwell is also a student at Michigan State University where she is majoring in policy and minoring in Native American studies. "

Contact: neely@nativenewsonline.net
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A man is dead after crashing a vehicle in Preble County.

According to Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson, deputies were dispatched Wednesday around 6:50 p.m. to the area of County Road 227, just north of Swann Beatty Road.

Detonations expected Thursday at Wright-Patterson AFB

The Preble County Sheriffs Office said the preliminary investigation conducted showed that Robert Stang, 74, of Camden, was driving a 2019 Nissan northbound on CR 227. Officials believe that Stang went off of the right side of the roadway, hit a guardrail, went over an embankment and into Seven Mile Creek.

Simpson confirmed Stang, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was died at the scene. He was taken from the scene to the Montgomery County Coroners Office.

As of date, the crash remains under investigation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Comstock Public Schools celebrated the opening of a renovated middle school Wednesday.

Over the last four years, the district has been making renovations to convert one of its elementary schools into Comstock Middle School.

I would term this the renovation, innovation and modernization of Comstock Elementary School. It was North Elementary and now its Comstock Middle School, said Superintendent Jeffrey Thoenes.

A big focus for the district was on safety. Using 2022 bond money, CPS installed a modern, advanced camera system.

A security camera in the hallway of Comstock Middle School. (Sept. 4, 2024)

How Comstock schools are using safety grant

Every room in the building and every hallway has a camera. We have the most camera coverage of any district in the county and we use that to good effect. Its a great deterrent but it also helps us to diagnose something that did happen or something that did occur, Thoenes said.

The district experienced a shooting outside of its high school last December. While no one was hurt after 30 gunshots were fired, the incident served as a reminder to the community just how important campus safety is.

Comstock Public Schools was the recipient of a half-million-dollar grant in July from a Michigan-based public safety company and used it to implement weapons detections systems. Some of that money went to door sensors. Comstock Middle School is one of the first to debut the technology.

If a door is ajar, or opens when it is expected to be closed, then theres a signal that is given to the front office and they can go and investigate and look. And we have cameras on the doors to diagnose what happened, Thoenes said.

Comstock Schools adds safety measures to athletic events after shooting

The front entrance is also secured and features a foyer, where a parent or visitor will have to be buzzed in and identify themselves.

Aside from safety features, the new Comstock Middle School boasts modernized classrooms, new hallway walls, windows, ceiling racks and tiles, cabinets, floors, paint, LED lighting and technology, according to a release from the district.

Comstock Middle School gymnasium. (Sept. 4, 2024)

Comstock Middle School. (Sept. 4, 2024)

The building has a secured entrance, a remodeled cafeteria, a refreshed library, new science rooms, and a state-of-the-art gymnasium as well as new and attractive blue metallic siding. Importantly, the building has a completely modernized heating system and air conditioning, CPS wrote.

The school unveiled a new legacy plaque and gave tours of the school at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Parents, students, staff and administration want to be in a building thats modern, that is pleasant, that accommodates their physical needs and that is conducive to learning. And we have that now in Comstock Elementary School and here in Comstock Middle School, Thoenes said.

The upgrades have already produced good results for the district.

The impact has been one that we were hoping for. The building has seen enrollment increases every year since it opened, so the last five years, slowly incrementally more and more kids. Had 260 kids this year, were expecting as many as 320 to 340, somewhere in that range, Thoenes said.

Improvements are also happening at Comstock High School, where the upper and lower educational wings are being refreshed, a new kitchen and roof installed, as well as a band, music and choir room recently debuted.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on Wednesday announced it is no longer considering Lance Corporal Bailey Cameron as a missing person.

The 23-year-old, who is scheduled to exit the Marine Corps on Sept. 9., was reported missing on Aug. 25, a day after video shows him leaving Coyote Bar and Grill in Carlsbad the night before without his backpack, sunglasses and phone. Since his disappearance, there have been unconfirmed sightings of him around the base.

Capt James C. Sartain, with Camp Pendleton, released a statement Wednesday saying that recent activities connected to Lance Corporal Bailey Cameron indicate he has been on the installation.

Therefore, he is no longer considered a missing person, but base officials continue attempts to locate and contact Lance Corporal Bailey Cameron and are actively working with his parents to encourage him to return to his unit in accordance with his official service obligations, Sartain said.

Demolition work begins on Freedom Park at Navy Pier

On Monday, FOX 5/KUSI spoke to his family who traveled from Washington to North County. They, however, believe their son to be in distress.

The behavior is so foreign. Its foreign to how we knew him before he was a Marine, and its foreign to all the Marines here. Its not Bailey, Camerons father Kevin said when learning that his son lost contact with his command post, friends and has not returned to his barracks.

His family claims a Marine spotted Cameron on Saturday, Aug. 31 around 11:30 p.m. and reported active signs of distress before running away toward the ocean.

The gentleman we talked to said Bailey looked so afraid, so distressed. I just need to know that hes okay, said Juliana England, his mother.

Surveillance video and photos also show Cameron on base at an ATM earlier in the week on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The family urges the public to share this post from RAD Movement and to contact the organization if you or someone you know has a lead.

FOX 5/KUSIs Sarah Alegre contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
(WJET/WFXP) Pennsylvania State Police are asking the public for help as they investigate the alleged theft of a trailer camper from a Crawford County storage facility.

According to PSP Meadville, the victim was storing their camper at the storage facility in the 3400 block of Williamsfield Rd. in West Shenango Township between Aug. 9 and 30 when it was stolen.

Man extradited from car, hospitalized following I-79 crash

Police said the unknown suspect(s) removed the trailer from the facility and fled in an unknown direction.

Its described as a white 2002 Trail Lite/R-Vision trailer with blue checkering throughout, a black mountain scene with an elk on it and a rainbow trout on the back bearing PA registration plate reading XJD-9294 and VIN-4WY200K2521079126.

Celebrate with Erie Ale Works for their 10-year anniversary in the community!

Anyone with information is asked to call PSP Meadville at 814-332-6911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Like many colleges and universities across the country, the University of Southern California (USC) prides itself on its diversity advantage. When accepting my offer of admission, I envisioned USCs diverse campus as a space where I would finally see myself reflected in my peers. I imagined feeling empowered to share my experiences and perspectives  and to being supported by an administration that would prioritize student voices and ideas in making decisions.

During the spring semester, however, USC fell short of that ideal. To avoid repeating the same mistakes, I urge campus leaders to start listening to their students.

As student demonstrations over the war in Gaza erupted on campuses nationwide, USCs response to brewing tensions leaned toward damage control more than real solutions. Administrators swiftly imposed and heightened campus security measures, deepening the disconnect between campus leaders and the students they are meant to support.

The result at USC was a campus on edge, with students feeling uncertain about the consequences of expressing their opinions, sympathies, and disagreements  and unheard in the decision-making processes that affected their daily lives. Bag searches and ID scans quickly became the norm. Images of Los Angeles Police Department officers wearing riot gear and carrying zip-tie handcuffs inundated our social media feeds. The campus environment, with USC locking down academic buildings, felt transformed. Jumping a fence was sometimes the only way I could get to my dorm at the end of the day. (Teen Vogue has reached out to USC for comment.)

Summer break brought a pause to activities at USC, but students across the nation are now returning to campus. As school leaders prepare for the fall semester, it is essential that they value student perspectives and input as being critical to bridging the divide between students and administrators.

A new report from the Knight Foundation and Ipsos  conducted in March, before the height of student protests at Columbia University and on other campuses  speaks to why so many college students seek out higher education in the first place. We have a deep-seated belief in the essential role of free expression in university life and the importance of spaces where our diverse voices are acknowledged and valued.

According to the Knight-Ipsos report, a majority of the 1,678 students surveyed prioritize being exposed to all types of speech, even if they may find it offensive or biased, rather than being protected from it. The survey revealed that 92% of students support the right of individuals to express unpopular opinions, while 69% believe that removing a student group due to its views undermines freedom of expression.

Students do agree, though, that hate speech is antithetical to university values and is rightfully considered a safety concern: 75% of survey respondents said hate speech has no place on campus.

The survey was conducted before protest encampments spread nationwide, but the findings are deeply relevant to what played out in the spring. Many students, myself included, felt that administrators prioritized protecting their external image over promoting free and open dialogue.

Meanwhile, a lack of trust in administrators impacts students well beyond times of tension and protest, directly affecting classroom behavior. As the Knight-Ipsos research highlighted, students who trust their administrators reported feeling more comfortable sharing opinions in an in-person classroom setting (64% vs. 57%) and virtual class discussions (63% vs. 54%).

Without full faith in administrators to truly hear our ideas and support us in sharing them, we become afraid to question or challenge dominant narratives, as higher education is supposed to encourage us to do. Failing to foster this openness risks alienating students and contributing to the rising trend of self-censorship on campuses, where two in three students (69%) report withholding speech.

In and out of the classroom, students are seeking spaces where they can share their perspectives and actively engage in productive disagreement. According to the Knight-Ipsos survey, only one in three students say their college has programs specifically designed to promote constructive conversations among people who disagree (32%). Of those who indicate their university lacks these programs, more than half express a desire for their college to create such programs (56%). Without these forums, students are denied the opportunity to practice disagreeing with others respectfully and productively  a necessary skill that will serve us far beyond the classroom.

As we approach a new semester, I am hopeful that administrators will attempt to reconnect with their students and restore lost trust. Instead of shutting down speech, foster dialogue. Instead of shutting out student journalists, let them report on their communities and the diversity of viewpoints on campuses. College administrators must listen to student voices and treat them as vital to create spaces that reflect the true mission and value of higher education.

Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

More great activism coverage from Teen Vogue:
DENVER (KDVR)  Carpool lanes, or high occupancy vehicle lanes, can be used in many states as long as the vehicle has two to three or more people inside. But in Colorado, drivers have to take an extra step to use the HOV lanes without getting billed.

Why are streets in downtown Denver crooked? History can explain

If you are driving with two extra people in the car, and you see HOV 3+ signs over the far left lane, you cannot just use the lane for free. You must have the appropriate sticker or transponder on your vehicle or else you will receive a bill with the toll fees for where you used the lane.

Heres a guide with what to know to avoid getting hit with bills for carpooling in the carpool lane.

Who can use express/HOV lanes in Colorado?

Anyone can use the express lanes with a toll payment. However, motorcycles, buses and vehicles with three or more people can use most of them for free (with the appropriate transponder or sticker). The only exceptions are on C-470 and the Interstate 70 mountain express lanes.

Solo drivers must also have the appropriate transponder or sticker in order to use the lanes. Otherwise, a bill with a higher toll rate will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Anyone can use the express lanes in Colorado with a toll payment, however, motorcycles, buses and vehicles with three or more people can use most of them for free with the appropriate transponder or sticker.

Why the interchange of I-70, I-25 in Denver is called the mousetrap

How to get stickers, transponders for Colorado express lanes

Anyone who uses the express lanes must set up an ExpressToll account and register for a pass. There are different passes for different purposes. Anyone can register for a pass and it will be sent via mail.

If you choose not to use the transponder, you will be billed through a License Plate Toll. A bill will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle and you will pay a higher toll rate based on how far you travel in the Express Lanes, the Colorado Department of Transportation website states.

The Switchable HOV Transponder is the only option that can be used for both solo driver tolling and free carpooling, according to the CDOT website. This transponder used to cost $18 but is now available for free for those who plan to use it just for carpooling.

Drivers who do not use the free pass within six months, or who use the pass in toll mode or on a tolled Express Lane such as the I-70 Mountain Express Lane, will be charged the cost of the Switchable HOV Transponder, the CDOT website states.

Why Market Street turns into Walnut Street in downtown Denver

Drivers who only need a pass for solo tolled express lane use can get the ExpressToll sticker pass.

How to use the HOV lanes when carpooling

The Switchable HOV Transponder is the only pass that permits free use of the express lanes for carpoolers, but it works for solo, tolled traveling as well.

The transponder can be used on the green TOLL mode when the driver is using it to drive solo in the express lanes, or it can be switched to the red HOV mode when there are three or more people in the vehicle, according to the CDOT website.

Fed up with red lights? Heres how they work in Denver

How to use the express lanes as a solo driver or motorcyclist

Solo drivers in Colorados express lanes can use either the Switchable HOV Transponder or the ExpressToll sticker. Overhead signs indicate how much it will cost to use the toll lane for a specified distance. The price varies depending on the time of day and congestion levels.

Motorcyclists are the lucky ones  according to the CDOT website, motorcyclists do not need to have an ExpressToll pass or account in order to travel for free on the express lanes on the Interstate 25 corridor, C-470, U.S. 36 and Central Interstate 70.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly announced more progress toward a once-weekly insulin shot, weeks after its Danish competitor Novo Nordisk encountered a significant setback with a similar product, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Thursday.

Lilly, Novo, and French pharmaceutic company Sanofi dominate the global market for insulin, a lifesaving medicine for patients with diabetes. While the new GLP-1 medicines, Lilly's Zepbound and Novo's Wegovy, may eventually cut into demand for insulin, it remains an essential medicine, and a major product for the three manufacturers.

"Today, patients on insulin receive injections daily, or even more often, but both Novo and Lilly are working to change that," said the report.

Lilly said on Thursday that its experimental once-weekly insulin shot, called efsitora, worked as well as daily insulin shots both in patients new to insulin injections, and in patients switching from other insulin brands. The results echo similarly positive data that Lilly announced in May.

"With a simple fixed-dose regimen, once-weekly efsitora could make it easier for people with diabetes to start and manage insulin therapy," Lilly's senior vice president of product development, Jeff Emmick, said in a statement.

Lilly is playing catch-up with Novo, which sells a once-weekly insulin product called insulin icodec in Europe, Canada, and other countries. In July, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected the company's application for approval of the medicine in the United States.

Novo said at the time that the FDA's rejection letter had made requests for changes to the way the drug is manufactured for patients with Type 1 diabetes. In May, a committee of outside scientific advisors convened by the FDA had said that the benefits of insulin icodec didn't outweigh the risks in patients with Type 1 diabetes. 
Republican David McCormick and Democratic Sen. Bob Casey are vying for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate seat (Capital-Star composite from official/campaign photos)

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Republican Dave McCormick have agreed to terms on one debate, although both campaigns have expressed interest in more.

Casey, who is seeking his fourth term in the U.S. Senate, and McCormick, a former hedge fund manager who served in President George W. Bushs administration, have confirmed that they will face off in a debate on Oct. 3 in Harrisburg, moderated by ABC27s Dennis Owens.

In late April, Casey and McCormick agreed that they would participate in three debates prior to the general election in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

McCormicks campaign sent out a press release on June 10 and another on Aug. 29 saying it has also accepted a debate invitation from WPXI in Pittsburgh, to be moderated by Lisa Sylvester.

However, on Wednesday, Caseys campaign announced it has accepted debate invitations from a different station in Pittsburgh, KDKA, on Oct. 9 and Philadelphias 6ABC on Oct. 15.

As of Thursday, Casey and McCormick have not agreed to debate terms beyond the Oct. 3 event in Harrisburg.

In 2022, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz met for one general election debate in Harrisburg, moderated by Owens and Sylvester.

During Caseys most recent successful reelection campaign in 2018, he debated Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta twice before the general election, once in Philadelphia and once in Pittsburgh.

Since Casey and McCormick were the only candidates on their respective partys ballots in the April primary; the two have been gearing up for the general election for months.

The race is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate showdowns in the nation this cycle as both candidates are coming off of their best fundraising quarters.

Throughout the cycle, most polling shows Casey with a several point advantage over McCormick, although some recent polls were within or close to the margin of error. Multiple national ratings outlets, including the Cook Political Report, rate the race between Casey and McCormick as Leans Democratic, while the race at the top of the ticket for the states 19 electoral votes between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is a toss-up.
CCSD trustee will need to give up seat or face proceedings to vacate: Clark County DA

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Clark County School District Board trustee who is accused of no longer living in the school district or the state will need to relinquish her office or face proceedings to vacate her seat, according to a letter from the Clark County District Attorney Wednesday.

In a letter addressed to Katie Williams, Trustee for District B of the Clark County School District Board, Steve Wolfson, Clark County District Attorney, announced a plan to declare her seat vacant due to the trustee no longer being a resident of Nevada or District B of the school district itself.

[] Prior to the District Attorney commencing such a proceeding, the District Attorneys office inquires whether you will relinquish your office, the letter said before requesting a response from Williams no later than Monday.

The Clark County Education Association responded to the letter Wednesday, saying, in part, A Clark County School District Board trustee who is accused of no longer living in the school district or the state will need to relinquish her office or face proceedings to vacate her seat, according to a letter from the Clark County District Attorney Wednesday.

The CCEA called for Evelyn Garcia Morales, president of the board of trustees, to resign due to alleged gross negligence when she ignored community and stakeholder concerns about

Williams lack of residency. The union called for an investigation into which trustees knew Williams was not a resident, and for all 4-3 votes where Williams was the fourth to be vacated.

Finally, CCSD Trustees should rescind their policy that prevents Trustees from speaking to the

media and the community. Under President Garcia-Morales, CCSD Trustees have been kept

insulated from the press and the community, the statement said. This was the design and has been used to prevent transparency and accountability. Trustee Williams was the fourth vote for such policies. This must come to an end.

According to a May report, Williams had missed more than a dozen school board meetings, with several education officials calling for her votes to be vacated if she no longer resided in Clark County.

In March, Williams, first elected in 2020, said she has no plans of seeking re-election. She told 8newsnow.com that she worked remotely for a company in Utah, Nebraska, and California and traveled between the locations. In a TikTok video from Williams account, the trustee used the past tense when describing her former homes, saying she lived in Las Vegas.

Katie Williams, first elected in 2020, told 8 News Now in March she has no plans of running for re-election. (KLAS)

On June 4, Williams responded to the allegations that she no longer lived in Clark County, saying, As a single working mother and citizen-soldier, my schedule has certainly become difficult. She added that she attended meetings to represent the best interest of voters before calling the concerns over her residency a political stunt.

Williams had been active on social media, posting multiple times about Nebraska, including a LinkedIn post saying Pray for Nebraska and comments about tornadoes made when severe weather affected the state.

The Clark County School District provided the following statement to 8 News Now:

The Clark County School District Board of School Trustees is aware of the communication the District Attorneys office sent to Trustee Williams.

8 News Now reached out to Williams for a comment but she had not responded as of Wednesday night. In the early hours of Thursday, Williams did respond to a person on her social media X account who asked why she wasnt defending herself. Williams wrote, Those convinced against their will, will be of the same opinion still.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Celebrate with Erie Ale Works for their 10-year anniversary in the community!

(WJET/WFXP)  An Erie brewing company is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a week of festivities for the public to take part in.

Erie Ale Works first opened up in the Erie community on Sept. 6, 2014, and is hosting several events this week to honor its decade-long milestone at its 416 West 12th St. location.

Events happening around Erie in 2024: Heres our list

The week of celebrations will feature food trucks, giveaways and 2014 pricing on certain items as well as a famous piece of furniture.

According to their website, their week of celebrations looks like this:

Wednesday, 9/4: Mishka Vodka Sampling, 5-7 p.m. + E Doggs Hot Dogs, 5-8 p.m.

Thursday, 9/5: The Atacolypse Food Truck, 5-8 p.m.

Friday, 9/6, The Que Abides, 5-8 p.m.

Saturday, 9/7: Caseys Ice Cream Cart, noon  4 p.m. + A Waffle Miracle, 5-8 p.m.

Sunday, 9/8: Ippa Pizza Napoletana, noon  4 p.m.

To learn more about what to expect, head to Erie Ale Works website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany Josef Schuster presents the brochure ""Die Umsturzpartei" - Wie die AfD unsere Demokratie gefaehrdet." . The brochure was commissioned by the American Jewish Committee Berlin. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany has said he is shocked by the deadly shooting near the Israeli consulate in Munich.

"According to the latest information, it appears to be an Islamist attack again, as was the case in Solingen last week, when three people were murdered by an assassin," said Josef Schuster.

Schuster's comments came after reports by the Austrian Press Agency that the 18-year-old suspect had been suspected of links to the Islamic State terror group.

Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive for the attack, which came on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre which saw 11 Israelis killed by Palestinian terrorists during the Olympic Games.

Schuster added: "We are in a permanent state of tension and threat. We must not let the enemies of the open society destroy our freedom and our lives."

The president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch, also commented on the shooting.

"The feeling of insecurity will be further reinforced by this incident, not only in the Jewish community. The task for those with political responsibility is therefore very clear: violent extremism must be pushed back out of the public sphere again; anything else would be the end of our open society," Knobloch said.
Speculation is high ahead of next weeks official unveiling of the new College of Commissioners, with members of President Ursula von der Leyens European Peoples Party (EPP) seemingly securing several coveted portfolios.

A table making the rounds among members of the centre-right EPP sees von der Leyens party claiming up the most sought-after policies in the EU executive  including policy areas eyed by socialists.

According to the internal document seen by Euronews, the employment and housing portfolios, much coveted by the centre-left socialist grouping, could go respectively to Austrias Commissioner Magnus Brunner and Croatias Dubravka Suica, both from the EPP, with the latter potentially also taking health or social affairs.

Brunner is also the only possible candidate named for the coveted competition portfolio by the document, making him the blocs chief antitrust enforcer.

Von der Leyen was in July reappointed by a broad coalition of MEPs including the EPP, socialists and liberals, but shell need their support once again when they vote on whether to approve the Commission as a body, allowing it to serve for the next five years.

Pedro Sanchezs pick, Teresa Ribera, will apparently be given a senior position as executive vice president for the digital green transition, but other socialist candidates are expected to land less influential positions.

Maltas Glenn Micallef is in line for a minor portfolio, either equality and intergenerational issues or fisheries, while Denmarks Dan Jrgensen might be assigned a climate change brief, split from energy or environment responsibilities.

Micallefs political experience has reportedly been questioned by von der Leyen, whos attempting to convince the Maltese government to make an eleventh-hour switch to a female candidate. Romanias Roxana Minzatu, the other socialist candidate, may be awarded an economic portfolio, a likely reward for her governments decision to nominate a woman.

Liberal party nominees are also expected to secure the home affairs portfolio for Belgiums Hadja Lahbib, financial services for Irelands Michael McGrath and another economic role for Slovenias Tomaz Vesel  though, like Malta, von der Leyen is reportedly pushing Ljubljana to switch to a female name.

The leak confirms previous reports that three executive vice presidencies will go to France, Italy, and Spain. Alongside Ribera, Frances Thierry Breton is expected to be handed responsibility for Industry and Strategic Autonomy, while Italys Raffaele Fitto gets Economy and Post-Pandemic Recovery

Estonias Kaja Kallas has already been named for a vice-presidency by EU leaders, and the remaining two most senior executive posts should go to incumbents Valdis Dombrovskis and Maros Sefcovic, according to the document.

The other EPP Commissioners are expected to receive the lions share of powerful portfolios. Competitiveness is likely to go to either Finlands Henna Virkkunen or Swedens Jessica Roswall, while trade is expected to go to the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra.

Lithuanias Andrius Kubilius could then take the security portfolio, strengthening Baltic influence over foreign policy and reinforcing the EUs anti-Russian stance alongside Kallas, the document suggests.

The assignment would see energy go to Jozef Sikela, an independent close to the EPP, while agriculture will remain under EPP control, with Luxembourgs Christophe Hansen or Portugals Maria Luisa Albuquerque in contention for the role.

The leak hints at splitting the agriculture portfolio, with rural development going to Greek Commissioner-designate Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who may also be in charge of transport.

It suggests Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans pick, incumbent Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, is likely to be rejected by the European Parliament.

If this happens, another of Orbans favourites, Fidesz MEP Eniko Gyori, appears to be under consideration as a replacement, helping von der Leyen in her bid for gender parity.

The definitive portfolios will be announced by von der Leyen next Wednesday (11 September).
PORTLAND, Ore.  In the highest-profile testimony over Krogers proposed $25 billion takeover of Albertsons, the CEOs of both companies defended the mergers merits and hinted at dire consequences if it was not approved.

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen warned supermarkets were surrounded by nontraditional rivals selling food. Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran hinted his Plan B could mean layoffs, store closures and retreating from geographic markets.

The hearing has been described as a mini-trial by antitrust experts where regulators with the Federal Trade Commission are seeking a court order to block the merger as the agency pursues the rest of its case against the deal in Washington, D.C. The stakes are high because antitrust experts predicted and a Kroger attorney confirmed the merger "will not occur," if the grocers dont fight off the injunction.

Here are highlights of the CEOs' testimony:

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen and Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran testify about their proposed massive grocery store merger at a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. November 29, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Rodney McMullen focused on prices, Walmart and other emerging competition

On the stand, McMullen repeated promises that his acquisition would preserve union jobs and save customers money at the checkout. He also downplayed that the loss of Albertsons as a standalone company would reduce overall competition in the marketplace. He said too many nontraditional competitors are selling food and the industry is more competitive than ever.

We would consider Walmart our No. 1 competitor, McMullen told the court.

McMullen recalled Walmart first caught his attention in the 1990s when they opened a store in Tennessee and quickly grabbed a third of the local market share. In general, he described Krogers strategy as keeping its prices on core items within a few percentage points above Walmart prices and below traditional competitors. He noted Albertsons prices were about 10% to 12% above Kroger's on average.

He indicated it was short-sighted to focus on competition between traditional grocers, noting many are fading or gone altogether.

When I got into the industry, A&P was the largest grocer," he testified. "They dont even exist anymore.

The ghost of business descriptions and reports past

FTC attorney Susan Musser pushed back at McMullens vision of a widening competitive landscape. She noted Kroger referred to itself as a one-stop shop describing its business model in government filings and even lawsuits. The distinction is critical because if the judge comes to view Kroger more narrowly as a traditional supermarket it complicates the argument that removing Albertsons as a competitor is a good idea.

Musser challenged McMullen about how much Kroger competes with dollar stores and club stores. She cited company documents describing Albertsons as its No. 1 or 2 competitor in several of its major metropolitan markets.

Finally, Musser pressed on McMullens promise not to close stores. He admitted that after the merger he could close an unspecified number, whether to relocate a store to a larger location or to close or consolidate stores in a struggling geographical market.

The grocery business is a zero-sum business

Sankaran also stressed the swarm of competition from nontraditional grocery retailers and tried to downplay Albertsons rivalry with Kroger. He described the industrys brave new world as one of category-blurring where once-noncompetitive operators were now at each others throats.

When customers start buying (a case of) 50 bottles of Gatorade, they wont be getting that in a grocery store, Sankaran told the court. The grocery business is a zero-sum business. People are not eating more.

Sankaran said joining forces and getting bigger was critical for Albertsons to achieve the scale of operations to become more efficient, lower prices and compete effectively. He indicated Albertsons future could get bleaker if the merger failed to win approval: layoffs, store closures and even exiting geographic markets could happen.

I do not want to go down this road, Sankaran warned.

Albertsons restructuring rumblings questioned

McMullen got pushback, but Sankaran faced even harsher questions by FTC attorney Albert Teng.

Part of that was due to Albertsons' decision to pay shareholders a one-time $4 billion dividend payment in early 2023 as part of the deal.

Weeks before the payout, Sankaran told federal lawmakers at a Senate hearing in November of 2022 that Albertsons was in excellent financial condition and that the dividend wouldnt alter our ability to invest in the business, Teng reminded Sankaran.

Did you tell Congress about (potential) layoffs, closures and exiting markets? Teng asked.

Teng pressed for details of Albertsons potential future restructuring, but the grocer's attorneys objected the question was veering into confidential material.

Sankaran said the market is different today and that he must look forward.

Oops: When the boss makes a big mistake

Those werent even the hardest questions Sankaran faced.

Teng opened his cross-examination, pressing the CEO to remind the court of the size of his golden parachute if the deal is approved: $43 million.

Sankaran also faced questions about his handling of internal communications he was ordered to preserve once his company was being shopped for sale. He testified Wednesday he forgot to turn off the auto-delete function on his cell phone for a year.

Sankaran admitted to Teng he might have deleted about 1,700 work-related texts.

Union workers oppose the deal

Following the CEO testimony, a group of local chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and other merger opponents, on Wednesday expressed their continued concern for food prices, jobs and competition.

"This is a bad deal that would reduce consumer choice, put tens of thousands of workers and hundreds of stores at risk, and take the legs out from under workers leverage in negotiating for better wages and benefits," Stop the Merger group said in a Thursday statement. "America needs more competition, more grocery stores, and more leverage for workers to secure better pay and staffing  not less."

For the latest on Kroger, P&G, Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati business, follow @alexcoolidge on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kroger and Albertsons CEOs questioned in court, defend proposed merger
EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (PIX11)  Police are searching for a woman accused of snatching the chain off of a toddler in Brooklyn on Monday, according to officials.

A 2-year-old girl was in a laundromat at 2540 Linden Blvd. when a woman walked up and took a chain off the childs neck around 11:30 p.m. Police said the woman left the laundromat, and no one was injured.

Police are searching for a woman accused of snatching the chain off of a toddler in Brooklyn, according to officials. (NYPD)

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Thursday, the Oklahoma County District Attorney dismissed its case against Roshaun Jones, who was accused of a killing two people at a Del City laundromat in 2017.

Roshaun Jones. Photo courtesy Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office.

Jones was arrested on January 27, 2017, by Del City Police for his suspected role in the murders of 42-year-old Nekia Jackson and 60-year-old Russ Roberts at a Del City laundromat.

He was charged less than a week later by the Oklahoma County DA on two counts of first degree murder, one count of robbery with a firearm, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Although his trial was originally set for September 8, 2018, the DAs Office said numerous unforeseeable roadblocks led to major delays in Jones case, including a judges retirement, deaths of the lead detective and a public defender representing Jones, the Covid pandemic, and a new prosecution team being assigned to the case after the election of a new DA.

News 4 talked with Jones on the phone about the decision.

I cant stop smiling, its crazy surreal. I was just expecting that one day they would realize they have the wrong person, said Jones.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Accused killer makes appearance at hearing before trial

The decision to dismiss was made before prosecutors were preparing to go to trial on Monday. Jones charges were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the DA may refile charges against him in the future.

Criminal Attorney David Smith said this does not happen often.

It is not common but it does happen. It makes me think that as a new D.A. inheriting an older case, theyre taking a second look at it as we would want a prosecutor do, to only prosecute cases that are rock solid against individuals, said Smith.

Despite the dismissal, Jones will still be serving time in prison for a separate case. According to the DAs Office, Jones is currently serving a 15-year sentence in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to five drug-related charges in October 2023.

Can you imagine one day youre just going about your natural life and the next minute youre incarcerated and looking at losing your life? said Jones.

The DAs Office also says Del City double murder case remains open as the investigation continues.

I didnt do it and I pray the person who did it is brought to justice, said Jones.

The Del City Police Department issued the following statement on Thursday afternoon regarding the dropped charges.

This morning, we learned that the First Degree Murder charges filed against Roshaun Jones were

dismissed. We respect the decision of the District Attorneys Office and are committed to continuing to work with prosecutors in anyway possible to seek justice for Nekia Jackson and Russ Roberts. Because this investigation is still open and ongoing, there is no further information we can release at this time. Del City Police Department

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
New charges placed on woman involved in hours-long stand-off with SWAT, NY police

(WJET/WFXP)  New details have been released on two Jamestown, New York, residents facing multiple charges after a standoff with SWAT and police.

Kylah Seiberg, 29, and Jensen Vazquez, 38, were both being held by Jamestown police after a several-hour standoff with law enforcement where multiple narcotics were found at a residence in the 80 block of Victoria Ave on Sept. 3.

Seiberg was receiving medical treatment while under custody when Jamestown police searched her person and found 7 grams of fentanyl. She was additionally charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence on top of her previous similar charges.

Both Seiberg and Vazques were arraigned on Thursday, Sept. 5, and remanded without bail to the Chautauqua County Jail. A felony hearing for both will be scheduled at a later date.

Background

The Jamestown Police Department was first called about an alleged break-in at an apartment in the 80 block of Victoria Ave. on Sept. 3 around 12:42 p.m. with police saying it was the same residence where a Jamestown man was shot back on Aug. 17.

Two people were reportedly inside the Victoria Avenue residence when police arrived with Seiberg giving herself up while Vazquez allegedly barricaded himself in part of the residence armed with a gun.

This all led to a standoff lasting several hours with members of the Jamestown Police Department and Chautauqua County Sheriffs Offices SWAT teams.

Police eventually deployed chemical munitions into the house and made their entry after Vazquez refused to come out finding him in the residences attic hiding under floorboards and insulation and took him into custody.

Vazquez was charged with five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance along with second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Seiberg was charged for the Aug. 17 search warrant findings with four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon along with second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)  Charges have been referred to the Brown County District Attorneys Office for a 24-year-old who allegedly strangled and killed his cellmate at Green Bay Correctional Institute.

According to an updated release, charges have been referred to the Brown County District Attorneys Office for 24-year-old Jackson Vogel. The charges include first-degree intentional homicide and suffocation/strangulation.

Wisconsin motorcyclist hospitalized after crashing at intersection with school bus

Additionally, the updated release says the district attorneys office has added hate crime enhancers to both charges.

Vogel remains in restrictive custody at Green Bay Correctional Institute. At the time of this articles publication, he had not been formally charged in the Wisconsin Circuit Court system but is expected to be in the coming days.

This stems from an incident on Tuesday, August 29, when multiple officers were sent to Green Bay Correctional Institute shortly after 9:30 p.m. for an inmate who was not breathing and pulseless. The inmate was identified as 19-year-old Micah Laureano.

Boil Water Advisory for St. Cloud in Fond du Lac County lifted, safe to resume normal usage

According to the Brown County Sheriffs Office, Laureano and Vogel were cellmates and had occupied the same cell for only hours before the incident.

An initial appearance for Vogel has not been scheduled.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Namibia and China have maintained a cordial diplomatic relationship that "can only be expected to grow from strength to strength," Peter Katjavivi, speaker of Namibia's National Assembly, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Today we have an exceptional, good, cordial relationship. We partner in many respects. We fully understand each other," said Katjavivi, noting that the relationship goes back to the time before Namibia's independence.

Strengthening the bilateral relationship "is our wish and our determination," he said. "I am absolutely confident that this is what we want to see happening between our two countries."

As for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he said it would strengthen the existing cooperation between China and Africa and would be "a great opportunity to benefit from each other."

During the interview, Katjavivi, in his 80s, proudly shared with Xinhua one of his precious memories of China.

On Oct. 25, 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted, with an overwhelming majority, Resolution 2758, which restored all rights of the People's Republic of China and recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of China in the United Nations.

When China finally restored its lawful seat at the United Nations, "I was there at the UN General Assembly on that day," he said, adding that he remembered the international solitary that prevailed to ensure China was given its rightful place within the world body.

Katjavivi recalled that as the debate started, many countries from Africa and Asia spoke up in support of China.

"It was a dramatic moment in history," he said, adding that many of these countries, what are called the Global South today, supported the restoration of China's lawful seat at the United Nations.

"It is something that I will always remember," he said, adding that when the Global South is united, "it helps to shape major decisions that affect so many people."

In August, Katjavivi took part in the 2024 interregional 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, taking trips to Beijing, Shanxi Province and Tianjin.

"When I was here in the 1960s in the national capital, it did not look like this. What I saw around that time had been totally transformed. It's in a remarkable way, in such a short period of time ... this is unique," he said, adding that it is "the determination and hard work of the Chinese people that brought that about."

Katjavivi expected the two countries to strengthen research cooperation and personnel exchanges in agricultural modernization and vocational training.

At the Jinzhong National Agriculture High-tech Zone Smart Farm Demonstration Base in Shanxi Province, he tried to establish cooperation between the Namibian and Chinese agricultural research institutions.

After visiting the Tianjin Public Vocational Training Center of China, he wrote a report, suggesting the establishment of a faculty or a department at the Namibian University of Science and Technology to train vocational instructors, hoping to apply China's experience to Namibia.

Before heading back to Namibia, Katjavivi told Xinhua that during this particular visit to cities in China, he observed and was briefed on various activities that form part of the transformation process that "brought the development in China to such a high level."

"There is a great deal of lessons to be learned from the Chinese experience. I'm going back to Namibia ... with wonderful ideas that I would like to take up with my colleagues at the government, university and parliament levels, to see how we can implement some of these wonderful ideas," he said. 
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  One of the nations highest civilian honors will be posthumously bestowed upon a former U.S. Marine during a ceremony in Charleston next month.

The family of Alonzo H. Rouse, a member of the Montford Point Marines, will accept the Congressional Gold Medal on his behalf during a gala hosted by the National Montford Point Marine Association Chapter 47.

Gunnery Sgt. Alonzo H. Rouse (Montford Point Marine Assn Charleston Chapter 47)

President Barack Obama signed legislation in November 2011 to collectively honor the nations first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

African Americans were not allowed to serve in the Marine Corps before 1941, but the onset of WWII and the need for more servicemembers led President Franklin Roosevelt to issue an executive order in June that barred discriminatory practices in the defense industry.

That executive order paved the way for the first African Americans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Summerville VFW Post 3433 closes amid skyrocketing liquor liability insurance

Nearly 20,000 recruits were trained at Camp Montford Point, North Carolina from 1942 to 1949, according to the Charleston chapter.

Every aspect of their training was segregated from their white counterparts, officials said. They were housed in prefabricated huts and railroad tracks separated white residents from the training camp. They were only permitted on the main base of Camp Lejeune if they were escorted by a white Marine.

The camp was decommissioned in September 1949.

Rouse, a Mount Pleasant native, began training at Camp Montford Point in April 1946. He served in Guam and Korea and was stationed at Camp Pendleton and Base Barstow, California. He retired from Air Station Beaufort as a Gunnery Sergeant in 1964.

After leaving the military, Rouse became an avid fisherman and hunter and opened a chicken farm in the 1970s. He and his late wife, Virginia, had nine children, according to the Charleston chapter.

The medal will be presented to Rouses family during an event scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 at The Citadels Buyer Auditorium beginning at 6 p.m.

More information on how to attend can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
Interstate 85 will close for hours in two parts of Charlotte when former President Donald Trump flies to the city on Friday, police said.

Trump is scheduled to address the Fraternal Order of Polices National Board of Trustees at its fall meeting in Charlotte. The meeting began Wednesday and ends Monday.

Police will close I-85 around Charlotte Douglas International Airport and in north Charlotte from 2:30 to 7 p.m. to accommodate the visit of former President Trump for a private event, CMPD said on social media platform X on Thursday.

All traffic will be detoured onto other roads, police said.

We strongly encourage you to plan ahead and expect significant delays on alternative routes, CMPD said. We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we ensure the safety and security of this event.

Trumps visit highlights the increasing attention being paid to North Carolina as the election nears. Trump, the Republican candidate, had a clear lead in the state before President Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him. Since then, most polls show that the state has become an important tossup.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president, was in Raleigh last week to visit campaign workers and attend a fundraiser.

Traffic Alert: Highway Closure with Heavy Traffic Impacts



Please be aware impacts to travel on I-85 around Charlotte Douglas International Airport and in North Charlotte tomorrow, September 6, from 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to accommodate the visit of former President Trump pic.twitter.com/HbvhaOQM2i  CMPD News (@CMPD) September 5, 2024

Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, announced today that President Donald J. Trump accepted an invitation to address the FOPs National Board of Trustees. This Press Release has been revised to include the date.https://t.co/3yOwR3VKtu pic.twitter.com/aFKhhc6eF2  National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) August 30, 2024
Charlotte road conditions some of the worst in the state: Study

Charlotte road conditions some of the worst in the state: Study

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Just how bad are the roads in North Carolina?

A new report by the non-profit Trip reveals nearly 40 percent are in poor or mediocre condition. The report even broke it down by city.

For the Charlotte metro, roads were graded as 23 percent poor, the worst out of the five cities studied. Twenty-seven percent were found to be mediocre, 20 percent fair, and 30 percent good.

MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS

Local News

The city with the best roads is Asheville. The report also says statewide traffic fatalities were up 20 percent from 2019 to 2023 and that 7 percent of the states bridges are rated poor or in structurally deficient condition. Here in Charlotte, its 5 percent.

Trip also estimates that due to the poor road conditions it costs drivers $5 billion in total. Individually for drivers in Charlotte, thats $784, in addition to losing money from sitting in traffic congestion.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office are searching for missing 25-year-old Carlik Marquis Gill, who was last seen on Sunday.

According to deputies, Gill was last seen after leaving his home at around 3:30 a.m. and was walking on Blacksburg Highway, in Blacksburg, in the direction of Interstate 85.

Investigators stated that they have been searching the immediate area with drones and bloodhounds with no success.

Investigators ask property owners in the area to check their video cameras for any possibly sightings, along with checking outbuildings and barns for the missing person.

Anyone with information on Gill is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC or the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office, Captain Parnell, at 864-489-4722 extension 117.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
CHICAGO  This week, workers began tearing down the vacant Sears world headquarters in Hoffman Estates before the site is turned into a data center, a trend that has grown popular in the suburbs and now, a Chicago alderman wants to bring more of them into the city.

That alderman is the 36th Wards Gilbert Villegas, who is advocating for a plan at City Council to convert vacant Chicago land into data centers.

At a cost of millions annually, city government stores its data at centers locate outside of Chicago. Villegas, chairman of the Council Technology Committee, has written an ordinance requiring more city data to be stored in the city.

We have data that were paying hyperscalers to store for us, and what were seeing, is a lot of that data is not being stored in the City of Chicago, and quite frankly, the State of Illinois, Villegas said Wednesday.

More from Tahman: CPS administrators rally behind CEO Pedro Martinez amid potential mayoral conflict

A data center is a physical facility used to house information and critical applications. Each center has routers, storage systems and servers that play an everyday role in the common Americans lifestyle.

Your phone is using a data center right now, said Craig Huffman, CEO of Metro Edge Development Partners. The data that is being stored ties to a physical building. Even when people talk about the cloud, the cloud is a data center, it may be a cluster of data center.

Huffman and Metro Edge Development Partners want to build a data center in the Illinois Medical District on the citys West Side using private funding.

City of Chicago employees are required to live in Chicago, our data is not, Huffman said. Thats a question you should ask, and why arent we leveraging that for our economic development benefit?

As Huffman makes his pitch, Villegas is telling his colleagues at City Council data centers can help the city raise new property tax revenue.

I would say over ten years, youre talking about north of $100 million in property tax revenue, Villegas said. I got this idea from taking a look at Loudon County. Loudon County, Virginia went from $100 million in property tax revenue from data centers to $1 billion in property tax revenue.

More from Tahman: Chicago had wonderfully bright moment in hosting DNC, tourism head says

While Villegas works to build support for his measure, some of his colleagues have raised concerns about the amount of energy data centers use, and the potential environmental impact building them could have on the area.

In my ordinance, theres a requirement that the sustainability officer will create an interdepartmental working group, Villegas said. So that way, we can analyze other new technology thats coming onboard so that we can address sustainability.

The Council Technology Committee will hold a hearing on Villegass ordinance next Wednesday, with the goal of securing final passage later this month.

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CHICAGO  A Southwest Side man has been charged with murder in connection with an April shooting that killed 9-year-old Ariana Molina and wounded 10 of her relatives, authorities said.

Octaviano Romero, 39 and a resident of the New City neighborhood, allegedly drove the shooters to the Molina family home, where family members said they were holding a confirmation party for Arianas aunt. Romero allegedly waited for the gunmen, helped them flee the scene and concealed evidence of the shooting, according to court records.

The resulting gunfire killed Ariana and wounded 10 of her relatives, including boys aged 1, 7 and 9, authorities said. Court documents describe the suspected shooters as street gang members.

Romero faces a single count of murder and 10 more counts of attempted murder, according to Chicago police.

Neighbors of the family up and down West 52nd Street remembered Ariana as intelligent and a good sister. They also expressed frustration and fear with gang activity in the area, saying people were running up and down our street with rifles.

Romero appeared in court Monday for a detention hearing where Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz ordered him held pending trial, records show. He is next set to appear in court Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.

____
CHICAGO (WTVO)  Bus drivers who transport disabled students to school for Chicago Public School and drivers for suburban bus service PACE have reached a tentative agreement with SCR Medical Transportation after weeks of striking.

Around 800 drivers have been on strike since August 16th over what they said were unfair wages. Drivers could be returning to work by Friday if the agreement is ratified by Thursday.

Teamsters Local 727 and SCR Medical Transportation reached a tentative agreement on a four-year agreement yesterday afternoon that gives their CPS and PACE drivers significant raises to give them parity with the other drivers in the paratransit industry. The members will vote on it tomorrow, SCR Medical Transportation said in a statement.

The 5-year deal would give PACE drivers a pay raise of 30% in the first year and an additional 10% over the next four years.

SCRs union drivers would receive 12% pay hike immediately and an 8% increase in the coming years.

The contract will provide drivers with access to the Teamsters health clinic, which will allow them to receive access to doctor visits, immunizations and prescriptions.

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Chicopee Police: Man with arrest warrant kicked off his sandals and ran away, charged with drug trafficking

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  Two people are facing drug trafficking charges after detectives searched a vehicle during an arrest warrant on Exchange Street in Chicopee.

According to the Chicopee Police Department, on Tuesday around 6 p.m., detectives with the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force in an unmarked cruiser observed a vehicle traveling on Exchange Street driven by a man they knew had an active arrest warrant on Exchange Street.

Firearm manufacturing operation in Springfield discovered during drug bust investigation

When the driver pulled into a parking spot, detectives activated their police lights and ordered the driver, 25-year-old Richard Rivera from Springfield, to step out of the vehicle. After a few minutes, Rivera got out of the vehicle, kicked off his sandals, and ran away.

The detectives were able to catch Rivera, however during the police chase, a woman passenger got out of the vehicle and walked away. City cameras were used to find her inside a gas station on West Street. She was identified as 24-year-old Prieto Umpierre from Chicopee.

Detectives found a brown backpack containing a large quantity of narcotics during an inventory search of the vehicle before it was towed. Rivera and Umpierre are being charged with the following:

Trafficking in 18 grams or more but less than 36 grams of Class B Drug (Crack Cocaine)

Trafficking in 36 grams or more but less than 100 grams of Class B Drug (Powder Cocaine)

Possess to Distribute Class A Drug (Heroin/ Fentanyl)

Rivera is also charged with resisting arrest.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
(Bloomberg) -- Police in China have detained five current and former employees of British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc for questioning about potential illegal activities, according to people familiar with the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The individuals being held are all Chinese citizens who marketed cancer drugs in AstraZenecas oncology division, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. The investigation is being led by police in the southern metropolis of Shenzhen, and the detentions took place earlier in the summer, the people said.

One probe is related to the companys collection of patient data, and whether that infringed Chinas data-privacy laws, according to the people. Authorities are also looking into some of the individuals involvement in importing a liver cancer drug that hasnt been approved for distribution in mainland China, one of the people said.

We are aware a small number of our employees in China are under investigation and we have no further information to share at this point, AstraZeneca said in a statement to Bloomberg News. Shenzhen police didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The investigations are a potential setback for the global pharmaceuticals giant, which is deeply entrenched in China. AstraZeneca executives have publicly expressed their confidence in the Chinese market, even as heightened geopolitical tensions have caused other multinational companies to take a more cautious view on the worlds second largest economy.

The UK-based drugmaker was previously taken to task by Chinese authorities in 2022 for allegedly tampering with the gene-testing results of cancer patients to make treatment eligible for reimbursement by Chinas state-run medical insurance. AstraZeneca said at the time that it had taken disciplinary action against some employees.

Some foreign companies have become concerned about the safety of their employees in China, and the risks of being caught up in government probes where little information is forthcoming from authorities. Chinese police have been known to hold people for questioning lasting months or even years.

Last year, five local employees of US due diligence firm Mintz Group were detained and its Beijing office was raided by police. The firm was later fined for what authorities said was illegal data collection. In a separate case, three employees of advertising company WPP Plc were arrested in China as part of a bribery investigation. China has also detained individuals who work for foreign companies for suspected espionage activities.

New Data Laws

Beijing recently implemented new laws on data security and personal information protection that require companies to keep most of the data they have gathered in China within the country. Some multinational companies have fretted about running afoul of those laws, which could result in fines and other penalties.

The investigation into AstraZenecas sales practices comes amid an ongoing crackdown on drug smuggling in China. While Beijing has launched regulatory reforms over the years to speed up reviews of life-saving medicines, some new therapies are either still not available in China, or approved much later than in other developed nations. That has forced patients to find drugs from outside China, sometimes through illegal channels.

While China allows patients to seek therapies it hasnt approved from other jurisdictions, its illegal to bring unauthorized medicines into China for sale. Its unclear if AstraZeneca employees facilitated the importation of the yet-to-be approved liver cancer drug, called Imjudo, into the country.

In July, regulators in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong busted a drug smuggling ring, seizing 200 million yuan ($28 million) worth of medicines treating diseases including cancer and diabetes, local media Jiemian reported in August.

AstraZeneca has been in China since 1993, and reported $5.9 billion in revenue from the country last year, more than 10% of the groups total. It has global supply sites in Wuxi, Taizhou and Qingdao, and sells drugs and therapies in China that treat cancers, respiratory ailments, cardiovascular diseases and other conditions.

The drugmaker has committed more than $1 billion for two new factories in the country since last year. It has also partnered with a local biotechnology company to join the global race to develop weight loss medicines, and acquired another Chinese firm for cell therapies.

Last month, Leon Wang, AstraZenecas China President, told an audience of global CEOs and government officials gathered in the coastal city of Qingdao that the company firmly believes in Chinese manufacturing as an indispensable part of the global supply chain, and Chinese innovations potential to jump ahead and lead the industry.

AstraZeneca, Wang added, aims to become an multinational company that combines innovation from both China and the West, according to a post on AstraZenecas official WeChat account.

(Updates with AstraZeneca comment in fourth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- When he first arrived in China years ago, Cameroonian businessman Tanya Emmanuel never imagined that China's new energy sector would significantly benefit his compatriots back home.

"Yiwu has changed my fate and the lives of many people in my hometown," said Emmanuel, who has been doing business for 10 years in the city of Yiwu, home to the world's largest wholesale market for small commodities in east China's Zhejiang Province.

With solar-powered pumps imported from Yiwu by Emmanuel, farm efficiency in his hometown has been remarkably improved, as farmers no longer have to fetch water from afar three times a day to water their vegetables -- a valuable change in an area with abundant sunshine and unstable power supply.

Over the years, Emmanuel has sold high-quality and affordable new energy products from China to many African countries, providing "stable and low-cost solar, wind power and energy storage devices to support local hospitals, schools, communities and farms."

"Africa boasts abundant solar resources, which are turning into tangible wealth, with the help of advanced new energy equipment and technologies from China," Emmanuel added.

About 14 kilometers from the town of Garissa in northeastern Kenya lies the Garissa Solar Power Plant, a 55-megawatt facility and the largest grid-connected solar power plant in East and Central Africa.

The power plant, which covers about 34.4 hectares, was built by China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co., Ltd.

Elizabeth Wanjiku, who owns a food stall in Garissa, previously relied on generators to run her business, especially when powering her refrigerator where she preserves her food.

However, since the solar plant was set up and the town was connected to the national grid, she now "benefits from more reliable electricity and fewer power blackouts."

In another development, electric vehicles (EVs) are also becoming increasingly popular in African countries as Chinese EV manufacturers such as BYD, Xpeng and Neta step up their push into Africa.

"My electric vehicle is very popular among customers who are conscious about the environment," said Paul Mwai, a taxi driver in Kenya's capital Nairobi, who recently purchased a brand new Neta V.

"Switching to an electric vehicle has increased my earnings and brought other benefits," said Mwai, attributing the change to the lower maintenance costs of EVs and the fact that charging is much cheaper than fueling a traditional vehicle.

Thanks to growing China-Africa trade relations, China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Notably, China's exports of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products to Africa in 2023 surged year on year by 291 percent, 109 percent and 57 percent, respectively.

"Africa has benefited immensely from China's booming green energy industry through the supply of affordable green energy products such as solar panels and batteries," Zimbabwean economist Brains Muchemwa told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"The new green energy products have had a significant positive impact on the lives of many Africans," said Muchemwa. 
By Joe Cash

BEIJING (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that he did not believe Chinese investments in Africa were pushing the continent into a "debt trap" but were instead part of a mutually beneficial relationship.

Ramaphosa made the remarks on the sidelines of a China-Africa summit in Beijing, where delegates from more than 50 African nations gathered this week.

"I don't necessarily buy the notion that when China (invests), it is with an intention of, in the end, ensuring that those countries end up in a debt trap or in a debt crisis," Ramaphosa said, when asked by reporters about China's pledge at the summit of $51 billion in new funding for Africa.

In addition to the financial support over three years, China promised to carry out three times as many infrastructure projects across resource-rich Africa, which in recent years has become the focus of intense geopolitical competition between global powers like China, Europe and the United States.

Without providing details, Ramaphosa also said South Africa had reached agreement with China on aspects of its energy security. He said South Africa could learn from China on reforming its energy sector.

"They already have done exactly what we are seeking to do. So there are lessons for us to learn from China and how to do it," he said.

South Africa has been plagued for years by rolling power blackouts that have constrained economic growth.

Ramaphosa also said South Africa would look to attract China's electric vehicle manufacturers including its largest, BYD.

"We had good exchanges with BYD, which has shown a great interest to come and invest in South Africa," he said.

(Reporting by Joe Cash; Writing by Tannur Anders and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Alexander Winning and Angus MacSwan)
The News

China has inked several green infrastructure deals with African countries at its triennial summit in Beijing, making the energy transition a focal point in the $50 billion it has pledged to the continent.

The three-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, which began on Sept. 4, has seen Beijing unveil a series of major partnerships with African countries in areas including supply chains for key minerals required to develop green technologies including electric vehicles.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a speech on Thursday, said his country will provide more than $50 billion in financial support to Africa over the next three years. This is up from a $40 billion commitment made at the last FOCAC held in Dakar, Senegal in 2021 but down from the $60 billion committed in 2018, the last time it was held in Beijing. At the US-Africa Leaders Summit hosted by the White House in December 2022, the Biden administration promised a total of $55 billion in a mix of existing and new deals with African countries.

Know More

China on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zambia and Tanzania to modernize the Tazara railway which runs from central Zambia and terminates at the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The move would establish an alternative cargo route for the transportation of copper and cobalt from Zambia via the Indian Ocean and will be rivaling the US-backed Lobito Corridor project which terminates at Angolas Lobito port on the Atlantic coast.

Nigerias government signed an agreement with Chinas Mutual Commitment Group to assemble electric tricycles in Nigeria. The firm will also establish a training and testing center in Nigeria for solar and other renewable energy technologies.

China and South Africa also announced plans to expand cooperation in renewable energy, energy storage, transmission and distribution. And, in a joint statement, they said they would co-host a new energy investment conference.

Step Back

Chinese manufacturers are looking to Africa to offload stocks of solar panels, batteries, EVs and other green technologies amid mounting export restrictions on entering Europe and the United States.

And, as Beijing cuts down on lending for big infrastructure projects, its narrowed focus gives more prominence to green energy sectors in which it has invested heavily in recent years.

China committed $4.6 billion in new loans to African countries in 2023, according to data from Boston Universitys Global Development Policy Center. The figure represented an increase from 2022 and the first annual increase since a 2016 peak, but it was still less than half of what was committed annually between 2013 and 2018. Notably, about $500 million of Chinese loans to African countries in 2023 went to hydropower and solar projects.

The View From ANGOLA

Angola is pushing Beijing to increase its financing for the country to import more Chinese-made green technologies, including solar panels and electric cars.

In the run up to FOCAC, Angolas Finance Minister Vera Daves De Sousa told Reuters that it was considering competing bids from Europe and China to develop and diversify its economy in exchange for access to its market.

We will buy more solar panels from Europe because the financing is coming from there, Daves de Sousa explained on Tuesday.

While the oil and mineral rich nation has been the continents largest beneficiary of Chinese loans over the past decade, it is also looking to replace the debts with more private-sector engagement and through public-private partnerships.

We need to think outside the box, because the plain vanilla solution of you give me money, Ill give you collateral is done, she said.
China is to give two warships to Cambodia, raising questions about Beijings growing military footprint in the Southeast Asian nation and its access to a strategic naval base.

Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for the Cambodian defence ministry told the Associated Press that China intended to donate two newly-built Type 56 corvettes, typically used for coastal patrols.

Ms Maly said a Cambodian request for the ships had been granted to help protect and maintain peace, stability, security and to support search and rescue operations and other humanitarian activities.

Two ships of the same type have been docked for months at the Ream Naval Base - reportedly for training purposes  which sits near the Malacca Strait, a critical shipping route between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Beijing has invested heavily in upgrading the port, constructing a pier capable of hosting an aircraft carrier among other strategic infrastructure, and stoking reports of a secret deal with Phnom Penh, its closest Southeast Asian ally, to establish a permanent Chinese military presence there.

The United States and its regional partners have expressed concerns about Chinas military ambitions in Cambodia and the lack of transparency around the ports reconstruction. Both Beijing and Phnom Penh have repeatedly denied any plans for a PLA Navy base on Cambodian soil.

Satellite photo shows two Chinese corvettes docked at the Ream Naval Base, Cambodia, on the Gulf of Thailand - Planet Labs PBC via AP File

Suspicion about Chinese interest in the port stepped up a gear in 2019 when the Wall Street Journal reported US claims of a draft agreement that would allow China 30-year use of the base and the option to post military personnel, store weapons and berth warships.

This disquiet has since been fuelled by failed attempts by American officials and Japanese naval vessels to be granted full access to Ream.

Chinas foreign ministry has not commented on the ships or on reports that it plans to hand over the newly renovated port to Phnom Penh. The new pier can accommodate vessels much larger than the Cambodian fleet possesses.

The US currently has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities across the Asia-Pacific region.

China for now only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, in the strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, but many believe Beijing intends to set up a network of foreign bases to support its rapidly growing navy, now the worlds largest in terms of vessels.

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The News

Chinas top spy agency warned college students to be wary of handsome men and beautiful women who might lure them into spying for foreign entities. The WeChat notice posted Wednesday said that international intelligence operatives could take advantage of young peoples willingness to try new things, Reuters reported, and might offer them internships or work opportunities in exchange for access to classified and sensitive research.

The move is part of Beijings larger anti-espionage campaign that has intensified under Xi Jinpings leadership. Chinese citizens are trained to monitor and report suspicious activity, according to The Economists Drum Tower podcast. Beijing doesnt need a KGB-like force to counter espionage because its own version of a surveillance state is right there: hiding in plain sight.
Editors Note: Sign up for CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world.

China is enjoying its best in history ties with African nations, leader Xi Jinping said on Thursday, as he pledged $50 billion in financial support for the continent in addition to military aid.

China and Africa should rally their populations together to become a powerful force and write a new chapter in peace, prosperity and progress, Xi said in a sweeping speech to delegates from more than 50 African nations as he sought to bolster relationships seen as key to Beijings position as a rising global power.

Flanked by African dignitaries seated on stage in the cavernous Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi said China-Africa relations are at their best in history, and vowed to elevate Chinas bilateral relations with all African countries with which it has formal ties to the level of strategic relations.

Xi separately pledged another $280 million in aid to African countries, split evenly between military and food assistance. The announcements are a sign Beijing wants to demonstrate its commitment to the continent, despite a recent slowdown in its overseas development lending and as Africa struggles with its foreign debt, including those owed to China.

The pledge of $140 million in military aid is the largest amount that China has earmarked for this purpose at the three-yearly Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, signaling the increasing importance of security in the relationship between Beijing and its partners in Africa. In 2018, China said it would provide $100 million to support the African Standby Force and African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

Leaders including South Africas Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyas William Ruto and Nigerias Bola Tinubu assembled in the Chinese capital this week for the three-day forum that Beijing has hailed as its largest diplomatic gathering in years.

This years event comes amid questions about the direction of those relations as Beijing, long the driving foreign economic power in Africa, has been recalibrating its extensive economic ties to the continent, while other major powers are ramping up their own efforts to engage Africa.

China has been pulling back on big-ticket spending under Xis signature Belt and Road Initiative. That infrastructure drive saw it fund projects like railways, roads and power plants and expand its influence on the continent. However, it also faced criticism that unsustainable lending contributed to heavy international debt loads now shouldered by many African countries.

Xi did not mention these debt challenges in his address but did make broad pledges for China to deepen cooperation with Africa in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment.

Raft of support

Xis pledge of $50 billion to the continent over the next three years  a mix of credit funds, assistance and private investment from Chinese firms  outstrips a previous pledge made three years ago of around $30 billion during a prior iteration of the forum in Dakar, Senegal.

While lower than the $60 billion pledged in 2015 and 2018 respectively, it appears to be aimed at sending a strong signal to visiting leaders about Chinas commitment to the continent.

Xi and leaders of African countries listen to children sing during a reception at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on September 4 in Beijing. - Andres Martinez Casares/Pool/Getty Images

In his 10-minute speech, Xi outlined 10 action areas for cooperation over the coming three years, including infrastructure connectivity, trade, security and green development  an area where Beijing is widely seen as pushing to enhance its exports of green technology.

He also pledged to create at least 1 million jobs for Africa.

Its unclear how Xis pledges would align in practice with the expectations from visiting African leaders, analysts say. Fulfillment of past pledges has also been difficult to track, they say.

Leaders in Beijing are seeking investment, trade, and support to industrialize and create jobs. That includes a push for China to import more processed goods from Africa, rather than simply exporting and processing raw materials  like Africas highly sought after critical minerals.

Following Xis speech, African leaders also gave remarks, with South Africas Ramaphosa praising Chinas solidarity with the continent. He pointed to global challenges including conflict, climate change and a global contestation for critical minerals that is fueling geopolitical rivalry.

These challenges affect all nations but are more often severely felt on the African continent, yet amid these challenges there is hope and opportunity, he said.

Speaking later on the sidelines of the summit, Senegals Foreign Minister Yassine Fall told reporters that there would always be global competition but observers should look to evidence of the quality of partnership between Africa and China.

You see how Africans today are saying that China is on our side, Fall said.

Strategic relationship

This years gathering comes as Chinas longstanding relations with Africa appear even more critical for Beijing amid rising frictions with Washington.

The US and Europe have also been ramping up their own efforts to engage Africa and access its critical minerals, widely seen as a bid to counter inroads that China has made both politically and in the continents resources sector.

In his address, Xi played up what Beijing hopes is a kindred political stance with the continent, hailing a joint vision for shared future, a key buzzword he uses to denote alignment with Chinas vision for a world order that provides an alternative to the one championed by the US.

He also pointed to what he described as the great suffering of developing countries under the Wests historical process of modernization.

Observers say Beijing is even more keen to use this years gathering to signal its ongoing commitment, given concerns about its role in high levels of debt among African nations.

China is not seen by analysts to be the main cause of African debt distress in most cases, as countries also owe huge sums to multilateral banks and private lenders. But its hefty loans have upped debt burdens and Beijing has been criticized for not moving quickly enough or being flexible in helping distressed or at-risk countries.

With the intensification of this great power competition with the United States, China is coming to the realization that it has to rely on the Global South as the foundation for its diplomacy, said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington.

The choice of African countries in this great power competition is becoming more important than ever, because Africa is such a big block in the Global South, she said.

In a press conference later Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged other countries were turning their attention toward Africa.

As Africas good friend, China is happy for that, we also welcome more countries for their support and assistance to Africa, he said, adding that any condescending approach must be rejected.

Growing security ties

Xis push to bolster security is also a sign of how Beijing is looking to expand its strategic partnership with a region that has emerged as a key node in Chinas military ambitions.

The Peoples Liberation Army opened its first and only overseas military base in Djibouti in 2017, and its navy has made regular port calls in different African countries amid concern in Washington that Beijing could seek to open an Atlantic base.

In addition to the $140 million in military assistance announced Thursday, Xi pledged to train 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 law enforcement officers and establish a partnership with Africa to implement the Global Security Initiative, referring to his broader vision to reshape global security architecture away from the US alliance-based security system.

Security cooperation also has a pragmatic angle for Beijing, whose companies mining operations in Africa have been subject to criminal attacks.

Xi alluded to this in his comments, calling for China and Africa to jointly maintain the safety of personnel and projects.

However, analysts note that while China plays a substantial role in United Nations peacekeeping efforts, its seen as less likely to want to get involved directly in regional conflicts, even as it continues to push for other collaborations in the security realm.

China is very proactive in understanding the mindset of the region, said Ovigwe Eguegu, a Nigeria-based policy analyst at the consultancy Development Reimagined, and now it sees there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the current global security order.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Chinas New York envoy performing his duties as usual after Chinese agent case, Beijings consulate says

Chinas consulate in New York has denied reports that its top diplomat was removed in the aftermath of an alleged Chinese agent bust, saying the consul general is performing his duties as usual.

Consul General Huang Ping is performing his duties as usual. We hope the media will refrain from sensationalizing false information, a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate General in New York told CNN in a statement Wednesday.

The statement appears to contradict remarks made earlier by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul  whose former aide was charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government  and the State Department, which claimed the Chinese envoy had left his position.

Hours later, the consulate published a press release on its website with photos showing Huang busy at work on Tuesday. In the photos, Huang was seen visiting the Philadelphia home of a former American pilot who helped China to fight Japan during World War II.

At a fundraising event on Thursday evening, Huang, who has been the consul general since December 2018, indicated that he would be leaving his position soon, citing the length of his term and the retirement age for Chinese government officials.

Ive been here six years already. I surpassed my term, which used to be three to four years. Ive surpassed my (retirement) age. In China, government officials retire at 60, the 61-year-old told the audience at the China Institute Blue Cloud Gala.

I think its time for me to go home and start a new life, Huang said.

An official at the Chinese embassy in Washington confirmed to CNN that Huangs term is coming to an end, but did not offer a specific date for his departure. The official said plans for Huangs departure had been set in motion long ago and have nothing to do with the recent indictment against Linda Sun.

This latest Chinese explanation, however, while confirming Huang remains in his post for now, does at least partially echo the US State Departments previous response his term was coming to an end  albeit with a slightly different timeframe.

The envoys employment status was first thrown into the spotlight after Sun, a former aide to Hochul and her predecessor Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was charged on Tuesday with secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government.

Sun was charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and conspiracy to launder money, according to an unsealed copy of the indictment.

Suns husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit bank fraud as well as misusing means of identification, prosecutors said.

Huang Ping, the Consul General of China in New York, revisits Flying Tiger veteran Jack Goodrich and his family in Pennsylvania on September 3, 2024. - Consulate General of the People's Republic of China

Details contained within the indictment appear to match some publicly available information, including an interaction between Sun and Huang, the consul general.

For example, at the request of Chinese government representatives, Sun allegedly obtained an unauthorized proclamation from the New York Governors Office  a formal framed document that bears the state seal and the governors signature  to present to a Chinese official at an event celebrating the Lunar New Year in January 2023, prosecutors said in the indictment.

A photo posted on the website of Chinas Foreign Ministry shows Sun presenting a framed New York State proclamation to Huang at the Lunar New Year reception of the Chinese consulate in New York on January 17, 2023.

US prosecutors say the Chinese government gave Sun lavish, expensive gifts in return for violating internal rules and state government protocols while she served as an aide to the two New York governors in a scheme that enriched her family to the tune of millions of dollars.

Among the gifts she received were at least four deliveries of Nanjing-style salted duck between 2021 and 2022, prepared by the personal chef of the Chinese official to whom she later presented the proclamation, according to the indictment. Other examples of gifts in the indictment included travel reimbursements, hotel rooms and event tickets.

Sun was born in Nanjing, a city in eastern Chinas Jiangsu province, and moved to the US with her parents at a young age, according to the overseas Chinese affairs office of the Jiangsu provincial government.

A statement released by the office in 2017 said Sun had led two to three American delegations to visit China every year since 2012, when she started to work for Gov. Cuomo.

Sun has denied the allegations. Defense attorney Seth DuCharme addressed reporters outside court Tuesday, saying we have a lot of confidence in our case.

A lot of the allegations in this indictment are frankly perplexing, overly inflammatory, he said. As you heard in court today, we are looking forward to our day in court. The defendants are exercising their right to a speedy trial as soon as they can; we have a lot of confidence in Chris and in Linda.

An attorney for Sun, Jarrod Schaeffer, told CNN the charges are inflammatory and appear to be the product of an overly aggressive prosecution.

We are also troubled by aspects of the governments investigation. As we said today in court, our client is eager  to defend against these accusations in the proper forum  a court of law, Schaeffer said.

Linda Sun presents a framed New York State proclamation to Huang Ping, China's consul general to New York, at the Lunar New Year reception of the Chinese consulate in New York on January 17, 2023. - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

Malicious speculations

The case has threatened to spiral into a diplomatic row between Washington and Beijing, in part because of contradicting statements about the fate of Chinas top diplomat in New York.

At a news conference earlier Wednesday, Hochul said she spoke by phone at the request of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to a high-ranking State Department official about Huangs status.

I had conveyed my desire to have the consul general from the Peoples Republic of China in the New York mission expelled, she said. And Ive been informed that the consul general is no longer in the New York mission.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller later clarified that Huang was not expelled.

Our understanding is that the consul general reached the end of a regular scheduled rotation in August, and so rotated out of the position, but was not expelled, Miller said.

But of course, when it comes to the status of particular employees of a foreign mission, I would refer you to the foreign country to speak to it. But there was no expulsion action, he added.

In a statement Wednesday, Chinas embassy in Washington said reports saying Huang was expelled were completely inconsistent with the facts and made malicious speculations.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the embassy, said Chinese diplomats in the US have never and will not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.

Their normal performance of duties in the US should not be interfered with or disrupted in any way. We firmly oppose relevant parties and the media fabricating and spreading false information, Liu added.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was unaware of the aide accused of working for China.

I am not aware of the situation you mentioned, spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing Monday, adding, I will not comment on the domestic cases in the United States, but we oppose malicious associations and slander against China.

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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, real from left, Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema applaud as they witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the revitalisation project of the Tanzania-Zambia Authority railway, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, ahead of the China Africa Forum. (Zhai Jianlan/Xinhua via AP)

BEIJING (AP)  Dozens of African leaders gathered Thursday in Beijing for a summit that signals China's influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against a U.S.-led global order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised the leaders billions of dollars in loans and private investment over the next three years, and proposed that relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the strategic level.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests," he said at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

China has become a major player in Africa since the forum was founded in 2000. Its companies have invested heavily in mining for the resources Chinese industry needs, and its development banks have made loans to build railways, roads and other infrastructure under Xi's Belt and Road program.

African leaders have welcomed China's assistance but are pushing for a closer alignment of aid with the continent's development goals. They are seeking to industrialize their economies and expand agricultural exports to reduce a trade deficit with China, which has become sub-Saharan Africas largest bilateral trading partner.

In the context of our industrialization effort, the portfolio of private investments in Africa should be sufficiently diversified to extend beyond the traditional field of mining and energy resources, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the African Union Commission, said, addressing the forum in French.

In a reflection of China's broadening relationship with Africa, Xi outlined 10 partnership actions that included training for African politicians and future leaders, further opening of Chinese markets, agriculture demonstration areas, vocational and technical training, green energy projects and 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in military assistance grants.

Xi said China would eliminate tariffs on products from most of the worlds poorest countries, including 33 in Africa, in an expansion of existing exemptions.

While commending the overall progress so far achieved, we also appreciate the announcement of further areas of partnership actions, said Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, speaking on behalf of eastern Africa. We salute a new characterization of China-Africa relations.

China is training more military professionals in Africa than anyone else, and its widespread leadership and governance training gives the country an extra layer of influence by putting it in touch with consecutive generations of politicians, said Paul Nantulya, who specializes in relations with China at the African Center for Strategic Studies in Washington.

The relationship has moved beyond trade and investment to take on political overtones.

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries, Xi said. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence  and have been endeavoring to redress the historical injustices of the modernization process.

China has tried to position itself as a leader of the Global South, a catchphrase for the developing world. While others don't necessarily see China as the leader, its message of rewriting the international order resonates with African nations that feel frustrated and abandoned by their traditional Western partners.

Many African nations have been openly critical of the U.S. role in the war in Ukraine and refused to condemn Russias invasion, taking a non-aligned stance that has led to political frictions with the U.S.

As our history demands, South Africa will continue to pursue progressive internationalism, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said during talks with Xi earlier this week. Building on the firm foundation of solidarity, we continue to provide support in promoting our interests, those of the African continent and the Global South.

China's development loans to Africa have fallen sharply from a 2016 peak, though they bounced back from COVID-era lows to $4.6 billion last year, according to the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University.

The drop-off came partly in response to government budget crises in several recipient countries that are unable to repay their loans from multiple lenders.

Many heavily indebted African countries cannot meet the basic needs of their populations, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the forum.

This situation is unsustainable and a recipe for social unrest, he said, highlighting the need for deep reform to what he called an outdated, ineffective and unfair international financial system.

Kenya is seeking financing to finish a partially built rail project that was meant to connect the port city of Mombasa to neighboring Uganda, but it is unclear whether China would agree.

___

Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writers Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg and Evelyne Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, and video producers Olivia Zhang and Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed.
[Source]

Chinese artist Gao Zhen, 68, was detained in China on allegations of slandering national heroes and martyrs. Gao Zhen, known for provocative artworks critiquing Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution, was arrested on Aug. 26 after police raided his art studio in Sanhe, Hebei province, and confiscated older works, including the controversial Maos Guilt and The Execution of Christ. Gao Zhen refused to hand over his phone and was forcibly detained. His brother Gao Qiang, who publicized his arrest, criticized the retroactive application of the 2021 law, told The Guardian, There is a clear boundary between artistic creation and criminal behavior.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The 2024 Summit of the FOCAC opened here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 10 partnership action plans proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) are all in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, Xi said that China stands ready to work with Africa to implement 10 partnership action plans in the next three years to jointly advance modernization.

The 10 partnership action plans will cover the areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihood, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, green development, and common security, Xi said.

He proposed that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

He also proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations.

Ramaphosa welcomed those proposals, saying that they show the great importance that China attaches to its relationship with Africa and with African countries at large.

"This summit reflects our shared desire for modernization, development and progress on the African continent," said Ramaphosa. 
Chinese Consulate says envoy was not removed after Hochul remark

The Chinese Consulate in New York denied reports that its top diplomat was removed after a former state government employee was arrested and accused of working for China, contradicting a previous statement made by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).

Consul General Huang Ping is performing his duties as usual. We hope the media will refrain from sensationalizing false information, a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate in New York told CNN on Wednesday.

Linda Sun, a former Hochul aide, was arrested this week and charged with acting as an agent of the Chinese government.

During a press conference Wednesday, Hochul said she had conveyed a desire to have Huang Ping expelled to a senior State Department official and was informed the consul general was no longer in the New York mission.

Asked if that meant the diplomat was expelled, Hochul responded, I know that theyre no longer in their position. Thats all I know.

Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, said Wednesday that Huang was not expelled, but had rather reached the end of a regularly scheduled rotation and left at the end of August. He identified the official Hochul spoke to as Kurt Campbell, the deputy secretary of State.

But the Chinese Consulate in New York refuted that as well, publishing a press release on its website showing the consul general at work Tuesday.

Sun worked for the New York government from 2012 to 2023, under both former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Hochul, and was reportedly fired after Hochuls office discovered evidence of misconduct.

She and her husband, Chris Hu, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the sprawling indictment alleging Sun engaged in numerous political activities on behalf of the Peoples Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.

She is accused of providing improper benefits to Chinese representatives  including avoiding mention of Taiwan and the oppressed Uyghur minority in government communications  in exchange for money, lavish gifts, travel opportunities and employment benefits for friends and family.

The indictment also alleges she and her husband laundered money to buy their $3.6 million Long Island home and $1.9 million Hawaii condo.

The Hill has reached out to Hochuls office for additional comment.

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Chinese migrants flock to Mexico in search of jobs, a future and, for some, a taste of freedom

Owner Duan Fan poses in his Chinese restaurant Nueve y media, in the Roma Sur neighborhood of Mexico City, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Despite her well-paying tech job, Li Daijing didnt hesitate when her cousin asked for help running a restaurant in Mexico City. She packed up and left China for the Mexican capital last year, with dreams of a new adventure.

The 30-year-old woman from Chengdu, the Sichuan provincial capital, hopes one day to start an online business importing furniture from her home country.

I want more, Li said. I want to be a strong woman. I want independence.

Li is among a new wave of Chinese migrants who are leaving their country in search of opportunities, more freedom or better financial prospects at a time when Chinas economy has slowed, youth unemployment rates remain high and its relations with the U.S. and its allies have soured.

___

EDITORS NOTE: This story is part of the China's New Migrants package, a look by The Associated Press at the lives of the latest wave of Chinese emigrants to settle overseas.

___

While the U.S. border patrol arrested tens of thousands of Chinese at the U.S-Mexico border over the past year, thousands are making the Latin American country their final destination. Many have hopes to start businesses of their own, taking advantage of Mexico's proximity to the U.S.

Last year, Mexicos government issued 5,070 temporary residency visas to Chinese immigrants, twice as many as the previous year  making China third, behind the United States and Colombia, as the source of migrants granted the permits.

A deep-rooted diaspora that has fostered strong family and business networks over decades makes Mexico appealing for new Chinese arrivals; so does a growing presence of Chinese multinationals in Mexico, which have set up shop to be close to markets in the Americas.

A lot of Chinese started coming here two years ago  and these people need to eat, said Duan Fan, owner of Nueve y media, a restaurant in Mexico City's stylish Roma Sur neighborhood that serves the spicy food of Sichuan, his home province.

I opened a Chinese restaurant so that people can come here and eat like they do at home, he said.

Duan, 27, arrived in Mexico in 2017 to work with an uncle who owns a wholesale business in Tepito, near the capitals historic center, and was later joined by his parents.

Unlike earlier generations of Chinese who came to northern Mexico from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, the new arrivals are more likely to come from all over China.

Data from the latest 2020 census by Mexicos National Institute of Statistics and Geography show that Chinese immigrants are mainly concentrated in Mexico City. A decade ago, the census recorded the largest concentration of Chinese in the northernmost state of Baja California, on the U.S.-Mexico border across from California.

The arrival of Chinese multinationals is leading an influx of people from eastern China, more educated and with a broader global background, said Andrei Guerrero, academic coordinator of the Center for China-Baja California Studies.

In a middle-class Mexico City neighborhood, Viaducto-Piedad, near the citys historic Chinatown, a new Chinese community has been growing since the late 1990s. Chinese immigrants have not only opened businesses, but have created community spaces for religious events and childrens recreation.

Viaducto-Piedad is recognized by the Chinese themselves as Mexico City's true Chinatown, said Monica Cinco, a specialist in Chinese migration and general director of the EDUCA Mexico Foundation.

When I asked them why, they would tell me because we live here. We have stores for Chinese consumption, beauty shops and restaurants just for Chinese, she said. They live there, there is a community and several public schools in the area have a significant Chinese population.

In downtown Mexico City, Chinese entrepreneurs have not only opened new wholesale stores but have also taken over dozens of buildings. At times, they have become a source of tension with local businesses and residents, who say the expansion of Chinese-owned enterprises is displacing them.

At a mini-market in a bustling downtown neighborhood selling Chinese products such as dried wood ear mushrooms and vacuum-packed spicy duck wings, 33-year-old Dong Shengli said he moved to Mexico City from Beijing a few months ago to help manage the shop for some friends.

Dong  who has since found a job with a wholesaler importing knockoff designer sneakers and clothing  said he had worked at China's National Energy Commission, but was persuaded by his friends to come here.

He plans to explore business possibilities in Mexico, but China still has a pull for him. My wife and my parents are in China. My mother is elderly, she needs me, he said.

Others are leaving China in search of greater freedoms. That's the case for 50-year-old Tan, who gave only his surname out of concern for the safety of his family, who remain in China. He arrived in Mexico this year from the southern province of Guangdong and got a job for a few months at a Sams Club. Back home, he got by doing various jobs, including at a chemical plant and writing magazine articles during the pandemic.

But he chafed under what he described as a repressive atmosphere in China.

Its not just the oppression in the workplace, its the mentality, he said. I can feel the political regression, the retreat of freedom and democracy. The implications of that truly make people feel twisted and sick. So, life is very painful.

What caught his attention in Mexico City were the protests that often pack the citys main avenues  proof, he said, that the freedom of expression he longs for exists in this country.

At the restaurant where she still helps out in the trendy Juarez neighborhood, Li said Mexico stands out as a land of opportunity for her and other Chinese who dont have relatives in the U.S. to help them settle there. She said she left China partly because of the competitive workplace culture and high home prices.

In China, everyone saves money to buy a house, but its really expensive to get one, she said.

Self-confident with a contagious smile, Li said she's hopeful her skills working as a sales promoter for Chinese tech giant Tencent Games will help her get ahead in Mexico.

She says she has not met many Chinese women like herself in Mexico City: newcomers, young and single.

Most are married and are moving to Mexico to reunite with their husbands.

To come here is to face something unknown, she said.

Li doesnt know when she'll be able to carry out her ambitious business plans, but she has ideas: For example, she imagines that in Henan province she could get chairs, tables and other furniture at a good price. Meanwhile, she is selling furniture imported to Mexico by a Chinese friend on the e-commerce platform Mercado Libre.

Im not married, I dont have a boyfriend, its just myself, she said, so Ill work hard and struggle.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
MSNBCs Chris Hayes on Wednesday compared GOP politicians at large to rich kids living off their parents largesse, thanks to the Electoral College, which effectively frees the Trust Fund Republican Party from the hard work of the hard work of persuading voters.

As a result, this means they are able to run increasingly anti social, maladjusted psychopaths without worrying about actually winning the most number of votes.

Hayes kicked this line of thought off with a look at how dysfunctional, how malformed the current Republican Party is.

But Hates didnt just pop off, he came with actual receipts, starting with Donald Trump, at 78 years old and degrading before our eyes.

You may wonder, like I do, like we all do, I think, how we got here? I think the answer is kind of staring us in the face. The way Americas elections and political institutions are structured provides a massive advantage for Republicans, he argued.

Hayes noted the inherent unfairness of the U.S. Senate, which as he noted gives Wyoming, with a population fewer than 580,000 the same number of senators as California, which has nearly 40 million people. Kamala Harris, Hayes noted, is almost certainly going to win the popular vote in November regardless of how the actual election shakes out. Trump for instance lost the popular vote by 3 million but still became president after narrowly winning a couple of bitterly divided swing states.

So when you have these two structural advantages, and theyre enormous, right? One house of Congress, the Senate, and the Electoral College, which elects the president, plus an extremely polarized electorate, you wind up with what I like to call the kind of trust fund Republican Party. Its like rich kids living off their parents largesse, who never have to actually, like, get off their duff and work for a living, Hayes said. Republicans dont need to get off the couch and do the hard work of persuading voters to get to 50 plus one, because the Constitution is effectively subsidizing their lifestyle.

And thats how you wind up with Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, Hayes continued, arguing that because of these advantages, the Republican Party can run terrible candidates, and it can lose the popular vote by 3 million and still stumble backwards into power.

The silver lining, Hayes then noted, is that the same intra-party forces, enabled by the electoral college, that allowed Trump to become so powerful within the GOP also allows truly awful candidates in down ballot races, which he said could cost them winnable races.

As examples, he named election denying Arizona senate candidate Kari Lake and Holocaust denying South Carolina senate candidate Mark Robinson, discussing some of their more off-putting behavior and comments at length, especially Robinson. You can watch the video for the full list of weirdo stuff, but spoiler: It involves porn, pizza, and extremist opposition to things normal people support.

Robinson, Hayes went on, is an example of the Republican instinct to nominate these kinds of guys, the most extreme anti social candidates, and they have to be defeated at the ballot box over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, because the only way it will disappear they keep trying it.

Think of it this way, Donald Trump could utterly disappear from public, never appear in public once again, from now until election day, still have a pretty good job winning the White House and Republicans flipping the Senate, like a coin flip, maybe. And that makes it all the more important that, again, the countrys true democracy coalition does the hard work of preventing that outcome. Because the reality is, winning a clear majority is not enough, Hayes said.

The Republican Party, Hayes explained, has won the popular vote one time since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Say it again, only one time since the collapse of the Iron Curtain have Republicans managed a national majority in a presidential election.

Hayes concluded by saying, democracy will not be on secure footing in this country until the Republican Party internalizes the lesson that nominating extreme, dangerous, maladjusted psychopaths and hoping the quirks of our elections bail you out is not enough.

The post Chris Hayes Says Trust Fund Republicans Can Be Maladjusted Psychopaths Thanks to the Electoral College | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
TechCrunch

SpotHero, a parking startup that lets drivers reserve nearby parking spaces, announced on Tuesday that it has teamed up with Google to integrate its offering into Google Maps and Google Search, allowing users in the U.S. and Canada to reserve parking spots at over 8,000 locations. Clicking will direct them to the SpotHero website to finalize their booking without leaving Maps or Search. Users also have the ability to reserve their parking space in advance.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  The City of Abilene will continue to spray for mosquitoes after a slight weather delay.

Mosquito tests positive for West Nile virus in Abilene

Following a positive West Nile virus test result, city staff will spray an untreated area in the 79602 zip code on Thursday, September 5. Rain delayed the planned follow-up to the initial spraying that took place on August 29.

Crews will spray insecticide during the evening hours when mosquitos are most active to ensure effectiveness.

Spraying will occur within a 2-mile radius bounded by North 4th Street, Kingwood Circle, Ben Richey Drive, and Hollis Drive.

While the insecticide is approved for treatment by the Environmental Protection Agency, residents in the area are asked to remain indoors while the city sprays. If you are in a vehicle while spraying is taking place, you should remain in the vehicle with the windows up and the air conditioner off until the trucks pass and the spray is no longer visible.

Residents should keep animals indoors until the fog clears and the residue is dry. If contact with the spray occurs, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water.

The West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Residents are encouraged to:

Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside

Use insect repellent containing DEET

Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood

Avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active

Studies continually prove the most effective means of preventing mosquito-borne illness is to prevent mosquito breeding. The City of Abilene Environmental Health Department uses a phased response approach to mosquito treatment, which limits the spraying of insecticide to when mosquito-borne illness is detected through routine surveillance. This practice also works best to protect beneficial insects and wildlife in our area, the city shared.

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City of Breckenridge to hold special called meeting after releasing cat out at lake

BRECKENRIDGE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  The City of Breckenridge is going to hold a special called meeting Thursday night after citizens expressed concerns about a cat that was released out at the lake.

During a former city commissioner meeting August 6, both the Chief of Police and the City Manger admitted the City made the decision to dump a cat that was turned over to their shelter on city owned property out at Lake Daniels.

The cat was on the property for about three weeks while the city provided food before they determined that releasing the cat was probably not the right thing to do.

We have identified that this is not a best practice, the police chief said during the city council meeting, and the city manager added that, it wasnt the best decision.

They claim they decided to release the cat because it had been in their care for more than 5 days, making it their responsibility, and since the shelter didnt take cats, they thought releasing it out at the lake was a better alternative to euthanasia.

Both the Chief of Police and City Manger said they wanted to, give it an opportunity.

Multiple citizens expressed concerns about the decision, saying they believe laws were broken regarding animal dumping and that they dont think the City can enforce dumping ordinances if they are breaking the ordinances themselves.

The chief of police addressed these concerns, claiming that what they did was legal because Lake Daniels is city-owned property.

Citizens also claimed the shelter made no attempts to find the cats owner while it was in their care for at least 5 days.

There is now going to be a special-called city commissioner meeting to address this issue and to discuss possible solutions for their animal shelter in the future.

Stick with BigCountryHomepage.com for the latest information.

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DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT)  Decatur city leaders used the platform of the city council meeting to share their reaction to the possible plans by Mayor Tab Bowling to resign.

News outlets, including the Decatur Daily, reported that Bowling has offered to step down from his position in exchange for an end to protests outside his home.

Clinical psychologist speaks on Day 3 of penalty phase in Seven Deadly Sins trial

The protests have been taking place since the police shooting death of Stephen Perkins outside of his home nearly on September 29, 2023.

City council member Kyle Pike said that whatever Bowlings plans are, the decision is his to make.

I dont know other than what Ive read in the Daily and what Ive been told I havent had that conversation with him and its his decision to make, said Pike.

Councilman Hunter Pepper said that the mayors decision to meet with anyone pertaining to his job is unnecessary.

Killen farm closes for the season due to drought; scheduled to be back open in coming weeks

Personally, I think its insane that he held negotiations with somebody over regarding resigning over a position, Pepper explained. That doesnt set very well in my opinion however, I believe that he was elected to his position to maintain his term.

Now that the details of the closed-door meetings have become public, demonstrators told News 19 that they feel that the mayors intentions were not genuine, especially after resuming his stance to walk out during the public comment session of council meetings.

Terrance Atkins of the community action group, Standing In Power, says that the public comments session is the only forum for open communication between city leaders and the community.

He wants us to stop making public comments and protesting outside of his house, which are our First Amendment rights to do, and for us to do those things, he would have to do his job, said Atkins. We cannot stand beside a mayor or stop the protesting in front of his house until he does his job.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Urbavore Urban Farm took a first step towards getting a new master plan approved that would address neighborhood concerns.

Urbavore, Kansas City, Missouri and nearby residents have been going back and forth for about a year and a half over code violations and commercial traffic on the residential street leading to the farm.

Wednesday, the City Plan Commission recommended its approval for a new master plan that would install a new gravel road on farm property, with big trees, and a fence between the road and neighbors.

Platte County senior property tax freeze applications open

One of the big changes in the plan is that we switched to a non-paved surface on the driveway, said Dan Heryer. Its going to save us a ton of money so we dont have to do a ton of fundraising.

Its why Heryer says if the latest plans get final approval in the next month or two, they might be able to build the road and get traffic off the residential street in the fall.

Were very excited to have the support of the Plan Commission, Heryer said. Its the first good news that weve had in the last 18 months.

But Debra Nabors property backs up to the farm and shes frustrated that the master plan got its first approval because she says there isnt enough space there for what Urbavore uses the land for.

The only thing separating us from the gravel that is going to be put on that road is some evergreens that they want to plant that are going to take time to grow, Nabors said.

If the master plan ends up getting final approval from the Kansas City Council, it would address some city code violations.

Park Hill student says he was suspended after defending himself in racist incident

The property is not wide enough, so I am very disappointed that the [City Plan Commission] agreed to all of the deviations, all of the conditons, all of the allowances, said Nabors.

The next Kansas City Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 12.

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Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye receives an interview in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Zizheng)

DAKAR, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) represents an innovative framework for South-South cooperation and a platform for fruitful exchange and dynamic partnership, and China and Africa will establish a stronger and higher-level partnership in the future, said Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in a recent interview with Chinese media here.

"The relations between China and Africa shows a dynamic of strengthening and diversification, and FOCAC is an important tool in support of this cooperation," Faye said.

The theme of the 2024 FOCAC Summit is "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future."

Faye said the summit is an important moment to review China-Africa partnership, consolidate achievements, and outline new perspectives for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Since its creation in 2000, the FOCAC has become an innovative framework for South-South cooperation, offering a platform for fruitful exchange and dynamic partnership, he added.

"FOCAC has helped consolidate solidarity between our two regions, while establishing concrete mechanisms to promote economic and social development," he said.

As a platform for regular dialogue, FOCAC, through the adoption of initiatives and action plans, enables the mobilization of resources to finance structuring projects in Africa, drawing inspirations from the Chinese model, he said, adding that "FOCAC amplifies the voices of China and Africa on the international stage, as it notably advocates for equality and mutual trust, win-win cooperation, solidarity and mutual assistance."

In 2021, the 8th ministerial conference of FOCAC was held in Dakar. As the co-chair of FOCAC and the host of the 8th FOCAC Ministerial Conference, Senegal has witnessed significant achievements of this partnership, particularly in the field of infrastructure with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"Many roads, highways, ports, airports and railways have been constructed. Significant investments have also been made in agriculture, technical and vocational training, water management, and health," he said.

For Faye, the follow-up of initiatives and programs launched during the forum shows China's firm commitment with Africa, "which bodes well for a stronger and higher-level partnership."

China and Senegal elevated their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2016, and Senegal is the first West African country to join the BRI.

The Senegalese president expressed his hope to further strengthen cooperation with China and elevate it to a higher level, "particularly in priority sectors such as agriculture, industrialization, water management, technical and vocational training, and digitalization," he said.

Faye said the Global South, primarily consisting of developing countries, is becoming increasingly relevant in international relations. He also underscored the urgency of reforming the international system "to make it more inclusive, fairer, and more equitable in the best interest of all."

Regarding the achievements of the Chinese modernization, he said that with a policy of reform and opening up, China has achieved impressive progress on the path to modernization, thanks to an approach that combines rapid economic development, poverty reduction, and the improvement of living conditions for the Chinese people.

The Chinese modernization model, based on strong innovation capacity, advanced industrialization, and efficient resource management, has lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty. "It is a source of inspiration for many developing countries, including Senegal," he said. 

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye receives an interview in Dakar, capital of Senegal, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Zizheng)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Frustration continues for residents in Grand Rapids impacted by a water main break back in June that left them with tens of thousands of dollars worth of damages.

Grand Rapids city leaders held a meeting Wednesday night to address their concerns.

We are not asking for you guys to move mountains, we are asking just to be made whole again, impacted resident Larry Gibbs said at the meeting.

Water main break floods neighborhood in SE Grand Rapids

The meeting aimed to be an outlet for open discussion and to provide the residents with resources for immediate relief help. However, residents shared the same sentiment: Too little too late.

I think the frustration with a lot of people here is the fact that these resources werent given to us on day one or day two. Now its 12 weeks later and now you want to offer them to people that it probably wont help I would guess the majority of us in here, impacted resident Jasmine Reider said during the meeting.

Grand Rapids residents impacted by a water main break attend a meeting to address concerns with the city. (Sept. 4, 2024)

City Manager Mark Washington along with other city officials told the residents that the next pathway forward was through the legal process.

I think they need to seek council and there are processes in terms of attorney representation where those financial burdens are built into the representation costs. They need to talk through options with legal counsel, Washington said.

Just weeks ago, the city cited governmental immunity as the reason to deny these residents claims for financial assistance. But as residents anger mounts, they are left wondering what that means.

Its unacceptable: Neighbors dispute water main break denial at city commission

A letter sent to Stephanie Hall, who filed a claim with the city of Grand Rapids after a June 2024 water main break. (Courtesy Stephanie Hall)

Its there, and unfortunately a lot of people do not become familiar with it being there until something like this happens, Cooley Law School Professor Mark Dotson told News 8.

Dotson explained that governmental immunity is supposed to protect governmental entities, in this case the city, for a number of different reasons.

We dont want governmental officials or entities to be concerned about being sued when they make tough decisions, Dotson said. We dont think the government has unlimited resources and can therefore pay for all the potential liability that might be undertaken by virtue of providing certain services. In this case, water services.

Among the individuals at the meeting were Grand Rapids city commissioners Bing Goei and Kelsey Perdue. Perdue told News 8 that she hopes this situation can be a catalyst for potential change.

This highlights a need for us to the state and to whomever else that this is relevant to look at, when there is this level of devastation, what mechanisms, what levers do we have to pull to make sure that this doesnt leave families ruined in the way that it could potentially do in terms of financial impact? she said.

Residents at the meeting told News 8 and shared publicly that they are in the process of seeking legal counsel for the collective group.

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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and community colleges from across Mississippi gathered to discuss civic engagement with U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).

Future leaders discussed voter rights, community engagement and a Q&A session with Thompson and other leaders at Tougaloo College in Jackson. The congressman said summits help shine a light on the future leaders of Mississippi.

They are the future leaders. And being the future leaders, they need to learn whats going on. But also, people like me, and others need to listen to them. Because if, collectively, we can work together. There are solutions in our state. Need a lot of this young talent to stay when they complete their education. We lose too many of our talented young people to the benefits of other states, said Thompson.

Hinds County poll workers undergo training ahead of 2024 election

Students engaged in discussions that could help improve community involvement, educating voters and to prepare Mississippians not only for the upcoming presidential election, but also local city and county elections.

We always say that young people dont do anything, and young people dont come out to vote. But these young people are here to make a difference. The young people have always been at the forefront of movement warriors. So, it was very impressive to see these young people really be active in engaged in this process today, said Nsombi Lambright-Haynes, executive director of OneVoiceMS.

The summit also highlighted making sure Mississippians are registered to vote for the presidential election in November.

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Angela Thorpe Mason thumbed through the banners that would soon hang from the front porch of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murrays childhood home, searching for a quote she loved.

It reminded me of Noahs Ark perched on a little slope, its back hugging the ground, its front high on latticed brick underpinnings, and at each end a tall brick chimney built from the ground outside and towering about the roof, the late Murray wrote long before Mason was born.

Murray  who would go on to become an icon in the struggles for civil, womens and LGBTQ+ rights  moved into the home at the age of 3. They lived there, in Durhams historic West End neighborhood, until Murray graduated from Hillside High School in 1926.

The place had a ragged beauty, Murray continued.

Pauli Murrays childhood home, at 906 Carroll St. in Durham, North Carolina, has been restored and is opening to the public in 2024.

After a $1.2 million renovation that stretched on for 15 years, that home will open to the public this weekend as the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice.

The center will mark the occasion with a ribbon cutting Saturday morning:

How to go: The event will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. State and local officials, as well as Murrays niece, Rosita Stevens-Holsey, will be present.

Address: 906 Carroll St.

In future visits: Exploring the grounds is free. Entry to the home will cost a small fee, and guided tours will cost up to $20 a person.

Mason, executive director of the center, said it is a sacred space, one that is rooted in Durham.

This is the community that shaped them and that really shaped their earliest concepts of democracy, equity, freedom and justice, and also a really deep faith practice, Mason said.

The center uses they/them and she/her pronouns to describe Murray.

We do not and can never know Murrays gender identity  Pauli Murray described themself as a he/she personality, requested hormone therapy, and also self-described as a woman, according to a recent post on its website.

Pauli Murray, an attorney, activist, priest and poet who grew up in Durham, North Carolina, is the focus of a new documentary, My Name is Pauli Murray.

Murray laid foundation for declaring segregation unconstitutional

Murray  the first Black person to earn a doctorate degree from Yale Law School  was also a writer, Episcopal priest, feminist, LGBTQ activist and labor organizer.

Murrays legal scholarship helped lay the foundation for the modern Civil Rights Movement.

According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Murrays 1950 book on segregation laws and the U.S. Constitution  called the bible by Thurgood Marshall  guided the Supreme Courts 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.

They did so much across 75 years of life, something small every day, sometimes big actions over a period of time, Mason said.

Dr. Pauli Murray, a law professor at Brandeis University, arrives for classes in Waltham, Mass. on Sept. 27, 1971.

The home on Carroll Street was built in 1898 by Murrays grandfather.

It was slated for demolition in the early 2010s, and so a grassroots group of advocates banded together to ensure that this space was preserved, alongside partners that included Duke University and Self-Help Ventures Fund, Mason said. It has been a long journey.

It is one of only 2% of the 95,000 landmarks in the National Register of Historic Places focused on the experiences of Black people, according to the center. Only 1% focus on women and less than 1% on LGBTQ+ people, the center reports.

The home hosts an exhibit telling Murrays story, and also will further their life work, by providing space for those advancing social justice work today. That will include educator training and free name-change clinics.

We are not a traditional museum, Mason said.

Pauli Murray was featured on a U.S. quarter in 2024 with a line of their poetry: Hope is a song in a weary throat.

Murray died in 1985, and there have been many efforts in recent years to spread awareness of their contributions to feminist and Civil Rights struggles.

Murrays life story was the focus of an award-winning 2021 documentary

In the past year, Murray was honored with the minting of a U.S. quarter bearing their face and in the naming of a Durham elementary school.

Mason said she doesnt know what Murray would be working on if they were alive today. She suspects womens rights and bodily autonomy would loom large. So too, she believes, would salvaging American democracy.

I also think that Pauli would be grounded in work centered on creating equitable and inclusive society for LGBTQ folks, Mason said.

Thats not something Pauli was quite able to do during their lifetime, because it was dangerous enough to exist as a Black person, she explained. It was also dangerous to exist as a queer Black person, and most certainly a gender non-conforming Black person, and so a society where holding those identities did not come with the same limitations, I do think Pauli would be more deeply ingrained in that work.

Uniquely NC is a News & Observer subscriber collection of moments, landmarks and personalities that define the uniqueness (and pride) of why we live in the Triangle and North Carolina.
CNN

A classmate of alleged Georgia school shooter Colt Gray said she had been sitting next to the 14-year-old before his terrifying massacre, saying that at one point that he left the classroom and tried to re-enter with a gun.

Lyela Sayarath, a junior at Apalachee High School, told CNN that after Gray left their Algebra I class Wednesday morning, he later knocked on the locked door to be let back in.

Another student who approached the door saw that he had a gun, so she backed away, Sayarath added. Gray then turned to the classroom that would have been to my right, and he just starts to shoot, and you hear about 10-15 rounds back-to-back.

Sayarath said she and others in her class hid behind desks with the lights off after they heard gunshots.

When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and kind of crawled in an area, like, piled on top of each other, she said. The teacher turned off the lights, but we all just kind of piled together, and I pushed desks in front of us. I was just telling people, Push desks in front of you, block in front of you, get lowthings like that.

14-Year-Old School Shooter Kills Four and Wounds Nine

Sayarath described Gray as quiet, and said she wasnt surprised that he was the shooter.

He never really talked. He was pretty quiet, she said. He wasnt there most times either. He just didnt come to school or he just would skip class, but even when he wouldve talked, it was one-word answers and short statements.

Four peopletwo 14-year-old students and two teacherswere shot dead and another nine were injured in the incident at Apalachee High School, officials confirmed. Gray survived, and was immediately taken into custody. He is expected to be charged with murder and tried as an adult.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Climate change is already forcing millions of people to migrate  and it will only get worse

Drought exacerbated by climate change forced a million Somalis to leave their homes and look for food - YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images

Across Africa, millions of people are being forced to migrate by climate change  a phenomenon that greatly increases the risk of new epidemics, say scientists.

Two years ago, for example, drought said to be exacerbated by climate change forced a million Somalis to leave their homes and look for food.

Around Africas Chad basin, up to five million people have migrated from their homes in recent decades, to flee conflict, but also dwindling water resources partly blamed on climate change.

In all, the International Organisation for Migration estimated earlier this year that some 7.4m Africans left their homes in 2022 because of the effects of climate change. Some were driven out overnight by cyclones, or flooding, and hope to return when the disasters have abated.

Others upped their roots, often leaving the land to head to cities, never to return after years of dwindling livelihoods as weather patterns have changed. As the effects of climate change mount, and Africas population swells, the numbers are forecast to grow sharply.

By the middle of the century, up to five per cent of Africas 2bn population could be on the move due to climate impacts, the Global Centre for Climate Mobility says. While the great majority are expected to stay within their country, or certainly within the continent, the phenomenon is still predicted to become a powerful new force driving the movement of large numbers of people.

Adam Abdullah on the edge of the rapidly diminishing Lake Chad, where millions have migrated from - Simon Townsley

Scientists now believe that as well as profound effects on societies, economies and geopolitics, these climate-driven human migrations could also change the spread and occurrence of infectious disease outbreaks. Researchers have already begun to warn how changes in temperature and rain patterns might shift the spread of disease, for example, as carriers like mosquitoes roam further afield.

An extra 4.7 billion people might be at risk of malaria or dengue by 2070 as the epidemic belt of the diseases expands according to one recent study. A 2022 systematic review found that more than half of known infectious diseases will be aggravated by climate hazards. Scientists are also now starting to look specifically at how human migrations caused by climate change, might alter the spread and distribution of disease.

In a recent paper in the journal Nature Climate Change researchers set out the ways that climate change migrations might foster disease outbreaks. The paper concludes: With climate change and climate disasters affecting populations at an increasingly alarming rate, the sudden displacements and long-term migrations that they cause could have devastating consequences for the distribution and burden of infectious diseases.

One of the authors, Dr Houriiyah Tegally, of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation at Stellenbosch University, who is starting a three year study of the issue, said: We make the case that the mechanisms of climate related migration to infectious diseases make sense and theres a lot of migration that is due to climate disasters, or climate change.

But currently theres not this proper link to confirm the increase in diseases because of climate migrations and thats the goal of our funded research.

Movement of viruses linked to movement of people

Major human movements throughout history have been credited with spreading infectious diseases. From plagues spread by armies in antiquity, to European colonists taking measles and small pox to the New World, migrations have long been known to spread diseases and lead to new outbreaks.

The phenomenon has come under the spotlight with increased human mobility, as newer infections like SARS and Covid-19 have spread rapidly through international air travel.

Dr Tegally has previously done work on how human mobility affects the dispersal of viruses, reconstructing how Covid spread around the world. She said: The movement of viruses is very much linked to the movement of people. Its people that carry viruses.

Her three-year project will try to match genomic surveillance data of viruses like dengue and chikungunya with satellite tracking of large population migrations. She added: The more genomic surveillance we do, the more we can reconstruct the transmission dynamics and therefore link to underlying people movement or climate change.

Scientists predict two different types of climate migration in the future, set off by what they call fast and slow onset events. Fast-onset climate disasters such as cyclones, heat waves, and forest fires occur over a short time frame. People move as their homes are destroyed, and their livelihoods are lost. They often go to cities or camps temporarily, but aim to return once the destruction is over.

So-called slow-onset climate events, such as increases in sea level, coastal erosion, desertification and rising temperatures, happen over longer time frames and lead to slower movement. For example in rural Pakistan, as temperatures have risen and income from agriculture has dropped, there has been a long term migration away from the land.

Villagers irrigate seedlings on the dried bed of Lake Chad, an area being impacted by climate change - Simon Townsley

Previous studies showing how migration from other causes, such as war, has affected disease outbreaks could give a glimpse of what is to come, the researchers believe.

People fleeing short-term climate disasters can find themselves in crowded accommodation with poor sanitation and meagre health care. These have in the past been shown to heighten the chances of outbreaks of diseases like malaria, dengue and cholera. HIV and TB can also flourish.

Climate change migrants could also find themselves displaced to areas with endemic pathogens or parasites they have not faced before, such as malaria or visceral leishmaniasis. When they return home, they could carry these parasites back with them.

Another possible mechanism might be climate change migrants encroaching further into wildlife habitats and eating more bushmeat, which carries the risk of spillover infections from other mammal species. Displaced humans encroaching on wildlife can also lead to more contact with disease-carrying animals.

For example, the clearing of forest in Australia is thought to have led flying foxes which carry hendra virus into closer contact with humans and livestock. If climate change leads many to leave the land, then the resulting rapid uncontrolled urbanisation might have its own effect on disease outbreaks, the researchers suggest. Disease spread better at higher population densities.

Prof Tulio de Oliveira, another of the papers authors, told a global pandemic preparedness summit earlier this summer that the potential for climate change migrants was not widely understood.

Prof de Oliveira, who leads a global research consortium studying and responding to climate amplified diseases and epidemics, said: When a population loses the harvest, which is getting normal, where do they go? They have to move to an urban area normally, with the animals. To live in terrible conditions and in conditions where animals are in much closer contact with humans. So we have to highlight extreme climate events and also the undiagnosed effect of climate migrants.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security

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Mosquito-borne illnesses are rising in the US, including triple E, West Nile, and Oropouche.

Climate change and international travel are spreading these diseases into new places.

Mosquito season is lasting longer due to rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns.

Mosquito season is in full swing, and the pesky insects are carrying diseases into unexpected places.

Certain communities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont are on high alert for a rare virus called eastern equine encephalitis, or triple E. Health officials have reported at least six cases, including one death, and are encouraging residents to stay inside from dusk until dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. Some towns are spraying pesticides to reduce the risks of exposure.

The outbreak is small but serious because about 30% of people who contract severe triple E die, and many survivors develop neurological problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . There's no vaccine or cure.

Over the past two decades there have been sporadic outbreaks in the Northeast  and in 2019, there were a record 38 cases in the US. Researchers are still trying to understand why, and there are many environmental factors, including the bird populations the mosquito typically picks up the virus from. Shannon LaDeau, a senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, said the climate crisis is certainly playing a role. As spring and fall temperatures warm, mosquitoes can emerge earlier and survive later into the year. They also can squeeze in more reproductive cycles.

"Everything about mosquito development speeds up with temperature," LaDeau said. "How fast they go from egg to adult shortens when it's warmer. Viruses replicate in the mosquito faster when it's warmer. So you get more mosquitoes faster, and then their chances of interacting with a human is higher."

Precipitation patterns also matter, LaDeau said. In the Northeast, a warm spring was followed by a lot of rain in early summer, which is conducive to larger mosquito populations by August.

The changes aren't playing out just in the Northeast. Health officials have described an uptick in other mosquito-borne illnesses in the US and globally because of climate change and international travel and trade.

Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor, told "PBS NewsHour" that he was concerned about a rising number of vector-borne illnesses  those spread by mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas  across the Western Hemisphere, including triple E, West Nile, and dengue.

The Oropouche virus, which normally circulates in parts of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, was reported in the US and Europe for the first time this year. Yellow fever is expanding into the fringes of the Amazon in Brazil.

"We're seeing a general surge in vector-borne diseases across the hemisphere," Hotez said. "Brazil and parts of the Caribbean are ground zero, but it's starting to filter in particularly in Texas and the Gulf Coast. This could be a new normal for us during this time of climate change together with urbanization and other factors."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Detroit tenant rights advocates gather as they protest the death of a tenant killed during an eviction on July 12, 2024, on Detroit's west side outside of the 36th District Court in Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The groups are calling for the court officer to held accountable, to "shut down" the bailiff system at 36th District Court, for DPD to release body cam, 911 audio and reports of the incident and suspend the DPD officer who tased the tenant.

A coalition of police accountability and housing advocates called for the release of police body cam footage from a fatal shooting that took place during an eviction on Detroit's west side in July.

A group of more than 30 people marched from Detroit's 36th District Court to the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters, demanding justice for Sherman Butler, who was shot and killed by a 36th District Court officer during a court-ordered eviction in Palmer Park. Detroit police were on the scene after the bailiff requested assistance, according to the police department. Despite the department's oversight board and activists calling for transparency around the incident, Detroit police have not released video footage because the shooting did not involve a department employee using deadly force.

We want to see the body cam footage. We want to see the police report. We want to see the medical exam, said Taura Brown, a member of Detroit Eviction Defense, in front of the courthouse on Wednesday.

More: Detroit police won't release video in bailiff's killing of man being evicted

The coalition has a range of demands, including: more training and oversight of how bailiffs conduct evictions, release of the police body cam footage and for the court officer to be fired and charged. They also want the name of the Detroit police officer who used the Taser made public and for that officer to be suspended.

Justice for Sherman Lee Butler. Detroit police release the footage, the coalition chanted as they marched down Woodward and Michigan Avenue, with a banner and signs with a similar message.

The incident took place on Manderson Road on July 12, when Detroit police say a court officer was conducting a court-ordered eviction. The bailiff, a contractor with the court, contacted Detroit police for help after coming across a man with a weapon during the eviction, who was "attempting to attack him." Police, in an August news release, said officers did not respond to the eviction but to the bailiff's safety concerns.

Once on the scene, police say they encountered an individual with a box cutter, who was "holding it to his neck." An officer used a Taser, but it did not work. The person then attacked the bailiff, who fired "multiple shots," according to police. The man then "lunged toward the officer," and the bailiff fired more shots. The Detroit Police Department said its officers did not fire shots.

Detroit tenant rights advocates march while protesting the death of a tenant killed during an eviction on July 12, 2024, on Detroit's west side outside after a rally outside of the 36th District Court in Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. The groups are calling for the court officer to be held accountable, to "shut down" the bailiff system at 36th District Court, for DPD to release bodycam, 911 audio and reports of the incident and suspend the DPD officer who tased the tenant.

The Detroit Police Department Homicide Task Force submitted an investigator's report to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, according to the news release. As of Wednesday, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office received a warrant request  which typically contains police reports, forensic evidence, photos and witness statements to determine if there is enough evidence to criminally charge a suspect  related to the fatal shooting. That warrant request from the Michigan State Police is being reviewed, according to the prosecutor's office. The timeline for a charging decision is unclear.

Last year, the Detroit Police Department changed its policy on the release of police shooting videos. Detroit Police Chief James White said his department would release videos of certain police shootings within 45 days after the incident. The policy authorizes the release of "relevant video footage" from shootings involving Detroit police officers, according to the department.

The July 12 incident did not involve a DPD employee using deadly force, public information director Dayna Clark said in an email on Wednesday.

"Accordingly, video evidence of this incident will remain confidential in accordance with DPD procedures to ensure the integrity of the warrant submission process and any prosecutorial efforts that may follow," Clark said.

The City of Detroit Law Department on July 22 denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by the Free Press for the police body cam footage and records related to the shooting, saying the matter is under open investigation. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office late last month said it could not release materials related to a warrant submitted to its office because the case is ongoing.

Detroit's 36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico said in a statement Wednesday that the court would "refrain from making any additional comments on this issue until the Detroit Police Department has completed its investigation and released their findings."

In a previous statement on Aug. 19, McConico said that because the court officer was not charged with any crime, he had not been suspended from his duties.

Detroits 36th District Court approves a list of court officers whom landlords may hire to conduct an eviction. They are not employees of the court but rather independent contractors. Court officers may obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.

According to 36th District Court records, an order of eviction  which allows a court officer to remove a tenant and their personal belongings from a rental property  was entered in late June against Butler. Previously, Butler failed to appear to a hearing, but did show up for a first hearing, records show. His landlord sought to evict him over a termination of tenancy.

During a meeting last week, members of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners questioned Assistant Police Chief Charles Fitzgerald about the July 12 incident, including protocols around what happens during an eviction when police show up and the role of an armed bailiff, and if the court officer would be charged. Speakers during public comment demanded the release of the body cam footage.

Demonstrators on Wednesday echoed a similar sentiment.

"We need to do what we need to do to pass ordinances and bring our power together to mandate that they release footage on a regular basis, consistently. That's what has to happen, said Victoria Camille, a member of the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability.

Tristan Taylor, an organizer with Detroit Will Breathe, told the Free Press that Butler's life was taken away in a "vicious eviction" process.

"The situation is not just tragic, but it's enraging," he said. "We're here to get justice for Sherman Lee Butler."

Free Press staff writers Andrea May Sahouri and Violet Ikonomova contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit advocates demand police body cam footage from fatal eviction
Fikirte Gebre displays finished bamboo products in the Green Golden Bamboo workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

by Xinhua writers Habtamu Worku, Liu Fangqiang

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Nestled at the heart of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, a small, yet bustling bamboo workshop buzzes with the sound of skilled hands and pieces of machinery as a group of six women collaborate to transform bamboo canes into an array of household products.

The Green Golden Bamboo workshop is quietly changing the fortunes of Fikirte Gebre, a mother of four, and her five other friends. Once grappling with the challenges of unemployment and uncertainty, these women were forced to pursue illegal migration into Middle Eastern countries, looking for better economic opportunities.

"For some time, my friends and I were sitting idly with our parents after returning from different Middle Eastern countries, where we used to work as housemaids," Gebre recalled, with a hint of wistfulness in her voice. Some 18 years ago, Gebre, along with her desperate fellows, left her home in Addis Ababa to the Middle East, eventually spending over 10 years as a housemaid in Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

After returning home some six years ago, Gebre and her migrant returnee friends had no other option but to stay with their desperate families and relatives before they embraced an unexpected chance that led them into a new life path -- bamboo processing.

Hearing about a government-sponsored training program on bamboo craftsmanship, they decided to take a chance, albeit having no prior experience or knowledge about it.

"If it weren't for our desperation, we would not have ventured into bamboo processing. People used to underestimate bamboo craftsmanship, viewing it as something limited to artisanal practices in rural areas," Gebre argued.

Despite Ethiopia's huge bamboo resources, the sector's great potential to enhance the country's socioeconomic and ecological development, however, remains underutilized and often limited to traditional processing and use. Traditionally, bamboo is used among rural communities for constructing fences, and agricultural utility products, as well as for fuel wood purposes.

The East African country has the largest bamboo resources in the African continent, with an estimated 1.47 million hectares of bamboo natural forest and the potential for increasing the resource base to over 3.5 million hectares, according to data from the Ethiopian Forestry Development.

ONE GOOD CHANCE AFTER ANOTHER

While they were practicing bamboo craftsmanship inside a government facility after receiving the four-month training, they were provided with another opportunity when Gebre and another group member were selected to participate in a two-month bamboo processing training in China, facilitated by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR).

"The training we received in China was very helpful and crucial for us. It opened our eyes and perspectives on the importance of bamboo, the different ways of bamboo craftsmanship, and how best we can embrace technology in making bamboo products," Gebre said.

Headquartered in China, INBAR is a 50-member intergovernmental development organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan. Ethiopia, which has been an INBAR member since 2002 and hosts its East Africa regional office, has been benefiting from the organization's various initiatives over the years.

According to Biruk Kebede, acting director of INBAR's East Africa Regional Office, the organization has implemented over 15 integrated bamboo development projects in Ethiopia and other countries in the region. He highlighted the positive contribution of INBAR to the overall growth of the bamboo sector in Ethiopia and the region. In addition to small enterprises, industries have now started to produce industrial bamboo products, such as furniture, parquet flooring, and more.

The training proved to be a revelation for the vibrant group of women, who became determined to harness their new expertise and techniques learned from China to transform bamboo into innovative products.

Powered with the knowledge and skills they gained in China, within a few weeks after they returned, they opened their first makeshift workshop by transforming a small plot of land in their neighborhood, which was previously a landfill area.

"Inside that small workshop, we were barely using our hands and accessories like knives and handsaws to cut the bamboo, while also manually painting our finished products by hand," Gebre recalled.

With the support from INBAR, they were eventually able to reconstruct the makeshift workshop into a proper one. The international organization also supported these women with much-needed machinery and equipment.

"These pieces of machinery and equipment greatly helped us to transform our work from merely hand craftsmanship to applying modern technologies, which significantly improved our productivity while also ensuring the safety and sustainability of our work," she said.

IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS

One bamboo product at a time and a range of exquisite finished products eventually, the bamboo processing workshop has become an oasis of productivity and a beacon of empowerment to the resilient group of women as they weave a life of meaning with craftsmanship.

According to Gebre, their business has been steadily growing over the past five years. During major events and bazaars, products from Green Golden Bamboo can be sold at a price of over 200,000 birrs (around 1,800 U.S. dollars), a far cry from the price of 10,000 birrs to 20,000 birrs during the early days of their business.

"Before I started my bamboo business, I was living with my parents as a single mother. Over the past five years, I have been comfortably supporting my family of six. This positive change is also clearly evident in the lives of my fellow group members," Gebre declared.

The positive changes that they garnered over the course are not just professional, but personal as well. She argued that her engagement in the bamboo sector has not only made her economically productive but also helped her regain confidence and plan for her family's future.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE, EMPOWERING OTHERS

Gebre and her group members, who were once fortunate enough to join the bamboo sector, are now at the forefront of knowledge and skills transfer as they encourage other vulnerable community members to embark on the bamboo processing journey.

With the help of INBAR and concerned government institutions, the group members have been sharing the skills and expertise they acquired over the years with other Ethiopians and foreigners alike.

"Over the past years, we have been able to train more than 130 vulnerable Ethiopians, mainly unemployed youth, women, and people with disabilities. Most of them are now engaged in bamboo processing activities," she said.

They are also active participants in INBAR's intra-African bamboo sector experience-sharing mechanisms, frequently traveling to other African countries to share their skills with other African nationals on bamboo processing techniques and products.

Gebre and her group members traveled to Kenya and Uganda, where they shared their knowledge and skills on the production of plastic-substitute bags by combining bamboo and textile materials. "We learned how to produce plastic-substitute bags by combining bamboo and textile materials from a Ghanaian expert who visited us and taught this valuable knowledge, through an opportunity facilitated by INBAR. Subsequently, we passed on this knowledge to others both at home and across Africa," she said.

As the reinvigorated group of women looks to the future with much optimism about harnessing Ethiopia's untapped bamboo resources, they are poised to continue their journey of transformation, empowering more vulnerable Ethiopians and showcasing the versatile potential of bamboo.

"Throughout my years of engagement in the bamboo sector, I have come to appreciate the numerous benefits of bamboo and its diverse applications in our daily lives. From constructing homes and creating household items to producing food and clothing, bamboo proves to be incredibly versatile and environmentally sustainable," said Gebre. 

Fikirte Gebre displays finished bamboo products in the Green Golden Bamboo workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

Fikirte Gebre works on bamboo products in the Green Golden Bamboo workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

Finished bamboo products are displayed in the Green Golden Bamboo workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)
Donald Trumps town hall was mostly an uninterrupted rant about the Republican presidential nominees various grievances, including an attempt to set the stage to call the upcoming presidential debate rigged against him, regardless of its outcome.

But between the lines of Trumps ramblings lay a darker truth: that he simply doesnt remember who he is running against. During a section of his tirade Wednesday night, the former president seemed to romanticize running against President Joe Biden, to the point that he linguistically forgot which candidate hes actually up against.

And by the way, New Hampshire was so badly treated by the Democrat Party and by Joe Biden and her, I cant imagine New Hampshire voting for him, Trump told Fox Newss Sean Hannity, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Anybody in New Hampshirebecause theyre watching right nowanybody in New Hampshire that votes for Biden and Kamala, I really think, I call her Comrade Kamala because thats what her ideology is, but you know that she did something after decades and decades and decades; it was Iowa, the first twoIowa, New Hampshirethats what way people thought it was gonna be, Trump continued. He didnt want to go to New Hampshire. He didnt want to play the New Hampshire game.

A pro-Trump account on X attempted to reframe the incident after the Harris campaigns social media account posted a clip of the verbal flub, claiming that KamalaHQ was purposely lying to their followers by saying that Trump had forgotten who he was running against. But the full context revealed even more instances of Trump doubling down on his Biden beliefs than was originally posted by Harriss team.

He dumped New Hampshire. And I said to people today, who the hell from New Hampshire would vote for this guy? Trump said.

THE LIE: Trump forgot who he is running against.



THE TRUTH: Trump was talking about who he was running against (Biden) before Democrats staged a coup and replaced him with Kamala.



Kamala HQ is purposely lying to their followers.



Trump was recalling how he didnt think Biden pic.twitter.com/fcJJaIwh07  KamalaHQLies (@KamalaHQLies) September 5, 2024

Looking ahead to next weeks debate, the bloviating politician insisted that he would allow Harris time to speak.

I let him talkIm going to let her talk, Trump told Hannity. There are those that say that Biden is smarter than she is. If thats the case, we have a problem.
New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran held a town hall. It did not go well.

On Aug. 28, New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran held a town hall meeting with school alumni.

The event, organized in good faith by the New College Alumni Association, was supposed to be an opportunity for alums to present questions to Corcoran about alumni concerns regarding the operation of the college since he assumed the presidency last year.

New College of Florida discarded hundreds of books - including many addressing LGBTQ culture and issues - in mid-August 2024. The books, which were tossed into a campus dumpster for transport to a landfill, included "Nine and Counting: The Women of the Senate," "The War of the Worlds" and "When I Knew" - a collection of stories from LGBTQ+ people recounting when they knew they were gay.

More: New College of Florida book purge: A horror story of secrecy, ineptitude and stupidity

The planned questions covered a wide range of topics, including:

Fiscal policy.

Programmatic issues.

Student housing.

The college library's policy on book destruction.

The ugly, derisive comments that have been made by New College board trustees on social media.

There were approximately 30 questions that were presented well in advance of the advertised 90-minute session. There was also a commitment to enable chat functionality as a means to facilitate dialogue between the alum participants and President Corcoran.

What actually took place was a webinar with the chat function disabled  and a forum that was reduced to 45 minutes.

During the town hall, Corcoran did not answer a single question that was submitted. Instead, he held court with a rosy collection of platitudes about the current state of New College  and which focused largely on campus construction projects.

The president spent the majority of the 45 minutes discussing construction and landscaping, with almost no details about academics, student life or his vision for the long-term success of Floridas Honors College.

Corcoran's refusal to discuss any of the specific and substantive questions submitted reinforces our opinion that the New College president is operating in an autocratic manner  one that is totally contrary to the spirit of cooperation and inclusivity that had been a hallmark of the college prior to his assumption of the presidency. In addition, Corcoran did not address numerous questions regarding his fiscal decisions and policies in leading the college.

If Corcorans aim was to engage in a constructive manner with the alumni community, his actions during the town hall did just the opposite. The town hall event was a dismal failure, with alumni universally lamenting the lack of substance and disregard for the submitted questions.

New College President Richard Corcoran

More: New College of Florida is attracting great students, elite educators

In fact, the event only served to heighten the belief among a majority of alumni that many of the decisions Corcoran has made in leading New College have been detrimental to the continued success of the school. His decisions have been completely contrary to the original goals, mission and academic philosophy of the founders of New College.

Corcoran's poor decision-making  and his ongoing refusal to practice transparency by explaining his decisions  will only increase the level of distrust among the alumni. It will also only increase the damage that is being done to New College of Florida.

William Rosenberg

The alumni of New College and the Novo Collegian Alliance stand ready to help New College succeed as the Honors College of the State University System of Florida.

But it is clear that Corcoran does not value our assistance  nor does he seem willing to engage with the alumni in any meaningful way unless alums are aligned with his own philosophy of what New College should be.

That is disappointing indeed.

William Rosenberg is the president of Novo Collegian Alliance. He is a 1980 graduate of New College of Florida.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New College of Florida town hall revealed Richard Corcoran's arrogance
Touch down Jesus on the campus of Notre Dame. BYU football fans and Notre Dame fans check out the stadium and surrounding campus Friday, Oct. 19, 2012. | Scott G Winterton

Contrary to popular opinion, new data confirms that religious campus environments can be an especially healthy place for diverse students, including sexual minorities.

In their December 2023 article in the Journal of Affective Disorders, Brigham Young University researchers Justin Dyer and Jenet Erickson note that no study to date has compared the mental health of students in religious and nonreligious universities.

Drawing upon the 2020-2021 Healthy Minds dataset of 135,344 students across 140 universities, they compared student anxiety and suicide ideation and anxiety across different kinds of campus environments (nonreligious, Catholic, Evangelical, and Other Christian) and student characteristics (personal religiousness and sexual minority status). Latter-day Saint students didnt figure prominently in the study, with Other Christian including Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Nazarene.

In the aggregate, student bodies tended to look similarly in terms of their mental health. But when the researchers dug into individual student characteristics, several interesting patterns emerged. First, they found certain benefits of being on a religious university campus even when a students personal religiousness is low. For instance, the study found that those of no religion attending an evangelical university had lower suicide ideation than those at a nonreligious university.

In terms of mental health, sexual and gender minorities also did better at religious schools compared with nonreligious schools. A religious campus tends to be protective, Dyer told Deseret News, including for people who you wouldnt think would fit at religious schools.

Students who pray

Although the environmental influence was notable, the bigger variable for mental health according to the study was students own personal commitment to faith. This was true at both religious and nonreligious universities, and across diverse sexual identities.

For instance, sexual minorities who participated in religious extracurricular activities (like prayer) at an evangelical university had a low rate of suicidal ideation (6%), compared with the 20% national average (with suicidal ideation) and 34% of surveyed students who didnt participate in these same faith practices at religious universities (the highest estimated rate of any subgroup analyzed).

Yet going to a place without religious commitments doesnt necessarily make things better, since the analysis found nonreligious sexual minority students at nonreligious schools were at much higher risk for anxiety compared with nonreligious students at many Christian religious schools.

Overall, the authors note, minority students most protected from suicide ideation were those at strongly religious schools who also participated in some religious practices. This relationship between faith and mental health was so strong that it reflected a dose-response relationship, wherein each unit increase in the personal importance of religion for a student decreased their likelihood of suicidal ideation by 10%.

Universities may do well to engage with religions in ways that enable their students to access this resource, Dyer and Erickson conclude.

Sexual minorities benefiting from faith

This isnt just a campus trend. Tyler Lefevor and colleagues published in 2021 the first meta-analysis (study of studies) exploring the impact of religiosity and spirituality on sexual minorities generally. Combining the results of 73 studies, they found a small but positive overall relationship between religiosity/spirituality and health among sexual minorities.

Stephen Cranney, a Deseret News contributor, also recently analyzed 2020 survey data from the Cooperative Election Study across over 50,000 participants, including 6,611 sexual minority individuals. Cranney, who also serves as a lecturer at the Catholic University of America and a non-resident fellow at Baylors Institute for the Studies of Religion, published this last November in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion his findings that sexual minorities benefit from religious activity (service attendance, prayer, importance of religion) in a similar way to heterosexual individuals.

The health benefits of religion are more broadly applicable to LGBTQ individuals than I would have thought, Cranney told PsyPost. Contrary to expectations, the study revealed that being part of religious communities  generally correlates with better health for these individuals.

Getting ahead of the data

These large-scale studies challenge popular wisdom that has been widely shared about faith and sexual minorities. There is a lot of casual, informal conventional wisdom that has not been empirically tested, Cranney observed.

This same concern was expressed by seven scholars and researchers in their November 2023 amicus brief before the Ninth Circuit in support of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and associated universities in defending themselves from an attempt to nullify their religious exemption to Title IX that, according to the plaintiffs, allow widespread discrimination on these same campuses (Elizabeth Hunter, et al., vs. U.S. Department of Education, et al).

According to these scholars, the plaintiffs claim that these institutions differ significantly in their campus climates is based primarily on personal stories from self-selected students, without any direct research evidence. Noting that sexual minority students experience challenges on all types of academic campuses, both religious and secular, these scholars point out that studies highlighted by the plaintiffs fail to make any direct comparisons between sexual minorities at religious versus secular schools, such as the Dyer and Erickson study reviewed above.

Additionally, these authors note that more than 50% of sexual minority students interviewed in a 2018 national study by Wheaton College scholar Mark Yarhouse and colleagues described their campus in positive terms, such as supportive, welcoming, warm, and safe.

In collaboration with Janet Dean, Yarhouse also found in 2021 that about half of sexual minority students at religious universities reported no or only mild psychological distress, and only 9.4% reported elevated distress.

Not a monolith

Citing years of research reflecting ideological diversity in minority students, the scholars in the amicus brief repeated the caution by Andrew Adelman and colleagues against assuming inescapable conflict between religious and sexual identities, noting that many LGB people have successfully negotiated the integration of these two aspects of identity in a way that allows them to feel congruent and free from identity conflict.

Erickson agrees, pointing out that this isnt a monolithic story, writing with Dyer that we should not see LGBTQ+ students as a monolithic group.

Yet within popular culture today, those firmly committed to their faith can feel like anomalies. Blake Fisher describes how many people are slow to believe him when he tells them how many other people with same-sex attraction there are on campus who are dedicated to their faith.

Different ways to support

Contrary to widespread assumptions about what constitutes the only helpful support to minority students, these scholars suggest that affirming supports may, in fact, not be experienced as supportive in light of many of these students personal religious values.

Hence, some sexual minority students, they say, choose to attend a faith-based university where policies and behavior expectations are informed by religious beliefs, rather than a secular institution where policies are affirming.

For those arguing that religion is inherently tied to increased negativity toward minorities, the scholars say, all too often this alleged negativity is too often anything short of a full-throated affirmation of behavior expression, which, for many religions, is morally impermissible.

They note that a person can be highly religious and positive toward LGBTQ+ persons and hold same-sex behavior is morally impermissible simultaneously.

Unintentional harm

Erickson describes hearing stories from sexual minority students committed to their faith who say, this is what I want to do and have chosen to do, this is where I find peace and joy but no one will believe me.

We actually make it much harder for LGBT students who cant be authentic about that faith, she says  pointing to how common it is for students to hear things that undermine their desire to reconcile faith and sexuality, youre not being true to yourself, youre missing out on true happiness, youll always be alone, youre lying to yourself. All of this, she said, translates into a significant disservice to LGBT youth, in the name of trying to help them.

Some of these lawsuits against religious universities, Dyer notes, are trying to take away the choice of individuals attending a religious school, while making it difficult for religious schools to hold to their religious tenet.

If successful, these suits could eliminate the option for minority student to attend a university with religious roots, he said, when, in fact, this may be the very best fit for them.

Funding questions aside, that pressure to change and unmoor from religious principles, would seem to put more students at risk, Dyer concluded, including sexual minorities.

As well meaning as some of these efforts are, they may do harm if they detach people from their religion.
Colleges are confirming fears held since the Supreme Court decision against affirmative action, with multiple schools reporting significant declines in Black and Hispanic students among this years incoming class.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Amherst College and Tufts University all released data showing their share of minority students has dropped after the high court said universities could no longer consider race on their applications.

Experts are calling for administrators to find alternative routes to help Black and Hispanic students, saying failure to do so will harm their institutions reputations.

This is about what people anticipated when the Supreme Court decision came down last summer, in part because affirmative action was a tool among many that was seeking to mitigate some of these systemic impediments to marginalized groups ability to enter into competitive postsecondary institutions. And so removing one of those tools would then make it harder for members of those groups to gain admittance to some of these institutions, said Timothy Welbeck, director for the Center of Anti-Racism at Temple University.

MIT, which was the first to report its data, said Black, Hispanic and/or Native American and Pacific Islander students make up 16 percent of the incoming class of 2028, compared to 25 percent for the class ahead of them.

The trend has hit Black students particularly hard. Black enrollment fell 10 percentage points at MIT, 8 points at Amherst, 3 points at Tufts and nearly 1 point at the University of Virginia (UVA).

I would say that the Black population of these various admission classes were most impacted in part because of the history around education in our country: Black people have been targeted as a group to be denied access to higher education, and were only a few generations removed from where that was the law of the land, Welbeck said.

I think it helps to explain why this would be a group that could be most impacted, because, again, youre removing these institutions ability to consider some of those factors when considering some of these applicants, he added.

Meanwhile, Yale University released data Wednesday painting a more complicated picture. While Yales share of white students increased and its Asian American population declined, its Black and Hispanic enrollment held steady.

Given that the Supreme Court made room for life experiences and hardships, there may have been more conversation around these types of things at Yale. And perhaps white students with challenges were more likely to get in. The dip in Asian students is interesting and concerning, but Im not sure how to explain it, said Marybeth Gasman, executive director for Rutgers Universitys Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

I think things will get more interesting in terms of being able to take a look at the trends across the country as more numbers come in, she added.

Asian American enrollment also fell slightly at UVA and Tufts, both of which also reported increases in Hispanic enrollment.

The Supreme Court struck down race as a factor in college admissions last summer, with the conservative-majority justices saying the practice did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Challengers said the admission policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discriminated against white and Asian American students.

The liberal justices condemned the ruling, with Sonia Sotomayor arguing it cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

Advocates say schools need to work harder to attract students and help counter false narratives about the numbers, particularly that minority representation has dropped because minority applicants are not up to snuff.

Stu Schmill, dean of admissions at MIT, said, Many people have told me over the years that MIT ought to care only about academic excellence, not diversity. But every student we admit, from any background, is already located at the far-right end of the distribution of academic excellence.

Schools have been looking at partnering with more outreach organizations and appealing to underprivileged areas in order to increase diversity.

I guess my biggest piece of advice is to reach out and network with other Native organizations to make sure that you can provide the services that will attract Native students and retain Native students, said Angelique Albert, CEO of Native Forward.

Albert said the institutions least impacted have previously shown to have been intentional about making students of all backgrounds feel included.

And then there are the institutions that have historically incorporated things that will help Native people be successful, such as having Native American administrators, Native American professors, and Native curriculum and cultural activities on campus, Native peer groups on campuses, and all of those things are going to lend to these institutions attracting Native students to their campuses, Albert added.

If the schools are not able to find solutions, some say there will be questions about the elite status the institutions have claimed.

What they could do is invest some of that money in pipeline programs to ensure that more Black students can get into some of these schools that are highly competitive by compensating for the socioeconomic inequities that are out there, Gasman said.

So rather than just throwing up their hands and saying, Well, we dont know what to do, I think that they should really think about all of the intellect that they have at their institutions, and think about what they can do with all that intellect to solve a problem, right? If you are a place like MIT and you cant solve this problem, Im not sure if your scientists, you know, are the best, right? Because you should be able to solve this problem, Gasman added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
LSU President William F. Tate IV, second from left, poses with LSU mascot Mike the Tiger in 2022 after receiving a donation from Shell for the university's Institute for Innovation in Energy.

Shell, one of the biggest oil companies in the world, gave $27.5 million to LSU in 2022 to fund the universitys Institute for Innovation in Energy. LSU President William F. Tate IV, second from left, poses with LSU mascot Mike the Tiger. A new paper calls for additional research into the influence of the fossil fuel industry on academia. (LSU photo)

For decades, oil and gas companies have donated tens to hundreds of millions of dollars to colleges and universities, sat on governing boards, sponsored scholarships and built pro-fossil fuel programming and curriculum  resulting in real or apparent conflicts of interest for universities and their researchers.

Fossil fuel companies have embedded themselves in universities across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and beyond, according to the research paper published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal WIREs Climate Change. Archival documents show that the fossil fuel industry deliberately uses university partnerships to further its own interests.

The new review by researchers from the United States, Canada and Ireland finds just a handful of studies that document the influence of the powerful industry on academia  a dynamic they believe requires much closer scrutiny.

The findings come at a time when experts and governments across the globe agree that sharply reducing the use of fossil fuels and increasing reliance on renewable energy are crucial to stalling or reversing climate change.

For decades, medical professionals have recognized conflicts of interest due to ties with tobacco and pharmaceutical industries. Theyve measured the effects of those conflicts, and then theyve taken steps to mitigate them, University of Miami researcher Geoffrey Supran told Floodlight. And nothing close to that level of concern or scrutiny or reform has been applied by climate and energy experts to fossil fuel industry funding.

To the contrary, for the most part, university leaders have done nothing except encourage oil industry funding, along with funding from anywhere else they can get it.

The researchers cite BPs sponsorship of Princeton Universitys Climate Mitigation Initiative and Shells funding of the Shell Enhanced Learning Fund at University of Alberta in Canada as examples of the various and ongoing ways fossil fuel companies strategically invest in higher education.

Their study of existing research on the subject found the fossil fuel industry receives substantial material and reputational benefits from its financial support of higher education.

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The researchers sifted through 14,000 academic papers measuring outside influence and potential conflicts of interest in academic institutions. The authors found just seven studies that specifically scrutinized the influence of the fossil fuel industry.

Such influence at universities has gone on for decades, the researchers note. They pointed to a 1978 manual for industries that advised co-opting academics and identifying the leading experts in each relevant field and hiring them as consultants or advisors, or giving them research grants and the like  it must not be too blatant, for the experts themselves must not recognize that they have lost their objectivity.

There are dozens of programs and even entire schools across the country funded by the fossil fuel industry. They include LSU, which has a simulated oil well on its Baton Rouge campus; its Institute for Innovation in Energy is sponsored by Shell. Some universities built on shale oil and gas reserves even lease their land to fracking companies.

This is LSUs Petroleum Engineering Research & Technology Transfer, or PERTT, Laboratory, an industrial-scale facility for training and research on borehole technology. According to LSU, it is the only university in North America where future petroleum engineers can get hands-on training in well control. (LSU photo)

More studies needed, researchers say

Prior research has shown that such industry-sponsored programming leads to biased research in favor of those industries. Fossil fuel influence, they wrote, threatens to distort climate knowledge and action and undermine universities role as objective and unbiased when it comes to research.

There is already an emerging consensus around the scale and significance of this problem, Supran said. It felt as though it was important to step back and take a 30,000-foot view of this phenomenon and start by asking, What do we already know? 

The authors determined that non-governmental organizations, students and faculty have been raising the alarm on fossil fuel industry ties to academia for at least 20 years but that the research on the impact of those ties is lacking. The researchers call for additional research into fossil fueluniversity partnerships in other countries, such as ExxonMobils partnerships with universities in China, Qatar and the Netherlands.

Thursdays study is the first of several the researchers intend to publish on fossil fuel influence and potential conflicts of interest at universities. The lead author was Sofia Hiltner, a PhD candidate in sociology at the University of Michigan and a former research analyst at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Investigation probes fossil fuel influence

In May, Supran testified at a congressional hearing exploring the Denial, disinformation and doublespeak of the oil and gas industry to avoid climate change accountability.

A joint investigation by the U.S. House and Senate uncovered a strategy presentation from 2018 in which oil and gas giant BP recommended spending $1.1 million in the first year to fund white papers at institutions such as Princeton University and the Imperial College in London highlighting the role of gas as a friend to renewables.

The committees report said the memo was one of many pieces of evidence theyd seen that oil and gas companies actively establish funded partnerships with academic institutions to enhance their credibility, shape academic research programs to provide studies supportive of a prolonged life for oil and gas, leverage the resulting research to their advantage, and bolster access to policymakers.

In recent years, environmentalists and students have pressured universities to halt investing in fossil fuel interests and businesses responsible for climate change. Harvard University announced in 2021 it would pull its $42 billion endowment from the fossil fuel industry. In late 2023, Canadas McGill University announced it would divest from direct holdings in 200 fossil fuel companies.

Geoffrey Supran, an associate professor at the University of Miami, tells members of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee at a May 1, 2024, hearing that his research has found widespread infiltration of fossil fuel interests into higher education. (U.S. Senate Budget Committee)

There has been less scrutiny on the money flowing the other direction, from the fossil fuel industry to universities, the studys authors argue. The universities themselves often lack transparency when it comes to showing their funding ties, the study found, making it difficult to determine the true scope of financial spending by the fossil fuel industry.

We call on universities around the world to disclose their financial and contractual ties with fossil fuel companies, the authors wrote. We find that universities are an established yet under-researched vehicle of climate obstruction by the fossil fuel industry, complementary to its documented history of climate denial, delay, and lobbying.  Universities lack of transparency about their partnerships with this industry poses a challenge to empirical research.

Backlash grows to oil and gas funding

In 2019, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had to change plans to name an auditorium after the oil company Shell following student and faculty pushback. And in 2022, Cambridge University removed oil and gas giant BPs name from a building.

Supran, who studies climate disinformation and propaganda by fossil fuel interests, said without more research and transparency, its impossible to determine how much the industry spends on higher education: The best numerical estimates are sort of significant underestimates.

More than 500 academics have joined the call for universities to stop accepting money for research from the fossil fuel industry.

Our concern is not with the integrity of individual academics, the 2022 letter to U.S. and British universities read. Rather, it is with the systemic issue posed by the context in which academics must work, one where fossil fuel industry funding can taint critical climate-related research.

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Floodlight is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powerful interests stalling climate action.
As students return to university campuses for the new semester, administrators feel great trepidation about what might happen. After the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and the Israeli invasion of Gaza, there have been increasing tensions  and protests  on university campuses worldwide.

Last spring, the end of classes saw encampments by pro-Palestinian students at schools across the country, some of which led to violence, and commencements disrupted or even canceled. What should schools be doing as the new academic year begins?

It is essential to recognize that the deep division over the Middle East continues. Many have likened the protests last spring to the anti-Vietnam War protests of the late 60s and early 70s. But this comparison ignores a basic difference: Students then were largely united. Now, students are sharply  and seemingly intractably  divided.

For many, the issue is very personal and related to their religion and identity (many students also have family members in Gaza and Israel who have been impacted or killed).

Another difference between protests now and protests decades ago is that everything plays out over social media  everything is there for everyone to instantaneously witness.

Opinion

Campus officials must learn from the experiences of last year and adopt clear free speech policies at the beginning of the year. For example, University of California President Michael Drake announced in August that no camping or encampments would be allowed on UC campuses, that no one can block access to any campus facilities and that masks cannot be worn to conceal identities.

But campuses must make it clear that all ideas and views can be expressed. At times, this may mean that there can be expression of views that we dislike or even find offensive. But college campuses fail if they see their role as protecting students from speech that makes them uncomfortable.

Free speech, though, is not absolute.

There is no First Amendment right, for example, to incite illegal activity, make threats or engage in harassment. In fact, the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education has been clear that even speech that is protected by the First Amendment may nevertheless require action by the university if such speech creates a hostile environment.

Also, although there is a First Amendment right to speak and protest, this is subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. Campuses must make clear that the disruption of classes, meetings, ceremonies and events will not be tolerated. The First Amendment does not protect speech to silence others or to disrupt.

Although having clear free speech policies on campuses is essential, it is not enough. Campuses must take seriously their educational mission. This includes a responsibility for clearly stating the values of the institution, including with regard to speech.

In a message to students at the beginning of our semester, I reminded them that I hope that as we choose what to say, we always will be sensitive to the feelings and sensibilities of others. It is inevitable that sometimes there will be disagreements among us, even intense ones, but I hope we always will treat one another with tolerance, respect and kindness.

Campus officials and faculty must themselves model the discourse we want to teach our students to emulate.

At the same time, educational institutions must educate. They should have programs on the Middle East and on the coming election that provide myriad viewpoints and examples of how people of different perspectives can engage in civil discourse. Schools must have programs that teach students how to talk across differences.

None of this will be easy and there are no guarantees of success. But doing nothing is not the answer  it almost surely will make things worse.

Erwin Chemerinsky is dean and professor of law at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Event to announce the approval of a law called "No mas Ole" (No more Ole), that prohibits bullfighting, in Bogota

BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia's attorney general on Thursday said in a statement that it has opened an investigation into the alleged purchase and illegal use of Pegasus spy software.

The decision comes after a televised broadcast from President Gustavo Petro, who said a unit in the country's national police bought the software off the books using $11 million in cash.

Spyware technology, including Pegasus, has been repeatedly found to have been used to hack into the phones of civil society, political opposition and journalists in the last decade.

Pegasus spyware in particular - built by Israeli firm NSO - was found on the phones of various people globally, including human rights defenders.

"The investigation seeks to establish, among other aspects, whether the negotiation between (police unit) DIPOL and NSO was finalized and, if the purchase was made, where did the money come from and what the transfer of cash Colombia to Israel involved," the statement said.

(Reporting by Oliver Griffin and Luis Jaime Acosta)
A view of the United taxiway at Denver International Airport. (Courtesy of Denver International Airport)

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded nearly $100 million to fund infrastructure improvement projects at eight Colorado airports.

Announced Thursday by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, the funding was made available through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Airport Improvement Program, and supplemental grant funding.

Colorados regional and municipal airports help connect communities across our state and support local economic development, Bennet said in a statement. These dollars will help them invest in safety and capacity upgrades to meet Colorados changing needs.

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The Grand Junction Regional Airport will receive just under $34.8 million to slightly shift a paved runway to bring it into compliance with current standards.

The Colorado Springs Municipal Airport will receive $14.4 million to reconstruct 3,700 feet of taxiway pavement that has reached the end of its usual life.

The Durango-La Plata County Airport will receive just under $13 million to expand its existing terminal by nearly 20,000 square feet. The project will include new gates, passenger hold rooms, TSA passenger screening and baggage claim areas.

The Yampa Valley Airport in Hayden will receive about $11 million to restore 10,000 feet of an existing taxiway to maintain the pavements structural integrity, and to reconstruct the existing lighting on the taxiway.

Denver International Airport will receive about $6.2 million to fund drainage improvements and wildlife hazard mitigation on a runway to prevent accumulation of precipitation on the airfield. The airport will also receive just under $3.8 million to install low-emission equipment, including 15 electric vehicle charging stations.

This is part of DENs larger effort to promote strategic electrification across the campus  supporting our business partners in transitioning airport activities from fossil fuel-based energy to clean electricity, which both reduces emissions today and in the future as the electric grid decarbonizes, an airport spokesperson said in a statement.

The Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield will receive $5.5 million to construct a new taxiway and to reconstruct parts of an existing taxiway pavement. The airport will also receive $1.4 million to conduct a noise compatibility plan study.

The Centennial Airport in Englewood will receive $4.9 million to reconstruct parts of two existing taxiway pavements. The airport will also receive $92,465 to install zero emissions equipment, including a vehicle and a recharger.

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport will receive just over $2.5 million to reconstruct parts of an existing paved taxiway pavement.

Colorados airports connect rural communities and power local economies, Hickenlooper said in a statement. Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is still delivering improvements to make air travel safe and accessible for all Coloradans.

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Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaks during an interview in Kigali, Rwanda, July 3, 2023. (Rwandan Office of the President/Handout via Xinhua)

KIGALI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China has proven to be a reliable friend and partner, supporting Africa's development without imposing its will, said Rwandan President Paul Kagame ahead of his attendance of the ongoing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing.

He made the remarks in a recent written interview with Xinhua. The following is the written interview.

Question: Over the past 20 years and more, under your leadership, Rwanda's GDP has grown at an average rate of nearly 8 percent, becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa and even globally. What has enabled Rwanda to achieve such remarkable economic growth?

Answer: Rwanda's economic growth over the past two decades is the result of a combination of factors, including leadership, a strong commitment to good governance, and a focus on inclusive development. We have prioritized creating a stable and secure environment, investing in human capital, and fostering a business-friendly climate.

Additionally, our emphasis on homegrown solutions, such as promoting unity and reconciliation, has allowed us to build a strong social fabric that supports sustainable development.

Question: Both Rwanda and China have achieved miraculous development under extremely challenging circumstances. What similarities do you see between the two countries in terms of national governance? Which places in China have you visited, and what are your deepest impressions of China's modernization?

Answer: Rwanda and China share a history of overcoming immense challenges to achieve significant progress. Both countries have shown resilience, determination, and a commitment to self-reliance.

In terms of governance, we both prioritize long-term planning, social stability, and the well-being of our citizens.

We have visited several places in China: Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing, among others, and what impresses me most is the scale of development and modernization, particularly in infrastructure and technology, which serves as an inspiration for Rwanda's own development journey.

Question: How do you evaluate the achievements in the development of bilateral relations over the past 50 years? Especially in areas including poverty reduction, economy and trade, agriculture, green development, and digitalization, what results have been achieved?

Answer: We have deepened our cooperation with China across various fields, including trade, agriculture, green development, and digitalization. China has become one of Rwanda's largest trading partners, and our collaboration has led to tangible results, especially in poverty reduction and infrastructure development.

Question: In recent years, the two countries have carried out fruitful cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. How do you evaluate the role of this cooperation in promoting sustainable development and improving livelihoods in both countries? In your opinion, in which areas can the two countries further explore the potential for cooperation in the future?

Answer: The Belt and Road Initiative has played a crucial role in enhancing Rwanda's infrastructure and promoting sustainable development. Projects like roads in different corners of our country and in the city of Kigali, IPRC North in Musanze, and the Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant have had a direct impact on improving livelihoods and supporting economic growth.

Looking forward, we see potential for further cooperation in areas such as digital economy, renewable energy, and agricultural modernization.

Question: Rwanda is known as the "Land of a Thousand Hills" with beautiful scenery and rich tourism resources. However, the number of tourists from China is still relatively low. You have mentioned on various occasions that Chinese are welcome to work, live, and travel in Rwanda. How do you think the governments and media of the two countries can better promote Rwanda?

Answer: Rwanda has much to offer in terms of tourism, and we are keen to welcome more Chinese tourists. To enhance mutual understanding and awareness, both governments and media can play a pivotal role. We should promote cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and tourism initiatives. By highlighting the beauty of Rwanda and the hospitality of its people, we can attract more visitors from China, thereby strengthening our bilateral cultural ties.

Question: You have visited China multiple times and attended the 2006 and 2018 Beijing summits of the FOCAC in your capacity as president of Rwanda. In 2018, you mentioned at the forum that "The expanded cooperation framework presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping fully reflects our common understanding of the future of our community." Six years have passed; has the envisioned cooperation met your expectations?

Answer: The FOCAC has been a key platform for deepening the partnership between China and Africa. The expanded cooperation framework presented by President Xi in 2018 has indeed met our expectations, particularly in areas like infrastructure development and digital connectivity.

Chinese tourists and entrepreneurs can now travel to Rwanda and receive visas upon arrival. As for this year's summit, we look forward to further strengthening our cooperation, especially in new and emerging fields, ensuring that our partnership continues to benefit both China and Africa.

Question: Rwanda and China have both suffered significant disasters in history due to the interference of Western countries in our internal affairs. Even today, some Western countries still attempt to undermine China-Africa cooperation by fabricating false narratives such as "debt traps" and "new colonialism." What is your assessment of these claims? From your point of view, how should countries approach and cooperate with Africa?

Answer: The claims of "debt traps" and "new colonialism" are often unfounded and reflect a misunderstanding of the nature of China-Africa cooperation. Rwanda, like many other African countries, values its partnership with China, which is based on mutual respect and shared interests.

Rather than being dictated by external narratives, we believe in evaluating partnerships based on their actual outcomes. Our approach to cooperation is one that emphasizes sovereignty, self-reliance, and the pursuit of win-win outcomes.

Question: In March 2013, shortly after President Xi took office as Chinese president, he visited Africa and for the first time put forward to the world a policy of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith, and pursuing the greater good and shared interests. He vowed that China and Africa would always be reliable friends and sincere partners. How do you comment on China's concepts regarding developing relations with Africa?

Answer: China's approach to Africa, characterized by sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith, resonates strongly with Rwanda's values. Rwanda had the honor to host President Xi in 2018 when I was Chair of the African Union Commission. This commitment speaks to the vigor and reliability of our relations. China has proven to be a reliable friend and partner, supporting Africa's development without imposing its will. This model of cooperation is one that we deeply appreciate and seek to continue.

Question: Currently, the voices of the Global South are becoming louder and louder on the international stage. The Chinese side emphasizes that China has always been a member of the "Global South" and will always belong to developing countries. China's vote in the United Nations will always belong to developing countries. How do you think China and Africa should strengthen unity and cooperation on the multilateral stage in the future?

Answer: As the voices of the Global South grow stronger on the international stage, it is essential for China and Africa to continue to strengthen their unity and cooperation.

China's commitment to being a member of the Global South and aligning its interests with those of developing countries is commendable. Together, we can work to ensure that our collective voice is heard in multilateral forums, advocating for a more just and equitable global order.

Question: Have you been following "Chinese modernization"? Do you think China's development model can provide some inspiration for Rwanda? What are the challenges that Rwanda faces in localizing Chinese experiences?

Answer: The Chinese-style modernization is indeed something we observe with great interest. China's model of development, characterized by long-term planning, strong state involvement, and an emphasis on infrastructure and technology, offers inspiration for Rwanda. However, the challenge for Rwanda is to adapt these experiences to our unique context. Localization of Chinese experiences requires careful consideration of our cultural, social, and economic realities. Nonetheless, the principles of self-reliance, innovation, and strategic planning that underpin China's success are universally applicable and can guide Rwanda's development trajectory.

Question: This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi. Looking back on this tragic event, do you think the different ethnic groups within Rwanda have achieved reconciliation today? In the future, what measures will your government take to further heal ethnic conflicts, ensure national stability, and promote ethnic unity?

Answer: The 30th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is a solemn reminder of the darkest chapter in our history. My feelings are those of deep sorrow for the lives lost, but also immense pride in the resilience of the Rwandan people who have chosen the path of reconciliation and unity.

Today, Rwanda has made significant progress in healing ethnic divisions through inclusive policies, justice, and promoting national identity over ethnic identity.

Moving forward, we will continue to focus on building a cohesive society where all Rwandans feel valued and secure, ensuring that our nation remains stable and united.

Question: What is your vision for the development of Rwanda in the next ten years? On the global and African stage, what role do you hope Rwanda will play?

Answer: In the next ten years, I envision Rwanda becoming a middle-income country, with a diversified economy driven by innovation, technology, and high-value sectors.

On the global and African stage, Rwanda aspires to be a leader in peacekeeping, environmental sustainability, and regional integration. Rwanda will continue to play a constructive role in African development, contributing to the continent's progress and standing as a strong advocate for African interests in international forums. 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame gives a speech in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 11, 2024. (Rwandan Office of the President/Handout via Xinhua)
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  The Evansville African American Museum announced they will be hosting the Colour of Humanity Gala.

Officials with the museum say this years theme is: Black Heritage in Horseracing. The gala will feature guest speaker Brigette Jones. Shes the former Director of African American Studies at Bellemeade Horse Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee.

A news release says there will be a buffet, cash bar, silent auction, half pot drawing and more

Tickets to the gala are $125 per person. The event will be held on October 12 at the Ballys Riverfront Event Center from 6 to 10 p.m.

Tickets are available here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Since its inception in 2000, Trees Columbus goal has been to protect and restore Columbus tree canopy, which has declined over time. But with little resources and funding, the nonprofit hasnt been able to make the desired sizable shifts in the urban forest.

That is set to change  the organization received a $900,000 grant earlier this year that will allow Trees Columbus to plant 500 trees between now and 2028 in overburdened and under-served parks that havent experienced tree restoration and proper tree planting in over 60 years.

Weve done small plantings here and there and mainly volunteer-based, but weve never been able to do anything like this before, Dorothy McDaniel, the executive director of Trees Columbus, said.

The grant was awarded in January and was the second-largest Trees Across Georgia grant from the Georgia Forestry Commission. The grant is funneled down from the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided $1.5 billion for state and private forestry conservation programs. In Georgia, $9.75 million was allocated.

Other cities outside of Atlanta, which won the majority, include Macon which won $254,000 and Athens at $600,000.

The money must be used to support environmental justice and disadvantaged communities experiencing low tree canopy as part of the Justice40 initiative, which requires 40% of federal climate investments to flow to communities that havent seen enough investment to fight an overburden of pollution.

Rules around the money dictate that a census tract is disadvantaged if it meets one of eight thresholds from the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. Those eight thresholds include: health, energy, housing, legacy pollution, climate change, transportation, workforce development, and water/wastewater. These are measured through various data organizations like American Community Surveys, National Risk Index, PLACES Data and several others.

Where in Columbus can these trees be planted?

There are a handful of areas in Columbus that meet the thresholds.

Carver Park in East Columbus is part of a census tract that has health issues including diabetes and is considered low-income, according to the screening tool.

Shirley Winston Park is within a census tract that is considered disadvantaged as it has transportation and health burdens per the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool meeting the tree planting eligibility.

Shirley Winston Park has health and transportation barriers, and Lakebottom Park has health and legacy pollution thresholds. Theo McGee Park, off Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, meets five of the eight thresholds including energy, health, housing, legacy pollution and workforce development.

Trees Columbus didnt waste any time planning or planting trees, working in partnership with Columbus Consolidated Government Parks and Recreation and Arborist George Barker.

The group was the first recipient in Georgia to start planting, according to McDaniel.

The group had already planted 175 trees in Carver Park and Lakebottom Park this year. They started with 25 trees in February at Lake Bottom. That included five pine trees, three sycamore trees and 17 oak trees.

The nonprofit collected tree inventory data in 2020 and took surveys about park preferences in 2021.

The need to replace aging Columbus trees

The 64-acre community park in Eastern Columbus at the border of Fort Moore, Carver Park, is covered in what Barker called mature loblolly pine trees. All are at least 75 years old or older, which is a problem because there is a lack of diversity in species and they are due for removal as the near retirement.

The entrance to Carver Park. The Park will change names to be named after former Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner Pugh later this year. August 2024

Between 15-20% of the trees at Carver need to be removed, he said. This park is a gem, but he added, it needs maintenance and a more diverse tree population, citing potential for a southern pine beetle outbreak.

McDaniel said tree removal is something the city has to do. Trees Columbus only plants trees.

Alabama is having the worst southern pine beetle outbreak in the last 25 years, he said. Thats why we have to plant these young to have something in place of these mature trees.

McDaniel and Barker planted 75 native trees in the park earlier this year: 27 sycamore, 27 redbud and 10 oak trees.

The nascent trees line the pathway in the park beside the mature pine trees. In 15 years they will have a large canopy providing shade for park-goers, according to Barker.

Trees Columbus lined the pathway at Carver Park with signs to keep disturbanes away while the area undergoes restoration. August 2024.

Shade is increasingly vital as climate change brings more extreme heat days. Tree shade can reduce surface temperatures by up to 34 degrees, according to studies.

Next to the sycamores, Trees Columbus had a small Bobcat tractor churning and tilling an area of dirt that was like concrete, Barker said, to create a new tree bed for oak trees. They added a black biochar, which acts like a speedy compost or fertilizer.

Planting them in a tree bed will be sort of self-maintenance, Barker said. By grouping trees together like how they grow in a forest, you dont need to mow as much and they can self-prune.

Arborist George Barker talks about the need to prioritize trees growing in communities and soil health at Carver Park in August 2024.

The group will plant the oak trees in the newly tilled beds later in the fall. Carver Park is also set to have a name change after former Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner Pugh.

Holli Browder, director of Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, said the park will also receive a splash pad and have new bathrooms and a new playground. Browder could not confirm when these changes will happen but that they are part of the fiscal year 2025/2026 SPLOST dollars. The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is a 1% sales tax for Muscogee County that funds capital projects

We are thrilled to be partnering with Trees Columbus and appreciate all their help in restoring our tree canopy, Browder said.  We value their expertise and dedication to enhancing our parks for the benefit of our community and future generations.

Rehabilitating soil at Shirley Winston Park

Conveying the need for healthy soil as a foundation for a healthy canopy has been a challenge for Trees Columbus.

Its very difficult to explain to people what this process was all about and the benefits, Barker said. Its about rehabilitating the soil.

Every time it rains the soil runs off and goes into drains. After tilling the soil and building it up, there will be less runoff, Barker explained.

So much of our soil has been last because of storm water, he said.

This is especially evident at Shirley Winston Park where Barker and another arborist were tilling parts of the park to eventually plant tulip poplars, and emerald ash, so it will absorb more water.

Shirley Winston has a drainage system that needs trees like ash to support water, he said. Were hoping to reduce the amount of water that runs into the drainage through the trees and clean the water while it goes.

Trees Columbus will plant 25 trees to grow in community and share root space together. There will also be a row of black gum trees lining the median.

The canopy needs to be reestablished at Shirley Winston because the soil is not conducive for growth, Barker said.

McDaniel has yearned for Columbus park tree restoration projects for years, but the funding hasnt been there.

This federal grant is the reason were able to do this, and our hope is to continue to do this work in parks that arent eligible like Flat Rock Park and Cooper Creek Park.

To keep the tree planting momentum, McDaniel and Barker are seeking private funding with hopes to match the 500 trees and plant 1,000 trees throughout more of the 51 Columbus parks.
Kamala Harris drew a crowd in Oakland topping 20,000 when she launched her first presidential bid, but some in the city saw her as something of an interloper. She's getting a friendlier reception this time around. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The first time she ran for president, Kamala Harris launched her candidacy with a splashy rally that filled downtown Oakland with more than 20,000 cheering supporters.

It was a wholehearted embrace of her birthplace and a nod to the city's aspirational history.

But the feeling wasn't necessarily mutual. For some  mindful that Harris decamped and made her name across the bay in San Francisco  the imagery rang hollow. It was like a seldom-seen relative showing up at a wedding to give an elaborate toast, then horning her way into the photos.

It was a political move, Oakland resident David Omosheyin scoffed as he crossed the nearly empty City Hall plaza a month after Harris' big 2019 bash.

As she tries one more time for the White House  running at a sprinter's pace  Harris is again embracing Oakland as an integral part of her identity. The soul. The grit. The rainbow vibrancy.

This time, though, local sentiments are different.

If the vice president and Democrats' new standard-bearer wants to wrap herself in the aura and energy of Oakland, many in this proud, struggling city are happy to accept the accolade.

It's good to see a candidate we can identify with, said Deb Tisdale, 71, who has a part-time administrative job at City Hall and lives where the Oakland Hills meet the Flatlands, a defining social and geographic divide that Harris notably mentioned in her convention speech. "It's good to see her put Oakland in the spotlight."

"Local kid does good," said Fred Haliburton, 57, who works in the city's finance department and lives in East Oakland.

Read more: Column: Kamala Harris puts California at the center of politics. Will that help or hurt her?

Harris' relationship with the city is complicated  or, at least, requires some explanation.

Although she was born in Oakland, Harris grew up mostly in neighboring Berkeley. (There were also stops in Evanston, Ill., and Madison, Wis.) She moved to Canada at age 12, where she went to high school. After graduating from Washington's Howard University, she attended law school in the Bay Area. In 1990, Harris began her professional career in Oakland as a local prosecutor.

Ten years later, she crossed the bay to work in the San Francisco city attorney's office. In 2003, Harris was elected San Francisco's district attorney, starting a political career that took her to Sacramento as state attorney general and, from there, the United States Senate.

Today, when Harris is not living in the vice presidential mansion in Washington, she resides in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

That frequent change of address makes Harris not unlike a number of migratory Californians. But it does make her Oakland connection somewhat fleeting.

"I think of her as 'Bay Area,' " said Kelly Pschirrer, 52, a resident of the Oakland Hills, citing the political and cultural commonalities that blur the lines between the closely spaced cities of Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco. "We're all connected here."

From a political standpoint, Harris' choice to affiliate herself with Oakland is not difficult to understand. The city is not as snooty and pretentious as San Francisco. (Which fancies itself The City  capital "'T," capital "C.") Nor does Oakland have the crazy-lefty, hippy-dippy reputation of Berkeley. ("Berzerkeley," as some have it.)

Rather, the city has long been a scrappy municipal underdog  an image Harris, who's made the word "fight" a key part of her campaign  is eager to project.

Of course, not everyone here is enamored with the "daughter of Oakland, California," as Harris now styles herself.

Bella Ramir, 37, who lives in the hills and works in criminal justice mediation, is no fan of Donald Trump. "But at least you know what you're going to get with him," said Ramir, who plans to vote for the GOP nominee over Harris. "I know the answer hes going to give me is real. With Kamala, I feel like I have to guess what her true intentions are."

Aether Cavendish, an artist who lives on the waterfront in Oakland's bustling Jack London Square, questioned whether the vice president's celebration of the city was more calculated than sincere.

"Everything now is buzzwords and sound bites and memes," said Cavendish, pausing outside the Alameda County Court House, where Harris once prosecuted sex crimes. "If I were in her shoes"  as a history-making Black and Asian American woman  "and I wanted to play the card of inclusivity, I would say to people, 'I'm from Oakland. It's a cool place. Look how far we've come.' "

(Having no faith whatsoever in the political system, the 53-year-old Cavendish has no intention of voting in November.)

Read more: Trump calls Harris a Marxist, a communist, even a fascist. Why his wild punches don't land

On a recent sunny morning, the plaza outside City Hall was slowly stirring to life.

A spirited game of dominoes was underway at a card table on the sidewalk, as pumping hip-hop poured from a set of speakers. Past a row of boarded-up storefronts, a work crew arrived and began setting up canopies and chairs on the wide front lawn. Purple and white balloons lent a festive air; the gathering spot was intended to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.

It was a reminder of the buoyant spirit and deep-seated troubles that make Oakland such an inviting and vexing place.

"It would be better if the city was in a better position," Haliburton said of its moment of national notice.

Stepping outside his office, Haliburton pointed to where his new car was recently stolen in broad daylight. "As everybody knows, right now the crime rate is not great," he said. "Our mayor is facing a recall. Theres a lot of things wrong in Oakland.

Haliburton realizes that, as president, Harris would have a whole country to worry about. Still, he said, perhaps the city could benefit.

"Maybe," Haliburton said, "just maybe, in some kind of way thatll trickle down, shell say, 'Oakland really needs some help. And something positive will happen.

Pschirrer, on a break from her post in the public works department, said, at the least, Harris topping the Democrats' ticket means the city could become known for something other than the maladies  murders, shootings, alleged civic corruption  that produce one depressing headline after another.

"We have a lot of great heart in this city and a lot of things to offer that you don't hear about on the news," Pschirrer said. She lifted her hands and crossed her fingers. "If," she began. "No, when, [Harris] becomes president, maybe we can turn around some of the imagery people have in their heads and turn it into something positive."

For many here, eager for improvement, voting for Harris is not just a matter of civic pride but an act of hope and faith.

It turns out you can go home again.

Get the latest from Mark Z. Barabak

Focusing on politics out West, from the Golden Gate to the U.S. Capitol.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former President Trump speaks during his debate with President Biden in June in Atlanta. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

Kamala Harris. Donald Trump. Gish Gallop.

All three are expected at Tuesday's presidential debate, even if most of America is unfamiliar with one name in that lineup.

GG, as I've come to call it, is a shell game/debate tactic that takes its name from Duane Gish, a prominent figure in the creationist movement who deployed dubious arguments, selective factoids and rapid-fire lies to overwhelm his opponents in public discussions about the theory of evolution.

The disinformation technique, dubbed the Gish Gallop in 1994 by the National Center for Science Educations founding director, Eugenie Scott, is essentially the art of burying ones opponent in falsehoods, outlandish rhetoric and red herrings, making it nearly impossible for them to cut through the subterfuge and correct the lies within the timed confines of a debate.

Making the GG method work in ones favor requires criminal levels of confidence and showmanship. I'm not suggesting that former President Trump studied the late creationist's playbook, if there is such a thing. That would require reading. But there is a set of instructional videotapes.

Read more: Column: Debate aside, every day is an open mic day for Trump

On those recordings, Gish advises potential debaters to avoid talking about too many subjects on the public stage, steer clear of arguments that are too technical, and stick with a few simple arguments, like insisting that fossils are not proof of human evolution but in fact fakes and hoaxes. Does this witch hunt sound familiar?

If the secret to Trump's upward fail is available for purchase, why aren't more morally flexible politicians cashing in on the technique?

"Theres a lot of mini-Trumps  Marjorie Taylor Green, Kari Lake. JD Vance wishes he was one, but he has a personality of a potato," says renowned debater and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan, founder of the media organization Zeteo and author of "Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading and Public Speaking."

"The issue is that Trump, love him or hate him, clearly has something bigger to his personality. Shameless and bizarre, but it's there. The only thing he's ever done well in life was reality TV, not business or property development. He brought that flair and unfortunate evil talent to the presidential stage of 2016 and he's rode it ever since," says Hasan.

The Gish Gallop will certainly play a major role Tuesday when ABC News hosts the Harris-Trump debate live from Philadelphia. Need proof that I'm not trying to sell you fabricated fossils? Just last month, the Republican candidate spewed a minimum of 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in an hourlong news conference, according to a team of NPR fact-checkers and journalists.

Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at their second presidential debate in 2016. (Saul Loeb / Associated Press)

Read more: Column: At DNC, Harris turns otherness into her superpower

Vice President Harris is better-equipped than most when it comes to pinning down an obfuscating opponent. She began her career in Alameda County prosecuting cases involving child sexual assault, homicides and robberies. She later became the managing attorney of the Career Criminal Unit in the San Francisco district attorney's office, where she oversaw the prosecution of repeat offenders.

"In her DNC speech she did prosecute the case against Trump, and if she sticks with that [tactic] on the debate stage, he's going to be in trouble," Hasan says of her address last month at the Democratic National Convention. "She's pointed out that he effectively has been found liable for rape. If she says that on the debate stage, he's going to lose his mind."

Despite eight years and two election cycles when Trump, knowingly or not, applied the Gish Gallop strategy during his fight for the presidency, American debates still operate around the assumption that each participant will argue in good faith. Trump's rivals Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton and President Biden are among the unfortunate who showed up to their sword fights with a sword (some sharper than others) only to find Trump armed with a the verbal equivalent of a leaf blower and chainsaw.

He consistently laid waste to debate protocol, knocking moderators and rivals off balance, leaving the audience less informed than they were before the debate started. Moderators have been essentially kneecapped during this round of debates because they've agreed that there will be no fact-checking of the candidates' claims in real time. Biden's last disastrous debate with Trump is one such example.

"The moderator has to just nod along," says Hasan. "If you watch the first debate in June, there's a moment where [Trump] says that Democrats kill babies after they're born. And [moderator] Jake Tapper just says, 'Thank you, Mr. President.' No pushback. Debate rules don't allow for that."

It's a scenario made for the Gish Gallop.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.

In H.G. Wells 1897 science fiction novel, The Invisible Man, the protagonist invents a serum that makes the cells in his body transparent by controlling how they bend light.

More than 100 years later, scientists have discovered a real-life version of the substance: A commonly used food coloring found in snack foods and candies such as tortilla chips and candy corn can make the skin of a mouse temporarily transparent, allowing scientists to see its organs function, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Science.

The breakthrough could revolutionize biomedical research and, should it be successfully tested in humans, have wide-ranging applications in medicine and health care, such as making veins more visible to draw blood.

Researchers made the skin on the skulls and bellies of live mice transparent by applying a mixture of water and a yellow food coloring called tartrazine. Washing away any remaining solution reversed the process, which did not harm the animals. The mices fur was removed before the application of the solution.

For those who understand the fundamental physics behind this, it makes sense; but if you arent familiar with it, it looks like a magic trick, said the studys first author, Zihao Ou, assistant professor of physics at the University of Texas at Dallas, in a statement.

Time-lapse images of blood vessels in the brain just beneath the skull of a sedated mouse are revealed by dyeing the tissues with FD&C Yellow No. 5, a food coloring also known as tartrazine. The process doesn't involve any surgery, incisions or damaging of the mouses bone or skin. - US NSF

Light-absorbing dye molecules

The magic uses insights from the field of optics. Light-absorbing dye molecules enhance the transmission of light through the skin by suppressing the tissues ability to scatter light.

The dye, when mixed with water, modifies the refractive index  a measure of the way a substance bends light  of the aqueous part of the tissue to better match the index of proteins and fats in the tissue. The process is akin to a dissipating cloud of fog.

We combined the yellow dye, which is a molecule that absorbs most light, especially blue and ultraviolet light, with skin, which is a scattering medium, said Ou, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University in California.

Individually, these two things block most light from getting through them, he said. But when we put them together, we were able to achieve transparency of the mouse skin.

Once the dye had completely diffused into the skin, the skin became transparent.

It takes a few minutes for the transparency to appear, Ou said. Its similar to the way a facial cream or mask works: The time needed depends on how fast the molecules diffuse into the skin.

The team experimented with chicken breasts before conducting work on live animals.

In mice, the researchers were able to observe blood vessels directly in the surface of the brain through the transparent skin of the skull. The mices internal organs were visible in the abdomen as well as the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.

Photos illustrate the difference in the transparency of chicken breast tissue after soaking in tartrazine solutions with an increasing concentration. - Guosong Hong/Stanford University

The transparent areas take on an orangish color, Ou said, similar to that of the food dye.

The dye used in the solution is commonly known as FD&C Yellow No. 5, certified for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. The synthetic dye is frequently used in orange- or yellow-colored snack chips, candy coating, ice cream and baked goods. However, a 2021 study by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment linked the coloring with behavioral difficulties and decreased attention among children. A state bill, if signed into law, would ban the use of the food coloring in food served in public schools in California.

Ou said it was important that the dye is biocompatible  safe for living organisms. In addition, its very inexpensive and efficient; we dont need very much of it to work, he said.

Possible biomedical applications for humans

The researchers have not tested the process on humans, and its not clear what dosage of dye or delivery method would be necessary. Human skin is about 10 times thicker than that of a mouse, according to the researchers.

Looking forward, this technology could make veins more visible, easing  the procedure of drawing blood or administering fluids via a needle  especially for elderly patients with veins that are difficult to locate, said senior author Guosong Hong, a Stanford assistant professor of materials science, via email.

Moreover, this innovation could assist in the early detection of skin cancer, improve light penetration for deep tissue treatments like photodynamic and photothermal therapies, and make laser-based tattoo removal more straightforward.

Before and after images show how dye allows researchers to see organs of a mouse by making its skin temporarily transparent. - Stanford University

Christopher Rowlands, a senior lecturer in the department of bioengineering at Imperial College London, said he was kicking himself for not coming up with the same insight as the Stanford-led team, which is based on the widely studied and long-standing physics principle called Kramers-Kronig relations: When a material absorbs a lot of light at one color, it will bend light more at other colors.

Its blatantly obvious when someone points it out, but no one had thought of it for 100 and something years, said Rowlands, who wasnt involved in the study but coauthored a commentary published alongside the research.

Along with Jon Gorecki, an experimental optical physicist at the same institution who also wasnt involved in the study, Rowlands wrote that the approach offered a new way to visualize the structure and activity of deep tissues and organs in a living animal in a safe, temporary and noninvasive manner.

It just works. You rub it on a mouse, and you can see what it had for breakfast. Its that powerful, he added.

Rowlands and Gorecki said that existing methods to turn tissue transparent use solutions that have side effects such as dehydration and swelling and can alter the structure of the tissue. However, tartrazine was used at a low concentration, and its effects were easily undone, potentially facilitating prolonged study of biological processes in live animals, they wrote.

The FD&C Yellow No. 5 dye, a common food coloring, was used at a low concentration in the study, and its effects were easily undone, according to the researchers. - US NSF

The duo noted the discovery was an example of life imitating art, with the dye solution echoing the serum imagined in The Invisible Man.

The protagonist (in the story) invents a serum that renders the cells in his body transparent by precisely controlling their refractive index to match that of the surrounding medium, air, they wrote.

One hundred twenty-seven years later  biocompatible dyes make living tissues transparent by tuning the refractive index of the surrounding medium to match that of the cells.

However, Ou and Hong said a totally invisible mouse was a stretch: The current approach cannot render bone transparent.

So far, we only tested soft tissues, including brain, muscle, and skin. We havent done much investigation with hard tissues such as bone, so I am not sure if we would be able to make the mouse completely invisible, Ou said via email.

However, a partially transparent (mouse) will already enable numerous research opportunities to answer questions relating to development, regeneration, as well as aging.

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MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN)  The Community Foundation of Marquette County held its annual celebration the evening of September 4 at the Northern Center ballroom on the campus of Northern Michigan University.

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According to the foundations 2023 report, philanthropy is alive in Marquette County. Last year, the foundation supported the work of more than 120 non-profit organizations in the area thanks to the generous donations of its sponsors.

A buffet dinner and live music began the celebration. Speeches about the foundations recent and current work followed dinner, and the ceremony concluded with the foundations Catalyst Awards.

The Catalyst Awards is really an opportunity for us to celebrate individuals, organizations, a youth member. Sometimes we have a posthumous award as well that recognizes an individual who really contributed to Marquette County, said Zosia Eppensteiner, CEO of the Community Foundation of Marquette County.

Community Foundation of Marquette County thanks its donors, sponsors and local leaders for their continued investment in the community.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB)  Nautilus Solar Energy opened what they call a community solar farm Wednesday on Grand Island.

Experts indicate that this will offset nearly 6,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to removing 1,400 cars from the roads. Additionally, neighbors can access the energy at no cost.

One of our biggest challenges is that people think its too good to be true, said Eric LaMara, the executive director of community solar at Nautilus Solar Energy.

On Wednesday, Nautilus Solar announced its new community solar farm located off of Alvin Road on Grand Island.

Spanning nearly 40 acres and consisting of a total of 10,000 solar panels, it is set to supply over eight million kilowatt hours of affordable renewable energy to 850 local subscribers and one commercial business in the National Grid utility area.

You dont have to have money to put panels on your roof. You dont have to be able to get a loan, LaMara said. You can ultimately just sign up and youre able to participate in the energy transition here in New York.

WIVB News 4 spoke with a National Grid customer who enrolled in the community solar program. He reported that the sign up process was straightforward and free, requiring only a phone call to National Grid. He also mentioned that his monthly bill is expected to decrease by 10 percent.

I looked into getting solar on my roof and I would be unfortunately not alive by the time it was paid off, said Amherst resident Daniel Mink. Its not really very much, but I enjoy tapping into anything thats earth conscious.

The project aligns with New York States initiative, mandating that 70 percent of the states electricity be sourced from renewable resources by 2030, emphasizing support for low-income residents.

We dont have enough generating capacity to keep growing Western New York. Were not building any more coal burning factories, said New York State Senator Sean Ryan. So the way were going to produce the energy to meet our growing electric need is by places just like this.

In the long Western New York winter, will neighbors benefit from solar energy all year-round?

This is a tracker system. So what that means is it actually follows the path of the sun. So we get maximum energy production all day long, LaMara said. But in the winter, when theres a big snow snowstorm that hits, we have the ability to shake the snow off of the panels so that they can again be at peak production right away.

The project has successfully passed all initial tests and is currently awaiting approval from National Grid to connect to the main grid, which is anticipated to occur within the next two weeks.

For more information on the project and to sign up click here.

Latest Local News

Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Complaint leads to discovery of an illegal pet that grew way too big

Acting on a complaint, a police officer from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation went to a house to investigate someone who was believed to be in possession of wildlife as a pet.

Sure enough, when officer Jeff Hull responded to the house he discovered a 13-foot, 2-inch albino Burmese python caged in a tank no bigger than 5-feet long.

The subject admitted to ECO Hull that he was not prepared for how fast the animal would grow and that he recognized he could no longer care for it, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation wrote on Facebook.

On August 28th, 2024, Environment Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Jeff Hull responded to a complaint of a subject with... Posted by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation on Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Hull confiscated the python and issued the man tickets for possession of wildlife as a pet and for possessing dangerous wildlife without a permit.

Hull called the Woodhaven Wildlife Center, asking if it might have a large tote to transport the creature.

I said, Well come over and see if we have anything you can use, the Woodhaven Wildlife Center stated on Facebook. So this is what were greeted with!!!! Now I love snakes but I have never seen one this size. I was speechless, and we all know Im never that!

.

The next day, the python was transported to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo, which has a permit that allowed it to keep the snake and put it on display.

We lovingly named this beautiful lady Mango, the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo stated on Facebook. "Mango, an illegally owned pet, was surrendered to the DEC willingly. The owner was a little overwhelmed by how quickly she grew! We were surprised as well, but we are ready for the challenge of maintaining this awesome creature! Already plans are in the works to enlarge her habitat so that it will suit her growing needs.

Photos courtesy of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Woodhaven Wildlife Center.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Complaint leads to discovery of an illegal pet that grew way too big
Former President Donald Trump speaks at "Crime and Safety" press conference held in Howell. Aug. 20, 2024. Photo by Jon King.

Updated at 4:40 p.m. 9/5/24

The fallout continues from former President Trumps visit to Howell last month, as the number of formal complaints has quadrupled.

The Aug. 20 event at the Livingston County Sheriffs Office, billed as a press conference and discussion by Trump on crime and safety instead became by all appearances a campaign event, replete with pro-Trump banners, staged police vehicles, and a nearly hour-long speech by Trump mainly targeting his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

In the immediate aftermath, the Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) reported two complaints had been filed against both Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy, who agreed to and participated in the visit, as well as the sheriffs office itself. Both complaints alleged the event violated Michigan Campaign Finance law by utilizing taxpayer resources for a partisan political purpose.

Michigan Secretary of State spokesperson Angela Benander told the Michigan Advance on Wednesday that the BOE has since received at least six additional complaints on top of the two from a couple of weeks ago.

Benander says all eight complaints  five of which are against Murphy, two against both Murphy and the sheriffs office and another against just the sheriffs office  are now in the investigation process.

At issue is MCL 169.257, a section of Michigan Campaign Law which expressly prohibits the use of any public resources for political campaign purposes including funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources.

That same statute is also at play involving similar complaints about a visit last month by GOP Vice Presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) to Macomb County, where he spoke outside the Shelby Township Police station, also on the topic of crime. At least one complaint was filed with the Board of Elections about that visit.

A knowing violation of the statute is a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for an individual held liable of up to a year in jail and/or a fine up to $1,000. If the violator is not an individual, the fine could go as high as $20,000 or equal to the amount of the improper contribution or expenditure.

Murphy told the Advance prior to the Howell event that it was not political, but instead simply a press conference and opportunity to have someone vying for the highest office in the land speak on the topic of law enforcement.

On Tuesday, Murphy resigned from the board of LACASA, a local domestic violence prevention agency, with which he had served for 25 years. Officials with the nonprofit cited the distraction that resulted from Trumps Aug. 20 visit in accepting Murphys resignation.

A day after his resignation, Murphy was featured in a campaign ad for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), attacking both Harris and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), who is running against former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) for Michigans U.S. Senate seat.

Rogers also spoke at the Aug. 20 event in Howell. Ironically, Rogers himself had at least a small part in creating the issues surrounding Trumps visit that day. As a state Senator in 1999, he voted for legislation that specifically added federal elections to fall under MCL 169.257.

The story was corrected to reflect that the investigation of the complaints is being carried out by the Bureau of Elections.

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Congress couldnt pass a new farm bill last year, so it punted. The extension of the old bill ends in less than a month, on Sept. 30. It will likely miss that deadline, too, an unprecedented two-year delay.

Farm state representatives predict doom without a new farm bill. They would have us believe we will go hungry and sit naked while parked in line to gas our cars. Scare tactics. Continuing the existing law might be the better option.

Instead of writing a new farm bill, working on policy instead of politics, the least productive House of Representatives in generations spent 21 days flailing and replacing the speaker  internecine nonsense. It wasted time on bills with no prospect of becoming law, messaging bills: the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act, the Refrigerator Freedom Act and the Save Our Gas Stoves Act. It also found time to rename a slew of post offices and other federal buildings, including the National Museum of Play. But it couldnt pass a farm bill.

Then the House went on vacation for the summer, one week earlier than planned. It will be in session just 13 more days this year. More, maybe, if it convenes a post-election lame duck session. Its top priority will be avoiding a government shutdown  as well as funding its own pay, which it also failed to accomplish.

Even that is in jeopardy. House leadership seems intent on attaching another messaging bill to its government spending legislation. Congress will spend the few days remaining before the farm bill extension expires on a proposal restating existing voter eligibility requirements in every state, including Kansas.

The distinguishing feature of the proposed 2024 farm bill the House Agriculture Committee wrote is its stunning price tag. It will spend more than $1 trillion, $43 billion dollars more than the current law, but not because it changes policy. It simply adds money to existing programs, making them even more lucrative. The Senate agriculture committee has yet to produce anything.

Boosts in subsidies for individual crops  as much as 20%  account for most of the new spending. At the same time, the limit a single farm can earn will jump almost 25%. The bill carves new exemptions into the caps that restrict the largest, richest farmers from receiving payments. These two changes cost more than $1 billion.

Supporters have not offered a compelling case for this bill. They argue that lower prices justify raising subsidy levels, but for some of the key crops, prices are 10-20% higher than when the current bill was written.

The rationale appears to be the mere fact that farm spending has not increased. This is a plainly stated version of the House committees justification for its bill: We havent increased spending in a long time so therefore we have to increase spending.

Not only are they peddling a mind-boggling budget buster without a persuasive policy rationale but they are also failing Farm Bill Politics 101.

Wheat farmers alone have never passed a farm bill. Corn growers and cotton ginners, the sugar boys, ag lenders, cowboys and dairy farmers, fruit and vegetable producers, and more must get on board. But they are only half the political equation.

Every senator has some agricultural constituency. Only about 75 members of the House represent purely rural districts. But every district includes voters who eat, and every farm bill has depended on support from metropolitan and suburban non-farm votes.

Instead of building a coalition, adding support, the House Agriculture Committee is subtracting. Non-farm, urban members who in the past voted for farm bills  because of the food assistance and nutrition provisions  are jumping ship. This bill would hurt their constituents in Philadelphia and Houston, as well as Kansans in Dodge City, Coffeyville and Liberal. Some of the highest participation rates in these programs are in rural Kansas.

The House bill proposes the largest cut in 30 years to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. For every dollar it cuts from SNAP, it adds two dollars in new farm subsidies. It would eliminate 40 million recipients from the program, including 17 million children. In Kansas, for every farmer receiving more in subsidies, SNAP benefits for approximately four Kansans would fall.

The historic farm-food alliance is wildly out of balance in this bill.

The first sentence of the original food stamp act declares its purpose: To strengthen the agricultural economy and that establishing and maintaining adequate national levels of nutrition will  strengthen our agricultural economy.

They are no longer common along Kansas highways, though a few remain  the billboards proclaiming, If you eat, thank a farmer.

Maybe its time for some new ones: If youre a farmer, thank an eater and a taxpayer.

Raised in McPherson, Kansas, Greg Frazier served in high-level positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, as well as on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He has extensive experience dealing with the Chinese government. He served as executive vice president for the Motion Picture Association from 2004 to 2013 and oversaw its foreign affairs, including the office in Beijing. He works as an independent government affairs consultant and lives in Kansas.
Following is the Defense-Update unmanned systems news summary for the current week.

General Atomics EagleEye Enters Production

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced the production of its first EagleEye multi-mode radar, set to enhance the U.S. Armys Gray Eagle Extended Range Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities. This radar is designed to provide high-resolution imagery through various atmospheric conditions and is a critical component of the new Gray Eagle 25M UAS. The EagleEye radar features improved range and multi-mode performance, tailored for Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), and includes advanced technologies such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and real-time AI/ML software for enhanced target detection. The development of EagleEye represents a significant advancement in radar technology, offering capabilities such as Moving Target Indication (MTI) and Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) mode for tracking vessels. This radar system supports the U.S. Armys strategic goals, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, and is expected to improve situational awareness and operational effectiveness in various global theaters.

Maiden Flight of the Model 437 Vanguard

Last week, Scaled Composites performed the first flight of its Model 437 Vanguard experimental aircraft, demonstrating Northrop Grummans digital pathfinder wings. The Model 437 Vanguard is a crewed variant of the original concept powered by a single Pratt & Whitney 535 engine with approximately 3,400 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has a wingspan of 41 feet and is 41 feet long with a gross takeoff weight of 10,000 pounds. Northrop Grumman defined, developed, built, and verified the removable wing assemblies using advanced digital tools and processes as part of their Digital Pathfinder effort. The aircraft will have a range of approximately 3000 nautical miles and an endurance of 6 hours. It can carry up to 2,000 pounds of payload in multiple locations, including an internal weapons bay sized to accommodate two AIM-120s. While flown by a pilot, the aircraft will likely serve as a testbed of collaborative combat aircraft, acting as a loyal wingman for other combat aircraft.

Allen Control Systems Bullfrog Counter-Drone System

Allen Control Systems (ACS) has successfully demonstrated its Bullfrog counter-drone robotic gun system at the U.S. Department of Defense Technology Readiness Experimentation 2024. The Bullfrog system autonomously performs a counter-drone kill chain capable of executing the full detect, track, identify, and defeat process. It integrates advanced software, computer vision, and AI with a standard machine gun to target and destroy drones.

New VTOL Drone from Attis Aviation

Israeli defense technology company Attis Aerospace Systems has announced the development of a new ROC unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) and forward flight missions. This innovative system aims to enhance the integration of VTOL UAVs into civilian and military airspace, addressing the growing demand for unmanned aircraft operations in various sectors. The ROC system is being developed to provide a comprehensive solution for remote piloting of VTOL UAVs, incorporating advanced features such as real-time situational awareness, secure communication links, and intuitive control interfaces. This technology is expected to improve the safety and efficiency of UAV operations, particularly in complex airspace environments. Attis Aerospace Systems initiative reflects the ongoing efforts in the aerospace industry to develop sophisticated control systems that can facilitate the seamless integration of unmanned aircraft into existing air traffic management frameworks, potentially opening up new applications for VTOL UAVs in both civilian and military domains.

Israeli Remotely Controlled Armored Vehicles Debut in Combat

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have introduced a new capability by converting M113 armored personnel carriers and D-9 bulldozers into remote-controlled vehicles. This approach allows the IDF to operate these armored vehicles without putting personnel at risk, particularly in dangerous combat zones. The conversion process involves retrofitting the vehicles with remote control systems while maintaining the option for manned use when necessary.

For weekly more news by topic, refer to the following reports:
According to the directive of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Health with the participation of authorized representatives from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the State Border Service, the State Customs Committee, the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance, the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB), Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, and the Baku International Sea Trade Port, Azernews reports.

At the meeting, the action plan prepared to organize the coordinated activities of the relevant institutions in connection with the COP29 international event to be held in Azerbaijan this November was discussed.

Given the rapid spread of the "Monkeypox" virus in many countries, the necessity of implementing preventive measures within the country was emphasized.

In conclusion, opinions and suggestions were heard, and a unified approach to the forthcoming actions was determined.
BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and African leaders have since Monday held a series of high-level meetings in the run-up to a milestone summit widely expected to guide their joint pursuit of modernization.

These discussions are by no means empty rhetoric. Concrete plans for cooperation in specific areas, including peanut exports, railway upgrade, and the use of satellite navigation technology, are on the agenda.

More can be expected when Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Thursday.

The FOCAC, as Xi put it, is an effective mechanism for advancing practical cooperation between China and Africa.

This reflects the principle of "sincerity, real results, amity and good faith" that constitutes the pillar of China's Africa policy.

"This principle emphasizes practical and effective cooperation over ambitious but unrealistic goals," said Guo Rui, vice dean of the Institute of National Development and Security Studies at Jilin University.

Underscoring "real results," Guo said China's approach is not just about promises but about tangible outcomes, focusing on Africa's actual needs.

Over the years, in its practical cooperation with African countries, China has specifically aimed to help them overcome three common bottlenecks in development: infrastructure deficits, talent shortages and financial constraints.

At the FOCAC summit in 2015, China put forward 10 major cooperation plans covering areas such as industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, financial services and green development, which were warmly received across the African continent.

The plans were fully implemented. They were followed up by eight major initiatives launched at the FOCAC summit in 2018, and nine programs announced at the opening ceremony of the 8th FOCAC ministerial conference held in Senegal in 2021.

Since the FOCAC was set up, Chinese companies have helped African countries build or upgrade more than 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of highways, roughly 1,000 bridges, almost 100 ports and 66,000 km of power transmission and distribution lines, all of which have created arteries of connectivity across the continent.

Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo said China truly understands Africa and has consistently provided sincere assistance to Africa to accelerate its development, thus earning the trust and friendship of African countries and people.

According to a report released by Chinese authorities last week, China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, and the proportion of China-Africa trade in Africa's total foreign trade has steadily increased.

Infrastructure projects spearheaded by China-Africa cooperation are spread across the continent, which have helped improve connectivity and socio-economic conditions on the continent, and propelled African industrialization, modernization and integration.

This year, collaboration on infrastructure has continued to flourish, marked by significant projects such as the successful launch of the last unit of six turbines at the Karuma Hydropower Plant in Uganda and the completion of phase one of the Thwake multipurpose dam in Kenya.

Data from China's Ministry of Commerce show that, as of the end of 2023, China's direct investment stock in Africa exceeded 40 billion U.S. dollars, making it one of Africa's major sources of foreign investment.

In the past three years alone, Chinese companies created more than 1.1 million jobs in Africa, according to the ministry.

"As a developing country itself, China understands Africa's most pressing needs, which is crucial for effective cooperation," said Tang Xiaoyang, dean of the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University.

Food security and agricultural development remain key areas in the Belt and Road cooperation with African countries, said Xu Jianping, an official with China's National Development and Reform Commission.

He noted that, guided by strategic leadership from both sides, China-Africa agricultural cooperation has flourished, significantly increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening agricultural trade and cooperation mechanisms.

This year's FOCAC summit was held less than two months after China unveiled a slew of reform measures at the third plenum of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"The plenum signals that the Chinese economy will focus more on innovation and technology, which will further energize China-Africa cooperation with more 'real results' in sectors such as renewable energy and digital technology," said Tang.

Meeting Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio on Wednesday, Xi said China's overall plan to deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization will bring more opportunities to countries around the world, including those in Africa.

The summit is expected to make new contributions to the modernization of African countries and the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future, Xi said. 
The News

Congress used to be prime recruiting territory for incoming presidents looking to staff up their administrations. Hiring from the Hill wont be that easy next year  no matter who wins the White House.

Thats because Election Day is likely to end with tight margins in both chambers of Congress, giving a precarious hold on power to whichever party prevails. Many aspiring presidential nominees who want off the Hill in 2025 will face a two-part problem: Their departures could shrink their partys numbers in a closely divided Capitol, and getting confirmed by the Senate could prove challenging. Each party has also taken hits to its power thanks to seemingly slam-dunk special elections that clanged off the rim, making it even riskier to tap members for Cabinet jobs.

It would be unfortunate if we sought to mess up our [potential] majority because of ambition and asininity, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., told Semafor. We would have embraced an uncontrollable desire for power.

That hasnt stopped the chatter among Republicans and Democrats alike about which lawmakers could snag a plum post under either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. If the former president wins, theres talk of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton or Florida Rep. Mike Waltz for a Defense Department post or even a surprise Democratic Cabinet pick, according to people familiar with the conversations.

And if Harris wins in November, Democrats are abuzz over who the vice president might pluck to restock the partys ranks after a remarkably stable four years of Biden Cabinet staffing. Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Chris Murphy of Connecticut are often cited as secretary of state prospects, but House Democrats are also in the mix: Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty has publicly angled for an ambassadorship since President Joe Biden took office.

Yet some are already predicting dashed dreams.

The majority is going to be very slim, so I think few people will be able to leave to join an administration, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., told Semafor.

Republicans will already have one Senate vacancy to contend with if Trump wins: His running mate, JD Vance, would vacate a seat in Ohio and eventually trigger a special election for a term that expires in 2028. Republicans have also performed relatively worse in special elections lately.

Plenty of Republicans appear ready to join a second Trump administration. The House GOPs fourth-ranked leader, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, is potentially in the mix for the Department of Veterans Affairs or even the United Nations. And Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, who served as Trumps White House physician, could easily seek a return to his staff (although its unclear how Jacksons current medical licensing status might affect that; he also famously failed to get confirmed to Trumps Cabinet in 2018).

Reps. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., and Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., might seem like safe choices for Harris for top posts; both represent comfortable blue districts. But thats hardly an instantaneous process, and House Republicans have learned this year that, when a majority is smaller than a dozen, one members departure can make all the difference.

Most of the sitting lawmakers cited in this story declined to comment or didnt respond to a comment request. Waltz said hes currently focused on representing his district and electing Trump.

Know More

Plucking from Congress for administration appointments can produce unpredictable special elections. During Trumps first term, Democrats got an unexpected jolt of energy after then-GOP Reps. Tom Price and Ryan Zinke left for his Cabinet, shrinking the Republican majority and making their seats more challenging to hold.

And no error was more glaring than Trumps decision to nominate then-Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., leading to a gobsmacking Democratic special election win that showed any state can turn competitive with the right (or wrong) candidates  remember Roy Moore? With a 50-50 Senate majority when he took over in 2021, Biden took fewer chances with staffing from the Senate.

The Biden administration and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi were similarly careful with Democrats tight House majority, orchestrating vacancies over time to keep control ahead of the 2022 midterms. If Harris wins in November, Democrats are likely to adopt a similar strategy.

Either partys new administration will also contend with donors clamoring for top spots. Harris will have her own crop of veteran Biden advisors who might want to stay on should she win.

Trump could also look at first-term officials whove remained loyal to him, like former Treasury chief Steven Mnuchin or former trade representative Robert Lighthizer, ahead of ambitious members of Congress. Not to mention that Trump would have a new pool of job candidates from the private sector.

Kadia's and Burgess' View

Staffing up a Cabinet after an electoral romp is relatively easy for a new president, but most forecasts see November as too tight to get comfortable. That means a lot of the names youre seeing bandied about inside the Beltway  especially lawmakers from battleground states and districts  are unlikely job candidates at best.

Some big names in Congress are already carving their own path away from the White House: Cotton is running for the Senate GOPs No. 3 leadership position, for example. And on top of the brutal confirmation fights that tend to erupt in a tight Senate majority, theres also a chance that Harris becomes president with a Republican Senate, hamstringing her ability to fill her Cabinet.

Popular members of the opposing party could still get confirmed easily, given the clubby nature of the Senate. Democrats like Coons and Murphy have built years-long relationships across the aisle.

In the end, its a numbers game: Presidential nominees only need a majority vote in the Senate, but the size of a majority can mean more in terms of agenda-setting than any single pick. So both parties are focused on seeking a bigger cushion in either chamber of Congress to potentially ease presidential staffing decisions.

Democrats need to focus on winning up and down the ballot first, Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., told Semafor. Then, Barragan added, if a member or two are being considered for an administration position, there will be a way to make it happen.

Notable

Potential Trump secretaries of state include Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Cotton, who is also considered a potential match there or for the Pentagon, Axios writes.

In addition to Murphy and Coons leading the State Department under Harris, Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is also an ally and could ascend to director of national intelligence, the Wall Street Journal reports.
(iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Last month, Ohio state Rep. Thomas Patton introduced a bill to freeze property taxes for low- and middle-income households.

The bill specifies that property taxes shall be frozen if the home is occupied by someone making $75,000 or less (a little over 110% of the statewide median household income) and the person living in the home is enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare.

This practically means that the property tax benefit would apply to people who are homeowners who are low-income or middle-income and elderly.

This sort of tax benefit would be helpful for some low-income people and elderly people who own homes. Housing prices in Ohio have doubled over the past decade, which is likely leading to higher property tax costs for homeowners across the state to go with it.

There are a couple of considerations worth taking into account when looking at a policy like this, though.

First, where will we be losing revenues if this policy is put into place? According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, about two-thirds of property taxes in Ohio go to school funding. This means about two-thirds of the savings would be paid for with lower spending on K-12 schools.

This could have uneven geographic impacts as well. It may not have as significant of an impact in communities with more people on Medicare, which would mostly be retirees. But school districts that have more low-income homeowners would see a disproportionate impact to school revenues. This would further limit resources to schools with high rates of low-income homeowners living in their districts.

Another consideration for this policy is who would be left out? According to a Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis article from earlier this year, more low-income Americans own their homes now than ever before. Despite this upward trend, a majority of bottom-quintile Americans still do not own their homes.

This impacts retirement-age people as well. While a majority of retirement-age people in Ohio own their homes, about 27% of retirement-age people are still renters according to Census Bureau surveys. This means substantial numbers of low-income people and retirees are renters.

But this is fine because renters dont pay property taxes, right? Wrong: renters pay property taxes because the people who own their homes pay property taxes. Just like how retailers can pass on part of their sales taxes to consumers and how importers can pass on part of the cost of tariffs to those who buy their products, landlords pass on the cost of property taxes to renters. So renters are burdened with property taxes but would not receive any relief under this sort of proposal.

Is there a better way to do property tax relief?

One way would be to target relief to low-income people and retirees without the stipulation of homeownership. Just provide a tax credit with the stipulation of Medicaid or Medicare enrollment. This would relieve tax burdens and make sure that relief gets to everyone who is burdened by property taxes.

It would not, however, provide a solution to the problem that lowering property taxes means lowering support for schools and likely hurting student achievement. This would need to be fixed through another revenue stream if policymakers did not want to accept this tradeoff for property tax relief.

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Contractor that manages Y-12 National Security Complex to pay $4.9M to end lawsuit over unpaid overtime

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE)  A lawsuit alleging that hundreds of workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge were denied overtime pay will be dismissed after the contractor in charge of the site agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement.

Court documents show that the settlement between Consolidated Nuclear Security and a group of 726 current and former workers was approved on Aug. 27 by U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan. In exchange for ending all claims against the company, CNS has agreed to pay a total gross sum of $4.9 million.

New Oak Ridge uranium enrichment facility to support more than 300 jobs

The lawsuit first filed in 2021 argued that that CNS was breaking Fair Labor Standards Act rules by not paying them for time needed to change into company-provided work clothes and travel to their assigned work locations.

As part of the settlement, CNS also agreed to move changing facilities closer to the work sites and add new locations where workers can clock in and out without delays.

 See more top stories on WATE.com

Attorneys representing the workers plan to hold a press conference about the case Thursday.

Y-12 plays several critical roles in the U.S. Department of Energys Nuclear Security Enterprise including maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile and fueling the U.S. Nuclear Navy.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
MARSHALL. Texas (KTAL/KSHV)  Food and family fun are in store for the Marshall community at this years National Night Out celebration.

On Oct. 1, check out police and fire demonstrations by the Marshall Police Department, Marshall Fire Department, and Harrison County Sheriffs Office. The Marshall Convention Center will offer kids activities, delicious food, and the chance to meet your neighbors and first responders from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.









National Night Out encourages communities to take a stand against crime by having fun and getting to know each other and local first responders better.

MPD Chief Cliff Carruth said, This is at the heart of the Marshall Police Departments commitment to Community Policing. National Night Out is a great opportunity for the citizens of Marshall to come out and meet their first responders, and discuss their concerns. It is the connections that we make that keep our city safer. Its also a fun and informative event.

The program began 41 years ago and is still going strong. Three hundred and seventy-eight cities across Texas participated in NNO last year. Seventeen thousand communities nationwide celebrated NNO in 2023.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Even though Alec Baldwin's legal troubles may be over, convicted "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is still facing more charges unrelated to the shooting on the set of the Western film.

Both the "30 Rock" actor and the rookie armorer were charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the October 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. However, charges against Baldwin were dismissed with prejudice in July after the judge concluded that the prosecution had worked with law enforcement officials to bury evidence that could have been beneficial to Baldwin's case.

In March, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to the state maximum of 18 months behind bars. However, she is also expected to plead guilty to a separate felony gun charge that took place weeks before the fatal shooting.

Convicted Armorer Is Facing Felony Gun Charges From Weeks Before 'Rust' Shooting

MEGA

It may have taken a jury less than three hours to find Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but that is not the only time that she has been accused of acting recklessly with a firearm. Last year, a grand jury indicted the 27-year-old armorer on a felony charge of bringing a firearm on bringing a firearm into a bar in New Mexico on October 1, 2021. This would have taken place exactly twenty days before Halyna Hutchins was killed on set on October 21, 2021.

On Wednesday, a court filing obtained by People magazine stated that "the State of New Mexico and Defendant have reached a plea agreement." According to her lawyer, Jason Bowles, Gutierrez-Reed has agreed to serve 18 months of probation as part of her plea agreement.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Was Planning On Fighting The Gun Charges

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It looks like Hannah Gutierrez-Reed managed to reach a plea agreement with the state only days before her hearing with the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 5. Although her legal team originally planned on fighting the charges, it looks like they have agreed to probation to avoid the possibility of another long trial.

Previous court documents filed by prosecutors on April 12 show a video of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed entering a bar on October 1, 2021. The footage appears to show the armorer, who only worked on one film set before "Rust," showing off a gun that she had hidden from security on her way in.

Upon successfully circumventing the security at the bar she went into the restroom and made a selfie video stating, They checked my purse, but they didnt check my butt cheeks! Wah wah wah,  those court documents stated. At the same time that she was speaking, she held up a nickel-plated semi-automatic pistol in front of the camera.

'Rust' Armorer's Lawyers Want Her Released From Prison

MEGA

After Alec Baldwin's trial was dismissed in July, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's legal team has asked for the "Rust" armorer to be released from prison. They are also asking for her conviction to be dismissed or for a new trial to be held in light of the misconduct that special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey is accused of.

On Tuesday, July 16, Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys Jason Bowles and Monica L. Barreras filed a motion asking for Gutierrez-Reed to receive a new trial or to have her conviction dismissed in the wake of "an egregious discovery violation" made by Morrissey after it was revealed that she had worked with law enforcement to file important evidence under a new case number. This evidence - bullets turned over by a friend of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's father, veteran armorer Thell Reed - was never revealed to Baldwin's defense team until during the trial.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's Lawyers Claim Prosecutors 'Withheld Bombshell' Evidence

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According to the July filing, Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys argued that prosecutors "withheld bombshell exculpatory evidence that it had a constitutional obligation to disclose and that would have resulted in a fundamentally different trial," for the armorer, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in less than three hours.

Given the new evidence that has surfaced, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's legal team is fighting for her to get a new trial. They want her convicted dismissed or a new trial to be held with another prosecutor, essentially removing Kari Morrissey from the case. They also want her released from prison during this time.

Legal Expert Weighs In On Possibility Of 'Rust' Armorer Getting A New Trial

MEGA

Even though the new evidence changed the outcome of Baldwin's case, legal expert and former Los Angeles district attorney Emily D. Baker does not think that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will get her charges dropped, telling People magazine that she "is in a much different position" to have her case dismissed or to receive a new trial.

"With the swiftness of that conviction and the evidence, including Hannah's own statements to police that she loaded the weapon, I don't know if any of this coming forward would change the jury result that she didn't do her job as the armorer," Baker explained. "The position of Baldwin was much stronger. Hannah's position to get released and to get this overturned is not as good as Baldwin's. It's a much weaker argument for her."

Meanwhile, props supplier Seth Kenney has finally broken his silence on the new ammunition that surfaced during Baldwin's trial.
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi took to the City Club of Chicago stage Thursday to quell worries about a doom loop and rising tax bills, telling the crowd concerns of a downtown downward spiral in property values are overblown.

Higher-end office buildings are doing OK, he said during his appearance at the lunchtime chat series. Rents are holding up better, valuations are holding up better, occupancy is holding up better in trophy buildings.

The doom loop theory is that when big commercial buildings have lower property valuations, it increases the tax burden on homeowners, fueling an exodus of residents. With fewer people to pay, those who stayed would have to pick up more of the tax slack, pushing more to exit and fueling the loss of both homeowners and businesses, accelerating disinvestment and economic decline. Those fears have been sparked by continuing historic highs for vacancy rates in downtown office buildings during the first half of 2024, plus a wave of downtown foreclosures.

Kaegis office has not released fresh downtown assessments yet. But the assessor said he worries more about other people worrying about it, predicting that worst-case scenario is not going to play out in Chicago.

Property taxes are a zero-sum game. When one taxpayer pays less, all the rest make up the difference. In Chicagos case, downtown office buildings typically pick up a large share of the citys value and tax burden. When big building values drop, that typically means homeowners will shoulder more tax pain.

But Loop area offices  including in Fulton Market and on the Near North Side  make up a smaller portion of the property tax base than people assume, Kaegi argued, just 20% of Chicagos tax base, not 40% or 50% as he said some have guessed.

Lower-tier office buildings are seeing more drastic drops in value because of higher vacancies, Kaegi said, citing work-from-home trends. But those lower-tier properties make up less than 5% of Chicagos tax base, Kaegi said. Theres less at risk than you think.

Recently built or renovated skyscrapers have fared well, however, according to a recent report from Savills, a commercial real estate firm.

Whats more, the Loop area has a built-in shock absorber: tax increment financing districts. Some of the citys biggest buildings  including Willis Tower  are located in a TIF. If their value drops, it doesnt hurt the citys overall tax base, only the fund balances of each individual TIF.

Still, many homeowners in Chicago have already been caught off guard by their new valuations. The median single-family home value set by Kaegi grew by 16%-19% in several Chicago townships.

The last three years have been the strongest three-year period for house prices in Cook County and in Chicago than in the past 20, Kaegi said. People are still adjusting to that.

That adjustment meant record property tax hikes in the south suburbs this year and the north suburbs the year before. Kaegi put some blame on the countys Board of Review, which hears property tax appeals. Because they granted reductions to commercial property owners, residential homeowners paid more.

Kaegi said he is drafting legislation to offer bill relief to low-income residents who see large hikes in their bills. However, Kaegi does not expect to take that legislation to state legislators until next spring. Nor has he identified a funding source to pay for it.

Kaegis City Club appearance came after last months investigation from the Tribune and Illinois Answers Project found his office had misclassified hundreds of properties across the county, failing to capture new construction and major improvements to homes and businesses.

His office promised it would audit old permits and rework its internal workflows when new permits come in. Taking questions for the first time publicly on those pledges, Kaegi offered little detail, saying the office is always looking at improving how we find permits.
New cookie shop opens in Puyallup. Get there early on Saturday for chance at freebies

Cookies in flavors ranging from Chilled Biscoff Oreo to Reeses PB Explosion have landed in Puyallup.

Crave Cookies is now open daily at 17526 Meridian E.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, the first 1,500 guests will snag a free flagship cookie loaded with Guittard milk chocolate chips. The festivities will include a raffle to win free cookies for a year.

Other flavors  $4.99 a pop  range from a Black Forest cake fashioned with cherry-chocolate dough and one stuffed with an Oreo. Cookie shakes are also on the menu, as are loaded sodas, in which you pick a base soda and can add syrups, cream or fruit puree, even boba.

Party orders start at 50 cookies per batch (priced at $187.50, or $3.75 each) with special flavors like The Flintstone, Baked Butterbeer and The Coconut Crave. Theres also a cookie cake baked in a sheet tray ($64.50).

The franchise got its start in Midvale, Utah, in 2019 and has since expanded in its home state and to Tennessee, Florida and Illinois, per its Facebook page. The new South Hill outpost is the brands third in Washington state, following Renton and Spokane.

The Puyallup location is owned by Bradley James Haley and Bradley Haley, according to state business filings.

COOKIE WARS?

Another Utah-based cookie chain has been spreading throughout the country in recent years, and the influx of competitors sparked controversy  a.k.a. the cookie wars, as various news outlets described the ensuing lawsuits.

Crumbl Cookies, established in 2017, has ballooned from its early days in Salt Lake City to nearly 900 stores in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It has several franchises in Pierce County, including in Tacoma, Puyallup, Bonney Lake and Gig Harbor.

In 2022, Crumbl sued Crave Cookies and another competitor, Dirty Dough, for trademark infringement, according to local news reports. Crave counter-sued, and the two parties reached an agreement to drop their cases in July 2023, as the local ABC affiliate reported. The case with Dirty Dough, though, went to court, where it was discovered that an employee of the fledgling company had downloaded 66 Crumbl recipes and other company information before being fired, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

After Dirty Dough agreed to return the information, the judge in the case denied Crumbls request for an injunction late last summer.

Crave had kept a low profile during the legal tussle, reported The Salt Lake Tribune.

CRAVE COOKIES

 17526 Meridian E., Puyallup, 253-500-8329, cravecookies.com

 Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

 Details: new cookie shop franchise, online ordering and catering available
A cooling tower at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) will require demolition after a fire on Aug. 12 rendered the structure unusable, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said during a visit to the plant.

A fire at the plant's cooling towers on Aug. 12 caused "significant damage," though it did not pose a threat to nuclear safety.

Both Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations as to which side started the fire at the cooling plant, with the IAEA saying that they were unable to determine the cause of the fire.

Grossi made his fifth visit to the ZNPP on Sept. 4 since the full-scale invasion began, inspecting various sections of the plant, including a pumping station as well as a nuclear fuel storage facility.

"Until today, we hadn't been able to get to this point, high up in the tower, so we can assess in a much better way the damage that occurred," Grossi said in a video filmed at the power plant.

"This big structure is not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished at some point," he added, referring to the cooling tower.

Grossi did not provide a timeline as to when he expected the tower be dismantled.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Its position near the front line has led to heightened nuclear safety risks throughout Russia's full-scale war.

All six reactors at the ZNPP have reached a state of cold shutdown - a process that creates an extra safety buffer allowing more time before nuclear fuel cooling might become compromised in the event of a nuclear accident.

Prior to his visit to the ZNPP, Grossi visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant following allegations from Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials that Ukraine has tried  or intends to try  to attack the plant amid the ongoing Ukrainian incursion in the area.

Ukraine has refuted Russian Putin's accusations that Kyiv had attempted to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

Read also: As Ukrainian children return to school, Russia launches missiles at educational facilities













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CORCORAN, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  An investigation is underway after the attempted homicide of an officer with the California State Prison in Corcoran, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations announced Wednesday.

Officials report on Tuesday around 4:10 p.m. inmate 30-year-old Bobby Dominguez allegedly reached through the bars of a shower door and attacked a correctional officer.

Lawsuit alleges women sexually abused by officers at Chowchilla prison

The CDCR says staff immediately responded and transported the officer around 4:43 p.m. to an outside medical facility. He was treated and eventually released that evening.

Investigators say they located an inmate-manufactured weapon at the scene. Dominguez was transferred to California Health Care Facility as CDCR investigates the incident.

CDCR reports Dominguez has an extensive history of crime while incarcerated. Most recently, he was received from Monterey County in June 2023 after being sentenced to six years for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer as a second striker.

Officials report Dominguez was initially received from LA County in April 2014 after being sentenced to four years for inflicting traumatic injuries on a cohabitant.

While incarcerated in June 2016, CDCR reports Dominguez was sentenced to five years for an in-prison offense of assault with a deadly weapon or force to cause great bodily injury by an incarcerated person. A year later he was sentenced to one year for an in-prison offense of battery on a non-prisoner.

The case reported on Wednesday has been referred to the Kings County District Attorneys Office for possible felony prosecution.

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YANGON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar will hold celebration of the upcoming International Literacy Day at its Ministry of Education in capital Nay Pyi Taw, the state-run media Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) reported on Thursday.

The celebration aims to help encourage the illiterate people in the Southeast Asian country to gain the ability to read and write, according to the report.

International Literacy Day is marked on Sept. 8 each year since 1967 around the world, and this year it will be globally celebrated under the theme of "Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace".

Despite progress made in past years, to Myanmar illiteracy rate remains a challenge and the government has conducted literacy campaigns countrywide, including out-of-school education programs for children and older individuals seeking education, said the MRTV report. 
At least one of the political coalitions at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal threatening Haitis U.S.-backed transition has agreed to remove its representative from the countrys ruling presidential council, sources confirmed to the Miami Herald.

The EDE-RED/Compromis Historique political coalition, led by former prime minister Claude Joseph, agreed on Wednesday to replace its representative, Smith Augustin, from the nine-member council. Smith was scheduled to take the reins of the councils leadership next month.

Smith, a former ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Republic, still has to agree to being replaced, and other leaders representing the RED and Compromis Historique bloc say they are not yet fully in agreement.

We want to wait until the investigation by the anti-corruption unit is completed, Joseph Lambert, a former president of the Haitian Senate and member of Compromis Historique later told the Herald. Lambert accuses Joseph of acting without the full consent of his fellow coalition members.

We have to give him the benefit of the doubt, Lambert said of Smith.

Smith and two other council members are accused in a bank bribery scandal that has blocked the panels ability to make decisions and the prime minister ability to secure members signature on certain decisions.

We are in plain view of a new crisis, Frantz Duval, the editor-in-chief of Le Nouvelliste, the countrys oldest daily, said Thursday during his appearance on the papers Radio Magik 9 morning news program. We cannot say that the country is functioning better with nine people at its helm than when it had only one president or it didnt have a president at all.

The scandal has highlighted the shortsightedness of those involved in the transition, observers say. The political transition was forged in March when U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to Jamaica to join leaders of the 15-member Caribbean Community bloc, CARICOM, to figure out a solution to the Haitian crisis. As armed gangs led a deadly insurgency in Port-au-Prince, Blinken and Caribbean leaders met with Haitis political and civic leaders over video conference from Kingston to help them devise a power-sharing agreement.

The Transitional Presidential Council, in which seven of the nine have voting rights, was charged with naming a prime minister to replace the prime minister at the time, Ariel Henry, after he was forced by the U.S. and CARICOM to resign. The council also had to prepare the country for the arrival of the Multinational Security Support mission headed by Kenya and to organize elections.

From the start, the council has been criticized due to its large number of presidents. Others have noted that despite bringing together disparate political and competing groups, there was no mechanism to deal with corruption in a country where few high-ranking government officials are ever made to answer for their crimes.

When you separate the power among nine presidents, youve multiplied the problems of the presidency by nine, Duval said.

For weeks CARICOM has been trying to help save the transition. On Wednesday, the bloc appeared to finally have a breakthrough when Joseph informed former Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, who has been leading the negotiations, that his group would replace Augustin.

Christie is set to meet with representatives of the political parties behind the two other accused members on Thursday. They are also set to meet with Blinken, who arrived in Port-au-Prince on Thursday to see where leaders are in organizing elections so that Haiti can have a new president by February 2026 and to shore up support for the security mission. In addition, Blinken will tour the base of the Multinational Security Support mission, which was constructed by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The bank bribery scandal went public in July when Raoul Pierre-Louis, at the time chairman of the state-owned National Bank of Credit, wrote to Prime Minister Garry Conille asking for security for himself and his family. In the letter, he said that three members of the presidential council  Louis Gerald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire and Augustin  had demanded the equivalent of $758,000 for him to keep his job.

An investigation was opened by Haitis anti-corruption agency, and Conille eventually fired Pierre-Louis. Conille told the Herald that Pierre-Louis had been serving in an acting position for two years, that his mandate had ended and because his mandate was up the Central Bank had decided to evaluate the National Bank of Credits finances.

Andre Michel, a representative of the December 21 coalition, whose representative on the council has been accused in the scandal, noted that the group remains divided about what to do about accused council member Gilles. While some members of the coalition held a press conference on Wednesday supporting Gilles, Michel said he is among those who believe the physician should step down in order to save the transition.

We are facing a [political] deadlock, Michel said. At this moment I believe there needs to be a political decision in order to unblock the situation because now its a mess.

That isnt to say they are guilty. I respect all three, he added, but we have to save the process.

During the meeting with CARICOM on Thursday, Michel and members of the December 21 coalition announced that they had reached an agreement among themselves to replace Gilles, the group announced. Like with Smith, he would need to agreed to being removed, further complicating matters.

Christie still had one more meeting, this one with former presidential candidate and senator Jean Charles Moise, whose Platform Pitit Desalin party is represented on the council by Vertilaire, the third member facing corruption allegations in the bank bribery scandal.
LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Federal Court has overturned a mans 2015 Lebanon County homicide conviction over a procedural issue and a new trial will be held, according to the Lebanon County District Attorney Office.

The DAs office says the Federal Court found that actions taken during Eddie Williams initial trial were prejudicial and the case will return to Lebanon County for a retrial.

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Williams had been sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of First Degree Homicide, Conspiracy to Commit Homicide, Attempted Homicide, Robbery, Illegal Possession of a Firearm, and multiple other crimes

The DAs office says the appeal centered over Williams cousin pleading guilty in the case months prior.

The Court explained the cousin pled guilty as a co-conspirator and as an accomplice  which did not eliminate Williams as the guilty party for murder, said the District Attorneys office. The Federal Court ruled the actions taken by the Trial Court as fatally prejudicial to the Defendants conviction.

In 2014, Williams, his girlfriend, and his cousin allegedly plotted and planned to rob a local drug dealer. On the morning of March 10 of that same year, the trio entered the victims home at the Fox Ridge Apartment complex and shot two men inside. One was killed, and the other survived a gunshot wound to the brain, said the DAs office.

According to the DAs office, a South Lebanon Police Officer was outside the complex when the suspects fled. A 100 mph chase ensued across South Lebanon Township, where the suspects successfully escaped.

Williams was arrested months later in Philadelphia, per the DAs office.

The surviving victim identified Williams as the man who shot him during the trial, and the DNA evidence found on the weapon matched Williams DNA. The DAs office says additional weapons and items stolen during the robbery were found in Williams path of flight from the getaway car.

Further investigation showed that Williams was struggling in the drug trade and was jealous of the victim, leading Williams to rob and kill him.

In 2014, two men were brutally attacked and executed in their own home, said District Attorney Pier Hess Graf. Guns were placed against their skulls, triggers pulled, bullets fired. This shooting was one of the most brutal and nonsensical murders weve seen come through our community. In 2014, our Office fought for the conviction of each person responsible. Ten years later, we will fight for the conviction again.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Scott Olson/Getty Images.

COVID-19 is on the rise in Minnesota, according to the latest weekly data released by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Toward the end of August, the most recent period with complete data available, an average of 30 or more people per day were being admitted to Minnesota hospitals with COVID. Thats roughly triple the hospitalization rate at the end of June, when cases hit their annual low.

The size and duration of this surge is unusual for summer, Brown University epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo recently noted on the website formerly known as Twitter.

Hospitalizations are also running about 50% higher than during the same period one year ago, suggesting an early start to this years COVID season. But they remain below the August hospitalization rates for years prior to 2023, and well below the all-time peak observed near the end of 2020, when more than 250 Minnesotans were being admitted to hospitals each day.

Deaths and intensive care admissions remain low.

Epidemiologists are not sure whether the late summer surge in cases portends a more moderate or severe winter infection peak. Minnesota is one of 20 states where COVID levels are increasing, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Wastewater surveillance data from the University of Minnesota show that levels of circulating virus are roughly as high now as they were during the height of the 2023-2024 season, and increasing.

Statewide, the amount of virus in tested sewage water is running about four times higher than the same period last year.

Wastewater data gives an early warning that COVID is spreading in a community. In Minnesota, wastewater numbers are currently highest in the Twin Cities, and lowest in the northwest region of the state.

The increase in detections comes as the latest COVID booster becomes widely available. The booster targets the new virus variants in circulation, prevents infection and severe disease, and may greatly reduce the odds of developing long COVID symptoms after an infection.

Despite this, data from the state show that many Minnesotans have become lackadaisical about staying up-to-date on their shots, with just 14% current as of June. The severity of this winters COVID season may depend in large part on whether people do a better job of getting this years booster.

The CDC recommends it for adults and children aged 6 months and up.
A deputy chief of the Chicago Police Department and another officer were charged with criminal damage to property Thursday for, according to a source with knowledge of the charge, allegedly slashing the tires of a vehicle in Humboldt Park during the neighborhoods annual Puerto Rican Fest last June.

Roberto Nieves, 53, deputy chief of Area 5 on the Northwest Side, and Officer Jacob Gies, 26, turned themselves in at CPDs Central District (1st) station Thursday, the department said in a statement. Nieves faces a single misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property while Gies faces two counts.

CPD said the charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 7, 2024. The source with knowledge of the charge said the officers slashed the tires of a civilians vehicle during an incident in an alley near Puerto Rican Fest.

Nieves and Gies were both stripped of their police powers Thursday, according to a CPD spokesperson. Nieves was also returned to the rank of captain. Neither could be reached for comment.

Nieves was named deputy chief of Area 5 in January 2020. He previously was the commander of CPDs Gang Investigations Division, as well as the Rogers Park District (24th) on the North Side.

A CPD news release announcing his promotion noted Nieves holds a high-level federal security clearance, having overseen the Departments federal task forces as Commander of Intelligence and Gang Investigations.
Harvey Weinstein was accused of indecent assault which was said to have taken place in London in August 1996 - STEVEN HIRSCH

British prosecutors have dropped sex charges against the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein dating back almost 30 years.

In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge the 72-year-old US national with two counts of indecent assault.

The alleged assaults were said to have taken place in London in August 1996 and involved one complainant.

But following a review of the evidence in the case the CPS has now announced it has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings.

In a statement announcing the decision, Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

Scotland Yard launched an investigation into Weinstein following a number of allegations that were made about him in the UK relating to seven separate women.

One of Hollywoods most powerful figures

Despite being charged by the CPS, it was not clear he was ever likely to stand trial in the UK given his US convictions.

Weinstein and brother Bob Weinstein founded Miramax in 1979 and sold it to Disney in 1993.

They continued to work for the firm until 2005 when they set up the Weinstein Company, which spawned hits including The Kings Speech, Django Unchained and Silver Linings Playbook.

Weinstein was one of Hollywoods most powerful figures until he became the subject of a string of sexual abuse claims.

In 2004 he was made an honorary CBE for his contribution to the British film industry.

Police began investigating the film producer in 2017 after a number of women came forward in the United States and the UK to make a series of sexual abuse allegations against him.

Weinstein was charged with rape in New York in May 2018 and was convicted in February 2020 later being sentenced to 23 years in prison.

In 2021, he was extradited to California where he was found guilty of further sex charges and was sentenced to 16 years.

His New York convictions were overturned earlier this year and he is facing a re-trial on those counts but remains in prison for the Californian convictions.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CRANSTON  Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins, who has denied driving an unregistered sports car he is accused of taking from a city businessman, had pictures taken of himself and a top city aide in the car in 2022.

The pictures, posted to Facebook in 2022, have since been deleted but were obtained by The Hummel Report on Wednesday.

A campaign spokesman for Hopkins confirmed their authenticity.

They show the mayor, wearing a ball cap and sunglasses, in the drivers seat of the fully restored  but unregistered  1975 MG; his deputy chief of staff Paul McAuley is in the passengers seat and the convertible's top is down.

Attached to the front of the vehicle is a blue license plate that says Cranston in white lettering on top, Rhode Island on the bottom, MAYOR in the middle and a seal of some sort.

Hopkins accused of taking the car, he says he tried to pay

Hopkins is being accused of taking an antique sports car three years ago from a local businessman and political supporter without paying for it, initially putting the city-issued "30000" license plates on it to drive it without a title or registration, then eventually taking it to an auto body shop to have it restored. The restoration included painting the originally white car green.

In a 22-page civil lawsuit filed last week in Providence Superior Court against Hopkins, the city and several members of his administration, Davide C. Broccoli of Providence says there has been a concerted pressure campaign from Hopkins and the city solicitor to turn over the cars title.

Broccoli maintains that the car situation is part of a larger campaign of harassment by Hopkins and city officials because he wont give him the title or registration.

Hopkins responds to the photo

Hopkins declined to speak with The Hummel Report about the pictures, instead having Robert Murray, from his campaign, answer our questions.

Murray said that the picture was taken the day the mayor picked up a refurbished MG from State Auto Body in 2022.

Murray said the front license plate is a decorative plate that someone made for the mayor. He added that Hopkins had another license plate  not the "30000" plate used on his city-issued vehicle  registered to another vehicle on the back of the car just to drive the MG to his house.

As to why McAuley was in an unregistered car with the mayor, Murray said: Paul is the deputy chief of staff, a close personal friend. He was with the mayor on the day (the MG) was picked up.

In an interview with The Hummel Report Friday, Hopkins said he drove the car home after Broccoli gave him the keys during a visit to his lot in 2021. Broccoli said there was no discussion of him selling the car to the mayor.

Hopkins was asked on Friday if hed driven the car since then.

The mayors response: Not in the last couple of years. Ive started the engine up, Ive moved it around the neighborhood, just so the tires dont get square on me.

In the interview Friday, Hopkins also said: Mr. Broccoli has a different way of thinking than I do, that's all I can really tell you at this point.

The mayor maintains that Broccoli agreed to sell him the vehicle, but wont take money for it, or turn over the title and registration. And there is no bill of sale.

Hopkins said he and Broccoli agreed on a price, but the mayor said Friday he couldnt remember what it was, terming the car a piece of junk before he restored it.

"I don't have an exact (price)," Hopkins said. "I dont know, but all I know is (Broccoli) gave it to me, he gave me the keys."

My legal position is that by giving me the keys he sold me the car," Hopkins continued.

Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins.

Broccoli, in an interview with The Hummel Report, said the mayors city solicitor, Christopher Millea, tried to give him $1,200 for the car and took issue with Hopkins description of the car as a piece of junk. Millea is named as one of the defendants in Broccolis lawsuit against Hopkins and the city.

Attorney General explains why they didn't get involved

Meanwhile, Attorney General Peter Neronha said Broccolis attorney, Stephen A. Izzi, called the office looking for him in late July. Neronha, who said he does not know Izzi, was out of the country at the time.

The call was routed to Adi Goldstein, the departments deputy attorney general and Neronhas second in command. Goldstein told Izzi that he needed to file a complaint with the Rhode Island State Police.

I dont know if he did it, or didnt, Neronha told The Hummel Report Wednesday, adding that normally a lawyer would call the head of the criminal division with an issue like Broccolis.

Theres always a danger in jumping over steps, he said. Telling him to call the state police is not unusual."

Were not investigators," Neronha explained. "We guide (the state police), we work with them. Sometimes they need help in a complex case, then were collaborating in real time. They dont need our help in the first instance, to take a complaint.

Neronha continued: In this case, if he went there, Im sure they would have called us right away and we would have sat around a table and said, 'Okay, what is this and are we going to investigative it?'

The Hummel Report is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies, in part, on donations. For more information, go to HummelReport.org. Reach Jim at Jim@HummelReport.org

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins was photographed in car at the center of lawsuit
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Fire crews battled a fire that broke out at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan Thursday afternoon, according to the FDNY.

Crews were notified of smoke in the Iroquois New York on West 44th Street at around 2:35 p.m.

More Local News

Responding firefighters confirmed a fire broke out on the second floor. 20 units responded and were able to get the fire under control at around 3:27 p.m., officials said.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by FDNY Fire Marshals.

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.

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Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photos of crews battling house fire in the 1100 block of County Road 43 in Section, Alabama.

Photo of smoke seen from house fire in Section, Alabama.

JACKSON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  Crews from multiple departments faced a large fire at a home in Jackson County.

On Wednesday, crews were dispatched to a house fire in the 1100 block of county road 43 in Section just after 1 p.m.

According to officials, the fire engulfed a single-story block house, multiple vehicles and land surrounding the area.

Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go.

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One person inside of the home was able to be safely extricated. Several fire department members were treated at the scene by EMS for signs of heat exhaustion.

Officials said that all department members are doing okay.

Assisting departments included the Section Volunteer Fire Department, Macedonia Fire Department Jackson County Alabama, Dutton Volunteer Fire Department, Powell Fire Department, Section Police Department, Jackson County Sheriffs Department, Jackson County Forester, Jackson County EMA (Emergency Management), and Highland EMS.

Over 30 firemen responded to the scene of the fire.

Latest Headlines

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Crews respond to fatal apartment fire in Russell County

RUSSELL COUNTY, Va. (WJHL)  Multiple fire crews responded to a fatal apartment fire on Wednesday on Hawkins Mill Lane in Russell County.

According to Jess Powers, Russell County EMA coordinator, the four-unit apartment complex fire happened at 4:40 p.m. Upon arrival, firefighters saw one unit fully engulfed.

Train cars derail in Russell County, Virginia, no injuries reported

Powers confirmed one fatality, but the persons identity was not released.

The American Red Cross is servicing the three other displaced families and Russell County EMA is assisting them.

Powers said Virginia State Police is investigating the fire.

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WELLINGTON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Self-declared environmental claims on seafood labels such as "sustainably sourced," "responsibly fished" or "dolphin safe" found in New Zealand supermarkets are vague, ambiguous and meaningless, a new study showed on Thursday.

Among the 369 packaged fish and seafood products the study looked into, such as canned tuna, vacuum-packed salmon, or frozen fish, 41 percent had environmental claims on their labels and, of those that did make claims, 80 percent were ambiguous.

"They are implying an environmental benefit, but are vague and therefore meaningless," said the study's lead author Kathryn Bradbury, senior research fellow at the University of Auckland.

Vague claims can be difficult to make sense of and can easily mislead consumers, Bradbury said, adding that the study indicated widespread greenwashing by fish and seafood manufacturers.

The researchers from the universities of Auckland and Otago, and AgroParisTech, France, found that 48 percent of the products did not state the harvest location and almost all did not state the harvest method, such as pole and line caught, mid-water trawled or dredged.

It is important that what is on the label is accurate, specific and clear, as New Zealand consumers prefer to get their information about seafood at the point of purchase, Bradbury said.

The study calls for more proactive enforcement of existing regulations in New Zealand so that manufacturers are more environmentally responsible and consumers are not misled.

Regulation around labeling of fish and seafood products also needs to be strengthened to encourage transparency around fishing practices, Bradbury said. 
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Mars Bar has been in the SoMa neighborhood for 25 years, but its owner says its been a struggle to keep the business afloat, and being targeted by thieves isnt making it any easier.

All the bars in San Francisco are barely surviving right now and it just is more insult to injury. Salt on a wound, said owner David Kiely. Its just been a crime wave of all the bars in San Francisco they are constantly breaking in.

Video (included above) shows the quick and brazen burglary at Mars Bar on the early morning of August 23.

Came in, broke open the front doors. Stole the ATM and two cash registers and they were out the door, Kiely described.

Kiely says the registers were empty, and the ATM had very little money in it. But the burglars left costly damage. He says other nearby business owners have also been hit.

Pizza restaurant suffers break-ins at both South Bay locations

Hotel Utah at 4th and Brannan, they hit Oasis, they hit Audio. They tried to hit Powerhouse on Folsom at 4:30 in the morning but neighbors scared them away, Kiely said.

A little more than a mile away, thieves also smashed in the glass door to Asiento bar in the Mission District. The burglary happened on Tuesday around 1 a.m. The thieves are seen beelining for the cash registers.

Owner Debi Cohn says the thieves took off with credit cards left behind by customers, so she posted about it on social media.

So I put it out there saying If you left your card make sure to block or cancel them. But if someone used your card last night please let me know where because police are actually looking, because they think this is a regular perpetrator, Cohn said.

Cohn says responding officers did obtain fingerprints from the scene. She slept in the bar in the hours after the burglary because the door was broken.

This longtime bar owner is also on the Mission Merchant Association board. She says many people are dealing with crime.

Its rampant. We in the Mission feel like we are not getting our fair share of attention, she said.

Kiely says he plans to replace the ATM but empty it every night. Cohn is worried the thieves will be back for her safe, which has no valuables inside.

Meanwhile, Kiely is trying to draw attention to his burglary by putting information about the crime in the window of his bar. He says this theft only makes it harder to survive when its already a struggle to get customers through the door.

We are in a ghost town down here, he said. Everybody is working from home and thats what is hurting us because all of our after-work business is gone.

Kiely says he has pivoted to hosting events, and thats helped keep him afloat. but city zoning laws are throwing a wrench in that plan.

We would like to see our zoning change so we can do events later in the night. Right now we can only do events until 10 p.m., and thats really hurting us, he said.

Both business owners are applying for a city grant to help repair their front doors. KRON4 reached out to San Francisco police to get details on each burglary, but we did not hear back in time for this report.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A California condor was found 24 hours after it was shot and killed in late March in a remote area northeast of Lewis, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The area is west of the McPhee Reservoir in Montezuma County, and after investigating previous leads, CPW and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are asking the public to share any information they have regarding this incident and those who are responsible.

CPW report details capture and release, first few months of wolf reintroduction program

According to a CPW release, there are more than 560 California condors in the world, with more than half flying in Arizona, Utah, California and Mexico. The historical population of the species fell to 22 individuals in the wild in 1987, and groups like the California Condor Recovery Program and the USFWS have worked to increase populations through captive breeding and release of the protected birds.

According to the USFWS, California condors have wingspans that can reach over 9 feet and they weigh up to 25 pounds, making them the largest land bird in North America. Historically, they flew from California to Florida, and Western Canada to Northern Mexico, before populations diminished.

Condors, unlike birds of prey, do not have talons capable of killing or grasping objects. The large birds are often labeled vultures and are scavengers.

California condors are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, making it illegal for anyone to harass, hunt, wound or collect the large birds. Individuals who have killed a California condor could face a third-degree felony charge of wanton destruction of protected wildlife, which carries a maximum fine of $5,000, restitution of $1,500 and a five-year prison sentence.

Anyone with information is asked to assist with the investigation by submitting tips to the Colorado Parks and Wildlifes Operation Game Thief hotline, 1-877-265-6648, or via email to game.thief@state.co.us, or through the website here. Additionally, tipsters can contact the USFWS tip line, 844-397-8477, or submit a tip online.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
PALISADE, Colo. (KREX)  A horrifying crash just after 10:30 Wednesday morning closed a major thoroughfare between Clifton and Palisade. Three people were killed including two Colorado Department of Transportation employees.

Colonel Matthew Packard of the Colorado State Patrol, explains, Today, I cant say this enough that today is a tragic day in Colorado. Certainly, here in the local community in Mesa County outside of Clifton. This is one of the hardest things that we do in this profession, is investigate loss of life. and today, three people were killed.

Shoshana Lew, executive director for the Colorado Department of Transportation, explains, Our team is devastated to be here today honoring the lives of two of our friends and family members from our organization who lost their lives today in this tragic incident.

It was at 10:42 a.m., and agencies including the Colorado State Patrol responded to a report of a crash on Highway 6 near milepost 40. A driver in a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck two CDOT workers and their work vehicle which caused the Jeep to roll.

Packard states, Our two CDOT employees that were doing what they do every day trying to make the state safer for people to travel in and were out here serving the people of Colorado when they were killed. Of course, the driver of the other vehicle lost his loved one today.

The passenger of the Jeep Cherokee was also killed in the crash. The driver survived and was taken to an area hospital. Investigators are not able to determine the cause due to it being to early into the investigation.

I think the takeaway today is that three people lost their lives. Any time that happens, its heartbreaking and tragic, and today is no exception to that and my heart goes out to our friends at CDOT who, every day, our troopers work side by side with our CDOT partners all across the state, Packard explains.

The identities of the victims have not been released yet. The information will be released by the Mesa County Coroners office. The crash is still under investigation.

The family of Trent Umberger has started a GoFundMe page, you can find the link here if youd like to donate to the Umberger family.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Four neighborhoods in the city of Dayton will soon receive improvements along its roadways.

The city of Dayton reports new curbs and sidewalks are being installed later in 2024 with funding through the Dayton Recovery Plan. According to the city, the Edgemont, Miami Chapel, Old North Dayton and Twin Towers neighborhoods will see the upgrades.

Similar improvements will impact the neighborhoods of Carillon, Five Oaks and Wolf Creek.

Improving neighborhoods is a priority area of the Dayton Recovery Plan, with a total of $55 million targeted to neighborhood investments, said the city.

Daytons goal for using the funding is said to be making long-term transformational and sustainable impacts in neighborhoods across the city.

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Current Lyon County Sheriff allowed to appear on ballot as Libertarian

EDITORS NOTE: The story has been updated to provide a statement from current Sheriff Vander Stoep on the decision.

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (KCAU)  The current Lyon County Sheriff is being allowed on the ballot as a Libertarian.

Back in June, Lyon County Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep lost against Brian Hilt in the Republican primary for Lyon County Sheriff.

Due to a single vote cast for Vander Stoep as a write-in for the Libertarian party, Vander Stoep began running as a Libertarian to face off against Hilt once again in November.

Sioux City Warming Shelter to close in October

Hilt sent in an objection letter stating that Vander Stoep should not be allowed on the General Election ballot due to having received only one vote, according to the Lyon County Auditor.

A panel met on Tuesday to determine whether or not Vander Stoep should be allowed on the ballot. The auditor announced Thursday morning that the panel decided 2 to 1 that Vander Stoep is allowed to appear on the General Election ballot as a Libertarian candidate.

Vander Stoep provided KCAU 9 with the following statement regarding the decision.

Im very happy with the outcome and the decision. I always thought that since the county auditor checked with the secretary of state [Paul Pate], that what their information would be correct in regards to allowing me to run. I am actually surprised that there was an actual objection letter written, but Im very relieved of the decision, he said.

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Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen speaks at a rally featuring former President Donald Trump in Bozeman on Aug. 9, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

A simple thank you would have sufficed.

Heck, with as little response as we often get, an answer would have been even better.

Instead, the Daily Montanans thanks for covering the many problems that seem to have been on a slow simmer at the Montana Highway Patrol, which is overseen by the Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Montana Department of Justice, was a cease-and-desist letter, threatening legal action if we didnt remove a staff survey his department commissioned.

A little bit of background: For months, largely through the hard work of deputy editor Keila Szpaller, we have been tracking some of the challenges and difficulties that troopers have had within the Montana Highway Patrol, including an abysmal lack of morale, coupled with a deep distrust of leadership.

Stories that weve reported included the heartbreaking story of Zach Miller, a former trooper whose reward for doing the right thing  asking for help while experiencing mental health struggles  was dismissal from the job he loved.

For my money, Miller should be the poster child of everything you should want in a trooper  brave enough to go to any scene, then even more brave to admit that sometimes what happens at a job doesnt always stay there. He was brave enough to trust the promises of help without punishment for giving voice to the mental health struggles he faced and yet, he was discarded instead of uplifted.

Next, we covered the case of Trooper Alicia Bragg, who was terminated because she had the audacity to bring up concerns about how fellow troopers were feeling and being treated  troopers that, ahem, put their lives on the line in the name of public safety. Every. Day.

Her reward for being a courageous leader was the same as Miller, termination.

In addition to being former highway troopers, both Miller and Bragg share another common trait  they both have also won their respective cases against the state; Miller settled with a disability claim, and Bragg won a preliminary step toward a successful wrongful termination settlement. And both had to fight the state for their rights.

When we heard that the Montana Highway Patrol had done a climate survey, and it had even spent thousands of public dollars to have a firm conduct the survey in a way that could be anonymous so that troopers could share their feelings, it piqued our interest.

But not just because it was a survey. And not just because it could have information that is undeniably intriguing to a journalist and the public.

Instead, we were struck by the notion that the leaders within the Montana Department of Justice realized theres such a problem there  with people who are tasked with public safety  that employees feared speaking honestly, for fear of retribution.

I have spent my entire career connected to reporting on the justice system and people who work adjacent to it. State troopers  and law enforcement of any variety  do not scare easily and are hard to intimidate.

But there it was: Apparently, there was a well founded belief that public employees doing the publics business were so afraid that they couldnt speak without fearing for their jobs. Thats just not pearl clutching, when there are well known examples like Bragg and Miller.

Now, back to the suing part.

When we obtained a copy of the survey, we published it. If you dont believe anything I am saying, go ahead, read it for yourself.

But Knudsen doesnt want you to read it. Hes threatening to sue the Daily Montanan for not removing it from our website (it remains there still). If he didnt want to bring attention to the nearly 400-page document, threatening to sue for its removal seems like a guarantee that people will want to read it. You know, that ol thing about the forbidden fruit.

It says a lot about Knudsens administration that he would work so hard to stop the publication of an unflattering, even damning report, rather than just do the hard work of restoring confidence from the people the rest of us rely on for public safety.

Moreover, Knudsen doesnt appear very familiar with how his department is spending money because the surveys entire purpose was to make it so that it could be shared anonymously  and shared widely. The survey was conducted with public funds, about a public agency, and involves public employees. All of those things would certainly seem to trigger certain provisions in the Montana Constitution, the same document that he has sworn to uphold and defend.

And privacy interests, which he cited in his letter to us?

Hard to do it when there are no names attached to comments.

The Montana Attorney Generals Office routinely offers silence when it comes to questions from the press, the Daily Montanan included. The staff there seem to be too busy, too self-important to answer the press or the public, but not so busy that they cant threaten to sue journalists.

What may be even more hard to figure is why Austin Knudsen believes that threatening us will stop us.

And given how many times Knudsen has lost and his seeming lack of understanding of the Montana Constitution, I like our chances.

2024-08-21  AGs Cease & Desist 2024-08-29  Ehrlick Resp. Letter  FINAL
DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Darlington County judge on Friday sided with lawyers representing a man accused of murder in 2021, citing South Carolinas stand your ground law.

Darius Montrez Ings was released from jail after spending more than 1,000 days behind bars following the killing of 35-year-old Mardrall Addison at a gas station on Bobo Newsom Highway in Hartsville in June 2021, according to attorney Chaquez McCall, who represented Ings along with Robert Stucks.

Ings was one of four people charged after Addison was shot to death. Cherod Johnson, Sheona Woodham and Deonta Jackson were also charged in the case.

McCall said video clearly showed Addison get out of a car at the gas station and point a gun at Ings and others. He said Addison shot someone who was pumping gas and also pointed his gun at Ings.

Ings, a passenger in the car that was being filled up with gas, then returned fire, killing Addison, McCall said.

According to McCall, Judge R. Kirk Griffin determined during a hearing that Ings was immune to prosecution under the stand your ground law. The decision could affect the others charged in the case, but McCall said that would be up to the 4th Circuit Solicitors Office.

Johnson, 30, was charged with two counts of attempted murder for allegedly firing multiple shots into a fleeing vehicle with two people inside, according to arrest warrants. Woodham was charged with accessory after the fact to felony or murder after deputies say she was at the scene of the crime when the murder occurred and drove multiple suspects away in a getaway car.

Jackson, 19, was charged with murder and criminal conspiracy. According to warrants, he lured Addison over using gang signs and taunting. He was previously arrested in a July 2019 pizza delivery driver shooting in Hartsville.

* * *

Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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Cape Canaveral (WHTM) It launched second, but reached its target first.

On September 5, 1977, the Voyager 1 spacecraft blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on its way to planet Jupiter and points beyond. Voyager 2 launched a few weeks earlier, on August 20, 1977.

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The Voyager mission took advantage of a rare geometric arrangement of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in the late 1970s and the 1980s, an alignment that only takes place about every 185 years. This allowed the crafts to make a four-planet grand tour, using the gravity of each planet to slingshot the probe to the next, without large, heavy propulsion systems. Because of the position of Jupiter in relation to Earth at the times of the launches, Voyager 1 would actually reach the giant planet four months before Voyager 2.

Voyager1, aboard Titan/Centaur-6 lifts off on September 5, 1977, joiniing its sister spacecraft, Voyager 2, on a mission to the outer planets. (NASA)

Artist conception of Voyager in space (NASA)

On September 18, 1977, Voyager 1 took this picture of a crescent-shaped Earth and Moon together- the first of its kind ever taken by a spacecraft. (NASA)

NASAs Voyager 1 took this picture of the planet Jupiter on Saturday, Jan. 6, 1979

The close pass of Jupiter, showing the Great Red Spot (NASA) Image taken on March 5, 1979 This image was re-processed on November 6, 1998 and re-recorded to film on the MDA film recorder, MRPS ID# 93779, from which this file was scanned. Original vidicon image size is 800 lines with 800 pixels per line.

Moon Europa. This image was one of the first hints that Europa was a frozen planet with an interior ocean. (NASA/JPL)

Voyager 1 image of Io showing active plume of volcano Loki on horizon. Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System.(NASA/JPL/USGS)

Voyager 1 view of Saturn, taken after its close pass of the planet. (NASA/JPL)

Layers of haze covering Saturns moon Titan are seen in this image taken by Voyager 1 on Nov. 12, 1980 at a range of 13,700 miles (22,000 kilometers). (NASA)

Each voyager carries a 12-inch gold-plated copper disccontaining greetings in 60 languages, eamples of music from around the world, and sounds of Earth. (NASA)

Voyager 1s observations of Jupiter started on January 6, 1979, and it made its closest approach of 216,837 miles from the planets center on March 5. By the time the spacecraft finished its flyby on April 13, 1979, it had returned 19,000 images of the giant planet and many of its satellites, most notably the moons Io, Europa, Ganymeade, and Callisto. In addition Voyager took readings on Jupiters atmosphere and magnetic field.

August 30, 2007: Voyager 2 leaves the heliosphere

Then it was on to Saturn. Observations of that planet started on August 22, 1980. On November 11 the flyby began, with Voyager passing the Moons Titan and Thetis before making its closest approach to Saturn, then passing Mimas, Enceladus, Rhea, and Hyperion.

And with that, Voyager 1s exploration of the planets was over. In order to fly past Titan, the trajectory of the spacecraft had to take it below Saturns south pole and away from the other outer planets. It would fall to Voyager 2 to get our first close-up shots of Uranus and Neptune.

NASA hears signal from Voyager 2 spacecraft after mistakenly cutting contact

Both Voyagers continue their journeys into interstellar space, and both of them continue to send back information about the boundary between the inner solar system and the rest of the galaxy. How much longer they will be able to perform is open to question; the power levels in the craft are slowly dropping, and some instruments have already been shut down to conserve energy. The best estimates are they will cease to function sometime in the 2030s.

Not bad for a space mission that was only planned to last five years

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia on Thursday launched the Malaysia Aviation Decarbonization Blueprint (MADB) to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The blueprint is targeting an 18 percent reduction in emissions by 2050 for aircraft technology, the Transport Ministry said in a statement

The blueprint is also aiming for a 46 percent reduction of traditional fuel through the increased use of biofuels and other sustainable alternatives.

It is also pursuing up to 30 percent reduction by adopting carbon offset schemes and purchasing carbon credits.

These targets, however, depend on several factors, such as the status of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development in Malaysia and the implementation of carbon offset projects that meet the guidelines, the ministry said.

In line with these commitments and targets, it noted that several ministries will jointly develop related policies and initiatives.

It also said the development of a policy with clear targets is crucial to aligning all mitigation measures currently undertaken by airlines more effectively. 
Wetzel, left, with Ken Livingstone, ex- leader of the GLC, promoting the Fares Fair policy for London Transport - Gary Weaser; originally shot for The Guardian

Dave Wetzel, who has died aged 82, was, in the heady days of Ken Livingstones GLC, regarded by many Conservatives as a bespectacled, tousle-haired embodiment of the loony Left.

In later years, however, as transport supremo when Livingstone was elected Mayor of London, Wetzel oversaw the introduction of the Congestion Charge and the Oyster card, policies which survived a change of political leadership at City Hall. He then became an internationally respected transport consultant.

As GLC transport committee chairman, the former bus driver became most closely associated with the Fares Fair policy introduced in October 1981 when London Transport fares were slashed by 31 per cent. The idea was declared illegal five months later following a legal challenge by the London Borough of Bromley, whose ratepayers had to contribute to the extra subsidy even though there were no Tube services in the borough.

The law lords went a step further, and ruled that the GLC had been acting beyond its powers in subsidising fares at all. The fare cut, and the supplementary rate levied to fund it, were ruled unlawful.

Unabashed, Wetzel launched a Cant Pay Wont Pay campaign of civil disobedience and took a bus from Portland Place to County Hall on which he refused to pay the full fare. When the conductor refused to allow the journey to continue unless he did, Wetzel put the issue to a vote. Sadly for him, the other passengers concluded that he should leave the bus.

Five months later, having been arrested for travelling without paying the correct fare, he turned up at South West London Magistrates Court dressed as an ape. On being told to behave like a grown-up, he treated the court to an impersonation of a gorilla.

Wetzel in 1981 on a London bus at Victoria, promoting London Transport's one third reduction of fares - Keystone/Getty Images

In fact the Fares Fair policy had first been suggested by the GLCs moderate Labour leader Andrew McIntosh, in the partys May 1981 GLC election manifesto, designed to address the continuing flight from public transport. And it worked  at a cost. For the first time since the 1950s the numbers using public transport leapt.

The morning after the local elections, however, McIntosh was unceremoniously deposed by Livingstone, and the association of the policy with Labours Left did the measure no favours in Whitehall.

Wetzel played a role in restoring calm, through supporting a less ambitious cut in fares. But in June 1984 the GLC was stripped of its transport responsibilities, with the establishment of London Regional Transport; the council itself was abolished two years later.

From 1987 Wetzel led Hounslow council for four years, before running an antiques shop with his wife in Cornwall and then a Chinese restaurant in Brentford, west London, with his daughter and son-in-law.

It was there, in the late 1990s, that he met up again with his old GLC comrade-in-arms. Do you want to piss around washing dishes here for the next four years or do you want to help me change London? Livingstone is said to have asked him.

Wetzel, front, with Terry Lightfoot and his band - PA/Alamy

So in 2000 Wetzel returned to public life, doing much to ease the birth of the Mayors new Transport for London, on which he served as 45,000-a-year vice chairman until the election of Boris Johnson as London Mayor in 2008, demonstrating a willingness to listen to others and change policy if needed.

Among other things, he championed plans for the funding of the long-delayed Crossrail under which every landlord along the line of the project would pay a tax to help fund it. He had long been an advocate of land-value taxation. It was a view inspired by his father, a regular fixture on the subject at Speakers Corner during the interwar years, and by having studied law and economics in the 1960s as a distant part-time student of the US-based Henry George School of Social Studies, which campaigns for such a tax. In the early 1980s Wetzel founded the Labour Land Campaign.

The land-values funding idea gained cross-party support, and Crossrail used a land-value capture policy  one of the first of its kind in the UK  as part of its funding strategy, which contributed more than 1 billion to the projects capital costs. As Mayor, Boris Johnson used the same levy to raise 998 million for the Northern Line extension to Battersea.

Wetzel remained a radical to the end, though, and in 2014, disillusioned by New Labour, he joined the Green Party.

Wetzel, left, and London Transport chairman Keith Bright at Heathrow as work began on the Piccadilly line loop, intended to serve Terminal Four of the airport, 1983 - PA/Alamy

David Wetzel was born on October 9 1942 to Fred Wetzel and Ivy, nee Donaldson, and educated at Spring Grove Grammar School in Hounslow, later adding to his educational qualifications with evening courses at Southall Technical College and Ealing College as well as the Henry George School of Social Sciences.

He left school to become an apprentice at the Wilkinson Sword factory in Acton, then joined London Transport as a bus conductor in 1959, rising in rapid succession to bus driver and assistant pay clerk. By 1968 he was an inspector and an active shop steward in the Transport and General Workers Union.

In 1966 he co-founded and became general secretary of the Co-op young members organisation which, during the 1960s, battled social ills, from protesting about the bomb to smuggling anti-apartheid leaflets into South Africa. We took part in protests against the Vietnam war, we helped organise conferences and there was a fast outside St Pauls Cathedral in 1967 to help Botswana, Wetzel recalled.

In 1970 he joined British Airways as a pilot roster officer and joined the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs (ASTMS) union, again becoming a shop steward. Later roles would see him work as a political organiser of the London Co-operative Society (1974-81), and as a minicab driver, running the antique shop in Mevagissey then helping to run the family Chinese restaurant in Brentford which had, as one wag put it, a view of the M4 flyover second to none.

Wetzel became a Hounslow councillor in 1964 and met Ken Livingstone in the 1970s when they both became involved in the ultimately successful campaign to stop government plans to radically widen the A1 at Archway Road in north London.

Wetzel was elected as GLC member for Hammersmith in 1979, soon becoming closely identified with the rising radical Left faction on the Labour opposition benches. He ended correspondence with Yours in Socialism.

In the General Election of May 1979, Wetzel stood for Labour in Twickenham against the Conservative incumbent Toby Jessel. Fighting under the slogan Lets Paint the Town Red, he made 10,000 bright red flexi-discs at one pence each, featuring a rendition of The Laggan as performed by the Scottish TUC Choir. The returning officer questioned their legality, as they might have been seen as a form of electoral bribery, but was eventually reassured that they were similar to party leaflets.

Though unsuccessful in his bid to make it to Westminster, Wetzel nevertheless emerged from the contest as a man with a sense of humour, a rare commodity on the finger-jabbing Left of the 1970s, and it was his charm that would see him become the face of Fares Fair.

A lover of Cornish sea shanties and nature, Wetzel was also a leading light in the British Esperanto movement.

In 1973 he married Heather Allman, with whom he had two daughters.

Dave Wetzel, born October 9 1942, died July 26 2024

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last month is only one in a long line of American acts of political violence.

Four sitting U.S. presidents  Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy  have been killed by assassins and two were seriously injured: Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. That doesnt factor in the other close calls or attacks on politicians holding other positions.

Sept. 5 marks the anniversary of one of those close calls, one of two in a matter of days on the lone president to have grown up in Michigan: Gerald R. Ford.

On this day in 1975, Ford was in Sacramento, California, preparing to meet Gov. Jerry Brown. Ford was walking from his hotel to the State Capitol building across the street and greeted people and well-wishers on his way. During this brief walk, Lynette Squeaky Fromme  of Manson Family fame  pulled a gun on the president.

Thanks to actions by Fords Secret Service detail and possibly even Fromme herself, Ford wasnt hurt.

Extraordinary circumstances: 50 years ago, Gerald Ford became president

According to news reports, Fromme was just a few feet away from Ford when she pulled a Colt .45 pistol from a leg holster. Ford said he saw a woman in a brightly colored dress standing behind the first row of well-wishers. Then he saw a hand come through the crowd holding a gun.

President Gerald Ford is swarmed by both secret service officers and journalists after a woman was arrested for pulling a gun on the president on Sept. 5, 1975, in Sacramento, California. (Getty Images)

Just as he saw it, so too did Fords security detail. One agent grabbed for the gun in Frommes hand while others pulled Ford away from her.

Multiple witnesses, including Secret Service Agent Larry Buendorf, who disarmed Fromme, confirmed that they heard the gun click and that Fromme had said, It didnt go off. Can you believe it?

Honesty, candor at the heart of Betty Fords legacy

The gun had a loaded magazine but there was no bullet in the chamber. Fromme admitted years later that she ejected the top round from the pistols magazine at her apartment and claimed that she was determined not to kill the guy. Investigators confirmed an unspent bullet was found on the floor of her apartment. Other news reports claim Fromme didnt realize she needed to pull the gun slide to reload the chamber.

According to Brooke Clement, the director of the Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, when Buendorf grabbed for the gun, the skin between his thumb and index finger became wedged between the gun and its hammer, which also prevented it from firing.

U.S. Secret Service agents put handcuffs on Lynette Squeaky Fromme after she allegedly pointed a gun at President Gerald R. Ford as he walked from his hotel to the State Capitol building in Sacramento, California, on September 5, 1975. (AP file)

Lynette Squeaky Fromme sits in the back of a police car after she allegedly pointed a gun at President Gerald R. Ford as he walked from his hotel to the State Capitol building in Sacramento, California, on September 5, 1975. (AP file)

Lynette Squeaky Fromme walks out of a courthouse in Sacramento, California, after being charged with trying to assassinate President Gerald R. Ford. (Getty Images)

In videotaped testimony that was eventually made public years after the trial, Ford provided details of what he remembered about the incident. Investigators asked him several specific questions, including whether he could determine the caliber of the weapon and whether he heard Fromme cock the gun. Ford claimed that everything happened so quickly that he didnt see much of what happened.

The Secret Service agent moved so rapidly, Ford said.

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Newsweek reporter Tom DeFrank was part of the presidential press pool that day. He said the Secret Service quickly huddled around the president and hustled him away. But after a few seconds, Ford looked back at the scene.

It was clear, to me at least, he was aware of what happened. He seemed to me stunned, bewildered, dazed, something like that, DeFrank noted in the pool report.

The cover of the Sept. 15, 1975 edition of Time Magazine included a photo of Lynette Squeaky Fromme with the headline The Girl Who Almost Killed Ford. (AP file)

He wasnt dazed for long. Afterward, Ford continued on and held his planned meeting with the governor and gave his prepared speech on crime in front of a joint session of Californias legislature without ever mentioning the incident.

Fromme was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. She was granted parole in 2009. The gun involved in the attempt was gifted to the Ford Museum by the U.S. Attorneys Office of California and is now on display.

Killing Smalley: The death of Michigans most notorious train robber

Incredibly, a second attempt was made on Fords life less than three weeks later, again in California.

Sara Jane Moore fired two rounds from a revolver as the president prepared to get into his limousine following an address to the World Affairs Council in San Francisco. Investigators determined the first shot missed Fords head by about 5 inches. A bystander grabbed Moores arm as she pulled the trigger again. The shot hit a man inside a nearby hotel who survived the incident.

Like Fromme, Moore was sentenced to life in prison but eventually was granted parole in 2007.

Following the second assassination attempt, Ford started wearing a bulletproof trench coat while appearing in public.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
On This Day, Sept. 5: First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia

On September 5, 1774, the first Continental Congress convened in secret in Philadelphia, calling for a boycott of British goods and writing a petition to King George III to repeal the Intolerable Acts. Among those in attendance were future President George Washington, pictured. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1774, the first Continental Congress convened in secret in Philadelphia, calling for a boycott of British goods and writing a petition to King George III to repeal the Intolerable Acts. Both efforts failed to resolve the Americans' grievances, and the second Continental Congress less than a year later called for a revolution.

In 1836, Sam Houston was elected president of Texas.

In 1877, Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse was fatally bayoneted by a U.S. soldier after resisting confinement in a guardhouse at Fort Robinson, Neb. A year earlier, Crazy Horse was among the Sioux leaders who defeated George Armstrong Custer's Seventh Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana Territory.

In 1882, 10,000 workers marched in the first Labor Day parade -- in New York City.

Secret Service agents rush President Gerald R. Ford toward the California State Capitol following an attempt on the president's life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme on September 5, 1975, in Sacramento, Calif. File Photo courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in World War II. The United States joined the war in 1941 after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In 1972, Palestinian militants invaded the Olympic Village outside Munich, West Germany, and killed 11 Israeli athletes and six other people.

On September 5, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in World War II. The United States joined the war in 1941 after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. File Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

In 1975, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a follower of mass murderer Charles Manson, failed in an attempt to shoot U.S. President Gerald Ford. Fromme was paroled in 2009 after 34 years in prison.

Secret Service agents rush President Gerald R. Ford towards the California State Capitol following an attempt on the president's life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme -- a disciple of Charles Manson -- on September 5, 1975, in Sacramento, Calif. File Photo courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter hosted Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David, Md., for Middle East peace talks that laid the groundwork for a permanent peace agreement between Egypt and Israel after three decades of hostilities. The summit resulted in the Camp David Accords, which earned Sadat and Begin the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1995, France conducted an underground nuclear test at the Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific. It was the first of several -- all of which were met by protests worldwide.

In 2006, Katie Couric, longtime co-host of the NBC Today show, became the first solo female anchor on a major U.S. television network when she took over the CBS Evening News.

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

In 2014, U.S. officials said Ahmed Abdi Godane, leader of the Somalia-based Islamic militant organization al-Shabab, was killed in a U.S. airstrike. In 2012, the United States had posted a $7 million reward for his arrest.

In 2021, an elite national army unit detained Guinean President Alpha Conde -- the country's first democratically elected leader -- and seized control of power. Mamady Doumbouya became interim president.

In 2023, Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the Proud Boys hate group, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a domestic terrorism enhancement on a seditious conspiracy conviction. His was the longest sentence for any defendant tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said Wednesday that it arrested a man in connection to several burglaries that happened in April and May.

The first incident happened in the early morning of April 27. The victim reported that 33-year-old Zamar Jovan Sharpe of Southeast entered their home in the 3900 block of 1st Street SW. He reportedly took things from inside, including the victims car keys. Sharpe fled in the persons vehicle.

Then, on May 18, Sharpe reportedly entered a persons home just before 5 a.m. in the 900 block of Blackney Lane SE. He fled the scene with property from the home.

DCs Doggy Day Swim 2024 being held at 4 pools

Sharpe again returned to the 3900 block of 1st Street SW on May 18, May 20 and May 22. He fled in each offense and did not take anything.

He was arrested on Aug. 31 and charged with Theft One (Stolen Auto, two counts of Burglary One and three counts of Unlawful Entry.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text the departments tip line at 50411.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and East Haven police are conducting an investigation Thursday.

Vehicles from various agencies lined Tyler Street Extension as people in yellow hazmat suits and investigators bagged evidence.

Search resumes for 2 missing boaters in Old Saybrook

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

DEA conducting investigation in East Haven on Sept. 5, 2024.

Matt Limoncelli, the buildings owner, said he received a call around 5 a.m. Thursday, notifying him of the investigation. He told News 8 he was shocked by what was unfolding.

This side of the street is industrial mainly, Limoncelli said. A lot of good neighbors and a lot of good tenants. Its a surprise to me. Mostly people renting garages. Carpenters, plumbers. Its pretty quiet here.

An environmental services company from South Windsor is also on the scene.

Further information on the investigation was not immediately available.

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for more information.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Police in Germany said officers shot and killed a man with a long gun Thursday near the Israeli consulate in Munich, averting a likely terrorist attack on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre.

Sources told the German newspaper BILD that the shooter drove up to the NS-Dokumentationszentrum, a museum of the citys Nazi-era history about 200 feet from the consulate, and fired at police posts in front of the building. The officers then returned fire.

A video circulating online that appears to have been recorded from a nearby university building shows a man loading a historic infantry rifle, equipped with a bayonet, before firing it and then hiding behind a building. Police told the newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung they are currently trying to authenticate the video, which at one point shows the man walking near the Israeli Consulate General.

Schusse auf Israelisches Konsulat und NS Doku Zentrum pic.twitter.com/qRe90iaeaD  Hans (@Hans92183466101) September 5, 2024

Police officers spotted a person who appeared to be carrying a firearm, the Polizei Munchen said on X, adding the officers used their service weapons, and the person was hit and injured. There are currently no reports of further injuries.

Lageupdate zum aktuellen Einsatz:



Durch Polizeikrafte wurde eine Person gesehen, die augenscheinlich eine Schusswaffe trug.

Die Einsatzkrafte setzten die Dienstwaffen ein, die Person wurde getroffen und verletzt.

Aktuell gibt es keine Hinweise zu weiteren Verletzten.#muc0509  Polizei Munchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) September 5, 2024

Andreas Franken, a police spokesperson, confirmed the suspect exchanged fire with police and that he was seriously wounded. Five officers were at the scene, according to Franken.

A state minister confirmed the suspect died. Public broadcasters NDR and WDR reported the suspected shooter was an Austrian citizen born in 2006. Citing police sources, German news magazine Der Spiegel said the 18-year-old lived in the Salzburg region, drove to Munich by car, and was known to security authorities as an Islamist.

We are working on the assumption of an attempted terrorist attack, also in connection with the Consulate General of Israel, the Munich police and public prosecutors office said in a joint statement, noting they have yet to to determine the suspects motive.

We are very grateful to [the Munich police], said Talya Lador, the Israeli consul general to southern Germany. This event shows how dangerous the rise of anti-Semitism is. It is important that the general public raises its voice against it.

Lador noted the Consulate General was closed Thursday to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, when affiliates of the Palestinian militant group Black September killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team and kidnapped nine others who were ultimately killed in a botched rescue attempt.

The hostage crisis marked the first time a terrorist attack reached a live global television audience, and it triggered tensions between West Germany and Israel over the latters perceived security failures and handling of the kidnappings.

The Munich attack also spurred several countries, including West Germany, the U.S., France, and the U.K., to form specialized counterterrorism units in their police or armed forces. A moment of silence was held in memory of those who died at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics in advance of the 50th anniversary, 10 years after the International Olympic Committee controversially rejected holding one for the 40th anniversary during the 2012 London Games.

The police had earlier said, at 9:15 a.m. local time, that a major operation was underway in the area of Briennerstrasse and Karolinenplatz. The Consulate General of Israel in Munich is located off the Karolinenplatz roundabout, next to the Ben-Haim-Forschungszentrum, a research center that studies the history of Jewish music. The NS-Dokumentationszentrum is located on Briennerstrasse, immediately west of the roundabout.

Ronen Steinke, a journalist with the newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, shared a video taken by a local resident near the incident in which shots could be heard.

Schusse vor dem israelischen Generalkonsulat in Munchen. Das NS-Dokuzentrum ist direkt nebenan. pic.twitter.com/k1r819o9Rj  Ronen Steinke (@RonenSteinke) September 5, 2024

Nancy Faeser, Germanys interior minister, told journalists at a Berlin press conference that the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority and thanked the Munich police.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Death toll of Russia's Sept. 3 strike on Poltava rises to 54

State Emergency Service staff working on the site of a Russian missile attack against Poltava, Ukraine.

The death toll of Russia's strike against the Ukrainian city of Poltava on Sept. 3 has risen to 54, the State Emergency Service reported on Sept. 5 amid ongoing rescue operations.

Another 297 people are currently listed as wounded, while five more may still be under the rubble.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles against the city on Sept. 3, hitting the Military Institute of Communications and a neighboring medical facility. The educational institution building was partially destroyed.

There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack, Dmytro Lazutkin, Defense Ministry spokesperson, said on national television, refuting such unofficial claims.

Russian attacks have increasingly targeted educational facilities as the school year began in Ukraine, hitting a number of them in Sumy, Lviv, and Kryvyi Rih overnight on Sept. 4.

Poltava is a city of around 300,000, located in Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine. It is situated around 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia, and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front.

The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks.

Read also: As Ukrainian children return to school, Russia launches missiles at educational facilities

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Death Valley is referred to as a land of extremes and that was once again proven true over the summer months of June, July, and August when a new temperature record was set.

A woman takes a photo of a thermostat reading 126 degrees Fahrenheit and 52 degrees Celsius at the Furnace Creek Visitors Center in Death Valley National Park, Calif., Sunday, July 7, 2024. Forecasters say a heat wave could break previous records across the U.S., including in Death Valley. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Over the summer, the average 24-hour temperature of 104.5 degrees broke the previous record of 104.2 set in 2021 and 2018, according to a news release from the National Park Service.

The mean average temperature in Death Valley, CA every year since 1952. (Credit: Death Valley National Park)

The weather station at Furnace Creek recorded its hottest month ever in July when the park experienced nine consecutive days of 125 degrees or higher. The hottest day was July 7 at 129.2 degrees. There was little relief overnight because the average temperature was 91.9 degrees, according to the park service.

Hottest summer on record for Las Vegas; average summer temperature 107 degrees

Thousands of tourists flock to Death Valley in California to experience the summer heat and park rangers said they responded to multiple life-threatening incidents because of the heat, including two fatalities, and a man who burned his feet on the ground.

Barefoot man suffers from severe burns in Death Valley

Dont expect Death Valley to be cooling off anytime soon. Rangers said the park will likely be in the triple digits into early October. Visitors are advised to be no more than 10 minutes away from an air-conditioned vehicle and to drink plenty of water.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
As the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks against Israel nears, a handful of elite colleges have announced that they plan to refrain from issuing any official statements recognizing the more than 1,200 Israelis killed in the massacres, urging a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas or calling for a two-state solution. And as the academic year progresses, they likely wont be weighing in on any pressing or controversial issues  at least those that extend beyond the universitys own gates.



Over the summer, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University and several other colleges adopted a policy called institutional neutrality, which is the commitment of a university and its leaders to refrain from taking public positions on contentious matters unless the issue directly impacts the campus.



Academic leaders are divided over whether institutions remaining neutral on essential issues helps or harms Jewish students, while some question the timing of rolling out this policy at the same time that universities have become the center of heated debates over Hamas and Israel.



The principle of institutional neutrality first rose to prominence in the 1967 Kalven Report on the University of Chicagos Role in Political and Social Action amid Vietnam War activism on college campuses. The report stated that neutrality is necessary to maintain a universitys fidelity to its core mission of education.



Since then, at least a dozen universities, including Harvard University, Vanderbilt University, Stanford University, Columbia University and Syracuse University have adopted the policy. Some have enforced it for years, while others, such as Harvard, embraced neutrality amid a turbulent 2023-24 academic year. Proponents of university neutrality argue that it does not hinder free speech because the policy only applies to universities and their leaders speaking in official capacity  not to students or faculty.



But Ora Pescovitz, the president of Oakland University, a small, public university in Rochester, Mich., told Jewish Insider that she would not implement the policy  although she does see its advantages  because doing so would mean that then [I could] never weigh in on issues that do not directly impact the institution, and I fear that there are times that as an institution we will want to weigh in, as we have.



Pescovitz referenced a statement the university released in 2021 after the Oxford High School mass shooting in the Detroit suburb of Oxford Township, just miles from Oakland University. According to Pescovitz, many graduates of the high school go on to Oakland.



That was a national event but for us it was local, she said. Were embedded in our community and pride ourselves on being deeply engaged in our community. Under an institutional neutrality policy, Pescovitz would not have been permitted to comment on the shooting. I received many comments that people were appreciative that I weighed in, she recalled, adding that I worry that institutional neutrality prevents us from being able to speak out when we need to.



Pescovitz was among the first to strongly condemn Hamas Oct. 7 atrocities, releasing a statement just hours after the attack and differentiating herself from counterparts who waffled over a response. We are shocked and horrified by the unprovoked acts of brutality by Hamas terrorists in Israel, Pescovitz wrote on Oct. 7 to Oakland University, a school with a diverse student body where Arab Americans make up a significant share of attendees.



At the same time, Pescovitz emphasized that a presidents voice is precious. She said shes careful not to weigh in on outside issues frequently or else students will become desensitized to statements.





If something happens on your campus, or has a direct impact on your campus, then you may want to discuss it in the context of what the university plans to do, said Mark Yudof, chair of the Academic Engagement Network and the former president of the University of California system. I dont think there should be abstract statements but you can as university leadership say this is what we intend to do on our campus.







The advantage is that it does help institutions have an approach when they have to address big issues like the ones we are tackling right now, and it does not prevent them from continuing to uphold clear issues like academic freedom within their institutions, but it does make it easy for them to have a consistent approach, Pescovitz said.



Because she wont implement the policy on her campus, Pescovitz said that she frequently struggles with asking herself, When do you draw the line?



Its difficult to decide when the institution does come out with statements, she said. When should we make a statement? Why should we make a statement about one topic and not another? Sometimes people have questioned why I made a statement about one issue and not another. Knowing when to draw the line is a slippery slope.



Mark Yudof, chair of the Academic Engagement Network and the former president of the University of California system, echoed the iffyness of enforcing a neutral campus.



If something happens on your campus, or has a direct impact on your campus, then you may want to discuss it in the context of what the university plans to do, Yudof said. I dont think there should be abstract statements but you can as university leadership say this is what we intend to do on our campus.



Institutional neutrality would say the president should make statements which are focused on the impact of campus, he continued. If youve had assaults of women, racist misbehavior, if Jewish students cant cross campus safely, I expect presidents to speak out about that and I dont want institutional neutrality to say they cant look out for the best interests of students, faculty and staff.



The judgment call, Yudof continued, is what directly affects your campus.



When Congress is considering legislation that directly impacts your campus, I think they can speak out on that.



Yudof said hes supportive of institutional neutrality if it helps to clear away some of the departments around the country that on their official website have come out in favor of various forms of social justice and have criticized Israel and made pro-Hamas statements.



Faculty can speak however they want but not on the website of the English department or history department, Yudof said.



Kidnapping, beheading, murdering people  children and adults, civilians and people in the armed forces  is horrific and inhuman, pure and simple, the president of Northwestern University, Michael Schill, said in a letter on Oct. 12  five days after Hamas massacre in Israel. This sort of behavior is entirely unacceptable regardless of ones political convictions or grievances. Despite his decision not to issue a statement on behalf of Northwestern, Schill wrote that is the view of Mike Schill, citizen, Jew and human being. I didnt give up those parts of me when I assumed the presidency of Northwestern.







He does not see the sudden widespread implementation of institutional neutrality necessarily as a cop out to addressing Israels war because this could also involve the elections and other things coming up.



The strongest defense of neutrality, according to Yudof, was a letter the president of Northwestern University, Michael Schill, sent to the campus on Oct. 12  five days after Hamas massacre in Israel.



Schill wrote that under Northwesterns institutional neutrality policy, he would not issue a university statement on the matter, but clarified that as individuals in a democracy, we do not give up our rights to have and express our personal political and social viewpoints. We just need to make clear we are speaking for ourselves and not for all our students, faculty, staff and trustees.



Kidnapping, beheading, murdering people  children and adults, civilians and people in the armed forces  is horrific and inhuman, pure and simple, Schill said in the message. This sort of behavior is entirely unacceptable regardless of ones political convictions or grievances. Despite his decision not to issue a statement on behalf of Northwestern, Schill wrote that is the view of Mike Schill, citizen, Jew and human being. I didnt give up those parts of me when I assumed the presidency of Northwestern.





Harvard adopted a policy of institutional neutrality after its inability to clearly and quickly condemn the rape of Jewish women, the kidnapping of Jewish babies and the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, said Shabbos Kestenbaum, who graduated in the spring with a masters degree from Harvard Divinity School and is suing the university over its handling of campus antisemitism,







Harvard University adopted institutional neutrality in May, at the end of a school year marred by antisemitic unrest resulting in a federal civil rights lawsuit. Jewish leaders on the campus are divided over how beneficial the policy will be, and the motive behind its implementation. Rabbi Jason Rubenstein, executive director of Harvard Hillel, called it a significant and positive step for Harvard as a whole, and the welfare of its Jewish community in particular.



We do not expect or want everyone on campus to agree with our positions on Israel or the current war  our community itself is very diverse  but we are clear that academic programs and extracurricular life must be wholly committed to their important work, and not be used as platforms to marginalize or stigmatize Zionists, Israelis, Jews or any other group, Rubenstein told JI. While no single change will make a decisive difference in a place as large, complex and decentralized as Harvard  the adoption of neutrality is necessary, though not sufficient.



Shabbos Kestenbaum, who graduated in the spring with a masters degree from Harvard Divinity School and is suing the university over its handling of campus antisemitism, said that the timing of the university adopting the policy was quite telling.



Harvard adopted a policy of institutional neutrality after its inability to clearly and quickly condemn the rape of Jewish women, the kidnapping of Jewish babies and the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Kestenbaum told JI.



Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, who leads Harvard Chabad, told JI in February, when implementing institutional neutrality on Harvards campus was still under consideration, that a benefit of the policy is that when you have leadership that is profoundly ignorant on moral issues, or worse lack a moral compass, you certainly dont want them opining on moral issues and weve had some sad manifestations of that. He referred to the Dean of Harvards Graduate School of Education, Bridget Terry Long, blaming both Hamas and the Israeli government for Oct. 7 and the resulting war. (Long later apologized for her statement.)



The problem with university neutrality, Zarchi said, is that it does not address the purpose of an educational enterprise.



If the purpose is to educate ethical humans, how dare we be morally neutral, Zarchi said. Do we want institutions meant to educate to be neutral on genocide or massacre? Is that how little faith we have in our leaders that we want them to be morally neutral?



As Cornell follows Harvard, having announced its adoption of institutional neutrality last month, Menachem Rosensaft, an adjunct professor of law at Cornell Law School, welcomed the policy  so long as it adheres to two conditions.



I am comfortable with a policy of institutional neutrality as long as it is observed across the board and not selectively, and accompanied by a scrupulous insistence on the observance of applicable codes of conduct and behavior, Rosensaft told JI.



He continued, I dont know that its the task of university or college presidents to comment on current events unrelated to their institutions, however newsworthy such events might be.





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Delaware man arrested and charged nearly 30 years after girlfriend's body was found in Florida canal

A Delaware man was arrested and charged nearly 30 years after the death of his girlfriend, whose body was discovered in a Florida canal in 1996, officials announced Wednesday.

Stephen L. Ford, 72, was taken into custody near his home in Georgetown, Delaware, on Aug. 16 on a warrant for second-degree murder with a weapon in connection with the death of Doris A. Korell, authorities in Florida said.

He was extradited and booked into the Manatee County jail in Florida on Aug. 30. Attorney information was not available for him.

According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's office, Ford stated that his "past has come up to haunt me" after his arrest.

Doris A. Korell.

Korell, 45, was found dead on Dec. 15, 1996. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said the body, which went unidentified for a year, was discovered floating in a drainage canal, according to a news release.

A medical examiner said the body had been stabbed 83 times and had trauma on the neck and face, the release says.

Due to a lack of physical evidence and leads, the case went cold. Detectives in Manatee County were also unaware at the time that police in St. Petersburg had been searching for Korell, who vanished following a fight with Ford.

Korell's daughter had reported her missing after Ford allegedly told her that Korell had gone shopping after the pair got into an argument.

Korell's vehicle was later found at a local mall. Investigators now believe Ford parked it there "and wiped it down," the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said. Korell's belongings had been kept in a storage unit that was kept secret from her daughter.

During the initial investigation, Ford attempted suicide and made troubling statements, the sheriff's office said. In an alleged suicide note addressed to his two sons, Ford described how he wanted to be with Korell if she was dead, the news release states. He also allegedly told detectives, "If I killed her, I should get the death penalty."

Ford, however, denied his involvement in Korell's disappearance or death and eventually moved to Delaware.

In 2017, the case was reopened and new information came to light.

"Acquaintances of Doris said she feared Stephen Ford and the troubled couple were having domestic and financial problems," the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said.

Cold case detectives also noted that Ford's behavior early on in the investigation "showed a clear pattern of consciousness of guilt," the release states.

The sheriff's office said that "evidence obtained in this investigation, including Fords deliberate actions and statements to mislead law enforcement and ultimately his attempts to commit suicide" are probable cause that he killed Korell.

"Cold cases are some of the most difficult crimes to crack," State Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement Wednesday. "The defendant is correct when he said after his arrest, 'my past has come up to haunt me.' My office and our partners will continue to seek justice for Doris Korell."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday denounced recent military exercises between the United States and South Korea, saying the joint drills "maximized" military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and vowed the country would build up its defense capabilities to guarantee national security and regional peace, state media said.

In a press statement issued Thursday by the chief of the Public Information Office of the Ministry of National Defence, the DPRK lashed out at last month's Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise. It was the largest-ever military drill between South Korea and the United States, involving more than 200 warplanes and a U.S. Army unit equipped to cope with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear attacks, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The statement also condemned the "extremely reckless and dangerous" joint landing drill Ssangyong, which started on Aug. 26, for "presupposing an open invasion upon the DPRK territory," KCNA said.

"The accumulation of such threatening actions on the Korean Peninsula will only spark off tensions and drive the security environment in the region into an irreversibly catastrophic situation," the statement warned.

The DPRK will build up its defense capabilities to "guarantee the security of the state and the peace in the region by dint of strength and action," it added. 
Delta Is Scrapping Its Daytime Flight to Paris  What to Know

It will be converted to a red-eye.

samael334/Getty Images Panoramic sunset view of old town of Paris from the roof of the Triumphal Arch

Passengers heading to Paris will soon lose a popular daytime service that departs from the U.S. in the morning and arrives by evening.

Delta Air Lines confirmed to Travel + Leisure that it will discontinue its daylight flight from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Saturday, October 26. The nonstop flight operates once daily, departing New York at 8:30 a.m. before arriving in Paris at 10 p.m., though other overnight red-eye options from Delta will continue to be available.

This service, which was first introduced earlier this spring, is currently the airlines only morning departure to Europe from its New York hub. Delta launched this option as a third nonstop service for the peak summer travel season and to meet increased demand for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, Delta announced this third daily flight would be converted to a red-eye flight by next summer.

Customers can continue to travel from New York to Paris this winter with two daily Delta flights in the evening, or through our joint venture partner Air France, which offers five daily flights, the airline shared in a statement with T+L. Those holding bookings beyond March 29 have been notified by Delta and accommodated on other flights. We apologize for any inconvenience."

The airlines other flights to Paris  along with the vast majority of its eastbound routes to Europe  depart in the evening as overnight services. Therefore, this daytime flight has helped many fliers reduce the effects of jet lag, as travelers often go straight to bed after the approximately 7.5-hour journey to France.

With the schedule update, there will soon be no other daytime flight options from New York to Paris. However, there are several early morning departures to choose from on nonstop flights from New York to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), offered by American Airlines, British Airways, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic.



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putins endorsement of Vice President Harris in the election, calling it classic doublespeak.

Auchincloss joined CNNs Kasie Hunt on Thursday, where he was asked what he made of the Russian presidents remarks endorsing Harris.

I think its classic, sort of, doublespeak and disinformation, he responded. Its very clear that the Russians have always thought that Donald Trump is a Putin fanboy.

Auchincloss pointed to the 2018 Helsinki meeting between former President Trump and Putin where Trump said he trusts the Russian leader more than his own intelligence agencies.

Of course, the Russians want a guy like that, he said. Hes going to be a stooge for them.

Speaking from an event in Vladivostok, Russia, Putin joked Thursday that he is supporting Harris, citing her infectious laugh.

Putin said he previously supported President Biden, but after he withdrew and endorsed Harris, he will do the same.

She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her, he said, arguing that Harris could lift sanctions Biden placed on Russia.

Putin, who has denied interfering in U.S. elections in the past, said its for the American people to decide.

The Harris campaign spokesperson Ian Sams responded to the comments on CNN as well.

I think everybody knows who dictators and bullies around the world prefer in this election. They prefer President Trump, he told Hunt. We reject the kind of divisive, dictatorial leadership that are being offered from people like President Putin.

Sams condemned Putins invasion of Ukraine and said the Harris campaign rejects foreign interference in the election.

I think that anybody whos been paying attention for the last decade knows where President Putin stands in the election and who his preferred candidate is, regardless of what he may say, Sams said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Rep. Sharice Davids has won the endorsement of the Kansas Farm Bureaus political arm, with the states most influential agricultural group coming to view the Kansas City-area Democrat as a reliable ally as Congress struggles to pass a farm bill.

The nod marks the first time the Kansas Farm Bureaus political action committee - Voters Organized to Elect Farm Bureau Friends, or VOTE FBF  has weighed in on the states 3rd Congressional District since backing Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder, who lost to Davids, in 2018. Davids has consolidated support since then, earning a greater percentage of the vote in each election.

While the core of Davidss district is centered on highly-populated suburban Johnson County, state Republican lawmakers redrew its boundaries in 2022 to include more rural areas southwest of the Kansas City metro area. In turn, Davids secured a position on the House Agriculture Committee.

Davidss position on the committee has given Kansas additional influence as Congress develops the next farm bill  a package of agricultural and food assistance policy approved by Congress every few years. The most recent legislation, from 2018, will expire at the end of September after a previous extension.

Democrats may retake the House from Republicans in November. Davidss reelection would ensure either way that Kansas has at least one representative in the majority on the House Agriculture Committee because Republican Rep. Tracey Mann, who represents Kansas 1st District and will likely win reelection, also sits on the committee.

The Kansas Farm Bureaus PAC announced the endorsement in a message to its members on Thursday.

Rep. Davids has worked to build relationships with our members across the 3rd District, Kansas Farm Bureau President Joe Newland said in a statement.

From water conservation to her service on the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Davids has sought the input of farmers and ranchers as part of her decision-making process, Newland said. Im confident shes the right choice for agriculture and look forward to her re-election.

Davids in a statement said she was humbled to receive the endorsement and that she would continue working to support our agricultural economy and the hardworking families who make it thrive.

Kansas farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our state, and Im committed to ensuring their voices are heard in Washington, Davids said.

Davids faces Republican Prasanth Reddy, a Lenexa physician, on the November ballot.

The Kansas Farm Bureau PAC endorsement comes after Davids in May joined other Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee in a largely party-line vote against advancing a Republican-backed farm bill. Davids praised some provisions in the bill but criticized a reduction in food assistance funding and the reallocation of dollars intended to help farmers implement climate-friendly practices.

After the vote, Reddy sharply criticized Davidss position. He said Kansas producers need a leader they can count on. Reddy, whose family emigrated from India when he was a child, said his family moved to Kansas because the state is an agricultural leader.

Sharice Davids voted against the Farm Bill. Thats absurd, and its a betrayal of Kansas farmers and ranchers. But thats what you can expect from a professional politician who puts party leaders before common sense. Lets vote against Sharice Davids in November, Reddy said in a May statement.

Davids said after the vote that the bill while including many great provisions, would have provided false hope to farmers and put Kansans into hunger. She has praised the bills strengthening of crop insurance and boosted agricultural research  items she previously identified in a Star op-ed as two of her priorities for the bill.

Davids said in May she was committed to upholding the Kansas tradition of bipartisan agricultural policy.

To truly support Kansas agricultural economy, we must put Kansans first, stop playing political games, and promote a broadly bipartisan Farm Bill that can realistically make it across the finish line, Davids said in May. There are many provisions in this bill we all agree on, which is why I remain optimistic.

Despite the vote by the House Agriculture Committee, that version of the bill will almost certainly not pass Congress. It appears to lack support to pass the full House, where Republicans hold only a razor-thin majority.

Davids has also cultivated a relationship with former Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican long associated with the farm bill process who left the Senate in early 2021. In March she participated in a farm bill-focused event in Johnson County with Roberts, U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small and others.

She has also held a farm bill listening tour within the 3rd District, which extends from southern Wyandotte County south and west past Garnett.
Kamala Harriss wealthy donors were getting nervous, The New York Times reported last week. They didnt like the various tax increases that President Joe Biden proposed in his 2025 budget, which Harris supported. One of these, Harris announced Wednesday, will be scaled back. The Biden administration proposed taxing capital gains at the same rate as labor income for households earning more than $1 million. Since Biden (and Harris) wanted to raise the top marginal income tax rate from 37 percent to 39.6 percent, that would make the new capital gains rate for high earners 39.6 percent, up from the current 20 percent. Now Harris is scaling that back to 28 percent.

Among the many reasons to be dismayed by Harriss retreat is that if she wins, and possibly even if she loses, the Democrats will be in an excellent position next year to impose higher taxes on the rich. Doing so is extremely popular with voters, and other circumstances make a substantial tax hike on wealthier Americans highly likely in 2026. This is no time for Democrats to demand less.

What are these other circumstances? Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts will expire at the end of 2025. If the House and Senate both go Republican (the former is more likely), President Harris will still be well situated to insist that whatever tax bill she signs improves on the status quo ante.* Otherwise, Harris can do nothing and let all the Trump tax cuts evaporate.



Granted, this is a simplistic way of looking at it. The GOP knows that the Democrats really want to restore the expanded child tax credit, which, during the Covid pandemic, brought child poverty down to 5.2 percent, the lowest rate ever recorded. An earlier child tax credit expansion would be lost if the 2017 tax cut expired, and the Biden administrations large increase of the tax subsidy for Obamacare, which brought average monthly premiums down by one-third and shrank the uninsured population to a historically low 7.9 percent, also expires at the end of 2025. All that gives Republicans some leverage.

But the Democrats will have a lot more. The only circumstance to change that would be a Republican sweep of the House and the Senate and the White House. Two out of three yields a deadlock in which Democrats maintain the upper hand.

Republicans could, I suppose, claim that if Harris allowed the Trump tax cuts to expire, shed be violating her campaign pledge (and Bidens) not to raise taxes on people earning less than $400,000. But Harris could answer that she tried to enact such a tax plan and Republicans wouldnt let her. And anyway, a return to the status quo pre-Trump wouldnt hit the under-$400,000 very hard. As a share of after-tax income, according to the nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the 2017 tax cuts for the top 1 percent and 5 percent in the income distribution were more than triple the tax cuts for the bottom 60 percent in the income distributioni.e., most of us.

The do-nothing fallback is not an advantage to which the Democrats are accustomed. More often, that privilege resides with Republicans, simply by virtue of the GOP favoring less government. In the past, Republicans have been willing to shut down the government to block Democratic budgets and increases in the debt ceiling. Theyve backed down only in response to voter fury at the resultant chaos. One attractive feature of the Democrats do-nothing fallback is that it would create no parallel crisis, hence no fury.

And yet, as Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed out in an important June speech on which The New York Times Andrew Duehren elaborated this week, the Democrats have blown this before. Warren called it a doom loop:

Tax loopholes for the wealthiest individuals and corporations mean the rich keep more and more of their money. And as the money floods to the top, so does power  we end up with tax policy that reflects the values of the top 1 percentand mostly the top 1 percent of the 1 percent.

Thats true, but Warren left out the part where the rich take hostage the haute bourgeoisieand even, to some extent, the middle class. Raise taxes on us, the plutocrats say, and youll also raise taxes on these peasants! Thats how Democrats came to protect from tax increases everybody making less than $400,000more than 95 percent of the U.S. population, which is not any sensible persons idea of good government. A comparable hostage-taking lies behind Harriss retreat on capital gains. Harris justifies it as a way to protect small businesses; she also proposes raising a $5,000 tax deduction for business start-ups to $50,000. But as Michael Kinsley has observed, the widely subscribed conceit that small businesses are owned by small people is an anthropomorphism. Often theyre owned by very big (i.e., rich) people. When they arent, they dont tend to run up large tax bills. Tellingly, the New York Times headline on reaction to Harriss speech wasnt Small Business Praises Cap Gains Retreat but Harris Shift on Tax Cheers Her Corporate Backers. The billionaire investor Mark Cuban crowed on X, Kamala Harris is listening to business people and getting their feedback on whats fair and what will lead to more investment in business. Its only going to get better. Lets hope not.

Blame Barack Obama for classifying $400,000 as a proletarian income. The last time the Democrats were in the kind of advantageous position that theyll enjoy again next year was 2012, when the Bush tax cuts were due to expire. Obama did not play his hand well. In fairness to him, it was an election year, and the economy was recovering very slowly from the Great Recession, which had ended only three years earlier. There was, perhaps, some risk that a larger tax increase could reverse the very slow recovery.

A further complication was the threat of automatic budget cuts (sequestration) under a budget deal that Obama signed into law the year before to raise the debt ceiling. Barring legislative delay or cancellation, the sequester was set to occur simultaneously with the tax increase on January 1, 2013. The combined effect was dubbed the fiscal cliff.

Remember the fiscal cliff? At a December 21 press conference, Obama said that every single one of us agrees that tax rates shouldnt go up for  98 percent of Americans. That every single one of us did not include yours truly. In nearly every respect, I wrote, the fiscal cliff poses no more of a threat than the Mayan apocalypse (which had failed to occur earlier that week). In retrospect, I wish that Id removed nearly from that sentence; my one reservation was that the stock market might crash. Ive since learned that predicting when the market will or wont crash is a fools errand.

Obama, who was never very good at negotiating with Congress, cut a deal that allowed him to raise the top marginal tax rate on incomes above $400,000 from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, where it had stood under President Bill Clinton. But people who made less than $400,000 got to keep their tax cut. The deal also left in place, for this group only, Bushs cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes. In total, Obama ended up preserving an appalling 82 percent of the Bush tax cuts, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The doom loop didnt just make the tax code less progressive. It also starved the Treasury for revenue. As Warren noted in her speech, The United States ranks 31st out of 38 developed countries in terms of tax revenue as a share of GDP. Its true! Uruguay taxes more. Morocco taxes more. Jamaica taxes more.

Next year offers President Harris and/or potentially Speaker Jeffries an opportunity to end the doom loop. If Republicans wont agree to significant progressive tax changes, the Democrats can tell them to get lost, thereby ushering in automatic increases in corporate, capital gains, and income taxes that will make the tax system more progressive than it is today. Walking away from a deal will also save the Treasury about $2 trillion over the next 10 years, because thats the cost of Bidens tax plan, relative to letting the entire Trump tax cut expire, according to Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post. (Harriss concession on capital gains bumps that a bit higher.) Extending all of the Trump tax cut (which, again, Trump can achieve only with a Republican House and Senate) will cost more like $3.5 trillion.

The more I think about it, the more I like the option of doing nothing on taxes next year. Thats going to be awfully hard to beat. Lets hope that this time around, the Democrats appreciate what a very strong hand they hold. Yielding ground on capital gains is not a good start.

* This article originally misstated the capital gains rate.
Americas sky-high rate of fatal fentanyl overdoses could be halved if users were treated with another opioid, Biden administration officials and a bipartisan group of senators believe.

They and others who support expanded access to methadone argue that allowing addiction specialists to prescribe it outside of the clinics now permitted to dispense it would save tens of thousands of lives.

We are in a desperate situation right now where the risks of expanding methadone are so outweighed by the benefits of having more people on methadone, said Noa Krawczyk, a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine who studies barriers to drug treatment and supports the administrations push.

But the proposal faces opposition from the health care providers with the most intimate knowledge of methadone treatment: methadone clinic directors. They tell POLITICO that allowing prescribing outside of clinics is risky without their strict safeguards. Methadone is an addictive opioid thats deadly if abused.

The idea that a physician in private practice without support staff  that they're going to be able to treat a complex medical problem like the use of fentanyl, is just not substantiated, said Mark Parrino, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, which represents methadone clinics.

The disagreement over how to proceed comes as fatal overdoses climbed more than 50 percent during the pandemic before declining slightly in the year ending in March to 103,451. And while proponents of making methadone easier to get say that toll is ample reason to rethink treatment rules that are now decades old, the clinics fear its a bad idea that could make the overdose problem worse. Thus far, theyre winning the debate in the only forum that matters: Congress.

A bill by an unlikely Senate duo, Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), to expand methadone access is languishing despite a bipartisan vote in a key committee and a strong push from National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow. Volkow has said universal access to methadone and similar drugs could bring down fentanyl deaths by 50 percent.

The legislation would reshape not only how methadone is prescribed but also dispensed  patients could pick up their prescription at the pharmacy. Now, most have to go in person every day to a clinic to receive their dose under supervision. That makes it hard to stick to the treatment, patients and bill proponents say, because clinics are often far from where patients live.



But the clinics have succeeded in convincing enough Republicans that expanded access comes with significant risks. Parrino said the proponents of the change are putting too much faith in methadone alone, without considering the support services the clinics provide to help patients.

Lawmakers sensitive to the clinics' arguments, such as Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), also point to the bleak history of the opioid epidemic  fueled as it was by corrupt doctors and pharmacies that handed out OxyContin like candy. Easing access to methadone, they say, risks a repeat.

Removing diversion-control mechanisms and wrap-around services would cause further abuse and trafficking of methadone, which would perpetuate the opioid crisis instead of solving it, said Budd.

Advocates of broader prescribing say the clinics are more interested in protecting their turf than in saving lives, and that lawmakers who oppose the change are too risk averse at a time when the current system is not working. They point to studies that say 3 in 4 people who could benefit from methadone, or similar drugs, arent getting them.

If we don't do it, more people are going to die than is necessary, said Markey.

He said his legislation is also part of a push to change Americas approach to drug use, from criminalizing it to treating it as a health care issue.

Were still suffering from the legacy of the Nixon years, Markey said, referring to the Republican presidents tough approach, which he said stigmatized drug users and created a negative perception of treatment.

The case for methadone

The past year brought a glimmer of hope that fatal overdoses might have finally reached a peak, with provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing a 7.5 percent decrease in the year ending in March  albeit still well above the 70,000 or so dying when the pandemic began.

The proponents of pharmacy distribution of methadone, which include the American Society of Addiction Medicine, reject the charge that the change would mean abandoning holistic care. They argue expanded access to methadone would help more people stay in treatment, increasing the likelihood of long-term recovery.

This is why we're still in an overdose crisis: We haven't really built a system to ensure that patients don't drop off of care prematurely, said Dr. Brian Hurley, an addiction physician in charge of substance abuse prevention and control at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the president of ASAM.



Besides methadone, there are other drugs people can use for opioid use disorder: buprenorphine, often in combination with naloxone and naltrexone. Because their potential for abuse is either low or nonexistent, many doctors can prescribe them, and they can be picked up at a pharmacy.

But they dont work as well for people addicted to fentanyl, an opioid 50 times stronger than heroin. Methadones effectiveness has led some doctors and patients to call it the miracle molecule.

But the restrictions governing access to it have prompted another nickname, liquid handcuffs, given the need to show up in person to get it.

Some methadone clinic patients see the restrictions as a method of shaming them.

Its a culture of cruelty based on a probation model, said Nick Voyles, who has taken methadone for years and is the executive director of the Indiana Recovery Alliance.

The access debate

There are about 2,100 methadone clinics across the country, treating about 650,000 patients daily.

While its unclear how many more people could benefit from expanded access to the drug, a 2023 study estimated that the Senate bill would make methadone available in 63 percent of U.S. census areas compared with 49 percent now.

The study also estimated that some 192,000 overdose deaths occurred in the past decade in counties where a clinic was more than a 30-minute drive and that some 70,000 lives could have been saved if the law expanding prescribing had been in place.

Our results suggest rural communities stand to benefit the most, said Dr. Paul Joudrey, one of the researchers and an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.



The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration changed the rules for methadone prescribing this spring to allow physicians in methadone clinics more flexibility to decide when to give their patients a supply of methadone to take at home. The previous rules required clinicians to consider the amount of time a person had been in treatment and proof that the person was completely abstinent from illicit substances.

The change made permanent eased rules put in place during the pandemic, when people couldnt come to clinics every day due to lockdowns and social distancing requirements. The relaxed rules werent associated with measurable increased harms, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

But its up to each state to decide whether to adopt the new rules or maintain stricter controls over who gets methadone doses at home and for how long.

Markey estimates his bill would allow some 7,000 addiction specialists to prescribe methadone outside of clinics.

To prevent diversion to the illicit market, only physicians who are board certified in addiction medicine and registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration, an arm of the Department of Justice that polices access to addictive drugs, would be able to prescribe. Doctors who qualify would have to follow the same SAMHSA rules for take-home doses of methadone as clinics. Finally, states could opt out of registering physicians to prescribe methadone.

But Parrino doesnt trust the prescribing would be limited to specialized doctors. Ultimately, the bill is sort of a Trojan horse for doctors prescribing methadone out of their practices, he said.

A hard sell

Physicians prescribing methadone need to find the right dose for each patient fast so the patient doesnt experience withdrawal, which often prompts them to drop treatment.

Often, patients using fentanyl need higher doses of methadone than those using other opioids, Parrino said.

It can then take years for people to recover, which SAMHSA defines as being healthier, feeling better, living self-directed lives and striving to reach ones full potential.

The reality of opioid use disorder is that, for many, there is no cure, experts in the condition say. Rather, its a chronic condition needing lifelong medication and management.



Many of those who start methadone treatment drop out within the first year. Only 34 percent of a sample of 39,000 patients at BayMark Health Services, one of the nations largest methadone treatment providers, were still in treatment one year after they started, said Jason Kletter, the companys president.

Ending treatment early increases peoples risk of fatal overdose, researchers and physicians say. Expanding prescribing and dispensing of methadone would give people more options to stay in treatment, said the American Society of Addiction Medicines Hurley.

No one asks: When is my diabetes cured? Or: How long will I need to be on this blood pressure medication? Hurley said of how long people with opioid use disorder need treatment.

Medication should be the core component of that treatment, he added.

But on Capitol Hill, many in key positions still arent convinced.

Kentucky Rep. Brett Guthrie, a Republican who chairs the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee through which any House bill would have to go, said he viewed methadone as one option for those fighting opioid addiction, alongside 12-step methods like that of Alcoholics Anonymous, faith-based support and willpower to stop using.

He said he was skeptical of expanding access to methadone in the way proposed by Sens. Markey and Paul. We have to make sure the right safeguards are in place, he said.
Deputies: 2 arrested for using fake docs to buy Corvette

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Authorities say two people were arrested for using fake documents when purchasing a 2024 Corvette.

The Kent County Sheriffs Office said Kool Chevrolet contacted it over the weekend after suspicious activity during the sale of a 2024 C8 Corvette.

According to the sheriffs office, Ingre Valerino, 47, of Florida, and Brian Dykema, 46, of Grand Rapids, tried to buy the Corvette with fake documents. Both were arrested on charges of false pretenses between $50,000 and $100,000, using a forged state identification card to commit a felony and identity theft.

The sheriffs office thanked Kool Chevrolet for the help that led to the arrests.

The case remains under investigation by the sheriffs offices Investigative Unit.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) A Wednesday morning rally in Washington Heights, across the street from an elementary school, a day before the first day of classes.

Migrant advocates, supportive elected officials, and non-profit providers  including Women in Need CEO Christine Queen all calling on Mayor Eric Adams to end the controversial policy of limiting migrant families to 60 days of shelter before they are forced to go back through the application process.

More Local News

Trust me, as nice as a win shelter is  it is not the place you want to live with your children in your new country, said Quinn.

Its a process advocates say destabilizes migrant parents like Maria.

She says in the last year and a half, the city transferred her and her kids to four different shelters in four different boroughs, all while she struggled to keep her eight and 14-year-old sons enrolled in their Bronx school where they were first sheltered.

They are now living  for now  at a family shelter on Manhattans Upper East Side.

They only gave me for October 14th. I dont have a job, and I dont know if theyre going to give me housing again in the shelter. Yes, I am a little worried about my kids education.

Mayor Adams has repeatedly stated over the last year that the shelter limits policy is a necessity and a consequence of the ongoing influx of new migrants, which the city has no power to end.

Still, the message at the rally was clear:

Can you imagine the destabilizing effect of a young person in school being evicted from a shelter?  said New York City Public Advocate Humane Williams.

New York Council Member Gayle Brewer added, If you get moved to Queens, for gods sake, you cannot go to school in Manhattan. Its common sense. Its too long.

Maria says she is hopeful her sons will be able to continue attending school in the Bronx.

They interview me every 15 days and tell me that I have to leave on October 14th, said Maria.

The boys education is, so far, the only semblance of stability this family has known since leaving their home in Guatemala.

A city hall spokesperson tells pix11 news, Thanks to our measured approach, not a single family with children has been forced to sleep on the streets, and our 30- and 60-day policies have allowed us to manage this crisis in a compassionate and fiscally responsible way. We continue to intensify our case management and assist migrants in their resettlement process, and we will continue to support all students and their families and ensure there is no gap in services  whether they transition to a new school community or choose to stay in their current school.

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One of the businesspeople convicted this summer of bribing former Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded guilty Thursday to a separate federal bank fraud charge, continuing a fall from grace for one of New Jerseys most powerful real estate developers.

The developer, Fred Daibes, literally rebuilt Edgewater, New Jersey, turning a once-industrial strip of riverfront properties into a Gold Coast of high-rises with million-dollar views of Manhattan.

Daibes, an affable former refugee with a rags-to-riches story, remains beloved by allies in Edgewater for his generosity and for the mark he left on the landscape. During the two-month Menendez trial, one government witness called one of Daibes apartment complexes the most beautiful building Ive ever seen.

The bank fraud case, a multi-count indictment filed in 2018, involves another part of 67-year-old Daibes once sprawling empire: a bank he once chaired called Mariners Bank.

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey alleged that between 2008 and 2013, Daibes and others conspired to avoid federally imposed lending limits by having Daibes friends and relatives falsely apply for loans in their own names that were, in actuality, for Daibes.

According to a press release from the US Attorneys Office in New Jersey, Daibes pleaded guilty Thursday to making false entries to improperly obtain a $1.8 million loan from his own bank.

The crime Daibes pleaded guilty to has a maximum prison time of 30 years and maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing in the bank fraud case is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025  months after the Oct. 29 sentencing in the Menendez case, where Daibes was found guilty of bribing the senator with piles of cash and gold bars.

Daibes influence over Edgewater long been subject of scrutiny. A state investigation last year found Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland had received below market, payment-deferred and interest free rent at one of Daibes luxury apartment buildings. That same investigation also found a former councilmembers husband with ties to the Genovese crime family lived rent-free in a Daibes building for years.

But all Daibes business interests and legal troubles would have been relatively local matters, except for his decades-long friendship with Menendez and the ensuing indictment and trial in Manhattan.

The bank fraud case was a major part of the Menendez trial. Federal prosecutors in New York said that Menendez had attempted to intervene in the bank fraud case, which was being handled by federal prosecutors in New Jersey.

To do that, the jury found, Menendez first tried to influence who would become federal prosecutor in New Jersey and then tried to influence the offices handling of Daibes case.

Daibes and Menendez are both contesting the jurys verdicts.

The top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, Philip Sellinger, who was at the center of Menendezs attempts to influence the Daibes case, was recused from Daibes case. The guilty plea was announced Thursday following a court hearing by Vikas Khanna, Sellingers No. 2.

Before becoming the U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Sellinger had been involved in a lawsuit targeting a Daibes real estate project  but he was also Menendezs friend and Menendez, who helped President Joe Biden select Sellinger for the job, believed Daibes was being treated unfairly. Prosecutors in New York did not accuse Sellinger of any wrongdoing, but his testimony during the trial about a key meeting raised questions about his candor, with one portion conflicting with the sworn testimony of another government witness who was a longtime aide to Menendez.

Daibes and his attorney in the bank fraud cause always argued it was a misguided, in part because, according to a Daibes filing attempting to dismiss the case several years ago, all of the loans at issue were fully repaid with interest and neither the bank nor the FDIC is alleged to have suffered even a single dollar of financial harm.
Fred Daibes arrives for trial at Manhattan federal court on June 11, 2024. He was convicted in July of bribing former Sen. Bob Menendez with cash and gold bars to help him dodge a criminal prosecution. (Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images)

Edgewater developer Fred Daibes pleaded guilty Thursday in the bank fraud case he bribed former Sen. Bob Menendez to squash.

Daibes, 67, faces up to 30 months in prison and $1 million in fines for fraudulently obtaining a $1.8 million loan in 2008 from Mariners Bank in Edgewater, where he was CEO and board chairman, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office of New Jersey.

Daibes pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark to making false entries to deceive the bank. U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton set sentencing for Jan. 23.

He was indicted in 2018 and later agreed to a plea deal that would have gotten him probation, instead of prison time. But Wigenton rejected the deal last October, after federal prosecutors in New York City indicted Menendez, Daibes, and three others in the bribery scheme.

In that scheme, prosecutors said Daibes paid Menendez tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gold bars, and in exchange, the former senator intervened in an attempt to derail Daibes bank fraud case. Testimony about the scheme dominated several days of the 10-week bribery trial in Manhattan where Menendez, Daibes, and a third co-defendant, Wael Hana, were convicted in July.

Philip Sellinger, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, testified that Menendez, his longtime friend, called him in late 2020 to complain about Daibes prosecution. Sellinger was just being considered for the post at that time; Menendez, a Democrat and New Jerseys senior senator, got to recommend candidates for federal posts to the White House. Sellinger testified that Menendez said Daibes was being treated unfairly and urged him to look at it carefully, should he get the job.

Sellinger, though, told Menendez he likely would be recused from the case because of a conflict of interest, prompting Menendez to recommend another candidate for the job.

Sellinger later got the job anyway when the White House dropped the other candidate, and his new bosses ordered him off Daibes bank fraud case.

Vikas Khanna, Sellingers first assistant, took over the case  but he also got a call from Menendez. Khanna testified that Menendez made no direct demand about the Daibes case in that 2022 call but instead praised Daibes defense attorney.

Menendez, Daibes and Hana are scheduled for sentencing Oct. 29 in Manhattan for their bribery convictions. Any sentence Wigenton decrees for Daibes bank fraud case could run concurrent to whatever sentence federal Judge Sidney H. Stein orders in the bribery case.

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DEWITT COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  A man is under arrest in DeWitt County after authorities said he broke into a home and assaulted the homeowner.

Officials with the DeWitt County Sheriffs Office said Kenny Mason III committed a home invasion on Aug. 31 on Airport Road. During that invasion, Mason allegedly beat the homeowner to the point that they were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Armed and dangerous Indiana man arrested in LeRoy

A no-bond arrest warrant was issued for Mason as a result of the investigation. The Sheriffs Office asked for help via Facebook in locating Mason on Wednesday.

Since making that post, the Sheriffs Office said Mason was located and was taken into custody.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
NEW DELHI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Indian security forces killed six Naxals in an encounter in the southern state of Telangana on Thursday, confirmed an official source.

The encounter took place in the state's Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Among the dead were two women armed rebels.

Two security personnel were also injured in the encounter, which broke out in the morning and continued for a couple of hours.

Late Tuesday nine Naxals, including six women, were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces in the central state of Chhattisgarh. 
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  The Diocese of Scranton announced the removal of Father John Ruth after the Diocesan Review Board said accusations against him alleging inappropriate contact with a minor appeared to be credible.

On Thursday, August 22, the dioceses were made aware of a report of inappropriate sexual contact by Father John Ruth with a minor occurring from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.

The Diocese of Scranton launched an investigation, and following the review by the Diocesan Review Board, the Diocese has determined that the claim appears credible.

Over 80 cats removed from Olyphant home

The Diocese of Scrantons Policy for Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for Protection of Children and Young People, both have a zero-tolerance policy for the sexual abuse of a minor and require the removal from ministry of any cleric or other religious, upon determination of a credible claim of sexual misconduct with a minor, stated officials with the dioceses.

The diocese noted that Ruth has not been criminally charged.

The allegation of abuse has been reported to civil authorities by the Diocese of Scranton and the Diocese will cooperate fully with any law enforcement investigation, a media release stated.

Father Ruth, 65, has been suspended and is removed from ministry due to an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor, as of September 4.

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PENN LAIRD  The director of an assisted living facility in Rockingham County has been charged in an ongoing criminal investigation by multiple agencies, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office.

A search warrant was served Tuesday on the Willow Estates Assisted Living Facility, located at 180 Titus Drive in Penn Laird. Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson said the warrant was obtained as part of an ongoing investigation into multiple criminal allegations involving the operation of the business. The Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Social Services  Division of Adult Protective Services, and Rockingham County Fire and Rescue assisted in serving the warrant.

The sheriff said various items were taken as evidence from the business, as well as from two different residences owned by individuals directly involved with Willow Estates.

The initial search led to the discovery of alleged criminal activity not previously included as part of the underlying investigation, resulting in the arrest of Michelle Buckner, 64, the director of Willow Oaks, Hutcheson said. Buckner, of Penn Laird, was charged Wednesday with felony neglect.

"It is our understanding that the Virginia Department of Social Services  Division of Licensing Programs is currently in the process of determining what steps are necessary for the facility to continue to operate in the meantime, if that is even possible. Any questions regarding that subject should be directed to them," a press release said.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.

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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Director of assisted living facility in Rockingham County arrested
Director Of Russians At War Doc Bats Back Suggestions Of Whitewashing: We Have To Humanize Everyone. This Is A Huge Tragedy For Our Region  Venice

The Russian-Canadian director of documentary Russians At War, which is screening Out of Competition in Venice, has pushed back against suggestions that the film is an attempt to whitewash war crimes by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Anastasia Trofimova spent seven months embedded under the radar with a Russian army battalion in Eastern Ukraine for the documentary giving a rare insight into the lives of Russian troops.

More from Deadline

The work ultimately presents a portrait of ordinary men grappling to make sense of what they are doing on the front, living in harsh conditions and risking their lives thousands of miles from friends and family.

RELATED: Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix & Todd Phillips On Why Joker: Folie A Deux Isnt Really A Musical, Phoenix Also Talks Exit From Todd Haynes Pic  Venice

Estimates are varied but between 66,000 to 120,000 Russian soldiers are reported to have died in the invasion, with equally heavy military casualties on the Ukrainian side, and more than 23,000 civilian deaths.

Trofimova was asked at the Venice press conference on whether it was ethical to humanize Russian soldiers, in light of war crimes committed by Russias army during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

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I find it a little bit of a strange question, if we can humanize or not humanize someone. So, are there lists of people who we can humanize and people who we cant? Of course, we have to humanize everyone. This is a huge tragedy for our region, first of all, and for the entire world, replied Trofimova.

If we dont see each other as people these black and white stereotypes about each other, this will only make the war continue. This will only make the hatred grow unfortunately, thats sort of the route taken by politicians, but I dont think that this is the route that regular people should take.

RELATED: Venice Golden Lion Winners : Photos Of The Festivals Top Films Through The Years

To that point and in answer to a second question by the same journalist on whether she had seen the Ukrainian films in Venice, Trofimova voiced her disquiet at the ending of Olha Zhurbas documentary Songs of Slow Burning Earth which is also playing Out of Competition.

The audiovisual diary captures the impact on Ukrainian people and society in the first two years of the ongoing Russian invasion, which began in February 2022.

I found it to be really good, especially the first 15, 20 minutes when people just started to find out that the war is beginning I found it to be really strong, said Trofimova.

The ending, though, I wasnt that much of a fan of because it sort of contrasted Ukrainian kids and Russian kids, with Ukrainian kids thinking about what they can do to build a better Ukraine for the future, and Russian kids were just shown as marching and singing war songs.

I found this to be playing into that whole narrative that Russians, by definition, are these aggressive and awful people you know that its in their blood to be to be this way. 

Trofimova was later pressed by a journalist from Reuters news agency on whether the film was an attempt to whitewash the image of Russian troops, in the face of documented war crimes such as the Bucha Massacre, in which more than 450 people were killed in the early days of Russias invasion.

RELATED: Venice Chief Alberto Barbera On Apples Wolfs Strategy, The Petition Calling For A Boycott Of Israeli Films & Journalists Ire Over The Lack Of Talent Access

The director said she herself had not seen evidence of soldiers committing atrocities over the seven months in which she lived with the battalion, or even any strong desire to kill.

What I filmed is pretty much what you saw. Obviously, there is a lot of material, but we didnt hide anything from the audience, and I got the chance to pretty much go anywhere and everywhere, she said.

RELATED: Wolfs Venice Film Festival Red Carpet Photos: George Clooney, Brad Pitt & More

I understand that there are many reports of war crimes, and pretty much, I think in Western media, thats what Russian soldiers are associated with at this point, because there were no other stories, this is another story, and this was the reality that they lived. If there were war crimes committed, obviously you would see them on screen, but in the seven months that I was there, that was not my experience its important to show other stories.

Russians at War is produced by respected documentary producers Sally Blake and Philippe Levasseur at Paris-based Capa Presse, and Canadas Cornelia Principe, who was Oscar-nominated in 2024 for To Kill A Tiger.

Principe  who is producing under the banner of Raja Pictures (under which Trofimova also takes a producer credit)  said she had initially gotten in contact with the director with the aim of making a wider documentary about how Russians were dealing with the war.

When I first reached Anastasia and started talked about making a film, we werent necessarily going to the front with soldiers. We were interested in what was happening inside Russia after the war started, she said.

I live in Canada and Im reading all the news. The only thing I hear out of Russia is protests, and thats about it. That was the beginning of the war. So, we started talking about what can we do on the inside of Russia, because we could see more and more that there was this iron curtain coming down. I thought it was really important for someone on the inside be able to tell what was going on, in order to get some perspective on this, this huge tragedy that basically started out of nowhere.

Following its world premiere in Venice today, Russians in War heads to Toronto for its North American premiere in the TIFF Docs lineup next week.

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When Donald Trump in 2016 promised to appoint conservative Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, white evangelicals made an uneasy bargain  and hoped he meant what he said.

Now, eight years later, theyre hoping he doesnt.

Trump, who decades ago described himself as pro-choice and then, as president, appointed the judges who cemented Roes demise, has long been all over the map on abortion. But for anti-abortion activists, Trump's shifting rhetoric over the last two weeks has been particularly fraught. And its leaving some of his staunchest white evangelical backers fearful that some of their voters may stay home in November, tipping the scales toward Vice President Kamala Harris in battleground states and potentially costing Trump the election.

"Its disastrous that hes attempted to run against his own track record," said Albert Mohler, a prominent evangelical and head of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "There is a real danger to the Trump campaign that pro-life voters just dont turn out for him with the intensity that he needs."

Trumps announcement last week that he planned to vote no on a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution represented a quick course correction after he sent evangelicals and anti-abortion groups into a panic by implying he might vote to undo the states current six-week abortion ban. And that wasnt his only affront to anti-abortion advocates. In recent days, he has pledged to make health insurance companies or the government cover in vitro fertilization, which many anti-abortion advocates object to as currently practiced in the U.S., free of charge. And he promised to be great for women and their reproductive rights.



His remarks are the latest example of how Trump has struggled to navigate an issue that has dogged Republicans for the last two years  and one that Democrats have been eager to exploit. But some of the former presidents allies warn that his attempt to moderate his position on abortion threatens to alienate a significant number of evangelical voters.

And, they argue, he needs to give them a reason to vote for him, not just against Harris.

Youve got to be more than voting against someone. Youve got to be voting for what someone else has to offer. Its just on the margins, but its the difference in many elections, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. Not just voting against a set of ideas and policies and the personality to actually be for a set of policies and principles that you are enthusiastic about, that makes the difference in elections, and thats where were not at yet.

Trumps challenges with evangelicals underscore a broader problem he has with parts of the GOP base. Even as elected Republicans up and down the ballot have lined up behind Trump, some in the base still have significant reservations about him and cast their ballots for candidates like Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the Republican primary.

Just this week, former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney announced that shell be voting for Harris, warning of the danger she says Trump poses after the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who Trump selected as his running mate in 2016 in part to shore up the votes of social conservatives, has said he wont endorse Trump.

Perkins and Mohler are among the evangelicals arguing that Trump needs to be specific about what actions he would take on abortion as president  from making conservative judicial and cabinet appointments to ensuring no federal funding will pay for abortions, either at home or abroad  or else risk hemorrhaging evangelical votes.



Abortion helped galvanize white evangelicals to get involved in politics in the 1970s, in the era of televangelist Jerry Falwell and the rise of Moral Majority, and they remain a core part of the Republican Party base.

But evangelical leaders warn thats no guarantee their rank and file will stay involved in politics if Republicans abandon socially conservative issues, like abortion and gay marriage, even as they lean in on others, like banning transgender kids from participating in youth sports. In July, Trump nearly sparked a platform fight at the Republican National Convention over language that couched abortion as primarily in the hands of the states, a position anti-abortion advocates almost uniformly oppose.

A recent Fox News poll shows the former president at 75 percent with white evangelicals  a bit shy of his support with the group in 2020. While Black evangelicals have long aligned most with the Democratic Party, their white counterparts remain staunchly conservative.

Strategists from both parties estimate that Trump cant win without the support of 80 percent of white evangelicals nationally  and it's far from certain he will get it.

"I know theologically conservative and politically conservative evangelicals who are not going to vote for Donald Trump  and not a small number. The message I would send to the campaign is: Do not do anything to add to that number," said Andrew Walker, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a professor of Christian ethics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

All of this has Democrats wondering whether Harris can capitalize on Trumps stumbles with one of his core constituencies.

For all the talk of Trumps strength with white evangelicals, that strength declined considerably in 2020, said Michael Wear, Barack Obamas former faith outreach adviser and the founder, president and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life. The question is whether its set to rebound now that Trump is running as an opposition candidate again.

A spokesperson for the Harris campaign declined to comment.

In 2020, now-President Joe Biden won the second-highest percentage of white evangelicals of any Democrat of this century, second only to Obama in 2008, according to CNN exit polls  amounting to millions of votes.

If Harris improves upon those numbers, she wins, Wear said. Shell win Georgia. Shell win Michigan.

Its not clear Harris, who is herself a Baptist, will make an explicit play for white evangelical voters.

The Harris campaign clearly believes that in the post-Dobbs landscape the correct approach on both substance and politics is to draw bright, stark lines on abortion and to not allow Trump to muddy the waters on this issue, Wear said. This approach might gain more than it loses in this political environment.

Texas state Rep. James Talarico, the Austin Democrat and seminarian who appeared as a Harris surrogate on recent Evangelicals for Harris and Christians for Kamala calls, suggested Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, could do more to woo this voting bloc.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring more white Christians, and in particular, white evangelicals, into our pro-democracy coalition, Talarico said. Just not voting for Trump is not enough for me. I want them to feel that they have a place in our party and in our coalition.



Asked about potential erosion among evangelicals, a spokesperson for Trumps campaign pointed to his Believers for Trump coalition, citing the endorsement of 1,000 pastors and its 2,000 church captains aimed at getting their fellow parishioners to the polls.

Were confident that when evangelicals who love God and family and country are faced with a binary choice of voting for President Trump who stood strongly for religious freedom and life and liberty in his first term versus radical Kamala Harris who is a dangerous liberal and supports abortion after birth, said Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. We are confident those voters are going to turn out in historic numbers for President Trump.

Some Trump boosters believe the contrast with Harris, who supports codifying Roe at the federal level and is a vocal proponent of abortion rights, is enough to get rank-and-file white evangelicals out to the polls. They argue its an easier distinction to paint with Harris as the Democratic nominee than it was with Biden, a devout Catholic who has been long uncomfortable with even uttering the word abortion.

Kamala Harris is not only comfortable with that, but it seems to be in her wheelhouse, said Ralph Reed, a Trump ally and chair of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, which plans to send 30 million pieces of voter education mail, distribute millions of voter guides to 113,000 churches and knock on 10 million doors to make sure that these voters of faith are up to speed on that contrast between Harris and Trump on abortion.

Harris extreme abortion position does not play among evangelical voters, but even more importantly it doesnt play among blue collar, ethnic Roman Catholic voters in the upper Midwest who are likely to decide the outcome of this election, he added, saying that Trump should focus on talking about the economy, the border and foreign policy.

And many Republican strategists believe that for whatever hand-wringing evangelical voters are experiencing now, they are still likely to turn out to the polls en masse for Trump in November. Polling from Fox News at this same point in 2020 showed a similar level of evangelical support the former president has today, an indication that Trump still has time to persuade them.

Evangelical voters here and probably across the Sun Belt and the country are looking at some of these positions and statements that Donald Trump is making with a raised eyebrow, said Stephen Lawson, a Republican strategist in Georgia, where more than a third percent of the population identifies as evangelical Protestants. But at the end of the day, I just think those folks are probably going to come home for him.
Disney is hitting pause on its adaptation of The Graveyard Book in the wake of sexual assault allegations leveled against the books author Neil Gaiman.

The film from director Marc Forster hasnt been thrown out entirely, but development was halted for a variety of reasons, including the claims about Gaiman.

More from Variety

Published in 2008, The Graveyard Book follows a young boy who is raised by graveyard ghosts following his familys murder. The film adaptation had not yet entered pre-production and did not have any confirmed casting. Gaiman had no involvement with the film.

In a July 3 report by Tortoise Media, the Sandman creator was accused of sexually assaulting a then 18-year-old woman referred to as K in 2003, and a 23-year-old woman named Scarlett in 2022.

Scarlett alleges that Gaiman sexually assaulted her in a bath at his New Zealand home, where she worked as his childs nanny. Per Tortoises report, Gaimans account is that they only cuddled and made out in the bath and that he had established consent for this. He says he and Scarlett had a three-week sexual relationship in which they only engaged in consensual digital penetration. Scarlett alleges that within their otherwise consensual relationship, Gaiman engaged in rough and degrading penetrative sexual acts with her, per Tortoise.

This incident spurred a police complaint against Gaiman in New Zealand, where an investigation is currently underway by authorities.

The other woman, K, says she met Gaiman at a book signing in Sarasota, Fla., in 2003, when she was 18. She alleges that she engaged in a romantic relationship with Gaiman when she was 20 and he was in his mid-40s, but that it included rough and painful sex that she neither wanted nor enjoyed, per Tortoise. Gaiman has denied any unlawful behavior with K.

Tortoise released a podcast series detailing the allegations, and three additional women came forward with their own accusations in subsequent episodes.

Disney declined to comment.

IndieWire was first to report the news.

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Disney has paused production on The Graveyard Book following allegations of sexual assault against Neil Gaiman, author of the 2008 book by the same name.

Indiewire first reported the news.

Representatives for Disney didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap. But according to Deadline, the accusations are only part of the reason the project is on hold.

The Graveyard Book was only in development and has not been tossed out entirely. Marc Forrester is signed on to direct but no cast have been hired.

In a four-part podcast series by Tortoise published in July, two women accused Gaiman of assaulting them while they were in consensual relationships with the author.

Scarlett, who is 23, claimed Gaiman sexually assaulted her in 2022 soon after he hired her as a nanny for his child. She accused Gaiman of having engaged in rough and degrading penetrative sexual acts with her and supplied Tortoise with contemporaneous messages, notes that support her allegations.

The second woman, identified only by the initial K., said she met Gaiman at a book signing in 2003 when she was 18. She said the pair began a relationship when she was 20 and Gaiman was 40 and that the author sometimes subjected her to painful sex she neither wanted nor enjoyed.

Gaiman denied both allegations.

Tortoise said it understands that he believes Ks allegations are motivated by her regret over their relationship and that Scarlett was suffering from a condition associated with false memories at the time of her relationship with him, but asserted that Gaimans account is not supported by her medical records and medical history.

The Tortoise podcast is hosted by Rachel Johnson, the younger sister of Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Katie Gunning, formerly of the BBC, and Paul Caruana Galizia serve as producers.

The Graveyard Book tells the story of Nobody Bod Owens, a young boy who is adopted by supernatural beings who live in a graveyard after his family is killed.

The post Disneys Pauses Production on Neil Gaiman Adaptation The Graveyard Book After Sexual Misconduct Allegations appeared first on TheWrap.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  Another lawsuit has been filed against operators and staff of Circle of Hope Girls Ranch.

Its hard to know what to say, this lawsuit. I would caution you, its pretty alarming. Its pretty upsetting, David Clohessy said.

Members of SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests) gathered outside of the federal courthouse in Springfield, speaking about a civil suit filed this week.

It was filed yesterday in Kansas City. It will be heard, however, down here in Springfield, Clohessy said. Almost every kind of torture and mistreatment and maltreatment of kids that you have ever heard of went on at these facilities, and again, it makes for some pretty, pretty grim reading. I know this teenager, this young woman whos filing as Jane Doe. Ive met her. Ive talked with her. I have to say, I am deeply, deeply grateful to her for her strength and courage and Im impressed as I can possibly be by her courage and strength and her determination.

The suit lists Boyd and Stephanie Householder, as well as Jeffrey Ables as defendants pertaining to their roles at Circle of Hope, the Householders as founders and Ables as a former director.

Clohessy says Ables is currently a pastor in the Springfield area.

Several students have reported that hes physically been present at the school. At least two students have reported in litigation that they personally told him about the experiences, the abuse they were suffering at the school, and he did little or nothing. What makes todays suit, I think really noteworthy and remarkable is that hes now accused of actually obstructing an investigation and hiding literally hiding children in his basement who he knew were to be questioned by state officials with DCFS, Clohessy said. You ask about proof. Were very confident that those allegations are absolutely are going to be proven in depositions and discovery and hopefully trial, and we think he should resign or be fired because of his role.

In the suit, Jane Doe alleges that she was taken to Circle of Hope from a childrens home in Mississippi in 2019.

Upon arrival, she claims there was a system of shirts, where each color had a meaning, where students in yellow and black shirts could be given punishments, and where those in green or purple shirts were in leadership roles.

She goes on to say many students could be zip-tied or handcuffed as a form of restraint and says in her first month, she was not allowed to talk to her adoptive or biological parents or attend any schooling.

The lawsuit says many girls were denied feminine hygiene products and were forced to use toilet paper instead.

Doe says the punishments became more severe after an interaction with Boyd Householder when he held her on his lap, and in fear of more abuse, she headbutted Householder.

Those punishments included an altercation when Doe alleges Householder shoved her face in animal manure while pulling weeds, and on another occasion, accuses Householder of shoving her face in mulch and putting a sock into her mouth before spraying her with a hose, comparing it to waterboarding.

The suit says Boyd Householder called the family dog, Duchess, a good girl for biting the teen in the face.

Accusations in the suit claim both Householders would put Wasabi paste in the girls mouth and cheeks as punishment.

Doe says she personally witnessed girls force-fed until they vomited, and then forced to eat their vomit.

She was at this facility, Circle of Hope Girls Ranch when she was 13 years old, just five years ago. Shes now only 18, Clohessy said. I cant tell you how incredibly rare it is for an 18-year-old boy or girl to have the maturity and the courage and strength to report people who are sadists and predators.

Boyd Householder died in June 2024, months before his criminal trial on charges of abuse.

A lot of victims who were at Circle of Hope and Agape felt very frustrated and still feel frustrated that Boyd Householder passed away before he could face justice. Frankly, there is not a delicate way to say it, but there is an upside. Obviously, he can no longer hurt any children and I think a number of survivors do feel a degree of relief about that fact, Cholessy said.

Stephanie Householder will stand trial next month for her charges.

The attorney general told us several months ago that there is going to be no plea deal. So there will be a trial in October in Stockton and hopefully, she will face the justice that that she deserves. Cholessy said.

Other speakers at the conference say its important to support survivors and pursue justice.

What every survivor needs is that person who says, Absolutely, I believe you, and what can I do to help or to be with you and to support,' Robin Craig said.

What is important [is] that the accusations are investigated and if found guilty, tried with the full extent of the law and justice, justice for the accused and for the accuser, Tim Bartin said.

We hope, of course, that the filing of this lawsuit will help bring this teenager closer to some healing and some closure, Cholessy said. We also hope that it will inspire others who were abused or are being abused at these largely unregulated facilities to come forward and get some help.

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South Dakota Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt appears in a video meant to clarify the state's abortion law. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Health)

South Dakota Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt appears in a video meant to clarify the state's abortion law. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Health)

A new state government video intended to clarify South Dakotas only abortion exception has not settled disputes over whether the exceptions legal language is clear enough.

Nancy Turbak Berry chairs the Freedom Amendment Coalition. The group supports Amendment G, a question on the Nov. 5 general election ballot that would legalize abortion in the state. She said the new video is not enough to help physicians, because the video is ambiguous and includes disclaimers that the information presented is not legal advice and not legally binding.

It doesnt solve anything, Turbak Berry said. The whole problem that prompted this is legal, not medical. Doctors didnt need a video to tell them medically what the standards would be  theyve known for decades. They needed legal guidance.

The South Dakota Legislature and Gov. Kristi Noem passed a bill during the 2024 legislative session requiring the state Department of Health to create a video that clarifies the states abortion exception and how it should be applied. The department published the video this week.

The South Dakota Department of Healths video about the states abortion exception.

South Dakota state law bans abortions except when necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant female. Violators of the law can be charged with a felony.

Since the abortion ban was triggered after the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision in 2022, some physicians across the state have said the law is not clear enough, and that it could be interpreted as only allowing an abortion when a patients life is actively in danger, like when a patient is bleeding out in the emergency room.

Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt said in the video that abortions are illegal when the sole intent is to end the life of the unborn child. A patient does not need to be critically ill or actively dying to terminate a pregnancy, she said.

A patient might need to terminate a pregnancy for a variety of health complications, though Magstadt said in the video that such instances are very rare. The video lists several examples when a physician can intervene to terminate a pregnancy, including severe preeclampsia, infection, kidney disease and other life-threatening conditions.

The video was made in consultation with medical and legal experts, including practicing OB-GYNs and the Attorney Generals Office, the department told South Dakota Searchlight.

Video lays out medical advice

If a life-threatening complication occurs beyond the point of fetal viability, which is around 23 to 24 weeks, there is no question as to management, Magstadt said in the video, adding that the baby should be delivered and should be given appropriate care along with the mother.

A maternal-fetal separation before the point of viability due to a life-threatening complication is legal, Magstadt said in the video, when the foreseen but unintended consequence is neonatal death.

The key for a physician to ensure they are practicing within the bounds of the law is to document their decision-making process and how that led to their recommended course of treatment, Magstadt said in the video.

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Retired Chamberlain OB-GYN Patti Giebink has been outspoken since the Dobbs decision about her opinion that providers are able to adequately care for their patients within the current exception. She said if a physician treats a patient for a life-threatening illness  like cancer or infection or miscarriage  the death of the fetus would be a secondary effect of treatment and wouldnt be intentional.

If you dont take care of the patient, its malpractice, Giebink said.

Giebink spoke in support of the informational video during the legislative session, and she told South Dakota Searchlight the video exceeded her expectations.

It should put to rest a lot of the questions in many doctors minds about practicing obstetrics, she said.

Line is still fuzzy, doctor says

While Magstadt said the conditions listed in the video are very rare, Sioux Falls-based OB-GYN Amy Kelley sees such conditions frequently, she said, since complex and high-risk pregnancies are often sent to providers in the states largest city.

The video does not address Kelleys primary concern: whether physicians can refer patients to out-of-state abortion resources if the patient wants such resources. Under state law, it is illegal to procure an abortion for someone.

The video also doesnt touch on life-threatening mental health conditions or fatal fetal anomalies.

I dont know if I can refer people. The line is still fuzzy with certain conditions, Kelley said. It leaves a lot of people out in the cold, like people with fatal fetal anomalies. I dont think it changed much of anything.

The video did not alleviate concerns about legality, Kelley said, especially when a patients medical condition would be considered life-threatening enough for intervention.

Its just going to take one prosecutor, one county states attorney to think I dont think that person waited long enough or to think it wasnt really life threatening, Kelley said. When youre talking about a career-ending felony, you can understand why physicians are scared.

Kelley co-chairs a group of doctors supporting Amendment G.

Giebink said she didnt hear any conditions listed in the video for which a patient would have to leave South Dakota to be taken care of.

How the video impacts the upcoming election

The video leaves doctors in the same position they were before, Turbak Berry said.

Its clearly just a press relations piece promoted and, for the most part, facilitated by and serving Right to Life people to try and give them cover leading up to the election, Turbak Berry said.

Sioux Falls Republican Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt introduced the bill requiring the video last legislative session, after failed efforts to expand the exception to include the health of the mother. She told South Dakota Searchlight in a written statement that the video provides clear and concise guidance to physicians.

As we approach the November election, I believe its important to highlight that the ballot measure to legalize abortion is too extreme, Rehfeldt said. The video helps clarify how we can protect women without resorting to extreme measures, while also ensuring that healthcare remains safe and compassionate for both moms and babies.

A lawsuit attempting to invalidate the ballot measure is currently in court, but the case is not likely to be decided by the time early voting begins on Sept. 20. South Dakota is one of 10 states with abortion questions on ballots in the general election.
Related video: Surgeon general recommends warning labels for social media.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)  A doctor in Richmond, Virginia is warning families about the dangers of a hot new social media trend that has sent several children to his office with severe burns.

Some local kids looking for a sweet treat have recently ended up in the hospital after following videos posted to social media showing how to make Jolly Rancher candy grapes.

The videos encourage viewers to melt the hard candies on the stove before coating grapes with the hot liquid and letting them cool in the freezer. Dr. Michael Feldman with the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health says hes seen the process go wrong during step one and two.

Thats where it spills and can cause some real injury, said Feldman. People need to be very vigilant.

Dr. Feldman said that, in the past six months, at least three kids have visited VCU Health with burn injuries. He said the severity of injuries depends on where the kids were burned.

If the injuries are really deep, they might need surgery, so that has happened with this type of mechanism before. And then we try and manage scars later, said Feldman.

If kids or their parents are trying out the trend, Dr. Feldman encourages families interested in trying to make Jolly Rancher Grapes to use a container with heat-proof edges for the mixture and watch kids closely during the process. If you do get burned, Dr. Feldman says you should visit a verified burn doctor as soon as possible.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Related video: Surgeon general recommends warning labels for social media.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)  A doctor in Richmond, Virginia is warning families about the dangers of a hot new social media trend that has sent several children to his office with severe burns.

Some local kids looking for a sweet treat have recently ended up in the hospital after following videos posted to social media showing how to make Jolly Rancher candy grapes.

The videos encourage viewers to melt the hard candies on the stove before coating grapes with the hot liquid and letting them cool in the freezer. Dr. Michael Feldman with the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health says hes seen the process go wrong during step one and two.

Thats where it spills and can cause some real injury, said Feldman. People need to be very vigilant.

Dr. Feldman said that, in the past six months, at least three kids have visited VCU Health with burn injuries. He said the severity of injuries depends on where the kids were burned.

If the injuries are really deep, they might need surgery, so that has happened with this type of mechanism before. And then we try and manage scars later, said Feldman.

If kids or their parents are trying out the trend, Dr. Feldman encourages families interested in trying to make Jolly Rancher Grapes to use a container with heat-proof edges for the mixture and watch kids closely during the process. If you do get burned, Dr. Feldman says you should visit a verified burn doctor as soon as possible.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
People cool off at Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Sept. 4, 2024. As summer draws to a close, cities across the western United States are still reeling from unprecedented heatwaves that have shattered long-standing temperature records and pushed communities to their limits. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

SACRAMENTO, the United States, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- As summer draws to a close, cities across the western United States are still reeling from unprecedented heatwaves that have shattered long-standing temperature records and pushed communities to their limits.

From Phoenix, Arizona, to Las Vegas, Nevada, to Death Valley in California, the relentless heat has challenged daily life, strained infrastructure, and raised alarm bells about the intensifying impacts of climate change.

With the high temperature exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) at Phoenix Sky Harbor Wednesday afternoon, the number of days showing 110 degrees Fahrenheit or above for the year ties last year's record at 55 days, said the National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix in a social media post on Wednesday.

"Expect a new record to be set tomorrow," said the agency on Wednesday, while forecasting that temperatures over the next three days will be "well above normal."

On Tuesday, Phoenix residents marked a grim milestone as the city endured its 100th consecutive day of temperatures reaching at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius).

According to local media, this streak has far surpassed the previous record of 76 days set in 1993. "The streak is expected to continue, with no end currently in sight," the agency said.

The extreme temperatures have taken a deadly toll, and in Arizona's Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, public health officials reported 150 confirmed heat-related deaths as of Aug. 24, with another 443 under investigation. Last year, the county recorded 645 heat-related deaths.

Las Vegas also experienced its hottest summer on record.

The city's average daily high temperature for June, July, and August reached a scorching 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius), surpassing the previous record set in 1940. On July 7, Las Vegas hit an all-time high of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius).

The heat has been particularly deadly in Nevada's Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. Officials have confirmed 181 heat-related deaths so far this year, with the actual toll likely much higher due to ongoing investigations.

Death Valley National Park, known for its extreme temperatures, recorded the hottest month ever measured on Earth in July, with an average temperature of 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit (42.5 degrees Celsius). The park reached at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) on 37 days during this summer.

As September begins, there seems to be little relief in sight. The NWS Climate Prediction Center forecasts a 60-percent to 70-percent chance of above-normal temperatures for Las Vegas through at least mid-month.

High temperatures are expected this week across the western United States, with excessive heat warnings issued for parts of southern California, Arizona, and Nevada, where temperatures are expected to peak from Wednesday through the weekend.

In Los Angeles, temperatures could approach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), with inland areas potentially reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or higher this week. Palm Springs and other desert cities in California are bracing for multiple days of temperatures exceeding 43.3 degrees Celsius.

Scientists attributed these extreme heatwaves to human-caused climate change, which elevates the risk of dangerously high temperatures across the globe.

The U.S. West has been hit hard by an unprecedented heat wave this year, with the prolonged heat straining energy grids, disrupting daily routines, and posing significant challenges for vulnerable populations.

In cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, cooling centers have been opened to provide refuge for those without air conditioning, particularly the homeless. Residents are advised to drink plenty of water and limit their time outdoors, especially during the afternoons. Local authorities also urged residents to check on neighbors, especially seniors and at-risk individuals during the heat wave.

The extreme temperatures heightened wildfire risks across the region as well. Oregon has seen more than 6,000 square kilometers burned by mid-August, the most of any state this year. California has been battling the Park fire, the fourth-largest wildfire in state history, since mid-July. 

People cool off at Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Sept. 4, 2024. As summer draws to a close, cities across the western United States are still reeling from unprecedented heatwaves that have shattered long-standing temperature records and pushed communities to their limits. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

People sit at Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Sept. 4, 2024. As summer draws to a close, cities across the western United States are still reeling from unprecedented heatwaves that have shattered long-standing temperature records and pushed communities to their limits. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
'Does anybody realize how stupid this was?' judge tells Green Bay man sentenced for role in fatal shooting

GREEN BAY  A 24-year-old Green Bay man convicted of aiding his brother in the aftermath of a shooting that killed one man and injured another in February 2023 will spend about 18 months in prison.

On Wednesday afternoon, Brown County Circuit Court Judge John Zakowski sentenced Jose Hernandez to three years in prison followed by two years of extended supervision for harboring or aiding a felon, a Class G felony, to which Hernandez pleaded no contest in June.

Jose Hernandez will serve about half that sentence in prison, because he has credit for the approximately 18 months he already spent in Brown County Jail while awaiting conviction and sentencing.

Jose and his brother, 26-year-old Omar Hernandez, also of Green Bay, were charged and convicted in connection with killing Edgar Rodriguez-Hernandez, 27, of Green Bay, and injuring Edgar's then-24-year-old brother during a fight in the early morning hours of Feb. 11, 2023, on the 900 block of Clayton Place in Green Bay.

Jose Hernandez talks with defense attorney Michael Balskus during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay. Hernandez was sentenced to three years of initial confinement and two years of extended supervision for harboring or aiding a felon in a February 2023 fatal shooting in Green Bay.

Omar Hernandez pleaded no contest in June to one count of first-degree reckless homicide as party to a crime and one count of first-degree reckless injury. He also appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, but his sentencing was rescheduled to 1 p.m. Sept. 26 because his attorney was out sick.

At Jose's sentencing hearing, the man who was injured in the shooting provided a victim impact statement about how his life has changed following his injuries and the loss of his brother.

"I still have a bullet inside my body, and I haven't been the same since then," he said, through a Spanish-to-English translator.

The man showed Zakowski scars on his body and explained surgeons were unable to remove a bullet near his heart, which impacts his physical mobility.

"They know very well what they did," the man said about the Hernandez brothers.

While the criminal complaint contained conflicting information from witnesses about whether it was Omar, Jose or both brothers who fired the gun during the fight, attorneys at Wednesday's sentencing said Omar was the only one to use the gun.

Omar Hernandez sits at the defense table on Wednesday at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay. Hernandezs sentencing hearing was postponed because his attorney was out with an illness. Hernandez was convicted of one count of first-degree reckless homicide and one count of first degree reckless injury stemming from a February 2023 shooting.

According to a criminal complaint, around 3:30 a.m. Feb. 11, 2023, neighbors living near the 900 block of Clayton Place awoke to loud arguing followed by gunshots and called police.

When police arrived, they found two men with gunshot wounds. Edgar Rodriguez-Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene, while his brother was taken to a hospital and treated for multiple wounds to his torso.

Attorneys said the fight involved two groups of people and was planned over text following an altercation earlier in the night at the bar Mi Pueblo, located at 1905 N. Irwin Ave.

In his sentencing argument, Jose Hernandez's defense attorney, Michael Balskus, provided details about the fight and Jose's role in it. He claimed the original fight at the bar was between two people, neither of whom were Omar or Jose.

However, Balskus said, Omar had a concealed carry permit and kept a gun in his vehicle. Once the larger fight broke out on the 900 block of Clayton Place, Jose attempted to hide Omar's gun so no one would use it, he said.

But Balskus said Rodriguez-Hernandez struck Jose with a bottle and knocked him out, and Omar retrieved his gun and fatally shot Rodriguez-Hernandez in the head. According to the complaint, Omar told police he also shot Rodriguez-Hernandez's brother, who "tried to hit him and take his gun away."

That series of events, Balskus argued, matched the description one neighbor gave to investigators about what they witnessed out their window  that one man fell over like he had been hit, then moments later there was a single gunshot, and after about 20 seconds, four or five more gunshots, followed by everyone getting into their vehicles and leaving the scene.

Balskus argued that Jose had no part in the shooting and did not even find out that anyone had been killed or injured until later the following morning, because he had been knocked unconscious.

"Jose Hernandez should never have been charged," Balskus said.

Defense attorney Michael Balskus addresses the court during a sentencing hearing for Jose Hernandez on Wednesday at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay. Hernandez was sentenced to three years of initial confinement and two years of extended supervision after being convicted of harboring or aiding a felon, related to a February 2023 fatal shooting in Green Bay.

Both Jose and Omar Hernandez were initially charged with first-degree intentional homicide, the most serious crime in Wisconsin, but took plea deals, pleading to lesser offenses in June.

Balskus also told Zakowski that Jose has been working since he dropped out of school as a teenager to support his mother, and said a prison sentence could do more harm to him and his family than good to the community. Balskus requested a sentence of just one year in jail, for which Jose had already served.

"Let him get back to his job, to his family, to supporting them, and to getting his GED," Balskus said.

For the prosecution's sentencing recommendation, Brown County Deputy District Attorney Caleb Saunders requested Jose be given the maximum penalty for a Class G felony  five years of initial confinement followed by five years of extended supervision.

Saunders said Jose was "an active participant" in the fight and in trying to help his brother cover up the homicide. He said text messages between the two brothers discussed hiding the gun.

Both brothers were arrested during a traffic stop in the afternoon following the shooting. Investigators located Omar's gun disassembled and hidden in a bag of rice at the apartment the brothers shared with their mother, according to the complaint. Omar told police he had hidden the gun in the bag of rice after returning home from the fight.

"I'm not naive, I understand that they're brothers. There's a bond there that's extremely strong," Saunders said at Jose's sentencing, but added "it's unfortunate" Jose Hernandez did not go to authorities to explain what happened.

Brown County Circuit Judge John Zakowski addresses the parties during a sentencing hearing for Jose Hernandez on Wednesday at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay. Hernandez was sentenced to three years of initial confinement and two years of extended supervision after being convicted of harboring or aiding a felon, related to a February 2023 fatal shooting in Green Bay.

RELATED: Green Bay brothers charged in fatal shooting that arose from fight at bar, complaint says

Zakowski said he did not think it was fair to give Jose the maximum sentence, but agreed that he needs to face some prison time for his role in the crime.

"Omar is the person that shot him, there's no question about it ... but it's what happened afterward, Jose ... that's what you're being convicted of," Zakowski said.

At one point slamming his hand on his desk, Zakowski passionately told the courtroom how "stupid" decisions led to tragic consequences.

"I'm just going to get this off my chest. Does anybody realize how stupid this was?" he asked.

"The fact is, this thing never should have happened. ... Every one of these kids is probably a good person. They're just dumb."

Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay man sentenced to prison for aiding brother after shooting
A Tennessee-based media company with prominent MAGA personalities on its roster has been accused of receiving millions of dollars from two employees of Russian state-backed media company Russia Today (RT) in order to influence American viewers.

According to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, the Russian employees created a $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.

While described as U.S. Company 1 in an unsealed indictment Wednesday, clues suggest that it is Tenet Media, which has been named in various reports as the firm in question.

The indictment describes how Company-1s website describes itself as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues. It employs six commentators as its talent.

The far-right YouTube commentators on Tenet Medias roster include Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, Taylor Hansen, Lauren Southern, and Matt Christiansen. The indictment does not name names, but identifies the internet personalities simply as Commentator-1 and Commentator-2.

The Daily Beast reached out to Pool, Rubin, and Tenet for comment but did not receive an immediate reply. Johnson, however, said in a statement on X: We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.

Pool, in his own statement on X, wrote, Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed.

He added: Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls.

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:



A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in todays  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

The company, through its Rumble page, has made hundreds of videos, all with a conservative bent. Some of which, such as, What Will The Future Under Trump Look Like? | Benny Johnson & Lara Trump actively support former President Donald Trump.

Trump has appeared alongside Pool on Pools IRL Podcastand Pool even visited Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in May.

The DOJ probe into the employees of RT, identified as Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasayev, 27, claims that the two deployed nearly $10 million to covertly finance and direct a Tennessee-based online content creation company (U.S. Company-1). In turn, U.S. Company-1 published English-language videos on multiple social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube. Since publicly launching in or about November 2023, U.S. Company-1 has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.

The indictment claims that while Founder-I, and Founder-2 worked together to mask U.S. Company-1s true source of funding, the commentators themselves were allegedly tricked, adding Founder-I, and Founder-2 also worked together to deceive two U.S. online commentators, who respectively have over 2.4 million and 1.3 million YouTube subscribers. Dave Rubins The Rubin Report has 2.4 million YouTube subscribers, while Tim Pools YouTube page has 1.37 million.

Tenet Media was founded by Liam Donovan and his wife, conservative influencer Lauren Chen. The indictment shows that even as some employees questioned the material, Founder-I, and Founder-2 still pushed the content to go live.

On or about February 15, 2024, AFANASYEVA (as Helena Shudra) shared with U.S. Company-I a video of a well-known U.S. political commentator visiting a grocery store in Russia, the indictment reads, notably pointing to Tucker Carlsons visit to the country without directly naming him.

It just feels like overt shilling, a producer wrote in the private discord message to Founder 2 in reference to the video. Founder 2 replied that Founder-I thinks we should put it out there. The producer responded, alright Ill put it out tomorrow.

Russia Today responded to the allegations to Reuters with ridicule, according to the outlet: Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RTs interference in the U.S. elections.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The Department of Justice announced charges Wednesday against two Russian state media employees for funneling $10 million to an unidentified media company in the United States.

The criminal case names two defendants, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, both charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Their scheme was allegedly valued around $10 million. The defendants are at large.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Though the case does not name the company to which Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva allegedly directed money, it is described as a Tennessee-based online content creation company that publishes English-language videos and information on TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and other social media which they favor in furtherance of Russian interests. The case notes that the company  given the name Company-1  was publicly launched in November 2023, and has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.

The description matches that of Tennessee-based company Tenet Media, which funds videos made by conservative influencers such as Dave Rubin, Tim Pool and Benny Johnson. In recent months, the companys shows have featured Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake.

Both Pool and Johnson responded to the DOJs allegations on X, calling themselves victims. Pool referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a scumbag.

Johnson wrote in his post he was asked to provide content to a media startup about a year ago. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated, he wrote.

As detailed in another section of the DOJ announcement, the government seized 32 internet domains used by the Kremlin to weaken global support for Ukraine. The websites were allegedly designed to look like authentic news sites, but instead published only Russian propaganda.

Covert attempts to sow division and trick Americans into unwittingly consuming foreign propaganda represents attacks on our democracy, said FBI director Christopher A. Wray. Todays actions show that as long as foreign adversaries like Russia keep engaging in hostile influence campaigns, they are going to keep running into the FBI. We will continue to do everything we can to expose the hidden hand of foreign adversaries like Russia and disrupt their efforts to meddle in our free and open society.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

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The US justice department has opened a civil rights investigation into sexual abuse by staff at Californias womens prisons, which have for years been plagued by misconduct scandals.

The department said on Wednesday that it was investigating the states two womens prisons  the Central California Womens Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women (CIW) in Chino  and would evaluate whether the state protects incarcerated residents from sexual abuse by correctional employees.

The announcement of the inquiry into the California department of corrections and rehabilitation (CDCR) references the case of Gregory Rodriguez, a former guard at the CCWF, who is heading to trial this week on nearly 100 sexual abuse charges, accused of repeatedly assaulting women in his custody for years.

Related: Ex-guard charged with 95 counts of sexual abuse in California womens prison

A Guardian investigation last year revealed that the prison received a report of Rodriguezs abuse in 2014, but instead of firing him, punished the victim. Court records suggested that Rodriguez, 56, went on to commit dozens of additional alleged sexual assaults up until 2022, when he retired while under investigation. He has pleaded not guilty.

No woman incarcerated in a jail or prison should be subjected to sexual abuse by prison staff who are constitutionally bound to protect them, Kristen Clarke, who leads the justice departments civil rights division, said in a statement.

Every woman, including those in prison, retains basic civil and constitutional rights and should be treated with dignity and respect. California must ensure that the people it incarcerates are housed in conditions that protect them from sexual abuse. This investigation will determine whether California is meeting its constitutional obligations.

US attorney Phillip Talbert added that concerns about abuse in the womens facilities were not new. He said: Media coverage, state audits, advocates efforts and private litigation have sought to draw attention to an issue often unseen by many in the community.

Women have filed hundreds of lawsuits in the past two years alleging abuse by staff at the CCWF, the states largest womens prison, including claims of inappropriate groping during searches, genital rubbing and forcible rape, the department said.

The announcement also noted that staff at both womens prisons have been accused of coercing women into sexual favors in exchange for contraband and privileges; that officers responsible for handling complaints of sexual abuse have themselves been accused of abuse; and that advocates have documented an unsafe and inaccessible reporting process in which staff are not held accountable.

Women who came forward last year about Rodriguez and abuse by others described a system in which they have struggled to access basic amenities like proper food and hygiene products, and as a result have been easily exploited by guards who offer resources or threaten to take them away. They said retaliation for speaking out was rampant, including being placed in solitary confinement after reporting abuse.

Records showed that women incarcerated in Californias state prisons filed hundreds of complaints of sexual abuse by staff from 2014 to 2023, but only four officers were terminated for sexual misconduct during that timeframe. Officers are rarely prosecuted, even when the CDCR determined claims of abuse were substantiated.

Colby Lenz, an advocate with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) who has long worked with survivors at the two institutions, welcomed the investigation on Wednesday: This is the appropriate move to investigate what is a crisis in the prisons and what CDCR has not taken seriously for decades, which has only allowed more people to be more sexually assaulted  This is an endemic, pervasive problem.

State lawmakers recently passed legislation sponsored by the CCWP authorizing the office of the inspector general to monitor and investigate claims of staff sexual misconduct against incarcerated people, a reform meant to address the corrections departments failures to hold its own staff accountable. The bill is now heading to Governor Gavin Newsoms desk.

A CDCR spokesperson said the department had instituted reforms into its investigations of staff sexual abuse so that the cases would be reviewed by teams at CDCR headquarters, outside of the institution where the complaint originated. The department has also intensified staff training with a focus on misconduct and deployed body-worn cameras and expanded surveillance, the spokesperson said.

Jeff Macomber, the CDCRs secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday: Sexual assault is a heinous violation of fundamental human dignity that is not tolerated  under any circumstances  within Californias state prison system. Our department embraces transparency, and we fully welcome the US Department of Justices independent investigation.

Reports have repeatedly found that sexual abuse by officers is a systemic problem in prisons across the US. The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which falls under the justice department, has been plagued by its own sexual assault scandals, including at its womens facility in California; the US Senate reported in 2022 that staff have sexually abused incarcerated people in at least two-thirds of all federal womens prisons.
The Department of Justice indicted two employees of the state-backed Russian media company RT on Wednesday, saying they funded and directed the coverage of a U.S. conservative media outlet in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The indictment alleges that two Russians, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, funneled nearly $10 million into the U.S. media company as part of a Kremlin-backed effort to influence American audiences in favor of Russian government priorities, and says they failed to register as agents of a foreign government as required by law.

The conservative network is not named in the indictment. However, it is identified as a Tennessee-based corporation hosting six commentators that describes itself as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.

That matches the exact language and number of commentators listed on the website of the Tennessee-based TENET Media, a video distribution platform owned by conservative founders Liam Donovan and Lauren Chen that hosts conservative influencers including Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and Lauren Southern. Chen did not immediately respond to an email, and HuffPost was unable to reach Donovan.

However, CNN has independently confirmed that the company mentioned in the indictment is TENET.

In a post on X on Wednesday that was retweeted by Rubin, Johnson acknowledged that he was an unwitting victim of the alleged scheme.

A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor, Johnson wrote. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.

Pool also stated that he was a victim while naming TENET as the company that he entered into a licensing agreement with in a post on X.

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims, Pool wrote. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed.

He added, Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls.

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson was one of the personalities hired by TENET Media. "Myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme," he said in an X post on Wednesday. Anadolu via Getty Images

Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva allegedly approached TENETs founders, Donovan and Chen, who are referred to as Founder-1 and Founder-2 in the indictment, through the false personas of Eduard Grigoriann, a fictional Belgian financier, and his fictional agents. Posing as Grigoriann and his agents, the two Russians said they were seeking to fund a media venture.

The founders, however, repeatedly referred to their funding source as the Russians, according to the indictment.

The relationship between the conservative media company and Grigoriann allegedly began in December 2022, when Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva discussed launching a new YouTube channel with the companys founders. After registering the corporation, the founders sought to hire talent for the new platform.

They allegedly suggested two conservative influencers, Commentator-1, with 2.4 million followers on X, and Commentator-2, with 1.3 million followers.

Two of TENETs hosts  Rubin and Johnson  have 2.4 million followers, while Pool has 1.3 million.

The founders told their Russian funders that Commentator-1 wanted to be paid $5 million for him to be interested, while Commentator-2 would need $100,000 per weekly episode to make it worth his while, according to the indictment.

The indictment says that both commentators were deceived about the source of the money they would ultimately receive. They both sought out confirming information on the identity of Grigoriann from the conservative media companys founders and were directed to false bios. They talked to a person purporting to be Grigoriann through encrypted communication services.

Neither commentator suspected anything was amiss after these communications, save for Commentator-1 questioning the inclusion of the phrase social justice on the fake bio, the indictment said. The founders had to explain to their funders that thats usually a term used by liberals, but were trying to create a conservative network.

Commentator-1 ultimately signed a contract with the conservative media company that paid him $400,000 per month with a $100,000 signing bonus and other performance-related bonuses, while Commentator-2 agreed to be paid $100,000 per video, according to the indictment.

After the conservative network launched, Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva allegedly acted  often under aliases  as an outside editing firm that consulted on video production and social media distribution and oversaw hiring and financing for the company. They asked the company founders to encourage their talent to post more of the networks content on social media and promoted pro-Russia messages.

In one instance, Afanasyeva, through an alias, asked a producer to post a video on the companys social media feeds of Tucker Carlson gushing over his visit to a supermarket in Russia.

They want me to post this [but] it just feels like overt shilling, the producer wrote to one of the conservative networks founders, according to the indictment.

After an attack by the terrorist group ISIS-Khorasan on a concert hall in Moscow that left 145 dead, Afanasyeva allegedly pushed the founders to report that the attack was carried out by Ukraine with support from the U.S.

Dave Rubin is another conservative online personality hired by TENET Media. Jason Kempin via Getty Images

I think we can focus on the Ukraine/U.S. angle .... [T]he mainstream media spread fake news that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack yet ISIS itself never made such statements, Afanasyeva wrote, the indictment said. All terrorists are now detained while they were heading to the border with Ukraine which makes it even more suspicious why they would want to go to Ukraine to hide.

One of the conservative networks founders stated that Commentator-3, for whom no identifying information is provided, is happy to cover it.

Despite the efforts to mask their identities through a series of shell companies across Europe, Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva did not fully cover their tracks, the indictment claims. They repeatedly misspelled Grigoriann in emails with the conservative networks founders and commentators.

In another instance, an email that was supposed to be from a separate false persona was signed Eduard Grigoriann. The Russians allegedly tried to correct the error by replying, Eduard forwarded this email to me and asked me to replay [sic] on his behalf. However, the indictment alleges that digital forensic evidence shows that all of the emails were sent from the same IP address.

Of the $10 million that the conservative media company received, most of it went to pay the influencers it hired. Commentator-1, Commentator-2 and Commentator-3 allegedly received approximately $8.7 million.

Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva reside in Russia and are unlikely to see a U.S. courtroom. Neither Chen nor Donovan, TENETs founders, have been charged for failing to register under FARA.

However, a DOJ press release states that the media company and its founders never disclosed to its viewers that it was funded and directed by RT, nor did they register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a stern warning to those who would seek to harm election officials.

"I will reiterate again today, these cases are a warning if you threaten to harm or kill an election worker or official or volunteer, the Justice Department will find you and we will hold you accountable," Garland said at a press event.

But more than three years after the Department of Justice announced a task force to "promptly and vigorously prosecute" offenders who threaten election workers, lawmakers and election officials have raised concerns about the federal government's ability to effectively prosecute cases and deter threats ahead of the November election.

MORE: Election officials continue to face threats, harassment ahead of November

Election officials and advocates have criticized the task force for what they call a lack of transparency regarding its investigations, saying there have been yearslong delays in providing accountability, and that the task force has brought far too few cases following an onslaught of threats related to the 2020 election.

Of the more than 2,000 threats referred to the FBI by election workers, the Justice Department has opened 100 investigations, according to figures released in April. In total, the task force has charged 20 people and landed 15 convictions.

The numbers are modest, in part, because many of the threats received by election workers are protected by the First Amendment. But that's done little to reassure the community of election workers and officials who have been left disillusioned by threats and harassment.

"It makes it really difficult to want to do the job when it also feels like your community, your state and your nation have turned on you," said Amy Cohen, executive director of the National Association of State Election Directors. "You never know really if what you're submitting is being investigated. You never really have any understanding of why something isn't investigated."

PHOTO: Hired security personnel wait for voters outside the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office November 3, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images/FILE)

When reached for comment, a DOJ spokesperson highlighted the task force's work engaging with election workers through more than 100 meetings and trainings, as well as helping FBI field offices and U.S. attorneys' offices expand their capacity to investigate threats to election workers.

And ahead of the November election, Garland said "task force representatives" will be on the ground meeting with election workers and hosting events with the FBI to address issues and potential crimes.

But as Election Day approaches and threats to election workers persist, calls for action from the Justice Department have grown louder. In July, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, launched an inquiry into the DOJ's work protecting election workers, and a group of senators last month wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland saying that "more must be done to counter these persistent threats and ensure that election workers can do their jobs."

As part of their inquiry, the group of senators asked the DOJ to tell them how many threats have been identified by the task force and the number of ongoing investigations and prosecutions. As of this week, the Justice Department had not responded to their request for more information about the task force's progress.

'Help is on the way'

The DOJ's task force was launched in 2021 as election officials faced a torrent of threats related to the 2020 election. Led by the DOJ's Public Integrity Section, the group was tasked with reviewing individual reports of threats, then partnering with United States attorney's offices and FBI field offices to investigate and prosecute those cases.

"A threat to any election official, worker, or volunteer is, at bottom, a threat to democracy," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco wrote in a memo to prosecutors in June 2021. "We will promptly and vigorously prosecute offenders to protect the rights of American voters, to punish those who engage in this criminal behavior, and to send the unmistakable message that such conduct will not be tolerated."

Election officials rejoiced, hoping the highly publicized announcement might serve as a deterrent and stem the tide of threats that was flooding their offices. At the time, 17% of local election officials reported having being threatened due to their job, while 32% reported feeling unsafe, according to a survey of election officials conducted in April 2021 by the bipartisan Brennan Center for Justice.

"When the DOJ announced a task force, we were thrilled in a lot of ways, because it was like, 'Oh, there's going to be help. Help is on the way,'" said Cohen.

But in the three years since the announcement, election officials have continued to face heightened threats, including physical violence, fentanyl-laced letters, swatting incidents, threatening voicemails, and violent threats on social media.

According to a May 2024 survey conducted by the Brennan Center, nearly 40% of local election officials reported experiencing threats, harassment, or abuse -- a marked uptick from earlier surveys.

"The pressures that my colleagues fall under nationwide -- over things that are literally unfounded -- has become hard to deal with every day for folks who didn't sign up for that kind of pressure," said Dag Robinson, the county clerk in Harney County, Oregon.

'Justice is not swift'

Despite the fanfare it received in 2021, the task force got off to a sluggish start. A year after it was formed, the Justice Department had only charged four cases despite reviewing over 1,000 referrals involving hostile or harassing contact, then-Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite told a meeting of election officials in 2022. Only 5% of referrals resulted in actual investigations.

While the task force's success rate improved slightly over three years -- charging 20 individuals, achieving 15 convictions, and losing one case -- multiple election officials told ABC News that the modest number of cases compared to the thousands of threat referrals is disheartening.

"I could certainly recognize that my friends and colleagues across this country don't feel supported," said Julie Wise, the director of elections for King County, Washington.

In Colorado, officials say Secretary of State Jena Griswold has been the subject of thousands of abusive, harassing, and threatening communications over the last two years, including frequent messages calling for violence against her.

"You have a family, Jena," one user said on social media "Think about that before you continue."

Of the 1,140 threats referred to the Department of Justice by Griswold's office since January 2023, 13 have led to investigations, and one case has been prosecuted, according to her office.

Election officials across the country say that in some instances, charges have been announced two or three years from the time a threat was made.

"It seems as though justice moves slowly, and I have seen that some clerks who were assaulted or threatened from the 2020 election just were [only recently] able to give their victim impact statements for the sentencing of those individuals -- so justice is not swift." said Barb Byrum, county clerk in Ingham County, Michigan.

'Legally off the hook'

In response to election officials' concerns, Justice Department officials say that charging cases requires a high burden of proof -- and many of the threats targeting election workers are protected speech under the First Amendment. To land a conviction in a threats case, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the statements are likely to be reasonably perceived as threatening -- known as "true threats."

"One of the biggest challenges in bringing these criminal cases is parsing what is a true threat from what is constitutionally protected speech," according to Jared Davidson, counsel at nonprofit Protect Democracy.

Statements that are vague, hyperbolic, or figurative can be hard to prove as threats in a criminal setting, where defense attorneys can parse out the meaning of a statement to create reasonable doubt, said Davidson.

For example, the phrase "We're going to take you out" could be perceived in multiple ways depending on the context of the statement, according to Eugene Volokh, a professor emeritus at UCLA School of Law.

"In context, that could mean 'kill you,' or it could mean 'throw you out of office,'" Volokh said.

MORE: DHS warns of threats to election posed by artificial intelligence

"A 'vast majority' of the communications directed at election officials, however offensive, are protected by the First Amendment and cannot be prosecuted," then-Assistant Attorney General Polite said in 2022.

After prosecutors charged a Nevada man who, following the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, allegedly made multiple calls to the Nevada secretary of state's office -- including saying that they were "all going to ... die" and wishing they would "all go to jail for treason" -- a jury acquitted the defendant, illustrating the challenge of proving a true threat.

Adding to the challenge of bringing these cases is a 2023 Supreme Court decision that clarified the standard for true threats by finding that a defendant needs to have some awareness that their statement would be viewed as threatening.

"If you say something ambiguous and you don't even realize that it might be perceived as a threat, you're legally off the hook," said Volokh.

Cohen, who said she has been publicly raising these concerns since early 2022, told ABC News that situation has led many election officials to believe that reporting threats can be "pointless," which has led many of them to no longer refer threats to the task force. A 2024 Brennan Center survey showed that 45% of threats to election workers are unreported.

"It's just hard not to feel, in some ways, like no one is taking this seriously," Cohen said.

DOJ task force, formed in 2021 to fight election threats, has brought only 20 cases originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WHNT)  The Department of Justice says an undocumented Russellville woman has been charged with nine counts of voter and passport fraud.

According to the DOJ, Angelica Maria Francisco, 42, assumed the identity of a United States citizen around 2011 and obtained a United States passport in that year. She then used the to travel to and from her native country of Guatemala in 2012, 2015 and 2018. Francisco used the same false identity to register to vote in Alabama in 2016.

Gov. Kay Ivey calls for resignation of head of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs

She voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary and general elections, the DOJ said.

Franciso is charged with with false claims of citizenship in connection with voting, false statements in application for a United States passport, use of a United States passport obtained by false statements, and aggravated identity theft.

A plea agreement was filed with the information, indicating that Francisco has agreed to plead guilty to all of the charges.

A date for Francisco to enter her guilty plea has yet to be scheduled.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma have received donations from Dollar General to help address food insecurities in the states affected regions.

National store chain Dollar General has donated over 700,000 pounds of food to Oklahoma communities this year. Through a partnership with Feeding America, the nations largest hunger-relief organization, the company invested in two food banks in the state.

Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma received Dollar Generals donation throughout the first seven months of the year to address food insecurities in the states affected regions. The company announced the sum of donations in a news release in light of Hunger Action Month, which will raise awareness of the issue through September. Dollar General did not disclose how much the donations cost.

Through these donations, we are proud to help combat hunger and increase access to nutritious foods for residents in need, said Denine Torr, Dollar Generals vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy.

More: How much should I have in my emergency fund? More than you think.

"Throughout my more than 30 years serving Dollar General communities, partnering with our Feeding America local food banks has been some of my most fulfilling work," said Ronda Brookshire, Dollar General district manager of operations in Tulsa in the news release. "Whether we are donating to food banks in Oklahoma towns of 100 or 40,000 residents, the impact on these donations is inspiring.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, more than 500,000 Oklahomans need access to food with 200,000 of those being children. The Oklahoma Legislature allocated $12.5 million of the state's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to expand access to food through Food Insecurity Grants. The one-time grants reached 158 counties and have totaled nearly $20.7 million in funding, according to data updated in July by Oklahoma Human Services.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Inc. has received around $1.22 million in grants since 2021 when ARPA went into effect.

Feeding America found more people in the state were affected by food insecurity than Oklahoma Human Services has reported. According to Feeding America's website, nearly 700,000 people face hunger in Oklahoma, although both the nonprofit and state estimated the same amount of children were included in the totals. The nonprofit estimated around $500 million would be needed to meet food needs in the state with the average meal costing $3.77.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Dollar General donates 700,000 pounds of food to Oklahoma food banks
Elon Musk has told staff not to go on holiday to Brazil amid an escalating row with the country following a ban on his social media company X.

Workers at Mr Musks space company SpaceX were advised last week against travelling to Brazil for work or pleasure in an email sent by the companys president, Gwynne Shotwell, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The US newspaper said SpaceX was also seeking to move non-Brazilian staff out of the country. SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tensions have escalated between Mr Musk and senior officials in Brazil amid a long-running dispute over alleged far-Right content on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Last week, the countrys Supreme Court announced a ban on the service, making it the first major democracy to block the company. Brazil, the largest nation in Latin America, was Xs sixth-largest market. Before the court order, there were an estimated 20m active users there.

The ban followed months of wrangling between Mr Musk and Brazils Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes. Mr de Moraes has been conducting an investigation into far-Right content on X, including alleged hate and anti-democratic fake news.

Brazil's Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes is investigating alleged hate content and fake news on X - Adriano Machado/REUTERS

Mr Musk announced the closure of Xs Brazilian office last month after the company claimed it had received a secret order to take down certain accounts.

X was then given a court deadline to appoint a legal representative in the country, but responded to say it expected its app would not be available to users simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.

Last week, the website was suspended.

Mr Musk, responding to the ban, said: Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.

Nations have been ramping up their efforts to force social media companies to take action on harmful content.

Mr Musk recently provoked a row with Downing Street after he claimed Britain was heading for civil war following riots and repeatedly engaged with posts by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the far-Right activist who goes by the name Tommy Robinson.

Jess Phillips, a Home Office minister, said X was despotic and a place of misery. Bruce Daisley, a former Twitter executive in the UK office, called for Mr Musk to face personal sanctions if he continued to stir up public disorder online.

Other social media apps, meanwhile, are also facing international scrutiny. Telegrams founder, the Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, is facing charges in France for his alleged complicity in failing to tackle abuse on the app. Telegram was set up with the aim of championing free speech. Mr Durov denies the allegations.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Donald Trump and JD Vance are missing from the Oregon voters pamphlet. Heres why

Donald Trump and JD Vance are missing from the Oregon voters pamphlet. Heres why

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  As the state rolls out the Oregon voters pamphlet ahead of the 2024 November general election, two names on the Republican ticket will be missing: former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

According to the Oregon Secretary of States office, the Trump/Vance campaign did not submit an optional statement or pay the required $3,500 for candidates to appear in the states pamphlet.

Laura Kerns, the communications director for the Oregon Secretary of States office, told KOIN 6 News they reached out to the Trump campaign multiple times reminding the campaign about the deadline to submit the statement and fee, but never heard back.

Advisory group disagrees with public on Burnside Bridge replacement design

Similarly, ahead of the May primary election, the Trump campaign also declined to submit the statement. At the time, Trumps campaign did not provide a reason for not submitting a statement to the secretary of states office, officials said.

While a statement from the Trump campaign will not be included in the voters pamphlet, Trump will still appear on the Oregon ballot.

The Secretary of States office noted that the pamphlet is not comprehensive of what voters will see on the November ballot. Not all candidates choose to submit an optional statement.

Portland workers truck vanishes in broad daylight theft

The Voters Pamphlet is a public service to voters and a proud tradition in Oregon, said Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade. Its an opportunity for candidates to present their case directly to Oregonians as they fill out their ballots. Not every candidate chooses to submit a statement, and thats fine. It has no impact on the choices voters have in November.

Candidates who will appear in the pamphlet include vice president, and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Additionally, Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver will appear in the pamphlet along with Pacific Green candidate Jill Stein, and We The People Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr  who has since suspended his campaign in some states.

Portland corn maze celebrating 75th anniversary of Peanuts

This is not the first time candidates have chosen to not submit a statement. Since 2012, its happened three times as presidential hopefuls John Kasich, Tulsi Gabbard, and Rand Paul declined to provide statements, the Secretary of States office previously told KOIN 6 News.

Oregon voters pamphlets should arrive at households of registered Oregon voters no later than the week of Oct. 14, ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5, officials said.

KOIN 6 News reached out to the Trump campaign. This story will be updated if we receive a response.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The latest mass shooting in the United States, which happened in Georgia on Wednesday killing four people, was the country's 30th mass killing this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

At least 131 people have died this year in those mass killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer -- the same definition used by the FBI.

Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings in the United States, making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record.

Four people, including two students, were fatally shot and nine others were injured at a high school in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday. 
The News

Donald Trump is trying to court Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s supporters with a new emphasis on childhood health  without fully crossing the line to embrace Kennedys unorthodox views on science and medicine.

Trump is returning to a plank in his platform that he rolled out last June with little fanfare in a policy video where he vowed to address the sharp rise in chronic illnesses and health problems, especially among children. Trump promised then to appoint a commission charged with investigating the causes.

The issue largely vanished from Trumps campaign in favor of more salient topics, like the border and the economy, until Kennedy endorsed Trump last month in a speech focused in part on Americans health. Kennedy said he had been surprised to learn that he and Trump are aligned on many key issues  including public health.

At a Trump rally later that day, Kennedy asked voters if they wanted a president who is going to make America healthy again. Trump, at that same event, reiterated his promise to establish a panel of top experts  who he said would work with Kennedy  to investigate chronic health problems and childhood disease.

The former president has since begun incorporating the Make America healthy again phrase (dubbed MAHA internally) into his rally speeches, looking to appeal to a certain outsider, wellness-focused cohort of voters that the campaign sees on the margins of party politics.

Were going to get toxic chemicals out of our environment, and were going to get them out of our food supply, Trump said at a Pennsylvania event last week. Were going to get them out of our bodies.

Thats a mirror of the softer element of Kennedys pitch: A focus on the high cost of these illnesses, what is in Americas food, and discussions about the rising rates of conditions like obesity, asthma, diabetes, autism, and more. Throughout the last week, Kennedy has highlighted his history with environmental efforts and compared his focus on health to that of his uncle, who sought to improve Americas fitness  adding the hashtag #MAHA to many of his posts.

One person close to the Trump campaign told Semafor that the team is planning to focus even more on the topic and roll it out in a broader way in the coming weeks.

The people who follow him [Kennedy] are all from the health movement, those are his voters, so it adds a whole separate constituency, the person said.

Another person close to the campaign also said that the issue had gained more importance internally as an opportunity to excite Kennedys small, but potentially critical, pool of voters.

It couldnt be an issue until we brought [in] Kennedy  you know from the Agenda 47 that Trump agrees with [it], and probably if it was polling right, it might be on the front line of policy, but it wasnt because it didnt, the person explained.

Shelbys view

Anything involving Kennedy and childrens health is going to be viewed through the lens of his longtime public skepticism of vaccines, which public health experts are worried could do real damage by seeding preventable outbreaks.

Trump, whose Project Warp Speed COVID-19 vaccine effort was a signature success of his presidency, has also expressed some related doubts about childhood vaccines, which he reiterated to Kennedy on a leaked phone call in July. And while he hasnt joined Kennedy and many of his own supporters in criticizing the COVID-19 vaccine his administration helped create, he has threatened to defund public schools that require it for students.

Democrats have already begun highlighting some of Kennedys public health stances  on Tuesday, a DNC spokesperson said in a press release that Trump now owns all of RFK Jr.s baggage, including his dangerous public health stances that have cost children their lives, referring to a recent push by some anti-vaccine advocates against the measles vaccine.

Kennedy made his vaccine skepticism a staple of his own presidential run. But one of the people close to Trump suggested that the downside of associating with Kennedy over this topic was exaggerated.

Everybody knows this issue and its been written about ad nauseam, the person said. If anything, he only has upside, because the mainstream media has been so negative about him on this one topic, and when he starts talking about all these other things that he focuses on, its all upside.

The Trump campaign has nonetheless tried to keep Kennedys potential influence on a second administration ambiguous, perhaps trying not to further provoke concerns among swing voters. When asked about Kennedy having a role in an upcoming administration, Trump spokesman Brian Hughes noted that on major policy issues where supporters and surrogates of President Trumps campaign demonstrate leadership, it would make sense that those people are considered for future roles. But, he cautioned that it was certainly premature to speculate about a place in an administration.

That said, Hughes added that Kennedy and the former president broadly agree on protecting the health and well-being of Americas families, particularly our children.

The View From Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who Kennedy considered as a running mate, suggested that his party should offer Kennedy-curious voters some substance on health policy.

There are many sincere people who follow RFK who now believe that Trump is going to be a better president for this issue, he said.

In this telling, theres a risk in dismissing a winnable debate for the party by assuming Kennedy supporters concerns are strictly the purview of cranks and conspiracy theorists and not addressable with more conventional policies. Its not like Democrats wouldnt have a story to offer: As some detractors pointed out after Kennedys endorsement, the Trump administration followed conservatives lead in trying to roll back regulations on hazardous chemicals and nutrition standards  and the Biden administration often went the opposite direction.

Notable

The New York Times detailed how Trumps push to Make America Healthy could face roadblocks: Namely, his own record.

RFK Jr. had dropped in the polls by the time he suspended his campaign, but his support could offer Trump some key voters in a race thats essentially tied. Its part of why Trump has buried the hatchet with him and others, Semafor reported last week.
Local soda brands in Muslim-majority countries are eating into Coca-Cola and Pepsi's market share, Reuters reports, "due to consumer boycotts that target the globe-straddling brands as symbols of America, and by extension Israel."

The link between the U.S. government and the Israeli government is clear: The Washington Post calculates America has given $6.5 billion in security aid to Israel since its war with Hamas began on October 7 last year. But why punish civilian producers of sugary beverages that have employees, consumers, and capital all around the globe?

Beyond expressing disapproval of "symbols of America," the boycotts have a more concrete aim. The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are headquartered in the United States. Coke paid $1.299 billion in taxes during the six months ended June 30, 2023, and Pepsi paid $2.262 billion for the year ended December 30, 2023. When American firms lose revenue, the American government loses tax receipts, which may, in theory, reduce military aid to Israel. The boycott movement has achieved the first two steps: Per Reuters, "Western beverage brands suffered a 7% sales decline in the first half of the year across the region, market researcher NielsenIQ says." Given the increasing disconnect between government revenue and government spending, it's unclear whether the third step was ever really on the table.

Coca-Cola has attempted to distance itself from Israel's military campaign. Al Jazeera describes a Bangladeshi ad in which a shopkeeper tells shoppers Coke is not from Israel, but rather enjoyed globally: "Even Palestine has a Coke factory," the shopkeeper says. The short-lived ad was less than persuasive to people in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh who are concerned about the financial link between American firms, the U.S. government, and Israel. Likewise, PepsiCo pleading that none of its brands "are affiliated with any government or military in the conflict," as it said in a statement to Reuters, has fallen on deaf ears.

Questions of boycotts' efficacy aside, firms are responsible for their actions, not for what the government does with funds stolen from them. Those who morally object to the war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, often say that it's wrong to hold Palestinian civilians responsible for the heinous terrorism of Hamas. Objectors rightly argue that merely living under, and paying taxes to, a government does not make a person morally responsible for that government's actions.

By these lights, neither American citizens nor American companies are responsible for the actions of the American government or governments supported thereby. While consumers are well within their rights to spend or withhold their money on any basis, they should consider whether they have principled reasons for not drinking a can of Cokeor, if they have worse taste, a bottle of Pepsi.

The post Don't Blame Coca-Cola and Pepsi for America's Israel Policy appeared first on Reason.com.
Doug Emhoff, Gwen Walz are coming to NC to campaign for Harris, reproductive rights

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will visit North Carolina next week on behalf of his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, according to an announcement the campaign provided to The News & Observer.

Hell be joined by Gwen Walz, the wife of Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as part of a Fighting for Reproductive Freedom bus tour.

The bus tour, which started Tuesday in Palm Beach, Florida, is scheduled to make two stops in North Carolina, including one with the candidates spouses.

First, the bus tour will stop in Asheville on Sunday and will spotlight women who have been impacted by Trumps abortion ban, according to the campaign.

Emhoff and Gwen Walz are not scheduled to appear in Asheville, but will headline an event in Raleigh on Monday.

Additional details werent provided about the events. The tour is expected to make 50 stops, the Harris-Walz campaign said.

This election is about freedom  and the American people want and deserve the freedom to make their own health care decisions, said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris campaign manager, in an emailed statement.

Our campaign is hitting the road to meet voters in their communities, underscore the stakes of this election for reproductive freedom, and present them with the Harris-Walz tickets vision to move our country forward, which stands in stark contrast to Donald Trumps plans to drag us back.

Gwen Walz on Aug 21, 2024, during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.

The visit comes as North Carolina has become a key battleground state in the election between Harris and former President Donald Trump. Recent polls indicate North Carolina is now a toss-up in the presidential race with Harris as the Democratic candidate, compared to analysts previously predicting the state would vote Republican for Trump.

Harris has visited the state eight times so far this year, The News & Observer reported.

Tim Walz visited Raleigh last week to speak to campaign workers, attend a private fundraiser and make a pit-stop at Cook Out, where he ordered a milkshake.

Meanwhile, Trump has made more frequent visits to the state in recent weeks, with the most recent a campaign rally on Aug. 21. He is scheduled this week to address the Fraternal Order of Polices National Board of Trustees in Charlotte.

Reproductive rights remains a key campaign issue after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which provided for a constitutional right to abortion, after Trump appointed three conservative justices to the high court.

In North Carolina, an abortion is illegal after 12 weeks, except in cases of rape or incest or if there is risk to the pregnant person. But restrictions are tighter in other states across the country, including in South Carolina, where abortion is banned after six weeks.

Florida, where Trump now lives, has an abortion rights amendment on the ballot, which would overturn the current six-week ban and preserve abortion rights in the state constitution. Trump told NBC News Thursday that he thinks six weeks is too short and there needs to be more time but stopped short of saying whether he would vote for Amendment 4.

The next day, Trump said he would vote against the amendment, MSNBC reported.

In North Carolina, Emhoff and Walz are expected to address access to birth control and in-vitro fertilization.

Under the Dome

Get the latest news about North Carolina politics from The News & Observer's award-winning team. Get the free digest sent to your inbox by signing up here.
(WFRV)  Authorities with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced on Thursday that a soldier from Wisconsin who was killed during World War II has officially been accounted for.

According to a release from the DPAA, 18-year-old United States Army Private Robert L. Skaar from La Crosse was accounted for on June 7.

UPDATE: Charges referred for first-degree homicide at Green Bay Correctional Institute

Officials say Skaar was assigned in 1945 to Company C, 1st Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Divison and was killed in action on March 10 while his unit was on patrol near Wildenguth, France.

The Germans are said to have never reported Skaar as a prisoner of war and his remains were not immediately recovered.

The American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, began searching the Wildenguth area in 1946 with none of the investigations uncovering leads to Skaars remains leaving him to be declared non-recoverable on March 12, 1951.

DPAA historians continued ongoing research into missing soldiers around the Wildenguth area and in August 2022 found remains buried in Ardennes American Cemetary, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Neupre, Belgium, that could be associated with Skaar.

After being taken to the DPAA lab for analysis, DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis while scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), mitochondrial genome DNA (mtG), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis to identify and confirm the remains as Skaar.

School bus carrying 21 children involved in accident on county highway in Wisconsin

Currently, Skaars name is on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Dinoze, France and officials say a rosette will be placed next to his name indicating that he is accounted for.

Skaar is expected to be buried back in his hometown of La Crosse, on October 1.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

CARBON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A driver died after reportedly fleeing from a traffic stop and crashing on Wednesday evening, according to officials with the Utah Highway Patrol.

Lt. Cameron Roden with UHP told ABC4.com that troopers attempted a traffic stop near mile marker 256 on U.S. 6, but the driver fled. Troopers deployed spikes in an attempt to stop the driver, but the spikes were unsuccessful.

Roden said the driver was found dead after crashing and being ejected from the vehicle down the road. Officers were attempting to stop the driver for a DUI, according to Roden.

More information about the driver has not yet been released. There is no further information at this time.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  A man has been arrested after a search warrant led to a drug bust in Limestone County on Friday, August 30.

According to the Limestone County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) , the Limestone County Sheriffs Office SWAT Team and Narcotics Unit along with assistance from the Athens Police Department executed a search warrant at the 18000 block of Edgewood Road in Athens.

Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go.

Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox.

LCSO said that during the operation, around 31.13 grams of fentanyl and two pistols were seized from the home.

LCSO told News 19 that Ronnie Baker was charged with drug trafficking and illegal possession of a pistol.

Baker was arrested and is being held at the Limestone County Jail on a $1.5 million bond.

Latest Headlines

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Former State Sen. Mark Messmer, left, congratulates his successor, Daryl Schmitt, after the Dubois County Councilman won a caucus vote on Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo from Messmer's campaign Facebook page)

The Indiana Senate will have a new face joining its ranks after a Wednesday night Republican caucus: Daryl Schmitt, a Dubois County councilman.

Mark Messmer left the district 48 seat after winning the May Republican primary for Congressional District 8 and congratulated my friend Schmitt in a Facebook post, saying that Schmitt will continue to be a great advocate for Southwest Indiana at the Statehouse.

The caucus vote of local precinct committee members took two rounds of voting to narrow down the field of four candidates, which also included: Amy Kippenbrock, Richard Moss and Todd Smith.

The Dubois County Free Press reported that the first round of voting eliminated Moss while Schmitt picked up votes in the second round, ultimately clinching the seat. Another caucus will be held to fill Schmitts seat on the Dubois County Council.

Randy Head, the Indiana GOP chair, thanked the precinct committee members for participating in the vote, which took place at Jasper High School.

Daryl Schmitt has proven through his experience as a Dubois County Councilman that he will be a leader and champion for conservative values at the Statehouse, Head said in a statement. Congratulations to Daryl Schmitt on his victory, we look forward to your service in the State Senate!

Schmitt will serve for at least two years before facing voters  the seat is up for election again in 2026.

In a Facebook post announcing his intention to run in the caucus as an America First Conservative, Schmitt said he was committed to continuing the strong representation District 48 has experienced over the past decade under Messmers leadership.

I have been working hard to attend meetings, fairs and festivals to better connect with and understand the constituents of District 48, Schmitt said in the release.

Schmitt attended Vincennes University and Indiana State University, starting his career with UPS. He is a fifth-generation farmer and also works in seed sales.

Schmitt won a caucus vote to join the Dubois County Council in January of 2023, beating out three other candidates, according to the Dubois County Free Press.

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The years-long legal battles involving a man accusing a Durham officer of a wrongful arrest that led to 21 years in prison ended with the city agreeing to a $7.75 million settlement with Darryl Howard and $350,000 with the police officer who led the investigation.

But it cost much more than that. City documents obtained through a public information request show that the city paid another $5 million to outside attorneys and consultants, bringing the citys costs associated with fighting and settling Darryl Howards lawsuit to $13 million.

Records related to that strategy, including payments to outside attorneys and the negotiation details, provide an insider look to a lengthy legal fight that included city officials refusing to pay a $6 million jury verdict.

It was a controversial stand for a city known to be one the most left-learning in North Carolina that drew criticism from attorneys and a state civil rights group, a Washington Post columnist and even the Rev. William Barber.

Bradley Bannon, one of Howards attorneys, said Durham wasted millions of dollars defending an investigation that a federal jury found faulty. Former Durham police officer Darrell Dowdy fabricated evidence and performed an inadequate investigation that led to Howard being wrongly convicted, a federal jury concluded in a 2021 ruling.

I certainly appreciate the change in Durhams thinking that finally brought Darryls case to an end, but the fact remains that Durham made the path to that end far more painful for Darryl, and far more expensive for taxpayers, than it had to be, Bannon wrote.

Mayor Pro Tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton disagrees.

While hindsight makes us all seem smarter, any suggestion that the city could have just saved money and paid the settlement years ago betrays a profound lack of understanding of the intricacies of this case and the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of a chartered municipality, Middleton wrote in a text.

Darryl Howard.was sentenced to 80 years in prison in 1995 after being convicted of second-degree murder. Howard convinced a judge to vacate his convictions in 2014, but prosecutors appealed. He was set free in 2016 and in 2021, he was pardoned by Gov. Roy Cooper.

Mother, daughter found dead

The decades-long twisting tale of injustices endured by Howard starts in 1991. Thats when police started investigating the death of Doris Washington, 29, and her 13-year-old daughter, who were found dead in their apartment in a now demolished public housing complex in East Durham.

In 1995, a jury convicted Howard of two counts of second-degree murders, resulting in a prison sentence of 80 years. Howard sold cocaine and heroin at the time and said he was getting high in an apartment nearby where the women were found with their apartment ablaze, court records say.

A Durham judge vacated the convictions initially in 2014 and then again after a prosecutors appeal in 2016, citing police and prosecutorial misconduct.

Freed from prison, Howard filed a federal civil lawsuit in 2017 contending a wrongful arrest and faulty conviction.Police fabricated evidence during the initial investigation and later withheld DNA evidence that would have proven his innocence, he alleged.

Howard initially sought damages against the city of Durham, former and current officers and a fire department employee involved in the investigation.

But over time, the defendants were narrowed to Dowdy, who retired in 2007.

Howard contended that Dowdy misled the 1995 jury by making up evidence, manipulating witnesses and ignoring factors pointing to members of a gang being responsible for the killings. The actions resulted in him spending 23 years and four months imprisoned for crimes he always denied committing, the lawsuit states.

Darryl Anthony Howard reacts after Judge Orlando Hudson ruled he was to receive a new trial after a DNA hearing in Durham, N.C. Wednesday, August 31, 2016. Howard attended a hearing seeking relief from two murder verdicts against him. Howard, 54, was convicted in 1995 of two counts of second-degree murder for the homicides of Doris Washington, 29, and her 13-year-old daughter, Nishonda, at a Durham public housing complex. The killings occurred in 1991 in what investigators described as revenge for a drug deal gone bad. The Durham DAs office said they would not appeal the decision.

Pretrial negotiations

Pretrial negotiation between the city and Howard began with a wide gap, according to records provided to The News & Observer after a public information request.

In October 2019, Howards team demanded $19 million to settle the federal suit. In April 2020, the city offered $2.75 million.

During the November 2021 civil trial in federal court, the city upped its offer to $4 million, according to John Roseboro, senior assistant city attorney. But Howards team rejected that..

Instead, they asked the jury to award Howard $48 million in damages, about $2 million for each year of the 21 and a half years he spent in prison. And another $5 million for the impact on his life after he was released.

Former officer Dowdys attorney Nick Ellis, paid by the city of Durham, argued that if the jury decided that his client had violated Howards rights, they should give Howard no more than $500,000, considering his history of drug addiction, sales and being shot about 10 times in five incidents.

The city paid Ellis firm Poyner Spruill the most of all the recipients, with about 50 payments totaling nearly $1.8 million, the records show. At least one other Poyner Spruill attorney also worked on the lawsuit.

On Dec. 1, 2021, a federal jury awarded Howard $6 million after agreeing Dowdy fabricated evidence and performed an inadequate investigation, leading to Howards wrongful murder convictions.

Former Detective Darrell Dowdy, who retired from the Durham Police Department in 2007, is accused in a federal lawsuit of making up and fabricating evidence resulting in Darryl Howard spending two decades in prison.

City wont pay verdict

In the months after the verdict, the Durham City Council decided to not indemnify Dowdy, meaning they declined to cover the $6 million judgment or Howards nearly $4 million in legal fees.

During settlement negotiations linked to the federal suit, the city warned Howards team that the city might be legally prohibited from paying a judgment if there is a negative jury verdict against Dowdy, Roseboro wrote in an email.

In 2022 interviews and emails, City Attorney Kimberly Rehberg said a city resolution establishing standards for defending and settling claims and judgments prevented them from making payments for officers and other employees who engaged in fraud, corruption or malice. The federal jurys judgment put Dowdy in that category, she said.

The citys hands were tied, she said then.

Howards attorneys questioned that stance then and now.

Durhams explanation for that  we cant pay the verdict because of the verdict  has never made sense, legally or morally, Bannon wrote.

Darryl Howard stands outside the federal courthouse in Winston-Salem after a jury awarded him $6 million after finding that a Durham, North Carolina detective fabricated evidence that led to Howard spending more than two decades in state prison on an arson and double murder charge.

Criticism followed

The citys decisions not to pay the judgment drew public criticism from many, including Dowdy, The Washington Posts Radley Balko and Barber, the leader of the Moral Monday protests in North Carolina. Barber told The News & Observer in 2022 the city councils decision was an injustice.

The council ought to be running to do the right thing rather than putting this man through more trauma and more abuse than he has already experienced, said Barber, who is also co-founder of the national Poor Peoples Campaign

In July 2022, Howard offered to settle with the city for $9.5 million, which included the jury award and attorneys fees, but the city refused, Roseboro wrote in an email.

Retired Durham Police Detective Darrell Dowdy walks out of the courtroom on Dec. 1, 2021 with his attorneys after a federal jury found he fabricated evidence and performed an inadequate investigation into a 1991 double murder that resulted in Darryl Howard spending 23 years in behind bars

Appeal shifts course

A successful appeal by Howard of a federal judges decision to dismiss two officers from the lawsuit pushed settlement discussions in a different direction.

The March 2023 ruling from the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling said the trial judge improperly dismissed two other Durham police officers, Scott Pennica and Michelle Soucie, before the case went to trial in 2021.

The ruling allowed Howard to seek compensation from the officers who Howard accuses of not sharing vital post-trial evidence that would have allowed him to be released from prison sooner.

In April 2023, Dowdy filed his own federal lawsuit against the city, contending Durham officials abandoned him after using him as pawn in the litigation, despite his 28 years of working for the city.

Rather than risk another jury verdict against the city, the city settled the case against Pennica and Clark in the spring of 2024, Roseboro wrote. It also resolved Dowdls lawsuit with a $350,000 settlement.

Since there had never been a ruling against the two officers, it didnt disqualify the city from paying a settlement for them, Roseboro wrote.

While city officials stand by their decision, Bannon and others continue to question the path that resulted in the city paying Dowdy.

Durham effectively gave a $350,000 bonus to the police detective whose misconduct caused all of this, Bannon said.

Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
In this article, we will be taking a look at the 15 unhealthiest countries in Africa. You can skip our detailed analysis on the topic and directly head to the 5 Unhealthiest Countries In Africa.

Global Healthcare Market Expansion and Africa's Emerging Growth Opportunities

The global healthcare market is extensive and expanding rapidly. In 2023, it was valued at around $7.975 trillion, an increase from $7.5 trillion in 2022. The market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% through 2027, reaching $9.8 trillion. This market encompasses various segments, including hospitals, digital health, and healthcare services. Specifically, the hospital sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.18% from 2024 to 2029, reaching $5.19 trillion by 2029.

The African healthcare market is valued at approximately $50 billion annually. However, a significant portion of healthcare products is imported, highlighting a dependency on foreign goods. The market is poised for growth, particularly in the digital health sector, which is projected to expand by 9.33% annually from 2024 to 2029, reaching a market volume of $7.59 billion by 2029. Approximately 60% of healthcare financing in Africa comes from private sources, with about 50% of total health expenditure directed towards private providers. The African Union aims to have 60% of vaccines manufactured on the continent by 2040 which is a significant increase from the current less than 1%.

African Union countries pledged to dedicate at least 15% of their budgets to health annually, according to the Abuja Declaration. By 2021, only a few nations, such as South Africa and Cabo Verde, had achieved this goal. In 2021, multilateral development banks contributed $12.2 billion in health financing, marking a 10.5% increase from 2020. This funding comprised concessional loans, non-concessional loans, and grants.

Biggest Healthcare Companies Dominating the Global Health Market

Companies like McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK), Walgreens Boot Alliance. Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA), and Humana Inc., among many others, rule the global healthcare market with their exceptional contributions. For example, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) launched a pilot initiative to advance health equity in underserved communities, with Avondale, Ohio, selected as the first site to improve access to essential pharmacy services. Financially, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) reported total revenues of $77.2 billion in Q2 2024, marking a 10% increase compared to the same quarter last year. The companys earnings per diluted share from continuing operations for the same period were $4.92, down from $6.46 a year ago. This decrease includes a pre-tax provision for bad debts of $210 million related to uncollected trade accounts receivable from the bankruptcy of Rite Aid Corporation. McKesson returned $1.7 billion to shareholders in the first half of the fiscal year, which included $1.5 billion in common stock repurchases and $149 million in dividend payments. McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) raised its fiscal 2024 adjusted earnings per diluted share guidance to a range of $26.80 to $27.40, reflecting solid operating business performance. The guidance also includes a forecasted growth of 14% to 17% compared to the prior year.

Similarly, Walgreens Boot Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) is the largest retail pharmacy and health destination across the U.S. and Europe with a presence in over 25 countries. The company offers a wide range of health services, including dispensing medicines and providing health and beauty products. Financially, Walgreens Boot Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) reported a loss per share of $6.85 in Q2 2024, compared to earnings per share of $0.81 in the same quarter of the previous year. This result includes a $5.8 billion after-tax non-cash impairment charge related to VillageMD goodwill. The company's sales increased by 6.3% year-over-year to $37.1 billion in Q2, up 5.7% on a constant currency basis and the adjusted earnings per share increased by 3.4% to $1.20, reflecting a lower adjusted effective tax rate and improved profitability in U.S. Healthcare. Walgreens Boot Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) narrowed its fiscal 2024 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $3.20 to $3.35. This reflects challenges in the U.S. retail environment, the early wind-down of a sale-leaseback program, and lower earnings due to Cencora share sales, partially offset by execution in pharmacy services and a lower adjusted effective tax rate.

READ ALSO: 20 States With the Healthiest Populations and 20 Countries With the Best Healthcare in 2024.

15 Unhealthiest Countries In Africa

20 Countries with the Highest Teenage Pregnancy Rates

Our Methodology

For our list, we looked at two indexes: the GHS index of 2021 and the health pillar of Legatum Prosperity index of 2023. The 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index assesses 195 countries' preparedness for epidemics and pandemics across six categories. The global average score is 38.9, indicating weak international readiness despite COVID-19 efforts. Similarly, The Health pillar of the 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index assesses health outcomes, systems, risk factors, and mortality rates, highlighting the importance of physical and mental health and access to effective healthcare services for individual and national prosperity. Hence, we averaged the scores of GHS, and the health pillar's from Legatum index and the final rankings in our list were adjusted according to the average we obtained of these scores.

The data we've discussed on malnutrition comes from GlobalNutritionReport.ORG

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Here is our list of the 15 unhealthiest countries in Africa.

15. Cameroon

Insider Monkey Score: 15

Cameroon tops the list for being the unhealthiest country in Africa. Malnutrition is a persistent issue in Cameroon, with 28.9% of children under five years of age affected by stunting, and 12.0% of infants having a low birth weight. The prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age is also high at 40.6%. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are on the rise, with obesity affecting 19.2% of adult women and 7.5% of adult men. In 2023, Cameroons health expenditure per capita was $145.95, below the global average of $1,700.

14. Democratic Republic of Congo

Insider Monkey Score: 14

DR Congo has the second highest number of malaria cases and deaths globally, with children under five accounting for 67% of malaria-related deaths. Access to clean water is also severely limited, with less than 25% of the population having access to safe water sources. Life expectancy in the DRC is relatively low, with females expected to live up to 61 years and males up to 58 years. In 2021, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's per capita health expenditure was $25.54, with 11.5% of the budget allocated to health. This is less than one-tenth of the average in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, the DRC spent 1.2% of its GDP on health, below the regional average of 2.4% and its income group's 2.1%.

13. Equatorial Guinea

Insider Monkey Score: 12.5

The country has been ranked among the unhealthiest due to factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes risk, obesity, depression, and low levels of physical activity. Equatorial Guinea's current health expenditure is 3.8% of its GDP, according to the CIA World Factbook.

12. Nigeria

Insider Monkey Score: 11.5

Nigeria is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country faces high mortality rates from communicable diseases such as malaria, viral hepatitis, and water-borne illnesses Nigeria's 2023 health budget of N1.17 trillion ($2.911 billion) represents 5.75% of the total budget, a 1.05% increase from 2022 and the highest share since 2001. However, it remains below the 15% target set by the Abuja Declaration.

11. Guinea Bissau

Insider Monkey Score: 11.5

Guinea Bissau stands fifth among the unhealthiest countries in Africa. The country is burdened with high rates of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. In 2020, the countrys health spending was $61 which is a 0.69% increase from 2019.

10. Angola

Insider Monkey Score: 10.5

Angola stands sixth among the unhealthiest countries in Africa. Angola has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, with more than 10% of children dying before their fifth birthday. This rate is significantly higher compared to developed countries like Finland or Japan. Access to clean water is a significant issue in Angola, with 43% of the population lacking basic water services. Many Angolans rely on unsafe water sources, which increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera. In 2023, Angola allocated 6.7% of its budget to health, a 48% increase from 2022, totaling 1.3 trillion kwanzas. The social sector received 23% of the overall budget, estimated at 20.1 trillion kwanzas.

9. Guinea

Insider Monkey Score: 9

Guinea struggles with both undernutrition and overnutrition, a phenomenon known as the "double burden" of malnutrition. In 2023, Guinea's health budget rose by 48% to 1.3 trillion kwanzas. UNICEF also sought $16.1 million to assist women and children in humanitarian crises, focusing on health, nutrition, and child protection.

8. Liberia

Insider Monkey Score: 8

Liberia's healthcare system has been severely affected by a 14-year civil war, which destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and led to a significant loss of medical professionals. The 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak further exposed the weaknesses in Liberia's healthcare system. Liberia's 2023 health budget was $672.94 million, with World Bank support for various health projects, including RMNCAH-N initiatives, performance-based financing, nursing and midwifery training, and the construction of a 155-bed maternal and child health hospital. A complementary sub package includes 50 interventions, costing the government $5.35 per capita, with most delivered at district and county hospitals. The total per capita cost for the entire package is $12.28.

7. Eswatini

Insider Monkey Score: 7

Eswatini has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, affecting approximately 27% of the population. The prevalence of overweight individuals is 28%, and obesity stands at 23%, particularly affecting women. In 2022/2023, Eswatini allocated SZL 2.4 billion (10% of its budget) to health, primarily funding secondary and tertiary care, including patient referrals abroad.

6. Sierra Leone

Insider Monkey Score: 6

A significant issue in Sierra Leone is the lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities. This deficiency contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases, which are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country. In 2023, Sierra Leone allocated NLe 938.7 million ($41.3 million) to health, 6% of the national budget. This is a slight increase from 2022's NLe 896.7 million ($39.5 million) but reflects a funding gap that leaves over half the population without essential healthcare, increasing preventable diseases and mortality.

5. Somalia

Insider Monkey Score: 5

Somalia ranks as the worst country for maternal health, with high maternal and infant mortality rates. In 2023, Somalia allocated 8.5% of its budget to health but spent only 7%, an improvement from 2022 when just 1.3% was spent despite a 10.6% allocation. The CIA estimates Somalia's total health expenditure in 2023 at $26.351 billion.

4. Lesotho

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Lesotho is severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. In addition to HIV/AIDS, Lesotho faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, and diabetes. In 2022-23, the Government of Lesotho maintained its health and education budget allocations at 13% and 11%, the same as in 2021-22.

3. Chad

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Chad is off course to meet global nutrition targets, with high rates of malnutrition affecting both children and adults. Approximately 31.1% of children under five are stunted, and 10.2% suffer from wasting, both figures being higher than the regional averages. The prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age is also concerning, affecting 45.4% of women aged 15 to 49 years. In 2023, Chad committed to increasing health sector spending to 15%, focusing on free emergency care, and HIV services, and reducing maternal mortality. UNICEF reported a 35% funding increase from 2022, with a 100% budget utilization by year-end. UNICEF's 2023 health budget includes $2.5 million for health, $331,700 for HIV/AIDS, and $46.9 million for nutrition.

2. South Sudan

Insider Monkey Score: 2

South Sudan is one of the unhealthiest countries in the world. The country struggles with high rates of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. South Sudan allocates less than 2% of its national budget to health. In 2017, public health spending was 0.8% of GDP, below the regional average of 2.4% and its income group's 2.1%. By 2020, health expenditure rose to 5.3% of GDP. The RTGoNU covers about 2% of South Sudan's healthcare needs, relying heavily on donors for training, medicine, and services. The World Bank contributed a $200 million grant in 2021 to support healthcare in remote and conflict areas.

1. Central African Republic

Insider Monkey Score: 1

The population faces high risks from diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and leprosy. Water-borne diseases like typhoid and diarrhea are prevalent due to limited access to clean water, with only 37% of the population having access to safe water. Vaccination rates are also low, with only 41% of the population vaccinated against yellow fever, far below the 80% threshold needed for herd immunity. The Central African Republic has an extremely high mortality rate, with 5.6% of the population dying annually, which is more than double the rate of any other country in the world. The birth rate is 42.6 per 1,000 per year, but high infant mortality and pregnancy loss rates suggest severe health challenges for mothers and infants.

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Disclosure. None: The 15 Unhealthiest Countries in Africa is originally published on Insider Monkey.
The Dutch government today announced plans to reintroduce a tank battalion, having controversially withdrawn its last such armored fighting vehicles in 2011. The move is part of a raft of additional investment in the Dutch Armed Forces, mainly in response to Russias all-out invasion of Ukraine, and it also includes anti-submarine warfare frigates, plus six additional F-35 stealth fighters and an undisclosed number of NH90 helicopters.

The latest Dutch Defense White Paper, published today, says that the additional investment, for a total of around $26.6 billion, is needed because, after a long period of peace in Europe, the Netherlands must actively contribute to deterring adversaries in order to prevent armed conflict.

While the White Paper points to rising tensions in the Middle East and Chinas increasing efforts to bend international rules in its favor, it is, above all, Russias war in Ukraine that has driven the budget increase and new equipment  including tanks.

A German Army Leopard 2, nearest the camera, and a Royal Dutch Army CV9035NL infantry fighting vehicle, during Exercise Peacock Supremacy in Klietz, Germany, in February 2018. Dutch Ministry of Defense GERBEN VAN ES

Russias unbridled aggression in Ukraine shows that an attack on the NATO alliance is no longer inconceivable, the White Paper states, quoting Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans. Such an attack would have a major impact on the security and prosperity of the Netherlands. Together with our allies, we must therefore make every effort to prevent such an attack.

De terugkeer van de tank symboliseert een nieuwe periode van investeren @Defensie. Een historische dag voor onze veiligheid!



Moderne tanks bieden een unieke combinatie van bescherming, mobiliteit en vuurkracht. Daarom krijgt de landmacht weer een volwaardig eigen tankbataljon. pic.twitter.com/5wHS5DhxDC  Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) September 5, 2024

An important part of the strengthened Dutch Armed Forces will be the future tank battalion, expected to be equipped with German-made Leopard 2s and reported to come with an annual cost of up to around $350 million, according to the NRC Handelsblad newspaper. This battalion will help meet what the White Paper describes as a need for heavier combat capabilities for land operations.

As well as new equipment, the Dutch Ministry of Defense aims to address personnel requirements, creating what it terms a scalable military; one that can grow or shrink in terms of personnel depending on the threat it faces. This will be partly achieved by recruiting more reservists who will be deployed as full-fledged military personnel in permanent and scalable units. A return to the Cold War-era conscription model has been ruled out, for the time being.

A Dutch Leopard 2A4 tank during a live-firing exercise while taking part in the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) peace-enforcement mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s. Dutch Ministry of Defense

At the height of the Cold War, the Royal Netherlands Army, or Koninklijke Landmacht operated almost 1,000 tanks. Its most modern tank was the Leopard 2, of which 445 were acquired in the 1980s, with the Netherlands being the first export customer, before progressively upgrading them.

Budget-driven defense cuts combined with the idea that armored forces of this kind were no longer needed, saw the demise of the last two Dutch tank battalions, and a final shot was fired by a Dutch Leopard 2A6 in May 2011. By this time, the frontline Dutch Leopard 2 force had been reduced to around 60 examples. Over the years, surplus Leopard 2s were transferred to Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Portugal.

One of a batch of 20 Dutch Leopard 2 tanks is prepared for transport to Finland in February 2017. Dutch Ministry of Defense GERBEN VAN ES

The Netherlands was not the only country to reconsider the importance of tanks in the post-Cold War era.

While the Royal Netherlands Army kept its infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery, it was the only NATO member to do away with its tanks entirely. Primarily driven by cost, the decision was also based on a perception that the days of breaching attacks against enemy strongholds and fortifications, as well as high-speed flanking operations requiring the unique mobility, firepower, and protection offered by tanks were over.

The remaining 20 or so Leopard 2s went into storage but it wasnt long before the Dutch began to have second thoughts about withdrawing the tanks in the first place, chiefly after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014.

In 2015, it was announced that a small tank force should be reinstated, but with budgets still tight, this had to be run as a joint German-Dutch initiative.

Eighteen Dutch Leopard 2A6s were taken out of storage and transferred to Germany, where they were upgraded to what was then the latest 2A7 standard, leased back from Berlin, and then integrated within the German Armys Panzerbataillon 414. With the addition of around 100 Dutch soldiers, this became a German-Dutch unit, helping meet the Netherlands requirement for a return to tank operations, albeit on a fairly token level, while at the same time expanding the German militarys armored footprint.

A tank commander in the open turret of a Leopard 2A6 at the Panzerbattalion 414 firing grounds on Lueneburg Heath, Bergen-Lohheide, Lower Saxony, Germany on June 21, 2018. Photo by Craig Stennett/Getty Images Craig Stennett

At an operational level, the binational tank battalion is under German command and is based at a German barracks but would be expected to support Dutch troops in a large-scale NATO offensive.

Now, however, the Dutch Armed Forces can look forward to getting tanks of their own, although the total number, type, and timeline are not entirely clear at this stage. However, a standard NATO tank battalion consists of at least 44 tanks, plus eight more for training and as a logistical reserve.

According to the NRC Handelsblad, a decision in favor of the Leopard 2 has already been made. These would very likely be the 2A8 standard, the latest production model from manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). The Netherlands has already been linked with a joint NATO procurement effort for the Leopard 2A8, which has also been selected by the Czech Republic, Germany, and Norway. While the Leopard 2A8 shares its engine and transmission with the Leopard 2A7V, as well as its 120mm main gun, it features new defensive features including the latest version of the Israeli-made Rafael Trophy active standoff protection system.

EL/M-2133 Active Protection Radar of EuroTrophy APS system. Leopard 2A8. pic.twitter.com/Qg6ly3Vywc  Ciro Nappi (@CiroNappi6) July 17, 2023

The time when the Armed Forces were at the bottom of the political priority list is definitely over, the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant declared today, in response to the White Paper.

The Dutch governments commitment to an expanded defense budget may also assuage criticism from elsewhere in NATO, including the United States, that the European country has failed to meet the alliances targets for military spending.

According to de Volkskrant, a NATO review earlier this summer identified significant qualitative and quantitative shortcomings in the Dutch Armed Forces, and that, after decades of underspending, additional investments are needed. For all solutions, it is necessary that the Netherlands increases both financial and human resources.

Other major recent developments that are bolstering or set to enhance the Dutch defense posture include the announcement earlier this year that Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35As are now fully responsible for the nuclear strike role. The country became the first nation to declare its Joint Strike Fighters operational in this mission after the aircraft was fully certified to carry the U.S.-supplied B61-12 thermonuclear bomb earlier this year.

A Dutch F-35A brandishing AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles during a NATO air policing drill. Bartek Bera Dutch F-35 brandishing its AIM-120s during a NATO air policing drill. Photo by Bartek Bera

For the future, the Netherlands is further expanding its conventional long-range strike capabilities. As we have discussed in the recent past, the Dutch are planning to acquire conventionally armed Tomahawk cruise missiles for their next class of submarines, as well as the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range, or JASSM-ER, for its F-35s, and the Israeli-made PULS (Precise and Universal Launch System) multiple rocket launcher for the Royal Dutch Army.

The new submarines are also a significant investment, after many years in which Dutch underwater warfare capabilities were neglected. As you can read about here, the Netherlands will buy four new conventionally powered submarines from France, to replace its Cold War-era Walrus class and to contribute to its new-look defense posture, including long-range strike.

An artists impression of the future class of conventionally powered submarines for the Royal Dutch Navy. Dutch Ministry of Defense

Dutch Ministry of Defense

The new White Paper ensures that Dutch defense spending amounts to at least two percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), as NATO stipulates. Its forthcoming return to tank operations also makes the Royal Dutch Army better configured for large-scale land warfare in Europe, as well as contributing to a deterrence posture that is increasingly directed at Russia, as that countrys war in Ukraine continues to reshape defense policy elsewhere in Europe.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
The Dutch government is 'future-proofing' its military in an increasingly volatile world

FILE - Incoming Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans arrives to be sworn in at royal palace Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Netherlands' defense ministry announced a major plan to future-proof the country's military on Thursday, including buying more F-35 fighter jets and the return of a Dutch tank battalion as it gears up to face a world of expanding threats.

The Netherlands and other members of the NATO military alliance have been looking with new urgency at how to boost their militaries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a full-scale war on Europe's eastern flank.

Gijs Tuinman, the state secretary for defense, called the white paper outlining the investments the most ambitious military agenda in modern Dutch history.

The major investments  an extra 2.4 billion euros ($2.66 billion) per year to bring annual defense budget up to 24 billion euros ($266 billion)  come weeks before former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte takes over as NATO chief.

The funding boost should ensure the Dutch government remains above the military alliance's goal of member states spending at least 2% of GDP on defense. Dutch military spending this year already was expected to exceed the 2% target.

The minister and I are convinced that with this Defense White Paper we are taking the right steps toward a future-proofed military, Tuinman said, as he stood alongside Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.

NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah welcomed the announcement.

In a more uncertain security environment, this is an important step for the Netherlands and NATOs deterrence and defence. 23 Allies currently meet or exceed the 2% defence spending guideline and defence spending is on an upward trajectory across the Alliance, Dakhlallah said.

The plan outlined risks to Dutch and NATO security from eastern Europe to the Middle and Far East that are being addressed to different degrees by allies throughout the alliance.

Where Russia seeks confrontation, China is undermining the international legal order in a more indirect but also more structural way, it warned.

The Netherlands phased out its own tanks more than a decade ago, although it still is part of a joint tank battalion with neighboring Germany. In addition to new tanks and more F-35 jets, the white paper calls for new anti-submarine frigates and new weapons systems for the navy.

Dick Zandzee, head of the Security & Defence Programme at the Clingendael Institute think tank in The Hague, welcomed the white paper, which was published shortly before the country's annual budget announcement.

A lot of the capability shortfalls, as stated by NATO, will now be solved. Of course, it will take time to implement it, but at least they are announced and the money has been made available, so that is very positive, Zandzee said in a telephone interview.

He said that one shortfall was not increasing the number of army battalions to NATO levels. NATO calls for four and the Netherlands has only two, Zandzee said.

There is zero announcement that those two battalions or one of them will also be re-established," he said, saying the the problem is lack of personnel rather than lack of money.

The white paper also seeks to address that, calling for major investment in recruiting and training defense personnel.

The new threat requires us not only to be quickly deployable, but mainly also to have endurance. And that therefore requires more of everything: supplies, support and personnel, said the Dutch Defense Chief Gen. Onno Eichelsheim.
East Las Vegas valley residents hope to see change after ordinance passed to crack down on copper wire theft

East Las Vegas valley residents hope to see change after ordinance passed to crack down on copper wire theft

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  People in the east valley told 8 News Now they hope to see a change after the Las Vegas City Council passed a new ordinance to crack down on copper wire theft.

No lights, its too dark, Desiree Hamilton said of her neighborhood. No one can see.

City of Las Vegas passes ordinance to crack down on copper wire thefts

Hamilton told 8 News Now that copper theft is affecting the area near Charleston Boulevard and Pecos Street.

Theres been a lot of copper out there, Hamilton said. And sometimes they will throw it over our wall into our backyard.

According to Hamilton and others who live in the area, metal is regularly stolen from street lights. This has left many in danger in the dark.

Its really bad, she said. Because you cant see around here.

According to City of Las Vegas officials, 100 miles of copper wire have been stolen or damaged since October 2022.

Over $1 million in time and materials have been spent to address and repair the theft and damages, according to city staff.

That has really become a citywide issue, City of Las Vegas Traffic Engineer Joseph Norby said during Wednesdays city council meeting. That were fighting with copper wire theft.

He said he hopes the new ordinance passed by Las Vegas City Councilmembers Wednesday will help them crack down on crime.

We do really believe that this will be an impact, Joey Paskey, Las Vegas Director of Public Works said.

Bill 2024-22, which builds on existing law, makes it illegal for any person or business to purchase scrap metal or seven-strand utility wire within city limits without the right documentation or identification.

It also requires any seller to transport said metal by car to sell it. While speaking to council members, Norby said this is one of many steps to curb the problem.

Outside of some legislative efforts that are in the works, he said. How can we help curb the copper wire theft throughout the city?

The idea is to make copper wire less appealing to steal by making it more difficult to sell.

This is an effort Hamilton hopes to see make change in her area.

We can see, she concluded. It might.

Anyone who violates this ordinance can be charged with a misdemeanor. The minimum fine for the first violation is $500 and any subsequent violation could be $1,000 or more.

Las Vegas officials also said during Wednesdays City Council meeting that they are working to make wire less accessible in street lights by welding poles closed and installing copper wire in less accessible places.

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EastEnders stars Jo Joyner and Tamzin Outhwaite's new drama The Wives has landed a release date

Channel 5 has confirmed that The Wives will premiere on Monday, September 16, at 9pm, with new episodes continuing each night through Wednesday, September 18 (via Radio Times).

Joyner and Outhwaite headline the mystery series with Waterloo Road and Coronation Street legend Angela Griffin, alongside Beyond Paradise's Jamie Bamber.

Griffin, Joyner and Outhwaite play sisters-in-law who are on a yearly holiday to Malta after their fellow sister-in-law Annabelle (Christine Bottomley) was killed in an apparent accident.

When Annabelle's husband (Bamber) begins dating a woman (Katie Clarkson-Hill) who could be her double, the trio becomes suspicious that there is more than meets the eye to their sister-in-law's death.

Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television

Related: Best streaming services 2024  including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+

As the wives try to unravel this possible conspiracy, they will have to contend with "corrupt officials, drug cartels and career criminals closer to home than ever expected".

The supporting cast features Ghosts' Ben Willbond, Catastrophe's Jonathan Forbes and former Holby City star Ajay Chhabra.

Channel 5 announced The Wives was in production back in March, with Griffin promising the show is full of "warmth, female friendship, humour, with a huge whodunnit in the middle".

"I am thrilled to be playing Sylvie alongside the rest of this brilliant cast," Outhwaite added. "The Wives is set to be filled with lots of drama and even more beautiful Malta scenery. I cant wait for Channel 5 audiences to be swept away on the adventure.

Mark Cassar / Channel 5 Television

Joyner said in a statement: "Im so pleased to be working with Gaumont and in Malta again on The Wives, an exciting female-led thriller.

"Ive become so fond of Malta and its warm and welcoming people, coupled with working with this great cast, not least of all Angela Griffin and Tamzin Outhwaite, this is going to be a fantastic piece. I cant wait to get started.

The Wives premieres on Monday, September 16, at 9pm on Channel 5.

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ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  Ector County ISD has received the District of Distinction honor from the Texas Art Educators Association for the fourth consecutive year. More than 1,200 districts and learning institutions in Texas were eligible to apply for the visual art award, according to a release from the district. 96 districts met the high standards, indicating the recipients are among the top 5.5 percent of visual art programs in the state.

Congratulations to our ECISD Art Teachers for earning the TAEA District of Distinction Award for the past four years. said ECISD Executive Director of Fine Arts Dr. Aaron Hawley. Their dedication, from participating in ECISD Art Shows and hosting Big Art Day events on their campuses to excelling in the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE), is truly inspiring. These experiences enrich our students lives and make ECISDs art program a shining success.

ECISD receives music education award for 10th consecutive year

Criteria for the award included several key components, including:

Students must participate in significant state exhibits such as the TASA/TASB Exhibit, and the State Youth Art Month Spring Exhibition in Austin.

The school district must also host at least six Big Art Day events during March and organize public district exhibitions like ECISDs Middle School and High School Art Shows that are held each spring.

Art programs are expected to complete a minimum of 60 hours of community service projects related to art.

Art programs must provide examples of cross-curricular lessons (incorporating art education into other subjects), workshops, and museum visits for students.

ECISD said it is also important that teachers actively participate in the Visual Arts Scholastic Event each year, the highest non-Gold Seal rating bestowed at the state level.

Currently, 8,505 students from grades 6th through 12th are involved in all ECISD fine arts programs, including performance and visual arts.

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Time and again we are told that women voters will decide the fate of presidential electionsbe it Black women, suburban women, working women, mothers, or more. Women are the largest group of registered voters and turn out at the highest levels to cast their ballots. But the pressures on our decisions can feel enormous: We are equally called on as saviors of democracy or protectors of the family, no matter what party we align with. But how many politicians are really listening to what women want and the issues they intend to vote on? Read on for the results of Glamours landmark YouGov poll, and our monthslong journey into the lives and concerns of women across America

The Journey of My Abortion

In December 2023, Emma Giglio was 20 weeks pregnant with her third child when she was told that her son had multiple anomalies in utero. For Emma it was agony encased in medicalese. At the next scan, just two weeks later, the prognosis was even worse. Her son was so deprived of amniotic fluid he might not make it to birth. Every next step felt like a knife in the heart.

Emma lives in Charleston, South Carolina, a state where abortion is illegal after six weeks. There are exceptions, including for fetuses who would not survive the full pregnancy, but navigating the law is staggeringly complex. She would need to leave the state for her termination. Emmawho had previously never imagined abortion legislation applying to herwas suddenly trapped in a political war zone.

80% of Democrat-leaning women

52% of Republican-leaning women

said that abortion was extremely or very important to their vote this year.

In the wake of the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortion has become one of the most hotly contested issues this electionand one that the Harris-Walz campaign is banking on to drive votes. But it is as divisive as it is motivating. Just over half of all the women surveyed in the Glamour/YouGov polla representative cross-section of all American womenbelieve abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances. And while support largely splits down party lines, 27% of Democrat-leaning women who say abortion matters to their vote this year staunchly opposed the procedure, and 31% of Republican-leaning women are strongly in favor of abortion.

We suffered a tremendous amount of trauma having to fly away from our home and have this procedure done with doctors we didnt know in a place we didnt know. We wanted this child. Emma Giglio, South Carolina

At 24 weeks pregnant, Emma and her husband, Zach, flew to Maryland on a freezing January day to visit Partners in Abortion Care clinic. Ahead of the termination, Emma wanted to find a birthday cake to honor her sons lifeto mark his arrival, but also his passing. She and Zach tried everywhere they could find in the hour they had. But there was nothing. Just a cake pop from Starbucks. It was so small. Was it too insignificant to celebrate a birthday with? Emma questioned. But it was all they had. They paid for it and walked back to the clinic. There she would get a shot in her abdomen that would stop her babys heart. And then she would have to deliver.

The next day all I wanted to do was not get out of bed. And I was forced to get dressed and go to an airport and be in public and sit there amongst everybody else as if I didnt just give birth the day before. Leaving him and leaving Maryland...I didnt expect it to be as hard as it was. I wanted to get home to my boys, but then I was leaving my other son behind. Emma Giglio, South Carolina

The Unwavering Black Women Voters

In the heart of North Carolina, the story of the Carter family beats strong. A testament to resilience woven through Black Americas turbulent yet triumphant history. Their tale, rooted in Durhama city alive with history and a vibrant pulse of Black excellenceunfolds like a tapestry woven from the rich threads of New Jersey and North Carolina. There is Deborah Kamilah Carter, at 75 the bedrock of her family, a living archive of stories. She is the mother of Afiya Carter, 51, who with wife kynita stringer-stanback, 49, parents Afiyas two daughters, Naeemah Kelly, 31, and Assata Goff, 23, and son, Sekou Goff, 21. Each family member has carved their path of activism, championing education and community empowerment. What unites them all is a relentless commitment to fighting for racial justice, driven by a shared belief that their voices can spark the change their ancestors dreamed of.

88% of Black women registered voters intend to vote Democrat this election.

But this isnt just one familys narrative; its the chronicle of countless Black women who have long been the unsung heroes of the political arena, showing unrelenting allegiance to one partythe Democratseven when the rewards are scant. For the past quarter of a century, a staggering 92% of Black women voters, on average, have rallied behind the Democratic ticket in presidential elections since 1992.

We show up because we know that if we dont vote, if we dont speak our piece, if we dont show up to courtrooms and to protests and we dont organize, and if we dont have programs and communities, every aspect in terms of from our ecosystem to our social issues, that that will be taken away from us. Assata Goff, North Carolina

The only time that I mightve thought that the Republican Party was okay is when I was a little girl and Eisenhower was in office, and what did I know? I never could understand why people of color, Black folks, ever thought that the Republican Party represented us at any level. Deborah Kamilah Carter, New Jersey

Yet even as Black women form part of the heart of the Democratic Partys electorate, there is often a troubling dissonance in this relationship. Despite their overwhelming commitment and support for Democrats, the party frequently fails to deliver the substantive changes Black communities desperately need in areas such as education, health care costs, crime reduction, and addressing racial issues. So why do they keep voting for the Democrats? And can the party keep taking their support for granted?

The issue is that some of us in this nation have been taught to hate, and some of us are taught that hatred is acceptable and necessary. I dont miss many elections. I mean, not even local elections, the little school board typethose elections are super important. In fact, I dont think Ive missed one. You can go check my voting record. kynita stringer-stanback, North Carolina

The Findings on Gun Control

Every year since 2014, there have been more than 39,000 deaths due to guns. Gun violence has ravaged communities, schools, familiesaccording to a 2023 poll, more than half of all Americans say that they or a family member have been affected by gun violence. Despite this, in 2022 the Supreme Court struck down New Yorks concealed carry law and in 2024 overturned a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, which enable semiautomatic weapons to shoot at the speed of machine guns. And in 2023, after a mass shooting at Covenant Elementary School in Nashville that killed six, rather than impose stricter gun legislation, Tennessee state lawmakers instead voted to arm teachers. But these rulings are out of step with what the majority of American women voters want.

Gun control unites women across both parties: 64% of Republican women and 86% of Democratic women supported raising the minimum age to buy a gun to 21. 93% of all women supported preventing people with mental illnesses purchasing firearms.

Further: 71% of all women said gun policy was very important to their vote this year. 78% of all women said they supported banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

I was on Vanderbilt campus and we saw the ambulances come with the children. We were on site when the children were pronounced dead. And then we had to go to our elementary school placements the next morning. Every little sound, every thing that happened, we were all on edge. I was jumping at any scream. I was in a kindergarten classroom; its an elementary school. There should be screaming; they should be allowed to be kids. Last time I checked, most of the Nashville districts had not adopted recent legislation to allow more access for guns to be on campus. The Biden and Harris ticket is, I think, the strongest gun safety administration weve seen in history. And so were feeling more listened to. Barbara Sloan, Tennessee, 21

I love how my dad words it. Hes always like, I may be considering myself conservative, but I will not vote on this issue as a conservative. People are dying and we should fix that. And thats why when I vote in Tennessee, Ive always voted for a Democratic Party when it comes to gun control. Absolutely. Fully through and through. Isabella Hipp, Tennessee, 21

Im a college professor, Im a mother, and Sandy Hook affected all of us. But when they pushed guns onto my campus, that was it for me. We have so many children who have already been traumatized by gun violence that seeing a gun on a person that you trust and you love in your classroom every day is terrible. Im a gun owner myself. Most of my friends and family are safe with their firearms. They believe other people should be safe with their firearms, and they believe in commonsense gun laws. I can tell you that the current laws are horrifying. I mean, Arkansas is 50th in the nation. We dont have gun laws, and it shows. We have one of the highest rates of homicide. We have one of the highest rates of suicide. Our rural communities are suffering; our children are suffering. A lack of gun laws clearly hasnt kept us safe. Everybody classifies Arkansas as a deep-red state. We have not been a deep-red state very long. President Clinton came from Arkansas. Weve been blue to purple to red. Our voters actually do swing. They actually do matter. Johanna Thomas, Arkansas, 43

Women want to be able to own guns if they qualify, but dont want their abusers to be able to buy them. Anonymous voter from Glamours YouGov poll, Michigan

The Workers Behind the Workers

Like about 14,000 people in New York City, Kenya is a nanny. It wasnt a career she felt called to. She started working at 16, picking up a series of jobs. She worked at a summer program for kids. She worked at McDonalds. At department stores for a spell. She worked as a bank teller. She landed on childcare without meaning to. In fact, she had once wanted to be a police officer. When she started caring for children, she hadnt planned to stick it out. But then she just loved it. She would have liked to have kids of her own, but it just wasnt in the cards for me, she says now. In that sense, it isnt a surprise that she found this line of work. The downsides are of course obvious: The work can be strenuous and its not well-paid. For some, it is unprotected. Many childcarers around the country will have no sick pay, no employer health insurance, no paid family and medical leave. There is almost no such thing as a stable gig. Kids grow up. Parents childcare needs can shift without warning.

The three biggest issues influencing womens votes this election are the economy, health care, and housing.

88% of all American women say the economy is extremely important to their vote this year

83% say health care

73% say the cost of housing

I live paycheck to paycheck. And if something goes off, youre really off. Kenya, New York

Delores, who has been caring for children in one form or another for four decades, almost never has any free time before 8 p.m in the evenings. Her waking hours are spent preparing for work, commuting to work, working, and returning home. Making the trek from her apartment to the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where she works, she spends over 10 hours in transit each week.

Im just interested for what their policies all about. I look on both sides. I kind of undecided about the election. I know on the Democrat side, they are for the care workers. I am kind of pro-life. So on the Republican side, I know theyre for that. Delores, New York

Generation Dissatisfied

Twenty-one-year-old Kieghan Nangle is pro-life and believes only those assigned female at birth should be allowed to play in womens sportspositions, she says, shaped by her Christian faith and upbringing. Growing up in Plano, Texas, Nangle attended church every Sundayher parents were adamant about itand Christian summer camp, which is where she first embraced her faith independently. But she only began sharing her political views publicly after she attended a conference hosted by the Trump-aligned nonprofit Turning Point USA just before her first year at the University of Alabama.

I had the idea that I was conservative, but I had been made to feel nervous to talk about anything politics at all. Kieghan Nangle, Florida

Just 56% of young women aged 18 to 29 are registered to vote in this election.

For many young adults, the transition to college marks their foray into life away from home. Campuses are, and always have been, intimately situated in the fabric of American culture and serve as a microcosm for so much of the countrys prized diversity: of race, religion, and what should be political discourse. But right now campuses have never been more divided.

By allowing speakers who espouse xenophobic and racist and homophobic rhetoric, youre putting your students who are in the most at risk, marginalized communities, at danger. Isabel Hiserodt, Arizona

People would say that Im not Black enough because of my beliefs. Ellie Porte, Washington, DC

But despite the heated environment on campus, there is an enormous dissatisfaction with both partieseven though Kamala Harriss presidential nomination has given a welcome reenergizing boost to many young voters who felt estranged from a campaign that was quite literally generations apart from them. And its a hurdle that both parties have yet to overcome.

47% of young women under 30 said they lean Democratic

24% of young women under 30 said they lean Republican

29% said they have no lean at allthe largest percentage to say so of all age groups polled

Its difficult walking around campus day to day because you cant really share what youre really thinking or what youre feeling because youre scared of what people will say to you. Sometimes I just dont want to invite that discourse, so I try to refrain from sharing my political opinions. The fact that I have to do that, its a little sad. Jahnavi Kirkire, Maryland

Originally Appeared on Glamour
ELGIN, Ill.  An Elgin High School student is facing four charges after a gun was found at the school.

At around 1 p.m. Wednesday, the schools resource officer was notified by staff that a student was observed with a possible firearm.

An unloaded firearm was recovered in possession of the student in question.

No threats were made toward students or staff, according to the school.

The student, a juvenile, was charged with three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon.

They were transported to the Cook County Youth Detention Center.

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(FOX40.COM)  The City of Elk Grove announced it has settled its second lawsuit related to its 2022 denial of a housing project for low-income households at risk of homelessness.

In May 2023, various state offices sued the city saying its rejection of the proposed 66-unit Oak Rose project violated state housing laws.

In February, the city settled a separate lawsuit involving the developers that resulted in the project being relocated to city-owned property and expanding to 80 units.

The settlement with the state requires Elk Grove to provide the California Department of Housing and Community Development with any copies of applications for a housing development that includes affordable or supportive housing for five years and keep the department up to date on the projects.

Applications open for Elk Grove e-bike voucher program

The city must also identify a new location for a future affordable housing project in a highest resource area that has similar development potential to that of the original proposed site of the Oak Rose Apartments. The site must be in what the states California Tax Credit Allocation Committee Opportunity Map marks to be a highest resource area, areas the state says most strongly associated with positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families.

The city will also pay the state $150,000 as reimbursement for attorneys fees and expert fees it paid as part of the lawsuit.

We cant solve Californias homelessness crisis without creating new housing and supportive services, Governor Gavin Newsom said. Elk Grove is not immune to this challenge, and the citys decision to block these efforts  wasting valuable time and resources  is especially shameful. We expect Elk Grove to follow the law  continued refusal will not be tolerated.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Junk History

Elon Musk seems to have had second thoughts about platforming far-right nonsense on his own account.

The flailing executive deleted a quote-tweet in which he called a Tucker Carlson podcast featuring a Nazi apologist "very interesting" and "worth watching" after near-universal backlash.

In the original Carlson post, which is still live, the ex-Fox pundit interviews purported historian Darryl Cooper, an apparent Holocaust denier who says, among other things, that then-UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the "chief villain" of World War II.

As with other forms of Holocaust denial, Cooper's points were less pro-Adolf Hitler and instead tended more on the side of erasure, as evidenced by his claim that "millions of people ended up dead" in Nazi concentration camps  without naming either the Jewish victims of those atrocities or their genocidal perpetrators.

Quote-tweeted on the heels of his promotion of an overtly sexist take about women's brains and leadership, Musk's since-deleted insistence that the junk historian's takes are "interesting" was met with revulsion.

As one Lithuanian noted, the post would likely be considered illegal in the Eastern European country because rather than finding "Holocaust denial 'very interesting', we find it a massive threat to our safety."

"That finding comes from horrific real life experience," the user continued, "not from the whisperings of ketamine fairies."

In Denial

As Mother Jones' DC bureau chief David Corn noted, the Holocaust denial evidenced in Carlson's interview with Cooper goes way back, too.

"Imagine someone saying drag performers at the Olympics was worse than Hitler's conquest of Paris. Well, you don't have to," he wrote, screenshotting another Cooper post. "And Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk enthusiastically amplify this guy."

Writer Alheli Picazo also pointed out the alleged historian's antisemitism in prior posts on the Musk-owned platform, including one that seems to suggest that Jewish people are making too big a deal out of the Holocaust as compared to other groups who've been subjected to genocide.

In about as close as he ever comes to admitting a mistake, Musk later posted a screenshot of an X Community Note debunking the historian. Rather than providing an apology or explanation, however, he simply plugged the social network's context tool.

Given the frequency and increasing severity of Musk's opinionated gaffes, it is notable that he made the fairly rare choice of deleting his promotion of the Carlson interview with a Holocaust denier.

Unless someone leaks any internal conversations or communications from X's lawyers about it, though, we'll probably never know exactly why he did.

More on bad Musk takes: Hypocrite Elon Musk Attacks Voting by Mail, But Records Show He's Done It Himself
(Bloomberg) -- Adobe Inc.s top lawyer Dana Rao, who was central to establishing its artificial intelligence strategy and led it through a failed antitrust battle, is leaving the company.

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Dana has been a valuable member of our leadership team, and we appreciate his contributions and counsel, said an Adobe spokesperson on Thursday following a Bloomberg News inquiry. While the company conducts an extensive search for a permanent successor, Chief People Officer Gloria Chen will helm Adobes legal organization, the spokesperson added.

Rao was a central figure in establishing Adobes approach to generative AI. The company has dubbed its products commercially safe since its models are built largely on its own library of imagery and attempt to filter out copyrighted material and offensive visuals.

Also holding the title chief trust officer, Rao was a frequent advocate for Adobes Content Authenticity Initiative, which aims to establish standards around the use of AI-generated content.

He also led Adobes ill-fated attempt to buy design software startup Figma Inc. for $20 billion, which fell apart last year amid regulatory pressure in Europe and the US.

Adobe is also facing a lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission, which in June alleged the software company violated consumer protection laws by making it too difficult for consumers to cancel their subscriptions.

Rao joined Adobe in 2012, and before that served as associate general counsel at Microsoft Corp. and as an attorney focused on intellectual property and licensing, according to his LinkedIn page.

I am very proud of Adobe and what we have accomplished, Rao said Thursday in a LinkedIn post. He wrote that he is stepping down to spend more time with his family, pursue hobbies, and once recharged is looking forward to doing whatever is next for me.

(Updates with comments from Rao in the final paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Daniel Trotta

PALM SPRINGS, California (Reuters) - Palm Springs, long known as a desert playground for the rich and famous of Los Angeles, has enacted a number of progressive measures to address homelessness.

Then in July, the all-Democratic city council passed a ban on sleeping on public property that will expand police authority to arrest the unhoused, underscoring how even liberal cities have lost patience as the homeless crisis persists.

Other cities have grown even more emboldened by a June 28 ruling from the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court that camping bans are constitutional.

Since then, 12 California cities or counties have passed camping bans while another nine are considering them or have already given initial approval, according to the National Homelessness Law Center.

Many of those cities cited the Supreme Court decision as they passed new ordinances to evict unhoused people from public view.

With soaring rents and an acute housing shortage, California has an estimated 180,000 homeless people even though it has spent more than $20 billion on housing and homelessness programs since the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Margot Kushel, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and co-author of a 2023 report on the state's homelessness, calls the police crackdowns counterproductive.

Having a criminal record impedes a homeless person's chance at getting a job, and the distrust it generates reduces homeless cooperation with police, Kushel said. Scattering them strains their access to outreach workers.

"We need housing. We need subsidies. We need not just affordable housing, but we need deeply affordable housing," Kushel said.

CAMPING BANS

Palm Springs, a city of 45,000 about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles, stopped just short of exercising all the authority granted to cities in Grants Pass v. Johnson. The new ordinance instead complies with a previous federal court ruling and will prevent law enforcement from enforcing the ban when emergency shelter space is full.

Its new law won't take effect until 85 temporary housing units are completed later this year.

With a homeless population that advocates estimate at 500, Palm Springs previously enacted rental assistance for people in danger of losing their homes, set aside a quarter of tax revenue from vacation rentals for affordable housing, and opened a 50-bed shelter in March.

California jurisdictions received further guidance when Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on July 25 issued an executive order directing state agencies to urgently address homeless encampments and urged cities to adopt a similar posture.

Meanwhile five local entities, including the city and county of Los Angeles, have passed measures or issued statements resisting police crackdowns or have approved sanctioned camping spaces, the National Homelessness Law Center said.

Outside California another 25 cities in 15 states have passed or are considering camping bans, the center said.

'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH'

Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew Mills shares the perspective that police cannot solve the problem and says he advocates for compassion.

But "we have to be able to say enough is enough as a community and as a country," Mills said from the streets on a recent day when the high temperature reached 110 Fahrenheit (43 Celsius). "We needed some kind of leverage to say you're not going to do this in our city."

Mills said police will give homeless people three options: take help by entering a shelter; accept the city's offer of a free bus, train or plane ticket home where family can take them in; or go to jail.

At the United Methodist Church, where the social services group Well in the Desert serves 250 free meals a day, one homeless man said homeless people are routinely harassed and he has been arrested for pushing a shopping cart and loitering.

"They want us out of sight. That's the end point," said Travis Rogers, 60, who said he became homeless after experiencing extreme grief at the death of his only son from brain cancer five years ago. "I just wish the city council or this new chief of police would actually talk to us instead of just passing all these ordinances."

Eve Garrow, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, says cities rushing to pass laws are in a "race to the bottom."

"They're not controlling the fact that wages have stagnated over the last 20 or 30 years and housing prices have skyrocketed," Garrow said.

Tina Allgood, 53, another person at the church, said he lives in fear of the police while he continues to look for a job and permanent housing.

"Don't be so hard on us," Allgood said. "You know, don't make us run from you. Make us run to you."

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Donna Bryson and Aurora Ellis)
Local STEM leaders will inspire the next generation of young minds at the 8th Annual Women in Science Conference in Fort Walton Beach

FORT WALTON BEACH  The Emerald Coast Science Center is gearing up to host its eighth annual Women in Science Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at The Place on Beal in Fort Walton Beach.

The conference, which runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., aims to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The event will feature presentations from women professionals in various STEM fields based in Okaloosa County and hear firsthand accounts of their experiences.

"This is an excellent event for students of all ages and genders to receive firsthand advice and information from local STEM professionals," said event organizers in a news release.

The event, presented by the Emerald Coast Science Center and BAE Systems, will include a panel discussion and an open Q&A session. Middle and high school students are encouraged to attend. Guests will also have the chance to network with speakers and other professionals in attendance.

Featured speakers include:

Stacia Hurt, senior principal systems engineer II, BAE Systems

Kristen Shell, deputy city manager of Niceville

Dr. Amanda Davis, owner and family nurse practitioner, SANE.Medical LLC

Natalie Sullivan, technical director and microbiologist, Analytical Services Corp

Allison Beauregard Schwartz, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, University of West Florida

Cheylin Woodruff, marine biology student, University of West Florida

Tickets for the event can be purchased online at the Emerald Coast Science Center's website. They are $10 per person, and students get in free.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Learn more about the 8th Annual Women in Science conference
This year, Milwaukee saw one of its warmest-ever summers  thanks in no small part to several stretches of sweltering heat nearing triple-digit temperatures.

Milwaukee's summer heat came amid warming temperatures globally due to climate change: 2023 was the world's hottest year on record, and a recent report found more Americans died from heat in 2023 than any other year in over two decades of records.

The toll of this summer's heat on illnesses and deaths is not yet clear, but early numbers on 2024 hospital visits in Wisconsin paint a grim picture.

As of early September, the number of Wisconsin emergency department (ED) visits from heat was about 25% higher than last year, according to data provided by Dr. Sheryl Bedno, chief medical officer in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services' Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health.

Here's how heat illness this summer compared to previous years and which parts of Wisconsin were the most affected.

Golda Meir students leave school early due to extreme heat at Golda Meir School on North King Drive in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. - Photo by Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

Heat emergency department visits reach highest level since 2018

After five years of heat-related ED visits totaling about 800 visits or under, the number of ED visits from heat reached 1,056 in Wisconsin this year, as of Sept. 2, according to data provided by DHS.

That's the highest since 2018, when 1,131 Wisconsinites visited the ED for heat illness. The 2024 data is not yet final, but includes reporting from about 95% of Wisconsin's emergency departments, according to DHS.

The number of ED visits peaked four different times throughout the summer  all of them periods when Milwaukee and the rest of the state were experiencing excessive heat. The end of August logged the highest number of visits, with more than 70 Wisconsinites needing emergency treatment on Aug. 26.

From July 13 to 15, close to 40 Wisconsinites visited the ED every day for heat illness.

Police officers and medical personnel assisted a man experiencing heat exhaustion around 6 p.m. near the corner of State and Water Streets where vehicles enter the Republican National Convention perimeter.

July 15 also marked the first day of the Republican National Convention, which saw about 50,000 people milling about in downtown Milwaukee. The convention kicked off with nearly 90-degree heat, with the Milwaukee Fire Department responding to a dozen heat-related calls on the first day of the RNC.

It's worth noting DHS data excludes non-Wisconsin residents, so any heat-related ED visits from out-of-state visitors during the RNC are not included in the 1,056 total. The data does, however, include Wisconsinites who visited the ED in Iowa and Minnesota.

ED visits also peaked to about 30 per day in late June and to more than 45 in a single day on July 31.

Are hospitalizations from heat rising?

Hospitalization data from heat in 2024 is not yet available, but that number has remained steady at about 70 hospitalizations or below since 2019.

However, like ED visits, hospitalizations last peaked in 2018, with 82 Wisconsinites hospitalized for heat that year. If the trend with 2024 ED visit data is any indicator, perhaps another spike in hospitalizations is on the horizon.

Hospitalization data for summer 2024 will take several months to process, according to DHS.

Are heat deaths getting worse in Wisconsin?

Though the country experienced a historic surge in heat deaths last year, Wisconsin actually saw a decrease in heat deaths last year  but take these numbers with the grain of salt. The 2023 death data is not yet final and subject to change, and 2024 data is not yet available, according to DHS.

In general, heat deaths have been rising in Wisconsin for nearly a decade.

After a peak of 24 deaths in 2012, the number dropped significantly to one death in 2014. Since then, however, fatalities have began ticking back up.

In 2022, 15 Wisconsinites died from heat, marking the highest number of deaths in 10 years.

Dionte Williams cools off at the Washington Park splash pad during a heat wave in Milwaukee on July 6, 2020. Milwaukee County Parks opened several wading pools and splash pads early because of the heat. Dangerous heat waves are becoming more common.

Which parts of Wisconsin saw the most heat illness?

The southeast region of Wisconsin saw the most heat-related ED visits this summer  likely because of the large population in this part of the state, which includes Milwaukee, Bedno said in a statement.

According to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response data, the northwest region of the state actually saw the highest number of heat-related EMS runs proportional to its population. This region, which includes Eau Claire and Menomonie, saw 14.8 responses for every 10,000 residents.

The southwest was the second-highest at 11.7 responses for every 10,000 residents.

Why heat illnesses and deaths go underreported

In general, Bedno said it's worth taking all this data with the caveat that heat illnesses and deaths often go underreported. Heat frequently triggers or coincides with symptoms of other illnesses, meaning heat exposure is sometimes not formally logged as a cause of illness or death.

Additionally, some people with heat illness may not seek medical care at all, either because their symptoms are mild or because those most at risk of heat illness are also more likely to face barriers to health care.

The latter includes people who do not have health insurance, people without transportation or funds to reach a hospital, people with disabilities, and low-income and racially marginalized people.

Experts have long warned that historically marginalized communities will bear the brunt of climate change's harms, including increasingly severe heat. In a 2020 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found non-Hispanic Native Americans had the highest rate of heat-related deaths in the country, followed by non-Hispanic Black Americans.

More: Summer 2024 was one of Milwaukee's warmest in history, setting multiple records

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Heat illnesses and deaths are getting worse in Wisconsin, data show
The murders of six more Israeli hostages marked a critical new moment for Doug Emhoff, whos speaking out on his own and Kamala Harris behalf, as only a Jewish American and the spouse of a presidential candidate can.

In light of the retraumatizing of the tragedy of the weekend, speaking here, even though its so hard to do  this is a way that I can use this voice, the second gentleman said Tuesday at a vigil for the hostages in Washington, DC.

For Emhoff, its a reflection of historical circumstances: he has spoken often about how he reconnected to his Judaism after seeing the response he received when Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris for the ticket four years ago. Then as second gentleman, he felt compelled first by the rise in antisemitism and then the October 7 Hamas terror attacks to speak up about how much hurt he felt.

Now, with his wife suddenly the Democratic nominee and both of them thrust more into the spotlight  and as the world approaches the anniversary of those attacks and Israels ensuing war in Gaza  friends and advisers say theyre seeing a man continuing to search for his own response to an issue that is policy, politics and personal all at once. And advisers and campaign aides are trying to match strategy with a principal whose emotions and determination have struck them in both his private comments and public remarks.

As Donald Trump attacks Jews who vote for Harris as being self-hating, it was Emhoff who sat in the front row of Tuesday nights vigil  brought together by an array of Washington-area Jewish groups and hosted at the Adas Israel synagogue  wiping tears from his eyes, then struggling to speak through his grief as he stepped to the microphone.

This is raw, he said, telling the hundreds assembled he was there as a fellow congregant, fellow mourner and as a Jew.

Members of the Jewish community gather for a prayer vigil at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, DC, on September 3, 2024. - Valerie Plesch for The Washington Post/Getty Images

When Doug talks about how the VP encouraged him to be closer to his Jewish faith and take on antisemitism as an issue, it may be affirming to Jewish voters, a friend of Emhoff told CNN. But it also illuminates how they support each other as a couple, the connection to faith they both have, and that is important for all voters to know.

As Biden has amped up public pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal, some outside allies have suggested the Israeli prime minister is instead trying to maneuver toward Trumps benefit. And with voters on all sides of the issue uncertain of where Harris stands, every twist in events could complicate her efforts to win in Michigan, which has a sizable Arab and Jewish populations, but also some other key battlegrounds where the number of Jewish voters is larger than the 2020 margins of victories.

Several people who know Emhoff said that Hersh Goldberg-Polins murder hit him particularly hard. He knew the 23-year-olds parents. Hed just seen them at the Democratic National Convention. The ache of knowing that the hostage only a few years younger than his daughter had been killed just days before his body was found has been overwhelming. Its left him raw. Going to the vigil, one person who knows him told CNN, was about standing up as a leader  but also about feeling like he needed to be with his community amid the horror and the shock.

How you all feel right now is how I feel. And how we all feel is something that Kamala hears directly from me almost each and every day, Emhoff said on Tuesday night. I share what Im feeling with Kamala as my partner, as my wife  not just as our vice president. She knows. She gets it. She cares. Shes committed. Hershs loss feels so personal to the two of us, just like it feels to all of you.

Ted Deutch, the former Florida congressman and current CEO of the non-partisan American Jewish Committee, praised the second gentleman while introducing him at the vigil for reminding the world that an attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us.

He understands the unique agony of feeling that our cries for justice have gone unheard and yet he knows that our strength lies in our unity, he added.

Emhoff has long stressed that he has no policy role in the administration or the campaign, and he continues not to. But the perspective has changed  until six weeks ago, he was married to a leader who was deferential to policy set by Biden. But after being elevated to the Democratic nominee, his wife is being watched closely for any shifts on Israel policy she might make.

Campaign aides say they expect Emhoff to continue to be key as he races around the country campaigning and fundraising, with anxiety already building over how the anniversary of October 7 will play out less than a month before Election Day.

Emhoff says he wont stop speaking out, linking the need to remind the world repeatedly of what happened to the events of the Holocaust.

If we dont tell this story again and again, he said at the vigil, we have no hope of Never Again.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
ENID, Okla. (KFOR)  Four people are facing murder charges, accused of luring an Enid man to his death in hopes of trying to get information about a missing woman.

Victor Battelo, Charles Jordan, Devin Harris and Heaven Jordan are all facing first degree murder charges in connection to Colby Sheppards death.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: UPDATE: Third suspect booked on murder complaint after body found in Enid cellar

Charles Jordan. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

Devin Harris. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

Victor Battelo. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

Heaven Jordan. Photo courtesy Warren County Jail.

Enid Police announced Sheppard was missing back in January; saying he had last been seen at a Pizza Hut in town.

Court documents say Sheppard told his mother December 28th last year that he was going on a date with a girl December 30th. Sheppard had a court date on January 9th, but never showed up.

Sheppards mother also told police he had received letters from an inmate in jail letting him know people were after him and he should get out of town.

Investigators found Sheppards car January 10th, but not Sheppard. An acquaintance of Sheppards told police in June she had information on Colbys last know location which traced back to Charles Jordans residence.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Enid Police searching for man missing since December

Colby Sheppard. Image courtesy Enid Police.

The acquaintance informed police Victor Battelo had told her Heaven Jordan had lured Sheppard to the house where he was beat up. The acquaintance indicated that Sheppard was beat because the suspects believed he had knowledge of Kendra Battelos disappearance.

Kendra Battelo is Sheppards ex-girlfriend and has been missing since 2022.

Photo of a missing woman

The acquaintance informed police Victor told her what Sheppard had said to the suspects during the beating, that he didnt do anything to Kendra. Victor told her he punched, kicked and stomped on Sheppard. He also told the acquaintance that he and a friend cut Sheppards throat and left him for dead in the back room of the residence.

Mr. Sheppard was lured to that residence by those with the intent to do him severe harm and essentially resulted in his murder, said Cass Rains with the Enid Police Department.

Rains said the medical examiners office will determine Sheppards cause of death but multiple witnesses in the affidavit contradict each other on just how exactly he was killed.

Its also made clear in the affidavit that police obtained information indicating multiple witnesses knew a crime had been committed. Since none of those witnesses have been arrested or formally charged with a crime News 4 is not identifying them.

An acquaintance of Victor Battelo told police he confessed in having to kill Sheppard because of what he did to Kendra.

The acquaintance also said that Victor showed her a letter, that he said was written by someone in jail, and was supposed to go to Colbys family.

Officers obtained search warrants and interviewed multiple other witnesses, and on June 11th obtained a search warrant to search Charles Jordans home, where the beating allegedly happened. An affidavit says OSBI was able to find traces of what police believe may be blood on the floor of the back porch of the home. The flooring was cut out, seized, and sent to OSBI for analysis.

Charles denied involvement in interviews with detectives while in custody for a different crime, but an affidavit says he used a phone to text a witness, telling him to burn a letter he allegedly wrote meant to be delivered to Colbys family.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Its wild: Body found in Enid cellar could be tied to revenge killing

Documents say the letter stated that Jordan wanted $5,000 along with his court costs paid in exchange for information about Sheppards whereabouts. Other text messages Charles Jordan sent asked a witness to get another phone, take the SIM card out and burn it. Charles then again insisted that the letter he wrote, be burned and that his life is in their hands.

On August 27th, detectives received a call from an inmate claiming to have more information about Sheppards disappearance. The inmate said Charles Jordan had offered him money to help move Colbys body. The inmate said Charles told him Sheppard had been beaten up pretty severely and that a witness had gotten tired of hearing Sheppard moaning and broke his neck.

Its important to note that the witness has not been charged in connection with the case, and when approached by News 4 employees for comment, the witness closed the door in their faces.

The inmate said Charles Jordan told them that he Charles was in charge of getting rid of Colbys body and had confessed to wrapping it up in plastic and a blanket. The inmate noted that Charles admitted to dumping Sheppards body two streets over from his house and he needed the inmates help to avoid it being found.

The inmate was able to identify the home as a yellow house with a garage off to the side and a storm cellar behind it, the same home authorities found human remains.

One tip led us to perhaps bringing some sort of closure to Mr. Shepards family and his disappearance, said Rains.

Detectives said they found the remains in a blue tarp wrapped in a blanket with rope around it; and that OSBI was called in to help process the scene.

Police say Harris admitted to standing guard during the beating outside of Jordans home, but alleges he did not participate otherwise.

All three men appeared before a Garfield County District court judge Wednesday where their bond was denied.

Police say Heaven Jordan was arrested in Missouri for unrelated charges, has been interviewed and will be transported back to Oklahoma to face murder charges.

The investigation into Kendra Battelos disappearance is still active, but police say they havent found anything to connect Sheppard to it.

Theres no direct evidence or any evidence otherwise tying Mr. Sheppard to Ms. Battelos disappearance, said Rains.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact Enid Police.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
EPA bureaucracy gets in the way of protecting environment, North Dakota official says

Jim Semerad, left, and Marty Haroldson of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality were part of a panel discussion Sept. 4, 2024, at a conference in Bismarck. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

Wildfire smoke wafted over North Dakota on Wednesday. For Jim Semerad of the Department of Environmental Quality, that will mean more work.

Thats because the department will have to show the federal Environmental Protection Agency that the smoke is actually coming from wildfires and not some other source of air pollution.

We will go through a great deal of effort to prove something we already know, said Semerad, who leads the departments air quality division.

Semerad and others from the department were speaking Wednesday at a North Dakota Regional Environmental Conference in Bismarck. The conference was organized by the Air and Waste Management Association.

Semerad said staying on top of the ballooning amount of federal regulations can make it difficult for the agency to focus on what is really important  ensuring good environmental health.

The department sent a news release Wednesday morning advising the public of the air quality issues because of the wildfire smoke.

Semerad said EPA staff are well-intentioned but EPA bureaucracy gets in the way of protecting environmental quality.

Our biggest problem might be the EPA, Semerad said.

Chuck Hyatt, of DEQs waste management division, said one of the biggest roadblocks to working with the EPA is a lack of trust.

They dont necessarily trust what is going on in certain states, Hyatt said. And I wonder about that. Where does that come from?

North Dakota has several ongoing legal battles with the EPA, including being the lead state challenging a mercury emissions rule that North Dakota officials have said threatens the states lignite coal industry.

Wednesdays agenda included a session by Erik Wallevand, a lawyer in the North Dakota Attorney Generals Office, on tips for challenging federal regulations.

With factors such as federal regulations, retirements and other staff turnover, Semerad said something new for the department is struggling to keep up with clean air permits.

Semerad said there may be a request for more staff in the 2025 legislative session.

Semerad acknowledged that some of the workload comes from Mother Nature, with North Dakota being a state of extreme temperatures and weather and random events, such as wildfires.

Its kind of an invisible thing, Semerad said of the work created by wildfires. No additional inspections, no additional improvements to air quality. Its just a reporting requirement.

I guess that might be something that the Legislature needs to better understand.

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Ahead of Minnesota Governor Walzs stop in Erie, we spoke with the chairman of the Erie County Republican Party.

Tom Eddy, the partys chairman, told us hes not surprised Walz is spending time in Erie as both candidates know the importance of winning Erie County if they want to win the White House.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to hold rally in Erie on Thursday

Eddy said he expects Vice President Kamala Harris will also be campaigning in Erie in the coming weeks.

I think the Harris-Walz campaign realized that the Trump campaign had already been here and that they should maybe make a presence known in Erie County because were such a bellwether county. Everybody looks at Erie as being the group of voters that determine the next president and how Erie votes is how Pennsylvania votes, Eddy said.

Senator Bob Casey makes stop in Erie for re-election campaign

He went on to say, The Democrats, obviously, theyre going to be excited about their ticket as well. But I just think theres something brewing here underneath this Republican ticket that will lead the presidential race.

Eddy added that he expects former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance to make stops in Erie County before Nov. 5.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Stop work orders have been issued to the developer behind a controversial resort and housing complex on the edge of Escondido after grading work to a dirt road along the property was conducted without permits.

The grading work, which began in August, occurred through a road easement set aside for the proposed Daley Ranch Resort, a 225-room hotel and over 200-unit residential complex at the top of a mountain ridge connected to the Daley Ranch natural preserve.

Aerial video obtained by FOX 5/KUSI of the construction showed a bulldozer plowing through the land. Planning documents pitched this route, which connects to the busy Valley Center Road, along the steep mountainside as the primary point of access for the development.

Two arrested in Oceanside baseball bat attacks

While the project has been in planning stages for years, it has not been formally approved by the city of Escondido or state environmental regulators, Director of Public Works Joseph Goulart confirmed to FOX 5/KUSI.

And yet, this road work went on, prompting the city and the county to demand all construction to halt as it investigates possible local and state law violations.

Jim Whalen, an attorney for the Sager family who has spearheaded the development, said in a statement to FOX 5/KUSI that the work was above board, as the easement grants them leeway to use and do work on the property as long as certain measures are met.

He added that the developer believes they have met these conditions to do grading work without a permit since it did not create a new road, rather cleared an old dirt road of brush and conducted repairs to erosion ruts.

Zoning code in the city of Escondido does allow for certain types of regrading work without a permit, but Goulart said local officials are skeptical whether the construction done through the easement meets these exemptions.

It will likely come down to whether the amount of earth and flora removed in the process exceeded 200 cubic yards, he explained.

Thats one of the reasons why we did a cease and desist, Goulart added. Were trying to clarify what is legal.

The Daley Ranch Resort project was first proposed by the Sager family in the 1980s as part of development plans to a larger, 1,800-acre plot of land in unincorporated Escondido near Lake Wohlford. The plan was later rescinded after receiving community pushback.

The city of Escondido later purchased a large chunk of the land from its prior owners, creating what is now the Daley Ranch Park Reserve.

Two parcels of land  one at the foot of the mountain and the other at its peak  totaling about 200 acres remained with the lands prior owners. The resort and residential development was pitched for the parcel along the mesa, the larger of the two.

In May 1997, the development project was revived by the Sager family. Planning documents were submitted to the city over a decade later, in 2018.

Under the renewed iteration of the project, the resort site remained largely the same, but tens of additional homes were added. The proposed residences would span three residential types: custom home sites, detached single-family residences and courtyard-style single-family homes.

The project would also require the city of Escondido to annex the unincorporated land encompassing the Daley Ranch Park Reserve, as well as the resort and residential complex. According to planning documents, the over 1,700-acre reserve would remain protected.

Map showing the proposed Daley Ranch Resort. (Screenshot by FOX 5/KUSI of the Daley Ranch Specific Plan)

With such complex requests, Escondido city planning officials said it would likely be years before any final decisions would be made on the project, as the San Diego Union-Tribune reported when the plans were submitted. That time has still not arrived.

Goulart said no entitlements, or documents developers need to obtain before they can begin building, had been issued by the city for any work on the land it oversees. This includes permitting for grading work.

It also appears that the state-mandated report detailing environmental impacts has not been finalized. FOX 5/KUSI reached out to the county regarding the land that falls in its jurisdiction and is awaiting response.

Whalen said the work through the easement was done so geotechnical testing trucks could access the land where they are hoping to build to conduct surveys for these efforts. Previously, the trucks had been using a different access road from the north, off Red Iron Bark.

The neighbors didnt like the geotechnical testing company trucks and equipment going through, so we elected to use the other road off Valley Center Road, even though it is much more dangerous, he said.  That meant we had to clear the brush that grows in every rainy season and repair erosion ruts.

Nonetheless, city leaders are concerned that the recent grading work might have led to damage to the land, including harm to the areas vegetation.

Among other flora, the site where the preserve sits is one of a handful of places home to the Engelmann Oak, according to the nonprofit Friends of Daley Ranch  a rare oak only seen through a narrow band of coastal plain in southern California and Baja California.

It is unclear if these oaks were impacted by the regrading efforts, although the public works director said a lot of trees were removed in addition to low-laying brush.

Dangerously hot conditions: Excessive Heat Warning in effect for these areas

Goulart noted that a third-party environmental assessor will be visiting the land on Friday to determine whether the grading falls under the citys permitting exemptions and if there was any ecological damage in order to determine possible remedies.

As no construction plans have been finalized, it is unclear exactly how the this process might impact future work to the Daley Ranch Resort. Official groundbreaking still appears to remain months  if not years  away.

It may also take some time for the city and county determine whether any violations took place, and reach a possible remediation agreement for them with the Sager family, Goulart added.

We have been coordinating with officials at both the City and County to make sure all applicable laws have been followed, Whalen said. There are often follow up measures, and we will ensure those get handled appropriately.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The Airbus logo can be seen behind a model of the Eurodrone during the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

An EU aviation body on Thursday demanded further investigations following an in-flight engine fire on an Airbus aircraft.

The probe will target at least part of the A350 fleet, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) told dpa.

An A350-1041 aircraft on a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich suffered an engine fire shortly after take-off on Sunday. The fire was extinguished immediately and the aircraft flew safely back to Hong Kong.

It was unclear what exact requirements EASA has for the upcoming investigation, described as a "precautionary measure" by the agency. The aviation safety agency intends to publish further details.

Airbus, based in the EU, stated that it acknowledged the information provided by EASA and is working closely with the authorities.
Amid mounting geopolitical headwinds and a slowing economy in China, Alibaba (BABA) is looking outside of its home market to spur growth.

For Alibaba.com  the e-commerce giant's international business-to-business arm  that means attracting more global small and medium-size business buyers to the platform and expanding its supplier base outside of China.

On Thursday, Alibaba announced a new generative AI-driven sourcing agent intended to simplify global trade at its second annual Co-Create event in Las Vegas. The company also launched a co-branded credit card for businesses with Mastercard (MA) intended to encourage transactions on Alibaba by providing easier access to capital and additional protections for buyers.

We are building out networks not only for the demand-supply part but also with partners to establish the payment network, the logistic network  to enable small and medium-size businesses to meet, trade, and work [on the platform], Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com, told Yahoo Finance.

Alibaba's international trade business has emerged as a rare bright spot for the company as consumers have become increasingly cautious in its domestic market.

In its most recent quarter, Alibabas International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC) saw revenue grow 32% year on year, while overall growth for the company, including divisions for Chinese commerce, cloud services, and logistics, was limited to just 4%.

Alibaba.com, a division of AIDC, connects global business buyers to suppliers largely based in China. The US remains one of its biggest markets, accounting for 30% to 40% of all gross merchandise volume, according to Zhang, though the platform is expanding its international footprint rapidly.

Global trade is a $20 trillion business, but digital penetration [right now] is in single digits, Zhang said. We believe theres a lot more potential to grow if we lower the barrier.

The AI sourcing agent aims to do that by allowing buyers to connect with one of its 200,000 global suppliers using conversational language. The search tool provides real-time translation in addition to the details of each supplier and their prices backed by more than a billion product listings already on the platform.

A staff member delivers goods at an e-commerce warehouse in East China's Jiangsu province, on June 16, 2023. (Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Diversifying the supply chain

The latest announcements are part of the platforms broader effort to diversify beyond China as lawmakers in the US and Europe consider additional trade barriers on Chinese goods, citing concerns about overcapacity and unfair subsidies.

Former President Donald Trump has proposed a minimum 60% tariff on all Chinese imports, while President Joe Biden has imposed tariffs ranging from 100% to 25% on Chinese electric vehicles, solar cells, and steel products.

Story continues

Any additional taxes are likely to weigh on Alibaba, as the company is still heavily exposed to China, with 80% of suppliers on the platform based in the country. Zhang said Alibaba.com is focused on diversifying its supplier base, citing the companys acquisition of a German business-to-business digital trade platform last year.

At the same time, small and medium-size businesses within China are also increasingly seeking opportunities to participate in global trade and export goods abroad as the domestic economy continues to sputter, according to Zhang. Chinese small and medium-size businesses are a significant driver in the worlds second-largest economy, accounting for 60% of the countrys GDP.

Zhang singled out the southern port city of Guangzhou as an example of that growth, highlighting a 30% to 40% increase in Alibaba suppliers compared to last year. He said products sold ranged from consumer goods to industrial machines.

Previously it was very hard for them to understand what the real demand is and how to ship [goods] in time, how to collect money, Zhang said. With digital, it's lowering the barrier to participate in global trade.

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PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's Arianespace has launched the last Vega rocket, placing the Sentinel-2C satellite into orbit under the European Union's Copernicus programme to monitor Earth's environment.

The slender single-body rocket, which does not have boosters strapped to its side unlike larger vehicles, streaked into the night sky at a launch base in French Guiana at 10.50 p.m. local time on Sept 4 (0150 GMT on Sept 5), streamed images showed.

The launch ends a 12-year career for the small launch vehicle, designed by Italy's Avio. It is being replaced by the updated Vega C, which is due to return to service later this year after being grounded following a launch failure with the loss of two powerful imaging satellites in December 2022.

Built by Airbus Defence & Space, Sentinel-2C will replace Sentinel-2A, which is part of a pair of satellites operating within the Copernicus programme.

It will be used to study deforestation, urban development and emergencies such as forest fires, floods or volcanic eruptions, Mauro Facchini, head of the Copernicus unit at the European Commission, told reporters before the launch.

The European Space Agency, which partners the EU on the project, has said Copernicus is the world's largest environmental monitoring effort.

Together, the programme's six families of Sentinel satellites aim to read the planet's "vital signs" from carbon dioxide to wave height or temperatures of land and oceans.

In 2022, Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite images highlighted severe drought damage to Italy's Po Valley.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
Europes perfect one-day journey? After travelling through one country and two degrees of latitude, I think I can name it.

The trip connects Switzerlands southernmost and northernmost points  each a spectacular location in its own right  on public transport. You glide through generous Alpine scenery on the way. And, if you apply rather more planning than I did, you can cover the distance for a reasonable fare.

To find the deepest south point in Switzerland, begin in Italy: ideally, Como, the pretty city anchoring the most achingly beautiful Italian lake, and a wonderful place to wake up. One of the frequent trains will take you in just six minutes northwest to Chiasso in Switzerland.

As soon as you reach the new nation, leave it again. Pass the curious sculpture of two naked women peering towards the platform, and turn right out of the station along the old international highway. Now a quiet byway, it leads to and beyond the unused infrastructure of a pre-Schengen Area border post.

Briefly back in Italy, pause for a last reasonably priced coffee at the Caffe La Pesa on the corner, then continue for a couple of blocks in search of paradise.

A small sign on the right points you along an alley towards the foot of a heavenly stairway. The Scalinata del Paradiso comprises more than 900 stone-cut steps, lifting you from a humdrum street in northern Italy through forest so deep the sunlight struggles to break through. I spent 45 breathless minutes ascending to a plateau where the trees begin to thin.

Which way now? Signpost in the deep south of Switzerland (Simon Calder)

Read more: The splendour along Lake Geneva as Montreux Jazz Festival plays

The fact you are on the border becomes clear when you start seeing stones announcing S 1921, with the inscription facing into Switzerland.

You will need either a high-order map plus an unerring sense of location, or (as in my case) a smartphone to identify exactly where you are and the wooded paths to your target: Punto extreme sud della Svizzera.

You cant miss it: not because of the elegantly carved wooden sculpture of a woman with a Swiss shield and spear, defending the motherland  but a cartoon character of a woman wearing a big hat and a green top beside an orange banner. Fortunately a more inspiring sight awaits: highland Italy unfolding beneath you, with vineyards punctuated by terracotta roofs and hills crumbling into the southern haze.

No time to lose: a passing retired Swiss schoolteacher (always a valuable ally) named Albert told me he walks in the deep south of his nation every day. He guided me through vines heaving with fruit to a road that offered the fastest route down the hill to Chiasso station. A bus was promised, but before it could arrive I hitched a ride with a Swiss-Russian named Tatiana, whose Mercedes swooped down to the rail hub.

One vine day: Vineyards in southern Switzerland (Simon Calder)

Read more: Could this dull Swiss city become Europes queer capital?

FFS. The acronym stands for Ferrovie federali svizzere  Swiss Federal Railways  but also for a vulgar expression of the kind one might utter when confronted with the reality of a trans-Switzerland train fare. The distance was 120 miles, for which the helpful young assistant explained that there really was no alternative to paying 88  except to buy a Swiss Half Fare Travelcard for an additional 171, whereupon the price would plummet to (youre ahead of me) 44. With a bit of pre-planning, I could have bought a Saver Day Pass for a more reasonable 55, but they are not available on the day.

I handed over my credit card with a thin smile. But my grin broadened as soon as the train departed. The first stretch threaded through Alpine foothills to the city of Lugano, where I was to change from a local service to an Inter City Express. The balletic precision of Swiss trains means I could confidently exit the station and take in the view of churches in the foreground, peaks and valleys beyond.

One train beyond: Lugano in Italian Switzerland (Simon Calder)

Read more: Basel city guide  where to stay, eat, drink and shop in Switzerlands Eurovision host city

A journey through the mountains has two different meanings here. Thanks to Europes longest rail underpass, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, you can bore your way through the foot of the Alps. Terrific if you really need to get from Milan to Zurich in a few hours and your attention stretches no further than your laptop. Fortunately the old route that clambers high into the Alps is still in daily service, enabling you to appreciate the mountains as you pass through on a superbly designed line  passing handsome stations that look as rock-solid as the Alps.

Fifteen minutes north of another Swiss-Italian city, Bellinzona, the train swerves right past a tin-topped church and being to perform engineering contortions. You cross a valley on a viaduct then vanishing into the solid rock of a mountainside for a tunnel that climbs and circles  so that you emerge several hundred feet higher and temporarily pointing south.

As the gradient steepens, the water on the adjacent river is effervescent as it rushes past in the opposite direction. The drivers on the parallel motorway are unlikely to be feeling so bubbly as transalpine trucks squabble for space with holiday motorists.

Here on the train, every window offers a panoramic view  though many passengers seem fixated on their phones.

Dont look now: Not every passenger enjoys the view (Simon Calder)

implausible contortions continue up to the Gotthard Pass. Here, he engineers decided to tunnel a shortcut that takes you through to the other side  and a descent into the warmth of a Swiss summers afternoon.

Paragliders soared to the east, while windsurfers and swimmers left their wakes on the lake to the west.

Zurichs main station in the rush hour brings you down to earth with a bump. But this being Switzerland, the next train  a double-decker commuter departure  is waiting. The Regional Express left a few minutes late, but then took a wide arc, wrapping around the city: close enough to apartment blocks to register just how much vegetation Swiss people like to cultivate on their balconies.

Soon, rolling central European scenery started rolling past the window on fine summer evening. To the west, dozens of miles away the foothills of the Bavarian Alps were rising. But I was focused on the far north  and a quick change at Schaffhausen station, the northernmost station in Switzerland.

The northernmost Swiss bus route was scheduled to take over. The late train meant I sprinted for the number 23 with 45 seconds to spare; had I boarded the wrong end of the train at Zurich I would have missed it.

The dozen or so people already on board had seen the views before, leaving the front seat to me to recover my breath and revel in the scenery.

Full stop: Stone marking the northernmost point in Switzerland (Simon Calder)

Switzerlands northernmost bus stop is in the village of Bargen. I was still seven kilometres short of the far north point. A network of footpaths could have taken me there, but as the sun was sinking I started hitching.

A German couple deposited me at the now-obsolete frontier post, where tracks led through wheatfields to a much more modest marker. A squat, square stone, inscribed CS 1889 indicates where Switzerland gives way to Germany.

As the evening sunlight filtered through the forest, I recognised that I had no vehicle, no hotel booking and no idea how I might solve those issues. The start of an uncertain night  but the end of a perfect day.

Read more: The best ski resorts in Switzerland for your next Swiss skiing holiday
The European Commission hopes that following the changes in the Ukrainian government, specifically the dismissal of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine and the EU will maintain the same strong and close cooperation as they had previously.

Source: Peter Stano, a spokesperson for the European Commission, on Thursday, 5 September, as reported by European Pravda

Quote from Stano: "We have taken note of the recent reshuffle of the Ukrainian government and several key public positions."

Details: Stano noted that it is essential for the EU to always have good and reliable partners "on the other side", particularly in terms of maintaining good and stable governance.

He expressed hope that the EU will be able to continue its good cooperation with the new Ukrainian colleagues as effectively as before.

Commenting on the dismissal of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Stano said he could only recall the words of EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, who "thanked Kuleba for everything he had done for Ukraine and for everything they had done together".

"There was very frequent communication and coordination between High Representative Borrell and Foreign Minister Kuleba, and we can only praise Foreign Minister Kuleba for everything that he did in the testing and very difficult times for Ukraine," the European Commission spokesman added.

Background:

The Ukrainian parliament supported the dismissal of Dmytro Kuleba as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 5 September. He is expected to be replaced by diplomat Andrii Sybiha.

Olha Stefanishyna, who was dismissed on Wednesday as Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, will return to her post and will also head the Ministry of Justice.

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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A new evacuation order was issued Thursday afternoon for areas impacted by the Boone Fire, burning near Coalinga, in Fresno County.

The Boone Fire started Tuesday afternoon in the Los Gatos Creek area and as of Thursday afternoon has so far burned 16,948 acres, according to Cal Fire.

According to Cal Fire, the new evacuation orders for the Boone Fire include Zone P22A, which is along Highway 198, including all side roads, from the Monterey County/Fresno County line to Crump Lane. The order also includes the area around Devils Gate, Hans Grieve Canyon and Dogwood Canyon.

A live map from Fresno County showing the evacuation orders can be viewed below:

Evacuation orders remain in place for Fresno County areas P13, P21, P12, P11A.

Evacuation warnings are in place for zones P11B, P17, P22B and P23.

According to Cal OES, an evacuation warning means an impending danger to life or property. An evacuation order means theres an immediate threat to life, and you must leave immediately.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Residents can return home after hazmat fire at Ohio business; EPA to monitor air quality

UPDATE @ 9 p.m.:

Residents were allowed to return to their homes after a dangerous fire at an Ohio business Thursday.

Fire officials told our news partners at WOIO that the fire in the 1000 block of Rosemary Boulevard is contained and residents can return home.

The EPA is on the scene and will be monitoring the air quality for the next few days.

Currently, it is within normal limits.

Residents may smell an odor in the air for the next few days.

Firefighters are investigating what caused the fire.

INITIAL REPORT:

Evacuations are underway after a dangerous fire at an Ohio business Thursday afternoon.

Akron police and fire departments were called to a fire in the 1000 block of Rosemary Boulevard at Koki Laboratories around 1:30 p.m., according to our news partners at WOIO.

Firefighters said their main concern is this fire spreading to propane tanks and other explosive material that is inside of the plant.

TRENDING STORIES:

Police are evacuating everyone within a half-mile radius.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

No injuries have been reported at this time. Officials said there are medics on standby if that changes.

The smoke was visible on Storm Center 7s Live Doppler 7.

People with underlying health conditions are asked to be cautious of the smoke.

We will continue to follow this story.

8:30pm Update: The evacuation zone has been lifted and residents can now safely return to their homes. Ohio EPA is on... Posted by City of Akron, Ohio - Mayor's Office on Thursday, September 5, 2024

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This is a map of 94 wells across New Mexico that the state can use to characterize brackish water aquifers, according to state researchers. Advocates, experts and even industry leaders interested in tapping New Mexico's brackish water supply all say there needs to be more data for the burgeoning market. (Map from recent presentation slide)

As the state pushes forward with a plan to spur a treated brackish water industry in New Mexico, experts are calling for greater investment in underground mapping long before the first salty aquifer is tapped.

The Water Data Initiative, a group of state agencies and academics, seeks to continue the mapping of aquifers and expand other data collection and sharing, an effort to fully map out the states water resources as demand increases in an increasingly arid West.

To do that, the initiative issued a report Aug. 30 asking state lawmakers to increase its funding by more than $7 million, including $2.1 million in money that would recur annually.

One key area identified for mapping by the initiative is brackish water aquifers, which sit more than 2,500 feet below the surface and contain water that corrodes equipment and is too salty for humans or livestock to drink. Companies across the country and world are weighing in on a state proposal to harvest that water, treat it and then sell it to the state. The state would then sell it to other companies.

Creating a market for brackish water is a main component of the so-called Strategic Water Supply, an effort spearheaded by the New Mexico Environment Department at the direction of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Another key component seeks to create a similar market for wastewater produced by oil and gas extraction.

At the moment, the Water Data Initiative has access to fewer than 100 wells in New Mexico that serve as data points useful in describing the quality or quantity of brackish water aquifers, said Stacy Timmons, associate director of hydrogeology programs at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Natural Resources.

We grabbed all the data that we could get, Timmons told state lawmakers at an interim committee meeting last week.

The small number of useful monitoring wells means Timmons cannot answer when people ask her how much brackish water exists in New Mexico, she said. She told lawmakers shed received multiple such phone calls this year.

Thats a really important thought to add to the consideration with the Strategic Water Supply and brackish water utilization, potentially, Timmons said.

Some Indigenous and environmental groups are worried Lujan Grisham is basing her plan on false promises about the extent of the states existing brackish water resources. Theyve also said theyre worried what the side effects might be of extracting water from so deep in the ground.

Its not just the initiative and advocacy groups that are raising concerns about a lack of data about the makeup of the aquifers deep underground.

In January, the New Mexico Environment Department asked for technical and economic feedback from from the industry and academics on how theyd harvest brackish water, what it would take to treat it, and how much theyd charge the state.

The request drew nine responses concerned solely about the brackish water proposal before the March 31 deadline. Four of the responses mentioned the lack of data as an impediment to going forward.



Sparse or outdated data on brackish water resources may result in inaccurate assessments of water availability and quality, reads one response from New Mexico Water, LLC, a small company that provides water and wastewater services to about 21,000 New Mexicans.

The state environment department initially planned to put the proposal out for bid this summer and said it will select a winning company by later this year, or early next year. However, New Mexico lawmakers refused to fund the proposal.

Lujan Grisham unveiled the proposal shortly before the 30-day legislative session earlier this year, along with a request that lawmakers put aside $500 million to fund it. The proposal failed in the sessions final days despite some creative legislative maneuvers.

However, Rebecca Roose, the governors infrastructure adviser, told lawmakers in June that the governors office intends to re-introduce the measure at the 2025 session. The governor also promised at her post-session news conference in February that the fight wasnt over.

I dont give up on it, she said.
Ex-COO of COVID testing company gets 6 years in prison for embezzling $1.85M

Ex-COO of COVID testing company gets 6 years in prison for embezzling $1.85M

CHICAGO  A Burr Ridge man who formerly served as a chief operating officer of a Chicago-area COVID-19 testing kit company will serve multiple years behind bars for embezzling nearly $2 million in funds.

On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Dennis W. Haggerty, Jr., now 48, to six years and five months in prison. The former president of the biotechnology company At Diagnostics Inc. pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud.

Prosecutors said Haggerty issued fraudulent payments from the Willowbrook-based companys bank account for services and goods purportedly provided by himself or a manufacturer from whom the company purchased COVID-19 testing kits.

2 Chicago women awaiting trial for theft caught shoplifting again in Oak Brook

The money sent to the testing kit supplier was wired to Haggertys bank account, and he spent the funds for his benefit. Prosecutors added that he also issued checks drawn from the companys bank account to himself.

Prosecutors alleged that in 2021 and 2022, Haggerty embezzled and fraudulently stole more than $1.85 million from the company.

Haggerty admitted to conducting the fraudulent scheme while awaiting trial for a similar scam and money laundering. He previously conceded to swindling two university hospitals in Chicago and Iowa City, Iowa, where workers sought coveted face masks in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2022, he was sentenced to 57 months, nearly five years in prison.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

He must serve the sentences consecutively.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A now-former Memphis Area Transit Authority was charged with DUI and traffic violations after she was pulled over in a MATA vehicle in Hernando, Mississippi.

Edwina Hankins is charged with driving under the influence (first offense), failure to yield to blue light/siren, reckless driving and driving on the wrong side of the road after a traffic stop last month.

A Hernando officer states in a report that at 1 a.m. Aug. 4, he saw a white Chevy Traverse turn at a set of railroad tracks and stop in the grass on the side of Mount Pleasant Road.

Thinking there may have been an accident, he turned his car around and then walked toward the vehicle, which began to pull away.

Tracking device in stolen truck leads to chop shop bust

The officer says he knocked on the window as the Chevy pulled away and struck a tree. He ran back to his patrol car and the Chevy continued driving, then pulled into a parking lot.

Hankins was the only occupant in the Chevy. She told the officer she had made a wrong turn. The officer noted in the report that Hankins smelled of alcohol, her eyes were bloodshot and her speech was slurred.

County leader blasts judge after shooting suspects release from jail; judge responds

Hankins then activated the MATA lights on the vehicle, described as flashing orange and green lights. The officer asked her to turn them off.

MATA said Wednesday that Hankins is no longer an employee. Its unclear what her role at the transit agency was.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
A South Carolina judge on Thursday ordered the arrest of a former North Carolina police officer charged with sex crimes involving boys from a Fort Mill church after the ex-cop failed to show up for court.

Erickson Douglas Lee, 26, worked as a police officer in Cornelius, N.C., which is north of Charlotte, before he was fired in 2023 after his arrest. Hes accused of improperly touching minors, giving them alcohol and having nude parties at his Fort Mill home while volunteering with a youth group from 2020 to 2023 at Morningstar Fellowship Church.

Lee posted bail soon after his arrest in May 2023. He made an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty Thursday in court to five charges for a sentence of eight years in prison, prosecutor Hannah Woods told Judge Dan Hall in court. Alleged victims in the case, family members and friends also were in court for the hearing.

But Lee did not show up. So, Hall signed a bench warrant for Lees arrest late Thursday afternoon. And the plea deal is off the table with Woods no-show, Woods told Judge Hall.

The warrant means any law enforcement officer can take Lee into custody, Woods said.

Fred Davis, Lees defense attorney from the York County Public Defender Office, said in court he spoke to Lee weeks ago and told him to be in court Thursday morning. Davis told Hall he couldnt reach Lee by phone on Thursday.

Lee has not been convicted of any crimes connected to the case.

He still faces 11 charges, including four counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors, four counts of disseminating obscenity to minors, first-degree assault and battery, second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, court records show.

The individual charges carry three to 20 years in prison for a conviction.

Morningstar CEO Rick Joyner told the Herald said church officials contacted law enforcement in 2023 when allegations against Erickson Lee, the former church volunteer, were brought to the attention of church leaders. He said the church is committed to making sure people associated with the church are safe.

Something really bad happened to those boys and we have searched and investigated every way we could, Joyner said Wednesday. We are disturbed too, we feel for the families, they are families in our church.

Lawsuits filed by victims against Morningstar, others

Three of the people Lee allegedly abused also filed civil lawsuits against Lee, Morningstar Fellowship Church and church leadership, including Joyner, York County court records obtained by The Herald show.

The lawsuits allege negligence, civil conspiracy and other claims because Lee was a volunteer over the Youth Special Forces group at the times of the abuse. One suit was filed in August, and the other two were filed Tuesday and Thursday of this week.

Civil lawsuits and the criminal case are separate.

The lawsuits filed by Rock Hill attorneys Randall Hood and Chad McGowan on behalf of the minors alleges Lee and the other defendants tried to cover up the abuse.

Joyner told church members Sunday during services a lawsuit had been filed but the accusations in the lawsuit were wildly untrue, according to a Youtube video posted of the service.

Joyner said Wednesday in a telephone interview with The Herald he had seen the August lawsuit. He reiterated what he said Sunday to parishioners  that much of what is alleged in the lawsuit, including claim of cover-up and participation by church leaders, staff or other members is not true.

Joyner said church officials remain committed to finding the truth.
HONG KONG, September 05, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a" (Excellent) of Cathay Century Insurance Company Limited (Cathay Century) (Taiwan). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Cathay Centurys balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Cathay Centurys consolidated adjusted capital and surplus recovered by 16% to TWD 15.7 billion at year-end 2023, driven by the retention of net profit derived from underwriting and investment results. Cathay Centurys risk-adjusted capitalisation remained at the very strong level at the end of 2023, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Other supportive factors of the balance sheet strength assessment include the companys diversified investment portfolio that focuses on low-risk fixed-income securities, good liquidity, comprehensive reinsurance arrangements, and the strong financial flexibility afforded by the ultimate parent, Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd. (Cathay Financial Holding). Going forward, AM Best expects Cathay Century to maintain its robust level of risk-adjusted capitalisation supported by organic growth in retained earnings from controlled expansion in underwriting and investment risks.

Cathay Century reported a net loss of TWD 19.6 billion in 2022, predominantly attributed to pandemic insurance claims. The company has returned to the black, with a full-year net profit of TWD 1.2 billion in 2023, although the profitability has not yet recovered fully to pre-pandemic levels as there were still pandemic-related claims incurred in the first half of 2023. After the large pandemic losses in the prior year, Cathay Centurys net loss ratio significantly declined to 66.6% in 2023. Meanwhile, the expense ratio stood at 36.4% and was lower than the industry average, thanks to the sizeable underwriting book of business and better economies of scale. In particular, Cathay Centurys major business line of voluntary motor has contributed to a sustained underwriting margin, supported by its continued efforts to be risk-selective and gradually refine the composition of business, coupled with rate adjustments.

Cathay Century remains the second-largest insurer in Taiwans non-life sector, with a market share of 13.3% in terms of direct premiums written (DPW) in 2023. The companys underwriting portfolio is diversified moderately with motor being a major line of business, accounting for over half of the companys DPW in 2023, followed by fire, accident and health businesses. The portfolio is skewed toward personal lines insurance products. Cathay Century continues to leverage the comprehensive business network of its parent group and affiliated distribution channels to grow its underwriting portfolio. In addition, the company has refined and strengthened its risk management by reviewing product design and underwriting control, following the significant pandemic insurance claims. Cathay Financial Holding also has collaborated with Cathay Century to provide risk oversight support and resources.

Story continues

Negative rating actions could occur if there is a substantial decline in Cathay Centurys risk-adjusted capitalisation, for example, due to unexpected large underwriting or investment losses, and without timely capital support from its ultimate parent, Cathay Financial Holding. A deterioration in the parent companys credit profile, or a diminished level of parental support also may pose a negative impact on Cathay Centurys ratings.

Although the likelihood is relatively low, positive rating actions could occur if Cathay Century achieves sustained improvement and stability in its operating performance while maintaining a robust level of risk-adjusted capitalisation. An improvement in Cathay Financial Holdings credit profile, or an enhanced level of parental support also may have a positive impact on Cathay Centurys ratings.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2024 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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(Bloomberg) -- Ko Wen-je, founder of the Taiwan Peoples Party, has been detained amid a corruption investigation into a property redevelopment project from when he was Taipei mayor.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Taipei District Court ordered his detention, reversing its own ruling that earlier this week saw him released from detention. Prosecutors had appealed that ruling.

Ko has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which involves the city having allowed Core Pacific Group to increase the floor area on a major project. Ko has said he was not involved in and had no knowledge of the decisions in question.

Ko, who won roughly a quarter of the votes cast in Januarys presidential election, has also had to apologize for a series of scandals related to the use of political donations by his party. They are unrelated to the Core Pacific case, and Ko has temporarily stepped down as party leader.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The Kenya-led police force mission in Haiti remains well below its envisioned 2,500 personnel, seriously underfunded and has yet to make a major impact against armed gangs.

The United States, which has provided more than $300 million for the mission, remains its largest financial backer, along with Canada, which recently provided $59 million Canadian dollars to a United Nations controlled trust fund.

Approved for only a year in October 2023, the Multinational Security Support missions re-authorization is scheduled to be discussed by the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 30. Supporters face questions about the forces long-term sustainability and its effectiveness in helping Haitis beleaguered police take down gangs, who earlier this year united to lead a broad assault on key government infrastructure.

The Biden administration, aware of the challenges, now wants to transform the force into a more formal U.N. peacekeeping operation or some hybrid that would allow for funding and staffing to be stabilized. In the meantime, the Kenyan cops and the Haiti National Police have been training together.

In an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald, Godfrey Otunge, the commander on the ground of the Kenyan force, recently reflected on the missions challenges and needs, and his focus. He insists that the mission, which currently has 400 Kenyan police officers in Haiti, is well poised to restore the lost glory of security to Haiti. Godfrey says once additional police and military personnel from Jamaica and five other nations join them in Haiti and we have the equipment, we have the funding, gang leaders days will be numbered.

The following is a question-and-answer session with Otunge during an hour-long sit down interview in Port-au-Prince. It has been edited for brevity and clarity:

Q: Many people have questioned why Kenya is interested in helping Haiti.

A: We value service to humanity, and thats very key. Number two, the historical background between Kenya and Haiti dates back so many years because Haiti, historically, is the first African country to get independence. And after getting independence, that is what made other countries in Africa to become bold enough and to say, Oh, we can also become independent. And Haiti didnt stop after getting its own independence. They sent some of their people back to African countries and they supported the Africans and thats why as a country, we saw that at least we have a debt, and we have to come to Haiti, being that Haiti is part of us, to support them, to ensure that at least the lost glory of security is restored.

What makes this different from United Nations peacekeeping missions?

The only issues that ties this mission so much to the U.N. is about the trust fund, the human-rights due diligence and compliance and accountability in terms of international human-rights law. The mandate says we have to support the Haiti National Police. We cannot work alone. We complement and support them fully.

It was designed in a way that after this mission, the international community, other countries, expect the Haitian police to be professional as the way we are working with them, because part of our mandate is to build up the Haitian police in terms of giving them some subject-matter expertise that we have in various areas.

READ MORE: Secretary of State Blinken to visit Haiti, Dominican Republic. Security high on agenda

The 400 Kenyan officers have faced some challenges. Is that surprising?

The way the [mission] is structured, the expectation was that there were going to be some problems, some challenges... in a new thing, in a new environment.

Just two contingents of the mission have deployed so far, raising questions about the slow process.

The mission had four phased deployment timelines. The first phase that we are currently in is the deployment phase. The deployment phase is supposed to run for a certain duration, and the focus is supposed to be on mobilization of resources, personnel coming in, induction, training.

Godfrey Otunge, the commmander of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, says his forces are well poised to restore the lost glory of security to Haiti.

But we have seen some engagement with gangs.

Security is perception. The Haitians had hope and had confidence in us, and thats why we said we could not sit down and wait for the next phase and we immediately engaged with the Haiti National Police.

What are some of the results of this engagement?

I can report confidently that when we came here, the [State University of Haiti] hospital was taken over by the gangs. It was a no-go zone. Together with the HNP, we recaptured the hospital, and the hospital is currently under our patrols together with the Haiti National Police. Number two, the seaport was a no-go zone. Nobody dared to go to the seaport because it was totally barricaded. We worked together with the Haiti National Police and people are now moving and theres movement of vehicles.

You previously said that Kenyan police had nowhere to set up a base after joining Haitian police on an operation to stop a gang takeover of Ganthier, just east of Port-au-Prince, and the Kenyan forces left. What is the latest on setting up forward operating bases?

We are in the process of developing forward operating bases in the areas that weve mapped out to be key to us.... Weve identified a place next to the seaport. I can tell you the international community has supported us fully, and they are establishing it to become the first forward operating base for us.

Haitians complain that they do not see Kenyan police officers on patrol.

Every day and night, I send patrols together with the Haiti National Police to ensure security within downtown, within the perimeter, the airport and other areas within Port-au-Prince.

Godfrey Otunge, the commmander of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission forces in Haiti

Youve insisted that the mission is in the deployment phase. What should gang leader like Lanmo Sanjou, who continues to threaten a takeover of Fond Parisien, near the border, expect after the deployment phase?

I can tell you that Lanmo Sanjou, his days are numbered. Take it to the bank, because we came here for a reason. We came here with a purpose. We came here to do something, and we must do it.

Before you left Kenya, President William Ruto prayed for the officers. Did he give you any advice?

He told us, Go there and dont let me down. So at any given point the way we are as a mission, with Kenya taking the lead, we cannot let our president down at whatever cost. And thats something the Haitian people must be sure of: We will not leave Haiti until we achieve our mission.

The mission recently received an additional 24 armored vehicles with gunner turrets and gun mounts.

We are getting equipment because when the Hait National Police gets equipment, I have equipment. We are still expecting more, and thats why Im telling you, the days of the gangs are numbered.

Recently some foreign diplomats have approached you personally to ask how their governments can assist.

Countries have now come up, and theyve now said they want to support the mission to its fullest. Others have even come directly and asked me, What kind of equipment do you want locally that can be found here so that we can fund you?

Godfrey Otunge, the commmander of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission forces in Haiti

The missions lack of helicopters has been criticized. Were they ever considered?

From our initial logistical plan, helicopters were considered and they are still.... Everybody, even my country, is still negotiating on getting air support. Im very clear about what we wanted for air support in terms of operations. For example, when the gangs have barricaded the roads, how do you get officers in to save lives, to protect the communities, and now, to tell the gangs, If you barricade the roads, we still have an option. Number two is about surveillance. We want aircraft fitted with cameras to be able to move around and see whatever the gangs are planning and what they are doing.

How else would air support be useful?

Rescue. If you look at the roads here, so many are narrow and there are so many high buildings, so the gangs have devised a way that they can barricade and... sandwich the security vehicles in between.... You can insert, very quickly, specialized teams and rescue assets, rescue the public and any officers.

There is a perception that the MSS is purely a Kenyan force.

The MSS is a multinational force, its not a Kenyan force. The perception, even in social media, people are referring to MSS as Kenyan. Kenya is just taking the lead. But we are expecting Belize, Jamaica, The Bahamas.

The word war is often used to describe whats happening in Haiti. You disagree?

It is not war. This is a gang issue. We are coming from Kenya, where we are neighboring Somalia. We know what terrorism is all about. We know the capabilities of terrorists. These people here are gangs, they want to fight and go home alive.

How do you view the Haiti National Police in this fight?

Its not that the HNP cannot deal with the gangs here. The HNP lacked some of the equipment. Thats the reality. They are brave people. They are courageous people.

Some critics have suggested the Kenyan forces appear to be afraid to be in Haiti.

The team that has been sent here are elites, elites trained in anti-gang actions... .Kenya trained their best skilled and competent officers to bring to Haiti. We were not gambling, and we cannot gamble, coming 15,000 kilometers and bring people who are amateurs to Haiti. Kenya is the country that developed the pre-deployment training curriculum that was approved and has been approved by the U.N., and this curriculum was customized as per the mandate that was provided for under the United Nations Security Council.

View of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission base located near Port-au-Princes international airport in Haiti.

Will your officers be charged only with protecting key government installations?

We are expecting some countries will bring the military, like the Jamaicans, they will have elements of military and police. In policing, its very clear you cannot use the military in some policing aspects. So what are we going to use the military for? They are going to provide static security, like, for example, if we take the port, we are going to deploy the military at that particular port so they ensure that the gangs dont come again and occupy the port.

What is your focus?

Our focus is about ensuring we clear all the roads, the major roads, so that theres access for all the humanitarian organizations that ought to support the population. Number two, we ensure all critical infrastructure, the airport, the seaport, the hospital and the schools are well protected. Number three, all intersections, we must ensure that all intersections are accessible to everybody without limitation.
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-wife of man dismembered by chainsaw says victim was non-violent after suspect claimed self-defense

DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN)  The ex-wife and friend of the Geneva County man who was dismembered by chainsaw in front of his 4-year-old child, allegedly murdered by his lover, is speaking out about that brutal crime.

Geneva County deputies found Guzmans body dismembered in a car behind his house around Grady Garner Road and New Hinson Road in the Fadette community on Tuesday, August 27. Officers were called to the scene after receiving a missing persons report for Guzman.

Just one day after Joseline Lopez, whos charged with one count of intentional murder in the death of Benito Guzman, was in court claiming self-defense while also begging for freedom until trial, Judge Stephen Smith decided to keep her behind bars.

READ MORE: Bond denied for Geneva woman accused of dismembering lover with chainsaw

SBI investigators say Lopez shot Guzman 5 times and then used a chainsaw to dismember his body in 10-15 pieces and wrapped his body parts in trash bags to put in the trunk and back seat of the car.

Lopez and her defense team are claiming self-defense in the alleged murder. They mentioned during court Monday how Lopez and her family were threatened after Guzman supposedly owed someone money for drugs,

An ex-family member of Guzman, his ex-wife Jennifer Wilkerson, says hearing that was unbelievable.

Although they are divorced, she says her ex-husband did not deserve to be murdered, and the suspect in the case should remain behind bars.

I knew she was going to say something like that. Its just unreal; its like she doesnt care in the world about what happened.

Lopez did have bruises on her, but prosecutors say there was no evidence pointing fingers at Guzman for some abuse. His ex-wife, who was married to him for 10 years, says Guzman was not a violent person.

To hear all of that what she did to him like that- it sickens me to my stomach. He didnt deserve any of that. I mean, she already shot him five times. What else did she plan on doing here?

Lopez stated Guzman was trying to isolate her from her family.

Benito would never do anything like that. He was not that type of person; he would avoid it if something happened. He wouldnt argue with nobody.

Wilkerson says he was smart, easygoing, and happy. As a handyman, he was hardworking and could build anything during their marriage.

Although their marriage has ended, she says they were still friends who cared about one another, and with him not having much family around the area, she says she is in his corner to get justice.

He deserves justice, and I believe Im the one to stand up for him because if anybody knows him, its me. I lived with him, and justice has to be served. Hes not here, so someone has to stand up for him.

Lopez was denied her bond and will remain behind bars.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
When Harper Ryals turned 2, she hit a growth spurt. But her mom, Rebecca Newman, noticed something unusual with her daughters growth  Harpers fingertips had turned blue.

She got really big really fast, Newman, 26, of Long Beach, Mississippi, tells TODAY.com. Once she hit that growth spurt, we started noticing subtle changes in her, such as she was having trouble breathing.

After a doctors appointment led an emergency room visit, testing found numerous arteriovenous malformations (AVM) in Harpers lungs. An AVM is a jumble of incorrectly connected blood vessels that are weak and can easily rupture and bleed. Having just one is considered dangerous.

Eventually, doctors diagnosed Harper, now 5, with a rare disease called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), which causes AVMs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Newman and Harper's father, David Ryals, soon learned that she had a genetic mutation that made her HHT unique. Her family felt stunned.

This is already a rare disease but ... she has a very rare genetic mutation that has never been seen before, Newman says. It is something that actually happens by a crazy astronomical chance in the conception process.

For three years, Harper Ryals needed oxygen because there were so many AVMs in her lungs that she couldn't get enough oxygen, which turned her skin blue.

Struggling to breath

When Harper was born, she appeared to be completely healthy. It wasnt until she was 2 that her parents noticed anything wrong with her. After her fingers turned blue, she underwent a battery of tests that revealed that Harper had thousands of tiny AVMs in her lungs. This impacted her ability to receive properly oxygenated blood, and her lower blood oxygen levels caused a blue tint to her skin.

She was struggling to breathe, Newman says. She was struggling with her strength.

Doctors soon placed Harper on oxygen, and the little girl lived with thin tube called a cannula in her nose and an oxygen tank nearby. During the testing, doctors also discovered Harper also had a large AVM in her brain. If a brain AVM bleeds, it can cause cognitive and sometimes physical impairment, according to past TODAY.com reporting.

While Harper had a lot of scary health concerns, doctors worried most about her lungs.

They were trying to come up with treatment options for the lungs because that was a more pressing matter, Newman says. Unfortunately, there was nothing that the doctors could do.

Doctors couldnt embolize the AVMs  a procedure that stops blood flow to a specific blood vessel to prevent it from bleeding  because there were too many. They also couldnt remove a part of the toddlers lung because the AVMs were spread throughout both of her lungs. Doctors felt flummoxed by Harpers health.

One doctor said, Harper is an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind child, Neman recalls. She also let us know that she has never in her career met a child as sick as Harper. That was very heartbreaking.

The family was devastated by this assessment. The doctor mentioned a double-lung transplant as a possible solution, but that, too, sounded frightening.

A double-lung transplant is a very rare, very risky surgery that is not all the time very successful," Newman says.

Harper received a lung transplant on June 15, 2024.

Even with all the health challenges she faced, Harper pushed herself past her limits. She enjoys playing video games and excels at Animal Crossing, Kirby and the Mario Kart.

She has always been very ahead of her age as far as her intelligence goes, and shes very intuitive, Newman says. She really likes to play with other kids and especially kids that are different, kind of like her.

Children often asked Harper about her cannula, and Newman would try to explain it as best she could.

We would have to tell them she has a very, very rare disease that nobody has ever heard about and it affects her lungs, Newman says.

As time passed, Harpers health deteriorated.

She was suffering from very, very severe migraines and headaches because of the lack of oxygen, Newman says.

In the fall of 2023, Newman and Harper traveled to Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston so Harper could be assessed for a double-lung transplant. A team of doctors decided she would be a candidate for the procedure. The family planned to relocate to Houston in 2024 so that Harper could be close by when lungs became available. During her Make-A-Wish trip in March 2024, though, Harper became very ill with a respiratory infection.

She was receiving treatment until she got well enough to be air flighted directly to Texas Childrens, Newman says. On April 2, 2024, (she was listed) for a double lung transplant.

After Harper spent 74 days in the intensive care unit waiting, the family learned that there were lungs available. Soon after surgery, Newman noticed a difference in her daughter.

Now that her body is finally receiving the amount of oxygen that it needs, our baby is pink again, Newman says. Its amazing to see her natural complexion.

As a baby, Harper Ryals appeared to be completely healthy. When she turned 2, her parents noticed her fingers looked blue.

Pediatric lung transplants

Harpers condition HHT causes AVMs, where the arteries and the veins are connected in an abnormal way, Dr. Tina Melicoff, medical director, lung transplant program, Texas Childrens Hospital, tells TODAY.com. It can affect different organs.

Many children with HHT experience recurrent nosebleeds due to broken capillaries in the nose. But they often have larger AVMs that can develop anywhere, including the skin, stomach, brain, liver or lungs, she says. AVMs in the lungs prevent oxygen from traveling to the bloodstream and the heart to be pumped through the body.

The abnormal connection of those vessels do not allow the blood to be oxygenated, Melicoff says. It bypasses that gas exchange.

While doctors can treat large AVMs in the lungs with surgery, Harper had micro-AVMs distributed throughout her lungs, likely due to her genetic mutation. A double-lung transplant was her only option.

She was getting too exhausted because of her oxygen being very low, Melicoff says. It was very scary for the family. It was scary for us.

Overall, lung transplants remain uncommon, Melicoff says, and she estimates that between 1,500 to 2,000 adults receive a lung transplant annually in the United States. Children account for about 20 to 50 lung transplants a year.

After contracting an infection during her Make-A-Wish trip, Harper Ryals was in intensive care before being taken on a medical flight to Houston to wait for lungs for a transplant.

Even with those low numbers, their wait times can be very long  and longer than for adults, she says. The reason is, thankfully, children are usually healthy.

Texas Childrens Hospital is one of the few pediatric transplant centers, so patients need to be in Houston while they wait for organs.

We dont have that many donors, but the average wait time for somebody her age and size is around three to four months, Melicoff says. Harper waited a little bit longer.

In mid-June, the family learned that lungs were available, and on June 15, Harper underwent a successful double-lung transplant. Doctors do not anticipate Harper developing any more AVMs in her transplanted lungs.

The mutation is at the level of the blood vessels, Melicoff says. The healthy lungs that dont have the mutation, so the expectation is ... she will continue to have normal oxygen saturation from now on.

Still, Harper has the AVM in her brain, which needs to be monitored. And she takes anti-rejection medications "to convince her body that the lungs belong," which suppress her immune system and increase her risk of infection, Melicoff explains.

While lung transplants allow many children to live close to a normal life, the transplanted organs are unlikely to last their whole lives for a variety of reasons.

We concentrate on the day-to-day, and were hopeful that shes doing great right now," Melicoff says. "Well maintain her health for as long as we can."

'Overall wonderful'

Harper is still in Houston for follow-up visits with her doctors, and shes thriving. Newman can see a difference not just in how she looks but by how much energy Harper now possesses. Today, Harper does physical therapy and walks without breathing heavily or being tethered to oxygen.

Despite not having enough oxygen before the transplant, she was still an intelligent little girl, and now shes just exceeding and excelling in everything, Newman says. Shes learning to read. Shes learning to write. Shes learning to spell. Shes learning to count.  Shes doing absolutely overall wonderful.

While Harper Ryals spent her birthday in the intensive care unit recovering from a double lung transplant, she celebrated in style when she was finally released from the hospital.

Her mood has improved, too.

Shes very sweet, very lovable, very happy, Newman says. Shes never complained of pain since her transplant, and shes very, very strong.

The family feels grateful for the donors family.

Some childs family decided to make a generous donation of their loved ones organs to save the lives of other children, one of them being Harper, Newman says. Sometimes the things that may seem impossible can really happen if you just believe.





This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Russia had been planning to launch a new attack on Ukraine from the Kursk region before Kyivs surprise cross-border incursion, Ukraines Commander-in-Chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday.

In his first television interview since becoming military chief in February, the general told CNNs Christiane Amanpour that he believed the Kursk operation had been a success.

It reduced the threat of an enemy offensive. We prevented them from acting. We moved the fighting to the enemys territory so that [the enemy] could feel what we feel every day, Syrskyi said, in a rare interview that offered a candid assessment of the war.

Last month, Ukrainian forces stormed into Kursk in a cross-border incursion that caught even American officials by surprise. It signaled that, despite Russias advantage in terms of men and armor, its military has vulnerabilities.

In what is the most detailed explanation of the rationale behind the incursion, Syrskyi outlined the key objectives of the operation: to stop Russia from using Kursk as a launchpad for a new offensive, to divert Moscows forces from other areas, to create a security zone and prevent cross-border shelling of civilian objects, to take prisoners of war and to boost the morale of the Ukrainian troops and the nation overall.

Speaking to Amanpour at an undisclosed location near the frontline, the general, who took over as army chief in February, said Moscow moved tens of thousands of troops to Kursk, including some of its best airborne assault troops.

And while admitting that Ukraine was under immense pressure in the area around Pokrovsk, the strategic city that has for weeks been the epicenter of war in eastern Ukraine, Syrskyi said his troops have now managed to stall the Russian advances there.

Over the last six days the enemy hasnt advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working. he said.

Weve taken away their ability to maneuver and to deploy their reinforcement forces from other directions  and this weakening has definitely been felt in other areas. We note the amount of artillery shelling as well as the intensity of the offensive have decreased, he said.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine army chief, pictured last year in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. - Yuriy Mate/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

The frontline is my life

Speaking to Amanpour just after inspecting the frontlines on Thursday, Syrskyi said that theres no doubt that Ukraine is outgunned and outmanned as it tries to defend itself against the Russian aggression.

The enemy does have an advantage in aviation, in missiles, in artillery, in the amount of ammunition they use, of course, in personnel, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, he said.

But Syrskyi also said the fact that Russia has such a material advantage has forced Ukraine to become smarter and more efficient in the way its fighting the war.

We cannot fight in the same way as they do, so we must use, first of all, the most effective approach, use our forces and means with maximum use of terrain features, engineering structures and also, to use technical superiority, he said, highlighting Ukraines advanced drone program and other home-grown high-tech weaponry.

Syrskyi was named Ukraines commander in chief in February, after President Volodymyr Zelensky fired Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi. He took over at a particularly difficult time for Ukraine.

The months-long delays in the delivery of US military assistance caused critical ammunition shortages.

At the same time, Ukraine was struggling to replenish its troops, exhausted and diminished after fighting Russias relentless offensive for two years.

Syrskyi said recruiting more soldiers was a priority. The Ukrainian government then passed a controversial mobilization law, requiring all men between 18 and 60 to register with Ukraines military and to carry their registration documents on them at all times  an effort to make the recruitment process more transparent and fair.

Seven months later, the new recruits are arriving to the frontlines. But several commanders have told CNN that not all of the new soldiers are ready to fight and are routinely abandoning their positions.

Syrskyi admitted his troops are heading to the battlefield after receiving less training than hed like them to.

Of course, everyone wants the level of training to be the best, so we train highly qualified professional military personnel, he said. At the same time, the dynamics at the front require us to put conscripted servicemen into service as soon as possible, he added, explaining that new recruits get one month of basic military training followed by half a month to a full month of more specialized training before they are sent to fight.

 fighting vehicle Stryker drives down the street on August 30, 2024 in Kursk Region, Russia. - Oleg Palchyk/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

Syrskyi told Amanpour that the delays in US military assistance did cause major setbacks on the battlefield and led to a slump in morale  something he admitted was still an issue.

He said he takes frequent trips to the frontlines and makes sure he spends time with his troops.

We speak the same language  we understand each other no matter who I am talking to  whether this is an ordinary soldier, a rifleman, for example, or a brigade commander, or a battalion commander, he said.

I have been in this war since 2014, he said, referring to Russias incursion into the Donbas 10 years ago. In other words, the frontline is my life. We understand each other, I know all the problems that our servicemen, soldiers, and officers experience, he added.

Syrskyi ended the candid interview by thanking Ukraines Western allies for their support. Switching from Ukrainian to English, he said: Together we are stronger. Together we can win.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Explosions were heard in Kyiv on the morning of 5 September.

Source: Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne; Serhii Popko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration; Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko

Details: An air-raid warning has been in effect in Kyiv for over seven hours due to the threat of Russian Shahed loitering munitions. Popko reported that air defence units are responding to the Russian attack on the city.

Quote: "Stay in shelters until the all-clear is sounded!"

Quote from Klitschko: "Air defence units are responding in the city. Stay in shelters! Air-raid warning has been in effect in the capital all night".

Updated: A little later, the mayor added that "several drones are still in the airspace over the capital" and urged people to remain in shelters.

Background:

Late on 4 September, Russian forces launched loitering munitions. There are also reports of a Tu-22M bomber aircraft taking off.

On the night of 4-5 September, Ukrainian air defence units were engaging Russian drones twice in Kyiv Oblast: at around midnight and around 03:00.

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A man cools off in a fountain in Manhattan on a sweltering afternoon on the first day of summer on June 20, 2024 in New York City. The average daily high in Charleston, W.Va., in the second half of June and the entire months of July and August was 90 degrees.(Spencer Platt | Getty Images)

It brings me sincere joy to write the next sentence. After what felt like a summer full of heat advisories, Its finally cooling down. The average daily high in Charleston in the second half of June and the entire months of July and August was 90 degrees. And its been a dry summer, with a severe, widespread drought hitting most of the state. But this week it looks like we wont hit 90 at all.

In my first commentary last year for West Virginia Watch, I wrote about how the wildfire smoke that blanketed skies on the East Coast last summer could hopefully serve as a signal for people who are unable or reluctant to see the impacts of climate change around them. Though were not immune to flooding and other environmental harms and disasters in West Virginia, climate skeptics rarely see these events for what they are: the consequences of climate change and our systemic failure to address them.

This summer I think the most obvious illustration of these consequences has been the twin challenges of heat waves and the persistent drought that most of West Virginia has experienced in recent months.

And somewhat optimistically, I hope that because heat and drought have real, tangible impacts on peoples day-to-day lives  and the fact they could become more frequent in coming years  these consequences will make us more likely to take the actions necessary to build a more climate-resilient society. Or, if nothing else, at least talk about these challenges more openly.

Steps to prepare West Virginians for frequent, extreme heat are needed and could be the difference between life and death. A recent study found that heat-related deaths have more than doubled in the United States over the last couple decades. That sobering statistic hit close to home for me this year. Just a day into the first heat wave of the summer, I received a text letting me know that a relative died in the Eastern Panhandle while working an outside construction gig.

When temperatures do approach such extreme highs, weather services and local governments issue advisories. Theyre important, but these warnings are reactive and focus on the personal. Make sure your air conditioner works. Check on your elderly relatives. Stay indoors if you can. Go to a cooling center if they happen to be open.

But what if you live in old, inefficient housing like many in Appalachia do, and your heating and cooling works so poorly that it seems like theyre barely on? (On high, my two window units couldnt get my apartment below 85 degrees at points this summer.) On top of that, inefficient heating and cooling contributes to ever-increasing power or gas bills, in part thanks to a Public Service Commission that does not have West Virginians best interest at heart.

Or what if youre an elderly person with few connections who can check on you? Or a person who doesnt have the luxury of a job that keeps them inside and you must work outside like my relative did?

These warnings are not and have not been enough to prevent the rise in heat-related deaths in the country. We need to do more to beat the heat, especially given that temperatures are rising. The ten hottest years ever recorded were all in the last decade, and scientists expect it to get worse over the next decade.

Federal and state governments can encourage localities to build modern, energy efficient housing. States should adopt building codes that ensure builders will follow through. State and local governments, and yes the PSC, should adopt policies that both encourage and subsidize energy efficiency upgrades. Something as small as improving attic insulation or replacing a few leaky windows could make several degrees of difference.

At the local level, creating more green space in our cities will not only beautify them, but also add shade that lowers temperatures. Some cities have even created official positions whose responsibilities include identifying strategies to protect residents from heat. At the federal level, the Biden Administration recently proposed a rule intended to protect workers from extreme heat.

When it comes to power bills, running the AC can come with a high cost. In West Virginia where our energy supply is about 90% coal-powered, that cost hits our wallets but also contributes to the climate crisis. Ensuring that more West Virginians can live in safer, energy efficient homes means well save money and reduce our climate impact.

We need to accept that, despite what felt like endless days of 90-plus degree weather, this may be the coldest summer well have for the rest of our lives and some people  too many, including my relative  werent afforded the tools or protections they needed to survive it. As it gets hotter and hotter each year, the reality is any of us could be one of those people.

We need the government and its leadership to accept this reality and make policy decisions that dont just allow us to survive  sweating, dehydrated and sick from the sun  but allow us to thrive. We need them to acknowledge the facts sitting right in front of them: climate change is real, its consequences are here and will continue coming for all of us. Selling us out for corporate interests and favor wont matter a bit over the next few decades as we see these impacts get more and more severe, leaving thousands to die  from natural disasters, heat stroke and more  from governmental inaction.

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Fact Check: John McCain Once Filmed Scenes at Arlington National Cemetery for Campaign Ad. Here's What Happened

Claim:

A 2000 TV advertisement for John McCain's presidential campaign featured footage of him taken in Arlington National Cemetery.

Rating:

Rating: True

Context:

The Associated Press reported in November 1999 that McCain said his campaign erred by not asking for permission to shoot the footage. However, the Department of the Army would have denied such a request anyway. Arlington National Cemetery does not authorize filming for partisan or political purposes. In a letter to the Army, McCain said, "I have asked my campaign to redesign the ad to omit the relevant footage so as not to detract from my reverence for those who served." The campaign then released a new edit of the TV ad without the cemetery scenes.

A rumor circulating in early September 2024 claimed decorated Vietnam War veteran and former U.S. Sen. John McCain, a Republican, once appeared in a political campaign TV advertisement ahead of the 2000 presidential election, showing scenes recorded in Arlington National Cemetery.

Social media users shared a video clip of the TV ad as a response to criticism directed at former President Donald Trump  also a Republican  for shooting footage of his own visit to the cemetery in late August for use in a campaign ad.

For example, X user Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto), a popular pro-Trump account with around 813,000 followers, posted (archived) a video of McCain's campaign spot, adding, "FLASHBACK: John McCain filmed a political ad at Arlington Cemetery. MEDIA WOULD HATE IF YOU SHARED THIS."

FLASHBACK: John McCain filmed a political ad at Arlington Cemetery..



MEDIA WOULD HATE IF YOU SHARED THIS.. pic.twitter.com/ywvud2MGzE  Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) September 4, 2024

This rumor about the McCain TV ad was true.

The Associated Press reported in November 1999 that McCain said his campaign erred by not requesting permission. However, Arlington National Cemetery would have denied any such request, citing the Department of the Army's ban on political and partisan filming and activity on the cemetery ground's, which are under its jurisdiction.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will redesign a biographical campaign commercial to remove footage of Arlington National Cemetery. The Army said Monday that the Arizona senator's campaign did not seek permission to film him at the cemetery, and if it had, the request would have been denied because partisan activity is banned at all Army installations. McCain said Tuesday his campaign erred by not requesting permission. On Wednesday he sent the Army a letter saying the scenes would be cut. "I have asked my campaign to redesign the ad to omit the relevant footage so as to not detract from my reverence for those who served," McCain wrote. McCain, a naval aviator, was shot down over Vietnam in 1967 and spent 5 and 1/2 years as a prisoner of war. He is the son and grandson of Navy admirals, both of whom are buried in the cemetery.

As promised, McCain's campaign later released a new version of the ad without the scenes shot in the cemetery. To replace the cemetery shots, the new cut featured shots of other veterans. (Readers can watch the moment in question in the YouTube video below at the 0:31 mark. C-SPAN hosts a copy of the original campaign ad.)

Arlington National Cemetery Policies

Policies published on the Arlington National Cemetery website say that, "ANC will not authorize any filming for partisan, political or fundraising purposes, in accordance with the Hatch Act, 32 CFR 553, and AR 360-1."

Further, a document titled Visitors' Rules for the Arlington National Cemetery specifically says, "Partisan activities are inappropriate in Arlington National Cemetery, due to its role as a shrine to all the honored dead of the Armed Forces of the United States and out of respect for the men and women buried there and for their families. Services or any activities inside the Cemetery connected therewith shall not be partisan in nature."

Trump Controversy Involving Arlington National Cemetery

On Aug. 26, 2024, Trump's campaign photographed and recorded video of him posing with the families of fallen soldiers in the cemetery, just weeks ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections. As CNN reported, Trump visited the cemetery "following a wreath laying to honor 13 U.S. military service members who were killed at Kabul airport's Abbey Gate in Afghanistan three years ago."

Hours later, Trump published on his official TikTok account a video featuring footage captured in Arlington National Cemetery. The same account previously featured other political, campaign-centric content in order to boost Trump's chances to achieve victory in the upcoming election.

The next day, NPR was first to report news of "a verbal and physical altercation" involving a Trump campaign official allegedly mistreating "an official at Arlington National Cemetery."

Then, on Aug. 29, a Department of the Army spokesperson issued a statement addressing the Trump campaign's violation of federal laws. The statement also shed some light on the reported altercation with the cemetery official:

Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation's fallen deserve The incident was reported to the JBM-HH (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall) police department, but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed.

Trump later denied the Army's claim of a physical altercation, posting (archived) on his Truth Social website, in part, "There was no conflict or 'fighting' at Arlington National Cemetery last week. It was a made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad."

We previously reported about genuine photos from Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery showing him smiling and giving a thumbs-up next to the graves of fallen soldiers. We also published the facts about Trump having called McCain a "loser" and saying of him, "He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured."

Sources:

Bowman, Tom. "Despite Evidence, Trump Calls Arlington Cemetery Incident a 'Made up Story.'" NPR, 3 Sept. 2024. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2024/09/03/g-s1-20680/trump-arlington-cemetery.

Britzky, Haley. "US Army Rebukes Trump Campaign for Incident at Arlington National Cemetery | CNN Politics." CNN, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/29/politics/us-army-rebukes-trump-campaign-arlington-incident/index.html.

Evon, Dan. "Did Trump Call McCain a Loser?" Snopes, 4 Sept. 2020, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/did-trump-call-mccain-a-loser/.

"Hatch Act Overview." U.S. Office of Special Counsel, https://osc.gov/Services/Pages/HatchAct.aspx.

"John McCain - Recipient." The Hall of Valor Project, http://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/23680.

Lawrence, Quil, and Tom Bowman. "Trump Campaign Staff Had Altercation with Official at Arlington National Cemetery." NPR, 28 Aug. 2024. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery.

Licon, Adriana Gomez, and Tara Copp. "Arlington National Cemetery Worker Was 'pushed aside' in Trump Staff Dispute but Won't Seek Charges." The Associated Press, 29 Aug. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98.

Lotz, Avery. "What Are the Rules for Filming at Arlington National Cemetery?" Axios, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.axios.com/2024/08/29/trump-arlington-national-cemetery-rules.

"McCain Pulling Arlington Scenes from Campaign Ad." Lincoln Journal Star via Newspapers.com, The Associated Press, 12 Nov. 1999, https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/154662303/.

"Media Policy for Army National Military Cemeteries." ArlingtonCemetery.mil, https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Portals/0/Docs/ANC-media-policy.pdf.

"Part 553: Army Cemeteries." National Archives: Code of Federal Regulations, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-32/subtitle-A/chapter-V/subchapter-D/part-553.

Rinaldi, Olivia, and Jacob Rosen. "Several Gold Star Families Defend Trump's Arlington Cemetery Visit, Criticize Harris for Her Response." CBS News, 1 Sept. 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gold-star-families-trump-arlington-cemetery-harris-response/.

Trump, Donald. "There Was No Conflict or 'Fighting' at Arlington National Cemetery Last Week." Truth Social, 3 Sept. 2024, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113074142531291102.

"Visitors' Rules for the Arlington National Cemetery." ArlingtonCemetery.mil, https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Portals/0/Docs/CFR_32_Part_553_ANC_Visitors_Rules.pdf.
Claim:

A photo show relatives of vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz wearing T-shirts reading, "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."

Rating:

Rating: True

Context:

The Associated Press confirmed the eight people visible in the picture are some of Walz's distant cousins.

A rumor circulating online in early September 2024 claimed a photo showed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's family members wearing T-shirts reading, "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."

Walz, a Democrat, is U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate against former President Donald Trump, a Republican, in the 2024 presidential election

X users, including Matt Wolking (@MattWolking), posted (archived) the picture. Wolking's post, which read, "Tim Walz's family members in Nebraska are voting for Trump," had received nearly 16 million views.

Another rumor claimed someone manipulated the image with an artificial-intelligence tool, which would mean it was circulating under false pretenses. For example, one post on X showed yellow circles and arrows on the picture that pointed to purported discrepancies in the number of fingers on some of the people's hands. That user posted (archived), "Thanks to Walz's for Trump we know this is not AI at all. It's just the Walz family is genetically predisposed to having four fingers."

While some users also questioned the apostrophe appearing on the T-shirts, others, including for example conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec (archived) and conservative commentator Benny Johnson (archived), claimed the photo showed Walz's "entire family."

In truth, The Associated Press reported the photo was genuine and that the eight people visible in the picture are all distant cousins of Walz. In other words, Posobiec and Johnson posted misinformation.

The AP's reporting cited Rod Edwards, a spokesperson for former Trump-endorsed Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster. Herbster appeared to post the photo in the early-morning hours of Sept. 4, captioning it with, "Tim Walz's family back in Nebraska wants you to know something @realDonaldTrump @JDVance #SaveAmerica."

The high-quality nature of the original image upload helped to clarify that the claims about AI and people having "four fingers" were simply due to some fingers being obscured by others.

Edwards told the AP, "The family in the picture are the descendants of Francis Walz, who was brother to Tim Walz's grandfather." He added, They're all Walzes and spouses."

The descendants of Francis Walz confirmed their relationship to Tim Walz in a text message to The Associated Press. "Shortly after Governor Tim Walz was named the Democrat Party Vice Presidential nominee, our family had a get-together. We had t-shirts made to show support for President Trump and J.D. Vance and took a group picture. That photo was shared with friends, and when we were asked for permission to post the picture, we agreed," the written statement said. "The picture is real. The shirts are real. We are the Nebraska Walz family and we are related to Gov. Tim Walz, our grandfathers were brothers. The message on the shirts speaks for itself, "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."

We reached out to Edwards to ask about the photo and will update this story if we receive further details.

For further reading, we previously reported the true story of Tim and Gwen Walz gifting a car to a next-door neighbor.

Sources:

Janfaza, Rachel, and Maeve Reston. "Trump Came to Nebraska to Defend Candidate Facing Sexual Misconduct Allegations, but Voters Aren't so Sure Either of Those Things Will Matter on Tuesday | CNN Politics." CNN, 8 May 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/08/politics/trump-herbster-nebraska-republican-primary/index.html.

Karnowski, Steve. "That Photo of People Wearing 'Nebraska Walz's for Trump' Shirts? They're Distant Cousins." The Associated Press, 4 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/walz-family-nebraska-trump-elelction-2f2e29586b0e9ebe094ff2cf546e1ae4.
Fact Check: Winston Churchill Never Said, 'If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going'

Claim:

Former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, If youre going through hell, keep going.

Rating:

Rating: Misattributed

The internet loves to attribute quotes to the former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill. One in particular has been viral for several years, made it into a Forbes story, and was even engraved onto merchandise. According to all these posts, Churchill once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going."

(X user @visegrad24)

We found no evidence of Churchill  who died in 1965  using these words in his writings or in his speeches. We looked for variations of the quote in a number of texts as well. The International Churchill Society, an organization that keeps a collection of his speeches and writings, has also said it could not find this quote. As such, we rate this claim as "Misattributed."

We first searched for the quote in the book "Churchill by Himself: In His Own Words," which has a selection of quotes by Churchill, and found nothing similar to the above quotes. The quote did appear in the appendix of the book, under the section titled "Red Herrings," which referred to quotes falsely attributed to Churchill. Richard M. Langworth, the editor of this collection, is considered a foremost expert on Churchill, and is a senior fellow at The Churchill Project at Hillsdale College.

The International Churchill Society, which describes itself as a "member organisation dedicated to preserving the historic legacy of Sir Winston Churchill," explicitly debunked the rumor in a list of quotes erroneously attributed to Churchill on its website. The organization stated:

'If you're going through hell, keep going.' We have yet to see any correct attribution of this quote that frequently appears on the Internet and printed on motivation posters. This fake quote is not a phrase that is contained anywhere in the canon of Winston Churchill's written or spoken words.

Quote Investigator, a research site dedicated to debunking quotations, found an early variation of the quote in a 1943 paper, the "Christian Science Sentinel" journal of Boston, Massachusetts. The passage, written by an editor, John Randall Dunn, reportedly said (emphasis, ours):

Someone once asked a man how he was. He replied, "I'm going through hell!" Said his friend: "Well, keep on going. That is no place to stop!" If you seem to be going through the deep waters of physical anguish and cannot for the moment seem to gain the understanding which binds the strong man, keep on going  keep on clinging to Truth, and hear again the comforting, strengthening message, "My grace is sufficient for thee." God, divine Love, is eternally sustaining His child, and will "bind the power of pain" as surely as the summer sun will melt the stubborn frost.

The passage did not provide any name or specifics about the men who purportedly had this exchange.

We also input variations of the quote into the Churchill Archives Center's digital repository housed at the University of Cambridge. Those searches did not return any connection to Churchill.

Many individuals have been tied to this quote, including television personality Steve Harvey and self-help author Douglas Bloch, among others. However, there is no definitive evidence tying it to Churchill.

This is not the first time we've fact-checked a quote claimed to be from Churchill without evidence. We found "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts" was another quote misattributed to Churchill.

Sources:

"Death of Winston Churchill." The National Archives, https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/sixties-britain/death-winston-churchill-2/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.

Churchill, Winston S. "Churchill by Himself: In His Own Words." Rosetta Books, 2013. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Did Churchill Say 'Success Is Not Final, Failure Is Not Fatal'?" Snopes, 23 Jan. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/winston-churchill-quote-success-failure/." target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/winston-churchill-quote-success-failure/.">https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/winston-churchill-quote-success-failure/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.

"If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going." Quote Investigator, 14 Sept. 2014, https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/09/14/keep-going/." target="blank">https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/09/14/keep-going/.">https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/09/14/keep-going/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.

Loftus, Geoff. "If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going - Winston Churchill." Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffloftus/2012/05/09/if-youre-going-through-hell-keep-going-winston-churchill/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.

"Quotes Falsely Attributed to Winston Churchill." International Churchill Society, 17 Jan. 2023, https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/quotes/quotes-falsely-attributed/." target="blank">https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/quotes/quotes-falsely-attributed/.">https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/quotes/quotes-falsely-attributed/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.


By Rajendra Jadhav

MUMBAI (Reuters) - A push by India to make more corn-based ethanol has turned Asia's top corn exporter into a net importer for the first time in decades, squeezing local poultry producers and scrambling global supply chains.

The jump in import demand comes after India in January hiked the procurement price of ethanol made from corn to drive a shift away from sugarcane-based ethanol for blending in gasoline.

With the government promoting ethanol in gasoline to reduce carbon emissions and trying to ensure ample supply of cheap sugar in the world's biggest market for the sweetener, India appears set to become a permanent net importer of corn.

The prospect of India ramping up corn imports is likely to support global prices which are trading near four-year lows.

Crushed by soaring feed costs as local corn prices rise far above global benchmarks, India's poultry producers want the government to remove duties on imports and lift its ban on genetically modified (GM) corn. The prohibition severely limits their buying options.

India usually exports 2 million to 4 million metric tons of corn, but in 2024, exports are expected to drop to 450,000 tons while the country is set to import a record 1 million tons, mainly from Myanmar and Ukraine, which grow non-GM corn, traders estimate.

Traditionally, the poultry and starch industries absorbed most of India's corn production of around 36 million tons.

Last year, however, ethanol distilleries started using corn, and their demand grew this year after the government abruptly curbed the use of sugarcane for fuel following a drought. That led to a shortfall of 5 million tons, an official with the All India Poultry Breeders Association said.

"Now, the poultry and starch industries are battling with distilleries to get their share of supplies, and this fight is keeping prices high," said Nitin Gupta, senior vice president of Olam Agri India.

Olam estimates ethanol distilleries will need 6 million to 7 million tons of corn annually, demand that Gupta said can only be met with imports.

Traditional export markets such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Malaysia, which bought corn from India because of its prompt availability, are now compelled to source supplies from South America and the United States.

"Vietnam has cut down its imports of corn from India recently because India's prices are too high," said a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader.

ETHANOL FOR CLIMATE FIGHT

Looking to curb carbon emissions, India aims to increase the share of ethanol in gasoline to 20% by 2025-26, from 13% now.

Story continues

To achieve its 20% blending target, India will need more than 10 billion litres of ethanol, government estimates show, which is double the volume the country produced in the marketing year ended October 2023.

This year, around 3.5 million tons of corn has been used to make 1.35 billion litres of ethanol, about four times more than a year earlier, government data shows.

"Sugarcane can start contributing more from the next season, but it cannot contribute more than 5 billion litres. The government's priority is to fulfil domestic sugar consumption," said a senior government official.

That would mean an increase in corn-based ethanol production to 3 billion litres, requiring nearly 8 million tons of corn, said the official, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak with media.

POULTRY GROWERS CRY FOUL

Rising corn prices are pushing poultry growers into the red, with feed accounting for three-fourths of production costs.

Uddhav Ahire, chairman of Anand Agro Group in the western city of Nashik, said the farm gate price of a broiler is about 75 rupees, but production costs have risen to 90 rupees.

"The poultry industry cannot sustain such losses for a prolonged period," he said.

The All India Poultry Breeders Association and the Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association to demand 5 million tons of duty-free corn imports.

A government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

"Since there is a shortage, more corn imports should be allowed at zero duty," Ahire said. "The government should allow GM corn for feed purposes."

Corn imports attract a 50% import duty, while India allowed imports of around 500,000 tons at a concessional duty of 15%.

Lured by higher prices, farmers such as Krishna Shedge in Jalna district reduced soybean planting to expand the area under summer-sown corn, which has risen 7% from a year ago to 8.7 million hectares, farm ministry data showed.

"Corn is giving good returns due to higher prices," he said.

But until prices decline with the arrival of new season supply, small poultry farmers like Vijay Patil have limited options including scaling back production and trimming the proportion of corn in feed.

"I'm substituting a small portion of corn with broken rice and wheat stalk waste to reduce feed costs," Patil said.

TRADE REVERSAL

Booming Indian demand has lifted corn prices in Myanmar to around $270 per metric ton, free on board (FOB), from around $220, encouraging farmers to plant more.

"Exporters, farmers and other stakeholders in the supply chain have benefited from the rally in prices," said Murali Chakravarthy, country head for Singapore-based trading company Agrocorp in Yangon.

Imports from Myanmar are not subject to tax as it is categorised by India as a least developed country.

Meanwhile, starch makers are bringing in duty-free corn from Ukraine through India's Advance License Scheme, under which an equal amount of finished goods must be exported.

Ukraine's exports to India started rising from January and totalled around 400,000 tons by the end of August, estimates ASAP agricultural consultancy.

In the first half of this calendar year 2024 India's corn imports surged to 531,703 tons from just 4,981 tons a year earlier, while exports fell 87% from 1.8 million tons to 241,889 tons, trade ministry data showed.

"Every year, we will have to import corn, as production can't be increased as quickly as demand is rising," said Hemant Jain, an exporter in Indore.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; additional reporting by Naveen Thukral in Singapore, Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv, Khanh Vu in Hanoi; Editing by Tony Munroe and Sonali Paul)
By Olena Harmash

KYIV (Reuters) - Here are some of the key appointees in a Ukrainian cabinet reshuffle completed on Thursday and why their portfolios matter:

FOREIGN MINISTER: ANDRII SYBIHA, 49

Sybiha's appointment reflects the fact that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has taken a leading role in foreign policy since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Sybiha, a career diplomat without a prominent public profile, was named first deputy foreign minister in April 2024. Before that, he was one of several deputy heads of Zelenskiy's presidential office where he oversaw foreign policy and strategic partnerships. He was Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey from 2016 to 2021 and headed a directorate for consular services at the Foreign Ministry before that.

DEPUTY PM FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONS: OLEKSIY KULEBA, 41

This government portfolio is powerful as it confers some control over financial flows for wartime reconstruction. The durability and viability of infrastructure is also vital as Russia targets it to try to get an upper hand in the war.

Kuleba served as a deputy head of Zelenskiy's office overseeing regional policies from January 2023. That job involved coordinating ties between regional authorities and the military to build fortifications and support the development of mobile anti-drone groups across Ukraine. In the first year after Russia's invasion, Kuleba served as the regional governor of the Kyiv region that surrounds the capital.

DEPUTY PM FOR EU INTEGRATION AND JUSTICE MINISTER: OLHA STEFANYSHYNA, 38

Stefanyshyna, a lawyer by education, served as the deputy prime minister in charge of Kyiv's accession to the European Union and NATO military alliance from June 2020. She retains that portfolio and gains the functions of the old justice ministry as head of a bigger ministry combining the two.

A key negotiator in Ukraine's efforts to join the EU, she spent most of her professional life working to integrate Ukraine with the West and get rid of its post-Soviet legacy.

In the early years of her career, she worked at the justice ministry, laying the legal groundwork for closer EU-Ukraine cooperation.

AGRICULTURE MINISTER: VITALIY KOVAL, 43

Koval headed the State Property Fund, Ukraine's main privatisation agency from November 2023. Prior to that he was the governor of the Rivne region in western Ukraine. He also worked in the private sector, serving in various senior positions in banking, transport and agriculture.

MINISTER FOR STRATEGIC INDUSTRIES: HERMAN SMETANIN, 32

Smetanin is the youngest minister in the cabinet and his appointment is more evidence of a rapid rise through the ranks.

An engineer by education, he was named head of Ukraine's largest state-owned defence consortium UkrOboronProm in June 2023. During that period, weapons and ammunition production increased. He also spearheaded a corporate governance reform to increase transparency at the state giant.

At the start of the invasion, he worked in his native city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, about 30 km from the Russian border, as the director of one of the Ukrainian tank factories.

MINISTER FOR VETERANS: NATALIIA KALMYKOVA, 37

Kalmykova, a doctor by education, was a deputy defence minister from September 2023. Prior to that, she headed Ukraine's Veterans Fund and worked in Come Back Alive, one of the largest Ukrainian charity organisations.

ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: SVITLANA HRYNCHUK, 38

Hrynchuk was a deputy energy minister from September 2023. She was also a deputy environment minister for several months in 2022. Prior to that, she was an adviser to the finance minister and headed a working group in the ministry of energy on environmental protection and climate change.

MINISTER FOR CULTURE AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: MYKOLA TOCHYTSKYI, 56

Tochytskyi, a career diplomat, was a deputy head of Zelenskiy's office overseeing foreign policy from April 2024. He earlier served as Ukraine's ambassador in Belgium and Luxembourg and was also Ukraine's representative in the Council of Europe.

David Arakhamia, head of Zelenskiy's parliamentary faction, has said Ukraine needs to step up its efforts to combat disinformation and that a person with foreign policy experience was needed for that.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash; editing by Tom Balmforth and Philippa Fletcher)
PARIS (Reuters) - French conservative Michel Barnier, named prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, faces an overflowing in-tray on his desk, not least with tricky budget legislation to pass.

The following are the likely next steps for Barnier as he settles into his new office.

FORMING A GOVERNMENT

The political veteran's first order of business will be to come up with a new government, which has to be signed off on by Macron.

Given Macron's lack of a parliamentary majority, Barnier will need to carefully weigh who gets what ministerial portfolio as opposition parties will be unforgiving towards any casting errors.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

By tradition, soon after forming a government the new prime minister delivers a speech to the National Assembly outlining policy priorities, such as possible reforms.

If the new premier does not then seek a vote of confidence in the lower house of parliament, then opposition parties can seek one instead.

A vote of no-confidence against Barnier's government would require 289 votes in favour in the 577-seat lower house.

With leftist parties set to vote against, Barnier's political survival is likely to hinge on the far right National Rally abstaining from a vote against him.

They have said they would wait and see first what he has to say about immigration and changing France's voting system.

BUDGET

If Barnier makes it past that hurdle, the first major policy challenge he faces is drafting 2025 budget legislation, which must be handed over to lawmakers by Oct. 1.

That leaves precious little time for Barnier's team to finish off work already prepared by the outgoing government by mid-September, when the national public finance watchdog is by law due a chance to weigh on whether the numbers stack up.

That will be no easy task with the budget deficit already this year running billions of euros over target, leaving Barnier tough choices about calibrating spending cuts and tax rises.

Once the bill is delivered to parliament, Barnier's new finance minister will have to fend off attempts to radically rewrite it amid calls from the left for broad-based tax hikes.

The budget bill's likely rocky progress through parliament will probably take the rest of the year, with a final vote usually in the course of December.

If opposition parties are not satisfied, they can call a vote of confidence, putting Barnier's government at risk of being toppled.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas, additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Factbox-What new proposals did Trump make during his economic speech?

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Trump addresses the Economic Club of New York in New York City

By Gram Slattery and Helen Coster

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump laid out his economic vision for the country on Thursday during a speech at the New York Economic Club.

Here are the new proposals Trump outlined:

SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND

Trump said if he is elected he would create a sovereign wealth fund to invest in "great national endeavors," including major infrastructure projects such as highways and airports.

He said the fund would be created "through tariffs and other intelligent things" but gave no details.

TAX CUTS FOR DOMESTIC PRODUCERS

Trump pledged to reduce the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% for companies that make their products in the U.S.

While he had already said he wanted to cut the corporate tax rate to 15%, he had not previously tied that lower rate to keeping manufacturing inside the country.

Trump slashed the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% during his 2017-2021 presidency and in June he vowed to cut it further.

He repeated his proposal to eliminate taxes on income from tips, an idea he first floated in June to appeal to service workers. Current law requires employees to report their tips as income.

ELON MUSK AS EFFICIENCY CZAR

Trump said he would set up an independent government efficiency panel headed by billionaire supporter Elon Musk to root out waste in the federal government. He did not detail how the body would function but said it would develop a plan to root out "fraud and improper payments" within six months of being formed.

The idea is not novel. Other politicians have proposed similar investigative bodies, and Republican President Ronald Reagan set up the Grace Commission to do the same thing during his 1981-89 presidency. Many agencies are already dedicated to investigating fraud and inefficiency within the federal government, including the Government Accountability Office and dozens of separate inspectors general.

ENERGY EMERGENCY

Trump pledged to issue a national emergency declaration to boost domestic energy supply. He said he would use it to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles holding up new energy projects.

Presidents can use emergency declarations to invoke a suite of special powers, though attempts to help energy companies skirt regulators would likely be challenged in the courts and in Congress.

BANNING MORTGAGES FOR MIGRANTS LIVING IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY

Trump said he would ban mortgages for migrants living illegally in California, after claiming without evidence that they were driving up housing costs. He did not provide specifics on how he would enact such a ban and did not say whether the ban would apply beyond California. Banks can legally provide mortgages to undocumented migrants, but do so infrequently.

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Trump pledged to open up portions of federal land for large-scale housing construction, with zones that will be "ultra low-tax and ultra low-regulation."

While he had previously said he would open federal lands to new housing construction, this appeared to be the first time he pledged to create a special tax and regulatory regime to draw homebuilders to those areas.

Trump has previously spoken against proposals to loosen local zoning restrictions that prevent apartments, duplexes and other forms of affordable housing from being built in neighborhoods reserved for single family houses.

The Republican Party's platform calls for boosting home ownership through tax breaks and eliminating regulations, though it does not outline specifics.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery in Washington D.C. and Helen Coster in New York, editing by Deepa Babington)
By Patrick Wingrove

(Reuters) -In December, Drew, a 36-year-old man from San Antonio, Texas, drove more than 250 miles (400 km) to Mexico to buy cheap Ozempic to help him lose weight. Going home, he checked the pens. They looked unusual, so he shared photos on social media. The verdict: They were fakes.

Three people on Reddit said Drew's product looked like insulin. "If so, it would be dangerous to use," said one. A surge of insulin can cause a sharp drop in blood sugar that can lead to dizziness, seizures and death.

The incident sheds light on a wider problem in the manufacturing of highly sought-after drugs, one that lets criminal organizations circulate potentially lethal fakes: forged drug batch numbers.

Pharmaceutical companies, including Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk, authenticate batches of drugs with combinations of letters and numbers printed on the packaging, which are then used to track the product in a given country.

The fake pens Drew bought carried the batch, or lot, number MP5B060 to make them look authentic. To Novo, that represented a shipment of the diabetes drugs destined for Egypt.

The fact Drew bought them in Mexico showed something was wrong  although as a consumer, he did not realize that.

The flaw, which is rooted in an effort to ensure the drugs are traceable and safe, is exacerbated by patchy regulation by health authorities globally.

By the time Drew made his purchase, fakes with batch number MP5B060 had turned up in at least 10 countries from Azerbaijan to North Macedonia, according to a Reuters review of drug regulator announcements and documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning in July 2023 about products with batch number MP5B060 and Interpol also warned last year that insulin pens were being relabeled and repackaged to look like Ozempic. Some countries banned products with the number. Others did not.

Mexico's drug regulator did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

In at least four countries, the fakes have resulted in hospitalizations.

In the U.S., Nigeria and Iraq, the fake Ozempic shots looked like insulin pens, according to Reuters' review of the documents and regulator announcements. In Iraq, a man fell into a coma after his blood sugar dropped to half normal levels after using one, before later recovering, Reuters found.

MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR MARKET

Criminals can get hold of batch numbers through a corrupt connection at a drugmaker's manufacturing facility, or just by buying the drug and using scanning technology to copy the packaging, inserts and so on, Sam Louis, a former U.S. Department of Justice lawyer focused on healthcare fraud matters, told Reuters.

With at least 890 million people suffering from obesity globally, according to the WHO, demand is huge. The active ingredient in Ozempic, called semaglutide, leads to an average weight loss of 15%. It's part of a class of drugs that reduce food cravings and cause the stomach to empty more slowly.

Novo's franchise for Ozempic and Wegovy, a weight-loss version of semaglutide, brought in nearly $19 billion in net sales last year. It said it is working with authorities in several countries to tackle counterfeits of both.

Novo's head of global product security, Anne Devaud, told Reuters the company potentially has identified one source in connection with the batch number on the counterfeit that Drew bought, which it also suspects of distributing fake versions of other companies' injectable drugs.

The company declined to provide more details.

The wide recurrence of the same batch number suggests a global counterfeiting operation could be to blame, five anti-counterfeiting experts and a WHO official said.

"Our experience is that when you have the same batches and labeling, it is most likely the same people or maybe several smaller distributors that have purchased from one big source," said Rutendo Kuwana, the WHO team lead for incidents with substandard and falsified medicines.

Bootlegged batch numbers and repackaged insulin are just part of the picture: criminals can divert or steal drugs from hospitals or other healthcare systems before adding fake labels and packaging, or they can simply put any liquid in a vial or stamp out pills and place them in counterfeit packaging, a Novo spokesperson said.

"All these different potential origins, often via organized criminal networks involving multiple jurisdictions, represent serious challenges for those involved in fighting these crimes," the spokesperson said.

Even so, at least 18 different batch numbers have been found on fake Ozempic pens in 14 countries since the start of last year, adverse event reports and health regulator announcements show.

The solution is not simple. A legitimate Ozempic batch contains 280,000 pens; some countries ban all products carrying a batch number after finding fakes that carry it. Others do not, saying that to withdraw a whole batch on account of a few fakes could exacerbate shortages.

Jared Davis, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Homeland Security agent who is now a consultant on counterfeiting issues at law firm Oberheiden, said it is difficult for government agencies to stop the spread of fakes when demand is so high.

"Most countries aren't going to pull the entire line and get rid of it because an organization or a few folks decided that they're going to run a counterfeit scheme and target that particular batch number," said Davis.

A DEADLY RESEMBLANCE

Fake Ozempic adds to a glut of counterfeit pharmaceuticals that kill around a million people each year, according to the WHO. A September 2023 report from the U.S. CDC said use of suspected fake pills, including painkiller Oxycontin, led to nearly 55,000 deaths in the U.S. alone in 2021.

Overall, Ozempic faked in a variety of ways has been found in nearly 30 countries, Reuters found. Fakes have been linked to more than two dozen cases of serious harm globally, and to two deaths in the United States.

Ozempic can cost more than $1,000 in the U.S. for a multi-dose pen that lasts a month. Drew said he had heard the drug could be bought for less in the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso.

"I called ahead and asked a few pharmacies first if they had it, and they said yes, telling me prices of like $200 a pen. So I was like, oh, this is going to be great," he told Reuters.

"I went down there, and most of the pharmacies actually had a much higher price, and the one I found was the lowest," he said, adding that the store he went to doubled as a restaurant. Drew paid around $350 per pen.

Bringing drugs into the United States across the border is a criminal offense. Drew, who asked to be identified by his first name only, said he did not use the pens, report the purchase to the authorities, or hand the product in for testing.

He said he couldn't remember the name of the store where he bought them and after initially speaking to Reuters, deleted his original social media post.

Rebadging insulin to look like Ozempic is lucrative. Like some types of insulin, Ozempic comes in a blue, prepackaged autoinjector. Insulin can be bought for as little as $8.81 per unit outside the U.S., according to a report from the RAND Corporation on the global cost of the drug.

When Drew opened the boxes he bought, the autoinjectors had Ozempic labels, but were thinner and a darker blue than pens he had seen before, his photos show.

An insulin product manufactured by French drugmaker Sanofi, branded Apidra Solostar, comes in a prepackaged blue autoinjector with a clipped lid similar to Ozempic.

A Sanofi spokesperson said the company was aware of illegally mislabeled Apidra pens being passed off as Ozempic, and has been working with partners to protect patients, but declined to comment on whether the company has since tried to distinguish its product from Novo's.

Novo, asked if it would make Ozempic pens more distinctive, said it was unlikely that any one change would prevent fakes because counterfeiters can adjust nimbly.

TO BAN OR NOT TO BAN

Azerbaijan first flagged it had found fakes using batch number MP5B060 in December 2022.

The WHO's warning came after three more people suffered severe low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, after using fake Ozempic pens with the same Egyptian batch number: a woman in Britain who got her autoinjector at a beauty salon, a man in Serbia who bought his in the United Arab Emirates, and a woman in Lebanon, according to separate reports sent by Novo Nordisk to the FDA that were reviewed by Reuters.

In the U.S., a 39-year-old woman suffered severe hypoglycemia and was rushed to the emergency room after taking what she thought was Ozempic with that batch number, a U.S. FDA document shows. The report said her outcome was not known.

Some countries, including Poland and Ukraine, said they have banned the importation and sale of drugs marked with bootlegged batch numbers identified by international agencies. But regulators in Britain, Finland, Ireland and Sweden told Reuters they had not.

Ireland's health ministry said it found no fakes under batch numbers flagged by the European Union, so simply alerted wholesalers and others to be vigilant when buying Ozempic. It said it had other controls in place to block falsified packs, including scanning barcodes printed on them.

Britain's health regulator said in response to a Freedom of Information Act request in May that it had opted to focus on visual differences between the pens, such as differences in color and construction, rather than banning batch numbers. Asked why, it said in July that banning batch numbers risked causing shortages of legitimate medicines.

Britain and Ireland's regulators did not comment on the possibility that not banning batch numbers might help them circulate.

MASSIVE PROFITS

Reported counterfeits of Ozempic have been more common than those of Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, a newer rival. But these too are on the rise.

A U.S. FDA report seen by Reuters said a 61-year-old woman in the U.S. had been hospitalized for severe stomach pain and seizure after vomiting 70 times over four hours last January, having taken a fake version of Mounjaro sold to her in a vial by a health consultant, who was not named. As of early May, she was partly recovered, the report said.

Lilly said the proliferation of counterfeit and unsafe or untested versions of its drug is a significant safety concern; steps it has taken include a tool to help people determine if they have a genuine Lilly product.

But it called on the authorities to take more action against those who circulate knockoffs.

Sophisticated global counterfeiting operations can make massive profits from such fakes and often find ways to evade detection, said Rana Saoud, a special agent in charge at U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. The National Institutes of Health, the U.S. government agency responsible for public health research, has said the counterfeit drug trade as a whole could be worth as much as $431 billion annually, citing analysts.

Identifying leaders of such a supply chain is a challenge. A New York woman, Isis Navarro Reyes, was in May charged with smuggling fake versions of Ozempic and other weight loss drugs into the U.S., then using TikTok to help sell the products. Reyes could not be reached for comment.

"Until we get specifics...we're not going to know if it's a lone actor or part of a criminal organization," said Saoud at Homeland Security Investigations. "But generally speaking, it's an organization looking to profit."

(Reporting by Patrick Wingrove in New York; Additional reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen in Copenhagen and Anna Koper in Warsaw; Editing by Caroline Humer and Sara Ledwith)
Jack Gear was at a summer camp at Boxwell Reservation in Tennessee when the fatal incident occurred on July 16

Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home Jack Gear

The family of a 10-year-old boy who died in a jet ski collision in July has filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Middle Tennessee Council for the Boy Scouts of America, according to court documents.

Jack Gear, of Union City, Tenn., died on July 16 while at a summer camp at Boxwell Reservation as part of the Tennessee National Guard Youth Development Week, according to documents filed in the Circuit Court for the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee.

Gear was riding on a Sea-Doo jet ski driven by a 19-year-old employee of the camp when the watercraft was hit by another Sea-Doo jet ski being operated by another employee, the complaint stated.

"The force of the impact between the Jet-Skis was so great, that Jack was fatally injured and the driver of the Jet-Ski that Jack was on was critically injured," per the complaint.

Related: 15-Year-Old Kentucky Girl Dies After Being Hit by School Bus: 'We Are Profoundly Sad'

The complaint alleged that Gears injuries and death were caused by negligence and reckless conduct of employees, agents and representatives of the Middle Tennessee Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In addition, the court documents noted that the use of personal watercraft is prohibited by the Boy Scouts, according to their Guide to Safe Scouting, and alleged that it is unclear if the camp obtained an exemption to operate the vehicles.

The lawsuit says that the two operators were also born after Jan 1, 1989, and

that they were "required by law to take the Boating Safety Exam and be issued a Boating Safety Education Certificate before they could operate a Jet-Ski."

Attorneys for the Boy Scouts and Gears parents, Xson and Crystalyn Gear, did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for additional comment on the pending lawsuit. A representative for Boxwell Reservation also did not reply to a request for comment..

Related: 19-Year-Old Bodybuilder Matheus Pavlak Found Dead in His Home from Reported Heart Attack: 'No Words'

"Scouting America is deeply saddened over the passing of Jack Gear and we offer condolences to his family and friends, a spokesperson told McClatchy News. As this is active litigation we will not comment further.

Jack Gear, who had just completed fourth grade, was enrolled at Union City Middle School for the coming year when the crash occurred, according to his obituary.

Jack loved reading and video games, his obituary reads. He was loved by all and will be truly missed.



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Read the original article on People.
Family evacuates Boise home with no idea when we can go back as brush fire presses in

Larry and Kinuyo Camp woke early Thursday morning in their Southeast Boise home to a dark sky lit by the blue lights of emergency vehicles and the orange and red hues of a brush fire that rapidly encroached overnight.

The Plex Fire that started near South Eyele Avenue and East Plexi Court at around 6 p.m. Wednesday had grown from 20 acres to 350 acres by 8 a.m. Thursday, according to Jared Jablonski, mitigation education specialist with the Bureau of Land Managements Boise bureau.

The Camps had been monitoring the fire late into the night. By 11 p.m. Wednesday, fire personnel had the Plex Fire at 80% containment, and the family thought perhaps they could rest easy.

We went to bed thinking, OK, we should fine,  Larry Camp told the Idaho Statesman by phone. And then we wake up and the worlds on fire.

The Camp family evacuated their Southeast Boise home Thursday morning after a nearby brush fire grew quickly overnight.

Sometime overnight, a wind shift began pushing the fire west toward the Boise River canyon near Lucky Peak Lake.

The fire then began moving toward some scattered homes and subdivisions in that area, including the Bonneville Pointe subdivision along East Columbia Road, where the Camps live, and the Sunny Ridge and Painted Ridge subdivisions.

Kinuyo Camp stepped outside after they woke and saw a parade of cars leaving the subdivision. She told her husband to pack. At around 6:15 a.m., an Ada County Sheriffs deputy knocked on the door and told them to evacuate, the Camps said. They left just 15 minutes later.

They took a days worth of clothes, some photo albums and a couple of computers. Then they turned the sprinklers on in their yard.

We have no idea when we can go back, Larry Camp said. I figure well wait until the end of the work day and see what happens. Im more worried about whether I should book a hotel now. Im sure everyone else in these subdivisions are thinking the same thing.

Fortunately for those homeowners, the Bureau of Land Management said it had contained the fire as of 3:40 p.m. Thursday and hoped to have it controlled by Saturday. The Camp family was able to return to their home Thursday evening. But, they said, their power was out. Idaho Powers outage map showed electricity to the area went out at 5:44 p.m. with an estimated fix by 7 p.m.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Early Thursday morning, the outcome was still very much in doubt.

Camp said the family saw about 20-30 emergency vehicles in the area assisting with the fire, including the Boise and Meridian fire departments and the BLM.

The Camps pulled their son, who attends Les Bois Junior High School, out of classes for the day.

The Boise School District had sent out a notice early Thursday morning that, as of 7:30 a.m., the school didnt have power. Neither did Trail Wind Elementary School. By 9 a.m., power had been restored to Trail Wind, and by 10 a.m., power had been restored to Les Bois, according to emails from the school district.

The school district said all outdoor activities would be moved inside for the day because of the poor air quality from the wildfire smoke.

We understand that the current conditions are very unpleasant   the school district said.

Larry Camp, who has a background in the military, said hes used to picking up and leaving suddenly. His wife, however, didnt have as much peace of mind.

Im hopeful the house will be fine, Larry Camp said.

The Plex Fire burns close to Idaho 21 at the Oregon Trail Recreation Area.

The couple work at the same company, a vendor for Micron that makes patterns for semiconductor wafers, a process called electron-beam lithography, off of Federal Way. Micron told the Statesman by email that its communicating with the Boise Fire Department and closely monitoring the situation near its headquarters campus in Southeast Boise.

The company said in a statement at about 11 a.m. that there was no threat to the Micron campus, and operations at the site are normal.

Our focus is on our team members and the surrounding community, the company said. Out of an abundance of caution, team members who are able to work from home today may do so.

Statesman reporters Sally Krutzig and Becca Savransky contributed.

Update: Fire burning southeast of Boise contained after nearing homes; Idaho 21 reopens

Smoked in: Air quality in entire Boise area is unhealthy. Heres whats causing it
The family of an 88-year-old Virginia grandfather, master hairstylist and Holocaust survivor has filed the first wrongful death lawsuit in the ongoing Boar's Head meats listeria outbreak, according to law firm Ron Simon & Associates.

Filed in Sarasota, Florida, the suit explained that Morgenstein purchased later-recalled Boar's Head liverwurst on June 30, 2024, from his local Harris Teeter store and became ill after consuming it.

He was hospitalized on July 8 and was later found to be suffering from sepsis and listeriosis that was later traced by to Boar's Head meat by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Despite "aggressive measures," he died on July 18 surrounded by his wife of 50 years and his son Garshon, who USA TODAY previously spoke to about his father's life and legacy.

The human toll: His dad died from listeria tied to Boars Head meat. He needed to share his story.

"Gunter was a very active and vibrant personality and was still working right up until his illness," said Ron Simon, an attorney representing the Morgenstein Family among other listeria victims.

"He should not have died from eating a sandwich. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the victims affected by this completely avoidable travesty. Through this lawsuit and others, we will make sure that all listeria victims are fairly compensated for their losses. We will find out exactly how this happened and will force Boar's Head to make sure it does not happen again."

Gunter Morgenstein: Master stylist, Holocaust survivor, family man

Morgenstein was a father of three and grandfather.

USA TODAY spoke with Morgenstein's family two weeks ago to learn more about the beloved 88-year-old father, husband and grandfather.

Morgenstein's son, Garshon "Shon" Morgenstein, told USA TODAY his father was born to a Jewish family in Cottbus, Germany on June 29, 1936. "His parents hid him under floorboards," Garshon said of his father's experience surviving the Holocaust and eventually leaving Germany.

He traveled to Canada before settling in Newport News, Virginia, where he became one of the area's most recognized and revered pillars of the community, thanks in part to his 70-year career in hairstyling. Working in the same locale for around 50 years as a master stylist, Morgenstein was described as a "completely extroverted person" who could "talk to anybody."

Morgenstein's family, including his wife of 50 years, Margarete "Peggy," his son, two stepdaughters and multiple grandchildren, were devastated by his sudden passing. Garshon described his father's illness to USA TODAY, saying he entered the hospital on July 8 for shortness of breath where he deteriorated despite treatment before dying 10 days later.

Morgenstein's death certificate, reviewed by USA TODAY along with CDC/USDA investigation notes, attributed his death to Listeria meningoencephalitis, which the CDC confirmed was caused by Boar's Head liverwurst using a process called genome sequencing.

"I never really got to say goodbye when he was coherent," his son told USA TODAY.

Read the full story of Morgenstein's life and unfortunate death as told by his son.

Boar's Head faces rash of lawsuits

The Boar's Head listeria outbreak, first reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on July 19, has resulted in at least 57 illnesses and hospitalizations, including nine deaths, across 18 states as of Aug. 28, according to the CDC investigation.

The spread of listeria has been connected to sliced deli meats distributed by the brand Boar's Head, which initially issued a recall for 207,528 pounds of its liverwurst on July 26. The company issued an expanded recall on July 30 to include every product made at the same facility where its liverwurst was produced, equating to about 7.2 million pounds.

"We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness," the company said in a statement to USA TODAY about Morgenstein's death. "We are conducting an extensive investigation in partnership with leading food safety experts to determine how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia facility was adulterated and to prevent it from happening again."

While this action may be the first wrongful death suit filed in relation to the outbreak, Boar's Head is facing at least a handful of other lawsuits in a list that is expected to grow.

One lawsuit filed in July took aim at Boar's Head and grocery chain Schnucks Markets for selling liverwurst that made an 88-year-old Missouri woman "deathly ill," while a lawsuit filed by a pregnant woman from Minnesota in early August alleged she "nearly lost her unborn child" thanks to infected Boar's Head meat sold at a Florida Publix.

A proposed class-action suit was likewise filed in a New York federal district court on Aug. 1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boar's Head sued for Holocaust survivor's wrongful death
FILE PHOTO: A signboard of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital is seen through a poster hanging on a closed gate, in Kolkata

By Subrata Nag Choudhury

KOLKATA (Reuters) - The father of the doctor who was raped and murdered in India's Kolkata city said late Wednesday night that police rushed the family into cremating her even though they wanted to keep her body for some time.

Officers from Kolkata police did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

The Aug. 9 attack at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital had triggered nationwide protests as people demanded justice for the trainee doctor, who was killed in a classroom where she was resting during a gruelling 36-hour shift.

A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime and is in judicial custody.

Protesters are also demanding better security at government hospitals that they say lack basic amenities like resting rooms for doctors, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and security personnel.

"We wanted to keep the body of our daughter but extraordinary pressure was mounted on us and the body was cremated," the woman's father said as he joined doctors protesting at the college on Wednesday night.

He also alleged that a senior police officer had taken him aside and offered him money when his daughter's body was brought home after an autopsy and before cremation.

"I gave him a piece of my mind and refused to take any money," he said, without specifying why the money was offered.

The officer accused of making the offer did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment. The victim cannot be named under local laws.

West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said on Thursday that the government would not conduct a "postmortem" of the parents' comments.

"We respect what the family is saying, they have lost their daughter," she said at a media briefing where she also urged the federal police, who took over the probe last month, to conclude the investigation quickly and "reveal the truth".

Reuters reported earlier this week that the West Bengal government had, in 2019, promised to take measures to ensure better security at hospitals in the state, but failed to implement these on the ground.

The federal police has also arrested the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College, his close aide, and two vendors of hospital supplies for alleged graft.

The incident has once again put the spotlight on the lack of safety for women in India, who activists say continue to suffer sexual violence despite tougher laws being introduced after the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi.

(Writing by Sakshi Dayal; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
NEW YORK  FBI agents showed up at the homes of New York City First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks early Wednesday and took electronics from at least one of them, the Daily News has learned.

The agents arrived at Wrights home on 143rd St. in Harlem before dawn, according to three sources familiar with the matter, two of whom said they confiscated her electronics.

Its unclear when agents showed up at Banks home in Queens, but Benjamin Brafman, a high-profile white collar crime defense attorney who used to represent the deputy mayor, confirmed to The News that the feds were there Wednesday.

I was made aware after the fact. I dont believe he was interviewed, said Brafman, who represented Banks, a former NYPD chief, when he was ensnared in a federal corruption investigation in the mid-2010s that ultimately never produced charges against him.

Brafman said he doesnt know whether electronics were seized from Banks.

It wasnt immediately clear what investigation prompted the actions at the homes of Banks and Wright, who are among Mayor Eric Adams most senior-ranking and longest-serving advisers. They havent been accused of wrongdoing.

Banks and Wright couldnt be reached for comment Thursday, and spokespeople for the mayors office didnt immediately return requests for comment. A lawyer for the mayors 2021 campaign did not return a request for comment.

The FBI declined to comment.

Wright shares her Harlem home with her partner David Banks, the citys schools chancellor whos also the older brother of Philip Banks. Theres no indication David Banks was the target of the law enforcement activity.

David Banks was supposed to go on a television appearance at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, but canceled on short notice without explanation.

As of late afternoon Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said the electronics had not been returned to Wright, who led Adams 2021 transition committee after his election.

The FBI visits at the homes of Wright and Philip Banks come as the mayor and several of his associates remain dogged by federal investigations.

The Manhattan U.S. attorneys office is investigating allegations that the Turkish government funneled illegal donations into Adams 2021 campaign.

As part of that inquiry, FBI agents last November raided the homes of Brianna Suggs, Adams longtime political fundraising chief, and Rana Abbasova, an aide to the mayor who for years served as his liaison to local Turkish communities. Days after the Suggs and Abbasova searches, the feds stopped the mayor in the street and seized his electronics, including two cell phones.

The mayor hasnt been accused of wrongdoing.

The Brooklyn U.S. attorneys office, meanwhile, has been leading a separate investigation that prompted FBI agents in February to raid two Bronx homes owned by Winnie Greco, an adviser and fundraiser for the mayor who serves as his City Hall liaison to local Asian communities. That investigation has reportedly focused at least in part on fundraisers Greco co-hosted for Adams 2021 campaign that drew donations from individuals who claim they were illegally reimbursed for their contributions.

Wright did not play an official role in the mayors 2021 campaign, though she tried donating $1,450 to it, $1,000 of which was returned due to restrictions on how much individuals doing business with the city government can give to local political candidates. Before entering public service, Wright served as the president and CEO of United Way, a social services non-profit that receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in city funding annually.

After his election, Adams tapped Wright to chair his 2021 transition committee, the vehicle that raised money for his inauguration and prepared for him to take office in early 2022. Her partner, Chancellor Banks, is a longtime friend of the mayor who played a part in his 2021 campaign.

Philip Banks, who wields tremendous power over the citys law enforcement apparatus as deputy mayor for public safety, used to serve with Adams in the NYPD for years.

With Molly Crane-Newman and Cayla Bamberger
Andreessen Horowitz has reportedly ditched its Miami office just two years into a 5-year lease. Alexander Spatari/ Getty Images

Andreessen Horowitz has reportedly stopped using its Miami office after just two years.

The VC firm left the office because staff didn't come in enough, Bloomberg reports.

It's a signal that the tech and crypto migration to Miami in recent years may be short-lived.

Andreessen Horowitz has reportedly given up on its Miami office after just two years in the space.

The Silicon Valley venture capital firm, also known as a16z, left its Miami Beach office in May because staff "weren't using it enough," Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company had signed a five-year lease in 2022 for 8,300 square feet of space in Miami Beach, the news outlet reported.

The move comes after one of Andreessen Horowitz's cofounders, Ben Horowitz, announced in July 2022 that the firm was switching to a "new operating model" that involved a network of satellite offices, including new locations in Miami Beach, New York City, and Santa Monica.

"The firm is now virtual, but can materialize physically on command," Horowitz said at the time.

A year later, the firm's other cofounder, Marc Andreessen, said that remote work had "detonated" how we connect and that it's "not a good life" for younger workers, as it robs them of working relationships and opportunities.

Andreessen Horowitz did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Prominent Silicon Valley figures have touted their interest in heading to Miami during the pandemic. VC Keith Rabois, for one, called San Francisco "so massively improperly run and managed that it's impossible to stay here" before packing up for Miami during the pandemic in 2020.

While some tech and crypto firms have been making an exodus from California in recent years, citing high taxes and the state's liberal politics, a16z's departure is the latest sign of shakiness in the migration from the Valley.

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that Rabois was planning on living again in San Francisco for at least part of the year, and was renovating his home in the city. The Journal reported that some other startups located in the area, including some Rabois had backed, had moved away from Miami, in part to better attract tech talent.

VC investment in Miami also saw a huge decrease in 2023, dropping 70% to $2 billion, according to the Journal. More recently, dealmaking in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area was $361 million in the second quarter of this year, down from $623.2 million in Q1 of 2024 but comparable to the $377.7 million from Q2 last year, according to PitchBook data.

Story continues

While some companies who have expanded to Miami or based their operations in the city have since moved elsewhere, the pandemic-era trend of relocating away from San Francisco extended beyond Florida.

Austin has also emerged as another popular destination for firms leaving the Valley. Elon Musk said in July that he'd relocate the headquarters of SpaceX and X, formerly Twitter, from California to Austin after previously moving Tesla's HQ to the Texas city.

Read the original article on Business Insider
New York Citys police commissioner found himself on the wrong side of a law enforcement raid this week.

Multiple reports said Edward Caban, the NYPDs top official, had his home in Harlem raided and his cell phone seized by the FBI on Wednesday as part of a corruption probe.

Details on what Cabans accused ofif anything at allremained scant on Thursday afternoon, but sources told local news channel PIX 11 that the probe into Caban is separate from an investigation into Mayor Eric Adams alleged campaign financing oddities.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for information sent by the Daily Beast. The NYPD released a statement on the matter but didnt divulge any meaningful details about what was taking place.

The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service, the statement read. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation.

Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Edward Caban appear together for press events reguarly. Since last November, theyve now both had their cell phones seized by the FBI. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

The New York Post reported that other city officials caught up in FBI raids this week included deputy mayors Phil Banks and Sheena Wright. The top Adams aide Timothy Pearson also reportedly had his phone subpoenaed.

Its not the first time Banks has been investigated by the feds. He was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a corruption probe in 2014 but was never charged. The scandal seemingly thwarted his career in law enforcementhe resigned as chief of the NYPD, the highest ranking uniformed position, shortly after news of his involvement in the investigation broke.

Terence Banks, a former New York transit official whos now a lobbyist, was also targeted by federal investigators this week, the Post reported. Cabans chief of staff, Raul Pintos, and two NYPD precinct commanders in Queens and Manhattan also had to turn over their phones, sources told PIX 11.

Eric Adams Being Probed by FBI Over Free Upgrades on Turkish Airlines

Its the latest headache for New York City officials with Adams at the helm. The mayor himself had his phone and laptop seized by the feds in Novemberon the same day his former campaign treasurer, Brianna Suggs, had her house raided by the FBI.

Those actions were reportedly tied to a campaign financing probe regarding Adams election win in 2021, and his potentially shady ties to the Turkish government. He and others in city hall were slapped with grand jury subpoenas in July that sought information about the mayors schedule, his overseas travel, and potential connections to Turkish officials, a source told The Daily Mail.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The FBI raided the homes of two high-ranking officials inside New York City Mayor Eric Adams administration on Wednesday, another episode in the legal saga surrounding Adams and his administration.

Per ABC News, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright  engaged to NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks  and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks had their homes raided as part of an ongoing investigation.

Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation, Lisa Zornberg, a lawyer for Adams, said in a statement to ABC News. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.

While no arrests have been made, the FBI reportedly seized evidence from the two, including electronic devices. It is unclear what investigation the raids were a part of, with a source telling ABC News that they were unrelated to an ongoing investigation into whether Adams took bribes from the Turkish government.

The action also comes just days after Linda Sun, a top aide to New York State governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, was arrested for working to advance the interests of the Chinese government.

Last November, the FBI seized the Mayors personal cell phone, stemming from an investigation into his 2021 mayoral run.

In February, other high-ranking Adams aides homes were raided, along with campaign offices located within a shopping mall in connection to a suspected straw donation scheme.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  The FBI raided the homes of multiple top aides to Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday, City Hall sources confirmed with PIX11 News.

The raids appear to be a separate investigation to the ongoing FBI probe into the mayors campaign, a source familiar with the matter said. Its not clear what the separate investigation is, the source said. There have been no charges or indictments.

More Local News

The first home the FBI raided Wednesday was of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and her partner, New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks. Electronic devices were seized from the home they share in Harlem.

Philip Banks, the deputy mayor of public safety and brother of the schools chancellor, also had his home in Queens raided. Philip Banks is a former cop and a longtime ally to the mayor.

A source close to the matter said the raids do not appear to be related to the nearly year-long investigation into the mayors campaign, and if he improperly received donations or favors from the Turkish government or Turkish businessmen.

Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law, City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg said in a statement.

Federal investigators also took the phones of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and other high-ranking department officials this week as part of a separate corruption investigation, sources said.

The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation, an NYPD spokesperson said in a statement.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
FILE - New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference at City Hall, Dec. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie, File) via Associated Press

By Greg B. Smith, Katie Honan, Gwynne Hogan and Samantha Maldonado, THE CITY

This story was originally published by THE CITY. Sign up to get the latest New York City news delivered to you each morning.

Federal authorities have raided the homes of some of the highest-ranking members of Mayor Eric Adams administration, including two deputy mayors and the schools chancellor, and seized the electronic devices of New York Citys police commissioner, sources familiar with the situation told THE CITY.

This extraordinary effort in the last two days to obtain evidence from some of the highest-ranking members of Adams team  all of whom have longtime and close ties to the mayor  follows other federal raids and seizures that have swept up the mayor and other top aides in what appears to be a broadening investigation of City Hall.

On Wednesday agents showed up around 5 a.m. at the Hamilton Heights townhouse of Wright, who also happens to be the fiance of Chancellor Banks. The chancellor was seen by THE CITY entering and leaving the townhouse twice on Thursday. Asked about the raid, David Banks declined to comment, saying, Today is the first day of school, and I am thrilled, he said, jumping into a SUV to head to a scheduled appearance at a school in Queens.

At the same time agents raided Wrights townhouse, they simultaneously descended upon Deputy Mayor Philip Banks IIIs brick and clapboard single family in Hollis, the sources said. A neighbor of Phil Banks home told THE CITY they woke up to a disturbance Wednesday morning and about 15 agents were on the street.

Then on Thursday the Manhattan U.S. Attorneys office issued search warrants seizing the cell phones of Police Commissioner Edward Caban, a development first reported by Spectrum News NY1. Asked about this, the departments press office responded, The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation.

A spokesperson for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams declined to comment.

New York Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright speaks during a press conference on gun violence prevention and public safety on July 31, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

The New York Times reported that the FBI raided the home of a third Banks brother, Terrence, and seized electronic devices from Tim Pearson, one of another senior advisor to the mayor and one of Adams closest associates. In a lawsuit filed recently against Pearson alleging workplace retaliation, the plaintiff stated an FBI agent recently knocked on his door and asked about Pearson.

Adams spoke briefly with reporters as he left City Hall on Thursday afternoon.

The goal is to follow the law and that is what this administration always stood for and what were going to continue to stand for, he said.

When asked if he thought his staff followed the law, given multiple investigations, Adams said: I think I answered the question, and that Im going to continue to say as Ive lived my entire life and I have confidence in the team, the team here. Were going to follow the rules and comply with any questions that are asked of us.

Prior Probes

The purpose of the raids and seizures of devices is not yet clear, but one source said the cell phones and laptop of Wright and Phil Banks were taken. Another City Hall source said that inquiry appears to be unrelated to existing federal probes into Adams 2021 campaign fundraising.

Early Thursday an FBI spokesperson declined to comment but did not deny that the bureau showed up at Wrights and Phil Banks home addresses.

A half hour after THE CITY revealed the raids, City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg issued a statement: Investigators have not indicated to us [that] the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.

Last November, the FBI seized Adams cell phones and laptop and raided the home of his campaign treasurer, Briana Suggs, in a probe by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney into whether the campaign conspired to obtain illegal foreign donations from entities tied to the Turkish government.

The same day, agents raided the home of Rana Abbasova, the director of protocol for the Mayors Office of International Affairs, who reportedly has knowledge of Adamss interactions with Turkey. Abbasova is reportedly now cooperating with federal investigators.

Records document fundraisers bundled by entities with ties to Turkey  Bay Atlantic University, which raised $10,000 via five donations of $2,000 each, and KSK Construction Group, which raised $12,700 from multiple donors. Both were referenced in a search warrant seeking campaign records from Suggs, according to the New York Times.

And in February the FBI raided two Bronx homes owned by a top Adams aide, Winnie Greco, and the New World Mall in Flushing, Queens, as part of a probe by the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney. Greco had hosted multiple fundraisers for Adams and holds a position in the mayors office as an advisor. The Campaign Finance Board in a recently released draft audit of Adams 2021 campaign labeled the entity tied to the mall, J Mart Group, as a suspected intermediary that raised nearly $12,700 for the mayors campaign.

Wright was a former top executive of the United Way when Adams made her one of his first appointments in January 2022. Phil Banks is a former cop and close ally of the mayor, appointed by Adams despite his being named as an unindicted co-conspirator in an NYPD bribery scandal.

<p style=font-style: italic;> Our nonprofit newsroom relies on readers to sustain our local reporting and keep it free for all New Yorkers. DONATE to THE CITY </p>
Both Grays appeared in court Friday morning with temporary attorneys and are not seeking bonds. Their preliminary hearings have been set for Dec. 4.

Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, made their first appearances in front of a judge at Georgia's Barrow County Superior Court on Friday morning to face charges in the shooting deaths of four people at Apalachee High School on Wednesday.

Shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, is being charged as an adult, and Colin Gray faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Colt Gray, who appeared in court first, was told by Judge Currie M. Mingledorff II that his penalties would not include death because he is under 18 years old. A preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 4.

His father was brought into court afterward and was told by the judge that he faces a maximum 180 years in prison if convicted, which includes a 30-year maximum sentence on each of the second-degree murder charges he faces. His preliminary hearing was also set for Dec. 4.

Both Grays have temporary attorneys and plan to obtain alternate counsel by later today. Neither of them is seeking bond at this time.

Questions about the gun

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Colin "knowingly allowed his son" to "possess a gun." Because of the active investigation, it could not provide further details, including whether Colin gifted the gun to his son, as some media have reported.

During a press conference on Wednesday, authorities said the weapon Colt allegedly used was an AR-style platform rifle, which is semiautomatic and frequently used in mass shootings.

The shooting Wednesday killed 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and educators Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie. Nine other people were injured in the shooting  two teachers and seven students  officials said Thursday night. Authorities said "all nine will make a full recovery and be able to leave the hospital."

Colin Gray, father of 14-year-old suspected shooter Colt Gray, was arrested on Thursday. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office via Reuters)

Prior warnings

A Jackson County, Ga., police report obtained by Yahoo News found that users of the social media platform Discord had reached out to the FBI in May 2023 warning that someone was threatening to shoot an unspecified middle school in the area.

Hours after Colt Gray allegedly killed four people and injured nine others at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, the FBI Atlanta division said that it had received those anonymous tips and that Jackson County officials had looked into Gray as the suspect.

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father, the FBI wrote. The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online.

Investigators spoke to the Grays in May 2023

Following the tips from Discord users, authorities went to the Grays residence and spoke to both Colt, who was then 13 and a student at Jefferson Middle School in Georgia, and his father, Colin, according to the report. Colin denied knowing what Discord was, and Colt said he had deactivated his Discord account months prior. Discord is a free messaging app, predominantly used in the gaming community.

Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner, the report says. Colt stated he stopped using Discord because too many people kept hacking his account and he was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes.

The tip the FBI received about the Discord account said it had been created in April 2023  after Colt said he deleted his account. Screenshots of the Discord account showed that the username was in Russian and that the translation of the Russian letters spelled out the name Lanza. Authorities thought this referred to Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old who committed the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.

This booking image provided by the Barrow County, Ga., Sheriff's Office shows Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect in the Apalachee High School shootings. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Due to the inconsistent nature of the information received by the FBI, the allegation that Colt or Colin is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated, the report concluded. This case will be exceptionally cleared.

The threats were generic and not a specific location or time, a spokesperson for the FBI Atlanta division told Yahoo News on Thursday. At this time, we dont have further information to share other than what was in our statement on our social media channels.

New charges

While there is not a lot of precedent in charging the parents of minors involved in shootings, Michael Lawlor, a lawyer and associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven, pointed to the April conviction of Jennifer and James Crumbley, whose son, Ethan, killed four students at Michigans Oxford High School in 2021.

According to Lawlor, there are two key elements authorities had to consider when determining whether to criminally prosecute Gray's parents for the Apalachee shooting.

If it can be proven that the 14-year-old actually did have unfettered access to the AR platform weapon used in the shooting [which would mean they lied to investigators in 2023] and if it could be proven that the parents were aware of his homicidal postings, then a conviction would certainly be possible, Lawlor told Yahoo News prior to the announcement that Colin Gray had been charged.

The Crumbleys were accused of not properly securing their newly purchased gun at home, which Ethan later brought to school, and for not taking appropriate actions following signs of their sons mental health decline, even after being shown a violent and disturbing drawing Ethan had done.

The Crumbleys were the first parents to be convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting committed by their child and were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

The statute says anyone convicted of involuntary manslaughter can face up to 10 years in prison.

President Biden appeared to broach the issue Thursday afternoon in Westby, Wisc.

There are too many people who are able to access guns that shouldnt be able to. Lets require safe storage of firearms. I know I have mine locked up. How could you not have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house, not locked up and knowing your kid knows where it is? You gotta hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns, Biden said. Authorities have not said where Gray obtained the AR-style rifle he's alleged to have used in the shootings.
The teenage boy suspected of opening fire at his Georgia high school on Wednesday morning, killing four people, was interviewed by law enforcement last year after the FBI received anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting, according to the agencys Atlanta Field Office.

The threats, which did not specify details such as place and time, included photos of guns, the field office said in a release. Within 24 hours, the FBI determined the online post originated in Georgia and the FBIs Atlanta Field Office referred the information to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office for action, the release stated.

The sheriffs office tracked down a possible suspect, the teenager, then 13 years old, and interviewed both him and his father. The father told investigators that he kept hunting guns in the house, but that his son did not have unsupervised access to them.

The 13-year-old denied making the threats. The sheriffs office alerted local school administrators for continued monitoring of the subject, according to the release, but no further action was taken.

Students Terrifying Texts to Mom Amid Georgia School Shooting Revealed

The boy, now 14, was earlier identified as Colt Gray, the alleged gunman behind Wednesdays assault on Apalachee High School. He is believed to have used an AR platform-style weapon, but investigators are still looking into how he brought the firearm onto school grounds.

He immediately surrendered to two school resource officers who confronted him, and was taken into custody, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

The dead were identified by Hosey in an evening news conference as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie.

A further nine peopleeight teachers and one studentwere hospitalized with various injuries, though Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said that no further fatalities were expected. All of our victims that are at the hospital are going to make it and are going to recover well, as weve been told, he said.

Law enforcement officials arrive to give a press conference outside of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, after a shooting took place. Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images

A spokesperson for the North Georgia Medical Center told NBC News that eight patients had been taken to three hospitals in its system, including three with gunshot wounds. Five people presented with symptoms of a panic attack, the spokesperson said.

Hosey said it is believed that Gray acted alone, and that no further threat remained to the school or the district at large. A possible motive in Wednesdays incident, the deadliest school shooting in state history, was not immediately shared by law enforcement.

Were still trying to clarify a lot of the timeline from the time that he got here to school today until the incident, the director added.

A classmate, Lyela Sayarath, told CNN that Gray left their classroom at the beginning of Algebra 1 that morning. He returned near the end of the period, knocking on the door.

14-Year-Old School Shooter Kills Four and Wounds Nine

Sayarath said that another student rose to let him back in, but noticed the gun and stopped. Gray then went next door and opened fire, she said.

Gray, who will be booked on Wednesday night, is expected to be charged with murder and tried as an adult.

Throughout the day FBI personnel have been coordinating with and supporting local and state law enforcement, the bureaus Atlanta Field Office said. The FBI will dedicate all available resources, as requested, to seek justice and bring closure for the victims and their families.

At an earlier news conference, Smith, the sheriff, vowed that the evil that had descended on the community that day would not triumph.

Hate will not prevail in this county, he said. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today. I assure you of that.

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A federal court just dealt a blow to 30 million student-loan borrowers by blocking Biden from carrying out his 2nd try at broad debt cancellation

A federal court just dealt a blow to 30 million student-loan borrowers by blocking Biden from carrying out his 2nd try at broad debt cancellation

A federal court temporarily blocked Biden's second attempt at broader student-debt relief.

It came two days after a group of GOP-led states filed a lawsuit to block the forgiveness.

The administration had planned to begin implementing the relief in October.

The legal setbacks keep coming for millions of federal-student-loan borrowers.

On Thursday, the US District Court for the Southern District of Georgia placed a temporary restraining order on President Joe Biden's second try at broader student-loan forgiveness, which would involve the Higher Education Act of 1965.

This order came just two days after seven GOP state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to block the new relief plan before it was even finalized. They argued in their lawsuit that the Biden administration was violating regulatory procedure by making plans to implement the forgiveness ahead of schedule.

Internal documents obtained by the states and attached alongside the lawsuit show an Education Department memo to the servicer MOHELA saying, "In September of 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration will launch the Federal Student Loan Debt Initiative."

The six-page order said that Biden was "temporarily restrained from implementing the Third Mass Cancellation Rule" and that the administration was additionally restrained "from mass canceling student loans, forgiving any principal or interest, not charging borrowers accrued interest, or further implementing any other actions under the Rule or instructing federal contractors to take such actions."

To obtain a temporary restraining order, the ruling said, states had to show how they would suffer harm from the challenged policy. The ruling said that the GOP-led states satisfied that requirement because of their arguments that the relief would harm the revenues of the student-loan company MOHELA, an instrument of the state of Missouri, one of the states that joined the lawsuit.

An Education Department spokesperson told Business Insider that the department was "reviewing the ruling from a federal court." The spokesperson added: "The Department has been following the negotiated rulemaking process to draft the rules that would provide this relief, and they will not be implemented until after they are finalized."

The plan was set to go into effect in October. Given this ruling, the timeline is now unclear for when or if relief will reach over 30 million borrowers as the legal process progresses.

Some Republican lawmakers lauded Thursday's court decision. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate education committee, wrote on X: "The admin knows they lack the legal authority for this, but this is their attempt to buy votes."

Many of Biden's key student-debt-relief policies have faced legal challenges. Last summer, the Supreme Court struck down Biden's first attempt at broad debt relief. More recently, a federal court blocked the Education Department from implementing Biden's new SAVE income-driven repayment plan, intended to give borrowers lower monthly payments and a shorter timeline to debt relief.

These legal challenges have left millions of borrowers in limbo, with uncertainty as they wait for a final court decision on the future of their student-loan payments and any relief they may receive.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Federal investigators seized phones at the homes of several top aides to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, according to sources

Federal investigators on Wednesday seized electronic devices from the homes of several top officials in New York City Mayor Eric Adams administration, including the powerful police commissioner and two deputy mayors, according to multiple sources familiar with the probe.

Sources said investigators from the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York seized electronic devices, including phones, from New York Police Department Commissioner Edward Caban, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. Chancellor of New York City schools David Banks was also subpoenaed for his devices, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Investigators also served a subpoena to Adams special adviser Timothy Pearson, a former police inspector, for his phone, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI declined to comment on the recent law enforcement action, but three sources briefed on the investigations indicated that the probe into police officials by the US attorney is not connected to the bureaus long-running investigation into Adamss campaign fundraising.

Sources briefed on the investigation say subpoenas were also issued for the phones of three lower ranking police officials.

The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service, a spokesperson for the NYPD said in a statement. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation. Any questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Adams refused to shed any light on the new probe.

I have been clear that my message throughout my public life is to follow the law, and thats what were doing and were going to comply with whatever inquiry, with whatever we ha ve to submit while this review takes place, he said.

Adams, who is up for reelection next year, is already facing a series of challengers in the Democratic primary. He will now campaign in the shadow of another secretive federal investigation, which rivals quickly zeroed-in on after word began to spread about the early morning seizures. First elected mayor in 2021, Adams, a former police captain, pledged to crack down on post-pandemic crime. Though some of the ugliest statistics have fallen, Adams tactics  including a spike in unlawful stops, according to a report by a federal monitor along with the initial, slow-moving investigation have cut into his popularity.

Some of Adams likely 2025 primary opponents, including former city comptroller Scott Stringer, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, hammered Adams in the hours after the news broke  mocking the mayors familiar pledge to stay focused, allow no distractions and grind.

If hes not distracted by all this, hes delusional, Stringer said, and if this is what his focus looks like, he needs new lenses.

Myrie, who is still exploring a run, posted his op-ed about the beginning of the school year, Heres what Im focused on today, he said, creating a safe space for kids after school, so parents can get some relief. Thats what leadership looks like.

Progressive groups, who opposed Adams as a candidate and have been critical of his running of the city, also pounced.

Under Adams, the people of New York are sandwiched between a constant stream of budget cuts and FBI raids, New York Working Families Party Co-Directors Jasmine Gripper and Ana Maria Archila said in a statement. Todays news is the latest example of the Eric Adams administrations questionable morals and values. We deserve better. We can do better.

The latest federal searches were notable not only because of how close those involved are to Adams, both personally and in government, but because of their immense power and prestige.

Caban, among those targeted on Wednesday, leads the NYPD, which has a nearly $6 billion annual budget and spends much more than that. The force is, by far, the largest and most costly in the country.

Wright is the longtime partner of David Banks, the city schools chancellor; the couple share the home that was visited by the FBI on Wednesday. David Banks is also the brother of Philip Banks, and the three are some of Adams closest advisers and have been in his orbit for years prior to his election.

I am confirming that I am cooperating with a federal inquiry, David Banks said in a statement. At this time, I cannot comment any further on that matter.

Since last November, multiple officials from the mayors office have had their homes searched, their phones seized and their records subpoenaed. Last November, Adams was stopped by FBI agents in the street who served him with a court order and took his phones.

Adams has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and neither he nor anyone in his administration has been charged with a crime

In November 2023, the FBI raided the home of Adams chief fundraiser Brianna Suggs. Earlier this year, the homes of a top aide, Winnie Greco, was also raided by the FBI as part of a separate inquiry by the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

In a statement, Chief Counsel for City Hall Lisa Zornberg said, Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation.

As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law, Zornberg said.

These latest efforts, which took city officials by surprise, appear to mark an expansion in the number of separate probes by federal investigators and prosecutors into New York City officials.

The full scope of these investigations remain unclear, but CNN has previously reported that in one probe, federal investigators are focused on whether the campaign worked with Turkish government officials in New York to direct donations into Adams campaign coffers.

This headline and story have been updated with additional details.

CNNs Nicki Brown contributed to this report.

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Appier , a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to power business decision-making, is proud to announce its latest partnership with Huy Thanh Jewelry , a leading jewelry brand in Vietnam. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as Huy Thanh Jewelry integrates Appier's AIQUA to enhance customer engagement and drive substantial growth in return on investment (ROI).

In today's highly competitive retail landscape, consumer brands must prioritize providing a seamless and engaging shopping experience to stand out. According to recent studies, 71% of consumers expect brands to offer personalized interactions, and 76% become frustrated when this expectation is unmet. Personalization can drive revenue growth by 10-30% for retail brands[1]. Recognizing this, Huy Thanh Jewelry partnered with Appier to enhance its customer engagement strategy, ensuring a cohesive and personalized online and offline shopping journey.

Huy Thanh Jewelry has reached a significant milestone by leveraging Appier's AI recommendation model, resulting in an impressive sixfold boost in its return on investment (ROI). Renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs, Huy Thanh Jewelry has successfully integrated online and offline channels through an effective online-merge-offline (OMO) strategy, enhancing the shopping experience for its customers and solidifying its market leadership in Vietnam.

Huy Thanh Jewelry and Appier joined forces in April this year to tackle the challenges of maintaining customer loyalty and increasing sales in a competitive market. Facing limitations in human resources to build an effective recommendation model for its website, the brand turned to Appier's AIQUA, an AI-powered personalization cloud, to deliver a more personalized online shopping experience.

Personalized, precise recommendations made easy

AIQUA's intuitive no-code interface enabled Huy Thanh Jewelry to manage product listings and create precise recommendations within seconds. This resulted in a significant boost in customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

Before deploying AIQUA, Huy Thanh Jewelry presented the same information and product listings to all website visitors, regardless of their interests. Since implementing AIQUA, the brand has introduced personalized engagement through pop-ups, banners, and recommendation models, boosting customer loyalty and optimizing revenue performance.

A recommendation model for every stage of the journey

Appier understands that customer engagement varies at different stages of the shopping journey. To address this, AIQUA offers a range of recommendation models tailored to different pages, such as the homepage, product pages, and checkout pages. By leveraging these models, Huy Thanh Jewelry effectively targeted customers during the product discovery stage, cross-selling stage, and checkout stage, resulting in a significant increase in engaged sessions per user by 1.8 times, average session duration by 2.5 times, and a decrease in bounce rate by 3.9 times. Overall, Huy Thanh Jewelry increased its ROI by 6.2 times during the measured period.

"Partnering with Appier has been a game-changer for us. AIQUA enables us to offer personalized recommendations to each customer, significantly boosting satisfaction and conversion rates. This collaboration has enhanced our ability to engage with customers on a more personalized level and demonstrated AI's immense potential in revolutionizing the jewelry retail industry. The sixfold increase in ROI we've experienced is a testament to the effectiveness of Appier's AI-driven solutions, and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership as we further enhance our customer engagement strategies," said Cong Dinh Dang, Director of Sales at Huy Thanh Jewelry.

About Huy Thanh Jewelry

Huy Thanh Jewelry has become synonymous with luxury and elegance in the Vietnamese jewelry sector. The brand's dedication to quality and innovative design has garnered it a reputation as a trusted name among consumers. With a focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty, Huy Thanh Jewelry continuously seeks to enhance its offerings and improve customer engagement.

About Appier

Appier (TSE: 4180) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence to power business decision-making. Founded in 2012 with a vision of democratizing AI, Appier's mission is turning AI into ROI by making software intelligent. Appier has 17 offices across APAC, Europe and US and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visit www.appier.com for more company information, and visit ir.appier.com/en/ for more IR information.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/appier-transforms-huy-thanh-jewelrys-customer-experience-with-ai-powered-recommendations-302235720.html

SOURCE Appier
(NewsNation)  Prosecutors filed a lawsuit Tuesday against three federally licensed Maryland gun stores that sold to a straw purchaser saying the shops are to blame for the majority of weapons used in crimes in the nations capital.

Marylands attorney general and the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against gun shops Engage Armament, United Gun Shop and Atlantic Guns for selling firearms to a straw purchaser who then sold dozens of weapons to a violent felon, according to court records.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives defines a straw purchase as buying a firearm for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one, or for someone who doesnt want their name associated with it.

Gun groups sue California for new tax on gun sales

The suit accuses the Maryland-based stores of failing to respond to warning signs, including bulk purchasing and repetitive purchases.

The stores were the top three in-state retailers of traced crime guns recovered in the State between August 2020 and July 2021, the lawsuit stated.

Gun dealers who flout their legal responsibilities and fail to adhere to responsible business practices are also to blame for putting firearms in the wrong hands, providing easy access to guns and fueling gun violence in the region, the lawsuit stated.

The suit alleged that the shops together sold 34 semiautomatic pistols to an obvious straw purchaser, in a six-month span who then transferred most of those weapons to a relative with a record of violent felonies.

The purchaser spent more than $31,000 at the one store for at least 25 guns. In July 2021 alone, he came to the store at least four times and bought five guns, prosecutors said.

Only two of the weapons remained with the purchaser and at least nine of those have since been recovered at crime scenes including from people accused of assault and drug distribution, the suit alleged.

Prosecutors said the rest are presumed to be trafficked, the lawsuit stated.

California gun shop owner says sales rising

The suit seeks unspecified damages and court action to halt any future straw purchases.

The lawsuit is the first to be filed jointly and comes as cities and states around the country file civil suits against gun shops, including in New Jersey, Minnesota, Chicago and Philadelphia. Kansas City also settled a suit last year against a gun dealer accused of ignoring evidence that guns were being sold illegally.

Federally licensed gun dealers know the law and they know what to look for to spot possible illegal trafficking. As this lawsuit demonstrates, gun dealers cannot just choose to ignore these warning signs and guardrails, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement.

Let this be a warning to other dealers who put public safety at risk to make a profit: We are watching, and we will hold you accountable for illegal conduct that fuels gun violence across our region.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
The U.S. Department of Education is charging Memphis-Shelby County Schools with failure to adequately respond to allegations of sexual assault of students. (Photo: Karen Pulfer Focht)

The U.S. Department of Education is charging Memphis-Shelby County Schools with failure to adequately respond to allegations of sexual assault of students. (Photo: Karen Pulfer Focht)

Memphis-Shelby County Schools violated federal civil rights law by not adequately responding to complaints of sexual harassment and assault of students over a three-year period, the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights announced on Friday.

The office said that the states largest school district has agreed to a number of corrective steps to resolve the offices compliance review, which began in March 2020.

According to the agency, district documents reflect reports that teachers or substitute teachers sexually assaulted students in seven incidents across three school years at all school levels in the district: elementary, middle, and high school. District documents reflect 53 more cases of reported staff-to-student sexual harassment, not including sexual assault, as well as a total of 88 cases of student-to-student sexual harassment during the same time period, the OCR said.

The violations occurred over three years starting in 2017-18, according to the OCRs letter to Superintendent Marie Feagins, who took the helm of the district earlier this year.

Those records and witness interviews reflect clear district violations of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding, and raise serious concerns about the districts response, which is subject to the same law, the OCR said.

Students in the Memphis-Shelby County School District deserve the safety and freedom from discrimination that Congress promised them in Title IX, and the District now commits to fulfill its Title IX obligations to these students, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a statement. The Office for Civil Rights will monitor the school district in the coming years to be sure it complies with Title IX.

According to the agency, district documents reflect reports that teachers or substitute teachers sexually assaulted students in seven incidents across three school years at all school levels in the district: elementary, middle, and high school

A statement issued later Friday by the MSCS media relations department said the district is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and equal educational opportunities for all students and recognizes the importance of Title IX compliance. The administration is addressing issues identified by OCR while actively collaborating to establish corrective actions regarding past reports, it said.

The school board, meanwhile, is in transition and without a chairperson as four new members were sworn in on Thursday.

Any time a person is violated, the school board is very concerned, Stephanie Love, who was reelected to the board this month, said Friday. I want to talk to the superintendent and our general counsel to see what we can do to right the ship.

The Office of Civil Rights, which according to its letter to the district began its investigation in March 2020, determined that the district violated Title IX by:

Not having a designated Title IX coordinator for substantial portions of the offices compliance review period.

Not coordinating its response to reports of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, through its Title IX coordinator as required during the time that a coordinator was designated.

Not involving the Title IX coordinator in the majority of sexual harassment files reviewed for the investigation, including not involving a Title IX coordinator in any of the incidents involving staff.

Not maintaining a nondiscrimination statement and harassment policies that comply with Title IX.

Not fulfilling the Title IX obligation to maintain records sufficient for the district or for the Office of Civil Rights to make compliance determinations, including inconsistent reporting to the office for its Civil Rights Data Collection and for the compliance review itself.

The OCRs 20-page letter to the district says files generally showed that staff members overseeing employee relations approached the cases primarily as personnel matters, focusing on whether the accused employee violated a school board ethics rule or engaged in conduct that implicated state laws regarding education, rather than on whether there was a potential Title IX violation.

The OCR spotlighted one case in particular involving an elementary school teacher who was ultimately convicted of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor and who was reported to have encouraged boys and girls to touch each other inappropriately during class, in addition to other alleged misconduct.

The agency said the record does not reflect any involvement of the Title IX coordinator in investigating the teachers conduct, any support provided by the district to affected students to ensure their equal access to education, or any notice to the parties regarding any district determination under Title IX.

The resolution agreement requires the school district to take a number of steps, including: to adopt and publish a compliant notice of nondiscrimination; revise its policies; review all sexual assault cases from the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years to make sure each were resolved or, if not, take steps to do so; conduct district staff training; survey parents and students on how sexual harassment in schools is handled; and designate, train, and publicize the contact information for its Title IX coordinator.

The district has taken some steps already. In the budget for the 2024-25 school year, the district general counsels list of priorities start with two bullet points.

One is to establish a strong team to handle Title IX issues and revise policies and workflows as appropriate.

The second: to implement training in student and employee civil rights to ensure compliance with duties to respond to, investigate, and decide complaints concerning federal laws.

Eric Gorski is Chalkbeats managing editor for local news. You can reach him at egorski@chalkbeat.org.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

(Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.)
The GE-Alstom Block Island Wind Farm off of Rhode Island became the first commercial offshore wind farm in U.S. waters in 2016. Wind-energy projects off the mid-Atlantic coast have developed more slowly. Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images.

The federal government announced Thursday that it has given final approval to a proposed wind energy development off the coast of Maryland  a significant milestone in a process that has dragged on for more than a decade.

US Winds Maryland offshore wind project, as approved, is expected to generate over 2 gigawatts of renewable energy for the Delmarva Peninsula, enough to power more than 718,000 homes. The federal government has estimated that the development and construction phases of the project could support almost 2,680 jobs annually over the next seven years, which is when the wind installation is expected to be fully operational.

The lease area is approximately 8.7 nautical miles off the coast of Ocean City and approximately 9 nautical miles from Sussex County, Delaware, at its closest points to shore.

The Maryland Offshore Wind Project consists of three planned phases, which include the proposed installation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors. Two phases, known as MarWin and Momentum Wind, already have offshore renewable energy certificates from the state.

The U.S. Department of the Interiors Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has now approved 10 offshore leases in the Atlantic, and they are slowly coming online.

Todays milestone marks another giant leap toward our ambitious goal of unleashing 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030, Acting Interior Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis said in a statement. Our work to approve the nations first 10 commercial-scale offshore wind projects is the result of the tenacious public servants at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Biden-Harris administrations commitment to expedite the federal permitting process.

The process has been anything but swift, however, and it could still encounter last-minute snags. Ocean City officials have long fretted about the proximity of the wind turbines to the shore, fearing it could hurt the towns lucrative tourist and real estate economies, and have threatened to sue the federal government once the final approval is made public.

Federal officials said the Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for US Wind Inc.s Proposed Maryland Offshore Wind Project will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days.

In July, BOEM announced the final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed project, which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the activities outlined in the projects construction and operations plan and considered alternatives. BOEM hosted two in-person and two virtual public meetings last fall to gather feedback on the Maryland offshore wind draft EIS from community members, public officials, commercial fishing interests, environmental groups, tribal leaders and other ocean users.

BOEM said it has developed measures to avoid, minimize and mitigate the projects potential environmental impacts. The Record of Decision, when it is published, will describe these measures.

Maryland, with a mandate to use 100% clean energy by 2035, has a goal of generating 8.5 gigawatts of power from offshore wind. But that effort has suffered some setbacks along the way.

rsted, the worlds largest developer of offshore wind, had won the lease for a second development off the Maryland coast but announced earlier this year that it was opting out of the agreement it had reached with the Maryland Public Service Commission for financial clean energy credits intended to help fund the project. The company said it would still seek permits for the proposed wind farm from the federal government, and would continue to develop construction and operations plans for Maryland, but that the current financial realities of the offshore wind industry made it impossible to continue under the present arrangement.

Some state officials believe rsted has effectively pulled out of the Maryland market  though the company insists that is not the case.

In June, BOEM signed a memorandum of understanding with Maryland to engage stakeholders in identifying acreage for additional offshore wind lease auctions in the Atlantic, a critical step to meeting offshore wind power generation targets for Maryland and other mid-Atlantic states.

Last month, the federal government awarded a new federal lease near the US Wind project to Equinor Wind, a Norwegian company. That site is in federal waters off the Delaware coast, 26 nautical miles from the Delaware Bay.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  FEMA has approved more than $5.5 million in grants and loans to 926 applications in four South Dakota counties, as of Thursday.

How South Dakotans can apply for FEMA disaster funds

According to a FEMA news release Thursday, a Disaster Recovery Center will open in Turner County next week at the Viborg Community Center. As of Thursday, a FEMA spokesman provided the latest approved applications and dollar amounts in four counties:

Davison County 255 approved applications, $993,942 in FEMA funding

Lincoln County 309 approved applications, $981,579 in FEMA funding

Turner County 76 approved applications, $267,629 in FEMA funding

Union County 275 approved applications, $3,306,225 in FEMA funding

In addition, South Dakotans may also be available for assistance for damaged wells and septic systems, due to severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding from June 16 to July 8, 2024, according to a FEMA release on Wednesday.

The assistance may be available to those in Davison, Lincoln, Turner and Union Counties.

In a news release, FEMA said For private wells and septic systems, FEMA could reimburse people for the cost of a professional, licensed technician to prepare an estimate detailing the necessary repairs or replacement of disaster-damaged systems.

FEMA said it may also pay for the actual repair or replacement cost of septic system or private well.

For those who have applied for FEMA assistance and have not had a home inspection for the well or septic system, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. For those who have already had an inspection and damage to a well or septic system but it wasnt reported on the initial application, call the FEMA helpline to amend it.

How to apply for disaster assistance:

 Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in person.

 Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov for English, or DisasterAssistance.gov/es for Spanish.

 Use the FEMA mobile app in English or Spanish

South-Dakota-Disaster-Recovery-Update-August-30-2024Download

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Locked in a fight over patriarch Ruperts right-wing global media empire, the Murdoch clan is battling to keep its succession feud in ironclad legal secrecy. So secret, in fact, that their legal squabbles dont even appear on a public court schedule.

That could soon change.

In July, The New York Times reported that 93-year-old Murdoch filed a petition late last year to amend the family trust to grant exclusive control to his eldest son and anointed successor, 52-year-old Lachlan. Before that, equal voting shares were supposed to be awarded to his eldest four children.

Is Murdochs Wall Street Journal About to Dump Trump?

The three siblings left out in the coldJames, Elisabeth, and Prudencewere reportedly blindsided by their fathers Shakespearean betrayal and teamed up to stop him and their brother.

The Nevada probate commissioner, the Times reported, found in June that Murdoch can proceed with the amendment to the family trust if he can show he is acting in good faith and in the best interest of his heirs.

Rupert is said to believe conservative Kool-Aid drinker Lachlan, unlike his more moderate siblings, is uniquely equipped to run the family media empire because he will maintain its unabashed conservative worldview.

Last September, he was appointed chairman of News Corporation and Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, after his father stepped down. While Lachlans Fox initially flirted with Trump alternatives like Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, the network pivoted back to supporting Donald Trump when it became clear he would win the Republican nomination.

Documents the Times reviewed showed Rupert is arguing that handing control to anyone else would threaten the brands and their commercial value, thus making the crowning of Lachlan the most sage business decision.

James, in particular, has fallen far from the conservative family tree, donating tens of millions to progressive causes.

A trial to determine whether Murdoch is acting in good faith is expected to start sometime this month, according to the Times but even the most basic details of the familys legal fisticuffs have been kept under seal in Nevada.

On Wednesday, the newspaper joined the Associated Press, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, Reuters, and CNN in filing a motion in the states Second Judicial District Court to pry open the proceedings.

Nevadas courts are accountable to the public, and the public is entitled to know whether the trust at issue is being administered in accordance with the law, the motion reads.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

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For many months, media critics and liberal Democrats have insisted that Donald Trumps mental unfitness for the presidency isor should be treated asa big and important news story in and of itself. If President Bidens age merited extensive, focused coverage because his fitness for the job was naturally of interest to voters, goes this critique, then surely Trumps visible incoherence, cognitive impairment, inability to cogently discuss the simplest public matters, and increasingly strange flights of fantasy deserve equivalent treatment.

This argument has never received an even remotely serious hearing from newsroom leaders at big media organizations. But it might have just become a bit harder to ignore, now that a well-respected veteran journalist hasin a moment of striking candorcalled out his colleagues for failing to take Trumps mental state seriously as a story in its own right.

We have a damaged, delusional, old man who again might get reelected to the presidency of the United States, Mike Barnicle, who served as a longtime columnist for The Boston Globe and other newspapers, said on Morning Joe early Wednesday. Barnicle continued that Trump frequently says deranged things in public that you wouldnt repeat on American television or in front of your children.

How did we get here? Barnicle asked. Then he pointed a finger at his media colleagues. Donald Trump can say whatever crazy things he wants to say, about submarines, and sharks, and electric batteries, Barnicle said. He noted that such things are not really covered as a window into who the man is or a sign that hes out of his mind. Watch the whole thing:

.@mikebarnicle: "Today we have a damaged, delusional, old man who again might get re-elected to the presidency of the United States. How did this happen?... How did the Republican Party get here?" pic.twitter.com/SHTDwQJ5ya  Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) September 4, 2024

The judgment that Trump is out of his mind might strike some newsroom denizens as loaded, opinionated language. And surely some of them would reject Barnicles critique by noting that they do often cover Trumps wild-eyed utterances.



But we should pause to appreciate Barnicles deeper, underlying point here. Its that merely covering each of Trumps hallucinatory claims as news items, even if that includes aggressively fact-checking them, doesnt do justice to the much bigger story thats unfolding right at the end of all of our noses.

Lets try to state what should be obvious: Trumps mental fitness for the presidency deserves sustained journalistic scrutiny as a stand-alone topic with its own intrinsic importance and newsworthiness. Real journalistic resources should be put into meaningfully covering it from multiple angles, as often happens with other big national stories of great consequence.

Is this happening right now in any meaningful sense? Is there even a debate going on in Americas top newsrooms about whether it should be happening right now?

Yes, you can point to isolated examples of such coverage. The New York Times had a good piece recently that focused on Trumps use of vulgar language against Vice President Kamala Harris. Another Times piece in July analyzed Trumps racist tropes and put them in broader historical context. There are more pieces like these out there.

But whats really at issue here is whether the mediaas an institution, and in a comprehensive senseis treating Trumps mental state as an overarching and critically important factor in determining whether he is fit to be president.

For one thing, even if some of Trumps whacked-out statements get covered, many do not. At a recent Moms for Liberty event, Trump unleashed a rant about schools supposedly forcing kids to undergo sexual reassignment surgery that was truly deranged and comprehensively detached from reality. As The New Republics Michael Tomasky points out, in some prominent coverage of the event, this wasnt even mentioned at all.

More broadly, to grasp what coverage of Trumps mental unfitness might look like, try comparing what little there is of it to coverage of President Bidens age before his exit from the race. In a useful intervention, the Times Jamelle Bouie notes that in the latter case, the media adopted the premise that Bidens age mattered precisely because it went to Bidens core mental capacity to do the job as president, thus meriting extensive journalistic attention.

But if so, then why dont things like Trumps obvious cognitive impairment, his frequent inability to speak and think coherently, his resolute refusal to acquire minimal baseline knowledge on many consequential issues, his tendency to invent things on the fly that are wildly disconnected from reality, his intense narcissism, his deliberate lying and bigotry and misogynyto name just a few traitsalso go to his core mental and characterological capacity to do the job as president?

My suspicion is that some news professionals intuitively see cognitive impairment from age as an objectively verifiable condition, whereas identifying some of these other traits might require a value judgment that flouts conventions of neutrality. But thats a weak excuse. Serial incoherence, lack of basic curiosity, pathological dishonesty, a tendency toward sadistic verbal abuses of many different kindsall these things can also plainly be evaluated through the prism of whether they might impair someone from performing the job of president effectively. Journalists can say what they know to be true about Trumps qualities on all these fronts.

To illustrate this, Ive taken 10 prominent headlines on stand-alone stories that ran about Bidens age before he dropped out. Ive rewritten them (links to the originals are included) around Trumps mental unfitness. Reading these, you can see how journalists might spend much more time talking to associates of Trump who privately witness his unbalanced behavior, or questioning Trump himself directly about his mental lapses, or analyzing polls showing that majorities see Trumps pathological lying as concerning in a president, or looking at specific rants as symptomatic of Trumps much larger infirmities:

Are these headlines really stretches, based on all weve seen? I submit that they are not. Note that all of these treat signs of the subjects questionable mental fitness for the presidencyand the politics surrounding themas themselves being the real news. How often do you see headlines like this? Why dont we see more of them?

Mike Barnicles eruption at his colleagues has put all this squarely on the table. Its time to take it a lot more seriouslybefore its too late.
The fire-affected cooling tower at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is unfit for use and will likely be demolished in the future.

Source: Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Details: "Until today, we hadn't been able to get to this point high up in the tower, so we can assess in a much better way the damage that occurred. This big structure is not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished at some point," Grossi said.

Background:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russians had started a fire on the territory of the ZNPP and urged the IAEA and the international community to respond to the incident. No changes to radiation levels near the ZNPP have been documented.

The IAEA announced that its experts had witnessed strong dark smoke coming out of the northern area of the ZNPP following numerous explosions on the evening of 11 August.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Shreveport Fire department is investigating a fire on Fairfax Avenue Wednesday evening.

According to Caddo 911, there were as many as 17 fire units on scene of a house fire emergency on Fairfax Avenue. Firefighters say one pet has been rescued.

KTAL NBC 6 has a crew on scene and will provide updates as they become available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Multiple people treated for smoke inhalation after high-rise apartment fire in Pittsburgh

Medics treated several people for smoke inhalation after a fire at a high-rise in Pittsburghs Allentown neighborhood on Thursday.

Crews were called to the 800 block of East Warrington Avenue at 11:24 a.m.

The fire originated on the fifth floor. The damage was isolated to that unit, but heavy smoke affected several floors in the building.

At least 50 people were inside during the fire and some were evacuated. It took firefighters around 30 minutes to extinguish the fire.

One man was taken to a hospital in critical condition with severe smoke inhalation. Medics evaluated and treated around a dozen people on scene for mild smoke inhalation.

The Red Cross is assisting affected residents.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

Former UPMC Childrens Hospital doctor charged with child sex crimes Kamala Harris to stay in Pittsburgh while preparing for Presidential debate with Trump Mother reveals panicked text messages between her, son during Georgia school shooting VIDEO: Underwater drone will help divers in Allegheny County limit time spent in water DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
A change of winds caused a fire southeast of Boise to spread overnight, causing significant damage to the terrain.

The Plex Fire had grown to 350 acres by 8 a.m. Thursday, said Jared Jablonski, mitigation education specialist with the Bureau of Land Managements Boise bureau.

BLM said it had contained the fire as of 3:40 p.m. Thursday. Contained means a control line has been completed around the fire and is expected to stop the spread.

The brush fire started near South Eyele Avenue and East Plexi Court around 6 p.m. Wednesday evening. The fire began fairly small at 20 acres, but had grown to 250 acres by 11 p.m.

Officials closed Idaho 21 between South Technology Way and East Warm Springs to allow fire crews to access the area, according to the Ada County Sheriffs Office. The highway was reopened by 4 p.m.

Fire personnel had the Plex Fire at 80% containment by 11 p.m. Wednesday, Jablonski said. Then, a wind shift began pushing the fire to the west toward the Boise River canyon near Lucky Peak Lake.

It did get into the canyon here  real steep, rocky terrain, Jablonski said. And sometime this morning, we had the wind switch to down canyon and the fire got up again and started making runs down the canyon.

Jablonski said the fire then came on top of the flats in that area and began moving toward the nearby subdivisions. That area includes some scattered homes as well as the Bonneville Pointe, Sunny Ridge and Painted Ridge subdivisions. No mandatory evacuations were ordered, but Ada County Sheriffs Office deputies going door-to-door advised some residents to leave their homes, Jablonski said.

Over 600 customers in the area were without power as of 8:45 a.m.

The fire burned through a fairly major power line in that area and left about 1,600 customers without power just before 6 a.m., Idaho Power spokesperson Sven Berg told the Statesman. As of about 8:10 a.m., power was restored to around 1,000 customers.

Idaho Power was working to restore power to the remaining 600 customers but wasnt sure when that will be, Berg said.

Were working as fast as we can, but we have to work safely, he said.

The Boise School District also sent out a notice early Thursday morning that, as of 7:30 a.m., two schools didnt have power: Les Bois Junior High and Trail Wind Elementary schools. Before 9 a.m., power had been restored to Trail Wind. By 10 a.m., it was restored at Les Bois.

District administration said in a note staff members were closely monitoring the wildfire affecting southeast Boise and that the district has emergency procedures in place at all of the district schools if necessary.

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Marcus Brandt / picture alliance via Getty Images





Key Takeaways

Five current and former AstraZeneca employees have reportedly been detained in China in connection with a pair of investigations.

The investigations concern the importation of an unapproved liver cancer drug and alleged violations of data privacy laws.

A Bloomberg report said the employees who worked in AstraZeneca's oncology department are Chinese citizens.







Five current and former AstraZeneca (AZN) employees have been detained by police in China in connection with alleged violations of data privacy laws and for importing an unapproved cancer drug, according to a Bloomberg report.

The report said five current and former employees of the U.K. pharmaceutical giants oncology division have been detained. All are Chinese citizens.

Two AstraZeneca Probes by China in Progress

The current and former employees are reportedly being investigated concerning two probes. The first concerns patient data collection and possible violations of China's data privacy laws. The second involves the alleged importation of a liver cancer treatment that hasn't been approved for distribution in the country.

AstraZeneca reportedly employs roughly 16,000 workers in China and has operated there since 1993.

Shares of the company were down more than 3% Thursday afternoon.

Read the original article on Investopedia.
On First Day of School, Lt. Gov. Asks Minnesotans to be Patient on Tests Scores

This article was originally published in Minnesota Reformer.

NORTHFIELD  Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan stepped in for Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday and greeted students on the first day of school, in an annual tradition typically performed by the Minnesota governor.

Flanagan, who visited a school in St. Anthony and later Greenvale Park Elementary in Northfield, is taking on a higher profile as Walz barnstorms the country as the vice presidential nominee for president.

Related

8 Things to Know About Tim Walz, the Democratic Tickets Top Teacher

Flanagan served Northfield students cheese pizza, which was a subtle plug for a signature achievement of the Walz-Flanagan administration and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor-controlled Legislature, which passed universal free school meals in 2023.

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Flanagans visit comes less than a week after the state released Minnesota students math and reading scores, which stagnated after years of decline. Fewer than half of tested students in the 2023-2024 school year met state proficiency standards in reading and math, which is unchanged from the year prior.

The data indicate Minnesota students have not yet recovered from learning losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flanagan told reporters on Tuesday that the test scores dont reflect all the investments the Minnesota Legislature has made into education, particularly toward reading through the Read Act.

In 2023 the DFL-controlled Legislature passed historic education funding, including $75 million for the Read Act, which focuses on phonics, or the sounding out of words. This year the Legislature passed an additional $35 million to support teachers while they learn how to teach the Read Act curriculum.

I am confident that those scores are going to go up, and as lieutenant governor I care tremendously about it. But as Siobhans mom, I really care about it, Flanagan said. I believe there are parents across the state who want to see achievement go up. So do I, and I think were on our way with the investments weve made in the last few years.

The Department of Education last week in a statement said something similar regarding the stagnant test scores.

Long-term key investments from the 2023 legislative session are currently being implemented, including the largest funding increase for K-12 education in state history, the Department of Education said. Once fully implemented, these investments will positively impact students for many years to come.

In the meantime, Flanagan said that rising attendance rates are an important first step.

Attendance is one of those things that we know will help close that gap I am confident that what we have in place, having kids in school, our incredible educators  I think test scores will go up. And just encourage our families and encourage our students to get to school. It really, really matters, Flanagan said.

According to data released last week, about three-quarters of students attended school regularly in 2023, up about 5 percentage points from the prior year. But attendance rates still remain significantly lower than in the years prior to the pandemic, when about 85% of students attended regularly.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com. Follow Minnesota Reformer on Facebook and X.
First day of school for the Rochester City School District!

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Today is the first day of school for the Rochester City School District!

Around 21,000 students in Rochester will be starting class on Thursday morning for the 2024-2025 school year!

When is the first day of school in your district?

News 8s Oran Spitzer went to Loretta Johnson Middle School before school started She spoke with Principal Moniek Silas-Lee, who was the first woman to be the interim superintendent of the district from 1994 to 1995.

You can watch an interview with Silas-Lee in the video player above!

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
The EU aims to deliver 566,000 doses in total, and an extra 200,000 doses are due to arrive by Saturday - Samy Ntumba Shambuyi/AP

The Democratic Republic of Congo received its first shipment of mpox vaccines today, three weeks after the UN declared a public health emergency over the spread of a new, dangerous strain of the virus formerly known as monkeypox.

A plane carrying 99,000 doses of the Bavarian Nordic jabs, donated by the European Union, landed in the Central African countrys capital, Kinshasa, at 1pm local time today, Reuters reported.

The EU aims to deliver 566,000 doses in total, and an extra 200,000 doses are due to arrive as soon as Saturday, according to European health authorities.

Congolese health authorities have said they will need around 3.5 million doses in total to protect its population.

More than 22,800 mpox cases and 650 deaths have been reported in Africa since the beginning of the year, the majority of which are in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Multiple strains of mpox, including a newly detected variant known as clade 1b, are in circulation at once.

Clade 1b, first reported in South Kivu, DRC last September has rapidly spread to neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and cases have also been detected in travellers from the DRC in Thailand and Sweden.

Congo has said it will launch its vaccination campaign in the second week of October, to allow time for a thorough education campaign to overcome vaccine mistrust in some communities.

Click here to view this content.

The jab has not yet been licensed for use in children under the age of 12, who make up the vast majority of those infected in the DRC, and as such only adults will be eligble for the vaccine.

Mpox typically causes cold and flu-like symptoms accompanied by a rash of pus-filled lesions, and can be fatal in severe cases.

It is spread primarily through close contact, including sex, skin-skin contact or sharing towels, clothing, or bedding with someone who has the virus. Pregnant women can also spread mpox to the foetus, during or after birth during skin-skin contact.

The Bavarian Nordic vaccine, known as MVA-BN, is already in use in the UK, US, Canada, and the European Union, and is mainly offered to men who have sex with men, who are considered an at-risk group.

The jab was originally designed to protect against smallpox, which is closely linked to mpox.

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Distributional, an AI testing platform founded by Intel's former GM of AI software, Scott Clark, has closed a $19 million Series A funding round led by Two Sigma Ventures. Clark says that Distributional was inspired by the AI testing problems he ran into while applying AI at Intel, and  before that  his work at Yelp as a software lead in the company's ad-targeting division. "As the value of AI applications continues to grow, so do the operational risks," he told TechCrunch.
MISSOURI  Five universities in Missouri are now offering direct admissions to some prospective college students without the need to fill out an application.

Dozens of universities nationwide have partnered with education-based website Niche to streamline the college admissions process through a direct admissions program.

Two dead after crash, possible shots fired follows police pursuit in south St. Louis County

The program allows high school senior to get accepted into various colleges and qualify for scholarships based on information in their Niche profile.

According to Niche, the Missouri institutions participating in the program include

University of Missouri  St. Louis (UMSL)  St. Louis

Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO)  Cape Girardeau

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T)  Rolla

University of Central Missouri (UCM)  Warrensburg

Northwest Missouri State University (NWMO)  Maryville

Students who meet certain criteria, such as GPAs, test scores and academic interests, could be automatically accepted to the university.

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The program comes in an effort to boost student enrollment. UMSL officials tell St. Louis Public Radio that the program intends to reduce stress that comes with college applications and also simplify the process for first-generation or low-income students.

Prospective students involved in the program are also encouraged to tour colleges participating in the program. For more information about the Niche Direct Admissions program, click here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida man was arrested for attacking a police dog and using Facebook to threaten law enforcement on Tuesday, according to the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office.

Matthew Mead, 38, requested to speak with a sergeant to make sure law enforcement is on the same page as me, to ensure he wouldnt be pulled over for a suspended license.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd discusses arrest of Family Elder Law attorney

Mead told the sergeant that the deputies had two seconds to step away from his vehicle before he would fire a bullet through his door, but, according to the report, no deputies were there.

The suspect then warned authorities that the next deputy to pull him over would get shot, after expressing his extreme discontent with law enforcement following several traffic infractions which led to a $500 fine. These citations added fuel to his hatred for authorities, the report said.

During the call, officials said Mead made a post on Facebook, tagging the sheriffs office saying, Its official! Extortion is going to meet bullets!! F*** that drivers licensewarning to pigsmake contactget shot.

He also told the sergeant he would live free or die, even if it meant losing his life in the process.

On Wednesday evening, deputies attempted to pull over Mead outside his Punta Gorda home, but he wouldnt stop, so they blew out his front right tire using stop sticks.

VIDEO: Homeless man beats, stabs Florida parkgoers who offered food

A police dog was sent to his vehicle to detain Mead, following a series of failed stun gun attempts, when he began striking the dog with a chair. The report said he grabbed the dogs collar and harness, putting him into a headlock.

Deputies said Mead refused to release the animal, but then eventually walked the dog towards officials before letting him go.

He then told deputies he committed those crimes because he wanted to be left alone.

Mead was arrested on charges of using a deadly weapon on a police dog, causing bodily harm to a police dog, sending a written threat to kill, and violating a domestic violence injunction for the possession of a firearm or ammo. He was taken to the Charlotte County Jail.

The arrest report also revealed Meads previous run-ins with the law including, threatening more authorities with statements about having a shootout if a cop showed up or blowing their faces off, in reference to blaming deputies for getting him fired. Mead also fled from deputies and was found to be in possession of marijuana.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Tyler Habdas has been sentenced to five years in prison for secretly recording a minor, the Flagler County Sheriffs Office announced in a news release.

On Jan. 20, 2023, the sheriffs office began investigating Habdas. After analyzing his phone, authorities found images and secret recordings of the victim dating back several months.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Habdas was arrested in May 2023 and the trial took place in July 2022.

He was found guilty by a jury in July on five counts of Unlawful Use of a Two-way Communication Device, three counts of Video Voyeurism involving a Victim Under 12, and Child Abuse.

After his time in prison, Habdas will serve eight years of sex offender probation.

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By Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's centre-left government said on Thursday it planned to introduce targeted artificial intelligence rules including human intervention and transparency amid a rapid rollout of AI tools by businesses and in everyday life.

Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic unveiled 10 new voluntary guidelines on AI systems and said the government has opened a month-long consultation over whether to make them mandatory in the future in high-risk settings.

"Australians know AI can do great things but people want to know there are protections in place if things go off the rails," Husic said in a statement. "Australians want stronger protections on AI, we've heard that, we've listened."

The report containing the guidelines said it was critical to enable human control as required across an AI system's lifecycle.

"Meaningful human oversight will let you intervene if you need to and reduce the potential for unintended consequences and harms," the report said. Companies must be transparent to disclose AI's role when generating content, it added.

Regulators around the world have raised concerns about misinformation and fake news contributed by AI tools amid the rising popularity of generative AI systems such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.

As a result, the European Union in May passed landmark AI laws, imposing strict transparency obligations on high-risk AI systems that are more comprehensive than a light-touch voluntary compliance approach in several countries.

"We don't think that there is a right to self-regulation any more. I think we've passed that threshold," Husic told ABC News.

Australia has no specific laws to regulate AI, though in 2019 it introduced eight voluntary principles for its responsible use. A government report published this year said the current settings were not adequate enough to tackle high-risk scenarios.

Husic said only one-third of businesses using AI were implementing it responsibly on metrics such as safety, fairness, accountability and transparency.

"Artificial intelligence is expected to create up to 200,000 jobs in Australia by 2030 ... so it's crucial that Australian businesses are equipped to properly develop and use the technology," he said.

(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Emergency responders were called to an Orlando home in June to treat an unresponsive child. When they arrived, they found 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions bloodied and severely wounded

. What they didnt know is her injuries were no freak accident. Instead, it would be months before the true details of the malicious attack would come to light.



Police arrested Tyshael Elise Martin almost three months after Sessions June death, according to Fox News. The 34-year-old has been charged with first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect after police say she tortured and killed the young girl, per the Lake County Sheriffs Office.

Martin first told deputies she found the young girl cold and unresponsive when she went to wake her and other children in the house up, according to an affidavit obtained by WESH 2, but Sessions autopsy told a more sinister story.

The medical examiners office determined Sessions suffered multiple abrasions, bruises, burns, and bite marks likely stemming from physical abuse. It wasnt until investigators got hold of the security footage inside the house that the full story unfolded, according to Fox 35.



In the footage from June 15, 2024, the familys 103-pound Rottweiler attacks the nine-year-old girl as her stepmother, Martin, very clearly holds the dogs leash while directing the assault, according to investigators. Martin can also be seen repeatedly kicking Sessions as she laid on the floor motionless.

The brutal incident happened all in front of Martins other children, according to the affidavit. Also in the video, Martin allegedly says Im fixin to kill her, speaking of the nine-year-old.

After listing Sessions died from blunt force trauma to the head and thermal injury to the foot, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide. The Lake County Sheriffs Office said it was the worst case of aggravated child abuse weve ever seen, according to Fox 35.

Additional videos, and text messages revealed punishment for the nine-year-old included wall sits, running in place with her arms raised, being hit with various objects, and receiving kicks, punches, and pinches, reports Fox 35.



Martin was denied bond and remains in custody.

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Florida woman defrauded VA out of $300K in benefits meant for her mother: DOJ

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida woman is accused of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs out of over $300,000 in federal benefits meant for her mother.

Laurie Roszelle, 65, of Fort Myers, began collecting fraudulent benefits from the VA following her mothers death in 2005, according to a release from the Department of Justice.

Roszelle is accused of forging her mothers signature and pretending that she was still alive during interviews with the VA.

She is charged with one count of wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO)  A woman shot and killed an intruder who broke into her home Wednesday morning, according to Chicago Police.

Authorities said officers responded to the 700 block of Laramie Avenue around 6:41 a.m.

Police said two armed men broke into a home. A 23-year-old woman, who police said had a valid Firearm Owners Identification, got into a shootout with the offenders. One suspect was shot in the chest.

He was transported to Mt. Sinai where he later died, police said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
Food-tech startup uses unique collaboration to develop plant-based alternatives: 'We ended up working to help endangered species'

NotCo is a forward-thinking food-tech company that aims to change the food industry by creating plant-based products with the help of data and artificial intelligence.

The founder, Matias Muchnik, became a health nut during his stint playing rugby and had difficulty in nailing down the best food choices for fitness and well-being, according to a profile by SOSV. Vegan options were confusing and often very processed.

"Whenever an industry is generating that much confusion, it's because the industry is broken and there are conflicts of interest," as Muchnik explained.

After finding success with Eggless Company, a vegan mayo startup, by 2015, the Chile-based entrepreneur reached out to Karim Pichara, a professor and AI researcher who many of Muchnik's friends had studied with, as SOSV detailed.

The newly created NotCo then received the funding it needed to set the company into action, developing plant-based products with the help of its own AI called "Giuseppe."

By creating scalable plant-based versions of animal products, they hoped to reduce polluting gases like methane, a byproduct from livestock farming that accounts for 32% of all human-caused output. The industry generates around 15% of all planet-warming pollution, which is greater than the transportation sector.

The latest innovation to come from NotCo, as Reuters reported, is a dish that tastes like the exotic (and frequently illegal) turtle soup. Using their AI, they aimed to recreate the dish as closely as possible using plant-based ingredients while raising awareness about the endangered green turtle.

"We wanted to generate an impact through artificial intelligence," said Bernardo Moltedo, NotCo's AI culinary science leader, per the report.

"We have been working on this for several years. We always ask ourselves 'why not,' that's why we ended up working to help endangered species, as is the case with turtle soup," he said.

It's been hard going for these primarily vegetarian turtles, which face threats by commercial fishing, loss of habitats due to coastal development, and the changing climate.

NotCo's work is reshaping food research and development by speeding up the process in finding and combining plant-based ingredients. If successful, it could help revive the flagging market for these products, some of which have seen sales fall by 13% in the past two years, as Wired noted.

Switching to more sustainable food sources helps protect the environment and provides health benefits at the same time. Forward-thinking companies like NotCo are choosing to develop meat alternatives using plants, with offerings like faux pork ribs with edible vegan bones to help sway consumers. Others are simply bypassing the cultivation of live animals with lab-grown meat.

If we could replace half of our meat products with plant-based ones, we could potentially reduce pollution by one-third by 2050. As Muchnik shared in an interview with Refrigeration & Frozen Foods, AI may be the key to producing the satisfying food experiences everyone craves while reducing the industry's deleterious footprint.

"By understanding taste at the molecular level and interpreting the emotion our brains associate with it, Giuseppe can recreate these experiences through flavor and aroma using only plant-based ingredients."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Longtime Russia expert and Trump 2016 campaign adviser Dimitri Simes allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by working as a high-paid presenter at sanctioned Russian state TV station Channel One Russia.

There, he was lavished with more than $1m, a personal car, and an apartment in Moscow, according to a pair of federal indictments unsealed on Thursday.

These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine, U.S. Attorney Matthew M Graves said in a statement to the Association Press.

Such violations harm our national security interests  a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a U.S. citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.

Simes, 76, was the longtime head of the Center for the National Interest think tank and advised the 2016 Trump campaign on foreign policy.

Contacts between Simes, the center, Russian officials, and the Trump campaign were described in the Mueller report into Russian interference in US politics, though Simes was not accused of any wrongdoing.

Indictments accuse Dimitri and Anastasia Simes of violating U.S. sanctions targeting Russia by working for state TV and buying art for a sanctioned oligarch (Photo host Agency RIA Novosti)

The Independent has contacted Simess long-time lawyer, Channel One, and the Russian government for comment.

The Trump campaign pointed The Independent towards posts Trump made Thursday on Truth Social, where he claimed, Kamala Harris and her Department of Justice are trying to interfere in and suppress the Election in favor of the Democrats by resurrecting the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and trying to say that Russia is trying to help me, which is absolutely FALSE.

Simes began working with the TV network in 2018 and was allegedly aware of the sanctions levied against it in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, but continued to work with the channel, hosting the program The Great Game.

At Channel One, he got direction about the nature of his coverage from network officials, met with Russian government members, and spoke to Vladimir Putin by phone in 2023, according to the indictment.

The policy expert also allegedly tried to launder the proceeds of his work for the state network.

Last month, following an FBI search at his estate in Virginia, Simes said he was unaware of the allegations against him and accused U.S. officials of seeking to intimidate him.

It clearly is an attempt to intimidate, not only somebody from Russia, but just anyone who goes against official policies and particularly against the deep state, he told the Russian network Sputnik.

In his interview with Sputnik, Simes added that he hadnt been in the United States since 2022.

A second indictment alleges Simess wife Anastasia separately violated US sanctions by buying art and antiques for Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov, a Russian oligarch sanctioned in 2023 for his management consulting work on the Russian economy.

The indictment alleges Anastasia Simes bought more than 900 artworks from over 30 arthouses and galleries across the U.S. and Europe, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase the works, which were stored at the residence in Virginia for later shipment to Russia. In exchange, she allegedly received a fee.

The Independent was unable to contact Udodov for comment.

The indictments, heard before a grand jury in June, come amid renewed scrutiny of alleged Russian influence over U.S. public affairs in the run-up to the 2024 election.

In August, the FBI reportedly searched the home of Russia Today contributor Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector and critic of U.S. foreign policy.

Im being targeted because I have made an effort to try to improve relations between the United States and Russia, to try to bring about arms control. To try to bring about peace, Ritter told the Delmar, New York-based Spotlight News site the day of the search. Apparently, someone in the U.S. government takes umbrage at this.

This week, federal law enforcement agencies also revealed they have seized 32 Russian-backed websites that prosecutors say were designed to spread disinformation and boost the 2024 Trump campaign, and charged two employees of Russian state network RT with launching a $10m propaganda scheme using popular right-wing social media influencers.
Thirteen former cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy accused overseers of the Connecticut school on Thursday of failing to prevent sexual violence on campus and covering it up, in federal complaints seeking $10 million apiece in damages.

The former cadets, who all say they were sexually assaulted at the academy from the 1980s to more recent years, filed Federal Tort Claims Act administrative complaints against the Coast Guard, its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and its former parent agency, the Department of Transportation.

They allege the Coast Guard's failure to put adequate policies and practices in place allowed sexual violence to go unchecked at the academy in New London, Connecticut, and that officials covered up the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment at the school.

Coast Guard officials said in a statement that the service had received the complaints, but they were barred by federal law from discussing them. They said the service is devoting significant resources to improving prevention, victim support, and accountability. 

Sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in our Service, the statement said. The Coast Guard is committed to protecting our workforce and ensuring a safe and respectful environment that eliminates sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other harmful behaviors.

The complaints follow revelations the Coast Guard kept secret a probe, called Operation Fouled Anchor, into sexual assault and harassment on campus. The investigation found that dozens of cases involving cadets from 1990 to 2006 had been mishandled by the school, including the prevention of some perpetrators from being prosecuted.

The revelations, first reported by CNN, sparked calls for major reforms and long-awaited accountability for offenders and those who protected them. There are multiple government and congressional investigations underway looking into the mishandling of serious misbehavior at the school and beyond.

What happened to these individuals at the academy has really had a lifelong impact, said Christine Dunn, a lawyer who is representing the former cadets. Some of them are still suffering from active PTSD. As a result, their careers have been ruined. As a result, marriages have been ruined.

Coast Guard officials have previously said theyre taking action to change and improve the culture at the academy and in the service in response to the allegations raised in the Operation Fouled Anchor investigation.

Among the former cadets who filed a complaint Thursday is a woman named in the papers as Jane Doe 1, who said she was raped twice at the academy and later gang-raped multiple times while serving on a ship after graduating from the school.

After the first rape on campus, she said she didn't think she could report it because it would be her word against that of the well-liked senior cadet she said attacked her. She also said she had heard of other female cadets who were not believed when they raised sexual misconduct allegations.

About a year later, she said she did inform a campus official that she was attacked, although she did not provide details or the name of the alleged attacker. The official did not formally report it, she said. Years later, she reported it herself to Coast Guard officials. Disciplinary proceedings were held against the alleged attacker but were dismissed, she said. Officials told her too much time had passed for a successful prosecution, she said.

She said she didn't feel like she could report the subsequent rapes.

The culture of silence and victim-blaming perpetuated in the Coast Guard prevented me from immediately reporting what happened to me each time, and caused me to completely lose my physical, emotional, and mental stability, she said in her complaint.

She said she not only has suffered psychological anguish but physical trauma as well. She said she has suffered chronic pain because of the attacks including a pelvic disorder and migraines and that she had several abdominal surgeries including a hysterectomy because of her injuries.

Another former cadet, named as Jane Doe 2, said she was raped at the academy but did not immediately report it because of how other women were treated when they raised similar allegations. She said that when she did report it to a superior, she was never called to testify as part of any investigation. She also alleged that school officials discouraged her from reporting the rape and said her written statement about the attack had been lost.

She said the mental and physical trauma she suffered affected her career and personal life, including low-rated performance reviews and the end of her first marriage.

I have chronic insomnia and constantly need to ensure my sleeping and living space is safe and all doors are locked, she said in her complaint. I have severe anxiety. I have experienced stress related health problems including low thyroid, infertility, core issues, and a lack of sexual satisfaction. It has harmed my current marriage.

After the filing of such complaints under the Federal Tort Claims Act, the Coast Guard has six months or longer to investigate the allegations. If the service dismisses the complaints, the former cadets could file federal lawsuits, Dunn said.

The former cadets' lawyers say they expect more victims to come forward because of the complaints filed Thursday.

Today marks a historic turning point in addressing the epidemic of sexual violence at the Coast Guard Academy," said J. Ryan Melogy, another lawyer for the former cadets. For far too long, the Coast Guard has relied on a culture of silence, fear, and retaliation to keep survivors from seeking accountability for the horrific injustices they faced as cadets.
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

FORMER DEMOCRATIC SENATOR GOES MAGA

On Wednesday, former California Democratic Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero followed the recent example of Sen. Maria Alvarado-Gil and changed her party affiliation to Republican.

In a press conference hosted by conservative pundit, and rumored gubernatorial candidate, Steve Hilton, Romero on Wednesday fully embraced party leader Donald Trump, as well as anti-vaxxer and former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she called a personal hero and whom she claimed Democratic establishment elites kept from seeking the party nomination.

Today I say goodbye, adios, Ive had enough, Romero said in prepared remarks.

She wasnt kidding.

The newly minted Republican hit all the popular GOP talking points as she detailed why she left the states ruling party: Crime, gender identity, COVID-19 lockdowns, gas stoves, school choice  the latter of which she cited as a moment she began to see the writing on the wall in 2009 and 2010.

Romero, who was a California delegate for Rev. Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama and who listed Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy as household heroes, told assembled media that this is not the Democratic Party that I once championed. I do not recognize it anymore and I cannot continue.

Romero said she will vote for Trump in November and that she would happily work for his campaign if asked.

That might not sit well with voters in the Golden State, where the Republican nominee remains unpopular.

In the latest Public Policy Institute of California survey, which came out before President Joe Biden stepped aside so Vice President Kamala Harris could be the party nominee, just 30% of likely voters supported Trump.

Romeros alignment with the GOP didnt happen out of the blue.

In 2021, she prominently endorsed conservative talk show host Larry Elders campaign to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the failed recall election.

Romero served as California state senator from 2001 to 2010, and she spent three of those years (2005 to 2008) as the Senate majority leader. She was the first woman ever to hold that position.

HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL WADES INTO PARENTS RIGHTS DEBATE

In the latest salvo in the battle between the City of Huntington Beach and the State of California, the Huntington Beach City Council this week voted 4-3 to officially declare the city a Parents Right To Know City.

The ordinance seeks to ban school employees from withholding information about students gender identity or sexual orientation from their parents, and also empowers the city to sue the state to block AB 1955, the newly passed state law which prohibits school districts from disclosing a childs gender identity against their will.

Its unclear what authority the city government has to set policy for school district employees; according to the Orange County Tribune, there are three school districts in the city, each with their own governing board.

The decision will likely lead to further legal entanglements between Huntington Beach and the state. It was hailed by the Liberty Justice Center, which has been representing various California school districts in their legal challenge of AB 1955, which said in a statement, We are encouraged by the leadership of Huntington Beach City Council in enacting an ordinance that declares Huntington Beach a Parents Right to Know City.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Another school year. Another school shooting. Absolutely heartbreaking that we continue to allow this to happen to our kids.

- California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to the shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, via X.

Best of The Bee:
Newly appointed France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier looks on during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon. Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium via ZUMA Press/dpa

Former EU heavyweight Michel Barnier was named as the new French prime minister on Thursday by President Emmanuel Macron and vowed to cause "disruption" in a bid to bring the nation together.

Macron "has tasked him with forming a united government to serve the country and the French people," the Elysee Palace announced.

The appointment of the conservative comes some two months after a snap parliamentary election called by centrist Macron resulted in a broad left-wing alliance coming out on top.

But no party or political alliance secured enough seats in the National Assembly, resulting in a hung parliament and weeks of political uncertainty.

It remains to be seen whether Barnier will be able to form a government coalition with a working majority. Macron had held days of talks with all sides in parliament to try to sound out the broadest and most stable government possible.

"This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the government to come would ... be as stable as possible and give themselves the chance to bring together as many people as possible," the Elysee added.

Oldest French prime minister on taking job

The 73-year-old Barnier, the oldest person to take up the role, has a political career spanning decades and is an influential figure in France's centre-right Republicans party.

He was French environment minister, foreign minister and agriculture minister between 1993 and 2009.

He has worked two stints as an EU commissioner. He also served as the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator.

French conservatives have emphasised that they do not want to be part of a coalition, but they are likely to at least tolerate a government led by Barnier.

There will be "changes and disruptions," he told reporters in Paris.

France is "in a serious situation" and a new chapter is about to begin. "We will act more than we talk," Barnier added.

He said he wanted to "respond to the challenges, the anger, the suffering, the sense of abandonment and injustice that pervade our cities, our neighbourhoods and our rural areas far too much."

What is needed is more listening and respect between the government and parliament, between the political parties themselves and with the public, the new premier added.

He is now set to have the support of the Macron camp in parliament but it is difficult to predict how and if he will get the necessary backing from the resurgent left.

It is possible that the far right will tolerate him - out of support for Barnier's restrictive positions on migration policy.

Macron forced to give up some power

France's system has a powerful president, akin to the US, but also a prime minister who runs business in parliament and tries to push through legislation.

Given the elections result, however, the liberal Macron will have to relinquish some authority. The prime minister will become more important as head of government policy, with Macron retaining the upper hand in foreign affairs.

Macron called July's elections after a disappointing showing from his camp in the EU parliamentary poll in June.

The left-wing alliance New Popular Front came out ahead of Macron's centrist forces and the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen, which had been in front after the first round of voting.

None of the groupings received an absolute majority and the process of forming a French government has therefore stalled. Previous prime minister Gabriel Attal, the youngest ever at 34, led a caretaker government until now.

Macron said in a statement: "Thank you dear Gabriel Attal for these eight months as prime minister.

"Through the government, you have moved the country forward and contributed to its influence at an important time - at the service of our fellow citizens, with France at your heart."

The main challenge for Macron was to find a new prime minister who did not have a majority against him and could avoid being toppled.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., listens as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, June 28, 2022. Cheney announced Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2024, that she will support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. | J. Scott Applewhite

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney announced Wednesday that she will support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Cheney, the former chair of the House Republican Caucus, became a staunch critic of former President Donald Trump after his refusal to concede the 2020 election and the subsequent U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, Cheney said during an event at Duke University on Wednesday. As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. Because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Cheney had said she would not support Trump in the 2024 election, and she considered running for president herself. But she had not gone as far as endorsing the Democratic nominee.

In May 2023, Cheney finished third among Utah Republican voters in a hypothetical poll of Republican presidential candidates, behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, represented Wyoming in the U.S House of Representatives for three terms, from 2017 to 2023. During that span, she garnered a reputation as one of the most conservative members of Congress, voting with Trump over 90% of the time. In 2019, The New York Times reported she privately debated with her colleagues about who is Trumpier.

Cheney voted to acquit Trump in his 2020 impeachment trial. She split publicly with Trump after the 2020 election, though, and voted to impeach him in 2021 over his incitement of insurrection on Jan. 6.

No matter what your policy views are  no matter if you are a conservative Republican or not  Donald Trump cannot be trusted with power, Cheney said Wednesday. The power of the presidency is the most awesome power of any office anywhere in the world, and the character of the people we elect really matters. ... Donald Trump, if he is reelected, will be far more dangerous than we have ever seen before.

Cheney called on her fellow conservatives to think about the stakes of the 2024 election and to put our country and our Constitution above partisanship.

Cheneys criticism of Trump following the 2020 election provoked ire from many in the Republican conference, leading to her ouster as conference chair in 2021. Later that year, she was named vice chair of the House January 6th Committee, which oversaw an investigation of the insurrection.

The Harris campaign has made a play for Republican votes and endorsements. Harris promised to appoint a Republican to her Cabinet if she is elected. Several Republicans spoke at the Democratic National Convention, including former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who participated on the Jan. 6 Committee with Cheney.

The vice president is proud to have earned Congresswoman Cheneys vote, Jen OMalley Dillon, chair of the Harris-Walz campaign, said in a statement. She is a patriot who loves this country and puts our democracy and our Constitution first.
Former Gov. Rick Perry is back in Texas government as a senior adviser to House Speaker Dade Phelan.

Phelan made the announcement Thursday morning in a news release touting Perry's previous posts as a state representative, agriculture commissioner, lieutenant governor and governor. Perry, a staunch Republican who was the longest-serving governor in state history before running for president and serving as U.S. Secretary of Energy under President Donald Trump, will be a senior adviser in a volunteer capacity. He joined Phelan's team on Thursday and will serve until the start of the next legislative session in January.

"Governor Perrys legacy of service to Texas is unparalleled, and I am honored to have him join our team as we prepare for the upcoming legislative session," Phelan said in a statement. "From his time as governor, lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and state representative, he understands every facet of the legislative process, and that will be a tremendous asset as we work to strengthen our state's economy, improve education and ensure every members voice is heard in the Texas House this session."

At the Texas Tribune Festival on Thursday, Perry called Phelan a "fair and honest broker," but repeatedly called on state leaders to figure out a way to work together.

"I get the concept of having policy disagreements. Don't let it feed over into personal animosity," Perry told the packed ballroom as he and Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp regaled the crowd with stories on how they worked together across the political aisle throughout their careers.

"That's my hope here  that the Senate, House, the governor  they can find the wisdom to come together to work on these issues that are important to state of Texas," Perry added.

In joining the team, Perry gives Phelan a bona fide conservative on his side as he tries to shake off challenges for the chamber's leadership from three other Republicans: Cypress Rep. Tom Oliverson, Stephenville Rep. Shelby Slawson and Mansfield Rep. David Cook. Phelan's challengers have accused the Beaumont Republican of being insufficiently conservative and holding up legislation supported by hard-line conservatives. Those criticisms have persisted even as Phelan oversaw the passage of some of the most conservative legislation in the state's history on loosening gun restrictions and restricting abortion.

Perry joins a team newly helmed by his old chief of staff and House compatriot, Mike Toomey, a political veteran who also previously served as a senior adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott. Toomey joined the team last month in moves that are seen as efforts to placate criticisms that Phelan is insufficiently conservative and to repair relationships with Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the latter of whom remains a Phelan antagonist.

This week, Patrick, a hardline social conservative, posted criticism of Phelan on social media, nicknaming him a "RINORAD (Republican in Name Only, Really A Democrat)" and questioning Phelan's reasons for supporting the impeachment last year of Attorney General Ken Paxton on corruption and bribery allegations. Paxton, a conservative darling, also encouraged House members on social media this week to "dump Dade."

Perry is a Texas political stalwart, first joining the Texas House in 1985 as a Democrat before switching parties in 1989 as the state's political winds shifted to favor Republicans. In 1990, he was elected agriculture commissioner before becoming lieutenant governor in 1999. When Gov. George W. Bush left the governor's mansion for the White House after his election win in 2000, Perry was elevated to the governorship, a position he maintained until Jan. 2015. He remains the longest-serving governor in Texas history.

Throughout his career, Perry has known how to navigate the state's political shifts. After the 2010 Tea Party wave, Perry embraced the group's ideas and he was the first governor to emphasize the hardline border security push that is now commonplace in Texas government.

Perry said he was honored to join Phelan's team at a crucial time in Texas history.

"The Texas House is not only where I began my career in public service, its a bedrock of balanced governance in our stategiving every voice, from the most rural to the most urban, a chance to be heard," Perry said in a statement. "I look forward to working with the Speaker, his team and all House members to strengthen the institution and build on its proud legacy of leadership, innovation and conservative results. Together, we will keep Texas on the path of success for future generations."

Kate McGee contributed to this report.

As The Texas Tribune's signature event of the year, The Texas Tribune Festival brings Texans closer to politics, policy and the days news from Texas and beyond. Browse on-demand recordings and catch up on the biggest headlines from Festival events at the Tribunes Festival news page.
(Reuters) -Paramount Global's chair, Shari Redstone, will receive $180 million in severance and other benefits on top of millions from the sale of her stock in National Amusements to Skydance Media, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

Redstone holds a 20% stake in National Amusements, Paramount's controlling shareholder, through two trusts in her name and is in line to receive about $350 million from its sale, the report said, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Skydance CEO David Ellison's group will also pay off obligations that include a $70 million severance package for Redstone and an unfunded pension liability of $110 million as part of the acquisition, Bloomberg added.

Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that Paramount will be controlled by software billionaire Larry Ellison after Skydance completes its purchase of the Redstone family's interest in the film and TV company.

Larry will own 77.5% of National Amusements through a trust and series of corporations, Bloomberg reported, citing a filing with the US Federal Communications Commission.

Larry's son David will serve as Paramount's chairman and CEO. He will have operational control of the business, a spokesperson for Skydance told Bloomberg.

Paramount Global and Skydance Media did not respond to Reuters' requests for comments.

Skydance signed a deal in July to acquire Paramount in a complex two-step process, with Larry, the co-founder of Oracle Corp, backing the proposal.

Skydance and its deal partners, including RedBird Capital Partners, will acquire National Amusements for $2.4 billion in cash.

Skydance will subsequently merge with Paramount, offering $4.5 billion in cash or stock to shareholders and providing an additional $1.5 billion for Paramount's balance sheet.

In August, media veteran Edgar Bronfman Jr withdrew from the race for Paramount, clearing the way for Skydance to take control of Shari Redstone's media empire and ending one of the most chaotic media bidding wars in recent history.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Maju Samuel)
Iowa State University and resigned VP for Finance and Operations Shawn Norman are facing a lawsuit alleging sex and age discrimination toward a terminated employee. (Photo by Perry Beeman/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa State University and former Vice President for Finance and Operations Shawn Norman are facing a lawsuit from a former employee who alleges she faced discrimination on the basis of her age and sex.

Former ISU Director of Facilities Services Christine Maduro filed suit July 31, claiming that she has suffered immense mental, physical, and emotional distress as a result of actions taken by Norman during her employment and when she was let go without justification or evidence of wrongdoing, according to the lawsuit.

Norman left ISU in December after less than one year in the position, signing a separation agreement with the university that had him receive $124,000 in a separation payment and affirm that he wouldnt sue the university. Caitlynn Miller, another ISU employee who served under Norman, will also receive $124,000 through a settlement agreement after alleging she experienced harassment and retaliation.

Ms. Maduro was discriminated against because she was an older woman when Mr. Norman refused to work with Ms. Maduro, when Mr. Norman promoted someone else to a position who was less qualified than Ms. Maduro, and subsequently terminated from her position without just cause and with no evidence of wrongdoing, the lawsuit alleged.

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ISU spokesperson Angie Hunt said in an email that the university has no comment on the lawsuit.

Maduro, 57, was hired by ISU in August 2021 to work as its associate director of facilities services, under then-director Bob Currie. According to the suit, Maduro received satisfactory ratings in her performance reviews during this time.

While serving as associate director, the lawsuit stated that Maduro would attend tours of campus with Norman, Currie and Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management Paul Fuligni, in order to show Norman areas of facilities in need of maintenance.

On April 14, 2023, Maduro was selected to take over from Currie after his retirement, according to the suit. During this process Norman informed Fuligni, who would now directly oversee Maduro, that he wanted to be involved in the process to select a new director, but was informed that Maduro had already accepted the position.

Once in her new role, the lawsuit alleged that Norman began canceling previously scheduled tours and meetings.

On June 5, 2023, Norman said in a meeting that Fuligni was retiring and that Wendy Kisch, who had also applied for the role Maduro was accepted for, would fulfill his role on an interim basis, according to the suit.

This came as a shock to Ms. Maduro and others as Ms. Kisch did not have the adequate background or skills needed to be elevated to Mr. Fulignis position of Associate Vice President, the suit stated. Despite Ms. Maduro being in a senior position to Ms. Kisch, Mr. Norman selected Ms. Kisch virtually jumping Ms. Maduro in promotional status.

In a later town hall meeting with the department, the lawsuit alleged that Norman discussed planned restructuring of the department, in which certain individuals would not survive.

During Maduros time as director, the one meeting she held with Norman in her new position was on June 13, 2023, with a member of the universitys human resources department, according to the suit, wherein she was told by Norman that there was an investigation into her.

The lawsuit alleged that Maduro never knew of the investigation and had no chance to defend herself. Norman told her during the June meeting that Human Resources wouldnt allow him to discuss the investigation, and that her management style did not align with Mr. Normans vision for the department, according to the suit. He then notified Maduro that she was terminated from her position.

Maduro appealed her termination around June 30, 2023, but it was upheld by ISU President Wendy Wintersteen, according to the suit, who stated that Maduro couldnt create a collaborative work environment or implement Mr. Normans vision within the department. There was an investigation into the department, Wintersteen confirmed, but not into Maduro herself. It also began on April 12, 2023, before she entered her new role, according to the suit.

Two other managers in the department were also terminated at the same time as Maduro, but were already in their positions when the investigation began and were interviewed as part of it.

Though the university has a policy of progressive discipline, according to the suit, Maduro never received any notice of violating rules or regulations that would create the need for that policy. She was also never told to alter her management style or conduct, and never held meetings with Norman to discuss his vision, her lawsuit claimed.

According to the suit, the university has given a variety of reasons for Maduros termination, though her resignation letter only stated that Norman was exercising his rights to terminate her as an at-will employee. When applying for unemployment benefits, the suit alleged that the university challenged it and said she was fired for gross misconduct and not following instruction, policy or contract, of any which she was informed about.

Ms. Maduros employment was permeated with discriminatory and hostile views, specifically from Mr. Norman, towards older women in the workplace who worked in Ms. Maduros management position, the suit alleged.

Maduro filed employment discrimination and termination charges against ISU and Norman with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in November, and received a letter indicating her right to sue in May. She was the first woman to hold the role of director of facilities services, according to the suit, and oversaw 300 employees in facilities services departments across campus.

At all times material, Ms. Maduro enjoyed her position and desired to continue her tenure with ISU, believing in the positive impact she had on the company, the lawsuit stated.

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DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A former House Parent for Milton Hershey School is accused of sexually abusing an underage girl multiple times, according to charging documents.

Efrain Massanet-Murray, 38, of Middletown, is accused of assaulting the child since last summer by allegedly touching her sexually, making inappropriate comments, and giving her alcohol, Derry Township Police said in the charges filed.

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Massanet-Murray was fired as a House Parent amid the school learning of the investigation involving allegations made by a non Milton Hershey School student, according to the school.

We hold all employees to the highest standards, said the Milton Hershey School. Our houseparent applicants undergo a rigorous vetting process, with protocols in place to govern background checks and numerous direct and third-party reviews. We work diligently to be at the forefront of best and evolving practices in child safety, and we will remain vigilant in maintaining this unwavering focus.

A report was received by police in May regarding suspected child abuse, where Massanet-Murray allegedly touched her while they were watching a movie, according to a criminal complaint.

The victim also described being given alcohol and disclosed multiple instances where Massanet-Murray touched them inappropriately, offered money for sexual favors, or discussed inappropriate topics.

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Massanet-Murray faces numerous charges that include felony counts of aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of minors. He also faces multiple related misdemeanor charges.

Massanet-Murray is out on unsecured bail set at $10,000 and awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 10.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
A federal judge on Wednesday shaved 15 months off of a Jan. 6 defendant's sentence, a direct result of the Supreme Court's recent ruling limiting the scope of an obstruction charge used to prosecute hundreds of rioters.

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper sentenced former police officer Thomas Robertson  who was sentenced two years ago to 87 months in prison after a jury convicted him for his role in the mob attack  to 72 months. Robertsons resentencing came after prosecutors dropped the obstruction charge against him, one of the first examples of the impact of the high courts ruling on Jan. 6 sentences.

Cooper said Wednesday the decision was not a reflection of any change in his thinking on the seriousness of Robertsons crimes  he emphasized that what occurred on Jan. 6 is not hyperbole  it was a real harm. But he said he struggled to see how he could maintain the original sentence in light of the Supreme Courts ruling.

Prosecutors had urged Cooper, however, to reimpose the 87-month sentence Cooper initially handed down, arguing that despite the Supreme Courts decision to alter the legal landscape, the original sentence was still an accurate reflection of the gravity of Robertsons offenses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi said the damage done to the country must not be treated as just another crime and that the defendant was prepared to start a rebellion and attack the nations democracy.

Aloi assured the court that nothing Robertson did changed. His offense targeted the peaceful transfer of power, Aloi said. Theres no reason to second guess that decision.

Robertson traveled to Washington, D.C., with fellow officer Jacob Fracker, who later pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, on Jan. 6. Both officers with the Rocky Mount, Virginia, Police Department were off-duty.

Prior to attending the rally near the Washington Monument, the defendants left their police badges and firearms in the car. Robertson stormed the Capitol wearing a gas mask with a wooden stick in his hand that jurors said he had used as a weapon to confront police. A few months before Jan. 6, Robertson made a post on Facebook suggesting he spent his life fighting a counter insurgency, and that he was about to become a part of a very effective one.

Prosecutors argued that Robertson was a leader who organized and recruited two people, came dressed for the occasion and destroyed both his and Frackers phones to bury evidence. They said his offenses affected the investigation and are the reason they were unable to charge the third person.

Aloi cited Coopers concerns during Robertsons sentencing in 2022, when the judge said Robertson might engage in another call of violence because of his lack of remorse. He was not a bystander, he was a willing participant, he had an oath to uphold, Aloi said, quoting Coopers 2022 sentencing remarks.

Robertson approached the bench wearing an orange uniform to give remarks before Cooper resentenced him.

Jan. 6 was a bad day, Robertson said. My participation allowed bad things to happen that should not have. Robertson then recalled Coopers observation that he would likely revert back to the same activity.

You didnt think I was properly dissuaded from doing this again, Robertson said to the judge. I promise you, you will not have the same concern.

Cooper replied: Your conduct halted the certification of a government function.  I would be hard-pressed to increase back to 87 if this were a clean slate.
A former sheriff's deputy was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a teenage girl, authorities said. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

A former Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy and his nephew were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl, according to authorities and jail records.

The ex-deputy  68-year-old Benny Caluya  is also accused of sexual assault, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He was arrested Aug. 28 by Lancaster sheriffs deputies, and his bail was set at $250,000.

His nephew, 49-year-old Clifford Abihai is accused of kidnapping, according to the department. His bail was set at $100,000.

Both suspects were released on bond the day of their arrest and are due back in court Sept. 30 at the Antelope Valley Courthouse. It's unclear how the men knew the alleged victim or what lead to their arrest.

Officials said detectives with the department's Special Victims Bureau will present the case to local prosecutors for filing consideration before the upcoming court date.

Records from the states Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training show that Caluya first joined the Sheriffs Department as a reserve deputy in 1979. He then worked as a deputy at the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department for a little over a year before returning to the L.A. County Sheriffs Department as a deputy in 1982.

He resigned in 2001, for unclear reasons. State records show his peace officer certification is no longer active.

When reached by phone for comment Thursday, Caluya referred all questions to Mark Gallagher, his attorney. Gallagher confirmed that he is representing Caluya but declined to comment.

Abihai also said he had retained a lawyer, but he did not remember his name.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former supervisor arrested after more than $100,000 in drug money went missing from AGs office

Charges have been filed against a former employee after money went missing from the Attorney Generals Narcotics Office in North Huntingdon.

We first told you about this missing drug money in May as part of an 11 Investigates Exclusive, when agents discovered $100,000 in drug forfeiture money and drug buy money was unaccounted for.

After leaving the Attorney Generals Office in February 2024, Brenda Sawyer took over as Chief of Police in the McKeesport Area School District. The solicitor tells Channel 11 she is now on leave pending an investigation.

Her North Versailles home was raided in May as part of the investigation.

In addition to the theft at the narcotics office, Sawyer is accused of stealing money from a local NAACP chapter.

She was taken into custody Thursday and is facing multiple felony charges, including forgery and theft.

According to the Westmoreland County District Attorneys Office, Sawyer issued more than 60 checks to herself totaling more than $45,000. The money came from accounts belong to the AGs Office. Investigators say many of the checks were written on dates coinciding with Sawyer accessing an account at Rivers Casino.

Sawyer also allegedly took eight evidence envelopes containing more than $75,000.

The investigation also uncovered Sawyer withdrew more than $50,000 from the McKeesport NAACP while serving as director of the Community Violence Fund program. She allegedly forged the treasurers signature.

Sawyer was arraigned in Irwin Thursday evening and has a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 13.

The Attorney Generals Office provided the following statement:

Upon discovering missing funds from the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation Section in our North Huntingdon office, our agency referred the matter to the Westmoreland County District Attorney for investigation. An employee who no longer works for the Office of Attorney General has now been charged by the District Attorneys Office with theft and related offenses regarding the missing money. Additionally, the employee has been charged with stealing money from a local chapter of the NAACP. The Office of Attorney General has been cooperating with the investigation and will continue to do so as this matter proceeds through the criminal justice system.

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A Brooklyn Park teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting one of his students just months after he was named Minnesota's "Teacher of the Year."

Abdul Jameel Wright, 38, is charged with criminal sexual conduct after he allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old student in 2017.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim's mother reported the assault in May of this year to Minneapolis Police Department.

The victim, now 21, told officers that Wright was her 8th-grade English teacher at Harvest Best Academy in Minneapolis, a school where he worked for over a decade and where he was employed when he was named Education Minnesota's "Teacher of the Year 2016."

The former student says that Wright groomed her by singling her out, giving her special treatment, and letting her eat lunch in his classroom. Wright would play music for her and tell her how it reminded him of her.

He began to call the victim every day and because he began to develop a closer relationship with her mom, to the point she trusted to babysit Wright's children at his home.

The victim recalled a day she stayed after school to babysit, but the children were not home. Instead, she stayed to help Wright grade papers, which is when he asked her if she was a virgin.

She says the sexual contact started after that, with him groping and kissing her when he would take her home. Eventually, the groping led to the victim being forced to perform oral sex on Wright.

He would assault her both in his classroom, his house, and the victim's home. She remembers when her raped her at his house; his children were in another room watching a movie.

She states the two had sexual intercourse and sexual contact for almost a year and that the abuse ended around the time she entered 9th grade.

Wright, who is not currently in custody, has his first court appearance scheduled for September 18. No attorney has been listed for him yet.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, Harvest Best Academy is gathering all available information regarding the allegations, saying they "are limited in what we can share until this thorough investigation has been conducted and we are fully cooperating with all authorities."

The newspaper also reported that in May, his most recent employer, St. Louis Park High School, announced he had been placed on administrative leave because of "a concerning social media post."

As of ten months ago, Wright seemed to have started a new career path in real estate, announcing the decision on his LinkedIn.
The Justice Department on Thursday charged former Trump 2016 campaign adviser Dimitri Simes with violating U.S. sanctions against Russia.

Simes, a dual citizen of Russia and the United States, served as an adviser to former President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign. The Justice Department alleges that Simes and his wife, Anastasia Simes, participated in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of sanctioned Russian broadcaster Channel One Russia and to launder funds obtained from that scheme.

Channel One Russia, a state-owned Russian broadcaster, has been under U.S. sanctions since 2022.

According to a DOJ press release, Simes allegedly participated in a scheme to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), by providing services to Channel One Russia, including by serving as a presenter and producer of programming, and by receiving over $1 million, a personal car and driver, a stipend for an apartment in Moscow, Russia, and a team of 10 employees from Channel One Russia, following its sanctioning.

The indictment also alleges that the couple further violated U.S. sanctions through their interactions with Russian oligarch Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov. Anastasia Simes and others allegedly participated in a scheme to violate IEEPA by purchasing art and antiques for the benefit of Udovov from galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe, and having the items shipped to her residence in Huntly, Virginia, where they were stored for onward shipment to Russia, the DOJ says, adding that the funds Mrs. Simes received were then laundered to conceal their connection to Udodov.

The DOJ notes that the couple remains at large and are believed to be in Russia. Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the IEEPA, one count of violating the IEEPA, and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count if convicted.

The indictment comes on the heels of a separate DOJ case charging two Russian citizens and employees of the state-controlled Russian media outfit RT of participating in an unlawful scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging. Several prominent right-wing content creators were allegedly paid by the fraudulent company established in the scheme to create content for the influence network, though all deny knowledge of the groups alleged Russian connections.

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MCLEAN  JAN 6: Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, McLean, Virginia, January 6, 2022 (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona)

Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney used her trip to the battleground state of North Carolina to announce she is voting for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Donald Trump cannot be trusted with the power of the presidency, Cheney said during a lecture at Duke University on Wednesday called Defending Democracy.

I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, she said.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Cheney is a staunch conservative and was previously a member of the U.S. House Republican leadership. She was kicked out of her leadership post when she rejected Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

She was vice-chairwoman of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection and former President Donald Trumps role in it. She was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection. Cheney paid the price for opposing Trump. She lost her Wyoming primary in 2022 to a Trump-backed challenger.

Cheney, whose father Dick Cheney served from 2001 to 2009 as vice president in the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, has vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure Trump loses this election.

Harriss campaign has been highlighting the support shes received from Republicans. The campaign has launched state Republicans for Harris groups. Republican speakers were featured at the Democratic National Convention.

The campaign had been courting Cheneys endorsement, the New York Times reported.

Cheney said Wednesday that she wants people to commit themselves to remembering that Trump watched the riot at the Capitol unfold on television and rejected pleas to call off the mob.

He watched people assault our Capitol in his name, she said. He sat there as members of his family, as members of his staff, pleaded with him to tell the mob to stop. They pleaded with him. He wouldnt do it, she said. Instead, Trump poured gasoline on the fire, she said, with a Tweet saying Vice President Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what needed to be done.

Trump was pressuring Pence to overturn his election defeat.

Cheney said it is important to defeat election deniers.

Its not just Donald Trump, she said. Here in North Carolina, it means defeating the Republican candidate for governor. Defeating the Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Trump has endorsed Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson for governor.

After the Jan. 6 riot, Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Michele Morrow recorded a video calling for Trump to put the Constitution to the side as she advocated for a military coup to keep Trump in power, CNN has reported. Morrow was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, but CNN found no evidence that she entered the building.
Former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, pictured her in McLean, Virginia, on Jan. 6, 2022, said former President Donald Trump cannot be trusted again with the power of the presidency. (David Hume Kennerly/Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona)

Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney used her trip to the battleground state of North Carolina to announce she is voting for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Donald Trump cannot be trusted with the power of the presidency, Cheney said during a lecture at Duke University on Wednesday called Defending Democracy.

I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, she said.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Cheney is a staunch conservative and was previously a member of the U.S. House Republican leadership. She was kicked out of her leadership post when she rejected Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

She was vice-chairwoman of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection and former President Donald Trumps role in it. She was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection. Cheney paid the price for opposing Trump. She lost her Wyoming primary in 2022 to a Trump-backed challenger.

Cheney, whose father Dick Cheney served from 2001 to 2009 as vice president in the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, has vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure Trump loses this election.

Harriss campaign has been highlighting the support shes received from Republicans. The campaign has launched state Republicans for Harris groups. Republican speakers were featured at the Democratic National Convention.

The campaign had been courting Cheneys endorsement, the New York Times reported.

Cheney said Wednesday that she wants people to commit themselves to remembering that Trump watched the riot at the Capitol unfold on television and rejected pleas to call off the mob.

He watched people assault our Capitol in his name, she said. He sat there as members of his family, as members of his staff, pleaded with him to tell the mob to stop. They pleaded with him. He wouldnt do it, she said. Instead, Trump poured gasoline on the fire, she said, with a Tweet saying Vice President Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what needed to be done.

Trump was pressuring Pence to overturn his election defeat.

Cheney said it is important to defeat election deniers.

Its not just Donald Trump, she said. Here in North Carolina, it means defeating the Republican candidate for governor. Defeating the Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Trump has endorsed Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson for governor.

After the Jan. 6 riot, Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Michele Morrow recorded a video calling for Trump to put the Constitution to the side as she advocated for a military coup to keep Trump in power, CNN has reported. Morrow was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, but CNN found no evidence that she entered the building.

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By Kane Wu, Scott Murdoch, Renju Jose

HONG KONG/SYDNEY (Reuters) -A Blackstone-led consortium is taking out an around $A5.5 billion ($3.7 billion) loan package to help fund the A$24 billion AirTrunk buyout, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, as the U.S. firm increases its Asian exposore.

Blackstone said on Wednesday it had partnered with Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) to buy AirTrunk, which is considered Asia Pacific's largest hyperscale data centres business.

Investors have flocked to the sector as artificial intelligence drives demand for capacity, and the financing package would be the second largest acquisiton loan in the region this year, according to Dealogic data.

It comprises a A$2 billion term loan and a A$3.5 billion revolving credit facility, according to the sources who could not be named discussing private information.

Blackstone declined to comment.

More than 10 banks are participating in the loan syndicate, including Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Japan's MUFG, the sources said.

Credit Agricole, Deutsche Bank and MUFG declined to comment. Morgan Stanley did not respond to a Reuters request.

The financing would cover up to 50% of Blackstone's equity investment in the deal, said one of the sources, while the overall deal value includes AirTrunk's debt and its capital expenditure for committed projects.

HIGH PRICE

The consortium's purchase price would be over 20 times AirTrunk's projected earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA), the sources said.

The loan would seem highly leveraged in a typical buyout, but lenders are taking into account AirTrunk's estimated growth and cash flow in the next few years, based on its contracts, the sources said.

AirTrunk borrowed around A$4.6 billion from more than 30 lenders last year and that debt will be rolled over after the acquisition, the sources said.

AirTrunk's value increased during the sales process, which officially began in March, due to the increasing usage of AI which requires greater data centre capacity.

CPP Investments said in a statement on Wednesday it would hold 12% of AirTrunk once the deal was finalised.

AirTrunk's founder and chief executive Robin Khuda will continue to lead the Sydney-based firm and keep an unspecified stake once the deal is finalised.

Khuda, 45, who came to Australia from Bangladesh when he was 18 to do an accounting course at the University of Technology in Sydney, built the A$24 billion data centre business in less than a decade. "Our journey has never been easy, we've faced so many adversities, and we always came out stronger and more resilient," Khuda said in a post on LinkedIn. He has admitted using retirement savings to save the business and contemplated bankruptcy. "It was Christmas 2016 and I had to deliver our first data centre by September 2017 ... we got to the point where we had run out of money. I even took money from my superannuation fund so that was naughty of me," he told an Australian Financial Review Business Summit in March. "I even rang up my lawyer and said I needed insolvency advice." His LinkedIn profile lists his three-year stint at data centre operator NextDC as Deputy CEO and executive director but omits his CEO role at mobile payments firm Mint Wireless, which he quit after six months.

(Reporting by Kane Wu in Hong Kong, Scott Murdoch and Renju Jose in Sydney; additional reporting by Miho Uranaka in Tokyo; editing by Barbara Lewis)
The allegations: Sun worked in state government for about 15 years, holding positions in former Gov. Andrew Cuomos administration before rising to become deputy chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul. At the request of Chinese officials, Sun allegedly used her positions to block Taiwanese diplomats from having access to the governors office, share internal documents and grant Chinese officials access to a state COVID-19 response call. The indictment also details Sun's alleged efforts to prevent U.S. officials from engaging with Taiwan and to suppress mentions of China's detention of Uyghurs in New York government communications.

Suns plea: In exchange, Beijing reportedly provided Sun and her husband with millions in kickbacks, allowing them to purchase expensive properties and luxury items. On Tuesday, Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty to various charges, including failing to register as foreign agents and money laundering. They have been released on bail with restricted travel and barred from contact with Chinese officials. Following Suns indictment, Hochul also announced the removal of Chinas consul general in New York, Huang Ping, condemning the Chinese governments actions as unacceptable. This case is part of a broader Department of Justice effort to combat covert Chinese influence in the U.S.
Fort Lauderdale cop was fired for shooting fleeing suspect in buttocks. Now hes back on the force.

Its June 2019 shortly after 8 p.m. at the main bus terminal, a homeless gathering spot in downtown Fort Lauderdale at the time known by local police as a high-crime area for drug deals, shootings and violent assaults.

Alexander Paul, a Fort Lauderdale police officer working the evening shift, walks into the mens restroom to wash his hands and immediately recognizes the guy at the urinal. Its Melvin Wring III, a suspect with active warrants who cops say goes by the name Monster on the street.

The two men cross paths in an encounter that quickly escalates into a police shooting at the crowded bus station, a chain of events that ends up getting the officer fired  then rehired.

The scene, captured on the officers body camera, gets ugly fast.

Paul draws his gun, aims at Wring and orders him to get on the floor. Wring turns and sees the 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol pointed at him, then backs away, ignoring Pauls rapid-fire commands.

Hey bro, lay on the f floor, man! Paul shouts. Get on the f floor or Im gonna pop you, bro. Get on the f floor.

Wring, who is unarmed, pushes past Paul and makes a run for it. Paul chases him outside, aims his gun at Wrings back from just a few feet away and fires. The bullet pierces Wrings buttocks.

The shooting has been scrutinized by the departments top brass, Internal Affairs investigators, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, prosecutors and an expert hired by the Broward State Attorneys Office to review the shooting.

A use-of-force expert, enlisted by prosecutors to review the matter, concluded that Pauls decision to shoot Wring was unreasonable and inconsistent with generally accepted practices. He noted the fact that several bystanders were nearby when Paul fired his gun. The expert asserted that no reasonable officer would shoot at a fleeing suspect with civilians in the line of fire.

But in the end, prosecutors decided against charging Paul, citing a lack of credible witnesses.

Pauls actions that day got him fired on Oct. 12, 2023  four years later. Paul filed a lawsuit two months after his dismissal and was hired back in May on the condition he drop his lawsuit.

Paul is now back at work, while Wring is in jail on a murder charge from an unrelated case.

In June 2023, Paul gave a sworn statement to investigators saying he was fearful for his life that day he came face to face with Wring.

I did what I had to do because I wanted to go home, Paul told investigators. Also as well, the occupants of the bus terminal were also in danger from Monsters actions. Due to his non-compliance in the bathroom, his history, my knowledge of him beforehand, and the fact that he made furtive movements towards his waistband, thats why I discharged my firearm.

Paul declined to comment when contacted by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The police union that fought for the 32-year-old officer to get his job back did not return calls seeking comment.

Crossing paths

Wring, now 35, has a rap sheet that includes charges of drug possession, robbery and domestic violence, police say.

Paul, hired in 2015, believed Wring posed a safety threat based on Wrings reputation and the fact he was known to carry a firearm, Pauls Internal Affairs file says. He learned Mr. Wring had two outstanding warrants for violation of probation and grand theft from a query of the (Broward Sheriffs Office) warrants page.

Police confirmed Wring had outstanding warrants for the following: Possession of a controlled substance, grand theft of a motor vehicle, possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to sell, and possession of fentanyl.

Paul fired his gun after shouting at Wring 17 times to get on the ground.

Paul later explained his actions to investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and his own agencys Internal Affairs unit.

When asked why he fired his weapon, Paul said: Well, the most important thing is that I generally feared for my life. This subject, Melvin Wring, aka the Monster, hes a known gang member. He added, Dealing with these factors and his non-compliance and the fact that he was staring at the barrel of my gun didnt even phase him.

At one point Wring was cornered in the back of the stall like an animal and hes looking (for) a way out by any means necessary, Paul told investigators.

It made him nervous when Wring reached near his waistband while he was still in the bathroom, Paul said.

Paul was questioned about the events after he grabbed Wring by the arm, near the restroom stalls.

He was able to swing his arm around and find an avenue to escape, Paul said.

Paul was asked whether he thought Paul was trying to disarm him.

His response: I dont know, and I wasnt trying to find out. I was just, I was damn near afraid that if he got my gun out of my hand or knocked it out, Ill be in a situation where he was able to disarm me and pull his firearm out and shoot me instead.

Paul acknowledged he was aware of people standing behind Wring at the moment he shot him.

He was asked if he was aware bullets can pass through one person and hit another.

Absolutely. However, Im dealing with a violent subject known to carry a firearm, he replied. Im not going to wait till he pulls out a firearm, especially with other people around. I needed to do what I had to do to protect myself and other civilians around the area as well.

After Wring ran out of the restroom, Paul said he saw Wring drop his left hand toward his waistband and pull something out. (It turned out to be money.) Paul was asked whether he knew if a firearm was ever found on Wring.

According to the documents and evidence, no, Paul replied. But to me, that didnt matter at that point.

After Paul fired his gun that day, chaos ensued at the bus terminal.

Oh my God! Oh my God! You didnt have to f do that, a woman screamed. You shot him! You shot him! You shot him!

Onlookers heard the loud pop of gunfire and moved in closer, taunting Paul, asking if he wants to shoot anyone else. Some began to chant, bad cop, bad cop.

Sirens blared in the background as backup officers arrived at the countys central bus terminal, at 101 NW First Ave. One officer flipped Wring on his stomach and cuffed him.

Hey, he started reaching bro, Paul told the officer as they tended to Wring, trying to stop the bleeding.

Wring survived.

He knew I was fast

Wring gave a sworn statement to an FDLE agent investigating the officer who shot him. Wring testified that he knew he had an outstanding warrant. Thats why he ran.

Wring was asked why the officer shot him.

I was trying to leave out of the bathroom and started running and he shot me in my back, in my butt, Wring replied. He shot me because he knew I was fast and he didnt want me to get away. I guess thats why he shot me.

In June 2020, nearly a year after getting shot by Paul, Wring filed a lawsuit against Fort Lauderdale seeking damages.

The city settled the case in August 2023 for $50,000.

The fallout

After the June 2019 incident, Paul was placed on paid administrative leave for eight days  standard protocol after a police shooting, a city spokeswoman said.

Paul returned to work 11 days after the shooting and remained on active duty for several years, becoming a detective in 2021.

During that time, an Internal Affairs investigation was delayed pending the conclusion of an investigation by the State Attorneys Office.

In March 2023, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department finally received a close-out memo from the State Attorneys Office. Prosecutors declined to pursue a case, concluding the facts and evidence do not support a viable prosecution against Paul.

Paul knew Wring as a drug dealer who carried a gun, who had multiple outstanding felony warrants, and who was wanted by the Broward Sheriffs Office, according to the prosecutors close-out memo, dated Feb. 15, 2023. When Paul encountered Wring, he gave him numerous lawful commands and Wring refused to comply, pulling away from Paul and swiping at him.

When Wring swung at Paul and turned his body away, going into his pockets as he ran away from Paul and toward civilians, Paul made a split-second decision to stop Paul. Although we have some video of the incident, we do not have a reliable witness to present testimony at trial. Taking all of the facts, evidence and applicable laws into consideration, this office concludes its investigation and will take no further action due to no likelihood of conviction.

Seth Stoughton, the use-of-force expert hired by the State Attorneys Office to review the shooting, had problems with the shooting. In his report, he states that Pauls decision to shoot Wring was unreasonable and inconsistent with generally accepted practices.

In this case, there were a number of bystanders standing outside the bathroom when Paul fired his gun.

Under the circumstances, a reasonable officer in Officer Pauls position would have known that there were individuals in the immediate area outside the bathroom and that civilians, either pedestrians or vehicle occupants, were highly likely to be in his line of fire as he followed Mr. Wring out of the bathroom, Stoughton wrote.

He added: In short, even if a reasonable officer in Ofc. Pauls position could have reasonably, if mistakenly, believed that Mr. Wring presented an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm, no reasonable officer would have fired with civilians immediately outside the bathroom in the line of fire.

Stoughton noted that it took Paul more than three minutes after the shooting to check Wring for weapons.

Officer Pauls actions after the shooting are inconsistent with those that a reasonable officer who believed that Mr. Wring had been armed with a firearm would take, Stoughton wrote.

Even though prosecutors opted not to file charges against Paul, the police department placed him on paid administrative leave on March 7, 2023, this time while the agencys Internal Affairs investigators reviewed the 2019 shooting. At the conclusion of that investigation, the chief at the time, Patrick Lynn, sent a recommendation to then-City Manager Greg Chavarria that Paul be terminated.

Paul remained on paid leave until Oct. 12, 2023, the day he was fired.

His termination came more than four years after the shooting of Wring. Why wait four years? A city spokeswoman had this response: The Fort Lauderdale Police Department did not get the independent review from the Broward State Attorneys Office until four years after the incident.

The lawsuit

Paul, who is Black, filed a federal lawsuit two months after he was fired, claiming racism. The lawsuit makes the claim that Paul suffers from insomnia and requested a new assignment so he would not be on call in the evenings. His request for a new assignment was ignored because he is Black, the lawsuit claims.

The department has set a precedent of favoritism that has allowed Caucasian detectives the opportunity to laterally transfer these duties with other detectives within the detective bureau when personal circumstances arise, the lawsuit said.

According to the lawsuit, Paul asserted that his race played a role in being denied an accommodation.

Pauls lawsuit noted that he was placed on paid administrative leave a month after filing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint on Feb. 9, 2023. He was terminated eight months later.

In its response to Pauls lawsuit, Fort Lauderdale filed a document with the court in March 2024 denying the officers allegations that his rights had been violated and asserting that all decisions made were based on reasonable factors and were not discriminatory. The city also argued that Paul was fired over the shooting and not qualified to perform the essential functions of the job.

U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith dismissed the lawsuit on May 28 at the request of both parties.

How did he get rehired?

Paul was fired on the recommendation of one chief and hired back on the recommendation of another.

Lynn, the chief who made the recommendation that Paul be fired, retired soon afterward.

A few weeks after Paul was fired, Bill Schultz took over as chief on Nov. 6, 2023.

Schultz made the recommendation to Acting City Manager Susan Grant that Paul be rehired, according to a city spokeswoman.

Under the settlement agreement approved in May, the department hired Paul back under the condition he drop his lawsuit and serve a six-week unpaid suspension.

As part of the settlement, Fort Lauderdale agreed to pay the officer $10,000 to cover his attorneys fees.

Back to work

Before returning to work, Paul was required to serve an unpaid suspension from May 18 through July 1 for careless or reckless use of a firearm and excessive response to resistance. He is also being required to undergo further training.

As part of the deal, Paul also received $62,000 in back wages and credit for sick and vacation time. In addition, his seniority was restored to his original date of hire on Aug. 24, 2015.

Paul was required to undergo training and meet certain conditions before being recertified by FDLE as an officer. He was officially reinstated on Aug. 19.

He was required to undergo several types of training, including a firearms refresher course, use- of-force training and verbal de-escalation training.

Paul now earns a salary of $102,669 a year.

Jeff Marano, a former union president for several local police agencies, defended Fort Lauderdales decision to rehire Paul.

Its not rare to see an officer fired and later rehired, Marano said.

If he felt like his life was in danger, Id say the shooting was justified, Marano told the Sun Sentinel. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the officer at the time. Some peoples threat level is different from others.  Its not all that unusual nowadays for a cop to be hired back. Its all on a case-by-case basis.

Suspect in jail

Today, Wring sits in jail on a first-degree murder charge related to a fatal shooting in September 2022 in Fort Lauderdale.

Police say he fired at least two shots at the face and neck of a man coming out of the One Stop Store near the bus terminal on Sept. 10, 2022. He then jumped into the backseat of a waiting car that sped off, police say. The shooting appeared to be unprovoked, according to the arrest report. No mention was made of a possible motive.

Six days later, he was apprehended and taken to jail.

The shooting victim died, prompting prosecutors to upgrade the charges.

Wring now awaits trial on a charge of first-degree murder. He has entered a plea of not guilty.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan
The News

University funding from fossil fuel companies could be playing a role in obstructing climate action, according to a new study.

Bias in published research resulting from studies funded by industries like tobacco and alcohol is well documented, but the potential influence of the fossil fuel industry on science is not as well understood. The new study reviewed existing research to show some bias in research funded by fossil fuels that, the authors suggested, could affect academia, and also shape climate litigation and policy.

Representatives from fossil fuel companies fund research, sit on governing boards, host recruitment events, and advise curricula, in universities across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, though the exact scope of their involvement is unclear, the study noted.

SIGNALS

More scrutiny over fossil fuel companies role within US universities

Source: The Guardian

A joint US Democrats House committee found in April that Big Oil had privately acknowledged their efforts to downplay the risks of fossil fuels, including by suggesting funding white papers within colleges. Activist groups on campuses have increasingly been pushing for universities to dissociate from the fossil fuel industry. This literature review confirms what students in our movement have known for years, one activist told The Guardian.

Europe feels industry influence on campus, too

Sources: Investigate Europe, openDemocracy

While the study focused on the role of funding in American, British and Australian universities, European campuses have also received hundreds of millions of euros from the industry in less than a decade, Investigate Europe and openDemocracy found. In the UK, some institutions accepted direct advice on how to run engineering and geoscience degrees, and were directed on how to answer probing questions from journalists and students. Universities have been grappling with funding cuts, the organizations noted, which may partly explain their willingness to accept cash injections from Big Oil.

Lack of transparency makes tracking influence difficult

Sources: WIREs study, University World News

Higher education institutions in many countries have shown a lack of transparency in disclosing their ties to certain industries, including fossil fuel companies, making it difficult to track how much money these companies have poured into colleges, the study noted. The same applies to foreign funding sources: In 2023, US universities received $22 billion in donations from undisclosed foreign sources, University World News reported, citing government data. A Rutgers University-based non-profit estimated that more than half the funding came from authoritarian governments in the Middle East.
Four of the seven people killed when a luxury yacht sank off Italys coast last month likely died after depleting a pocket of air they had found while trapped inside the submerged ship, according to several reports.

Autopsies found that the victims  Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda  likely died from suffocation following the Aug. 19 sinking, Reuters reported Thursday citing judicial sources.

None of these four victims, who were found in the same cabin, had water in their lungs, suggesting they didnt drown, the BBC also reported citing Italian news agency Ansa.

Italian firefighter divers bring ashore the body of one of the victims of a shipwreck in Porticello, Sicily, on Aug. 22. via Associated Press

This type of death was described as dry drowning, which is when all of the available oxygen is consumed, leaving only carbon dioxide, CNN similarly reported citing local media.

The autopsies of two of the other victims, British tech star Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, are expected to take place on Friday. The autopsy of the ships onboard chef, Recaldo Thomas, has been delayed pending contact with his family in Antigua, CNN reported.

The 184-foot British-flagged ship was carrying 22 people when it was hit by a violent storm while anchored off the coast of Sicily in the early morning hours, causing it to capsize and sink within minutes, authorities previously said.

Italian Firefighters scuba divers bring ashore in a green bag the body of one of the victims of the sinking on Aug. 21. via Associated Press

Of those on board, 15 were rescued by the Italian Coast Guard. The survivors included Lynchs wife, Angela Bacares, who Reuters previously reported owns the firm that the yacht is listed under.

The group had been celebrating Lynchs recent acquittal of fraud and conspiracy charges related to the $11 billion acquisition of his software maker Autonomy to Hewlett Packard in 2011, survivors have said.

An investigation remains underway into the cause of the ships sinking, including whether it was caused by human error.

Related...
Ask the French what they thought  assuming they bothered to listen  of French soon-to-be ex-Home Secretary Gerald Darmanins grand speech at Boulogne, after 12 bodies of migrants were fished out of the Channel. Their reaction, from the woman in the street to a former Prefet with direct experience of the situation, is to dismiss the idea that a new treaty would be enough to stop the boats.

Darmanin has held his job for four years. The deal under which the UK pays France to help policing the northern coast and stop the departure of dinghies full of migrants was mooted before his appointment, but it grew (in costs, number of French gendarmes, police, navy patrollers) under his stewardship, to reach the current level of 478 million  and despite real efforts, had essentially failed.

Now, faced with a fresh tragedy on the last few days of his job, Darmanin aimed to sound statesmanlike, and talked of extending a hand to our British friends, suggesting that a migratory treaty between the EU and the UK should establish the possibility of processing asylum requests to the UK in the EU. There should be a causal link between asylum requests and the granting of asylum in the UK, he said somewhat cryptically. It sounded like he hoped some of those requests would be granted, lessening the flow of small boats a bit.

Keir Starmer could be tempted to take Darmanins helping hand. After all, he, too, has vowed to stop the boats. His solution is to stop the gangs that put desperate migrants on overcrowded flimsy dinghies after socking them for thousands of euros. The French gendarmes, now relentlessly patrolling the 150 miles or so of coastline equipped with weapons, bulletproof vests, night vision goggles, all-terrain sand crawlers, radio equipment linked to patrolling boats, and more, have tried, often engaging in vicious battles on the beaches and canals from where the dinghies are launched. They win some and lose many, partly because the gangs shoot (and hack) to kill and the French forces are supposed to exercise responsible restraint.

What they know is that a treaty will never solve things by establishing British processing offices on French (or Belgian) land. All it will create is a massive influx of extra migrants, who will justify their arrival by these new official facilities. Assuming the British wont take them all; what do we do with the rejected individuals? the Prefet I interviewed asks.

It will make things worse, not better. A Home Office SpAd is blunter. It would be a bargain for the British, so Keir Starmer should grab the opportunity if its offered  but I cant see any of the politicians currently considered to become Prime Minister going for it. Even if Macron picks a Left-winger as his new PM, this would be inviting unnecessary problems in an already unstable situation.

Gerald Darmanin, who is used to making grandiose promises he never followed up on, isnt too worried, especially as the small boats crisis is seen as a regional rather than a national problem in France. But Keir Starmer, who has trounced the Tories by stealing the issue from their own campaigning, is facing bitter humiliation. It may be insoluble, but grandstanding was his mistake.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
A free bus between USF and downtown Tampa? A trial may be in the works.

Council members took an initial step Tuesday evening to make Tampas most popular bus route free to ride for a year, a move championed by advocates as a way to boost ridership, economic development and mobility in the car-dependent city.

They voted 4-3 to reallocate $1.5 million of the proposed budget for the upcoming year to launch the fare-free pilot and increase the frequency of service between downtown and the University of South Florida. The money was initially earmarked for electric vehicle chargers.

Weve all heard the citizens. They want transportation. This is the way to do it, said Councilmember Lynn Hurtak, who led the push for changes to Route 1, which lumbers along an often traffic-choked Florida Avenue and currently carries over 3,000 riders a day.

For the program to become a reality, the money must be voted on again in the budget passed later this month. The board of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, which operates the buses, has yet to have a formal discussion on the funding proposal.

Mayor Jane Castor issued a lukewarm response.

A fare-free pilot program is a good idea, she said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times via a spokesperson. However, given our scarce resources and extensive transportation needs, a more detailed and appropriately vetted plan is needed prior to reassigning $1.5 million to an experiment.

Across the bay, a fare-free pilot for the SunRunner, a rapid bus line connecting downtown St. Petersburg with St. Pete beach, was cut short after beach residents complaints that the shuttle was drawing homeless people to their shores. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri took up beach residents cause, saying his agency was spending thousands of dollars to respond to all the complaints.

Throughout the region, limited transportation investment has not kept up with basic maintenance, let alone delivered transit such as light rail found in other similarly sized metro areas. Castor often begrudgingly jokes that mass transit in Tampa means more than two people in an SUV.

Until the city steps up to fund better bus service, we are going to perpetually be in the same situation, Justin Willits, director of planning and scheduling at the county transit agency, told Tampa City Council members Tuesday.

In Sun Belt cities, transit struggles to compete with the car. Nationwide, buses started to lose ground decades ago as Americans bought cars, suburbanized and spread out. In Hillsborough County, luring commuters onto the bus when they can otherwise drive has been nearly impossible because it often means opting into delays and bare-bones routes.

During Tuesdays meeting, resident after resident urged the council to green-light the transportation investment.

Bobby Creighton didnt think much about transit as a kid growing up in car-centric Hillsborough County. His time living out of state and job now working with residents unable to drive due to disabilities, he said, helped him understand buses as a lifeline.

Public transportation is mobility. Its economic mobility, its social mobility, said Creighton, a Tampa-based speech pathologist. And its freedom for people that really need it.

More than 32,000 people live within a quarter mile of Route 1. Roughly one in five of those households dont have a car. Under the pilot proposal, frequency would increase from roughly 20 minutes to every 15 on weekdays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Annual ridership is projected to jump by about 300,000 to 1.4 million.

Tampa residents spend a higher proportion of their income on housing and transportation than people who live in peer cities Pittsburgh, Richmond, Austin, Charlotte and Orlando, according to the citywide master mobility plan published in 2022. A higher share of Tampa residents drive to work alone compared to those other cities, except for Orlando.

From Tucson to Raleigh, Olympia to Boston, cities nationwide are experimenting with dropping fares on their transit systems.

Beyond its popularity, Willits said Route 1 was a logical option for Tampa to try fare-free service because it connects with the citys streetcar, which has evolved from an oft-disparaged tourist attraction into a reliable commuter route with record-breaking ridership. The streetcar has been free since 2018.

Along with Hurtak, council members Guido Maniscalco, Alan Clendenin and Luis Viera supported the proposal.

It moves us forward, said Viera, chairperson of the board overseeing the transit agency.

Councilmember Gwen Henderson, another board member, does not support the initiative.

It wouldnt be fair to other areas in Tampa that could use financial support, she said. If were going to spend $1.5 million, we should give it to people who actually really need it.

While agreeing theres a need for expanded public transit, councilmember Bill Carlson said funding the program was unsustainable and not the citys responsibility.

Were creating an expectation that we cant fill in the future, he said. My commitment is to fix this problem, but I want to do it systematically. Im not going to put a Band-Aid on it.

Hurtak expressed disappointment with her colleagues reluctance with getting on board.

If we cant do something to try to help people then why are we here? she said as the meeting stretched into the night. We cannot make perfect the enemy of the good. We owe it to the public to try.
Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling speaks to reporters following a bond hearing at the Richland County Courthouse on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

COLUMBIA  The First Amendment does not give anyone the right to record prison inmates for publication, a federal judge decided in dismissing a lawsuit against the South Carolina prison system.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Jacquelyn Austin upheld the Department of Corrections longstanding policy of allowing interviews with inmates only through written correspondence. The policy applies to news media, legislators and others, while excluding interviews for law enforcement purposes.

The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union wanted to record and publish interviews with two prisoners  a transgender woman and a man on death row  who wanted to tell their stories and talk about prison conditions.

The ACLU is representing inmate Sofia Cano in a separate lawsuit over the agencys denial of hormone treatments and failure to use her female name. Death row inmate Marion Bowman Jr. is third in line for execution, and the ACLU sought to release an interview with him as a podcast in hopes of increasing public pressure for clemency.

The civil rights group challenged Corrections policy barring interviews, whether by phone or face to face, for release to the public.

That policy is about supporting victims and their right to not have to see the person who harmed them or their family members on the evening news, according to the agencys response, which the judge cited in last Fridays decision.

In her order, Austin pointed to three U.S. Supreme Court rulings that the Constitution does not give reporters a right to interview inmates in person.

While the First Amendments guarantees of free speech and free press give people a right to record audio in public, that does not extend to government-controlled places where the public does not have access, such as prisons, Austin wrote.

The other cases make clear that not even the media have a special right under the First Amendment to such access, Austin wrote. The ACLU has no constitutional entitlement to the access it demands.

While the ACLU argued it already has access to its clients and should be able to record interviews, Austin called that a red herring. The lawsuit is seeking a different type of access: access to SCDC inmates, including its clients, for the purpose of recording interviews for publishing, the order reads.

The ACLU plans to appeal the decision, attorney Allen Chaney said in a statement Thursday.

We continue to believe that South Carolinians deserve to hear what is happening in our prisons, and to hear it from the people experiencing it, Chaney said.

In its lawsuit, the ACLU pointed to Corrections response to a violation of the policy by Alex Murdaugh, the once-prominent Hampton County lawyer convicted last year of killing his wife and son. His lawyer recorded a phone call with his client and provided it to Fox Nation for a docu-series. As a result, Murdaughs tablet and phone privileges were suspended, and his attorney was warned he could jeopardize access to his client.

The prisons agency sometimes gives tours of the states 21 prisons and allows reporters to interview inmates there. But discussions are limited to the reason for the tour, such as inmates participation in a work or study program.

In those cases, reporters cant take or use photos or videos that would identify an inmate, including showing their face or tattoos and can publish their first names only. The SC Daily Gazette is among outlets that have previously agreed to those conditions.

Other reasons for the policy, according to the agency, are to bar inmates from getting famous and profiting from their crimes and to prevent the disclosure of information that could create a security risk. Whether the interviewer realizes it or not, what the inmate says could aid criminal efforts.

Inmates are allowed to write letters to anyone they want, including reporters, under the policy.

SCDC stands by its longstanding policy, which allows inmates to answer interview questions in writing, agency spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said in a statement. Were grateful the courts recognized and upheld it.
A French woman whose husband is accused of enlisting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was drugged said at his trial Thursday that police had saved her life by uncovering the crimes.

"The police saved my life by investigating Mister P.'s computer," Gisele Pelicot told the court in the southern city of Avignon, referring to her husband, who is one of 51 men from all walks of life standing trial over the alleged attacks.

Pelicot had initially wished to remain anonymous but has since appeared in public and her lawyer said she'd agreed to be fully identified. She insisted that the trial take place in public so the full facts of the case could emerge.

Gisele P. listens to her lawyer Stephane Babonneau addressing media as she leaves the courthouse during the trial of her husband, accused of drugging her for nearly 10 years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France, in Avignon, Sept. 5, 2024. / Credit: CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty

Pelicot, now 71, had remained stoic and silent through the three first days of the high-profile case, communicating only through her lawyers. But she revealed her emotion on the stand Thursday when she recounted the moment in November 2020 when investigators first showed her the images of a decade of sexual abuse allegedly orchestrated and filmed by her husband, identified in court as Dominique P.

"My world is falling apart. For me, everything is falling apart. Everything I have built up over 50 years," she told the court. "Inside, I'm in ruins."

"Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me," she said of the images as her husband listened with his head bowed.

"I'm lying motionless on the bed, being raped," she added, calling the video "barbaric."

"They treat me like a rag doll," she told the panel of five judges, adding that she had only gained the courage to watch the video in May, years after she was first made aware of it.

"Don't talk to me about sex scenes. These are rape scenes," she said, stressing that she had never engaged in swinging or any other libertine sex.

Lawyers for some of the defendants questioned in court on Wednesday whether the couple had had a libertine relationship, or whether it was credible that Pelicot had noticed nothing for the entire decade of the alleged abuse.

The line of questioning appeared to upset the plaintiff, although she stayed put while her three children briefly left the courtroom.

"Of course she was offended," said her lawyer, Antoine Camus. "She wanted to respond. We felt her bobbing up and down behind us, saying, 'I want to answer. I just have to answer' and we told her, 'Tomorrow!'"

"I am absolutely not complicit," she said Thursday. "I never pretended to sleep, nothing of the sort."

A folder labelled "abuse"

Pelicot's husband is accused of abusing her between 2011 and 2020, drugging her with sleeping pills and then recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her, lead investigator Jeremie Bosse Platiere told the court Wednesday.

Dominique Pelicot was exposed by chance after he was caught filming up women's skirts in a local supermarket.

On Tuesday, he answered "yes" when asked if he was guilty of the accusations against him.

The 71-year-old father of three allegedly documented his actions with meticulous precision on a hard drive with a folder labelled "abuse."

That enabled French police to track down more than 50 men suspected of raping his wife while she was drugged. A third of them were identified using facial recognition software, Bosse Platiere said.

The senior police chief for the Hautes-Alpes region said he had hand-picked investigators "who had the stomach" to face videos and images of abuse.

As part of their investigation police drew up a list of 72 individuals suspected of abusing Pelicot. The investigators counted around 200 instances of alleged rape, by her husband and more than 90 strangers they say he enlisted through an adult website.

Prosecutors say the alleged assaults took place between July 2011 and October 2020, mostly in the couple's home in Mazan, a village of 6,000 people in the southern region of Provence.

Most of the suspects face up to 20 years in prison for aggravated rape if they're convicted.

Eighteen of the 51 accused are in custody, including Dominique Pelicot, but 32 other defendants are attending the trial as free men, having not been placed under arrest. One other suspect, who remains at large, will be tried in absentia.

The trial is expected to last four months, until late December, which Camus said would be "a totally awful ordeal" for Gisele Pelicot.

"For the first time, she will have to live through the rapes to which she was subjected for 10 years," of which she has "no memory," he told AFP.

Dominique Pelicot admitted to investigators that he gave his wife powerful tranquilizers, often Temesta, an anxiety-reducing drug.

The alleged abuse started when the couple was living near Paris and continued after they moved to Mazan two years later, prosecutors said.

The suspect was said to have given the men strict instructions so they would not wake her up when they abused her during the night. No aftershave or cigarette odor were allowed, and they had to warm their hands before touching her, and get undressed in the kitchen so they would not accidentally leave clothes behind in the bedroom.

German police kill armed man near Israeli consulate in Munich

Amazon Books editorial director shares top book-to-screen adaptations for TV and movies

U.S. Steel shares drop amid reports of Biden plan to block merger with Nippon Steel
By Carolyn Cohn

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain needs an additional one trillion pounds ($1.3 trillion) in investment in the next decade to grow the economy, a report said on Friday.

New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted the economy to achieve annual growth of 2.5% when campaigning in the run-up to July 4's election - a rate that Britain has not regularly reached since before the 2008 financial crisis.

An annual growth rate of 3% would require extra investment of 100 billion pounds a year in the next 10 years, particularly in energy, housing and venture capital, according to the report from UK financial services lobby group Capital Markets Industry Taskforce.

The investment could come out of the six trillion pounds in long-term capital in Britain's pensions and insurance sector, the report's lead author Nigel Wilson, former boss of Legal & General, told Reuters.

"We've underinvested in the UK for such a long time, there's a massive gap between the other G7 countries and ourselves," he said.

"We have the long-term capital in the UK, it needs to be reallocated."

The British economy needs an extra 50 billion pounds annually in energy investment, as it seeks to meet net zero targets, 30 billion pounds in housing and 20-30 billion in venture capital, the report said.

The government should look at incentives to investment, such as reductions in taxes on shares for retail investors, the report added.

UK pensions have a "significantly lower" allocation to domestic and unlisted equities than most developed market pension systems globally, according to a separate report published on Friday by think tank New Financial.

UK pensions could as much as double their allocations and still be in line with the pensions industry in other advanced markets, the report said.

The UK government has called for a review of Britain's pension system, as it seeks to increase UK pensions investment in domestic startups.

"UK pension schemes could play a greater role in UK capital markets than they currently do," UK pensions minister Emma Reynolds told a CMIT conference.

Reynolds pointed to the success of Canadian and Australian pension schemes in investing in growth companies.

"I am particularly keen to learn from them," she said.

($1 = 0.7594 pounds)

(Reporting by Carolyn CohnEditing by Mark Potter)
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Fresno-area California Highway Patrol officers helped an injured duck who was stranded on the side of a road, CHP said on Wednesday.

In a post on social media, CHP said that citizens reported a duck was injured and stranded. It doesnt say where the duck was stranded, but CHP says they were able to rush to the rescue and get the duck much-needed help.

CHP thanked the people who called it in and says that theyre not only here for humans, but for animals as well.

Officials say if theres an animal in distress, dont hesitate to reach out and call officials.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A 27-year-old Fresno Police cadet was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on a federal weapons charge, according to the Fresno Police Department.

Police announced Thursday that in late June 2024, the department was made aware of an investigation initiated by the FBI involving the cadet.

Police say 27-year-old Joshua Brown was taken into custody by the FBI on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, and booked into the Fresno County Jail. Brown was terminated and is no longer employed by the City of Fresno.

27-year-old Joshua Brown (image courtesy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office)

The department says Brown, was hired by the department in September 2023.

After Browns arrest, police say two additional department personnel have been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

The Fresno Police Department takes its responsibility to those living and working in our city very seriously. Allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated in an ongoing effort to build and maintain the trust of our community, Interim Chief Mindy Casto said.

Police say they have cooperated fully with federal partners since being advised of the investigation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Who is the real Alice Guo? Fugitive mayor accused of spying for China faces legal reckoning after weeks on the run

For months, millions of people were glued to their TV screens as a slight, bespectacled young woman was grilled by lawmakers in the Philippines for hours at a time about her origin story

What is her real name? Age? Who are her parents? Where did she grow up? The official inquiry into Alice Guo, disgraced former mayor of a small town not far from the capital Manila, has been compulsive viewing for Filipinos since it began in May.

At stake was whether Guo, 34, had spent years in the Philippines as a sleeper agent for China, an incendiary accusation in a country that has seen tension with its giant neighbor soar along with multiple confrontations in the South China Sea.

In July, Guo left the country and went on the run across Southeast Asia. This week, the authorities finally caught up with her. On Friday, the former mayor was extradited from Indonesia to the Philippines.

In a press conference shortly after her return, she told reporters: I have received death threats, and I asked for help (from authorities). And I was happy when I saw them. I felt safe.

Her sanguine attitude was in sharp contrast with that of Philippine officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who warned lawbreakers that the arm of the law is long, and it will reach you shortly after Guos arrest abroad.

Upon arriving in Manila, Guo was immediately hit by charges from immigration authorities accusing her of undesirability and misrepresentation, for allegedly acquiring Philippine citizenship through fraud.

Guo also faces a slew of money laundering charges  as well as possible future charges for illegal gambling and human trafficking  all of which allegedly took place in Bamban, a small town in Tarlac province about 60 miles north of Manila, where she had served as mayor for about two years before absconding.

Guos legal team described her arrest as a welcome development as she would now be able to answer the allegations and issues thrown against her.

We trust that Alice L. Guo will demonstrate her courage and resilience in the face of adversity, the David Buenaventura and Ang Law Office said in a statement to CNN on Thursday.

But who exactly is Alice Guo? And how did she come to embody the Philippines growing nervousness about China?

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) says Indonesian authorities have informed them that former Mayor Alice Guo has been arrested in the country on September 4, 2024. - Philippine Bureau of Immigration

Guo was escorted by Indonesian immigration officers prior to her deportation. - Ditjen Imigrasi/AP

Fall from grace

With long black hair and a beaming smile, the young candidate running for mayor of Bamban in 2022 welcomed voters into her life. She appeared in campaign promotional material posted to YouTube with the description: Get to know the real Alice Guo.

Dressed in a pink polo shirt and jeans, shes seen waving to supporters also dressed in pink, her signature color. Her provincial life seemed ordinary. On her YouTube videos, shes seen tending her chickens and having deep-fried dried fish for breakfast, like a typical Filipino.

The campaign worked, and Guo was elected.

Guo shows her chicken farm in Bamban, Tarlac province, in the Philippines in a YouTube video posted on April 20, 2022. - Alice Leal Guo/YouTube

But her reputation as an enthusiastic young public servant was called into question earlier this year when the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) received separate tip-offs from two workers from Malaysia and Vietnam.

They had asked for help to get back to their home countries after claiming to have been held against their will in a building in Bamban, a town home to just 78,000 people.

The building was suspected to be a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO), which caters to punters based in China, where gambling is illegal. POGOs were popular places of employment for tens of thousands of foreign workers and lucrative, but were often linked with organized crime.

When authorities raided the Bamban complex in March, they found more than 800 Filipinos, Chinese, Vietnamese and other nationals, who claimed to have been working there against their will.

The government-run Philippine News Agency reported police found love scam scripts, firearms and mobile phones allegedly used for scam transactions.

The rescued workers were allegedly made to pose as lovers to lure people to send money, in whats commonly known as pig-butchering  a type of confidence fraud in which victims are lured by scammers often impersonating young women on the internet.

To get to the bottom of what was happening in Bamban, the Philippine senate ordered an inquiry into Guo on May 7 headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Guo failed to show up for at least three of the hearings, citing death threats and poor mental health, according to a statement on Facebook before her official account was taken down.

While she was absent from the hearings, raids on casino hubs continued and public criticism intensified over POGOs, which have spread across the country.

Subsequent probes into the complex in Bamban also uncovered alleged links between the mayor and the shady underworld of gambling centers, with some suspected of being vehicles to launder money.

President Marcos Jr expressed his growing concern about the explosion of offshore casinos in an address to the nation on July 22. To a standing ovation from lawmakers, he ordered a total ban with immediate effect.

Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture  even murder, Marcos said. The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop.

Suspected ties with China

Against this heightened scrutiny, the senate inquiry into Guos possible links to Chinese criminals transfixed the country.

Many parts of her life story did not add up, lawmakers said during the publicly broadcast sessions that lasted for hours, filled with the dizzying back-and-forth of questions aimed at Guo and her suspected accomplices.

During her testimony, Guo claimed she grew up on a livestock farm in the town of Bamban, and was the lovechild of a Filipino maid and a Chinese man.

Guo speaks Tagalog fluently, but she does not speak the regional language, Kapampangan, which is typically spoken in the town. She said she was homeschooled by a woman called Teacher Rubilyn and claimed she did not have any childhood friends who could vouch for her.

Suspicion that she was working as an asset for Beijing grew among lawmakers, as they cited her evasive answers to questions about her Chinese parentage. Her alleged business ventures with foreigners who have criminal records also raised doubts.

Speculation intensified when the senate probe revealed that her real name was Guo Hua Ping based on immigration records from 2005. Later, the National Bureau of Investigation found that her fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national of the same name.

Even though tension with China is rising, it hasnt been a feature of daily life for the large ethnic Chinese population in the Philippines. Generations of Chinese migrants have intermarried with local natives and Spaniards over centuries, with millions of Filipinos today having some degree of Chinese lineage.

The real concern about Guo arose from her alleged ties with business associates from China currently in prison.

The Philippine senate investigation presented documents showing Guo had incorporated Baofu Land Development in 2019 with business partners Zhang Ruijin and Lin Baoying. It was registered to the same sprawling complex in Bamban where the workers were rescued by authorities.

Zhang and Lin are both serving prison time in Singapore for fraudulently using forged documents to launder millions of dollars.

Guo eats fried dried fish, a typical Filipino dish, in a video posted to Youtube on April 20, 2022. - Alice Leal Guo/YouTube

Armed with mounting evidence, Philippine law enforcement agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), jointly filed multiple charges of money laundering against Guo and 35 others for allegedly laundering over 100 million Philippine pesos ($1.8 million) in proceeds from criminal activities.

The AMLC also filed to forfeit assets valued at more than 6 billion Philippine pesos ($106 million) from Guo and her associates.

Among those charged were Guo, her alleged sister Shiela, and a business partner named Cassandra Li Ong. They allegedly ran scam-farm operations under a number of companies: QSeed Genetics; Zun Yuan Technology Inc; Hongshen Gaming Technology Inc; QJJ Farms; and Baofu Land Development Inc.

But by the time the charges were filed on August 30, Guo was already on the run.

President Marcos Jr said Guo would be entitled to standard legal rights but stressed the country would waste no time seeking justice and tracking down those who had helped her flee.

We will not allow this to prolong the resolution of the case whose outcome will be a victory for the Filipino people, he said.

This story has been updated.

CNNs Andee Capellan contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
'Full accountability': Indy police union says it won't defend officers accused of sex crimes

INDIANAPOLIS  A day after an Indianapolis officer added to the growing tally of local policemen charged with sex crimes, the citys police union issued a statement decrying the revelations.

We are sickened by the details contained within these criminal allegations, President Rick Snyder said in a prepared statement released Thursday that called for "full accountability."

Late Tuesday, 35-year-old Kamal Bola of the departments southwest district was arrested in Hendricks County on preliminary charges of public voyeurism, three counts of child molesting and one count of committing the crime deadly force or armed with a deadly weapon.

Bolas charges mark the fourth Indianapolis police officer this year to face sexual misconduct-related offenses. All cases remain pending.

In his statement, Snyder said the organization supports Police Chief Chris Baileys decision to suspend the police powers of the officers and sever their employment.

The union will not defend the officers in court, Snyders statement noted.

Ensuring daylight within the darkness of such alleged deeds helps to restore that which has been tarnished, Snyder said. We pray for the strength and healing of the victims.

The most recent case unfolded Sept. 3, when a family member reported the abuse allegations to a detective at the Hendricks County Sheriffs Office.

Bola, who served six years in the department, was suspended Wednesday. Bailey is recommending his termination to the Civilian Police Merit Board.

These allegations against the officer are disturbing and entirely unacceptable, Bailey said in a previous statement.

What's going on? Indy cops charged with sex crimes in 2024.

Last month, Javed Richards, who worked in internal affairs, was charged with 13 counts of child exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography after detectives discovered Richards was allegedly uploading and downloading material sexually exploiting children on the internet.

Officer Myron Howard was arrested in April after two women called for help and alleged they were sexually assaulted after meeting Howard at those calls.

In January, Paul Humphrey faced charges after he was accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old.

All three officers' cases remain pending and all have been recommended for termination.

Contact IndyStar reporter Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy FOP wants 'full accountability' for officers accused of sex crimes
The Fulton County Board of Health is warning residents that should take steps to avoid mosquito-borne illnesses.

Health officials said an uptick in mosquito-borne illnesses, like West Nile virus, means residents should take preventive measures as mosquito activity increases.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

New data shows a significant rise in reported cases of West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in the region, with six confirmed cases of the virus as of Tuesday in the state, and others under investigation.

Mosquito-borne illnesses pose a serious health risk, and we urge residents to be vigilant, said Dr. Brandon Leftwich, FCBOH Director of Environmental Health. Implementing basic preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

TRENDING STORIES:

Here are the boards recommendations:

Eliminate Standing Water: Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so remove any standing water around your home, including in flowerpots, bird baths, and gutters.

Use Insect Repellent: Apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus when outdoors.

Wear Protective Clothing: Opt for loose long sleeves and long pants, especially during peak mosquito activity times (dusk and dawn).

Install Screens: Ensure windows and doors are fitted with screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

Stay Informed: Monitor local health alerts and updates regarding mosquito-borne illnesses.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
Ga. School Shooting Suspect Tried To Enter His Class With A Gun, But Was Stopped: Student

The suspect in Wednesdays school shooting in Winder, Georgia, left his math class before the attack and apparently tried to reenter the room with a gun, but a classmate stopped him by not opening the door, a student has said.

Junior Lyela Sayarath told CNN that the suspect, 14-year-old Colt Gray, had been sitting next to her at the start of the class at Apalachee High School but that Gray, who she said often skipped class, got up and left.

The period was nearly finished when he returned, she said, knocking at the door to be let back in because the doors lock automatically after theyre closed.

A person kneels in front of flowers that are placed outside the entrance to Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Thursday, Sept. 5. via Associated Press

They almost let him in. ... But Im pretty sure she saw that he had a gun and so she backed away, Sayarath said. I think he wanted to come to us first.

She then heard him fire about 10-15 rounds, back to back, prompting everyone in her class to drop to the floor and crawl to one area of the room, said Sayarath, who also described the moment in similar remarks to others in the press.

Two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, were killed in the attack, along with teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, authorities said at a press conference Wednesday night.

The shooter, who was armed with an assault-style rifle, surrendered to two resource officers just minutes after a report of shots went out. He was taken into custody and is being charged as an adult with murder, authorities said.

Sayarath said she rarely spoke with the suspect, describing him as quiet and reserved. She wasnt surprised that he was identified as the shooter based on how withdrawn he was.

The FBI has since revealed that the suspect was previously questioned by police over alleged online threats to carry out a school shooting in 2023.

The teen denied making the online threats and his father, when questioned, said his son didnt have unsupervised access to the familys hunting guns, authorities said.

It remains unclear how the shooter obtained the firearm used in Wednesdays attack.

Related...
Gaza teacher welcomes students in a classroom tent set up on the rubble of her house

Gaza teacher welcomes students in a classroom tent set up on the rubble of her house

By Hatem Khaled

GAZA (Reuters) - Gaza's schools lie in ruins or have been turned into shelters for families displaced by a war that has killed tens of thousands. Yet teacher Israa Abu Mustafa refuses to let death and destruction deprive traumatised children of an education.

After a four-storey building containing her home was demolished by an Israeli air strike, Abu Mustafa set up a classroom on the rubble under a tent.

Her impromptu school is one of the few remaining options for children in her neighbourhood.

"During the war, we had to fill water gallons and collect sticks for firewood. Then Miss Israa found us and brought us here to continue learning," said 10-year-old Hala Abu Mustafa.

The project began with 35 pupils and that number gradually increased to 70, ranging from pre-school to sixth graders aged 11-12.

Since the war began on Oct. 7, schools have been bombed or turned into shelters for displaced people, leaving Gaza's estimated 625,000 school-aged children unable to attend classes.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, at least 10,490 school and university students have been killed in the Israeli offensive. More than 500 school teachers and university educators have also been killed.

The conflict erupted when the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 people hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with the military campaign in Gaza, killing more than 40,861 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israel says it goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of using human shields and operating from schools, an allegation the group denies.

Abu Mustafa's lessons go beyond just a curriculum. Her classes provide a sense of structure and routine in the chaos.

The tent is far from a traditional classroom where children once dreamed of one day studying abroad or becoming doctors and engineers who help the people of Gaza, which was impoverished and suffered from high unemployment long before the war erupted.

"We need chairs and tables so the children can learn properly instead of being forced to write on the ground," the 29-year-old teacher said.

With limited resources, Abu Mustafa teaches basic lessons including religious studies, trying to keep her students engaged despite the relentless bombardment.

Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank have internationally high literacy levels, and the under-resourced education system was a rare source of hope and pride among Palestinians.

"What could be the child's wish? They have the right to learn in a safe environment, they have the right to play in safe place, to not feel any fear," Abu Mustafa said.

(Writing by Tala Ramadan; Editing by Michael Georgy and Alison Williams)
General says the Marine Corps 'stole' the narco-sub idea from drug runners to move missiles and more

General says the Marine Corps 'stole' the narco-sub idea from drug runners to move missiles and more

The Marine Corps has a new unmanned, semisubmersible vessel to transport supplies and weapons.

The general said the design is "just a narco-boat," an idea stolen from drug smugglers.

The vessel could be useful for resupplying US forces in the heat of combat.

The Marine Corps got its inspiration for a new unmanned, semisubmersible vessel from narco-submarines used to transport drugs, a general said.

The vessel is intended to transport equipment, weapons, and supplies to forward-deployed Marines, helping to make US forces more maneuverable and flexible.

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Simon Doran said at a DefenseNews conference on Wednesday that the idea for the autonomous, low-profile vessel was effectively stolen from vessels used for smuggling drugs.

"Truth be told, this is just a narco-boat. We stole the idea from friends down south," Doran said.

"And so this is 55-feet long, completely autonomous. It's able to go hundreds or thousands of miles. It's able to carry weapon systems that we have that are new," he said. Doran added that the boats "can carry pretty much anything you want to put in it."

Doran said the design is "just a narco-boat." Luis Alberto Cruz Hernandez/AP

The Marine Corps tested the new vessel at Camp Pendleton in February as part of Project Convergence Capstone 4, an Army-led joint force exercise on advanced capabilities.

The new vessel can be configured to deliver a variety of supplies and equipment, giving the Marines flexibility in how, when, and where to use it.

Doran said the drone's low-profile design helps keep it out of sight in combat, and because the boat is unmanned, the Marine Corps can keep more of its personnel out of danger.

"If you have that unit located inside a weapons engagement zone, contested logistics and the ability to maneuver in the littorals becomes key," Doran said at the conference. "And for that, what we're looking at is trying to acquire systems that we deem risk-worthy, meaning that we don't necessarily want to just waste them, but we'd rather put something in there that's autonomous, that doesn't have humans on it, that can do some of these higher-risk missions without having personnel put in that riskier situation."

The vessel can be configured to carry a variety of weapons, supplies, and equipment. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Kevin Ray J. Salvador

The Pentagon has prioritized the development of unmanned equipment. Last year, the Department of Defense announced the Replicator initiative, a long-term program to field thousands of autonomous systems. Few details about the initiative have been released, but $1 billion has been allocated to the program this fiscal year, indicating it's likely making progress.

The initiative has been driven by the possibility of a future conflict with China, with US defense officials saying unmanned systems would give the nation an asymmetric advantage against China should the two superpowers clash one day.

To that end, the military has looked at unmanned warships, wingmen, and recon assets to boost joint forces in battle.

The Pentagon has also focused on dispersal and maneuverability capabilities to shield forces from a missile strike and electronic-warfare capabilities for battles inside the electromagnetic spectrum.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Over the past year, a near constant drumbeat of articles has warned of the potential for generative AI content to overwhelm the information space, leading to a tsunami of disinformation so powerful that it could undermine democracies around the world and sway the results of elections being held in a record number of countries. In a survey released at the World Economic Forum earlier this year, key stakeholders ranked the threat of misinformation and disinformation as the greatest challenge facing the world over the next two yearsahead of risks such as extreme weather events, societal polarization, and lack of economic opportunity, among others. (Interstate armed conflict ranked only fifth.)

More than halfway through the yearand with the U.S. election looming in Novemberthe AI onslaught has yet to arrive, notwithstanding several isolated instances. The reasons for the limited impact are diverse and depend on the specifics of each election contest. Aside from nations with uncompetitive contests, the polarized nature of discourse that we see in many democracies makes such falsities unnecessary, and some nations have already adopted heightened defenses to address the challenge.

The experiences of other countries are informative and in some sense reassuring as the U.S. election approaches. Still, the fact that we have not seen generative AI outputs meaningfully affect elections elsewhere does not mean that concerns about their potential to do so should be ignored.

Generative AI already has shown up in this election cycle.

Since President Joe Bidens departure from the race in late July, the presidential contest has become exceedingly competitive, raising the potential for false and decontextualized content to spread rapidly, including through AI-generated images, video, and audio. There is little evidence that misinformation has a persuasive effect, but this type of content is more likely to reinforce existing partisan beliefs.

While research on the effect of AI-generated outputs is sparse, recent real-world examples point to the limited ability of this type of content to meaningfully gain traction with voters. Thus far in the campaign, we have seen usages of generative AI outputs that range from the bizarreformer President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris enjoying a romantic walk on the beach, for exampleto the semi-convincing. AI cheapfakes and deepfakes have also been deployed to create the appearance of support from high-profile public figures, such as pop icon Taylor Swift. Yet many of these fakes have been rapidly debunked by journalists and a civil society on high alert.

Generative AI will also continue to factor into the election interference playbooks of hostile nations, including Iran and Russia. Although these countries have tried to meddle in many elections throughout the year, the contest between Trump and Harris is perhaps the most pivotal one shaping the future trajectory of foreign policy in Ukraine and the Middle East. Russian and Iranian actors are highly motivated to interfere and foment discord across the electorate, and according to intelligence reports they already are actively engaged. In addition to sowing chaos broadly, Russia has sought to undermine Harris candidacy and exacerbate partisan divisions, relying on influencers and private firms to avoid attribution. Iran has successfully hacked the Trump campaign and leveraged a network of online accounts to foment discord, with a particular focus on the Israel-Gaza conflict. These efforts to undermine the candidacies of both Harris and Trump highlight the cross-partisan reach of foreign influence campaigns.

Unsurprisingly, these efforts have begun to leverage generative AI tools for tasks such as translation and the creation of fake user engagement. Over the past year, AI developers have identified and worked to disrupt several uses of their tools for influence operations. Importantly, while foreign actors have used generative AI tools in their efforts, they appear to have had limited reach thus far.

Where could generative AI have a real impact?

The contested nature of the presidential race means such efforts will undoubtedly continue, but they likely will remain discoverable, and their reach and ability to shape election outcomes will be minimal. Instead, the most meaningful uses of generative AI content could occur in highly targeted scenarios just prior to the election and/or in a contentious post-election environment where experience has demonstrated that potential evidence of malfeasance need not be true to mobilize a small subset of believers to act.

Because U.S. elections are managed at the state and county levels, low-level actors in some swing precincts or counties are catapulted to the national spotlight every four years. Since these actors are not well known to the public, targeted and personal AI-generated content can cause significant harm. Before the election, this type of fabricated content could take the form of a last-minute phone call by someone claiming to be election worker alerting voters to an issue at their polling place.

After the election, it could become harassment of election officials or evidence of foul play. Due to the localized and personalized nature of this type of effort, it could be less rapidly discoverable for unknown figures not regularly in the public eye, difficult to debunk or prevent with existing tools and guardrails, and damaging to reputations. This tailored approach need not be driven by domestic actorsin fact, in the lead up to the 2020 elections, Iranian actors pretended to be members of the Proud Boys and sent threatening emails to Democratic voters in select states demanding they vote for Donald Trump. Although election officials have worked tirelessly to brace for this possibility, they are correct to be on guard.

What has received less attention thus far is the day-after Election Day scenario. During the period between Election Day and the inauguration, election results could remain unknown, or, as we saw in 2020, disregarded. Lawsuits could feature prominently. Against this uncertain political backdrop, prior experience serves as a guide for what could transpire.

In 2020, decontextualized and doctored videos and images flooded the internet after the elections, creating proof of a nefarious plot to steal the election for those who were already primed to believe it. Despite numerous failed legal cases and pushback against this purported evidence, threats of violence dogged election workers who were targeted as part of the post-election push to discredit the election results. The end result was the violence at the Capitol on January 6. Even months after the presidential transition, new evidence of supposed election rigging continued to surface, with rapid debunking of decontextualized claims and misleading interpretations of data doing little to stem the flow of falsehoods aimed at those who were already inclined to accept them as true.

Efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of the elections with decontextualized or false content ran rampant without AI-generated images, video, or audio added to the fray. But the subsequent addition of a new class of wholly fabricated evidence augments potential concerns. In this context, debunkingas occurred regularly in 2020 and has occurred repeatedly throughout the presidential campaigns so faris too little, too late, thanks to a range of well-trodden cognitive processes, including partisan motivated reasoning, confirmation bias, and the strength of a winner-loser gap, in which the losers of an electoral contest are less likely to be satisfied with democracy. In this scenario, the goal of misleading or downright fabricated information is not to change voters minds, but rather to mobilize a subset of the most ardent supporters.

With a little more than two months of campaigning left, we are likely to see a continual flow of AI-generated content online. Most of it will be downright comical, but some of it will be cause for concern or even believable. While it is important to address such cases, more destabilizing potential uses of AI contentuses that may mobilize (or demobilize) a small, but targeted subset of actors rather than persuade the electorate one way or anotherloom large closer to and in the aftermath of Election Day.

Given this potential, AI developers in particular must be prepared for the exploitation of their tools and recognize that the guardrails in place right now prohibiting, for example, image generation of known political figures, may be insufficient to meet the challenge. Election officials must continue to educate voters on where and how to get authoritative information about voting and, where possible, provide a clear and transparent window into all facets of the vote tabulation process. Not losing sight of the potential role generative AI content could play just prior to and during the post-election periodand preparing for their potential usewill be critical to further stymieing the portended disinformation tsunami in the context of a historic election year.

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C3.ai (NYSE: AI)

Q1 2025 Earnings Call

Sep 04, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the C3 AI's first quarter fiscal year 2025 conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. After the speakers' presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session.

[Operator instructions] Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your speaker for today, Amit Berry, you may begin.

Amit Berry -- Investor Relations

Good afternoon, and welcome to C3 AI's earnings call for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, which ended on July 31st, 2024. My name is Amit Berry, and I lead investor relations at C3 AI. With me on the call today are Tom Siebel, chairman and chief executive officer; Ed Abbo, executive vice president and chief technology officer; and Hitesh Lath, chief financial officer. After the market closed today, we issued a press release with details regarding our first quarter results, as well as the supplemental to our results, both of which can be accessed through the investor relations section of our website at ir.c3.ai.

This call is being webcast, and a replay will be available on our IR website following the conclusion of the call. During today's call, we will make statements related to our business that may be considered forward-looking under federal securities laws. These statements reflect our views only as of today and should not be considered representative of our views as of any subsequent date. We disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements or outlook.

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These statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. For a further discussion of the material risks and other important factors that could affect our actual results, please refer to our filings with the SEC. All figures will be discussed on a non-GAAP basis unless otherwise noted. Also during today's call, we will refer to certain non-GAAP financial measures.

A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures is included in our press release. Finally, at times in our prepared remarks, in response to your questions, we may discuss metrics that are incremental to our usual presentation to give greater insight into the dynamics of our business or our quarterly results. Please be advised that we may or may not provide, may or may not continue to provide this additional detail in the future. And with that, let me turn the call over to Tom.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Amit. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining our call today. We are off to a solid start for fiscal year '25. In Q1, we exceeded all expectations for revenue, cash flow, and profitability.

This quarter marked our sixth consecutive quarter of accelerating revenue growth, reflecting our high levels of customer satisfaction and increasing demand for enterprise AI applications. Our year-over-year revenue growth has accelerated from 11% in Q1 '24 to 17% in Q2, 18% in Q3, 20% in Q4 and 21% in Q1 year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 of fiscal year '25. Total revenue for the quarter was $87.2 million, exceeding analyst expectations. Subscription revenue was $73.5 million and increased 20% from a year ago.

Our non-GAAP gross profit was $60.9 million representing a 70% gross margin. Our GAAP operating loss was $72.6 million. Our non-GAAP operating loss was $16.6 million and substantially better than our guidance for a loss of $22 million to $30 million. Our non-GAAP net loss per share was $0.05.

Our net cash provided by operating activities was $8 million, and we generated free cash flow of $7.1 million in the quarter, both substantially exceed market expectations. We ended the quarter with over $760 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments. I'll note that this is the 15th consecutive quarter as a public company in which we have met or exceeded our revenue guidance. In the first quarter, the company closed 71 agreements, including 72 new pilots marking a 117% year-over-year increase in our pilot count.

We entered into new agreements with GSK, Eletrobras, Valero, Swift, SmithRx, Sanofi, the U.S. Intelligence Community, the U.S. Department of Defense, Dolce & Gabbana, Ingersoll Rand, and others. Additionally, we significantly expanded our footprint across state and local government.

In Q1, the company signed 25 agreements with state and local governments with municipal, county, and state agencies in Texas, California, New Jersey, Georgia, Washington, and Connecticut, Virginia, Rhode Island, Maine, New Mexico, and Florida. State and local government is a large and underserved market that we're rapidly penetrating. Our solutions increase efficiency while maintaining the highest standards for accuracy, transparency, and security. They drive substantial cost savings and the combined benefits result in improved public services and improved customer experience.

In short, C3 AI is enabling government agencies to do more with less, ultimately benefiting the public. To quote from the Assessor of Riverside County, and I quote, "We set the bar high for C3 AI and they delivered with over 90% model accuracy in our property valuations. This technology is letting our staff do the mundane tasks faster and easier so they can concentrate on the very complicated properties. And our employees are starting to see the fruits of this effort translating into better customer service.

Overall, we are seeing incredible results with C3 AI." The proven benefits of C3 AI local government suite, combined with our partner-supported and concentrated sales strategy resulted in an accelerated sales cycle within the sector. The growth was fueled by a highly, collaborative joint sales and marketing campaign with C3 AI and Google Cloud to promote the C3 AI state and local government suite, including C3 AI property appraisal and C3 Generative AI for public benefits. Through these efforts, we saw high adoption with state and local government closing 24 agreements in the quarter. Let me give you a feel for the speed of these sales cycles.

In Q1, we closed an agreement with a county in the Northwestern United States. County decision-makers got introduced to C3 AI at an industry conference. And within 24 hours, we were in contract negotiations. Just 12 hours later, we were in contract for C3 AI property appraisal.

Another example is with a county in the Southeast. This customer attended our Annual Users Group Conference, C3 Transform in March of 2024. Then four weeks later, we held an executive briefing for the county leadership. And now after three months of contract discussion, the county has signed a seven-figure, five-year subscription deal for C3 AI property appraisal.

Our state and local business has grown more than 500% year over year, and we are excited about the traction, the potential for expansion, and the customer advocacy for C3 AI. As we now take these public sector solutions to market in Europe, the addressable market more than doubles. Turning to the C3 AI federal business. This sector continues to experience substantial sustained momentum, representing over 30% of our bookings for the quarter.

We entered in new expansion agreements with the United States Air Force, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Intelligence Community among others.

These agencies trust C3 AI to provide secure and innovative applications that help them modernize. The U.S. Marine Corps and C3 AI continued the successful collaboration to digitally transform the branch's legacy software systems. The Marine Corps is using the C3 AI Defense and Intelligence suite to improve the efficiency of personnel management systems by accelerating critical processes and time-to-decision support.

This work with C3 AI is backed by Manpower IT Systems Modernization program and aligns with the Marine Corps multiyear roadmap and goals. C3 AI's customer base continues to expand, both within and across industries, while maintaining exceptional levels of customer satisfaction by our continued focus on delivering measurable, significant enterprise value. At Eletrobras, the largest power generation transmission company in Latin America, we partnered to enhance their grid resiliency and availability. Brazil's grid is among the world's most complex due to its diverse generation profile, variability, expansive service territory, and challenging regulatory environment.

With C3 AI, Eletrobras can effectively and efficiently process and analyze real-time data servicing low-latency AI insights to mitigate network disturbances. Nucor Corporation is seeing significant success in improving manufacturing outcomes with the C3 AI Supply Chain suite. This deployment includes three distinct C3 AI applications, C3 AI Demand Forecasting, C3 AI Inventory Optimization, and C3 AI Production Schedule Optimization, working together to support and optimize daily decision-making across multiple facilities. As we enter Q2, we are focused on expanding sales capacity, expanding in North America, expanding in Europe, and expanding in the public sector.

Our partner network continues to generate opportunities and open new deal flow. We had a very active first quarter in alliances, working closely with our partners to close new agreements. Net-net, 72% of our total agreements were closed with and through our partner ecosystem. This was an increase of 155% year over year and 82% quarter over quarter.

Our partner-supported bookings grew 94% year over year and our activity levels with our partners that include AWS, Booz Allen, Google Cloud, and Microsoft continue to increase substantially. In the first quarter, we closed 40 agreements with Google Cloud. This is an increase of 300% year over year. This growth was largely driven by the joint campaign between C3 AI and Google Cloud which I just discussed earlier, focused on the public sector.

C3 AI continues to be an attractive partner for the hyperscalers as our 90 enterprise AI applications rapidly drive substantial workload in their compute and storage clouds while adding immediate value to our joint customers. As you can see from our supplemental deck, our bookings continue to be increasingly diverse. Our generative AI business is surprisingly diverse with many candidly, unanticipated use cases across the board in a wide range of industries. In addition, our total non-Baker Hughes revenue grew 37% year over year.

Now I'll hand it over to Ed for an update on our products and generative AI. Ed?

Ed Abbo -- Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

Thank you, Tom. Let me first recap where C3 AI fits in the AI tech stack. Starting at the bottom, the four layers include silicon, cloud infrastructure, foundation models. And at the top, harnessing all this innovation to deliver business value to our AI applications.

This is where C3 AI plays with prebuilt AI applications that can be deployed very quickly. In contrast, the offerings you're seeing in the AI software market today fall into two distinct categories. First, legacy software companies that are scrambling to keep up with AI. To try to stay relevant, these companies are rebranding their 20th-century software stacks with AI on the box.

The technical depth to rewrite their software to take advantage of a modern, scalable AI tech stack is simply insurmountable. For them, AI is just a bolt-on constrained to a small fraction of the enterprise data managed by their legacy software. Second, we see a few more modern software companies that were designed primarily for data integration, data management, or data engineering not claiming to be enterprise AI platforms to build and operate AI applications. Basing an enterprise AI application plan on these incomplete tech stacks requires customers to undertake significant, protracted software development projects where minimal customer value is realized.

This is clearly reflected in the customer satisfaction scores of these vendors. The C3 AI platform is unique in that it was a clean sheet design, providing all the services necessary and sufficient to design, develop, provision, and operate real-world enterprise AI solutions. This provides users with rich workflow-enabled AI applications operating on an application platform with advanced data fusion and governance and scalable AI/ML operations capabilities. We leverage all layers of the AI tech stack, silicon cloud infrastructure services, and foundation models.

The C3 AI platform was purpose-built and hardened over 15 years to rapidly deliver robust customer AI applications. Now let me take a moment to unpack what we mean by prebuilt applications as this is a key differentiator for C3 AI. As a customer, if you buy a prebuilt application, you don't need to define what the application does, design and develop the ontology, the business logic, the AI or GenAI model pipelines, or the user interface. We've done all that.

C3 AI prebuilt applications are tried, tested, and proven in the market, so the application can be rapidly configured to the customer data sources. AI/ML models tuned to customers' data and the user interface tuned for the customer. This allows customers to quickly configure, deploy, onboard and train users, scale out their enterprise, and rapidly realize enterprise value. Let me give you an example.

Holcim, which is a large global building solutions manufacturer scaled out C3 AI reliability, our prebuilt AI-based predictive maintenance application to most of its plants in just eight months after a successful pilot. The application monitors several hundred critical plant assets such as vertical roller mills and ball mills to accurately predict potential problems well in advance of failure. It does so by continuously ingesting data from over 9,500 sensors and other systems and analyzes those data using 850 machine learning models. The C3I reliability application allows Holcim to avoid significant operational disruptions and high-cost remediations.

Today, we have prebuilt AI applications with turnkey ontologies that address entire value chains across industry verticals. These applications don't operate in silos. They're designed and built to work in concert, all running on the C3 AI platform. Each new application can deploy faster than the last, thanks to the ability to reuse data integrations, ontologies, AI/ML pipelines, workflows, and user interface components.

And as more C3 AI applications are deployed, enterprises accrue business benefits faster and the pace of their AI transformation accelerates. We also offer a suite of prebuilt and extensible C3 Generative AI applications that can be used as stand-alone solutions or deployed alongside other C3 AI applications. This quarter, we deployed C3 generative AI for industrial asset inspections at a large manufacturer. This application unifies data across unstructured inspection reports and structured data on asset performance, such as risk reports, corrosion analysis, work orders, etc., which makes these data easily and quickly accessible to plant operators.

Some of these inspection reports include scans of handwritten text and engineering diagrams that are over 50 years old. Using this application, the company has been able to streamline the day-to-day work of inspectors, reduce costly operational mistakes and risk, and accelerate their turnaround efforts and time. In Q1, we launched C3 Generative AI for government programs, which has an immense potential for federal, state, or local government agencies by eliminating service delays, reducing wait times, enhancing the effectiveness of contact centers, and improving the citizen experience. We've already signed a pilot with a state on the U.S.

East Coast and look forward to supporting public sector agencies across the board. It's important to understand that the C3 generative AI applications are unique in the market. We provide the ability to interact with omnimodal data that is structured sensor data, databases, unstructured documents, images, embedded tables, leverage any LLM available in the market. For example, GPT 4.0, Gemini, Claude, Llama, Mistral, to name a few, and multiple specialized LLMs in the same application, offering full source traceability for both structured and unstructured data and granular enterprise access controls.

We also provide tools to enable data scientists to tune system responses for high accuracy in production with minimal hallucination, perform chain of thought, reasoning, author and execute mathematical functions, offer state-of-the-art LLM guardrails and protections, and orchestrate and chain together AI agents to perform high-value tasks, for example, to initiate workflows or write summaries. We provide out-of-the-box pipelines to synthesize results across AI agents, automatically detect and surface consistencies in underlying data, capture engine logs for auditability and traceability, provide tools for our customers, developers, and data scientists to configure their own custom generative AI pipelines, and offer fine-tuning services for embedding models and LLMs. C3 generative AI is also unique in its enterprise-grade support for operating in highly secure air gap environments. This is a prerequisite for defense intelligence and financial services customers.

I'll now turn it over to Hitesh to cover the financials.

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, Ed. I will now provide a recap of our financial results and additional color on our business. All figures are non-GAAP unless otherwise noted. As Tom mentioned, total revenue for the quarter increased 21% year over year to $87.2 million.

Subscription revenue increased 20% year over year to $73.5 million, representing 84% of total revenue. As a reminder, our subscription revenue is comprised primarily of software licenses, Software as a Service offering, standard SEO support services, pilots and trials of our C3 AI applications or generative AI, and consumption-based pricing for which revenue is recognized over time. Our subscription revenue also includes revenue from software licenses for which ongoing maintenance and support is not required. And in accordance with ASC 606, the revenue is recognized when the license is made available to the customer.

Professional services revenue was $13.7 million. This represents 16% of total revenue in the first quarter of fiscal '25 as compared to 15% of total revenue in the first quarter of fiscal '24. We expect the professional services revenue to generally stay within 10% to 20% of total revenue for fiscal '25. Gross profit for the quarter was $60.9 million and gross margin was 70%.

Gross margin for professional services remained high at over 90%. operating loss for the quarter was $16.6 million. Our operating loss was better than guidance due to continued focus on expense management. Our net cash provided by operating activities was $8 million.

Free cash flow for the quarter was positive $7.1 million. We were able to generate positive free cash flow during the quarter because of continued focus on cash management. We continue to be very well capitalized and closed the quarter with $762.5 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, an increase of $12.2 million compared to Q4. At the end of Q1, our accounts receivable balance was $140.1 million, including unbilled receivables of $81.5 million.

Total allowance for bad debt remains de minimis at less than $400,000, and we do not have concerns regarding collections. The general health of our accounts receivable remains strong. During the first quarter, we signed 52 pilots, 117% increase from last year and up 53% from last quarter. At quarter end, we had cumulatively signed 224 pilots, of which 191 are still active.

This means they are either in their original three- to six-month term or extended for some duration or converted to a subscription or consumption contract or are currently being negotiated for conversion to subscription or consumption contracts. We continue to expect short-term pressure on our gross margins due to higher mix of pilots, which carry a greater cost of revenue during the pilot phase of the customer life cycle. We also expect short-term pressure on our operating margin due to additional investments we are making in our business, including in our sales force, research and development, and marketing spend. As we continue to make significant investments in the business, we expect to be free cash flow negative for Q2 and Q3 but remain on track to be free cash flow positive for Q4 and also for the full fiscal year '25.

Now I'll move on to our guidance for the next quarter. Our revenue guidance for Q2 is going to be $88.6 million to $93.6 million. We are maintaining our previous guidance of $370 million to $395 million for fiscal '25. This implies a year-over-year growth rate of 19% to 27%, making C3 AI one of the fastest-growing companies in the software public company universe.

Our guidance for non-GAAP loss from operations for Q2 is $26.7 million to $34.7 million. We are maintaining our previous guidance of $95 million to $125 million for fiscal '25. Now I'd like to turn the call back over to Tom.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Hitesh. Let me address path to profitability. Our cost of goods sold is substantially less than our cost of generating revenue. And as such, C3 AI is a structurally profitable business.

Our year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 was 21% and accelerating. Our year-over-year expense growth rate was 12%. In the coming years, we expect our revenue to generally grow at a greater rate than our expense growth rate. It follows that non-GAAP profitability is now simply a function of scale.

While we continue to invest in market share, we believe our revenue growth rates would generally exceed our expense growth rates. The expense and revenue lines will converge, crossing over to consistent non-GAAP profitability. At this time, we expect to be cash flow positive in Q4 fiscal year '25 and for the entire year of fiscal year '25. Now let's talk about kind of the general area of the -- I want to talk about the general enterprise AI market, and I want to talk about customer success in C3 AI.

We really are partners to our customers, often on speed dial, engaging with them multiple times a day to make them successful and self-sufficient. We're not working from home, we are out there on the site with our customers every day, every week. We sit shoulder to shoulder, and we get into the details of their business to make sure that everything is running smoothly as it relates to their enterprise AI applications. We hold weekly executive reviews to track progress at the highest levels.

This proactive, boots-on-the-ground approach is what drives the customer satisfaction reflected in our Net Promoter Scores. This commitment to close hands-on collaboration is demonstrated in our partnership with Shell. Shell has over 100 C3 AI applications in development and deployment for everything from asset integrity to production optimization. We started working with Shell initially on predictive maintenance back in 2018.

And now, they monitor over 15,000 pieces of equipment with C3 AI. They estimate that this program alone generates this whole C3 AI program that they have written large that they call Shell AI has generated annual benefit to shell of $2 billion. And we're not done. We continue to collaborate expanding into new use cases, including some service reservoir management and oil condition monitoring.

These applications, we expect to be all scaled out across multiple assets. This approach is also evident in our work with Con Edison. We began our partnership with Con Ed in 2017, initially focusing on the advanced metering infrastructure project. This is a project that enhances the operational efficiency, public safety, and customer satisfaction of their smart grid infrastructure, and it continues to scale.

Annual cost reduction uncovered is over $45 million. The project is exceeding expectations with a projected benefit of more than $3.2 billion over 20 years, $500 million more than originally projected. Now Con Edison is deploying generative AI for meter management and asset mapping, which addresses billing discrepancies and reduces mismappings on the electric grid and reduces cost and increases customer satisfaction. Customer success is at the core of why we built this company.

Now let's take a moment here and think back OK? For those of you who've been around, OK, for a few decades, and they've got in touch with what's going on with people. C3 AI is the original enterprise AI company, hard stop, OK? We began C3 AI in January of 2009, think about that, with the vision to develop a software platform and enterprise applications that allow organizations to exploit, what we believe, would be the computing platform of the future. And that included elastic cloud computing, the Internet of Things, big data, and predictive analytics. And we did this during the depth of the AI winter.

This was well before the advent of the GPU, before Azure existed, before GCP existed and when AWS was nascent. We invested into thousands of person-years in over a decade, OK, building the C3 AI platform, the first reference platform architecture for enterprise AI hard stop at the first, OK? And today, now over 90 C3 AI enterprise applications address the value chains of energy, government, defense, manufacturing, financial services, agribusiness, pharma, and others. We deploy these applications today in Europe, Asia, South America, North America, OK, and in governments around the world. Now 15 years later, the Elastic Cloud, the Internet of Things, big data, and predictive analytics have become ubiquitous.

Enterprise AI is broadly recognized as one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the history of enterprise software. It is a mandate for every corporate and government leader today to harness the power of enterprise AI, and C3 AI is extraordinarily well-positioned to serve this large and rapidly growing market demand. C3 AI is today one of the fastest-growing companies in the public software universe. And most importantly, in this current cacophony of AI market hype, C3 AI is achieving among the highest levels of customer satisfaction for value realized in the enterprise software world.

OK. I refer you to our earnings supplemental deck today, OK, where we're showcasing, OK, C3 AI's Net Promoter Scores, benchmarking C3 AI against other leading enterprise software companies, OK, many of which purport to be -- almost all of which purport to be, OK, AI companies. And this report is published by a third party called Comparable. The bottom line is our enterprise software companies are the most satisfied in the software industry, consistently driving unmatched value from our solutions.

Achieving this level of customer satisfaction doesn't just happen, it is the result of relentless dedication, unwavering commitment, a thorough understanding of our customer needs, superior software technology, and deep, deep expertise in enterprise AI, honed over many years of excellence. In the final analysis, customer value realized will be the only criteria that will determine the leader in enterprise AI and C3 AI is exactly on track. Now I'd like to turn this over to the operator to begin our QA session. Thank you all.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

Thank you. [Operator instructions] Please stand by while we compile the Q&A roster. Our first question comes from the line of Patrick Walravens with Citizens JMP. Your line is open.

Patrick Walravens -- Analyst

Oh, great. Thank you very much and congratulations. Hey, Tom, can you start out by just sort of characterizing what the tone of business was like for you guys in Q1? And specifically, I'm looking at your deal band chart where you had 71 deals and the average TCV is 700. So, if you multiply those together, you get like almost $50 million, which is up a lot.

So, just if you could just comment on the tone of business, that would be great.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Pat, it's pretty wild out there. I mean, I would say, particularly with the advent of generative AI. I mean I think it's very difficult for people who are assessing these companies to really understand the complexity of what's going on in the AI market, OK, where we have different flavors of enterprise AI, we have these generative AI applications that go from very kind of small, low-priced use cases to very high priced, high-value use cases. And honestly, it's difficult to model that.

I mean this is not a simple business. As we enter this kind of new world of AI, I mean, it's really complex. And we can't simply multiply, we did these many widgets this quarter, and we're going to that many widgets in the next quarter. And this is the growth rate of widgets.

This is the gross margin. And therefore, this is what the -- we continue to be just amazed by the broad range of applications that we're finding for enterprise AI, and I would say in generative AI, many of which we just couldn't have anticipated. I would say like public sector, we didn't anticipate that, and we just fell into a gold mine there, OK? Law firms, medical diagnostics is just fascinating.

Patrick Walravens -- Analyst

Awesome. And Hitesh, if I could ask a follow-up for you. I think people are probably wondering given how strong the bookings seem to be why the guidance didn't go up. How did you think about that?

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

You're talking about the guidance for the Q2, revenue guidance.

Patrick Walravens -- Analyst

No, for the year, you kept it the same.

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. That still represents 19% to 27% revenue growth. it still makes us one of the fastest-growing companies in this public software company universe.

Patrick Walravens -- Analyst

OK. Thank you, guys.

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

Thank you.

Operator

Please stand by for our next question. Our next question comes from the line of Timothy Horan with Oppenheimer. Your line is open.

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

Thanks, guys. On the subscription revenue has been a little lumpy here. On professional services, I know, Tom, you basically just said it's very difficult to model out. But can you give us some color on the trends? Like is this a good jump-off point for the rest of the year? And then maybe just on the expenses, where should we be modeling and the expenses increased almost in the next quarter or two? Thank you.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Let me address subscription versus services under ASC 606, it's a little complex. Certain things that used to be called software and now are called services under the new guidance, and we comply with what the guidance is. That being said, we've guided that our services revenue would be 10% to 20% of revenue in any given quarter. Our services revenue was 16% in this quarter.

And so, we're well within our guidance there. Before we kind of bemoan the fact the services were a little higher than they expected to be, let's remember what services margins are at C3 AI. While our software certification margins are quite high 66%, OK, our services margin, everybody, you'll recall, is in excess of 90%. So, services is a pretty darn good business.

And while we continue to be focused, I mean, we're a licensing company, OK? We're not one of these services companies pretending to be a software company. They're one or two of them out there, OK? We're not that bad, but we continue to be -- but it will continue -- for the next year or two, you can expect our services to bounce around in the 10% to 20%. It will probably average about 15%. But remember, our services margins are greater than 90%.

I think 93% is that the number I got. So, it's good work if you can get it.

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

So, was there any reclassification this quarter or one-time items or should the midpoint of 15% is kind of a good run rate going forward?

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

No, no reclassification.

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

OK. Great. And expense line items, anything to focus on the next quarter or two where we should see a pickup?

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. So, in terms of our expenses, we plan to continue to make investments in our sales force, R&D, as well as marketing efforts.

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

OK. Great. Pretty much across the board. And just lastly, any change in the competitive dynamics out there? I mean who do you run up against most these days?

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

This is Tom. Well, Ed, what is the competitive environment? You're closer to it than I.

Ed Abbo -- Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

Yeah. I think the default or de facto competition is the information technology, the IT organization, the CIO trying to build these applications themselves. And those are our best prospects is ones that have tried to do data science and then scale that up across a large enterprise, typically figure out how difficult that is without the right data and AI platform. So, that is the de facto competition in the market for us.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

And those are just prospects a couple of years down the road because they all come crashing down across these -- we have the CIO with 10,000 people in Bangalore, trying to build this thing out of piece/parts from hyperscalers, and invariably comes crashing down around him. And so, they're just -- we just put them in the pipeline two or three years down the road and they come back.

Ed Abbo -- Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

That's right. Thank you.

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

Thanks, guys.

Operator

Thank you. Please stand by for our next question. Our next question comes from the line of Mike Latimore with Northland Capital Markets. Your line is open.

Michael Latimore -- Analyst

Hi, great. Thanks. The pilot growth was very strong sequentially year over year. Are the size of the pilots, the value of the pilots for standard and generative AI kind of as expected?

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

The value of the pilots, the kind of the middle of the road, and I could be off here by 10% or 15%. But in the middle of the road pilot for enterprise AI application is $0.5 million, the middle of the road for a generative AI application is about $0.25 million. The value of the generative AI pilot usually takes three months to complete, enterprise AI pilot will take eight months to complete, OK? And then we go into contract negotiation and they go live. We've given guidance before that we expect about 70% of our pilots to convert to production contracts.

I think that's about right. And honestly, the 30% that don't convert -- it's not because many of these are enormously successful projects. It's not because -- they do not convert because the pilot wasn't successful, they can't convert because some genius CIO decides he's going to try to build this himself out of some piece parts of a hyperscaler. And they'll be back.

Michael Latimore -- Analyst

Yeah. Got it. Got it. OK.

So, no change in pricing or value, it sounds like on pilots. And then in terms of the second quarter guidance, the midpoint is about 24% revenue growth, which is a pretty big step up from the growth you had this quarter. And I think the biggest step-up in the last four quarters, I believe. But is the -- what gives you confidence in that improvement? Is it these pilots you just landed? Or is it professional services growth or big deals getting deployed? Just what gives you confidence in that acceleration?

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Using kind of the best professional judgment we have, OK, the confidence we gave is what we think is going to happen. Now we've been public, I think, for 15 quarters, and we've been right 15 out of 15 quarters. And I know that many of you are trying to model this business if you can model it, you're better than I because there is a lot of moving parts here. And I think the most -- the best indicator of what we're going to do is what we guide you to.

I mean, you could pretty much take to the bank for each of the last 15 quarters. We've been pretty spot on with that. So, right now, that's what we think we'll do. That's our best professional judgment.

And you're going to be sure we're going to be working diligently to meet or exceed that.

Michael Latimore -- Analyst

All right. Thanks.

Operator

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we will take our last question from the line of Kingsley Crane with Canaccord. Your line is open.

Kingsley Crane -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Hi, thanks for taking the question. Forty agreements with GCP, that's spectacular. Fifty-one agreements with the partner network overall. So, could you speak to the partner efforts outside of GCP? What's working well? What would you like to improve? And then is the GCP partnership as dominant from a bookings contribution perspective as it is in deal frequency? Thanks.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

I'm not sure Kingsley, I don't think I have the bookings contribution data here. So, I can't correctly answer that one. I would say that the relationship with GCP is great. The relationship with AWS is great.

We're doing a lot of good work with AWS, with Microsoft, Azure. And I mean, we're great partners for these guys. I mean what we do when they partner with us, we get the application up fast, the customer gets value, I mean they don't make money when companies are building applications using their platforms, they make money when people are running their other applications. So, we're consuming CPU resources, we're consuming GPU resources, we're consuming storage.

And they're all great partners, they're great companies. They're wonderful to work with, and it's a privilege for us to be able to partner with them.

Kingsley Crane -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

All right. OK. That's very helpful. And then last one, just to clarify.

For the state and local agreements, were most of those pilots?

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

They all kind of started as pilots. Yes, in other words, I'm not sure which number you're referring to. Did we refer to how many pilots there were and how many converted in the quarter, we said this?

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

No. We don't talk about the conversions. We have the number for how many pilots closed in the quarter, 52 --

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Kingsley, they almost all began as pilots, OK? They all begin as pilots. They go from, let's say, one to three months, and then the great majority of them convert to production.

Kingsley Crane -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

Makes sense. Yes, understood in this context. All right. Congrats on the quarter.

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you. Thank you, everybody. I think this is the end of our call. We really appreciate your attention.

This is quite an adventure. I think we're breaking ground in enterprise AI. I know we're breaking ground in enterprise AI. And I could just tell you, for those of you who have visited us or those of you who have a chance to visit, it's so exciting and it's just palpable.

And so, we're going to continue to get after it, and we thank you for your time. We thank you for your attention, and wish you all a good day.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 0 minutes

Call participants:

Amit Berry -- Investor Relations

Tom Siebel -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Ed Abbo -- Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer

Hitesh Lath -- Chief Financial Officer

Patrick Walravens -- Analyst

Timothy Horan -- Analyst

Michael Latimore -- Analyst

Mike Latimore -- Analyst

Kingsley Crane -- Canaccord Genuity -- Analyst

More AI analysis

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C3.ai (AI) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Thanks to a generous donation, one local adoption center is covering all adoption costs.

The Animal Resource Center (ARC) of Montgomery County is currently covering the cost of all adoptions at their shelter. The shelters directors hope this is the nudge some may need to get these dogs to a loving home.

Clear The Shelters 2024: What to Know to Adopt and Donate

For the dogs, it means the world, especially when you choose to adopt, said Kara Hamby with the ARC.

The ARC sees a fluctuation of animals in and out of the shelter. They are currently caring for around 150 animals and each one comes with a unique situation  some lost and others abused.

Most of these dogs are uncomfortable in the shelter and desperately want a home and family.

So being able to find them loving homes and get them out of here and somewhere where its more quiet, more peaceful is an amazing opportunity, said Hamby.

Curb, sidewalk upgrades coming to 4 Dayton neighborhoods

As part of the free exchange, the pups come microchipped, spayed and neutered, and vaccinated. If youve been on the fence about looking for an animal, this could be the cost-free push you need to add the benefit of a furry friend to your life.

As much as we love our jobs and working with the dogs, we understand this is no place for them. We do the best that we can here at the shelter, but really, where they should be is in a home, said Hamby.

The free adoption offer is available while funding lasts.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
George Santos looks on in Brooklyn court as scammer admits trying to trick him out of $900K

George Santos looks on in Brooklyn court as scammer admits trying to trick him out of $900K

Convicted con man and ex-Rep. George Santos sat in a Brooklyn courtroom Thursday and watched another con artist admit to a harebrained scheme to trick the former Queens lawmaker out of $900,000.

Santos sat in the gallery of Brooklyn Federal Court looking on as Hector Medina, 37, told a judge how he reached out to Santos, the lying former legislator, and other high-profile people in criminal trouble, offering to make their charges go away for large sums of cash.

Medina was busted in March for the scheme after spending two months in the summer of 2023 sending the notorious fibber unsolicited video and text messages advertising his so-called skills as a fixer.

Santos called the court case, The last pending issue I had as a member of Congress.

We have the right to oversight over the government, and it felt like unfinished business since my untimely departure, Santos told reporters.

That untimely departure came in December, when the House voted to boot the Long Island Republican by a 311-114 vote as the fact-allergic Santos criminal problems mounted.

Last month, Santos entered a guilty plea of his own, three weeks before he was set to go to trial for a string of frauds, including repeatedly charging his campaign donors credit cards without their permission and using donor money to line his pockets and buy items like a designer wardrobe.

Medina, an El Paso, Texas, resident, came into the picture in July 2023, sending Santos an unsolicited video message on his phone using the name Mike Soto.

You dont know me but, I wanted you to see a face and trust me on what Im about to tell you. I work with prosecutors and, uh, judges throughout the United States and I want to give you the opportunity to offer my services. I was contacted by some people to reach out to you and see if you wanted to cut a deal, he said, according to the feds.

Later, he texted, I can get all the charges dropped and All I need is for you or someone to wire 900k, and sent more videos. Santos contacted federal authorities.

This gentleman engaged in a self-incriminating monologue with me for two months. Ive never answered him, never took his call, never answered the text, and he completely buried himself, he said.

Santos said he had no idea how Medina got his phone number. How do you guys get my phone number? he asked reporters. You guys always figure out a way.

Related Articles

On Thursday, a nervous Medina had to repeat his guilty plea three times, first afterJudge Nicholas Garaufis admonished him for keeping his hands in his pockets, and again, when he blurted out, Not guilty, I mean guilty.

He admitted, I used a cell phone to send text messages to high-profile individuals. These individuals were charged with criminal offenses  I solicited them for money by falsely portraying myself as someone who could provide assistance.

Garaufis asked, You wanted to make money? and Medina said, Yes, your honor.

Wire fraud carries a maximum 20-year prison term, but federal sentencing guidelines mean Medina will likely face roughly three to four years behind bars when hes sentenced on Dec. 30.

Prosecutors had also accused Medina of running a similar scheme asking for $1 million from a Hollywood actor convicted of multiple felonies last year. A source familiar with the case confirmed that actor as Danny Masterson, who was convicted of raping two women and sentenced to 30 years to life in Los Angeles.

Danny Masterson got what Danny Masterson deserved, Santos mused when asked about the That 70s Show star.

Medina was also accused of similar offers to a musician arrested in June and an athletes relative who was busted in May.

Santos, whose sentencing is Feb. 7, told reporters he remains very bullish on Trump in the upcoming presidential election, who he thinks will win in a close race.

Santos  who famously lied about nearly every aspect of his life and resume while running for office in 2022  suggested without evidence that Vice President Kamala Harris made up the story about her grandmother using a bullhorn in India to inform women about birth control.

Its quite funny that we only heard about that now. After 16 years in public life, she probably would have shared that sooner, he said, wrongly  Harris has repeatedly told the anecdote over the years, including in her 2009 memoir.
A 14-year-old student is now in custody after being suspected of opening fire at a Georgia high school on Wednesday. Two teachers and two students died in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County while nine other people were also injured, police said.

The alleged shooter, identified as Colt Gray, was a student at Apalachee High School, CNN reported. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey said the suspect will be charged with murder as an adult.

He gave up, got on the ground and the deputy took him into custody, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith added, per NBC News.

The victims have been identified as Mason Schermerhorn (14-year-old student), Christian Angulo (14-year-old student), Richard Aspenwall (39-year-old teacher) and Christina Irimie (53-year-old-teacher).

Two students & two teachers died in the shooting at Apalachee High School earlier today. They have been identified as:

Mason Schermerhorn, age 14 (Student)

Christian Angulo, age 14 (Student)

Richard Aspenwall, age 39 (Teacher)

Christina Irimie, age 53 (Teacher) https://t.co/qenBmWBcj2  GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 5, 2024

A motive for the shooting is unknown. Its also unclear how the suspect got his hands on the firearm or how he was able to bring the weapon to school.

I dont know why it happened. I may not ever know. We may not ever know, Smith said.

According to police, Apalachee High School received a threatening phone call from an unknown person earlier on Wednesday morning. The caller said there would be shootings at five schools and Apalachee would be the first. Around 10:30 a.m., chaos unfolded while Apalachee High School students and staff scrambled to find safety. All other campuses across Barrow County went into a soft lockdown.

Erin Clark, who is the mother of a senior at Apalachee, shared the terrifying text messages she received from her son as the shooting occurred. According to CNN, 17-year-old Ethan Haney told his mother that a shooting was happening and he was scared.

Im leaving work. I love you, Clark told her son before rushing to the school.

President Joe Biden shared his condolences and once again urged Congress to pass gun safety laws.

What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart, Biden said in a statement, per NBC News. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.

Vice President Kamala Harris echoed similar sentiments, calling it a senseless tragedy, according to MSNBC.

Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive, she said.

Barrow County Schools Superintendent Dallas LeDuff announced that campuses will be closed for the remainder of this week.

This article was updated on Sept. 5 to include the names of the victims.
The father of the Georgia school shooting suspect has been arrested and charged, authorities say

The father of the Apalachee High School shooting suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting that left four people dead, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said Thursday.

His son, Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, is accused of killing two students and two teachers with an AR-style rifle in the Wednesday shooting. Seven other people  six students and a teacher  were injured by being shot, and two other students suffered other injuries, authorities say.

The teen has been charged with four counts of felony murder, according to charging documents obtained by CNN. He is expected to be tried as an adult, the GBI and Barrow County sheriff have said.

The charges against Colin Gray stem from him knowingly allowing his son to have a weapon, GBI Director Chris Hosey said at a news conference Thursday.

CNN is working to determine whether Colt Gray and Colin Gray have legal representation. When reached by phone on Thursday, the Barrow County Public Defenders Office could not confirm if they were representing Colt Gray and had no comment.CNN has made several attempts to reach Colin Gray by phone and in person at the family home.

Colin Gray told investigators this week he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son in December 2023, according to two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation.

One source told CNN the AR-15-style rifle was purchased at a local gun store as a Christmas present. The timeline the teens father provided to authorities would put the gun purchase months after authorities first contacted Gray and his family to investigate school shooting threats made online.

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office in Georgia closed that investigation because the tip about the threat could not be substantiated.

Wednesdays mass shooting, which happened just weeks into the new school year, was the 45th school shooting so far this year and the deadliest US school shooting since the March 2023 massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville that left six people dead.

Live updates: The latest on the Georgia high school shooting

The nine injured survivors are expected to make a full recovery, authorities said Thursday.

While another community grieves another senseless school shooting, investigators are revealing more details about the case. Heres what we know:

How everybodys worst nightmare unfolded

The teen suspect left his Algebra 1 class around 9:45 a.m., his classmate Lyela Sayarath told CNN.

The classroom doors lock automatically, and near the end of class, the suspect knocked on the door to try to come back in, Lyela said.

Another student went to open the door but apparently saw the gun and refused to let him in, Lyela said. That diversion may have saved her life.

I think he wanted to come to us first, Lyela said.

Instead, the shooter turned to a nearby classroom and opened fire, and you hear about 10 to 15 rounds back-to-back, Lyela said.

The first report of an active shooter came in around 10:20 a.m. Two school resource officers and other law enforcement quickly arrived, Hosey said.

I heard gunshots outside my classroom and people screaming, people begging not to get shot, said 14-year-old student Macey Right.

And then people sitting beside me (were) just shaking and crying.

One of the school resource officers confronted the shooter, who surrendered and was taken into custody, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The suspect, Colt Gray, is being held Thursday at Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Centers, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice told CNN. He will make his first court appearance Friday, department spokesperson Glenn Allen said.

Colt Gray is continuing to cooperate with investigators, Smith told CNN on Thursday. The suspect told investigators I did it while being questioned and was still talking after being read his Miranda rights, according to Smith.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called the mass shooting everybodys worst nightmare  but its a nightmare shared by many Americans across the country.

So far this year, the United States has suffered at least 385 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. Thats an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day.

Beloved teachers and students were killed

Two 14-year-old students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, went to school and never came home.

The shooter also killed 53-year-old math teacher Cristina Irimie and 39-year-old math teacher and assistant football coach Richard Aspinwall.

(Left to right) Richard Aspinwall, Cristina Irimie, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo were all victims in the Apalachee High School shooting on September 4. - Apalachee High School/Family Photo/GoFundMe

We are truly heartbroken, Christians older sister Lisette Angulo posted on a GoFundMe page to support the family. He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many.

Another verified GoFundMe page was established to help the family of Aspinwall, a beloved football coach.

To our beloved defensive coordinator Ricky Aspinwall, we will carry you heavy in our hearts. We love you Coach A!!! Apalachee Football posted on X Thursday.

Apalachees home football game Friday has been canceled, the teams opponent posted on Facebook.

Irimie, who was active in her local Romanian community and church, is being remembered as a hero, said Father Nicolae Clempus, pastor at St. Marys Romanian Orthodox Church in Dacula, Georgia.

We are very sorry that we lost a good soul, Clempus told CNN.

David Phenix, one of the injured teachers who was shot in the foot and hip, was immediately concerned about his students and colleagues when he woke up from surgery, his daughter said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

After waking up, some of the first words out of his mouth were, Is everyone else okay? Katie Phenix wrote.

On Thursday, she shared that her father will remain in the intensive care unit for at least another day. Theres a pretty long recovery period, but things are lookin good, she said.

It was not immediately clear whether the killer knew or specifically targeted his victims, the sheriff said.

Wednesday was Grays second day at the school, Smith told CNN. On Tuesday, Gray had left class early to go to the counselors office because he was having anxiety, the sheriff added.

Staff alerted police through their ID cards

The protocols in this school and this system activated today prevented this from being a much larger tragedy than what we had, Hosey said.

One of those protocols included a safety measure adopted just one week ago.

All of our teachers are armed with a form of an ID called Centegix, Smith said Wednesday night. Centegix alerts law enforcement after buttons are pressed on an ID and it alerts us that there is an active situation at the school for whatever reason and that was pressed.

Centegixs website says the tool has dynamic digital mapping, real-time locating capabilities, an easy-to-use wearable panic button for school and district staff, a school visitor management system, and safe reunification capabilities enable educators to plan for and respond faster to emergencies.

Several states, including Georgia, have introduced legislation for panic alarm systems, CNN has reported.

The teen suspect had an AR-style rifle, authorities say

Shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, is seen in a booking photo. - Barrow County Sheriff's Office

Colt Gray will remain in the custody of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice until his 17th birthday  even though his case has been moved to the adult system, Allen, the agency spokesperson, told CNN on Thursday.

Under Georgia law, if a juvenile aged 13 to 17 commits a serious crime, they are automatically tried as an adult.

Authorities have not given any information about how the weapon or ammunition were obtained. But investigators have spoken to the suspect and have been in touch with his family, Smith said.

Its also not clear when and how the suspect brought the rifle to school.

Were still trying to clarify a lot of the timeline, from the time that he got here to school (Wednesday) until the incident, Hosey said.

The suspect was previously questioned over an online threat to shoot up a middle school

Colt Gray was questioned by law enforcement last year after anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting that included photos of guns, according to a joint statement from FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriffs Office.

Jackson County borders Barrow County, where Wednesdays mass shooting took place.

In May 2023, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office received a tip from the FBI about a threat on the chat platform Discord to shoot up a middle school tomorrow, according to an investigation report obtained through a public records request

Colin Gray, father of Colt Gray, was arrested Thursday. - Barrow County Sheriff's Office

The FBI tip referenced a Discord account created the previous month with an email address that the bureau had associated with Gray. The tip included photo attachments with a profile name in Russian that translated to the name of the gunman who killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

Investigators wrote that they interviewed Colt and his father at their then-home in Jefferson  about 13 miles northeast of Winder, the site of Wednesdays shooting.

Colt, who was 13 during the interview, said someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner, Jackson County sheriffs investigator Daniel Miller Jr. wrote.

Colin Gray told investigators he had hunting rifles in the house and said, Colt is allowed to use them when supervised but does not have unfettered access to them, the report said.

Colt assured me that he never made any threats to shoot up any school, Miller wrote. I urged Colin to keep his firearms locked away, and advised him to keep Colt out of school until this matter could be resolved.

Another investigator wrote that the case would be closed because the allegation that Colt or Colin is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated.

At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels, the FBI in Atlanta and the Jackson County sheriff said in their joint statement.

Investigators probe threat against 5 schools

Before bullets flew through Apalachee High, the school had received a phone threat earlier that morning, multiple law enforcement officials told CNN.

The phone call warned there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first. But its unclear who placed that call.

Investigators have not found any evidence of other schools being targeted but are pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

The alleged phone threat about five schools raises questions about whether the caller wanted to divert police to other locations prior to an attack, said John Miller, CNNs chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst.

That threat  as we were told  was that there were going to be shootings at five schools, which would have divided police resources evenly between multiple locations, Miller said.

Threats made at various schools across Georgia on Thursday have resulted in arrests, according to Hosey. It is unclear if those arrests were related to the five schools mentioned previously by officials.

I really dont want to go back

Barrow County schools will be closed the rest of this week as the districts 15,000 students process the tragedy that unfolded just one month into the school year.

Mourners grieve the deaths of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. - Christian Monterrosa/AFP/Getty Images

Some Apalachee High students say they worry about going back to class.

I want to go to school worrying about what my GPA is going to be when my year is over and worrying about my career, Macey said.

I really dont want to go back. I feel like I shouldnt have to go back to school worrying about dying.

CNNs Dalia Faheid, Zenebou Sylla, Devon Sayers, John Miller, Curt Devine, Casey Tolan, Nick Valencia, Rebekah Riess, David Williams, Dakin Andone, Sharif Paget, Melissa Alonso, Andy Rose, Ashley R. Williams, Caroll Alvarado, Jaide Timm-Garcia, Shawn Nottingham, Curt Devine, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Cindy Von Quednow and Sara Smart contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The deadly shooting Wednesday at a high school in Georgia has drawn attention to the school's use of a panic button system to alert the threat.

Two students and two teachers were killed when the alleged 14-year-old suspect opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, authorities said. Nine others were also injured, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

The suspect -- 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at Apalachee High School -- was encountered by three school resource officers and immediately surrendered, according to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith. He was taken into custody at 10:30 a.m. ET, seven minutes after the initial service call went out, according to the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, which employs the school resource officers.

Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder in connection to the shooting, with additional charges expected, the GBI said. He is being charged as an adult.

MORE: Georgia high school shooting latest: Questions surround weapon, motive

Smith said all teachers at the school have an ID made by the safety technology company CENTEGIX wherein they can press a button to alert an "active situation." The button was pressed during the active shooting situation on Wednesday and the school resource officers began "actively looking," he said.

"When this shooting began, they interacted with the shooter, Mr. Gray, and as soon as they made contact with him, he gave up immediately," Smith said.

The teachers have had the badges for about a week, he said. Aug. 1 was the first day of classes at Apalachee High School.

PHOTO: Law enforcement and first responders control traffic after a shooting took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images)

CENTEGIX CEO Brent Cobb told ABC News that multiple individuals alerted a lockdown situation on Wednesday.

The tragedy hits close to home for the Atlanta-based company: Winder is about 45 miles outside of Atlanta.

Cobb called the students, teachers and emergency personnel "heroes" in how they responded to the shooting.

"We've seen descriptions of how they've used the platform, and we hope and believe that it had a positive impact in the face of a very tragic circumstance," Cobb told ABC News.

The company said its discreet technology "accelerates emergency response by minimizing the time to identify, notify, and respond to an emergency." The badges, which users tend to keep with their staff IDs, have two alerts -- one to notify administrators to incidents like student altercations and medical emergencies, and a second to issue a campus-wide "lockdown" alert for extreme situations that also notifies 911 dispatch, according to its website. A vibration tailored to the type of alert, as well as an LED, would go off confirming that the signal has been transmitted. The badge would also indicate where exactly the user is on campus for responders.

Most alerts are for "everyday emergencies," such as behavior or medical incidents, which represented more than 98% of alerts analyzed during fall 2022, CENTEGIX found.

Pressing the button on the badge three times contacts administrators, while pressing eight times triggers the lockdown request -- which then also typically sets off strobing lights, messages on computer displays and a pre-recorded intercom message instructing the school community what to do, Cobb said.

"Having those multi-sensory notifications ... that's what gets people to safety. That's what really drives a lot of the lifesaving activities in this type of emergency," Cobb said. "We can't stop things from happening but what we can do is help mitigate the issue."

Stephen Kreyenbuhl, a 10th grade world history teacher at Apalachee High School, told ABC News that he saw his smartboard change to say "hard lockdown" before he even heard gunshots, which gave him time to prepare and start to get students into a corner.

"My co-teacher got the lights. I grabbed a pair of scissors," he said. "We drill it every semester, this whole part of lockdown. So we train it, you know, pretty, pretty frequently."

He said the door was already locked, so no one could get into the classroom.

PHOTO: A police officer talks with a woman near the scene of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Former FBI Agent Brad Garrett, an ABC News contributor, said the locked doors and panic system likely saved lives.

"If you think about how this could be even more dark ... think about if they didn't have the locked doors, think about if they didn't have resource officers in the school," he said. "And these panic buttons saved a lot of time, and, in my view, probably saved a lot of lives."

Questions still remain amid the investigation into the shooting, including the alleged motive of the teen suspect and how he allegedly got the firearm -- described by authorities as an AR-platform-style weapon -- into the school. The school reserves the right to use "hand-held" metal detectors, according to its school policy guidebook, though it's not known if they were being used Wednesday.

CENTEGIX's crisis alert platform was inspired by the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14, 2018, Cobb said.

"We sat down and from a forensic standpoint said, how could we have helped?" he said. "What could we do to create a potentially better outcome in that kind of tragedy? We started a lot with those kinds of questions."

More than 600,000 of CENTEGIX's wearable safety badges are used in K-12 settings, according to the company. Over 75% of schools in Georgia use the company's platform, Cobb said. That includes school districts in Cobb, Fulton and Douglas counties, according to the company's website.

MORE: Officials identify victims in Georgia high school shooting, say AR platform-style weapon used

Some state lawmakers are pushing for silent crisis alert systems like CENTEGIX's to be required in schools. In 2020, the Florida Legislature passed what's known as Alyssa's Law, which, in part, requires that all public schools implement a mobile panic alert system. The law is named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old student who was among the 17 victims killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Georgia lawmakers introduced a version of Alyssa's Law last year, though it did not make it out of committee.

National School Safety and Security Services President Ken Trump said there is an "emotional" appeal to school safety measures like panic buttons to making people feel safer. Though he noted they are not a preventative measure against school violence and each school shooting has "different fact patterns."

"We try to learn from these incidents and glean some lessons, but what stood out in one particular incident may not transfer over to all schools and any potential future incidents that occur," he said.

Georgia high school shooting spotlights panic alert system: 'Probably saved a lot of lives' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Rich McKay

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Georgia state officials on Thursday arrested the father of the 14-year-old suspected in a school shooting that killed four people and wounded nine others on Wednesday, saying the father knowingly allowed his son to have the murder weapon.

Colin Gray, 54, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

"These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son Colt to possess a weapon," Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told a press conference.

Colt Gray, 14, has been charged with four counts of felony murder and would be tried as an adult, officials said. His arraignment is set for Friday morning before a Georgia Superior Court judge in Barrow County by video camera.

Georgia state and Barrow County investigators say the younger Gray used an "AR platform style weapon," or semiautomatic rifle, to carry out the attack in which two teachers and two 14-year-old students were killed.

It remained unclear exactly how the son came into possession of the weapon.

Investigators have yet to comment on what may have motivated the first U.S. campus mass shooting since the start of the school year.

The shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, a city of 18,000 some 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Atlanta, revived both the national debate about gun control and the outpouring of grief that follows in a country where such attacks occur with some regularity.

Officials identified those killed as two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.

Two teachers and seven students were wounded in the attack, some of whom have been released from the hospital, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith told reporters.

"The nine injured, I am very happy to say, will make a full recovery," Smith told reporters.

PARENTS HELD RESPONSIBLE

The charging of the father could represent a new strategy in America's halting attempt to control the epidemic of school shootings.

In April, the mother and father of a Michigan teen were sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison after a jury had convicted them of manslaughter after their son shot and killed four classmate. It was believed to be the first time parents were held legally responsible for their children's action in a school shooting.

Experts and gun safety advocates said the Michigan case was an important step in holding gun-owning parents more accountable for school violence carried out by their children.

In Georgia, both of the Colts were interviewed in May 2023 by officials in a neighboring county in connection with online threats about carrying out a school shooting made on the gaming social-media platform Discord, according to investigators.

The Grays told the Jackson County Sheriff's Department they had not made the threats. The father also said he had hunting guns locked in a safe in the house and his son did not have access to them.

Jackson County investigators closed the case after being unable to substantiate that either Gray was connected to the Discord account, and did not find grounds to seek the needed court order to confiscate the family's guns, according to police reports released by the sheriff's office on Thursday.

"This case was worked, and at the time the boy was 13, and it wasn't enough to substantiate," Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said in an interview. "If we get a judge's order or we charge somebody, we take firearms for safekeeping."

In the Michigan case, Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, who in 2021 shot and killed four classmates at Oxford High School, were found guilty of not securing guns in their home and of ignoring warning signs that their son was mentally disturbed.

Studies by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have shown that around 75% of all school shooters obtained their weapons at home.

The shooting was the first planned attack at a school this fall, said David Riedman, who runs the K-12 School Shooting Database. Apalachee students returned to school last month; many other students in the United States are returning this week.

The United States has seen hundreds of shootings inside schools and colleges in the past two decades. The carnage has intensified the debate over gun laws and the right granted in the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment "to keep and bear Arms."

(This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of victim's name to Cristina, not Christina, in paragraph 9)

(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien, Liya Cui, Andrew Hay, Brad Brooks and Daniel Trotta; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Brad Brooks; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Mark Porter and Sonali Paul)
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

This story originally appeared on Georgia Recorder.

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

A 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting that killed two students and two teachers.

A man in a black law enforcement shirt

Colt Gray was identified as the alleged shooter by authorities, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Gov. Brian Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Students in a field

Tributes poured from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

A woman behind a lecterrn

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.

DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. Megan Varner/Getty Images

This post was updated 11:25 p.m. Sept. 4 to include statements from the FBI about a prior investigation into the accused killer in the school shooting.

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved in the incident at Apalachee Wednesday.

No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Hosey said Gray was also a suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school. An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school. Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, however he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy. The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a school shooting took place Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

ATLANTA  Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

Apalachee High School teacher Richard Aspinwall was among the two educators and two students killed in the Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the Georgia school. (Barrow County School District)

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved in the incident at Apalachee Wednesday.

No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Apalachee High School math teacher Christina Irimie was one of four people killed in Wednesdays Sept. 4, 2024, mass shooting at the Winder, school, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. (Barrow County School District)

Hosey said Gray was also a suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school. An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school. Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, however he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy. The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries were reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

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This report was first published by Georgia Recorder, part of the States Newsroom nonprofit news network. Its supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
C3.ai (AI) stock tumbled 8% on Thursday after the maker of AI enterprise software posted weaker-than-expected subscription revenue for its first quarter of fiscal year 2025.

The stock's decline illustrates how investors are increasing scrutiny of companies whose stocks have benefited from the artificial intelligence hype.

Four firms lowered their price target on the stock following the report. JPMorgan analysts noted professional services revenue of $13.5 million came in well ahead of expectations for the quarter, but subscription revenue of $73.5 million came in 7% below consensus.

"Net/net, while the top line y/y growth continues to stabilize, the subscription revenue performance this quarter highlights the volatility in the model," wrote JPMorgan analysts after the print. The firm lowered its price target on the stock from $24 to $19.

The company's CEO pushed back against Wall Street's reaction to the quarter.

"By any standards it was a great quarter. At 21% top-line year-over-year growth, we're one of the fastest growing public software companies in the software universe," Tom Siebel, C3.ai CEO, told Yahoo Finance on Thursday morning.

"There was nothing that wasn't good about the quarter," added Siebel.

C3.ai was one of the early high-flying stocks this year during the initial AI craze in February. The stock has since lost all of its year-to-date gains.

C3.ai logo displayed on a smartphone screen. (Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (SOPA Images via Getty Images)

The market has been unforgiving when it comes to valuations related to artificial intelligence as investors look for any signs of headwinds to what has largely been a bullish narrative.

One of the concerns is demand. On Wednesday Dell Technologies (DELL) founder and CEO Michael Dell told Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi talk of an AI spending letdown is way overblown.

"There always are bumps in the road as you launch a rocket and create new capabilities," Dell Technologies (DELL) founder and CEO Michael Dell told Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi at the Citi TMT conference on Wednesday.

"But the macro picture here is very, very clear, and that is that there's enormous demand. It's growing. It's expanding out from the hyperscalers to the service providers to enterprise to commercial to sovereign AI to embedded AI to the edge to retail to manufacturing to your PC to here, there, and everywhere," he added.

Ines Ferre is a senior business reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @ines_ferre.

Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia.(Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Apalachee High School teacher Richard Aspinwall was among four people killed in the Wednesday, Sept. 4 shooting at the Georgia school. (Provided by the Barrow County School District)

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved.

The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

Apalachee High math teacher Christina Irimie is among the fatalities in the Sept. 4 mass shooting at the school. (Provided by the Barrow County School District)

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Hosey said Gray was also suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school.

An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school.

Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office. However, he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps.

State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass. Neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured in from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans: Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

Like SC Daily Gazette, Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on Sept. 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner | Getty Images)

ATLANTA Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved in the incident at Apalachee Wednesday.



No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Hosey said Gray was also suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school. An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school. Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, however he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy. The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is led by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured in from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

This story was originally produced by the Georgia Recorder which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

This breaking story has been updated.

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

The names of the four victims killed in the Apalachee school morning shooting Wednesday were confirmed during the night by law enforcement officials as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting, authorities announced Wednesday.

Apalachee High School teacher Richard Aspinwall was among the two educators and two students killed in the Wednesday, Sept. 4 shooting at the Georgia school. (Barrow County School District)

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said there was no evidence that another shooter was involved in the incident at Apalachee Wednesday.

No evidence was found that Gray or anyone else had a list of other Georgia schools that were also targets of violence. A second threat was reported to police Wednesday at another local high school, but police determined there was no threat following an investigation, according to authorities.

Investigators are actively pursuing any leads of any potential associates of the shooter that was involved in this incident, Hosey said.

However, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated, Hosey said. Were going through everything to determine if there are any active threats to any schools in this area, this county and the state of Georgia and we will continue to monitor that throughout this. 

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

Apalachee High math teacher Christina Irimie is among the fatalities in the Sept. 4 mass shooting at the school. (Barrow County Schools)

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Hosey said Gray was also a suspected of making threats prior to Wednesday of a violent attack at another Georgia school. An anonymous tip was received by the FBI that someone was posting threatening messages on social media at the school. Gray was identified as the suspect by the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, however he was not charged after investigators found there was not enough probable cause to arrest him, Hosey said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to the families of the four victims killed in the shooting and nine other injured victims as well as to the students and people in the Barrow County community grieving the tragedy. The Winder high school is about midway between Atlanta and Athens.

I would just ask all Georgians and all Americans to continue to keep these families, these educators, and these students in your thoughts and prayers, he said at Wednesday nights news briefing. We will provide every state resource as needed from here until theyre not, to support this community and support this team behind me.

Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a school shooting on Sept. 4, 2024 in Winder. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured in from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

Vice President Kamala Harris described the Sept. 4,2024, deadly shooting at Barrow Countys Apalachee High School as a senseless tragedy during a campaign stop in New Hampshire. (Screenshot/ Kamala Harris YouTube Channel)

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported and a suspect is in custody according to authorities. Photo by Megan Varner | Getty Images

Americans watched in horror on TV and social media Wednesday as students from Apalachee High School in Winder evacuated the building following a shooting that left four dead and nine injured, according to law enforcement and news reports.

A 14-year-old student will be charged with murder and tried as an adult in connection with the shooting that killed two students and two teachers.

Colt Gray was identified as the alleged shooter by authorities, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

Local law enforcement first received reports of an active shooter on the campus of Apalachee at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and several other state and local law enforcement agencies and emergency responders are helping the Barrow Sheriffs Office with the fluid investigation, Smith said.

I want to give our sympathies to our community, our school system, our kids, our parents that had to witness this today, obviously what you see behind us is an evil thing today, said an emotional Smith, a lifelong resident of Barrow.

Fallout

The shooting is likely to spur further calls for gun safety measures in the coming state legislative session, set to begin in January. A Senate study committee on safe firearm storage was already scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday morning.

The five-person committee is chaired by Decatur Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones and includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

As Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage, I am committed to finding solutions to stop these tragedies before they occur, Jones said in a statement. This is not about infringing on Second Amendment rights but protecting our children and their safety. The technology exists today to secure firearms effectively, ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of those who should not have access to them, particularly children. On average, 1,927 people die by guns in Georgia each yearthese are not just numbers; they are lives lost and families shattered. We must do more.

Georgians have been shocked by several high-profile shootings in recent years, including in 2021 when a gunman killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent at spas across metro Atlanta, and in 2023, when a shooting in an Atlanta medical facility left one dead and put several blocks of the city on extended lockdown.

Those incidents, combined with others nationwide, including 2022s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, spurred Georgia lawmakers to seek ways to increase student safety.

Gov. Brian Kemp has touted measures including a recurring $103.9 million budget item for school safety, which amounts to $45,000 per Georgia public school to fund safety measures.

Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill that would have instated punishments for gun owners who negligently allow firearms to fall into the hands of unsupervised children if those children harmed themselves or others received a public hearing.

That legislation did not pass, and neither did another bill touted as a compromise, which would have provided a tax credit of up to $300 for gun safety devices like safes and trigger locks.

Earlier this year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their child from carrying out the attack, which killed four.

National reaction

Tributes poured from around the country, and so did calls for new gun safety legislation.

President Joe Biden said the shooting turned the back-to-school season into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart and called on Congress to enact new firearm regulations.

After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say enough is enough and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation, he said in a statement. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but it will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesdays deadly Georgia school shooting is yet another reason to ramp up efforts to eradicate the epidemic of gun violence that is affecting young people across the country.

The Biden-Harris administration announced new gun safety initiatives in March to prevent mass school shootings and other gun violence affecting youth, including a greater focus on mental health services and preventing students and people in crisis from having access to guns.

This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said during Wednesday afternoons presidential campaign stop in New Hampshire. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Harris called for an assault weapons ban, universal background checks and red flag laws.

Georgia Democrats struck a similar tone.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was killed by gun violence, said she was praying for families of victims.

I am praying for the students of Apalachee High School and the community of Winder, she said in a statement. I am praying for families across our state and entire country. Too many continue to experience the pain of gun violence. No family should have to go through this.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in a tweet. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Until we center the people and start a serious, bipartisan conversation in Washington & state capitols across the country to advance popular, common sense gun safety reforms, the sad truth is its only a matter of time before this kind of tragedy comes knocking on your door, he added.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA, Trump said. These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Georgia Republicans were largely sedate, offering prayers for victims and praise for law enforcement but not commenting on any policy ramifications.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, Gov. Kemp said in a statement. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.

House Speaker Jon Burns said in a statement that the time to discuss policy will come.

As a father and a grandfather, I am devastated by the horrific tragedy that took place today at Apalachee High School, he said. We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and pray for those who were injured as we lift up their families and the entire Barrow County community during this time.

We have prioritized making significant investments in mental health and school safety funding  and while there will be a time and place for policy discussions, our sole focus right now remains on surrounding these students, teachers and families with our love and support.

Republican Congressman Mike Collins, whose east Georgia district includes the school, is known for politically incorrect and inflammatory tweets, but he was staid on Wednesday.

Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, he tweeted. We extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their swift action to secure the school and get the shooter in custody. I have spoken with Sheriff Smith and told him my team and I are available to assist in any way necessary. We will continue to monitor and provide updates as prudent.

The school is represented in the state Legislature by two high-ranking Republicans, Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Auburn, who expressed similar sentiments Wednesday.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities encourages anyone experiencing emotional distress to call or text 988, a free and confidential resource to connect with trained counselors.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Georgia school shooting 16th mass shooting there this year. How many in Oklahoma?

Four people were killed and nine others injured when a 14-year-old boy reportedly walked into a high school near Atlanta, Georgia Wednesday morning with an AR-platform-style rifle and opened fire, going classroom to classroom and pounding on doors, according to authorities.

Two students and two teachers were killed at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said. The GBI identified the four victims as Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Eight of the people injured were also students, the other was a teacher.

Colt Gray, the suspected shooter, was arrested and charged with murder, according to the GBI. Authorities said he would be prosecuted as an adult.

Gray was interviewed by local law enforcement in 2023 after the FBI's National Threat Operations Center received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting, FBI Atlanta revealed in a post on X, but at the time Gray's father said his son did not have "unsupervised access" to firearms at the home. It is not yet know how Gray acquired the weapon.

According to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, this makes the 16th mass shooting in Georgia this year, according to their definition (four or more people injured, not including the shooter). Oklahoma has seen 5 so far in 2024.

US gun violence by the numbers

As of Thursday, Sept. 5 morning:

23 school shootings have killed or injured 49 people in 2024, according to data compiled by Education Week (counted as anyone, other than the shooter, injured or killed by bullet wound on K-12 school property or school bus during school or school-sponsored events)

3,120 victims dead in 604 mass killings since 2006, per USA TODAY mass killing database

16 mass shootings in Georgia in 2024 (GVA data)

5 mass shootings in Oklahoma this year, 385 mass shootings in the U.S. (GVA data)

According to the Gun Violence Archive:

11,598 people have died so far this year in the U.S., including 173 children and 802 teens

22,321 people have been injured, including 394 children and 2,261 teens.

295 law enforcement officers have been killed or injured

Law enforcement officers have killed 1,003 people and injured 557 in officer-involved incidents

855 people were killed in self-defense

934 people died from unintentional shootings

464 people died in murder/suicide incidents

What is a mass shooting?

The GVA and the Congressional Research Service defines a mass shooting based on the number of people shot in an incident: four or more, not including the shooter. The GVA numbers  which have been disputed by pro-firearm organizations  may differ from the FBI or CDC as they collect data from 7,500 law enforcement, government and media sources, the site explains.

USA TODAY defines a mass shooting as an incident where at least four people are hit with gunfire. Mass killing refers to an incident in which at least four people are killed.

The FBI does not define "mass shooting" at all. The agency defines "mass killing" or "mass murder" as an incident in which four or more victims are killed by any intentional means, which may include gun violence.

Gun violence in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has seen 5 mass shootings to date in 2024, according to GVA data, compared to 7 last year. In 2023, only 13 states had less than 7 mass shootings throughout the country.

FBI reports violent crime down from 2023

Despite this, the total number of mass shootings in the U.S. is down so far from 2023, with 385 as of Sept. 5 according to GVA data, compared to 561 by this time last year.

In July, the FBI announced that violent crime was down so far in 2024, and 2023 numbers were down from the year before. In its 2024 Quarterly Crime Report and Use-of-Force Data Update, the agency said murder decreased by 26.4%, rape was down by 25.7%, robbery dropped 17.8%, and aggravated assault decreased by 12.5% over 2023, according to preliminary reports.

How many mass shootings in 2024 happened in Oklahoma?

There have been 5 mass shootings in Florida this year to date, according to the GVA definition:

Aug. 18, Bricktown, Oklahoma City - Four people were shot near the Sheridan and Oklahoma intersection, all suffered non-life-threatening injuries

Aug. 4, Tulsa - Eight people suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds after a 4 a.m. incident.

July 19, Broken Arrow - A man shot and killed his 76-year-old grandfather, 55-year-old aunt and 21-year-old brother before killing himself.

April 22, Yukon, Oklahoma City - A man shot and killed his wife, 39, and three sons, 18, 14, and 12, before killing himself.

April 7, Oklahoma City - An innocent bystander was killed outside the Casablanca Event Center. Three others were injured in the shooting, they suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Georgia school shooting: Mass shootings by the numbers in Oklahoma, US
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its Thursday, September 5. Take a look at our top stories in news and weather with KELOLAND On The GO First@4.

Police are investigating a womans death after a report of gunshots at a mobile home in western Sioux Falls.

Developing: Womans death under investigation

A 14-year-old Georgia high school student has been charged as an adult with using an assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers in the hallway outside his algebra classroom, according to authorities.

Georgia school shooting: What we know about the victims

All Rapid City Area schools are under a secure status, according to an email sent to parents by the school district.

Rapid City schools on secure status

Twenty-three South Dakota National Guard members provided medical and dental services to citizens of Suriname in August.

SD National Guard helps 1,500 with medical needs

According to the Sioux County Sheriffs Office, multiple schools in Sioux County entered lockdown on Thursday due to a threatening message discovered at Sioux Center High School.

Multiple Sioux County schools entereed lock down due to threatening message discovered at Sioux Center High School

It was a hazy morning across portions of KELOLAND due to wildfire smoke aloft and it will continue to slide to the south throughout the day. Besides the haze, partly cloudy to mostly clear skies will persist.

Storm Center PM Update: Cooler Temperatures on the Way

Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) - Teachers at the Georgia high school, where a shooter killed four people on Wednesday, pressed wearable panic buttons -- in use just one week -- to alert law enforcement officers that they were in danger.

Responding officers could potentially pinpoint the location of the person who had pushed the panic button on maps on their mobile phones of the large Apalachee High School campus located around 40 miles northeast of Atlanta. The suspect in the shooting, a 14-year-old student at the high school, faces four counts of murder and will be tried as an adult.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith told a news conference on Wednesday of the panic button system.

"It alerts us to that there is an active situation at the school for whatever reason, and it was pressed," Smith said.

A school resource officer took the shooter into custody within six minutes of the first word of Wednesday's shooting, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was not clear whether that alert came from a panic button.

With the system, "there is no calling, there is no dispatching, they are moving directly towards that threat," said Mac Hardy of the National Association of School Resource Officers. "We can't say that lives were saved, but I would like to believe they were."

Silent panic alarm systems linked to law enforcement agencies have grown more popular in U.S. schools since the 2018 Parkland, Florida, high school shooting in which 17 people were killed, according to Hardy, who worked as a teacher and then in law enforcement as a school resource officer.

Only a handful of U.S. states require or encourage the systems which cost school districts millions of dollars. Such reactive safety tactics have yet to gain clear scientific evidence to guide their use, according to school safety advocates like Sonali Rajan, a Columbia University professor.

She said the panic buttons are no substitute for a multifaceted, proactive approach that includes analyzing information online to detect threats, gun safety legislation, safe storage of firearms and expanded access to mental healthcare.

"There is no one single solution," said Rajan, associate professor of health education at Columbia's Teachers College.

ID-card-like panic buttons, worn on lanyards, rely on private networks installed at schools instead of cell signals and are likely to be on a staff member's person and are simple to use.

Sheriff Jud Smith said Apalachee High School had a system made by Centegix, one of a number of U.S. companies providing such systems for home and workplace use. Centegix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; editing by Donna Bryson and Diane Craft)
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Siemens Gamesa. Steinmeier visited Siemens Gamesa's offshore machine house production facility as part of his "Workshop of Change" series of events, which aims to shed light on structural changes in society and their effects. In Cuxhaven and Stade, Steinmeier's visits focus on the energy transition in industrial production. Sina Schuldt/dpa

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said he is in close contact with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog following the deadly shooting near the Israeli consulate in Munich.

"I have agreed with the Israeli president that we will remain in close contact and that we will keep him informed about what we find out in the next few hours," Steinmeier said on a visit to the northern German town of Stade.

Steinmeier also said he was "shocked" by the attack, which saw an 18-year-old Austrian killed after shooting at police.

Authorities are continuing to investigate whether the incident was linked to the anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre, when 11 Israelis were killed by Palestinian terrorists during the Olympic Games.
STUTTGART (Reuters) -Daimler Truck expects a further slowdown in demand for commercial vehicles and its new CEO must take measures to adjust for that, the German company's Chairman Joe Kaeser said on Thursday.

"Our profitability is not yet where competitors are, that has to change in the medium to long term", Kaeser told a press conference after Karin Radstrom was announced as the company's next CEO late on Wednesday.

He did not say what measures Radstrom might need to take.

The truck and bus maker appointed Mercedes-Benz lorry brand head Radstrom as its CEO effective Oct. 1, a little over a month after cutting its revenue guidance and reducing working hours at its German plants due to weak demand in Europe and Asia.

Her predecessor, Martin Daum, will retire as planned, but will remain on the management board until the end of this year.

Daimler Truck faces subdued demand after chips and other parts shortages in the wake of the pandemic pushed up production costs. The industry also faces challenges to reduce pollution from commercial vehicles.

Radstrom, the first woman to take the helm of the world's largest heavy truck producer, comes from Sweden's Sodertalje, home to Europe's most profitable truck maker, Volkswagen's Scania, where she spent about 20 years, starting as a marketing trainee. She joined Daimler in 2021.

"I think with Ms. Radstrom we have someone who is extremely customer-focused, who is well-versed ... and knows the industry well thanks to her experience outside the company," Kaeser said.

(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach Writing by Andrey SychevEditing by Mark Potter)
Employees protest before the start of a works meeting in a hall at the VW plant. Volkswagen has announced that it will tighten its austerity measures due to the tense situation of the core brand. Even compulsory redundancies and plant closures could no longer be ruled out. Moritz Frankenberg/dpa Pool/dpa

German metalworkers' union IG Metall on Thursday said it is prepared to negotiate with Volkswagen, including on the introduction of a four-day week, after the auto giant announced cost-cutting plans that could threaten thousands of jobs.

"We should leave no stone unturned when it comes to ideas on how we can maintain jobs and locations," the head of the powerful union, Christiane Benner, said in the northern city of Hanover.

Benner said plant closures and redundancies, which Volkswagen said on Monday it could no longer rule out at its core VW brand, are "absolute red lines" for the union.

IG Metall has proposed to bring forward a collective bargaining round due for this autumn, but is yet to receive a response from VW, Benner said.

It also proposed a four-day week for all VW employees, which helped to avert mass layoffs during the company's crisis in the early 1990s, when 30,000 jobs were at risk.

The union's comments come a day after Volkswagen management defended plans to reduce costs at a staff assembly at the company's headquarters in the northern city of Wolfsburg attended by some 25,000 employees.

"We still have a year, maybe two years, to turn things around. But we have to use this time," said the chief financial officer of the Volkswagen Group, Arno Antlitz.

Employees protest before the start of a works meeting in a hall at the VW plant. Volkswagen has announced that it will tighten its austerity measures due to the tense situation of the core brand. Even compulsory redundancies and plant closures could no longer be ruled out. Moritz Frankenberg/dpa Pool/dpa
Germany announces boost to Gaza aid during Baerbock visit to Jordan

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi following their meeting. Soeren Stache/dpa

Germany is to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by 50 million ($55 million) to more than 360 million since last year, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced in Amman on Thursday.

Baerbock was speaking at a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi.

The main focus of the aid is combating hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, along with the provision of health services.

In addition, humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Jordan is to be increased by 12.7 million, raising German aid to Jordan to 63 million over the course of 2024.

According to the German Foreign Office, two convoys of 120 trucks per week travel from Jordan directly to the Gaza Strip via border crossings in the north of the Gaza Strip. Germany is to provide an additional 5 million to support this access.

Before travelling on to Israel as part of the two-day trip, Baerbock was to visit a warehouse operated by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), a non-governmental organization playing a key role in distributing Jordanian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The JHCO provides medical equipment, food, tents, household goods and clothing, supported by the German government with 4 million for the purchase of trucks, fuel and vehicle maintenance requirements.

Baerbock arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier on Thursday, before travelling on to Jordan.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi following their meeting. Soeren Stache/dpa

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi following their meeting. Soeren Stache/dpa
Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi following their meeting. Soeren Stache/dpa

Germany is to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by 50 million ($55 million), Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced in Amman on Thursday, as she condemned Israeli attempts to further destabilize the Middle East.

Baerbock, speaking at a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi, said Germany has now pledged more than 360 million since last year to Gazans.

The focus of the latest aid push is combating hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, along with the provision of health services during the Gaza conflict between Israel and Islamist rulers Hamas.

In addition, humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Jordan is to be increased by 12.7 million, raising German aid to Jordan to 63 million over the course of 2024.

According to the German Foreign Office, two convoys of 120 trucks per week travel from Jordan directly to the Gaza Strip via border crossings in the north of the Gaza Strip. Germany is to provide an additional 5 million to support this access.

Before travelling on to Israel as part of a two-day trip, Baerbock was to visit a warehouse operated by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), a non-governmental organization playing a key role in distributing Jordanian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The JHCO provides medical equipment, food, tents, household goods and clothing. It is supported by the German government with 4 million for the purchase of trucks, fuel and vehicle maintenance.

'Irresponsible' actions by parts of Israeli government

Baerbock's trip to Israel could be frosty after she called on parts of the Israeli government to stop fuelling religious tensions amid the war in Gaza.

"We firmly reject any attempts to shake up the existing status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem," the Green politician said.

Actions of individual Israeli ministers, such as the visit of the far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, "are irresponsible and are already fuelling an absolutely explosive situation. We expect the Israeli side to stop this provocation," Baerbock added.

The Temple Mount, which includes the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, is the third holiest site in Islam and is under Muslim rule. However, it is also sacred to Israeli Jews because two Jewish temples used to stand there.

Baerbock said that the recent outbreak of violence in the Palestinian West Bank, on the other side of Israel from Gaza, was causing the German government great concern.

"Israel is the occupying power in the West Bank and is obliged under the Geneva Convention to uphold law and order rather than jeopardize it," she said.

"This explicitly includes protecting the population from attacks by violent, radical settlers."

Jordanian foreign minister slams Netanyahu

Israel has the right to combat terrorism, she said, "but you don't fight terror by tearing up roads, destroying water pipes and electricity grids or even blocking access to hospitals."

Jordanian Foreign Minister Al-Safadi called on the German government to impose sanctions on Israel.

"After more than 10 months of aggression (in Gaza), (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu will obviously listen neither to the UN Security Council nor to the advice of his friends in the West," said Al-Safadi.

Netanyahu will continue if he is not threatened with consequences for his actions, he said.

The Gaza war, in which over 40,000 Palestinians have reportedly died, was sparked by Hamas launching a terrorist attack on Israeli soil on October 7 which killed over 1,200.

Baerbock arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks earlier on Thursday, before travelling on to Jordan.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi following their meeting. Soeren Stache/dpa
BERLIN  Germanys military has received the first IRIS-T SLM air defense system for its own forces after prioritizing the weapons production for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022.

A new chapter of European air defense is shaping up, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at an inauguration ceremony for the equipment on a military base in Todendorf, northern Germany. This is, without exaggeration, about maintaining security and peace in Europe, he added, using the occasion to defend a decision from the summer to deploy American intermediate-range missiles to Germany.

The system inaugurated on Wednesday marked the first of six IRIS-T SLMs to be delivered to the Bundeswehr. It is part of an effort by the German government to fill in a longstanding gap in the air defense capabilities of the countrys military  and the European continent more broadly.

IRIS-T has proven itself in Ukraine, the chancellor said, where it has served as a bulwark against the countless missiles that Russia shoots at Ukraine every day, having shot down over 250 projectiles of various sorts. Scholz claimed a hit rate of 95% and expressed hope that the system would become the backbone of European air defense beyond Germanys borders.

Originally developed as an air-to-air missile, IRIS-T was modified for air defense with the Surface Launch Standard (SLS) variant and the Surface Launched Missile (SLM) version, which is significantly altered.

Ukraine has received four IRIS-T SLM and three IRIS-T SLS to date. A further 17 IRIS-T systems are yet to come, four of which are still scheduled to arrive in 2024.

Taking steps to strengthen European air defenses had been long overdue, Scholz said, pointing to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The attack sparked renewed focus on military and dense under the banner of term Zeitenwende in Germany  the dawn of a new era.

One of the products of this new era is the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative, which strives to coordinate the procurement and operation of air defense systems throughout the continent. First announced by Scholz just months after Russias invasion, 22 countries now participate  including Switzerland and Austria, which are outside of NATO, and Turkey, which is not a part of the European Union.

Another response will be the deployment of American intermediate-range missiles to Germany starting in 2026, a move announced during the NATO summit in Washington in July. This class of weapons had been banned by a Cold War-era disarmament treaty between Washington and Moscow until recently. The U.S. withdrew from the pact during the Trump administration, alleging Russian violations going back almost a decade.

[Putin] has deployed rockets to Kaliningrad, said Chancellor Scholz, just 530 kilometers from Berlin. Not reacting adequately would be negligent.

Just this past weekend, Kremlin-friendly opposition parties of the extreme right and left, critical of the missile plans, won landslide electoral victories in two east German states, Thuringia and Saxony.

Scholz emphasized that the deployment decision has been enshrined in the national security strategy since last year and will be implemented as a gesture of deterrence. Every attack on us must mean a risk for the attacker, he said.
Friedrich Merz (R), Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) federal chairman and CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, walks next to Alexander Dobrindt, Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) regional group leader, before the start of the closed meeting of the executive board of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag in front of Neuhardenberg Castle. Michael Kappeler/dpa

Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is preparing to govern the country, leaders said on Thursday, with only one year to go until parliamentary elections.

The centre-right party has been in opposition since 2021, when Social Democrat (SPD) Olaf Scholz won the race to succeed former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel.

With Scholz's party and coalition partners the Greens and liberals (FDP) languishing in the polls after a difficult term marked by Germany's flagging economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the CDU is well-placed to return to power in next September's vote.

It must though counter losing votes to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won its first state election in Thuringia on Sunday.

After a closed-doors meeting of party grandees in eastern Germany on Thursday, leader Friedrich Merz said the CDU is paying virtually no attention to the coalition's remaining plans.

Alexander Dobrindt of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), said his colleagues were "preparing to govern in Berlin," describing Scholz's coalition as "irreparably fractured."

Security is top priority

The two-day internal talks are being held at Neuhardenberg Castle in the eastern state of Brandenburg, which is holding elections on September 22.

Discussions are focusing on immigration policy, which has been at the forefront of German politics since three people were killed by a Syrian migrant in the western city of Solingen two weeks ago.

Dobrindt said that the CDU-CSU alliance's top priority must be the security interests of citizens, the stability of the country and the cohesion of society.

"That is why it is imperative that we move very quickly at our borders to reject people," he argued.

Following the Solingen attack, the CDU has been holding official talks on immigration with Scholz's coalition and state leaders, but Merz issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, threatening to withdraw unless the government agrees to turn back migrants at the German border.

Government modernization eyed

Merz's demand has proved controversial, with critics arguing that such a move would be illegal under German and EU law.

However, Merz said on Thursday border checks were legally permissible and possible.

"We don't need any more long discussions here. And that is why I have made a request, namely that we decide now," he said.

Other topics to be discussed in Neuhardenberg include internal security and the modernization of government decision-making processes.

"There are simply far too many people talking and taking part in decision-making in our country," Merz said, arguing that the number of government authorities and commissioners must be reduced.

Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) federal chairman and CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, stands in front of Neuhardenberg Castle before the start of the closed meeting of the Executive Committee of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) federal chairman and CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, stands in front of Neuhardenberg Castle before the start of the closed meeting of the Executive Committee of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Michael Kappeler/dpa

Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is preparing to govern the country, leaders said on Thursday, with only one year to go until parliamentary elections.

The centre-right party has been in opposition since 2021, when Social Democrat (SPD) Olaf Scholz won the race to succeed former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel.

With Scholz's party and coalition partners the Greens and liberals (FDP) languishing in the polls after a difficult term marked by Germany's flagging economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the CDU is well-placed to return to power in next September's vote.

It must though counter losing votes to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won its first state election in Thuringia on Sunday.

After a closed-doors meeting of party grandees in eastern Germany on Thursday, leader Friedrich Merz said the CDU is paying virtually no attention to the coalition's remaining plans.

Alexander Dobrindt of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), said his colleagues were "preparing to govern in Berlin," describing Scholz's coalition as "irreparably fractured."

The two-day internal talks are being held at Neuhardenberg Castle in the eastern state of Brandenburg, which is holding elections on September 22.

Discussions are focusing on immigration policy, which has been at the forefront of German politics since three people were killed by a Syrian migrant in the western city of Solingen two weeks ago.

Friedrich Merz (R), Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) federal chairman and CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag, walks next to Alexander Dobrindt, Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) regional group leader, before the start of the closed meeting of the executive board of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag in front of Neuhardenberg Castle. Michael Kappeler/dpa
ORLANDO, Florida  Seth Hyman, a criminal defense attorney who was the GOP nominee to be the next Orange-Osceola state attorney, filed to drop from the race Wednesday and announced his support for current top prosecutor Andrew Bain.

In a statement to supporters published online hours after officially withdrawing, Hyman cited two reasons for his move: a meager war chest compared to his opponents and his concern that his candidacy boosted the chances of suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell, a Democrat who is vying to get her job back.

Polling from Worrells campaign released in July suggested she would cruise to victory in November in a three-way race, sparking fears of vote-splitting between Bain, who is not affiliated with any party, and the Republican candidate.

If Worrell is re-elected, there will be an exodus of talent, chaos will return, and her never-ending battles with law enforcement will resume, Hyman said in his statement backing Bain. To those who disagree with her firing, I ask you not to cast a protest vote for Worrell, as that will not do anything to harm the Governor, that will only harm the people of this community. Vote for Andrew Bain because of what he has accomplished as State Attorney over the past year.

The decision to withdraw comes two weeks after Hyman won the Republican nomination against fellow attorney Thomas Feiter in a landslide. Hyman was endorsed by the Republican parties in Orange and Osceola counties as well as the Florida GOP.

Under Florida law, filling the new vacancy for the Republican ticket in state attorney race would be the task of state and county party officials. Feiter and representatives of the GOP chapters did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

The November race for State Attorney is billed as a referendum on the progressive prosecutorial visions of Worrell and her predecessor, Aramis Ayala. In 2023, Worrell was removed from office after DeSantis accused her of dereliction of duty, though the Orlando Sentinel reported some of the governors arguments, namely botched Osceola County drug trafficking investigations, were dubious. DeSantis appointed Bain to replace her.

Worrell has previously criticized her removal as political retaliation by the governor, arguing she was merely exercising her legal discretion as state attorney. Last month, Bain boasted about his accomplishments in his initial year in office, among them crediting his administration for filling vacant positions at the office, including with former prosecutors said to have been disgruntled with Ayala and Worrell.

Neither Worrell nor Bains campaigns responded to news of Hymans withdrawal. The candidates for State Attorney are scheduled to appear in a debate Sept. 11, hosted by the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

________
Republicans in North Carolina are facing worrying signs in the governors race amid a torrent of negative headlines surrounding their candidate, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

Most polls in recent months have shown Democrat Josh Stein, the states attorney general, leading Robinson, an ally of former President Trump who has drawn criticism for his past rhetoric on everything from abortion to the civil rights movement.

Some Republicans fear Robinsons controversial persona could cost them the governors mansion  and the challenge will be even tougher for him as Vice President Harris has seemingly made inroads in the state as well.

That is the dominant feature of the race, Republican strategist Douglas Heye said, referring to the controversies surrounding past comments Robinson has made.

Robinson first rose to prominence in 2018 when he spoke in defense of gun rights at a Greensboro City Council meeting, which helped launch his successful run for lieutenant governor in 2020. He narrowly won the election to become the first Black lieutenant governor of the state, even as incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper won reelection by a slightly larger margin.

Throughout his political career, Robinson has rallied those on the right as a strong Trump ally and firebrand on conservative principles. But his principles and rhetoric have at times caused friction.

Robinson has made a wide range of controversial comments dating back to before his time in office. He has made derogatory statements about Jews, Muslims, transgender people and Black people who support Democrats. He has described Muslims as invaders, referred to homosexuality and transgenderism as filth and criticized feminism as being watered by the devil.

He has referred to abortion as murder and genocide and said the issue is about not being responsible enough to keep your skirt down, comments with which Steins campaign has gone on offense against Robinson.

He has since softened his stance on abortion, an issue Democrats see as critical both in the state and nationwide. His campaign released an ad last month sharing that his wife had an abortion 30 years ago, calling it a very difficult decision.

Robinson also declared support for the states current 12-week abortion law that provides commonsense exceptions for protecting the life of the mother and instances of rape and incest.

Stein, who so far has run without any major stumbles, has seen a notable rise in the polls in recent weeks. Stein currently leads Robinson by more than 9 points in the average from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill, a reflection of several polls released in recent weeks that have shown him leading by that amount or more.

And that has everything to do with female voters being appalled at so many things Robinson has said, Heye said.

Polling has shown Robinson trailing by notable margins with women, while the two candidates have been competitive with male voters.

A recent survey from The Hill/Emerson College Polling had Stein up 6 points overall. While it found the candidates were about even with men, Stein led among women by 12 points. A New York Times/Siena College poll from last month found Stein leading by 10 points and had Robinson in front with men by 5. But Stein led among women by 23 points, contributing to his lead.

Despite the leads for Stein, both campaigns stress they expect a close race in November in what will be one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds ahead of the election.

Stein campaign manager Jeff Allen said in a statement to The Hill that voters are learning about the difference between the attorney general and lieutenant governor, and that Stein fights for people while Robinson fights job-killing culture wars.

But make no mistake: This race will be very close, Allen said. Our campaign is working hard to earn every vote and make sure people know that as governor, Josh Stein will build a safer, stronger North Carolina.

Robinson communications director Mike Lonergan told The Hill that despite Stein having a significant fundraising advantage, Robinson is closing the gap and pounding the pavement connecting with voters of all backgrounds around the state, linking to the Emerson poll that had him down 6 points.

Lonergan also pointed to another poll that only had Robinson trailing by 4 points and noted that polling has underestimated Republican support in multiple recent cycles.

With a large portion of the electorate still undecided as we continue to ramp up our efforts on the ground and on the airwaves, Mark Robinson remains in a strong position to win in November, he said.

Republicans in the state have outperformed polls in the past.

In 2020, polls showed Cooper leading Republican Dan Forest by double digits ahead of Election Day, but he ended up winning by 4.5 points. In the 2016 cycle, Cooper was regularly leading in polls by the last month of the race, yet he only narrowly ousted then-Gov. Pat McCrory (R) by about 0.2 points.

Polling also showed Democrats Hillary Clinton and President Biden ahead narrowly in 2016 and 2020, respectively, before both instead narrowly lost the state to Trump.

Republican strategist Jonathan Felts, who served as an adviser to Sen. Ted Budds (R-N.C.) 2022 campaign, said the Republican overperformance indicates a much closer race than the polls suggest.

Members of both parties acknowledged that North Carolina is one of the closest swing states in the country and that it is likely to have results backing that up again this year.

We never trusted polls that had us up double digits, and we never trusted polls that had us down double digits with Teds race, Felts said.

A few polls coming out in recent days have Steins lead shrinking a bit to mid-single digits. One from East Carolina University had him ahead by 6 points.

Felts also noted Stein has been greatly outpacing Robinson in ad support and reservations, blanketing the airwaves with attacks on him. Stein has a lead in ad support so far by more than a 2-to-1 margin, but that disparity is not likely to remain.

The fact is theyve not totally put away Mark Robinson yet, same playbook they tried with Ted Budd back in 2022, he said, adding that Republicans need to come home to Robinson soon, which he expects will happen.

Polling has largely shown Democrats standing more solidly behind Stein than Republicans are with Robinson.

The numbers are fueling optimism among Democrats hopeful to keep the governors mansion and flip the state to vote for a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 2008.

Aimy Steele, a former Democratic North Carolina state House candidate who runs the New North Carolina Project, an organization seeking to drive Black and Brown voter turnout, said Stein has focused on touting his record on maintaining order and increasing the testing of rape kits.

What I do think is that when we inflate polls or look at polls, we can get a false impression that everythings OK, and we dont need to take that approach at all, she said. We still have a lot on the line.

Gabe Esparza, a former Democratic candidate for North Carolina treasurer, argued Stein and Harris can help each other as they campaign over the next two months, noting Harris and members of the Biden administration have been regularly visiting the state.

Polling has shown a close race between Harris and Trump in the weeks since she joined the race, and they are currently tied in the Decision Desk HQ/The Hill polling average for the state.

I think you saw that increase in attention not only demonstrating the belief that North Carolina could indeed not only be in play, but be realistically winnable, Esparza said. But it is also an opportunity for Josh and Democratic candidates down the ballot to benefit from that enthusiasm.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Republican Party wont choose a new candidate for the Orange-Osceola state attorney race even though its nominee has quit the race, a decision that leaves voters with a single alternative to progressive Democrat Monique Worrell.

GOP nominee Seth Hymans unusual move to withdraw Wednesday, just two weeks after his decisive primary victory, leaves election officials plenty of time to prepare ballots without a Republican contender.

Instead, voters will decide between Worrell, who was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, and no-party-affiliated incumbent Andrew Bain, whom DeSantis tapped as her replacement.

The new situation in the race offers a boost to Bain, as early polls had suggested he and Hyman would split the conservative-leaning vote in November if both were running. And it drew suggestions Thursday that Bains backers had manipulated the outcome.

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd was notified of the Republican State Executive Committees unanimous decision, involving members of the county parties, in a letter sent Wednesday by state GOP chair Evan Power, the day Hyman announced he was dropping out. The Orlando Sentinel obtained the letter Thursday.

Hyman defeated fellow defense attorney Thomas Feiter in a landslide primary election victory. But Hyman cited a meager campaign war chest and the prospect of a Worrell victory as reasons for his withdrawal  drawing ire from some supporters but the backing of state and local Republican officials.

Orlando-based Red Lobster can exit bankruptcy, judge rules

Seth Hyman was a tremendous and hardworking candidate, Power told a Sentinel reporter by text message. That said, I understand the political and financial challenges he was facing going to a general election with two other candidates.

According to Florida law, the withdrawal of a candidate for state attorney is treated like other multicounty offices such as congressional and legislative seats. The party executive committees of each county in the district have five days after a vacancy to choose a replacement candidate. For this decision, Orange and Osceola committee members were convened by Power, according to the letter.

Orange County GOP chair Erin Huntley referred comment to the elections office.

News of Hyman leaving the race didnt sit well with Feiter, who before the election signaled he was under pressure to drop out by high-level authorities within the GOP  including those close to DeSantis.

In an interview Thursday with the Sentinel, he said theres a small group of powerful party members who exert power over all of us, including in the state attorney race. Weeks before the election, he filed a complaint with the Florida Bar accusing DeSantis and others of manipulating the election to favor Bain.

The Bar rejected the complaint July 23, saying the allegations involve a civil dispute and present questions of law rather than conduct as attorneys the Bar typically regulates.

Feiters public statement called Hymans withdrawal and the GOP decision not to replace him deeply offensive to anyone regardless of affiliation who believes that voters should be given truthful information  not only about a candidates positions, but about who is backing the candidate and why.

By withdrawing today, Seth Hyman has confirmed that he was part of an effort to manipulate the voters of Orange and Osceola County, the statement said.   I will be consulting with election law experts to determine if I have a basis for filing a lawsuit in light of todays events  and requesting that appropriate law enforcement officials investigate any possible criminal activity.

Feiter also called Hyman a ghost candidate, an accusation he denies.

This years state attorney race will be a referendum on Worrells time in office and her fateful suspension by DeSantis, who accused her of neglecting her duty. Worrell has repeatedly pushed back on claims she was soft on crime during tenure and the Sentinel has reported on some of the dubious claims used to back her suspension.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  Governor Andy Beshear encouraged Kentuckys small businesses to apply for a tax credit of up to $25,000 through the Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit (KSBTC).

Officials say to receive the Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit, qualifying small businesses should apply now to ensure their best chance of approval in time for this years tax filings. Although approval is not guaranteed, complete applications received by November 1 will be fully reviewed for 2024 tax credit eligibility. Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year, but applications received after November 1 may not be eligible for tax credits until the 2025 tax year. Tax credits are available to eligible companies that added at least one net new full-time employee and invested $5,000 or more in qualifying equipment or technology within the past 24 months.

Ohio Co. awarded site development funding

This tax credit is one of the best ways to not only support businesses that are adding jobs and investing in their own growth, but also to help them continue that momentum year after year as they build, said David Brock, interim executive director of KY Innovation. Many companies across the state likely dont even know they are eligible based on their size, new hires theyve made and previous purchases of qualifying equipment. Time is of the essence to apply for the credit in 2024, and we encourage any business owner, or those who assist businesses with accounting and tax preparation, to review program specifics on our website.

Gov. Beshear reappoints Owensboro woman to the SCAAC

Officials say qualifying small businesses may be eligible to receive a state income tax credit ranging from $3,500 to $25,000 per year. The tax credit amount depends on the number of jobs created and the amount invested in new equipment or technology. Most for-profit businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees will qualify, including construction, manufacturing, retail, service and wholesale companies.

According to officials, people can access the current version of the KSBTC application here, contact the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development at 800-626-2930 or email info@kyinnovation.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey delivers the State of the State address on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 in Montgomery, Ala. Ivey Thursday asked for the resignation of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis, alleging that he mishandled an ARPA grant program. (Stew Milne for Alabama Reflector)

Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday asked Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis to resign, alleging that he mishandled a grant program from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The governor also wrote in the letter that she had removed John Kilpatrick, a Mobile-based veterans care provider, from the State Board of Veterans Affairs. Both men were involved in a recent ethics complaint against the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) that the Alabama Ethics Commission dismissed as frivolous last month.

Ample cause exists for your removal as Commissioner, Ivey wrote in a letter to Davis on Thursday. For example, your agency mishandled an ARPA grant program by, among other things, proposing  on a substantially delayed basis  uses of grant funds that would be ineligible under the U.S. Treasury rules and regulations and/or state law or policy.

Ivey asked for Davis resignation by 5 p.m. Thursday. As of Thursday evening, Davis, who did not respond to requests for comment, had not responded to the letter, according to the governors office.

I am disappointed Commissioner Davis did not have the decency to respond and therefore, did not choose to do the right thing for the future of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans statewide, Ivey said in an emailed statement after the deadline passed. I am prepared to take further action.

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Iveys letter did not provide details on the program or the alleged mismanagement. Messages seeking further comment were left with Iveys office and the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday.

A voicemail message was also left at John Kilpatricks place of business Thursday.

The governor wrote that Davis actions put the states ability to meet its obligations regarding ARPA into jeopardy and questions his ability to effectively serve veterans in the state.

It thus seriously calls into question your ability to secure additional services for Alabama veterans and to cooperate with all other heads of the state departments as are your duties under state law.

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, a co-chair of the Legislatures Joint ARPA Oversight Committee, said Thursday he learned about Iveys request that morning and did not know the details, though he said he did not believe funds had been improperly disbursed.

I dont think the funds were mismanaged, Albritton said.  I think there were issues about the intent and some of the obligations as I understand it, but I think the Finance Department caught some of these made-inquiries and pursued from there.

Ivey also alleged that the commissioner failed to consult with the Governors Office as required by Executive Order No. 726.

The seven-page executive order, issued in January 2023, pertains to the duties and rules that each of the departments within the executive branch must obey to comply with state law. It has sections related to constituent services, fiscal affairs, legal affairs and ethics. Ivey did not specify what sections she believed Davis had failed to adhere to.

Lagniappe in Mobile reported last month that Davis had filed an ethics complaint against Kim Boswell, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health, alleging that Boswell and the department had coordinated efforts with other state officials to prevent the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs from receiving $7 million in ARPA funding.

In a follow up article, the Alabama Daily News reported that the complaint said that Kilpatrick criticized the Alabama Department of Mental Health at the February meeting of the Opioid Settlement Oversight Committee.

However, ADN reported that video footage it reviewed did not show Kilpatrick presenting at the meeting.

A message seeking comment was sent to the Alabama Department of Mental Health Thursday. ADN also reported that Boswell was not aware of the complaints and was not able to address the false allegations pertaining to her or the mental health department.

According to his biography, Davis became the seventh commissioner for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs in February 2019. He is the son of a combat-wounded veteran. He enlisted in the Navy Reserve while attending college, and graduated with bachelors of science degree in business administration in 1985.

Alander Rocha contributed to this report.

Updated at 5:40 p.m. on Thursday with a statement from Iveys office that they had not received a response from Davis.

Ivey letter to Kent Davis Sept 5 2024

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has called for the resignation of the head of the states veterans affairs department over what she alleged as mishandling grant money and not keeping her office in the loop with the ongoing business of the department.

In a letter sent Thursday, Ivey asked Rear Admiral Kent Davis to submit his resignation from the department he has led since 2019. According to her office, Ivey did not meet with Davis prior to her sending the letter.

Iveys listed reason for requesting Davis resignation is over allegedly mishandling an ARPA grant program by proposing uses that would not be covered by state law or policy.

This put in jeopardy the State of Alabamas ability to fulfill its obligations under ARPA and your agencys ability to most effectively serve veterans, Ivey wrote in a statement. It thus seriously calls into question your ability to secure additional services for Alabama veterans and to cooperate with all other heads of the state departments as are your duties under state law.

Additionally, Ivey said Davis had failed to consult with her office about what was going on in the department.

State Sen. Andrew Jones, R-Centre, who chairs the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Safety Members committee, said he is confident in Iveys decision.

Im confident that Governor Ivey is making the decision that she thinks is best for our state. Ultimately, serving Alabamas veterans is what is most important and I look forward to working with whoever is selected to serve in these roles, Jones said.

Iveys letter comes weeks after Davis had filed an ethics complaint against Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kim Boswell, citing that she and others worked to keep his department from getting $7 million in American Rescue Plan funds as well as destroy a bill to create a statewide mental health system for veterans, the Alabama Daily News reports. Boswell is a member of Iveys cabinet while Davis is not.

In requesting Davis resignation, Ivey announced that she had removed John Kilpatrick from the State Board of Veterans Affairs. According to ADN, Kilpatrick had tried to seek funds for his Vets Recover clinic in Mobile while also being on the board, although Davis said he did not see that as a conflict of interest.

CBS 42 political analyst Steve Flowers said Iveys public call for Davis resignation was uncommon.

When you see her come out this adamantly, this assuredly, you can be assured that somethings wrong in that department, Flowers said. Theres some malfeasance.

Ivey had originally called for Davis to resign by 5 p.m. Thursday so he could leave effective Sep. 30. However, by 5 p.m., he had not submitted his resignation to Ivey.

I am disappointed Commissioner Davis did not have the decency to respond and therefore, did not choose to do the right thing for the future of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans statewide, Ivey wrote in a statement Thursday night. I am prepared to take further action.

As of Thursday morning, Davis has not issued a response to Iveys call for his ouster. Brandon Miller, public information manager for the ADVA, said in a statement to CBS 42 that a statement would be coming soon.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
Vice President Kamala Harris thinks U.S. Steel should not have the right to sell its business to Japan's Nippon Steel. Previously, some Republican senators thought they too should have the ability to kill the deal between private companies. And it doesn't stop there. During the pandemic, airlines had to get the government's permission to hand out hand sanitizer to passengers. Energy projects are subjected to years of permitting processes. And, of course, in most places, Americans aren't allowed to build what they want on their own property without subjecting themselves to government authorization.

Welcome to the permission-slip economy. It shouldn't be this way.

Permitting reform isn't just bureaucratic minutiae; it's a critical, deeply moral issue for anyone who believes in free markets, individual liberty, and economic progress. Our permitting regime is a web of red tape that stifles innovation, slows growth, and leaves Americans poorer, less free, and increasingly frustrated with a government more interested in regulating than enabling prosperity.

This isn't some esoteric topic for policy wonks; it's about the real, tangible effects of overregulation on Americans' daily lives. Housing costs, job availability, energy prices, and technological advancement all hinge on how our government handles permits. And right now, it's failing miserably.

Take housing. Some areas like California and New York City face a crisis largely due to onerous permitting processes. Builders must navigate a Kafkaesque labyrinth of regulations just to break ground, assuming they are even allowed to build. These delays add years to construction and inflate costs by tens of thousands per unit.

This isn't mere inconvenience; it's a genuine disaster for middle- and low-income families priced out of the market. The American dream of homeownership is being strangled by red tape. Worse yet, Americans are priced out of lucrative labor markets because rents are so artificially inflated in job-rich cities.

But that's just the beginning. Permitting processes are choking the energy sector. Important infrastructurepipelines, wind farms, grid modernizationis being held up for years by endless environmental reviews, public comments, and lawsuits. Now, two judges have signaled to developers that permits which took years to obtain could be canceled on a whim if subjected to pressure from the climate activists.

This isn't just bad policy; it's economic sabotage resulting in higher prices, less reliable supply, and missed opportunities for cleaner, more efficient energy.

What about other infrastructure? Roads, bridges, and transit systems fail to get fixed when approval for repairs takes years or sometimes decades. An outdated, bloated process prioritizes procedure over results, making some projects obsolete before they begin. Meanwhile, the government wastes massive amounts of money on infrastructure subsidies when all we need is to allow people to build.

The free market thrives on innovation and speed, allowing swift responses to societal needs. The current system is its antithesisslow, cumbersome, and designed to prevent change rather than facilitate it.

It's not just harming businesses; it's harming everyone. Imagine what we could achieve with reform: affordable housing, more jobs, lower energy prices, modernized infrastructure. We could unleash a new wave of American innovation and growth. Yet these reforms are repeatedly blocked by bureaucrats protecting their turf, politicians appeasing special interests, or activists who believe halting progress is virtuous.

The time for permitting reform is now. Every delay means lost opportunity for Americans who deserve better: a government facilitating progress, not impeding it; a truly free market, not one shackled by bureaucracy; a future where prosperity trumps paperwork.

The good news is that there are many permitting reform ideas out there. Of course, in an ideal world, building and innovating should generally be permitted by default. Short of this, creating a "one-stop-shop" federal permitting agency to reduce redundanciesa single point of contact for applicants to coordinate between different agenciesshould be a priority. This would be coupled with strict timelines for permit reviews, including a "shot clock" mechanism where permits are automatically approved if no decision is made by the deadline.

Environmental reviews should be streamlined by radically reforming the National Environmental Policy Act process, setting page limits on environmental impact statements, and allowing for more categorical exclusions for routine or low-impact projects. State-level reforms should be encouraged through federal incentives, and a "presumptive approval" system should be implemented for routine projects.

This isn't just good policy; it's a moral imperative. Permitting reform is about restoring a healthy power balance between government and individual and ensuring that America remains a place where innovation thrives, entrepreneurs succeed, and opportunity is universal. It's about reclaiming the principles that made this country great.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

The post The Government's Permitting Regime Is Choking the Economy appeared first on Reason.com.
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL)  Early one July 2022 morning, Jamie Shelton awoke to the loud raps of law enforcement at his door. They had come to tell him his daughter, Shianne Shelton, had passed away from a fentanyl overdose.

I just went ballistic outside, crying, Shelton recalled. [I] fell to my knees, came inside, woke up my other daughter, told her.

Photo: Jamie Sheltons world was turned upside down when his daughter died due to a fentanyl overdose in 2022. (WJHL)

Hours later, Shiannes son, David, was delivered to his home. Shelton said the boys father and Shiannes fiance, Jason Easter, told Child Protective Services to take him to his grandfathers. In a matter of hours, Shelton was forced to transition from grandparent to guardian.

My youngest daughter, shes 24 right now. My oldest daughter was 24 when she passed, said Shelton. So, you know, I had already raised my kids and it was time for me to be carefree and do whatever I wanted to and enjoy life. Now, you dont get to spoil them and send them home. You have to be the bad guy and tell them no, teach them right from wrong  give them rules and chores.

See more on The Fentanyl Crisis

Shelton now wakes David up to go to his first-grade classes every morning.

We had grandkids that we were going to be able to spoil and have fun with, and now we have a grandkid thats more or less a son now, Shelton said.

In the years that have passed, Shelton said its been difficult to explain to David whats happened to his mother.

At the time, nobody thought David knew anything, but now that hes gotten older he will tell us stories about the red lights and the blue lights, Shelton said. They said he was asleep when they took him out of the house, but he knows whats going on.

Hes put two plus two together. He knows his daddy is in jail, and he knows his mommy passed away.

In March 2023, Easter was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly giving Shianne Shelton the fentanyl that killed her. He was already in the Loudon County Jail on unrelated charges when TBI announced the indictment. Andrew Landon Jackson was also charged in the case.

Shelton goes to every court date for both men charged in his daughters death. He said he isnt sure what a win in court would look like.

You know more people lost people than just me losing my daughter. It goes deeper and whats the justice in it? This is an awful, terrible thing because all it does is continue to destroy families, said Shelton.

Shianne Shelton was one of the 2,797 Tennesseans and 44 in Sullivan County to die of a fentanyl overdose in 2022.

Easter is expected to appear in court again in December 2024.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Large male gray wolf walking on a hill in the forest. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Less than nine months after Colorado released its first gray wolves into the wild as part of a controversial reintroduction program, two of the 10 released wolves, along with three pups born this year, will be relocated from their current area. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials made the announcement this week following reports of the animals attacking nearby livestock.

In December 2023, 10 gray wolves captured in Oregon were released onto public land in Summit and Grand counties in Colorado. This latest plan to relocate the Copper Creek Pack, as the wolves are called, is seen as a potential setback in the program, which barely passed in a 2020 referendum that aimed to re-establish gray wolves in Colorado and create a permanent, self-sustaining wolf population.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff capture gray wolves in Oregon. (Photo credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

"The ultimate goal of the operation is to relocate the pack to another location while we assess our best options for them to continue to contribute to the successful restoration of wolves in Colorado," Jeff Davis, the director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said in a statement and added that the recent "decision to capture and relocate the Copper Creek pack was made with the careful consideration of multiple factors" and is "by no means a precedent for how C.P.W. will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward."

The reintroduction of gray wolves can lead to more resilient and diverse ecosystems, benefiting a wide range of plant and animal species. Wolves help control populations of large herbivores like deer and elk which prevents overgrazing and allows vegetation to recover, promoting a healthier ecosystem.

Wolves also help control disease among herbivores by preying on the weakest members, leading to healthier animal populations. Additionally, healthier ecosystems with balanced predator-prey relationships can store more carbon, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

According to Colorado State University, gray wolves, originally native to Colorado, were wiped out by the mid-1940s. The 2020 referendum to reintroduce the species has sparked renewed conflicts between cattle ranchers and livestock farmers as well as hunters-who all view the wolves as a danger-and conservationists, who highlight their possible ecological advantages.

Michael Saul, the director of the Rockies and Plains program at Defenders of Wildlife, a wildlife conservation nonprofit, told The NY Times he is perplexed by this latest decision to relocate the wolves because Colorado law "strikes a balance" between the animals and the needs of ranchers and added that any rancher who loses livestock is generously compensated.

Seen here: three healthy wolf pups (around 40-50 lbs) and one adult from the Copper Creek pack. We received this video and our wolf biologists have reviewed and confirmed the validity of the video.



Video courtesy of Mike Usalavage pic.twitter.com/vVnSdaIZ9m  Colorado Parks and Wildlife (@COParksWildlife) August 19, 2024

Defenders of Wildlife strongly denounced the decision to relocate, calling it a "risky, short-term solution" and "a major setback for human-wolf coexistence in Colorado." They called the decision one driven by politics and "not rooted in science-based management" and said it stands to delay the progress of the reintroduction program significantly.

"This regrettable decision appears to put the demands of intransigent and uncooperative ranching associations above the intent of Colorado's reintroduction law, which requires restoration of wolves based on the best available science while providing financial and logistical support to (livestock) producers," the statement read.

Pack of gray wolves. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Marc Bekoff, behavioral ecologist and professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, told the NY Times that in order to reintroduce the wolves to Colorado successfully the pack needs time to adapt to its new environment. Bekoff noted the fact that a pack was formed and three pups were born within the first year of the program is incredible progress and is concerned that relocating the pack could harm the wolves. Trapping wolves individually and releasing them into the wild, particularly removing the pack's leader, could cause its dissolution, he said, and stressed that if relocation is necessary, it should be done with the entire group, which is challenging.

Dr. Bekoff described the Copper Creek pack as vital for the future of Colorado wolves and is worried that human intervention is already jeopardizing their adaptation.

"My concern is that the wolves haven't had time to adapt, habituate," he told the NY Times. "People might disagree with me, but this is really a sign that maybe Colorado isn't ready for wolves."
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Jess Buchholz and Casey Woods with Emporia Main Street look ahead at two upcoming events coming to the Emporia community.

First up, the Great American Market takes place on Saturday Sept. 14 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. That market brings hundreds of vendors from around the local area to showcase antiques, clothes, spices, food trucks and more.

Later in the month, the Apella Weekend takes place on Sept. 20 and 21, marking an all class reunion weekend for all Emporia High School graduates.

Distinguished K-State professor talks about new rural health project

For more information on those two events, watch the interview above.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Green as the grass: Community looks to clean up Crockery Lake

CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Community members in Ottawa County are making efforts to clean Crockery Lake.

Greg Slater owns a home off of Crockery Lake in northern Ottawa County. He says its not hard to notice the lake becoming greener and greener each summer.

We often joke in the middle of summer sometimes the water is as green as the grass, said Slater, the treasurer of the Crockery Lake Association.

Crockery Lake on Sept. 4, 2024.

Crockery Lake on Sept. 4, 2024.

Crockery Lake on Sept. 4, 2024.

To help with the situation, the Crockery Lake Association is working with West Michigan company Restorative Lake Sciences.

Owner Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones said the color is caused by blue-green algae blooms, which can produce toxins that can make humans and animals sick.

What starts to happen during the mid-summer is the water temperatures get really high and the algae thrive on those water temperatures, Jermalowicz-Jones said. Theyre very buoyant, so they can float to the surface and harvest all the sunlight, and when they do that, they prevent a lot of that light from reaching the lower layers of the water column so vegetation can grow.

Muskegon Lake algal bloom could be spreading to Lake Michigan

She says if theres not enough vegetation in the lake, algae will consume a lot of nutrients in the water, which helps them thrive.

Jermalowicz-Jones also said that farming runoff has contributed to Crockery Lakes issues.

Restorative Lake Sciences is currently collecting data on what it will take to clean the lake.

We need to understand how the lakes behaving both in the basin, in terms of the water column, as well as whats coming into it and how those dynamics are interacting, Jermalowicz-Jones said. Once we have that data, were able to put together a pretty robust budget.

She says it will take some time for the lake to be in better shape.

It is a smaller lake, but its very impaired. So, its going to take a good five to 10 years to really turn things around, Jermalowicz-Jones said.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Costs are estimated to total more than $100,000 each year. Slater says theyre trying to move forward without much help from the state.

They have no money is what were being told, Slater said.

Lake Effect: What changes scientists are seeing on Lake Michigan

A special assessment district around the lake brings in $14,000, and Slater added that the Lake Association Board and Chester Township have shown financial support as well.

This week, an Ottawa County board committee was asked for additional assistance.

Were trying to move up to people that can help us with this, Slater said.

He says the clock is ticking to get a project going.

It will continue to get worse unless we do something about it, Slater said.

Restorative Lake Sciences plans to complete its report on the lake within the next two months.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  The Greenville Police Department announced a man has died as a result of injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident last week.

Authorities were dispatched to a report of an accident with injuries on the KY 189 bypass in front of Muhlenberg County High School at 7:40 p.m. on August 31. Greenville Police say William Mayes, 55, was riding a motorcycle southbound and he collided with a deer.

Mayes was transported to a local hospital and later flown to Nashville. Mayes died as a result of his injuries on September 3.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Elon Musk Fires Back At Fortune Magazine: 'Something Deeply Misanthropic About These People' For Saying 'Pronatalism Is A Ponzi Scheme'

Elon Musk is known for his bold ideas and outspoken opinions, and this time, he's not holding back. The tech billionaire recently responded to an article in Fortune magazine that criticized the growing movement of pronatalism, which encourages people to have more children. The article featured comments from experts who compared pronatalism to a Ponzi scheme, and Musk wasn't having it.

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Something deeply misanthropic about these people https://t.co/mD9NygxCdU  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2024

Reacting to Marc Andreessen sharing a screenshot of the article, Musk responded strongly, saying, Something deeply misanthropic about these people, addressing the authors of the article who argued that encouraging people to have more children is based on the mistaken idea that more people are necessary for economic growth.

The author quoted experts who claimed that without proper government intervention, any economic benefits from a growing population typically go to the wealthy, leaving workers and consumers worse off.

The article also drew attention to the challenges women face in pronatalist societies by quoting experts like Emily Klancher Merchant, assistant professor of science and technology studies at UC Davis, and Win Brown, research affiliate at the University of Washington's Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology.

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They suggested that pronatalism relies on new generations to support the older ones, much like a Ponzi scheme: It relies on new entrants to produce returns for earlier investors, with the burdens falling most heavily on women, who are responsible for the bulk of childbearing and child-rearing, often without adequate medical care or affordable child care.

According to the article, Musk, who has long been vocal about his concerns over declining birthrates, has warned that a population collapse could pose a significant risk to civilizations future, saying, collapsing birthrate is the biggest danger civilization faces, by far.

At a conference, Musk also encouraged everyone to have at least three children. However, as we mentioned then, the Institute for Family Studies reports that the cost of raising a child can range from $202,248 to $430,928, causing many potential parents to reconsider having children.

Story continues

On the other hand, the tech mogul has now fathered at least 12 children, six from his previous relationships and three with the musical artist Grimes.

Last year, he encouraged people in Italy and other developed countries to have more children. He pointed out the economic impact, saying that while Italy is a good place to invest, companies are questioning whether there will be enough workers in the future.

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The Fortune article further questioned whether pronatalist policies work, citing Italy's 2020 Family Act as an example. Despite offering subsidies for child care, increased paternity leave, and higher salaries for mothers, the country's birthrate has continued to drop.

The article also mentions that in the U.S., some worry that an aging population could strain programs like Social Security (which Musk once called the Biggest Ponzi scheme ever). Still, the experts in the article suggested that this problem can be solved through pro-immigration policies and tax reforms, not by having more children.

As this debate continues, it's clear that the question of how to best support future generations remains a complex and contentious issue. And with voices as influential as Musk's in the conversation, it's not likely to die down anytime soon.

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This article Elon Musk Fires Back At Fortune Magazine: 'Something Deeply Misanthropic About These People' For Saying 'Pronatalism Is A Ponzi Scheme' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday accused the Biden administration of busing asylum seekers throughout the United States before boasting that he bused migrants out of his state.

In a sparsely attended Arizona stump speech for Donald Trump, Abbott rallied against Vice President Kamala Harris, who Republicans have dubbed the border czar in an attempt to associate her with an uptick in asylum-seekers.

When you saw 5,000 people a day crossing into a town like Eagle Pass, Texas, you could see that that was on your TV. You knew what was going on in America, Abbott said, per NBC News. Theyre doing that daily, flying people across the border or through this [asylum program], getting them to come to a port of entry, at which time they will put them on a bus and then transport them to some other place.

Abbott, who bused new arrivals to the U.S. to Washington and New York City between 2022 and 2024, bragged later in that same speech that he began busing them to Washington, D.C., and then dropping them off at the address of the residence of the vice president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.

Unlike the federal governments response, Abbotts moves were criticized as cruel and potentially illegal. The Biden administration accepted asylum seekers in accordance with the law, but there is no evidence to suggest that it engaged in busing migrants, as Abbott suggested, according to NBC News.

Still, Republicans have attempted to strike Harris on the administration's immigration record, even as border crossings fall to their lowest level since before Biden took office, and after Trump reportedly killed a bipartisan border security bill to boost his own election bid.
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

On Wednesday Liz Cheney announced that shes voting for Kamala Harris. Id have a lot to say about it today if I hadnt said all of it already.

More interesting than the announcement itself was J.D. Vances reaction to it. One might think that watching Cheney complete her journey from rock-ribbed Republican to Democratic voter would move Donald Trumps running mate to rant about the ideological corruption of Never Trump human scum. But he didnt.

Vance accused Cheney of being a grifter. And not just any ol grifter but one eager to cash in on the blood of American soldiers.

Shes a staunch hawk like her father. Its fair to accuse her of having let those instincts blind her to the challenges of war, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Vance didnt call her stupid or fanatical. He alleged that Cheney, who sacrificed her career to do the right thing after January 6, is so amoral and mercenary that she forms her opinions about foreign interventions based on whether she can personally line her pockets from them. Its a Chomskyite critique, nothing less.

And somehow he roped Kamala Harris, whos spent most of her career as a prosecutor, into it. I cant make sense of that unless Vance means to imply that every politician who supports U.S. meddling in foreign conflicts like Ukraines has ulterior motivesexcept when J.D. himself supports the meddling, of course.

At around the same time on Wednesday that he was accusing Cheney of selling out the national interest for money, a federal indictment of two Russian nationals alleged that the founders of a popular MAGA media outlet have been  selling out the national interest for money.

According to the indictment, two Russian employees of the Kremlin propaganda outlet RT (formerly Russia Today) bankrolled U.S.-based Tenet Media to the tune of nearly $10 million. Tenet was founded in 2022 by populist broadcaster Lauren Chen and her husband and features commentary from well-known MAGA vaudeville stars Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin.

In CNNs words, The goal of the operation, according to prosecutors, was to fuel pro-Russian narratives, in part, by pushing content and news articles favoring Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and others who the Kremlin deemed to be friendlier to its interests.

Chen and her husband supposedly understood that they were dealing with Russians. But heres the rub: Although exorbitant sums were paid to the talent ($400,000 per month for four videos, in one case), Johnson, Pool, and Rubin apparently didnt know where the money was coming from. They were told that a wealthy European banker was funding the project. Each was indignant after the indictment was published at any inference that they were knowingly on the take from Vladimir Putin.

How seriously should we take that indignation?

A question of motive.

Not very seriously, I think.

Certainly, I can believe that no one showed up at Tenet HQ in an ushanka carrying a briefcase full of money and introducing himself as European in a thick Russian accent. But $100,000 per video for paint-by-numbers MAGA dreck is a lot of borscht, even by the heady standards of populist influencers. Suspiciously so.

Michael Brendan Dougherty asked the right question: How can you take that amount of money and not ask more questions?

I can think of two answers. One is extreme idiocy, which cant be ruled out in this case. The other is willful blindness. If youre getting a giant check of dubious origin each month, you might reason that ignorance as to that origin is bliss. Its in your financial interest not to ask questions whose answers might create ethical or legal dilemmas.

Given the sort of paranoid politics favored by Tenets commentators, its hard to find an innocent explanation for how theyd miss a foreign influence operation happening right under their noses. These guys see made-up psyops everywhere until a mysterious foreigner offers them fantastic amounts of money for practically nothing, then they turn into Mr. Magoo, Christian Vanderbrouk observed.

They may not have known who was funding them in the sense that they were never formally informed as to the truth, but if youre cranking out rhetorical sputum like this 

 and a man from overseas with a thin paper trail shows up to make you rich, youll have some theories about which part of Europe hes getting his money from.

Having said all that, Im reluctant to believe that the MAGA commentariat is chiefly motivated by graft.

Fame, audience capture, and the perverse appetite for populist agitprop here in the U.S. would have incentivized Tim Pool to make videos like the one above even if Putin had never reached for his checkbook. Im averse to any suggestion that this sort of content is being pushed on populist Republicans rather than eagerly demanded and lapped up.

Im also reluctant to treat graft as an important motive because doing so provides an excuse for partisan conservatives to stick with the GOP. If the illiberalism favored by the partys most influential figures is merely a facade paid for by foreign fascists then theres nothing fundamentally wrong with the American right. Its still the same old Republican Party at heart, just with an unfortunate nucleus of grifters at the top.

And, frankly, Im reluctant because ascribing financial motives to the likes of the Tenet Media crew affords them a degree of grace they dont deserve. A man seduced by money to serve sinister interests is contemptible but relatable; one can understand that temptation while refusing to succumb to it. A man who volunteers to serve sinister interests because hes morally bankrupt deserves no such allowance. One is weak, the other malevolent.

We shouldnt inadvertently rehabilitate these people by attributing their failures to something as pedestrian as venality.

In fact, I wonder if Pool and the rest rationalized away any misgivings they may have felt about their foreign payday by assuring themselves that, in the end, they were only giving their honest opinions. Its unethical to take a check from someone to say something you dont believe, but is it unethical to take a check to say something you were going to say anyway?

The first is a bribe, the second is  encouragement, lets call it. Youre not selling out to Russia by taking Putins money if you earnestly hoped to see Ukraine burn all along.

Its probably foolish for us to try to parse their motives, though, as propagandists approach these moral calculations differently from how others do. The average person concerns himself with whats true, the propagandist concerns himself with whats useful. Russias money certainly was useful to the staff of Tenet Media; perhaps it honestly never occurred to them to care about the truth of where it was coming from.

Needless to say, its unlikely that theyll disgorge the funds now that they know their provenance. Or that theyll reconsider their political opinions upon discovering that those opinions are indistinguishable from a fascist regimes paid propaganda.

A case of projection.

Never Trumpers in my circle spent most of the afternoon yesterday snickering at the revelations in the indictment but a few questions were raised amid the laughter.

First, do these MAGA chuds realize how guilty they are of projection?

In populist lore, the only explanation for figures like Liz Cheney (or anyone who works for The Dispatch) is that theyre desperate to get rich and are willing to serve a malicious political enemy to do so. The siren song of a contributors gig on CNN is simply too powerful; the cost of flushing friendships and career opportunities down the toilet by alienating longtime allies on the right supposedly pales by comparison.

Meanwhile, back in reality, lowbrow populist shock jock Steven Crowder allegedly got a $50 million offer from The Daily Wire last year, and Pool and the gang are making $100,000 in rubles per video at Tenet Media.

The real money for right-wingers in media since 2016 has alwaysalwayslain in bowing to Trump and telling populist rubes what they want to hear. In Never Trump circles, the Lincoln Projects ambitions for generational wealth are a rare exception to this rule: Once you oppose the tribe, you will be despised, ostracized, and deemed unemployable by practically every conservative who once gave you the time of day.

And so long as you retain your conservative principles, you shouldnt expect anyone on the left to pick up their slack. There are only so many analyst jobs at MSNBC to go around.

The examples of Cheney and Vance vividly illustrate the trajectories of the two sides of the rights MAGA divide. While the former was forfeiting her future in politics to hold Trump accountable for January 6, the latter was transforming himself from a Never Trumper into a colleague and crony of mega-rich postliberal Peter Thiel. He parlayed that into a friendship with anti-anti-Nazi Tucker Carlson, then parlayed that into a spot on the Republican presidential ticket by sucking up incessantly to Donald Trump.

So when Vance sneers at Cheney for having allegedly placed her vulgar personal interests over the interests of her country, one wonders: Does this guy even hear himself?

Now the second question, inevitably: How common is Russian payola within populist right-wing media?

It cannot be that Tenet Media was Moscows only target for an influence operation. Johnson, Pool, and Rubin have large audiences online, with millions of social media followers, but theyre hardly unique. Many MAGA personalities attract that number of eyeballs, especially those with a presence on multiple platforms. Some have managed to do so without a radio program, television show, or even a website.

If the Kremlin is willing to spend $100,000 a week on a replacement-level propagandist like Benny Johnson, how much is it willing to offer someone with real clout? And, among that group, how likely is it that everyone whos been approached has said no except Tenet Media?

I can believe that some have received an offer and refused on principle to be tainted by blood money, but theres no reason to assume that all have. Nationalists are predisposed ideologically not to have strong moral objections to Russian influence; some even consider themselves allies of Putin in a mutual war on Western liberalism. If the Kremlin offered to bankroll them in that war, why would a sense of atavistic patriotism toward a decadent pluralist country like America cause them to say no?

As I said earlier, Im reluctant to believe that the MAGA commentariat is motivated by graft. But were kidding ourselves if we believe yesterdays indictment was the extent of it.

The nature of populism.

The final question: Is populism unusually prone to the sort of graft alleged in the indictment?

Maybe not. Only a fool would vouch for the rectitude of establishment politicians, even comparatively.

But only a fool would also fail to notice that MAGAs leader has a long history of cashing in on his influence. Before he entered politics, the Trump brand landed on everything from lamps to eyeglasses to, uh, steaks. He briefly interrupted his primary campaign earlier this year to launch a sneaker line, then interrupted his general election campaign a few weeks ago to hawk digital trading cards. Fans were enticed with a promise that anyone who purchased 15 cards (at a cost of nearly $1,500) would be rewarded with a piece of the suit Trump wore at his June debate with Joe Biden.

Hes also been accused of selling access to wealthy interests that were keen to exploit his once and possibly future influence as president. Foreign officials figured out early on in his term that spending money on Trump properties might improve their diplomatic leverage and behaved accordingly. The basis for his first impeachment was an incident of graft, in fact, albeit for political rather than financial favors.

Eric Hoffer wrote that every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket, but Trumps movement has blurred the lines between the three from the jump. Hucksterism and racketeering is in MAGAs political DNA.

The logic of populism also points toward a higher tolerance for graft. In theory its about good government, draining the swamp of an entrenched elite and replacing it with more virtuous citizen legislators. But in practice its less about improving government than about the envious representatives of the forgotten man getting a cut of the action that the political establishment has been monopolizing.

Right-wing media is the supreme example. It grew up posturing as a truth-telling alternative to elite liberal media; in time it became a loudspeaker for conspiratorial insanity and a cash grab more lucrative than most of the targets of its wrath. (No one at the New York Times is signing $50 million contracts, I assure you.) Obsessed with gatekeeping and nakedly propagandistic, its less an alternative to the so-called MSM than a mirror of the rights most grotesque stereotypes of the MSM. Its not a corrective to a corrupt industry. It just wants its cut.

All populist revolutions end with no one being able to tell the difference between pigs and men, and MAGA is no different. Eight years after Trumps smirking promises to drain the swamp, the right is foursquare behind a convicted criminal whos under multiple indictments and whose last act as president was a coup attempt followed by an insurrection. Trumpisms good-government pretenses are long gone. So why wouldnt Tenet Media go for the easy money when a mysterious European started offering them six figures a pop for basically nothing?

The only thing that might have made Chen and company think twice was the prospect of serious reputational damage among their audience if and when the Russian payola scheme was exposed, but that was always unlikely. Yes, Lauren Chen lost her job at The Blaze, but shell be welcomed back by the wider right soon enough; a faction willing to tolerate Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens in their current just asking questions about World War II phase will tolerate bribe-taking too. And Johnson, Pool, and Rubin will suffer no backlash at all, I suspect, no matter how preposterous their claims of having been deceived by the origin of this scam might seem.

A party addicted to propaganda will always find excuses for those who make themselves useful. And whatever else one might say about useful idiots, theyre useful.

Read more at The Dispatch

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The News

German police shot dead a gunman after an exchange of fire near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday.

The incident took place on the anniversary of the murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, and at the same time the consulate was holding a memorial service marking the deaths.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog described Thursdays shootout as a terror attack. Prosecutors and police said in a statement later Thursday they believe the gunmans plan was for a terrorist attack, also with respect to the consulate of the state of Israel, adding that they were still investigating his motives.
Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Its back to school season and former teacher Gwen Walz can smell the sharpened pencils and fresh paper from the campaign trail.

Walz reminisced Wednesday with educators in Grand Rapids about her time as a high school English teacher in Nebraska, sharing an old choir room that had been split with a divider with a social studies teacher whose booming voice would spill over into her side of the room.

Thats how she met her husband, Tim Walz, who would go on to serve in the U.S. House and as Minnesota governor. Hes now Vice President Kamala Harris running mate.

Walz remembers the laughter from both sides of the room well.

Nothing beats that moment when that classroom is filled with our learners for the new year, Walz told the room of teachers and lawmakers. Theres unlimited possibilities in the air, possibilities of what is to be at yet another brand new school year and thats sort of how this election feels to me, too. Right now, it feels like unlimited possibilities, like the beginning of something, like there are clean chalkboards and white boards out there and notebooks without the covers torn off.  We are feeling the joy and the hope, and we are ready for that fresh start.

The power of teachers should never be underestimated, Walz said, because teachers know how to work hard inside the classroom and advocate for their students outside of school.

Walz asked for teachers this election cycle to join her in using their teacher voice to call for a better future for kids in school and to tell former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, to mind your own business when it comes to reproductive rights and telling parents what books their kids shouldnt read.

With hot dish in-hand for peers whove been knocking on doors and with 30 minutes to lesson plan, teachers can and do show up in elections as vocal allies to progress, Walz said.

Lets be teacher creative. Lets find ways that teachers know, that teachers figure out, lets use our teacher minds to think about this race and this election and to get to people that maybe we couldnt have gotten to before, that others cant get to. Lets be the educators we are, and use our power in the way that we can, in the way that we will, in the way that we know thats special to our profession, to who we are, to what we know, to what we can do together.

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

House Democratic Majority Whip Katherine Clark speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

National Education Association President Becky Pringle speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

House Democratic Majority Whip Katherine Clark speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

National Education Association President Becky Pringle speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

House Democratic Majority Whip Katherine Clark (right) and U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) (left) speak at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

President of the Michigan Education Association Chandra Madafferi speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

House Democratic Majority Whip Katherine Clark speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

President of the Michigan Education Association Chandra Madafferi speaks at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan ahead of Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz talking about teachers and their power to elect Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz speaks to educators in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rally support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate in the presidential election, Walz's husband and Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz on September 4, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

Its game on for Michigan teachers, Michigan Education Association (MEA) President Chandra Madafferi told the crowd. And although teachers are cheerleaders for their students, no one can afford to be standing on the sidelines this election.

Our future is at stake this November, Madafferi said. We need every educator and student and family to get out there to help our students succeed.

Democrats have had monumental success in supporting students and families in Michigan, Madafferi said, by securing universal school meals for every student, investing in education in the state budget and bolstering teacher union rights.

Now is not the time to get tired or to be quiet, National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle said. There is too much on the line in November, as voter rights, womens rights, LGBTQ+ rights, human rights and environmental rights are all on the ballot. Pringle said the country needs Harris and a family like the Walzes in the White House to advocate for student loan forgiveness, affordable housing and economic justice.

We will not be no ways tired. We wont go back. The only way is forward because our children, our babies are depending on us to be worthy of them, Pringle said.

Teachers can make all the difference in a childs life, said U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids), who is facing GOP nominee Paul Hudson in the November election. And as the daughter of a teacher, she said watching her moms commitment to serving students and family instilled in her a sense of duty to her community.

Seeing her opening her heart, sometimes our home, literally to students and families in need when they struggled, left a deep and lasting impression on me about who the system works for and often who it works against. It made an impression on me and inspired me to commit my life to public service, as well, Scholten said.

Michigan is expected to be a pivotal state in the election, as Trump and Harris are battling for the states favor. And as this historic election unfolds that will set the tone for the countrys future, Scholten said few things put into perspective as much as the shooting that occurred earlier in the day at a high school an hour away from Atlanta. Two students and two teachers were killed and nine other individuals were wounded as the school year was beginning.

Donald Trump would rather ban books than assault weapons, Scholten said. The choice this November is clear. We are not going back.

Walz had begun her visit by acknowledging the shooting and noting the implications it has for the health and safety of teachers as a profession to once again endure the terror of another school shooting.

Throughout Walzs speech, retired Grand Rapids High teacher Joanne Peterson nodded her head in solidarity for all the stories being told about the craftiness and resilience of teachers and applauded each speakers declaration for hope under a Harris presidency.

Everything she said was true, Peterson, 76, said I taught for over 40 years, Ive been playing teacher since I was 6-years-old.  Its something inside.  I still dream about it. I had to retire because I had a stupid little heart attack.

Walz talked about the power of teachers laughing with students, of joy in the classroom. Peterson she remembered asking her students to tell her stories that made them laugh when news of the terror attack on 9/11 reached her classroom in 2001.

They all came swarming in and they were so frightened, Peterson said. Their parents came to pick them up [saying], we knew that Miss P. wouldnt let anything bother them and they were safe, Peterson remembered. Im old now, but I have dreams. I have dreams of my class.  The kids are sitting on the big brown rug in front of the cozy chair and laughing so much.

Peterson rattled off the list of the jobs her students, now hold as adults, smiling as she referred to her children finding careers that inspire love and service within them. She had to end the interview with the Michigan Advance to take a call from a former student.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haiti has expanded its state of emergency to cover the entire nation's territory, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Garry Conille said on Wednesday, as the Caribbean country battles violent gangs that have taken over much of the capital and started expanding into nearby regions.

Haiti's populous Ouest department, where the capital Port-au-Prince is located, was put under a state of emergency on March 3 under the administration of Conille's predecessor Ariel Henry, as a dramatic escalation in violence paralyzed the capital and thousands of inmates scaped in two prison breaks.

The state of emergency was repeatedly renewed and other departments were later added, including the farming region of Artibonite that has suffered some of the worst violence, the Centre department and Nippes, on the southern peninsula.

Earlier on Wednesday, Conille said he had helped distribute materials and weapons for the Haitian army and national police in order to recover territories taken by gangs.

The announcement comes a day ahead of a planned visit to the Caribbean nation by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The U.S. is the largest funder of a U.N.-backed security mission that Henry requested in 2022 to help fight the gangs and reclaim territory.

A first contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers arrived in June and July, while a handful of other countries have pledged at least 2,500 more troops. These have yet to arrive and the mission's mandate is set to expire at the start of October.

Nearly 580,000 people have been internally displaced by the conflict, hundreds of thousands deported back to Haiti, and cose to 5 million people are facing severe hunger.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez)
By Anirban Sen and Milana Vinn

(Reuters) -French workplace supplies provider Elis SA has approached Vestis, the former uniform rentals business of Aramark, with an acquisition offer, according to people familiar with the matter.

Elis first approached Vestis, which has a market value of about $3.3 billion including debt, a few weeks ago, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the discussions are confidential. The terms of the offer could not immediately be learned.

There is no certainty that Vestis will agree to a deal with Elis, the sources said. Another suitor could also approach Vestis, and it is possible that no deal with any party will be reached, the sources added.

Vestis' shares jumped nearly 15% on the news on Thursday, before trading was briefly halted. Elis shares fell 9.6% at the open on Friday after the Reuters report.

Elis and Vestis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Vestis has become an acquisition target after its recent underperformance due to the loss of key customers led to a steep decline in its share price.

Its shares have shed about 35% of their value this year, trailing the S&P 500 Diversified Support Services Index which has risen about 17% during the same period.

Vestis' shares started trading last year after its tax-free spin-off from food services firm Aramark was completed.

Activist investor Corvex Management, which is led by hedge fund veteran Keith Meister, took a stake in Vestis after it issued a profit warning following its first-quarter results. In June, Vestis appointed Meister to its board of directors.

Earlier this year, Vestis was hit with a class action lawsuit by a shareholder who alleged that the company made misleading statements on its growth forecasts that led to a $1 billion valuation hit for shareholders.

Elis, which has a market value of about 9.2 billion euros ($10.2 billion) including debt, is a provider of workplace supplies, and offers maintenance services for uniforms.

($1 = 0.9024 euros)

(Reporting by Anirban Sen and Milana Vinn in New York; Additional reporting by Anousha Sakoui in London; Editing by Paritosh Bansal, Lisa Shumaker and Jan Harvey)
Several HBCUs have reported either increased or record enrollments for the new school year following the Supreme Courts 2023 ruling to reverse affirmative action and prevent colleges from using race in determining admissions. T

As a result of the Supreme Courts decision, several predominantly white institutions have experienced a decline in diversity. At the same time, HBCUs have benefitted, according to WAVY.

Angela Nixon Boyd, Hampton University assistant vice president of enrollment and dean of admission, told the outlet, We are expecting a class of about 1,200 new students. She continued, And so we are very excited about that. Our undergraduate population is about 3,600. Our overall population is probably nearing 4,000 this year.

Boyd added Black students are looking for an environment where they feel represented.

I think that many students recognize that this ruling impacted them personally, she shared. And so they, again, want to be in an environment where they feel welcomed, feel safe, and that they feel that they will have an opportunity for success.

Fayetteville State University is another HBCU experiencing growth. ABC 11 WTVD reported the school enrolled a record number of students for the third consecutive year, with over 7,000.

Pamela Baldwin, FSUs associate vice chancellor for student success and enrollment management, is proud of the universitys recruitment efforts.

We have been marketing and recruiting in a way that explains to our prospects what we have to offerwhether its through degree programs, support through our students success opportunities, as well as opportunities for free summer school or free laptops, Baldwin said.

According to WAVY, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center said HBCU enrollment rose 4% this fall.

Bethune-Cookman University recently announced its enrollment for fall 2024 had reached 3,123 students, one of its largest ever, and a 24.13% increase over fall 2023 of 2,516.

This years enrollment growth is a testament to the quality of our academic programs and the dedication and collaboration of our faculty and staff. We look forward to an outstanding academic year, acting President William Berry commented.
HAMPTON, S.C. (WSAV)  A Hampton man who stole supplies from Tractor Supply Company on Saturday evening has been apprehended, according to a new report from the Hampton Police Department (HPD).

The estimated value of the materials stolen was upwards of $50,000 with likely to be more, according to the HPD statement.

HPD responded to a call from Tractor Supply on Sunday in regards to the overnight burglary. While assessing the scene, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Crime Scene was called in to assist HPD. SLED-Lowcountry, Hampton County Sherriffs Office and Jasper County Sherriffs Office also contributed to the investigation.

On Wednesday, Leonard Lamar Mixson of Hampton was taken into custody and charged with Second-Degree Burglary and Grand Larceny. A search warrant was issued for a home that contained physical evidence from the burglary. Multiple subjects were detained.

HPD thanked the multiple departments for their cooperation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
What happens if ballot question on auditing the Massachusetts legislature passes?

BOSTON (WWLP)  State Auditor Diana DiZoglio has a question on the November ballot which looks to grant her the ability to investigate the legislature. But a new study shows that even if it passes, an audit may be limited.

Report examines Question 2, MCAS grad requirement

Supporters of this ballot question say an audit would increase transparency and accountability for the state government, which has a reputation for being secretive.

A report released by the Tufts Center for State Policy and Analysis found that some legislative branch activities are off-limits to the executive branchwhich DiZoglio is part of.

Activities like votes and committee assignments are part of a group that is off-limits and would not be able to be examined. An audit may be able to look into non-core activitiessuch as cybersecurity practices or employee trainingbut this comes with a catch.

This Tufts report found that state audits are only effective with the cooperation of the legislature.

While House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka have said they would not be running opposing campaigns to the ballot question, they have both expressed the opinion that an audit would violate the principles of separation of power.



The report notes that the legislature has three paths forward if this question passes:

Challenge the question in court

Pass a bill overturning the question

Or cut or limit funding to the auditors office.

This ballot question comes after DiZoglio tried to audit the legislature several times, but she was blocked by head lawmakers.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Over the weekend, news broke that Israel had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including that of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Hamas in a statement made shortly afterwards.

From its massacre of 1,200 people to sexual violence, taking of hostages, and these murders, Hamas depravity is evident and horrifying, Harris said. The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel  and American citizens in Israel  must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza.

Just weeks before his body was recovered, Goldberg-Polins parents had spoken at the Democratic National Convention. They did so while delegates who represented Uncommitted voters protested that a Palestinian should be able to speak on the main stage of the convention as well. That did not come to pass.

While Harris will face numerous challenges if she wins the White House, Israels war in Gaza will be one of her biggest challenges. For his part, former president Donald Trump has called on Israel to finish the job and lambasted Jewish Americans  who overwhelmingly vote Democratic  for their support for Harriss party. Trump even went so far as to call Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff a crappy Jew.

Inside Washington spoke to Halie Soifer, who worked as Harriss national security during Harriss first two years as a senator, this week. Soifer, now the chief executive of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, told The Independent that Harris showed a keen understanding of the unique security threats Israel faces.

I saw this firsthand when we traveled to Israel in November 2017. She was looking at Iron Dome batteries at the time, Soifer said. She added that Harris understands the threat Israel faces not just from Hamas but also Hezbollah, both of which are seen as proxies for Iran.

I was at the convention and the uncommitted voters or the uncommitted delegates, as well as the protesters outside, I think, had far less of an impact than they had hoped, and thats because Democrats dont share their view, [nor do] our candidates, Soifer added.

During Harriss interview with CNN last week, the vice president reiterated her support for Israel and refused to say that aid to the country should be conditioned. Soifer noted how as a senator, Harris regularly voted for military aid to Israel and supported the additional aid for Israel that passed in a national security package including aid for Ukraine and Taiwan.

She also has had a distinct voice in terms of this White House in her condemnation of the horrors that we saw perpetrated by Hamas on October 7. Not only has she condemned the murder and abduction of so many, but she specifically condemned sexual violence, Soifer continued. She has given voice to the empathy that we all feel toward innocent Palestinians suffering in Gaza, and her calls for the ongoing flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza are shared by the vast majority of Jewish Americans.

Indeed, during Harriss speech at the convention, Harris said she and President Joe Biden were working around the clock to try and end the war, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done. She added that what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating.

Pro-Palestinian advocates have said that this messaging insufficient, largely because it does not actually commit to a change in policy.

Soifer noted how Trumps rhetoric compares to Harriss. Specifically, during the sole debate between Trump and Biden, Trump said Biden was behaving like a Palestinian, an insult he also hurled against Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish. Later this week, Trump will speak to the Republican Jewish Coalition along with other Republicans.

He has repeatedly denigrated millions of American Jews as recently as last week, and I'm sure he'll do it again this week, because he's speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Thursday and every time he speaks to a group of Jews, including Republicans, he says antisemitic things, Soifer said.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu frequently worked hand-in-glove. During his presidency, Trump relocated the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

For his part, during his address to Congress in July, Netanyahu thanked Trump by name for his support. That rankled even some Democrats who attended. Harris herself did not attend the address, despite the fact that vice presidents typically sit behind heads of state during such joint addresses.

Soifer said that Harris would not view the US-Israel relationship through a politicized lens.

She would work with Netanyahu. That said, she's also been clear, including after their meeting in July, that she's going to continue to advocate for US interests and for the interests of Americans, including the American hostages, Soifer said. And she'll continue to have expressed those views in frank conversations with the [Israeli] prime minister, just as this administration has.
Harris backed reparations bill in Senate but has been silent during White House bid

Vice President Harris as a senator representing California backed legislation in 2019 that would have established a federal commission to study proposals for slavery reparations, but she has been silent on the topic since announcing her campaign for the White House.

Harris backed the Senate companion to H.R. 40, a bill initially introduced in 1989 by former Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) that has been reintroduced in every Congress since.

When Conyers died, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) picked up the torch to carry the legislation forward.

I think that the word, the term reparations, it means different things to different people, Harris said in a 2019 interview with NPR on the topic. But what I mean by it is that we need to study the effects of generations of discrimination and institutional racism and determine what can be done, in terms of intervention, to correct course.

When asked about the vice presidents views on reparations in an interview with The Hills The Switch Up podcast, Jasmine Harris, Black media director for the vice presidents campaign, pivoted to what she said was Harriss focus on ensuring hardworking Americans across the board have the ability to move forward.

I think mostly whats being considered right now is just making sure, like I said, that were evening the playing field across the board, and making sure that all Americans, that hardworking Americans across the board, have the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead, Harris said.

And so the vice president and those that she will bring up with her to help her run this administration will, you know, work every angle possible to make sure that hardworking Americans have things a little bit easier because we know the costs are too high.

H.R. 40, officially known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, would establish a federal commission to study not only the legacy of slavery, but the ongoing harm of that legacy.

The commission would collect evidence of slavery in the United States and study the role that the federal and state governments played in supporting the institution of slavery. It would also analyze discriminatory laws against freed African slaves and their descendants and recommend ways the government could remedy the effects of both slavery and discrimination on African Americans  including through a formal apology and reparations.

Though the legislation has been introduced in every Congress since 1989, it first came to a floor vote on April 14, 2021.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) sponsored the bill in the Senate with the support of 19 Democratic co-sponsors and one independent co-sponsor.

In 2021, the act had 196 House co-sponsors  all Democrats. Jackson Lee reintroduced the bill in 2023, this time with 130 Democratic co-sponsors.

Slavery is Americas original sin, and this country has yet to atone for the atrocities visited upon generations of enslaved Africans and their descendants, Jackson Lee wrote in 2020. H.R. 40 is intended to create the framework for a national discussion on the enduring impact of slavery and its complex legacy to begin that necessary process of atonement.

Jackson Lee died in July, and the status of the legislation is unclear going forward.

Fifty-seven percent of Black Americans are impacted by the legacy of slavery, according to Pew Research Center, but support for reparations varies widely by race.

While 77 percent of Black Americans say descendants of those enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way, only 18 percent of white Americans say the same.

Still, since the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, the push for reparations has made gains around the nation.

In October 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) created the nations first ever task force to study and recommend reparations for slavery. In January of this year, the California Legislative Black Caucus announced 14 reparations bills to implement policies outlined in the task forces report from 2023.

In June, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order to create a similar task force focused on reparations for the citys Black residents.

But in 2019, former President Trump told The Hill he didnt see reparations happening at the federal level.

I think its a very unusual thing, Trump said of the possibility of reparations. You have a lot of  its been a very interesting debate. I dont see it happening, no.

The White House in 2021 said President Biden supported the idea of studying the issue.

He certainly would support a study of reparations, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a briefing in February 2021. He understands we dont need a study to take action right now on systemic racism, so he wants to take actions within his own government in the meantime.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Nevada state Sen. Fabian Donate, a Democrat, discusses the issues that young Latinos are concerned about as the November election nears. Donate says Latino voters are voting for the candidate that will support the middle class.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Teamsters General President Sean OBrien and the unions membership as it ponders an endorsement in the presidential race, the union said Thursday.

The Teamsters booked Sept. 16 as the meeting date. But a Harris spokesperson did not respond to questions about when the discussion would take place.

The planned huddle comes amid an unusual election year posture for the 1.3 million-member union, which included OBrien speaking at the Republican National Convention.

Our members are the backbone of this nation, working in all 50 states and representing every political background. We look forward to having a conversation on the direction of the country and the issues that matter to working people, OBrien said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.

Its the latest development in a saga that has seen one of the nations most high-profile unions internally and publicly grapple with its endorsement decision. Harris agreed last month to meet with the Teamsters, but both sides have avoided publicly embracing each other, despite other major unions coalescing around the vice president after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.

The Teamsters met with former President Donald Trump in January as part of an interview process it threw open to all the 2024 candidates. The union invited Harris in July.

OBrien angered Teamsters members by speaking at the RNC that month, where he complimented Trump following the attempt to assassinate him. He also scorched corporations for their hostility toward unions, though he refrained from criticizing the Trump administrations record, which many union leaders say was an assault on organized labor.

OBrien later accused Trump of economic terrorism when the former president applauded the idea of firing striking workers.

The Teamsters have historically backed Democrats, but the union has sought to court the GOP, and many rank-and-file union members are likely to vote for Trump, as they did in 2016.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated when the meeting was announced.
By Anna Chaberska and Alban Kacher

(Reuters) -Several airlines are carrying out precautionary inspections on their Airbus A350 fleets after Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific found 15 planes that needed fuel line repairs following the in-flight failure of an engine part.

The issue occurred on a five-year-old Airbus A350-1000, which uses Rolls-Royce's Trent XWB-97 engines, but some carriers are also inspecting the more popular A350-900 aircraft which use a different engine model.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Thursday gave airlines between three and 30 days to carry out visual checks and measurements on the fuel houses in A350-1000 engines. The A350-900 is not affected.

Here is what airlines are doing, divided by the model of the aircraft:

A350-1000

Cathay Pacific, which has 48 A350 jets, identified 15 aircraft that required the replacement of engine components that were set to be completed by Saturday. It did not specify which models were being repaired.

Japan Airlines (JAL), which has five new A350-1000s, said on Thursday it had inspected those engines and found no defects. It will do additional inspections on the aircraft based on a Service Bulletin issued by Rolls-Royce.

Qatar Airways said on Friday it was carrying out inspections of its 24 A350-1000s after it received a directive from EASA and Rolls-Royce.

UAE's Etihad Airways, which has five A350-1000s, said it was inspecting engines across its A350 fleet and had so far not found issues.

Virgin Atlantic, which operates 12 A350-1000s, said on Friday it has received an Airworthiness Directive to inspect the XWB engines, adding that it is working closely with Airbus and Rolls Royce. Inspections should cause "minimal disruptions" to the group's flying programme, it said.

British Airways, which has 18 A350-1000s, has not commented on the situation.

A350-900

A spokesperson for JAL said the Tokyo-based carrier had also carried out voluntary inspections of its A350-900 aircraft as a precaution and no problems were found.

Air China, a major A350-900 operator, will perform general engine checks, reported Caixin, a Chinese business and economics publication.

Singapore Airlines, which has a fleet of 63 A350-900 planes, said it was inspecting the engines on its aircraft but there was no impact on flights.

Delta Air Lines, which has 30 A350-900s, said the airline runs its global operation "with the high standard of care for safety, reliability and care that we always do".

Thai Airways, which has 23 of them, said its technicians continuously review the situation and make engine checks regularly.

(Compiled by Alban Kacher and Anna Chaberska in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi and Sharon Singleton)
Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party, explains how Vice President Kamala Harris resonates with young voters and inspires them to participate in the election. Monroe-Moreno also shares a time when Harris helped her get policy voted on when Harris was a senator.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
The News

US Vice President Kamala Harris proposed a smaller increase to capital gains tax than her boss Joe Biden, marking a departure from one of his key policies.

Bidens 2025 budget planned to raise the top tax from 24% to 40%, but Harris said in a speech that she believes this is too high, proposing a raise to 28%. She also posited increasing corporate tax rates from 21% to 28%.

The Democratic presidential nominee is continuing to establish herself as a moderate, CNN reported, with tax cuts for small businesses alongside expansions of child tax credit. She has also played up patriotism, law and order, and support for the military, attempting to boost her centrist credentials. Its worked on at least one Republican: Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, endorsed Harris.
NEW YORK (AP)  Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will debate for the first  and perhaps, last  time on Tuesday night as the presidential candidates fight to sway voters on the biggest stage in U.S. politics.

The meeting comes just 75 days after President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance triggered a political earthquake that ultimately forced him from the race. Few expect such a transformative result this time, but Trump is on a mission to end Harris' honeymoon."

Harris, a former courtroom prosecutor, will enter the night with relatively high expectations against a Republican opponent with 34 felony convictions and a penchant for false statements. The question is whether Harris, who did not particularly stand out during primary debates in her 2020 presidential campaign, can prosecute Trump's glaring liabilities in a face-to-face meeting on live television with the world watching.

The 90-minute meeting begins at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday inside Philadelphia's National Constitutional Center. It will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. In accordance with rules negotiated by both campaigns, there will be no live audience.

Heres what were watching for on a historic night:

Can Harris do what Biden could not?

Biden set an incredibly low bar for Harris in the June 27 debate. The president struggled to offer coherent arguments or even finish his sentences. But the anti-Trump coalition was most disappointed that he failed to take advantage of Trump's obvious political liabilities  whether on abortion, the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, character issues or his legal trouble.

Harris is expected to do much better. Polls suggest the Democratic vice president is now even with the Republican former president in some swing states.

But even with such fertile terrain, scoring points against Trump on the debate stage is easier said than done. Trump may be the most experienced debater in modern presidential history. As a former reality television star, he knows how to dominate television coverage. And he clearly likes to fight.

Harris recently suggested that she may be looking forward to a political brawl. Donald, she told a cheering audience last month in Atlanta, if you've got something to say, say it to my face.

Can she back up the tough talk? The world is about to find out.

Can Trump focus?

Trump is not known for his discipline or preparation. His debate performances, like his governing style, are typically fueled much more by instinct than thoughtful analysis.

Therefore, few expect Trump to offer a clear and concise line of attack against Harris on Tuesday night. Still, he needs to do better than the kitchen-sink approach he's been testing on the campaign trail for much of the last month.

Trump has questioned Harris' racial identity. He's falsely called her a communist. He's questioned her strength. He's jabbed her as a San Francisco liberal. And he's reminded voters that she has served in the Biden White House for nearly four years and would presumably continue the president's policies for another four years if she wins.

It is the Biden connection that many Republicans, inside and outside of Trump's campaign, believe is most effective. They want him to evoke Ronald Reagan's 1980 debate-stage jab  Are you better off?  early and often.

The question is whether Trump can deliver that message in a way that isn't immediately overshadowed by a much more controversial statement. Recent history offers reasons to be skeptical.

Body language matters

There will, of course, be an obvious gender dynamic on stage Tuesday night.

Fair or not, body language and tone are viewed differently in a debate between a man and a woman. Just ask Hillary Clinton. She said Trump made her skin crawl when he stood behind her as she was speaking during a town hall-style debate in 2016.

The candidates  who have never met in person before  will be expected to stay behind their podiums on Tuesday night. But Republicans are hopeful that Trump will avoid any other provocations like pointing, yelling or otherwise approaching Harris in a way that might be off-putting to suburban women or other swing voters.

Harris, too, will face unique challenges related to her race and gender as voters consider whether to make her the nation's first female president. Some voters still say they're not comfortable with the idea. If she comes across as angry, she risks playing into racist tropes about Black women.

While the gender dynamic looms, do not underestimate the significance of their age difference, either.

Harris is almost two decades younger than the 78-year-old Trump. Age was viewed as a political advantage for Trump when he was facing the 81-year-old Biden, but the situation is now reversed against the 59-year-old Harris. If he wins, Trump would be the oldest U.S. president ever elected.

The format will be somewhat different as well, in accordance with a set of rules the candidates agreed upon this week.

There will be no live audience, no opening statements and no props allowed. Candidates microphones will be muted when their opponent is on the clock, a stipulation that created some controversy in recent days.

Trump reluctantly agreed to the mute function when he faced Biden in June, but after that debate, his team determined it was a net positive if voters did not hear from the Republican former president while his opponent was speaking. Harris' team was pushing to return to a normal format without mute buttons.

Abortion vs Immigration

Policy sometimes plays second to personality in presidential debates, but there are dramatic differences between the candidates on key issues that are on the minds of millions of voters.

Republicans hope Trump makes immigration a defining issue of the debate.

The GOP has effectively condemned the Biden administration's handling of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border for much of the last four years. Once an issue that appealed mostly to the Republican base, illegal immigration  and related concerns about drugs, crime and national security  is now a top issue for voters across the political spectrum.

Harris will be eager to remind voters that Trump helped kill a bipartisan immigration bill that would have done much to fix the problem. But overall, Harris is likely to be on the defensive when the issue comes up.

Democrats, meanwhile, want to focus on abortion.

Trump, of course, appointed three Supreme Court justices who later overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that protected a woman's right to choose abortion. Trump has repeatedly said he was proud that Roe was defeated. But aware that such a view isn't popular among many women, he has tried to moderate his stance on the divisive issue.

Harris won't make that easy. Stating the obvious, as a woman, she is positioned to be a much more effective messenger on the issue than Biden was. And Trump can't afford to lose many more female voters.

Look out for wild card Trump

If you ask Trump's previous debate opponents what they're watching for on Tuesday night  and we did  many say the same thing: Look out for the thing he says or does that Harris can't possibly prepare for.

Trump is the ultimate wild card who has found tremendous political success by ignoring the traditional rules of politics. He will say or do whatever he thinks is best in the moment. And Harris, who has dedicated several days to debate prep, can't make a plan for everything.

At this point, it's hard to imagine Trump surprising anyone with new material. He has praised dictators, talked about genitalia size, suggested suspending the U.S. Constitution and said that Harris only recently turned Black.

Trump's own team doesn't know what he'll do or say on any given day. That's incredibly risky for Trump. But it also puts enormous pressure on Harris.
As Kamala Harris races to capture the Big Mac Voter, the Trump campaign is doubling down on its demand for proof that she worked at McDonald's in college.

Why wont they just provide real documentation and proof? Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in an email to the Daily Beast. The onus is on them. What does she have to hide?"

Donald Trump has attacked the Democratic presidential nominees McDonalds street creds as fake, accusing her of lying about having worked there as a college student. The smear tactics don't appear to be letting up. A Harris campaign official says she worked at a Golden Arches franchise in Alameda, California, during the summer of 1983, between her freshman and sophomore years as a Howard University college student.

Harris made no mention of working at McDonald's in her memoir or in previous campaigns for elected office. But when she joined striking McDonalds workers on a picket line in 2019, she shared that she worked at McDonalds when she was a studentnot to pay her way through college, as an early presidential campaign ad erroneously asserted, but to earn more spending money, as Politico reported.

She worked the register and manned the fry and ice cream machines, said the official, who requested anonymity in order to speak moremcfreely?about McFlurries and McNuggets.

Another senior aide, principal deputy Harris campaign manager Quentin Fulks, went on the record, saying the vice presidents middle-class roots, including her college summer job slinging fries and ringing up Happy Meal orders, is what positions her as the candidate for everyday Americans.

It's a stark contrast to Donald Trump, who wants to explode costs on the middle class while handing out tax breaks to billionaires and big corporationsand that split screen will be on full display through November 5, Fulks told the Daily Beast.

But the Harris campaign did not specify at which McDonald's franchise in Alamedathere are twothe vice president worked during the summer before her 19th birthday. And that will invite further scrutiny from Trump and his MAGA followers as both candidates barnstorm battleground states where the 2024 presidential election will be decided, pitching their opposing economic plans to capture the hearts and votes of working Americans.

As part of a massive, multi-millionaire dollar ad blitz against Trump, Harris has touted her college summer job working at McDonalds while painting her Big Mac-gobbling-addicted, pro-billionaire opponent as the enemy of the working class.

In different ways, they both have a claim to stake on the Happy Meal voter: Harris is among the 1 in 8 Americans who has worked at McDonalds; Trump is among the 9 in 10 Americans who eat there at least once a year yearalthough his orders are takeout only.

She knows the workers; he knows the food.

I know this menu better than you do, Trump told workers at a McDonalds in East Palestine, Ohio, after a toxic train wreck there last year. I probably know it better than anybody in here.

Donald Trump to McDonalds workers in East Palestine, Ohio:



I know this menu better than you do. I probably know it better than anybody in here. pic.twitter.com/fQTkZdNmBs  The Recount (@therecount) February 22, 2023

Until now, Harris had declined to defend herself against a groundswell of MAGA innuendo that she fabricated her experience working at the iconic fast food chain. Among other instances, Trump said on Truth Social this week, Kamala said she worked at McDonalds  She never did. Lie!

The Democratic presidential nominee had also largely deflected media inquiries asking for specifics about her McDonalds employment, which had led some Democrats to worry she was falling prey to the kind of Trumpian trap that ensnared then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008.

Trump created a race-baiting conservative movement dubbed birtherism that claimed Obama was born in Africanot in Hawaiiand, therefore, was ineligible to run for president of the United States. I remember it wasnt going to go away, a former Obama campaign strategist told the Daily Beast in an interview on Thursday. The campaign finally sent officials to Hawaii to get a copy of Obamas birth certificate to quell the furor.

Trumps attacks on Harris Mickey Ds bonafides presented a similar quandary, the former Obama aide said, and one that should be addressed. While the Harris campaign may not have wanted to gratify the attack by trying to disprove it, the strategist said, This seems to be an easier biographical question to answer than anything else. Plus, he added, Theyre just going to find something else that you have to disprove.

On The Drew Barrymore Show earlier this year, Harris shared her go-to order: a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries.

Trump goes for two big Macs, two Filet-o-Fish and a chocolate shake, his once banished-but-embraced-again campaign strategist Corey Lewandowski told the substack political reporter Chris Cillizza. However, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner has said Trump usually orders one Big Mac, one Filet-o-Fish, fries and a vanilla shakewhich, either way, amounts to several thousand calories. (Trump, a well-known germaphobe, also prefers McDonalds to small, locally owned establishments because he thinks hes less likely to be poisoned and finds the Golden Arches model to be cleaner.)

Trump, a master tactician in addition to being a fast-food junkie, had a goal when he sought to rob Harris of her McDonalds story. Trump wants to portray Harris, as he does all Democrats, as coastal elitists who look down on ordinary people, Ron Brownstein, a veteran chronicler of presidential campaigns, told the Daily Beast. So undermining her connection to McDonalds would seem to me one element of that: in effect cutting her lifeline to the middle class so she drifts away into elitism.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Yahoo Finance

After China announced broad measures to rescue its economy, Chinese stocks surged, our Chart of the Week shows. It's not the first time the country has attempted to get out of the recent doldrums, but the market's reaction says this time might be different.
Vice President Kamala Harris drew thousands of voters during a campaign stop in North Hampton on Sept. 4, 2024. (Eesha Pendharkar | Maine Morning Star)

As the crowd filed into a field next to Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, Becca Oney stood waiting for Vice President Kamala Harris after weeks of volunteering for her campaign.

The chance to elect a female president of color who stands up for reproductive rights is what drew Oney, 49, to the event. When she was pregnant at 20, Oney had the option of getting an abortion. While she decided to have her child despite the challenges of being a single mother, Oney said that having that choice was crucial.

Its important to have the option, she said. I need a woman that can support that, and who understands that women are not pro-abortion, but we need the option.

Harris choice of running mate was also key in Oneys enthusiasm for the ticket, she said. As someone who grew up in Ohio with a shooting range in her backyard, the ability to own a gun with background checks and safety measures was echoed in Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs messaging on the campaign trail, she said.

The chance to see Harris speak and watch how she connects with voters in person was important, too, Oney said.

What I really like about coming to an event is that you get a personal connection with the candidate, rather than just how we see them presented on TV and live, she said. I think you get a lot more talk about the community that youre actually in.

She was one of thousands, some of whom stood in the sun for hours, who saw Harris announce her plans to bolster small businesses, such as the Seacoast brewery where the event was held Wednesday. Voters cited abortion rights and Harris vision for the economy, which they described as focused on the working and middle classes instead of the wealthy and big corporations, as top reasons for their support. Another: That she isnt Donald Trump.

For Bobby Cole, a 41-year-old with two daughters and a son with special needs, there was no question of who to bubble in at the top of the ticket in November.

Im a logical guy. Im a data scientist, said Cole, a Democrat who lives in Brentwood and likes Harris views on reproductive rights. I dont see the alternative.

He stood chatting with another man, Brian Miles, as supporters trickled in; they gravitated toward each other because they were both unaccompanied men drinking beer, they joked.

Miles, who said he favors the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party and has been been all over the place in his past voting, referenced his 6-year-old daughter in explaining his support for Harris.

I just want her to have a better future, said Miles, a 46-year-old software engineer from Durham. He said he liked pretty much all the moves Harris has made since jumping into the race, though he said she needs to do better on Gaza. He especially liked her choice of Walz as her running mate; Cole agreed.

Some in the crowd hadnt made up their minds yet. David Dimauro, a 30-year-old project manager from Massachusetts, said he was undecided but leaning toward the Democratic nominee.

As much as people hate to say it, it was a strong economy under Donald Trump, he said.  It was definitely stronger purchasing power and a strong economy under him.

He said if the election was held today, he would vote for Harris, but he was interested in how the debates would go and what she would say about small businesses at the event.

His wife, Eva Karaklligis, a 29-year-old lawyer, was certain in her support for Harris, saying she was more than qualified to be president and would help the working class. She was excited at the prospect of electing the first woman president.

That was also a meaningful point for Megan Putney, a 33-year-old kitchen cook who works at the brewery. She would like her young daughter to see a woman president who is fighting for womens rights.

On how she would feel about a second Trump presidency, she said, I need to actually get my passport if he is elected again.

Many at the rally voiced their distaste for the former president. The crowd booed when speakers evoked his name. Two neighbors who traveled together from Dover were among those who voiced strong objections to Trump.

We cannot let this other person run this country, said Patty Kuziomko, who is retired, in reference to Trump. Lindy Morgan, who works at Gather, a food pantry in Portsmouth, agreed: The other option is just too dangerous. Theyve lived next to each other long enough, they said, that they also attended Hillary Clinton events together.

Harris was in fairly friendly territory Wednesday, both in North Hampton and the state as a whole. Biden and Hillary Clinton took the small town of less than 5,000 people by 532 and 114 votes, respectively, over Trump. The residential road that leads to the brewery had both Trump and Harris signs on display.

Harris appears to have a comfortable lead over Trump in New Hampshire, with several polls showing her five to seven points ahead, but she warned her New England supporters at the event that it would be a close election.

Bidens exit from the race may have left New Hampshire Democrats breathing easier, political watchers told the Bulletin in the hours and days that followed Harris campaign launch. Democrats present at the event echoed that sentiment.

I was sad that his time had come, but it was understandable, said Michael Sgambati, who was a delegate for Maine at the Democratic National Convention and volunteered at the Harris event. I think hes done a great job and continues to through his presidency, but I think its the right thing for everybody.

By entering the race, Harris already made history as the first woman of color to head a major party presidential ticket. That wasnt lost on Chantelle Rioux, who saw former President Barack Obama when he campaigned at her high school in Merrimack in 2008. She has been involved in community organizing and the Democratic Party since then, she said

Once again, its history in the making, Rioux said.
Thousands of voters attended a Kamala Harris campaign rally at Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, New Hampshire on Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/ Maine Morning Star)

As the crowd filed into a field next to Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, Becca Oney stood waiting for Vice President Kamala Harris after weeks of volunteering for her campaign.

The chance to elect a female president of color who stands up for reproductive rights is what drew Oney, 49, to the event. When she was pregnant at 20, Oney had the option of getting an abortion. While she decided to have her child despite the challenges of being a single mother, Oney said that having that choice was crucial.

Its important to have the option, she said. I need a woman that can support that, and who understands that women are not pro-abortion, but we need the option.

Harris choice of running mate was also key in Oneys enthusiasm for the ticket, she said. As someone who grew up in Ohio with a shooting range in her backyard, the ability to own a gun with background checks and safety measures was echoed in Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs messaging on the campaign trail, she said.

The chance to see Harris speak and watch how she connects with voters in person was important, too, Oney said.

What I really like about coming to an event is that you get a personal connection with the candidate, rather than just how we see them presented on TV and live, she said. I think you get a lot more talk about the community that youre actually in.

She was one of thousands, some of whom stood in the sun for hours, who saw Harris announce her plans to bolster small businesses, such as the Seacoast brewery where the event was held Wednesday. Voters cited abortion rights and Harris vision for the economy, which they described as focused on the working and middle classes instead of the wealthy and big corporations, as top reasons for their support. Another: That she isnt Donald Trump.

For Bobby Cole, a 41-year-old with two daughters and a son with special needs, there was no question of who to bubble in at the top of the ticket in November.

Im a logical guy. Im a data scientist, said Cole, a Democrat who lives in Brentwood and likes Harris views on reproductive rights. I dont see the alternative.

He stood chatting with another man, Brian Miles, as supporters trickled in; they gravitated toward each other because they were both unaccompanied men drinking beer, they joked.

Miles, who said he favors the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party and has been been all over the place in his past voting, referenced his 6-year-old daughter in explaining his support for Harris.

I just want her to have a better future, said Miles, a 46-year-old software engineer from Durham. He said he liked pretty much all the moves Harris has made since jumping into the race, though he said she needs to do better on Gaza. He especially liked her choice of Walz as her running mate; Cole agreed.

Some in the crowd hadnt made up their minds yet. David Dimauro, a 30-year-old project manager from Massachusetts, said he was undecided but leaning toward the Democratic nominee.

As much as people hate to say it, it was a strong economy under Donald Trump, he said.  It was definitely stronger purchasing power and a strong economy under him.

He said if the election was held today, he would vote for Harris, but he was interested in how the debates would go and what she would say about small businesses at the event.

His wife, Eva Karaklligis, a 29-year-old lawyer, was certain in her support for Harris, saying she was more than qualified to be president and would help the working class. She was excited at the prospect of electing the first woman president.

That was also a meaningful point for Megan Putney, a 33-year-old kitchen cook who works at the brewery. She would like her young daughter to see a woman president who is fighting for womens rights.

On how she would feel about a second Trump presidency, she said, I need to actually get my passport if he is elected again.

Many at the rally voiced their distaste for the former president. The crowd booed when speakers evoked his name. Two neighbors who traveled together from Dover were among those who voiced strong objections to Trump.

We cannot let this other person run this country, said Patty Kuziomko, who is retired, in reference to Trump. Lindy Morgan, who works at Gather, a food pantry in Portsmouth, agreed: The other option is just too dangerous. Theyve lived next to each other long enough, they said, that they also attended Hillary Clinton events together.

Harris was in fairly friendly territory Wednesday, both in North Hampton and the state as a whole. Biden and Hillary Clinton took the small town of less than 5,000 people by 532 and 114 votes, respectively, over Trump. The residential road that leads to the brewery had both Trump and Harris signs on display.

Harris appears to have a comfortable lead over Trump in New Hampshire, with several polls showing her five to seven points ahead, but she warned her New England supporters at the event that it would be a close election.

Bidens exit from the race may have left New Hampshire Democrats breathing easier, political watchers told the Bulletin in the hours and days that followed Harris campaign launch. Democrats present at the event echoed that sentiment.

I was sad that his time had come, but it was understandable, said Michael Sgambati, who was a delegate for Maine at the Democratic National Convention and volunteered at the Harris event. I think hes done a great job and continues to through his presidency, but I think its the right thing for everybody.

By entering the race, Harris already made history as the first woman of color to head a major party presidential ticket. That wasnt lost on Chantelle Rioux, who saw former President Barack Obama when he campaigned at her high school in Merrimack in 2008. She has been involved in community organizing and the Democratic Party since then, she said

Once again, its history in the making, Rioux said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Vice President Harris, for all her momentum since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, is behind where President Biden and Hillary Clinton stood at this point in their own battles against former President Trump during the 2020 and 2016 presidential races.

Harris is outpacing Trump in national polls kept by the FiveThirtyEight political website with 47 percent support to 44 percent with 62 days to go before the election.

But Biden had a bigger lead by that measurement in 2020. He was ahead of then-President Trump by 7 points, 50 percent to 43 percent, at this point in the 2020 race, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Clinton, running in 2016 at the end of former President Obamas second term in office, was ahead of Trump with 42 percent support to 38 percent, according to the same data, at this stage of that race.

The RealClearPolitics polling average shows a similar trend to the one from FiveThirtyEight.

Its polling average has Harris ahead of Trump nationally by 2 points.

But at this point in 2020, Biden was ahead of Trump by 7 points  49 percent support to 42 percent. In 2016, the RealClearPolitics national average of polls also showed Clinton ahead of Trump with 46 percent support to his 42 percent.

Harris is also trailing among some key demographics in comparison to where Biden stood when he defeated Trump in 2020.

While Harris has shown polling gains among Black voters since becoming the Democratic standard-bearer, a Suffolk University poll released Tuesday found her winning a big margin, but a smaller one than those enjoyed by Biden and Clinton.

The poll, which surveyed 1,000 likely voters, found Harris winning 76 percent of the Black vote compared to 12 percent for Trump. But a similar survey conducted by Suffolk in early September 2020 showed Biden with 82 percent of support from Black voters compared to 4 percent for Trump. During the same time period in 2016, Suffolk revealed that Clinton had an 88-point lead among Black voters over Trump, 92 percent to 4 percent.

Similarly, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week showed Harris with a 13-point lead over Trump with Hispanic voters. In 2020, a Quinnipiac University poll taken after both the Democratic and Republican conventions showed Biden leading Trump with 56 percent support to 36 percent among Hispanic voters. A Quinnipiac poll from 2016 reported that those voters backed Clinton 50-33 percent.

Scott Tranter, the director of data science at Decision Desk HQ, said the polling highlights that its not in the bag for Harris.

Shes had a great six weeks, Tranter said of Harris. Id rather be her than him but Im not betting the house.

To be sure, Harris has seen her number bounce up with some groups, and she is in a much better position than President Biden was before he dropped out of the race and endorsed his vice president.

An ABC/Ipsos survey released this week, for example, showed that Harris is leading Trump with 54 percent support to 41 percent among women, the same percentage Clinton received according to exit polls in 2016. Before the Democratic Party gathered in Chicago last month, Harris was up by 6 points with women.

Exit polls in 2020 showed that women supported Biden over Trump 57 percent to 42 percent.

Biden was trailing Trump in the seven swing states likely to determine the elections winner. Since entering the race, Harris has closed those gaps, making Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina competitive. Some polls have had her ahead in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Polling averages for those three states kept by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill show Harris with the lead, though it is close. In Pennsylvania, she leads by only seven-tenths of a percentage point in the polling average.

While Harris didnt see a bounce coming out of the Democratic National Convention, the increasing support from women shown in polls has energized some in the party.

Harris seems to still be on an upward trajectory, and shes already ahead nationally and in most battlegrounds, said Democratic strategist Christy Setzer. Ill take it!

Theres plenty of time to get to and surpass Bidens 2020 performance, she added.

Democratic strategist Basil Smikle, who served as the executive director of the New York State Democratic Party, said Harris still has time to better her standing.

She can make up some of this ground, Smikle said, adding that both Clinton and Biden were known quantities to the electorate. Its a difficult but not insurmountable challenge.

He said one of the most striking metrics  to counter the comparison of Harriss standing with that of her Democratic predecessors  has been the sheer volume of fundraising, much of which has come from a significant population of first-time donors who are looking to be part of a movement.

Theres a willingness not only to get to know her but to also be a part of something that is bigger than her, he said.

Still, Smikle said the campaign has done a good job at managing expectations, with two months to go until Election Day.

Its important to maintain almost an underdog status in the remaining weeks of the campaign, he said.

Democratic strategist and pollster Fernand Amandi said Harris has performed so flawlessly in recent weeks. Still, he called the polling comparisons troubling.

The fact that Trump has been in self-sabotage, worst-candidate-ever mode and the polls still are as close as they are, is remarkable, Amandi said. If any Democrat says theyre not concerned between now and Nov. 5th, theyre lying.

Brett Samuels contributed

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Harris and Trump campaigns battle over patriotism and military service is heating up, the latest controversial line of attack in the election cycle.

Democrats are hammering former President Trump over a reported confrontation at Arlington National Cemetery between campaign staffers and a cemetery official last week, while Republicans are continuing to raise questions about Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walzs military service.

The latest salvo comes as a Change Research poll released Wednesday showed Trump leading with active-duty service members and their families.

Illustration / Courtney Jones; Jacquelyn Martin and Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press; and Adobe Stock

According to the poll, Trump leads Vice President Harris among veterans with 51 percent support to 41 percent, among active-duty service members with 49 percent support to 44 percent and among their families with 47 percent support to 45 percent.

[Trumps] character and his patriotism and his pledges to fix big problems for veterans care are the reason why he has such a following among veterans and active duty military, said John Ullyot, a former National Security Council spokesperson under Trump and a Marine veteran.

Still, the former president has faced a barrage of criticism, particularly for his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery to honor the 13 service members killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.

NPR first reported that an official at the cemetery was involved in a confrontation with Trump campaign staffers who were filming and taking photos in Section 60, a restricted area where recently killed soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.

The Army said in a statement last week that the official was trying to enforce rules prohibiting political activity on cemetery grounds and the official was pushed aside. The Army said the employee subsequently decided not to press charges and considers the matter closed.

The Trump campaign, on the other hand, said there was no physical altercation and that it was cleared to film on the grounds.

But that has failed to mitigate the criticism.

On Tuesday, the late Sen. John McCains (R-Ariz.) son Jimmy McCain slammed Trumps visit to the cemetery and endorsed Harris. And Harris responded to the reported incident in a statement last week by saying that the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.

The second that any of the imagery that was gathered at gravesites was used for partisan political purposes in ads, in social media, in anywhere else, any moral ground he had to stand on just crumbled underneath him, said Mike Lavigne, a retired Army sergeant major and a senior adviser at the progressive group Vote Vets.

More Americans need to pay attention, Lavigne said. If thats the level of respect he shows for our fallen in Arlington Cemetery, whats he going to do if he gets another bite of the apple in the Oval Office?

Republicans have sought to emphasize that Trump was honoring the fallen service members on the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which they have pinned on Harris and President Biden.

Last week, Trumps campaign issued a statement from the Gold Star families who invited him to Arlington, accusing Harris of politicizing the event.

President Trump was invited by us, the Gold Star families, to attend the solemn ceremonies commemorating the three-year anniversary of our childrens deaths, the statement said. He was there to honor their sacrifice, yet Vice President Harris has disgracefully twisted this sacred moment into a political ploy.

Trump has faced backlash going back to 2015, when he criticized McCain for being a former prisoner of war. He has also received criticism for a report in The Atlantic, saying he referred to fallen soldiers as suckers and losers. Trump has repeatedly denied making the comments.

But his supporters point to his national security and veterans policies, including his passage of the Veterans Choice Act and efforts to reduce veteran homelessness.

[Trump] has the record on both veterans issues and on our national security that is second to none in the last 25 years, Ullyot said. He was pulling us out of endless wars and at the same time was using the military to do what they do best, which is killing bad guys around the world, he added, referring to the strikes to take out Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Walzs own record in the military has come under scrutiny from Republicans who have raised questions about his time in the Army National Guard, when he retired from service, his rank in retirement and imprecise language he used several years ago to describe how he carried a weapon in war.

The Minnesota governor referred to weapons of war that I carried in war when talking about gun violence in a 2018 speech. Harriss campaign said that the governor misspoke at the time. The vice presidential candidate has also faced criticism from Republicans for his 2005 resignation from the National Guard prior to running for Congress, saying he left his unit before he was deployed overseas. But Walz launched his campaign months before his unit was mobilized.

The Harris campaign also received backlash for referring to Walz as a retired command sergeant major. While Walz reached that rank, he did not complete the requirements to retain it before he retired.

Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who served in the Marines, has accused Walz of stolen valor, while a group of 50 Republican lawmakers in a letter accused him of diminishing the real sacrifices made by veterans who did serve in combat.

Veterans are never chest-beating about their service and theres a perception that if anybody is and it turns out that theyre exaggerating their record, then theres nothing worse for veterans, Ullyot said. Im not going to use a term like stolen valor, others may do that, but the first lesson of being a veteran is to be modest about your service even if youre a true war hero.

When asked about his military record during a CNN interview last month, Walz said he was incredibly proud of his 24 years of service and that his record speaks for itself.

Lavigne said he believed Walz made the right decision retiring from the Army after 24 years of service to run for Congress, pointing to his work involving service members, veterans and military families in the House.

Im not a huge fan of the whole veteran-on-veteran violence that seems to be going on in the political world right now, Lavigne said. Theres this comparison of who went to combat and what is combat and are you a combat veteran and did you just deploy.

To me, it cheapens all of our experience collectively.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(WHTM)  Multiple Central Pennsylvania communities are receiving significant funding from the Department of Transportation.

The largest recipient in the region is Lower Paxton Township, which is receiving nearly $1.4 million to conduct Road Safety Audits, develop a guide for temporary improvements in coordination with PennDOT, and implement tactical safety countermeasures in a cost-effective manner.

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WHTM Morning Weather

The City of Harrisburg also received more than $955,000 to address an increase in traffic fatalities by retiming 25 signalized intersections in the core downtown area.

The City presently suffers worsening signal-related safety issues, and poorly timed traffic intervals lead to driver and pedestrian confusion. The project retimes the downtown network, creates consistent leading pedestrian intervals, updates pedestrian clearance times, and implements innovative strategies to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit, said the Department of Transportation.

The Borough of Gettysburg received $120,000 and Springettsbury Township received $141,400 to develop comprehensive safety action plans.

Elsewhere in the state, State College Borough received nearly $16 million to create a shared street at Calder Way. The Department of Transportation says State Colleges plan will reduce the speed limit to 10 mph, make crosswalk visibility enhancements, convert the corridor into curb-less streets, add a bike lane, and widen sidewalks.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Germany's DAX index recently reached a fresh peak as inflation slowed, supporting the case for potential interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank. Amid this positive economic backdrop, investors are increasingly looking at high-growth tech stocks that show strong fundamentals and innovative potential.

Top 10 High Growth Tech Companies In Germany

Name Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Growth Rating Formycon 31.78% 30.52%  Stroer SE KGaA 7.39% 29.86%  Stemmer Imaging 13.34% 23.20%  Exasol 14.66% 117.10%  ParTec 41.16% 63.31%  medondo holding 34.52% 71.99%  Northern Data 32.53% 68.17%  cyan 27.51% 67.79%  Rubean 59.40% 73.87%  asknet Solutions 20.06% 74.86% 

Click here to see the full list of 45 stocks from our German High Growth Tech and AI Stocks screener.

Let's explore several standout options from the results in the screener.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Formycon AG is a biotechnology company that develops biosimilar drugs in Germany and Switzerland, with a market cap of 926.99 million.

Operations: Formycon AG focuses on developing biosimilar drugs, generating 60.80 million in revenue from its Drug Delivery Systems segment.

Formycon, a German biotech firm, reported H1 2024 sales of 26.89 million, down from 43.79 million the previous year, with a net loss of 10.09 million compared to a net income of 1.8 million in H1 2023. Despite this setback, the company is forecasted to achieve significant revenue growth at 31.8% annually and earnings growth at 30.5%, outpacing the German market averages significantly. Notably, Formycon's R&D expenses have been robust, reflecting its commitment to innovation and long-term value creation in biosimilars development.

XTRA:FYB Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Sep 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Verve Group SE operates a software platform for the automated buying and selling of digital advertising space in North America and Europe, with a market cap of 594.48 million.

Operations: Verve Group SE generates revenue primarily through its Supply Side Platforms (SSP) at 341.35 million and Demand Side Platforms (DSP) at 57.59 million, with a segment adjustment of -42.85 million. The company focuses on the automated buying and selling of digital advertising space across North America and Europe.

Verve Group SE, a German tech firm, reported a significant revenue increase to 192.09 million for H1 2024 from 158.57 million in the previous year, while net income surged to 6.86 million compared to 2.57 million last year. The company raised its annual revenue guidance to between 400 million and 420 million and forecasts earnings growth at 20.5% annually, outpacing the German market's 19.7%. With R&D expenses reflecting their commitment to innovation and long-term value creation, Verves strategic moves such as acquiring Jun Group have bolstered its demand-side capabilities significantly.

Story continues

XTRA:M8G Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Sep 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: SAP SE, along with its subsidiaries, offers a range of applications, technology, and services globally and has a market cap of approximately 231.15 billion.

Operations: SAP SE generates revenue primarily through its Applications, Technology & Services segment, which brought in 32.54 billion. The company's business model focuses on providing comprehensive software solutions and technological services to a global clientele.

SAP's recent financial performance shows a mixed picture with revenue increasing to 16.33 billion for H1 2024, up from 14.99 billion last year, but net income dropped to 94 million from 3.49 billion due to a significant one-off loss of 3.3 billion. The company's R&D expenses reflect its commitment to innovation, with investments totaling 10% of its revenue, ensuring continuous development in AI and cloud solutions like SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). Notably, SAP repurchased shares worth 1.87 billion in the past year, indicating strong cash flow management and shareholder value focus despite executive board changes affecting strategic directions in technology and innovation areas.

XTRA:SAP Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Sep 2024

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The U.K.s Crown Prosecution Service will not pursue criminal charges against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein saying there is not a realistic prospect of conviction.

In June 2022, the CPS authorized two charges of indecent assault against a woman by Weinstein. The alleged assaults were said to have taken place in London in 1996. These will now be dropped.

More from Variety

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

This is the latest legal victory for Weinstein, who had his 2020 rape conviction overturned by the New York Court of Appeals earlier this year. In a 4-3 ruling the court found that allowing women who were not part of the case to testify about Weinsteins behavior was prejudicial. A new trial has been tentatively set for November.

An L.A. trial took place in Oct. 2022 where Weinstein was eventually convicted on three counts of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

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The indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein in the UK have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein, said Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.

More from Deadline

The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. We have explained our decision to all parties.

We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

The CPS brought two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein in June 2022, relating to incidents that were said to have taken place in London in the mid-1990s. These have now been discontinued following a review of the evidence.

The disgraced producer is currently serving a 16-year sentence in a U.S. prison after being convicted of rape of an Italian model in LA. His legal team appealed against the conviction in June, having vowed to do so soon after the trial came to an end.

The 72-year-old Pulp Fiction producer is facing a retrial for rape after a 2020 conviction was overturned, with a November trial date set to go ahead. In July, a 4-3 ruling at the New York Court of Appeals flipped Weinsteins conviction, with the the judge in charge of the trial saying there had been erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes.

Last month, a New York judge refused to throw out Julia Ormonds lawsuit against Disney, CAA and Miramax relating to an alleged assault committed by Weinstein in 1995. No trial date for negligence has been set yet.

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Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has had two charges of indecent assault against him dropped by the U.K.s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

In June 2022, the CPS authorized the charges against Weinstein for alleged offenses against a woman (now in her mid-50s) in 1996, according to the Metropolitan Police.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

On Thursday, it was confirmed that the charges have been dropped as there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counterterrorism division, said: Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met, Ferguson added.

The once-worshipped producer was serving a 23-year jail sentence after his 2020 rape conviction in New York; however, it was overturned earlier this year. A tentative new trial date has been set, with jury selection estimated to begin Nov. 12.

Weinstein was also convicted by a Los Angeles jury in 2022 on three counts of sexual assault against Jane Doe No. 1, who later came forward as former Russian model Evgeniya Chernyshova. He has also filed to appeal that 16-year prison sentence.

Over 100 people in the film industry have made rape and misconduct allegations about Weinstein, which can be traced back to the 1970s. He has continued to maintain his innocence.

The CPS special crime division deals with the most complex and sensitive cases in England and Wales including disasters, serious criminal allegations against police officers, corporate manslaughter and election offenses. Weinstein was stripped of his honorary CBE in 2020, awarded for his contribution to the British film industry.

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Two charges of indecent assault against Harvey Weinstein have been dropped by the UKs Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which said that a conviction is not realistic.

The CPS authorized the charges against the disgraced Hollywood mogul in June of 2022, stemming from an event in August 1996. The alleged victim is a woman who is now in her 50s, the Metropolitan Police said at the time.

However, on Thursday, the charges were dropped completely, given that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein, the head of CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division Frank Ferguson said.

He continued: The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

We have explained our decision to all parties, Ferguson added. We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.

Weinstein was jailed for 23 years in New York in 2020 for rape and sexual assault. While the conviction was thrown out in April, ruling that Weinstein wasnt given a fair trial, he is still being held in Rikers Island jail as he awaits retrial.

The disgraced Hollywood mogul was also sentenced to 16 years in a separate rape trial in California, which he is appealing.

Over 100 women have come forward with rape and assault allegations against Weinstein dating back to the late 70s.

The post Harvey Weinstein Indecent Assault Charges Dropped in UK appeared first on TheWrap.
Harvey Weinstein - Credit: Getty Images

Prosecutors in the U.K. announced Wednesday that they have discontinued indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein, citing in a statement, there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

Britains Crown Prosecution Service charged the disgraced producer in July 2022 in the aftermath of Weinsteins conviction in sexual assault trials in both New York and Los Angeles trials; the New York conviction has since been thrown out, with a retrial pending.

More from Rolling Stone

In the U.K., Weinstein was facing two counts of indecent assault against one woman for an alleged incident that took place in Aug. 1996. The alleged victim  who is now in her 50s  was not identified, nor did the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) share any details about their investigation or the accusations when the charges were announced in July 2022.

However, Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein, Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said in a statement (via the BBC).

The CPS did not elaborate on why there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction but added that both parties  Weinstein and the alleged victim  were notified of their decision.

Weinstein has had a run of legal victories in recent months, starting with the overturned conviction in the New York trial. He was initially found guilty of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and rape in the third degree at the original trial in February 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

The conviction was overturned in April 2024 by the New York State Court of Appeals. In a 77-page decision, the majority of judges decided that the judge who oversaw Weinsteins trial, Justice James M. Burke, should not have allowed prosecutors to let accusers whose allegations were not part of the charges against him to testify in the trial. A potential retrial is currently slated for November.

Weinstein, who was recently hospitalized with COVID and double pneumonia, remains behind bars pending the New York trial due to his 16-year sentence following the Los Angeles trial.

Best of Rolling Stone
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  A new Tennessee Department of Agriculture report is hoping to help farmers and producers make informed decisions and give insights into hay pricing and trends across the state.

The new Tennessee Direct Hay Report was created in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. The tool aggregates hay prices based on location, class, grade and type.

Powell tea room to close after 19 years, owner announces new business plans

For farmers, the Direct Hay Report helps answer critical questions about commodity valuation, Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. By launching this hay report, TDA aims to extend its market news presence beyond livestock auction barns, providing Tennessee farmers with a valuable new resource.

The first weekly Tennessee Direct Hay Report was launched on August 29, and the latest report was released on September 5. Find the full report below:

TN-Direct-Hay-Report-September-5-2024Download

All hay reports are available on the USDAs Agricultural Marketing Services website, which also includes hay reports for several other states, including Alabama, Missouri, and Texas.

Cumberland County homeowners take to court neighbor over junkyard

The Department of Agriculture added that it is planning to expand the information collected and wants to add more farmers to its contact list. The reports accuracy and relevance will depend on the number of cooperators providing pricing information according to the department. Farmers interested in contributing to the report can contact their local TDA Market Reporter or TDAs Market News & Livestock Grading Supervisor Rob Thomas by email at Rob.Thomas@tn.gov.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
To help settle $2.8 million in school lunch debt, Gov. Cox finds $1.2 million. What about the rest?

Students eat lunch at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

As school districts across Utah face roughly $2.8 million in unpaid school lunch debt this year, Gov. Spencer Cox this week announced he would be funneling $1.2 million in federal funds to start a new grant program to help schools pay off the balances.

Cox redirected the funds from the American Rescue Plans Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools to the Governors Emergency Education Relief Program, effectively creating a new grant in the states grants system. The American Rescue Plan Act allowed unobligated funds initially set aside for non-public schools to be redirected, according to the governors office.

Through the new grant program, school districts can apply for reimbursement of school lunch debt stemming from low-income families.

Our students are the future of Utah, and investing in their health and education is vital to the success of our state, Cox said in a news release. We are committed to ensuring Utah students receive the meals they need. I am grateful for the cooperation of the State Board of Education, our schools and districts.

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The new grant program addresses almost half of this years school lunch debt problem for certain families, but what about the rest? And what about future years?

Leading up to Coxs announcement this week, private partners and some lawmakers including Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, and Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, have been trying to find solutions to the issue.

They highlighted their efforts in an XSpaces discussion hosted by Silicon Slopes last week. Clancy during the 2024 legislative session proposed lawmakers fund about $4 million to expand free school meals to families that qualify for reduced-price lunches. That proposal did not get funded and failed  but Clancy said hell keep trying.

Clint Betts, executive director of Silicon Slopes, a nonprofit led by Utah tech and business leaders, posted a video on X this week expanding on Silicon Slopes efforts to find solutions to Utahs school lunch debt dilemma while applauding Coxs announcement.

This is incredible, Betts said. Thank you, governor, for your leadership on this issue.

However, Betts said theres more work to be done. He said Silicon Slopes had been raising money in partnership with the Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation, and Silicon Slopes has been donating its membership fees, but that alone wont solve this problem.

On @GovCoxs school lunch debt announcement and where we go from here. pic.twitter.com/t5lMi0nrYf  Clint Betts (@clintbetts) September 4, 2024

So, Betts said in coming weeks Silicon Slopes is planning on launching a program along with the Utah Debt Relief Foundation, where Utah companies can adopt one of Utahs 41 school districts to help get their school lunch debt balances to zero.

Our goal is to get the rest of that $2.8 million paid off by the end of the year, Betts said. I dont know if we can do that. Ive never really done something like this before, but were going to try.

Betts pointed to local news stories about a 12-year-old boy from West Haven who died of severe malnutrition, according to police. Three of the boys family members were arrested in July, accused of causing the boys death after years of abuse. In wake of the boys death, a cafeteria worker spoke out to KSL TV, saying she and another cafeteria worker became concerned about the boy starting several years ago, noticing him rummaging through the trash for food.

The cafeteria workers said they started paying for the boys lunches even though school officials advised them not to because they wanted to encourage families experiencing hardship to fill out forms for reduced or free lunch, KSL TV reported.

The system is broken, she told the station.

Betts said Utah children simply should not be going hungry, no matter the issue.

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No child should ever be stigmatized for not being able to pay for school lunch or told they have a negative balance that they need to go home and tell their parents about, Betts said. Of course no child should ever go without food at school or anywhere else for that matter. We live in the greatest state in the greatest country in the world. This should not be a problem.

Rather than looking for someone or something to blame, Betts said Utahns and their leaders should focus on solutions, pointing to Clancy and Riebes bipartisan work.

If we can show the Legislature and all Utahns how much we care about this issue, Im hopeful it can be addressed in a permanent solution produced in Januarys legislative session, Betts said.

Betts said everyone can agree, no matter their political standings, that kids should not starve, especially in schools.

We all care about our kids not going hungry. Lets start there, Betts said. If we address problems head on, searching for solutions instead of attacks, Utah can be an example of how to get things done in todays polarized political environment.

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With the Battle of Midway raging in the Pacific in June 1942, Japanese forces 2,500 miles to the north were seizing control of the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu.

Their aim was clear: Distract American forces from Midway while sending a message that Japan was capable of hitting additional territories belonging to the United States.

In the months that followed, the northern region would host a series of fights whenever weather permitted. U.S. submarines made their presence known that Fourth of July, when the submarine Triton sank the destroyer Nenohi.

But it was the following day that saw the combat debut of two names destined for submariner immortality: The USS Growler and its skipper, Cmdr. Howard Gilmore.

Howard W. Gilmore was born in Selma, Alabama, on Sept. 29, 1902. He enlisted in the Navy in November 1920 before commissioning at the U.S. Naval Academy.

In 1931 Gilmore transferred to the Navys submarine school at New London, Connecticut. Climbing the ranks and earning a reputation as more aggressive personality than his peacetime counterparts, Gilmore attracted the attention of superiors and was rewarded by being named executive officer of the submarine USS Shark (SS-174).

While serving aboard Shark, Gilmores career  and life  were almost cut short. On shore in Panama, he and a crewmate were assaulted by thieves. Gilmores throat was cut in the brawl, but he survived.

In December 1941 Gilmore was given full command of Shark, but the role was short lived. The day after the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor Gilmore was transferred to the Gato-class submarine USS Growler (SS-174).

The boats first war patrol was to the Aleutians, where, on the morning of July 5, 1942, it spotted a tempting sight: Three Japanese destroyers off the island of Kiska.

The USS Growler conducts sea trials off Groton, Connecticut, February 1942. (Naval History and Heritage Command)

Approaching directly, Gilmore loosed two torpedoes, dealing serious damage to Kasumi and killing 10 of its sailors. Next, it blew off the bow of Shiranui, killing three seamen and forcing the destroyer to be towed to Maizuru, Japan, for repairs.

Gilmore then calmly turned toward the destroyer Arare. He fired another two torpedoes, the second of which sent the ship and its crew to the ocean floor. Arares commanding officer and 42 survivors were rescued by the damaged Shiranui.

For these efforts Gilmore was awarded the Navy Cross  but he was just getting started.

In a second patrol Growler sank four merchant ships, totaling 15,000 tons, in the East China Sea near Formosa (now Taiwan). Gilmore was awarded a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross.

After an uneventful third patrol, Growler set out on what would become an ominous fourth.

Departing Brisbane, Australia, on New Years Day 1943, Growler headed toward Rabaul in the western Solomons, sinking a transport on Jan. 16 and another on the 19th. On Jan. 30 it damaged a freighter but was driven down by a barrage of gunfire and depth charges.

The area had become a hornets nest, courtesy of Japanese evacuations from Guadalcanal.

On Feb. 4 Gilmore tailed two freighters escorted by two patrol craft toward Gazelle Channel. As he moved Growler into position for an ambush, the lead Japanese ship proved ready and fired on the sub at 5,000 yards.

Gilmore ordered a dive, forced to wait out an hour-long depth charge attack. One concussion ruptured a manhole gasket in the forward main ballast tank. Emergency repairs slowed the leak.

Just before 6 a.m., Gilmore, believing the patrol vessels to have moved on, brought Growler to periscope depth to pursue a ship five miles away.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 7 Growlers crew spotted a target. Gilmore ordered torpedo tubes readied and reduced the range to 2,000 yards, but the Japanese vessel reversed course.

Growlers radar lit up. The enemy ship was headed straight for the sub.

The nemesis was Hayasaki, a 920-ton ammunition ship converted to an auxiliary escort. It was armed with one 3-inch and two 25mm anti-aircraft guns, as well as a single 13mm machine gun.

With the range between Growler and Hayasaki too close for the subs torpedoes to arm, Gilmore ordered Left full rudder.

Just then the collision alarm sounded and the antagonists crashed head-on at 17 knots, throttling the sub and knocking everyone off their feet.

Growler heeled 50 degrees. An 18-inch section of bow bent sideways, disabling the subs forward torpedoes.

Hayasaki had been rammed amidships but its 13mm gun crew, realizing they were holding a tiger by the tail, fired on the subs conning tower with the only weapon they could bring to bear.

At point-blank range, the machine gun crew killed Ensign William Wadsworth Williams and Fireman 3rd Class Wilbert Fletcher Kelley.

Grievously wounded, Gilmore clung to the bridge frame.

The Growler's conning tower after it was peppered by with gunfire. (Naval History and Heritage Command)

Belowdecks the battered XO, Lt. Cmdr. Arnold F. Schade, was finding his feet when he heard Gilmores next order.

Clear the bridge!

Wounded personnel were pulled down the hatch. Then came Gilmores final order.

Take her down!

Schade hesitated, as did the crew under the conning tower, but Gilmore did not appear. Another 13mm burst swept the upperworks, leaving a hole that let in the sea.

The crew closed the hatch and submerged.

Assuming command, Schade used controlled flooding to level Growler off while the crew scrambled to make temporary repairs.

After about 30 minutes he ordered battle surface, but the damaged Hayasaki had already withdrawn to Rabaul.

There was sign of Gilmore.

Thanks to its skippers sacrifice, Growler managed to limp back to Brisbane, where it was restored to combat readiness.

The performance of the officers and crew in effecting repairs and bringing the ship safely back to base is one of the outstanding submarine feats of the war to date, Commodore James Fife Jr., the chief of staff of Asiatic Fleet Submarines, remarked.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 13, 1943, Rear Adm. Andrew C. Bennett, the commandant of the Eighth Naval District, awarded Howard Gilmore the Medal of Honor. Present to receive it was his widow and their children.

Under Schades command Growler took part in five more patrols, sinking the destroyer Shikinami and the escort ship Hirado on Sept. 12, 1944.

The boat dispatched a total of 15 ships, totaling 74,900 tons, and claimed seven more damaged.

Battle flag of USS Growler depicts enemy ships she sunk as well as her 11 war patrols, with the gold star indicating she was on eternal patrol. (Naval History and Heritage Command)

During its 11th patrol, however, Growler, then under command of Thomas B. Oakley, vanished somewhere in the South China Sea off Mindoro, possibly falling victim to the destroyer Shigure.

Hayasaki, meanwhile, managed to survive mines, air attacks and submarines until the end of the war. After two years of repatriation duties, on Oct. 3, 1947, it was ceded to the Soviet Union as the Olekma.

Howard Gilmores memory is marked in the Howard family plot  his widows family  in Magnolia Cemetery, Meridian, Mississippi.

Carved in stone are his last words, which remain similarly etched into the memories of every U.S. Navy submariner.

Take her down!
Here's what we know about the conditions of the 2 Phoenix police officers who were shot

A Phoenix police officer remained in critical condition Wednesday night and another was released from the hospital after a shooting on Tuesday in central Phoenix.

Police arrested Saul Bal, 41, who is suspected to have shot at two police officers after authorities responded Tuesday to reports of a car being broken into near 16th and Brill streets.

Both officers were assigned to the Phoenix Police Department's Mountain View Precinct and had five years, and two years experience, respectively, according to Sgt. Phil Krynsky.

One of the officers continued to "fight for his life" as of Wednesday night, Krynsky said. The other officer was released Wednesday from the hospital to recover at home.

The support we have been receiving from the public and community partners has been unwavering. We appreciate the thoughts and encouragement for our officers as they continue to do the job, knowing one of their own remains in the hospital, Mountain View Precinct Commander Leif Myers said.

Krynsky said investigators worked through the night Tuesday to collect evidence at the scene of the shooting, locating a firearm believed to be the one Bal used in the shooting.

Bal, a felon with a violent record, was charged with attempted homicide, weapons violations and burglary from a vehicle, according to Krynsky. Bal was held on a $2 million bond.

Donations for the two officers could be made to the Phoenix Police Foundation on their website.

"I continue to keep the two officers injured in my thoughts and ask the entire Phoenix community to join me in supporting their families and our department through this difficult time. The perpetrators unconscionable act of gun violence against our officers is a stark reminder that their service to our city comes with serious risk and sacrifice, for which we are immensely grateful, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a written statement.

Krynsky noted that Phoenix police observed blue ribbons tied to streetlight poles in the area of the hospital where the two officers were taken.

""I call on all residents to support not only these officers but all members of our police force who continue to serve with courage and dedication," Phoenix City Councilmember Kevin Robinson said in a statement.

Phoenix police interim Chief Michael Sullivan also expressed his gratitude for the entire Phoenix Police Department, while praying for the two injured officers.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What we know about the conditions of the 2 police officers shot in Phoenix
(Reuters) -Honeywell on Thursday named insider Mike Stepniak its new chief financial officer as incumbent Greg Lewis has decided to step down from the role.

Stepniak, who currently serves as vice president and financial head for Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, will succeed Lewis after the U.S. conglomerate announces its results for 2024.

Stepniak has been with the company since 2020.

"He (Mike) brings a strong track record of driving profitable growth across numerous industrial and technology businesses during multiple market and economic cycles," Honeywell CEO Vimal Kapur said in a statement.

Lewis will take on a new role as senior vice president of Honeywell Accelerator and serve as a senior adviser to the CEO.

(Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas and Sriraj Kalluvila)
Here's a look at which Summit County restaurants had the most health violations in August

Summit County Public Health has inspected over 340 facilities that serve food during the month of August, including restaurants, nursing homes, grocery stores and gas stations, according to health data obtained by the Akron Beacon Journal.

Food establishments are inspected one to four times per year, depending on the likelihood of a foodborne illness. Inspectors make sure these establishments are compliant with the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code, which ensures food is safe for public consumption.

Establishments with multiple uncorrected violations can have their licenses revoked or suspended, or in a severe case, the establishment could be forced to close permanently.

Which Summit County establishments had the most critical violations in August?

Lemongrass Grill, 20 N Main Street, Munroe Falls : Inspectors found 16 critical violations, including the person in charge being unable to ensure employees are properly sanitizing equipment and utensils or effectively cleaning their hands as well as the improper cleaning of food-contact surfaces or utensils.

Main Xin, 4439 Kent Road, Stow : Inspectors found 10 critical violations including the improper washing of hands/arms, employees not correctly maintaining temperatures of foods during hot/cold storage and improperly labeling containers of poisonous or toxic materials (corrected during inspection).

Twisted Tomato Pizzeria , 3031 Graham Road, Stow : Inspectors found eight critical violations including unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, the presence of live pests during the inspection and food not being stored at the proper hot and cold temperature (corrected during inspection).

Mature Lounge , 271 Main Street, Akron : Inspectors found seven critical violations including uncleaned food-contact surfaces and utensils, improper storage of poisonous or toxic materials (corrected during inspection) and employees not informed of their responsibility to report information about their health.

Romeo's Pizza, 134 E Aurora Road, Northfield: Inspectors found seven critical violations including the handwashing sink not being accessible at all times (corrected during inspection), the improper labeling of poisonous/toxic materials (corrected during inspection) and unclean food-contact surfaces and utensils (corrected during inspection).

What are the types of violations?

The two types of violations that health inspectors look for: critical and non-critical violations.

Critical violations are those violations that, if left uncorrected, are "more likely to contribute to food contamination or illness," according to the Summit County Health Department. Examples of critical violations include the improper cooking, reheating or refrigeration of food items.

Non-critical violations are not directly related to foodborne illnesses, but they could still impact the restaurant and lead to critical violations if not corrected. Examples include a lack of facility cleanliness and maintenance.

What types of inspections are there?

The following are the seven types of inspections, according to Summit County Public Health:

Standard : This inspection is unannounced to the facility. A local health department sanitarian will conduct a complete inspection covering all items in the regulations for compliance.

30 Day Inspection: This is a standard inspection that must be conducted no more than 30 days after a license is issued to a new Food Service Operation or Retail Food Establishment.

Pre-license Inspection: This inspection is not required, but may be conducted by the local health department prior to issuing a license to a new Food Service Operation or Retail Food Establishment. The purpose of this inspection is to provide consultation and education to the operator.

Critical Control Point (CCP): This inspection may be scheduled or unannounced. A sanitarian will spend time reviewing a facilitys food processes that may directly contribute to food contamination or illness and educates the facility on proper procedures.

Process Review (PR): This inspection may be scheduled or unannounced. This type of inspection is similar to a CCP inspection; however the inspections are conducted in facilities such as grocery stores or convenience stores. The inspection will focus on a specific process that may directly contribute to food contamination or illness.

Follow-up Inspection: This is an inspection for the specific purpose of re-inspecting items that were not in compliance at the time of the standard, CCP and/or PR inspection. These inspections are scheduled.

Complaint: This is an unannounced inspection conducted as a result of a complaint received by a local health department. The specifics of the complaint will be evaluated and discussed with the person in charge of the facility.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Which Summit County restaurants had most health code violations in August?
Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons; Getty Images

A Russian state media company covertly paid a group of influential far-right pundits, including high-profile anti-LGBTQ+ hosts Dave Rubin and Tim Pool, to spread propaganda and pro-Russia talking points in the U.S., according to a bombshell indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice released Wednesday.

The indictment alleges that RT, formerly Russia Today  a state-owned media company frequently accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation that was dropped from many U.S. platforms following Russias invasion of Ukraine  paid the founders of a U.S.-based company called Tenet Media nearly $10 million to create and distribute numerous videos that align with Russian President Vladimir Putins policies.

Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, two RT employees, both face charges of money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires individuals and companies to disclose their relationships with foreign agents when engaging in political activities.

Tenet Media was founded in 2022 by Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan, who allegedly knew and acknowledged to each other that they were funded by the Russians, but did not disclose their relationship with the RT operatives as required by U.S. law, according to the indictment. Since then, the platform has carved out a comfortable niche in the far-right media landscape, frequently posting videos that demonize LGBTQ+ people, push anti-woke talking points, and falsely claim there is a migrant crisis in the U.S. Tenet itself is not referred to by name in the indictment, but Company 1 is said to describe itself as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues  a phrase which precisely matches text on Tenets website. (CNN independently confirmed that Tenet was the target of the indictment on Wednesday.)

Likewise, the indictment does not name specific pundits who served as mouthpieces for the scheme, but provides some identifying information. Commentator-1 and Commentator-2, both early hires for Tenet, are said to have YouTube followers totaling roughly 2.4 million and 1.3 million respectively. Those numbers precisely match the public follower counts for Dave Rubin and Tim Pool, two of Tenets highest-profile hosts. Other Tenet ideologues include Lauren Southern, Benny Johnson, and Matt Christiansen.

But the indictment stops short of implicating the hosts themselves in the scheme. According to the indictment, Tenet personalities were told they were being bankrolled by Eduard Grigoriann, a fake finance entrepreneur and one of several invented personas allegedly used by Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva to gain Tenets trust. In May 2023, Rubin allegedly requested more information about Grigoriann before joining Tenet, and was provided a false resume that claimed the nonexistent businessman had formerly worked at numerous European banks. Rubin later signed a contract with Tenet for $400,000 per month, plus a $100,000 signing bonus and additional performance bonuses.

Pool, meanwhile, was paid $100,000 through the RT operatives for his weekly livestream show, The Culture War Podcast, according to the indictment. Once known as a citizen journalist for livestreaming the Occupy Wall Street protests, Pool has since become a darling of the right-wing grifter set, railing at length against gender ideology and the Biden-Harris administration. Most recently, Pool has become infamous in the small West Virginia town of Martinsburg for buying a local skate park from under the wheels of its frequenters, to the tune of $850,000.

The indictment does not mention the anti-LGBTQ+ content posted through Tenet channels, although such rhetoric  especially, but not exclusively, targeting transgender people  has become a major part of Putins regime over the past decade. It does identify some specific instances of RTs attempts to propagandize U.S. voters on other topics, however. In February 2024, the RT operatives allegedly instructed Tenet to post a video of a well-known U.S. political commentator visiting a grocery store in Russia, likely referring to Tucker Carlsons much-derided trip to Moscow, which chat logs indicate Tenet did promote. The next month, in March 2024, the operatives allegedly asked Tenet to produce videos on a mass shooting in Moscow that would place blame on Ukraine instead of the extremist group ISIS, which claimed responsibility. That framing, spread by Putin himself, was relayed to Commentator-3, who said he was happy to cover it, the indictment claims.

Attorney General Merrick Garland accused RT and its agents of attempting to influence U.S. elections in a statement accompanying the indictment Wednesday. The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our countrys free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing, Garland wrote.

Russian Gay Bar Owner Arrested on LGBTQ\+ Extremism Charges

Days earlier, two of the bar's employees were charged with organizing extremist activities, including hiring and filming drag performers.

Rubin, Pool, and others quickly issued statements on Wednesday casting themselves as victims in RTs scheme. On X, formerly Twitter, Pool wrote that he and his fellow pundits were deceived and are victims in the scheme, but simultaneously asserted that Tenet had no impact on the content of The Culture War. Pool, who had to repost his statement after falsely claiming the indictment was leaked from the DOJ, further called Putin a scumbag and told journalists reporting on the story to eat [his] irish ass. Rubin displayed more brevity, writing that he knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity and that his show was only a silly show covering viral videos which ended earlier this year.

The Kremlin has rejected all allegations against RT, and vowed that retaliatory measures against the American media would be justified as a result of the indictment in remarks to the international press on Thursday.

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Originally Appeared on them.
High school principal in California demoted after inappropriate dance with mascot at rally

Buhach Colony High School principal Robert Nunes has resigned following participating in what many people felt was an inappropriate dance at a back-to-school rally in August.

The Merced Union High School District announced it accepted Nunes resignation and he has accepted the position as the associate principal. Nunes begins his new role effective Thursday, Sept. 5, according to the district.

Nunes was placed on administrative leave on Aug. 19.

A video of Nunes dancing with the school mascot Thor during a back-to-school rally on Friday, Aug. 16, was posted on social media.

The video shows Nunes seated as the school mascot dances in front of him. Nunes then fired a golden confetti gun. Nunes then stands up, switching places with the mascot. Nunes dances in front of the sitting mascot, putting his hands on Thors chest and pushing him away.

Nunes then grabs a microphone and says, What happens at Buhach, stays at Buhach.

The rally had a Las Vegas theme, according to students.

This decision comes as part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment, said district spokesperson Viviana Fuentes about the district placing Nunes on administrative leave.

Nunes was in his first year as principal at Buhach Colony. He spent years as an associate principal in the district at El Capitan and Atwater high schools.

MUHSD Executive Director Torrin Johnson has served as interim principal at Buhach Colony while the district conducted its investigation. Johnson will continue serving as interim principal until further notice.

The district will open the principal position in the spring of 2025 to secure a permanent principal moving forward, according to Fuentes.

Corrective action has been taken with all staff involved, Fuentes said.

Fuentes said she couldnt elaborate.

The district is limited in what details it can disclose since it is a personnel matter, Fuentes said.
Hochul visits Syracuse to speak at the Future Energy Economy summit and sign new legislation

SYRACUSE N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  On Thursday, September 5, the Future Energy Economy Summit was held in Syracuse.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul attended the summit where she called for advanced clean energy technologies to play a key role in supporting renewable energy and economic development.

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New York is building a clean energy economy that fosters growth, ingenuity and taps into technologies that will reduce our carbon footprint, Governor Hochul said. From creating the most successful offshore wind industry in the country to our investments in a sustainable electric grid, we are committed to being a national leader in protecting our climate  and we wont stop until weve created the best possible future for our children.

The Summit outlined the key steps needed to plan for growing energy demand, which can support New Yorks commitment to accelerate progress toward a zero-emission electricity system.

Also during the Governors visit to Syracuse, the Governor visited East Syracuse Minoa Central High School where she would be signing new legislation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
Gov. Eric Holcomb, right, and Indiana Adjutant Major General Dale Lyles of the Indiana National Guard during a virtual press conference on Aug. 30, 2024. (Screenshot of press conference)

Gov. Eric Holcombs trip to Europe will now include a visit to Ukraine and a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to an administration release, Holcomb will be the first governor to visit the country since Russia invaded in 2022.

Holcomb was in Slovakia, a longstanding military partner of Indiana, to celebrate a local national holiday and also stopped in Italy as part of an economic development tour. Svitlana Ramer, the honorary consul of Ukraine to Indiana, will join the delegation, which traveled from Milan to Kyiv Thursday.

Indianas horizons extend far beyond our borders and where others may hesitate, Hoosiers step up for friends in need, Holcomb said in a release. Ukrainians are resilient, courageous and talented and by strengthening the global connection, even during the most challenging of times, our communities and our people can mutually prosper, grow and thrive.

In Ukraine, Holcomb will meet with U.S. and Ukrainian government leaders to discuss Indianas role in maintaining overseas academic and economic relationships. Zelenskyy invited U.S. governors to visit his country to witness firsthand the effects of the ongoing conflict back in July at the National Association of Governors meeting in Utah.

Holcombs meeting with Zelenskyy will explore how Indiana can strengthen its support of Ukraine now and in the future, specifically agriculture and life science sectors. Indiana and Ukrainian province Zhytomyr will sign a memorandum of understanding with a focus on community building through collaborative efforts in academia, agriculture and economic development.

The calendar for the delegation also includes meetings with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and U.S. Ambassador Bridget A. Brink. Holcomb will also visit the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine, which honors those who have died in the war.

The Indiana Economic Development Foundation, which privately fundraises for such international economic development trips, will be paying for the governors travel. This will be his first trip to Ukraine as governor.

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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (left) and Zhytomyr Gov. Vitaliy Bunechko shake hands celebrating a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Courtesy Ukraine)

During a surprise stop in war-torn Ukraine Thursday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ukrainian province of Zhytomyr intended to promote academic, agricultural and cultural collaboration.

Holcomb and Zhytomyr Gov. Vitaliy Bunechko inked their signatures with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looking on.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb shake hands on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Courtesy Ukraine)

Some may call this sub-national diplomacy  in some sterile jargon   but I prefer to call it community-to-community building, Holcomb said during a live-streamed news conference, held after the signing.

And the bond-building that were doing right now, putting it on paper, is built to last, he added.

An English translation of Bunechkos remarks was not immediately available.

But the Hoosier governor complimented his Ukrainian counterpart for innovat(ing) yourselves to early success against great odds and for his commitment to humane values amid war.

Holcomb is the first U.S. governor to visit the country since Russia invaded in 2022.

The agreement

The three-part MOU focuses on education, agriculture and culture.

Holcomb said Indiana and Zhytomyr had overlapping similarities in terrain, industrial sectors  manufacturing, life sciences, logistics  and beyond.

Indiana could double down on scholarship programs to bring more Ukrainian students to the state, for example.

His office has a to-do list for when the delegation returns, which includes reaching out to agricultural companies, museums, musical programs and so on.

Thinking about  where we could be of assistance, not just in this hour of need in Ukraine, but thinking long term, how we can grow together, he said. It just made perfect sense to form this marriage.

Holcomb turned to partnerships when asked how Indiana, as a single U.S. state, could assist a nation under siege.

Two-thirds of Ukraine is free and open.  This country doesnt get to just check out and and think about the economy next year, he said. Life has to go on, and that requires partnerships,  even in a time of war.

As for what one state can do, I mean, tens of millions of dollars, he added.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb talks to Hoosier reporters in a second news conference during a visit to Ukraine on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Screenshot of video call)

He suggested that Hoosier companies like Eli Lilly & Co. or Corteva do more business and charity work in the country: child cancer medicine, diabetic care, crop production, seed rotation and so on.

Holcombs delegation will also meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget A. Brink. Theyll additionally visit the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine, which honors those who have died in the war.

The Indiana Economic Development Foundation, which privately fundraises for international economic development trips, will pay for the governors travel. The entity raises millions but doesnt disclose all its donors.

But, Holcomb is term-limited and will leave office early January.

He said it was up to his successor to continue or rescind the MOU, but that Indiana wouldnt pull back under his leadership.

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This article was originally published in Alaska Beacon.

Alaska school districts risk losing access to up to several hundred thousand dollars in federal funding aimed at homeless students if they arent able to commit to spending it by the end of September.

The money was included in a federal law providing pandemic relief, and national advocates have been pushing for Congress to extend the deadline, as it became clear that money could go unspent.

The exact amount Alaska districts could lose isnt clear. Alaska districts have spent nearly 70% of their $2.3 million boost, leaving more than $700,000 unspent, according to the national data updated on Aug. 1. The Department of Education and Early Childhood did not respond to a request for the most up-to-date figure or whether districts are on-track to spend down the balances.

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U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, worked on an amendment to the 2021 American Rescue Plan that secured $800 million nationally for students experiencing homelessness nationwide. Alaska districts received about eight times their usual annual funding.

The National Conference of State Legislatures called on Congress to extend the timeline to spend the money, under the terms of a longstanding federal law, known as the McKinney Vento Act, aimed at ensuring homeless childrens access to schooling.

Barbara Duffield, the executive director of the national advocacy group SchoolHouse Connection, said the NCSLs resolution is significant, even if it is likely too late for an extension from Congress.

The window for that extension, sadly, has gone, Duffield said. Not for a valiant and a smart and a popular fight, but because of all these other dysfunctions in Congress.

She said the resolution did more than ask for an extension; it showed the importance of the funding across states and territories.

It puts a body of state legislators on record as saying we should have had more time. And moving forward, there needs to be more of a priority in investing in this population, Duffield said.

The most recent state data shows that more than 3,000 Alaska students are homeless, and that the number has risen over the last several years. Most of those students live with another family, but about a fifth live in shelters and 10% are unsheltered.

Increased funding and programs typically leads districts to identify more students who are homeless, according to SchoolHouse Connections research. That data shows that the actual number of students that are homeless is typically 50-100% more than the official school count.

School districts in Anchorage and Kenai used the money to bring on additional staff to work with unhoused students. The Child in Transition Program in the Anchorage School District used its additional funding to hire two full-time staff for remote sites and five part-time staff in high schools that are there to support students on campus and connect them to services. David Mayo-Kiely runs the program, which has operated since the 1990s and has 10 staff members.

They check in on attendance, they check in on grades. Theyre just sort of there to be another ally for these students, someone they can go to, he said.

Those roles are important because of how homelessness can negatively affect students at school. Students who are homeless are chronically absent at roughly twice the rate of their housed peers, which is known to be detrimental to academic performance. They are also nearly 30% less likely to graduate than their housed peers, according to the National Center for Homeless Education.

ASDs program also spent money on internet hot spots for students, professional development for the staff, and supplies. Mayo-Kiely said the district will leave only a very small amount of money unspent.

The funding has been wonderful for us, he said. We were interested in having an extended funding, but we had been planning the entire time that this funding would be expiring by the end of this calendar year.

And he said the funding will have a lasting effect, even though it expires at the end of the year: The investment in staff demonstrated how important those on-campus allies were for students, so now the district is using money from other grant programs to continue funding them.

The NCSL resolution that urged Congress to extend the deadline was a priority of Sen. Loki Tobin, D-Anchorage and chair of the Senate Education Committee, after the Alaska Legislature failed to pass a similar resolution drafted by her office. Tobin is a member of the NCSL Education Standing Committee.

Our hope with this resolution is to say, Could we continue to use McKinley-Vento funds in this manner  hiring additional support personnel to provide wraparound services for the entire family? and also for us to think about how we might be able to reserve some of the remaining funds to continue serving students into the FY25-26 school year, she said.

The funding that came with the pandemic boost also has more flexible spending rules that mean districts can spend it on student transportation to the same school, even if the students address changes  such as if they move in with a friends family or begin living in a shelter. Districts can waive certain enrollment requirements temporarily to make sure the student starts on time, and even help with school supplies.

We have a significant increase in youth experiencing homelessness that has persisted, and we know that its not going to be an easy fix, Tobin said. Particularly with the lack of affordable housing in the Anchorage bowl, with some of the instability and low wages in some of those entry and mid-level positions. So were really anticipating that this population is going to continue to need additional resources and attention.

Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and X.
Honduras' president is asked to resign after corruption scandal she says is a plot to oust her

FILE - President of Honduras Xiomara Castro delivers a speech during the first meeting of the Global School Meals Coalition in Paris, Oct. 18, 2023. (Julien de Rosa, Pool via AP, File)

TEGUCIGALPA (AP)  The head of an anti-corruption organization on Wednesday demanded that Honduran President Xiomara Castro resign after a video was released in which her brother-in-law allegedly received drug money.

This request is based on the serious accusations of drug trafficking that have been presented against your family, whom you have appointed to work in the State, said Gabriela Castellanos, director of the non-governmental organization the National Anti-Corruption Council, in a public letter to Castro.

The demand comes after a rocky week for Castro, who won the presidency on an anti-corruption campaign.

The day before the letter was sent, a video recorded in 2013 was released purportedly showing drug traffickers currently imprisoned in the United States offering more than $525,000 to the president's brother-in-law and congressional leader, Carlos Zelaya.

In this video published in an investigation by journalists at InsightCrime, Zelaya said half of it will go to the commander, referring to his brother, former president Manuel Zelaya, Castro's husband and main adviser who was overthrown in a 2009 coup detat.

Castro's brother-in-law Zelaya acknowledged days earlier that he had met with the leader of the drug trafficking organization Los Cachiros, who offered to support his partys campaign that year; 2013 was the same year Castro made her first unsuccessful run for president.

But Zelaya told the press he was unaware the people who attended the meeting were related to drug trafficking.

Castro's brother-in-law Carlos Zelaya was among a few family members who resigned from their positions in government after he admitted to having met with a drug-trafficking group in 2013. Zelaya claimed he didn't know the people he met with were narcos and denied taking money at the time.

"I fell into a trap, I take responsibility for my actions," Zelaya told press.

Zelaya and his son, the former minister of defense, both resigned from their positions as a result.

Shortly before Zelaya's revelation, Castro had knocked down a longstanding extradition treaty between Honduras and the United States, which analysts and disillusioned Hondurans said was not a coincidence.

Under the treaty, dozens of Hondurans accused of drug trafficking were extradited to face justice in the U.S., including the country's ex-president who was recently sentenced to 45 years in prison by a New York court.

The video of Zelaya was met by anger and frustration by many Hondurans, who harbored hope when they elected Castro in 2021 that she would be a different president than the corrupt leaders that have long ruled the Central American nation.

But her popularity has slowly faded in recent years as gang violence rages, the economy and high unemployment continue to plague Hondurans and many feel they haven't seen the change promised them.

After the video of Zelaya's meeting with the narco group was broadcast, Castro claimed in statements over radio and television that dark forces in Honduras and abroad were working to carry out a coup detat against her.

The plan to destroy my socialist and democratic government and the upcoming election is underway," she said. She offered few other details in her accusations.

Analyst and former presidential candidate Olban Valladares described her claims of a plot to oust her as absurd," adding that Castro insists on using rhetoric that has already been worn out."
House fire under investigation in Kannapolis, firefighters say

The Kannapolis Fire Department is investigating the cause of a house fire early Thursday morning.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on the 1100 block of Edgewood Avenue.

Firefighters said flames were seen through the home, including the attic.

ALSO READ: Smoldering charcoal ash starts house fire in north Charlotte

However, no injuries have been reported.

The American Red Cross will assist those displaced by the fire.

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At age 62, Mariah is close to retirement, but the Wisconsin native dreams of living out her golden years in Portugal, where she can enjoy a lower cost of living  along with much milder winters.

She wouldnt be alone. About 5.4 million Americans live abroad, according to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas. And, when it comes to destinations, Portugal is ranked No. 2 on International Livings 2024 Global Retirement Index, just after Costa Rica. Other top retirement destinations include Mexico, Panama, Spain, Ecuador and Greece.

Don't miss

Moving abroad has its appeal. Thanks to the strength of the U.S. dollar, many American retirees can stretch their retirement savings further in a foreign country. Plus, the cost of living is often lower.

Those considering a move abroad can compare the cost of living in cities around the world on Numbeos cost-of-living database, as well as the Global Passport Index, which factors in metrics such as cost of living, infrastructure and personal and political freedoms.

Despite its appeal, moving to another country comes with legal, taxation and health-care considerations that need to be taken into account.

Essential planning tips

Dreaming about retirement in another country is one thing. Moving there is another. Before committing, consider go on a scouting trip (or two, or three). But rather than staying in a hotel and taking guided tours, rent a home in a residential neighborhood. Buy groceries from the local grocery store, take public transit and visit a medical clinic.

Youll also need to understand the visa requirements. For example, Portugal offers two types of visas for non-EU retirees: a D7 visa, designed for those with a regular stream of passive income (such as Social Security or a pension  there is a minimum requirement) and the Golden Visa for those who plan to make an investment (minimum 250,000) in the country. Both visas offer a pathway to permanent residence.

Youll also want to look at the legal and tax implications of buying a home in a foreign country. For some retirees, it may make more financial sense to rent instead of buy. And, if its not working out  say our example Mariah decides she misses the U.S.  its easier to relocate if youre renting.

Story continues

Another consideration is language. In Portugal, theres a large expat community (and a lot of tourists), so English is widely spoken. That wont be the case in all countries. But, if Portugal is going to be Mariahs new home  and if she truly wants to connect with locals  then she may want to invest the time in Portuguese language lessons.\

Read more: These 5 magic money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2024  and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how

The costs of living abroad

Expats can retire to Portugal and live comfortably on about $3,000 a month, according to International Living, but this can depend on whether they rent or own, where they choose to live and what lifestyle they want to lead.

For example, living inland in a rural village is typically more affordable  and possibly more authentic  than living in an urban area or popular region.

Property near the coast comes with a higher price tag and brings summer tourists, just like anywhere else in the world, according to the International Living. And if you buy, rather than rent, then youll have to deal with additional expenses, including property taxes and maintenance.

Then theres income tax, which follows you no matter where you move.

If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, your worldwide income is generally subject to U.S. income tax, regardless of where you are living, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax guide for Americans living abroad.

That means Mariah will still have to file tax returns to the IRS after she moves to Portugal. And, if she qualifies as a Portuguese tax resident, shell also have to file a tax return there. There is a tax treaty between the U.S. and Portugal, however, navigating multi-jurisdictional tax and regulatory regimes can be complicated and may require the services of a tax professional familiar with these regimes to minimize potential double taxation.

Also, dont expect Medicare to cover you while living abroad. Find out if the country has universal health care or if youll need private coverage. Portugal, for example, has public and private health care. If you plan to use public care, make sure you qualify as a visa holder.

Perhaps one of the biggest expenses of living abroad is the cost of travel. If Mariah flies back to the U.S. regularly to visit family, or for events such as weddings and funerals, shell need to work that into her retirement budget.

She may also want to hire a Portuguese immigration lawyer to help her with the residency process, but thats an additional cost shed need to budget for  though it could save her a lot of time (and headaches) in the long run.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
A bald eagle takes off with a dead fish in its claws at the Great Salt Lake's Farmington Bay in Farmington on Feb. 26, 2023. The bald eagle could soon receive the designation as national bird. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News

Wondering what the U.S. national bird is? Although many Americans would guess it is the bald eagle, it technically doesnt have the national designation. But Congress is moving to change that.

After the Senate unanimously passed a bill in late July, the House of Representatives will potentially move to legalize this designation after returning from recess next week.

The bird was originally installed on the Great Seal of the U.S. in 1783. After the American flag, the bald eagle is often used to represent the country, permanently embedding itself in the minds of Americans. Despite putting it on the seal, Congress didnt approve it as the national bird.

While most people assume the bald eagle is our nations official bird, the fact is our country doesnt have an official bird, said Preston Cook, co-chair of the national bird initiative for the National Eagle Center, according to a June press release.

The bison is the national mammal, the rose is the national flower, and the oak is the national tree, he said. In comparison, all 50 states have declared their state bird, like the California gull in Utah and the cactus wren in Arizona.

Its time the bald eagle, long revered as our national symbol, finds its rightful place as our countrys official national bird, said Cook.

Congressional lawmakers behind bald eagle law

Lawmakers from Minnesota  Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig and Republican Rep. Brad Finstad  and Wyoming  Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis  led the legislative effort in Congress.

The bald eagle is a symbol of our countrys freedom and strength. In Minnesota, we are proud to call ourselves home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, said Klobuchar back in June. My bipartisan legislation will officially designate the bald eagle as our countrys National Bird.

Finstad in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said he looks forward to the passage of the companion legislation he introduced in the House.

As an undisputed symbol of our Nation, the bald eagle represents the strength and independence that we hold in our hearts as American citizens and it is past time that the bald eagle is rightfully recognized as the national bird, he said earlier last month, following the bills passage in the Senate.

So far, there is no vocal opposition against this bill. Preston Cook, a Minnesota resident and the author of American Eagle: A Visual History of Our National Emblem, told Roll Call, Its a feel-good thing, especially at a time with all the divisiveness we have.

Bald eagle  a conservation success

Aside from being a powerful symbol of the U.S. for more than 240 years, the bald eagle also has a conservation success story. The large bird dropped in numbers in the mid-20th century because of loss of habitat and persecution because of the prejudice that these were highly dangerous birds that killed livestock and attacked children. The effects of the pesticide DDT also lowered their already dwindling population, according to the Defenders of Wildlife.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 were meant to offer these birds protections. These laws carry maximum criminal penalties of up to a $250,000 fine and two years in federal prison. Despite tough restrictions, the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967 and the Endangered Species Act in 1978, prompting more conservation programs that included captive breeding, habitat protection and reintroduction initiatives. Finally, by 1995, the bald eagle shifted from endangered to threatened status.

Utah is home to one of the largest wintering populations of bald eagles in the country. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, headquartered in Arizona, more than 1,200 of these birds have been counted in the Beehive State.
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) pushed for a probe into a former aide for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the the full impact of her influence on the New York State government and economy in the wake of the aide being charged with and arrested for acting as an agent of China.

I write to you today with grave concern regarding the Department of Justices recent indictment of Linda Sun and allegations that Ms. Sun used her influence in your administration to further the interests of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and promote policies beneficial to the CCP, a letter from Tenney to Hochul dated Wednesday reads.

These allegations are deeply disturbing and call into question your judgment in hiring and listening to such an individual, the letter continues. I urge the appointment of a bipartisan panel to investigate you and your administrations actions and the full impact of Ms. Suns influence on the New York State government and economy.

Tenneys letter follows Sun and her husband being arrested earlier this week, per The Associated Press. Prosecutors said Sun worked for the Chinese government and the CCP as an undisclosed agent in an indictment released Tuesday.

Both Sun and her husband pleaded not guilty Tuesday, the U.S. attorneys offices for the Eastern District of New York told The Hill previously.

Tenney noted actions that she said Sun had been accused of to halt meeting requests from anti-CCP or pro-Taiwan organizations in her Wednesday letter to Hochul.

While these actions have only recently come to light, we still do not know the full impact that Ms. Suns actions have had on the New York State government or economy, Tenney said in the letter. These revelations also call into question numerous policy decisions by your administration and what influence, if any, Ms. Sun had on these decisions.

The Hill has reached out to Hochuls press office for further comment.

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Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kalleheikki Kannisto

A colossal asteroid slammed into Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede with so much power it dramatically and permanently reoriented the moon roughly 4 billion years ago, new research suggests. Scientists say the pivotal impact also significantly influenced the geological and internal evolution of the moon, which is larger than Mercury.

Computer simulations by planetary scientist Naoyuki Hirata of Japan's Kobe University predict the asteroid must have been about 186 miles (300 kilometers) wide, or 20 times bigger than the fateful one that wiped out the dinosaurs from the face of our planet about 66 million years ago.

Only an impact of this scale would be powerful enough to destabilize Ganymede and cause the tidally-locked moon to whirl on its axis, according to a study published by Hirata on Tuesday (Sept. 3) in the journal Scientific Reports.

"This is a neat attempt to rewind the clock via computer simulations, searching for an explanation for the distribution of scars across Ganymede," Leigh Fletcher, a planetary scientist at the University of Leicester in the U.K. who was not involved with the new study, told The Guardian .

Hirata estimates the consequential process unfolded over approximately 1,000 years following the asteroid impact. The space rock likely crashed into Ganymede at an angle of 60 to 90 degrees and produced a crater somewhere between 870 to 990 miles wide (1400 to 1600 km), the new study finds.

The evidence for Ganymede's reorientation is rooted in its surface, which is pockmarked with extensive furrows, or concentric rings of troughs thought to be fragmented remnants of bowl-shaped basins created by asteroid impacts. A fresh analysis of Ganymede's largest furrow system, which scars the moon just below its equator, suggests that the asteroid strike caused the moon to spin such that the impact crater faces away from Jupiter.

a grey moon pockmarked with craters

The asteroid strike would have "completely removed the original surface" of Ganymede, thanks to the crater reaching a whopping 25 percent of the moon's size, the researcher said in a recent statement . The impact would have significantly affected the moon's geology and interior, where scientists think a hidden saltwater ocean containing more water than all of Earth's oceans combined exists.

a grey moon pockmarked with craters

Although both Voyager spacecraft as well as the Galileo probe took images of Ganymede in the late 1900s, many areas of the moon have not yet been imaged with sufficient resolution, limiting scientists' understanding of its history and evolution. For instance, Ganymede's dramatic reorientation may have spurred fractures and other tectonic landforms across its surface that haven't been discovered yet, Hirata said.

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Forthcoming images of Ganymede from the European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft could reveal more about how the asteroid strike shaped the moon's evolution. JUICE pulled off difficult gravitational slingshots past our moon and Earth just last month, and is set to arrive at the Jupiter system in 2031.

Over the following 2.5 years, the solar-powered JUICE will orbit the gas giant while swinging past Ganymede, Europa and Callisto multiple times, cataloging their surface features as well as potential for habitability by flying within 120 to 620 miles (200 to 1,000 kilometers) of their surfaces.

JUICE will return to Ganymede in December 2034 for a dedicated nine-month study, which would mark the first time a spacecraft orbits a moon other than our own.
The first day of school in Brockton on Wednesday went smoothly. While there were some small hiccups, Priya Tahiliani, interim superintendent of Brockton Public Schools said teachers were optimistic and upbeat and students had smiles galore."

School Committee member Jorge Vega greeted everyone at Wednesday nights school committee meeting with, happy first day of school, and that could certainly describe the atmosphere of the evenings meeting and across the district throughout the day.

Weve noticed a huge difference, said School Committee member Joyce Asack of the change in mood compared to this time last year.

Were starting our school year on a totally different note, she said. You can notice it, the atmosphere, the morale.

Just before the first day of last school year in August 2023, Mayor Robert F. Sullivan announced that BPS overspent its budget by $14.4 million, which eventually amounted to a total of $18.25 million. Although students were positive going into school, the mood of the meeting that evening was tense.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: BPS name safety and security director following a year of violence, chaos in schools

Fast forward a year, and the vibes are starkly different.

Members of the community stood outside Brockton High School holding signs welcoming students as they arrived.

Many friends and family of Brockton High School students came out early in the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, to give best wishes and support on the frist day of classes. Leona Martin, Deb Garland and Marc Osborn of Brockton enthusiastically greet friends as they enter the school grounds.

It was an incredible first day today, said Tahiliani. As a new Brockton Public School member, it was very special to be able to be a part of this day.

School year starts off positively

The BPS hallways were positive and festive Wednesday morning, several school officials reported.

"I don't think I was as excited to go back to school as these kids were," said School Committee member Claudio Gomes.

Gomes added that he registered his own child in Brockton Public Schools for the first time this year, and said "it was a smooth process."

Freshman Joseph Cruz of Brockton gets a personal opening day greeting from Brockton High School Principal Kevin McCaskill on the first day of school, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

Enrollment numbers

A total of 15,570 students were enrolled in BPS as of Wednesday night, with 391 more students still in the process of registering and 80 new applications in the last 48 hours, said Tahiliani. At Brockton High School, where 3,730 students kicked off the new school year, Principal Kevin McCaskill said it was "a pretty good day."

"The kids were fantastic, and the staff really did their thing," McCaskill said.

Yondr pouches: Brockton High to become a 'cell phone-free environment' with Yondr bag program

Transportation

There were some first-day bumps in the road, Tahiliani said. Issues arose with bussing and transportation as some bus routes experienced delays in the morning, and elementary school busses were roughly 15 to 30 minutes late in the afternoon due to delayed dismissal at BHS. Also, 10 students at Baker Elementary School were picked up late by one of the district's internal vans.

"We are actively looking at these and overall, it was actually a successful day for transportation," Tahiliani said. "If this is our baseline, I feel really confident in what the rest of the year will look like."

She said that buses will arrive at BHS for afternoon pick up slightly earlier going forward.

Its not going to be perfect, but it was a good first day, said committee member Asack.

Buses arrive at Brockton High School at around 7 a.m. on the first day of school, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

Translators needed on first day

School Committee member Ana Oliver said she acted as a language translator for bilingual families at South Middle School, where there were no bilingual staff members to help parents and grandparents navigate the school. Oliver said there's a large number of new students at South who don't speak English and urged school personnel to have translators present on the first day of school in the future to assist families.

"I became the translator this morning," said Oliver. "I can't speak Haitian Creole, but I was speaking Spanish, I was translating, I was translating Creole. It was very difficult for some of the parents that didn't know where to go."

More: Budget clash as Brockton schools plead for 97 'critically needed' staff. If city says no?

"In the future when we're just beginning school, we need translators," she said. "There's a lot of information that was not given to them in their language. So, they were lost, they didn't know where to go. They didn't know what time school ended."

Cell phones in Yondr bags at Brockton High

Brockton High officially launched its new cell phone policy that requires all students to secure their phones in a locked Yondr pouch for the entire school day. The bags can only be unlocked by magnetic devices that are only available at the end of the day.

BHS school police officer Jason Mosley said the policy is "working to expectations."

"The Yondr bags seem to be working," said Mosley. "We didn't see a lot of kids leaving school today, so that's a good thing. Of course, because they couldn't unlock them so they couldn't leave."

School Committee Vice-Chair Tony Rodrigues, who visited Brockton High on Wednesday, said he saw a very small number of students on their phones, but rather saw more students interacting with one another and being engaged.

"I was very happy with what I saw at the high school today," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: An inside glance at the first day of school in Brockton for 2024
(KRON)  Tips from community members helped police rescue four women from residential brothels in San Jose, according to the San Jose Police Department.

Last week, officers with SJPDs Human Trafficking Task Force searched three homes that were suspected of operating brothels. The homes were located on Palacio Royal Circle, Bonita Avenue, and Gifford Avenue.

During the execution of the search warrants, four adult female human trafficking survivors were located and provided resources, the police department wrote.

Three men were arrested for allegedly operating the brothels. SJPD identified the trio as: Naisong Tong, 34, Guihua Tao, 60, and Zhiqiang Liu, 53.

Tong, Tao, and Liu were all booked into jail on human trafficking charges.

Full house in Milpitas busted for illegal gambling operation, police say

SJPD said its 2-month-long investigation into the brothels was assisted by several agencies, including the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. The San Jose Police Department remains committed to eradicating human trafficking in our community and encourages anyone with information about such activities to contact the Human Trafficking Task Force at 408-537-1999, the police department wrote.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Hunter Biden wants to plead guilty in his federal tax case, his defense attorney said in court Thursday, according to The Associated Press.

President Bidens son is accused of withholding at least $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019, in the heat of his addiction to cocaine. He faces nine charges, three of which are felonies, and has pleaded not guilty.

The trial was expected to begin Thursday with jury selection.

A judge must still accept Bidens plea change. Hunter Bidens attorney, Abbe Lowell, suggested in court that the matter could be resolved today, CNN reported .

The arrangement proposed by Bidens attorneys is called an Alford plea, according to multiple reports. Biden would acknowledge that special counsel David Weiss has enough evidence to convict him, and then he would accept U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsis eventual sentence.

Prosecutors from Weisss team are objecting to the plea and indicated no deal had been reached between the parties, according to CNN.

Bidens tax trial follows a separate criminal trial on gun charges, which ended earlier this year in a conviction for lying about his use of illicit drugs on a federal gun purchase form. It marked the first criminal conviction of a sitting U.S. presidents child  and the tax trial threatened to lead to the second.

That conviction significantly heightened the stakes of the second trial, which could hold higher penalties for Biden if found guilty, since he would no longer have the status of a first-time offender if convicted.

Bidens sentencing in the gun case is scheduled for Nov. 13.

The Hill requested comment from Lowell and Mark Geragos, Bidens attorneys.

Biden previously agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with federal prosecutors that would have allowed him to avoid prosecution in the gun case.

However, a federal judge based in Delaware questioned unusual aspects of the deal, and the agreement subsequently imploded. Then, Biden was indicted in the two cases.

About 120 Californians were summoned to jury service at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, where Bidens trial was expected to begin with the questioning of prospective jurors Thursday morning.

The planned questions span taxation, addiction and politics, including whether potential jurors believe Bidens prosecution is a result of his father being the president.

If you were eligible to vote in any election in which Joseph R. Biden was a candidate, would that fact prevent you from maintaining an open, impartial mind until all of the evidence is presented and the Court gives you instructions? reads one question that could have been posed to jurors.

President Biden has repeatedly expressed that he would not pardon his son, promising after the gun conviction that he would continue to respect the judicial process. Still, Republicans criticized Hunter Bidens previous prosecution as a distraction and illusion of equal justice, insisting the Biden familys powerful patriarch has shielded the family from scrutiny of its purported corruption.

Though the trial involves Hunter Bidens taxes, his history of addiction was expected to play a significant role in the case.

Geragos previously accused federal prosecutors of attempting character assassination on the presidents son by seeking to show jurors salacious evidence and testimony, spanning from strip clubs and sex workers to alcohol and drug abuse.

But prosecutors insisted Bidens personal spending choices lend insight into his state of mind during the time he allegedly failed to file and pay his taxes. They also said Bidens playboy lifestyle was detailed at length in his memoir.

If the judge accepts Bidens guilty plea, he could avoid a trial that would hurl his addiction back into the spotlight.

Updated at 12:40 p.m. ET

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal tax charges Thursday in a surprise move that allows President Joe Bidens family to avoid having to endure another likely embarrassing and painful criminal trial of the presidents son.

His stunning decision to guilty plea to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.

The presidents son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction.

While President Joe Bidens decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election lessened the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a heavy emotional toll for the president in the final months of his five-decade long political career.

More than 100 potential jurors jurors had been brought to the courthouse to begin the process of picking the panel that would decide whether hes guilty of misdemeanor and felony charges over what prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes while pulling in millions of dollars from foreign business entities.

Read: FBI: Special needs program founder arrested for sexual abuse; more victims possible

This courtroom sketch shows Hunter Biden entering a federal courtroom for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (William T. Robles via AP)

But defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge that the evidence against Hunter Biden was overwhelming and that the presidents son wanted to resolve the case with whats referred to as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

A prosecutor urged U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi to reject the proposed plea, saying that Hunter Biden is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.

Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty, prosecutor Leo Wise said.

Wise said it wasnt sufficient for Biden to acknowledge that the government had enough evidence to prove him guilty and wanted him to acknowledge the facts laid out in the indictment are true.

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White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she was not able to comment on Hunter Bidens plans to change his plea. President Joe Biden has said he would not pardon or commute a sentence handed down against his son. Asked again Thursday if the president would pardon Hunter, Jean-Pierre said: Still no.

A last-minute plea would allow Hunter Biden to avoid a second criminal trial in just months. He was convicted in June in Delaware of three felony charges over a gun he bought in 2018.

The tax trial was expected to put a spotlight on his foreign business dealings, which Republicans have spent years scrutinizing to accuse his father - without evidence - of corruption in connection with his sons work overseas.

The potential political ramifications of the trial just weeks before the presidential election may have faded somewhat since President Bidens July decision to drop out of the 2024 race. But the president is deeply concerned with the well-being of his son, so a trial would likely weigh heavily on him in the final months of his five-decade political career.

Read: Alex Morgan, former Orlando Pride player, announces pregnancy and retirement

FILE PHOTO: Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, leaves the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 06, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. The trial for Hunter Biden's felony gun charges continues today with additional witnesses. Hunter Biden said he wants to change his not guilty plea in a separate tax evasion case to guilty. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he didnt act willfully, or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with the Justice Department that would allow him to avoid prosecution in the gun case if he stayed out of trouble. But the agreement imploded after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and he was subsequently indicted in the two cases.

His decision to change his plea Thursday came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Bidens family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, leaves the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Jurors will continue deliberations on a verdict for Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: A reporter runs before Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, return to the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Reports indicate that jurors have reached a verdict in Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, joined by his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, returns to court at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Reports indicate that jurors have reached a verdict in Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, leaves the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Jurors will continue deliberations on a verdict for Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: A protester stands outside of the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Jurors will continue deliberations on a verdict for Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: A law enforcement officer and K9 search the area outside th J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Jurors will continue deliberations on a verdict for Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - JUNE 11: Journalists and line holders wait for the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building to open on June 11, 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. Jurors will continue deliberations on a verdict for Hunter Biden's trial on felony gun charges. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Hunter Biden, accompanied by his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, arrives to federal court on hearing there is a verdict, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Wilmington, Del (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The indictment alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels - in short, everything but his taxes.

Hunter Bidens attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a character assassination, including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain strict control over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

Prosecutors had said they want to introduce evidence about Hunter Bidens overseas dealings, which have been at the center of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking - without evidence- to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsels team had planned to have a business associate of Hunter Bidens testify about their work for a Romanian businessman, who prosecutors say sought to influence U.S. government policy while Joe Biden was vice president.

Sentencing in Hunter Bidens Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

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From the The Collision on The Dispatch

Welcome back to The Collision, post-Labor Day edition. Today was set to be the first day of Hunter Bidens federal tax evasion trial in Californiaa case that might have commanded the attention of the political press, the pro-Republican media machine, and even Donald Trumps campaign if the Democratic nominee were still Joe Biden.

Down below, well briefly get into the question of whether Hunter Bidens case even matters in the presidential election anymore. But first, theres a surprising amount of Collision-y activity going on in Trumpworld this week.

The Docket

Hunter Biden Wants to Take a Plea in His Tax Case. So What?

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, arrives at court for proceedings on his tax evasion charges in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 2024. (Photo by RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images)

Jury selection was set to begin in another criminal trial against the presidents son, Hunter Biden, this week. Biden is charged with failing to pay more than $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 through 2019. But there was drama, which was unresolved at the time this newsletter published.

Instead of proceeding to trial, Hunter Biden attempted to withdraw his not-guilty plea and offered an Alford plea, in which he would in essence agree that the government has enough evidence to convict him and allow the judge to move forward with sentencing him all while maintaining his innocence. It has the same legal effect as pleading guilty but the defendant never admits guilt. Plus he would avoid an embarrassing trial and racking up additional attorneys fees.

The Justice Manualthe rules that federal prosecutors use at the Department of Justicestates unequivocally that federal prosecutors may not consent to the plea known as an Alford plea except in the most unusual of circumstances and that in such cases, they should make an offer of proof of all facts known to the Government to support the conclusion that the defendant is in fact guilty even without a trial. In the end, however, it will be up to the judge to decide whether to accept this highly unusual plea offer.

But lets be realdoes anyone care anymore?

When we asked a Trump campaign adviser earlier this week about how the Republican nominees team was preparing to message about Hunter Bidens tax trial, the response was blunt: The focus is Harris.

Plea or not, as the son of the president prepared for his second criminal trial of the yearthe first, on federal gun charges, ended with a conviction for Hunterthe political significance of his legal woes had shifted significantly. Back in June, we wrote how neither Democrats nor Republicans thought the gun trial verdict would hold much political significance. Trump and the GOP, on the other hand, believed that the tax case went to a core part of their attacks against Joe Biden:

The tax fraud chargeswhich like the gun charges are being brought by special counsel David Weissmean theres great potential to draw attention to evidence that Bidens family members, including Hunter, made money in the foreign influence game by trading on their last name. The Trump team is hoping the evidence prosecutors could unveil at that trial might cause swing voters to rethink whether Biden deserves to be rewarded with another term in office. If that sounds familiar, its because its been the premise of the House Republicans impeachment inquiry into Biden. And despite plenty of hype around the investigation, including some drama over Hunter Biden defying a subpoena to testify before Congress, the inquiry has essentially fizzled on lack of evidence of any wrongdoing by Joe Biden himself.

But Joe Biden is no longer the Democratic nominee, and for that reasonalong with that aforementioned fizzling out of the House GOP case against the BidensTeam Trump appears to lack interest in making hay of this latest episode in Hunter Bidens legal saga. Even Trump himself has scaled back his attack. His Truth Social account has been mostly quiet on the subject. There, Trump has recently referenced Hunter Biden either as part of his complaints about social media covering up stories about the Biden sons laptop in 2020 or to ask, cryptically, WHERES HUNTER?

This lack of attention is understandable. With just 60 days until the election, every moment that Trump and his campaign spend not prosecuting their case against the actual Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, is a moment wasted. And while Republicans are arguing that Harris should answer for what they consider to be the failings of the Biden administration (such as Afghanistan and the economy), tying the vice president to Joe Bidens adult sons business dealings and the sluggishness of the Justice Department to prosecute him may be a bridge too far.

Questions remain as to whether President Biden will pardon his son, who faces the potential of a year in prison just on the gun conviction. The president has repeatedly said that he would not pardon Hunter or commute his sentence. But that was when he was a candidate seeking reelection and not a lame duck in the final months of his presidency. After the electionwin or losethese questions will be back on the table.

Regardless of the political salience, questions about how Hunter Biden made his money and whether and how much his father knew about it were still set to haunt the trial this week. Perhaps this is the true motivation for Hunter Bidens plea offer: His fathers reelection may not be on the line anymorebut his Scranton Joe legacy most certainly continues to be.

Sarahs View

Its worth wondering whether either of these casesthe tax case or the gun casewould have been brought if Joe Biden had announced his decision not to run for reelection two years ago. And that should bother us.

As many have pointed out, the circumstances of the gun charge were unusual. There has never been another federal prosecution for lying about drug use on gun form where there was just one gun, the gun was not used in a crime, there was no other crime committed with the gun, and the person had no criminal record.

And as far as the tax charges go, Hunter reportedly repaid the taxes he owed during the investigation. Others who have owed far more and repaid the government havent faced charges. For example, in 2020, the Department of Justice declined to bring charges against the CEO of a private equity company for what prosecutors called an international tax fraud scheme after he agreed to repay $139 million in back taxes. And come to think of it, I could say the same thing about Donald Trumps New York falsification of business records case. And yet both Biden and Trump are almost certainly guilty of the crimes they were charged with.

Heres Dan Abrams on NewsNation, making the point during Hunter Bidens gun trial:

I just wish more people would be intellectually consistent on two cases that do raise similar concerns: Why the former president and the current presidents son were or are being tried based on legal theories that have literally never been pursued before. Like ever. Youve heard so many on the right wanting the book thrown at Hunter Biden while at the same time declaring the Trump case a travesty of justice. All while many on the left are celebrating the Trump verdict, but believe Hunter Biden is getting a raw deal  Lets say what should be plainly obvious: If Donald Trump and Hunter Biden were average citizens, neither case would have been brought. And both former President Trump and Hunter Biden are also both likely guilty of the crimes that they were charged with. But if we were talking about Donald Smith and Hunter Davis, these cases wouldnt have been brought. And yet so many partisans just insist on arguing that the case against one is a sham, while the case against the other is a slam dunk.

So what are we supposed to think about the tax case? My view is that it is sad. It is sad that a presidents son so flagrantly violated our lawsand in this case, expected other Americans to pay their taxes to fund our government while he lived the high life trading on his fathers political influence in that very government. It is also sad that we are at a point where partisans are so convinced that their political opponents are truly eviland not just mistaken or wrongthat they believe treating them differently in our criminal justice system is not only justified, but essential to the preservation of democracy.

Read more at The Dispatch

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President Joe Bidens son Hunter pleaded guilty to not paying his taxes on time in order to avoid a second humiliating trial this year.

The guilty plea came as a surprise Thursday and marked a stunning turnaround for the presidents son, whose legal team fought the tax charges as motivated by political pressure from Republicans.

Hunter Bidens defense attorneys initially said Thursday that their client would be willing to make an Alford plea, a special type of guilty plea in which the defendant maintains their innocence but accepts punishment for the alleged crime.

Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi to reject the Alford plea in favor of a regular guilty plea.

Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty, prosecutor Leo Wise said, according to The Associated Press.

A grand jury indicted Hunter Biden last year on three felony and six misdemeanor charges related to his not paying more than $1 million in federal taxes on income he earned from foreign business deals from 2016 through 2019. The charges carry a maximum of 17 years in prison.

The younger Bidens overseas moneymaking has been a major source of controversy for Joe Biden, whom Republicans accused of participating in his sons work. Republicans struggled to substantiate the allegation, however, and gave up on an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden this year.

The Biden case is a strong counterpoint to Republican claims that President Biden has weaponized the Justice Department against Donald Trump, who faces federal charges in Washington, D.C., and Florida.

Hunter Biden had been under investigation for years when his father became president, and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland left Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, originally appointed by Trump, in charge of the case even as other Republican U.S. attorneys were replaced with Democrats.

Weiss initially reached a tentative plea deal with Biden on the tax charges as well as unrelated gun charges last year, but the deal fell apart amid a disagreement over Bidens immunity from further prosecution  and complaints from Republicans who said he was getting away with a slap on the wrist. Garland then elevated Weiss to special counsel status so he could prosecute Hunter Biden for the tax crimes in California and the gun crimes in Delaware.

In June, a jury found Hunter Biden guilty of three felonies related to his illegal purchase of a firearm in 2018, at a time in his life he has admitted he was addicted to drugs. His legal team tried to argue that their client was not necessarily high at the moment he bought the gun, but prosecutors played excerpts from the audiobook of his 2021 memoir, in which he described getting high on crack as often as every 15 minutes. The trial also featured testimony about his drug use from one of his daughters as well as a close examination of their text messages from the relevant time.

Thursdays guilty plea came as the court geared up for jury selection ahead of what would likely have been another agonizing trial. Prosecutors in the tax case planned to use material from Hunter Bidens memoir and other sources to argue he lived a lavish lifestyle while shirking his tax duties, and Scarsi ruled against letting jurors know that a third-party benefactor has actually paid off Hunter Bidens tax debt or that Bidens judgment had been hampered by drug addiction.

In a written statement, Biden said he didnt realize how much his gun trial would anguish his family, and he didnt want to do it again. When it became clear to me that the same prosecutors were focused not on justice but on dehumanizing me for my actions during my addiction, there was only one path left for me, Biden said. I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.

Related...
(Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi  an insider's guide to the emerging economic powerhouse, and the billionaires and businesses behind its rise, delivered weekly.

Most Read from Bloomberg

India and Singapore agreed to ramp up collaboration in semiconductors and digital technologies, seeking a bigger role in a global chip supply chain being reshaped by tensions between the US and China.

During a two-day visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the city-state, the countries signed agreements to cultivate talent in chip design and manufacturing and facilitate Singaporean tech investment in India, according to a statement from the Indian government on Thursday. The nations will also work more closely together in cybersecurity, fifth-generation mobile networks, super-computing and artificial intelligence.

Singapore, India and Malaysia are among Asian economies that have emerged as beneficiaries of the prolonged US-China trade war that has rattled the global chip market, which is on track to hit $588 billion in sales this year. Both China and western countries are racing to establish stand-alone supply chains to avoid geopolitical risks, creating business opportunities for the industry.

While Indias semiconductor industry is in its infancy, Singapore has played a significant role in the sector for decades. The city-state is home to some of the largest chip manufacturing plants in Southeast Asia, hosting international names from NXP Semiconductors NV to Micron Technology Inc. The island nation boasts a legion of chip research and engineering talent as well as abundant venture capital for chip startups.

The tie-up also showcases Modis ambition to turn the worlds most populated country into a technology superpower, in which a strong semiconductor ecosystem is crucial. During his trip to Singapore he met with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and is expected to meet with 15 chief executive officers, including those of Temasek Holdings Pte, wealth fund GIC Pte and DBS Group Holdings Ltd., an Indian official told reporters on Thursday. The two nations also signed deals in the areas of health, medicine and skills development.

Closer ties with India in semiconductors would help Singaporean companies to tap into the rapidly growing market in South Asia, Singapores Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters last month. They know that although Singapore is very small, we have a disproportionate share of global semiconductor manufacturing capability, and they are carefully studying our system in terms of its ecosystem, he said.

Story continues

Modis government has set up a $21 billion plan to beef up semiconductor capabilities across the country, with a total of $15 billion worth of investment in chipmaking plants announced earlier this year. Singapores expertise in memory chips and matured logic processors, which are widely used in electronic devices and automobiles, could help India grow its chip industry at a faster pace.

--With assistance from Santosh Kumar and Sudhi Ranjan Sen.

(Updates with Modis meeting with CEOs in fifth paragraph)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal tax charges, a surprise move meant to spare his family another painful and embarrassing criminal trial after his gun case conviction just months ago.

His decision to plead guilty to misdemeanour and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors, caps a long-running saga over his legal woes that have cast a shadow over his father, Joe Bidens political career.

It came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million (1.1 million) in taxes.



The presidents son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction on felony gun charges in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction.

Hunter Biden arrives at court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden - Jae C Hong/AP

The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Bidens foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.



I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment, Hunter Biden said in an emailed statement after he entered his plea.

For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.

Although President Joe Bidens decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a heavy emotional toll for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.

Abbe Lowell, Biden's lawyer, told the judge that his client intended to change his plea - CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Hunter put his family first today, and it was a brave and loving thing for him to do, defence attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.



Hunter Biden, 54, quickly responded guilty as the judge read out each of the nine counts. He showed no emotion as he walked out the courthouse holding his wifes hand. He ignored questions shouted at him by reporters before climbing into an SUV and driving off.



The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence.

He faces up to $1.35 million in fines. Sentencing is set for December 16 in front of US District Judge Mark Scarsi, who was nominated to the bench by Donald Trump.



He faces sentencing in the Delaware case on November 13  the week after the general election. Those charges are punishable by up to 25 years in prison, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

Biden was flanked by Secret Service agents as he arrived in court - RINGO CHIU/AFP

More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse on Thursday to begin the process of picking the panel to hear the case alleging a four-year scheme to avoid paying taxes while spending wildly on things like strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars.

Prosecutors were caught off guard when Hunter Bidens lawyer told the judge on Thursday morning that Hunter wanted to enter whats known as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Special counsel David Weiss team objected to such a plea, telling the judge that Hunter Biden is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.

Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty, prosecutor Leo Wise said.

After a break in the hearing, Hunter Bidens lawyers said he had decided to plead guilty to all nine charges.

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Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday, after a day of legal wrangling and in a dramatic move that will avoid a potentially embarrassing trial for Joe Bidens son.

Biden, 54, pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges on a day of courtroom twists and turns, after prosecutors earlier objected to his surprise intention to enter an Alford plea, an unusual legal maneuver where a defendant pleads guilty but does not acknowledge wrongdoing. Following prosecutors objections, lawyers said Biden was ready to change course and enter an open plea, where a defendant pleads guilty to the charges and leaves his sentencing fate in the hands of the judge.

In court on Thursday afternoon, Abbe Lowell, Bidens attorney, told Judge Mark Scarsi: Mr Biden will agree that the elements of each offense have been satisfied.

Biden quickly responded guilty as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years in prison, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence.

A sentencing hearing has been set for 16 December.

In an emailed statement after he entered his plea, Hunter Biden said: I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.

The presidents only surviving son had previously pleaded not guilty. The surprise back-and-forth unfolded on Thursday as Biden entered a Los Angeles courthouse for the start of his tax-avoidance trial.

After learning of Bidens earlier plan to enter an Alford plea, US justice department prosecutors said that would not be acceptable. Alford pleas are usually negotiated in advance, because prosecutors must get high-level approval before agreeing to them.

Its not clear to us what they are trying to do, one prosecutor told Scarsi.

[Hunter Biden] is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him, said prosecutor Leo Wise. Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty.

A trial, in the run-up to the November presidential election, could have aired embarrassing details of Hunter Bidens life. Lowell told the judge that the evidence against his client was overwhelming and that Biden wanted to resolve the case.

The son of the president was accused of failing to pay his taxes on time from 2016 to 2019, as well as facing two felony counts of filing a false return and an additional felony count of tax evasion.

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom for jury selection on Thursday morning holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, related to his taxes from 2016 to 2019, and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he did not act willfully, or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. But all that changed on a whirlwind day in court.

A guilty plea will head off a weeks-long trial that would have marked the second time in three months that Hunter Biden sat in a federal courtroom to face a slew of criminal charges.

Hunter Biden was found guilty in Delaware on three felony counts relating to his purchase of a handgun in 2018 because he wrote on his gun-purchase form, falsely, that he was not a user of illicit drugs. The Los Angeles trial was set to take place in the city where Biden has lived for years and where, according to the prosecution, he spent extensively on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes.

The most serious charges related to his 2018 return on which, according to the prosecution, he sought to claim his childrens college tuition fees and more than $27,000 in online pornography as business expenses.

Related:Hunter Biden tax trial: less politically fraught, but set to be just as lurid

It has been a whirlwind of a summer for Joe Bidens son, one in which he has been convicted of felonies, was rushed to Washington as pressure mounted on his father not to run for re-election, raised eyebrows by dropping into White House meetings  and, according to one report, acted as his fathers gatekeeper  then appeared on stage at the Democratic national convention to bask in his fathers reflected glory.

Now that Joe Biden has abandoned his re-election ambitions and thrown his support behind his vice-president, Kamala Harris, the political stakes of Hunter Bidens latest legal woes are lower. Still, his troubles take some of the sting out of Donald Trumps constant complaints that he is the target of a political witch-hunt and that Joe Biden has weaponized the justice system against him.

After Hunter Bidens June conviction, Joe and Jill Biden issued a statement saying they would respect the judicial process and not consider a pardon. The first lady attended court in Delaware most days.

The White House reiterated on Thursday that the president has no intention of pardoning his son or commuting his sentence.

No, it is still very much a no, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said in response to a reporters question about a potential pardon.

Joe Biden has previously said that he is extremely proud of my son Hunter, but that he would respect the outcome of the judicial process. He has overcome an addiction. Hes one of the brightest, most decent men I know. I said Id abide by the jury decision, the elder Biden said.
Hunter Biden Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges at the Last Minute, Aiming to Avoid Another Trial and Accept Sentence

Biden's surprise decision to change his plea comes three months after he was convicted in a separate firearm case. The judge has not yet accepted the new plea or called off the trial

Matt Slocum/AP Photo Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden offered to plead guilty in his federal tax case on Thursday, Sept. 5, seeking to dodge a high-profile Los Angeles trial on the day that it was scheduled to begin, multiple outlets report.

Thirty minutes before jury selection kicked off, Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell said that the son of President Joe Biden would like to submit an Alford plea, which is also known as a best interests plea, per Cornell Law School. The plea means that Biden would accept a conviction on all nine of his federal tax charges while simultaneously maintaining his innocence.

U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi has not yet decided whether he will accept Biden's new plea offer, calling for a brief recess so that prosecutors can form a response and suggesting that jury selection may continue, according to The New York Times.

The new court drama comes about two months after a Delaware jury found Biden guilty of three charges in a federal firearm case related to how he unlawfully obtained and possessed a gun in 2018 while addicted to narcotics.

After his June conviction in the previous trial, Biden became the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of crimes. He currently faces up to 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines in that case, and will be sentenced this fall.

Related: Will Hunter Biden Go to Jail? What to Know About a Possible Sentence After His Conviction on Gun Charges

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Hunter Biden exits a Delaware courthouse with stepmom Jill Biden and wife Melissa Cohen Biden after receiving a guilty verdict on June 11, 2024

In January, Biden, 54, pleaded not guilty to the nine tax charges, which included three felony counts. Judge Scarsi, who was appointed by Donald Trump, was assigned to oversee the trial, which is expected to take about two weeks if it moves forward, per Politico.

A filing from December 2023 alleged that Hunter failed to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes, instead spending "millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle"  allegedly including drugs, escorts, luxury hotels and exotic cars. He faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

Four of the nine charges are related to failure to pay taxes in instances that occurred from 2016 to 2019, while two alleged that he failed to file taxes in both 2017 and 2018. Then he has two felony charges of filing a false return with both instances taking place in 2018 and a third felony charge for tax evasion that same year.

Details of Hunters unruly behavior during those years were exposed during his previous firearm trial, which saw several people testify about his past substance abuse and infidelity.

Related: Ark. Woman Raising Hunter Biden's Daughter Says Media Got Her Story Wrong: 'It's Not Political for Me' (Exclusive)

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden during the 2024 White House Easter Egg Roll

During pretrial in August, prosecutors claimed they have evidence that Biden was "lobbying and consulting business" with Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu, who was under criminal investigation in his country at the time, with the intent to influence the United States' "policy and public opinion," according to a court document.

The document further states that prosecutors believe Biden was concerned that his lobbying "might cause political ramifications" for his father, therefore he conducted the business under the guise of a real estate business. Prosecutors believe Biden received over a million dollars through the deal and an unnamed witness related to the deal was expected to testify during the trial.

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President Biden, 81, previously said he will not use his presidential power to pardon his son.

The younger Biden is a father of five, having welcomed his first three children with ex-wife Kathleen Buhle; a daughter, Navy, with his onetime assistant Lunden Roberts; and his youngest son, Beau Jr., with his current wife, Melissa Cohen.

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Hunter Biden looks towards President Joe Biden and Valerie Biden Owens while exiting the White House to board Marine One en route to Camp David in Washington on July 26. Hunter Biden on Thursday offered to plead guilty to federal tax evasion charges and avoid a possibly damaging trial. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Hunter Biden, the son of President joe Biden, offered to plead guilty to nine federal tax evasion charges against him during a court appearance Thursday in Los Angeles, hoping to avoid a potentially explosive trial.

Biden offered up the guilty plea in federal court after prosecutors rejected his attempt earlier in the day to make an "Alford plea," NBC News and the Washington Post reported.

The guilty plea offer came as proceedings began on Day 2 of Biden's trial on nine felony and misdemeanor charges of failing to pay $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 through 2019.

Jury selection in the case had been scheduled to commence Thursday but the day instead began with a surprise announcement by Biden attorney Abbe Lowell, who said his client was willing to offer an Alford plea, under which defendants can admit prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction and accept punishment while maintaining they are innocent of the charges.

Special Prosecutor David Weiss' team immediately objected, saying they had not been been consulted and indicating they were determined to make Biden explicitly admit his guilt to the charges.

"I want to make crystal clear -- the U.S. opposes an Alford plea," prosecutor Leo Wise told U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi. "Hunter Biden is not innocent, he is guilty."

After Scarsi temporarily adjourned the proceedings for several hours, they were reconvened and Biden then offered to make an "open" guilty plea.

The judge asked him if he understood such a plea could result in 15 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million, the president's son responded that he did.

With his son pleading guilty, President Biden would have the power to commute his sentence before leaving office. He has stated, however, that he would not do so, and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated the pledge Thursday.

"No, it is still very much a no," she told reporters aboard Air Force One the president was en route to a visit to western Wisconsin.

Weiss, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, brought the charges in Biden's tax case as well as a separate matter charging the president's son with three felony gun counts.

The latest move comes after Biden's legal team unsuccessfully sought to dismiss the tax case by citing a recent decision by a federal judge in Florida who throw out the classified documents case against Trump on the grounds that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional.

Scarsi, however, shot down that argument last month for being untimely and an attempt to relitigate an earlier decision quashing a previous attempt by Biden to have the case dismissed.

In addition to the current tax case, Biden is awaiting sentencing on three gun-related charges. He found guilty in June on charges stemming from his purchase of a handgun in 2018 when he was allegedly struggling with drug addiction. He faces up to 25 years' imprisonment and hefty fines when sentenced.

Biden last year was poised to plead guilty to the misdemeanor tax offenses, but the deal fell apart in July when the two sides could not agree on a separate gun offense.

Both cases against Hunter Biden have been blasted by Democrats as being politically motivated by Republican lawmakers as an effort to take the spotlight off of Trump's many legal problems and to find an impeachable offense against Joe Biden.

Despite many months of seeking a link between Hunter Biden's activities and his father's actions in office, GOP investigators were unable to unearth any evidence showing the president took any direct actions favorable to his so.
Hunters Heard Crash While Out in Wyoming. Then They Found a Plane Surrounded by Flames  and an Injured Pilot

Steve Atencio and J.R. Larsen were hunting sheep when they heard the crash on Sept. 1

Park County Sheriff's Office/Facebook A helicopter landing in a field.

Two men on a hunting trip helped save a man's life when they came across the aftermath of a plane crash in Wyoming over the weekend.

The crash occurred on Sunday, Sept. 1 at approximately 11:00 a.m. near Francs Peak in Meeteetse, Wyo., according to a statement from the Park County Sherrif's Office (PCSO).

A passenger on the plane, identified as 78-year-old Mary Lou Sanderson of Lake Havasu, Ariz., died from injuries sustained during the crash, authorities said. A pilot, who has not been identified, was found alive, but injured, and was taken a hospital in Billings, Mont.

Park County Sheriff's Office/Facebook View of landscape from inside of an aircraft.

Related: Pilot and Passenger Survive After Their Plane Crashes on Busy Road and a Photo Captured Their Stunned Reaction

Steve Atencio and J.R. Larsen told Cowboy State Daily that they were hunting big horn sheep when a series of delays put them in the right place to hear the crash and then help.

After searching for the source of the noise for about five minutes, they reached the highest point of a hill and saw black smoke rising from the trees, per the outlet. Both men had lost cell phone service, but Atencio put out an SOS using his Garmin inReach device and later texted his wife to call the PCSO.

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When they reached the site of the crash and began calling to see if anybody was alive, Larson said the pilot said, "'I think my back's broke.' "

The men told the news site the area was "completely engulfed in flames" and after searching for other survivors, they saw the flames headed toward the pilot and knew they had to get him out of the area  and they did.

I feel like we were supposed to be there  though its unfortunate, what happened," Atencio told Cowboy News Daily of the rescue efforts.



Related: 7-Year-Old Who Disappeared While Camping with Grandparents Found Safe After Fisherman Heard Her Cries for Help

Authorities said they notified the FAA of the crash and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating it.

Parks County Coroner Cody Gortmaker had no additional details for PEOPLE when reached for comment. PEOPLE also reached out to PCSO for any additional details.

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Read the original article on People.
(Reuters) - The head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said a cooling tower at Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant had been badly damaged in a fire last month and would probably have to be demolished.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, made the comment on Wednesday during his fifth visit to the plant, which was seized by Russian forces soon after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Moscow and Kyiv have regularly accused each other of attacking the plant and risking a nuclear accident.

Grossi posted a video on the messaging platform X assessing the damage while standing inside the cooling tower.

"Until today, we hadn't been able to get to this point, high up in the tower, so we can assess in a much better way the damage that occurred," Grossi, wearing a helmet and bullet-proof vest, said in the video. "This big structure is not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished at some point."

Fire broke out in the tower on August 11, with Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of actions that triggered the blaze.

Grossi at the time described the incident as one of numerous "reckless attacks", but did not attribute blame.

The Zaporizhzhia plant in southeastern Ukraine, Europe's largest with six reactors, has been in "cold shutdown" and produces no electricity. It requires outside power to keep nuclear material cool and prevent an accident.

The video also showed Grossi inspecting a pumping station to provide water, in shorter supply after the destruction last year of southern Ukraine's Kakhovka dam. He also visited a nuclear fuel storage facility.

Grossi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Tuesday and said matters were "very fragile" at Zaporizhzhia, where IAEA inspectors have been stationed since mid-2022.

Grossi last week visited the Kursk nuclear plant in southern Russia and said there was a danger of a nuclear accident there as Ukrainian forces, which launched an incursion into Kursk region last month, were 40 km (25 miles) away.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski in Winnipeg; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that a cooling tower damaged in a fire at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant will likely require demolition.

"This big structure is not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished at some point in the future," IAEA director Rafael Grossi said during a visit to the nuclear power plant on Wednesday.

The cooling tower at Europe's largest nuclear plant was damaged during a fire in August. Ukraine has accused the Russian occupiers of causing the fire, while the plant management appointed by Russia, and the administration for the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhya region, on the other hand, blamed a Ukrainian drone attack.

Grossi had previously said that the damage to the cooling tower did not compromise the safety of the six reactors currently inactive at the plant.

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which Russia has occupied for almost two and a half years following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly been the target of attacks or acts of sabotage, for which Moscow and Kiev blame each other.
A Democratic candidate for a competitive House district in southwestern Wake County is facing attacks from the GOP on her past as a landlord, citing legal actions brought against her by the city of Chicago.

Safiyah Jackson, who is running for N.C. House District 37, has a website dedicated to her platform. However, the website is not the only one focused on her candidacy. Another one is paid for by the North Carolina Republican Party. Jackson is running against incumbent Rep. Erin Pare, a Republican, and Christopher Robinson, a Libertarian.

This second website was created by House GOP Caucus Director Stephen Wiley, who told The News & Observer Wednesday afternoon in a call that hes created that and other websites focusing on Democratic candidates. The website as of Wednesday at 7 p.m. said that Jackson has a decades-long record of ignoring basic safety.

From being sued by the City of Chicago for not providing heat to her tenants in winter, to opposing common-sense measures to keep students safe at public schools, said the website as of 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jackson has routinely put her own interests ahead of others.

Jackson calls the website a smear tactic. She said she took full responsibility for issues with a building she bought nearly 20 years ago and no longer owns.

The N.C. House Republicans website cites a March 2024 virtual candidate panel that Jackson participated in where she said metal detectors create an institutionalized environment and really makes children feel more unsafe than anything.

The website also includes a page on Pare and Jackson, where it dubs Jackson a slumlord in Chicago.

The website created by the GOP on Jackson lists complaints lodged against Jackson by people using the nonemergency system 311, which can be accessed via phone, including one for no heat in December 2005. The site links to a document further detailing complaints and legal actions.

Jackson, in an emailed statement in response to N&O questions on whether she disputed anything on the website and the cases cited on it, said that two decades ago, as a 26-year-old in Chicago, I invested in a two-story building to help address the low-income housing crisis. It came with many issues, I took full responsibility and resolved them.

While my opponent, Erin Pare, resorts to smear tactics, I remain focused on solutions. My experience and policies will uplift communities, support working families, and secure a prosperous future for North Carolina, she wrote.

Pare said in an email she had nothing to do with the creation of the website and that this issue isnt about a website, its about my opponents record of outright neglect of her tenants and what that record says about her as a candidate and a person.

My focus is on my record of accomplishment, and the work I will continue to do to solve problems and boost the quality of life for the people of District 37, she said.

The N&O reviewed the documents on this website, and other ones provided by Wiley, as well as records found independently regarding Jacksons time in Chicago. Heres what we found.

No heat in winter claim

According to Cook County, Illinois, documents, Jackson purchased a multi-family property in that county in November 2004 via a mortgage. She sold that property  which records show had two floors and two apartments  in early 2013 after receiving a foreclosure notice in 2012.

Before selling that property, Jackson faced multiple legal actions brought against her. But the N&O could not find any lawsuit brought by the city of Chicago for failure to provide heat to tenants in the winter, which the NCGOP website alleges. Instead, there is a 311 complaint alleging no heat in winter.

Asked about this, Wiley told The N&O via text that he had not promoted the website with ads yet and that it was a quick placeholder to get something up then go back and finish. He told The N&O Wednesday evening he was editing the website to reflect the proper language.

The website now says Jackson has a decades-long record of ignoring basic safety. From being sued by the City of Chicago for unsafe living conditions for her tenants ...

He said that everything that had been sent to voters clarifies multiple complaints were filed and she was fined and sued by the city of Chicago, while listing the complaints. Wiley said a few mailers on Jacksons past in Chicago have already been sent out, including about a month ago. He said there would likely be more sent out.

He shared a picture via text of that mailer, which shows a picture of Jackson over a manila folder that says a record of negligence and irresponsibility. Under Jacksons picture, the mailer reads slumlord Jackson. The back of that mailer says Jackson left tenants with no hot water, no heat and exposed wiring.

Legal actions, complaints

Legal cases filed against Jackson included an administrative case by the city of Chicago that led to a hearing on May 7, 2007, and a judgment for failing to supply hot water meeting municipal code requirements.

Documents show she was ordered to pay $525, then later released from the judgment. It was not clear if that was because it was paid.

She also faced a lawsuit at the property in May 2006, filed by the city of Chicago for building code violations.

In a judgment in that case, Jackson was ordered to pay $3,560, plus $60 in court costs and a settlement amount of $500 in January 2007.

Documents show that judgment was for a failure, from December 2005 and on numerous occasions afterward, to comply with a city code requiring an exit be equipped with door lock hardware which allows the door to open without key or special knowledge from side of egress.

All of these cases are listed on the NCGOPs website about Jackson, as well as a slew of non-emergency building code and housing violation complaints logged about Jacksons property between 2005 and 2012.

There were two complaints logged in 2005 about Jacksons address. Wiley shared with The N&O the 311 complaints. These were obtained via a request to the city of Chicago, says the NCGOPs website.

Complaints in 2005 included one on Dec. 17 alleging no heat at all at the property.

The complaint, which was listed as completed on Dec. 27, 2005, also said children were affected. The complainants name was redacted. The complaint listed the owner of the property as Sarafina Jackson.

Another complaint, also on Dec. 17, said the lights were constantly going out in the entire apartment and said there was faulty and exposed wiring, potentially posing a hazard, though no sparks or smoke were present.

The complaint, also completed Dec. 27, 2005, also said there was no maintenance contact. It again listed Sarafina Jackson as the owner and the complainants name is redacted.

A Sept. 8, 2006, complaint said there was no hot water for three months. This complaint was completed on Sept. 25, 2006. No complainant was listed and the owner of the property was listed as Safiyah Jackson.

There was a final complaint on Aug. 7, 2012, at Jacksons property for a vacant or abandoned lot. Its status was changed to completed and building occupied on July 16, 2013.

Wiley noted that several complaints were all within pretty quick succession.

No heat, despite tenant paying for it, children affected is pretty significant there, especially when shes trying to make her platform about advocating for children, he said.

Jacksons LinkedIn website shows years of experience working in early childhood care and policy, including almost four years as the chief strategy officer for The North Carolina Partnership for Children, a nonprofit organization which oversees the Smart Start initiative, helping families obtain child care. She still holds that role, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Jackson has masters degrees in Business Administration from Florida A&M University, Early Childhood from National Louis University (NLU) and School Psychology from NLU, according to her website.

Under the Dome

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On the day the International Longshoremens Association (ILA) began their two-day wage scale meetings to hash out final contract demands to present to their employers, union brass once again reiterated that East and Gulf Coast port dockworkers most definitely will hit the streets on Oct. 1 if they dont get a new deal.

In a video posted on the ILAs website Wednesday, the father-son duo of international president Harold Daggett and executive vice president Dennis Daggett addressed the stalled contract negotiations with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), and the unions positioning. The contract expires Sept. 30.

More from Sourcing Journal

We cant even get past the economics of the contract, the younger Daggett said. We are very, very far apart.

A report from the Wall Street Journal says the ILA wants a six-year deal that includes a 77 percent pay increase for its 45,000 workers. But the union has kept its lips shut on what their full demands.

Such a port strike would be highly disruptive to the global supply chain just ahead of the holiday season, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc told reporters at an event at the Port of Los Angeles on Aug. 27. These would include supply chain delays and cargo backlogs that would take nearly a week to clear out even if work stopped for just one day.

If suddenly you create a big traffic jam because of a strike on a market as big and consequential as the U.S. East Coast and Gulf, its going to have serious ripple effects across not only the U.S., but across other geographies, Clerc said.

President Daggett, who was an ILA member during the unions previous strike in 1977, has global ambitions beyond the East and Gulf Coasts. In perhaps a bit of rhetoric designed to pressure negotiations, he said his next step after striking a new deal would be to form an alliance with every dockworker union around the world to combat the growth of automation projects at global ports.

The only way we can fight this is by having this alliance, said the brash ILA president. Lets say [Maersk] wants to go into Chile and build a fully automated terminal. Well, if thats going to happen, this alliance now will kick in and we will shut down Maersk throughout the worldNow we might shut them down for three weeks to send them a strong message. None of your ships are going to move.

Including the automation and economic concerns like wages and benefits, theres a third sticking point in the negotiations surrounding right of control work, and whether the union is supposed to work in certain jurisdictions and situations.

Theres a right of control issue here, because carriers and terminal operators believe that they relinquish all responsibility once a container is [moved] out of the terminal. We dont believe that is the case, Dennis Daggett said. Now the economics are the sexy issue. That is what our members need and what they deserve. But for me personally, if we dont resolve that issue, they can pay us $100 an hour, and it doesnt matter. We wont have jobs in the future.

A major difference between the current negotiations and prior ILA-USMX talks is that the union wants agreements for all local contracts before a master deal is finalized.

In February, the ILA gave local unions a May 17 deadline to complete the bargaining talks at the individual ports. But that hit a major snag in some hubs that sent the wider negotiations to a standstill, namely the Port of Mobile, over the use of an automated gate that the younger Daggett called a violation of the contract.

I think the mistakes that we made in the past as a union is we spent so much time and energy negotiating the master contract that we negotiated the locals after the fact, Daggett said. At that time, the employers didnt have the appetite or the energy to negotiate with us, and there was a no strike clause in the massive contract, so I think they took advantage of that. So with this go-around, because the USMX wasnt prepared enough, we thought outside the box.

Daggett believes the switch in negotiating tactics is why the meetings have seemed so contentious.

The ILA has already resolved a local agreements at the Ports of Virginia and Boston, according to the executive vice president. But at the time of the videos filming, which was almost 60 days from the expiration of the contract, contracts at the Port of Philadelphia and Florida ports in Miami, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville had yet to be resolved.

If you dont sit down at least three times a year with the other side and talk about issues and problems, these things fester, Daggett said. By the end of the contractand in this case, a six-year terma lot of animosity builds up.

On Tuesday, the National Retail Federation yet again called on both parties to return to the negotiating table. The trade association called for a resumption of negotiations in January during their first impasse, and was part of a 158-member coalition letter in June that urged the Biden administration to work with both parties to hammer out a deal.

While drama persists on the eastern seaboard, more potential labor action could take place at West Coast ports up in Canada.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) representing 730 foremen at British Columbias ports say 96 percent of members voted to authorize strike action if necessary in an ongoing labor dispute with port employers.

However, no 72-hour strike or lockout notice has been issued.

The union initially sought to strike in July, but were blocked by Canadas labor board since they only wanted to bargain with one employer, DP World, rather than take an industry-wide vote. Their last agreement with the B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) expired more than a year ago, in March 2023.
By Helen Reid, Nicholas P. Brown and Simon Jessop

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investor pressure on Nike is building ahead of Tuesday's annual shareholder meeting, with Norway's sovereign wealth fund pledging to back a resolution demanding the company consider ways it can improve working conditions at garment factories.

Nike is struggling with sliding sales and also faces criticisms over its supply chain. Investment research firm MSCI downgraded its ESG (environmental, social and governance) rating for Nike in 2022 and 2023, and rates it as a "laggard" on supply chain labour standards.

The resolution proposed by a group of investors including Domini Impact Equity Fund says current approaches in the industry "often fail to identify and remedy persistent rights abuses such as wage theft, inadequate health and safety or gender-based violence".

Domini was among more than 60 investors last year to sign a joint letter to Nike urging it to pay $2.2 million in wages to workers at suppliers in Cambodia and Thailand whom rights groups said were denied severance pay owed to them after factory shutdowns during the pandemic. Reuters could not independently verify the allegations, and Nike has denied them.

In a statement, Nike said its corporate governance team had been in touch with all the co-filers of the resolution.

"We greatly value the opportunity to engage with and solicit feedback from our shareholders, and we believe that maintaining an open dialogue strengthens our approach to corporate governance practices and disclosures," it said.

The resolution reflects a push from some investors for Nike to create binding agreements with workers at factories and suppliers in countries where worker exploitation is a problem.

It asks Nike to consider whether binding agreements with workers would improve its ability to address human rights issues when sourcing from high-risk countries.

Nike sources from five factories in Pakistan, according to its own supply chain disclosures, yet it is not a signatory to the Pakistan Accord, a binding health and safety agreement between workers' unions and brands that peers including Adidas and Puma have signed.

'TOTAL SILENCE'

Several investors told Reuters that Nike's lack of response to the 2023 letter, and to requests for meetings, were concerning.

"The total silence is the thing that worries me," said Frank Wagemans, senior engagement specialist at Achmea Investment Management in the Netherlands. "We signed the joint investor letter last year, we also reached out to Nike ourselves and we didn't get a reply which was quite astonishing to me because supply chain is probably the key ESG topic for Nike."

Story continues

The decision by Norway's fund, Nike's ninth biggest shareholder, went against recommendations by Nike's management for shareholders to reject the resolution.

Nike has also urged shareholders to reject a separate proposal from investor Tulipshare, which urges Nike to assess the effectiveness of its supply chain management.

Tulipshare made the same proposal at last year's shareholder meeting, where it won support from 11.7% of voters. Norway's fund has said it will not support the Tulipshare proposal.

Shareholder advisory firms Glass Lewis and ISS also recommended voting against both resolutions.

Frankfurt-based Union Investment said it would back both proposals.

"We would like to see concrete efforts to enhance Nike's understanding of gaps in its strategies to mitigate legal, reputational, and human rights risks," said Janina Bartkewitz, ESG expert and analyst at Union Investment.

"Protecting vulnerable workers is of paramount importance."

Marie Payne, responsible investment officer at Cardano in London, said new regulations like the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive increased the need for companies to strengthen supply chain practices and to report on their efforts.

If any of the proposals get 20% of votes or more, that would send a signal to Nike that these issues are important to shareholders, said Caroline Boden, director of shareholder advocacy at Mercy Investments.

"Part of the strategy is to get the attention of the company, but another part is to signal to other shareholders that there's a group of investors that perceives this issue as material, and which could pose further risk to the company," she said.

(Reporting by Helen Reid and Simon Jessop in London, Nicholas Brown in New York; Editing by Mark Potter)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGN)  When staying in a hotel room, you may find yourself collecting a complimentary souvenir for your next vacation: the mini soap bottles.

Whether its the soap, shampoo, conditioner, or maybe even lotion, it can be hard to resist tucking those into your suitcase.

If youre staying in an Illinois hotel in the coming year, though, you may not find any of those mini bottles waiting for you.

Can TSA stop you for marijuana in your luggage?

A new law, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last month, will ban hotels in the state from providing small, single-use plastic bottles containing personal-care products to lodgers or guests using a hotels public bathroom.

The law, called the Small Plastic Bottle Act, says personal-care products include shampoo, hair conditioner and bath soap intended to be used in the shower and defines a small, single-use bottle as one under 6 ounces thats not intended for re-use.

The law goes into effect beginning July 1, 2025, for hotels with 50 rooms or more and beginning Jan. 1, 2026, for hotels with less than 50 rooms.

A hotel in violation of the law would receive a written warning for a first offense and a fine of up to $1,500 for a second and subsequent offenses.

Why you should leave a shoe in the hotel room safe

However, the law says a hotel may still provide personal-care products in small, single-use plastic bottles at no charge to a person, but only upon request at a place other than a room or public bathroom.

According to Illinois Policy, state hotels will be expected to transition to refillable containers when the law goes into effect.

Illinois Policy also notes that Washington, New York, and California have enacted similar laws, and that the Illinois General Assembly previously had a bill intended to ban Styrofoam containers, but only a partial ban passed that applies to just state facilities and agencies.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Nicole Cacal, founder and CEO of Forbes Ignite, has a vision for how artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape business landscapes in Hawaii over the next 5 to 15 years.

Her perspectives offer a glimpse into a future where technology is seamlessly integrated into daily business practices, driven by ethical considerations and human-centered design.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

AIs transformative impact on business

Cacal highlighted that AI is rapidly evolving from a set of tools to an integral part of decision-making processes.

In her view, AI will soon function as an invisible assistant, aiding businesses by analyzing data and suggesting optimal customer engagement strategies without manual intervention.

She noted, AI is quickly moving from just being a set of tools to becoming a seamless part of how we make decisions every day.

Looking ahead, Cacal anticipated significant changes in industries. For instance, she described a future retail experience where store layouts and product recommendations are tailored to individual customers in real-time, enhancing the shopping journey.

AI will transform industries by making systems more personalized, empathetic, and responsive, she explained.

Balancing efficiency with empathy

One of Cacals core beliefs is that while AI can increase efficiency, it must also preserve the human element in business interactions.

She emphasized the importance of balancing technological advancements with empathy.

Its crucial to balance efficiency with empathy, making sure that we dont lose the human touch, she stated.

This balance is essential for businesses to remain relatable and genuine in their customer interactions, even as AI takes on more operational roles.

Ethical considerations and human-centered design

Cacal is a strong advocate for ethical AI development. She stressed that technology should be designed with a deep understanding of human needs and cultural values.

The best technology is the kind that actually meets peoples real needs, she said.

She also pointed out that AI should respect and enhance cultural values rather than merely pushing technological boundaries.

The ethical use of AI is crucial, especially in sectors like education and healthcare. Cacal shared her belief that AI should be used to bridge gaps, such as those between rural and urban areas.

For example, AI-driven telemedicine could bring specialist care to remote communities, reducing the need for travel and making healthcare more accessible.

Preparing the workforce for an AI-driven future

To adapt to an AI-driven future, Cacal advocated for a focus on adaptability and lifelong learning.

She highlighted that while technical skills are important, emotional intelligence and creativity will distinguish individuals in an AI-enhanced world.

AI is great at processing data, but it cannot replicate human creativity or emotional intelligence, she pointed out.

In Hawaii, Cacal believes that combining technical knowledge with cultural and environmental insights will be key.

She stressed the need for reskilling programs to help workers transition into roles where they collaborate with AI, maximizing both human and machine capabilities.

The role of education

Cacal, who teaches at Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute, emphasized the importance of integrating AI into educational curriculums to enhance critical thinking skills.

She compared AI to calculators, noting that while they change how tasks are done, they also offer new opportunities.

I encourage students to use AI tools and show their work, similar to how they would demonstrate their calculations in math, she said.

This approach helps students understand the technology while developing critical thinking skills.

Additionally, Cacal advocates for interdisciplinary education that combines AI with ethics, social sciences, and environmental studies.

She believes that such a well-rounded education will prepare students to handle the complexities of working with AI and its societal impacts.

AI and Hawaiis unique challenges

Hawaiis unique geographical and cultural landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for AI.

Cacal pointed out that AI could help address issues like food security and supply chain management, which are critical for the states self-sufficiency.

She noted, AI can optimize local food production and reduce the need for imports while enhancing food security.

In terms of economic disparities, Cacal sees AI as a tool that can help small businesses compete with larger mainland companies.

By offering AI-driven business insights and customer management tools, local entrepreneurs can thrive and contribute to community-based growth.

Community engagement and real-world impact

Cacal advocates for applying AI in ways that have a tangible impact on communities. She believes that hands-on experience with real-world projects is crucial for understanding AIs practical applications.

Working on real-world projects shows how AI can solve local problems and create value, she explained. This approach not only builds skills but also demonstrates AIs positive impact on the community.

Moreover, Cacal encourages students and professionals to stay curious and connected within the AI community.

Building a strong network and being open to new developments will be crucial for adapting to the rapidly evolving field of AI.

The future of knowledge sharing

Regarding generative AI, Cacal discussed its implications for knowledge sharing and information dissemination.

She observed that while AI tools like chatbots and generative models can streamline information access, they also risk homogenizing knowledge.

You might start seeing a homogenization of information because of how AI systems are trained and what data they use, she noted.

However, she also acknowledged that AI can help users discover niche topics and connect with like-minded individuals.

Emphasizing diverse perspectives

Finally, Cacal emphasized the need for diverse perspectives in AI development. She stressed that incorporating a wide range of lived experiences into AI design is crucial for creating technologies that genuinely meet human needs.

Subject matter expertise includes lived experiences, and this diversity is essential for designing effective solutions, she said.

Nicole Cacal envisions a future where AI enhances business operations in Hawaii while respecting cultural values and ethical considerations.

You can click here to learn more about Forbes Ignite.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

By focusing on human-centered design, fostering adaptability, and preparing the workforce through interdisciplinary education, Hawaii can leverage AI to address its unique challenges and opportunities, paving the way for a more resilient and equitable future.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Washington state is home to 15 species of bats and Washington authorities are urgently hunting down new cases of white-nose syndrome that is attacking bats during hibernation.

White-nose syndrome, caused by the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus, attacks the skin of hibernating bats, damaging their wings and covering the muzzles.

The fungus attacks bats in the winter, often forcing them out of hibernation prematurely and depleting their fat reserves at twice the normal rate, resulting in death from starvation.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has detected the spread into 11 new counties making a total of 21 counties affected.

The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome was detected in Clallam, Clark, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Kitsap, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Whatcom counties for the first time in 2024, said Abby Tobin, bat species lead for WDFW. In addition, white-nose syndrome was confirmed in Benton and Thurston counties for the first time this year. WDFW and partners continue our measures to survey for and respond to white-nose syndrome in Washington, including testing emerging disease treatments.

The National Park Service (NPS) said that bats catch the fungus from cave surfaces or the mines they use to hibernate or through direct contact with infected bats.

WDFW does not recommend bats be handled, dead or alive, and has a reporting system if people want to report a sick or dead bat.

According to WDFW, the white-nose syndrome does not affect humans but humans can inadvertently spread the fungus through clothing, shoes, or equipment.

Bats play a crucial role in the states economy and environment by consuming pests that harm farm crops and the forest environment.
Yotta Data Services workers unload newly acquired Nvidia H100 chips from a vehicle at the company's data center in Navi Mumbai, India, on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024. Credit - Dhiraj SinghBloomberg/Getty Images

As Asias richest man, Mukesh Ambani, addressed his shareholders during a much-anticipated yearly address last Thursday, he also unveiled JioBrain, a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and applications that he says will transform a spate of businesses in energy, textiles, telecommunications and more that form his multinational conglomerate, Reliance Industries. By perfecting JioBrain within Reliance, we will create a powerful AI service platform that we can offer to other enterprises as well, Ambani said during his speech.

The Reliance Chairmans latest offering comes as India emerges as a crucial player in the global AI ecosystem, boasting a high-powered IT industry worth $250 billion, which serves many of the worlds banks, manufacturers and firms. As the worlds most populous country, India also has a robust workforce population with nearly 5 million programmers at a time when AI talent is in short supply globally, with analysts predicting that Indias AI services could be worth $17 billion by 2027, according to a recent report by Nasscom and BCG.

Puneet Chandok, the President of Microsoft India & South Asia, points to research that finds India has one of the highest AI adoption rates among knowledge workers, with 92% using generative AI at worksignificantly higher than the global average of 75%. These insights highlight the significant impact of AI on the Indian workforce and the proactive steps being taken by both employees and leaders to integrate AI into their daily routines, Chandok says, adding that the company is also powering initiatives that aim to equip 2 million people with AI skills by 2025.

The spotlight on India comes at a time when many countries around the globe are keen to foster their own competing AI systems rather than turning to the U.S. or China. In the last few years, the Indian government has nurtured an ecosystem where global players like Google and Meta, Indian businesses like Reliance Jio and Tata Consulting Services, and homegrown startups can take advantage of its cost-efficient technological landscape.

Indias bottom-up approach to AI

India also aspires to have what Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the former Indian Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, calls sovereign AI, by integrating large-scale models across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and governance to drive economic growth. In March, the government ramped up investment worth $1.25 billion towards an ambitious IndiaAI Mission, which will aid the development of computing infrastructure, startups and the use of AI applications in the public sector.

Interestingly, the government itself is the main driver behind Indias AI transformation, says Jibu Elias, a leading AI researcher and ethicist who helped create IndiaAI. Elias says the push has accelerated since 2020. We want India to be like a global garage for AI tools, especially for the Global South.

The idea is that if you can build tools that address some of the decade-long socio-economic challenges in India, they can be adopted across the globe, he continues.

Its a method that Arvind Gupta, who heads the Digital India Foundation in New Delhi, calls a bottom-up approach: Unlike the Googles and Microsofts of the world, India took it to the next level by building trust in technology with digital public infrastructure, he says. Digital public infrastructure, also known as DPI, is a public-private partnership that was introduced by the government nearly a decade ago by combining technology, governance and civil society. It extends to a biometric identification system, a fast payments system, and consent-based data sharing that now gives Indias 1.4 billion citizens access to public services.

Gupta says DPI is instrumental in giving India an advantage in the global AI race. With 900 million Indians connected to the internet, he points to India being the data capital of the world, which has leapfrogged into the whole culture of artificial intelligence. Thats because much of this data exists in public data sets that companies can use to write their own AI algorithm. You wont see that anywhere else in the world, Gupta says.

Workers unpack the Nvidia H100 chips inside a server room at Yotta Data Services data center. Dhiraj SinghBloomberg/Getty Images

The race to build LLMs as chipmakers eye Indian market

With so much data publicly available, a swath of Indian startups are now racing to build their own large language models or LLMs, which harness generative AI by learning from vast quantities of data. And in a country where people speak more than a dozen languages, India's diverse and multilingual environment makes it an ideal test bed for developing and refining global AI solutions, says Chandok from Microsoft.

In January, Krutrim, an AI startup founded by entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal whose name translators to artificial in Sanskrit, became Indias first unicorn when it secured $50 million in funding from prominent Silicon Valley investors like Lightspeed Venture Partners and billionaire Vinod Khosla. Similarly, Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam recently launched a voice-enabled AI bot that supports more than 10 Indian languages using open-source software after raising $41 million. The government is also supplementing this innovation by building targeted LLMs that can do real-time language translation for citizens accessing public services, Gupta adds.

Still, Indias AI push cant accelerate without computing power and shared resources. To address this gap, last month, the Indian government finalized the procurement of a thousand graphics processing units, or GPUs, to offer computing capacity to AI makers. Last September, the CEO of chipmaker Nvidia, Jensen Huang, visited India to sit down with Modi and tech executives, setting the companys sights on the country as a potential location for chip production as the U.S. increasingly clamps down on the export of high-end chips from China. You have the data, you have the talent, Huang told Modi at the time. This is going to be one of the largest AI markets in the world. This March, the first consignment of Nvidia chips arrived in Indian data centers after the company forged a partnership with Indian cloud services company Yotta, powering its Shakti Cloud as Indias fastest AI supercomputing infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, billionaire-owned Indian companies are eager not to be left behind. In July, India's largest software company, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), heavily invested in a generative AI project pipeline exceeding $1.5 billion. Gautam Adani, Asias second-richest person, announced a joint venture with UAE in December to explore AI and diversify into digital services.

And as for Ambani, who has urged his employees to accelerate AI transformation across all businesses this year, the goal is clear: We need to be at the forefront of using data, with AI as an enabler for achieving a quantum jump in productivity and efficiency, the billionaire told Reliance employees.

Since then, Jio, Reliances telecommunications business, has worked with the Indian Institute of Technology to launch Bharat GPT, a ChatGPT-style service for Indian users. A video played during a Reliance event demonstrated how the speech-to-text tool would work if successful: a motorcycle mechanic speaks to the AI bot in his native Tamil, a banker uses the tool in Hindi, and a developer in Hyderabad writes computer code in Telegu.

Its like the Indian joint family, said Ganesh Ramakrishnan, the chair of IIT Bombays computer science and engineering department. We are interdependent, and we do better together.

Write to Astha Rajvanshi at astha.rajvanshi@time.com.
In this handout photo provided by the Philippine Senate Social Media Unit, then Bamban Mayor, Alice Guo, speaks during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality inquiry on the alleged human trafficking and cyber fraud operation in Angeles, Pampanga province held at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City, Philippines on May 22, 2024. Guo, a dismissed town mayor who fled from the Philippines after being accused of helping establish an illegal online gaming and scam center that catered mostly to clients in China, has been arrested near Indonesia's capital, officials said Wednesday Sept. 4, 2024. (Joseph Vidal/Philippine Senate Social Media Unit via AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesia on Thursday deported a dismissed Philippine town mayor accused in Manila of helping establish an illegal online gaming and scam center and evading an investigation by the Philippine Senate.

Alice Guo, 34, will continue her legal process in Manila, according to a written statement from Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Ministrys Directorate General of Immigration.

Indonesian police arrested Guo Tuesday in the outskirts of Jakarta. In exchange, Indonesian authorities hope that the Philippines will repatriate Australian Gregor Johann Haas, one of Indonesias most-wanted drug suspects, who was arrested in central Philippines in May.

Guo was scheduled to undergo a medical checkup at the police headquarters before being handed to the Philippine Senate.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked Indonesia Wednesday for the arrest of Guo, who was accused in the Philippines of helping establish an illegal online gaming and scam center catering mostly to clients in China.

Guo was also accused of being a Chinese spy and of faking her Filipino citizenship, which allowed her to be elected in 2022 as mayor of the rural town of Bamban in Tarlac province north of Manila.

Guo, who denied wrongdoing, was dismissed from her post for grave misconduct by the Ombudsman, a Philippine agency that investigates and prosecutes government officials accused of crimes including graft and corruption.

After Guo fled the Philippines in July, she was tracked in Malaysia and Singapore before turning up in Indonesia. Two companions, who reportedly slipped out of the Philippines with her, were recently arrested in Indonesia and immediately deported to the Philippines.

In July, Marcos ordered a ban on widespread and mostly Chinese-run online gaming operations, accusing them of involvement in human trafficking, torture, kidnappings and murder.

Khrisna Murti, chief of the international division of the national police, said Wednesday in Jakarta that exchange efforts are still being negotiated" over the return of Haas.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil flew to Jakarta Thursday to hold talks with their Indonesian counterparts.

Asked about the reported detainee swap, Indonesian Ambassador to Manila Agus Widjojo told the state-run Peoples Television Network that the talks have only just started Thursday.

Haas, reportedly the father of a rugby star in Australia, has been described by the Bureau of Immigration in Manila as a a high-profile fugitive for being an alleged member of the Sinaloa cartel, a large international organized crime syndicate based in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico that specializes in drug trafficking and money laundering activities.

Indonesian authorities alleged that in December Haas tried to smuggle into Indonesia a shipment of floor ceramics filled with more than five kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant which is prohibited in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Australia, which had abolished the death penalty, is concerned that Haas may potentially face capital punishment if hes repatriated to Indonesia, a Philippine official told the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

Under Indonesias strict drug law, Haas could face the death penalty by firing squad.

Australias extradition law doesnt allow anyone to be extradited to a country that would execute that person regardless of nationality.

__

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia are contributed to this report.
FILE PHOTO: Annual State of the Nation Address, ahead of the country's Independence Day, in Jakarta

By Fransiska Nangoy and Bernadette Christina

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia President Joko Widodo on Thursday urged developed nations to invest in energy transition and climate solutions in the country, flaunting its huge potential for renewable energy project and carbon mitigation.

Jokowi, as the outgoing president is popularly known, said the Southeast Asian nation has over 3,600 gigawatts of renewable energy potential that could be developed as well as 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) of mangroves that could absorb up to 12 times the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by tropical rain forests.

"All these will not give significant impact, as long as developed nations do not dare to invest, as long as research and development are not widely shared, and as long as affordable funding schemes are not given to emerging countries," he told participants of the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum in Jakarta.

He said the climate issues cannot be solved while investors are focused on economic calculations.

Indonesia has secured a $20 billion funding pledge under the Just Energy Transition Partnership scheme led by the Group of Seven countries, but actualisation of the financing has been minimal so far.

Resource-rich Indonesia, which is aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, is open to partner with anyone to develop the green projects, including investments in "green industrial estates", Jokowi said.

Indonesia has identified around 400 projects that need financing in order to reach its climate goals, senior cabinet minister Luhut Pandjaitan said at the same event.

(Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy and Bernadette Christina Munthe; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Frencken Group is S$2.32 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of S$1.25 suggests Frencken Group is potentially 46% undervalued

Our fair value estimate is 33% higher than Frencken Group's analyst price target of S$1.74

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Frencken Group Limited (SGX:E28) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex.

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Frencken Group

The Calculation

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (SGD, Millions) -S$20.6m S$76.5m S$74.5m S$73.5m S$73.4m S$73.7m S$74.5m S$75.5m S$76.7m S$78.0m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -2.70% Est @ -1.24% Est @ -0.22% Est @ 0.49% Est @ 0.99% Est @ 1.34% Est @ 1.59% Est @ 1.76% Present Value (SGD, Millions) Discounted @ 8.3% -S$19.0 S$65.2 S$58.6 S$53.4 S$49.2 S$45.7 S$42.6 S$39.8 S$37.3 S$35.1

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = S$408m

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 8.3%.

Story continues

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034  (1 + g)  (r  g) = S$78m (1 + 2.2%)  (8.3% 2.2%) = S$1.3b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= S$1.3b ( 1 + 8.3%)10= S$582m

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is S$990m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of S$1.3, the company appears quite undervalued at a 46% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Frencken Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.3%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.104. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

SWOT Analysis for Frencken Group

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Machinery market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Singaporean market.

Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Frencken Group, there are three important elements you should look at:

Financial Health: Does E28 have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for E28's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the SGX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
A memo that the Trump campaign sent to its entire staff warning them against speaking to the press was itself leaked on Wendesday, The Daily Beast reported.

The leaked email was signed by Trump co-campaign chairs Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles and was first obtained by NBC News and later posted on X by a reporter for Puck News.

You should not be independently speaking or communicating with any members of the press  on or off the record, the email warned staff. We have done a great job at preventing leaks, and that has been because everyone knows what the policy is and what we expect from everyone. Information is power  and the press doesnt give a damn if you lose your job because you spoke out of school, the email read alluding to the termination of employees who didnt adhere to guidelines.

The message alerted the staff of what is at stake should something compromising come out about their boss, Donald Trump.

If just one of us goes off course, it jeopardizes not only the team but also President Trump and Republicans up and down the ballot, the message continued, Huff Post reported.

As the Puck reporter, Tara Palmeri, noted in her post: there must be a hot story in the works to warrant such a warning being sent out.
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (WFRV)  An initial autopsy has been completed on the human remains that were discovered in southwestern Wisconsin on Monday, and officers say that further testing will be needed to determine the potential cause of death.

According to a Facebook post from the Platteville Police Department, officers are continuing their investigation into the human remains that were found on September 2 in a heavily wooded area west of Milwaukee Street by two passersby.

Complaint: Man at Green Bay Correctional admitted to killing fellow inmate because he was bored, details released

Officers say that the initial autopsy did not reveal any outward signs of trauma or information which would point to an obvious cause of death, and further testing will be done to try and determine the potential cause of death.

It was, however, revealed that the remains reportedly belonged to an adult, white male, but due to the conditions that the remains were in, officers say that it might be near impossible to determine the cause of death with absolute certainty.

DPAA: World War II soldier from Wisconsin accounted for

The incident is believed to have been isolated and authorities say there is no ongoing threat or danger to the community. No additional details were provided.

Local 5 will update this story when new information is released.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
MERIDEN (KSNT)  Jefferson West Superintendent Brad Neuenswander gave 27 News a tour of their facilities where renovations are needed.

The district is proposing a bond initiative to bring in more tax dollars for upgrades. Something they havent done for quite some time, according to Neuenswander.

When we talk about, you only do this once a generation, Neuenswander said, the last bond issue we had of this nature was 30 years ago.

Capital city leaders to finalize 2025 operating budget

The superintendent said school funding can be complicated, but that the gist is USD 340 currently ranks in the bottom 7% of all schools in Kansas for community financial contributions.

Were about 12-15 mills less than a lot of our neighbors, He said, just because the neighbors that have higher, is because they have a bond issue.

Neuenswander says a lot of research went into weighing the districts biggest needs against the burden on taxpayers. They ultimately settled on a plan that would cost the districts average homeowner $1.10 per day.

Among the most pressing needs are creating secure entrances at the middle school and an early childhood center, which are two features theyre currently lacking.

Popular Lawrence sunflower field nearing full bloom

The best dollar to spend on education is early childhood, He said. We want every kid when they enter kindergarten to be at a level playing field. Its one of the largest learning gaps we have.

A facilities committee was formed to lead the initiative. Neuenswander said their goal is to create a safer, more effective learning environment.

They want our kids, our staff, and our community to have a sense of pride, he said, to be a Jeff West Tiger.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, front, lost his reelection bid in an Aug. 27 primary runoff, but an investigation he convened into the Oklahoma State Department of Education will continue despite his election results. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  An investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Education will proceed despite the House lawmaker overseeing it losing his reelection bid.

The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency already started its review of Education Department funds and intends to continue the inquiry, the agencys interim director, Regina Birchum, said. LOFT is a small state agency that examines Oklahomas spending of taxpayer funds and management of public programs, and it makes budget recommendations to the Legislature.

I can confirm that the evaluation has begun and we are proceeding with the expectation we will complete the work, Birchum told Oklahoma Voice.

Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, convened the investigation last month after Republican lawmakers raised numerous concerns and disagreements with the Education Departments handling of school funds. Among their objections are complaints that the agency failed to properly distribute money to districts for asthma inhalers and school security.

Wallaces loss in an Aug. 27 primary runoff election will not impact LOFTs investigation, House spokesperson Tori Garrett said.

Chairman Wallace hopes to see the investigation concluded as soon as possible, Garrett said.

Wallaces term will end in November. He leads the influential House Appropriations and Budget Committee and is the co-chairperson of a panel of lawmakers overseeing LOFT.

The LOFT Oversight Committee might provide additional information about the Education Department probe at its next meeting Wednesday, Birchum said. The committee is scheduled to hear a LOFT report on the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority that day, according to a meeting notice.

That committee will have significant turnover in the coming months. A combination of primary election losses, term limits and voluntary departures from public office mean half of the committee wont be back for the 2025 Legislative Session.

Returning committee member Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said she expects the investigation to continue despite the committee turnover and hopes LOFT can provide answers to whether Oklahoma schools are receiving all the funds they are owed.

I wish it had started earlier, but I think better now than never, especially when youre talking about following the money, Kirt said. I mean, the sooner the better on getting things transparent and held accountable.

However, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, has said the senators on the committee should recuse from any meetings about the LOFT investigation to avoid a conflict of interest if we have to act on the findings.

If the investigation reveals grounds for impeachment against the Education Departments head, state Superintendent Ryan Walters, the Senate would act as a court of impeachment that decides whether removal from office is justified. The House first would have to draw up articles of impeachment and prepare a case to argue before the Senate.

House lawmakers will oversee the LOFT investigation while the Senate will stand ready to respond to any of the findings, Treat said after the inquiry was announced.

Echoing other legislative Democrats, Kirt said she would prefer to start impeachment proceedings right away to get to the bottom of lawmakers concerns and to establish a formal legal finding. Some House Republicans also voiced support for investigating whether Walters has committed impeachable offenses.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, quickly nixed the impeachment idea and instead authorized Wallace to call a LOFT investigation.

Walters himself dared House lawmakers to convene impeachment hearings against him, accusing his GOP critics of spreading lies about him for political gain. He said he has no issues working with LOFT again.

The watchdog agency recently reviewed the Education Departments grant funds  an inquiry that found Walters administration left $1.4 million in unused money on the table when it chose to end two competitive grant programs early.

We had a great working relationship with (LOFT), Walters said in an Aug. 16 news conference. We were very open.

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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Trumbull County Sheriffs Office has contacted the FBI to assist in an investigation where more than $100,000 in tax dollars were transferred to a fraudulent bank account posing as Bazetta Township.



According to a report from the Sheriffs Office, Bazettas fiscal officer reported on September 3, that the township had been waiting on transactions from the county Auditors Office and had not received it. The townships fiscal officer found emails dating back to August 9 from an unknown sender instructing an auditors office employee that the townships bank account had changed and provided a new account number. The unknown sender successfully intercepted eight transactions from the auditors office made out to Bazetta Township for a total of $160,857.18.



On September 3, 2024, my office became aware of irregularities with emails received by my office, Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder said in a statement to First News. The matter is now under investigation by law enforcement, and I cannot comment further due to the pending investigation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
FILE - This undated Yewdall family photo provided by attorney James Pepper shows Cheryl Yewdall, a woman with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities who died in January 2022. (Yewdall Family/Courtesy of Pepper Law via AP, File)

The Pennsylvania attorney generals office plans to test DNA from a hair found on a wipe that was pulled from the throat of a woman who lived at a care home for people with developmental difficulties.

The testing is part of a renewed criminal investigation into Cheryl Yewdalls choking death in Philadelphia nearly three years ago, according to court documents filed Thursday.

Staff discovered Yewdall lying face down on the floor with blue lips and in a pool of urine. She was taken to a hospital but died five days later. The medical examiners office said it couldnt determine how the 7-by-10-inch (18-by-25-centimeter) wipe got into her airway, leaving unresolved whether the 50-year-old's death on Jan. 31, 2022, was accidental or a homicide. No charges have been filed.

Yewdalls family have been seeking answers to what befell her, and they welcomed the developments.

Cheryls mom is very happy that the attorney generals office has taken this further necessary step to find out what happened to her daughter at Merakey. She wants  and deserves  answers," family attorney James Pepper said.

A $15 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by Yewdalls mother casts suspicion on an unidentified staff member at the Merakey Woodhaven facility in Philadelphia. Attorneys for the family recently asked a judge to order DNA testing on a strand of hair that was stuck to the corner of the wipe  a potentially important piece of evidence missed by city homicide investigators. A pathologist for the family detected the hair by magnifying police evidence photos of the wipe.

After being served with a subpoena, the city agreed to send the wipe and hair to a laboratory of the familys choosing. Instead, the state attorney general's office stepped in and took control of the evidence, just three months after the family's lawyers said in court documents that state and city investigators had seemed unwilling to perform any such DNA testing.

I recently learned that the Attorney General is proceeding with DNA testing the hair in question under the umbrella of their criminal investigation duties, Philadelphia's deputy city solicitor, Andrew Pomager, wrote to Pepper on Wednesday. I cannot interfere with the criminal investigation of this evidence, so will not be proceeding with the plan" to send it to the family's lab.

On Thursday, Pepper withdrew his motion to compel production of the wipe and hair, attaching Pomager's letter to his legal filing. Pepper cited the pending criminal investigation" as the reason for dropping his demand for private DNA testing.

The attorney generals office said through a spokesperson that it would neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation."

Merakey, a large provider of developmental, behavioral health and education services with more than 8,000 employees in a dozen states, has denied any wrongdoing in Yewdall's death. The company calls suggestions that one of its employees might have killed Yewdall by jamming a wad of paper down her throat patently false.

In a legal filing this week, Merakey's lawyers contended that the wipe pulled from Yewdall's windpipe is not used in the Woodhaven facility. They suggested that emergency medical technicians who rushed Yewdall to the hospital were to blame, noting COVID-19 protocols at the time required medical providers to "take additional steps for sanitation.

At no time did any employee of Merakey intentionally try to cause harm to Cheryl Yewdall," the lawyers wrote. Further, it is the position of Merakey this wipe did not get placed in Cheryl Yewdalls mouth during involvement with Merakey employees and is believed to have come from after she left the facility.

Yewdall's lawyers said their expert will testify that the wipe was present when EMTs arrived on the scene, and that someone had jammed it down her throat.

It is clear this wipe was forced into Cheryls throat by an employee at Merakey, Pepper and another lawyer, Joseph Cullen Jr., wrote in a legal filing last week.

A trial in the wrongful death suit is scheduled for next year.

Yewdall, who had cerebral palsy and serious intellectual disabilities, lived at Woodhaven for four decades. Evidence previously uncovered by the family shows that Yewdall suffered a broken leg that went undiagnosed, and had other injuries at Woodhaven in the year leading up to her death. In last week's court filing, the plaintiffs revealed a doctor's hand-drawn image of Yewdall that showed her with a black eye and facial bruising and swelling months before her death. Merakey said it happened in a fall.

Yewdall, who had limited verbal skills, often repeated words and phrases she heard other people say, a condition called echolalia. In a conversation recorded by Yewdalls sister, the family's 2022 lawsuit notes, Yewdall blurted out: Listen to me, a. Settle down baby. Im going to kill you if you dont settle down. Im going to kill you, a.

Pepper has said Yewdalls outburst implied she had heard those threats at Woodhaven.

Merakey, based in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, plans to close Woodhaven in January and relocate dozens of residents to smaller community-based homes. It has said the closure is in line with state policy and a long-term national shift away from larger institutions.
What Iran's ballistic missiles, in Russia's hands, could mean for Ukraine

Iran has delivered ballistic missiles to Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 6, a move the U.S. has described as a "dramatic escalation" in Tehran's support for Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine.

The White House said it was "alarmed" by reports of the transfer, but what the news actually means and the implications for Ukraine aren't exactly clear just yet.

Reports of Iran supplying ballistic missiles to Russia have been circulating for a while and haven't always agreed on some important points.

As far back as October 2022, the Washington Post (WP) reported Iran was preparing a first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar short-range ballistic missiles.

Missiles and drones are exhibited for people on the side of the road in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2024. (Hossein Beris / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)

In February of this year, Reuters reported Russia had already received "at least four shipments of missiles" from Iran.

And then earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Iran would only begin shipping the weapons "in a matter of days."

To date, no Iranian ballistic missiles are known to have been fired at Ukraine by Russia, though its cities have been under attack from Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones since October 2022.

Adding to the confusion, more recent reports have mentioned the possibility of Iran shipping two types of close-range missiles, the Ababil and the Fath-360, with Russian personnel allegedly already training in their use in Iran.

"There are still lots of open questions," Fabian Hinz, a research fellow for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told the Kyiv Independent.

"But the big question is what type of system (would Iran supply)  would they be more strategic or more tactical?" The answer to this question has profound implications for Ukraine. Tactical systems would potentially pose more of a threat for Ukraine's Armed Forces.

The Ababil and the Fath-360 have ranges of 86 kilometers and 120 kilometers respectively, which limits the targets Russia could use them against to those relatively close to its borders and the front lines.

"It's more likely they'd be used on targets related to action on the front line, military targets, logistics centers, command posts, barracks, fuel depots  these are the kind of targets you'd strike with a tactical missile," Hinz said.

The Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar short-range ballistic missiles have ranges of 300km and 700km respectively, and are classed as strategic.

If Iran is supplying these to Russia, it could "basically hit the depth of Ukraine," Hinz said.

"The range of the Zolfaghar is actually slightly more than the Russian Iskander," he adds.

"So you could use these to target critical infrastructure all over the country."

The range and devastation caused by ballistic missiles with this range has been grimly illustrated just this week  it is believed Russian Iskanders were used in the attack on Poltava on Sept. 3 which killed at least 55 people.

State Emergency Service staff working on the site of a Russian missile attack against Poltava, Ukraine. Photo published on Sept. 5, 2024. (State Emergency Service/Telegram)

And it's worth noting that even the shortest-range Iranian ballistic missile could reach cities such as Kharkiv, located just 30 kilometers from the Russian border.

Regardless of the type that is supplied, Finz points out that due to Iran's extensive missile program, they are capable of "delivering in quantity."

"They have significantly increased their capabilities in recent years and they can just deliver the numbers the Russians want," he adds.

While Russia is not expected to run out of its own ballistic missiles anytime soon, in a war which has dragged on far longer than the Kremlin ever envisaged, Finz said it makes sense for the Kremlin to obtain as many as it can from wherever it can.

And more ballistic missiles will only place more stress on Ukraine's already stretched air defenses, as they're far more difficult to intercept than cruise missiles.

Ballistic missiles are rocket-powered and are launched high into the atmosphere before arcing back down onto their target.

They're only guided during the initial stages of launch, so they can be less accurate than cruise missiles, but have the advantage of reaching incredibly high speeds  sometimes more than 3,200 kilometers per hour  as they approach their targets.

Due to their high speed, only the most advanced air defense systems are capable of shooting them down, the U.S.-made Patriot system being one of them.

Ukraine has at least four Patriots, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said it needs 25 to protect the skies over the entire country.

"These more strategic weapons would basically suck up interceptor missiles, and when it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, you can only use certain systems," Finz said.

"Ukraine has the Patriot air defense system, but the numbers of interceptors are limited so that could potentially be a challenge if you have large numbers of Iranian missiles."

This is a very expensive challenge  one Patriot interceptor missile can cost from $2 million to $4 million, according to reports, roughly the same price as some of the ballistic missiles they shoot down.

There is another factor about Iran's missiles to consider  their accuracy.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Pyongyang, early on June 19, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

In its quest to obtain weapons from its depleted roster of international allies, Russia has already taken delivery of, and used, North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine, though the results have probably not been what the Kremlin was hoping for.

Around half have malfunctioned and exploded in mid-air, Reuters reported on May 7, citing Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office.

And there is evidence to suggest that Iran's may not be much better, with their accuracy and reliability recently called into question after the country's massive aerial attack on Israel in April.

A U.S. assessment shared with the Associated Press (AP) concluded that 50% of the missiles fired by Iran failed at launch or crashed before reaching their target.

And according to a report from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies which was also shared with AP, those that did land, missed their targets by an average of 1,200 meters.

But a missile fired at a target in Ukraine that misses by 1,200 meters, will still hit something else in Ukraine.

"I would assume that even if the accuracy rates aren't that high compared to Western standards, they would still be relatively effective," Finz said.

Read also: With Russia at doorstep, Pokrovsk defense critical for Ukraines Donbas

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This isnt a mystery, why people die: Nicolle Wallace on the American tradition of mass shootings

Dave Cullen, Author of the books Parkland and Columbine and Frank Figliuzzi join Nicolle Wallace with continued reaction from the tragic events that unfolded in a Georgia High School leaving four people dead from a horrific mass shooting.
(Bloomberg) -- Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.s revenue rose 33% in August, accelerating from the previous month thanks to demand for servers powering AI applications.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Apple Inc.s main manufacturing partner, also known as Foxconn, reported sales of NT$548.3 billion ($17.1 billion)  a record for the month of August. That pace was up sharply from growth of 22% in July.

Foxconns topline has begun to recover from a protracted smartphone slump, helped by a growing business supplying data center operators with servers containing Nvidia Corp.s AI accelerators. Last month, it said it expects revenue to grow over the rest of year, reversing successive quarterly declines. The companys shares are up close to 70% in 2024.

Some investors preach caution. Nvidia reported earnings that failed to live up to expectations, triggering a record selloff. And analysts have issued fresh warnings that AIs potential is thus far largely untested and unproven.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says

Nvidias clarification of its scheduled production ramp-up of Blackwell, its next-generation AI GPU platform, in late 2024 helps remove uncertainty over likely growth of the AI server supply chain next year. Despite very limited contribution of the new chips this year, major ODMs such as Hon Hai, Quanta and Wiwynn are set to post triple-digit growth in AI server sales with stellar shipments of systems featuring Hopper chips, Nvidias current mainstream platform, in 2H24.

 Steven Tseng and Sean Chen, analysts

Click here for the research.

Still, Hon Hai has set itself the goal of securing 40% of the global AI server market, relying on relationships with many of the worlds biggest tech companies and its own manufacturing expertise.

The Taiwanese company also benefits from consumer electronics demand, and the addition of AI features and enhancements may encourage mobile users to upgrade their devices. Shipments of the iPhone in China have in recent months have bounced back, and the global smartphone market is recovering. Apple is preparing to unveil the iPhone 16 next week.

Entering the peak season in the second half of the year, we anticipate our operation to gradually gain momentum, the company said in a statement.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

Story continues

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa

The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Thursday said that none of its employees were harmed after shots were fired near the Israeli Consulate General in the southern German city of Munich.

The Foreign Ministry told dpa that a memorial service was being held at the consulate to remember the victims of an infamous terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

Munich police confirmed on the social media platform X that officers shot a "suspicious person" early on Thursday.
The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police officers stand in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday shared his "condemnation and horror" at the attack on police near the Israeli consulate in Munich.

"I want to thank the German security services for their swift action, and send my support to all those targeted," Herzog said on the social media platform X, after a phone call with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The incident in the southern German city - on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre of 11 Israelis during the Olympics Games - saw an armed man killed after shooting at police.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told dpa that none of its employees were harmed in the incident, as the consulate was closed for a memorial service to remember the victims of the attack.

"On the day our brothers and sisters in Munich were set to stand in remembrance of our brave athletes murdered by terrorists 52 years ago, a hate-fuelled terrorist came and once again sought to murder innocent people," Herzog said.

He added: "Together we stand strong in the face of terror. Together we will overcome."

The suspect's motive in Munich remains unclear.

Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Police officers walk down a street at Karolinenplatz looking for clues. The police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation in Munich city center near the Israeli Consulate General. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa
Iowa State University Agrivoltaics project lead professor Ajay Nair picks strawberries at the Alliant Energy Solar Farm at Iowa State on Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Solar panels shone in the light of a clear sky Wednesday morning, occasionally clicking as they followed the suns path. Tucked underneath and around the arrays structure were plants  peppers, strawberries, raspberries, and grapes; even the beginnings of prairie plants, grass and clover.

Bugs flitted about in the breeze, though honey bees were likely staying close to their apiary home near the solar array due to the coolness of the day, said Iowa State University professor Matt ONeal. The bees and other insects pollinate the plants found at the Alliant Energy Solar Farm at Iowa State, where research is conducted into how agriculture and renewable energy production can coexist, also known as agrivoltaics.

The farm is a public-private partnership between the company and university, with both gathering data to learn how to better serve customers and growers.

Funded by a four-year, $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, ISU researchers are exploring how certain crops grow underneath solar panels compared to plots grown outside of the array, among other projects.

Katie Hendrickson, chief of staff at the Department of Energys Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, visited the site Wednesday after speaking with researchers and engineers involved with the project.

Hendrickson said the Department of Energy has provided about $20 million to agrivoltaics projects across the U.S. She said ISUs solar farm is proof that there are creative solutions available to marry agriculture, where the most available land is, and solar energy.

Agrivoltaics, it brings jobs to communities, it diversifies incomes for farmers, so seeing this in action is really cool, Hendrickson said.

Alliant Energy finished construction on the solar array last fall after entering into a 20-year lease with the university for the 10-acre plot of land in 2021, said Alliant Energy Strategic Partnerships Manager Nick Peterson. Interdisciplinary teams of ISU faculty and students began working on the land this spring, starting off a three-year cycle of planting and harvesting broccoli, summer squash, bell peppers, strawberries, honey berries, raspberries, grapes, prairie plants and grasses.

The site houses both fixed and sun-tracking solar panels, Peterson said, producing enough energy to serve between 200-220 households. They are affixed at different heights to create different climates underneath the panels, so plants grown underneath can be compared to one another and energy production can be measured and compared.

ONeal said there are three big questions that all of the research being conducted on the site is seeking to answer: what can be grown under solar panels that is both economically and environmentally sustainable, how do the microclimates created underneath the panels by the plants impact energy production and how can these practices be replicated at other sites.

ISU Agrivoltaics project lead professor Ajay Nair said the equipment and practices utilized by the teams handling the crops are the same as what a commercial grower would use.

We are demonstrating that this is possible, that you can grow commercially on a sustainable scale within a solar array system, Nair said.

The broccoli and summer squash have already been harvested, as well as strawberries and raspberries, Nair said, and theyve started picking peppers. Data is collected throughout the growing season on everything from stem height and diameter to leaf and flower numbers. Once the harvest begins, researchers look at the yield, quality and marketability of the crops.

Sensors are also placed throughout the solar farm to measure data like humidity, soil moisture, air temperature and more.

Using the crops grown outside of the shade of the array as a control group, Nair said broccoli did better outside than under the panels, but the results were flipped for summer squash. Though they havent had the chance to collect data on the peppers yet, the plants under the panels are greener and larger. Nair said he hypothesizes that the yield will be better as there wont be as many nonmarketable peppers due to sun spotting.

Still growing at the solar farm were strawberries, which assistant professor Suzanne Slack encouraged people to pluck off and eat if they wanted. The researchers have seen larger strawberries from the plants under the panels and fewer bugs, which they will study further next year.

Food harvested from the solar farm goes to the universitys Horticulture Research Station, as well as to local food pantries. Nair said they made sure to bring philanthropy into their work, as making money isnt a part of the project.

Economic studies are also being conducted into the marketability of the crops coming from the solar array and whether people may be willing to pay more for items like honey that are part of a solar farm.

The team will keep growing these crops for two more years, rotating annuals and keeping perennials where they are. They will also expand their plots to plant crops underneath the fixed panels for further research.

Having crops under the shade of solar panels can also help those cultivating and harvesting them, Nair said, as they will be more comfortable in their work. Peterson said the company and university are thinking about possible future partnerships in order to bring more people, especially underserved communities and those who lack access to land, into the project and into agriculture.

The microclimate underneath the panels is consistently cooler and wetter, ONeal said, opening doors for better grazing land and providing habitats for wildlife that have lost theirs due to agriculture practices.

There are some opportunities, not only to farm, but also to conserve wildlife at a solar facility, if were thoughtful about the type of plants that we put into this unique landscape feature, ONeal said.

There are challenges that come with growing crops underneath the solar panels, Slack said, including the creation of optimal conditions for fungal growth and diseases. Data is still being collected on the strawberries post-harvest, but one of the things theyre looking at is the post-harvest rot compared to those grown out in the sun.

Nair said growers are approaching the project with caution, but specialty crop growers are expressing interest in the results. For those who grow fruits and vegetables alongside crops like corn and soybeans, leasing land to a company like Alliant Energy to put in a solar array could bring in a new income stream without giving up land that could be used for growing.

Now youve got dual use, you have an income from the lease and from the vegetables which you were already growing, Nair said. So those growers are particularly interested.

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The aftermath of the latest Russian attack on Lviv in Ukraine's west. Photo: Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have reminded Russia that international humanitarian law forbids attacks on civilian targets and also prohibits indiscriminate attacks on both military and civilian targets.

Source: ISW

Details: Military analysts also reported that Russian sources were seeking to justify the strikes as attacks on military targets.

However, international law stipulates that even attacks on military targets do not justify indiscriminate collateral damage to civilians or civilian objects.

Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Kryvyi Rih in another combined missile and drone strike on the night of 3-4 September.

Ukraines Air Force reported that Russia had launched 2 Kh-47 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from MiG-31K aircraft over Tula Oblast; 2 Kh-22 cruise missiles from Tu-22M3 strategic bombers over the Black Sea; 6 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95 strategic bombers from the airspace of Volgograd Oblast; 3 Iskander-K cruise missiles from the territory of occupied Crimea; and 29 Shahed-136/131 loitering munitions from the launch sites in Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces successfully shot down 4 Kh-101 missiles, 3 Iskander-K missiles, and 22 Shahed loitering munitions. Additionally, six Shaheds failed to reach their targets, likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) suppression, while another Shahed entered Belarusian airspace.

Russian missiles struck civilian targets in both Kryvyi Rih and Lviv, leaving civilians injured and dead.

Kryvyi Rih Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul stated that the Russian strike on Kryvyi Rih had injured six people and damaged a hotel in the city centre, residential buildings, four educational institutions and other civilian targets.

Russian missiles also struck Lviv, claiming the lives of 7 civilians, including 2 children, and damaging up to 188 buildings, including residential buildings, historical heritage sites, and schools.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 4 September:

Russia appears to be relying on several countries, including India, Serbia, and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), as part of its efforts to evade Western sanctions.

Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Lviv City, Lviv Oblast and Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during another mid-sized combined drone and missile strike on the night of 3 to 4 September.

Ukrainian authorities are investigating another report of apparent Russian war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on 4 September that Germany will provide 17 additional IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine by 2026.

Ukrainian officials announced a series of resignations and appointments among senior members of the Ukrainian cabinet on 3 and 4 September.

Ukrainian forces reportedly made marginal advances in Kursk Oblast amid continued fighting throughout the Ukrainian salient on 4 September.

Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Pokrovsk and southwest of the city of Donetsk, and Ukrainian forces recently regained positions west of the city of Donetsk.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to portray itself as suitably addressing its obligations towards Russian veterans of the war in Ukraine.

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Italy approves new rules to put beach concessions up for bidding by 2027

FILE - People enjoy a sunny day at an establishment on the beach in Tuscany's Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2020. (Jennifer Lorenzini/LaPresse via AP)

ROME (AP)  Italy approved new rules late Wednesday to put lucrative concessions for beach clubs up for bidding by June 2027, responding to pressing demands from the EU to open up the sector to new players.

Under the new legislation by the right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni, existing beach licenses would remain valid until September 2027.

The deadline could be further postponed to March 2028 if there are objective reasons to delay the tender process, the government said.

The compromise seeks to address complaints by existing operators who risk losing their concessions and would be entitled to compensation paid by the new holders.

For almost two decades, the European Commission has been locked in a legal battle with Italy over its beach concession practices, accusing the country of lacking transparency and breaching competition rules.

Previous Italian governments, from left to right, have staunchly resisted EU directives requiring competitive tendering, persistently renewing the existing beach concessions without open procedures.

For years, many of these beach spots have been controlled by the same operators, often resulting in a lack of innovation and high prices.

Economists believe that opening the sector could bring in fresh players, potentially improving service quality and reducing costs for beachgoers.

Currently, they can pay from 25 euros to rent two chaise lounges and an umbrella for the day in the most basic establishments, to several hundred euros in fancy resorts such as Capri or Puglias Salento.
Initial autopsies of four of the seven victims who died when a superyacht sank in a storm in Italy last month show they died of dry drowning, according to authorities.

The phenomenon, also known as atypical drowning, means they had no water in their lungs, tracheas or stomachs, said a spokesperson for the lawyer of the captain of the Bayesian, which went down off the coast of the Sicilian port of Porticello on August 19.

There is no medically accepted dry drowning condition  dry drowning or other terms such as secondary drowning or delayed drowning are sometimes used to describe patients whose condition worsened after a drowning rescue or who had very little water in the lungs. However, the American Red Cross and other health organizations have recommended against using the terms; people may experience health impacts after being in water but its not the same as drowning, it says.

The cause of death of the first four victims suggests that they had found an air bubble in the cabin in which five of the victims bodies were discovered, and had consumed all the oxygen before the air pocket turned toxic due to carbon dioxide, according to local media reports.

The autopsies of American lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo, Morgan Stanley banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Anne Elizabeth Judith Bloomer were carried out on Wednesday at the Forensic Medicine Institute of the Palermo Polyclinic hospital, officials said.

Autopsies on British tech titan Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter are expected to be carried out on Friday.

No date has been set yet for the autopsy of Recaldo Thomas, the ships onboard chef  due to the difficulty reaching his family in Antigua.

Rescuers carry a body after divers return to Porticello harbor near Palermo, three days after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank. - Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

All seven victims were scanned for injuries last Saturday, which found none had suffered broken bones or other physical injuries that might have contributed to their deaths.

The prosecutor investigating the case first suggested earlier in August the idea that the victims had been searching for an air pocket.

The autopsies are part of the criminal investigation into the ships captain James Cutfield, the ships machine engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch the night of the accident. None of the men is in Italy.

Emergency teams search for victims after the boat went missing off Sicily's coast on August 19. - Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse/AP

They are being investigated for multiple manslaughter and for causing a shipwreck, but authorities say this doesnt mean they will be charged with any crimes. They were allowed to leave the country by the prosecutor in charge of the investigation.

The 56-meter yacht sank within 16 minutes of being struck by a downburst or tornado on the early morning of August 19. The ship will have to be raised for the investigation and to ensure that the 18,000 liters of fuel onboard do not leak into the sea around the port of Porticello near Palermo.

Bids have been sent out for the salvage, which will be paid for by the company of Lynchs wife Angela Bacares, which owns the yacht.

Toxicology results on the seven victims are expected in the coming days. No alcohol or drug tests were carried out on any of the crew members, the prosecutor said in a press conference after all the victims bodies had been recovered.

Lynch and his business partner Stephen Chamberlain, who died after being struck by a car the day the Bayesian sank, had been acquitted of fraud charges in a US court in June 2024. The charges were related to the sale of their company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard, which has said it will not drop its civil lawsuit for $4 billion in damages now being heard in a UK court.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of Mike Lynchs business partner.

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Jacksonville neighbors will have to wait until next year for flood relief from pump project

San Marco looked like a swimming pool on Wednesday after significant rainfall flooded streets in the area.

In other neighborhoods, like Englewood, the rain led to stalled cars and even one evacuation from a flooded home.

It was a lake, William Rodriguez said. Im going ok. I was a little scared, especially for the lady across the street.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Rodriguez lives on Albemarle Avenue in Englewood across from JoAnne Addison. On Wednesday, Addison was helped out of her home by her nephew after flood water breached the exterior and got inside. Her granddaughter said theyre still working to clean up the inside.

The First Alert Weather Team said Englewood received 8 to 10 inches of rain by Wednesday night. San Marco received 6+ inches of rain.

We had calls all throughout the district of just unprecedented flooding, Councilman Joe Carlucci said.

Carlucci represents District 5, which encompasses San Marco, Mirmar, Lakewood, Englewood, and other neighbors near the St. Johns River. He said crews have been going out across the city to check out complaints post-storm.

The public works team is looking at all of those [calls]. Were gonna have a meeting once theyre done compiling all the data and all the plans, Carlucci said. You have to look at elevation. You have to look at the size of the drainage.

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In San Marco, there are two operational pump stations that help alleviate floodingone by Landon Park and the other by Childrens Way near Nemours.

Right now, the third pump station on LaSalle Street is under construction. Its been a work in progress since breaking ground in May of 2023. The project, once complete, will help with chronic flooding on LaSalle Street and San Marco Boulevard. While the pump station itself is almost complete, the project wont be finished until quarter one of 2025, which is between January and March.

I think what they [crews] originally anticipated was they were gonna do more work at one time, and then as they started getting into the project and they saw how much disruption it can cause, they scaled back some of that timeline, Carlucci said. And, said, hey we need to do one street at a time.

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The next steps of the project include installing new piping on Naldo Avenue. Then crews will move to Belmonte and Colombo and so on.

Theyre working as fast as they can, because you can imagine, the more it floods over there its harder for them to continue to work, Carlucci said. So, they wanna get that thing online ASAP.

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SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn.  WREG Investigators are digging deeper into the growing problems in the aging county jail at 201 Poplar that are going to cost you, the taxpayer.

The Shelby County Sheriffs Office says they are going to ask the county commission for millions in emergency repairs.

Wednesday, a resolution was presented to a county commission committee requesting $15.5 million in emergency repairs. It requests amending the FY2025 operating budget by reallocating and using American Rescue Plan Act funding that was assigned to the mental health safety and justice center.

The issue set to be discussed Monday in the full commission meeting.

Each day this building exists, the issues are growing, Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner said.

In Tuesdays story, WREG Investigators listed the issues mounting inside 201 Poplar including a power surge frying a computer system, inmates breaking cell doors, water leaks on every floor, rotting cinder blocks, a pest infestation and more.

PART 1: Broken cell doors, weapons, rising violence at county jail

Weve got a crumbling building that were battling every single day to try to repair, Buckner added. Were spending millions and millions and millions of dollars each year operating this building.

He said the 42-year-old building is years past its useful life. While the county owns it, the sheriffs office is in charge of managing it.

Buckner said the problems arent new. In fact, they were brought up 15 years ago, when a jail study called for a new facility or warned financial and overcrowding issues.

In 2017, that warning became a reality in a series of state inspections that cited wide disrepair and staffing shortages. COVID made it worse.

Inspections reveal conditions inside 201 Poplar

The sheriff told us hes begged for a new jail since he was elected and stressed an urgent need yet again to commissioners last fall. The commission agreed to a jail construction study.

Since then, Bucker says theyve given recent tours to several county commissioners, and also met with state and federal lawmakers.

I just think this building has outlived its purpose. Outlived its resourcefulness. Theres little to nothing else we can do with this building, he said. I believe that if we can come up with a sustainable plan to fund a new jail, then we can start seeing some of those costs go down.

Bucker said theres no way to save the building. He believes a new facility is inevitable, and the estimates will be in the hundreds of millions.

Prolonging it creates more safety concerns that will only cost taxpayers more  Through lawsuits. The ones that we have to settle, and the ones that we may not be successful in the future in court, Buckner said.

The number of lawsuits is growing. We found dozens filed in federal court. One inmate is seeking $8 million in damages, because he says his constitutional rights were violated, and another suing because he said a freezer door fell off and hit his head while he was working in the jail.

Get the latest from the WREG Investigators in your inbox

I think we have to do whatever we can to get the word out. I think that citizens need to make sure that their their county commissioners know this issue matters, Attorney Jake Brown said.

He represents inmates or their families in four civil suits involving 201 Poplar. Some are seeking up to $100 million in damages.

Brown said some lawsuits involve jailers using excessive or unnecessary force, but in Marcus Donalds case, he claims the lack of staffing posed a security risk.

The jail has been running skeletal crews for years, Brown said. There are not enough guards to reasonably monitor the inmates there.

In 2022, Donald was supposed to have been released from jail when his cellmate strangled him to death. Brown said other inmates saw what was happening and tried to signal for help, but he said it took jailers about an hour to arrive.

They were waving their hands, waving shirts and throwing things to try to get attention from someone they thought would have been posted in the control room, but there was no one in the control room, Brown said.

He believes theyre not funding the jail adequately.

Its sons and brothers. Fathers who are being held down at jail. Maybe they did something that justified an arrest, he said. Were not saying let all these people out, necessarily. Were saying give them basic conditions of humanity. Dont leave them at the mercy of the worst actors that youve got locked up down there.

The sheriffs office reports an increase in inmates and stresses the offenses theyre accused of are becoming more violent. The jail is at almost 85% capacity and on top of that, the jails outdated design means more supervision is required.

Buckner said right now they need another 300 corrections deputies. Until that happens, they were forced to move 39 patrol deputies to help with jail responsibilities.

Buckner said they lost staff during COVID to other jobs, and the months-long hiring process doesnt help. Still, he touts the 100 positions they filled in the last year.

We are trending in the right direction, but were not close to where we want to be, Buckner said.

He said a new facility would solve many problems like require less staff, support new supervision methods and more programming. He said they compiled a list of repairs for the county commission.

It frightens me where well be a year from now, where will be two years from now, Buckner said.

 On News Channel 3 at 10 Thursday, WREG Investigators finds out with limited space, theres a group of inmates taking up beds who shouldnt even be at 201 Poplar. Find out who they are and what its costing the county.

 DO YOU NEED A STORY INVESTIGATED? WREG Investigators want to hear from you! Call our tip line at 901-543-2378. You can also send an email to wreginvestigators@nexstar.tv.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
James Carville Names 'Only Way' Republicans Can Get Their 'Party Back' In November

Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville said a massive victory by Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump could prove crucial to the GOP following the election in November.

Carville, in an interview with MSNBCs Ari Melber on Wednesday, was asked about a recent Politico column that cited some long-standing GOP figures who wouldnt admit publicly that theyre looking to move on from the Trump era.

Remember, Republicans got blown out in 64 and won the presidency in 68. Democrats got blown out in 72 and won the presidency in 76, noted Carville, who cited conservative radio host and pundit Erick Erickson claiming Republicans could benefit from a blowout.

He continued, So  what I tell my Republican friends  if you want your party back, if you want the kind of pro-business, lower taxes, lighter regulatory cuts, you know, stand erect at attention during the anthem, the only way youre gonna get that back is through a blowout.

He added that if Harris gets 280 electoral votes, however, its not gonna change for the party.

And I think theres a growing recognition of that  not just from kind of elite, Washington, never-Trumpers but there seems to be a sense of that on the ground also, Carville said.

The comments from Carville, once a lead strategist for Bill Clintons 1992 presidential campaign, come just days after he outlined how he thinks Harris could beat Trump in a column for The New York Times.

With Election Day about two months away, new CNN polling shows Harris holding a lead among likely voters in Michigan and Wisconsin while Trump is ahead of the vice president among the same group in Arizona.

The polling didnt determine a clear leader in other key swing states including Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

H/T Mediaite

Related...
Japanese artificial intelligence (AI) startup Sakana AI has completed a $100m (Y14.35bn) Series A funding round.

The funding round, led by New Enterprise Associates, Khosla Ventures, and Lux Capital, also saw participation from NVIDIA, with whom Sakana AI has formed a strategic collaboration.

Established in 2023, Sakana AI seeks to create a premier AI laboratory in Japan, focused on developing technologies to assist Japan and its allies in addressing challenges throughout the 21st century.

With Series A funding, the company plans to attract top talent and build a leading AI team in the industry.

The proceeds will also be used to expand the companys infrastructure to support the creation of nature-inspired, sustainable, and energy-efficient AI technologies.

Bloomberg, reported that Sakana AI, which was previously valued at approximately $200m, is taking a different approach to industry giants like OpenAI.

Instead of spending billions on training AI with vast datasets, Sakana AI's algorithms are designed to automate the creation of AI models that process language or images by emulating natural selection, which could reduce the need for human intervention.

In parallel, Sakana AIs partnership with NVIDIA focuses on progressing AI research, leveraging data centers in Japan, and nurturing the AI community within the country.

Through this partnership, Sakana AI will gain early access to NVIDIA's data centres, which is crucial for conducting early-stage experiments and maintaining Japan's competitive edge in AI innovation.

Despite Japan's AI talent pool being less developed than those in China and the US, the collaboration with NVIDIA is expected to significantly bolster Japan's capabilities in the field.

The collaboration is also expected to increase community engagement in Japan's AI sector, with Sakana AI planning to host events, organise hackathons, and expand university outreach.

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said: Countries are embracing Sovereign AI to capture and codify their data, culture and language through their own unique large language models.

The team at Sakana AI is helping spur the democratisation of AI in Japan by developing cutting-edge foundation models to automate and speed up scientific discovery with NVIDIAs accelerated computing platform.

"Japans Sakana AI secures $100m in Series A funding round " was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.







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January 6 evidence against Trump may be released before election after judges decision

January 6 evidence against Trump may be released before election after judges decision

Prosecutors may release never-before-seen evidence in the federal election interference case against Donald Trump ahead of the November presidential election, according to a schedule laid out Thursday in federal court.

Under the timeline, special counsel Jack Smiths office will file evidentiary disclosures on September 10 and supporting materials for its arguments around presidential immunity by September 26.

Those disclosures could include grand jury transcripts and other materials that were not included in the initial indictment. The evidence relating to Trump, the Republican candidate, has the potential to impact the 2024 race by shedding new light on his 2020 campaign, and the January 6, 2021 insurrection.

The schedule largely sides with the special counsels proposed timeline for the trial.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought the inital indictment against Donald Trump, told a judge they wanted to file an inital brief of potential evidence (REUTERS)

In federal court on Thursday, Smiths team said they wanted to file an initial brief that included substantial exhibits.

The evidence may not immediately be made fully public after its submitted. Some of it may remain under seal.

Thursdays hearing was tense between Trumps lawyers, federal prosecutors and Judge Tanya Chutkan who is overseeing the election interference trial.

John Lauro, the former presidents lawyer, pushed back on Judge Chutkans proposed schedule, reminding her that the next two months were going to be sensitive.

It strikes me that what youre trying to do is affect the presentation of evidence in this case in a way so as not to impinge on the election of the president, Judge Chutkan told Lauro. This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule.

The election interference case has been delayed for months so far because of the former presidents appeals.

Attorney John Lauro (left) pictured besides his cilent, Donald Trump (right) in January 2024 (AP)

One of the main disputes on Thursday was Smiths request that Judge Chuktan resolve the question about boundaries around Trumps immunity.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled that presidents enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution regarding their core powers  or powers awarded to the president by the Constitution  and some official acts. But the court did not clarify what those official acts are. It will be up to Judge Chutkan to decide.

Lauro argued that the indictment is flawed because the grand jury heard evidence that included Trumps conversations with former Vice President Mike Pence, which they believe is part of the protected acts.

Pence gave closed-door testimony to the grand jury in April 2023. That testimony could be part of the unseen evidence which Smiths team used to bring charges against Trump.
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, left, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, second left, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, right, pose for a photo in Queenscliff, Australia, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  Japan and Australia agreed on Thursday to increase joint military training exercises as their government ministers shared concerns over Chinas recent incursions into Japanese airspace and territorial waters.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara met for a regular summit with their Australian counterparts, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles in the Australian coastal town of Queenscliff.

They discussed greater security cooperation in the context of the ministers shared support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and concerns over Chinas increasingly aggressive territorial claims in the South and East China Seas, Wong said.

The ministers agreed on more engagement in training exercises involving the two air forces after F-35A Lighting II stealth fighters from both countries joined in combat training over Japan last year in Exercise Bushido Guardian, Marles said.

Next year, Australia will participate for the first time in Orient Shield, the largest annual field training exercise between the U.S. Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Australia and Japan also plan to involve the Japanese Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, a marine unit of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, in annual training rotations of U.S. Marines in the northern Australian city of Darwin.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Japan and Australia's cooperation should not disadvantage any third country.

China believes that defense and security cooperation between countries should be conducive to maintaining regional peace and stability and enhancing mutual trust among regional countries, and should not target third parties, Mao said at a daily briefing in Beijing.

Chinas increasingly assertive activity around Japanese waters and airspace has caused unease among Japanese defense officials, who are also concerned about the growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces.

Japan lodged a formal protest through the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo against what it called an incursion by a Chinese survey ship in its waters last weekend.

This followed Tokyos protest after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entered Japans southwestern airspace on Aug. 26. It was the first time the Japan Self-Defense Forces detected a Chinese military aircraft in Japans airspace.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said later his country had no intention to violate any countrys airspace.

Kihara confirmed the incidents were discussed with the Australian counterparts.

We have shared very strong concern over these incidents and, for the East China Sea and South China Sea, any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or by coercion, we have put forward our strong opposition, Kihara told reporters through an interpreter.

Marles said he and Wong did express our support for Japanese sovereignty in that moment.

It really underlined our shared commitment to asserting the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, in our neighborhood, Marles said.

The countries of the region and indeed the world want to be in a world where disputes are resolved not by power and might but by reference to international law, Marles added.
(Bloomberg) -- Japan needs more open debate about nuclear power in its leadership race if it wants to ensure long-term economic prosperity and national security, a former International Energy Agency chief said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Theres a lack of debate within the Liberal Democratic Party ahead of a Sept. 27 vote to choose who will become Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas successor, according to Nobuo Tanaka, former IEA executive director. Thats because politicians fear stirring up public fears about nuclear catastrophes and hurting their chance of election, he said.

We have three traumas: Fukushima, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, so to overcome this, we have to have some kind of very different narrative about nuclear, he said Wednesday in Seoul. If politicians do not talk about nuclear risks and benefits, the public do not understand.

Japan is still heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports for its energy needs. While leading Japanese politicians have turned more friendly toward the nuclear industry in recent years, the country is still well behind in its efforts to achieve a 2050 net-zero emissions goal with the help of nuclear energy, according to BloombergNEF.

Japan has faced a series of delays in its nuclear restart program with little time left to build new capacity before 2030, a headwind for the long-term development of power-thirsty semiconductor factories and data centers for artificial intelligence.

So far roughly one-third of Japans operable nuclear reactors have restarted under post-Fukushima safety rules. The Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant, the worlds largest, is currently sitting idle on the northern coast of central Japan.

Among the major candidates aiming to become prime minister, Digital Minister Kono Taro and former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi have made comments in recent weeks suggesting they are more pro-nuclear than they were in the past. Konos policy document released Thursday said he will seek restart of reactors that are deemed safe.

Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, on the other hand, said he will do all he can to reduce nuclear energy use to zero, during a press conference declaring his candidacy.

Tanaka, who began his career in the Japanese government and now teaches energy policy at the University of Tokyo, said Japan stands to suffer on national security as well if it remains reluctant to push the nuclear agenda more aggressively. While calling for the use of a reactor that would make it harder to extract plutonium for military use, he said a diminishing industry of commercial plants risks phasing out a pool of young, talented scientists in the field.

If we gave up nuclear totally, what would China and North Korea think about us? Tanaka said. To have a capability is a kind of deterrence.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Jarosik inducted into Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame

** 2022 coverage shown above **

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A familiar face on 2 NEWS Today is joining a line of notable station staff in receiving a big honor.

Having served the Miami Valley for over 20 years, Storm Team 2 Meteorologist Jamie Jarosik has been named an inductee of the 2024 class of the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Kettering City Schools plan $1.1M building upgrade

The Kettering native is joining a number of current and prior WDTN staff to have received the honor. Storm Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Brian Davis and former anchor Mark Allan were inducted during in the 2022 class.

Jamie began her career in Montana as chief forecaster, moved to Illinois and came to WDTN, with a short stint in Missouri breaking her time in Dayton in two. Even while battling breast cancer, she continued to inform Miami Valley residents on-air of current and future weather conditions.

The city of Kettering honored Jarosik in Aug. 2022 with her own commemorative plaque and tree at Wenzler Park.

Jamie will officially be inducted during an enshrinement on September 5.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
JD Vance sure picked the perfect place to host his latest campaign rally in Arizona. Perfect, because it aligns exactly with his bigoted, chauvinistic worldview. Vances event, co-hosted by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, was held Wednesday at Generation Church in Mesa, Arizona, and featured extremist pastor Ryan Visconti.

Visconti has literally told his followers Christians cant vote Democrat. In addition to parroting right-wing talking points about elections, Visconti has also spewed plenty of anti-LGBTQ venom via his social media accounts.

And his views about women arent any better. Julie Roys, a Christian reporter whose work focuses on fundamentalism and Christian nationalism, found social media posts from Visconti in 2022 in which he said a strong woman with a weak husband will become a toxic woman and another in which he said domestic abuse isnt a biblically justifiable reason for divorce.

Although heartbreaking, abuse is not a biblical justification for divorce, Visconti claimed in a since-expired Instagram story, adding, This is the most used and abused (pun intended) argument. It is grounds for separation, but not divorce. Visconti apparently likes to get punny when he downplays domestic abuse. (In a video on the churchs YouTube in May, Visconti echoes this idea, arguing divorce is only acceptable in cases of real abuse, a nebulous term he says ought to be reserved for cases involving physical violence.) Notably, claims like these, discouraging battered spouses from seeking divorce, align with comments Vance has made as well. And Kirk, who hosted a discussion with Vance at the rally, is also known for sexist diatribes.

Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder told NBC News, Senator Vance supports every Americans right to freely practice their religion, adding, Its a shame the media is attacking a pastor over his religious beliefs simply because he is hosting an event at his church. Turning Point USA did not respond to NBC News request for comment.

That the campaign chose this venue and these co-hosts underscores a point I wrote about recently: Overt misogyny and chauvinism are fundamental to the current Republican Party. So it really comes as no surprise that the rally featured rhetoric full of hypermasculinity and xenophobia.

Visconti (at 14:49 in this video) took the stage to start and railed against secularism, which he described as the removal of God from the boardroom and the courtroom, the classroom and the bedroom. The pastor claimed that demonic gods who hate us are promoting things like DEI, sexual depravity [and] radical gender ideology.

Vances discussion with Kirk was filled with anti-immigrant fear-mongering, including the blatantly false claim that we have thousands of missing children because Kamala Harris let the cartels sex traffic minors in our own country. Vance said this is hard to believe  and it is, because according to the Department of Justices 2023 report, the vast majority of those prosecuted for child sex trafficking in the U.S. are white male citizens of this country.

But given the past statements from everyone involved, no one should be surprised by the sort of rhetoric we heard from Vance on Thursday. Disturbed? Yes. Surprised? Not in the least.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
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Sen. JD Vance, speaking Thursday at the same Phoenix resort where the late Sen. John McCain spoke on Election Night 2008, said he believed McCain would have never backed Vice President Kamala Harris for the White House.

Vance, an Ohio Republican and this year's GOP nominee for vice president acknowledged that McCain, who died in 2018, and former President Donald Trump had their differences, but said he doubted McCain would go as far as endorsing Democrats.

Vance made the remarks at the historic Arizona Biltmore, which hosted McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, and his running mate Sarah Palin on the night they lost the general election to the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Look, one of the things I love about Donald Trump, and I never knew John McCain, but I suspect that one of the things that I would have loved about John McCain is that they didnt let their personal grievances get in the way of serving the country, Vance said. OK, so John McCain, Im sure, disagreed with Donald Trump on a whole host of issues. And, yes, Donald Trump disagreed with John McCain on a whole host of issues. I do not believe for a second that if John McCain were alive today, and he sees whats going on at the American southern border, that he would support Kamala Harris and all the destruction shes wrought.

The comments came a day after McCain's son, Jim McCain, endorsed Harris and disclosed that he had reregistered as a Democrat. Former McCain aides also have said they are backing Harris over Trump.

"I mean, who cares what somebody's family thinks about a presidential race? Vance said. John McCain died, what, five, six, seven years ago? And the media is turning it into a story (about) what John McCain's family says about Donald Trump.

Vance pointed to a photo circulating on social media of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs family members in Nebraska who back Trump over Harris and her running mate. USA TODAY reported Thursday that the Walz relatives are second cousins descended from "Joseph Francis Walz, the brother of Walz's grandfather."

To say that McCain and Trump had disagreements is putting it diplomatically. The two carried on a long-running public feud in which Trump at one point disparaged McCain's Vietnam War record. McCain, a Navy aviator, was shot down in 1967 and was held as a prisoner of war for more than five years. Trump, who did not serve in the military, said McCain was a war hero because he was captured and that he liked "people that werent captured."

In October 2016, McCain yanked his support of Trump for president after a vulgar 2005 recording of Trump talking about women surfaced, but he stopped short of endorsing Trump's 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. The following year, McCain torpedoed speculation that he might be considering switching parties to the Democrats by telling The Arizona Republic that "it will be a cold day in Gila Bend" when he would ever quit the Republican Party.

Besides responding to the McCain developments, Vance mostly focused on immigration and the economy during his Thursday campaign swing in Phoenix. He hammered Harris on the southern border and made the populist argument that homeownership and the ability to enjoy a nice dinner shouldnt only be available to the wealthy.

In the wake of a school shooting in Georgia that killed four people, Vance said he doesn't like that such incidents are a fact of life and added that there should be more security in schools. He called the deadly shooting a tragedy.Vance said that school shootings happen in states with strict and lax gun laws, although the researchers at the National Library of Medicine found in 2019 that states with more permissive gun laws and greater gun ownership see more mass shootings.Clearly, strict gun laws is not the thing that's going to solve this problem, Vance said. We have got to bolster security in our schools.

Ammar Moussa, a Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson, compared Vance's remark to Harris saying Wednesday that "it doesnt have to be this way" in response to the school shooting.

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know we can take action to keep our children safe and keep guns out of the hands of criminals," Moussa said in a written statement. "Donald Trump and JD Vance will always choose the NRA and gun lobby over our children. That is the choice in this election."

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the wife of Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., also responded to the Vance visit on behalf of the Harris campaign. Giffords was shot in the head and nearly killed in a 2011 assassination attempt.

Arizonans value our freedoms and our families. But Donald Trump and JD Vances Project 2025 agenda would stomp out our freedom to make decisions about how we start those families. Trump brags about overturning Roe v. Wade, which endangers IVF treatments and abortion access, while Senator Vance mocks women who are unable to have children, Giffords said in a written statement. Mark and I are one of thousands of couples who were trying to grow our family through IVF before I was shot and our dream was stolen from us. We didn't have a choice. This is personal. I am working tirelessly to elect Kamala Harris because she will fight to protect freedom and ensure Arizonans choices remain our own.

Too hot: JD Vance rally attendees braved triple-digit heat to hear him. Some needed medical help

Vance went on a charm offensive during a visit to a campaign office in Phoenix earlier in the afternoon. Joined by his wife, Vance told stories about his childhood and his mother and grandmother.

He also took selfies  and questions  from voters after brief remarks at the Trump campaign office. Vance was hoping to draw a contrast with Harris' campaign.

Kamala Harris thinks that she shouldn't have to persuade you, Vance said. Donald Trump and I are trying to persuade the American people.

That's why we get out there and talk to every single person, even sometimes some of our hostile media friends in the back. Because if you're afraid of the American media, how are you ever going to do the job?

Supporters who spoke with Vance at the campaign office were largely concerned with the integrity of the November election. Trump and his allies claimed for years that the 2020 election was stolen in Arizona, although no evidence of widespread fraud was found after an extensive review of the election. A criminal case against Arizonas fake Trump electors from that cycle is ongoing.

Trump has played coy about whether he would accept the results of the 2024 election if he loses. He doubled down on claims that Democrats will cheat during a visit to Phoenix in August.

Vance tied their concerns to immigration, a topic he came to Arizona with plans to highlight. The Ohio lawmaker pointed to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a Republican-backed congressional proposal to require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote.

Weve got to get people out of here and not let them vote in our elections, Vance said.

Later in the afternoon, Vance toured the manufacturing facility for PING golf clubs, a spot where McCain years earlier campaigned for reelection to the Senate.

During McCain's May 6, 2016, tour of the PING facility, he defended his decision at the time to continue supporting Trump.

On Thursday, Vance donned security glasses and observed the production of the clubs with his wife.

After the tour, Vance spoke with employees and the company owners about issues facing PING and its workers. He said young people should view manufacturing as a viable career path, and that a four-year college degree should not be the only way to make a comfortable living. He also discussed tax issues that the owners face when making a succession plan for who will take over PING in the future. He also promised to expand tax cuts passed during the Trump administration.

Vance was on his second swing through Arizona since becoming the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Vance campaigned Wednesday at a rally at Generation Church in east Mesa. He previously headlined a rally in Glendale and visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Cochise County.

He and his wife at 7:14 p.m. boarded his plane at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to leave Arizona.

Arizona is a crucial battleground state in the 2024 presidential election. Four years ago, Biden narrowly carried the state over Trump and became the first Democrat to do so since President Bill Clinton won Arizona in 1996. Before Clinton, no Democrat had carried Arizona since President Harry Truman in 1948.

Here's what the candidates say: Immigration is a top election issue in the Trump vs. Harris race

Dan Nowicki is The Arizona Republic's national politics editor. Follow him on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @dannowicki.

Stephanie Murray is a Republic national political reporter. Follow her on X @stephanie_murr.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: JD Vance in Phoenix: Trump running mate speaks at Arizona Biltmore
JD Vance To Join Tucker Carlson After Carlson Hosted Nazi Apologist On His Show

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance plans to join former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in a live event following Carlsons hosting of a Nazi apologist on his program.

Vance will be in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 21 as part of Carlsons Live Tour, according to PennLive. Vance is currently campaigning alongside his running mate, former President Donald Trump.

The news comes just days after Carlson hosted Darrly Cooper on his show, a Holocaust revisionist who said it was then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who was the chief villain of World War II.

I thought Churchill was the chief villain of the Second World War, Cooper told Carlson. Now, he didnt kill the most people, he didnt commit the most atrocities, but  he was primarily responsible for that war becoming what it did.

Cooper claimed it was Adolf Hitler  who was responsible for the deaths of millions, including 6 million European Jews in the Holocaust  who pushed for peace. Cooper referred to Churchills bombers actions in the war as rank terrorism.

They were wiping these places out, as gigantic-scale terrorist attacks, the greatest, you know, scale of terrorist attacks youve ever seen in world history, Cooper told Carlson, who did not push back on Coopers points.

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney was one of many to correct Coopers dangerous claims.

Actually, this is pro-Nazi propaganda, including, Churchill was the chief villain of WW2 and Hitler didnt want to fight, Cheney wrote Tuesday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. No serious or honorable person would support or endorse this type of garbage.

Cooper is one of just over 1,100 accounts Vance follows on X.

On his X account, Cooper bragged about the new followers hed gotten since Carlson platformed him.

You take the good w/the bad, Cooper wrote. Im tarnished with people whose opinion means nothing to me. Meanwhile, my podcast listeners have increased by an order or two of magnitude, my subscribers are through the roof, and Im blessed that these are the only people I have to please.

A spokesperson for the Trump/Vance campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Donald Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance, is scheduled to join former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on September 21 as part of the political commentators own tour, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The Republican vice presidential nominee will appear as a special guest during the show even though Carlson is presently in hot water for welcoming a pro-Nazi Holocaust revisionist, Darryl Cooper, on his X show Monday.

During a two-hour friendly interview, Cooper claimed that Winston Churchill was the chief villain of World War II, the Inquirer noted. Cooper would go on to suggest that Nazi war crimes were a product of the Allies refusing to accept his peace terms; later, on X, he also suggested that France was better off when it was under Nazi occupation.

The interview was condemned by legitimate historians and others opposed to Holocaust revisionism. "Tucker Carlson's praise of Nazi apologist Darryl Cooper is an insult to the memory of the 6,000,000 Jews who were murdered by Hitler's Nazi regime," the Anti-Defamation League posted on X.

Carlsons platforming of Cooper incited a backlash even among fellow conservatives. Trump critic and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., wrote on X that Coopers remarks were pro-Nazi propaganda.

According to the Inquirer, tickets for the Carlson event with Vance are being sold by Ticketmaster for as much as $125.
Jefferson Co. man facing multiple charges after allegedly raping 12-year-old girl

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 22-year-old Watertown is facing multiple charges after allegedly having sexual contact with a minor.

New York State Police have charged Tyler Griffin after a Jefferson County grand jury indicted him on the following felony charges on Wednesday.

St. Lawrence Co. woman charged for unlicensed cannabis sales

Griffin was charged on the following counts:

Four Counts of Rape 1st Degree (class B Felony)

Two Counts of Predatory Sexual of a Child (class A Felony)

Two Counts of Rape 2nd Degree (class D Felony)

Three Counts of Criminal Sexual Act 2nd Degree (class D Felony)

Two Counts of Sexual Abuse 2nd Degree (class A Misdemeanor)

On October 6, 2022, a parent of a 12-year-old female reported to State Police text messages indicating a relationship between their daughter and 20-year-old Griffin. Further investigation revealed a sexual relationship between the two in the town of Ellisburg.

Griffin was arraigned and remanded to the Jefferson County Public Safety Building without bail.

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  A New Jersey real estate developer convicted alongside Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez this summer pleaded guilty to a separate bank fraud charge, prosecutors said Thursday.

Fred Daibes, 67, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Newark, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a statement. He was charged with making false statements concerning a 2008 loan.

While Daibes was chairman and CEO at Mariner's Bank, he falsely said another person was the borrower on a $1.8 million loan when in fact the line of credit was for him, prosecutors said.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a top fine of $1 million.

Daibes, Menendez and a third businessman, Wael Hanna, were convicted in July on bribery charges stemming from what prosecutors said was a scheme in which the three-term senator took cash, gold bars and a car in exchange for helping them. Another businessman, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty, while attorneys for Menendez, Hana and Daibes plan to appeal.

Nadine Menendez, the senator's wife, was also charged and pleaded not guilty but has yet to go on trial.

Prosecutors had initially charged the developer in 2018 over the loan fraud. Prosecutors on the bribery case said the senator met with Philip Sellinger, a prospective U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, and was fixated on Daibes and ensuring that he could get sympathetic treatment.

Menendez initially rejected Sellinger as a candidate after their December 2020 job interview because the lawyer told him he'd represented Daibes before and would likely have to recuse himself from any case involving the developer, according to the 2023 indictment of Menendez and the others.

When another candidate fell through, Menendez ultimately recommended him for the job. After Sellinger was sworn in, the Department of Justice had him step aside from the Daibes prosecution.
TAIPEI, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeWave, LLC Taiwan Branch, a technology company known for its patented patch products, led more than 30 brand representatives and employees on a journey from Taipei City to the SimplyICR Association in Changhua County a week before International Charity Day. Braving the blazing sun, LifeWave and SimplyICR teams used crayons and postcards to create spontaneous artworks, marking the final step in a collaborative art project.

LifeWave Taiwan's '2024 Share the Light' CSR project supported SimplyICR teams in expressing their talents and building their confidence.

LifeWave Taiwan initiated the 'LifeWave Share the Light' CSR project this June. Fifty blank postcards were exchanged between LifeWave representatives and SimplyICR participants, with each completing half of a drawing. All of the artworks were combined into a large collaborative piece, measuring 610 centimeters in width and 523 centimeters in height. On August 27th, LifeWave Taiwan and SimplyICR gathered with watercolors, crayons, and postcards, working together on this massive artwork, embodying the spirit of social inclusion.

Scarlett Su, General Manager of LifeWave Taiwan, stated that LifeWave Taiwan first collaborated with SimplyICR in 2023 for charity auctions of its artworks, encouraging SimplyICR members to express themselves through art. This year, LifeWave Taiwan took it further by engaging in two-way communication through collaborative art. It was a significant challenge for the SimplyICR members and for LifeWave employees who are not naturally inclined to art.

Xingyi Lai, President of SimplyICR, presented a certificate of appreciation to LifeWave Taiwan at the event. "LifeWave Taiwan has devoted significant time and effort, demonstrating corporate social responsibility through tangible actions and bringing fresh energy and perspectives to SimplyICR," Lai emphasized. She noted that this activity helped break down barriers between people with disabilities and society through artistic creation, promoting social inclusive.

Scarlett Su further affirmed the value of the SimplyICR teams' self-driven efforts. She said, "We recognize the talent and hard work of the SimplyICR members and hope more people will acknowledge their contributions. In addition to providing direct support, LifeWave Taiwan has transformed the collaborative artwork into notebooks, with the proceeds from sales being donated to SimplyICR. This creates a continuous cycle of giving, spreading love like light to every corner of society where it is needed."

About LifeWave

Founded in 2004, LifeWave is a technology company headquartered in the United States. The LifeWave Taiwan branch was established in 2008. LifeWave focuses on innovative development with patented products, aiming to enhance overall health and well-being through light technology.

Story continues

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/lifewave-taiwan-and-simplyicr-launched-collaborative-art-project-to-support-social-inclusion-302237954.html

SOURCE LifeWave, LLC Taiwan Branch
EFFORT, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  A man was located and arrested in Effort for a homicide in New Jersey.

On Thursday, September 5, Damian Bass, 19, was arrested on homicide charges for an incident that happened in August in New Jersey.

Nanticoke deadly shooting investigation continues

According to the release, it took numerous attempts to locate Bass until the U.S. Marshals Service was requested to assist in Basss apprehension.

Bass was found in Effort, a section of Chestnuthill Township.

The U.S. Marshals Service said Bass was arraigned in Monroe County and is awaiting extradition back to Monmouth County, New Jersey.

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Jesse Watters Slammed For Remarks On How Kamala Harris And Fani Willis Speak

Fox News host Jesse Watters faced swift backlash on social media after his recent attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris.

During Tuesdays broadcast of Jesse Watters Primetime, he accused Harris of using different accents, then introduced an edited clip that showed a compilation of Harris delivering speeches in Detroit and Pittsburgh on Monday.

Kamala was raised by an Indian mother in Canada, he said, misrepresenting the 2024 Democratic presidential nominees complete upbringing. But now she sounds like Fani Willis.

Harris, who identifies as both Black and Indian American, was born in Oakland, California. She wrote in her 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold, that she spent the formative years of her childhood living on the boundary between Oakland and Berkeley.

The vice president moved to Montreal when she was 12, after her mother was recruited for a job in the Canadian city, according to The New York Times. After high school, she attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C.

People on X, formerly Twitter, slammed Watters for his attempt to compare Harris and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is also Black, as a line of attack. Willis had brought an indictment against Donald Trump over his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential vote in Georgia, but the case remains on hold pending appeals.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Monday campaign event in Detroit. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Social media users called him out for promoting racist attacks about dialects and Black culture, by mocking and comparing the way Willis and Harris speak.

I dont know who Watters and Fox News are targeting with their 1950 racist dog whistle because there isnt any racist still left out there who isnt already supporting Trump, one X user tweeted.

They cant attack her on her education, her career, or her record so theyre going with straight up racism, wrote another.

Keith Boykin, a White House aide during Bill Clintons presidency, pointed out that Watters remarks about Harris disregard code-switching and how often people use it.

I grew up next to a cornfield in a mostly white community in Missouri but spent weekends and summers with my Black cousins in the city of St. Louis, he wrote. Fox News continues to display its ignorance about the bifurcated reality of life for many Black people in America.

Harris has faced attacks on her identity and her voice from Republicans throughout the campaign.

On Tuesday, Fox News Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre why Harris had what sounds like a Southern accent during a campaign speech.

Former President Donald Trump and his 2024 running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), have leveled several attacks that question Harris Blackness.

Check out more responses to Watters Primetime segment below:

Why does Jesse Waters care about how Kamala Harris "sounds" so much?



I honestly don't understand.  Machine Pun Kelly  (@KellyScaletta) September 4, 2024

I dont even think thats a dog whistle. Thats just flat out racist.  Denison Barb (@DenisonBarbs) September 4, 2024

I personally don't hear it, but if it's happening it's called code-switching and anyone who has ever had to try to fit in with a group they wanted to impress or be a part of, or didn't feel comfortable or safe in, has done it. I can almost guarantee you this guy code-switches  Grayson (@TVGuyGrayson) September 4, 2024

I grew up next to a cornfield in a mostly white community in Missouri but spent weekends and summers with my Black cousins in the city of St. Louis. Fox News continues to display its ignorance about the bifurcated reality of life for many Black people in America. https://t.co/qZreZRGiyS  Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 4, 2024

Me this morning: As Trumps supporters have struggled to figure out how to effectively respond to Harris replacing Biden on the Democratic ticket, Watters has repeatedly tried to fill that void with what he knows best: racist and misogynistic commentary. https://t.co/ge4aNcI7Z0https://t.co/B3IHKqWtTx  Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) September 4, 2024

All Black women sound alike to Watters. https://t.co/0uWC3LWmxc  Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) September 4, 2024

GOP is so divorced from the majority and reality that they think this will help them. It won't. Just like "turning Black" this is going to backfire. This is what happens when your party caters almost exclusively to white supremacy. https://t.co/Gc6cp7fCF4  Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) September 4, 2024

Related...
By Stanley Widianto and Joshua McElwee

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Only rockstars and presidents can usually fill Indonesia's national stadium, but on Thursday it was octogenarian Pope Francis who drew more than 80,000 fans to a Catholic Mass in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.

The event was the high point of the 87-year-old pope's four days in the capital, Jakarta, on the first stop of a 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, with visits to East Timor, Singapore and Papua New Guinea.

"The Pope's presence is like Jesus' presence," said Indonesian transgender woman Mami Yuli, wearing a sparkly dress and feathered headress, one of the thousands of Indonesian Christians who gathered to hear the Pope's rousing homily.

"Given his important message of tolerance, we hope the church and the people can judge us positively," she added, speaking of the group that faces discrimination from religious conservatives.

"We endure a lot of pressure and that limits our movement as transwomen in Indonesia."

Catholic nuns wearing their habits, students and the elderly crowded into Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, with church officials saying 87,000 tickets for the Mass were distributed across the world's largest archipelago.

Earlier, the pontiff had visited Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque to sign a declaration on tackling climate change and promoting interfaith dialogue to resolve conflict.

Christians are a small minority in Indonesia, where Muslims make up 87% of a population of 280 million. The Southeast Asian nation recognises six official religions, and religious freedom is enshrined in its constitution.

Speaking from a white-covered stage, with a golden cross on the backdrop, the pope urged his listeners to always strive for fraternity.

"I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness," he said. "Be builders of unity. Be builders of peace."

Francis met Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday, and urged political leaders to guard against religious extremism.

In a gesture of respect the government suggested that national broadcasters could skip airing the Islamic call to prayer on Thursday afternoon, running it on television in the text below instead, to avoid disrupting the Mass he celebrated.

"What's most important to me is that he's humble and full of joy," said Sister Maria Ambrosia, who travelled hundreds of kilometres from the island of Sumatra to attend. "I have tons of hope and happiness."

(Writing by Kate Lamb; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
John McCain's kids have taken opposite political paths. What is his legacy now?

What does it mean to be a McCain?

The answer to that question is very much in dispute these past few weeks as members of the McCain family continue to bend the light of Johns legacy in different directions.

For Jim McCain, the youngest son of the late and revered U.S. Senator from Arizona, it means following in his mothers footsteps. It means actively supporting the Democratic ticket for president, as Cindy McCain did so publicly in 2020.

The younger McCain told CNN this week he had switched his party affiliation to Democrat and was now adding his voice (in what appeared coordinated for maximum effect) to a chorus of Democrat critics condemning Donald Trump for visiting Arlington National Cemetery with a campaign film crew in tow.

The part that drives me the most insane is that those men and women at that cemetery dont get an opinion, Jim told The Arizona Republics Ron Hansen. They have passed away. They dont get a political opinion. Theres three generations of McCains buried there. There would be four, but my fathers buried at Annapolis.

Jim McCain falls into a trap over Arlington

Jim McCain, son of the late Arizona Senator John McCain, poses for a portrait in The Arizona Republic newsroom after confirming he is a registered democrat and supporting Kamala Harris on Sept. 3, 2024, in Phoenix.

The challenge for Democrats working to exploit Jims criticism of Trump is that John McCain also filmed himself at Arlington for a campaign ad during the 2000 Republican presidential primary.

One who pointed to that ad was another son of John McCain, Jack, who wrote on the social platform X, formerly Twitter:

Since we seem to be doing this. No partisanship, just facts: The old mans campaign cut an ad in Arlington. He was rightly chastised by the Army for it. He pulled the ad and apologized profusely that it happened at all. I dont think thats the story they want.

They is an interesting pronoun.

Since Jack McCain was responding to a conservative post, they probably describes the Republicans who counter his brothers criticism of Trump with John McCains own Arlington sacrilege  the big difference being that John McCain apologized where Donald Trump did not.

This is a fight that no one can win

The New York Times made this argument.

Trumps breach of Arlington protocol was worse because Trump did not apologize, and instead fought against the Army.

The Times angled their story this way: Donald J. Trump isnt the first candidate to run afoul of the ban on partisan activity in Arlington National Cemetery. But no one else has responded as hostilely as his campaign has.

Thus, In the eyes of the Gray Lady, it isnt the violation of hallowed ground that is the great sin here, its the refusal to apologize when the Army and media call you out.

Trump, in fact, pushed back with eight Gold Star families, who defended his Arlington visit and insisted they invited him. They noted the Democrats showed little interest in the 13 Americans killed during the botched Biden-Harris withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This may be a fight neither side can win.

Meghan McCain is John's closest political heir

What does it mean to be a McCain?

During the Democratic National Convention, Meghan McCain hailed the DNC production values over her own partys less polished convention.

But last week she tweeted out this:

Please stop trying to turn me into a progressive. Its a fever dream. Im a life-long, generational conservative.

If there is a political heir to John McCain, its Meghan. It is hard to imagine John McCain joining the liberal party that prides itself on big spending and over-regulating  things he fought against his entire career.

Nor can one imagine John McCain surrendering the conservative party  the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan  to the likes of Donald Trump.

In fact, McCain told The Arizona Republic in 2017, the year before his death, It will be a cold day in Gila Bend before he ever leaves the Republican Party.

Meghan is fighting right-wing antisemitism

What does it mean to be a McCain?

Meghan and her husband Ben Domenech have used their substantial platforms to rail against antisemitism that has begun to burrow more deeply into the mainstream Democratic and Republican parties since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

This week they kicked back against Tucker Carlson, who entered the nations consciousness in the 1980s as a wavy-haired prep boy with moderate conservative views to become the hard-right anchor of Fox News primetime.

Since leaving Fox, Carlson has completely lost his mind, diving more deeply into conspiracy fabulism and sounding and acting more each day like a Jew hater.

Carlson began to reveal more clearly his attitudes last summer when he described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as sweaty and rat-like ... a persecutor of Christians.

Carlson knows enough to know that when you describe a Jewish man as a rodent, youve reached the Zyklon-B extremes of free speech.

Since the Oct. 7 slaughter of 1,200 mostly Israeli Jews, Carlson seems to struggle to work up much sympathy for the victims.

John McCain was a staunch defender of Israel

This week he interviewed a World War II revisionist who called Winston Churchill the chief villain of the conflict and seemed to soft-pedal Hitler and the German mass execution and starvation of Russian prisoners  one of the Nazis many crimes against humanity.

Domenech told Carlson in a tweet to Get f----- while presenting footage from Band of Brothers that depicts Allied troops liberating a concentration camp.

In his Spectator column, he wrote, Sometimes it is extremely disappointing to have your worst instincts about a person rewarded, and that is the case for many on the right today.

I wish my own instincts had been as sharp as Domenechs. He saw what I could not at the end of Carlsons Fox career.

New John McCain musical: Is all in Trump's vulgar head

Meghan tweeted, There is so much f---ing blatant antisemitism everywhere. Like its absolutely everywhere. It is hard to even process, I cant imagine what the lived experience of a Jewish American is every day. I promise to raise my daughters loving our Jewish brothers and sisters.

John McCain was a defender of the Jewish people and the state of Israel, and the Jews loved him for it.

After McCains passing in 2018, Israeli parliamentary leader Tzipi Livni said, He loved Israel and believed in its righteousness and always supported its security. Israel owes him a big thanks. I had the privilege of working with him and will always remember the rare person he was.

McCains prove family is more important

What does it mean to be a McCain?

That depends on how you answer this particular question:

How do you treat a member of your family who rejects its long-held political tradition and joins the other side?

Heres how the McCains responded when Jim announced he had become a Democrat.

I greatly respect the wide variety of political opinions of all of my family members and love them all very much, Meghan wrote on X.

Domenech wrote, My brother in law is a wonderful dad who is always kind to our daughters. Hes served our country with distinction. Hes a Democrat and thats fine  families can be split on politics and still love each other.

That sounds like a McCain legacy all Americans can embrace.

Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Meghan McCain and Jim McCain prove something crucial about politics
Welcome to The Scoop  the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. to Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.

(NewsNation)  Johnny Depp has a new lease on life after winning his defamation battle with Amber Heard in 2022  and celebrated by getting a whole set of (costly) new teeth.

Johnny Depps new smile

The actor was spotted at a bar in the Bahamas this week showing off his new smile  documented by a local bartender, Rap Rap Zoilo, who wrote under his handle @killerbartender: jacksparrow meets the killerbartender of exuma bahamas  once in a lifetime moments with mr Johnny Depp.

(Depp used to own his own island in the Bahamas, Little Halls Pond Cay, which he sold to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling in 2016 for $75 million, but still frequents the area on a regular basis.)

But what fans really noticed were Depps sparkling new teeth  a far cry from the stained, rotting chompers he has shown off for years.

Ticketmasters pricing for Oasis tickets is under investigation in the UK

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA  NOVEMBER 30: Johnny Depp attends the Opening Night screening of HWJN at the Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 on November 30, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival)

CANNES, FRANCE  MAY 17: Johnny Depp attends the Jeanne du Barry photocall at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)

LONDON, ENGLAND  JULY 09: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Johnny Depp of Hollywood Vampires performs at The O2 Arena on July 09, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

The price of celebrity smiles

And it cost him. According to Dr. Steven Butensky, a top prosthodontist in New York City with many celebrity clients, a full mouth of veneers would have cost Depp a total of $57,000, or $2,850 per tooth.

Johnny probably spent $60-80K including his back molars, Butensky, who does not treat Depp, said.

However, if his teeth were rotten then he would have had extractions and implants. When teeth are rotting then implants are needed and maybe even a root canal to save the tooth if possible, Butensky said.

If thats the case, the cost would have been over $100,000 as implants cost $3K each and can go up to $6K inclusive of the surgical procedure. A piddling cost for a man worth $150 million.

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JOPLIN, Mo.  A local nonprofit, focused on helping students, is launching a new program to build support throughout Joplin.

Bright Futures Joplin is starting a monthly BFJ Community Day. Its a chance to wear your Bright Futures Joplin t-shirt at work and raise awareness of your support for local students.

The website now has options to buy a t-shirt and sign-up for a regular donation.

The community day is an extension of a similar project within the school district  where staff can donate a portion of each paycheck.

This year were looking at, were not sure yet, I think well probably end up with $20,000 in donations, just from Joplin school staff. Its incredible, said Amanda Stone, Executive Director of Bright Futures Joplin.

Those interested can learn more about the community day project, HERE.

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A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved the sale of six Steward Health Care hospitals here Wednesday, the most significant milestone yet in a saga that has commanded state governments time, attention and money, and will reshape the health care landscape in eastern Massachusetts.

Judge Christopher Lopez made the decision after hearing arguments Wednesday morning, including around an objection that key lenders to the bankrupt company filed to the proposed sales. The judge said he would approve the sales, though he still wants Steward and the lenders to iron out differences around how a certain $17 million in proceeds is divvied up among creditors.

This sale needs to happen, and it will happen, Lopez said from the bench in Houston, Texas. He added, What I am saying is youre going to be authorized to sell it, but Im going to withhold $17 million bucks, which is the funding shortfall. Im going to withhold it from the other entity. They can get paid all the other money, but were going to take $17 million bucks, and Im going to figure out who gets it.

The judge said his decision to hold aside some of the sale proceeds to still be allocated should not hold up these sales and that he would have a ruling well before the targeted transaction close date of Sept. 30.

Approved was Stewards plan to sell St. Annes Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton to Lifespan for $175 million; the Holy Family Hospital facilities in Methuen and Haverhill to Lawrence General Hospital for $28 million; and Good Samaritan Medical Center and St. Elizabeths Medical Center to Boston Medical Center for as much as $140 million. Steward closed its other two hospitals here, Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, on Saturday.

The lawyer representing Massachusetts state government in Stewards bankruptcy case urged Lopez on Wednesday morning to approve the sale of the six hospital sites and hinted at the support that will be required in the future for these hospitals from state government.

The commonwealth has watched and participated in this process for months and months -- days and days of mediation, days and days of effort to bring together bidders and the estate in order to consummate transactions that will preserve jobs, will preserve hospitals, and first and foremost, will preserve health care in communities that require them, Andrew Troop, the states lawyer from the New York office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, said. This is not to say that there werent tough decisions made in this case with respect to other transactions. But here, there are willing buyers for assets that are, however described, challenged.

Troop said Massachusetts has tried to do its fair share to get the deals to the point of seeking court approval, including advancing Steward $30 million to fund operations in August and, with Lopezs approval granted Wednesday, providing the company another $42 million this week to keep the hospitals afloat until the end of September, when the sales are supposed to close.

The commonwealth has also thought very hard about the delivery of health care in Massachusetts, and the support that will be required in the future for these hospitals to hopefully turn themselves around and become the pillars of the community that they once were, he said.

The Healey administration has said the state will provide additional financial support for Steward, but has so far declined to say how much more the state will contribute. The financial aid package to help ease the transitions to new owners could reportedly swell to $700 million over three years.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services did not respond to questions Wednesday about the details of the financing plan, which Secretary Kate Walsh previously said would be made available when the deals were finalized.

Candace Arthur, one of Stewards lawyers from the firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, laid out for the court just how complicated of a process it was to reach the deals to sell Stewards hospitals in Massachusetts. She described challenging issues around value allocation, alternative source financing, navigating regulatory regimes and negotiating with multiple parties at the table.

None of the sales are just two-party binary discussions. Each sale involved the debtors, the buyer, the debtors secured lenders, the debtors landlord under the master lease governing the real property that the hospitals are situated, the mortgagee of the underlying real property, the creditors committee, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And this is in connection with negotiating the transaction terms, and doesnt include the concurrent negotiations that the debtors engaged in with unions and contract counterparties, she said.

Arthur added, So truly, your honor, each transaction before you today is the highest or best that the debtors are able to achieve.

But the deals for the Massachusetts hospitals, she said, are also Stewards only option available after a thorough search.

Court documents filed ahead of the sale hearing revealed just how limited the bidding for the Massachusetts hospitals was this summer. No hospital got more than three bids total, and one of the bids was a proposal to buy all of Stewards hospitals in Massachusetts for a total of $1.

The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, appointed to represent some of the people and companies with the largest unsecured claims during the bankruptcy proceedings, supported the deals. Brad Kahn, from the firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, said the creditors goal all along has been to keep the hospitals operating and transition them to new operators, safely and effectively.

By hook or by crook, we are now on the precipice of achieving that goal for six of the debtors eight Massachusetts hospitals, he said. Did the sales go exactly as we had all hoped they would when we started this case? No. But these hospitals need to be transitioned to their new operators as quickly and safely as possible.

Kahn added, The committee also believes that the estates must be fairly compensated in these sales, and it sounds like the court is going to help the parties figure out what that means in the context of the FILO lenders objection today.

Wednesdays hearing got into the meat of an objection filed by the first in, last out, or FILO, lenders that have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into Steward as the company headed for bankruptcy. Those lenders said they cannot possibly consent to the proposed sales of the Massachusetts Hospitals in their current form, and they do not. That objection is the basis for Lopezs decision to withhold $17 million for potential reallocation.

The Debtors sale process has resulted in bids for the Massachusetts Hospitals for an aggregate purchase price of $343 million, subject to certain adjustments ... However, this figure is misleading as the entirety of the Purchase Price will be allocated towards the real property and therefore flow to benefit the purported landlord (MPT and Macquarie) and more specifically will flow to the purported landlords secured lender, the FILO lenders wrote in the objection.

Of the $175 million purchase price Lifespan has agreed to pay for Morton and St. Annes, $166.8 million would go towards the transfer of the underlying real estate from an affiliate of Apollo Global Management while roughly $8.2 million would be allocated to Stewards hospital operation, according to court papers.

Approximately $9.4 million of the $140 million that BMC agreed to pay for Good Samaritan and St. Elizabeths is for the hospital operations, while all of the $28 million that Lawrence General agreed to pay for the Holy Family hospitals would be paid for the acquisition of the underlying real property from an affiliate of Apollo Global Management.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which said earlier this year that 5,000 of its members provide care through the Steward systems, said the sale approval marked a bright new day for healthcare workers and our patients. With Steward finally on its way out of Massachusetts, the critical work of transitioning the hospitals to their new owners can begin. Throughout this complicated process, patient safety and workers rights need to be protected, and new investments will be needed to help stabilize our fragile hospitals and their vital workforces, union Executive Vice President Tim Foley said. Healthcare workers are the heart and soul of our hospitals, and Steward workers stuck around through months of uncertainty because of our strong commitment to our patients.

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FILE - A river borders an area that has been illegally deforested by land-grabbers and cattle farmers in an extractive reserve in Jaci-Parana, Rondonia state, Brazil, July 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP)  A judge in the Brazilian state of Rondonia has found two beef slaughterhouses guilty of buying cattle from a protected area of former rainforest in the Amazon and ordered them, along with three cattle ranchers, to pay a total of $764,000 for causing environmental damage, according to the decision issued Wednesday. Cattle raising drives Amazon deforestation. The companies Distriboi and Frigon and the ranchers may appeal.

It is the first decision in several dozen lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in environmental damages from the slaughterhouses for allegedly trading in cattle raised illegally in a protected area known as Jaci-Parana, which was rainforest but is now mostly converted to pasture.

Four slaughterhouses are among the many parties charged, including JBS SA, which bills itself as the worlds largest protein producer. The court has not decided on the cases involving JBS.

Brazilian law forbids commercial cattle inside a protected area, yet some 210,000 head are being grazed inside Jaci-Parana, according to the state animal division. With almost 80% of its forest destroyed, it ranks as the most ravaged conservation unit in the Brazilian Amazon. A court filing pegs damages in the reserve at some $1 billion.

The lawsuits are based on transfer documents first reported by the Associated Press that show cattle going directly from protected areas to slaughterhouses. The documents were filled out by the illegal ranchers themselves.

Part of the decision is a collective penalty of $453,000 against the five defendants, who are linked to one farm. The money will be used to reforest 232 hectares (573 acres) of what is now pasture there.

When a slaughterhouse, whether by negligence or intent, buys and resells products from invaded and illegally deforested reserves, it is clear that it is directly benefiting from these illegal activities, according to a part of the original complaint which Judge Ines Moreira da Costa sustained in her ruling. In such cases, there is an undeniable connection between the companys actions and the environmental damage caused by the illegal exploitation.

Frigon and Distriboi did not respond to questions sent by email. In a filing, Frigon argued the state of Rondonia allowed ranchers to sell the cattle and said there is no relation between buying beef cattle and deforestation. In filings, Distriboi also denies any wrongdoing.

JBS also did not reply to a request for comment.

Rondonia, on the border with Bolivia, is the most badly deforested state in the Brazilian Amazon. In the past few weeks, most cities have been covered by thick smoke from wildfires, a sign of rampant deforestation. The situation is so dire that its main airport in Porto Velho was closed for seven consecutive days.

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  A Washington County judge found a Hagerstown man guilty of assaulting a disabled man in his care in January 2023.

On Jan. 23, 2023, 38-year-old Kehinde Oluwatobi Ososanya took a 30-year-old man with autism to an urgent care facility. Ososanya worked as a direct support professional at an Arc of Washington County residential program.

While in the urgent care lobby, Ososanya tried putting a face mask on the man. The man resisted and became aggressive toward Ososanya.

Officials: Body-worn camera footage of deadly DC police shooting will not be released to public

Ososanyas co-worker saw him karate chop the man in the neck, according to a press release from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.

Once in the exam room, Ososanya was seen grabbing the victim, elbowing him, punching him in the side and kneeing him in his ribcage. The co-worker intervened to stop the incident.

On Aug. 28, Ososanya was found guilty of Second-Degree Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult and Second-Degree Assault.

He faces up to 15 years in prison.

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TOKYO (AP)  One by one, the students, lawyers and others filed into a classroom in a central Tokyo university for a lecture by a Chinese journalist on Taiwan and democracy  taboo topics that can't be discussed publicly back home in China.

Taiwans modern-day democracy took struggle and bloodshed, theres no question about that, said Jia Jia, a columnist and guest lecturer at the University of Tokyo who was briefly detained in China eight years ago on suspicion of penning a call for China's top leader to resign.

He is one of tens of thousands of intellectuals, investors and other Chinese who have relocated to Japan in recent years, part of a larger exodus of people from China.

Their backgrounds vary widely, and they're leaving for all sorts of reasons. Some are very poor, others are very rich. Some leave for economic reasons, as opportunities dry up with the end of Chinas boom. Some flee for personal reasons, as even limited freedoms are eroded.



EDITORS NOTE: This story is part of the China's New Migrants package, a look by The Associated Press at the lives of the latest wave of Chinese emigrants to settle overseas.



Chinese migrants are flowing to all corners of the world, from workers seeking to start businesses of their own in Mexico to burned-out students heading to Thailand. Those choosing Japan tend to be well-off or highly educated, drawn to the country's ease of living, rich culture and immigration policies that favor highly skilled professionals, with less of the sharp anti-immigrant backlash sometimes seen in Western countries.

Jia initially intended to move to the U.S., not Japan. But after experiencing the coronavirus outbreak in China, he was anxious to leave and his American visa application was stuck in processing. So he chose Japan instead.

In the United States, illegal immigration is particularly controversial. When I went to Japan, I was a little surprised. I found that their immigration policy is actually more relaxed than I thought, Jia told The Associated Press. I found that Japan is better than the U.S."

It's tough to enter the U.S. these days. Tens of thousands of Chinese were arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year, and Chinese students have been grilled at customs as trade frictions fan suspicions of possible industrial espionage. Some U.S. states passed legislation that restricts Chinese citizens from owning property.

The U.S. is shutting out those Chinese that are friendliest to them, that most share its values, said Li Jinxing, a Christian human rights lawyer who moved to Japan in 2022.

Story continues

Li sees parallels to about a century ago, when Chinese intellectuals such as Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, moved to Japan to study how the country modernized so quickly.

On one hand, we hope to find inspiration and direction in history, Li said of himself and like-minded Chinese in Japan. On the other hand, we also want to observe what a democratic country with rule of law is like. Were studying Japan. How does its economy work, its government work?"

Over the past decade, Tokyo has softened its once-rigid stance against immigration, driven by low birthrates and an aging population. Foreigners now make up about 2% of its population of 125 million. That's expected to jump to 12% by 2070, according to the Tokyo-based National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Chinese are the most numerous newcomers, at 822,000 last year among more than 3 million foreigners living in Japan, according to government data. That's up from 762,000 a year ago and 649,000 a decade ago.

In 2022, the lockdowns under Chinas zero COVID policies led many of the country's youth or most affluent citizens to hit the exits. Theres even a buzzword for that: runxue, using the English word run to evoke running away to places seen as safer and more prosperous.

For intellectuals like Li and Jia, Japan offers greater freedoms than under Chinese leader Xi Jinpings increasingly repressive rule. But for others, such as wealthy investors and business people, Japan offers something else: property protections.

A report by investment migration firm Henley & Partners says nearly 14,000 millionaires left China last year, the most of any country in the world, with Japan a popular destination. A major driver is worries about the security of their wealth in China or Hong Kong, said Q. Edward Wang, a professor of Asian studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Protection of private property, which is the cornerstone of a capitalist society, that piece is missing in China, Wang said.

The weakening yen makes buying property and other local assets in Japan a bargain.

And while the Japanese economy has stagnated, Chinas once-sizzling economy is also in a rut, with the property sector in crisis and stock prices stuck at the level they were in the late 2000s.

If you are just going to Japan to preserve your money, Wang said, then definitely you will enjoy your time in Japan.

Dot.com entrepreneurs are among those leaving China after Communist Party crackdowns on the technology industry, including billionaire Jack Ma, a founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, who took a professorship at Tokyo College, part of the prestigious University of Tokyo.

So many wealthy Chinese have bought apartments in Tokyo's luxury high-rises that some areas have been dubbed Chinatowns, or Digital Chinatowns  a nod to the many owners' work in high-tech industries.

Life in Japan is good, said Guo Yu, an engineer who retired early after working at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Guo doesn't concern himself with politics. He's keen on Japan's powdery snow in the winter and is a superfan of its beautiful hot springs. He owns homes in Tokyo, as well as near a ski resort and a hot spring. He owns several cars, including a Porsche, a Mercedes, a Tesla and a Toyota.

Guo keeps busy with a new social media startup in Tokyo and a travel agency specializing in onsen, Japan's hot springs. Most of his employees are Chinese, he said.

Like Guo, many Chinese moving to Japan are wealthy and educated. That's for good reason: Japan remains unwelcoming to refugees and many other types of foreigners. The government has been strategic about who it allows to stay, generally focusing on people to fill labor shortages for factories, construction and elder care.

It is crucial that Japan becomes an attractive country for foreign talent so they will choose to work here, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier this year, announcing efforts to relax Japan's stringent immigration restrictions.

That kind of opportunity is exactly what Chinese ballet dancer Du Hai said he has found. Leading a class of a dozen Japanese students in a suburban Tokyo studio one recent weekend, Du demonstrated positions and spins to the women dressed in leotards and toe shoes.

Du was drawn to Japan's huge ballet scene, filled with professional troupes and talented dancers, he said, but worried about warnings he got about unfriendly Japanese.

That turned out to be false, he said with a laugh. Now, Du is considering getting Japanese citizenship.

Of course, I enjoy living in Japan very much now, he said.

___

Kang reported from Beijing.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
A federal bankruptcy judge in Texas has ruled that Lifespan Corporation can pursue the acquisition of St. Annes Hospital in Fall River, Mass., along with Morton Hospital in Taunton, Mass., from Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which declared bankruptcy in May. The purchase is still subject to federal and state regulatory reviews. (Ken Castro/Rhode Island Current)

A Lifespan Corporation subsidiary has until the end of the month to close the deal to buy two Bristol County, Massachusetts, hospitals from their bankrupt owner, a federal bankruptcy judge in Houston ruled on Wednesday.

The Sept. 4 court order by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez came a week after Rhode Islands largest hospital provider announced the deal to buy St. Annes and Morton hospitals for $175 million. The pair of hospitals in Fall River and Taunton, respectively, are among the casualties of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which declared bankruptcy in May. In order to secure gap financing, the national hospital chain operator was under court order to sell off 31 hospitals nationwide, including eight in Massachusetts.

Lopez in his 371-page order approved the sale agreements for five Bay State hospitals to new owners, including the two poised to be taken over by Lifespan of Massachusetts.

The deals are still subject to federal and state regulatory reviews, including, for Lifespan, a potential review by the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General. Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission must also sign off, according to Jessica Wharton, a Lifespan spokesperson.

We look forward to incorporating these two hospitals into the Lifespan system and are committed to providing exceptional patient care to the residents of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Wharton said in an email Thursday.

Lifespan intends to pay for the pair of Massachusetts hospitals through debt financing. Partially redacted purchase agreements included in court filings show the bulk of the proceeds from the sale will be given to Apollo Global Management, the lender for the mortgages on the Massachusetts land and buildings. Of the combined $343 million sale value of all five Massachusetts hospitals, Lopez ordered $17 million of the proceeds must also be set aside, potentially to pay off Stewards creditors, many of which objected to the sale in court filings.

Lopez on Wednesday also authorized another $42 million in gap financing from Massachusetts to keep the five hospitals afloat, $5.7 million of which is set aside for Morton and $3 million for St. Annes. This is in addition to the $30 million bridge loan already promised by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey for short-term transition costs, along with an expected $80 million annually for three years.

Lifespan, which employs 17,000 workers in Rhode Island, previously touted the deal as a way to expand its regional network, adding the 211-bed St. Annes Hospital or 144-bed Morton Hospital to its existing, 1,110 beds across five Rhode Island hospitals.

Another selling point: Massachusetts pays higher provider reimbursement rates than Rhode Island.

Lifespan is also poised to boost its balance sheet within the Ocean State through an expanded partnership with Brown University Health. The agreement, announced in June, includes a $150 million investment from Brown to Lifespan over the next seven years, alongside a pending name change to Brown University Health.

The court order also approves the sale of Holy Family Hospital to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, while Boston Medical Center can take over St. Elizabeths Medical Center and Good Samaritan Medical Center.

Two other Steward-owned hospitals in Massachusetts, Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center, closed on Aug. 31 because there were no qualified bids from prospective buyers. The Healey administration has planned a series of programs and interim measures aimed at helping hospital workers find new jobs and alternative healthcare options for residents.

Steward acknowledged receipt of an inquiry for comment, but did not actually answer questions on Thursday.

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A federal magistrate judge Tuesday approved a class-action lawsuit settlement requiring Floridas Medicaid program to provide incontinence supplies to adults with disabilities.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Barksdale issued a six-page order approving the settlement reached by lawyers for the state Agency for Health Care Administration and two women with disabilities and the advocacy group Disability Rights Florida.

The settlement had been in the works for more than a year, including the Agency for Health Care Administration going through a rule-making process to provide medically necessary incontinence supplies to adults, according to court documents.

Through the proposed settlement, the plaintiffs will receive the relief they sued to obtain, Barksdale wrote in Tuesdays order. Absent settlement, litigation would resume with its attendant cost, delay and risk. The proposed method of delivering relief to the class is effective; specifically, the ordinary process for obtaining Medicaid benefits and the provision of provider and plan alerts about the policy change.

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A Jan. 17 joint motion that sought a preliminary review of the proposed settlement said the Agency for Health Care Administration adopted a final rule on providing incontinence supplies in December.

In short, AHCA (the agency) intends to amend all AHCA policies, fee schedules, and administrative rules necessary  for the coverage of incontinence supplies, the joint motion said. If the rulemaking process and AHCAs amendment of all policies, fee schedules, and administrative rules results in coverage of incontinence supplies, the parties agree that they will file a joint motion for voluntary dismissal of this litigation ,, and, upon order of the court, AHCA will pay plaintiffs $50,000 in full satisfaction of attorneys fees and costs.

Barksdales order Tuesday directed the agency to pay $50,000 in attorney fees to the plaintiffs by Oct. 3 and said the parties must file a joint motion to dismiss the case by Sept. 10.

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The lawsuit, filed in July 2022, alleged the Medicaid program violated federal laws by denying coverage of incontinence supplies to adults with disabilities. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Duval County resident Blanca Meza and St. Johns County resident Destiny Belanger, who are incontinent and unable to care for themselves, with Disability Rights Florida also a plaintiff.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard in March 2023 certified the case as a class action. Morales Howards decision cited one estimate that at least 480 Medicaid beneficiaries a year turn 21 and lose coverage for incontinence supplies that they received as children. The state has provided the supplies, such as briefs, diapers and underpads, for Medicaid beneficiaries under age 21 and for certain adults, including people in nursing homes.

The lawsuit alleged that the states policy of not providing incontinence supplies to other adults violated federal Medicaid law and laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act. It said the state stopped providing the supplies to Meza and Belanger after they turned 21, though they were incontinent and unable to care for themselves.

Read: LIVE UPDATES: Student, 14, fatally shoots 4 people in rampage at Georgia high school

As an example of their disabilities, the lawsuit said Meza is diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, muscle spasticity, neuromuscular scoliosis and partial epilepsy.

Plaintiffs are medically fragile adults each with bladder and bowel incontinence, the lawsuit said. As low-income Florida residents with significant disabilities, they receive their health services through Floridas Medicaid program. Plaintiffs physicians have prescribed certain incontinence supplies, including briefs and underpads, as medically necessary to treat plaintiffs incontinence, keep their skin dry and clean, prevent skin breakdowns and infections and maintain their ability to live in the community.

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Judge in Trumps Jan. 6 case says it wont be delayed by upcoming presidential election

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Clinton Middle School on Jan. 6, 2024 in Clinton, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  Exactly two months out from the presidential election, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan plans to move ahead with the case accusing former President Donald Trump of subverting the 2020 presidential election results, telling Trumps attorneys that she is not concerned with the electoral schedule.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, did not appear in federal court for Thursdays hearing in Washington, D.C., but his lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf to the four charges that remained unchanged in U.S. special counsel Jack Smiths new indictment, filed last week.

The case had been in a holding pattern for eight months as Trump appealed his claim of presidential immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chutkans anticipated new timeline for the case  which she could release as early as Thursday  is still expected to assure Trump will not face trial before Election Day in November.

U.S. prosecutors say they are ready to restart the case in the coming weeks, while Trumps team has argued for more time to review evidence and dismiss the superseding indictment.

The Supreme Court returned Trumps case to the trial court after ruling that former presidents are immune from criminal charges for official core constitutional acts while in office and hold at least presumptive immunity for outer perimeter activities, but not for personal actions.

This gave Chutkan, an Obama administration appointee, the major task of parsing Smiths indictment, deciding which allegations against Trump fall under the umbrella of official acts and which relate to actions taken in a personal capacity.

Chutkan skeptical

Chutkan did not issue any decisions on immunity at the Thursday hearing but rather spent significant time grilling Trumps attorney John Lauro on why he believes it is unseemly for Smiths office to lay out its case this month in an opening brief. Thomas Windom, a federal prosecutor in Smiths office, said the government would be ready to file the brief by the end of September.

Lauro argued that Smith wanting to file at breakneck speed is incredibly unfair that they are able to put in the public record (evidence) at this sensitive time in our nations history.

I understand theres an election impending, Chutkan snapped back, reminding him that it is not relevant here.

Three weeks is not exactly breakneck speed, Chutkan added.

Lauro argues that Chutkan should examine parts of the indictment that accuse Trump of pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept false slates of electors leading up to Pences ceremonial role in certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

The problem with that issue is if in fact the communications are immune, then the entire indictment fails, Lauro argued.

Im not sure thats my reading of the case, Chutkan replied.

The government maintains that all actions and communications by Trump described in the new indictment were private in nature, Windom argued.

Chutkan also spent time during the roughly 75-minute hearing questioning Lauro on the Trump legal teams numerous plans to request the cases dismissal. One anticipated plan is to try its successful play in Florida, where a Trump-appointed federal judge tossed his classified documents case after Trump argued Smith was illegally appointed as special counsel.

Chutkan said she will allow the defense to file that motion but warned that attorneys must provide convincing arguments on why binding precedent doesnt hold for the time-tested position of special prosecutor.

New indictment, same charges

Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights for his alleged role in conspiring to create false electors from seven states and spreading knowingly false information that whipped his supporters into a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

A federal grand jury handed up a revised indictment Aug. 27 in an effort to tailor the charges to the Supreme Courts July 1 immunity ruling. The fresh indictment omitted any references to Trumps alleged pressure campaign on Justice Department officials to meddle in state election results.

But the document added emphasis on Trumps personal use of social media outside of his actions as president, and said he and several co-conspirators schemed outside of his official duties. The new indictment also stressed Trumps pressure on Pence to accept the fake electors in his role outside of the executive branch as president of the Senate.

If Trump wins the Oval Office in November, he would have the power to hinder or altogether shut down the Department of Justices election interference case against him.

If he loses to Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, the case is sure to be set back by further delays, as the Trump team plans numerous challenges and will almost certainly appeal  likely to the Supreme Court again  Chutkans decisions on which allegations against Trump are or are not subject to immunity.

According to Fridays joint filing in which each side laid out plans for the case going forward, Trumps team also warned they will challenge that Trumps tweets and communication about the 2020 presidential results should be considered all official acts.

Additionally, Trump plans to file a motion to dismiss the case based on the Supreme Courts June ruling that a Jan. 6 rioter could not be charged with obstructing an official proceeding  a charge that Trump also faces.
As legal challenges to book removals continue to mount, attorneys on Wednesday sparred in federal court about whether Escambia County School Board members should be forced to testify about a decision to bar the childrens book And Tango Makes Three from school libraries.

School board attorneys told U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor that the board members are shielded by what is known as legislative privilege from having to testify.

But attorney Lauren Zimmerman, who represents plaintiffs challenging the book removal, contended that legislative privilege is an extremely narrow doctrine that would only apply to questions that are squarely as to the motivations of the school board members who voted to remove the book.

Zimmerman also argued board members essentially waived their privilege by supplying thousands and thousands of documents sought by plaintiffs and should be forced to submit to questions about their reasons for removing the book.

Government officials are unlikely to admit outright that they violated the law, Zimmerman, an attorney with the New York-based Selendy Gay PLLC firm, said, referring to a court decision in an unrelated case.

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But Winsor seemed skeptical, saying that legislative privilege would preclude plaintiffs lawyers from asking questions that seek to determine the officials motivations.

The judge asked attorney Jeffrey Grossholz, who represents the school board, about the issue.

The vote to remove And Tango Makes Three is legislative in nature. There are multiple reasons for this, Grossholz said.

He acknowledged, however, This is an unsettled area of law.

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And Tango Makes Three co-authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and a student identified by the initials B.G. filed a lawsuit challenging the removal of the book, contending, at least in part, that it was targeted for depicting same-sex parents raising a child. The book tells the story of two male penguins who raised a penguin chick at New Yorks Central Park Zoo.

In April, Winsor refused to dismiss the plaintiffs claims that the school boards decision to remove the book violated the authors right to freedom of expression and the students right to receive information. Winsor in July rejected an attempt to shield the Escambia board members from depositions but allowed the board to file a revised request.

Grossholz on Wednesday pointed to appellate court rulings about legislative privilege as parallels to the more-novel litigation over book removals.

The board has a legislative duty under Florida law to maintain and be responsible for all materials in school libraries and then to provide a policy under which interested citizens can object to the content in these library books, Grossholz, an attorney with the Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell PA firm, told Winsor.

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And then it must, and thats in the law, it must provide a resolution, he said.

That doesnt seem to help you. It seems to hurt, Winsor said.

Grossholz said that the board is not mechanically applying its policy.

The end result is an expression of the districts legislative authority, he argued.

But Zimmerman contended that the boards process is administrative, and therefore not covered by legislative privilege. She also acknowledged the lack of case law on the issue involving school books.

Read: Report shows multiple safety issues prior to deadly apartment fire in Altamonte Springs

The assertion of legislative privilege here is grossly inappropriate, Zimmerman said. Were seeing book removals all over the country. Weve seen book removals in the past. I dont know of any case in which any government official has asserted that their decisions over books in a library pursuant to a policy is subject to the legislative privilege.

Winsor repeatedly pressed Zimmerman about what the plaintiffs lawyers would need from the school board members if he decided that legislative privilege applies.

If the privilege does exist  whats left to do? he asked at one point.

The judge did not rule Wednesday and said he would allow lawyers from both sides to file supplemental briefs over the next week.

Read: LIVE UPDATES: Student, 14, fatally shoots 4 people in rampage at Georgia high school

Litigation over book removals in schools has mushroomed as Florida and other Republican-led states have made it easier for parents and other people to scrutinize books and to challenge materials that they deem unsuitable for students.

A Florida law passed in 2022 ramped up scrutiny of books and instructional materials and gave parents and members of the public increased access to the process of selecting and removing school library books. A 2023 law includes a requirement that books drawing claims of containing pornographic material or describing sexual conduct be removed within five days of objections and remain unavailable to students until the objections are resolved.

Escambia County has become a battleground amid the controversy. Lawyers for Escambia officials also are trying to shield the school board members from testifying in a separate lawsuit filed by parents of schoolchildren, authors, the publishing company Penguin Random House and the free-speech group PEN America challenging decisions to remove or restrict books.

Plaintiffs have filed at least three other federal lawsuits in Florida challenging restrictions on access to books or processes of removing books from school libraries.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
An 18-year-old sailor died Saturday after being shot in San Diego, according to the Navy and police.

Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice Albert Lee Soto was shot early Saturday and was assigned to the destroyer Pinckney, officials said.

Police received reports at 12:49 a.m. of shots fired in San Diegos East Village neighborhood, and a responding officer found Soto suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

After CPR was administered at the scene, Soto was transported to a local hospital and died from his wounds shortly after.

Soto was involved in an altercation with a group of men inside a nearby nightclub before the shooting, according to San Diego police, but detectives have not confirmed whether the two incidents involving the sailor are related.

The suspects in Sotos shooting are described as four Black males wearing dark clothing who were last seen running eastbound on F Street, police said.

Individuals with pertinent information are urged to contact the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

A New York native, Soto enlisted in the Navy in October.

Our thoughts are with the Sailors family, friends, and shipmates, Naval Surface Forces spokesperson Lt. Grace Kording said in a statement. The Navy is providing support during this difficult time.
DENVER (KDVR)  A 12-person jury was sat Wednesday in the trial of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the man accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder King Soopers in 2021.

Jurors are set to hear opening arguments for the case on Thursday at 9 a.m. Alissa and his attorneys have not disputed that he was the shooter; instead, theyve argued he is not mentally competent and is not able to understand legal proceedings.

Trial expected to focus on shooters competency in 2021 Colorado supermarket massacre

However, after Alissa was medicated, a judge ruled in October that Alissa was mentally competent and proceedings resumed.

The suspect has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, an evaluation conducted at a state mental hospital found Alissa was legally sane at the time of the attack, and evaluators also said the attack would not have happened if Alissa had been mentally well.

Alissa is facing 10 counts of first-degree murder and 15 counts of attempted murder and other offenses, including having six high-capacity magazines for the guns used in the shooting. Investigators said during court hearings that Alissa had kept notes in his cellphone for months prior to the shooting about guns and how to move and shoot people.

The closest thing to a possible motive revealed so far was when a mental health evaluator testified during a competency hearing last year that Alissa said he bought firearms to carry out a mass shooting and suggested that he wanted police to kill him.

Jury selection began Monday, Aug. 26, with questionnaire screenings and transitioned to in-person selection. The jury was officially sat on Wednesday at about 4 p.m., and the trial is projected to last through the middle of the month.

Prosecutors will seek to prove that Alissa, of Arvada, was sane when he drove the 15 miles to the Boulder store, attempting to convince jurors that the man knew what he was doing and intended to kill the people in the store.

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The defense argued in a court filing that Alissas relatives said he irrationally believed that the FBI was following him and that he would talk to himself as if he were talking to someone who was not there. However, prosecutors point out Alissa was never previously treated for mental illness and was able to work up to 60 hours a week leading up to the shooting, something they say would not have been possible for someone severely mentally ill.

Several of Alissas relatives are listed as potential witnesses for the defense during the trial.

Both sides will rely on experts to testify about his sanity, possibly including videos of their interviews with Alissa, said defense lawyer Karen Steinhauser, a former prosecutor and University of Denver law professor.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal tax charges, a surprise move meant to spare his family another painful and embarrassing criminal trial after his gun case conviction just months ago.

Hunter Bidens decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors caps a long-running saga over his legal woes that have cast a shadow over his fathers political career. It came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.

The presidents son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction on felony gun charges in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction. The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Bidens foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.

I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment, Hunter Biden said in an emailed statement after he entered his plea. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.

Although President Joe Bidens decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a heavy emotional toll for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.

Hunter put his family first today, and it was a brave and loving thing for him to do," defense attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.

Hunter Biden, 54, quickly responded guilty as the judge read out each of the nine counts. He showed no emotion as he walked out the courthouse holding his wifes hand. He ignored questions shouted at him by reporters before climbing into an SUV and driving off.

The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence. He faces up to $1.35 million in fines. Sentencing is set for Dec. 16 in front of U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who was nominated to the bench by former President Donald Trump.

He faces sentencing in the Delaware case on Nov. 13  the week after the general election. Those charges are punishable by up to 25 years in prison, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse Thursday to begin the process of picking the panel to hear the case alleging a four-year scheme to avoid paying taxes while spending wildly on things like strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars.

Prosecutors were caught off guard when Hunter Bidens lawyer told the judge Thursday morning that Hunter wanted to enter whats known as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Special counsel David Weiss' team objected to such a plea, telling the judge that Hunter Biden is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.

Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty, prosecutor Leo Wise said.

After a break in the hearing, Hunter Biden's lawyers said he had decided to plead guilty to all nine charges.

Last year, it had looked like he was going to be spared prison time under a deal with prosecutors that would have allowed him to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses. Prosecutors would have recommended two years of probation and he would have escaped prosecution on a felony gun charge as long he stayed out of trouble for two years.

But the agreement imploded after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and Hunter Biden was subsequently indicted in the two cases. The defense has accused special counsel Weiss of caving to political pressure to indict the presidents son after Trump and other Republicans blasted what they described as a sweetheart deal.

The indictment brought last year grew out of an investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes that began in 2018 under the Trump administration. Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of the investigation in December 2020  the month after his father won the election  saying he learned about it for the first time the previous day.

Prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels  in short, everything but his taxes.

The charges in both the gun and tax cases stemmed from a period in Hunter Biden's life in which he struggled with drug and alcohol abuse before becoming sober in 2019. His lawyers had been expected to argue that his substance abuse struggles affected his decision-making and judgment, so he could not have acted willfully, or with intention to break the tax law.

As I have stated, addiction is not an excuse, but it is an explanation for some of my failures at issue in this case," Hunter Biden said in a statement. When I was addicted, I wasnt thinking about my taxes, I was thinking about surviving. But the jury would never have heard that or know that I had paid every penny of my back taxes including penalties.

His decision to plead guilty came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction. Scarsi had also placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Bidens family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

Hunter Bidens attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a character assassination, including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites.

Prosecutors had also planned to introduce evidence about Hunter Bidens overseas business dealings, including his work for a Romanian businessman who prosecutors said in court papers sought to influence U.S. government policy while Joe Biden was vice president.

___

Lauer reported from Philadelphia. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed from Washington.
TechCrunch

Uber is continuing its push to bring more electric vehicles onto the ride-hail and delivery platform, and it thinks giving drivers a chatbot to answer all their EV questions will help. Starting early 2025, Uber will launch an AI assistant for drivers in the U.S. powered by OpenAIs GPT-4o. At launch, the assistant will only answer questions about electric vehicles, like where to charge them or which one to buy, but the integration will potentially span into other use cases in the future, according to an Uber spokesperson.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  On September 29, systemic racism, justice and reparations will be on trial.

The off Broadway play Justice on Trial includes historical figures such as Harriet Tubman and Emmett Till, who tell their stories to a modern day jury made up of people from various races.

Chad Lawson Cooper wrote the play in 2016 as a way to educate and motivate audiences. Several local performers, such as Michael Bruce, will play a role in the production.

Bruce is a gospel performer and radio host based in Rochester. Bruce and Cooper say although the social justice play tackles some serious issues, the production includes some comic relief as well.

Two performances are scheduled September 29 at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at Temple Theater. Click here for ticket information.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
BOSTON (AP)  Several political leaders, including Massachusetts U.S. Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, attacked the leader of a troubled health care system on Thursday for refusing to comply with a subpoena to appear before a Senate committee.

Lawyers for Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre said Wednesday that he won't testify before a committee investigating the Dallas-based hospital company's bankruptcy because a federal court order prohibits him from discussing anything during an ongoing reorganization and settlement effort.

Warren and Markey both dismissed those concerns on Thursday, saying de la Torre is trying to avoid accountability.

Steward, which operated about 30 hospitals nationwide, filed for bankruptcy in May. It has been trying to sell its more than half-dozen hospitals in Massachusetts, but received inadequate bids for Carney Hospital in Boston and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in the town of Ayer, both of which closed on Saturday. A federal bankruptcy court on Wednesday approved the sale of Stewards other hospitals in Massachusetts.

In a letter Wednesday to Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, de la Torre did not rule out testifying before the committee at a later date.

He is in hiding because he does not want to answer to the American people or Congress or the patients and workers of Massachusetts for what he has done, Markey, speaking at a press conference Thursday, said of de la Torre. He wants to hide from the accountability of what the last five months have exposed.

Warren said de la Torre could invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination if he believes the answers will put him at risk for going to jail.

Ralph de la Torre is one more rich guy who thinks the rules dont apply to him, Warren said. He seems to think hes above the law and that he can take whatever he wants and not have to answer for any of the destruction that he leaves behind.

Warren argued that de la Torre's decision not to appear should result in his ouster from Steward.

I understand its way late in the process, but Id like to see someone else who gets their eyes on all of the information thats happening confidentially, internally, and not disclosed to the public  someone besides Ralph de la Torre, she said.

In their letter to Sanders, lawyers for de la Torre said the Senate committee is seeking to turn the hearing into a pseudo-criminal proceeding in which they use the time, not to gather facts, but to convict Dr. de la Torre in the eyes of public opinion.

Story continues

Sanders said in a statement that he will work with other members of the panel to determine the best way to press de la Torre for answers.

Let me be clear: We will not accept this postponement. Congress will hold Dr. de la Torre accountable for his greed and for the damage he has caused to hospitals and patients throughout America, Sanders said. This Committee intends to move forward aggressively to compel Dr. de la Torre to testify to the gross mismanagement of Steward Health Care.

The committees options include holding de la Torre in criminal contempt, which could result in a trial and jail time; or civil contempt, which would result in fines until he appears. Both would require a Senate vote.

De la Torre also refused invitations to testify at a Boston field hearing earlier this year chaired by Markey.
SEATTLE, WA (KSNT)  The remains of a Kansas 1st Infantry Division soldier lost since WWI have been returned to U.S. soil for a proper burial.

The 1st Infantry Division announced in a press release that U.S. Army Pfc. Charles McAllister of Seattle, Washington was returned home for a burial ceremony in Acacia Memorial Park with full military honors on Aug. 21, 2024. McAllisters remains were officially identified after 105 years of searching on April 15, 2024 and sent to Washington state.

McAllister was serving with the I Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division of the American Expeditionary Force in France. At the age of 23, he was reported missing in action. His remains, along with the remains of other soldiers, were found in 2002 by a French archaeological team, starting the long process of identifying the remains properly.

Sometimes, because of the nature of war, it is impossible to be able to recover a comrade at that point, but that doesnt mean we stop trying, said Sean Everett, a spokesperson for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

A rigorous forensic investigation eventually yielded evidence the remains recovered in France belong to McAllister. The Washington State National Guard and living relatives of McAllister helped the DPAA make a positive identification of his remains.

$25,000 a year for life lottery ticket sold in Topeka, winner claims prize

When the two sets of remains were found we did everything we could to finally find a way to be able to identify McAllister, said Everett. All of that is part of that promise the country makes to the service member when they join the military; that is to never leave them behind. Its also a promise that is made to the family.

(Photo Courtesy/1st Infantry Division)

(Photo Courtesy/1st Infantry Division)

(Photo Courtesy/1st Infantry Division)

(Photo Courtesy/1st Infantry Division)

It was great that we were able to finally get him home, said Kevin McAllister, a relative of Charles McAllister.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Kansas man sentenced to prison after police used genealogy data to solve 2007 rape

A 54-year-old Augusta man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after raping a women in 2007 in her southeast Wichita home, the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office said Thursday.

The mans arrest last year was the Wichita Police Departments first using investigative genetic genealogy, which tries to match a DNA sample from an unsolved case and to data submitted to genealogy websites, according to a news release from the DAs office.

Ted Foy was sentenced Friday to 310 months in prison after pleading guilty on March 20 to aggravated criminal sodomy, rape, aggravated sexual battery and attempted rape, the news release said.

On Nov. 13, 2007, Foy entered a womans home through a downstairs window while her husband was gone serving in the military, the news release said.

Specifics about the case have not been made public. A Wichita police official who was interviewed by The Eagle after Foys arrest in May 2023 said investigative genetic genealogy was being used to solve other cold cases in Wichita.

Ted Foy

The practice has been scrutinized as submitting DNA to genealogy companies has become popular in recent years.

Using the databases to start an investigation is blatantly unconstitutional, according to Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director of Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a privacy and civil rights organization.
Kansas ranked among the worst states for working in the U.S. Heres why

The anti-poverty nonprofit Oxfam has released new rankings measuring which states are the best for workers in the U.S.  and Kansas didnt fare well.

Kansas ranks 42nd in the nation for pro-worker policies in the report. The rankings combine scores on state-level wage policies, worker protections and the right to organize.

Heres a closer look at the state policies that affect workers in Kansas.

What policies govern wages in Kansas?

Kansas ranks extremely low on wage policies, coming in at 45th out of 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Kansas tipped minimum wage is just $2.13 per hour, and its full minimum wage is at the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.

Kansas minimum wage covers less than 20% of the cost of living for an average family of four, the report finds. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, even a single adult with no children must make at least $20.35 per hour to cover basic necessities in Kansas  far higher than the current minimum wage.

This bar chart shows where Kansas ranks out of all 50 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. in a new report by Oxfam on state-level labor policies and protections around the country.

Since Kansas prohibits localities from setting their own minimum wages above the state standard, it can make it difficult to afford the cost of living in the states more expensive areas.

What protections do workers have in Kansas?

Oxfam ranked states based on 16 criteria for worker protections that are enshrined in state laws. They included paid family and sick leave policies, regulations around shift scheduling, heat protections for outdoor workers, and equal protections for farm and domestic workers, who are often excluded from labor laws.

Kansas met three of the 16 total criteria, landing it in a tie with Missouri for 37th place on the overall ranking for worker protections.

Kansas has three types of listed protections: It mandates equal pay across race and gender, provide some form of sexual harassment protection in state laws and regulate child labor.

However, the rankings dont rate the effectiveness of these legal protections, leaving their impact on workers up to interpretation. The ranking merely records whether some protections exist on the books  not how robust they are or how well theyre enforced.

What organizing rights do workers have in Kansas?

Both Kansas landed in the bottom half of Oxfams rankings for labor organizing rights.

Kansas ranks 33rd out of 52 jurisdictions for organizing rights. While it provides collective bargaining rights to teachers and some other public workers, it does not protect workers from retaliation for wage theft or ensure fair wages to contracted workers.

Perhaps most importantly, Kansas is a right-to-work state, meaning employees cant be compelled to pay union dues even if a union represents and protects their interests in the workplace. Kansas is one of 26 states with these laws, which are generally seen as hurting labor unions.
KAOS is the new Netflix drama that reimagines the Greek Pantheon of Gods as modern-day immortals dwelling. The setting is an alternative 21st century Crete that is more Los Angeles than Hellenic.

Ancient Greek mythology isnt ancient to this world. Despite the English-language setting and its chintzy Hollywood aesthetic, this is a version of reality where the Greek Empire lasted another 2,000 years.

Related

Now, Jeff Goldblum presides over Crete as Zeus, the King of the Gods. Goldblum is perfectly cast as the spoilt brat embodiment of Greeces patriarchal deity. Where Christian monotheism imbues its supreme being with omniscient solemnity, the Greeks were far more fun.

Petulance, vanity, and sarcasm are de rigueur for this reimagined pantheon. Who else could embody those virtues greater than Goldblum, who appropriates his trademark performance style to the suave debonair stylings of LA-Zeus.

But Zeus fortunes are turning. Zeus keeps noticing portents of trouble and the cracks are showing in the devotion of the people of Crete when the Trojans desecrate an Olympia Day monument in his name. Only his wife (and sister) Hera (an icy cool Janet McTeer) can calm Zeus down from retaliating to the blasphemy: youre king of the gods, humans are not a threat to you.

Heras words might not be the full truth though. As Prometheus prophecies, maybe after thousands of years, the right humans will be able to destroy Zeus.

Killian Scott and Nabhaan Rizwan as Orpheus and Dionysus - Netflix

All the while, the first episode also brings us a side plot based around Eurydice, the lover of a rock-star version of Orpheus. She bumps into Cassandra, the overlooked prophetic Trojan queen, in the cereal aisle of a supermarket. There, Cassandra (played by a scenery-chewing Billie Piper) tells Eurydice that she will leave her partner today.

Its in this plot during the first episode of KAOS that it becomes unclear who the show is targeted at. For anyone familiar with Greek myths, theres only one way the plot of characters like Orpheus and Eurydice will go.

As much as a colourful take  although this is more standardised Netflix fare, carbon cut cinematography with a whirling CGI Mount Olympus  is refreshing for these myths, the value of the show has to be more than just providing Ancient Greece fans with an opportunity to point out all they know.

On the flipside, for those who arent familiar with these myths. Im not sure exactly how much there is to actually grab onto here. If KAOS makes a key mistake, its that it assumes the viewer finds all this very grabbing. Without a vague interest in how the show is going to reframe these popular myths, the characters themselves dont grab you. In particular, Eurydice and Orpheus are a bit too po-faced and everything is either suffused with too much gravitas or too modernised and down-to-earth for you to particularly care.

Aurora Perrineau as Riddy (Eurydice) - Netflix

If you are intrigued by Greek mythology though, the semi-imaginative ways in which this show reimagines these stories does make a reliably interesting watch. Episode ones other major player is Dionysus (played charmingly by Nabhaan Rizwan) who breaks with his own mythology by offering to help Orpheus get his wife back when the inevitable occurs.

After Dionysus, Hera and Zeus, episode two introduces Hades (ever glorious David Thewlis) and Persephone to prove that it's the gods that will ultimately keep peoples interest in the show. While all the humans remain unbearably dour, all the actors behind the Gods have duly taken the note to play their parts larger than life.

From the first few episodes, the major issue is that whenever the gods are interacting with humans, the mismatch between these two vibes means the dialogue never zings. The gods are jumping through their lines like its a Joss Whedon script, while the humans pause with the portents of a Harold Pinter drama.

How KAOS is ultimately received will be dependent on how fast and loose creator Charlie Covell is willing to play with myth. Play it too close to the established stories and this is just a surface-level adaptation that isnt half as imaginative as the source material. Not close enough, and mythos fans will question why it bothered with the original in the first place.

Theres a middle option that straddles the tightrope of these two situations. Whether KAOS can manage that remains to be seen
The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle are finalists for a prestigious national journalism award for their combined coverage of a police raid on a small town Kansas newspaper.

The Star and The Eagle are together a finalist for the Scripps Howard Journalism Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment. The Scripps Howard Awards, now in its 71st year, honors excellence in breaking news and investigative reporting.

In August 2023 the Marion Police Department, led by then-Chief Gideon Cody, searched the newsroom of the Marion County Record. Officers also searched the home of editor and publisher Eric Meyer and his mother, 98-year-old Joan Meyer, who died shortly after the raid. Police also searched the home of a local councilwoman.

Cody raided the properties as part of an investigation into alleged identity theft by a Record reporter, but the basis for the searches quickly fell apart. A local prosecutor withdrew the search warrants and Cody resigned weeks after the raid. Several lawsuits have been filed over the raid.

Last month, special prosecutors charged Cody with interfering in the judicial process, a felony, over allegations he instructed a local businesswoman to delete text messages in the aftermath of the searches.

The highlights of The Star and The Eagles coverage of the raid include exposing Codys checkered past at the Kansas City Police Department before leaving to become chief in Marion. The newspapers also reported on how Magistrate Judge Laura Viar, who signed off on the searches, had a history of DUI arrests. The editorial board of both newspapers also denounced the raid, and The Eagle produced a documentary on Joan Meyers death.

Were thrilled to have the collaborative efforts of The Star and The Eagle recognized by the prestigious Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. To be a finalist in this category is an honor, Greg Farmer, executive editor of The Star, said.

What happened in Marion was an attack on the First Amendment and all journalists, and were proud to have played a small part in ensuring those who infringed on the Marion Records rights are being held accountable.

The other finalists for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment include Hearst Connecticut Media Group for an investigation into how Bridgeport, Connecticut, ignored open record laws and by Open Vallejo into how Vallejo, California, destroyed evidence in multiple police shootings.

The Scripps Howard winners will be announced on Oct. 20.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Traffic is never-ending along Prospect Avenue, which is one of the most dangerous corridors in the city for pedestrians.

The city blames that on speeding and reckless driving. Thats why the Kansas City Council passed the Vision Zero resolution in 2020, to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our streets by 2030.

Park Hill student says he was suspended after defending himself in racist incident

Not even two weeks ago, 31-year-old woman Maurshay Brown was hit at 9:30 p.m., crossing Prospect near 31st. Kansas City police said she had been in the middle of the road when a Dodge Charger traveling northbound hit her. The woman died at a hospital from her injuries.

Ive seen many people get hit and many crashes up and down Prospect from 75th to 31st, said Corey Griffin. Not to mention, Ive been in a few of them myself.

Griffin, who lives in the area and acts as a citizen reporter through his KC Reel TV Instagram account, says the big issue is people not paying attention, whether theyre walking or behind the wheel. You can blame both parties.

On Wednesday, Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II announced that Kansas City is getting $10 million in federal funding to improve part of Prospect. Itll go toward sidewalks and bus stops, creating pedestrian refuge islands, extending curbs, and adding lighting. However, only the two-mile stretch of Prospect between Linwood and Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard will benefit.

For far too long, Prospect Avenue has been one of the most dangerous corridors in Kansas City for pedestrians and drivers alike, wrote Congressman Cleaver II in a press release.

Back in May, he sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg writing:

The Vision Zero  Prospect Corridor is in the heart of Kansas Citys Black Community, which has historically suffered from a lack of investments and public improvements. Safe Streets for All improvements on this 1.87 mile stretch of Prospect Avenue will reduce crashes by up to 47%, saving lives, preventing injury, and improving the safety.

The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Laws Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. The Congressman had called on the Department of Transportation earlier this year to support the Prospect project.

Despite the intentions to improve the area, Griffin is not convinced. I guess its cool. Itll make it look nice and what not, but you still have the people. They have to follow the rules, abide by the rules and look out for each other as well. You can blame the [drivers and pedestrians]. Not everybody plays their part and stays safe.

Parts of I-435 to close in Johnson County for repairs

Well, I think it will more than address that issue and hopefully go further than two miles, added Dani Baltimore, whose family owns Lutfis Fried Fish at East 37th and Prospect. She would like to see that money fix the potholes outside her familys business and along Prospect, but thats not included in this round of funding. The roads are not in the best conditions, and they definitely need some work.

Its not clear on when construction will begin to add those road safety improvements.

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Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the "Ketamine Queen," was arrested for allegedly supplying ketamine that led to "Friends" actor Matthew Perry's overdose in October 2023.

The raiding of the alleged drug supplier's home revealed large quantities of methamphetamine and ketamine.

In a shocking turn of events, Jasveen Sangha's attorney claims that she never had any connection to Matthew Perry; however, evidence from encrypted messages and her phone implicates her.

Jasveen Sangha, Accused In Matthew Perry's Death, Denies Connection As Trial Date Is Set

MEGA

Sangha is set to stand trial on March 4, 2025, alongside Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the death of Perry, who passed away from a ketamine overdose at the age of 54.

Sangha faces an 18-count superseding indictment for allegedly supplying ketamine to Perry in the weeks leading up to his death.

Per the Daily Mail, she is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining drug-related premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of ketamine distribution.

Despite the allegations, Sangha's attorney, Mark Geragos, strongly denied any connection between his client and the late actor.

Speaking on the "Today Show" on Wednesday, Geragos emphasized, "There's no mystery, she isn't connected to Matthew Perry at all. People try to make her out to be something that she isn't but there's a whole different side here and story to be told and that will be told at her trial."

Jasveen Sangha Linked To Matthew Perry's Overdose, Allegedly Erased Evidence

MEGA

However, Sangha is implicated in Perry's overdose as she allegedly used the encrypted messaging app Signal on October 11, 2023, to inform co-defendant Eric Fleming that her ketamine was "high quality" and offered a sample for Perry, saying, "It's unmarked but it's amazing  he take one and try it and I have more if he likes."

According to the indictment, on October 24, 25 vials of ketamine were purchased from Sangha for Perry, with Sangha also providing ketamine lollipops as a bonus for the large order.

When Sangha learned of Perry's death on October 28, she allegedly contacted one of her co-conspirators and urged them to erase any digital evidence from their cell phones.

Just two weeks after Perry's ketamine-related overdose, Sangha flew to Tokyo, where she indulged in lychee martinis at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, known for its $1,847-a-night suites.

In February 2024, four months after Perry's death, Sangha shared smirking selfies while enjoying a getaway in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. She flaunted her luxurious beachfront residence and was seen sipping cocktails by the pool.

Raid On Jasveen Sangha's Home Uncovers Massive Drug Operation Involving Meth And Ketamine

MEGA

In March 2024, a raid on Sangha's home uncovered a vast array of evidence tied to her drug operations, including nearly 2,000 grams of methamphetamine.

According to an affidavit filed by DEA agent Tyler Abrego on March 20, during the raid, "law enforcement seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and various other suspect narcotics."

The complaint labeled Sangha as a "large volume drug dealer," already under the radar of the DEA, LAPD homicide detectives, and the US Postal Inspection Service.

Authorities also confiscated her cell phone, which contained text conversations about selling meth pills and ketamine. In one exchange, Sangha requested a payment of "958.51" to her PayPal and added, "I think you'll like these but remember they're double strength."

Videos from her phone further implicated her, showing her "cooking ketamine," as detailed in the affidavit.

Experts Claim Jasveen Sangha Could Face Life Sentence Over Matthew Perry's Ketamine-Related Death

MEGA

Experts suggest that Sangha could be facing a life sentence in connection to Perry's death.

Neama Rahmani, a former federal narcotics prosecutor and current president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, stated, "'Jasveen Sangha was the source of the ketamine that killed Perry and she could easily receive a potential life sentence over his death."

Rahmani further explained, "There will be a lot of pressure on lower-level defendants and witnesses to flip on the doctor who provided the Ketamine or anyone else who played a role in getting it to Perry unlawfully."

He added: "Some doctors believe ketamine infusions can treat anxiety and depression, but it's one of the most abused party drugs. Perry should not have been using ketamine in a hot tub outside of a therapeutic setting."

Given the high-profile nature of the case, Rahmani emphasized that it would likely "send a message to doctors as well as dealers who are profiting from distributing ketamine."

The Late Actor's Close Friends Are Sad That He Was Surrounded By 'Enablers'

Instagram | Matthew Perry

The recent criminal charges issued to five people, including Sangha, in connection with Perry's tragic death have triggered a fresh wave of sorrow for his closest friends and circle.

Due to this development, a source revealed to People Magazine that the charges "brought back a lot of feelings" for Perry's closest pals, especially his co-stars from "Friends."

The source said, "Matthew did have true friends that loved and cared about him. They would have all tried to help him if he'd reached out. It makes them sad that he was surrounded by enablers."
Can your kid go to school with lice? Matthews clinic comments on current CDC guidelines

Can your kid go to school with lice? Matthews clinic comments on current CDC guidelines

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Some news reports state the CDC has changed its guidelines on how it recommends schools treat lice.

On its website, the CDC reiterates that its guidance has not changed but confirms it doesnt recommend sending students home early from school. They can then return as long as they start treatment. That protocol is different from years ago when kids were sent home from school once a nurse made the discovery.

Were very busy at this point in time, and one of the busiest years that weve had, said Gil Ferrell, who co-owns Lice Clinics in Matthews with his wife. Business is booming for them. In July, they saw double the number of patients they typically see at about 170.

High amounts of COVID-19 still recorded in Charlotte wastewater sites

Lice is a critter that likes everybody  clean heads and dirty heads. Ferrell says the CDCs guidance on how to treat the scalp invasion will only send him more customers.

Well, from a business perspective, I would say hey, its going to spread and its going to keep us busy, Ferrell said. Thats job security. On the other hand, if I had a child, I wouldnt like it.

While the CDC states it hasnt changed its guidance, Ferrell says their recommendation will only exacerbate the spread.

They wait for that opportunity, and theyve got those little claws, and they just grab right onto your hair, and it only takes one, Ferrell said.

Crews to spray for mosquitoes after West Nile case confirmed in Rock Hill

Now, if your head is feeling a little itchy at this point, youre not the only one.

That is called a mental itch, Ferrell explained.

Ferrell says over-the-counter treatments often time kill the bugs that are alive, but dont get rid of the unhatched eggs. The medical equipment he uses acts as a dehydrator for both. He says parents can help prevent the spread by using tea tree oil or a deterrent spray. He also recommends the schools revisit their policies surrounding lice contraction.

Let the children go home and be treated because its just going to spread as long as theyre sitting there, Ferrell said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
ALGER COUNTY, Mich. (WJMN)  A Kingsford man will serve at least two years in prison as a result of an undercover operation targeting adults attempting to commit sexual acts with minors was conducted by the Alger County Sheriffs Office (ACSO).

The announcement came from Captain Matthew Waldron of the ACSO just over a week after Kingsford man Matthew Clarence Cooley accepted a deal to plead No Contest to charges of Child Abusive Communication Activity and Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime.

As a result of the deal, Cooley was sentenced to 2-20 years in prison.

The punishment stems from an ACSO operation in early 2023, where officers posed as underage children online. On March 10, Waldron said Cooley responded to officers before travelling from Kingsford to Munising with the intent to have sex with a minor. When he arrived to the agreed upon location, he was arrested by several officers.

The Alger County Sheriffs Office has conducted several of these operations with much success. However, Matthew Cooley was the first subject that was issued a prison sentence as a result of the operation, said Waldron.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) (FSE: 8NQ) ("Miata" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of a comprehensive sampling program completed on the Sela Creek Gold Project in Suriname. Miata recently announced the signing of an earn-in agreement to acquire 100% of the Sela Creek Gold Project.

Highlights

Grab samples of up to 133.25 g/t gold in recently exposed bedrock in the Stranger Pit 1

Representative chip samples of up to 3.10 g/t gold over 3 m in the Stranger Pit

Grab samples of up to 39.20 g/t gold in recently exposed veins of the Puma target 1

Grab samples of up to 25.13 g/t gold in an extension of Jon's pit 1

The Stranger Pit and Puma target are still untested by drilling

"We are excited to share our recent sampling results on the Sela Creek Project," stated Miata's CEO, Dr. Jacob Verbaas. "The results we encountered confirm our original excitement in this project, which has only seen modest exploration despite having over 100 years of artisanal gold production, which continues to today. We were able to efficiently plan this due diligence sampling and structural mapping program on the Sela Creek Project in Suriname thanks to our local partners. The majority of Miata's exploration crew consisted of local Surinamese people, showcasing our commitment to the people of Suriname and developing solid cooperation between all stakeholders. These results are the first important step to designing a comprehensive drill program on Sela Creek."

Since Sela Creek is actively mined2, there are multiple new exposures on the project that have been uncovered since it was last explored. The most exciting new exposure is the Stranger Pit, where the highest-grade sample of this program came from. The Miata exploration crew has also spent considerable time measuring and recording structural information on the project, which is crucial to identifying the ideal drill direction for the different zones. Together with a planned LiDAR survey, this information will guide future trenching and drilling programs."

Figure 1. Overview map of Sela Creek.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_001full.jpg

The Stranger Pit

Small-scale mining at the Stranger Pit has exposed numerous mineralized outcrops. The exploration crew took a total of eight samples, six of which returned values over 1 g/t gold. The highest sample yielded 133.25 g/t gold from a fault-fill vein parallel to foliation. The seven remaining samples yielded between 3.73 and 0.10 g/t gold with an average of 2.05 g/t gold.

Story continues

Figure 2. High-grade quartz veins in the Stranger Pit. Sampling of this occurrence yielded 133.25 g/t Au.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_002full.jpg

The Stranger Pit is a northwest trending pit with ample fault fill and tension veins. These types of veins are hallmarks of orogenic gold occurrences, the most common gold deposits being mined today. The existing pit is roughly 100 m long and all samples were taken from the northwestern end of the pit over a roughly 10 m x 30 m area.

Figure 3. Map of the Stranger Pit, where six out of eight samples graded over 1.0 g/t Au.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_003full.jpg

Jon's Pit

The eastern extension of Jon's pit yielded up to 25.13 g/t in 7 samples with an average grade of 6.56 g/t Au. This extension is typical of high-grade mineralization on Sela Creek, where folded tension veins and fault-fill veins occur in the same locality. Here, visible gold was observed in both quartz veins as well as the host schist.

Figure 4. Folded tension vein, a common occurrence in and surrounding high-grade artisanal workings, this particular vein was exposed in the new extension of Jon's Pit.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9876/222218_1dbba82244ea9b62_004full.jpg

Puma target

The Puma target is another new target on the project where one out of 16 samples from a fault fill vein graded 39.20 g/t Au. This one of the few localities where unweathered rock has been exposed by artisanal miners, giving the Company valuable information from geological measurements and observations. The Puma target overlies a substantial historical soil anomaly that may represent a wide zone of mineralization. Out of 16 samples, the average grade was 2.42 g/t Au and four samples graded > 0.1 g/t Au.

Sela Creek Inaugural Sampling Program

The Company planned a two-week exploration program July to identify the type of mineralization and exposure currently accessible at the Sela Creek Gold Project. Due to the nature of small-scale mining activities, new exposures are constantly uncovered, removed, and covered again. The exploration crew was able to achieve broad sampling coverage and collected 152 samples with an average grade of 1.72 g/t gold and 32 samples over 0.1 g/t gold.

Swiss Resource Capital Engagement

In addition, the Company announces that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with SRC Swiss Resource Capital AG ("SRC") for investor relations and communications services Europe. The Agreement is effective as of 4th September 2024, for a period of one year, after which time the SRC Agreement is renewable on a quarterly basis. The services to be provided by SRC to the Company under the terms of the Agreement include communications services, generally viewed as investor relations, including dissemination of information to existing and potential shareholders, creating media through interview and videos as well as supporting or representing the Company at trade and investment shows. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, SRC is to be paid 5,000 CHF per month with additional fees for special services such as trade and investment shows.

SRC is a private company with a business address at Poststr. 1, CH-9100, Herisau, Switzerland. SRC is led by Jochen Staiger, Chief Executive Officer. SRC has experience in providing services to companies listed on various stock exchanges that are seeking to raise their profile in public markets. SRC does not own, directly or indirectly, any securities of the Company.

Data Verification and QAQC

Samples were analyzed by FiLab, a lab that adds standards and blanks at regular intervals. The QP added independent standards at regular intervals. All standards and blanks yielded acceptable values.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo., who is the Qualified Person as defined under the definitions of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

1Grab samples are by definition selective. Grab samples are solely designed to show the presence or absence of mineralization, and are not intended to provide nor should be construed as a representative indication of grade or mineralization at the Project.

2All mining on the claim is currently done by artisanal miners and not by Miata. Miata does not generate revenue from mining activities or royalties.

About Miata Metals Corp.

Miata Metals Corp. (CSE: MMET) is a Canadian mineral exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. Currently, the Company holds earn-in options to acquire 100% interest in the Sela Creek Gold Project in Suriname and 100% interest in the Cabin Lake Property in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The Company continuously evaluates opportunities to acquire interest in additional prospective exploration stage mineral properties.

On Behalf of the Board

Dr. Jacob (Jaap) Verbaas, P.Geo | CEO and Director

info@miatametals.com

+1 778 488 9754

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Readers should not rely on information in this summary for any purpose other than for gaining general knowledge of the Company. Forward-Looking statements include, but are not limited to, the closing of the acquisition of 79North and its interest in Sela Creek and Nassau, the ultimate exercise of its option to acquire 100% of Sela Creek, and the anticipated exploration activities of the Company at Sela Creek (and the timing thereof). The words "expected", "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in any forward-looking statements, are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates, opinions or other factors should change.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/222218
Apalachee school shooting: Heres everything we know about Colt Gray and the deadly attack

The metro Atlanta community is still in mourning for the four lives lost in a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says 14-year-old Apalachee High School student Colt Gray opened fire with an AR platform-style gun inside the school just before 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

Colt Gray surrendered to school resource officers just minutes after the shooting began, according to the GBI.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Four people were killed: math teachers 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Cristina Irimie and 14-year-old students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn.

Nine others were shot and wounded, including curriculum specialist and coach David Phenix and students Melany Garcia and Taylor Jones. Some of those injured are still hospitalized while others have been released. Of those injured, Phenix was the only teacher; the other eight were students. All are expected to make a full recovery.

Colt Gray is currently being held in the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center on four counts of felony murder. Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith says the teenager will face more charges once survivors are able to be interviewed.

On Thursday night, Colt Grays father, Colin Gray, was arrested and charged with two counts of second degree murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children. The GBI says Colin Gray knowingly allowed his son to possess a gun. He is currently being held in the Barrow County Detention Center.

Both Colt Gray and Colin Gray appeared before a Barrow County judge on Friday morning. Attorneys for neither of them requested bond, meaning both will remain in custody.

DA Smith says prosecutors plan to present their case against both of them before a grand jury on October 17.

Because Colt Gray is under 18, the death penalty is not on the table in his case. Instead, he faces the possibility of life in prison. Colin Grays charges carry a possible sentence of up to 180 years in prison.

RELATED STORIES:

Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Justin Gray obtained a copy of an investigative report detailing an interview Jackson County sheriffs deputies had with then-13-year-old Colt Gray and Colin Gray surrounding school threats allegedly made by the younger suspect in May 2023 on the social media platform Discord.

The GBI said that a few months after that investigation, Colin Gray gave his son the weapon used in the deadly attack as a Christmas gift.

In speaking with Channel 2 Action News, Colt Grays grandfather, Charlie Polhamus, said his grandsons environment drove him to commit the school shooting.

Im not discounting what my grandson did. It was awful. And he needs to pay a price for it, Polhamus said. He deserves what he gets. The one Im telling you is he wasnt born to do that. Hes a victim of his environment. Thats as plain as I can put it.

He says Colt Grays household was unstable and both of his parents battled substance abuse issues.

If youd like to donate to the victims and their families, click here.

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What we know about the couple killed at a nudist ranch in California

A husband and wife who settled at a nudist ranch nestled in a remote California canyon had been missing for days when a 911 call steered police to the house next door.

Their neighbor, Michael Royce Sparks, 62, has been charged with two counts of murder after police said he admitted to killing two people and human remains were found at his home. Authorities have confirmed the victims were the missing couple  Daniel Menard, 79, and his wife, Stephanie Menard, 73.

Since his arrest, Sparks has remained in custody and is expected to appear in court later this week. CNN has been unable to identify an attorney for Sparks or locate family members.

Redlands Police Chief Rachel Tolber said Tuesday she had never seen this type of case and it was certainly concerning.

As authorities search for a motive, heres what we know about their deaths and the investigation so far:

The couple

The Menards lived in the Olive Dell Ranch resort in Southern Californias San Bernardino County, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles near the cities of Redlands and Colton. The 100-acre property has RVs and mobile homes where residents have lived for years. Others have visited for short-term stays, including during the resorts annual 5k run.

Irene Engkraf, a neighbor of the Menards, told reporters the couple enjoyed playing poker, gathering with friends for karaoke and attending Bible study and church service on weekends.

It felt so odd not having Stephanie sitting right next to me (at church) but I know God is with them, hes with them wherever they are, and I can see them holding each others hands, Engkraf said.

The couple was last seen at the home on August 24. The next day, Engkraf said she became worried when the Menards didnt attend Sunday church service as usual. Their dog, a white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, was also missing.

She first saw the Menards car sitting abandoned down the road from their home, and later entered the couples home using a spare key but found no signs of them. Stephanies purse and both of the Menards phones were there and their bed was empty, Engkraf said.

Neighbor Tammie Wilkerson told CNN affiliate KCAL the Menards were a loving couple who took care of each other.

Stephanie was a bit of a spit fire. She told you what she thought. She didnt have any problem doing that and she took care of Dan so well, Wilkerson said.

The suspect

It wasnt until several days had passed following the Menards disappearance that police received a tip from Sparks family, which prompted his arrest and a days-long search for evidence at his home.

A family member called 911 saying Sparks was involved in the Menards disappearance, adding he had admitted to killing two people and was threatening suicide, Tolber, the police chief, said Tuesday.

I believe that there may have been other people that were texted, but the initial call that started our focus on him was from the family, Tolber said.

Officers arrived at Sparks mobile home and found him hiding inside a 5-foot-deep concrete space under the home. San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson described the space as similar to a homemade basement underneath the home.

Before police could arrest Spar ks, they had lengthy negotiations with him because he was armed and barricaded, Redlands Police Department spokesperson Carl Baker said Friday. Sparks attempted to shoot himself but his weapon misfired, police said.

Engkraf, the neighbor who reported the Menards as missing, described Sparks as a loner who didnt socialize so much.

The discovery

After Sparks arrest last week, authorities searched his home and found human remains, police said. The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department confirmed Thursday the remains were those of the Menards.

Their cause and manner of death has not been determined, a spokesperson for the coroners office told CNN.

Police do not have a reason to believe there are other victims, Tolber said on Tuesday.

The search took days because of the state of the property, its potential collapse and the need to remove debris with heavy equipment, police said.

The Menards dog was not found during the search, police said.

The unclear motive

Wilkerson, their neighbor, called the Menards very sweet people and said theres no way they could have walked away from their car.

Theres not a mean bone in their body at all, which makes this very confusing, Wilkerson said.

While authorities have not shared details about a potential motive  other than that it did not appear to be planned  neighbors discussed with reporters an ongoing feud between Sparks and the Menards.

Wilkerson told CNN affiliate KABC she was aware there was tension.

When I first moved here, he told me how much he hated them, and he hated Dan specifically because Dan would cut the tree  trim the tree down, she said.

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After an eleventh-hour plea followed by hours of legal wrangling Thursday, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine tax-related charges, avoiding a lengthy and potentially embarrassing trial for President Joe Biden's son.

U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi accepted Hunter Biden's guilty plea on all the tax-related charges he faced after being indicted last December. Sentencing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Judge Scarsi said the younger Biden faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison and a fine of as much as $1.35 million.

MORE: Judge rejects latest attempt by Hunter Biden to dismiss tax-related charges

"Do you agree that you committed every element of every crime alleged ... in the indictment?" Judge Scarsi asked him.

"Yes," Hunter Biden said before pleading guilty to each count of the indictment.

It was perhaps the most stunning twist in a legal drama that has for years been defined by unexpected turns -- and immediately raised the possibility of a presidential pardon, despite President Biden's previous assurance that he would not grant his son clemency.

Prosecutors accused Hunter Biden in December of engaging in a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on exotic cars, clothing, escorts, drugs and luxury hotels.

PHOTO: This courtroom sketch shows Hunter Biden entering a federal courtroom for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (William T. Robles via AP)

Hunter Biden had originally pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that included six misdemeanor charges of failure to pay, plus a felony tax evasion charge and two felony charges of filing false returns.

But on Thursday, just moments before prospective jurors were to be summoned into the Los Angeles courtroom where his trial was scheduled to begin, Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, announced his intention to submit a so-called "Alford plea," which would allow Hunter Biden to plead guilty on all counts but preclude him from acknowledging guilt on the underlying conduct.

When prosecutors opposed that path -- and Judge Scarsi expressed some hesitation in granting it -- attorneys for Hunter Biden said he would enter a traditional guilty plea.

"Mr. Biden is prepared to proceed today and finish this," Lowell said Thursday afternoon in court.

In pleading guilty to the tax charges, Hunter Biden managed to avoid what was expected to be a grueling and potentially embarrassing weekslong trial, during which prosecutors had planned to examine interludes from his time as a drug addict and his overseas business ventures.

Attorneys in special counsel David Weiss' office had planned to introduce more than two dozen witnesses, including Hunter Biden's ex-wife and her sister.

MORE: Timeline: Hunter Biden under legal, political scrutiny

Dressed in a dark suit and thick-rimmed glasses, Hunter Biden on Thursday addressed the court to acknowledge that he understood the potential consequences of a guilty plea. His voice showed little emotion and he occasionally glanced into the gallery, where his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, was seated.

Prosecutor Leo Wise, who earlier in the day called the Alford plea proposal "an injustice," then read the entire 56-page indictment aloud in court to establish a factual record, after which Hunter Biden entered his guilty plea.

Speaking outside court after the hearing, Lowell told reporters that Hunter Biden decided to plead guilty to protect his loved ones.

"After watching prosecutors exploit his family's pain during the Delaware trial and realizing they were planning to do it again here in California, Hunter decided to enter this plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation," Lowell said.

Lowell criticized the government's case -- arguing it would have led to a "kind of show trial" and equating it to the millions of Americans who file their taxes late -- and said that Hunter Biden was "keeping open" his options for appeal.

"Hunter put his family first today, and it was a grave and loving thing for him to do," Lowell said.

Lowell refused to answer questions from ABC News' Zohreen Shah regarding whether Hunter Biden had spoken to his father about a pardon.

President Biden ruled out a pardon for his son in June, during an interview with ABC News' David Muir. The president subsequently decided not to seek reelection, which could potentially minimize the political fallout of an about-face.

In their 56-page indictment, prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden willfully avoided paying taxes by subverting his company's own payroll system, that he failed to pay his taxes on time despite having the money to do so, and that he included false information in his 2018 tax returns.

"[T]he defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes," the indictment alleged.

PHOTO: Hunter Biden arrives in federal court for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Prosecutors also highlighted millions of dollars that Hunter Biden received from overseas business in Ukraine, China, and Romania in exchange for "almost no work."

Although Hunter Biden eventually paid back all his back taxes and penalties with the help of a third party -- identified by ABC News as Hunter Biden confidant Kevin Morris -- Judge Scarsi blocked defense attorneys from introducing that information to a jury.

"Evidence of late payment here is irrelevant to Mr. Biden's state of mind at the time he allegedly committed the charged crimes," Scarsi wrote in an order last week.

In a statement issued following the hearing, Hunter Biden said, in part, "I went to trial in Delaware not realizing the anguish it would cause my family, and I will not put them through it again. ... For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty."

"I have been clean and sober for more than five years now because I have had the love and support of my family," his statement said. "I can never repay them for showing up for me and helping me through my worst moments. But I can protect them from being publicly humiliated for my failures."

Last June, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor offenses, acknowledging that he failed to pay taxes on income he received in 2017 and 2018. The deal also allowed him to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid criminal charges related to his 2018 firearm purchase.

Had the deal worked out, Hunter Biden would have likely faced probation for the tax offenses and had his gun charge dropped if he adhered to the terms of his diversion agreement.

However, the plea deal fell apart during a contentious hearing before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who took issue with the structure of the deal.

By September, the special counsel had unsealed an indictment in Delaware charging Hunter Biden for lying on a federal form when he purchased a firearm in 2018. The federal indictment in Los Angeles for the tax crimes followed in December.

Hunter Biden was subsequently convicted by a Delaware jury on three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Nov. 13.

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.

Hunter Biden pleads guilty to tax charges, will avoid trial originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Kupu is Hawaiis leading conservation and environmental education nonprofit, is seeking applications for the Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP). Kawika Riley, Kupus VP of External Affairs, joined Wake Up 2Day to share more on this.

Recent high school graduates, college graduates and early professionals looking to establish a career in conservation are strongly encouraged to apply by September 13. CLDP participants are matched with a conservation host site for the program, where they learn and serve alongside conservation experts. This extensive network of host sites offers exposure to the fields of ornithology, botany, natural and aquatic resource management, biology, marine biology, Hawaiian cultural studies, and more.

Kawika shared, We are accepting applications for Kauai, Maui, Hawaii Island and Oahu. These paid, entry-level positions can be 6- to 11-month terms. CLDP participants receive a bi-weekly living stipend, health insurance, career certifications, and upon term completion, an education award up to $7,395, as well as access to the Kupu Pathways program, which offers a kick-start to college (no transcripts needed) through Arizona State University.

For more information and to see the open positions available through Kupu visit:

Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP)  KUPU (kupuhawaii.org)

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit found that some of Kentuckys election finance regulations blocking county parties from advocating for or against constitutional amendments violate the constitution.

County parties in Kentucky are now, due to a temporary injunction penned by a three-judge panel and published on Thursday, allowed to weigh in and advocate for or against Amendment 2.

The measure will appear on the November ballot, and, if passed, would allow taxpayer funds to help pay for nonpublic K-12 education and charter schools.

Though the politics of the amendment do not technically fall along partisan lines, the states highest-elected Republicans  including legislative leadership and statewide elected officials  all support it while Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman are fierce opponents.

The vote is expected to be the most contentious statewide race this year, as there are no elections for statewide office and Kentuckys six members of Congress are either running unopposed or in districts not considered competitive by the Cook Political Report.

Allies of public schools and teachers unions have already kicked off a statewide tour speaking out against the amendment. Meanwhile, the libertarian-leaning organization Americans For Prosperity (founded by the Koch Brothers, two entrepreneurs who were some the partys most influential megadonors) is leading the charge to support the amendment.

A political action committee associated with Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, is expected to air a television ad supporting the amendment this week.

The legal back-and-forth over whether county parties could weigh in on the amendment began in June when Republican parties in Hardin and Jessamine counties sought an advisory opinion from the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF). The registry said that county parties could not do so, as amendments were not partisan in nature in the same way that candidates are and werent expressly allowed in the latest regulation.

The Boone County Republican Party later joined the other county GOP chapters in a lawsuit against the registrys opinion. Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman also submitted an amicus brief in support of the parties lawsuit.

Initially, US District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove denied the parties request to grant a preliminary injunction on enforcement of the regulation. In writing the opinion for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Karen Nelson Moore said that the KREF regulation burdened the parties speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In the realm of First Amendment rights, few are more central than the right to express opinions on electoral questions and the qualifications of political candidates, Moore wrote.

Though the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has already weighed in on the matter of an injunction, the merits of the case are still pending in district court, said registry Executive Director John Steffen

As the case has yet to actually be heard on its merits, I expect we will wait and see how the lower courts rule on the merits of the case rather than be overly concerned about the granting of a preliminary injunction. In the meantime, the Registry remains certain that it properly applied the law as it is written to the facts that were presented when it opined on the underlying question in July, Steffen wrote.
A Clark County school employee has been suspended pending investigation of criminal charges against her regarding her sons August birthday party at her home, according to court records and the districts superintendent.

Rebecca Boyd, who Clark Superintendent Dustin Howard said was a suspended employee of the districts Phoenix Academy, has been charged with 11 counts of unlawful transaction with a minor, according to online Clark district court records.

An Aug. 7 police citation said Boyd had 10 high school students at her home for her sons birthday party. All had consumed significant amounts of alcohol during the night that also led to a sexual assault investigation by a detective.

Boyd told police she knew the kids were drinking and took control of most of their car keys. She also stated that she made them pancakes and hamburgers sometime around midnight that night on the evening of Aug. 7 into Aug. 8, the citation said.

Videos retrieved from that evening show kids engaging in sexual behavior and destruction of furniture. Videos also show lengthy games of beer pong and at least one child passed out in the front yard, the citation said.

An arraignment is set for Nov. 18 in Clark District Court.

I can confirm Ms. Boyd is an employee at Phoenix Academy, but has currently been placed on administrative leave with a suspension until the investigation has been completed, Howard told the Herald-Leader Thursday in an email.

School district officials sent the Herald-Leader a statement from Howard on Wednesday that said, We are aware of the recent development concerning a Phoenix employee. We have learned that this employee has been charged with an offense related to an incident that occurred off district property over the summer. In response, the employee has been placed on leave pending further investigation and the resolution of the matter.

Please rest assured that the safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. We are committed to maintaining a secure and supportive environment. Thank you for your understanding and continued trust in Clark County Public Schools, the statement said.

According to its website, the Phoenix Academy provides individualized education for students.
Welcome to The Scoop  the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. to Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here.

(NewsNation)  Kylie Minogue is about to hit stages across America.

Hot off her residency at Voltaire, the decadent, intimate nightclub at Las Vegas Venetian, I hear Minogue signed on with AEG to do a North American tour with up to 15 dates, starting March 2025.

She sold out every night during her residency at Voltaire, my source said. It was a great launch pad for her  and people took notice.

Vegas preparing for a record 2025

NEW YORK, NEW YORK  APRIL 25: Kylie Minogue attends the 2024 TIME100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 25, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK  MAY 06: Kylie Minogue attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA  JUNE 02: Kylie Minogue performs at OUTLOUD Music Festival at 2024 WeHo Pride on June 02, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Sarah Morris/WireImage)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA  JUNE 02: Kylie Minogue performs onstage during OUTLOUD Music Festival at 2024 WeHo Pride on June 02, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

GASSIN, FRANCE  JULY 23: Kylie Minogue performs at the Summer Gala by Gala One at Golf Club Saint-Tropez on July 23, 2024 in Gassin, France. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for The Summer Gala by Gala One)

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY  AUGUST 07: Kylie Minogue performs at Sziget Festival 2024 at Obuda Island on August 07, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

While Minogue has always been a huge star in her homeland, Australia, and England, she hasnt fully cracked America  until now.

Most artists do an album, a tour and then Vegas  Kylie is doing it the other way around, my insider said. Voltaire really propelled her onto a different level.

Maybe Jennifer Lopez should follow suit.

Reps for Minogue and AEG didnt return emails.

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Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) cited and fined Lane Construction Corporation in July for workers riding a crane lift to get in and out of a 95-foot vertical shaft at a construction site for the Seattle Public Utilities Ship Canal Water Quality Project, L&I said in a news release sent Wednesday.

The Seattle construction company is facing more than $150,000 in fines for knowingly putting workers at serious risk of injury or death, said L&I.

L&I said, workers told inspectors the construction elevator that was supposed to take them in and out of the shaft but broke down in January. Rather than repairing the elevator, Lane Construction management decided to provide employee access to the tunnel by using a large crane at the work location.

Inspectors also determined Lane Construction did not follow relevant safety requirements, including the minimum 20-foot clearance distance from power lines while hoisting the workers.

The rule allows lifting workers only if no other method is available or safer, said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&Is Division of Occupational Safety and Health. That was not the case here. There was an elevator on site that should have been repaired. We hope this will compel Lane to put worker safety above cutting corners to save time and money, he said.

Lane Construction was cited with two willful serious and two serious violations totaling $155,300 in the latest case.

The company is appealing the fines, said L&I.
Bluesky is suddenly a lot more popular.

The X rival had around 6.2 million global users a week ago but thanks to the suspension of Elon Musks platform in Brazil, its suddenly had another 2 million signups. Thats about a tenth of Xs Brazilian erstwhile user base.

A very warm welcome, the Bluesky team wrote in an update yesterday. Metas Threads has also reportedly had a large influx of Brazilian users, though it hasnt published figures.

To recap: X got banned in Brazil because of a drawn-out showdown between Musk and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes regarding a court-ordered blocking of several accounts in the country. Musks X has previously blocked users accounts on the orders of the Turkish and Indian governmentsboth times in the context of looming electionsbut drew the line when it came to taking down accounts associated with a Jan. 6-style far-right insurrection in Brasilia early last year.

On Friday, Moraes ordered Xs suspension until it takes down the accounts, and until it appoints a legal representative in Brazil, as it is also legally required to do. The Brazilian Supreme Court unanimously upheld the order yesterday, and also backed Moraess threat of a daily fine of $8,900 for any Brazilian who uses a VPN to access X.

Moraes also ordered the blocking of the bank accounts of satellite-based Internet service Starlink, owned by Musk's SpaceX, on the grounds that X hadnt paid fines that it received for refusing to hand over certain documents. The Supreme Court has reportedly yet to discuss whether to uphold that order, but Musk is certainly seething.

Unless the Brazilian government returns the illegally seized property of X and SpaceX, we will seek reciprocal seizure of government assets too. Hope [Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva] enjoys flying commercial, Musk announced yesterday on X, citing the recent seizure of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduros plane. Its unclear what legal mechanism Musk could invoke to seize Lulas plane, given thatunlike Maduros regimeBrazils government is not under U.S. sanctions.

Hedge fund billionaire and Musk pal Bill Ackman has also weighed in, claiming that Moraess orders will make Brazil an uninvestable market and warning of capital flight and a collapse in valuations. Again, its unclear how this would happen, unless other business leaders also intend to start calling senior Brazilian judges Voldemort, as Musk has, and demanding their imprisonment.

Musk and Moraess machismo-fueled clash is a real Rorschach test. From one angle, its a clear case of a company thinking it can indefinitely flout a countrys laws while continuing to operate there, and discovering that actually it cant. From another, it looks like a court system going too far in its attempt to prove a point.

Story continues

The Financial Times reports that most Brazilians think Moraes was exceeding the limits of his authority, and that there has been a particularly strong backlash against the idea of fining regular people for daring to use a VPN to access a banned platform. Freezing Starlinks assets also seems over-the-top.

Reuters also reports that the Brazilian telecoms regulator may revoke Starlinks license to operate in Brazil for failing to block X in the country, unlike most other internet service providers. Starlink is refusing to comply because of its frozen funds. Countries, of course, can enforce their own laws, butwith Starlink's reported 200,000 users in Brazilthis seems like a wild overreaction.

In short, nobody comes out of this looking goodexcept maybe Bluesky. I confess that I'm (truly) rooting for Elon Musk not to comply with the court orders and for Twitter to remain offline, the popular Brazilian YouTuber Felipe Neto posted yesterday from his shiny new Bluesky account, which already has over 150,000 followers.

More news below.

David Meyer

Want to send thoughts or suggestions to Data Sheet? Drop a line here.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A former Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputy has been federally charged with using excessive force during a 2023 shoplifting investigation in Lancaster.

Trevor James Kirk, 31, of Santa Clarita, has been charged with deprivation of rights under color of law after the June 24, 2023, confrontation at WinCo Foods, 740 W. Ave. K 4.

That day, when investigating a report of shoplifting by a man and woman that turned into a physical altercation, Kirk used excessive force when he assaulted and pepper-sprayed a woman, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

While detaining the man, Kirk and a partner were filmed by the woman, identified by the DOJ as J.H.

J.H. told the deputies that her video was being livestreamed online and that the deputies were legally required to tell the man for what he was being detained.

The indictment alleges that Kirk then approached J.H. and, without giving any commands, attempted to grab her phone, the release said. J.H. turned away, at which point Kirk allegedly grabbed J.H. by her arm, hooked his left hand behind her neck, and violently threw her to the ground.

While on the ground, Kirk put his knee on J.H.s shoulder. When the woman yelled stop at Kirk and called him an obscenity, he cocked his right arm back with a clenched fist and said, Stop or youre gonna get punched in the face,' the DOJ said.

New video justifies L.A. deputy slamming woman on ground in Lancaster arrest, attorney says

Kirk then allegedly pressed his knee into J.H.s neck, and she said, Get your neck [sic] off my . . . off my . . . I cant breathe,' the release added. While on top of J.H., the indictment alleges that Kirk used his LASD radio to misleading report that he was in a fight.'

Kirk also allegedly pepper sprayed J.H. in the face twice while she was detained, despite Kirks official LASD report that prosecutors called misleading, adding that he he portrayed J.H. as a threat to his physical safety, claiming that J.H. assaulted him, attempted to hit him, and took a fighting or blading stance.

A video of the leadup to the conflict was released in the weeks following, and though Kirks attorney has called the deputys actions completely justified, citing the video as evidence, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna was not as supportive.

Its disturbing, Luna said at a press conference following the videos release. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in the DOJs news release that when an officer violates the civil rights of another person, it undermines public safety for all of us.

Officers must be held accountable when they violate constitutional rights, and my Office is committed to prosecuting those who abuse their authority and breach the publics trust, Estrada said.

If convicted, Kirk faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
An LA home is on sale for $500K with a major catch  it was crushed by a tree

An LA home is on sale for $500K with a major catch  it was crushed by a tree

A Californian home damaged by a fallen tree has been listed for sale for $499,999.

The LA County bungalow was severely damaged in May, with the roof and some walls crushed.

Despite its condition, the listing agent said there's buyer interest, as the area is in high demand.

"Did you see on TV the home destroyed by an old stone pine?" reads an unusual Zillow listing, which went up last week.

The property in question is a mangled home just outside Los Angeles that could be yours for $499,999, if you're willing to buy a half-destroyed house.

In May, a large tree uprooted and toppled over, severely damaging the Southern California bungalow, as well as crushing a parked car and some fences.

Despite two people being inside, no one was injured, according to CBS News.

What remains of the building  a partial structure with missing walls and ceilings  is now on the market.

It's advertised on Zillow as a "flat and abated lot / partial structure ready for new construction or rebuild."

Or, as listing agent Kevin Wheeler joked to the Los Angeles Times, it's an "open-concept floor plan."

The Zillow listing notes that the 2,504-square-foot lot northeast of Los Angeles is red-tagged, meaning it is unsafe for habitation.

But while the electricity is switched off, it still has functioning plumbing, Wheeler told the Times.

He also told the outlet that while Monrovia legal codes typically require a review for the demolition of properties more than 50 years old, since the house was destroyed by an act of God, a review isn't necessary.

Although half a million dollars may seem like a lot for a property in this condition, the listing agent said there has been "a lot of interest," explaining that demand in the area is high and inventory low.

Wheeler said the buyer could easily rebuild the home, and it could make a good investment for somebody wanting to flip it.

In the immediate aftermath of the tree collapse, would-be buyers had tracked down the homeowners and made low-ball offers, Wheeler told the Times.

"They were trying to buy it for $250,000 or $300,000," he said. "But market comparisons for similar properties in Monrovia put the value at $500,000."

In an interview with AFP, Wheeler added: "There's a house nearby about the same size on the same street that sold for $900,000... so there's enough meat on the bone for them to make a profit."

Read the original article on Business Insider
An initiative to create an open primary and switch to a ranked choice voting system in Idaho will appear on the November ballot.

Only nine weeks ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, an Ada County judge ruled against Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, who brought a lawsuit against the initiative in an effort to stop it from appearing on the ballot and argued that those who signed the petition were misled. The judge allowed summary judgment at the request of both sides, which gave him the power to decide on the lawsuit quickly without a trial.

The court finds the attorney general has not met his burden on summary judgment to establish a violation to the extent this court has the authority to declare all signatures invalid, 4th Judicial District Judge Patrick Miller wrote in his memorandum decision released Thursday, adding that there is very little evidence, even interpreted most favorably to the attorney general, that the defendants were misleading.

Idaho allows political parties to close their primaries, and only registered Republicans are allowed to vote in Republican primaries. Idaho Democrats chose not to close their elections. In Idaho, where most voters are registered Republicans, the GOP primary typically determines who wins in the general election.

The initiative seeks to change the closed primary system and asks voters whether Idaho should create a nonpartisan primary system open to all voters. If passed, the new primary system would involve voters choosing their top four candidates to move on to the general election. Then, in the general election, voters would rank their candidates in order of preference.

Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane approved the measure for the ballot in July after the Idahoans for Open Primaries coalition collected more than 70,000 signatures in support of it.

Labrador sued the coalition and asked the court to throw out all signatures, alleging that the coalition backing the measure, Idahoans for Open Primaries, misled signers by inaccurately describing the initiative as open primaries rather than ranked choice voting.

In his memorandum, Miller said that Labradors entire case hinged on the assertion that using the phrase open primary for the initiative was inaccurate.

This court concluded that the attorney general cannot establish, as a matter of law, that the use of term open primary initiative was false, Miller wrote.

Miller noted that while the Attorney Generals Office tried to argue that the initiatives website and petition were misleading, they contained accurate descriptions and language approved by the Idaho Supreme Court.

The evidence the attorney general submits actually negates the idea that the defendants perpetrated false statements to thousands of persons who actually signed a petition, Miller wrote.

Labrador in a statement said the ruling Thursday is inconsistent with Idaho Supreme Court statements that the initiative doesnt describe an open primary system, but believed the legal challenge raised awareness about the true nature of the initiative.

Unfortunately, nothing will stop initiative sponsors from obtaining signatures through misrepresentation in the future, he said. It is now up to Idaho voters to decide whether they want to replace Idahos primary system with a top-four primary system and fundamentally alter Idahos orderly general elections with an expensive ranked choice voting system that has resulted in confusion, delays and widespread voting errors in other states.

Luke Mayville, spokesperson for Idahoans for Open Primaries, called Millers decision a significant win for Idaho voters and the nearly 100,000 citizens who signed the petition.

AG Labrador has tried at every turn to suppress the voices of Idahoans and disrupt the ballot initiative, Mayville said in a news release. But today, the people of Idaho prevail. The courts decision ensures that Proposition 1  the Open Primaries Initiative  will be on the ballot this November.

Removing the ballot initiative at this point would have required spending $300,000 to create new voters pamphlets without the initiative and mail them out to 800,000 Idahoans, Jason Lehosit, deputy policy director for the Secretary of States Office, told the Idaho Statesman.

Idahoans for Open Primaries, a coalition backing an initiative to create an open primary and ranked choice voting in Idaho, deliver boxes from every county filled with signatures to deliver to the Idaho Secretary of States Office in July.

Judge hears arguments from Labrador, coalition

Miller allowed each side 25 minutes on Wednesday to make their case.

Much of the oral arguments came down to whether those who signed were deceived into believing the initiative was something it was not. The Attorney Generals Office argued that a ranked choice primary is not the same as an open primary, while Idahoans for Open Primaries maintained that ranked choice is a type of open primary.

It would be Orwellian if the government could decide the words that it deems acceptable or proper or true to describe our thoughts, our ideas, our reforms, said Deborah Ferguson, attorney for Idahoans for Open Primaries. The government cant do this. We dont live in that kind of a totalitarian state.

A significant portion of the coalitions material  including a cover page on clipboards used to collect signatures  billed the initiative as seeking an open primary. The signature page, however, stated in large font that the initiative sought to replace voter selection of party nominees with a top-four primary and require a ranked choice voting system for general election.

Josh Turner, the attorney generals chief of constitutional litigation, argued in court that organizers deliberately chose to confuse the issue by using the term open primaries.

You cant cure a falsehood by disclosing it in whatever size print you want after the fact, Turner said. We all know that, as humans, were prone to sign things without reason.

Turner said signers may have believed that they were supporting an initiative to return Idaho to its pre-2012 open primary system, which allowed voters to choose which partys primary to participate in, regardless of their political affiliation. He said allowing a ballot initiative to call itself something its not would remove a crucial guardrail to protecting this process from abuse and fraud.

The Ada County hearing was Labradors second attempt at fighting open primaries in court. He first took a case against the coalition and secretary of state straight to the Idaho Supreme Court, which ruled the fraud allegations must be decided in a lower court.

The justices said they couldnt decide on the attorney generals second claim, that the initiative was unconstitutional, unless voters approved the measure in November, the Statesman previously reported. The initiative would need simple majority support to pass.

The Idaho Republican Party has pushed back on the ballot initiative, though other Republican individuals and groups, including former Gov. Butch Otter with Republicans for Open Primaries, Mormon Women for Ethical Government and Veterans for Idaho Voters, have helped organize support.
When a Columbus cybersecurity expert gained access on the dark web to a trove of police, citizen and general city data, some of it was encrypted  rendering it unreadable and virtually useless to him  while lots of it was not, and could be downloaded and immediately read and understood.

David L. Ross Jr., who goes by "Connor Goodwolf" when dealing with dark web issues, told The Dispatch on Aug. 29 that he suspects that a large portion of the city's data that was stolen by a foreign cybercriminal group and posted online for the world to see wasn't encrypted by the city at all  which, if true, would be akin to shabby and reckless IT planning, according to experts.

Last Thursday  the day after Ross made these comments to The Dispatch  Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein filed a lawsuit against Ross in which he successfully secured a restraining order prohibiting Ross from accessing, downloading or disseminating any stolen city data.

Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's office on Tuesday did not say whether all the files stolen were encrypted, or converted into secret computer code to prevent unauthorized access for anyone without the keys to unlock the data jumble.

"All of this information is protected and/or subject of the ongoing investigation," Melanie Crabill, a Ginther spokesperson, said when asked if any of the city's data was left unencrypted. Crabill did not elaborate on what security measures would be compromised at this point by stating whether or not all the city's data had been encrypted.

Two cyber-security professors contacted by The Dispatch said if the city hadn't done basic encryption of sensitive files that were farmed out for storage on the cloud, that would be considered reckless by private-industry standards.

"Unencrypted personal identifiable information (PII) is simply a dreadful notion," said Pratim Datta, a professor of cybersecurity and digital transformation at Kent State University.

"Connors logic here is sound," Datta said, referencing Ross. "Encryption is indeed a fundamental cybersecurity practice for organizations that handle sensitive data, especially those subject to audits and certifications. ... So, encryption is essential, but not always practiced in governmental bureaucracies. The lack of encryption on such systems would be considered a significant security oversight."

Just being encrypted does not mean data is safe, Datta said. Some encryption programs are outdated and weak, and susceptible to various methods of attack to try to break them.

That said, "still, some protection is better than none."

The severity of the city's data breach has the calling card of unencrypted systems that were vulnerable to attack, said Tom Holt, a professor in the school of criminal justice at Michigan State University specializing in cybercrime and cybersecurity.

"My guess would be that it might have been files that were unencrypted in some way, like as an example, sending email attachments," Holt said. "Sometimes those might get saved locally, unencrypted."

Any sensitive files should always be encrypted - but often aren't, particularly if they are kept "locally," by a certain department, such as a police department, Holt said. If that happened, "there's significant downside risk for the city as a whole," he said.

"That would definitely fall under the not-best-practices category. ... We see a lot of variation from agency to agency, at least when we're talking about police agencies at the local level."

Ohio law requires no basic level of internet computer security or accreditation at the state- or local-government level, according to Auditor of State Keith Faber's office. Ginther's office didn't immediately respond if it had ever undergone a computer-security audit by a certified public accountant, typically utilizing computer consultants such as Ross, who says such audits are routinely done annually in the private sector, ending in the awarding of one of several security accreditations. These are akin to seals of approval, allowing file-sharing partners to know an organization is meeting minimum standards - even down to who they're hiring for IT jobs, Ross said.

The city, continuously citing its investigation, generally won't say anything that might shed a light on how so much data got stolen. Almost everything that is known about the breach comes from Ross, who now in addition to being silenced by Klein's restraining order, is facing a civil lawsuit filed by Klein seeking monetary damages of greater than $25,000 in both compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, and interest.

By looking at what the city had allowed to get published worldwide and informing the public of the damage through the news media, Ross broke laws pertaining to receiving stolen property, disseminating confidential law enforcement information, attempted to intimidate victims and witnesses "to criminal acts," and by "causing a serious public inconvenience and alarm" and failed to act "as would a reasonably prudent person," among other allegations.

Ross said Tuesday he was still in the process of securing an attorney to fight the city's allegations, which to date deal exclusively with his communications with Columbus news organizations, which have used his information to run stories that have caused Ginther to reverse himself on the severity of the attack - even offering free credit monitoring to every city resident.

Ironically, the city's complaint against Ross contains more detail on what types of information was stolen than city officials have revealed since mid-July. The data includes "two backup prosecutor crime databases," pertaining to crimes dating back to 2015, the complaint says. It includes "sensitive personal information of police officers," including undercover officers, as well as personal information on crime victims and witnesses "of all ages, including minors," also back to 2015.

As for why Klein included information in his public complaint against Ross that he declined for weeks previously to make public, Shipley said: "City Attorney Klein has publicly acknowledged the types of data that may have been accessed from prosecutor records."

The judge who will hear the case remains unclear. It was initially assigned last week to Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Andria Noble, but the restraining order was issued by Common Pleas Judge Kim Brown. Klein's office said that's because Noble recused herself from the case "in an in person discussion with counsel," that was handled "ex parte," or without Ross present.

Noble cited a number of reasons, "including the fact that as a former city attorney, her records could be among the data exposed and that a number of the cases she prosecuted while employed as a city attorney could be among the Matrix data stolen from the city," Klein spokesman Pete Shipley said in an email Wednesday.

On Thursday morning, Klein's office provided an "Entry of Recusal" court document showing that Common Pleas Judge Sheryl K. Munson had been assigned the case.

wbush@gannett.com

@ReporterBush

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus data breach: Experts say alleged lack of encryption a failing
HARTWELL, Ga. (WSPA)  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are seeking volunteers for the upcoming Splash Away the Trash cleanup event on September 14, in support of National Public Lands Day.

Volunteers, individuals or group settings, will help keep the lake clean by gathering litter and other non-natural debris along the shoreline and islands in and around Lake Hartwell.

There will be 12 staffed locations on Lake Hartwell for volunteers to pick up bags and additional supplies from 9 a.m. until noon on September 14.

The organization asks that you register in advance if interested in volunteering. You can register on their website. Volunteers can arrive by boat or vehicle to pick up supplies or to drop-off trash.

For questions, contact Corps of Engineers Park Ranger, Annette Dotson, at 706-856-0300, ext. 0305 or Sadlers Creek State Park Manager, Raymond Felton at 864-226-8950.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
To alienate an important ally, as Foreign Secretary David Lammy has managed to do with Israel over his decision to suspend some arms export licences, might smack of rank incompetence. But to act in a way that leaves the US, this countrys most important strategic partner, also feeling aggrieved demonstrates that he is fast becoming a liability.

Concerns were already being raised about Lammys erratic conduct prior to Labour winning its landslide victory, prompting speculation that Sir Keir Starmer would opt for a more credible figure, such as Douglas Alexander or Peter Mandelson, to represent UK interests on the world stage.

Lammys childish musings on former US president Donald Trump, whom he memorably called a neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath, his historic opposition to maintaining the UKs nuclear deterrent and his antipathy towards Benjamin Netanyuhu are hardly the acts of someone who will enhance Britains global standing.

Lammys decision, for example, to withdraw Britains objection to the International Criminal Courts request for an arrest warrant for Netanyahu  one of his first acts on taking office  meant the Israeli prime minister declined to meet the Foreign Secretary when he visited Jerusalem last month for an update on the stalled Gaza ceasefire talks.

Britain and Israel are supposed to enjoy a close strategic partnership on a number of major security challenges, such as the threat posed by Irans nuclear programme. So the unnecessary rift Lammy has caused by failing to oppose the possible criminal prosecution of an ally is not only short-sighted: it risks undermining our own national security.

Starmers decision to persist with Lammys appointment to one of the great offices of state now runs the risk of making his Government a laughing stock, given the backlash his decision to suspend some arms exports to Israel has provoked.

Israels condemnation of the decision, which Netanyahu denounced as shameful, was to be expected, even though Lammys intervention will have hardly any impact on Israels military firepower, such is the modest nature of the UK-Israel arms trade.

Of more concern, though, will be the unnecessary froideur that Lammys antics have created in Washington, where the Biden administration has made clear that, according to its own review of Israels military conduct, no evidence has emerged that the Israelis have violated international humanitarian law  the main justification given for Britains decision to suspend the arms licences.

Causing unnecessary friction with the US is worrying on a number of levels, not least because our national security relies heavily on the protection afforded by our so-called special relationship with America.

While differences of opinion inevitably arise between even close partners, when it comes to confronting major global threats such as Iran and Russia, it is vital that allies demonstrate a united front, lest their adversaries regard public disagreements as a sign of weakness.

Lammys willingness to enact punitive action against Israel on the same day that the country was burying the victims of yet another atrocity carried out by Iranian-backed terrorists will certainly be taken as an indication by Hamas  as well as its Iranian backers  that the UK is no longer committed to supporting Tel Avivs right to self defence.

The Governments indifference towards Israel at a time when the Israelis are fighting Iranian-backed adversaries on a number of fronts  Gaza, southern Lebanon and Yemen, to name a few  comes at a time when its support for Ukraine is similarly perceived to be on the wane.

While Ukrainian forces have enjoyed their most successful spell on the battlefield for many months, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys criticism of Starmer for slowing down arms supplies to Kyiv will be interpreted by the Kremlin as an indication that Britain  in common with many other Western allies  is rapidly losing interest in the conflict.

The sense that Labour is seeking to scale down Britains international commitments, especially in terms of supporting erstwhile allies, will be strengthened by the warning that, now Starmer is firmly established in Downing Street, the Government appears to have no intention of fulfilling its pledge to strengthen the UKs defence capabilities.

During the election campaign, Starmer and co were so desperate to profess their national security credentials that they told voters that they would seek to increase defence spending to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP. It is quite a different story now that Labour is in power, with Defence Secretary John Healey warning that the Ministry of Defence will have to do its part as Labours self-imposed austerity drive takes shape.

Just what our American allies will make of this egregious volte-face will be interesting to see, not least because Starmer used his first major speech on the international stage, at the celebrations in Washington marking Natos 75th anniversary in July, to call on all Nato member states to meet the UKs impressive 2.5 per cent spending target.

Americans have every right to conclude that Starmers rhetoric was nothing more than hollow words from a hollow man.

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LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Lancaster Township man was sentenced to 31 to 67 years in prison for abusing two juvenile victims for seven years, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office.

Robert Austin, 33, was convicted in April 2024, on 17 counts of child sexual abuse, including rape of a child and possession of child pornography.

It was determined at the sentencing hearing at Lancaster County Court that two minors suffered abuse at the hands of Austin from ages 7 to 14.

Austin must also register on Megans Law for the rest of his life and was determined to be a sexually violent predator.

Austin was charged with the Rape of a Child, two counts of IDSI with a Child, Statutory Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, four counts of Indecent Assault, Indecent Exposure, Corruption of Minors, two counts of Unlawful Contact with a Minor, two counts of Possession of Child Pornography, Manufacture Child Pornography, Solicitation of a Child to Manufacture Child Pornography, according to the DAs office.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Lauren Boebert says she voted against more health benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she didn't want to spend 'a billion dollars forever' on unclear legislation

Lauren Boebert says she voted against more health benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she didn't want to spend 'a billion dollars forever' on unclear legislation

Lauren Boebert was probed for voting against increased healthcare for military veterans.

Her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, asked her about her "nay" vote for the PACT Act in 2022.

Boebert said she did not want to spend "a billion dollars forever" on unclear legislation.

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert said that she voted against a bill to increase healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she did not want to spend "a billion dollars forever" on unclear legislation.

The topic emerged when she sparred with her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, in their first and possibly only debate on Tuesday. They are fighting for a seat in Colorado's 4th congressional district.

Calvarese probed Boebert about her controversial vote against the PACT Act, which provides healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.

In August 2022, both houses of Congress passed the bill with overwhelming support, and President Joe Biden signed it into law.

The bill expanded health coverage for an estimated 3.5 million former soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where burn pits were used to dispose of trash, sewage, and medical waste. Exposure to these toxins has been linked to respiratory issues and cancer.

Calvarese mentioned Boebert's "nay" vote on the bill, saying, "I think if you're going to be America first, you can't put veterans last."

"I do just want to point to your vote that you voted against care for veterans exposed to cancer-causing toxins and burn pits during war," Calvarese added.

Boebert defended her vote by saying she refused to vote "for something that we had 22 hours to read, that's over 2,000 pages long."

The Denver Post reported that Boebert added she wasn't willing to spend "a billion dollars forever because we couldn't get a couple of pieces of language right in the legislation."

During their debate, Calvarese and Boebert also sparred on topics like national debt and minimum wage, per The Denver Post.

Representatives for Boebert didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside business hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
MUMBAI (Reuters) -Netflix said on Tuesday it will add new disclaimers to an Indian series about a plane hijack after social media outrage and government anger over what they said was Muslim hijackers being shown as Hindus.

The series, called "IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack," a fictionalised version of the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814 from Kathmandu, was released on Netflix last week. It was immediately criticised for what social media users said was a wrong portrayal of the hijackers as Hindus with Hindu names when they were Muslims.

Netflix officials were summoned to India's information and broadcasting ministry on Tuesday, local media reported, and the streaming platform said soon after that it will update the disclaimer. There was no comment from the government.

"For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers," Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, at Netflix India, said in a statement.

#BoycottNetflix was trending on X over the weekend, and several users as well as members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the series, saying it showed the hijackers in a positive light and misled audiences into thinking they were Hindu.

Amit Malviya, who heads BJP's social media unit, said the series "legitimised the criminal intent" of the hijackers and misled people into thinking that Hindus hijacked the plane.

India blames Pakistan and Pakistan-based militant groups for the December 1999 hijack, which was resolved after New Delhi freed three Islamist militants, including Masood Azhar, the head of one such group.

The series, which comes nearly 25 years after the incident, has actors Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma and Pankaj Kapur, among others, and is based on the book "Flight into Fear", written by the captain of the flight Devi Sharan and journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury.

Netflix, as well as other streamers such as Amazon's Prime Video, have been at the receiving end of complaints over their content in the past, especially from Hindu groups, who say their content hurts the sentiments of the country's majority religious population.

(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh and Angus MacSwan)
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  Lawmakers across the nation and here in Georgia have been sharing their thoughts on a deadly school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.

Two students and two teachers were killed and another nine people were injured, authorities said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

The suspected shooter was identified as Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at the school.

District 1 Rep. Buddy Carter (R) said hes praying for Barrow County and thanked the law enforcement agents who apprehended the suspect.

SCCPSS: No threat to local schools but security heightened following Apalachee shooting

Every child and educator should be safe in the classroom, Carter stated. Unity, not division, is how we combat those who wish us harm. Together, we are strong.

Carters opponent, Patti Hewitt (D), said: Creating a gun culture is not the way to teach our children on how to deal with problems.

Violence is not a solution and this is why we need common sense gun laws, so we can keep guns out of the hands of children.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said this is a day every parent dreads.

And Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event, he continued. We continue to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) called the shooting a despicable act of violence.

I send my condolences to the families of the deceased, those injured in the attack, and all who witnessed such a tragic event, he continued. I thank all first responders and local law enforcement who responded to the scene and have taken the suspect into custody.

My heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) posted on X. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we cant pray only with our lipswe must pray by taking action.

Candler County schools end soft lockdown after mistaken shooter report

President Joe Biden (D) released a statement that read, in part:

What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart.

Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.

Former President Donald Trump (R) said on Truth Social, Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA.

These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.

Vice President Kamala Harris (D), running against Trump, said on X:

This is a senseless tragedy  and it does not have to be this way. We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all.

Details on how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school remain under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
CHOWCHILLA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A federal civil rights investigation is underway after several lawsuits alleged that incarcerated women were being sexually abused by correctional officers in two California prisons, including the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla, the United States Department of Justice announced.

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that the two prisons under investigation are the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino, both operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Concern about the physical safety of people inside California womens prisons is not new, said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. Media coverage, state audits, advocates efforts and private litigation have sought to draw attention to an issue often unseen by many in the community.

Court records state that, in the last two years, women have filed hundreds of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of inmates at the CDCR Chowcilla facility. These allegations range from inappropriate groping during searches and genital rubbing to forcible rape, federal officials say.

Lawsuits filed for the CDCR Chino facility include allegations of sexual abuse as well as threats of violence and punishment with abusive conduct ranging from 2014 to 2020, according to federal prosecutors.

The federal Department of Justice says the investigation announced Wednesday will determine whether CDCR protects the incarcerated women from sexual abuse by staff at both facilities.

Every woman, including those in prison, retains basic civil and constitutional rights and should be treated with dignity and respect. California must ensure that the people it incarcerates are housed in conditions that protect them from sexual abuse. This investigation will determine whether California is meeting its constitutional obligations, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division.

The Civil Rights Divisions Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Eastern and Central Districts of California.

Anyone with any relevant information regarding this case is asked to contact the department at 1-888-392-9490 or by email at Community.CAWomensPrisons@usdoj.gov.

The Department of Justice adds that no conclusion has been reached regarding the allegations in this matter.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA)  A Polk County lawyer confessed to his clients children he gambled away their late fathers $1.75 million trust fund, in a letter included in a lawsuit filed against Jason Penrod in the Circuit Court of Floridas 10th Judicial Circuit in Bartow.

As this compulsion overcame me, I would gamble until I exhausted our familys savings, my law firms profits; all the while avoiding reality and any type of feeling, Penrod wrote in a letter sent to the plaintiff in early June.

Family claims Florida doctor removed wrong organ in surgery, killing patient

In the letter, Penrod refers to himself as a raging addict, citing mental health and post-traumatic stress endured from childhood.

According to the lawsuit, Penrod also traveled to meet with the plaintiffs, Sherry Prevoznik and Charles Anderson, at a coffee shop in Pennsylvania to tell them in person what happened to their fathers estate.

He said, beginning in Oct. 2023, Penrod transferred approximately $1.75 million from the plaintiffs account, basically the total amount of the trust funds I was holding and wired the funds to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida until the trust funds were exhausted.

As a raging addict by this time, I self-justified my actions by thinking that I was temporarily loaning monies to myself and then would pay them back to the trust with interest. My compulsion was in overdrive, and it felt like I was watching a nightmare of myself in a moviealmost like an out of body experience, Penrod wrote in the letter to Anderson and Prevoznik.

According to the letter, Penrod proposed a repayment plan to include access to his life insurance policy, 401K and profits from his law firm, Family Elder Law, which he said grossed $2 million annually.

The lawsuit requests the plaintiffs be awarded $5.25 million in damages.

Attempts to reach the plaintiffs attorney, Jacob Rubin, and the plaintiffs were unsuccessful Wednesday.

In July, Penrod abruptly closed his law offices.

I trusted this law office and I was supposed to be taking good care of her, but my mind was completely on  how do I get her money back? What do we do? said Leticia Labate, who previously spoke to 8 On Your Side about the closure.

Bank records show Labates mother paid the law firm $4,500 days before the closure.

Labates mother got her money back after her story aired on News Channel 8, and she passed away in the weeks that followed.

Not just having to deal with her medical condition but also having to deal with an attorney who basically misappropriated funds was extremely painful, she said.

An attorney on Penrods behalf filed a petition to revoke his membership with the Florida Bar, which would effectively close the Florida Bars disciplinary investigation.

His attorney, Richard Greenberg, filed a new petition this week, which would not allow Penrod to apply for readmission to the Florida Bar at a later date.

Greenberg declined to comment about the allegations, telling News Channel 8 he has not read the complaint filed in the lawsuit.

Greenberg declined to comment on Penrods whereabouts.

In a brief phone call, Penrods wife declined to comment on the allegations or her husbands whereabouts.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The Nebraska Supreme Court will decide soon whether to hear a lawsuit against a ballot initiative on Legislative Bill 1402. (Getty Images)

LINCOLN  A years-long fight over the future of Nebraskas scholarship or voucher programs to offset the costs of a private K-12 education could be headed to court.

Latasha Collar, the parent of a Douglas County student receiving what the State of Nebraska called an Opportunity Scholarship to attend a school of her choosing, sued the state on Thursday.

Her filing asks the Nebraska Supreme Court to stop Secretary of State Bob Evnen from letting general election voters decide the future of a program Collar wants to help pay for her daughters schooling.

She told the Examiner in April that she needed to find a better fit for her daughter than her local public school. After getting an Opportunity Scholarship, Collar said, her daughter was excited to go to school again.

No immediate comment

Her lawyer declined to comment Thursday, referring the Examiner to two filings asking the Court to skip the District Court step because of timing, with early voting starting next month.

Evnen must finalize the November ballot Sept. 13. The Nebraska Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to take up the lawsuit.

The lawyer and local school-choice advocates said Collar had no immediate comment. The lawsuits key argument echoes statements by the laws author, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha.

Collars lawsuit argues that voters couldnt revoke a law that appropriates funds for state expenses, saying that is prohibited by Article III, Section 3 of the Nebraska Constitution.

It seeks to invoke the power of referendum to repeal an act, or a portion thereof, that makes an appropriation for the expense of state government or a state institution existing at the time of the passage of such act, the lawsuit says.

LB 1402 created direct appropriation

Linehans Legislative Bill 1402, passed this spring, is the latest version of a law that shifted a tax credit program for private education into a direct appropriation, partly to nullify a previous ballot initiative.

Because of this change, Support Our Schools organized a second petition drive to get a referendum on LB 1402 onto the fall ballot.

Evnen announced Thursday that he had certified the measure for the ballot.

Linehan spent much of her eight years in the Legislature advocating for a scholarship program that in other states has often been the first step toward a broader school voucher program.

Linehan declined to comment Thursday. Other advocates said they were glad a parent had sued to protect an option thousands of families have sought.

Jeremy Ekeler, executive director of Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, recently said that the momentum for school choice continues to grow in Nebraska and across the country.

OSN proudly serves hundreds of Nebraska parents like Latasha, who simply want the best educational setting for their children, Ekeler said in a statement. We applaud her courage.

LB 1402 sets aside $10 million a year to fund scholarships or vouchers for private school students. Collars lawsuit argues this is a government appropriation for K-12 education.

Another attempt to avoid a vote

Local advocates for public schools disagree, with Tim Royers, the new president of the Nebraska State Education Association saying this is the latest attempt to prevent voters from weighing in on LB 1402.

This is very consistent for them. They have used every trick possible to try and stop a vote of the people on whether we should have public dollars going to private schools, Royers said.

Royers said attorneys for public school defenders were prepared to argue that the petition they ran purposefully chose not to repeal the separate appropriation bill passed with LB 1402.

The former government and civics teacher said his read of the Nebraska Constitutions limits on ballot initiatives is meant to keep people from defunding a state agency or state business.

Defenders of LB 1402 have argued that polling showing majority support for repealing the school choice law is fed by misinformation from public school advocates.

Some choice advocates say the families needing other options are worth the fight. Public school advocates say voucher programs eventually erode state funding available for public schools.

The Nebraska Supreme Court has already scheduled oral arguments Monday for three lawsuits on competing abortion-related initiatives, in the closing weeks of the window for pre-election changes.

Collar lawsuit

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)The Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) and other law enforcement agencies have made over 120 arrests in the first month of Operation Not in Vain.

The operation is a crime reduction project that targets violent and property crimes, persons with outstanding warrants, repeat offenders, traffic enforcement and quality of life crimes, according to LCPD in a news release.

According to LCPD, the project was created in memory of fallen LCPD officer Jonah Hernandez who was killed in the line of duty on Feb. 11, after responding to a trespassing call at a vacant building on the 300 block of south Valley Drive.

Hernandez was from El Paso and served two years with LCPD.

LCPD conducts months-long reduction operation in memory of fallen officer

Although we have many challenges to tackle, the first month of Operation Not in Vain has given me a lot of hope that we are becoming a safer city together, said LCPD Chief Jeremy Story. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies, businesses and citizens has been incredibly encouraging and rewarding.

The operation began on Aug. 5 and will run until November. The following information provided by LCPD is data gathered throughout Aug.:

4 DWI arrests

9 Firearms seized/recovered

10 Separate narcotics seizures

12 Stolen vehicles seized/recovered

13 Warrants (search/arrest) completed

38 Criminal citations issued

50 Arrests (misdemeanor)

60 Field interviews

70 Trespass warnings

77 Arrests (felony)

124 Reports taken

322 Traffic citations

This is the quintessential example of the impact law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels can have when they work together, said David O. Barnett, Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico. We are incredibly thankful for our partnership with the Las Cruces Police Department and how our combined efforts positively impact our communitys safety.

According to LCPD, law enforcement has also seized roughly 2,000 fentanyl pills and over 53 pounds of methamphetamine within Aug.

Due to this operation and our partnership with Las Cruces PD, dangerous synthetic drugs that are killing New Mexicans have been removed from Las Cruces, said Towanda R. Thorne-James, special agent in charge of the DEAs El Paso Division. With this type of collaboration with our local law enforcement partners, the men and women of the DEA are making our communities safer and healthier.

Homeland Security Investigations is proud to work alongside our federal, state and local agency partners as part of Operation Not in Vain to help combat gang activity and violent crime in southern New Mexico, said acting special agent in Charge, Jason T. Stevens, HSI El Paso. These partnerships are essential for tackling complex, multi-jurisdictional crimes and ensuring public safety.

The operation has also provided 270 consensual contracts among members of the community and conducted 144 meetings with local businesses, according to LCPD.

We honor Officer Hernandez by continuing his work of serving and protecting the citizens of Las Cruces, said Troy Weisler, chief of New Mexico State Police. His sacrifice was not in vain, and we are dedicated to creating a safer community for all residents.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Russia and India developed covert trade links so the Kremlin could acquire components needed for its war effort, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 5.

Citing Russian state correspondence seen by the outlet, the Kremlin's industry and trade ministry acquired critical electronics, and explored the possibility of building facilities in India to produce them.

The documents show the plan was to be financed by "significant reserves" of rupees amassed from oil sales to India, and would source goods "previously supplied from unfriendly countries."

The FT says it is not clear how much of the plan was enacted, but trade data suggests a deepening relationship between the two countries in the goods mentioned in the leaked documents.

A historical ally of Russia, India has maintained its close economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow since February 2022, with bilateral trade reaching a historic high in 2023.

India overtook China as the worlds largest importer of Russian oil in July as Chinese refiners bought less due to lower profit margins from fuel production, Reuters reported on Aug. 22, citing a comparison of import data.

At the same time, India has been developing its relationship with Ukraine, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Kyiv last month, the first time an Indian prime minister set foot in Ukraine since diplomatic relations were established over 30 years ago.

Modi's visit to Ukraine came just weeks after his trip to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit included a widely criticized hug between the two leaders on July 8, hours after Russia bombed the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv, killing two people.

Read also: What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Russias war in Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Protest in support of the arrest of former Lebanese central bank chief Riad Salameh

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon's justice ministry formally accused former central bank governor Riad Salameh of financial crimes on Thursday, the state news agency and judicial sources said, echoing charges brought against him by state prosecutors when he was arrested this week.

Salameh, 73, was arrested on Tuesday over alleged financial crimes including illicit enrichment through public funds. Reuters has been unable to reach Salameh or a lawyer for him since his arrest. He has previously denied accusations of wrongdoing.

The justice ministry's move on Thursday aims to preserve the state's right to reclaim any public funds which have been embezzled, a judicial source told Reuters.

Salameh's three decades in charge of the central bank came to an end last year when he left office with his legacy tarnished by accusations of corruption at home and abroad and by the catastrophic collapse of Lebanon's financial system in 2019.

Protesters rallied in front of the justice ministry on Thursday in support of Salameh's arrest, calling for him to remain behind bars and burning his picture. The protest was called by Depositors' Outcry, a group campaigning for the rights of depositors with savings frozen in Lebanese banks.

Financial prosecutor Ali Ibrahim on Wednesday charged Salameh with embezzlement, theft of public funds, forgery, and illicit enrichment, according to the National News Agency and judicial sources.

The authorities have not published the charges against him.

Judicial sources have said he has been held on charges of accruing more than $110 million via financial crimes involving Optimum Invest, a Lebanese firm that offers income brokerage services.

Optimum Invest said on Wednesday it is fully "assisting the judicial authorities in their investigation and provided them with all the information and documents previously requested".

It said its dealings with the central bank "were conducted in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations."

The charges brought against Salameh this week are separate from previous charges of financial crimes linked to Forry Associates, a company controlled by his brother, Raja. The brothers - who deny any wrongdoing - were accused of using Forry to divert $330 million in public funds through commissions.

Two judicial sources told Reuters on Wednesday Salameh would remain in detention at least until a hearing is scheduled, probably next week.

(Reporting by Laila Bassam and Timour Azhari; Writing by Tala Ramadan and Tom Perry; Editing by Michael Georgy, Gareth Jones and Ros Russell)
LEEDS, Ala. (WIAT)  A student at Leeds High School was taken into custody Thursday following a social media post.

Gov. Kay Ivey calls for resignation of head of Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs

Chief Paul Irwin says the student, who has not been named, was taken into custody and will not be returning to the school system. Irwin says there is no threat to students and extra personnel will be provided.

Yesterday was a very tragic day in America and the State of Georgia. Today, we had a student make a comment on social media that we take very serious because the Leeds Police Departments top priority is our dedication to protect everyone in Leeds, Alabama, said Irwin.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
Gisele Pelicot listens to her lawyer Stephane Babonneau (right) address reporters as she leaves the courthouse during the trials fourth day in Avignon, south of France - CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP

A defiant grandmother told a courtroom full of her abusers she had it all before her happy middle-class marriage was reduced to ruins when she learned she was the unwitting victim of Frances largest rape case.

All week, Gisele Pelicot, 72, remained stoically silent as the criminal court in Avignon, southern France, heard harrowing details of how her husband had enlisted more than 70 men online to rape her in their quiet Provence home over 10 years after he drugged her unconscious.

Dominique Pelicot, 71, kept 20,000 photos and films of his wife being raped 200 times under deep sedation, sometimes over six-hour periods. The nightmarish reality was only revealed by chance after he was arrested for secretly filming up womens skirts in a supermarket in 2020.

In a long orange dress, white jacket and auburn bob, Ms Pelicot left her three adult childrens side to take to the stand, calmly giving her maiden name and age.

When the judge said he would do his best not to ask her disturbing questions, she replied: Given what I have been through, nothing disturbs me. She then told the court she would try not to talk for too long to not send the room to sleep.

Feelings of disgust

A large part of that room was made up of the 51 defendants, including her husband, on trial for aggravated rape and who face up to 20 years in jail. She chose to waive her right to anonymity to raise awareness of date rape drugs and so that shame changes sides.

One of five professional magistrates asked Ms Pelicot what she felt about her husband pleading guilty.

She replied: Feelings of disgust. We had everything, we had a great life. I dont understand how this could have happened.

We had it all, everything we needed to be happy, she told the court.

Dominique Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted to rape

Strikingly self-controlled and dignified during her hour-long testimony, she likened herself to a boxer who has hit the floor but keeps standing up. Her loving upbringing by a military father after her mother died of cancer when she was nine taught her resilience.

I am trying to keep on my feet for my children.

But she warned her Mother Courage exterior hid inner torment. When people see me, they say: Shes a strong woman. The facade looks solid, but inside, its a pile of ruins. Everything needs to be rebuilt.

Take responsibility for your acts

She repeatedly insisted that she knew nothing of her husbands warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their home in the Provence village of Mazan.

Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted to rape. But 35 men  from all walks of life  deny that they forced themselves on Ms Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she in some way consented to libertine sex.

A large part of the court room in Avignon was made up of the 51 defendants, including Pelicot - Manon Cruz/Reuters

One of her lawyers asked her in court on Thursday: Some of the defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape.

You caught four sexually transmitted diseases and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?

She replied: All I have to say is, its an insult to my intelligence. These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.

To those who deny this was rape, I say to them for once in your life, take responsibility for your acts.

Scenes of horror

She described the moment in November 2020 when investigators first showed her the images of a decade of sexual abuse orchestrated and filmed by her husband, calling it an explosion, a tsunami.

My world is falling apart. For me, everything is falling apart. Everything I have built up over 50 years, she said.

Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me, she said of the pictures, while her husband listened with his head bowed.

Im lying motionless on the bed, being raped, she said of the barbaric footage.

They treat me like a rag doll, a rubbish bag, she told the judges, adding that she had only plucked up the courage to watch the footage in May 2024.

Dont talk to me about sex scenes. These are rape scenes, she said, saying it took her some time to accept the dead woman on the bed was herself.

When she told her children, my daughter screamed like a wild beast. I will never forget it.

Caroline Darian, seen here with her brother, collapsed and left the court room in tears on Tuesday after the judge told the court photos of her were found on her fathers computer - GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ms Pelicot paid tribute to the policeman who initially arrested her husband and searched his phone and computer. He no doubt saved my life, she said, recalling her waning health and unexplained blackouts as a result of the amount of drugs her husband was secretly putting in her drinks and food.

She told the court she became convinced she had developed Alzheimers.

I didnt understand why I had moments like this, I have an excellent memory, said Ms Pelicot, adding that when she jokingly asked her husband, if he was drugging her, he broke down in tears and said: You actually think I could do that?

She only linked the blackouts to drugs once her husbands sex tapes were revealed.

She referred to him coldly as Monsieur Pelicot in the trial, saying that she had kept the surname herself out of solidarity with her children but would drop it for good once the four-month proceedings were over and her divorce had been finalised.

Then the page will be turned for good, she said.

Asked what she wanted from the trial, she said: I want it to be exemplary.

Im speaking for all those women who are being drugged and dont know it, Im doing it on behalf of all those women who may never know it, (...) so that no woman will ever have to suffer drug-facilitated rape again.

02:54 PM BST

Thanks for following todays live blog

Thank you for following todays live coverage of the trial of a French pensioner, Dominique Pelicot, who is accused of recruiting more than 50 strangers online to rape his wife Gisele in their Provence home.

Well be back soon with more updates from the trial.

02:29 PM BST

Medical expert never been so shocked after assessing evidence

One of Mrs Pelicots lawyers asked a medical expert: Is it possible that Mrs Pelicots body could have felt pain while drugged but not notice anything untoward afterwards?

The expert replied: Yes

They added that Mrs Pelicot could have drowned after being drugged.

I have never before been so shocked by such images as an expert, said the medical analyst who mentioned his shock in his report.

01:22 PM BST

Medical experts take the stand after lunch break

The trial has resumed after a lunch break with medical experts, the first of whom has been explained how they analyse head hair to determine the presence of drugs.

01:13 PM BST

The defence lawyers are trying to trap me, says Mrs Pelicot

Speaking outside court during the recess, Mrs Pelicot said: "The defence lawyers are trying to trap me but I will do my best."

01:09 PM BST

Mr Pelicot requests to address the court

After an hour-long lunch break, the trial is about to resume.

We have been told that after Mrs Pelicot has finished, Mr Pelicot has requested to address the court, which was not scheduled.

01:01 PM BST

Pictured: Gisele Pelicot leaves court

Gisele Pelicot, centre left, leaves the Avignon court house with her sons, David, left, Florian, center background and her lawyer Stephane Babonneau, right, in Avignon, southern France - AP

12:28 PM BST

Wife convinced she had Alzheimers

Gisele Pelicot said she became convinced she had developed Alzheimers during the ordeal.

I didnt understand why I had moments like this, Mrs Pelicot, 72, told the court after taking the stand for the first time.

Mrs Pelicot then said she jokingly asked Dominique, her husband, if he was drugging her, to which he apparently broke down in tears and said: You actually think I could do that?

She then explained how her husband accompanied her to see a doctor about concerns that she had Alzheimers. She was told she may have had a brain seizure.

12:25 PM BST

Daughters book recounting alleged abuse published too early

Mrs Pelicot told the court: When Caroline (Mrs Pelicots daughter) wrote her book (And I Stopped Calling him Daddy) in 2022 I felt it was published too early.

I wanted her to publish it at the end of the trial. I didnt want to expose herself too much. I wanted to make this trial public to take back control, thats all.

11:39 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot recounts husband raping her as she slept

Mrs Pelicot has just told the court that she once woke up in 2010 to find her husband having sex with her.

In 2010, I remember going to bed, I woke up with a start to find Mr Pelicot raping me as I hadnt consented. I said what are you doing? I then went back to sleep, she said.

I thought he had an urge to do it and we were married so didnt take it any further.

11:17 AM BST

Mr Pelicot grabbed wife by the neck after her affair

Earlier we reported that Mrs Pelicot admitted to having an affair with one of her friends, which she said tested her marriage (see 10.09am post).

Mr Pelicot allegedly grabbed his wife by her neck after learning about the affair, Mrs Pelicot told the court.

11:11 AM BST

I never woke up in a different outfit

Mrs Pelicot told the court she never woke up in a different outfit to the one she went to sleep in.

During all of these events, you went to sleep with your pyjamas on and woke up with them on? the prosecutor asked.

Yes. I never woke up in a different outfit, Mrs Pelicot replied.

11:02 AM BST

Mrs Pelicots message to the defendants: dont insult my intelligence

The lawyer just asked Mrs Pelicot: Some defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape. You caught four STDs and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?

Mrs Pelicot replied: All I have to say is, its an insult to my intelligence. These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things. How can you even try and make people think that a woman would knowingly take part in all this?

10:54 AM BST

I told my husband to stop taking pictures of me

In Mrs Pelicots testimony, she revealed how her husband would periodically take photos of her, including when she was leaving the bathroom.

After a while, Mrs Pelicot said she became annoyed by the constant pictures and said she asked her husband to stop, to which he said: You should be pleased that after 50 years your husband still wants to take photos of you.

She told the court: It was flattering perhaps but it annoyed me and I told him to stop.

10:50 AM BST

Mrs Pelicots lawyer begins asking questions after short break

After a 15-minute break, Stephane Babonneau, one of Mrs Pelicots lawyers, has begun asking her questions.

10:44 AM BST

Reminder: who is Dominique Pelicot?

Dominique Pelicot, 71, a retired electricity worker and father of three, was charged with inviting men to have intercourse with Gisele, his wife of almost 50 years, via a now-banned website in a section called a son insu (without her knowledge).

Police counted 92 rapes committed by 72 men, of whom 51 were formally identified, over 10 years.

Officers began to investigate Mr Pelicot in September 2020 when he was caught by a security guard secretly filming under the skirts of three women in a shopping centre.

Examining his computer, they found thousands of pictures and videos of his wife, visibly unconscious. He would then meticulously film and archive their sexual acts, keeping the footage in a file called ABUSES on a USB.

According to the 400-page indictment, the abuse started in 2011 when the couple were living near Paris and continued after they moved to Mazan two years later until 2020.

The suspect is said to have given the men strict instructions when they abused his wife during the night. Tobacco and perfume were banned to avoid strong smells that could awaken her.

Pelicot has been charged by prosecutors in France of drugging his unsuspecting wife nightly in their house in Provence

10:25 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot to keep name until after trial

Mrs Pelicot has said she will keep her marriage name for the remainder of the trial, before reverting back to her maiden name.

She initially told the magistrate that she wanted to be referred to by her maiden name but later changed her mind.

I am trying to remain standing for my grandchildren, she explained after being asked why she changed her mind.

When you look at me you think shes strong this woman, but inside its a heap of ruins. The facade is strong, inside its not the same.

10:22 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot: I never authorised my husband to film me during sex

Mrs Pelicot has reiterated that she never authorised her husband to film her during sex.

I dont recall ever having a conversation about it. The only conversation we had was about going swinging and I said categorically no, I will never do that, she told the court.

10:14 AM BST

My life was in danger but no one stopped

I was tested for HIV as one man who came (to rape me) six times was seropositive. My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop, Mrs Pelicot told the court.

Luckily I didnt catch it. But not once did Mr Pelicot say to himself, Ive gone too far. He showed no pity, no pity at all.

10:09 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot admits having an affair

Mrs Pelicot has admitted to having an affair after 14 years of marriage, which she was asked to explain by the judge.

She explained how she was friends with her lover and that he visited her periodically over a two-year period, to which her husband reacted very badly.

Mrs Pelicot explained: He could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once. As I said, our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But as I said he was the only man I had known.

I only ever had two men in my bed. It may sound ridiculous today.

09:54 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot: Nothing disturbs me after what I went through

The judge asked Mrs Pelicot if she developed any physical issues after suffering memory loss.

I had gynecological problems...and a major infection in the uterus, she explained, before adding that she was always accompanied by her husband to appointments.

The judge then said he did not want to disturb Mrs Pelicot with certain questions, to which she replied: Given what I have been through, nothing disturbs me.

09:02 AM BST

My daughter screamed like a beast after hearing allegations

Mrs Pelicot has described the moment her daughter found out about the allegations that her husband drugged her and invited strangers to rape her.

She told the court: When I told my daughter, she screamed like a wild beast. I will never forget this. When I told my sons about this, I dont think they really understood, they were withdrawn and didnt react much. I think they were in a state of shock. They said dont say such silly things.

The evening, the children rang all the time saying dont disappear, they were worried I might die.

08:39 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot describes moment she first entered police station

Mrs Pelicot has described the moment she first walked into the police station after being summoned by police for what she thought was a formality.

She told the judge that the image of walking up the steps of the police station will remain with me for the rest of my life.

I remained calm but when I got into the office I didnt see Mr Pelicot. This was during the Covid period, so I was wearing a mask. I was asked for my identity and that of my family, she said.

I was astonished by all these questions. One question was then asked how would you describe your husband. I said for the past 50 years he was a well intentioned and a nice guy, she continued.

Im a woman who only one man can touch, Mr Pelicot, no other can put a hand on me. I was told to remove my mask and the policeman said Im going to tell you something you wont like.

08:33 AM BST

Mrs Pelicot refers to husband as Mr Pelicot

Mrs Pelicot referred to her husband, Dominique, who she is in the process of divorcing, as Mr Pelicot, before recounting the moment he allegedly confessed to taking pictures under womens skirts.

She said: On December 19, my husband said he had a problem with his phone and his code. I didnt really understand but remained at my daughters house.

When I returned to Mazan, our village, Mr Pelicot picked me up but had changed, he looked pale and anxious. I was worried about his health.

Arriving in Mazan, he prepared my lunch. We are in the kitchen, he sat down and broke down in tears. I didnt understand. I thought it was a health problem that had come back and I thought that it was about this.

He said I have done something silly I said what? He said I was caught in a supermarket in Carpentras filming under womens skirts.

In 50 years, Mr Pelicot had never taken pictures of other women. I said I forgive you, weve never had any problems in 50 years. But there wont be a next time, otherwise Ill leave.

He said Im not going to do it again. I trusted it as our relationship was based on trust for the past 50 years.

08:30 AM BST

Judge asks Mrs Pelicot to take the stand

The judge has just asked Mrs Pelicot to take the stand.

In a calm voice, she was asked her name and age. Gisele Pelicot, I will be 72 in December, she said.

The judge said she will be allowed to testify freely and then be asked a few questions.

Mrs Pelicot began by thanking the police lieutenant of Carperntras who initially arrested her husband for looking up womens skirts in a supermarket, which led to the investigation.

He saved my life and I probably wouldnt be here without him, she said.

08:27 AM BST

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage

Were bringing you all the latest updates from the trial of a French pensioner, Dominique Pelicot, who is accused of recruiting more than 50 strangers online to rape his wife Gisele in their Provence home.



Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Image source: The Motley Fool.

Nio (NYSE: NIO)

Q2 2024 Earnings Call

Sep 05, 2024, 8:00 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by for NIO Inc. second quarter 2024 earnings conference call. [Operator instructions] Today's conference call is being recorded. I'll now turn the call over to your host, Mr.

Rui Chen, head of investor relations of the company. Please go ahead, Rui.

Rui Chen -- Head of Investor Relations

Thank you. Good morning and good evening, everyone. Welcome to NIO's second quarter 2024 earnings conference call. The company's financial and operating results were published in the press release earlier today and posted on the company's IR website.

On today's call, we have Mr. William Li, founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer; and Ms. Stanley Qu, chief financial officer. Before we continue, please be kindly reminded that today's discussion will contain forward-looking statements made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S.

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Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. As such, the company's actual results may be materially different from the views expressed today. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties is included in certain filings of the company with the U.S.

Securities Exchange Commission, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. The company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable law. Please also note that NIO earnings press release and this conference call include discussions of unaudited GAAP financial information, as well as unaudited non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to news press release, which contains a reconciliation of the unaudited non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures.

With that, I will now turn the call over to our CEO, Mr. William Li. William, please go ahead.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining NIO's 2024 Q2 earnings call. In the first half of this year, the NIO brand completes the 2024 model year facelift, further enhancing the competitiveness of its NT 2.0 products. In the meantime, as new technologies, products, services and the user community were recognized by more people, its order intake and the delivery continues to grow.

Story continues

NIO's delivery in Q2 reached a quarterly record of 57,373 units, up 143.9%. In China, NIO models had over 40% market share among all BEVs with a transaction price higher than RMB 300,000. Since Q3, NIO's product mix has been continuously optimized. In July and August, the delivery was 20,498 and 20,176, respectively.

With that, NIO's monthly delivery had been more than 200,000 for four consecutive months. The total delivery in Q3 is expected to be between 61,000 and 63,000 units. In terms of NIO's financial performance, with continuous cost optimization of core components and the supply chain, the vehicle margin in Q2 increased to 12.2%. As the user community became larger and more vibrant, the second quarter also witnessed rapid growth in revenues from after sales and power services.

The gross margin of other sales continued to improve. Now, I would like to share with you the recent highlights of our products, R&D and operations. On Slide 27, NIO hosted NIO Inc. 2024.

At the event, we introduced the full-domain operating system, SkyOS and the smart system, Banyan 3. We also announced the successful tape-out of Shenji NX9031, our in-house developed chip for smart driving. As for NAD, NIO continued to increase its system capabilities. In July, the industry's first AEB function based on end-to-end architecture was released with the scenario coverage 6.7 times better than traditional AEB.

It makes driving safer. At NIO, we also introduced the NIO World Model, NWM, the brand new architecture for smart driving. NAD Arch 2.0 was also released. This is the most advanced end-to-end architecture based on NWM.

NIO features and experiences of NAD Arch 2.0 will be released in the second half of this year. On September 19, our family centric mass market brand, ONVO, is going to celebrate the launch of its first model, L60 and the user delivery will start in late September, with strong confidence in this all-around product. We will spend no effort in ramping up production and fulfilling the market demand. For sales and services, as of now, the NIO brand has 161 NIO houses and 408 NIO spaces, as well as 351 service centers and 63 delivery centers.

The ONVO brand has already opened 105 stores in 55 cities, and we have over 200 stores at the end of the year -- by the year-end. About charging swapping network so far, NIO has over 2,561 power swap stations worldwide and has provided over 52 million swaps. Besides, NIO has installed over 23,000 power chargers and the destination chargers. Quick and hassle-free recharging is critical for convincing ICE owners to drive the EV.

On August 20, we hosted the NIO Power Up event, where we announced the plan of Power Up Counties. In the first half of 2025, NIO's charging network will become available in every county in Chinese Mainland. By the end of 2025, the swapping network will become available in more than 2,300 counties in China. To better support this initiative, we also announced the Power Up partner plan, and signed an agreement with the first partner.

The continuous deployment of the charging and swapping network will help expand the market reach of NIO and ONVO and further drive sales growth. As for market development, we are accelerating the international expansion on August 20, NIO's UAE website went live, and in Q4, the products will be launched and delivered in UAE. While ensuring controllable investment and efficient operations, we will also actively evaluate opportunities worldwide, introducing products to more markets. In the NEV quality study released by J.D.

Power in early June, NIO models ranked the highest in the respective segments. NIO is also the only NEV company winning top ranking for six consecutive years. Ever since its establishment, NIO has been committed to making itself a global benchmark of quality and providing great user experience through life cycle quality management. As NIO has been funded for almost 10 years with the market brand strategy and the international business rolled out, as well as the external change, we upgraded the company's value system in July.

In the quest of Blue Sky Coming, NIO aspires to shape a sustainable and a bright future and envisions itself as a user enterprise where innovative technology meets experience excellence. With new brands and the product being launched step-by-step, the fundamental capability and the long-term strategical planning that NIO has been developing will have a great effect -- greater effect. NIO's cumulative R&D investment, sophisticated community operations and the efficient infrastructure deployment will lead to better sales and margin. We look forward to NIO's performance in the second half.

Thank you for support. With that, I will now turn the call over to Stanley for Q2's financial details. Over to you, Stanley.

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, William. Now, let me go over our key financial results for the second quarter of 2024. I will refer to RMB only in my discussion today, unless otherwise stated. Our total revenue were RMB 17.4 billion, up 98.9% year over year and up 76.1% quarter over quarter.

Revenues from vehicle sales were RMB 15.7 billion, representing an increase of 118.2% year over year and an increase of 87.1% quarter over quarter. The increase year over year was mainly attributed to higher deliveries, partially offset by lower average selling price due to changes in product mix and user rights adjustment since June 2023. The increase quarter over quarter was mainly attributed to higher deliveries. Other sales were RMB 1.8 billion, representing an increase of 11.3% year over year and an increase of 15.6% quarter over quarter.

The year-over-year increase was mainly due to the increase in sales of parts, accessories and aftersales vehicle services and provision of power solutions, which both grow with our user base and partially offset by lower sales of used cars. The increase quarter over quarter was mainly attributed to the increase in sales of parts, accessories and aftersales vehicle services, provision of power solutions and other products and the increased revenues from technical R&D services. Vehicle margin was 12.2% in this quarter compared with 6.2% for the same period of 2023 and 9.2% for the last quarter. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to the decreased material costs and was partially offset by a lower average selling price.

The quarter-over-quarter increase was mainly due to decreased material costs. Overall, gross margin was 9.7% compared with 1% in the same period of last year and 4.9% in the last quarter. R&D expenses were RMB 3.2 billion, decreased 3.8% year over year and increased 12.4% quarter over quarter. The quarter-over-quarter increase was mainly due to the incremental design and the development costs and increased personnel costs in R&D functions.

SG&A expenses were RMB 3.8 billion, increased 31.5% year over year and increased 25.4% quarter over quarter, which was mainly driven by higher personnel costs related to sales functions and increased sales and marketing activities. Loss from operations was RMB 5.2 billion, representing a decrease of 14.2% year over year and a decrease of 3.4% quarter over quarter. Net loss was RMB 5 billion, representing a decrease of 16.7% year over year and a decrease of 2.7% quarter over quarter. As of June 30, 2024, our company had cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and long-term time deposits in total of RMB 41.6 billion.

For more information and the details of our audited second quarter 2024 financial results, please refer to our earnings press release. Now, this concludes our prepared remarks. I will turn the call over to the operator to facilitate our Q&A session. Thank you.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

[Operator instructions] Your first question comes from Tim Hsiao from Morgan Stanley. Please go ahead.

Tim Hsiao -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Thanks for taking my question. I have two questions. The first question is about our new model, L60, because L60 started presale in mid-May. And since then, I think the model has received tens of thousands of preorders, which is very robust compared to all the new launches lately.

But how could you also ensure a high conversion rate this time after the official launch on September 19? Would the company consider getting more aggressive with the official pricing given the competition? And in the meantime, what client and supply chain preparation the team has done to avoid any potential supply disruption after the delivery starts? That's my first question. Thank you.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Tim. [Foreign language] On August 15, we have witnessed the offline of the very first mass-produced L60, and the head of sales of the ONVO brand is actually driving this very first mass-produced car, having a road trip in China, and he has been driving the car for almost 20 days while doing the broadcast on the social media. It has received a lot of attention from the public. Every day, there are several millions of views of the broadcast by the members.

In terms of the preorder intake, it actually is pretty good and has surpassed our expectations. So we are quite confident with the overall competitiveness of this project. Regarding the pricing strategy, while we launched the project in mid-May, we have announced a presale price, which is RMB 290,000,900, that is around RMB 30,000 triple than modelwide. And before the official launch of the product on September 19, we still have some time and room for the final price adjustments and decision.

But overall speaking, we will try to strike a balance between the vehicle margin and the price point of the product to find the sweet spot. In general, we will not be very aggressive as we needed to realize a reasonable margin for the project. Regarding the supply chain security, our target is that by the end of this year, which is in September, we hope that we can realize a supply capacity of 10,000 units. And sometime next year, we will be able to realize a supply capacity of 20,000 units per month.

And next question?

Tim Hsiao -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Sure. Thank you, William, for sharing the details. My second question is about the NIO brands because we noticed the monthly sales of models on the NIO brand have stabilized to 20,000 levels in second quarter. So looking forward, would there be any further upside to the record sales and the gross profit margin based on the current product portfolio? If yes, could you share with us that where would be the upside to the volume and the margin of NIO branded vehicles are coming from? That's my second question.

Thank you.

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

Hi, Tim. This is Stanley. Thank you for your question. [Foreign language] Regarding the vehicle margin of the NIO brand.

In the second quarter, we have achieved a vehicle margin of 12.2%. That is mainly because of the efficiency improvements on the supply side and also in the production. As in the past four months, we have realized the monthly delivery volume of 20,000 units -- of more than 20,000 units. We also see the opportunities for further improvements including the cost optimization of the product, as well as to improve the high-margin products in the product mix from the marketing side.

With that, we will keep improving the vehicle margin in the following two quarters of this year and expect to realize a vehicle margin of around 15% by the end of the year.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] And also a comment to add here is that we also see opportunities to improve our delivery volumes month-over-month, yet we will also need to strike a balance between the vehicle delivery volume and the vehicle margin. Both will increase but it will not be in a very drastic manner for either margin or the vehicle volume. As we -- ultimately, we pursue a very good gross profit with our product. So we need to find the sweet spot in between.

[Foreign language] And for the much longer time as NIO brand targets, our premium segments priced over RMB 300,000 as we are going to launch NIO products and also do facelift and upgrades on the product, we believe that in the battery electric vehicle segment, realizing a monthly volume of around 30,000 to 40,000 units is a reasonable target in the volume. [Foreign language] So all sum up, for the NIO brand, our long-term operational target is to realize a monthly volume of 40,000 units and a vehicle margin of 25%. [Foreign language] As for the ONVO brand, it faces a much larger market with a total car park of more than 8 million. In that case, leveraging our Battery-as-a-Service, as well as our well-established charging and swapping network, we believe that ONVO's products will be competitive even against the competition with hive and other base models.

So for ONVO products, they do have a higher potential or bigger potential for a higher sales volume month-over-month. And for the longer term, our operational target for ONVO products will be 15% or more than 15% for the vehicle margin. And we believe that it's also a reasonable target. Thank you, Tim.

Tim Hsiao -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Thank you very much William and Stanley. Thanks for all the insight and looking forward to the L60 launch. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Bin Wang from Deutsche Bank. Please go ahead.

Bin Wang -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

OK. Thank you so much. My first question is also about the ONVO L60. Previously, you mentioned that this year, your volume target is about 20,000 units.

Given the strong order, do you still maintain such a volume target? And if you get back down by month, because we are not exactly in the end of the month, so with the progress for October, November, December? So that is my first question. And second question is about the expense. SG&A expense. It seems like expenses keep increasing, what's your targets for this quarterly exchange expense.

Do you have guidance for each quarter in the upcoming second half?

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] I will take the first question. This is William. Regarding the ONVO L60, we will start the delivery of the products from late September, but it will take some time for us to ramp up the production and supply of the new product. So most of our deliveries this year will happen in Q4.

We will start delivery from September, but not in a very significant volume. And toward the end of the year, we hope that our monthly delivery will be around 10,000 units for the month of December. In terms of the supply side, as the car is equipped with many new technologies, it will also take some time for the supply side to ramp up their production. Thank you.

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

[Foreign language] This is Stanley. I will take the second question. Regarding expenses, there are two categories. The first is R&D expenses.

We will still keep the similar R&D investment pace and intensity on a quarterly basis. So roughly on the non-GAAP basis, it will be around RMB 3 billion every quarter, but there will also be fluctuations or slight differences from quarter-to-quarter as they are relevant to our actual R&D activities conducted. And regarding the second category, SG&A expenses. As we have mentioned that in late Q3, we will start the delivery of L60.

With that, there will be increase in our SG&A expenses. But as we ramp up the delivery volume of the project, we also think that we will keep optimizing the percentage of the SG&A expenses against the overall sales revenue from L60. Thank you.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Wang Bin.

Bin Wang -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Tina Hou from Goldman Sachs. Please go ahead.

Tina Hou -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Thanks for taking my question. So my first question is also regarding on ONVO L60. So just wondering at let's say 10K volume in December this year and 20K volume next year, what kind of gross margin should be reasonable for this model? Also, as we are ramping up to higher and higher volume, what is our capacity expansion plan and also capex plan for 2025 and maybe 2026? Should we expect capex to become higher versus 2024? So that's the first question. The second question is also regarding the sales and marketing expense.

So we had over 30% SG&A expense growth in the second quarter. Wondering, could you give more details on the sub items, which is the one that's growing the fastest? And also, is any of the sales policy recorded in the SG&A expense? Yes. So that's my second question.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Tina. [Foreign language] Thank you for your question. This is William. I will take your first question.

Regarding L60, when its overall production volume reaches a reasonable and expected targets, we believe that it will naturally realize a 15% vehicle margin. Of course, against the fierce competition, we have also reserved some room for the variable marketing of the product so that we will be more flexible in the competition. Yet overall speaking, as the product itself is designed for efficiency and cost, 15% vehicle margin is a reasonable target for this model as we actually managed to realize a good balance between the technology advancement and the cost competitiveness. Regarding the capacity preparation, we are having the mid- and long-term planning for our production capacity in 2025 and '26.

As of now, we already have two factories in operation, F2 has already started to upgrade to double shifts to support the production of L60. In late September or early October, the upgrade to two shifts will be completed in F2. And in the meantime, we are also planning our third factory. And around Q3 next year, the third factory will be ready to produce the products, which means that by Q3 next year, we will have three factories in operations and it will be sufficient to support our production.

[Foreign language] Overall speaking, we don't think production capacity will be a bottleneck for us, especially it will not be a long-term bottleneck for us. Here in China, the production capacity and capabilities of vehicles and parts are quite competent. Maybe some companies will face short-term disturbance in their capacity and the supply, yet for long term, it will not be a bottleneck. Especially last year, we have obtained independent manufacturing qualification.

This has also laid a foundation for our long-term stable capacity.

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

[Foreign language] This is Stanley. I will take your second question. Regarding the capex, according to the status quo of the company, we are making prudent control and the management of the pace of our investment and expenses, especially starting last year, we have already started such management by postponing certain projects or even canceling some projects. So overall speaking, the R&D or the capex in the year of 2024 will be significantly lower than that in 2023.

As for 2025, as we haven't started budgeting for the next year, we don't have a clear picture over that, but we believe that the overall expense intensity will be similar to this year. [Foreign language] As for the increase in the SG&A expenses in Q2, it's mainly contributed to two reasons. The first is that in Q1, we delivered around 30,000 units. And in Q2, we delivered a total of more than 57,000 units.

The increase of our sales volume naturally drove up the staff cost mainly because the team site has grown and also the incentives for the sales force has increased as well. And the second reason is that in the first half of this year, we have launched our model year facelift, and many of the NIO products were launched in around April -- around May and -- around March and April. In that case, we have also started a series of communications and marketing campaigns relevant to our model year products that has also increased the development expenses from Q1.

Tina Hou -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Thank you so much. Can I have a very quick follow-up? So in terms of ONVO store, do you have the average store rental cost versus a NIO store? And also how many employees do you plan to deploy in an ONVO store versus that of a NIO store?

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] Regarding the opening of ONVO stores, we actually require the team to open up the stores in a quick and efficient manner. So in terms of the capex, as well as the rent of a single ONVO store, it is significantly lower than that of a NIO store. But we don't have the specific numbers for comparison as the actual expenses may be quite different depending on the locations and the type of the store. But overall, the expense is lower, significantly lower than that of NIO.

[Foreign language] And in terms of the renovation fee for each of the ONVO store, we actually have a very strict requirement. For the ONVO -- for the existing 100 ONVO stores we have just opened, for each store, the renovation fee was no more than RMB 1 million. And for the following 100 stores we are going to open by the end of the year, we will have an even more strict requirement on renovation. With that, we will be able to make use of the existing resources and to renovate the store in a more efficient manner.

In terms of the team size for each of the stores, it depends on the actual number of orders and deliveries we plan for each store in each city. But in general, we will make sure that the team is also set up in the most efficient and compact way.

Tina Hou -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Thank you, William, and Stanley.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Tina.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Yuqian Ding from HSBC. Please go ahead.

Yuqian Ding -- HSBC -- Analyst

Thank you. Yuqian here. I've got two questions. First is about the driving progress and second is about market and competition dynamics.

First question, could you share the NIO NOP progress? Especially, could you break down in terms of the consumer take rate, our disengagement rate, scenario coverage, the regional expansion, these aspects. And the second question is to ask against the backdrop of -- in the premium EV segment, there's a couple of new models coming, especially in the coming months until the end of the year. And also, we noticed the high-tier city versus the low-tier city, the consumer consumption is sliding in general and more so than the low-tier city. So could you help us to get comfortable and conviction on NIO and ONVO's portfolio product technology and service expansion could counter these macro headwinds and still book growth quarter-on-quarter perspective, maybe in an aspect of channel order momentum and the latest consumer feedback? Thank you.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] Thank you for your question. We also noticed the fierce competition in the area of smart driving, yet we are also confident that NIO is among the top players in this area. Regarding NOP Plus, it is now being used by more than 300,000 users as it is now offered as a standard feature on our NT 2.0 project. In the meantime, the cumulative knowledge driven with NOP and NOP Plus has reached -- or has surpassed 1.1 billion kilometers.

So in terms of the user base, as well as the total mileage driven with the functionality, we are also a top player in China. [Foreign language] Regarding the technology road map. Right now inside of the industry, many players are converging their technology solutions and the roadmap into end-to-end model, be it Tesla or other players in China. For NIO, we are also working on our end-to-end model, and we have already released our first end-to-end based feature that is end-to-end AEB.

Its performance has been significantly improved than the traditional AEB functionality as its scenario coverage is 6.7 times better than the traditional AEB. And in the meantime, at the NIO Inc., we have also released our end-to-end architecture based on the NIO work model because end-to-end is an architecture, but its foundation technology is also very important, and we are the first company to develop and announce such work model and the end-to-end architecture based on the model. We have also released the NAD Arch 2.0. So the end-to-end model will be based on the NIO -- the end-to-end architecture will be based on the NIO work model where you can see that the NIO work model is developed with the end-to-end architecture solution.

Overall speaking, we believe that we are still leading the block in terms of the smart driving technologies. We have already tested the latest functionality on NAD Arch 2.0 at the small scale, and its performance is pretty impressive. Overall speaking with the work model and end-to-end architecture, we will be able to realize quicker functionality iteration, better experience at a lower cost. In terms of the ONVO brand, its product will come with a single range with pure vision technology solution.

But even with that, it has realized a very good performance in the urban driving scenario. The other day, I have tested the functionality in Shanghai and it's also pretty good. So overall speaking, we believe that -- and we also saw facts that the smart driving functionalities will help users improve the safety of driving. In terms of the actual usability of the functionality, we will also keep working on that.

[Foreign language] Regarding your second question, we also understand the intensity of the market competition, and this is not the first time for us to face such fierce competition, yet the NIO brand has been realizing a pretty stable market share in the premium segment for years. This is mainly because we have a diversified and rich product portfolio to offer for the premium segment. We have ET5T, ES6, EC6, ET7, ES7 plus ES8. So it's a pretty wide range of a product offering that will be enough to cover many product segments.

And many of these products are also leading the sales volume in their respective BEV product segment. Not to mention that for some niche products like ET5T, EC7 or EC6, in their respective segment, their volume is even higher than some of the ICE competitors. So overall speaking, we have made a quite successful product portfolio and offering strategy. Plus, we also have other advantages such as charging and the swapping network, leading technologies, good product experience, service and the user community.

This has further enhanced and solidified our foothold in the premium EV segment. [Foreign language] In the meantime, we also hope that more players can also come into this segment so that we can work with them together to enlarge the size of this premium segment, premium EV segment. In the meantime, for the entire NIO company, we actually have a pretty clear and straightforward strategy for the continuous business growth. The first is by a wider price range.

From next year, we are going to have three brands in the market. With that, our price range -- the price range that can be covered by these three brands will be as wide -- will be pretty wide, ranging from RMB 140,000 all the way to RMB 800,000. And with Battery-as-a-Service, the price range will be from RMB 100,000 to RMB 700,000, which will be a very strong competition to the ICE costs in the respective segments. With three brands with a wide price range, we will be able to reach a broader market than many of our other competitors.

The second approach is via our products, wide product range. We have three brands. We also have a very diversified product portfolio of each brand. In that case, we will be able to cover a pretty comprehensive product segment with clear differentiation between each brand.

And the third approach is through the market and regional coverage. Right now, we are expanding our point of sales into the lower-tier cities especially for NIO at the moment, most of our sales are in the first- and second-tier cities. So such coverage expansion is also very important. We have also announced other plants like the County Power Up plan where we will expand our charging and swapping network to the counties at all levels.

With that, it will help us to further enhance the reach of all three brands. Plus we also have the business development plan for the overseas market. So overall speaking, for the long-term growth and the development, we have a clear road map, that is by a wide price range, wide product range and also further regional coverage. Thank you, Yuqian.

Yuqian Ding -- HSBC -- Analyst

Awesome. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Paul Gong from UBS. Please go ahead.

Paul Gong -- UBS -- Analyst

Hi, William. Thanks for taking my questions. Two questions here. The first one is regarding the flagship sedan, ET9.

I think it was announced to schedule for launch in Q1 next year. Is that still on schedule? And can you give some updates regarding this model in terms of the position in new technology adoption, as well as say the targets volume outlook? Yes. The second question is regarding the overseas expansion. You are going to open the store in UAE and start delivering there.

Is that a signal of the change of direction as a result of the EU tariff that you are reaching the direction from Europe into Middle East? Also, one of your peers has nowadays been delivering over 10% of their volume into the overseas markets. Do you think this serves as a benchmark for your overseas expansion over the next one or two years?

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] Thank you for the question. Regarding the further question on the ET9, we're still proceeding the ET9 launch preparation according to the plan and we haven't made any changes on the study of this product. But in the meantime, as you know that the ET9 is equipped with many new technologies, including steer-by-wire, fully active suspension, in-house developed chip, as well as SkyOS, so we will need to bear no effort in making sure and preparing for the successful launch of this product next year. Regarding your second question on our international expansion, we haven't changed our direction.

Yes, because of the tariffs in Europe, now selling or exporting costs from China to Europe becomes more expensive. So we will focus on the existing five European markets that we have already started. We also know that to establish NIO, such a premium brand in the European market, will also take a longer time and we are very patient with that. But in the meantime, it doesn't mean that we have stopped our activities there.

Earlier this year, we have just opened our NIO house in Amsterdam, and we are still installing and deploying our power swap stations in Europe. So we will still keep the same plan. In terms of the market entry into UAE, as you may know that last year, we have received USD 3 billion strategic investment from the Abu Dhabi government. And then, the market entry into UAE is part of the plan.

With that, we will work with our strategic partners in UAE to offer our products and services to the local market. Starting next year, a big difference is that we not only have NIO brand and products, but also products from ONVO and Firefly, which are more suitable for the global market. With that, we will be actually more active with our international expansion. But in the meantime, we will also need to keep a good balance between our investment scale and the efficiency to make sure that we enter into the global market in a smarter and more efficient way.

Paul Gong -- UBS -- Analyst

Thank you. That's quite helpful.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Paul.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Ming-Hsun Lee from Bank of America. Please go ahead.

Ming-Hsun Lee -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Hello, William and Stanley, I also have two questions. So my first question is more related to the overall macro. So in your view, what is the potential growth rate for the China EV market in the next few years? Because I think recently, some investors expect that the EV penetration will still be down because right now, the EV penetration is already very high. So just in your view, what is the EV penetration in the next three years? Yes.

That's my first question. And my second question is regarding the Firefly pipeline. So right now, will you launch one or two models in 2025 for Firefly? That's my two questions.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] Thank you for the question. If you look at the overall passenger vehicle market, in the first half of this year, it has increased by around 3.6%. For the longer term, actually, if you look at the total PV population in China, it is as big as 20 million to 30 million units. So it's already a very significant amount.

Definitely, it will keep growing, but probably not a very -- not at a very significant growth rate. And it's even normal for the PV segment or PV market to suffer a slight decrease. But even with that, the Chinese market will still be the largest passenger vehicle market in the world. In terms of the penetration rate of the new energy vehicle, it has already surpassed 50%.

And I think that it will continue to increase and at an even faster manner because for the replacement of the ICE cost speeds by BEVs or PHEVs, it will be much faster once it has surpassed this 50% keeping point. We can take Norway as a reference for example. It actually grew at 50% penetration rate at first, and then it has quickly increased to 80% and 90%. So similarly for China, I believe that in two to three years, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles among new vehicle sales will surpass 80%.

[Foreign language] If we look at the ICE cars in China, actually they have entered into an unsustainable cycle or a vicious cycle because many ICE brands have to cut their prices to keep their market share, be it premium brands or mass market brands, be it brands from China or from other countries. Many of these ICE costs are having a price flushed for the sake of market share. But as they cut prices, it also hurts the profit and interest of their dealers, hurt the image of the brand, as well as the residual value of their products. With that, it is even more difficult for them to keep a very strong market share in your segment.

So their -- the decline of their market share is even faster than it should be. For the recent years, we have already witnessed the significant decline of the market shares of the Korean brands like Hyundai, Kia, including Ford and General Motors. And for the recent years, Japanese brands like Toyota, Honda and Nissan are also entering the same space. So in general, we believe that the ICE costs from these joint venture brands will face quite difficulties in the future competition.

And when they lose some market share, they normally lose market shares to other new energy vehicle brands, including brands from China and Europe. So in that regard, I believe that the penetration rate of the new energy vehicle will grow will grow at a pretty quick pace even faster than we expected. [Foreign language] And regarding your second question, yes, we are going to deliver the product from Firefly from 2025. We are in smooth progress with our product preparation.

Thank you, Ming.

Ming-Hsun Lee -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Thank you, William.

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Jing Chang from CICC. Please go ahead.

Jing Chang -- CICC -- Analyst

Thank you for taking my questions. I have two questions. The first is in regard to our NIO operating system, SkyOS, which has been released in July. So it has shown very comprehensive and invest our software self-development ability.

So can you just introduce -- and ask more details so what are the technical challenges we have faced and work advantages and also the improvement of our product can be brought by the new system? So this is the first question. The second is with regard to the other income, gross profit margin. We have seen the second -- in the second quarter, the gross profit margin has improved significantly. So how to understand these major drivers? And also what's our forecast for the trend and the continuity of the margin improvement in the future? So also with our growth of our sales volume, can we see that our -- especially charging and battery swap business, can turn to profit in future?

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] Thank you for the question. Regarding SkyOS, it's the world's first full domain vehicle operating system. That is the special thing with SkyOS, which is also the difficulty or the challenge we have faced when developing the SkyOS, because when it comes to the era of the smart electric vehicles, we cannot use the fragmented operating systems to manage the electric architecture of the car anymore. With that, we have developed the SkyOS.

It comes at three levels. At the bottom, we have the SkyOS-H, that is the hypervisor. And in the middle, we have four kernels for the SkyOS. And on the top, we have SkyOS middleware.

So it's a very comprehensive solution we have developed. We've used the four years with 20,000 personnel with this great work. In terms of its benefit, the SkyOS is definitely making the car safer and more secure. It also makes the system stable and it also help us to realize more efficient R&D process and iteration process.

It also helped us solve the problems faced by the smart electric vehicles like huge data throughput, domain -- cost domain fusion and also the latency along the communication, because we know that it's impossible to realize such benefit by simply working on the application, the year adaptation. We need to do something at the foundational level, and we are very happy that we have made it happen. The SkyOS will be applied to our other brands, including NIO ONVO and Firefly. We can say that SkyOS is a software cornerstone for our future products and development.

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

[Foreign language] Regarding the revenues, where the loss on other sales in Q2, we have significantly narrowed the losses on other results in Q2. It's mainly because of the two reasons. I think in Q2, we have improved or increased our user deliveries. With that -- well actually, there are two reasons.

The first is that we have improved the profitability and the efficiency of our aftermarket source. Earlier this year, in February -- on February 20, we have released the 2024 free service policy. With the new policy, our aftersales services become more efficient and also more profitable. And secondly, we have also decoupled the lifetime free power swap from the sales of the vehicles.

With that, more and more users, especially new users have to pay for the power swap services. This has also helped us improve the revenues and the margin on the power swap related services. With that, we have significantly narrowed the losses on the other sales. And we believe that in the future, as we continue to grow the total user base and the sales volume, especially with the launch and delivery of the ONVO products, the profitability of the other sales will also become stronger, and we look forward to the breakeven or even profit from this part.

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

[Foreign language] And in terms of the profitability of the power swap service or in general power swap stations, if we look at the single swap station, if it can offer more than 60 power swaps per day, it itself will -- and in the meantime, if we charge all the power swap services at the same level for the supercharging, then the single station will become breakeven. And right now, in China, we have more than 2,500 power substations and on average, each station can complete around 30 to 40 swaps per day. So from 30 to 40 to 60, it's not a long way to go for us to make the power swap station breakeven. But in the meantime, we still suffer the loss on the power swap business.

It's mainly because of two reasons. The first is that at the early stage for the early adopters of the NIO products, we have offered free lifetime power swaps to many of these users, which has actually worsened the burden on the cost of the power swap stations and the power swap services. And secondly, as we roll out our business and the network, we also came to realize that the network effect of the power swap station actually has a very significant meaning to the boost of the sales volume. In that case, we are more active in installing power swap stations, even ahead of the actual need.

So this swap stations deployed in advance also bring additional losses or burden to the business. So in general, if we look at the power swap station itself, it's not far away from breakeven and profitability, yet considering its actual contribution to the sales volume, we have decided to deploy many stations in advance, and this has caused the loss on the business.

Jing Chang -- CICC -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. As there are no further questions now, I'd like to turn the call back over to the company for closing remarks.

Rui Chen -- Head of Investor Relations

Thank you again for joining us today. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact NIO's IR team through the contact information on our website. This concludes the conference call. You may now disconnect the line.

Thank you.

Duration: 0 minutes

Call participants:

Rui Chen -- Head of Investor Relations

William Li -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Stanley Qu -- Chief Financial Officer

Tim Hsiao -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Bin Wang -- Deutsche Bank -- Analyst

Tina Hou -- Goldman Sachs -- Analyst

Yuqian Ding -- HSBC -- Analyst

Paul Gong -- UBS -- Analyst

Ming-Hsun Lee -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Jing Chang -- CICC -- Analyst

More NIO analysis

All earnings call transcripts

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Nio (NIO) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  When a nurse passes away after a career of serving his or her patients, the care doesnt stop. The Nurse Honor Guard program aims to remember them even at the end of their lives.

Phyllis Rogers called Carle Hospital in Urbana her office for many years. She started in family medicine and eventually switched to a management role. But Ali Boatright, her daughter, said her stethoscope was always close by.

Up until retirement, she was still helping out, jumping on the floor, doing flu clinics, she was also a parish nurse at her church, Boatright said.

Carle Foundation hospital named Pediatric Critical Care Center

Boatright always looked up to her mom in the medical field.

It was such a big part of her. She was just such a natural caregiver, Boatright said.

Rogers died in 2019 after her battle with an aggressive brain cancer. Nurses were by her side until the very end, remembering her with an Honor Guard ceremony at her funeral. Its a 10-minute program that can be performed at any fallen nurses funeral.

We just want to honor those who have worked so hard, Carol Schank, a Carle hospice nurse, said. Every family has told me that the Nurse Honor Guard portion was the most impactful part of the funeral.

The program has been around for seven years, changing lives across Central Illinois and the entire country.

Carle nurses bring hair care to health care in Central IL

It was just really special, Boatright reflected. Its something that if my mother been still here and survived, she absolutely wouldve wanted to be part of.

Schank knows they need more people to keep making it a success. Any nurse can volunteer, whether you work at Carle or not.

To have them show up for her and to honor her, it really just left a lasting impact on our family, Boatright said. We were mourning her, but to see them pay their respects, it just meant that much more. I think other families would feel the same way.

Some nurses have traveled anywhere from 40-60 minutes to honor another nurse, sometimes they dont even know the person.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email volunteer.services@carle.com or call 217-383-3024.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free Trade World, by Marc-William Palen, Princeton University Press, 328 pages, $35

In 1845 the editor of the New York Evening Post, William Cullen Bryant, traveled to England. In America, Bryant's paper was famous for its radical support of free trade, free banking, international peace, and the abolition of slavery. In Europe, he was America's most famous and accomplished poetand a strong ally to Richard Cobden in the AntiCorn Law League's war to bring down the price of bread by rolling back tariffs.

The movement against the Corn Laws was reaching a fever pitch: a tipping point toward free trade and peace in the world's premier empire, with repercussions that could ripple around the globe. The next year, Prime Minister Robert Peel buckled under the pressure and Parliament repealed the hated trade barriers. Free traders gained their greatest victory to date, Britons got their cheap bread, andwith the globalizing power of the telegraph at handradical liberals felt like they were poised to sweep humanity into a new age of peace and prosperity.

Meanwhile, a counterrevolution was brewing. One of America's overlooked contributions to intellectual history and world history is the nationalist-protectionist economic system developed by Friedrich List and popularly called "the American System." Listian economics became the Whig Party platform, calling for public works, a national bank, and high protective tariffs. The Listian nationalists argued that the United States should pursue economic independence to maintain its security against the British juggernaut. Many others who were arrayed against British power copied the Americans.

Here we have the central set of intellectual and political conflicts that set the stage for Marc-William Palen's timely and important new volume, Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free Trade World. This book fluidly combines intellectual, social, political, and world history, seamlessly transitioning across borders to show how ideas and interests intersect and collide.

Though the story has many elements, its heart is a movement "for free trade, anti-imperialism, and peace." This broad movement's members included early libertarians, Georgist land taxers, Marxists, feminists, Christian radicals, and others. "Left-leaning liberal radical reformers such as Richard Cobden, Henry George, Mark Twain, Leo Tolstoy, Norman Angell, Abe Isoo, J.A. Hobson, Jane Addams, Rosika Schwimmer, and Fanny Garrison Villard," Palen writes, "connected free trade with democracy promotion, antislavery, universal suffrage, civil rights, prosperity, anti-imperialism, and peace." They were, he says, a "motley crew of left-wing free traders" who spearheaded an early, good-natured version of globalism.

***

The phrases left-wing and free traders are not often conjoined today. "The past couple of decades have witnessed a flurry of scholarship tracing the right-wing origins of today's free-market ideas back to the interwar years," Palen notes. "By recovering the shared world of left-wing radicalism and free trade, this book tells a very different story, with a much earlier starting point: the 1840s." This, he hopes, will overcome the errors created when "Cold War lensesblurred the historical depiction of modern left-wing radicalism, displacing the economic peace movement from its previously prominent position."

The 19th century left thought free trade would promote peace: the more interdependence, the more peaceful cooperation and understanding. In a speech to the AntiCorn Law League on January 15, 1846, Cobden claimed that material prosperity was the least of free trade's implications, painting a world in which all mankind melted into one vast family: "I see in the Free-trade principle that which shall act on the moral world as the principle of gravitation in the universe," he said, "drawing men together, thrusting aside the antagonism of race, and creed, and language, and uniting us in the bonds of eternal peace."

The rogue's gallery of Victorian-era free traders included some odd bedfellows. There were Marxists, who, in Palen's words, "did not consider free trade free of sin" but believed that it would accelerate the social revolution. There were feminists who broke with the movement's anti-imperial side, "hoping that doing so would legitimate the women's suffrage movement in the eyes of male political elites," yet still vigorously supported free trade. There was the founder of the Esperanto movement, who hoped his creation would "eradicate one of the greatest impediments to world tradethe language barrier."

***

The 1840s were the era of what Palen calls the "Cosmopolitical imagination," but the decade also kicked off a multidecade surge of nationalist economics around the globe in response. From Russia to Japan to Germany to Australiaand, much later, in India and Africanationalist-protectionists viewed Britain's Cobdenite turn as another way to prevent local independence and maintain the empire. They sought a way out from under British (later American) political domination through national autarky, the Listian economic counterpart to political independence. This was a constant thorn in the side of the Cobdenite anti-imperialists.

In Germany, the Listians formed the German historical school, whose "leading lights created the Verein fur Sozialpolitik (Association for social policy) in 1872 to counteract Manchester liberalism, Judaism, internationalism, anti-imperialism, and democratic socialism," while ushering in "a new wave of anti-Semitism." Back in the United States, the German historical school's disciples founded the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School; the GOP adopted a program of high tariffs and strict immigration quotas. In Soviet Russia, Vladimir Lenin drew on List's ideasand "laid the groundwork for Joseph Stalin, whose industrial-military system was more Listian than Marxist." Where once there appeared nothing but free trade on the horizon, we were now thrown on the defensive while the nations of the world marched to war.

Cobden died in 1865, but the movement he led continued to grow through the long battles with nationalism and imperialism that form the narrative of this book. After the disaster of two world wars, figures like the "Tennessee Cobden"Franklin Roosevelt's secretary of state, Cordell Hullthought they saw their moment resurfacing. Hull was a lifelong Cobdenite and a bit of a throwback to the long history of low tariffs in the Democratic Party. As secretary of state he spearheaded the "good neighbor" policy of moving from militarism toward trade in U.S. relations with Latin America. Hull eventually became a powerful supporter of supranational institutions, such as the United Nations and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, that he hoped would connect people through trade and flourishing rather than armed conquest and imperialism. As he and others pushed such ideas during and immediately after World War II, each of the pro-trade factions this book covers saw reason for hope once again.

But the feeling was again fleeting, and it ultimately fell to Cold War pressures. Ideological divisions over the welfare state, Third World development, labor policy, and "democracy promotion" split the old "left-wing commercial peace movement," Palen writes, as "neoliberals like [F.A.] Hayek of the Geneva School and the Chicago School's Milton Friedman were deeply critical of the welfare state, anti-colonial nationalism, and trade unions." Some neoliberals defended Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship in Chile and the South African apartheid regime, exacerbating those divisions. It now seemed to left-wingers that the new liberals were simply capitalist bodyguards for the new colonialiststhe hegemonic West, especially the United Statesand the new mercantilists who would use the West's power to force less-developed nations into perpetual subservience.

Neoliberals like Hayek recognized and appreciated the historical linkages between Manchesterites and socialists. But those historic linkages steadily diverged, particularly as neoliberalism came to be identified with Margaret Thatcher's Tory government in Britain and Ronald Reagan's Republican administration in the United States. All this, Palen argues, "effectively ostracized free trade's left-wing supporters from the very supranational institutions and structures they had helped create." Most free traders on the right could feel successful and willing to maintain the course; the left was, well, left to sit and stew in defeat. So were the more libertarian-leaning free traders who would not support conservative militarism or alliances with the "New Christian Right" in exchange for trade liberalization. Some libertarians were also suspicious of the new supranational organizations and agreements, fearing the ways they could evolve into supranational bureaucracies.

Pax Economica ends on a somber note. Ours is an age of resurgent nationalist economics, militarism, and technocracy. Peaceful internationalism and interdependence are threatened. In the United States, Palen writes, we are saddled with "a new protectionist Washington Consensus," and trade policy around the world is merging with foreign policy. He concludes with a call for recovery and memory: to challenge the "growing economic nationalist partnership between the far Left and the far Right" by recovering the "radical economic cosmopolitan tradition" that stretched across the spectrum while fighting for both free trade and peace.

The post When Leftists Were Free Traders appeared first on Reason.com.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The City of Henderson will repair Somerset Parks broken water main. Throughout the various information meetings with residents leading up to this point, representatives of Southern Nevadas Legal Aid Center have been present.

8 News Now sat down with one of those attorneys to find out how they are helping residents. They created an email and phone hotline for the situation.

Michele Kiraly is a Consumer Rights attorney for Southern Nevada Legal Aid. She was at Tuesdays city council meeting, where the city announced its plan to repair Somerset Parks water system. As of now, there havent been specific costs provided to residents.

The City of Henderson will repair Somerset Parks broken water main. Throughout the various information meetings with residents leading up to this point, representatives of Southern Nevadas Legal Aid Center have been present. (KLAS)

The way that that assessment will be done is through a special property tax assessment. But its really a question that needs to be better addressed by the city, Kiraly said.

Henderson neighborhood faces condemnation or rapidly climbing HOA fees, officials search for solution

As the situation continues, she says legal aid is still ready to work with residents, whether homeowner or tenant.

The process is not over. And legal aid will continue to remain steadfast in their commitment to providing resources and assistance, Kiraly said.

The City of Henderson will repair Somerset Parks broken water main. Throughout the various information meetings with residents leading up to this point, representatives of Southern Nevadas Legal Aid Center have been present. (KLAS)

City councilwoman searching for solutions as residents of Henderson neighborhood may be forced to move out

Whether or not you seek the help of Legal Aid, they want you to know to be cautious when people ask for sensitive information.

They should be aware of anyone that is seeking any kind of personal information and that they should continue to work with the city of Henderson with regard to their specific problem, Kiraly said.

The HOA has until Sept.10 to present a solution to the city. If its not done by then, the city will step in.

For more information on Southern Nevadas Legal Aid Center support for residents, email hendersonhelp@lacsn.org or call 702-545-2398.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  A panel of lawmakers will spend three days later this year investigating whats gone wrong in two departments of South Dakota state government, where former employees allegedly engaged in financial deceptions.

Falling victim to fentanyl

The Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee will spend part of October 21 looking into the state Department of Revenue, where two former employees reportedly created fictitious ownership titles for vehicles. The fake titles were used to receive bank loans.

Well be able to dive into what went on there, Republican Rep. Ernie Otten, who chairs the committee, said Thursday as the members discussed scheduling the additional meetings.

The panel also intends to consider on October 21 whether there is a need to bring in an outside organization to do deeper financial audits throughout state government.

Committee members then plan to meet again on December 11-12 regarding alleged thefts from the state Department of Social Services child-protection division. A now-retired employee has been criminally charged for stealing nearly $1.8 million over the span of 13 years.

The former employee, Lonna Carroll, 68, is scheduled for a three-day trial starting December 4. She has pleaded not-guilty to two felonies.

The trial should clear up a lot of the stuff for us, Otten said.

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The sun sets behind the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre on Dec. 5, 2023. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

The legislative Government Operations and Audit Committee plans to analyze and question state agencies about alleged crimes within their departments that have come to light this summer.

A former state Department of Social Services worker pleaded not guilty last month to stealing an estimated $1.8 million from the departments Division of Child Protection Services over the course of 13 years. The trial is scheduled to begin on Dec. 4.

Further revelations emerged this summer about the state Department of Revenue, where two former employees have been accused of falsifying documents. One of the employees used her position within the department to create 13 fake vehicle titles used to secure $400,000 in loans, according to the Attorney Generals Office, which is reportedly investigating similar allegations in the second case.

The committee will discuss the Department of Revenue situation at its Oct. 21 meeting, and will consider whether an outside organization is needed to conduct deeper financial audits in state government. The committee will discuss the Department of Social Services matter on Dec. 11 and 12.

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On Tuesday during a meeting in Pierre, lawmakers on the committee pressed Bureau of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Terwilliger for information about the State Board of Internal Control, which is tasked with implementing a system among state agencies to detect and prevent financial fraud.

The board adopted a plan in 2019 to create a statewide internal control framework. The board has worked through 19 agencies since then and has 10 more to go. Terwilliger said the board implemented internal controls within four state agencies in fiscal year 2024.

Terwilliger said the state is much better off than it was before the framework, but there is more work to do in light of the recent investigations.

When things like this happen, its frustrating because it shouldnt happen and you put people in places of trust, Terwilliger said.

Sen. Jean Hunhoff, R-Yankton, said shed like to see the Bureau of Finance and Management reevaluate how it tracks its success with internal controls, since it only tracks how many state agencies implement internal controls throughout the fiscal year.

I do believe, based on the history of whats happened this summer, we need to have some kind of metric there other than saying Im going to all agencies, Hunhoff said.
Xaviar Babudar, the Kansas City Chiefs superfan known for his costumed persona ChiefsAholic who was accused of terrorizing victims at banks and credit unions during a multi-state robbery spree in 2022 and 2023, was sentenced Thursday to 17 and a half years in federal prison.

Prosecutors have said Babudar stole nearly $850,000 from banks and credit unions during a 16-month stretch, and in many of the robberies, brandished what appeared to be a gun.

In handing down the lengthy sentence, Judge Howard Sachs in U.S. District Court in Kansas City also ordered Babudar, 30, to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution to victims. Sachs declined to elevate the sentence further, noting that the weapon Babudar used was a BB gun.

During Babudars sentencing hearing Thursday, Sachs heard testimony from a pair of victims from financial institutions Babudar was accused of robbing.

In a statement read on behalf of one of the victims, an employee relayed the terror of the November 2022 robbery, including how Babudar jumped over the counter with a gun and threatened employees, as well as how after the robbery they quit their job without a new one lined up, and how the trauma from that day has lingered.

Every morning I think about the robbery before I go to work, they wrote.

Another victim told of how Babudar robbed her branch twice, once in March 2022 and again a few months later in November 2022. That victim described another teller who reported having a gun imprint on her skin for more than an hour after a robbery, and bruising for several days.

I still have nightmares about my bank being robbed, the woman said.

Babudar apologized to the victims and said he continues to bear guilt for his actions.

Every day is a reminder of that shame I must carry, he said.

Babudars attorney, Matthew Merryman, wrote in court documents the robberies were prompted by debts Babudar had amassed under an all consuming gambling addiction. He told Sachs Thursday that Babudar has had time to reflect on the trauma he caused the victims and said he was on a path to show he could be redeemed.

Hes so ashamed that he doesnt even allow his family to visit, he said.

Merryman asked for a 10-year prison sentence for Babudar, while prosecutors sought a 20-year sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Daly likened Babudar to the Great Depression-era bank robbers, like the Dillinger Gang, who prompted the legislation that made bank robberies a federal crime almost 100 years ago.

The gambling was a means to an end and was used to conceal the proceeds from the robberies, he said.

If hes addicted to anything, Daly said, its fame.

Babudar, famous for his Chiefs-themed wolf costume reminiscent of the teams mascot K.C. Wolf, became a high-profile figure on social media and was a regular presence at Chiefs games from 2018 through 2021. Sachs sentenced Babudar just hours before the Chiefs were set to kickoff the 2024-2025 season against the Baltimore Ravens.

Babudar pleaded guilty in February to three charges in connection with a string of robberies or attempted robberies of nearly a dozen banks and credit unions across seven states in 2022 and 2023. They include a count of money laundering, a count of transporting stolen property across state lines and a count of bank robbery.

As part of his plea earlier this year, Babudar admitted to robberies or attempted robberies in Clive, Iowa; Bixby, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; West Des Moines, Iowa; Nashville, Tennessee; Savage, Minnesota; Apple Valley, Minnesota; Papillion, Nebraska; Sparks, Nevada, and Eldorado Hills, California.

Babudar was arrested in Oklahoma in December 2022 and was eventually released on bond with a GPS monitoring requirement. He removed the ankle monitor, fled and robbed two more banks before he was tracked to California and arrested in July 2023, according to prosecutors.

The Stars Robert Cronkleton contributed reporting to this story.
To the editor: There was another mass shooting at a school; this time the suspect is a 14-year-old in Georgia who was interviewed a year ago about his threatening to do this.

And still, nothing will be done in Georgia or most other states, except to say hug your children, tell them you love them and the victims have our thoughts and prayers. What BS.

We need better gun laws. Even Republicans who caress the National Rifle Assn. and exalt the 2nd Amendment need to at least try to get some of these weapons off the streets and enact sensible laws so these shootings are less frequent.

Interesting how the Republicans care for children so much that they want to outlaw abortion, but if a child is born, they have to go through active shooter drills in school to stay safe. I am outraged, scared for my grandchildren and sad for our country.

Barbara Azrialy, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I do not understand why officials are so surprised by school shootings. As a former high school teacher of 30 years, I recall it was not hard to see red flags raised by students who were alienated, unhappy or bullied.

In the community I taught, I figured that at least 35% of the parents were alcoholics. I counseled kids who were sexually abused by relatives and so many who were ignored or mistreated in many ways. These kids come to school with a "school face," and unless they are seen by a teacher or someone else, their issues go unaddressed.

Of course, we need far better gun control. But we cannot ignore that we need so much more personal interaction with kids individually. Schools could establish small (required) classes in which kids talk about what is going on in their lives, led by teachers trained specifically for this job.

There is lots of work to be done. In this meantime, if you are a parent or a relative, please listen to your teenagers and pay attention to how they are coping, how they are feeling, and what is on their minds.

Phyllis Molloff, Camarillo

..

To the editor: Politicians opposed to gun control argue that the solution is better mental health programs. If they truly believe this, they should support a comprehensive effort to provide mental health programs.

Given that gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., politicians should be focusing their efforts on funding training for counselors in every school in America. There should be a massive push for affordable mental health programs with expertise in identifying and treating individuals at risk for committing gun violence.

If politicians truly feel that the answer is more effective mental health programs, they need to demonstrate their sincerity through action and make mental health programs a priority. Thoughts and prayers are not effective alternatives.

Ronald Kotkin, Laguna Beach

..

To the editor: Before even knowing much about the 14-year-old boy suspected of killing four people Wednesday at a Georgia high school, officials announced they will prosecute him as an adult.

That'll solve everything, all right. No doubt the next mentally ill student with a gun  a child who, in that moment, doesn't give one whit about himself or anyone else  will pause and think, "Hmm, I'd better not pull the trigger because I might get tried as an adult."

Susan Goulding, Seal Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Letters to the Editor: We tried a Project 2025-style approach in Iraq. It was a disaster

A supporter of Project 2025 holds a hand fan at the group's tent at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines last year. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

To the editor: One need not look back to the U.S. governments 19th century "spoils" system to see the danger of replacing the current merit-based federal workforce with former President Trump's Republican Party loyalists. ("Trump's vow to fire thousands of 'crooked' federal workers prompts alarm," Aug. 30)

Consider what took place when another Republican president, George W. Bush, attempted to install a democratic government in Iraq after the U.S. invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein 20 years ago.

The administration reportedly screened potential U.S. workers in Iraq for their views on Roe vs. Wade. A 24-year-old who never worked in finance was put in charge of reestablishing Baghdad's stock exchange. L. Paul Bremer III, leader of the Coalition Provisional Authority, disbanded the Iraqi Army and refused to allow members of Hussein's Baath Party, however well-qualified, to hold positions in the new government.

This greatly increased the ranks of the unemployed and left numerous government departments at the mercy and whims of less-qualified individuals.

We all should recall how our governments folly in Iraq played out  and vote to insure that Trump never again serves as our president or has a say in replacing federal civil service personnel with legions of his sycophants.

Robert Wignot, Goleta

..

To the editor: Upon reading about Trump's targeting of the U.S. civil service system, my immediate and overriding thought was Lord Acton's famous 1887 quote, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

For those who are not familiar with the quote, I suggest you Google it. For those aware of it, be careful what you may wish for this coming November.

Michael D. Leventhal, Rancho Mirage

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Its been a few years in the making, but the city of Austin now has license plate readers up and running. The Austin Police Department reinstated its Flock camera program with updates to its policy.

Just last week, Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson addressed in a city memo that cameras are operating.

The memo said there are 40 license plate readers across Austin. The pilot program went live back in March. The updated policy includes changes requested by city council.

What is the updated policy?

According to the memo, the system can now only hold data captured by the cameras for a week, which is down from 30 days.

Also, APD officers must train before getting authorization and access to the system. Theyll have to go through that training every year.

This mandated training is tracked through Acadis, the Departments Learning Management System (LMS), the memo said.

APD will also work with the City Auditor to review the program, data and internal audit processes prior to the conclusion of the one-year pilot.

How have the cameras helped law enforcement?

While new to Austin, these cameras arent new to Central Texas.

The Round Rock Police Department, Pflugerville Police Department, Buda Police Department and the Hays County Sheriffs Office all have them.

LIST: Central Texas cities, counties with license plate readers

If we just enter a type of car or a partial license plate or a color of a car or a sticker, itll go back and search the database, and if that has been scanned anywhere in the county or anywhere in another city that has flocked cameras that were sharing information with, it will provide that information, said Hays County Sheriff Deputy Anthony Hipolito.

In the two years since getting Flock, Deputy Hipolito said its helped with cases ranging from stolen cars to a homicide.

A complete stranger on stranger type, random incident. We were able to find the suspect vehicle within just a matter of minutes by searching a particular color car that might have been in the area. Deputy Anthony Hipolito, Hays County Sheriffs Office

The Pflugerville Police Department said it currently has 28 Flock cameras.

Since installing its technology in 2022, the department said it has:

Recovered 153 stolen vehicles

Cleared 132 outstanding warrants

Seized 63 narcotic items and 20 firearms

Arrested 211 suspects for a total of 479 charges

PPD said its used the technology to enhance safety and support ongoing investigations.

Since implementing the technology, our community has experienced a significant reduction in incidents such as vehicle burglaries, shoplifting and catalytic converter thefts. Additionally, weve witnessed a notable increase in the apprehension of suspects involved in stolen vehicle cases, warrant arrests, and the successful recovery of stolen vehicles. Pflugerville Police Department

At this time, PPD said its not planning to add any additional cameras beyond what it currently has.

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LAKE COUNTY, Ill.  A Lindenhurst woman died Wednesday after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash earlier in the week.

Authorities were dispatched Saturday at around 8:30 p.m. to the area of Route 59 and Diemer Street, located in unincorporated Antioch, on the report of a crash.

They found a 48-year-old woman, later identified as Mechelle Hall, of Lindenhurst, unresponsive in the roadway.

She was a passenger on a 1998 Harley-Davidson and was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.

Hall died from blunt force injuries on Wednesday.

The crash remains under investigation.

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Nvidia stock has seen a surge in volatility, dropping 16% since it reported earnings last week.

Technical analysts have highlighted key support levels for the stock price at $100 and $90.

One technical analyst highlighted a buying opportunity for Nvidia if it falls to its 200-day moving average.

All eyes are on Nvidia as the stock experiences a volatile sell-off following its second-quarter earnings report last Wednesday.

With the stock dropping as much as 16% over the past week despite beating earnings estimates, investors are grasping for where and when the stock might find its bottom.

Business Insider spoke with technical analysts who have a knack for reading charts to gauge their observations on the current price action of Nvidia and where the stock may be headed next.

Analysts say there are two key lines in the sand for Nvidia stock that could make or break its long-running market leadership.

The first is the psychological $100 level, followed by the all-important 200-day moving average, which sits just below $90. That level also aligns with its low made on August 5.

Shares of Nvidia traded in a range of $104-$110 on Wednesday.

"The 200-day average currently comes in around $89 and converges with the August 5th intra-day low, too. So for us, nothing has changed to the stock's long-term trend above this support," Ari Wald, technical analyst at Oppenheimer, told Business Insider.

Wald said he wasn't necessarily surprised by the recent weakness in Nvidia shares, given that September is a seasonally weak time for the broader market.

If shares of Nvidia approach their rising 200-day moving average, which they have been above since January 2023, Wald would view it as "an opportunity to buy the stock's intact uptrend."

For Fairlead Strategies' founder Katie Stockton, shares of Nvidia appear tired and could be moving sideways for some time.

"NVDA shows signs of intermediate-term and long-term upside exhaustion from an overbought/oversold perspective. We expect the stock to stay in its digestive phase for a few months," Fairlead Strategies said.

If Nvidia shares manage to decisively trade above their key support level of around $90, the stock could eventually target the resistance level of $130 and beyond, according to Stockton.

That represents potential upside of at least 19% from current levels.

LPL technical strategist Adam Turnquist told Business Insider that shares of Nvidia have made some minor infractions in recent weeks.

The stock failed to reach the July highs in August, dropping below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages.

Story continues

"Volume and momentum indicators point to more downside risk ahead, with support setting up near $100 (psychological level and August lows), $95 (March highs), and near the $88.50-$90.69 range (200-day moving average / August intraday low)," Turnquist explained to Business Insider.

A similar story is playing out in the Nvidia chart relative to the S&P 500, and there could be danger ahead if Nvidia breaks below its August intraday low of $90.69, according to Turnquist.

"A break below the August lows on the ratio chart would suggest NVDA's market leadership status may be lost," Turnquist said.

Here's a technical chart of Nvidia with the various price levels to watch going forward.

TC2000; Markets Insider

Read the original article on Business Insider
Lineman working for Wellington died after contact with an energized piece of equipment

A city of Wellington employee was killed after coming into contact with an energized piece of equipment, according to a city news release.

It happened around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday at the citys power plant.

The electric distribution lineman was part of a crew performing maintenance on wildlife guarding equipment, the news release says. Fire & EMS personnel transported the lineman to the local emergency room. Two other linemen at the work site were uninjured.

City manager Jeff Porter said they are not releasing additional information about the employee or circumstances at this time.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  A lack of rainfall during August has supported the expansion of drought conditions across the Tennessee Valley.

No matter where you live, the lack of rain has impacted your county in some way.

The drought monitor from last week showed that the majority of our area was observing drought conditions while DeKalb and Marshall counties were observing Abnormally Dry conditions.

The latest update released Thursday shows the expansion of both the Moderate and Severe drought in both Alabama and Tennessee. Counties highlighted in beige are experiencing a Moderate Drought while those highlighted in orange are experiencing a Severe Drought.

The lack of rain and drought conditions has contributed to the enhanced fire risk. There has been an uptick in brush and field fires recently across North Alabama. Any rain we see will be very beneficial.

A low-pressure system along the Gulf Coast will lead to limited rain chances Friday.

With the position and track of this system being well south of the Tennessee Valley any rain activity will be light in intensity. Areas that are located along and south of the Tennessee River will have the greatest rain chance on Friday. The closer to the state line you live the lower your rain chance.

Unfortunately, this will not be the soaking rain we need. Rain totals are forecast to range from a trace to a quarter of an inch.

Lack Of Rainfall:

Before August, June was the driest month when 2.65 inches of rain was recorded.

After a wet start to July, a dry end continued into the first half of August. This dry pattern that the region saw stuck limiting the amount of rain the area received.

This began the rapid onset drought process the area is now seeing.

When looking at the consecutive number of days without rain from the end of July into August, they were significant. Huntsville and Muscle Shoals went nearly a month without measurable rainfall; a tenth of an inch or higher.

August has been the driest month of the year so far with most not recording an inch of rain for the month. This year was Huntsvilles ninth driest August on record with only 0.89 inches recorded. For Muscle Shoals, it was the tenth driest on record.

Following Fridays rain chance, the weather pattern looks to turn dry with little to no rain in the forecast.

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Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is the latest high-profile Republican to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. The former congresswoman, a vocal critic of former president Donald Trump, announced her decision during an event at Duke University.

Because we are here in North Carolina, I think it is crucially important for people to recognize, not only is what Ive just said about the danger that Trump poses something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, Cheney said in a video posted to social media on Wednesday.

She continued that as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Liz Cheney endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris at Duke University@newsobserver pic.twitter.com/taoMYNQ6d1  Emma Cline (@emmacline_) September 4, 2024

Cheney, who was a member of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, has previously warned that another Trump presidency could be the death knell for democracy.

He cannot be the next president because if he is, all of the things he attempted to do but was stopped from doing by responsible people around him  at the Department of Justice, at the White House counsels office  all of those things he will do. There will be no guardrails, said the former congresswoman during CNNs State of the Union in 2023.

On Tuesday, the late Sen. John McCains youngest son, Army 1st Lt. Jimmy McCain, announced that he had changed his voter registration to Democrat and would be voting for Harris. His endorsement of the vice president arrived after Trump received widespread backlash following reports that one of his campaign aides pushed a staffer at Arlington National Cemetery during a visit to the burial ground last week.

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Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), a vocal critic of former President Trump, announced Wednesday she is voting for Vice President Harris.

Cheney, who sat on the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, announced her decision during an appearance at Duke University, according to multiple attendees who posted on social media.

Because we are here in North Carolina, I think it is crucially important for people to recognize, not only is what Ive just said about the danger that Trump poses something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I dont believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states, Cheney said in a clip shared on the social platform X.

Cheney added that as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

The New York Times recently reported that per three people who know of the Wyoming Republicans thought process, Cheney was going to give her opinion on the presidential race in September, at the start of early voting.

In recent months, Cheney has gone after former President Trump as someone who threatens to unravel our Republic and a person who is not fit to serve.

Cheney joins fellow anti-Trump Republicans such as former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) and Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan in public support for the vice president.

The former president has also taken his own recent swings at Cheney, including saying back in March that she should face prosecution due to allegedly withholding evidence and testimony from the Jan. 6 committee investigation.

Story updated at 7:18 p.m. ET

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A man arrested after a deadly shooting on Lloyd Street made his first court appearance Wednesday.

A deputy public defender entered not guilty pleas on behalf of 31-year-old Rodrigo Lara. Hes charged with first-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a gun and ammunition, and gang conspiracy.

Judge Michael G. Bush ordered Lara held without bail. Hes due back in court Sept. 13.

Man convicted of killing stranded motorist apologizes to mom, says hell appeal

On Aug. 25, police went to the 400 block of Lloyd Street  north of Brundage Lane and east of Union Avenue  after a ShotSpotter activation registered eight gunshots. They found a man in a driveway suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroners office has not released his name.

Lara was arrested Aug. 30. Court records show he has prior convictions for drug and gun offenses.

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CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  The Mahoning Valley Republican Womens Club hosted a local candidate forum Wednesday night in Canfield.

Some in attendance were those running for county or state office. These candidates expanded from both Mahoning and Columbiana Counties.

Around 10 speakers got the chance to explain to voters why they were the right person for the job.

The president of the club says its important to get out and vote.

We have to put things aside and just collectively get out and vote because theres just so much on the line this year whether its now or on down the line, said Allison Zwicker.

Another candidate forum will be held on October 2.

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LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  A London teen has been accused of breaking into police cruisers to steal equipment.

The Laurel County Sheriffs Office said 18-year-old Connor Patterson was arrested around 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Sheriff John Root noted that Patterson allegedly broke out the windows of two police cruisers to steal a handheld radio and turn out gear.

Patterson was charged with first-degree criminal mischief and theft by unlawful taking of $1,000 or more but under $10,000.

He was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center and is due to be arraigned on Sept. 18.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Long lines? Long waits? The NC DMV says the problem is not enough workers

North Carolina lawmakers have described the Division of Motor Vehicles as broken and a source of frustration for residents who struggle to make an appointment at a drivers license office or wait in line for hours to be served.

But DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin says many of those problems come down to simple math: The agency doesnt have enough people to staff its existing drivers license offices, let alone open new ones in places like the Triangle and Charlotte that could use them.

And, Goodwin says, lawmakers can help solve that problem.

North Carolinas population has grown by about 2.4 million people since 2003, or about 29%. Yet the DMV says in that time it has been authorized to open only three new drivers license offices and hire no additional drivers license examiners.

Examiner Tya Barnes makes Sidney Tindall Jr.s photo for a new drivers license at the NCDMV driver license office on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

When the DMV opened a new office in East Raleigh in 2021, it brought in people from other offices and still can only operate about half of the 15 workstations for license examiners there. Last week, the agency took the unusual step of closing two drivers license offices indefinitely because they were short-staffed.

The General Assembly sets the number of people who can work in DMV drivers license offices. That number is capped at 568.

But the DMV says it needs 70 more than that to fully operate its 115 drivers license offices statewide. Those 638 employees would include examiners to run the workstations, plus someone to meet customers at the door or outside to make sure theyre in the right place and have the documents they need.

North Carolina DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin on the day he got his REAL ID driver license in Raleigh in September 2022.

Goodwin says he regularly hears from people about poor service at the drivers license offices.

And a recurring theme is, You need more people. You need more staff. Why arent yall providing more people to do this? Why are the lines so long? Goodwin said in an interview. The lines arent long  the wait times arent long  because we dont have awesome employees. Its because we dont have enough employees.

Dealing with the NC DMV can be difficult. Heres how being prepared can help.

DMV needs more staff

Last winter, the agency asked for permission to hire 40 more license examiners at a cost of $2.6 million for pay and benefits. Goodwin, a former lawmaker who previously led the state Department of Insurance, said the DMV asked for only 40 because he understands compromise is part of the budget process. He noted that the governors proposed budget cut the DMVs request in half to 20.

But lawmakers didnt provide any, because they didnt authorize the increase or pass a new budget.

The House version of the budget, which died in the Senate this summer, would have directed the N.C. Department of Transportation to create up to 20 new drivers license examiner positions by reclassifying vacant jobs elsewhere in the department.

Sen. Mike Woodard of Durham, who sits on the Senate appropriations committee for transportation, called that a shell game that would have just created problems elsewhere at NCDOT.

Supervisor Tanika Williams check drivers paperwork outside the NCDMV driver license office on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

Woodard, a Democrat, said its beyond time for lawmakers to provide the DMV with the workers it needs to properly serve its customers.

It is one of the most engaged, active and visible functions of state government, he said in an interview. Youd be hard pressed to think of another department that has that much direct face-to-face contact with the people of North Carolina, and why we cant staff it is beyond me.

Republicans control spending in the General Assembly

Republican leaders of the House transportation appropriations committee and Speaker Tim Moores office did not respond to requests for comment. Senate leader Phil Bergers office deferred questions to Sen. Michael Lazzara, one of three Republicans who lead the Senate appropriations committee on transportation.

Lazzara says Goodwin did not begin asking for new positions in drivers license offices until this year and has not asked for money or authority to open new offices since he became commissioner in early 2022.

Lazzara is an outspoken critic of the DMV who called the agency a source of frustration and disruption to the lives of our citizens during a hearing with Goodwin last spring. He says the DMV has deeper problems beyond staffing.

Simply adding more positions doesnt mean that customer service will suddenly become exemplary, especially when you have an agency that is mismanaged and makes decisions based on politics, not what is best for North Carolinians, Lazzara wrote in an email. Legislators are open to discussing ways to improve the DMV services, but the DMV has not been forthcoming with Senators and staff.

Supervisor Tanika Williams organizes a line inside the NCDMV driver license office on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

Lawmakers hear many of the same complaints that Goodwin does about long lines and poor customer service. The DMVs slow pace in replacing outdated software systems and streamlining its operations has prompted lawmakers to talk of privatizing more of its functions.

Goodwin says the DMV is making progress. It has signed an agreement with the state of Arizona to use its cloud-based operating system to replace the agencys aging computer programs. The system will allow customers to create accounts and see all their records and do more business online, reducing trips to the office.

It will likely take three to five years for North Carolina to adapt the system and get it up and running, the agency told lawmakers last winter.

Drivers wait in line outside the NCDMV driver license office on Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

In Virginia, they dont have this problem

The shortages are more keenly felt in the Triangle and Charlotte, where new residents pour in every week. Many need their first North Carolina drivers license, which requires a trip to the DMV.

Drew Duckett recently moved from Virginia to Johnston County when he took a sales job. During his lunch break last Tuesday, Duckett stopped into the DMV office in Clayton hoping to get his license. Discouraged by the long line, he tried the Garner office and found the same.

Wednesday, Duckett got to the Raleigh office on Avent Ferry Road at about 1 p.m. The DMV reserves the afternoon hours for walk-in customers, and Duckett says he was told so many had signed up already that he wouldnt be seen that day.

So he returned Thursday at noon with a lawn chair. He was able to get his name on the list of walk-ins. Four-and-a-half hours later, Duckett left with his new North Carolina license.

In Virginia, they dont have this problem, he said. Theres always a line, but youre not standing outside in 90-degree heat. Youre inside, and the lines moving. Theres a guy checking you in, making sure you have everything, and the line moves.

Drew Duckett brings a lawn chair to sit in while waiting in line outside the NCDMV driver license office on Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. It was Ducketts third attempt at obtaining a new license. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

Vacancy rate at DMV offices has dropped

The DMV hasnt asked for more workers in its drivers license offices until this year because it had a hard time filling the job openings it had, said spokesman Marty Homan. More than 25% of drivers license examiners jobs were vacant in September 2021, and simply asking for more positions didnt make sense, Homan said.

But by last December, the vacancy rate had dropped to under 11%, low enough that Goodwin thought it worth asking for permission to hire more.

Lawmakers had a hand in reducing that vacancy rate. The 2021 budget created a special fund to boost salaries for DMV workers by up to 5%. A year later, the General Assembly also provided money that allowed the agency to offer one-time $1,500 sign-on and retention bonuses to drivers license examiners.

But Democrats say relatively low pay still makes it difficult for the DMV to hire enough workers, particularly in urban areas where people have plenty of better-paying options. Following a 3% raise for all state employees this summer, the starting annual salary for a drivers license examiner is $43,366.

Democrats say thats just not competitive.

License examiners have a very tough job, and underpaying them is just a recipe for disaster, Rep. Allison Dahle, a Democrat from Raleigh, said in a written statement earlier this summer. The legislature should be focusing more on higher pay for examiners to reverse the backlog.

Sidney Tindall Jr.s talks with supervisor Tanika Williams at the NCDMV driver license office on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh on Thursday, August. 29, 2024. As the states population grew by 2.4 million since 2003, the number of approved drivers license examiners hasnt changed, the Division of Motor Vehicles says.

Staff shortages hard on workers, too

Customers arent the only ones frustrated with the shortage of DMV workers. Employees say theyre stretched thin, and that people frustrated and grumpy about long lines often direct their anger at them.

There are days when were just constantly beat up all day long, and no one is stopping to say, Hey, are you OK? Do you need a break? What can we do for you guys? said a supervisor at a drivers license office in the Triangle who asked that his name not be used. Were in distress, and no one seems to care that were screaming for help.

The supervisor says the agency heightens the stress when it adds Saturday hours or tacks on an hour to the weekday  moves designed to give customers more flexibility. That only stretches an already thin staff, he said.

Its a pressure cooker, in my opinion, he said. People are becoming more and more demanding and aggressive with what they want from DMV. And the people on the front lines are the ones that take the hits every single day.

The agency acknowledges that vacancies and inadequate staff can burn out employees, and lead to turnover that perpetuates the problems. Last winter, the DMV reported that it had hired 413 driver license examiners since the beginning of 2021. During that time, it lost 318, a majority of whom left state government.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
Lord Hendy is said to be a chameleon of a character - Rii Schroer

When Sir Keir Starmers new Rail Minister Peter Hendy was ennobled in 2022 by a grateful Boris Johnson, he surely must have permitted himself a wry smile.

Despite the estuary accent and carefully curated image as a former bus driver and man of the people, Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill is, in fact, to the manor born.

The 71-year-old grandson of the 6th Baron Wynford of Wynford Eagle, whose hereditary title stretches back to the reign of George IV, is a chameleon of a character with a colourful background, observers say.

One potentially well suited to the challenge he has been handed by Sir Keir Starmer, they add, having been charged with fixing Britains railways as a transport minister in the Labour government.

Observers state that key to understanding the man is, at least in part, his unusual and perhaps even conflicted upbringing.

Hendys mother Mary was a debutante who grew up in the familys 17th century ancestral pile, before she had a Damascene conversion and married his father Jack, a communist electrician.

This apparent contradiction might help explain why Hendy was able to serve Ken Livingstone  or Red Ken, as he is also known  and Boris Johnson in City Hall, having led Transport for London for nearly a decade between 2006 and 2015.

Johnson took a shine to Hendy despite a rocky start and a controversy-ridden private life.

According to Boris Johnson's former communications director, he would have liked Hendy for his roguish charm - Fiona Hanson/PA Archive

In 2013, escort Rachael Grundy claimed that she had had a nine-month affair with the Transport chief as he supervised Londons travel network for the 2012 Olympic Games. At the time, Hendy said that he never commented on his private life and Johnson said there was no evidence of impropriety.

Even though Hendy was estimated to have earned more than 650,000 in pay and bonuses for that year, this largesse apparently only went so far. Ms Grundy complained that Hendy handed her a number of Oyster cards loaded with 10 of credit on each and a London 2012 badge as tokens of his affection, admitting that: He wasnt very romantic when it came to gifts.

Perhaps such purported parsimony might help explain why Starmer saw fit to appoint Hendy as his new rail minister in July after a nine-year stint as chairman of Network Rail.

Throughout his career, Hendy has gained a ferocious reputation for giving his political masters what they want, and has reportedly clashed with those who get in his way.

Last week, it emerged that while he was still serving as Network Rail chairman, he threatened one of the UKs largest engineering groups until it disciplined an engineer who displeased him.

Hendy, 71, told Network Rail officials in May to deal with Systra engineer Gareth Dennis, after he had raised safety concerns about Euston station. Dennis eventually lost his job at the firm, a contractor to Network Rail, and said he had suffered from depression and anxiety as a result of his dismissal.

Network Rail told the Telegraph: In the end the decision on how employee conduct is handled is a matter for employers  in this case, Systra.

A former City Hall official said: Hendy is an iron first in that kind of way, without any of the velvet glove. What I found early on was that he knows how to handle senior political figures.

That is the mark of how successful he has been in his career: an iron first approach to everyone beneath him and a very smooth operator with senior political figures.

Others point to him being a great survivor.

Hes kind of charmingly ruthless or ruthlessly charming. And just like a super clever political operator, Peter is a great survivor, said Will Walden, Johnsons communications director at City Hall.

Hes got this sort of bovver boy charm, this London accent and as a result people would underestimate him and, as a result, he got more of what he wanted. He had this roguish charm that probably appealed to Boris a bit.

Peter was a chameleon. He was establishment, made his name heading a successful management buyout, was hardline as commissioner, wasnt afraid to take on Bob Crows RMT [union], and the taxi drivers. He was good at playing all sides and often simultaneously.

Such contradictions have cropped up repeatedly throughout Hendys personal and professional life.

Despite his parents both being committed communists, he was sent to the fee paying Latymer school in Hammersmith, west London, before reading economics at Leeds University.

Hendy has since burnished his proletarian credentials by claiming to colleagues that he was a bus driver, but the truth is somewhat more prosaic.

Hendy received a CBE in 2006 as TfL commissioner - Stefan Rousseau/PA

A former advisor to Johnson, who does not wish to be named, said: There is a bit of show with Peter in that he started as a bus driver and all that, which is nonsense.

He started on the graduate scheme with TFL, and I think spent a period driving a bus or working on the buses in the way one does.

Hendy, however, quickly rose up the ranks of the notoriously bureaucratic organisation and was not slow to spot other opportunities as he did so.

When Londons bus network was hived off into semi-autonomous companies in the late 1980s it was the first step towards a privatisation that was only fully realised in the mid-1990s.

Hendy was perfectly placed to cash in on the Conservative-led shift, leading a management buyout of a company called CentreWest.

When transport giant FirstBus then bought out CentreWest in a 54m deal, Hendy was paid a reported 3.8m for his tranche of shares, thus becoming a millionaire overnight.

Hendy became a millionaire overnight when transport giant FirstBus bought out CentreWest - Jim Winslet/CENTREWEST LTD

The former London City Hall official said: Of course, he had this period in the private sector where he made money. He is not poor.

Talking of buses, Hendy was the man who killed off the [iconic] Routemaster but he is very sentimental and owns his own Routemaster, which he drives. He takes them on charity drives.

In 2001, Hendy moved back to TFL to take charge of the buses, during Ken Livingstones mayoral reign. Five years later, he was promoted to Commissioner for Transport.

When Johnson ousted Livingstone in 2008, the future Tory leaders aides were insistent he purge Hendy. But what happened next was classic Boris, as one former senior Johnson aide claimed.

The aide, who declined to be named, said: He [Hendy] was loathed by virtually every Conservative. It was a complete obsession of [Tory election supremo] Lynton Crosby that Boris should sack him.

The view was that there needed to be a change of regime and to have one [a Commissioner for Transport] who was on board. We conspired to get Boris to finally fire Hendy.

Boris took Hendy out, I think it was to the Grosvenor Hotel, and the idea was we would lay it on thick about what a failure TFL was and the executives were paying themselves far too much.

Then we would leave, and Boris would, in a gentle way, fire him. We hid around the corner and Lynton Crosby was calling from Oz asking us Is it done? Is it done?

We said Well, we think so. Then Boris came out and said I just couldnt do it.

The former City Hall official said this was not just down to Johnsons distaste for spilling blood. He said: I will never forget Hendys approach, it was to be the first person in City Hall to greet Boris after he had won, to greet him with his senior team lined up alongside him.

Hendy was saying Three bags full Boris. To absolutely nail the flattery, the pomp and everything else, to get the senior politician onside before he has got into any kind of conversation about what you are going to do.

He added: His passion for what he does probably trumps his politics. He can flip between two different mayors because his priority is retaining power to do what he wants to do.

One former TFL executive compared Hendy to one of TVs most Machiavellian characters. He said: Peter Hendy is Lord Petyr Baelish from Game of Thrones. He is the Uber apparatchik, a genius at making connections, passing on information and showing thoughtfulness. That constant networking is his superpower. His every act, however, is a furtherance of his unquenchable ambition.

"His priority is retaining power", comments one insider - Rii Schroer for The Daily Telegraph/Rii Schroer for The Daily Telegraph

This approach, former colleagues note, included relationships with contractors and suppliers, as well as colleagues.

The former City Hall official said: At the annual charity fundraisers it was interesting that the suppliers were lined up to chuck tens of thousands of pounds. They knew they were meant to keep him happy.

I wouldnt say it was an abuse of power but its very old school, thats the industry.

The ties that bind appear to extend even to Hendys own family.

The Telegraph has discovered that his son David, is a senior executive at Mace Group, a major Network Rail contractor. Network Rail said Hendy senior had informed them of the relationship and that he had no role in procurement at the organisation. David Hendy is understood to have informed his employers about his ties with the then Network Rail chairman, and is also thought to have had no role in procurement.

Mace Group told the Telegraph: David has appropriately declared his fathers roles throughout his employment with Mace and protocols have been put in place to prevent a conflict of interest arising. As such he has had no involvement in or knowledge of any commercial or procurement matters to do with Network Rail.

But even Hendys political enemies would agree that the transport supremo had a deserved reputation for delivering, which certainly endeared him to Johnson.

This included helping to ensure the 2012 Olympics went off, transport-wise, without hitch and at least in part helped reset Londoners strained relationship with TFL.

Politically, however, there were some bumps along the way. Not least when stories were leaked that year from Johnson aides about the substantial bonuses that Hendy was said to have awarded his team.

The former senior Johnson aide said: When the newspaper piece about the fat cats of TFL emerged Peter rang Boris up, furious and said Dont call me back until you sack the f-----.

In 2013, however, Hendy faced his annus horribilis.

First, it emerged that the transport boss, who was locked into a war of words with Londons cabbies over the launch of Uber taxis, had claimed expenses for nearly 400 taxi rides in three years. The total bill to taxpayers was 17,000 and included paying 175 for a toy bus for Johnson. TFL said at the time that Hendy needed to take the taxis because of his full schedule and late hours and defended the purchase of the toy bus, suggesting it was to be used as a gift for visiting dignitaries.

But worse was to follow. The Sun reported that Hendy had met Grundy through an escort website and booked her for a 420 three-hour session at her flat in Victoria, London.

Grundy claimed: He seemed a lovely, considerate, polite man and he was lots of fun. I stopped charging him by the hour and it developed into a proper relationship  I fell in love with him. Hed give me money but we never discussed it. It wasnt about the money.

She told The Sun that they would meet at both her apartment and Hendys nearby London flat, while his wife Sue was at their West Country home.

However, according to the paper, the relationship ended when Hendy reneged on their agreement that he was to act as a guarantor for Grundys new flat.

The former Johnson advisor said: I didnt think it was any of my business and, curiously, nor did Boris think it was any of his business.

Boris Johnson took a shine to Hendy (pictured together in 2013) despite a controversy-ridden private life - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Observers said that Hendy was never in danger of losing his job despite the controversy.

Walden said: I think Peter is quite smart underneath the bravado and I also think that Boris saw a little bit of him in the sense that he would play a little fast and loose at times.

Now, however, his task is to bring order  namely, to Britains railways as part of a sweeping transformation of the network that forms one of Starmers main policy objectives.

Hendy previously played his political cards close to his chest. In 2017, while Network Rail chairman, he was challenged on whether he supported taking the network back into public ownership. I dont think Ive got a view. If I wanted to be a politician I would have got elected, he replied.

When he first ascended to the House of Lords, Hendy went as a neutral crossbencher. But he has clearly gone all in with the Labour government now. Whatever his direction of travel, however, few of Hendys former colleagues doubt he will reach his intended destination.

The Telegraph has approached Hendy for comment. The Department for Transport declined to comment.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
We recently compiled a list of the 7 Best Beaten Down Stocks to Invest In. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) stands against the other beaten down stocks.

The equity market is on the cusp of a significant boost as the U.S. Federal Reserve joins other global central banks in cutting interest rates. While stocks have rallied for the better part of the year, as depicted by the S&P 500 gaining more than 17% year to date, three 25 basis point cuts by the Fed could send stocks even higher.

A lower interest rate environment is what the equity markets need; sentiments have taken a significant toll in recent months amid growing concerns about economic growth slowdown. With borrowing costs expected to decrease, companies should access cheap capital to enhance operations, generating more shareholder value.

READ ALSO: Billionaire Carl Icahns Top 10 Stocks and 14 Best 52-Week High Stocks to Buy According to Short Sellers.

Some of the best beaten-down stocks to invest in would be some of the biggest beneficiaries, especially if their core operations depend on the interest rate environment. According to Standard Chartered Chief Investment Officer Manpreet Gill, Federal Reserve easing should support stocks as the U.S. economy inches closer to a soft landing.

"Our baseline is still very much that a [U.S.] soft landing is achievable... It almost becomes a little bit more binary, because as long as we avoid that downside risk, equity earnings growth is still very supportive, and we've had sort of the positioning clean out in the recent pullback. And I think rate cuts, or at least expectation of those, really was the last piece markets were looking for. So on balance, we think it's a positive outcome," Gill said in an interview with CNBC.

As the monetary policy environment is poised to improve, the economic climate should receive a boost to support the overall equity market. Consequently, now would be the best time to pay close attention to the seven best-beaten-down stocks trading close to their 52-week lows. These are stocks well poised to outperform the overall market, their valuation having taken a significant hit.

While valuations in the equity markets, especially the tech sector, have gotten out of hand amid the artificial intelligence frenzy, stocks still offer a high-risk reward opportunity backed by solid underlying fundamentals. Similarly, while financial services sector stocks would be under pressure due to interest rates coming down, software information technology services and payment companies would be some of the big winners.

Story continues

"We expect [sales] growth to accelerate through the remainder of the year with 5.5% growth in [second half] from 5.0% in [first half], driven by a progressive recovery in I.T. Services, having reached a trough of -2.7% organic growth in [first quarter] and finishing the year with +0.7% growth in [fourth quarter] as discretionary spend recovers," said Bank of America analysts led by Frederic Boolean in a research note to clients.

Similarly, soaring geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the uncertainty around the upcoming U.S. election also present an opportunity for investors in the market. Defense stocks offer an opportunity to diversify in anticipation of any market downturn.

Defense stocks are becoming increasingly popular, especially among fund managers at a time of soaring industry profits. Similarly, the stocks continue to outperform the overall market owing to higher defense spending as the government responds to soaring geopolitical risks.

On the other hand, there is also the possibility of the equity market rally stalling even with the Federal Reserve initiating rate cuts. If the cut comes in response to slowing growth, it could take some time before the economy returns. In such a scenario, it would be wise to bet on the best-beaten-down stocks that are well-positioned to remain resilient amid a challenging environment.

Our Methodology

To make our list of the best beaten down stocks to invest in, we first made a list of stocks trading near their 52-week lows (0-5%) range. We checked the hedge fund sentiment around 15 stocks with the largest market caps and then selected the 7 stocks that were the most popular among hedge funds. We ranked the stocks in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds that own stakes in them, as of Q2 2024.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Oil derricks in the background with a few workers in the foreground, emphasizing the companys oil and gas production activities.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY)

52 Week Range: $55.04- $71.19

Current Share Price: $56.98

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62

Market Capitalization as of September 3: $53 29 Billion

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) is an energy company that engages in acquiring, exploring, and developing oil and gas properties. It explores, develops, and produces oil and condensate natural gas liquids (NGLs). It also manufactures and markets basic chemicals, including chlorine, caustic soda, and chlorinated organics.

The company has been in the limelight after billionaire investor Warren Buffett acquired 2.57 million shares, underscoring why it is an exciting pick in the energy sector. Nevertheless, the stock has remained subdued, trading close to its 52-week lows due to macroeconomic headwinds impacting the oil process.

Nevertheless, with the possibility of aggressive rate cuts, the oil outlook remains bullish, translating to booming business for Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY).

Occidental has already affirmed its commitment to reducing its debt and enhancing its credit performance. During the initial eight months of the year, the company paid off $2.3 billion in debt. As credit performance continues to improve, the stock sentiments should improve and, therefore, edge higher from current lows.

Additionally, it's worth mentioning that in the second quarter, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) disclosed a free cash flow of $1.3 billion. Despite the lower oil prices, the oil and gas exploration firm is in a strong position to achieve an annual free cash flow of $5.2 billion.

The free cash flow is expected to expand due to the possibility of oil prices increasing. This development will aid in reducing debt. Concurrently, there's a high chance of significant capital expenditures aimed at ensuring consistent production growth. Improved cash flow should allow the company to continue rewarding investors with dividends going by the current 1.54% dividend yield.

By the end of the second quarter of 2024, the number of hedge funds with stakes in Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) increased to 62, up from 61 in the previous quarter. These stakes are collectively valued at over $18.5 billion.

Overall OXY ranks 2nd on our list of the beaten down stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of OXY as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than OXY, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Has Become A Wasteland.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
I sensed a certain distress in my cousin on the morning of July 30 that transcended the gravity of the already difficult day: My mother's funeral.

We had made it through the service. I had written my mom's obituary and managed to give the eulogy without breaking down. My cousin was seated next to me at the lunch afterward, and as people finished dessert, I quietly asked her if she was all right. She whispered: "My dad died this morning."

I instantly broke down sobbing. We knew that my uncle  her father and my mother's younger brother  did not have long. We did not expect it that soon. My tears were not just for the grief of losing another family member, but for my cousin's love and selflessness, silently enduring her loss for hours so I could lay my mother to rest.

The urn for Marcella Elizabeth LaReau during her visitation and funeral on July 30, 2024.

My uncle's passing was one of a wave of deaths my family experienced last month. My three aunts buried their mother  my grandmother  on July 10. Seven days later, on what would have been the eve of Grandma's 102nd birthday, my aunts compassionately stood with me in a dark hospital room praying over their sister, my mom, on her deathbed. Less than two weeks later, on July 30, their brother died. The very next day, unbelievably, my uncle's wife died too.

You've heard of the movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Well, a friend just got married this month, so when I sum up my summer, it's four funerals and a wedding.

Death requires time for the living to grieve and heal. But the deaths we experienced as a family in less than a month meant funeral on top of funeral, and grief swallowed by more grief. One minute, I'd find myself helping a family member cope with their deep loss, and the next minute they'd be helping me navigate my own heartbreak.

At some point, you all go off and face your feelings in your own way. For one aunt, it would come after the last funeral, for my uncle and his wife. She went home that day, and cried for an hour straight. In my case, the unbearable hole left in my heart by my mom's death will never fill completely. I struggle to reconcile conflicting beliefs about what happens after we die. But I am slowly finding my peace and I hope by sharing this story, it may offer something to others experiencing loss.

Grandma goes softly

Some of you may remember the column I wrote about my grandma, Ruth Staffeld, turning 101. We were planning a big party for her 102nd birthday on July 18. My task was to make potato salad.

Ruth Staffeld and her granddaughter, Jamie L. LaReau, at Ruth's 100th birthday party, July 18, 2022.

But on July 3, Grandma sat down to take a nap at home. And she just stopped breathing. Grandma was always a quiet lady, and that's how she left the world, without a fuss. It shouldn't have been surprising given her age. And it was one the best ways that a person could pass away.

But losing Grandma, I feared, was losing the glue to the family. The holidays won't be the same without her there to giggle and tell us stories of the old days. I will get no more of her birthday cards in my mailbox, with a small check as my gift  a sweet reminder that I was loved, and she remembered my special day.

We laid Grandma to rest on July 10, but we talked about having a posthumous birthday party.

Instead, we'd be planning another funeral.

My mom and The Memorare

On July 17, my Aunts Vicki and Kathi, sat vigil with me in the hospital with my mom, Marcella LaReau. She was less than two months from turning 95. (Grandma  my mother's stepmother  was the only maternal grandmother I've ever known. She and my grandfather had three daughters: Kathi, Margaret and Vicki. )

More: A visit with mom from behind glass turns into the 'best' moment in her life

My mom had suffered from dementia for about six years, but less than a week after Grandma's funeral, my mom got pneumonia in her right lung. She wasn't responding to the medication, and when the hospital's medical staff lowered her oxygen levels, she could not intake enough oxygen on her own to survive. My mom's body was shutting down.

Marcella LaReau, 94, and her daughter, Jamie L. LaReau on what would be their Mother's Day, May 12, 2024. Taken at Northville Manor nursing home in Northville. Marcella passed away July 17, 2024.

I was grateful to have Aunt Kathi and Aunt Vicki with me that day. When my dad died in 2007, my mom said the prayer "The Memorare," at his bedside. It's a Catholic prayer asking for the Blessed Virgin Mary's help, and it's meant for times of distress, because it calls upon Mary to get her Son. When my mom got to the end of the prayer, my dad took his last breath and peacefully passed away.

So on July 17, I said "The Memorare" for my mom. I am not a religious person, but I knew my mom would want it. Aunt Kathi assured my mom that she and Aunt Vicki would take care of me. We prayed again. Aunt Vicki started to tell a story, and I turned toward her. Before she finished, I looked over at my mom  the one-of-a-kind woman who was my best friend for 55 years  and I saw that she was gone.

That stabbing realization that I'd never get one more conversation with her or share a meal with her one last time has been nearly unbearable. I never cried harder than I did in that moment, or felt more alone.

The comfort no one can provide

Seeing someone die is a memory you want to erase.

But it's also one you never want to forget.

I've seen many pets die, most recently last fall, when I lost my dog of 11 years, Jessie. It remains a heartbreaking memory that took me months to move past.

But watching my mom die was brutal. She looked straight into my eyes the whole time I was there, and she chose to leave the minute I turned away. I believe it might have been too hard for her, otherwise.

More: My dog showed me incredible trust in life  even at the end when I had to euthanize her

The haunting image of her last breath resurfaces at the most unpredictable times: making dinner, cleaning the house, exercising or driving. I've had to pull over when crying jags hit. It has made sleep impossible some nights.

I've talked to grief counselors who assured me she's in a better place, and that she didn't suffer. They say to focus on the happy memories, for she lives in those.

But those memories make me sad, because they reflect a life that is past.

In happier times, Marcella LaReau enjoys dessert after dinner with her daughter, Jamie LaReau, on her daughter's birthday at a favorite restaurant in Northville, June 20, 2019.

Visiting my mom through glass was supposed to be temporary. Now it feels endless.

What the experts can't answer is the one question I desperately want answered: Will I see her again? Is her soul, or her energy, somewhere for me to have contact with her again?

Minutes after my mom died, I implored my aunts to answer this question. Aunt Kathi assured me I would see her again. Like a child, I asked, "How do you know that for sure?"

Her reply: "Faith."

What is death? The circle of life.

Faith is a funny thing. If you have it, it only asks that you keep it. If you're unsure of it, it asks a lot of you to believe.

In Western culture, if science can't prove it, it doesn't exist. But there is one scientific fact that supports faith: Living creatures are composed of energy, and as Albert Einstein said, "Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another."

Similarly, the wise Chief Seattle  a leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes in the 1800s in what is now Washington State  said, There is no death. Only a change of worlds.

Faith asks you to extend beyond science, and believe what cannot be proven.

Things happened after my dad died, and since my mom has been gone, that I thought could be signs from the "beyond." That gave me hope that we are still connected. But the skeptic in me isn't so sure. I said to a grief counselor, "What if I am just hoping it is some kind of sign, but I'm wrong?"

His reply: "But what if you're not?"

I live in that latter consideration. I continue to process the many deaths our family experienced. While I am prone to moments of doubt about eternal existence, I have found my peace and my faith, to some extent, because I have chosen to believe.

I chose to believe that I will reunite with loved ones again someday, perhaps they even watch over me now. I have accepted that there is much we do not know or cannot explain in this world, but there is no such thing as a mere coincidence either.

And I've learned that the loss of loved ones doesn't mean a loss of love.

All the people who showed up for me throughout my mom's illness, at the hour of her death, at her visitation and her funeral  especially my family who was in the midst of their own loss and grieving during all of it  and this week, as we celebrated what would have been her 95th birthday, they did so out of love.

And that is a bond that even death can't sever.

For resources specific to the loss you are experiencing or specific to the area you live, contact the Office of Decedent Affairs at 734-232-4919 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Or find other resources www.uofmhealth.org.

Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: A wave of family deaths has taught me much about grieving and living
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  Officials say the Louisville Orchestra will be presenting In Harmony, and the performance is coming to Henderson.

According to officials, the Western Kentucky Residency of In Harmony conducted by Gabe Lefkowitz, will conclude its tour on September 26 at the Preston Arts Center in Henderson.

Henderson to begin fall street milling, paving

According to the Louisville Orchestra, the In Harmony tour exemplifies the Louisville Orchestras commitment to community engagement. By bringing high-quality performances to diverse venues across Kentucky, the orchestra aims to foster a deeper appreciation for music and strengthen community bonds.

For more information, to register for free events and to reserve tickets, visit this website.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
NEW YORK STATE (WROC)  New York is far from a small state, and while there are quite a few cities and towns dotted across the landscape, much of it is dominated by acres of forest. All of which around this time of year begin to change color as fall arrives across the state. Its a lot of ground to cover and according to Ross Levi the Executive Director of I Love New York, its a team of just over 85 people across the state who help track it.

Currently the program has more than 85 volunteer foliage spotters. Some of whom have been with the program for as long as 30 years. We have some spotters at New York State Parks. We have one in the Catskills, who is a renowned nature photographer who sends us observations from the top of the mountains there in the Catskills.

Each week these spotters submit detailed reports that help I Love New York to design their weekly foliage maps from all over the state. The reports cover a wide range of factors, including what colors are present, is there any additional change expected by the weekend, and more

We ask them to estimate the percentage of leaves that will be changed by the weekend, let us know the predominant fall colors, describe the leaves brilliance, for example, going from muted to bright, and tell us the overall stage of progression in terms of the foliage in their region, said Levi.

The program itself has been active for about four decades now and grew from the popularity of the fall foliage, but also to get people traveling to see new parts of the state. Due to how far north, and south the state stretches, let alone our extensive changes in elevation we have one of if not the longest fall foliage seasons in the country according to Levi.

New York State has the longest foliage season of any state in the nation, that basically any weekend between basically mid-September through early November or so, somewhere in New York State is at peak. And we know that people love getting out into New York State to see that foliage.

Its a major economic driver too. Helping to contribute significantly to the states tax base, as well as continuing to feed local economies, small businesses and local farms.

We know that our fall foliage report is the most visited part of our website, IloveNewYork.com, of any page, including our landing page. [] Tourism is literally responsible for one in 10 jobs in the state and saves every household over $1,400 in state and local taxes that they otherwise would have paid, said Levi. We just got to release the figures last week that showed that New York State had more visitors and more visitors spending last year in its history.

With colors already starting to pop in the Adirondacks, as seen first hand by Levi, the first I Love New York Fall Foliage Report and map are set to be released on Thursday, September 12. With subsequent updates to follow each Wednesday through the fall foliage season.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)- Homelessness is increasing in South Carolina, including here in the Lowcountry.

On a single night count in January 2022, the number of people experiencing homelessness in the state was recorded at 3,608.

The next year, the single night count was recorded at 4,053, thats an 11% uptick in one year.

The leaders of municipalities across the Lowcountry notice this increase, You learn that most people have a mental illness issue, an addiction issue, or a family violence issue, Mayor of Mount Pleasant, Will Haynie said.

Haynie says years ago, former police chief Carl Ritchie started an initiative to talk with every homeless person in Mount Pleasant, learn their name and their story so they could connect them with resources.

We need to be compassionate and we need to deal with them compassionately, Haynie said.

Its something they still do today and something that Summerville does as well.

Our police force has been out and done a census, and works hard to connect people to resources who dont want to be in homelessness, Mayor of Summerville, Russ Touchberry said.

As the Lowcountry works to tackle the issue, the mayors across the larger area have joined forces in a mayors commission, working together to strategize on how to get people off the streets.

They talked about a regional rapid homeless shelter where folks can be housed as well as having services on site to help them, whether its a medical need or a veterans affairs issue, or maybe its something as simple as getting their ID updated and renewed, Touchberyy said.

Touchberry says the mayors have tentatively planned on meeting to discuss homelessness in the region, at the beginning of October.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
The Sierra-Plumas Unified School district on Wednesday announced school would be closed for the rest of the week amid evacuations from the ongoing Bear Fire.

District Superintendent Sean Snider announced on Facebook all classes in Loyalton would be canceled Thursday and Friday with the hope of reopening Monday, should fire conditions improve.

Snider also said the district would be offering free breakfast and lunch for Loyalton students beginning Thursday that can be picked up at the elementary school. Parents needing to request meals should call 530-993-4482, ext. 243, to leave the names of students in order to pick up their food. Loyalton is expecting a food and water delivery for those who have been displaced or affected by evacuations from the wildfire.

The Bear Fire as of Thursday morning grew to 3,327 acres and was 0% contained as it burns south of Loyalton in the Sierra Brooks area. Tahoe National Forest officials Thursday morning said 465 fire personnel have been assigned to the fire, which is roughly 40 miles north of Truckee and 100 miles northeast of Sacramento.

Road closures and evacuations remain after the fire was first reported on Monday. The fire grew by 1,000 acres between Tuesday and Wednesday while officials announced 286 structures and 536 residents were under evacuation orders.

In a morning briefing Wednesday, officials said Interagency Management Team 2  a group of federal firefighters called in for complex incidents  had been assigned to the fire, and would join Forest Service crews and personnel from Cal Fires Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit.

Firefighters will hold a community meeting to update residents on the fire at 7 p.m. The briefing will be available on Tahoe National Forests Facebook page.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV)  Hip-hop star Ludacris will perform during the states largest, free outdoor concert, Bulldog Bash at Mississippi State University (MSU).

The show will begin at 7:00 p.m. on October 4, 2024. Ludacris will take the stage at 9:15 p.m. at the city intersection of Jackson and Main streets in Starkville.

HARDY to perform at Mississippi State University

Bulldog Bash also includes the Maroon Market during the day beginning at 3:30 p.m., showcasing local musicians on stage and featuring art, food vendors and a kid zone. The entire event is sponsored by MSUs Student Association.

Opening act for this years Bash will be the winner of the Battle of the Bands sponsored by MSUs Music Makers Productions. The event will happen on September 7 at 6:00 p.m. in Lee Halls Bettersworth Auditorium.

For more information on Bulldog Bash, click here, contact the MSU Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930 or visit the office in Colvard Student Union, Suite 314.

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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
When the news broke that an active shooter situation was taking place at a Georgia high school on Wednesday, I panicked. As a mom of three living in Texas, where guns are worshipped more than Jesus, a sick sense of dread overtook all my senses. I closed out Instagram, where I first saw the news, turned off my phone, and actively tried to push it out of my mind. Everythings OK, everyone will be fine, I thought, and  selfishly  Its not happening at my kids schools. After I picked up my second grader, kindergartener, and toddler, though, my heart cracked in half thinking about the parents who would not get to do the same. That burying-my-head-in-the-sand thing I was doing to ignore this devastating tragedy? That may be easier in the moment, but its not going to help anybody  or stop these horrific incidents from happening.

GEORGIA, UNITED STATES  SEPTEMBER 4: Students and residents commemorate those who lost their lives by laying flowers near the scene of mass shooting at Apalachee high school in Winder, Georgia, United States on September 04, 2024. At least four people were killed and nine were taken to various hospitals with injuries according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that a 14-year-old student shot and killed his classmates at Apalachee High School in Winder, killing two 14-year-old kids, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, two adult teachers, Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, and injuring at least nine other people, per Associated Press. This is the deadliest episode of school violence in Georgias history, per The New York Times, and the 30th mass killing in this year alone, according to a database created by AP, USA Today, and Northeastern University.

More from SheKnows

Officers responded to the shooting within minutes and the suspected gunman surrendered and was taken into custody, where he will be charged with murder and tried as an adult, per ABC News. To be clear, this wasnt just the work of an evil teenager who went off the rails. Every single politician who enabled the states lax gun laws and person who participated in a culture of fetishizing guns is partially to blame as well.

GEORGIA, UNITED STATES  SEPTEMBER 4: A woman demonstrates holding banners near the scene of mass shooting at Apalachee high school in Winder, Georgia, United States on September 04, 2024. At least four people were killed and nine were taken to various hospitals with injuries according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. (Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, Georgia has some of the weakest gun laws in the entire country, which are seemingly getting weaker every year. Legislature passed a law requiring colleges and universities to allow guns on campus in 2017; passed permitless carry legislation in 2022; and maintains a Shoot First law that allows a person to kill another in a public area, even when they can safely walk away from danger. The state does not require that firearms be stored locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition to protect children, and it does not ban assault-style weapons, like the kind used in Wednesdays mass shooting.

The FBI released a statement about the tragic incident, revealing that they received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time in May 2023. These threats included photos of guns. The FBI worked with the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, identifying Gray as a possible suspect. They interviewed him and his father.

We asked a first-time voter his thoughts on the election. Watch what he had to say about @KamalaHarris' VP pick, @Tim_Walz, and the 'weird' comments by JD Vance and Donald Trump. https://t.co/GlcBCJZcCR  SheKnows (@SheKnows) August 9, 2024

The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject, the statement read. Because they had no probable cause for arrest, there was nothing else they could do. Does that not make you sick? This child had been planning a mass shooting, posting pictures with guns, but because he and his dad denied it, there was nothing else law enforcement could do.

Seeing how this could have been prevented with stricter gun laws fills me with a fire like nothing else. This is why we have to vote. This is why we need leaders in our country that dont glorify guns, but instead, care about our nations children and take action to protect them. As a mom, thats who I want in office  not someone who would rather protect a fathers right to display his hunting rifles within easy reach of his teen son. I would rather good guys have less effective guns  or fewer guns in general  than make it easier for the bad guys to obtain dangerous firearms.

President Joe Biden issued a statement after the tragedy, calling to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Jill [Biden] and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed, he wrote in part. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the Democratic nominee for president, spoke about the incident during a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Wednesday. This is just a senseless tragedy, on top of so many senseless tragedies, and its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive, she said in part, per The Guardian. Its senseless. It is. Weve got to stop it, and we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. You know, it doesnt have to be this way. It doesnt have to be this way.

North Hampton, NH  September 4: U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at Throwback Brewery. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Shes right: It doesnt have to be this way. And hiding from the news or turning it off because it didnt happen to someone you know will not fix the problem. Nothing will erase the pain and life-altering devastation the community of Winder went through yesterday, but working to change the tide and stop these senseless acts of violence can help protect more people in the future. Thoughts and prayers dont matter if they arent accompanied by action. The first step is opening our eyes to what is happening, so we can work toward meaningful change together.

And if you need help talking to your kids about school shootings, check out this helpful guide HERE.

Before you go, read about Gianna Floyds White House visit, from ice cream to police reform.



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Ive encouraged my reporting students at Davidson College to attend Kamala Harris and Donald Trump political rallies. There should be several such opportunities in North Carolina between now and the first week of November, given its swing state status. But after this past weekend, Im hesitant about sending them to Trump rallies. The former president cant seem to help but celebrate violence  even though hes a recent victim of violence.

Its the oddest thing. Though I didnt expect him to, it still astounds that a man who was nearly killed just more than 50 days ago hasnt changed. Hes remained steadfast in his ugliness even though the better political path would have been to become all the things his aides told media outlets in the immediate aftermath of an assassination attempt he had, saying he essentially had a spiritual awakening.

The latest incident was during a rally in Pennsylvania. One of Trumps fans tried to climb into the media pit after Trump said disparaging things about the media. Its perfectly fine and reasonable for politicians  and whoever else  to criticize media, particularly those of us who do a lot of critiquing. That doesnt mean an embrace of violence or violent rhetoric is an acceptable way to express our disagreements.

The crowd cheered as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to say, Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally? the Associated Press reported.





Hes on our side, Trump said about the man who was stopped by security and police.

If it was a one-off, Id have no concerns. But its not. Its been a feature of Trumps rallies since he came down that golden escalator in 2015.

During that election cycle, Trump vowed to help rallygoers who assaulted non-Trump fans.

After his supporters assaulted a protester, Trump claimed the man should have been roughed up.

In Iowa, he told his supporters to knock the crap out of anyone ready to throw a tomato, and that he would pay for the legal fees, as though he was being hit by tomatoes even though he hadnt been.

In Michigan, he talked about the old days when protesters would be carried out on a stretcher and that hed like to punch someone in the face.

In St. Louis, he argued there wasnt enough violence to deter protesters.

In Fayetteville, in our back yard, Trump hoped for the good old days because they used to treat them very, very rough.

And, of course, there was Jan. 6, 2021, when he incited a violent insurrection attempt on the Capitol Building Washington, D.C., where hundreds of police officers were injured.

That doesnt even include his mocking former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis husband, who survived a hammer attack by a stranger in his own home.

The overwhelming majority of Trump supporters at his rallies have attacked no one, and wont. It would be great for college students to speak to and get to know them, as well as Harris supporters. Such an experience can be enriching. Students would get a chance to understand rallygoers in all their complexities, beyond the headlines.

They should attend the rallies to better understand, not judge, the people who will have a major say in which direction the country will go over the next four years.

Students will get to see an important part of democracy in action, the kind of thing they cant get from reading a book, no matter how well written.

It should be a no-brainer assignment. And frankly, it is for Harris rallies. She doesnt foment violence.

Though I wish it was, its not as straightforward for Trump rallies. That most of the people at his rallies arent violent gives me some comfort. That the man they are rallying for foments it doesnt.

But until hes no longer the Republican Party standard bearer and choice of tens of millions of Americans, we must go to meet them where they are. And we will.

Issac Bailey is a Davidson College professor and McClatchy opinion writer in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Charlotte Graham-McLay and Alan Gibson

Associated Press

NGARUAWAHIA, New Zealand  They came in their thousands in the freezing dawn, parking cars far away and winding down rural roads on foot, children riding on their shoulders. They arrived in mourning black with crowns of ferns and kawakawa leaves, bone carvings or wedges of deep green pounamu - New Zealand jade - resting on their chests.

The mourners came to the North Island town of Ngaruawahia on Thursday to pay final respects to New Zealands Maori king, Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, who died six days earlier, and witness the ascension to the throne of his daughter, Nga wai hono i te po. The new queen, 27, is the second woman to become Maori monarch in a tradition dating back to 1858.

As she was escorted onto Turangawaewae marae - an ancestral meeting place  where her fathers casket lay draped in feathered cloaks, cheers rang out among thousands crowded around TV screens outside and waiting along the wide, flat banks of the Waikato River to glimpse Kingi Tuheitias funeral procession. After her ascension, Nga wai hono i te po accompanied the late king in a flotilla of traditional canoes along the river as he was guided by Maori warriors to his final resting place.

The events marked the end of a weeklong tangihanga -- funeral rite - for Kingi Tuheitia, 69, a leader who had in recent months rallied New Zealands Indigenous people to unity in the face of a more racially divisive political culture than before. His daughters ascension represents the rise of a new generation of Maori leaders in New Zealand - one which grew up steeped in a resurging language that had once almost died out.

Kingi Tuheitia died last Friday after undergoing heart surgery, just days after celebrations marking his 18th anniversary on the throne. He became king after his mothers death in 2006 and on Thursday was buried alongside her in an unmarked grave on Taupiri Maunga, a mountain of spiritual significance to his iwi, or tribe.

The Kingitanga, or Maori royalty movement, is not a constitutional monarchy and King Charles III of Britain is New Zealands head of state. It has a ceremonial mandate rather than a legal one and was formed in the years after British colonization of New Zealand to unite Maori tribes in resistance to forced sales of Indigenous land and the loss of the Maori language and culture.

Monarchs have traditionally wielded politics lightly and Tuheitia was remembered this week as a quiet and humble man. But in recent months, his voice had become louder.

After a center-right government took power in New Zealand last November and began to enact policies reversing recognition of Maori language, people and customs, Tuheitia took the unusual step in January of calling a national meeting of tribes which was attended by 10,000 people.

The best protest we can make right now is being Maori. Be who we are. Live our values. Speak our reo, he told them, using the Maori word for language. Just be Maori. Be Maori all day, every day. We are here. We are strong.

Tuheitia urged New Zealanders to embrace the concept of kotahitanga - unity of purpose - in a cause that he said had room for everyone.

His words were echoed throughout the days of his funeral, including by political leaders whose plans he had rallied to oppose. In a reflection of the place that Maori language and customs have grown to hold in New Zealands public life in recent decades, his funeral was attended not only by Maori tribes but by leaders of all political parties, past prime ministers, leaders of Pacific Island nations, diplomats and representatives of the British crown.

Tens of thousands of ordinary people also flocked there. Many spoke to each other in Maori, a language which had steadily waned after colonization until activists in the 1970s provoked its renaissance. Among their initiatives was the establishment of Maori language pre-schools, the first graduates of which are now young adults.

New Zealand Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, from left, reacts with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, at Turangawaewae Marae, Hamilton, New Zealand, Nov. 8, 2015. (David Rowland/Pool Photo via the AP, File)

Tuheitias daughter was among them; while her father hailed from a generation in which many were discouraged from speaking Maori, she was steeped in it, attending Maori immersion schools. Nga wai hono i te po holds a degree in Maori customs and is an accomplished performer of kapa haka, an Indigenous performance art.

The late king, a truck driver before he took the throne, was a surprise appointment to the monarchy, which is chosen by a council and is not required to be hereditary. But the new queen was groomed for the role and had accompanied her father in his work during recent years.

Her ascension comes at a fraught political moment. Since 1858, the Kingitanga has championed Maori sovereignty and the other promises of modern New Zealands founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between the Crown and Maori tribes. In the years since, translation issues and attempts to reinterpret the treaty have at times provoked conflict, which has in recent months flared again.

The treaty provides a foundation for us all to work together. Lets not change it, that would harm us, Tuheitia said at the event marking his coronation days before his death. While New Zealand was facing a storm as Maori rights were rolled back, theres no need to worry. In this storm, we are stronger together, he said.

After the new queen was anointed with oils and a service for her father held, mourners flocked behind the hearse as it drove to the banks of the river sacred to his tribe. There, Tuheitias casket was accompanied by traditional carved canoes on his journey to the mountain, with mourners, in some places 10 people deep, falling silent and bowing as he passed.

As he was carried to the foot of the mountain under a clear afternoon sky, a roaring haka, or ceremonial chant, rang out from mourners waiting among gravestones dotted up the steep hillside and dozens helped to carry the late king to his burial place at the top.

Many had waited for hours to see the procession pass, including a large number of young families. Commentators said the queens ascension represented the cultures renewal, with the majority of Maori  who account for almost 20% of New Zealands population  aged under 40.

Among them on Thursday was Awa Tukiri, 9, whose family had driven nearly two hours from Auckland to watch the canoe carrying the late king pass by.

It was pretty amazing because all they do on the boat is do haka and waiata on it, he said, using the words for Maori chants and songs. Tukiri, who attends a kura kaupapa  the immersion schools that are growing in popularity  said the best part of being Maori was just hanging out and speaking Maori to each other.
By Scott DiSavino

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices held at a 14-month low on Thursday as worries about demand in the U.S. and China and a likely rise in supplies out of Libya offset a big withdrawal from U.S. inventories and a delay to output increases by OPEC+ producers.

Brent futures were down 1 cent to settle at $72.69 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 5 cents, or 0.1%, to settle at $69.15.

That was the lowest close for Brent since June 2023 for a second day in a row and the lowest close for WTI since December 2023 for a third day in a row.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said energy firms pulled 6.9 million barrels of crude out of storage during the week ended Aug. 30. [EIA/S] [API/S]

That was much bigger than the draw of 1 million barrels analysts forecast in a Reuters poll, but was in line with the draw of 7.4 million barrels reported by the American Petroleum Institute industry group on Wednesday.

Further support came from discussions between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known collectively as OPEC+, about delaying output increases due to start in October.

OPEC+ agreed to delay a planned oil output increase for October and November, and said it could further pause or reverse the hikes if needed.

Analysts at U.S. investment banking firm Jefferies said the OPEC+ decision has the effect of tightening fourth-quarter balances by about 100,000-200,000 barrels per day (bpd) and should be sufficient to prevent material builds even if demand from China does not improve.

Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho, however, said the market was not impressed with the OPEC+ news.

"The gasoline market would be capable of cratering crude oil even if the OPEC+ chaos was not leaning on (the) price. If you dont need the gasoline, you dont need the crude oil to make gasoline," Yawger said.

After energy firms added a surprise 0.8 million barrels of gasoline to U.S. stockpiles last week, U.S. gasoline futures fell to their lowest close since March 2021.

In Libya, some tankers were being allowed to load crude from the OPEC member's storage even though output remained curtailed amid a political standoff over the central bank and oil revenue.

CONFLICTING US DATA

The latest U.S. economic data offered some relief about the health of the economy to a market looking for clues about the path of the Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

The Fed hiked rates aggressively in 2022 and 2023 to tame a surge in inflation, but is widely expected to reduce borrowing costs at its Sept. 17-18 policy meeting. Lower rates can boost economic growth and demand for oil.

Story continues

U.S. services sector activity was steady in August, but employment gains slowed, remaining consistent with an easing labor market.

Meanwhile, U.S. private job growth hit a 3-1/2-year low in August and data for the prior month was revised lower, potentially hinting at a sharp labor market slowdown.

By contrast, the number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits declined last week as layoffs remained low.

"In our view, the 'Beige Book' suggests that the economy is already growing at a below-trend pace and that recession risks are rising," analysts at UBS said in a note, referring to the release on Wednesday of a Fed report that acts as a temperature check on the health of the economy about every six weeks.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino in New York, Alex Lawler in London, Georgina McCartney in Houston, Trixie Yap in Singapore and Arunima Kumar from Bengaluru; Editing by David Goodman, Mark Potter, Bill Berkrot and Paul Simao)
Maori Queen Becomes Second Female to be Crowned in Historic Ceremony as Her Father Is Laid to Rest

Nga Wai hono i te po is the new Maori chiefs Queen after her father Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII died at age 69 on Aug. 30

HANDOUT/KIINGITANGA/AFP via Getty Nga Wai hono i te po

New Zealand's Maori chiefs have a new Queen.

On Thursday, Sept. 5, Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII  who reigned as the Maori King from 2006  was laid to rest after he died on Aug. 30 at the age of 69, per the BBC. His death came just days after he celebrated the 18th anniversary of his coronation on Aug. 21.

His 27-year-old daughter Nga Wai hono i te po has now become the second Maori Queen, and the eighth monarch of the country's indigenous Maori chiefs. She was crowned in a special ceremony in the North Island, according to the outlet.

"The new monarch was raised up in a ceremony known as Te Whakawahinga, in front of thousands of people gathered for the tangihanga of Kiingi Tuheitia," a statement shared on the Kiingitanga's (Maori King Movement's) Instagram page read.

Phil Walter/Getty Nga Wai hono i te po

Related: Why 2023 Is a Milestone Year for Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf

The new Queen's grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, was the first female queen, and reigned for 40 years; the longest of any Maori monarch.

The first Maori king, Potatau Te Wherowhero, was anointed in 1858, and Nga Wai hono i te po was blessed with the same Bible used during his ceremony, the BBC reported.

She sat in front of her late father's coffin while wearing a wreath and cloak amid prayers and chants ahead of his burial, the outlet added. The late monarch has been late to rest on Mount Taupiri; a hill that is sacred to the Maori people.

Per the New Zealand Herald and NBC News, hundreds of people watched as the flotilla of waka carried the late monarch's coffin along the Waikato River before taking him to his final resting place.

According to the Associated Press, Kiingi Tuheitia died in hospital following heart surgery.

DJ MILLS/AFP via Getty Nga Wai hono i te po

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Following the late monarch's death, King Charles was among those paying tribute in a statement shared on the British royal family's website.

"My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia," the message began. "I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Maori and Aotearoa New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion."

HAGEN HOPKINS/POOL/AFP via Getty Kiingi Tuheitia and King Charles

Related: See King Charles' First Coronation Appearance  When He Was 4!  to See Queen Elizabeth Be Crowned

"I remember with immense fondness meeting Kiingi Tuheitia many times, including when Her Majesty and I were hosted so warmly and graciously at the Tuurangawaewae Marae in 2015, and then again during our meeting at Buckingham Palace last year. His death is a particular shock in view of the fact that I had only very recently spoken to Kiingi on the telephone at the beginning of August," the King added.

"Kua hinga te totara i Te Waonui a Tane. (A mighty Totora tree has fallen.)," the statement continued.

"My wife and I extend our deepest condolences to Kiingi Tuheitias whaanau and friends and all those who will mourn his loss. Our special thoughts and prayers will be with you at this most difficult and heartbreaking of times," the King, 75, concluded, signing the tribute "Charles R."



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Read the original article on People.
New French prime minister Michel Barnier delivers a speech during the handover ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron has named EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as France's new prime minister after more than 50 days of caretaker government. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS (AP)  President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier as Frances new prime minister on Thursday, hoping the Brexit negotiator and veteran conservative can work with the country's bitterly divided legislature to end political turmoil that has roiled Macron's presidency.

Barnier, 73, is the oldest of the 26 prime ministers that have served modern France's Fifth Republic. He replaces the youngest, Gabriel Attal, who was 34 when he was appointed just eight months ago.

Attal was also France's first openly gay prime minister. French media and some of Macron's political opponents, who immediately criticized Barnier's appointment, quickly dug up that, when serving in parliament in 1981, the new prime minister had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law that decriminalized homosexuality.

Barnier's appointment ends more than 50 days of a caretaker government in France, but offers no guarantee of a return to political calm. Barnier faces the tough task of having to work with the acrimonious and deeply split hung parliament that emerged from an early legislative election that Macron called in June.

At a handover ceremony with Attal, Barnier said that his new role would require lots of listening, lots of respect."

Without a legislative majority of his own behind him, Barnier will need to find loose ad hoc groupings of backers in the National Assembly to tackle Frances pressing issues  including the budget for 2025. Macron and his aides spent weeks sounding out potential prime ministerial candidates, making calls and trying to build consensus, in the search for a government leader who might be able to survive in the fractured political landscape.

Barnier, a career politician proud of his humble roots in Frances Alpine region of Haute-Savoie, is no stranger to complex and daunting tasks: He was the European Unions chief negotiator in the difficult talks with Britain over its departure from the bloc.

But he could quickly face possible attempts in parliament to topple the new government he will put together and lead. Opponents of Macron on the left of French politics immediately portrayed the appointment of the conservative Barnier as a slap in the face for those who voted for them in the legislative election. Macron hoped the voting would strengthen his position and provide clarity. Instead, the July 7 outcome saw his centrist government lose its majority but also produced no clear winner.

By turning to Barnier, Macron is hoping to break the political deadlock.

A statement from Macron's office announcing the appointment said Barnier was tasked with forming a unifying government to serve the country and the French people.

This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the future government would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible and give themselves the chances of uniting as broadly as possible, the statement said.

Forming a government that isn't quickly toppled by a parliamentary censure vote is sure to be a delicate tightrope act with a legislature so divided. To build the support his government will need, Barnier could possibly offer ministerial posts to potential allies.

He will seek to build a government of national union, casting a wide net," said Christophe Boutin, a political analyst at the University of Caen Normandie,

But Barnier will also have to make do "without the extremes, Boutin added, referring to Macrons fiercest opponents on the far-left and far-right of French politics that have considerable sway but no majority in the legislature.

Barnier brings ample experience and networks of contacts from his political career of more than 50 years. He has served as ministers for foreign and European affairs as well as the environment and agriculture  and twice as a European commissioner.

But his profile could also leave Macron open to opponents' accusations that the president is not effecting the deep change that some voters hoped for from the legislative elections.

Taking all this time to end up with Barnier, it doesnt give the impression of a major revolution," Boutin said. "Barnier has been in the political landscape for centuries.

So political instability wouldn't overshadow the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Olympics, when France was in the global spotlight, Macron had kept Attal and his ministers on in a caretaker capacity, handling day-to-day affairs, after the prime minister resigned July 16, in the wake of the legislative defeat.

Influential far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on Thursday immediately came out against Barniers appointment and predicted the prime minister would not get majority backing from lawmakers.

Melenchon said the appointment flew in the face of the election results that left parliaments lower house split between three main blocs  the left, including Melenchons party; the center where Macron has based his support, and the far right, converging around anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen.

The election has been stolen, Melenchon asserted.

Le Pen, on the other hand, indicated that she's willing to give Barnier a chance but said her National Rally party won't take part in his government.

She said the 2025 budget will be a priority. Barnier's government faces a tight deadline to deliver one. France is also under pressure from the EU to get its finances in order, with Brussels having rebuked Paris for running up excessive debt.

Barnier is "a man respectful of other political forces," Le Pen said. Its important because compromises will have to be reached, considering the state of Frances budget.
(Bloomberg) -- French President Emmanuel Macron picked Michel Barnier as prime minister, entrusting the EUs former Brexit negotiator with the delicate task of marshaling critical finance bills.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The appointment of the conservative politician is a first step toward ending months of political uncertainty in France after snap elections delivered a National Assembly where no group has the majority required to govern alone.

Frances benchmark CAC 40 index trimmed its losses after the news, still down 0.4% on the day. Banking stocks were the biggest gainers, with Societe Generale SA up 3.6% and BNP Paribas SA up 2.7%. Frances 10-year yield premium over equivalent German debt narrowed on the news.

In Barnier, 73, the French president has opted for someone who has largely avoided the bickering of front-line politics in recent months, giving him a chance of not being too unpalatable for any party. The leftist New Popular Front alliance had made a claim to lead the new government after winning the most seats, but Macron said their candidate, Lucie Castets, would have been immediately ejected in a no-confidence vote by opposition lawmakers.

This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the government to come would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible, Macrons office said.

The president in France is head of state, in charge of the armed forces and foreign policy, and nominates the prime minister and members of the government. The prime minister is in charge of the day-to-day implementation of policies and can be toppled by a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.

In recent days, Marine Le Pens National Rally has emerged as a kingmaker in the negotiations, warning it would censure many of the other political figures whose names were touted for prime minister. But officials from the far right were more nuanced on Barnier, saying they could wait to see what policies he proposes.

We demand that the new prime minister respect the 11 million French people who voted National Rally, that he respect them and their ideas, Le Pen said on X. Well pay close attention to his policies and well be watchful that the aspirations of our voters, who represent a third of French people, are heard and respected.

Shortly after Barnier was appointed, the chair of the National Assembly, Yael Braun-Pivet, called for an extraordinary parliamentary session for the new prime minister to present his priorities and face lawmaker questions.

Barnier faces the immediate challenge of forming a cabinet that can bridge the ideological rifts between the left, right and centrist blocs in parliament. Achieving a balance will be crucial to his ability to withstand no-confidence votes to smoothly adopt a 2025 budget in the coming weeks. Opposition parties in France have a tradition of voting against finance bills whatever the circumstances.

To avoid a majority of lawmakers uniting against him, Barnier must also find a way to navigate demands in other key policy areas including pensions and the minimum wage. A broad array of parties campaigned in the legislative elections on pledges to at least partly undo Macrons 2023 law raising the retirement age, and increase household incomes through measures such as tax cuts and increasing the minimum wage.

Macrons centrist group, however, has vowed to resist efforts to unpick his pro-business reforms of the last seven years.

Financial markets are closely watching the political gymnastics in Paris. Even before the election in June, Frances budget was in the spotlight after the deficit swelled to 5.5% of gross domestic product in 2023, prompting S&P Global Ratings to downgrade the country and the European Union to instigate a procedure to enforce greater fiscal discipline.

Markets will probably be relieved by prospects that France could finally find a new government after all, said Commerzbank AGs head of rates strategy Christoph Rieger. But not having seen or heard much of Barnier since Brexit we will wait to see what he stands for, and if he can survive no-confidence votes without major concessions to the left.

When Macron dissolved the National Assembly in June after getting trounced by the far-right in EU elections, investors dumped French assets as they saw the risk of opposition parties triumphing and implementing costly manifesto pledges that risked further inflating the countrys debt. The premium France pays on 10-year debt compared with Germanys surged and remains well above pre-election levels, while French stocks are yet to recover losses in comparison to the rest of the European Union.

Barnier will inherit a blueprint for the 2025 budget from the outgoing caretaker government with unchanged caps on spending that aim to help France meet a target to narrow its deficit below 3% of economic output by 2027. But the prime ministers new team will have a free hand to make changes before presenting the bill by the start of October. France is also due to send medium-term fiscal plans to Brussels later this month under the EUs revamped fiscal rules.

The NPF, which campaigned on a platform of massive increases in spending, is likely to be Barniers biggest obstacle to consensus on public finances. Some of the groups leaders have slammed Macrons decision not to appoint Castets as a denial of democracy, and others have said they would immediately propose a vote to bring down a government not from their own ranks.

Frances new prime minister will also have to reckon with an emboldened far-right in the National Assembly after Le Pens party increased its share of seats and allied with a faction of the center right. She has said her group would seek to topple any New Popular Front government but has expressed less vehement opposition to other parties.

Traditional conservatives will be more cooperative with Barnier, a figurehead of what remains of their party who served in the governments of Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac. Macrons centrist lawmakers will also likely be accommodative, having already struck deal with some on the right to allow for the reelection of centrist Yael Braun-Pivet as president of the National Assembly.

--With assistance from Constantine Courcoulas, Blaise Robinson and Tom Fevrier.

(Updates with explanation of the premiers role in the sixth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Emmanuel Macron asked Michel Barnier to 'form a unifying government in the service of the country' - AFP

Michel Barnier, the European Unions former Brexit negotiator, was appointed as Frances prime minister on Thursday, breaking a post-election deadlock.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, asked Mr Barnier to form a unifying government in the service of the country and the French people, according to a statement by the Elysee Palace.

Mr Macron was accused of stealing the election from the French Left after installing Mr Barnier.

Mr Barnier, 73, is a veteran member of Frances main conservative party, the Republicans, and has previously campaigned for hard-line migration reforms.

His surprise appointment raised the prospect that Mr Macron had brokered a backroom deal with Marine Le Pens hard-Right National Rally (RN) to restore Frances government.

Mr Barnier would need the support of RN MPs in parliament to hold on to power.

Michel Barnier drove a hard bargain in Brexit negotiations, infuriating Brexiteers during a time of tense relations with the EU - Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP

France has been in political deadlock since the French presidents snap election resulted in a hung parliament with a Leftist coalition as the largest party.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a senior figure from the New Popular Front, accused Mr Macron of snatching power away from the grouping, which won 182 seats.

It is not the New Popular Front, which came at the top of the [legislative] election, which will have the prime minister and the responsibility of running before the MPs, Mr Melenchon said. The election was therefore stolen from the French.

Mr Melanchon called for street protests on Saturday to oppose the appointment of Mr Barnier.

Olivier Faure, the Socialist party leader, also rejected the nomination, saying: The denial of democracy has reached its peak. A prime minister from a party which arrived in fourth place in the parliamentary elections.

Boris Vallaud, the Socialists parliamentary leader, added: We will vote no confidence in any choice that does not reflect the outcome of the election.

Mr Macron was under significant pressure to nominate a prime minister two months on from the second round of the legislative elections on July 7.

His decision was taken before a looming deadline for the start of discussions over the 2025 budget in parliament next month.

The snap ballot left the parliament divided into three minority blocs.

Mr Macron asked Mr Barnier to form a unifying government in the service of the country and the French people, according to a statement by the Elysee Palace.

It was hoped that Mr Barnier would be seen as an acceptable option to both Ms Le Pens hard-Right and the more moderate Left-wing parties.

The RN chief said the appointment seems to meet at least the first criteria we had called for, that is to say a man who is respectful of the different political forces and able to address the National Rally, which is the first group of the National Assembly, in the same way as other groups.

The appointment of Mr Barnier will come as a shock in France, where he is relatively unknown, despite having left his mark in both London and Brussels as the EUs chief Brexit negotiator.

The 73 year old becomes the oldest prime minister of Frances Fifth Republic, and succeeds Gabriel Attal, who was appointed only eight months ago as the youngest.

In his last foray into domestic politics, Mr Barnier failed to secure the Republicans nomination for the countrys 2022 presidential election.

Valerie Pecresse, the partys candidate, was eliminated in the first round with less than five per cent of the vote, in a contest that saw Mr Macron re-elected after beating Ms Le Pen.

In the campaign, Mr Barnier proposed a three-to-five-year prohibition on non-EU immigration.

Gabriel Attal, France's outgoing prime minister, left, and Michel Barnier, France's incoming prime minister, on Thursday - Nathan Laine

He further raised eyebrows in Brussels, where he is best known, by calling on France to regain its legal sovereignty by ignoring judgments from the EUs Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Mr Barnier accused Mr Macron of ignoring French voters concerns over immigration, sovereignty and security.

Mr Barnier now faces the challenge of forming a government that will secure the backing of Frances parliament.

The New Popular Front is well short of the 289 seats required to trigger a vote of no-confidence, but Mr Barnier will still need the support of the hard-Right to govern with relative stability.

Mr Macron had refused to appoint a prime minister from the Leftist coalition, arguing his Right-wing opponents would vote it down.

Mr Melenchon called for mass street protests at the decision, saying Mr Barnier had been installed with the permission and perhaps at the suggestion of the National Rally.

Francois Hollande, a former socialist French president, said it was an almost certainty the new prime minister had been handed the role because of support from the hard-Right.

It is because the RN, precisely the extreme Right, has given a form of discharge, Mr Hollande said. I think he will have to explain it before the Assembly.

Despite desperate attempts by Mr Macron to keep her out of power, the appointment of Mr Barnier is an acknowledgement that she will be a powerbroker in order to keep any centrist-conservative coalition in power.
Donald Trump hasnt made much of an effort to hide his over-the-top support for Hungarys Viktor Orban, despite  or more likely, because of  the prime ministers authoritarian takeover of his country. As an Associated Press report noted in March, the Republicans embrace of the Hungarian leader reflects the former presidents support for autocratic leaders who are part of a global pushback against democratic traditions.

In other words, Trumps affection for Orban helps capture the GOP candidates antipathy toward democracy.

But when praising the prime minister, the former president also tends to use a specific word. In January, for example, he defended Orban at a rally, telling supporters, Some people dont like him because hes too strong. Its nice to have a strongman running the country.

During his latest Fox News interview, Trump used nearly identical phrasing. The New York Times reported:

At his town hall tonight, Donald Trump praised Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, who has embraced policies American conservatives have looked to as a model. Trump bemoaned the state of international conflicts that have raged in the last few years and seemed to suggest he could solve problems with force. Sometimes you need a strongman; hes a strongman, Trump said of Orban.

Right off the bat, the fact that Trump and his allies have embraced Orban and his authoritarian approach says a great deal about the radicalization of Republican politics and the partys weakening support for democracy.

But lets not brush past Trumps newly stated belief that countries sometimes need a strongman.

Circling back to our earlier coverage, the most benign explanation for such rhetoric is that the former president knows effectively nothing about political science, political history, and political philosophy, and as such, its possible that he has no idea what a strongman even is. From Trumps perspective, perhaps the word just sounds nice because it combines strong and man. Its not as if people should want a weak man leading a country, right?

But as NYUs Ruth Ben-Ghiat, who literally wrote the book on the subject, told Time magazine a few years ago, Strongmen are a subset of authoritarian who require total loyalty, bend democracy around [their] own needs, and use different forms of machismo to interact with their people and with other rulers.

All of which brings us to the uncharitable explanation: Trump knows full well what a strongman leadership style entails, and when he declared that countries sometimes need a strongman, it was the latest piece of evidence that the Republican nominee is effectively running on an authoritarian platform.

New York magazines Jon Chait explained that Orbans admirers among American conservatives tend to deny the Hungarians authoritarian tactics. Trump flips this approach on its head: The mainstream conservative line is that Orban is good, but its a smear to call him a strongman. Trump says hes good because hes a strongman.

The Republican has repeatedly been surprisingly candid on this point.

Theres nobody thats better, smarter, or a better leader than Viktor Orban, Trump told a Mar-a-Lago audience in the spring. Referring to Hungarian leaders autocratic approach, he went on to say Orban is a non-controversial leader because he says, This is the way its going to be, and thats the end of it, right? Hes the boss. No, hes a great leader.

As regular readers know, this keeps happening. Ahead of the 2016 elections, the then-GOP candidate was on record praising Saddam Hussein, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and even Chinas handling of the Tiananmen Square massacre. (Seeing images of brave Chinese democrats standing in defiance in front of tanks, Trump sided with those who deployed the tanks.)

Ahead of the 2024 elections, hes doing it again. The Republican nominee continues to make positive comments about the man who earned the Butcher of Baghdad label. He offers gushing admiration for Beijings ruthless control over Chinas population. He struggles to contain how impressed he is with his benefactor in Moscow.

And he applauds Orban because he simply dictates, This is the way its going to be.

Trump keeps telling everyone the kind of leader he wants to be. Voters would be wise to listen.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* Vice President Kamala Harris economic speech in New Hampshire highlighted elements of a tax plan that isnt entirely in line with President Joe Bidens policy.

* CNNs latest batch of battleground state polls included Senate races, and while Democrats appeared relatively well positioned in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada, the same batch of survey data found a tie race in Pennsylvania. (Click the link for information on the surveys methodology and margins of error.)

* Donald Trumps campaign claims it raised $130 million in August, which is certainly a significant sum, though a Politico report provided some key context: Trumps August total is notably lower than the nearly $139 million his operation raised in July  when it was buoyed by the Republican National Convention  and less than the $210 million that his team raised in August 2020, when he was running as the incumbent.

* The Anti-Psychopath PAC, led by lawyer George Conway, is launching a new, minute-long ad featuring prominent Republicans publicly criticizing Trump. The super PAC is reportedly running the commercial in Florida and New Jersey, where the former president has homes.

Hey @realDonaldTrump,



All of your friends, all of the people who worked with you, they all think you're nuts! pic.twitter.com/SLGI7WpJ0P  Anti-Psychopath PAC (@PsychoPAC24) September 4, 2024

* In Virginia, Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has filed the paperwork to run for governor in 2025. Shes likely to face some primary rivals.

* In New Hampshires gubernatorial race, former Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte apologized late last week for an ad that attacked former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, over a 2015 murder that happened more than two years before the Democratic candidate was elected. Ayotte has pulled the ad from the airwaves.

* And in Michigan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fought to appear on the states presidential ballot, but the conspiracy theorist is now fighting to do the opposite. Its not going well: A Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled this week that Kennedy will remain on the ballot, despite ending his candidacy.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.

* The latest on the Georgia school shooting: The teenage suspect, who used an AR-style weapon in the shooting, surrendered immediately and will be charged as an adult, law enforcement officials said. He was taken into custody within minutes. The suspect was a new student at the school, having only been there for a partial day. The day of the shooting was his first full day at the school, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said. He was charged with four counts of murder today.

* Difficult diplomacy: A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is not close, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday, rejecting U.S. optimism over a deal and saying his red lines have become redder in the wake of the killing of six hostages in Gaza. Speaking a day after a senior Biden administration official said a deal had been ninety percent agreed, Netanyahu told the Fox and Friends morning show that was exactly inaccurate.

* In Central America: Nicaraguas dictatorial government on Thursday freed 135 political prisoners, including 13 members of a Texas-based evangelical Christian organization, in a secret operation negotiated by the Biden administration, officials announced. The prisoners, all Nicaraguan citizens, were flown to Guatemala and will be able to apply for U.S. legal status.

* Investments like these matter: President Joe Biden is returning to southwest Wisconsin to make good on his promise to provide new investments in rural electrification and other infrastructure improvements. Biden will be in Westby on Thursday to announce $7.3 billion in investments for 16 cooperatives that will provide electricity for rural areas across 23 states. The intent is to bring down the cost of badly needed electricity connections in hard-to-reach areas.

* The latest trouble for Eric Adams: FBI agents on Wednesday searched the homes of multiple top officials in the administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, two city officials said.

* Because registering people to vote in Texas is bad? Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas went to court on Wednesday to try to stop county leaders in San Antonio from sending out more than 200,000 voter registration applications to unregistered residents of Bexar County.

* Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gets the final word on Donald Trumps Arlington scandal: To intrude upon that scene  to visit politics upon it  is to do much more than violate those rules; it is to betray the very nature of Arlington. It is to mock the apolitical nature of our military and to dishonor the sacrifices made by those who rest there. Worse, it may lead others to think less of those sacrifices, to view them as smaller than they actually were. And thats a travesty, no matter what the visitor may have intended.

* What could possibly go wrong? The State Freedom Caucus Network is holding its first summit this week in Dallas, bringing together a dozen state Freedom Caucuses that represent their legislatures hard-line conservative Republicans. Andy Roth, a veteran GOP strategist who serves as president of the network, said the summit demonstrates how the conservative principles of the House Freedom Caucus have spread to legislatures across the U.S.

See you tomorrow.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Maddow Blog | On Trump and crime, his campaign flunks self-awareness (again)

Donald Trumps approach to presidential pardons and commutations was among the most scandalous parts of his White House term, and four years removed from office, many of the controversies still linger. The New York Times reported this week, for example, on a Florida man whose life sentence was commuted by Trump in 2021, who was recently convicted of assaulting his wife.

This was, the Times added, the latest example of a Trump clemency beneficiary getting in legal trouble again.

But as notable as the circumstances are, just as interesting was the reaction from the Republicans campaign team. The article added:

When asked to comment about the latest incident, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, said only, President Trump believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.

He does? Wouldnt that have a direct impact on the former president himself, given his own rap sheet?

NBC News had a related report that added: Leavitt and another campaign spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday about Trumps view on jail time for convicts as it relates to his own conviction.

Its amazing how frequently this comes up.

In June, for example, Sen. JD Vance said that Trumps potential running mates were being asked, Have you ever committed a crime? as part of the vetting process  despite the former presidents own crimes.

After Gov. Tim Walz joined the Democrats 2024 ticket, Team Trump complained that the Minnesotan has a record of embracing policies to allow convicted felons to vote  which, again, seemed like an odd thing to say, given the former presidents felonies.

A week later, the GOP nominee issued a statement complaining about the United States having a Pro Criminal Atmosphere. Around the same time, Trump declared with confidence, Youre not going to teach a criminal not to be a criminal. A day later, the former president echoed the line at an unrelated event.

A criminal is a criminal, the Republican nominee said. They generally stay a criminal, and we do not have time to figure it out.

Such rhetoric might have had more of an impact if he werent a criminal.

This need not be complicated. A jury recently found Trump guilty of 34 felonies. This is not to be confused with a different jury finding Trump liable for sexual abuse, or the case in which a court found that Trump oversaw a business that engaged in systemic fraud.

Hes also still facing several dozen other pending felony counts, across multiple jurisdictions. (He has pleaded not guilty.)

Whats more, the former president has also surrounded himself with other criminals. With Lincoln, they had a team of rivals, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley recently noted. With Trump, you have a team of felons.

In case that werent quite enough, during his failed presidency, Trump had a habit of issuing scandalous pardons to politically aligned criminals, and if elected to a second term, the Republican has promised to issue even more pardons to politically aligned criminals  including those who violently clashed with police officers.

And so, as Team Trump insists that the former president believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars, its probably worth reminding the Republican operation that a little self-awareness goes a long way.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
To know anything about Donald Trumps political rhetoric in the aftermath of his 2020 election defeat is to know that hes denied the reality of his 2020 election defeat. The former president has lied about this so often and with such ferocity that its become known as the Republicans big lie.

All of which makes it notable when the GOP candidate slips and grudgingly acknowledges what actually happened. NBC News reported:

Former President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged that he did not win the 2020 presidential election, telling podcaster Lex Fridman that he lost by a whisker. Fridman asked the Republican nominee about his expectations for his debate next week against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, in a podcast episode released Tuesday.

Trump initially boasted about his prowess as a debater before shifting his attention to his electoral record.

I became president, he said, referring to the 2016 race. Then the second time, I got millions more votes than I got the first time.

Lets pause here to note that this happens to be true: In 2016, the Republican ticket received roughly 63 million votes, which worked out to be approximately 46% of the popular vote. Four years later, amid higher turnout, Trump finished with more than 74 million votes  which wouldve been great, were it not for the fact that Joe Biden finished with more than 81 million votes.

Nevertheless, in the same interview, the GOP candidate went on to say, I was told if I got 63 million, which is what I got the first time, You would win. You cant not win. And I got millions more votes than that and lost by a whisker.

Putting aside the statistical details  the fact that he received more votes is largely irrelevant, except for its impact on the former presidents ego  it was those last four words that stood out.

Trump, whos spent a ridiculous amount of time, energy and resources trying to convince Americans that he secretly won the race he actually lost, acknowledged  out loud and on the record  that he lost by a whisker.

Whats more, the on-air comments came on the heels of nearly identical remarks late last week. At a far-right event in Washington, D.C., the Republican said in reference to Biden, He beat us by a whisker. It was a terrible thing.

At first blush, the fact that Trump said  twice in five days  that he really did lose in 2020 seems rather extraordinary, given his outlandish and allegedly felonious efforts to convince the public otherwise. Indeed, the acknowledgement of reality might even be legally relevant.

As Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican vice chair of the bipartisan panel, explained two years ago, Claims that President Trump actually thought the election was stolen are not supported by fact and not a defense. There is no defense that Donald Trump was duped or irrational.

A Washington Post report summarized soon after, Trump was not, lawmaker after lawmaker argued, an angry king or reckless madman  caught up in the emotion of the day  or a mere hapless bystander, unaware of the destruction he wrought. In fact, it was quite the opposite: Trump was a leader who knew he had lost  who was repeatedly told he had lost and who privately admitted he had lost  yet who plunged ahead with a calculated and deliberate plan that shook the foundations of the very democracy he had sworn to uphold.

But just below the surface, theres another element to this story. On Friday, for example, after Trump admitted that he lost by a whisker, he quickly added, They used Covid to cheat. It was a terrible thing.

Trump: And he beat us by a whisker. It was a terrible thing. They used covid to cheat. It was a terrible thing. I thought it was very sad. The election brought great division to the country. pic.twitter.com/8MfIpQ0FGo  Acyn (@Acyn) August 31, 2024

In other words, theres some nuance to keep in mind. When Trump points to his 2020 defeat, hes apparently only acknowledging what transpired in the most superficial way possible: The Republican nominee knows hes not president anymore, but he also still believes the lie  or at least expects us to still believe the lie.

In other words, Trump is willing to accept that he was defeated, but hes still not willing to accept the legitimacy of that defeat.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Chevron (NYSE: CVX) has an elite record of growing its dividend. The oil giant delivered its 37 consecutive dividend increase earlier this year, the second-longest current streak in the oil patch. The company has grown its payout twice as fast as its closest peer over the last several years, including by 8% earlier this year.

One of the secrets of its success is that Chevron focuses on returns over growth, which means it doesn't chase the hottest areas in the oil patch. Instead, it will invest capital where it can earn attractive returns. One overlooked spot where it's investing these days is the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. That strategy could pay big dividends in the coming years.

An underappreciated asset

Chevron has a globally diversified portfolio of upstream, midstream, and downstream assets, referring, respectively, to production, pipelines, and chemicals and refining. That business model enables Chevron to maximize the value of every molecule of hydrocarbons it produces. The company also focuses on maximizing its returns by investing in areas where it produces low-cost and, ideally, lower carbon-intensity oil and gas.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico is one of those locations. The company's operations produce some of the world's lowest carbon-intensity oil and gas. Furthermore, it can generate attractive returns by investing in growing its output from the region.

Chevron recently started water injection operations at two projects to boost its oil and gas recovery at its existing Jack/St. Malo and Tahiti facilities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The company noted that these projects will maximize the returns of its existing resource base. They'll also put the company another step closer to its goal of growing its production in the region to 300,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/d) by 2026.

Those are just some of the many projects Chevron has under way in the region. It's close to delivering first oil for its Anchor development, which came in under budget even as it deployed multiple breakthrough technologies. Those projects position Chevron to deliver high cash margins and low carbon-intensity production growth.

Chevron has more growth potential in the region. It's one of the largest leaseholders in the basin. It also has leading technology capabilities and attractive exploration opportunities near existing infrastructure and in frontier areas. These factors put Chevron in a strong position to continue growing its production in the region.

A potential booster

Chevron is quietly looking to bolster its position in the Gulf of Mexico. The company agreed to acquire Hess (NYSE: HES) last year in a nearly $60 billion deal. The main driver is the company's position in the oil-rich Stabroek block offshore Guyana. Hess also has a position in the Bakken region, which would boost Chevron's U.S. onshore resource position. In addition, it operates in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia.

The focus of that deal has been on Guyana, and rightfully so, since that world-class resource position would really move the needle for Chevron. However, with all eyes on Guyana, most investors have overlooked that Hess also operates in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, producing about 30,000 BOE/d. It's a highly complementary position to Chevron's existing assets in the region, meaning Chevron could invest in capital-efficient development projects to increase its production. That would enhance its returns from this low-cost and lower carbon-intensity region. They add to the overall exceptional strategic fit of the Hess acquisition.

One of many growth drivers

Chevron expects to grow its free cash flow by about 10% annually over the next several years, thanks partly to under-the-radar assets such as its position in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, adding Hess, which would bulk up its already strong position in the region while adding other growth drivers, would help accelerate its growth. It could more than double the company's free cash flow by 2027. They combine to make Chevron a compelling dividend growth stock. The oil giant should have plenty of fuel to maintain its magnificent streak of increasing its dividend for years to come.

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This Overlooked Area Is a Key Growth Driver for This Magnificent Dividend Stock was originally published by The Motley Fool
Madison County coroner IDs truck driver who died in crash with another truck

A 67-year-old Alton man was killed in a collision Tuesday between two trucks in Madison County, the coroner said Thursday.

James H. Roberts was identified as the victim, Coroner Steve Nonn said in a news release.

Roberts was driving a semi-truck hauling rock south on Illinois 159 near the intersection of North Deer Park Drive in Moro Township when a northbound dump truck also hauling rock crossed the center line and struck Roberts, Nonn said.

The dump truck driver had crossed the center line to avoid a northbound fuel tanker that had stopped to turn left into a driveway, the coroner said.

Roberts was pronounced deceased at the scene by a coroners office investigator and the driver of the dump truck was taken to a hospital.

Illinois State Police officers are investigating the crash, which was reported at 3:28 p.m. Tuesday.

Nonn said funeral arrangements are pending for Roberts.
MADRID (Reuters) - Madrid will ban e-scooters rented through mobile apps after the city's three licensed operators failed to implement limits on their clients' circulation or control their parking, Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida said in a statement.

Martinez-Almeida said the licenses of Lime, Dott and Tier Mobility would be cancelled from October and that the city has no plans to grant new licenses to any other operators.

"The market was found to be incapable of meeting the requirements set by the mayor's office to ensure the highest level of safety for citizens," he said in a statement on Thursday.

The so-called scooter sharing system has raised opposition in cities around the world due to reckless driving by users on streets and sidewalks and haphazard parking that often leaves public spaces cluttered.

Since May 2023, the Madrid city council had regulated the rental e-scooter market, only authorising Amsterdam-based Dott, Germany's Tier Mobility and U.S.-based Lime, whose scooters are available on Uber's app.

They were authorised to rent 2,000 scooters each.

The three operators were supposed to give the mayor's office access to its data and were ordered to implement technology forcing their customers to leave the scooters only in authorised areas and preventing them from hiring them in pedestrian-only streets or near historic parks.

They failed to meet those conditions, the statement said, adding that they have 20 days to appeal.

Dott, Lime and Tier did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Madrid follows in the footsteps of Paris, which last year banned e-scooter rentals following a public consultation.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro; editing by Charlie Devereux and Sharon Singleton)
MAGA Republicans are more than happy to excuse the right-wing influencers at the center of a Russian propaganda scheme.



Right-wing influencers like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Lauren Southern, and Benny Johnson all worked with Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based firm that the Justice Department revealed Wednesday was secretly funded by Russian state media employees in a scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging. The indictment charges two Russia Today employees with providing nearly $10 million to the media company that often spouted Kremlin talking points.

In response to the charges, the pundits and their allies are saying they just didnt know any better. In fact, theyre the real victims.



Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived, Pool wrote.



Johnson echoed the line, writing, We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.

Even Representative Matt Gaetz bought their argument. Tim and Benny were deceived, as the indictment clearly lays out, he wrote just hours after news of the indictment.



Propagandist Ben Shapiro also came to the rescue, stating that Pool, Johnson, and Rubin arent the issue because they were apparently deceived by the company founders, who were allegedly taking Russian cash.

Donald Trump too boosted the talking point, as he posted a clip of conservative columnist Michael Shellenberger on Fox News arguing that this is really small ball stuff and two of the influencers that were targeted did not know it was Russian money. (If that is the case, wouldnt it be true that the rest did?)



Its hard to believe that the members of Tenet Media didnt know anything about the scheme. In fact, you can watch Pool describe nearly exactly what he engaged in, during a podcast conversation:



Tim Pool:



What happens with social mediaparticularly with YouTube where its really easyis you can have a foreign agentdump ad money into his channel through Google Ad Sense and theyll never know we were the ones funding him and you cant prove it.pic.twitter.com/qayBaGsbJN  Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) September 5, 2024

Lets see if playing clueless works out for them.
Several right-wing American influencers described themselves as victims after the Justice Department accused a company they worked with of being a front for a covert Russian influence campaign.

Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Dave Rubin all released statements Wednesday after prosecutors claimed a Tennessee-based firmidentified in multiple media reports as Tenet Mediawas secretly funded and directed by Russian state media employees.

DOJ Bombshell Alleges MAGA Media Group Is Backed by Russian Money

The company, which lists Pool, Johnson, Rubin, and others as its talent, published English-language videos online with content that is often consistent with the Kremlins aim of amplifying U.S. domestic divisions to undermine American opposition to Russian interests like its war in Ukraine, prosecutors say.

An indictment alleges that two employees of RTthe Russian state-controlled broadcaster formerly known as Russia Todayfunneled almost $10 million to the content creation company, which in turn pumped out content sympathetic to Moscows viewpoints. The influencers arent accused of wrongdoing and didnt realize they were working for the covert operation, prosecutors say, with the indictment claiming that some were misled about how the company was funded.

Thats a point several of Tenets influencers were eager to underscore as they came under scrutiny for their association with the company, which was allegedly paying huge sums to some of the media personalities on its books. One unidentified person was getting $400,000 a monthplus a $100,000 signing bonusto make four weekly videos for the business, the indictment says, while another was contracted to get a fee of $100,000 per video.

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims, Pool said in an X statement responding to the indictment. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed.

Pool said his deal with the company meant the live broadcast of his Culture War Podcast went out on Tenets YouTube channel, but he alone had editorial control of the show. That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations, he added. Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls.

His statement came as a clip from one of his videos in August went viral on Reddit. Ukraine is the enemy of this country! Pool fumes in the footage, later adding that the U.S. should drop all of its military support to Kyiv and apologize to Russia.

How a Far-Right YouTuber Uses Butt Rock to Lure in Viewers

Another clip shared by several users on X showed Pool talking about how its possible for a foreign agent to fund channels of influencers they want to boost. This guy talks about things that we really like, Pool says in the video, speaking from the perspective of the hypothetical agent. Dump ad money into his channel through Google AdSense and theyll never know we were the ones funding him, and you cant prove it.

Johnson said in his statement responding to the indictmentwhich Johnson oddly described as having being leaked despite it being made publicly available along with a DOJ press releasethat his companys lawyers negotiated a standard, arms-length deal with Tenet that has since been terminated.

We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme, he wrote. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.

Dave Rubin similarly proclaimed his own victimhood in the scheme.

These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme, he wrote. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.

Rubin said the DOJ has never contacted him about the matter and pointed to a section of the indictmentwhich explains how a commentator contracted by Tenet had been deceived about the true source of the companys fundingsaying it speaks for itself.

The filing details charges against RT employees Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, both of whom are accused of conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act in conncetion with the scheme.

The Biden administration on Wednesday separately seized Kremlin-run websites and officially listed several Russian outletsincluding RTas foreign missions, meaning theyll have to notify the U.S. State Department about all personnel and property they have in the United States.

The actions were explicitly taken as part of actions to hinder malicious actors from using Kremlin-supported media as a cover to conduct covert influence activities that target the U.S. elections in 2024 and undermine our democratic institutions, the State Department said in a news release.

Russia reacted furiously to the moves, with Moscows Foreign Ministry accusing Washington, D.C. of attempting to silence dissenting voices.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the ministry, vowed there will be a response and said any attempts to expel or obstruct Russian reporters in the U.S. will become the basis for taking symmetrical and/or asymmetric retaliatory measures against the American media.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Former Rep. Liz Cheneys (R-Wyo.) endorsement of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 election is sure to rile Republican candidate Donald Trump, The New York Times Maggie Haberman said Wednesday.

Cheney announced earlier in the day that she will vote for Harris over the former president in November.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I am voting for Kamala Harris, the former congresswoman told an audience at Duke University in North Carolina.

CNNs John Berman asked Haberman how much the news would get under Trumps skin.

Haberman noted Trumps penchant for commenting on pretty much everything under the sun and acknowledged theres a real possibility hell talk about this in negative terms.

Cheney bothers him a great deal, said Haberman. Cheney was a fierce critic of Trump during her time in Congress. She was ousted from House GOP leadership over her repeated slamming of him.

Haberman then highlighted the message that Cheneys endorsement of Harris could send to some conservatives.

I think whats interesting about it is the signal it sends to Republicans who did not support Donald Trump, who may have supported say Nikki Haley or no one at all, that they can feel comfortable, and that is what she is signaling to them, they can feel comfortable backing Kamala Harris, she said.

Watch the video here:

Related...
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  It has been two and a half years since the Biden Administration released millions of dollars in aid to states and local governments.

Of that, $42 million was sent to Mahoning County, and as of now, all of those funds have been at least earmarked for local projects.

Thursday morning, county commissioners approved spending more than $32,000 on local agencies and communities.

We received hundreds of applications, so as far as the county goes, were totally out of ARPA funds, so we still have some administration resolutions that we have to do on those later projects that were awarded, said Commissioner Anthony Traficanti.

The ARPA funds allowed the county to plug all those holes and make townships, villages, social service agencies, agencies in the county and different things that they would have never been able to receive funding for we put it back into the community, he added.

Regulations tied to the ARPA funds required that they be set aside for awards by the end of this calendar year.

The money must then be presented to local agencies or communities by the end of 2026.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Depending on a court ruling, absentee ballots will go out as soon as Friday. As voting kicks off, North Carolinas leading gubernatorial candidates paid a visit to the Charlotte area.

Republican Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson visited four restaurants to hold meet and greets. Attorney General Josh Stein toured an apprenticeship program.

Thursday morning, Robinson spent an hour going table to table at Famous Toastery in Mooresville introducing himself and taking pictures.

I think we are going to win this race, Robinson said. Everywhere we go in this state, its not like it was when I first ran. When I first ran, our support was fragmented. You could just about guess where we would go and folks would recognize us. We cant go anywhere in this state where we arent recognized and loved.

Robinson is now airing a new ad criticizing Josh Stein on immigration. Next week, the General Assembly will likely reconvene to consider requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE. Robinson says he is in favor

At one time I kind of waffled on that, he said. I didnt like the government saying they have to force the sheriffs to do something but we have reached a crucial point in this country right now where it is extremely important. We dont know who is coming across our border.

About 45 minutes away, Josh Stein toured UA Local 421, where future plumbers, pipefitters, and welders are trained. He says investing in apprentice programs is a major priority for him.

Growing apprenticeship programs like we are seeing here with plumbers and pipefitters and having more career and technical education in our schools is very important, he said. Folks may want to go to college but not everybody does and someone shouldnt have to go to college to get a good job.

He says the next 60 days will be spent traveling across the state and meeting voters.

I hear the same themes everywhere I go, he said. A growing economy that works for people, stronger public schools, investments in teachers, safer neighborhoods and personal freedoms like a womens right to choose.

(WATCH: NC governor announces plan to eliminate $4B in medical debt)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  Main Street Morgantown recently received a grant of $7,500 from the Truist West Virginia Foundation that will help support its Artisan Entrepreneurship Program, which aims to bring more creative entrepreneurship to downtown Morgantown.

Were very excited that the Truist West Virginia Foundation has recognized our efforts and our Artisan Entrepreneurship initiative, said Main Street Morgantown Executive Director Amy Loomis. That initiative, it represents about $200,000 of investments for bolstering artist entrepreneurs, giving them professional development opportunities to become successful, sustainable and growing businesses.

The money from this grant is being used to renovate Main Street Morgantowns former office space along High Street in Morgantown, into a retail lab where artists can showcase and sell their work to the community. Loomis stated this new space is a partnership pop-up with WVU Fashion Design and Merchandising, as well as the volunteers of Main Street Morgantown.

City of Morgantown passes ordinance banning camping on public land

According to Loomis, Morgantown Main Street has been working on downtown revitalization for the past 40 years. She said that part of their formula for success is making sure that small businesses have the opportunity to thrive, have the opportunity to incubate downtown, and perhaps even choose downtown as their permanent place of business.

When there are exciting businesses downtown, everyone wants to be there and stay, and shop and dine and play, said Loomis. And just really enjoy the historic core of their town.

Main Street Morgantown is currently planning to open the Retail Lab on Sept. 17, which is when the organization will also debut the first event of its speaker series. Loomis said that during this event, Meredith and Ross Lewis of the Lewisburg Surf Shop will be speaking with the community on the topic of How We Created a Luxury Retail Store.

This speaker series will be open to the public, and people will be able to preview the Retail Lab during this event. More information on how to register for this free event can be found via the Main Street Morgantown Facebook page.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  A Christian school at the center of a Supreme Court decision that required Maine to include religious schools in a state tuition program is appealing a ruling upholding a requirement that all participating facilities abide by a state antidiscrimination law.

An attorney for Crosspoint Church in Bangor accused Maine lawmakers of applying the antidiscrimination law to create a barrier for religious schools after the hard-fought Supreme Court victory.

The Maine Legislature largely deprived the client of the fruits of their victory by amending the law, said David Hacker from First Liberty Institute, which filed the appeal this week to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. It's engineered to target a specific religious group. That's unconstitutional.

The lawsuit is one of two in Maine that focus on the collision between the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling and the state law requiring that schools participating in the tuition program abide by the Maine Human Rights Act, which includes protections for LGBTQ students and faculty.

Another lawsuit raising the same issues was brought on behalf of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland; a Roman Catholic-affiliated school, St. Dominics Academy in Auburn, Maine; and parents who want to use state tuition funds to send their children to St. Dominics. That case is also being appealed to the 1st Circuit.

Both cases involved the same federal judge in Maine, who acknowledged that his opinions served as a prelude to a more authoritative ruling by the appeals court.

The lawsuits were filed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot discriminate between secular and religious schools when providing tuition assistance to students in rural communities that dont have a public high school. Before that ruling  in a case brought on behalf of three families seeking tuition for students to attend a Crosspoint-affiliated school  religious schools were excluded from the program.

The high courts decision was hailed as a victory for school choice proponents but the impact in Maine has been small. Since the ruling, only one religious school, Cheverus High School, a Jesuit college preparatory school in Portland, has participated in the states tuition reimbursement plan, a state spokesperson said.
State employee Justin Norris chants outside the governor's mansion, "Hey Janet Mills, we can't pay our bills" alongside his fellow union members on Sept. 26, 2023. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)

State of Maine employees will receive a one-time payment of $2,000 after their union took action earlier this year to improve the states classification and compensation plans.

After the Maine Service Employees Association SEIU Local 1989 filed a complaint with the Maine Labor Relations Board in February, the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services announced Thursday that it reached an agreement to provide the one-time payments to employees and study the states classification system used in determining payscale.

In a letter to executive branch workers Thursday morning, MSEA-SEIU President Mark Brunton said the agreement provides a reasonable path forward.

We think this settlement agreement is a step in the right direction in addressing the need for Maine State Government to solve the staffing crisis in state government that is the direct result of the well-documented state employee pay gap, Brunton said in a statement to Maine Morning Star. He added that a new compensation and classification system would address both problems.

The departments commissioner, Kirsten Figueroa said she is proud of the agreement, adding that this new study, bolstered by another generous lump sum payment, will advance our support of State employees and allow us to continue to focus on parity within our classification system.

Full-time employees will receive the $2,000 in a lump sum payment in early October, according to the news release from the department. The amount will be prorated for part-time, seasonal and intermittent employees.

The one-time payment is meant to recognize the time it will take a third-party to complete the in-depth study of the states classification system. The state will hire an outside consultant to study whether the current system meets the needs of todays workforce.

The study is expected to produce a report by the end of 2025. It will review employee attraction and retention and fair job grouping based on skills, knowledge and other factors.

Both parties will also be able to bargain over the reports findings in May 2026. The department will then submit a report to the Legislature by September 2026 detailing the recommendations and the Mills administrations next steps.

Implementing a new compensation and classification system for state workers would go a long way toward Maine State Government providing the quality services Maine people deserve, Brunton said. Our members have been advocating for this for years, and well keep advocating for it until it is implemented.

State employee compensation saga

After a 2020 market study of state employee wages found state government workers were paid 11% below market compared with other public sector employees and 15% below market compared with the private sector, the state made multiple commitments to conduct a comprehensive review of wage and classification systems.

Last year, the Legislature passed a bill requiring the state to do the study and submit a report by Jan. 31. Although the department submitted a report by that deadline, the union alleged in its February complaint that it was not complete.

The report the department released at the end of January said state worker wages have increased by at least 24% in less than five years, totaling the increases from the previous 16 years combined, and argued it was time to set aside the phrase pay gap.

However, in its complaint, MSEA alleged the study was not completed as required by statute because it didnt include an updated market pay study. The law passed last year by the Legislature calls for a recalculation of the market salary report using current salary data as part of the states comprehensive review.

Since the market pay study was not part of the January review, MSEA said earlier this year that there is no evidence for the claim that the state has addressed the pay gap.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  A growing number of Puerto Rican government officials on Thursday demanded answers from two private electric companies as the U.S. territory struggles with persistent power outages.

Tens of thousands of customers including schools, homes and businesses were left without electricity this week amid selective power cuts stemming from a deficit in generation, with several units out of service for maintenance.

On Thursday, lawmakers demanded that the presidents of Luma Energy, which oversees transmission and distribution of power, and Genera PR, which operates generation, appear the following day to answer questions about the ongoing outages that each company blames on the other.

No more excuses, we dont want any more explanations, said Carlos Mendez, a member of the islands House of Representatives. The people deserve a clear and precise answer.

On Wednesday, Luma issued a statement blaming the outages on a lack of electricity generation and crumbling infrastructure that Genera PR operates, saying it should accept its responsibility.

Meanwhile, Genera PR has claimed that Luma Energy requested that it reduce generation, which damaged the units currently being repaired.

Both companies were contracted after Puerto Ricos Electric Power Authority privatized operations as it struggles to restructure a more than $9 billion debt load and tries to modernize aging infrastructure dating from the mid-20th century whose maintenance was long neglected.

The U.S. territorys ombudsman, Edwin Garcia Feliciano, called on the governor to meet with energy officials to pursue concrete action. In a statement Wednesday, Garcia accused both companies of keeping Puerto Ricans hostage.

They do not feel the urgency or rush to solve the problem, he said.

The outages come just weeks after Tropical Storm Ernesto swiped past the island and left more than 730,000 clients without power. Crews are still making permanent repairs to the islands electric grid after Hurricane Maria razed it in September 2017 as a powerful Category 4 storm.
Major police operation under way in Munich after shots fired

Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa

A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area.

One "suspicious person" was shot, police in the southern German city wrote on X.

Police have called on residents to avoid the area and have set up traffic barriers.
More than half of people think it is acceptable for children to skip school to go on holiday, polling has found.

An Ipsos survey for The Telegraph found that 53 per cent of people think parents should be able to let their children skip class for a day to go on holiday without a schools permission.

The survey of more than 2,000 adults also found that 40 per cent think parents should be able to take their children on holiday for a week without teachers approval.

The poll, which took place between August 23 and August 27, showed that fewer than a third oppose parents withdrawing their children for a day without approval, while 13 per cent said they had no strong feelings.

Meanwhile, 60 per cent of people think parents should be able to pull their children from school without permission to go to a wedding.

Click here to view this content.

It comes despite the Government warning that the number of pupils frequently missing school is quickly becoming an absence epidemic.

More than one in five children were persistently absent last year, meaning they missed at least one day of school each fortnight.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has suggested that parents are partially to blame for soaring absence rates.

Writing in The Sunday Times last week, she said: Reasons for not being in school do not include cheaper holidays, birthday treats or even a runny nose. Nor do they include unpopular subjects or just not fancying it today. Too many parents think they do.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson - CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/BLOOMBERG

Ipsos polling for The Telegraph showed that 86 per cent of people in Britain think parents are most to blame for persistent absence among pupils, while two-thirds said children themselves are responsible for their school attendance.

However, the survey also showed that one in five parents have allowed their children to miss school for more than a day without a schools express permission in the past. It includes 10 per cent of parents who have done so in the past year.

A quarter of all people said they thought there should be no fines for unauthorised absence from school, which is one of the few measures councils can use to tackle truancy. The previous Tory government announced it would increase fines for unauthorised school absences from 60 to 80, which came into force last month.

The Telegraph understands there will be no government action on truancy ahead of the Budget at the end of October. Senior education sources said that ministers initial focus on tackling absence will be a tonal emphasis on the importance of children going to school.

Labour has already unveiled its long-term vision for tackling persistent absence, which it said will include rolling out free breakfast clubs to primary school children and using artificial intelligence to spot school absence trends.

The party has also pledged to introduce a register of children not in school, though this will only include children who are home-schooled or out of education entirely, rather than those who skip class occasionally.

A family prepares for their holiday at an airport - DEKLOFENAK/iSTOCKPHOTO

It follows repeated warnings that the unwritten social contract that parents should send their children to school broke down during the pandemic and has sparked a truancy crisis.

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Childrens Commissioner, said last year that a huge number of children are playing truant on Fridays as parents work from home.

She suggested that damaging new attitudes to schooling have begun to emerge post-Covid, including a huge amount of Friday absence that wasnt there before.

Parents are at home on Fridays. Weve had evidence from kids [who think]: Well, mum and dad are at home so Ill stay at home, the Childrens Commissioner told Parliament.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Dame Rachel urged parents sending their children to school for the first time this week to establish a good routine.

As a former teacher, headteacher and trust leader, I know there can be a lot of excitement and apprehension for parents and children alike around the first few days of school, she said.

These early years of a childs life are crucial in so many aspects of their development, so its important that children establish a good routine of going to school every day  because children who miss the first few days of school are much more likely to have a higher overall absence rate than their peers.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
(Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday the country will not stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea despite claims by Beijing that Malaysia was infringing on its territory.

Anwar, speaking from Russia where he is on an official trip, said Malaysia's exploration activities were within its territory and were not intended to be provocative or hostile towards China, with whom it has friendly relations.

"Of course, we will have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil, in our territory," Anwar said in a televised press conference in Vladivostok.

"We have never denied the possibility of discussion (with China). But it doesn't mean we have to stop the operation in our area."

Malaysia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it would investigate the leak of a classified diplomatic note from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

In the note, which was carried by a Philippine news outlet, Beijing asserted that Malaysia's oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea breached its territory.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, complicating energy exploration efforts by several of those countries.

Under international law, an EEZ does not denote sovereignty, but grants a country sovereign rights to extract natural resources from those waters.

Malaysian state energy firm Petronas, or Petroliam Nasional Berhad, operates oil and gas fields in the South China Sea within Malaysia's EEZ and has in recent years had several encounters with Chinese vessels.

Anwar said China has sent "one or two" protest notes to stop Malaysia's oil exploration activities, without specifying details, but stressed that the government would continue to explain to Beijing its position.

"We have said that we will not transgress other people's borders. That is our stringent policy and principles," he said.

"They know our position.... They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory."

"But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen."

An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague in 2016 ruled China's claim to about 90% of the South China Sea, made via a U-shaped "nine-dash line" on its maps, had no basis under international law, a decision Beijing does not recognise.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Danial Azhar in Kuala Lumpur; Editing by John Mair, Martin Petty)
(Bloomberg) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised President Vladimir Putin for steering Russias development and pledged to deepen ties, saying there was enormous potential to enhance regional trade relations already focused on semiconductors.

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Anwar, who is on a two-day visit to Russia, said it would be to Malaysias benefit if Russia shared its achievements and agreed to collaborate in all fields of endeavor. The countries are discussing tie-ups ranging from aerospace and advanced technologies to agriculture and food security.

You have shown your determination to be able to undertake difficulties and survive, and we would certainly benefit from this experience, Anwar said in a meeting with Putin on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

The Malaysian prime minister has followed in the footsteps of other Asian leaders in meeting with Putin since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, unmoved by the Wests condemnation of the Russian leader and his charges for alleged war crimes. The decision to visit Russia, Anwar said, was not an easy feat, but it was the right decision.

Anwar said Southeast Asian countries belonging to the Asean bloc have always engaged with Russia and there is an open trade focusing on semiconductors and other related fields. I look forward to work with you and your team, but more so, Mr. President, I agree with you. The potential is huge, he said.

Washington has been critical of smaller nations that have played host to Putin since Russia attacked Ukraine. The US Embassy in Hanoi earlier said no country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities, in response to Vietnam hosting the Russian leader this year.

Anwar said on Thursday he accepted a personal invitation from Putin for Malaysia to participate in the October BRICS Summit in Kazan. Joining the bloc, named after Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa, would allow Malaysia to benefit and share given the nation is a semiconductor hub, he said.

The global south network of BRICS would give us an opportunity to leverage this, Anwar said at the plenary session of the forum. The bloc will ensure there are fair trade practices and that the international financial infrastructure is not monopolized by one country or one region.

(Updates with comments from Anwar in paragraph seven and eight. An earlier version was corrected to make clear Anwar was on a two-day visit to Russia in paragraph two.)

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Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the country's waters.

Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following China's accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory. Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on Aug. 29.

We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory, Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijings controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea. The diplomatic note also expressed Beijings displeasure over Malaysias oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.

Anwar said it wasn't the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it shouldn't mar a strong relationship. Anwar had called China a "true friend during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

We have said that we will not transgress other peoples borders, Anwar said. They know our position ... They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory. But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.

Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijings claims to almost the entire South China Sea. Unlike the Philippines which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysias government prefers diplomatic channels. It rarely criticizes Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysias waters. This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysias top trading partner since 2009.
Man Accused of Plotting Brutal Murders of Ex-Wife and Her Boyfriend in 'Excruciating Detail': Prosecutor

Daniel Coppola is charged with the murders of Kelly Coppola and Kenneth Pohlman

Kelly Coppola/Facebook; Kenny Pohlman/Facebook Kelly Coppola (left); Kenneth Pohlman

The New York man accused of killing his ex-wife and her boyfriend while the suspects 15-year-old daughter sat in the car outside allegedly planned the murders in excruciating detail before authorities claim he fatally shot them both.

Daniel Coppola, 50, is accused of entering the Long Island home of his ex-wife, Kelly Coppola, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman, and shooting them both on Aug. 28, the Suffolk County Police Department alleged in a statement previously reported by PEOPLE.

Police responded to the residence after a 911 caller reported that a 15-year-old had left the Saint James residence with her father without her mothers knowledge," police said.

Inside, both Kelly and Pohlman were found shot to death, according to the department. Daniel was subsequently charged with two counts of murder.

Related: N.Y. Man Allegedly Killed Ex-Wife and Her Boyfriend While His Teen Daughter Sat in Car Outside

Newsday, CBS New York and WABC reported that Daniel pleaded not guilty to the charges in his arraignment on Friday, Aug. 30.

The outlets all reported alleged details revealed by prosecutors during the hearing. All three outlets say authorities claimed they found a note written by Daniel in which he planned the murders.

The note allegedly contained excruciating detail, prosecutors said, per Newsday.

I am of sound mind and I know exactly what I am going to do, Coppola wrote, per the newspaper.

NBC New York and CBS reported that Suffolk County police allege that Coppola put his daughter in the car before the murders.

"He reached out to her, told her to get out of the house, Detective Lieutenant Kevin Beyrer said, per NBC. He then went into the house and committed these murders."

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Members of Pohlmans family were in court for Coppolas hearing, where he pleaded not guilty. The victims family spoke to media afterward.

"They were soulmates, Pohlmans father said, according to CBS. He brought the best out of her and she brought the best out of him. They had a second chance. My son lost his wife 17 years ago.

CBS also reported that Pohlman was a father of three.



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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  A Virginia State Police trooper is facing multiple charges in Myrtle Beach after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at a Grand Strand resort.

Darren Hampton Roberts, 30, is accused of holding the woman against her will on a bed and assaulting her after an argument while they were at the Caribbean Resort and Villas at 3000 N. Ocean Blvd., according to information in a Myrtle Beach police report.

The Virginia State Police confirmed to News13 on Thursday that Roberts is a trooper assigned to the Wytheville Division Area 24 Office in Pulaski County, Virginia. He has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

The agency said it was notified of his arrest on Monday by Myrtle Beach police.

The Myrtle Beach police report said Roberts and the woman knew each other and that officers noticed multiple injuries visible on her body during their investigation.

Authorities have charged Hampton with kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual assault and first-degree domestic violence. He was booked into the J. Reuben Arrested on Tuesday and released on Wednesday after posting a $20,000 bond on Wednesday.

* * *

Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man accused of leading troopers on a chase with a child in tow was taken into custody.

Matthew Brayman Jr., 29, was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on Wednesday.

A warrant was issued for Braymans arrest after investigators with the Ohio State Highway Patrol identified him as the driver who led them on a chase on Interstate 680 in Mahoning County on Aug. 19.

Speeds reached about 100 mph, and the driver of the truck had his one-year-old in the backseat, who was later returned to its mother safely, investigators said. The driver got away at the time.

Brayman pleaded not guilty to a child endangering charge, as well as several traffic violations. He was released on bond following his arraignment on Wednesday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Man Arrested In Death Of Dog Breeder Allegedly Had Sold One Of His Puppies

A 36-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of killing a Colorado dog breeder who was reported missing last month and then found dead on land near his home, the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office announced Friday.

Sergio Ferrer is suspected of first-degree murder, felony murder and aggravated robbery in the death of 57-year-old Paul Peavey, who ran a business, Elite European Dobermans, on a 110-acre Rocky Mountain property. The businesss website touts Peaveys decades-long love of dogs and the quality of his litters.

Peaveys body was found on Aug. 24 by an organized search party, according to the sheriffs news release. The Clear Creek County Coroners Office said he had a gunshot wound and determined his death to be a homicide.

A spokesperson for Colorado state courts told HuffPost in an email that the district attorney has until Sept. 9 to file formal charges against Ferrer. He remains in jail, and HuffPost could not immediately identify an attorney representing him.

A photo of Paul Peavey as posted on a Facebook account. He was reported missing on Aug. 21. Facebook

Peavey was reported missing from his property on Aug. 21, according to an arrest warrant obtained by HuffPost. Deputies who went his home found his dogs had been left without food or water. The animals were taken to a shelter.

Two days later, a group of people conducting a search for Peavey found his body down a hill about 30 yards from his trailer, according to the warrant. The body had been covered in branches and rocks.

The man who found the body told deputies that he had called Peaveys cellphone after his disappearance, and it was answered by someone who seemed to be using a fake accent, the warrant said. The man said he believed it was Ferrer on the phone, and he told deputies that Ferrers daughter had been selling Doberman pinscher puppies on Facebook, the warrant said.

The man told deputies he believed several puppies were missing from the property, as well as cash, metal-detecting equipment and jewelry. Deputies confirmed in an earlier news release that many puppies are unaccounted for, possibly as many as 10 that were microchipped at a local veterinary service.

Ferrer was arrested at his workplace later that day on a separate outstanding warrant related to a weapons charge in Hamilton County, Nebraska.

According to the warrant detailing probable cause for murder and robbery, which was filed on Aug. 30, investigators interviewed a person who said theyd seen Ferrer holding a small Doberman on Aug. 23 while multiple dog crates were in his car.

Authorities searched Ferrers home, where they said they seized items including jewelry and a cellphone that belonged to Peavey. Clothes believed to have bloodstains were also reportedly found inside the home, according to the warrant.

In an interview with deputies on Aug. 26, Ferrer allegedly said he purchased the Doberman from Peavey two weeks before, but he later told detectives he went to Peaveys home on Aug.19 and took guns, some dog registration papers, metal detectors and a box of jewelry. However, Ferrer denied taking any puppies or harming Peavey, according to the warrant.

I saw an opportunity to take some stuff and put money in my pocket. But I didnt do nothing to Paul, Ferrer allegedly told detectives, claiming that the home was in filthy condition.

Ferrer claimed that he returned to Peaveys home the following day to apologize and return the items but that Peavey was missing, according to the warrant. Throughout his questioning, Ferrer denied killing Peavey or stealing dogs.

But deputies said they had been told by a veterinary clinic that Peavey had implanted 10 of his Doberman puppies with microchips and that one of them came into the clinic with a new owner, according to the warrant. The owner told investigators she had purchased the puppy for $775 from Ferrer, the warrant said. A second puppy was found to have been given to a local bartender by Peavey, according to reports by CBS News.

In an interview on Aug. 29, Ferrer told detectives that the case was a lot bigger than what you think, claiming Peavey was part of a drug cartel and the property was a stash house, according to the warrant. He reportedly told them that when he had gone to Peaveys property to make a final payment for the dog he bought, Peavey had fired a gun at him over a dispute about missing drugs and then Ferrer shot him in self-defense.

According to the warrant, Ferrer admitted to placing Peaveys body where someone might find him but covered it up out of respect.

Clear Creek authorities said Friday that the investigation is ongoing and that most of the Doberman puppies are still unaccounted for. They are urging the public to contact them if they have information on the missing dogs.

Related...
Man who beat friend to death with pole set to face judge

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man accused of beating a man to death with a pole last year and then leaving him in a field is scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.

Alfred Draper, 31, is charged with first-degree murder and is held in jail on a $750,000 bond.

Suspect wanted for beating man to death with pole arrested

WREG spoke with the victims sister in July and she says she was the one who found her brother unresponsive after a neighbor told her he was attacked.

The victim has been identified by family members as Shanqualus Morgan.

Memphis police homicide detectives say surveillance video captured Draper armed with a pole and chasing the victim. Draper was later seen on video footage putting the same pole in the trunk of a vehicle before leaving the scene.

Morgan was then found in a grassy field on Rayburn Street. Police say he was taken to the hospital with head trauma.

Unfortunately, Morgan never recovered from his injuries and stayed on life support for several days before taking his last breath.

According to the victims sister, Draper and her brother knew one another for years.

He grew up around my brothers, he knows my brother, he knows them, so for you to be the person to take my brothers life, that says a lot about you as a person because thats someone that you have known since you were knee high to a pup growing up, the victims sister said.

On July 31, U.S. Marshals found Draper inside a vehicle parked behind an East Memphis shopping center off Park Avenue and Getwell Road.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
By Ernest Scheyder

(Reuters) - Piedmont Lithium has pulled its application for a debt package from a popular U.S. government loan program and is scaling back ambitious expansion plans across two continents, as tumbling prices of the electric vehicle battery metal force the U.S. miner to conserve cash.

The retrenchment is among the starkest yet by a lithium company due to an 83% drop in prices in the past year fueled in part by Chinese overproduction and tepid EV sales rates that have caused industry layoffs and spooked investors.

Once a darling of Wall Street and retail investors because of supply agreements with Tesla and LG Chem, Piedmont has canceled its application with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) due in part to costs associated with the process, a company official told Reuters. Details of the move have not previously been reported.

The move - which comes after Piedmont canceled plans for a Tennessee lithium project that had received a $141.7 million government grant - is fueling questions about where the company hopes to secure financing for its flagship North Carolina project, projected to cost more than $1 billion.

Forgoing the grant was a gamble by Piedmont that it could get more government money by applying for a loan through the LPO.

Piedmont in May told shareholders it aimed to secure debt financing in the range of 65% to 75% of the cost of its North Carolina project, in line with conditional loans the LPO has extended to Lithium Americas, ioneer and others.

The loan review process requires that applicants pay for technical experts who bill at an hourly rate as they advise the LPO. The LPO also typically extends financing in tranches after expenses have been incurred, according to two applicants not connected to Piedmont, putting further financial stress on loan recipients.

In a statement to Reuters, Piedmont CEO Keith Phillips said the company does not feel "a sense of urgency at this stage" to move forward on the LPO application given market conditions and changes to its North Carolina plans. He added that the company will "maintain discipline and manage cash, which invariably means that our timelines for development will" be delayed.

"We would expect to submit a fresh application at a point in the future and we would look forward to working with (the DOE) when that time comes," Phillips said.

Piedmont, which reported $59 million in cash at the end of June, laid off nearly a third of its workforce earlier this year. Since last October, the company has spent $1.9 million on DOE loan application-related costs and stock and transaction-related expenses, although it declined to break each item out individually.

Story continues

The LPO said it was unable to comment due to confidentiality requirements around applicant information.

Reuters reported last week that LPO applicants have been rushing to close loans ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election.

'LACK OF TRUST'

Piedmont was founded in 2016 in Australia and moved its headquarters in 2021 to North Carolina, where it hopes to dig a 500-foot-deep (150-meter-deep) open-pit mine and build one of the largest U.S. lithium refineries.

Amid a surge in lithium prices, the company in 2021 invested in Ghana and Quebec. In 2022, Piedmont said it would build a second lithium refinery in Tennessee, plans that garnered the government grant and praise from President Joe Biden.

Piedmont last month canceled its Tennessee project - which had received all necessary permits - and said it would now plan to build two refineries in North Carolina, where the company received a state mining permit in April but must still obtain a zoning variance from the Gaston County Board of Commissioners.

Piedmont has not applied for the variance and commissioners will not consider any change until 2025 at the earliest, a delay from previous expectations for the process to start two months ago.

Phillips, the CEO, told investors last month he does not know when the North Carolina site could open.

"Our board's issues with Piedmont have never been about the EV transition, but about our lack of trust in the company and its project," said Chad Brown, chair of the county board of commissioners. Phillips and Brown plan to meet on Sept. 11, their first face-to-face meeting since 2021.

Piedmont would have to amend its state mining permit if it makes significant changes to its operational plans, state officials told Reuters.

In Quebec, Piedmont is a minority investor in Sayona Mining's North American Lithium project. The project is Piedmont's only source of cash, a reliance that in part led Macquarie analysts last month to downgrade the company's stock.

Piedmont is also the second-largest shareholder in Atlantic Lithium, which is developing a mine in Ghana that needs approval from the country's parliament. Piedmont has been selling its Atlantic shares to boost cash reserves, data from financial firm LSEG showed.

Piedmont is also searching for a customer to buy its portion of the project's lithium, which had been slated to supply the Tennessee refinery, Phillips told shareholders last month. Funds from that offtake would be used to pay for Piedmont's portion of the Ghana project's cost.

"The industry needs stronger pricing for big projects to be built. Full stop," said Phillips.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Veronica Brown and Marguerita Choy)
This image made from body camera footage provided by the Pierce County, Wash., Sheriff's Department shows a suspect wanted in a series of shootings along Interstate 5 in Washington state the day prior as they surrender to deputies early on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Pierce County Sheriff's Department via AP)

SEATTLE (AP)  A 44-year-old man accused of randomly shooting at vehicles on Interstate 5 south of Seattle, injuring six people including one critically, was charged with five counts of assault, King County prosecutors said Thursday.

The Washington State Patrol says Eric Jerome Perkins shot at three cars driving north on I-5 at around 8:30 p.m. Monday, and at three more vehicles heading south several hours later. People in all but one of the cars were injured. He's being held in the King County jail on a $1 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 19.

The defendant fired indiscriminately at multiple vehicles as he drove the busy freeways in the Seattle and Tacoma areas, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Herschkowitz said in his request for a high bail. He is responsible for causing several of the victims to sustain critical, life-threatening injuries."

Perkins has a criminal history in California that includes two burglary convictions, two receiving stolen goods convictions and one count of threatening with intent to terrorize and obstruct, Herschkowitz said.

Messages left with the King County Department of Public Defense seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Perkins claimed that people were stealing his identity, making threats and following him, so he took matters into his own hands and shot at cars to get them to back off, Washington State Patrol Detective Russell Haake said in a court filing.

Perkins told Trooper Kameron Watts that he tried to get help from the Tacoma and Fircrest police departments, but when that failed, he feared for his life and borrowed a Glock 40 handgun from a friend, the filing said. He told the trooper that he shot at the cars because they were trying to box him in.

The first victim was driving a 2022 Tesla northbound on I-5 Monday night when he noticed a white 2001 Volvo with California plates moving erratically. He called 911 but the Volvo driver fired two shots into a rear door, striking a passenger in the torso, critically injuring her.

Soon after, another driver reported hearing two pops before their window shattered, cutting the man's wife. A third driver called 911 a minute later saying he heard two shots and that his passenger had been struck by a bullet in the lower back. He was taken to the hospital.

Two hours later, the Volvo driver shot into the passenger door of a 2022 Kia carrying three adults and two children, Haake said. The bullet struck two of the adults in the leg. A few minutes later, another person called the state patrol to say someone had shot at her, breaking her side windows. At 11:01 p.m., another Tesla driver reported being shot in the neck.

At about 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, officers located the Volvo and took Perkins into custody without incident. They found a handgun between the center console and front passenger seat, the detective said.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A man who allegedly attacked a reality TV star in downtown San Francisco after hurling a racial slur at her has been charged with a hate crime, according to the San Francisco District Attorney.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Irving Rivera-Lara of San Francisco, was arrested in connection to an attack Sunday night on Wendy Drew, who appeared in the Netflix series You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment.

Southwest Airlines sued by City of Oakland over workers rights

According to the San Francisco DA, officers responded to the area of California Street and Drumm Street on Sunday at around 9:32 p.m. on a report of an assault. Officers arrived on the scene and met the victim, KRON4 has confirmed with Drew.

Drew told KRON4 she was on the phone with her mom when she got called the N-word. After confronting the suspect, Drew said the man turned around and started hitting her on the head.

It really breaks my heart. Hate is so alive in San Francisco. This is a city I moved into, expecting it to be a sanctuary city. I have never experienced this type of hate before, Drew said.

Hate crimes have no place in our community and must be addressed swiftly by the criminal justice system, said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. Attacks like this demean and degrade individuals while also shaking whole communities. I will do everything in my power to ensure there is accountability and justice in this case.

The suspect, Rivera-Lane was taken into custody. Prosecutors are seeking pre-trial detention due to the public safety risk he poses, the DA said.

The investigation remains active and open, according to the DAs office.

The attack on Drew is the latest in a series of possible hate crimes in San Francisco. Last week, racist graffiti and a noose were found at a community center in Lakeview.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Man charged in killings of mother, daughter in Worcester to face a judge on Friday

Man charged in killings of mother, daughter in Worcester to face a judge on Friday

The suspect in the killings of a mother and daughter in Worcester in late August is expected to face a judge on Friday afternoon.

William Rodriguez, 59, is slated to be arraigned in Worcester District Court at 2 p.m. on two counts of armed assault to murder in connection with the Aug. 25 murders of 76-year-old Sergia Acosta and her 58-year-old daughter, Ana Maria Martinez, a spokesperson for the Worcester District Attorneys Office told Boston 25 News.

Court officials initially said Rodriguez would appear some time on Thursday afternoon but later shifted the arraignment to Friday.

Rodriguez was arrested by law enforcement officials in the Bronx, New York, on Aug. 29 and had been in custody awaiting return to Massachusetts.

Officers responding to a report of a double stabbing at the Webster Square Towers on Main Street on Sunday, Aug. 25, found the two women dead in an apartment.

Rodriquez was in a relationship with Ana Maria for about a year, Boston 25s Bob Ward reported.

While investigators werent initially able to track Rodriquez down, court records revealed that police did locate a note in his apartment written in Spanish that read, Women who make mistakes will receive what is coming.

The murders of Sergia Costa and Ana Maria Martinez come twenty years after Rodriguez was arrested for the stabbing death of his wife, Carmen Rodriguez, at a Worcester hotel where they both worked.

In 2018 the Massachusetts Parole Board granted Rodriguez parole, finding, It appears that he accepts full responsibility for his actions resulting in the death of his estranged wife.

The board recommended GPS monitoring, a curfew, and evaluations for mental health and substance abuse. Just a few years later, Rodriquez is suspected in two more killings.

Rodriquez was eligible for parole because, in the case of his wifes murder, the Worcester DAs office accepted a guilty plea for manslaughter, instead of first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence with no parole.

Records reveal why man suspected in Worcester double murder was on the streets

Just weeks before her death, Carmen Rodriguez took out a restraining order against William writing, He will kill me, and I am afraid of him.

Court documents show Rodriguezs lawyer, citing Rodriguezs heroin use, was planning to mount an insanity defense.

An investigation into the deadly stabbing is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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Man Who Died by Suicide at Reno Casino Is Linked to Murder of 'Cherished Mother'

Catalina Aceves was remembered on a GoFundMe campaign as "a cherished mother, daughter, sister, aunt and best friend"

GoFundMe Catalina Aceves

A man who authorities say died by suicide at a Nevada casino has been linked to the killing of a woman in California.

The man, whose identity has not been made public, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a casino in Reno, Nev., according to a statement from the Yuba City Police Department in California. It's unclear when the man was found.

Following the discovery, Reno police asked Yuba City police to do a welfare check on a woman. On Sunday, Aug. 25, officers responded to the womans apartment and found her dead, per the release. Police said the deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide and did not share any information about a potential connection between the two.

PEOPLE reached out to the Yuba City Police Department for comment on Thursday, Sept. 5 but did not immediately hear back.

The womans name also hasnt been released by police, but she was identified by loved ones as 38-year-old Catalina Aceves on a GoFundMe campaign created to help offset funeral expenses.

The Sutter County Sheriff's Office also confirmed the womans identity, adding that Aceves was killed on Aug. 25, ABC 10 reports.

Cathy was a cherished mother, daughter, sister, aunt and best friend, Marisela Aceves wrote on the fundraising page. She was a happy, soulful, and spiritual woman who was a guiding light to everyone that had the pleasure of having her in their life.

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The fundraiser has garnered more than $21,000 in donations as of Thursday, Sept. 5.

According to police, the circumstances leading up to the deaths remain under investigation.

At this time, no other suspects are believed to be involved and there is no ongoing threat to the public, police said.



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Read the original article on People.
Man dies after being shot by Munich police outside Israeli consulate

Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

An armed man shot by police near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich has died, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said on Thursday.

Officers intervened after the person was seen "apparently carrying a gun," police in the southern German city said on the social media platform X.

At a press conference in Berlin, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the shooting as a "serious incident." The area of central Munich where it occurred was cordoned off by police.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Munich police, who, in my view, are doing a good job," said Faeser. "The protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as you know, has the highest priority."

The incident took place on the anniversary of a notorious terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.
A 32-year-old suspect who has evaded authorities for nearly three weeks following the alleged hit-and-run death of a skateboarding 7-year-old boy has been arrested, according to authorities.

Donald Mynatt, 32, has been wanted by the Cleveland Division of Police for leaving the scene of an accident that caused the death of the child. On Aug. 16, 7-year-old Amir Prewitt was riding his skateboard in a parking lot in the area of 16000 Lakeshore Blvd. on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio, and was allegedly hit and dragged under the suspects vehicle before the driver fled the scene, according to a statement from the U.S. Marshals issued on Wednesday.

MORE: Archery hunter survives surprise grizzly bear attack

The young boy was immediately taken to the hospital but later died from the injuries suffered in the hit and run incident, authorities said.

Cleveland Police Homicide Detectives were able to identify the vehicle, a Mercedes SUV, from the incident and located it a day later, abandoned, said the U.S. Marshals. On August 28 Detectives issued a warrant for Donald Mynatt for leaving the scene of an accident that caused the death of the child. Members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force began looking for Mynatt immediately.

MORE: Body of woman missing for 2 years found under backyard firepit, roommate charged with murder

After nearly three weeks of police evasion, the task force located Mynatt early Wednesday morning in an apartment building in the 4800 block of East 355th St. in Willoughby, Ohio.

Mynatt was arrested there without incident and transported to Cleveland Police, officials said.

"I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of our members and the United States Marshals Service in making this arrest. The loss of Amir has impacted our community and the Division of Police. Our teams have worked tirelessly investigating and following all leads to bring closure for Amir's family. We ask the community to keep his family in your prayers," said Chief Todd.

MORE: Dog breeder found dead and as many as 10 of his Doberman puppies have vanished

Members of our task force work meticulously to find and arrest this suspect, it was clear he knew he was wanted and was doing everything he could to evade arrest. This suspect had no regard for this childs life, and we hope this arrest will let the family begin to grieve and the justice system to begin to work for Amir, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott added.

The investigation into Prewitts death is currently ongoing.

Man who evaded cops for weeks after hit and run death of 7-year-old boy arrested originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(WJET/WFXP)  A Canadian man was extradited from his car and hospitalized following a crash on Interstate 79.

On Sunday, September 1, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Meadville responded to a crash on I-79.

Driverless car crash causes chaos on Peach Street Monday

According to police, the driver of the vehicle, a 49-year-old man from Toronto, Ontario, was heading north on the highway when he traveled off the east side of the road after failing to negotiate a left-hand curve.

After leaving the roadway, the man then entered the woods, hitting several trees before the car rolled over onto its side.

PSP releases Labor Day crash statistics

Police stated the man claimed he lost control of the vehicle due to the groves in the roadway during construction.

The driver sustained injuries during the crash and had to be extradited from the vehicle. He was later transported to Meadville Medical Center.

The Greenwood Township Fire Department, Meadville Ambulance and Gretow Heavy Rescue all assisted PSP on the scene.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  An armed man was arrested on Sunday morning after he allegedly assaulted officers, threatened civilians, and brandished a handgun near a Salt Lake City high school, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Kristopher Michael Parham, 34, is facing six counts of assault on peace officer/military with use of a dangerous weapon, all second-degree felonies; 11 counts of aggravated assault, all third-degree felonies; one count of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony; one count of failure to stop at command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor; and one count of interfering with a peace officer, a class B misdemeanor.

READ NEXT: Woman, 3 children found dead in car at West Haven home

According to the affidavit, the incident took place in the 1100 block of E 800 S. just before 3 a.m. on Sunday.

Parham reportedly made threats to several people living in a house and police were informed that he had a handgun. When officers showed up to the scene, Parham reportedly fled.

Four police officers made announcements of their presence and commanded the suspect to stop. The probable cause statement said Parham reached for his gun in the presence of police on multiple occasions, even after police chased him on foot and tackled him.

The affidavit stated six officers were involved in the attempts to detain the man and were in immediate danger of being shot.

Police interviewed the person who made the 911 call, and discovered that they were a victim of an aggravated assault. Parham reportedly brandished the handgun to the caller and made a comment saying the person who called police was dead.

Police said two other people made contact with the suspect, and he made similar threats toward them.

The affidavit of probable causes said that, in total, 11 people, all of whom were in the house where the incident took place, were affected by the threats.

Parham was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on the aforementioned charges.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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This man had alcohol at a Fresno elementary school, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A man has been arrested after being accused of having an alcoholic beverage at an elementary school in Fresno, the Fresno Police Department said.

Officers say on Tuesday they were dispatched to the Susan B. Anthony Elementary School in Fresno shortly after 3 p.m. regarding a possibly intoxicated individual.

Upon arrival, police say they contacted 34-year-old Kellan Carter. Carter was found to be in possession of an unsealed alcoholic beverage and he also admitted to having been drinking alcohol.

Due to his level of intoxication, investigators say he was taken into custody under suspicion of public intoxication and booked into the Fresno County Jail.

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Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

An armed man was killed after shooting at police near the Israeli Consulate General in central Munich, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said on Thursday.

Herrmann said the man, whose identity has not yet been established, "shot at the police officers" and died after they "returned fire."

Police said none of the five officers involved in the shooting sustained injuries.

No other casualties have been reported, and there are no indications of further suspects.

The incident took place on the anniversary of the Munich massacre, a terrorist attack by Palestinian militants which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told dpa that none of its employees were harmed in the incident on Thursday, as the consulate was closed for a memorial service to remember the victims of the attack.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the shooting as a "serious incident."

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Munich police, who, in my view, are doing a good job," said Faeser in Berlin. "The protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as you know, has the highest priority."

Police search for motive

Munich police launched a major operation, with helicopters deployed and roadblocks set up at the scene around Karolinenplatz, near the Israeli consulate and the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism.

The area was cordoned off by police and residents warned to stay away from the scene.

Police initially confirmed on X that officers had fired several shots at a "suspicious person," as reports of the incident emerged on social media.

Israeli Consul General Talya Lador-Fresher said on X that the incident "shows how dangerous the rise of anti-Semitism is."

On September 5, 1972, a group of Palestinian terrorists took 11 members of the Israeli team hostage at Munich's Olympic village in an attempt to secure the release of 230 Palestinians in Israeli custody.

In the course of events, all 11 hostages were killed, mostly in a botched rescue attempt by German security forces. Five of the eight Palestinian terrorists were also killed.

Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa
Revenue for Raising Cane's rose by 33% in the first half of this year, sources told Bloomberg.

The privately held company released financials as part of a $500 million debt-financing deal.

The chicken-finger giant's founder, Todd Graves, is thought to have a net worth of over $10 billion.

The chicken-finger chain Raising Cane's has enjoyed surging popularity in recent years. But because the company is privately held, it's difficult to know exactly how quickly it's growing.

That changed this week. Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the company disclosed to investors that its revenue increased by a sizable 33% year over year through the first six months of 2024. Sales came in at $2.3 billion for the period, up from $1.7 billion in the first half of 2023.

Further, adjusted earnings were $464 million in the first half of the year, up by 26% from the same period in 2023.

The financials were shared as part of a $500 million debt-financing deal. Raising Cane's is planning to use the proceeds to pay down existing debt obligations and invest in general corporate purposes.

The chicken chain's success has turned its founder, Todd Graves  who owns 90% of the company  into a billionaire and the richest person in Louisiana. Bloomberg said that accounting for the new financials, Graves' net worth is $10.2 billion, a $3.3 billion increase from the last time it was calculated.

Raising Cane's is a unique success story in the fast-food world given its limited menu; the restaurant offers chicken fingers, fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and its renowned Cane's sauce. The menu's simplicity allows the company to churn through customers.

The chain says it has more than 800 locations globally, mostly in the US, and has pledged to continue growing.

Read the original article on Business Insider
"Ive never seen anything like this, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriffs Office said

Monterey County Sheriff Vicente Joseph Arroyo

A Southern Calif. man has been arrested after police said he went on an hours-long crime spree, killing more than 80 animals.

Vicente Joseph Arroyo of Prunedale allegedly began randomly shooting multiple weapons and killed 81 animals, including miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and other birds during an approximate 3-hour period," according to a press release from the Monterey County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Police began receiving calls regarding gunfire early Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Getty animals  stock image

Per the outlet, Prunedale residents within a five-mile radius were ordered to shelter in place as SWAT teams and other agencies, including the Seaside Fire Department and Gonzales Police Department, responded.



Related: Aspiring Influencer Tortured Animals on YouTube for Likes, Say Police: Barbaric

After obtaining a search warrant, detectives recovered a total of 15 weapons including five long rifles, a shotgun, a handgun, an unserialized assault rifle and handgun (commonly referred to as ghost guns") and "7 additional firearms and ammunition," the MCSO said in its release.

Additional ammunition in varying calibers was also seized bringing the estimated total of rounds of ammunition to near or above 2000 rounds, police added.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said in a statement, It is without a doubt that the warrant served by our deputies and detectives, which has resulted in the seizure of these additional weapons, has made our community safer. I am confident that we have prevented another tragedy from happening in the future.

The Times added that the 39-year-old suspect and the animals lived on the property, citing Cmdr. Andres Rosas, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriffs Office.

Getty police car  stock image

"Ive been in law enforcement for 24 years and Ive never seen anything like this, Rosas told the Times in a phone interview. Being an animal lover, they become part of your family, and for them to be taken in this manner is horrible.

The SPCA Monterey County Humane Investigations team was also at the scene. SPCA Monterey County spokesperson Beth Brookhouser told the Times that only five parakeets survived, however, they were "severely injured" and needed to be humanely euthanized to end their suffering.

Related: Oklahoma Man, Woman at Large After Being Seen on Pet Store Camera Allegedly Killing Parakeet, Bunny

Per MCSOs press release, Arroyo was taken to the Monterey County Jail where he was booked for violation of Willful Discharge of a Firearm with Gross Negligence; Cruelty to Animals; Illegal Possession of Assault Weapon; Vandalism and Criminal Threats.

He was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Arroyos bail was first set at $50,000, but detectives with the Monterey County Sheriffs Office obtained a bail enhancement. He was booked into the Monterey County Jail on $1,000,000 bail where he remains as of Wednesday evening.

It is not immediately clear if Arroyo has legal counsel.



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Read the original article on People.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A man was sentenced to one year and two months after selling a stolen dirt bike to an undercover cop last year in Norfolk.

26-year-old Rashane Griffith was attempting to sell a blue dirt bike in Norfolk on Facebook Marketplace. The bike has been reported stolen in January 2023 by a man in Bladen County, NC. An investigator in Bladen County contacted the Virginia State Police to help investigate and they initiated an undercover operation.

On Sept. 15, 2023, undercover agents waited at the agreed location in a parking lot off Chesapeake Boulevard. Griffith arrived in a white Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, spoke with someone in the parking lot and returned later driving the dirt bike. Another individual followed him driving the Challenger.

After selling the dirt bike to the agent, it was confirmed it was the stolen bike. Griffith was arrested after a brief foot pursuit, and the driver of the Challenger drove off. The car was later found in his girlfriends parking spot at her Newport News apartment.

The agents contacted the girlfriend, and she handed over a key fob programmed to the Challenger, and the agents confirmed that the Challenger was also stolen and its VIN tampered with. The VIN on the Challenger that was visible to the agents was later determined to have been copied from a different, legally registered car.

On May 30, Griffith pleaded guilty as charged to felony sale of stolen property, two counts of felony alteration of vehicle identification numbers, felony receipt of stolen goods, and misdemeanor fleeing from law enforcement. Griffith agreed to plea guilty to his charges and he would serve one year and two months in prison, with another three years and three months in custody suspended on the conditions that he complete three years of uniform good behavior and pay restitution to the rightful owner of the dirt bike.

The Virginia State Police did a fine job in tracking and solving this interstate vehicle-theft crime, said Commonwealths Attorney Ramin Fatehi. There are casual car thieves who steal when the opportunity arises, but Mr. Griffiths crimes were different. Mr. Griffith planned his thefts and was trying to cover up his crimes to make money. We will continue to hold accountable the individuals who drive a disproportionate amount of crime in our city.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
Man sentenced to life in prison in 2018 killing of Olathe 17-year-old

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Another person has been sentenced in the killing of a 17-year-old boy from Olathe last year.

The Kansas District Attorneys Office announced on September 5 that Malik Delva has been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole until he completes a 25-year sentence or a Hard 25.

ChiefsAholic sentenced in bank robbery, money laundering scheme

This sentence is from a charge of first-degree murder. Delva was also charged, and sentenced, for distribution of marijuana. This charge resulted in a sentence of 154 months in prison. The court ordered that these sentences run consecutively.

Delva was found guilty by a jury earlier this year, on March 7, 2024.

The incident that the charges stem from occurred on June 15, 2018, in the 100 block of South Clairborne Road.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  A man who shot another man outside a North Charleston motel with the incident being caught on surveillance footage received his sentence Thursday.

Hikeem Ishmar George Clinton pleaded guilty to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. State prosecutors dropped charges of attempted murder, grand larceny, and unlawful carry.

It all stems from a shooting incident outside a North Charleston motel on May 19, 2023. Police responded to the Stay Inn Express on Rivers Avenue in response to shots fired reports.

When they arrived, no one was there; however, they found shell casings in the area. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage, which showed one man firing towards another in the parking lot. Prosecutors said the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two.

Law enforcement received a call about a gunshot victim showing up to receive care at a nearby hospital and determined that to be the victim, the solicitors office said in court. The victim identified Clinton as the shooter.

Prosecutors said the victim has charges for his own arrest in both Berkeley and Charleston counties.

Clintons attorney revealed in court that during the time of the shooting, Clinton was dealing with the loss of his brother from a similar shooting incident.

Family members spoke on behalf of Clinton in the courtroom, saying that the incident was out of character for him and that his grandmother, who raised him, is in hospice care, with her health steadily declining.

Clinton became emotional when family members spoke of his grandmother, audibly choked up as he apologized to the courtroom and judge for his actions.

Judge Jennifer McCoy sentenced Clinton to eight years for the assault charge and five for the weapons, with sentences to run concurrently. He will also receive credit for the 458 days he has already served in jail.

As Clinton was escorted out, he and his family shared emotional I love you and Ill see you soon.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
DENVER (KDVR)  A man who filed 15,433 fraudulent businesses with the Colorado Secretary of States office over 18 months will dissolve those businesses and pay $75,000 in penalties under a settlement arranged with the Colorado Attorney Generals Office.

The settlement was announced Wednesday by Attorney General Phil Weiser, who said in a release that the filings were made during a period when the secretary of state reduced new business filing fees from $50 to $1. The registrant was given $49 credits for each business formation.

Colorado AG joins lawsuit accusing RealPage of illegal rent price-fixing scheme

By creating these businesses and obtaining the fee credit, in addition to selling or transferring ownership of the businesses, the Attorney Generals Office alleged that Marcio Garcia Andrade was able to unjustly enrich himself.

Fraudulent business filings are dangerous tools in the hands of bad actors. Consumers might assume these companies are legitimate and get lured into making transactions  including extending credit to  with an illegitimate actor. And consumers may be unable to reach a fake business with any concerns, Weiser said in a release. The defendant in this case is being held accountable for his conduct, and my office will continue to pursue those who attempt to defraud the state and harm consumers with false business filings.

According to the lawsuit filed in September 2023, Andrade used a Northglenn residential address in forms he filed with the state between February 2022 and August 2023. However, the property owner of the address nor the resident permitted Garcia Andrade to use the address in his business filings, and Andrade did not have a primary residence or usual place of business in Colorado. Therefore, Andrade was ineligible to serve as a registered agent in the state.

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Under the settlement, Andrade cannot file any new businesses that do not comply with state law. He will also repay $75,000 over 18 months to Colorado.

According to the court filing, Andrade was previously permanently enjoined from running fraudulent credit service businesses under a 2019 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A man is critically injured following a Thursday afternoon shooting in Nashvilles Napier area, according to officials.

Metro Nashville dispatch said the incident was reported just before 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5 along Fain Street.

1 dead, 2 charged after shooting at Smyrna gas station

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, a 58-year-old man was shot numerous times outside of a building on Fain Street. He reportedly was brought to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in critical condition.

A male subject, described by officials as approximately 5-feet 7-inches tall, was seen jumping into a white SUV that sped away from the location.

Metros Most Wanted: Rape, assault suspect in custody after year-long search

Authorities told News 2 they cleared the area and did not find any other victims. However, Fain Street is currently closed between Fairfield Avenue and Lewis Street.

No additional details have been released about this incident.

 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.

 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man was shot multiple times while driving in Youngstown Wednesday night.

Police responded to the 100 block of Willis Avenue where Youngstown Police Captain Jason Simon said the 27-year-old man was found still inside the vehicle.

Reports state the man had multiple gunshot wounds to his upper left leg. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.

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Man, son killed in Corryville shooting were trying to rob people, police say

The father and son killed in a July shootout in Corryville were trying to rob three victims, according to a police report released Thursday.

Shawn McDaniel Sr., 44, and his son, Shawn McDaniel Jr., 22 were killed in the early morning shooting on July 1. Police listed the pair as suspects in the report. However, the report does not say who killed the McDaniels, only that there was a gunfight.

More: Police: Father, son among 3 men killed in Corryville mass shooting

Related: Corryville tries to heal after mass shooting spurred by drug or weapons sales

Three people were killed and two more were wounded in a July 1 shooting in Corryville.

Laurenz Nixon, 21, was fatally shot in the incident as well, however, the police report does not say who killed Nixon. Two other people, who have not been named, were wounded in the shooting, investigators reported.

No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the incident.

The Enquirer has asked both the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office for more information but received no reply at the time of this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police: Man, son killed in Corryville shooting identified as suspects
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A guest at a Las Vegas Strip resort is accused of using a homemade flamethrower device to trigger the buildings sprinkler system in an incident that prompted a counterterrorism response, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Gavin Hamilton, 26, faces charges including assault with a deadly weapon, arson and drug possession, records said.

On Sunday, Sept. 1, a person at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas called 911 about an incident inside the hotel involving maintenance workers and the buildings fire protection system. Officers learned a person triggered a water flow alarm in a stairwell, leading a worker to encounter Hamilton, documents said.

When maintenance workers attempted to approach Hamilton in the stairwell, he allegedly lit an unknown liquid through a hose toward them, police said. Police described the device in Hamiltons backpack as a flammable liquid connected with a 3-foot-long metal hose.

The Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel and casino stands on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

While speaking with officers, Hamilton, who was covered in a black oily substance, reportedly said he was running from two people in the stairwell. He said his backpack had several items inside  including bongs, butane and a meth pipe  which he used to create a flamethrower device, police said.

Hamilton said he activated the sprinkler to open a locked door, police said. Instead, only black water was released, and the door did not unlock.

Hamilton was a guest at the property, police said.

Hamilton did not appear for his initial court hearing on Sept. 2, records said. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Amy Ferriera set bail at $34,000. Hamilton remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Wednesday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Man spent decade in prison for murder. Now hes accused of killing teen  in same Miami area

Wayne Sanders spent a decade behind bars for his role in fatally gunning down a retired man during a robbery in South Florida. He was 12 at the time.

Last month  two years after he was released from state prison  the now 28-year-old was charged with the killing of a teen girl who, police say, was caught in the crossfire of an escalating fight. Then on Tuesday, he was charged in connection to the 2023 robbery of a man who was held at gunpoint for jewelry.

The three crimes share a similarity: all occurred in the parking lots of neighboring Miami-Dade apartment complexes.

Shortly after 11 p.m. on June 1, Sanders argued with a woman in the parking lot of the Lincoln Fields apartment complex, 2020 NW 65th St., according to police. The scuffle escalated to gun violence  and 18-year-old Shakeria Denise Williams was struck by the hail of bullets.

Williams, affectionately known by loved ones as Shay-Shay, was shot in the chest, a warrant says. She died from her injuries.

Shakeria Denise Williams

At the time of the 2023 mugging, the man was carrying his 2-year-old daughter in the parking lot of the Buena Vista Apartments, 2010 NW 63rd St., an arrest report states. The complex is located right next to Lincoln Fields.

The toddlers other parent was able to grab her and take her to safety. When the man told Sanders he didnt have anything else, the report says, Sanders hopped in a car and zoomed away.

In early July, Sanders was extradited from Georgia, where he was arrested in connection to Williams killing. Hes charged with second-degree murder, among other gun offenses, and is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.

Before the murder, surveillance footage from the scene captured Williams hanging out with friends in the backseat of a burgundy 2014 BMW 328i when the unrelated squabble between Sanders and another woman broke out in the parking lot, the warrant states. Sanders threw an alcoholic drink at a woman, who then  in return  lunged her cell phone at him.

Sanders, police say, threatened to kill the woman. A man handed him a firearm before he walked back from his car  and the woman, too, grabbed a gun.

He then fired into the air as the woman ran away, ducking for cover around the BMW, according to the warrant. Sanders continued to spray bullets, which struck Williams, as he aimed at the other woman.

It should be noted that both [Sanders] and [the woman] armed themselves during the incident; however, [Sanders] quickly became the aggressor, escalating the verbal altercation to attempt to murder [the woman,] detectives say in the warrant.

When Sanders realized he shot Williams, he sped off in a Mercedes-Benz, police say. A witness, who was in the drivers seat of the BMW, identified Sanders as the gunman in a photo line up.

Investigators found more than a dozen 10mm shell casings on the scene, according to the warrant. Police also uncovered that Sanders contacted Williams father after his daughters death.

Part of what he allegedly told her father was redacted in the arrest warrant, though police say he claimed he would turn himself in when he killed the woman with whom he was bickering in the parking lot.

Killings share similarities

As a 12-year-old boy, Sanders stood accused of collaborating with an 18-year-old man to ambush and rob 76-year-old Arlin Smith.

Smith was a retired roofer and construction worker who was gunned down while driving his white Ford Crown Victoria into the parking lot of Lincoln Fields on the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2008, according to the Miami Herald archives. Smith, who had survived a stroke and cancer, died inside his car.

I cant get my head around it, son Tyrone Smith told the Miami Herald in 2008. I used to go to his house with him sitting there. Id rub him on his little head and tell him I loved him.

Sanders case was transferred from juvenile court in 2012, records show. Three years later, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and robbery charges in exchange for a 10-year sentence, according to a memo penned by prosecutors.

There was no evidence, the document says, that he was armed at the time of the killing.

The murder case was largely based on defendant Sanders confession and the fact that he left his fingerprint on the victims car, the memo states.

Before taking that deal, Sanders was asked to testify against his codefendant  who prosecutors believe was the shooter, according to the document. If he did, his case would be dropped.

But Sanders, the memo says, breached the terms of the agreement. The charges against his codefendant were dropped in 2012, court records indicate, and Sanders was released from prison in March 2022.

The reason for the dropped charges: No forensic evidence linked back to Sanders codefendant, according to a memo written by prosecutors. Fingerprints on the car were traced back to Sanders, and the boy had confessed. A witness who had placed the codefendant at the scene also walked back on his statement before trial.

A crime spree?

In the warrant, investigators noted that Sanders may have been connected to another murder that occurred about 10 hours before Williams killing.

While police didnt delve into details in the document, they allege that cell site data placed Sanders phone at the scene of that murder. He was also identified as the renter of the car used in the slaying, which investigators state was committed by multiple individuals.

READ MORE: Two people shot to death in cars minutes away from each other in Miami-Dade, cops say

Around 12:30 p.m. on June 1, the same time referenced in the warrant, police found Edward Bernard Bailey, a 53-year-old father of six, shot to death at the Sunflex gas station on Northwest 17th Avenue and 79th Street in West Little River. The establishment is located about five minutes away from where Williams was killed later that night.







He hasnt been charged in that case.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Russian firms were able to obtain spare parts for 25-year-old ASML chipmaking machines in 2022 to 2023 on secondary markets despite European Union sanctions, Dutch newspaper Trouw reported on Thursday, citing Russian customs documents.

ASML, Europe's largest technology firm, dominates the market for advanced lithography systems, which use light beams to help create the circuitry of chips.

Although its 1990s-era tools are not considered "dual use" equipment with potential military applications, they would still be useful for Russian companies making analogue chips for the country's war in Ukraine, including for drones.

However, following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, European sanctions have blocked sales of electronics equipment to Russia.

ASML told Reuters that it abides by the sanctions, and that even before they were imposed, it had sold few tools in Russia.

"ASML doesnt sell products or services to Russia and doesn't interact with Russian distributors. Nothing has been sent by ASML to Russia in recent years and sanctions restrict the sale of PAS and Twinscan systems, as well as spare parts, to Russia" it said in an emailed response to queries.

The Trouw story focused on ASML's PAS-5500 tools, which date from the 1990s and 2000s, when ASML was an up-and-coming challenger to the top companies of the day, Japan's Nikon and Canon. It said Russian trading firms bought the spare parts through Chinese middlemen.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.

The PAS-5500 is no longer being built, but most of those made in the past are still in operation. Used machines are sometimes sold or refurbished and ASML makes and sells spare parts to accredited owners.

The Trouw story said it had viewed documents showing 170 instances of relevant spare parts being imported by Russian firms. It said the firms involved declined comment while the Chinese vendors were untraceable.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A man sustained life-threatening injuries after being shot Wednesday night in Pinellas County, according to authorities.

The shooting happened at about 8:30 p.m. in the 5300 block of 79th Street North. The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office said a man was found shot and he was taken to a hospital.

Deputies said there is no threat to the public. Its unclear if anyone is in custody.

No other details were immediately available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Man wanted after DC officers death appears in court for first time

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The man wanted for throwing a loaded gun that led to the accidental death of Investigator Wayne David appeared in court for the first time Thursday after turning himself in to police on Wednesday night.

Tyrell Lamonte Bailey, 27, faces three charges: possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and unlawfully discarding a firearm and ammunition.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was searching for Bailey in the week after Davids death.

Police arrest man wanted for dropping gun in drain that went off, killed DC officer

At around 5:40 p.m. on Aug. 28, officers were canvassing the 4500 block of Quarles Street NE when they said they saw Bailey get out of a suspicious car. Officers tried to stop him, but he ran toward I-295 South.

MPD said Bailey jumped down from a retaining wall and dropped a gun in a storm drain before he got on the back of a motorcycle and fled.

U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia

David and several other officers were called to the scene to recover the gun from the drain. Thats when it accidentally discharged and hit him. He was taken to a hospital where he later died. He was 52 years old.

DC police identify man wanted for ditching gun that went off, killed investigator retrieving it

Technicians from the Department of Forensic Sciences responded to the scene at about 7 p.m., removed the storm drains metal cover and recovered a Smith & Wesson M+P Shield 40, .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.







Outside the courtroom, Baileys grandmother Sheila Bailey Wilson said, Its a bunch of bull****. She said her grandson wasnt doing anything suspicious that night.

Hes a good person. Hes a hard-working man. Hes supposed to be at work now, Wilson said.

She mentioned he has a daughter turning two on Oct. 4.

A detention hearing was set for Sept. 10 at 11:30 a.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Pauly Denetclaw

ICT

CHICAGO  The scenes outside compared to inside the United Center couldnt have been more different on Thursday night, the final day of the Democratic National Convention. Uncommitted delegates, some of whom are Palestinian, were in tears and holding each other. After days of advocacy at the convention, it was final, their request to have a Palestinian-American address the convention to talk about the death, hunger and violence happening in Gaza was denied.

The 30 uncommitted delegates were there to represent the hundreds of thousands of voters who cast their ballots as a protest to show the Democratic Party they did not agree with the Biden administration's stance on the Israel-Gaza War.

Simultaneously, the vast majority of the Democratic delegates were inside the convention celebrating and cheering. The momentum of the speakers was building in preparation for Vice President Kamala Harris to officially become the first Black woman, the first South Asian person, and the first woman of color to become the presidential nominee of a major political party.

Related: Past, present Indigenous elected leaders endorse Kamala Harris

As Harris outlined her stance for American voters on the Israel-Gaza War, she said sternly, looking forward into the at-capacity crowd, that she will always support Israels right to defend itself.

A handful of people in the crowd could be overheard yelling, Free Palestine. Their voices were quickly drowned out by cheers and chants, a common strategy used throughout the week when pro-Palestine demonstrators tried to disrupt speakers at the caucus and council meetings.

USA! USA! USA! the crowd chanted.

Harris didnt condemn the violence in Gaza, where Palestinian health authorities have reported that over 40,000 people have died, instead describing the violence as devastating, and heartbreaking. Harris reiterated her support for a ceasefire deal that would end Israels attacks on Gaza, and release the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group.

But will this be enough for Indigenous voters?

The Israel-Gaza War is an important issue to Indigenous voters because of the similarities between Israels occupation of Palestine, and the United States colonization of Native lands. Many of the Indigenous delegates, attendees, and elected officials at the convention were showing their support for Palestine by wearing a keffiyeh, a Ceasefire Delegate pin, Not Another Bomb pin, or a Democrats for Palestinian Rights stole.

Arizona's Pima County recorder, Gabriella Cazares-Kelly, Tohono O'odham, is part of the Indigenous elected officials who have endorsed Kamala Harris during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Pauly Denetclaw, ICT)

A keffiyeh is a scarf typically worn by men in some parts of the Middle East. It has now become a symbol of support for Palestinian liberation.

It's a complicated issue, and I hate that answer, but the fact that the genocide that we faced as people  and Pequot was ground zero with a massacre in 1637, and that effort was replicated across Indian Country for the following centuries. We know a little something about it, said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The Middle East conflict itself has been going on for generations, and so it's not an easy solution, but what's happening today just can't be acceptable, Butler added.

Some Indigenous activists and organizations have also called for a permanent ceasefire, and embargo on arms to Israel.

Indigenous perspectives from the DNC

It was the first night of the convention and April Ignacio, an Arizona delegate, was making her way around the packed floor. She had just met CNNs Jake Tapper and MSNBCs Joy Reid  the people who keep her up-to-date on American politics.

Its amazing being able to explain I'm Native American and I watch your show. I appreciate your commentary, and sometimes I don't agree with all of them, but I appreciate your voice, Ignacio said.

The United Center was roaring with conversations, and made it challenging to hear. People brushed shoulders with Ignacio, Tohono O'odham Nation, as they walked past her because there was little room to maneuver around the convention floor.

She was part of a small group of people who were wearing a Democrats for Palestinian Rights stole.

As a Native American, understanding the genocide that occurred here in the United States, and then we're watching a genocide happen in real time on cable news and all media outlets, that even if I'm the only one, it's a time to be bold, Ignacio said.

Ignacio did acknowledge that it was challenging for her to support Harris despite her position on the war.

I was really struggling because of the war in Palestine. So I'm having to focus on the things that I do like, she said. I think that I can stand in solidarity with Palestine, and I can still show up for the first African American woman president  to elect the first. Those things are not mutually exclusive.

There is discourse online slamming the Native left for continuing to support the Democratic Party.

Gila River Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis is also in support of a ceasefire. He hopes that despite the policy differences that young voters and those passionate about standing in solidarity with Palestine still cast their ballots for Harris on Nov. 5.

We hope that they make those right decisions, that they see that voting is such an important both individual act, but as Native Americans, a collective act, Lewis said. With very important ramifications on treaty rights, on self determination, on tribal sovereignty itself.

Lewis also talked about the history of voting rights for Native Americans and the policies that became laws when Indigenous people werent considered citizens.

Gila River Governor Stephen Roe Lewis is among a number of Indigenous elected leaders who have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2024 in Chicago. (Pauly Denetclaw, ICT)

For the Gila River Indian Community, our water was stolen from us over 150 years ago, Lewis said. Over 150 years ago, we did not have the right to vote. We weren't even citizens. We didn't even have standing to fight in the courts. And so our elders see that. They see the importance of voting.

When we vote  and we have to vote  it's about Indian Country, not going back, he added. Not going back to the time when there was not a respect for trust responsibility, before the Indian Child Welfare Act, and it goes on and on and on.

During the convention, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids told ICT she supports a peaceful resolution but did not mention the word ceasefire.

What I want to see is, of course, peace, Davids, Ho-Chunk, said. It's heartbreaking to see everything that's been going on. Everything from October 7, and the atrocities we saw there to all the countless people who have died since then. And my hope is that the negotiations that we're seeing now. I know Secretary Blinken is over in the Middle East trying to do everything we can to make sure that we come to a peaceful resolution of what is really a heartbreaking situation.

Alycia Coriz is a local community organizer, former titleholder, and now she works for a Native vote organization. Her friends, relatives and colleagues have gone to Palestine and this has given her a deeper understanding of the issue.

I do continue to pray that we help, to have our Palestinian relatives return home, Coriz said. And just seeing all of the violence and pain from various news outlets like it hurts your heart  whether you're Indigenous or not. It just hurts your heart as a human to see our fellow mankind in pain.

Coriz, Kewa Pueblo, hopes the concern of voters on this issue is heard by Harris  considering how close this election is likely to be.

If we're saying what's going to be best for our communities, what's going to be best for us as a country? They should definitely be listening and taking action that's going to be able to make a difference  for not only the lives of the Americans, but the impact that the US has globally, Coriz said. I just hope that (Harris) listens. Like the grandmas say, better listen.

Will you support our work? All of our content is free. There are no subscriptions or costs. And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization  and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people. Support ICT for as little as $10. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter.
Photo by Jim Small | Arizona Mirror

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Maricopa County voters will mark their choices on a two-page ballot in November.

On Wednesday, election officials in Arizonas most populous county announced that voters can expect to receive two pages, whether they vote early by mail or on Election Day. The average ballot will carry 79 contests, including the race to become the 47th President of the United States, positions on local school boards and seats in the state legislature. The last time the Grand Canyon State ran a two-page ballot was in 2006, according to a news release issued by the county.

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Adrian Borunda, a spokesperson for Maricopa County Elections Department said that voters can do research ahead of time by visiting BeBallotReady.Vote, where the department expects to upload sample ballots in the next few weeks. And, he added, Arizonans can avail themselves of early voting or sign up for mailed ballots to skip Election Day wait times.

Voter fatigue is a real thing, when a voter sees X amount of races, Borunda said. Its obviously a lot easier to keep their attention and participation with fewer races but how were trying to combat that is obviously having all of our voting options available. Were telling people to vote early, take your time. Thats easier to do when there isnt as long a line.

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 7, and the states early voting period begins just two days later. Voters can request to receive a mailed ballot until Oct. 25.

The presidential election is expected to spur high levels of voter turnout. Borunda said the county is prepared to deal with the increased participation and voters can trust that there wont be a repeat of the 2022 midterms. During that election, Maricopa County came under fire after issues with on-site ballot printers at 70 polling places resulted in confusion and long wait times, when tabulators were unable to read some of the ballots. Voters were directed to either deposit their ballots in a special drawer, nicknamed Door #3, for later tabulation at the countys election center or check-out of vote centers experiencing problems to cast their ballots at a different site.

Borunda said the county has since gotten rid of the defective printers and has rigorously tested current elections equipment to ensure its up to the task of printing and counting two-page ballots. Even if problems with on-site tabulators do arise, Borunda said, Door #3 will still be available as a fail-safe. Every vote will still be counted, he said.

But a two-page ballot will likely mean that tabulation and results will be slower, already a point of contention for Arizona voters and those who watch its races closely. Two-page ballots are also expected to cause issues in calculating voter turnout, since it is usually determined by the number of one-page ballots that are tabulated  and some voters will inevitably return only one page.

One of the main reasons for this years ballot length is the number of proposed statutory and state constitutional changes being put to voters, not just in Maricopa County, but across the state.

Republican lawmakers are responsible for 11 of them, having adopted a strategy of sending wish-list items to the ballot in a bid to circumvent a veto from Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Thats the largest number of legislative referrals since 1984, when lawmakers approved 13. Among them are ballot measures that would preemptively outlaw ranked choice voting, give Arizona police officers and judges the power to jail and deport migrants, and grant state judges lifetime appointments. Citizen initiative campaigns succeeded in adding just two proposals to the ballot: one to enshrine abortion protections in the Arizona Constitution and another to establish open primaries. Votes for the latter, however, might not be counted. A trial court is still in the process of determining whether the campaign gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in the first place.

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Mark Cuban has put his name forward to head the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in a Kamala Harris administration.

When asked by CNBCs Andrew Ross Sorkin if he had any insight into potential Harris Cabinet appointments, the billionaire entrepreneur replied: I told her team, look, put my name in for the SEC. It needs to change.

Cuban has been a fierce critic of the SEC since being cleared of insider trading in 2013 and calling the federal regulatory body a joke. Last week, he criticized SEC chair Gary Gensler over the agencys crackdown on the crypto sector.

Cuban said he had no idea about any prospective appointments in a Harris White House but said he had suggested a three-tier business advisory council embracing small, medium, and large business owners.

The Shark Tank investor called into CNBCs Squark Box show to discuss the Democratic presidential candidates work with the business community.

Kamala Harris is pro-business, he said, revealing that he spoke to the Harris team three or four times a week to discuss the best approach to taxing the wealthy and increasing revenues and cutting costs.

I talked to the Biden administration, I talked to the Trump administration, I talked to the Obama administration, and I think the Harris administration has been the most open, said Cuban. They have been very clear to me, and to other businesspeople that, we realize that rich people have to pay their fair share, but we dont have all the answers.

Mark Cuban Shoots Down Rumors Hes Gearing Up For White House Run

He was speaking after Harris revealed her plan to tax long-term capital gains at 28% for wealthier Americans. It is a real break from Joe Bidens policy that called for a top rate ten points higher.

If you heard her in her speech yesterday, she said that billionaires should pay more than average working people, firefighters, etc, and you just look at the numbers if a firefighter or someone whos working their butt off is making, you know, $150,000 a year, theyre paying 24% and she came out yesterday and said 28% for capital gains which, when I talked to them, I thought was fair, said Cuban.

Further, Cuban insisted Harris is going her own way, rather than following in Bidens footsteps.

This is Kamala Harris campaign, its not Joe Bidens campaign. Kamala Harris is not Joe Biden. Theyre very, very different, said Cuban, explaining that the vice president is balancing being respectful of the president and everything hes proposed while also charting her own course.

Shes trying not to directly contradict him in any way so she talks a little bit around the subject when it comes to taxing in particular but shes going center, 100%, he said.

Overall, Harris listens said Cuban. This is not something where its just her policy team comes out and says, Mark, you know, whoever, lets hope this works. No, shes like, list me things you think we should be talking about. Youre the entrepreneur. You invest in more start-ups than anyone I know, what do you think we should be doing and whats going to increase the number of investments and start-ups?

He added, They are always saying, give us your ideas, give us your ideas, and when I speak to other business people they are saying the same.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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PHOENIX (AP)  A prosecutor urged a judge on Thursday to reject former Donald Trump presidential chief of staff Mark Meadows bid to move his charges in Arizonas fake elector case to federal court, saying his actions in trying to overturn the 2020 election results werent part of his job at the White House.

Meadows has asked a federal judge to move the case to U.S. District Court, arguing his actions were taken when he was a federal official working as Trumps chief of staff and that he has immunity under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says federal law trumps state law.

The former chief of staff, who faces charges in Arizona and Georgia in what state authorities alleged was an illegal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in Trumps favor, had unsuccessfully tried to move state charges to federal court last year in an election subversion case in Georgia.

Prosecutor Krista Wood said Meadows electioneering efforts werent part of his official duties at the White House. He is not authorized to meddle in the states administration of elections, Wood said.

The prosecutor pointed to messages received and sent by Meadows in the weeks after the 2020 election, including a text Meadows sent to then-Republican Gov. Doug Ducey two weeks after Election Day saying former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was trying to reach the governor to talk about the election results.

Meadows attorney George Terwilliger maintained his clients messages and actions were part of his official duties and suggested important context about the messages was missing. I dont think the court can rely on those text messages, Terwilliger said.

While not a fake elector in Arizona, prosecutors said Meadows worked with other Trump campaign members to submit names of fake electors from Arizona and other states to Congress in a bid to keep Trump in office despite his November 2020 defeat.

In 2020, President Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes.

While Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes office had said Meadows missed the deadline for asking a court to move the charges to federal court, Meadows' attorneys say another federal law allows for cases to be moved to federal court at a later time for good cause.

Terwilliger said he waited to try to move Meadows Arizona charges to federal court until after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a July ruling that gave former presidents broad immunity from prosecution. U.S. District Judge John Tuchi, who was nominated to the federal bench by then-President Barack Obama, didn't say when he would issue his ruling on Meadows' request.

Last year, Meadows tried to get his Georgia charges moved to federal court, but his request was rejected by a judge, whose ruling was later affirmed by an appeals court. The former chief of staff has since asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling.

The Arizona indictment also says Meadows confided to a White House staff member in early November 2020 that Trump had lost the election. Prosecutors say Meadows also had arranged meetings and calls with state officials to discuss the fake elector conspiracy.

Meadows and other defendants are seeking a dismissal of the Arizona case.

Meadows attorneys said nothing their client is alleged to have done in Arizona was criminal. They said the indictment consists of allegations that he received messages from people trying to get ideas in front of Trump  or "seeking to inform Mr. Meadows about the strategy and status of various legal efforts by the presidents campaign.

In all, 18 Republicans were charged in late April in Arizonas fake electors case. The defendants include 11 Republicans who had submitted a document falsely claiming Trump had won Arizona, another Trump aide and five lawyers connected to the former president.

In early August, Trumps campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with Giuliani, signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino also became the first person to be convicted in the Arizona case when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to probation.

Meadows and the other remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty to the forgery, fraud and conspiracy charges in Arizona.

Trump wasnt charged in Arizona, but the indictment refers to him as an unindicted coconspirator.

Eleven people who had been nominated to be Arizonas Republican electors had met in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign a certificate saying they were duly elected and qualified electors and claimed Trump had carried the state in the 2020 election.

A one-minute video of the signing ceremony was posted on social media by the Arizona Republican Party at the time. The document was later sent to Congress and the National Archives, where it was ignored.

Prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and Wisconsin have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme.
Artists4Ceasefire, the industry collective that has been pushing for an end to the current war in Gaza (and whose pin badges were worn by various attendees at this years Oscars ceremony), is spearheading a new initiative calling for a halt to illegal arms sales to Israel.

Through a partnership with artist Shepard Fairey and several humanitarian organizations  including Oxfam America, ActionAid USA and War Child Alliance/Children in Conflict  the group has launched a call to action bearing the message Ceasefire Now, Stop Weapons, Save Lives that urges the halt to what it says are weapons transfers that violate U.S. and international law. Such laws state it is illegal to supply or use weapons to commit grave human rights violations, including striking schools or hospitals, restricting humanitarian aid, and killing children.

More from Variety

To accompany the effort, Fairey has launched a new artwork featuring a peace dove holding barbed wire in its beak, an image he said carries the message of the collective humanity we must find to rise above hostility and put an end to the destruction and devastation.

The call comes as part of what Artists4Ceasefire says is its ongoing advocacy for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the safe return of all hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, a call it first issued through an open letter to President Joe Biden in October 2023 signed by more than 470 major Hollywood and cultural figures, including Joaquin Phoenix, Cate Blanchett, Jon Stewart, Kristen Stewart and Riz Ahmed.

Among the members of the Artists4Ceasefire collective speaking out for the new effort are Mark Ruffalo, Mahershala Ali, Cynthia Nixon and Ilana Glazer.

Our demand is simple  our elected leaders must enforce existing U.S. and international humanitarian laws that prohibit the use of military assistance to commit grave human rights violations, said Ruffalo, who has long been an advocate for Palestinian rights and has spoken out against Israeli military aggression. Ruffalo noted that the U.K. had recently announced that it was halting 30 arms exports licenses to Israel, something he said was not enough, but its a start, and more than the U.S., the biggest supplier of arms and weapons to Netanyahu and the state of Israel, has done.

The U.S. government hold the cards to achieving a permanent ceasefire, he added. We keep hearing that theyre working around the clock to achieve a ceasefire. Lets be clear: Biden already has the authority to condition or cut off offensive military aid to Israel if Netanyahu refuses to accept a permanent ceasefire.

Ali, meanwhile, called for an end to the mass destruction being perpetrated using U.S. tax dollars. We are standing together to remind U.S. and global leaders that the lives of millions of human beings are on the line  both Palestinians and Israelis  and by sending and endless barrage of weapons, we are in fact facilitating death and destruction, while merely paying lip service to peace, security and humanity for both people, he said.

Words without action will not end the unbearable suffering of Palestinian and Israeli mothers, fathers and children, said Nixon. Enough is enough. The global call for a permanent ceasefire  supported domestically by an overwhelming majority of Americans  must be answered.

Glazer said that the way in which the U.S. is breaking international law with regard to arms sales to Israel was making Jewish people less safe and contributing to the global rise of antisemitism. She added: The safety and security of Jews and Muslims, of Israelis and Palestinians, is inextricably intertwined. We have a moral and legal obligation to stop the flow of weapons.

The new call to action lands amid ongoing destruction in Gaza as Israel continues its current assault on the territory, sparked in retaliation for the Oct. 7 2023 attack by Hamas in which approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage. Over the weekend, Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six of the remaining hostages. 11 months on from Oct. 7, Israelis military operations in Gaza have killed at least 40,000 Palestinians, 16,500 of them children, according to the local ministry for health. The devastation has also led to a major humanitarian crisis, with nearly all of Gazas 2.2 million people having been displaced from their homes. 96% of Gazas population is reportedly facing acute food insecurity.

The direct targeting of hospitals and obstruction to healthcare facilities by Israeli forces, alongside the limited access to medical supplies, has endangered around 50,000 pregnant women and 20,000 newborn babies, said ActionAid USA, as part of the new call to action.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows more dire each day, fueled by the United States seemingly limitless provision of weapons to Israel, added Oxfam Americas associate director for peace and security, Scott Paul. The United States must stop the sale of lethal arms to Israel in violation of its own law and policy. It must push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and secure the return of all hostages and illegally detained prisoners. Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages remain at risk until a ceasefire is secured; it is the only way to ensure peace and security for all Palestinians and Israelis.

Rob Williams, War Child Alliance CEO, said: The situation for children in Gaza is the deadliest we at War Child and Children in Conflict have seen in our over 30-year history. But for every minute this war continues, childrens lives are in danger. We cant say it enough: an immediate and permanent ceasefire is desperately needed to protect children from this worsening catastrophe. Furthermore, all hostages and Palestinian civilians detained without due course must be released. Only when this war ends will it be possible to rebuild homes and livelihoods and get children the food, water, and mental and physical health support they desperately need.

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BOSTON (AP)  Several political leaders, including Massachusetts U.S. Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, attacked the leader of a troubled health care system on Thursday for refusing to comply with a subpoena to appear before a Senate committee.

Lawyers for Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre said Wednesday that he wont testify before a committee investigating the Dallas-based hospital companys bankruptcy because a federal court order prohibits him from discussing anything during an ongoing reorganization and settlement effort.

Warren and Markey both dismissed those concerns on Thursday, saying de la Torre is trying to avoid accountability.

RELATED: Steward CEO says he wont comply with Senate subpoena on hospital closings

Steward, which operated about 30 hospitals nationwide, filed for bankruptcy in May. It has been trying to sell its more than half-dozen hospitals in Massachusetts, but received inadequate bids for Carney Hospital in Boston and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in the town of Ayer, both of which closed on Saturday. A federal bankruptcy court on Wednesday approved the sale of Stewards other hospitals in Massachusetts.

In a letter Wednesday to Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, de la Torre did not rule out testifying before the committee at a later date.

He is in hiding because he does not want to answer to the American people or Congress or the patients and workers of Massachusetts for what he has done, Markey, speaking at a press conference Thursday, said of de la Torre. He wants to hide from the accountability of what the last five months have exposed.

Warren said de la Torre could invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination if he believes the answers will put him at risk for going to jail.

Ralph de la Torre is one more rich guy who thinks the rules dont apply to him, Warren said. He seems to think hes above the law and that he can take whatever he wants and not have to answer for any of the destruction that he leaves behind.

TARGET 12: RIs Lifespan to acquire Morton, St. Annes hospitals from Steward

Warren argued that de la Torres decision not to appear should result in his ouster from Steward.

I understand its way late in the process, but Id like to see someone else who gets their eyes on all of the information thats happening confidentially, internally, and not disclosed to the public  someone besides Ralph de la Torre, she said.

In their letter to Sanders, lawyers for de la Torre said the Senate committee is seeking to turn the hearing into a pseudo-criminal proceeding in which they use the time, not to gather facts, but to convict Dr. de la Torre in the eyes of public opinion.

Sanders said in a statement that he will work with other members of the panel to determine the best way to press de la Torre for answers.

SEE ALSO: Steward Health Care reaches deal to sell its nationwide physicians network

Let me be clear: We will not accept this postponement. Congress will hold Dr. de la Torre accountable for his greed and for the damage he has caused to hospitals and patients throughout America, Sanders said. This Committee intends to move forward aggressively to compel Dr. de la Torre to testify to the gross mismanagement of Steward Health Care.

The committees options include holding de la Torre in criminal contempt, which could result in a trial and jail time; or civil contempt, which would result in fines until he appears. Both would require a Senate vote.

De la Torre also refused invitations to testify at a Boston field hearing earlier this year chaired by Markey.

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MARTINSVILLE, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) Residents of Martinsville, IL have a new mayor as of Wednesday night. And the city is currently looking for a new city attorney and city clerk/city collector.

Robert Lovell, a city councilman for two years, was named Acting Mayor by the city council after Mayor Herman Davidson submitted his resignation effective immediately.

According to Deputy City Collector Melinda Lovell, Mayor Herman Davidson, City Attorney Richard Bernardoni, and City Clerk/City Collector Sheena Hammond submitted their resignations at a special meeting of the city council on Wednesday evening.

The resignations contained their names, their positions, date and that the resignations were effective immediately. All letters were notarized.

In speaking with WTWO, Acting Mayor Lovell stated that he is just trying to navigate through the process which includes looking for a new city attorney.

I just dont want anything to slip through the cracks that would affect the residents of Martinsville, said Lovell.

Lovell has spoken with Davidson to get as much information as possible about items that need immediate attention.

This is a developing story and WTWO will update as information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com.
For financial institutions, complying with regulations is becoming a costlier proposition. According to a recent poll, 76% of financial services firms increased their compliance expenditure from 2022 to 2023, with most blaming new laws.

With the cost of compliance averaging out to around $10,000 per employee these days, many firms are searching for ways to reduce spending without running afoul of regulators. Entrepreneurs Nir Laznik and Eyal Peleg say that they've created a solution -- powered by generative AI, as is the trend.

Laznik and Peleg co-founded Sedric, an AI-powered platform designed to help financial institutions implement compliance rules and flag possible issues. Prior to Sedric, Laznik spearheaded several startups, including a photo kiosk software firm, while Peleg spent close to eight years at Intels AI and machine learning org.

"We realized there was disproportionate pressure on mid-size organizations, combined with a new set of challenges for banks," Laznik said. "We knew the rapid advancements in AI could address these problems in an entirely new way. This convergence of factors led us to create Sedric."

Sedric's AI acts as an overseer of sorts, monitoring a workforce's outbound and inbound calls, chats, emails, social media DMs and instant messages. It attempts to flag compliance problems (e.g. omitted disclosures, missed steps and misconduct) as they happen; Sedric can automatically "mitigate" issues and provide coaching to the offending staff in many cases, Laznik claims.

"This technology empowers compliance officers with a holistic view of their customer touchpoints across multiple channels, allowing them to flag deviations from established compliance policies and guidelines quickly and efficiently," Laznik said. "Our platform covers the entire compliance lifecycle, from policy setting to enforcement, correction and audit."

A screenshot of Sedric's backend dashboard.

Surveillance that deep might sound a little intrusive -- not least of which because Sedric "scores" interactions on a per-employee basis according to adherence to company policies. But, for better or worse, U.S. state and federal guidelines give wide discretion to businesses engaged in monitoring their staff so long as the businesses are reasonably transparent about it.

Moreover, some federal-level regulations -- particularly regulations pertaining to insider trading, collusion and the sharing of certain earnings documents -- mandate that financial institutions closely track workers in their interactions with customers and the broader marketplace. These preempt state laws, like New York's and Connecticut's, that impose additional requirements on employers conducting workforce monitoring.

Story continues

I asked Laznik about the potential for bias in Sedric's AI, given that the AI is likely to be monitoring communications of staff from all different backgrounds. Biased AI can lead to discrimination, depending on where and how it's deployed -- whether intentional or not.

Studies have shown that some AI trained to detect toxicity sees phrases in African-American Vernacular English, the informal grammar used by some Black Americans, as disproportionately "toxic." Other studies have demonstrated how speech recognition systems are more likely to wrongly transcribe audio of Black speakers as opposed to their white counterparts.

Laznik says that Sedric uses "fine-tuned models" trained on "proprietary datasets curated and validated in collaboration with industry experts" to try to minimize bias. The company also monitors for performance dips in deployed models and retrains models when necessary.

Sedric

"Our platform enables customers to provide direct feedback through various annotation inputs, which are then vetted by compliance teams and are used for re-training or integrated into the prediction process," he added. "This ensures that our models become increasingly tailored for each customer."

To protect customer -- and employee -- privacy and security, Sedric allows companies to configure where their data is stored and implement controls that redact (or at least attempt to redact) personally identifiable information.

"At Sedric, we've designed our platform with compliance and security at its core," Laznik said. "Enterprises can set their own retention policies and compliance guidelines according to their internal guidelines and specific regulations."

Sedric, which also offers tools to support call center agents as they're chatting with clients on the phone, has "hundreds" of paying compliance officers and enterprise customers in the U.S. and Europe, Laznik claims.

Revenue has increased fivefold over the last year -- although Laznik declined to give firmer numbers.

"For small- and medium-sized businesses, we offer an off-the-shelf solution, and for enterprises and banks, we offer a hybrid model with tailored customizations," Laznik said. "Our focus on the specific needs of financial institutions, combined with our proprietary library of pre-trained, regulation-inspired models that can also be customized to each organization's unique requirements, sets us apart in the market."

Going after finance customers and use cases specifically certainly appears to have worked in Sedric's favor, setting the company apart from workplace monitoring rivals such as Fairwords, Shield, Erudit and Aware. It's a crowded -- and often controversial -- market, but investors still sense some opportunity, particularly as AI becomes more deeply embedded in these types of tools.

Case in point: Seemingly pleased with Sedric's progress so far, Foundation Capital led an $18.5 million Series A investment in the four-year-old company that also had participation from Amex Ventures. The new cash will be put toward growing the firm's go-to-market and R&D teams "significantly" in NYC and Tel Aviv, Laznik said, and brings New York-based Sedric's total raised to $22 million.

Sedric plans to double its headcount in the next 12 months.
(WHTM) The oldest penguin at the Maryland Zoo was euthanized at 33 years old due to a decline in health, according to the Maryland Zoo.

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According to Jen Kottyan, Maryland Zoos Bird Curator and Program Leader of the African Penguin SSP, African Penguin #821, also known as Mr. Greedy, almost doubled the median life expectancy for penguins.

Being the oldest penguin at the Maryland Zoo wasnt Mr. Greedys only tremendous achievement during his life. He was also quite the catch.

According to the Maryland Zoo, Mr. Greedy significantly contributed to the longevity of his endangered species. He had an astounding 230 descendants through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums African Penguin Species Survival Plan.

This one bird was incredibly important to the continued existence of African penguins throughout the world, Kottyan said. Its tough to lose an animal who has been such a welcome presence at our Zoo for three decades, but all of us are proud that he is survived by five generations of offspring.

Now the title of oldest goes to Mrs. Greedy, Mr. Greedys lifelong mate, said the Maryland Zoo. The two love birds arrived at the zoo a year after their births in 1992.

They had been paired up from the time they hit reproductive age in 1994, Kottyan said.

For the first time in her long life, Mrs. Greedy is single. But whether she is ready to mingle remains unknown. Zookeepers said they are monitoring her behavior closely to see whether she shows interest in a new male companion.

Mr. and Mrs. Greedys oldest offspring is now 28 years old and lives in another facility, but several of their children still live at the Maryland Zoo.

The Maryland Zoo says visitors can visit the Greedy family and the rest of the colony at the award-winning Penguin Coast, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  This is a busy time for college students new and old. It can be extremely dangerous if students arent given the proper training.

Just last Sunday, a fire started in a dorm room at UMass. The cause: a burning candle left unattended. While no one was injured, that isnt always the case. A 21-year-old died in an off-campus apartment fire in 2013.

September has more college campus fires than any other month according to the Department of Fire Services. Tony Spear, a lieutenant with the West Springfield Fire Department, described how new college students should handle a very common scenario.

Card skimmer found at Southampton Cumberland Farms, police urge caution

If youre in a dorm room you might have a bunch of people in there. Just be aware of where you are. Make sure youre aware of the exits to the buildings. Make sure you aware what youve got going on in the buildings, said Spear.

Massachusetts has experienced 2,500 college fires in the past five years. This makes fire safety all the more important to it still early on.

American International College teaches every new student about fire safety during student orientation. This is followed by regular fire drills in every building. AIC Police Chief Roberto Gonzalez told me the key aspects of staying safe in an emergency.

Awareness of stairwells, evacuation, procedures, and pull stations and thats one thing that I have my officers reengage all the time and we point those things out in a lot of times that you know people yeah I know where it is or how to use it but you dont, said Gonzalez.

College campus fires caused over two and a half million dollars in damage between 2019 and 2023. The number one cause of these fires is unsafe cooking practices.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
May sexual assault at Christiana HS leads to arrest, concern about possible other victims

A Christiana High School student who was accused in May of "forcibly" restraining a fellow student, then physically and sexually assaulting her, has been charged, Delaware State Police said Thursday.

Jimar Payne, 18, was arrested on Saturday and charged with kidnapping, unlawful sexual contact and offensive touching. It's unclear whether Payne is still a student at the school.

"All questions regarding his current status as a student will have to be referred to Christiana School District," said Cpl. Amina Ali, a Delaware State Police spokesperson. The district did not immediately respond.

READ: Why Christina School District's lawyer is 'gravely concerned' with board's actions

Payne has since been released on $15,500 unsecured bond.

What happened?

According to police, the school resource officer was notified of the May 22 assault a day after it happened.

The victim, a 15-year-old, told the officer that Payne had approached her in a stairwell, threw her to the ground and restrained her.

He then "engaged in conduct that was both sexual and offensive in nature," police said. The girl was able to break free and run from the stairwell.

Delaware State Police said detectives are concerned about the potential for additional victims. They ask anyone with information to contact Sgt. August Zickgraf at (302) 365-8403.

Tipsters can also contact Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.

Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Sexual assault at Christiana High leads to student's arrest: Police
Maybe dreaded limits on water use can be (gasp!) good for Arizona

Its widely believed that Active Management Areas (AMAs) are too stringent to work in rural Arizona.

The rules are too prescriptive, the argument goes, to work in basins where there is only groundwater and farming is the predominant water use.

There is wide fear that if these areas become AMAs, the state will try to squeeze the square peg of regulation from urban areas into the round hole of rural ones, and it will devolve into an unworkable mess.

Ive echoed this argument. But now Im rethinking it.

Subsequent AMAs have more leeway

Turns out, subsequent AMAs have more leeway in state law than the initial AMAs, which were created in 1980.

And that has helped water officials draft a management plan for Arizonas first subsequent AMA that reflects local conditions and preferences.

This flexibility is crucial because the Douglas groundwater basin  which straddles the Mexican border in southeastern Arizona, and which voters narrowly chose to become an AMA in 2022  looks nothing like Phoenix or Tucson.

Douglas, like many other rural basins, relies solely on groundwater. It pumps out three times as much water as it returns to the basin, mostly for farming, which comprises 87% of the basins water demand.

But unlike most of the initial AMAs, its prospects for finding additional water resources are slim.

If the Arizona Department of Water Resources had copied plans from the initial AMAs for Douglas, it would have been like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

Arizona developed new approaches in Douglas

Some elements still look largely similar, like how water allotments are calculated for farmers.

But others went completely out the window, including a best management practices program that farmers in the initial AMAs have criticized as being too rigid to reflect how modern farms are managed.

That program allows them to exceed their allotments if they follow certain practices, but after reviewing its specifics, Douglas farmers  who are already leagues more efficient than their counterparts were when the initial AMAs were created  said theyd rather not go down that track.

Instead of dictating terms, multiple industries have been given the leeway to submit plans to the state that show how they will meet benchmarks over time.

Arizona worked closely with the city of Douglas, since its the basins only large municipal water user, to tailor a program that will help it reduce the amount of water lost in delivery to customers.

It attempts to create realistic water use rules

These are not the hallmarks of an effort to remake Douglas into Phoenixs or Tucsons image.

Granted, some residents have pressed hard to impose the safe yield management goal in place in those major cities, which requires whats pumped out to match whats returned to the aquifer over time.

Arizona refuses to put teeth: In Douglas' AMA goal

But even the state felt that wasnt achievable in Douglas, given the basins lack of additional water sources and the amount of pumping already underway.

Instead, the goal is to set a water savings target, which for the first plan would average 340 acre-feet a year, and ramp that up in later plans.

Thats not enough to stabilize the basin, considering that the aquifer has been depleted by 35,000 acre-feet a year, on average, over the last three decades.

This could be a workable framework for others

But short of cutting off wells and sending a bunch of major water users packing  which Arizona clearly has no appetite to do, considering the impact it would have on the local economy  regulation alone will never achieve deep, lasting water savings.

(Note that even after 40 years, none of the initial AMAs have achieved safe yield).

What regulation does is create certainty, and that can create the time and space that basins like Douglas need to further cut water use  perhaps by funding experimental new crops or irrigation techniques, or to help willing farmers permanently transition less productive fields to other uses.

Every rural basin needs a set of ground rules on water use that are realistic and achievable, tailored to local conditions and formed with lots of local feedback.

No basin should be forced to become an AMA.

But based on what weve seen in Douglas so far, they also shouldnt reject a voluntary designation process out of hand.

Joanna Allhands writes opinions primarily about Arizona water and the Colorado River. Reach her at joanna.allhands@arizonarepublic.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @joannaallhands.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Douglas AMA proves 'tough' water rules can work in rural Arizona
MCSO searches for driver who may be connected to pedestrians death on I-390

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The Monroe County Sheriffs Office is searching for an individual who may be connected to a mans death on I-390.

On July 16, 2024, deputies said Daniel Burke, 63, rear-ended an ambulance on I-390 near Chili Avenue. He left the scene before striking a guardrail and a construction sign on the right-hand side of the road.

Burke then ran into the roadway where he was struck by a car. Despite life-saving measures, Burke was pronounced dead.

Deputies are now searching for the driver of a gray Mitsubishi, who they say was on I-390 that evening. MCSO did not reveal any further details about this individual or the vehicle they drive.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to email mcsotips@monroecounty.gov and reference CR #24-124932.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Meals on Wheels San Diego County has moved to a new location in Kearny Mesa, allowing the organization to serve more clients and seniors who are hard to reach.

Just to have someone come to their door and bring them something and let them know that you care about them, said Judy Summers, Meals on Wheels San Diego County volunteer.

Im retired now, and this is the way I like to give back, Summers added.

Steve and Judy Summers have been volunteering for Meals on Wheels for many years. The mother-son team saw the difference the organization made during her final days and decided to sign up to help.

Ten years ago, my aunt received meals on wheels, said Steve Summers, also a volunteer. The people are just wonderful.

When a senior is homebound, theyre just as hungry for the human connection as they are for the food, said Brent Wakefield, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels San Diego County.

The food delivery also serves as a wellness check where volunteers can report a change in condition or needs that a senior may have.

Its wonderful to know that they have somebody to talk to, said Judy Summers.

The new center consolidated the nonprofits kitchen, Metro San Diego service center and volunteer hub to create a senior innovation hub. Elder Help San Diego also moved into the building, making all resources available to seniors in one place.

Im always smiling, its just a fun place, said Regina Jackson, a food service production line staff member.

Jackson has worked at Meals on Wheels San Diego County longer than anyone else, for 25 years and through three relocations.

Yup. Everythings better. A lot of space, said Regina Jackson, food service production line staff member.

It allows the organization to continue delivering meals to seniors, from the beaches to Borrego Springs.

Were really excited to be opening this center because it gives us the capacity to serve more, Wakefield said.

Theyre currently serving 650,000 meals across the county each year, but demand is rapidly growing due to the increasing senior population, and these renovations will help them meet that demand.In five years, theyre hoping to provide two million meals a year.

As they double and triple their operations, they really need more volunteers and encourage anyone who is interested to go to sandiegomealsonwheels.org.

The reaction they get is what its about. Their smiling face and knowing that theyre OK, Steve Summers said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Meck continues contested retiree benefit, for now, despite outside audits recommendation

Mecklenburg County will continue to pay a contested retiree benefit  at least for two more weeks  despite an outside review recommending the county end the subsidy.

County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to continue the erroneous benefit  a subsidy for retirees dependents health insurance  for employees who retired from Jan. 1, 2017 to Oct. 1, 2024.

The board will make a final, final, final decision on the future of the benefit at its Sept. 17 meeting, Chairman George Dunlap said, with the hope staff will present a recommendation that will minimize the financial impact on those persons choosing to use county health insurance.

At some point, weve got to get the train back on the track, Dunlap said.

The decision came on the same night commissioners heard the results of an outside review of the situation.

Since 2017, the county has provided a subsidy for retirees dependents health insurance that was more than what was intended under county policy and more than what was done in prior years, according to Wednesdays presentation.

The formula broke in 2017, said Felicia Gardner of Moore & Van Allen, the law firm that conducted the review. The break was the result of a county calculation error, Gardner told commissioners.

The error went undetected until 2023  to the tune of $2 million a year, county staff said at an October meeting. A total of 369 retirees benefited from the subsidy when the county sent letters in April 2023 announcing it would no longer contribute to dependents premiums.

Those letters sparked pushback from the affected retirees, who called on the benefit to be extended.

County leaders ordered a comprehensive review of the countys benefit policy and current practices in November. At the same meeting, commissioners voted to extend the benefit for 289 retirees through the 2024 calendar year.

The outside review included going over board materials  minutes, agendas, supporting documentation, and audio and video footage  as well as human resources policy and procedure manuals, internal memos, emails, contribution rate calculations, financial reports, participant communications and rate-setting materials.

Moore & Van Allen also interviewed current and former county employees who assisted with the administration of the benefit and retirees who got the benefit.

The audit found no evidence county commissioners ever approved a change in policy and recommended the county end the subsidy.
The Media Still Needs Training On How To Deal With A Powerful Black Woman

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arrives Wednesday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to speak at a campaign event. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images

Why would any Black person defend their blackness to a white person in an interview?

I found myself genuinely frustrated for Vice President Kamala Harris when CNNs Dana Bash asked her about presidential rival Donald Trumps inane claim that she only turned Black in recent years out of political expediency.

Harris response was perfect: Same old tired playbook. Next question, please.

Even before Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, sat down with Bash for their first interview since becoming the Democratic nominees for president and vice president, I rejected the notion that the occasion would be as important as some circles of the media had been suggesting it might be.

Because I knew there would be stupid questions like this.

In the weeks after President Joe Biden ended his 2024 reelection campaign, Harris found herself increasingly criticizedover not having scheduled some sort of news conference or press interview.

As some members of the press  notably the Beltway media that dominate the shaping of our political coverage  insisted on air, in print and across social media that it was vital that Harris allow herself to be subjected to media scrutiny.

To them, she needed to prove she could handle an unscripted moment. And she had to explain her policy positions  past, present and future  directly to the American people with appropriate pushback from a journalist. Only then, the notion went, would Harris prove how serious her campaign would be following what was often described by these same folks as the honeymoon period.

Yet, as Ernesto Apreza, special assistant to Biden and press secretary to Harris, noted via his personal X account, by the time Harris sat down with Bash last Thursday, she had already done 80 interviews this year alone.

In fact, since a presidential bid that began just a little over a month ago, she has routinely engaged in multiple press events on the campaign trail.

It was not as if she had been ignoring the press corps, which is why I rolled my eyes at headlines like Trumps Press Conference Was Not good. But Hes Still Better for America Than Harris. and Kamala Harris Must Speak to the Press.

Do I believe Kamala Harris should answer questions related to her campaign?

Yes, but I dont think she necessarily should take that many from cable news anchors and political reporters from mainstream outlets, and her CNN interview is a prime example why.

I do not share The New York Times Reid J. Epsteins view that Dana Bash navigated a tough night adeptly.

I suppose I can align with Joan Walsh of The Nations categorization that Bash did adequately, but overall I found the interview a bit disappointing given all Bash ultimately did was pose questions framed around GOP talking points.

The question about Harris identity is one example. Another is Bashs insistence on pressing Harris about why she no longer backs a fracking ban she proposed four years ago during the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries.

One more is Bashs questions to Walz in the final third of the interview, specifically the one about his wifes fertility treatments.

I wish I didnt have to do this, but I spoke about our infertility issues because its health, and families know this. I spoke about the treatments that were available to us, Walz explained. Thats quite a contrast with folks that are trying to take those rights away from us. I dont think Americans are cutting hairs on IVF or IUI; I think theyre cutting hairs on the idea of an abortion ban and the ability to deny families a chance for a beautiful child.

His answer on fertility treatments was more dignified than the question posed to him.

Bashs questions, like those of so many other reporters of her ilk, suggest the real aim was to catch the candidate in a gotcha moment as opposed to enlightening the voters about any specific policy proposals from the Harris/Walz ticket.

If policy were such a concern, we would have heard less about fracking and perhaps more about Harris housing policy, which she just gave a speech on.

Again, here we have a presidential candidate running ads on an issue often largely ignored in national politics (in spite of the national housing crisis), but instead of hearing more questions about that, viewers were subjected to ones about Trumps attempt to reboot birtherism and semantics over what treatment Tim Walzs wife underwent to help expand their family.

Yet, in post-interview critiques, Harris remains the main target.

The Wall Street Journals Molly Ball claimed that Harris didnt really answer questions about flip-flopping and described the interview as mid. (For what its worth, she described mid as Gen Z lingo when in fact it is just Black lingo that white people found hella late.)

As for Ball and the co-hosts quip that Harris might have to start answering some questions in future interviews, heres hoping she will be asked better, more thoughtful ones.

Meanwhile, The Washington Posts Aaron Blake spoke of the interview on the Post Reports podcast as if the central point of it was to prove whether Kamala Harris could kind of live up to the hype.

Whose hype exactly? And isnt this all supposed to be about informing voters?

Worst of all the takes, though, is a Politico pieceslamming Harris for evading questions about her identity.

Those are the kind of stories that ought to remind the public of how badly the newsrooms across the country need real diversity.

NBCs Chuck Todd recently penned an opinion piece encouraging Harris and other candidates to adopt Trumps approach in 2016 of embracing all media as good for him, whether he thought the interviewer was a friendly, a neutral or an opponent and sit down for an interview once a week.

Yet we know how imbalanced the political press has become and continuesto be in its Trump coverage, and Trump himself has turned to podcasters and YouTubers to reach voters rather than meeting with the traditional press outlets.

Its a shame that more political press people dont acknowledge their own roles in why some candidates, like Harris, might be reluctant to speak with the press and instead try to reach voters directly through other means.

Im glad Harris did the interview if only to shut some people up, but for all the hype placed on Harris doing this interview and even though CNN may have gotten a small but much-needed ratings bump, the public is no better informed about what kind of president she might be after its completion.

I encourage Harris to continue spreading her message to the public, but if she decides to forgo traditional media, I wont completely fault her.

Even if I believe she should be met with hard questions, I wouldnt encourage her to waste her time doing formal interviews full of dumb and biased ones.
The Gavel outside the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

Six candidates for Ohio Supreme Court will be on the November ballot in three different races. The outcomes will decide the balance of the court and have major impacts on a wide variety of issues that affect the lives of Ohioans, from education and environmental issues to gerrymandering and elections to civil and reproductive rights.

Depending on the outcome, the states high court could flip to Democratic control, or Republicans could strengthen their grip.

Republicans currently hold a 4-3 majority. If Democrats win all three races, it would become a 4-3 Democratic court. If Republicans win all three races, it would become a 6-1 Republican court.

Partisan labels were added to the previously-nonpartisan races by the Republican-controlled state legislature in 2021.

Donnelly v. Shanahan

Incumbent Democratic Justice Michael P. Donnelly is being challenged by Republican Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan.

Shanahan has served on Hamilton Court Common Pleas Court since 2015, according to her campaign website.

She was elected to the Hamilton County Municipal Court in 2011 and reelected in 2013. Shanahan was a felony-level criminal prosecutor before taking the bench.

The 49-year-old received her bachelors degree from Kent State University in 1995 and her law degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2000.

Donnelly was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2018.

The 58-year-old previously served as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas from 2005 to 2018 and was also a judge on the Cuyahoga Countys Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Court.

He practiced civil litigation from 1997 to 2004 and served as the assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 1992 to 1997. Donnelly served on the Ohio Supreme Courts Commission on Professionalism from 2007 to 2012.

Donnelly got his bachelors degree from John Carroll University in 1988 and his law degree from Cleveland State University in 1991.

Stewart v. Deters

Incumbent Democratic Justice Melody Stewart is being challenged by incumbent Republican Justice Joseph Deters, who decided not to run for his current seat and instead chose to go up against Stewart.

Stewart was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2018 and was the first Black woman to be elected to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The 61-year-old previously served on the Eighth District Court of Appeals since 2006.

Before her time on the bench, she was an administrator for a health care management company, a music teacher, a civil defense litigator, a law school administrator, and a professor.

She earned her bachelors degree from the University of Cincinnati, her law degree from Cleveland State University, and her Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University.

Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Deters to the Ohio Supreme Court in January 2023 and he is running for a full-term seat. Deters is the first Ohio Supreme Court justice in 30 years without any previous experience as a judge.

The 66-year-old previously served as the longest-tenured prosecutor in Hamilton County from 1992 to 1999 and again from 2005 to 2023.

Deters was elected as Ohio Treasurer in 1998 and 2002. Deters resigned from office in 2004 amid a pay-to-play scandal in which Deters then-chief of staff, Matt Borges, ended up pleading guilty to improper use of a public office. Deters was not implicated in the scheme.

Deters was the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts from 1988 to 1992 and served six years as an assistant Hamilton County prosecutor.

He earned his bachelors and law degrees from the University of Cincinnati. The Deters and the DeWines are family friends, having known each other for 30 years.

Forbes v. Hawkins

Democratic candidate Lisa Forbes, of the Eighth District Court of Appeals, and Republican candidate Dan Hawkins, of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, are fighting for Deters open seat.

Forbes, 60, previously worked at two different law firms dating back to 1993 before becoming a judge in 2020. She got her bachelors degree from Cornell University and her law degree from Case Western Reserve University.

Hawkins, 48, was elected to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in 2018. He was previously appointed and then elected to the Franklin County Municipal Court, served as an assistant prosecuting attorney and director of the Special Victims Unit for the Franklin County Prosecutors Office.

He earned his bachelors degree from Bowling Green State University and his law degree from Ohio State University.

Questionnaire

The Ohio Capital Journal sent a questionnaire to all of the Ohio Supreme Court candidates, but only the Democratic candidates sent back responses. The candidates answers to the questionnaire have been shortened for brevity.

Why are you running for Ohio Supreme Court?

Donnelly: I am running for re-election to build upon all the progress that has been made during the years I have been privileged to serve the people of Ohio, to ensure that my strong, independent voice continues to be heard on a Court that has become increasingly politicized, and to strengthen the Courts status as a independent, co-equal branch of state government empowered by the Constitution to serve as a check on the General Assembly and executive officers.

Stewart: I am running for re-election to the Supreme Court in order to continue service as an elected jurist who is dedicated to the law and to justice for all. I am also running for re-election to help make our courts and our judicial system more effective and more efficient for the people they serve.

Forbes: I am running for the Ohio Supreme Court because I want to do my part to ensure that the high court is fair, balanced and independent, so that it serves as a firewall protecting our democracy and the rule of law.

Whats one thing you want voters to know about you that they cant learn from reading your biography?

Donnelly: Ive been a music lover ever since high school, particularly classic rock and 80s music. I never thought I would ever be in a band, but when I was 46 years old, I met some guys in the School of Rock. Weve played together ever since in a band called Faith & Whiskey. Our motto is, If you dont have one, you better have the other. We play covers, we do a lot of benefits, including the Jam for Justice, and weve actually gotten pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Stewart: In addition to being the most experienced appellate jurist on the Supreme Court, I am the most educated with having a Ph.D. in addition to my undergraduate and law degrees.

Forbes: I have the expertise in the law, commitment to community, and work ethic to bring intellectual rigor and common sense to the Court, so that our laws are applied fairly and equitably, to increase peoples confidence in the courts.

How would you characterize your judicial philosophy?

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Donnelly: I am an independent jurist whose only allegiance is to the U.S. and Ohio constitutions and the people who expect and deserve nothing less than equal treatment under the law. My commitment to independence is more important than ever at a time when the court has become increasingly politicized and driven by ideology rather than respect for precedent or an unbiased interpretation of the law.

Stewart: My judicial philosophy is to apply the law as written, never be results oriented, and dont lose sight of common sense. If the law is on your side, you should win.

Forbes: I approach every case with an open mind, with no expectation for any particular outcome.  When a statute is unambiguous, I apply it as written; when ambiguous, I interpret it using plain language as my starting point.

Why are Ohio Supreme Court races so important and why should voters pay attention to them?

Donnelly: In the months and years ahead, cases involving reproductive, civil, human and workers rights, racial justice, public safety, voting, access to the judicial system, taxation and the economy, education, the environment, privacy, and other weighty issues will come before and be decided by the seven justices who have been elected to the Court.

Stewart: The Ohio Supreme Court races are so important because whoever sits on the court will be in the position to make key decisions on topics that affect our personal lives and freedoms, our economic well-being, how we elect candidates running for public office, and a whole host of other important topics. The Supreme Court has the final say on constitutional matters.

Forbes: Rulings of the Ohio Supreme Court have the potential to significantly impact all aspects of ones life, as history has shown. For example, even after 57% of voters enshrined reproductive rights in Ohios constitution last fall, our legislature did not repeal a single statute. Ohios leaders prefer to have any existing regulations make their way through the courts. Who the voters of Ohio elect to our states highest court could determine the outcome of those cases and many other critical rights.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on X.

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The conflict in Gaza is roiling the presidential campaign with roughly two months to go before Election Day.

Those contours have become particularly sharp since Hamas killed six hostages last week, including an Israeli American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have both promised that Hamas will pay for Goldberg-Polins death  and for its broader conduct, including the killing of around 1,200 people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Former President Trump has blasted the Biden-Harris administration over the loss of the hostages.

On social media, Trump wrote that the hostages were murdered by Hamas due to a complete lack of American Strength and Leadership. This echoes a frequent attack from the former president, who blames many adverse events in the wider world on purported Democratic weakness.

On Thursday, Trump will deliver a virtual address to a Republican Jewish Coalition summit in Las Vegas.

Harris, for her part, has at times sounded a slightly more sympathetic rhetorical tone than Biden in relation to the suffering of the Palestinians. But she has not telegraphed any significant change in policy.

In her recent CNN interview, Harris was asked whether she might consider suspending arms shipments to Israel. She said that she would not do so  rebuffing a central demand of many pro-Palestinian voices on the left.

In her big speech to the Democratic National Convention last month, Harris said she would always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself and condemned the horror that Hamas inflicted on Oct. 7. But she added that what happened in Gaza was devastating and that the scale of the suffering is heartbreaking.

The attempt to cater to the concerns of both sides has, naturally, earned Harris the condemnation of some activists.

The Uncommitted National Movement  an organization that arose as a voice for those who cast protest votes against Biden over Gaza during the Democratic primaries  complained about Harriss embrace of militarism after she contended, following the killing of Goldberg-Polin, that Hamas was an evil terrorist organization whose threat had to be eliminated.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice unveiled new charges against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and five other senior members of the group.

However, three of the six people indicted are known or assumed to be dead. It also seems highly unlikely that Sinwar  believed to be hiding in the tunnels under Gaza  would ever be arrested and brought to trial in the U.S.

Also, although the killing of the hostages has drawn widespread outrage, many Americans remain deeply critical of Israels 11 months of reprisal assaults following Hamass Oct. 7 attacks.

Israel has killed upwards of 40,000 people in Gaza, roughly two-thirds of whom are said to be women and children, according to local health authorities. There has been a humanitarian crisis in the small strip of land for months. Almost 2 million people have been displaced within Gaza, many on multiple occasions.

All of that has fueled anger in the U.S.  especially acute among progressives, young people and minorities  about the scale of American military assistance to Israel.

That would seem to put Harris in a bind.

That said, it is notable that Harris leads Trump by 5 points among Michigan voters, in a new CNN poll released Wednesday. She is up by almost 2 points there in the polling average maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ.

Biden was behind Trump in polling averages Michigan, which has an unusually high concentration of Arab-Americans, before he dropped out of the race.

In April, Biden signed a bill that included $17 billion in aid for Israel. Last month, the State Department approved $20 billion in arms sales to the nation. And just last week, Israels Defense Ministry said that, since Oct. 7, more than 50,000 tons of armaments and military equipment have been delivered from the United States.

In an Economist/YouGov poll released last month, 35 percent of all Americans wanted military aid to Israel to be decreased, compared to 20 percent who wanted it increased. Among Democrats, 42 percent wanted military aid decreased and only 10 percent wanted it increased.

The conflict more broadly has divided Americans. In a Gallup poll in June, 48 percent of Americans disapproved of Israels actions in Gaza and 42 percent approved.

There have been pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the streets of many American cities and on college campuses. Meanwhile, pro-Israel Americans worry about a loosening of the traditional alliance between the two countries  and about a rise in antisemitism.

Trump has sought to take political advantage of this situation.

His appearance via satellite with the Republican Jewish Convention is plainly part of an effort to reduce Democrats traditional advantage with Jewish voters. That effort has itself been controversial, including Trumps contention, made more than once, that any Jewish person who votes for Democratic candidates should have their head examined.

There is scant evidence that Trumps efforts are working  though polling on the topic is infrequent. A poll from the nonpartisan Jewish Electoral Institute this spring, when President Biden was still the Democratic nominee, showed Jewish voters favoring Biden over Trump by 67 percent to 26 percent.

For Biden, the search for a cease-fire in Gaza is also an attempt to put to rest one of the most troublesome issues of his presidency  and one that could negatively impact his legacy.

Biden has recently grown more critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in regard to cease-fire talks.

Asked Monday whether the Israeli prime minister was doing enough to reach a deal, Biden simply replied, No.

Aides have not clarified exactly what the president meant  though those talks appear to have foundered in part because of Netanyahus insistence that Israel should maintain a military presence on the border between Gaza and Egypt.

Netanyahus perceived intransigence has also fueled massive demonstrations in Israel following the killing of the hostages.

So far, a cease-fire remains out of reach  which also ensures the conflict will keep affecting the final stretch of the presidential race.

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
By Rocky Swift and Ritsuko Shimizu

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese retail giant Seven & i will inform Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard that its takeover bid price is "inadequate", a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Seven & i will ask Couche-Tard to reconsider its takeover bid, also referring to competition law concerns mainly in the U.S., although the company does not reject the offer and will continue to talk with the suitor, the source said.

The company's board will send a letter to Couche-Tard as early as Friday, according to the Nikkei business daily, which reported the news first.

The Nikkei said Couche-Tard offered roughly 6 trillion yen ($41.81 billion) when it made its proposal in July.

News of Couche-Tard's approach for the global operator of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain, which would be the largest foreign takeover of a Japanese company, pushed Seven & i shares up almost 23% on Aug. 19.

A Seven & i spokesperson declined to comment. Couche-Tard's new CEO Alex Miller said on a post earnings call the company was looking forward to engaging with Seven & i constructively.

Seven & i, with a market valuation of about 5.6 trillion yen ($39 billion), previously said it formed a special committee to review the proposal, whose value or terms have not been disclosed.

Couche-Tard, which operates Circle-K convenience stores, is valued at about $52 billion.

While Seven & i is much larger than Couche-Tard in terms of sales, stores, and employees, its shares have underperformed for years, drawing complaints from investors including ValueAct Capital about the company's management and asset structure.

U.S. fund Artisan Partners, which holds about 0.85% of Seven & i's outstanding shares, said last week that Couche-Tard could enhance the Japanese company's corporate value and called on its management to respond to the offer by Sept. 19.

The bid for Seven & i is the latest example of the growing interest in Japanese companies by Western investors, who have been drawn by the country's push for better governance and a slide in the yen.

Foreign acquisitions of Japanese companies doubled to about 902.2 billion yen ($6.2 billion) in the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, according to LSEG data.

($1 = 143.4900 yen)

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Kantaro Komiya and Ritsuko Shimizu, additional reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh; Writing by Rocky SwiftEditing by David Goodman and Sharon Singleton)
Meta oversight board rules 'From the river to the sea' not hate speech

Meta's oversight board ruled Wednesday that the phrase, "From the river to the sea" on the company's social media platforms is not hate speech, despite critics' claims that it calls for the abolishment of the Israeli state. "The standalone phrase cannot be understood as a call to violence," Meta said. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Meta's oversight board ruled Wednesday that the phrase "From the river to the sea" on the tech giant's social media platforms -- including Facebook -- is not hate speech, despite critics' claims that it calls for the abolishment of the Israeli state.

Meta's board reviewed three Facebook posts that cited the phrase after users challenged the company's automated appeals process.

"Specifically, the three pieces of content contain contextual signs of solidarity with Palestinians -- but no language calling for violence or exclusion," Meta wrote in its decision. "They also do not glorify or even refer to Hamas, an organization designated as dangerous by Meta."

While the board agreed that the phrase has multiple meanings, critics claim the words refer to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish non-governmental organization, has called the slogan "From the river to the sea," anti-Semitic and a "rallying cry that has long been used by anti-Israel voices, including supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas."

The slogan has gained ground on social media platforms -- including Meta's Facebook, Instagram and Threads -- since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed nearly 1,200 people and ended with 251 held hostage.

Pro-Palestinian activists, who have chanted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" in protests, including during last spring's demonstrations on college campuses, insist it is a call for equality and an independent state for Palestinians.

Former Columbia University president Minouche Shafik warned students that the use of the term could end with disciplinary actions. In Germany, the slogan's use is a criminal offense.

According to Meta's board -- which is made up of non-partisan lawyers, academics and tech advisers -- for the phrase to be considered hate speech on its platforms, it must be accompanied by other language.

"The standalone phrase cannot be understood as a call to violence against a group based on their protected characteristics, as advocating for the exclusion of a particular group, or of supporting a designated entity -- Hamas," the board wrote.

Meta's board acknowledged in Wednesday's decision that it understands why some people believe the phrase supports Hamas after it appeared in the terror group's 2017 charter.

"The phrase's use by this terrorist group with explicit violent eliminationist intent and actions, does not make the phrase inherently hateful -- or violent -- considering the variety of people using the phrase in different ways."
FILE - Protesters demonstrate against the official election results declaring President Nicolas Maduro won reelection in the Catia neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, July 29, 2024, the day after the vote. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez, File)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Metas efforts to scale back political content on its platforms could limit the reach of peoples expressions of dissent or awareness during crises, including Venezuelas post-election situation, the companys oversight panel said Thursday in a decision on cases involving videos taken after the July vote in the South American country.

The quasi-independent Oversight Board urged the social media giant to apply an existing protocol for crisis situations to ensure that political content during crises can have the same reach as other types of content.

The decision came as Meta clamps down on the amount of news and political content users see following years of criticism about how it handles misinformation and whether it contributes to political polarization.

Meta set up the board in 2020 to be a referee for content on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. The company referred to the board two videos related to pro-government armed groups, known in Venezuela as colectivos, that were posted after the July 28 presidential election, whose official result prompted protests across the country.

One of the videos, posted to Instagram, shows a group of armed men on motorcycles pulling up to an apartment complex. A woman can be heard shouting in Spanish that the colectivos were trying to access a building, while the person taking the video can be heard yelling in the same language Go to hell! I hope they kill you all!

Meta determined the video did not violate its policies because the expression was a conditional or aspirational statement against a violent actor rather than a call to action, according to the decision. The board agreed with the company.

The other video reviewed by the Oversight Board was posted on Facebook. It shows people running and a group of men, presumed to be colectivos riding motorcycles. The man who filmed the video can be heard saying the group is attacking the people on the street. The caption in Spanish accompanying the post criticizes the governments security forces for not defending people from the violent, ruling-party loyal gangs and calls on the states forces to kill those damn colectivos.

Meta took down the video for representing a call to action to commit high-severity violence, according to the decision. The board disagreed, finding that it is similar to the Instagram post and, in Venezuelas current context, understood as an aspirational statement.

The Board acknowledges Metas concern that allowing this type of expression could contribute to a heightened risk of offline violence in an ongoing crisis, according to the decision. However, given the specific context of Venezuela, in which widespread repression and violence is carried out by state forces jointly with colectivos, and where there are strong restrictions on peoples rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, it is fundamental to allow people to freely express their dissent, anger or desperation, even resorting to strong language.

Thousands of people, including minors, took to the streets across Venezuela hours after ruling party-loyal electoral authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July 28 election. The protests were largely peaceful, but demonstrators also toppled statues of Maduros predecessor, the late leader Hugo Chavez, threw rocks at law enforcement officers and buildings, and burned police motorcycles and government propaganda.

Maduro and his ruling party allies, who control all aspects of government, responded to the demonstrations with full force. A Wednesday report from Human Rights Watch implicated Venezuelan security forces and colectivos in some of the 24 deaths that occurred during the protests.

While the National Electoral Council declared Maduro's victory, it never released vote tallies backing their claim. However, the main opposition coalition claimed that its candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, defeated Maduro by a 2-to-1 margin and offered as proof vote tallies from more than 80% of the electronic voting machines used in the election.

Meta, then called Facebook, launched the Oversight Board four years ago in response to criticism that it was not moving fast enough to remove misinformation, hate speech and influence campaigns from its platforms. The board has 21 members, a multinational group that includes legal scholars, human rights experts and journalists.
Drugs were found in a vehicle Monday in Hermosa Beach, police said. (Hermosa Beach Police Department)

Hermosa Beach police weren't concerned about the watermelon they found in a local fruit vendor's vehicle. It was the baggies containing meth that were the problem, they said.

An officer patrolling a parking lot in the beach city around 4 p.m. Monday noticed a truck with registration stickers that had been altered to look current, police said.

A fruit vendor was hauling not only a watermelon but also narcotics, police said. (Hermosa Beach Police Department)

When the officer questioned the owner of the truck, Sabas Arizpe, he claimed to have stolen the stickers from another vehicle, police said, a misdemeanor offense. Also, in checking Arizpe, he discovered he had an outstanding arrest warrant.

As Arizpe was being taken into custody, he allegedly told the officer there were drugs in the truck. When the officer conducted a search, police said, he found baggies containing drug residue.

The street vendor was arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine and falsifying his registration, as well as because of his outstanding warrant, and his vehicle was towed.

Hermosa Beach police said they were not able to confirm whether Arizpe was dealing drugs alongside selling his fruit on the street.

The Hermosa Beach Police Department shared pictures of the incident in a social media post. Images from body-camera video show an officer sorting through small plastic bags and a watermelon underneath a seat.

"Watermelon with a side of meth???" the caption read.

Ryan Walker, a public information officer for Hermosa Beach, said the city had received a number of complaints from businesses of street vendors "operating illegally outside brick-and-mortar businesses." He said police had issued about a dozen citations in the last month to those lacking proper permits to sell food on the sidewalks.

"What a bummer," one person commented on the police post about the arrest. "I hope this doesnt taint people from supporting honest vendors."

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Design features allegedly make Snapchat a favored platform of sexual criminals targeting kids, according to a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Thursday against Snap, the company that operates the popular social media app.

An undercover investigation by the state found Snapchat has crafted "an environment where predators can easily target children through sextortion schemes and other forms of sexual abuse," Attorney General Raul Torrez stated in a news release.

Sextortion is a rapidly growing crime that involves a person pretending to be a peer coercing minors to send explicit images or videos of themselves, and then threatening to distribute the material unless they are paid. The scam has resulted in numerous teen suicides, the AG noted.

"Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear, but predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold and stored indefinitely," Torrez said.

The New Mexico Department of Justice found a vast network of dark web sites that share stolen, nonconsensual sexual images from Snap, with more than 10,000 records related to Snap and child sexual abuse material in the last year alone, it said. That includes information related to minors younger than 13 being sexual assaulted, according to the agency.

Investigators set up a decoy Snapchat account for a 14-year-old named Heather, through which it found and traded messages with predatory accounts including ones named "child.rape" and "pedo_lover10," the state said.

In October of last year, Alegandro Marquez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping an 11-year-old girl he met through Snapchat, the lawsuit and state officials noted.

Snap said it is reviewing the complaint and would respond in court.

"We have been working diligently to find, remove and report bad actors, educate our community and give teens, as well as parents and guardians, tools to help them be safe online," a Snap spokesperson said. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the past several years to increase safety, the spokesperson said.

More than 20 million U.S. teens use Snapchat and half of all teens in the country use the app every day, according to the suit.

New Mexico in December filed a similar suit against Meta Platforms and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Nikki Haley says she's "on standby" to campaign for Trump

Nikki Haley on supporting Trump over Harris: "It's not a question"

Bernie Sanders compares processed food industry to tobacco industry
New Mexico man dies following rollover crash in Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  The Kansas Highway Patrol says a 37-year-old New Mexico man died following a rollover crash in southwest Kansas. It happened a mile east of Meade around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The KHP says a Kia Forte was westbound on U.S. Highway 54 when it crossed the center line into the eastbound lanes. It traveled through the median, struck a culvert, vaulted over U.S. Highway 160 and rolled several times before it came to rest.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The driver, identified as Austin J. Wagoner of Albuquerque, was taken to St. Catherine in Dodge City, where he died.

I-70 bridge comes down, lanes reopen

The KHP report says the driver was wearing a seat belt.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  New Mexico State Police have arrested a man they said was driving drunk after he led police on a chase. Police said on Monday morning they received calls of a driver swerving in and out of lanes on Route 66 in Santa Rosa. Officers were able to locate the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but they say the vehicle fled.

VIDEO: Real Time Crime Center cameras track man shooting gun on Central

Police said the driver, identified as 20-year-old Patrick Chavez, was driving more than 100 miles per hour before he lost control and wrecked. Chavez tried to exit the vehicle and leave on foot but police were able to arrest him. Two female passengers were found in the vehicle with one of them being under 18. They had no injuries. Chavez is facing several charges including abuse of a child and aggravated DWI.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
A Miami-based media personality says he was the victim of a Russian scheme to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election that is now the subject of a sprawling federal criminal case.

The Justice Department announced charges on Wednesday against two Russian nationals working for RT, formerly known as Russia Today, over an alleged scheme to covertly finance and direct a Tennessee-based media company to push Russian interests online through roughly $10 million in payments  nearly 90% of the funds in the companys accounts.

The indictment alleges, without charges, that the media companys founders knew their benefactors were Russian and still failed to register as foreign agents, as required by law.

But Dave Rubin, a political commentator in Miami who has recently championed conservative causes with the company, wrote on social media that he knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity.

Rubin is not named in the indictment. But his activity is consistent with the description of Commentator-1, who is listed in the indictment as a commentator having the same number of YouTube subscribers.

According to the indictment, Commentator-1 agreed to produce four weekly videos that he would host and would be livestreamed by Tenet Media in exchange for $400,000 per month and a $100,000 signing bonus  extraordinary sums in the digital media industry.

In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rubin suggested he did not view the funding as suspicious and was duped by the Russian nationals.

These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme, he said. The DoJ has never contacted me regarding this matter and I have no intention to comment further.

Rubin has been one of six commentators for Tenet Media, a company that describes itself on its website as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.

The federal indictment references the work of six commentators for the company, named only as Company-1 in the indictment, and uses the exact language of Tenets website to describe the company mission.

Announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland noted the federal investigation was ongoing, suggesting that additional charges are possible in the case.

The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to exploit our countrys free exchange of ideas in order to covertly further its own propaganda efforts, and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing, he said.
Miami-Dade teacher arrested for possession of child porn after cyber tip, police say

A Miami-Dade public school substitute teacher was arrested Wednesday for possession of child pornography following a nearly year-long investigation that started with a cyber tip, police said.

In October 2023, the Homestead police got a tip from the National Center of Exploited and Missing Children about someone uploading a file possibly containing child pornography, according to Police Capt. Fernando Morales.

Authorities identified him as 37-year-old George Henry Rafols, a substitute teacher at the Air Base K-8 Center in Homestead. He faces one count of possession/promotion of child pornography.

Rafols is the second Miami-Dade school employee to be jailed on child porn charges in less than a month.

In August, Robert Lee Turner, a 62-year-old autism specialist who was employed by the school district, was arrested after being accused of uploading two videos of child porn to more than 50 users, according to Miami-Dade police.

READ MORE: Psychologist with Miami-Dade Schools hoards child porn, distributes it online, cops say.

According to the arrest report, Rafols was identified through internet records after an explicit photo of a 10-year-old girl was uploaded to the Discord messaging app.

With the assistance of Miami-Dade schools police, Homestead officers arrested Rafols at the school. Hes cooperating with investigators.

Rafols appeared in court Thursday morning where his bond was set at $7,500. He was placed on house arrest and GPS surveillance.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is profoundly troubled by the concerning allegations made against this individual, leading to his arrest .... He will no longer be able to serve as a substitute teacher in the district, the school district said in an email to the Miami Herald.
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Seven West Media is AU$0.26 based on Dividend Discount Model

Seven West Media is estimated to be 33% undervalued based on current share price of AU$0.17

Analyst price target for SWM is AU$0.25 which is 2.6% below our fair value estimate

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Seven West Media Limited (ASX:SWM) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.

We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Seven West Media

Step By Step Through The Calculation

We have to calculate the value of Seven West Media slightly differently to other stocks because it is a media company. Instead of using free cash flows, which are hard to estimate and often not reported by analysts in this industry, dividends per share (DPS) payments are used. Unless a company pays out the majority of its FCF as a dividend, this method will typically underestimate the value of the stock. We use the Gordon Growth Model, which assumes dividend will grow into perpetuity at a rate that can be sustained. The dividend is expected to grow at an annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.4%. We then discount this figure to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.0%. Relative to the current share price of AU$0.2, the company appears quite undervalued at a 33% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

Value Per Share = Expected Dividend Per Share / (Discount Rate - Perpetual Growth Rate)

= AU$0.01 / (7.0%  2.4%)

= AU$0.3

dcf

The Assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Seven West Media as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.119. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Story continues

SWOT Analysis for Seven West Media

Strength

Debt is well covered by earnings.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Australian market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.

Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the Australian market.

Next Steps:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Seven West Media, there are three additional factors you should further research:

Risks: We feel that you should assess the 2 warning signs for Seven West Media (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) we've flagged before making an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does SWM's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the ASX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Michigan's New "I Voted" Sticker Is Going Viral For Obvious Reasons

There is nothing more American than an "I voted" sticker.

Jeremy Poland / Getty Images

Seriously, non-Americans are jealous of these things because they don't get 'em!

X

Well, the state of Michigan held a contest where people could design their own "I Voted" stickers, and one of them went viral.

Rivernorthphotography / Getty Images

It's this one designed by a middle school student named Jane Hynous:

The winners of Michigan's first-ever "I Voted" sticker design contest "will be available for clerks to order and give out to voters this fall as the states official 2024 Presidential Election stickers." Among them: pic.twitter.com/iCYTHcizEk  Jonathan Oosting (@jonathanoosting) September 4, 2024

Jane Hynous/ Twitter: @jonathanoosting

"I am considering moving so I can get this as an I Voted sticker," this person said.

I am considering moving so I can get this as an I Voted sticker... https://t.co/bBrGGrb32F  Annie, MLIS, Big NPC Energy, They/Them/She   (@dharmascholar) September 5, 2024

Jane Hynous/Twitter: @dharmascholar

Another person called it the "most American" I voted sticker they had ever seen.

this is the most American I voted sticker I have ever seen. This is what I like to see, need to bring sticker design contests to all states. https://t.co/XiUAvuirQo  vid (@VoidBrain1) September 4, 2024

Jane Hynous/Twitter: @VoidBrain1

And this person said every American deserved a sticker designed by K-12 students.

I adamantly believe that every last one of Americas 3,143 counties deserve their own goofy AF I Voted sticker designed by K-12 Students a new American tradition https://t.co/8kQvqtr2q9  bebo, chicago (b)rat czar  (@BebopOtt) September 4, 2024

Jane Hynous/Twitter: @BebopOtt

And that's not the only new sticker!

That wolf sticker is one of 9 new stickers voters in Michigan may be able to get this Fall:

You voted, and its time to announce the winners of Michigans first-ever I Voted sticker contest! Congratulations to everyone who participated and to all the amazing winners. The 9 winning designs will be available for clerks to order and give out to voters this fall for the pic.twitter.com/gxOG3SVWqm  Jocelyn Benson (@JocelynBenson) September 4, 2024

Twitter: @JocelynBenson

According to the Michigan Department of State, clerks will be able to order any of the stickers to give out on Election Day.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the states first-ever I Voted sticker contest.The nine winning designs will be available for clerks to order and give out to voters this fall for the Nov. 5 General Election.Learn more: https://t.co/gDcVRSIl8K pic.twitter.com/DWevfUYdzc  Michigan Department of State (@MichSoS) September 4, 2024

Twitter: @MichSoS

Now, excuse me while I figure out how to get a "I voted yay" one.

oh my god i voted yay won pic.twitter.com/1WpmUF7cTq  the frog collective :) &  (@moopsy_pilled) September 4, 2024

Gabby Warner/Twitter: @moopsy_pilled
Midlands soon getting 1st Whataburger  not to be confused with What-A-Burger. Heres where

Will you be one of the four people in line at 11 a.m. Monday for the opening of the first Whataburger in the Midlands?

If youre one of two in the drive thru or one of two inside, youll get a gift basket and free food for a year.

And 200 others will get gift packs.

The restaurant is located at 1185 Dutch Fork Road in Irmo. Its near the Ballentine Family YMCA, a Walmart and several other fast food restaurants.

Another Whataburger is set to open this fall in the Midlands, at 202 Bridgeberry Lane, northeast of downtown Columbia, company officials said in a news release Wednesday.

So far, the Texas-based chain  not to be confused with locally owned What-A-Burger  has opened locations in Greenville, Anderson, Boiling Springs, and Mauldin at a pace of one every two weeks since July.

The openings have attracted large numbers of people, so much so law enforcement and private security personnel have stepped in to direct traffic.

To come this fall are restaurants at 1941 E Main St., Spartanburg; 1510 W.O. Ezell Blvd., Spartanburg and 888 South Lake Drive, Lexington. In 2025, the company has announced it will build restaurants at 5648 Calhoun Memorial Parkway, Easley (spring) and 1537 E. Main St., Duncan (summer).

Whataburger President and CEO Ed Nelson, a South Carolina native and Clemson graduate, has said the restaurants have felt like a homecoming.

As a native son, Ive always known that our states rich culture and warm hospitality would be the perfect match for Whataburgers tradition of bold flavors and extraordinary service, he said.

The restaurant chain, founded in 1950, has more than 1,030 locations. Its entry into South Carolina marks 16 states, which the company is calling Sweet 16.
TEXAS (FOX 44)  A Midway High School graduate is being recognized on a national level for her hard work!

Acoording to the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), senior Kara Stogsdill is a physics student studying ways to measure the mass of tiny particles called neutrinos. She has earned a prestigious national award for her research  the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award from the Society of Physics Students, an organization of the American Institute of Physics. This award is given to students based on exceptional research achievements in any physics-related field.

Stogsdills research is part of the Project 8 Neutrino Mass Experiment, which includes faculty and students from UTA and 13 other universities and national laboratories in the United States and Europe. Project 8s goal is to measure the mass of the neutrino, which is considered one of the building blocks of the universe. Ben Jones, a UTA associate professor of physics and Stogsdills faculty mentor, is a principal investigator for Project 8.

UTA says neutrinos are the most abundant particles with mass in the universe. Every time atomic nuclei come together (in the case of stars like the sun) or break apart (such as in nuclear reactors), neutrinos are produced. Even everyday items like bananas emit neutrinos from the natural radioactivity of potassium in the fruit. Scientists believe that studying neutrinos can help us understand how the universe came to contain matter.

In addition to having little mass, neutrinos also interact very weakly, making it difficult for scientists to pinpoint them to study. Stogsdill is building a Zeeman slower, an instrument that is used to slow and cool a beam of hot atoms so that scientists may study them more easily.

According to UTA, Stogsdill grew up in Waco and attended Midway High School. She says she developed an early fascination with physics as well as chemistry, mathematics and science in general. She came to UTA initially planning to major in engineering.

Stogsdill said Jones has given her confidence to grow as an undergraduate researcher. She started out with no research experience, and is now an experienced member of the lab group.

UTA says after Stogsdill graduates next spring, she plans to apply for an internship at a national laboratory and then pursue a doctoral degree.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR)  A kitchen fire sent a Midwest City home up in flames Wednesday morning and one woman is being treated for smoke inhalation after trying to save her pets.

The kitchen definitely is completely burned up, but the rest of the house is fairly decent, Chief David Richardson with the Midwest City Police Department said.

LOCAL NEWS: Officer-involved shooting, house fire in Edmond

Thats a little bit of good news coming out of a horrible situation starting around 8 a.m. Richardson said neighbors heard smoke alarms coming from a home nearby and called 911.

The occupant was not home at the time, Richardson said.

Richardson said a woman was taking her kids to school and by the time they responded, she was home and trying to save her dogs inside.

Two pets did not make it, Richardson said.

At the time, the fire was coming out of the front of the attic area. They were able to get her out and treat her for light smoke inhalation as a precaution.

It looks like the origin of the fire was in the kitchen, what caused it specifically at this time, we dont know, Richardson said.

LOCAL NEWS: Restaurant owner charged hundreds by credit card processing company

No one else was home except the pets. Richardson said thankfully, the smoke alarms prevented things from being any worse.

Got us here quick to minimize, I think, the damage done, he said. It wont be a total loss for them.

Richardson also mentioned the weather as helping them fight the fire as clouds protect firefighters from extreme heat.

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Migrants held at Tacoma detention facility spend longer in detention, more likely to be deported

A man with a blond buzzcut in a red shirt holds up a large sign that says "NO MORE DETENTIONS & DEPORTATIONS" and "no mas!"

An activist with La Resistencia holds up a protest sign during a press conference about "The Border is Everywhere" UW Center for Human Rights report outside of the Tukwila Department of Homeland Security building. Sept. 5, 2024. (Grace Deng/Washington State Standard)

Despite Washingtons progressive reputation, migrants held at Tacomas Northwest ICE Processing Center are less likely to receive relief from detention and deportation compared to the national average.

Thats according to a new report from the University of Washingtons Center for Human Rights, which analyzes data on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions from 2012 to 2023 and ICE detention placements from 2012 to 2024.

The data, the report says, reveal ways in which the climate here is less welcoming to immigrants than other areas of the country.

Even states like Louisiana or Texas, states in which large numbers of migrants are detained, offer better outcomes, the report said.

Migrants held at the facility  the only one of its kind in Washington  are less likely to be granted bond, more likely to pay higher bonds and spend longer times in detention than the national average, the report found.

In 2024, the median bond amount in Washington was about $10,000, higher than any other rate in the nation by over $2,000. Nationwide, about 30% of bond cases were granted in the most recent fiscal year, compared to about 23% of cases in Washington.

Whether detained or not, migrants residing in Washington are also less likely to be granted relief from deportation in the immigration courts compared to the national average. From Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024, more than 75% of migrants nationwide granted relief from deportation. In Tacomas immigration courts, that rate was around 27%.

All this information just confirmed that that place is the worst place in the country, said Liliana Chumpitasi, an activist with La Resistencia, an immigrant rights group calling for the facilitys closure.

Northwest ICE Processing Center is a for-profit, privately-run facility with a long history of human rights abuses, many of which have been recorded by the University of Washingtons Center for Human Rights, including inadequate food, rampant use of solitary confinement and mistreatment from staff. Hunger strikes to protest conditions at the facility, which is run by a Florida-based company called GEO Group, are common.

GEO and ICE have both repeatedly said the facility follows federal detention standards and that they are committed to respecting the rights of detainees in their care.

Some argue that closing the facility would mean migrants would be sent to facilities with fewer supportive organizations or more hostile legal systems  but Angelina Snodgrass Godoy, the UW centers director, said thats simply not true.

The immigration courts that we have here in Washington and in Oregon dont necessarily reflect the political culture of the place at all, and the data shows that the decisions made by those courts are more immigrant adverse than the national average, she said.

GEO Groups contract with ICE is up for renewal in September 2025. La Resistencia is asking the Washington congressional delegation to fight renewal and close the facility.

We must also fight to dismantle the entire immigration system that criminalizes us, exploits us, surveils us, deports us and kills us, said Chumpitasi.

Washington Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith in July called for the closure of the Tacoma facility, as well as all for-profit detention centers.

Washington Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray supported an investigation into the facilitys use of solitary confinement in April after a detainee died in solitary confinement; Murray also requested a federal audit in July into health care services in ICE detention centers.

Staff for the two senators have also visited the facility in recent months, according to La Resistencia. However, its unclear if the senators support closing the facility altogether.

Cantwell and Murray did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(NewsNation)  More than 212,000 migrants and asylum-seekers have filtered through New York City over the past year with 64,000 new arrivals from the U.S. southern border still living in city-run shelters.

Although city officials say that they have connected 70% of migrants with taking steps toward applying for asylum or Temporary Protected Status, migrants trying to find a new life in sanctuary cities like New York, Chicago, and Denver have expressed concerns about receiving mail in a timely fashion.

While cities have no control over how the U.S. Postal Service operates, asylum seekers who have arrived in those places via buses sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott complain that important documents  including applications for social security cards, work permits, and paperwork regarding upcoming immigration hearings  are either arriving late or not at all, according to a report in The New York Times.

US sanctuary cities move to clear migrant tent encampments

In addition to heavy mail loads at the citys 200 migrant shelters, limits put into place by New York Mayor Eric Adams on how long asylum seekers can remain at the shelters have complicated the process of delivering mail, the report said.

For new arrivals already struggling to find work and to establish themselves in a new city, not being able to receive important documents and city identification cards has made their daily lives even more challenging, immigration attorneys say.

Theyre missing important deadlines and missing important appointments, Allison Cutler, a supervising attorney of the immigration protection unit at New York Legal Assistance Group, told The New York Times. If its a court appointment, you can actually be ordered deported in your absence, which weve also been seeing people who reside in shelter and theyre not getting notices of hearing from the court.

Similar challenges have been felt in other cities where tens of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers have been sent since 2022.

Migrants living in city-run shelters in Chicago have previously told NewsNation that they often see mail delivered weeks after it was scheduled to arrive. They said that city staff members hired to assist with shelter operations often struggle with communicating with new arrivals and that at times, immigrant paperwork and other documents are lost  only to surface weeks later after deadlines have been missed.

In Denver, where the city once operated 10 shelters, officials said that getting mail to those living in shelters has also been challenging.

Its been tricky, Jon Ewing, spokesman for the Denver Human Services, told NewsNation.

Ewing, who said that the city is now down to running two shelters, said that the main obstacle is tracking migrants once they leave the shelters. In many cases, work permits which have been obtained through efforts provided to new arrivals by the city and local non-profits arrive after asylum seekers have left for other places to live.

In those cases, the city has partnered with not-for-profits which allow migrants to use the mailing addresses of those organizations on applications for work permits. Although those cases have not been overwhelming, Ewing acknowledges that the situation has presented obstacles.

In Chicago, city officials have told NewsNation that asylum-seekers are not tracked after they leave shelters operated by the city. As of this week, Chicagos shelter census stands at nearly 5,500  half of what it was when Mayor Brandon Johnson began enforcing shelter stay limits for new arrivals in March.

In New York, Adams has estimated that handling housing and providing services to new arrivals will cost the city more than $10 billion over three years.

Like other sanctuary cities, Adams has sought federal assistance to help cover costs and to expedite work authorizations for new arrivals. But with no solutions in sight, migrants are often left to fend for themselves when it comes to finding work and becoming legally authorized to work.

A day after 12 deaths, other migrants risk their lives trying to cross the English Channel

That means filing paperwork, which is then returned through the U.S. Mail. The New York Times report indicated that shelter officials are told to hold on to high-priority mail for migrants, including mail from the federal government.

City officials have also established a database that alerts migrants when mail is ready for pick-up. However, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander issued a report in the spring saying that the city does not have policies or procedures in place regarding picking up mail or personal belongings.

The report indicated that the city has said that shelter guests are informed that their mail will be available at that site for pick-up after migrants leave the shelter.

However, according to the New York Times report, even migrants living in shelters have difficulty collecting mail.

Each time, I go back because my phone tells me that I have mail to pick up, and I know that its mail thats important, 28-year-old Guinea native Amadou Sadjo Barry told the New York Times. I come to inform them, and they tell me that No, you dont have one, you have to go.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Mayor of Calais says illegal migrants are attracted to Britain by the prospect of black market work - Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Channel migrants think of Britain as El Dorado because of its lax approach to illegal workers, French politicians and officials have claimed.

Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said the UK was hypocritical in criticising France over a surge in migrant crossings when they were attracted to the country by the prospect of black market work.

They called for a summit with Britain to work out how to end the Channel crossings, which saw at least 12 migrants die on Tuesday when their dinghy, crammed with some 65 people, broke up and sank three miles off the French coast.

Ten of the victims were women including one who was pregnant, and six were minors. Most were thought to be from Eritrea. Only eight of the 65 people on board the boat were wearing lifejackets.

Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister, who has also criticised the UKs lax labour laws for fuelling the crossings, called for a new treaty that would allow migrants to claim asylum in the UK from the EU.

Were suffering from this hypocrisy, said Ms Bouchart, referring to labour legislation in England and the existence of numerous British smugglers.

At some point, were going to have to have a showdown with this government to avoid in 50 years time [being] still at the same level, with people wanting to go to England because it continues to be an El Dorado, she added.

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Didier Leschi, the director of the French Office of Immigration and Integration, said: The issue for England is to have an internal system that appears to be an El Dorado  and probably wrongly so  since its a country where you can work very easily without having a residence permit.

El Dorado is a mythical city or country of riches, said to be located in South America. The name comes from the Spanish phrase el dorado, which translates to the golden.

Sir Keir Starmers official spokesman rejected claims that the UKs working conditions were a significant pull factor.

He said: No  and lets be clear, the people responsible for this vile trade are the smuggling gangs, who make profit and take advantage of vulnerable people and vulnerable situations. And that is why this Government is so focused on dismantling their criminal operations and preventing these dangerous journeys taking place.

The mayor of Wimereux, a French coastal town where migrants were filmed setting off for the UK from the beach a day after the tragedy, pleaded for French and British officials to do more to limit the number of migrants attempting the crossing.

Unfortunately, every day is like this for us. The smugglers  a criminal network  continue with insistence to send people to their deaths in the Channel. It really is unacceptable, scandalous, and it is high time that a lasting solution is found with Britain, said Jean-Luc Dubaele.

Lets ask ourselves the question: Why do they want to go to Britain? Because something is drawing them there. They can ask for asylum in France. None ask for the right to asylum in France. They all want to go to Britain. So it is high time that we sit around a table with the new British Government.

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On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmers official spokesman said: The Prime Minister is appalled by the horrific deaths in the Channel, and we reiterate that this is a painful reminder of the violence these gangs deploy to take advantage of vulnerable people.

We have no plans to be part of an EU scheme on asylum, but we will continue to work with European partners to shut down people-smuggling and smash these criminal gangs.

A manslaughter investigation has been opened in Tuesdays 12 deaths at sea as judicial police try to find the people-smugglers who provided the faulty dinghy, the bottom of which tore apart under the pressure of the 65 on board in rough seas.

The smugglers are thought to have charged those on board the equivalent of 1,000 a head for a place on the boat, which was just 26ft long.

The latest deaths mean at least 37 people have died in Channel crossings so far this year, compared with 12 for the whole of last year. The worst previous incident was in November 2021 when 27 people died after their inflatable dinghy capsized.

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The Government has opened the door to exempting military families from Labours private school tax raid.

It has said it will closely monitor the impact of the tax change on the families of serving personnel as the Armed Forces battle a recruitment crisis.

Military families currently receive taxpayer-funded support that covers up to 90 per cent of boarding school fees under the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), but often end up paying far more than the remaining 10 per cent.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has suggested previously suggested that Armed Forces personnel could be exempt when in opposition.

Military families have told The Telegraph they would have no choice but to quit the Armed Forces if Labour goes ahead with its policy to levy 20 per cent VAT on school fees from January.

The CEA has been frozen for many years and is capped at 9,080 per term for secondary schools, almost 6,000 less than average boarding school fees, according to the Independent Schools Council, which represents private schools.



It means despite the financial aid, military parents in receipt of the CEA still have to spend upwards of 17,000 per year to send their child to boarding school.

Other military families fund their childs private school fees without the support of the CEA as the scheme does not cover day schools and has strict criteria which means families must be likely to move every four years.

It comes as experts warn parents face average increases of around 14pc from January, when independent schools will be forced to pay taxes for the first time.

One parent said they were being priced out of education while another said: If Labour has its way, leaving the service is the only choice I have to not put my childrens secondary education at risk.

A government spokesman said: We want to ensure all children have the best chance in life to succeed. Ending tax breaks on private schools will help to raise the revenue needed to fund our education priorities for next year, such as recruiting 6,500 new teachers.

We will monitor closely the impact of these policy changes on affected military and diplomatic families and the upcoming Spending Review is the right time to consider any changes to this scheme.

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It comes after a Conservative peer warned families will quit the Armed Forces because of the raid.

Opening a Lords debate on the private school VAT raid, Lord Lexden said service personnel would be priced out as a result of the levy and fear that they will have to leave jobs they love.

The life peer added that military families who currently receive financial support from the Ministry of Defence so their children can attend boarding schools while they are overseas should be exempt from paying VAT.

Lord Lexden said: The prospect of this fee rise is a source of the greatest worry to our service families, who place our society so greatly in their debt.

Some long-serving men and women in our Armed Forces fear that they will have to leave jobs they love.

The 4,700 children for whom the CEA is being provided must not be made subject to VAT.

One military family, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: A lot of us already feel that all of the benefits are being chipped away.

The pull to stay is getting less and less for people in the Armed Forces and I can see why families would quit over this.

They added: If my husband wasnt in the Navy we could move to Yorkshire where we both grew up.

We would be close to family and be able to send our child to grammar school or a school in a better catchment area. We dont have that option where we live in Portsmouth.

Lord Lexdens comments come after fellow Conservative peer Lord Kempsell said he feared the Prime Ministers education tax could soon impact our national security.

Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: Clobbering Britains bravest families with a levy like this is morally objectionable to those of us who care about the welfare of our Armed Forces.

But I was even more alarmed to discover that nearly 70pc of Army families surveyed said that if there is no exemption or financial mitigation to cover the full costs of the VAT increase, they could be forced to consider leaving the Army.

The Government has promised a root-and-branch defence review as the number of British Army troops has fallen below 73,000 for the first time since the Napoleonic era.

The Government is currently in the middle of a consultation period over the impact of the VAT raid and is expected to publish its findings ahead of the Budget at the end of October.

A leaked email sent in July by Ian Murray, the Scotland Secretary, to one of his constituents also implied caveats could be made.

In the message, seen by The Telegraph, Mr Murray wrote: I think there will be some recognition of the Armed Forces Covenant as there will be for those pupils who have special education needs.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a legal obligation to ensure military personnel and their families face no disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to other members of society.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Mill Creek MetroParks chief of police Randy Campana spoke on the importance of safety after a woman was assaulted on park grounds this week.

Officers with the Mill Creek MetroParks police department received a call Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. that a woman had been assaulted during her afternoon walk near Daffodil Meadow.

Chief Campana told First News the 33-year-old woman was struck several times in the face before she fought off her attacker.

The suspect fled the scene and officers were unable to locate him at that time. However, Chief Campana said officers recovered evidence from the scene that they are confident will have the suspects DNA.

He said the attack was likely not targeted, and it has been many years since theyve responded to an issue in that area.

We do our best to have officer presence in these areas of the park, Chief Campana said. Just be aware of your surroundings, dont venture into an area where you dont have an escape route, and, like I said, the most important thing is just to be aware of whats going on around you, whos around you, areas of escape, that sort of thing.

Police are still working with the prosecutor to determine what charges will be filed once the assailant is apprehended.

If you see something or someone suspicious, Chief Campana says dont ever hesitate to call park police at 330-744-3848.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
As city officials continue to deal with mounting legal concerns, including a raid this week by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Millersville's embattled police department has been further restricted by limited access to a crucial financial crime database, restrictions the city's police chief believes are connected to an ongoing investigation.

Millersville Police Chief Bryan Morris confirmed last month that his department was restricted from using the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCen, to track financial-related crimes.

FinCen is a safeguard to combat money laundering and crimes related to terrorism. It promotes national security through use of financial authorities.

"We run these reports through TBI, and they are the ones that restricted our access," Morris explained. He said the TBI told him that his department's access was restricted due to a "standard audit."

When asked for comment about Millersville's restricted FinCen access, TBI declined last month.

"We have no information to provide in response to your questions," TBI spokesperson Josh Devine said in an emailed statement. On Wednesday, TBI spokesperson Susan Niland confirmed agents conducted searches at the Millersville Police Department and the Robertson County home of Assistant Police Chief Shawn Taylor.

Niland did not comment on the nature of the searches or give any details about what TBI agents were looking for during their visits.

Attempts to reach Morris and Taylor for comment about the TBI's searches were not immediately successful.

But, Morris said last month that Millersville Police were investigating "public officials" who could have sway over people in TBI, and the agency's FinCen restriction was impacting a couple of cases in his department.

"It's very concerning anytime people you are looking into can generate enough influence to have it stopped," Morris said. He added of FinCen, "I do not have a time frame on when we would have it back, as one was not provided to me."

Morris declined to say if he believed the TBI's restrictions could be retaliatory, but he did note that his department was not investigating anyone within the TBI.

He did not name anyone his department was investigating.

"Everything we have ever run through them has been an open case with a case number provided to them. I cannot answer why this has happened other than to speculate," Morris said. He added that reports from FinCen are used by departments when they are following a money trail in a case.

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Millersville chief: Before raid, TBI restricted crime data access
SK Telecoms A. (A-DoT) AI-based personal assistant for consumers now features the inclusion of fee-free access to seven of the most well-known and popular large language model (LLM) generative AI (GenAI) agents available in South Korea.

These comprise SK Telecoms own A.X; ChatGPT 3.5 turbo and ChatGPT 4o; Claude Haiku, Claude Opus, and Claude Sonnet from Anthropic (an SK Telecom partner and investment vehicle); and Perplexity (another SK Telecom partner and investment vehicle).

This is not just a PA, but an entourage of assistants teamed up to make a day in the life easier to navigate and enjoy, from verbal appointment scheduling to sleep quality monitoring.

SK Telecom is bringing conversational AI to the masses

With this revamp, SK Telecom is bringing conversational AI to the masses in a way that is personal, intimate, and habit-forming. This app-bundled novelty can help the operator pave the way for future monetisation opportunities as the company aligns all of the moving parts making up its overarching AI innovation ambition: to integrate AI into every facet of the companys business, operations, and services.

A-DoT is noteworthy as one of the earliest wide-scale deployment examples of a telco customer support assistant enhanced with AI-based functioning, while SK Telecom is a notable early-mover in the development and application of LLM in the carrier sector. This latest reimagining of A-DoT exploits all of this experience and expertise to further SK Telecoms practical GenAI capabilities in multiple areas.

A-DoT can now claim the novelty of bringing together seven high-profile and distinctive GenAI tools within a single, free-to-access, own-branded, personal assistant helping consumers with a variety of daily tasks and activities. The selection enables users to apply different GenAI-based characteristics and capabilities in different situations and contexts, and to engage in different ways depending on individual preferences and customisation.

Cross-pollination for AI

Enabling customers to trial and compare these popular GenAI tools greases the wheels of user engagement, education, and adoption within the scope of wider efforts by SK Telecom to imbue AI-driven capabilities across its larger consumer services portfolio.

It further helps to generate cross-pollination for the development of AI-boosted industry and enterprise service provisioning, as well as informing broader cooperative carrier endeavours like the landmark Global Telco AI Alliance formed by SK Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, e&, and Singtel.

"SK Telecom tweaks telco aggregator model" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.

Story continues







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Millington school is beefing up security after a deadly shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday.

Right now, the two gates on Second Avenue and West Street are open, allowing those in the community easy access to Millington Central Middle High Schools property.

A 14-year-old student fatally shot 4 people in a rampage at a Georgia high school, officials say

But starting Monday, school officials say they will be locking the gates immediately after seven in the morning.

I dont blame them. Yeah, Lock them down, said Antonio, a Millington students uncle.

He says he is in charge of dropping off his niece at school.

Safety is first priority and so thats one of the things I want to prioritize while shes in school, said Antonio.

He says safety is important, especially after what happened Wednesday at a high school in Winder, Georgia.

Four people were killed and nine others were injured after a 14-year-old student shot an assault rifle-style gun at Apalachee High School.

A lot of this stuff is getting out of hand. Its happening too rapidly, they are selling these guns at a rapid pace, said Antonio. When it comes to schools and kids lives, that should be the top priority for every state, and every city. Thats my stand on it.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

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Back in Millington, school officials alerted parents by text on Wednesday that starting Monday, gates will be locked at 7:05 a.m. and will reopen at 1:40 p.m. for dismissal.

Any parents who need to enter the school will now have to use the gates intercom system.

If its keeping our kids safe and if it helps us sleep good at night knowing our kids are coming home, then do that for sure, Antonio said. We should take proper steps to make sure each school is doing this in that security manner.

Alternative School students will need to enter through the gate on West Street and Second Avenue. You will also need to be buzzed in to drop off students.

We reached out to Millington for more details. They sent us the information below:

The decision to enhance security at Millington Central Middle High School (MCMHS) has been an ongoing effort over the last two years to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and visitors. While the tragic event in Georgia and events elsewhere remind us of the importance of school security, the gates were something that we have been working to put in place for a few months.

Parents should know that while these changes may introduce some new procedures, our top priority is the safety and well-being of everyone on campus. Starting September 9, access to the MCMHS campus will be restricted between 7:05 a.m. and 1:40 p.m., with entry allowed only through designated gates. We encourage parents to plan accordingly and be patient as we adjust to this new system. We will be continuing to communicate with all stakeholders about these new security measures.

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(WFRV)  The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Gregory J. Haanstad announced on Tuesday that a Milwaukee man will spend 12 years in prison with four years of supervised release to follow.

37-year-old Ramone Locke Sr. was found to be a supplier of cocaine to traffickers in the North Side of Milwaukee, leading to his arrest in June 2022.

Wisconsin woman arrested & banned from zoo after climbing fences and attempting to enter animal enclosures

He pled guilty to the charge, admitting that his trafficking with the group involved up to 15 kilograms of cocaine. Locke is a prior convict, with multiple felony offenses varying from money laundering and using telephones to further drug trafficking.

Despite prior federal convictions, Mr. Locke returned to drug trafficking and to conduct involving firearms, violence, and witness intimidation, U.S. Attorney Haanstad said. The sentence imposed in this case was the direct result of tireless work by federal, state and local law enforcement  all of whom are dedicated to making the Eastern District of Wisconsin as safe as possible for everyone who lives and works here.

Wisconsin man sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for repeated offenses of child pornography

Court records also showed that he was involved in threats of violence, with messages that stated his intent to kill an individual by himself. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman found that Locke had obstructed justice while the case was still pending via an attempt to intimidate witnesses.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to hold rally in Erie on Thursday

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will be on the campaign trail in Erie on Thursday.

According to campaign representatives, Walz will fly into Erie International Airport this afternoon.

People who have signed up for a rally Thursday night received word that Walz will speak around 6 p.m. at Liberty Park, 828 W Bayfront Pkwy.

Anyone interested in attending the event must sign up in advance online here.

Walz previously held a campaign event in Lancaster and Pittsburgh this week before traveling to Erie.

Walzs Thursday visit also comes a week after Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance held an event in Erie highlighting the economy, the border crisis and the trucking business.

We have several reporters covering the vice presidential nominees visit to Erie. Stay tuned to JET 24 Action News for the latest on his public appearances.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Amy Vang and her son chat with an employee of the Ramsey County WIC office at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the WIC program. Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer.

Amy Vang remembers being 5 years old, stepping on a scale and having her height measured at a St. Paul church office in order to receive benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children  better known as WIC.

Now, 25 years later and with two children of her own, Vang uses WIC benefits to help feed her family and to receive breastfeeding and parenting support. Thursday morning, she joined federal and state leaders at a Ramsey County WIC office to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program.

WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides expecting mothers, infants and young children with food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and equipment, and referrals to other social and medical services. Data show the program improves infant health outcomes. Mothers who participate in WIC are less likely to have babies with a low birth weight, an indicator of poor nutrition and a precursor to complications like inhibited growth and cognitive development and even lower life expectancy.

Minnesota is among the top five states with the highest WIC participation rate among the eligible population, according to the state Department of Health.

Nationally, just over half of eligible parents and children enroll in WIC. In Minnesota, more than 65% of qualifying people participate in the program.

Still, We have so many more people we could reach, Minnesota WIC Director Kate Franken said.

Making enrollment forms available online and allowing for more remote appointments has made the program more accessible, Franken said. The state is also working with Hennepin Healthcare on a pilot program to increase enrollment by streamlining the process for doctors to refer patients to WIC.

Since Vang and her family first received benefits in the 1990s, the program has evolved: Food vouchers no longer come in the form of a written check, but are instead loaded onto an electronic benefits card that looks like a debit card. Participants now have access to a wider range of foods, and can use their benefits at farmers markets.

The My Minnesota WIC app, which debuted eight years ago, allows participants to check their benefit balance and scan products at the grocery store to determine whether theyre covered, instead of finding out at the register. And Minnesota is piloting a program that allows WIC participants to apply their benefits to groceries ordered online at HyVee grocery stores across the state.

Minnesota is also among the top states for adopting breastfeeding among participants, which leads to better health outcomes for mothers and infants and saves families and government agencies money on formula. Peer counselors are available for parents to text or call as needed, and can provide culturally relevant breastfeeding education and support in languages other than English.

When Vangs parents applied for WIC, they had recently immigrated to the U.S. from Thailand, leaving behind their normal shopping and cooking routines.

They were really new to nutrition and the concept of healthy eating, and living in a new country, the food choices were a lot different from what they were used to back in their homeland, Vang said. (WIC) was just getting exposure to different foods, learning how to cook the different foods and feed us.

Vang studied nutrition in college and worked for a local WIC office for six years.

Funding for the program was in limbo earlier this year as Congress failed to come to a budget agreement. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Minnesota and other states in February to call for full WIC funding.

The U.S. Senate passed legislation allocating more than $7 billion to the program  a $1 billion increase from 2023, requested by the USDA to cover increased participation. That funding only runs through the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30, and is likely to be temporarily extended until after the November election.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The Miracle League of Sioux City will be holding it biggest fundraiser of the year.

Cigar & Bourbon Night will be held on Sep. 11 at the South Sioux City Marriott and begin at 6:30 p.m. The event, now in its fourth year, will also feature a live and silent auction.

Morningside University receives $20K grant for aviation education

You can top in at Callahans Liquor or reach out to miracleleaguesiouxcity@gmail.com to get tickets.

Braxton Hinders, executive director of The Miracle League, visited the KCAU 9 studio Wednesday with more on this event. You can view the full interview in the video player above.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
A viral post claims that Minneapolis just became the first major U.S. city to broadcast the Islamic call to prayer five times per day over loudspeakers for the whole city to hear.

Minneapolis becomes the first major U.S. city to broadcast Islamic call to prayer 5 times per day over loud speakers for the whole city to hear.

IS THIS AMERICA?

Soon they will have it broadcast over the entire U.S. if people don't wake up and do something about it. pic.twitter.com/vEizjwOd18  Trump Girl  (@MAGA__Patriot) September 4, 2024

Someone in Minneapolis needs some stones and stand up against this, reads one reply to the post. So much for the separation of church and state in Minneapolis! says another.

Local and state policies in Minnesota have faced increased national scrutiny in recent weeks following Gov. Tim Walzs selection as Kamala Harris running mate in August.

The post is not entirely false, but is missing important context. In 2023, Minneapolis changed its noise ordinance laws to allow the Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast by mosques in the city, but the city itself does not issue the broadcasts.

Minnesota has been the epicenter of Muslim migration to the United States since the 1990s, particularly in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. As of 2020, an estimated 140,000 Muslims resided in Minnesota, and there were at least 76 mosques across the state.

Mosques typically broadcast a call to prayerknown as the adhanfive times per day: at dawn, noon, afternoon, evening, and nightfall. The earliest prayer begins when light first appears each morning, which can be as early as 3:30 a.m. during summers in Minneapolis. The latest prayer, which takes place once the night sky is visible, often occurs as late as 11 p.m. in Minneapolis during the summer solstice.

Mosques in Minneapolis have been allowed to broadcast the call to prayer without a specific permit since 2022, but city noise ordinances often prevented public broadcasts of the earliest and latest calls to prayer and limited the broadcasts to 70 decibels or less. In 2023, the Minneapolis City Council voted to amend its noise ordinance, allowing all five broadcasts to sound regardless of the time of day.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

Read more at The Dispatch

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Missing Atlanta man last seen boarding a bus to church on Sunday

Atlanta Police Departments Adult Missing Persons Unit is asking for the publics help finding a missing man.

Jesse Carson was last seen on Sunday, Sept. 1 when he was taking a bus to church.

The person who reported him missing said he got on the bus but failed to return home after the service.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

He was last seen wearing an all-black suit.

If you have seen him, please call 911 or the Atlanta Police Adult Missing Persons Unit at 404-546-4235.

TRENDING STORIES:

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IN OTHER NEWS:
ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4)  A man who was reported missing in August was found dead in St. George on Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

According to the St. George Police Department, the man was identified as Eliot D. Hill, 61, and he was the subject of a Silver Alert issued on Aug. 29.

Officers were first dispatched to the area of 1600 S. Black Ridge Dr. for reports of a person down, and when they arrived at the scene, they found Hill.

According to the Aug. 29 Silver Alert, Hill did not have medication with him that he needed for bipolar personality disorder and Parkinsons. St. George Police clarified that a Silver Alert is issued for missing persons  especially senior citizens with physical/mental illnesses.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends affected by this tragic incident, police said in a social media post Wednesday.

There is no further information at this time.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty Images A 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4Xe during the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show on April 19, 2024.





KEY TAKEAWAYS

Stellantis temporarily stopped making its top-selling Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee sports-utility vehicles, as dealers complain about excess inventory.

It paused production at two Detroit plants that reportedly make the Grand Cherokee, and another factory in Toledo, Ohio, where the Wrangler is made.

Stellantis said it will resume production Thursday.







Stellantis (STLA) temporarily stopped making its top-selling Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee sports-utility vehicles in the past week, as dealers complain about excess inventory.

The Big Three automaker paused production at two Detroit plants that reportedly make the Grand Cherokee, and another factory in Toledo, Ohio, where the Wrangler is made.

Production To Resume Thursday

Stellantis said it will resume production at the plants Thursday, as it "continues to take the necessary actions to improve operations in the U.S. market. This included making production adjustments at the Toledo North, Jefferson and Mack plants."

The automaker added it "will continue to monitor the situation to assess whether further action is required."

Stellantis' high inventory levels have been attributed by dealers and Wall Street analysts in part to higher prices and the company offering fewer promotions than competitors, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The automaker in July posted a 48% year-over-year drop in net profit for the first half of the year, as it struggled with bloated inventories.

Shares of Stellantis were 0.8% lower at $15.95 in early trading Thursday. They've lost about 31% of their value since the start of the year.



Read the original article on Investopedia.
Missing teens may be in the Lexington area

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  A pair of missing teenagers could be in the Lexington area, according to authorities.

Naveah McDermott, 17, and Emonie Adams, 16, were reported missing on Aug. 27. The girls were last seen around 4:29 p.m. in London and are believed to be together.

RELATED | 2 teen girls reported missing in London

According to the London Police Department (LPD), McDermott is described as being 5-foot-3 and weighing 165 pounds with black hair. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with NIKE in white print on the chest, black leggings, black socks, white Crocs, and possibly a purple backpack.

(Via London Police Department)

(Via London Police Department)

(Via London Police Department)

Adams is described as being 5-foot-5 and weighing 115 pounds with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a gray square on the front, blue leggings, black slippers, and a pink hair tie, per LPD.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the London-Laurel County 911 Center at 606-878-7000 or your local law enforcement agency.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi lawmakers could consider a comprehensive proposal next year to make the states tax system fairer and more efficient, a state House leader said Wednesday.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Trey Lamar said he joins other top Republicans, including House Speaker Jason White and Gov. Tate Reeves, in continuing to advocate for eventually erasing the states income tax.

Mississippi is reducing its personal income tax under a law Reeves signed in 2022. Efforts to completely phase out the tax fell short in 2023 and never gained traction during this years legislative session.

Ive been on the record more times than I can count over the last five or six years, Lamar said Wednesday at the Capitol. Eliminating the tax on work in the state of Mississippi is our goal  and how we can do that responsibly and in as quick a time as we can.

Hosemann launches State Fiscal Policy Study Group

Lamar and Republican Rep. Scott Bounds are leading a bipartisan group of House members that White appointed to examine Mississippi taxes.

Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has appointed a bipartisan Senate committee to study taxes and other financial issues.

During a meeting of the House committee on Wednesday, members heard from the mayors of Ocean Springs, population 19,500; Macon, population 2,600; and Louisville, population 6,500. All said their biggest budget challenge is paying for infrastructure such as roads and sewer lines. The mayor of Flora, population 1,647, said the priority is paying for police and fire protection.

All four mayors said their cities depend on revenue from the sales tax, which is 7% for most items, and the use tax, which is 7% for most items shipped in from out of state. Cities receive a portion of the money collected from each of those taxes.

Revenue from the use tax is directed to infrastructure projects, and counties also receive a portion of it.

Macon Mayor Buz McGuire said his city needs more flexibility to be able to pay for crumbling sidewalks that are decades old.

Mississippi Supreme Court approves overhaul of family law

Theyre just in pretty rough shape, McGuire said.

Lamar told reporters after the meeting that lawmakers could consider allowing more flexibility for how cities and counties can spend revenue from the use tax.

If a city attorney somewhere is being extra cautious and saying that the city cant pave the courthouse parking lot, then were certainly open to looking at that, Lamar said. But it needs to stay at public infrastructure.

Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway said that while his city has a strong local tax base, it has significant expenses to maintain older sewer pipes, sidewalks and roads.

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GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV)  An Ocean Springs man pled guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act by severing the rostrum of a smalltooth sawfish, which is an endangered species, while on board a shrimp boat off the Florida Keys.

Hong Thanh Nguyen, 62, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport and was sentenced to one year of probation. Prosecutors said Nguyens guilty plea followed the transfer of the charge filed in the Southern District of Florida to the Southern District of Mississippi.

Ole Miss fraternity placed on interim suspension due to hazing incident

According to court documents, Nguyen was aboard a commercial vessel, the Miss Theresa, near Key West in February 2022 when the smalltooth sawfish became entangled in the boats fishing net. Prosecutors said Nguyen severed the rostrum of the sawfish from its body with a knife, which he knew to be unlawful.

The case was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement, which is part of NOAAs National Marine Fisheries Service.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
A Missouri judge on Thursday struck down Secretary of State Jay Ashcrofts official description of an abortion rights amendment that would have appeared at polling places across the state on Nov. 5.

Cole County Circuit Court Judge Cotton Walker found that Ashcrofts language summarizing the amendment, called Amendment 3, was unfair and misleading to voters. Walkers 12-page order rewrote the language, called fair ballot language.

After considering the record before the Court and the arguments of the parties, the Court concludes the fair ballot language for Amendment 3 is unfair, insufficient, inaccurate, and misleading, Walker wrote in the order.

The lightning-fast ruling came one day after a hearing in the case in Jefferson City. It comes ahead of a historic vote on Nov. 5 to overturn the states abortion ban, which was enacted in 2022.

The lawsuit centered on the fair ballot language from Ashcrofts office that summarized the proposal at polling places. The short statement is intended to provide voters an overview of what the amendment would do.

Ashcroft also posted the language, which does not actually appear on the ballot, on the secretary of states website. Anna Fitz-James, a retired doctor who filed the amendment, sued, arguing that the language was misleading to voters.

Tori Schafer, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri, argued the case on behalf of Fitz-James while Andrew Crane with the state Attorney Generals Office defended Ashcroft.

The ruling is a win for abortion rights supporters as they prepare for the momentous vote on Nov. 5. Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the main campaign in favor of the measure, touted the ruling as a clear victory for Missouri voters.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom has fought tirelessly since 2023 to ensure that voters have access to fair and accurate information when they head to the polls, Sweet said. Once again, the courts have affirmed that politicians cannot use deceptive and misleading ballot language to distort the truth.

The ruling also marks another major loss in court for Ashcroft related to the abortion rights amendment. Ashcroft spokesperson JoDonn Chaney said his office was reviewing the courts decision.

Secretary Ashcroft will always stand for life and for the people of Missouri to know the truth, Chaney said.

Ashcroft had previously crafted incendiary language for the ballot question that would have asked voters to allow for dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions.

Another Cole County judge tossed Ashcrofts language in September 2023. An appeals court later upheld that ruling, writing that Ashcrofts summaries were replete with politically partisan language.

The language that Ashcrofts office approved for polling places (and his website) said the amendment would enshrine the right to abortion at any time of pregnancy and would prohibit any regulation of abortion, including rules to protect women.

It also said the measure would prohibit any civil or criminal penalties for anyone who performs an abortion that injuries or kills a pregnant woman.

The description echoes language already rejected by Missouri courts that Ashcroft tried to use to summarize the proposal in 2023. The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District unanimously rejected that summary and ordered the secretary of state to instead use less inflammatory phrasing.

Judge rewrites language

Whether it was intentional or not, Walker wrote in his order, Ashcrofts language sows voter confusion about the effects of the measure. He rewrote the language to state the following:

A yes vote establishes a constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid; removes Missouris ban on abortion; allows regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient requires the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and allows abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman.

A no vote will continue the statutory prohibition of abortion in Missouri.

The amendment that will appear on the ballot would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution but also give lawmakers some room to regulate the procedure after fetal viability.

The ballot measure defines fetal viability as the point in a pregnancy when a health care professional decides, based on the facts of the situation, there is a significant likelihood of the fetuss sustained survival outside of the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures.

Ashcrofts argument that the amendment would allow abortion at any time in pregnancy was blatantly misleading, Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the main campaign in favor of the measure, previously said.

Any post-viability ban would be required to allow at least three exceptions  for the life, physical and mental health of the woman.

While Thursdays order marked another victory for the abortion rights campaign, the legal battles are not over. A trial is scheduled for Friday over a lawsuit from two Republican lawmakers and an anti-abortion activist that seeks to block the amendment from the ballot.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Mongolia showed disrespect for international law by failing to arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin during his visit to the country on 3 September.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with NBC News

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that Mongolia accepts Putin despite the country's implementation of the Rome Statute because it does not respect international law.

He believes that such actions are indicative of Mongolia's view of international law, the countrys show of respect for it, or lack thereof.

"No, they don't [respect international law  ed.]. They respect Putin more than international law. Mongolia is showing more respect for a murderer than for international law today. [More respect] for war than for peace," Zelenskyy stressed.

He also added that if several countries do not respect international law, this does not mean that there will be no responsibility for this or that person.

"Because most countries will still expect accountability, and it will happen anyway," Zelenskyy concluded.

Background:

Putin's visit to Mongolia on 3 September was his first visit to a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC after the court issued an arrest warrant for him in March 2023 for involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children.

As previously reported, the Mongolian authorities supposedly assured Putin that they would not arrest him. Mongolia's energy dependence on Russia was the reason for this.

The European Union expressed regret that the Mongolian authorities had decided to host Putin and ignored the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) officials said they are making a concerted effort to enhance student safety for the new school year.

Theyre doing so by implementing new safety measures, and with assistance from the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD).

For the Board of Education and Dr. Taylor, MCPS chief of security and compliance, Marcus Jones, said. We have really worked hard to focus that within the system.

Montgomery County Public Schools virtual academy families feel unsupported by school district

Jones said itll be an all-hands-on-deck approach.

We have this motto that says, Its my job, its your job, its our job, he said. Were all in this together.

New safety measures this school year include installing vape detectors in all high schools, blocking access to social media on the MCPS network and launching a pilot program to limit cell phone use and student IDs for all high school students.

The students are wearing them, Jones said. The vast majority of them are. When an administrator or staff member sees that a student is not wearing them, they kindly ask them to show it.

Local police also have a presence in schools. There are 21 community engagement officers in the county.

Were available to school staff immediately, MCPD acting assistant chief, David McBain, said. Were available to students who may want to speak to an officer.

Tree falls on Montgomery County home, causes significant damage

Some parents have voiced concerns about safety in schools, but Dawn Iannaco-Hahn said she doesnt have many worries for her two children.

If we live in a constant state of anxiety as parents, Iannanco-Hahn said. That ends up being pushed onto our children, and then were creating anxious children. Thats not okay either.

Jones also briefly talked about metal detectors. He said the security team plans to do more research on them before they make a decision on whether to implement them or not in schools.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
GATESVILLE, Texas (FOX 44)  In Gatesville, a mother is turning her tragedy into a mission to help other families cope with mental health struggles and prevent suicide.

Kara Yocom, who lost her 14-year-old son Isaac to suicide, has dedicated her life to raising awareness about mental health and supporting other grieving parents.

I lost my son to suicide. I found him in the garage. We lost his friend two years later to suicide, Yocom said.

Her profound loss has driven her to support other parents who have faced similar grief.

My support system is other grieving parents. I belong to a couple of groups of grieving parents, and I think that connection, if youre a grieving parent with other grieving parents, is so very important because other people dont understand what youre going through unless you are going through it yourself, Yocom added.

Her efforts are deeply personal, We do it in honor of Isaac. But we spread awareness about bullying, suicide, and mental health. I help parents understand the signs and understand also that there may be no signs, she explained.

Yocom reflects on her sons life, He was my loud child running through the house. I would never have thought my son was depressed if he was.

Her experience underscores the challenge of identifying mental health issues, prompting her to ensure that other parents are aware of the signs.

I know if I didnt know about it, other parents arent going to know about it. And if I could save that one child by talking to a parent, I will do that for the rest of my life, Yocom explained.

SEE ALSO: Father advocates for awareness, prevention of suicide

Addressing bullying is also a crucial aspect of Yocoms advocacy, as her son Isaac was bullied in school.

Bullying can have a significant impact on a childs mental health, prompting many schools to implement preventive measures.

Bullying can take a great toll on a students mental health. Here, we have a lot of proactive resources that we use to prevent that bullying. We actually have an app thats anonymous called Stop It, and students are able to report anything that might be associated with bullying to that app, noted Amanda Smart, Lead Counselor at Waco High School.

For those battling depression or supporting someone who is, Yocom has a poignant message:

Speak to somebody. Dont hold it in. If one person wont listen, the other will. Dont give up. Just talk about it. I can only wish my son had said something.

Isaac Yocom, who loved go-karts, rockets, working out, and staying active, was affectionately nicknamed Rocketman by his family. His legacy lives on through his mothers unwavering commitment to helping others and preventing similar tragedies.

In remembrance of Isaac, Yocom will host an event at Freedom Park in Gatesville on October 19, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event will feature speakers on bullying and suicide prevention, performers, vendors, and representatives from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It aims to honor Isaacs memory and continue the vital work of raising awareness about mental health.

To assist the Yocom family with this years event and create a non-profit for Isaac, you can click here.

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A Jackson County judge dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit against Kansas City Public Schools Tuesday, ruling that the school district was not culpable in the killing of a 14-year-old on school grounds in 2022.

Manuel Manny J. Guzman was fatally stabbed by a classmate in a bathroom at Northeast Middle School on April 12, 2022.

Police responded to the school at 4904 Independence Ave. in Kansas Citys South Indian Mound neighborhood around 9 a.m. that day in response to reports of a cutting. Guzman was pronounced dead at a local hospital around 8 p.m., while a fellow student was arrested the same day. The student was not identified because he was a juvenile.

The juvenile was initially charged with first-degree murder, as well as criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

In April 2023 the then-15-year-old juvenile pleaded guilty to felony voluntary manslaughter. The original charges were dropped as part of his plea deal, and he was not charged as an adult.

After the teen was charged, Guzmans mother, Vicenta Guzman, said that she was disappointed with the way the case had been prosecuted.

Vicenta Guzman filed her lawsuit against Kansas City Public Schools in October 2023, claiming that the district was negligent in allowing the murder weapon  a small knife  to be brought onto school grounds.

The lawsuit also referenced obvious blind spots, including dangerously defective metal detectors that school officials were allegedly aware of before Guzman was killed. Along with metal detectors, Northeast Middle School students were required to carry clear backpacks, which are subject to routine searches.

The school district first filed a motion requesting the lawsuits dismissal in January, according to court records.

Jackson County circuit Judge J. Dale Youngs ruled Wednesday that the suit should be dismissed with prejudice, indicating that Vicenta Guzman would be responsible for paying the associated court fees.

Guzmans death drew widespread outrage and inspired multiple protests, including a walkout by his former classmates. Six friends and family members told The Star in 2022 that Guzman and the boy charged with killing him had clashed multiple times in the past, culminating in a widely viewed and publicized fistfight, purportedly won by Guzman.

Former KCPD Superintendent Mark Bedell said last year that the killing, which he described as devastating, prompted the school district to review its security policies.

Reporting by The Stars Bill Lukitsch, Sarah Ritter and Aaron Torres was used in this article.
Del. Rachel Munoz (R-Anne Arundel) in a photo from Dec. 7, 2023. Munoz announced this week that she will resign from her seat on Jan. 1, with two years left in her term. File photo by Bryan P. Sears.

Del. Rachel Munoz (R-Anne Arundel) announced Wednesday that she will step away from the legislature so she can spend more time with my young family.

In a letter to the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee, Munoz to said she intends to resign effective Jan. 1, 2025.

I have truly appreciated the opportunity to represent and serve the people of both District 33 and District 31 for so many years. It has been a great honor, she wrote in her one-paragraph letter to the committee. I pray that the legislature passes laws to keep Marylanders safe and prosperous in the coming years.

Munoz was appointed in 2021 to a District 31 House seat and elected in District 33 in 2022. She is one of just eight Republican women in the House, and was considered a rising star in some Republican circles. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee and on the Joint Committee on the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area.

Munoz, a lawyer, has five children, according to her official state bio. She received an outpouring of support last year, after she was diagnosed with Stage 1 skin cancer.

Munoz becomes the 12th lawmaker to leave the job since this General Assembly was seated in January 2023. A number left early in the term to take positions in the then-new administration of Gov. Wes Moore (D), often creating a chain reaction when they were replaced by other lawmakers, opening even more seats.

Nowhere was that more pronounced than in District 16 in Montgomery County, where Sen. Susan Lee left to become secretary of state and was replaced by Del. Ariana Kelly, whose seat was filled by Sarah Siddiqui Wolek. When Kelly announced her departure this year, she was replaced by Del. Sarah Love, whose empty seat was filled last month by Teresa Saavedra Woorman.

Until Munozs announcement, there was only one vacancy in the House that had not been filled. Del. Carl Anderton (R-Wicomico) resigned in July to take a job with the administration. The Wicomico County Republican Central Committee nominated Salisbury businessman and county GOP Chairman Barry Beauchamp to fill the vacancy, but he has yet to be sworn in, though the speakers office said the governor has ratified the appointment.

Inspired by Michele Obama, Adrian Boafo creates a federal PAC

Del. Adrian Boafo (D-Prince Georges) has launched a federal political action committee that he will use to endorse and fund congressional candidates  and boost his own political profile in the process.

Boafo said GenBlue PAC will focus on helping elect a new generation of leaders who share his progressive values and will bring fresh voices to Congress. Hes especially hoping to help candidates of color, women and those from immigrant families who dont have easy access to the resources they need to compete.

Im launching GenBlue PAC to ensure that the next generation of elected leaders has the tools they need to get up and do something, said Boafo, who said he was inspired to create the PAC after hearing Michelle Obama tell Democratic National Convention viewers to do something.

Del. Adrian Boafo (D-Prince Georges). Campaign photo.

I know firsthand how hard it is to run for office, to run a campaign, and to raise money if you dont come from a wealthy background, Boafo said. And yet so many candidates across the country are stepping up to do their part this cycle. Im inspired by their candidacies and want to support them as they seek to bring fresh, diverse voices to Congress.

Boafo, 30, is the son of immigrants from Ghana, who immigrated to the U.S. after their countrys democratic political system crumbled. He was elected to the House of Delegates in 2022, where he is the assistant majority leader. He previously spent a term on the Bowie City Council.

My story is only possible here, Boafo said. But the beauty of America is not how unique my story is, but how many Americans are just like me.

Boafo is also no stranger to Capitol Hill: He has worked for the House Democratic Caucus and for U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-Nevada) and was twice campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th). Boafo is considered a possible contender for Hoyers seat whenever the veteran congressman moves on  and probably wont be the only Hoyer protege to look at running for the seat.

GenBlue PAC is making 10 endorsements initially, four in U.S. Senate races and six in House races. They are:

Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), who is competing for Marylands open Senate seat

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D), who is running for Michigans open Senate seat

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D), who is challenging Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R)

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who is running for the open Senate seat in the Grand Canyon State against MAGA favorite Kari Lake

Yassamin Ansari (D), a former Phoenix City Council member running for Gallegos House seat

Attorney Shomari Figures (D), who is running for a newly drawn seat in Alabamas 2nd District

Will Rollins (D), a former federal prosecutor who is challenging veteran U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.)

U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D), who is seeking her second term in Ohios 13th District

Eugene Vindman (D), a retired Army colonel and former National Security Council official, who is seeking the open seat in Virginias 7th District

Rebecca Cooke (D), a small-business owner who is challenging freshman U.S. Rep. Derek Van Orden (R) in Wisconsins 3rd District

I believe that together, with all of us doing our part, we can continue marching forward towards a more inclusive, more just, and more free America, Boafo said.

Boafo is the latest ambitious young Maryland politician to create a federal PAC in recent months. Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D) launched a PAC called Will of the People after he dropped out of the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. It has been funneling money and attention to candidates across the country. And former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn converted his congressional campaign account into a PAC called Dunns Democracy Defenders after coming in second in the 3rd District Democratic primary earlier this year.

Theyre just wild about Harry

The Annapolis Democratic Central Committee on Tuesday night appointed a former central committee member, Harry Huntley, to fill a vacancy on the Annapolis City Council. Hell replace former Alderwoman Elly Tierney (D), who resigned earlier this summer because she is moving out of state.

Huntley, an environmental policy analyst, beat a handful of other candidates who were seeking the appointment, including Ron Gunzburger, a onetime top aide to former Gov. Larry Hogan (R). Huntley will serve on the council representing the 1st Ward through at least December 2025; the election for a full four-year term will take place in November 2025.

Im grateful and honored to be selected as the next Ward 1 alderman, Huntley said in a text to Maryland Matters. Starting on September 9, I will hit the ground running, spend the next 14 months working tirelessly to support Ward 1, and run right through the tape to earn every residents vote next November.

MABE hires two senior staffers

Two new staffers joined the Maryland Association of Boards of Education on Wednesday.

Brian Dulay will serve as MABEs government relations director after working as executive director of the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education, with knowledge on the states legislative process and the Blueprint for Marylands Future education reform plan.

Dulay has also worked for the state Department of Education, served as adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins Universitys Middle School reading program and taught English in Baltimore City Public Schools.

Another senior staffer joining the association is Sam Mathias, who will serve as legal and policy services director. Mathias worked for eight years focusing on law and advocacy with the Chicago Public Schools.

Prior to Chicago, he worked as a litigation associate with a focus on real estate and commercial litigation in the New York office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. He also handled the firms pro bono legal assistance program for schools in underserved communities.

MABE is fortunate to have two professionals so committed to education, advocacy and equity, MABE Executive Director Milt Nagel said in a statement. Given the significant challenges of key legislative initiatives like ongoing implementation of the Blueprint for Marylands Future, their respective skill sets and existing education industry ties will quickly be put to good use.

Talking trash

The environmental group Trash Free Maryland has a new director, Kelly Doordan, who took over this week. Shes a biologist by training who most recently chaired the environmental impact working group of the Montgomery County Food Council, where she convened stakeholders to identify barriers and opportunities for an environmentally sustainable food system in the county.

As a volunteer, Doordan worked with the East Silver Spring Elementary School Green Team as part of its PTA, while professionally she has worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Region 9 office on the west coast, where she served as a Tribal Solid Waste Team Leader and Tribal Liaison in EPAs Office of Pollution Prevention and Solid Waste.

Her experience and drive, and passion for creating strong relationships, emphasis on learning from others and dedication to creating smart policy make Kelly just the right fit, said Sean Cosgrove, board chair of Trash Free Maryland.
Tesla plans to launch full self-driving technology in China and Europe in the first quarter of next year.

The advanced driver assistance system is currently pending regulatory approvals with the Tesla X account announcing upcoming technology launches.

Tesla made strides gaining approval for the Chinese market after passing data security assessments and reaching a mapping and navigation deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu.

Elon Musks company also got the nod to test fully autonomous technology in Shanghai's streets, with the latest announcement signalling that the company is on track to gain permission from Chinese state authorities for the technology.

Chinese approval for Tesla's full-self driving technology would help the company's fortunes in the Chinese market.

During the first eight months of this year, Teslas China shipments have fallen about 6% compared with last year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.

Musk said on an earnings call in July that he expected the Tesla's full self-driving system to be approved in Europe, China and other countries by the end of the year.

He also wrote on X in April that the roll-out in China may be possible very soon.

Full self-driving technology has come under increased scrutiny in the US, however, after a spate of high-profile accidents involving Tesla's autopilot functionality.

Tesla and many industry experts still recommend that drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel and pay attention to the road while using the software.

The announcement has signaled that the company is on track to boost sales and stay ahead of Chinese rivals who are also working on similar driver assistance systems.

"Tesla announces plans to launch full self-driving technology" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Mucarsel-Powell hits back at Scott over socialism label in first general election ad

Senate candidate and former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D) rolled out her first general election ad Thursday, hitting back at her opponent, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), for labeling her as a socialist.

The Hill was the first outlet to view the ad.

I grew up under a dictatorship before coming to the U.S., Mucarsel-Powell says in the 30-second spot, which features footage of former Guillermo Rodriguez, who led a coup of Ecuador and led the country for about four years in the 1970s. For me, freedom isnt some political slogan. Its why I came to America.

The former congresswoman goes on to accuse Scott of taking away freedoms, saying the senator would ban abortion, raise taxes and end Social Security. The messaging is similar to that of Vice President Harris, who has also invoked the fight to protect freedoms in her campaign.

I refuse to let him use the trauma of so many Latinos who risked everything to escape socialist dictatorships and come to America for his own political game, Mucarsel-Powell said in a statement. Floridians are fed up with Rick Scotts extremism and 14 years of failures, and our campaign will work to make sure every voter knows they can vote for a better future in this election.

The ad is a part of an seven-figure ad buy.

Republicans have made inroads with Hispanic and Latino voters in Florida in recent years, targeting voters who have immigrated from socialist countries such as Cuba and Venezuela. The strategy has helped Republicans flip what were once considered Democratic strongholds in the state, including Miami-Dade County.

Last month, the Scott campaign deployed a mobile billboard in Miami with Mucarsel-Powells picture on it.

No to socialism. No to Debbie, the billboard read.

And earlier this year, as a part of a multimillion-dollar ad buy, Scott rolled out a TV spot touting the fight against the socialist agenda in Washington.

Socialism will kill the freedoms that create opportunity and erase the values that bind us together, Scott said in the ad.

Recent polls show Scott leading Mucarsel-Powell, but the race appears to be tightening. The Hills Decision Desk HQ average shows Scott leading by 4.3 points.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa

Munich police said officers shot and injured a person near the Israeli Consulate General early on Thursday after spotting a firearm.

Officers intervened after the person was seen "apparently carrying a gun," police in the southern German city said on the social media platform X.

They also confirmed that the person was "hit and injured" in the incident.

At a press conference in Berlin, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the shooting in Munich as a "serious incident."

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Munich police, who, in my view, are doing a good job," said Faeser. "The protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as you know, has the highest priority."

The incident took place on the anniversary of the Munich massacre, a terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.
Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

An 18-year-old Austrian was shot dead after opening fire at police officers near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday, authorities said.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann did not rule out the possibility that the suspect was targeting the Israeli consulate.

The shooting took place on the anniversary of a terrorist attack by Palestinian militants in Munich which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told dpa that none of its employees were harmed, as the consulate was closed for a memorial service to remember the victims of the attack.

None of the five officers involved in the shooting sustained injuries, police said.

In Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the shooting as a "serious incident."

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Munich police, who, in my view, are doing a good job," said Faeser. "The protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as you know, has the highest priority."

Israeli president thanks Munich police

Authorities are yet to confirm that the attack was directly targeted at the Israeli consulate or linked to the anniversary of the Munich massacre.

Bavarian premier Markus Soder said "a connection may have been made" but that it would "need to be clarified."

"Munich held its breath for a moment today," he added.

Israeli authorities were quick to condemn the incident, with Talya Lador-Fresher, Israel's Consul General in Munich, posting on the social media platform X that the shooting "shows how dangerous the rise of anti-Semitism is."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also shared his "condemnation and horror" and thanked Munich police after a phone call with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"On the day our brothers and sisters in Munich were set to stand in remembrance of our brave athletes murdered by terrorists 52 years ago, a hate-fuelled terrorist came and once again sought to murder innocent people," Herzog said.

On September 5, 1972, a group of Palestinian terrorists took 11 members of the Israeli team hostage at Munich's Olympic village in an attempt to secure the release of 230 Palestinians in Israeli custody.

In the course of events, all 11 hostages were killed, mostly in a botched rescue attempt by German security forces. Five of the eight Palestinian terrorists were also killed.

Investigation under way

As reports of a shooting emerged on Thursday morning, police launched a major operation in central Munich, with helicopters deployed and roadblocks set up at the scene around Karolinenplatz, near the Israeli consulate and the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism.

The area was cordoned off by police and residents warned to stay away from the scene.

Police initially confirmed on X that officers had fired several shots at a "suspicious person," as reports of the incident emerged on social media.

It later emerged that the man was armed with an old model of a repeating rifle.

An investigation into the shooting is now under way, with Bavarian Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich saying it was being led by a counter-terrorism unit at the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. A police vehicle is parked in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa
Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa

A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General, as police in the southern German city confirmed on the social media platform X that officers shot a "suspicious person."

A police spokesman said officers fired several shots. There are currently no indications of further suspects, and it remains unclear whether any other people were injured.

Munich police called on residents to avoid the area around Karolinenplatz, near the Israeli consulate and the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism.

Roadblocks have been set up, while a police helicopter was also deployed at the scene.

The incident took place on the anniversary of the Munich massacre, a terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa
Police officers walk down a street at Karolinenplatz looking for clues. The police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation in Munich city center near the Israeli Consulate General. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

The armed man shot dead by police near the Israeli consulate in Munich has been identified as an 18-year-old Austrian, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said the man was killed after shooting at police officers.

Hermann said he could not rule out the possibility that the suspect was targeting the Israeli consulate.

The incident took place on the anniversary of a terrorist attack by Palestinian militants in Munich which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told dpa that none of its employees were harmed in the incident on Thursday, as the consulate was closed for a memorial service to remember the victims of the attack.

The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police officers stand in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa
The News

Elon Musks fight with Brazil over content on X has led to the suspension of the platform in the country. But Brazils government is not alone in trying to limit tech companies, or in holding their leaders responsible to some degree for what happens on their websites and apps.

Musk, a self-proclaimed free speech absolutist, is a main character, in part because of the global nature of X, and because he is personally outspoken and willing to fight his battles on X itself.

There are other actors: France opened a probe into Telegram and charged its CEO, Pavel Durov, over Telegrams failure to curb illegal content, while the EU has enacted sweeping laws to limit tech platforms. Meanwhile, individual US states have introduced rules to limit younger users online.

SIGNALS

Elon Musks free speech absolutism is less absolute than it appears

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Washington Post

Despite Musks stance on free speech, he has taken different approaches when faced with content takedown orders in different countries, Al Jazeera and others have noted. While he has pushed back against orders from Brazil and Australia, he didnt appear to fight similar requests from India and Turkey, which also demanded the removal of content unfavorable toward their countries leaders. Some of the billionaires critics have argued that his free speech evangelism only applies to political figures he agrees with: Musk has found a cause that lets him articulate his twisted vision of free speech: Not free speech for democratic activists, or for regular people, but for people who share his politics, a disinformation researcher told The Washington Post.

European Unions sweeping tech laws attempts global policing

Sources: European Commission, Private Eye, Sherwood

The EU has two major laws regulating tech companies  the DSA, which covers online content, and the DMA, which covers their business. The EU was quick to make an enemy of Musk after the billionaire bought X in 2022, UK outlet Private Eye noted, with the Commission saying Musks takeover increased the spread of malicious content on the app. X now faces a hefty fine for failing to comply with the DSA, and other platforms have been similarly threatened. Critics say the EU goes too far: How does the European Union have the right to enforce fines on California-based companies revenue generated in New York, Tokyo, and Rio? It makes zero sense, finance news website Sherwood wrote.



In the US, a battle is being fought over what constitutes free speech

Sources: The Washington Post, The New York Times

In the US, The First Amendment has continuously caused debate over what constitutes free speech, and the same is true on social media. Some critics, particularly on the political right, contend that content moderation is censorship. Big tech companies have also historically been shielded from legal liability for content on their platforms by a 1996 law, Section 230. An ongoing lawsuit is attempting to repeal it and give users more power over their social feeds, The New York Times noted, with one expert saying that could help evade two potential dystopias: On the one hand, a small coterie of corporations having excessive control over the digital public sphere, and on the other the government having the sweeping authority to set the terms and rules of this environment.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD)  Muskegon police say they are working with federal investigators to try to arrest the person suspected of shooting and killing a man at a party Saturday night.

Muskegon Department of Public Safety Director Tim Kozal on Thursday did not release the name of the suspect, who he said may be on the east side of Michigan or out of state. He said the suspects family was also working with police to try to get him to give himself up.

Were hopeful that hes going to wind up turning himself in, Kozal said.

After deadly weekend, Muskegon groups aim to reduce violence

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. in the area of Beidler Street and W. Forest Avenue.

There was an individual that was unhappy with another individual. They wound up meeting up at this particular party. There was a very short interaction and the offender wound up taking the life of our victim, Kozal said.

Carlos Piggee, 48, of Muskegon Heights, died at the scene.

Our detectives worked pretty much nonstop, Kozal said. We were able to identify a suspect in the incident and we were able to get an open murder warrant for that individual.

Kozal said the shooting did not involve drugs or gangs. Piggee and the suspect had known each other for a while.

This is an instance where someone was just too angry and took out their frustrations, unfortunately, in an act of violence, Kozal said.

I think the biggest thing I take from this is when you have a disagreement with someone, lets not just jump to violence, he added. We should be able to handle things with a conversation.

Program works to intervene before Muskegon youth involved in violence

He said the shooting was an isolated incident and not related to any other violence elsewhere in the Muskegon area over the weekend. He said that violence has been on a decline so far this year compared to last year.

I think that has a lot to do with the collaboration that we have with our citizens, our neighborhoods, Kozal said.

He pointed to a large National Night Out event in August, regular pop-up parties in neighborhoods and community conversations about race and policing. He was attending one such community night out Thursday night.

We have to have those to hopefully reduce the anxiety of our citizens and make it more inviting for our visitors to come here, Kozal said.

He said that seemed to have paid off in this case, saying many people cooperated with police and were comfortable talking to investigators.

Anyone with additional information about the shooting should call Muskegon police at 231.724.6750 or Silent Observer at 231.722.7463.

News 8s Adriana Doria contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
When must drivers stop for a school bus? Pedestrian in a crosswalk? Here are the laws

Reader question: When does a driver have to stop for a school bus in Wisconsin? When the red lights are flashing? When the stop arm is extended?

Reader question: How often has Appleton cited, or even warned, a driver for not yielding to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk?

Answers: With the start of the 2024-25 school year, these issues are especially pertinent.

The school bus law is defined by Wisconsin Statute 346.48. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation summarizes the law this way.

"A vehicle that approaches a stopped school bus that is displaying flashing red warning lights must stop not less than 20 feet from the bus and remain stopped until the bus resumes motion or the operator extinguishes the flashing red warning lights," the DOT says.

Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop when they see flashing amber lights and stop completely when they see flashing red lights. The law applies to drivers following a school bus and to drivers traveling in the opposite direction of a school bus.

The only exception is for drivers traveling on the opposite side of a street or highway that is divided by a center median or other physical barrier.

An illustration promoted by Grand Chute police explains when motorists must stop for a school bus.

The penalty for a violation was increased in March. The statute now says violators face of fine of "not less than $500 nor more than $1,000."

The law doesn't mention the stop arm. Buses are equipped with a stop arm as an added safety precaution, but the flashing red lights are the governing factor.

Watchdog Q&A: Duke Behnke answers your local government questions

I consulted Ryan McCord, traffic safety officer for the Appleton Police Department, for an answer to the crosswalk question.

He said a search of common violations, including the failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, revealed Appleton police have written 15 such citations and six warnings since Jan. 1. The data isn't all-encompassing because not every crosswalk or pedestrian statute was searched.

McCord said officers frequently monitor high-traffic crosswalks, particularly those with flashing lights, such as the College Avenue crosswalk at Lawrence University.

The Wisconsin DOT maintains a webpage about the rules for pedestrians and drivers. It says drivers must:

Yield to pedestrians who have started crossing at an intersection or crosswalk on a walk signal or a green light, if there is no walk signal.

Yield to pedestrians who are crossing the highway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection where there are no traffic lights or control signals.

The fine for a violation ranges from $20 to $300.

Post-Crescent reporter Duke Behnke answers your questions about local government. Send questions to dbehnke@gannett.com or call him at 920-993-7176.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: When must drivers stop for a school bus? Pedestrian? Here are the laws
MYRTLE BEACH S.C.  Its been nearly a year since the Myrtle Beach Police department launched a take-home vehicle policy for its officers, and officials say its worked exactly as hoped.

Lt. Paul Morrell said the program that began in December has cut down on maintenance costs. In the past, some vehicles would run 24 hours a day as they were shared between shifts.

Now with an individual officer operate being the only operator of the car, its probably taken the usage of the car down by like 70%, he said. It would have a longer shelf life in our fleet and the maintenance costs over the life of the car would be a lot lower, he said.

Right now, about half of the departments fleet are take-home vehicles  a number that will increase as newer models are introduced.

Were trying to be responsible with our funding. So were not constantly buying cars over and over and over again. Were putting the money upfront to buy a number of cars so theyre lasting longer, Morrell said.

With 64 of the departments vehicles now being used as take-homes, Morrell said residents could see nearly quadruple the number cruisers on duty.

Im very grateful Im get to take part in this program because its nothing our police department has ever done in the past, Morrell said.

* * *

Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
A state prosecutor on Wednesday asked the Santa Fe, N.M., court to reinstate an involuntary manslaughter charge against actor Alec Baldwin after a judge dismissed the case with prejudice in July due to suppression of evidence by the prosecution. File Photo by Ramsay De Give/EPA-EFE/Pool

Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey asked a New Mexico court Wednesday to reinstate an involuntary manslaughter charge against actor Alec Baldwin after a judge dismissed the case in July.

Morrissey in a court filing said Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer erred in ruling the state withheld evidence from Baldwin's defense attorneys and dismissed the case with prejudice, which means the actor can't be tried again for involuntary manslaughter unless an appellate court overturns Sommer's ruling.

The case stems from the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who died when a bullet was fired from a pistol while Baldwin was practicing his draw before filming a scene on location in New Mexico for the film Rust in 2021.

Baldwin maintained his innocence as the trial entered its third day and said he never pulled the trigger.

Sommer granted a motion to dismiss with prejudice filed by Baldwin's attorneys after prosecutors didn't notify them of a box of newly found ammunition and instead suppressed the evidence.

Baldwin's trial in the Santa Fe, N.M., courthouse had reached its halfway mark when his attorneys filed the motion to dismiss the case with prejudice.

Sommer ruled the state suppressed the evidence, which was a box of ammunition that someone brought to the local sheriff's office and said it might be related to the Rust shooting.

In Wednesday's filing, Morrissey argued the facts don't support Sommer's dismissal ruling.

She said the box of ammunition is irrelevant and Sommer should not have dismissed the case.

A jury in the same court found Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty of involuntary manslaughter earlier this year.

Gutierrez-Reed, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence, filed a motion to dismiss the verdict against her.

A friend of her stepfather named Troy Teske turned in the ammunition, but Morrissey and others allowed it to be filed with a different case number and did not notify Baldwin's attorneys.

In Wednesday's filing, Morrissey said the prosecution accidentally mishandled the evidence but didn't suppress it.
(Bloomberg) -- Americans are less supportive of a possible TikTok ban than they were 18 months ago, according to a new survey ahead of a government deadline next year to force a sale or bar the app from US users.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Just 32% of US adults back a TikTok ban, according to survey data from Pew Research released Thursday. Pew found that 38% of US adults supported a ban last fall and 50% were in favor in March 2023.

Meanwhile, half of Americans now doubt TikTok will be banned at all, calling it very or somewhat unlikely.

The survey showed that many Americans have shifted their stance on TikTok in the past year and a half, including over the past five months since President Joe Biden signed a law that requires TikToks Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance Ltd., to divest its ownership in the app or face a ban in the country. US lawmakers said they feared potential privacy and security issues related to TikToks Chinese ownership.

The survey didnt ask respondents why their opinions had changed. Former President Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok while in office in 2020, has publicly reversed his opinion on the app and created an account earlier this year. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running against Trump for president, has also used the app to campaign ahead of Novembers US election. Despite signing the bill that could ultimately ban the app, Biden has also created an account.

Researchers found that views about the app remain divided along party lines. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely to think TikTok threatens national security, and are nearly twice as likely to support a ban than Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, Pew found. Even so, support for the ban has dropped by nearly 20 percentage points within each party since March 2023.

ByteDance has until January to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. under the law signed by Biden. That deadline can be pushed back 90 days if a sale seems to be in progress, and legal action could further delay a ban from taking effect. TikTok has sued the US to try to reverse the law.

Pew surveyed 10,658 adults from July 15 to Aug. 4. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

Story continues

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Authorities are searching for an unknown man who exposed himself to a woman along the Springwater Corridor on Wednesday morning, according to Portland police.

Officers responded to the area of SE Johnson Creek Boulevard and Brookside Drive, where the woman told officers she had been jogging when a man on a bicycle passed her and jumped into the bushes further up the trail.

Portland middle school teacher accused of luring minor pleads not guilty

According to the woman, as she approached the area, the man emerged from the bushes naked and with his hand on his genitals and he tried grabbing her, PPB said. The woman managed to get away from the man and run for help.

Police said the man was no longer in the area by the time officers arrived around 10:30 a.m.

Excessive heat warning issued by National Weather Service for Portland metro

PPB described the suspect as a Caucasian male in his 30s, about 58, with a shaved head. He was wearing all black clothing and riding a bicycle with two backpacks.

Portland police told KOIN 6 News that detectives are digging through reports to check for any other cases or links. They also said East Precinct officers are spreading the word to other patrol shifts and that they will boost patrols at the Springwater Corridor as they can.

KOIN 6 also spoke with neighbors and people who use the trail. Cyclist Tess Weir, a 20-year trail veteran, said its important to always stay sharp since she said the area has been in a decline lately.

Weir said shes noticed more encampments and issues like broken glass and trash in recent years, forcing her to scale back her weekly routine.

We really dont go too far north on this path, we have one spot we normally go to, Weir said.

Weirs friend, Cecilia Becerra added that they usually like to ride in pairs.

You know, its really hard to judge where, what that sound is, is it a bike, is it a person running up behind you, so just be alert, Becerra said. You can only hope that those things happen less but there needs to be more patrol, there needs to be more people watching.

Angela Rodriguez usually skips the trail but her dog needed a walk. Now she wants police to get the sexual assault suspect off the streets.

Sometimes when its real secluded and I know theres a possibility of people living in there, I get scared, Rodriguez said.

Anyone with information about this man is encouraged to contact Portland police.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Boeings CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to depart from the International Space Station and land at White Sands Space Harbor.

According to NASA, the Starliner will undock from the ISS on Friday, Sept. 6, and land in New Mexico just after midnight on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The spacecraft will be launching uncrewed, leaving astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore behind.

Boeings Starliner launched into orbit with its crew in June but experienced problems with several of its thrusters and continuous helium leaks  extending the two-man crews trip from days to months.

What we really need to go do is look at the things that didnt perform the way we expected. Like I talked about, the helium leaks. Can we go fix those leaks, test those on the ground and have confidence to move forward and fly again? The same thing with the thrusters. We know the thrusters are working well when we dont command them in a manner that overheats them and gets the poppet to swell on the oxide, said Steve Stich, manager of NASAs Commercial Crew Program.

Williams and Wilmore will remain in space, foregoing their initial mission and taking up a new one with SpaceX Crew-9 whose spacecraft, Dragon, will launch in late Sept. That team is scheduled to set course back to Earth in Feb. 2025.

It was really hard to determine whether to be uncrewed or not. I would say the teams were very split in uncertainty relative to the thrusters. So, the NASA team chose to return Butch and Suni on Dragon, said Stich

Manager of the NASA ISS Program, Dana Weigle, confirmed that Williams and Wilmore have been in communication with the agency and are in good health  completing tasks and their daily exercises while they wait.

They flew as test pilots, theyre ready to execute whatever mission we put in front of them. They have confidence in the team. If we would have decided to bring them home, theyd be ready to come home. But we decided to leave them on board to join the expedition and do the work on board the station. So, theyre ready to go and execute that, said Weigle.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Top Spin

A solar sail is designed to capture the tiny amounts of radiation pressure exerted by sunlight to propel a spacecraft to incredible speeds. The advantages are numerous: by acting like a sailing ship in space, a solar sail-powered spacecraft would be relatively simple in its construction and wouldn't rely on heavy and costly propellants.

That's why it was so exciting when NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) mission was deployed to put the concept to the test. The microwave-sized CubeSa unfurled its 860-square-foot sail in a low-Earth orbit on August 29 after launching into space on April 23.

Whether it's working properly in the week since is an open question, though. As a NASA spokesperson conceded to Live Science, the diminutive spacecraft has subsequently begun "tumbling or wobbling" in orbit. Its fate remains unknown, as the motion was reportedly expected.

Epic Sail

In a recent blog post, Delft University of Technology space situational awareness lecturer Marco Lanbroek detailed how he observed ACS3 repeatedly dimming and brightening from a satellite tracking station, suggesting it was "tumbling or gyrating."

"The brightness variation could be suggestive of a slow tumble or wobble (a gyration around an axis) that must have been initiated after August 29, when it appeared more steady," he wrote. "There might be other explanations though."

"It will be interesting to see whether it stabilizes again over the next days," Langbroek wrote.

Satellite tracker s2a systems corroborated Lanbroek's findings, noticing a possible "slow rotation."

"We cannot directly confirm Dr. Langbroek's observations, but consider his conclusion to be quite plausible," the Swiss company's managing director Roger Spinner  yes, that's really his name  told Live Science in an email.

Boom Clap

NASA engineers, though, say it's all part of the plan.

"The spacecraft is currently tumbling as part of a planned sail deployment sequence," NASA public affairs specialist Jasmine Hopkins told Live Science.

Before it successfully unfurled its massive sail, ACS3 already encountered some difficulties. During an initial attempt, the sail paused after "onboard power monitor detected higher than expected motor currents," according to an August 26 NASA update. "Communications, power, and attitude control for the spacecraft all remain normal while mission managers work to understand and resolve the cause of the interruption by analyzing data from the spacecraft."

While ACS3 isn't from the first solar sail to be deployed in Earth's orbit, NASA is hoping to test an extremely light composite material that makes up the solar sail's folding booms.

By lowering the spacecraft's mass and making it more resistant to solar radiation, the agency is hoping to bring the concept of low-cost solar sail missions into deep space closer to reality.

More on solar sails: NASA Prepares to Unfurl Large Solar Sail From Spacecraft in Orbit
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Credit: NASA

A NASA spacecraft that recently unfurled a state-of-the-art solar sail in Earth orbit is "tumbling or wobbling" through space as it circles our planet, new observations show. NASA representatives told Live Science that the unusual motion was expected but did not explain exactly what is happening.

The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) mission aims to test the efficacy of a new type of solar sail  a device potentially capable of propelling spaceships to faster-than-currently-available speeds using radiation pressure exerted by sunlight. Researchers hope that this type of technology could one day help propel humans to the edge of the solar system and beyond.

The ACS3 spacecraft consists of a roughly 860-square-foot (80 square meters) foil sail that, until recently, was tightly folded up within a microwave oven-size satellite, known as a CubeSat. The sail deploys from the small box using a novel series of folding booms, which are made from a new composite material that is 75% lighter and more resistant to solar radiation than the frames used in previous solar sails deployed by Russia, Japan, NASA and other private companies.

ACS3 was successfully launched into space on April 23 on board a Rocket Labs Electron Rocket that lifted off from the private company's launch pad in New Zealand. The CubeSat was positioned in a low-Earth orbit around 600 miles (965 kilometers) above our planet's surface, where it remained until scientists carried out the necessary preparations for the sail to be deployed.

The ACS3 team first attempted to unfurl the sail on Aug. 26 but abandoned the roughly 25-minute-long procedure after an "onboard power monitor detected higher-than-expected motor currents," Gizmodo previously reported . After addressing the issue, the sail was fully unfurled on Aug. 29, according to a statement from mission scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California.

Related: 'Catastrophic' SpaceX Starship explosion tore a hole in the atmosphere last year in 1st-of-its-kind event, Russian scientists reveal

Initial photos of the spacecraft from Earth  including a timelapse image of the sail streaking across the night sky above the Netherlands, taken by multidisciplinary scientist Marco Langbroek  confirmed that the sail had properly deployed. But soon after, observers began to notice something unusual.

On Sunday (Sept. 1), Langbroek, who is currently a lecturer in space situational awareness at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, shared video footage of ACS3 repeatedly dimming and brightening as it passed over a satellite tracking station near Leiden. In an associated blog post , the researcher explained that the object went from being as bright as some of the brightest stars in the sky to being barely visible.

A video of the solar sail dramatically brightening over a 30-second period on Sept. 1 was also posted on X by user "mickeywzk."

The changes in brightness "indicates [the spacecraft] is now slowly tumbling or wobbling, on a timespan of minutes," Langbroek told Live Science in an email on Monday (Sept. 2). The spacecraft's orbital eccentricity, or path around our planet, has also shifted slightly since Aug. 30, which could potentially be linked to the tumbling motion, he added.

Staff at satellite-tracking company s2a systems also noticed an inconsistency in a light curve of ACS3 captured from a telescope at the company's base in Switzerland on Aug. 29, which showed the spacecraft performing a possible "slow rotation." However, at this early stage, there was not enough evidence to fully support the wobbling hypothesis.

"We cannot directly confirm Dr. Langbroek's observations, but consider his conclusion to be quite plausible," s2a systems managing director Roger Spinner told Live Science in an email on Tuesday (Sept. 3).

On Wednesday (Sept. 4), NASA representatives confirmed to Live Science that the spacecraft is indeed spinning. "The spacecraft is currently tumbling as part of a planned sail deployment sequence," Jasmine Hopkins, a public affairs specialist for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, told Live Science via email.

NASA representatives didn't reveal any additional information about the tumbling motion or deployment sequence. However, Hopkins did note that the spacecraft's attitude control system (ACS)  a device controlling the orientation of a spacecraft relative to an inertial frame of reference  is currently offline.

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The ACS will be reengaged when the mission team is "satisfied with the tensioning of the sail," Hopkins added. But there was no indication of when this could be.

The solar sail could be visible to the naked eye as it passes across the night sky over the next few weeks  depending on how bright it is at the time.

If you want to try and see it for yourself, you can find a full list of potentially visible passes over the next 10 days on heavens-above.com (click the "all" button to see the list).
The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has appointed Natalia Kalmykova as Minister for Veterans Affairs.

Source: Yaroslav Zhelezniak, member of the Ukrainian Parliament, on Telegram

Details: A total of 256 MPs (out of 450) voted in favour of Kalmykovas appointment.

For reference: Natalia Kalmykova has been a deputy defence minister since September 2023. Prior to that, she was the acting director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, an institution that serves veterans and their families and is overseen by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

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Week 5 is in the books and oh my there's a lot of panic on these fantasy streets. Dalton Del Don joins Matt Harmon for another edition of the 'People's Panic Meter' to answer all of your listener submissions. The duo examines the situations for Breece Hall, Buffalo Bills, Bijan Robinson and many more.
Some like to joke that the NHS is Britains national religion. But it is no longer a secular one. Sectarianism has become rife across the health service and perhaps the most frightening thing is that people are no longer hiding it. Some, like the Labour MP Jess Phillips, even revel in it.

I got through quicker, the Birmingham MP said last week of being whizzed through A&E, apparently because of her political views. The doctor who saw me was Palestinian ... and he was sort of like, I like you. You voted for a ceasefire.

It is probably best for her that she stepped away from X (Twitter) last month after a post in which she appeared to justify scenes of masked men intimidating a journalist. Because she may have been asked about a two-tier NHS and what might have happened had she dared to  God forbid  speak against the terrorist group Hamas. Or what her treatment might have been if she was a well-known Jewish MP.

The NHS  like the university, arts, charity and trade union sectors  no longer feels like a safe space for Jewish people. It is an organisation in which people like Dr Wahid Shaida, who gloried in the October 7 massacre as a welcome punch on the nose, is allowed to work as a GP. Where the Health Workers for Palestine hold demonstrations outside hospitals. Where nurses wear Palestine badges  with complainants told it is a free speech issue.

The General Medical Council has reported that the number of complaints about doctors subjecting Jewish colleagues to anti-Semitic abuse after October 7 jumped from eight to 60. According to one poll, three quarters of Jewish healthcare workers have suffered at least one anti-Semitic incident since October 7  and half reported feeling unsafe at work.

Jewish doctors and NHS workers have told me of their fear that, if they complain, it will only make things worse. One told me: I wouldnt tell any doctor or nurse treating me that Im Jewish because I hear what is said behind the scenes and its frightening.

Jews often have their ethnicity on their records because certain genetic diseases are more prevalent in the community. But some have become so frightened of experiencing anti-Semitism when they are most vulnerable that they have asked for their religion to be erased.

The NHS is aware of the problem but even its attempt to fight it causes problems, as it emerged this week. Online anti-Semitism training at the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust was subject to an attack before it had even started when an important notice in its weekly bulletin warned staff against attending, saying: We have determined that this training and its content may be inappropriate. Its chief executive Claire Murdoch later apologised.

Something has gone very wrong if the NHS  which controversially spends around 40 million a year on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at a time when it can ill-afford any wastage  is no longer safe for Jewish people. It is hard to say whether well-paid DEI executives are blind to the problem, or simply not up to the job of addressing it.

The NHSs noble history includes the time of the Troubles when, in Northern Ireland, Catholic doctors worked on Protestant Unionists and vice versa because politics was left at the door. No longer. Our healthcare service has a sickness, but is anyone willing to talk about a cure?

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The National Hurricane Center is tracking five disturbances in the Atlantic. All have a low chance of developing over the next seven days.

One system in the Gulf of Mexico has a 30% chance of developing in the next week, according to the latest advisory. Two disturbances have a 20% chance, and another two have a 10% chance. One of the disturbances with a 10% chance of developing is just off the Texas coast.

The tropical waves the Hurricane Center highlighted on its tropical outlook map are located:

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico

Over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and southwestern Gulf of Mexico

In the northwestern Atlantic

In the central Atlantic

In the eastern Atlantic

Tropical conditions 8 a.m. Sept. 5, 2024.

 Track all active storms

 Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location

Tropical disturbance tracker: Will any impact Texas?

The system near the coasts of Louisiana and Texas is expected to bring heavy rainfall across portions of the northern Gulf Coast during the next day or so. From Friday to Saturday, the main heavy rain zone will focus on northern Florida, the southern portions of Alabama and Georgia and the South Carolina coast, according to AccuWeather.

Aside from heavy rainfall, it is too soon to determine if there will be any impact to Texas or the U.S. from the tropical waves.

Northwest Gulf of Mexico: A trough of low pressure is producing widespread disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, including near the coasts of Louisiana and Texas.

Upper-level winds are expected to become less conducive for development by Friday and Saturday as a frontal boundary approaches the system.

Although development is unlikely, heavy rainfall is expected across portions of the northern Gulf Coast during the next day or so.

Formation chance through 48 hours: Low, 10 percent.

Formation chance through 7 days: Low, 10 percent.

Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Southwestern Gulf of Mexico: Shower and thunderstorm activity has increased slightly with a westward-moving tropical wave over the western Caribbean Sea.

Significant development appears unlikely before the system reaches Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula by early Friday.

Some development is possible late in the weekend into early next week after the system emerges over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Formation chance through 48 hours: Near 0 percent.

Formation chance through 7 days: Low, 30 percent.

Northwestern Atlantic: A non-tropical area of low pressure located a few hundred miles east of North Carolina is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms to the northeast and east of its center.

This system could acquire some subtropical characteristics over the next couple of days while it moves generally north-northeastward, remaining offshore of the northeastern U.S. Once the low moves over cooler waters by late Saturday, further subtropical development is not expected.

Formation chance through 48 hours: low, 20 percent.

Formation chance through seven days: low, 20 percent.

Eastern Tropical Atlantic: A broad area of low pressure over the eastern tropical Atlantic is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Some slow development of this system is possible during the next several days while it drifts northwestward or northward.

Formation chance through 48 hours: low, 10 percent.

Formation chance through seven days: low, 20 percent.

Central Tropical Atlantic: Another tropical wave located a few hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands is producing limited shower and thunderstorm activity.

Strong upper-level winds are expected to limit development of this system during the next few days while it moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph.

By early next week, environmental conditions could become more conducive for some slow development while the system moves west-northwestward over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Formation chance through 48 hours: Low, near 0 percent.

Formation chance through 7 days: Low, 10 percent.

What do the colored areas on the NOAA map mean?

The hatched areas on a tropical outlook map indicate "areas where a tropical cyclone  which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane  could develop," said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.

The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop, with yellow being low, orange medium, and red high.

The National Hurricane Center generally doesn't issue tropical advisories until a storm is named, but there is an exception.

"If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won't wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn't become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare," Rhome said.

How many named storms have hit in 2024?

So far, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has seen five named storms:

Tropical Storm Alberto : Made landfall on the Texas coast in June 2024 with some flooding, impacting the region less than initially forecasted.

Hurricane Beryl : Hit the Texas coast on July 8 as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda, causing at least 38 deaths and setting records for tornado spin-offs.

Tropical Storm Chris : Brought heavy rainfall and flooding to parts of Mexico in early July.

Hurricane Debby : Made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, on August 5, and caused severe damage along the East Coast, resulting in at least 10 fatalities.

Hurricane Ernesto: Struck Puerto Rico on August 24 with significant flooding, then hit Bermuda. It was a moderately strong hurricane with three indirect fatalities.

What is La Nina?

La Nina  "little girl" in Spanish  is the climate phenomenon that describes projected when the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean near the equator are lower than the long-term average. El Nino  "little boy" in Spanish, her brother  is a climate phenomenon that results from those waters being warmer than usual.

The lower surface temperatures could mean warmer, drier weather throughout the southern region of the U.S. and the potential for a "hyperactive" hurricane season in the Atlantic basin this year.

Hurricane storm tracker: See active storms in the Atlantic

Texas weather watches and warnings

A warning means that conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

A watch means that conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NHC now tracking 5 tropical waves, Texas to see heavy rainfall
MILAN  Seven NATO countries completed an Iceland-based exercise aimed at defending vital underwater lines of communication and sea routes against conventional military threats and acts of sabotage.

The annual exercise Northern Viking wrapped up on Sept 3. after 11 days of joint operations in the maritime transit route known as the GIUK gap, an acronym for Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom.

The area forms an important naval chokepoint, a passage that connects two stretches of open ocean to the three land masses, vital to naval and air traffic between Europe and North America.

Led by the U.S. Naval Forces Europe, the training brought together 1,200 participants from Iceland, Denmark, France, Norway, Poland and Portugal, according to an Iceland government statement.

Missions were based on a simulated threat to Icelands national security in order to test NATOs ability to respond to crises threatening strategic lines of communication in the GIUK gap. It included anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance as well as search-and-rescue operations.

Allies deployed an array of drones, maritime patrol aircraft, surface vessels equipped with radars and sensors as well as ships from NATOs Standing Maritime Group One, part of the alliances high readiness maritime capability.

The exercise was further aimed at facing traditional military threats on land, at sea and in the air, but also multi-faceted threats and acts of sabotage, which will test the Icelandic authorities, the government of Iceland said in the notice.

The GIUK gap is located at the edge of the eastern Arctic, a region that remains at the center of geopolitical tensions as many states have contended for greater ownership and control over the resources it offers.

Due to climate change, sea ice covering the Arctic ocean has melted at an alarming rate and new shipping lanes have emerged, fueling a race between Arctic states  the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden  and non-Arctic countries like China for control over them.

In a region that is a focal point for geopolitical competition, maintaining robust surveillance capabilities is essential for early warning and rapid response to potential threats, NATOs Allied Maritime Command said in a statement.

Two days prior to the start of Northern Viking, the Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss how to bolster their countries cooperation.

A communique released by Chinas State Council following the meeting, highlighted that the Arctic is an area where the two partners want to expand their collaboration specifically related to shipping development, navigation safety, polar ship technology and construction.

In July, the U.S., Canada and Finland announced a new trilateral initiative, the so-called Ice Pact, to deepen cooperation in the manufacturing of polar icebreakers.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Ukraine has achieved "a lot" during its offensive operation in Russias Kursk Oblast.

Source: Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to Oslo, Norway, as reported by Reuters and European Pravda

Details: Stoltenberg said that it was hard to know how the situation in Kursk Oblast would develop.

"Only the Ukrainians can make the difficult choices that are needed, such as where to deploy their forces and what type of warfare is appropriate in this situation," Stoltenberg said.

He added that Ukraine has a right to defend itself, including by deploying long-range missiles to strike military targets in Russia.

"I am glad that many NATO countries have given that opportunity, and those that still have restrictions have softened the restrictions so that Ukraine can defend itself," Stoltenberg said.

Background: On 4 September, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said that Ukraines operation in Kursk Oblast could enhance its position in future negotiations with Russia. He highlighted that the operation has showcased Ukraines fighting capability and revealed that Russia is not as strong as many believe.

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A group of men dressed in SS uniforms outside The Lobster pub in Sheringham, Norfolk - Bruno Brown/Eastern Daily Press

Nazi uniforms have been banned from a 1940s-themed festival in north Norfolk after a brawl broke out last year.

The North Norfolk Railway, which organises the popular Steam Back to the Forties festival in Sheringham, has updated this years rules to say that anyone dressed in German or Axis military uniform will be refused entry.

At last years event, a group of 10 men arrived in Nazi-era uniforms, some with SS markings on their collars as well as badges featuring swastikas and the deaths head.

A brawl broke out after onlookers confronted them and shouted that they were not welcome. They were escorted out of the area by police after event marshals told them to leave.

The men, part of the Eastern Front Living History re-enactment group, which raises money for military veterans, defended wearing the SS uniforms and said they had been attending the festival for years with no trouble.

The Eastern Front Living History Group previously said the incident had been overblown - Bruno Brown/Eastern Daily Press

In a notice on its website, the North Norfolk Railway said: It is not permitted to wear German military uniforms or those of other Axis nations  visitors dressed in such uniforms will be refused entry.

The Eastern Front Living History Group previously said the incident had been overblown and that only one intoxicated person had objected to their presence.

They claimed one of their members was attacked by a man who was foaming at the mouth and screaming about Jewish persecution.

We do battle re-enactments, displays and educational visits across the UK, raising money for charity for wounded soldiers so they can have artificial limbs, a spokesman said at the time.

We represent the western European nations that fought against Stalin and communism during World War Two. We were wearing Waffen-SS infantry uniforms displaying national shields and insignia of the countries portrayed. Not one member of the group portrayed a German.

The uniforms were supplied by Germany, as were the weapons, to the foreign volunteers from 1941-1945. Theyre as close to authentic as you can get. As a group weve been attending the Sheringham 1940s weekend for four or five years running and never had any problems before.

Organisers warned anyone dressed in German military uniforms will be refused entry this year, after a group wore SS outfits last year - Eastern Daily Press/Bruno Brown

The group re-enacted the 5th SS Division Wiking, which recruited from countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, and fought the Soviet Red Army on the Eastern Front. The unit had been accused of war crimes against Jews.

Steam Back to the Forties attracts 25,000 people, with many dressing in clothing from the era, classic vehicles on show and historical displays taking place. It is due to take place from Sep 20 to 22.

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NC General Assembly to convene next week, and GOP leaders may take up voucher funding

One of the issues left on the North Carolina General Assemblys 2024 to-do list for Republicans in control is to fund the backlog of private school vouchers in what is known as the Opportunity Scholarship program.

Lawmakers return to session next week, leading to speculation that voucher funding will be up for discussion and putting Democrats on offense.

The House and Senate, both controlled by Republicans, failed to reach a deal earlier this summer on spending about $500 million to pay for more vouchers after the program was expanded to all income levels.

On Thursday evening, CBS 17 obtained a wide-ranging draft bill that would fund vouchers and require North Carolina sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement  another longstanding GOP priority. The House and Senate had agreed on different versions of a bill requiring cooperation with ICE before the bill stalled earlier this year.

Republican top legislative leaders have not answered questions from The N&O about potential voucher legislation and other funding, or even that there is legislation.

Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue said earlier Thursday Senate Republican leadership had not officially informed him yet about what theyll be voting on.

House Democratic Leader Robert Reives added, Nobodys talked to us, about what theyre coming back into session for, but said it sounds like theyre back to expand this voucher scheme.

More vouchers but no new teacher raises

Under the 20-page draft bill, the state would provide enough funding to clear the 55,000-student backlog of families waiting for an Opportunity Scholarship. The majority of families on the wait list would not have qualified for a private school voucher before the income limits were removed.

Depending on family income, families will get between $3,360 and $7,468 per child to cover private school costs.

The draft bill calls for providing funding to every Opportunity Scholarship applicant who is attending a private school as of Oct. 1. Private schools would be required to reimburse the tuition previously paid by voucher recipients for the fall semester.

The bill, as of Thursday afternoon, doesnt include funding for additional teacher raises. House Republicans had previously sought to couple the additional voucher funding with higher raises for teachers this year.

Democrats oppose voucher expansion

During a news conference Thursday, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper criticized the voucher program and said that Republicans are voting on a bill next week to fully fund private expansion.

Cooper said he wants the money to give teachers raises, but that funding the vouchers would mean theres not enough money for both.

I think revenue is a real problem here, Cooper said.

State Budget Director Kristin Walker told The News & Observer last week that state revenue remains steady but sluggish revenue growth is expected because of tax cuts.

Most of the private schools getting the taxpayer money are in urban areas. Meanwhile, our public schools are struggling to hire teachers, bus drivers and other critical staff, Cooper said.

Investments in public schools are for everybody, Cooper said. They are for a great workforce. Our great workforce brings better paying jobs to families. Its like paying a police force or a fire department  we dont need them every day, but those investments are critical. And plus, our Constitution requires that every child receive a sound basic education.

Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue of Raleigh, at podium, talks about private school vouchers and planned votes in September at the N.C. General Assembly. From left, Rep. Cynthia Ball, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, Gov. Roy Cooper, Blue, Sen. Michael Garrett and Sen. Lisa Grafstein, during a news conference at the Albemarle Building.

Reives said that tax money should only be used for the greater good, and that basic needs need to be taken care of first.

I am worried that the next generation of students in North Carolina will have far fewer opportunities than those before them, and that is ridiculous. It is time for us to do the right thing. Stop this expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers in its tracks, Reives said.

Reporters Avi Bajpai and T. Keung Hui contributed to this report.
Last week the Lowes Corporation, headquartered in Mooresville, announced it cut its diversity initiatives. Robby Starbuck, a self-identified anti-woke activist, claimed Lowes shift was in response to his threat to expose the companys DEI policies, boasting on X that he had forced many other corporations, including Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and the makers of Jack Daniels whiskey to scrap their DEI policies as well.

Lowes is responding to pressure from activists like Starbuck, but a memo to employees announcing the changes also cited as a reason the June 2023 Supreme Court decision that race-based college admissions are unconstitutional. Lowes began reviewing programs and policies after that decision, the memo explained.

Over the summer, UNC Charlotte dissolved its three DEI related offices. In May the UNC Board of Governors repealed and replaced all policies on diversity and inclusion with neutrality-focused policies, so DEI programs had to go. Unfortunately, whenever I hear the word neutrality, I think of the words of Bishop Desmond Tutu: If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.

As Ive watched these shifts, Ive wondered what it means to be opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion. I wondered if DEI initiatives would be replaced by SIE (segregation, inequality and exclusion) policies, but the word neutral is more palatable.

Kate Murphy

MIT, Tufts and Amherst, the first of the so-called elite universities to release admission statistics, are reporting a sharp fall in admissions from members of historically underrepresented racial groups. Matthew McGann, Dean of Admissions at Amherst, which reported a three-fourths drop in the number of Black students from 11% to 3%, explained that as a consequence of the Supreme Courts decision, the incoming class is not as racially diverse as recent classes have been.

Whether you see that as victory or defeat depends on how you understand fairness. The folks who celebrate DEI initiatives and those who celebrate their demise all want the same thing. We all want people to be hired and admitted based on their skills and aptitude. We all want applicants not to be disqualified because of race. We all want things to be fair.

The difference comes in how we make sense of the stark disparities between Black and white Americans. Some of us look at majority white schools and institutions and think the hiring and admission systems worked and selected the most qualified. And some of us look at the same spaces and think the systems worked to exclude Black and brown people. But if you believe that people who are admitted or hired in compliance with DEI initiatives are inherently unqualified and incapable, then what you are revealing is your own unconscious bias that white people are intrinsically more gifted and capable. That is the textbook definition of white supremacy.

The hard truth is that given the history of white supremacy in this country, there is no such thing as race-neutral policy. We think making standards like any student who scores at least a 1400 on the SAT will be admitted is race neutral. But if, hypothetically, 90% of students who score about a 1300 received expensive private tutoring that boosted their score an average of 300 points, then all of a sudden the SAT isnt measuring aptitude as much as it is measuring economics.

Consider another neutral policy like any student with 4 or more AP classes will be given priority admission. At first glance, this seems to be a neutral policy which will identify students of all races who work hard and excel in challenging classes. But students enrolled in Title 1 schools have far fewer chances to take AP classes. A race-neutral policy based on the number of AP classes isnt so race-neutral after all.

DEI initiatives and programs dont exist to discriminate against white people. They exist to provide access for people from historically marginalized groups who are disadvantaged by race-neutral policies. They exist to provide opportunities for people whose talents and aptitude would otherwise be missed.

I preached about the tower of Babel this week in worship. Its a story of how people with a common language, culture and fear developed technology to build a city where they could stay together, make a name for themselves and build a literal stairway to heaven. But the efficient, segregated future they desired was not a path to salvation. So God intervened, giving them new languages, dispersing them among other peoples and other places. God saved them by introducing diversity into their community.

DEI programs and policies will change North Carolina and our country by reforming our schools and businesses and communities to make them more equitable and inclusive. Thats not a punishment or a threat. Its a gift.

Kate Murphy is pastor at The Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  NC College Connect is the name of a new process that is intended to make applying to colleges and universities in the state more accessible to qualified students.

The freshly launched pilot program is described by the University of North Carolina System as a way to bypass the traditional application process in certain schools.

Its well known that one of the major barriers to students pursuing college is the application process, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt. NC College Connect removes this hurdle, offering a streamlined and simplified way for our states future workforce to pursue their degree.

Whos Qualified?

NC College Connect is open to all North Carolina public high school students in their senior year who ended their junior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher. These qualifying students must maintain their weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to meeting the states graduation requirements and the minimum requirements set by the UNC System.

The schools participating include the entire North Carolina Community College System of 58 different schools as well as:

Elizabeth City State University

Fayetteville State University

University of North Carolina Asheville

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Winston-Salem State University

NC College Connect will make higher education more accessible for many students in North Carolina who may not have previously considered attending college, said Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System. At a time when the state needs to move quickly to meet growing workforce needs and close the educational attainment gap, this new program will make higher education within reach for thousands of students.

What Steps to Take

According to the announcement made on Thursday, qualifying high school seniors will receive a letter in the mail with an offer to participate in NC College Connect for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Recipients of the letter can scan the included QR codeor visit NCCollegeConnect.orgwhere they can access an online portal with a list of their matched colleges.

For more information, view the full announcement from the UNC System.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) on Thursday issued a statement condemning the racist remarks by Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. who was caught on audio bragging about roping and branding with members of the Crow Nation. On the audio clip, Sheehy says its a great way to bond with the Indians while theyre drunk at 8:00 a.m.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

The remarks have sparked outrage throughout Indian Country.

Here is NCAI's statement:

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly condemns the remarks made by Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, in which he used offensive language to stereotype Native people. Such harmful rhetoric has no place in public discourse, especially from those seeking elected office. These derogatory comments are a stark reminder of the persistent racism that Native communities continue to face.

NCAI President Mark Maccaro

For over 80 years, NCAI has stood at the forefront of advocating for justice and equality for Tribal Nations. The casual use of racist stereotypes not only degrades the dignity of Native people but perpetuates systemic issues of discrimination in areas such as healthcare, education, and justice. This kind of language undermines the work we do every day to protect tribal sovereignty, promote self-determination, and ensure the well-being of future generations.

We call on Mr. Sheehy to publicly retract and apologize for his remarks and to take meaningful steps to educate himself on the long and rich history of Native Peoples in Montana and across this country. We expect our elected leaders and those who seek public office to uphold the highest standards of respect and integrity, particularly when discussing historically marginalized communities.

NCAI remains committed to holding public officials accountable when they engage in rhetoric that seeks to divide rather than unify. We will not stand idly by while Native communities are targeted with racism and bigotry. We urge all Americans to join us in demanding accountability and respect for all Tribal Nations and to work towards a future where all voices are heard and valued equally.

Nuuunup looviq,

Mark Macarro, President, National Congress of American Indians

Tribal Chairman, Pechanga Tribe

Pechaangayam Pumtongakat

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
CHICAGO  Four months after going missing in the City of Chicago, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is renewing their efforts to bring 15-year-old Deron Patterson into the public eye, and help bring him safely home.

NCMEC officials said Deron was 14 years old when he went missing back on May 13, 2024 and he is described as being 5-foot-5-inches tall and weighing 145 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

NCMEC officials said they believe Deron is somewhere in the Chicago area, but did not provide details on where he went missing from, or where the public should be on the lookout for him around Chicago.

If you have any information about Deron or his disappearance, please contact the NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Chicago Police Department at 1-312-746-6000.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers when he held a press conference in October 2023 on what he called a major, unprecedented consumer protection action in the state targeting "deceptive" labeling of delta-8 products. (Courtesy of Nebraska Attorney General's Office)

LINCOLN  Saying he was stepping up Nebraskas fight against mislabeled and dangerous delta-8 products, Attorney General Mike Hilgers on Wednesday announced the start of city-wide crackdowns on retailers who sell the items.

He said that while his escalated effort started in Norfolk, other cities should expect similar blanket investigations.

We are ramping up our efforts to clean up Nebraska, Hilgers said. For the first time, we have sued every store in a community. The stores are misleading Nebraskans.

Four new lawsuits

Flanked at a media event by U.S. Rep. Mike Flood of Norfolk, Hilgers told reporters of four new lawsuits covering five Norfolk stores. Filed Wednesday in Madison County District Court, they allege violations of the Consumer Protection Act, Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Nebraskas Pure Food Act.

The latest suits joined legal actions filed since last year against a dozen other vape shops and businesses across the state. Some cases have been settled, with retailers agreeing not to sell prohibited hemp products that contain or have been modified with synthetic THC.

THC is the compound in the cannabis plant most commonly associated with getting a person high. Some of the THC-containing products in question were packaged and made to look like candy and snacks.

A spokesperson for two of the Norfolk stores said, however, they were unaware there was any problem with the products they buy from a wholesaler distributor.

Tiffany Colsden, general manager of NP Mart stores in Norfolk, said her team learned of the investigation Wednesday, when a reporter came knocking.

By noon, she said, the two stores had pulled the items in question off the shelves.

All they had to do was tell us, Colsden said. If Nebraska doesnt want us to sell it, we wont. Its that simple.

She described NP Mart, which has two locations in Norfolk, as a convenience store that sells gas.

Lawsuits also were filed against Smokin Deals, Smokes R. Less and Vapor Hutt.

A person at Smokes R. Less hung up the phone when a reporter called.

Vapor Hutt officials could not be reached.

Everything by the book

Smokin Deals owner Regina Uecker said she was saddened and upset that state officials hadnt reached out to her, a sole proprietor, if there were questions. She, too, heard of the investigation Wednesday through a news reporter.

Im at a total loss, its so upsetting that they cant work together, Uecker said of state officials.

She said no changes were made to the store inventory as of Wednesday afternoon because she hadnt been served any papers and did not know what were getting charged for.

We do everything by the book, she said. Uecker said her shop sells to customers 21 and older and does not sell products that resemble candies.

The Attorney Generals Office, which is charged with enforcing consumer protection laws, seeks civil penalties and other remedies.

Hilgers has pledged to try to close legal loopholes around delta-8 that opened when the 2018 farm bill opened up the hemp farming industry nationally. The bill limited delta-9 THC but did not address regulation of delta-8. States have been grappling with that loophole.

In explaining the rationale for citywide crackdowns, Hilgers said that retailers have told his team that if they stop selling products in question, bad actors would still continue. And what have we done for that community? said Hilgers.

Said Hilgers: Well clean up city by city and well start with Norfolk.

Growing concern

In Norfolk, he said that 34 products were tested from the stores and none was accurately labeled. He said over one-third of the products tested contained marijuana.

This has been an area of urgent growing concern for not just Madison County but our entire trade area, said Flood. These products have been a concern both at the state and the federal level.

Last year, he said, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 300 reports of children and adults who were hurt consuming delta-8 THC products.

Hilgers said Norfolk was selected to start the ramped-up effort because of an aligned interest with Flood. Also, he said, his office previously filed a complaint against another Norfolk vape shop.

The key thing is not where we start but where we end, Hilgers said. Were going to go to every single city that has these types of stores in the entire state of Nebraska.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  Federal regulators responsible for the safety of the U.S. drug supply are still struggling to get back to where they were in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic upended factory inspections in the U.S. and across the world, The Associated Press has found.

An AP analysis of Food and Drug Administration data shows that agency staffers have not returned to roughly 2,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing firms to conduct surveillance inspections since before the pandemic, raising the risks of contamination and other issues in drugs used by millions of Americans.

The firms that are overdue for safety and quality inspections represent about 42% of the 4,700 plants that are currently registered to produce drugs for the U.S. and previously underwent FDA review before May 2019, the AP found. The plants make hundreds of critical medicines, including antibiotics, blood thinners and cancer therapies.

Under FDAs own guidelines, factories that havent been inspected in five or more years are considered a significant risk and are supposed to be prioritized for mandatory inspections. Most of the overdue plants are in the U.S., but more than 340 are in India and China, countries that together make up the largest source of drug ingredients used in low-cost U.S. prescriptions.

Generic drugmakers are under intense pressure to cut their costs and some will do that by cutting quality, said David Ridley of Duke University, who studies the pharmaceutical industry. If theyre not inspected, then we wont know about it until  in a few tragic cases  its too late.

Last year, tainted eyedrops from an Indian factory led to an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that sickened more than 80 Americans, killing four of them and blinding more than a dozen others. The plant never registered with the FDA.

Prior to COVID-19, dozens of common medications made at FDA-regulated plants were recalled due to traces of cancer-causing contaminants. The FDA didnt open its first overseas outposts until 2008, after dozens of U.S. deaths were linked to a contaminated blood thinner imported from a Chinese plant that hadn't been inspected.

The U.S. drug supply is the safest on the planet and no other regulator conducts more inspections than the FDA, said FDA Associate Commissioner Michael Rogers, noting that the agency has increased drug inspections each year since 2021 while prioritizing foreign factories.

But last years inspection numbers were still down almost 40% from the pre-pandemic period, when the FDA averaged around 4,300 annual inspections. Rogers offered no date for when the backlog of uninspected plants might be cleared.

The agencys work has been hampered by a wave of staff departures, he said, including longtime inspectors who have found new jobs that often allow them to work from home.

Theres a significant cost to the agency associated with the loss through attrition of an experienced investigator," Rogers said. "We need to retain these people, and we are.

The FDA halted all but the most mission critical inspections in March 2020. It gradually restarted prioritized inspections later that year, but regular international visits did not resume until 2022.

In a statement, the FDA said that it receives inspection details from international partners, including European regulators, which help the agency decide whether a visit is necessary. The agency also began using video and other online tools to evaluate plants remotely during COVID-19, although those aren't equivalent to physical inspections.

The FDAs struggles overseeing the global pharmaceutical supply have been documented by the Government Accountability Office, which has flagged the area as a high risk issue every year since 2009.

Beginning in the 1990s, drugmakers began shifting manufacturing overseas, first to Puerto Rico, and then to Asia in search of cheaper labor and materials. The FDA has largely been playing catch-up ever since.

We have to recognize that this is the world we live in and we have to adapt to it, said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, FDAs former chief scientist. That has to include being able to get into these facilities and take a look at what theyre doing, particularly in India and China.

Cascade of failure

The FDA keeps a confidential list of drug facilities to inspect, prioritizing them based on potential risks.

The AP created its own list by compiling public records of FDA inspections from before COVID-19 and tracking which firms havent received a follow-up within five years. The data accounts for the vast majority of inspections, but has some omissions, including visits required for new drug approvals and those that are part of ongoing government investigations.

The AP's tally of overdue plants also doesnt include any of the new facilities that have registered with the agency since COVID-19 but havent yet had an initial inspection. FDAs internal list of sites for inspection has increased 14% over the past five years, the agency noted last year.

The FDA said in a statement that it must be judicious and apply a risk-based approach, due to the enormity of its workload and limited budget.

We prioritize the inspections that pose the greatest risk to public health, the agency said.

On a global basis, FDA says only 6% of sites inspected last year had serious problems. But rates are higher in India, where 11% of plants were cited for violations, the most of any country.

Nearly 90% of FDAs foreign inspections in fiscal 2023 were announced in advance, according to FDA correspondence with Congress obtained via public records requests. The GAO and other government watchdogs have long raised concerns about the practice, which typically gives companies up to 12 weeks to correct or conceal potential problems.

Even with the advanced warnings, the FDA has found egregious violations in overseas factories.

When agency staffers visited Intas Pharmaceuticals plant in northwest India for the first time in nearly three years they found what they called a cascade of failure. Among the violations, inspectors saw an employee pouring acetic acid in a trash bin to destroy company documents used for drug testing. Elsewhere inspectors found plastic bags filled with torn and discarded documents relating to quality control measures.

This kind of behavior has been pointed out to the FDA time and time again by people like me for the last 10 years, said Dinesh Thakur, a former pharmaceutical industry executive who became a whistleblower for the U.S. government. In 2013, his work led to a $500 million settlement with Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy for falsifying generic drug data.

If you do not prosecute people who do this kind of wrongdoing, it gives the implicit signal that the FDA will give companies a pass, Thakur said.

In the case of Intas, FDA issued a warning letter  which has no legal repercussions  and blocked some of the companys exports to the U.S., while attempting to maintain shipments of the critical chemotherapy drug cisplatin. That strategy backfired in June 2023 when Intas abruptly shuttered the plant, triggering a nationwide shortage of cisplatin, which is used in more than a half-dozen cancers.

FDA inspections in India have been accelerating, but 160 plants are overdue, including some which havent been inspected since 2015 yet continue shipping pain pills, antibiotics and other medications to the U.S., according to AP's analysis.

Mexico, France and Spain also have over 100 overdue firms between them.

In China, political tensions have made inspections even more challenging. Just two fulltime FDA inspectors are based in the country, where about 185 factories are overdue. Former FDA officials say the Chinese government has withheld visas from inspectors unless the U.S. reciprocates for Chinese nationals seeking to enter the U.S.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf has acknowledged his discomfort with the current situation.

Even if we do periodic inspections, its not the same as a society where you have more freedom of information, Califf told lawmakers at a hearing last year. I am very concerned about it.

Help wanted

The FDA could seemingly address its inspection backlog by hiring more investigators or assigning extra work to current staffers. But the agency is struggling to hold onto inspectors who can often earn far more working for the companies they now regulate.

On a call with FDA stakeholders in May, Rogers warned that our attrition rates and our inability to retain our staff would soon impact the agencys ability to oversee drugs and other medical supplies.

The FDA currently has 225 vacancies on its inspection workforce, nearly four times as many as before COVID-19, according to agency records.

New inspectors generally start at an annual salary of about $40,000 and can eventually rise to over $100,000. Job postings alert applicants they may have to travel up to 50% of the time.

In 30 years as an FDA inspector, Jose Hernandez experienced firsthand the grueling pace and pressures of the job.

When he began doing international inspections in the mid-1990s, it was on a volunteer basis and employees spent no more than six weeks per year outside the U.S. By the end of his government career, Hernandez was traveling overseas more than four months per year, making multiple trips to Asia.

For each one-week inspection, he said he might need another week or more to write up his report, particularly if he found serious violations. Hernandez says that extra time and attention to detail wasnt always appreciated by his managers.

They just wanted people who are like bean counters: walk in, walk out and find nothing so that they can get this report through the system and make their numbers, he said.

Hernandez retired from the FDA in 2014, earning just over $100,000 in his final year. Today he is a private consultant and says former FDA inspectors can easily earn more than $250,000 working for industry.

Now I fly business class, I stay in nice hotels, I rest when I get there and nobody tells me what to do, Hernandez said. I made the right decision.

FDA says it's exploring ways to make the jobs more attractive, including extra pay for experienced staffers and offering more flexible, comfortable travel arrangements.

Testing for quality

The slowdown in inspections has attracted scrutiny from lawmakers and raised new questions about whether FDAs decades-old approach is working.

House Republicans have peppered the agency with dozens of inquiries about the program since 2023. In their most recent letter, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee ask regulators to explain why FDA staffers making high-priority inspections in Asia are reporting less than half as many violations today compared with pre-COVID-19.

The committee is concerned that FDAs fear of triggering additional drug shortages is driving the decreased rate that FDA issues warning letters, states the June letter.

FDAs Rogers rejected the argument, saying inspectors follow strict guidelines when conducting inspections and that decisions about managing drug shortages are handled separately by other parts of the agency.

A pilot program requested by the U.S. Defense Department takes an alternative approach to monitoring the drug supply. The Pentagon is collaborating with a private laboratory, Valisure, to evaluate 40 prescription drugs critical to military personnel, testing them for contaminants, dosing and other issues. Initial findings from the two-year program found serious flaws in about 10% of a subset of drugs tested, according to results shared with the AP.

Laboratory testing of imported drugs has long been standard practice in Europe, where more than 70 private labs operate alongside government regulators.

The testing approach has attracted interest from experts concerned that FDAs method  rooted in physical inspections and reviewing paperwork  may not be up to the task of uncovering manufacturing problems on the other side of the world.

Stanford Universitys Dr. Kevin Schulman says one solution would be to incentivize U.S. pharmacy chains and drug distributors to only purchase drugs from high-quality manufacturers.

Currently, U.S. companies decide which generic drugs to buy based on whichever company has the lowest price, Schulman said. Purchasers say, Well, its the FDAs job to worry about quality, not ours," he said.

Even as the FDA struggles to recover from COVID-19 and reinspect plants worldwide, Schulman sees a potential upside.

Maybe this is the straw that breaks the camels back, he said. That, in fact, we should just admit that one U.S. agency cant regulate the entire global manufacturing for this critically important market.

___

Forster reported from New York. Follow Matthew Perrone on X: @AP_FDAwriter

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
(Bloomberg) -- Demand for AI chips should spur growth for the semiconductor industry over the next few years, the CEO of a major supplier to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said, dismissing concerns that investors had misjudged the pace and extent of spending on artificial intelligence.

Most Read from Bloomberg

While the global chip market has grown about 8% annually over the past 20 years, AI semiconductors should grow at a much higher rate going forward, Scientech Corp. Chief Executive Officer Hsu Ming-Chi told Bloomberg Television.

This booming of the AI industry has just begun, Hsu said. For the most prominent company, the equipment we sold to them probably increased two to three times in a year.

The CEOs comments came after Nvidia Corp. reported earnings that failed to meet investors loftiest expectations. Analysts also issued fresh warnings that AIs promise of rewiring global economies is thus far unproven. Nvidias shares tumbled 9.5% on Sept. 3, wiping out $278.9 billion in the biggest loss of value ever for a US stock.

Still, Hsu expects his company will see quarterly sales grow sequentially during the second half of 2024. He expressed his confidence in the launch of many AI applications in the future.

Taipei-based Scientech makes equipment used in TSMCs exclusive packaging technology, called Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate. Thats in turn employed to make AI chips for the likes of Nvidia. In May, TSMC Senior Vice President Kevin Zhang said his company makes 99% of the worlds AI accelerators. Scientechs share price has gained close to 80% since the beginning of 2024.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Nearly 4,000 dangerous instruments seized at NYC public schools last year  including almost 300 weapons: sources

Thousands of dangerous instruments were confiscated in New York City public schools last year  including close to 300 weapons, The Post has learned.

School safety agents and cops seized 278 weapons during the 2023-24 school year, including guns, brass, knuckles and knives, law-enforcement sources said.

A total 3,695 dangerous instruments, such as pepper spray and box cutters, were rounded up during that same time period, according to the sources.

Cops blamed gangs for the dangerous instruments and almost 300 weapons confiscated at NYC schools. Paul Martinka

The eye-popping numbers came as students are set to return to class Thursday for the first day of the new semester.

While shocking, the data marked a dip from the 2022-23 school year, when 4,471 dangerous instruments and 476 weapons were seized, according to the sources.

Police officers pointed to gangs as a major cause of school violence.

Schools can be a powder keg for crime, one Manhattan cop said. You have gangs recruiting students to join their crew. Teens are afraid not to join.

A Brooklyn cop agreed: You also have students crossing paths with students from all the neighborhoods or gangs and that can lead to problems.

In one violent incident from last school year, a 16-year-old boy was attacked near a school in Staten Island by a group of unknown boys believed to be members of the 400 Gang, according to sources.

A student was arrested in a Brooklyn school with this loaded 9mm handgun and a large sum of cash. No Credit

The alleged gang members hit the boy in the back of the head knocking him to the ground and then kicked and pummeled him. The attackers also threatened the teen by holding out box cutters, the sources said.

Other school violence stems from out-of-control relationship drama, sources said.

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed multiple times in the hallway of Edward Murrow high school last December, plunging the school into lockdown as police secured the area. Paul Martinka

In one incident from last year, a 16-year-old girl in Rockaway was punched in the face by another girl after refusing to talk to the attackers boyfriend, sources said.

There are always problems over girlfriends and ex-girlfriends, which lead to fights, one Queens cop said.

The drop in weapons filtering through classrooms and hallways last year was accompanied by a decline in incidents reported to police in and around public schools.

There are two ways to increase safety: more scanning and more school safety agents, said Hank Sheinkopf, the spokesman for the Local 237 Teamsters. (Kevin C. Downs for The New York Post )

The 2023-24 school year saw 7,692 incidents, a 13% decrease from the 8,864 reported during the previous school year, according to the sources.

There are two ways to increase safety: more scanning and more school safety agents, said Hank Sheinkopf, the spokesman for the Local 237 Teamsters, the union representing school safety agents.

An NYPD spokesperson said school safety agents have enhanced security ahead of the upcoming semester.

Public schools will start out the year with 3,663 school safety agents, an increase of about 120 from this time last year, the rep said.

School safety agents enhance student safety while theyre on campus, according to an NYPD spokesperson. But sources told The Post their arent enough of the guards to go around. Paul Martinka

But some school safety agents said they fear they are still understaffed to take on the new years challenges.

We dont have enough guards to do the proper job, one said.

Another agent said the city doesnt have enough agents to keep kids safe on their walks to and from school.

We used to have agents outside the schools to provide a safe corridor for students walking home or to public transportation. We dont have enough people to do that anymore, and neither do the police, the source said.

Some sources noted there have previously been cases of school administrators not properly reporting weapons seizures, thus skewing the numbers downward.

In 2022, staffers at a Queens junior high school were stunned to find a deadly stash of weapons locked inside a safe in the principals office, rather than vouchered and turned over to the NYPD to be tallied, according to sources.

These weapons were allegedly confiscated by a principal at a junior high school in Long Island City rather than turned over to the NYPD.

Sources said JHS 125 administrators  including new principal Michael Borelli  opened up the locked box to find more than a dozen blades of all kinds, and what appeared to be a gun.

The new principal immediately told school safety agents who vouchered the items and alerted their central command.

At the time school safety agent Greg Floyd said the find suggested that prior administrators had failed to properly report the weapons, thus skewing city statistics.

Ive been saying theyve been hiding these things for years, Floyd said. Now you have proof. How many schools have safes just like this one where they put these weapons instead of reporting them?

The Department of Education and City Hall did not return requests for comment Wednesday.
Nearly 50 people have been killed, injured in K-12 school shootings across the US in 2024

Parents cars line the sides of the road near Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia after a shooting occurred at the school on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

More than 20 schools across the nation have been impacted by gun violence since the start of 2024, with a Georgia high school becoming the latest K-12 campus to contend with firearm related deaths and injuries.

Four people were killed and nine others were injured after a school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, an Atlanta suburb, on Wednesday morning, which was the 23rd time this year this year a school shooting has resulted in injuries or deaths, according to data compiled by Education Week, a news organization that covers K-12 education.

Education Week is just one of multiple organizations that compiles data about gun violence in schools, but unlike the National Gun Violence Archive or K-12 School Shooting Database, they only track incidents that fulfill a certain criteria:

Reported incidents where a firearm was discharged

Where any individual, other than the suspect or perpetrator, has a bullet wound resulting from the incident

Occurred on K-12 school property or on a school bus

Occurred while school is in session or during a school-sponsored event

With those factors in mind, 2023 had 38 school shootings - 15 more than in 2024 so far, including the Georgia shooting Wednesday.

There have been approximately 205 school shootings since Education Week began to track school shootings in 2018.

Apalachee High School press conference: Watch live as officials provide updates

How many school shootings have been reported in 2024?

The 22 school shootings prior to Wednesday's in Georgia have resulted in seven deaths and 29 injuries, according to Education Week's tally. Of the seven fatalities, three were students or children while four were school employees or adults.

Including Wednesday's fatalities and injuries, 49 people have been killed or injured as a result of a school shooting in 2024, with 11 deaths and 38 injuries.

Here are the total number of people, including children and adults, who were either killed or injured in a school shooting since 2018:

2018: 114 people were either injured or killed in 24 school shootings

2019: 40 people were either injured or killed in 24 school shootings

2020: 12 people were either injured or killed in 10 school shootings

2021: 70 people were either injured or killed in 35 school shootings

2022: 140 people were either injured or killed in 51 school shootings

2023: 63 people were either injured or killed in 38 school shootings

2024: 49 people were either injured or killed in 23 school shootings

A total of 488 people were either killed or injured in a school shooting in the last six years.

When and where did the other school shootings occur this year?

Education Week's list of school shootings reported in 2024 so far includes incidents that have occurred on K-12 campuses across the country that have either resulted in the death or injury of an individual by a firearm.

While all of the incidents reported did occur at a K-12 school site, not every school shooting recorded put the lives of students, teachers, or staff at risk. Some of these incidents, including those reported in New Mexico or Oregon, occurred after-hours.

Below is a list of school shootings reported in 2024 so far, starting from Jan. 1, 2024 through Sept. 4, 2024.

Jan. 3, 2024: 1 injured in Manchester High School parking lot in Midlothian, Virginia Jan. 4, 2024: 2 people killed, 6 injured at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa Jan. 11, 2024: 1 injured in Miami Northwestern Senior High parking lot in Miami, Florida Jan. 29, 2024: 1 injured in Connally High School parking lot in Austin, Texas Jan. 30, 2024: 2 injured at LeFlore High School in Mobile, Alabama Jan. 30, 2024: 1 injured in Grant Union High School parking lot in Sacramento, California Feb. 2, 2024: 2 injured in McEachern High School parking lot in Powder Springs, Georgia Feb. 14, 2024: 4 injured in Benjamin E. Mays High School parking lot in Atlanta, Georgia Feb. 26, 2024: 1 injured in Odessa High School parking lot in Odessa, Texas March 2, 2024: 2 injured in North Kansas City High School parking lot in North Kansas City, Missouri April 12, 2024: 1 injured at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas, Texas April 22, 2024: 1 killed at William Wiley Elementary School in West Richland, Washington April 24, 2024: 1 killed at James Bowie High School in Austin, Texas May 5, 2024: 1 injured at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. May 7, 2024: 1 injured at Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. May 10, 2024: 1 injured at Hastings High School in Houston, Texas May 22, 2024: 1 killed in North Marion Middle School parking lot in Citra, Florida May 23, 2024: 2 injured at Skyline High School in Oakland, California May 24, 2024: 1 killed in Gadsden High School parking lot in Anthony, New Mexico June 6, 2024: 1 killed in Garfield High School parking lot in Seattle, Wash. June 30, 2024: 1 injured at Klamath Union High School in Klamath Falls, Oregon Aug. 19, 2024: 1 injured in Bossier High School parking lot in Bossier City, Louisiana Sept. 4, 2024: 4 killed, 9 injured at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: School shootings: 23 K-12 campuses have been subject to gun violence this year
Nearly $500K grant to help bring 1 million new oysters to Hampton River

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  One million baby oysters are on the way for the Hampton River thanks to a nearly $500,000 grant secured by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The foundation announced on Wednesday that it was awarded $494,701 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the project, which also aims to partner with local students and community groups, including nearby Hampton University.

The oysters will be planted on two acres of new sanctuary oyster reefs on the 3.2 mile-long waterway.

We are thrilled to be working in the Hampton River to bring these sanctuary reefs to the community, build on our research partnership with Hampton University, and help Hampton River oysters make a comeback, especially through the use of CBFs unique oyster barge, said CBF Virginia Oyster Restoration Manager Jackie Shannon. With their water-filtering abilities, the one million oysters added to the river will not only improve water quality, but fishing and recreational opportunities for Hampton residents.

The foundation emphasized this comes after a successful National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-funded project on the Lafayette River in Norfolk. Restoration efforts there led to the river being named the first tributary in Virginia to be restored for oysters back in 2018. Now species like seahorses and even the occasional manatee are spotted in the Lafayette.

To learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Foundations oyster efforts and to get involved, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  Neglected dogs were seized from a Lancaster County property by SPCA officials Wednesday, and an investigation into the alleged animal abuse is underway.

Police were contacted by neighbors regarding the neglect of several puppies and their mothers at a residence along W. Burkholder Drive in Clay Township, according to a news release.

After arriving, police said they found four puppies, along with their mothers, that were in need of immediate medical attention. The SPCA took the dogs and sent them to a local emergency veterinary clinic for treatment.

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The News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday the countrys forces would not leave Gazas southern border with Egypt  known as the Philadelphi Corridor  a stance that has emerged as a major obstacle to a potential ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Netanyahus comments came amid renewed efforts by US officials to finalize a new proposal, although international mediators are said to be increasingly pessimistic about a breakthrough.

Netanyahus critics in Israel say his insistence on maintaining control of the Philadelphi Corridor is a ploy to derail any deal that might weaken him politically.

SIGNALS

Philadelphi Corridor is an eight-mile deal breaker

Source: The New York Times

The Philadelphi Corridor  an eight mile-long, 100 yard-wide strip of land along the southern border of Gaza and Egypt  has become a crucial point of contention in ceasefire talks, The New York Times reported. Netanyahu has described it as a lifeline for Hamas, saying the group uses the tunnels inside the corridor to smuggle in weapons and recruits. Egypt has strongly denied those claims, and cited past security commitments requiring Israeli forces to stay away from its border with Gaza. One Egyptian minister accused Israel of us[ing] Egypts name to obstruct a deal. Meanwhile, Hamas has demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli troops, with neither side seemingly interested in breaking the impasse.

Netanyahu in danger of further alienating himself in Israel

Source: The Washington Post

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus refusal to relent on the Philadelphi Corridor and broker a peace agreement is fueling tensions at home: Opposition politician Benny Gantz, who resigned from Netanyahus war cabinet in June, accused Netanyahu of damaging relations with the US by not signing the deal and reiterated that securing the remaining hostages held in Gaza must be prioritized even at a very high cost. Netanyahu has not budged on his border stance despite massive anti-government protests in Israel demanding him to sign a deal that would free the hostages. The stakes have never been higher, and the outlook never bleaker for the hostages and millions in in Gaza, The Washington Post wrote.




Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a cease-fire and hostage release deal was not close, as both sides appear to have broken further apart on major parts of the negotiations, including Israels military presence in Gaza.

Netanyahu told Fox Newss Brian Kilmeade that Hamas is not negotiating in good faith, accusing them of trying to cement control over Gaza by booting Israel out through the negotiations.

Hamas is not there with a deal. Theres not a deal in the making, he said in the interview. They want to reconstitute their terror kingdom. And its  unfortunately its not close.

But well do everything we can to get them to the point where they do make a deal, he added.

Hamas has also thrown cold water on the negotiations, which the Biden administration signaled were close to the finish line just a few weeks ago.

We do not need new proposals, what is needed now is to pressure Netanyahu and his government and obligate them to what was agreed upon, a statement, shared by the militant group on Telegram this week, reads. We warn against falling into Netanyahus trap and his tricks, as he is using negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people.

Israel and Hamas are at odds over the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip of land that borders Egypt and which Israeli forces captured in May. Netanyahu wants to retain control over the area and Hamas wants his forces out.

The latest iteration of a cease-fire and hostage release deal includes three phases, the first of which would see the release of the most vulnerable of the 97 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza in return for an Israeli troop withdrawal from densely populated areas of the territory and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

A senior Biden administration official told reporters Wednesday that the details on the Philadelphi corridor, along with the disputes over what constitutes a densely populated area, are an extensive part of ongoing negotiations.

Israel has put forward a proposal with a significant reduction of troops roughly two weeks ago, the official said, which includes a map of where Israeli forces would be positioned.

Our position is we need a deal. And so until you have a deal, you dont have a deal, the official said. If Israel has to make some additional adjustments, on whatever issue to try and get a deal, and its within reason, doesnt jeopardize Israels security, they should get a deal.

Same thing on the Hamas side, they added. Theres things Hamas needs to do to deliver a deal here.

Israel and Hamas are also discussing the Israeli troop presence in the Netzarim corridor, which splits the Gaza Strip into a northern and southern half. The other sticking point in the talks relates to the details of a prisoner and hostage exchange, including who will be released and how many people.

The U.S. official said an August proposal was presented bridging the gaps in the prisoner exchange.

The proposal went pretty far in that direction, and finally opened up the actual discussion of names and how that would go, including a list of hostages, which is fundamental here, the official said. We need agreement on who the hostages are and whos coming out.

Netanyahu is under immense pressure at home to get a deal done, with tens of thousands of protesters demonstrating over the weekend after the death of six hostages in Gaza. Hamas reportedly executed them in Gaza, including American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

The Israeli prime minister has been accused of continuing the war for his own political survival to avoid questions about the deadly Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 that started the war, which killed more than 1,100 people and saw roughly 250 taken captive by the militant group.

But Netanyahu told Fox he was not interested in my political future, Im interested in my countrys future.

This war would be over yesterday if Hamas laid down its arms, released all the hostages. It would be over in two seconds. But Hamas is refusing to do that, he said, adding that Israel agreed to a deal.

Hamas has refused. Its still refusing to budge, the prime minister continued. And the pressure should be put on Hamas, not on Israel.

Netanyahu said his heart was shattered by the death of the six hostages, but that he refused to make concessions after these murders, arguing it was vital for Israel to security to maintain the Philadelphi corridor.

Holding the corridor prevents them from rearming, he said of Hamas.

It prevents Gaza from becoming this Iranian terror enclave again, which can threaten our existence, the Israeli leader added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the prospect of reaching a cease-fire agreement with Hamas soon, blaming the militant group for stalling talks.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Hamas is not there with a deal, he said to Fox News on Thursday. Unfortunately, its not close.

The two sides have been negotiating for months over a deal to pause fighting in Gaza and get Hamas to release more hostages its holding in the Palestinian territory. The US is mediating along with Qatar and Egypt.

Israel recovered the bodies of six hostages over the weekend who it said were executed by Hamas shortly before. That prompted tens of thousands of Israelis to protest on the streets and to go on strike, with many of them blaming their government for not making an earlier deal with Hamas.

I have red lines, Netanyahu said. They were set before this massacre, this latest murder. But theyve become redder. I have areas of flexibility; Ive given them to my negotiating team and I stand by them.

He was especially angry at the idea that the killing of the six hostages should lead to more flexibility.

To go and make concessions after these murders? he asked. Its a license to kill hostages. Thats what Hamas will understand. Kill hostages, get concessions.

Hamas, in a statement on Thursday, reiterated that Israeli forces must withdraw from the border between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi corridor. Netanyahu says doing that will allow for arms to be smuggled from Egypt into Hamas hands.

The Philadelphi corridor has emerged as a key sticking point between Iran-backed Hamas and Israel in recent weeks. Still, Netanyahu emphasized its not the only one.

Israel and Hamas are yet to agree how many hostages will be released from Gaza in the first phase of a deal, as well as how many Palestinians will be freed from Israeli jails.

Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US, killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage when its fighters swarmed into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7. Israels subsequent offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

There are now around 100 hostages left, though Israeli officials have said many of them are probably dead.

Hamas has consistently said no, Netanyahu said. They dont agree to anything.

--With assistance from Sherif Tarek.

(Updates throughout with more Netanyahu comments and in 8th paragraph with Hamas statement.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Nevada grandmother faces up to $30K in fines for offering rides to Burning Man revelers  launches GoFundMe to pay them

A grandmother is facing tens of thousands of dollars in fines after she was busted in a sting operation this weekend for giving revelers rides to the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert.

Susie Holland, 61, thought that she would offer a helping hand and make a little extra cash on the side by offering car rides to the festival-goers, also known as Burners, this year, according to a report.

But when she arrived to pick up the Burners at a location theyd agreed upon while speaking online, she was immediately surrounded by the Nevada Transportation Authority.

The grandmother was busted in a sting operation when she met up with supposed concertgoers to drive them to Burning Man. JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK

When I pulled in  they just swooped up on me in three undercover Ford Explorers, Holland told the Reno Gazette Journal. They were coming at me so fast, so hard and so intensely, I was like, what is happening right now?

Holland posted a Craigslist ad three weeks ago offering rides to the event, which draws up to 80,000 people annually.

She was contacted for a ride and  unaware of the going rate  she said she would take them to the festival for just $65. The supposed Burner, in turn, offered $500 if she offered to come back and pick them up.

Susie Holland was threatened with $30,000 worth of fines. gofundme

But then the Burner went radio silent for weeks before responding with a meeting time and date, leading Holland to suspect something seemed a little off, according to the Gazette Journal.

She agreed to pick up her party at the parking lot of the Grand Sierra Resort at 6:30 a.m. on Monday  however, when she arrived, she was met by NTA agents who boxed her car in and told her she had broken the law.

Im 61 years old, you know, she joked. Ive never been in a situation like that.

Police told her she was facing up to $10,000 per violation for the three laws she apparently violated for driving without proper certification  totaling a whopping $30,000.

Holland said she believed that she would be permitted to drop the Burners at the gate of the festival. JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NTAs mission is to protect the traveling public which requires that the agency regulate certificated and permitted providers as well as take proactive measures to identify and deter unlicensed activity, Teri Williams, a spokesperson for the agency, told the newspaper in an email.

Ultimately, people that engage in commerce of any kind must be knowledgeable about what is required to operate legally  the onus falls on the individual to be informed and in compliance, Williams wrote.

They also impounded her car, leaving her without a means to get to work.

Holland paid $1,000 in cash to the NTA to release her vehicle and another $500 to the impound lot. When she went to pick up her car, an employee told her that 18 cars had been impounded in the same sting operation.

Burning Man is a weeklong festival that draws tens of thousands annually in the Black Rock Desert. JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK

Luckily, the NTA told her that as a first-time offender, her fees would likely be reduced. Now she is waiting for the final bill, which is expected in a few months.

Holland said she hopes her story will alert others to the potential consequences of driving festival-goers to Burning Man.

Clearly Im just a grandma giving rides to the Burn, Holland said. But they know what theyre doing. We just werent [aware]. No one was aware of it.

The grandmother has never even been to Burning Man. She said she got the idea to offer rides this year after she had an incredible time picking up a friend and some others who had gotten stuck at the week-long festival last year following torrential rains.

Holland said she got a kick out of listening to their crazy stories.

Ive never been, probably will never go. Its not my kind of thing, Holland told the newspaper. But we were talking and [they] suggested I do it the following year, like just give rides.

Shes launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the cost of her fines.
DALLAS (AP)  Newly emerged film footage of President John F. Kennedys motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway toward a hospital after he was fatally wounded will go up for auction later this month.

Experts say the find isnt necessarily surprising even over 60 years after the assassination.

These images, these films and photographs, a lot of times they are still out there. They are still being discovered or rediscovered in attics or garages, said Stephen Fagin, curator at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination on Nov. 22, 1963.

RR Auction will offer up the 8 mm home film in Boston on Sept. 28. It begins with Dale Carpenter Sr. just missing the limousine carrying the president and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy but capturing other vehicles in the motorcade as it traveled down Lemmon Avenue toward downtown. The film then picks up after Kennedy has been shot, with Carpenter rolling as the motorcade roars down Interstate 35.

This is remarkable, in color, and you can feel the 80 mph, said Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of the auction house.

The footage from I-35  which lasts about 10 seconds  shows Secret Service Agent Clint Hill  who famously jumped onto the back of the limousine as the shots rang out  hovering in a standing position over the president and Jacqueline Kennedy, whose pink suit can be seen.

I did not know that there were not any more shots coming, Hill said. I had a vision that, yes, there probably were going to be more shots when I got up there as I did.

The shots had been fired as the motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in front of the Texas School Book Depository, where it was later found that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald had positioned himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor. The assassination itself was famously captured on film by Abraham Zapruder.

After the shots, the motorcade turned onto I-35 and sped toward Parkland Memorial Hospital, where Kennedy would be pronounced dead. It was the same route the motorcade would have taken to deliver Kennedy to his next stop, a speech at the Trade Mart.

Carpenters grandson, James Gates, said that while it was known in his family that his grandfather had film from that day, it wasnt talked about often. So Gates said that when the film, stored along with other family films in a milk crate, was eventually passed on to him, he wasnt sure exactly what his grandfather, who died in 1991 at age 77, had captured.

Projecting it onto his bedroom wall around 2010, he was at first underwhelmed by the footage from Lemmon Avenue. But then, the footage from I-35 played out before his eyes. That was shocking, he said.

He was especially struck by Hills precarious position on the back of the limousine, so around the time that Hills book, Mrs. Kennedy and Me, was published in 2012, Gates got in touch with Hill and his co-author, Lisa McCubbin, who became Lisa McCubbin Hill when she and Hill married in 2021.

McCubbin Hill said it was admirable that Gates was sensitive enough to want Hill to see the footage before he did anything else with it. She said that while she was familiar with Hills description of being perched on the limousine as it sped down the interstate, to see the footage of it actually happen ... just kind of makes your heart stop.

The auction house has released still photos from the portion of the film showing the race down I-35 but is not publicly releasing video of that part.

An undated image released by RR Auction shows home film footage of President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway to the hospital after he was fatally wounded on Nov. 22, 1963. The image comes from a home film taken by Dale Carpenter Sr., which will go up for auction later this month. (RR Auction via AP)

File - In this Nov. 12, 2013 file photo, the former Texas School Book Depository building, left, now known as the Sixth Floor Museum overlooks Dealey Plaza in Dallas, where Lee Harvery Oswald fired from the building killing President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - A photo of President John F. Kennedy and flowers lay on a plaque at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Clint Hill, a member of the late First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's secret service detail, speaks to the media after he laid a wreath on the JFK Tribute outside the Hilton Hotel on Friday, Nov. 22, 2013. (Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram via AP)

An undated image released by RR Auction shows a box of home film footage of President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway to the hospital after he was fatally wounded on Nov. 22, 1963. The image comes from a home film taken by Dale Carpenter Sr., which will go up for auction later this month. (RR Auction via AP)

President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeds down a Dallas freeway to the hospital after he was fatally wounded on Nov. 22, 1963. (Al Volkland, Dallas Times Herald Collection, Courtesy The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza via AP)

FILE - In this Friday, Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy slumps down in the back seat of the Presidential limousine as it speeds along Elm Street toward the Stemmons Freeway overpass in Dallas after being fatally shot. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy leans over the president as Secret Service agent Clint Hill pushes her back to her seat. (AP Photo/James W.

An undated image released by RR Auction shows home film footage of President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway to the hospital after he was fatally wounded on Nov. 22, 1963. The image comes from a home film taken by Dale Carpenter Sr., which will go up for auction later this month. (RR Auction via AP)

An undated image released by RR Auction shows home film footage of President John F. Kennedy's motorcade speeding down a Dallas freeway to the hospital after he was fatally wounded on Nov. 22, 1963. The image comes from a home film taken by Dale Carpenter Sr., which will go up for auction later this month. (RR Auction via AP)

Farris Rookstool III, a historian, documentary filmmaker, and former FBI analyst who has seen the film said it shows the rush to Parkland in a more complete way than other, more fragmented film footage hes seen. He said the footage gives a fresh look at the race to Parkland, and he hopes that after the auction, it ends up somewhere where it can be used by filmmakers.

Fagin said the assassination was such a shocking event that it was instinctive for people to keep material related to it, so theres always the possibility of new material surfacing.

He said historians had wondered for years about a man who can be seen taking photos in one of the photos from that day.

For years we had no idea who that photographer was, where his camera was, where these images were, Fagin said.

Then, in 2002, Jay Skaggs walked into the museum with a shoebox under his arm. He was the photographer captured in the photo, and in that shoebox were 20 images from Dealey Plaza before and after the assassination, including the only known color photographs of the rifle being removed from the Texas School Book Depository building, Fagin said.

He just handed that box to us, Fagin said.

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The Federal Reserve has officially signaled that interest rate hikes have peaked and that interest rate cuts will begin this year. Since the start of 2022, the Federal Reserve in the United States has increased the interest rate it charges banks, which leads to increasing interest rates paid to customers for banks and savings products.

Higher interest rates make slow-growth dividend stocks less attractive, all else equal. The logic goes that if you can get the yield in a savings account, why take the risk with a dividend stock that may fall in value? This is why ultra-high-yielding tobacco stocks British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI) and Altria Group (NYSE: MO) went nowhere for a few years. This summer, everything changed. Both stocks have soared in the past three months, crushing the returns of the broad market S&P 500 over this time.

Is it too late to buy these two high-yielding tobacco stocks? Or is the party just getting started with interest rates set to decline shortly?

BTI Dividend Yield Chart

Altria Group: 7.3% dividend yield in a tough customer environment

Altria Group owns the leading premium cigarette brand in the United States: Marlboro. Along with Marlboro, it owns the NJOY nicotine vaping brand, Middleton Cigars, On! nicotine pouches, and a large stake in Anheuser Busch. It currently has a 7.29% dividend yield, down from over 9% earlier this year.

Investors have concerns about declining volumes for Marlboro in the United States. To put it simply, people are smoking less and less in the country. So far this year, Marlboro shipment volumes have declined by more than 10% with no signs of slowing down. They have declined for many years. And yet, Altria's operating income is up 51.8% in the last 10 years. Why? Because of the pricing power it is able to pass on for cigarette packs. This is a dynamic that can continue for many years.

On top of this, there are a lot of other segments that can drive earnings growth for Altria Group. Cigars are not seeing nearly as quick of a volume decline and also have pricing power. Vaping and nicotine pouches are growth markets and should replace volumes from Marlboro in the coming years. Add it all together, and I think that the concerns about Marlboro's volume declines are overblown.

Let's not forget the company's repurchase program, either. Shares outstanding are down by 13.7% in the last 10 years, which makes it easier for Altria to grow its dividend per share. Free cash flow per share -- the fuel for dividend payments -- is up 125% in the last 10 years. As long as the company can keep raising prices and transition some consumers to new products while decreasing its share count, I think free cash flow per share can continue to grow.

Story continues

British American Tobacco: Higher yield and higher upside?

The other ultra-high dividend payer is British American Tobacco. It has some similarities and differences to Altria Group and an even higher dividend yield of 7.8%.

British American Tobacco is similar to Altria in that it has exposure to the fast-declining U.S. market. It owns brands such as Dunhill and Lucky Strike. As discussed above, the company will need to raise prices and improve its profit margin in order to keep profits up in the United States.

Unlike Altria Group, British American Tobacco has exposure to international markets. In general, these markets are seeing slower volume declines compared to the United States, which is a benefit for the company. However, it still has foreign currency risk, which can impact U.S. investors. If the U.S. dollar rises in value relative to other currencies, that can be an earnings headwind to British American Tobacco. The international segment is a mixed bag, but I think it can drive profit growth for many years as long as the U.S. dollar isn't too strong.

British American Tobacco is doing much better than Altria in new tobacco-free nicotine products. It has strong brands like Vuse (vaping) and Velo (nicotine pouches) that are becoming a much larger part of its business. In fiscal 2023, these smokeless products were 16.5% of revenue and finally flipped from losing money to positive profitability. There is no sign that these divisions are slowing down, either. This can drive cash-flow growth and therefore maintain or grow the British American Tobacco dividend.

Is it too late to buy these dividend payers?

Depending on your tax profile (which can be important for dividend stocks), dividend stocks are great to own if they have a higher yield than a savings account or U.S. Treasury bond. This is especially true if Treasury rates are about to fall. Altria and British American Tobacco both have dividend yields above 7%, which is much higher than what you can get in a savings account.

The only question is: Are the dividend yields safe? I think they clearly are. Both companies are seeing declining volumes in the United States but can counteract these effects with price increases and more profit contributions from new divisions. This is why it shouldn't be surprising that Altria just raised its quarterly dividend payout by 4% to $1.02.

In fact, I think that both stocks have a good chance to grow their dividend-per-share payouts at a consistent rate over the next five to 10 years. If that happens, income-focused investors will be happy to have bought shares at today's prices.

Should you invest $1,000 in Altria Group right now?

Before you buy stock in Altria Group, consider this:

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Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends British American Tobacco P.l.c. and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $40 calls on British American Tobacco and short January 2026 $40 puts on British American Tobacco. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

These Ultra-High Dividend Stocks Are Soaring: Is It Too Late to Buy Shares? was originally published by The Motley Fool
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a $125 million fund program to help address the states housing shortage.

According to the governors office, the Workforce Housing Program is the largest state investment housing program and focuses on housing families that dont qualify for traditional affordable housing programs but lack housing options.

A lack of housing supply is creating too many problems in our state, from growing unhoused populations to essential workers not being able to live in the communities where they work, said Gov. Lujan Grisham. This initiative is an important tool for creating more homes and options for New Mexicans.

According to the news release, the Workforce Housing Program will prioritize investments in communities where local governments are taking steps to reduce barriers to new housing.

That includes using the fund to provide permits and inspections and updating land use and zoning rules to build new housing.

According to the news release, the Opportunity Enterprise Housing Development program will provide low-cost financing for rental and homeownership in addition to the program.

The first round of funding will have $30 million available, and the remainder of the $125 million will be available in future funding rounds.

Applications for the Opportunity Enterprise programs are open from Thursday, Sept. 4, and close on Wednesday, Oct. 16. To apply, you can visit the New Mexico Finance Authoritys website here with other information about the finance programs.

According to the news release, the Opportunity Enterprise Board will review all applications and  score after the round closes based on an established evaluation policy.

According to the news release, the Workforce Housing Program is an initiative for the governors 2023 Housing Investment Council in which housing experts identify solutions to New Mexicos housing shortage.

According to the governors office, the housing initiative is part of a $200 million state housing investment, including $50 million for traditional affordable housing programs, $20 million for innovative homelessness interventions, and $2 million to launch a State Office of Housing.

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Speaking at a Fox News town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Wednesday night, Donald Trump got weirdly threatening with his voter base.



You have no choice, Trump said. Youve got to vote for me, even if you dont like me.

Trump: Youve got NO choice. You have to vote for me. Even if you dont like me. pic.twitter.com/aHlg3fxVdW  Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024

As Trump continues to get bad news in the polls, it appears he is getting increasingly desperate to escape a prison sentence and reclaim power. The new election threat comes on the heels of him repeatedly telling voters this summer that after this election, theyll never have to vote again.

During Wednesdays town hall, hosted by Sean Hannity, Trump couldnt even take the time to enjoy a friendly crowd without getting worked up about Kamala Harris.



Trump launched into the ominous order to voters after saying Harris will ban fracking nationwide, which is a lie. If she won, youre not gonna have any fracking in Pennsylvania, Trump exclaimed. Though Harris floated limiting fracking during her 2020 campaign for president, she has since aligned with President Joe Bidens policy position on the issue. She told CNN last week that she now believes that her administration could create a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.



The two candidates appear to be tied in the polls in Pennsylvania, hence Trumps drumming up fear about the industry in the state and begging for votes.


No, these government agencies didnt donate taxpayer money to Kamala Harris campaign

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are, like former President Donald Trump and Sen, JD Vance, receiving campaign donations from employees of government agencies, but not from the agencies themselves.

Statement: Four government agencies donated nearly $900,000 of taxpayer money to Kamala Harris presidential campaign.

Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign said it has raised more than half a billion dollars in donations since its July launch. But has some of that money come from the U.S. government, as some social media users claimed?

In an Aug. 26 Instagram reel, a woman said she researched Harris top donors and some of them were "eye-openers."

"I thought I would share them with you because these are government entities that we fund as taxpayers, and I dont understand how it is not a conflict of interest for them to make a campaign donation," the woman said.

She says four government agencies  the Defense Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs  have donated almost $900,000 to Harris campaign.

This post was flagged as part of Metas efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

This video was originally posted on TikTok. In a follow-up TikTok video, the woman said her source is Open Secrets, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics.

Although these four government agencies are listed among the top contributors to Harris campaign on Open Secrets website, it doesnt mean the agencies themselves donated to her campaign. Open Secrets top contributor list groups donations by employer or affiliation, the organization says.

Above the list of top contributors, Open Secrets explains that the contribution totals come from "the organizations PACs (political action committees); their individual members, employees or owners; and those individuals immediate families." It adds that, "At the federal level, the organizations themselves did not donate, as they are prohibited by law from doing so."

As of July 29, Open Secrets reported the following contributions to Harris campaign from people affiliated with these government agencies:

Defense Department: $213,460

Health and Human Services: $203,574

State Department: $197,640

Veterans Affairs: $217,420

Government agencies, including the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs, are also listed among the top contributors to former President Donald Trumps presidential campaign on Open Secrets website.

Under each of these government agencies, Open Secrets website explains that individuals were the source of the political contributions to Harris and Trump, not the departments.

On these top contributor pages, Open Secrets further explains why and how it uses donors employer and occupation information.

"Corporations themselves cannot donate to candidates at the federal level but federal candidates can get contributions from corporate PACs, employees and owners as well as their immediate families," Open Secrets website says.

Federal law requires that campaigns itemize donations exceeding $200. If a donation is from a person, the campaign must disclose that persons name, mailing address, employer and occupation, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Open Secrets website says it groups contributions by employer/occupation because "showing these clusters of contributions from people associated with particular organizations provides a valuable  and unique  way of understanding where candidates are getting their financial support."

We rate the claim that four government agencies donated nearly $900,000 of taxpayer money to Harris presidential campaign False.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: PolitiFact: Government agencies didnt give money to Harris campaign
FILE - Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as he endorses Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina judge refused to take Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s name off presidential ballots in the battleground state on Thursday, a day before the first batches of November absentee ballots are slated to be sent to registered voters who requested them.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt denied the temporary restraining order sought by Kennedy to prevent county elections boards from distributing ballots affixed with his name and requiring it to be removed. State law directs the first absentee ballots for the Nov. 5 elections be mailed to requesters starting Friday. A Kennedy attorney said the decision would be appealed and Holt gave him 24 hours, ordering election officials not to send out ballots before noon Friday.

Kennedy got on the ballot in July as the nominee of the new We The People party created by his supporters. The elections board gave official recognition to the party after it collected enough voter signatures. But Kennedy suspended his campaign two weeks ago and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump. Since then the environmentalist and author has tried to get his name removed from ballots in several states where the race between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris are expected to be close.

In North Carolina, Kennedy and We The People of North Carolina wrote to the board asking for his name be withdrawn. But on a party-line vote Aug. 29 the board's Democratic members denied the party's request, calling it impractical given the actions already completed to begin ballot distribution on Sept. 6. Kennedy sued the next day.

North Carolina is slated to be the first state in the nation to distribute fall election ballots. County elections offices were expected Friday to send absentee ballots to more than 125,000 in-state and military and overseas voters who asked for them. And over 2.9 million absentee and in-person ballots overall had already been printed statewide as of Wednesday, state elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said in an affidavit.

The process of reprinting ballots without Kennedy's name and reassembling ballot requests would take at least two weeks, state attorneys said, threatening to miss a federal requirement that ballots be released to military and overseas voters by Sept. 21. But Kennedy lawyer Phil Strach argued in court that Kennedy complied with state law by presenting a written request to step down as the candidate, and that there's another law allowing the ballot release be delayed under this circumstance. Otherwise, Kennedy's free-speech rights in the state constitution forcing him to remain on the ballot against his will have been violated, Strach told Holt.

This is a very straightforward case about ballot integrity and following the law, Strach said, adding that keeping Kennedy on the ballot would bring confusion to voters who thought he was no longer a candidate.

But Special Deputy Attorney General Mary Carla Babb said the confusion would occur if ballot distribution was delayed, potentially forcing the state to have to seek a waiver of the Sept. 21 federal deadline. State laws and regulations gave the elections board the ability to reject Kennedy's withdrawal based on whether it was practical to have the ballots reprinted, she said.

Elections are not just a game and states are not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office, Babb told Holt.

In rejecting Kennedy's request, Holt said that while the harm imposed upon Kennedy for staying on ballots is minimal, the harm to the state board with such an order would be substantial, such as the reprinting of ballots at considerable cost to taxpayers.

While Kennedy was still an active candidate, the North Carolina Democratic Party unsuccessfully challenged in court the state board's decision to certify We The People as a party.

Meanwhile in New York on Thursday, a state judge dismissed a lawsuit backed by the Democratic National Committee that sought to keep Kennedy off the states November ballot.

The suit had argued that Kennedy submitted some petitions from a campaign subcontractor that used deceptive tactics in order to gather voter signatures, including hiding or obscuring the names of Kennedy and his vice presidential running mate on the sheets. But acting state Supreme Court Justice Robert Bogle, in his 10-page decision, ruled that Kennedys campaign had collected more than enough valid signatures, even if all those in question were discounted.

While Kennedy seeks to get off the ballot in North Carolina, he has fought to stay on the one in New York. But Thursday's decision will not help  another New York judge, in a separate legal challenge, already barred Kennedy from appearing on the state ballot because his petitions listed him as living in New York when he actually resides in California. A mid-level appeals court last week affirmed that ruling, but Kennedy has appealed.

Elsewhere, Kennedy on Wednesday sued in Wisconsin to get his name removed from the presidential ballot there after the state elections commission voted to keep him on it. Kennedy also filed a lawsuit in Michigan but a judge ruled Tuesday that he must remain on the ballot there.

___

This story has been corrected to show the name of the North Carolina state attorney is Mary Carla Babb, not Carla Babb.

____

Associated Press reporter Philip Marcelo in New York contributed to this story.
Reps. Jayme Davis, right, and Lisa Finley-DeVille present Sept. 4, 2024, during the Tribal Leaders Summit in Bismarck. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

The five Native nations in North Dakota need to step up their state government lobbying efforts, state Rep. Jayme Davis said.

The Rolette Democrat joined Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, D-Mandaree, for a presentation on the legislative process Wednesday morning at United Tribes Technical Colleges Tribal Leaders Summit. Davis and DeVille are the only two Native lawmakers in the statehouse.

Because of this  and the fact that both are relatively new to the Legislature  its difficult to get most state lawmakers to understand the needs of Native North Dakotans, Davis said.

Take North Dakotas Indian Child Welfare Act, for example. The legislation, which codified provisions from the federal Indian Child Welfare Act into state law, was passed by the Legislature in 2023. Davis brought it to the statehouse amid fears that the U.S. Supreme Court would strike down the federal legislation.

The federal Indian Child Welfare Act has a complex history, Davis said. It was passed in the 1970s to keep Native families intact following decades of separation by federal Indian boarding school and adoption programs.

Few state lawmakers were familiar with the landmark legislation, so it was up to Davis and DeVille to both educate them about the history of the act and to convince them that it deserved to be put in state law. Later that year, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of keeping the federal law in place.

It cant just fall on the two of us, said Davis, a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. We cant shoulder all the things that are on the table when it comes to the impact of Indigenous communities.

Tribes should be strategic about which issues need the most attention, and what legislative changes would have the biggest impact, said Davis.

I know we all want to solve every problem right away, but unfortunately, thats not what we do in the state Legislature, she told the crowd. We take it piece by piece.

It also means being persistent, and taking the time to form relationships with state government officials.

Davis brought up the 2023 legislation allowing the state government and tribes to share revenue from alcohol sales tax. Native leaders worked for 10 years to implement the tax plan, she said.

The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation earlier this year became the first tribe to sign the tax sharing agreement with the state.

Over time, these relationships create the opportunity to have a deeper dialog, more significant influence and better policy outcomes, Davis said.

Davis shes planning to introduce a bill during the 2025 legislative session that would require the state government to consult with Native leaders when lawmakers consider legislation that would affect tribes in North Dakota.

She pointed to a bill passed in 2023 that reversed a longstanding vehicle excise tax exemption for tribal members living on reservations.

Without the exemption in place, those tribal members are now on the hook to pay more money when they purchase cars in North Dakota. Despite that the measure had a significant impact on the tribes, Davis said they were not consulted on the bill.

Davis acknowledged that both she and DeVille voted in favor of the bill, but said that they only did so because they thought they would have a chance to advocate for amending it before it was signed into law. Davis tried unsuccessfully to have the Legislature revisit the issue during the special session last year.

When the bill passed, I got phone calls the next day, and I know our tribal leaders got phone calls saying, Hey, why the heck do I have to pay taxes now on this car? Davis said.

She said she and tribal leaders hope to reverse the change in the future.

DeVille, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said she also faces challenges advocating for Native constituents during the session.

She said shes pushed for legislation calling on the state to study oil and gas pollution on Native land, but none have been successful. DeVille is also a founder of an environmental advocacy group, Fort Berthold Protectors of Water and Earth Rights.

All of my resolutions, they failed because our state is pro-energy, she said. No matter what, Im going to keep trying.

A member of the audience asked whether or not there was an easy way to track all legislation related to tribal issues, noting that she found the state Legislatures difficult to navigate.

The Indian Affairs Commission tracks legislation that impacts Native tribes during the session, Davis said.

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  The North Little Rock Police Department has identified a man who was killed in a shooting last Thursday.

On Aug. 29, authorities said officers responded to a shooting in the area of 100 Riverfront Park Drive just before 3:20 a.m.

Overnight shooting near Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in North Little Rock leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

When they arrived, officers said they found a man and a woman suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The man, identified as 31-year-old Jordan Brown of Jacksonville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to survive.

NLRPD officials said this is an ongoing investigation and more information will be released when it becomes available.

Police arrest juvenile accused in social media threat made against Russellville Junior High School

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact detectives at 501-771-7155 or the NLRPD tip line at 501-680-8439.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A house fire in North Memphis left two firefighters injured on Thursday morning, according to the Memphis Fire Department.

MFD says they responded to the 600 block of Ayers Street regarding a house fire that was caused by arson. The fire reportedly started in the back entryway into the kitchen.

As a result, two firefighters suffered minor injuries. They were both taken to Regional One Burn Center for treatment.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

There was also a total of $39,000 worth of damage to the home due to the fire.

If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

This is a developing story. WREG will provide updates as they become available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
BALTIMORE (AP)  The U.S. Justice Department has widened its indictment of Russians in the so-called WhisperGate malware attacks aimed at destroying computer systems in Ukraine and 26 NATO allies including the United States.

A superseding indictment announced Thursday names five Russian military intelligence officers in a conspiracy to demoralize the Ukrainian people on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The WhisperGate attacks in January 2022 could be considered Russia's first shot in the war, said William DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI's Baltimore field office. The cyberattacks penetrated U.S. companies and targeted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and computer systems unrelated to defense, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety and education, officials said.

Seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public, the defendants also stole and leaked the personal data of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including by posting patient health information and other sensitive private data for sale online and then taunting those victims, said Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security.

The attacks weren't limited to Ukraine, Olsen said at the news conference in Baltimore, which also included Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek Barron.

Olsen said. "They went on to target computer systems in other nations supporting Ukraine in its fight for survival. Ultimately, their targets included computer systems in 26 NATO partners, including the United States.

A federal grand jury in Baltimore indicted military intelligence officers Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yury Denisov, Dmitry Goloshubov and Nikolai Korchagin along with Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian civilian indicted in June. It accuses them of conspiring to gain unauthorized access to computers associated with the governments of Ukraine and its allies.

Combined, the U.S. government is offering $60 million in rewards for help leading to their locations or malicious cyberactivity. All six are most likely in Russia, but federal officials said the indictment is useful anyway, to prevent them from traveling and to show that the U.S. has exposed their conspiracy.

The U.S. investigation, Operation Toy Soldier, found the accused committed fraud in the U.S. by illegally accessing bank accounts and using a U.S. company to unwittingly carry out their crimes, DelBagno said.

"Adding insult to injury these individuals not only used tools to scan for vulnerabilities 63 times on a Maryland U.S.-based government agency, but they also scanned our allies throughout the world, including Ukrainian servers and servers in various other countries," Barron said.

Story continues

The FBI and government partners in other countries are issuing a joint cybersecurity advisory that details how the attacks were carried out and what can be done to prevent them, officials said.

Countering Russia's cyber threat demands constant efforts, they said. In January, the Justice Department also disrupted a botnet controlled by Russian military intelligence that officials say was used to enable crimes and espionage, and in May, officials announced charges against the alleged developer of a prolific ransomware variant known as LockBit.

Other Russia-related prosecutions announced just this week include indictments unsealed Wednesday charging two employees of RT, a Russia state media company, with covertly funneling millions of dollars to a Tennessee-based content creation firm that paid social media influencers to publish videos in line with Russias interests, such as on topics like the war with Ukraine.

DelBagno said the indictments are the result of years of collaboration with partners and law enforcement in Europe.

To the Russian criminals, the world is watching," DelBagno said. "You do not carry out misdeeds in the dark. We are united in identifying, prosecuting and protecting against future crimes.

In another move targeting Russia, the State Department on Thursday imposed sanctions against two Russian companies and two ships they own that export liquefied natural gas from a previously sanctioned Russian energy project in the Arctic. The department alleged that the companies were using profits from the natural gas exports to fund Russias war in Ukraine.

The department said it was designating the Gotik Energy Shipping Co. and the Plio Energy Cargo Shipping Co. along with their ships LNG New Energy and LNG Mulan for supporting Russias war effort and attempting to expand Russias global energy leverage. The sanctions freeze any assets the companies may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bar Americans from doing business with them.
(KRON)  The Healdsburg Police Department (HPD) is warning residents about a scam that is targeting their community. The department announced on Facebook Wednesday that a scammer is threatening residents to get them to send money and their personal information.

HPD advises if youre in doubt about a potential scam, call the department at 707-431-3377. Police said to look out for fraudulent emails and threatening messages.

The department is telling residents to not pay the scammer and beware of gift card requests. If youre asked to purchase gift cards to settle a dispute with credit card companies, social security, or medical services, its highly suspicious, HPD said.

A paper message is going around the citys residents. Healdsburg police posted a picture of that letter (below).

Man arrested for stealing from Novato Target, thefts in city on the rise, police say

(Healdsburg Police Department)

In the letter, the scammer claims they have their hands on individuals personal information. The scammer claims spyware called Pegasus has been installed in residents mobile devices.

Youve been treading on thin ice with your browsing habits, clicking through those adult videos and venturing into the darker corners of cyberspace, the letter reads. I can peep at everything on your display, flick on your cam and mic, and you wouldnt even suspect a thing.

The letter continues the threats as the letter goes on. The scammer threatens to leak the personal information they claim to have on the resident if $2,000 is not sent to them via Bitcoin.

Your safety is our priority. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from these scams! Healdsburg police said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Not something Im going to consider: Visibly frustrated judge spars with Trumps attorney as January 6 case returns to court

Not something Im going to consider: Visibly frustrated judge spars with Trumps attorney as January 6 case returns to court

The judge overseeing Donald Trumps federal election interference case will not let the 2024 presidential election get in the way of prosecuting the former president, after months of delays over his immunity appeal effectively froze the case in Washington DC.

Reconvening in a courtroom for the first time in nearly a year, District Judge Tanya Chutkan held a status conference with federal prosecutors and lawyers for Trump to determine next steps in the case, in which Trump is criminally accused of trying to subvert his election loss and then failing to stop a mob of his supporters who tried to do it by force.

Life is almost meaningless without seeing you, your honor, Trumps attorney John Lauro joked at the start of Thursdays hearing.

After the Supreme Court ruled that Trump is entitled to some immunity from prosecution for his official actions in office, special counsel Jack Smith filed a new indictment last week that sought to downplay any connection between Trumps official duties and his alleged crusade to unlawfully reverse his election loss.

Judge Chutkan repeatedly lambasted Lauro after he argued that it was unfair that the case would be moving forward during a sensitive time  in other words, during the 2024 election.

It strikes me that what youre trying to do is affect the presentation of evidence in this case in a way so as not to impinge on the election of the president, Judge Chutkan said.

Chutkan, who appeared to grow frustrated with Trumps attorneys as time went on, said she is not concerned with the electoral schedule.

Thats not something Im going to consider, she said.

Chutkan said it would be an exercise in futility to set a trial date at this point, noting that any upcoming decision on what evidence is covered by the immunity ruling would likely be held up in appeals anyway.

When Lauro suggested that Chutkan was making a rush to judgment, she reminded him just how long the case has been sitting.

This case has been pending for over a year, she said. Were hardly sprinting to the finish line.

Trump is charged with four crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.

He waived his appearance in court on Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty to the refiled charges.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, pictured in 2023, refiled charges against Donald Trump in his election interference case after the Supreme Courts immunity ruling prompted prosecutors to narrow an indictment against the former president. (REUTERS)

Lauro argued on Thursday that the special counsel ran afoul of the immunity ruling by including Trumps interactions with his then-Vice President Mike Pence in the new indictment. He suggested if she finds that the evidence should be shielded under the immunity decision, then the indictment is pointless.

I have to decide whether  those conversations are somehow outside the official duties, Chutkan said. Im risking reversal, no matter what I do.

Thomas Windom, a prosecutor with the special counsels team, told Chutkan that the former presidents attorneys intend to file additional motions to throw out the case  including a challenge to Smiths appointment.

A federal judge overseeing the classified documents case against Trump in Florida agreed to dismiss that case on such grounds. Judge Chutkan, however, said she did not find that argument convincing.

Can a private citizen like Jack Smith indict a former president? Lauro said, noting Justice Clarence Thomass interest in the issue.

Smith, who was sitting in the first row of the courtroom, did not appear to react.

Windom also argued that the case schedule should only be allowed to accommodate one other appeal before heading to trial and that all decisions on immunity should be simultaneous.

He noted that Trumps lawyers Todd Blanche and Emily Bove recently submitted 52 pages of filings within nine days in Trumps separate hush money case in New York, arguing that Trumps lawyers can move quickly if they choose to.

Congratulations, Mr. Blanche, Chutkan joked.

Donald Trump waived his right to appear at his rearraignment in the election interference case on September 5 as he delivered remarks to a group in New York. (AP)

A small group of protesters followed Trumps lawyers as they left the courthouse.

We all saw what happened. It was a failed coup, democracy activist Bill Christeson, 70, told The Independent.

Jon Pinkus, a retired paralegal who attended the hearing, told The Independent that weve got an excellent judge, and I think justice will be served eventually, but the American legal system is just not equipped to deal with well-organized, well-funded, active fascism.

You get as much justice as you can buy and pay for, so all these procedural rights and interlocutory rights that hes exercised just arent accessible to regular folks like you and me, he added.

Trump is going to lose, he said, but ... the hypothetical is that he wins, he will certainly try [to] have these things mashed.

Gustaf Kilander reports from the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington DC
LOS ANGELES (KTLA)  Christopher Hubbart, dubbed the Pillowcase Rapist, is set to be released from prison once again and will be making his home somewhere in Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office (LADA) announced Wednesday.

In March 2023, against the objections of the LADA to his conditional release, Santa Clara County Superior Court ultimately granted the conditional release resulting in Hubbart coming back to Los Angeles, the DAs office said in a news release.

The decision also transfers the responsibility of housing Hubbart from Santa Clara County Superior Court to Los Angeles County Superior Court, which will make the final decision regarding his placement.

The DAs office said that DSH and Liberty Healthcare, a health and human services management company, have been charged with finding appropriate housing.

Secret Los Angeles life of man dubbed the Boston Strip Mall Rapist

Hubbart was convicted in 1973, 1982 and 1990 in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties for a series of rapes and other sex crimes targeting dozens of women.

In 2014, Hubbart was released from a mental hospital and placed in a home just east of Palmdale amid opposition and protests from local residents.

Coalinga State Hospital police officers took Hubbart back into custody two years later after he violated the terms of his conditional release, including failing five lie detector tests, the DAs office stated at the time.

Repeatedly placing these individuals in the same community shows a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of our residents, said District Attorney George Gascon in a statement included with Wednesdays news release. Our deputy district attorneys will persist in opposing Mr. Hubbarts placement in the Antelope Valley. We must demand more from our judicial system, ensuring decisions serve the best interests of our communities while exploring alternative locations for these placements.

A hearing to determine where Hubbart will be placed is scheduled for October 1 at the Hollywood Courthouse.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Paramount+ will premiere its Oct. 7 documentary We Will Dance Again on Sept. 24. The film will feature interviews with survivors of the Hamas attack that took place at the Nova Music Festival.

This film is a document of history, of one of the attacks that began on October 7th at 6:29 in the morning, See It Now Studios president Susan Zirinsky said in a Thursday press release. The human cost of the Hamas attack in Israel and the war that followed in Gaza has been catastrophic for both Israelis and Palestinians  it is a painful story of unfathomable tragedy, but also of bravery, sacrifice and heroism.

Directed by Yariv Mozer, We Will Dance Again will include the experiences and anecdotes of those who attended the Nova Music Festival in 2023, with footage straight from survivors cell phones.

The official synopsis reads: The Nova Music Festival was supposed to be a celebration of life, love and music for thousands of young people but became one of the first targets when Hamas launched the deadliest terror attack in Israels history. In We Will Dance Again more than a dozen young festival-goers tell gripping stories of how each of them managed to survive from one minute to the next. Their eyewitness accounts are woven together with footage they filmed themselves and footage recovered from cameras worn by Hamas.

The documentary will also include murdered American Hersh Goldberg-Polins story, which will be depicted by some of his friends with whom he attended the festival.

We Will Dance Again is a co-production of See It Now Studios with SIPUR and producer Bitachon 365 in collaboration with MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios, and HSCC. Other co-producers include BBC Storyville, which will broadcast the documentary in the U.K., and Hot Channel 8, which will air it in Israel.

Executive producers are Emilio Schenker, Michael Peter Schmidt, Gideon Tadmor, Orly Arbell and Ariel Weisbrod for SIPUR; Sheldon Lazarus, Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner for Bitachon 365; Dari Shay, Rinat Klein, Haim Slutsky and Dorit Hessel for HSCC; Lucie Kon for BBC Storyville; Arturo Interian; and Zirinsky and Terence Wrong for See It Now Studios.

The post Nova Music Festival Doc We Will Dance Again Set for September Premiere on Paramount+ appeared first on TheWrap.
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WROC)  The Pittsford location of The Pizza Stop is now closed.

A paper plate sign reading CLOSED can be seen on the door. The Rochester location confirmed the stores closure.

The plaza location opened as the local favorites third in 2019. In 2023, the owner of the Rochester location wrote on Facebook that he was looking to sell and was looking for new ownership.

A real estate listing that appears to be connected with the location states that owners health has caused him to retire, and that the current owner will do everything necessary to ensure a smooth transition of ownership.

There are currently locations in Rochester, Greece and Pultneyville.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
The proportion of licensed Oregon teachers who identify as racially or ethnically diverse today has grown about 4% in the last decade, from 10% of the teacher workforce to nearly 14%. (Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images)

The proportion of licensed Oregon teachers who identify as racially or ethnically diverse today has grown about 4% in the last decade, from 10% of the teacher workforce to nearly 14%. (Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images)

Efforts by Oregon education officials to make the diversity of the states teachers mirror that of students have paid off with modest progress in the last decade. But keeping ethnically and racially diverse teachers beyond the first five years of their careers remains a challenge in the state and nation.

The proportion of licensed Oregon teachers who identify as racially or ethnically diverse today has grown nearly 4% in the last decade, from about 10% of the teacher workforce to nearly 14%, according to the latest Oregon Educator Equity Report from the states Educator Advancement Council. The 21-member council, largely made up of teachers and administrators from around the state, has published the reports every two years since 2015.

In the latest analysis, council members credited school district investments in grow-your-own alternative teacher training programs with helping to get nonlicensed staff from diverse communities into teacher training programs. They credited state community college and university investments with diversifying teacher degree candidates. And they said the Oregon Legislatures investment in scholarships and funding for diverse teacher recruitment, mentorship and apprenticeship programs had also helped diversify teaching staff.

Grow-your-own programs have had great success in the Umatilla School District in eastern Oregon, which has one of the highest proportions of diverse students and teachers in the state. Nearly 76% of students identify as racially or ethnically diverse, as do nearly 26% of teachers. Superintendent Heidi Sipe said ensuring diversity among teachers is a priority for her in hiring, so every student in the system can feel connected and seen among their teachers.

Weve developed pathways for people in our community who understand and represent our community, to become the teachers in our schools, she said. Our new principal is a Umatilla alumnus with experiences in multiple districts around the state, our new vice principal is a bilingual and bicultural educator who has taught for the past five years in our school system. Together, theyre a great combo to welcome students to the high school. Of the eleven teachers weve hired for this year, four have participated in our grow-your-own efforts, six are bilingual and six are educators of color, Sipe said.

Still, the number of teachers in Oregon from communities of color  about 4,400  pales in comparison to the proportion of diverse students in Oregon, who make up 42%  or more than 227,000  of the states 547,000 enrolled students. The report defines diverse teachers as those who self-reported in a race and ethnicity survey from the states Higher Education Coordinating Commission as Asian, Black, Latino, Hispanic, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawiian or Pacific Islander or reported two or more races.

All kids benefit from having diverse teachers in school, research shows. Decades of data shows that schools with a higher proportion of diverse teachers have lower absentee rates and fewer discipline disparities. Students of color also experience major benefits. In one study, Black students were more likely to graduate high school and more likely to attend college if theyd been taught by a Black teacher at least once between third and fifth grade. Black students are also more likely to take advanced courses and to reach graduation if theyve had a Black teacher.

The problem of retention

The greatest progress in growing teacher diversity in Oregon has been in the proportion of first-year teachers who identify as racially or ethnically diverse. That figure doubled from 9% in 2012 to more than 21% in 2022, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine, who contributed to the report.

Compared to states like Maryland, Washington and Massachusetts, which have also established grow your own initiatives and pursued strategies to diversify the workforce, Oregon has done as well as or better at increasing the racial/ethnic diversity of its entering teachers, they wrote.

But teacher retention remains a challenge.

The number of racially and ethnically diverse teachers with five or fewer years of experience has tripled over the past decade, according to the Oregon Department of Education, and nearly half of all racially and ethnically diverse teachers in the 2023-24 school year were in the first five years of their teaching career. Getting more diverse teachers to stay beyond that is a problem across the U.S., where nearly half of teachers leave their job or the profession entirely within the first five years, according to research from University of Pennsylvania Professor Richard Ingersoll.

About nine out of 10 teachers hired in schools across the U.S. are hired to replace a teacher who has left the profession, according to research from the Learning Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization based in D.C., and most of those teachers arent leaving to retire, they found.

UC Irvine research found that many of Oregons new and diverse teachers were placed in schools with difficult working conditions that had high turnover among teachers and administrators.

Together, these analyses suggest that while Oregon has successfully recruited more diverse teachers into the workforce, the school environments they are placed into may be contributing to their turnover, hampering the progress that can be realized.

Council members recommended getting early career teachers into supportive schools with resources and veteran teachers to mentor them and also to recruit teachers from existing staff and help them obtain their license. The council also said making educator preparation programs at state universities and community colleges more affordable and accessible would go a long way toward increasing teacher diversity in Oregon schools.

The report suggested that institutions of higher education need to create pathways for nontraditional students, such as older students who are working and have families, to become teachers and appealing to those hoping to make a career switch.

And finally, the council recommended more robust data collection and sharing across state agencies and districts, so schools and education officials can exchange more information about the state of the teacher workforce and needs.

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Several nursing homes and an industry group have sued the state of New Jersey over a 2020 law mandating minimum staffing levels, saying a worker shortage makes compliance impossible. (Getty Images)

Half a dozen nursing homes and an industry lobbying group have sued the state over staffing mandates, claiming worker shortages exacerbated by the pandemic make it impossible to comply, leaving the 2020 law setting staff minimums unconstitutional.

The Health Care Association of New Jersey, a long-term care industry group, says the $1,000 daily fines levied against nursing homes that fail to meet statutory staffing minimums ran afoul of constitutional protections on due process and against excessive fines.

It is impossible for the Nursing Home industry to comply with the Staffing Law  there are not enough workers available in the system, they said in a complaint filed last week in state Superior Court in Mercer County.

The law at question  approved early in the pandemic after COVID-19 raged through the states long-term care centers, leaving thousands dead  required such facilities to staff at least one certified nursing aide for every eight residents on the day shift, 10 on evening shifts, and 14 on night shifts.

In their lawsuit, the nursing homes said the staffing shortages forced long-term care centers to compete with each other for workers, including from staffing agencies, to maintain their workforces.

But they said even those measures would leave some facilities understaffed and facing fines.

The result is a classic zero-sum game with guaranteed losers. If on a given day one Nursing Home is lucky enough to have sufficient staff show up for work, by necessity other Nursing Homes will fail to comply with the Staffing Laws mandate, they said in their filing.

Its unclear how much long-term care centers have been fined over insufficient staffing. The suit charged some facilities had been assessed fines totaling more than $100,000.

The Department of Health, which is named as a defendant alongside Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit or the total fines assessed over subpar staffing.

A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy declined to comment on the litigation, to which the department has yet to file a formal reply.

The nursing homes arent the only ones concerned about long-term care staffing.

In an April report, the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety warned the industrys workforce was shrinking and would be unable to meet the states needs as its population ages.

They cited poor pay, a lack of advancement opportunities, training costs, and ageism as hurdles for the industry, adding New Jerseys graying population would make the shortages more dire over time.

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BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)  A New York City employee was arrested in Brooklyn on Wednesday, according to the NYPD.

Ebony Ramjeet, a community assistant, was taken into custody around 4:45 p.m.

More Local News

The 25-year-old was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

She was suspended, according to authorities.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NYC gets 24 new schools; why activists say its not nearly enough

NYC gets 24 new schools; why activists say its not nearly enough

JACKSON HEIGHTS, Queens (PIX11)  On the eve of the first day of school in New York City, the city showed off some of its two dozen new schools as part of its claim that it is meeting state requirements for smaller class sizes. However, some small class size advocates are not only skeptical that the city is meeting requirements now, they also doubt that it can meet its benchmarks in the school years ahead.

For its part, the citys teachers union on Wednesday highlighted a school that it said can serve as a template for class size compliance. Whether or not its example can be replicated across the 1,800 schools in the city remains an open question.

More Local News

Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks led other officials, as well as administrators, teachers, and some families in a ribbon cutting at P.S. 487 in the Bronx on Wednesday morning.

The school is one of 24 that the city is opening this school year, and in the process is creating 11,000 new classroom seats.

The need for the addition is real, in order to shrink class sizes citywide. Thats because the state now requires classes in the city to be as small as they are Upstate.

Phones banned in some New York City schools as students return

Specifically, in kindergarten through third grade, state law now requires that there be no more than 20 students per class. In Grades 4 to 8, there can be only up to 23 students per class. In ninth to 12th grade, the limit is 25 students per class.

Under a state law passed in 2022, those numbers have to be met by 40 percent of all New York City schools this academic year. By next school year, 60 percent of schools have to be in compliance. The percentage rises to 80 percent the following year, and by the 2027-2028 academic year, all schools are required to be in compliance.

At Wednesdays ribbon-cutting, Chancellor Banks admitted that the rising compliance requirements will not be easy.

Were in good shape for this year, he said, and weve got a lot of work to do for the successive years.

Banks said that the citys two dozen new school buildings and 11,000 more seats help it to reach compliance goals for this school year.

Leonie Haimson, the executive director of the non-profit education watchdog group Class Size Matters, has a different take.

Its great that were getting 11,000 this year, but its not enough, she said in an interview.

Ive gotten lots of emails from teachers saying they have classes of 30 or more this year, she said.

Its possible that those anecdotes are from teachers in classrooms in the 60% that are not required to be in compliance at this point. However, going forward, said Haimson, increasing class size compliance may be daunting without a radically more aggressive capital plan, and a plan to shift enrollment from overcrowded schools to less crowded schools nearby, she said.

The chancellor, in his comments on Wednesday, agreed that after this school year, its a potentially tough road ahead for class size compliance.

You will need 10,000 to 12,000 more teachers, where theres a national teacher shortage, Banks said. So the question becomes do you lower your standards to get more teachers, or how much more innovative can you get?

At I.S. 145 in Jackson Heights on Wednesday, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew led an event that highlighted that schools efforts to comply with class size regulations.

With some elected officials, administrators, teachers, and families behind him, the teachers union president praised the intermediate school. He said that its leaders engaged in a long process of figuring out the school communitys needs when it comes to class sizes. Mulgrew said that its worked.

They first had conversations with all of the parents about what it would mean to lower the class sizes, and theyve done that, he said. And the entire sixth grade this year will be in compliance with the law. The people in attendance applauded.

Still, thats only one grade at one school in a city with 1,800 schools. Both the chancellor and small class size advocates agree that the road forward will be difficult. However, said the union president and others at the school that got it right, it can at least serve as a start for what needs to happen.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI)  New York State Police Troop D will be hosting a number of car seat check events as part of National Child Passenger Safety week.

The initiative will run from September 15 through September 21 and was designated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to focus attention on the preventable injuries and fatalities resulting from unrestrained and improperly restrained child passengers of motor vehicle traffic collisions every year.

Target gears up for car seat trade-in event

Troopers who are trained child passenger safety technicians will be available to assist with car seat installation or any questions you may have.

The Watertown Target location at 21800 Town Center Drive will host a car seat check from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday, September 15.

Other events will be at the state police barracks at Sylvan Beach located 601 Main Street, Sylvan Beach, on Tuesday, September 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Another one will be at NAVAC Ambulance Station located 603 N. Main Street, North Syracuse, on September 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  Cal Hendrick, an Odessa Mayoral candidate held a meet and greet on Wednesday, meeting with constituents at the Rustic Cafe.

I think theres a couple of things, a couple of reasons I wanted to have some meet and greets. Number one, Ive not been in campaigns, or I havent been actively in politics during most of my life. But I have been active in the community, Ive been active working, been active in my church, said Hendrick. But I want to give people a chance to know who I am, what I stand for, what I believe in, what I can do to help them, what I can do for the city. I think theres some challenges that we need to address.

Im for Odessa: Life-long Odessan announces mayoral run

Hendrick is facing incumbent Mayor Javier Joven, as he seeks re-election. Hendrick said his main priorities include the police and fire departments, roads, as well as water and sewer services.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Officers justified in use of force that killed Price man in July, Carbon County DA says

PRICE, Utah (ABC4)  Officers from several agencies were justified in their use of force that killed one man in Price earlier this year, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Patrick Frank Whitten, 31, was shot and killed by officers from the Price City Police Department, the Helper City Police Department, and the Carbon County Sheriffs Office while they were responding to a domestic violence call on the evening of July 30, 2024. Whitten was reportedly under the influence of a controlled substance and had threatened the life of someone in his house.

Carbon County Attorney Christian Bryner said officers spent about three hours searching for Whitten on three acres of property. He was reportedly found with a gun in hand and crouched in a small lean-to animal enclosure. Bryner said Whitten ignored officer command when they ordered him to drop the gun.

[Whitten] grasped the firearm with both hands and held it at a low-read position, Bryner said in a report of the investigations findings. The tactical light [was] illuminated and [Whitten] raised the firearm up toward officers.

In total, five officers responded by opening fire upon Whitten, striking and killing him on the scene.

Bryner said the Carbon County Attorneys Office thoroughly reviewed the criminal investigation as well as the shooting concluding the officers were justified in their actions.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Search and rescue operations at the site of a Russian missile attack on the city of Poltava concluded on Sept. 5, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The attack killed 55 people and injured 328 others, according to the report. The bodies of the deceased victims are being identified, the State Emergency Service said.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles against the city on Sept. 3, hitting the Military Communications Institute and a neighboring medical facility. The educational institution building was partially destroyed.

There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack, Dmytro Lazutkin, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said on national television.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News that the missiles flew only 3 minutes before hitting the buildings, giving people little time to hide in the shelter.

"We believe that many were injured or killed when they were running to the bomb shelter. So they reacted quickly but did not manage to save themselves," Zelensky said.

Russian attacks have increasingly targeted educational facilities as the school year began in Ukraine, hitting a number of them in Sumy, Lviv, and Kryvyi Rih overnight on Sept. 4.

Poltava is a city of around 300,000, located in Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine. It is situated around 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia, and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front.

The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks.

Read also: As Ukrainian children return to school, Russia launches missiles at educational facilities

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration on Thursday approved plans for a 2-gigawatt wind farm in waters near Marylands coast, marking the 10th commercial-scale offshore turbine project to win the US governments authorization.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The US Wind Inc. project is set to be built in three phases, ultimately including as many as 114 wind turbines roughly 9 nautical miles off the Maryland coast and Sussex County, Delaware.

With the approval, the Interior Department has now authorized offshore wind projects that have a total nameplate generating capacity of 15 gigawatts. If they produced power all of the time, that would be akin to 15 standard nuclear reactors.

Biden administration officials celebrated the approval as a significant milestone.

Under President Bidens leadership, we have jumpstarted the nations offshore wind industry, which is creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, strengthening Made in America supply chains and providing reliable power to homes and businesses, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said in a statement.

President Joe Biden has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by the end of the decade. Analysts say that target is slipping further out of reach amid escalating costs, shelved projects and canceled power purchase agreements. The industrys outlook is also clouded by concerns about policy and political risk, given Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps escalated criticism.

QuickTake: Why Offshore Wind Is Stumbling and What Can Be Done

US Winds first two planned phases at the site  known as MarWin and Momentum Wind  would together encompass as many as 77 turbines and would have a 1.1-gigawatt capacity.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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The FDA approved mifepristone under the brand-name Mifeprex. (Photo by Peter Dazeley/GettyImages).

Clinics around Ohio are now able to prescribe the abortion pill mifepristone virtually and can send it to pharmacies or directly to homes through mail-order medication services thanks to a new state court ruling.

Ohio abortion providers have been busy.

Were moving back into a better time when abortion is recognized as health care, said Dr. David Burkons, owner of Northeast Ohio Womens Center.

He is now cheering the new ruling that will help his Shaker Heights and Cuyahoga Falls locations, and third affiliated center in Toledo, see more patients.

In a major victory for abortion rights advocates, Democratic Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Alison Hatheway has temporarily blocked a law that contained a myriad of restrictions to abortion.

The law restricted who was able to prescribe and provide the abortion pill mifepristone. Instead of just physicians, this injunction allows nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse-midwives to provide the drug.

It also extends the window that providers can prescribe the pill. Instead of being limited to nine weeks and six days, now they can give the medication at 12 weeks and six days.

But its greatest impact? Telehealth. Patients are now able to talk to a provider virtually and have them mail the medication or send it to the pharmacy. This means that because the second abortion pill has already been able to be received via telehealth, the entire medication abortion could be accomplished online.

The telemedicine aspect of it is going to make it much easier for us to get access for patients in rural areas or places where there are no clinics, Burkons said.

This result is due to both this ruling and another court win two weeks ago, according to ACLU attorney Jessie Hill.

Abortion clinics are now providing same-day services after a Franklin County judge blocked the states law requiring a 24-hour waiting period to access the care.

It is unclear whether or not providers can prescribe the abortion pill to patients in other states. If abortion is banned in the state, providers cant give it over telehealth, advocates explained.

Anti-abortion advocate Austin Beigel said the day voters overwhelmingly protected access to abortion was a dark day for the state.

Issue 1 passed in November 2023 with 57% support, and it enshrined reproductive rights into the state constitution. Ohioans have the right to make their own decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, and continuing pregnancy. The state is prohibited from interfering with or penalizing someone for exercising this right.

Im devastated and heartbroken when I look at the state of Ohio and what weve allowed to occur in our land, Beigel said.

He is the president of End Abortion Ohio and believes the act of abortion  at any point  and the use of mifepristone should be a crime.

He is concerned that with these court rulings, Ohio is gaining a reputation.

Ive seen that Ohio is the Abortion mecca right now as women from Georgia and Texas and other states in the south are actually coming to Ohio for our lesser regulations on abortion, he said. There should be nothing but shame in having that title.

Burkons, meanwhile, holds that title fondly. Just in the past two weeks, he has seen numerous patients from Texas.

Abortion should be available wherever these patients are, but if it means coming here to Ohio to obtain that care  Im just as proud of that as they come here to get cardiac care, Burkons said.

We reached out to CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens to see if they would start carrying the medicine.

We continually monitor and evaluate changes in state laws regarding mifepristone and will be reviewing this decision to determine whether theres any impact to our Ohio pharmacies, CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault said.

Rite Aid didnt respond to comment, and Walgreens said they have no announcements at this time.

Beigel isnt giving up, though.

The fight to criminalize abortion continues

In an exclusive interview back in December, Beigel provided us with a draft bill his team has been promoting to both statewide and federal lawmakers.

Their bill criminalizes abortion at any point, meaning a woman who took mifepristone could be charged with homicide.

I dont like the act of taking it intentionally to kill a human being inside of you, Beigel said. I think the federal government also has a responsibility to do whats right on this issue.

In the months since then, Beigel has kept us updated on the progress of the legislation.

He is preparing to introduce it with lawmakers at the next General Assembly, he told us today.

Abortion advocates respond

No one wants a total abortion ban, nor is this even possible to happen in Ohio thanks to the state constitution, Democrats and doctors have continually argued.

This is something that is between the woman and her physician, or medical provider, and her family to make that decision, Burkons said. Its not up to the state to decide what you can do and what you cant do.

It doesnt make sense to him that the party that claims they are for less government regulation wants to be in the exam room.

Like the anti-abortion squad, the abortion rights team said their work isnt done.

Both the Cincinnati and Columbus judges are Democrats, and the cases will probably end up at the Ohio Supreme Court.

This means that, essentially, abortion is on the ballot again this fall.

You need to vote for Supreme Court justices who will enforce, not ignore the amendment so that it actually impacts the lives of patients like this ruling did, Abortion Forwards Jaime Miracle said.

Elections are vitally important to the status of abortion regulation.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook.

This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

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MAHONING CO., Ohio (WKBN)  Ohioans are feeling a pinch from higher prices and higher property taxes.

A reevaluation of property appraisals led to property taxes being raised statewide. Many people were given new tax bills with increases between 10 and 40 percent.

There have been many proposals for fixing the situation, but nothing has been done yet.

Thursday lawmakers from both sides of the aisle talked about the situation and possible solutions.

We absolutely can lower our property taxes, reduce costs and still support essential services if we ensure that the state pays its fair share and returns more of our tax dollars to our local communities, said State Representative Lauren McNally.

Ohio State Senator Al Cutrona co-sponsored House Bill 187 which passed in his chamber.

And so now that Im in the Senate, I can be in a position to figure out a real change to our property tax situation, Cutrona said. We have people on fixed incomes that are struggling right now. It is imperative that our State Legislature does something.

And the state, cannot wait. They cannot Mickey Mouse this. They cannot do this in increments. You have to seriously look at how much impact this is hitting, Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti.

State law requires Ohio counties to reappraise property values every six years.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
An Ohio woman went to walk her dog; she hasnt been seen since

Police are asking for help finding a missing Ohio woman.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Alisha Skeebey, 31, was last seen on August 24, 2024, when she left to take her dog for a walk, according to a social media post from Cincinnati police.

Please help us locate Alisha Skeebey. She was last seen on August 24, 2024, when she left to take her dog for a walk. If you have any information regarding Alishas whereabouts, please contact Det. Greene at 513-569-8615. pic.twitter.com/dqCuMaCV0B  Cincinnati Police Department (@CincyPD) September 4, 2024

The post said Skeebey vanished from 6818 Vine Street.

Police say she has multiple mental health diagnoses and does not have medication.

Anyone with information regarding Skeebeys whereabouts is asked to contact Det. Greene at 513-569-8615.

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OHP looking for more information in fatal hit-and-run

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is asking for the publics help with an unsolved hit-and-run from July.

I-44 fatal hit-and-run.

According to OHP, the incident happened on July 20, 2024 around 1:15 a.m. on I-44 south of SW 15th St. in southwest Oklahoma City.

LOCAL NEWS: Enid Police: Man found dead in cellar lured to his own murder

Officials say 25-year-old Mychal Walls was hit and killed by a vehicle that was traveling southbound on I-44. That vehicle did not stop.

Investigators say the type of vehicle is unknown and there was not any debris found at the scene. Authorities have spoken with multiple witnesses who stopped or called 911, but all current leads have been exhausted.

Anyone with information is asked to call OHP at 405-425-2323.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Verizon is buying Frontier Communications in a $20 billion deal to strengthen its fiber network.

Verizon Communications Inc. said Thursday that the acquisition will also shore up its foray into artificial intelligence as well as connected smart devices.

Frontier has concentrated heavily on its fiber network capabilities over about four years, investing $4.1 billion upgrading and expanding its fiber network. It now gets more than half of its revenue from fiber products.

The price tag for Frontier, based in Dallas, is sizeable given its 2.2 million fiber subscribers across 25 states. Verizon has approximately 7.4 million Fios connections in nine states and Washington, D.C.

Frontier has 7.2 million fiber locations and has plans to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.

The acquisition of Frontier is a strategic fit," Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg said in a prepared statement. "It will build on Verizons two decades of leadership at the forefront of fiber and is an opportunity to become more competitive in more markets throughout the United States, enhancing our ability to deliver premium offerings to millions more customers across a combined fiber network.

There are skeptics of the potential for Verizon's $20 billion acquisition, however.

The real issue is simply that Frontiers paltry 3.5% national fiber coverage (again, according to the FCCs broadband map as of end of 2023) would leave Verizon with a combined fiber footprint that still covers less than 13% of the country, with a path to potentially take that only to about 17% of the country, Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson Research wrote. A fiber footprint covering 17% of the U.S. is nowhere near large enough to be the basis of a strategy for a national wireless operator.

Verizon, based in New York City, will pay $38.50 for each Frontier share. The deal is expected to close in about 18 months. It still needs approval from Frontier shareholders.

Shares of Frontier Communications Parents Inc., which were halted briefly on Wednesday after a report from the Wall Street Journal about the deal sent the stock up nearly 40%, fell 9% Thursday. Verizon's stock dipped slightly.
Are Oklahoma City police officers really using AI to write reports? What we know

Oklahoma Citys police department is one of a handful in the U.S. experimenting with AI chatbots to produce the first drafts of incident reports, according to The Associated Press.

Both OKCPD's Sgt. Matt Gilmore and Capt. Jason Bussert confirmed to the AP that officers only use the artificial intelligence bot to recap incidents that do not lead to someone being arrested.

However, police watchdogs and legal scholars are expressing concerns about how the technology could skew key reports that play a role in who is prosecuted or imprisoned in the criminal justice system.

Here's everything we know about the new policing tool and how it's used.

What kind of AI is this? How does it work?

The AI product is called Draft One. The technology transcribes video from one or more bodycams worn by police officers to produce the reports and uses the same generative AI model that powers ChatGPT.

It is distributed through Axon, who developed the Taser and is a dominant supplier of body cams.

Is the AI report accurate?

Officers using the tool told The Associated Press that the AI-created report was 100% accurate to what happened, and in one example, the report documented a fact the officer didnt remember hearing about the color of the suspect's car.

Officers said they save roughly 35 minutes spent on each report, making it a potential game changer in policing technology.

Is the AI report the official police report?

Sort of. In Oklahoma City, officers can use AI to write the first draft of a narrative for minor incident reports that dont lead to someone getting arrested.

Officers then review the information, fill in anything that's missing, and sign off on the report's accuracy before submitting it. At the end of the report, the officer must click a box that indicates the report was generated with AI.

Axon wont say how many police departments are using the technology, but according to the AP, police departments in Lafayette, Indiana, and Fort Collins, Colorado, also use Draft One in their reports.

AI used in other police tools

Other AI tech is used in police work, such as tools that read license plates, recognize suspect faces, detect gunshot sounds and predict where crimes might occur.

Are there dangers to AI in criminal justice?

Police watchdogs and legal scholars worry that the technology could skew key reports that play a role in who is prosecuted or imprisoned in the criminal justice system. Another concern is that societys racial biases and prejudices are getting built into AI technology.

Axons founder and CEO Rick Smith told The Associated Press that he shares the concerns. For example, he said prosecutors want to be sure that officers  not an AI chatbot  are responsible for writing their reports because they may have to testify in court about what they saw.

AI-produced reports have entered the legal sphere before and caused disaster. In 2023, a New York lawyer used ChatGPT to prepare a filing, but the AI tool cited fake court cases as precedent.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Are OKC police really using AI to write reports? What we know
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday, the sentencing of an Oklahoma man to federal prison after his conviction for distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.

Matthew Ryan Strobl, 34, of Oklahoma City, will serve 30 years in federal prison says, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Police release new details in SE Oklahoma City standoff

Authorities say, on August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Indictment against Strobl, charging him with the following:

attempted sexual exploitation of a child

attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor

commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sex offender

distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.

According to public record, beginning in March 2023, Strobl initiated and maintained contact on a social media app with a Homeland Security Investigations agent, who was undercover portraying a minor female. In those communications, Strobl repeatedly sought to have sex with the fictitious minor. Justice officials say, Strobl sent the agent more than 1,000 child pornography files. Records also reflected during this same period, Strobl attempted to procure explicit photos from another minor, on another social media app from his cellphone, said U.S. Attorney Troester.

On December 4, 2023, Strobl pleaded guilty to Count 4 of the Indictment, and admitted he distributed child pornography using his cell phone.

Officer-involved shooting, house fire in Edmond

At the sentencing on August 29, Strobl was given a 30 year sentence in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Jodi W. Dishman noted the nature and circumstances of Strobls offense and Strobls criminal history stating, Strobl has a history of sexually abusing minors, including felony convictions for second degree rape in Oklahoma County and sexual battery also in Oklahoma County.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Books line a shelf in a kindergarten classroom at Mayo Demonstration School in Tulsa on April 8. Oklahoma will receive $11.2 million this year from a federal grant for child literacy initiatives. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahoma will receive millions of dollars in federal support for student literacy programs and teacher training, state and federal education officials announced Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Education will provide Oklahoma with $11.2 million this school year for literacy improvement efforts, the federal agency said. Oklahoma is one of 23 states chosen for the grant this year.

The grant will award a total of nearly $59 million over the next five years, according to a news release from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said his administration will give $9 million of the first allocation to school districts through a competitive sub-grant process.

An agency spokesperson said the remaining $2.2 million will cover personnel costs to administer the grant, teacher stipends, development of an early learning dashboard, and a contract for a counseling and behavioral needs assessment, known as multi-tiered systems of support.

The key goals for the program are increasing the percentage of 4 year olds who achieve significant gains in oral language skills, growing the number of fifth and eighth graders who score at a proficient level on state reading assessments, and training teachers in the science of reading and other effective instructional strategies, according to federal documents and the Education Departments announcement.

Walters, who has repeatedly called for the U.S. Department of Education to be abolished, instead celebrated the federal agencys grant support in a statement Thursday.

This grant will be a powerful supplement to the work we are already doing and offers us incredible resources to build upon the foundation weve built that prioritizes reading, writing, math and other critical disciplines that will enable our kids to compete and succeed wherever their dreams take them, Walters said.

The grant is part of $149 million the federal agency is distributing for literacy initiatives across the country this year.

The new funding announced today will help states, school districts, and communities continue to develop and implement evidence-based literacy interventions, and ensure that, together, we continue to raise the bar for student academic success, giving every student the best opportunities to succeed, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.

Editors note: The state Department of Education provided additional details after publication about the planned use of $2.2 million of this years grant allocation. This story has been updated to include the new information.

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The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has appointed Oleksii Kuleba, former head of Kyiv Oblast State Administration and deputy head of the Office of the President, as the deputy prime minister for rebuilding  minister for development of communities and territories of Ukraine.

Source: Yaroslav Zhelezniak, member of the Ukrainian Parliament, on Telegram

Quote: "Oleksii Kuleba has been appointed as the deputy prime minister for rebuilding of Ukraine  minister for development of communities and territories of Ukraine. 240 MPs voted in favour of this decision."

Details: Zhelezniak stated that Kuleba will basically work in three ministries at the same time.

Specifically, Kuleba will be in charge of the Ministry of the Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure, and it is planned to merge it with the Ministry of Re-integration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.

But it is also planned to divide the Ministry into two separate structures  the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. At a meeting of the faction on Wednesday, the president and the government promised the MPs that the Ministry of Infrastructure would be made a separate body within the next three months. It is not yet known who will head it.

Ukrainska Pravda reports that Oleksii Kuleba was the first person to whom Andrii Yermak, the head of the Office of the President, dared to entrust his duties when he was away on long business trips.

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One dead, two injured after shots fired in Berlin

Fire and rescue services work at a crime scene. Three men were injured by gunshots in Berlin-Schoeneberg, one of them died at the scene. Michael Ukas/dpa

A man was killed and two others were injured in a shooting in Berlin in the early hours of Thursday, according to police reports.

The shooting occurred at around 1 am (2300 GMT Wednesday) in the district of Schoneberg, prompting a major response from emergency services.

A 42-year-old man could not be resuscitated at the scene and was declared dead on the way to hospital.

One of the injured men sustained serious injuries, while the other had minor wounds, the fire brigade said. Both men were taken to hospital for surgery.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  One person was shot in south Abilene Wednesday evening.

The shooting happened at a residence on the 4000 block of Lynwood Lane just after 6:00 p.m.

A police report states officers responded to multiple shots fired in the area and found one person injured, an 18-year-old who suffered a gunshot wound to the hip.

Police say he was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle and was not being cooperative.

No further information is available at this time.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
SACRAMENTO, California  Sacramentos ambitions of reining in tech just collided with political reality.

Legislators entered the year determined to act on artificial intelligence and social media. Californias homegrown technology industry responded by flexing its lobbying muscles, beating back much of Democrats regulatory agenda by diluting and sidelining bills meant to protect kids from social media, root out biased algorithms and divert some of platforms profits toward journalists.

Now they want to finish the job by persuading Gov. Gavin Newsom, a longtime industry ally who has touted AIs economic potential, to kill off a nationally watched AI safety bill that Silicon Valley opponents deride as a damper on a promising and rapidly growing sector. He has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the measure.



The fight now before Newsom over San Francisco Democrat Sen. Scott Wieners bill caps a year in which technology issues dominated Sacramentos agenda, attracting heavy lobbying from major players like Google, Meta, Amazon and OpenAI. Democratic lawmakers in the state argued California had the political will and the responsibility to curb the hazards emanating from untrammeled social media platforms and artificial intelligence systems emerging in its backyard, acting where Congress had failed.

But the outcome of those bills was equally important to California-based tech titans who understand that whatever Sacramento does will both affect their in-state operations and could ripple out to Washington. In the nations premiere battleground for tech policy, the industry demonstrated its continued ability to overwhelm lawmakers with its deep pockets and political clout.

The tech lobbyists were out in force, and they poured a lot of energy into not letting anyone get a foothold in meaningful regulation of Big Tech, said Teri Olle, director of the pro-regulation organization Economic Security California. I think the industry pulled out all the stops and really focused on making sure there wasnt a fleet of bills that really held Big Tech accountable.

Earlier in the year, lawmakers broadly moved bills off the Assembly floor to fine social media companies that negligently cause harm up to $1 million per child and require companies to vet for bias in decision-making tools that can be used in areas like hiring, healthcare and sentencing.

Neither made it to final votes. Lawmakers abandoned their bills after they were substantially amended in the Senate Appropriations Committee amid vociferous industry pushback. Two legislators pulled the plug in the final hour of voting as a lobbying frenzy reached its climax and a midnight deadline on Saturday bore down. Another bill to eradicate campaign deepfakes impersonating candidates was weakened to put the onus of flagging them on users, not platforms.

The industry clearly has significant clout. Theres no doubt about that, said Wiener, who authored the AI safety bill and is expected to run for Rep. Nancy Pelosis seat when she retires. Its still really, really hard, even in the California Legislature, and some of my colleagues really experienced that this year with bills getting tripped up with amendments.



The tech industry found allies in powerful groups like the California Chamber of Commerce, which warned about imposing costly and untenable burdens on companies.

Our goal is to ensure that there is a level playing field for the deployment of AI technology, while allowing for this industry to continue to thrive and California to remain the technology and innovation capital of the world, CalChamber Chief of Staff for Policy Ben Golombek said in a statement.

Prominent Silicon Valley firms also played a key role. Amazon lobbied heavily against the anti-bias bill down to the final stretch. Supporters of the social media bill pinned its collapse on a ferocious counteroffensive from Meta.

And two bills to have social media companies compensate news platforms whose content they profit from were shelved after Google struck a deal to fund both newsrooms and AI experimentation  a pact that erstwhile supporters of the bills lambasted as a giveaway to Google.

There did seem to be some willpower among some substantial part of the Legislature to take on Big Tech, said Media Guild of the West President Matt Pearce, who backed the initial bills, but the legislation still succumbed to the power Google is able to wield with the governor and apparently the Legislature.

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks argued in an interview that she secured the best possible deal from Google, saying the tech company begrudgingly accepted the agreement. I certainly dont think Google wanted to be where they are today on this, she said.

But another Democrat argued Meta exerted surgical influence to eviscerate his bill. Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal had built a coalition for his social media bill that included both Democrats and unlikely conservative allies like the chair of the Orange County Republican Party. But he walked away after the Democratic leader of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Anna Caballero, amended the bill to raise its legal standard.

The only way this bill could have been murdered is in darkness, Lowenthal said in an interview. Tech is now relying on close relationships with leadership.

Representatives for Google and Meta declined to comment, as did Caballeros office. Amazon said in a statement that the company was embedding safety, fairness, security, and privacy across our AI tools and services.

A lobbyist for the industry group TechNet, Dylan Hoffman, pushed back on the notion that the industry broadly got its way by noting the Legislature approved multiple bills it opposed.

To the extent that bills were shelved and amended, it really came down to whether lawmakers agreed with our arguments, Hoffman said. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't.

Hoffman also argued time management played a key role in some bills not getting votes, predicting some would have passed if not for the rush at the end. Wicks faulted the Senate for shelving her bill requiring better identification of AI-generated content at the last moment as time evaporated.

Newsoms big decision

Now the industry is turning its attention to Newsom and his veto pen  and nowhere will they bring more pressure to bear than on Wieners bill requiring large AI models to be tested for the potential to unleash catastrophic harms like bioweapon attacks. The bill galvanized the tech industry as foes warned it would stymie innovation.

It sparked a lobbying blitz from legacy players with a longstanding Sacramento footprint, like Google and TechNet, as well as OpenAI, a leader in the field whose founder Sam Altman has embraced regulation before Congress. Venture capital firms like a16z and Y Combinator enlisted lobbying outfits with ties to Newsom and other Democratic power players. Influential investor and San Francisco kingmaker Ron Conway rallied his network against it.





And in an unusual breach between Democrats, members of Californias House delegation like former Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who represent parts of Silicon Valley, publicly opposed the bill.

Lofgren reached out to Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, whose district overlaps hers, and personally contacted Assembly members ahead of a critical floor vote, urging them to reject the bill, according to lawmakers with knowledge of the dynamics.

It didn't rise on my radar until it actually passed [the Senate], because I didn't think it was going to, Lofgren said in an interview, adding she opposed it on the recommendation of staff members who heard from industry players and academics.

But the bill passed the Assembly floor. Wiener and his allies said they benefited from qualified support from Anthropic, a competitor of OpenAI that worked with Wieners office on amendments, and Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI but ultimately left the company.

There was opposition from the most powerful voices in San Francisco, the a16zs and Y Combinators  it felt like in terms of those heavy hitters, we didnt have that, said Nathan Calvin, senior policy counsel for the bills architect, the nonprofit research group Center for AI Safety, but that started to change a bit.

Now Newsom faces a decision on a bill that has divided one of Californias core industries. A person familiar with the negotiations said the intense lobbying around the bill reflected a genuine split among Silicon Valley players. Newsom declined to comment on his stance.

This is about more than just the content of the bill. It's about the fears and optimism about the future of this technology, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. This bill will kill open-source development in California is a strongly held position. You are going to facilitate catastrophic harms if you dont regulate this technology is another.

Wiener and his allies argue Newsom has an opportunity to set a responsible national standard. The bills detractors are appealing to the governors often-restated belief that Silicon Valley is the states economic engine and taking heart in his warnings against overregulation.

He has had strong ties in the tech community going way back, and I have no doubt hes listening and hearing our concerns, said Jim Wunderman, who leads a business coalition called the Bay Area Council. This is one of the most important bills thats happening not just in California but in the country and the way he handles it and talks about it says a lot about where he stands on one of the key issues of our time.
A retired emergency room physician on Thursday described the calm expression on the face of a shooter hunting down shoppers at a Boulder, Colorado, grocery store more than three years ago when 10 people were gunned down.

The testimony came after jurors heard a prosecutor describe the final moments of the victims during opening statements in the long-delayed trial of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa.

Alissa is facing 10 counts of murder, 38 counts of attempted murder and numerous other charges after a judge ruled last year that he was fit to stand trial in the mass shooting at King Soopers on March 22, 2021. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity last November.

Days before the massacre Alissa was able to purchase a Ruger AR-556, which he used in the killings, after passing a background check, according to court records and the owner of a gun shop in Arvada, Colorado.

The mass shooting occurred in a state familiar with such tragedies, including the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in which 12 students and a teacher were killed and the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting that claimed 12 lives.

One witness, Dr. Alison Sheets, a retired emergency room physician, told jurors Thursday that an afternoon of grocery shopping was interrupted by loud noises. She initially crouched behind a cardboard display before sliding sideways into a shelf of potato chips. Her yellow ski jacket blended with the yellow bags of chips, providing her cover, she said. She recalled gunshots and screaming.

At one point, Sheets testified, she could see the shooter walking by the aisle where she was hiding.

He was hunting  as he walked by, she said.

She added, I did see his eyes. He was looking down the aisle I sort of remember the stare looking down that aisle. It was not something I wanted to lock eyes with. So I turned away pretty quickly.

She described a calm expression on the shooters face.

In the next aisle, Sheets testified, she heard a familiar sound from her work in emergency medicine.

I heard someone die  just a little breath of exhalation of someone collapsing and dying. And I smelled blood after that, she said, adding that shes had the unfortunate experience of seeing and being around multiple people who have passed.

I heard no other sounds from that spot for the remainder of the day, Sheets said calmly.

Several jurors appeared visibly upset; some family members of the victims sniffled in the gallery. The defense did not cross-examine the seven witnesses who testified Thursday.

In its opening statements, the defense said it was not contesting that the person that killed 10 innocent people and brought fear to so many others and grief and suffering to countless was the defendant sitting in court.

Public defender Sam Dunn said Alissa has a severe  treatment-resistant form of schizophrenia and was in the throes of a psychotic episode the day of the shooting. The defendant told a psychologist during an evaluation that he heard consistent voices  Just the consistent voices.

On that March afternoon three years ago, prosecutor Michael Dougherty told jurors in his opening statements, the gunman picked the perfect place for a mass shooting, a bustling supermarket where people were stocking up for the week, stopping in for coffee, or picking up lunch.

King Soopers is more than just a supermarket. Its their place. Its a community spot, Dougherty said. Its the place they go over and over and over again. And on this day, its a place people will go and die.

As Dougherty addressed the jury, Alissa  in a white button-down shirt with stripes and dark gray slacks and wearing dark-framed glasses  frequently looked around the courtroom and into gallery, mostly at victims families. He seemed to pay close attention.

The slaughter commenced at 2:25 p.m., and for 10 victims their time on earth is about to come to an end, the prosecutor told the jury.

Each one of them, each one of the 10, had lives and families and loved ones and careers and dreams. They had gone there thinking about what they were going to make for dinner, who they were going to have dinner with, a loved one they would never see again.

Dougherty then recalled the horrifying final moments of the 10 people who died that day, starting with Neven Stanisic, 23, who had fixed the espresso machine at the Starbucks and was on the phone with a co-worker in the minutes before he was killed in the parking lot. Kevin Mahoney, 61, described as a loving husband, father and grandfather and a Soopers regular, also was gunned down outside the grocery store. The prosecutor said his body was nearly run over by a woman he had just exchanged a smile with when she sped out of the parking lot in fear moments later.

The victims included Teri Leiker, 51, a longtime Sooper employee and fixture in the community who was fatally shot while bagging groceries with a smile on her face, according to Dougherty. And Jody Waters, 65, who lived the final seconds of her life hiding under a checkout counter. The shooter killed the first eight victims in 68 seconds.

At one point, the defendant spared the life of a 90-year-old man who the prosecutor said showed no fear or panic as he came face to face with the gunman.

What does this tell you? This will tell you that the defendant was intentionally targeting people who were in fear and who were running, who he had power over, who he was scaring and who he could chase and kill, Dougherty said.

He reminded jurors what they will need to decide, noting the shooter hunted down and executed his victims over and over and finished them off.

Was the defendant so diseased or defective in mind that he was incapable of distinguishing right from wrong with respect to the murder of 10 individuals and the attempt to murder 25 more or suffering from a condition of mind caused by mental disease or defect, as the statute reads, that prevented him from forming a culpable mental state? the prosecutor said.

And in this case, its going to be intent. Thats what this case is going to come down to The central issue is going to be his claim of not guilty by reason of insanity. Mental illness does not mean someones insane. Mental illness does not mean someone is insane when someone kills someone, or two people, or three people, or 10 people.

In the end, realizing he was surrounded and outgunned, the defendant tried to ambush nearly a dozen officers moving in on him in the rear of the supermarket. He fatally wounded an officer before Alissa himself was wounded in the leg, the prosecutor said.

At this moment, hes done his ability to instill fear in others, thats over. And the killing is over, Dougherty said.

The defendant hears police announce: The store is surrounded. Surrender now.

When you ask yourself in deliberations, did the defendant know the difference between wrong and right, youll ask yourself this question, What did he do when they demanded that he surrender? Dougherty said, noting the shooter immediately put down his gun and ammo and removed all his clothes except for his underwear.

I surrender. I give up, the prosecutor said witnesses reported hearing the defendant yell.

Thats how youre going to answer the question of, Did you know the difference between wrong and right? He stripped down to his underwear because he knew that if he presented any armed threat to law enforcement, they would likely shoot him again and kill him. And he wanted to live.

But Dunn stressed that Alissa is far along the schizophrenic spectrum and being treated with Clozaril, which he called the anti-psychotic of often last resort.

Under Colorado law, Dunn told jurors, You can understand what youre doing is illegal, and you can be insane.

For someone like Alissa suffering from delusional, paranoid thinking, the public defender added, Your reality is not the reality of the world, its the reality of the illness in your mind.

Alissas disorganized thinking led to nonsensical, illogical behaviors, Dunn told the jury.

The defendants family emigrated from Syria when Alissa was very young. His disorder went untreated because in Syrian culture mental illness is sometimes confused with demonic possession, Dunn said. Thats what Alissas father thought was ailing his son.

A long legal road to trial

A district court judge in 2021 initially ruled Alissa incompetent to stand trial after he was evaluated by a defense expert, two doctors from a state hospital and a doctor selected by the prosecutors, according to court documents filed by the Boulder County District Attorneys Office. Doctors determined Alissas condition got worse while at the Boulder County Jail. He was later sent to the state hospital for treatment.

Last October, however, the judge found him competent, noting that although Alissa was diagnosed with schizophrenia, evaluations did not show he suffered delusions that would interfere with his ability to stand trial.

Colorado District Court Chief Judge Ingrid Bakke at the time strongly urged the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo to retain him due to the gravity of this case. The state hospital granted the request. Alissa had been in the hospital for more than a year before his condition began to improve when he resumed taking his antipsychotic medication, according to Bakkes order.

On July 30, Bakke granted a defense motion asking that Alissa be returned to the Boulder County jail. His lawyers argued that keeping him in Pueblo would deprive his ability to understand the nature and object of these proceedings.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is led away in handcuffs from the scene of the shooting in 2021. - Dean Schiller/ZFG Videography

Noting Alissas right to consult with counsel and meaningfully participate in his defense, his attorneys wrote: The magnitude of this case is plain and obvious.

Families of the victims have grown frustrated with delays in the case, a prosecutor told the court last summer. And more than three years after the bloodshed, a clear motive continues to elude authorities.

The afternoon of the shooting, Boulder police 911 received multiple calls, according to a court affidavit. One caller told dispatchers the shooter shot out the window of a car and chased a man toward the street. Others said the shooter wore an armored vest.

Multiple callers said they were hiding in the grocery store. Employees told dispatchers they observed the suspect shoot an elderly man in the parking lot. The suspect then walked up to the elderly man, stood over him and shot him multiple additional times, the affidavit said.

Among the people killed was 51-year-old Boulder police Officer Eric Talley, who was one of the first to respond, former Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said at the time. Witnesses told dispatchers the shooter fired at police, the affidavit said. Officers had exchanged gunfire with Alissa at the store, according to Herold.

The other victims included store manager Rikki Olds, 25; store employee Denny Stong, 20; Tralona Lonna Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; and Lynn Murray, 62.

Witnesses described the confusion and fight for survival in the grocery aisles. Some shoppers fled through rear doors to the employee area, where workers helped them navigate the unfamiliar space to safety. Others hid in storerooms. One man waiting for a Covid vaccine grabbed his two young daughters and hid in a coat closet. A pharmacy technician took cover under a desk and called her family to say she loved them.

Alissa, by the time he was arrested less than hour after the first 911 calls, had removed all his clothing and was dressed only in shorts, according to the affidavit. He sustained a gunshot wound to his upper right thigh.

Alissas family emigrated from Syria, his 34-year-old brother, Ali Aliwi Alissa, told CNN at the time. The brother said Alissa was paranoid and often believed he was being followed. The suspect lived most of his life in the United States.

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With Zhong Neng's 300 MW of renewable electricity, the project milestone is a major step forward to meeting Taiwan's growing demand for renewable energy.

TAIPEI and TAICHUNG, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vestas is pleased to announce the complete installation of turbines for the Zhong Neng Offshore Wind Farm, marking a major milestone for the offshore projects in Taiwan. Surmounting numerous weather-related challenges, the 31 Vestas V174-9.5 MW turbines have been installed and will contribute 300 MW of clean energy  equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 300,000 households. As Taiwan's most localised offshore wind farm, the project has also generated significant opportunities for domestic businesses and given back to the local economy.

For more information, please visit: Media | Vestas

Already facing energy challenges, Taiwan increasingly plays a critical role globally for the energy-intensive AI and semiconductor industries. To help it meet these challenges, companies like Vestas and Zhong Neng stand to make significant contributions, and this milestone is a key step towards the island's goal of increasing renewable energy production from the current 11% to 30% by 2030.

"From building renewable energy infrastructure to fostering sustainable supply chains, Vestas is thrilled to be having a major impact in Taiwan," commented Ryan Bergmann, General Manager at Vestas Taiwan. "Nothing about building Taiwan's most localized wind farm can be described as easy, but our successful completion comes from the excellent partnership we have with Zhong Neng and all relevant contributors We are grateful to them for working with us in lock-step for seamless execution."

"A challenging phase of the project has now successfully been completed. We are proud of the project team's achievements, involving the installation works of all 31 wind turbines of the Zhong Neng Wind Farm." Said Laurens van Pijkeren, Head of Offshore Customer Project Execution Vestas APAC, "Thanks to Zhong Neng and Fred. Olsen Windcarrier for the great collaboration, and thanks to the full project team for your great efforts and dedication to make this happen!"

"We are proud that Zhong Neng Offshore Wind Farm will advance Taiwan's renewable energy journey while generating green economic opportunities in the process," remarked Joris Hol, CEO of Zhong Neng. "The dedicated collaboration of the Vestas team carried us through every step of the way."

Persevering through high temperatures, frequent lightning storms, typhoon and earthquakes, Vestas and Zhong Neng successfully completed the final installation in August. To celebrate the accomplishment, a completion ceremony is held on September 4 which was extensively attended by key suppliers and partners.

To build the most localized offshore wind farm in Taiwan, the project's 31 Vestas V174 9.5 MW offshore wind turbines leveraged a local supply of critical turbine components, such as blades, towers and hubs including final assembly with nacelle. This involved close collaborations with many Taiwan-based suppliers:

Tienli Offshore Wind for blade productions

Swancor for blade materials

Fortune Electric Co., Ltd. for hubs and nacelle assembly

YeongGuan Group for casting

CS Wind for wind tower manufacture

Walsin Technology for cables

Shihlin Electric for switchgears and transformers

Boltun for fasteners

FACT for nacelle and spinner covers

KKWS for PCM assembly, UPS and LV cabinet

Vestas remains committed to driving innovation, sustainability, and economic growth in Taiwan's offshore wind sector, and looks forward to further collaboration with partners to create a greener and more sustainable future.

About Vestas

Vestas is the energy industry's global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service onshore and offshore wind turbines across the globe, and with more than 169 GW of wind turbines in 88 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled more than 149 GW of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas' more than 29,000 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.

For updated Vestas photographs and videos, please visit our media images page on:

https://www.vestas.com/en/media/images

We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at www.vestas.com and following us on our social media channels:

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Alexander Vindman, lieutenant colonel US Army (retired), was the director for European Affairs on the United States National Security Council. He is now a senior adviser to VoteVets, and runs the national security and defense think tank, the Institute for Informed American Leadership. His military awards include two Legions of Merit and the Purple Heart, having sustained wounds in an IED attack during the Iraq War.

I wasnt surprised when I saw the picture of Donald Trump making a thumbs-up sign, grinning, at Arlington National Cemeterybut that lack of surprise was overwhelmed by the disgust I felt seeing his pose and expression that was so out of place given the surroundings. He was standing on the graves of our heroes, but seemed to think he was at a campaign event, rather than hallowed ground containing the remains of those who died in combat, in service to their nation.

I think anybody that serves, or has served, would feel similarly. The bulk of my adult life20 yearswas spent in military service. I have an enormous amount of respect for our soldiers and what they do for this country. A strong military is a core component of our national defense. What Trump did, how badly he behaves, what he says, his total disrespect, is felt extremely acutely by those in the militarypast and present-servingand their families.

His lack of remorse, his excuses that he was invited there by Gold Star families, the report that one of his staffers pushed a cemetery employee aside as they warned his team about filming therenone of this is a surprise either, although I do think the Army bears some responsibility for not having someone senior on site to enforce standards. Trump has consistently denigrated public servants and veterans in particular. This particular event seems to have broken through in a way that other transgressions havent.

Donald Trump Busted Recycling Lie in TikTok with Gold Star Families

Trumps own former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly confirmed Trump had called servicemen and veterans suckers and losers. Trump has compared the highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, claiming the civilian version is actually much better because everyone that gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, theyre soldiers. Theyre either in very bad shape because theyve been hit so many times by bullets or theyre dead. In 2018, when he was president, his team claimed that rain had prevented him visiting a US cemetery in France.

His almost maniacal expression in the photo at Arlington sticks out in my mind above all the other controversies because there is nobody, nobody, that would judge that to be OK. Veterans and Gold Star families are not letting go of this. Trump and his team and supporters excuses do not obviate his obligations to abide by the lawand its a violation of the law to use Arlington National Cemetery as part of a political stunt. His doubling-down means nothing to the veterans and Gold Star families who know this is outrageous behavior. Trump relies on people forgetting all his past actions, but those involved in the military will not forget Arlington.

I have my own firsthand experience of experiencing Trumps terrible behavior. I had the opportunity to observe a White House where there was no respect for service of any kindmilitary or public. I think of Trumps first impeachment where public servants were mischaracterized and harassed.

My own character was maligned as part of a concerted campaign between the White House and right-wing media to tarnish my reputation. That resulted in the ending my career and obstruction of my promotion. At that time, the military was cowed into some sort of submission, and bent to Trumps desires, even as the values, norms, and laws of the time were being violated.

Alexander Vindman, then director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, when being sworn in to testify before a House Intelligence Committee hearing as part of the impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 19, 2019. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

I have spoken to some Gold Star families after Arlington, and they personally feel that they have been attacked. Yes, Trump was able to entice or coerce some of them to help him, and speak in his defense. I do not criticize them for that; they were acting in their own interests to honor their loved ones, even if, in my view, they were manipulated by Trump to be part of a political stunt. And in this they are being victimized againthey have lost a loved one, and are now caught up in a political stunt, and having to deal with the fallout of that.

Of course, we should not expect an apology or expression of contrition from Trump. He never admits fault, he always blames someone else. He even blamed the families at Arlington initially, claiming to have been set up somehow in an ambush. But we should not let what happened at Arlington go. I would like some accountabilityeither the Army should pursue an investigation into what happened, or be compelled to pursue an investigation by Congress. The results of this investigation should be sent to the Department of Justice.

What I also hope is that the incident makes peoplewho dont yet see itsee Trump for who he really is. Many Americans have ties to military service; how would they feel if Trump had pulled that kind of stunt at the final resting place of their own family members that served honorably in uniform defending the nation? They should ask themselves how his behavior reflects on Trumps character and ability to lead, and how it reflects on the care he will take of those in the military who defend our national security.

I think Trump pulled the stunt in the first place because he knows, or has been warned, that he is losing the votes of members of the military, and their loved ones. He knows this is a vulnerability. That is why he staged what he staged at Arlington. But the fact is military members and their families are leaving Trump and his extremist Republican party, and incidents like Arlingtonwhere he fully displays his utter lack of respectwill help hemorrhage his support among the military in November.

For so many independents, moderate Republicans and Democrats, Kamala Harris represents hope, not looking or going back, and the better days not behind us but in front of us. I think she will win; my intellect says by a pretty thin margin as Biden did in 2020, although my hope is that its by a large enough margin to allow the American public to finally consign Trump and Trumpism to the past, move on, and try to heal some wounds and bring people together.

To American voters, I would say: look at Trump at Arlington National Cemetery, think about what this, and all that he has said and done, says about him, and vote Harris.

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Jonathan Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was killed in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, attend their son's funeral in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. | Gil Cohen-Magen

If you listen only to protesters at Columbia University, you might not know that an American citizen was brutally murdered by Hamas after spending 11 months in a captivity he earned by simply attending a concert last October.

More than just being held captive, he underwent what must have been horrific pain.

A video exists, apparently, of Hersh Goldberg-Polins capture, right after his left arm was shattered during the merciless attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7. The Associated Press said it shows him with a bloodied makeshift tourniquet around his left forearm with a stump of blood and bone protruding as he was forced into a pickup truck with other young Israeli men.

So, wheres the outrage?

Im not going to pretend I would know exactly what to do if I were president. Hostage situations have befuddled chief executives at least since Thomas Jefferson had to deal with Barbary states pirates who had captured American ships.

But Im curious about what seems like a lack of interest among the public, except among those who blame Israel for all of this. Goldberg-Polin was one of eight Americans being held hostage. He was a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, but an American nonetheless, from Virginia.

Im trying to imagine what the response from ordinary Americans would have been if Iran had killed even one of the 53 hostages it took from the American embassy in Tehran in 1979. Or, to use a more recent example, what would have been the reaction if Russia had murdered Brittany Griner or Evan Gershkovich.

Again, Im not speculating as to what the proper response would have been, but Im sure regular folks would have been more exercised, perhaps even outraged.

Im not trying to minimize the suffering of Palestinians since Oct. 7. The AP said more than 40,000 of them have died, according to Gazas Health Ministry. How many of these were combatants is not known. But most of Gazas 2.3 million people have had to flee their homes, and living conditions are brutal. Each story is a tragedy.

But this, too, illustrates the cold calculus of those who planned the Oct. 7 attack. A newly filed Justice Department complaint against top Hamas leaders outlines the details of that attack. About 1,200 people were murdered and 250 were taken hostage. Militants used trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats, and paragliders, and the violence included rape, genital mutilation and close-range executions with machine guns.

As Bret Stephens of The New York Times said, Hamas launched the attack knowing that it would provoke the most furious Israeli response possible. That is, a response against Hamas that would end up killing a lot of Palestinians.

It no doubt killed the hostages last weekend knowing that would further divide the Israeli state without leading to many real consequences, or even outrage. Hostages normally are held as leverage for some sort of advantage.

Hamas is an organization, by the way, that Palestinian rights activist Bassem Eid said in a Newsweek op-ed violates the rights of women and persecutes LGTBQ+ people. A former hostage and a United Nations report have described how hostages are being sexually abused.

These sound like things worthy of protest by an enlightened crowd, or at least a measure of outrage.

In a statement about the death of Goldberg-Polin, President Joe Biden said, Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes.

The seven-count criminal complaint his Justice Department filed against top Hamas leadership hardly counts as paying for the crimes. It was actually filed in February but has only now been unsealed.

However, it is worth noting that the complaint singles out Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. As The Associated Press reported a month ago, Sinwar was released from prison in 2011 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an exchange for an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas in a cross-border raid.

It sounds like hostage-taking pays off, which brings us back to the difficulty of countering such a thing.

The Wall Street Journal said Goldberg-Polins death, and the remaining seven Americans who are being held, has put more pressure on the Biden administration to push for a cease-fire, or a hostage-prisoner exchange.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said his office is investigating Goldberg-Polins death as an act of terrorism.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, is critical of Israeli leadership. Other countries are applying pressure, as well. And yet, despite all this, an official with Bidens National Security Council expressed optimism that a deal could be brokered.

The question is, what would come after that if Hamas knows it can act free from outrage in the United States?
Abortion and reproductive freedom are on the ballot and up for debate in America today, and likely to be a central issue in the upcoming ABC debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Democrats see abortion as a winning issue this election, now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned. They have been successful at the state level ever since that 2022 decision, and they hope to capitalize on those gains to keep the White House and the Senate this fall, and maybe even take back the U.S. House.

Trump, meanwhile, has been throwing curveballs recently on both abortion and in vitro fertilization, telling NBC News under the Trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment [for IVF for] all Americans who get it; all Americans who need it.

The former president also said last week he will not vote for a controversial ballot measure in Florida that would effectively prevent and overturn state laws limiting abortion, even though he had previously said he disagreed with the states current restrictive abortion law because you need more time than six weeks.

Abortion rights have been losing ground ever since the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision as many states take restrictive positions.

IVF is also under threat. We are not yet like China, though, where a court recently denied an unmarried woman the right to freeze her eggs because only married women may use the procedure.

Still, America is beginning to look like many countries where, according to the United Nations, too many women and girls are denied this basic power over their own bodies.

Rarely discussed in abortion debates is how American women are already falling behind when it comes to maternal health. According to the Commonwealth Fund, the United States continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths of any high-income nation, despite a decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. And within the U.S., the rate is by far the highest for Black women. Most of these deaths  over 80 percent  are likely preventable.

What is particularly stark about restrictions on womens reproductive freedom is how they defy established medicine and, according to the American Journal of Public Health, put womens psychological and medical health at risk.

Two women in Texas have filed complaints against hospitals for denying them treatment for ectopic pregnancies after the state banned abortions in 2022 with some exceptions. Ectopic pregnancies cannot survive, as they occur outside of the womb, and are a life-threatening condition that requires emergency treatment, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Pregnant women seeking abortion that reside in states that prohibit or restrict abortions either have to travel out of state or try to obtain medication abortion pills via a telehealth appointment with an out-of-state clinician, but these options are not accessible to everyone. Some women may turn to self-managed abortions, but some will not be able to obtain an abortion and have to continue a pregnancy they do not want.

The Guttmacher Institute reports that if abortions were banned in all states, at the highest end, maternal mortality would increase by 24 percent; non-Hispanic Black people would face a 39 percent increase in maternal deaths.

Controversies over IVF are also limiting options for women. In the six months since the Alabama Supreme Court decision that characterizing embryos created through IVF as children with legal protections, anti-abortion lawmakers have struggled to frame positions that leave room for IVF treatments.

Some argue that, although the concept of IVF is acceptable, current standard-of-care practices, including egg stimulation and embryo cryopreservation, are not, as the process can create more embryos than can be safely implanted and are often later discarded.

Others are not so subtle. The Southern Baptist Convention, for example, voted in June to oppose IVF altogether.

Such religious and politically motivated laws limiting reproductive care are exposing physicians to civil or criminal liability, and in some cases threatening the very family-building goals that anti-abortion advocates proclaim to protect.

Reports from Alabama and Texas confirm that some patients are now altering their IVF treatments, including moving their embryos to other states where abortion policy is less strict.

Abortion and IVF will remain critical electoral issues as more states keep putting abortion on the ballot. Now is the time to get informed and educated, to look ourselves in the mirror and ask what kind of society and choices we want for ourselves, our daughters and for all women and girls.

Susan Crockin is a senior scholar at the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Tara D. Sonenshine is former U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and currently senior nonresident fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The first Muslims to arrive in what became the United States of America were Black like me. They were brought here via the trans-Atlantic slave trade. These enslaved Africans were faithful Muslims praying in the U.S. colonies before Thomas Jefferson was even born. And they suffered, as all enslaved Africans suffered, through genocide and brutal and deadly oppression. Although theres a mistaken belief that Muslims first arrived en masse in the United States with an influx of Arab and Pakistani immigrants in the 1960s, the history of Black Muslims, who were here before there was a country, is a reminder that while we may share the same faith as Muslims from the Middle East and South Asia, we have a different experience of America.

These Black Muslim ancestors left rich histories and a legacy of fighting for whats right. I am proud to have carried on this legacy throughout my career, most recently by founding the Black Muslim Leadership Council  a first-of-its-kind nonprofit dedicated to advancing justice and equity for Black American Muslims through policy advocacy, civic education, voter mobilization and leadership development. Our advocacy wing, the Black Muslim Leadership Council Fund, has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign, and I, in my personal capacity, am doing the same.

Despite my consistent calls for a cease-fire in Gaza, and despite my history of working with the Palestinian community in my native Philadelphia, my support of the vice presidents candidacy has led to accusations that I am ignoring the human rights catastrophe in Gaza and undermining the Palestinian cause. Despite my leadership in the Uncommitted Pennsylvania campaign, which led to more than 60,000 voters using the write-in vote to protest President Joe Bidens leadership; and despite my directly telling President Biden about the history of solidarity between Black Americans and Palestinians and the moral dilemma his candidacy presented, I have been repeatedly asked by other Muslims to defend my vote for Harris.

My parents converted to Islam in the early 1970s, finding a safe haven and a home alongside other Black American Muslims in a country that so often tried to reject them. This community is now my haven. My Pennsylvanian Muslim family is my foundation, and serving them is my way of life. Every day, I see the struggles facing my people, and I see the courage and resolve it takes to overcome and thrive.

Despite so many advancements, my community still suffers significant oppression. I have been harassed, targeted and doxxed by people throughout the country  including by other Muslims. My support of Vice President Harris has been attacked, as many have chosen not to support Harris, seeing her as an extension of President Biden, who has been widely criticized for his handling of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. My goal in my career is to advance policy for the American Muslim community at large, but with a focus on Black American Muslims.

I will continue to focus on the nuanced needs of my specific community because, in large part, no one else is focusing on us. This is how I honor the legacy of my father, a prominent imam who devoted his life to serving this same community. While I share many of the same goals and concerns as other American Muslims, I also am specifically dedicated to uplifting the needs of the Black American Muslim community.

My community cares deeply about the crisis in Gaza, as well as the suffering of Muslims in Sudan and its Darfur region, Congo, Yemen, Syria, Kashmir and China. We care about reproductive rights, particularly for people who have experienced sexual abuse, and for women who have died during childbirth  especially Black women, who die at much higher rates than other women in the United States. We care about economic opportunity, including the paths to establish generational wealth, which have for so long been denied to Black people, including Black Muslims. We care about public safety and ending the rampant gun violence that has led to the deaths of so many people, especially Black men.

Harris is the candidate who has most effectively supported the causes that are important to my community. Her opponent, former President Donald Trump, has shown in his track record and on the campaign trail that he will not support these causes.

I have heard from many who say theyll vote third-party to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the major party candidates, or who say they will not vote at all. As tantalizing as some of these third-party candidates may be, they are not a viable option. Other third-party candidates have deeply problematic and even dangerous stances on international relations, health care and immigration.

Not voting is not an option either. The threat that faces our country, and our world, is too great not to use the greatest gift of democracy: our vote. In its purest essence, politics is about strategy. This sometimes means having to make tough choices to achieve the best possible outcome for ourselves and our community. It would be nice to agree with each and every one of our chosen candidates decisions and platforms. But we do not have to do this to keep our democracy alive.





We have, on one hand, a candidate who fights for voter rights, reproductive rights and public safety. On the other, we have a candidate who seeks to consolidate power, threaten our constitutional freedoms and implement policies reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. We have a candidate who, as a Black and South Asian woman, understands personally the oppression faced by the most neglected of us and has overcome adversity to rise to a position of power, and we have a candidate who moved to ban Muslims from entering the country, has called majority Black nations, many of them with large Muslim populations, s---hole countries, and who bases his campaign on sowing division and hatred.

As I have already done, I will continue to advocate for the innocent people who are being killed in Gaza, as well as advocate for the other domestic needs of my community. I will also continue to tell Muslims asking me to defend my vote for Harris that I see her as not only the best chance for a cease-fire, but also the best chance we have to protect fundamental freedoms  for every one of us.

In this decision, and in my personal and professional career, I stand on the shoulders of the great Black American Muslim women and men who came before me  who fought through unspeakable traumas to build a better life for their descendants. I am proud to be part of this legacy. The fight continues now, as it has for centuries  and it will take each one of us committing to defending our freedoms to ensure that we will not go back.

The views represented in this article are the authors own, given in her individual capacity and do not represent the positions of her associated institutions.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Im not writing as a conservative, though politically speaking, thats what I am. Nor am I writing as someone who might rejoin the Republican Party once Donald Trump is no longer controlling it, though I might.

Im writing as nothing more than a simple journalist asking a simple question: Who the heck is Kamala Harris?

We know she speaks in platitudes and that its hard to follow where shes going when asked an inconvenient question. We know she flip-flops on issues when it is politically expedient.

But even now that shes the Democratic Partys presidential nominee, we still dont know who she is or what she really believes.

In fact, you can make the case, as the Wall Street Journal editorial board recently did, that Harris is the least-known candidate in modern history.

She talks a lot about freedom and joy and a new way forward, hoping fluff like that, along with a complicit media, can carry her on gossamer wings all the way to the Oval Office.

So the upcoming presidential debate is arguably the most important single event of this political season  an event that might finally help us understand who this person is who went, in the blink of an eye, from being widely viewed as a political liability to becoming her partys nominee for president, without winning a single vote in any primary.



We may not know who the heck Kamala Harris is, but we do know that shes either tied with or beating Donald Trump in more than a few head-to-head polls, and shes winning in some crucial battleground states. For a relative unknown, thats not bad.

Then again, maybe shes doing so well precisely because shes so unknown. Maybe the more we learn about Harris, the less were going to like her.

As for the upcoming debate, the conventional wisdom tells us that if Trump sticks to the issues, he can win and increase his chances of going back to the White House. But if Harris gets under his skin and he resorts to insults, he will likely lose moderate undecided voters, lose the debate and then lose the election.

The question for Harris is whether she can do more than talk in generalities  whether she can answer serious questions without resorting to the word salad responses she is known for, and whether she can remain unflustered and come off looking like she actually knows what shes talking about.

But as Rich Lowry wrote in a recent New York Times opinion piece, Trump isnt going to beat [Harris] by scoring points in the debate over price controls or the border.Everything has to be connected to the deeper case that [Harris] is weak and a phony and doesnt truly care about the country or the middle class, that she has jettisoned myriad positions since 2019 and 2020 without explanation because she is a shape-shifting opportunist who can and will change on almost anything when politically convenient. Even if what shes saying is moderate or popular, she cant be trusted to hold to it once shes in office.

Whether Trump has the discipline to pull that off remains an open question.

Were past Labor Day and the campaign now begins for real. And most journalists still havent held Harris accountable for her many flip-flops.

Its not entirely their fault, of course, since shes running a version of Joe Bidens 2020 campaign, when his team pretty much kept him sealed away in the basement of his Delaware home, safe from inquisitive journalists who might ask questions he couldnt coherently answer.

Yes, shes been on the campaign trail almost every day, but reading words off a teleprompter isnt the same as fielding unscripted questions at a news conference, something she hasnt done yet  and may not do right up until Election Day.

In her one sit-down interview, with CNNs Dana Bash  who, for whatever reason, didnt ask a lot of tough follow-up questions  we heard a Harris who had moved from the left-wing progressive she was when she ran for president in 2019 to a newly-minted moderate Democrat. But we dont know much more than the mantra with which she tried to defuse these questions  my values have not changed  a line she uttered repeatedly and which sounded rehearsed because it obviously was.

Was Harris sending a subtle signal to the left wing of her party? Was she telling them that, despite her convenient moves to the middle, they can still count on her do their bidding if she wins? Is that what she meant by My values have not changed?

Maybe the upcoming debate will shed light on the question I raised at the outset: Who the heck is Kamala Harris?

Four years ago, Biden stayed in his basement long enough to win. If his vice president can stay clear of the press and somehow get away with word salads and platitudes at the debate, lightning might strike again.

Harris is hoping voters remember why they rejected Trump the last time around. Shes hoping that those remaining undecided voters will put personality over policy this time around. And so, what she essentially is telling voters (if not in so many words) is, Vote for me, Im not Donald Trump.

Okay. But that still leaves us with an important question: Who the heck is she?

Bernard Goldberg is an Emmy and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award-winning writer and journalist. Follow him and visit his Substack page.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
In 1839, from the confines of the Clay County Jail in Liberty, Missouri, Joseph Smith, the founding leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught his flock a sobering lesson about power: It is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion, Smith cautioned.

Smith alerted his followers to beware of those who aspire after their own aggrandizement and seek their own opulence while others are groaning in poverty. He asked Latter-day Saints, even as they were in the midst of being expelled from Missouri under a state-sanctioned extermination order, to bear the infirmities of the weak and to do so with all long suffering.

Smith spoke specifically of religious authority, but his message applies equally to political authority. When those in power, himself included, undertake to cover our sins or gratify our pride or vain ambition or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves, Smith warned. Such a person is left to kick against the pricks and to fight against God.

Power, in Smiths estimation, should only be maintained by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and meekness and by love unfeigned. Such ideals seem foreign to politics in our day, but that is all the more reason to consider their implications.

Smith was not the first to express concern over human proclivities toward the abuses of power. In fact, two members of the nations founding generation preached weighty sermons on the subject through their actions, more so than through their words.

At the end of the Revolutionary War, Gen. George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, did something unthinkable: He gave up power. He resigned his military commission to the new nations political authority, the Continental Congress. It was a move made even more remarkable by the fact that Congress had left Washingtons ragtag army perpetually underfunded and ill-equipped. Yet, Washington never wielded his sword against Congress; instead, he turned his sword over to Congress after securing victory. Washington thus indicated that military power was subject to civil authority, not the other way around.

It was a profound lesson in power and one that ensured Washingtons legacy. American painter John Trumbull, who was then visiting London, wrote to his brother after hearing news of Washingtons resignation. Such an act, Trumbull said, excites the astonishment and admiration of this part of the world, especially because the typical pattern in world history was for those in power to convulse the empire to acquire more (power). Similarly, King George III reportedly exclaimed that if Washington resigned, he will be the greatest man in the world.

Even more extraordinary, Washington gave up power a second time. After being called back into the service of his country to help write a new constitution and then to serve as its first president, a position he won by unanimous vote of the electoral college  twice  he again retired to Mount Vernon. There were no presidential term limits in place at the time, but Washington established a two-term precedent of his own volition.

Future leaders honored that precedent until Franklin Delano Roosevelt won office four times. The nation then passed the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, which made Washingtons self-imposed two-term limit the law of the land. Washingtons selfless act was thus made even more potent simply because he abdicated power without being required to do so.

History has even more lessons to teach about power: Washington disliked political parties and feared the disunity and seeds of revolution that they might sow. World history did not offer many examples of the peaceful transfer of power, especially between political rivals or dueling monarchies. Leaders in the new American nation, nonetheless, espoused competing political philosophies, with John Adams at the top of the Federalist Party and Thomas Jefferson as a Democratic Republican. After one term as president, Adams lost to Jefferson, his political rival. Rather than call out the military to defend his presidency or marshal his followers to come to his aid, Adams peacefully abdicated power. He walked away and handed his opponent the reins of power.

It was an act of civic virtue that established a remarkable precedent in world history. Thus far, the United States has escaped the more common revolutionary cycles that have dominated other areas of the globe. Those who came after Adams followed his lead and, over time, we have thus come to assume that it has always been so and must always be so.

Yet, history suggests otherwise. As Trumbull said of Washingtons resignation, Tis a conduct so novel, so inconceivable that someone would give up the powers they possess. Decades later, Joseph Smith made a similar claim. But in our day, we may have lost sight of the implausibility of it all and assume that power always passes peacefully, even between political opponents.

If so, we may fail to recognize the lessons history has to offer. A willingness to abandon power was a bug that became a feature in our nations political history  that is, until recently. With that long view in mind, we can then attempt to assess what the globe rippling ramifications might be if the principles of power that Washington and Adams established through their novel and inconceivable actions are left unguarded today.

W. Paul Reeve is the Simmons Chair of Mormon Studies in the History Department at the University of Utah.
In the aftermath of the October attacks in Israel, the disappointment of Arab Americans with President Bidens administration continues with no end in sight. If Kamala Harris doesnt show a readiness to depart from her predecessors stances, she could see herself outvoted in the swing states of Michigan and Ohio come November.

The Arab American community has been repeatedly silenced, and today they feel a deep sense of resignation and betrayal. Their disappointment is indeed double: Not only has Biden been unequivocally supporting Israel in the killings and destruction of their home countries, he has also been using their hard-earned tax dollars to fund those acts.

For these Americans, democracy today is but a facade, behind which they see themselves powerless in the face of public policy that systematically undermines their countries of origin, depriving them of natural resources and impoverishing their people.

In an attempt to gauge Arab American sentiment ahead of the 2024 election, I interviewed members of the community in Northern Virginia. During their daily visits to a Middle Eastern coffee shop, where patrons come to relax and spend time in a place that reminds them of home, they talked to me about their malaise. They expressed their daily frustration trying to navigate their busy lives in a country where they feel they have been cast to the margins of political life.

While each of my conversations took a unique turn, very similar statements resounded throughout: Democracy turned out to be not real, declared one person I spoke with. There is no such a thing as free speech, it is like back home where you cant criticize who is in power.

I am outside the public life again, announced another man in his thirties.

We are all in the same boat, regardless of which country of that part of the world we come from, said one woman who moved here 15 years ago. They see us as one people, all the same, and have no problem invading our countries, disregarding our cultures and killing our communities.

I am afraid to say my opinion out loud at work, explained another. I will surely be expelled.

We are teaching our children to not talk about whats going on, so they dont get in trouble, said a mother of two teenage children.

This last statement could not be more relevant amid the violent crackdown on the student protests at university campuses throughout the U.S. Biden didnt try to oppose the crackdown. He deliberately turned a blind eye and ignored the voice of the youth, and the voice of the Arab American community.

I dont want to vote for Trump in November, declared a young woman who was born and raised in Detroit and moved to D.C. for graduate school. I will probably vote third party.

Foreign policy toward their home countries is undoubtedly a pivotal issue that will influence Arab Americans votes, and this year, more than any previous election years, it is what will drive their decision.

In February, 100,000 Arab Americans in Michigan cast an uncommitted vote in the states primary, a protest vote against Bidens silence on the indiscriminate mass killings of Palestinians. These same people voted for him in 2020; Democrats won Michigan by just more than 150,000 votes. Now Harris needs them to vote for her in 2024. The stakes are high.

In a recent poll performed by the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, nearly 18 percent reported they are undecided; 6 percent dont plan to vote at all. With 1 in 4 voters either undecided or inclined to sit out the election, there is plenty of room for Harris, or any other candidate, to earn more support from the community, if the right positions are taken, stated the committee.

Biden chose to ignore the Arab American uncommitted vote in Michigan. But Harris has an opportunity to engage with them, and she needs to do it as soon as possible.

Harris has a better chance to bring back hope for these people than Biden  after all, she is a daughter of immigrants herself, and therefore can more naturally relate to the communitys sentiments. Her parents came to the U.S. seeking a better life, working hard to build a new home and a bright future for their children. One gets a unique perspective growing up in an immigrant family in America, and a better understanding of how U.S. foreign policy impacts minority communities internally.

If Harris decides to listen to Arab Americans and diverges from the current administrations stance, she can win their votes and avoid a Michigan swing that could tip the scale toward a Trump win this November.

What these voters need to see from her is: first, to advocate for a cease-fire  a word seemingly taboo for the Biden administration, which has avoided using it in any public statements  and second, to distance herself from the existing double standards of U.S. foreign policy toward Middle Eastern countries.

Democrats are counting on Americans of all backgrounds to vote for Harris in a rejection of another Trump term. But is it enough to be anti-Trump? Arab Americans want to see commitments from Harris. She has the potential to be the president that all children of immigrants look up to. She could be the president who brings back hope for those who have lost it since Oct. 7.

Sima Beitinjaneh is a student at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a research coordinator at the Foreign Policy Institute. This op-ed is anchored in a recent ethnographic research project in which she interviewed Arab Americans in the D.C. area about their perspectives on the 2024 election.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonights 7 p.m. ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here.

State of play:

61 days to the election

5 days to the debate set for Sept. 10

Decision Desk HQ average : Kamala Harris +3.6, as of around 12 p.m. ET today. Click here to see the latest numbers. PredictIt betting odds: 54 to 49 in favor of Harris



Trump and Harris Biden Problem

President Joe Bidens absence from the debate stage Tuesday presents a huge problem for both Donald Trump and Harris.

Harris because she must still answer for their failures and unpopular policies

Trump because hes not running against Biden anymore

As evidenced by Trumps town hall with Sean Hannity last night:

He keeps talking about President Biden 

The nuance and discipline of then connecting Bidens record to Harris and her future proposals creates a problem.

Newsflash : Bidens popularity keeps rising Trump beating up on somebody he already beat isnt a good look Elections are about the future



Harris, of course, faces the ghost of Biden on the debate stage.

How many of the questions will be about: What she knew of his health Major, if unpopular, policies she agreed or disagreed with Bidenomics Afghanistan Support of Israel



Carlos Lozada opines in The New York Times: Harris will have to face off against President Biden  his record, his shifting public approval rating and their intertwined legacies  from now until Election Day. Her supporters are eager to watch her prosecute the case against Trump in their debate. But when it comes to the Biden years, Harris is both prosecutor and defendant, reformer and institutionalist, contrast and continuity. And thats a harder sell.

Watch tonight: Well ask George Will:

How much can Donald Trump run against Joe Biden?

How far can Kamala Harris run from Joe Biden?

Just in time: Hunter Biden pled guilty in his tax evasion trial.

Thought bubble: Does a lame duck Biden pardon his son?

EVs are so much more than EVs

At the RNC, Trump got the loudest (unexpected) applause from his promise to end the EV mandate.

Zoom out : The EV mandate shows how out of touch Washington is with rural and even semi-rural Americans  if you dont understand why, you are part of the problem.

Evidently, Team Harris heard the applause in Milwaukee and now says shes against the mandate.

Click here to read Alex Thompson and Ben Gemans excellent story in Axios about Harris and EVs, including this juicy line: On Aug. 28 Axios asked the Harris campaign to clarify her position, and whether she would sign or veto a bill she co-sponsored in 2019 that included such a mandate for manufacturers.. She refused to answer



Paging ABC: Wouldnt this make a great debate question?

Police tape surrounds the perimeter of Apalachee High School on September 5, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Cops Work

Video from the Georgia school shooting shows an understandably chaotic and desperate situation as kids run by the gunmans AR-15 on the floor.

Newsflash: Its on the floor and not in the gunmans hands killing more kids because a school resource officer ran toward the sound of gunfire and confronted the shooter.

Its noteworthy that if Harris had her way, that student resource officer wouldnt have been there.

Click here to watch her pandering when the BLM crowd said having cops in schools was a triggering microaggression against minority kids.

Thought bubble : Harris told CNN her values have not changed  doesnt that mean she still believes school resource officers are militarizing our schools? The Los Angeles Times goes deep on Harris view of defunding the police.



The New York Times seems to think school resource officers work  as does the liberal utopia of Denver.

Zoom out: Policing and prosecuting will become a bigger issue for Harris over the next 60 days  especially for a country still concerned with crime.

Former President Donald Trump during an Economic Club of New York event in New York, on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Paging Jack Smith

We wont predict how fair the ABC moderators will be 

Trump last night went full attack mode to prebut any unfairness, including the charge they will give her the questions.

No, they wont.

BUT, the Dana Walden connection  Harris best friend is the Disney executive over ABC  is real.

Political reality: Most interviews of Trump are far, far tougher than those of Harris (when she gives one).

But a fair question for Trump:

Mr. Trump  after years of claiming you won the 2020 election but dark forces stole it from you, you have radically changed your tune in the past few days and now say you lost in 2020. As a man who prides himself on never bowing to pressure or apologizing, why have you changed your view, and since you now admit losing, how can you claim innocence in trying to overturn the election?

As Colby Hall notes, Trump is now admitting he lost in 2020.

Watch tonight: The great Tom Dupree will discuss whether Trumps new admissions help him politically but will only help special prosecutor Jack Smith prove his Jan. 6 case against Trump.

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris walks onto the stage during a campaign event at Throwback Brewery. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Working-Class Pitch

Both the Harris and Trump campaigns agree working class voters will decide this years election.

Are those non-college-educated whites?

Are those young African American men?

Are those first- or second-generation Latinos?

Are they people in the traditional trades?

Are they who Frank Luntz described as paycheck to paycheck voters?

Are they traditional value voters who also work?

Teacher union president Randi Weingarten opines in Newsweek: Who Would Be the Better President for the Working Class?

She writes, Trump says he is a champion of working people, but he is a world-class scam artist. He has stiffed hundreds of workerspainters, plumbers, dishwashers, lawyers and othersgoing back decades. He was fined millions for ripping off charities and duping students through his sham Trump University. Trump isnt looking out for Americas workers.

Thought bubble: The Weingarten op-ed is pretty rich

This is the woman who demanded shutting schools during COVID-19, which hurt working-class kids the most.

This is the same woman who fights against school choice, which would give working-class kids a shot at a better (private, charter or parochial) education.

Summer school: In Weingartens world, white paycheck-to-paycheck voters clearly need remedial education.

The Liberal Patriot breaks down CNN polling in Pennsylvania showing Harris trailing Bidens numbers among working-class voters.

The CNN poll has Harris carrying Pennsylvania college-educated voters by 23 points; Biden carried them by 18 points in 2020.

In the poll, Harris loses Pennsylvania working-class voters by 16 points; Biden lost them by just 9 points last election.

Looking at Pennsylvanias white college voters, Harris has a thumping 22-point advantage among them compared to Bidens lead of only 10 points in 2020.

Finally, the white working class in Pennsylvania prefers Trump over Harris by 32 points, more than his already-large 28-point advantage over Biden in 2020.

Worth a click: Paycheck-to-paycheck voters are struggling. Look at Axios state-by-state map of those adults experiencing difficulty paying for household expenses in (the) previous week.

Notice anything about the swing states?

Watch tonight: Princeton Professor Lauren Wright will respond with who exactly working-class voters are and why they arent listening to Weingarten.



Tune into On Balance with Leland Vittert weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Heres the thing about school shootings: The response can be flawless, and the outcome can still be horrific. On Wednesday morning, two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia took their last breaths after being shot by a 14-year-old. Nine others at the school were wounded during the mass shooting.

Moments after the first shots were fired, screens in classrooms flashed the message, hard lock down. Well-rehearsed students pushed desks and chairs up against classroom doors to form barricades even as more shots echoed through the halls. School resource officers quickly confronted the shooter, who dropped to the ground and surrendered. EMS responders sped to the scene and tended to the casualties.

It was an exceptional response to an event that should have never happened.

A 14-year-old shouldnt have a gun, shouldnt bring it to school, shouldnt kill four people and wound nine more. Teachers shouldnt die at the hands of a student, and students shouldnt perish during second period algebra.

We celebrate heroic responses and reflexive reactions imprinted on the brains of a generation of children and first responders through endless active shooter drills. Then we mourn the senseless deaths of those who didnt make it. Its a paradox, of course. Two truths that seem contradictory because they are. Thats because a large segment of America is approaching this the wrong way.

The folks who dont want to talk about root causes will limit themselves to singing the praises of those who professionally spring into action to lock down, shoot down and clean up the carnage. Thats what U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., did on his X account. He represents the district where the killing happened. He also posted a campaign ad where he sets off an explosion by firing an assault style rifle at a target.

In just this year, almost 50 people have died in school shootings in America. The Apalachee school shooting was the 23rd in 2024 that caused injury or death. More than 382,000 students, in 416 shootings, have dealt with an incident of gun violence at their school since the Columbine shooting of 1999.

Since its the start of the school year in much of our country, instead of talking yet again about the obvious need for gun safety enforcement, Id rather offer suggestions to parents that might help make this academic year less lethal than previous years.

Heres my top four questions for parents to pose to school leaders.

First, ask your school administrators if there is a Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management team at your school. These multidisciplinary teams often include a school counselor and/or psychologist, school resource officer, a senior teacher, school nurse and an administrator. They meet regularly to discuss concerns brought to their attention about a students conduct as it relates to potential violence and to decide the best course of action. Training and guidance on forming and maintaining a BTAM are readily available.

Second, ask how or if your school encourages reporting by students and employees about potential violence, also known as bystander reporting. Your school should make it easy for everyone to share their concerns with identified personnel, including anonymously, and should take positive steps to erase any stigma associated with such reporting.

Third, ask your school leadership to explain how they proactively identify and address bullying. Available data strongly suggests that many school shooters have been bullied, often repeatedly, by their peers. Send your school board a copy of the U.S. Secret Service report linking bullying to school shooters.

Fourth, ask your high school administrator if there is a peer counseling program at the high school. These programs, led by a faculty member with mental health training, have been proven to help tackle depression and suicidal ideation. Its no secret that kids trust their peer group and are more willing to openly discuss sensitive issues with them. Peers also know whats happening on social media, whos eating alone in the cafeteria and who is experiencing severe stress at home.

Its also essential to remember that parents play the paramount role in preventing the unthinkable at school. Maintaining an open dialogue with your child must start early in their life and become a part of everyday existence. A shared meal, a car ride home or some joint activities are often the best times to learn more about whats happening in your childs life and within their peer group.

Wed all rather celebrate a violent act prevented than grieve over what could have or should have happened. We can make this school year safer by prioritizing how we identify and mitigate the threat of violence, as much or more than we practice locking doors and hiding under desks.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
We live at a time where we must always stay vigilant. We know that we cant go to bed thinking that the things we treasure most --like our state parks -- will be there when we wake up.

It was never more evident than recently when we learned, through a man named James Gaddis, 41, a two-year employee of the Florida Department of Environment Protection, that bigtime developers had bargained with our state government to bulldoze parts of nine of our beautiful state parks and their inhabitants, making room for 350-room resort hotels and golf courses, pickleball courts, and God knows what else.

Gaddis, who said the directive for the plan to do away with some of Floridas most pristine property -- its national parks -- came straight from Gov. Ron DeSantis office. He broke the news of the states plan to the Tampa Bay Times on August 19.

In a Sept. 4 interview with the Miami Herald, Gaddis lamented the plans secrecy and said, It was the absolute flagrant disregard for the critical, globally imperiled habitat in these parks. He said his job was to make the proposed, conceptual, land use maps that depicted the golf courses and other developments. ... The secrecy was totally confusing and very frustrating, he said. No state agency should be behaving like this.

Bea Hines

I am thankful for Gaddis, a single dad, who was willing to put his livelihood on the line to do what was right by the people of Florida. I am glad that he had a good conscience and listened to it. By blowing the cover off the states plan, he gave the nature-loving residents of Florida their rightful opportunity to protest the plans.

Yet, his action did not come without circumstances. The state wasted no time in getting back at him. For his good deed, Gaddis came home Aug. 31 and found a letter of dismissal on his doorstep. He had lost his job. Im sorry Gaddis lost his job, but Im glad to know he had the gall to stand up for what is right. His conscience would not let him keep silent about a deal that included besmirching our own beautiful Oleta River State Park in Northeast Miami-Dade, and Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach. Because of him, we can go on enjoying the parks natural beauty for a little while longer.

I hedge that because even while you and I sleep, those who care more about the almighty dollar than they do about our environment have not given up. They will find new ways to try to get what they want. Even while we bask in the victory of having stopped their project (for now), they are yet seeking ways to make big bucks off the land that was intended for us, and our children and our childrens children, to enjoy. That is why I say we must all stay vigilant.

Already, we are moving farther and farther out into the Everglades, upsetting our ecosystem. Because of this development, much of our wildlife has nowhere to go. This is why, I believe, alligators and crocodiles are showing up in the swimming pools of some private homes. We have stolen their natural habitat, building luxury homes too close to what used to be their home.

While he is without a job, Gaddis has started a GoFundMe to help keep food on the table and a roof over his and his 11-year-old daughters head. It pleases me to know that Gaddis good deed has not gone unnoticed. As of Wednesday morning, the campaign had raised more than $150,000.

As I see it, one good deed deserves another.

SUBHEAD

Every now and then and unforgettable person will walk into my life. Over the years, I have met many such people. Just knowing them helped to make me a better person.

That being said, let me introduce you to Pastor Ethel Mae Brown, 96, and still preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I met her right after I had accepted the Lord as my personal savior, back in the early 1960s.

She lived in Vero Beach but would come to Miami for the annual Pentecost meeting in the spring, and for the Holy Convocation meeting in the fall. I was in awe of her from the start. I was 23, and she was about 11 years older. What drew me to her was her unwavering faith in the Lord. She was married and the mother of six. Her baby was 2 and had been stricken with what her doctors calle, an incurable brain disease.

The first time I heard the story of how she came to the Lord -- she had bargained with the Lord. She said, Lord if you heal my child, I will serve you for the rest of my days.

The Lord healed her child and Sister Ethel (as she was called back then) kept her part of the bargain. She dedicated her life to the Lord, winning others over to Christ whenever she could.

A couple of years after here child had healed, Sister Ethel was called to the ministry and was appointed pastor of The Church of God Tabernacle (True Holiness), a small congregation in Vero Beach.

Today in Vero Beach, on her 70th pastoral anniversary, The Church of God Tabernacle family, in Miami, Belle Glade and Valdosta, Georgia, will pay special tribute to this feisty little lady, who embodies the word holiness. In doing so, we are honoring a woman who had enough nerve to bargain with the Lord and then have faith enough to believe that He would do what she asked of Him.

It was through faithful and loving people of God like Pastor Brown, that I learned to trust the Lord and to believe that He would answer my prayers. I was a newly widowed mother of two a year after I met Pastor Brown. I needed to hear her testimony. I needed to know that God was real and true to His word. She taught me that.

Like I said, some people come into our life, and we are better because we met them.

Pastor Brown is one of them.
The Supreme Courts new major questions doctrine in administrative law holds that, because the court will presume that Congress intends to make major policy decisions itself, not leave those decisions to agencies, it will not allow a federal agency to act on major issues unless there is clear congressional authorization for the power it claims.

With this remarkable legal innovation, the Supreme Court might as well have transformed Fox News into a quasi-government entity with the power to amend federal law.

This rule purports to be in the service of democracy, an aid to carrying out the decisions of the peoples elected representatives.

The Supreme Courts enthusiastic deployment of this doctrine began in January 2022, when it blocked a workplace safety rule requiring that employees in large workplaces either be vaccinated for COVID or be tested weekly and wear masks at work.

The underlying statutes language is unambiguous: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration must issue an emergency temporary standard if the agency determines that employees are exposed to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful, when the standard is necessary to protect employees from such danger.

The opinions dissenters (Steven Breyer, Sonya Sotomayor and Elena Kagan) noted that the majority does not contest that COVID-19 is a new hazard and physically harmful agent; that it poses a grave danger to employees; or that a testing and masking or vaccination policy is necessary to prevent those harms.

But the court decided that the rule was too major to be enacted without specific authorization. It was a significant encroachment into the lives  and health  of a vast number of employees.

Evidently the majority presumed that Congress did not intend to give the agency the power to impose such an encroachment as a requirement to vaccinate or be tested for the virus. But theres no reason to think that the encroachment would have seemed burdensome in 1970, when the law was passed. People then remembered the terrors of measles and polio, and generally agreed that you would have to be crazy to expose yourself to those plagues.

But now, with the encouragement of the right-wing press, anti-vaccination ideology has roared back. And so the court has held that OSHAs reach has somehow retrospectively shrunk.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, concurring, explained that OSHA had improperly imposed the rule at a time when Congress and state legislatures were engaged in robust debates over vaccine mandates, 50 years after the law had been enacted.

Theres no ambiguity about what Congress actually wanted. The statute says that its aim is to assure insofar as practicable that no employee will suffer diminished health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his work experience.

Justice Kagan is right that the major questions doctrine is a get-out-of-text-free card. But Gorsuch thinks that this result is constitutionally required.

In another case involving the regulation of polluting power plants, the court observed that similar regulation has been the subject of an earnest and profound debate across the country. Gorsuch, again concurring, saw a relatively easy case for invalidation because whether these plants should be allowed to operate is a question on which people today may disagree.

When it invalidated student debt relief, the court again cited earnest and profound debate. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, concurring, stressed the importance of context when a court interprets a delegation to an administrative agency. But of course, debate today cant tell you anything about the context when the law was enacted.

In an important recent article, University of Michigan Law Professors Daniel Deacon and Leah Litman observe that, in these cases, the court determines whether a policy is major enough to trigger the doctrine by considering, among other factors, whether the policy is politically controversial now. This means that unelected, nongovernmental actors get to effectively amend otherwise broad regulatory statutes by generating controversy surrounding an agency policy.

In other words, an agency can lose authority to do something Congress has told it to do if, decades later, Fox News makes enough fuss about it. Whether the fuss has a legal effect depends on the discretion of unelected judges  not just the Supreme Court, but any district judge who can be persuaded to block a regulation that he regards as major. Add to this the caveat that the high court will probably be more skeptical of Harris administration regulations than of Trump ones.

This unpredictable thwarting of government action is best understood as reflecting a minimal-state philosophy that appears nowhere in the Constitution.

Having written a critical history of libertarian thought, I am sometimes asked whether libertarianism still matters in the age of Trump. The answer is yes, because Trumps judicial appointees evidently think they are promoting freedom when they exposes workers and their families to deadly diseases, heat up the planet and shut down debt relief.

Justice Kagan has observed that if broad delegations to agencies are not permissible, then most of government is unconstitutional. As I have said before: bad political philosophy can kill you.

Andrew Koppelman, the John Paul Stevens Professor of Law at Northwestern University, is the author of Burning Down the House: How Libertarian Philosophy Was Corrupted by Delusion and Greed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Opinion - Ukraine can finish this war, if Biden will only untie its hands

Shortly after the Russian attack on Kharkiv Monday morning, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, posted on X that Russia attacked Ukrainian civilians today in Kharkiv with ballistic missiles and aerial glide bombs. Forty-four people were injured, including seven children due to start school tomorrow. The U.S. condemns this and every attack on Ukraine by Russia.

The attack on Monday involved a mix of 35 missiles and 23 drones, all fired from within Russia  from Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Volgograd, and Belgorod Oblasts.

The previous week, President Biden had provided a statement about a similar Russian attack on Ukrainian civilians. I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russias continued war against Ukraine, Biden said. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken.The United States will stand with the people of Ukraine until they prevail.

What Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan seemingly fail to comprehend is that Ukraine will never prevail if it cannot fight back.

Weaken Russia and defend are not strategies that will allow Ukraine to prevail  only strategies that afford Russia the initiative and virtually guarantee more days like Aug. 26, Sept. 2 and now Sept. 3, when 41 Ukrainians were killed and another 180 injured in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.

Karel Rehka, chief of the general staff of the Czech Armed Forces, said it best, If we want Ukrainians to prevail, we have to let them bring the war to the Russian territory.

Would someone please tell the president? The Ukrainian civilian population has become the bill payer.

Condemnation does not stop the bombing. Neither have the air defense weapons sent to protect Ukrainian citizens. Shooting missiles, glide bombs and drones out of the sky is not the solution  destroying the weapon system and all their associated enablers (crews, radars, ammunition storage facilities, command and control networks) is the solution.

Ukraine needs deeds, not words. This begins with a release of restrictions on Ukraine striking Russian targets that present a clear and imminent threat, regardless of their physical location, with weapons provided by the U.S. and NATO. That means letting the Ukrainians use ATACMS, Storm Shadow, SCALP, F-16 fighter jets and whatever other weapon systems Ukraine deems necessary to strike Russian targets within Russia.

That is the same policy afforded to U.S. Central Command in the Middle East, where they routinely determine the Houthi weapon systems they destroy in Yemen to present a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region.

Biden should also consider the bipartisan proposal presented by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to authorize retired pilots from the NATO alliance and the U.S. to be hired by Ukraine to fly their newly acquired F-16 fighter jets, defending Ukrainian skies and providing close air support to ground forces.

There is historical precedent  the American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, were American pilots and ground crews, former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, recruited to fight on contract for the Chinese Air Force against the Japanese. Their service in that capacity was memorialized in a 1942 movie starring John Wayne.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has a plan to win the war, and he is bringing that plan with him to New York when he attends the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly this month. The question is whether anyone in the Washington establishment will embrace it.

He is slated to present the plan to President Biden and the two presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administrations persistent need to examine, re-examine and consider Ukrainian requests over the last 31 months has repeatedly given Russia time to react, and now reposition, upwards of 90 percent of the aircraft that conduct glide bomb strikes from Russian airspace away from airfields within range of Storm Shadow and ATACMS missiles, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

As retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army-Europe, has stated, This terrible policy, which actually protects Russian airfields better than it protects Ukrainian civilians, is a manifestation of the fact that we dont have a clearly defined objective.

Although the Russians have moved some targets out of range, there are at least 250 military and paramilitary targets in Russia that remain within range of the ATACMS missiles provided by the U.S.

Targets beyond the range of ATACMS can be struck by Ukrainian-made weapons. The Palianytsia missile-drone, described by Andrii Kharuk as a lightweight cruise missile, has a range between 300 and 450 miles. It was recently used to strike the Savasleyka military airbase, located nearly 413 miles from the Ukrainian border, destroying a MiG-31K and two Il-76 aircraft.

Former NATO Commander and retired Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove accurately summarized the situation Biden has created: This war is going to end exactly how Western policymakers decide it will end. If we keep doing what were doing, Ukraine will eventually lose. Because right now.we are purposely not giving Ukraine what they need to win.

The speed of Biden has been detrimental to Ukraines ability to prevail on the battlefield. Biden has one last opportunity, as he often states, to be on the right side of history. He must lift restrictions on Ukraines use of U.S. and NATO supplied long-range weapons and allow them to strike the list of targets they presented to senior officials in Washington last week.

Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Sweet served 30 years as a military intelligence officer. Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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People watch from a packed gallery as the Senate discusses a proposed constitutional amendment related to citizen initiatives during a special legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

The language that will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot asking voters whether to change the Utah Constitution to sidestep a recent Utah Supreme Court ruling on ballot initiatives has been finalized.

Anti-gerrymandering advocates with the group Better Boundaries decried the language as misleading. In response, the Utah Legislatures top Republican legislative leaders argue its straightforward and concise to help voters understand the core of the proposed constitutional change.

The question  written by Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz  that will appear before Utah voters on the ballot will read as follows, according to the official 2024 general election certification that Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson signed Tuesday.

Constitutional Amendment D

Should the Utah Constitution be changed to strengthen the initiative process by:

Prohibiting foreign influence on ballot initiatives and referendums.

Clarifying the voters and legislative bodies ability to amend laws.

If approved, state law would also be changed to:

Allow Utah citizens 50% more time to gather signatures for a statewide referendum.

Establish requirements for the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative.

The language that would be added to the Utah Constitution, according to the special session resolution that placed the question on the ballot, SJR401, would:

Make clear that notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the peoples exercise of their ballot initiative or referendum power does not limit or preclude the exercise of Legislative power, including through amending, enacting or repealing a law, by the Legislature, or by a law making body of a county, city, or town, on behalf of the people whom they are elected to represent.

Ban foreign individuals, entities or governments from directly or indirectly influencing, supporting or opposing an initiative or referendum, and allow the Legislature to enforce that ban.

A screenshot of the proposed amendment to the Utah Constitution in SJR401, containing language that would be added to the Utah Constitution if voters approve Constitutional Amendment D in the general election on Nov. 5, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch)

The issue

Voters will be asked whether to vote for or against changing the constitution. Voting in favor will enshrine in the Utah Constitution the Utah Legislatures authority to alter or repeal any voter ballot initiative passed by Utah voters  something Legislatures Republican leaders thought has been their authority, up until a recent Utah Supreme Court ruling in an anti-gerrymandering lawsuit said otherwise.

That July 11 ruling remanded the lawsuit over Utahs redistricting process back to district court, with all five of Utahs justices ruling that the district court erred when it dismissed the League of Women Voters claim that the Utah Legislature violated the Utah Constitution in 2021 when it repealed and replaced Better Boundaries voter-approved 2018 initiative that sought an independent redistricting commission. That litigation over the constitutionality of the Legislatures decision to adopt a watered-down version of the redistricting process  allowing lawmakers to ultimately ignore the independent commissions recommended political boundaries  now continues.

However, Utahs Republican lawmakers fear the ruling dramatically weakened their constitutional authority to repeal and replace ballot initiatives as theyve done in the past, claiming it effectively allowed ballot initiatives to become super laws immune to legislative changes. As a result, they argued it would invite California-style governance to Utah by allowing more lawmaking at the ballot box  something they argued could create chaos and strike at the very heart of our Republic.

Thats not necessarily what the Utah Supreme Court ruling explicitly said, though it does leave a question over how other ballot initiatives could be litigated. While the ruling makes clear the Legislatures power to amend government-reform initiatives has limits, the ruling also explicitly states this does not mean that the Legislature cannot amend a government-reform initiative at all.

Rather, legislative changes that facilitate or support the reform, or at least do not impair the reform enacted by the people, would not implicate the peoples rights under the Alter or Reform Clause, the ruling states.

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The opinion also says legislative changes that do impair the reforms enacted by the people could also survive a constitutional challenge, if the Legislature shows that they were narrowly tailored to advance a compelling government interest.

Rather than letting the Utah Supreme Courts interpretation of the constitution stand, Utah lawmakers opted to instead put the question before voters. If Amendment D passes, it will effectively render the Utah Supreme Courts latest interpretation moot. SJR401 makes that clear, by stating the constitutional amendment would be retrospective, meaning it would impact any past ballot initiatives, as well as future.

The debate

Anti-gerrymandering advocates argue legislative leaders fear of super laws are unfounded  and they said the Legislature is misrepresenting the issue to voters. Though the Senate president and House speaker characterized the constitutional amendment as one that would strengthen the ballot initiative process, anti-gerrymandering advocates argued it would actually weaken Utah voters power to reform their government through ballot measures.

The ballot language issued by legislative leadership is hopelessly slanted, Ryan Bell, a board member of Better Boundaries, said in a prepared statement Wednesday. It is not true that this amendment will strengthen the initiative process; it will weaken that process.

Bell said its also not true that the constitutional amendment, if it passes, will establish requirements for the Legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative; it will free them to override initiatives passed by the will of the people.

It is saddening to see legislative leadership compound their refusal to engage with the people on this issue with ballot language that is likely to mislead the people, Bell said. Better Boundaries and its many allies will ensure that the people of Utah see through these tactics.

The language of Amendment D refers to SB4003, a companion bill that the Utah Legislature also passed in last months special session thats contingent on voters passing the constitutional amendment.

That bill would make it slightly easier to successfully place a voter referendum (a petition to refer an existing law to voters for approval or rejection) on the ballot by increasing the window of time referendum sponsors have to gather signatures, extending it from 40 days to 60 days. It would also require the Legislature, if its amending a ballot initiative, to give deference to the initiatives general purpose  but it also gives lawmakers flexibility to amend the law in any manner if lawmakers determine it necessary to mitigate an adverse fiscal impact.

In response to a request for comment on complaints that the ballot language is misleading and why they chose to characterize the amendment as one that would strengthen Utahs ballot initiative process, Adams and Schultz on Wednesday issued a joint prepared statement.

Using clear and straightforward language is common practice and crucial for ensuring voters fully understand the measures they are deciding on, the Senate president and House speaker said. We recognize there will always be criticism, but our objective remains consistent  to provide a straightforward and concise description to allow voters to easily understand the core of the proposed changes.

Adams and Schultz also noted voters will have access to an analysis and arguments both for and against the constitutional amendment that will be included in their voter pamphlet. Under SB4002, another bill lawmakers passed during the special session that established an expedited timeline and process to place the question on the ballot, the House speaker and Senate president will appoint lawmakers who voted in favor, as well as lawmakers who voted against, to craft those arguments.

Modeling previous ballot titles was our guide as we drafted this constitutional amendment, Adams and Schultz continued. Those who label these efforts as deceptive are often the ones attempting to mislead voters.

Democrats call ballot language misleading

House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, and Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, told Utah News Dispatch on Wednesday they had been appointed to write the arguments against the constitutional amendment that will appear in the voter pamphlet. Both Democrats were frustrated with the ballot language, and agreed it was misleading.

I think it makes the average citizen distrust the Legislature even more, Romero said.

Escamilla noted that this year marks the first time the Senate president and the House speaker have written constitutional amendment language after the Utah Legislature earlier this year passed a bill, SB37, that took that responsibility away from the legislative general counsel and assigned it to the House and Senates presiding officers. Democrats and some Republicans voted against that bill, but it passed handily in both bodies.

Previously, Utah law required an impartial analysis of the measure to be prepared by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to be included in the voter pamphlet, but SB37 added an exception for constitutional amendments, allowing an analysis of the measure to be prepared by the House speaker and Senate president. In that provision, it doesnt require neutrality or unbias, Escamilla said.

Its very concerning, she said, when theres inaccuracies like that (in the ballot language).

Better Boundaries executive director Katie Wright has also said the provision in the proposed constitutional amendment to ban foreign influence is a red herring designed to entice Utahns to vote in favor. There is no evidence that foreign entities have contributed to any ballot initiatives or referendums in Utah, but legislative leaders have argued its meant to prevent it from ever happening in the future.

Romero also noted Utah already makes it very difficult for a citizen initiative to qualify for the ballot. Since 1952, Utahns have successfully placed 23 initiatives on the ballot, and only seven have passed. In the last 20 years, only three have succeeded, all in 2018 (medical cannabis, Medicaid expansion, and independent redistricting), and all of which were repealed and replaced by Utah lawmakers.

So I dont think this cry that were becoming like California is accurate, and I feel like were basically lying and were trying to distract the people of Utah while were taking away their voice, Romero said.

As Amendment Ds official language began circulating on social media, it prompted backlash from Democrats, anti-gerrymandering advocates and some Republicans opposed to the constitutional amendment decrying it as deceptive.

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, clapped back, writing in a post on X that the outcry underscored problems with ballot initiatives.

I wonder if those that complain about the language on the ballot know they are making the legislatures case? McCay posted. Initiatives mostly pass/fail because very busy voters only read what is on the ballot and DO NOT READ the actual language.

To McCays post, Ecamilla said theres an issue of trust with the Legislature, and regardless of smart comments on social media, she said theres a difference between the difficult task of voters gathering enough signatures and successfully placing a ballot initiative on the ballot and a constitutional amendment approved by the Utah Legislatures supermajority.

I find it a little bit offensive that we want to patronize voters. They are busy and it is convoluted, Escamilla said, but she added whats different and concerning with this ballot question thanks to SB37 is there is now bias in the language, which she said voters wouldnt expect.

So now not only do we need to educate the public about the impact of the constitutional question, (but also) now the way we ask the question is problematic, Escamilla said.

Romero said McCays post was snarky and disrespectful to Utahns, and this is why more than ever people need to vote against Amendment D to show (lawmakers) that the Utah Legislature is here to serve the people of Utah.

A Republican makes the case against

Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, was among nine Republicans (two in the Senate, seven in the House) who voted against putting the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot.

He told Utah News Dispatch in an interview Wednesday that the ballot language for Amendment D is deceptive  period.

It incorrectly claims that the effect of the amendment is to strengthen the initiative process, Ward said, when in fact the main change that is proposed will seriously weaken the initiative process.

He said that part of the proposed constitutional amendment gives the Legislature clear constitutional power to change or completely repeal any citizen initiative, at any point. And thats just put right in the Constitution. And the very first line of the language even gives that line of the Constitution precedence over any other line in the Constitution.

Ward said the second bullet point of the Amendment D question  clarifying the voters and legislative bodies ability to amend laws  is also misleading because it does not clearly communicate how the balance of voter initiative power and legislative power would change. While ballot initiatives require thousands of hours of work and donor money to gather signatures to even make it on the ballot, he said the Legislature will have the power to overturn it in one day, in a special session.

Ward said he worries that if the constitutional amendment passes, it will have long-term negative impacts on Utah governance.

Having ballot initiatives dont happen often, but they are an important check, and they are an important balance of power, Ward said. I believe if we lose that balance, which we could on this vote, that long-term Utah will not be as good as a place if we lose that little bit of balance of power.

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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Thursday she has no plan of leaving her country even as the Nicolas Maduro regime moves to imprison the leadership of her democratic movement.

Machado, who shared her outlook for the countrys democratic struggle in two public events on Thursday, said Caracas socialist regime is growing desperate and isolated amid claims that Maduro stole Julys presidential election, and that this makes him increasingly more dangerous.

Every day that goes by is harder and riskier. We face a ruthless regime that is willing to do anything in terms of forcing people, blackmailing people, threatening people and their families, and that has no limits to its cruelty, Machado said in a video press conference with foreign media.

Nonetheless, I believe my duty is to stay in Venezuela, to assist our teens and our people that are in prison or in hiding, and we are doing as much as we can to take care of ourselves, she added.

Her comments came a few days after the regimes Attorney General ordered the arrest of presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who alongside Machado currently heads the Venezuelan opposition, accusing him of forging public documents, conspiring against the government and promoting public disobedience.

The Venezuelan judiciary, which has often been described by the United Nations and other international organizations as a persecution tool subservient to Maduro, claims that Gonzalez and Machado have been conspiring against the government by forging the election tallies backing their claim that Maduro lost the election to Gonzalez.

Machado and Gonzalez have been in hiding in Venezuela for some time, suspecting that the regime would eventually move to arrest them alongside the close to 2,000 people Maduro has already detained as part of the latest wave of repression.

Claiming that Gonzalez defeated Maduro by margin of more than 2-1, the opposition published the official vote tallies, known as actas, gathered in more than 80% of the countrys voting stations.

Doubts about the official electoral councils results have also spread to the international community, leading a number of governments to repeatedly ask Maduro to produce the documentation proving his victory. To date, the regime has failed to do so.

Describing Maduros wave of repression as the worst seen by Venezuelans in recent years, Machado said that the Venezuelan people have courageously confronted what the world now understands to be a bloodthirsty dictatorship, and find themselves in the midst of an existential struggle that will define the nation.

That is why our movement is so strong and it is why it does not have a way back, she said.

The July 28 election demonstrated that Venezuela is no longer a polarized nation and that the vast majority of people want an end to Maduros dictatorship to regain their freedoms and hope for the future, she added, and that while the official tallies gathered by the opposition had Gonzalez wining by nearly 70% of the vote, that margin would had been closer to 90% had the Venezuelan voters who were forced to leave the nation in recent years been allowed to participate.

Machado said Venezuelas democratic movement is currently following a plan to confront Maduro and erode his internal support within the military and his security apparatus, but that protests against the regime have been carefully orchestrated in an attempt to minimize the risk of imprisonment for the oppositions supporters.

The fight for countrys freedom was never going to be easy, she said, emphasizing that Venezuelans are facing a regime that is essentially a criminal structure, but added that this time Venezuelans understand that this is a fight to the end.

Nevertheless, Venezuelans could use a more decisive reaction from the international community to hold accountable the regime leaders people responsible for crimes against humanity.

I certainly think that the United States should do much more. And Ive been very clear with them and with other countries, she said. I think that perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes against humanity should... be held accountable, because it sends a message to the rest of them that it is in their best interest not to commit those crimes.
Orano USA, a Maryland-based subsidiary of a global nuclear fuel company, will invest billions of dollars to build a centrifuge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge in the largest single investment in Tennessee history.

The project was announced by city, state and federal officials in a Sept. 4 event at the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center, near the 920-acre parcel of land set to be donated by the U.S. Department of Energy to the city and then transferred to Orano USA at no cost.

Though the investment total is unknown for the early stage project, state officials said it was the largest in Tennessee history, even bigger than the $5.6 billion Ford BlueOval campus outside Memphis.

The scope of the project is global. Orano, the France-based parent company of Orano USA, is a world leader in the nuclear fuel supply chain, from its uranium mines in Canada, Kazakhstan and Niger, to its methods of recycling used uranium fuel.

State officials and Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO and president of Orano USA, spoke of the need to help the U.S. compete with Russia and China on nuclear fuel and advanced nuclear reactors. Russia controlled more than a third of U.S. imports of enriched uranium before President Joe Biden signed a ban on the imports in May.

Orano previously had plans to build a similar multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment plant in Idaho, but had to scrap the project after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan led to a collapse in the market.

"The U.S. government has stepped up to restrict access to sources of enriched uranium, so we know that this is the right time and we really want to do this project," Palayer told Knox News. "The fact that we've selected Oak Ridge means a lot, because this region is remarkable."

Orano will begin the process of applying for a construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the facility could begin production in the early 2030s, Palayer said.

Orano USA facility was known as 'Project Ike'

For months, the project has been known only as "Project Ike" as Oak Ridge developed a tax incentive program in partnership with the state. The processing facility, which will create 305 direct jobs, will enrich nuclear fuel for commercial power and not weapons.

"I've know for a long time, as many of you have, that Tennessee is the leader, and certainly has had a historical place in leading, in nuclear energy for our country - in all things nuclear for our country. From the Manhattan Project to today, this region has been pivotal for the nuclear industry in America and in the world," Gov. Bill Lee said at the announcement.

In twin resolutions unanimously approved by the Oak Ridge City Council and Industrial Development Board in special morning meetings Sept. 4, the governing bodies supported a 50% tax increment financing deal over 40 years. The incentive allows Orano USA to hold the deed to the land during the lengthy regulatory process, according to a city council memorandum.

State officials, including Lee, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and Comptroller Jason Mumpower, signed off on the terms.

When Gov. Bill Lee announced the Orano USA project on Sept. 4, he reflected back on Oak Ridge's nuclear innovations throughout the past century. "From the Manhattan Project to today, this region has been pivotal for the nuclear industry in America and in the world," he said.

Orano USA is one of several companies building centrifuge technology to enrich uranium at low levels domestically. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, whose district includes Oak Ridge, helped appropriate $2.8 billion over the next year to support domestic uranium production.

Uranium enrichment companies Centrus, Orano and Urenco have submitted proposals for the funding, which Fleischmann told Knox News could be granted by the Department of Energy this month.

Oak Ridge reemerges as national nuclear hub

Officials said the Orano investment is a clear sign that East Tennessee, and Oak Ridge in particular, is reemerging as a global center of nuclear power as next-generation reactors become critical pieces in the international energy game.

"East Tennessee is becoming once again, after 80-plus years, the place the nation is looking for to lead the next nuclear race," Sean Gleason, Oak Ridge City Council member, told Knox News. "There's a global race for next-generation nuclear power. ... Countries like Russia and China are pushing their own solutions for this, and they're leveraging those to gain economic influence."

Gleason, president and CEO of Oak Ridge-based national security firm IB3 Global Solutions, said the Orano USA investment shows Oak Ridge is capable of another feat similar to the Manhattan Project.

"Let Oak Ridge win another race," Gleason said. "We've done it before."

In December 2023, the Roane County Industrial Development Board made a land transfer request to the Department of Energy, which owns about 37,000 acres in Anderson and Roane counties. The board will vote to transfer that request to the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board to make the process smoother for Orano USA.

The company is a "very high electric user," according to a city council memorandum, and will use the equivalent of 40% of Oak Ridge's current electricity load. The city council said the utility needs will add to the load, and will not affect current customers or future economic development projects.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, which will produce electricity for the facility, was a major player in the economic development discussions.

To help Orano USA make $15 million of utility preparations for the site, Roane County, the city of Oak Ridge and the state nuclear fund will each contribute $5 million. The nuclear fund was created by Lee in 2023 to position Tennessee as a national leader.

The initial resolutions supporting the project are "step one in what will be a lot of resolutions moving forward," Gleason said.

The city was unable to provide many details to the public or receive feedback before the details of the investment become public information because of competitive concerns. Members of the public will have chances to provide feedback in the future.

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

Jean-Luc Palayer, chief executive officer and president of Orano USA, said construction could begin in the 2030s after a lengthy regulatory review.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Orano USA announces multibillion uranium enrichment site in Oak Ridge
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man is dead after shooting at authorities who were investigating a parking violation, Oregon State Police reported Thursday.

According to OSP, the Lincoln City Police Department asked other agencies for assistance with the suspect who shot at officers around 12:42 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials said he fled the scene in a vehicle, and then on foot.

Beaverton nurse reported missing since Wednesday, police seek information

State police deployed a SWAT K-9 unit, which determined the suspect would be found at 1905 NW Jetty Ave. Occupants told officials they knew the suspect but hadnt seen him that day. Investigators later learned the suspect was inside the residence and secured a search warrant for the property.

Hours later, after midnight on Thursday, a SWAT team responded to the scene as negotiators made numerous attempts at communicating with the suspect as well as issuing verbal commands through a public address system.

OSP reported that he threatened officers multiple times before opening gunfire from inside the residence starting at 2:45 a.m. The agency said a residential fire broke out for unknown reasons, as the suspect exited through a window and onto the roof with a rifle in his possession.

Multnomah County declares state of emergency due to extreme heat

According to law enforcement, four SWAT members shot at the suspect after he refused to drop his gun. He then fell from the roof to the ground.

Authorities said they pulled the suspect away from the burning building, attempting to give medical aid. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
BALTIMORE  The outgoing president of the nation's largest denomination of Black Protestants on Thursday called out the ills of the nation, such as racism and Christian nationalism, and emphasized the importance of voter turnout ahead of the November election.

"We ought not to be arguing about trying to make America great again. We ought to be arguing about trying to make America good," the Rev. Jerry Young said. "Good for everybody."

Young has led the National Baptist Convention, USA for the past decade and instead of celebrating his tenure leading the denomination, he aired his grievances about the church, its role in U.S. political and social life and called on unity among National Baptists amid an ongoing controversy over who should succeed him.

Rev. Jerry Young, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, gives his farewell address as outgoing president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, which is the nation's largest Black Protestant denomination headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, at the convention's 2024 annual session at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

I want to suggest to you we live in a time in this country when this country needs National Baptists now more than ever before," Young said during his speech at the Baltimore Convention Center. "America is in a horrible place."

Young, who has served as the Nashville-based denominations administrative head since 2014 and the pastor New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, is exiting his denominational post at its 2024 annual session here in Baltimore this week.

The National Baptist Convention, USA, often known as the NBCUSA, is one of four major Black Baptist denominations in the U.S. and has between 5.2 million and 7.5 million members nationwide. It has a long legacy on issues such civil rights, criminal justice, housing, and has invested in voter rights initiatives. Outside its four-day annual session, Young and his administration and a board of directors help manage denomination business.

Youngs presidency has been credited with expanding ministries for disaster relief, public health education, and voter registration. The latter effort also helped raise the denominations profile to President Joe Biden, who visited Youngs church in 2020, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who addressed the convention at its 2022 annual session. Harris, now the Democratic nominee for president, has been associated with an NBCUSA-affiliated church.

Rev. Jerry Young, a Mississippi pastor and outgoing president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, is tearfully comforted by friends and family before giving his farewell address to the nation's largest Black Protestant denomination at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

Yet again, Young talked about the importance of voting ahead of the November presidential election. The NBCUSA president didnt outright endorse Harris, though some of his comments were critical of former President Donald Trump and current GOP politics.

The cost is too high for us not to go, Young said Thursday.

Despite being a conservative preacher  he is known for traditionalist stances on women leading ministry and LGBTQ+ rights, though the convention doesnt have an official stance on those issues  Young said there are greater issues at stake in the U.S. presidential election.

Young noted issues such as as racism and Christian nationalism, a right-wing movement that believes America was founded as a Christian nation, and bigotry.

I have not seen racism that is as obvious as it is today in my life, Young said. Systemic racism, bigotry and hatred seem to run the street like mad dogs."

Young addresses denomination election controversy

But the churchs ability to confront these challenges is hindered by convention disunity and disagreement, Young said in a direct rebuke to controversy over the NBCUSA presidential election.

Delegates at the Baltimore annual session voted in a presidential election on Thursday morning and the results are expected later in the day. The board of directors recently finalized a decision to restrict certain churches from nominating candidates for the presidential election, rendering four candidates ineligible for the ballot. Only one candidate, Connecticut pastor Rev. Boise Kimber, ultimately qualified for the election.

I know that its an unusual election.  And because its unusual and because its strange does not mean that somebody did something wrong, said Young, who had not previously addressed the denominations governance crisis publicly.

Young acknowledged there are legitimate concerns about procedure, but he also criticized those who have protested the process. The four candidates who ultimately didnt qualify for the ballot launched a joint protest earlier this year to mobilize supporters to vote against Kimbers candidacy.

The four candidates who led the joint protest, commonly known as the unity group, have said the board of directors deprived the full convention an opportunity to weigh in on important leadership decisions. But Young disputed that argument in his address.

You cant get in the middle of the process and then decide it ought to change, Young said. Im going to agree that a lot needs to change, and it does. But its in the 9th inning and you just cant change the rules.

The outcome of the NBCUSA presidential election is seen as a barometer for broader sentiment among convention delegates, whose votes represent the first and only opportunity the body politic has to express its view on this latest governance crisis.

Other National Baptist session news: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson cites faith in address to Black Baptist group

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Black church leader condemns bigotry, urges voter turnout
On many college campuses, mental health support begins immediately when students step foot on campus.

With that approach in mind, schools over Kentucky have in recent years begun expanding their reach to students through partnerships with outside companies and organizations that expand beyond the scope of a school.

The partnerships, university officials say, have improved what schools can offer students.

Were trying to reach people in a variety of different ways, because not everyone wants to come through a traditional counseling appointment. Not everyone is comfortable with that, said Tina Bryant, acting executive director of UKs counseling center.

Sarah Lipson, an associate professor in the Department of Health Law Policy and Management at Boston University and a principal investigator of the Healthy Minds Network, a national research project focused on understanding college student mental health, said colleges are starting to think of faculty as a campus mental health system.

Theres a very strong need for a public health approach, she said. Were not going to be able to staff our way out of this problem or address all the needs that students have through clinical services alone.

The approach prioritizes the prevention of such growing challenges as anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts through campus policies that create a sense of belonging among students.

Jefferson Community and Technical College, part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, partners with Spalding Universitys Center for Behavioral Health to counsel Jefferson students. For the upcoming school year, Spalding will be giving JCTC four student therapists who are finishing their doctoral program.

With the partnership, Jefferson students can access free mental health services on campus.

Of course, the four student therapists arent able to see all of the students. So, all of the students have access to either the (four) therapists, if their schedules permit, and if they dont, then they can meet with another student therapist over at (the Center for Behavioral Health), said Kimberly Duel, assistant vice president of student affairs for JCTC.

Outside factors can also contribute to students mental health and well-being, a focus of Bluegrass Community and Technical College with its partnership with Family Scholar House.

We are able to help meet our homeless students need. Or, say a student doesnt have gas to get to campus but theyre an online student, they may give them a gas card, said Anita Nelums, BCTCs director of counseling services.

Through the Family Scholar House, students can access MyKY.info, a free online app service that helps students and community members find services for what they are struggling with.

It was a pretty big deal in addition to what Anita was already doing with counseling, said Katelynn Ralston, director of marketing and digital strategies for BCTC. You have that in-person, but how do you access the people who dont want to do that or feel weird about asking for help, or feel ashamed.

Ralston said kiosks, sticker QR codes and brochures containing information for MyKy.info are around all seven BCTC campuses. On those handouts, there is no outward-facing information about the resources it provides to help combat the stigma surrounding mental health.

Nelums said MyKy.info is managed by Family Scholar House, not BCTC. The resources listed are all free and state-wide.

With more readily available access to technology, schools across Kentucky are looking to apps and providers who offer telehealth formats to help extend their reach. Denise Filey, a professor of psychology and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, said the push toward telehealth was a positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So many individuals were suffering mental health crises and emergency rooms were overrun, she said. The silver lining (was) that more digital health, telehealth, interventions were available.

Wilfley emphasized that telehealth can also be helpful for communities with more stigma around mental health.

There are different cultural groups that have feelings that they have less of a need for therapy, she said. Providing some services, like digital mental health that are more anonymous can be very helpful as well.

With many different models and approaches, Wifley said telehealth and service-connecting apps help college counselors and mental health staff prioritize different levels of intensity of services.

With the Triage, Referral, Assistance and Crisis Support (TRACS) Hub, the University of Kentucky can provide immediate support to students and analyze what their needs are.

UK also partners with multiple companies like Headspace, Stressbusters Wellness, Talkspace, Togetheralll and Welltrack Boost to offer many different approaches to its mental health support.

Murray State began a partnership with Timely Care in August that gives students 24/7 access to a mental health professional. Don Robertson, vice president for student affairs and enrollment at Murray State, said students can make appointments through Timely Care, but it is more often used for crises when the counseling center is not open, including breaks and weekends.

So some students prefer to see in-person counseling. Others, we think, well, we know, prefer to do it through telecounseling, Robertson said. The nice thing about this will be its available every day of the semester, in the summers, during breaks, holidays.

With a large portion of its undergraduate students at Murray State commuting to school, Robertson said the service is particularly good for those students, online students or those who attend one of Murray States five satellite campuses around the commonwealth.

Centre College has partnered with Seize the Awkward and Active Minds to help break the stigma surrounding mental help as well as provide students, faculty and staff resources if they are concerned about the well-being of a friend, student or family member.

Active Minds offers guidance on the dos and donts of talking with a friend or loved one struggling with mental health, Centres website reads. Seize the Awkward provides resources for starting conversations about mental health that can make a difference.

Centre also partners with the JED Campus Program, a nationwide initiative through the Jed Foundation which helps schools take a comprehensive look at their systems, policies and programs and how they can build on them to better support student mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention.

The University of Louisville is also working to become a JED-compliant campus, Geetanjali Gulati, director of the counseling center, said.

Essentially, what that means is that mental health has to infuse into every department, every aspect of the university because the counseling alone is not going to be able to see every single person, Gulati said. But what can happen is that every single person at the university (or) employed by the university begin to understand that they have a role to play, either in referring the student for mental health services or providing them resources.

Berea College plans to roll out its new partnership with Protocol Services during the fall, said Brad Stepp, director of counseling services. Protocol offers telehealth support for college students, who may not be available to visit counseling centers.

He said services like this are also helpful for students who dont want to speak to a counselor in person, or struggle with the stigma surrounding mental health.

Our counseling center, as a lot of counseling centers, are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., but that doesnt necessarily always fit with the students schedule, Stepp said.

So, being able to partner with a company that offers weekend availability, or night availability, for students to seek counseling. It just gives them a lot more options in addition to what we are already offering.
Owner of Florida caregiver company scams Medicaid out of $20K, AG Moody says

Owner of Florida caregiver company scams Medicaid out of $20K, AG Moody says

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The owner of a caregiving company was arrested for nearly $21,000 in Medicaid fraud, according to Attorney General Ashley Moody.

Jasmine Victoria Stanley, owner of Prestige Comfort Care out of Duval County, a personal care service for Medicaid recipients. According to officials, Stanley double-booked and charged Medicaid for medical services that were never requested by a recipient.

Family claims Florida doctor removed wrong organ in surgery, killing patient

This owner of a caregiving company intentionally double-billed the Florida Medicaid program for services not requested or rendered by the recipient, Attorney General Ashley Moody said. These fraudulent representations and charges resulted in nearly $21,000 in fraud for Florida Medicaid. Thanks to our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, this owner is now arrested, and her scheme is shut down.

Officials said she submitted several double billings and billed for services of ineligible employees. When Stanleys employment with a recipient ended in September 2023, she continued to use that employee for fraudulent billings.

Moody said Stanley was charged with a second-degree felony of Medicaid provider fraud over $10,000. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
(NEXSTAR)  A woman who used the semaglutide drugs Wegovy and Ozempic to lose weight and treat diabetes says the drugmaker didnt adequately warn her, or other patients, of the serious side effects she ended up experiencing.

Juanita Gantt told CBS News she was found unconscious on the floor last October. When taken to the hospital, doctors realized parts of her large intestine had died and needed to be removed, CBS reports.

She now has an ileostomy bag in place because her colon was removed.

Ozempic babies: Some users getting pregnant despite birth control

The medical emergency prompted her to file a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that makes Wegovy and Ozempic. (The drugs work the same way, but Wegovy is approved for weight loss and Ozempic is for diabetes.) Gantt claims Novo Nordisk doesnt warn prominently warn patients of the life-threatening side effects like the ones she experienced, such as stomach paralysis or bowel obstruction.

We are aware of the health challenges this patient has experienced and are sympathetic to her health journey. Patient safety is our top priority at Novo Nordisk, and we work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Nexstar in a statement.

These types of medications, which imitate the GLP-1 hormone to slow down digestion and reduce feelings of hunger, have been on the market a long time to treat diabetes, the spokesperson continued. There are known risks, as well as benefits, the company said. Those risks are outlined in Ozempic and Wegovys full prescribing information documents.

Ozempic face: Doctors explain side effect of weight loss drugs

The spokesperson said Novo Nordisk believes the lawsuit allegations are without merit and the company plans to vigorously defend against these claims.

What are the known side effects of Wegovy and Ozempic?

While Ozempic and Wegovy have been hailed in recent months as weight loss and diabetes miracle drugs, they have known side effects  from the aesthetic (Ozempic face) to the puzzling (Ozempic babies).

But there are more common side effects. Many of them are gastrointestinal: nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, constipation, bloating, belching, heartburn. Other common side effects are headache, fatigue, dizziness, low blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes, stomach flu, runny nose and sore throat.

The drugs also have more serious side effects, such as:

Thyroid tumors, including cancer

Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancras)

Gallbladder problems and gallstones, which may require surgery

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar

Kidney problems and kidney failure

Increased heart rate while you are at rest

Change in vision for people with type 2 diabetes

Depression or thoughts of suicide

Serious allergic reactions

While other gastrointestinal issues are mentioned in the 15-page prescribing guidelines for each of the drugs, stomach paralysis and bowel obstruction (the issues alleged in the lawsuit) arent referenced.

A study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at 16 million people who were prescribed GLP-1 drugs between 2006 and 2020. When compared with those using another weight loss drug called bupropion-naltrexone, those who used the GLP-1-type drugs had a four times higher risk of bowel obstruction or stomach paralysis.

The studys lead researchers said that these serious effects are rare, affecting only about 1% of patients, but people should still be aware of them and talk to their doctors if they have concerns.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
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Rewards rate

3% cash back on PayPal purchases

2% cash back on all other purchases

How to earn rewards

With this card, you wont need to worry about planning your spending or rotating categories. Instead, your business can earn unlimited 3% cash back on PayPal purchases and 2% unlimited cash back on all other business purchases.

How to redeem rewards

PayPal gives you the option to redeem your rewards as a statement credit, and you can also deposit them into your linked PayPal account. Youll need at least $1 worth of rewards to redeem them.

Additional benefits

Upon approval for the PayPal Business Card, you may get access to a virtual card you can use immediately via your PayPal Business Account. You wont pay extra for employee cards with this card, and you can customize users spending limits for convenience and added peace of mind. Benefits also include cellphone and identity theft protection, as well as two-year extended warranty coverage.

Further, its possible in-store purchases could qualify for the higher 3% cash-back rate, provided that retailers accept payments via QR code through the PayPal app.

Who is the PayPal Business Cashback Mastercard best for?

To qualify for the PayPal Business Cashback card, youll need to be in business for at least a year, have a PayPal Business Account, and make over $5,000 in annual revenue. Beyond its qualification requirements, this card is best for frequent PayPal users, as its rewards rate is highest for purchases made through that service. Another card might be a better choice if your business depends on another payment service to buy goods and services.

PayPal Business credit card pros

Decent, straightforward cash-back rewards

Virtual card may be used immediately upon approval

No annual fee

Free employee cards

Cell phone protection

Extended warranty coverage

PayPal Business credit card cons

New business owners may not qualify

No 0% introductory APR

No welcome offer

PayPal Business Account required

Not available to businesses in North Dakota and South Dakota

Where can you use the PayPal Business Cashback card?

The PayPal Business Cashback card is a Mastercard, so you can use it anywhere Mastercards are accepted, including internationally. You won't pay a foreign transaction fee with this card.

How to make a PayPal Business Cashback card payment

Online : You can pay online through your PayPal account

By mail: Mail a check to the address on your credit card statements.

PayPal Business Cashback card customer service info

Phone number: 1-866-300-6432, available 24/7

PayPal Business Cashback card login page

Alternative cards to consider

If you frequently use a PayPal Business Account to make purchases, the PayPal Business Cashback card could be a decent choice. That said, some competitor cards offer a longer list of perks. Here are some alternatives worth considering if the PayPal Business Cashback card doesnt seem right for you.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn $350 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional $400 after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months

Card type(s) Business, Cash-Back

Introductory Purchases APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months

Ongoing Purchases APR 18.49% - 24.49% Variable

Recommended credit score Good, Excellent Rewards rate 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined spending at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year 1% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025 Get a 10% bonus on the cash back you earn in your first year if you have a Chase Business Checking account on your card anniversary (available on cards opened between March and November 2024)

Learn more

Why we like it:

The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card has no annual fee like the PayPal Business Cash Card, but its generous welcome bonus sets it apart.

This cards reward structure is slightly more complicated than the PayPal Business Cashback card, but redemptions are also more flexible. You can use your cash back for cash, travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, gift cards, and more.

Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn $900 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months

Card type(s) Business, Travel

Introductory Purchases APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 Months

Ongoing Purchases APR 18.49% - 24.49% Variable

Recommended credit score Good, Excellent Rewards rate 1.5% unlimited cash back on every business purchase Benefits $0 annual fee 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months (18.49%  24.49% variable APR after that) You won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information

Learn more

Why we like it:

Fortunately, you dont need to choose between a card with a welcome offer and one with simple rewards because the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card has both.

And you wont need to worry about tracking categories or rewards caps, either. You simply earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on all your business purchases, and you can redeem your rewards for cash, gift cards, travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and more. The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card also has a $0 annual fee.

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card Rates & fees , terms apply Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first 3 months

Card type(s) Business, Cash-Back

Introductory Purchases APR 0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening

Ongoing Purchases APR 17.99% - 25.99% Variable

Recommended credit score Excellent/Good Rewards rate 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% 1% cash back on all eligible purchases after spending $50,000 per calendar year (cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement)

Benefits 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening (then variable rate 17.99%25.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening; APRs will not exceed 29.99%) Learn more

Why we like it:

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card also has a $0 annual fee and a welcome offer with a fairly low minimum spend requirement. As a card member, youll also get 2% cash back on up to $50,000 worth of business purchases each calendar year, and 1% cash back after that (cash back is applied as a statement credit automatically; see rates and fees, terms apply.)

This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the banks website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A sign directs voters in State College, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (Capital-Star photo)

Pennsylvania election officials must count provisional ballots cast by voters who find out or suspect that their mail-in ballots have been rejected, Commonwealth Court ruled Thursday.

The 2-1 decision, which is likely to be appealed to the state Supreme Court, reverses a ruling by a Butler County judge who ruled election officials did not have to count provisional votes cast by two voters whose naked mail-in ballots were rejected because they lacked secrecy envelopes inside the return envelopes.

In an opinion for the Commonwealth Court majority, Judge Matthew S. Wolf found the Butler County Board of Elections did not have a legal basis to refuse to count the voters provisional ballots. Judge Lori Dumas cast the dissenting vote but did not issue a separate opinion.

Todays decision ensures that if you make a paperwork mistake that will keep your mail-in ballot from counting, you can fix the problem by going to your polling place on Election Day and filling out a provisional ballot. This is an important safety net that protects the right to vote for Pennsylvania citizens, said Ben Geffen, senior attorney at the Public Interest Law Center. The center, a Philadelphia nonprofit, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, represented Faith Genser and Frank Matis, the voters in the case.

Lawyers for the state Republican Party and the Butler County Board of Elections argued in Commonwealth Court that the Election Code does not allow a voter to cast a provisional ballot if their mail-in ballot is received on time, even if it turns out to be fatally flawed and rejected. They did not return calls Thursday.

Thursdays Commonwealth Court decision is the latest in a series of cases interpreting changes to the state Election Code that allowed Pennsylvania voters to cast ballots by mail without an excuse for the first time in 2020. So-called naked ballots are among the flaws that have caused thousands of mail-in ballots to be rejected in recent elections.

Voting rights groups and political parties have been engaged in litigation over the vote-by-mail amendments for much of the last four years. The Butler County case is one of at least two the state Supreme Court is expected to resolve before the Nov. 5 presidential election, ACLU of Pennsylvania Legal Director Vic Walczak told the Capital-Star.

The Supreme Court has also received briefs Wednesday and Thursday in a Republican Party appeal of another Commonwealth Court decision last week. In a 4-1 decision, the Commonwealth Court ruled disqualifying mail-in ballots over missing or incorrect dates violates the fair and equal elections clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

In that case, the AFL-CIO, a group of nearly three dozen county officials, and legal scholars have weighed in on the side of the ACLU and Democratic Party arguing that the date requirement is immaterial and serves only to disenfranchise voters.

The Butler County court found that election officials are not required to count provisional ballots cast by voters whose mail-in ballots have already been received. Butler County President Judge S. Michael Yeager wrote that allowing the provisional ballots to be counted amounts to ballot curing or allowing voters to fix errors on mail in ballots.

The state Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that county election officials are not required to allow voters to fix errors on mail-in ballots.

Wolf, the author of the Commonwealth Court opinion, noted that the question of whether the Election Code prohibits counting provisional ballots when a voters fatally flawed mail-in ballot has been received is separate from whether a voter can cure an error on a mail-in ballot.

The Butler County director of elections testified in a hearing in Butler County court that while the countys policy allows voters to correct errors in the voter declaration on the outer envelope of a mail-in ballot, it has no policy regarding naked ballots.

Wolf said the majority interpreted the Election Code to give it the legislatures intent that provisional ballots serve as a safeguard against voters being denied their votes or casting more than one vote.

The General Assembly did not intend for those authorized provisional ballots to be rendered meaningless  whenever the elector has made an earlier but unsuccessful attempt to cast or vote a ballot, Wolf said.
RIVERSIDE, CA  A Riverside County man is facing up to 23 years in federal prison after he scammed the U.S. government out of over $3 million.

William Mandel Musgrow, 48, of Palm Springs pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to one count of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return.

The IRS investigation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Musgrow used one of his business entities to issue fraudulent W-2 forms. The forms falsely represented to the IRS that those named on them were employed by Musgroves various businesses, had received wages, and had federal tax withheld from their paychecks.

The W-2s either overstated income "or were wholly fraudulent as the recipient either did not work for the business at all or had no federal income tax withheld from their paychecks," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

In total, Musgrow issued at least 87 fraudulent W-2s and assisted in the filing of at least 87 false income tax returns. The scheme represented $2,769,600 in tax refunds, and the IRS paid out $2,136,630 of the requested refunds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Separately, during the spring of 2020, Congress created federal programs to provide financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm amid the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020 to August 2020, Musgrow submitted 14 false and fraudulent applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration and to banks for funding via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

In his applications, Musgrow made false statements, including the number of employees to whom he paid wages, falsely certifying that the loan proceeds would be used for permissible business purposes, and in some cases, that the businesses were legitimate when, in fact, they were not operating in any fashion and had no employees whatsoever, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

In his COVID-19 relief applications, Musgrow requested more than $1.9 million. Relying on Musgrows false information, the SBA and lenders approved and funded many of the loans, totaling approximately $970,000.



U.S. District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato scheduled a January 16 sentencing hearing, at which time Musgrow will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count and three years in federal prison for the tax fraud count.





Palm Springs Man Scammed Federal Government Out Of $3 Million: USAO originally appeared on the Palm Desert Patch
(KRON)  A Palo Alto man was arrested on Wednesday for making death threats to politicians over Instagram, the United States Department of Justice said.

According to a criminal complaint, Aaditya Chand sent direct messages on Instagram to a U.S. Representative saying, Im gonna shoot up ur office tomorrow u Palestinian scum, and Get ready.

Phony Silicon Valley inventor flees sentencing in San Jose, remains at-large

Chand, 22, also threatened to shoot a Florida state representative at an unknown date. The DOJ says he sent an Instagram message saying, Im gonna bring a gun to ur office tomorrow and shoot u and ur staff.

Chand was charged with transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat to injure a person, which is a felony. The DOJ did not name either of the threatened politicians, as they are considered victims.

If convicted, he faces a maximum charge of up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The charges came at a time when political violence is a talking point in the United States. Former president Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt over the summer, and locally, Paul Pelosi was injured in his own home by an intruder in 2022.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  The facility off Nautilus Street is going to be a beehive of activity.

Its the new Panama City Beach firefighter training facility at Fire Station 30.

City officials cut the ribbon on the new facility Wednesday morning.

Youre only as good as your training and were going to provide the best training for our team because we know our community deserves it, Fire Chief Ray Morgan said.

The centerpiece of the structure is a 4-story fire tower, equipped with a burn room and movable walls to create different layouts.

Panama City Port Authority plans to extend East Terminal berth

The tower allows firefighters and emergency responders to conduct search and rescue exercises.

This building will allow us to train on just about every imaginable occupancy rate that you can train on. It has commercial and residential components to it, Morgan said.

Firefighters will perform rescue exercises daily. While some break down doors and rescue mannequins from the building, others stay outside using fire hydrants and ladders to deliver water through the wall breaches.

Firefighters practice extinguishing a live fire in the burn rooms.

Its really going to help them nail down consistency across the board from shift to shift down to the individual, Beach Safety Director Daryl Paul said.

All 54 of Panama City Beach firefighters will benefit from the tower, which may also attract new recruits.

Its always a plus when you have certain things like this that potential candidates are scoping out your department who they want to apply for and they see things like this that could potentially help draw some applicants, Paul said.

The fire rescue tower project has been in the works since 2019. The city received a state grant to pay for half of the $1.2 million cost.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  A Panama City man was arrested after authorities say he tried to solicit sex from a minor online.

Bay County Sheriffs Office officials first began investigating 48-year-old James Champion on August 15, after being notified by the FBI, who were conducting an online operation.

Champion had reportedly been messaging someone on an app that is marked as a flirt, singles service.

Multi-agency drug tasks force search warrant leads to four arrested in Okaloosa County

According to authorities, the back and forth then moved to Google chat where the conversation turned sexual and Champion began asking for pictures and wanting a secret relationship with the minor.

Champion is a registered sex offender, officials confirmed.

A search warrant was obtained on his email which authorities said they tied to the app he was using to communicate with the female minor.

Deputies said Champion did admit he made the account and knew the person he was talking to told him she was 14 years old.

He was booked into the Bay County Jail and is being held on a $105,000 bond.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
Paramount+ will premiere We Will Dance Again on Sept. 24. The film documents the Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist attack at the Nova Music Festival last year.

The premiere date is tied near to the first anniversary of the attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis and took roughly 250 hostages. To retaliate against Hamas after the attacks, Israel launched an offensive military action in Gaza with considerable loss of life in the region.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

The project from See It Now Studios features new interviews with more than a dozen survivors who were able to chronicle their harrowing experience to stay alive with exclusive cell phone footage. The doc also includes footage captured by other victims and Hamas ahead of the wider Israel-Gaza conflict.

The human cost of the Hamas attack in Israel and the war that followed in Gaza has been catastrophic for both Israelis and Palestinians, Susan Zirinsky, president of See It Now Studios, said in a statement. It is a painful story of unfathomable tragedy but also of bravery, sacrifice and heroism. This film is a document of history, of one of the attacks that began on Oct. 7 at 6:29 in the morning, she added.

We Will Dance Again is directed by Yariv Mozer. His other film credits include The Devils Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes and Ben Gurion: Epilogue, My First War.

Uncensored footage of the terrorist attacks previously screened in November at the Museum of Tolerance in West L.A. The project, Bearing Witness, featured 43 minutes of footage of acts committed by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens at the Nova Music Festival, which became an early target of the attack on southern Israel nearly a year ago.

The struggle of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin to survive the music festival attack, only to be taken hostage and more recently be among six hostages who were killed before the Israeli army could rescue them, is included in the film.

We Will Dance Again is a co-production of See It Now Studios, SIPUR and factual producer Bitachon 365, in collaboration with MGM Television and HSCC. Other co-producers include BBC Storyville, which will broadcast the documentary in the U.K., and Hot Channel 8, which will air the film in Israel.

The executive producer credits are shared by Emilio Schenker, Terence Wrong, Michael Peter Schmidt, Gideon Tadmor, Orly Arbell, Ariel Weisbrod, Sheldon Lazarus, Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner, among others.

Chris Grants Osmosis Global is handling worldwide TV sales rights for the documentary.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
TAKOMA PARK, Md. (DC News Now)  On Wednesday, officials said that a man was arrested after an indecent exposure incident that happened on Sligo Creek Trail in August.

Maryland-National Capital Park Police said that officers were investigating an incident that happened on Saturday, Aug. 17 in Takoma Park.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sligo Creek Trail sees increase in indecent exposure incidents

Police announced that they had arrested Jose Ivan Cordova-Blanco of Hyattsville for that incident.

Park Police asked that anyone who may have had any similar experiences of Cordova-Blanco exposing himself call 301-929-2748 or email CrimeTips@mncparkpolice.org.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Read the latest developments here.

Ukraine's parliament on Sept. 5 approved Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's resignation amid a broad government reshuffle.

Some 240 lawmakers voted in support of Kuleba's resignation, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The parliament also approved the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk with 255 votes. The legislature failed to gather enough votes for her dismissal on Sept. 4 after she did not come to the parliament in person.

Vereshchuk was present during the second vote, while Kuleba was not, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The dismissal of State Property Fund head Vitalii Koval was also approved on the second attempt.

Officials confirmed on Sept. 4 that the foreign minister had submitted his resignation letter, without naming a reason. A source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent that Kuleba "wanted out."

Kuleba has been in office since 2020. He has been at the forefront of Ukraine's efforts to engage its international allies and secure new partnerships since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Andrii Sybiha, Kuleba's top deputy, is expected to replace him as Ukraine's top diplomat.

Sybiha is a career diplomat who served as Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey in 2016-2019. He joined President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration as deputy chief of staff in 2021 and was moved to the Foreign Ministry in April this year.

Other top government officials who submitted their resignations this week include Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, Ecology Minister Ruslan Strilets, Vereshchuk, and Koval.

Many have been offered new positions in the government, including other ministerial posts.

"We need new energy today. And these steps (reshuffle) are only related to strengthening our state in various sectors. International politics and diplomacy are no exception," Zelensky said.

"I cannot predict today what exactly some ministers will do. The answers will come when they are offered certain positions."

Read also: Whos who in Ukraines biggest wartime government reshuffle

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A family is picking up the pieces after their home was destroyed during the storm on Sunday.

They live at the corner of Kaley Street and Osceola Avenue, near downtown Orlando.

The residents, who were outraged, blame the improvement project in Delaney Park for overwhelming the drainage system.

I was just enjoying the weather, and then I saw all this water just coming into our home. I immediately just turned the power breakers off. I didnt know what to do, said Anne Harrison, who purchase her home just a month ago. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Thats how much this will cost us.

Read: LIVE UPDATES: Student, 14, fatally shoots 4 people in rampage at Georgia high school

Video shared with Channel 9 shows the damage left behind after the storm.

Harrison explained that the stormwater took over the home within hours. This is probably 100 grand worth of wood floors starting here. You know, we have to do all new drywall cabinetry. Every everything is just settling in, said Harrison.

In the back of the home, the marks left behind show how high the water reached. This isnt a flood zone, and it wasnt a flash flood because it was due to their [the City of Orlando] negligence, doing orange, doing Delaney, closing up our storm shutters or storm drains, said Harrison.

Read: Heavy rain issues flood warnings across Central Florida

The residents say they reached out multiple times to the city and city officials for support since Sunday, but with no success.

Everything went to voicemail, its pathetic, said Steve Harrison, Annes husband. I have asked for sandbags now as a preventative since my first point of contact. And I have got none. I had to fill it myself, buy it myself.

The City of Orlando issues the following statement about the case :

City crews continue to assess areas throughout the city that experienced flooding after excessive rainfall from weekend storms; in some areas more than five to six inches fell within a matter of hours.

Crews were immediately mobilized over the weekend with vacuum trucks to help relieve any areas that had storm systems or inlets blocked.

The drainage systems generally work as designed, but no system could handle that volume of rain in that short period of time.

Once the rain subsided, the water receded fairly quickly. Again, many parts of the city experienced this flash flooding.

As a matter of prevention, Public Works crews regularly lower lake levels in anticipation of heavy rainfall, as well as taking erosion control measures.

Should residents experience a flash flood, they are encouraged to contact 911.

These rain events can occur in a matter of minutes. We remind residents:

Stay informed as flash flooding can happen in a moments notice,

Avoid driving through standing water,

Residents who have debris in their yard should bundle and secure it, then place it on the side of their home to avoid clogging storm drains and prevent flooding.

Never place yard debris on or near storm drains.

To report flooding, residents may also contact 407.246.2238 or fill out an online report. The City and the Florida Department of Transportation continue to monitor, remove or maintain drainage erosion filters and barriers that are required during infrastructure projects when heavy rains are expected.

Attached are examples of items that clogged the drains over this weekend  including branches, garbage bags, leaves, mulch and other debris.

As far as sandbags, both the city and the county provide them during storm events with advance warning, such as hurricanes, but again in this case, this was a flash flood with extreme rainfall.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  On Sunday, August 4, 2024, Patricia Diane Layton, loving wife, mother, grandma, sister, aunt, sister-in-law, cousin, and friend, passed away at the age of 72.

Diane was born on November 11, 1951, to Minerva Rimple and Joseph Herbert in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Find obituaries from your high school

At the tender age of ten, she and her loving brother Peter Trevor left Trinidad and moved to England, eventually landing in Youngstown, Ohio. There, she graduated from East High School in 1969 and met the love of her life, Myron Layton. Diane and Myron were married on February 20, 1970. From this union, Tiffany Michelle, Elizabeth Ann, and Myron Christopher were born.

As a teenager, Diane first came in contact with the Watchtower magazine because of her

loving stepfather, Dennis Green, who displayed them on the table in their home. Many years later, while living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Diane was contacted by Jehovahs Witnesses and immediately accepted a Bible study, dedicating her life to Jehovah, symbolized by her baptism on January 11, 1976. Diane had a special place in her heart for her bible teacher, Bertha Collier, who later became one of her spiritual mothers. With the support of her loving husband, Myron, Diane raised her three children to love Jehovah. She generously sacrificed her time in the full-time ministry as a pioneer for several years.

Dianes love for her family was unwavering and a defining aspect of her character. She fiercely protected her little brother Peter, a trait that continued as she raised her children. Although she was protective, Mommy never hesitated to offer correction when needed. Dianes grace and elegance earned her the affectionate nickname Lady Di . She had an eye for fashion and beauty, always believing in the importance of looking ones best. Her sense of style and grace left a lasting impression on those around her. Diane loved studying the Bible and was an excellent Bible teacher. She always displayed patience and love for her students. Some of her favorite Bible verses were 2 Samuel 22: 2, 3, and 20.

Diane was proceeded in death by her husband, Myron, sister-in-law Brenda Nicholson, mother-in-law and father-in-law Roy Ann and Norman, two nieces Lisa and Lara, and her parents.

Left to cherish her memory are her loving children, Tiffany, Elizabeth, and Myron; her

cherished grandchildren, Amaya (Deon), Alyssa, Devin, Savannah, and Lara Ann. She is

also remembered by her supportive brother, Peter (Vicki); two special nieces, Nicole

and Patricia (her namesake); brother Dennis Green and a symphony of nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends.

A dinner for family and friends will be held September 7, 2024 at The Womack Center, 1172 Park Hill Dr. Youngstown, Ohio at 4:00 p.m.

F. D. Mason Memorial Funeral Home Inc. was given the honor to serve the family during this time of bereavement. Thank you allowing our staff to serve your family as we would be served since 1963.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
A van on a rescue mission rolled to a halt in a lot behind PAWS Chicagos medical center in Little Village Wednesday afternoon. When the vehicles side doors slid open, the beagles inside began to howl as if to celebrate the end of a successful journey.

The three adult beagles  plus three puppies and 16 cats  had traveled more than 300 miles to Chicago from the Humane Society of Southern Illinois in Murphysboro, near Carbondale. The shelter is scheduled to close later this year due to increasing costs and lack of adequate funding, among other reasons, according to PAWS Chicago.

Chicagoland always helps out in times of need, said Tom McFeeley, a PAWS Chicago employee.

Indeed, thanks to the expansive space of the no-kill animal welfare organization, it can board around 300 pets at two Chicago locations, and because of its lifetime return policy, the animals will be taken care of for the rest of their lives.

Once an animal becomes a PAWS Chicago pet, it is always a PAWS Chicago pet, McFeeley said.

If you adopt a pet today, we will take it back tomorrow. We will take it back 10 years from Tuesday, he said. It doesnt matter because we want the pet to be happy and to live.

In the short term, the organization counts on its large network of volunteers willing to foster pets for a temporary amount of time.

McFeeley said the closure of the Human Society of Southern Illinois will make shelter overcrowding, a ubiquitous problem, even worse in the southern part of the state.

When natural disasters or other shelter closings cause shelter overcrowding in areas across North America, PAWS Chicago can lean on its foster network and encourage people to adopt so that it can take in pets from those areas in dire need to relieve overcrowding pressures, McFeeley added.

PAWS Chicago has flown in stray animals from faraway places including Texas and the Caribbean.

Tori Binelli, a PAWS Chicago staffer, told the Tribune why locals should adopt animals like the beagles and other rescued animals.

You get constant companionship. Binelli said. You get a wonderful friend, a weird guy, to live in your house. I have a cat, and he entertains me endlessly because hes just so silly and does so many different things, and I take many pictures of him. I have camera rolls full of him.

Other animals who enter Chicago shelters are not as fortunate as the ones who arrived at PAWS Chicago Wednesday.

National animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society released new data Tuesday indicating that in 2023, of the more than 30,000 pets that entered animal shelters throughout the greater Chicago area, about 2,700 were unnecessarily killed because they found themselves temporarily homeless.

A report from Chicago Animal Care and Control about the citys shelter shows that more than 3,300 cats and dogs were euthanized in 2023.

Binelli said she is aware that potential pet owners might be afraid about shelter pets being different from animals one could obtain from a breeder. But Pinelli pointed out that pet owners wont truly know if they will get along with a shelter pet or a pet from a breeder until well after adoption.

You do your best. You get your pet but then you have to learn their personality, Binelli said. You have to figure out how they work in your house, and you have to work with them.

McFeeley said some people discover that they are drawn to a pet that is deaf or blind or maybe has some other sort of quirk.

The dog tends to pick you, or the cat tends to pick you, he said.
Boston Public School leaders are touting a new tracking system as buses roll back to school this week. The city announced a three-year deal with the Zum app, and Boston 25 News wanted to get a closer look at how the system will work.

We hear from parents all the time over the last few years about what its like when theyre not sure where the bus was, or how late it came, or what to do if they cant coordinate pickup times, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said. Its a common concern for parents of school-aged children. Will their student make it onto the correct school bus, reach the right destinations, and do it all on time?

Now, Boston Public Schools is aiming to tackle that problem with tech by using a solution thats often close at hand. If you are a parent on your phone, you will be able to see your student get on the bus and know that thats happened. Youll be able to watch the bus in live GPS format, said Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Mary Skipper.

Its an app called Zum. It was developed by a mother of two and launched in 2015. Parents of Boston Public School students will download the app, and use unique login information to access the system. Theyll be able to see their childs exact location during their ride, which is tracked through each childs RFID card.

The Zum app gives parents peace of mind, says Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Zum, Sarah Skinner. They can view their childs upcoming rides, track their childs rides in real-time, receive notifications when the vehicle is en route, approaching, and when their child has safely been picked up or dropped off.

School and district administrators will also have this access. Theyll be able to use Zum to track bus locations on a live map with ETAs that account for traffic delays. In the drivers seat, the Zum platform allows bus operators to preview the students on their routes while receiving turn-by-turn directions. And if a child suddenly wont be taking the bus, parents can cancel their ride on the same morning.

Boston Public Schools tested the Zum app over the summer with about 300 students. As a result, administrators decided to expand the app from five to ten languages. Zum is currently serving 4,000 schools in 14 states, in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.

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Penn State set to request an increase of $40 million in state funding next year

Editors note: This story was updated on Sept. 6 during the full board of trustees meeting.

Penn State is poised to request a $30 million increase in state funding for its 2025-26 general support appropriation after the universitys board of trustees approved the request Friday.

The universitys total general support appropriation request will be $272.1 million. The funding is used to offset the cost of tuition for in-state undergraduate students and supports Penn States academic mission.

The universitys board of trustees committee on finance and investment recommended the request on Thursday and it was unanimously approved by the full board on Friday.

The overall appropriate request is $391.5 million, which includes a request for additional funding for things like Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania College of Technology. In total, the university is requesting a $40 million increase.

General support funding has remained flat at $242.1 million since 2019-20, according to a release from the university.

Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has previously advocated for an increase in funding to match the per-student funding of other public universities in Pennsylvania. In the release, she said Penn States funding per in-state tuition is below the national average and among the last of public universities in the state.

The requested appropriation would be in addition to any money Penn State is awarded through the states new performance-based funding model. Thats expected to be enacted for the 2025-26 funding cycle.

This appropriation request, if approved and coupled with additional state support from a robust and fair performance-based funding system, will strengthen our work to keep a Penn State education accessible and affordable for all Pennsylvanians and prepare our students to fill critical needs in the states workforce, Bendapudi said.

When divided equally among the in-state undergraduate students, Penn States current general support appropriation amounts to $5,789 per student. The release highlights what other state-related universities receive in state funding per student, including Temple, which receives about $10,809 in state funding per student, and the University of Pittsburgh receives $9,538 per student. Universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education receive $9,526 per student, the release states.

To match the per-student funding levels of Pennsylvanias other public universities, the commonwealth would need to appropriate to Penn State an additional $156 million in general support funding for 2025-26. Recognizing such an increase would be difficult to achieve in one year, Penn State is proposing a $30 million increase in its general support appropriation as an incremental step to close the funding gap, the release states.

Last September, the university requested an increase of $120.1 million for its 2024-25 appropriation.

If the state legislature and governor approves the request, Penn State said it would use the additional funding for need-based student aid and other student success services to support access and affordability, to cover cost increases and deferred maintenance on education facilities, invest in academic programs and provide salary increases for faculty and staff.

Overall the universitys $391.5 million appropriation request includes:

$272.1 million for general support, an increase of $30 million over the 2024-25 funding

Agricultural Research and Penn State Extension: $61.7 million, an increase of $4 million over 2024-25 funding

Pennsylvania College of Technology: $39.3 million, an increase of $5.3 million over 2024-25 funding

Penn State Health and the College of Medicine: $16.1 million, an increase of $765,000 over 2024-25 funding

Invent Penn State: $2.35 million, representing level funding from 2024-25
Pennsylvania court rules in favor of voters who did not use secrecy envelope

(WHTM)  Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Court has ruled in favor of two voters whose provisional ballots were rejected after they were notified their mail-in ballots were missing the provided secrecy envelope.

The court ordered the Butler County Board of Elections to count provisional ballots cast by two voters in the 2024 primary election. The two voters mail-in ballots were found to be fatally defective and were not counted because they did not use the secondary envelope.

Pennsylvanias mail ballots are sent with two envelopes for voters to use, the inner secrecy envelope in which the ballot is placed and a larger mailing envelope where the secrecy envelope is placed.

However, the two voters were notified by the county, went to their polling place, and submitted provisional ballots that were also not counted. The court ruled that the provisional ballots should be counted after the voters followed the proper procedures.

The County has a ballot curing policy, but the Code independently authorizes electors to vote by provisional ballot, and, when properly construed, it requires the County to count the provisional ballots here, wrote Judge Matthew Wolf in the 2-1 majority opinion. That does not depend on any ballot curing process, whether optional or mandatory. The provisional ballot is a separate ballot, not a cured initial ballot.

Provisional ballots were implemented more than 20 years ago for this very reason, to be sure that voters who want to participate in elections had their votes counted without human error getting in the way, Marian Schneider, senior policy counsel for voting rights at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. This decision provides statewide clarity about this voting-rights issue, setting a precedent for all Pennsylvania counties. Were going to keep working to be sure that voters ballots are counted without unnecessary barriers leading to them being disqualified.

Last week the court also ruled that disqualifying voters who failed to properly date the outer mail-in envelope violates the state constitutions clause that addresses free and equal elections.

Both rulings come as county Boards of Election in Pennsylvania are preparing to send out their initial batches of mail ballots for Novembers election.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Pennsylvania man received an aggregate sentence of nine to 18 years in prison in connection with the abduction of a girl from her Grand Island home last year, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced.

Dale R. Kumler, 26, of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania abducted the victim in May 2023 after meeting her online while playing Xbox, officials said last year. The two used different methods to communicate.

Officials said that Kumler admitted to picking up the victim on Grand Island to investigators, but then allegedly lied that he had dropped her off in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

After a search warrant was obtained for Kumlers Pennsylvania address, authorities located the victim on the premises, officials said. The victim was later reunited with her family and was not believed to have been injured.

The case against Kumler was prosecuted by the York County District Attorneys Office in Pennsylvania, and he pleaded guilty in May 2024 to charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and unlawful contact of minors.

As a result of Kumlers sentence in Pennsylvania, the Erie County District Attorneys Office agreed to dismiss the charge of second-degree kidnapping against him in New York State. The agreement was made with the consent of the victim and the victims mother, the DAs office said.

This agreement protected the victim from potentially further traumatization by reliving her experience through testimony while ensuring that the defendant received a significant sentence of incarceration for this crime, said Acting Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane in a release.

I commend the Erie County Sheriffs Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI for their work in this investigation, which resulted in the quick apprehension of the defendant and the safe recovery of the victim. Also, I want to thank the York County District Attorneys Office for their successful prosecution of this case and working with the victim, the victims mother, and our office on this agreement.

As a father, I cannot imagine how difficult this has been for the victim and the victims family, said Erie County Sheriff Garcia in a statement. My thoughts and prayers are with them. With Mr. Kumler receiving a significant prison sentence, justice is being served.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
(WHTM) Pennsylvania State Police are actively searching for a missing and potentially endangered woman in Chester County.

Annette Zuckerman, 54, is a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes. According to police, she is 56 and approximately 120 lbs.

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Zuckerman was last seen at her residence in Thornbury Township in Chester County on Sept. 4 at 10:00 a.m., said police.

Zuckerman was last seen wearing a tie-dye t-shirt, shorts, glasses, and a satchel bag.

Anyone with information regarding Zuckermans location is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Avondale Station at 610-268-2022. Reference incident number PA2024-1156052.

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For people without insurance, updated Covid-19 shots are no longer free of charge at pharmacies

The rollout of updated Covid-19 vaccines has begun in the United States, but for the first time, the shots will no longer be free of charge for people without insurance at their local pharmacy.

Earlier in the pandemic, vaccines were purchased by the federal government and free for everyone. Last year, as the shots transitioned to the commercial market, the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Bridge Access Program provided free Covid-19 vaccines to adults without insurance and those whose insurance didnt cover all vaccine costs. The program ended last month due to lack of federal funding.

This means that purely uninsured people do not have access to get free Covid shots and so if they went to their pharmacy to try to get one, theyd come with a cost, said Lori Freeman, chief executive officer for the National Association of County and City Health Officials. About 26 million people in the United States are uninsured.

We know that cost, at this moment in time with the economy, is even more of a burden than ever, Freeman said.

Most people with private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid will still be able to get vaccinated at no out-of-pocket cost, but for adults without insurance or those whose insurance does not cover the vaccine, getting the updated shot at a pharmacy could cost $201.99.

The change may catch some people by surprise.

CVS Pharmacy has posted information on its website about how much the updated Covid-19 vaccines may cost without insurance, said CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault. On a Q&A page on its site, it urged people to check whether their insurance plan covers the vaccines and if CVS is in-network.

During the last several months, Walgreens has been educating its pharmacy team members on the discontinuation of the Bridge Access Program, Walgreens corporate spokesperson Samantha Stansberry said in an email Tuesday.

Our pharmacists are aware of the changes and can assist any patients who have questions, Stansberry said. Walgreens remains committed to driving equitable and convenient access to life-saving vaccines. We will continue to work with patients eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine to determine the best and most cost-efficient way to receive one.

In some states, there might still be free shots available to some people. The CDC announced last month that it is distributing $62 million to state and local health departments to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to adults who wouldnt otherwise be able to afford them.

States can order Covid-19 vaccines now, a CDC spokesperson said in an email Thursday. The program will provide vaccines through the 2024-2025 fall and winter respiratory season.

We expect the supply in states to continue to increase, the spokesperson said. These funds will enhance immunization programs through support to state and local health departments, which will work with vaccine providers in their states to make them available.

Once a health department receives the vaccines, some may decide to host public vaccination clinics or events, Freeman said.

Even with the end of the Bridge Access Program, Freeman said that many state and local health departments still would like to be involved in making updated Covid-19 vaccinations accessible to the public.

We want the local health department to be a primary provider with the state and to have that continuous public health program, Freeman said. There has to be a way to both leverage the need to get vaccines safely in the hands of public, but also recognize the permanent role of the health department as a provider.

Covid-19 levels in the US are very high and rising, according to wastewater surveillance data from the CDC. Levels have been rising since May and are already as high as they were in December of last year. Hospitalization rates related to Covid-19 also remain elevated, particularly among adults 65 and older and children under 2 years, according to the CDC.

Last season, an estimated 22.5% of adults and 14.4% of children were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with updated shots.

People still should make a commitment to get vaccinated against Covid-19 with the updated shots this fall, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

If youre insured, you ought to check with your insurance company to find out what the parameters are around getting vaccinated. Your vaccination should be free under the Affordable Care Act, Benjamin said.

If you are uninsured or underinsured, then you should check with your state or local health department and see what provisions theyre making for uninsured and underinsured people. Some of the state and local health departments, understanding this is a problem, are working with their governors office or mayors office to find funding to provide access to vaccine. In most cases, if the vaccine is available and if they have vaccine, theyll be able to provide it for you at either no cost or reduced cost, he said. And there are some pharmacy assistance programs that should be available for Pfizer and Moderna.

CNNs Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

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MIDLAND/ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  The Permian Basin Metropolitan Planning Organization is asking for public input to help shape transportation in the area through the year 2050. Community members will have multiple opportunities to participate, including digital engagement activities on its website.

The organization is looking at the areas transportation needs through 2050, considering all modes of transportation, including motorized vehicles, bicycles, walking, public transportation, freight and goods movement, as well as air travel. These needs will then be matched with recommended transportation projects, which will be prioritized for funding.

ALSO: Several new local projects included in TxDOTs record infrastructure investment

You can make your voice heard in future transportation projects on the Forward50 website here. You can also learn more about the plan and ways you can participate as the plan progresses.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Person on scooter in critical condition after vehicle struck them near campus

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, Ohio (WCMH)  A person on a scooter was struck by a vehicle Wednesday evening and left seriously injured, police said.

Police said they responded to a call at 9:24 p.m. of a pedestrian struck near campus at W Woodruff Avenue and N High Street. Dispatchers said the call indicated the victim was on a scooter, and they were then transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Dispatchers said the vehicle was still on scene when officers arrived, but had no other information regarding the victim or vehicle that hit them.

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SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO)  Here are this mornings top stories with KELOLAND On the Go.

South Dakota is now home to a paralympic silver medalist. Yankton native and University of South Dakota freshman, Miles Krajewski, took home the medal in mixed-doubles badminton on Monday.

Always a dream: Krajewski reflects on silver medal

The city of Sioux Falls has a message for people with ash trees. Now is the time to start thinking about removing them if you havent treated them for the emerald ash borer.

The dangers of dead ash trees

Crews have been working around the clock, and are expecting their containment percentage to jump up by the end of the next shift in the First Thunder fire that started Monday.

First Thunder Fire update: Crews are working to slow it down

Rapid City police need your help locating two people that they want to question about a recent shooting. They believe 20-year-old Loretta Bettelyoun and 16-year-old Tyrell James Yellow Thunder were at a home on East Fairlane Drive when a boy was shot Monday.

2 people wanted for questioning in Rapid City shooting

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
"I'll do what they want, but I'm not going to do it their way," Etienne Constable told The Washington Post after the city of Seaside, California, ordered him to build a fence to cover the boat parked in his driveway. In July 2023, Constable received a letter from the city, saying the municipal code requires that boats be hidden by a 6-foot fence. Threatened with a citation and fine, Constable enlisted the help of his neighbor, muralist and graphic artist Hanif Wondir, to paint the fence to look exactly like the space it was built to cover up.

The post Photo: When the City Says Your Boat Needs a Fence appeared first on Reason.com.
CORRECTION: In the story, we mistakenly included Sunnyside Dispensary in New Hartford as one of the legal dispensaries in our area. The Sunnyside Dispensary is a medical cannabis dispensary, and therefore falls under different laws and regulations separate from the laws mentioned here. We have deleted that particular dispensary from the list of legal cannabis dispensaries in the area, as well as DOSHA in Oneonta, as it would not fall under the laws included in the article.

UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY)  Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente introduced two new laws that he hopes will crack down on unlicensed cannabis sales and regulate tobacco paraphernalia sales.

In my State of the County Address earlier this year, I vowed to shut down the illegal cannabis shops that are plaguing communities across Oneida County and to regulate how smoke shops sell the tobacco and nicotine paraphernalia that are targeting our youth, Picente said in a statement. These two new local laws will put the power back in our hands to take control of this untenable situation and improve public health for all.

The first law would authorize the Oneida County Health Department to conduct regulatory inspections on unlicensed cannabis retailers. The law would also allow the Health Department to issue violation notices, impose fines, secure illegal cannabis and issue shutdown orders.

In the law, Picente established a fine of $2,500 for the first violation, $5,000 for a second violation and $10,000 for a third violation and all violations thereafter. It also established a maximum penalty of $25,000 per each unique instance or violation.

It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 illicit cannabis shops doing business in New York State, Picente said in a statement. These illegal, unregulated shops pose a public health, safety and welfare risk and are not paying the required taxes or fees. We must eliminate them.

The second law  which was named the Smoking Paraphernalia Retail Control Act, or SPRC  will establish a system for licensing and inspecting stores that sell paraphernalia to smoke tobacco.

The bill will require any retailers that sell the following to receive a license from Oneida County:

Pipes, including water pipes,

Hookahs,

Rolling papers,

Leaf (such as tendu leaves),

Electronic pipes,

electronic cigarettes,

electronic tank devices, or

any other device that allows a person to inhale tobacco or nicotine.

Stores wishing to obtain a license will need to pay $2,500 to Oneida County and must be renewed every two years. Separate licenses will need to be obtained for each location, and retailers must be over 1,000 feet from any school, daycare or park. Locations must also be a quarter mile from any other paraphernalia retailer.

The Oneida County Health Department will also conduct inspections to ensure compliance. Violators of the law could have their paraphernalia seized, as well as further penalties. Violators may also be forced to shut down if egregious violations are found.

Retailers that are found to sell the paraphernalia without a license or selling them to people under 21 or employing anyone under the age of 18 could be subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per day.

The use of tobacco and nicotine is one of the greatest public health threats of our time, as it is linked to 13 types of cancer and 25 chronic diseases, Picente said in a statement. While the use of cigarettes has fallen, the use of vapes and waterpipes has skyrocketed, particularly among young people. Studies show that smoke shops increase the use of tobacco and nicotine products, especially when they are located near schools. Cracking down on this access will go a long way to protecting our children.

In order to give retailers time to comply with the law, the SPRC Act will take effect after 180 days of its filing with the New York State Secretary of State.

Picentes laws will be presented to the Oneida County Board of Legislators at a special meeting on Wednesday, October 9. You can find a video of this mornings press conference here. You can read the introduced laws below:

Unlicensed Cannabis Sale Law

Smoking Paraphernalia Retail Control Act

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com.
'Pillowcase Rapist' to be released, could be making his home in L.A. County again

A violent sexual predator is set to be released and could be making his home in Los Angeles County.

The proposal to house the man once known as the "Pillowcase Rapist" in the Antelope Valley town of Juniper Hills has brought calls from Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Dist. Atty. George Gascon for residents to voice their concerns.

Local officials were notified Tuesday that the Antelope Valley had once again been selected as home for Christopher Evans Hubbart, who targeted young women in their homes across the San Gabriel Valley in 1972 and years later resumed raping in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Gascon, who opposed Hubbart's release, said attorneys in his office would seek to block his placement in the Antelope Valley. The decision now rests with the Los Angeles Superior Court, which has scheduled a hearing for Oct. 1.

Read more: Mini horses, parakeets among 81 animals killed in 3-hour gun rampage, officials say

Continuing to release sexually violent predators into underserved communities like the Antelope Valley is both irresponsible and unjust, Gascon said in a statement. "We must demand more from our judicial system, ensuring decisions serve the best interests of our communities while exploring alternative locations for these placements.

Barger issued a statement late Wednesday opposing the plan.

"We cannot allow our rural communities in the Antelope Valley to be magnets for housing sexually violent predators," Barger said. "Thats simply unacceptable.

She cited spotty cellphone coverage, inconsistent internet service, interruptions to telephone landlines, and long wait times for law enforcement response as a "clear recipe for failure."

A representative from Gascon's office was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Juniper Hills town council Wednesday to explain the sexually violent predator conditional release program.

Hubbart, who became known as the "Pillowcase Rapist" for his habit of covering his victims heads with pillowcases, was indicted in Los Angeles on charges of rape, sodomy and attempted rape, accused of breaking into the homes of 10 women. He pleaded guilty to some of the charges and was sent to a state hospital as a mentally disordered sex offender.

After his release in 1979, Hubbart moved to the Bay Area and began attacking again. Two years later, he was arrested and later convicted of rape, burglary and other crimes. He spent nearly eight years behind bars. In all, court documents show, Hubbart admitted to at least 44 sexual assaults over 18 years.

Prior to his release, the Santa Clara County district attorneys office asked a court to have him committed to a state mental hospital under the Sexually Violent Predator Act. The law allows violent sex offenders to be confined to hospitals if they are considered likely to offend again. Hubbart was committed to the Department of State Hospitals in 2000, Gascon's statement said.

Read more: The Mexican Mafia Tapes: Secret recordings reveal greed, betrayal  and a deal with the feds

In 2014, then-Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey opposed his initial placement in the Antelope Valley. After briefly living near Palmdale, Hubbart was returned to Coalinga State Hospital for failing to meet the terms of his release.

In March 2023, the Santa Clara County Superior Court granted his conditional release and determined that he should be placed in Los Angeles County.

The California Department of State Hospitals notified the Los Angeles County sheriff Tuesday that it had recommended that he be placed in Juniper Hills, a community near Pearblossom in the southern part of the Antelope Valley.

The placement hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Department 113 at the Hollywood Courthouse. Members of the public can attend remotely using this link.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN)  The third annual Pink Walk will return to the area later this month, and with it a chance to support breast cancer awareness month.

On Friday, Sept. 27 at Mercy Health Springfield Cancer Center, residents are invited to participate in the yearly Pink Walk.

Our goal is to raise awareness! Know your body, know the changes, know when to call your doctor, do your preventative screenings, and know your family history, said Tracy Adrian, a breast health navigator at the cancer center.

Upper Valley Career Center breaks ground on $18 million expansion

The center says that the highest breast cancer rates in the state come from Champaign and Clark Counties. The fee to register for the Pink Walk is $30. Participants will receive a t-shirt and a goody bag.

The entirety of the proceeds will go to the Mercy Health Breast Patient Assistance Fund, the Breast Cancer Endowment Fund of Clark County, Sisters United for Prevention, and Breast Friends Forever of Champaign County.

Events besides the walk are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. and the walk itself will begin at 5:30 p.m. Following the race, an afterparty will be held at Mother Stewarts Brewery in downtown Springfield.

For more information, call Tracy Adrian at 937-523-8640.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Sacramento City Unified School District is setting forth plans to improve conditions for Black and disabled students in response to its 2023 settlement with the Black Parallel School Board, but the independent monitor tasked with creating and enforcing the plans alleges problematic delays in implementation due to bureaucratic district behavior.

In 2019, the Black Parallel School Board (BPSB) alongside three students petitioned the court to reform the districts procedures to identify and provide accommodations for all eligible students, claiming that the current system resulted in segregation and mistreatment of students with disabilities, particularly Black students with disabilities. The two parties settled the case four years later on the condition that the district abide by a BPSB-recommended action plan to help these students.

San Francisco Coalition of Essential Small Schools, the independent monitor selected by BPSB and the district, recently submitted its action plan that includes a detailed investigation of the districts current practices, list of directives and a timeline for the district to meet the goals delineated in the settlement agreement. The monitor will also be responsible for enforcing it and holding the district responsible for adhering to the policy and program changes.

The plan includes 22 directives with 166 actions to improve academic outcomes for Black and disabled students.

Despite spending a year on the plan, some directives could not be fully developed due to a lack of cooperation from the district.

The independent monitor wrote in their plan that while Sacramento City Unified administrators continually expressed alignment with the goals of this settlement and a strong will and desire to advance the effort, district staff posed several barriers to completing and implementing the plan in a timely manner. The monitor describes several outstanding data requests, poor communication among district staff and botched efforts at public outreach that have stalled the process and soured some of the goodwill the district earned by expressing its desire to comply with the settlement agreement.

Attempts to gather necessary data to complete a comprehensive plan have been stalled based on what the independent monitor says seems to be a larger district culture that translates to impediments in accomplishing these data-gathering efforts. They wrote that despite being guaranteed access to this data by law, there were many behind-the-scenes negotiations with the district superintendent and unions which led to further delay, and that there seemed to be a lack of understanding that this access was necessary.

The barriers to access have proven formidable and are in direct conflict with the terms of the settlement agreement, which clearly state that the (independent monitor) is to have access to data, premises, and personnel, in compliance with (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and related laws, the plan reads. Currently, the (independent monitor) has concluded that the lack of results and poor access to data are in themselves data findings. The independent monitor also described a lack of access to most district administrators and school principals.

On a timeline of the process of creating the action plan, the monitor describes last-minute planning of an essential community meeting meant to familiarize school administrators with the work. The district sent a notice three days before the event and fewer than 10 school representatives from just six of the districts 75 schools attended. Attempts to gather feedback virtually after the meeting were fruitless, the monitor said.

Sacramento City Unified spokesperson Brian Heap affirmed the districts commitment to upholding the terms of the settlement.

While respectfully disagreeing with that characterization of the process, Sacramento City Unified recognizes the need for systemic changes, which is why we engaged in the transparent process of developing this action plan with independent oversight, he wrote in an email. We are fully committed to implementing the changes called out in the action plan, which as noted in the contents, will require strategy, planning, collaboration and expertise amongst all departments, labor partners, BPSB, and the community at large.

The school board will discuss the plans at its 6 p.m. meeting Thursday at the Serna Center.

Five years down, five to go

Darryl White, chair of BPSB, was not surprised to see reports of poor communication surrounding special education described in the monitors plan, but said that this is part of what BPSB is seeking to improve.

One of the directives deals with culture, he said. And in that directive were asking to change the culture completely as it relates to special education so that there is a higher level of communication and everyone knows what their part is to play when it relates to students with disabilities.

White said that despite the hiccups described by the independent monitor in the creation of the action plan, he is excited for its implementation. BPSB has been working for five years to spark change for Black and disabled students in the district and he looks forward to the implementation of what he says is a very comprehensive plan.

Its exciting  its one of those things where, well, the journey was hard. Five years is a long time, he said. Were hoping that we can get away from the ups and downs and get right to the work which is necessary to change the outcomes of African American students and all students with special needs.

Other directives detailed in the plan include reducing segregation of students with disabilities in school classrooms, reducing the disproportionate use of discipline on Black and disabled students and developing best practices for individualized education programs.

Also to be discussed at Thursdays meeting

 Sacramento City Unified will finalize its response to the scathing June grand jury report that said the districts special education department continues to utterly fail its most vulnerable students. Issues highlighted in the report are similar to those alleged in the BPSB lawsuit. In its draft response, the district largely agrees with the grand jurys findings and provides information about its efforts to turn the programming around, including the work they are doing as a part of the lawsuit settlement.

 The board will vote on Growth Public Schools charter renewal. Growth Public Schools had a hearing on its charter renewal at the last board meeting in August, prior to the more controversial St. Hope charter renewal hearings. The school received positive feedback from district staff and the board and is likely to get its charter approved for another five years.
A view from Black Elk Peak, within the Black Elk Wilderness in the Black Hills of South Dakota. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

The 1964 Wilderness Act celebrated its 60th anniversary Sept. 3. Diamonds are a gift for a 60th wedding anniversary and presumably represent strength, but from a humanitarian lens, diamonds have evolved to represent consumption and exploitation.

This duality resonates with the 1964 Wilderness Acts diamond anniversary and provides an opportunity to reflect on where we are now and what the National Wilderness Preservation System  wilderness  faces moving forward.

The Wilderness Act is exceptional. Unlike the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires the government to understand the possible environmental impacts of its proposed actions, unlike the Endangered Species Act, which protects only those species close to disappearing entirely, the Wilderness Act proactively protects ecosystems by minimizing human interference. Ecosystems and organisms within Wilderness simply exist on their own evolutionary terms, sculpted by climate, weather, and wildlife.

South Dakota wilderness areas

There are two federally designated wilderness areas in South Dakota:

Black Elk Wilderness in the Black Hills.

Badlands Wilderness Area in Badlands National Park.

The Wilderness Act is our promise to restrain ourselves from consuming wilderness in a way that degrades its future wildness. We experience wilderness on its terms  hiking, camping, canoeing, horseback riding, hunting, and fishing. The Wilderness Act prohibits us from developing, mechanizing, degrading, or manipulating wilderness, even with well-intentioned ideas.

Wilderness is rare. Although wilderness encompasses 150 distinct ecosystem types nationwide, wilderness comprises less than 3% of the contiguous United States, or about 5% including Alaska. Yet wilderness tempts special-interest groups. Surrendering to that temptation  creating exceptions for prohibited activities, the diamonds we exploit in wilderness  will undo the Wilderness Act. The turning point is already here.

One group teeters on the precipice of attaining a nationwide exception. The EXPLORE Act would permit rock climbers to drill metal into wilderness rock faces and leave these fixed anchors as permanent human footprints. One can hike without handrails, and one can climb without fixed anchors, but occasionally one must avoid a route that is otherwise too dangerous. But some climbers want their diamond! The House passed the EXPLORE Act and the Senate is considering it.

Groups are lining up behind the climbers. Utahs Sen. Mike Lee has introduced a bill that would amend the Wilderness Act to allow bicyclesmechanized transport  in wilderness. Exceptions are a cancer that will spread if ignored. Hand gliders are mechanized like bicycles, why not them? Electric bicycles are quiet bicycles. Electric bicycles have motors, so then why not motorized bikes, too?

Some argue that recreationists are the best wilderness advocates. But if a climber only cares about wilderness so long as she can use fixed anchors, or a biker only cares about wilderness insofar as he can bike there, do these folks really care about wilderness? Or are they more enamored by the sparkly allure of a wild place to recreate with their toys?

Recreationists are hardly the only exception-seekers. Some scientists argue for installations  which the Wilderness Act prohibits  to mine data. Installations are stationary or include tracking collars that researchers and agencies shackle onto wild animals after chasing them down with helicopters. Tracking collars disorient, chafe, and sometimes even kill animals, as one researcher discovered when he found a black bear that suffocated himself trying to remove his collar. State fish and game agencies want to tinker with animal populations for hunting or fishing. These exceptions, sought in alleged pursuit of science or conservation, degrade the lives of individual animals, ignore the role of unmanipulated control groups in scientific experiments, and undermine the Wilderness Acts mandate for untrammeled communities.

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Without restraint, wilderness dies. Half of the approximately 40 wilderness-related bills introduced to the current Congress create special-interest exceptions in proposed wildernesses or amend the Wilderness Act. These exceptions allow motorized use, mechanized use, installations, and wildlife manipulation. Alternatively, these bills draw absurdly gerrymandered wilderness boundaries so although a trail physically cuts through wilderness, the trail itself is technically not wilderness, and bikes can ride on through this loophole.

When asked why a wilderness bill allows exceptions, which normalize wilderness-degrading activities, Congressional offices point to stakeholders. Stakeholders want to exploit wilderness for their diamonds, and some conservation organizations  including nationally recognizable names as well as local groups  want the nominal win of a wilderness designation. Perhaps these organizations fail to consider the cost to creatures and their last truly wild sanctuaries. Worse yet, perhaps these organizations understand this market and intentionally traffic in diamonds.

We strengthen laws, follow them, or undo them. Currently, special-interest groups, abetted by Congress and some conservation organizations, are slowly undoing the Wilderness Act. This undoing leads to a future where wilderness becomes an arbitrary title, bestowed without a critical look at ourselves and our ambitions.

Unlike those whose support is conditioned on exceptions, the best wilderness advocates understand that wilderness is where we exercise restraint  where nature evolves without intentional human interference, where humans visit without mechanization, and where we refrain from harassing wildlife and degrading their habitat. Wilderness without special-interest exceptions should be our promise to wilderness for the next 60 years.

This commentary was previously published by the Daily Montanan, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. Follow Daily Montanan on Facebook and X.
New PM Barnier vows changes in France to improve 'serious situation'

Newly appointed France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier delivers a speech during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon. Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium via ZUMA Press/dpa

New French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has announced a fresh political direction.

There will be "changes and disruptions," the conservative politician told reporters in Paris.

France is "in a serious situation" and a new chapter is about to begin. "We will act more than we talk," said the 73-year-old former EU Commissioner and Brexit negotiator.

Barnier said he wants to "respond to the challenges, the anger, the suffering, the sense of abandonment and injustice that pervade our cities, our neighbourhoods and our rural areas far too much."

What is needed is more listening and respect between the government and parliament, between the political parties themselves and with the public, the new premier added.

French President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, appointed Barnier as Gabriel Attal's successor just under two months after early parliamentary elections produced no clear coalition.

Newly appointed France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier looks on during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon. Julien Mattia/Le Pictorium via ZUMA Press/dpa
Pokrovsk's train station has been closed for civilian evacuations due to a deteriorating security situation, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on Sept. 5.

Evacuations for civilians will depart from the train station in Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a city 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Pokrovsk, state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) announced.

Pokrovsk authorities urged residents to evacuate on Aug. 15 after Russian forces reached about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 1 that Russian troops accelerated their advance towards Pokrovsk over the previous week.

"The gathering of people takes place at designated safe points," the details of which are available on Ukrzaliznytsia hotlines, the company said.

Read also: Undistracted by Kursk offensive, Russia cuts deeper toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast

"Boarding points for rail transport will now be varied to comply with safety protocols."

Ukrzaliznytsia urged residents of front-line areas of Donetsk to evacuate quickly, to "not expose themselves and those who are evacuating them to greater danger."

Local administrations have been tasked with organizing buses to Pavlohrad for civilians from Donetsk Oblast who wish to evacuate, Filashkin said.

According to Filashin, 26,000 people remain in Pokrovsk, including 1,076 children. In the last month, 20,000 people have been evacuated, he said.

Pokrovsk had a population of around 60,000 in January 2022.

Read also: Thousands flee as Russian troops take one Donetsk Oblast village after another

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland backed away on Thursday from earlier claims that a drone had likely entered its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine in August, after a 10-day analysis and search for the object produced no results.

The NATO-member has been on high alert for possible incursions on its airspace resulting from Russian attacks on neighbouring Ukraine, and the announcement that an object thought to be a drone appeared on radars on Aug. 26 raised questions as to why it had not been shot down.

At the time the army said that weather conditions meant the object couldn't be identified with complete certainty, meaning that shooting it down could have risked hitting a civilian target such as a light aircraft.

However, after an extensive search failed to find any trace of a Russian drone, General Maciej Klisz, head of the Polish army's operational command, said that he believed the airspace had not been violated.

"As a result of the analytical activities undertaken, I currently state that with a very high probability there was no violation of the airspace of the Republic of Poland on Aug. 26," he told reporters.

He said, however, that violations of air space were likely to happen again during Russian attacks on Ukraine.

A stray Ukrainian missile struck the southern Polish village of Przewodow in 2022, killing two people.

In December 2023, Poland said a Russian missile had entered its airspace. In April 2023, a military object was found in a forest close to the village of Zamosc near the northern city of Bydgoszcz. It was later reported to be a Russian missile.

Also in March this year Poland said Russia had violated its airspace with a cruise missile launched at targets in western Ukraine.

(Reporting by Barbara Erling; Writing by Alan Charlish; Editing by William Maclean and Peter Graff)
Police: 2 Illinois officers in critical condition after being shot near Western Illinois University

MACOMB, Ill. (WTVO)  Two Macomb police officers were shot while serving a warrant near Western Illinois University. The officers are in critical but stable condition.

There is no active shooter at the university, according to police.

On the evening of September 4, the officials attempted to serve the warrant to the still-unidentified suspect in the 300 block of North Normal Street.

Both officers were shot and soon after taken to a local hospital. Police have yet to say if a suspect is in custody, according to FOX 32.

This incident is still under investigation and authorities ask people to avoid the area.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  A teenager was arrested in connection with a large-capacity semi-automatic firearm that was seized by Springfield police.

According to the Springfield Police Department, at around 8:25 p.m. Wednesday, officers were patrolling Adams Street and observed a large group of people loitering in a parking lot and smoking marijuana.

Ludlow man faces gun and drug charges during police detail to deter illegal street racing

A 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl who were previously arrested on firearms charges were found in the parking lot. The 18-year-old, Arianna Santiago of Springfield who had a default warrant from a June incident, was arrested.

The charges of Santiagos warrant were for possession of a large-capacity magazine/feeding device and possession of ammunition without an FID card.

The 16-year-old boy was arrested after police seized a Micro Draco semi-automatic firearm, which is a pistol variant of an AK-47, was found loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition (capable of holding 30 rounds), and marijuana was found inside the car.

The Springfield Police did not release the name and charges of the 16-year-old boy due to her age.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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A protester holds up a placard during a rally staged by the East Colfax Community Collective to address chronic problems in the apartment buildings occupied by people displaced from their home countries in central and South America Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AURORA, Colo. (AP)  Police in the Denver suburb of Aurora say a Venezuela street gang with a small presence in the city has not taken over a rundown apartment complex  yet the allegation continues to gain steam among conservatives and was amplified by former President Donald Trump in a Wednesday Fox News town hall where he said Venezuelans were "taking over the whole town."

The unsubstantiated allegation gained momentum following last month's dissemination of video from a resident in the complex that showed armed men knocking on an apartment door, intensifying fears the Tren de Aragua gang was in control of the six-building complex.

However, city officials indicate the buildings, along with two other apartment complexes, were run down because of neglect by the property manager, CBZ Management.

Aurora is a diverse city that has long grappled with crime and gangs, and police said they have so far linked 10 people to Tren de Aragua and arrested six of them, including the suspects in a July attempted homicide.

But in a visit to the apartments where the armed men were filmed, interim Aurora police chief Heather Morris said gang members had not taken over and werent collecting rent. The remarks came after Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said that criminal elements had taken over some unspecified buildings and were extorting residents.

Aurora Police agent Matthew Longshore reiterated Thursday in an email to The Associated Press that the agency has confirmed residents are not paying rent to gang members, but they found apartment managers are no longer sending representatives to the complex.

The City of Aurora is already taking legal action against Zev Baumgarten with CBZ for years of neglecting properties and numerous code violations after another building he managed in Aurora was shut down as uninhabitable. Its residents were evicted in mid-August. Trials for Baumgarten that had been scheduled for August and September have been delayed for at least six months.

CBZ didnt immediately return a telephone call seeking comment, and phone numbers listed for the two open apartment buildings managed by CBZ in Aurora were disconnected.

After residents held a news conference to speak out against the gang claims, Coffman, a Republican and former congressman, conceded he was not sure where the truth is in all of this. In an interview this week with Denver7 TV station, Coffman said the narrative that all of Aurora was unsafe was not true and harmful to the economic health of the rapidly growing city of more than 400,000 people.

Coffman wasn't immediately available Thursday to speak about the situation.

Trump has sought to capitalize on concerns over immigration as he seeks a second term in November. At Wednesday nights town hall, he repeated his call for mass deportations after overstating the gang situation in Aurora.

Take a look at Aurora in Colorado, where Venezuelans are taking over the whole town, theyre taking over buildings, the whole town, Trump said. You saw it the other day theyre knocking down doors and occupying apartments of people.

Among the nearly 1 million Venezuelan migrants who entered the U.S. in recent years were suspected gang members tied to police shootings, human trafficking and other crimes  yet theres no evidence that the gang has set up an organizational structure in the U.S., Jeremy McDermott, the Colombia-based co-director of InSight Crime, told the AP this summer. He published a recent report on Tren de Araguas expansion.

Social media posts about a video purporting to show migrants taking over a school bus in San Diego and a 911 call reporting Venezuelan migrants taking over an apartment building in Chicago have also gotten attention lately. Both were unsubstantiated.

Many of the immigrants from Venezuela and other Latin American countries who live in the Aurora complex say there are no gangs there, and they are being unfairly painted as criminals.

They pinned blame on New York-based CBZ Management for refusing to take care of bedbugs, rodents and constant water leaks despite monthly rent costing $1,200 or more. Residents fear they could be evicted, but the city said Wednesday there were no immediate plans to pursue that option.

The only criminal here is the owner of the building, Moises Didenot, who is from Venezuela, said Tuesday through a translator at a news conference in a dusty courtyard at the complex.

He showed reporters some mice he recently caught on sticky traps in the basement apartment he shares with his wife and 11-year-old daughter. Only two of the burners on their stove work, their ceiling fan is missing a blade and as soon as they clean their bathtub, mold quickly creeps back, he said.

Aurora officials said in an Aug. 30 social media post that they were taking the Venezuela gang's presence seriously and indicated more arrests were expected. They also said they would continue to address the problems that the absentee, out-of-state owners of these properties have allowed to fester unchecked.

The video helping fuel the unsubstantiated allegation showed armed men, including one holding a long gun, climbing up the stairs and knocking on an apartment door. The former residents who filmed it told KDVR-TV it was taken before a shooting at the complex on Aug. 18 in which a 25-year-old man later died.

An Aurora Police Department spokesperson, Sydney Edwards, said that police have been in possession of the video and seized evidence seen in it. She said she could not comment further about an ongoing investigation.

Aurora police have also announced a task force with local, state and federal enforcement agencies to specifically address concerns about Tren de Aragua and other criminal activity affecting migrant communities.

We will continue to investigate, pursue and arrest those who commit crimes, and we will maintain a robust presence at these properties, the city said in a statement Thursday.

__

Hanson reported from Helena, Montana.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Seven in 10 violent crimes reported to police in Ohio were not solved in 2022, marking one of the highest unsolved rates in the country, a new study found.

Researchers from the nonprofit Council of State Governments Justice Center analyzed data from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting System, to see which states had the highest rates of unsolved homicides, aggravated assaults, robberies and rapes.

A case is considered solved when an arrest has been made or the perpetrator has been identified, if they have died or cannot be arrested for a reason outside of law enforcements control.

The organization found that nationally, 63% of reported violent crimes in the U.S. went unsolved in 2022, meaning in a year, no one was arrested or prosecuted in over 800,000 cases. 47% of homicides, 59% of aggravated assaults, 74% of robberies and 77% of rapes were not solved.

Failing to solve violent crime means less justice for victims and their families, less trust in the justice systems ability to protect and respond, and a greater risk of retaliatory violence, the study said.

Although the crime rate in Ohio was 23% lower than the national average in 2022, Ohio was the state with the third-highest rate of unsolved violent crimes at 71%, according to the study. Specifically, 86% of rapes, 79% of robberies, 65% of aggravated assaults and 58% of homicides reported in 2022 were not solved.

The Columbus Division of Police had 4,082 violent crimes reported in 2022 and had an 85% unsolved rate, the nonprofit stated. The police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Columbus police followed closely behind the Akron and Cleveland police departments, which both had an unsolved rate of 87% in 2022, according to the study. The unsolved rates for other police departments in Ohio included Toledo (70%), Cincinnati (51%), Dayton (64%), Canton (66%) and Springfield (82%).

There are numerous reasons why a crime may go unsolved or become a cold case. Limited time and excessive workloads for investigators, budgetary constraints and the original investigator no longer being involved in the case due to things like relocation or retirement can affect whether a crime is solved, according to the Ohio Attorney Generals Office.

Additionally, case-specific factors such as a lack of physical evidence or uncooperative witnesses or family members of victims can result in a case going cold.

Florida topped the list as the state with the highest rate of violent crimes that went unsolved in 2022 (82%) followed by New Mexico (75%). Vermont (27%), Delaware (32%) and Idaho (41%) were the states with the lowest percentage of violent crimes that were not solved.

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Police find nothing of evidentiary value after searching new locations of interest in search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt

MANASSAS PARK, Va. (DC News Now)  Its been over a month since Manassas Park mom and nurse Mamta Kafle Bhatt disappeared, and detectives in Prince William County are expanding their search.

On Thursday, the Manassas Park Police Department said the Prince William County Police Departments Search and Rescue Team was combing through the following areas for evidence in connection to Bhatts disappearance; Blooms Crossing Community, the area surrounding Manassas Christian School, Camp Carondelet and a portion of Blooms Park.

Police said detectives identified these areas as locations of interest through a methodical review of recently obtained records.

Search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt continues over the holiday weekend

On Thursday, several Prince William County police officers and detectives could be seen near the Manassas Park Christian Middle School, near the woods.

(Zachary Coleman/DC News Now)

(Zachary Coleman/DC News Now)

(Zachary Coleman/DC News Now)

(Zachary Coleman/DC News Now)

(Zachary Coleman/DC News Now)

In an update, Mario Lugo, Manassas Park Police Departments chief of police, told DC News Now at 4:18 p.m. that the searches did not result in anything of evidentiary value.

Bhatt was last seen on July 31, according to police.

However, as the investigation into her disappearance continued, police arrested and charged her husband, Naresh Bhatt, 37, with prohibition Against Concealment of a Dead Body on Aug. 22.

Former US Attorney weighs in on Mamta Kafle Bhatt case, husband heads back to court

He is being held without bond.

Court documents obtained by DC News Now in August alleged that Naresh killed his wife in their home before dragging her body out and hiding it.

For several weeks, volunteers, friends and loved ones have continued to post flyers on trails and parks throughout the community in hopes of bringing Bhatt home.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Mo.  A man has been charged after a toddler was found dead inside a Montgomery City apartment Wednesday evening.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Montgomery City Police Department requested the assistance of the states drug and crime control division around 5:30 p.m. to investigate the death of a child.

Upon arrival, authorities found a deceased 2-year-old. Police also found drugs and other paraphernalia inside the residence.

This city in the St. Louis region named among fastest-growing in America

35-year-old Bryan Danter was arrested. He is charged with one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree drug trafficking, and one count for possession of a controlled substance.

An autopsy is being conducted to determine the childs cause of death.

Danter is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail. No further details have been released by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man visiting from Germany told officers he was drunk after he allegedly hit a man on a scooter while driving a rental car near the Las Vegas Strip, according to an arrest report.

Seyed Mehrabi, 21, faces charges of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, failure to decrease speed or use due car, open alcohol container inside a vehicle, and reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, records showed.

Seyed Mehrabi, 21, faces charges of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, failure to decrease speed or use due car, open alcohol container inside a vehicle, and reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, records showed. (LVMPD/KLAS)

On Sept. 1 around 7:30 a.m., Metro police responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Twain Avenue and Paradise Road. According to the 911 call, a man on a scooter was hit by a convertible black Mustang, causing him to be thrown into the intersection, police said.

When officers arrived they found the man, who appeared to be going in and out of consciousness, lying in the road. He had blood coming from his head and multiple broken bones. The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

According to witnesses and footage from a nearby Tesla, the convertible Mustang with California plates was driving eastbound on Sands Avenue at a high rate of speed when it drove up onto the median, causing all tires to flatten, and hit the man on the scooter from behind before leaving the area, the report said.

Around 7:34 a.m., while officers were attempting to locate the suspects, officers found the black Mustang with multiple flat tires parked in the center of a cul-de-sac in the 480 block Kolson Circle near Paradise Road and East Twain Avenue.

Police stopped two men who were walking toward the car and the driver was identified as Mehrabi. While officers were speaking with Mehrabi, he could not control his momentum and told officers that he was drunk. When officers asked if he would agree to a sobriety test, he said, You dont need tests, I am a little drunk, the report said.

Inside the Mustang, police also found an open single shot of what appeared to be alcohol near the drivers side door panel as well as a single shot of New Amsterdam Peach Dragon fruit flavor vodka, police said.

Mehrabi and the passenger of the Mustang told police that they were visiting from Germany and rented the Mustang in San Francisco and then drove down to Los Angeles and eventually to Las Vegas. They said when they arrived in Las Vegas, they met two men who convinced them to drive around the city. The two men were not found in the car when officers found Mehrabi and the passenger in the cul-de-sac, police said.

Mehrabi was arrested and brought to the Clark County Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 10.

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Police pay respects, say goodbye to former K-9 officer

Police pay respects, say goodbye to former K-9 officer

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Zeta, a retired Dayton Police Department K-9 officer, has died.

The Dayton Police Department announced the news on social media yesterday afternoon.

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of retired K9 Zeta. Zeta will be greatly missed, not only by Officer Nathan Speelman but all of us here at the Dayton Police Department, the post reads.

Courtesy of the Dayton Police Department.

Courtesy of the Dayton Police Department.

Courtesy of the Dayton Police Department.

Zeta served with the department for nearly 8 years, from July 2014 to February 2022.

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UPDATE (2:10 PM): NYSP has announced the arrest of 32-year-old Drew Garnier of Masonville on charges accusing him of stabbing his wife and kids, with his wife succumbing to injuries at the hospital later on.

Garnier has been charged with class A-I felony murder in the second degree for stabbing and killing his wife Samantha Garnier, 29, and two counts of attempted murder in the second degree for stabbing his children.

According to police, Samantha was airlifted to Wilson Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead. One child was to Wilson Medical Center and transferred to Upstate Medical Center. The second child was airlifted to Upstate Medical Center. Police say both children are expected to survive.

Garnier was arrested at the scene and taken to A.O Fox Hospital, then released and processed at Sidney State Police. He is currently in Delaware Jail on no bail.

A press conference will be held Friday, September 6 where more information will be available. Stay with News 34 for updates.

Courtesy of New York State Police

MASONVILLE, NY (WIVT/WBGH)  There is a police presence blocking off the dead-end street of Houck Road in Masonville.

A viewer close to the situation tells News 34 that police are potentially investigating the murder of a pregnant woman.

New York State Police are not releasing information at this time as the investigation is ongoing. Stay with News 34 and Binghamtonhomepage.com for updates.

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Police see alarming rash of drunk and impaired Tri-Cities drivers over Labor Day weekend

Drivers high on drugs or drunk slammed into bridges and homes and careened across lawns in alarming numbers over the Labor Day weekend.

Law enforcement officials in Benton and Franklin counties booked 18 drivers into jail for DUI between Friday and Monday.

The Washington State Patrol alone arrested eight drunk drivers across the Tri-Cities area, including part of Walla Walla County, Trooper Chris Thorson told the Tri-City Herald. That was up from six arrested during the same time last year.

One of the most serious was a 39-year-old semi truck driver hauling an excavator that hit a Highway 12 overpass near Burbank, southeast of Pasco.

The excavator was too tall and damaged some of the concrete and a highway sign when it hit the overpass about 7 p.m. Sunday, said Thorson.

A drunk semi driver pulling an excavator hit an overpass on Highway 12 Sunday, Sept. 1.

Washington State Department of Transportation inspectors checked out the condition of the bridge on Wednesday and are still evaluating what repairs will be necessary, said spokeswoman Meagan Lott. The shoulder of the road across the overpass is closed, but the sidewalk remains open, she said.

The driver, Oscar Caldera-Gurrola was arrested for DUI.

Other crashes and arrests involved incidents in Benton City, rural Benton County and Richland, where a man was found passed out behind the wheel with drugs, a gun and $13,000 in cash, said police.

A suspected drunk driver lost control of his car in the area of Locust Grove Road in Benton County.

Other Tri-Cities area crashes

The first crash in Benton County was early Saturday when a suspected drunk driver lost control of his car in the area of Locust Grove Road and South Glenn Miller PR Southeast. The rollover sent his passenger to the hospital, according to a sheriffs office Facebook post. Its not clear how serious the injuries were.

On Monday, Benton County deputies were investigating a 911 call made by an unknown person near the 1100 block of Horne Drive. As deputies approached a parked car, the driver pulled away the wrong direction on Horne Drive. They said they tried to stop her, but she sped up and was driving erratically.

A woman driver missed a curve in Benton City and crashed into a building on Horne Drive.

The woman lost control on a corner and crashed into an unoccupied building.

The woman, whose name was not released, needed to be extricated from the crushed car. Deputies said she showed signs of being under the influence of drugs and she was taken to a hospital.

About 10:45 p.m. Monday, a pickup truck landed in an irrigation canal on the 3600 block of South Gum Street, said Kennewick police. Officers found the driver, Antonio Burnett-Camacho, 29, nearby. He was not hurt and was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of DUI.

A pickup truck was half submerged in an irrigation canal in Kennewick late Monday.

At 11 p.m. Monday, a suspected drunk driver lost control of his car near South Nine Canyon Road just south of Highway 397 near Finley. The car crashed into a ditch. The two people inside suffered minor injuries, the Benton County Sheriffs Office said on Facebook.

Benton County sheriffs deputies say a suspected drunk driver lost control, injuring two passengers.

Drugs, gun and cash

Richland police and paramedics were called to check on a black Mercedes and drive at the corner of Douglass Avenue and Gillespie Street about 6:20 a.m. Friday.

Ricardo Castellanos, 48, was passed out in the car and they had trouble waking him up. Richland police Officer Eduardo Martinez said they believed the Pasco man was under the influence of fentanyl.

Inside the car, they discovered two bags of meth, individually wrapped bags of marijuana and also fentanyl, said officers. He also had about $1,600 in cash.

A further search of the car turned up two wads of U.S. currency, as well as a loaded .40 caliber pistol.

In all, police seized $13,000.
Munich police fatally shoot a man they believe was planning to attack the Israeli Consulate

Police officers patrol near a scene after police fired shots at a suspicious person near the Israeli Consulate and a museum on the city's Nazi-era history in Munich, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

MUNICH (AP)  Police in Munich exchanged fire with a gunman near the Israeli Consulate in Munich on Thursday, fatally wounding him. Authorities said they believe he was planning to attack the consulate on the anniversary of the attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics.

No one else was hurt in the shootout shortly after 9 a.m. in an area near the consulate and a museum on the city's Nazi-era history. Officers had been alerted to a person carrying a gun in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, and returned fire when he shot at them. The suspect, who was carrying an old long gun with a bayonet attached to it, died at the scene.

Five officers were at the scene at the time the gunfire erupted. Police quickly deployed about 500 officers to the area.

Police said the gunman was an 18-year-old from Austria, but investigators were still looking into his motive. They didn't give further details on the suspect, who left a car near the scene, except to say that he lived in Austria.

We have to assume that an attack on the Israeli Consulate possibly was planned early today," Bavaria's top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, told reporters at the scene. It's obvious that, if someone parks here within sight of the Israeli Consulate ... then starts shooting, it most probably isn't a coincidence.

Prosecutors and police said in a statement later Thursday they currently believe the plan was for a terrorist attack, also with respect to the consulate of the state of Israel, and that they are still investigating the man's motive.

Thursday was the 52nd anniversary of the attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which ended with the death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants.

There may be a connection  that must be cleared up, Bavarian governor Markus Soder said.

Munich police said there was no evidence of any more suspects connected to the shooting.

In neighboring Austria's Salzburg province, police said the suspected assailant, an Austrian with Bosnian roots, had come to authorities' attention in February 2023. They said that, following a dangerous threat against fellow students coupled with bodily harm, he had also been accused of involvement in a terror organization.

There was a suspicion that he had become religiously radicalized, was active online in that context and was interested in explosives and weapons, a police statement said, but prosecutors closed an investigation in April 2023.

However, authorities did issue a ban on him owning weapons until at least the beginning of 2028. Police said he had not come to their attention since.

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate was closed Thursday due to a memorial ceremony for the 1972 attack and none of its staff was hurt. The nearby Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the citys past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He wrote on the social media platform X that together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the shooting.

The head of Germany's main Jewish organization, Josef Schuster, said there could have been a catastrophe in Munich today and thanked police for intervening quickly.

Soder and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser reiterated their strong commitment to protecting Jewish and Israeli facilities.

___

Geir Moulson reported from Berlin. Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Berlin.
Police: Woman arrested for leaving the scene of a crash with a motorcyclist in West Melbourne

West Melbourne Police arrested 24-year-old Rebekah Makenzie Tate for a hit-and-run crash with a motorcycle in West Melbourne.

According to a police report, WMPD arrived on the scene Sunday morning, Sept.1, at the intersection of US 192 and Dairy Rd.

Tate was traveling east on US 192 approaching Dairy Rd when her vehicle crashed into a 34-year-old West Melbourne man riding a motorcycle.

The force of the crash caused the motorcyclists helmet to come off, leaving him in the middle of the roadway with life-threatening injuries.

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Tate fled the scene and pulled her vehicle into a parking lot with the motorcycle stuck under the front.

Tate attempted to remove the motorcycle from under her vehicle, according to the report.

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Tate is later seen on the phone before getting picked up by a black sedan.

Tate was later arrested Wednesday night, Sept. 4, and taken to Brevard County Jail, where she is held without bond.

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Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy and former President Donald Trump address a rally in Bozeman on Aug. 9, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy and former President Donald Trump address a rally in Bozeman on Aug. 9, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

A new comprehensive poll commissioned by Montanas AARP and released Thursday shows that incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester continues to fall behind incumbent Republican challenger Tim Sheehy, while economic issues top the list of concerns for most voters.

The poll, which utilized two polling firms, right-leaning Fabrizio-Ward and left-leaning David Binder Research, focused on issues and voters more than the age of 50, which play an outsized roll in the Montana electorate.

The research also indicates that incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte holds a strong lead over Democratic challenger Ryan Busse, who remains largely unknown in the polling data.

The results also show that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump maintains a sizable lead over Democrat Kamala Harris, while Montanas western Congressional district remains competitive with Democrat Monica Tranel trailing closely behind Republican incumbent Rep. Ryan Zinke.

Tester falling behind

While polls released so far have shown Tester behind, most have shown the three-term incumbent within the margin of error, making the race too close to call. But in the AARP poll, the combined polling, which had a margin of error of +/- 3.5%, shows Tester outside that margin.

The data also seems to provide an insight as to why the Montana Democratic Party is fighting to keep the Green Party off the ballot this year. In head-to-head polling, Sheehy maintains a 6-point advantage, but when the other candidates are added to polling, that grows to an 8-point lead  meaning that any votes siphoned from Tester could be critical.

The breakdown of voters in the U.S. Senate race paints a clear contrast of the deep divisions within Montanas electorate, which tend to run consistently throughout many of the races and issues. For example, Tester holds a strong lead among voters ages 18 to 49, up by a range of 1 to 7 points. However, Sheehy holds a commanding lead among voters over the age of 50, by as many as 17 points. Tester, meanwhile, holds a slight lead among female voters and independent voters; Sheehy holds a nearly 20-point lead among men.

Those divides continue into other categories, with Tester holding a lead among urban and suburban voters, but trailing by at least 20 points among rural voters.

One of the things that surprised pollsters was how well known Sheehy is among the electorate. Sheehy, a relatively new resident to Montana and someone who has never held political office, has a net favorability rating of +3 points, while Tester suffers from a negative approval rating with a -4.

Both candidates running for Senate are extremely well defined with more than 9-in-10 holding an opinion of both, the report said.

This demonstrates how much money is being spent on this race that only 7% of Montanans havent heard of (Sheehy) and-or hes undefined, said polling expert Bob Ward of Fabrizio-Ward.

The favorability of both Sheehy and Tester break down largely along the same demographics with women, urban and younger voters having a decidedly positive view of Tester, while older, male and rural voters holding a much stronger view of Sheehy.

Pollsters told the media at a briefing on Thursday that polling was conducted during the last two weeks of August and admitted that Sheehy has had a slew of negative news come out recently including a false claim of training in Glacier National Park, questionable business decisions, and making disparaging comments about the Crow people.

They also said that there are clearly issues that could see more traction with voters, including preserving Social Security and securing Medicares expansion.

One of the details of the polls shows that personal economic issues are the top concern, especially voters over the age of 50.

Sheehy holds a sizable 38-point lead over Tester with this group, said the poll results.

Among those older voters, Social Security and Medicare are the top issues, but the cost of housing and other personal pocketbook issues remain high.

The largest motivators for many older Montana voters centered strongly on preserving Social Security, and more than half of the respondents said that the program will be a major source of personal income.

As the poll drilled down into other issues, older Montanans are almost universally worried about property tax relief, with a whopping 95% saying they supported property tax relief. Another strong category of agreement among Montana voters is renewing Medicaid expansion at 74%.

We dont often see that kind of support, said polling expert Seiji Carpenter of David Binder Research. Usually, if numbers poll at 80%, its a sure thing, so to see property tax at 95%. But 74% support Medicaid expansion and that even includes two-thirds of Republicans.

While Medicaid expansion renewal is often thought of as a party-lines issue, the support to renew it is strong across all categories. Renewing Medicaid expansion has a 64% support rate even among voters older than 50 who identify as Republican.

For Tester to win the race, he has to consolidate this independent vote and take some of the Republicans, Ward said.

Some of the differences for the two candidates is telling, especially among women and those with college degrees. For example, Tester is a farmer from Big Sandy, but is far behind among those in rural areas and those without a college education. Tester enjoys sizable advantages with those groups, but thats a trend in contrast to Montanas demographics. Overall in Montana, 58% of the population is considered rural and 63% have less than four-years of college education.

Getting to the economic issues for Tester is going to be critical, Ward said. Tester can be more competitive with things like Social Security and Medicare.

Still swinging

Though Montanas electorate has seemed to move more to the political right, and Republicans, especially in 2020 when Republicans took every major statewide office, and then, in 2022, secured a supermajority in the Legislature, the poll suggests there is still strong evidence to believe that Montanas tradition of ticket-splitting and cross-over voting still exists. That, the polling experts said could play a pivotal role in the 2024 election.

For example, swing voters older than 50 who do not vote a straight party ticket constitute 25% of Montana voters. Straight-party Republicans constitute 46% of the electorate older than 50, while that number shrinks to 28% for Democrats.

Of those swing voters, 60% of them prioritize economic issues, as opposed to immigration or abortion, which tend to align more strongly with party affiliation.

Both polling firms agreed that while voters have recently trended to becoming more entrenched in partisan politics, theres still room for movement, especially among independents.

The persuadability of voters has gotten smaller than when I started 30 years ago, Ward said. There was more flexibility.

However, that doesnt mean that all votes and all issues are locked in.

Were still seeing a good amount of bouncing around on topics, Carpenter said. Its just less than what it has been historically.

Economy and immigration

The poll also gave data on what issues are motivating Montana voters. While the polling firms asked about a list of subjects, economic issues topped the list, with concerns about personal income, the cost of housing, Medicaid and property taxes all showing up. When taken together, they indicate that personal pocketbook issues remain the dominant issue.

However, as a single-subject, the topic of immigration also polled highly. Polling firms noted the deep divide on the subject, though, with many older and Republican voters ranking it high, while Democrats and independents tended to center on threats to democracy or reproductive rights.

That means that voters tend to care about very different things, depending on their respective political tilt.

Montanans told the pollsters that they are highly motivated to vote. In fact, 85% of Montana voters say they are a 10-out-of-10 for motivation. In questions that test how likely voters are to turn out and vote, 92% of voters over the age of 50 said that they are likely, which is 15 points higher than voters under the age of 50.

Seventy percent of voters who were polled said they thought the country was moving in the wrong direction.

Carpenter told the group on Thursday that the overall mood of the Montana electorate is grumpy, and that because Montana voters are disproportionately older, those voters will play an outsized role. And many of the categories show a deep division within the electorate for candidates, with many younger voters leaning liberal and older voters tending to lean toward conservative candidates.

Ryan who?

In the race for Montana governor, Gianforte leads, but the numbers suggest a different narrative: Not many people seem to know or have an opinion of Busse.

The Democratic challenger is not well known at all. Most havent heard of him or dont have an opinion, Ward said. But to the extent that he is known, he has a positive image.

According to the polling, Gianforte leads Busse by a 54-to-38% margin.

However, among those who know the candidates, Busse maintains a stronger favorability slightly. Previous polling in Montana has shown Gianforte with a lead in the polling, but a neutral favorability rating.

Like fellow Republicans Sheehy and Trump, Gianforte enjoys strong support from older male voters, particularly those in rural areas. However, Busse maintains a positive image among women, younger voters and even holds a positive image among older voters  but for those who know him.

Of all polled in the survey, Gianforte has the largest image gap between voters 50+ and voters 18-49 at a net 31-points. The 50+ are pushing him into positive territory, the poll report said.

A tale of two House races

In the race for Montanas two house seats  the western and eastern districts  its a tale of two different races.

In Montanas eastern race, current Montana Auditor Troy Downing, a Republican, looks nearly assured of victory with a 21-point lead on Democratic challenger John Driscoll. Downing leads in all categories except among voters who are declared Democrats. The race speaks, in part, to the anemic results from the Democrats on the eastern side of the state, and the strength of the Republican Party as the state stretches east.

However, in Montanas western district, Zinke leads by a 49-to-43% margin. The AARP polling data shows that Zinke appears vulnerable because of his deep unpopularity among younger voters, women and independents.

Tranel keeps the race competitive thanks to her 14-point lead with voters 18-49, the poll says. Travel has a 7-point lead with independents and has Democrats well consolidated, with Zinke ahead thanks to a Republican affiliation advantage in the district.

Trumps stable lead

Though national trends and polls have shown an erosion of support for Trump, as many battleground states have either flipped or started to lean toward Harris, the 45th Presidents lead in Montana remains stable and constant.

Trump has a commanding 15-point lead on Harris, not so unlike the lead that Trump enjoyed when current President Joe Biden was the presumed Democratic candidate.

Trump runs the tables in almost all demographics, except among Democratic voters and urban Montanans, where he trails significantly.

montana-older-voter-survey-2024.doi.10.26419-2fres.00813.034
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  With the balance of Congress on the line, a new poll found a tight race for Oregons Fifth congressional district.

The poll, first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive, found Democratic challenger, state Rep. Janelle Bynum, leads incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer by one point, according to the poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights for Inside Elections.

The poll surveyed 419 likely Oregon voters between Aug. 26-28 and found 43% supported Bynum and 42% supported Chavez DeRemer, with 14% unsure. Inside Elections reported a margin of error of +/- 4.8%, noting totals were rounded.

Inside Elections rates the race as a toss-up between the two candidates.

Three days after Oregon kicked off its new drug possession law, is it working?

According to Inside Elections, the district is politically diverse with deep blue favorability around Portland, right-leaning support in rural Marion County, and a blend of the two in Clackamas and Deschutes counties.

While state Rep. Bynum had the narrow lead, Rep. Chavez-DeRemer had the higher favorability rating, according to the poll  showing 39% favorability for Chavez-DeRemer and 28% for Bynum.

Reacting to the findings, Nick Trainer, Chavez DeRemers campaign advisor, said, If this race is tied, it wont be much longer as Oregonians across the 5th District continue learning about Janelle Bynums troubling record in the state legislature. Bynum has had a front-row seat to the failed policies that have spelled disaster for Oregon  voting to implement Measure 110, siding with Defund the Police groups, calling for criminals to be released, and handing out taxpayer dollars to house illegal immigrants. With Janelle Bynum in the state legislature, Oregon has gotten more dangerous and families have been left behind.

Overnight camping ban considered for Brookings beaches

Janelle Bynum for Congress Campaign Manager Blakely Wall said With two months until Election Day, Janelle Bynums momentum continues to grow as she travels the district and reaches new voters to talk about what is at stake this November.

Wall said Bynum is ready for the race, pointing to state legislative races between the two candidates in 2016 and 2018 in which Bynum won.

The path to flipping the Democratic House majority runs right through Oregons 5th Congressional District and Janelle Bynum is more than ready to defeat Chavez-DeRemer because shes already done it twice before, Wall 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 KOIN.com.
Kamala Harris leads former President Donald Trump by nearly 30% among Latino voters nationwide, a poll revealed Wednesday  a significantly larger margin than other recent surveys.

The Democratic nominee has the backing of 59% of Latino voters compared to 32% for Trump, according to the poll of more than 3,000 voters carried out by Unidos, a non-partisan Latino civil rights group. Those projections put her on track to come close to the margins Democrats scored in recent presidential contests.

Harris enjoys healthy margins in several Latino-heavy swing states like Arizona, where she leads among Latino voters by 29%, and Nevada, where she is up by 23%. The Democratic advantage with the bloc is even bigger in battleground Pennsylvania, where the Harris lead stands at 35% and Georgia, where she is ahead of Trump by 31%.

The poll marked a big boost in support for Harris compared to President Biden. He led Trump by a relatively paltry 18% margin in a similar survey conducted last November.

It bolsters the narrative that Harris has quickly consolidated support of the Democratic base and injected a major jolt of enthusiasm into the race since Biden suspended his campaign and endorsed his vice president in July.

Harris still has a ways to go with Latinos to match the benchmarks set by Democrats in recent presidential contests. Biden beat Trump 65% to 32% among Latinos in 2020, according to exit polls. Hillary Clinton did even a bit better against Trump four years earlier.

Trump has boasted that he will dramatically overperform expectations among Latinos, along with Black voters and other historically Democratic constituencies.

The poll showed a very wide gender gap, with Harris leading by 36% among Latina women and 19% with Latino men.

Harris is beating Trump by a relatively anemic 18% among young Latino voters under 30, but has a healthy 37% edge with those over 60.

The Latino electorate includes a disproportionately large number of new voters, with 23% saying 2024 would be their first presidential election and only 63% having voted in 2016 or earlier.

Although Latino voters lean Democratic, just 23% say they have been contacted by Team Blue this year, suggesting Harris campaign could see more gains as interest in the election heats up in the home stretch.

Like other voters, Latinos said the economy and rising cost of living are the biggest issues in the election.

On immigration, Latinos strongly support a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants. They overwhelmingly oppose restrictions on abortion rights by a 71%-21% margin.

One bright spot for Trump was in Florida, where Harris leads among Latinos by a much narrower 47%-42% margin.

The Latino electorate in the Sunshine State includes far more conservative-leaning voters with roots in Cuba than Southwest states, where Mexican Americans are the dominant Latino group, or the Northeast, where more Puerto Ricans live.

When asked to choose between the Democratic ticket of Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz versus the GOP ticket of Trump and JD Vance, Harris advantage grows to 60%-to-30%, suggesting that the Republican No. 2 is dragging down Trump.
Republican former Del. Neil Parrott holds a slim lead over Democratic rival April Delaney in a contest for the 6th Congressional District race, according to a poll released Thursday. Pollster Patrick Gonzales said he believes Frederick County will decide the race in that district. File photo by Bruce DePuyt.

The race to fill an open seat in Marylands 6th Congressional District is too close to call, according to an independent poll released Thursday.

Republican Neil Parrott, a former state delegate, holds a slim 2-point lead over Democratic rival April McClain Delaney, a lawyer and former Commerce Department official, well within the margin of error. Pollster Patrick Gonzales, who conducted the poll, said the campaign could be decided by one county.

In my opinion, this thing is going down to Frederick, Gonzales said.

Gonzales surveyed 317 registered voters in Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett Counties who said they are likely to vote in November. The small sample poll, conducted between Aug. 24-30, has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.6%.

Earlier this week, Gonzales released polls detailing bumps in job approval for Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris. A poll released Wednesday looked at the slim lead for Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) in her race against former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) for the U.S. Senate.

According to the survey released Thursday, Parrott leads Delaney 41%-39% with 20% undecided. The support for each candidate comes from different areas.

Delaney holds a 42-point lead on Parrott in Montgomery County. Parrott holds a 60-point advantage over Delaney in what Gonzales referred to as the WAG area of Maryland  the western Maryland counties of Washington, Allegany and Garrett.

April McClain Delaney (D) in a March screenshot from her first campaign TV ad; former Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington) at the State House in 2022. Parrott photo by Bruce DePuyt.

Both candidates hold commanding leads among voters in their respective parties. Parrott holds a 3-point advantage  34%-31%  among independents.

Whats really making the difference is that Parrott is snatching 17% of Democratic voters. Delaney is only getting 7% of Republicans, said Gonzales.

That is a tight, tight race, he said.

That leaves Frederick County.

No matter what, this election will, in my opinion, be decided in Frederick County, he said.

Four in 10 voters in the district reside in Frederick County.

Currently, Delaney leads Parrott 44%-29% in Frederick County, according to the poll.

But with two months to go, 51% of voters said they do not know who Delaney  the wife of former 6th District Rep. John Delaney  is.

That is a challenge, and it is also an opportunity. Youre going to introduce yourself to people with no personal preconceptions, Gonzales said. If I were Delaney, Id be OK with that  especially if I am already getting this reflexive party vote.

But it also leaves open the potential for Parrott or others to negatively define Delaney before Election Day.

The races close nature may also entice some outside groups to put money into the district to swing control of Congress, Gonzales said.

I have to believe Im not the only one seeing this, he said. Ive got to believe that those in the position to direct monies and stuff like that, theyre all taking a look at District 6 in Maryland.

Congress is plus four seats for the GOP. There are close districts all over the country that theyre dealing with. But Ill tell you one thing, Marylands 6th Congressional District ought to be right near the top of the list for both parties, he said.
Senator JD Vance is in Phoenix today as former president Donald Trump tries to flip the state back into his column this November.

The Ohio senator heads to Arizona as Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz make a serious play for the state  and for Latino voters as a demographic.

But a new survey has found that Latino voters in Arizona and other battleground states do not like Vance, at all.

On Wednesday, BSP Research released a survey with UnidosUS, a Latino advocacy nonprofit, that surveyed voters of Latin American descent. The survey included 3,000 eligible voters  2,800 of whom were registered and 200 who were not registered  with oversamples in Georgia, California, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas.

The survey, which was conducted through August, showed that a combined 48 percent of Latinos have either a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Vance. Only a combined 26 percent of Latinos have either a somewhat favorable or very favorable opinion of Trumps running mate.

Conversely, a combined 48 percent of Latinos have a favorable opinion of Walz, while only 22 percent of Latinos have an unfavorable opinion of the Minnesota governor.

The survey did not include questions about Latinos opinions of Harris or Trump, though it showed that 55 percent of Latinos approve of the job Harris is doing.

The survey also showed that 52 percent of Latinos will either definitely or probably vote for Harris and Walz.

Throughout Trumps campaign, he has spoken about the need for mass deportations of people who emigrated to the United States illegally. Vance has echoed similar views on immigration in the past.

But the recent survey showed that only 14 percent of Latinos think deporting all undocumented migrants is the most important issue for elected officials to address regarding immigration. Instead, 36 percent of Hispanic respondents said they support increasing border security; 50 percent support providing a path to citizenship for people brought to the country as children; 49 percent support cracking down on human smugglers and drug traffickers; and 20 percent support finishing the wall on the US-Mexico border.

Vance has previously campaigned in Cochise County, Arizona and has also campaigned in the heavily Latino Nevada.
Pope Francis speaks to the members of Catholic community at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, in Jakarta. Vatican Media/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Pope Francis on Thursday called for solidarity against religious extremism during his visit to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.

The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church highlighted the importance of unity to "defeat the culture of violence and indifference," during his visit to the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in South-East Asia.

Pope Francis met with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar and signed a joint declaration which underscored values common across different religions to promote reconciliation and peace.

He and the grand imam stood at the entrance to the "Tunnel of Friendship," an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighbouring Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.

It was an "eloquent sign," Pope Francis said as the two places not only faced each other but were linked, allowing for "encounter, dialogue ... a genuine experience of fraternity."

Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday, kicking off the longest foreign trip of his tenure so far, due to take him to four countries in South-East Asia and Oceania over the next 12 days.

With more than 240 million Muslims, Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world.

On Friday, he will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, before visiting East Timor and Singapore.
Pope Francis wades into childless cat lady debate as he hails Indonesians for having large families

Pope Francis brought up a topic that has rocked the American political discourse in recent months as he praised Indonesians for choosing large families over pets during the first stop of a historic four-country trip to Asia.

The 87-year-old pontiff was speaking alongside Indonesias president Joko Widodo in a hall full of politicians at capital Jakartas presidential palace on Wednesday, when he drew smiles as he reignited the long-running debate over childless pet owners.

The Vatican leader said Indonesia set an example for other countries with dwindling birth rates.

And your country ... has families with three, four or five children that keep moving forward, and this is reflected in the age levels of the country, he said during his speech.

"Keep it up, youre an example for everyone, for all the countries that maybe, and this might sound funny, (where) these families prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child," he quipped. This cant go well.

When Mr Widodo, who sat beside the Catholic religious leader, chuckled, Francis turned to him and asked: Its true, isnt it?

Pope is taking the longest trip of his 11-year tenure at the Vatican (AP)

In the US, JD Vance, the running mate of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has faced a wave of negative press over past comments referring to some rival Democrats as a bunch of childless cat ladies.

The pope, who is widely viewed as a progressive pontiff, faced criticism in 2022 when he called couples who have pets instead of children selfish and a threat to humankind.

In 2023, he spoke about an incident when a woman requested him to bless her dog, calling it my baby and said he became angry. I lost my patience and scolded her, saying many children are hungry and you bring me a dog.

The issue of plunging birth rates in the West has remained a focus of his papacy and he lamented the low fertility rate in the European Union where there were 1.5 births per woman, much lower than the 2.1 rate required to sustain the population.

In May this year in Rome, he said: Homes are filled with objects and emptied of children, becoming very sad places. There is no shortage of little dogs, cats, these are not lacking. There is a lack of children.

Pope uses a wheelchair, has regular bouts of bronchitis and has had multiple surgeries for intestinal problems (REUTERS)

During his 12-day tour, the pope will visit Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore, in what would test his health during the long journey as he battles myriad health issues.

The focus of his tour would be religious tolerance between faiths, fight against interreligious violence, and climate change.

The pope is in the Muslim-majority Asian nation where Catholics make up 3 per cent of the population. But over the recent years, the country has faced the challenges of repeated instances of discrimination and violence against religious minorities.

From January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks, Amnesty International noted on the eve of Franciss visit.

The popes first stop was the iconic Tunnel of Friendship that connects Southeast Asias largest mosque, the Istiqlal, to the Jakarta Cathedral. The pope said he was in awe of the tunnel that is serving as the bridge between two religions.

This tunnel paves the way for meetings, dialogues, as well as the real possibility of discovering and sharing the mysticism of living together, mingling and meeting and taking part in a wave that, although somewhat chaotic, can be a real experience of fraternity, Pope Francis said.

Francis appeared in good spirits despite his longest 13-hour long journey to Jakarta. At a private meeting with his fellow Jesuits, he quipped: "The police have come to take me away."

He also warned priests and nuns against greed, saying, "The devil enters through your pockets".
Pope Francis, right, kisses the right hand of the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar after an interreligious meeting with religious leaders at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Aditya Aji /Pool Photo via AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Pope Francis and the grand imam of Southeast Asias largest mosque vowed Thursday to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis visit to Indonesia.

A second highlight of the trip came later in the day when Francis celebrated a jubilant afternoon Mass in Jakarta's steamy stadium before an estimated 100,000 people who cheered wildly as he looped the track in his open-topped popemobile.

In the morning event at Jakartas iconic Istiqlal Mosque, Francis presided over an interreligious gathering rich with symbolic meaning and personal touches. Present were representatives of the six religions that are officially recognized in Indonesia: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Francis and the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, stood at the ground-level entrance to the Tunnel of Friendship, an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighboring Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.

Indonesia, which has the worlds largest Muslim population, has held out the tunnel as a tangible sign of its commitment to religious freedom, which is enshrined in the constitution but has been challenged by repeated instances of discrimination and violence against religious minorities.

From January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks, Amnesty International noted on the eve of Francis' visit.

Approaching the elevator to the tunnel, Francis said it was a potent sign of how different religious traditions have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned towards the light.

He encouraged Indonesians of every religious tradition to walk in search of God and contribute to building open societies, founded on reciprocal respect and mutual love, capable of protecting against rigidity, fundamentalism and extremism, which are always dangerous and never justifiable.

Francis traveled to Indonesia, the first leg on an 11-day, four nation journey through Southeast Asia and Oceania, to encourage it to combat religiously inspired violence and pledge the Catholic Churchs commitment to greater initiatives of fraternity.

The meeting at the mosque showed the personal side of the policy, with Francis and Umar  the 87-year-old pope and the 65-year-old imam  showing a clear affinity for one another. As Francis was leaving in his wheelchair, Umar bent down and kissed Francis on the head. Francis then grasped Umar's hand, kissed it and held it to his cheek.

Francis has made improving Catholic-Muslim ties a hallmark of his papacy and prioritizes travel to majority Muslim nations to further the agenda.

During a 2019 visit to the Gulf, Francis and the imam of Al-Azhar, the 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni learning, launched a Human Fraternity movement calling for greater Christian-Muslim efforts to promote peace around the world. More recently, Francis traveled to Najaf, Iraq, in 2021 to visit the top Shiite cleric, who delivered a message of peaceful coexistence.

The new initiative launched Thursday, called The Istiqlal Declaration, now becomes another pillar of Francis

The document said religion should never be abused to justify violence, but should instead be used to resolve conflicts and protect and promote human dignity. It also called for decisive action to protect the environment and its resources, blaming human-made actions for the current climate crisis.

The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns, it read. This ongoing environmental crisis has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.

Fighting climate change has been an important priority for the Argentine Jesuit pope, who has issued encyclicals insisting on the moral case for caring for Gods creation. The climate issue is of existential importance to Indonesia, a tropical archipelago stretching across the equator and home to the worlds third-largest rainforest and a variety of endangered wildlife and plants.

Umar, the grand imam, recalled in his remarks to the gathering that Istiqlal Mosque was designed by a Christian architect and is used for a variety of social and educational programs that benefit everyone, not just Muslims.

Calling the mosque "a big house for humanity, he said the tunnel was a melting pot for people of different faiths. We hope and have the principle that humanity is one, so anyone can enter and benefit, he said.

Khanit Sannano, the secretary general of Indonesias Council of Buddhist Communities, recognized the value of showing Indonesia's unity to the leader of the world's Catholics.

Thats why on this day we come to support and pay respect to him, he said on the sidelines of the meeting.

The interfaith gathering was a centerpiece of Francis Indonesia visit, which concluded with Mass in Jakarta's main stadium. There were so many people that Indonesian authorities put the overflow into another nearby stadium to watch the Mass on TV screens, which were also erected outside the grounds in a huge parking lot so passers-by could also follow the service.

The Vatican had originally expected it would draw some 60,000 people but the spokesman quoted local organizers as saying more than 100,000 had attended.

Dont tire of dreaming and of building a civilization of peace, Francis said in an ad-libbed homily. Be builders of hope. Be builders of peace.

Catholics represent about 3% of Indonesias population of 275 million, but the country is home to the worlds largest Catholic seminary and has long been a top source of priests and nuns for the Catholic Church.

Viva Papa Francesco, the crowd chanted as Francis arrived for the service, held under a very humid 33 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). The faithful, many decked out in matching T-shirts or caps, furiously waved fans to cool themselves.

On Friday, Francis heads to Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his trip, one of the longest and farthest in papal history, which will also take him to East Timor and Singapore before it ends Sept. 13.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Pope Francis and the grand imam of Southeast Asias largest mosque vowed to unite against religiously motivated violence and called for decisive climate action in a joint declaration Thursday during a visit by Francis to Indonesia.

In a religiously symbolic gesture, the interfaith agreement was signed in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta at the Istiqlal Mosque, which was designed by a Christian architect.

The declaration signed by Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar said it was particularly worrying that religion was being used to justify violence and cause suffering, especially to women, children and older people. It urged interreligious dialogue to be recognized as an effective instrument for resolving local, regional and international conflict.

It also called for action on the ongoing environmental crisis, which it said has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.

The interfaith gathering, a highlight of Francis 12-day trip to Asia and Oceania, was attended by representatives of Indonesias six officially recognized religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Before signing the declaration, the two religious leaders visited the Tunnel of Friendship, a 90-foot underpass that connects the mosque compound with Jakartas main Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.

The tunnel is considered a sign of tolerance in Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim-majority country, where religious freedom is constitutionally protected but there have been deadly instances of violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

We who belong to different religious traditions have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned towards the light, Francis said.

He warned the gathering that religion can be misused to justify wars, when it should be about promoting and safeguarding the dignity of every human life.

Umar, the grand imam, said the mosque regularly hosts interfaith activities and that it is not only a house of worship for Muslims, but also a great home for humanity.

At the end of the gathering, he leaned to kiss Francis on the head. Francis then took Umars hand, brought it to his face and kissed it as well.

Interfaith dialogue has been a closely held cause for Francis, 87, who became the first pope to visit Indonesia in 35 years when he arrived on Tuesday. He will also visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore during the trip, which was postponed from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Francis, who now regularly uses a wheelchair due to a knee problem, will travel over 20,000 miles during the journey, the longest and farthest of his pontificate. The Vatican said he would be traveling with a doctor and two nurses as is standard procedure.

Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, with Francis in Jakarta on Thursday.

About 80,000 people were expected to attend a Mass celebrated by Francis Thursday afternoon at a stadium in Jakarta. There are about 8 million Catholics in Indonesia, a nation of 280 million people where almost 87% of the population is Muslim.

Despite Indonesias professed commitment to religious freedom, religious discrimination and violence are not uncommon in the archipelago nation.

In 2021, a newlywed couple blew themselves up outside a packed cathedral during Palm Sunday Mass, wounding 20 people in the city of Makassar.

In 2018, a family of six, including a 9-year-old girl, carried out suicide bombings against three Christian churches during Sunday services in the countrys second-largest city of Surabaya. The attacks, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, killed at least 13 people and injured 40.

Lai Pan Chiu, director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said Francis emphasis on the common roots of modern Catholicism and Islam was helpful for improving interfaith relations.

However, in order to address the past violence, no matter whether it is Muslims against Christians or vice versa, an even more helpful approach is to dig deeper into the Abrahamic tradition of showing hospitality to strangers, including those of other religions, he said in an email.

After Indonesia, Francis will travel to the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea on Friday and meet with local religious leaders the following day. Then he will leave for East Timor, the only Catholic-majority country on his itinerary.

Francis last destination is Singapore, where three-quarters of the population is ethnically Chinese and he will have the chance to send an indirect message to Catholics in China as the Vatican tries to improve relations with Beijing.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A new look thats been unveiled for a short but important section of Port Royals Paris Avenue is expected to showcase the towns quaint downtown and spectacular environment while making it safer for pedestrians.

The vision for the beginning section of main street is already making a positive impression on town officials. They got a first look at the conceptual streetscape design during a work session Wednesday evening.

The highlight is a raised brick roadway  a first for the town  along 450 feet that passes a key attraction, Cypress Wetlands, a popular rookery where alligators and a wide variety of birds dwell, drawing locals and visitors in large numbers.

Last August, the town unveiled a $16 million vision for the remaking of Paris Avenue from Ribaut Road to 7th Street. Its the main street through the old village portion of the town of 16,000, where streets are named after world capitals, leading to the waterfront on Battery Creek and through the downtown. The largest capital project the town has ever undertaken is meant to make main street more pedestrian-, bike- and golf cart-friendly. Major streetscape improvements and the burying of overhead power lines are part of the scope of the work.

The project, which will depend on available funding, will be completed in phases. The money to complete the project will come from a variety of sources including grants and possibly some portion of the penny tax thats on the ballot for all county voters on this Novembers general election.

Port Royal is preparing to redo Paris Avenue, its main street. It is starting with the entrance near Cypress Wetlands. The design for that stretch includes a raised brick roadway.

But for now, the town is now focusing on the first phase and that involves 450 feet at the beginning of Paris Avenue near Cypress Wetlands. Josh Tiller of J.K. Tiller Associates, a Bluffton-based landscape architect, says that small section is very important to the overall plan because it serves as the gateway into Port Royal and will showcase the downtown and Cypress Wetlands.

Raised brick road planned

The plan calls for elevating that stretch of road with brick pavers and narrowing the lanes, Tiller says. The so-called raised traffic shelf will calm traffic, he says. Embedded in the raised traffic table will be a large medallion with a theme that will relate in some fashion to the wetlands or the environment. Something cool and coastal, Tiller says. The raised roadway will also serve as natural crosswalk for the thousands of people visiting the wetlands and area businesses, Tiller said.

Trees, lighting and wider sidewalks also are planned, which will give more space for outdoor seating. Besides the natural crosswalk at the raised road, a second is planned in the vicinity of The Corner Perk coffee shop.

Its a great gateway into the town of Port Royal, Michael Klink of Four Waters Engineering told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet.

The cost of the first phase is $1.3 million, which includes $200,000 in drainage improvements. The town received a $750,000 federal streetscape grant that will be put toward the work, Klink said.

The Town Council is expected to vote on the Paris Avenue streetscape improvement next Wednesday.

It looks wonderful, Councilmember Darryl Owens said. Im excited.

Paris Avenue will be raised and reconstructed with brick pavers along a 450-foot stretch near Cyrpess Wetlands. The raised table will slow traffic through the gateway to the old village portion of Port Royal and provide a safer crossing for pedestrians.

If the conceptual design is approved, Tiller said, hell go to work on a detailed design. Klink hopes the project can be bid by February, with construction beginning a few months later.

Mayor Kevin Phillips described the redesign of Paris Avenue as beautiful. The improvements will revitalized the main street and make it safer, he said, but now we need to think about funding.

In the Nov. 5, election, a penny tax referendum will be on the ballot that, if approved, would raised $950 million for various projects across Beaufort County including $30 million for municipal infrastructure work in Port Royal, Beaufort and northern Beaufort County, or $10 million each. Which is definitely what we are talking about here, Phillips said.
Demonstrators, led by the Maine Coalition for Palestine, protest at a General Dynamics factory in Saco, Maine on Jan. 3, 2024. (courtesy of Schaible, Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights)

Portlands city council adopted a resolution Wednesday night urging the city to divest from companies doing business with Israel in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The city council unanimously approved the resolution  put forth by councilor April Fournier and sponsored by the Maine Coalition for Palestine and Maines chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace  in a packed chamber following more than three hours of public comment. Councilors also said individually that theyd received thousands of emails from constituents regarding the resolution.

More than 80 companies are included in the divestment list, including the major corporations Volvo, Boeing, Chevron and Intel, which the resolution calls complicit in Israels violation of international law.

Citing investigations by the United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations, the resolution states these companies provide Israel with military equipment used in Gaza, contribute to the expansion of Israels illegal settlements, and enable or profit from the ongoing Israeli occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people.

Portland residents largely made pleas to the council to support the resolution, particularly pointing to the deaths of Palestinian children. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the death toll from Israels ongoing war on Gaza has reached 40,861, many of whom were children, according to the territorys Health Ministry.

It is not antisemitic to divest from any company or other entity that is profiting from the murder of children, said Abby Alfred, a Portland resident who is Jewish.

Meanwhile, some Jewish residents called divestment an antisemitic action and urged the council to focus on the citys problems instead. This is not your issue, one speaker said.

While the councils decision was ultimately unanimous, some councilors wavered in their support ahead of the vote. At-large councilor Roberto Rodriguez had questioned whether it was the councils place to weigh in on this issue, but on Wednesday said he wholeheartedly believed the council was within its right to take a stance and supported the resolution without any reservations.

Portland Mayor Mark Dion, who is a former police officer and sheriff, said he thought Israel had a right to defend itself but also ultimately supported the resolution.

It doesnt diminish the criminality of what Hamas perpetrated on Israelis, Dion said, adding the police officer in me understands if you could bring them to justice they should be brought to justice and thats how we prove were superior to them.

Along that vein, Dion said he was encouraged that the U.S. Justice Department announced terrorism charges against senior leaders of Hamas this week.

The resolution will remain in effect as long as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the violations of human rights and international law continue.

In a statement following the vote, the Maine Coalition for Palestine also urged Mainers to individually join the divestment effort. Our tax money should not be spent killing women and children in Palestine, the statement read. Our elected officials in Congress no longer represent the views of a majority of us seeking change, so this is also a message to them.

The councils action Wednesday comes after it unanimously passed a resolution earlier this year calling on President Joe Biden and Maines congressional delegation to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. That resolution also urged an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring the unhindered free flow of humanitarian access.

Victoria Pelletier, councilor for District 2, had spoken about the history of oppression during consideration of the last resolution and on Wednesday reiterated a need to not limit focus to Israel.

There are horrific acts of violence that are also happening in the Congo, in Sudan and in Haiti as well, Pelletier said. So as we continue forward with our energy and our activism I want to make sure that I always name and list these other areas that are very much deserving as well of outrage and resources and support and our attention.

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Politico, citing a number of unnamed officials, has reported that the rising popularity of US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has diminished the likelihood of a swift agreement on the terms of a US$50 billion loan to Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, citing Politico

Details: Prior to President Joe Biden exiting the White House race, the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency had driven diplomats across the Atlantic to push past their disagreements and expedite the loan process with hopes of completing it by years end.

The possibility of a Harris victory has reduced the sense of urgency around the loan. While officials had been concerned that Trump might scrap the agreement and reduce aid to Ukraine, they now feel confident that the Democratic candidate is unlikely to take such actions and that she actually has a chance of winning the presidency.

Consequently, the split between the EU and the US over the subtleties of a loan that would be repaid from the profits from the investment of frozen Russian assets is becoming increasingly apparent, two EU officials familiar with the talks said.

"The whole idea was to Trump-proof [aid to Ukraine] but it's a different situation now with Harris," said one of the officials, who, like the others, wished to remain anonymous.

The loan to Ukraine was initially agreed upon by the G7 governments in June, yet the EU and the US remain at odds over the finer details of the arrangement.

With most of the assets frozen after Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 held in Europe, Washington is pressing the EU to ensure they remain frozen until Moscow pays post-war reparations to Ukraine. This would prevent the US from being liable for repayment if the assets were to be unfrozen.

However, fulfilling this EU demand is challenging as it requires unanimity, and several European countries are opposed to the condition.

Negotiations between EU and US officials on Monday ended without reaching an agreement, as the US delegation insisted on an indefinite freeze of Russian assets.

Three EU diplomats said that a discussion scheduled for Wednesday between 27 EU ambassadors on amending sanctions rules was cancelled at the last minute due to the European Commission's unpreparedness.

The existing EU sanctions rules, which require renewal every six months, permit a single country to unfreeze assets. Washington fears this could undermine the loan arrangement, as the US is required to involve Congress in any transaction involving taxpayer money. This requirement could delay the process past the year-end deadline.

Background: In June, G7 leaders committed to finalising an agreement by the end of October to secure aid to Ukraine before the US presidential elections.

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HOLLYBROOK, Va. (WAVY)  A soldier from Hollybrook, Virginia, who died as a prisoner of war during the Korean War, has been accounted for, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

The DPAA announced on Thursday that 20-year-old U.S. Army Private 1st Class Robert J. Wright Jr. was accounted for on April 28, 2023.

Robert J. Wright Jr. (Courtesy: DPAA)

According to the DPAA, Wright Jr. was reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950 after his unit attempted to withdraw from Kunu-ri, North Korea following the Battle of Chongchon. Two returning POWs told officials that Wright Jr. died in March of 1951 at Prisoner of War Camp #5.

In 1954, after North Korea returned remains of soldiers reportedly from Prisoner of War Camp #5 during Operation Glory, the remains of Unknown X-14717, later identified as Wright Jr., was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The DPAA said Wright Jr.s remains were identified due to dental and anthropological analysis and chest radiograph comparison.

Wright Jr. will be buried in his hometown of Hollybrook, and a rosette will be placed by his name at the Punchbowl. The date of the funeral has yet to be determined.

Family and funeral information can be found by contacting the Army Casualty Office at 800-892-2490.

More information about the DPAAs efforts to recover soldiers unaccounted for from the Korean War, visit the DPAAs website here.

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Power outages in Ukraine may last from 12 to 20 hours in winter  analysts

Optimistic scenarios predict that during the autumn-winter period, power outages in Ukraine will last up to 12 hours a day, while pessimistic scenarios foresee outages lasting up to 20 hours.

Source: Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation on Facebook

Details: Yurii Korolchuk, an expert from the Institute for Energy Strategies, forecasts several scenarios for the energy situation in the autumn-winter period, depending on how events unfold.

According to the optimistic forecast, if eight or nine nuclear power plant units operate steadily and the winter is mild and without severe frosts, it is planned to restore about three out of the six gigawatts (GW) of damaged capacity. Under such circumstances, power outages lasting up to 12 hours a day are possible.

A more pessimistic scenario suggests that only about two GW of capacity will be restored, the number of operating nuclear units will be six or seven and the winter will be cold. The power system will then find itself in a crisis situation.

In the worst-case scenario, Ukrainians could spend up to 20 hours a day without electricity and heating this winter if Russia continues to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Serhii Nahorniak, a member of the Verkhovna Rada's (Ukrainian Parliament) Energy Committee, said if the temperature drops to -10C in winter, Ukrainians are highly likely to have electricity for only 1214 hours a day, spending the remaining 10 hours or so without power.

The Centre noted that great hopes are pinned on Western assistance. During an official visit to the USA, the Ukrainian delegation reached agreements with US officials and business representatives on a strategy for the rapid restoration and modernisation of Ukraine's energy system. Specifically, to strengthen energy security, the USA provided Ukraine with a financial assistance package worth US$800 million.

Quote: "However, alongside government measures, it is advisable for businesses and citizens to take care of backup power systems (power banks, charging stations, diesel generators, solar panels and inverters) to confidently endure emergency power outages."

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A banner to welcome immigrants over the main entrance to the Denver City and County Building.
There is now a real danger of a disconnect between the political classes and the public on immigration.

Concern among voters is high and growing. According to YouGov, over two-thirds of Brits think immigration has been too high, a figure which has risen from about half two years ago. Immigration is the top issue for all voters, and has been for Tory voters since the end of the pandemic. The summer riots show how fractious the situation now is.

Yet Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Government have no strategy for dealing with it, or at least not one they are prepared to admit to in public. They say nothing at all about legal migration.

On illegal arrivals, Yvette Coopers plan seems limited to appointing a new Border Security supremo. Rumour has it that few people want that job, which is hardly surprising, since with Labour policies they are guaranteed to fail: whoever accepts the role might as well take the pay-off on the day that they are appointed.

None of this matches up to the seriousness of the situation. Twelve people drowned this week in the Channel. Illegal arrivals are back above last years levels. We are paying the French hundreds of millions every year to help, but it isnt working, to judge by the evidence of French ships escorting migrant boats out to sea and into our waters.

Meanwhile, we have huge levels of legal immigration. Lets just remind ourselves. In the last ten years, according to the ONS, 4 million people have moved here, and half a million Brits have moved out. Of those 4 million, 3 million are non-Europeans, and over half arrived in the last two years, very largely from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and China, but in fact from virtually every country in the world.

The loss of control is made superabundantly clear by the fact that, even during 2020, when borders were mostly closed, 170,000 people settled here. Thats too high in any year.

You dont have to look much further for the source of some of the tensions which bubbled up over the summer. Yet Labour shrug their shoulders. I genuinely think they simply dont regard immigration as a problem, and it is certainly clear that they see its consequences as best dealt with by cracking down on crime and speech rather than by limiting the inward flow.

So the realistic outcome of these four to five Labour years is another 1-2 million people here, with those Brits who can get out with their money doing so  and social tensions of all kinds getting much worse.

This is the situation that the candidates for the Conservative leadership have to anticipate and deal with. There will be many more people here for asylum reasons, either illegal arrivals, or the result of some shabby Labour deal with the EU to accept them. Voters will be able to see all this happening and they will not be happy.

The Conservative difficulty is that our track record is poor and, as a result, most voters, loyal or otherwise, are not inclined to believe what we say. If that remains the situation, those voters will go elsewhere, to those they trust more. That has happened across the rest of Europe. It could happen here, too.

In opposition, there is only so much we can do about this. But we must do what we can. That means providing utter clarity early on about a policy to cap migration and leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); it means no internal arguments about it; and it means a clear, constantly repeated, and credible plan to do it, and much else besides.

To say other Europeans dont have a problem with the Strasbourg court, so it cant be the real issue misses the point. They have different legal systems. They arent trying to do what we are doing. And if they did try, since they are in the EU, the European Court of Justice would block them anyway.

Similarly, to say well wait and see what the situation is in 2029 is also unsatisfactory. For unless our declared policy is to leave the ECHR, we never will leave the ECHR. To say now that it might only be necessary after another go at renegotiation, or only if we cant see another way through, is to plan to be overwhelmed by all the counter-pressures.

And it is to give a signal of infirmity of purpose to our voters  and then, by 2029, we wont have any. So Cap the incomers and quit the Court is the only credible policy we can have.

The Tory leadership candidates should be able to see this, but sadly not all have shown complete clarity, and, with one exception, have seemed somewhat uncertain on cap or court or both. Only Robert Jenrick has been firm on both points and that, among many other reasons, is why I am supporting him.

The first step to dealing with our problems is to look accurately at reality. We need to control our borders and we wont be able to do that without leaving the ECHR. So it must be done.

It cant be a very uncertain destination in six, seven, eight years time. It must be the starting point for policy now.

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(NewsNation)  A previously unseen color silent film capturing former President John F. Kennedys motorcade racing through Dallas after he was fatally shot is going up for auction this month.

Although its been decades since Kennedy was assassinated, experts say the footage isnt necessarily a surprising find.

These images, these films and photographs, a lot of times they are still out there. They are still being discovered or rediscovered in attics or garages, Stephen Fagin, curator for The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, said, according to the Associated Press.

The 8 mm film taken by Dale Carpenter Sr. will be offered up by RR Auction on Sept. 28. The live auction begins at 1 p.m. ET in Boston.

Iowa has second-in-the-nation cancer rate; Residents doubt cause

While Carpenter initially missed the limousine carrying the president and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963, he captured other vehicles in the motorcade as it made its way downtown. The film picks up again after Kennedy was shot, with Carpenter still taking video as the motorcade rushed down the interstate on its way to Parkland Hospital, according to RR Auction.

Later, four Dallas Police Department motorcycles, followed by one police car, can be seen flying up the Stemmons corridor. The presidential limousine then whizzes into frame, RR Auction said, with large flags of the United States and Presidential Seal fluttering at speed.

In the footage, Secret Service Agent Clint Hill hovers over the Kennedys. Jacqueline Kennedy, slumping over her stricken husband, can be identified by her bright pink suit, RR Auctions wrote.

Bidding is now at $12,100, with the next bid set to go up to $13,310.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Price of Freedom Museum adding display for local first responders

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  September 11th, 2024 will mark 23 years since the nation was attacked, and close to more than 27 hundred victims were killed in four separate incidents.

Cities across North Carolina have continued to plan special ceremonies and events to honor the day.

China Grove, in Rowan County, is among those who have worked to add more context on the sacrifices first responders made on that day.

The Price of Freedom Military Museum has announced that on September 14th it will reveal its expanded 9-11 display.

It will include displayable items that commemorate the tragedy, and will now include memorabilia from the emergency response agencies that make up Rowan County.

The museum itself began in the 1970s as a private collection of war memorabilia preserved by Bob Mault.

He owned a gas station in China Grove known as Mault Brothers Texaco and would display World War 2 items.

It quickly grew to the point where Mault acquired the rights to use an abandoned school campus to display these memorable items for all to see.

The Price of Freedom Museum is said to have more than 2,000 full or partial uniforms from various war eras, and more than 8,000 artifacts.

These have been donated by families in Rowan County who either served in various wars or who had loved ones who did.

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MORE FROM ROWAN COUNTY

Among the collection of displays that stretched from WW1 through Desert Storm, a small 9-11 display sat in an old classroom since 2004.

As the anniversary approached, it was decided by the museum board to expand the display to highlight Rowan County first responders.

Its been led by the new museum President Bobby Harrison.

Put together a room that honors the sacrifices of the officers, the first responders, the dispatchers, everybody, he explained.

South Carolina education officials release statewide cell phone policy

Harrison helped Mault create the museum in the 1970s and has since begun to take over his role after Mault passed away.

He is also a 47-year veteran of the Salisbury Police Department.

Harrison said of his career in the field, When you go into law enforcement, or fire service, or EMS, thats a life-changing career. Your life its never the same.

The display is not quite finished, as Harrison and his team wait for multiple pieces of artifacts to arrive from various Rowan County first responder officers.

However, he said his hope is for visitors to appreciate the risk law enforcement takes every day, and realize its the same risk that was taken on 9-11.

Harrison explained, I hope we increase the interest in the emergency services . . . you look around fire departments, police departments, highway patrol, everybody is short staffed. Nobody wants to get in the business anymore Were going to have to raise awareness of the importance of the job and how it affects everybodys life.

The museum has several open volunteer positions and has asked that those who wish to join their journey to preserve history to reach out to them via their website or stop by for a visit.

The 9/11 Remembrance event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14th at the museum site.

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FILE - Britain's Prince Harry leaves after attending an Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in London, on May 8, 2024. Prince Harry, actor Matt Damon, and World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres are set to speak at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on Sept. 23 and 24, the Clinton Foundation announced Thursday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

Prince Harry, actor Matt Damon, and World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres are set to speak at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on Sept. 23 and 24, the Clinton Foundation announced Thursday.

The theme of this years gathering of political, business and philanthropic leaders is Whats Working  an effort to shine a spotlight on potential solutions and effective aid in a tumultuous period marked by war, increased income inequality and food insecurity.

Former President Bill Clinton said this years Clinton Global Initiative would double down on the progress made on the climate crisis, global health, gun violence, and other important issues.

We started CGI because we wanted to have a meeting where people didnt just talk about big problems, but where we could roll up our sleeves and get something done, he said in a statement to The Associated Press. Its more important than ever to be optimistic and realize we all have the ability to make a difference.

Since returning in 2022 after a six-year hiatus, CGI has tried to maintain an optimistic tone, while also developing new ways to help, including the launch last year of The CGI Ukraine Action Network, a collaboration between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine.

Bill, Chelsea, and I are so inspired by the undoubtable impact of the CGI community  500 million people affected through programs, partnerships, and solutions that are addressing our climate crisis, economic disparities, equality for women and girls worldwide, and more, Secretary Clinton said in a statement.

That impact helps CGI draw a wide range of leaders, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.

The Duke of Sussex plans to discuss the launch of The Archewell Foundation Parents Network, an initiative supporting parents whose children have suffered or died due to online harms. He also plans to address his nonprofits collaboration with the World Health Organization and others to end violence against children, an issue he and his wife Meghan outlined on a recent trip to Colombia.

Water.org co-founder and Oscar winner Damon is expected to discuss the status of the $1 billion plan he announced in 2022 to give 100 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America lasting access to water and sanitation.

Business leaders scheduled for the conference, which runs at the same time as United Nations General Assembly week, include Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, Gap CEO Richard Dickson, IKEA CEO Jesper Brodin, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach, Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Andres is expected to discuss how he turned World Central Kitchen into one of the fastest growing humanitarian nonprofits with a focus on feeding people quickly in the aftermath of disasters or the outbreak of war. After seven World Central Kitchen workers were killed earlier this year by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, Andres said, "Their examples should inspire us to do better, to be better.

Other philanthropic leaders set to speak include Emerson Collective Founder Laurene Powell Jobs, Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, Hispanic Federation CEO Frankie Miranda, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, International Rescue Committee CEO David Miliband, and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Sam Bencheghib, co-founder of the Indonesia-based Sungai Watch, plans to attend this years CGI seeking funding for his nonprofit which places barriers in rivers to prevent pollution from reaching the ocean and then removes the trash collected. At previous CGI meetings, he made contacts that resulted in Sungai Watch becoming one of The Elevate Prize Foundations 2024 winners.

Last year, Bencheghib attended CGI to make a commitment to expand Sungai Watchs work to Jakarta and its rivers. His nonprofit will make good on that commitment later this year.

But Bencheghib said he is also proud to bring something tangible to this years CGI, especially considering the Whats Working theme. He will showcase furniture created out of the plastic bags pulled from the polluted rivers by his new social enterprise Sungai Design.

The company turns 500 plastic bags into a bench; 2,000 plastic bags become a lounge chair.

Fighting plastic pollution definitely feels never-ending, Bencheghib said. Forty percent of the trash we collect are these plastic bags and they are not recyclable in this country  We were looking for a way to turn plastic bags into something that is a little more aesthetically pleasing, something that is a great conversation starter, that raises awareness about what that plastic bag can become if you dont throw it into the river and if the right setup is in place.

_____

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
Prince Harry, Matt Damon Set to Speak at Clinton Global Initiative Meeting in N.Y.C: 'Let's Get to Work'

The Duke of Sussex's upcoming visit to New York City will be busy as he looks to 'advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives'

Andy Stenning - WPA Pool/Getty; Andreas Rentz/Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty Prince Harry; Matt Damon; Bill Clinton.

Prince Harry's upcoming trip to New York City will include a speaking engagement for the Clinton Foundation alongside actor Matt Damon and Chef Jose Andres.

On Sept. 5, the nonpartisan organization founded by former President Bill Clinton announced that the Duke of Sussex, 39, will participate in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting. The event is set to run from Sept. 23 to Sept. 24 in New York City with a focus on "What's Working" to address "climate resilience, global health equity, gun violence, the protection of journalists, humanitarian crises and other pressing global challenges."

Damon, who is co-founder of Water.org and WaterEquity, and Andres, the celebrity chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, were also unveiled as participants, alongside Sophia Bush, Ginger Zee and many more.

"This years @ClintonGlobal is going to be a great meeting. Lets get to work!" Clinton wrote on X, reposting a report from the Associated Press, which said that Prince Harry, Damon and Andres were "set to speak" there.

This years @ClintonGlobal is going to be a great meeting. Lets get to work! https://t.co/BTWX9anVVn  Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) September 5, 2024

Related: Will Prince Harry and Prince William Be in New York City at the Same Time Next Month?

The former president, 78, told the AP that the 2024 GCI would "double down" on efforts.

"We started CGI because we wanted to have a meeting where people didnt just talk about big problems, but where we could roll up our sleeves and get something done," Clinton said in a statement to the outlet. "Its more important than ever to be optimistic and realize we all have the ability to make a difference."

Further information shared to the Clinton Foundation website said that the upcoming meeting is timed to align with the U.N. General Assembly, connecting to a previous detail about Prince Harry's upcoming trip to N.Y.C.

Last week, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex announced that Prince Harry will visit New York City during U.N. General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week. Climate Week kicks off on Sept. 22 and ends Sept. 29, and High-level Week runs from from Sept. 23 to Sept. 27.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prince Harry will be in N.Y.C. to "advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives," the spokesperson said. "He will participate in engagements with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award and Travalyst."

King Charles' son will also "be furthering the work of The Archewell Foundation, the nonprofit organization he co-founded with his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex," the spokesperson added.

Though Prince William's Earthshot Prize will be holding its annual Innovation Summit in New York City around the same time  Sept. 24, to be exact  the brothers are not expected to cross paths in Manhattan, as William is not expected to make the trip across the pond for this year's event.



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Read the original article on People.
A major general who helped carry Prince Philips coffin told a colleague I need to resign after she confronted him over a drunken kiss, a court martial heard.

Highly decorated James Roddis, 53, played with his colleagues hair and tried to kiss her during a drunken karaoke night out while on deployment to Japan.

He has become the most senior officer for centuries to be court-martialed for a sex offence.

The ex-major general, who was tipped as the future head of the British Army, inappropriately tugged and twirled the female RAF officers hair, telling her she looked better with it down, it was heard.

His victim told Bulford Military Court, Wilts, on Thursday that she has been left troubled by the behaviour of the major general.

When she addressed the kiss the following day, telling him she deemed it unacceptable, he responded: I need to resign.

Roddis, a married father of three, was until recently director of strategy at Strategic Command, responsible for special forces units and other secretive intelligence-gathering and cyber units.

On Thursday, he attended the court martial to be sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind.

Roddis was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after admitting a charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind and he was dismissed from the Army after a 30-year career.

He will also have to pay his victim 2,500 in costs, while carrying out 150 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation activity days.

James Roddis was tipped as the future head of the British Army

Graham Coombes, prosecuting, said that on the final night of the deployment to Japan, a six-person group visited a barbecue restaurant and took part in a local tradition where they enjoyed unlimited drinks for two hours.

He said they then moved on to a karaoke bar and a substantial quantity of alcohol was consumed.

By the time the group headed to the karaoke bar, the complainant accepted that she was drunk and it became apparent that the accused was drunk, Mr Coombes said.

At 12.40am, both Roddis and the female RAF officer  who cannot be named for legal reasons  were sitting together in a booth in the bar. It was there that the former major general started playing with his colleagues hair.

He began to touch and inappropriately play with her hair, twirling it and tugging at her ponytail, the prosecutor said.

Roddis then proceeded to touch the back of her neck and put his arm around her.

In that moment, the female RAF officer said she became very aware of the rank difference and tried to tell Roddis to stop.

The accused persists in his behaviour, continuing to touch her hair, the prosecutor said.

It was completely uninvited

Roddis pulled the female officers bobble out of her hair, causing it to fall and proceeded to tell her that her hair looked better down.

The prosecutor said at one point the female officer rolled her eyes and looked displeased but rather than stopping, Roddis continued to flip and play with her hair.

Then, Roddis reached across, took hold of her chin, and kissed her for two seconds.

This was completely uninvited and without warning, the prosecutor said.

Shortly afterwards, as a result of what the accused had done, she left the bar with another member of the group.

She says she felt really angry and was upset about what had happened.

The court martial heard she texted her husband saying: Just because youre a two-star, it doesnt mean you get to touch me.

On the flight home, the following day, the female officer told Roddis that there was some things that you did last night that I deem unacceptable.

In response, Roddis said: I need to resign.

Summarising the aggravating factors of the case, the prosecutor said: The victim attended the social event as part of her duties and was expected to attend the final night.

The defendant was in a position of responsibility and trust. The offences took place in public.

The prosecutor said the behaviour displayed by Roddis was improper due to the clear rank difference.

It was heard that Roddis had already been subjected to disciplinary action in 2023, relating to behaviour the previous year, which resulted in his loss of seniority.

He was accused of using inappropriate language with two female civil servants.

In a witness impact statement, the female RAF officer said: Im deeply troubled by the entitled abuse of rank, a wariness of male senior Army officers now pervades my ongoing service.

While they applauded my bravery for standing up to the general, I am sorely disappointed that I was put in a situation where I had to find the moral courage to stand up.

He was unaware she wanted him to stop

Jane Bickerstaff KC, mitigating, told the court: He was flirting with [the complainant] and at one point, he thought that this was reciprocated because what he was sensing was that she was comfortable.

There was laughter, he was entirely unaware that she wanted him to stop and he heard no such request from her.

Had he done so, he would have stopped.

When he tried to kiss her and got nothing back at all, he realised then that he misjudged the situation.

Of the impact of losing his career, Ms Bickerstaff KC continued: Its not the same as losing a job.

This conduct, which took place over a few minutes, resulted in the loss of the career that he spent 30 years building. A distinguished career in which he has received a notable number of citations.

He has shown bravery and given service to this country which few would be able to understand and comprehend.

Sentencing Roddis, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: The kiss and touching of the victim was clearly an indecent act and your conduct was persistent, to a degree.

This was an escalating course of indecent conduct and when you grabbed her face and kissed her you intended to do just that.

He said while his military service has been impressive and exceptional, this was in contrast with his behaviour shown towards the women.

The judge condemned how Roddis promised to make a meaningful change in the Army after he was disciplined last year, adding: Just months later you committed this offence.

Bulford Military Court heard how a distinguished major general tried to kiss a female RAF officer - Ewan Galvin/Solent News

Roddis, from Aberdour, Fife, received the UKs highest award for leadership in combat, Distinguished Service Order and a Mention in Dispatches after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He was made an MBE in 2009 and earned a pair of Queens Commendations for Valuable Service in 2008 and 2017.

In September 2022, he was one of the pallbearers selected to carry Prince Philips coffin.

He also founded the Armys elite Specialised Infantry Brigade in 2017.

Roddiss appearance at a court martial is very rare for an officer of his rank. The most recent example was Maj Gen Nick Welch, who was jailed for 21 months in 2021 after being convicted of fraud over claiming expenses for boarding school fees.

He was the most senior officer to face court martial since 1815 as he was convicted of a single charge of fraud for falsely claiming more than 48,000 in allowances to pay for his childrens boarding school fees.

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ATWATER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A principal of an Atwater high school has resigned after being placed on administrative leave following a video that was posted on social media, the Merced Union High School District announced.

On Wednesday afternoon, the district says they have accepted the resignation of Robert Nunes from the position of principal at the Buhach Colony High School. They say Nunes has accepted the position of associate principal instead and it will be effective on Thursday.

This decision comes as part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all students and staff. Corrective action has been taken with all staff involved. Thank you for your understanding during this transition. Merced Union High School District

WATCH: Principal dancing with mascot at Atwater school on administrative leave

This comes after Nunes was placed on leave following an incident back in August in which he was seen in a 40-second video.

In the video, the former principal can be seen in the center of the school gymnasium on an office chair pushing himself backward while the schools mascot is approaching him. He then fired gold confetti at the mascot, stood up and faced off with the mascot.

The mascot sits down on the chair while Nunes approaches him  before placing his hands on the mascots chest and sliding them down the mascots chest.

During his leave, Torrin Johnson served as interim principal, which the district says will continue until they open the principal position in the spring of 2025 to secure a permanent principal.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Students are barely back on campus, but pro-Palestinian protests have already returned, putting a divisive issue back in the spotlight that Democrats had hoped the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris might allow them to move beyond it.

While few expect this falls protests to match the size or ferocity of last springs, when tent encampments roiled campuses and several university presidents lost their jobs amid criticism of their handling of the demonstrations, the new round of protests will come just as Democrats try to organize college campuses to mobilize voters for the November election.

This isnt going away. Were not going away. Young people and their pursuit of justice and equity everywhere is not going away, said Rania Batrice, a Palestinian-American Democratic strategist.

University administrators spent much of the summer break planning for potential fall protests, with many campuses imposing new policies to crack down and head off potential disruptions.

The University of California and California State University system has imposed a zero tolerance policy against camping, obscuring faces with masks, and blocking pathways. The University of Pennsylvania has banned demonstrations in classrooms, offices, residences and many other public areas on campus.

Yale is hiring an administrator for a new position tasked with managing and de-escalating protests. The University of South Florida now requires registration and prior approval for not only protests, but any planned event involving signs, tents or amplified sound.

And Columbia University  the epicenter of the national debate over campus protests, which led its former president to resign last month  has limited access and stepped up security, with students now required to show identification to enter campus grounds and a fence and private security guarding the quad that protesters occupied in May.

Critics, including the American Association of University Professors, say these new policies discourage or shut down freedom of expression in order to appease politicians" who called for a crackdown, putting campuses once again at the center for bitter free speech debates.

The spring protests, and universities handling of them, became a major national controversy and frequent target of conservative media and Republican lawmakers, who argued the scenes of chaos on campuses showed the weakness of progressive institutions and Democratic officials in the face of radical lawbreaking

Still, despite the new restrictions, when classes began Tuesday at Columbia, pro-Palestinian protesters made themselves heard and someone splashed blood-red paint on a landmark campus statue.

Campuses across the country have seen an uptick in protests as students return, with an umbrella organization for campus pro-Palestinian groups calling for a national day of action on Sept. 12.

Harris may want to punt on the issue of American weapons being used by Netanyahu to harm civilians, but with student protests returning, she cant avoid it, said Waleed Shahid, a Democratic strategist who worked with the uncommitted delegates to last months Democratic National Convention.

The delegates, who were elected as a protest of President Joe Bidens support for Israels war in Gaza, pleaded for a speaking slot at the convention but were rebuffed. After a brief sit-in outside the convention hall, the Uncommitted delegates returned and politely listened to Harris acceptance speech without disruption.

Harris campaign and other Democrats had hoped that anti-climax would be the end of an issue that has roiled the Democratic coalition since Hamas Oct. 7 terror attack. Harris' campaign declined to comment.

Youth anger over the use of U.S. weapons could dominate the headlines and fracture the Democratic coalition, argued Shahid.

Student activists also spent the last few months preparing for the fall semester, attending a summer school with veteran activists and promising to return to campus with new tactics to get around restrictions.

We will seize control of our institutions, campus by campus, until Palestine is free, reads a recent letter signed by dozens of campus chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine.

A new NBC News Stay Tuned/Survey Monkey poll of Gen Z voters found that half support Harris, while 34% support former President Donald Trump, 6% support someone else and 10% say they likely will not vote.

Most Gen Z voters were focused on other issues, with just 8% picking Israel as their top priority, suggesting the protesters are a small, but vocal minority of their classmates.

And while much of the protest activity has taken place on elite campuses in liberal states, it is also playing out in campuses in politically important battlegrounds like Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Nowhere has that been more evident than in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, a state with a large Arab and Muslim population and one that Harris likely needs to win in November.

Four demonstrators were arrested last week during a pro-Palestinian die-in protest aimed at disrupting Festifall, a major annual campus event.

Pro-Palestinian students essentially took over the student government in elections last spring on a promise to shut it down, making good on that pledge by withholding all funds to student groups. They say they will not distribute the money, raised from students through fees until the university promises to divest from companies making money from Israels war in Gaza (the administration has stepped in to temporarily fund the groups).

Adam Lacasse, the co-chair of the University of Michigan College Democrats and president of the group's statewide chapter, said protests are quieter and Democratic enthusiasm higher than last spring when some students were uncomfortable vocally supporting Biden or fear of being singled out by pro-Palestinian students.

I still think its a very prominent issue and a lot of students still really care about it. But I dont think the enthusiasm around it is like it was around in the spring, he said. I feel a lot more comfortable wearing a College Dems shirt while walking around campus now.

Students are now enthusiastic about Harris in a way few ever were about Biden, Lacasse said, adding that he thinks the vice president or her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, would be warmly received if she visited campus  mostly.

There would certainly be protests, he said. Any large event on campus this fall, there are going to be protests, but especially if one of them visited. Still, I still think it would be more beneficial than harmful."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Progressive New Orleans DA wants to address "sins of the past." Republicans are trying to stop him

Republican state lawmakers in Louisiana have launched an investigation into the New Orleans district attorney over concerns that he's abusing his power by making use of criminal justice reform policies intended to address prosecutorial and police misconduct. But legal experts warn that the pushback against the D.A. threatens to undermine the results of those efforts.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, a Democrat whose office serves the blue city-parish of the otherwise red state, has focused his work since being elected in 2020 on addressing what he terms "sins of the past" in the city's history of prosecutorial and police misconduct as the state grapples with high incarceration rates, according to the Associated Press. Conservative officials and legislators, however, have raised concerns that Williams' work amounts to arbitrarily allowing people convicted of violent crimes to reenter the public amid comparatively high homicide rates.

Williams is one of more than 50 progressive prosecutors who have sought to reduce incarceration rates over the last decade and reexamine cases for potential constitutional violations or excessive sentences. He's also one of a handful who have received considerable blowback over their approaches to reforming the criminal legal system in their districts and counties. Criminal law experts argue that such pushback against elected prosecutors' criminal justice reform efforts threaten to strip the voters who elected them of their voice while steamrolling those attorneys' efforts to remedy past harms.

Maybell Romero, a professor of law at Tulane University in New Orleans, told Salon that she views this heightened scrutiny as a largely "political pushback" against district attorneys who challenge the "hard on crime, very pro-police officer, very pro- 'Let's convict as much as we can and as many people as we can, and never shall we reconsider whether this was fair or not'" approach to prosecution. Looking at the breakdown nationwide, she argued, "it's mostly Democratic, elected district attorneys who are getting this pushback from largely right-leaning Republican legislatures."

"What you see here is really potentially very dangerous in that [the] electorate in counties who want to see this kind of work happening end up having their votes  they end up having their voices  completely silenced by people who don't even live here because they insist on trying to figure out how to control these progressive prosecutors and reformist prosecutors for all manner of political reasons, which have nothing to do with safety, they have nothing to do with justice, they have nothing to do with ethical conduct, and those are the things that people are concerned about here," she added.

Williams' office over the last three years voided convictions or reduced sentences in several hundred cases through post-conviction relief, a process that allows the court to examine new evidence after other efforts to appeal have failed. The office's civil rights division's review of old cases has led to a number of exonerations and plea-deal releases hinged on legal practices it finds unjust or unconstitutional.

He has placed particular focus on reviewing non-unanimous jury convictions, which a 2020 Supreme Court ruling had declared unconstitutional. While that ruling did not automatically apply to convictions prior to it, Williams has not prevented people convicted before 2020 by non-unanimous juries from applying for post-conviction relief on these grounds.

Conservative lawmakers, according to the AP, have voiced concern that Williams' office isn't being transparent about its actions. Attorney General Liz Murrill told the outlet that she is taking a "close look" at the cases and argued against convictions being amended "simply because the district attorney has a difference of opinion" from the courts and the state Legislature.

That pushback has, in part, arisen from a social media campaign spearheaded by advocacy group Bayou Mama Bears, which is led by former prosecutor Laura Rodrigue, the daughter of the previous district attorney. In a series of posts, the group claims that Williams' work threatens public safety and highlights instances where his office resentenced or released people convicted of violent crimes.

Romero, who previously served as a county prosecutor in Utah, said that the notion that Williams is arbitrarily releasing people convicted of violent crimes falls on a "presumption of guilt" that ignores the legal process that grants someone convicted of a crime post-conviction relief. In these instances, prosecutors and courts have found new evidence that indicate the circumstances under which someone was convicted or the facts once used to prove their guilt "might not actually have been factual at all" or that the person, perhaps, "shouldn't have been convicted at all."

"It's not like people are getting released en masse just when they ask for it, and nothing happens, and no one's deliberating over this," she said. "The vast majority, if not virtually all, of these post-conviction relief efforts start with motions by defense counsel, and they end up relying on different legal arguments, and they have to be able to show that there's new evidence that might be really relevant that wasn't considered."

Critics of post-conviction relief also note that Williams' predecessors engaged the process sparingly. Will Snowden, a professor of law at Loyola University New Orleans, argued, however, that that point is "a faulty comparison" given that Williams ran for office "on a platform largely critical of his predecessors and their misuse of their discretion."

Williams, he said, is engaging post-conviction relief on the backdrop of Louisiana's history of non-unanimous jury verdicts, which allowed jurors to split 10-2 on a vote to convict a defendant. According to the Innocence Project New Orleans, that policy arose in 1898 during the post-Reconstruction era as an effort to limit the political power of Black Americans by diluting their dissent on juries.

Snowden also noted the role played by the state's habitual offender statute, which allows individuals charged with nonviolent and violent offenses to receive "an exasperated sentence based on prior felony conviction," such as a life sentence for drug possession as a former client of his faced when he was a public defender.

"That practice of using the habitual offenders statute in that manner was a practice of DA Williams' predecessors, and people are aware of that," Snowden told Salon. "So I think he is reevaluating some of those decisions, some of those indications of the habitual offender statute, to right some of those wrongs because he does not agree with those policies of incarcerating people for decades at a time for simple possession or substance use crimes."

The state Senate Judiciary C Committee, with support from Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, earlier this month announced it would hold an oversight hearing on the post-conviction relief employed by the district attorney's office. Williams has agreed to testify before the committee during the meeting, slated for Thursday.

Williams has also denied accusations of misconduct and defended his office's use of post-conviction relief, arguing instead that he is following through on his campaign processes.

This is not just waking up and saying, Hey, lets try something new, Williams said, per the AP. This is listening to the community and answering and trying to deliver.

The Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office and the Louisiana Senate Judiciary C Committee did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Romero said that, historically, prosecutors nationwide have enjoyed a "very wide latitude" to decide their caseloads and "a great amount of discretion" to determine whether to move forward with cases, pursue charges and offer plea deals  a broad discretion that has also largely "gone unquestioned."

While prosecutors past have used that discretion to "overcharge" or "follow tough-on-crime agendas," she said, "what you see now is that we have this new generation of prosecutors who are bringing in new agendas and new perspectives with regard to fundamental fairness, with regard to exactly what a prosecutor should be doing and what makes for a good prosecutor."

Those heavily scrutinized prosecutors  which she said include Williams, ousted ex-San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Cook County, Ill. State Attorney Kim Foxx  Romero explained, would review cases to see if there were any instances of overcharging, new evidence or new alibi witnesses that could possibly exonerate someone or lead to their sentence being reduced.

A new law passed by the Republican-dominated legislature earlier this year that took effect last month effectively barred Williams from engaging in post-conviction relief without approval from the attorney general. State lawmakers, however, had passed a law in 2021 that did grant district attorneys authority to amend sentences, even in cases without clear errors, through post-conviction relief approved by judges.

After holding a special session on crime earlier this year, the state legislature has also enacted a slate of other new laws addressing the criminal legal system, including those that expanded death penalty execution methods and eliminated discretionary parole.

As of late May, Williams' office reported voiding more than 140 convictions and reducing sentences in at least 180 cases, which often took the form of re-sentencing those convicted to lesser charges, since 2021, according to the AP.

Those numbers, however, don't amount to much in the grand scheme, given the rate at which Louisiana "incarcerates and prosecutes and entangles people in the criminal legal system left and right every day," Romero said.

Louisiana has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, with 1,067 people imprisoned per 100,000 residents, according to a recent Prison Policy Initiative report. The violent crime rate in New Orleans, however, has seen a dramatic decline in recent years.

Snowden argued that the pushback against Williams' work around post-conviction relief does a disservice to the D.A.'s efforts to redress past misconduct in the forms of "invalid and and unconstitutional verdicts," remedy "outsized sentences that were not necessarily the most appropriate for the case" and recognize that addressing contributors to crime "doesn't have to solely rely on incarceration."

"I often describe the criminal legal system as the catch basin for the failures of the other systems. So when our education systems fail, or when our access to housing fails, or when our access to jobs fail, those systems' failures can direct more people to have contact with the criminal legal system," Snowden said. "And I think D.A. Williams is aware of that relationship. And so not only is he laser-focused on prosecuting people for committing violent crimes, but he's also aware that there needs to be more advocacy and investment at the front end of the system to prevent people from coming to his office in the first place."
Mark Michalek is the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Denver Field Office. He is also an Air Force Academy graduate.
students sit at a green table surrounding a chalk drawing of a stack of cash

Image: Adobe Stock

Every student has the right to a high-quality education and to learn in an environment that helps them thrive. An equitably resourced public education system is the cornerstone of a strong society and produces many health, social, and economic benefits for all of us.

For two groups of students facing additional barriers to education equitystudents with disabilities and students from families with low incomesfederal funding has played a vital role in providing access to resources. And for others from marginalized groups, federal funding provides important civil rights protections in public schools.

Unfortunately, recent proposals to eliminate federal funding from North Carolinas public schools threaten to undo hard-fought gains while giving schools more leeway to discriminate against students of color and LGBTQ+ students.

Rejecting these vital resources and civil rights protections would only harm North Carolinas students.

The War on Poverty and the history of federal funding

In recent decades, the federal government has provided about 10 percent of funding for public schools. The federal share has increased in recent years due to an injection of federal funding thats helping students bounce back from the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that funding expires in September of this year.

Federal funding for public schools originates from President Lyndon Johnsons War on Poverty. As a result, federal funding largely focuses on vulnerable student populations such as students with disabilities and students from families with low incomes.

Source: NC Department of Public Instruction

The major categories of federal funding are:

Title I: Title I funding is designed to help schools support students experiencing poverty. In the 2023-2024 school year, North Carolina public schools received $528 million from Title I. Each student from a family with a low income benefits from approximately $2,220 of federal funding.

IDEA: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted in 1975 to provide students requiring special education services with the equivalent of 40 percent of the nationwide average per-pupil cost of K-12 education. In 2023-2024, North Carolina public schools received $388 million, or the equivalent of about 14 percent of the average per-pupil cost of K-12 education. Each student with a disability benefits from between $1,799 and $2,280, depending on their grade level.

Child Nutrition: The federal government reimburses schools for meals served. Federal reimbursement subsidizes all school meals. Reimbursement rates allow students from families or communities with low incomes to receive reduced or free-price meals. North Carolina received approximately $531 million in child nutrition funding last year.

Other smaller federal funding streams support English learners, students experiencing homelessness, career and technical coursework, teacher training, and other efforts. In recent years, federal money has also allowed North Carolinas student test scores to rebound from pandemic-era lows. Last year, this funding helped public school students make historic gains in their math and reading scores.

How would rejecting federal funding hurt public schools?

Devastating financial cuts that would fall hardest on marginalized students

Rejecting federal funds means slashing already-underfunded school budgets by approximately 10 percent. It would mean firing seven percent (6,436) of all classroom teachers, 21 percent (4,659) of all teacher assistants, and 15 percent (2,810) of all instructional support personnel (nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, etc.).

These cuts would fall hardest on students with disabilities and students from families with low incomes. If federal funding is rejected, supplemental funding for students with disabilities would be slashed by 26 percent. Supplemental funding for students with low incomes would be slashed by 53 percent.

Cuts wouldnt fall equally across districts. Districts serving students with the greatest needs would experience bigger budget cuts than districts that have more resources and fewer students from low income families. For example, Halifax County would see its operating funds slashed by 19 percent, while Chapel Hill/Carrboro would experience a cut of just 3.6 percent. A table showing the estimated impact of rejecting federal funds on each school district can be found here.

Such disproportionate, inequitable cuts would undoubtedly exacerbate the states persistent racial and economic opportunity gaps. If this policy were pursued, the average white student would see their districts budget cut by 9.5 percent. The average Black students district would cut funding by 10.4 percent. Students experiencing poverty would see their districts funding cut by 10.6 percent, while students not experiencing poverty would experience an average cut of 9.7 percent.

And what would happen to the $1.7 billion of federal funds that North Carolina received this past year if lawmakers rejected it? The federal government would send that money to other states. North Carolina taxpayers would be subsidizing students in other states while our students languish in under-resourced and inequitably funded schools.

Loss of civil rights protections

Policymakers considering the rejection of federal funding say they oppose federal funding for schools because there is an expectation that we are going to push an agenda that comes from (the federal government), and that comes with strings.

The same policymakers seldom explain what those strings actually are: civil rights protections for students on the basis of race, sex, and disability.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs operated by recipients of federal funds, including public schools.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs receiving federal funds.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program operated by recipients of federal funds, including public schools.

These protections helped drive the desegregation of public schools in the 1970s and 1980s. They opened public education to students with disabilities who previously had been denied educations. They have helped protect women from harassment and sexual assault while opening doors such as access to sports.

Federal civil rights protections continue to provide North Carolina students with vital benefits. For example, in 2023, the Office of Civil Rights helped Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools identify and address racial disparities in suspension rates. The Office also stepped in to address sexual discrimination in Nash County Public Schools after district staff appeared to blame girls for the harassment they experienced. The intervention has improved district efforts to combat sexual harassment going forward. In 2022, the Office ensured that a Wake County student with a disability was provided supports so that they could participate in extracurricular activities.

North Carolina must reject this misguided policy proposal

Ultimately, theres no excuse for policymakers to pursue such an extreme and destructive idea. Similarly extremist legislators in Tennessee, Utah, and Oklahoma have looked into this idea, only to be thwarted by pressure from their constituents and their more reasonable colleagues.

North Carolinians should similarly reject such ideas here.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Some big changes are planned for Glenwood Avenue and the Mahoning County engineer wants to know what you think about it.

Improvements are planned for Glenwood Avenue from Western Reserve Road to Midlothian Boulevard that include remarking the road to reduce the four lanes to three, with one through lane in each direction; a center two-way, left-turn lane; and dedicated turn lanes as needed.

With the additional road pace, a five-foot-wide bike lane will be marked on both sides of Glenwood Avenue from Western Reserve Road to Overhill Drive.

Additionally, a single-lane roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Wildwood Drive. Drainage and traffic signal improvements will also

occur.

The project is in the preliminary stage right now with right-of-way acquisition to begin this fall. Construction is set for spring 2026.

You can learn more about the project online and make comments on the projects website. You can also email comments to bdurbin@mahoningcountyoh.gov, call 330-799-1581 or send a letter to Mahoning County Engineer, Attn: Bob Durbin, 940 Bears Den Road, Youngstown, OH 44511.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Charged in the fatal Rust movie set shooting, actor Alec Baldwins manslaughter trial ended with a dramatic dismissal this summer over evidence. Now, the prosecutor on the case is asking the judge to reconsider.

Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and efficient ministration of justice, said Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissing an involuntary manslaughter case against Baldwin back in July. Your motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.

In her ruling, the judge said the prosecution failed to disclose evidence  ammunition collected by the Santa Fe Sheriffs Department. This is critical evidence in the case that was never disclosed to us, said a defense attorney at the time.

Rust armorer wants case dismissed following Baldwin dismissal

But in a new motion aiming to overturn the dismissal, prosecutors claim the court never required Baldwins lawyer to disclose how or when they learned of the ammo, which was turned in by a friend of armorer Hannah Gutierrezs stepfather, Troy Teske. Prosecutors claim if the defense knew about the ammo before the trial, there was no violation of Baldwins due process rights.

These are rounds that never left Arizona. They were always in possession of Thell Reed and Troy Teseke, said Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey during the trial. They never went to Texas, they never came to New Mexico.

Prosecutors claim Teske provided two photos to investigators, showing different rounds but none of them matched live rounds found on the set of Rust. Im disappointed because I believe that, I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys, Morrissey said.

New Mexico denies film incentive application on Rust movie after fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin

In March, three months before the trial, Teske turned in rounds that matched ammo on the set of Rust. The state says that ammo could have been from anywhere, and where the live ammunition came from has nothing to do with Baldwins involuntary manslaughter charge.

So far, no court date has been set on when the motion could be heard.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  On Wednesday, Sept. 4, District Attorney Bill Hicks and law enforcement agencies across different school districts held a news conference to talk about how school threats are becoming more common in El Paso.

El Paso County Attorneys Office: False school threats will carry significant legal consequences

Every week. Any school district in our community is seeing gun and bomb threats. And as we have seen just today in Georgia, we have to take every one of these threats seriously. Our school districts are reacting to these gun and bomb threats very seriously. We take every one of these threats seriously, Hicks said.

4 killed, 9 injured in Apalachee High School shooting; 14-year-old suspect in custody

Both the DAs Office and various law enforcement agencies collaborated on a video called School threats are no joke.

The goal of the public service announcement (PSA) is to raise awareness about the consequences that come with making threats against schools.

KTSM also spoke with the El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez, whose office handles juvenile cases, and said school threats are felony offenses.

So, we know that in 2023 we had over 15 cases. Were seeing about the same amount of cases, at least in this period of time this year. Not necessarily a drop, if you will. We see in some instances of heightened threats or individuals that call in school threats. For example, at the end of a school year, sometimes its at the end of a semester, Sanchez added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Slide presented in PSC's workshop on nuclear power on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo from Electric Power Research Institute)

Could an increase in nuclear power generation be a part of Floridas energy future?

That possibility was discussed Thursday during a workshop held by the Florida Public Service Commission in Tallahassee under a legislative directive passed earlier this year about the possibility of using advanced nuclear technologies.

At present, natural gas fuels approximately 75% of all energy consumed in Florida, a larger proportion from one source than in any other state.

You realize theres no other region of the country thats any more than 50% dependent on natural gas, so Florida sticks out like a sore thumb, said Jacob Williams, chairman of the Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group, representing an array of public and private generating companies.

We are the most dependent on any basically single source of electricity, he continued, noting that the price of natural gas has led to increased energy costs for most Floridians and adding that anything that we can do to moderate that would be wise going forward.

Enter nuclear power.

The state derives 13% of its energy portfolio from nuclear sources, according to a House analysis. Florida Power & Light operates the only two functioning nuclear power plants in the state  St. Lucie and Turkey Point. A third nuclear plant at Crystal River was shut down in 2013 by Duke Energy. All three of those sites could prove suitable for smaller nuclear options, experts said on Thursday.

Following the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979 in Pennsylvania and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the old Soviet Union in 1986, construction of new nuclear power plants dropped dramatically in the U.S.

But with concerns about climate change growing, nuclear has again become an option in some states. Thats because nuclear power plants dont produce greenhouse gas emissions that result in climate change.

Legislative directive

Thursdays workshop was part of a directive from legislation (HB 1645) passed this year that called for the Public Service Commission to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using nuclear power technologies, including small modular reactors, and to research ways to encourage use of such technologies at military installations in partnership with public utilities.

Steve Swilley, vice president of the Electric Power Research Institute, said PSC members need to ask themselves some tough questions, such as what are they trying to do and why are they trying to do it.

What is my mission? What am I trying to do? How big is my micro-grid? How many megawatts? What kind of loads are on that? he asked, rhetorically.

Swilley added that that going nuclear wont be quick  realistically, officials should think about getting something online by 2040. If they want more transmission earlier, he said, then it would probably better off going back to some tried and true technology.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced installations with generation capacities of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (MW(e) means megawatts electric, a measure of output from power plants.)

Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar, a professor of nuclear engineering at Idaho State University, went through a slide presentation discussing not only small reactors but micro reactors, which she said could fit on the back of a truck, inside an airplane, or on a train.

When asked about the elephant in the room  how safe is such technology?  Dunzik-Gougar was emphatic in her response.

There are so many data out there that shows that nuclear is already, and always has been, the safest type of power production, she asserted.

Dunzik-Gougar acknowledged safety concerns are legitimate.

Its very emotional, but we already know nuclear is the safest and its not going to be changed by having a very small reactor on a truck. You can talk about transporting any sort of fuel, same idea, theres risk but actually pretty much less with nuclear.

There was less discussion about what to do with nuclear waste. At Floridas two nuclear plants, the used fuel assemblies are removed from the reactor and kept in stainless steel-lined concrete pools of water on the plant site, in a process called wet storage. The water helps cool the fuel as it becomes less radioactive over time. That wet storage is then supplemented with dry storage, which FPL has said is a safe, secure and well-proven technology, according to the Naples Daily News.

ADVANCE Act

Another factor is bipartisan legislation signed into law in June by President Joe Biden. The ADVANCE Act directs the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to reduce licensing application fees and authorizes increased staffing to expedite the process.

The measure directs the NRC to develop guidance to license and regulate microreactor designs within 18 months, and eliminates costs associated with pre-application activities and early permits at Department of Energy sites or other locations critical to national security.

The workshop ended after about 90 minutes, followed by comments from a couple of members of the public who gathered to hear the discussion at the agencys Tallahassee headquarters.

While it is absolutely a fact that nuclear power seems a good alternative to those concerned about climate change, not all environmentalists have embraced the technology. A Gallup poll conducted in 2022 found that barely a third of Americans who worry a great deal about climate change  34%  support the use of nuclear energy, while 62% oppose it. A 2021 paper from the Environment Working Group laid out its reasoning on why SMRs would not alleviate the climate crisis.

However, Schef Wright, an attorney representing the Orlando Utilities Commission and a self-acknowledged card-carrying member of the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society, said he supports the concept.

Nuclear power is the only green solution, he told the panel.

The legislation mandating the study requires the PSC to submit a report on potential legislative or administrative actions that could enhance the use of nuclear technologies to the governor, Senate president and speaker of the House by April 1, 2025.
PINE TWP., COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  State police are investigating an incident where a cat was shot and injured in Columbia County.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, at some point between August 29 and 30, a cat was found shot on Sunflower Lane in Pine Township, Columbia County.

Motorcycle rider dies after tractor-trailer collision

The cat was taken to the animal hospital and is expected to survive. Police say the exact time and location of the incident is unclear.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PSP Bloomsburg and reference incident number PA 2024-1121300.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Public health officials issue warning as flea-borne disease spreads to US city: 'It's really something that we need to be on the watch for'

California health officials are warning the public after confirming five human cases of rare flea-borne typhus this year.

What's happening?

In mid-August, a human case of flea-borne typhus  previously called murine typhus  was confirmed in Fountain Valley, California. It's the fifth human case of the rare disease this year, with all but one case contracted this summer.

Fleas become infected with typhus when they bite animals like rats, possums, and stray cats. Once infected, fleas carry typhus for life and can spread the bacteria that causes typhus to other animals and humans. Typhus cannot spread from person to person.

Public health officials told ABC7 that fleas  and therefore flea-borne typhus  become more prevalent in warmer months as fleas are cold-blooded.

"[Flea-borne typhus] is spread by the actual flea dirt or the excrement of the fleas, so when you scratch yourself, that dirt gets into your bloodstream," Brian Brannon with Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control told the news station.

Typhus symptoms include fever, rash, and headache. Though contracting flea-typhus is rare, the disease can be devastating and deadly. While most cases are mild, some especially severe cases can require hospitalization.

"Typhus can be a deadly disease, so it's really something that we need to be on the watch for," Brannon told ABC7. No deaths have been reported in the cases found in Orange County.

How is typhus connected to the climate?

The overheating of our planet creates prime conditions for the increased spread of vector-borne illnesses like flea-borne typhus. With temperatures rising due to our changing climate, flea season has become longer and flea populations have increased. Fleas can now thrive in more habitats with rising global temperatures. All of these factors are major contributors to a rise in flea-borne illnesses.

Officials with the CDC previously told Forbes that the number of diseases carried by fleas has nearly tripled from 2004 to 2016, blaming a longer flea season due to climate shifts for the increase. There are about 300 cases of flea-borne typhus in the United States each year, with most cases occurring in California, Texas, and Hawaii.

What's being done about flea-borne typhus?

While it's important to remember that flea-borne typhus in humans is rare, you always want to avoid fleas and the potential diseases they carry. To help stop the spread of flea-borne typhus, health officials encourage community members to stay up-to-date on their pet's flea medication, wear insect repellent outdoors, and clean up trash and food waste that may attract animals like possums and raccoons.

Health officials also recommend avoiding animals that often carry fleas, including feral cats.

"We really recommend that you don't feed feral cats," Brannon told ABC7. "Don't pet feral cats. You're looking for trouble if you do that."

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Vladimir Putin has described Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region as a "failure", contradicting reports that it caught his military off-guard.

Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Putin said: "Ukraine's goal was to make Russia transfer troops from one area to another and stop the offensive in Donbas, but they did not succeed. Ukraine is now suffering very heavy losses in manpower and equipment.

Putin claimed that the goal of the Kursk incursion was to make Russia nervous and stop its offensive in key areas, and that this strategy did not work.

He said Russian armed forces have stabilised the situation and are gradually squeezing the Ukrainians out of the border areas. Putin also asserted that Ukraine has in fact weakened itself in key areas by transferring fairly large and well-trained units away from the front to the Russian border.

'Trump is hard on Russia'

Meanwhile, Putin offered a surprising endorsement in the US presidential race, opting for Vice President Kamala Harris over former president Donald Trump.

"Our favourite, if I can call it that, was the current president, Mr Biden, but he was removed from the race. But he recommended all his supporters support Ms Harris, so we will do the same, we will support her. She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it says that everything is fine with her.

Related

"Trump, on the other hand, imposed so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia, as no president before him had ever done."

BRICS enters the picture

Appearing on the panel in Vladivostok alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Putin announced that he would prefer to have China, Brazil and India as mediators in Ukraine peace talks.

We have never refused to negotiate  but not based on some temporary demands, based on the documents that were agreed upon and actually initialled in Istanbul," Putin said.

"We respect our friends, our partners, who, I believe, are sincerely interested in resolving all issues related to this conflict."

The government in Kyiv has stated it will not engage in direct negotiations with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 5 said he prefers Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris as the next U.S. president in a seemingly wry remark.

The claim comes shortly after the U.S. announced a wide-reaching crackdown on Russian interference in U.S. elections. Previously, Moscow has been accused of using disinformation campaigns and similar means to back Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton and Biden in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

The Kremlin's chief reiterated his earlier claims that he favors sitting President Biden, but since he stepped down from the race and recommended Harris, Putin prefers her as the candidate. In February, Putin said he favors Biden as he is a more "predictable" and "old-school" politician.

"As for the favorites (in the upcoming U.S. presidential election), it is not for us to decide... Our favorite, if I may say so, was Mr. Biden," Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

After Biden left the race, "he recommended supporting Ms Harris. And we will do so," the Russian leader claimed. The Russian leader justified this preference by saying that Trump imposed heavy sanctions against Russia during his presidency and voiced hope Harris would "refrain from doing so."

The U.S. imposed sanctions against Moscow under both the Obama and Trump administrations. Russia then became the most heavily sanctioned country in the world after the outbreak of the full-scale war during the Biden administration.

The prospect of Trump's reelection is causing concern in Ukraine as signals from his close circle indicate he might seek to pressure Kyiv toward ceding territory and other concessions to achieve peace. The worries only grew after the ex-president picked JD Vance, a Senator from Ohio who is vocal critic of the Ukraine aid, as a running mate.

Trump has praised Putin on several occasions, while the Russian president alleged last September that Trump would be able to solve the war in Ukraine "within several days." The former U.S. president has said he would end the war within 24 hours without elaborating on the steps needed to achieve this.

In turn, Biden has positioned the U.S. as the leading military donor for Ukraine and spearheaded sanctions against Moscow. His administration nevertheless received criticism for the piecemeal and restrictive strategy in the support.

Read also: Putin claims Ukraines Kursk incursion failed to make Russia nervous, transfer troops from Donbas

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Recognizing Colorado Christian University's public displays of support for Israel and for Jewish students, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu penned a handwritten note of gratitude to the college last month.

With much appreciation for your stalwart support for Israel, and with all best wishes, Netanyahu wrote.

The letter was given to CCU Chancellor Donald Sweeting while he and two scholars visited Israel to develop a new course on the political philosophy of the Hebrew Bible.

The university, with its main campus in Lakewood and a satellite campus in Colorado Springs, is collaborating with the Herzl Institute, a Jewish think-tank based in Jerusalem, on the new introductory course. Sweeting said the course hopes to address what he calls the "pervasive ignorance" of Gen Z students on the history of Israel and the Bible's teachings that he says goes unmentioned in other universities.

We wanted to do something positive together to help change the increasingly radicalized American university culture, with its growing antisemitism and its ignorance about Israel and the Bible, Sweeting said. So we collaborated in a highly unusual project between Jews and Christians.

According to CCU's website, the course will introduce students to the biblical narrative from Genesis to Kings along with the biblical conception of the family and the Mosaic rule of law and limited government.

During the two weeks in Israel, Sweeting and evangelical scholars met with Hebrew scholars, survivors of the Oct. 7 attacks, members of the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli cabinet members before making their own recommendations for the course.

When speaking with someone who works closely with Netanyahu, Sweeting mentioned the work the university had done over the past year.

Netanyahu later sent the handwritten letter.

"It was unexpected, but I'm grateful," Sweeting said. "Because he has a heavy task these days."

Following the assault on Israel by Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups on Oct. 7 last year that killed about 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages, protests erupted on college campuses throughout the U.S. against the subsequent retaliation by Israel.

Protesters' concerns largely stemmed from the number of Palestinian casualties caused by Israel's offensive operation along with the U.S. government's financial support toward it. The Associated Press last month reported the total Palestinian death toll to be over 40,000.

Hamas' initial attack killed about 1,200 Israelis in addition to taking more than 250 as hostages.

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Since the start of the war, pro-Israel groups and individuals have expressed concerns that the pro-Palestinian demonstrations have increased instances of antisemitism and Jewish students feeling unsafe at their respective campuses.

Shortly after the initial attack, CCU held a prayer vigil and benefit dinner for Israel that raised over $1 million. Proceeds were sent to United Hatzalah, a volunteer emergency medical service organization that provides free services throughout Israel to those in need.

In July, following Netanyahu's address to Congress in Washington, CCU President Eric K. Hogue and Indiana Wesleyan University President Jon Kulaga released a joint press release in response to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations and increased hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students across U.S. colleges and universities.

We want to make it clear to our nation and the world that our Christian institutions will not tolerate this behavior, the letter read.

We also want to express our profound concern that the terrible events we all witnessed at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year are already being forgotten. What we have all seen reveals a profound problem in the culture of many institutions, a problem which must be addressed.

The letter goes on to call all seminaries and universities to "review their commitment to upholding biblical principles of inclusivity and diversity" and invites Jewish students to enroll with the two universities.

"You will be welcomed, and you will be safe. We stand with you in solidarity and thank you for your communitys stewardship through many centuries of the values underpinning our institutions," the letter read.

Last Spring, campuses across Colorado held various pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Protests on Denver's Auraria campus  which hosts the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver  resulted in damages totaling over $600,000.

Protests have reignited at the campus upon the start of the current semester, though to a much lesser degree than those during the spring semester.

In Colorado Springs, Colorado College was recently named in a federal complaint alleging that the private university allowed antisemitism and harassment to persist against Jewish students on campus since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

In a statement, Colorado College said that it strongly condemns antisemitism along with any kind of discrimination and harassment.

CCU's new political philosophy course is expected to begin instruction in the next academic year. For as long as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, the university plans to put on further events that will likely feature lectures, guest speakers and additional fundraisers for Israeli victims.

"There's the whole question of why we're doing this and it's because this is a moment (in history) where university professors need to speak," Sweeting said. "We're going to stand with our Jewish friends and we think that other universities should, as well."
President of Russia Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. RIA Novosti/Kremlin/dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims he supports Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in the US presidential election, even though Trump has lavished praise on the Kremlin leader and criticized US military aid to Ukraine.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin said Russia "will back" Vice President Harris in her bid for the White House, but said it was up to the American people to decide the winner on November 5.

Putin joked that he liked her "infectious" laugh, which showed "shes

doing well."

The Russian leader said that he had always supported President Joe Biden's attempt at a second term, because he is more predictable and consistent than Trump.

"He has withdrawn from the race but asked his supporters to back Ms Harris. This is what we are doing; we will back her," he said, the the Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Washington is unlikely to take Putin's comments seriously.

They came hours after the US government sanctioned several Russian individuals and entities over "malign influence efforts" targeting the 2024 election.

A declassified intelligence report released in 2021 assessed that Putin ordered efforts to hurt Biden's candidacy and help Trump's in the 2020 election.

In the 2016 election, the US security authorities were also convinced that Russia had intervened in favour of Trump when he went up against Hillary Clinton.

Trump has made statements raising doubts as to whether the United States will continue to support Ukraine's military against invading Russian forces should he win a second term.

And at a February campaign rally he said he would "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries that are not spending enough on defence.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said that his favourite candidate in the US election was incumbent President Joe Biden, but since he has withdrawn from the race and recommended Kamala Harris, Russia will also support her.

Source: Meduza, a Latvia-based Russian news outlet, with reference to a statement by Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum on 5 September

Quote: "As for the favourite candidates, it is not for us to determine. This is the choice of the American people. Our favourite, so to speak, was Mr Biden. He has withdrawn from the race, but he recommended supporting Ms Harris. And we will do so, we will support her."

Details: Putin also said that Harris's election rival, Donald Trump, as US president, "imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before".

Quote: "Her [Harriss  ed.] laugh is so contagious, which means that she is doing well. And if Ms Harris is doing well, she may refrain from such actions [imposing sanctions]."

Why this is important: The United States has repeatedly pointed out Russias interference in the US elections.

After the 2016 US presidential election, Russia was accused of supporting Donald Trump.

In June 2024, Bloomberg wrote that Russia would continue to interfere in the US elections to weaken the US and its support for Ukraine.

On 4 September, the US authorities imposed sanctions on the leadership of RT, a Kremlin-aligned Russian channel (including editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan) and the hacker group RaHDit for interfering in the 2024 presidential election.

The current US President Joe Biden demonstrates active support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression.

Biden repeatedly called Putin a "war criminal" and a "brutal tyrant" and publicly condemned Russia's attacks on civilian populated areas in Ukraine.

At the same time, Putin's associates, including Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, who conveys the Kremlin's position, have repeatedly threatened the West for supporting Ukraine. He also stooped to low insults in all his messages, often focusing on Biden's age, which is 10 years older than Medvedev's boss Putin.

The former US president has repeatedly claimed that he had a "plan" to restore peace in Ukraine within 24 hours if he became president again. In November 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Trump to visit Ukraine. However, Trump refused, referring to a "conflict of interest" with the current US President Joe Biden's administration.

After his success at the Iowa Republican caucuses in mid-January, Trump reiterated that he would end the war "very quickly" if he wins the election. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again invited Trump to Ukraine.

Putin's administration claimed they had no idea how former US President Donald Trump can stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and there had been no contacts between Russian diplomats and the US politician on this issue.

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Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast failed to make Russia "nervous, fuss, and redeploy" troops away from the east of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept. 5.

Ukraine launched the incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, marking the first time Russia has been invaded by a foreign power since World War II.

Speaking at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, the largest city in Russia's Far East, Putin claimed that Ukraine had "weakened itself" by launching its operation in Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine transferred "fairly large and well-trained units" to Kursk Oblast, allowing Russian troops to accelerate their offensive in the east of Ukraine, Putin claimed. The Russian president named capturing the rest of Donbas as Russia's current primary goal.

The task of pushing out Ukrainian forces from Kursk Oblast is a "sacred duty" for Russian soldiers, Putin added.

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed on Aug. 27 that one of the objectives of the operation was to divert a significant number of Russian forces, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast.

Syrskyi said that Moscow has redeployed about 30,000 troops from other sectors to the Kursk direction, "and this number is growing." At the same time, Russia deployed its most combat-ready units in the Pokrovsk sector.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on Aug. 27, in response to a question by the Kyiv Independent, that Russian troops had slowed their advance toward Pokrovsk since the incursion began.

According to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState, Russian troops have been advancing towards Pokrovsk throughout the three weeks of the ongoing Kursk operation.

Read also: US sanctions Russian propagandists amid crackdown on election interference

Putin also claimed Russia would respond if the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant was damaged, threatening that "one can only imagine what will happen to this part of Europe if we respond in kind."

Russian forces reportedly started to construct defensive lines near the Kursk plant in mid-August as Ukrainian troops advanced within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the nuclear facility.

The plant is located nearly 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Kursk Oblast border town of Sudzha, the initial focus of Ukraine's incursion.

According to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, as of Aug. 27, Ukraine controlled 1,294 square kilometers (around 500 square miles) and 100 settlements, including Sudzha.

These claims have not been independently verified by The Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Undistracted by Kursk offensive, Russia cuts deeper toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The News

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he supported US Vice President Kamala Harris to win the US presidential election in remarks delivered to a conference in Vladivostok  with a smile.

Biden was our favorite but he dropped out of the race, Putin said. But he recommended that all of his supporters support Harris, so we will as well. Putin added that Republican candidate Donald Trump had imposed so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia.

US intelligence officials have repeatedly indicated that their assessment is that Russia continues to favor Donald Trump.

SIGNALS

Putins Harris praise widely seen as a transparent ploy

Sources: Steve Rosenberg, Anton Barbashin, RIA Novosti, The Washington Post

Any public endorsement by Moscow for a US presidential candidate will do that candidate no favours in an election, the BBCs Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg wrote. Anton Barbashin, editorial director of the journal Riddle Russia, quipped that this is high level trolling. But Putin is not the only figure in Russia to seemingly back Harris. One Russian politician scientist made the case to state-owned RIA Novosti that Harris is more advantageous than Trump, arguing that Trump would do more to build up Americas military strength. Tatiana Stanovaya, a leading Russia expert, told The Washington Post that Harris represents what they call in Moscow the liberal terrorists  particularly hard to negotiate pragmatically with.

Ukraine largely supports Harris even as doubts remain

Sources: LB.ua, Politico, Glavkom, The Wall Street Journal

In Kyiv, Trumps ambiguous promises to end the war in 24 hours and his vice-presidential pick, J.D. Vance, a harsh Ukraine critic, has made most people confident that a Harris victory would be preferable. Even so, some Ukrainians have warned that Harris could end up continuing what they see as a slow and cautious response to the Biden administration. While Trump could suddenly decide to put an end to the incursions of Putin and act decisively, one Ukrainian commentator wrote, whereas Harris would not do that under any circumstances, Some US conservatives have made the case that Trump could be tougher on Russia than Biden, with two former advisers saying that the Republican candidate could decide to ramp up pressure to force Putin to the negotiating table on favorable terms for Ukraine.

Europe swoons for Harris

Sources: Financial Times, DW, New Statesman

Most European countries would likely have an easier time maneuvering a Harris White House than a second Trump presidency, even if few politicians are willing to say so openly for fear of unnecessarily irking Republicans. But behind closed doors, European officials are swooning at the idea of a Harris presidency, the Financial Times reported. On the grassroots level, Democratic organizers in Europe have spoken of a one in a blue moon moment as non-US citizens reach out to volunteer to help get Harris elected. Even so, some European officials have argued that Biden, a dyed-in-the-wool Atlanticist, will likely represent the high water mark for US commitment to Europe in the foreseeable future, as both candidates look likely to look increasingly toward Asia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Ukraines gamble to seize his country's territory has backfired by boosting his own military's advance, a boast he paired with a teasing claim of support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming U.S. election.

Speaking at an economic forum in the far-eastern city of Vladivostok on Thursday, he said it was the sacred duty of the Russian army to do everything to throw the enemy out of the border region of Kursk and protect its citizens after last month's stunning assault.

Yet, Putin also said that Moscow's main goal remained capturing the Donbas region, Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland where Russian troops have been pushing forward for months.

Putin delivered a speech to the annual gathering in the far-eastern port city.

The goal of the Kursk operation was to make Russia nervous and fidgety, Putin said, forcing Moscow to transfer troops from key areas of the battlefield and stop its advance, particularly in the Donbas  composed of the neighboring Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Were they successful? Putin asked rhetorically about Ukraine's offensive. No. The enemy has failed.

In fact, the Russian army had stabilized the situation and started to gradually squeeze out the Ukrainians from border areas, he said, while his troops in the Donbas were now advancing not by hundreds of meters but square kilometers.

Putin's ebullient mood matched Ukraine's own confidence with developments on the battlefield, after a cross-border assault that turned the tables on the Kremlin.

Kyiv claims its very much still in control of the nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and 100 settlements it has seized there. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NBC News in an exclusive interview earlier this week that he plans to hold this land for as long as needed to end the war.

But Putin suggested he was comfortable with the events of the past month.

Having transferred into our border regions its rather large and well-prepared units, the enemy has weakened itself in the key areas and our troops have accelerated our offensive operations, he said.

Ukraine's manpower struggles mean it will soon have to resort to recruiting young people, he claimed  like Nazi Germany did during World War II with its youth force, known as Hitlerjugend.

I sometimes get the impression that those who lead Ukraine are some kind of aliens or foreigners, Putin added. The next step is to call on students and so on, to completely bleed the country out, he said. I repeat once again, it seems that these are not their people.

The Russian leader has repeatedly and baselessly labeled Ukrainian leaders Nazis  including Zelenskyy, who is Jewish.

Ukraine's surprise attack saw the war brought to Russian territory like the border town of Sudzha last month.

'Supporting Harris

Asked about the upcoming U.S. election, Putin said it was ultimately the choice of the American people but claimed that Russia backed Harris, the Democratic nominee.

His tongue-in-cheek intervention comes less than 24 hours after the Justice, State and Treasury departments announced sanctions and criminal charges in what the Biden administration said were Russian government-sponsored attempts to manipulate U.S. public opinion ahead of the November vote.

I told you, our favorite, if I may say so, was the current president, Mr. Biden, Putin said with a smirk on his face. He was removed from the race, but he advised all his supporters to support Ms. Harris. So we will do it as well, we will root for her, he said, to applause from the audience.

Secondly, she has such an expressive and infectious laugh that it means she is doing well, Putin said, speaking of Harris.

Putin was in ebullient mood Thursday.

And if she is doing well, then  Trump introduced so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia, like no other president had ever introduced before him. And if Ms. Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from doing anything like that, he said.

The comments, dripping with sarcasm, will likely be dismissed by the White House and the Harris campaign. Former President Donald Trump is widely seen as the Kremlin's preferred candidate. Trump has often been complimentary of Putin and has promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, raising concerns that he would force Kyiv into a peace agreement on Russia's terms.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President of Russia Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. RIA Novosti/Kremlin/dpa

Russia will always seek to assist its citizens detained abroad, President Vladimir Putin said in Vladivostok on Thursday, following a major prisoner exchange with Western countries last month.

Putin was speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in the city in the Russian Far East. He was responding to a question about whether Russians held in the US could be returned to Russia.

"We treat all Russian citizens the same, when they need the assistance of the state. And we will continue to do so in the future," he said.

Following months of talks behind closed doors, 26 people were exchanged on August 1.

Russia and its ally Belarus released 16 prisoners, eight of them political prisoners. Among those released was Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Germany released Vadim Krasikov, who was serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing of a Chechen from Georgia who was living in exile in Berlin. Other countries involved in the swap were Poland, Slovenia, and Norway.

(L-R) Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, and Vice President of China Han Zheng attend the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. RIA Novosti/Kremlin/dpa
President of Russia Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. RIA Novosti/Kremlin/dpa

Moscow is prepared to continue gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine after the current transit agreement expires at the end of the year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Vladivostok on Thursday.

"We and the Gazprom company want to meet our obligations with respect to our clients, with whom there are long-term contracts," Putin told a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in the city on Russia's Pacific coast.

He noted that Russia was not in a position to compel Ukraine to extend the transit agreement and that European countries, who could exert pressure on Kiev, were showing little interest.

In addition, he said that Poland had shut down the Yamal pipeline carrying gas through Belarus to Poland and Germany and that Germany had not connected up to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea.

In fact, it was Russia that shut down deliveries through the Yamal pipeline in May 2022 after Poland refused to switch to making payments in roubles.

Putin has repeatedly raised the issue of Nord Stream 2, as he did when Russia cut back and then halted deliveries through Nord Stream 1 in 2022, ostensibly on account of technical problems. This happened weeks before explosions damaged the pipelines in September 2022.

Gazprom, in which the Russian state owns a majority stake, showed huge losses last year. Attempts to replace its European business with Asian customers have not thus far yielded much success.

Talks with China on the construction of a second pipeline have come to a halt, with the Chinese unwilling to pay the prices that European customers paid in the past.
Putin Quips He Prefers Harris to Trump Now That Joe Biden Is Out

(Bloomberg) -- To laughter from some in his audience, a smiling President Vladimir Putin said he has made his choice in the US presidential election.

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Having previously favored a second term for Joe Biden, Putin said Russia now wants US Vice President Kamala Harris to win in November because shed been endorsed by the incumbent Democrat.

Biden was our favorite but he dropped out of the race, Putin said in response to a question at the Eastern Economic Forums plenary session in Russias Vladivostok on Thursday. But he recommended that all of his supporters support Harris, so we will as well.

Putins comments effectively amounted to presidential trolling a day after the Biden administration announced that Russiabacked entities had pursued a yearslong operation to meddle in the US election and broadly boost the Kremlins interests. The FBI cited internal planning documents from one of the entities saying it was in Russias interest to ensure that Donald Trump or another Republican candidate won the White House.

But they also reflect the Kremlins view that, with relations at their lowest in decades over Russias invasion of Ukraine, theres little prospect for improvement whoever wins the US presidency. Putin said Biden was predictable when he told state television in February that hed prefer him over Trump in the White House.

On Thursday, Putin said Trump had imposed so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia during his first presidency. Harris laughs so contagiously and expressively, it shows shes doing well and in that case she may refrain from similar steps, Putin said.

Still, its for the American people to decide wholl be president and Russia will respect their choice, he said.

Putin has a history of weighing in on US presidential contests. Months after Trump first announced in 2015 that he would run for the presidency, the Russian leader praised him as a very colorful and talented figure.

Russian lawmakers burst into applause when Trumps shock victory over Hillary Clinton was announced in 2016. US officials blamed Russia for a hacking campaign targeting Clintons team in the months before the vote, something the Kremlin denied.

While the US escalated sanctions on Russia and expelled diplomats during Trumps term, he was loathe to criticize Putin personally. At their 2018 summit in Helsinki, Trump stunned his own officials by hailing Putins offer to help the US investigate allegations of Russian election meddling as an incredible gesture.

A US intelligence community assessment concluded with a high degree of confidence that Putin and the Russian government also authorized and directed an effort to influence the 2020 election. Biden retaliated with sanctions and expulsions of Russian diplomats shortly after taking office.

--With assistance from Gina Turner.

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When William Navarette Moreno applied for a public service-related scholarship from the Obama Foundation, he thought it dovetailed with his personal dedication to public health, but he didnt believe he had a real shot at it.

I thought Id give it a try, because it couldnt hurt, said Moreno, 19. But these national scholarships are incredibly competitive.

He could barely believe it when he got the letter saying he was part of the third cohort of Voyager Scholarship for Public Service recipients, he said.

I read it again and again to make sure it was real, said Moreno, a junior at University of Colorado Denver. I was shocked. Im extremely happy and ecstatic.

Established in 2022, the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship (funded by a $100 million contribution from Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky) is awarded to 100 college juniors who intend to pursue a career in public service, according to a foundation news release. Moreno and his fellow Voyager scholars will each receive up to $50,000 in financial aid over the next two years.

Moreno, a Public Health major, developed a passion for public service at an early age, he said.

The son of immigrants who didnt speak English well, Moreno saw his mother nearly die from an untreated thyroid condition because of language and financial barriers.

I realized that equity in health care was not just important; it is extremely urgent, said Moreno, who was born and raised in Colorado Springs.

That lighted a fire within me to tear down the barriers that deny people their basic human rights. I believe health care is a human right.

After graduating from Colorado Early Colleges in Colorado Springs in 2022, Moreno enrolled at UC Denver hoping to find a major that would help him pursue his passion. He found it in Public Health.

I really fell in love with that area of study, he said. Its very prevention-oriented, which is exactly what I wanted.

I saw public health as an immense and powerful tool to help in my mission to make sure that no one else has to face the preventable hardships that my family faced.

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Morenos choice of biology as a minor was a nod to what he calls his nerdy side.

I just love science, he said. Im a huge science nerd.

The latest group of Voyager Scholarship recipients is made up of students from 44 states and territories representing 88 colleges and universities, according to the news release.

The scholarships benefits extend beyond the financial, officials said. Voyager scholars will also receive funding for a work-travel experience, a 10-year travel stipend, and access to a network of public service leaders and mentors.

On top of that, they will get a change to meet with former President Obama and Brian Chesky to talk about their personal plans to make communities across the world a better place to live, the release stated.

For Moreno, the scholarship will allow him to graduate from college without any debt, he said.

I will not have to take out any loans, which is amazing, he said. But it will also allow me to pursue something I am super passionate about.

To that end, Moreno has started a nonprofit called TheCHANGEproject, which initiates grassroots efforts to tackle systemic inequities in health care. As a Fostering Advancement and Careers through Enrichment Training in Science (FACETS) scholar, he also researches health disparities at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Public service isnt about waiting for the opportunity to make a difference, said Moreno, a 2022 Boettcher scholar. Its about creating those opportunities.

As he continues his journey toward a career as a public servant, Moreno offers a bit of advice to young people considering a similar path.

Dont be afraid the challenge the status quo, he said. Real change happens when you refuse to accept the way things are.
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was grateful to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for helping to organise the biggest U.S.-Russian prisoner swap since the Cold War.

U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan returned to the United States on Aug. 1, hours after being freed from Russian detention in the biggest prisoner exchange between the two countries since the Cold War.

The swap deal, worked on in secrecy for more than a year, involved 24 prisoners - 16 moving from Russia to the West and eight sent back to Russia from the West.

"Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince played an active role in the initial stages of this work. We are very grateful to him, as it resulted in the return of our citizens to the homeland," Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum.

Putin also thanked Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for providing the venue for the exchange. He mentioned that several other Arab countries facilitated the swap but did not name them.

Putin and Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MbS, have fostered a close personal relationship since 2015 when the prince visited Russia for the first time.

The relationship has helped the leaders of the world's two biggest oil exporters conclude and maintain the OPEC+ energy deal.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Putin says it's "sacred duty" of his soldiers to liberate Kursk

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has said that the main objective of the war against Ukraine remains the capture of Donetsk Oblast and that the "sacred duty" of Russian soldiers is to liberate part of Kursk Oblast, part of which is currently controlled by the Ukrainian military.

Source: Russian propaganda media, citing Putin's statements at the 9th Eastern Economic Forum on 5 September

Quote from the Kremlin chief: "The liberation (as Putin refers to the occupation of Ukraine's territories  ed.) of Donbas is considered a top priority.

Details: Putin also added that residents of Russia's border regions are now suffering because of the war he has unleashed and stated that "the sacred duty of the Russian armed forces is to throw the enemy [the Ukrainian Armed Forces  ed.] out" of the territory of Kursk Oblast.

Putin persistently continues to downplay the results of the successful Ukrainian operation in Kursk, trying to convince Russian society that the control of a hundred settlements in Russia by the Ukrainian Armed Forces means nothing.

"Kyiv wanted to make Russia fussy and nervous, to stop the offensive in Donbas, but none of that happened," the Russian leader said, convincing himself and the Russians alike.

He also claims that the offensive in Kursk has allegedly weakened Ukrainian forces on key frontlines in Ukraine and that now "Russian troops have only accelerated their offensive operations".

In addition, according to Putin, Russian society has allegedly "consolidated" and "the number of people signing contracts with the Russian Armed Forces has increased".

Background:

Read also: Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi's raid: how the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast is progressing and what to expect next

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin speaks during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum. RIA Novosti/Kremlin/dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday slammed Ukraine's roughly one-month offensive in the Russian Kursk region, saying Kiev had failed to achieve its goals and done nothing to stop the Russian army.

The Ukrainian army's plan was to unsettle Russia and stop the Russian advance in the Donbass, Putin said.

"Has the adversary succeeded in this? No, he has achieved nothing," Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

Rather, he said, there are now more Russian conquests in the Donetsk region than there have been for a long time because Ukrainian officials would rather let its better trained units fight in Kursk than in their own country.

Russian society has consolidated and there are more and more volunteers for front-line deployment, he said.

Russian armed forces have begun to push the Ukrainian army out of the border region in the Kursk area, the president added.

"We must above all think of the people who are going through severe trials and suffering from these terrorist attacks," he said, adding that overall, the situation has stabilized.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has justified the offensive, which began on August 6, by saying he wanted to increase pressure on Russia to negotiate.

Zelensky had described the invasion of around 10,000 soldiers as a success after they brought dozens of villages and hundreds of square kilometres under their control.

The Ukrainian leader added that many Russian prisoners of war had been taken for a possible new exchange.

Putin talks of willingness to negotiate

Shortly after the Kursk offensive, the Russian leadership was fairly negative about the chance for a negotiated settlement. However in Vladivostok, Putin again reaffirmed his willingness to negotiate on the basis of the agreements reached in Istanbul between delegations from Moscow and Kiev shortly after the war began in February 2022.

The conditions laid out in those negotiations, which were first reported this year, called for Ukraine to stop pursuing membership of NATO in exchange for a ceasefire.

There was no agreement in part because Ukraine did not believe there would be any security guarantees should the deal be signed. On top of that, the provisional agreement still called for Ukraine to give up some of its territory.

Meanwhile on the ground, Russia attacked Ukraine with 78 Iranian-made combat drones overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Thursday, adding that air defences were able to destroy 60 of them.

A further 15 were pushed off course by electronic warfare systems, while two drones "returned" to Russia and one flew into Belarusian airspace, the air force said on Telegram.

An Iskander missile was also launched from the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, it said. There was no reports of damage or casualties from the assault.

An air raid warning was in place in Kiev for nine hours overnight due to the constant drone threat. Anti-aircraft fire was also heard briefly over the city of 3 million people. Authorities said there was no damage.
Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is rooting for Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, citing her fascinating laugh as why he preferred her over his longtime sycophant Donald Trump.

One day after the U.S. charged Russian state media executives and restricted Kremlin-linked broadcasters for allegedly trying to influence the election, Putin answered a question about the U.S. election at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia with a wry smile, saying that his favorite candidate was Joe Biden.

Putin had said earlier this year, in an apparently ironic comment, that he preferred Biden over Trump for being a more predictable "old school" politicianbut now that he was out of the race, he said he would back Harris.

If we could name a favorite candidate, it used to be Joe Biden but now hes not participating, Putin said. He has recommended to all his allies to support Ms Harris and that is what we are going to do.

Putin continued: Her laugh is so fascinating. It means everything is good and if everything is good... there were so many sanctions against Russia that were introduced and if everything is good with Ms Harris, maybe shell refrain from such matters.

Putin wrapped up his comments on the U.S. election by saying: In the end, it will be the choice of the U.S. people and we will respect that choicea remark that is difficult take seriously given the breadth of evidence of his attempts to influence the American people to vote for Trump in previous elections.

His comments came after his foreign ministry threatened to take retaliatory action against U.S. media in response to the U.S. sanctions on Russian state media. The U.S. on Wednesday announced a coordinated action with the Justice, State and Treasury departments to combat potential election interference, specifically calling out Rossiya Segodnya, and subsidiaries RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik.

While federal prosecutors unsealed money-laundering charges against Konstantine Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, two Russia-based employees of RT, accusing them of hiring an American company to produce online content to influence the 2024 election, the state department announced a new policy restricting visa issuance to certain individuals who, acting on behalf of Kremlin-supported media organizations, use those organizations as cover for covert activities, and are responsible for, or complicit in, engaging in covert influence.

The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our countrys free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda, U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland said. He accused Moscow of working to secure a preferred outcome in the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russias foreign ministry, called the U.S.s actions against Russian media a witch hunt, and a sign of the decline of 'liberal democracies. She said on Thursday that attacks on Russia media will not go unanswered.

Attempts to expel Russian journalists from the territory of the United States, the creation of unacceptable conditions for their work or any other forms of obstruction of their activitiesincluding the use of visa instrumentswill become the basis for the adoption of symmetrical and/or asymmetrical retaliatory measures against American media, Zakharova said on Telegram.

Trump has long lavished praise upon Putin, calling him a genius and pretty savvy. Trump has also claimed he would end the war in Ukraine in a day, spurring concerns that if hes elected again, he would cut off aid to Kyiv.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

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Putin talks about negotiations with Ukraine, insists they should be based on Istanbul agreements

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said that Russia has not abandoned the idea of negotiations with Ukraine but they should be based on the "documents" agreed upon in Istanbul in 2022.

Source: Putin in a speech on 5 September

Quote: "Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so  but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of the documents that were agreed and actually initiated in Istanbul.

Details: The Russian leader said that China, Brazil, and India could mediate potential negotiations. He said that he had "trusting" relations with representatives of these countries.

Background:

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been trying to negotiate peace. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeatedly called on Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to discuss all pressing issues in person. The Russian ignored Zelenskyy. Eventually, Zelenskyy stated that Putin's statements about his desire for peace were not sincere and approved the National Security and Defence Council's decision about the impossibility of negotiating with him.

A few weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a peace deal could have been signed. The conditions for ending the war then were spelled out in a 17-page draft agreement that the parties agreed on on 15 April 2022. Russia demanded neutrality from Ukraine, and a limit on the number of troops, weapons, equipment and vehicles. The then-occupied territories were to remain with Russia.

However, in April 2022, Russia effectively disrupted peace talks with Ukraine by including a clause in the draft agreement stating that it would have a veto over the international community's response in the event of a repeated attack on Ukraine.

Read more: From Zelenskyy's "surrender" to Putin's surrender: how the negotiations with Russia are going

Before and after the counteroffensive: Are there perspectives in peace negotiations with Russia?

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Putin's propagandists charged in US with working for Russian TV for millions of dollars

Dimitri Simes, a Russian propagandist of American origin, and his wife Anastasia were charged in the United States with violating the sanctions regime in favour of Channel One Russia, a state-owned Russian television station.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the US Department of Justice

Details: The indictment alleges that Dimitri and Anastasia Simes participated in a scheme to violate US sanctions in favour of the sanctioned Channel One Russia and in laundering the proceeds of this scheme.

From at least June 2022 to the present, the Simes couple and other unnamed individuals provided services to Channel One Russia, in exchange for which they received "over $1 million, a personal car and driver, a stipend for an apartment in Moscow, Russia, and a team of 10 employees."

If convicted, the Simes face up to 20 years in prison on each count.

A separate indictment concerns Anastasia Simes, who, along with other unnamed individuals, purchased art and antiques from galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe on behalf of Russian sanctioned oligarch Aleksandr Udodov.

She stored the artworks in her home in Virginia, from where she took them back to Russia. In return, Udodov reimbursed her for all her expenses. If convicted, Simes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count.

The FBI's Washington office is investigating both cases.

Dmitry Simes is a co-host of a programme on international relations on Channel One Russia. His name has been repeatedly mentioned in Robert Mueller's report for his ties to Donald Trump's campaign officials and Russian government officials, but he has never been charged.

For decades, Simes has been well known in the Washington diplomatic world and is considered an expert on Russian affairs. He was the long-time president and CEO of the Center for the National Interest, a public policy think tank founded by former US President Richard Nixon, which he left in 2022.

In a propaganda programme on Channel One Russia, Simes presented himself as a foreign policy realist who favoured cooperation between Washington and Moscow. Still, over time, Simes has become fully pro-Putin.

Background:

Last month, the FBI raided Simes' Virginia country estate, which is mentioned in the current indictment.

The day before, the United States announced a series of sanctions and charges in connection with an attempt to interfere in the election of co-workers of the RT propaganda channel.

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Editor's note: Join us here on Tuesday at noon for our Reddit 'Ask Me Anything'

A lot has happened in Indiana politics in 2024, and it might be hard to decipher what exactly is going on in the Hoosier State as you prepare to head to the polls this November.

You have questions? I will answer  or do my best to help.

Im Brittany Carloni, one of the state politics reporters on our team at IndyStar. Ive been covering politics and elections in central Indiana for three-and-a-half-years, from local to the federal level s . Ill be hosting a Reddit Ask Me Anything at noon on Sept. 10 to answer questions you have about key races in Indiana this fall and more.

In a state with a Republican supermajority at the Statehouse and GOP dominance in statewide and federal offices, odds point to many Indiana races having already been decided during our May primary elections. But our IndyStar politics team will keep bringing you what you need to know to cast your ballot in races for school board, governor, U.S. Senate and more.

(Given the amount of major politics news that has happened since May  from the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race to the rise of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee  it's safe to say anything can happen.)

Theres a lot to cover and Im looking forward to talking about it, so join me here on Tuesday at noon!

In the meantime, subscribe here to Checks and Balances, our weekly IndyStar politics newsletter that hits email inboxes on Friday mornings.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Join IndyStar's Reddit AMA on 2024 elections in Indiana
TechCrunch

Lawyers representing Sam Bankman-Fried, the FTX CEO and co-founder who was convicted of fraud and money laundering late last year, are seeking a new trial. Following crypto exchange FTXs collapse, Bankman-Fried was found guilty on all seven counts, then sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture. Bloomberg reports that Bankman-Frieds appeal focuses on the behavior of U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, alleging that Kaplans rulings were not just erroneous but unbalanced and that the judge continually ridiculed Bankman-Fried during trial, repeatedly criticized his demeanor, and signaled his disbelief of Bankman-Frieds testimony.
The father of the 14-year-old student accused of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the deadly shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday.

Colin Gray, 54, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said.

At a news conference on Thursday evening, Chris Hosey, director of the GBI said that the father was arrested for "knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon."

His son has also been charged with four counts of felony murder, with additional charges expected, the GBI said.

Investigators believe that Colt Gray received the AR-style weapon that he ultimately used to allegedly carry out the mass shooting at Apalachee High School as a Christmas present from his father, sources told ABC News.

Two teachers and two students were killed in Wednesday morning's shooting: math teacher and football coach Richard Aspinwall, 39; math teacher Cristina Irimie, 53; and students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, officials said.

Eight students and one teacher were injured in Wednesday's shooting, officials said. All of the injured victims are expected to recover, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

At Thursday night's briefing, while addressing the condition of the nine injured, an official said he was "very happy to say they will make full recovery." Some of them are still in the hospital, while others have been released.

PHOTO: Women cry while attending a vigil at Jug Tavern Park following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., Sept. 4, 2024. (Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters)

MORE: Apalachee teacher fatally shot by his classroom doorway: 'He was trying to crawl back to us'

The suspect, Colt Gray, surrendered at the scene to the school resource officers, the GBI said. He was taken into custody at 10:30 a.m. ET, seven minutes after the initial service call went out, according to the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, which employs the school resource officers.

Colt Gray will be tried as an adult, the GBI said.

He is being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center and will appear in court virtually on Friday morning, authorities said.

PHOTO: Booking photo of Apalachee High School shooting suspect, Colt Gray, released by the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office)

An AR-platform-style weapon was used in the shooting, according to GBI Director Chris Hosey.

Colt Gray was interviewed by investigators and the GBI, but Smith did not disclose further details.

Teachers at the high school had IDs that alert law enforcement during an active incident -- a new safety system that was implemented just one week ago, the sheriff said.

PHOTO: Linda Carter, of Grayson, Ga., kneels near Apalachee High School to place flowers as she mourners for the slain students and teachers, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (Brynn Anderson/AP)

PHOTO: Parents walk their child out of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (Mike Stewart/AP)

MORE: What to know about gun laws in Georgia after the Apalachee High School shooting

A motive has not yet been determined and it is unknown if the victims were targeted, investigators said.

The suspect had an apparent affinity for mass shooters, multiple sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News. Investigators are scouring concerning social media posts from accounts associated with Colt Gray that mention prior mass shootings and those who carried them out, the sources said.

The GBI said in a statement Thursday, "This is day 2 of a very complex investigation & the integrity of the case is paramount. We ask for the publics patience as we work to ensure a successful prosecution & justice for the victims."

The autopsies will be performed on Thursday, the GBI said.

MORE: How to talk to children about school shootings after 4 people killed in Georgia

PHOTO: People leave Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (Mike Stewart/AP)

PHOTO: People hold candles while attending a vigil at Jug Tavern Park following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4, 2024.r (Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters)

In May 2023, authorities interviewed the suspect, who was then 13, about alleged threats to commit a school shooting, according to the FBI.

The FBI said it received anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting and the online threats contained photos of guns.

The boy's dad told authorities he had hunting rifles in the house, saying, "Colt is allowed to use them when supervised but does not have unfettered access to them," according to the police report obtained by ABC News.

PHOTO: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4, 2024 in Winder, Ga. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

MORE: 'I had so much fear': Students recount shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School

When the 13-year-old was interviewed, he "assured me that he never made any threats to shoot up any school," an officer wrote, according to the report.

The online threat included a user profile written in Russian, and investigators said at the time that the translation of the Russian letters spelled out the name Lanza, referring to Adam Lanza, who committed the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012.

"I could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action," an officer wrote in his report. "At this time, due to the inconsistent nature of the information received by the FBI, the allegation that Colt or [his father] is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated."

PHOTO: Police officers on the scene of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Erik S Lesser/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

MORE: Georgia high school shooting: What we know about the 4 victims

"At that time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels," the FBI said on Wednesday.

The sheriff's office said it "alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject."

Discord said in a statement that the account was created on April 2, 2023, and removed by the platform on May 21, 2023, "for violating our policy against extremism."

"At that time, Discords Safety team immediately responded to law enforcement, provided all requested information to aid in their investigation, and acted swiftly to remove the user from the platform," Discord said. "Based on our ongoing investigation since then, we have no indication that the suspect used Discord to discuss or plan this horrific attack."

ABC News' Alex Faul, Josh Margolin, Brandon Baur, Faith Abubey, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Miles Cohen and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

Father of Georgia shooting suspect charged; gun was Christmas present, sources say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the location of the First Continental Congress.

What do we mean by the American Revolution?

John Adams might have mused these words in 1818, decades after the event, but the former president felt certain about this: The revolution was effected before the war commenced. It had begun some time before, in the Minds and Hearts of the People. Yet for most of the 1760s, no one envisioned a wholesale transformation in the relationship between the mother country and colonies, much less a severing of that relationship altogether.

So when, exactly, did the revolution begin?

That moment arguably came amid one of the seemingly less dramatic events of the revolutionary timeline: The First Continental Congress, which began 250 years ago today, on September 5, 1774, and lasted until late October of that year. It was a fairly placid affair; no iconic speeches stand out in the historical record, nor did it produce any monumental documents to rival the Declaration of Independence. If its considered today, the First Continental Congress is mainly remembered for its vote to convene its more famous successor the following year.

Yet the First Continental Congress was quietly momentous, a watershed moment in resistance to Britains policies. Overcoming sharp differences in regional culture, politics, and even views on how to combat British policies, the delegates of the First Continental Congress set in motion events that culminated in the dismemberment of the British Empire in North America.

The road to the congress.

In early December of 1773, a general calm prevailed in the colonies. Then tea brought it to a halt.

Parliament had sought to curb the financial struggles of the East India Company by granting it a legal monopoly in America. Bostonians were not pleased. Dozens of them swarmed the companys ships in the citys harbor on the night of December 16, 1773. Anywhere from 30 to potentially more than 100 men (estimates vary) boarded the companys vessels and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

The reaction among American colonists to what came to be known as the Boston Tea Party was far from unanimous. Some, of course, responded with gleeful delight. Others supported the sign of protest but were happy to consider offering the East India Company compensation as part of a negotiated settlement. And there were more law-and-order-minded patriots who wanted to see vigorous, peaceful resistance to British tyranny but found the spectacle distasteful. Even George Washington fell into this camp.

These disparate reactions speak to wider divisions in colonial American society. There was not, at this point, anything close to a consensus on virtually any issue. For one thing, people did not identify as American; they were Virginians, New Englanders, Philadelphians, local people with local concerns. In addition, bitter feelings still lingered over how quickly some colonies abandoned boycotts on British imports in the past decade. It remained an open question whether the American colonies would ever muster the collective will to work together in any kind of effective manner. There were also sharp differences regarding what protests should look like. For some firebrands, like the Massachusetts delegate Samuel Adams, only the most forceful and militant expressions of American rights would suffice. The most conservative colonists, on the other hand, sought the mildest possible approach to convey grievances to the king.

If the British had played their cards more carefully, they might have turned this lack of consensus into real fractures among American leaders. But with thousands of pounds worth of tea floating in Bostons harbor, London was finished with conciliation and ready to put the subordinate relationship of the colonies on firm ground.

Britain promptly closed the port of Boston, stripped Massachusetts of any semblance of self-government, and granted the British military much greater power to quarter troops in suitable locations at colonial expense. These lawseither the Coercive Acts or the Intolerable Acts, depending on if one favored Parliament or American protesterswhipped the colonies into a fury. Closing the port of Boston naturally sparked outrage, but dissolving the Massachusetts Charter created a special fear in the heart of every colonist up and down the seaboard.

London claimed nothing less than the right to abolish colonial governments at will, without the slightest consultation. Every delegate to every colonial legislature now was on notice that he served purely at the pleasure of a faceless body across the ocean. Thousands of Americansnone of whom were radicalswould come to find common cause with Boston.

Yet it took time. In response to the Intolerable Acts, Adams led the charge in the Massachusetts Assembly demanding a complete shutdown of American commerce with Britain and the West Indies. If Britain wanted to strangle Bostons economy, then the same treatment was good enough for them. To the Massachusetts radicals dismay, almost no one agreed. Too many Americans made their living off such trade to be eager to switch off the economy.

The Massachusetts Assembly, a bit miffed that no one was willing to follow its lead for more draconian measures, tried to rally the rest of the colonies by passing the Solemn League and Covenant. This measure cut off commercial intercourse between Massachusetts and the British Empire, with hopes that other colonies would follow their example. The Assembly publicized the Solemn League and Covenant with appropriate fanfare, but little traction. By mid-June of 1774, it was clear that the rest of the colonies were not, as yet, ready for an economic war (much less the other kind of war).

But instead, a healthy consensus arose around the idea of a united congress, one that would demonstrate Americans unified disgust at the Intolerable Acts and convey their demands for recognition as loyal, but indisputably equal, members of the British Empire.

Navigating factionalism.

When 48 delegates from 12 colonies (Georgia being the sole missing colony) gathered in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, for the First Continental Congress, they had little in common. They held starkly different religious beliefs, and New Englanders and Southerners hailed from cultures so markedly different as to almost amount to foreign countries. The dozen separate colonies represented did not even have a uniform agreement on how many shillings were in a pound.

Such divisions showed up immediately in a rancorous debate on whether votes would be cast individually or by colony, even though some tried to downplay the fractures. Distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders, are no more, insisted Patrick Henry, All America is thrown into one Mass. Meanwhile John Jay, among the more conservative delegates, sharply contradicted the Virginia firebrand. I cant yet think that all Government is at an End, he said, concluding that the colonies should refrain from trying to create a single America and instead focus on resolving tensions with Britain.

Henrys protean nationalism was not entirely unselfish. He spoke out in favor of the delegates voting individually, rather than giving each state one vote. As Henrys home of Virginia dwarfed many of the small states in population, this would have worked greatly to Virginians benefitand for that reason was a nonstarter to virtually every delegate from the smaller colonies. Eventually, the realities of regional politics prevailed, and the Congress established a one-vote-per-colony structure.

No sooner had they reached a reluctant agreement on voting procedures than the whole body was thrown into turmoil by reports that the British navy had begun shelling Boston. Allegedly, British soldiers had clashed with colonial militia, and the bloodshed had provoked the Royal Navy to unleash indiscriminate broadsides on the population. The rumors turned out to be false, but the war scare did have one salutary effect: It prodded the Congress to a unanimous acceptance of the Suffolk Resolves.

Arriving by the hand of express rider Paul Revere on September 16, the Resolves from a convention in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, offered one of the boldest and unambiguous statements of American rights and grievances among the many protest documents sprouting up across New England. The Resolves blasted Britain for attempting to impose endless and numberless curses of slavery upon the colonies, and they swore that the colonies would never submit themselves to the arbitrary will of a licentious minister. In similarly explosive language, they promised not to obey in any regard the Intolerable Acts and to impose a full economic boycott until Britain yielded. They also vowed not to pay taxes until their demands were met, as well as to police their neighbors and impose penalties on anyone violating the boycott.

The Suffolk Resolves left no ambiguity as to Americans expectations. They didnt bring about an unreserved victory for the most militant of colonists, though. The Resolves made their point to one audience in London, but they also servedit was hopedto place constraints on another audience in Massachusetts. The Resolves also condemned riots or licentious attacks upon the properties of any person whatsoever, and, though they called for militias to train vigorously for a possible conflict, they also insisted that force be used merely upon the defensive. As the historian Jack Rackove notes, Most delegates probably hoped to restrain the conduct of resistance in Massachusetts within the lines drawn by the Suffolk Resolves themselves. Only if British General Thomas Gage used force to carry out his policies would the people be justified in taking stronger measures.

The firebrands at the helm.

The easy passage of the Suffolk Resolves showed that the firebrands held a decided advantage over the reconciliationists. Joseph Galloway, a Pennsylvanian at the far end of the conservative camp, made a last-ditch effort to change that. Galloway called for an American parliament, with a single representative from each state, that would have equal standing with Parliament. Its approval would be required for any legislation affecting the colonies to be implemented. Galloway still left the colonies in a decidedly subordinate role, however. The American legislature would be overseen by a crown-appointed president, and the monarch would still enjoy the right to name governors of each colony and nullify legislation passed by colonial assemblies.

Still, it was a near thing. Galloways plan was only tabled by a 6-5 vote, with Rhode Island deadlocked. Patrick Henry likely breathed a sigh of relief that he had lost earlier. If voting had been tallied by a majority of all delegates, Galloways motion would likely have avoided being tabled. That would have resulted in a lengthy, doubtless ugly debate that could have easily crippled the Congress.

With Galloways plan dispensed with, the delegates moved on to organizing a plan for resistance. Generally, everyone fell in line about banning British imports. Cutting off all exports to the rest of the British Empire was another matter, though. Virginia spoke for all the southern colonies when it noted that it had already harvested cropsat substantial expenseand had them ready to ship out. Virginias stance elicited no small degree of grumbling from New Englanders. A boycott that would not take effect for over a year was hardly a crushing blow. Indeed, it raised the possibility that further delays would become necessary by the time the ban on exports was finally scheduled to take effect. Again, however, maintaining unity took precedence over the details. A delayed boycott by the colonies was far better than a series of ad-hoc measures imposed by separate regions. The Virginians got their way this time; the ban on exports was slated for a year in the future, in September 1775.

Boycotts were only as good as the willingness of Americans to fulfill them. In this, the First Continental Congress delivered beyond anything that had been known in the Americas before. The Continental Association would be backed by hundreds of committees of enforcement, elected across the colonies to monitor their respective towns, cities, or counties for anyone violating the embargo. This was not an open invitation to plunder private property or, worse, sic mobs on deviants. The committees power of enforcement was limited to ensuring that the names of violators were published in the Gazette, to the End that all such foes to the rights of British America may be publickly known and universally condemned as the Enemies of American Liberty; and thence forth we respectively will break off all Dealings with him, or her. Social pressure was the order of the day for maintaining compliance with the embargo. That should not muddy the dramatic step being taken, though. While previous attempts at economic coercion had been built purely on an appeal to patriotism, the First Continental Congress had finally created a formal, legal set of bodies for backing up the embargo.

It worked. Over the next year, British imports were gutted to a degree never approached by earlier boycotts. And the local committees had another impactthey created a mass of some 7,000 Americans who now held a direct part in the resistance to British tyranny, and thus produced the local leaders who would become crucial in the years ahead for keeping the flame of revolution alive in the war years.

Those who still placed hope in the Crown and the smooth restoration of harmony demanded a final petition to King George beseeching him to intervene on behalf of his American subjects against the evils of Parliament. Professing unswerving loyalty to their Most Gracious Sovereign the petitioners listed their grievances and proclaimed that they earnestly beseech your majesty that your royal authority and interposition may be used for our relief. The petition was a necessary concession to the most ardent reconciliationists, but plenty of delegates anticipated, correctly, that it would be ignored in London. They allowed the petition to smooth the path for the publication they really wanted: a declaration of American rights.

The Declaration and Resolvesalso commonly referred to as the Declaration of Rightsminced no words: Americans were entitled to all the rights of Englishmen. They could not be taxed without their consent. They could not have British troops quartered in their colonies without the explicit approval of their own legislatures. They could not be deprived of their property without their consent. They could not be prevented from peacefully assembling and petitioning for redress of grievances. They could not be tried outside their own colonies and could not be found guilty except by a jury of their peers. Indeed, they were just as entitled to life, liberty, and property as any other Englishman, and they demanded in unambiguous language that Parliament repeal all acts obnoxious to their liberties.

The Declaration and Resolves did not offer room for compromise. Either London would affirm and safeguard Americans rights and liberties, or it would face the consequences. Those hoping for a placid sorting of differences with the mother country had been unable to leave the door open for any concessions on Parliamentary supremacy. When word of the Resolves reached the wider American public, it was clear to all that Samuel Adams and his compatriots had fully vanquished the likes of Joseph Galloway. A disheartened pamphleteer lamented that the Congress had left us no retreat, nor the mother country any opening to advance to reconciliation. Presciently, another future Loyalist complained that he had hoped the delegates to Philadelphia would be agents of peace, but instead they had become the Heralds of War.

The First Continental Congress closed by urging each colony to ramp up arming and drilling its militia. While all still hoped war could be avoided, it was obvious that violent negotiations were a possibility. We know now that the American colonies not only took up arms and spilled blood, but they even rallied to the cause of independence and formed a new nation. That was still an anathema to virtually all Americans in October of 1774, when the First Continental Congress disbanded. Indeed, the limits on colonial economic coercion and the insistence on another appeal to the king fell short of the most ambitious delegates hopes.

Still, something remarkable had taken place those six weeks in Philadelphia: A dozen distinct colonies had spoken with one voice in defense of their rights. They had rejected the authority of Parliament over colonial affairs and demanded nothing less than true self-governance. Thomas Jeffersons resounding statement that the colonies in America are and of right ought to be free and independent lay over a year in the future, but the spark that would eventually ignite into a history-making blaze had been lit.

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An El Paso County judge on Wednesday ruled that evidence of a previous attempt to flee law enforcement from the Colorado man who now stands accused of killing a parole officer last year can be used at his trial next month.

Justin Kula, 42, is accused of killing Pueblo parole officer Christine Guerin Sandoval with his car after he attempted to flee from her and two other parole officers who were attempting to make contact with Kula on Sept. 28.

At Kula's preliminary hearing, evidence was presented that Kula had allegedly been using narcotics before his interaction with Sandoval. Kula's attorneys argued at the hearing that Kula did not know Sandoval was a member of law enforcement when she approached his car, while the District Attorney's Office argued that he was fully aware Sandoval was a member of law enforcement when he attempted to flee.

On Wednesday an El Paso County judge was tasked with deciding whether evidence of an alleged previous attempt from Kula to flee would be prejudicial to his defense.

The court stated that on Aug. 27, 2020, Kula allegedly fled from law enforcement in his car after they attempted to make contact with him. Prosecutors argued that Kula's attempt to flee could be used at trial as evidence that he knowingly was attempting to evade law enforcement when he allegedly killed Sandoval on Sept. 28.

Kula's defense argued that the evidence would be prejudicial to his defense, and previous interactions with law enforcement were irrelevant to Kula's state of mind during the incident that led to Sandoval's death.

Judge David Shakes said he was struck by how "similar" the two incidents were, and that he felt the evidence was relevant, because it potentially rebuts the argument from Kula that "I would have done something different had I known I was being contacted by law enforcement."

Shakes ruled that the evidence of the previous attempt to flee could be used in trial as a result.

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Kula's attorney, Kimberley Davis, unhappy with the ruling, requested for Shakes to give a further record on his reasoning, but Shakes declined to do so.

"I've made my record, thanks," Shakes said before ending the motions hearing.

Davis also informed the court that her theory of defense for Kula at trial will be about self defense, likely arguing as she has at previous hearings that Kula did not know Sandoval was a parole officer when she approached his car, and nobody identified themselves as law enforcement to Kula.

Kula pleaded not guilty to 13 charges  including leaving the scene of an accident causing death, vehicular homicide and reckless manslaughter  in March and is scheduled to begin trial on Oct. 28.

Attorneys at Kula's arraignment say the trial should last approximately two weeks. He remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on a $250,000 bond.

Previous reporting from The Gazette indicates Kula has a long criminal history, including more than a dozen felony convictions over two decades in Colorado and Texas. In 2020, Kula was convicted of disorderly conduct, and assaulting a peace officer, among other crimes, according to court records.

Additionally, Kula faced 13 felony charges in Texas between 2000 and 2018 including six drug-possession charges, two theft charges, three assault charges, a harassment charge, and a misdemeanor charge in 2007 for making terrorist threats.
Students and other activists carry Bangladesh's national flag during a protest march organized by Students Against Discrimination to mark one month since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down after a mass uprising, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  Thousands of people rallied Thursday in Bangladeshs capital to mark one month since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a mass uprising sparked by students over government job quotas.

Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5 after weeks of violence left more than 600 people dead, including students. The uprising ended the 15-year-rule of the countrys longest-serving prime minister, who began a fourth consecutive term in January following an election boycotted by the major opposition parties.

The demonstrators chanted slogans such as Where is Hasina? Bury her, bury her! and Hasina-Modi, warning, be careful! or Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar.

They were referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Hasina is known to be a trusted ally of India. Many protesters have condemned India for promoting Hinduism and for sheltering Hasina.

The central procession, styled as a shaheedi march or "procession for the martyrs began from the Dhaka University campus and marched through the streets. In addition to the many Bangladeshi flags, some participants carried a giant Palestinian flag.

Tens of thousands joined rallies across the Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people.

In Dhakas Uttara neighborhood, thousands of school and madrasah students in uniform took part in processions, chanting anti-Hasina slogans. Some carried banners and placards reading We want Hasinas execution and We want reforms of the state.

Thursdays protests came as Bangladesh was returning to normalcy, despite challenges such as a struggling economy. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who had a frosty relationship with Hasina, has prioritized law and order to stabilize the country.

In a message to the nation marking the day, Yunus vowed to build a new Bangladesh.

I am committed to fulfilling the dream that our young revolutionaries have instilled into the minds of the people of our country to build a new Bangladesh," he said. The sacrifices of the martyrs have inspired us to change the course of history. We want to begin a new era.

In an interview with the Press Trust of India, or PTI, news agency released Thursday, Yunus said Hasina should stay quiet, and that her political remarks from India are an unfriendly gesture.

Opponents of Hasina want her and her associates to stand trial for mass killings during the demonstrations that began in July.

If India wants to keep her until the time Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet, the PTI quoted Yunus as saying.

No one is comfortable with her stance in India because we want her back to try her. She is there and at times she is talking, which is problematic ... No one likes it, he said.

Yunus was apparently referring to Hasina's statement last month in which she demanded justice, saying those involved in recent terror acts," killings and vandalism must be investigated, identified and punished.

The press office of Yunus, who holds the official position of chief adviser in the interim government, told journalists Thursday that he had the backing of 197 global leaders, including 97 Nobel laureates.

It said that in a show of international support, individuals including former U.S. President Barack Obama, entrepreneur Richard Branson and renowned activist Jane Goodall, congratulated the people of Bangladesh and Yunus in a letter.

Yunus administration is reorganizing police, bureaucracy and other state institutions to take control as violence and unrest escalate. On Thursday, the country's chief election commissioner and his deputies who oversaw the recent elections resigned from office.

Days of street protests by garment workers and other industries forced owners to shut their factories for days before they resumed operations on Thursday amid heightened security in two major industrial hubs outside Dhaka.

Also, media reports said that a young Hindu man was beaten Wednesday by a Muslim mob in the presence of security officials in the southwestern Khulna region after he allegedly posted derogatory comments online about the Prophet Muhammad.

The military's Inter Service Public Relations office said in a statement later Thursday that soldiers rescued the man, named as Sri Utso, after an angry mob attacked him inside the office of a senior police official. It said he survived and was out of danger, and he would be handed over to police for legal actions against him.

Yunus in the interview with PTI refuted earlier reports that the Hindu minority had been targeted since Hasinas fall. Modi had also earlier voiced concern over the reports of attacks on Hindus.

Yunus said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh is exaggerated and questioned the manner in which India projected it.

He said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal: he described them as the fallout of political upheaval as there is a perception that most Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime of Sheikh Hasina.

Also on Thursday, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a formal protest to India over the killing of a 13-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Shwarna Das of Moulvibazar district, who was shot and killed by India's Border Security Force on Sept. 1, according to Yunus' press office.

Bangladesh has a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile) border with India.
A French woman whose husband is accused of inviting men to rape her testifies in court

Gisele Pelicot arrives in the Avignon court house, in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. A woman allegedly drugged by her ex-husband so that she could be raped by other men while she laid unconscious, is expected to testify before a panel of French judges. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)

AVIGNON, France (AP)  A woman who was allegedly drugged by her now ex-husband so that she could be raped by other men while she was unconscious testified Thursday that her world collapsed when police uncovered the years of alleged abuse.

Speaking in a calm and clear voice, Gisele Pelicot detailed with impressive composure the horror of discovering that her former spouse had systematically filmed the dozens of suspected rapes  storing thousands of images that police investigators later found.

Its unbearable, she told the court in the southern French city of Avignon in an hour of testimony. "I have so much to say that I dont always know where to start.

Dominique Pelicot, now 71, and 50 other men are standing trial on charges of aggravated rape and face up to 20 years in prison. The trial started on Monday and is expected to run until December. Thursday marked the first time that Gisele Pelicot, also in her 70s, had testified.

The Associated Press doesnt generally identify victims of sexual crimes. But Gisele Pelicots lawyer, Stephane Babonneau, said she accepted that her name would be published in the same way that she insisted that the trial be held in public.

She told the court that she hopes her testimony might help spare other women from similar ordeals. She said she pushed for the trial in open court in solidarity with other women who go unrecognized as victims of sexual crimes.

She and her husband of 50 years had three children. When they retired, the couple moved into a house in Mazan, a small town in Provence.

I thought we were a close couple, she told the court.

But in late 2020, a security agent caught her husband taking photos of womens crotches in a supermarket, leading investigators to search Dominique Pelicot's phone and computer. They found thousands of photographs and videos of men appearing to rape Gisele in their home while she appears to be unconscious.

When police officers called her in for questioning, she initially told them her husband was "a great guy. But after being confronted with the unfathomable  police showed her some of the images  she left her husband.

For me, everything collapses, she testified. These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.

She left with two suitcases, all that was left for me of 50 years of life together. Since then, she said, I no longer have an identity. ... I dont know if Ill ever rebuild myself.

Police investigators found communications Dominique Pelicot allegedly sent on a messaging website commonly used by criminals, in which he invited men to sexually abuse his wife. French authorities shut down the website earlier this year.

Crude details of the alleged abuses, which investigators said began in 2011, and of the elaborate system Pelicot put into place over 10 years have emerged during the trial.

Dominique Pelicot told investigators that men invited to the couple's home had to follow certain rules  they could not talk loudly, had to remove their clothes in the kitchen, could not wear perfume nor smell of tobacco.

They sometimes had to wait up to an hour and a half in a nearby parking lot for the drug to take full effect and render Gisele Pelicot unconscious.

The toxicologist on Thursday spoke of a cocktail of medication, a mixture of Temesta and Zolpidem, hypnotic and anxiolytic drugs. A medical expert said that the alleged rapists were not made to wear condoms and that Gisele Pelicot had contracted four sexually transmitted infections.

I was sacrificed on the altar of vice," Gisele Pelicot testified. They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.

Because Dominique Pelicot videotaped the alleged rapes, police were able to track down  over a period of two years  a majority of the 72 suspects they were seeking.

Besides Pelicot, 50 other men, aged 22 to 70, are standing trial. Several defendants are denying some of the accusations against them, alleging they were manipulated by Pelicot.

Questioned in court, Gisele Pelicot rejected the argument that any of these men were manipulated or trapped.

These men entered my home, respected the imposed protocol. They did not rape me with a gun to the head. They raped me in all conscience, she said. "Why didnt they go to the police station? Even an anonymous phone call could have saved my life.

Over the next few months, the defendants will appear in small groups before a panel of five judges, with Pelicot scheduled to speak next week. Psychologists, psychiatrists and computer experts will also testify.

Outside the courthouse, Gisele Pelicot told reporters she had tried to answer lawyers' questions as best she could, despite the pressure of having all these "individuals" behind her.

We will have to fight until the end."

___

Vaux-Montagny reported from Lyon, France.

AP reporters John Leicester and Diane Jeantet contributed to this report from Paris.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The Rapid and union workers have agreed on a three-year contract, the metro Grand Rapids bus service announced Thursday.

The previous contract expired June 9, and ever since, the bus service and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 836 have been negotiating new terms under an extension, according to a release from The Rapid. Union workers in July overwhelmingly rejected one contract proposal from The Rapid, saying it offered inadequate wages, restrictions on using paid time off, limited access to the public agencys property for union members, and many other damning proposals.

Rapid workers reject contract proposal

Now, The Rapid says the two parties have come to a consensus. They reached a tentative agreement Aug. 1, which was approved by the The Rapids board of directors Aug. 28, according to the release.

The bus service says the latest agreement offers substantial wage increases and additional work-life benefits.

Under the contract, bus operators will get a $3 per hour wage increase in the first year and 4% increases in the second and third years, according to the release. Meanwhile, maintenance and facilities technicians will receive a 6% increase in the first year and 4% increases in the second and third years.

The Rapid bus employees call for better wages

The Rapid says the contract also includes new and increased premiums, new benefits like a floating holiday, an updated no-fault attendance policy and ratification bonuses for union workers.

In a statement, ATU Local 836 President Melvin Turnbo called the new contract a testament to the strength and unity of our union members, saying it ensures their security and well-being for the next three years.

ATU Local 836 will always remain committed to ensuring that our dedicated members wages and benefits are competitive, and market driven; which this new contract demonstrates, and we will remain steadfast in protecting our members from layoffs and outsourcing, thereby ensuring job stability; which this new agreement provides. We are excited that management supports each employee, from the bus operator to the utility worker in their roles, and we remain committed to providing dependable, safe, and efficient community service. I commend the Leadership of CEO and COO, Deb Prato, and Steve Schipper, respectively and our ATU Negotiating Team in spiritedly debating the terms of this new agreement and securing ratification from both union membership and the ITP Board. Melvin Turnbo, president of ATU Local 836

The Rapid CEO Deb Prato said in a statement that the agreement reflects our steadfast commitment to our valued employees and continues to foster a positive and proactive relationship with our labor partners.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
New unseen footage of the assassination of former President John F. Kennedywhich reportedly shows the terrifying moments just after the shooting as his limousine rushes to Parkland Memorial Hospitalis to be sold at auction later this month

RR Auctions will sell the footage, which amounts to a total of 40 seconds, on Sept. 28. The rare footage is currently listed at $12,100, according to the auction house.

The footage was captured on 8mm color film by Dale Carpenter Sr., a truck driver who used a home movie camera, according to the auction house. Much of the footage shows the presidential motorcade travel down Lemmon Avenue towards Dealey Plaza.

However, Carpenter unfortunately missed the presidential limousine transporting the president and first lady Jackie Kennedy, and quickly relocated to another spot towards the end of the parade route on the North Stemmons Freeway, part of Interstate 35. At this position on the side of the freeway, Carpenter was able to capture footage of Kennedys limousine rushing to Parkland Memorial Hospital at 80 miles per hour.

The footage captures Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, who leaped onto the back of the limousine after the president was shot, still clinging to the car as it sped down the freeway. Hill later published his own memoir of the assassination in 2013, Five Days in November, and an upcoming documentary about him will reportedly contain clips of the footage.

Just after John F. Kennedy was shot, Jacqueline Kennedy stands up in the presidential car to lift up the body of her husband. In the foreground, a Secret Service agent jumps onto the back fender of the car. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

After 10 seconds of footage from I-35, the home movie reel abruptly cuts to footage of a toddler playing with a toy dump truck.

The most iconic footage of the assassination might be the Zapruder filmwhich was also recorded on a silent, 8mm home movie camera by Abraham Zapruder, and shows the moment a bullet strikes Kennedy as the limousine drives through Dealey Plaza.

Carpenter died in 1991, and the footage is being sold by his grandson, James Gates, the Associated Press reported. Gates, who found the film in a milk crate, told wire service he was at first underwhelmed by the footage on Lemmon Ave., but found the later footage of the rush to the hospital shocking.

Flowers line the street in Dealey Plaza, at the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Corbis via Getty Images

The auction house has released some clips and still images of the footage, but has not released the full segment along I-35. Prospective buyers can schedule an appointment with the auction house to view the footage ahead of time, according to the films listing.

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A bungling breaking and entering suspect is facing felony charges after his desperate attempt to get into a brownstone building in Bostons South End was caught on camera.

The surveillance video was shared exclusively with Boston 25 News following the arrest.

The footage shows the suspect, identified by police as 44-year-old John Mucci, throwing his body against a locked door and then using his feet to try to push it open.

Neighbors believe he was trying to get to packages that were visible through the door on Worcester Square.

He failed to get inside and then couldnt seem to figure out how to open the unlocked outer door he had just walked into minutes prior.

Mucci is seen bursting through a glass windowpane in a dramatic departure.

Its really scary!, said neighbor Cindi Pankratova. Its very concerning that Im going to be raising a child, and this is happening.

Pankratova, whos eight months pregnant, just bought a condo with her husband next door a year ago.

She and other neighbors believe the alarming incident illustrates on-going crime concerns and quality of life issues connected to the Mass and Cass corridor.

The spillover from Mass and Cass, we dont know when its going to end, and we dont know what to do about it, said Pankratova. I think its crazy that its happening right here in front of our face.

The building Mucci was allegedly trying to break into has visible signage that security cameras are watching.

Neighbors hope the message is clear that many people in the neighborhood have security systems in place to monitor suspicious activity.

Neighbors are going to have camera, said neighbor Alex Manson. If anyone tries to do any of that these days, I think its foolish.

The condo owner who called 911 around 1 a.m. on Tuesday told Boston 25 News that she was awoken by the startling commotion coming from the vestibule.

She has a 10-month-old child and was worried for the safety of her family and fellow neighbors.

Police arrested Mucci, of Somerville, near the intersection of Worcester Square and Harrison Avenue minutes later.

Hes facing felony charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime and destruction of property over $1200 for shattering that windowpane during his escape.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Chiefs and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City celebrated Red Wednesday at McDonalds locations across the metro.

Fans were able to purchase special edition back-to-back champions flags.

Travis Kelce speaks on retirement ahead of season opener

Ronald McDonald House volunteers were up early to sell the Red Wednesday flags.

Last year, the flags raised one million dollars for RMHC of Kansas City, and the team was hoping to raise just as much this year.

For the last 11 years, weve been blessed to partner with the Ronald McDonald House and support the great work that they do in the community, said Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt.

The Bekos family is one of many who have benefited from a Ronald McDonald house charity.

Hayley is our miracle. I mean, we never thought she was going to live. So thats the best part- shes living her best life, said Jeff Bekos. She graduated from Temple University in three and a half years and is now working for a digital marketing company focused on nonprofit organizations.

Jeff Bekos is riding his bicycle from coast to coast to raise awareness and money for Ronald McDonald House Charities across the country.

Jeff started his 4,600-mile bike ride in California in July, and is expected to get home to Philadelphia in October.

But he stopped in Kansas City just in time for Red Wednesday.

This is our eighth house. Its been phenomenal meeting this team and staff at these different houses, meeting families, and, you know, sharing stories, Bekos said.

Family asks for help as KCK woman gets treatment to walk again

All of the money raised through Red Wednesday flag sales will support the Ronald McDonald House of Kansas Citys mission to help families with the emotions and logistics of childhood illness treatments.

Staffers with RMHC of Kansas City say the Red Wednesday tradition not only benefits the non-profit financially, but also brings a lot of joy to parents and children at RMHC KC.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Sunlight reflects off solar panels lining the student recreation building at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus on June 2, 2018. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

In June, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced that he had installed 50 solar panels on his homestead, joining the growing movement of homeowners who are investing in renewable energy on their properties. Its a wise investment  generating solar energy at home offsets electricity costs and carbon emissions, creating greater energy security during a time of uncertainty for Alaskas energy future.

As session end looms, Alaska lawmakers juggle bills addressing Southcentral natural gas crunch

Since 2010, only homeowners have been able to invest in and earn monthly bill savings from rooftop solar  leaving most Alaskans out of the clean energy transition.

This dynamic changed on August 13, when Gov. Dunleavy signed Senate Bill 152, Saving Alaskans money with Voluntary community Energy, or the SAVE Act, into law. The SAVE Act enables Alaskans to invest in and share the benefits from renewable energy (most commonly solar, but also wind, micro-hydro, or other renewables) not directly connected to their electricity meters. Community solar allows renters, businesses, and other individuals who otherwise havent been able to invest in rooftop solar to enjoy these benefits by subscribing to a community energy facility. If you pay an electric bill, you should be able to subscribe to a community energy project and reduce your monthly energy bills.

The SAVE Act was passed to create a new environment of energy prosperity for Alaskans. It gives Alaskans greater energy choice, unlocks millions of dollars in private sector investment, and builds the cheap, clean energy future we need to power Alaskas growing economy.

In order for the SAVE Act to be most effective, generate the most clean electricity, and provide the biggest bill savings, we will need continued collaboration between our cooperative utilities, independent power producers, and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA).

The RCA is now tasked with determining a number of critical details that will shape the way community solar works in our state. We hope Alaska can fulfill the Department of Energys goal of ensuring community solar subscribers save the same amount as rooftop solar owners  an average bill reduction of 20%. It is the most equitable and effective approach to ensuring all Alaskans can receive the dividends from generating cheaper, cleaner energy.

If the RCA were to extend its current full net metering policy to community energy facilities, so renters and homeowners alike will be compensated for their energy production at the retail rate. The success of community energy programs in Alaska depends on regulators and utilities following through on the core purpose of the SAVE Act: allowing all Alaskans equal access to the benefits of renewables.

We will also need the engagement of everyday Alaskans who want to generate clean power and reduce their electricity bills. The public has an opportunity to engage in the creation of effective and equitable implementation of this new law. With the help of independent power producers, Railbelt cooperatives, and the Regulatory Commission, the SAVE Act has the opportunity to supercharge Alaskas energy economy. Over the past decade, individual Alaskans have financed and constructed 16 megawatts of distributed electrical generation through rooftop solar and traditional net metering. If the SAVE Act is implemented equitably, we have a chance to triple the pace of deployment over the next decade, by committing to a target of deploying 50 megawatts of community energy online by 2035.

Generating 50 megawatts of community energy will make a meaningful difference in our energy supply. In the near term, every megawatt of generation that comes online makes a difference in the Cook Inlet gas crisis. Conserving gas and generating as much electricity from solar, wind, and small hydro will prolong the life of Cook Inlet gas  delaying the need for costly gas imports that will raise all of our electric bills. Making electricity cheaper is the key to our best energy future.

Now is the time to start developing community projects to reach our 50 megawatt community energy target. Community solar projects are possible in all kinds of places. Now that the SAVE Act is law, we get to look at rooftops of our community buildings, schools, apartment complexes, and strip malls in a new way.

Gov. Dunleavy is saving money on his electricity bill with solar panels installed at his homestead. Now is the time for our energy developers, regulators, and co-ops to ensure all Alaskans have access to comparable cost-savings from community energy.

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Like the river that churns past it each day, Cumberland Park on Nashville's East Bank is also changing.

But this time, it's reclaiming a name once taken from it.

"If you say the word 'Wasioto,' I feel the peace in my soul," Grayce Gadson said during a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board Tuesday. "Our indigenous brothers and sisters did not do things in a selfish manner years and years ago. They did it with the intent of healing and maintaining their communities. I know that if we dig down deep, we will one day find that most of the words we are finally rediscovering can benefit everyone, even today."

The board accepted a recommendation by the naming committee Tuesday to begin a process to rename the park to Wasioto Park, in honor of the original name given to the river by the Shawnee before they were driven from the region. The effort is part of a larger movement to reclaim spaces where indigenous peoples were forced out of their homes, communities and livelihoods.

Members and supporters of the local indigenous communities showed up Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, to the Parks and Recreation Board meeting in support of an effort to rename Cumberland Park to Wasioto Park, in honor of the name the Shawnee had for the Cumberland River.

Cumberland Park sits on Nashville's East Bank, where Shawnee in the late 1600s hunted and traded along the river. Now, the park sits between Korean Veterans Boulevard and stretches north to the Woodland Street Bridge encompassing the riverwalk, a playground, ampitheater and splashpad.

The push to change its name has been a months-long process for the Indigenous Peoples Coalition of Nashville. That process, in a way, ended Tuesday and a new one began.

Albert Bender sat quietly in the board room in the last chair on the front row. It was standing-room only for the noon meeting.

A typed, prepared statement sat in Bender's lap while he scrawled notes to himself with a pen. He stood tall and adjusted the beaded necklace that hung to the middle of his torso before gripping the lectern before him. Bender, the coalition's chairperson, wanted to make a couple things clear: his great, great grandfather died fighting against encroachment after he was pushed out of Tennessee; and now is the time to reclaim that history.

"This is part of a nationwide movement, so to speak, for the removal of colonial names from indigenous lands, and it will be a means of recognizing the ancient and contemporary presence of indigenous people in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area," Bender said. "It might seem a small step to some people, but it is a monumental step to indigenous people here in the Nashville, Middle Tennessee area, and I would say even nationwide at this point."

Michael Taylor, 6, and his sister, Joy, 2, of Hermitage, Tenn., are positioned for an autumn portrait by Amanda Edmonds with Amanda Carol Photography at Cumberland Park in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Jonathan and Heather Taylor wait their turn at the right.

A small cohort, holding signs in support of the name change, joined Bender at the meeting.

"East Bank is sacred land," one sign said.

Gadson held another that said, "Recognize indigenous history. Recognize Wasioto Park."

For Loraine Segovia Paz, a member of the Quechua community, an indigenous people from Peru, you don't have to be the same kind of indigenous to support each other and the representation of their history.

"I want to connect with those indigenous communities that are part of this land, and then to not only acknowledge and recognize the history, but also all the heritage and everything that all these communities have brought and contributed to our community," she said Tuesday.

Depsite the white washing, indigenous communities are here in Nashville, Segovia Paz said.

"They are here and the history is present. So as a city, we have to be able to have that visible," she said. "So then people like me and others who have migrated, not only from outside the United States but from other parts of the country as well, can connect with those indigenous roots."

The board will organize and hold at least one meeting to gather community input as the next step in the process to rename the park.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville park on its way to renaming in honor of Shawnee history
Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, speaks at a field hearing for the House Ways and Means Committee at ARUP Laboratories in Research Park in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 12, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Rep. Celeste Maloy candidly answered students questions about her close primary race at the University of Utahs Hinckley Institute of Politics as part of the Sutherland Institutes 2024 Congressional Series.

One student asked Maloy about facing Colby Jenkins in this years Republican primary, when she was declared the winner seven weeks after election day by just 176 votes.

Considering Jenkins earned an endorsement from Sen. Mike Lee, who Maloy works with as part of Utahs congressional delegation, the student asked, How does that relate to how you work with other members of Congress?

The primary is over, said Maloy, who represents Utahs 2nd District. She noted that she received endorsements from the entire House delegation, while Jenkins earned just Lees endorsement. It does make things a little trickier, but Senator Lee shook my hand and congratulated me on my win, the congresswoman said.

The Utah voters chose him. They also chose me. So now we both have an obligation to work for the good of Utahns, Maloy added. Politics is a rough sport. Somebody told me that its really fun as a spectator sport. It is garbage when youre a participant  and he was right.

What can lawmakers do to reinstitute faith in Congress?

Another student asked Maloy about polls that show Americans have low trust in Congress. Im curious, as a member of Congress, how can you reinstitute faith so Americans have more trust in you?

The thing thats beautiful about Congress is we are a true slice of America, Maloy said. You have PhDs from Ivy League institutions serving with high school dropouts who started a business in their garage.

In that way, we reflect America, and its the beautiful part of our system, she added. I dont know all 435 members of Congress, but everyone I know is a fascinating person. ... But you put 435 people like that in a room together, we make idiotic decisions sometimes, and thats just kind of the nature of having a whole bunch of people be part of anything.

Maloy said she has a fairly large family, and its even bigger when you include the extended family members.

Try to get someone to decide where to go to dinner  its difficult, she said. Were deciding what level of clean air you need to survive, and what vehicle emission standards we should have, and what waters in the U.S. means, and if your kids should be able to get whole milk at school or only be allowed to have skim milk. Its insane how many decisions we make.

Maloy said its the nature of Congress. I dont know if we will get super high approval ratings, she added. But, Maloy said, lawmakers need to communicate better with their constituents about their work, and that would help the ratings.
Ahmad Alissa researched bomb-making materials, guns, previous mass shootings and "how to clear a hallway withot being shot" two months before he allegedly killed 10 people in a Boulder King Soopers.

That's according to Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who revealed for the first time the extent of Alissas planning and preparation during opening statements of the murder trial Thursday in Boulder County.

He lives and works in Arvada and 'Boulder' shows up on his phone more and more and more. He pulled into the first big place that he comes across on March 22, Dougherty said.

Alissa drove from his home in Arvada, which was captured on a neighbors doorbell camera, turned on to Highway 93 and then took a left at the Table Mesa Shopping Center. He first drove by the Chase Bank and King Soopers grocery store to the nearby neighborhood and then turned his black Mercedes around, according to Dougherty.

The prosecutor used the urgency apparent in slain Boulder Police Ofc. Eric Talleys dash cam, photos of all 10 victims, 911 calls, and a color-coded animated screen showing Alissas movements. Alissa, a purple dot on the screen, walked through the stores east doors toward the victims who faced possible death and those who didnt make it.

He shot three people in the parking lot in just 38 seconds, and then spent the next 68 seconds hunting and killing seven more, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorneys plan to argue that Alissa was suffering from mental illness, and, thus, not capable of telling right from wrong.

"This happened because Mr. Alissa had untreated schizophrenia and screaming voices told him to commit a mass shooting," Samuel Dunn, of the Colorado Public Defender's Office, told jurors Thursday morning during his opening statement.

Alissa, in a striped button-down shirt, full beard and glasses, listened to Dougherty's nearly two-hour opening statements while sipping from a Starbucks cup. He appeared uncomfortable, often toying with his beard. He twisted and shifted in his seat, looking to see a screen shot himself aiming at victims on a large monitor directly to his right.

He is moving fast and he is brutal, said Dougherty, describing the 25-year-old's movements.

Alissa has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and his attorneys have acknowledged that he was the shooter who killed the people in the store at 3600 Table Mesa Drive in March of 2021.

What is the most important question for the 16-person jury from a prosecution standpoint? Dougherty asked.

"The victims are random but the shootings were deliberate and intentional, Dougherty said.

The burden will fall to prosecutors to prove not only that the defendant committed the crimes but that he was not insane when he did  that he knew the difference between right and wrong and did not have a mental illness that prevented him from forming a culpable mental state.

Alissa is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder after deliberation  meaning that he thought about and intended to cause the deaths. That's in addition to the 45 others charges he faces.

'Screaming voices between his ears'

Defense attorney Dunn showed the jury a video snippet of Alissa, at an empty table in a blue sweatshirt, during a doctor's evaluation.

"What came to your head from the yelling?" the doctor asked.

"Just consistent voices," he answered.

Alissa lived an isolated existence as a severe case of schizophrenia brought hallucinations and "screaming voices between his ears," Dunn said during nearly an hour of his opening statement.

"Not just March 22, but in the years and months preceding them," Dunn said. "His symptoms were left untreated."

As to his client's research into guns, bombs and prior mass shootings, Nunn pointed out that Colorado law stipulates that a person can have intent and still be insane.

One night, Alissa's father found him on the couch downstairs at 3 a.m. talking about a little man in the corner of the bathroom.

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His father, an Arab-American who operated under a different culture, thought that his son was possessed by demons, Dunn said.

"You have an individual that sadly wasnt seen for what was going on inside his head."

From March 2021 until December of that year, he was left in the jail isolated and untreated, Dunn told the jury, "after gunning people down." He's now taking Clozapine, one of the strongest antipsychotic medications for treating scizophrenia.

The criminal case stalled for more than three years after multiple doctors reported that Alissa was not mentally competent to stand trial  meaning he could not understand the proceedings and assist in his own defense.

After treatment and medication, the judge ruled in the fall of 2023 that his competency had been restored and he was capable of aiding in his defense at trial.

First eyewitnesses

The first witnesses to testify in the trial were the eyewitnesses to Alissa's movements at around 2:29 p.m. that Monday afternoon.

The shooting was so unexpected, none of them realized that the booms they first heard were gunshots.

Jessie Brown, on an errand for paper towels, had just backed into a parking spot west of the main entrance when he heard a boom. He next watched as the defendant get out of his car and aim at the service van next to him.

Brown said the defendant shot "at point blank range" through the driver's side window of the van, exploding the glass.

The victim, Neven Stanisic, was on the phone with work. He had just serviced the Starbucks Espresso machine.

"What the f---?" were his last words.

Stanisic, 23, was the first of the 10 people murdered that day.

Other witnesses included the King Soopers meat manager, an ER doctor who stopped into the store to pick up dinner and Logan Smith, a barista at the store's Starbucks.

Smith was touched more than most by the victims. He happened to spend time with the first victim, Stanisic. He then made his friend, victim Denny Stong, a caramel macchiato.

Stong, who was a King Soopers employee, wasn't working, but stopped by that day because he liked the way Smith made his coffee. Smith also knew victims Rikki Olds and Teri Leiker, a beloved bagger.

He called 911 just before Olds was hit by one bullet and fell to the ground. Multiple gunshots could be heard on the recording, but he said he counted 25 bangs.

"I wasn't shaking or panicking. The adrenaline stabilized me," he said.

He spent the next 52 minutes hiding behind trash cans until a police K9 dog found him.

"I could smell what he last ate," he said.

One of the most perplexing questions in the 2021 Boulder King Soopers mass shooting is that a motive was never established. Dunn pointed to the prosecution table.

If they could tell you why he did it they would. They cant because the 'why' is insanity, said Dunn. The motive and the why is insanity.
IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. (WROC)  With kids venturing back into the classroom this week across the state, the topic of online and social media safety is back in the limelight, especially after a summer flurry of calls for action surrounding teen and youth use, length of time, platforms, the list goes on.

The U.S. Surgeon General calls the mental health crisis among young people a public emergency, publishing an op-ed in the New York Times in June calling for social media platforms to issue warning labels letting a user know there is an association with mental health issues among adolescents.

During the first day back to school for East Irondequoit School District students, Congressman Joe Morelle, an alumnus of the district, visited his former middle school to voice support for two pieces of bi-partisan legislation aimed to better protect children online.

The Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection 2.0 Act were each passed in the Senate, now needing to get on the floor in the House for a vote. Each bill has different specifics with the overall goal of addressing the student mental health crisis, which data shows is often times driven by Big Techs ability to promote dangerous and predatory content to kids. Morelle explains this would be done in various ways, including sanctions for companies violating its own policies.

Whats interesting is most of the large platforms actually have guidelines and they often routinely ignore them, so even when you say to them, hey this video  which is on your site  violates your own guidelines, it could take two, three days  or not happen at all  that they take down the offensive material, so this would hold them much more accountable, Rep. Morelle says.

Eliminating targeting advertising to children, holding Big Tech companies accountable for their actions, empowering parents to better control what data is being collected about their children, he adds.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, citing statistics from both a 2021 census about media use by tweens and teens, as well as a Pew Research Center 2022 study surrounding teens, social media and technology (see below), generally up to 95% of young people aged 13-17 report using a social media platform. Nearly two thirds of teenagers report using social media every day, with one third of that group reporting using social media almost constantly.

Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services  in a 2019 report  found adolescents who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media may be at heightened risk for mental health problems, particularly internalizing problems.

Locally, The National Institute of Mental Health describes suicide as a major public health concern with data showing suicide is a top three leading cause of death among Americans ages 10  34; the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34. A 2023-2024 Monroe County Youth Risk Behavior Survey found our youth are also experiencing extreme hardships, mentally and emotionally.

Right here in our community, a Monroe County survey found nearly 1 out of every 4 students reported feeling so sad or hopeless that they stopped doing their usual activities. I mean, thats heartbreaking for all of us in society, adults, to think that children, students 1 in 4 respond that they are so sad with feelings of hopelessness that they stop doing their usual activities, so its impossible to see these statistics or hear these stories and think that theyre unrelated to the social media explosion that weve experienced, Rep. Morelle says.

RELATED COVERAGE: First pediatric mental health clinic in Upstate NY opens its doors

The current state of possible dangers for kids online is vast, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The private, non-profit organization was established in 1984 by the U.S. Congress and describes itself as the nations largest and most influential child protection organization. Trends such as cyberbullying, sextortion, and child exploitation are all on the rise.

So at the National Center we received more than 36 million reports of online child sexual exploitation  just last year, says Stacy Garrett, Vice President of Content and Community Engagement at NCMEC, which has a presence in Rochester at 275 Lake Ave.

Garrett elaborates on what falls under child exploitation, which includes sextortion, defined as when an online predator tricks someone into sharing nude images or videos then demanding money or more materials.

And that is a variety of different things, the largest portion of that is the circulation of child sexual abuse material, but some of the trends that were seeing amongst those reports a growth in online enticement, and that is a category where someone is talking to a child with the intent of committing a sexual crime, Garrett explains.

And we have seen in the past 3 years, a 300% increase in reports of online enticement that are being made to the National Center, she continues.

According to NCMEC, children are more likely to be victimized by someone they know, or even think they know, again with the access of internet/social media  that could translate to a user in a chatroom, game community, etc.

When it comes to action parents can take to establish  or even the difficult task of pushing *back boundaries of online or social media use, Garrett recommends consistent engagement, and even a little curiosity, building your connection to your child.

One of the best steps that they can take is to talk to them; talk to them about what theyre doing online, be aware of where theyre spending their time and then take the time to learn a little bit more about that because, were aware of the fact that there might be a knowledge-gap, but maybe you can spend a

little bit of time playing that game your child likes to play, Garrett says.

Thats why those safety conversations are especially important because that way no matter what a child encounters, they are in a better position to be able to stay safe and they know how to respond, hopefully, in some of those situations, she adds.

Additional information and resources for parents and teens can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Xs advertising woes are about to get a whole lot worse, according to a new report from Kantar, details of which were published by Advanced Television. The market research firm found that 26 percent of marketers plan to cut their spending on X in the coming year, and that advertisers trust in X is historically low.

Kantars report, which is based on interviews with 18,000 consumers and 1,000 marketers from around the world, underscores just how far Xs advertising business has declined since Elon Musk took over the company. Over the last year and a half, the platform has seen numerous high-profile advertisers halt or slow down their spending amid concerns about hate speech and other toxic content.

Musk has also antagonized major advertisers, saying that brands worried about hate speech should  go fuck yourself . hes also accused advertisers of blackmail, and recently sued an industry group and several global companies for conducting an illegal boycott of the platform. Of note, Kantar found that only 4 percent of marketers believe X is safe for brands.

X didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The company told the Financial Times that advertisers know that X now offers stronger brand safety, performance and analytics capabilities than ever before, while seeing all-time-high levels of usage.
HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY)  The Virginia Board of Education has approved a new accountability system for Virginias public schools that will designate schools as distinguished, on-track, off-track and, on the lowest end, in need of intensive support.

Under the new metrics of the Every Student Succeeds Act, most Virginia public schools, three out of four, are off-track. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, while in Suffolk Wednesday for a groundbreaking ceremony, said the previous accountability systems were off-track.

Most Virginia schools would be considered off-track, or worse, by VDOE accountability system

We had 66% of our students fail, or near fail, math and reading in elementary and middle school last year, Youngkin said. And yet the accreditation process said that 89% of our schools were fully accredited. There is a massive mismatch there.

In a release outlining the new metrics, it said that the current accreditation system is an opaque criteria that makes it difficult for students, families, and educators to understand how students were performing and where the school was struggling. In addition, operational compliance indicators are mixed into students academic performance. The current system rates almost all Virginia schools as high performing, with 88% of Virginia schools receiving the highest rating of accredited. The actual results of student performance show wide differences between schools and student performance, and those differences are obscured by the current Accreditation system.

In a heated Board of Education meeting last week, one speaker listed Brown children, immigrant children, Black children and poor children as the students who will be labeled as failures under the new system.

The new accountability system splits how a school operates and how the students perform.

The School Performance and Support Framework advanced by the board is a major step forward in making sure that every child in Virginia is counted and receives the support they need to achieve their potential, said board member Mashea Ashton in a statement following approval of the plan. The current system masks what is happening with our most vulnerable children. This framework is more inclusive, more transparent and much more focused on academic performance than the accreditation system it is replacing.

School-Performance-and-Support-FrameworkDownload

Anne Holton, the former Virginia Education Secretary, daughter of late Gov. Linwood Holton, and wife of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D), was the lone board member to vote against the act.

The administration is going to be labeling schools with punishing labels: off-track or needing intensive support without sending any new support to those schools, Holton said.

The governor, in an interview with 10 On Your Side, essentially confirmed the funding issue.

Asked whether he would shift existing funding or call for additional funding, Youngkin said Wednesday that state lawmakers had approved significant increases for education in recent budgets.

Im going to repeat, weve increased funding in the Commonwealth of Virginia by $3.5 billion just over the last three budget cycles, Youngkin said. We have a 40% increase in the per capita spending and investment that were making at the state level in our students.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires approval from the U.S. Department of Education.

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BOSTON (SHNS)  Students with cognitive disabilities and English language learners could stand to benefit the most from a ballot initiative that would greatly diminish the states role as a gatekeeper to high school graduation, and lower the stakes of statewide standardized testing, according to a new report from Tufts Center of State Policy Analysis.

The report published on Thursday morning, one of a series analyzing the five questions going before Massachusetts voters this fall, says Question 2 to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement would shift power from the state to local school districts and classroom teachers to determine if a student can graduate.

Currently, all Massachusetts high school students must pass their curriculum requirements to get a high school diploma, plus a standardized exam first given in 10th grade. Theyre given several opportunities to pass, and alternative assessments are available for students with different learning needs.

Still, about 700 students  or 1 percent of the roughly 70,000 annual class size  who otherwise completed their graduation requirements do not pass this test every year.

Most of those 700 students are English language learners, have disabilities or have struggled with school attendance due to personal issues, the Tufts report says. These are the students who would benefit the most from the passage of Question 2: students who would now earn diplomas where otherwise they would not have.

In a narrow sense, Question 2 is about a few hundred students each year  out of a statewide class of 70,000  who lose the opportunity to graduate because they havent passed the 10th grade MCAS or otherwise earned a competency determination from the state, the report says. At the same time, its also about how removing the state graduation requirements could shift power to the districts and transform accountability across high school education in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts is one of only a few states left in the country that requires passage of a statewide test in order to graduate.

Proponents of the test say that is because Massachusetts takes a more hands-off approach to curriculum development. Local Bay State municipalities have more control over what and how they teach in their schools, compared to other states; though every district uses the same curriculum frameworks, and teacher training and licensure are rooted in the same standards. The MCAS is a way to measure how districts using different approaches are leveling up to each other, test supporters say.

If Question 2 passed, districts would be in charge of determining a students fitness to graduate, without a state requirement. Supporters of the ballot measure  which removes the testing graduation requirement  say that with uniform state standards but not a test to teach to, schools can deliver the same educational quality while providing more individualized and authentic learning.

With new authority over graduation standards, some districts might embrace the task of bringing teachers, parents, principals, superintendents, and other local leaders together to set meaningful course requirements, GPA standards, and other ways to prove graduation readiness. As part of this process, districts could also tailor requirements for English language learners and students with cognitive disabilities, says a section of the report on arguments for a Yes vote on Question 2.

It goes on to say that fears about the fragmentation of standards across over 300 distractions should be assuaged by knowing that schools all still have to meet state-set standards. Additionally, it says, students would still have to take the test in grades 3-8 and 10, meaning the state would be able to continue to track education progress and identify racial and economic achievement gaps.

As for the arguments for a no vote, the report identifies that there are already stark district-level inequalities among Massachusettss schools.

The idea that Question 2 would inspire local districts to set rich, student-focused standards for graduation begs the question: Why dont they just do that now? It says. If Question 2 passes, its even possible wed see a race to the bottom among districts. Thats because the main measure people use to judge high schools is the graduation rate. And the surest way to boost graduation rates is to ease graduation requirements.

It adds that ballot language implies, but is not specific about, some kind of enforcement for individual districts that loosen graduation requirements, such as using audits or reviews.

The Legislature could get involved following the questions passage, Tufts researchers write in a hypothetical on potential legislative action, if additional clarification is needed to ensure that the state can oversee these audits of district-level graduation standards.

Lawmakers could also get involved by following other states in specifying a list of subjects and courses students must complete to graduate.

If the question is rejected, the Legislature and state regulators could take the opportunity to boost attention on those who struggle the most with the MCAS, the report says, or they could consider a more challenging MCAS which would likely reduce graduation rates in the short term but create higher expectations that ultimately filter through to classroom innovation and richer learning opportunities.

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Police officers are on duty in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa

The 18-year-old gunman who was shot dead by police near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday was reported to Austrian police for alleged links to the Islamic State terrorist group last year, Austrian media reported.

The Austrian Press Agency (APA) said that the man - an Austrian from a Bosnian background - was reported to prosecutors in the city of Salzburg when suspicious material was found on his mobile phone after attacking fellow students.

However, proceedings against him for membership in the Islamic State were later dropped, APA reported.

Authorities in Salzburg and the Interior Ministry in Vienna have not confirmed the report.

Police vehicles parked in Munich. A major police operation is under way in central Munich near the Israeli Consulate General and a Nazi documentation centre, with shots fired in the area. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Simon Sachseder/dpa
Report: Zelensky to visit US base in Germany for military aid talks

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky holds a news conference during the Ukraine 2024. Independence Forum. -/Ukrinform/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit a US air base in Germany on Friday for talks on further Western support for Kiev in its war against Russia.

The Spiegel news magazine reported that Zelensky intends to call for fresh arms deliveries, including long-range missiles and anti-aircraft systems, at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group, an informal alliance of some 50 countries supporting Ukraine.

The meeting, convened by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, is due to be held at the Ramstein Air Base in western Germany.

The talks will be the 24th meeting of the group, which formed shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The German government has not confirmed that Zelensky will be attending.
Thomas Feiter sounded glum as he sat in the well-decorated conference room of his downtown Orlando law office Thursday.

The day before, Feiter (pronounced fighter,) learned that the man who defeated him for the 9th Circuit State Attorney Republican primary, Seth Hyman, had dropped out of the race just two weeks after securing a place on the November ballot.

Hyman claimed it was to consolidate the votes against Monique Worrell, the Democratic candidate and presumed frontrunner in the blue district. He wouldve been competing against independent Andrew Bain, who was appointed by DeSantis after he suspended Worrell last year, and who Hyman has now endorsed.

Feiter had spent most of the summer calling Hyman a ghost candidate, a term used to describe candidates who appear on a ballot to draw votes away from others. Prior to the primary, Feiter warned that Hyman would drop out despite Hymans insistence that he would stay in the race until November.

Rather than feeling vindicated, Feiter said he was heartbroken.

Theres hundreds of people that work at State Attorneys Office, and I think they deserve a leader who is there on the merits and not somebody who is just a product of the Ron DeSantis spoils system, Feiter said.

Read: NHC tracking 5 tropical waves, development chances remain low

During his interview, the Republican candidly called out the DeSantis-led faction of his party that he described as consumed by fealty to the governor rather than focusing on public service.

He further warned that Hymans departure from the race set up DeSantis plan to interfere in the November election. Should Worrell win, Feiter said he was told the governor plans to immediately suspend her again and replace her with Bain.

They told me that Andrew Bain will continue to be the state attorney, he said, referring to conversations he had with members of the governors senior staff. They told me their plan was to wipe out this blue bubble.

Feiter said he too was approached about dropping out before the primary but refused.

WFTV reached out to the governors team to ask if he promised to respect the will of the voters in November and did not receive a response.

Read: Hunter Biden offers to change plea in tax case

UCF political analyst Aubrey Jewett called Hymans move unusual since the candidate couldve dropped out before he won the primary if he feared consolidating votes.

While DeSantis was able to oust Worrell for perceived neglect of duty in her first term, Jewett said the courts would have to decide if immediately overturning an election was illegal, since voters will know about her history if they re-elect her.

It wouldnt be great for local democracy in Florida. It would sort of be overriding the will of the voters, he said, with a caveat that he believed Bain had a chance to win the election outright instead.

Feiter said he hadnt decided if he would challenge Hymans dropping out in any way, which happened just before ballots were set to be finalized and printed.

He also shared his thoughts on the state of ethics in Florida.

We just have to have people in the positions of power to have the courage to enforce the mechanisms already in place. he said, while calling the shakeup in the race election interference. We have enforcement mechanisms. Theyre just not being enforced.

Read: Alex Morgan, former Orlando Pride player, announces pregnancy and retirement

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Liz Cheney condemned Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol riots on Jan 6 2021 - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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Liz Cheney has become the latest Republican to endorse Kamala Harris, warning of the danger Donald Trump poses.

Ms Cheney, a former Wyoming congresswoman and House Republican Conference chairman, said on Wednesday she would turn her back on the Republican party and vote for Ms Harris in November.

Speaking to students in North Carolina, she revealed that she would not write in an alternative Republican candidate on her ballot paper, saying: I dont believe we have the luxury of writing in candidates names, particularly in swing states.

As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this and, because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.

Ms Cheney, the daughter of Dick Cheney, the former vice-president, is a conservative who supports gun ownership and opposes abortion.

Her endorsement of Ms Harris comes after a series of Republicans for Harris announced they would vote against their own party because of Trumps selection as the Republican nominee.

Ms Cheney with her father Dick Cheney, who served as vice-president from 2001 to 2009 under President George W Bush - David Hume Kennerly via Getty Images

Last week, 238 former aides to Republicans, including Mitt Romney, George W Bush and John McCain, published a joint letter calling for moderate Republicans and conservative independents to back Ms Harris.

Five Republican politicians and aides spoke at last months Democratic National Convention in Chicago to oppose Trump and offer their support to the rival party.

They included Adam Kinzinger, a former representative from Illinois, and Olivia Troye, the homeland security adviser to Mike Pence, Trumps vice-president,.

Geoff Duncan, the Republican former lieutenant governor of Georgia, said: To my fellow Republicans at home that want to pivot back toward policy, empathy and tone, you know the right thing to do. Now lets have the courage to do it in November.

Ms Cheney lost her position in the House Republican leadership and her seat in Congress after she condemned Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol riots on January 6 2021.

She continued to oppose Trump on the committee investigating the riots, and has since spoken out against him again.

Jen OMalley Dillon, Ms Harriss campaign chairman, praised Ms Cheney as a patriot and said the Democratic nominee was proud to have earned her vote.

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Ms Harris is marginally ahead of Trump in averages of national polls, but both candidates have a plausible path to victory through seven highly contested swing states.

The vice-presidents campaign has set up a Republicans for Harris-Walz group to promote the phenomenon of moderate conservatives backing her.

Her aides believe winning centre-Right or independent conservative votes offers her the best chance of victory.

Trump allies have condemned Republicans in name only, known as RINOs, who do not support his campaign.

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Republican challenger Tim Sheehy is leading Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester by 6 points, 51 percent support to 45 percent, among likely voters in Montana, according to a new poll commissioned by AARP.

The survey of 1,064 voters in the Republican-leaning state shows that Sheehy is building a solid lead, thanks in part to strong support among voters older than 50.

The poll also shows former President Trump leading Vice President Harris with 56 percent support to 41 percent and Trump with a 23-point advantage among voters 50 and older.

The AARP poll reported that immigration and rising prices are top issues for Montana voters.

Voters older than 50 in Montana say the future of Social Security, Medicare and the costs of utilities and prescription drugs are among their top concerns.

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and David Binder Research (D) to conduct the survey Aug. 25-29. It included a sample of 464 voters 50 and older.

AARP noted in a press release that older voters accounted for 56 percent of all Montana voters in the 2020 presidential election and 65 percent of the states voters in the 2022 midterm.

The group found that 92 percent of voters 50 and older say they are extremely motivated to participate in Novembers election, compared to 77 percent of voters between the ages of 18 and 49 who say they are also highly motivated.

Voters over age 50 are the biggest and most enthusiastic voting bloc this election, and their votes will make a difference in the U.S. Senate race, said Tim Summers, the state director of AARP Montana.

The candidate who wants to win in November should focus on the issues older voters care about most, from protecting Social Security and Medicare to supporting family caregivers, he said.

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Two Colorado Department of Transportation employees were among three who died Wednesday in a crash along U.S. Route 6 in Mesa County.

According to Colorado State Patrol, at 10:42 a.m., troopers received reports of the crash along westbound U.S. 6 near mile marker 40, between Grand Junction and Palisade.

State Patrol investigators said a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling westbound struck two CDOT workers outside of their vehicles along with a parked CDOT vehicle, which caused the Jeep to roll.

CSP chief Col. Matthew C. Packard said the CDOT workers were walking back toward their truck, "on the shoulder, out of the lane of traffic," when they were struck by the Jeep.

The workers and an adult female passenger in the Jeep died at the scene, according to Packard.

"I can't say this enough, that today is a tragic day in Colorado," Packard said.

The driver of the Jeep was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The man and woman in the Jeep are Mesa County residents, and believed to be married, Packard said.

Gov. Jared Polis commented on the crash on social media, saying in part: "These Coloradans will be missed by their state, families and communities."

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CSP crash investigators are continuing their work, but impairment is not believed to be a factor at this time.

"Our team is absolutely devastated to be here today, honoring the lives of two of our friends and family members from our organization," CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said during an afternoon press conference.

Lew and Packard reminded the public of Colorado's Move Over Law for motorists to slow down or move over whenever overtaking a stationary vehicle on the side of the road.

A failure to move over or slow down for a disabled vehicle can result in a Class 2 misdemeanor, a possible fine of $150 and a 3-point license violation. Drivers that fail to slow down or move over who cause a serious injury or death of another person can face a felony charge and prison time.

"All these crashes are preventable," Packard said.

"When you see vehicles pulled over, doing the public's work, please please treat them like they were your own family," Lew said.
Gov. Tim Walz faces new scrutiny as Democratic nominee for vice president. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer.

Congressional Republicans sought to embarrass Gov. Tim Walz Wednesday with a subpoena for information about the $250 million Feeding Our Future scandal, the largest pandemic relief fraud in the country.

The subpoena, which arrived about a month after Walz became the Democratic nominee for vice-president, came from House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., and also went out to Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Office of Inspector General.

You are responsible for the (Minnesota Department of Education) and its administration of (Federal Child Nutrition Programs), Foxx wrote in the subpoena cover letter to Walz. Statements in the press by you and your representatives indicate that you and other executive officers were involved, or had knowledge of, MDEs administration of the FCNP and responsibilities and actions regarding the massive fraud.

The child nutrition program  funded by the USDA and administered by the state Department of Education  was designed to feed hungry children as schools and daycares shuttered during the pandemic. The U.S. Department of Justice has secured 23 convictions  including five in June after the first jury trial  while dozens more defendants await trial. The investigation has been informally dubbed Feeding Our Future after the Minnesota nonprofit at the center of the conspiracy.

In a statement to the Star Tribune, Walz spokesperson Claire Lancaster said the state worked diligently to stop the fraud and were grateful to the FBI for working with the Department of Education to arrest and charge the individuals involved.

The states legislative auditor found that the MDE failed in its duty to properly oversee millions of federal dollars it administered to nonprofits to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a special review by the Office of the Legislative Auditor released Thursday.

The audit examined how MDE administered a child nutrition program for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and found the agencys inadequate oversight created opportunities for fraud.

Walz told the Star Tribune in June that the auditors report was a fair critique.

In her letter to Walz, Foxx says The Committee has been unable to obtain substantive responsive materials in the many voluntary requests made in this matter.

Walz, who spent a dozen years in Congress, is getting a forceful reminder about the bare knuckle tactics of Beltway Republicans: Foxxs subpoena comes after her House colleague, U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chair of the House Oversight Committee, sought to drum up suspicions about Walzs ties with China, announcing an investigation. (Walz taught in China for a year and then led trips there as a teacher; hes been critical of the regime.)
The two decommissioned ferries, Elwha and Klahowya, are back on the market after their sale to an Ecuadorian company fell through due to breach of contract.

On Thursday, the Washington State Ferries (WSF) announced that the sale of the Elwha and Klahowya is off after the buyer failed to meets its contractual obligations.

On August 19, Nelson Armas, the buyer, began to move the decommissioned ferries out of Puget Sound when the towing equipment failed, forcing the ferries to return to the WSFs Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island.

Its in the best interest of Washington state, the public and WSF to sever ties due to multiple failures to meet contractual obligations and deadlines, said WSF Assistant Secretary Steve Nevey.

WSF said they were not aware of the poor living conditions and fear of intimidation the crew faced until the media reported on it. Armas has denied the reports.

As a career mariner who spent the early part of my career working on internationally flagged ships, seafarer welfare is deeply personal to me, said Nevey. Though Mr. Armas denies these claims, its important to reaffirm that WSFs values prioritize the fair treatment and safety of all crew members. We take these matters seriously and are committed to incorporating these considerations into our plans for decommissioned ferries in the future.

WSF said that the retired ferries are still for sale and are actively in talks with potential buyers.

WSF retains ownership of the ferries and the $200,000 paid for the Elwha and Klahowya because Armas broke the terms of the purchase and sale agreements to remove the ferries by a established deadline.

The sale of the Hyak is still pending at this time.
A court-ordered psychiatrist evaluated self-acknowledged child molester and retired priest Lawrence Hecker for a third time on Thursday, declaring him fragilely competent to stand trial on rape and kidnapping charges.

New Orleans criminal court judge Benedict Willard initially stopped short of declaring Hecker competent to stand trial and assist in his own defense. But a minute entry later said Willard found Hecker competent and kept a 24 September trial date in place.

The tense court hearing for Hecker, who turns 93 on 14 September, was unscheduled and unannounced. It came a day after WWL Louisiana and the Guardian reported the details of the psychiatrists 29 August report diagnosing Hecker with mild dementia.

Related: It wasnt a big deal: secret deposition reveals how a child molester priest was shielded by his church

Tulane forensic psychiatrist Dr Sarah Deland examined Hecker in April and May before evaluating him again on Thursday in court. As she testified about her findings, Hecker, seated in a wheelchair and wearing an orange jumpsuit, repeatedly moaned loudly  at one point muttering, I cant hear, I cant understand, before Willard temporarily closed the courtroom.

How am I supposed to deal with this during the trial? the judge said in response to Heckers groaning.

When Deland finally retook the witness stand, Ned McGowan of the New Orleans district attorneys office pressed her about whether Hecker would be competent if the trial were held on Thursday.

Its a difficult question, she responded. He shows some symptoms, but he is better today than the last time we saw him.

She went on to testify that Heckers long-term memory didnt appear to be impaired. But he had short-term memory loss consistent with dementia, which could make it difficult for him to assist the attorneys defending him.

To be constitutionally competent, defendants must both be able to assist their lawyers as well as understand the nature of the proceedings against them. Hecker does grasp the court case pending against him, Deland reiterated.

Hes fragilely competent today, but I dont know what hell be like tomorrow, Deland testified.

Ultimately, Willard found Hecker competent but said that conclusion would be re-evaluated on the date of the trial.

Related: We called her mastodon: infamous New Orleans orphanages abusive history ran deeper than ever known

Deland also testified that she had seen a joint WWL-Guardian interview with Hecker in August 2023, during which he stood in the heat for 18 minutes, admitted to sexually abusing or harassing at least seven underage teens in the 1960s and 70s, and gave an extensive explanation about how the sexual revolution had made him feel free to do things he now realized were wrong. She said the interview was pertinent to establishing Heckers ability to understand the charges against him.

Willards ruling Thursday sets the stage for a trial that could see 10 or more witnesses testify against Hecker, including several victims who allege having endured sexual abuse at his hands. Yet the decision does not rule out the trial being postponed on the day of jury selection if Hecker presents badly then and Willard deems him incompetent to proceed.

That outcome would devastate the victim in the case, who would need to travel in from out of state for the trial to be prosecutors star witness, his lawyers  Richard Trahant, Soren Gisleson and John Denenea  said in a statement on Thursday.

This process has been excruciating for our client, the attorneys statement said. In addition to demonstrating the incredible fortitude to be the victim in this case, he will be putting his life and job on hold to travel 1,000 miles in order to hold his rapist accountable. The thought that he could be told on the morning of trial that rapist-Hecker is incompetent is both unfathomable and horrific.

Hecker would not be the only Catholic priest accused of clergy abuse whose trial recently would be jeopardized because of a dementia diagnosis. Notably, in January, after the nonagenarian cardinal was diagnosed with dementia, a Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges that Theodore McCarrick molested a 16-year-old boy in 1974.

The victim alleges he was a minor studying at a Catholic high school to which Hecker had ties when the priest choked him unconscious and sodomized him in about 1975. The accuser maintains that he reported the rape to his school, though officials there never alerted police.

Hecker has pleaded not guilty to aggravated rape, kidnapping and other charges filed against him in New Orleans state criminal courthouse in September 2023 in connection with those specific allegations. But in 1999, he admitted to Catholic church leaders in New Orleans  in writing  that he had molested or sexually harassed several other children whom he met through his work as a priest.

The church allowed Hecker to work through his retirement in 2002, even giving him a promotion and stationing him at a church with a school attached to it. Then the church allowed him to collect full benefits and paid his living expenses for 18 years after his retirement.

Related: She accused a New Orleans priest of sexual assault. The church quietly moved him out of state

New Orleans Catholic archdiocese waited until 2018 to notify the public that Hecker  along with dozens of other priests and deacons  had faced substantial child molestation allegations. The notification prompted so many abuse-related lawsuits that the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020, which at last cut off some of Heckers financial support.

One of those lawsuits led Hecker to provide a deposition under oath to Trahant. In that deposition, Hecker affirmed his admission to serial child sexual abuse was genuine and described the years of support he enjoyed from the last four archbishops of New Orleans.

Two years after the New Orleans archdioceses bankruptcy filing, the victim pursuing rape, kidnapping and other charges against Hecker reported him again  this time directly to authorities.

The subsequent police investigation into Hecker has since evolved into an ongoing inquiry over whether the archdiocese ran a child sex trafficking ring responsible for the widespread  abuse of minors dating back decades that was covered up and not reported to authorities, according to statements sworn out by authorities.

Hecker would receive a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment if he is ultimately convicted as charged in Willards courtroom.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  The 114-foot barge that sank in the Providence River nearly seven years ago is one step closer to being removed from the water.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) more than $1.5 million to pull the crane-topped barge from the river.

The 150-ton MG Marine Barge sank into the Providence River during a noreaster in October 2017 and has remained there ever since. It is now completely submerged except for its mounted crane, which sticks out of the water at a 45-degree angle.

The DEM is teaming up with The Steel Yard, a Providence-based industrial arts center, to transform the remnants of the barge into community-informed artwork and amenities.

Those pieces will eventually be on display at a public waterfront access point off of Public Street, near where the sunken barge has sat for several years.

Finally getting that sunken crane out of the water will be a big deal, said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who helped secure the federal funding.

Whitehouse said hes looking forward to seeing what The Steel Yard can do to turn the eyesore into public artwork.

Gov. Dan McKee said the barges removal is long overdue.

Im excited to see what our states talented artists and students create to turn this blight into beauty, McKee said.

Efforts over the years to remove the barge have been stalled due to lack of funding and potential environmental hazards. Right now, the barge poses no immediate danger and does not hinder commerce in the Port of Providence.

The barges owner refused to pay for the removal himself back when it first sank, triggering a legal battle that was ongoing up until his death in early 2019. The DEM attempted to go after his estate to see if he had any money or assets that could be used to pay for the barges removal, but he had none.

The DEM said the barges crane was briefly home to an osprey nest, but the migratory birds have since sought a new home. (Ospreys are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it illegal to move, destroy or disturb an active nest.)

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RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WSAV)  It was announced Thursday morning that Richmond Hill High School has been honored with the University of Georgia Directors Cup Award for 2024.

This recognition is awarded annually by the University of Georgia Office of Admissions. It acknowledges the Georgia high school whose graduates have earned the highest cumulative GPA after their first year at UGA.

We are incredibly honored to receive the UGA Directors Cup for a second time, said Bivins Miller, Principal of Richmond Hill High School. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and staff who strive for academic excellence every day. We are proud of our graduates for carrying the Richmond Hill spirit of excellence with them as they transition to university life.

This marks the second time RHHS has been honored with this award. The school previously received the award in 2020.

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(Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces an uncertain future after the small party that has helped keep his Liberal minority government in power withdrew its automatic support on Wednesday.

The blow is the latest in a series of political woes and missteps that have helped reduce Trudeau's popularity. Recent polls show his Liberals would be crushed by the official opposition Conservatives in an election that must be held by the end of October 2025. The withdrawal of the left-leaning New Democratic Party from its agreement with the Liberals could bring forward an election months earlier.

Here is a timeline of key events charting the arc of Trudeau's fortunes in Canadian federal politics:

OCTOBER 2013 - WINS RACE TO BECOME LEADER OF LIBERAL PARTY

Trudeau, the son of former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, won the leadership of his party at a time when it was at an all-time low. The Liberals, out of power for more than seven years at that point, had been reduced to third-place status in the House of Commons in 2011 for the first time.

OCTOBER 2015 - LEADS PARTY TO VICTORY IN FEDERAL ELECTION

Trudeau's Liberals, campaigning on a message of change and hope, won a majority of the seats in the federal election, defeating the Conservatives. It was the first time the third-placed party in the House of Commons had ever won an election in Canada.

DECEMBER 2017 - FOUND GUILTY OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Canada's ethics commissioner ruled that Trudeau had broken conflict of interest rules by accepting vacations, gifts and flights from the Aga Khan in 2016. It was the first time a prime minister had been found to have committed such a transgression.

FEBRUARY 2019 - SNC-LAVALIN SCANDAL

Former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould accused government officials of inappropriately pressuring her to help construction giant SNC-Lavalin avoid a corruption trial. The affair prompted the resignations of top Trudeau aide Gerry Butts, Wilson-Raybould, and Michael Wernick, the head of the federal bureaucracy. Public Works Minister Jane Philpott also quit, citing a loss of confidence in Trudeau. The loss of Wilson-Raybould and Philpott was politically damaging for a prime minister who had constantly described himself as a feminist.

In August, the ethics commissioner ruled that Trudeau and his officials had breached ethics rules. Trudeau took responsibility but refused to apologize.

SEPTEMBER 2019 - BLACKFACE SCANDAL ERUPTS AHEAD OF ELECTION

Shortly after the 2019 election campaign began, photos emerged of Trudeau wearing blackface when he was younger. Trudeau, a strong advocate for multiculturalism, apologized and said his life of privilege had come with a "blind spot."

OCTOBER 2019 - LIBERALS REDUCED TO MINORITY IN HOUSE

In the Oct. 21, 2019 election, the Liberals were reduced to a minority in the House of Commons, obliging them to strike deals with opposition legislators to govern.

AUGUST 2020 - FINANCE MINISTER RESIGNS

Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigned amid friction with Trudeau over how much funding was needed to help Canada recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Morneau had also come under fire for his ties to a charity tapped to run a student grant program.

SEPTEMBER 2021 - FAILED BID TO WIN BACK MAJORITY IN HOUSE

Elections in Canada are supposed to be held every four years, but Trudeau triggered a national vote for Sept. 20, 2021 in the hope that the electorate would reward his government for the way it had handled the pandemic. The bid failed, and he was returned with a second successive minority.

JULY 2023 - POLLS SHOW LIBERALS STEADILY LOSING POPULARITY

Polls showed the Liberals only slightly trailing the Conservatives in the first half of 2023. In July, amid growing signs of voter fatigue, the gap suddenly widened, and it became increasingly clear a defeat was likely in 2025.

JUNE 2024 - LIBERALS SUFFER BAD DEFEAT IN SPECIAL ELECTION

In a clear sign of the Liberals' growing unpopularity, the party lost one of its safest seats in a special election in Toronto. Trudeau made clear he would stay in office amid fresh questions about his future.

SEPT 2024 - KEY ALLY WITHDRAWS AUTOMATIC SUPPORT

The New Democrats, who had kept Trudeau in power in return for increased social spending, announced they would withdraw their automatic support. This will force Trudeau to attempt to create new alliances to govern.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Frank McGurty and Paul Simao)
Despite last month's sudden closing of Sweet Basil Cafe in Springfield, Illinois, the Rockford restaurant of the same name and ownership remains open.

Rockford's Sweet Basil Cafe is open for business and keeping regular hours, according to an employee who answered the phone Wednesday at the Perryville Road location.

The small Illinois chain operates five other restaurants besides the one in Springfield  Rockford, Peoria, Skokie Hanover Park and Champaign. The Peoria location has been closed for repairs since July.

More: Comings & Goings: This new cafe is moving into the former TGI Friday's in Rockford

What Sweet Basil Cafe location closed?

On Aug. 23, the Sweet Basil Cafe in Springfield unexpectedly closed. It opened in November 2020.

Why did the Springfield Sweet Basil Cafe close?

Records show the Springfield location was served a commercial eviction notice last November. The trial for the eviction on Aug. 13 resulted in orders to vacate after business owners for The Sweet Basil Group LLC failed to appear in court.

Jim and Denise Karonis are listed on the Illinois Secretary of State website as managers of The Sweet Basil Group headquartered in Peoria.

In a second court appearance on Aug. 21 for the unpaid rent totaling $114,000, the Karonises also did not appear. Scarlet Oak LLC, the building owner, was awarded $116,000.

The Sweet Basil Cafe website still lists the Springfield location.

More: Owner of recently closed Springfield cafe has history of insurance fraud

Will other Illinois locations close?

As of now, most locations under The Sweet Basil Group appear to be keeping their doors open.

The employee who answered the phone at the Sweet Basil Cafe location in Rockford said there has been no contact with the Karonis family about the Springfield closure. The Rockford restaurant opened in June 2021.

Employees at the Champaign and Hanover Park locations both confirmed their restaurants have had no change in operations.

Calls to the Skokie restaurant as well as Peoria, where the company is headquartered, were not returned.

What happened at the Peoria location?

The restaurant posted on social media July 18 that it would be closed after a vehicle drove into the building. The post stated that the restaurant was remodeling the space and did not indicate when it planned to reopen.

According to the Peoria Police Department, a commercial truck collided with an SUV outside the restaurant and the truck went over an embankment and struck the restaurant. There were no injuries.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The Rockford Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Rockford Sweet Basil Cafe, others stay open after Springfield closure
(WSPA)  Imagine going to pick up a prescription and learning your health insurance has been switched and your medication isnt covered.

This is happening to thousands of people according to insurance brokers throughout the country.

In this 7NEWS Consumer Exclusive, a warning about rogue insurance brokers who are manipulating the Affordable Care Act system at the expense of unsuspecting patients.

Upstate man, one of many victims

If there is one thing thats sure to make the heart race its being told you no longer have the health insurance youve had for seven years.

When I went to the pharmacist to get my medicine I was really shocked because I didnt know what I was going to do. I didnt have the money to cover my medicine so I didnt even get my medicine at all, Keith Ragan, who battles with rheumatoid arthritis, said.

Ragan gets his insurance from the Affordable Care Act which is the Federal marketplace for people with no employer-sponsored health insurance.

He says for months his health care plan has been switched repeatedly without him knowing and his doctors visits and medicines arent covered.

When they steal me from my insurance I cant go and get my infusion, and when I cant get my infusion, I go back to hurting again, aching real bad, said Ragan.

Bogus online ad lures victims

Ragan suspected it all started when he saw a post on social media offering a Free $6,400 subsidy. All he had to do to qualify was enter your name, birth date and state of residency.

Theyve got your address, your birthdate and your name and thats all the three things they need to steal you from your insurance. Ive had it stole from 23 times, Ragan said.

The bogus social media ads arent the only way people can fall victim. Even if you dont use the federal marketplace for health insurance, you could be signed up, but only if the scammer has your social security number.

A big red flag for that is mail coming to you from another insurance company.

How does it work

Insurance Broker Guy Furay, with The Insurance Source in Greenville, showed 7NEWS how Ragans plan was fraudulently switched nearly two dozen times since January.



These are insurance plans that Keith was signed off, without his knowledge or consent, Furay said, showing the many times Ragans plan was switched without his consent.



So why would that be happening?



Ronnell Nolan, the head of the non-profit Health Agents for America, said the rogue brokers get commissions from insurance companies just like legitimate brokers.



Its rampant and horribleIf youre scamming thousands because youre using offshore call centers or whatever youre doing, then the money will add up, Nolan said.



7NEWS asked Nolan how the rogue brokers are getting away with it if all insurance agents are required to have a license to which she responded: Because they get a non-resident license.

No multi-factor authentication

Furay said whats lacking is a multi-factor authentication requirement to make account changes.

As it stands, agents dont need even need to enter a social security if the client is already in the ACA system, making it too easy to transfer people Furay said.

Over 100,000 people, thats a conservative estimate, have been scammed across the country, some over and over and over again without their knowledge and consent and the Government is failing to protect the very basic security measures of the Affordable Care Act, Furay said.

Federal government response

In a statement, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told 7NEWS in part:

The agency has significantly ramped up enforcement actions against agents violating CMS rules. It also said its evaluating a wide range of technological protections to prevent unauthorized activities.

For the full statement click here.

Tax implications

Beyond the medical concerns, some victims face a large IRS bill for back taxes because they dont actually qualify for the subsidies of the new plan.

Its immoral. Its unethical. And it should never be allowed to happen, Furay said.

Ragans warning: Be careful of the scammers, free money on social media. Dont click on it and dont sign up for it because its fake.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Sept. 5 signed a decree regarding the transfer of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, giving final approval to the donation.

The Romanian government is now expected to issue an order for the system's delivery.

"Thank you for the Patriot," said Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, in response to the news.

The move came days after former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged foreign partners not to delay and provide Kyiv with the promised Patriots.

The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.

Ukraine has received at least three Patriot systems from Germany and one from the U.S. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Spain, delivered individual launchers or missiles.

The U.S. and the Netherlands also pledged in June to deliver one additional system each, but no announcement on their arrival has been made so far.

Hesitant at first, Bucharest decided to donate one of its Patriots in June. Iohannis said that the transfer of the Patriot system to Kyiv must not compromise Romania's air defense capabilities.

The document approved by the Romanian parliament states that replacing the Patriot system should not cost more than Romania originally paid for the unit. The costs are expected to be covered by "non-refundable foreign sources."

Read also: Opinion: Downing missiles while leaving launchers intact is like swatting mosquitos without closing the window

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Andrew Tate, center, and his brother Tristan, left, walk outside the Court of Appeals building, after a hearing, in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP)  A court in Romanias capital on Thursday rejected an appeal by prosecutors to jail divisive internet influencer Andrew Tate, who will remain under house arrest amid a second human trafficking investigation against him that allegedly involves minors.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal also ruled to keep Tates brother, Tristan Tate, under judicial control, which typically involves restricting communication with certain people and reporting periodically to the police. The brothers spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said that the judge also lifted certain restrictions regarding the brothers communication with alleged victims in the new case.

They are free to meet and communicate with these alleged victims based on the close relationships they share and the children they have together, she said, adding they vehemently deny all allegations against them.

After the courts decision, Andrew Tate posted on X that the prosecutors had made a desperate attempt to put us in jail with no evidence."

The ruling comes weeks after Romanias anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, launched raids on four homes, including the Tates in Bucharest and nearby Ilfov county. After being briefly detained, prosecutors lost a request to keep the brothers in custody for 30 days, but appealed the decision.

Andrew Tate, 37, and brother Tristan Tate, 36, both former kickboxers and dual British-U.S. citizens, are already awaiting trial in Romania in a separate human trafficking case along with two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four last year.

In the new case, DIICOT said that it was investigating allegations of human trafficking, including the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, forming an organized criminal group, money laundering and influencing statements. The alleged crimes date between 2014 and 2024.

The agency said the defendants used the coercive loverboy method to exploit 34 vulnerable victims who were forced to produce pornographic materials for a fee online, and that more than $2.8 million (2.5 million euros) it generated was kept by the defendants.

An unnamed foreign man also sexually exploited a 17-year-old foreigner, DIICOT alleges, and said he kept all of the $1.5 million (1.3 million euros) made from the criminal activity. The same man repeatedly had sexual relations and acts with a 15-year-old, the agency alleges.

After the courts decision, Andrew Tate wrote in a post on the social media platform X that the prosecutors had made a desperate attempt to put us in jail with no evidence."

Andrew Tate, who has 10 million followers on the social media platform X, is known for expressing misogynistic views online and has repeatedly said that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He was previously banned from various social media platforms for misogynistic views and hate speech.

One of the brothers lawyers, Eugen Vidineac, responded to the court's decision Thursday by saying that it shows that Romania is a country where the judicial system is diligent and impartial and does not succumb to sensationalism."

We are looking forward to clearing my clients names and proving their innocence," he added.

After the Tate brothers arrest in December 2022, they were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest. They were later restricted to the Bucharest municipality and nearby Ilfov county, and then to Romania.

In April, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled in that case that prosecutors case file against them met the legal criteria and that a trial could start but didn't set a date for it to begin.

In July, a court overturned an earlier decision that allowed the Tate brothers to leave Romania as they await trial.

___

Stephen McGrath reported from Sighisoara.
ROME (Reuters) - Rome is considering limiting access to the Trevi Fountain, one of its busiest monuments, ahead of an expected bumper year for tourism in the Eternal City, city council officials say.

The Italian capital is preparing to host the 2025 Jubilee, a year-long Roman Catholic event expected to attract 32 million tourists and pilgrims.

Under the draft plans, visits to the fountain would require a prior reservation, with fixed time slots and a limited number of people allowed to access the steps around it.

"For Romans we are thinking of making it free, while non-residents would be asked to make a symbolic contribution, one or two euros ($1.1-2.2)", Rome's tourism councillor Alessandro Onorato told Thursday's Il Messaggero newspaper.

On Wednesday, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri called measures to curb tourist numbers "a very concrete possibility."

"The situation at the Trevi Fountain is becoming technically very difficult to manage," he told reporters.

Other cities are facing protests over problems brought by so-called overtourism, including Barcelona and Venice, where local authorities tested this year an entry charge scheme for visitors.

The Trevi Fountain, where tradition dictates that visitors toss a coin to guarantee their return to Rome and fulfil their wishes, has long been a major attraction, even for visiting world leaders.

Completed in 1762, the monument is a late Baroque masterpiece, with statues of Tritons guiding the shell chariot of the god Oceanus, illustrating the theme of the taming of the waters.

It is also remembered for one of cinema's most famous scenes when in Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" Anita Ekberg wades into the fountain and beckons her co-star Marcello Mastroianni to join her: "Marcello! Come here!" ($1 = 0.9011 euros)

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
When Floridians fill out their ballots in November and consider whether to restore abortion access in the state, they will be presented with a series of right-wing claims and speculation about how the measure would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida, could require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds, and could result in costly litigation.

An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time, voters will be told as they vote on a measure that would prohibit state lawmakers from restricting abortion before fetal viability or when its necessary to protect a patients health.

These claims are being presented to voters as part of a purported financial impact statement accompanying the abortion ballot measure, thanks to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, conservative operatives such as those at the Heritage Foundation, and judges whom DeSantis appointed as part of the conservative takeover of Floridas Supreme Court.

Fresh off DeSantis humiliating defeat in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, the governor and his allies are trying to stack the deck against the amendment to preserve the six-week abortion ban he signed into law, adding leading language to it as they raise money for a state-level Super PAC to oppose the ballot measure.

While former President Donald Trump called DeSantis six-week abortion ban a terrible thing and a terrible mistake during the primary race last fall, and has continued to say six weeks is too short, Trump recently declared his opposition to the abortion ballot measure, which would undo the states six-week ban.

By doing so, Trump has sided with the Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Project 2025. Trump has publicly run away from the controversial personnel and policy program, meant to aid his potential second term administration, specifically over its far-right, anti-abortion agenda.

In the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal abortion protections, when abortion rights have been on state ballots, the campaigns supporting abortion access have consistently won  even in red states. DeSantis and his allies are hoping to avoid a similar result in the Sunshine State, which already requires 60 percent of votes to pass amendments, and have placed their thumbs on the scale.

After Floridas six-week ban went into effect, a judge ordered the states Financial Impact Estimating Conference to revise a previous financial impact statement it had attached to the abortion access ballot measure. Advocates for the measure had decried that version as confusing and ambiguous.

With the matter back before the Financial Impact Estimating Conference in July, Republicans used the opportunity to write a new, far-more extreme statement to accompany the abortion ballot measure.

The proposed amendment would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida, the statement reads. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the amendment invalidates laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions. There is also uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget. An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time.

Lastly, it concludes: Because the fiscal impact of increased abortions on state and local revenues and costs cannot be estimated with precision, the total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate.

To push through their preferred language, Republicans remade the Financial Impact Estimating Conference  adding a longtime DeSantis aide and political appointee, Chris Spencer, while Rachel Greszler, a policy staffer at the Heritage Foundation, was paid $75 an hour to represent the Florida state House.

The Heritage Foundations lobbying arm, Heritage Action for America, had lobbied in favor of legislation establishing the six-week abortion ban, and hailed its passage as a historic victory in the fight to protect life.

At a July meeting, Spencer and Greszler both sparred with Michelle Morton, a lawyer for the ACLU of Florida, who had noted: Normally, when a [Financial Impact Estimating Conference] reconvenes, the panel doesnt change. Its made up of full time professional staff pulled from relevant estimating conferences. Normally, the [conference] focuses on these direct impacts of proposed amendments, and normally they cite peer reviewed studies, including competing evidence underlying their assumptions.

That was not the case here. Spencer, for his part, asserted, Theres a real outcome here that the state could be forced to pay 100 percent of the costs of abortions every year, tens of thousands of them, that theyre not currently paying for, and I think thats something material enough that it needs to be considered.

The state separately paid Michael New, an assistant professor at Catholic University, $300 an hour to speak before the financial impact panel. News university bio says he researches and writes about the social science of pro-life issues, and gives presentations on  the positive impact of pro-life laws.

In written testimony submitted to the panel, New offered his professional opinion that the abortion amendment would have a negative financial impact on Florida.

Based on the experiences of other states, there is a strong chance it would require Floridas Medicaid program to cover elective abortions, he wrote. This would easily cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually. It would also certainly increase abortions, reduce births, and lower Floridas fertility rate. There is a body of research which shows that declining fertility will result in long term reductions in tax revenue.

Jonathan Abbamonte and Parker Sheppard, researchers at the Heritage Foundation, provided data to the panel to back up conservatives assertions. They wrote that the total fertility rate is projected to be about 0.11 lower under the proposed amendment than under a six-week abortion limit and about 0.01 lower compared to a 15-week abortion limit. Reduced fertility rates would have downstream effects on the size of the labor force years down the road.

Last month, Floridas Supreme Court  which allowed the states prior 15-week ban to stand, and its six-week ban to take effect in May  blocked a challenge by the abortion access measures sponsor to the new financial impact language.

DeSantis previously remade the state Supreme Court, too  reportedly in coordination with conservative operative Leonard Leo, the dark-money maven and anti-abortion activist who engineered the right-wing takeover of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Florida governor also launched the Florida Freedom Fund, a political committee that can accept unlimited donations, to oppose the abortion ballot measure as well as a recreational marijuana amendment. As of mid-August, the committee had raised $2.6 million.

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Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Rosebud Sioux Tribe has been selected to receive millions of dollars from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA says the tribe will receive a $7,879,394 Climate Reduction Grant as part of the Biden-Harris Administration Investing in America agenda.

The tribe will use the money to install EV charging stations, purchase electric buses and EV garbage trucks.

In a news release by the EPA, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Environmental Director Ivan Crow Eagle said the money is a great opportunity for the tribe.

Always a dream: Krajewski reflects on silver medal

We are so humbled and grateful for the selection of the Rosebud Sioux Tribes Climate Pollution Reduction Grant application, Crow Eagle said in a news release. Words cannot express the selection to provide the Rosebud Sioux Tribe with such a glorifying opportunity to be awarded with a prestigious grant.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe is looking for more ways to provide more Green Energy opportunities and solutions to help with the structures, ecosystems, and the Environment for the people and wildlife of the Rosebud Reservation, Crow Eagle said in the release.

The EPA said it made its Tribes and Territories Competition selections following a review of 110 applications that requested a total of more than $1.3 billion in funding.

You can find more information on the EPAs website.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Rubble and debris cleared following Russian missile strike on Poltava's Institute of Communications  photo

Emergency response teams have cleared away the rubble at the site of the Russian missile strike on the Institute of Communications in Poltava.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) on Telegram

Details: The SES said that 55 people were killed and 328 injured in the Russian missile strike on Poltava on 3 September.

The SES deployed 36 appliances and 215 rescue workers in response to the strike.

Rubble being cleared away at the site of the Russian strike on Poltava

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Background:

On 3 September, Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on one of the educational institutions in the city of Poltava, which was later confirmed to be the Institute of Communications. A nearby hospital was also hit.

Ukraines Ground Forces are investigating the strike on the Institute of Communications, a military educational institution.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian missiles that hit Poltava on 3 September were in the air for only three minutes, and many people were killed or injured on their way to bomb shelters.

Support UP or become our patron!
Russian troops attacked a residential sector of the village of Tsyrkuny in Kharkiv Oblast on 5 September, injuring two people.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Quote: "This afternoon, the Russians carried out an airstrike on the residential sector of the village of Tsyrkuny, Kharkiv district. Private residential buildings and outbuildings were destroyed, and cars were damaged."

Aftermath of Russian attack

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Aftermath of Russian attack.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: The attack caused a fire, which destroyed two residential buildings, an outbuilding and dry grass covering 300 square metres.

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What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Russia's war in Ukraine

As Russian troops approach Pokrovsk, fear mounts over a possible loss of what had long been a key logistic hub tucked away in safety in Donetsk Oblast.

The war has arrived in Pokrovsk, once home to 60,000 people, with the Russians estimated to be about eight kilometers away. Thousands are fleeing the city each week. Russian artillery and FPV drones can now reach Pokrovsk, already affecting the citys capacity as a logistic hub for the Ukrainian army, experts say.

Russian troops have begun a new push below Pokrovsk to solidify the southern flank and build the base for a further offensive on the city, according to Western and Ukrainian military analysts interviewed.

Ukraines manpower shortage and tactical errors have led to a grinding Russian advance toward Pokrovsk, analysts told the Kyiv Independent. But the analysts are skeptical of a Russian breakthrough further east even if the city falls, as its capture would require significant resources that would likely deplete Russias offensive capability, they explained.

(Russia potentially) capturing Pokrovsk will complicate logistics and be a PR blow to Ukrainians, but I dont think that its going to influence the battlefield on a large scale significantly, said Konrad Muzyka, director of Poland-based Rochan military consultancy.

Capturing Pokrovsk could lead to bigger losses only if they are further compounded by lack of manpower, lack of artillery munitions, mistakes in command and control, and so on and so forth, he added.

The map of the Russian offensive on Pokrovsk, Ukraine as of Sep. 3, 2024. (Lisa Kukharska/The Kyiv Independent)

The Ukrainian armys traditional issues have been consistent throughout the war: lack of manpower, artillery ammunition, and fortification. Should Russian troops capture Pokrovsk, Kyivs ability to take a stand on its issue would be a defining factor in preventing a deeper Russian penetration into the remaining Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk Oblast.

Russia has always strived to capture higher ground like Pokrovsk, from where they can operate drones and conduct artillery strikes, but we have to remember that Russia has been pretty bad when it comes to conducting large-scale operations, Muzyka said.

So while they progress tactically, they are unable to convert these tactical victories into operational-level breakthroughs, he added.

Located less than 20 kilometers east from the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Pokrovsk is home to a railway station and serves as an entry point into the Donbas from cities westward, including Dnipro. The T0504 highway passes through the city, a key logistic artery for Ukrainian soldiers driving between Pokrovsk and the upper parts of Donetsk Oblast  such as Kramatorsk and Sloviansk  until Russian troops came dangerously close to the road this Spring.

"(Pokrovsk's) loss as a supply base and an important crossroad of movement is very unfortunate and will hurt a lot, Pasi Paroinen from the Finland-based OSINT Group Black Bird Group said.

But if the situation can be otherwise stabilized, that the Russians don't just freely move forward, at the pace that they have been advancing now or even faster in that case, it doesn't really matter that you lost a few villages here and there or maybe lost Pokrovsk.

The analyst said that he worries the situation is not under (Ukrainians) control in the Pokrovsk sector, and getting it back under control will require more and more resources each day.

The further the Russians advance, the more they unlock the entire front line to move, the more resources it will take for the Ukrainians to contain, Paroinen told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Silent killer: Russia boosts grinding Donbas advance with chemical warfare

Russia increasing its forces in Pokrovsk sector

Kyiv has acknowledged the powerful thrust of the Russian offensive toward Pokrovsk. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in July that Moscow was "throwing everything they have in the Pokrovsk direction. But he claimed that the Russian advance toward Pokrovsk had slowed down since Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Russias Kursk Oblast in an attempt to divert Russian troops.

Contrary to the presidents claim, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged that despite over 30,000 Russian soldiers being transferred to Kursk Oblast from other fronts, Russia is only increasing its forces in the Pokrovsk sector.

A local resident walks past apartment buildings destroyed by an air bomb in the village of Ocheretyne not far from Avdiivka town in the eastern Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 15, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

For the Kremlin, the capture of Pokrovsk would be a political conquest similar to Bakhmut and Avdiivka in 2023 and early 2024, according to Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, a regular talking head on Ukrainian state TV. He denied that there was political meaning tied to Pokrovsk, downplaying it as one of many cities in Donetsk Oblast.

Analysts mostly say that the Russian offensive will continue at the same pace for the foreseeable future. Moscows troops were still accelerating their advance toward Pokrovsk over the past week, even though "the rate of advance is likely to slow as Russian ground forces enter Pokrovsk's built-up areas, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a Sept. 1 intelligence briefing.

Ukraines ability to tackle its manpower and ammunition shortages will determine Pokrovsk's fate, which in turn will depend on Kyiv's priorities. Losing the city would be a logistical blow for Ukraine, threatening the defense of other Donbas cities.

Each approach to warfare or a strategic decision is going to have an impact on the situation on the front line, Polish military analyst Muzyka said. Now Ukraine needs to adapt to the current situation, try to stall the Russians in Donetsk (Oblast).

But it's absolutely clear that the situation in Kursk (Oblast) is eating up a lot of resources that Ukraine would otherwise be able to send to Donetsk Oblast.

Read also: Undistracted by Kursk offensive, Russia cuts deeper toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast

Danger south of Pokrovsk

As Russia grinds forward to build the southern flank of Pokrovsk, resembling a tactic formerly used to capture other Donbas cities, such as Avdiivka and Bakhmut, some analysts point out that a worrying scenario is unfolding above Krasnohorivka  nearly 40 kilometers south of Pokrovsk.

Ukrainian soldiers defending a pocket east of the Vovcha River and surrounded by Russian troops from the remaining three sides could be at risk of complete encirclement, according to the analysts.

Ukraine would likely be forced to withdraw from the pocket soon to avoid encirclement, which would allow Moscow to capture it without much fighting, Austrian warfare expert Tom Cooper said.

Cooper elaborated that Russia likely seeks to widen its southern flank to at least 30 to 40 kilometers to keep the logistics out of the range of most of the Ukrainian artillery, as a narrower flank would be more vulnerable to Ukrainian counterattacks.

The map of Russia's advance on the southern flank of Pokrovsk, Ukraine as of Sep. 4, 2024. (Lisa Kukharska/The Kyiv Independent)

Paroinen from Black Bird Group said the encirclement threat of the Ukrainian pocket east of the Vovcha River should not be serious as long as the retreat is timely. A delay would make it very difficult to get the trapped soldiers out of there, he added.

But the pace that the Russians are advancing is still such that unless something like this (an unexpected accelerated Russian advance) is done, it should be possible to withdraw in time, Paroinen said.

A full encirclement is unlikely because there is always a way out, including through local and field roads, according to Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian military and political analyst with the Kyiv-based think tank Information Resistance. He said that there is an exit through the areas of the Zoriane village and the Lozova River on the lower part of the Ukrainian pocket, and the threat is not as serious when you study the roads.

Artillerymen of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade are firing an RM-70 multiple rocket launcher in the Pokrovsk direction in the eastern Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 7, 2024. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A blow to fragile front

Over the past weeks, Russian troops trampled over villages and towns to approach Pokrovsk at an alarming pace when compared to most of 2023-2024. Kyiv has not acknowledged how many settlements were captured by Russian troops since it launched the Kursk incursion in early August.

Worried about its more vulnerable southern flank of Pokrovsk, Russian troops began an offensive on Selydove, experts say.

In order to continue the attack on Pokrovsk in this direction, they need to form flanks. And the southern flank is considered the most painful for (Russian troops), Kovalenko said, elaborating that Moscow is likely not anticipating a Ukrainian counterattack on the northern flank due to its own offensive on the Toretsk front just above, and the southern flank is its biggest concern.

Russian troops are now trying to advance toward the Lozova River to cover the entire south in order to completely cut off the dangerous zone for themselves, along which Ukrainian forces could flank their attack on Pokrovsk, according to Kovalenko.

Artillerymen of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade deployed on the Pokrovsk front operate an RM-70 multiple rocket launcher at a firing position in the eastern Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on Aug. 7, 2024. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Russian troops in the area appear to be depleted in their resources: They have been advancing from the ruins of Avdiivka, captured in February, to the town of Novohrodivka  about 30 kilometers west of Avdiivka  for over six months, and likely need an operational pause, the expert believes.

(In the near future), they will simply throw all their resources to the south (of Pokrovsk) without regrouping, without an operational pause, without restoring combat effectiveness, Kovalenko said, explaining that Russia likely set a goal to capture Pokrovsk by the end of the year.

The goal is to make it as difficult as possible for Russian forces to advance further, but some of the Ukrainian withdrawals came as a surprise, according to Kovalenko. In some areas where Kyivs troops could have held the defense for several months, the Russians broke through quite quickly, due to the lack of organization on the brigade-level command that led to the poorly conducted rotation of units, he added.

Dmytro Zhmaylo, co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, a Kyiv-based think tank, said that even as Russian forces work on expanding the southern flank of Pokrovsk, they are keeping up with the push toward the city. This is to prevent us from digging in and fortifying ourselves while (Russian troops) are fortifying the flanks, he explained.

Moscow is expected to try to capture Selydove first before advancing toward Pokrovsk from the south using the Karlivka-Pokrovsk road, according to Zhmaylo.

Military experts have largely agreed that if Russians get to Pokrovsk, Ukraine would likely be able to hold the battle for the city for months, turning it into an attritional warfare of manpower. However, some experts are skeptical that Russians can even get to the city by the end of the year, considering that the fall muddy weather was due to arrive.

Kovalenko said that Russias inability to advance simultaneously in multiple directions  not just in the southern flank but also straight toward Pokrovsk and approaching north toward the T0504 highway  hints that Russia has a limited resource, much more limited than, for example, at the end of May and beginning of June of this year.

Paroinen from the Finnish Black Bird Group disagreed, saying that it appears to be a good idea to try to focus on a single advance at a time or at maximum two. He added that another reason why Russia may have chosen to focus on advancing south of Pokrovsk rather than storming straight toward the city may be that there is a substantial Ukrainian defense in front of it.

A Ukrainian serviceman of the 43rd Artillery Brigade rests in the position in an undisclosed area in the Pokrovsk area in the eastern Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 8, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

There is a good opportunity to outflank the Ukrainians from the south in the areas of the towns of Kurakhove, Ukrainsk and Vuhledar, where there may be more chance because the territory appears to be less fortified, according to Paroinen.

The analyst warned that the Russian advance in the Pokrovsk area is very critical because the pace is very steady, even if, when zoomed out of the map, we are still talking about quite limited areas.

While admitting that Ukraines Kursk incursion may not be a complete waste of men and material, Paroinen said the timing of the bold operation is very questionable  especially when a key part of the eastern front was deteriorating.

The launch of the boldest-ever cross-border incursion into Russia appears to have come at a cost to other hot spots of the war, from where Ukraine had drawn battalions to conduct the high-stakes operation. U.S.-based military experts Michael Kofman and Rob Lee agreed in their recent Foreign Affairs piece that the offensive, in other words, weakens Ukraines already shaky front, estimating that perhaps 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers in total, including some of Ukraines better troops, have taken part in it.

Paroinen said the speed at which the Ukrainian defense could be penetrated by the grinding Russian advance would signal the severity of the situation.

If it falls quickly, then it really tells us the situation is very bad, Paroinen said. I would be more like watching how quickly, how quickly things unfold and drawing some conclusions from there  how bad the situation is.

______________________________________________________

Note from the author:

Hi, this is Asami Terajima, the author of this article. Thank you for reading our story.

It's been an extremely rough Summer for the Ukrainian soldiers. While the Kursk incursion may have uplifted the otherwise hopeless mood that I felt the last time I was in the Donbas, the situation surrounding Pokrovsk is ever more critical.

To help the Kyiv Independent tell more stories that would otherwise not be told, please consider supporting us by becoming our member.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia has pulled over 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast to face Ukraine's ongoing incursion as of early September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News published on Sept. 3.

"The idea and one of the goals of the Kursk Oblast (operation) was diverting Russian troops... to their territory," Zelensky said.

"Today, I can say that they pulled over 60,000 troops there." This is a considerable growth from a figure previously presented by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said in late August that Russia diverted 30,000 troops to the area.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion almost a month ago, allegedly seizing around a hundred Russian settlements and almost 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory. The pace of advance seems to have slowed down in comparison to the operation's early days.

"As of today, we are holding exactly the part (of the territory) we planned," Zelensky said. Ukrainian soldiers have also taken over 600 Russian captives, he added.

The president reiterated earlier statements by other officials that one of the motivations behind the incursion were the restrictions on the use of long-range arms on Russian territory. Kyiv has complained these limits prevent the country from defending itself effectively against Russian strikes.

Read also: Ukraine launched Kursk incursion without Wests guidance, and look how well it worked, says ex-NATO commander in Europe

Another goal was to create a buffer zone on Russian territory and prevent Moscow from creating it in Ukraine, the president added.

Zelensky also confirmed that the U.S. had not been informed about the plan in advance and explained the incursion as one step of a victory plan he plans to present to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors, Vice President Kamala Harris and ex-President Donald Trump.

"For our part, we definitely want the war to end. Absolutely. And the victory plan is mine, it is aimed purely at forcing Russia to end the war," Zelensky said.

"To make them understand that what they are doing is nonsense. To force them to accept the U.N. Charter, to accept the world's rules."

Earlier the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine's plan to divert Russian troops from Donbas to Kursk Oblast had failed.

Despite the ongoing incursion on Russian soil, battle-hardened Russian forces continue pushing toward Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in Donetsk Oblast.

Zelensky acknowledged that the situation near Pokrovsk remains difficult but claimed that thanks to the incursion, Russia's advantage in firepower in the sector is now "only" three to one, compared to an earlier situation when it was 12 to one.

The president also said that Russia was forced to divert troops from other sectors, for example, from Zaporizhzhia or Kherson oblasts.

Read also: Restrictions on long-range strikes inside Russia reveal Wests unclear goals, ex-US commander says

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Ukrainian forces have managed to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with CNN aired on Sept. 5.

The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.

"Over the last six days, the enemy hasnt advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working," Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.

Russian troops have advanced in recent days in some other directions in Donetsk Oblast, according to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState.

According to Syrskyi, Russia is concentrating its most well-trained units in the Pokrovsk area, but the scale of shelling and the intensity of Moscow's offensive have decreased.

"We've taken away their ability to maneuver and to deploy their reinforcements from other directions And this weakening has definitely been felt in other areas," the general said.

After Ukraine launched its Kursk operation a month ago, Russia has pulled over 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast as of early September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Moscow was forced to divert troops from other sectors, for example, from Zaporizhzhia or Kherson oblasts, he added.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify Zelensky's claim.

Responding to a question from the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky said on Aug. 27 that the Russian advance on Pokrovsk had slowed in tempo compared to before the Kursk operation began. A few days later, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported that Russian troops had accelerated their advance towards the town.

Pokrovsk authorities urged residents to evacuate on Aug. 15 after Russian forces reached about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

Read also: With Russia at doorstep, Pokrovsk defense critical for Ukraines Donbas

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Russian air defence in Belarus downs its own attack drones during nighttime attack on Ukraine

Russian air defence, deployed in Belarus, has shot down its own Shahed attack drones during a Russian large-scale attack on Ukraine on the night of 4-5 September, which led to explosions and a fire at a warehouse in the city of Gomel.

Source: Belaruski Hajun, a Belarusian military monitoring project

Details: Analysts reported that at least eight Russian Shahed drones flew into the airspace of Belarus on the night of 4-5 September. Russian air defence responded to the drones at 01:34 and 01:36, shooting down at least one Shahed.

Local residents reported explosions and the fall of a burning drone. The incident was also confirmed by Russian propaganda news outlets, reporting on the work of the 1530th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Russian Armed Forces, which is stationed at the Zyabrawka airfield in the Gomel district. The downed drone fell on a warehouse in Gomel, causing a fire. Analysts noted that no air-raid warning had been issued in the city.

In response to the drone activity, the Belarusian Air Force scrambled its fighter jets from the airfield in Baranavichy and attempted to shoot down the drones. Reportedly, at around 02:30, one of the Shahed drones was hit over the town of Khoiniki.

Some of the drones returned to Ukrainian airspace, while others continued to move deeper into Belarus, heading for Mazyr, Khoiniki and Bragin.

Belaruski Hajun stressed that two of the eight drones were shot down, while the rest either returned to Ukraine or disappeared from radars.

Background:

Since the evening of 4 September, Russian troops have been launching attack drones into Ukraine.

On the night of 3-4 September, at least four Russian Shahed kamikaze drones violated Belarusian airspace, forcing the Belarusian Air Force to scramble its fighter jets to shoot them down.

The Belarusian General Staff stated that on the night of 4-5 September, Russian drones flew into the country and had to be shot down, but pretended not to know where the UAVs were launched from.

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Russian attack on educational institution in Poltava: death toll rises to 54  photos

Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian strike on Poltava. Photo: SES

The death toll from the Russian strike on an educational institution in the city of Poltava on 3 September has risen to 54. Emergency workers are continuing their efforts, and five more people may be trapped under the rubble.

Source: Ukraine's Interior Ministry; State Emergency Service (SES)

Quote: "The death toll from the Russian strike on an educational institution in Poltava has risen to 54. In addition, 297 people have been injured. Search and rescue operations continue, taking into account the security aspect."

Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian strike on Poltava.

Photo: SES

Details: Five more people may be trapped under the rubble. Emergency workers have dismantled and removed 1,760 tonnes of debris.

Emergency workers dealing with the aftermath of the Russian strike on Poltava.

Photo: SES

Background:

On 3 September, Russian forces attacked one of the educational institutions in Poltava.

On 4 September, reports from the SES indicated that 53 were known to have been killed and 298 injured.

Three days of mourning for the people killed in the Russian strike on the Institute of Communication in the city of Poltava began in Poltava Oblast on 4 September.

Ukraines Ground Forces are investigating the strike on one of the military educational institutions in Poltava, hit by Russian missiles on 3 September.

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Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least two civilians and injured at least 19 over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Sept. 5

Ukrainian forces downed 60 of the 78 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Two drones flew back to Russia, one to Belarus, and 15 were "lost" on Ukrainian territory, likely as a result of electronic warfare means, the statement read.

Earlier today, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group said that Belarusian aircraft downed two Russian Shahed-type drones over Belarus' airspace. The country's military later confirmed shooting down a drone without naming its origin.

Russia also launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from occupied Crimea, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Kyiv Oblast and the capital came under a drone attack, with the air raid alert lasting for 11 hours in the region and over 9 hours in Kyiv.

All drones targeting Kyiv were shot down, and the fallen debris damaged several houses in Kyiv Oblast, authorities said. No casualties were reported.

In Donetsk Oblast, two people were killed and 10 others injured in Russian attacks, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

One person was killed and six injured during a strike against Kostiantynivka. Ten houses, an enterprise, shops, and other buildings and infrastructure sites were damaged.

One more person was killed in Kurakhove, three were injured in Toretsk, and one in Pokrovsk, Filashkin reported.

Two people were reported as injured on Sept. 4 in Kharkiv Oblast. A 19-year-old volunteer was hospitalized following an attack against the embattled town of Vovchansk, and a 71-year-old man was hospitalized following a strike against the village of Kurylivka, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast injured three people, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, the regional governor. A critical infrastructure facility, a cell tower, an administration building, houses, and other civilian property were damaged.

In Sumy Oblast, seven people were injured in Russian attacks on Sept. 4, the regional military administration said. Six people were injured during an airstrike against the Yampil community, and a woman was wounded in a rocket attack against the Svesa community.

Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Poltava, and Vinnytsia oblasts also came under attack, but no casualties were reported.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: At least 7 killed, over 70 injured in Russian attacks on Lviv, Kryvyi Rih

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Russia struck Sumy Oblast 149 times throughout the day on Sept. 4, injuring seven people, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported.

Russia dropped a KAB guided aerial bomb onto the community of Yampil around 12 p.m. local time, the Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office said, injuring a total of six civilians between the ages of 36 and 72.

A second community, Svesy, was also hit with a missile strike, injuring one person.

No details were provided on the extent of the victims' injuries.

Residents in Sumy Oblast are subjected to daily attacks on the region. The security situation in Sumy Oblast became more tense with the start of Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast in Russia, which began on Aug. 6.

On Sept. 3, a Russian attack on a university building in the regional capital, Sumy, injured one person. Another attack on Sept. 1 on a children's social and psychological rehabilitation center and orphanage in Sumy injured 18 people including six children.

On Aug. 20, amid ongoing attacks on the region, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko told reporters that authorities are planning to evacuate a total of 45,000 residents from Sumy Oblast.

Approximately 21,000 residents have been evacuated from Sumy Oblast thus far, including 5,000 children, Klymenko added.

Read also: As Ukrainian children return to school, Russia launches missiles at educational facilities









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Russian forces have damaged several ancient burial mounds on the front line in southern Ukraine, potentially violating the Hague and Geneva Conventions, according to research from the Ukraine Conflict Observatory published on Sept. 4.

Ukraine is home to many of these ancient graves, known as kurgans or mohyly. The mounds can be up to 20 meters tall and date back to as far as 3,000 BC, containing archeological treasures relating to prehistoric life in Ukraine, including the Scythian era.

The Conflict Observatory analyzed open geospatial data to find that the two sites in Vasylivka district in Zaporizhzhia Oblast have been damaged under occupation by the Russian Armed Forces.

"The damage includes the construction of military infrastructure at the archaeological sites and the creation of a large, lewd geoglyph in the shape of a phallus in an adjacent field," the report said.

"The use of the sites for military purposes places heritage at risk of incurring additional damage from the conflict."

Damage incurred separately from the construction of military installations "may indicate looting or destruction of the mound's associated artifacts and ancient remains."

Since cultural heritage is entitled to protection under international law, the damage to the sites and potential looting may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and the Hague and Geneva Conventions, the report said.

Limitations in conducting research through open-source intelligence means that "the actual number of archaeological sites impacted by Russian fortification building is likely far higher than what is documented in this report," the Conflict Observatory noted.

Russia's war against Ukraine has severely impacted Ukraine's cultural heritage, damaging around 2,000 cultural sites and leaving 1.5 million museum artifacts in Russian-occupied territories.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution in late June recognizing Russia's genocidal intent in destroying Ukraine's cultural heritage and identity.

Read also: After a decade-long battle, Kyiv showcases Crimean treasures that Russia wanted to steal

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Russian meddling: Yesterday, the Department of Justice charged two Russian media operatives, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva (both affiliated with RT, formerly known as Russia Today), in a scheme it alleges funneled many millions of dollars to a Tennessee-based company that employs prominent heterodox/conservative commentators.

The company is almost definitely Tenet Media, founded by Lauren Chen (a.k.a. Roaming Millennial) and Liam Donovan, who allegedly knew the funding came from Russia; at least two contributors, meanwhile, were reportedly misled. The company employs Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Lauren Southern.

The commentators seem to believe they are the real victims, see here and here. The founders have not returned requests for comment.

But, per The Washington Post, "one unnamed Tenet contributor with 2.4 million YouTube followers on their own channel received $400,000 a month, plus a $100,000 signing bonus and performance incentives, just for making four videos a week for Tenet, according to the indictment. Another unnamed commentator made $100,000 per video, according to the indictment." It is surprising that journalists seemingly did not think to ask why they're getting paid so damn much per video, or where the outlet's money might be coming from. I suppose they may have simply thought they were hot shit vs. accidentally payola'd. (Apparently, at one point, one commentator did ask where the money was coming from, but received a suspicion-inducing answer that wasdeemed satisfactory.)

Who to trust? Of course, the media and the Department of Justice have not covered themselves with glory when it comes to Russia-meddling allegations; there's a certain amount of ambient Russophobia, regardless of whether such allegations end up substantiated (ahem). But there are also legitimate cases of foreign meddling, and this may very well be that; it's unclear how explicit the RT executives were in issuing content directives and how much the finished product that was pumped out to millions of hungry consumers deviated from what content creators had hoped to put out there.

It's also possible that the messages put out by these content creators were simply ones that Russia wanted to amplify and reward. For example, Tim Pool's words following the German arrest warrant issued to purported perpetrators of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, who were Ukrainian"Ukraine is the greatest threat to this nation and to the world. We should rescind all funding and financing, pull out all military support, and we should apologize to Russia." First off, not enough information has come out about the Nord Stream pipeline explosion to be able to determine whether state actors were, exactly, responsible (it's a very odd and complicated story); second off, you can oppose funding the war effort while recognizing that Ukraine is absolutely not the "greatest threat to this nation" or to "the world," nor does Russia need our apologies when its military has indefensibly slaughtered vast numbers of Ukrainian civilians.

Somewhat predictably, there's not a clear ideology or even party that appeared to be favored by Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva. A telling section from the 32-page indictment: "RT's propaganda is most obvious when it reports on matters of importance to the Government of Russia, such as public opinion about Ukraine in the United States. When direct propaganda is not effective, however, RT has pursued malign influence campaigns in countries opposed to its policies, including the United States, in an effort to sow domestic divisions and thereby weaken opposition to Government of Russia objectives. For example, in discussing RT's coverage of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union in 2016, an RT journalist recalled to an academic researcher: 'I asked my editor, what is RT's line for this [Brexit], and he said: "Anything that causes chaos is RT's line."'"

Millions of dollars allegedly funneled from Russia to generate amazing content like this pic.twitter.com/OvrWQLIilB  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) September 5, 2024

For some people, the mere fact that the media spent so much time spreading Russia collusion hoax nonsense in the lead-up to the 2016 election is reason to discredit coverage of this alleged Russian meddling or to dismiss it as hammed up. See this:

Even by the standards of Russia, Russia, Russia hoaxes, the Tenet Media/Lauren Chen case makes no sense:

 Chen was riling up pro-lifers *against* Trump. @Cernovich, Steve Deace, and others had been calling out these "purists" for weeks, and now they're vindicated.

 Chen was  David Sacks (@DavidSacks) September 5, 2024

I think this is a bad take. Journalists and commentators should be more discerning and forthright as to who is bankrolling them, and if the charges prove true, media company executives (like Chen and Donovan) have behaved irresponsiblyas well as illegallyin taking these Russian actors' money in the first place.

Scenes from New York: A former aide to not one but TWO New York governors was charged Tuesday with acting as an "illegal agent" of the Chinese governmenta spy"who used her state positions to subtly advance Beijing's agenda in exchange for financial benefits worth millions of dollars," according to the Associated Press. It was via these relationships that Linda Sun and her husband were able to buy multiple houses and luxury cars. Sun reportedly did China's bidding in myriad ways, including blocking Taiwanese officials from being able to meet with New York government officials.

Sun was deputy diversity officer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and deputy chief of staff for Gov. Kathy Hochul. "If true, the allegations show that Chinese authorities were able to gain influence at the highest levels of state government in New York for nearly a decade," adds the A.P.

QUICK HITS

Bridget Phetasy talks to Louise Perry about "the dark truth about divorce" on Perry's (excellent) podcast, Maiden Mother Matriarch.

President Joe Biden will block Nippon Steel's takeover of U.S. Steel.

Four people were killed yesterday by a gunman at a high school in northern Georgia.

"They steal the food, charge exorbitant prices for it from the Gaza population and that's how they hope to continue to survive," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of Hamas' handling of humanitarian aid. "We have to take that away from them. I don't want to run Gaza. I don't want to administer Gaza. But I want to take this away from them."

Speaking of which, useful thread about the composition of the Knesset, and the reasons why Netanyahu remains in power despite being so broadly unpopular:

Which leads to the second issue  the composition of the anti-Netanyahu opposition. Just because someone opposes Netanyahu, or is in favor of a hostage deal, doesn't mean they aren't from a very close political camp. Ironically, Netanyahu divided the right.  Abraham Gutman (@abgutman) September 3, 2024

Firefighters don't really fight fires anymore:

Weird situation where firefighters (mostly) don't fight fires anymore pic.twitter.com/2qtUrgHbYL  Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp) September 4, 2024

Kind of a dick move to do this to a family member, but also, it's good that we live in the type of country where we can vociferously disagree with our friends and family about politics:

Tim Walz's family has a message for him: pic.twitter.com/TLrMii4IoA  End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 4, 2024

The post Russian Influence Operation Allegedly Funded American Media Stars appeared first on Reason.com.
Russian spy whale may have been shot dead, say animal rights groups

The death of a beloved white beluga whale has turned into a mystery in Norway as animal rights groups speculate whether he was actually assassinated.

The beluga, nicknamed Hvaldimir, rose to fame in 2019 after being spotted wearing a specially-made harness with mounts for a camera, sparking claims that the animal may have been trained by the Russian military.

Two Norwegian animal rights groups alleged on Wednesday that the whale was shot to death after Hvaldimir was found dead over the weekend in southern Norway.

OneWhale and NOAH are calling for a criminal investigation based on compelling evidence that the whale was killed by gunshot wounds, OneWhale, which describes itself as a nonprofit committed to protecting Hvaldimir and relocating him to a wild population of belugas, wrote in an Instagram post.

It added that several veterinarians, biologists, and ballistics experts have reviewed [the] evidence of Hvaldimirs injuries, determining that the whales death was the result of a criminal act.

The post included pictures of what appeared to be holes and streaks of blood on the lifeless body of the whale. CNN is unable to independently verify their claim that the whale was shot.

The organizations filed a police report to the Sandnes Police District and the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime.

This photo provided by OneWhale.org on September 4, shows manager Regina Haug next to the carcass of the beluga whale Hvaldimir, who was found dead on August 31. - OneWhale.org/AP

The Southwestern Police District confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that it has received a request to investigate the death of Hvaldimir, though the unit has not yet determined whether it will open a formal inquiry.

I dont think weve had a case like this before, said Southwestern Police District Superintendent Victor Fenne-jensen, who declined to comment on whether his department had investigated rumors that the whale was a Russian spy.

He added, Hvaldimir was kind of a celebrity.

However, Marine Mind, another non-profit that advocates for protecting marine life, has called the public to refrain from speculation until the countrys Veterinary Institute has finished its own investigation.

It was Marine Mind that found Hvaldimirs body in the bay. When we found Hvaldimir on Saturday, it was not possible to immediately determine the cause of death, and therefore it is important to refrain from speculation until the institute has completed its work, Marine Mind posted to its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Before Hvaldimirs death, OneWhale and NOAH had been collaborating to relocate him to a safer area in northern Norway, and had obtained permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries. CNN has reached out to the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment for comment.

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that his body was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway Saturday by a father and son who were fishing, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The beluga, named by combining the Norwegian word for whale  hval  and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was lifted out of the water with a crane and taken to a nearby harbor where experts for experts to examine, AP reported.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK Hvaldimirs cause of death was not immediately clear and that no major external injuries were visible on the animal, the AP reported.

Back in 2019, experts told CNN that Hvaldimir was a trained animal, and evidence suggested that the whale had come from Russia.

Jorgen Ree Wiig, a marine biologist at Norways Directorate of Fisheries, told CNN that the Hvaldimirs harness appeared specially made and had mounts for GoPro cameras on each side of it.

That the harness clips read Equipment St. Petersburg only contributed to the popular theory that he came from Murmansk, Russia, and was trained by the Russian navy.

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Russian strike on institute in Poltava: death toll rises to 55  photos

Dismantling of the rubble. Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

The death toll from a Russian missile strike on an educational institution in Poltava has risen to 55, with 328 people injured.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES)

Details: The six-storey building of the educational facility was partially destroyed. There may still be people under the rubble, the SES said.

So far, the rescue workers have dismantled and removed more than 2,000 tonnes of construction waste.

Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Photo: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Search and rescue operations are proceeding with consideration for safety concerns.

Background:

Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on an educational institution and a hospital in the city of Poltava on 3 September.

On 5 September, the State Emergency Service noted that 54 people were reported dead and 297 injured. They also said that rescue workers were continuing to carry out a search and rescue operation, and five more people might be trapped under the rubble.

The Ground Forces of Ukraine are investigating the attack on one of Poltava's military educational institutions.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian missiles that hit the military educational facility in Poltava on 3 September flew for three minutes and that many people were killed or injured on their way to shelter.

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Dimitri Simes and his wife have left the US and are believed to be in Russia.

Dimitri Simes and his wife have left the US and are believed to be in Russia. Photograph: Alexei Danichev/AP

US investigators have indicted a prominent Russian state television personality and his wife for violating sanctions and for money laundering as the White House targets Kremlin influence operations before the US presidential election.

Dimitri Simes, a television presenter and producer for Russias state-owned Channel One, was charged with receiving more than $1m (759,000) in compensation, a personal car and driver and a stipend for a flat in Moscow, despite the television stations designation as sanctioned in 2022 by the USs Office of Foreign Assets Control. He and his wife, Anastasia, were charged with money laundering to hide the proceeds of his work for Channel One.

Anastasia Simes, 55, was also charged with buying arts and antiquities for a sanctioned Russian oligarch, Aleksandr Udodov, and then storing the works in their home in Virginia before they were shipped onward to Russia. The works were bought from galleries and auction houses in the United States and Europe.

The couple faces 20 years in prison for each count if convicted. They left the US after Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and are now believed to be in Russia, the justice department said.

Joe Biden and his stooges are impotent cowards, wrote Dimitri Simes Jr, their son, on X. Our family is safe and sound in Russia. We will not be intimidated. In fact, were only going to get louder. Stay tuned! He claimed that the Biden administration wanted to jail his father for exposing its suicidal Ukraine policy.

Simes, who had had contact with a number of members of Donald Trumps orbit, also figured prominently in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 elections. He was never charged with a crime as part of that investigation.

The new allegations against Simes come one day after the US treasury department sanctioned Margarita Simonyan, who works for the state-controlled broadcaster RT, and nine other employees for running a covert disinformation network in the US that included well-known conservative American influencers who unwittingly took millions of dollars in Kremlin cash.

The US influencers Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson have addressed allegations that the US content creation company they were associated with had been provided with nearly $10m from Russian state media employees to publish videos with messages in favour of Moscows interests and agenda, including over the war in Ukraine.

On Thursday, the conservative media company Blaze Media said it had terminated its contract with the YouTuber Lauren Chen. Chen and her husband founded Tenet Media, which received as much as $10m from intermediaries to the Russian government, according to the justice department indictment and US media reports, and then paid out large sums of money to conservative figures to produce online videos meant to influence the 2024 election. The American influencers and media personalities acted unwittingly, according to the indictment.

Related: US files charges against Russian-born former Trump campaign adviser

Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RTs interference in the US elections, Simonyan quipped in response.

Simes, 76, resided until recently in Huntly, Virginia, and had established himself as a prominent Russian political commentator who frequently voiced pro-Kremlin views on television and in print in his accented but fluent English.

Simes is also the former president of The Center for the National Interest thinktank, which was established by Richard Nixon and calls itself Americas voice for strategic realism.

These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russias illegal aggression in Ukraine, the US attorney Matthew Graves said in a statement. Such violations harm our national security interests  a fact that Dimitri Simes, with the deep experience he gained in national affairs after fleeing the Soviet Union and becoming a US citizen, should have uniquely appreciated.
Russians mock US election allegations as Putin teasingly says he supports Harris

Russian President Vladimir Putin applauds during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian commentators on Thursday mocked allegations that Moscow was meddling again in the U.S. presidential election, and President Vladimir Putin appeared to bolster the teasing tone by wryly claiming he supported Vice President Kamala Harris.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department said the Russian state-owned broadcaster RT is carrying out a covert campaign to influence the American public ahead of the election. Two state media employees were charged, and 10 people and two entities were sanctioned, with Kremlin-run websites seized.

The Justice Department did not identify which candidate the propaganda campaign was meant to boost. But internal strategy notes from participants in the effort released by the Justice Department make clear that former President Donald Trump was the intended beneficiary, even though the candidates' names were blacked out.

The Kremlin has dismissed previous allegations of interference in U.S. elections, from 2016 and onward, as nonsense. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson vowed to retaliate against U.S. media in Russia.

Margarita Simonyan, head of the state-run broadcaster RT who was sanctioned by the U.S. in the latest allegations, shared a social media post Thursday in which the outlet hit back by saying, "They called from 2016 and want all their tired cliches back.

The Treasury Department described Simonyan as a central figure in Russian government malign influence efforts.

Putin, who was in the Russian Far East port of Vladivostok for an economic forum, did not address the latest U.S. allegations, but he did comment on the election, in which Harris is the Democratic Partys nominee after President Joe Biden dropped his bid for reelection.

We had the current president, Mr. Biden, as our favorite but he was taken out of the race. He recommended all his supporters back Mrs. Harris, so we will too, Putin said with a wry smile and an arched eyebrow.

Harris, he said, has an expressive and infectious laugh, which shows shes doing well.

If Harris is doing well, then perhaps she will refrain from imposing more sanctions on Russia, Putin said. Some members of the audience were pictured laughing at his remarks.

Putin authorized influence operations to help Trump in the 2020 election, while his 2016 campaign benefited from hacking by Russian intelligence officers and a covert social media effort, according to U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Before winning in 2016, Putin praised Trump as outstanding and talented."

Earlier this year, Putin suggested that Biden's reelection would be better for Russia as he is more experienced and predictable.

U.S. intelligence officials maintain that Moscow still has a preference for Trump, who has praised Putin and has suggested cutting aid to Ukraine.

Although RT's Simonyan shared posts disparaging the U.S. allegations, earlier this year she appeared on a Russian talk show and discussed how RT was involved in info wars, pumping out pro-Kremlin narratives in the U.S.

We create many sources of information that are not tied to us, Simonyan said, suggesting to the host that she shouldnt publicly discuss RT's covert work.

While the CIA tries to figure out that theyre tied to us, they already have an enormous audience. Sometimes they find them and close them down. ... While theyre shutting them down weve already created new ones, she said.

RT and the CIA chase each other in a game of cat and mouse, she said.

Its actually fun, Simonyan added with a laugh.

In Vladivostok, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said authorities would take retaliatory measures against U.S. media in Russia in response to the U.S. actions.

She said the Justice Department's moves contradict U.S. obligations to ensure free access to information and media pluralism.

Russia, meanwhile, is pursuing an increasingly harsh crackdown on independent journalists, activists and ordinary citizens, suffocating any free expression inside the country.
Russians have not "advanced a single metre" on Pokrovsk front in past 6 days  Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, says that the Ukrainian troops had managed to stop the Russians on the Pokrovsk front, the most intense sector of the front line.

Source: Sirskyi in an interview with CNN

Quote: "Over the last six days the enemy hasnt advanced a single metre in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working."

Details: According to the Commander-in-Chief, the Kursk operation contributed greatly to this. The Ukrainian army denied the Russian forces the ability to move and deploy reinforcements from other fronts. The frequency of artillery assaults also decreased.

Sirskyi claimed that Russia had sent tens of thousands of troops to Kursk Oblast, including the best air assault forces.

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Chaldean Bishops Not Planning Apology

Patriarch Cardinal Louis Sako directed the five bishops last week to apologize to him for acts of perceived disunity in the Eastern Catholic Church, setting a deadline of Sept. 5.

But according to sources close to the dispute, the five bishops have no plans to apologize, and Sako could soon move to suspend them -- with or without Vatican support.

Division in the Chaldean Catholic Church made headlines outside Iraq last week, after Cardinal Sako issued an Aug. 28 statement criticizing five Chaldean bishops for skipping a July episcopal synod of the Eastern Catholic, which bishops are ordinarily required by canon law to attend.

The statement lamented that in addition to skipping the synod, the bishops had not attended an August spiritual retreat, and had decided to withdraw their students from a Chaldean seminary, "which constitutes a serious breach" of ecclesial unity, Sako's statement said.

The Aug. 28 text said that if they did not "apologize and make amends" by Sept. 5, Sako would ask Pope Francis to canonically sanction the five bishops, mentioning specifically the prospect of excommunicating them.

Sources close to the Archdiocese of Erbil said the five bishops have no plans to issue an apology.

Sako's Aug. 28 letter focused on Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, whom Sako called the "godfather" of the Babylon Movement, an Iraqi political party in a long-running and high-profile dispute with Sako, which culminated in a 2023 government decision to revoke a decree that recognized Sako as the legitimate leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq.

After the decree was revoked, Sako spent some nine months in a kind of self-imposed exile in the the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The cardinal now insists that Warda failed to defend him and the Church during that period.

The patriarch says that Warda should have condemned the revocation of the decree, and the figure behind it -- Iran-backed Iraqi militia leader and strongman Rayan al-Kildani, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. State Department for human rights violations, and who has styled himself in Iraq as a kind of protector of Christians.

According to Sako, al-Kildani has tried to sideline him in order to seize control of Church properties, and the property of Christians, in Iraq.

Sako has argued that in several media interviews, in both Iraq and in the West, Warda seemed to downplay the significance of the decree's revocation, which Sako frames as an attack on his leadership of the Chaldean Church.

Some Iraqi Catholic suggest that Archbishop Warda has been unwilling to criticize al-Kildani because of the strongman's influence in the Nineveh Plain region of Iraq.

But sources close to the Erbil archdiocese have told The Pillar that Sako's narrative is not accurate -- that the patriarch has been personally in a long-running power struggle with al-Kildani for political influence in Iraq, and has unfairly put the Church in the center of that dispute -- doing so even without diplomatic support from the Vatican.

While Sako has painted Warda as a Kildani sympathizer, sources close to the Erbil archdiocese have a different take, saying the archbishop is focused on trying to avoid Sako's political fight, especially amid the fracturing reality of a country in which ISIS remains a threat, especially for Christians -- with ISIS attacks in Iraq and Syria reportedly set to double this year.

The conflict between the bishops is complex, with some Chaldean Catholic sources telling The Pillar that while Sako is respected because he holds the office of patriarch, his reportedly liberalizing theological and liturgical tendencies, along with an autocratic style, have alienated many figures in the Chaldean Church, even apart from the conflict with al-Kildani.

And some Chaldean leaders who say that Sako is right to push back against al-Kildani's influence also say that the patriarch has conflated that issue with other governance concerns in the Chaldean Church.

Sources also say that Sako has had difficult relations with Pope Francis in recent years, with the two men reportedly clashing during the pontiff's 2021 visit to Iraq, over scheduling, logistics, and the pontiff's itinerary.

Amid issues among the Chaldean episcopate is also the question of Sako's eventual retirement. The cardinal -- who turned 75 last summer -- had previously said he would retire from the office of patriarch at that age. But Sako has since seemed to withdraw from that plan, with some speculating that he is reluctant to hand over the reins of leadership to any of the bishops with whom he has been in disagreement.

Tension over those issues, sources say, contributed to division over Sako's self-imposed exile. And some bishops say that while Sako engaged in a political dispute in Iraq, he refused for several years to conduct a synod -- a deliberative gathering of the Chaldean Church's bishops -- at which issues in the Church could be addressed, and policies addressed.

When Sako finally did call for a synod in July, five bishops -- Warda the most prominent -- notified both the Chaldean episcopate and the Vatican that they would not attend, arguing that Sako would not actually be open to addressing the issues facing the Chaldean Church.

Sako apparently found that unacceptable -- and soon thereafter issued his threat of penalty. It is not clear whether the Vatican's Dicastery for Eastern Catholic Churches backed that move, or whether Sako consulted Rome before issuing his Aug. 28 missive.

But the warning does raise canonical -- and practical -- questions.

Sako has not specified exactly what delict, or canonical crime, the five bishops are alleged to have committed, instead attaching a number of penal canons to his Aug. 28 statement.

Sources close to the Archdiocese of Erbil argue that the cardinal seems not to have followed the required canonical procedural steps, including canonical warnings, if he believes the bishops are close to committing a delict, or if he believes they are committing one currently.

And Sako's suggestion that the Vatican would be involved in imposing a penalty suggests that he might not have much support among the rest of the Chaldean Church's bishops.

The Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches allows for patriarchs, like Sako, to issue penal precepts to bishops, with serious canonical penalties attached -- but only with consent of the episcopal synod. That Sako said imposing a penalty will involve the Vatican could indicate that the synod of bishops declined to authorize Sako to make that move.

Still, it is not clear that Sako will actually approach the Vatican if the bishops do not apologize Sept. 5.

Sources close to Baghdad patriarchate say they expect Sako to attempt on his own a kind of canonical suspension for the five bishops soon after Sept. 5 -- though the validity of that move would almost certainly be challenged in Rome, and not likely be upheld.

But Sako seems determined to resolve things in the Chaldean Church according to his judgment.

In a Sept. 2 statement, the cardinal said he was praying daily for the "difficult circumstances" of the Chaldean Catholic Church.

"I hope that the solution will be achieved in truth, justice and honesty , with a frank and public apology, and a return to the bosom of the mother Church without legal penalties, dismissal from service, suspension, etc. or another scandal," Sako wrote.

Still he lamented his sense of Warda's involvement in al-Kildani's political movement.

"It is unfortunate that certain political parties have succeeded in winning over some clergy and mobilizing them for certain purposes against their Church. A network of interests, tricks, and accusations," the cardinal argued on Monday.

His statement also issued a warning, seemingly meant for the five bishops. "Whoever trusts himself and thinks that he will win the challenge and break the Church is delusional."

The Chaldean Catholic Church is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic sui iuris churches in the Catholic communion. Headquartered in Baghdad, the church has more than 600,000 Catholics -- but because of decades of violence and instability in the region, it is difficult to estimate how many live in Iraq, and how many live in diaspora, either in the United States, Europe, Australia, or across the Middle East.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia has redeployed 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast from the war zone in Ukraine due to the success of Ukraine's Kursk operation.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with NBC News

Quote: "One of the goals of the Kursk operation is to bring their troops... back to their territory. I can now announce this: they have redeployed about 60,000 troops there as of today. They have withdrawn [military personnel] from areas where we encountered challenges due to the lack of military [aid] packages [from Ukraine's allies]."

Details: The president noted that it came to a point where Ukraine could respond with only 1 shell to 12 Russian shells.

Zelenskyy stressed that after some Russian forces were withdrawn from the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, the ratio of shells in some areas shifted from 1-to-12 to 1-to-3.

Background: On 27 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, reported that Russia had deployed 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast, with their number increasing daily.

Read also: Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi's raid: how the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast is progressing and what to expect next

Background:

The operation in Kursk Oblast began on 6 August. On 10 August, on the fifth day of the Ukrainian army's offensive deep into Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine had brought the war to Russian territory.

On 27 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that since the beginning of the operation in Kursk Oblast in Russia, Ukraine had captured 594 Russian soldiers and controlled more than 100 settlements or 1,294 square kilometres.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that such actions are aimed at creating a buffer zone to prevent Russian military operations against Ukraine.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin persistently continues to downplay the success of the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast, trying his best to convince Russian society that Ukraines control over 100 Russian settlements means nothing. However, on 5 September, he said that the "sacred duty" of Russian soldiers is to retake the part of Kursk Oblast that is currently controlled by the Ukrainian military.

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Russia's Putin says he doesn't understand French actions against Telegram's Durov

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he did not understand France's actions against Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who was placed under formal investigation there last week.

Putin said the French moves had a "selective character".

He told an economic forum he met Durov once, years ago, but they had not kept in touch or seen each other since.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month that he was not aware of Durov and Putin ever meeting.

France's investigation into Durov is in connection with the use of the Telegram platform for crimes such as fraud, money laundering and child pornography. Durov's lawyer has called the proceedings against him absurd.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Defending the state's handling of the "Rust" shooting case, New Mexico special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey has asked the judge to take another look at the circumstances that prompted the dismissal of Alec Baldwin's manslaughter charge.

In a court filing Friday, Morrissey asked New Mexico First Judicial Circuit Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer to reconsider her decision to throw out Baldwin's manslaughter case.

Six weeks ago, Marlowe Sommer dramatically ended Baldwin's criminal trial after potential new evidence came to light. A former police officer who lives in Arizona had months earlier delivered nearly two dozen .45-caliber rounds to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department, saying they might have been related to the "Rust" shooting 2 years earlier that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The former officer, Troy Teske, is a friend of Thell Reed, a noted Hollywood armorer and father of "Rust" weapons handler Hannah Gutierrez, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March in the shooting. Teske was scheduled to be a witness in her trial but Gutierrez's defense attorney decided not to call Teske to testify.

After the Gutierrez trial and before leaving Santa Fe, Teske turned over the ammunition he had brought to New Mexico to local sheriff's deputies. The casings of three of the rounds appeared to match the fatal bullet in the "Rust" movie set shooting, deputies later testified.

Read more: Behind the spectacular collapse of the Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting prosecution

During Baldwin's trial, the Santa Fe County sheriff's crime scene technician testified that she took the rounds from Teske and placed them into evidence storage. However, the rounds were not included as part of the "Rust" shooting evidence, later testimony showed.

Instead the ammunition was filed under a different case number  a fact that Baldwin's attorneys pounced on as evidence that the state was allegedly hiding material that might have been helpful to Baldwin's defense.

The judge agreed and dismissed the criminal charge.

Alec Baldwin, right, hugs his defense attorney Alex Spiro after District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer threw out the involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor. (Luis Sanchez Saturno / Associated Press)

In her 52-page motion, Morrissey argued that defense attorneys knew more about the Teske rounds than she did. She wrote the situation surrounding the rounds did not rise to a level that warranted Marlowe Sommer's dismissal of the case with prejudice, meaning it could not be refiled.

Morrissey asserted that the tardy disclosure of the Teske rounds did not hamper Baldwin's defense because his attorneys apparently knew about the ammunition before the trial. Morrissey also argued the rounds were unrelated to the charges that Baldwin faced.

"It never occurred to the State that the Teske rounds were relevant to the case against Mr. Baldwin and they are not," Morrissey wrote.

A Baldwin representative was not immediately available for comment.

Read more: Judge dismisses Alec Baldwin involuntary manslaughter case for 'Rust' shooting

Morrissey wrote that the state, which had just two attorneys on the Baldwin case, lacked the resources of the actor's team, which included at least nine lawyers. She asked the judge to ask Baldwin's lawyers to disclose when they learned of the Teske rounds  presumably to show that it was well before Baldwin's trial that began with jury selection on July 9.

Morrissey also wrote in her motion that the crime scene technician, Marissa Poppell, was not trying to mislead the judge when she testified that the Teske rounds were dissimilar to the ones uncovered on the "Rust" movie set in October 2021.

"She provided mistaken and inaccurate testimony because people occasionally make mistakes," Morrissey wrote.

In July, the judge grew visibly angry when she saw that three of the rounds did appear to match the live ammunition found on the "Rust" set.

Read more: Full coverage: The fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set

Morrissey said the judge should have considered less severe remedies, such as declaring a mistrial to give Baldwin's team the opportunity to inspect the rounds and have them tested by the FBI.

The judge has scheduled a hearing later this month to consider a separate motion filed by Gutierrez's attorney to throw out her conviction or grant a new trial.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Glenda Riveras teenage son was shot while walking just across the street from his high school in Hermosa.

Riveras son survived. But eight years later, when her daughter enrolled in the same school, Rivera felt that she needed to do something to protect the children in her neighborhood from violence on their way to get an education.

So she joined her local Safe Passage team, donning a neon vest and standing guard every morning and afternoon as local students walked to and from class. She has now worked for Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage program for seven years and counting, she said.

I felt that the only voice I had was to join Safe Passage and ensure that (students) are safe, Rivera said in an interview with the Tribune. Its a relief to see parents wave at me and say, Thank you, because you feel at ease.

Standing outside for hours on troubled city blocks during rain, snow or sunshine, Safe Passage workers provide a friendly face for Chicago Public Schools students during their walks back and forth from school. The workers also act as informal security for the students as they escort them through gang boundaries and other potentially violent areas, monitoring and reporting threats while attempting to deter criminal activity.

After her morning shift on Wednesday, Rivera traveled to attend a rally honoring the role that Safe Passage workers play in their communities.

Wearing their neon yellow uniform vests, about 1,000 Safe Passage workers filed into the Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum at the University of Illinois Chicago at noon. There, they were praised by local elected officials and were given free sandwiches for lunch as Earth, Wind & Fires September played from the auditorium speakers.

Every day, I see Safe Passages workers in and about the West Side of Chicago, pouring their hearts out, said Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th. Rain, sleet, cold, whatever, theyre out there. You all are out there taking care of our young people, taking care of our kids. So we thank you.

The city launched Safe Passage in 2009 after Christian Fenger Academy High School sophomore Derrion Albert was beaten to death on his way home from school.

At its inception, Safe Passage served just 35 schools. The programs reach has vastly expanded since, particularly after a mass school closure in 2013 resulted in more CPS students having to walk between neighborhoods and across gang lines to get to their daily classes.

The Chicago Board of Educations vote to close 49 public elementary schools that year, marked the largest single school closure in the citys history. As children were shuffled to new schools in unfamiliar neighborhoods, security concerns and parent backlash prompted the city to significantly scale up the Safe Passage program  to the tune of a funding increase of nearly $8 million and the hiring of roughly 600 additional workers.

As a new school year begins, nearly 1,200 Safe Passage workers will guide students on their routes to 191 schools, according to CPS officials. The number of schools the program serves has increased by three since the previous school year.

One of the things we hear over and over again from our families is how much of a difference this makes in our childrens lives, said Jadine Chou, chief of safety and security for CPS. Children feel a sense of safety just by seeing their Safe Passage workers.  Essentially, it transforms whats going on on the streets.

All of the workers are trained in security protocols and deescalation strategies, she added.

Streets where Safe Passage operates experience a reduced incidence of violence even at times when the workers are not physically present on the block, according to studies by external researchers unassociated with CPS, Chou said.

A 2019 study in the Journal of Urban Economics found that schools that had the program for more than two years showed a significant crime reduction, with an approximate 20% decline in violent crime along the Safe Passage routes during the hours when the workers are on the streets.

CPS spokesperson Sylvia Barragan said the expansion of the program to three additional schools this year is due to individual Local School Councils deciding to introduce Safe Passage at their locations. Since the programs inception, more schools have opted into Safe Passage every year, Barragan said.

Its beyond safety and security. Its also that community aspect of just building relationships, Barragan said.

CPS has allocated $15 million of its budget for the 2024-25 school year toward Safe Passage, according to Barragan.

Though CPS funds the Safe Passage program, workers are employed and managed by different community organizations from the neighborhoods where the program operates. Among the over 15 organizations represented at Wednesdays rally were Teamwork Englewood, Westside Health Authority, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Little Village-based nonprofit Enlace Chicago and youth mentorship program Saving Our Sons.

A key factor for Safe Passages success is that it employs workers who live nearby in the community and are invested in supporting the children who live where they live, said Chou.

Tamar Manasseh, founder and president of Mothers and Men Against Senseless Killings, said Wednesday that the Safe Passage program should continue to be expanded and strengthened, with more assistance from law enforcement in cases of criminal activity. In certain neighborhoods, she said, children could benefit from Safe Passage escorts to parks or other public places even when school is not in session.

The Black community in Chicago has long seen the benefit of having adults be physically present to watch out for the children in their neighborhood, Manasseh added. The presence of Safe Passage workers on the street or parents watching from porches or street corners can be one hell of a deterrent for crime and violence, she said.

Thats what I grew up with. You couldnt go outside and play if there wasnt an adult watching, Manasseh said. What I learned is theyre not just watching you to make sure you dont step into the street, or you dont hit other kids.  They are actually protecting you. They want other adults or people who may come to argue, they want them to see someones present, someones watching over this kid.

Englewood resident Tollie Rowry has worked as a Safe Passage escort in his neighborhood for 13 years. Before the program was instituted, he said, no local students ever felt safe on their way to school, with shootings and child abductions occurring nearby.

They didnt feel safe, I know they didnt, Rowry said. Thats why they want (Safe Passage), thats why the mayor wants this program. This program works.

Denise Evans helps escort students every day to the Ralph H. Metcalfe Community Academy in West Pullman, which is close to her own home. Her favorite part of working with Safe Passage is greeting children with a smile in the morning, she said.

Just speaking to them in the morning, giving them a Good morning, Have a great day, whatever, that just brightens their face when they go into the school, Evans said. Giving them a positive outlook that life can be better, its gonna get better for you.

Though most Safe Passage workers the Tribune spoke to said theyd never encountered a serious incident while on the job, Cecilia Brown recalled hearing constant gunshots while walking students to and from school in Englewood. In Grand Crossing, Kimberly Smith said she has had to protect elementary school girls from predatory advances from men who follow and catcall them.

The hardest part of the job, Brown said, is standing outside in the rain, standing outside in the snow. Yet none of that deters her, as the main thing is to make sure the children are safe, Brown said.

In his speech to the many hundreds of Safe Passage workers gathered on Wednesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson recalled the influence of the program during his own time as a CPS teacher at the former Edward Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts in Cabrini-Green.

The young people in his classes faced enormous pressure when crossing the street on their walks to school, as they were passing through the dividing boundaries of gang territories, Johnson said. Safe Passage workers were there every single day to help his students get their education without harm, he said.

I feel better every day when I send my children out and when families send their children out, because I know theres a room full of people who love this city, Johnson told the crowd. We call them Safe Passage workers.
CHICAGO -- Glenda Riveras teenage son was shot while walking just across the street from his high school in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood.

Riveras son survived. But eight years later, when her daughter enrolled in the same school, Rivera felt that she needed to do something to protect the children in her neighborhood from violence on their way to get an education.

So she joined her local Safe Passage team, donning a neon vest and standing guard every morning and afternoon as local students walked to and from class. She has now worked for Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage program for seven years and counting, she said.

I felt that the only voice I had was to join Safe Passage and ensure that (students) are safe, Rivera said in an interview with the Tribune. Its a relief to see parents wave at me and say, Thank you, because you feel at ease.

Standing outside for hours on troubled city blocks during rain, snow or sunshine, Safe Passage workers provide a friendly face for Chicago Public Schools students during their walks back and forth from school. The workers also act as informal security for the students as they escort them through gang boundaries and other potentially violent areas, monitoring and reporting threats while attempting to deter criminal activity.

After her morning shift on Wednesday, Rivera traveled to attend a rally honoring the role that Safe Passage workers play in their communities.

Wearing their neon yellow uniform vests, about 1,000 Safe Passage workers filed into the Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum at the University of Illinois Chicago at noon. There, they were praised by local elected officials and were given free sandwiches for lunch as Earth, Wind & Fires September played from the auditorium speakers.

Every day, I see Safe Passages workers in and about the West Side of Chicago, pouring their hearts out, said Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th. Rain, sleet, cold, whatever, theyre out there. You all are out there taking care of our young people, taking care of our kids. So we thank you.

The city launched Safe Passage in 2009 after Christian Fenger Academy High School sophomore Derrion Albert was beaten to death on his way home from school.

At its inception, Safe Passage served just 35 schools. The programs reach has vastly expanded since, particularly after a mass school closure in 2013 resulted in more CPS students having to walk between neighborhoods and across gang lines to get to their daily classes.

The Chicago Board of Educations vote to close 49 public elementary schools that year, marked the largest single school closure in the citys history. As children were shuffled to new schools in unfamiliar neighborhoods, security concerns and parent backlash prompted the city to significantly scale up the Safe Passage program  to the tune of a funding increase of nearly $8 million and the hiring of roughly 600 additional workers.

As a new school year begins, nearly 1,200 Safe Passage workers will guide students on their routes to 191 schools, according to CPS officials. The number of schools the program serves has increased by three since the previous school year.

One of the things we hear over and over again from our families is how much of a difference this makes in our childrens lives, said Jadine Chou, chief of safety and security for CPS. Children feel a sense of safety just by seeing their Safe Passage workers.  Essentially, it transforms whats going on on the streets.

All of the workers are trained in security protocols and deescalation strategies, she added.

Streets where Safe Passage operates experience a reduced incidence of violence even at times when the workers are not physically present on the block, according to studies by external researchers unassociated with CPS, Chou said.

A 2019 study in the Journal of Urban Economics found that schools that had the program for more than two years showed a significant crime reduction, with an approximate 20% decline in violent crime along the Safe Passage routes during the hours when the workers are on the streets.

CPS spokesperson Sylvia Barragan said the expansion of the program to three additional schools this year is due to individual Local School Councils deciding to introduce Safe Passage at their locations. Since the programs inception, more schools have opted into Safe Passage every year, Barragan said.

Its beyond safety and security. Its also that community aspect of just building relationships, Barragan said.

CPS has allocated $15 million of its budget for the 2024-25 school year toward Safe Passage, according to Barragan.

Though CPS funds the Safe Passage program, workers are employed and managed by different community organizations from the neighborhoods where the program operates. Among the over 15 organizations represented at Wednesdays rally were Teamwork Englewood, Westside Health Authority, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Little Village-based nonprofit Enlace Chicago and youth mentorship program Saving Our Sons.

A key factor for Safe Passages success is that it employs workers who live nearby in the community and are invested in supporting the children who live where they live, said Chou.

Tamar Manasseh, founder and president of Mothers and Men Against Senseless Killings, said Wednesday that the Safe Passage program should continue to be expanded and strengthened, with more assistance from law enforcement in cases of criminal activity. In certain neighborhoods, she said, children could benefit from Safe Passage escorts to parks or other public places even when school is not in session.

The Black community in Chicago has long seen the benefit of having adults be physically present to watch out for the children in their neighborhood, Manasseh added. The presence of Safe Passage workers on the street or parents watching from porches or street corners can be one hell of a deterrent for crime and violence, she said.

Thats what I grew up with. You couldnt go outside and play if there wasnt an adult watching, Manasseh said. What I learned is theyre not just watching you to make sure you dont step into the street, or you dont hit other kids.  They are actually protecting you. They want other adults or people who may come to argue, they want them to see someones present, someones watching over this kid.

Englewood resident Tollie Rowry has worked as a Safe Passage escort in his neighborhood for 13 years. Before the program was instituted, he said, no local students ever felt safe on their way to school, with shootings and child abductions occurring nearby.

They didnt feel safe, I know they didnt, Rowry said. Thats why they want (Safe Passage), thats why the mayor wants this program. This program works.

Denise Evans helps escort students every day to the Ralph H. Metcalfe Community Academy in West Pullman, which is close to her own home. Her favorite part of working with Safe Passage is greeting children with a smile in the morning, she said.

Just speaking to them in the morning, giving them a Good morning, Have a great day, whatever, that just brightens their face when they go into the school, Evans said. Giving them a positive outlook that life can be better, its gonna get better for you.

Though most Safe Passage workers the Tribune spoke to said theyd never encountered a serious incident while on the job, Cecilia Brown recalled hearing constant gunshots while walking students to and from school in Englewood. In Grand Crossing, Kimberly Smith said she has had to protect elementary school girls from predatory advances from men who follow and catcall them.

The hardest part of the job, Brown said, is standing outside in the rain, standing outside in the snow. Yet none of that deters her, as the main thing is to make sure the children are safe, Brown said.

In his speech to the many hundreds of Safe Passage workers gathered on Wednesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson recalled the influence of the program during his own time as a CPS teacher at the former Edward Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts in Cabrini-Green.

The young people in his classes faced enormous pressure when crossing the street on their walks to school, as they were passing through the dividing boundaries of gang territories, Johnson said. Safe Passage workers were there every single day to help his students get their education without harm, he said.

I feel better every day when I send my children out and when families send their children out, because I know theres a room full of people who love this city, Johnson told the crowd. We call them Safe Passage workers.
Saint Stanislaus Church holds Blue Mass as way to honor first responders, armed forces

Saint Stanislaus Church hosted a Blue Mass Wednesday evening, a service in the catholic church to honor the many branches of first responders and armed forces.

The event began with the unfurling of a massive U.S. flag held up by two fire trucks, which one of the masss coordinators said is a symbol of the sacrifices made by the responders and veterans.

These people put their lives on the line every day, and you may never need a first responder, but when you do, theyre gonna be there, said Don Benczkowski, a blue mass coordinator, said Benczkowski, a Blue Mass coordinator.

In the bishops absence, Wednesdays mass was presided over by Father Scott Jabo, a chaplain for the retired Pennsylvania State Police.

Erie police chief attempts to reassure local parents following recent school shooting

During the mass, a bell was rung to honor the deceased of each branch of responders and armed forces.

Wednesdays Blue Mass was an opportunity to honor all of those who serve our community, from veterans to firefighters.

A lot of times, the police officers, firefighters and emergency medical service personnel are taken for granted, which is fine, but its good to stop once in a while just to recognize the sacrifices that they do, said Lt. Gary Carver with the West Ridge Fire Department.

Lt. Carver said its also important to recognize the hours of training these men and women put in and their readiness to respond at any time.

Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny said the Blue Mass is an opportunity for the community to show their support to those who serve and protect.

It gives the officers, the firefighters, everybody a chance to know that the public does support them. We dont always have that knowledge that were being supported, so this is one of those events. Its good, said Chief Spizarny.

The Blue Mass was followed by a reception inviting the attendees to food and conversation.

One of the Blue Masss coordinators said the bishop plans to make the Blue Mass an annual event.

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BAXTER COUNTY, Ark.  A parolee was arrested this morning after a deputy conducted a traffic stop for multiple alleged drug charges.

Last weeks Springfield restaurant health code violations, August 26-31

According to a press release from the Baxter County Sheriffs Office, 53-year-old Steven McCool, was arrested at 3:07 a.m. in the Norfolk area of Baxter CR 63.

The report said a deputy saw a Jeep without a visible license plate so they conducted a traffic stop. McCool was on parole from the Arkansas Division of Corrections and had a warrantless search waiver on file. The deputy noticed McCool throw something out of his window.

Upon a search of the vehicle and the discovery of the item thrown, the deputy found 16 grams of methamphetamine, suboxone, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

McCool was arrested and transported to the Baxter County Detention Center for the charges of:

Possession of methamphetamine with purpose of delivery  Felony

Possession of schedule II controlled substance with purpose of delivery  Felony

Possession of drug paraphernalia (2 counts)  Felonies

Tampering with physical evidence  Felony

Possession of schedule VI controlled substance with purpose of delivery (Marijuana)  Misdemeanor

Improper display of license plate  Misdemeanor

Habitual offender  Penalty enhancement

Parole violation  Felony

McCool has been held on a $25,000 bond for the new charges and without bond on the parole violation.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 9.

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ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Salisbury teacher accused of touching a 14-year-old student in a sexual manner has been arrested, the Rowan County Sheriffs Office said.

Deputies began investigating in May after receiving a report from school administration at Faith Academy Charter School suggesting a student had been sexually assaulted by a substitute teacher identified as Michael Carl Chapman, 68, of Salisbury.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

Chapman, who is listed as a substitute teacher, was arrested on Friday, Aug. 30, for felony indecent liberties with a student.

He is being held on a $75,000 secured bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
[Source]

Sandy Tong has been appointed as San Francisco's new interim Fire Department chief, becoming the first Asian American and first paramedic to lead the agency.

Mayor London Breed announced Tong's appointment on Tuesday following former chief Jeanine Nicholson's resignation in July. Tong, with over 35 years of EMS experience, previously served as assistant deputy chief of emergency medical services. Breed praised Tong's deep knowledge of the department, highlighting her leadership during the interim period as the search for a permanent chief begins. Tong expressed her commitment, saying, I will carry on the legacy of the San Francisco Fire Department and we will continue to meet day-to-day challenges and keep the city safe. The decision to appoint a Chinese American comes as Breed seeks to strengthen support among Asian American voters amid her reelection campaign.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Firefighters in San Francisco contained a one-alarm structure fire in the citys West Portal district Thursday afternoon. The blaze was reported on the 100 block of West Portal Avenue, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.

Actor Michael Keaton to change name

As of around 1:16 p.m., SFFD said crews were making progress on the fire, which was burning in a two-story structure. Fire officials said there were no reports of any injuries. The fire affected two structures and five businesses at 157 through 163 West Portal.

Photo: SFFD

Photo: SFFD

The fire was ultimately contained with no injuries and no displacements, according to SFFD. Business owners are being provided with city services information for recovery, officials said. Occupants were assisted out of the building.

A total of 40 firefighters and 15 fire apparatus were dispatched to contain the fire, which was under control by 2:04 p.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Residents in San Franciscos Potrero Hill Terrace-Annex apartment complex are being evicted as the city moves forward with plans to demolish and redevelop the site.

The San Francisco Housing Authority is working to evict all residents from the large complex, which has long been scheduled for demolition. Community advocates say its unconscionable that mass evictions are forcing out families.

On Wednesday morning, several sheriffs deputies knocked on the front door of an apartment, ordered its resident to leave, and boarded up the home. Deputies are used by the city to enforce evictions.

All apartments will be torn down as part of the citys Hope SF project.

Hope SFs website states that the complex is two of the oldest public housing developments in San Francisco. Located at the southeastern edge of the Potrero Hill neighborhood, they were hastily constructed in 1941 and 1955.

Hope SF says it will rebuild both sections of the 38-acre site into a unified mixed-income housing development.

The city will demolish the Potrero Hill Terrace-Annex apartment complex. (KRON4 Photo)

Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco is calling on the city to stop the evictions.

HRC director Sara Shortt said, The San Francisco Housing Authority has allowed for a situation where a large number of vulnerable families will likely become homeless, as a result of their negligence. The city should be doing all they can to hold the agency and the management company accountable and make things right for these households, rather than abruptly and mercilessly kick the tenants out of their homes.

San Francisco saw a surge in homeless families this year, according to city data. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing reported that homeless family waiting lists doubled this fall compared to last fall.

HRC says there are 40 pending lawsuits related to Potrero Hill evictions.

It is also unconscionable that they are rushing to evict, rather than working with the city and community partners to ensure that there is relocation housing available so that these families dont add to the already too large numbers who live on the streets, Shortt said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON)  Several weeks after San Francisco became the first US city to ban AI-powered rent-fixing technology, which later led to a federal investigation, its neighbors in the South Bay are now attempting to follow suit.

On Wednesday, San Jose City Council member Peter Ortiz proposed a groundbreaking memo to the Rules Committee, calling for a ban on apps that facilitate price fixing in the housing market through artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence should be a tool for innovation and progress, not for creating monopolistic practices that drive up housing costs, Ortiz said. Our goal is to protect renters in San Jose from unfair pricing strategies and ensure a competitive and transparent rental market.

Phony Silicon Valley inventor flees sentencing in San Jose, remains at-large

For rent signs dispersed across San Jose. Photo Courtesy: KRON4s Rudy Gracia







According to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first to ban the software, AI technology enables price collusion among large corporate landlords for the purpose of rent-gouging. By having access to a large landlord data set, the technology maximizes the possible rent hike based on local conditions.

Weve noticed dramatic increases in rent for new tenants and new tactics to harass and displace long-term tenants, who are particularly vulnerable because their homes are viewed by real estate investors as underpriced, Lenea Maibaum, a tenant organizer for the Housing Rights Committee and Veritas Tenants Association member, said.

This move comes in response to growing concerns over the misuse of AI technology by companies such as RealPage. According to lawsuits from tenant groups in San Jose, companies like RealPage  often referred to as software 1  allegedly manage 66% of multifamily units in the area.

According to the SF Board of Supervisors, RealPage executives told investors that its software has driven double-digit increases in rent, higher turnover rates, and increased vacancy rates.

In a statement regarding the San Francisco ban, RealPage told KRON4 that they do not set a landlords rent but rather advise them on potential rent changes.

The ordinances misplaced focus on nonpublic information is a distraction that will only make San Franciscos historical problems worse by banning an important component of pricing technology that RealPage uses responsibly and that benefits residents, property managers, and the rental housing ecosystem as a whole We encourage the Board of Supervisors to identify real solutions to increase the supply of rental housing and access to affordable housing. Jennifer Bowcock, Senior Vice President, Communications & Creative at RealPage

Southwest Airlines sued by City of Oakland over workers rights

On Aug. 23rd, the U.S. Department of Justice announced its lawsuit against RealPage for rental price-fixing, together with the Attorneys General of California and seven other states.

Some corporate landlords collude with each other to set artificially high rental prices, often using algorithms and price-fixing software to do it, said Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event on Aug. 16 last month. Its anticompetitive, and it drives up costs. I will fight for a law that cracks down on these practices.

The proposed San Jose ordinance will be reviewed by the Rules Committee later Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 200 E Santa Clara St.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
(KRON)  Firefighters in San Jose responded to an involved structure fire Thursday morning east of the San Jose Mineta International Airport, according to officials.

The fire broke out at a building on the 100 block of E Gish Road at around 4:14 a.m., the San Jose Fire Department said. The building houses a business in the front and living units in the back.

Fire impacts eight businesses at San Jose strip mall Thursday

Six people and seven dogs were displaced in the fire, which was knocked down at 5:12 a.m., SJFD said. The Red Cross is assisting those residents.

No injuries were reported in the fire.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
(NewsNation)  Plainville, Connecticut, Police Chief Christopher Vanghele said more should have been done in response to a previous threat officers questioned the suspected Apalachee High School gunman about last year.

Vanghele was part of the Newton, Connecticut, police team that responded to the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

People dont want to hear  there could have been a chance to stop this, Vanghele said.

Texas police department using autonomous drones to respond to emergency calls

The 14-year-old suspect is charged as an adult in the shooting Wednesday that killed students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. Nine others were wounded in the gunfire that took place in the hallway outside the suspects algebra class, The Associated Press reported.

The FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The FBI narrowed the threats down and referred the case to the sheriffs department in Jackson County. The sheriffs office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but that the teen did not have unsupervised access to them.

The teenager also denied making any online threats.

The sheriffs office alerted local schools to monitor the teen, but officers didnt have enough to arrest him or take additional action, the FBI said.

One of the things Im looking at now is: What did this person say in his past threats? Vanghele said. What could have been done to stop it?

He also questioned the high schools security measures.

Prosecutor argues Colorado supermarket mass shooter who killed 10 was sane and acted with intent

The suspect reportedly left class Wednesday and had been locked out of the room when he returned. Some students went to open the door but instead backed away, the AP reported.

The teen then turned the gun on people in a hallway, authorities said.

He wasnt allowed back in because the doors lock automatically, which is great security protocol, but nonetheless, he was allowed to leave to get a weapon, Vanghele said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Sally Goin, FaithWorks of the Inner City executive director, and Santa Fe South Shidler Elementary Principal Armando Ayala pose for a photo in one of the classrooms at Santa Fe South Shidler Elementary School, 747 SE 15.

A ministry leader went into action when the closing of their neighborhood school left families crushed and charting unfamiliar territory in the predominantly Hispanic Shidler area of south Oklahoma City.

"It was just coming out of COVID, and our kids were so fragile and our parents, too, so this was just the most devastating thing that had ever, ever happened," Sally Goin said of the Oklahoma City school district's closing of Shidler Elementary in June 2023.

More: Sheltered from the storms: Ministry installs tornado shelters in Oklahoma CIty neighborhood

That devastation turned to joy with the recent opening of the Santa Fe South Shidler Elementary School campus. FaithWorks of the Inner City, headed by Goin, donated the land at 747 SE 15 for the school, while Santa Fe South charter schools, led by Superintendent Chris Brewster, built the four buildings that make up one of the newest schools in the Santa Fe South network.

Goin's ministry has offered a free afterschool program for Shidler neighborhood students since 2003, and a variety of other programs for local families have been added over the years. At the dedication of Santa Fe South Shidler on Tuesday, the retired educator said it took much effort to get the school buildings completed, but FaithWorks, its close knit coalition of Shidler families, along with Santa Fe South leaders, refused to be deterred.

"Here's what I've learned and what I love about this community: We never ever give up," Goin said.

Pre-K teacher Maria Ugarte, left, meets with a student and his family during an open house at Santa Fe South Shidler Elementary, 747 SE 15.

'We are resilient'

As founder of FaithWorks, Goin and the Shidler neighborhood started their journey to open a new neighborhood school almost immediately after the Oklahoma City school district officially closed Shidler Elementary in June 2023, citing structural concerns with the building.

Goin said she and the school's principal at the time, Armando Ayala, wondered how to proceed once Shidler parents said they liked the idea of a new school. She quickly turned to Brewster and Santa Fe South for a solution.

More: Retired Edmond school teacher is proving 'FaithWorks' after 20 years in Shidler-Wheeler

Brewster said he knew about the Shidler neighborhood school's fate, and he didn't hesitate to help Goin outline a plan.

"We have had an affinity for this neighborhood for a long time and seen it through the FaithWorks integration where they've been faithfully serving here but didn't ever know if we would have a school presence here, because they had a school," he said.

Goin agreed to lease FaithWorks land to Santa Fe South to build a new school campus. She said the FaithWorks thrift store was located on the property, but it was relocated to another part of the city. FaithWorks also raised $180,000 to purchase additional land adjacent to the new school site.

Local students started their classes at a Santa Fe South school location outside the neighborhood as their new school site was taking shape. Goin said they even spent some time at FaithWorks Community Center while the last portions of the new school site were completed. The community center was transformed into a school for a time and Goin even had to give up her office for a while, but she said she loved getting an opportunity to see the students learning up close.

She said a constant in the transition was former Shidler Elementary principal Armando Ayala. Goin said students and parents were overjoyed when Ayalo was introduced as the new charter school's principal because he had been a positive fixture in their lives.

STEM teacher Margareth Martinez, left, welcomes a student and his parent to her classroom, which includes yellow tubs filled with LEGO robotic kits that students will use throughout the school year at Santa Fe South Shidler Elementary, 747 SE 15.

Ayalo told people attending the dedication that he, like Goin, had hope for the future with the opening of the new school campus. He said the new school would be part of a "tapestry of hope."

Ayala thanked the Shidler parents and community members, along with the school's faculty, some of whom taught at the former Shidler Elementary. He also thanked Goin for her efforts to see the dream of a new neighborhood school become a reality.

More: 'Definitely peaceful': Ministry brings affordable homes to south OKC with 12th Street Casas project

"This beautiful lady has a heart the closest thing to a celestial heart in a human being," he said. "I believe in her integrity, her character and love for our kids."

These days, Goin said she feels joy as she watches students as they walk through the new school buildings.

"Last week, I drove back and forth two or three times, I'd see teachers leading kids from the classrooms and I've never felt such joy, such pure joy and hope  great hope," she said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: FaithWorks partners with charter school to open new OKC elementary
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been slammed after responding to the school shooting in her home state of Georgia with a simple call for prayers without mentioning the issue of gun violence and her longstanding opposition to gun control.

On Wednesday, two teachers and two students were killed at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Nine were sent to hospital while dozens more were wounded.

The suspect, a 14-year-old boy, has been charged with four counts of murder in the shooting. The FBI had already noticed him over a year ago when he reportedly made online threats with images of firearms.

Let us join together in prayer for the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School and their families just as these students of AHS circled together in prayer today, Greene wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon.

Her bio on the platform states that shes 100 percent Pro-Gun.

Let us join together in prayer for the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School and their families just as these students of AHS circled together in prayer today.  pic.twitter.com/AsxLl25ZV0  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) September 4, 2024

In March, Greene shared her rage at the new initiative at the Department of Justice aimed at keeping guns away from high-risk people.

Merrick Garland just announced a massive Red Flag Operation that the DOJ will be running by using EVERY spy tool the US government has in order to violate Americans Second Amendment!! she wrote at the time.

Sharing a video of herself confronting gun control activists in September 2022, Greene wrote on X: These foolish cowards want the government to take away guns & the rights of parents to defend their children in schools.

You have to be an idiot to think gun control will create a utopian society where criminals disarm themselves and obey the law, she added. Gun-free zones kill people.

In 2019, Greene filmed herself following Parkland school shooting survivor and anti-gun violence activist David Hogg, calling him a coward. She once wrote on Facebook that the Parkland shooting was a false flag operation, something she tried to deny during an interview with 60 Minutes.

I never said Parkland was a false flag, Greene said in the spring of last year. Ive never said that. School shootings are horrible. I dont think its anything to joke about.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) gestures while speaking during a hearing in Washington, DC. Now, Greene is facing criticism for her response to the school shooting in her home state (Getty Images)

Hogg was one of many X users who responded to Greenes call for prayers on Wednesday.

How about you actually do something about guns, he said.

You are a gun-loving cultist who has the power to address our children being murdered while attending school and choose not to. Save your fake prayers, Ryan Shead added.

X user Chidi wrote that Greenes prayers never saved any kid from a bullet. Which begs the question, to whom are you praying? Since the only thing you worship is guns.

Author John Pavlovitz asked the congresswoman how she can type with so much blood on your hands?

Another day, another school shooting. Its the f****** guns and the @GOP will do nothing about it. Youre all bought and paid by the @NRA. Disgusting. Shameful. Pathetic. We see you, and well never forget, one x user added.

Mari Copeny told Greene that Prayers without action are useless. Youre an elected official, do something about it Marjorie.

Jared Ryan Sears called for the removal of all politicians refusing to enact proper federal gun reforms. The blood is on their hands.

It is disgusting that the same politicians who make campaign ads waving their rifles around and shooting at dumb props turn around and only offer thoughts and prayers every time students lives are cut horrifically short, he added. It doesnt have to be this way. None of our peer nations have this problem.
Lawrencium Germaine Martin was good at cheating people who sent him millions of dollars to buy his gun kits for brand name weapons from an online store he set up on the internet, according to federal prosecutors and agents.. Hundreds of his customers paid and got nothing.

And the 46-year-old Chester resident deliberately avoided paying some $800,000 in taxes to the IRS on $2 million in gun kit sales he made in 2020.

Wednesday, at the Columbia federal courthouse, Martin pleaded guilty to three felony charges: tax evasion, felon in possession of a firearm and lying to a federal agent. He is now looking at up to 20 years in federal prison. Judge Joe Anderson accepted the plea.

Ironically, the feds didnt bring fraud charges against Martin for apparently not mailing hundreds, maybe thousands, of gun kits to people from around the country who ordered them from his online store.

Once the FBI served a search warrant on his Chester business and residence in July 2021, agents realized from looking at his financial records that he didnt pay any state or federal taxes, according to court records and evidence in the case aired at the Wednesday hearing.

At Martins house, agents also found a 9 millimeter Sig Sauer pistol, a weapon that was illegal for him to possess since he was a convicted felon. Also, in his initial interview with the FBI, he lied by telling agents he never had heard of his gun kit store, Lancaster Tactical Supply.

Gun kits consist of parts of a handgun a buyer can easily assemble after drilling a few holes in the gun parts, federal prosecutor Elliott Daniels told Judge Anderson at the hearing.

Because gun kit sellers are not selling actual guns, they dont have to register with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and become a licensed federal firearms dealer. Many guns made from kits lack serial numbers and are untraceable.

Prices of gun kits on the internet range from several hundred dollars to more than $1,000. Martin advertised he was selling gun kits for Sig Sauer and Ruger handguns on a site called Lancaster Tactical Supply, or ltacticalsupply.com. The site has been deactivated.

The case came to federal attention after the Better Business Bureau in Charlotte received 366 complaints from customers about Martins gun kit selling business. The S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs also received complaints, Daniels said at the hearing. The agencies forwarded the complaints to the FBI.

After Martins customers sent money to the company and received nothing in return, They were out of their money, and they were out the product they paid for, Daniels told the judge.

Martins prior felonies included burglary third degree and breaking and entering, Daniels said at the hearing.

Although Martin pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2020, his attorney told the judge that although everyone agreed it was a substantial amount of unpaid taxes, the figure is likely less than $800,000.

I do believe we need some accounting done, said Martins attorney, Assistant Public Defender Jenny Smith.

Anderson said both sides can review the evidence and present any differing views on the amount of unpaid taxes at a future sentencing hearing.

The sentencing hearing date has not been set, but will likely be in two or three months, Anderson said.

In a bond hearing later Wednesday, Smith told Magistrate Judge Paige Jones Gossett that Martin is a reliable person and will show up at future hearings.

Hes never been convicted of a violent crime. He is married, he has children, Smith said, adding that Martins bank accounts have all been frozen and he lacks access to cash.

Gossett then set a $25,000 unsecured bond on Martin. That means he didnt have to put up any money, but will be liable to being sued by the federal government if he does not appear for future court dates.

An unusual twist that surfaced during Wednesdays hearings was that Martin was an innocent bystander who was shot and wounded in a Taco Bell drive-through line in Chester during a May 2021 shooting spree by a fugitive wanted for murder. That information could be used at the future sentencing hearing by defense attorney Smith to explain why he might have had a weapon  for protection  at his house.

Besides the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit participated in the investigation.
SCs Santee Cooper looks to raise electric rates. Heres by how much and who will pay more

Santee Cooper customers would have to adjust when during the day they use high-energy appliances in order to save money under a rate increase proposal from the state-owned utility.

Under the rate proposal, residential customers would see an 8.7% hike, but have flexibility to control their own costs. Commercial customers would see a 4.1% increase, lighting customers would have a 5% hike and industrial customers would see a 2.8% increase.

Public comments on the proposed rate increase, which would affect about 220,000 customers, are being accepted through Oct. 8.

Of those customers, 205,000 of them are residential and commercial customers in Horry, Georgetown and Berkeley counties. The rate increases would not apply to wholesale customers such as the electric cooperatives.

The new part of the proposed rate structure is a higher charge for electricity used during peak hours. For winter months of November through March, the peak usage hours would be between 6 and 9 a.m. For the summer months of April through October peak time would be between 3 and 6 p.m.

If enough customers shift demand to off-peak periods, that lowers the peak and reduces how much generation Santee Cooper has to maintain to cover the peak, Santee Cooper CEO Jimmy Staton said in a statement.

Through its peak demand charge, Santee Cooper wants to encourage customers not to use high-energy appliances, such as ovens, dishwashers, dryers, water heaters and heat pumps during peak hours. The utility wants to encourage customers to pre-heat and pre-cool their homes outside of the peak times and use smart thermostats to set times to shift use.

Were giving you these options to be able to have more control over your bill, thats why weve got that three-part rate out there, because it does give the customer more control over how they use their energy and how theyre billed for that use, said Santee Cooper spokesperson Nicole Aiello.

But AARP South Carolina has concerns about the proposed new structure, particularly for those in Horry County, which has a growing population, many of whom are retirees moving in from other states.

Folks who are on medical devices that rely on electricity 24-hours a day, cant turn machines off during peak demand times.

These are probably your folks who are your most vulnerable adults especially when it comes to health conditions, said Patrick Cobb, the senior associate state director for AARP South Carolina. Theyre not going to be able to turn off any oxygen machine, or a second refrigerator that stores insulin if they have one. Theres a big concern there.

John Ruoff, an AARP volunteer who specializes in utility issues, said the new rate structure could be problematic for consumers because most people dont have the ability to see how much energy theyre using in real time.

Theres no feedback on it, Ruoff said. You could find out the next day you just cost yourself a bunch of money, but you cant find out that day that youre on the verge of costing yourself a lot of money if you dont take some steps.

Appliances that can help track and control energy usage are more expensive than the average person can afford at this point, Ruoff added.

The idea of a peak demand charge isnt new to the industry. Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative also uses a peak demand charge in its rate structure. Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress also have options for peak demand billing.

A Santee Cooper customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours a month, currently pays $115.69 a month.

Under the proposed rate changes, a Santee Cooper customer who uses high-demand appliances during peak hours could see their bill increase to $125.98 a month. Customers who avoid using high-demand appliances during peak hours would only see their bills increase to $119.35 a month.

Every household is different so they could make those decisions on how they want to use energy, but we are giving them that tool to be able to shift and pivot if they want to, Aiello said.

Same rates since 2017

Santee Cooper has had the same rates in place since 2017. The agency in 2020 agreed to a freeze rates through 2024 as part of a settlement over the failed V.C. Summer nuclear plant construction project.

During that time, both Duke Energy and Dominion have had rate increases approved by states Public Service Commission.

The state-owned utility still had to deal with rising costs during that period. In order to control costs during that time period, Santee Cooper has refinanced debt in July to save $100 million, held off on $70 million in capital expenses and $30 million in operations and maintenance, and reduced its employee headcount through natural attrition by not replacing employees who left for other jobs or retired.

Were keeping a close eye on our budgets and finding ways to save the customer as much money as we can through budget reductions and refinancing, Aiello said.

Any base rate changes, if approved by the Santee Cooper board later this year, would go into effect in April. The Public Service Commission does not have to approve Santee Coopers rates as the commission does for investor owned utilities.

AARP South Carolina did not object to the overall rate increase, just the peak demand portion of the proposal.

Its been a while since they raised rates and you have to expect rates to go up at some level and the level of the rates going up are not outrageous, Ruoff said.

Public hearings

This proposed rate increase also is the first time the agency has tried to hike rates since lawmakers passed a Santee Cooper reform package in 2021. Part of that reform includes holding Public Service Commission-style rate hearings before the utilitys board can vote to increase rates.

Two hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17:

 1 p.m. at the Waccamaw Neck Library at 41 St. Pauls Place on Pawleys Island

 6 p.m. at Santee Cooper Auditorium 305A Gardner Lacy Road in Myrtle Beach.

Comments for the rate increase are due by Oct. 8, when the Santee Cooper board is expected to vote on the proposal.
Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Former Kansas Attorney General and current Republican nominee for the 2nd District seat in Congress Derek Schmidt, right, said during a Kansas Chamber forum on Wednesday there was a window of opportunity for elected officials in Washington to crack down on the growing federal bureaucracy. He faces Democrat Nancy Boyda in the November general election to decide who replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Second congressional district candidate Derek Schmidt said this could be a moment in American history when Congress could effectively push back against explosive growth in federal regulation.

Schmidt, a former Kansas attorney general who won the Republican nomination for the open seat, said serious people didnt argue for elimination of federal agencies or for an end to government regulation. However, he said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions throttling power of the federal bureaucracy presented an opportunity for Congress to take action to contain power of unelected officials in Washington, D.C.

Heres the bottom line: There is a moment to deal with this over-regulation problem that I think is enormous. I hear it everywhere I go in the 2nd District. Took us generations to get it. Its not going to be headline-grabbing. Its going to be down in the weeds, roll up your sleeves, do the dirty work of oversight, Schmidt said.

Schmidt took part in a Kansas Chamber candidate forum Wednesday along with five other major party candidates for Congress. All four GOP nominees and two of four Democratic Party nominees participated in the question-and-answer program. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, didnt attend. Nor did the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District in Wichita. Libertarian Party candidates for Congress didnt take part.

Former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who captured the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, spoke before her rival Schmidt closed out the event. But Boyda also argued the nation could no longer let fester a persistent problem  the relentless partisanship and division damaging the nation.

We have so much broken trust. We are so divided, said Boyda, who cast herself as a political centrist. I can get the right and the left to speak to each other. Thats just what Ive been about for 20 years.

Boyda told members of the Kansas Chamber in the audience that they wouldnt be fulfilling their roles if they didnt put pressure on the Kansas congressional delegation to work in a bipartisan manner on behalf of Kansans. She made her point personal, suggesting U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Salina Republican who serves the 1st District, had to find common ground with Democrats in a quest to improve the lives of Kansans.

Tracey, I expect you to work with me. I expect you to work together, and very visibly. And it will cost you politically and it will cost me, she said.

Paul Buskirk, a Lawrence Democrat seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, in the 1st District said during a Kansas Chamber event Wednesday the plan by former President Donald Trump to deport millions of people in the United States illegally would significantly harm the Kansas economy and rip families apart. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Mann frets about hospitals

Mann, who easily won the 1st Districts GOP nomination, said his attention was focused on underhanded acts by China, the $35 trillion U.S. federal debt and the nations drift away from fundamental values of faith, family and hard work, personal responsibility. He said the federal government had to create a safe national border and place emphasis on innovation and not regulation.

We have a lot of work to do to get this country back on track, said Mann, who serves a district ranking No. 3 nationally in terms of agriculture commerce. Ive been very frustrated, very vocal with this (Biden) administrations lack of focus on trade. Weve got to think about who should our trading partners be in 2040 and 2050, and working to build those relationships today to be less beholden to China and other countries that wish us ill.

Mann said the Big First included 60 of the states 105 counties, and there were more hospitals  58  in his U.S. House district than any other district in Congress.

In the western part of the state, Mann said, our hospitals are struggling. This is a problem today. Its about to become a huge problem.

He didnt endorse expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas, which would add more than 100,000 lower-income people to the joint federal-state health care program and unleash hundreds of millions of dollars annually in federal funding for preventive health care that would have an impact on the bottom line of hospitals. The congressman did argue against the federal government imposing staff mandates on rural hospitals.

First District Democratic nominee Paul Buskirk, who worked for decades in academic counseling of students at University of Kansas, said his conversations with registered Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed deep frustration with the inability of Congress to do its fundamental job.

Theyve lost sight of that call to service, Buskirk said. Politicians tell us what we want to hear. Leaders tell us what we need to know.

Buskirk said the most important business issue of 2024 was the pledge by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump to identify, arrest and deport everyone not legally in the United States. He said one estimate put the number of people living without proper documentation in Kansas at 62,000, but he speculated the total could be twice that figure. He said withdrawing thousands of immigrants from the states labor force would cause an economic calamity, especially in the southwest Kansas livestock and meatpacking industry.

The leader of that (GOP) party believes that they can create more unity out of finding an enemy, he said. That could not be more ludicrous.

Amnesty is not a solution

Physician Prasanth Reddy, the Republican nominee in the 3rd District, said his experience immigrating to the United States from India as a child left him very much pro-immigration. Hes running against Davids, the incumbent.

Immigrants are the driving engine of this country, right? We are a melting pot, he said. The question is: Whats the right policy? The folks who are doing it the right way (legally) are being punished, and were letting people kind of jump in line. We got to do better right now for the needs of this country. Work programs, right? Amnesty is not a solution. Geographic convenience shouldnt be a moral argument for amnesty either.

Estes, the 4th District incumbent, said he filed to run for another two-year term because he was frustrated with the surging federal debt and excessive annual overspending. He said Congress had to make difficult decisions about expenditures on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

At the spending level that were at right now, one out of every four dollars that the federal government spends is borrowed. That equates to about $80,000 a second that is being borrowed. Were borrowing more than the median income of a Kansas household, he said.
Scholz, Zelensky to meet in Germany on September 6

On Friday, September 6, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Germany, as confirmed by a German government spokesman.

The meeting will take place in Frankfurt am Main. As of now, no further details have been provided.

Initially a hesitant partner, Berlin has become Ukraine's second-largest military donor after the U.S.

On Sept. 4, Scholz said that Germany ordered an additional 17 IRIS-T air defense systems for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. By 2026, Ukraine should receive 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany  12 of medium-range versions and 12 short-range.

While in Germany, Zelensky is expected to attend the nearby Ramstein military base, where he will personally address the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), requesting additional weapons, including long-range missiles and air defense systems.

The U.S.-led group, consisting of over 50 countries, including all 32 NATO members, convenes at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. This will mark the group's 24th meeting since its establishment in April 2022.

Read also: Ukraine-skeptic parties win big in German state elections, tilting political landscape in Russias favor

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Mosquito season is getting longer in some parts of the United States, and a scientist is warning that it poses a threat to public health.

What's happening?

The Washington Post examined data from GridMET and discovered that more than two-thirds of the U.S. has experienced an uptick in "mosquito days"  when the temperatures are ideal for the pests to thrive  over the past 40 years.

The Northeast was the most heavily impacted region.

The analysis found that Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, in addition to South Carolina, all saw at least 15 more mosquito-suitable days in just a five-year span from 2019 to 2023 compared to 1980 to 2009.

Why is this concerning?

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies disease ecologist Shannon LaDeau explained to the Post that a longer mosquito season means diseases from the winged pests have more opportunity to spread. In general, it takes around two weeks for a mosquito to become infected with a pathogen and replicate it before transmitting it to humans.

"We are likely to see more mosquito-borne disease just because that season is longer," LaDeau said. "It's just timing and probability."

West Nile is among the diseases that are of concern. The leading mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S. doesn't cause serious issues for most people, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but it can be fatal.

California resident Marie Heilman shared with the Post that she was among the unlucky 1 in 150 people who developed severe complications. She ended up in a coma for 15 days, was unable to walk for four months, and was unable to read without nausea for over a year.

"I don't want anybody else to ever go through what I went through. It's just absolutely horrible," she said. "I don't think most people think about getting bit by mosquitoes. I know I sure didn't."

What can be done about mosquito-borne diseases?

The accelerated warming of global temperatures (caused mainly by pollution from dirty fuels) has made conditions more favorable to mosquitoes, which have even expanded their ranges into new areas. Holding companies accountable for environmentally damaging practices by supporting eco-friendly brands is one way to make a difference.

Meanwhile, researchers have developed life-saving breakthroughs for some mosquito-borne diseases. For example, multiple African nations have begun rolling out malaria vaccination programs, while the World Health Organization approved another dengue vaccine in May.

While there isn't a vaccine for West Nile, taking steps to protect yourself against mosquito bites can help prevent its spread, per the CDC.

Actions include using insect repellent (a crucial protective public health tool that scientists are working to make even more effective and clean), wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts, and eliminating potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes in your yard, such as stagnant water.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Scientists develop first-of-its-kind method that could completely transform how we manage cattle: 'It's completely out of the box'

Changing the cattle microbiome could change the world, which is what this group of researchers is counting on.

The University of California at Davis and Innovative Genomics Institute are working to engineer the ruminants' stomachs so they don't produce the potent planet-warming gas methane, as The Washington Post detailed.

Because two cows emit as much methane as an average car, the animals are responsible for 4% of global pollution every year. Methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in the heating of Earth and accounts for 30% of rising global temperatures, the Post reported.

The $30 million project is funded for seven years. With more than 1 billion cattle on the planet, most of them roaming in open pastures, the undertaking is a huge  and necessary  one.

"I personally think this is the one that can make the biggest impact in the world," IGI executive director Brad Ringeisen said. "Say you could wave a magic wand and eliminate all those emissions."

But the road ahead is unknown, as much of the workings of a cow's stomach are a mystery. Scientists have proved that feeding cattle seaweed, oregano, or garlic can reduce methane emissions by up to 80%.

It's not possible, however, to feed more than 10% of U.S. cattle every day, so these gene editors hope to create a probiotic pill that could be given to the bovines when they are vaccinated early in life.

"We want to trigger a permanent change," UC Davis animal science professor Matthias Hess told the Post.

The rumen, the largest of four chambers in a cow's stomach, digests food by fermentation, with microbes "do[ing] all the work," as the Post put it.

"Bacteria break down sugars into fatty acids, which provide energy for the cow, and two byproducts: hydrogen and carbon dioxide," Shannon Osaka and Emily Wright wrote. "Archaea gobble up H2 and CO2 and combine them into methane, or CH4.

"The cow burps methane out into the atmosphere, warming the planet and helping spur heat waves, flooding, and powerful storms."

So, changing the microbiome would drastically reduce the impact of livestock on global heating and its effects. The miniature ecosystems, though, have evolved over millions of years, and breaking down the parts and processes involved is like doing 100 jigsaw puzzles at the same time, as IGI head of microbiome modeling Spencer Diamond described it, per the Post.

The scientists believe they could alter the system so duodenibacillus instead of archaea consume the hydrogen. Instead of methane, they would turn it into more energy. The key is to give the bacteria a little push so they can outcompete the archaea.

Farmers and ranchers would likely not be on board without other benefits, such as if these altered energy pathways helped the animals produce more meat or milk, Ermias Kebreab, another UC Davis animal science professor, said to the Post.

Testing trials could begin in two years. Ringeisen  who called this "a solvable problem"  also told the newspaper that the learnings could be applied to other animals and maybe even Arctic permafrost to reduce all kinds of methane emissions.

"It's completely out of the box," Kebreab said. "Nobody has done it before."

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Who is Sean Higgins? Latest on driver in Gaudreau crash

Sean Higgins, the suspected drunken driver who struck and killed hockey players and brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, is now facing two counts of death by auto in relation to the accident that occurred Aug. 29 in Oldmans Township.

Here's what we know about Higgins.

Who is Sean Higgins?

Sean Higgins, 43, lives in Woodstown and worked at a local rehab, according to his employer.

Gaudenzia  a drug addiction treatment center in the Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland areas  posted to Facebook on Aug. 31 that Sean M. Higgins was an employee for the facility. Higgins was placed on leave immediately after the incident.

It was not clear whether or not the leave was paid, and comments on the post were limited.

Driver who struck, killed the Gaudreau brothers has prior DUI, speeding charges

According to published reports, Sean Higgins had at least two prior charges in North Carolina that were ultimately dismissed.

Sep 4, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Nationwide headquarters says "CBJ #13" in lights as mourners gather for a candlelight vigil to remember Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau at Nationwide Arena. Gaudreau, along with his brother, Matthew, died in a bicycle crash last week.

The published report indicates Higgins was charged with a DUI in 2005, but escaped conviction because the arresting officer didn't show up.

The report also reflects that Higgins received a speeding ticket in 2001 that was dismissed due to Higgins' relatively clean driving history at the time.

A separate published report noted that Higgins held a position with the New Jersey Army National Guard.

Higgins was not on duty at the time of the accident.

Higgins served as a field artillery officer attached to the New Jersey Army National Guard and was on drill status.

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: More on Sean Higgins, the alleged drunk driver in the Gaudreau crash
Ladan Mohamed Ali and her attorney leave the federal courthouse Thursday after she pleaded guilty to bribing a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial. Photo by Deena Winter/Minnesota Reformer

A Seattle woman pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to bribing a juror in the first Feeding Our Future trial earlier this year.

Ladan Mohamed Ali, 31, admitted she delivered a Hallmark gift bag to a jurors house on June 2 with $120,000 and instructions on how to argue for an acquittal, along with a promise to bring more money if the juror voted to acquit all seven defendants in the first trial of the biggest pandemic relief fraud in the nation.

Ali cried as she acknowledged her role in the scheme, and as a federal prosecutor explained she would not be able to change her mind after pleading guilty.

Asked why she decided to plead guilty, she told U.S. District Judge David Doty, From the very beginning I wanted to take responsibility for my actions.

Ali agreed to deliver the bribe in exchange for $150,000 for herself, but worried her alleged co-conspirators wouldnt deliver on their promise, so she hatched a plan to keep the bribe money, she admitted. Everything didnt go to plan, however, and she instead ended up keeping $80,000 of $200,000 she was supposed to deliver.

Ali faces five or six years in prison, compared to the maximum of 15 years in prison, but will get a reduction in her sentence for quickly accepting responsibility. She will be sentenced by Doty after a pre-sentence investigation. She remains free until then.

Prosecutors say five defendants researched juror No. 52 online, found her address and surveilled her, following her home from the federal courthouse during the trial and communicating via Signal, an encrypted messaging app.

Ali is one of five people charged with conspiracy to bribe the juror  three of whom were on trial for stealing $49 million from a federal program intended to feed hungry children in whats become known as the Feeding Our Future scandal, named after the nonprofit at the center of the scheme. A fourth is the brother of two defendants. Two of the three were ultimately acquitted  despite the fact that the juror immediately reported the bribe to police and was dismissed from the juror  and now are being held in jail.

One other defendant, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, 23, of Shakopee, pleaded guilty in July to his role in the bribe. Prosecutors have said Ali and Nur previously were in a relationship.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said after the hearing he expects more guilty pleas to come, now that two of the main players have pleaded guilty.

Ali said she flew to Minneapolis to carry out the scheme on May 30. Nur admitted in July he asked Ali to surveil and follow the juror home from the trial the next day, and gave Ali a photo of the jurors car and a map to get to her parking ramp. Prosecutors have said she drove the rental car near the jurors home 19 times the weekend before the bribe money was dropped off.

Thompson said Ali lied and told Nur on June 1 that she approached the juror in a bar, and the juror said she could be bribed for $500,000. Nur relayed that to another defendant, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, who said he would come up with the rest of the money.

Thompson said Ali never actually talked to the juror in a bar, and instead planned to keep all of the bribe money.

But her plan was foiled when Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, the younger brother of defendants Abdiaziz Shafii Farah and Said Shafii Farah, insisted in driving with Ali to the jurors house to deliver the bribe.

When Thompson said in court that Farah drove with Ali to make sure she didnt steal the money, Ali replied, I didnt know that was why (at the time).

So she secreted away $80,000 of the $200,000, she admitted in court while standing beside Thompson and her attorney Eric Newmark.

Ali was seen in street surveillance videos following the juror  the youngest juror and only juror of color (Asian-American)  home from the courthouse on May 31, the day closing arguments began, one day after she flew from Seattle to Minneapolis and rented a hotel room and Volkswagen Taos.

Ali is connected to the defendants through Afro Produce LLC, a food vendor that received over $1.6 million from entities charged in the federal case, the indictment says.
Palestinian children are vaccinated against polio, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip

Palestinian children are vaccinated against polio, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mohammad Salem

CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) -Crowds of Palestinians gathered at medical centers in the south of the embattled Gaza Strip on Thursday for their children to be vaccinated against polio in the second stage of a campaign that has so far seen 187,000 youngsters inoculated.

The U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said the campaign, taking place after Hamas and Israel agreed on limited pauses in their fighting, was so far successful but complex.

But the war continued elsewhere in the enclave, with Gaza health authorities reporting several people killed in Israeli airstrikes, including a hit on a hospital in central Gaza.

And despite the success of the polio campaign, diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire in the war, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and the return of Palestinians jailed by Israel have faltered.

On Thursday, vaccinations began in Rafah and Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, both areas that have been battered by the war and that have hosted tens of thousands of people who have fled other parts.

One displaced Palestinian, Ikram Nasser, queuing with her son at a vaccination point, said the threat of polio had only increased people's fears.

"We live based on fear, from the bombing, from the terror, from the destruction, from the injuries. We add to that the fear of diseases that have spread, such as skin diseases, from the lack of cleanliness and the crowding," she said.

UNRWA said in a statement the vaccination campaign had moved to southern areas with teams mostly in Khan Younis.

"At this critical time, area pauses must be respected to protect families and humanitarian workers," it said.

Recipients will include people who had been forced by the Israeli military to leave Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where Israeli forces have been operating since May to hunt down Hamas fighters.

Later on Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said Israel refused to allow medical teams to areas east of the Salahuddin road to vaccinate children living in the eastern communities of the southern cities. The Israeli military said it was checking the report.

Health officials aim to reach 640,000 Gaza children for vaccination against polio in the campaign, which was launched after the discovery of a case of a one-year-old baby who was partially paralyzed.

This was the first known case of the disease in Gaza - one of the world's most densely populated places - in 25 years. It re-emerged as Gaza's health system has virtually collapsed and many hospitals have been knocked out of action due to the war.

Footage circulated by the Gaza health ministry showed large crowds of Palestinians arriving at medical facilities in Khan Younis to get their children vaccinated.

"My message to the world is that just as you provided us with vaccination so that our children would be safe, you must provide us with a ceasefire and a stop to this war, as this war is a real catastrophe for us," said Gaza resident Osama Brika as he accompanied his nephew into the medical facility.

UNRWA said on Wednesday good progress was being made in rolling out the polio vaccine to children but a permanent ceasefire in the 11-month-old war was needed to ease humanitarian suffering.

DEADLOCK AND FIGHTING

Meanwhile, Israeli forces pressed on with operations in several areas across the Palestinian enclave, battling fighters from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group.

Gaza health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The victims were in a tent encampment inside the hospital compound where displaced people had sought shelter, they said.

The Israeli military said the airstrike hit a command center there used by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad to plan and direct attacks against Israeli forces.

On the diplomatic front, the United States was trying to put forward a new proposal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas in the coming days, two U.S. officials, two Egyptian security sources, and an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The proposal aims to work out the major sticking points behind a months-long impasse in talks mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, the U.S. officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war can only end when Hamas is eradicated. Hamas wants any agreement ending the war to include a withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, when its fighters killed 1,200 people and captured more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 40,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave's health ministry.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi. Additional reporting by Mohammed Salem in Gaza; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
A 33-year-old woman is accused of stealing $63,000 from the Tacoma Community College Foundation while working for the school as a campus security guard.

Zaquita McClanahan was charged with first-degree theft, first-degree identity theft and forgery, according to court records. She is accused of committing the thefts between Nov. 15, 2023 to Dec. 4, 2023.

McClanahan was a security guard for TCCs satellite campus in Gig Harbor since 2021. She has since been placed on administrative leave, pending the completion of a full investigation, according to a spokesperson for the school.

An arraignment at Pierce County Superior Court is scheduled for Sept. 17, records show.

Charging details

An investigation began after the TCC Foundation learned in December 2023 that its Umpqua checking account was frozen due to suspected fraudulent activity. There were 10 checks in the amount of $63,000 that were allegedly deposited in McClanahans name but had the account and routing number of the foundation, according to charging documents.

Prosecutors wrote that the check numbers were not consistent with the checks the foundation wrote.

The foundation previously gave McClanahan two checks. A $500 check was issued to her in 2022 for a car that broke down. Another $500 check was for hardship. The checks issued to McClanahan had the account and routing numbers that were on the fraudulent checks, documents show.

The fraudulent checks ranged from $2,500 to $8,500, prosecutors wrote. Members from the schools foundation went to McClanahans Kent home to place her on administrative leave. When they spoke to her, McClanahan allegedly said she knew what this is about and admitted to depositing a $8,500 check, documents show.

Prosecutors wrote that the first check, amounting to $7,500, was cashed in on Nov. 15, 2023. The last check was negotiated at a Gig Harbor TAPCO Credit Union on Dec. 4, 2023.

There was security footage from the credit union that allegedly showed McClanahan wearing her TCC security guard uniform and driving the schools vehicle. McClanahan also allegedly opened up a BECU banking account to deposit the other checks, documents show.

McClanahan allegedly told police that she had an online relationship with a person she never met in real life or through video. She said she provided bank account information to them because they were in financial distress, prosecutors wrote.

She said this person allegedly gave the information to a third person. The third person was going to send McClanahan checks. The checks came to her Kent residence, which listed the account and routing number of the schools foundation, documents show.

They were reportedly the checks that were used to transfer the money, and McClanahan provided them to detectives, documents show.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is sounding the alarm about the mounting phenomenon of selfie tourism, which the organization says could destroy some of the worlds most iconic locales.

UNESCO defines selfie tourism as the trend of travelers visiting destinations primarily to take and share photos of themselves, often with iconic landmarks and escapes in the background. The organization acknowledges that while taking photographs has been a hobby of travelers for as long as cameras have existed, selfie tourism is a different beast altogether.

This phenomenon gained significant traction with the rise of social media platforms, where visually appealing content drives user engagement, a UNESCO spokesperson told The Mirror. While people have always taken photos on vacation, the focus has shifted from capturing memories to creating shareable moments, often with the aim of garnering likes, followers, and social media fame.

Selfie tourism has led to some sensitive areas and ecosystems being overrun with picture-hungry tourists, which in some destinations has impacted locals in negative ways. In many cases, it has led to overcrowding at specific landmarks, creating pressure on local infrastructure, and contributing to the degradation of the overall visitor experience, the spokesperson explained.

UNESCO added that the craze was accelerating wear and tear on historical sites, natural landscapes, and infrastructure from which recovery might be impossible. It noted the phenomenon could lead to a loss of significance for the destinations, something essential to the existence of a cultural or natural site.

Some destinations, previously lesser-known, have been propelled into the global spotlight through social media, the spokesperson continued, resulting in a surge of visitors that can impact the local environment and communities.

However, UNESCO specified that overcrowding isnt the only concerning issue. As always, poorly behaved travelers risk ruining everyone elses fun. Additionally, the focus on capturing the perfect photo can sometimes lead to disrespectful or harmful behavior, such as trespassing, vandalism, or even accidents, as people go to great lengths for the ideal shot, the organization said.

UNESCO blasted the influencers who set precedents for millions of followers by posting tourism selfies, encouraging them to set better examples for their fans. UNESCO urges visitors to approach these sites with respect and curiosity, encourages them to take the time to really experience the unique culture and heritage of destinations and to remember that their actions have an impact on the preservation of these sites and the wellbeing of communities surrounding the sites, the organization advised.

Desecration of land aside, selfie tourism has led to some dangerous incidents in the last few months. Last month, a tourist died while trying to take a selfie at a popular waterfall in Bali. In April, a man was mauled by a brown bear after a disastrous attempt at taking a selfie.
WASHINGTON (WTNH)  Sen. Richard Blumenthal wants the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate what led to a deadly listeria outbreak linked to Boars Head meats.

The outbreak caused a recall that led to Big Y and Stop & Shop stores in Connecticut to close their delis multiple times to clean them and throw out meat products.

Nearly seven million pounds of deli products were recalled in July. Blumenthal said that the facility responsible for the outbreak was able to keep operating  despite inspectors flagging it for noncompliance with safety rules.

I am deeply concerned about the ongoing, nationwide listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boars Head deli meat produced at the plant. I am further alarmed by recent reports that the facility responsible for the outbreak had repeatedly violated federal regulations, Blumenthal wrote in the letter. Despite these findings, regulators allowed the facility to continue operating, endangering countless lives. The actions taken by the USDA were inadequate and an investigation is necessary to prevent deadly mistakes from reoccurring.

At least 57 people have been hospitalized and nine have died due to the outbreak.

Blumenthal is also going deeper than wanting an investigation, also urging urgent action to reform and improve the oversight of our food supply.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
LORAIN, Ohio (WJW)  Businessman and U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno made a campaign stop at Skylift Specialty Easement Equipment in Lorain Wednesday.

Moreno is on a bus tour crisscrossing the state, trying to reach as many voters as possible ahead of the November election.

The event at Skylift was a town hall-style gathering with about 100 people in attendance.

Moreno, who is a political outsider, told the crowd that he only decided to run for U.S. Senate because of the state of the nation.

WATCH: Incumbent candidate Sherrod Brown discusses Senate race

Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, the Moreno says its time for incumbent Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown to go.

Look, our country is being pillaged by career politicians, he said. I think as Americans we deserve leaders that are actually going to put the interests of the United States first.

Moreno also expressed disappointment with both parties when it comes to securing the border, the economy and jobs.

Politicians on both sides have shipped our jobs overseas. Like, why would you do that? he said. Why would we give our Social Security to illegals, look at car insurance, look at Medicare premiums, look at your rent, your mortgage payment, credit card bills, and grocery bills.

The issue of illegal immigration and securing the border is near and dear to Morenos heart.

He talked about coming to this country as a child legally and said he supports legal immigration and that its the only way people should come.

The host of the event, Dr. Nicholas Jarmoszuk, Skylift owner and CEO, also immigrated to the U.S. legally.

He said, like Moreno, he was able to achieve the American Dream and that all citizens deserve that same opportunity.

He also said that hes known Bernie for 20 years and believes in him.

I bought cars from him and I was always treated fabulously and I think hes a great candidate and I believe in his message, he said.

Submitting an absentee ballot for November election? Be aware of this change

Moreno discussed the need to help thousands of veterans who are homeless. He also said that he opposes forced mandated medical treatments.

They said unless you put this experimental vaccine into your own body, we will not allow you to make a living. This is what they did to us during COVID, it was crazy, said Moreno.

Moreno, who is a father and grandfather, called the election crucial and said it will determine the future of this nation for decades to come.

Look, I can tell you as somebody from Columbia, South America, that you dont want this country to become Venezuela, he said. And I want you to think about this, what are you willing to do to fight for your country? How much do you care about the United States of America?

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) Virginias candidates for U.S. Senator were on the campaign trail in the southwestern portion of the state Wednesday morning.

Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine was at a luncheon at Market at Main restaurant in Lynchburg while Republican challenger Hung Cao hosted a law enforcement roundtable at the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department.

Early voting begins September 20 and both candidates are starting to campaign hard.

In the past, you would plan everything around November 5, said Kaine, who is facing his first election since early voting was introduced in Virginia. Now, you have to be on youre a-game by September 20. Were just about two weeks away from that.

Hung Cao wins Virginia Senate GOP primary

Both candidates used the events to affirm their campaign stances while also gathering feedback and advice from those in attendance.

Cao heard from local law enforcement officials to better understand the challenges they face on the local level and how his candidacy lines up on those issues.

One issue discussed at length was the impact of illegal immigrants in the region.

Dont ask for the American dream if youre not willing to obey American laws and embrace American culture, said Cao.

He also got to hear more about what law enforcement officers feel they need to be successful.

I need to support and give all that I can to local law enforcement in terms of its technology and funding for crisis counselors, Cao said. They said that a lot of issues theyre dealing with are mental health issues.

Mental health  and healthcare in general  were both topics of conversation in Lynchburg as well.

COVID hit people very hard and were still dealing with the aftermath of it, said Kaine. We were short on mental healthcare providers before COVID, and we really have a need for them now.

Virginia Democrats warn Republicans will ban abortion; GOP says their rhetoric is fearmongering

Both candidates also discussed other important issues that will be on the ballot this election season.

For Cao, the economy remains the most important issue to the voters he has spoken with.

People cant afford to put food on the table, he said. They cant afford to put gas in their cars. They cant buy a home.

Kaine feels that this cycle is a battle for democracy.

Being barricaded in the Capitol on January 6 when President Trump, who was too insecure to admit hed lost, tried to inspire people to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power teaches me that democracy is on the line, he said.

Despite their differing political views, both believe that Southwest Virginia will be crucial in the upcoming election.

If I can win southwest [Virginia], weve already won this race, said Cao.

The Kaine campaign has been traveling to several traditionally republican counties and cities in recent weeks, many of which are in the southwestern portion of the state.

Virginia senatorial debate to air live on Oct. 2

The folks who vote for Tim Kaine in a red county are some of my most loyal voters, he said. Its one thing to vote for Kaine if everybodys got a Kaine yard sign. Its another thing to vote for Kaine when everyones got the other sides yard sign.

And both reaffirmed their commitment to the people of Virginia, not just those who fall within their own political spectrums.

I will always put Virginia first, because these are my employers, said Cao.

I represent people whether theyre democrats, republicans, or independents, said Kaine. You need to show them that you show up because people who wont show up for you will never stand up for you.

The two candidates are scheduled to debate on Wednesday, October 2 at Norfolk State University.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
The Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan)

Montana Senate President Jason Ellsworth has subpoenaed eight people, including the Judicial Standards Commission, its secretary, the Supreme Court administrator and the courts staff attorney to appear before his Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reforms meeting Thursday to talk about proposed changes to the commissions rules released last week.

Additionally, Ellsworth on Tuesday sent Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath a letter responding to one McGrath wrote to Ellsworth on Aug. 6 in which he told the Hamilton Republican that judicial branch members would not attend any more meetings held by the select committee regarding Judicial Standards Commission business.

McGrath wrote that was because the judicial branch had been working with the Legislative Audit Division on an audit of the JSC and was prepared to discuss the audits recommendations when it is presented at the Legislative Audit Committee meeting on Sept. 11. Ellsworth also is chairperson of the Audit Committee.

McGraths letter said the select committee on judicial oversight had requested Judicial Standards Commission members attend the committees Aug. 19 meeting and provide the committee with closed files of complaints filed with the JSC, which McGrath contended are to remain confidential unless released by the complaining witness after the process has been completed.

In his response sent Tuesday, Ellsworth accused McGrath, who is retiring at the end of the current term, of having a lack of deference to the legislative branch, called his concerns purely self-serving, and accused McGrath of sending him an edict.

In response, I caution you and those who may choose to defer to you to proceed with caution. The Legislature also has sanction authority that it may exercise independently to address contempt of its process, Ellsworth wrote. Absent prompt retraction, you compromise your own otherwise respectable legacy in these waning hours before you and your administration finally separate at year end.

Ellsworth in the letter asks why McGrath thinks the commission must appear at the Audit Committee but not at the Judicial Oversight Committee, mentions that the legislature provides procedures and cause for impeachment, and outlines the legislative powers over the Judicial Standards Commission.

The letter further notes that the legislature during last years session changed the law surrounding when a Judicial Standards Commission complaint can be made public to the legislature and how members are appointed.

During last weeks meeting of the Judicial Oversight Committee, on which Democrats have chosen not to participate because they say it is a waste of time and resources, Ellsworth and other members decried what they said was a lack of reporting from the JSC to the committee regarding complaints and information.

Ellsworths letter says the Judicial Standards Commission must stay separate from the Supreme Court in its decision-making because the Supreme Court ultimately decides how to sanction judicial misconduct.

I recognize there exists extreme consternation among judges over SJOR and conservative leadership accessing potentially compromising information on judges and disrupting long-standing secret processes, but you and the judges you lead may only instill public trust and confidence in the judiciary by opening the doors and letting the sunshine in, Ellsworth wrote. Now is the time for courage, not fear, and faith in the publics ability to act on the information it has a right to know at election time.

Ellsworth also last week issued a subpoena to Lewis and Clark District Court Judge Mike Menahan, in his capacity as the JSC chairman, to produce a report by Sept. 5 regarding its work on judicial misconduct that he said was due by Sept. 1 but had not been received  similar to discussion the oversight committee had last week before the deadline. Senate Republicans spokesperson Kyle Schmauch issued a news release Tuesday announcing the subpoena.

In addition to both the subpoena, his letter to McGrath, and the subpoenas to the JSC members and Supreme Court employees, Ellsworth also wrote to Menahan saying all JSC members would be required to cooperate with the legislative committees.

The Supreme Court as presently seated may not legitimately hold that the Legislature has no authority to enforce its subpoenas through imposition of individual fines, Ellsworth wrote to Menahan. It is my intent to ensure the Legislatures authority is upheld and will pursue all available avenues for relief should you and the JSC leave me no alternative.

The eight people subpoenaed to appear at Thursdays committee meeting are Menahan, Judge Randal Spaulding, Jill Gerdrum, Roger Webb, and Seth Berglee  all JSC members  as well as JSC Secretary Shelly Smith, Supreme Court Administrator Beth McLaughlin, and Montana Supreme Court staff attorney Jeanine Blaner.

The subpoenas say their presence is required to discuss the proposed changes to the rules of the JSC whose public comment period closes on Friday. The subpoenas say the committee wants to know how the proposed changes would affect changes made by the legislature to JSC confidentiality in last years Senate Bill 313, as well as the workload of the commission given the Senates direct involvement in the appropriation process.

The subpoenas say failure to appear before the committee would result in the committee pursuing contempt charges. Some of the proposed JSC rules changes include tweaks the appointment process for members and changes to confidentiality timelines  two topics the Republican-supermajority legislature passed changes to last session.

The judicial oversight committee is one of two special select committees Ellsworth formed during the interim. The other met on Tuesday to hear from Butte-Silver Bow County election officials about why some votes were double-counted during the June primary, as well as a group of people who want to put in place large changes to elections, including the use of only paper ballots.

At the judicial oversight committees meeting last month, the committee voted to require all witnesses to testify under the threat of perjury and to subpoena all elected officials and their subordinates lawmakers wish to call. It also proposed a dozen other possible committee bills for next session involving the judicial branchs power.

Thursdays meeting at the state Capitol is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and run through the day, with a public comment period scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  Senator Ghazala Hashmi will headline the annual Democratic Womens Wine & Cheese fundraising event as this years keynote speaker.

The ticketed event will take place on Tuesday, September 10, at Roanoke Country Club where Hashmi will bring inspiring personal, professional, and political life stories.

Senator Hashmis stories will bring perspective to this years presidential candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris along with the importance of down-ballot races for the U.S. Senate, Congress, and local offices.

Senate candidates visit southwestern Virginia ahead of early voting

The focus of the annual fundraiser is to shed light on the importance of womens roles in leadership especially in politics. It advocates roles including election officials, convention delegates, and electoral processes such as voting.

People in attendance will also hear from VA6DC Delegate Jeanne Fishwich, Rural Political Outreach Director Lily Frankling, and Candidate for U.S. Congress VA9CD Karen Baker.

During the event a tribute to Helen B. Dean will take place after her sudden passing back in May.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Iowa's U.S. senators have asked the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, shown here in a January 2012 file photo, for updates on the embassy's efforts to recover Iowan Chris Leguisano, who went missing in Mexico in August. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Iowa U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are asking the U.S. ambassador to Mexico for regular updates on the Iowa woman who went missing in the country in August.

In a letter to U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar, also sent to Christopher Wray, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the two Iowa lawmakers asked for a status briefing by the end of the week and weekly updates on the embassys efforts to recover Chris Leguisano. Leguisano, 51, was reported reported missing Aug. 8, after having traveled from Des Moines to Mexico to deliver a truck to a family member.

Leguisano was last seen in the city of Reynosa in Tamaulipas, Mexico, located less than an hour drive from the U.S. southern border leading into Hidalgo, Texas. The letter states that while in Mexico, the Iowa woman was kidnapped for ransom.

Edgar Chong Leguisano, Chris Leguisanos son, said in an interview with WOI-TV said that he has received ransom messages from anonymous people asking for money in exchange for information about his mothers whereabouts.

Ernst and Grassley wrote that this is the second high-profile assault of an American citizen in Tamaulipas in the last two years. In March 2023, four Americans crossing into Matamoros, Tamaulipas in a minivan were fired upon by unidentified gunmen before being put in a vehicle and taken by the armed individuals, according to the FBI. Only two of the four Americans survived the kidnapping.

The Republican senators wrote that attacks on U.S. citizens in foreign countries are an affront to the United States.

The United States cannot and will not tolerate the assault of its citizens while traveling abroad, Ernst and Grassley wrote. By all public accounts, Ms. Leguisanos kidnap was an act of extortion.
Judge: 17-year sentence for Nigerian brothers in sextortion scheme sends message around the world

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN)  Two men were sentenced on Thursday inside Marquettes federal courthouse, two years after their actions led to the death of Marquette teenager Jordan DeMay.

Samuel and Samson Ogoshi pled guilty in April to online sextortion charges. Originally, they were charged with four counts related to a blackmail scheme in which they used hacked social media accounts to pose as someone else, gather compromising photos from their target, and then threaten to distribute them if the victim didnt pay.

In the case of Jordan DeMay, their actions resulted in DeMay dying by suicide.

Mother, responding officer react to landmark guilty pleas in sextortion case

The Ogoshi brothers reached a plea deal, which took the number of charges from four to one. The crime still carries a 15-year minimum sentence and the understanding that the Ogoshis will cooperate with prosecutors as they continue efforts to extradite a third suspect, Ezekiel Robert.

As the investigation continued, in August of 2024 five people in the United States were arrested in a money laundering scheme tied to the sextortion investigation.

On Thursday, a judge handed down the sentence of 210 months in prison to Samuel Ogoshi and 210 months to Sampson Ogoshi.

During the sentencing hearing, impact statements were given by Jordan Demays mother, father, and step-mother.

In his sentencing remarks, US District Court Judge Robert Jonker said while family and law enforcement officials called for the maximum 30-year sentence, he decided on a lesser punishment due to the crime being closer to a classic extortion case as opposed to the Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit a Minor charge they pled guilty to.

Despite 17.5 years resting on the low end of the guidelines, Judge Jonker said he thought it was still a significant enough amount of time to deter other would-be criminalssomething that Samson Ogoshis lawyer said has already happened as a result of their extradition.

Since DeMays death, lawmakers have been taking action to prevent future tragedies from happening. The package of bills aims to combat online sextortion targeting minors and vulnerable individuals.

We will update this story with additional details from Thursdays sentencing shortly and a news conference with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten throughout the day.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
A Penn State student reported being sexually assaulted Wednesday inside a University Park residence hall.

The universitys police department received the report during what sexual violence experts describe as the red zone, the time from the start of the fall semester through Thanksgiving break when a majority of college sexual assaults occur nationwide.

All students are at risk of being sexually assaulted, but freshmen women are the most vulnerable as young adults adjust to new freedoms and independence. Most college students who are sexually assaulted are attacked by someone they know.

Jennifer Pencek, the executive director for Centre Safe, a local nonprofit that empowers victims of sexual violence, said supporting people who disclose allegations of sexual violence is one of the most important actions people can take.

That doesnt mean playing detective or counselor, Pencek said. Instead, two of the best things you can do is listen to what they are sharing and ask what you can do to help them  even if they dont know the answer yet.

You might think you know what you would do if you were in that situation, but you truly have no idea unless you have been directly affected, Pencek said.

She later added: Give them room to breathe. It can seem so overwhelming. Sexual assault is so traumatic and you dont want to inadvertently add trauma. Letting someone know that you believe them and that youre going to listen to them and theres no judgment or anything  thats massive.

The student told police they were assaulted shortly after midnight Wednesday in an on-campus residence hall in the Pollock Housing Complex.

Penn State issued a timely warning notification Wednesday evening, which is required by the Clery Act when certain conditions are met. It was the first such warning shared at University Park since the fall semester began.

Resources:

There are more than a dozen resources available to Penn State students and others in Centre County, both on- and off-campus.

On-campus

Off-campus
A violent sexual predator who has been convicted of raping dozens of California women across the state in attacks that stretch back to the 70's is slated to be released in Los Angeles County.

Christopher Hubbart, now 73, who is also known as the Pillowcase Rapist, because he muffled his victims' screams with pillowcases, was convicted in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties In 1973, 1982 and 1990 for a series of rapes and other sex crimes, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said.

Despite this "long history of committing violent sex acts against women," as the Palmdale Sheriff's Department pointed out, last year, a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge deemed Hubbart suitable for conditional release and ordered the Department of State Hospitals to begin the search for housing in Los Angeles County. DSH has announced it plans to place the serial rapist in the rural community of Juniper Hills, which has led to outrage from community members, civic leaders, and prosecutors who put Hubbart away multiple times.

The state is proposing to house Hubbart at 28800 Cruthers Creek Road in the unincorporated community of Juniper Hills, south of Pearblossom. The 1,512-square-foot, four-bedroom, two-bathroom house was built in 1987 and sits on a 2.07-acre dirt lot. It sits in the hear of the area where he preyed on women.

Continuing to release sexually violent predators into underserved communities like the Antelope Valley is both irresponsible and unjust, said Gascon. Repeatedly placing these individuals in the same community shows a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of our residents."

Gascon said Hubbart should be held under the Sexually Violent Predator law, which was enacted in 1996 and allows the state to confine violent sex offenders in state hospitals if they have a mental disorder that makes them likely to reoffend.

Hubbart has been in and out of prison and state hospitals for sex crimes and has reoffended upon each release from a facility. This is not the first time Hubbart was returned to the Antelope Valley area. Palmdale city officials point out he was released there "nearly a decade ago and then placed under detention when he violated the terms of his release," and to do it again, has "caused further anger."

"Our greater Antelope Valley community has been through this before with rapist Hubbart. The only place this dangerous criminal belongs is in confinement. Both the City and myself personally will be submitting comments objecting to his release and his placement in Pearblossom," Palmdale Mayor Austin Bishop said in a statement. "We need to protect our community. Hubbarts mere presence will haunt and strike fear in many women."

A hearing to determine Hubbarts placement location is scheduled on October 1 at 1:30 p.m. in Dept. 113 at the Hollywood Courthouse. Members of the public who wish to observe the placement hearing, may attend remotely using the following link: Virtual Info: https://lacvirtualcourts.webex.com/meet/SVP
Sheldon woman sentenced to more than 9 years for meth, fentanyl conspiracy

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A Sheldon woman was sentenced to over nine years in federal prison for meth andfentanyl conspiracy.

On April 24,202 Kelli Biller, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and was sentenced on Sep. 4, 2024, according to a press release.

Sac County man sentenced for sexual abuse of 14-year-old

Evidence showed that from January 2022 through November 2023, Biller was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine and at least 200 grams of fentanyl.

Biller admitted to helping transfer 2,000 fentanyl pills from a source in Sioux City to another for re-distribution in the Sheldon and Primghar area. Biller also admitted to obtaining several ounces of methamphetamine from her source for redistribution in northwest Iowa.

During a traffic stop in Sioux City on November 10, 2023, officials seized 19 M30-type fentanyl pills from Biller.

Biller was sentenced to 119 months and a four-year term of supervised release. Biller remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  After a two-month stay in the hospital, Chatham Countys sheriff is back on the job.

Sheriff John Wilcher, who turned 80 while away, sat down with WSAV on his first day back to discuss the communitys overwhelming support and his fitness for duty.

Its great to be here. You know my staff has done an excellent job while I was away and I cant thank the community enough for everything that theyve done for me, Wilcher said, all of the prayers and everything else. So its great to be back home.

Wilcher said he suffered a cardiac arrest and, while hes still undergoing therapy, his doctor gave him a clean bill of health last week.

Savannah woman survives triple-negative breast cancer battle

The sheriff said every day he was in the hospital, he wanted to be home and on the job. His family even had to take his cell phones to keep him from working.

Oh I love it, Wilcher said of being out of the hospital. I know my chief deputy (Gary Taylor) and Paula (public information officer) and whole command staff and everybody said, Phew, God, Im glad hes back.

As for being back, the sheriff said hes in it to win it and that nothing would prevent him from performing his duties.

You know, the job that I do is something I enjoy doing for the people of this community, he continued, whether youre a Democrat, whether youre a Republican, whether youre Black or white or gay or whatever, I enjoy working for the people.

And the people, he said, showed up in droves.

Community Corner: September is National Suicide Prevention Month; Where to find help locally

I cant say enough, Wilcher said. If I had another world to put things in, it wouldnt be big enough for what theyve done.

Thousands of cards were sent to the sheriff from as far as Washington State and New York.

He was especially grateful to his wife who stayed with him every night.

Cant ask for no better person on Earth, Wilcher said.

As for the future, the sheriff said he plans to run one more time and then retire.

So, Im ready, Wilcher reassured. Load the wagon, I can pull it.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) West Texas Counseling and Guidance will host its 9th Annual Principal LED Shine a Light on Sept. 7.

According to a press release from West Texas Counseling and Guidance, the Shine a Light Event will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Visitors Center. There will be a presentation of hope by Dr. Frank Campbell, memory wall art installation, a reading of the names of loved ones lost to suicide, and a memorial night walk along a luminary-lit path at dusk.

WTCG states that we have seen the total number of losses per year decrease since the Zero Suicide initiative started in 2019, WTCG continues to strive towards the goal of not one more loss to suicide, as no loss is acceptable.

West Texas Counseling and Guidance is putting on this event during National Suicide Prevention Month.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. A police vehicle is parked in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa

The deadly shooting near the Israeli consulate in Munich was an attempted terrorist attack, police and the public prosecutor's office said on Thursday.

The incident saw an 18-year-old Austrian shot dead by police after opening fire on five officers in the southern German city. No one else was hurt, the police said.

Prosecutors said on Thursday afternoon that the attack is believed to have targeted the Israeli consulate in central Munich.

The incident took place on the anniversary of the Munich massacre, a terrorist attack by Palestinian militants which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

The young man, with roots in Bosnia, was from the Salzburg region and had been investigated last year on suspicion that he had become religiously radicalized and was interested in explosives and weapons, Austrian police said.

Police had imposed a weapons ban on the man that was to have been in place until at least the beginning of 2028, according to the Salzburg police.

At the time, the then 17-year-old had come to the attention of the authorities after threatening fellow pupils and causing bodily harm. It was in this context that he was accused of participating in a terrorist organization.

According to the Austrian news agency APA, propaganda from the terrorist organization Islamic State was found on his mobile phone.

However, the Salzburg public prosecutor's office discontinued the investigation in April 2023, the police said, without explaining why the investigation was dropped.

"Since then, the 18-year-old has not had contact with the police," the Salzburg police said.

Austrian authorities had seized data and a computer game from his mobile phone that showed his proximity to Islamist-terrorist ideas, the APA news agency reported.

Around 500 police officers were deployed in Munich city centre, including special forces. The shooter was armed with a carbine or long gun and a bayonet, according to the police.

Meanwhile, Austria's DSN, its state security authority, has been in contact with the Israeli embassy in Vienna and the Jewish community about the incident. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the country's own security measures were increased.

The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police officers stand in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa
The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. A police vehicle is parked in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa

The deadly shooting near the Israeli consulate in Munich was an attempted terrorist attack, police and the public prosecutor's office said on Thursday.

The incident saw an 18-year-old Austrian shot dead by police after opening fire on five officers in the southern German city. No one else was hurt, the police said.

Prosecutors said in a statement the attack is believed to be "connected to the Israeli consulate" while media in Austria said an Islamic State link was possible.

Around 500 police officers were deployed in Munich city centre, including special forces. The shooter was armed with a carbine or long gun and a bayonet, according to the police.

The incident took place on the anniversary of the Munich massacre, a terrorist attack by Palestinian militants which claimed the lives of 11 Israelis during the 1972 Olympic Games in the city.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told dpa that none of its Munich employees were harmed on Thursday, as the consulate was closed for a memorial service to remember the victims of the 1972 attack.

Bavarian state premier Markus Soder said there may be a "connection" to the anniversary but that it would "need to be clarified" going forward.

"Munich held its breath for a moment today," he told reporters near the scene.

Nazi documentation centre also nearby

Israeli President Isaac Herzog shared his "condemnation and horror" and thanked Munich police after a phone call with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"On the day our brothers and sisters in Munich were set to stand in remembrance of our brave athletes murdered by terrorists 52 years ago, a hate-fuelled terrorist came and once again sought to murder innocent people," Herzog said.

Steinmeier added: "I have agreed with the Israeli president that we will remain in close contact and that we will keep him informed about what we find out."

The incident also took place near the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism which focuses on the crimes committed by the Nazi regime.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "The quick reaction of the emergency services in Munich today may have prevented something terrible from happening. I am very grateful to them for that.

"Let me be very clear: anti-Semitism and Islamism have no place here."

Three people were stabbed to death in a suspected Islamist attack in the western German city of Solingen last month, helping to fuel support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in two state elections on Sunday.

The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said he was shocked by the latest incident.

"It appears to be an Islamist attack again, as was the case in Solingen last week, when three people were murdered by an assassin," Josef Schuster said.

Weapons ban on Munich suspect

The gunman, with roots in Bosnia, was from Austria's Salzburg region and had been investigated last year on suspicion that he had become religiously radicalized and was interested in explosives and weapons, Austrian police said.

Police had imposed a weapons ban on the man that was to have been in place until at least the beginning of 2028, according to the Salzburg police.

At the time, the then 17-year-old had come to the attention of the authorities after threatening fellow pupils and causing bodily harm. It was in this context that he was accused of participating in a terrorist organization.

According to the Austrian news agency APA, propaganda from the terrorist organization Islamic State was found on his mobile phone.

However, the Salzburg public prosecutor's office discontinued the investigation in April 2023, the police said, without explaining why the investigation was dropped.

"Since then, the 18-year-old has not had contact with the police," the Salzburg police said.

Austrian authorities had seized data and a computer game from his mobile phone that showed his proximity to Islamist-terrorist ideas, the APA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Austria's DSN, its state security authority, has been in contact with the Israeli embassy in Vienna and the Jewish community about the incident. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the country's own security measures were increased.

The Israeli flag flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police officers stand in front of it. Police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General in Munich city center. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Police officers walk down a street at Karolinenplatz looking for clues. The police have shot down a suspicious person during a major operation in Munich city center near the Israeli Consulate General. The police have called on people to avoid the area. Peter Kneffel/dpa
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG)  A man shot in Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday night escaped the gunman on a garbage truck, and police are still looking for the shooter, who was caught on video firing at the truck.

Officers responding to reports of a shooting around 5 p.m. found a man lying in the road suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Man critically injured in shooting; MPD believe its connected to another shooting

A witness told police he was inside his home when he heard multiple gunshots outside. He saw a man with a semiautomatic pistol shooting at the victim as he was running down the road.

A Memphis city garbage truck was driving through the neighborhood while the shooting was happening. The victim jumped onto the side of the garbage truck and screamed at the driver to drive away, according to police.

The suspect continued to shoot at the garbage truck as it fled, hitting it multiple times.

Reports say the garbage truck stopped at an intersection and the victim rolled off the truck and onto the ground.

Several Ring cameras in the area caught the shooting on video.

Trio charged with stealing Mercedes from Hickory Hill Walgreens

Police said that just before shots were heard, the suspect and victim were seen talking in the driveway at a home. During the conversation, the suspect pulled out a semiautomatic pistol and began shooting at the victim.

The shooter was seen leaving the area in a blue Nissan Altima. Investigators identified the license plate number and traced it to an address. The homeowner at the address claimed the car was owned by his son, who was immediately taken into custody, a police report stated.

However, the Memphis Police Department posted a video of the shooting to its Facebook account Wednesday afternoon, stating it was still looking for the suspect and the blue Nissan Altima.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
TechCrunch

Lightdash, a business intelligence (BI) platform and open source alternative to Google's Looker, is lifting the lid on a new product that allows companies to train "AI analysts" specific to individual teams' use-cases, enabling anyone in a company to query aggregate business data. Lightdash is built for an open source command-line-based data transformation tool called dbt (data build tool), which leans on SQL to help businesses transform raw data into structured, analysis-ready datasets. As things transpired, these metrics were most useful baked into BI tools, which is why co-founder and CEO Hamzah Chaudhary pivoted the product and brand to Lightdash in 2021.
Some of the Sicily Yacht Sinking Victims May Have Suffocated After Air Pocket Ran Out, More Testing Needed: Sources

Seven people were killed when the luxury vessel, carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew, sank amid severe weather off the coast of Sicily last month

Family Handout/PA Wire

More testing will be needed to determine how some victims died in the Sicily yacht sinking last month, a source tells PEOPLE.

Preliminary autopsy results on Chairman of Morgan Stanley International Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer, show they died from suffocation, says the source, who is close to the investigation of the sinking.

However, tests on their tissues are now underway to definitively determine whether or not the couple died of suffocation because an air bubble in the yacht cabin they were in ran out of oxygen and filled with carbon dioxide, the source says, or if breathing in water was the cause.

Related: Sunken Yacht's Crew Reveals What They Say Happened Before Tragedy: 'Thrown Into the Water' and 'Walking on the Walls'

Sources tell PEOPLE the tests could take as long as a few weeks to be carried out and for the results to be released.



The Bloomers were among seven people who died when the luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Porticello early on Aug. 19 amid severe weather, officials have said.

Twenty-two people were onboard  12 passengers and 10 crew  and the seven victims included the Bloomers; New York City-based lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife, jewelry designer Neda Morvillo; British tech businessman Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah; and the yachts chef, Recaldo Thomas.

Family Handout/PA Wire From left: Judy and Jonathan Bloomer

Autopsies for the Lynches and Thomas will be conducted on Friday, the source close to the investigation confirms to PEOPLE.



On Monday, Sept. 2, the Associated Press and Italian news agency ANSA reported that the autopsies of Christopher and Neda Morvillo ruled their cause of death as drowning.

In the days since, however, some uncertainty has been raised about exactly how the six victims suffocated in their cabins. (The seventh victim, Thomas, the chef, was found outside the Bayesian.)

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

CNN and the La Repubblica newspaper reported that the initial autopsies done on the four victims so far indicated they were killed by atypical drowning and, according to La Repubblica, the Bloomers and the Morvillos had no water in their lungs, trachea, or stomach.

Reuters reported that the initial autopsies of the four victims so far "indicated they had died of suffocation as oxygen ran out on the stricken vessel" but "[m]ore forensic tests were ordered."

Sources caution to PEOPLE that this examination and testing will need to be done before it is confirmed how those victims suffocated.

Other causes of death have been ruled out.

Medical experts say that in some cases of drowning, water doesn't enter the lungs because of an involuntary reflex in the throat, leading to suffocation.

So-called "dry drowning" is not a medically preferred term as water is always a factor in these cases.

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The Bayesian yacht

Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, head of the Palermo Fire Brigade, spoke at a news conference last month as the yahct victims were formally identified and shared details of their final moments and where they were recovered.

It was quite clear that people [inside] were trying to hide in the cabins. In the left-hand side, we found the first five bodies in the left-hand side cabins, and the final body on the right-hand side. We found them on the highest part of the ship which was closer to the surface. The vessel had three cabins on each side, Fiandra said then.

Related: Captain Who Saw Sicily Yacht Sink Says Mike Lynchs Wife Didnt Want to Leave Scene Without Husband and Daughter

He also said that the five who "took refuge in the cabins on the left side of the sailboat" had been "searching for air pockets."

A broader investigation is ongoing into how, exactly, the Bayesian sank in August  in what some witnesses have said was a quickly unfolding tragedy that has puzzled observers, given the yachts size and apparent capability to withstand bad weather.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
Signatures verified, NE nonpartisan Dan Osborn qualifies to be on Nov. ballot for U.S. Senate

Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn when he was preparing in August to drop off boxes of signatures to the Secretary of States Office. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

OMAHA  Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn has officially qualified to be on the November ballot against Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.

Thursday, the Nebraska Secretary of States Office said it had certified Osborns nonpartisan petition for the U.S. Senate race. His name will appear on the ballot next to Fischer. There is no Democrat or third-party candidate running.

I wont be on the ballot thanks to a political party  Ill be on the ballot thanks to the people of Nebraska, Osborn said.

He said the signatures gathered were from people across the political spectrum who are tired of our broken government in Washington.

A spokeswoman for the Secretary of States Office said Osborn needed to collect valid signatures from at least 4,000 registered Nebraska voters. Of those, at least 750 were needed in each of Nebraskas three congressional districts.

Osborns campaign collected 6,419 valid signatures from registered Nebraska voters, said spokeswoman Jackie Ourada. She said the state elections division directed county election officials to stop signature verification after the number of valid signatures met the 110% threshold as permitted under state law.

Osborn said Thursday that he had submitted more than 12,000 signatures, with more than 2,000 from each district, and that the Secretary of States Office stopped its count at 6,419, after his campaign had met the required threshold.

The nonpartisan candidates decision to wait until Aug. 20 to turn in ballot signatures left some Republicans questioning the depth of public support for his campaign.

Thursday, Osborn said the number of signatures he gathered reflected the grassroots support hes garnered while traveling the state, holding more than 120 public events.

This campaign is about putting people first  above politics as usual, above corporate interests, and above the partisan food fights in Washington that keep us from getting anything done, Osborn said.

Osborn, a steamfitter and longtime Omaha union leader, worked as an industrial mechanic at the Kelloggs plant in Omaha and rose to the presidency of his labor union. He lives in Omaha with wife Megan, and the couple have three children.

Fischer said earlier this week she takes nothing for granted in the race, that she prefers official visits to media debates and that she plans to keep asking Nebraskans what they want from their senator.

Thats why its important that I continue doing what I do  and thats working for Nebraska, she said.

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SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (KCAU)  More than a dozen farmers gathered at the Farmers Cooperative Society in Sioux Center to check out the improvements being made to a grain elevator.

I mean, this is kind of exciting here, Jacob Korzeniewski with the co-op said. This is really the first big upgrade here in Sioux Center that weve had for the grain side.

Morningside University receives $20K grant for aviation education

According to the co-ops annual report, their facilities handled almost 150,000 acres of corn and more than 190,000 acres of soybeans in 2021. Earlier this year, the co-op began making improvements to help increase the amount of grain they could handle.

Put in a new receiving pit, leg, and be able to hit most of our grain elevator at full speed at 20,000 bushels an hour receiving capacity, so that means we can intake grain at 20,000 bushels per hour, Korzeniewski said. So this adds another secondary dump here. So this will be our main dump pit for harvest. Then using the house three pit for kind of our speed and more efficiency when we do have some lines.

During last years harvest, farmers were sometimes waiting two or more hours to unload at the grain bin. With the project almost completed, the Farmers Cooperative Society invited producers on a tour of the facility.

There are new improvements that Ive seen today are going to be very, very helpful for the fact of unloading time, not waiting so long in line to get back to the field, to the combine, Sioux Center farmer Ken Klein said. They have a couple of different dump sites that we have a choice of now. We can unload soybeans and corn at the same time when both are being harvested. Its going to be a great thing.

LifeServe planning 2 Woodbury County blood drives for September

During the tour, Klein brought new suggestions for more improvements in the future.

Might be nice to have some lights letting us know when we have been tested and when were done at the scale or even at the pit when were done unloading, because sometimes its very hard to see and we want to make sure nobody gets hurt, Klein said. Were driving in and out.

The grain elevator improvements are expected to be completed by harvest.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (KCAU)  The Sioux Center Community School District superintendent said he is confident the threat has been resolved and that classes would continue as normal.

Superintendent Gary McEldowney put out a statement before 3 p.m. saying that, after a joint investigation with law enforcement, the school believes the threat has been resolve. McEldowney added that classes would continue as normal for the rest of the day and days going forward.

Law enforcement will be present at the school to assure families, staff, and student the the school is safe.

Read the full statement here.

PREVIOUS: According to the Sioux County Sheriffs Office, multiple schools in Sioux County entered lockdown on Thursday around noon due to a threatening message discovered at Sioux Center High School.

According to the post, a threatening message was discovered on a bathroom wall at Sioux Center High School. This prompted a lockdown from Sioux Center, as well as neighboring schools in communities such as Hull, Rock Valley, and Orange City.

The Sheriffs Office said that there is not an active threat at this time but the Sioux Center Police Department is actively investigating the incident. Law enforcement in the area have also increased patrol and presence by the schools during this time.

PREVIOUS: Police in Sioux Center said they are responding to a threat at Sioux Center Community School District.

The Sioux Center Police Department said a threat was discovered in the high school building.

Officials noted that it is not an active shooter situation.

The police said all school district buildings are in a lock down and the buildings are secured.

Law enforcement remains on the scene.

This is a developing story. KCAU 9 will update as we learn more.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
Seafood worth tens of thousands of dollars were stolen from a tractor-trailer in the early morning hours while the truck driver slept, Pennsylvania police said.

The driver told officers that he felt movement in the cargo area of his truck around 3:30 a.m. Sept. 4 and saw six men stealing boxes of crab meat, according to a report the Philadelphia Police Department provided to McClatchy News.

The truck was parked in the 600 block of Packer Avenue , according to police. Sysco, a wholesale distributor of food and restaurant supplies, is located at that address.

Authorities said the men fled in three different vehicles, making off with around $42,000 worth of crab meat.

Sysco Philadelphia is cooperating with law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to work with them to ensure they have the information needed to successfully complete their work, the company said in a statement given to WCAU.

This is the latest in a string of cargo thefts around Philadelphia.

On April 18, a driver was attacked by 12 men who stole approximately 100 cases of snow crabs from his truck valued at about $30,000, McClatchy News previously reported.

In March, someone broke into a parked refrigerated truck and tried to steal dozens of pounds of Pacific cod and Alaskan salmon, KYW-TV reported.

Orthodontist worker told patients to pay in cash  then she pocketed money, cops say

Postal worker intercepted drugs in mail and gave them to accused trafficker, feds say

Woman tracks her stolen mail using AirTag she shipped to herself, California cops say
SLO County shop sold kites for 40 years  but now its closing due to low sales, high rent

Some joy will vanish soon from the Morro Bay waterfront, with the looming closure of the longtime Beachfront Kites, Surreys & More store.

A kite shop has been at 1108 Front St. for 40 years, business owner Shaun Farmer said early Wednesday. Farmer worked at the Morro Bay store as a high school student and has owned it since 1998.

But from now on, he wont be teaching little customers the intricacies of kite flying anymore or seeing the exultant joy on the face of a small child who has finally succeeded in getting that kite off the ground and into the air.

He and wife Lori Leetham plan to close Beachfront Kites at the end of this month, leaving the cornerstone location at the bottom of the hill where Beach and Front streets converge with the Embarcadero.

What is that in SLO County?

Ever wonder what that construction is in your town or what happened to that local business? Were finding out the answers. Send us your questions and tips by emailing reporter Kaytlyn Leslie at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.

  

Read More

 SLO County winery opens Hawaiian restaurant, complete with poke bowls and spam musubi

 Whats being built on the hill overlooking vineyards in SLOs Edna Valley?

It was bittersweet working the past couple of days here, an emotional Farmer said. Made me remember why I like this place so much, all the happiness, all the joy, the memories, all the friendships weve gained from customer and families weve met.

Theyve sold kites to generations in the same families, he said.

People come in and buy kites with their parents and now theyre bringing their kids in, Farmer said.

But thats not happening as often as it used to, and customers who do come in are buying less.

The kids are sharing a kite and a beach bucket now, instead of each having one of their own, he said.

Shaun Farmer, owner of Beachfront Kites and Surreys, plans to shut the long-time Morro Bay business down at the end of September 2024, seen here Sept. 4, 2024.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, a combination of escalating costs and fewer sales finally doomed the legacy business, he said.

Our rent has tripled, and business is down because people dont have a lot of money left over for nonessentials, especially the visitors after they buy the gas to drive over here, rent a motel room and buy food, he said. They dont need to fly a kite, its not something people have to have.

Despite making every effort to keep the shop up and running, Farmer said he and his wife are just no longer in a position where they can keep up with the financial strain.

My wife and I drained our bank account in the past couple of years to keep this going, he said. Now, our personal money is gone and its not supporting itself anymore. Well have to go find real jobs.

What those might be, he doesnt yet know.

There is at least one silver lining to the closure: Farmer said he was looking forward to having more time to fly kites with his seven grandchildren.

He also might consider a smaller online business with any leftover product after the closure, he said.

Kites will always be a part of our lives, he said.

Shaun Farmer, owner of Beachfront Kites and Surreys, plans to shut the long-time Morro Bay business down at the end of September 2024, seen here Sept. 4, 2024.

Bummer! Long-time customer reacts to kite shop closure

Farmer is not the only one experiencing nostalgia and sadness about the closure.

When Mark Clement, longtime Beachfront Kites customer, was told that the shop was closing, his immediate reaction was, Oh, no! Bummer!

I love that place, he said. It means Ill have to buy everything online now.

He did think hed continue in the sport.

I love flying, Clement said. Im fascinated with flight. Ive probably owned 20 or more kites, and still have six or more.

Though he recently moved from Paso Robles to Oregon, Clement said hed miss buying kites and more in Morro Bay whenever he visits San Luis Obispo County in the future.

Shaun Farmer, owner of Beachfront Kites and Surreys, plans to shut the long-time Morro Bay business down at the end of September 2024, seen here Sept. 4, 2024.

Other SLO County kite shops also struggling

A vendor told Farmer that the Morro Bay stores closure will be the eighth California kite shop to shut down this year, he said.

In fact, the quarter-century-old The Skys the Limit kite shop in Pismo Beach had to move from downtown earlier this year due to rising costs and diminishing sales, according to owner Jason Natanson.

The new lease presented to us had a nearly 50% increase, which made it hard to pencil out, he said. Foot traffic is down even downtown, expenses are certainly up.

Because of that, he made the tough decision to move into a spot at 541 Five Cities Drive near California Fresh, he said.

Im hearing it from all over the country from manufacturers and reps, Natanson said. I think its because economy is a whole lot worse than were being told it is. Theres not as much disposable income.

With the new location, he said he was looking forward to having more local customers, and a nice mix of them and the visitors.

Shaun Farmer, owner of Beachfront Kites and Surreys, plans to shut the long-time Morro Bay business down at the end of September 2024, seen here Sept. 4, 2024.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  Local officials of the Pitt County Community gathered at GK Cafe in Greenville to discuss the impact of small businesses.

They highlighted the contrast difference between Vice President Kamala Harris new small business proposals and what they said is Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda. Leaders shared that Harris proposal works to bolster small businesses while Trump has an expansion tax relief for new businesses.

The proposal was created to emphasize how small businesses are the backbone of this community. As Senator and as Vice President, she has always been putting working families first. And with her plan for a new way forward, will ensure that no small businesses are left behind, Owner of the Scullery and City Council Member Matt Scully said. By directing support specifically to businesses in rural and historically underserved communities.

The proposal aims to help spur 25 million new small business applications in her first term. The goal is to make starting a small business easier with the new measures she hopes to enforce.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
If you, like me, spend too much time perusing 538's polls page, you may have noticed this summer has seen a lot of polls from a new-ish pollster: ActiVote. Since Aug. 1, ActiVote has completed 25 horse-race polls  more than all but two other pollsters in our database.

It's always wise not to put blind trust into pollsters without much of a track record. But ActiVote has proved especially controversial thanks to its unusual methodology: It's a free smartphone app that anyone can download, and it's primarily a nonpartisan voter-education tool, not a tool for measuring public opinion. Some polling analysts say that makes it untrustworthy. The folks at ActiVote argue they're just innovating new methods in an industry facing a lot of challenges. So which is it?

How ActiVote conducts its polls

ActiVote was founded in 2019, and according to CEO and co-founder Victor Allis, the company's primary mission has always been to inform voters about who is on their ballot in upcoming elections. After users input information about where they live, they can view a list of candidates and questions that will appear on their ballot based on their state, district, etc. The app also provides basic information about each candidate, such as their ideology, website and social media accounts.

And, crucially, ActiVote users can also select which candidates they're supporting. The ActiVote staff quickly realized that, in collecting this information, they were essentially conducting a poll  so they decided to publish what they found. Although Allis, a Ph.D. in computer science, had no polling background, he joined the American Association for Public Opinion Research in 2022 and threw himself into the science of polling. As a result, ActiVote is no amateur operation, and its survey results don't just reflect raw data from app users  which, of course, can be pretty unrepresentative of the population they're trying to measure. Instead, ActiVote uses L2, a prominent voter database, to weight its data to match the age, gender, party affiliation, ethnicity, income and education breakdowns of the electorate.

But there are still concerns about the way ActiVote recruits its respondents. First, there's the fact that anyone who wants to can download the app and participate in one of its polls. Traditionally, polls have used what's known as "probability sampling," or obtaining a random sample of the population through techniques like dialing telephone numbers at random. But while ActiVote's app-based approach is unique, its use of nonrandom, or "nonprobability," sampling is actually not all that unusual in modern polling. Many pollsters, including well-reputed ones like YouGov, use nonprobability sampling to recruit people to join an online panel, from which their poll respondents are drawn. However, many pollsters remain skeptical of polls that participants can simply opt in to, as they sometimes produce flawed results.

Recently, social-media users have also flagged the possibility that people could download ActiVote and fill out one of its polls with false information (e.g., a supporter of former President Donald Trump saying they are an Arizona voter in order to make the polls in that crucial swing state look better for their candidate). However, Allis assured 538 that ActiVote confirms that all its respondents are valid registered voters by comparing their name and address to the L2 voter file before including them in its polls.

Others have questioned whether ActiVote is less reliable even than other nonprobability pollsters because it recruits its sample exclusively from its app rather than robustly recruiting participants from across the internet. While Allis told 538 that ActiVote does advertise on Google Play and partners with voter-engagement nonprofits to get more users, he confirmed that the firm does not actively recruit people to participate in its polls other than through the app.

How 538 uses ActiVote's polling

So where does that leave us? At 538, pollsters must clear only a low bar (specifically, a set of basic methodological and ethical standards that any legitimate pollster can easily achieve) in order for us to aggregate their polls. ActiVote meets those standards, so its polls are included on our polls page and in our election models.

How much credence to put in their results, though, is another matter. At 538, including a poll on our polls page and in our models isn't necessarily an endorsement of its quality. We've deliberately adopted an inclusive policy in order to prevent bias from creeping into decisions about what polls to use and not to use, and because we don't think it's our place to decide what the "right" way to conduct a poll is (the proof of that is in the post-election pudding).

Instead, we use our pollster ratings (which give pollsters a grade ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 stars based on their transparency and accuracy in past elections) to assess pollster quality. And unfortunately, ActiVote doesn't have a pollster rating yet because its polls in the 2020 and 2022 cycles did not meet our evaluation criteria,* so we can't be sure how accurate the firm's polls are. It has, however, addressed all 10 of the questions we use to calculate a pollster's Transparency Score, the other component of our pollster ratings. ActiVote's raw Transparency Score is 8 out of 10  better than 256 of the 320 pollsters for which we have collected transparency data.

So we can't give you a definitive answer about how much trust to put in ActiVote's polling, other than to fall back on the old chestnut that we'd rather have data from a known pollster with a good track record than an unknown pollster with an uncertain one. To that point, there's no need to worry that ActiVote is having too much influence on our polling averages and forecasts, despite the high number of polls it's putting out; 538's polling averages and forecasts put less weight on polls from unrated firms that release a lot of polls from several states in quick succession (a safeguard we implemented to protect against unknown pollsters releasing a glut of polls to bias the aggregates  a dynamic some observers have termed "flooding the zone").

538's models this year also test whether each pollster's polls are consistently more Democratic- or Republican-leaning than average (we call this a "house effect") across states, not just within them. This means that if unrated pollsters  like ActiVote  publish numbers that are unusually good for one party in multiple states, we will pick up on that faster than if we were only looking for house effects at the individual-state level. (So far in the 2024 cycle, ActiVote's polls have been 0.34 percentage points better for Trump than other polls  neither an especially small nor an especially large house effect.)

As with every other pollster, we'll find out how accurate ActiVote is after the election. And Allis is just fine with that. "We're unproven," he acknowledged. But he views ActiVote's novel methodology as just the latest step in the evolution of polling. In the early days, polling was done by going door to door, and there was skepticism when pollsters first tried conducting surveys over the phone  but it eventually became the gold standard. Then, when telephone response rates started to decline, there was skepticism about conducting polls online  but that has now become a widely accepted practice as well. Pollsters constantly "need to find new things," Allis said. "We think we're one of these new things."

Mary Radcliffe and G. Elliott Morris contributed research.

Footnotes

*Specifically, ActiVote's polls in 2020 and 2022 used a very long field period, so the median field dates of its surveys were too far before the elections for us to reliably evaluate them.

Can a smartphone app conduct political polls? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Air quality in the Boise area was at unhealthy levels Thursday as fires in Central Idaho and a new fire southeast of Boise continued to burn.

The Boise, Meridian and Nampa areas were showing levels in the red category, which means all people may experience health effects and members of sensitive groups may have more serious impacts, said Michael Toole, the regional airshed coordinator at the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

Toole said the Treasure Valley was getting a lot of drainage smoke from fires in the state. Its also still cool in the morning and theres an inversion in place, so smoke lingers close to the ground, he said.

The Plex Fire, which started Wednesday evening southeast of Boise, grew to 350 acres by 8 a.m. and was impacting air quality in that area. Unofficial monitors in the area were showing levels in the red and even the purple zones, Toole said, but that would not be surprising given the location of the fire and the weather conditions.

Hopefully, as the inversion lifts later this afternoon, temperatures warm up, that smoke will lift more and allow for levels to come down, he said. Its just an unfortunate location for that fire, and the time of day is not good either, so theres probably going to be a lot more smoke in that Southeast Boise area.

If that fire continues to burn and produces smoke later Thursday afternoon, that could have more of an area-wide affect, Toole said.

Well just have to kind of wait and see what smoke behavior we get from that fire, he said.

Other fires in Idaho continued to affect the Boise area, including the Wapiti Fire, which has burned over 100,000 acres in Custer County, and the Nellie Fire in the Middle Fork Complex.

Theyre producing a lot of smoke, and that smoke is just kind of wrapping right back down through the Treasure Valley, Toole said. Thats the smoke that weve been expecting and that were seeing a lot of impact from.

Models show there could be some improvements in air quality later in the day, Toole said, but the Plex Fire is a new variable.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Thursday morning for 23 counties, including Ada and Canyon. All outdoor burning is banned.

Wildfire smoke can be particularly harmful for sensitive groups, such as people with cardiovascular conditions, pregnant people and children, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The department recommends monitoring air quality and reducing exposure to smoke.


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Aerospace engineer and sometimes snorkeler Mike Irmen came across a huge piece of space debris while exploring the waters of a remote island off the coast of Honduras.

The 20-foot-by-12-foot hunk of metal belonged to the upper cowling of the Ariane 5 rocket, which is designed to jettison from the spacecraft after three minutes.

Although a strange place to find a piece of space debris, the effects of human spaceflight can even been seen in some of the most remote place in the world.

Spaceflight is a messy business. Thousands of tons of fuel spew pollutants in the atmospherewhich impacts the ozone layer and even punches holes in the ionosphereand could eventually raise the temperature of the stratosphere as rocket launches become commonplace.

Then, there are always more direct impacts. Harrowing footage showed debris from a Long March 2C rocket raining down on a Chinese village earlier this year, space junk from the high-flying International Space Station (ISS) crashed into a Florida residence in April, and even remote areas of the world arent safe from this increasing amount of space rocket precipitation.

Last month, while snorkeling along the remote island of Cayos Cochinos off the northern coast of Honduras, Mike Irmenan aerospace engineer by tradeglimpsed something much more eye-catching than colorful tropical fish. Before jumping into the crystal blue water, Irmen noticed a large piece of metal, roughly 20-feet-by-12-feet in size, lying in the sand some distance away. As he got closer, he knew it was something aerospace, he told Newsweek.

Emblazoned with the name Ariane on its metal surface, the large sheet of debris, Irmen confirmed, originally belonged to an Ariane 5 rocket.

The upper cowling of a rocket covers the payload during launch, Irmen told Newsweek, and then it jettisons from the rocket after it leaves the Earths atmosphere. It looked like it had been there a while since the salt water had corroded a bunch of the metal pieces."

Manufactured by the ArianeGroup, a French spacecraft engineering company, the Ariane 5 is the preferred chariot to the stars of the European Space Agency. For the past 20 years, the rocket has launched from the Guiana Space Centre near the coastal town of Kourou in French Guiana (hence why the cowling made its way to a remote island in close-by Central America), and its successfully performed over 100 launches. With the recent demonstration of its successor, the larger and more powerful Ariane 6 (an effort to keep up with the ever increasing demands of the new Space Race), the Ariane 5 remains one of the most successful rockets in the history of human spaceflight.

With the Ariane 5 sporting an impressive 96 percent success rate, this piece of upper cowling isnt part of one of the few failures. In fact, it was designed to blow off. The light-yet-rigid panels protect the payload from the rigors of Earths lower atmosphere during launch, and 208 minutes after liftoff, theyre jettisoned from the craft having served their protective purpose.

Although its quite a stark image for a large piece of a space rocket to abut a cozy, beach-side cabin, its not the strangest place where spacecraft debris often ends up. Point Nemo, sitting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is known as the loneliest place on Earth as its a good 1,670 miles from land in all directions. Since the 1970s, space agencies have tossed more than 300 retired spacecraft to this remote location. NASA is even planning on crashing the International Space Station around this point in 2031.

Luckily, abnormally intense UV rays, along with low-nutrient flow in this part of the ocean, thankfully means Point Nemo has relatively low biomass compared to other parts of the Pacific. But this inelegant retirement for the ISS and other spacecraft means that even in the most remote parts of the world, the detritus of humanitys spaceflight ambitions can be found.



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Seeking to draw a contrast between former President Donald Trumps foreign policy record and that of President Joe Biden, social media users have circulated posts citing incorrect figures on United States military deaths in the Middle East.

Under Trump a total of 512 service member died in Afghanistan and Iraq, the posts claim. Under Biden, only 20.

Under Trump a total of 512 service member died in Afghanistan and Iraq.



Under Biden, only 20.  Pesach Lattin  (@pesach_lattin) August 30, 2024

The false claim first appeared on X, and was picked up by users of several other platforms, including Occupy Democrats, a Facebook account with 10 million followers.

This claim is false. Neither figure represents the number of U.S. service members killed in military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq under the Trump and Biden administrations. It drastically inflates the number of deaths that happened under the Trump administration, and slightly underreports the number of deaths under the Biden administration.

Under those two most recent White House administrations, U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan or Iraq fell within three distinct military operations: Operation Freedoms Sentinel and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. Both Afghanistan missions ceased combat operations by the end of 2015, while Operation Inherent Resolve was launched in 2014 to combat ISIS and transitioned to a non-combat mission in December 2021.

The U.S., however, maintained a presence in both countries after the conclusion of combat operations and the Department of Defenses Casualty Analysis System continued to count military deaths in those regions under those missions.

The Defense Department records U.S. military personnel deaths into two distinct categories: hostile and non-hostile deaths. Hostile deaths are categorized by service members killed in combat action or caused by a hostile enemy force. Non-hostile deaths include all other deaths, such as those caused by accidents and combat training.

Even counting deaths attributed to those operations that took place outside of Iraq, in nations such as Qatar and Syria, the total doesnt come close to the number suggested in the social media posts. During the Trump administration, a total of 131 U.S. service members were killed in operations based in Afghanistan and Iraq, while 32 U.S. service members died in those operations during the Biden administration. One other non-hostile death was recorded as occurring on January 20, 2021the day Biden was inaugurated.

Of the 131 soldiers killed during Trumps administration, the Pentagon recorded 57 of those deaths as hostile. Meanwhile, 16 of the 33 deaths recorded under the Biden administration were hostile deaths.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

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HULL, Iowa (KCAU)  Students are familiar with seeing teachers and principals walking the school halls, but a new face students may be seeing is that of a social worker.

Three years ago, Western Christian High School brought in a school social worker to help students with struggles outside of the academic realm.

My primary focus here is to provide a space for the students to just come in and work through any social, emotional needs that they have going on, mental health challenges, social worker Abby Vanden Bosch said. Just a space for them to just kind of navigate, and I can walk alongside them.

For the past two years, Vanden Bosch has been working part-time at Western Christian as the schools social worker. This year, she was taken on full-time to work with students and their outside stressors.

Morningside University receives $20K grant for aviation education

A lot can interfere with a students life within the classroom, so to be able to give them a space to kind of work through all the noise that is going on on the outside so they can be their best selves within the classroom, Vanden Bosch said.

But her role as a school social worker helps relieve more than the students dilemmas.

Our teachers might not have the time or the capacity to really walk alongside students and their families to get at the core of what students are coming to school with, Western Christian head administrator Brian Verwolf said. So we have found that it has alleviated our staff, our teachers, in feeling like they have to be the person that helps. We have a clinical social worker that helps take care of some of those things.

Now, other northwest Iowa schools are looking to add a social worker position to their own staff to help the students in their schools.

This is kind of a growing thing for schools, Vanden Bosch said. I have been able to connect with some local school social workers who are doing similar work, but they also are figuring out what their school specifically needs because its not all going to look the same.

Sioux Center farmers co-op nearly completes grain bin project

We have had several schools reach out and say how did you go through the process of starting this at a small private school, its a large investment, Verwolf said. Schools of our size, its not easy to create a new full-time position, so schools ask, how did we strategically do this? And is it worth it? And we can confidently say that its worth every penny.

Building off Vanden Boschs impact, Western Christian continues to advocate for schools taking on staff members that help create the best environment for those learning in it.

When we talk to other schools about starting a social work program who arent quite ready to make that type of financial investment, its a good time for us to ask, what really matters to you as a school? Verwolf said. If creating a space where students belong is at the top of your list, then its time to find a way.

Along with a social worker, this year Western Christian brought on a campus safety director to their support services.

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BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV)  After months of debate, the Beaufort County Council (BCC) has handed over an investigation into money issues in the County Government to the Sheriff.

But questions still remain, many of those come from the 14th Circuit Solicitor himself.

I have five County Councils that I work with regularly because I have five counties as the Solicitor, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said. Ive been doing this since 2006. Ive never seen this in any other county council anywhere.

Hampton man charged with Tractor Supply burglary

Thats not the only thing that Stone said about how BCC handled the investigation.

You cooperate with law enforcement, and you get out of the way, Stone said. You dont start your own internal investigation. You dont hire a civil law firm to come in and give you an opinion as to criminal activity, which this civil law firm has neither the authority nor the ability to do.

The county initially would not give the full investigation to Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner, saying they thought the violations did not reach criminal levels.

You cooperate and you stay out of their way, Stone told WSAV. The idea that the Sheriff has to even write you a letter to ask you is offensive.

Beaufort-and-Colleton-Letters-to-AGDownload

Last week the County Council relented though and voted to hand over all the documents to the Sheriff.

The only thing that Beaufort County did was to vote to cooperate with the law enforcement investigation, Stone said. I think that most people are at the very least bothered, if not offended, by the idea that a County Council would even debate cooperating with a law enforcement investigation, much less having to go to a vote and vote on it.

The Sheriff now has the documents, the South Carolina Attorney Generals office has the case.

Why wouldnt you want the answers to those questions, whether its unfounded, whether its bad government that you can fix, or whether its criminal? And it is offensive that to look at this and its very difficult to understand why you would not want to cooperate with law enforcement.

Its a request Stone himself made, not in July of 2023 as the County Council said, but in November of that year.

If you look at the statement that the Vice Chairman, McClellan, said, I dont know who prepared that statement for him, Stone explained, but as hes reading that statement, the very first line he says is that that Beaufort County Council learned about this. When I asked the S.C. Attorney General to empanel a grand jury to compel testimony. I didnt do that in July. I did it in November and specifically November the 28th.

Stone also said that when he sent the letter asking for help from the Attorney Generals Office, if was for a very specific reason.

I wanted him to empanel a grand jury to compel testimony, Stone said. We cannot compel testimony. We cant subpoena documents prior to charges being brought. I sent him that because we had Beaufort County employees that the SLED agent assigned to the case was trying to, were trying to talk to. And they we had at least one employee that that called in and said, Ive talked to the county attorney and Im not coming to talk to you.

When WSAV asked if he thought that theres more to this situation than weve seen so far, he said he did.

I think theres a lot of things going on that we dont know about, said Stone. Thats, again, the reason I sent this to the Attorney General. I dont send very many cases to the Attorney General, but when I do, theres a reason for it. And this specific reason was to compel testimony to get cooperation from a group of people that I dont believe was cooperating. I dont know what they know. I dont know how much they know, but I know that theyre not sharing it with us.

Stone continued and said that it could turn out to be nothing at all, but it also might come out to be bad government or criminal issues.

I dont know, Stone said.  But again, the idea you see this from the report standpoint, you know, the debate that they had to have just to just turn over this this report. And thats just a small part of all of this. So, I think that gives you a window into whats been going on all along.

Stone added that despite the issues with the county he does not have an opinion on if criminal activity happened. Thats up to the Grand Jury.

Adding that there is no exact timetable for this investigation to be completed.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
A police cap lies on a table during the quarter-hour debate on the terrorist attack in Solingen and the stabbing attack on a bus in Siegen in the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament's Committee on Internal Affairs. David Young/dpa

A preliminary investigation into the alleged Islamist terrorist attack in the German city of Solingen has left key questions about the Syrian suspect unanswered, but 400 leads are being followed up, a top official said on Thursday.

The interior minister of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where last month's knife attack which killed three people occurred, said it is still unclear when Issa Al H. became radicalized.

Herbert Reul told the Interior Affairs Committee of the state parliament that he could have been radicalized in his home country, via the internet, in his refugee accommodation or in a mosque.

"We have no evidence so far," he said.

Regarding speculation that the so-called Islamic State flag was hanging in the room of the arrested suspect in his refugee centre, Reul said: "More than half of the residents of the centre have been questioned. None of them saw the flag."

It must also be clarified where the suspect was between the crime on the evening of August 23 and his arrest a day later. It is unclear whether he had met anyone and what he did.

"That's around 24 hours that we're missing," Reul added.

An investigation team in Dusseldorf with around 50 people is working on the case and is being supported by the Federal Criminal Police.

Of 900 leads, 400 are being followed up, Reul said. Investigators are questioning witnesses, identifying possible contact persons and analysing videos.

The 26-year-old suspect, who also injured eight people in the attack on a town festival, is in custody. He was supposed to have been deported last year.

The federal prosecutor's office is investigating him on charges including murder and suspected membership of the Islamic State terrorist group.

The militants have claimed responsibility for the crime. Reul pointed out that the Islamic State propaganda channel Amak had also published a letter of confession for a deadly attack in Berlin in 2016.
A police cap lies on a table during the quarter-hour debate on the terrorist attack in Solingen and the stabbing attack on a bus in Siegen in the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament's Committee on Internal Affairs. David Young/dpa

A preliminary investigation into the alleged Islamist terrorist attack in the German city of Solingen has left key questions about the Syrian suspect unanswered, but 400 leads are being followed up, a top official said on Thursday.

The interior minister of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where last month's knife attack which killed three people occurred, said it is still unclear when Issa Al H. became radicalized.

Herbert Reul told the Interior Affairs Committee of the state parliament that he could have been radicalized in his home country, via the internet, in his refugee accommodation or in a mosque.

"We have no evidence so far," he said.

Regarding speculation that the so-called Islamic State flag was hanging in the room of the arrested suspect in his refugee centre, Reul said: "More than half of the residents of the centre have been questioned. None of them saw the flag."

It must also be clarified where the suspect was between the crime on the evening of August 23 and his arrest a day later. It is unclear whether he had met anyone and what he did.

"That's around 24 hours that we're missing," Reul added.

An investigation team in Dusseldorf with around 50 people is working on the case and is being supported by the Federal Criminal Police.

Of 900 leads, 400 are being followed up, Reul said. Investigators are questioning witnesses, identifying possible contact persons and analysing videos.
A good man

I just read an article about Walzs 1979 International Harvester Scout. Thats been one of my dream cars, since they debuted in the 60s. (Yep, Im that old of a Republican.) What really impressed me was his hands-on approach to fixing things that are broken. Im proud of him too, Gus, and a bit envious concerning that Scout. I would love to see him, Gus, and that Scout at this years Cruisin The Coast.

Death penalty

A recent Sun Herald editorial supported abolishing the death penalty. One of the reasons given is that several recent cases revealed that authorities were unable to insert an intravenous line to administer drugs that would kill the convicted inmate. Several states, including Mississippi, have voted to use nitrous oxide to carry out the death sentence. This method has also received criticism because the patient/inmate exhibits disturbing physical abnormalities before dying. I would recommend administering a sedative by intramuscular injection and then administer the nitrous oxide. All patients/inmates have access to intramuscular injection sites. This method, would basically put the patient to sleep, then allowing the nitrous oxide to be administered without any adverse effects, except the desired effect, which would result and death.

Not the same

Not being OK with innocents being killed by the thousands In Palestine does not equate with anti-semitism. Just like being against racism does not mean anti-American.

Transitional housing

Gulfport needs to answer the question posed by residents of Handsboro about the parade of strangers in our neighborhood. There is a constant stream of new faces traveling down Victory Street to Hardy Court. What exactly is going on?

Electoral college

I will cast my vote in November for a Democratic presidential candidate. It wont count for anything, except being noted in a meaningless popular vote tally. Mississippis six electoral votes will go to the Republican candidate. In 2016, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by three million votes  also meaningless. There should be no battleground states where the candidates spend all their time and money, while ignoring the rest of us. The will of the people is not being served with the Electoral College system, which is antiquated and unfair. Its past time to elect a president on the popular vote like every other race from city council on up. Someone tell me how this system is still valid in 2024.

Whitewash

Vice presidential candidate Walz actual service in the National Guard should be applauded and not denigrated. Nevertheless, his decision to retire just before his unit deployed for combat is an inglorious fact resented by his peers at the time, which many have voiced. His own words since were to intentionally embellish his military service and retirement rank to inflate his experience and importance because of political ambitions. Vets dont do that. In the rare instances it occurs, they usually get body slammed by their peers. Walz claims are embarrassingly shameful and disrespectful to all who serve or have served, so in their CNN interview the Biden-Harris team tried to restate history as merely a grammar error.

Empower parents

State Rep. Jeffery Hollum says we need to empower the judicial system and the court system and the legislative system and the juvenile system. What about empowering the parental system?

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.
SOUTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Starting January 2025, school districts will put students cell phones away after state education officials released the statewide policy encouraging no phone usage during class time.

Officials call it Free to Focus.

Kimberly Long, a parent and Fort Mill teacher, has supported the initiative since the beginning.

I think anything thats going to promote student engagement is a positive thing, Long said.

PREVIOUS: South Carolina schools limited cellphone policy to come down by October

The new approach is already receiving praise from one local teacher saying it made a world of difference. The policy was passed as a budget proviso  if districts do not adhere to it, theyd risk losing state funding.

Sherry East, President of the South Carolina Education Association says it would be detrimental to any district to lose money over the policy.

However, we agree that cell phones are a huge distraction in class. We have heard from many teachers for years, East said.

56 percent of the nearly 10,000 South Carolina teachers surveyed say cell phones cause a distraction in most or all of their classes and 9th through 11th grades lose about 4 hours of instruction time due to the distractions.

Were not here to watch Netflix movies or play games or get on social media or you know, we saw last year a lot of really disturbing, disruptive, and violent things that went on with the TikTok challenges, East said.

During the school day, students wont have their phones unless authorized including smartwatches.

Guidelines say the devices must be stored in lockers, backpacks, or otherwise as directed by the school district during the school day. The policy doesnt provide any safety precautions in case of an emergency like the Wednesday school shooting in Georgia.

That is a huge and fair concern for parents. However, I think that we have to consider that we have to look instruction overall and consider that the schools have many things in place for those kind of emergency situations, Long said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  A group of doctors, nurses and community members are calling for leadership changes at South County Hospital, saying recent management decisions are threatening to erode the hospitals future and quality of care.

The group sent an open letter Wednesday to the hospitals Board of Trustees, lawmakers and state agencies, saying they felt the need to speak out because of the deteriorating situation at the 100-bed South Kingstown facility that provides health care to residents of southern Rhode Island. (Read the full letter at the bottom of this article.)

We, the undersigned, express our deep concern and urge that the pressing issues facing South County Health and South County Hospital be addressed immediately to prevent systemic impacts on both the overall health system and patient care, wrote the group of nearly 40 people.

We have taken the unusual step of coming together to highlight that these are not isolated complaints, but broader systemic and administrative concerns that require urgent attention, they added.

The letter follows months of mounting strife between staff and administrators behind the scenes at the hospital, according to Target 12 interviews with doctors and other community members.

The situation began spilling out publicly last month when most of the hospitals oncology doctors  who treat cancer patients  announced they were leaving the hospital. Many of them signed onto the letter sent Wednesday.

The group described a lack of support and an adversarial relationship between executive leadership and providers, most recently exemplified by the resignations of the entire Cancer Center staff due to irreconcilable differences over issues directly affecting patient care.

The hospitals top executives, however, are pushing back. They point to the fact that federal regulators consider the century-old hospital a five-star facility, and how theyve received top marks for several consecutive years from hospital-rating groups, such as Leapfrog.

If it were so bad, how would that be possible? CEO Aaron Robinson told Target 12 during an interview last week. How would we be achieving those results if it was such an awful place?

Management vs. money

Robinson himself is a target of the letter, which alleged that his management style has fostered division rather than collaboration. The group characterized Robinson as having an abrupt, callous, and confrontational attitude, as well as disinterest in the well-being of practitioners, former trustees, and donors.

Asked about the criticism, Robinson acknowledged hes made some unpopular decisions in recent years. But he said those have been necessary to keep the hospital afloat financially.

Were underfunded, he said.

He also blamed state health care policy for making it nearly impossible to compete with Massachusetts and Connecticut, where insurance companies reimburse health providers at higher rates than Rhode Island.

South County Health  the hospitals parent organization  reported an operating loss of more than $6 million last fiscal year, and another $1 million in operating losses through June of the current fiscal year, which ends in October.

Just like the Washington Bridge had signs of a failing infrastructure, theres a failing infrastructure in health care in this state and weve kicked the can down the road year after year, Robinson said, adding he hopes state leaders will get more serious about tackling these issues.

Lets not be in the same position where the house burns down, or the Washington Bridge fails, before we act on it, he added.

The group of concerned medical professionals, however, said the internal issues are more attributable to leadership than finances. And they said whenever they tried raising their concerns with leadership in the past it fell on deaf ears.

Many patients are understandably worried over who would treat them during potentially life-ending illnesses and do not want to rely on unknown temporary providers to develop trust and confidence required for keeping positive attitudes during these serious health challenges, wrote the group.

For example, the group said leadership has demanded that doctors see greater volumes of patients who come through the hospital  which generates more money but means doctors spend less time with each patient.

The group also pointed to staffing shortages they said have led to increased patient wait times, backlogs for diagnostic tests, and the relocation of staff offices to the basement.

The letter also highlighted unresolved issues within the OB-GYN practice, unreasonable organizational benchmarks for patient care visits, and a critical shortage of pulmonary services, with only one doctor currently managing an overwhelming backlog of patients.

Asked whether he considers himself a tough person to work with, Robinson defended his record and suggested its more reflective of people getting upset because hes had to make tough decisions.

Unfortunately, we as a small subscale health system in an under-reimbursed state that has many, many challenges  we have to make Sophies choices on an ongoing basis and sometimes those decisions are unpopular, Robinson said.

He pointed to the oncology doctors leaving, saying there was a disagreement over what to do with the department. Robinson said the doctors wanted to merge with a Florida-based for-profit company, but executives determined it wasnt a good fit for the nonprofit health system.

They can say its a style issue, he added. But at the end of the day, I think its more that people dont like to hear no, and we have to say no, sometimes.

The future of South County Hospital

Sitting alongside Robinson for the interview, Board of Trustees Chairman Joseph Matthews stood by his CEO.

He said Robinson is the right person to usher the hospital through tough financial times, and he likewise blamed state policy for causing financial hardship at hospitals in Rhode Island.

The executive leadership team that Aaron leads is following the directives of the board, Matthews told Target 12. Its a high-performing team and the results show it.

To highlight his point, Matthews pointed to a hospital-commissioned Rhode Island Foundation report released earlier this year that showed private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare in Rhode Island reimbursed providers at rates roughly 20% lower than Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The disparity, he said, means South County Health is making about $20 million less than it might if it were operating in a neighboring state. And he said the dynamic makes it challenging to compete regionally when it comes to hiring, wages and balancing budgets.

If we were on rate parity with our adjoining states  that would be a $20 million swing and we wouldnt be talking about a $6 million loss, he said.

Despite the financial woes, Robinson and Matthews downplayed the idea that South County Hospital will close its doors. But they acknowledged a growing need to affiliate with another organizations in order to survive.

And they suggested some specialty services  especially those losing money  may need to slim down, affiliate or shut down.

We cant continue to lose $6 million each year, Matthews said. We have to get to zero.

The group of concerned health care workers, however, didnt share in the optimism that the hospital would remain a viable health care facility under the status quo. And they urged the board and state officials take note of whats happening and to take action.

The potential decline in care stems from management decisions that challenge the survival of the hospital founded 105 years ago, wrote the group. This is a pivotal moment and we have taken the extraordinary step to let our voices be heard to help find necessary remedies, including the replacement of top management.

Read the full letter to the hospitals Board of Trustees

South-County-Hospital-Letter

Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Parsons, Kan.  A four-year long effort to recruit and retain talented education professionals, appears to be paying off so far in the Parsons School District.

In fact, that was the main focus of the districts 2019 strategic plan. Teachers received a 6% salary increase last year, while staff also got pay increases.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding from the federal government to address impacts of COVID-19 helped give teacher retention bonuses. New money from the state  thanks to a budget surplus  has helped keep salaries competitive in southeast Kansas.

The district is also offering courses at the high school to help spark student interest in becoming a teacher  a grow our own initiative.

Over the last few years, employee satisfaction has grown roughly 20% in both school climate and staff leadership.

The best part of it is its paying off. I think this year weve had the least amount of turnover weve had in over 10 years. So, its really hard to find teachers and weve got good ones here in Parsons and we want to keep them. So, doing everything we can to retain those teachers is important, said Parsons USD 503 Assistant Superintendent, Jeff Pegues.

They see what were doing, they see that were working hard. So, because of that, they want to make sure that we stay here and that they reward us, essentially, for working hard, said third grade teacher, Shelby Liska.

The online application process has been simplified to attract a more diverse talent pool, and teacher mentorship opportunities have been implemented.

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The oppressive heat wave broiling Southern California and the Southwestern U.S. is expected to bring triple-digit temperatures to much of the region for at least the next few days.

It reached 101 degrees in downtown Los Angeles Thursday afternoon  the first time the local temperature has reached triple digits in two years  and is expected to stay in the low 100s on Friday, according to Joe Sirard, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard.

In the western San Fernando Valley, temperatures had already reached 115 degrees on Thursday and were expected to be between 110 and 118 degrees on Friday, he said. The San Gabriel Valley will see temperatures as high as 106 on Thursday and 109 on Friday.

"It's a widespread, dangerous heat event," Sirard said. "It's significant in terms of how hot it's going to be and the duration. We have overnight lows that will be very, very warm to even hot, so we're looking at the foothill areas remaining over 90 degrees."

Read more: Worst of dangerous SoCal heat wave hitting over next few days: What to know

It'll be cooler  but still toasty  along the coast, with thermometers peaking in the upper 70s at the beaches and in the low 90s a few miles inland, Sirard said. On Friday, it'll be around 100 degrees in Long Beach and 80 degrees at the coast.

Southern Californians shouldn't expect a major reprieve until Tuesday, as high temperatures will only tick down 2 to 3 degrees over the weekend. Valleys will see temperatures of up to 112 on Monday, with triple-digit temps also forecast in inland areas closer to the coast.

Temperatures are expected to drop Tuesday and Wednesday, reaching levels closer to normal in most areas.

Heat waves aren't unusual in September  this month is the warmest of the year for some parts of L.A. But this latest event is still remarkable for its intensity.

"We wouldn't necessarily get this extreme heat in September, but it can happen," Sirard said.

Read more: 100 days of 100-degree misery: A summer of relentless, oppressive heat across the West

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for much of the Los Angeles area  including the inland coastal plain all the way to the Santa Monica Mountains  until 8 p.m. Saturday, with "dangerously hot conditions" and temperatures between 95 and 110 degrees expected.

There is a higher risk for heat-related illness for the elderly, young and those spending time outdoors and without air conditioning. People should drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check on their neighbors and relatives.

Young children and pets should never be left in unattended vehicles, officials warn, as temperatures inside cars could reach deadly levels within minutes.

A red flag warning, which means the National Weather Service has high confidence that dangerous fire weather conditions will materialize, is in effect for southern and mountainous portions of Santa Barbara County through Saturday. People should avoid using anything that could spark a fire and be prepared to evacuate if they live in high-risk areas.

Read more: Two fires, fueled by heat and dry winds, inch toward communities in Sierra and Fresno counties

Sirard cautioned against hiking during the extreme heat, and said the Santa Monica Mountains are particularly dangerous in this weather.

"The higher you go in the mountains and foothills, it's actually just going to be just as hot if not hotter than the lower areas," he said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(KRON)  The City of Oakland is suing Southwest Airlines for allegedly violating the citys minimum wage and sick leave ordinances. According to Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parkers office, the airline also violated Oaklands civil protection for the people of Oakland ordinance and California labor code.

The lawsuit stems from Southwest allegedly breaching a December 2020 settlement agreement between the airline and the city.

Despite seven years of investigations and negotiations, Southwest continues to deprive thousands of its Oakland employees of their rights under Oakland and California paid sick leave laws, said Parkers office in a statement.

Lyft to lay off one percent of employees, cut back on bikes and scooters

The lawsuit alleges that Southwest breached the 2020 agreement with the city by refusing to restore earned paid sick leave hours to employees. Furthermore, the suit maintains Southwest has engaged of new violation of city and state law by:

Denying employees the right to use their earned paid sick leave as entitled by law

Retaliating against employees by disciplining them when they use or seek to use paid sick leave and by discouraging them from exercising their rights and making complaints to the city

Failing to provide employees with paid sick leave-related records and information

The City of Oakland is committed to protecting workers by ensuring that all employers in Oakland are complying with laws that protect their rights, said Parker.

Oakland voters passed Measure FF, the Minimum Wage and Sick Leave Ordinance in 2014, establishing a minimum wage and requiring Oakland employers to provide paid sick leave to employees.

The citys lawsuit seeks that Southwest, among other things:

Comply with the law and with the December 2020 settlement

Pay restitution, damages, penalties, and other relief to affected workers

Remedy any adverse employment consequences for employees

Pay monetary penalties and the citys enforcement costs

In response, Southwest said it complies with applicable sick laws and it will vigorously defend itself in court. Read the airlines full statement below:

Southwest Airlines fully complies with applicable sick leave laws in Oakland and California, as well as with the terms of a December 2020 settlement agreement with the city. Although Southwest remains willing to address the citys concerns about sick leave policies, the airline is prepared to vigorously defend itself against these frivolous claims in court, including by asking the court to address the citys own breach of the settlement agreement.

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A new Starlink mission will launch on Sept. 4, 2024. | Credit: SpaceX via Twitter

SpaceX will launch a new batch of its Starlink satellites into orbit on Thursday (Sept. 5) after a one-day delay due to weather and you'll be able to watch it live online. In fact, it's the first of two SpaceX launches today.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 21 Starlink internet satellites to space from the company's Space Launch Complex 40 pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff is now scheduled to launch at 11:33 a.m. EDT (1533 GMT). You can watch it live on SpaceX's X account (formerly Twitter), starting about five minutes before liftoff. A second Falcon 9 rocket will launch late tonight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to deliver a classified NROL-113 payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office. That mission will lift off at 11:20 p.m. EDT (9:20 p.m. PT/0320 Sept. 6 GMT) and will also be streamed live on X.

SpaceX initially aimed to launch the Starlink 8-11 mission, as the company calls it, on Sept. 4, but delayed it by 24 hours due to "unfavorable booster recovery weather conditions in the Atlantic." On Thursday, the company pushed the launch time back another three hours. Included among the new Starlink satellites are 13 units with "Direct to Cell" capabilities, SpaceX said in a mission description. The company has a backup launch window at 12:31 p.m. EDT (1631 GMT) on Thursday.

SpaceX's Starlink 8-11 mission will fly on a veteran Falcon 9 first-stage booster that is making its 15th flight with Thursday's launch. The booster is expected to return to Earth just over eight minutes after liftoff, landing on SpaceX's drone ship Just Read The Instructions nearby in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Falcon 9 rocket previously launched eight Starlink missions, NASA's Crew-5 astronaut flight in March 2023, a Northrop Grumman NG-20 Cygnus cargo mission and a Dragon supply flight for NASA, two commercial satellite missions and one Space Force GPS III flight.

The Falcon 9 booster launching the NROL-113 payload is an even more accomplished veteran. It will be making its 20th flight after successfully launching 14 Starlink missions, a series of commercial satellite flights and science flights for NASA, including the agency's DART asteroid crash mission and the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-watching satellite, according to a mission overview.

RELATED STORIES:

 Starlink satellites: Facts, tracking and impact on astronomy

 SpaceX's new direct-to-cell Starlink satellites are way brighter than the originals

 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket suffers failure during Starlink satellite launch (video)

Thursday's launches will be the third Starlink mission and fourth overall in a week as SpaceX continues to build up its space-based megaconstellation to provide high-speed internet access around the globe and fulfill customer flights. The company launched two Starlink missions, each with 21 satellites, in just over an hour on Saturday (Aug. 31). Like today's flight, each of those earlier missions included 13 direct-to-cell satellites, which can provide internet service directly to mobile smartphones.

All four Starlink missions come less than a week after a failed Falcon 9 booster landing at sea on Aug. 28. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation into that issue is ongoing, but SpaceX was cleared for launches while it is underway, FAA officials have said.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 9 am ET on Sept. 5 to note SpaceX's new launch time for Starlink 8-11 and its second launch for NROL-113.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is prepping House Republicans for a spending battle with Senate Democrats, opting for a strategy that pleases former President Trump and hard-line conservatives but complicates the path to averting a government shutdown at the end of the month.

The plan  which pairs a six-month continuing resolution (CR) with a Trump-supported bill to require proof of citizenship to register to vote  grants a win to the House Freedom Caucus, which pushed for a longer stopgap that includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. But it is already drawing doubts from rank-and-file members who are skeptical it will prove effective and concerned it could damage the party electorally.

Those dynamics are thrusting Johnson into a familiar yet thorny situation: caught between firebrand hard-liners and apprehensive moderates, staring down a Senate Democratic majority, and scrambling to fund the government with just weeks to go until the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.

Johnson rolled out his opening salvo in the spending battle during a House GOP conference call Wednesday, arguing that the length of the CR  which would stave off a shutdown through March 2025  is the only practical option, according to a source on the call.

[It] has a lot of merit, Johnson said of the CR-plus-SAVE Act legislation, the source added.

Other Republicans, however, were not immediately convinced, with members acknowledging that the Democratic-controlled Senate is all but certain to reject the package. The Biden administration opposes the SAVE Act, noting noncitizen voting is already illegal and expressing worries about eligible voters being blocked from voter rolls if enacted.

We all know the only thing that will get through is a clean cr! Other than that its shut down city! one member on the call told The Hill in a text message, calling the gambit fruitless. The lawmaker, however, said they would support the effort.

At least two Republicans have already come out against the proposal. Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) told The Hill he will vote no on the bill, and Rep. Matt Rosendale (Mont.) derided the legislation as a messaging bill.

And Rep. Nick LaLota (N.Y.)  one of the 17 Republicans representing districts President Biden won in 2020  asked Johnson on the call what the conference will do if the Senate sends back a clean CR. He warned that a shutdown at the end of the month would jeopardize 10 incumbents, according to the source on the call.

Johnson, nonetheless, is plowing full steam ahead. The Speaker responded to LaLota by saying they cannot assume the strategy will fail, the source said, and that Republicans will have to want to win.

LaLota later told The Hill he would vote yes on the CR-SAVE Act bill.

The early opposition  and lingering skepticism  creates a complicated situation for Johnson, who will need near-unanimity from the House GOP conference to get his CR-plus-SAVE Act over the finish line amid widespread Democratic resistance. Republicans can only afford to lose four members on any party-line vote.

Democrats are already signaling their opposition, with House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) taking particular aim at the length of the CR.

We need a continuing resolution because House Republicans let their most extreme members drive the ship, DeLauro said, in reference to GOP disputes tanking or blocking multiple partisan regular funding bills earlier this year. A continuing resolution that ends in December  rather than one that lasts a half year  is better for our national security and military readiness, veterans and their families, victims recovering from natural disasters, and all hardworking American taxpayers. Let us hope the majority does not drive us straight to a Republican shutdown.

Republicans in support of the gambit, however, are hopeful the plan could help them gain leverage in the funding fight.

The House approved the SAVE Act in July in a 221-198 vote. Five vulnerable Democrats  Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.)  joined all Republicans in support of the measure, which has since languished in the Senate.

The theory from the hard-liners is that pairing the bills could force Democrats to take another look at the voting legislation  or place the burden of a potential shutdown on the Democrats.

Let them own it, said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a Freedom Caucus member.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), the lead sponsor of the SAVE Act and top advocate of the plan to pair it with the CR, said House Republicans should unite around something that is pretty easily sellable.

Republicans can sit around and hand-wringing and do their usual claptrap, or they can get on board, unite and then figure out how were going to strategize through the next two months, Roy told The Hill in an interview. But we got to figure out what were going to do about government funding, and we got to figure out what were going to do about picking a fight that differentiates us from Democrats.

Pairing the SAVE Act with the CR also grants a request from Trump, who has continued to focus on unsubstantiated allegations of illegal voting as the calendar inches closer to Election Day. Trump  who appeared alongside Johnson to roll out the SAVE Act in April  waded into the spending debate last week, saying on Monica Crowleys podcast that he would shut down the government in a heartbeat if they dont get it.

And it could help Johnson down the line as he looks to remain at the top of the House GOP conference. Those assessing Johnsons prospects for keeping his spot at the helm next year have watched closely to see how he handles the spending deadline. Adopting the tactic pushed by conservatives and Trump could put him in their good graces.

Perhaps more important than the voting bill, however, is that the conservative push to extend funding into 2025 aims to avoid an end-of-year omnibus negotiated by party leaders that is favorable to Democrats but abhorred by conservative hard-liners. Rather than approving the funding under a lame-duck President Biden, they say, it could set up a potential new Trump administration to fund its own priorities.

Roy indicated to The Hill last week that if Republicans can unite behind a SAVE Act-plus-CR that the Senate rejects, negotiators can figure out an off-ramp that prioritizes avoiding an end-of-year-omnibus.

The source on the Wednesday House GOP call said Johnson alluded to the idea that the six-month CR could give Trump an opportunity to influence government funding if he wins the White House. He also argued that any CR into December would likely get pushed until March anyway, making the six-month stopgap the only practical path forward.

Not all House Republicans are sold on that logic. One warned against making assumptions about the election cycle  and how spending negotiations could complicate the start of the new Congress.

Youre going to put brand new members that just got elected on a really tough vote on an appropriations package when they dont even understand the appropriations process, the member said, noting Congress will also have to deal with the debt limit in January.

Even if Trump wins, the member said, his new administration may not be equipped to handle a spending deadline so soon.

How in the world do you expect to get an administration settled and in place and then have a debt ceiling fight and an appropriations fight without having the proper folks in place? the House Republican said.

Trumps campaign did not answer The Hills questions about whether he supports a stopgap lasting into 2025.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a moderate who hails from a swing district, told The Hill he prefers a shorter CR because our military struggles with a six-month CR.

Theres a lot of major programs going on that are affected by a long-term CR, he said. If I could advocate, I would prefer a shorter CR, mainly for our national security. But if its that or a shutdown, obviously, we prefer to not shut down.

Some fiscal hawks, meanwhile, are outright opposed to the package, raising questions about whether the GOP will have the votes for the package next week.

Rosendale, who is opposed to any type of CR in principle, criticized the CR-plus-SAVE Act plan in a post on the social platform X, saying Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will not be convinced to consider the SAVE Act simply because it is attached to a CR.

And Massie told The Hill he will vote against the package next week because he would prefer a CR that lasts a full year  allowing for automatic 1 percent spending cuts that he had championed as part of a different deal last year to kick in, if the CR extends past April 30.

As Johnson prepares to move on the CR-plus-SAVE Act package, House Republicans are buckling up for what will likely be a rollercoaster of a process  a bitter funding fight with the 2024 election in the backdrop. Bacon, however, expressed confidence Johnson will avert a shutdown and force a compromise with Senate Democrats and the White House.

Most people dont like shutdowns; its a sign of dysfunctional government. And I believe Speaker Johnson feels the same way. Ive talked to him many times, Bacon said. I trust Speaker Johnson. I think hes earned my trust on these things. I believe in the end hell negotiate with the Senate and the president and the ranking members, and well go from there.

Aris Folley contributed.

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UPDATE at 12:30 p.m.

The Mayor of Springfield has released a statement on Wednesdays shooting where a police officer shot a suspect who fired a gun while resisting officers:

As Mayor of Springfield, I want to assure our community that we are committed to full transparency regarding the officer-involved shooting incident that took place on September 4th. The Springfield Police Department is actively engaging with local stakeholders and advocacy groups to provide the complete body camera footage of the incident. We are cooperating with the Illinois State Police to ensure a thorough, independent investigation as required by our policies and state law. We are dedicated to maintaining trust and creating open communication with our residents. I ask for your continued patience and support as we work through the investigation. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher

The city is also planning on holding a news conference at 3 p.m. related to the shooting.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  A Springfield man is in stable condition after police said he shot at officers Wednesday evening, prompting one officer to fire back.

According to the Springfield Police Department, it happened around 11:30 p.m. near South 18th and East Kansas Streets.

Officials said that earlier in the evening, officers responded to reports of shots being fired near South 16th and East Cedar Streets. They said someone fired into a home from a car and took off. After recovering shell casings and interviewing witnesses, officers were able to identify the car and the suspect, who they also believed to have been involved in a recent robbery.

Two officers injured after shooting in Macomb

At 11:30 p.m., officers found the car with the suspect sitting in the front passenger seat. When officers tried taking the suspect into custody, officials said he resisted and fired a shot in the immediate proximity of the officers. An officer quickly returned fired, striking the suspect.

Officers began life-saving efforts, and the suspect was transported to HSHS St. Johns Hospital, where he is now in stable condition.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the use of force in this incident. Springfield Police also said the officers on scene have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol.

This is a developing story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Improving school security is back in the spotlight following a deadly shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday.

Springfield Public Schools are discussing a contract renewal with the Springfield Police Department that would continue granting police access to school cameras in hallways and outside of school buildings to aid in investigations.

Teen charged with killing 4 at Georgia high school was focus of earlier threat tips

No one is saying the cameras are going to stop something, but it will certainly aid in the response, says Adam Fenn, Director of Safety and Security for Springfield Public Schools.

This comes as schools across the country are back on high alert, following Wednesdays deadly shooting at a Georgia High School. Now ensuring the safety of students is more urgent than ever.

Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools Dr. Sonia Dinall told 22News, This new development most definitely makes this conversation very timely. Police access to school cameras has received both praise for the added security measure, and pushback with privacy concerns.

The Springfield Police Department only had access to the interior cameras six times in just over three years, most recently for the shooting incident at Sci-Tech last March. This is not police officers monitoring these cameras, its civilians that work in the police department. When the calls go out they are able to access them in real-time to see whats going on, says Fenn.

Springfield Police Spokesperson Ryan Walsh adds, We are here to help in a catastrophic event, also if theres a fire in the chemistry lab, something like that. We can help the fire department to make sure the schools are clear and the kids are safe.

The Springfield School Committee will have until the end of September to vote on approving the policy before the contract ends.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 24-year-old Gouverneur woman is facing charges after allegedly illegal cannabis sales from a smoke shop in Gouverneur.

New York State Police charged Rhionna Durham after a long-term, multiple-agency investigation of illegal cannabis and controlled substance sales from unlicensed cannabis stores. Durham allegedly made these sales at Smokers Corner, which is located at 985 State Route 11 in Gouverneur.

St. Lawrence County DA announces plea in murder of Massena Toddler

She was charged with three counts of counts of Unlicensed Cannabis Sale, two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance  Intent to Sell. These two counts are felonies.

Durham was arraigned in the Town of Gouverneur Court and released on her own recognizance.

State Police was assisted the Gouverneur Police Department, Ogdensburg Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Border Patrol, and Canton Police Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP)  Trial began Tuesday in Florida for four activists accused of illegally acting as Russian agents to help the Kremlin sow political discord and interfere in U.S. elections.

All four are or were affiliated with the African Peoples Socialist Party and Uhuru Movement, which has locations in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis. Among those charged is Omali Yeshitela, the 82-year-old chairman of the U.S.-based organization focused on Black empowerment and the effort to obtain reparations for slavery and what it considers the past genocide of Africans.

In an opening statement, Yeshitela attorney Ade Griffin said the group shared many goals of a Russian organization called the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia but was not acting under control of that nations government.

Ladies and gentlemen, that simply is not true, Griffin told a racially mixed jury. This is a case about censorship.

Yeshitela and two others face charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and failing to register with the Justice Department as agents of a foreign government. The fourth defendant, who later founded a separate group in Atlanta called Black Hammer, faces only the conspiracy charge. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Three Russians, two of whom prosecutors say are Russian intelligence agents, are also charged in the case but have not been arrested.

Although there are some echoes of claims that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, U.S. District Judge William Jung said those issues are not part of this case.

This trial will not address Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Jung said in an order dated Monday.

In his opening statement, Justice Department attorney Menno Goedman said the groups members acted under Russian direction to stage protests in 2016 claiming Black people have been victims of genocide in the U.S. and took other actions for the following six years that would benefit Russia, including opposition to U.S. policy in the Ukraine war.

This is about dividing Americans, dividing communities, turning neighbor against neighbor, Goedman told jurors. The defendants acted at the direction of the Russian government to sow division right here in the U.S.

That included support for a St. Petersburg City Council candidate in 2019 that the Russians claimed to supervise, according to the criminal indictment. The candidate lost that race and has not been charged in the case.

Much of the alleged cooperation involved support for Russians invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, Yeshitela held a news conference in which he said the African Peoples Socialist Party calls for unity with Russia in its defensive war in Ukraine against the world colonial powers. He also called for the independence of the Russian-occupied Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

The defense attorneys, however, said despite their connections to the Russian organization, the actions taken by the African Peoples Socialist Party and Uhuru Movement were aligned precisely with what they have advocated for more than 50 years. Yeshitela founded the organization in 1972 as a Black empowerment group opposed to vestiges of colonialism around the world.

They shared some common beliefs, said attorney Leonard Goodman, who represents defendant Penny Hess. That makes them threatening.

Yeshitela, Hess and fellow defendant Jesse Nevel face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy and foreign agent registration charge. The fourth defendant, Augustus Romain, could get a maximum of five years if convicted of the registration count.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Whats at stake in Mexico's judicial system under sweeping overhaul pushed by the president

A protester holds a poster that reads in Spanish "Senator, don't vote in favor" against the judicial reform bill, outside the Senate in Mexico City, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, the day after Congress passed legislation that would require all judges to stand for election. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos governing party says judges in the current court system are corrupt, and it wants to push through an extreme proposal to make the countrys entire judicial branch  around 7,000 judges  stand for election.

While some countries like Switzerland and the United States elect some judges indirectly or at the local level, outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants citizens to vote on every single judge, appeals court member and justice all the way up to the Supreme Court. The president has clashed repeatedly with judges throughout his six-year term, which ends Sept. 30.

In its present form, the overhaul has drawn criticism domestically and from abroad and leaves a lot of questions to be answered. As the country's Senate prepares to debate  and likely vote in favor of  the contentious overhaul, Mexico's Supreme Court is examining if it can weigh in on challenges to the proposal.

Here is a look at some of the biggest issues at stake.

How would the elections work?

People would only need a law degree, decent grades, five years of undefined judicial area experience and a letter of recommendation from anyone to run for some judgeships. The candidates applications would be winnowed down by a committee of experts, and the names of the finalists would then be drawn from a hat, in some cases. Supreme Court justices would require 10 years' experience, but would also be elected.

But many questions remain unanswered, including, for example, how many names would be on the ballots. Hundreds, or potentially thousands, of relatively unknown people could be running for these positions.

Would voters research and read the resumes of all these people, or would political parties simply hand out a list of their preferred candidates to supporters?

It's also not clear who would pay for the candidates' election campaigns.

While the proposal sets limits on campaigning and spending, people who are willing to finance a judgeship candidate may well be those who have a vested interest in court cases.

How does someone become a judge now?

Judges and court secretaries (something like assistant judges) currently work their way up to higher positions by periodic reviews and evaluation committees.

There are clearly problems with cronyism and favoritism in the current model, and it isn't very good at punishing corrupt judges. At the highest levels, some are nominated or selected by the legislative or executive branches.

What else would the overhaul do?

It would create so-called faceless judges to hear organized crime cases, to protect their identities and avoid reprisals, threats or pressure against them.

It would create a judicial disciplinary committee that could rule not just on judicial misconduct like bribes, mishandling evidence or improper delays, but also conduct investigations into judges for their legal reasoning.

It would reduce the Supreme Court from 11 justices to nine, and their terms to 12 years from the current 15.

How would it be implemented?

The overhaul has to be approved by the two chambers of Congress. The lower chamber, dominated by the governing party, has already voted in favor by a wide margin. The measure is now headed to the Senate, where it's expected to pass by a razor-thin margin. It must then win approval in 17 of the countrys 32 state legislatures, where the governing party also appears to have sufficient votes.

Once enacted, apart from the cost and time involved in organizing such massive elections, the current judges would all have to be fired and given severance pay. Fired judges could run as candidates. Many of the newly elected judges would be walking into specialized courtrooms and appeals courts that they have never seen or argued cases in before. The learning curve could be long.

Could the overhaul work?

The governing party says letting voters decide would make judges more responsive to the popular will and make it easier to punish bad ones.

But in Mexico, the main problem isn't that corrupt judges dismiss too many cases. Its that police and prosecutors are so ill-trained and overwhelmed that more than 90% of crimes are never brought to court at all.

Has something like this been tried before?

In 2009, Bolivia implemented voting for some judgeships, but a lot of voters turned in blank ballots and the process has been frozen for the time being.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
As cities and counties across Florida face an Oct. 1 deadline for a new state law that will prohibit people from sleeping or camping in public spaces, Miami-Dade County commissioners voted Wednesday to move forward with plans to convert a Cutler Bay hotel into subsidized housing for homeless seniors.

Counties are legally responsible for enforcing the ban, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in March. In many places, anyone sleeping in public will face arrest.

Under pressure to manage Miami-Dades 1,000-person unsheltered population in the coming weeks, county commissioners scheduled a vote on the hotel conversion to take place at a meeting Sept. 17.

The homeless crisis is deepening in our county, particularly when we look at aging adults, said Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who supports the project.

The Cutler Bay project involves a rehabbed La Quinta property at 10821 Caribbean Blvd. that would be able to house roughly 130 residents who are 55 or older. Miami-Dades homelessness agency, the Homeless Trust, is awaiting final approval from commissioners to purchase the property for $14 million after an initial vote to advance the project in May.

A plan by the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust to convert this La Quinta Inn motel in Cutler Bay into affordable apartments for the formerly houseless has sparked a backlash from town officials and residents.

While noting the importance of providing stable and permanent housing to low-income homeless seniors, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, who represents Cutler Bay, remained vociferously opposed to the project.

I do not, cannot and will not support the measure, she said Wednesday.

Over her objections, commissioners voted 10-3 to suspend normal procedural rules that gave her the exclusive rights to introduce the legislation needed to close the deal, with only Kevin Cabrera, Anthony Rodriguez and Cohen Higgins dissenting. That allows the proposal to move forward to a final vote later this month.

At previous meetings, critics charged that La Quintas location  next to the soon-to-be-redeveloped Southland Mall  made it a poor choice for the subsidized housing project. Its on land wed like to develop, Cutler Bay Town Manager Rafael Casals told the Miami Herald after the meeting.

Cohen Higgins, meanwhile, focused on the La Quintas price tag.

Although the Homeless Trust has agreed to purchase the property for $14 million, four appraisals have valued it at just under $10 million. Cohen Higgins questioned that discrepancy and asserted that better, more affordable options are possible.

Were paying above the appraised value; we dont hide that, Homeless Trust Chairman Ron Book told the Herald after the meeting. Between unavoidable buyout fees that need to be paid to La Quinta and rebooking rooms for the hotels would-be guests, costs added up.

But theres a lack of housing availability, and we dont have the time or the money to build our way out of that problem, Book said, adding, There isnt another location in the county that works from a size, capacity and cost perspective. We searched long and hard.

The meeting took a more contentious turn when Cohen Higgins called into question the Homeless Trusts transparency. The Trust, whose budget is north of $136 million per year, hasnt been audited in the last decade, she proffered.

Types of audits vary. The Trusts director, Victoria Mallette OBrien, clarified that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the state of Florida, both of which provide the Trust with funding, regularly audit the organization.

Speaking outside the commission chambers, Jose de la Torre, a 62-year-old chef who found himself sleeping on the streets after running into health troubles last year, said he hoped the county would approve the hotel purchase. De la Torre said he has since found his way into a shelter but that proposals like the La Quinta project would offer people like him more reliable housing.

Pointing to his blue shirt, which dozens of the measures backers wore to the meeting, de la Torre smiled.

I would be a good neighbor, he said, reading the words written in big white letters on the shirts front.

This story was produced with financial support from supporters including The Green Family Foundation Trust and Ken OKeefe, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
NEWINGTON, Conn. (WTNH)  Connecticut State Police tracked down two drivers after an illegal street race Wednesday morning put commuters near Newington in danger.

The reckless driving was witnessed by a Trooper from Troop H at 7:20 a.m. while they were traveling southbound on Route 9 near Exit 39. The Trooper observed two vehicles traveling southbound approaching him at a high rate of speed that were cutting in and out of traffic in what appeared to be a race.

The Trooper caught up to the vehicles and recorded their license plates. The vehicles were a black Acura RSX and a blue Audi S5.

Both vehicles continued at speeds up to 110 mph putting other rush hour drivers at risks. The Trooper determined that neither vehicle intended to stop and he called off his pursuit for the safety of morning commuters.

Aryana Pereira arrest photo courtesy of the Connecticut State Police.

Ainsworth Salmon arrest photo courtesy of Connecticut State Police.

Troopers determined that the Acura was registered to a New Britain residence. They met with the owner who explained that the car was being borrowed by 31-year-old Ainsworth Salmon from Bloomfield.

The owner of the Acura contacted Salmon and at 10:00 a.m., Salmon turned himself in to Troop H. He was charged with Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Improper Passing, Disobeying the Signal of an Officer and Operating Without a License.

State Police followed the same procedure with the Audi and spoke with the registered owner in East Hartford. The owner contacted 20-year-old Aryana Pereira, who had been driving the Audi during the race.

Pereira only possessed a learners permit at the time of arrest and she was not accompanied by a licensed driver. She was charged with Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, Improper Passing, Disobeying the Signal of an Officer and Operating Without a License.

Both Pereira and Salmon were released on $1,500 bond and both are due to appear in court on October 4th.

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Greenpeace is suing Shell over its plans to exploit the Jackdaw oil field. The energy giant says it will contest the case - Greenpeace

Two of the worlds biggest energy companies have vowed to defend their oil and gas projects against Greenpeace in court, after Ed Miliband dropped a legal fight in defence of the North Sea.

Shell has pledged to take on Greenpeace in a crucial courtroom battle that could affect the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Equinor, the Norwegian state energy company, also confirmed plans to mount a defence in a separate but related case.

Both will argue that bowing to activists and abandoning the projects would hurt Britains energy security.

Shell will also argue before a judge that Greenpeaces demands to halt development of its Jackdaw gas field would raise serious safety concerns.

The two sides will meet in the Scottish high courts where Greenpeace is challenging the Governments decision to licence Jackdaw, 150 miles east of Aberdeen.

Greenpeace has argued that ministers failed to consider the climate impacts of the emissions from burning Jackdaws gas.

After Greenpeace started its action, the Supreme Court ruled that such emissions must be assessed in licensing decisions. That decision prompted Mr Miliband, the Energy Secretary, to abandon any defence of the Jackdaw licence.

Mr Milibands decision to effectively side with Greenpeace has been described as a death knell for the North Sea industry as it opened the door for environmental campaigners to shut down a wide range of projects through lawsuits.

Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, decided the Government should not fight legal challenges to North Sea drilling - Peter Nicholls/Getty Images

However, Shell has decided to take on Greenpeace, arguing that Jackdaw is a vital project for UK energy security and that it would be risky to abandon it when drilling is so far advanced.

The safety concerns relate to the extreme nature of the field, which lies under 5,200 metres of rock at temperatures of 190C and pressures of more than 1,000 atmospheres.

A Shell spokesman said in a statement: From the outset, Jackdaw has been developed in line with all relevant consents and permits. At the judicial review, Shell will argue that those existing consents to develop Jackdaw should remain in place.

We accept the UK Supreme Courts ruling in the Finch case, but will argue that Jackdaw is a vital project for UK energy security that is already well underway. Stopping the work is a highly complex process, with significant technical and safety issues now that infrastructure is in place and drilling has started in the North Sea.

Jackdaw will provide fuel for UK customers  enough to heat 1.4m homes  strengthening energy independence for Britain, as other older gas fields reach the end of production.

The Jackdaw gas field was approved more than two years ago and will comprise four new production wells linked to an unmanned platform.

Drilling is advanced, with plans for the gas produced to be pumped to the Shearwater gas hub via a 20-mile pipeline. There, it will enter a much longer pipeline taking it ashore in St Fergus in Scotland, where it will enter the UK gas network.

Shell estimates that Jackdaw will produce nearly 7m cubic metres of gas a day  about 6pc of the UKs current production.

Greenpeaces case against Jackdaw is running in parallel with its separate but linked case against the Rosebank oil field.

Rosebank is a reserve in deep water 60 miles west of Shetland that is being developed by Equinor. Uplift, another environmental group, is pursuing a similar case seeking to overturn the Governments decision to licence Rosebank.

Equinor has confirmed it will mount a legal defence to protect its licence, and Ithaca Energy which has a 20pc stake in Rosebank, is expected to do the same.

An Equinor spokesman said: The Rosebank project is progressing according to plan. It is a vital project for the UK in terms of investment, job creation and energy security.

The cases around Rosebank and Jackdaw are expected to reach court in November and will be heard together.

Greenpeace called on all three companies to slow or halt work pending the outcome and a linked government review.

In a statement it said: The Government has accepted that the grants of consent are unlawful. Whilst it is still open for the oil companies to fight these cases they do so in the knowledge that both the Supreme Court and the Government accept that Scope 3 emissions must be assessed.

If such projects are blocked, it could lead to massive compensation claims from the companies against the Government. Developers typically incur billions of pounds in set-up costs that they may seek to recoup.

Sir Keir Starmer made conciliatory comments about oil and gas at this weeks prime ministerial questions, where he said: Oil and gas will play their part for many years to come, and that is why I have been clear about the support that we have for them.

Ashley Kelty, director of oil and gas research at Panmure Liberum investment bank, said the outcome of the case would be vital for the UKs offshore sector.

He said: Failure for Shell will see all offshore operators open to legal challenge, and that would kill off investment and accelerate decommissioning.

He added: Equinor is furious that Starmer told them in person that he would not allow anything to hinder the development of Rosebank  which has been proven not to be the case.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which oversees licensing for oil and gas, was asked for a response.

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Stripers at Waterside abruptly closed and laid off staff without explanation, workers say

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  Stripers seafood restaurant at Waterside in Norfolk abruptly closed its doors this week and laid off its staff without a warning or an explanation, workers say.

Stripers website still shows no changes, but its Facebook page says its now permanently closed.

Though the closure doesnt appear to be permanent, 10 On Your Side learned Stripers, which opened at Waterside in 2017, plans to reopen next month, seemingly with a brand new staff.

Two workers who spoke to 10 On Your Side on Wednesday said they were blindsided by the move.

Lauren, a lead server, said the staff was told Sunday night that the restaurant would be closing effective immediately and that they were all being laid off. It came about 30 minutes after ownership met with managers, Lauren said.

We were all left jobless with no warning, Lauren said. No time to prepare. We werent asked to sign any termination paperwork, nothing of the sort. We were just told not to return on Wednesday because they were going to be closing, which from my understanding, that meant permanently.

However, that doesnt seem to be the case. Lauren says when someone whod been on staff called and tried to made a reservation, they learned from someone on the other line that Stripers was closed for maintenance and that they planned to reopen in October.

Im guessing they just wanted to get rid of the whole staff. Im not really sure why they would do that, but they didnt give us like a day warning or anything, said Pamela Ortiz, who worked as a host at Stripers for several months. She was in the hospital at the time and learned she was let go through text message.

Both workers said its weird because nothing really seemed out of sorts in the months ahead of the announcement, and that the staff of 35-40 felt like a big family. Some had worked at Stripers for years.

Lauren believes that the management team was the best shes had in the business.

We were all literally like family there, which is why its so upsetting too, Ortiz added. We have a bunch of team members that need this job, or needed the job.

Lauren says the blame lies with ownership.

Im extremely disappointed with the owners business practices and highly encourage everybody to know what happened. Because it could happen to them if they choose to be employed by them.

WAVY reached out to Stripers at Waterside and its other location in Manteo for comment, but did not immediately hear back from ownership.

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Student in custody after bringing gun on south Ga. middle school campus

A student is in police custody in south Georgia after being found on school grounds with a gun.

Thomasville police say they were called to Macintyre Park Middle School on Thursday afternoon.

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They say there are no reported threats or injuries at this time.

We are on scene at Macintyre Park Middle school following reports of a student in possession of a firearm. The student is in police custody. There are no reported injuries or threats to anyone at this time. The investigation continues.  Thomasville Police Department - Georgia (@thomasville_pd) September 5, 2024

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The student is in police custody, but its unclear if he or she is facing charges.

The students name has not been released.

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This comes just a day after a school shooting at Apalachee High School that claimed four lives and injured nine other people.

There is no connection to the Wednesday shooting in Barrow County.

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Students practice running for their lives. There are better ways to keep them safe.

Flowers, plush toys and wooden crosses are placed at a memorial dedicated to the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on June 3, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. Ninetee students and two teachers were killed on May 24 after an 18-year-old gunman opened fire inside the school. (File/Alex Wong/Getty Images)



A 6-year-old girl lost one of her white Adidas lace-up sneakers as she and her 21 classmates practiced fleeing for their lives after an imaginary intruder entered their school.

The girls teacher told her to keep moving without her shoe, then grabbed it herself and gave it back to the girl when the class settled into their designated safe location.

The girl recently recounted the story of losing her shoe during a morning car ride to school. It was just one of several times the girl or her siblings described what they were supposed to do  run over to that fence, across that field or into those woods  if an intruder enters their school building.

The reason I know this story is because the girl is my daughter.

In the quarter-century since the Columbine High School massacre of April 20, 1999, a whole generation of children, including my own, have lived under the threat of school-related gun violence.

More recent tragedies, like those occurring at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012 and Robb Elementary School in Texas in May 2022, reveal the persistent nature of this threat.

Regrettably, gun violence stands at the backdrop of all contemporary American education. As such, active shooter and intruder drills have become standard fare, not only for my children but for nearly all American schoolchildren.

I am concerned about the fact that preparedness exercises  such as the one in which my daughter temporarily lost her shoe  sometimes cause students harm.

For example, a recent study showed that active intruder drills can result in distress and anxiety for students.

In another case, one of these drills led to hysteria and a stampede in a school in Florida as students attempted to flee their faux intruder. Students and teachers alike experienced terror at the pronouncement of a real threat, that it was not a drill.

As a researcher in developmental and educational psychology  and as a faculty member who trains future teachers  I understand the need for schools to ensure the safety and security of the nations 55 million school-age youth.

But might there be a better way to protect children in the post-Columbine era?

Im not the only one raising this question.

A new initiative by the National Academies has been initiated to assess the effects of active shooter drills on student health and well-being and to determine best practices in preparing schools to respond to threats of violence.

A look at the trends

To gain insight on the prevalence of school-related gun violence, my colleagues and I conducted a study of school shootings and school mass shootings that took place in Americas K-12 schools from 1997 through 2022.

We used two public databases to count school shootings and school mass shootings that occurred each school year.

School shootings in our study were defined as each and every instance a gun is brandished, is fired, or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time of day, or day of week.

School mass shootings were defined as those that happened at a K-12 school site and met the federal definition of a mass shooting in place at the time of the shooting: Four or more victims killed, up to December 2012, or three or more victims killed, from January 2013 onward.

During the 25 school years we examined, 1997-2022, there were 1,453 school shootings. More than half of those, 794, occurred in the last five years, 2017-2022.

Our analyses revealed a sharp increase in school shootings after 2017, with the number of shootings jumping from a then-record high of 89 in the 2017-2018 school year to 328 in the 2021-2022 school year.

While the number of school shootings has increased dramatically in recent years, the number of school mass shootings has not increased at the same rate  though they have become more deadly.

In total, 11 school mass shootings occurred across the 1997-1998 to 2021-2022 school years, with 126 fatalities and 122 injuries sustained overall. Five of those school mass shootings occurred in the 1997-2012 school years, while six occurred in the 2012-2022 school years.

Nevertheless, the fatality rate nearly doubled in the last decade, rising from 7.6 deaths per mass shooting event from 1997-2012 to 14 deaths per school mass shooting event from 2012-2022.

Efforts to maximize student safety are paramount.

To be sure, I want my childrens schools to do their utmost to protect their students. However, many current measures designed to keep students safe  like the appointment of school resource officers  have not been proven to prevent school shootings or lessen the severity of school shootings, in terms of injury or fatality, when they do occur.

Gun injury is now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. While school shootings and school mass shootings represent only a portion of gun injuries sustained by school-age youth, gun violence  including school-related gun violence  is a public health crisis.

As such, a public health approach is merited.

Relying on research

I see at least three ways that schools and communities can work to lessen gun violence occurring in and around schools:

1: Educate parents and families about safe gun storage.

Educators and community health care providers  including pediatricians, primary care physicians and mental health clinicians  can engage in efforts to counsel families on safe firearm storage.

Health care providers can also work to understand Extreme Risk Protection Order laws in their states; such laws allow them to coordinate with law enforcement to remove firearms from a home environment when an individual is identified who may be at risk of doing harm to self or others.

2: Utilize evidence-based, schoolwide approaches to promote school safety.

School safety can be supported through evidence-based frameworks, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, which aims to improve school-based practices affecting student outcomes.

This positive approach can be used to proactively address students social, emotional and behavioral needs and promote school safety. This approach also allows school personnel to monitor and manage students mental health needs, attend to schoolwide behavior and discipline issues, and foster a safe school climate.

Accordingly, it may help reduce potential threats of gun violence perpetrated by students.

3: Support legislation and regulations for gun safety and violence prevention.

Community members, including parents and teachers, and policymakers can support legislation for gun safety, evidence-based violence prevention practices and regulations.

For example, child access protection laws  laws that impose penalties on gun owners if children access firearms  decrease firearm injuries and gun carrying, and thus help promote safety in and around schools.

Hope for the future

The National Institute for Justice has made it a priority to support new research to study firearm violence and mass shootings, including research on the effectiveness of school campaigns to educate families on safe gun storage.

These efforts will provide important new insights about how to prevent school-related gun violence.

While my own children and their millions of peers attending school in the United States today continue to endure the threat of school-related gun violence, I hope future generations will experience school without having to worry about someone showing up at their school with a gun.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Let us know what you think...
Sexual assaults near Wright State University have students concerned.

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As reported as 11, Tuesday evening, WSU police sent an email to students notifying them there was a sexual assault reported at Boston Hall, student housing.

Police said the suspect was not known to the victim.

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Students were also made aware Monday of a sexual assault that allegedly took place at a private, off-campus apartment complex.

A group of female students who wished to stay anonymous said they were sticking together to keep each other safe.

We all literally right then and there sat down and we were like all right, doors are locked. No one goes anywhere without telling anyone where you are, a student said.

Its just so common now that youre like oh, this is a fact of life and we have to live with it, another student said.

Which is why she said she feels the self-defense classes offered by the university are necessary.

You learned the basics like a palm to the nose and stuff like that. If youre ever pushed down try to kick for the knees, a student said. Im gonna fight if Im put in that situation.

University police are investigating the assault on campus and said they believe there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The off-campus assault is being investigated by the Greene County Sheriffs Office.

We will continue to follow this story.

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Students, staff at Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children celebrate return of employee

A beloved long-time employee of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children received a warm welcome back on Wednesday.

Ron Tecza returned to work after undergoing heart transplant surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

A spokesperson for the school said Tecza has worked in their facilities management department for nearly 30 years.

To show their appreciation for his decades of dedication to the school, students and staff lined the hallways with signs sharing welcoming messages for him.

The spokesperson said the community has a deep connection and appreciation for Tecza.

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Former UPMC Childrens Hospital doctor charged with child sex crimes Kamala Harris to stay in Pittsburgh while preparing for Presidential debate with Trump Mother reveals panicked text messages between her, son during Georgia school shooting VIDEO: Underwater drone will help divers in Allegheny County limit time spent in water DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Study: ICE fails to provide detainees with language interpretation required by its own rules

An immigrant makes a call from his segregation cell at the detention facility in Adelanto, Calif., in 2013. (John Moore / Getty Images)

A Spanish-speaking detainee at California's McFarland immigrant detention facility was struggling in May 2023 to tell a doctor, in broken English, that he sometimes bled from his rectum.

Without calling for an interpreter or ensuring his patient understood what he was about to do, the doctor proceeded with a rectal exam that shocked and traumatized the man, he recalled in an interview with The Times.

"I was so embarrassed, powerless," the man said, adding that he never received a diagnosis or follow-up from the doctor. "I feel it was abuse because he didn't explain anything. I don't understand much English."

The man was eventually transferred to another facility, where a different doctor explained through a Spanish interpreter exactly what she would do during the exam.

His experience was one of many language-access failures documented in a report published Thursday that concluded the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was failing to provide adequate translation services mandated by federal law and its own rules.

Read more: ICE kept a California immigrant in solitary confinement for two years, study finds

The report, conducted by the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic at the Cardozo School of Law in New York, surveyed more than 200 detainees and legal service providers across the country, and reviewed more than 800 complaints from 2016 to 2022 about language-access issues. The information was provided by the Department of Homeland Security in response to federal records requests.

Most survey respondents reported never receiving language assistance at a law library and having to rely on other detainees to help translate sensitive documents.

Detainees complained of being unable to lodge requests for medical care because facility staff spoke only English, resorting to hand gestures to communicate crucial medical information. Some said they languished in pain until they were deported because they couldn't communicate a need for care.

Legal service providers reported having clients whose medical conditions worsened because of delayed treatment caused by the lack of a suitable interpreter.

"The very nature of ICEs language access failures makes it effectively impossible for detained individuals (who are not fluent in English) to raise, challenge, or remedy these problems on their own," the report states.

In a statement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson Mike Alvarez said the agency is committed to ensuring detainees have primary language access in facility programs and activities.

The agency continuously reviews and enhances civil detention operations to ensure noncitizens are treated humanely, protected from harm, provided appropriate medical and mental healthcare, and receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled," he wrote.

The report's authors said the Biden administration's new asylum rules  which seek to expedite the process  make adequate language access all the more crucial.

Unlike criminal defendants, detained immigrants generally have no right to government-appointed counsel. Because of that, language access in detention facility law libraries is essential for non-English speakers "to even understand the charges against them, much less prepare any sort of legal defense to deportation," the report states.

Internal policies at Immigration and Customs Enforcement require detention facilities to provide detainees with interpretation for medical care and law libraries, as well as translation of written forms.

In a 2020 report, Matthew Albence, then a senior official at ICE, wrote that the agency had done "excellent work" in providing detainees with "meaningful access to programs and activities in a language they can understand." And in March, the agency released its first Indigenous languages plan, including increasing access to vital documents through recorded messages in common Indigenous languages.

But during a review last year, Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties said it had received 208 allegations related to language access during the last five years, opened 116 complaint investigations and issued 118 recommendations to immigration officials regarding those violations.

Read more: Migrants play 'the asylum lottery' on controversial U.S. government app

The problem of language access has worsened as migrants attempt to cross the border from an ever-growing diversity of countries.

Last year ICE detained migrants from 170 countries, speaking dozens of different languages, including less common ones indigenous to regions in Latin America and West Africa.

One man who speaks Soninke, a West African language, told the report's authors that he didn't know why he was detained at a facility in Pennsylvania  or that it was related to an immigration case  because all his documents were in English and no one at the facility understood him or provided interpretation.

Jennifer Norris, managing attorney at Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles, said she has seen the issue permeate all steps of the legal process, from finding a lawyer to challenging arguments by the federal government in immigration court.

She said cases can stall and immigrants remain detained as immigration authorities attempt to find an appropriate interpreter.

Norris said her client Vrej, a 52-year-old Armenian speaker from Iran, was denied immigration relief during his initial court hearing, held before she began representing him. Reading the hearing transcript, she realized Vrej had been given an Armenian interpreter from Armenia who didn't understand his dialect.

Again and again, the transcript states "Untranslated" for Vrej's responses. Eventually, the interpreter spoke up.

"Your honor, this is the interpreter. I  I have a feeling that, uh, the respondent is not 100-percent understanding me," the interpreter said, according to the transcript.

Vrej, who has been detained for nearly two years, appealed his denial and is now awaiting another trial.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) The statewide non-profit group PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center released a new study on Wednesday showing how Pennsylvania school districts regularly expose children to lead in school drinking water.

The study uncovered shortcomings at nine school districts across the state, including the Altoona Area School District. Data was collected for the study through right-to-know requests, and the schools were selected based on a number of factors including size and location.

At a news conference Wednesday, Executive Director of PennEnvironment David Masur shared why he feels the study is necessary.

House Bill could change funding for Central Pennsylvania school districts

Medical research is crystal clear, Masur said. There is no safe level of lead, especially for children.

According to the organizations data, Altoona public schools failed to meet sufficient standards in every category they examined. That includes a lack of public meetings on water issues and no annual testing. It also said that few outlets were tested.

The organization added that the results that were collected were hard to find and werent posted to the state Department of Educations website.

Pennsylvania school districts regularly put children at risk of becoming exposed to lead, Masur said.

In response to the studys findings, Masur is calling on the general assembly to immediately implement pending bipartisan house and senate bills, House Bill 2011 and Senate Bill 986.

These would require all Pennsylvania school districts to implement the Filter First Program and replace drinking fountains that pose a risk of lead contamination with lead filtering water, bottle filling stations and drinking fountains. The legislation also includes funding to help Pennsylvania school districts cover the cost of these much-needed upgrades to protect kids health, Masur said.

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In a response to the study, the Altoona Area School District provided the following statement.

As reported on PA Department of Educations website and defined within the Public-School Code (Act 39 0f 2008), schools may, but are not required to, test for lead levels annually in the drinking water of any facility where children attend school. If a school chooses not to test for lead levels, then the school must discuss lead issues in school facilities at a public meeting once a year. AASD follows the lead testing requirements of the Department of Education and EPA. We not only test for lead levels in water at our school facilities, but we also discuss said testing at public meetings. Testing includes multiple outlets at each building. Since testing began in 2019, there has only been one (1) outlet tested at a specific school with results that indicated levels above the action level and that outlet was immediately taken out of service and that specific school building has since been sold and is no longer part of AASD. No other outlets tested in any of the current schools have required remediation. We strive to maintain a safe environment for our students and staff and continue to comply with the requirements of lead testing within schools. The community Relations Director, Paula Foreman said.

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Summer vacation is over: First day of school kicks off in NYC

Summer vacation is over: First day of school kicks off in NYC

NEW YORK (PIX11)  Summer vacation is officially over for more than 1 million New York City public school students on Thursday.

The nations largest school system is beginning the fall semester with 24 new school buildings, adding more than 11,000 classroom seats in the city.

More Local News

The citys class sizes are required to match those of upstate schools this year, meaning classes are to be capped at 20 students for grades kindergarten-3, 23 students for grades 4-8 and 25 students for grades 9-12. Those numbers must be reached in 40% of all city schools.

The executive director of the nonprofit Class Size Matters, Leonie Haimson, and Schools Chancellor David Banks agreed that those 11,000 new classroom seats are a breakthrough  but meeting state standards over time will be a tall order.

Officials are also weighing how to handle cellphones in schools. Hundreds of city schools have policies restricting cellphone use, but Mayor Eric Adams has not yet said when a decision will come on a systemwide policy.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A Superior Court judge says RFK Jr. must remain on NCs ballot, but gives him 24 hours to appeal

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)

A Wake County judge turned back Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s attempt to be removed from North Carolina ballots, ruling from the bench Thursday that Kennedy will suffer minimal harm, while harm to the state Board of Elections would be substantial.

Last Thursday, the state Board of Elections voted 3-2 to keep Kennedys name on the ballot, citing the cost to reprint ballots and the Sept. 6 deadline for mailing the first absentee ballots to people who requested them. Kennedy sued the next day to have his name taken off.

Wake Superior Court Judge Rebecca Holt said Kennedy will suffer no practical, personal, or financial harm from having his name on the ballot, while the state Board of Elections would have to reprint ballots at considerable cost and effort and would likely miss the ballot-mailing deadline.

She did, however, grant Kennedy a 24-hour stay. Kennedys lawyer Phil Strach, said he and his client plan to take the case to the state Court of Appeals.

That leaves Fridays planned mailing of absentee ballots uncertain.

The State Board told county boards in an email after Thursdays court hearing to hold off mailing absentee ballots Friday morning, unless the State Board tells them otherwise.

Ballots will need to go out at the end of the 24-hour period, unless the Court of Appeals orders otherwise, Paul Cox, one of the state Boards lawyers wrote in an email to county election directors. It may be that ballots have to go out tomorrow afternoon, because thats the deadline in state law. Or, it may be that the Court of Appeals orders a further delay, Cox wrote. Stay tuned.

Kennedy as a presidential candidate in North Carolina is a political drama that has dragged on for months. For most of that time, he was fighting to get on the ballot.

But on Aug. 23, he announced he wanted to withdraw his name in 10 battleground states so as not to draw votes from former President Donald Trump, whom he endorsed. He did not name the states where he wanted off the ballot and encouraged people in noncompetitive states to vote for him.

North Carolina is considered a battleground state and the major party candidates are in a heated contest for the states 16 Electoral College votes.

Mary Carla Babb of the state Attorney Generals office said the state Boards decision to keep Kennedy on the ballot was its only legal option. State law gives the Board the authority to consider whether it was practical to remove Kennedy so close to the mailing deadline and after printing had already started.

Stopping and resetting ballots would cost the state and counties untold amounts of money and delay the start of voting by at least two weeks, state attorneys wrote in their brief.

Elections are not a game, Babb said. States are not obligated to honor the whims of candidates for public office.

She noted that Kennedy is trying to get off the ballot in some states but is fighting to get on the New York ballot.

Strach, Kennedys lawyer, said the candidates request to withdraw met a Sept. 6 deadline. If counties need to have millions of ballots reprinted, its because the Board of Elections told them after Aug. 23 to plow ahead with printing even though they knew Kennedy wanted to drop out.

They could have called a time-out on printing, he said.

Strach is best known as one of the leading lawyers representing legislative Republicans in election cases.

At last Thursdays Board meeting, Director Karen Brinson Bell told members that ballot printing could not stop based on a press conference.

Some days after the press conference, the Kennedy campaign asked how it could remove his name, and Kennedy sent a letter asking to be removed.

The state Board maintained that the We the People party, which nominated Kennedy, had to ask for his name to be removed. The Board received the partys request last Wednesday, the day before its meeting.

Strach argued that there was no legal requirement for the We the People party to ask to remove Kennedy.

Kennedy created We the People to achieve ballot access in North Carolina and a handful of other states.

Its easier to become certified as a political party in North Carolina than it is to secure a spot on the ballot as an independent candidate running statewide because fewer petition signatures are required.

The two Republican members of the Board of Elections were eager to certify We the People, while the Boards three Democrats were more reluctant. Republicans accused Democrats of dragging their feet. Last Thursday, it was Republicans arguing that Kennedy should be allowed to come off the ballot and Democrats voting to keep him on.

After the Board certified We the People in a 4-1 vote, the Democratic Party tried to reverse the decision by suing the Board of Elections. A Wake Superior Court judge ruled for the Board of Elections and We the People, allowing Kennedy to stay on the ballot.

Kennedy has had trouble dropping out in at least two other battleground states. A Michigan judge on Monday rejected Kennedys attempt to withdraw his name in that state, the Associated Press reported. Last week, the Wisconsin Elections Commission rejected Kennedys request to be removed from the ballot there.
BALTIMORE  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson cited her faith as a source of success in well-received remarks Thursday to the nations largest Black Protestant denomination in a celebration of the first Black woman to serve on the high court.

My faith has sustained me in my professional life, in my personal life, Jackson said during a panel discussion at the National Baptist Convention, USA annual session in Baltimore on Thursday. Its very much what I leaned upon in getting to do this position

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks to the National Baptist Convention, USA, which is the nation's largest Black Protestant denomination, at the convention's 2024 annual session at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.

Jacksons appearance was part of promotional tour for her new memoir, though her remarks were notable for the crowd at the Baltimore Convention Center of clergy and lay leaders of historically Black congregations. Jackson tied her faith not only to her success, but the moral framework by which she approaches decisions on important cases before the court.

For example, Jackson answered a question about dissenting from the majority opinion in the case of whether former President Donald Trump is immune from certain criminal prosecution.

I disagreed with the majority that there should be circumstances in which the president is treated differently than other people in the criminal justice community, Jackson said. I felt as though we have a system that applies equally to everyone, the law applies equally to everyone.

Related: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has a lot to say - but not about the court

The National Baptist Convention, USA, often known as the NBCUSA, is one of four major Black Baptist denominations in the U.S. and has between 5.2 million and 7.5 million members nationwide. It has a long legacy on issues such civil rights, criminal justice, housing, and has invested in voter rights initiatives.

A denomination generally known for supporting Democratic policies and positions, the Thursday's audience responded positively to Jacksons reflections on the Trump immunity case. They also celebrated NBCUSA President Rev. Jerry Youngs remarks on Jacksons appointment, who said President Joe Biden had the courage(to) appoint the first African American lady to the highest court in the land.

Prior to Jackson, U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small spoke to the convention about Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden to supporting Black farmers and redressing historical discrimination.

Jackson, the courts most junior justice, is in the middle of an extensive round of public appearances as she promotes her new memoir, Lovely One. The book recounts her journey to become the first Black woman justice on the high court, something made possible by having been born after passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.

In addition to pushing her to excel academically, Jacksons parents also wanted her to be proud of her African heritage. The activity that may have been the most grounding for Jackson as a little Black girl navigating White environments at school and in my neighborhood, she writes, was sitting between her mother and grandmother on a crowded pew at Bethel Apostolic Temple on Sundays.

"At Bethel, entranced by the distinctive cadences of the Black church, I exhaled, and my sense of being `other melted away, she writes.

Pastor Jerry Young shakes hands with former Vice President Joe Biden during church services at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss. Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Jackson referenced this personal history in her comments to the NBCUSA on Thursday morning. She recounted her grandmother speaking at church during the point of the service when congregants would offer testimony.

My grandmother said the same thing every time. And I memorized it as a kid, Jackson said Thursday. She would stand up whenever its her turn and say, When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he has done for me, my soul cries out hallelujah. I thank God for saving me.

Jacksons quote, alluding to a statement popularized by the late Bishop Rev. Gilbert Earl (G.E.) Patterson, a pastor in a historically Black Pentecostal denomination called the Church of God in Christ, excited the room of Black Baptist preachers, who responded with cheers and applause.

Maureen Groppe of USA TODAY contributed to this story.

More about National Baptists: National Baptist Convention, USA: What to know about largest Black Protestant group in US

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Supreme Court Justice Jackson addresses largest Black Protestant group
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  An 18-year-old is facing a murder charge in the death of a 15-year-old boy on Monday.

Browdy Lee Shaffer was taken into custody on Thursday, Sept. 4, Las Vegas Metropolitan police said. He is accused of shooting the teen inside an apartment in the 6900 block of Kepler Drive, near Hollywood Boulevard and E. Carey Avenue on the afternoon of Sept. 2.

18-year-old brought pistol, planned fight with another adult before teen was killed in east Las Vegas, police documents say

The teen, identified by the Clark County Coroners office as James Lobue Jr., was transported to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The coroner listed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the right arm and torso.

There is a court hearing scheduled in Shaffers case on Sept. 10.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Bakersfield Police Department arrested a man on Tuesday for multiple counts of felony graffiti vandalism to businesses in the downtown area.

During their investigation, officers were alerted to a new incident and identified the suspect as Luis Gutierrez, 33, on Sept 3, 2024. Officials said the suspect was found with a can of spray paint and he admitted to the vandalism.

BPD searches for man in connection to an assault with a deadly weapon

This arrest was made possible, through the collaboration of Bakersfield PD and private security firm Citiguard, which assist in patrolling the Downtown and Old Town Kern areas.

Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

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Suspect charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a deputy in Houston

Tow truck operators pull a car out of the Galveston Ship Channel Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 in Galveston, Texas, following the fatal shooting of a Texas deputy constable in Houston. A suspect led authorities on a 60 miles chase that ended in the waters off Galveston, where the man tried swimming away to evade arrest before being captured with the help of a marine unit, according to the Port of Galveston Police Department. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

HOUSTON (AP)  A suspect has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Texas deputy constable who had stopped at a Houston intersection as he drove to work, authorities said Thursday.

The announcement of the murder charge came on the same day as the deputy, Maher Husseini, was remembered at his funeral as a Palestinian American who cared deeply for his family, his Islamic faith and his community.

He was a community servant who strove to make the world a better and safer place. Safety, security and community well-being were manifested in his community service, Abdurahman Hejazi, the religious scholar for Masjid Al-Salam Mosque in suburban Houston, said during Husseinis funeral service.

Athir Murady has been charged with one count of murder in the killing of Husseini on Tuesday, said Joe Stinebaker, a Harris County District Attorneys Office spokesperson.

Authorities say Murady got out of his vehicle, walked up to Husseinis SUV and fired multiple times. The deputy was pronounced dead at a Houston hospital.

Police are still investigating a motive for the shooting.

According to authorities, Husseini was not in uniform when he was shot and had been driving his personal vehicle. Husseini had worked as a Harris County constable since 2021.

Murady, 40, was being held on Thursday at the county jail in neighboring Galveston County, after he led authorities on a chase that ended in the waters of the Texas Gulf Coast, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from west Houston where the shooting happened.

Authorities said Sgt. Nick Yeley, a Galveston deputy city marshal, spotted Muradys vehicle in Galveston hours after the shooting.

I think it was just fate that I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and I was utilizing the skills that Ive learned over my career in law enforcement, Yeley said, according to a Galveston Police Department news release.

Murady then led authorities on a short chase before driving his car into Galveston Bay. He got out of his vehicle and tried to swim from officers, who pulled him aboard a police boat.

Murady is being held without bond in Galveston County on a charge of evading arrest. He was expected to be returned to Houston but authorities could not immediately say when that would happen.

Court and jail records did not list an attorney who could speak on Murady's behalf.

Harris County prosecutors have filed a motion asking a judge to set Muradys bond at $5 million.

Mahir was an American by choice and was a proud Palestinian American," Hejazi said during Husseinis funeral service, which was attended by officers from various law enforcement agencies and several local officials. He loved the freedoms we enjoy here in America and wished for these freedoms to be all around the world.

___

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A 19-year-old man has been arrested in a fatal hit-and-run crash on Stanley Avenue earlier in the week.

About 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, a woman, later identified as April Cartwright, 68, was killed at the intersection of Stanley Avenue at Webster Street when a man ran the red light hit her.

According to DPD Sgt. Gordon Cairns, video footage obtained by the department shows the second individual running the light. The man then allegedly fled the scene on foot.

Cairns said the woman had stopped at the Shell convenience store to get a snack before heading in to work.

Dayton Police reached out to the person the car is registered to and determined that the man was actually the registrants nephew. Cairns said that during an interview with police, the nephew exhibited signs of injuries consistent with a car crash, such as a seat belt bruise.

Cairns said that the nephew eventually admitted to being in the crash. He said the investigation will continue to determine whether he was speeding or if alcohol was involved.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Back to school means getting back into a routine, and for the Syracuse City School District, that means boosting up student attendance.

I think we need to work with families to figure out what is happening and what we can do to help assist them, Superintendent Anthony Davis said.

Part of the solution is continuing the districts Impact Team at each school. The Impact Team is tackling chronic absence by building relationships with families. Members of the team go out into the community to talk with families about why their students are missing school.

As we relate to families, wherever they are, I think getting to know someone and being able to count on someone knowing who youre talking to, youre more likely to really know whats going on versus constantly dealing with strangers where you dont really want to tell them whats happening with your family, Davis said.

Constant communication with families whose students are missing school is crucial to the attendance campaign.

More communication with families and direct communication to get to the root causes. What are we really dealing with? What are you really dealing with? How can we assist you? Davis added.

The attendance campaign also requires staff to learn and understand the barriers that some families in the Syracuse City School District face.

My wife and I are able to bring our kids to school, but we both have vehicles. 25% of our city population doesnt have access to a private vehicle, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said. Weve lived in the same house for 18 years. 25% of the city population moves at least one time per year.

Educating and raising the next generation cant be done alone; it takes a village.

The city is looking at how we can continue to improve transportation options. Weve brought in the county because the county is where all the human service funding flows through, Walsh explained. Like anything else, it takes us rallying around our kids and families today, but importantly every other day for the rest of the school year and make some significant improvements.

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(Bloomberg) -- When Xi Jinping was wooing leaders from across Africa with a banquet on Wednesday night, King Mswati III of Eswatini was notably absent.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Thats because the kingdom  about the size of New Jersey and with just 1.2 million people  is one of Taiwans remaining dozen diplomatic allies. That means Eswatini doesnt participate in Xis Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a centerpiece of Chinas diplomatic outreach to Africa, which is being held in Beijing this week.

The landlocked nation, which sits between Mozambique and South Africa, is the last holdout in Beijings seven-plus decade mission to make Africa a Taiwan-free zone. Burkina Faso severed its relations with Taiwan in favor of China in 2018, leaving the self-governing island with only one diplomatic partner in Africa  Eswatini.

That the tiny nation is still holding out clearly irks Beijing.

Historys Trend

Eswatinis relationship with the so-called Taiwan authorities is not beneficial for its own interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday. We believe that it will make the right decision that follows the trend of history.

One Taiwanese official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive issues, said the island is confident of retaining Eswatini as a diplomatic partner in the near future, and described the king as a staunch ally of Taiwans.

Just this week, the monarch opened a Taiwanese pavilion at a trade fair in the kingdom  far from the the pomp and ceremony taking place in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

In May, Mswati visited Taiwan to attend the inauguration of its new president, Lai Ching-te, an overture that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian described as a grave provocation to the one-China principle and Chinas sovereignty.

China firmly opposes this, Lin said at the time. The people of Eswatini hardly received any tangible benefits and Eswatinis national development hardly achieved any progress.

Africas last absolute monarchy, Eswatini has faced criticism from civil rights groups for its ban on political parties, repression of pro-democracy activists and broader quashing of dissent. Previously called Swaziland, the kingdom is known for safari parks where visitors can view big game on horseback. Its biggest exports include sugar and concentrates used in soft drinks like Coca-Cola.

Mswatis administration hasnt given any indication it intends turning its back on Taiwan, and appears relieved not to have become entangled in Chinese Africa-outreach efforts that until now have centered on large infrastructure projects and the loans that often come in tandem.

Eswatinis debt-to-gross domestic product ratio stands at about 40%, compared with the sub-Saharan African media of around 60%, International Monetary Fund data shows.

Taiwans support to Eswatini has mainly been in the form of grant funding, and it adopted a more bottom-up in its approach toward relations, Neal Rijkenberg, the kingdoms finance minister, said in a May interview. I do believe that our relationship with Taiwan has really paid off in the last 10 years.

China has maintained its commercial ties with Eswatini despite their differences  it is the kingdoms biggest source of imports after neighboring South Africa.

Its definitely not a hostility from a trade point of view, just because you recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, Rijkenberg said.

--With assistance from Khuleko Siwele, Matthew Hill, Yian Lee and Philip Glamann.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Tourist taxes are increasingly being deployed by authorities around the world as a way to tackle overtourism.

New Zealand this week announced it is nearly tripling its visitor fee, introduced in 2019 to help protect the countrys natural beauty. Iceland reinstated its tourist tax this year after a brief pandemic suspension - raising the levy and expanding it to cruise ship operators - to fund conservation efforts.

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In the spring, Venice began charging admission fees for day-trippers, while Amsterdam has increased taxes on overnight stays. Both cities are concerned that tourists are crowding out residents and putting a strain on creaky infrastructure.

Tourist taxes arent an entirely new idea. France first introduced a tourist tax on resorts in 1910. In the United States, most places have a hotel tax, as do many cities in Europe. More than 60 destinations worldwide have some kind of tax on visitors, tourism researchers say.

Bhutan, a small, Himalayan nation wedged between China and India, charges one of the highest fees globally - about $100 a day - to help preserve its pristine peaks from the hordes that visit nearby Nepal.

These are some of the destinations that are imposing new tourist taxes or planning to in 2024.

- - -

Iceland

Icelands natural beauty - bubbling hot springs, pristine ice caps and glaciers, and lava-spewing volcanoes - have made it a tourist hot spot. Millions visit the island nation annually, outnumbering the local population of about 400,000. This year, Iceland reinstated a tourist tax suspended during the coronavirus pandemic. The rate for hotel stays doubled to 600 Icelandic krona ($4.32) per night. For cruise ships stopping at Icelandic ports, for the first time, a charge of 1,000 krona applied.

- - -

Bali, Indonesia

A sharp decline in visitors during the pandemic led residents on the Indonesian resort island of Bali to reconsider their relationship with foreign tourists and their environmental impact. In February, authorities imposed a tourist tax of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah ($9.70) to be used to preserve cultural sites and beaches, and to fund a crackdown on bad behavior by tourists.

- - -

Venice

Venice has a love-hate relationship with tourists, who contribute about $3 billion annually to the economy but crowd its narrow laneways and famed piazzas and leave behind a trail of trash. In April, it started charging day-trippers a fee of 5 euros a day (about $5.53). Overnight visitors already pay a tourist tax between 1 and 5 euros. Italian officials are considering raising the nationwide tax to as much as 25 euros, a prospect that has alarmed tourism advocates.

- - -

New Zealand

Seeking to protect the countrys natural beauty from an influx of tourists descending each year on small towns, once-lonely beaches and snow-capped peaks, New Zealand imposed a tourist tax in 2019. The government recently announced that the levy would nearly triple to 100 New Zealand dollars ($61.82) from Oct. 1. (Australians and many Pacific Island residents are exempt.)

- - -

Amsterdam

Amsterdam has been trying to counter overtourism in a number of ways, including banning the construction of new hotels, capping the number of overnight stays and launching a Stay Away campaign to deter nuisance tourists, attracted by the citys relaxed drug policies and liberated party scene. In 2024, it raised the tourist tax on hotel rooms to 12.5 percent, up from 7 percent. Day-trippers on sea and river cruises pay 14 euros ($15.52).

- - -

Barcelona

Thousands of locals took to the streets in this Spanish city over the summer to protest overtourism. Some were armed with brightly colored water pistols that they sprayed at bewildered diners on the citys patioed streets. In October, the city will raise the tax on tourist lodging to 4 euros ($4.43) per night. Visitors also pay a regional tourist tax, which varies depending on the star rating of the accommodation.

- - -

Britain

Britain last year introduced an electronic travel authorization (similar to the United States ESTA) for visitors from some countries. By the end of 2024, people who do not require a visa - including U.S. and E.U. citizens - will need to apply for an electronic travel authorization before they can visit. Although touted as a measure to improve border security, rather than a tourist tax, it will apply to tourists and cost 10 pounds ($13.12). (The European Union next year will implement a travel authorization for short stays by visitors from 60 countries.) The English county of Kent and officials in Scotland and Wales are contemplating taxes on overnight stays.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Charlotte-area voters may be noticing an influx of politically-related items in the mail or by phone call or message over the last few days, but political experts are quick to note that it is not all election-related.

This week, several Queen City News staffers have received messages from Rep. Jeff Jackson, who currently serves part of the Charlotte area, about constituent services since they lived in Jacksons district. In two separate cases, there was a phone call relating to a tele-town hall, while another received a flyer.

RNC suing North Carolina State Board of Elections, says it blatantly ignored the law

At no point did either the flyer or the message for the tele-town hall mention Jacksons run for state attorney general and his race against fellow Congressman, Rep. Dan Bishop, for that seat.

Political experts said these mailers and calls, which are paid for by taxpayer dollars, may serve as gentle reminders, but they are not explicit campaign appeals, which makes them legal so close to an election.

The key is, Do they say the magic word?, do they say, Therefore, vote for me? And the answer appears to be, No, they dont, so it makes it perfectly legal, said Chris Cooper, political science professor at Western Carolina University.

RFK Jr. sues North Carolina elections board over ballot

Having these types of non-campaign advertisements, such as the flyers sent through the mail, so close to an election is also quite common. They can tout services, but can never ask for a vote.

In the case of both Bishop and Jackson, both spent little to no money in the first quarter of last year on non-campaign advertisements. However, for the first quarter of this year, there was a marked investment in these advertisements, and it was all from taxpayer dollars.

Cooper is quick to note that while these are legal, there is definitely an implicit reason it is being done.

What happened when you have two people in Congress running for Attorney General?, said Cooper. They want to remind you they were a good member of Congress. And then the next day, they might want to remind you that they want your vote for Attorney General.

Harris, Trump expected to spend millions more on ads in North Carolina

In a statement to Queen City News about the mailers and Congressional office efforts to reach out to voters, a spokesperson said

Our office is proud to assist constituents with a number of issues with federal agencies including helping solve issues with Social Security benefits, their VA benefits, or getting an expedited passport before an international trip. It makes a huge difference to proactively reach out to people and let them know how we can help whether thats through the mail or a call. Every communication is approved by a bipartisan commission.

Yesterday, Congressman Jackson held a tele-town hall with his constituents, answering questions and connecting them to his team for federal assistance where needed. This was his second tele-town hall this year. He also hosted one in April.

Queen City News also reached out to Bishops Congressional Office but did not hear back by our deadline.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Teamsters to meet with VP Harris on Sept. 16, union says

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris will meet with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Sept. 16 as the union considers a potential presidential endorsement, the union said Thursday.

Harris, the U.S. vice president who is in a tight race for the White House with Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election, will meet members and leaders at the union's headquarters after the Teamsters held a similar roundtable with Trump, the union said.

Harris' campaign said last month that she planned to meet with the union but declined comment on Thursday.

"We look forward to having a conversation on the direction of the country and the issues that matter to working people, Teamsters President Sean O'Brien said.

The Teamsters represent over 1 million workers across industries including transport and logistics. O'Brien spoke to the Republican National Convention in July but recently criticized Trump for suggesting that workers who go on strike could be fired.

Most major unions have endorsed Harris, including the United Auto Workers union.

The AFL-CIO, which represents 60 unions and 12.5 million workers, endorsed Harris in July.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said last month that union members would make the difference in the 2024 presidential election in closely contested states.

"We are a force to be reckoned with," Shuler said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul and Deepa Babington)
This is a developing story. Download the NewsNation app to receive up-to-date alerts as this story develops and subscribe to our breaking news newsletters.

(NewsNation)  Two students and two teachers were killed Wednesday in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, that also left nine others injured, according to local authorities. A 14-year-old student surrendered to law enforcement and is in custody.

Colt Gray, 14. Photo: Barrow County Sheriffs Office

Authorities named Apalachee student Colt Gray as the suspect. He was charged Thursday with four counts of felony murder with additional charges expected to follow. He will make his first court appearance Friday morning.

Killed were two 14-year-olds, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and instructors Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said in a nighttime news conference.

At least nine other people  eight students and one teacher  were taken to hospitals with injuries. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

Georgia school shooting: FBI investigated suspect in 2023

Classes in the school district have been canceled throughout the week, but grief counselors will be available, according to district officials. Authorities are expected to hold another media briefing Wednesday evening.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith choked up as he began to speak during an afternoon news conference. He said he was born and raised in the community and his kids are in the school system.

My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community, he said. But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said internet reports of additional shootings at nearby schools are false.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., officers from multiple law enforcement agencies and Fire/EMS personnel were dispatched to the high school in reference to a reported active shooting, the Barrow County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

All Barrow County schools were in a soft lockdown, according to nearby Holsenbeck Elementary School.

Apalachee High School has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials. It became Barrow Countys second-largest public high school when it opened in 2000, according to the Barrow County School System. Its named after the Apalachee River on the southern edge of Barrow County.

Jordan Jacob, who lives near the school, told NewsNation that the scene was not as chaotic as it was earlier in the day but that there is still a heavy police presence.

What makes this even more scary is that my wife is a professor at Georgia Gwinnett College. And right now, just because of this incident  she literally wound up canceling class today.

Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Police gather outside Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A medical helicopter is seen in front of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Parents walk their child out of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Parents walk their child out of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Parents walk to Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Ninth grader Jacob Fokuo describes the shooting at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. A shooting at the Georgia high school Wednesday caused an unknown number of injuries and a suspect was arrested in a chaotic scene. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Erin Clark via AP)

Students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Erin Clark via AP)

Law enforcement arrive as students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Erin Clark via AP)

Students are evacuated to the football stadium after the school campus was placed on lockdown at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (WSB via AP)



FBI investigated suspect in 2023

The teen had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The FBI narrowed the threats down and referred to the case to the sheriffs department in Jackson County, which is adjacent to Barrow County.

The sheriffs office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them. The teen also denied making any online threats.

The sheriffs office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest to additional action, the FBI said.

Hosey said the state Division of Family and Childrens Services also had previous contact with the teen and will investigate whether that has any connection with the shooting.

Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school in Barrow County, a rapidly suburbanizing area on the edge of metro Atlantas ever-expanding sprawl.

Response to shooting

Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement that he was praying for the safety of those in our classrooms.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state, the statement read in part.

I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state. (1/2)  Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 4, 2024

The GBI has agents on the scene assisting local, state and federal law enforcement with the investigation.

GBI has responded to a shooting @ Apalachee H.S. in Barrow Co. We have agents on site assisting local, state, & federal law enforcement w/ the investigation. One suspect in custody. We urge anyone near the area to stay clear while authorities investigate. More info to follow.  GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 4, 2024

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, according to the White House, which said in a statement that his administration will continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials as we receive more information.

Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart, a statement from the president read in part.

Vice President and 20204 presidential candidate Kamala Harris addressed the shooting during a rally in New Hampshire.

This is just a senseless tragedy  on top of so many senseless tragedies, Harris said. Its just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also offered Winder support.

The Atlanta Police Department has also been on standby in case law enforcement agencies need assistance with this incident. May God comfort the victims and their loved ones in the difficult days ahead, the mayor said.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Tennessee State University announced the loss of a beloved former chief of staff and vice president of administration on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the university said that Dr. Curtis Johnson died over Labor Day weekend. In a news release shared the following day, TSU reported Johnson was found unresponsive in his home on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Johnson reportedly served as an administrator at Jackson State University for more than two decades. Then, in 2013, he came to TSU and served under former president Dr. Glenda Glover until her retirement.

Dr. Johnson was a source of guidance, support, and inspiration, tirelessly working to foster a positive campus environment, Glover, who met Johnson during their tenure at Jackson State University, said. Dr. Johnsons contributions extended far beyond his official duties. He was a mentor to many and a leader among his peers. Dr. Johnson was also a close friend.

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The university thanked Johnson for his service and said that he would be missed. Alumni, faculty, and staff remember Johnson as a mentor, a team player, and a strong leader.

A number of TSU leaders shared their thoughts and memories about Johnson in a statement released by the university on Thursday, Sept. 5, which said, in part:

TSU Interim President Ronald A. Johnson remembered the late administrator for his commitment to the university. Dr. Johnson was the embodiment of the spirit that is TSU. His presence beamed with Golden Sunshine and an unwavering commitment to our students, as well as an infectious love for inspiring, motivating, and engaging people, recalled President Johnson. I encourage everyone in our TSU community to embrace the essence of the wonderful blessing that Dr. Johnson has been. Lets support each other as a family and offer our prayers of comfort to Dr. Johnsons loved ones and close friends. Dr. Johnson was a dedicated administrator and a beloved figure on campus and worked closely with faculty and staff. His commitment to enhancing the student experience was evident in his leadership of Auxiliary Services, where he oversaw vital areas such as Dining Services, the TSU Bookstore, and Emergency Management, among many others. News of his passing has left the campus family in shock and disbelief. Student Government Association President Chrishonda OQuinn said Dr. Johnson was one of the administrators she looked forward to working with based on her experience as SGA vice president last year. I am deeply heartbroken to hear about the passing of Dr. Curtis Johnson, OQuinn expressed. Dr. Johnson never hesitated to uplift and prioritize the student voice. His presence was remarkable, with an infectious laugh and a smile that could light up any room. She added, Johnson made everyone he encountered feel valued, seen, and heard, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of so many. He loved Tennessee State University with all his heart. Dr. Artenzia C. Young-Seigler, immediate past chair of the TSU Faculty Senate and Board of Trustees member, said the loss has resonated among her peers as well. The department chair and professor of Biological Sciences added that the faculty held Dr. Johnson in high regard and viewed him as the consummate team player. I was blessed to be able to work with him, members of the team he built, and those he has mentored over the years. Sunshine or rain, you could always count on him. His service at TSU has touched everyone. His absence will be deeply felt by those who had the privilege of working directly with him or those fortunate to share a knowing look or chuckle.'

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

TSU said it is offering grief counseling to help those who may be struggling with Johnsons death. Students seeking assistance and support are encouraged to visit the Counseling Center in the Floyd Payne Campus Center. Meanwhile, employees can participate in individual and group sessions on campus, as well as at the Avon Williams Educational Center.

Known for being one of the first to arrive and the last to leave, Dr. Johnson was a mainstay on campus, TSUs Office of Alumni Relations wrote, in part, on Facebook. During this time of tremendous loss, we are reminded of the fragility of life. Dr. Johnson touched the lives of countless students as a mentor and an inspiration.

For student and employee counseling, call 615-963-5611. For the Employee Assistance Program, call 855-437-3486.

According to TSUs interim president, the university plans to hold a campus-wide gathering to honor Johnsons life and contributions to TSU and the HBCU community. Details about the event have yet to be released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in President Joe Biden's bid to rescind a Trump-era immigration policy, in Washington

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday sued one of the state's most populous counties, asking a court to block its plan of mailing unregistered county residents voter registration forms, a court filing showed.

Bexar County lacks the authority to send out unsolicited registration applications, which county officials are sending to eligible, but unregistered, voters, the lawsuit said.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

In the 2020 elections, Democratic President Joe Biden carried the county while Republican former President Donald Trump carried the entire state. Biden won the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Biden won Bexar County, the state's fourth most populous county and home to San Antonio, by 18 points, according to the Texas Tribune. Overall, Trump carried the state with 52.1% of the vote compared to Biden's 46.5%, the newspaper added.

Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the current Democratic candidate, are locked in a tight race for the presidency, with less than two months to go before the Nov. 5 election.

KEY QUOTES

The county's actions exceed its "statutory authority," the lawsuit filing says.

Paxton in his statements in recent days had tried to paint the voter registration plan as a way of registering non-citizens to vote. Supporters of the plan deny that claim and say the step is simply aimed at increasing voter participation.

"We've got people who just need to get registered. We don't tell them who to vote for," County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who brought this idea to local leaders, was quoted as saying in the Washington Post.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border" during the Republican National Convention in July.

MESA, Ariz.  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, while campaigning for former President Donald Trump, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration for busing migrants to other parts of the country. Minutes later, he bragged about doing the same thing.

When you saw 5,000 people a day crossing into a town like Eagle Pass, Texas, you could see that that was on your TV. You knew what was going on in America, Abbott told a crowd of about 50 people gathered at a wedding venue in a Phoenix suburb. What Harris wanted to do was to silence the critics, and they could silence the critics by making this problem go invisible.

Theyre doing that daily, flying people across the border or through this [asylum application program], getting them to come to a port of entry, at which time they will put them on a bus and then transport them to some other place, he said.

An internal document obtained by NBC News in 2022 revealed a plan from the Department of Homeland Security to transport migrants awaiting immigration proceedings from U.S. cities along the southern border farther into the interior of the country. Typically, migrants who are granted asylum in the United States are transported to different parts of the country by paying for it themselves or through the charity of nongovernmental organizations after being released by Customs and Border Protection.

NBC News has contacted Abbotts team for clarification on the programs he was referencing. In response to Abbotts claims, the Harris-Walz campaign shared a statement from a border town mayor from Bisbee, Arizona, criticizing Trump for opposing a bipartisan border bill that Senate Republicans shot down in February.

The border bill would have made our country safer, made the border more secure, said Mayor Ken Budge in a statement. Now that its election time, JD Vance and Trump are here to campaign on the border  even though theyre responsible for blocking the most important bill weve seen to improve border security, Budge added.

The attack from Abbott comes as the Trump campaign has sought to tie Harris to chaos surrounding migrants and the U.S. border. Since Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, Trump has repeatedly called Harris the border czar in attacks, seizing on the assignment Biden gave her in 2021 to work with Central American countries to tackle the root causes of migration.

Minutes after attacking Harris for busing migrants to other parts of the country, Abbott bragged about doing the same.

Recalling the steps he took when Texas began busing migrants in 2022 under Operation Lone Star, Abbott boasted that the program began busing them to Washington, D.C., and then dropping them off at the address of the residence of the vice president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris. Applause and cheers reverberated throughout the campaign event.

If you were a sanctuary city, you were on the list to be bused to because you volunteered, said Abbott of his formulation of the busing program. You said, We welcome you here until you get there, he said. It shows the hypocrisy of the Democrats.

During the Republican National Convention in July, Abbott vowed that buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border. Buses sending migrants to blue cities have not been sent out on a consistent basis for months; in all of July no buses left Texas, according to data obtained by NBC News.

In June, a Department of Homeland Security official told NBC News that Border Patrol agents stopped roughly 84,000 migrants crossing the U.S. southern border, the lowest monthly number since Biden took office in 2021. The Biden administration attributed the low numbers to new asylum restrictions implemented earlier that month.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
BEE CAVE, Texas (KXAN) The Bee Cave Police Department will soon be working with autonomous drones.

The department partnered with Austin start-up, Eve Vehicles Corporation, which will allow for enhanced first responder capabilities.

When an emergency call comes in, an officer or dispatcher puts in the coordinates, and the drone takes off. No one will be flying the drones.

Bee Cave Police Chief Brian Jones said the drones can respond to an any emergency and serve as the eyes and ears for first responders on scene or who are on the way.

The drone will be able to launch all by itself without a pilot at the command, Jones said.

When they need to recharge, or dispatch relieves them, they head back to their nest and wait for their next mission.

The drone will be able to be the first one on the scene and will provide real time information and feedback to what our officers are in route to, Jones said.

Roger Pecina is the CEO of Eve Vehicles Corporation . He said there are three drones which will be spread out in different locations around the city.

Artificial Intelligence, drones to help fight wildfires

Think of the drones and the stations around the city a little like birds in a nest, Pecina said. So the closest bird to that 911 call is the one that goes (to the scene). Then when the call is over the bird (drone) comes back to its nest, then it recharges and waits for its next call.

As the drone flies live video will be fed back to police, who can then monitor what is happening.

It can fly for more than 40 minutes on a single charge and in testing we have gotten it up to 67 miles per hour, Pecina said.

Jones said its just another tool to keep people in the community and first responders safe during emergencies.

This is just another innovation that the police department here in Bee Cave is embracing in order to better serve out community.

Eve Vehicles Corporation said one of the drones should be up an running in the next week with the other two to follow shortly after.

Pecina said a lot of the early testing revolved around safety. He said the drones will be equipped with parachutes that will automatically deploy if something goes wrong.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - Texas sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a new rule that seeks to protect the privacy of women living in states that ban abortion who travel out of state for the procedure.

In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Lubbock, Texas, the state is asking a federal judge to strike down the rule, which prohibits healthcare providers and insurers from giving state law enforcement authorities information about reproductive healthcare that is legal where it was provided.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said in announcing the rule in April that no one should have their medical records "used against them, their doctor, or their loved one just because they sought or received lawful reproductive health care."

The measure came in response to efforts by authorities in some Republican-led states that ban abortion, including Texas, to restrict out-of-state travel for abortion. So far, no criminal prosecutions or civil judgments have resulted from those efforts.

Providers and insurers must fully comply with the new rule by December.

Texas is also asking the court to block a separate rule issued in 2000, which said healthcare providers and insurers can only hand over information if it is relevant to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry and is limited in scope.

Texas said in its lawsuit that providers frequently cite the 2000 rule as a reason for not responding to subpoenas from state investigators, and have begun invoking the new rule as well.

Both rules were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the federal law on patient privacy. Texas claims that HHS went beyond its authority under HIPAA in passing both rules, because the law preserves states' authority to conduct investigations.

"This new rule actively undermines Congress's clear statutory meaning when HIPAA was passed, and it reflects the Biden administration's disrespect for the law," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement.

HHS declined to comment directly on the lawsuit but said in a statement that the rule "stands on its own  women should be able to access legal reproductive health care without their medical records being used to track them or their doctors for liability."

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump who has often ruled against Biden's policies. The administration has in the past accused Texas of "judge shopping" by bringing cases in small cities like Lubbock, where local rules assign most cases to Trump appointees.

Texas is one of more than 20 Republican-led states that have banned or restricted abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision eliminating the longstanding nationwide right to abortion.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Jonathan Oatis)
Voting rights advocates and civil rights leaders believe Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other state officials are wielding their law enforcement powers to target racial minorities and sideline political rivals. Illustration: Jianan Liu/HuffPost;Photo:Getty Images

Cecilia Castellano is a small-business owner and a relative political newcomer in South Texas.

A Democratic candidate for the Texas House of Representatives in a toss-up district, Castellano spends her days making the case for sending an outsider to Austin  and against her Republican opponent, Don McLaughlin Jr., who was endorsed by Donald Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton even before his primary election.

Then, two weeks ago, law enforcement agents from Paxtons office showed up around dawn at Castellanos home outside San Antonio, armed with a search warrant and a flashlight they shined into her front window. She had answered the door in pajamas, and in the days since, she has found herself constantly checking the door.

My sons room was just a few feet away, Castellano told HuffPost, still shaken two weeks after the visit from law enforcement. Why, why, why did the peace of my home get disturbed?

The agents were investigating supposed vote harvesting committed by someone else, part of a probe that began months before Castellano had even announced her candidacy. They eventually left, taking her work cell phone with them.

Castellano wasnt alone. Across the greater San Antonio area, a local mayor, a political consultant and several elderly members of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, a century-old civil rights group, were served similar search warrants last month, all the result of what Paxtons office said is a 2-year-old election fraud investigation.

Voting rights advocates and civil rights leaders believe this is the latest chapter in a yearslong pattern of Paxton and other state officials wielding their law enforcement powers to target racial minorities and sideline political rivals. No one has been charged in this latest investigation, but the timing and nature of the search warrant executions  just weeks before Election Day in a key swing district  recall other legal fights statewide, critics said.

Just this week, Paxton sued a large, traditionally Democratic county after it sent out voter registration applications. Last month, just days after a Fox News host with a history of election falsehoods told a thirdhand story about a massive line of immigrants registering to vote, Paxton announced a vague investigation into voter registration efforts. He also announced that undercover operations were ongoing throughout major metropolitan areas of Texas. Paxtons office has used lawsuits to try to shut down migrant shelters on the border and go after immigrant aid groups, and Abbotts office recently made the dubious claim that thousands of noncitizens were on Texas voter rolls.

So when word spread of Paxtons agents knocking on yet another political rivals door, the feeling of wanting to go hide under a rock is an understatement, Castellano said. She was angry with the state, laughing at the absurdity of her situation, and mortified at the thought of another encounter with law enforcement. She cant afford an attorney, she said, and her son, 14, asked why she would even continue her campaign.

The feeling of wanting to go hide under a rock is an understatement.Cecilia Castellano

Castellanos district, which includes Uvalde and touches the U.S.-Mexico border, has been represented by Democrat Tracy King for decades. But Abbott carried it by almost six points in his 2022 reelection, and The Texas Tribune reported that Republicans see the district as their best potential state House flip in November.

Now that the dust has settled from the startling raids, Castellano and others subject to the search warrants are fighting back  and loudly.

The fear has gone away, she said.

An Intimidation Tactic

Paxton has a history of far-fetched election investigations and lawsuits, including as a leader in the 2020 effort to overturn President Joe Bidens win. And his Election Integrity Unit has cost Texas millions of dollars, despite handling very few cases and landing even fewer convictions.

Still, the timing and scale of last months search warrant executions were remarkable. Agents from the attorney generals office and other law enforcement officers forcibly entered the home of Manuel Medina, a well-known political consultant who counts Castellano as one of his clients. They rummaged around for hours and ultimately seized dozens of phones and computers, Medinas attorney said in a filing that convinced a judge to temporarily shield the material pending a hearing next week.

Multiple volunteers with LULAC were the subject of similar searches. Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old, decades-long LULAC member who helps register people to vote, said she was confronted at 6 a.m. by armed police officers holding riot shields. Officers also questioned her for hours about my entire life, she recalled. At one point, Martinez said, she was also forced to wait outside in view of her neighbors, and she was eventually left without her cell phone, laptop or appointment book.

Imelda Rodriguez, 73, and Mary Ann Obregon, 80, also had their homes searched.

We did nothing wrong, Obregon, the mayor of Dilley, a rural town southwest of San Antonio, told The Washington Post. Thats whats eating at us. It is an insult.

Like Castellano, they all experienced an early morning visit from law enforcement, answering the door in their pajamas. LULAC tallied at least a dozen Latinos across three counties whose homes it said were raided during a search warrant execution.

Its an intimidation tactic that theyre using on the Latino community, Gabriel Rosales, LULACs Texas state director, told HuffPost. He said hed heard from some LULAC members who volunteer to help people register to vote that theyre worried theyd be next.

Lydia Martinez, a volunteer and great-grandmother whose home was searched, speaks at a news conference where she and officials with the League of United Latin American Citizens responded to allegations by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Aug. 26, 2024, in San Antonio. via Associated Press

According to warrant documents obtained by the Tribune, Paxtons investigators were looking into whether a Frio County political operator  who HuffPost is not naming as they have not been charged with a crime  had broken ballot collection laws, including by influencing peoples vote, preparing their ballot, and/or [taking] possession of their carrier envelope to mail their ballot. Medina, according to the documents, had discussed an effort with the person to collect ballots for Castellano.

Castellano maintained that shes run an old-fashioned grassroots campaign, and Medina told the Tribune, Ive been on campaigns for 30 years and never in my life could I have ever imagined anything that I do that would merit them breaking down my door and pointing six assault semi-automatic weapons in my face.

Republicans made the rules for helping elderly people and others with their mail-in ballots more stringent with the passage of Senate Bill 1 in 2021, parts of which are still being challenged in court. But Rosales said he felt confident no one associated with LULAC intentionally cheated. As things stand, its not clear any of the people served search warrants are even subjects of the investigation.

The volunteers caught up in Paxtons search warrants have been doing their work for decades, Rosales said.

They just continue to create more obstacles, he added, referring to state officials.

A Chill Over Texas

Earlier this year, Paxton  who has survived an impeachment trial and a felony securities fraud indictment  gave Annunciation House, a well-known network of migrant shelters around El Paso, a single day to turn over years of paperwork, including sensitive details on migrant guests whod stayed at the facilities.

The group successfully paused the effort in court, then blocked Paxtons attempt to shut them down altogether due to his allegations they were operating stash houses. (The attorney general is appealing.) A judge called the attorney generals behavior outrageous and intolerable, while Pope Francis said the effort to shutter Annunciation House was sheer madness.

But thats just one of numerous similar examples. In recent weeks, judges have shot down Paxtons long-running attempts to depose Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley  which runs a migrant shelter and is led by Sister Norma Pimentel, widely seen as a humanitarian leader  and Team Brownsville, which provides humanitarian aid to asylum-seekers. The efforts were linked to a 2022 letter from Abbott to Paxton urging him to investigate whether nongovernmental organizations were helping people cross the border illegally.

Separately, last month, a Harris County judge rejected Paxtons effort to shut down FIEL Houston, an immigration-focused nonprofit, supposedly because the group had referred to Donald Trump as son of the devil in Spanish.

It is a pattern all of a piece, said Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which represented FIEL in court. Namely, misusing the prosecutorial apparatus that is under [Paxtons] control.

On the phone with HuffPost, LULACs national CEO, Juan Proano, listed off a series of migrant shelters and civic nonprofits that Paxton has gone after with lawsuits in recent months.

It was our expectation that he was going to sue LULAC next, Proano said.

The cycle in Texas  which also includes demands for medical records from gender-affirming health care providers  has drawn concerns about anticipatory obedience, or the notion of civic society voluntarily ceding ground to authoritarian politicians. Groups like LULAC and Annunciation House, which rallied hundreds of allies and community leaders to its cause, have fought back strongly against the state, refusing to cede arguments over humanitarian assistance and voting rights.

LULAC has coordinated with its allies, held a raucous press conference following the search warrant executions on its members, and requested the Justice Departmentinvestigate Paxton. Several lawmakers have also made similarrequests. The DOJ confirmed receipt of the requests but declined further comment to HuffPost.

But other groups are hesitant to confront state leaders publicly, and word of Paxtons strategy has spread. One person in management at a shelter along the border told HuffPost they did not want to be named while discussing the attorney general.

I dont want to draw any fire from Paxton or the governor, the person said.

It is scary, Ali Boyd, director of human rights and advocacy at Border Servant Corps, an immigration services organization with shelters in El Paso and Las Cruces, New Mexico, told HuffPost.

She added that BSC is figuring out how to be ready if theres a knock at the door and stressed the importance of solidarity between organizations in the face of Paxton using the power of his office to intimidate people.

We are very nervous, but we feel that theres a role to have a voice in this conversation. If everybodys scared, whos going to be left to speak? Boyd said. The more organizations willing to follow the lead of LULAC and Annunciation House in standing up to this type of behavior, the less the chilling effect evolves.



Just A Pretext

Texas Republican leaders see immigration and election integrity as inextricably linked. Theres a reason Joe Biden brought people here illegally, Paxton said earlier this month. They were put in the states that they needed to win.

Texas has worked hard to substantiate that point  even if theres zero evidence that immigrants who arent eligible to vote have ever voted in significant numbers.

Last month, for example, Abbott made the dubious claim that over 6,500 noncitizens had been removed from Texas voter rolls since 2021. Of those, he said that approximately 1,930 have a voter history.

Similar purges have happened before. In 2019, Texas tried to remove tens of thousands of supposed noncitizens from its voter rolls, only to quickly acknowledge that at least 25,000 were actually citizens. (Often, outdated records refer to people as noncitizens who have since gained citizenship and registered to vote.)Voting rights groups immediately filed a lawsuit against the state. The ordeal led the secretary of state at the time to resign.

Texas has quietly acknowledged uncertainty this time around, too. For instance, Abbotts initial claim of over 6,500 noncitizens being removed from the voter rolls has since been updated to refer to them as potential noncitizens.

Texas methodology has long been suspect as well. Out of those 6,500 potential noncitizens, 657 people were identified as such because theyd said at some point that they could not serve on a jury because they were not citizens, the secretary of states office told The New York Times. (Sometimes, this simply indicates a legitimate voter wants to get out of jury duty, an election official told HuffPost.)

The remaining 90% of names, however, were purged from voter rolls simply because they didnt respond within 30 days to a letter from the state alerting them that their registration to vote was being examined. In 2021, several counties found that significant percentages of people receiving these examination letters were in fact citizens. It also likely doesnt help that any Texan can challenge anyone elses citizenship for the purpose of disenfranchising them.

To critics of Texas leaders, the purpose of Abbotts announcement is clear.

My gut feeling is that all this is happening in advance of the election to intimidate, and after the election, youre not going to hear much about it, one county election official told HuffPost. (They requested anonymity because, as an election official, we have to work with these people.)

My gut feeling is that all this is happening in advance of the election to intimidate, and after the election, youre not going to hear much about it.County election official

Meanwhile, others can speak more freely.

Theres absolutely no evidence of any widespread noncitizen voting in Texas elections, said Joyce LeBombard, president of the League of Women Voters of Texas, whose volunteers often register voters at naturalization ceremonies for new U.S. citizens.

The concern is that this false claim of noncitizen voting ... is just a pretext for undermining the access to the vote by marginalized communities  communities of color, especially those that are naturalized citizens, LeBombard continued, adding that Texas leaders could also be laying the groundwork for more restrictive voting laws or sowing distrust in election results  as they did in 2020.

Undercover Operations

Other efforts that risk disenfranchising or discouraging voters are ongoing, even without any credible evidence of wrongdoing.

In an Aug. 21 press release, Paxton said he was looking into reports that nonprofit organizations may be unlawfully registering noncitizens to vote, but he didnt identify the reports he was looking into, nor did the rest of the press release detail any laws being broken. Instead, the announcement said simply that various nonprofit organizations were operating booths offering to assist in voter registration outside drivers license offices, which is completely legal in Texas.

Despite this, the press release said that voter registration efforts outside driver license offices call[s] into question the motives of the nonprofit groups and warned that Paxtons Election Integrity Unit was conducting undercover operations ... throughout major metropolitan areas of Texas.

That kind of language, the undercover nature of alleged investigations that are happening in alleged metropolitan areas, is concerning, said Edgar Saldivar, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. He noted that census data shows that the vast majority of population growth in Texas has occurred in communities of color, and particularly so in major metropolitan areas like Houston and San Antonio.

For them to allege that there are undercover investigations in these areas, without any details or information about whats actually being alleged, is concerning, Saldivar continued. It creates fear; it [potentially] creates a chilling effect on people who simply want to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

The same concern extends to voter registration volunteers. Paxton hadnt alleged any concrete wrongdoing in his press release  so what was he talking about?

Its not clear to anybody where the line is  or where Ken Paxton is trying to say there may have been some wrongdoing, said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, which does advocacy around voter registration policy. If theres an organization out there trying to register people  whats wrong with that?

Paxton didnt acknowledge it, but the press release came just three days after Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo made a wild claim about illegal voting and drivers license offices in Texas, leading many to believe the attorney general and the cable TV host had the same goal: spinning up hysteria about voter registration.

Bartiromo said on X, formerly called Twitter, that a friend of a friends wife had seen a massive line of immigrants being registered to vote outside two Texas driver license offices and other voter registration efforts outside a third. Bartiromo didnt clarify how she knew the account concerned ineligible immigrants, let alone immigrants at all. But shes been clear on that allegation, mentioning during broadcasts that shed heard about driver license offices that were packed with illegals who were quickly getting registered to vote  an obvious Democrat operation, she said.

Bartiromo later acknowledged a statement from a local GOP chair refuting her story, as well as one from a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson. But theres plenty Bartiromo didnt mention, including the DPS spokesperson calling her claims about illegal voting kind of racist.

The Fox Business host has a history of this kind of thing. In March, she retold a story from a friend who claimed that two men who looked like illegals approached her at a food truck and asked if she wanted to sign up to become a Democrat and vote.

Then, in April, Bartiromo said, Republicans are warning that theres a Biden executive order, which allows illegal immigrants and felons to vote, even though thats plainly untrue and no such order exists. The following month, she also claimed without evidence that the government is giving people drivers licenses and Social Security numbers and saying, When youre in the U.S., dont forget to vote for Joe Biden.

Were Bartiromos clearly dubious claims an excuse for Paxton to launch a statewide undercover probe of voter registration efforts that advocates say could chill political participation? Neither Abbott nor the attorney generals office responded to this question  along with a detailed list of others  for this story.

But the state isnt done propping up specious claims in a potential effort to discourage people from exercising their voting rights. On Wednesday, Paxton sued the leaders of Bexar County, which is home to San Antonio and borders Castellanos district, after the county decided to mail voter registration forms to residents.

The lawsuit cited Abbotts press release from a few days earlier but made no mention of the issues with potential noncitizen data or the near certainty that many or most of the people flagged as noncitizens are in fact eligible voters.

Over 6,500 noncitizens have been removed from Texas voter rolls since 2021, the attorney general alleged. Of those noncitizens, nearly 2,000 have voted.

Bexar County contracted with a vendor who uses technology to identify eligible voters who are unregistered  for example, people who just moved to the state. But Paxtons office had a different term for them in his lawsuit: recipients who may or may not be eligible to vote.

Related...


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A new Maori queen was crowned today as her father was laid to rest.

Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII passed away last Friday at age 69. "The death of Kiingi Tuheitia is a moment of great sadness for followers of Te Kiingitanga, Maaoridom and the entire nation," Rahui Papa, spokesman for the Kiingitanga, said. "A chief who has passed to the great beyond. Rest in love."

MICHAEL BRADLEY - Getty Images

Tuheitia reigned for 18 years, and had three childrentwo sons, Te Ariki Tamaaroa Whatumoana Paki and Te Ariki Turuki Korotangi Paki, and a daughter, Nga Wai Hono i te Po. His youngest, and only daughter, was chosen as his successor. Per the BBC, she was chosen as kuini (the Maori word for queen) by "a council of New Zealand's indigenous Maori chiefs during an elaborate ceremony in the country's North Island."

Nga Wai Hono i te Po, 27, becomes the eighth Maori monarch in New Zealandand second-ever queen. (Her grandmother was the first.) The Maori monarchy, called the Kiingitanga (which translates to the King Movement), was established in 1858 to unite tribes, resist colonization, and preserve Maori culture and land. The queen attended the University of Waikato, where she studied Maori cultural studies and taught kapa haka.

The choice of Nga Wai Hono i te Po as the new queen has been applauded, especially since most Maori are under the age of 40. "Shes the new dawn, and the deliberations that took part over a few days over a wise council of advisers that made the decision for the motu, for the Maori world, must be congratulated," Te Tiriti o Waitangi lawyer Annette Sykes told the Guadian. "Weve all watched her grow up, shes very humble, Ive watched her mature into this woman who has this thirst for authentic knowledge and brings this into the modern world. Shes someone who wears Gucci, and she wears moko kauae [a traditional Maori tattoo]. She is leading us into uncharted and turbulent waters, and she will do it with aplomb."

Phil Walter - Getty Images

The role of Maori monarch is a ceremonial one, as King Charles remains head of state in New Zealand. "My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia," Charles wrote in a statement after the leader's passing. "I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Maori and Aotearoa New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion."

Charles added, "His death is a particular shock in view of the fact that I had only very recently spoken to Kiingi on the telephone at the beginning of August. Kua hinga te totara i Te Waonui a Tane. (A mighty Totora tree has fallen.) My wife and I extend our deepest condolences to Kiingi Tuheitias whaanau and friends and all those who will mourn his loss. Our special thoughts and prayers will be with you at this most difficult and heartbreaking of times."

Nga Wai Hono i te Po met Charles once, during a visit to London in June 2022, to strengthen ties between the royal families. "Through these connections and making peace with the circumstances of the past, we will be able to find a way forward collectively," she said at the time. "Ill be honest, my greatest desire of all is for all Maori land to be returned to Maori."



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Thieves steal nearly $20,000 worth of collectibles in Orange County

Thieves steal nearly $20,000 worth of collectibles in Orange County

Surveillance video captured a group of thieves stealing nearly $20,000 worth of action figures and collectibles in Orange County.

The suspects broke into a CubeSmart storage unit in Santa Ana located at 2828 W. 5th Street on July 31, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.

Three men were seen quickly moving several large boxes from a storage unit and down a flight of stairs.

Police said the thieves escaped with nearly $20,000 worth of collectible items including Star Wars and G.I. Joe action figures, valuable comic books and more.

Images of the suspects were captured on security video in Santa Ana on July 31, 2024. (Santa Ana Police Department)

The suspects stole large boxes filled with valuable collectibles from a storage unit in Santa Ana on July 31, 2024. (Santa Ana Police Department)

The suspects stole large boxes filled with valuable collectibles from a storage unit in Santa Ana on July 31, 2024. (Santa Ana Police Department)

Images of the suspects were captured on security video in Santa Ana on July 31, 2024. (Santa Ana Police Department)

The suspects loaded the stolen merchandise into a getaway van before fleeing the area. The vehicle is described as a 90s model, white Dodge van with blue stripes on the exterior.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information on the theft is asked to contact Detective J. Guidry at 714-245-8530 or email JGuidry@santa-ana.org.

Surveillance footage of the theft can be seen in the video player above.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A Brooklyn mother is demanding answers after her 30-year-old son Damani Alexanders body was found dead in a river, and some think that this is the latest in a disturbing trend that has taken place over the course of a year.

Speaking to CBS News New York, Desiree Nicholson said she believes there is foul play involved in her sons death, but police do not agree with her.

The first thing they said to me is that they found him floating in the water, but there is no foul play, theres no blunt trauma and there is no marks of violence. So I said, how can that be? I mean, Damani is a person who knows how to swim, Nicholson told CBS News.

In July, Alexanders body was found in Newtown Creek near East Williamsburg, a Brooklyn neighborhood. Before his disappearance, he was seen at a the performance venue/art space known as Knockdown Center. Two other people were also found dead in Newtown Creek in the past year. Those two individuals, John Castic and Karl Clemente, were seen at the Brooklyn Mirage nightclub before they were later found dead a month apart. According to CBS News, the medical examiner ruled that Castic and Clemente died from drowning.

City Councilman Robert Holden said the recent trend unfolding at Newtown Creek is concerning.

You have one or two, yeah, but when you have three, now were seeing an alarming pattern, Holden said, per CBS News. We need better lighting there, but should also, if were gonna open up clubs, we gotta put up fencing so people just dont fall into the creek.

According to text messages CBS News obtained from one of Alexanders friends, he feared for his life before he disappeared.

I think dudes trynna kill me, Alexander wrote, according to the text messages. He also wrote Knockdown center and later added, Dudes waiting for me outside. Alexander then stopped texting, his friend said.

New York City police told CBS News that they dont suspect foul play in Alexanders death.

CBS News New Yorks Ali Bauman asked, Do you think the police are taking this seriously? to which Nicholson responded, I dont think so.

If someone knows something, were asking that you come forward with that information, Nicholson said.
Tiffany Henyards party goes on, despite trustees efforts to stop it

South suburban politician Tiffany Henyard threw a party over the weekend that included a heavy serving of damage control.

Let me make sure Im crystal clear about this: I aint never took a goddam thing in my life, Henyard told Facebook viewers during a livestream from the outdoor gathering.

The event was promoted as the Friends of Tiffany A. Henyard Picnic, which immediately set off alarm bells among her opponents, who noted that Friends of Tiffany A. Henyard is also the name of the embattled politicians campaign fund.

Trustees in Dolton  where Henyard is the mayor  and in Thornton Township  where shes the supervisor  tried to block efforts to have public money pay for the gathering. However, WGN Investigates noted food boxes from the township were given away to attendees and the event was held at a Dolton skating rink Henyard built; but a rink that critics say is rarely used.

Its only open when shes there or shes having an event, said Dolton trustee Tammie Brown.

The skating rink was built with a projected cost of $269,000. WGN Investigates had to sue Dolton to get access to village credit card records which show $17,000 was charged at a roller skate wholesaler.

Im thinking thats for the roller skates residents never got a chance to use, Brown said.

Henyards attorney, Beau Brindley, tells WGN Investigates the picnic was not a campaign event and that Henyard paid for some of the food provided out of her own personal funds.

I spent my own money to put on for my citizens  I put my money where my mouth is, Henyard told her Facebook followers.

The food giveaway appeared to be conducted by Thornton Township workers, who handed out boxes containing turkey, yams, greens, and other items. The Greater Chicago Food Depository has previously warned the township not to use the food it provides during campaign or political events. Pantry manager Keith Price said the food boxes came from township surpluses.

The food depository sent reps to the townships pantry on Tuesday to underscore the point.

Our team did not see mixing of Food Depository products with event products, said Jim Conwell of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. We reaffirmed our stance that food supplied by the Food Depository should not be used for political events or campaign activities.

The FBI continues to investigate Henyards leadership in both the village and the township. WGN Investigates has spent the past year documenting more than $100,000 spent on luxury travel for Henyard and her allies.

Dolton trustee Andrew Holmes defends Henyards spending and leadership.

If theres anything that was criminally done, it will be out there, Holmes said. The children are having fun. The families are having fun and things are getting done.

Holmes was accused of sexually assaulting a village employee on a taxpayer-funded trip to Las Vegas last year. He denies the allegation.

Im not going to answer any questions about any of that, Holmes told WGN following Tuesdays meeting. Ill let law enforcement [thats] handling this case do what they have to do.

For her part, Henyard continues to call stories about her spending and confrontational style fake news and clickbait.

God put me here, Henyard said from the party. God wanted me to lead the people. God knew that I wouldnt take no mess. He knew that Id stand strong in the fire for you.

WGN Investigates: Investigating public corruption, crime & fraud

Meanwhile, the dysfunction in Dolton continues as Henyard tried to appoint new staff members despite the board of trustees attempts to cancel the meeting.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Tim Walz appears to mock JD Vance with doughnuts comment during campaign stop

LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM/NEXSTAR)  Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was filmed visiting a farm market in Pennsylvania during a campaign stop for Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday.

He also used the opportunity to take a dig at opponent JD Vance and his experience at a Georgia doughnut shop last month, according to viewers.

Walz, while buying whoopie pies at the Cherry Hill Orchards in Lancaster County, held up the packages and said, Look at me, I have no problem picking out doughnuts.

The best doughnut shop in every state, according to Yelps Elite Squad

Clips of Walzs remarks have since been shared to social media by KamalaHQ  an account run by people with the Harris-Walz campaign, according to The Hill  where followers were quick to comment on what they perceived as Walzs shade towards Vance.

The shade is such dad shade too, one commenter wrote.

I see what you did there, said another.

Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, made headlines in August after visiting a Georgia doughnut shop and asking the employees to give him just whatever makes sense. Footage of his interaction with the workers  one of whom asked not to be filmed  went viral soon afterward.

Speaking with NBC News, Vance later said he felt bad for the woman who didnt want to be on camera.

We walked in, and theres 20 Secret Service agents, and theres 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her, Vance said.

Motorcade accompanying Walz involved in car crash in Wisconsin

After his visit to the farm market, Walz stopped at the Lancaster County Democratic Committee headquarters, where he gave brief remarks in front of officials and volunteers. He also spoke to about a half dozen voters over the phone.

He did not take questions from the media or talk policy in front of cameras.

Its not hyperbole to say this election could very well hinge on this county here and this field office here and the hopes that we get out, Walz said. That is an awesome responsibility, but its also an awesome opportunity.

Walzs visit to Lancaster came ahead of stops in Pittsburgh and Erie for campaign events, including a rally in Erie on Thursday night. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was also in Pennsylvania on Wednesday for a town hall event in Harrisburg.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Credit - Jennifer GraylockAlamy

Amandeep Singh Gill is at the forefront of global AI governance. As the United Nations Secretary Generals Envoy on Technology, he coordinates digital cooperation among member states, industry, and civil society, as well as within the U.N. He implements U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres priorities on AI, helping stakeholders to understand what is going on with the technology and shaping international engagement.

In October 2023, the U.N. formed a 39-member High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, drawing from governments, the private sector, and academiarepresentative of regions across the world. Members include OpenAIs Mira Murati, assistant professor Zhang Linghan (who has been leading Chinas AI policy response), and Gill himself.

Gill considers this moment as our narrow shot to avoid another Cold War-style arms race with AI. In the mid-1950sthe London talks when Eisenhower was the president and Bulganin was the leader on the Soviet sidethere was a very interesting opportunity that was missed to prevent an arms race that took off. Then you had the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the world came close to the brink of nuclear war, he says. Why not be more thoughtful about this today?

While the Cold War may be a lesson for this moment, Gill highlights that traditional governance approaches fall short of addressing the rapid development of AI technologies. There is a need to update these global governance tools to ensure accountability. He also believes in bridging the gap between the private sector and regulators to develop a shared understanding of the consequences and benefits of the technology.

In December, the body put out an interim report that laid the foundations for how to govern the proliferation of AI globally. Their key recommendations included bridging the gap between AI adoption in the west and the Global South and producing unbiased scientific reports on AI's progress, similar to the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The advisory panels final report is expected by September when the U.N. will hold its Summit of the Future.

Gill has said that without deliberate effort, AI will not advance the U.N.s Sustainable Development Goals, which include ending poverty and reducing inequality, nor will it be useful in addressing climate change or public health challenges.

TIME spoke with Gill in late July to understand how hes thinking about the future.

(This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)

TIME: One of the central problems in AI governance, particularly internationally, seems to be that the technology develops at a much quicker rate than governance responses. How do you think about this challenge?

Amandeep Gill: Absolutely, I agree with you. It is indeed one of the biggest challenges. At the U.N., we have a toolkit to respond.

I've spent decades in arms controlnon-proliferation, disarmamentyou have a toolkit of treaties, of what we call Transparency, Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs). But when you are confronted with these technologies, the traditional toolkit falls short.

So how do you respond? By updating the toolkit and by better leveraging a mix of soft and hard norms, because negotiating hard norms is tough these days. In the AI context, we have norms around human rights, on gender, on sustainability. But if these commitments are only voluntary, then the accountability gap increases.

I think another aspect of addressing this pacing problem is that you need to have almost constant software reboots. You need to update your understanding of what the technology is and what its implications are. So this idea of scientific assessments and the proposal of a new international scientific panel on AIwhich would provide regular, unbiased assessments of AI development and its impactsis part of that response.

A third aspect of this is we have to find ways to engage with those who are in the know. Often there's a gap between technology developers and regulators, particularly when the private sector is in the lead. When it comes to diplomats and civil servants and leaders and ministers, there's a further gap.

How can you involve different stakeholders, the private sector, in particular, in a way that influences action? You need to have a shared understanding. Ah, this is problematic. So people walk out of the room with some ideas about how to respond. They may not like to articulate it because they don't want governments to pick up the regulatory pen and start writing things down, but they may go and just do what needs to be done, so the quality of action improves. I think there are some ways to handle the pacing problem if we are smart and deliberate about it.

How can countries in the Global South benefit from the AI revolution without being left behind?

The most important thing is inclusion in governance. We need to broaden participation in the international governance of AI. A few countries, a few institutions with partial membership, can't do this. We need to bring in more diverse perspectives, particularly from the Global South, so their needs can be reflectedso it's not someone deciding this is good for you. Please take it.

Second, we need to be more deliberate about capacity building. That includes curating data sets, building the cross-domain talent, access to computing power, and increasing the quantity and flow of data through digital public infrastructure and in the digital economy overall. At the end of the day, you'll have to train your own or tune your own models on local languages.

There are limitations on these broadly trained LLMs working in local languages. India's Bhashini project addresses this by providing an interface for local languages, enabling farmers to use AI in their native languages with their own datasets. If you're a chili farmer or an avocado farmer, what are the problems you're dealing with? Without hallucination, you can get the right advice there.

Those are the areas where we need to focus on with the Global South. We need to help governments think strategically about these issues.

In a recent podcast appearance, you told listeners there's a narrow window of opportunity to avoid a Cold War on AI. What did you mean?

Today, you have a reasonable degree of optimism about international cooperation. In the United Nations, we've had two AI resolutions: one put forward by the U.S., another one put forward by China. Both of these resolutions have been adopted by consensus and the U.S. and China have supported each other on them. The framing is essentially AI has issues. We need to manage them together. But there are also opportunities. We need to harness those opportunities together.

So that is the window of opportunity. There will be an attempted reboot of multilateralism through the upcoming Summit of the Future. Practically, the summit will come out with a pact for the future, which is a shared vision for the kind of digital world we want in the future, that global leaders will hopefully adopt in September.

Digital issues are also on the agenda through the Global Digital Compact, a U.N. initiative to establish shared values for governing digital technologies globally. Currently, countries have an opportunity to take a decision on some aspects of AI on which we will work together. If we do this, then there is less of a chance of geopolitical competition, a race to the bottom, in terms of AI use. The job will not be done by adopting the Global Digital Compact, but it will be a shared foundation for future cooperative action.

These summits have often been criticized for being too numerous, but they are channels of communication. They are opportunities for some announcements, for some networking, and hopefully for some agreement on what needs to be done in the future.

Otherwise, with many other technologies, we've seennuclear, the one case that I'm most familiar withthere were two or three instances in the 1940s and 1950s that we missed out on. In the mid-1950s, during the London talks when Eisenhower was the president and Bulganin was the leader on the Soviet side, there was a very interesting opportunity that was missed to prevent an arms race that took off. Then you had the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the world came close to the brink of nuclear war, and there was a wake-up call. People took responses almost as emergency measures.

Why not be more thoughtful about this today? Why not, at least, with some bare minimum of collaboration, create some habits of working together? Create some frameworks for international engagement, so that there is some kind of balancing out of the competitive instinct.

There's going to be geopolitical competition, which will include AI. But I think the point is can we balance that competition with some cooperation? So that theres no runaway competition and it doesn't end up being a Cold War type of situation.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Chris Mansi)

When someone is having a stroke, they lose 2 million brain cells every minute. Its a leading cause of disability and death globally. Chris Mansi, a neurosurgeon turned co-founder of Viz.AI, wants to help people get the care they need much faster.

The companys algorithms, which analyze a patients various tests and scans to help diagnose stroke and other emergencies, can already shave off 66 minutes of the time it takes for stroke patients to receive specialized care. That is equivalent to reducing disability by one year, Mansi says. The algorithms success has led to Viz.ai deploying it in over 1,600 hospitals.

The companys platform also facilitates communication with specialists at different hospitals, helping ensure those in rural areas or underserved communities with very few medical providers, can get to the right specialists in time. Mansi explains: Were not just detecting the stroke, but we're sending an alert to the neurosurgeon in that specialist hospital, empowering doctors to decide much faster whether transferring the patient is required.

Mansi co-founded Viz.ai in 2016 while in the Stanford MBA program. Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, who was also his professor, decided to seed-fund the company. In 2018, Viz.ais stroke algorithm became the first of its kind to receive FDA approval. Since then, the company has continued to grow the types of data and list of conditions it can detect, boasting a total of 13 FDA-approved algorithms that can help triage a range of heart, lung and brain conditions.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Kauna Malgwi)

Kauna Malgwi had just started at university in northern Nigeria when the terrorist group Boko Haram began a major insurgency. The Islamist militants, whose name means western education is forbidden, carried out raids on universities like Malgwis, kidnapped female students, and set up roadside bombs. Once, Malgwi says, one of those bombs exploded just five minutes after her vehicle had passed it by. The militants were especially targeting Christians like her. In 2012, she fled with her mother and aunt south to Abuja, the nations capital.

Malgwi completed her education in Kenya, and in 2019 signed up for what she says she thought was a call center job for contractor Sama. In reality, she says, she discovered the job was as an outsourced content moderator for Facebook, a role that required viewing videos of wartime atrocities, rapes, and suicides, in order to remove them from the platform. (Sama disputes her allegation. All team members understood the nature of the work before starting, a spokesperson said.) The labor helped Facebooks parent company Meta train its AI systems to detect similar content in the future. But in 2023, after a colleague blew the whistle on low pay and alleged union-busting at Sama, the contractor pulled the plug, making Malgwi and around 260 others redundant. Despite a Kenyan court later ruling that Meta was the primary employer of the moderators, the tech giant is appealing the decision, and has so far not paid the redundancy payments the moderators believe they are owed. Meta did not respond to a request for comment; Sama says its decision to end its contract with Meta was a business decision unrelated to the whistleblower allegations.

As the case drags on, Malgwi has emerged as one of the leading voices on the invisible data work that underpins so much of todays advanced AI. She leads the Nigeria chapter of the Content Moderators Union, where she sees her responsibility as ensuring young people know their rights when they sign up to work for tech companies. Thats vital, she says, as Meta and others are now seeking contractors in jurisdictions other than Kenya for content moderation, in the wake of the legal challenges brought by Malgwi and her colleagues there. The fear that you can just be laid off because you are raising concerns is beginning to diminish, because people are beginning to be aware that they have rights as workers, Malgwi says of the work her team has already done in Nigeria. Her ambition is to spark similar efforts across the continent. Imagine if from all the African countries there is such pressureBig Tech will have no option but to do the right thing.

Malgwi has even helped influence laws outside of Africa. In February, she testified at the European Parliament in Brussels, where she told lawmakers of the insomnia she still suffers as a result of her work; the paranoia she feels seeing men with small children after viewing videos of child abuse; and her pride at having likely saved lives by escalating terrorist content before attacks could be carried out. After her testimony, she wiped away tears. Two months later, the Parliament agreed to pass the Platform Work Directive, a law that will regularize the employment status and rights of platform workers like Uber drivers and content moderators in E.U. member states. Although Malgwi wont directly benefit, she sees it as a step in the right direction that could have global ripple effects. It will have a positive impact, she says. If such rules are to be made, Im sure even Facebook knows one day things will also change for them.

*Disclosure: Investors in Sama include Salesforce, where TIME co-chair and owner Marc Benioff is CEO.

Write to Billy Perrigo at billy.perrigo@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Bill O'LearyThe Washington Post/Getty Images)

Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan has been a thorn in the side of Big Tech companies since her 2021 appointment, arguing that major players have become too monopolistic and powerful. Over the last year, shes turned her focus to how these tech giants might be wielding AI to further consolidate their power. In January, the FTC opened an inquiry into the partnerships between Silicon Valley behemoths (Google, Amazon, Microsoft) and rising AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic), probing whether they might be undermining fair competition. She warned in February that this new technology is in danger of being co-opted by some of the existing dominant firms to double down on their dominance.

Khan has sent out many other warning shots to AI companies engaging in questionable practices. Shes declared that any models trained nonconsensually on data from news websites or artists could be in violation of antitrust laws. She has voiced concern about peoples data being used without their knowledge or consent. And she has also proposed new protections against deepfakes. All of these actions, combined with her position of power, make Khan one of the most prominent forces working to combat AI harms today.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Mophat Okinyi)

At great personal cost, Mophat Okinyi helped to make ChatGPT a success. A former content moderator based in Kenya, his job was to read and label thousands of descriptions of toxic contentrape, child sexual abuse, sex with animalsto inform an algorithm that would help detect the kinds of things ChatGPT shouldnt say. Okinyi says the work, for the outsourcing company Sama, was low-paid and grueling. He says he developed mental health problems and his wife left him.

Today, Okinyi is a new man. After blowing the whistle on the working conditions at his former employer, he helped to start the Content Moderators Union, the first union designed to protect the rights of AI data workers in Africa. Now the unions chairperson, Okinyi has overseen its growth to more than 400 workers at several companies; worldwide, the total universe of AI data labellers is likely in the millions, by one estimate. Hes also navigating the organization through Kenyas slow bureaucracy toward an official registration.

OpenAI has said it was not aware of the working conditions at Sama, and no longer works with the contractor. A Sama spokesperson said in an email that claims of mental health issues and/or family breakdowns were not brought to our attention during the time of employment, and added that counseling was available to workers at all times.

With his meager savings, Okinyi this year separately founded an NGO, called Techworker Community Africa, which educates African AI workers and students about their rights, helps them avoid precarious short-term contracts, and advocates for better wages and mental-health support. The biggest problem is that workers are not informed of their rights, Okinyi says. They can be easily exploited. Thats why were trying to give them some kind of training.

*Disclosure: Investors in Sama include Salesforce, where TIME co-chair and owner Marc Benioff is CEO.

Write to Billy Perrigo at billy.perrigo@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Halil SagirkayaAnadolu/Getty Images)

Last year was a huge one for Sam Altman. The OpenAI CEO rocketed to household name status, was sought by dozens of world leaders for his audience, and saw his personal wealth balloon, all thanks to the success of ChatGPT. But just before Thanksgiving, the rocket engine faltered. OpenAIs nonprofit board fired Altman, saying he had been dishonest with them. Altman eventually saw off the boards threat, and was back in the top job by the time he sat down for home-cooked vegetarian pasta on Thanksgiving. But to many observersif not for his many allies in Silicon Valleythe events had tarnished Altmans golden year.

In 2024, as well as shepherding OpenAI through several new products including a voice assistant, a synthetic video generator, and an AI search engine, Altman resumed his project of smoothing the ground for OpenAIs future plans. In February, it emerged he was seeking up to $7 trillion from investors in an audacious attempt to build a new manufacturer of the chips necessary to build cutting-edge AI, seeking to loosen some of Nvidias stranglehold of the market. And in July, he published a manifesto of sorts in the Washington Post, arguing that for democracies to succeed against authoritarianism, they must improve their cybersecurity, invest more deeply in AI hardware, and collaborate with China on setting global norms for AI deployment.

But ever since that fateful Thanksgiving, Altmans pitchthat he is developing AI for the betterment of humanityhas come under greater scrutiny. Newspaper investigations have raised questions over his many apparent conflicts of interest at OpenAI. While Altman holds no equity and only draws a meager salary, he has large stakes as a private investor in many of OpenAIs collaborators and customers. Several of OpenAIs senior safety researchers have resigned in recent months, with one claiming that safety had taken a backseat to shiny products under Altmans leadership. The companys president and a key Altman ally, Greg Brockman, is taking an extended leave of absence to spend time with his family. And the CEO was embroiled in a controversy over restrictive non-disclosure agreements that has since prompted whistleblowers to ask the SEC to investigate. Altman said in posts on X he was unaware of a non-disparagement clause that would prevent departing employees from selling their valuable equity, adding that OpenAI had never, and would never, claw back departing employees vested equity.

Despite these headwinds, Altman does not appear to be going anywhere. After the resignations of its senior safety researchers, OpenAI set up a new safety committee that said it would assess and strengthen the companys existing measures. And Bret Taylor, the new chair of OpenAIs board, defended Altman over accusations of conflicts of interest, saying Altmans personal investments had all been disclosed to the board in line with company policies. Through most of that time OpenAI has remained out ahead of the AI race, with its latest chatbot GPT4-o at the top of an open-source leaderboard at the time of writing. As a longtime startup investor and occasional blogger, Altman is fond of dispatching pearls of wisdom. Among his favorites: So much of being a successful entrepreneur is about just not giving up.

Buy your copy of the TIME100 AI issue here

*Disclosure: OpenAI and TIME have a licensing and technology agreement that allows OpenAI to access TIME's archives.

Write to Billy Perrigo at billy.perrigo@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Sasha Luccioni)

About 5 years ago, Sasha Luccioni was researching ways AI could help tackle climate change when a single question prompted her to rethink: What if AI was part of the problem?

Every time you do a Google search, you don't know how much energy that's using. Every time you use an AI to generate an image, you dont know how much energy thats using, Luccioni says. The tech industry, she says, has not been forthcoming with data about the carbon footprint of this new technology.

That revelation spurred Luccioni to examine AIs environmental costs. In 2020, she helped create a tool for developerswhich has since been downloaded over one million timesto quantify the carbon footprint of running a piece of code. Two years later, she co-authored one of the first studies to calculate the carbon generated by a large language model. The study estimated that BLOOM, which at the time was the worlds largest multilingual open-source AI model, would generate over 50 metric tons of CO2 over its life cycle. Thats roughly the equivalent of flying from London to New York and back about 80 times.

As Climate and AI lead at Hugging Face, a wildly popular platform for sharing open-source AI models, Luccioni is focused on pushing these insights beyond the research community. In October, she presented her research at TED, and now is developing a first-of-its-kind energy star rating for AI. The rating system, set for release later this year, will help engineers and startups compare the climate-impact of different AI models. The aim isnt to shun AI, Luccioni says, but to help others choose the right tool for the job.

*Disclosure: Investors in Hugging Face also include Salesforce, where TIME co-chair and owner Marc Benioff is CEO.

Buy your copy of the TIME100 AI issue here

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Scott Wiener)

California State Senator Scott Wiener has provoked the ire of the tech elite. The San Francisco Democrat authored SB 1047, a bill mandating safety measures for developers of the next generation of AI models like ChatGPT, which recently passed in the California State Assembly. Given Republican promises to prevent and undo federal regulations on artificial intelligence, SB 1047 is poised to be the most significant AI safety law in the country.

There has been a roiling debate about whether future AI systems could drive humanity extinct. Wiener says his billwhich contends with the risk of scenarios such as mass casualty eventsis about serious harms that are not in any way speculative.

Reaction has been swifta sign, perhaps, of the seriousness with which industry leaders are taking Wieners proposals. Industry goliaths OpenAI, Google, and Meta have all written open letters against the bill, while major AI investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator have spearheaded scorched-earth opposition campaigns against it. And though all the leading AI companies have signed on to (non-binding) safety commitments, only Anthropic and Elon Musks xAI have come anywhere close to endorsing the bill. After SB 1047 was amended to address many of the companys concerns, Anthropic wrote that the new versions benefits likely outweigh its costs." Musk, who has sparred with Wiener, surprised many when he personally endorsed the bill the week of its final votes.

Eight congressional Democrats from California also took the unusual step of opposing the state-level legislation, arguing in a letter that SB 1047 is premature given that our understanding of AI safety is still in its infancy. The next day, Nancy Pelosi echoed their statement, in what appears to be the first time shes opposed state-level legislation from a member of her own party.

The bill does, however, have endorsements from Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, two godfathers of deep learning. It also polls very well and, despite bitter industry resistance, has sailed through California's legislature nearly unopposed, though it could still be vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom, who hasnt weighed in yet. Wiener, who also authored Californias net neutrality law, thinks that states cant afford to wait for Congress, which he notes has not passed a major tech regulation in decades. California has the responsibility to protect public health and safety while promoting innovation, he says.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Courtesy of Yoshua Bengio)

Yoshua Bengio, one of the most-cited researchers in AI, is deeply concerned about the dangers that future artificial intelligence systems may pose. A longtime professor at the University of Montreal and founding director of the MILA - Quebec AI Institute, Bengiooften referred to as one of the godfathers of AIhas been balancing his time between raising awareness of the risks of advanced AI and furthering his research on how to curb them.

Bengio is a sober voice on extreme risks. According to his research, these include large-scale social harms, malicious uses, and an irreversible loss of human control over autonomous AI systems. In November 2023, he was appointed to chair the International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI, which convenes 75 AI experts, including an advisory panel nominated by 30 nations, the E.U., and the U.N. The interim report, delivered at the Seoul AI Summit in May 2024, comprehensively synthesized existing scientific research on the capabilities and risks of advanced AI, covering issues from biases and disinformation to national security and concerns about society losing control of the technology.

TIME spoke with Bengio in mid-July about the debates around AI risk, the role of policymakers and the ethics of improving advanced AI models.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What has it been like transitioning from focusing on pure science to filling more of a policy advocacy role?

I'm continuing to do science, except that it's shifted, and a lot of what I'm spending my brain cycles on is machine learning, ways to address safety: particularly how to design AI systems which eventually might be smarter than us, but that will behave well and not harm people and so on.

But yes, I'm also spending a lot of time on, let's say, the political questions, regulation, talking to the media, giving talks about why we need to pay attention to these questions, being involved in international organizations, talking to governments around the world and all that.

I've heard you cite geo-engineering as an example of a time when we decided not to develop or use a technology in the face of high uncertainty and possible harm. And I've heard people make similar arguments about human cloning.

And bioweapons! I mean, there's a reason why we don't see humanslike countries or bad actor statesusing bioweapons: because they're afraid it turns against them. You know, it could mutate and be transmitted to their own people and so on.

Given that we hit the brakes on going down those down paths, why do you think the same isn't true in AI?

I wish I knew. I'd like to write a blog post on the psychological reasons why we collectively behave the way we do. I think humans are very good at cognitive dissonanceharboring inconsistent beliefs and views and plans when it allows them to achieve goals, not lose face, maintain their ego, fit into groups, compete with their opponents. There are lots of reasons that make us not perfect reasoners.

I notice that the AI ethics community seems to worry about things like misinformation and disinformation, bias, copyright issues, labor impacts, and maybe cybersecurity; whereas the AI safety community is more concerned about existential risks. Why do you think there's so much tension between these groups?

First, there shouldn't be, because at the end of the day, we're saying we need the requirements of protecting the public to enter into how we take those decisions with AI. That means governments, or even the international community, needs to have a say in all that. That's the most important thing that we must do to avoid both of these short-term and longer-term problems.

Why is it that there is this sort of antagonism? I don't know because I've been an advocate of the human rights issues with AI for much longer than I've been talking about the existential risk. I don't see them as in opposition. On the contrary, it's like climate change adaptation versus mitigation: one is shorter-term, the other is longer-term. And yes, of course, we need to do both.

[Theres an] idea that there's a competition in the minds of people and governments between these goals. That isn't a very rational argument, because there are so many issues that we need to deal with. And we're not saying, Okay, you're not supposed to talk about that one, because it's going to detract our attention from this one. No! The world is full of problems.

But I think, from a psychological perspective, if you've been spending many years of your life fighting for a cause, and then somebody starts talking about something different, you might feel personally like oh, wait, wait, we should be talking about my thing. So I don't think it's rational, but I think it's understandable.

It strikes me that governments have limited attention spans sometimes. Does this mean that there is a crowding-out effect, where there is limited space for what they can pay attention to?

Actually, it's the opposite I think that is happening. Look at the E.U. AI act, or the Executive Order from Biden on AI. Both clearly cover all the risks. I don't think you'll see a political solution that doesn't. In addition, if you care about the most extreme, catastrophic risk, you also have to care about the human rights issues. And there's a reason for thisnot just because strategically, we have objectives in common in terms of getting governments involved, but also because if we lose democracy, we're cooked! Not just at the level of human rights and democratic values, but a dictator is probably not going to be very good at dealing with existential risk. Theyre not going to surround themself with a group of people who actually are honestly saying what can go wrong. It's obvious: you can look at what happened with Putin. If you just have yes men around you, you're going to take the wrong decisions, and those wrong decisions could be catastrophic for humanity. So you have to work together.

Given the risks involved, do you think it's unethical to work on advancing capabilities [of the most advanced models] at a frontier AI lab?

Wow. It's a tricky question. In my opinion, in order to advance AI safety, you need some purely safety things, like thinking about what can go wrong and how to mitigate it. But in order to actually mitigate it, you're going to need machine learning advances. So, one way to think about this is in order to make sure the AI understands what we want and also understands the consequences of its actions, it needs to be really good. But, of course, it's not a sufficient condition; it's a necessary condition. So I think working on capability is okay if you are also matching the development in safety. And that isn't what is happening, in my opinion, in the leading companies.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source: Ni YanqiangReuters)

As the Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the countrys leading AI regulator, Zhuang Rongwen faces a seemingly impossible task: imposing the nations censorship practices on unpredictable generative AI technology without stifling domestic innovation.

That did not stop Mr. Zhuang from making history in August 2023, when less than a year after ChatGPT was released, China became one of the first countries to implement binding regulation targeting generative artificial intelligence. The law requires, among other things, for developers to obtain government approval before deploying models publicly. Since then, the government has approved over 40 Chinese language models, including those of newly-minted Chinese AI unicorns like Zhipu and Baichuan. China is second only to the United States in the number of large-scale AI models originating from the country, accounting for 25% of such models.

A provision in the law states that AI developers must Uphold the Core Socialist Values. Perhaps leading by example, a research arm of the CAC created its own LLM in May. Dubbed Chat Xi PT, the model was trained on the political doctrine of President Xi Jinping as well as other official literature. For now, the model is for internal use only.

But the CAC under Zhuang has also been instrumental in curtailing the power of Chinas biggest tech companies. In the summer of 2022, the regulator issued a $1.2 billion fine to Chinas leading ride-hailing company, Didi, for violating data security laws. The massive fine was a part of a multi-agency crackdown on Chinas tech industry that wiped out more than $1 trillion in value from the sector.

While the crackdown has since eased, there is no guarantee it will last. Zhuangs decisions will help shape whether China can keep pace with its western counterparts and realize its aspirations of becoming an AI powerhouse.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The following lecture was delivered in March 2023 at the University of Torontos Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy as part of a benefit conference to raise funds to establish a Center for Civic Engagement at Kyiv Mohyla Academy.

The subject I have chosen for myself is thinking about freedom in wartime Ukraine. The basis for this title is a conference I ran with some friends and colleagues in 2014, just as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began  the first Russian invasion, in the spring of 2014. I brought people from North America and Europe to Kyiv and ran a conference called Thinking Together. Although thats a very simple idea, I like to think its a useful one. And when I speak about philosophy in Ukraine, I wont be explaining how philosophy might be applied to Ukraine. Instead, I will be thinking together with Ukrainians and others about what I take to be the central subject of this conflict, which is freedom.

That said, Im very glad to be here with Margaret Atwood, my Ukrainian friends and colleagues Volodymyr Yermolenko and Mychailo Wynnyckyj, and philosophers. I understand that the general framework were supposed to talk about is: What Good Is Philosophy? Im going to aim for something slightly different: namely, how we might think better, or how philosophy might be better, if we think together during this war.

My subject is freedom, and my method is going to be very simple. Im going to begin with what philosophers or colleagues might call a speech act. Im going to begin with an utterance of two words and think together with the person who uttered them. My subject is freedom, and Im going to break it down into four parts: freedom and speech, freedom and risk, freedom and obligation, and freedom and security.

Read also: Opinion: Downing missiles while leaving launchers intact is like swatting mosquitos without closing the window

The two words are " ," which means "the president is here." Those words were uttered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 25, 2022, just as the full-scale invasion had begun, two days in. I want to use those words to talk about freedom  specifically, freedom and speech. I want to treat Zelenskys act of stepping out of his office, going onto the street, and filming a selfie at the beginning of this invasion as a paradigmatic act of free speech. That might not be the first association people have, and if its not, Im going to suggest its because of our bad habits: in politics, and perhaps even in philosophy, we tend to treat freedom of speech as an empty concept. We dont pay attention to the substance of whats said, the setting where something is said, or the semantics. How something is said seems to matter less. All that matters in our everyday portrayal of freedom of speech is the lack of restriction.

What I want to suggest is that this has it backward. The reason we care about the lack of restriction is because of the substance, the setting, and the semantics. The substance, setting, and semantics matter very much. And they matter very much because of the purpose of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech isnt an empty concept, a reflexive concept, or a kind of habit. Freedom of speech has a purpose: to allow people to speak truth to power. Thats not an original observation of mine. Theres a tradition of this that goes back to Euripides, and it has been reinterpreted more recently by Foucault.

I want to suggest that when President Zelensky said, on Feb. 25, 2022, I am here, the president is here, he was, of course, speaking the truth. He was saying something true  he was in Kyiv at that moment. He was where he said he was, doing what he said he was doing. He was speaking the truth against a background of lies. One of the reasons he was there saying what he was saying was that, three days into the war, at a time when many thought the war was about to end, the Russians were claiming hed already left Kyiv. Again, he was speaking the truth against a background of lies.

A screenshot of the video posted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outside the Ukrainian Presidential Office on the second day of Russia's full-scale war in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 25, 2022. (Screenshot from the video / Telegram)

He was also speaking truth to power. Teams of assassins were nearby, probably in Kyiv itself. Tanks seemed to be on the way into the city. Theyd gotten very close at that point. Bombs and missiles were falling. He was speaking truth to power. And this is an interesting third part of freedom of speech. The truth he was speaking was true because he made it true. It was true because of what he was doing with his body. What he was saying was risky, not just because it was true, but because it described a risky state of affairs. And because in the very act of speaking, he was taking a physical risk  a corporeal risk.

Theres another tradition of freedom of speech, I think closely related, associated with the Czech philosopher Jan Patocka and the Czech political thinker and dissident Vaclav Havel, which says that truth is something you assert, avow, or avouch. It may describe the external world, but it becomes true the moment you avow it, the moment you invest in it, the moment you associate it with your bodily existence. This notion of freedom of speech, I think, is the correct one. Freedom of speech has a purpose  to allow people to speak truth to power. Given that purpose, freedom of speech will involve, as Havel and Patocka suggest, a certain amount of risk. We can see the power of this notion of freedom of speech when we contrast it with our everyday way of talking about freedom of speech as a lack of restriction.

If we contrast Zelenskys speech act with the kinds of things we usually put into our category of freedom of speech, we notice some important differences. We tend to worry about situations where powerful people speak untruths to maintain power. Against this background, that doesnt seem so important. We often fret about free speech on campus, by which we mean something like people coming to campus to say the most annoying thing they can and then fleeing in their limousines. That doesnt really seem central. It doesnt seem to be what freedom of speech is truly about.

It might be that de facto those sorts of things would have to be protected by any reasonable law. But actions like speaking untruths to maintain power or deliberately abusing the notion of free speech in the name of free speech have to be treated with suspicion rather than valorized. No one is showing valor when they provoke needless, mindless controversy in an entirely safe situation. No one is showing valor when they already hold power and lie to preserve or magnify that power. What should be valorized is the person who takes risks to speak truth to power.

Read also: Opinion: Mongolia should arrest Putin or face consequences

It might be that de facto those sorts of things would have to be protected by any reasonable law. But actions like speaking untruths to maintain power or deliberately abusing the notion of free speech in the name of free speech have to be treated with suspicion rather than valorized. No one is showing valor when they provoke needless, mindless controversy in an entirely safe situation. No one is showing valor when they already hold power and lie to preserve or magnify that power. What should be valorized is the person who takes risks to speak truth to power.

The notion of the person here is important. Ive been trying to say freedom of speech rather than free speech, and that is for a reason. I may have failed, I may have fallen into the cliche of saying free speech, but I think free speech is a cliche that leads us in the wrong direction because it suggests the thing that is free is speech, as opposed to the person.

It may seem like Im splitting hairs, but Im not. A huge percentage of the utterances were confronted with every day are produced or magnified by algorithms. Theyre produced by entities that arent human and dont have rights. Its important that we organize our conversation around the freedom of speech by making sure the utterance is connected to a person. If its not connected to a person, if its just some digital agglomeration, it doesnt have any rights. Theres no person connected to it. There is no truth because the algorithm doesnt care about truth. It cant be spoken to power because the algorithm has no attitude to power. Or, put more simply, there isnt a speaker.

Freedom of speech is the right term because it implies the freedom of the speaker. Thats the crucial concept. The speaker, in Zelenskys case and in others, displays freedom and embodies freedom by taking a risk. This leads me to the second category of freedom, or the second association with freedom, that I want to talk about: freedom and risk.

"Freedom and democracy have to be about taking risks."

Historian Timothy Snyder in Kyiv, Ukraine on Sep. 6, 2023. (Kostiantyn Huzenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

So, were done for now with freedom and speech. Now, I would like to talk about freedom and risk. And as I do this, I want to recall my method. Im staying with the two words spoken on Feb. 25, 2022, by President Zelensky: The president is here,  . As I move forward, Ill also slowly move into my own engagement with him about those words when we talked about them.

In order to think about freedom and risk, I want to step back from those two words,  , and the setting in which Zelensky spoke them, and move into a more American setting to reflect on my thoughts and experiences in February 2022. In the weeks and days before the war, I felt isolated in my publicly recorded claim that Zelensky would remain in Kyiv. That was my view, and it was certainly a minority one. I felt strange saying it, the way you feel strange when everyone else is saying the opposite. But I said it, and it was broadcast on an important Sunday evening American television show, 60 Minutes. My claim that Zelensky would remain aired on 60 Minutes on Sunday, Feb. 20. Again, this was before he did remain and before he said those two words. This was five days before that. It was the Sunday.

On Monday, Feb. 21, the next day, I was sitting right where I am now, in my office at Yale, to take part remotely in the doctoral defense of a history student defending a dissertation in Lviv, in Western Ukraine, at the Ukrainian Catholic University. The student passed and then immediately joined the Ukrainian Territorial Defense.

On Tuesday, Feb. 22, I participated as a guest in a class taught by a Yale colleague who had convened security advisers from both the Trump and Obama administrations. Among other things, he asked them the same question that I had been asked: Would Zelensky stay if there were a Russian invasion of Ukraine? To my recollection, all of them said Zelensky would flee. They were very polite in their disagreement with me, but they said, Zelensky is going to flee.

This is the setting I want to recall. I guess I want to ask why we all thought that and what it says about us. Theres a simple answer to this, which is that Americans had just experienced a painful withdrawal from Afghanistan, and people tend to remember the last war. So, everyone was applying the analogy of Afghanistan to Ukraine. While I dont want to discard that, I cant help but notice that the notion Zelensky would flee, and the associated notion that Ukraine would fall, went well beyond the United States. It was broadly shared.

Read also: Opinion: The Kursk incursion underlines the urgency of unrestricted support for Ukraine

There is something to the Afghanistan analogy, but I think something more fundamental was happening, which has to do with freedom and risk, or more broadly, with what freedom actually means. I think it has to do with something that, in my other writings  first, in "On Tyranny" and then in "The Road to Unfreedom"  I call the politics of inevitability after 1989.

That is the sense that sometimes goes under the name of there is no alternative or the end of history. The sense  the very powerful, very broadly shared sense  that all that was going to happen in the future was a kind of general convergence toward democracy and freedom. Underlying that analysis was the assumption that democracy and freedom are the results of larger forces. The larger forces people had in mind were usually capitalism or maybe American exceptionalism as an example for everyone. But some larger force was going to ensure freedom and democracy.

Now, this way of thinking about freedom and democracy has a lot of problems. It verges on being logically contradictory because, after all, if youre living in a world of inevitability, its hard to imagine how you can be free. If youre living in a world where everything is guided by larger forces, where are the people who rule? Where is democracy? How is that possible? More practically, this kind of passivity about democracy and freedom breeds bad habits. If you assume things are going to go your way, you dont get in the habit of struggling, as Frederick Douglass said you must. You dont develop the habit of struggling for the value of freedom or the value-laden system of democracy. Those muscles grow limp. Those reflexes die.

But the relevant consequence here, when we think of February 2022, is this: If youve gotten used to thinking that democracy and freedom are the result of larger forces, then what do you do when those forces are arrayed against you? This is a question that doesnt apply only to a war in Ukraine. It also applies to an attempted coup, a financial crisis, a terrorist attack  any number of things. If you think your freedom and democracy depend on larger forces, and then you meet a shock where it turns out that the larger forces arent going your way, what do you do? What can you do? You run. Thats all youve got left. You run.

Read also: Opinion: Ukraines oligarchs were once kingmakers. Where are they now?

I think the fundamental reason why  and I say this with shame, but also in the hope that recognizing it will help us  so many people in North America and Europe assumed Zelensky would run is thats what they would have done. Because, from their point of view, if they had been in Kyiv, they would have thought the larger forces were against them. What else is there? Democracy, freedom  the results of objective forces? Suddenly, the objective forces are turned against us. You run. What else are you going to do? But he didnt run. He stayed. He chose to remain on Feb. 22. The two words, The president is here     he uttered three days after the invasion. Hes remained in Kyiv ever since, and he and many others who behaved similarly have led a Ukrainian resistance that involves not only the Ukrainian state but also Ukrainian civil society.

Looking upon this from the outside, I think its fair to say we have been divided into the astonished and the cynical. People who are not somehow impressed by this are those who like Putin or subjugation or being lied to. Theyre living in a cynical, nihilistic world. Essentially, theyre behaving as if nothing happened. If Zelensky remaining in Kyiv doesnt make an impression on them, its because nothing could. Theyre living their political life in a land of cynicism or nihilism.

Then there are the astonished. Im struck by this. The astonishment comes with uncertainty about how to characterize what Zelensky has done. People know its impressive and know that, for them, it was unexpected, but theyre not sure how to describe it. People who are astonished seem to me to be those who still have some kind of value commitment to freedom, but theyre unsure how to characterize freedom as a matter of taking risks, which is what this behavior demonstrates. It shows that freedom cant just be a matter of objective laws about our three-dimensional world. It has to involve a commitment to values, which then brings about a corporeal or bodily commitment.

Freedom and democracy have to be about taking risks. Not just any risk, not taking risks on purpose, not taking risks for the sake of it, but taking thoughtful risks. Theres always going to be this element in freedom and democracy. Larger forces may push this way or that way, but if youre going to be a free person, you have to confront the larger forces, alter them, find exceptions to them, sublimate them, trick them, do something with them besides expecting theyre going to be on your side. Youre going to have to take some kind of risk.

This brings me to something I discussed with Zelensky, which seems to be an interesting but solvable problem for freedom. Im going to characterize this as my third point, or my third concept: freedom and obligation. What Im concerned with here is a situation in which it seems to you that a person is free, yet the person says there was nothing else they could have done.

On the one hand, when I spoke to Zelensky about all this, I had the impression I was talking to someone who was quite free. Even though we were behind checkpoints, behind sandbags, even though we were talking during an important battle, even though he had been working incessantly for months, he was relaxed. He seemed to be without complexes, open to talking about whatever. I told him I wanted to talk about philosophy, and he said, Lets do that. Then we talked about philosophy for a couple of hours  for the better part of the afternoon. So, on one side, judging by his comportment, as far as one can judge, Zelensky seemed to be very much a free person.

On the other hand, when we talked about his decision to remain in Kyiv, and his explanation for it, he circled around the same point over and over again. He said, I could not have done otherwise. He said, I would not have been myself had I left. He said, I would not have respected myself if I had left. Here, we seem to have something of a paradox. I am going to call it the Zelensky paradox. How can someone who seems to be free feel as though there was nothing else they could have done?

I think theres a way to resolve this little paradox, this Zelensky paradox. If we think about freedom in the right way  as a kind of pluralist engagement with values over the course of a life  this apparent paradox dissolves. If we imagine freedom as the highest value, because freedom is what allows us to engage with, choose among, and realize all the other values, and then if we think about our life in its stages, in the correct temporal order, as practice in making such choices, we remember these choices will involve subjective evaluations, unpredictable circumstances, and irreconcilable values. You cant always get everything you want at the same time. You have to play tricks, try to combine, or do one thing now and another later. These choices are always going to involve imperfect outcomes, but imperfect outcomes are laden with values and have

Editors Note: This essay was originally published as part of a special issue of Studia Philosophica Estonica entitled, Reflections on the Russia-Ukraine War. A copy of the original article can be found here. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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Tiny asteroid on path to hit Earth burned up in atmosphere

(NewsNation)  A small asteroid that was on a path to collide with Earth burned up after entering the atmosphere near the Philippines on Wednesday.

The European Space Agency reported the three-foot asteroid burned up harmlessly after entering our planets atmosphere around 12:46 pm ET.

The asteroid, known as 2024 RW1, burned up above the western Pacific Ocean near Luzon Island in the Philippines. It was discovered by a researcher with the Catalina Sky Survey, a NASA-funded project.

Starliner returning Friday, but astronauts will remain on ISS

The small asteroid was only the ninth to be spotted before impact. It was found through a NASA-funded observatory near Tuscon, Arizona, that tracks and catalogs near-Earth objects.

Videos posted to social media showed a bright green fireball visible from the Philippines and NASAs Planetary Defense Coordination Office said multiple sensors detected the impact.

That office is part of a major priority for space agencies, searching for near-Earth asteroids and tracking them. In 2022, NASA crashed into the asteroid Dimorphos in an effort to knock it off its path.

The project, which succeeded, was a test to see if the agency would be able to knock a potentially hazardous asteroid headed toward Earth off track.

It did have unexpected consequences, however. Simulations suggest debris from the crash site could result in a meteor shower years after the impact. But the shooting stars wont be visible to Earth; instead, they will create a meteor shower on Mars.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
FILE - This Dec. 2, 2020, file image taken by panoramic camera aboard the lander-ascender combination of Chang'e-5 spacecraft provided by China National Space Administration shows a moon surface after it landed on the moon. (China National Space Administration/Xinhua via AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP)  Volcanoes were still erupting on the moon when dinosaurs roamed Earth, new research suggests.

The evidence: three tiny glass beads plucked from the surface of the moon and brought to Earth in 2020 by a Chinese spacecraft. Their chemical makeup indicates that there were active lunar volcanoes until about 120 million years ago, much more recent than scientists thought.

An earlier analysis of the rock samples from the Chang'e 5 mission had suggested volcanoes petered out 2 billion years ago. Previous estimates stretched back to 4 billion years ago.

The research was published Thursday in the journal Science.

It was a little bit unexpected, said Julie Stopar, a senior staff scientist with the Lunar and Planetary Institute who was not involved with the research.

Images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2014 had also suggested more recent volcanic activity. The glass beads are the first physical evidence, Stopar said, although more research is needed to confirm their origin.

The Change 5 samples were the first moon rocks brought to Earth since those collected by NASA's Apollo astronauts and by Soviet Union spacecraft in the 1970s. In June, China returned samples from the far side of the moon.

The research may help us understand how long small planets and moons  including our own  can stay volcanically active, study co-author He Yuyang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in an email.

Researchers studied around 3,000 lunar glass beads smaller than a pinhead and found three with signs they came from a volcano. Glass beads can form on the moon when molten droplets cool after a volcanic eruption or meteorite impact.

Existing time lines suggest the moon had already cooled off past the point of volcanic activity by the time frame suggested by the new research, Stopar noted.

It should inspire lots of other studies to try to understand how this could happen, she said.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Bolivar, Tennessee police officer has been indicted on official misconduct and theft charges following an investigation by the TBI.

On August 8, Bolivar police made a traffic stop on a Ford F-150, and the driver was arrested for driving on a revoked license. The truck was seized and towed to the police department.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the man returned to the Bolivar Police Department on August 13 to retrieve his belongings from the truck, but his toolbox was missing from the truck bed.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

Surveillance video showed a Bolivar police officer removing the toolbox and putting it into his patrol car, officials said. Reports say the toolbox was found at the officers home.

Granville Lloyd, 32, was indicted on Official Misconduct and Theft charges on September 3. He was booked into jail on Wednesday and released on a $10,000 bond.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Deputies with the Tom Green County Sheriffs Office executed a routine traffic stop that led to a major drug seizure.

Mugshot: Jeremiah Sanchez Aug. 31, 2024

According to a press release from TGSO, at around 3:32 a.m. on Aug. 31, deputies stopped a vehicle driven by 20-year-old Jeremiah Sanchez of San Angelo.

Deputies noted that during the stop they discovered and confiscated over 1,170 grams of THC, 25 grams of cocaine, 15 ounces of marijuana and an undisclosed amount of money in cash.

Sanchez was arrested and is facing multiple high-level felony charges related to drug trafficking.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
The top 5 cities in the US for Hispanic entrepreneurs in this list are in Florida. Heres where

Mark your calendars, Hispanic Heritage Month is coming up in less than two weeks.

Ahead of the celebratory month, personal-finance website WalletHub released its annual "Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs" report, with Florida dominating the list.

Experts compared 182 cities  including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state  across two key dimensions, Hispanic Business-Friendliness and Hispanic Purchasing Power. They then evaluated the two dimensions using 23 relevant metrics, including Hispanic entrepreneurship rate, Hispanic income growth, and overall Hispanic population.

In the top cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs, as many as 30% of businesses are owned by Hispanic people. While these cities also tend to have large Hispanic populations overall, the high entrepreneurship rates indicate that they offer business-friendly conditions," WalletHub Analyst Chip Lubo.

"In the top cities, Hispanic entrepreneurs can enjoy low corporate tax rates and good opportunities for growth. Plus, a large Hispanic population can be especially helpful for entrepreneurs who want to cater to that demographic.

What are the dates for Hispanic Heritage Months 2024?

National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. According to U.S. Census website, the reason why it begins in the middle of the month is so it coincides with the Independence Days for multiple Latin American countries, including:

Costa Rica - Sept. 15

El Salvador - Sept. 15

Guatemala - Sept. 15

Honduras - Sept. 15

Nicaragua - Sept. 15

Mexico - Sept. 16

Chile - Sept. 17

Belize - Sept. 21

Why do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? See its origins

Students and faculty of Indian River State College celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an afternoon of activities at the IRSC s Pruitt Campus with a range of activities from mariachi music , Hispanic foods and deserts, and cultural exhibits representing Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain and Uruguay. "It's important for us to share our culture," said Silvia Bustamante, IRSC counselor and event organizer. "We have students representing the 21 different cultures that we celebrate during Hispanic Heritage month and we bring artifacts from each country."

The National Museum of Latin America explains that Hispanic Heritage Month seeks to provide an additional opportunity to "explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations."

They add it began as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan 20 years later in 1988. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.

What cities are the best for Hispanic-owned businesses? Florida dominates

Source: WalletHub

Out of top 20 cities, Florida cities took up 11 of the spots, including the first seven slots. See the top 20 cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs:

Pembroke Pines, FL Orlando, FL Fort Lauderdale, FL Port St. Lucie, FL Miami, FL Cape Coral, FL Hialeah, FL Missoula, MT St. Petersburg, FL Laredo, TX Tampa, FL Amarillo, TX Albuquerque, NM Corpus Christi, TX Nampa, ID Santa Clarita, CA Tallahassee, FL Jackson, MS Jacksonville, FL Las Cruces, NM

Why is Pembroke Pines the best city for Hispanic entrepreneurs?

Pembroke Pines is a city in southern Broward County, located 22 miles north of Miami. According to WalletHub experts, it is the best city for Hispanic entrepreneurs in 202.

They shared the city boasts the fourth-highest share of businesses owned by Hispanic people, around 30.5%. The city also has the highest Hispanic entrepreneurship rate in the country, on top of one of the best entrepreneurship rates for the general population.

"Over 47% of the population of Pembroke Pines is Hispanic, the 23rd-highest percentage in the nation, and the city has the third-highest share of Hispanic residents who own their homes rather than renting them," experts wrote.

Additionally, Pembroke Pines has the 10th-lowest corporate tax rate among the more than 180 cities in the study, which helps entrepreneurs keep more money while avoiding burnout.

What is the worst city for Hispanic entrepreneurs?

New Haven, Connecticut saw the bottom of WalletHub's ranking, seeing low scores for Hispanic Business-Friendliness and Hispanic Purchasing Power. The study also points out that it is the fourth worst city for Hispanic entrepreneurship rate.

See top 10 worst cities:

New Haven, CT Boston, MA Cleveland, OH Detroit, MI Providence, RI Bridgeport, CT Buffalo, NY Huntington, WV Rochester, NY Fayetteville, NC

See tips for Hispanic entrepreneurs interested in starting their own business

To expand on its findings, WalletHub to experts to gather more insight. They asked those for their tips

Pilar Useche, University of Florida professor, shared that potential entrepreneurs should become acquainted with associations that have resources, programs, and support systems that are specifically designed for Hispanic entrepreneurs, such as the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), or the Latino Business Action Network (LBAN).

"These resources could be used to develop a basic understanding of finance, seek expert advice to review business ideas before crafting a detailed plan, network, explore franchising opportunities as a path to business ownership, stay informed about market trends, etc," she added.

Additionally, other experts encouraged entrepreneurs to find their niche and to seek out mentors. Marlene Orozco, Lead Research Analyst with the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, said growing your network and making it stronger is important.

"Connections with other entrepreneurs, mentors, and business-serving organizations can provide invaluable support and guidance. Networking opens doors to new opportunities, whether it is finding potential partners, gaining insights into industry trends, or receiving advice on overcoming challenges," she said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida cities best for Hispanic entrepreneurs top list. Here's why
A top 'engineer' faked his degrees and only had a high-school education. He got away with it for years.

A South African rail agency's chief engineer claimed to have a master's degree and a doctorate.

In reality, he only had a high-school education. He got away with the lie for years.

On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay back some of his salary.

The chief engineer of South Africa's state-run passenger rail agency falsely claimed to have a master's degree and a doctorate in engineering, earning him a handsome salary of about $160,000 a year.

In reality, he hadn't attended university at all.

Daniel Mthimkhulu, 49, got away with the deception for years but is now expected to spend a decade and a half behind bars.

On Tuesday, a court in Johannesburg sentenced Mthimkhulu to 15 years in prison. He had been charged with nine counts, including fraud and forgery.

Mthimkhulu was the head of engineering at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

He was arrested in July 2015, having worked at the rail agency for 15 years, including five years heading up its engineering department.

He got the top engineering job by lying on his resume, claiming to have a master's degree from Johannesburg's Witwatersrand University and a doctorate from a German university.

However, the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found that Mthimkhulu had only a high-school education.

During his tenure at the rail agency, he oversaw a deal worth over $100 million to purchase dozens of trains from Spain.

The trains were later discovered to be too tall for South Africa's rail network and couldn't be used.

Spanish authorities subsequently launched an investigation into possible corruption linked to the deal.

In 2019, Mthimkhulu admitted during an interview that he did not have a Ph.D. and had "failed to correct the perception" that he held a doctorate.

The court in Johannesburg also heard that Mthimkhulu had forged a job-offer letter from a German company and used it to negotiate a salary increase at the rail agency, BBC News said.

In addition to the prison sentence, Mthimkhulu was ordered to repay the company the equivalent of about $326,000.

The head of South Africa's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Seswantsho Godfrey Lebeya, said in a statement: "This should serve as a lesson to would be fraudsters that crime doesn't pay."

Read the original article on Business Insider
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Water issues have forced a Topeka school to close early Thursday, sending students home well before their days were supposed to end.

Dr. Aarion Gray with Topeka USD 501 shared a message sent to parents with 27 News on Sept. 5 of a water main break impacting Hope Street Academys school and daycare has forced it to close early. Students were released early at around 10:45 a.m. due to the situation which isnt expected to be fixed until later in the day.

City of Topeka spokeswoman Amanda Knowland told 27 News the break was first reported around 9 a.m. near 1844 Hope Street. Crews have been dispatched to examine the area and identify the leak which is expected to take four to six hours unless unforeseen issues arise. The outage is impacting around 26 customers in the area.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Demolition of old Topeka building paves way for Polk-Quincy Viaduct project

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Protestors have disrupted the opening night screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), accusing sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) of funding genocide.

Agitators during the opening night screening of David Gordon Greens Nutcrackers were met with widespread boos from the audience.

Kyle Buchanan, the New York Times awards columnist, was amongst those in the audience and said, The crowd is extremely hostile, shouting back go away and booing them.

Protestors interrupt the opening night premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, criticizing fest sponsor RBC: RBC funds genocide! The crowd is extremely hostile, shouting back go away and booing them pic.twitter.com/5cRShKyJx7  Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) September 5, 2024

The protestors were quickly escorted out by security within five minutes. You said your peace, and now we would like to start the festival, Cameron Bailey, the CEO of TIFF, said.

Protests erupt at the TIFF opening night premiere of NUTCRACKERS pic.twitter.com/G5ldMwmJVV  Nate Adams @ TIFF (@TheOnlyCritic) September 5, 2024

The pro-Palestinian protestors were rallying out against the RBC, which is the official bank partner of the festival. According to the video posted by Buchanan, the protestors flashed signs reading RBC is killing our future and RBC off screen while they yelled out RBC funds genocide.

Nutcrackers stars Ben Stiller as a workaholic whos forced to look after his four nephews in rural Ohio. Green based the entire story on friends of his who live on a farm in Ohio, casting the real young boys to play versions of themselves in the film.

The festival opens Thursday night and runs until Sept. 15.

The post Toronto Film Festival Protesters Disrupt Opening Night Screening, Accuse Sponsor RBC of Funding Genocide appeared first on TheWrap.
Augusta City Hall is on Telfair Street.

The future of the Augusta mayor's spending habits is in the cards.

When Mayor Garnett Johnson submitted office expenses for reimbursement earlier this year, the list shone a light on what the mayor spends money on and why. Johnson had been using a personal card for the recent expenditures, which ranged from office supplies to expenses incurred when Johnson visited Washington, D.C., for a state dinner at the White House, a White House Christmas party and the most recent State of the Union address.

Is the amount enough? Is it too much? The Augusta Commission this week voted to resolve the spending request and to approve a new expense review policy. Here's how it happened:

Does the city even have an expense card policy?

Yes and no. The official city policy sets an expense-card spending limit of no more than $500 a day or $5,000 a month. Exceptions can be made by city Finance Director Donna Williams, who acts as the administrator for the cards. But the mayor's $41,000 reimbursement request last December exposed what she considers a drawback of the current policy: Spending limits can't always match unexpected costs, such as renting a stage teleprompter for First Lady Jill Biden's visit to Augusta last November. So, Johnson had been using his personal card for some expenses, lending it to staffers.

Why not just reimburse the mayor?

Johnson will be reimbursed, but it seems that no city policy currently exists that details procedures to reimburse the mayor's personal money spent on government purposes. Augusta's city administrator has confirmed that the mayor's purchases were legitimate.

What happens now?

With Johnson recusing himself, the Augusta Commission voted to approve the mayor's reimbursements. If Johnson incurs further expenses, they are directed to be applied to a new expense card for the mayor. Meanwhile, city finance staffers will prepare an updated reimbursement policy to address the stated shortcomings of the cards' low limits.

What's next?

A proposed new reimbursement policy is expected to come under commissioners' review as soon as Sep. 24.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta to reconsider new expense account policy for mayor
UPDATE: Semi-truck that caught fire was hauling 42,000 pounds of pecans

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2024, 9:41 p.m.

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV)  Fond du Lac Fire & Rescue has released more information about the semi-truck that caught fire on Interstate 41 on Wednesday.

According to a media release, shortly after 6:00 p.m., fire crews were sent to Interstate 41 between Johnson Street and Military Road for a semi-truck on fire.

New plans reveal where developments will be for UWGBs Phoenix Innovation Park

Upon arrival, they found a fully engulfed semi-truck extending into the trailer, which was hauling 42,000 pounds of pecans. Crews on the scene quickly extinguished the fire.

Pilot of small aircraft becomes trapped, dies at the scene of Fond du Lac County plane crash

Interstate 41 southbound and Rolling Meadows Drive were shut down briefly to allow crews to extinguish the fire. No reported injuries.

No additional details were provided.

TRAFFIC: Authorities continue working on semi-truck fire on Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac, right lane closed

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2024, 7:05 p.m.

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV)  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is reporting a semi-truck on fire on Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac and only the right lane is closed.

Other lanes have reopened at this time.

TRAFFIC: Semi-truck fire on Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac closes all lanes

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2024, 6:31 p.m.

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV)  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is reporting a semi-truck on fire on Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac, causing a complete closure.

The semi-truck is pulled over to the side while first responders work to put out the flames. The incident is located on Interstate 41 southbound at the off-ramp to Wisconsin Highway 23.

Pilot of small aircraft becomes trapped, dies at the scene of Fond du Lac County plane crash

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says the fire was reported at around 6:15 p.m., and it could take up to two hours to clear.

Those traveling on Interstate 41 south in Fond du Lac can use the alternate route: east on Wisconsin Highway 23, south on Pioneer Road, and west on Military Road to get back to Interstate 41.

Cornerstone Community Center breaks ground on additional arena, fourth ice rink in Ashwaubenon

The Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office is assisting in the fire. More updates are expected to follow in the next hour or so.

Local 5 News will update this when more details are provided.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report)  A 4-year-old child is dead, a woman has lost her foot, and firefighters were trying to contain a spill of sulfuric acid after a train carrying stowaway migrants left the tracks Tuesday night just south of Juarez, Mexico.

Twelve boxcars and tank cars lay on their sides near the tracks, surrounded by dozens of firefighters and Mexican National Guard troops keeping people away from the spill, authorities in the border state of Chihuahua said.

US troops help Mexican army deal with mock train derailment, chemical fire

We are maintaining safety measures due to the hazardous spill near the Juarez-Ahumada highway, said Luis Corral Torresday, head of the Chihuahua Civil Protection Office. In the early hours, a search was conducted for a missing child  as the accident involved (migrants), one from Nicaragua and four from Venezuela. First responders are reporting the child was found (Wednesday morning) with no signs of life.

A 28-year-old womans foot was severed during the derailment and a 17-year-old male suffered serious head injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to a hospital in Juarez, the Civil Protection Office said.

Woman cant keep up with smugglers, gets run over by train

The cause of the derailment is under investigation and the spill appears to involve a single tank car, authorities on the scene told Border Report news partner ProVideo.

Sulfuric acid is a corrosive fluid used in petroleum refining, metal processing and to make fertilizers. It can catch fire if it comes into contact with other chemicals and can emit toxic fumes if heated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border

Migrants used to travel atop trains from southern Mexico to border communities like Juarez by the hundreds before the Mexican government cracked down on the practice last May.

A few migrants still manage to get on trains undetected to arrive at a border where asylum-seekers without an appointment at a U.S. port of entry are sent back or expeditiously removed because of a June 4 Biden administration executive order.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
UPDATE 9/5/2024  A man will serve 22 years in prison for intentionally setting fire to a Mountain Grove church back in 2023.

Online court records say James Hopkins III will serve seven years for second-degree burglary and 15 years for first-degree arson. The sentences will run consecutively to each other.

MOUNTAIN GROVE, Mo.  A man charged with intentionally setting fire to a church in Mountain Grove has been found guilty in a jury trial.

James Hopkins III was found guilty of second-degree burglary and first-degree arson. He is scheduled to be back in court in September 2024 for sentencing.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Church burns in Mountain Grove

In June 2023, officers with the Mountain Grove Police Department arrived at the Southside Baptist Church to find it already on fire. A probable cause statement indicated there was evidence the building and an office inside had been broken into. Desk drawers in the office were left open, and part of the desk had been flipped.

Court documents stated a woman reported a strange man the following day, saying shed offered him a ride but the man (later identified as Hopkins) declined. The woman said hed also told her he had just burned down a church.

Documents also say that in an interview with police, it was found that Hopkins was homeless, and had traveled to Missouri from South Carolina after losing a job.

Hopkins pleaded not guilty to the fire in October 2023.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
This story was published in partnership with The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting on gun violence. You can sign up for its newsletters here.

In a video posted to YouTube, 24-year-old school shooting survivor David Hogg points to a whiteboard and outlines a five-step plan to reshape America.

Ever since Hogg survived the 2018 Valentines Day shooting at his Parkland, Florida, high school, which killed 17 of his classmates and educators, hes become a national leader in the push for gun control and a formidable up-and-comer in Democratic politics. His latest effort is Leaders We Deserve, a political action committee formed in 2023 that has raised nearly $8.5 million in the past year to elect Gen Z and millennial progressives to state and national office.

The PAC aims to find young Democrats running for office, flood their campaigns with cash, offer strategic advice, provide a team of volunteers and work with the candidates to build a winning platform.

The strategy, Hogg explains in the YouTube advertisement designed to attract donors, has already met with success in Texas: We just did this, electing the youngest person to the Texas state Senate, Molly Cook, the states first openly LGBTQ+ senator. Leading up to the May election, Hoggs PAC bolstered Cooks campaign with $300,000 in financial backing, money used to blanket her district with mailings and digital ads.

With Molly, we found in our poll that she was behind by 2%, so we came in and we found that she was ahead by 5 after we informed voters about her background, Hogg says, adding that his team knocked on the doors of more than 1,000 potential voters. We got her on MSNBC as well and worked with her on her messaging and the result is that she ended up winning by 62 votes.

Molly Cook became the first openly LGBTQ+ state senator in Texas, winning her election with support from Leaders We Deserve. The PAC has relied largely on digital ads, including on Instagram and Google, to bolster support for young progressive candidates. (Source: Instagram screenshot)

As Hogg works to elect a ton more Mollys around the country, an analysis by The 74 of Federal Election Commission filings and the PACs digital ads offers insight into how he has leveraged the trauma and lessons learned from surviving one of Americas deadliest school shootings to build out a well-connected, generously funded operation to influence elections.

The urgency of his key issue remains unabated: Two students and two teachers were killed and at least nine others injured Wednesday in a shooting at a Georgia high school. During a presidential campaign stop Wednesday afternoon in New Hampshire, Vice President Kamala Harris called the shooting outside Atlanta a senseless tragedy, on top of so many senseless tragedies.

Its just outrageous that everyday in our country  in the United States of America  that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless, Harris said. Weve got to stop it.

Leaders We Deserve has pumped millions of dollars  and resources from Democratic power players  into the campaigns of young candidates who support progressive causes like gun control, reproductive rights and protecting public school funding. Its efforts going into November will almost certainly be strengthened by Harriss presence atop the ticket, an event that has energized young voters.

Joining forces with Hogg, a recent Harvard graduate, is Kevin Lata, the former campaign manager of U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida who, at 27, is the first member of Gen Z to serve in Congress. Hogg and Lata didnt respond to interview requests.

As a generation, weve collectively been told to run, hide and fight over and over during active shooting drills, and our generation has learned that along with our ABCs, Hogg says in one ad. I think its time that we repurpose the meaning of that. We need to start running for office. We need to stop hiding from the responsibility that we have to protect future generations.

Sign-up for the School (in)Security newsletter.

Get the most critical news and information about students' rights, safety and well-being delivered straight to your inbox.

Cook has received the largest share of direct campaign cash from Leaders We Deserve, according to the PACs most recent federal financial disclosures, which cover the period from June 2023 to the end of July 2024. In that time, the group has helped finance the campaigns of 16 candidates, primarily at the state level, including in Pennsylvania, Alabama, Florida and Ohio.

Funding has gone to the Georgia House race of a seventh-grade math teacher in Atlanta, a former Miss Texas vying for a state House seat on a gun control platform, a 28-year-old in Pennsylvania whose run for the state House is centered on combating school budget cuts, and a 28-year-old mother running for a House seat in Tennessee after the state denied her access to an abortion.

The Leaders We Deserve PAC has made direct contributions to young progressive candidates across the country, with the largest share going to Molly Cook, the first openly LGBTQ+ state senator in Texas. (Graphic by Eamonn Fitzmaurice of The 74/campaign websites)

Pain into purpose

Though young candidates are underrepresented in public office across the country, and they tend to face steeper financial barriers than those from older generations, FEC data  and Hoggs five-step plan  show the PAC offers more than money to its endorsed candidates. It has ties to some of the major players in Democratic campaign operations.

Its 59-person advisory board encompasses education leaders, gun control proponents, youth activists and two former law enforcement officers  Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone  who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, attack by a mob of Donald Trump supporters. Democratic politicians, half of them 35 or younger, make up the largest share of advisors.

Related

Arne Duncans Next Mission: Helping the Young Men at the Center of Chicagos Gun Violence Epidemic

Among the more seasoned advisors is Arne Duncan, the former education secretary for President Barack Obama. Duncan now has his own group  Chicago CRED  which provides job training and other resources in a bid to stem gun violence in his hometown.

Duncan told The 74 that he and Hogg communicate regularly to discuss their shared goal of thwarting gun violence. Duncan said that his generation has failed to confront the issue in a meaningful way, leaving young people  including the ones Hogg is working to elect  to devise solutions.

I hate the leadership that David has had to provide on this issue. I hate the trauma that he and his classmates and his school and his community have been through, Duncan said. But I so appreciate him turning that pain into purpose and really fighting to change things.

Hogg who co-founded the gun control group March for Our Lives in the Parkland shootings immediate aftermath and has campaigned in previous elections for candidates who support new gun laws has garnered financial support for his political committee from marquee donors. The bulk of donations  more than $4.3 million  come from undisclosed individuals contributing less than $200, but the largest single contribution of $300,000 is from Ron Conway. The Silicon Valley venture capitalist and gun control proponent served on the advisory board of Sandy Hook Promise, which has sought to reduce campus gun violence in the wake of the 2012 mass shooting at the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school.

Related

Map: In Decade Since Sandy Hook, Nearly 500 Killed in Mass Shootings Across U.S.

Other prominent donors include reproductive rights activist Phoebe Gates, the daughter of Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who gave $75,000, and actress Kate Capshaw and her husband, the director Steven Spielberg, who donated a combined $25,000.

That support, federal election data shows, has translated into significant spending, with nearly $3 million going to advertising via text messaging, digital ads and campaign mailers. Nearly $1 million  the PACs second-largest expense  was used to purchase lists with the contact information of potential voters.

The PACs expenditures also reflect the web of influential players working behind the scenes. Leaders We Deserve paid nearly $130,000 in legal fees to the Elias Law Group, the firm of Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, who helped Harris vet vice presidential candidates and is now assisting with the partys vote recount strategy for November. Other top payments were to prominent political fundraisers and strategists, including The Hooligans Agency, a firm credited with using Hollywood tactics to make viral political ads.

The Leaders We Deserve advisory board includes leading gun control proponents such as Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Newtown Action Alliance Co-Founder Po Murray and former Education Secretary Arne Duncan. (Graphic by Eamonn Fitzmaurice of The 74/Leaders We Deserve website)

PACs like Leaders We Deserve have faced criticism for injecting smaller races with big money from interest groups and out-of-state donors. Leaders We Deserve has found its greatest success raising money from donors in California, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York, federal data shows. The group hasnt contributed to candidates in any of those states.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers and a Leaders We Deserve advisory board member, said the PAC offers Hogg a strategic advantage.

He did this in a way so that he wasnt constrained by party, Weingarten said. He understands and knits together policy and politics.

A big barrier

Even with its list of established connections, Leaders We Deserve faces headwinds in driving change.

Young people are vastly underrepresented on the ballot and run for public office at much lower rates than older adults, according to a 2022 white paper from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning Engagement, or CIRCLE, a nonpartisan youth-focused research organization at Tufts University.

As of 2021, millennials  those born between 1981 and 1996  made up a quarter of the voting population yet represented just 7% of lawmakers in Congress. Researchers found that financial insecurity and structural inequities  not apathy  were behind the divide.

While more than 20% of young adults 18 to 25 said they would consider seeking public office  and an increasing number of them have followed through in the past decade  the encouragement they receive varies widely by race and gender. Younger candidates are more diverse than those from older generations, but while Black and Latino youth are more likely than their white counterparts to consider an election bid, they are less likely to actually run.

The data drives home why groups like Leaders We Deserve are critical to improving civic engagement among young people, said Sara Suzuki, a senior researcher at CIRCLE.

That gap between interest and actually running can be filled by organizations like Leaders We Deserve and other organizations across the spectrum because financial support is a big barrier, Suzuki said, adding that the PACs explicit encouragement of young candidates could lead more of them to enter politics.

Advertising, including mailings and digital ads, is the top expenditure for Leaders We Deserve as the group seeks to bolster support for young progressives. (Graphic by Eamonn Fitzmaurice of The 74/Federal Election Commission)

Getting the necessary votes is another story. Suzuki said its plausible that a candidates age is one of the factors that young people consider at the ballot box, but that they are primarily driven by specific issues rather than individual candidates or parties.

They really vote as a way to make change happen on issues that they care about, she said, and those issues tend to be economic issues like cost of living, climate change is a big youth issue, gun violence and abortion.

Leaders for 2050

School shooting survivor David Hogg, who launched Leaders We Deserve to elect young progressives to public office, attends the Democratic National Convention in August in Chicago. (Getty)

The PACs first endorsement went to the congressional campaign of Sarah McBride, a Democratic state senator in Delaware since 2021 who has been credited for helping shape President Bidens views on transgender rights. If elected, the 34-year-old would be the first openly transgender member of Congress.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, whether you are walking alone at night or going to school during the day, McBride notes on her campaign website. The truth is, when it comes to guns, our country has lost its common sense.

The PACs first elected candidate, according to Hogg, was Nadarius Clark, the youngest member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Clark got $100,000 in support and beat his Republican opponent by 800 votes in 2023. Leaders We Deserve and the ideologically aligned nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety were Clarks top campaign contributors, state records show.

The PAC stands to see another victory this fall in Georgia, where Bryce Berry  the 22-year-old Atlanta middle school math teacher  faces an incumbent who switched from Democrat to Republican last year in order to support private school vouchers. The heavily Democratic district has never elected a Republican to the state House.

Leaders We Deserve has also been handed defeats, including its failure last fall to help elect a 26-year-old transgender woman to the Alabama House of Representatives. The PAC spent $124,325 on the race, one that Hogg acknowledged would be tough.

Arne Duncan (Chicago Cred)

But the group is looking well beyond 2024s high-stakes election cycle, a strategy that Duncan, the former education secretary, said is critical to the Democratic Partys future. The state lawmakers elected today, he said, are one step closer to becoming the national leaders of tomorrow.

Thats what Davids play is about, Duncan said. Its not about, Were going to change the entire world tomorrow, but its, Can we plant a whole bunch of amazing seeds, nurture them, develop them, support them and see what happens.

Its a political mindset that the group hopes will propel progressive leaders beyond their Republican rivals.

While MAGA plans for 2025, one of the PACs ads states in reference to Trumps ties to the ultra-conservative playbook to remake the federal government, were building leaders for 2050.
Montana 2024 Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. (Courtesy Tim Sheehy campaign)

U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy isnt saying much about two recent recordings of him in which he characterizes members of the Crow tribe as being drunk by 8 in the morning, or throwing beer cans at him during a parade.

When the recordings first surfaced, as reported by the Char-Koosta News, the official publication of the Flathead Indian Reservation, the Daily Montanan reached out the Sheehy campaign.

It did not respond.

Now, after a barrage of media coverage, local, state and national, Sheehys camp is still not commenting, after the Daily Montanan reached out again on Wednesday.

But tribal leaders are, and they told the Daily Montanan that it will take more than an apology to make amends in Montanas Indian Country, home to seven reservations and 12 tribes.

Tom Rodgers, known as One-Who-Rides-His-Horse-East and an enrolled Blackfeet tribal member, works with the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, a large organization that represents a number of tribes throughout the West, including the Crow Nation. He said that comments like those Sheehy is heard making will take more than just an apology.

Echoing the phenomenal writer Maya Angelou who said, When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time, Mr. Sheehy will be judged by how well he walks through the fire and so far he has failed miserably, Rodgers said.

The Montana American Indian Caucus, which consists of three state senators and five state representatives, condemned the remarks in a letter obtained by the Daily Montanan.

The Montana American Indian Caucus cannot express how let down we are by your remarks, where we can hear you disparaging the Crow Nation, a letter sent to Sheehys office said. Your words perpetuate the damaging and racist stereotype of the drunken Indian. This stereotype, and others like it, hurts our young people and contributes to limitation on their opportunity to succeed. It also highlights how important it is that we continue to provide Indian Education for All to help end these kinds of anti-Indian prejudices in Montana.

Members of the MAIC

Here are the members of the Montana American Indian Caucus Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning

Sen. Mike Fox, D-Hays

Sen. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula

Rep. Tyson Running Wolf, D-Browning

Rep. Sharon Stewart Peregoy, D-Crow Agency

Rep. Donovan Hawk, D-Butte

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder

Rep. Frank Smith, D-Poplar

Rodgers said that its not enough for tribal leaders and Native American people to hear an apology, they must see action.

Words are hollow. We will judge by action, Rodgers said. Mr. Sheehy has a journey of life totally disconnected from the poorest people in the U.S. Only by living with us and experiencing a degree of poverty and hopelessness will he truly understand us.

During two campaign stops in November, Sheehy appeared to make similar comments about the Crow people.

The first event was in Shelby on Nov. 6, 2023 when he appears to tell the crowd:

My ranching partner and really good friend, Turk Stovall, he a Crow Indian and we ranch together on the Crow Reservation. So Im pretty involved down there, going to the Crow Reservation and their annual Crow parade this year. I rope and brand with them every year. So, its a great way to bond with all the Indians being out there while theyre drunk at 8 a.m., and youre roping together. Every one that you miss, you get a Coors Light on the side of your head.

Sheehy then appears to make similar comments at the event in Hamilton on Nov. 10:

I strapped on a Sheehy sign to a horse and rode through the Crow Parade and if you know a tough crowd, thats (it). They let you know if they like you or not. Theres Coors Light cans flying by your head as youre riding by. You know they respect that. You go where the action is and they say, You know, the guys not that bad. He rode the horse through the parade. Thats cool.

Sheehy was hand-picked by current U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, who is leading the Senate Republicans re-election campaign. Sheehy is running against incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.

The Montana American Indian Caucus also praised the Crow Nation, saying it should be admired for its efforts to bring its people out of 200 years of systemic socioeconomic neglect by the federal and state governments.

Your words are wrong, derogatory, and hurtful to a racial population that is fighting for equality and to improve their homeland, the MAIC letter said.

Rodgers said that in a perfect world, he would like to see Sheehy be reconciled to Montanas Native people by a process of restorative justice, where action and empathy lead to a new relationship.

He will never secure our trust until he can be on a journey that empathizes with our experiences, Rodgers said.
J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 17. Credit - Li RuiXinhua News Agency via Getty Images

In his first solo rally since becoming Donald Trumps running mate, J.D. Vance vowed to an audience in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, that he would fight for every single worker in this country. The promise fit with the image Vance has created for himself as embodying the American Dream. Although he grew up in a suburb of Cincinnati, Vances memoir Hillbilly Elegy recounts his escape from Appalachiawhich, by Vances account, is a den of alcoholism, drug abuse, welfare fraud, poverty, single mothers, and absent fathersto establish himself among the elite.

On its face, Hillbilly Elegy appears like a standard bootstraps narrative, but understanding the book within its historical context reveals it is actually a radical work that deploys many of the same historically anti-Black tropes that have long been used to attack welfare. For decades, conservatives like Vance have criticized welfare programs under the guise of defending the nuclear family. Yet, welfare cuts have failed to deliver on promises of keeping nuclear families together.

In reality, the true goal of conservative appeals to family values is mobilizing white working-class Americans by exploiting their racial anxieties. In the process, conservatives have painted a deceiving picture of Republicans as champions of the white working classprecisely the image that Trump and Vance hope to capitalize on.

In the mid-to-late 19th and early 20th centuries, government assistance was a privilege reserved for white Americans.

In 1861, Congress approved pensions for Union soldiers wounded in combat and families of soldiers killed during the Civil War. White Americans access to government assistance increased over the ensuing decades, as Congress extended pensions to all disabled Union veterans (regardless of whether their disability was service-related) and started programs providing financial support to widowed white mothers.

Meanwhile, Congress offered and then denied Black Americans government assistance. Founded in 1865, the Freedmens Bureau provided aid to recently emancipated slaves. But Congress refused to renew the Bureaus charter in 1872, partly due to fears that offering aid to Black Americans threatened white supremacy. That forced Black Americans to rely on their churches and community funds for financial relief.

Government assistance remained racially exclusive during the Great Depression. The power of Southern Democrats in Congress compelled President Franklin D. Roosevelt to deny Black Americans access to New Deal programs. Local governments would administer themwhich in the South meant racist, segregationist governments that would exclude Black residents from benefits. In addition, Social Security omitted domestic and agricultural workersoccupations disproportionately occupied by Black Americans.

Read More: When Southern Segregationists Gave Black Residents One-Way Bus Tickets North

Over the next three decades, however, the federal government increasingly expanded government assistance to include Black Americans. Congress amended the Social Security Act to include agricultural and domestic workers in 1950, outlawed racial discrimination in welfare programs through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and transferred control over Social Security distribution from state-run programs to the federal Social Security Administration in 1972. Doing this meant that Black Americans had greater access to government assistance by the 1970s.

Yet, just as social safety net programs became more equitable, politicians began questioning the efficacy of welfare, specifically for Black families. In 1965, Assistant Secretary of Labor Daniel Patrick Moynihan published The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, popularly known as the Moynihan Report. It sought to understand the root causes of Black poverty. The report, however, downplayed the role of enslavement and Jim Crow, and instead blamed the higher prevalence of female-headed Black families. It argued that Black mothers prevented Black men from play[ing] the role of heads-of-household and financial providers as required by American society.

The Moynihan Report claimed that the increasing amount of welfare flowing to Black Americans strongly correlated with the disintegration of the Negro family structure as Black mothers turned to government assistance after inevitably failing to provide for their families. Welfare, in other words, inadvertently kept Black families trapped in poverty by encouraging matriarchy and offering an alternative to breadwinning fathers who would support their families.

Moynihans conclusions proved useful for the rising right wing of the Republican Party. By the late 1960s, defending racial segregation and employing explicitly racist tropes alienated most voters. Nonetheless, white working-class Americans felt anxious about the effects of programs that promoted racial upliftincluding welfareas they perceived the government to be taking money from them to give to others, even as they needed help.

The Moynihan Report offered a way for conservatives to reach these voters. Over the ensuing decades, portraying welfare programs as threatening the nuclear family gave conservative Republicansperhaps most notably President Ronald Reagana way to tap into these voters racial anxieties, and peel them away from the historically pro-labor Democratic Party.

Conservative intellectuals continued to provide a patina of academic legitimacy for this political campaign. Economist Milton Friedman speculated that welfare programs had effectively ended poverty by encouraging widespread fraud by welfare queens. Reagan popularized this racially coded concept in the 1970s, which most listeners interpreted to mean Black, single mothers who exploited the welfare system by having multiple children to maximize their benefits. For Friedman, welfare queens showed that welfare systems impeded nuclear family formation by creating fraudsters who disavowed their family responsibilities.

Other conservative academics conceded that poverty existed, but still accused welfare of disintegrating the nuclear family. In his 1980 book Losing Ground, far-right political scientist Charles Murray charged that welfare threatened to bring white families down to the level of poverty associated with Black families. It did so by increasing the number of families that consisted of a young mother with children and no husband present.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, conservative academics gained a new ally in the religious right, which was alarmed by what it perceived as an all-out assault on traditional values and the nuclear family. The most prominent face of that movement was Jerry Falwell Sr., who co-founded the Moral Majority in 1979 to advocate for social conservatism and help candidates committed to it. In his 1980 book Listen, America!, Falwell asserted that the family was a God-ordained institution and the foundation of a healthy and prosperous nation.

Read More: J.D. Vance's Vision of Appalachia Is Nothing New

Yet, Falwell claimed that the family was under assaultand not just by those advocating the Equal Rights Amendment, women in the workplace, and equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. The assault also came from the federal government, which undermined the family by giving their tax dollars to people who lacked a work ethic. Falwell conceded that welfare was not always wrong. The problem was that welfare encouraged immoral behavior, which, in the case of welfare queens, referred to sex outside marriage and laziness.

This rhetoric only intensified during the 1980s and early 1990s, as Republican candidates formed a powerful coalition of mostly white voters by portraying Democrats as stealing from average Joes and giving the money to supposedly undeserving welfare recipients.

This message paid off in 1994, when Republicans won unified control of Congress for the first time in 40 years. Once in power, they enacted the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This law put conservatives rhetoric into practice, claiming to facilitate the formation of economically self-sufficient families by ending welfare as an entitlement program, implementing welfare-to-work programs and time limits on receiving benefits, and enhancing enforcement of child support.

Yet, the law failed to substantially reduce the percentage of single-parent households and lift families out of poverty. Instead, it increased the number of single mothers working low-wage jobs and worsened racial wealth inequality by making welfare a less reliable and accessible source of income, as well as returning control of aid distribution to state-run agencies.

But this failure did little to change conservative rhetoric, as demonstrated by Hillbilly Elegy. Vance invoked both Friedman and Falwell in arguing that welfare programs had turned Appalachians into lazy food stamp recipients who disavowed their Christian duty to financially provide for their families and instead defrauded welfare programs. He also repeated Falwells moral panicdespite no evidence that it had come true over the previous 35 yearsby describing poor Appalachian men [leaving] a trail of neglected children [and] cheated wives. Moreover, as if confirming Murrays fears, Vance wrote that welfare queens were not only lazy black mom[s] . . . some were my neighbors, and all were white.

Vance has crafted his political career and life story around this rhetoric because it remains an effective strategy for mobilizing white working-class Americans. His success attests to the persistence of the racial anxieties, racial stereotypes, and questions of who deserves government assistance that have long undergirded conservatives appeal to the family. However, like his predecessors, Vance seems uninterested in solving these problems or helping the white working class whom he claims to represent. Instead, he exploits this rhetoric, methodically crafting his rags-to-riches story in an attempt to ascend to one of our nations highest public offices.

Joshua Howard is a Ph.D. student in Emory University's Graduate Division of Religion. His research covers late-20th-century and contemporary American evangelicalism, Christian nationalism, and the nuclear family.

Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.

Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com.
BILLINGS, Montana  Tribal leaders in Montana urged Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy to apologize over remarks he made to supporters about Native Americans being drunk at 8 a.m. and throwing beer cans at him on the Crow Reservation.

Audio recordings of Sheehys derogatory comments were obtained and published by Char-Koosta News, the official publication of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Sheehy is backed by former President Donald Trump as he challenges three-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the nation.

A Republican victory could help swing control of the closely divided Senate.

Sheehy is heard commenting in one of the recordings that his ranching partner is a member of the Crow Tribe with whom Sheehy ropes and brands cattle on the tribes southeastern Montana reservation.

Great way to bond with all the Indians, to be out there while theyre drunk at 8 a.m., Sheehy says.

In another recording, he describes riding a horse in the parade at Crow Fair, an annual gathering in Crow Agency that includes powwows, a rodeo and other events.

If you know a tough crowd, you want to go to the Crow res, Sheehy says. They let you know whether they like you or not  theres Coors Light cans flying by your head riding by.

The Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, which represents 11 tribes and First Nations in the western U.S. and Canada, said Sheehys comments perpetuated stereotypes about Native Americans.

Council Chair Bryce Kirk asked Sheehy to apologize in a Tuesday letter to the campaign obtained by The Associated Press.

You ask for our votes and then you go to your fundraiser, ironically with alcohol flowing and laughter at our expense behind closed doors, and you insult us with a stereotype that only seeks to severely diminish and dishonor our people, Kirk wrote. The Crow people are not your punchline. Native Americans are not your punchline.

Its uncertain if Sheehys comments will still be on voters minds when they start casting ballots. But political analyst Paul Pope said their unseemly nature could spur more Native Americans to register to vote, which could boost Tester.

Maybe theres some fence-sitters out there and this might be a tipping point for them, added Pope, a professor at Montana State University Billings.

A Sheehy campaign spokesperson did not dispute the authenticity of the recordings, which the tribal newspaper said came from fundraising events held in Montana last November.

Sheehy is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with no previous political experience who moved to Montana a decade ago and founded an aerial firefighting company. He knows members of the Crow Tribe and visits the reservation to work cattle with them, said spokesperson Jack OBrien.

He works with them, he brands with them, OBrien said. What folks are insinuating about him, thats just not who he is.

He did not say if Sheehy would apologize or otherwise respond to the tribal leaders request.

Montana has seven Indian reservations and almost 70,000 Native Americans, representing about 7% of its total population, according to U.S. Census data. Its a voting block thats long been considered Democratic-leaning, but Montana Republicans in recent years have courted tribal leaders hoping to gain their support in elections.

Crow Tribe Chairman Frank White Clay did not immediately respond to a message left with his office seeking comment.

Testers campaign declined to comment on the matter.

White Clay and other Crow representatives attended a rally last month in Bozeman featuring Trump and Sheehy. White Clay told an AP reporter at the rally that their presence was not meant as an endorsement. He said the tribe wanted to maintain good relations with whatever administration holds office.

Char-Koosta News editor Sam Sandoval said Sheehys campaign had not responded to his outlets queries about the recordings, which he said came from a credible source who wanted the comments publicized in a tribal newspaper.

For a lot of tribal people, having that statement out there, saying theyre drunk at 8 oclock in the morning, it really hits a sore spot that Natives have been working to change for years, Sandoval said.


Trump campaign says the former president believes 'anyone convicted of a crime' should be jailed

Donald Trump at his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 23.

A spokesperson for former President Donald Trump's campaign commented this week on reports of a Trump clemency recipient being convicted of a domestic violence-related charge by saying, "President Trump believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.

The statement from Trumps national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, to The New York Times was in response to a new conviction of Jaime A. Davidson, whose sentence Trump commuted in 2021.

Trump was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18.

Asked if Trumps view on jail time for convicts relates to his own conviction, Leavitt gave NBC News a slightly different statement than what she told The New York Times, writing, President Trump believes criminals should spend time behind bars, unlike Kamala Harris, who wants to eliminate cash bail.

Trump has long sought to portray his New York conviction and other pending trials as witch hunts.

On Tuesday, a federal judge rejected Trump's bid to transfer the New York hush money case to federal court.

Trump's legal team is also asking the judge who presided over the case, Juan Merchan, to delay the sentencing until after the Nov. 5 presidential election. Merchan is set to rule on the matter Sept. 16, two days before the sentencing hearing.

Trump has been charged in other cases  two involving election interference allegations and one focused on classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in each case.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Trump claims hell save TikTok - despite trying to get it banned while in office

Trump claims hell save TikTok - despite trying to get it banned while in office

Donald Trump has claimed he would save TikTok in America, a far cry from the days of 2020 when he sought to ban the social media platform via an executive order.

For all of those who want to save TikTok in America, vote Trump, the former president said in a video posted to his own Truth Social platform on Wednesday. The other side is closing it up. But Im now a big star on TikTok...Were not doing anything with TikTok, but the other side is going to close it up.

The message appears to refer to the Biden administration signing a bill in April that would force the parent company of the popular app to sell TikTok or face a ban in the US.

Trumps message may be an attempt to win support from crucial youth voters, and it certainly represents a dramatic change from his past stance on the app.

In July 2020, he told reporters, Were banning them from the United States, and later sought to do so via executive order, though TikTok later overturned the ban in court.

Trump now says he supports being on TikTok because it undermines Facebook, a platform hes criticized as part of his claims about the 2020 election (PA Wire)

Since then federal officials have warned TikTok could share U.S. user data with the Chinese government, which the company denies, and bipartisan support has grown for a TikTok ban. The service is already banned from government devices used by the Army and Navy.

In June of 2024, however, Trump joined TikTok, arguing that ignoring the platform would empower Facebook, a service he continues to tie to his claims about the 2020 election.

I dont want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better, Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this year, offering zero evidence of the alleged cheating. They are a true Enemy of the People.

We will leave no front undefended and this represents the continued outreach to a younger audience consuming pro-Trump and anti-Biden content, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung told The Independent in June.

Trumps support for TikTok comes as the parent company of his own social media service, Truth Social, on Wednesday experienced its lowest stock price ever since going public earlier this year.

Americans remain unsupportive of a TikTok ban, with a recent Pew Research poll showing only 32 percent are in favor of a ban, down from 50 percent last March.

Challenges to the TikTok ban law are working their way through US courts.
Former President Trump painted a dire picture of the effect of a Kamala Harris presidency on the future of Israel and the security of Jewish people in the United States as he courted Jewish Republicans on Thursday and urged them to convince their non-GOP friends to support him in the November election.

"Kamala Harris is the candidate of the forces that want to destroy Western civilization and Israel," he told about 1,000 members of the Republican Jewish Coalition gathered at the Venetian Las Vegas for their annual leadership summit. "If Kamala Harris wins, terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land. ... Israel will no longer exist."

The former president spoke via satellite just days after six Jewish hostages kidnapped during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel were found executed in an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Berkeley native. A spotlighted table set with linens, china and glasses was left empty  to symbolize the hostages who remain in captivity as well as those who had been killed  during the nightly dinners.

This comes after months of Democratic divide about the Biden administration's response to the attack and Israel's subsequent response, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Trump, noting that he received roughly a quarter of the Jewish vote in the 2020 presidential election, said he expected to receive about 50% in November because of actions he took while president, such as moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and negotiating the Abraham Accords, under which Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates recognized Israel's right to exist. The agreement was later expanded to include Sudan and Morocco.

Read more: Trump says he'll boost the economy by cutting federal spending and corporate taxes

"I only ask you who are the 50% of Jewish people who are voting for these people who hate Israel and don't like the Jewish people," Trump said.

The former president has faced fierce criticism about his own statements and actions, such as saying "there were very fine people on both sides" after white nationalists marched through Charlottesville, Va., chanting, "Jews will not replace us!" and dining with a Holocaust denier at his residence at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

In a statement, Morgan Finkelstein, national security spokesperson for the Harris campaign, said, Donald Trump has made it obvious he would turn on Israel in a moment if it suited his personal interests, and in fact he has done so in the past."

Harris, she added, "has been a lifelong supporter of the state of Israel as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people. She has an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel and will always stand up for its right to defend itself."

She also stands "steadfastly against antisemitism both at home and abroad and will do the same as president, Finkelstein said.

The Republican Jewish Coalition, or RJC, which was founded nearly 40 years ago under a different name, aims to draw Jewish voters into the GOP fold. Though it is unlikely that Jewish American voters would switch party allegiances in large numbers, if Republicans are able to make small inroads in battleground states, it could affect the outcome in November.

"We were created for this moment," said former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, the group's chairman, at the gathering. The event was rife with harsh criticism of the Democratic nominee, including speakers who called her "stupid," a "Marxist Islamist" and an "antisemite"  although Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish.

Major RJC gatherings typically unfold at the Venetian, a mega-resort created by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, one of the groups and Republicans major donors, and a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before Adelson died in 2021.

Thursday morning, Adelsons widow, Miriam, introduced Trump.

"He sees what I see  the world is against us and we need a good friend," Miriam Adelson said. "He is our best friend. He will save us. And I'm eagerly awaiting for him to enter the White House and to save the Jewish people."

The donors and other RJC members who attended the four-day event heard from a slew of prominent GOP leaders including Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Joni Ernst of Iowa. They also took part in a poker tournament.

Republicans have long been trying to make inroads among Jewish voters, who have overwhelmingly voted Democratic in American presidential elections for nearly a century. Roughly 7 out of 10 have supported Democrats in presidential elections since 1968, according to the nonprofit AmericanIsraeli Cooperative Enterprise. Even though Joe Biden easily won the Jewish vote in 2020, some polls suggested Trump did better than he had four years prior.

The GOP argues that the events of Oct. 7 and the United States' response will make more Jewish voters rethink their political allegiance, potentially enough to make a difference in battleground states such as Pennsylvania. Four years ago, Biden won the Keystone State, which has roughly 300,000 Jewish voters, by about 80,000 votes.

"This has been a big wake-up call to lot of my friends who are very pro-Israel and who are Democrats who spend their time as volunteers lobbying members of Congress to support Israel," said Jeff Miller, an RJC board member and longtime advisor to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield).

Read more: Column: How Trump uses the 'Gish Gallop' to flood debates with lies and nonsense

They were already disturbed by comments made about Israel by the Democrats' progressive wing, notably the "Squad," and more recently by Harris' comments earlier this year warning Israel not to launch a major military operation in Rafah, where the hostages' bodies were recovered, he said.

Rob Eshman, the former editor of the Jewish Journal who is now a senior columnist at the influential Jewish American online newspaper the Forward, said he was skeptical that many Jewish voters on either side would change their viewpoints based on the events of the last 11 months, or last week.

"I don't think it's going to change anybody's views. ... There is a vast difference in policy between Trump and Kamala when it comes to how to handle these issues," he said. "It does raise the emotions around it. It's just so awful."

Three speakers at the gathering said that they had voted for Democrats all their lives and still believed in many of the party's values, such as abortion rights, but that the recent events as well as the pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses have made them decide to cast their vote for Trump in the fall.

Shabbos Kestenbaum, a registered Democrat who says he supports the Green New Deal, a $15 minimum wage and a woman's right to choose, said he cannot support Harris because of the administration's response to antisemitic acts related to some protests and other actions that he believes show the party's disdain for Jews.

"I did not support Trump in 2016. I did not support Trump in 2020. Hell, I did not support Trump six months ago," said Kestenbaum, a Harvard Divinity School graduate who is suing the university for its response to antisemitism on campus in the aftermath of Oct. 7. He spoke at the Republican National Convention, and said he offered to speak at the Democratic National Convention but was rebuffed. "The Democrat party has taken the Jewish vote and Jews for granted for too long."

Democrats have been concerned about the Democratic divide about the administrations response to the crisis in the Middle East, notably before last months Democratic National Convention in Chicago, when Harris formally accepted the partys presidential nomination.

While there were protests outside the convention and at least one disruption in the hall, the conflict was not the spoiler of the event that some feared it would be. And Harris tone and message when she addressed delegates after accepting the nomination attempted to bridge the divide by recognizing the need to stand by Israel while also acknowledging the plight of innocent Palestinians.

I will always stand up for Israels right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on Oct. 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival, she said on Aug. 22.

At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking, she said. President Biden and I are working to end this war, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.

Several families of hostages have spoken out in support of the Biden-Harris administrations attempt to broker a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages, including Goldberg-Polins parents, who delivered emotional remarks at the DNC.

But the families of the hostages, like Jewish voters and any other group, are not monolithic about their views on a two-state solution or an effort to eradicate Hamas to try to ensure an attack like that which occurred on Oct. 7 never happens again.

Republicans at their partys nominating convention also tried to highlight their support for Israel, featuring University of North Carolina fraternity brothers who protected an American flag from pro-Palestinian protesters who sought to take it down; and an Orthodox Jewish college student who spoke about his decision to turn away from the Democratic Party.

The most gut-wrenching moments of the RJC gathering occurred as Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of a young American hostage, spoke Thursday evening. The audience, largely voicing partisan vigor and bile for much of the meeting, grew solemn as the Neutras described their ordeal since hearing from their son, Omer, a member of the Israeli military, the day before the Oct. 7 attack. And not once since.

After describing how, after they shower or have a meal, they wonder about the last time their son had access to water and food, the couple praised Biden and Trump.

"We realize ... that this is a political gathering, but this is not a political issue. It is a dire humanitarian issue, and we need all hands on deck," said Ronen Neutra. "Omer and the other 100 hostages are running out of time. The news of this weekend makes that abundantly clear."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- The federal judge presiding over the 2020 election-interference prosecution against Donald Trump set a series of deadlines in the coming weeks for the next phase of the immunity fight, rejecting a more protracted schedule from the former presidents lawyers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

At a hearing earlier on Thursday US District Judge Tanya Chutkan suggested Trumps defense team was trying to drag out the case as he campaigns for a return to the White House in the Nov. 5 election, a claim his lawyers disputed.

Chutkan ordered prosecutors and the defense to file briefs by late October on whether the revised version of the indictment can survive a new presidential immunity test laid out by the US Supreme Court. She did not say if she would hear arguments before ruling.

Thursdays hearing in Washington was the first court appearance since prosecutors updated the indictment of the former president over allegations he tried to overturn the 2020 election. Trump wasnt present, but his attorneys entered his plea of not guilty.

Chutkan adopted the governments proposal for how the next phase of the immunity fight should play out. Special Counsel Jack Smiths office is due to file an opening brief on the immunity issue by Sept. 26 and Trumps lawyers must respond by Oct. 17. Prosecutors final brief is due Oct. 29.

Spokespeople for Trump and Smiths office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trumps legal counsel had opposed letting the government to go first, arguing it would let prosecutors control what information and evidence becomes public in the weeks before the election. Responding to references by Trumps lawyer John Lauro to this being a sensitive time, Chutkan said that she understood the election was approaching but stressed that it wasnt relevant to her handling of the case, a point shes made before.

During sometimes tense exchanges with Lauro, Chutkan said it seemed as though Trumps team was trying to affect the presentation of evidence to avoid influencing the election. Lauro denied that, saying they wanted careful consideration of weighty issues related to the US presidency.

The case, which was initially filed last year, was paused by Chutkan for months as the US Supreme Court considered whether Trump was entitled to immunity from criminal charges. The conservative majority held in July that presidents are shielded from prosecution for official acts.

The justices found that parts of the indictment related to Trumps communications with US government officials were covered by that immunity. But they sent the case back to Chutkan for more litigation over how much of the rest of the case could go forward. In August, prosecutors filed an updated indictment that removed allegations the Supreme Court said were off limits, but left most if it intact.

Trumps lawyers said in recent court papers that they plan to argue the indictment still includes immunized official conduct, especially related to his interactions with Vice President Mike Pence. On Thursday they asked to brief issues related to Pence first, contending that if those are covered by immunity, the whole indictment should be tossed out as tainted.

Prosecutor Thomas Windom proposed the government first file a brief laying out the evidence they planned to rely on and arguments for why the indictment survives the Supreme Courts immunity test. Pressed by Chutkan, Windom said the government was prepared to finish that document in three weeks.

The defense also wants to argue that case should be dismissed because Smiths appointment and funding were unconstitutional. Trump successfully pressed the appointment issue in another case Smith brought in Florida accusing the former president of unlawfully keeping classified documents and trying to obstruct government efforts to retrieve them.

Chutkan said on Thursday that she didnt find US District Judge Aileen Cannons ruling particularly persuasive, and noted that there is binding legal precedent in Washington upholding the lawfulness of special counsels. Trumps opening brief on the appointment issue is due Oct. 24.

Prosecutors have appealed Cannons dismissal of the documents case to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, but theres no hearing date yet.

(Updated with more from scheduling order starting in the second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Disrespecting veterans

So this sorry episode of former President Donald Trump turning a visit to Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) into a campaign video is top of mind right now. The U.S. Army stated that over 3,000 visits to the ANC are held each year without incident  until Trumps unfortunate visit recently.

But I predict that somehow this debacle will find its way to the U.S Supreme Court where six members of that court will find that out of the population of 345,426,571 persons in the United States only one of these individuals Trump  has the right to desecrate one of the nations most sacred shrines. He clearly did so, but his cabal on the court will find that he and he alone has the right to violate all laws, morals, and customs of our beloved country.

This is the sad space we find ourselves in today. What is to be done? We must  must  send him packing to the dustbin of history.

Jim Porter, Danville

Arlington assault

Former President Donald Trumps campaign staffers physically assaulted an Arlington National Cemetery employee for trying to prevent them from violating federal law and filming a campaign ad. They then claimed the employee had mental problems for insisting that the law be obeyed. This should give you great insight into the moral character of these people. I wonder if Corporal Bone spurs told those families he was posing with that their kin were suckers and losers.

Seriously, if you cant see the problem here, then congratulations on earning your masters degree from Trump University.

Jay Hopkins, Frankfort

Character matters

Deciding who to vote for in the 2024 election for president should be about positions on American issues, but for me it is not that complicated. My decision is simple. In 2015, I watched former President Donald Trump stand on an Alabama campaign stage and make fun of a disabled journalist who had interviewed him several times. He mocked his speech pattern and imitated his physical disability for the enjoyment of his supporters. How can I vote for a person who would even let that happen, especially in front of cameras and a crowd of people, some of whom may have disabilities in their lives? For me this was a deal breaker and always will be.

I voted for the first time in 1972, and I have never seen such a display from a candidate. I will vote for the candidate in 2024 who may not be perfect but does not have this type of outrageous character flaw.

Denise Combs, Hazard

Trump vote

Rape is a crime against a persons body and soul. To condone a rape you are condoning and accepting the rapist. Throughout the United States, many men are sitting on death row who murdered to cover up their rape. They raped the very young and the very old, and have admitted if they were released, they would do it again.

The worst offenders are power-aggressive rapists. He intimidates his victims into remaining silent while he humiliates them.

Former President Donald John Trump is such a rapist.

All during his trials, he never showed any remorse for his actions. Instead, he blamed his victims. He expected the juries to side with him. When they didnt, like a little boy, he threw a temper tantrum. He expects you to ignore his crime and God.

If you vote for Trump you are saying the rape of any female is acceptable. You are saying to your family, your friends and God it is OK for a person to be raped.

A vote for Donald John Trump is a vote for a RAPIST!

Damian Beach, Frankfort

Care thanks

This is an overdue public letter of appreciation and support for Bluegrass Care Navigators (BGCN) hospice program. Its been nearly a year since my mother died at 92+ years of age and BGCN helped our family keep my mom in her home through the end of her life.

BGCN provided us with wonderful medical care, advice, compassion, assistance and understanding. Visiting nurses and in-home aides were focused on the patient while being concerned and attentive to the caregivers. These professionals explained and taught us techniques for care and coping. They made what could have been a terribly traumatic experience remarkably tolerable for all involved.

I hope when anyone in our area may need help keeping a loved one at home or more comfortable in a nursing home late in their lives, that BGCN is still available. They are a worthwhile organization deserving of monetary donations and support from volunteers willing to help others in their greatest time of need.

I doubt many deaths are easy, but I believe BGCN made my loved ones inevitable passing the best it could have been. I am genuinely deeply grateful for them and urge others to support the organization

Ceci Mitchell, Franklin County

Vance association

I hate to alarm you any more than you are already alarmed by the upcoming election but I will. There is a book called Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions (and How to Crush Them) written by Jack Posobiec.

Posobiec is a dangerous far right-wing political activist who has written a book praising Francisco Franco, Sen. Joseph McCarthy and Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. If you are not familiar with these people, I suggest you read about them. What they did to their political opponents or anyone opposing them was nothing less than brutal. Posobiec admires these people and thinks they did the right thing. Scary, isnt it?

Well, guess who endorsed the book. Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, Jr., and JD Vance. Vance is on the ballot with a 78-year-old man who is obviously on a physical, mental and emotional downswing.

Before you cast your ballot on Nov. 5, please do some research and decide which way you want this country to go. Vote as if your country depends on it.

Catherine Ferguson, Lexington

Night riding

Many of Lexingtons streets have little lighting  lovely at night, but hazardous. When driving, I shudder when I come upon people biking or crossing streets who are invisible until I am right there. No light colored clothing, no lights or reflectors on themselves or on their bikes.

While the city is busy looking at ways to make Lexington safer  like speed tables, traffic routing, safety vests worn by the Frontrunners  what about distributing, free-of-charge through community outreach, reflective tape or even a LFUCG reflective patch for every bike and helmet and jacket in the city? The campaign slogan? See Me! Lexington.

Linda Angelo, Lexington

Compiled by Liz Carey
Prosecutors in Trump election case get judge's OK to lay out fresh evidence in court filing

Former President Donald Trump attorneys Emil Bove, left, and Todd Blanche leave the U.S. Federal Courthouse, after a hearing, Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024, in Washington. A judge is hearing arguments about potential next steps in the federal election subversion prosecution of Donald Trump in the first hearing since the Supreme Court narrowed the case by ruling that former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The federal election interference case against Donald Trump inched forward Thursday, with a judge permitting prosecutors to file court documents later this month that could detail unflattering allegations about the former president as the Republican nominee enters the final weeks of his White House run.

The order came hours after a court hearing, the first in the case in nearly a year, in which U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan sparred with a Trump lawyer who accused the government of trying to rush ahead with an illegitimate indictment in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Chutkan made clear she would not let the upcoming election affect how she proceeds, turning aside defense efforts to delay the process while also acknowledging that the case is nowhere close to a trial date.

"Theres no rush to judgment here, Chutkan said.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are at odds over the next steps in the case after the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the prosecution by ruling that former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges. The dueling proposals and testy courtroom exchanges Thursday reflected the extent to which the justices July opinion had upended the path of the case that charges Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election before the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

By day's end, she permitted prosecutors to file by Sept. 26 a legal brief that could include fresh details about Trump's failed efforts to cling to power four years ago. The brief is meant to defend a revised, and stripped-down, Trump indictment that special counsel Jack Smith's team filed last week to comply with the Supreme Court's immunity opinion. The filing is expected to include detailed allegations from the investigation, said Thomas Windom, a member of Smith's team.

Trump lawyer John Lauro objected to the filing of the brief before the defense team has had a chance to seek the indictment's dismissal  and during the sensitive time before the election.

This process is inherently inherently unfair, particularly during this sensitive time that we're in, Lauro said.

That comment drew a rebuke from Chutkan, who said that the timing of the election was not relevant to how the case should proceed.

This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule, the judge said. At another point, she suggested that the defense was trying to delay the case because of the forthcoming election, cautioning, Thats not going to be a factor I consider at all.

Another tense encounter occurred when Lauro told Chutkan that the case concerned momentous issues. We are talking about the presidency of the United States, he said. Chutkan shot back: Im not talking about the presidency of the United States. Im talking about a four-count indictment.

The new indictment filed by Smith's team last week removed allegations related to Trump's attempts to use the Justice Department's law enforcement powers to undo the election results, conduct for which the Supreme Court said he enjoyed immunity. But the Trump team believes the new indictment did not go far enough to comply with the 6-3 ruling, in part because it left intact allegations that Trump badgered his vice president, Mike Pence, to refuse to certify the counting of the electoral votes, Lauro said.

"We may be dealing with an illegitimate indictment from the get-go, Lauro said.

He told Chutkan that the Supreme Court's opinion required the outright dismissal of the case, a position the judge made clear she did not accept. She bristled again when he suggested that prosecutors were guilty of a rush to judgment.

This case has been pending for over a year, Chutkan said, referencing the fact that the matter has been frozen since last December while Trump pursued his immunity appeal. Were hardly sprinting to the finish here.

She added: We all know  we all know  that whatever my ruling on immunity is, its going to be appealed. And the taking of that appeal will again stay this case. So, no one here is under any illusion that were sprinting towards any particular trial date.

The Supreme Court held that former presidents are immune from prosecution for the exercise of their core constitutional functions and are presumptively immune for all other official duties. It now falls to Chutkan to determine which of the acts in the four-count indictment are official or not and which can remain part of the case in light of the opinion.

Neither side envisions a trial happening before Election Day, especially given the amount of work ahead.

Pushing back on the defenses claims that the special counsel wants to move too quickly, Windom noted that Trumps lawyers filed a lengthy brief seeking to overturn his New York hush money conviction and dismiss the case less than two weeks after the Supreme Courts ruling in July.

The defense can move comprehensively, quickly and well. So can we, Thomas Windom said.

The hearing ended without the judge issuing an order about future dates in the case.

Trump was not in the courtroom and gave an economic speech in New York, though A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf for the revised indictment. Smith attended the hearing.

Defense lawyers said they intend to file multiple motions to dismiss the case, including one that piggybacks off a Florida judge's ruling that said Smith's appointment was unconstitutional.

The case is one of two federal prosecutions against Trump. The other, charging him with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, was dismissed in July by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who said Smith's appointment as special counsel was unlawful.

Smith's team has appealed that ruling. Trump's lawyers say they intend to ask Chutkan to dismiss the election case on the same grounds, though Chutkan noted in court Thursday that she did not find Cannon's opinion particularly persuasive.
Maddow Blog | Trump gets his way ahead of debate with Harris, but whines anyway

As recently as a week ago, it appeared quite likely that Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump would share a debate stage on Sept. 10. There was just one lingering sticking point that the campaigns needed to work out: Would the candidates microphones remain on throughout the event, or only when theyre speaking in response to a question?

In the modern era, presidential debate participants had their microphones on throughout the events, and Harris campaign team wanted to keep it this way. But Team Trump insisted otherwise, and there was no great mystery as to why.

As a recent NBC News report explained, Inside the Harris campaign, the thinking is that there shouldnt be guardrails, and that viewers should see a full, unbridled Trump. Officials there argue that Trumps handlers dont trust their own candidate and charge that for all the talk of Biden showing cognitive decline, its Trump who is struggling to stay on track with his arguments. Showing him unleashed only benefits Harris.

So, with time running out, would Team Harris get its way? Evidently not. NBC News reported:

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are set to debate each other next week for the first time after their campaigns on Wednesday agreed to the ground rules set by host network ABC. The Sept. 10 event in Philadelphia will use the same rules and format as the June debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.

Under the newly agreed-upon rules, Trumps and Harris microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, which is the opposite of what Democrats were hoping for.

The Harris campaign explained to ABC News in a letter that the vice president will be fundamentally disadvantaged by this format.

Notwithstanding our concerns, we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format, the letter added. We do not want to jeopardize the debate. For this reason, we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones.

So, the former president, who repeatedly went back and forth on whether hed show up for next weeks debate, must be delighted to be getting his way, right? Wrong. As The New York Times reported, the Republican nominee is still whining anyway.

Hours after the Trump and Harris campaigns agreed to rules for their first presidential debate, former President Donald J. Trump sought to instill doubt that the debate would be fair, downplayed his need to prepare and suggested he was more worried about the network hosting the debate than his opponent.

As part of his latest event with Fox News Sean Hannity, the GOP candidate claimed anew that ABC News is dishonest, adding that he fears the network will give Harris the questions in advance.

All of this was quite bonkers, of course, but it was not unexpected.

As we discussed a few months ago, Trump is defined in large part by a belief in preemptive delegitimization. Fearing possible election defeats, the Republican has consistently taken steps to delegitimize the process to explain away potential losses. Fearing possible legal setbacks, hes also repeatedly tried to delegitimize the justice system to invalidate potential adverse outcomes.

For whatever reason, Trump approaches practically every challenge with the same thought: If I fail, it cant be my fault.

The GOP nominee has approached debates the same way, even making pre-emptive excuses for possible failure ahead of his recent debate with President Joe Biden.

Given this recent history, it wouldve been more surprising if Trump didnt try to pre-emptively delegitimize next weeks debate with Harris.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Trumps Jan. 6 Case Resumes  Days After He Claimed A Right To Interfere In The Election

An image of a mock gallows on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is shown as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing. via Associated Press

WASHINGTON  A federal judge on Thursday is holding her first hearing in Donald Trumps criminal case for his Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt, following a Supreme Court ruling that gave the former president immunity for official acts  and just days after he claimed he had every right to do what he did.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is expected to lay out a schedule for the revised indictment of Trump filed by special counsel Jack Smith last week.

The superseding indictment, as it is known, retains the four felony charges from the original 2023 case: conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstructing an official proceeding; and conspiracy to deprive millions of Americans of their right to have their votes counted.

It deletes references, though, to Trumps attempts to coerce Department of Justice officials into falsely claiming that fraud had marred the 2020 election.

If convicted, Trump could receive decades in federal prison.

The Supreme Court ruled in July that a president has complete immunity from prosecution for official actions, including hiring and firing employees within the executive branch and demanding that they carry out certain instructions.

In a court filing accompanying the revised indictment, Smith wrote that he sought the new one to comply with the high courts precedent-setting new guidance.

The morning hearing, which Trump is not expected to attend, comes just four days after Trump told Fox News Mark Levin: Whoever heard  you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election, where you have every right to do it, and your poll numbers go up?

After regaining control of the case last month, Chutkan immediately scheduled a status conference to hear how prosecutors and Trumps lawyer envision going forward, in light of the Supreme Court immunity decision. The original Aug. 16 court date was postponed at Smiths request.

The reason for the delay was unclear at the time, but now appears to have been because Smith was in the process of presenting the charges to a new federal grand jury  presumably so that Trump cannot argue that the original, 2023 grand jurys decision to indict him had been tainted by evidence that the Supreme Court subsequently said could not be used.

Trump will be officially arraigned on the revised indictment at Thursdays hearing, although Chutkan granted his request to not attend it in person and to instead allow his lawyers to plead not guilty on his behalf.

In a filing last week, Smith said he is prepared to move forward quickly to reveal to Trump and to the court additional unpled categories of evidence. Smith intends to use this evidence to back up his argument that the new indictment does not intrude on any of Trumps official actions as president, for which the Supreme Court ruled he cant be prosecuted.

The government is prepared to file its opening immunity brief promptly at any time the court deems appropriate, Smith wrote in his section of the joint filing.

Trumps lawyers, in contrast, wrote in their portion of the filing that they want to be able to put off their motion asking Chutkan to dismiss the case, based on the high courts presidential immunity decision, until December.

That plan suggests they will argue that everything Trump is accused of doing in the revised indictment is official conduct protected by the Supreme Courts ruling. Their proposed schedule foresees additional motions and hearings straight through the autumn of 2025, with no trial date in sight.

Whats more, Trumps lawyers said that the GOP presidential nominee should be spared the opprobrium that comes with criminal court proceedings, and that decisions regarding immunity and their other planned motions to dismiss should be rendered as a matter of law, without consideration of any evidence.

A number of Trumps former aides had testified last year, before the original grand jury, including former Vice President Mike Pence. If Chutkan holds an evidentiary hearing, theyd likely be called to testify again.

Trumps lawyers made it clear they would oppose that. The court should take every reasonable step possible to resolve the case on legal grounds, before permitting an invasive public inquiry regarding President Trumps official conduct while in office, John Lauro and Todd Blanche wrote.

Trump faces a second indictment based on his coup attempt in Georgia, as well. If convicted on the most serious felonies, he would face decades in state prison there.

A second, unrelated federal prosecution for his refusal to turn over secret documents he took with him to his South Florida country club upon leaving the White House was dismissed by the trial judge, but that ruling is currently under appeal with an appellate court in Atlanta.

Finally, Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in New York City on Sept. 18, after he was convicted on 34 felony counts in May for falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 hush money payment to a porn actor in the days ahead of the 2016 election. He could receive as much as four years in prison on those charges.

If Trump wins the presidency in November, he would almost certainly order his attorney general to dismiss the federal cases against him and would likely seek to postpone the state-level cases until he is no longer in office.

Related...
Donald Trumps trial over his attempts to overturn the 2020 election resumed in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, and it was off to a rough start as Judge Tanya Chutkan repeatedly shot down arguments from his legal team.

Trumps team hid behind the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity two months ago, claiming that Trump could not be prosecuted over his official acts as president. Instead, Chutkan declared she would treat Trump like any other criminal defendant.



Twitter screnshot Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports: Lauro: "We're talking about the Presidency of the United States. Chutkan: "I'm not talking about the Presidency of the United States. I'm talking about a four-count criminal indictment."

Trump attorney John Lauro tried to argue against special counsel Jack Smiths legitimacy in one instance, citing the fact that Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed Trumps classified documents case by ruling that Smiths appointment was not legitimate. Chutkan again readily dismissed their argument.

Twitter screenshot Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports: Judge Chutkan splashes cold water on Lauro's attempt to raise a challenge on Jack Smith's legitimacy. "There's binding D.C. [Circuit] precedent on this issue," Chutkan says, adding she "does not find" Judge Cannon's opinion "particularly persuasive."

Lauro tried to cite Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to support his argument but was forced to correct himself by Chutkan.



Twitter screenshot Scott MacFarlane @MacFarlaneNews: Defense: Justice Thomas directed us to raise this issue Judge Chutkan interjects: "He *directed* you to do it?" Defense: Well.. he didn't direct us to

Lauro then tried to challenge prosecutors proposal that Trumps team file a brief on the immunity issue by the end of September, calling it extremely prejudicial. Lauro also tried to claim Trumps conversations with his vice president, Mike Pence, were official acts, only for Chutkan to rebuff him. Lauro also invoked originalism, which the Supreme Courts conservatives adhere to, in his claim that Trumps conversations with Pence were covered by the Supreme Court ruling. Chutkan shot down that line of thinking.



Twitter screenshot Zoe Tillman @ZoeTillman: Chutkan confirms with Lauro that what they want is to first brief whether the VP Pence stuff is covered by immunity, and then get to everything else. Lauro says yes, that's what SCOTUS called for in writing and I'm an originalist. Chutkan raises her eyebrows as he says that. She says, you may be an originalist but I'm a trial judge

If Trumps trial continues to proceed like it has on Thursday, then the former president and convicted felon is going to have a tough time. Smith already put together a superseding indictment taking into account the Supreme Courts immunity ruling, and Chutkan looks like she wont be favoring Trump, unlike Cannon in Florida. We may have a long and brutal federal trial coming soon.


Trump will mimic Harvey Weinstein's successful appeal to fight his own sexual-assault verdict Friday. It won't be as easy.

Trump's lawyers on Friday will fight his 2023 sexual-abuse and defamation verdict in Manhattan.

They say jurors wrongly heard other accusers, an appeal strategy that worked for Harvey Weinstein.

But Weinstein's lawyers note Trump is in federal court, where the rules will be stacked against him.

Donald Trump is dispatching a lawyer to yet another courtroom Friday, when the former president will try to overturn the Manhattan civil case in which the judge said Trump raped the writer E. Jean Carroll.

The oral arguments will have a distinct, Harvey Weinstein-esque ring to them, judging from the court filings.

As the presidential election nears, Trump's legal team has been rushing to erase the Republican nominee's rap sheet and tidy up his lawsuit losses.

On Friday, the lawyer D. John Sauer is scheduled to be in a federal appellate courtroom in Manhattan, where he'll fight the 2023 jury verdict that found the former president liable for defaming and sexually abusing Carroll. The judge who oversaw the trial later said: "Trump 'raped' her as many people commonly understand the word 'rape.'"

Before a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, Sauer is set to argue that the jury in Carroll's trial should never have heard evidence for other sexual-assault allegations.

That evidence included the "Access Hollywood" "grab 'em" tape and testimony by two women who told the jury Trump sexually attacked them, one saying she was assaulted on a plane in the mid-'70s and the other saying she was attacked at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.

It's a strategy that worked on appeal for Weinstein.

In April, New York state's top court overturned Weinstein's 2020 Manhattan sex-crimes conviction in a 4-3 decision that found the trial judge improperly allowed testimony by three accusers who were not part of the indictment. (Weinstein remains jailed in New York pending a retrial; he is separately serving a 16-year sentence from a rape conviction in Los Angeles, which he is also appealing.)

But the lawyers who won Weinstein's appeal told Business Insider that what worked for their client probably wouldn't work for Trump.

That's because Weinstein's jury sat in a New York state criminal courtroom, where long-standing rules of evidence strictly limit so-called prior-bad-act evidence, the disgraced Hollywood mogul's lawyers noted.

Federal court is a very different place, they said  where Trump will likely find the rules of evidence insurmountably stacked against him.

"It's not apples and apples," said Barry Kamins, a Weinstein appellate attorney and former Brooklyn-based state Supreme Court justice.

Federal trial rules allow evidence for other sexual-assault allegations to be heard at civil sexual-assault trials and have since the mid-'90s, Kamins, now at Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins , said.

"It's funny, but Trump would have been much better off in state court than in federal court, which may be why they brought the case there," Kamins said of Carroll's lawyers.

The architect of the law Carroll used to bring a lawsuit against Trump agreed.

Marci Hamilton, who runs the sexual-abuse-victim advocacy group Child USA and helped write the New York law, said civil cases allow presenting witnesses to "show a pattern."

"That's basically what's happening  especially when you have a perpetrator with multiple alleged victims," she said. "That pattern makes a big difference in explaining to the jury exactly who this person was that was doing this and how they operated."

Trump's lawyers are making the Weinstein argument

The appeal is over the first of Carroll's two trials against Trump, in a case she brought under New York's Adult Survivors Act.

The law  passed in the wake of reports about Weinstein's sexual predation and the #MeToo movement  opened a one-year window where accusers could bring sexual-misconduct lawsuits that would otherwise be banned by the statute of limitations.

Carroll accused Trump of sexually abusing her in the mid-'90s in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room. The trial included searing testimony from Carroll herself, as well as from two of her friends who testified that she contemporaneously told them Trump sexually assaulted her.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan also permitted testimony from Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, whose claims were not part of the lawsuit.

Leeds described being forcibly groped on a plane 20 years before Carroll and Trump's dressing-room encounter. Stoynoff, a journalist, described a similar attack during an interview at Mar-a-Lago. That attack happened in 2005, she testified, 20 years after the Carroll attack and about the time Trump bragged about grabbing women by the genitals on the "Access Hollywood" tape.

E. Jean Carroll walking into Manhattan federal court. Brittainy Newman/AP

Similar testimony doomed the Weinstein case.

New York state's top court ruled the prosecution's prior-bad-act witnesses  the trio who testified Weinstein sexually assaulted them but whose claims weren't part of the criminal indictment  should never have taken the stand.

In Trump's appeal brief, his lawyers argue testimony from Leeds and Stoynoff and the "Access Hollywood" tape should have never been allowed in the trial, and they cite a federal rule that is similar to the state-level one that foiled the Weinstein prosecution.

The jury, Trump's lawyers argue in the brief, particularly should have never heard highly prejudicial testimony from Leeds recalling that Trump told her, "You're that cunt from the airplane," or Stoynoff saying Trump insisted, "We're going to have an affair."

Diane Kiesel, a New York Law School professor and former state trial judge, told BI she believed the evidence met the criteria for being included in the trial. The "Access Hollywood" tape and testimony from Leeds and Stoynoff helped demonstrate Trump's "motive, intent, and opportunity" in his encounter with Carroll, as allowed under federal evidence rules, she said.

"The fact that you've got E. Jean Carroll saying, 'He did this to me in Bergdorf's.' And he says, 'You can do it at any time to women; they let you do it,'" she said. "And then two other women climb out of the woodwork from 50 years ago and said he did the exact same thing  to me, I think it goes straight to motive, intent."

Kaplan, the judge, wrote in his ruling that the evidence was allowed in the trial under different federal rules of procedure as well. Those include rules that allow for testimony about "similar acts" in sexual-assault cases.

"As their testimony shows, Trump engaged in a pattern of abruptly lunging at a woman in a semi-public place, pressing his body against her, kissing her, and sexually touching her without consent, and later categorically denying the allegations and declaring that the accuser was too unattractive for him to have assaulted her," Carroll's lawyers wrote in a brief.

Civil cases like Carroll's have different standards

Friday's courtroom battle will feature Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who oversaw the two verdicts in favor of Carroll. In the May 2023 verdict, the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded Carroll $5 million in damages. In the second trial, earlier this year, a separate jury said Trump owed Carroll an additional $83 million in defamation damages.

Kaplan (who is not related to the trial judge) will face off against Sauer, who recently won a resounding victory for Trump before the US Supreme Court, which recognized sweeping presidential immunity in the criminal election-interference case against him.

Trump walking out during the attorney Roberta Kaplan's closing argument amid Carroll's second civil trial. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

Trump's best chance in Friday's appeal may be to continue to argue that the two other accusers who testified, Leeds and Stoynoff, described assaults that were far too distant in time from Carroll's to have been relevant, Arthur Aidala, a Weinstein attorney, said.

While federal rules of evidence for civil sexual-assault trials are far more expansive, a judge still can't go too far, he said.

"It has to be reasonable, and the appellate court can take into consideration the distance in time between the accounts of the plaintiff and these 'propensity' witnesses," he said.

Crucially, the jury in Carroll's case didn't need to reach the conclusion that Trump sexually abused Carroll "beyond a reasonable doubt"  the standard in criminal trials.

Instead, it needed to find it was "more probable than not" that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll, a standard far more common in civil cases.

Even if the appeals court finds that some of the trial testimony shouldn't have reached the jury's ear, the standard gives some room to allow the verdict to be upheld anyway, according to Hamilton, the architect of the Adult Survivors Act.

"It's not unusual that in a civil case, you'll have the defendants try arguments from the criminal law to try to strengthen their arguments," she said. "But in the end, it's just apples to oranges. They're not the same thing."

Correction: September 5, 2024  An earlier version of this story misstated the timeline of two accusations against Trump. He is accused of sexually assaulting Leeds 20 years before Carroll says she was assaulted by Trump, not 20 years before he was found liable for sexually abusing Carroll.

Read the original article on Business Insider
At an economics conference on Thursday, former president Donald Trump unveiled plans to bring Elon Musk in for a job in his administration, giving billionaires another voice via the Tesla CEO, who is a vocal critic of corporate regulation and a warrior against labor protections.

Trump, who previously mulled bringing Musk on, reportedly received a $45 million-per-month campaign lifeline through his America PAC, which was also accused of misleading swing state voters last month.

I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government  making recommendations for drastic reforms, Trump said in remarks at the Economic Club of New York, echoing earlier comments that hed hope Musk could lead such a department.

Trump added that the post came at the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his complete and total endorsement.

Musk, who has leveraged his various companies to advantage the former president, suppressing anti-Trump and pro-Kamala Harris content on his X platform, is also largely reliant on good relations with the federal government to keep his businesses afloat.

Per Quartz, the rocket contractor had scooped up at least $15.3 billion in government contracts by April of last year, a figure thats only grown.

During the conference, Trump also laid out an economic agenda for his potential next term a week ahead of a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, and hours after a damning report from Goldman Sachs indicated hed be worse for the economy than Harris.
Fox News

Donald Trump tried to portray himself as a uniting force Wednesday when asked about the deadly school shooting in Georgia, telling Fox News host Sean Hannitywithout directly mentioning gun violencethat he would heal our world.

At a pre-taped town hall event in Pennsylvania, Hannity, an unabashed Trump ally, opened by noting the shooting, which left two students and teachers dead, and nine wounded.

I mentioned this terrible shooting in Georgia. Our prayers are with our friends in Georgia, and I have been doing town halls and interviews in public with you all these years since you got into the political arena, and I told this audience never before have restrictions been so tight, obviously after the assassination attempt as well, he said.

After noting FBI Director Christopher Wrays testimony about threat levels to public officials being historically high, Hannity asked Trump, Whats going on?

Trump replied, Well its a sick and angry world for a lot of reasons, and we are going to make it better and heal our world and get rid of all these wars starting all over the place because of incompetent American leadership, and were gonna make it better.

Classmate of Alleged Georgia School Shooter Details Moments Before Rampage

The former president then cited praise from Hungarys authoritarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, who, according to Trump, made a statement that said Bring Trump back and we wont have any problems.

Trump and Hannity quickly moved on to other topics. Vice President Kamala Harris, on the other hand, directly addressed gun violence at a rally in New Hampshire Wednesday following the shooting.

Its just outrageous that every day in our country parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. Its senseless, she said. We have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. You know, it doesnt have to be this way.

Trump made no mention of gun violence Wednesday on Truth Social, either. In a barrage of posts, he instead insisted in all-caps that during his four years in office we had no problems and the world was safe.

Several mass shootings occurred in each year of Trumps presidency, including the deadliest by a single gunman in U.S. history.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Trump says convicted criminals should spend time behind bars. What about him?

Donald Trump had better hope the US justice system has a more forgiving sentencing philosophy than his own.

Earlier this week, Trump's national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told the New York Times that the former president "believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.

Leavitt made the comment in response to the re-conviction of Jamie Davidson, whose domestic violence sentence Trump commuted in 2021.

Trumps own logic would condemn him to jail after he was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case. He'll be sentenced on September 18.

NBC News asked Leavitt about the comment and questioned whether Trump would apply it to his own conviction.

Former president Donald Trump believes anyone who has committed a crime should face jail time. Hell be sentenced on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case on September 18. (Getty Images)

President Trump believes criminals should spend time behind bars, unlike Kamala Harris, who wants to eliminate cash bail," she said.

Trump will likely not count himself as a criminal, as he has repeatedly insisted that his conviction and other upcoming trials are political witch hunts, and that he has done nothing wrong.

The former president even tried to have his hush money case moved to a federal court, but on Tuesday that move was denied by a federal judge.

Trump's attorneys have challenged the decision in the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals.

His campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, issued a statement saying that his defense team will "continue to fight to move this hoax into federal court where it should be put out of its misery once and for all."

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who ruled against the move, said Trump's team failed to clear the high burden of proof needed to justify a change of jurisdiction. The judge also noted that the case involved Trump's private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority," and thus could not be dismissed based on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.

Trump's team is also trying to convince Judge Juan Merchan to delay sentencing in the hush-money trial until after the 2024 US presidential election on November 5. He is set to make a ruling on the potential delay on September 16, just two days before Trump is scheduled to be sentenced.

The former president has also pleaded not guilty to charges he faces in other cases, including two election interference investigations and the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump said he plans to allow his opponent, Kamala Harris, to speak without interruption during their presidential debate next week, a shift for the reality-television-star-turned-politician who built a career on combative exchanges.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Im going to let her talk, Trump said Wednesday at a taping of a town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with Fox News Sean Hannity. Debates are interesting, you can go in with all the strategy you want, but you have to sort of feel it out.

The Sept. 10 debate hosted by ABC News is the next big test for the two candidates. That forum has already been the center of a row over the rules for microphones, and with Trump claiming the network is biased in favor of Harris.

ABC News released the rules of the debate on Wednesday, and said they had been accepted by both campaigns.

Trump left a little room to change his plan for the event, adding Wednesday: Mike Tyson made the statement, everyone has a plan until youre punched in the face.

Trump in the past has resisted the traditional debate planning employed by presidential campaigns, involving detailed policy briefings and mock exchanges. Instead, hes preferred to have less formal preparation from his team and rely more on his own intuition. He refused to debate his Republican rivals during the 2024 primary battle.

The high-stakes confrontation is the first  and potentially only  opportunity for the two candidates to spar in-person in a very close contest. With only two months until Election Day, they have few opportunities to sway the small sliver of persuadable voters.

The debate presents risks for both Harris and Trump. The former president has been chastised by both allies and critics for attacks on Harris that criticize her intelligence, gender and racial identity that could alienate key voters. The vice president has largely been untested as a presidential candidate in unscripted settings, only doing one television interview since she became the Democratic nominee.

Debate About Debates

Trump had originally agreed to the ABC News debate with President Joe Biden, then the Democratic candidate. For weeks, he suggested he might not show up for the debate with Harris, before saying he would participate after all. Trump and Biden held one debate, a calamitous performance for the sitting president that led members of his own party to push him out of the race.

For weeks, the campaigns have clashed over the rules for the microphones. Harris camp has sought to keep both candidates microphones live throughout the broadcast, while Trumps team has pushed for them to be muted when they were not answering questions, as they were during the June Biden-Trump debate on CNN.

In the rules released on Wednesday, ABC said the microphones would be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate. Candidates have two minutes to answer questions, two minutes to rebut and one-minute for follow-ups or clarifications, according to the network.

The Harris campaign in a letter to ABC said that the muted microphones would disadvantage Harris and shield Trump from having to directly engage with the vice president, according to a campaign official. Harris team was concerned that Trump would skip the debate if they didnt agree to having the mics silenced, and said that if there is significant cross-talk, the network might unmute the candidates, so that the audience can understand whats happening, the official said.

Trump has floated other debates, including with Fox News. The Harris campaign has ruled out participating in a forum on that network but has proposed a second debate, with the details to be resolved if Trump takes part in the ABC event.

Swing States

The debate will take place in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, one of the most critical swing states. Trumps town hall appearance Wednesday marks his second visit there in as many weeks. The two nominees are in a pitched fight for the states working-class voters, some of them uneasy with Bidens economic agenda and drawn to Trumps populist appeals.

Harris campaigned in the western part of the state on Labor Day with Biden and is returning on Thursday for the 10th time this year, according to her campaign. The state is the most populous of the seven core battlegrounds, offering 19 Electoral College votes.

Trumps team has acknowledged polls showing the race has grown more competitive. A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll released late August found Harris overtaking Trump in Pennsylvania by 51% to 47%. Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, on Bloomberg Televisions Balance of Power last week, said the party would consider putting more money and attention into must-win battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania.

--With assistance from Hadriana Lowenkron and Jennifer Epstein.

(Updates with both campaigns agreeing to rules, in fourth paragraph.)

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Trump says Elon Musk would head proposed government efficiency commission if elected

X owner Elon Musk looks on during the Milken Conference 2024 Global Conference Sessions at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, May 6, 2024.

Former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump and Texas billionaire Elon Musk are planning to link up.

During a speech Thursday, Trump announced he would establish a government efficiency commission headed by billionaire supporter Elon Musk if he wins the Nov. 5 election.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk seemed to accept whatever position the former president had in store.

This would unlock tremendous prosperity for America https://t.co/8XpBJrloWH  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2024

Trump says he'll create a government efficiency commission

As Forbes stated, the former president did not mention what the government efficiency commission entails other than his plans to reduce the size of the federal government.

"I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms," Trump said in a speech at The Economic Club of New York on Thursday.

"And Elon, because he's not very busy, has agreed to head that task force," he continued.

How did Elon Musk respond?

Musk hosted an Aug. 19 podcast in which he talked with the former president about the government efficiency commission and expressed interest in serving on it.

"I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises," Musk wrote on X on Thursday.

"No pay, no title, no recognition is needed."

I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises.



No pay, no title, no recognition is needed. https://t.co/5PSNtjBQn7  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2024

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Trump plans to tap Elon Musk to lead government efficiency commission
This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in New York, Sept. 5, 2024, left, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the European Jewish Association's conference in Krakow, Poland, Jan. 22, 2024. (AP Photo)

PHOENIX (AP)  Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he would create a government efficiency commission to audit the entire federal government, an idea suggested by billionaire Elon Musk, who would lead it.

The commission is the latest attention-grabbing alliance between Trump and Musk, who leads companies including Tesla and SpaceX and has become an increasingly vocal supporter of Trump's bid to return to the White House.

The Republican presidential nominee claimed that in 2022, fraud and improper payments alone cost taxpayers an estimated hundreds of billions of dollars. He said the commission would recommend drastic reforms" and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments within six months, which he said would save trillions of dollars.

We need to do it," Trump said. Can't go on the way we are now.

Trump also promised to cut 10 government regulations for every new regulation implemented if he's elected in November.

He announced the plans in a speech to the Economic Club of New York, a group of executives and industry leaders, where he also unveiled proposals to slash regulations and boost energy production, embrace cryptocurrencies and drastically cut government spending as well as corporate taxes for companies that produce in the U.S.

I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises, Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed.

The former president and Musk discussed a role for the entrepreneur in a second Trump administration during a streamed conversation on X last month.

Youre the greatest cutter, Trump told Musk then. I need an Elon Musk  I need somebody that has a lot of strength and courage and smarts. I want to close up the Department of Education, move education back to the states.

Trump and Musk, two of the worlds most powerful men, have shifted from being bitter rivals to unlikely allies over the span of one election season.

Musk, who described himself as a moderate Democrat until recently, suggested in 2022 that Trump was too old to be president again. Still, Musk formally endorsed Trump two days after his assassination attempt last month.

Presidents have made various efforts to reform government over the years, including the National Partnership for Reinventing Government created during Bill Clinton's presidency, which was headed by then-Vice President Al Gore. It aimed to simplify the federal bureaucracy, cut costs and make agencies more responsive to the public.
Former President Trump said Thursday he would establish a government efficiency commission if he wins in November, and billionaire ally Elon Musk would lead the effort.

I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms, Trump said in remarks to the Economic Club of New York. Need to do it. Cant go on the way we are now.

Musk, who endorsed the GOP nominee in the 2024 election, has agreed to lead the task force, if he has the time, Trump said.

The tech mogul, who serves as the head of Tesla and SpaceX and is the owner of the social platform X, signaled Thursday in a social media post he was willing.

I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises, Musk posted on X. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed.

He said in an earlier post that the commission would would unlock tremendous prosperity for America.

Musk first brought up the concept during a conversation with the former president that was broadcast on X last month, suggesting such a panel could study the national debt and how Congress could reassess spending.

But its unclear what concrete cuts the group might come up with, and some Democrats have expressed skepticism that the commission would be a serious effort.

By definition, this would mean Trump supports cutting Social Security, Medicare, or veterans benefits. At the same time, Trump is proposing trillions in tax cuts for the rich, Bharat Ramamurti, a former Biden White House economic official, posted on X. Thats his fundamental goal: more money for his rich buddies, less for everyone else.

The national debt grew during Trumps first term in office, and a Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis released last month estimated the effects of an array of the former presidents economic proposals could add north of $4 trillion to the nations deficits over a decade.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after hearing the verdict in his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on May 30, 2024. On Wednesday, Trump took another shot to move the case to federal court as sentencing looms. File Pool Photo by Mark Peterson/UPI

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A day after a federal judge denied his request to move his state hush-money and election-interference case to a federal court, Donald Trump asked for the denial to be put on hold amid appeal.

Trump, the former president and current GOP presidential nominee, was convicted in May on all 34 counts for doctoring business records to hide hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in order to hide their alleged affair from the voting public in the run up to the 2016 election.

He is to be sentenced Sept. 18.

Twice Trump has sought to move the case from state to federal court with the latest rejection coming down Tuesday. On Wednesday, his attorney's filed a memorandum seeking a stay on Tuesday's denial as he appeals it, a move that, if approved by the district judge, would seemingly delay his sentencing.

"The traditional considerations bearing on a stay ... all favor the relief requested herein in order to protect important federal interests, including the institution of the Presidency, the integrity of the 2024 presidential election and the constitutional rights of President Trump and voters around the country," his lawyers said in the filing.

The filing comes more than a year after Trump's original request to move the case to federal court was rejected. His legal team had argued for the removal on the grounds that despite the offenses having occurred prior to his election to office that they were linked to his official presidential duties.

In his second request made late last month, his lawyers argued that the case violates their client's First Amendment rights, that incarceration of Trump would be unconstitutional as it would take him off the campaign trail and that the prosecution violates a Supreme Court ruling in late May that states the president enjoys some immunity for official acts.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected those arguments.

Of the arguments Trump presented, only his claim of the conservative-leaning high court granting him immunity can be considered and the New York real estate mogul has not shown good reason for the case to be moved to federal court, he said.

"I held in my Order and Opinion of July 19, 2023 ... that '[h]ush money paid to an adult film star is not related to a President's official acts. It does not reflect in any way the color of the President's official duties,'" he said.

"Nothing in the Supreme Court's opinion affects my previous conclusion that the hush-money payments were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority."

In the filing Wednesday, Trump's lawyers content that the public has an interest in free and fair elections that are "unburdened by the potential for the unlawful incarceration of President Trump by local officials in a single county."

They said that a stay would be beneficial as it would avoid "the rat's nest of comity and federalism issues" attached to Trump's presidential immunity defense and his forthcoming sentencing, which is expected to occur before the appellate court will rule on whether the lower court erred in not moving the case to the federal level.
Trump team forced to scramble and change strategy focusing on six states in wake of falling polls

Former President Donald Trump is set to focus his campaigning on the blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan as his campaign scrambles to change strategy after falling poll numbers.

Trump is backing away from three states that were a part of his target list as recently as six weeks ago, according to Axios. The former president will now campaign less in New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Virginia.

Minnesota last voted for a Republican in the presidential race in 1972, when they backed Richard Nixon. New Hampshire most recently backed a Republican when they voted for George W Bush in the 2000 election and Virginia has been Democratic in presidential elections since 2004.

The change in strategy reveals how the race has shifted since the entrance of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic standard-bearer.

The Trump campaign is also set to try to regain his polling leads in North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada, which became competitive following Harriss entrance into the race.

Earlier this summer, in late July, Trump was coming out of the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin with momentum looking like he would win the election.

His campaign held rallies in Virginia, Minnesota, and New Jersey, a state most recently won by a Republican in 1988. In memos, campaign staff wrote that both Minnesota and Virginia were in play.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Economic Club of New York on September 5, 2024, in New York City. His campaign is scrambling to change strategy after Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee (Getty Images)

After Bidens departure and endorsement of Harris on July 21, things appear to have changed.

Trump is now scaling back his operations in New Hampshire, where a volunteer emailed others that the campaign has determined that New Hampshire is no longer a battleground state, according to The Boston Globe.

The email stated that the campaign should focus its efforts on Pennsylvania instead. But the campaign has rejected the volunteers claim and has said that its headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire is still open, the Boston Herald noted.

Things are also changing in Minnesota, where Trump and his running mate JD Vance campaigned after the Republican convention. The Trump campaign said at the time that it was set to open eight offices in the state, according to Axios.

But most of the offices in the state opened before Harris ascended to the top of the ticket and before she selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

The campaign has only announced two full-time members of staff in the state, but a spokesperson for the state GOP told Axios that the party has at least 14 staffers in the state.

The chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, David Hann, said that the state party and the Trump campaign have been working together with our local organizations to staff those offices.

Trump and Vance both rallied supporters in Virginia before Harris became the Democratic nominee. On June 28, the day after Bidens disastrous debate performance in Atlanta, Trump visited Chesapeake in Virginia, while Vance was in Radford shortly after the Republican convention on July 22.

The Trump campaign is still arguing that it can win in Virginia, but polls have recently shown Harris building a consistent lead in the state.

Its a dead heat right now. I mean dead heat, Eric Trump said last month, according to WVIR. I think theres a very good chance my father wins Virginia. I truly believe that were going to win the state.

But Trump hasnt rallied Virginia supporters in the last six weeks and his campaign seems to have ceased sending out memos pointing to internal polls.

The former presidents campaign is now spending large sums on ads in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as in states where Trump seemed to be set to win without much effort. But in North Carolina, a Trump super PAC has spent over $16m on advertising to stave off Harris.

Trump battleground states director Rachel Reisner told Axios that we have new staff, offices, and volunteers weekly  with more enthusiasm, energy, and support from people and states Democrats take for granted.
Former President Donald Trump and much of the GOP have staked their 2024 electoral hopes on convincing voters that Democrats are willfully allowing violent criminals to roam the streets.

In doing that, theyve frequently deployed the racist Willie Horton strategy  in essence, cherry-picking stories of gruesome crimes, particularly crimes committed by immigrants  to suggest Dems dont care about keeping Americans safe.

Getting voters to believe this, coming from Trump of all people, was always going to require that they ignore the irony. On Jan. 6, 2021, Trump stoked violence against fellow Americans, and hes promised to free the people involved if elected. Hes not a credible voice when it comes to crime.

On Tuesdays episode of The ReidOut, Joy spoke with Judd Legum, the reporter who broke a story on Jaime Davidson, a convicted cop-killer and drug dealer whose sentence Trump commuted on the last day of his term. Davidson, who was convicted of murder for coordinating the fatal, armed robbery of a New York undercover officer in 1990, was released by Trump, but convicted of domestic abuse earlier this year and handed a three-month sentence in July. (He's appealing the conviction.)

Legums report explains the peculiar circumstances surrounding Davidsons release:

Trumps commutation of Davidsons life sentence was controversial at the time because of the severity of Davidsons offense and the atypical process that led to his release. Requests for pardons and commutations usually are handled through the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Davidson had sought the commutation of his life sentence through official channels in 2013 and 2017 and was denied both times. In the waning days of Trumps presidency, Davidson eschewed the Office of the Pardon Attorney and sought relief directly from Trump. Davidsons attorney Betty Schein, had deep connections to the Trump White House. Schein and her husband, Alan Futerfas, represented people associated with the Trump Organization, including Donald Trump Jr.

Davidsons release also got support from Alice Johnson, a formerly incarcerated woman whose sentence Trump commuted after Kim Kardashian drew the Trump White Houses attention to her case.

Another person granted clemency under Trump now stands accused of a violent crime.

Jonathan Braun, a convicted drug kingpin and violent loan shark, was also released via last-minute commutation by Trump in 2021. Braun was arrested last month and is facing charges in New York over claims he assaulted his wife and father-in-law on various occasions in July and August. He pleaded not guilty and his attorney told CNBC hed address the claims in court.

As The New York Times reported, the circumstances around Trumps commutation of Braun were troubling. The move came after Brauns family made inroads with the Trump family through their connections to Charles Kushner, the father of Trumps son-in-law, Jared. And the commutation reportedly disrupted a major federal probe into predatory lending that Braun was expected to assist. According to the Times' reporting, the younger Kushner played a major role in the less structured vetting process that led to Brauns commutation.

The commutation announcement for Braun ironically mentions his plans to support the wife hes now accused of assaulting.

Trump's administration circumvented the normal processes to release people that are known to be violent, only for them to commit violent crimes  allegedly, in Brauns case  yet again. This provides a window into how Trump could abuse the commutation process in the future. But unlike when such claims are lobbed at liberals, I dont expect these stories to get wall-to-wall coverage in conservative media.

In fact, Trumps campaign gave a rather milquetoast statement in response to Legums reporting, President Trump believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.

For a variety of reasons, it's an wholly unbelievable claim.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trump proved to be exceptionally prickly when discussing his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, during a town hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

When speaking to Sean Hannity for the Fox News event, Trump boasted about reports that the governors family members had endorsed him. Soon, however, the former president  who has grown increasingly frustrated over Democrats weird line of attack aimed at him and his VP pick, J.D. Vance  took the opportunity to air out his grievances over the highly effective trash-talking.

J.D. is not weird. Hes a solid rock. I happen to be a very solid rock. Were not weird. Were other things, perhaps, but were not weird, Trump insisted.

But he is a weird guy. He walks on the stage, theres something wrong with that guy, and he called me weird,' he continued, fixating on Walz. And then the fake-news media picks it up. That was the word of the day. Weird. Weird. Weird. They were all going  but were not weird guys; were very solid people who want their country to be great again. Its very simple.

https://twitter.com/KamalaHQ/status/1831503308067950722

Sources previously told Rolling Stone that Trump has complained to advisers and confidants about how much attention the Democrats and Team Harris weird attacks have garnered in the media  including on his generally friendly network of choice, Fox News.

Last month, Trump even went so far as to accuse Harris campaign of colluding with the media to call him weird. The former president baselessly claimed, Theyre weird! You know what they do? They work with the press on coming up with the sound bite.

As Harris campaign quickly gains momentum  scooping up major endorsements and millions in fundraising dollars  Trump has responded by freaking out over her crowd sizes and increasing his hateful rhetoric.

More from Rolling Stone

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Former President Donald Trump is once again brushing aside traditional debate preparations as his first match against Vice President Kamala Harris approaches, reverting to a similar strategy of policy meetings with advisers and a series of interviews and town halls.

In the week leading up to the Sept. 10 ABC News debate, Trump was on campaign trail for a town hall in Pennsylvania, gave an economic address in New York and will hold a rally in Wisconsin this weekend. His campaign said the former president sees talking to voters is a form of debate prep, too.

"Our debate and prep is every day. It's called Donald Trump talking to voters," one Trump campaign adviser said.

MORE:Early voting options grow in popularity, reconfiguring campaigns and voting preparation

Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes told ABC News that because Trump gives "dozens of unscripted interviews and can stand with reporters unscripted for hours at a time, he doesn't need staff cheat codes to go into a debate."

"He is reviewing policy with advisers," Hughes said, adding that Trump is "always prepared to discuss his successful time as president."

PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump participates in a Fox News Town Hall with Sean Hannity at the New Holland Arena on Sept. 4, 2024 in Harrisburg, Penn. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

During a town hall event Wednesday with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said he was "gonna let [Harris] talk" in the debate.

"When I had [President Joe] Biden, you and I had the same discussion. And I let him talk. I'm gonna let her talk," Trump told Hannity when asked how he will respond to Harris when she tries to get under his skin.

In the last three weeks, Trump has only done two events that the campaign has described as rallies out of the nearly dozen campaign stops he has had -- a break in the campaign's traditional style.

The campaign instead has been persistent with scheduling more smaller-scale, policy-focused speeches and participating in moderated discussion panels with allies. During these events, Trump has worked to fine-tune his attacks on Harris, though, at times, he often struggled to stay on topic.

MORE: Harris doesn't get convention bounce, but widens gap with women: POLL

Trump and his campaign have long strayed from mock-style debates, and say that despite having a different challenger, his method remains the same. Rather, in between campaign stops, Trump and his campaign have been focusing on nailing down several different policy areas, a similar strategy to how he approached the June debate against Biden.

Trump had limited outbursts and personal attacks on the debate stage against Biden in June, and his campaign said he will focus on a similar strategy against Harris. Still, Trump has not held back on the trail, lobbing personal attacks at Harris.

PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump gestures as Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard reacts on the day of a town hall event in La Crosse, Wisc., Aug. 29, 2024. (Vincent Alban/Reuters, FILE)

The campaign has also tapped former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently endorsed Trump, for debate preparations. Campaign advisers took note of Gabbard's debate performance against Harris and Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary, and made headlines at the time for taking aim at Harris' record as a prosecutor.

In public comments over the weekend, Gabbard offered insight into the types of tactics she would advise Trump about ahead of next week's debate, warning that Harris should not be "underestimated." The former president has previously said he thinks debating Harris will be "easier" than Biden.

"I think Kamala Harris has a lot of experience. She's not to be underestimated. President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have very different records," Gabbard said.

She argued that Trump should focus on Harris' flip-flops, which "will be an opportunity for voters to look at and compare and contrast those records."

PHOTO: Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reacts as he arrives to speak at a rally at 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Penn., on Aug. 30, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

MORE: 'I let him talk, I'm gonna let her talk,' Trump says ahead of ABC news debate

"It really is just sharing the experience that I have with her on that debate stage in 2020 and frankly, helping to point out some ways that Kamala Harris has already shown that she is trying to move away from her record, move away from her positions, and how that contradicts the positions and statements that she is making now that she is the Democratic nominee," Gabbard said.

Trump also recently sat down for a town hall with Gabbard in Wisconsin, answering questions from voters on issues such as the economy, immigration and national security.

As the Trump campaign tries to focus on Harris' record, another attack anticipated on the debate stage is the distinction that Harris is currently serving in the White House and can make policy decisions now.

"That's one of the points that I will make all the time. Do it. You can do it right now," Trump claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail last month.

The ABC News debate will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m ET. A prime-time pre-debate special will air at 8 p.m. ET.

Trump turning to campaign events, talking to voters to prepare for Harris debate originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Republican presidential candidate Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally in Conway, S.C., Feb. 10, 2024. Trump plans to fundraise in Salt Lake City next week, after two previous Utah fundraisers were canceled over the summer. | Manuel Balce Ceneta

Former President Donald Trump plans to fundraise in Salt Lake City next week, after two previous Utah fundraisers were canceled over the summer.

According to an invitation obtained by the Deseret News, the Trump event will be held on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 14.

Instead of hosting the event in Park City, as the previous fundraisers were planned, the fundraiser will be at an undisclosed location in Salt Lake City.

Details on the exact location will be provided as we get closer to the date, Taylor Binkley, a regional finance director for the Republican National Committee, wrote in an email to attendees obtained by the Deseret News.

The event comes as Trump, less than two months until Election Day, faces a financial disadvantage against Vice President Kamala Harris. Since taking over as the Democratic nominee, Harris has enjoyed record-breaking fundraising levels, including a $300 million windfall in August, NBC News reported. The Trump campaign raised $130 million in August.

The Utah fundraiser was originally scheduled for June 27, but plans were scrapped after the CNN presidential debate was set for the same evening. Organizers later scheduled the event for Aug. 29, but the event was postponed due to a conflict in the presidents schedule, an organizer said.

Trump appeared at a town hall in La Crosse, Wisconsin  alongside former Democratic U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard  that evening.

To get inside Trumps Utah fundraiser, attendees must donate $3,300 or raise $10,000 for the Trump campaign, according to the invitation. Other entry levels include VIP attendee for $10,000; a photo with Trump for $35,000; co-host for $150,000; or host committee for $500,000 per person.
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have made it abundantly clear that they think Kamala Harris is dumb. But apparently they think that women voters are even dumber.

Never mind that Harris is a law school graduate who was later elected San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general, U.S. senator, and vice president of the United States. Trump commonly casts his opponent as intellectually lacking, calling her dumb as a rock and low IQ at his rallies, and advancing crude, sexist tropes suggesting that Harris used sex to get ahead professionally. And last week, his running mate took the insult to a crueler level, with collateral humiliating damage.

Vance on August 29 tweeted a 2007 viral video of a Miss Teen USA contestant who flubbed a question about geography, and added this comment: BREAKING: I have gotten ahold of the full Kamala Harris CNN interview. The contestant, Caite Upton, was only 17 at the time, and was so mortified by the video and the ensuing mockery that she had considered suicide. After Vances post dredged up her past, threatening to subject her to more humiliation, Upton posted on X, Regardless of political beliefs, one thing I do know is that social media and online bullying needs to stop. She then deleted her accountfor reasons we can probably guess. But Vance, when confronted with the troubling history of the video he resurfaced, was unmoved. Im not going to apologize for posting a joke, he said.

It is fair to say, at this point, that Vance and his would-be boss dont see women as equal in any way to men. They are punch lines. They are targets of insult and ridicule and disdain. Their purpose is to satisfy men sexuallyYou can do anything to themand provide children. Those who dont provide children are loathsome cat ladies.

Oh, and every once in a while, Trump and Vance see women as voters, too. And because women are so dumb, these guys can say any old lie to win them over.





Lets review the tape. Earlier this year, Trump referred to his primary opponent Nikki Haleya woman he once selected as ambassador to the United Nationsas a birdbrain and called MSNBC anchor Mika Brzezinski dumb as a rock. Trump is particularly fond of demeaning Black women who have challenged him, calling California Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters a seriously low IQ person and saying New York Attorney General Letitia James has a big, nasty, and ugly mouthand, of course, is a Low IQ individual, as well. Vance, meanwhile, barely finished fielding backlash against 2021 comments about childless cat ladies before two more past interviews surfaced in which he lambasted women who refuse to reproduce. The pair have become a tag team of misogyny.

For all of their denigration of womens intelligence, its Trump and Vance who seem to have an awfully long learning curve. Its truly not smart to insult voters. Just ask Hillary Clinton whether referring to some Trump supporters as a basket of deplorables helped in her 2016 campaign, or how much backpedaling then-candidate Barack Obama had to do in 2008 when he said small-town, economically distressed voters cling to guns or religion out of frustration. Nor does it make sense to disparage a group that made up 52 percent of the voting electorate in 2020 (not to mention 56 percent in Georgia, 54 percent in Michigan, and 53 percent in Pennsylvania, according to exit polls).

Trumps frantic efforts to finesse his ever-changing position on reproductive rights isnt helping either. Asked last week how he would vote on a Florida referendum enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution, Trump appeared to back it, saying , I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks, which is the current cutoff for abortion access in Florida. But after blowback on the right, he said he would oppose the referendum. And on protecting access to in vitro fertilizationan emotional, powerful issue even for some in the anti-abortion campTrump is flailing, trying to thwart concerns that so-called pro-life state laws will imperil it. He promised last week that if hes elected, the government or insurance companies would cover the cost. He did not say how he could make that happen, especially since the costan average of $23,474, according to FertilityIQis exorbitant.

Are women really this stupid? Empirically, no. Women are a strong majority of college enrollees now and make up a steadily increasing number of those with Ph.Ds. And in polling, the gender gap is stark: A recent Ipsos/ABC News survey found that Harris leads among women voters, with 54 percent support compared to 41 percent for Trump. Notably, Harris is closing the gap among white women, who favored Trump by nine percentage points in 2016 and 11 percentage points in 2020. Before the Democratic National Convention, Trump led among white women by 13 percentage points, the Ipsos poll found. Now its a virtual dead heat among that voter group, with Trump ahead by two percentage points.

Trumps problem with women voters this year, compared to previous election cycles, is that he has both a governing record and a legal record, having been found liable in 2023 for sexually abusing and defaming columnist E. Jean Carroll. Trump may have felt emboldened after winning the 2016 election even after the notorious Access Hollywood tape, but his presidential legacy, including appointing the pivotal Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, cant be dismissed as locker-room talk.

Trump, who casts himself as a master negotiator, doesnt seem to understand that he cant simply come in at the eleventh hour with a better deal for women who want access to abortion and IVF. Its not a dollars-and-cents business deal; its womens bodies and lives, and his parrying on the issue isnt helping him with either camp.

I think during the 2016 cycle when Trump would suddenly change his position, or lean in a different direction, maybe it looked like evolution, or the possibility of nuance, or even conversion on reproductive rights, said Shannon Watts, a gun violence prevention activist who organized a White WomenAnswer the Call! fundraising Zoom call for Harris. No one had seen him in office. What Trump is doing now looks like desperation, like, Im promising you a pony if you give me your vote. I dont think women are buying that, Watts said.

Much of the gender gap in politics is due to party identification, says Kelly Dittmar, director of research at Rutgers Universitys Center for American Women and Politics. But when it comes to abortion rights, she added, its an Achilles heel for him. Its not clear he has strong beliefs on reproductive rights and abortion. What youre seeing is that womenand mencan see through that lack of personal belief system.

Another factor is turnout among women. Reproductive rights ballot initiatives in 10 states in November could motivate more women to vote. Tom Bonier, who analyzes voter registration and turnout, reported a jump in registration among women voters in 13 states that have updated their voter files since July 21, with the increase more than twice that for male voters. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis found that in the three and a half weeks after Harris got into the race, registrations were higher than at the same point four years previouslylargely because of women voters.

With just two months to go before Election Day, Trump doesnt have much time to smooth things over with women voters. And he lacks the discipline to keep his thoughts to himself, no matter whom they offend. The presidential campaign doesnt do anything but reveal who you are. It shows character, Michael Binder, a University of North Florida political science professor and pollster, told me. Its grueling, and its hard, and its constant. Theres only so much you can do to fake it.

But thinking you can hoodwink women voters into believing you respect them and will protect their reproductive rights, after a litany of insults and flip-flops? Thats just dumb.
Trump: Vote for me if you want to save TikTok

Former President Trump urged Americans to vote for him if they want to save TikTok, accusing his political opponent of seeking to close it up in a post Wednesday on his Truth Social platform.

For all of those that want to save TikTok in America, vote for Trump, he said in a video, speaking directly into the camera and flanked by two American flags.

The other sides closing it up, but Im now a big star on TikTok, Trump continued, adding that were setting records.

The GOP presidential nominee joined the popular social media app three months ago and has amassed 10.8 million followers. Nearly two months later, shortly after launching her bid for president, Vice President Harris joined, and has gained 5 million followers.

Were not doing anything with TikTok, but the other side is going to close it up, Trump said in his video. So if you like TikTok, go out and vote for Trump. If you dont care about TikTok  and other things like safety, security and prosperity  then you can vote for a Marxist whos going to destroy our country.

Both campaigns recognize the importance of TikTok to young voters, who have trended more conservative in this election cycle than in past cycles.

Harriss campaign, however, has generated newfound enthusiasm among young voters, who have flocked to her campaign since she replaced President Biden as the Democratic nominee. Her team has been lauded, too, for its revamped communication strategy, which has found success among young voters.

A recent USA Today/Suffolk University poll found young people moved a massive 24 percentage points between June and August, from favoring Trump over Biden by 11 points to now supporting Harris over Trump by 13 percentage points.

Neither campaign says it favors a TikTok ban, but the Biden administration signed into law a bill that would compel the platforms China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the video-sharing app or face a ban from U.S. app stores and networks. A measure included in a subsequent foreign aid package earlier this year gave the company a January 2025 deadline to sell, with the possibility of a 90-day extension.

The legislation passed Congress with a bipartisan majority, as lawmakers cited national security concerns with the Chinese government potentially having access to American users sensitive data  accusations TikTok has adamantly denied.

Trump opposed such a ban at the time, though he tried to enforce a similar one via executive order when he was in the White House.

The Hill has reached out to the Harris 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Tennessee State University (TSU) is hosting its 20th Annual Small Farm Expo on Thursday, September 5.

Hundreds of agriculture industry leaders and small farmers will gather for exhibitions, presentations and farm tours.

Topics of discussion include backyard poultry production, container production, industrial hemp, meat goat production, entomology, climate change, organic agriculture, beekeeping and alternative vegetables.

Franklin declares emergency water shortage, asks residents to conserve water

Finis Stribling, director of small farm programs at TSU, said 90% of farms in the Volunteer state are small, and the expo will highlight how the industry is attractive.

Even though you think of the commercial chicken industry, here at Tennessee State you can see, well okay, I can still have a backyard flock and be profitable, said Stribling.

The annual farmer recognition luncheon and awards ceremony will take place at 11:15 a.m and 2024 small farmer of the year will be crowned.

The TSU College of Agriculture will lead tours of the newly constructed greenhouses, Agricultural Education Center and pavilion. These are some of the five structures that were destroyed in the 2020 tornadoes.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

We still have a ways to go with our goat facilities and some of the equipment sheds, said Stribling. Even though well be celebrating with a ribbon cutting ceremony, we still have a little ways to go getting all the infrastructure back in place.

The Small Farm Expo is open to the public and runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Tucker Carlson kicks off cross-country tour in Phoenix with prayers and Russell Brand

PHOENIX  Right-wing personality Tucker Carlson kicked off his live tour Wednesday night in battleground Arizona to a packed arena.

But instead of delivering his usual fiery political rhetoric, Carlson focused opening night of his 16-date tour on his faith and mentioned Donald Trump by name only a handful of times.

I just couldnt wait to see other people who Im on the same page with, he said as the crowd roared with approval.

Joining him on stage was a barefoot Russell Brand, the British comedian and actor who recently converted to Christianity and was spotted at the Republican National Convention in July. In 2023 British media reported allegations that Brand had sexually and emotionally abused four women, which he denies.

Together, Carlson and Brand mostly delivered a Bible sermon surrounding their shared Christian identity and only tangentially touched on the presidential race.

After this election, you are going to be the inheritors of the new United States of America, Brand said. I suppose, in particular, Im encouraged by the joining of Trumps Republican MAGA movement by Robert Kennedy.

Carlson entered the Footprint Center to thunderous applause and a standing ovation following a video compilation that showed dystopian images of smash-and-grab robberies and excerpts of interviews with Democrat lawmakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris.

Brand closed the night by dropping to his knees and leading the crowd in prayer.

Outside, Phoenix resident Deirdre Mischelle Scanlan said the two were a natural fit on stage.

"They're free media," she said. "We share the apprehension about the deep state and how it seems like we're not getting the truth."

North Carolina resident Alexandrea Iverson, who planned a visit with family around Carlson's tour, said she felt politically inspired for the first time this election cycle.

"I'm a Kennedy supporter and if I say Kennedy's my guy, everybody says, 'Oh, isn't he a nut job?'" she said. "But not tonight."

Carlson, 55, was abruptly fired from Fox News last year and has since launched his own eponymous media company.

Its difficult to track Carlson's official reach, but his podcast is No. 2 on Spotify. While there appear to be plenty of tickets available for each night of his 16-date tour, some VIP packages, which cost $1,600 and feature meet-and-greets with special guests including Alex Jones and Donald Trump Jr., are sold out.

Carlsons event kicked off a whirlwind week of Republican appearance in Arizona. Sen. JD Vance spoke to a local church congregation Wednesday afternoon and is scheduled to hold a campaign event in Phoenix Thursday.

Arizona, which swung blue in the 2022 midterms, is a crucial state to win in November and both presidential candidates are laser focused on gaining an advantage.

Harris visited in early August, and made immigration a key component of her stump speech during a packed rally in Glenade, a Phoenix suburb.

Several weeks later, Trump was joined onstage in the same suburb by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shortly after the independent dropped out and endorsed the former president.

On Tuesday, Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced during an interview with CNN that he registered as a Democrat and has decided to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

He made the decision after an incident involving Donald Trumps campaign staff at Arlington National Cemetery, Jimmy McCain said.

Trump visited the cemetery last week with relatives of service members who were killed in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.

A member of Trumps team pushed aside a cemetery official so that campaign staff could take photos and videos in an area where they are normally prohibited, according to the Army.

Trumps team has disputed that account.

The incident was the last straw for the younger McCain, whose father and sister had previously distanced themselves from Trump.

CORRECTION (Sept. 5, 2:16 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated that Tucker Carlson dropped to his knees and led the crowd in prayer. It was Russell Brand who did so, not Carlson.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Dog Deezi from an Istanbul shelter has found a home with owners Caroline and Meike in The Netherlands

Dog Deezi from an Istanbul shelter has found a home with owners Caroline and Meike in The Netherlands

By Ezgi Erkoyun and Ali Kucukgocmen

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Former Istanbul street dogs Dali and Deezi now live in the Netherlands, enjoying a pampered home life after years in a shelter in the Turkish city, and as other strays face being rounded up under a new law to clear them from the streets.

Turkey's parliament passed a law in July ordering the impounding of the country's estimated four million stray dogs, despite protests by animal lovers and the opposition, who fear it will lead to many being put down.

The legislation, motivated by concerns about attacks by dogs, road accidents and rabies, aims to place all strays in municipal shelters by 2028. It says that any dogs showing aggressive behaviour or with untreatable disease will be euthanised.

Animal rights activist Nilgul Sayar, who runs an NGO shelter for dogs near Istanbul, has sent hundreds of dogs abroad for adoption but says demand has jumped since the law passed.

"We have around 20-25 dogs ready to fly," she said. "People continue to reach out to us (for adoption). I hope we will send more dogs soon. They will all have good homes."

Getting a dog ready to travel to the European Union with the necessary paperwork and vaccinations can take 3-4 months and cost around 1,000 euros ($1,107).

Illustrating the scale of the challenge, Turkish shelters have capacity for 100,000 dogs and little space for more. Sayar said it often takes years to find homes for the large, old and disabled dogs that form the majority in her shelter. Cities are set to build more pounds to comply with the law.

Dali, named after painter Salvador Dali's three-legged chair, lost a leg when hit by a car as a two-month-old wandering the streets. Dali and nine-year-old Deezi lived in Sayar's shelter for four years.

"We wanted to support these dogs and find loving families abroad," said Ali Okay, who volunteered to fly with them from Turkey to Belgium. The animals were later taken to the Netherlands by NGO Animal Care Projects.

Thousands of Turks have protested against the law in recent weeks. Stray dogs and cats can be seen in streets across Turkey and are loved by many people, who look after them, putting out food and water and erecting shelters. Large strays sometimes sleep in shop doorways, with people gently stepping around them.

In response to the new law, some companies are adopting strays for their offices, a hotel on the coast built a dog shelter to introduce them to tourists and some vets are offering free vaccinations for those who adopt animals from the streets.

Turkey used to trap and neuter dogs then return them to the streets. Critics of the new law say dog numbers would have been under control if this policy had been implemented properly.

Dali is now in a foster home in the Netherlands awaiting adoption. Deezi is settling into her new home in Haarlem and is relaxed and happy, said new owner Caroline Dieleman.

She was mourning the death of one of her dogs in June when she heard about Turkey's new law and decided to rescue Deezi.

"The new law makes me feel sick physically but also powerless," said Dieleman. "This was a little thing I could do... it is one dog only, from how many dogs. But one is better than none."

($1 = 0.9030 euros)

(Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun, Ali Kucukgocmen and Piroschka van de Wouw; Editing by Daren Butler, Alexandra Hudson)
Three 18-year-olds arrested days after two people were shot in Old Town parking garage

Three 18-year-olds have been arrested in a shooting that wounded two young men in the Old Town parking garage late Sunday.

At least 20 rounds were fired during the shooting, according to a police report.

All three suspects remained in jail Friday morning.

One was arrested Thursday at an apartment near Central and Nims on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling.

The other two were arrested Wednesday in separate, almost simultaneous traffic stops, police said.

One was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle and obstruction. He was also arrested in what appears to be an unrelated case of criminal carrying of a weapon.

He was arrested near Sims and Central, records show.

The other was arrested at Friends University, where he lives, records show. He was arrested on suspicion of criminal discharge of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and possession of stolen property.

The two victims from Wellington were sitting in the parking garage in a 2007 red Ford pickup when the shooting happened around 11:55 p.m.

The 18-year-old driver and owner of the truck was grazed in the lower leg; the 20-year-old passenger was hit in the right hip, according to a police report.

At least one of the victims reported that he was involved in an altercation earlier in the evening in Park City, that is believed to be related to the shooting, police said previously.

A police report said 20 casings and 4 fragments were found at the scene. The truck was struck 8 times and 4 fragments located.
Two arrested after man killed at Tunica County apartments

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The Tunica County Sheriffs Office says two men have been arrested in connection to a deadly shooting Monday at the Kirby Estates Apartments in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

Investigators said Tanio Hall and Tavion Crutchfield were taken into custody Wednesday at the same apartment complex Monday for outstanding warrants out of Texas and Louisiana and are being questioned in the homicide.

The victim in the Robinsville shooting was identified as 38-year-old Vandarren Marqueze McCray. The sheriffs office said the incident remains under investigation.

Clarksdale man dead after Mississippi shooting

Hall, 30, was arrested for a weapons offense and a charge of failure to appear out of Texas.

Crutchfield, 23, was arrested on charges of false imprisonment, battery of a dating partner, and child endangerment out of Louisiana.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tunica County Sheriffs Office at 662-363-1411 or Tunica County Crime Stoppers at 662-910-0400.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Two men were struck by gunfire while leaving a popular restaurant near the Walk of Fame in Hollywood overnight.

The shooting was reported just before midnight outside the Status Hollywood restaurant and lounge on the 1600 block of Cahuenga Boulevard.

Police said the two victims had just finished dinner and walked out of the lounge when a gunman standing next to a car opened fire from across the street.

Both victims were transported to a local hospital after being struck by the gunfire, including one man who was hit in the chest.

Hollywood shooting near Walk of Fame

The shots sent dozens of people scrambling and running for cover.

A security guard who witnessed the incident ran to help one of the victims who said he was feeling weak and starting to lose consciousness.

I grabbed a shirt that was lying there and I applied pressure  Got that wound, got that hole covered, Eric Hinkley said.

Police initially said the unidentified victims, both in their 20s, were stable when they were taken to the hospital but their conditions were less clear later in the morning.

It was also unclear if the victims were together or just happened to be leaving the restaurant at the same time.

The suspect, described only as a man in a black hoodie or long sleeve shirt and possibly wearing yellow pants, ran northbound on Cahuenga after the shooting.

There was no word on a possible motive for the shooting.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Two months until election day, political expert shares what to expect

Two months until election day, political expert shares what to expect

Watch the Digital Desk with Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D. in the video player.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY)  Election day is now two months away on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Your Local Election Headquarters on WAVY.com

Old Dominion University Associate Professor Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D. joined the Digital Desk to discuss whats to come. Watch the segment in the video player on this page.

Were in to the final sprint here, said Melusky.

In terms of the presidential race, Melusky said the final days will be spent in action.

So were going to see a lot of burndown going on in their campaign funds over the next two months, said Melusky. Prepare yourself the ads are coming, if you havent already seen them.

Melusky expects there will be a lot more people out on the campaign trail across the country in support of both candidates.

That is already happening in Hampton Roads. Over Labor Day weekend, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke at Bobby Scotts annual Labor Day cookout.

SG Doug Emhoff delivers speech at Bobby Scotts annual Labor Day cookout

The public will be able to hear from the presidential candidates in their first presidential debate. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the debate is scheduled between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Melusky said across the board, we will see topics around the main issues our country is facing.

Its going to be the economy, its going to be focused on foreign affairs, its going to be focused on domestic protections, its going to be focused on social issues, like gun control and abortion, said Melusky.

Those issues, Melusky said, are top tier issues of the public.

Its giving a chance, for now, this new presidential candidate to lay out her vision and at the same time it allows Trump to continue to layout his vision, attack Kamala, for basically being part of the current administration and trying to hold her to that, said Melusky.

Early voting in the Commonwealth begins shortly after that on Friday, Sept. 20. In North Carolina, early voting begins on Thursday, Oct. 17.

In both states there are federal and local elections taking place.

In Hampton Roads, Melusky said one race to watch is the race for Virginias Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The race is between incumbent Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R) and Missy Cotter Smasal (D).

In North Carolina, some of the big state elections include Governor and Attorney General.

Stay updated on election news from Your Local Election Headquarters.

Watch the full Digital Desk segment to hear more about whats to come in the lead up to the election.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
ST. CLOUD  A Stearns County Board of Commissioners work session Tuesday revealed the decision to move the county courthouse from downtown is still unofficial, and two commissioners are uncertain about the move.

Commissioners Jeff Bertram and Joe Perske, which make up the board's minority, expressed hesitation on the move, noting that while the county approved moving forward with schematic designs for a justice center outside of downtown  including a jail, law enforcement center and courthouse  this didnt necessarily mean relocating the courthouse is a certainty.

County officials say the schematic design process will likely conclude in November, which will be followed by a vote.

County gears up for debate: Stearns County set on moving courthouse out of downtown, vocal opponents suggest renovations

Bertram told the St. Cloud Times hes considering keeping court facilities downtown if the final ticket cost for the justice center is too high. As conversations currently stand, the plan is to move the three entities to a plot of undeveloped land approximately six miles from downtown.

Its a happy medium between moving everything and keeping some of it here, (possibly) using our office space downtown, (while) helping with the economic vitality of downtown, Bertram said. I think it's a nice compromise if the courts end up being too expensive to add on to (the new justice center), because from the very beginning it was the jail and the sheriff's office.

Bertram, who is the boards vice chair, said he wont be sold on moving the courthouse until the projects final cost estimates are in. After the work session, Bertram told the St. Cloud Times the final decision on moving the courthouse will come after this information is made available along with schematic design plans.

Once we get the plans back, then we're going to look at everything, and then we're going to decide, in my opinion, that's how we're gonna approach it, he said.

This issue could create complications with the sales tax ballot question, Board of Commissioners Chair Tarryl Clark said, considering it pertains to the construction of a Justice Center facility, consisting of law enforcement, judicial center and jail.

Clark, who represents downtown St. Cloud, said if the courthouse is taken out of the mix, it could jeopardize using the sales tax toward the project since the language in the ballot question directly states it would consist of the three entities. The proposed tax would hypothetically cover the project costing up to $325 million; however, commissioners have yet to receive an official cost estimate based on a schematic design, nor have they received a schematic design.

Despite her current position, the idea of moving the courthouse outside of downtown St. Cloud wasn't Clark's first choice, and she originally wanted the courts to stay. The county chair said she came around to the idea after looking at operational costs of roughly $2 million annually, citing additional transportation and staffing costs when transporting inmates downtown from the new jail, which would be built roughly six miles away. It would cost roughly $100 million more to build the new justice center downtown with all three components versus in an undeveloped area.

Clark told the St. Cloud Times if the bill comes higher than expected, she'd still like to move all three entities, including the courthouse, to the undeveloped plot in a scaled back concept plan costing up to $325 million. She said this would allow flexibility down the road if future expansions are needed to accommodate St. Cloud's growing population.

Commissioner Leigh Lenzmeier said he wants a cost-effective option that provides flexible options for the future, in an effort to avoid a similar dilemma down the road.

Changing the Stearns County courthouse conversation

Perske suggests a rebuttal to Clarks rationale, and said hed like to see the county further explore building two courtrooms in the new justice center facility while expanding the downtown courthouse to open space in the county's administration building. He said this could be a safe, cost-effective alternative for in-custody court hearings.

The idea of going out and building 14 new courtrooms, to me, is just absurd because we've got empty space here at the administration building, Perske said. My opinion was actually to perhaps build just two courtrooms out at the new facility, (and) use those for the inmates that we want to see in person.

This idea of having courtrooms spread out across St. Cloud with some at the current courthouse, some in the administration building and others at the new justice center was deemed impractical by those opposed.

"The reality of doing the same thing at the same time in different places is a waste of time, money and its contrary to public safety," Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall said.

The county previously said the administration building isn't built to accommodate a courthouse or law enforcement agencies, saying significant renovations would be needed.

"We have no bulletproof windows; we have nothing set up for extra protection, Clark previously said. So there'd be a pretty significant remodel that would need to happen too, even if we were downtown and tried to use that space.

Downtown's economy in question: As Whit's Craft closes, businesses rally for free street parking, enhanced safety

Stearns County commissioners largely agree that expanding the courthouse is necessary, citing a growing number of contested criminal cases being scheduled. This need comes as more than 440 contested cases have been scheduled annually since 2021 compared to an average of roughly 313 scheduled criminal trials per year from 2012 through 2020. Kendall said the increase creates a scheduling crisis, with the amount of cases having outgrown the county's current courtroom offerings.

"If a courtroom was scheduled for a two- or three-week trial, that courtroom is unavailable for that amount of time (or) until they can adjust (it to fit other needs), Kendall previously said.

Stearns County is currently overbooking its courtrooms, resulting in trials being rescheduled for at least two months down the road, drawing out the judicial process.

What a St. Cloud courthouse move would mean for city, residents

Concerns about Stearns County moving the courthouse emerge as the city grapples with boosting downtowns economic health. The neighborhood has seen several businesses leave since the county and other major downtown employers kept a remote or hybrid work format post-pandemic, with some companies leaving downtown St. Cloud altogether.

At the work session, the countys architect, Chicago-based HDR, spoke to the value of civic buildings when planning a city, saying people tend to build around the establishments.

My mentor explained to me how at the city center, there was always a civic building, HDR Design Principal Jae Choi said. (The) rest of the community is built around those civic centers.

The League of Women Voters, St. Cloud is hosting a justice center ballot question forum from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16 in the Great River Regional Library's Mississippi Room. The Nov. 5 vote isn't on if voters agree with the project, but rather how they'd like to fund it.

Stearns County is asking voters to approve a  cent sales tax, which would cost the average resident $85 annually. If voters reject the sales tax, county officials say the project will still commence, but with the financial burden being offset by a property tax increase. In such a case, the county says the average homeowner should expect their taxes to increase by $185 annually, with the exact numbers varying based on property values.

Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Two Stearns County commissioners question moving courthouse
As students head back to class at colleges and universities across the nation, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has released the organizations annual survey of free speech rights at over 250 colleges, with only two Tennessee Universities making it into the top 100.

The University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee both ranked in the top 100 for the second year in a row, at No. 48 and No. 95, respectively.

Memphis dropped from last years rankings, where it sat at No. 39, but the University of Tennessee saw a slight improvement from last years No. 97 ranking.

The highest-ranked school in the survey is the University of Virginia. The lowest, for a second year in a row, is Harvard University.

The 5th annual survey asked over 58,000 students at public and private universities questions regarding students' First Amendment rights of speech, expression and assembly.

Last year, Vanderbilt University made the top 100 at No. 89, but dropped significantly over the past year, and now sits at No. 140.

More: Vanderbilt University claims a commitment to free speech. But does it deliver?

The scores come after an incredibly tumultuous year for schools across the country, as issues surrounding the Israel-Hamas war exploded on campuses in the form of protests and encampments.

University of Memphis students gathered on campus to protest the appearance of Kyle Rittenhouse speaking on the lies of Black Lives Matter and the second amendment at the Memphis chapter Turning Point USAs event at the campus on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in Memphis, Tenn.

Here are the trends the new data reveals

The rankings are based on a composite score of 14 components: seven survey questions assess student perceptions of different aspects of the speech climate on their campus, and the remaining seven assess behavior by administrators, faculty, and students regarding free expression on campus.

Each school is given a score based on these components: the higher the score, the higher the ranking. The University of Virginia earned a total score of 73.41, earning the No. 1 slot, while the University of Harvard earned 0, placing it last.

Notable findings include:

 The top subjects students found most difficult to discuss on campus were the Israeli-Hamas war, with 55% of students reporting that it was a difficult subject to discuss, and 45% reporting abortion as a difficult topic, followed by issues like transgender rights, gun control and racial inequality.

 Middle Eastern students have the least faith in their administration to protect their free speech rights, with a third reporting that it is not at all or not very clear that the administration protects free speech on campus, and 37% reporting that the administration would be not at all or not very likely to defend a speakers rights during a speech controversy. By comparison, 25% of white students reported the same.

 Men of all races reported higher numbers of comfort in expressing controversial views in class or on campus than women  in almost every question regarding the topic, nearly 10% more men expressed comfort in doing so than women.

 Students are growing more comfortable with physical altercations. The number of students who report that shouting down a speaker to stop a campus speech, blocking other students from attending a campus speech, and using violence to stop a campus speech is acceptable in some form has risen incrementally since 2022. Students who say it is "never" acceptable has dropped since last year, from 37% to 32%.

Israel-Hamas war an 'all-consuming' topic

Sean Stevens, a senior research fellow in polling and analytics at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which is often known as FIRE, said the tension on campuses following the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war is an all-consuming topic.

55% of students across the nation identified it as difficult to discuss, Stevens said. That's a record high for this question, for any topic. The previous high was racial inequality in 2021, around 52%.

Universities across the nation exploded in protest  both in support of Israel and Palestine  following the Oct.7 Hamas attack. Student encampments sprung up on a number of campuses, including Nashvilles Vanderbilt campus, demanding universities divest from Israel-supporting initiatives.

Students protest on the steps outside of Kirkland Hall at Vanderbilt University in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

According to Stevens, while the response to many student free speech issues surrounding the war were factored into the school scores, the survey did not penalize most schools for their handling of the encampments due to their confusing mix of protected and unprotected speech.

Schools were instead affected by their administrative adherence to First Amendment principles. Cases that showed blatant speech suppression, like that of the University of Texas at Austin, where law enforcement were called in preemptively to prevent protest, and the University of Indiana, which saw reports of snipers on university buildings after administration called police to close the student encampment, earned the schools rankings in the bottom 10.

Both of these schools have poor administrative support scores, ranking 228 and 240, respectively.

Schools ranking in the top categories also dealt with student encampments. And although not all were handled perfectly  the University of Virginia for instance, the top-ranked school, also called law enforcement in to remove protesters  the schools were given higher marks for going through the proper de-escalation steps in addressing student demands and resisting the urge to punish students and faculty for their expression.

Vanderbilt University had four students and one reporter arrested in the melee of the student protests.

A journalist with the Nashville Scene is arrested while covering a student protest at Vanderbilt University in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

Stevens said a number of schools have taken a hit in students trust in their administration.

I do think schools that have really taken a hit in terms of how the students perceive their administration, and that that trust may be difficult to restore. Although at I think in at least a couple of the places where these incidents occurred, there's new incoming administration for that very reason, he said. I wouldn't necessarily say they're going to be able to wipe this slate clean, but the new administration might be better equipped to rebuild that trust than the person who lost it in the first place.

The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee universities and free speech: Memphis, UT rank high
Cadets attend the U.S. Coast Guard Academy commencement ceremony in New London, Connecticut

By Diana Novak Jones

(Reuters) - More than a dozen former U.S. Coast Guard Academy students who say they were victims of sexual assault filed complaints on Thursday seeking $130 million in damages, accusing the school of allowing sexual violence to go unchecked.

The former students filed administrative claims with the U.S. Coast Guard, claiming the academy in New London, Connecticut, for nearly four decades enabled sexual abusers and failed to protect victims or provide them recourse.

The group comprises 12 women and one man, said Christine Dunn, an attorney representing the former students. Each is seeking $10 million in damages.

The Coast Guard has been under scrutiny for a year on the issue since a media report alleged it covered up decades of abuse and a Senate subcommittee found it shamed victims and failed to deal with perpetrators.

The complaints were brought under a federal law that requires them to be filed administratively before they can be alleged in a lawsuit.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said the service could not discuss the complaints and would resolve them in accordance with federal law.

The spokesperson said the Coast Guard is committed to protecting its workforce and is devoting "significant resources" to improving prevention, victim support and accountability.

The complaints allege assaults from the mid-1980s through the present, Dunn said.

Although federal law only allows complaints to be filed within two years of an incident, Dunn said that the clock did not start until last year when her clients learned of the Coast Guards liability for their abuse.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee held a hearing in December about allegations of abuse at the academy following a CNN report in August 2023 that the U.S. Coast Guard covered up an internal investigation that revealed a history of abuse.

Last month, the subcommittee released its own report that said the Coast Guards culture of shaming kept victims from coming forward. Perpetrators were improperly addressed and victims were not given needed medical care, the report said.

In June, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan told the subcommittee that at times the agency had failed to ensure a culture that is safe for all.

(Reporting by Diana Jones; Editing by Leigh Jones and Cynthia Osterman)
By Pavel Polityuk

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine and U.N. nuclear agency IAEA have agreed that the agency's experts will monitor the situation at key Ukrainian substations in addition to nuclear plants, Ukraine's chief nuclear inspector said on Thursday.

More than half of the electricity consumed in the country is generated at three nuclear power plants, but Russian missile and drone attacks on substations threaten the stable operation of nuclear power plants, Oleh Korikov told a televised briefing.

"It was agreed that IAEA would expand its functionality, its presence in Ukraine, and that electrical substations, which are important for the safety of nuclear power plants, would also be subject to international monitoring," Korikov said.

The first visit of the monitoring mission to one of the substations would take place next week, he added.

Ukrainian authorities hope inspectors' presence will prevent attacks on substations.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, is in Ukraine now and visited Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which was seized by Russian forces soon after Russia's February 2022 invasion.

Moscow and Kyiv have regularly accused each other of attacking the plant and risking a nuclear accident.

Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been subjected to increased Russian missile and drone attacks in recent months and officials have said the country has lost about half of its generating capacity and now relies mainly on nuclear energy.

Moscow, which denies targeting civilians, says damaging Ukraines energy system is a legitimate military goal.

NUCLEAR POWER UNITS DISCONNECTED

The Ukrainian mission to the IAEA said last week that a Russian drone and missile attack in late August forced Ukraine to disconnect several nuclear power units from the grid, posing a risk to the nuclear power sector.

It said the attack was intended to paralyse the operation of power facilities.

"Russia, while not directly striking nuclear power plants, is threatening their safe operation through attacks on energy infrastructure facilities," Korikov said.

As a result of Aug. 26's attack, three out of four power units at the Rivne nuclear power plant in western Ukraine were disconnected from the grid, as was power unit 3 of the South Ukraine nuclear power plant.

Ukrainian nuclear power firm Energoatom this week said the capacity was reduced at one unit of the South Ukraine nuclear power plant after Russian attacks damaged the country's Ukrenergo electricity transmission system.

It said the output was reduced after "hostile shelling of Ukrenergo's infrastructure" and "significant fluctuations in the parameters of the grid".

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Alex Richardson)
U.S. To Track Moving Air And Ground Targets Via Space By 2030, But Aircraft Will Still Play A Part

The U.S. Space Force second-in-command has provided updates on plans for the services introduction of space-based ground moving-target indicator and air moving-target indicator (GMTI/AMTI) capabilities.

The U.S. Space Force second-in-command has provided updates on plans for the services introduction of space-based ground moving-target indicator and air moving-target indicator (GMTI/AMTI) capabilities. Also discussed was the U.S. militarys need for a layered surveillance network, including to deal with the expanding breadth of enemy kill webs, something which TWZ has discussed in the depth in the past.

Speaking today at the annual Defense News Conference in Arlington, Virginia, Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, the Vice Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force (USSF), said that the first parts of a satellite-based GMTI/AMTI capability should start coming online in probably the early 2030s.

Gen. Michael Guetlein, the Vice Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force. U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Samuel Becker



Importantly, however, Gen. Guetlein said that he expects the U.S. militarys future surveillance network to involve multiple assets, both in the atmosphere and in space. I see it always being a layered set of capabilities to increase survivability, first and foremost, he said.

While a layered surveillance network  one including space-based assets, alongside crewed aircraft, drones, and potentially other platforms  has been discussed for some time now, it was only last month that the design baseline for Space Forces new satellite system was certified, meaning that it can now progress into the formal development phase.

In the past there have also been repeated suggestions that space-based surveillance assets would increasingly take over from the aircraft that have traditionally undertaken surveillance of targets on the ground, at sea, and in the air. In particular, satellite-based surveillance assets offer the advantages of greater persistence and  at least in the past  enhanced survivability. It is also worth noting that the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is reportedly acquiring a constellation of hundreds of intelligence-gathering satellites from SpaceX, with a specific focus on tracking targets down below in support of ground operations. Its relationship to the USSF program is unclear, but there is certainly some crossover regarding capabilities.

Gen. Guetlein, however, today pointed to what he considers the continuing relevance of non-space-based platforms for the GMTI/AMTI mission, especially.

A highly stylized depiction of a network of surveillance satellites. Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman

The closer I can come to the target, the more resolution I get on the target, he said. As I move to space, it becomes harder and harder to get that same level of resolution on a target that may be required.

Another major theme of Gen. Guetleins briefing today was kill webs and the growing threat that they present, reinforcing the need for adequate surveillance, including in space.

Today, the adversary has migrated to kill webs that fully integrate multiple sensors, multiple bullets, against multiple simultaneous targets, all fully networked together with multiple sensors and all talking together through multiple communication paths, Gen. Guetlein explained. The mesh network, if you will, of shooters, bullets, sensors, and communicators, is extremely difficult to defeat. Unfortunately, the adversary is capable of using these kill webs to hold our joint forces at risk across great distances, across multiple domains, and with persistence. This is a very sophisticated and challenging threat.

U.S. Navy and Air Force aviators head out for a mission during Black Flag 24-1, out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, an exercise earlier this year that focused heavily on defeating enemy long-range kill chains. U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brianna Vetro

Gen. Guetlein also outlined the three broad areas of investment that the USSF is involved in to overcome the threat posed by complex kill webs of this kind.

Specifically, these are: enhanced awareness to eliminate operational surprise; increased SATCOM to enable our own kill webs and support the joint warfighter; and protecting and defending our space capabilities in order to eliminate the first-mover advantage, and if necessary, to defeat their kill webs.

While GMTI is a relatively long-established mission for space-based sensors, AMTI is newer and Gen. Guetlein has previously talked about some of the challenges it presents, including integrating various sensors with new and existing command and control networks.

That requires us to now start thinking about artificial intelligence, it starts you thinking about machine learning, it starts you thinking about new communication pathways, Gen. Guetlein told Defense News in a previous interview. I now have to have processing on orbit on the sensor rather than processing on the ground. Thats a new set of technologies.

An artists concept depicts an existing Space Force surveillance satellite, the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS). Boeing



In the past, the AMTI mission was handled primarily by the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, a platform that is going to be partly replaced by the E-7 Wedgetail. However, the E-7 has routinely been referred to by officials as something of an interim platform, bridging the capability gap between the retirement of the E-3 and the fielding of a future space-based radar capability of the kind that Gen. Guetlein is now discussing.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7 Wedgetail accompanied by a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor. Australian Department of Defense Staff Sgt. John Linzmeier

Of course, another challenge to achieving these goals is a fiscal one, with the shared budget across the Space Force and Air Force increasingly stretched.

While the USSFs budget has been steadily increasing, officials have warned that its not sufficiently well funded to meet its lofty ambitions, especially in terms of space-based surveillance.

Speaking today, Gen. Guetlein admitted that the management of demand versus resources means that, as of now, the USSF is definitely sacrificing some capabilities because there are definitely not enough resources to go around. We are focused, first and foremost, on readiness.

Gen. Guetlein continued: We know we cant buy everything we need, so we are ruthlessly prioritizing all the kit that were buying to make sure that its the biggest bang for the buck, if you will, during times of crisis or conflict.

Returning to plans for increasingly bringing moving-target indicator capabilities into space, this is a theme that TWZ has previously explored.

Back in 2021, now-retired Gen. Jay Raymond, then head of USSF, disclosed that his service was building GMTI from space and was actively working to be able to provide that capability as part of a classified program. In fact, this same space-based GMTI capability dates back longer than that, at least to a 2018 project run by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO).

GMTI tracks overlaid on a SAR image. Public Domain

Fundamentally, GMTI refers to a radar mode that allows them to discriminate between moving targets on the ground and static ones, allowing it to track the activity of the moving targets over time. Typically, a GMTI radar can also gather synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, conferring the ability to produce highly detailed image-like ground maps, day and night, and is able to penetrate cloud cover, smoke, and dust.

The plan to field a space-based GMTI and now also AMTI capability has been seen in the past as justification for the retirement of more traditional capabilities like the U.S. Air Forces E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), key assets of which included its GMTI and SAR functions.

A crew chief marshals an E-8C JSTARS prior to the types retirement. U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Miles Wilson

(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Miles Wilson/Released)

Another crewed aircraft with SAR/GMTI intelligence functions, namely the U-2S Dragon Lady spy plane, is also headed for retirement, although its place is widely expected to be taken by a penetrating high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned platform, tentatively known as the RQ-180.

The RQ-180s expected missions portfolio includes SAR and GMTI, but unlike previous assets, it will be able to conduct this in more contested airspace.

While Gen. Guetlein didnt refer specifically to any non-space-based platforms that will also provide future GMTI/AMTI capabilities, his insistence on these missions being fulfilled by a layered set of capabilities and one that aims to increase survivability may well point toward the existence of the RQ-180 and potentially other classified programs in the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance realm.

Notional RQ-180 concept rendering. Hangar B Productions Hangar B Productions

The specific kinds of GMTI/AMTI capabilities that the Space Force fields, and whether these will begin to be fielded by the early 2030s, as Gen. Guetlein predicts, remain murky for now. However, such is the importance of this kind of surveillance that the Space Force may well already be operating assets capable of at least some of these functions.

Overall, though, if the end results match the ambitions, it should be a critical and potentially game-changing capability going forward, and one that is much more resilient than satellite constellations of the past. It promises to be especially relevant in the kind of high-end fights that will pitch the U.S. military against advanced enemy kill webs  something that would characterize a conflict with China over the broad areas of the Pacific, for example.

What is clear, is that ground moving-target indicator and air moving-target indicator capabilities will be at a premium, with current plans calling for these to be fielded as part of a layered network that involves assets in space and within the atmosphere.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Officials expect infant and maternal mortality to decrease thanks to a federal grant to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The $599,887 grant was made under the Community Level Innovations for Improving Health Outcomes Initiative grant by the Department of Health and Human Services. It will fund two UAMS studies over four years: one on reducing infant death and one on reducing maternal death.

UAMS receives $5.5 million award to improve Arkansas rural health programs

Officials said the studies will examine community-level innovations that increase the use of preventive health services. The ultimate goal is to reduce disparities in health status among people of particular racial, ethnic and tribal backgrounds.

The studies are based in two public health technical measures: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and Leading Health Indicator (LHI), measuring one against the other. HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and OMH Director Rear Admiral Felicia Collins, M.D. explained how SDOH and LHI are used.

Factors such as poverty, limited access to health care, and lack of education or health literacy are examples of SDOH that individually and collectively have negative impacts on health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and Tribal populations, Collins said. By implementing community interventions that address multiple SDOH, awardees will advance our knowledge of how to increase preventive health service utilization and improve health outcomes related to LHIs.

UAMS using mobile units to improve access to reproductive healthcare in rural areas of Arkansas

UAMS grant project director Stefanie Kennon-McGill said the grant will help address a significant and preventable health issue in the state.

As of March 2024, Arkansas had the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States, at 8.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to the national average of 5.4, Kennon-McGill said. We also have the third highest infant mortality rate in the United States, with 7.67 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, based on 2022 data.

The study will focus on the delta region, Kennon-McGill said, where Black women are 1.8 times more likely to have pregnancy-related deaths than white, non-Hispanic women.

UAMS was the only institution in Arkansas to receive an HHS grant under this program. The project period for each grant is September 2024 to September 2028.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
UCLA, riven by violent protests over the Israel-Hamas war last spring, on Thursday unveiled a plan to rebuild campus trust and connections with enhanced safety measures, broader dialogue across differences, free speech guidelines and stronger efforts to support diversity.

In a letter to the Bruins community three weeks before fall classes begin, interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt said the "challenging spring" underscored the pressing need for new initiatives to repair the damage to campus trust and unity.

UCLA drew global attention in April, when video captured a violent nighttime attack on a pro-Palestinian encampment by counterprotesters armed with metal pipes, wooden planks, fists and fireworks. Law enforcement forcibly dismantled the encampment shortly afterward and arrested 231 people, including about 90 students. The security lapses prompted UCLA to reassign the police chief. Faculty members outraged by the police actions held votes to censure and express no confidence in then-Chancellor Gene Block, which failed.

Meanwhile, a congressional committee summoned Block to confront him about his handling of antisemitism, and three Jewish students sued UCLA for failing to protect their access to campus walkways and buildings, which they said Palestinian supporters blocked after asking whether they were Zionists.

In an effort to move forward, Hunt said his four-point plan would aim for a "safer, stronger UCLA" featuring reviews of policing practices, campuswide efforts to build community and updated guidelines on free speech activities.

"As a campus that promotes inclusive excellence, we must protect the ability for Bruins of all backgrounds and identities to feel safe, welcome, respected and able to participate fully in campus life," Hunt wrote. "We may not always see eye-to-eye on important and topical issues, but if we engage one another with respect and empathy, we can both grow as people and maintain a healthy academic environment for everyone."

Read more: Students kick off fall semester with protests that adhere to UC/CSU zero-tolerance bans

UCLA's new free speech guidelines are in line with strict new University of California guidance on protest management. All UC campuses have been directed by UC President Michael V. Drake to post rules about free speech and notify students about them before the fall term begins, a move to comply with a state legislative mandate. UCLA and six other UC undergraduate campuses begin instruction the week of Sept. 23; UC Berkeley and UC Merced started last month.

UCLA's policies, issued Wednesday, are effective immediately as interim rules until they are finalized after a 60-day public review process. They specify approved free speech zones, omitting Royce Quad as one of them. The quad was a major conflict zone last spring as the site of both the Palestine Solidarity Encampment and a pro-Israel area featuring a massive jumbotron that projected video loops of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel.

The free speech zones include Bruin Walk and Plaza outside the student union and Pauley Pavilion, along with the east lawn area next to the Janss steps.

The rules prohibit tents, campsites and other temporary structures on UCLA property without prior approval and blocking of access to walkways and buildings. Amplified sound will be banned during marches but otherwise generally allowed with some restrictions. Concealing one's identity while breaking laws or rules will be prohibited. In addition, the rules detail procedures for holding campus events and reiterate that the campus will be closed from midnight to 6 a.m. for activities with limited exceptions.

In addition to new free speech policies, the plan includes a renewed focus on campus safety and well-being. After the melee overnight on April 30, UCLA created a new Office of Campus Safety, hired former Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel to head it and moved all policing and emergency management programs to that office. The office, along with the University of California, is reviewing the safety protocols and police response to the spring protests.

Read more: Zero tolerance at UC campuses in new order banning encampments, masking, blocking paths

But Hunt said the office will expand its responsibilities beyond protest management. A 2022 report on campus safety noted that students, faculty and staff expressed concerns not only about campus policing but also mental health, protection from COVID-19, racism and sexism, active-shooter and earthquake preparedness and sexual assault. UCLA will include such broader issues in the expanded charge as it continues with listening sessions, Hunt said.

UCLA will also launch several programs aimed at building understanding between those who disagree. Across the UC system, many students, faculty and administrators say the differences over the Israel-Hamas war have ripped their campuses apart in unparalleled ways. Hunt said a first step in healing those divides is "seeing one another as real people shaped by complex backgrounds and experiences  not as simple stereotypes."

UCLA will roll out a new speaker series this fall offering "challenging but empathetic conversations" on topical issues. The first event will feature Yasmeen Abu Fraiha, an Israeli Bedouin physician and fellow with the Middle East Initiative at Harvard's Kennedy School.

"Speaking Across Conflicts" workshops will aim to strengthen skills for constructive conversations across charged political differences. New programs for student internships and teaching fellowships about effective dialogue are also planned. Many of the expanded programs will be housed in the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute and headed by David Myers, a professor of Jewish history who has long been involved in bridge-building efforts.

"In a diverse community such as ours, part of our learning and growth comes from engagement with viewpoints we may not agree with or readily understand," Hunt wrote. "While this may be uncomfortable, it is also what helps us deepen our thinking, weigh different approaches and consider new ways of looking at an issue. Ultimately, it advances truth, knowledge and understanding."

Hunt also said UCLA would continue to look for ways to foster greater support for its diverse community. Its Office of Civil Rights, for instance, is reviewing reports of antisemitism, along with anti-Arab and Islamophobic discrimination, to understand how that affected student experiences.

"UCLA is a spectacular place, but it is by no means perfect," Hunt said. "A commitment to rigorously studying the challenges we have faced and how we have addressed them  and making changes based on those findings  is essential if UCLA is to best serve its important academic mission and meet the needs of its students, faculty and staff."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
LONDON (Reuters) - British prosecutors said on Thursday they had discontinued indecent assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein after concluding there was no realistic chance of securing a conviction.

When it authorised charges against Weinstein two years ago, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said the alleged assault had taken place in August 1996 in London, with police adding the accusation had involved a woman now aged in her 50s.

"Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein," said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS' Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.

"The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and we have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction."

Ferguson said the CPS had explained the decision to all the parties involved.

Weinstein, 72, was found guilty of rape allegations and jailed for 23 years in the United States in 2020 in a milestone for the #MeToo movement, in which women accused hundreds of men in entertainment, media, politics and other fields of sexual misconduct.

However, the New York Court of Appeals threw out the Manhattan conviction in April, finding the Miramax film studio co-founder did not get a fair trial because a judge improperly allowed testimony by accusers he was not formally charged with assaulting. He faces a possible retrial in November.

A court in Los Angeles in 2022 also convicted him of raping an actress in the city, and he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. That conviction was not affected by the New York court's decision, and he has not begun serving the California sentence.

Weinstein has denied wrongdoing and has denied having non-consensual sexual encounters with anyone.

(Reporting by William James and Michael Holden, Editing by Paul Sandle and Alison Williams)
(Bloomberg) -- Ukraines parliament approved President Volodymyr Zelenskiys nominee to lead the Foreign Ministry as part of a series of votes pushing through a cabinet shakeup aimed at rebooting the countrys war effort.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Andrii Sybiha, a senior diplomat and former ambassador to Turkey, will succeed Dmytro Kuleba as Ukraines top diplomat after a vote confirmed by lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko on Telegram Thursday. Legislators in Kyiv were also set to approve a raft of new cabinet members in a broad overhaul that Zelenskiy said will set a somewhat different emphasis.

The reshuffle, the biggest since the full-scale war began in 2022, has left Ukraines NATO allies guessing after they were already caught off guard by last months incursion into Russias Kursk region. While several ministers are being shuffled to new positions, the overhaul is likely to draw scrutiny to Zelenskiys wartime planning.

Sybiha will lead diplomatic efforts as Moscows invasion reaches a crucial point with Russian missiles destroying Kyivs energy infrastructure ahead of winter. Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back a Russian offensive in the east and the war-battered nation seeks air-defense weapons from allies to protect civilians.

Six Ukrainian cabinet members resigned over the last three days. Kuleba, the public face of Ukraines ambition to join NATO and the European Union, was the most prominent official to leave his position. Hell likely be tasked by Zelenskiy to focus on strengthening NATO ties.

Ukraines top envoy to Turkey from 2016 to 2021, Sybiha went on to work in Zelenskiys office, including under the powerful chief-of-staff, Andriy Yermak. Yermak often overshadowed Kuleba on issues including bilateral security guarantees, relations with the US and seeking support from the so-called Global South.

As he climbed the diplomatic ranks in Kyiv, Sybiha also did two stints in the embassy in Poland, one of Ukraines strongest backers in its war against Russia.

In total, parliament is expected to vote on nine candidates to fill vacant cabinet seats, Honcharenko said earlier. Other top ministerial positions include those of infrastructure, agriculture and regional policy chiefs, which have been vacant for months.

Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna is slated for an expanded role that adds the Justice Ministry to her portfolio. Oleksiy Kuleba, who works for the presidential administration, is set to be appointed as infrastructure minister.

The cabinet minister who oversaw weapons production, Oleksandr Kamyshin, is touted to join Zelenskiys office  and be replaced by Herman Smetanin, a 31-year-old who has headed state-owned arms group Ukroboronprom.

(Adds further parliamentary votes, scale of overhaul, from second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Editors Note: This is issue 145 of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly, covering events from Aug. 25-31, 2024. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission.

This newsletter was originally published before the news that state energy grid operator CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi was dismissed on Sept. 3 amid a wide-scale government reshuffle.

Corporate governance of SOEs

Ukrenergos CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi may be dismissed, supervisory board put to test. Numerous reputable media  including Ekonomichna Pravda (EP), Interfax-Ukraine, and Forbes Ukraine  have reported this news, citing multiple sources in government.

According to EPs sources at the Cabinet of Ministers and one of the energy companies, the liquidation of the consequences of the latest Russian attack and protection of energy infrastructure was one of the topics during the meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chiefs Staff on Aug. 30.

Kudrytskyi (was) accused of improper implementation of the staffs previous decisions and poor protection of Ukrenergos facilities, the source said.

According to Forbes Ukraines sources, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the staff meeting that Kudrytskyi must file his resignation shortly. The staff reasoned that protective structures around Ukrenergos substations were incomplete, which led to power outages after Russias massive shelling on Aug. 26, the media outlet wrote.

However, as of the evening of Aug. 30, Kudrytskyi refused to do so, the medias sources said. Ukrenergos press service neither confirmed nor denied this information.

Therefore, the decision of Kudrytskyis dismissal has to be made by the companys supervisory board, Forbes Ukraine added.

If the above information is true, this puts the institutions of SOE corporate governance in Ukraine to serious test, including the capability and independence of SOEs supervisory boards.

Read also: Dismissal of Ukraine energy grid chief prompts resignations, international concern amid Russian energy strikes

The Energy Ministry is Ukrenergos ownership entity and shareholder. If the ministry is not satisfied with Ukrenergos performance and has relevant grounds for this, it has the right to dismiss the supervisory board  but not the CEO. The CEO can only be dismissed by the supervisory board. Kudrytskyi was appointed in 2020, and his five-year contract runs until 2025.

If the authorities tasked the company with the construction of defense works, then the ministry should hold the supervisory board accountable for ensuring the appropriate performance of that task. If the ministry believes that the company has failed in this, then, as the owner of Ukrenergo, it should initiate the replacement of the supervisory board. There is no public information on whether the issue of board dismissal has been raised.

Alternatively, the authorities may decide that the task of protecting energy infrastructure  which likely requires competencies other that those necessary for running an electricity transmission system operator  should be performed or overseen by government agencies rather than by energy companies themselves.

Also, if the authorities believe that direct, hands-on running of the SOE is more expedient during wartime, then they should formalize this by initiating respective legal changes that will either abolish supervisory boards in SOEs such as Ukrenergo or limit their powers. Instead, parliament has recently broadened the powers of SOEs supervisory boards via a new corporate governance law adopted in February (see our Issue 120).

In addition, the shareholder has the formal right to request the supervisory board to meet and include any issue on the boards meeting agenda. We have no information on whether the Energy Ministry has requested the supervisory board to consider the dismissal of the companys CEO, and if it has, how this was motivated.

Now, if the supervisory board decides to dismiss Kudrytskyi, this will cast doubt on the boards independence.

Note also that the facilities of another energy SOE, Ukrhydroenergo, have also suffered from Russian attacks, resulting in the loss of more than 40% of its generation capacity. However, there is no information that Ukrhydroenergo or its CEO were blamed for insufficient protection against the attacks.

Read also: Whos who in Ukraines biggest wartime government reshuffle

According to Interfax-Ukraines sources, the boards meeting to vote on Kudrytskyis dismissal is scheduled for today, Sept. 2.

Most likely, he will be dismissed. Given that the supervisory board has six members instead of seven: three independents and three state representatives, and Roman Pionkowski (an independent member) is likely to support the shareholders (Energy Ministry's) initiative, the source said on 31 August 2024.

As we reported in June 2023 (Issue 95), at that time  more than a year after Dejan Ostojic stepped down in April 2022  the Cabinet of Ministers still had to select and approve one independent member for Ukrenergos supervisory board. As of today, the missing board member has not been nominated more than two years after Ostojics resignation.

According to Ukrenergos charter, the supervisory board should consist of seven members: four independent members and three state representatives.

According to the current information on Ukrenergos website, the supervisory board now has three independent members (Peder Andreasen, Daniel Dobbeni, and Roman Pionkowski) and three state representatives (Yuriy Boyko, Yuriy Tokarskyi, and Oleksandr Baraniuk).

Hence, independent members do not constitute a majority of the board, which does not meet the requirements of the law or Ukrenergos charter. See our Issue 95 for more detail.

If the board were complete, including the fourth independent member, the dismissal of the CEO would be more difficult.

In September 2023 (Issue 104), we reported that the White House sent Ukraine a list of priority reforms, which, among other things, included appointing a seventh member to Ukrenergos supervisory board.

As we wrote in April 2024 (Issue 129), the Economy Ministry announced a competitive selection to find an independent member for Ukrenergos supervisory board. Nonetheless, no such independent member has been appointed since.

During his time in office as CEO Kudrytskyi led the preparation for the synchronization of Ukraines power system with the power system of Continental Europe ENTSO-E and the certification of Ukrenergo as a European transmission system operator. Emergency synchronization of the Ukrainian power system with ENTSO-E was carried out during the full-scale aggression of Russia against Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian government, this allowed exporting electricity to, and importing it from, Europe.

Read also: Parliament approves FM Kulebas, Deputy PM Vereshchuks resignations

It follows that if Ukraine were still integrated into Russias electricity system, as it was before the synchronization with Continental Europe, Russia could blackmail Ukraine by threatening power outages, using this as additional leverage to coerce Ukraine into surrendering.

Ukrenergo is a rare example of a Ukrainian SOE publishing its consolidated financial statements and independent auditors report for 2023 (see our Issue 131), with most SOEs being far less transparent in wartime.

As we wrote in Issue 131, on May 3, Ukrenergo reported its financial results for 2023, ending the year with a revenue of Hr 83 billion ($2 billion) and a profit of Hr 377 million ($9.2 million).

Since the onset of the full-scale war, Ukrenergo has secured at least 1.5 billion euros in international aid.

Interfax-Ukraines source expressed hope that the public outcry, particularly in energy circles, as well as Kudrytskyis strong support by the Western partners, could help to stop this process.

According to industry observers, the main initiators of Kudrytskyis dismissal are the Presidents Office and Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, who want to replace him with a CEO under their control, and Halushchenko is already interviewing potential candidates.

Observers speculated that one of the reasons for Kudrytskyis dismissal is to find financial sources for corruption schemes, and Ukrenergo has up to Hr 100 billion (around $2.4 billion) of revenues a year and financial support from Western partners worth $1.5 billion since the start of the full-scale war.

Note that this is not the first attempt to dismiss Kudrytskyi and other Ukrenergo executives. As we wrote in Issue 55 almost three years ago, there was an attempt to displace or dilute the current management of Ukrenergo before the supervisory board was appointed in December 2021  that is, while the Energy Ministry was still exercising the powers of the supervisory board. Back then, the ministry only managed to terminate the powers of two Ukrenergos executive board members, Andriy Nemyrovskyi and Maksym Yurkov.

As we wrote in Issue 103, on Sept. 20. 2023, Ukrenergo reported that the Prosecutor Generals Office searched its head office by order of the Pechersk District Court issued on Aug. 30. Ukrenergo stated that it would have willingly provided investigators with all the necessary documents without a search, but law enforcers had not requested a voluntary handover.

The documents of interest included some contracts that the State Audit Service of Ukraine (SASU) had audited by March 2023. According to liga.net, the search was part of a criminal case opened by the Internal Affairs Ministry on Sept. 16, 2023, based on the results of that audit. The said contracts pertain to several companies that supplied goods and services to Ukrenergo in 2019-2023, the media reported. Ukrenergo said that it was challenging the audit results in court, as it considered them biased and unprofessional and some of them directly contradicting the law."

Energy sector

Ukraine faces the largest Russian missile and drone attack on its energy facilities. On Aug. 26, Ukraines Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko reported that Russia launched another massive missile attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure.

Russias attack came on the night and morning of Aug. 26. According to Ukraines Air Force, this attack was the largest ever, characterized by the use of combined weapons. Russia launched 236 aerial weapons, and Ukraines air defense downed 102 missiles and 99 attack drones. That is, at least 25 missiles and 10 drones could have hit targets.

A total of 15 oblasts of Ukraine were affected by the attack, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. Russia attacked energy substations with cluster missiles for the first time, but thanks to the air defense, very few were lost, he added later.

Due to the attack, Ukrenergo was forced to urgently introduce emergency power outages. The company also received emergency assistance from the power systems of Poland and Slovakia. Throughout the week, Ukrenergo used hourly outage schedules.

Read also: Ukrainian drones strike deeper into Russia, aiming to break war machine, sow discontent

On Aug. 29, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna reported in an official note to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that four nuclear power units were temporarily disconnected from the grid during the Russian missile and drone attack on Aug. 26.

The Missions note said that at 8:58 a.m., power units No. 1, 3, and 4 at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) were switched off. At 5:05 p.m., due to fluctuations in Ukraines power grid caused by the Russian attack, power unit No. 3 at the South Ukraine NPP also shut down. At 9:05 a.m., the power units of the South Ukraine NPP reduced their capacity to a total of 1,800 megawatts (MW).

From March 22June 19, Ukraine faced six massive missile and drone strikes on electricity facilities. See our Issues 124, 125, 127, 129, 131, and 134 for more detail.

After every Russian mass missile attack on Ukraines vital infrastructure, emergency outages take place, lasting for days due to the ongoing repair works. During such outages, people in Ukraine are often left without electricity, heating, water supply, or access to mobile phone networks.

Kyiv HPP damaged by Russian missiles and drones. Russian missiles and drones tried to destroy the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), Forbes Ukraine reported on Aug. 26. The attack caused hits and damage, but there was no threat of a dam breach or critical damage to the plant, the media outlet's source said.

Later, Ruslan Kravchenko, head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, said that the Kyiv HPP had not suffered critical damage.

On Aug. 28, Ukrhydroenergo (the hydroelectric power plant's operator) confirmed the damage but assured that there was no threat of a dam break or risk of flooding.

No employees were injured during the attack on the Kyiv HPP, Ukrhydroenergos CEO Ihor Syrota added.

Read also: Cooling tower at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant requires demolition after fire, IAEA chief says

As of today, there is not a single Ukrhydroenergo station that has not been damaged. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the companys plants have been hit about 130 times. The Kakhovka HPP has been lost, and the Dnipro HPP is out of service. The companys other HPPs and pumped storage power plants are currently in the process of being restored. Ukrhydroenergo has lost more than 40% of its generation, Syrota also said.

On June 6, 2023, Ukrhydroenergo reported that the Kakhovka HPP was destroyed beyond restoration after the Russians set off a massive explosion in the engine room. See our Issue 91 for more detail.

Russian missiles also attacked Ukraines largest HPP, the Dnipro HPP in Zaporizhzhia, on March 22. See Issue 124 for more detail.

During yet another missile attack, on March 29, the Kaniv and Dniester HPPs were deliberately targeted by Russian forces. See Issue 125 for more detail.

As we wrote in Issue 135, on June 6, a year after the Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka HPP, Ukrhydroenergo announced that it initiated an investment arbitration procedure with Russia to compensate for the damage caused by the destruction of the HPP. The preliminary estimate is about $2.5 billion.

According to preliminary estimates, the Kakhovka HPP can be rebuilt in 6-7 years. See Issue 135 for more detail.

As we reported in Issue 143, Ukrhydroenergo aims to procure lawyers to seek compensation for the destroyed Kakhovka HPP.

Naftogaz starts buying gas from the EU but says that it is not an import. On Aug. 28, Serhiy Makogon, former CEO of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), wrote on his Facebook page that Naftogaz started buying gas from the EU to supply Ukraine, although the company had previously stated that it had no plans to import gas.

Makogon noted that Naftogaz should have started importing gas to prepare for the 2024/2025 heating season earlier when prices were 25% lower. Without purchases, Naftogaz would not have time to accumulate the required 13.2 billion cubic meters, he said.

In response, Naftogaz explained to EP that the entire reserve stock would be purchased with 200 million euros in EBRD loan funds.

As we wrote in November 2023 (Issue 112), Naftogaz signed a 200-million-euro loan agreement with the EBRD.

Read also: Ukraine reduces state debt by $9 billion after restructuring effort

This is not about gas imports, but about the purchase of natural gas at the expense of the EBRD, which would be stored in the customs warehouse mode and used exclusively in case of emergencies and only for business needs, the company said.

According to the Customs Code, customs warehousing is a customs regime where foreign or Ukrainian goods are stored under customs control. Therefore, it applies to goods either imported from abroad or intended for export.

The price of this gas is a commercial secret, and it differs from the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) prices, Naftogaz also claimed.

As we wrote in Issue 126, on April 2, Ukrtransgaz reported the end of the 2023/2024 heating season and the start of a new season of gas injection into underground storage.

As we reported in Issue 137, as of June 17, Ukraine pumped about 1.6 billion cubic meters into underground storage, and the total volume of underground gas exceeded 9 billion cubic meters.

As we wrote in July 2024 (Issue 142), Ukraine increased natural gas reserves in underground storage to 10 billion cubic meters. This pace allows to optimistically forecast the achievement of the plan, namely 13.2 billion cubic meters by Nov. 1, Naftogaz Groups CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov then said.

Ukrnafta raises an 88-million-euro loan to invest in new power generation. On Aug. 30, Ukrnafta reported that it had signed a Hr 4 billion ($97 million) loan agreement with Ukrgasbank to implement the companys investment program, which includes increasing oil and gas production and implementing cogeneration projects.

This program includes the drilling of new wells, as well as the construction and commissioning of modern gas piston units, the company added.

As we reported in Issue 139, Ukrnafta aims to build more than 1,000 MW of gas-fired power generation for $1 billion.

Privatization

Land Bank announces first auctions for lease of state agricultural land. On Aug. 30, the State Land Bank, managed by the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPFU), announced the first 16 auctions on Prozorro.Sale for the lease of state agricultural land. They would take place at the end of September 2024.

According to the SPFU, these are land plots in Vinnytsia oblast with a total area of 1,075 hectares.

The next auctions would be announced for land plots in Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the SPFUs head Vitaliy Koval said.

By the end of 2024, the SPFU plans to put up about 100,000 hectares of state agricultural land in 20 oblasts for auctions.

As we reported in June 2023 (Issue 93), the SPFU was working out plans to centralize state property management, which included setting up a land bank.

We then wrote that the Cabinet of Ministers transferred 25 SOEs, previously managed by the National Academy of Agrarian Science, to the SPFU on Aug. 11. (see Issue 100).

Later, the Cabinet took away 2,764 agricultural land plots with a total area of more than 104,000 hectares from SOEs. The SPFU-managed Agrarian Investment Fund was given control (see Issue 136).

The SPFU then announced that preparations for the Land Bank were complete. The next step was to corporatize the Agrarian Investment Fund, so it could act as a land auction operator.

As we reported in Issue 144, the SPFU completed the corporatization of the Agrarian Investment Fund, creating State Land Bank LLC on its basis. The SPFUs head Vitaliy Koval also spoke about the Funds plans to announce the first auctions.

Starting from July 1, 2021, Ukrainian citizens can legally buy and sell agricultural land. However, the sale and purchase of state-owned and communal agricultural land remains banned.

Ukrainian SOE Weekly is an independent weekly digest based on a compilation of the most important news related to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and state-owned banks in Ukraine.

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the editorial team of the Ukrainian SOE Weekly.

The SOE Weekly is produced and financed by Andriy Boytsun. Communications support is provided and financed by CFC Big Ideas. The SOE Weekly is not financed or influenced by any external party.

Editorial team: Andriy Boytsun, Oleksiy Pavlysh, Dmytro Yablonovskyi, and Oleksandr Lysenko.

Read also: New military app is set to revolutionize how Ukraine runs its army

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Ukrainian lawmakers confirmed Andrii Sybiha as the country's new foreign minister on Thursday, amid a major reshuffle that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says is needed ahead of an "extremely important" fall.

Sybiha was nominated by Zelenskyy to replace the outgoing Dmytro Kuleba, who led Kyiv's diplomatic efforts since 2020 and became a key figure in Ukraine's response to Russia's full-scale invasion from February 2022.

David Arakhamia -- the leader of Zelenskyy's Servant of the People Party in the Ukrainian parliament -- said on Telegram on Wednesday that Sybiha was in line for the position.

Sybiha was confirmed in a parliamentary vote, two members of parliament confirmed to ABC News. He won the support of 258 of 401 lawmakers and was sworn in during the parliamentary session shortly after the vote. The 258 votes were out of a total of 315 lawmakers present.

Sybiha, 49, was Ukraine's senior envoy to Turkey from 2016 to 2021, and served two stints at Kyiv's embassy in Poland.

Sybiha joined the presidential office in 2021, working under influential administration head Andriy Yermak. He was appointed the country's first deputy foreign minister earlier this year.

"He is a well-known, experienced diplomat with vast experience," Oleksandr Merezhko -- a member of parliament representing Zelenskyy's party and the chair of the body's foreign affairs committee -- told ABC News shortly before the confirmation vote.

"Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, Sybiha was with the president, was involved in all important negotiations and -- due to his professionalism -- has earned the trust and respect of the president." Such proximity to Zelenskyy may help avoid any tensions between the presidency and the foreign ministry.

PHOTO: UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Sybiha is known as a "thinker" and an "intellectual" among those who have worked closely with him, Merezhko said, and as someone willing to make hard decisions. "He is not afraid to be unpopular," Merezhko added.

Ukrainian lawmaker Bohan Yaremenko -- also a member of the foreign affairs committee -- told ABC News the new minister is "tough, experienced, professional."

Sybiha is "very different" to his predecessor, Yaremenko said, with a far smaller public profile.

"He spent two years next to the president, so he knows more than anyone else about the most recent negotiations with all important partners," Yaremenko said

Zelenskyy said in a Wednesday statement that the country needs "need new energy and these new steps are connected to strengthening our state in different directions."

"Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine," he added. "And our state institutions must be set up in such a way that Ukraine will achieve all the results we need -- for all of us."

Ukraine confirms 'tough' new foreign minister in Zelenskyy cabinet revamp originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Key developments on Sept. 5:

Russian advance near Pokrovsk stalled in recent days, Syrskyi says

Russia pulls 60,000 troops to counter Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims

Officials say 55 killed, 328 injured in Poltava as rescue operations conclude

Romanian president signs decree on donating Patriot to Ukraine

Belarus confirms downing drone during Russian attack on Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers have managed to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with CNN aired on Sept. 5.

The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.

"Over the last six days, the enemy hasnt advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working," Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.

Russian troops have advanced in recent days in some other directions in Donetsk Oblast, according to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState.

According to Syrskyi, Russia is concentrating its most well-trained units in the Pokrovsk area, but the scale of shelling and the intensity of Moscow's offensive have decreased.

"We've taken away their ability to maneuver and to deploy their reinforcements from other directions And this weakening has definitely been felt in other areas," the general said.

Read also: Pokrovsk train station closes for civilian evacuations as security situation deteriorates

Russia pulls 60,000 troops to counter Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims

Russia has pulled over 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast to face Ukraine's ongoing incursion as of early September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News published on Sept. 3.

"The idea and one of the goals of the Kursk Oblast (operation) was diverting Russian troops... to their territory," Zelensky said. "Today, I can say that they pulled over 60,000 troops there."

This is a considerable growth from a figure previously presented by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said in late August that Russia had diverted 30,000 troops to the area.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion almost a month ago, allegedly seizing around a hundred Russian settlements and almost 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory. The pace of advance seems to have slowed down in comparison to the operation's early days.

"As of today, we are holding exactly the part (of the territory) we planned," Zelensky said. Ukrainian soldiers have also taken over 600 Russian captives, he added.

Read also: With Russia at doorstep, Pokrovsk defense critical for Ukraines Donbas

Officials say 55 killed, 328 injured in Poltava as rescue operations conclude

Search and rescue operations at the site of a Russian missile attack on the city of Poltava concluded on Sept. 5, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The attack killed 55 people and injured 328 others, according to the report. The bodies of the deceased victims are being identified, the State Emergency Service said.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles against the city on Sept. 3, hitting the Military Communications Institute and a neighboring medical facility. The educational institution building was partially destroyed.

There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack, Dmytro Lazutkin, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said on national television.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News that the missiles flew only 3 minutes before hitting the buildings, giving people little time to hide in the shelter.

"We believe that many were injured or killed when they were running to the bomb shelter. So they reacted quickly but did not manage to save themselves," Zelensky said.

Read also: Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 2, injure 19 over past day

Romanian president signs decree on donating Patriot to Ukraine

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Sept. 5 signed a decree regarding the transfer of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, giving final approval to the donation.

The Romanian government is now expected to issue an order for the system's delivery.

"Thank you for the Patriot," Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said in response to the news.

The move came days after former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged foreign partners not to delay and provide Kyiv with the promised Patriots.

The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.

Ukraine has received at least three Patriot systems from Germany and one from the U.S. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Spain, delivered individual launchers or missiles.

Read also: Opinion: Downing missiles while leaving launchers intact is like swatting mosquitos without closing the window

Belarus confirms downing drone during Russian attack on Ukraine

Belarus' military confirmed the downing of a drone early on Sept. 5, shortly after the monitoring group Belarusian Hajun reported that Belarus had downed two Russian attack drones.

According to Belarusian Hajun, the drones were downed near the city of Homel, located around 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast.

The air alert was active in Chernihiv Oblast from 11 p.m. on Sept. 4 to 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 due to the threat of Russian drones.

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Belarus recorded an airspace violation of its state border, "presumably by unmanned aerial vehicles," Sergei Frolov, Belarus' chief of the General Staff and first deputy commander of the Air Force, said in a statement.

"Due to the timely actions of the anti-aircraft defense forces, all violators were destroyed," Frolov claimed, adding that the authorities are conducting an investigation.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Aug. 9 that several Ukrainian drones were downed over Belarus, calling the incident "a Ukrainian provocation."

Belarusian Hajun said the claim was false and that no Ukrainian drones had been detected.

According to Belarusian Hajun, there have been multiple cases of Russian Shahed-type drones flying off course to Belarus over the past weeks.

Read also: What Irans ballistic missiles, in Russian hands, could mean for Ukraine

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Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, has stated that Russia planned to start a new offensive against Ukraine from Kursk Oblast even before Ukraine's operation in this Russian region.

Source: Sirskyi in an interview with CNN

Quote: "It [the operation in Kursk Oblast - ed.] reduced the threat of an enemy offensive. We prevented them from acting. We moved the fighting to the enemys territory so that [the enemy] could feel what we feel every day."

Details: According to Ukraines Commander-in-Chief, the Ukrainian military operation in Kursk Oblast has been successful.

Sirskyi outlined the operation's key objectives, which included preventing Russia from using Kursk as a springboard for a new offensive, diverting Moscow's forces from other fronts, establishing a security zone to prevent cross-border attacks on civilian objects in Ukraine, taking prisoners of war, and raising morale in the Ukrainian army and the country as a whole.

The Commander-in-Chief stated that Moscow has sent tens of thousands of troops to Kursk Oblast, including the best air assault forces.

Quote: "Over the last six days the enemy hasnt advanced a single metre in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working

Weve taken away their ability to manoeuvre and to deploy their reinforcement forces from other directions  and this weakening has definitely been felt in other areas. We note the amount of artillery shelling as well as the intensity of the offensive have decreased."

Details: According to Sirskyi, Ukraine does not have the same number of weaponry and human resources as Russia, but this makes Ukraine wiser and more effective in combat.

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Russia was planning an offensive from Kursk Oblast before Ukrainian forces launched operations there, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi revealed in an interview with CNN published on Sept. 5.

Syrskyi said that Ukraine successfully preempted the Russian offensive by moving the fight into Russian territory, reducing the threat and limiting Russia's ability to act.

The operation in Kursk aimed to prevent Russia from using it as a launchpad, divert Russian forces and create a security zone to protect Ukrainian civilians.

Syrskyi also noted that because Moscow transferred significant amounts of troops to defend Kursk, Russian advances in Pokrovsk slowed down.

The Pokrovsk sector has been the scene of heavy battles for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast.

The town is an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian forces that support their operations in the region. Pokrovsk had a pre-war population of around 80,000.

Read also: Romanian president signs decree on donating Patriot to Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Ukrainian parliament approved Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's resignation on Thursday, with a clear majority voting in favour of the motion, Ukrainian media reported.

Kuleba had tendered his resignation on Wednesday. In office since 2020, Kuleba had become one of the better known Ukrainian ministers outside the country for his repeated calls for support in warding off the Russian invasion.

Kuleba's deputy, Andrii Sybiha, 49, is to succeed him. Sybiha, a diplomat, served as deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office until April this year.

Kuleba was not present in parliament for the vote. Media reports said he would begin a new post for Ukraine's integration into NATO.

According to a report by Ukraine's national public broadcaster, Zelensky accused Kuleba during a party meeting of unsatisfactory efforts to secure arms deliveries.

Reports in Kiev said around half of all ministerial posts would be affected by the cabinet reshuffle, with portfolio responsibilities also changed.

Zelensky has justified the reshuffle on the need for a fresh start. "We need new energy today," he said.

His opponents have characterized the changes as cosmetic and aimed at distracting attention from failures on the frontline. Energy supply problems resulting from Russian attack are also causing frustration among the population.
Full text: Toast by Chinese President Xi Jinping at welcoming banquet of 2024 FOCAC summit

Xinhua) 08:10, September 05, 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcome banquet for international guests attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 4, 2024. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted the banquet here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Wednesday hosted a banquet to welcome international guests who are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The following is the full text of the toast by President Xi at the banquet.

Toast by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the Welcoming Banquet of the

2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

Beijing, September 4, 2024

Your Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye,

Distinguished Colleagues and Your Spouses,

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

Good evening!

It is my great pleasure to meet you here on the eve of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). On behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in the name of my wife and myself, I extend a warm welcome to you all.

To quote a Chinese poem, "True friends always feel close to each other, no matter the distance between them." I have been to Africa 10 times and hosted many African leaders in China. All our meetings have been cordial and heartwarming. They have reinforced my belief that the China-Africa community with a shared future is built on a strong foundation, has been blessed with a good start, and enjoys broad prospects. It sets a stellar example for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The China-Africa community with a shared future is deeply rooted in our traditional friendship. Since the mid-20th century, we have been fighting shoulder to shoulder imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonism, and advancing hand in hand along the path of development, revitalization, and modernization. China-Africa friendship remains robust and is growing stronger through generations no matter how the world changes.

The China-Africa community with a shared future thrives on the strength of win-win cooperation. Twenty-four years ago, FOCAC was born at the dawn of a new century. Through this key cooperation platform, we have together built roads, railways, schools, hospitals, industrial parks, and special economic zones. These projects have changed the lives and destiny of many people.

The China-Africa community with a shared future grows in step with the times. Following the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference in Dakar in 2021, we have worked together to fully implement the nine programs and deliver on other outcomes of the meeting. We pulled together in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. We maintained close cooperation and coordination on major international and regional issues. Together we have made the voice of the Global South stronger.

Friends and Distinguished Guests,

We human beings have been dreaming of a community with a shared future, and modernization is what it takes to turn our dream into reality. China and Africa have been, and remain, pioneers in building this community, and we will stay at the forefront in pursuing modernization. I am confident that as long as the 2.8 billion-strong Chinese and African people are united for this common goal, we will accomplish new and even greater feats together on the way toward modernization, spearhead the modernization drive of the Global South, and make greater contributions to a community with a shared future for mankind.

Now, I would like to propose a toast:

To the prosperity of China and African countries and the well-being of our people;

To the everlasting friendship between the Chinese and African people;

To the success of the Summit; and

To the health of all distinguished guests and your families.

Cheers!

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
New Agrarian Policy Minister is appointed after months of waiting

Newly appointed Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. Photo: Vitalii Koval on Facebook

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has appointed Vitalii Koval, who resigned as Chairman of the State Property Fund yesterday, as Ukraines new Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.

Source: Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak

Quote: "The last appointment is of Vitalii Koval to the post of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine."

251 MPs voted in favour.

Previously, the acting Minister of Agrarian Policy was Taras Vysotskyi, who was appointed after former minister Mykola Solskyi was dismissed in May.

Background: On 9 May 2024, the parliament dismissed Mykola Solskyi as Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.

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At a meeting on Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) voted to appoint Mykola Tochytskyi as the minister of culture and strategic communications. Tochytskyi previously worked as a deputy of Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

Source: MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak on social media

Quote: "Voting for appointment of Mykola Tochytskyi as minister of culture and strategic communications of Ukraine. A total of 252 MPs voted in favour."

In addition, the draft resolution specifies the new name of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy  from now on, it will be changed to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.

Earlier, the Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy recommended the appointment of Tochytsky as the minister of culture and strategic communications.

Details: Mykola Tochytskyi has worked as a diplomat for a long time and was Ukraine's representative to the European Union. In 2021, he was appointed as a deputy to the then-foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba. In April 2024, he became Yermak's deputy.

Ukrainska Pravda noted that Tochytskyi and Yermak were classmates at the Institute of International Relations.

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Iryna Vereshchuk. Photo: the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) dismissed Iryna Vereshchuk from the position of Deputy Prime Minister  Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine at a meeting on 5 September.

Source: Yarosval Zhelezniak, Ukrainian MP, on Telegram

Details: The Parliament considered the dismissal of Vereshchuk from the position of Deputy Prime Minister  Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories once again and supported it.

The decision was supported by 255 MPs.

Background: On 4 September the Ukrainian Parliament did not support the proposal to dismiss Iryna Vereshchuk from the position of Deputy Prime Minister  Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories. Only 214 MPs voted in favour of the decision.

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Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament), has held a meeting with his US counterpart, Mike Johnson, during which they discussed, among other things, lifting restrictions on long-range strikes deep into Russian territory.

Source: Ruslan Stefanchuk on Facebook, as European Pravda reports

Details: During the meeting, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada stressed the value of bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine and noted the importance of unprecedented aid from the United States.

Quote from Stefanchuk: "We focused on the security situation in Ukraine and spoke about the latest terrorist attacks by Russia. I stressed that it is critically important to lift all restrictions on the use of US weapons and to obtain the consent of our partners to use the weapons provided to us without any conditions or restrictions."

He also called on Mike Johnson to help support this issue.

In addition, the meeting focused on the list of the most urgent defence needs of Ukraine's security and defence forces, the issue of strengthening sanctions against Russia, and the situation in the energy sector because of Russia's attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

Background:

The White House noted that Ukraine would not be able to hit most Russian airbases, even with permission to use ATACMS.

The Pentagon also said the day before that the United States had not changed its policy of restricting the use of weapons provided by it for strikes deep into Russian territory.

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UNC-Chapel Hills newest first-year class includes a lower proportion of Black students compared to the previous year  a change that could stem from the U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year to ban the consideration of race in college admissions.

The undergraduate class of 2028 is about 64% white, 8% Black, 10% Hispanic or Latino, 26% Asian or Asian American and 1% American Indian, the university announced Thursday. (Students self-report their racial and ethnic identities when they apply for admission. Some students may select more than one identity, which can result in a total higher than 100%.)

When the class of 2027  whose students are now sophomores  entered the university last fall, the university said the class was 63% white, 11% Black, 11% Hispanic or Latino, 25% Asian or Asian American and 2% American Indian.

In all, the university welcomed 4,641 first year students and 983 transfer students this fall, the university announced. The university received more than 73,000 applications for admission this cycle, an increase of more than 15% over the previous cycle.

The Supreme Court last June overturned race-conscious affirmative action  the practice that allowed colleges and universities to consider race as one factor in admissions decisions  in landmark rulings on cases in which UNC and Harvard University were defendants. The cases, brought by anti-affirmative action plaintiff Students for Fair Admissions against the universities, wound through the courts for nearly a decade before the nations highest court weighed in and banned the practice for colleges nationwide.

UNC maintained throughout its nine-year defense of its policy that the university did not make admissions decisions solely based on race, but instead considered the information as part of its holistic approach to undergraduate admissions. But in the 2023-24 admissions cycle, for the first time in decades, the university was not allowed to consider applicants race in any way.

The impacts of the ruling  which primarily affected the countrys most selective colleges  have been largely unclear until recent weeks, when universities began to release information about their incoming students. But they still remain somewhat murky.

Its too soon to see trends with just one year of data, Rachelle Feldman, UNC vice provost for enrollment, said in a statement Thursday.

People walk through the campus of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Oct. 31, 2022.

Effects of court decision remain unclear

Supporters of affirmative action predicted the Supreme Courts decision would negatively impact the diversity of incoming classes after the ruling. And while that appears to be the case at several colleges, including UNC, it has not been so everywhere.

In its lawsuits, Students for Fair Admissions argued that race-conscious admissions policies were especially discriminatory against Asian American and white students. At UNC, specifically, SFFA alleged that the university gave under-represented minority students an advantage in the admissions process, while hindering high-achieving Asian American and white applicants.

The data UNC shared Thursday showed only modest increases in the proportion of white and Asian American students among its new class, with each group increasing their shares of students by about 1 percentage point.

Comparatively, Asian or Asian American students decreased in Duke Universitys class of 2028, which otherwise has a similar racial breakdown to that of the universitys class of 2027.

Aside from race, UNCs newest students hail from 95 of North Carolinas 100 counties, up from 93 counties last year. They also represent all 50 states and Washington, D.C., plus 79 countries.

While universities are no longer allowed to consider race in admissions, experts have suggested that they could use race-neutral alternatives to continue achieving some level of diversity among their students. Such alternatives include geography, in which universities could add weight in the admissions process to a students home county or high school, for instance.

It is not clear how or whether UNC weighed geography this admissions cycle, but Feldman said the university is prioritizing a statewide approach to recruitment.

We are committed to following the new law, Feldman said. We are also committed to making sure students in all 100 counties from every population in our growing state feel encouraged to apply, have confidence in our affordability and know this is a place they feel welcome and can succeed.

UNCs announcement Thursday is notable on its own, particularly given that it comes as the university is expected in the coming days to announce how it will comply with a UNC System ban on diversity, equity and inclusion.

But it also comes as the university, under a new chancellor, is considering broader changes to its enrollment strategy  including a proposal to admit more out-of-state students.

Lee Roberts, the newly named chancellor of the University of North Carolina, meets with reporters following his formal introduction on Friday, August 9, 2024 at the Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Potential changes to UNC enrollment

This spring, UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts  then serving in the role in an interim capacity  established four working groups to explore areas at the university that had emerged deserving of focused attention following conversations hed had around campus.

Among the areas was enrollment planning, with its committee tasked with identifying opportunities and challenges related to serving the needs of a vibrant, fast-growing state.

Speaking to reporters last month after being elected chancellor, Roberts summed up one of those key challenges by saying: The state is growing very rapidly, as we all know. Carolina has not grown very much.

The enrollment committees report, submitted to Roberts on Aug. 1 and released Wednesday, further explained the dichotomy by stating that, since 1980, the universitys in-state enrollment has grown slower than the states high school population.

In 1980, Carolinas total resident undergraduate enrollment equaled 19% of the number of NC high school graduates, compared to 15% today, the report stated.

To address the issue and to grow the universitys enrollment, the committee recommended adding 5,000 undergraduates over the next five years, equally divided among in-state and out-of-state students. In order to accommodate the increased costs and required resources that would create, the committee also recommended raising the out-of-state enrollment cap in each incoming class from 18% to 25%.

That would be the first increase to the cap at UNC since the UNC System instituted it in 1986. The university is one of just five in the 16-university system that still adhere to the 18% cap, with the others now capped between 25% to 50% after a series of increases in recent years.

The class of 2028 and incoming transfer students include more than 4,600 students from North Carolina and about 1,000 from out-of-state, the university said Thursday.

The report also stated that an increase in out-of-state students would allow the university to continue its freeze on tuition, which has not increased for nearly a decade.

After the Supreme Courts decision last summer, former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz announced the university would offer free tuition to incoming in-state students whose families make less than $80,000 per year. Increasing financial aid and considering socioeconomic status in admissions had been proposed as one way for colleges to continue to achieve diversity on their campuses without considering race.

UNC spokesperson Kevin Best told The N&O Wednesday that data on the free-tuition offer and the students who received the aid was not yet available. The program, like other financial aid, was severely delayed due to widespread issues with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The universitys announcement Thursday said that the FAFSA delays may have had an impact on Carolinas incoming class.

Many students may not have had the information they needed about their eligibility for financial aid until very late in the admissions cycle, the announcement said The University does not know the extent those issues had on its applicant pool.
For some University of Alaska faculty, the next paycheck could be $0

Fall sun hits the University of Alaska Fairbanks entrance sign on September 13, 2023. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

When Tara Palmer checked her upcoming paycheck online on Tuesday, she got an unwelcome surprise. For her first weeks back to full-time work as a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, she was scheduled to be paid $0.

I am a single parent. I have a daughter in college that I help support, and a daughter in high school, and this is a very significant financial issue for me, she said. I try to plan ahead. I try to be careful with my money, of course, but missing an entire pay period is significant, regardless of how carefully one plans.

An unknown number of university faculty learned this week that they were not scheduled to be paid on time for their first weeks of work after three months of summer without paychecks. Faculty and union representatives said Tuesday that the state university systems failure to pay certain employees on time would be a breach of trust  and the law. They brought up their concerns at a public meeting with the university regents on Tuesday, when one faculty member called it a travesty.

Palmer said the situation has left her feeling uncertain about the future. She testified at the meeting.

If I knew it was just me, and they screwed up something, I could roll with it. But this is numerous people. Its not just my college, its not just UAA, and they arent fixing it. Theyre just saying, Oh, were short staffed, which is just utterly unacceptable, she said.

Several other faculty said they would also not receive their next paycheck, but had concerns about speaking out.

Employees can manage their paychecks through an online portal, which shows the amount that they will receive on the upcoming payday. For the pay period of Aug. 11-24, for which employees are scheduled to be paid on Sept. 6, several faculty members see they will be making $0.

One University of Alaska Anchorage's pay stub information for the Aug. 11-24, 2024 pay period.

Palmer said she has been with the university for two decades and it is the first time her employer will have missed a paycheck. But she said she was disappointed that the university didnt reach out and let her know that it would be failing to uphold one of its basic obligations as an employer.

Its a terrible way to treat your employees. Im utterly baffled. And I love my job. I really love my job, but I do not love how they are treating us right now, she said.

Jonathon Taylor, a spokesperson for the university system, said that university leadership has identified solutions over the course of the day on Wednesday and may be able to pay all employees on time.

UA has been aware of the issues for several weeks, and we are working diligently to resolve them. Employee compensation is at the heart of our responsibility, and we are working to get all of our employees paid as quickly as possible, he said in an email.

Taylor said the university does not yet have a count of how many faculty may be affected.

The issues stem from a confluence of factors, including the start of the academic year, the holiday weekend, and the deadlines for getting hire paperwork submitted for the start of the semester, he said in a subsequent email. The full scope of the potential issue came into focus after the holiday weekend. There has been an effort to warn staff who may be affected.

That message has not been making it out to faculty in the right way, said Jill Dumesnil, a math professor at University of Alaska Southeast and the union president there.

Theyre getting emails from their deans and directors saying  they might get paid next week or in two weeks, she said. Part of whats really upsetting is just the casualness with which our members are being contact and told, Oops, this happened.

Union members say they are hearing from administrators that the issue is a result of understaffing in human resources. Dumesnil stressed that the affected faculty are not to blame: They signed their paperwork, they did their part, they did their job, they showed up, they worked and they should be paid on time. Understaffing in HR is not a legitimate excuse for not paying employees.

The news comes as United Academics, the union for full-time university faculty, negotiates a new contract with the university. Several faculty members who called into the Tuesday meeting with the regents said their pay is not keeping up with the cost of living in the state. One faculty member from UAA described seeking relief at the local food bank because her salary is too high to qualify for food stamps.

Dumesnil said the paycheck issue comes on top of other financial concerns.

Weve already suffered the loss of purchasing power and a lot of faculty are living paycheck to paycheck, she said. A lot of faculty can barely afford to live in their communities, especially in the rural communities and in Southeast.

Dumesnil added that the problem of late pay has come up before. To our knowledge, this is at least the third occurrence of this problem in the last four years, she said.

Douglas Cost, a union representative, associate professor and program chair in the education department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said he has been getting texts, calls and emails from faculty concerned to see the university will not pay them at the end of the week.

You've arrived, and you're like, Wow. T.J. Maxx has never not paid me.

 Douglas Cost, UAF union representative and associate professor

In cost-cutting measures, (the university) reduced HR to a shambles of what it once was. Now the HR concerns come to the union because faculty know that HR is not going to be able to really help them, he said.

Cost said his colleagues have worked hard to get their degrees and achieve their roles on faculty at a university, but said it was laughable to have made it and then find you cant count on a paycheck: Youve arrived, and youre like, Wow. T.J. Maxx has never not paid me.

UAF is currently seeking to double its doctoral student graduation rate to become a top-tier research university. Cost said he is unsure how the university can be top-tier without attracting talented faculty with competitive wages.

Graduate students are also affected. K. Janeschek, an organizer of the newly formed graduate student workers union, said not all graduate student workers have gotten their contracts processed by the university either, including several who have already started work. Janeschek said paperwork issues like this are standard operating procedure at this point for graduate student workers, but that has cascading consequences.

For students the effects are pretty extreme, they said. Their salaries are small and most people cant pay rent without biweekly paychecks. People Ive known have missed rent payments in the past.

Janeschek said that the union made sure their contracts included protection from late fees on tuition if contracts are processed late because students were charged late fees on tuition they dont even owe.

They said human resources employees have pointed to short-staffing as a reason for delays, as well as the time-consuming nature of inputting the information by hand.

Manual data entry in 2024 for thousands of contracts is not a good system, Janeschek said, adding that, according to another union member, the university had about 150 graduate student contracts left to process as of last week.

In Anchorage, Tara Palmer said she has not heard anyone from the university say the problem may be resolved soon enough that employees like her are paid on time, but she hopes it will be. She checked her online account again on Wednesday afternoon, and her pay for the last two weeks of full-time work was still scheduled to be $0.

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A rising University of Detroit Mercy has cracked the top 50 universities in the country, according to a new national ranking, putting the school nine notches above its place last year.

University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan's largest independent Catholic university and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. The university is a 1990 union of the University of Detroit, founded in 1877 by the Jesuits, and Mercy College of Detroit, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1941. The school now offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional academic degrees and programs through seven schools and colleges.

The 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking out this week puts University of Detroit Mercy at No. 43 in the nation. (University of Michigan in Ann Arbor scored No. 22, the top-ranked university in the state.)

Donald B. Taylor became the 26th president of University of Detroit Mercy on July 1, 2022.

We're really on an upward track, University President Donald Taylor said in an interview Wednesday.

The Journal ranking is different from more traditional college-picking systems. It's based on criteria like social mobility, rewarding universities with the highest proportion of students coming from lower-income families and those which maintain high graduation rates. It also examines how students do in the workplace, listing schools in order of their impact on graduates salaries in relation to the cost of attending. And it reaches out directly through a survey of more than 110,000 college students to gauge their experiences.

The university also boasted its record first-year class this fall of 655 students on its McNichols campus, up almost 19% and the largest incoming class since 1990.

When we looked at the data, we saw a major increase in applications dating from the day The Wall Street Journal announced its rankings last year, Debbie Stieffel, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, said in a statement. Approximately 86% of this year's first-year class hails from Michigan.

This year, undergraduate annual tuition is $32,946, up 2% from 2023. Housing prices also grew about 2%, school according to officials. "Our average freshman student discount this year is 52%," said Gary Erwin, the university's associate vice president for marketing and communications.

Taylor said in an interview that he appreciate the rankings because of the focus on outcomes for students, especially as some families wonder whether a college education is still worth the time and expense.

The University of Detroit Mercy campus in Detroit, Mich. Saturday, June 30, 2018.

"I love this because there has been a lot of focus over the last 10 years on, 'What's our return on investment?' " Taylor said in the interview. Last year's ranking, Taylor added, led to a surge in applications for early decision admission, from 500 to 2,000 such applications last year.

School officials credit the surge in ranking and student interest from programs like its Titan Edge, which offers free tuition to first-year students who are eligible for the maximum federal Pell Grant and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.

WSJ/College Pulse Rankings 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S., in Michigan

22. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

43. University of Detroit Mercy

54. Albion College

60. Michigan State University

135. Kalamazoo College

146. Michigan Technological University

180. Kettering University

226. Grand Valley State University

245. Oakland University

287. Central Michigan University

291. University of Michigan, Dearborn

383. Wayne State University

410. Western Michigan University

420. Eastern Michigan University

422. Andrews University

443. Cornerstone University

Contact Matthew Dolan: 313-223-4743 or msdolan@freepress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @matthewsdolan

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Detroit Mercy named among America's top 50
LSUs Memorial Tower pictured on March 20, 2023. (Matthew Perschall/Louisiana Illuminator)

A survey of higher education faculty in the South found that professors are increasingly worried about political interference in higher education, with 80% of respondents ranking the political atmosphere surrounding colleges and universities as poor or very poor.

The survey of approximately 3000 faculty members was conducted in August by the chapters of the American Association of University Professors in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. They found that professors are deeply dissatisfied with the state of higher education in the South and are looking for employment in non-southern states. The political climate around higher education was a top reason for faculty to consider leaving.

An overall climate of fear of retaliation and mistrust is the worst Ive seen in over 20 years in academia, an assistant professor at a public university in Texas reported. Faculty identities were not disclosed in the AAUP survey results.

Of the 3,000 respondents, 40 were from Louisiana.

About 65% of faculty surveyed across the South said they would not recommend their state as a desirable place to work, while about a third are considering interviewing for jobs outside of their state in the coming year. In Louisiana, 67.5% of faculty said they wouldnt recommend working at the states schools, with approximately half reporting they are considering interviewing elsewhere.

Faculty who are considering leaving cited salary as their top reason, followed by the states political climate and attacks on academic freedom. Another 60% of applicants expressed disappointment in their schools administration for not adequately defending academic freedom and tenure.

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In addition to higher education-specific concerns, such as attacks on tenure and removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, some faculty cited anti-LGBTQ+ laws and abortion bans among their reasons for wanting to leave the South.

LSU scrubbed diversity language from its website one business day before Landry was to be inaugurated. Legislation to ban DEI practices in Louisiana stalled in the Legislature this year but is likely to come back next year.

Louisiana faculty cited Gov. Jeff Landrys interest in higher education as a top concern. The governor supported legislation that gave him more power over higher education governing boards, and personally endorsed a fellow conservative as president of Northwestern State University. Landry also asked universities to strip scholarships from athletes not present during the national anthem and signed a bill requiring the 10 Commandments be posted in all university classrooms.

Louisianas Republican governor, Jeff Landry, has been publicly hostile towards faculty, one professor wrote.

Landry sought to have former LSU mass communications professor Bob Mann punished for criticizing one of his assistant attorney generals who attended an LSU Faculty Senate meeting to read a letter from Landry containing COVID-19 misinformation.

This Spring we will likely have to teach in classrooms with the Ten Commandments exhibited. I hope to work it into my teaching on the social construction of law, but its still an infringement on academic freedom, another Louisiana professor said. Just today I saw that teaching critical race theory has been outlawed in K-12 education, and I worry that higher education may be next.

It feels very much like were all just keeping our heads underground and hoping the current administration in the state forgets we exist as they turn their attention to the states flagship university instead, another Louisiana professor wrote.

Landry spokeswoman Kate Kelly has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The survey also revealed the political environment around higher education in the South has a detrimental effect on faculty hiring.

About 50% of respondents noted a decrease in the number of applicants for open professor positions as well as more candidates hesitant to proceed with the interview processes. In Louisiana, 92.5% of respondents reported challenges with their hiring process.

One-third of those surveyed said they dont plan to stay in academia long term.

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WHITE SANDS, N.M. (KRQE)  An unmanned Boeing Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth in two days, landing at the White Sands Space Harbor.

Story continues below

NASA plans to undock the Boeing Starliner from the International Space Station (ISS) this Friday, September 6, at 6:04 p.m. Eastern time with the landing scheduled just after midnight at 12:04 a.m. Eastern time.

The mission was supposed to include two astronauts onboard the spacecraft returning from the ISS. However, technical problems including helium leaks and issues with the spacecrafts thrusters led to the decision to delay their return and fly the Starliner back to Earth without crew members. The unmanned Starliner will complete a 60-second deorbit burn to ensure a safe trajectory into Earths atmosphere for landing.

White Sands has been a landing site for space missions before. In 2022, Boeing successfully landed an unmanned Starliner there after software errors delayed that mission for two years. The spacecraft took almost four hours to parachute safely to the ground, an experience described as similar to the feeling one might have while descending rapidly in an elevator. Another spacecraft also landed at White Sands in 2019 which further established the site as a pivotal location for space exploration.

NASA will be live streaming the undocking and landing on its website. Meanwhile, the astronauts currently aboard the ISS, who initially traveled on the Starliner in June, were expected to stay only eight days. Due to the delay, they will return to Earth on a different spacecraft in February next year.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
Rumors that members of a gang from Venezuela commanded control of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, generated headlines by conservative media outlets and social media commentary in late summer 2024.

The rumors began when, on Aug. 28, 2024, a local TV broadcast reporter based in Denver, Colorado, posted a video to X supposedly showing a group of men, four of whom appeared to be carrying firearms, entering an apartment in a nearby suburb, Aurora.

NEW VIDEO armed group at troubled #aurora #colorado apartment complex now home to many migrants. Councilmember @DaniJurinsky says gangs have taken over the complex @KDVR @AuroraPD pic.twitter.com/J1uie8Y2M6  Vicente Arenas (@vicentearenastv) August 28, 2024

The reporter's outlet  FOX31 KDVR, which is an affiliate of the Fox network  posted an article featuring the video, describing it as showing "alleged gang violence at an apartment complex home to some migrants in Aurora."

According to that article, the video was taken by a security camera owned by one of the complex's residents not long before a shootout broke out on the property.

Within the next week, however, rumors about what the video showed  or, what supposedly happened at the complex  spread online. The New York Post, for instance, claimed a criminal gang from Venezuela called Tren de Aragua had "taken over" the complex, for instance.

In reality, it's unknown what the video actually shows, nor if it's related to gang activity.

Aurora police indeed believe members of the Tren de Aragua gang are operating in their jurisdiction (details below), though the department has reportedly only formally investigated one crime connected to the gang, and that incident occurred at a different apartment complex. We reached out to the Aurora Police Department asking if it received any reports about the activity depicted in the video  and, if so, if investigations into those calls included Tren de Aragua. We will update this story if we hear back.

Tren de Aragua's US Presence

According to CNN, Tren de Aragua, which officially adopted its name in the early or mid-2010s, is known for violence and drug trafficking, as well as sex-trafficking rings across South America. Since 2023, some U.S. politicians have expressed concerns over the gang's influence in the United States, and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration officially declared the gang a "transnational criminal organization" in July 2024. In an X post on Aug. 28, the Aurora Police Department said it believes Tren de Aragua (TdA) members are indeed operating within its jurisdiction. The post said:

We are aware that components of TdA are operating in Aurora. APD has been increasingly collecting evidence to show the gang is connected to crimes in the area. However, as we have said previously and as the DEA similarly stated, it would be improper at this time for the city and APD to make any conclusory statements about specific incidents or provide details about law enforcement strategy and operations.

That statement by Aurora police did not refer to the rumors about the in-question apartment complex, specifically, though it was posted the same day as the video. It emphasized that the agency had previously established a joint task force "in collaboration with other local, state and federal partners to specifically address concerns about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and other criminal activity affecting migrant communities."

Arrests of Two People With Gang Ties Occurred at a Different Apartment

The apartment complex that was allegedly "taken over" by Tren de Aragua is called the Edge at Lowry, and is located on 12th Avenue and Dallas Street in Aurora. Based on satellite coverage on Google Maps, the complex contained six separate buildings.

According to the Denver Post, police have investigated just one crime in recent months that officers connected to Tren de Aragua. In that case, according to a Sept. 4, 2024, post by the Aurora police on X, four individuals were arrested and charged with attempted murder after a July 28 incident at a different apartment building located on Nome Street, the Fitzsimons Place Apartments. Two arrestees had confirmed ties to the gang, including a man named Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirino.

That ties in with other reporting from conservative outlets like the New York Post that connected Pacheco-Chirino to a separate assault at the Fitzsimons Place apartment complex. However, Pacheco-Chirino's arrest was not connected to the alleged takeover of The Edge at Lowry.

In a Aug. 30, 2024, statement on Facebook, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the city attorney's office would be requesting a court order to "clear" the Edge at Lowry buildings in response to "Venezuelan gang activity," with a goal to get "these properties back under the control of the property owners."

Snopes could not find any further information about the alleged court order beyond Coffman's Facebook post, however.

What Apartment Residents are Saying

Meanwhile, tenants of the Edge at Lowry held a news conference alleging that something else  not gang activity  was affecting them.

According to local ABC and NBC affiliates and the Denver Post, the complex's residents, who are mostly migrants, denied the rumors about the gang takeover. Instead, they said they felt unsafe because the complex's management company was allegedly neglecting building upkeep.

Denver's ABC affiliate covered what it described as "unlivable" conditions at the building in August, a week before the supposed gang-takeover came to light.

The property management company has faced similar accusations before. Fitzsimons Place, the aforementioned building on Nome Sreet, is owned by the same company, and, because of its condition, Aurora officials obtained a court order to condemn the building in early August 2024.

In a statement to the Denver Post, the property management company said it could not maintain the buildings because of Tren de Aragua activity.

The city of Aurora disagreed.

"The city has documented substantial, longstanding unresolved code violations and other poor conditions at [Fitzsimons Place Apartments] for the last few years," city of Aurora spokesperson Ryan Luby told Denver's ABC affiliate in early August 2024. "[Possible gang] activity is immaterial to and separate from the city's code enforcement actions at the property and the building's inhabitability."

This back-and-forth between the city and the management company led some X users to suggest the company made up the gang-takeover rumors to avoid performing building maintenance. However, there was no concrete evidence supporting that theory.

Response to the Rumors

Local politicians including Coffman, the mayor, and City Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky spread the unsubstantiated claim that the apartment complex had been taken over by members of the Venezuelan gang.

Coffman spoke with Fox News on Aug. 29, an interview in which he claimed the video depicted an "organized criminal effort." In that interview, he said that several buildings under "out-of-state ownership" had fallen under control of "Venezuelan gangs," but said he was not sure if the members were affiliated with Tren de Aragua.

Later that day, Coffman and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston appeared together on the local NBC affiliate, and they attempted to assuage fears. There, Coffman said that much of the news coverage was inaccurate and exaggerated and was making things harder for the city to investigate.

'It's overwhelming our 911 system, or our emergency call center, and so it's actually hurting our ability to respond to crime,' Coffman said. 'I would hope people would not do that. I think we're in some sort of environment of hysteria right now over this. It's a real issue. It's being dealt with. It's isolated.'

In the NBC interview, Coffman said that Aurora police had access to the surveillance video, but reaffirmed that police had not yet determined if the men in the video were affiliated with Tren de Aragua.

A Brief Response To The Critics

When local officials and tenants spoke publicly about the supposed takeover, a common response kept surfacing on social media: that those who said the supposed apartment takeover was fake were attempting to hide the truth for one reason or another.

Any tenant who attempted to speak against the narrative of an alleged takeover could be ignored under the logic that they were either a member of the gang themselves or because they were being intimidated by the gang and were in danger if they spoke out.

For local officials, it was supposedly more of a public-relations issue, according to the skeptics. Coffman told NBC that some of his critics had been conflating gang activity with any large gathering of Venezuelan migrants.

We'll update this report when, or if, new information comes to light.

Sources:

Arenas, Vicente. "Video Shows Group of Men Carrying Guns at Troubled Aurora Apartment Complex." KDVR | Fox 31, 29 Aug. 2024, https://kdvr.com/news/local/video-shows-group-of-men-carrying-guns-at-troubled-aurora-apartment-complex/.

"Aurora's Plans to Condemn Apartment Building over Conditions Leave Venezuelan Migrants Facing Uncertainty." The Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2024, https://www.denverpost.com/2024/08/06/aurora-fitzsimons-place-condemn-plans-venezuelan-migrants/.

Baehr, Jasmine. "Colorado Mayor Speaks out after Video of Armed Venezuelan Gang in Apartment Goes Viral: 'Failed Policy.'" Fox News, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado-mayor-speaks-out-after-video-armed-venezuelan-gang-apartment-goes-viral.

---. "Tren de Aragua Gang Members Arrested in Aurora, Colorado in Connection to Apartment Building Takeover: Police." Fox News, 3 Sept. 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/us/tren-de-aragua-gang-members-arrested-aurora-colorado-connection-apartment-building-takeover-police.

Board, Post Editorial. Gov. Jared Polis Gaslights on Tren de Aragua Takeover of Aurora, Colo. Apartment Buildings. 2 Sept. 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/09/02/opinion/gov-jared-polis-gaslights-on-tren-de-aragua-takeover-of-aurora-colo-apartment-buildings/.

"City of Aurora Plans to Quickly Close Apartment Complex, Citing 'substantial' Code Violations." Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH), 7 Aug. 2024, https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/aurora/city-of-aurora-plans-to-quickly-close-apartment-complex-citing-substantial-code-violations.

"Denver, Aurora Mayors Say Exaggerated Migrant Gang Coverage Is Creating 'Hysteria.'" KUSA.Com, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/mayor-denver-aurora-exaggerated-migrant-gang-hysteria/73-eb2e9a43-c312-49c5-b548-cfc4e37046d1.

"Frenzy over Venezuelan Gang in Aurora Reaches Crescendo, Fueled by Conflicting Information and Politics." The Denver Post, 4 Sept. 2024, https://www.denverpost.com/2024/09/04/venezuelan-gang-colorado-aurora-apartments/.

House, The White. "Statement from NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson on U.S. Actions Against Transnational Criminal Organization Tren de Aragua." The White House, 11 July 2024, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/11/statement-from-nsc-spokesperson-adrienne-watson-on-u-s-actions-against-transnational-criminal-organization-tren-de-aragua/.

"'It's False Information': Tenants Respond to Claims Aurora Complex Overtaken by Venezuelan Gang." KUSA.Com, 3 Sept. 2024, https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/false-information-tenants-raurora-complex-overtaken-venezuelan-gangs/73-d0246a32-ad90-4448-b3cc-e380ab352822.

Mason, Tori. Venezuelan Gang Activity Confirmed by Aurora Officials after Release of Colorado Woman's Surveillance Video - CBS Colorado. 30 Aug. 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-venezuelan-gang-activity-aurora-crime-woman-moves-video-guns/.

"More Accusations of Uninhabitable Conditions against Aurora Management Company." Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH), 21 Aug. 2024, https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/more-accusations-of-uninhabitable-conditions-against-aurora-management-company.

Propper, David. Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Says Venezuelan Gangs Have Taken over Apartment Building. 29 Aug. 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/08/29/us-news/aurora-mayor-mike-coffman-says-venezuelan-gangs-have-taken-over-apartment-building/.

Reporter, Dan Gooding Live News. "Colorado Town Being 'Overrun' by Venezuelan Gangs." Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2024, https://www.newsweek.com/aurora-colorado-overrun-venezuelan-gangs-court-order-issued-1946966.

Staff  , NBC Chicago. "What Is Tren de Aragua? What to Know about Venezuelan Gang at Center of Recent Headlines." NBC Chicago, 3 Sept. 2024, https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/what-is-tren-de-aragua-what-to-know-about-venezuelan-gang-at-center-of-recent-headlines/3538206/.

Taer, Jennie, and Chris Nesi. Exclusive | Denver Tren de Aragua Gang Violence Spills over into Aurora, Colorado. 25 Aug. 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/08/25/us-news/denver-tren-de-aragua-gang-violence-spills-over-into-aurora-colorado/.

"Tenants at Troubled Aurora Apartments Speak out against Venezuelan Gang Rumors." Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH), 4 Sept. 2024, https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/tenants-at-troubled-aurora-apartments-speak-out-against-venezuelan-gang-rumors.

"Tren de Aragua 'components' Operating in Aurora but 'Reports of TdA Influence' Are Isolated, City Says." Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH), 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.denver7.com/news/front-range/aurora/tren-de-aragua-components-operating-in-aurora-but-reports-of-tda-influence-are-isolated-city-says.

Weffer, Rafael Romo, Belisa Morillo, Laura. "This Is the Dangerous Venezuelan Gang Infiltrating the US That You Probably Know Nothing about but Should." CNN, 9 June 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/09/us/tren-de-aragua-venezuela-gang/index.html.
Landslides bring uncertainty, fear to Rancho Palos Verdes. How much worse will it get?

Rancho Palos Verdes' Seaview neighborhood continues to suffer damage from continuing landslides and Southern California Edison has cut power to the area as a precaution. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

With less than 24 hours' notice, Nikki Noushkam learned Sunday that Southern California Edison was shutting off power to her home indefinitely.

"I have to vacate my house that I have lived [in] for almost 20 years," Noushkam said during a special Rancho Palos Verdes City Council meeting Tuesday to discuss the latest blow to residents of the besieged community: losing electrical service due to unprecedented landslides that authorities fear could spark brush fires.

Noushkam is one of more than 200 homeowners in the Portuguese Bend and Seaview neighborhoods whose power was shut off by Edison over Labor Day weekend. She and her neighbors are now struggling to continue performing daily tasks  cooking meals, taking showers, doing laundry  with no certainty when utilities will once again be switched on for good.

Nikki Noushkam delivers an emotional plea for action as the Seaview resident attends a special meeting to discuss power shutoffs and evacuation plans for Rancho Palos Verdes neighborhoods affected by landslides. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Noushkam feels frustrated and helpless as she scrambles to save her house.

"[You all] made me homeless," she said. "Help me out."

The Palos Verdes Peninsula has been beset by coastal ground movement since the early days of home development. But the rapidly worsening conditions have raised existential questions for the city about how to help residents and how bad the landslide will get. The citys landmark Wayfarers Chapel has been battered and had to be disassembled to save it this year.

Residents in the blackout zone feel isolated. And those who live nearby wonder whether their homes will be the next ones to lose utilities because of the landslide.

At this point, the ground is moving at an average of 9 to 12 inches per week.

The shutoffs are designed to reduce the risk that continual and accelerated land movements could spark a wildfire if power lines remained electrified, according to Edison officials.

The potential dangers were underscored by a small fire that began near Narcissa Drive in Portuguese Bend last week when a power line fell and ignited vegetation.

Read more: Gas cut off at Rancho Palos Verdes neighborhood hit by landslides. Electricity may go next

During the council's special meeting, Edison officials said repairs and maintenance on lines in these areas have increased over the last year; however, their efforts have been "thwarted within sometimes days of making those repairs."

The ongoing land movement has made it impossible for crews to keep up with the damage, said George Mundorf, Edison's vice president of distribution operations. Shifting earth compounded by the area's rough terrain is also complicating the crews' ability to inspect areas fast enough to find problems before they happen, he said.

"Increasingly, [the] infrastructure is not accessible by cranes or trucks because of the road conditions and the conditions of the ground," Mundorf said.

That means that a quick resolution to the crisis is unlikely.

Safety concerns for their crews and consumers prompted Edison to indefinitely shut off power for the Portuguese Bend neighborhood about a month after a gas shutoff. The city simultaneously issued an evacuation warning to the neighborhood.

Severe landslide damage on Dauntless Drive near the Portuguese Bend neighborhood where an evacuation warning has been issued due to electricity being cut on Sept. 1, 2024. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Higher up the hillside, just north of Portuguese Bend, power was disconnected from 34 properties for one to three weeks in the Seaview neighborhood, with 30 homes getting cut off indefinitely. Edison officials predicted that 41 other homes previously cut off from power would have it restored this week.

Authorities are also considering shutting off power to the Portuguese Bend Beach Club. Edison officials said they can't definitively say whether power will be cut, with a decision based primarily on whether land movement conditions change. Officials warned that the community should be ready for a potential shutoff at the club.

Read more: Rancho Palos Verdes faces 'unprecedented new scenario' over landslide danger

"While [Edison] engineers are exploring solutions that may restore electric service, the unrelenting and accelerating movement over many months has no playbook," Mundorf said. "That is why we cannot provide a time frame for power restoration in some cases."

Living under such uncertain conditions, Seaview residents are having to turn to neighbors who have electricity for assistance.

"When we talk about our neighbors, we're talking about people that are sharing refrigerators and helping each other move aquariums, cooking for each other and sharing laundry rooms for those of us that have power for our neighbors across the street that don't," Seaview resident Anne Cruz said during the council meeting.

City officials and residents wanted interim solutions from the utility such as neighborhood-scale generators or microgrids, but Edison said it wouldn't be safe to operate because either method needs stable ground.

Southern California Edison sets up a community resource center in Portuguese Bend. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Early Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Rancho Palos Verdes after the risk of severe land movement disrupted utility services and prompted the evacuation warning.

The proclamation opens up state resources, including emergency personnel, equipment, services and financial assistance to the city as it responds to residences whose power has been shut off, city officials say.

What the governor's declaration does not do is provide financial assistance to affected residents. Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank said he is sending a letter to the Governor's Office of Emergency Services to request the emergency proclamation be expanded so financial assistance can be provided to residents.

In the meantime, the city approved an Edison retroactive permit request to install a temporary power pole at the Ladera Linda community park to provide electricity to Seaview.

It also extended a construction moratorium within the landslide area until October 2025 and adopted an emergency ordinance to help residents in the landslide complex to stabilize their homes and place temporary housing on the same site as their residence.

Following the governor's declaration, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert Wednesday warning residents about the risk of price gouging on housing, gas, food and other essential supplies.

If consumers see the cost of an item that's more than 10% higher than the price charged before the emergency declaration, Bonta said, they are encouraged to file a complaint online.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A UPS plane bound for Southern California required an emergency landing at Mather Airport east of Sacramento on Wednesday night after its crew reported smoke in the cockpit.

The incident happened about 9 p.m. when UPS Flight 975, cruising at 39,000 feet, decided to divert while over the Bridgeport area in eastern California, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24.

Firefighters said the plane was flying from Portland, Oregon, to an airport in Ontario, 38 miles east of Los Angeles.

The call to divert was made after oxygen masks deployed in the cockpit and the two-person crew had reported smoke and a burning odor to flight controllers.

Firefighters are seen on the tarmac of Mather Airport on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, following the emergency landing of a UPS freighter jet. No injuries were reported after the pilots reported smoke in the cockpit before their diversion.

The diversion of the MD-11F was termed a major inflight emergency, requiring a response from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District and Sacramento County Airport Fire. The landing, which took place 20 minutes later, temporarily closed the airport to inbound flights. The plane landed with no injuries before the pilot and co-pilot were evaluated and released.

9:19p- Crews from Metro Fire and Sacramento County Airport Fire were dispatched for a major inflight emergency after a UPS plane from Portland heading to Ontario diverted to Mather Field. The initial report from the crew was smoke in the cockpit with an odor. Masks were deployed, pic.twitter.com/lASZXOu5B9  Metro Fire of Sacramento (@metrofirepio) September 5, 2024

Firefighters boarded the plane on the runway and found no signs of fire. The plane was towed to a hanger for inspection and repairs.

The cargo plane had been put into service for UPS in 2003 after its conversion. The McDonnell-Douglas plane was originally configured as a passenger jet and delivered to Japan Airlines in 1996.

The incident had not been logged on the FAAs aviation safety reporting database as of Thursday morning.

Mather Airport is a former Air Force base near Rancho Cordova is a regional hub for freighters and other heavy aircraft. The county-owned facility also houses the 149th Intelligence Squadron of the Army National Guard.

Firefighters are seen on the tarmac of Mather Airport on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, following the emergency landing of a UPS freighter jet. No injuries were reported after the pilots reported smoke in the cockpit before their diversion.
(FOX40.COM)  Fire crews jumped into action at Mather Field on Wednesday night after a UPS plane came in for an emergency landing, according to Metro Fire of Sacramento.

At 9:19 p.m., a cargo plane heading to Ontario from Portland, Oregon was forced to divert to the Sacramento airfield after the crew reported seeing smoke in the cockpit with an odor.

Sacramento residents urged to practice mindful waste disposal after multiple trash fires

The plane landed without injury to any of the crew. Fire crews entered the aircraft and checked clear for fire.

Once cleared by fire crews, the aircraft was towed to a maintenance hanger. Mather was temporarily closed to inbound air traffic.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  An Upstate man has been sent to prison for the sexual exploitation of minors.

On Tuesday, Gabriel Hostetler, of Pickens County, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. An investigation was initiated in June 2021.

Officials said an investigator was conducting an investigation online when he found a user who was making files of child sexual abuse material available to share. Detectives were able to identify a residence in Inman as the home from which the material was being shared.

The case was referred to the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office for further investigation.

In December 2021, Hostetler was apprehended and interviewed. Deputies said the suspect admitted using his cell phone to share the material online. A search was performed on Hostetlers phone revealing multiple images of child sexual abuse material.

In September 2022, another investigation was opened when investigators once again detected a user making files available to share. Detectives were able to identify a residence in Easley as the home from which the material was being shared.

Further into the investigation, it was determined that the residents had moved to Spartanburg. Law enforcement made contact with the homeowner who revealed that his brother, Hostetler, had lived with him before he moved to Pickens County.

The Pickens County Sheriffs Office executed a warrant for a home in the area in October 2022 where they located Hostetler. Hostetler admitted that he continued to possess child sexual abuse material on his devices.

A search of Hostetlers phone revealed additional images of child sexual abuse material.

Hostetler was sentenced to six years on each charge according to officials.

Officials mentioned Hostetler was given a credit for 787 days in jail and will have to register as a Tier 2 sex offender upon his release.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
(COLORADO)  Following the roadside tragedy in Mesa County on Wednesday, Sept. 4, in which three people lost their lives, including two Colorado Department of Transportation workers, the American Automobile Association (AAA) is urging drivers to follow Colorados Slow Down, Move Over law to help save lives.

RELATED STORY: Three fatalities in U.S. Highway 6 crash

Colorado law requires drivers to move one lane away when passing a stationary vehicle with hazard lights if two lanes move in the same direction and its possible to change lanes. If unable to move over, drivers must slow down to 25 mph if the speed limit is under 45 mph and at least 20 mph below the posted limit if its 45 mph or more. This is especially true when passing parked emergency or service vehicles.

Failing to move over or slow down for a stationary vehicle is a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, punishable by a $150 fine and a 3-point license violation. If it causes serious injury or death, penalties increase to a Class 6 felony, with up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $100,000.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, despite Move Over laws in all states, 23% of people are unaware of the law in their state.

Anybody whos ever suffered a breakdown at the roadside will tell you just how scary it can be waiting for help as traffic whips by at highway speeds just inches away, said Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA. Now imagine if that was your daily workplace. Coloradans have a responsibility to look out for the people who keep us safe and keep our roads moving. Slow down and move over  its always the right thing to do, and its the law, too.

AAA gives these tips to protect roadside workers and stranded motorists:

For Drivers:

Stay alert and avoid distractions.

Slow down when you see flashing lights and prepare to change lanes. Allow others to merge if needed.

If you cant move over, reduce speed to 25 mph on roads with speed limits under 45 mph, or 20 mph below the limit on faster roads.

Give extra space when following semi-trucks or large vehicles. If they change lanes, be ready to do the same.

On slick roads, change lanes gradually to avoid skidding.

Be a good passengerhelp spot hazards and remind the driver to slow down and move over.

Watch for people near disabled vehicles, even if you dont see them right away.

For Stranded Motorists:

Pull as far onto the shoulder as possible.

Turn on hazard lights to alert drivers.

If its safe, try to reach the next exit or stop.

Call for help using your phone, website, or the AAA app.

Stay with your vehicle if safe.

If exiting, stay alert to traffic and avoid turning your back to oncoming vehicles.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
(Reuters) - The first legally binding international AI treaty will be open for signing on Thursday by the countries that negotiated it, including European Union members, the United States and Britain, the Council of Europe human rights organisation said.

The AI Convention, which has been in the works for years and was adopted in May after discussions between 57 countries, addresses the risks AI may pose, while promoting responsible innovation.

"This Convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law," Britain's justice minister, Shabana Mahmood, said in a statement.

The AI Convention mainly focuses on the protection of human rights of people affected by AI systems and is separate from the EU AI Act, which entered into force last month.

The EU's AI Act entails comprehensive regulations on the development, deployment, and use of AI systems within the EU internal market.

The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, is an international organization distinct from the EU with a mandate to safeguard human rights; 46 countries are members, including all the 27 EU member states.

An ad hoc committee in 2019 started examining the feasibility of an AI framework convention and a Committee on Artificial Intelligence was formed in 2022 which drafted and negotiated the text.

The signatories can choose to adopt or maintain legislative, administrative or other measures to give effect to the provisions.

Francesca Fanucci, a legal expert at ECNL (European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting) who contributed to the treaty's drafting process alongside other civil society groups, told Reuters the agreement had been "watered down" into a broad set of principles.

"The formulation of principles and obligations in this convention is so overbroad and fraught with caveats that it raises serious questions about their legal certainty and effective enforceability," she said.

Fanucci highlighted exemptions on AI systems used for national security purposes, and limited scrutiny of private companies versus the public sector, as flaws. "This double standard is disappointing," she added.

The UK government said it would work with regulators, the devolved administrations, and local authorities to ensure it can appropriately implement its new requirements.

(This story has been corrected to fix the number of Council of Europe member countries to 46, not 47, in paragraph 6)

(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru, Supantha Mukherjee and Martin Coulter; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Philippa Fletcher and MarkPotter)
By Daphne Psaledakis and Harold Isaac

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called for renewing a United Nations mandate for an international security mission to help Haiti fight armed gangs that have taken over much of the country's capital and expanded to nearby regions.

The mission's mandate, first approved for 12 months, is set to expire at the start of October, but has seen few results with few troops on the ground and far less funding than hoped.

"At this critical moment you need more funding, you need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Blinken told a press conference in Port-au-Prince.

He said the U.S. - the mission's largest financial backer - planned to convene a ministerial meeting at the U.N. General Assembly this month, to encourage more financial contributions and renew the mandate.

"The mission itself needs to be renewed, that's what we're working on right now. But we also want something that's reliable, that's sustainable and we'll look at every option to do that; a U.N. peacekeeping mission is one option," Blinken said.

The current U.N.-ratified mission is being led by Kenya, which with under a month left on the mandate remains the only country to have deployed, with around 400 police officers arriving in Port-au-Prince in June and July from an expected total of 1,000.

A handful of other countries have together pledged at least 1,900 more troops, and hundreds of millions of dollars in support. By late August, just $63 million had been paid into the U.N.'s dedicated trust fund.

The mission has faced setbacks such as delays in paying the Kenyan officers and supplying key equipment such as firing towers for armored vehicles.

"Much remains to be done and we're determined to continue," Blinken said. "It's starting to move."

He also urged Haitian authorities to put the country on track for elections next year. Haiti last held elections in 2016 and its last elected president was assassinated in 2021.

Blinken met with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and the head of its presidential council Edgard Leblanc Fils during his visit. He also announced a further $45 million in humanitarian aid for Haiti.

Nearly 580,000 people have been internally displaced by the conflict, hundreds of thousands who fled the country have been deported back to Haiti, and close to 5 million people are facing severe hunger.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Harold Isaac, Kanishka Singh and Sarah Morland; Editing by Leslie Adler, David Gregorio and Deepa Babington)
US charges 6 Russians with cyberattack on Ukraine and NATO before 2022 full-scale invasion

Seal of the US Department of Justice

The United States has announced charges against six Russian citizens who were involved in large-scale cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO states on the eve of the Russian full-scale invasion of 2022.

Source: US Department of Justice, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Yuri Denisov, Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Dmitry Goloshubov, and Nikolai Korchagin are five defendants from unit 29155 of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), which is the military intelligence of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Amin Sitgal is the sixth individual involved, having previously been charged with conspiracy to commit computer hacking and now with conspiracy to commit electronic fraud.

On 13 January 2022, the defendants launched a large-scale cyberattack against the computer systems of dozens of Ukrainian public agencies. The cyberattack specifically targeted the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Finance, Education and Science, and Energy, as well as the electronic court system, the state portal of electronic services, Ukraine's Accounts Chamber, the State Emergency Service, and other entities.

According to the indictment, WhisperGate malware was installed on Ukrainian computer networks under the premise of ransomware. In actuality, WhisperGate was a cyber weapon meant to fully destroy the target machine and its associated data.

The attackers stole personal information, including medical records, and sold it online. A message with the following information was posted on compromised websites: "Ukrainians! All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future."

In August 2022, the defendants also broke into the transport infrastructure of an unspecified "Central European country" that backed Ukraine. Furthermore, since at least August 2021, they have attempted to enter the secure computer networks of 26 NATO member countries, including a federal government entity in the US state of Maryland.

The Justice Department stated that the FBI is examining the case.

After the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, cyber attacks on the EU and NATO states that actively support Kyiv were repeatedly reported. Only during this year was it revealed that cyber attacks were carried out against Germany and Czechia.

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US and China commanders to discuss conflict prevention 'in next few weeks'

By David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commander of the U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific will speak to a southern theater commander of China's armed forces in the next few weeks, with the aim of preventing any military misunderstandings between the superpowers, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Thursday.

The remark from Nicholas Burns came after a visit to Beijing last month by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who met Chinese leader Xi Jinping's leading military adviser and agreed that U.S. Indo-Pacific command leaders would soon speak by phone to their counterparts in China's southern theater command, which covers its southern seas.

"I think that Admiral Sam Paparo ... is going to have a conversation with a southern theater commander of the People's Liberation Army in the next few weeks," Burns said in an online interview with Foreign Policy magazine.

Burns said Washington had been pursuing closer military-to-military communication channels with Beijing since ties sank to a historic low point after the U.S. downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon last year.

"Even during the balloon incident, the Chinese refused to talk to our senior military leadership, but now we've made some progress," Burns said, and referred to Paparo's plans.

"We very much hope that that will continue at even more senior levels," involving U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his counterpart, and the chairman of the U.S. Joints Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown and his counterpart, Burns said.

"We've got to have that connectivity, so that if there is an accident or a misunderstanding, our military leaders can meet to lower the temperature, divide any parties that have collided, or are arguing, and make sure that we have a rational way to resolve problems."

Burns said he was worried by "the aggressive nature" of China's military buildup and the "aggressive, intimidating behavior" of its navy towards U.S. allies the Philippines and Japan.

"I certainly worry about an unintended conflict in between our military forces, an accident, an accidental collision," he said. "Our navies and air forces are operating in international waters, international airspace, in very close proximity in this entire region.

"And that's why we want to have a commitment from the government of China that should an accident occur, we can have instantaneous communication between our military leaders to reduce the temperature, separate the parties and resolve the problem."

Burns also said the United States had been encouraged by some progress with China in dealing with the scourge of fentanyl, the leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses, but wants to see more actions on precursor chemicals, arrests and attention to illicit finance.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Daphne Psaledakis and Michael Martina; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Judge accuses Trump lawyers of trying to delay release of new evidence

Appeals court hearing in former U.S. President Trumps 2020 election subversion case is held, in Washington

By Andrew Goudsward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Thursday accused Donald Trump's lawyers of trying to stop potentially damaging evidence of his effort to overturn his 2020 election loss from becoming public before the Nov. 5 election, while acknowledging the case would not go to trial before then.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan also gave prosecutors what is likely their last chance to divulge evidence in the case before the election, ordering Special Counsel Jack Smith to respond by Sept. 26 to a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

Thomas Windom, a prosecutor in Smith's office, told Chutkan prosecutors were prepared to reveal potentially new evidence in their filing to argue that their remaining case against Trump is not affected by the high court's ruling and should proceed to trial.

Republican former President Trump will face Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election.

Trump, who did not attend the hearing, pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges accusing him of using false claims of voter fraud to undermine the election results and thwart certification of his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden.

A revised indictment obtained by Smith in August preserved the same four charges first brought last year, but dropped allegations the Supreme Court found could not remain part of the case.

If Trump wins, he is likely to direct the Justice Department to drop the charges.

At Thursday's hearing, Chutkan opted not to set a trial date, noting that the immunity issue would likely wind up back before the Supreme Court.

Trump lawyer John Lauro urged Chutkan not to allow prosecutors to publicly air their evidence, arguing it would be unfair to do so at a "sensitive time" ahead of the election.

His argument prompted a rebuke from Chutkan.

"It strikes me that what youre trying to do is affect presentation of evidence in this case so as not to impinge on an election," Chutkan told Lauro, adding that she is "not concerned with the electoral schedule."

Lauro said Trump's defense should first move to throw out the charges based on an argument that the grand jury that brought the revised indictment against Trump last month heard evidence barred by the Supreme Court's ruling.

The case had been delayed for months while Trump pursued his immunity claim. He has argued that the prosecution as well as other legal cases against him are politically motivated attempts to undermine his presidential campaign.

The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision in July that former presidents are presumed to be immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken as part of their official responsibilities as president.

The court directed Chutkan to comb through the indictment to determine if any other allegations are covered by immunity and must be tossed out.

Chutkan ordered Trump to respond to prosecutors' arguments by Oct. 17. She said she would determine later whether further proceedings are necessary.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone, Mark Porter and David Gregorio)
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The U.S. government is offering a $60 million reward for information leading to the arrest of six Russians accused in the so-called WhisperGate malware attack.

The cyber hack was an attempt to destroy computer systems in Ukraine and 26 NATO allies including the United States.

This campaign targeted computers in Ukraine shortly before Russias invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen said on Thursday. They targeted computers around the world.

Officials said the cyberattacks impacted U.S. companies as well but would not say which companies were targeted or if any information was obtained.

These same criminals are accused of repeatedly targeting U.S. computer networks, including a government agency here in Maryland scanning it more than 60 times for vulnerabilities, special agent in charge of the FBIs Baltimore field office, William DelBagno said.

The widened indictment adds five Russian military intelligence officers as defendants. A previous indictment named a Russian civilian.

The FBI, the Department of Justice will be relentless in pursuing you and so you better pay attention to the fact that we have gotten to you, and we are in your system, Olsen said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against Russian-American political pundit Dimitri Simes on Thursday, alleging he was paid more than $1 million from a Russian news outlet in violation of US sanctions.

According to the indictment, Simes coordinated and communicated with the Russian government, including President Vladimir Putin, while hosting a show for RT, the Russian state media network.

Simes would work with the Russian government over what the show would cover and how, the indictment says, highlighting coverage over the war with Ukraine that was favorable to Russia.

Simes was a prominent part of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into election interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Muellers team found that Simes had contacts with several members of Trumps campaign, including Jared Kushner, over the campaigns positions on Russia.

The special counsel did not uncover any evidence that Simes passed any information from Russia to the Trump campaign and, when Simes brought up Russian contacts to Kushner, Trumps son-in-law told him it would be bad optics for the Campaign to develop hidden Russian contacts, according to the report.

Simes is charged alongside his wife, Anastasia Simes. The two are facing three charges for money laundering and violating both the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Simes left the United States in 2022 after obtaining Russian citizenship and has not returned, according to court documents. It was not immediately clear if Simes has an attorney.

The FBI searched Simes home last month. The bureau also searched the homes of other Americans who have worked with Russias state television networks.

The charges come just one day after the Biden administration launched a broad campaign to combat Russian efforts to interfere with the upcoming presidential election in the United States.

That multipronged strategy included charges against two employees of RT accused of participating in a scheme that funneled nearly $10 million to set up and direct a Tennessee-based front company to produce online content aimed at sowing divisions among Americans.

The indictment against Simes, which did not mention the upcoming US election, details his salary and other perks he received while hosting a show for the sanctioned RT media outlet.

Simes received funds and services from Channel One Russia after it was sanctioned, the indictment says, including monthly salary payments totaling over $1 million; a personal car and driver; a stipend for an apartment in Moscow, Russia; health insurance; business-class plane tickets between Washington, D.C., and Moscow, Russia; a team of ten employees, including an assistant; and efforts by Channel One Russia to promote his positive image in mass media.

For his work, according to court documents, in late 2023 the Russian government honored Simes with an award for his show.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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The News

A multimillion-dollar Russia-backed scheme to spread misinformation and sow political and cultural divisions ahead of the 2024 presidential election in the US attracted millions of views, the US Justice Department said Wednesday  part of a major Biden administration crackdown on Russian influence operations, that saw dozens of websites seized and Russian state-owned media companies and their employees sanctioned.

The alleged scheme saw US content creators, many of whom attract a largely right-wing audience, being paid to publish thousands of videos that spread Russian government narratives, the Justice Department said.

Several conservative influencers who are believed to have interacted with the alleged influence campaign denied any knowledge of the plot. Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims, said right-wing personality Tim Poole, who interviewed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on his podcast in May and was associated with TENET Media, a conservative outlet whose mission statement appeared to be referenced in the indictment.

SIGNALS

US efforts to fight disinformation face uncertain future

Sources: UnHerd, Defense One

While the US faces concerted efforts from adversaries to spread disinformation and sow division, Biden administration officials have sounded the alarm over the State Departments hub for fighting disinformation, the Global Engagement Center. The center faces an uncertain future, as many congressional Republicans have accused it of muffling conservative speech, and have so far refused to reauthorize its budget for next year. I cannot figure out why Congress wouldnt want people to do what I do everyday, which is wake up in the morning and figure out how to fight Russian, Chinese, and Iranian disinformation and propaganda, the units top official said.

Russian information warriors sought to convince its audience that Americans are such scumbags

The evidence collected by the US also reveals Russias efforts to sow division between the US and Europe and tamp down support for Ukraine. The Social Design Agency, a Kremlin-controlled company, said in an internal document released by the US Justice Department that it aimed to escalate international tensions in the countries allied with the United States. Summarizing its campaign in Germany, the organization said some main themes to hit on were that Ukrainians were pigs, the difference between Ukraine and Germany, and the idea that the U.S. is behind everything. In another memo, the company said it was preparing an information campaign to persuade its audience to think really why do WE need to help Ukraine? and, Americans are such scumbags!

Russia threatens to retaliate against American media

Sources: Gazeta.ru, Interfax

Russian officials have warned that the crackdown will have consequences for American media. There will be a response, a spokesperson for Russias foreign ministry said, adding that Russia will take retaliatory measures against the American media over the US charges against state broadcaster RT. Another official said that possible countermeasures could target how information from US news outlets is disseminated in Russia. RT responded dismissively to questions about its alleged role in the plot, saying: There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and RTs interference in the American elections.
The United States secured the release of 135 political prisoners in Nicaragua on humanitarian grounds, the White House announced Thursday.

The deal includes 13 people affiliated with the Texas-based Mountain Gateway ministry, along with other Catholic laypeople, students and others whom, according to the White House, the Nicaraguan leaders consider a threat to their authoritarian rule.

The freed Nicaraguan citizens will be released to Guatemala, where they will go through the process of applying for citizenship in the United States or elsewhere.

No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

The administration thanked Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo for welcoming the Nicaraguans and for his continued leadership across the region in addressing humanitarian issues and championing democratic freedom.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, have overseen a crackdown on opposition voices, which has only intensified since 2018, when popular protests took to the streets to call for his resignation. In the last couple of years, Ortega has targeted the Catholic Church and has ordered many newspapers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and universities to close.

The United States again calls on the Government of Nicaragua to immediately cease the arbitrary arrest and detention of its citizens for merely exercising their fundamental freedoms, Sullivan said in the White House statement.

Mountain Gateway cheered the release of its Nicaraguan-based pastors and attorneys after almost nine months of wrongful imprisonment, as the organization petitioned the U.S. government, the Organization of American States and the United Nations to aid in their release.

This is the day we have prayed and believed God for. These pastors and attorneys have suffered greatly for the sake of the Gospel, but it has not been in vain, Jon Britton Hancock, founder of Mountain Gateway, said in a press release.

He continued: The Kingdom of God is advancing because of their persecution. Today, we cry tears of joy because our brothers and sisters are free!

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The University of Texas at Austin has introduced a new honors program, believed by the school to be the first of its kind.

UT said in a press release Thursday that it introduced what is believed to be the first undergraduate robotics program in the country that allows high school students to apply directly as part of their freshman admissions application.

Its an honors program with an immersive and interdisciplinary curriculum that includes hands-on research, engineering and computer science coursework, and participation in UTs Texas Robotics events and programs, according to the release.

Students entering the program will have full access to world-class robotics facilities and a specialized adviser to help with course registration, according to the release. Theyll also collaborate in a cohort of peers studying robotics and gain entrance to organizations, clubs and access to Texas Robotics events.

UTs release said the programs experiential learning will strengthen access to internships and better position students for future employment or graduate school. The release said these types of opportunities are usually not available outside of masters programs.

Robotics honors students will apply to and pursue degrees in aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, computational engineering, computer science or mechanical engineering, and they will also earn a minor in robotics. Theyll also join a specialized track within the Freshman Research Initiative, which UT said is the largest university undergraduate research program in the nation.

The University of Texas is already recognized for its leadership and expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence, and by pairing these disciplines with our top-10 programs in engineering and computer science, we are creating a first-class, unique educational and experiential program for students seeking to enter this exciting and evolving field, said UT President Jay Hartzell.

Students can apply for the program through the Common App or Apply Texas. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.

In addition to the application requirements for majors in aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, computational engineering, computer science or mechanical engineering, students will also be required to submit an additional short-answer essay about their interest in the program.

Those interested in the program can find more information online.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4)  A Taylorsville man is now facing charges from a federal grand jury after he reportedly shot his friend over who would drive a friends car.

Maxwell Archibald, 21, of Taylorsville was indicted on carjacking and firearm charges, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Salt Lake City stated in a press release on Sept. 4.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Taylorsville man allegedly shoots at friend during argument over who will drive

Archibald was charged by the U.S. Attorneys Office on charges of carjacking, as well as using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on Aug. 29. Police say that he allegedly shot at a friend multiple times, wounding that person in the arm.

Charging documents stated Archibald was with two friends at a gas station near 7300 South and Union Park Ave. in Midvale when the argument started.

Charging documents say the victim of the shooting told Unified Police Archibald wanted to drive his friends car. Archibald became more upset, which led to a physical altercation and the alleged shooting.

After Archibald reportedly shot the victim, Archibald got in the car and drove off. A short police chase ensued, which ended in a crash and subsequent foot chase.

Archibald was arrested and charging documents stated that police found a gun that matched the one used in the shooting. Archibald is due in federal court Sept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The full indictment document can be viewed below:

MaxwellArchibald.IndictmentDownload

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A truck drives toward the Huntington coal-fired power plant, operated by PacifiCorp, in Emery County on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Seven teens who say Utahs policies promoting fossil fuels are impacting their constitutional rights took their argument to the state supreme court on Wednesday, asking the justices to consider their case after it was dismissed by a lower court.

Its the latest in several youth-led climate change lawsuits around the country, represented by the nonprofit law firm Our Childrens Trust. Utahs suit  Natalie R. v. State of Utah  argues the states energy policy promotes and maximizes fossil fuel development, which officials then carry out on a system-wide basis.

And as a result, they are responsible for the hazardous air quality and increasingly dangerous climate conditions in Utah, from which they cannot escape, Andrew Welle, attorney for the youth plaintiffs, said to Utah Supreme Court Justices on Wednesday.

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The lawsuit was filed in March 2022 but dismissed the following November by 3rd District Court Judge Robert Faust, who said the argument is better suited for the legislature, not the courts. Attorneys for the plaintiffs appealed to the Utah Supreme Court, which agreed in June to hear arguments.

The states very clear in their energy policy about what they stand for  theyre not in the business of standing up for our rights, said Dallin Rima, one of the youth plaintiffs, speaking outside the courtroom after the hearing on Wednesday. If we have the opportunity to go to trial and we win, well be able to stop that  this is our opportunity to change these disastrous energy policies. To require the state to consider our constitutional right to life when theyre making their decisions on their permitting.

The lawsuit names Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, as well as a number of state agencies including the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Energy Development, and Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. During the hearing, Welle claimed that they promote policies that created inescapable conditions that harm the youth plaintiffs health.

But the hearing was focused on why the court should allow the case to move forward, rather than the actual merits of the teens arguments.

The question before the court is not whether these policies violate Utahs constitution. The question is whether these youth will have their constitutional right to their day in court to present evidence that these policies are being implemented and harming them, and to argue their constitutional claims, Welle said.

Youth plaintiffs exit their hearing in the Utah Supreme Court Court on appeal of dismissal from the lower court on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (Pool photo by Robin Loznak/ZUMApress.com)

Justice Diana Hagen questioned whether the lawsuit, if successful, would actually force the state to change course, asking Welle what would stop the division (of oil, gas and mining) from exercising its discretion in exactly the same way?

Welle, in response, said a ruling would give the state a constitutional standard that would govern their conduct when making decisions and issuing permits related to the fossil fuel industry. Any activity that the state engages in that would result in a level of emissions that would cause substantial harm and endangerment to youth plaintiffs, would be subject to strict scrutiny.

The justices also seemed skeptical of the claim that Utahs fossil fuel policies were harmining the youths right to life, with Justice Paige Peterson questioning whether the argument was too abstract.

Your allegation is it shortens life, but its further away, we dont know exactly how long, we dont know necessarily it has that cause for everyone. How do we consider the certainty of the shortening of life and the immediacy of that? she asked.

Welle pushed back on the idea that the allegations were distant, telling the court that the current conditions are taking years off the youth plaintiffs lives, with more evidence to come if the case goes to trial.

Representing the state, Erin Middleton with the Utah Attorney Generals Office accused Welle of using a generalized legal argument in an attempt to move the case from the legislature to the court.

Should the courts consider the lawsuit, Middleton warned it would open a legal Pandoras box for the state and the courts, subjecting various policy decisions to scrutiny.

The court would be involved in all sorts of policy decisions that dont have anything to do with fossil fuels, she said.

If a court eventually sided with the youths, ruling that any amount of molecules could impact the health of the plaintiffs, that could have broad implications for the state, Middleton argued.

Can it issue a business license to a dealer that only wants to sell gas powered cars? Can it widen the freeway if theres evidence that it might increase emissions? she asked.

After the hearing, Welle addressed reporters outside the courtroom. Despite the scrutiny from the justices, he remained optimistic.

Im so happy with the way things went in the courtroom today. What we saw from the court is a level of engagement that indicates they are taking these claims and these issues seriously, he said.

Our Childrens Trust case in Utah is one of six youth-led legal challenges around the country:

Alaska, where oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 15.

Florida, where new legal action is being considered after youth plaintiffs filed a rulemaking petition supporting renewable energy policies.

Hawaii, where the state government recently announced a settlement agreement to decarbonize the states transportation system over the next 20 years.

Montana, where a judge ruled in favor of youth plaintiffs, enshrining protections for their fundamental rights. The state is appealing the decision.

Virginia, where a state supreme court appeal is pending following a lower courts dismissal in June.

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Attorney Andrew Welle of the nonprofit law firm Our Childrens Trust speaks during a hearing in the Utah Supreme Court Court on appeal of dismissal from the lower court on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (Pool photo by Robin Loznak/ZUMApress.com)
A truck drives toward the Huntington, Utah, coal-fired power plant, operated by PacifiCorp, in Emery County on July 31, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Seven teens who say Utahs policies promoting fossil fuels are impacting their constitutional rights took their argument to the state supreme court on Wednesday, asking the justices to consider their case after it was dismissed by a lower court.

Its the latest in several youth-led climate change lawsuits around the country, represented by the nonprofit law firm Our Childrens Trust. Utahs suit  Natalie R. v. State of Utah  argues the states energy policy promotes and maximizes fossil fuel development, which officials then carry out on a system-wide basis.

And as a result, they are responsible for the hazardous air quality and increasingly dangerous climate conditions in Utah, from which they cannot escape, Andrew Welle, attorney for the youth plaintiffs, said to Utah Supreme Court Justices on Wednesday.

The lawsuit was filed in March 2022 but dismissed the following November by 3rd District Court Judge Robert Faust, who said the argument is better suited for the Legislature, not the courts. Attorneys for the plaintiffs appealed to the Utah Supreme Court, which agreed in June to hear arguments.

The states very clear in their energy policy about what they stand for  theyre not in the business of standing up for our rights, said Dallin Rima, one of the youth plaintiffs, speaking outside the courtroom after the hearing on Wednesday. If we have the opportunity to go to trial and we win, well be able to stop that  this is our opportunity to change these disastrous energy policies. To require the state to consider our constitutional right to life when theyre making their decisions on their permitting.

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Utah governor, state agencies named in lawsuit

The lawsuit names Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, as well as a number of state agencies including the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Energy Development, and Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. During the hearing, Welle claimed that they promote policies that created inescapable conditions that harm the youth plaintiffs health.

But the hearing was focused on why the court should allow the case to move forward, rather than the actual merits of the teens arguments.

The question before the court is not whether these policies violate Utahs constitution. The question is whether these youth will have their constitutional right to their day in court to present evidence that these policies are being implemented and harming them, and to argue their constitutional claims, Welle said.

ntrance to the Utah Supreme Court

Justice Diana Hagen questioned whether the lawsuit, if successful, would actually force the state to change course, asking Welle what would stop the division (of oil, gas and mining) from exercising its discretion in exactly the same way?

Welle, in response, said a ruling would give the state a constitutional standard that would govern their conduct when making decisions and issuing permits related to the fossil fuel industry. Any activity that the state engages in that would result in a level of emissions that would cause substantial harm and endangerment to youth plaintiffs, would be subject to strict scrutiny.

The justices also seemed skeptical of the claim that Utahs fossil fuel policies were harming the youths right to life, with Justice Paige Peterson questioning whether the argument was too abstract.

Your allegation is it shortens life, but its further away, we dont know exactly how long, we dont know necessarily it has that cause for everyone. How do we consider the certainty of the shortening of life and the immediacy of that? she asked.

Welle pushed back on the idea that the allegations were distant, telling the court that the current conditions are taking years off the youth plaintiffs lives, with more evidence to come if the case goes to trial.

State of Utah responds in court to fossil fuels causing harm argument

Representing the state, Erin Middleton with the Utah Attorney Generals Office accused Welle of using a generalized legal argument in an attempt to move the case from the Legislature to the court.

Should the courts consider the lawsuit, Middleton warned it would open a legal Pandoras box for the state and the courts, subjecting various policy decisions to scrutiny.

The court would be involved in all sorts of policy decisions that dont have anything to do with fossil fuels, she said.

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Have a news tip?

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If a court eventually sided with the youths, ruling that any amount of molecules could impact the health of the plaintiffs, that could have broad implications for the state, Middleton argued.

Can it issue a business license to a dealer that only wants to sell gas powered cars? Can it widen the freeway if theres evidence that it might increase emissions? she asked.

After the hearing, Welle addressed reporters outside the courtroom. Despite the scrutiny from the justices, he remained optimistic.

Im so happy with the way things went in the courtroom today. What we saw from the court is a level of engagement that indicates they are taking these claims and these issues seriously, he said.

Our Childrens Trust case in Utah is one of six youth-led legal challenges around the country:

Alaska, where oral arguments are scheduled for Oct. 15. Florida, where new legal action is being considered after youth plaintiffs filed a rulemaking petition supporting renewable energy policies. Hawaii, where the state government recently announced a settlement agreement to decarbonize the states transportation system over the next 20 years. Montana, where a judge ruled in favor of youth plaintiffs, enshrining protections for their fundamental rights. The state is appealing the decision. Virginia, where a state supreme court appeal is pending following a lower courts dismissal in June.

Utah News Dispatch, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@utahnewsdispatch.com. Follow Utah News Dispatch on Facebook and X.
Nebraska voters in the state's 2nd Congressional District will face a rematch between Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas, left, and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. (Candidate photos courtesy of the campaigns; Capitol photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

OMAHA  State Sen. Tony Vargas, the Democrat running for the U.S. House in Nebraskas 2nd District, said voters should consider why his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, did a special favor on a work visa for an international executive with Trump Media.

Bacon told the Examiner last week that his congressional office did what it typically does when a constituent or someone else needing a visa or passport calls for help: It had a staffer call the State Department in January 2022 and check the status of the visa application. Members of Congress make such calls in hopes of speeding up the process.

Bacons office said it makes hundreds of calls for constituents seeking visa and passport help in a given year. Handling such requests is a routine part of constituent services for all of Nebraskas congressional delegation, members said.

Bacon discussed his offices actions following a report on Aug. 29 by ProPublica, a national nonprofit investigative news outlet. The story linked him and his office to the visa push for Trump Media executive Vladimir Novachki of North Macedonia. Novachki helped build the backbone of what became Truth Social, former President Donald Trumps social media platform.

ProPublica reported that a former Bacon office staffer, now working in the private sector, said she did not want to make a call about the application and was told to do so by Bacon, an interaction the congressman acknowledged but said was misunderstood.

I think it was twisted, like she thought it was inappropriate, Bacon said.

Former employee declines to comment

The former staffer told ProPublica the request was treated with more urgency than the typical request. She declined to comment Wednesday when reached by the Examiner. She later told ProPublica they had misinterpreted what she said to them about the case.

The Biden administration had already approved a visa for Novachki before Bacons office got involved, ProPublica reported. Andrew Northwall, a Republican political consultant with Nebraska ties, reached out to Bacons office trying to get the State Department to schedule an interview before December 2023.

Northwall is widely known in Nebraska GOP circles, and Bacon said he has known him for years. Northwalls LinkedIn page says he now works as chief operating officer of Trump Media. Northwall did not return messages over several days seeking comment on the request for help.

Ive worked with him, Bacon said of Northwall. But I would have handled it if I didnt know him. If Tony Vargas were to call us and said I got a visa issue for somebody, I wouldve put it in.

Asked what he thought of Bacon saying he would have made the same effort for Vargas, Vargas said, I dont think the most important thing is whether or not he would or not.

Political motivations or constituent services?

The ProPublica story suggests that Bacon may have been motivated to help Trump because the former president had tweeted about seeking a candidate to Bacons right to challenge him in the 2024 GOP primary for perceived disloyalty.

Bacon has endorsed Trump three times. But he criticized Trump after the events of Jan. 6, 2021. Trump was also angry about Bacons support for the bipartisan infrastructure law.

I was helping a constituent, Bacon said. It wouldve been a story if I refused to help him. We had that talk.  What was the appropriate thing to do for this guy? He works for Trump. Is it appropriate or not? Well, he is a constituent. Lets treat it the same way.

While Northwall still spends time in Nebraska, Trump Media is based in Florida, and Northwall is no longer registered to vote in the Cornhusker State. He still owns property in the 2nd District. Bacons office says it and other offices typically screen constituent calls by address.

Seeing Bacon step up and help Trump to do the special favor shows me the pattern  that he is able to do anything to stay in power, Vargas told the Examiner. Hes willing to do anything to stay in Trumps good graces, and he was rewarded for it.

Bacon drew no significant primary challenger in 2022, though Trump criticized Bacon at a Nebraska political rally that May. Former campaign staffers close to Trump spent much of 2023 trying to recruit a primary challenger to Bacons right. Bacon did eventually draw a primary challenger, Dan Frei, whom he defeated 62%-38%. Trump did not endorse in the race.

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Veterans Rally Point has 'a mission to keep growing': What's happening with the food pantry

Anyone from any walk of life may hit hard times and need help affording food. For local veterans, theres another option beside the typical food pantry.

Easterseals Veterans Rally Point in Norwich commemorated the expansion of its food pantry services with a ribbon cutting Wednesday. The food pantry, which started in 2022, has more than doubled its service capacity, and now serves 40 to 70 families a month, Food Coordinator Tammy Stott said.

The Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Bank has worked with Rally Point since last year. When Stott visits the Food Bank, shell have an assistant with her and 30 minutes to grab whatever the Rally Point pantry needs. The pantry typically gets 400 - 700 pounds of food each week from the Food Bank, she said.

Veteran's Rally Point Food Coordinator Tammy Stott, right, shows U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney and State Sen. Cathy Osten the nonprofit's food pantry Wednesday.

While most of the Food Banks clients serve the community as a whole, niche pantries can serve as a comfortable access point, Dina Sears-Graves, president and CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, said.

They might not want to go to a traditional food pantry, she said. This is a safe space for them.

Its estimated that 5.9% of the states veteran population is living below the poverty line. This especially concerns the Rally Point, as Eastern Connecticut has the highest concentration of veterans in the state. Of its membership, 39% are 60 and older. Seniors are more prone to nutritional issues due to compounding factors including homelessness, service-related disabilities, and widowhood, a press release from the non-profit stated.

Stott, also a veteran, didnt realize how food insecure the veteran population is until she started her job. The need is growing, changing from single individuals needing a few odds and ends, to now families of four or more, even for the adults actively serving.

Pennsylvania-based Hillandale Farms, which has facilities in Eastern Connecticut, is a major contributor to the Rally Point food pantry. The company donates 74 dozen eggs per month, Stott said.

Veteran's Rally Point Director of Military Services Lori Marriot hugs U.S. Navy Corpsman Willow Clauson during the ribbon cutting for the expansion of the organization's food pantry Wednesday.

No fallback but here

U.S. Navy Corpsman Willow Clauson receives food from the pantry every week. Clauson lost her civilian job, as a contractor at the clinic on base, six months ago. While she receives pay from the Navy Reserves, disability benefits and unemployment, its still not enough to make ends meet for Clauson and her son.

I have no fallback but here when it comes to food, she said.

Active-duty military and veterans need to know about the resources Rally Point provides. Beyond the food, the Rally Point offers a wide range of services for veterans and their families. While Clauson is utilizing career-related resources, including resume help, the facility also gives opportunities for recreation, mental health help, and more, she said.

Veterans' Rally Point Director of Military Services Lori Marriot (right) tells State Senator Cathy Osten and Rally Point Food Coordinator Tammy Stott that it'd be possible to move clothing donations to expand the pantry further.

Whats next?

While giving local leaders a tour of the food pantry, Stott and Director of Military Services Lori Marriot showed a room full of donated clothes. Marriot mentioned moving the clothes elsewhere to give the food pantry more space. If the pantry grew further, itd need to increase the food it receives by 500 pounds a week and increase service to 80-90 families a month. Stott is looking for the funds to expand the program, she said.

Its become a mission to keep growing, and keep being able to serve our community, Stott said.

Veterans Rally Point will expand its mental health service offerings next. This includes behavioral health, mental health counseling, and programs that address the entire family, President and CEO of Easterseals Capital Region and Eastern Connecticut Robin Sharpe said.

The collaborations, like with United Way and the Gemma E. Moran Food Bank are whats going to help us to grow, she said. We owe it to the people whove served this country.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Easterseals Veteran's Rally Point in Norwich expands food pantry
PLEASANT HILL, Iowa  A Vietnam Veteran is honoring two Iowa World War II Veterans with a bike ride from Iowa City to Sweetwater, Texas.

The ride is lasting 26 days spanning over the entire month of September. The bicyclists name is Larry Ritland, and hes bringing recognition to two Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Ritland had discovered the two Iowans who died in WWII while visiting the National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, TX. He saw the two names: Beverly Jean Moses and Gleanna Roberts.

I thought I knew a little about World War II, but Ive never heard of this program or the women who died, said Ritland. so I decided to start asking people and nope, hadnt heard.

WHO 13 News caught up with Ritland at the Oakwood Cemetery where Moses is buried. Ritland and his wife placed 38 flags around her burial grounds to honor the 38 WASPs who died during WWII.

She was 21 when she died. She was flying out west, shed been finishing her training, and she was based out of Las Vegas. She was doing a training flight with a lieutenant that was the pilot, and she was the copilot, with four other crew members on board. But the flight never came back.

Blank Park Zoos new member needs naming, they want your help

They found the plane pancaked into the mountain, everybody was dead, said Ritland. Now the difference is these five other people on board were members of the old Army Air Corpsso the five male crew members, they had insurance money for their parents, they got the Gold Star, they had a flag draped coffin military funeral. Beverly Jean Moses got nothing because she was a civilian.

Moses and Roberts, who is buried in Sharon Center, motivated him to get some type of recognition for the women who served. He sent letters to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds office who passed it along to Iowa Veterans Affairs.

On Thursday, there will be a proclamation reading for Moses and Roberts. September 5, 2024, will be Gleanna Roberts and Beverly Jean Moses Day in the state. Ritland will be there before he continues his ride down to Texas, along with some family members from both women.

Ritland had been campaigning for this to happen since February 15 of this year.

This is actually the easy part. Some of the hardest parts was getting some of the paperwork lined up, planning the route, takes time and effort, said Ritland. We wanted to bring awareness to these two women and the entire program thats been pretty much forgotten.

Ritlands wife tags along with him. She rides in the truck and parks 10-15 miles ahead of him and reads a book until Ritland comes riding up. She has water and snacks ready to go for him at each break. And Ritland says that his wife is a heck of a picnic packer.

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LISBON, Ohio (WKBN)  The Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall is back at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds. It arrived Thursday by motorcycle escort.

The Wall traveled by the Leetonia Schools campus where over 200 kids and adults waved flags in its honor.

The Wall is an exact half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. It holds more than 58,000 names of those killed in action in Vietnam, including dozens from the Valley.

The memorial will be on display through Sunday and will be featured in a parade in Lisbon Friday morning.

The last time the Columbiana County Fairgrounds hosted the Moving Wall was in 2014.

It takes a lot of volunteers, a lot of blood, sweat and tears. But all in all, were not doing it for us. Were doing it for the Vietnam veterans and the POW thats not home, said Douglas Brannon, co-chairman for the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
SEYMOUR (KFDX/KJTL)  On the eve of Texoma Gives, its important to recognize some of the non-profits benefiting from donations, like the Whiteside Museum of Natural History, which is undergoing some major changes right now.

Since 2013, the Whiteside Museum of Natural History has been an important attraction showcasing the unique history of Baylor County during the Permian period, which began millions of years before the golden age of dinosaurs.

Thanks to fortunate fossil digs around Seymour, the museum has had great success, but now its facing a storage crisis.

Were running out of space! Every time we go out to dig, we find more fossils, and we dont have a place to store all of those fossils and put them on display, said museum volunteer Lynn Seman.

Remove the barriers: Donate now to 9th Texoma Gives

Thats why the museum is expanding. The current museum showcases the fossils of several dimetrodons, the dominant species during the Permian, and other exhibits, including modern animal species from around the world.

But Seman says deciding what to display will be easier once the expansion is done.

Were going to have two more different halls, she explained. One of them will have to do with the ice age fossils that we also find around here. And were going to have more space for our lab, which Im very excited about.

The construction process is ongoing, but the museum still needs support while the project is underway. The Whiteside Museum of Natural History is one of the non-profits participating in Texoma Gives.

Seman says the money raised through the fundraiser will immediately help with the expansion and further the museums ultimate goal.

One of our main goals is education for the public, which is important to me since Im a retired teacher, she said. Any donations like that and this fundraiser for Texoma Gives is going to help us continue to do quality educational programs.

Big Brothers Big Sisters welcomes 3 generations to the program

In time, the museum will be a much-improved home for a big part of North Texas prehistory.

The expansion is expected to be completed in 2025. Visit the Texoma Gives website to donate to Whitesides Texoma Gives fundraiser.

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A Virginia State Police trooper has been arrested on multiple charges after an incident that occurred at a Myrtle Beach resort on Labor Day.

Darren Hampton Roberts, 30, was charged with first-degree domestic violence, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping by Myrtle Beach Police.

The incident happened about 1 a.m. Sept. 2, at the Caribbean Resort and Villas at 3000 N. Ocean Blvd., according to police reports.

Roberts is accused of holding a woman against her will on a bed and assaulting her after an argument, according to an arrest warrant.

The victim, who had multiple visible injuries on her body, told police that she and Roberts have lived together for the past two months. The victim said that Roberts had assaulted her the night before in their hotel room, holding her down on the bed and strangling her, according to the warrant.

During the sexual assault, the victim told Roberts to stop repeatedly, the warrant said.

Police talked to the victims mother over the phone who provided text messages between her and the victim that indicated the assault occurred earlier on Sept. 1, an incident report said.

Virginia State Police was notified Sept. 2 about the arrest.

Roberts is a trooper assigned to the Wytheville Division Area 24 Office in Pulaski County, according to an email from Matthew Demlein, interim public relations director.

Roberts has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, he said.

Roberts was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Sept. 4, on a $20,000 bond.
A ballot drop box stands outside a government office building in Henrico County. (Graham Moomaw/Virginia Mercury)

Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals on Wednesday expressed concerns with the operational performance of the U.S. Postal Service ahead of the 2024 presidential election in Virginia, warning that mail-in ballots may not be processed in time to be counted.

Election officials depend on the U.S. mail service to deliver ballots to voters and to return ballots to election officials, Beals told members of the Virginia House of Delegates Privileges and Elections Committee at a meeting in Richmond. What I am hoping to change is the expectation of voters, that if I put my ballot in the mail five days before election day that it is going to get there. You need to plan further out than that.

Beals, who was appointed as Virginias commissioner of election by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in March 2022, responded to a question by Del. Phillip Scott, R-Fredericksburg, who had asked what she considered the biggest threat to the upcoming election.

Beals said since before the 2023 election cycle, the Department of Elections has seen issues with mail-in ballots cast by voters who had been living in the same house for decades.

For example, the registrar tries to mail you a ballot and it gets mailed back to the registrar with one of those yellow stickers, Beals said. We had some cases where voters were trying to mail their ballot to an elections office and its being returned to the voter. Weve had long delivery times and weve had examples of ballots that were sitting in the processing centers for days.

The Postal Service has faced significant challenges in delivering mail-in ballots on time since the 2020 presidential election. The surge in mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic strained the postal system, leading to delays and concerns about the timely counting of votes.

Last week during a news conference, the Postal Service outlined its preparations for the secure and successful delivery of election mail in the Nov. 5 general election and briefed U.S. House and Senate committee staff of its preparedness to deliver the nations ballots.

Our letter carriers and facilities teams across the country, the 640,000 women and men of the Postal Service, are fully focused on the critical mission of delivering the nations election mail  just as we have done so excellently through this current primary season and as we have done in the past, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement.

But despite these efforts to improve operations, issues such as staffing shortages, operational changes, and the sheer volume of ballots have continued to cause problems during more recent elections in many states  including in Virginia.

Beals told the committee on Wednesday that her department first started raising concerns with the Postal Service prior to the 2023 election.

Virginia was a little bit of a canary (in a) coal mine on the issue of USPS and their performance because we had that statewide election in 2023, and a lot of other states did not, thats their off-year, she said.

Last year, the department started hearing from registrars about issues with mail ballots not being delivered to voters, not receiving them back in time, and ballots coming back as being undeliverable to voters who had not changed their address in years.

We immediately reached out to USPS, we had an in-person meeting prior to the November election, and another in-person meeting after the election, Beals said. But when the concerns remained, Beals requested to meet with members of Virginias congressional delegation and with representatives of both U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, D-Va., on Capitol Hill.

They sent me immediately to their committees to detail the types of issues that we were seeing in Virginia, Beals said, adding that she additionally flagged the mail delivery problems with the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) and the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission, an independent agency overseeing the operations of the Postal Service.

Its been frustrating for us because every time weve raised these issues we were assured that they were going to be addressed, and then the subsequent elections werent necessarily seeing them get addressed, were still seeing some of the same issues, Beals told the committee.

A spokesman for the Postal Service in Virginia did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday. But according to data released by the agency last week, nationally, the Postal Service in 2022 delivered 99.89% of ballots from voters to election officials within seven days. The 2022 midterm elections saw a similar level of on-time performance, with 99.93% of ballots delivered within the same timeframe.

And Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, a member of the committee, cautioned against drawing conclusions before more data on mail-in voting in Virginia is available.

I think its important that we dont scare the voters into thinking that this is not a safe and valid way to vote, because absentee balloting has been a hallmark of our democracy, Krizek said in a brief interview Wednesday. I think its a very important form of voting and Id hate to see it go away or people be afraid to do it.

Beals message to Virginians planning to vote by mail this year is to not wait until the last minute to request and mail back their ballot  and to stay on top of the process.

Make sure that once you request your ballot and its been a week or two, go ahead and call your registrars office and ask where it is. And as soon as you receive it, turn it around and put it back in the mail, dont let it sit, Beals said.

I know folks sometimes get their ballot and sometimes let it marinate and think about it, but you cant do that this year. You need to make sure that you mail it back or you can drop it at a dropbox at your registrars office or at a polling location on Election Day.

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FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2021 file photo, Virginia Republican Lt. Governor candidate Winsome Sears addressing the Virginia FREE Leadership Luncheon in McLean, Va. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the first Black woman to hold statewide office in Virginia's long history, has officially set her sights on the state's top political office.

The Virginia Department of Elections on Wednesday accepted the necessary documents for Earle-Sears to run for governor next year, WRIC was first to report.

Earle-Sears is the first Republican to officially enter the race for the partys nomination in 2025. She recently said she was exploring a run.

The current governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, cannot run for reelection because Virginia is the only state that doesn't allow governors to run for consecutive terms.

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is the only Democrat currently seeking her party's nomination to run for governor.

Earle-Sears was part of a Republican sweep of top offices in 2021 that also saw Youngkin and Attorney Gen. Jason Miyares get elected.

A Marine veteran who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica as a child, Earle-Sears defeated Democrat Hala Ayala to become only the second woman in Virginias long history to serve in a statewide office. Attorney Gen. Mary Sue Terry, who was elected in 1985, was the first.

A staunch conservative who speaks frequently about her Christian faith, Earle-Sears has made history as a woman in politics before.

She got her start in elected office in 2001 when she stunned both parties by defeating a 10-term Democrat in an overwhelmingly blue district to become the first Black Republican woman elected to the House of Delegates.

She served just one term before deciding not to seek reelection. She also unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott in a race The Associated Press described at the time as a campaign of raw invective.

Earle-Sears went on to serve on the State Board of Education and more recently as the national chair of an organization dedicated to reelecting former President Donald Trump. She has also led a mens prison ministry, served as director of a womens homeless shelter, and run a plumbing and electrical supply company.
FILE - State Election Board member Rick Jeffares asks the crowd to settle down during a hastily planned State Election Board meeting at the Capitol in Atlanta, July 12, 2024. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)/

Before voters even begin casting ballots, Democrats and Republicans are engaged in a sprawling legal fight over the 2024 election through a series of court disputes that could even run past Nov. 5 if results are close.

Republicans filed more than 100 lawsuits challenging various aspects of vote-casting after being chastised repeatedly by judges in 2020 for bringing complaints about how the election was run only after votes were tallied.

After Donald Trump made " election integrity " a key part of his partys platform following his false claims of widespread voter fraud in 2020, the Republican National Committee says it has more than 165,000 volunteers ready to watch the polls.

Democrats are countering with what they are calling voter protection, rushing to court to fight back against the GOP cases and building their own team with over 100 staffers, several hundred lawyers and what they say are thousands of volunteers.

Despite the flurry of litigation, the cases have tended to be fairly small-bore, with few likely impacts for most voters.

When you have all this money to spend on litigation, you end up litigating less and less important stuff, said Derek Muller, a law professor at Notre Dame University.

The stakes would increase dramatically should Trump lose and try to overturn the results. Thats what he attempted in 2020, but the court system rejected him across the board. Trump and his allies lost more than 60 lawsuits trying to reverse President Joe Bidens win.

Whether they could be successful this year depends on the results, experts said. A gap of about 10,000 votes  roughly the number that separated Biden and Trump in Arizona and Georgia in 2020  is almost impossible to reverse through litigation. A closer one of a few hundred votes, like the 547-vote margin that separated George W. Bush and Al Gore in Florida in 2000, is much more likely to hinge on court rulings about which ballots are legitimate.

If he loses, hes going to claim that he won. That goes without saying, Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said of Trump. If it looks like what we had last time  I expect well see the same kind of thing.

Trump has done nothing to discourage that expectation, saying he would accept the results of the election only if its free and fair, raising the possibility it would not be, something he continues to falsely contend was the case in 2020. He also continues to insist that he could only lose due to fraud.

The only way they can beat us is to cheat, Trump said at a Las Vegas rally in June.

To be clear, there was no widespread fraud in 2020 or any election since then. Reviews, recounts and audits in the battleground states where Trump disputed his loss reaffirmed that Biden won. And Trumps attorney general said there was no evidence that fraud tipped the election.

Trump installed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, which then named attorney Christina Bobb as the head of its election integrity division. Bobb is a former reporter for the conservative One America News Network who has been indicted by Arizonas attorney general for being part of an effort to promote a slate of Trump electors in the state, even though Biden won it.

Echoing Trump, the RNC said it's trying to counter Democratic mischief.

President Trumps election integrity effort is dedicated to protecting every legal vote, mitigating threats to the voting process and securing the election, RNC spokeswoman Claire Zunk said in a statement. "While Democrats continue their election interference against President Trump and the American people, our operation is confronting their schemes and preparing for November.

This time around, Democrats say theyre prepared for whatever Republicans might do.

For four years, Donald Trump and his MAGA allies have been scheming to sow distrust in our elections and undermine our democracy so they can cry foul when they lose, Jen OMalley Dillon, Vice President Kamala Harris campaign manager, said in a statement. But also for four years, Democrats have been preparing for this moment, and we are ready for anything.

The highest-profile litigation so far has been in Georgia, over new rules from a Republican-appointed majority on the State Board of Elections, which has echoed Trump's conspiracy theories. The rules could allow members of local election boards to try to refuse to certify results, a gambit Trump supporters have tried, unsuccessfully, to reverse losses in 2020 and 2022.

A Trump-aligned group sued to have courts declare that election board members have that power while Democrats sued to overturn the new rules. GOP Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has questioned the wisdom of the board changing procedures so close to the election. Legal experts say the state board's rules conflict with longstanding state law that certification is not optional.

Whether local boards delay or refuse to certify the results from the upcoming election has been a growing concern, especially after a handful of local officials took that step during this year's primaries. But experts say the fears of a certification crisis are overblown, in large part because most state laws are clear that state or local boards must certify the official results brought to them by election offices. The courtroom remains the most important venue for candidates who want to challenge results.

Trying to deny certification is a really poorly thought out theory, Ben Ginsberg, a Republican election lawyer, said on a Thursday call with reporters. It has never worked.

The litigation to date has often been about relatively esoteric matters, but some cases could have implications after November if Trump loses. The RNC has filed lawsuits in Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina alleging the states need to remove inactive or ineligible voters from their rolls. Late last month, Republicans sued North Carolina over a favorite issue  the risk of noncitizens voting, which is rare. They contend the state wasn't doing enough to safeguard against it.

So far none of the claims have succeeded. But if Trump loses in those states by a narrow margin, that sort of pre-election litigation could pave the way for him to claim in court that the vote was invalid.

The other area that could have ramifications in November and beyond is whether mail ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted. Nineteen states allow that as long as the ballots are sent before polls close. The RNC sued to overturn this provision in Nevada and Mississippi, but both cases were dismissed by judges.

The RNC appealed those cases, and the first is scheduled to be heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later this month. Its the sort of issue that could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Some Trump allies in 2020 hoped the court would declare him the winner, but the late-arriving mail ballot litigation at the time showed the limits of that tactic.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the state had to count mail ballots that arrived up to four days after Election Day. Republicans then appealed that ruling to the nations highest court, and late-arriving mail was counted separately in November 2020 while everyone waited for the Supreme Court to weigh in.

In the end, the Supreme Court didnt take up the case. Trump lost Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes, so the 10,000 late-arriving mail ballots wouldnt have even made a difference.
William Rodriguez, the man accused of killing a Worcester mother and daughter before fleeing to New York City, has been returned to Massachusetts for arraignment.

He is due to be in court Friday afternoon, the same day the victims family will hold their funeral.

The family of murder victims Sergia Acosta, 76, and Ana Maria Martinez, 58, learned of his return, as they prepared to hold a wake for their loved ones.

I didnt think that I would have to see my aunt and my grandma like this, said family member Genesis Berrios.

The wake and funeral for the victims come as their accused killer, William Rodriguez is returned to Worcester fleeing to New York City after the murders.

It brings me peace that he is off the streets, and in custody, justice will be served. I have faith justice will be served, said family member Cathi Rodrigues.

Records reveal why man suspected in Worcester double murder was on the streets

This shocking double murder comes only five years after Rodriguez was paroled for the murder of his wife Carmen Rodriguez in 2004 at a hotel where they both worked.

As Boston 25 News has previously reported, Rodriguez pleaded guilty, not to first degree murder, but to manslaughter for his wifes stabbing death.

He served 15 years in prison.

The parole board recommended his release in 2018, finding that he accepted responsibility for his wifes death, and maintained quote, a positive adjustment.

Sergia and Ana Marias family say they will attend Rodriguezs arraignment.

Fifteen years is, he took someones life. You came back out and did it again, unbelievable, Cathi Rodrigues said.

I cant wait until he has to see us. And know that my grandmother and my aunt have a very big family who is going to be here till the very end, Genesis Berrios added.

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), the Democratic nominee for vice president, is seen more favorably than his Republican counterpart, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, according to a poll released Thursday.

The Suffolk University/USA Today survey found 48 percent of likely voters say they see Walz in a positive light. In contrast, 37 percent of the same group said they see Vance in a positive light.

The voters in the poll also said they see Vance more unfavorably than Walz. Nearly half, 49 percent, said they see Vance in a negative light, while 36 percent said they see Walz in a negative light.

The two Midwestern vice presidential picks are set to debate next month on CBS, only about a month before the election.

Both Vance and Walz assumed their roles as their respective parties vice presidential nominees amid political whirlwinds this summer that also included President Biden stepping out of the 2024 race, former President Trump facing an assassination attempt and Vice President Harriss ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket.

Walz has been a leader in labeling Trump and Vance as weird, an attack that quickly caught on with his fellow Democrats. Both Trump and Vance have pushed back against the label.

I think its especially weird when Kamala Harris comes to Atlanta, I believe came here to this  arena, Vance said early last month. Kamala Harris comes to Atlanta and talks with a fake Southern accent, even though she grew up in Canada. You cant make it up; thats pretty weird.

The Suffolk University/USA Today poll of 1,000 likely voters took place Aug. 25-28. Its margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), Vice President Harriss running mate, suggested recently that former President Trumps rhetoric is pessimistic, comparing it to the dystopian media franchise Mad Max.

Walz, appearing to be in a campaign office, said there is a deliberate effort by some people to make them believe that our political system is broken  that things are pessimistic.

My God, every time I hear Donald Trump give a speech, its like the next screenplay for Mad Max or something, the governor said in the clip posted Wednesday to the social platform X. They are rooting against America.

They do not believe in the exceptionalists in this country, they do not believe in the people who built this country. They simply want to complain about them, he added.

Walz has been well-received by his fellow Democrats as the vice presidential nominee, despite the quick turnaround in the candidates at the top of the Democratic ticket, following President Bidens decision to withdraw from the race. The Minnesota governor has been a leader in the Harris campaigns effort to paint Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as weird, which has caught on with other members of the party.

I think all of you in this room, its not hyperbole to say, this election could very well hinge on this county here, and this field office here and the folks that we get out, Walz added in the clip.

Trump has pushed back against the weird moniker, arguing last month that he believes he and Vance are extremely normal people.

This whack job. You know, he said were weird. That JD and I are weird. I think were extremely normal people. Like you, Trump said at a campaign stop in York, Pa. Hes weird. Did you ever see him go on the stage and go like crazy?

The GOP nominee has consistently thrown the insult back at Harris and Walz, calling the North Star State governor freakish and claiming his Democratic rival is a weird person. Trump has also argued he is entitled to use personal attacks against the vice president, despite pressure from members of his party to tone down his insults and focus more on policy.

In an average of national polls from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Harris leads Trump by 4 points  49.4 percent to 45.4 percent.

The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Wars end long before armistices are signed. A war's end, after all, is a matter of will, of spiritand popular will is only haltingly, grudgingly reflected in the political machinery of peace talks.

Though it may seem astonishingly premature to say so, my impression after returning from the Russian front is that the war in Ukraine is over and that the powers that be haven't realized it yet. In the Kursk salient, at least, I can personally attest to the eerie, almost surreal inversion of spirits between the people of Ukraine and Russia. The moral scales have now firmly settled on the side of the Ukrainian defenders, and it is far likelier that Russia itself splinters into its constituent republics than that Ukraine falls to its erstwhile invaders.

I was in Irpin and Bucha nearly three years ago, while they were still smoldering from Russian occupation. The mood then, as we pulled burned bodies with bound hands from the tree lines, was a tragedy-enforced grim determination. Evidence of Ukrainian resistance was everywhere: crates of Molotov cocktails on street corners, invective-laced messages scrawled on storefronts, spent shell casings piled behind makeshift barriers against the intrudersall of it unequivocally pointing to a deep-seated resolve.

In Russia today, it is entirely differentit is a moral vacuum. Its citizens in Kursk fled the Ukrainian advance like smoke in the wind, leaving homes and possessions without so much as a whimper. I saw exactly one makeshift roadblock, consisting of a few chairs and a rake. Russian civil resistance is (or was) desultory at best. The comparison is stark: Despite Russia's enormous advantages in mass and material, the will to fight is fundamentally absent.

Ukrainian morale, meanwhile, is topping the chartsbordering on euphoria even. A fervent passion for taking the fight to their enemies has infected the front and operations are conducted amid a general scrum of units desperate to be part of the action. A sense of Wild Westlike possibility draws a cast of aggressive fighters, many eagerly engaging in their own semiprivate pirate operations in the free-for-all. This does not necessarily imply a lack of Ukrainian command and control, only that a willingness to take the fight into Russia is pervasivethe Ukrainian armed forces are like a spirited charger, barely reined in. The ambiance is almost party-likebattle-hardened and battle-hungry troops alike joke and banter at the last gas station before the Russian border, glad and relieved to be free of the grinding stalemate of the last months as they race toward the expanding front.

In Russia meanwhile, there is silence. Of the tiny handful of remaining civilians in the Kursk area, some eagerly interact with the occupiers while the rest furtively attend to their habitual routines. One woman we spoke to turned down an offer of Ukrainian cash (a gift from my daughter), asking bitterly, "And where would I spend that?" Dogs and cats wander the streets forlornly, while herds of sheep move in from the countryside to gorge on the town's unharvested fruit trees.

Those Russians left behind engage in petty low-grade looting of their former neighbors' homes. The overriding sense is one of povertyphysical as well as morala kind of community-wide bankruptcy. A faded plaque on a home proclaimed a "Veteran of the Great Patriotic War" once lived there, and my Ukrainian comrade noted how sadly decrepit his home was. "Russians are known for brutalizing their neighbors," he said, "but it is the Russians themselves who are the most brutalized of all because they do it to themselves."

Ukrainian occupiers, for their part, are too busy dashing into and through these small Russian towns to bother much with the spoils of war. Moreover, the comparatively wealthy Ukrainian forces laugh at the grimy and obsolete possessions of their neighborscontinually surprised at the degree of pervasive shortage. Ukrainian soldiers instead feed the abandoned dogs, then move quickly onward to press their advantage at the far fringes of the active front line.

***

The action in Kursk is a reminder to Westerners that the Russian behemoth is far from a monolithic, integrated federation. It is instead a tentative, demoralized, loosely adhered tissue of a nation, held together primarily through fear and learned dependence on the state. Separatist sentiment, never fully extinguished, is rising rapidly in regions like Chechnya and Karelia and across some 85 other autonomous regions spanning 11 time zones, most of which have long traditions of independence.

Leo Tolstoy famously wrote of the Russian army: "This horde is not an army because it possesses neither any real loyalty to faith, tsar and fatherlandwords that have been so much misused!nor valour, nor military dignity. All it possesses are, on the one hand, passive patience and repressed discontent, and on the other, cruelty, servitude and corruption." Things have not appreciably improved since.

Russia's incursion into Ukraine has simply run out of moral impetus. It has the resources, of course, to engage in a substantial amount of lingering mayhem. No doubt it will. But the Ukrainians I've met simply cannot envisage a scenario in which they lose. They are prepared to fight in the streets to the last man, and their commitment to freedom is overwhelming. In contrast to the current Russian mood, which seems largely to be one of confused apathy, Ukrainians have the decided advantage.

Wars are won in the heart of a people, not through the rational calculations of military planners. While there is momentum left in the Russian war machine, it is only a matter of time before reality sinks in that the Russian heart is not in this fight. Whether the war ends in the shattering of its fragile federation or in some half-hearted armistice measures to mitigate its appalling losses, Russia simply cannot go on. The Kursk offensive, for all its complexities and contradictions, has, if nothing else, opened a clear window into the popular wills of each side.

The post The War in Ukraine Is Already OverRussia Just Doesn't Know it Yet appeared first on Reason.com.
A campground at Paradise Point State Park. (Washington State Parks)

Deb Hodge and James Evans arrived at an accessible campsite at Paradise Point State Park in southwest Washington last May and quickly noticed something was off.

The site was very far from the bathroom and had uneven paths and deep ruts in the camping area  all of which is unusual for a facility deemed accessible under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

The uneven surfaces caused 65-year-old Evans, who has a disability, to fall and twist his back and need medical treatment. The couple returned back to their home in Oregon disappointed to say the least, said Hodge, who filed a complaint arguing the site violated the ADA.

That complaint ignited an investigation and a deal, announced Thursday, requiring Washington to identify and fix ADA violations at all of its state parks. The settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice will also require the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to come up with a formal process to maintain current accessible facilities and construct new ones.

The agreement was overwhelming to Hodge, who said she was not expecting all of the states parks to be reviewed and repaired because of her one complaint.

One little mouse can squeak and make a difference, she told the Standard. I cant tell you how good it makes me feel.

Under federal law, public facilities must meet certain requirements to allow access to people with disabilities. After the complaint, an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office found Washingtons state parks were out of compliance with those federal requirements at some of its parks.

The investigation also found that Washington does not have a formal procedure for identifying and addressing maintenance of accessible features in parks. It also does not have a routine to ensure new construction and alterations are accessible.

As part of the agreement, the department has 90 days to propose new policies and procedures for constructing new accessible parks and maintaining old ones.

Over the next year, the state must provide the U.S. Attorneys Office with a list of noncompliant buildings and facilities and a plan and timeline for making them compliant. Fixes should start as soon as Oct. 1, 2025, according to the settlement.

The state parks will work on the updates over the next seven years and must report its progress to the federal government every six months.

U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a statement that Washingtons park department realized quickly the need to fix many of their ADA facilities, and some of the work identifying non-compliant areas has already been done.

This agreement will ensure that access for those with disabilities is a factor that is addressed in all park projects going forward, Gorman added.

As part of the agreement, the department must also establish a grievance procedure for those wishing to complain about accessibility issues, and it must post information about inspections, complaints and fixes on its website.

Washington State Parks Director Diana Dupuis said in a statement that the department appreciates the collaboration with the federal government to help improve accessibility at state parks.

At Washington State Parks, we believe that the outdoors are for everyones enjoyment, Dupuis said. The agency continues to make progress on increasing accessibility, with more work to come.
As many students are getting ready for the new school year, so is campus security. But as it turns out, several school districts across the Puget Sound are using fewer school resource officers.

KIRO 7s Louie Tran looked into how several school districts across Puget Sound are navigating campus security as classes get back in session for many students, and parents want to make sure their kids are safe.

Ive always been a supporter of school resource officers, said Balvina Cortez, a mother of six, with her little students heading back to school.

However, mom Noemi Gonzaga says, When I see officers, I feel nervous.

School districts across western Washington are handling campus security differently. While some are focused on school resource officers, others are hiring more district workers  who are focused on safety and security.

KIRO 7 received data from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and looked into school districts in Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties.

Over the last 3 years, Federal Way School District has kept four school resource officers (SROs) and maintained more than a dozen district staff members.

Seattle hasnt had a single SRO in the last three years, but instead, theyre focused mostly on district workers. Tacoma faces a similar situation, only hiring district workers last year. Up north, Edmonds School District is focused only on district employees and private security. But for Renton, both SROs and district workers have been declining since 2021.

Some district workers told KIRO 7 that the emphasis this year is on physical and emotional safety, focusing on a more well-rounded approach.

While they dont carry any weapons, officials say SROs are trained for a multitude of different emergency scenarios.

The King County Sheriffs Office told KIRO 7 that while they are aware schools are asking for SROs, they just dont have enough deputies to spare because of staffing shortages.

All of our school resource officers had to be redeployed back to patrol. Our priority is 911 calls and calls for service, said Brandyn Hull, King County Sheriffs Office Communication Manager.

Mother Balvina Cortez hopes SROs return, saying that she believes they are more equipped than district workers to address youth violence.

If there was an active shooter, an active threat, then yes I want whoever, campus security or SRO to have the means to protect the students, said Cortez.

Cortez tells me SROs dont only support students on campus, but also off campus, communicating with resources and officers in the community. Cortez says that SROs were able to run additional patrols at local parks and get patrols on walking routes from school to home.

For mom Noemi Gonzaga, however, she says, I wouldnt put a price on the safety of my kids.

While she supports having SROs on campus, she says district workers can create an atmosphere that can better support students and their learning, including for her son.

He will fear more fear to have an officer because of the weapons, to have them every day in the hallways, she said.

But both parents agree there shouldnt be a price when it comes to protecting students.

Which parent wouldnt like for their kids to be safe, said Gonzaga.
What to watch for at the first post-SCOTUS hearing in the Trump federal election subversion case

Lawyers for Donald Trump and special counsel Jack Smith will be before Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday for the first hearing in the federal election subversion case since prosecutors revised their indictment to try to bring their case in line with a Supreme Court ruling extending to Trump some presidential immunity in the prosecution.

Chutkan will consider where the case goes from here, as a pre-election trial is now firmly out of reach. Smiths and Trumps teams have differing visions for what should come next, and they laid out their dueling approaches in court filings late Friday night.

Now the trial judge will have the opportunity to press them on those proposals. Thursdays hearing could give a view into how Chutkan  an Obama appointee who was eager to get the prosecution to trial before the Supreme Court intervened  sees the case now that it is back in her court. She will ultimately decide what happens in the case before Americans cast their ballots, with Trump again topping the GOP presidential ticket, and how far the case moves along before Inauguration Day, when Trump, if elected, could bring about the end of the case.

Trump has claimed the Justice Department engaged in election interference by filing the newly revised indictment, an allegation Attorney General Merrick Garland rejected Wednesday, telling reporters that he was confident that Smith abided by DOJ policies regarding the sensitivities around major public activity near elections.

I stand by the actions of the special counsel, Garland said. The superseding indictment is an effort to respond to the direct instructions of the Supreme Court as to how to effectuate a new indictment in an ongoing case.

The hearing starts at 10 a.m. ET in Washington, DCs federal courthouse. Cameras are not allowed into Chutkans courtroom, but CNN will be providing live updates as it unfolds. Heres what to watch for:

How quickly will Chutkan want to move forward?

Smith and Trump both offered their perspectives of the cases schedule on Friday: Smith did not offer firm dates for the next phase of the case, while Trump recommended a schedule for certain pre-trial disputes that would carry through until at least the beginning of 2025.

Their staunch disagreements set up what could be a fierce debate Thursday in front of the judge, who will ultimately decide how the case will move forward.

Chutkan hasnt yet tipped her hand as to whether she sees any detailed legal fights playing out before Novembers presidential election. When she scheduled Thursdays hearing last month, Chutkan only instructed the parties to get together to see whether they could agree on scheduling matters, and to highlight where they disagree.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on December 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. - Alex Wong/Getty Images

In the past, the judge has shown a desire to push the case forward as quickly as possible. Chutkan has ruled on issues several times without holding in-person hearings, and before the case was upended by a lengthy appeals process, repeatedly refused to push back deadlines or the now-defunct March trial date.

In those disputes, however, prosecutors fiercely argued to keep the case on a tight schedule, whereas now they appear to be leaving all scheduling matters up to the judge. That switch could be because prosecutors dont want to be perceived as explicitly pushing for dramatic public flare-ups in the case during the weeks before the election. Leaving those deadline decisions entirely up to Chutkan would take the onus off of the Justice Department.

What preparations has Smith done to move quickly?

With the filing last week of a so-called superseding indictment, Smith signaled that, though he spent several months without publicly indicating how they would handle the election interference prosecution going forward, his team has been quietly re-assembling their case.

Those preparations would allow prosecutors to propel the case forward  and quickly  should the judge decide to do so.

In the few weeks since the case returned to the district courts jurisdiction, prosecutors rewrote the indictment against Trump entirely so that it would, in their eyes, conform with the high courts mandate on presidential immunity.

In This August 2023 photo, special counsel Jack Smith arrives to speak to members of the media at the US Department of Justice building in Washington, DC. - Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

The Supreme Court said in July that Trump had absolute immunity when it came to the executive branchs core functions and said that his election-related dealings with the Justice Department fit in that category, so Smith removed the DOJ-related allegations entirely for that case. For other official presidential acts, such as Trumps interactions with his vice president, Mike Pence, the immunity is presumed but could be overcome if prosecutors could prove that criminalizing that conduct wouldnt interfere with a president performing his constitutional functions, the Supreme Court said. So, Smith has made significant edits to other parts of his indictment to distinguish Trumps post-election actions  including his pressure campaign on Pence  from the duties of a president, while removing some interactions Trump had with his official advisers.

And in their scheduling proposal to Chutkan on Friday, the special counsel prosecutors indicated that they have been prepping other filings too, particularly over issues likely to arise in the continued and arduous fight over what evidence can still be presented in the case. The Government is prepared to file its opening immunity brief promptly at any time the Court deems appropriate, prosecutors wrote of those briefings.

How does Chutkan want to resolve the immunity issue?

Trump and Smith have different procedural ideas for how the battle over immunity that the Supreme Court ruling teed up should be tackled. On Thursday, Chutkan could indicate that she is choosing one of those approaches over the other, or she might press to find some middle ground way that melds their opposing proposals.

Smith, in Fridays court filings, suggested that the issue could be decided just with legal briefings and said that his office was ready to file an opening briefing explaining how the superseding indictment comports with the Supreme Courts decision.

Trump disagreed with that process in Fridays filings. Instead, his lawyers think Trump is entitled to another round of immunity-related discovery from the government before the judge considers whether the revised case comports with the Supreme Courts ruling. Trump argued the court should reserve time on its schedule to hash out any disputes that would arise if prosecutors refused to turn over records Trump is seeking. And Trump thinks he should be able to file the first brief on the merits of the immunity issues instead of the special counsel, with a motion to dismiss that would seek to toss the entire superseding indictment.

But before all that, Trump says that the court should decide a challenge he is planning to file alleging that Smith was unconstitutionally appointed and that his office was unlawfully funded  a similar motion to that which led to the dismissal of his federal case in Florida.

Another process-related question Chutkan may weigh in on is whether she will deal with non-immunity issues while shes considering the immunity question, or if each dispute will need to be dealt with separately.

Will Chutkan weigh in on Trumps new plans to attack the case?

In addition to the immunity issue, Trump previewed in Fridays filing what will be several other possible efforts he launches to attack Smiths case. At Thursdays hearing, Chutkan could lay out a process for dealing with those potential requests for the cases dismissal, while signaling how seriously she views them.

Trump will try to replicate the successful challenge he brought to Smiths appointment in the Florida case, which led to the judge there dismissing the classified documents prosecution (that ruling is up on appeal). Trump also plans a separate attack on the election subversion case that will allege that the grand jury that handed up the new indictment was exposed to evidence covered by the Supreme Courts immunity ruling, requiring the cases dismissal.

Trumps lawyers are additionally considering a challenge zeroing in on the central role Trumps conduct toward Pence continues to play in Smiths case.

Another challenge they might bring would argue Smiths case is flawed because it brings an obstruction charge that was undermined by a separate Supreme Court ruling this term, in which the court limited the use of the obstruction charge in Capitol rioter cases.

Fully considering, researching, briefing, and resolving each of these potential motions will take considerable time and resources, Trumps attorneys said in the Friday filing.

CNNs Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  With two months to go before the November election, the Ohio senatorial race between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno is attracting national attention.

It is already considered the most expensive in the nation, and it could determine which party collects control of the Senate. This means the vote in Ohio wields power, and to help voters with their choice, NBC4s Colleen Marshall invited each candidate to sit down for an interview with her and Joe Toohey, a colleague from NBC4s Nexstar sister station in Cleveland.

Thus far, only Sherrod Brown has confirmed an interview date, although both candidates have expressed interest. You can watch the interview with Sherrod Brown in its entirety in the video player above.

Listen: Columbus was warned first about data leaks scope

Brown has been in the Senate since 2007, and his political career extends back to 1975. He said he should be re-elected because his resume proves he gets things done.

When I came to the Senate, I wanted Ohio to get its fair share, now I want Ohio to get more than its fair share, Brown said. Im proud of what Ive done. Ive spent my career standing up to special interest groups, up to Wall Street, standing up to the drug companies.

Brown said as an Ohio Senator, he has contributed to capping prescription drug prices, given back to Ohio veterans and said he helped preserve the pension of 100,000 union workers. Brown also said he feels Moreno will not get things done as he said Moreno will not collaborate with those who are not in his party.

My job, first of all, is to put Ohioans first. So Ive taken on Presidents of both parties, a whole host of issues, (and) will continue to. My job is to fight for pension, Brown said. Its my job to look out for people partisanship aside.

Last November, Ohioans voted to approve reproductive right protections, and Brown said he wants Ohioans and their physicians to make their decisions about abortion, not politicians.

(Moreno) is arguing for a national abortion ban, no exceptions, Brown said. Says hes 100% pro-life in the face of what Ohioans decided with 57%  that, to me, is not representative government. When the voters say something resoundingly, its really arrogant to say, No, I know better than you.'

Ohio Secretary of State changes ballot drop box rules ahead of election, calls for their elimination

Brown was also the fourth Democratic senator to call for President Joe Biden to withdraw his candidacy for president, which Brown said he did because he heard Ohioans express a need to move on. He said the decision saddened him, but he felt it was the right one.

He also chose not to attend the Democratic Convention in Chicago, which he said he did in order to prioritize speaking with Ohio voters.

I made that decision four months ago that I was not going to go to the Democratic Convention, Brown said. Tough race in a tough state and I was talking to voters  One day I was in Toledo with two sheriffs, one Democrat, one Republican. Both endorsed me.

Brown said he spoke with those sheriffs about keeping fentanyl out of the country, which he anticipates successes in. He also said he was grateful he was able to learn from constituents instead of attending the conference.

Brown recalled a visit to Pike County for the ground breaking of a new school after the old junior high kept making people sick from left over nuclear radiation from a Cold War nuclear enrichment plant.

I was surrounded by maybe 100 5th graders, and then the local marching band in a very small school district in Pike, he said. It was fun, it was celebratory. Way more fun than going to Chicago, and also more useful.

DeWine seeks overhaul of Ohios justice system

Brown has also served alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the new Democratic candidate, both in her current role and when she was in the Senate herself. He said they had never sat on the same committee, but have worked together and he said he likes her.

Brown also addressed the campaign ads Moreno is running against him. He said he does not understand Moreno calling him a communist, and challenged Moreno to consider the policies more than the attacks.

If Im watching the Guardians game and I see another nasty ad with chaos at the border and an Alfred-Hitchcock-like voice, that ominous voice  I just dont answer all that stuff, he said. And they make stuff up. Whose side are you on? Whos fighting, because Im working bipartisanly.

Brown said he wants to continue his service to Ohio for another six years, and said at 71-years-old, he still feels ready to serve voters.

I wake up every day and I think, I still get to do this and make this fight for Ohio and make this fight for workers and  God willing and the voters willing  come November, I will keep doing it, he said.

NBC4 has reached out to Moreno repeatedly to offer him the same opportunity to sit down for an interview. Although his team has expressed interest, he has not committed to a date.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
How to watch the presidential debate between Trump and Harris

WASHINGTON (AP)  The second general election debate of the 2024 campaign season is here, but its the first matchup for the current nominees.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are taking part in Tuesday nights debate in Philadelphia. After a disastrous performance in the first general election debate of this cycle in June, President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, upending the campaign in its closing months and kicking off the rapid-fire process that allowed Harris to rise as Democrats nominee in his place.

Heres how to watch the debate:

What time is the debate?

The debate will start at 9 p.m. EDT Tuesday and is expected to last 90 minutes. Its being moderated by World News Tonight anchor David Muir and Prime anchor Linsey Davis.

What channel is the debate on?

ABC News is carrying the debate live on its broadcast network as well as its streaming platform ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Several networks have also agreed to carry the event live.

Where is the debate?

The second general election debate of this cycle is taking place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. As was the case for the June debate, there will be no audience present.

Pennsylvania is perhaps the nation's premier swing state, and both candidates have spent significant time campaigning across Pennsylvania. Trump was holding a rally in Butler, in western Pennsylvania, in mid-July when he was nearly assassinated by a gunman perched on a nearby rooftop. Harris chose Philadelphia as the spot where she unveiled Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August.

In 2020, it was Pennsylvania's electoral votes that put Biden over the top and propelled him into the White House, four years after Trump won the state. Bidens victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed the processing of some ballots, and the Trump campaign mounted several legal challenges.

Which candidates will be on stage?

Two candidates  Harris and Trump  will be on stage, and it'll be the first time that they've ever met. Its also Harris first debate since 2020, when she and Trumps running mate  then-Vice President Mike Pence  debated through plexiglass shields during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Biden's departure from the campaign after the first debate, there was some concern whether Trump and Harris would be facing off at all. As the vice president wound her way from Biden's running mate to Democratic nominee, Trump said he had made his initial debate agreement with Biden, inserting doubt into whether he would meet Harris on a debate stage.

Then there was the kerfuffle over the muting of microphones  except for a candidate's turn to speak  something Biden's campaign had made a condition of its decision to accept any debates this year. Some aides have said they have come to regret that decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trumps outbursts. Harris' campaign said it wanted all microphones to be live, and, while Trump said he'd rather have mics probably on, his campaign agreed to the same mic muting in place for the June debate with Biden.

The current ABC framework for the second debate has the same rules for mic muting, no live audience or written notes.

So far, the candidates have not come to an agreement on meeting again for another debate.

Whats up next?

CBS News will host a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 between Walz and Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. That event is planned to be held in New York City.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)

On Sunday, September 8, "Sunday Morning" senior contributor Ted Koppel hosts "This Time Is Different," a special edition of "Sunday Morning," in which we examine a few of the factors likely to make this year's election perhaps the most important of our lifetime.

WATCH THE FULL SEPTEMBER 8 BROADCAST!

COVER STORY: Serving up politics (and deep-fried pickles) at the Wisconsin State Fair (Video)

In a suburb of Milwaukee, visitors to the Wisconsin State Fair could partake of pig races and deep-fried foods on a stick  and also talk politics with "Sunday Morning" senior contributor Ted Koppel, who asked Wisconsinites why they were backing their chosen candidates in the presidential election.

For more info:

The Wisconsin State Fair

Left: Kid Rock performs during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 18, 2024. Right: Lil Jon performs during the Ceremonial Roll Call of States at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, August 20, 2024. / Credit: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu, Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

MUSIC: A political playlist: The fight over campaign songs | Watch Video

Music has helped set the stage for politicians for generations, and some songs have become intertwined with campaigns, from Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A.," to Beyonce's "Freedom." But sometimes artists don't want their songs to be used by a particular candidate  and sometimes they sue! Correspondent Tracy Smith looks at when the playing of political anthems segues into copyright infringement.

For more info:

Mark Clague, music history professor, University of MichiganMusic copyright attorney Lawrence Iser, KHIKSLee Greenwood

REALITY CHECK: What's up with the economy? | Watch Video

The economy is the number one issue for voters going to the ballot box this November, and polls say most Americans, when asked about the economy, are pessimistic. But according to many economic indicators, the economy is actually doing quite well. So, why the disparity? Correspondent David Pogue talks with economics professor Justin Wolfers about what feeds people's misperceptions of America's post-pandemic economy.

For more info:

Justin Wolfers, economics professor, University of Michigan

U.S.: Flying the flag (Video)

It's an election year, when sales of American flags usually spike. But 2024 is different; pride in flying the Stars and Stripes has become more partisan. From militants weaponizing the flag to activists creating their own flag variants, "Sunday Morning" contributor Kelefa Sanneh looks at why most Americans want to claim the flag that unites us as their own.

For more info:

Gettysburg Flag Works, East Greenbush, N.Y.North American Vexillological Association

NEWS: How immigration laws are raising issues for Florida growers (Video)

In Florida, where nearly 27% of the labor force is foreign-born, state politicians are passing some of the harshest anti-illegal immigration laws in the country. Agriculture is big business in the Sunshine State, but with an estimated half of all farm workers in the country illegally, Florida's new laws are having significant consequences for farm owners. Correspondent Martha Teichner examines how a state that needs more workers is grappling with the consequences of cracking down on the undocumented.

For more info:

State Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-District 11, Fla.)Guatemalan-Mayan Center, Lake Worth Beach, Fla.Sunripe Certified Brands, Palmetto, Fla.Farmworker Association of Florida





REALITY CHECK: What we get wrong about crime | Watch Video

The number of Americans who think that crime rates are going up hasn't been this high in decades. And yet, FBI statistics show that crime rates (from violent crimes like murders, to property crimes like burglary) have actually steadily dropped for 30 years. Correspondent David Pogue looks at how, when it comes to the public's attitudes on crime, perception and reality are two different things.

For more info:

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Crime Data ExplorerBureau of Justice Statistics

Clockwise from top right: South Carolina State Senators Penry Gustafson, Sandy Senn and Katrina Shealy (all Republican), with Democrat Margie Bright Matthews and Independent Mia McLeod. / Credit: CBS News

U.S.: South Carolina's "Sister Senators" on finding common ground | Watch Video

In South Carolina, three Republican State Senators  Katrina Shealy, Sandy Senn and Penry Gustafson  bucked their party to join Democrat Margie Bright Matthews and Independent Mia McLeod in filibustering their state's near-total ban on abortion and halting its passage three times. For their efforts, Shealy, Senn and Gustafson lost their party's primaries, and faced threats and harassment. They talk with correspondent Lee Cowan about the price they paid for their principles, and what they gained by reaching across the aisle.

For more info:

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage AwardPhoto by Nia J. Byas

Claude Rains and Jimmy Stewart in the 1939 Frank Capra classic,

MOVIES: Has Hollywood abandoned the political movie? | Watch Video

As Americans have become more polarized, has Hollywood shied away from telling overtly political stories? Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz talks with actor Martin Sheen, who famously played a president on the long-running TV series "The West Wing"; with film professor Annette Insdorf and critic Michael Schulman, about Hollywood's long tradition of political films; and former studio head Michael Lynton, on the thinking behind risk-averse film studios.

For more info:

Annette Insdorf, film professor, Columbia UniversityMichael Lynton, Ares ManagementMichael Schulman, film critic, The New Yorker



REALITY CHECK: How divided is America, really? | Watch Video

If you listen to polls and pundits, you may assume that politics has polarized Americans. But correspondent David Pogue points out that, while we tend to have an exaggerated idea of what other people believe, statistics show Americans actually agree on a whole lot.

In an indictment unsealed on Wednesday, the Department of Justice alleged that Russian nationals funneled millions of dollars to an American media company that paid right-wing influencers for videos pushing narratives favorable to the Kremlin. The Biden administration also accused Russia of using fake news sites designed to covertly spread Russian propaganda in an attempt to interfere with the 2024 U.S. presidential election. / Credit: CBS News

BOOKS: Fake news, social media, and "The Death of Truth" | Watch Video

As disinformation and conspiracy theories proliferate online in algorithm-fueled chaos, artificial intelligence is making it even harder for us to tell fact from fiction. "Sunday Morning" senior contributor Ted Koppel examines the consequences of fake news on the election with Steven Brill, author of "The Death of Truth."

READ AN EXCERPT: "The Death of Truth" by Steven Brill

For more info:

"The Death of Truth: How Social Media and the Internet Gave Snake Oil Salesmen and Demagogues the Weapons They Needed to Destroy Trust and Polarize the World  and What We Can Do" by Steven Brill (Knopf), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgNewsGuard





COMMENTARY: Ted Koppel on taking election victories for granted (Video)

The "Sunday Morning" senior contributor notes that "whoever gets the most votes" does not necessarily mean victory - now more than ever.



NATURE: Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota (Extended Video)

We leave you this Sunday morning under the watchful eyes of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, carved into Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Videographer: David Bhagat.



Also:

The messiness of democracy, and why Americans can't afford to turn away (YouTube Video)

Today in the United States, the values of democracy as being openly questioned and tested, and the stakes for our nation's future are higher than ever. Yet, a recent study shows that 38% of Americans say that they often or sometimes avoid news due to its depressing nature. Historian Mark Updegrove, president of the LBJ Foundation in Austin, says that, in fact, there has never been a more important time to pay attention to what's happening in our country  and to show up at the polls.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin: Not participating in elections is "cowardly" (YouTube Video)

In this excerpt from an interview with CBS News' Robert Costa, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin says, in the upcoming election, democracy is at stake, and that people should not tune out in the belief that their voice doesn't matter.

Trump's guilty verdict: A stress test for democracy (YouTube Video)

Being found guilty of 34 felony counts would normally mark the end of someone's political prospects. But as longtime Trump chronicler Michael Wolff notes, the former president has built his career, and brand, on grievances  and this week's conviction in a New York courtroom is not stopping Trump from running for another term in the White House. CBS News chief election & campaign correspondent Robert Costa reports.

The GOP's one-man show, starring Donald Trump (YouTube Video)

The Republican National Convention provided little drama this year, as party faithful paid homage to their nominee, former President Donald Trump. CBS News correspondent John Dickerson, anchor of "The Daily Report," reflects on the role the RNC is playing in this year's presidential race rematch.

Liz Cheney's "dire" warning against reelecting Trump (YouTube Video)

Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney says that voters have become increasingly numb to politicians warning of looming dangers to democracy, so in her new book, "Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning," she lays out the case for the threats to the Constitution posed by Donald Trump should he regain the White House. Cheney talks with CBS News' John Dickerson about how the leading GOP candidate's own words reveal his plans for a second term, and why she believes blocking Trump and preventing a Republican House majority in the next election is "the cause of our time."

Kamala Harris' turn to make history (YouTube Video)

In the past week, following President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris has all but locked in her party's nomination, racked up an impressive list of endorsements, and hauled in a mountain of cash. Constituencies who had tuned out of the campaign are tuning back in. Correspondent Martha Teichner talks with political strategist Stuart Stevens and presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky about what the past suggests is in Harris' future.

President Biden on ending reelection bid, and defeating Trump (YouTube Video)

President Joe Biden sits down with CBS News chief election & campaign correspondent Robert Costa for his first interview since announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race. He talks about dropping his bid for reelection; his support of the Harris-Walz ticket; and what he sees as the threat posed to democracy if former President Donald Trump is successful in regaining the White House.

Reality, as Trump supporters see it (YouTube Video)

Former President Donald Trump's critics have been vocal about what a potential Trump election victory in November might mean for the country. In a visit to a campaign rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, "Sunday Morning" senior contributor Ted Koppel talks with Trump supporters to find out what they believe would be the consequences of another Trump election loss. He also visits the battlefield at Gettysburg, where a "war on memory" continues to be waged.

WEB EXCLUSIVE:

GALLERY: Summer music heats up 2024

Live performances are in full swing this summer. Scroll through our concert gallery, featuring pictures by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.

One of the top-rated archers in the country, Matt Stutzman, was born without arms. / Credit: CBS News

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Armless Archer (Video)

American Matt Stutzman, the "Armless Archer," has won gold at the Paralympics in Paris. Watch Lee Cowan's 2019 profile of the remarkable Stutzman who has medaled in a sport many would have thought beyond his reach.

"HERE COMES THE SUN": Tom Selleck and sculptor Jacopo "Jago" Cardillo (Video)

Actor Tom Selleck sits down with Tracy Smith to discuss his ongoing career and the future of his show "Blue Bloods." Then, Seth Doane travels to Naples, Italy, to meet sculptor Jacopo "Jago" Cardillo and learn about his latest project.

The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.

DVR Alert! Find out when "Sunday Morning" airs in your city

"Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)

Full episodes of "Sunday Morning" are now available to watch on demand on CBSNews.com, CBS.com and Paramount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox.

Follow us on Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; TikTok; and at cbssundaymorning.com.

You can also download the free "Sunday Morning" audio podcast at iTunes and at Play.it. Now you'll never miss the trumpet!

Rep. Jim Himes says Biden came to office with "binding agreement" on Afghanistan from Trump

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says Kamala Harris "knows we are in play"

Rep. Michael McCaul says Afghanistan investigation will go on "well after the election"
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Brothers look out for one another. The story goes that Cain asked if he was his brothers keeper only after he had killed Abel, but since then family members have been watching out for their blood kin.

The legendary feuds between the Hatfields and McCoys in Appalachia and the larger Ramsey-Tuggle Feud in Claiborne Parish truly show blood can be pretty thick.

But did you know that a Shreveport mayor was once known as his brothers keeper?

Jim and Andy Currie

Jim and Andrew Currie were like night and day. Born in County Clare, Ireland, and as poor as the rocky Irish soil where they were born, the two brothers sailed to America with their older brother Michael looking for a new start after their parents died.

Landing at Boston in 1849, the brothers settled in New York City. In time, Andy became a popular Louisiana politician, rising up to become the Mayor of Shreveport. But his brother Jim became a brutish killer.

In 1859, Andrew was age 16. He ventured out on his own and found employment in Shreveport as a store clerk. He served the Confederacy during the Civil War, while his brother Jim fought for the Union with the 12th Ohio Infantry.

After the war, Andrew returned to Shreveport as a deputy sheriff. His fortunes rose as a successful insurance agent and an influential businessman. He was elected mayor of Shreveport as a Democrat in 1878, when he developed the citys first water and sewer systems. He even built a bridge across the Red River while maintaining financial interests in the railroad and other ventures.

But Andys brother Jim went in a very different direction. One writer called Jim Currie one of the most depraved specimens that ever visited the western country. He was the embodiment of everything bad and disreputable, the very quintessence of all wickedness, and a living personification of crime in its worst forms, without a single redeeming quality. No person was safe against his attacks; his murderous weapons were aimed at all alike.

Big Jim Currie while in prison.

Big Jim Currie killed more than a dozen people, and he might have killed many more than that. Known more as a drunken bully than a classic gunfighter, most of Curries killings were outright murders. For instance, in 1870 he went on a drunken rampage in a Kansas dance hall and killed two men and two women.

Big Jim Currie was said to be the only man Wild Bill Hickok feared.

By 1873, Jim Currie was working as an engineer for the Texas & Pacific Railroad which ran from Shreveport to west Texas. Later he was reassigned as a railroad detective to chase thieves.

Despite his record of leaving dead bodies everywhere he went, Big Jim Currie would have been completely forgotten except for one man he almost killed: Drew Barrymores great-grandfather, Maurice Barrymore.

Maurice Barrymore was an up-and-coming actor in 1879. He and a partner, Frederick Warde, created the Warde-Barrymore Combination, booking the play Diplomacy on an extensive run. Warde would take one troupe across the Northeast and upper Midwest, while Barrymore toured the South.

In January 1879, the partners departed on tour. Performances received critical acclaim, and the venture enjoyed modest financial success.

After a performance in Galveston, Barrymores group headed north by train for an engagement in Marshall. During the trip, actor Ben Porter announced to the troupe that cast member Ellen Cummins had consented to marry him as soon his divorce was finalized.

The performers pulled into Marshall in the early evening of March 19.

Dubbed the Gateway to Texas because of its proximity to Louisiana and Arkansas, Marshall viewed itself as a cultural haven. Among its several theaters was Mahones Opera House where the combination would perform one performance that night before a capacity crowd.

The production was flawless with Barrymore and his brother-in-law John Drew exceptional as the leads.

The incident in Marshall, Texas

After the performance, the troupe retired to the Depot Hotel to await their train. Maurice Barrymore, Ben Porter, and Ellen Cummins entered Nat Harveys empty lunchroom on the station platform. At the eating bar, Ben and Ellen ordered coffee. After drinking a light ale, Barrymore excused himself to see to the luggage while the couple stayed to have dinner.

As Nat Harvey took their order, Big Jim Currie came in the door. More than six feet tall and weighing 220 pounds, Curries size was intimidating. Even when sober, Big Jim was known for his vicious temper. His brother Andrews influence had rescued him from several jams, and Big Jims jobs with the Texas & Pacific Railroad were likely obtained for him by Andrew who was invested heavily in local railroads.

Big Jims recent killing of three men while serving as a railroad detective was still controversial at the time.

Maurice Barrymore. (Source: Public domain.)

Currie asked Harvey for liquor, but everyone recognized that intoxication had already overtaken the big man. As Currie gulped down his drink, he spotted Ellen Cumminss reflection in a mirror beside the bar and made some offensive remarks. Words were exchanged with Ben Porter who invited Currie outside.

Thats when Barrymore returned. Go away, the actor said, Theres a lady here.

Maybe you want to take it up, you damned whoremonger, Currie said.

Barrymore turned quickly to Porter. Get Miss Cummins out of here, he urged.

Barrymore removed his coat. He had no fear of Currie, having trained as a boxer. As Barrymore assumed a fighting stance, Currie drew two Smith & Wesson revolvers from beneath his coat, leveled them at the unarmed actor, and fired. The first bullet ripped through Barrymores left arm before burying itself in the actors chest. Another shot struck Barrymores boot.

The actor turned and ran with Currie giving chase.

Crashing through a side door, Barrymore fell into the yard as another bullet struck nearby.

Currie turned back into the lunchroom just as Ben Porter ran through the front door. For Gods sake, Porter shouted, Dont murder an unarmed man!

Currie cursed him, adding I can kill the whole lot of you!

He shot Porter in the stomach. At the sight of her fiance sprawled in the doorway, Ellen Cummins screamed.

John Drew arrived next, finding Big Jim holding the two revolvers. Drew froze as their eyes met but Currie merely shoved past him out onto the station platform where he fired his pistols into the night.

A brave deputy, bolstered by a double-barreled shotgun, confronted Currie and convinced him to surrender.

The aftermath

A railroad officer summoned a doctor, but Ben Porter died within minutes. The seriously wounded Maurice Barrymore was taken to the hotel for surgery while the troupe waited anxiously in the lobby.

In the morning, the doctors emerged with news the bullet had been removed and the operation was a success.

Word spread of the shooting of the unarmed men. The St. Louis Democrat called Texas a place where whiskey and pistols are too plentiful and law and order too scarce. The New York Times, read by many theater aficionados, reported on the shooting eight times during the spring of 1879.

Meanwhile, Shreveport Mayor Andy Currie arrived at Marshall with the Crain brothers, noted criminal lawyers from Caddo Parish.

Marshall was familiar ground to Andy Currie. His wife Annie Fort Gregg was from one of the towns most prominent families. As the most powerful man in Shreveport at the time, Andrew Currie would call in all the favors due him to defend his intractable brother.

But Big Jim Currie did not help his case when he told a reporter from jail he had no regret at what he had done [only] that he had not killed the entire party.

Ben Porters funeral and the trail

On March 25, while Ben Porters funeral was being held in New York City, the remaining cast performed again in Marshall followed by benefits across Texas. Barrymore insisted all $5,000 of the proceeds go to Porters mother.

Distraught over the murder of her fiance, Ellen Cummins returned home to Louisville, rarely performing again.

Maurice remained in Marshall for months recovering from his wounds.

On July 3, 1879, the murder trial of Jim Currie beganbut it was delayed when the defense complained of the absence of several witnesses.

Upon recommendation of her doctor, Ellen Cummins had been allowed to give her testimony by deposition. But Nat Harvey had mysteriously vanished.

After rejoining his companys tour for its final performance in Philadelphia, Maurice Barrymore returned to Marshall for the trial, hoping to see justice for the brutal killer of his colleague.

When the judge caved in to the defenses request for a postponement, Barrymore could not conceal his bitterness.

This reminds me of our performances in England, Barrymore complained. We commence with a tragedy and end with a farce.

A new trial

The new trial date, June 10, 1880, gave prosecutors time to track down Harvey, its star witness. The former saloon owner was finally found near Fort Worth, where he was arrested.

Barrymore and Ellen Cummins returned to Marshall. On June 14, after a prolonged jury selection process, the trial began. The three eyewitnesses recalled the details of Jim Curries drunken rampage with clarity. The evidence appeared to establish Curries guilt without question.

Curries defense team, now expanded to eight lawyers, attempted to show he had acted in self-defense. But despite the testimony of 23 witnesses, the evidence supporting their assertion remained weak and unconvincing.

Next, the defense argued that Currie was not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr. T.G. Ford of Shreveport, certainly an acquaintance of Mayor Currie, testified that Big Jim was likely not in his right mind at the time of the shooting.

Andrew Currie, former mayor of Shreveport and brother of Big Jim. (Source: Public domain.)

Closing arguments by long-winded lawyers dragged on for two days until the judge presented the case to the jury on June 18, 1880.

With what can be characterized as indecent haste, reported Marshalls Tri-Weekly Herald, the twelve jurors reached their verdict in just ten minutes. With unabashed pride, the foreman stood and announced their inexplicable decision: We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty by reason of insanity.

There was little doubt the jury had been bought, as jurors had suddenly came into large sums of cash.

Andy Currie returned to Shreveport, but not before banishing his brother from the region. Big Jim died of heart disease in Spokane, Washington in 1899, years after he was erroneously reported killed in a shootout in New Mexico.

Andrew Currie served as Shreveports mayor until he resigned in 1890. Afterward he served as Shreveports postmaster and as a state senator.

He owned the Shreveport Times and other businesses, and when he died in 1918 he was buried in the Confederate Veterans section of Greenwood Cemetery in Shreveport.

Maurice Barrymore survived to sire one of the most famous families in Hollywood. His children John, Lionel, and Ethel became popular stage and screen stars.

Great granddaughter Drew Barrymore continues to enjoy a successful career, transitioning from a childhood and adult movie star to a talk-show host of great acclaim.

Wes Harris is the Claiborne Parish Library historian and the Lincoln Parish historian. Hes also the editor of the North Louisiana Historical Society journal and heads the Claiborne Parish History Club. His specialties are Reconstruction Era crime and World War II in north Louisiana.

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Lets be honest. At first blush, Britains private schools are not the worlds most sympathetic institutions. Unflattering tropes about the countrys Tillys, Tarquins, and Tabithas are an in-built feature of British social and cultural life  and as a former state school boy myself, Im partial to poking the occasional bit of fun at my privately schooled peers.

And yet despite all of this cultural baggage, the case against the Governments plans to charge VAT on private schools is increasingly irrefutable. As the Adam Smith Institute recently made clear, pupils are likely to leave their private schools en masse as a result, overwhelming local state schools in the process. Whats more, as a result, the Governments education tax could fail to raise any money for the Treasury at all.

The list of follies goes on; its no wonder that so many MPs are concerned. Private schools are major local employers  not just of teachers who might find it difficult to work in the state sector if they dont have the right qualifications, but of support staff such as cleaners and cooks.

Then theres the timing of the tax. Springing a last-minute announcement on parents that the tax will take effect in January is nothing short of cruel. Most schools will not accept an application mid-way through the year  and even if they did, do we really think that moving a child halfway through the school year will be good for their educational outcomes?

All of this aside, Id actually like to argue the moral case for the very existence of private schools in the first place. You might accuse me of constructing a strawman  but with senior Labour figures such as Angela Rayner appearing to state their long-term desire to abolish private education altogether, this is still a case worth making.

For one, theres the importance of choice in-principle. Parents have a far better sense of their childs needs than the state. The freedom to choose a non-state education provider will only become more important, as dogmatic teaching unions push for more and more ideological changes to the school curriculum. For the benefit of those not paying attention to the latest developments in labour relations, teaching unions have most recently argued for the abolition of times tables tests and grammar exams. Its always useful to be reminded of exactly what the trade unions think about the intellectual ability of state-schooled children.

And then theres the wider impact of private schools on our education system. According to Oxford Economics, private schools contribute 13.7 billion to our economy every year. Parents who go private are helping to release some of the pressure on our overwhelmed state schools  reducing the Governments education bill and class sizes in one fell swoop. If anything, we should be actively rewarding this behaviour rather than punishing it. After all, state school funding doesnt grow on trees.

But what about social mobility, I hear you ask? Arent private schools responsible for inequalities in educational, professional, and social outcomes?

Let me be clear  inequality of outcome is going to exist with or without private schools; sharp-elbowed middle class parents arent going away. If not private education, then itll be after-school tutoring or homeownership in the best-performing catchment areas that provides the advantage.

Private schools are, in many ways, far preferable to the alternatives when it comes to providing opportunities for under-privileged children. They share their facilities with state schools, and award bursaries to talented young people. If the Governments real concern is social mobility, they would be better off bringing back the Assisted Places Scheme, hastily abolished in 1997 by Tony Blair, who appeared to have been temporarily possessed by the spirit of Michael Foot.

Rather than denigrating them at any opportunity, lets embrace the advantages that private schools already provide, while working to genuinely improve the quality of education in the state sector. Any ideological crusade to eliminate inequality by punishing private schools is doomed to fail. Put simply, lets not allow thought-terminating stereotypes about Eton-educated toffs get in the way of a genuinely valuable British institution.

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UPDATE (3:50 p.m.)  The Macomb Police share the latest on the man taken into custody in connection to a shooting that injured two officers.

According to the Macomb Police Chief Jeff Hamer, said Shaiking M. Mathis, 38, surrendered to police without further incident at about 2:10 p.m.

Mathis has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery with a firearm to a police officer and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

The counts are all elevated charges due to the victims being police officers. If convicted, probation is not an option and a minimum sentence would be 15 years behind bars.

The Macomb Police Department wants to express my relief that this incident came to a peaceful conclusion and there were no further injuries. We also would like to thank the community for their patience, understanding, support, and generosity as this incident impacted many aspects of our daily lives here in Macomb, Hamar said.

He said the Illinois State Police are in charge of the shooting investigation.

UPDATE: (3:30 p.m.)  A person who allegedly shot two Macomb police officers Wednesday night is in custody after a several hour-long standoff.

The Macomb Police Department said on their Facebook page that they will provide more details at a 4 p.m. press conference. The man was taken into custody without incident, the department said.,

Officers had surrounded the house in the 300 block of North Normal Street in Macomb for nearly 19 hours, trying to talk the person to give up and come out.

The two officers had been released earlier Thursday after being flown to Peoria for treatment.

This story will be updated.

_______________________________________________________

UPDATE (10:05 a.m.)  The Macomb police officers who were shot by an unnamed person have been released from a Peoria hospital, the police chief said Thursday morning.

A bit more than 15 hours after the two officers were shot in the 300 block of North Normal Street, the chief updated reporters during a very brief news conference. He took no questions and spoke for less than three minutes.

The chief, Jeff Hamer, said the officers were initially treated in Macomb and then taken to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. He said the two officers were discharged Thursday and will be sent home.

He urged people to stay away from the area around Normal Street, saying the suspect  it was unknown if it was a man or a woman  remained barricaded in the home. One person was interviewed and released last night.

The officers were at the house to serve a search warrant and when they entered the property and announced they were officers, they were shot, Hamer said.

Members of the Illinois State Police SWAT team as well as their crisis negotiation team were on hand. Also, on hand were other regional and local law enforcement groups who were helping with the investigation.

There is no threat to the community, he said. Western Illinois University closed both its Macomb campus and its one in the Quad Cities as a result of the shooting.

The university postponed the Civil Service Employees Council Town Hall with Interim President Mindrup and the Student Town Hall, Conversations with Cabinet, to a later date. The campus community will be notified when a new date has been determined.

Hamer said the investigation into what happened will now be conducted by the Illinois State Police as required by departmental policy. There will be another update Thursday, which Hamer said would be at 3 p.m.

This story will be updated.

____________________________________________________________________________

LIVE: Macomb Police to hold press conference after officers shot Wednesday

MACOMB, Ill. (WMBD)  The police chief of this west-central Illinois city is expected to update reporters on the conditions of two officers were shot Wednesday night while trying to serve a warrant.

The press conference is to begin at 10 a.m. at Macomb City Hall.

Two officers injured after shooting in Macomb

The officers were flown to Peoria for treatment where they were listed in critical but stable condition late Wednesday.

The chief, Jeff Hamer, was also expected to give an update on situation in the 300 block of Normal Street where is part of an area of this city of roughly 20,000 that has several streets blocked off.

WMBD-TV has a crew on scene and will update with more information when it is available.

This story will be updated.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Western Illinois University closed after officers shot; city to hold press conference

MACOMB, Ill. (WMBD)  Officials in the west-central Illinois city of Macomb will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. to discuss the shooting of two police officers Wednesday night.

Also, Western Illinois University will be closed and not have classes on Thursday due to the shooting. Several streets were also blocked off near the 300 block of Normal Streets where the incident occurred due to a heavy police presence in the area.

The officers, were flown by helicopter to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria and were listed by the Macomb Police Department as being in critical but stable condition.

They were shot at about 6:45 p.m. while trying to serve a warrant at a house near the intersection of Normal and Calhoun streets.

Police have said the suspect remains inside of the house where the incident occurred. There is believed to be no threat to the community at this time. However, people are encouraged to avoid the area.

Boy, 4, and 57-year-old man identified as victims in deadly Macomb police shooting

WMBD-TV has a crew on their way to Macomb and will air the press conference live on CIPROUD.com. Stay here for more updates.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Another voice has come out against Woodbury County supervisor Matthew Ung and his recent comments regarding a compensation dispute with the county attorneys union.

On Wednesday, the Western Iowa Labor Federation strongly condemned Board of Supervisors chairman Ungs recent remarks and tactics as union-busting. President Jen Pellant said that her union stands in solidarity with the county attorneys office and criticized Ungs leadership.

Leeds residents start a petition to stop rezoning project

We have warned this board repeatedly that they are not paying county employees competitively compared to neighboring counties, Pellant said. Their recruiting and retention issues are a crisis of their own making, and now Ung is pulling the oldest union-busting trick in the book and blaming overworked, underpaid employees for his own failure to competently manage county resources.

In an early morning Aug. 29 release, Board of Supervisors chairman Matthew Ung denounced members of AFSCME, Council 61 Local 3462 for rejecting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would offer various benefits to new hires in order to address a staffing shortage in the county attorneys office.

This is worse than looking a gift horse in the mouth, Ung said in his release. This is shooting the gift horse, and then expecting another horse. The unions rejection of this MOU is not only disappointing but also dangerous.

He said that if the union rejected the MOU again at their next meeting, he would call for the groups dissolution.

The issue came to a head in Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. At that point, only Todd Copley, president of the attorneys union, had spoken publicly concerning Chairman Ungs comments. However, at the meeting, assistant county attorneys themselves took aim.

Your comments regarding the union rejection of the boards MOU proposal were not only unprofessional, but reprehensible, assistant attorney Athena Ladeas said.

In all the years of being involved in public service, I have never in my life seen or witnessed anything like Mr. Ung, Copley said after the meeting. He is delusional. He is the wrong person for the position.

A former University of Iowa manager embezzled funds, an audit finds

The Western Iowa Labor Federation also criticized Ungs conduct during the meeting, saying that he doubled down on name-calling and bullying the members of the county attorneys office, shouting at them to sign the MOU before the meeting ended.

Its shameful that an elected official would rather pick fights with his countys loyal public servants than solve the issue of understaffing, Pellant said. Woodbury County deserves better.

After the meeting, Ung said he was disappointed by the union members.

When the attorneys union members rejected the offer, which took nothing away from them that does endanger public safety, he said. My opinion is this: if you reject something that will help solve your staffing problem, then what is the purpose of your union existing? If you cannot do something as simple as sign off on a document that makes it easier to hire new people  which no one disputes, no one disputed tonight  why are you there?

There is currently no meeting scheduled to address the issue.

Aveya Hannan contributed to this report.

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People walk past a Heritage Foundation welcome sign for the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on July 12, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Heritage Foundation is the group responsible for the controversial "Project 2025." (Photo by Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images)

If Republican candidates dont want to talk about the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, they can probably be forgiven because even fewer of their constituents want to hear about it.

In new polling released by the political action committee, House Majority, which seeks to win Democratic seats in the United States House of Representatives, among issues it asked about, Project 2025 has an unfavorable rating, and in some House districts, is nearly universally unpopular.

One of those districts includes Montanas western Congressional district, which covers about one-third of the western part of the state and counts Missoula and Kalispell among its largest cities.

The poll, which was conducted from July 30 through Aug. 4 by House Majority PAC and includes 1,253 likely voters, showed that Project 2025 in the First Congressional District has only a 10% favorability rating, while it garnered a 46% unfavorable rating.

In the western Congressional race, incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke, a former Donald Trump cabinet member, is again facing Democratic challenger Monica Tranel, an attorney who works in the public utilities sector.

The Heritage Foundations creators of Project 2025 have issued a Project 2025 scorecard which compares members of Congress voting record and positions on key issues with how they align with the goals of Project 2025. According to them, any score above 60 is a favorable rating. Zinke remains one of the highest scoring members with a 74 Project 2025 rating.

The Daily Montanan reached out to the Zinke campaign about his views on Project 2025, but did not receive an answer. For the most part, Zinke has not addressed the topic of Project 2025 as a whole, but at least six of his fellow Trump cabinet members have ties to the production of Project 2025.

Republicans have fought to distance themselves from the Heritage Foundations opus, called Project 2025, but officially titled Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise. Though Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump claims to know nothing about it, he has endorsed a number of its ideas, which include controversial policy suggestions, for example, eliminating the federal Department of Education. More than 200 of his former staff members have been associated with its creation. Moreover, key members of his leadership team, including advisor Stephen Miller, have created promotional videos for it.

The New York Times recently reported that Trumps vice presidential pick J.D. Vance praised a 2017 report for the Heritage Foundation that was used as part of the basis for sections on abortion and in vitro fertilization.

In the polling by House Majority PAC, which included questions about other topics, such as housing, reproductive rights and veterans benefits, Project 2025 tops the list of negative statements tested. Half (50%) of all those polled had an unfavorable view of Project 2025.

In the poll, more than a quarter of self-identified Republicans (27%) said they had an unfavorable view of Project 2025.
The Whatcom County Executives Office has announced its intention to hire an interim medical examiner while the county conducts a national search for a permanent one.

The decision to appoint an interim medical examiner comes as the county ends its contract with Hunt Forensics PLLC and Whatcom County Medical Examiner Dr. Allison Hunt, following the release of a fact-finding report looking into allegations that bodies of the deceased went unrefrigerated over a hot weekend in May.

The report, released Aug. 5 and conducted by Kristofer Bundy of Bundy Law Group PLLC, revealed gaps in protocols by the Whatcom County Medical Examiners Office that ultimately led to two deceased bodies being left unrefrigerated for at least three days, resulting in severe decomposition. The Whatcom County Executives Office announced the same day that it planned to terminate its contract with Hunt Forensics, The Bellingham Herald previously reported.

As of Wednesday, Sept. 4, the county has not yet terminated its contract with Hunt or her business, according to county public affairs and strategy manager Jed Holmes.

We have not yet finalized the terms of the conclusion of the contract, but we continue to have productive conversations, Holmes said.

Interim Medical Examiner

In a Sept. 3 memo sent to the Whatcom County Council, the executives office said it plans to seek approval to appoint Dr. Aldo Fusaro as the countys interim medical examiner, beginning Sept. 10.

Prior to being appointed interim medical examiner, Fusaro must first be approved by the Northwest Washington Medical Society and Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tank Tanksley, according to the executive offices memo. Following approval by the medical society and sheriff, the County Council will then confirm or deny the interim appointment of Dr. Fusaro at its upcoming Sept. 10 meeting, as is required by Article 3 of the Whatcom County Charter.

The Medical Examiner must have an M.D. or D.O degree and be licensed to practice medicine in the state of Washington, according to the county charter. Fusaro is licensed to practice medicine in Washington state, Holmes told The Herald.

The Herald has reached out to Fusaro for comment.

Fusaro, who is a forensic pathologist, has served as the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the Montana State Medical Examiners Office since 2017. Prior to that, he served as the Associate Medical Examiner for King County from 2005 to 2017. He began his career in the Office of the Cook County Medical Examiner in Illinois in 1997 and worked there until 2005, according to the executive offices memo.

Fusaro will continue to serve as chief deputy medical examiner for the Montana State Medical Examiners Office, as well as provide interim medical examiner services to Whatcom County.

Fusaro is expected to spend every other week in Whatcom County, and will likely do case work, such as reviewing medical histories, toxicology reports or other work, related to Whatcom County cases remotely. He will not be called back to Whatcom County during off weeks, Holmes said.

Whatcom County will pay Fusaro $200 an hour for his work. He is considered part-time and will not receive benefits.

The county will pay for the cost of Fusaros travel between Whatcom County and Montana, including mileage, airfare and parking. The county will also pay up to $200 a night for Fusaros lodging while hes in Whatcom County, and will pay for the cost of a rental car and provide him a daily meal per diem up to $59 per day, according to Fusaros letter of appointment from the county.

All travel logistics will be handled by Fusaro, who will be reimbursed following weekly travel expense forms that will be submitted, his appointment letter states.

Service continuity

Fusaro is expected to serve as interim medical examiner through Oct. 22, but that timeline could change and is dependent upon the county hiring a permanent medical examiner, according to Fusaros letter of appointment.

Fusaro will not be bringing any staff to Whatcom County with him, as the county has hired an autopsy technician and a death investigator who will assist Fusaro. The county also announced Sept. 4 that Louise Trapp is on temporary assignment to assist with operations of the countys medical examiner services, the transition between Hunt and an interim medical examiner and creation and start up of the new county medical examiners office. Trapp has worked in the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, the county health department, and previously served as chief administrator for the King County Medical Examiners Office and chief deputy coroner for Kitsap County, according to the county memo.

When Fusaro is in Montana, autopsies will be performed by local pathologists. Holmes said pathologists from neighboring areas have said they would be willing to provide autopsy and medical examiner services if needed. Holmes said its not uncommon for pathologists to step in, such as when the normal medical examiner is out on vacation.

Holmes said the county has no concerns about quality of services or potential impacts to law enforcement operations or criminal court cases.

We will remain in close communication with our partners to ensure expectations for level and quality of service are met, Holmes said.

When asked why the Whatcom County administration felt this interim situation was the best decision moving forward, Holmes told The Herald that they expect the recruitment process for a new, permanent medical examiner to take time.

We want to have a smooth and timely conclusion of our current contractual relationship with Hunt Forensics and ensure continuity of service while (the) recruitment process plays out. Hiring an interim medical examiner helps make this possible, Holmes said.

Executive (Satpal) Sidhu is grateful that Dr. Fusaro has agreed to assume this important role on an interim basis. He is also appreciative of the work (and) the services that Hunt Forensics has provided to Whatcom County over the past several years, Holmes said in a statement sent to The Herald.

Hunt staying on

Dr. Allison Hunt will continue to provide medical examiner services for Whatcom County in the meantime, and until the county terminates its contract with her business.

Hunt became Whatcom Countys medical examiner in January 2022 following the retirement of Dr. Gary Goldfogel, who previously held the position for more than 30 years.

Whatcom County contracted with Dr. Hunts business  Hunt Forensics  to provide medical examiner services for the county through 2025. The county was in the process of transitioning the medical examiners office into a county office, making Hunt and her staff county employees, when the allegations about the improperly stored bodies surfaced.

The county is planning to move forward with making the medical examiners office a county office, which will begin in earnest once a full-time medical examiner is hired. Interviews for the permanent position are expected to occur in the first half of October, Holmes said.

The county has also hired a local consultant, Kara Turner of Turner HR Services Inc., to manage the countys recruitment and interview process. Turner will also help with logistics, decision-making and stakeholder feedback. Whatcom County Deputy Executive Kayla Schott-Bresler and County Human Resources Manager Melissa Keeley will oversee the recruitment process, according to the county memo on interim medical examiner services.

The county will pay Turner HR Services $8,000 for its work, according to the countys agreement with the consulting firm.

In response to questions sent by The Herald, Hunts attorney, Tyler Firkins, said there will be a joint statement issued by Hunt and the county regarding a transition.

Firkins said he also expects a report to be released following the joint statement that will provide investigative findings that discuss Mr. Bundys flawed investigation, in detail.

During Hunts two-year tenure as Whatcom Countys medical examiner, she helped pioneer federal standards and practices required by national accrediting agencies, Firkins said.

She partnered with Whatcom Countys Health and Community Services, or health department, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to provide real-time surveillance and statistics for fentanyl deaths. She also digitized office records and joined counties and law enforcement agencies across the state in using electronic case management systems for medicolegal death investigations  a first for Whatcom County, according to Firkins. Hunt also created partnerships with LifeNet and Sight Life for organ and tissue procurement.

Thousands of individuals across Washington State have directly benefited from these services over the last two years, Firkins said in an emailed statement to The Herald.
Heres where you can get your Friday the 13th tattoo specials around Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Next week, on what is considered the most unlucky day of the year, many will be looking to commemorate Friday the 13th in permanent way.

Since 2008, tattoo enthusiasts have flocked to their local artists on Friday the 13th for tattoo deals and specials. The tradition started when a Dallas tattoo shop owner tattooed the number 13 on 415 customers, making it into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Heres which local shops are offering tattoos for a discounted price next Friday:

Heavily Tatted  Birmingham Heavily Tatted is offering select $31 tattoos and $20 basic piercings. Designs included in the special can be found here.

Stay Gold Tattoo  Hoover and Fultondale Stay Gold Tattoo will be offering select designs for $40- $200. Select piercings will be $40 each. The special is first-come, first-serve, meaning the shop will be accepting walk-ins only.

Magic City Ink  Moody Magic City Ink is offering select flash tattoos starting at $30. Their Friday the 13th event will include a shaved ice truck and door prizes. More information, as well as available designs, can be found here.

Good Neighbor Body Art  Birmingham Good Neighbor Body Art is offering select designs for $130. Select piercings will be $40. Some artists only have a limited number of spots available. Individual artist information can be found here.

Atra Capra Tattoo Collective  Birmingham At Atra Capra Tattoo Collective, different artists are offering different deals. One artist, Devin, who goes by iamdevinstattoos on Instagram, is offering select designs for $30- $60 with just line art, and $40- $100 with shading/ color. Drew Magnuson, who goes by doctor.tattoos on Instagram, is offering $100 tattoo appointments alongside 13 $31 designs. More information can be found here.



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Former President Donald Trump attends the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference at on August 26, 2024 in Detroit. Credit - Emily ElconinGetty Images

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

When some of the biggest donors to conservative causes made explicit their electoral opposition to a second Trump term way back in February of 2023, it came as something of a shock to the Republican orbit. After all, the powerful network organized under the auspices of billionaire industrialist Charles Koch had officially remained neutral in Trumps 2016 and 2020 campaigns, a sign of how uncomfortable his allies were with a candidate whose positions were so far afoul from their own on so many issues.

But by the time the network gathered at the start of 2023, their position on Trump was not really a point of discussion. The deadly Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, was finally a step too far. The chief of the networks main political arm, Americans For Prosperity, told her patrons that they were ready to back an alternative Republican who showed promise of winning. The group ultimately plowed more than $32 million into former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and another $10 million in broader anti-Trump efforts before throwing in the towel. The hopes of reclaiming the party from this gatecrasher were dashed and they had to live with Trump as their standard bearer.

Its been six months since Haley ended her bid, and just over six weeks since Biden followed suit. Vice President Kamala Harris has scrambled the electoral map, and might look like more of a threat than Biden on some key Koch issues. So where does that lead Koch World and their deep pockets?

Not far from where theyve been all alongdoing their best to help Republicans not named Trump. Despite some pleas from Trump apologists who still pony up cash to the organizations operating under the Koch umbrella, the leadership remains unbending in their decision to stay out of the presidential race altogether.

Instead, Koch-linked strategists say their main goal is to be a check against unified Democratic control of Washington. To them, a progressive sweep of D.C. is the biggest threat this fall, and to that end, staff and volunteers have already knocked on more than five million doors to help their Senate prospects, especially those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Montana.

At the House level, the Koch networkand those who take their cues from itare focused on about two dozen races, many of them in deep-blue states like California and New York, where voters have shown a willingness to split their tickets. There are currently 17 Republicans from districts Biden won in 2020 and five Democrats from districts where Trump won. With Republicans holding a razor-thin majority, these races are likely to see some of the highest spending in some of the most expensive media markets.

While the Koch network may be steering clear of the top of the ticket, its flowing mightily toward these top-target congressional races. The main Koch-aligned super PAC, Americans For Prosperity Action, is in at major levels; it was investing just shy of $70 million in all of 2022 and almost $48 million in 2020. This year, campaign finance reports covering spending through Aug. 12 show the group had already spent $78 million on federal races. And there are still about three months of cash that is not yet accounted for this year.

If it seems like outside groups are playing bigger roles in campaigns than in the past, its because it is true. During the 2020 campaignthe last presidential race, albeit one that unfolded during a pandemicoutside groups spent $686 million, not far from the $663 million of 2016. Already this year, outside groups have spent $1.3 billion. Of that eye-popping total, $778 million has been dedicated to the presidential campaigns, suggesting the Koch decision to sit out the White House race hasnt choked off all of the heft, just the expertise and efficiencies that come from a penny-pinching leader who is unmatched in getting a return on his investments for his political spending.

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Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com.
Her husband might be running for vice president, but if you werent already following closely it would be easy to miss Usha Vances appearances at his campaign events.

Since JD Vance became Donald Trumps running mate at the Republican National Convention more than a month ago, Usha Vance has largely taken a page from Melania Trumps playbook and remained quiet on the campaign trail.

Asked for details about Ushas appearances, Taylor Van Kirk, a spokesperson for Senator Vance, told the Daily Beast, Usha has appeared at multiple events on the campaign trail with her husband and is literally with him on the trail today. What a silly story.

Nonetheless, the lawyer hasnt taken the same kind of active role that Democratic VP hopeful Tim Walzs wife, Gwen, has embraced. Whereas the Democrat has been headlining fundraisers and using her teacher voice to slam the Republican ticket, Vances stops have mostly been limited to smiles and nice-to-meet-yous.

Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance carries his daughter Maribel Vance as he and his wife Usha greet supporters at the Park Diner in St Cloud, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Vance has stood by her husbands side on at least seven occasions since the RNC, including at an event in Reno and at the Milwaukee Police Association. She greeted voters at a diner in St. Cloud, Minnesota in July and last week joined him at Gordons Butcher & Market in Erie, Pennsylvania, a somewhat ironic location for the would-be second lady.

My wifes vegetarian, Im obviously not, the senator said. Its funny that we go to a place like this, and they were like, Well, maybe you shouldnt bring your wife here, cause shes vegetarian. And Im like, No, no, no, she loves this stuff.

Local media covered the senators visit, but illustrated it with a photo that didnt include his wife.

She has spoken publicly at length only a few times, introducing her husband at the Republican National Convention and sitting down with Fox News a month ago, where she did defend his controversial cat ladies comment.

J.D. Vance (R-OH) walks on stage with his wife, Usha before speaking at a rally at a trucking company in Erie, Pennsylvania. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

The reality is, he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive, she said. And it had actual meaning. And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.

Of course, she has other responsibilities. Vance only stepped down from her firm in July after her husband joined the Republican ticket, saying, In light of todays news, I have resigned from my position at Munger, Tolles & Olson to focus on caring for our family.

The couple have three children under 8, including a 2-year-old daughter.

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A whistleblower has come forward to Congress alleging Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre and other Steward executives illegally conspired with foreign officials to secure a hospital contract abroad, CBS News has learned.

"In touting Steward's supposed competitive advantage in Malta de la Torre boasted that he could issue 'brown bags' to government officials if necessary to close transactions," Ram Tumuluri, a health care executive who worked with the Maltese government, wrote in a complaint to Congress, shared with CBS News.

In the submission, which was sent to a U.S. Senate committee investigating the hospital company's collapse, Tumuluri describes a 2017 meeting involving the Steward CEO and alleges de la Torre was "insinuating he would bribe officials of the Government of Malta." A committee staffer confirmed receipt of the complaint and said they are reviewing it.

In a statement, a spokesperson for de la Torre called Tumuluri's allegations "preposterous" and said Steward's international arm acted "in a lawful and transparent manner throughout the period in which the company was operating Malta."

"There is no basis to accuse Dr. de la Torre of anything, nor is there any evidence that he or anyone at Steward International engaged in wrongdoing," the spokesperson wrote.

Dr. Ralph de la Torre / Credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Tumuluri's allegations come as an avalanche of scrutiny has fallen on Steward, which declared bankruptcy earlier this year. A federal grand jury in Boston probing the company is examining the compensation, spending, and travel of its top executives, including de la Torre, a person familiar with the matter told CBS News. And the whistleblower complaint, emerges as de la Torre has asked to postpone testifying on Capitol Hill in response to a subpoena requiring him to appear on Sept. 12.

Meanwhile, the Dallas-based company has been struggling to find buyers for more than 30 hospitals it owns around the country. Last week, two Steward facilities in Massachusetts closed, leaving about 1,200 workers jobless, according to the state.

CBS News has been reporting on Steward's activities as part of a year-and-a-half-long investigation documenting how private equity and other investor groups have siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from community hospitals with devastating public health consequences.

Records reviewed by CBS News showed Steward hospitals around the country left a trail of unpaid bills, at times risking a shortage of potentially life-saving supplies.

Last month, patients as young as five years old had to be abruptly transferred out of a Steward-run behavioral health hospital in Phoenix after its air conditioning system failed and temperatures inside the facility reached 99 degrees.

A survey by Arizona's Health Department, which ordered the hospital to cease operations, revealed the facility was consistently understaffed and found "multiple issues with the HVAC systems, elevators, and kitchen equipment with no documentation of repairs being made."

The convening of a grand jury suggests there is potential for the embattled health care company and its executives to face criminal charges, though no charges have been brought.

De la Torre's spokesperson declined to comment whether the CEO is a target of the federal probe, but said any investigation into compensation would "show that Steward's executives, including Dr. de la Torre, were paid under market by acceptable industry standards."

The money trail

A review of financial disclosures and bankruptcy filings raises questions about whether de la Torre was using company money to fund a lavish lifestyle, that included two corporate jets owned by a Steward affiliate worth $95 million, according to the Senate panel.

In 2021, Steward's owners paid themselves millions in dividends, the same year de la Torre acquired a 190-foot yacht estimated to be worth $40 million.

In the year before it declared bankruptcy, Steward also paid tens of millions of dollars to other companies where de la Torre held significant stakes. Those payments included a $37 million for "management fees" to a company called CREF where de la Torre owned about a 40% stake, according to a person familiar with the ownership structure.

A spokesperson for CREF said the company provided an array of "real estate and facility-related services" to Steward's hospitals and de la Torre sold his stake last month.

The spokesperson also confirmed CREF won a competitive bidding process to oversee construction of a new science center named after de la Torre's mother at the Dallas private school his children attended  an arrangement first reported by the Boston Globe. Bankruptcy filings show Steward also donated $3 million directly to the school in 2023.

In her statement, de La Torre's spokesperson said the CEO had "invested more  professionally, personally and monetarily  into Steward Health Care that he has taken out of it," noting that he used his stake in Steward and other assets to personally guarantee loans made to the company.

"Dr. de la Torre did everything in his power to help Steward Health Care overcome numerous industry headwinds and challenges, including personally purchasing necessary equipment and supplies in order to address the needs of patients and personally guaranteeing loans for the company with his assets," the spokesperson wrote.

She pointed to a recent bankruptcy filing, which showed the company reimbursed him for more than $1 million in vendor expenses he personally paid between May 2023 and April 2024.

The same filing showed during that time period, de la Torre was paid a salary of more than $4 million.

Defying a subpoena?

On Wednesday, de la Torre's attorney, Alexander Merton, wrote to the Senate committee investigating Steward saying his client would "not participate" in the hearing, asserting the testimony needed to be postponed until after the bankruptcy proceedings were resolved.

"Unfortunately, while Dr. de la Torre has continued to fight for Steward hospitals and the patients and communities they serve, members of this Committee continue to cast aspersions on Dr. de la Torre and appear determined to turn the hearing into a pseudo-criminal proceeding," Merton wrote.

The letter triggered bipartisan pushback. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the committee's ranking Republican member, said "defying a congressional subpoena is consistent with a disregard for norms," adding it was important for de la Torre to address "allegations that assets were drained" for his financial benefit.

In a joint statement, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, both Democrats from Massachusetts, said de la Torre "must be held in contempt if he fails to appear before the committee."

"Dr. de la Torre's defiance of a subpoena to appear before the Senate is outrageous," their' statement read. "He owes the public and Congress answers for his appalling greed."

A "campaign of unlawful coercion"

Steward's dealings in Malta have drawn the interest of American prosecutors, according to people familiar with the matter. In July, CBS News first reported federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston were investigating Steward on various allegations including fraud and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

An attorney for the whistleblower, Andrew Bakaj, told CBS News in a statement Tumuluri first raised his allegations that Steward violated that law  which prohibits U.S. citizens and entities from engaging in corrupt activities  to the Department of Justice in April 2023.

Ram Tumuluri

Tumuluri's company won a contract to run three of Malta's public hospitals in 2015. In his complaint to Congress, Tumuluri alleges de la Torre and other executives "conspired with" Maltese officials on a "campaign of unlawful coercion" to gain control of the contract Tumuluri's company had won.

According to the complaint, which spans more than 500 pages, the conspiracy allegedly involved an effort to have Tumuluri arrested and included repeated death threats aimed at him.

De la Torre's spokesperson said Steward took over the Maltese hospital contract only after Tumuluri's company "failed to deliver on its promises" and government officials were looking to replace it.

Last year, a judge in Malta canceled the contract altogether. An appeals court upheld the decision, citing "collusion between Steward and senior government officials or its agencies," according to reporting by the Times of Malta.

"As more damaging information is brought to light every day, we call on both the Department of Justice as well as Congress to finally hold Steward accountable for placing personal gain over the health of the patients they serve," Bakaj said in a statement.

A Maltese magistrate has recommended corruption charges against de la Torre and other Steward executives as part of an inquiry de la Torre's spokesperson wrote "was not based on an objective or reliable investigation, and there is no evidence of wrongdoing or illegal conduct by Steward international or its leadership."

The Attorney General's office in Malta did not immediately respond for comment

The magistrate also recommended charges against Tumuluri, but Bakaj said he is not aware of any action by the Maltese government and called the inquiry "far from independent, having been initiated by political actors."

"Mr. Tumuluri, on multiple occasions, has offered his assistance and testimony to the Malta authorities to ensure justice is done for the Maltese people," Bakaj wrote. "Ignored by Malta, this is why Mr. Tumuluri approached the U.S. authorities."

Managing the Vote: Extended interview with Cameron Quinn

Managing the Vote: Extended interview with Dana DeBeauvoir

Managing the Vote: Extended interview with Edward "Eddie" Perez
The White House Thursday announced that the Biden-Harris administration has freed 135 people described as Nicaraguan political prisoners. The U.S. considers them wrongfully detained because they were considered threats to President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo's "authoritarian rule." File Photo by Rodrigo Arangua/EPA

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- The White House said Thursday that the Biden-Harris administration has secured the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners.

The released prisoners include 13 members of the Texas-based Mountain Gateway organization as well as Catholic laypeople, students "and others who Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo consider a threat to their authoritarian rule," the White House added.

The freed prisoners will travel to Guatemala and from there will be able to apply to legally enter the United States or other countries.

"No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion," the White House said in a statement.

The White House said the United States welcomes the leadership and generosity of Guatemala's government "for graciously agreeing to accept these Nicaraguan citizens."

"The United States again calls on the Government of Nicaragua to immediately cease the arbitrary arrest and detention of its citizens for merely exercising their fundamental freedoms," the White House added.

In May U.S. sanctions were imposed on Nicaragua for alleged "weaponization" of "irregular migration."

The U.S. accused Nicaragua of selling visas to migrants upon arrival at the nation's airports that require migrants to leave in 96 hours, profiteering off migrants headed to the U.S.

According to the U.S. government, Nicaragua is allegedly used by smugglers and human traffickers as a disembarkation point on an overland route to the United States border.

In January the State Department issued a Nicaragua Travel Advisory, warning about both crime and government in Nicaragua targeting "individuals and organizations seen as opponents of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo."

The advisory said Nicaragua uses arbitrary enforcement of laws that exposes visitors to "the risk of wrongful detention."

"U.S. citizen residents of Nicaragua also report increased scrutiny of alleged political speech," the travel advisory said. "U.S. citizens arrested in Nicaragua may find themselves subject to prolonged detention without charges or respect of fair trial guarantees."
Hunter Bidens surprise bid to avert a tax evasion trial could bring his legal saga one step closer to resolution  and ease a burden that threatened to trail his father through the final days of the presidency.

But that hasnt made it any easier for the elder Biden to watch.

In a plea offer submitted Thursday, Hunter Biden would accept responsibility for tax evasion and other crimes even as he maintains his innocence. It would preempt a Los Angeles trial scheduled to start this week that would likely generate more unflattering headlines, with little promise of vindication.

For President Joe Biden, it would head off renewed scrutiny of his family just as he embarks on a final stretch designed to bolster his legacy and Vice President Kamala Harris.

I dont think it ever mattered that much, said Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress and a longtime Democratic operative. But now that Joe Biden is not the candidate, theres even more distance between Hunter Biden and any notion of relevancy in this election cycle.

Within the White House, few believe the plea will have any impact on Harris' surging campaign, especially after Republicans tried for much of the last three years to advance investigations into Hunter with little success. The congressional probes have fizzled out, and even when Biden was in the race, polling consistently suggested most Americans didn't care.

Yet even as the political significance has faded, Hunters legal issues have continued to take a heavy toll on the president.

Biden has long expressed frustration and worry over Hunters legal troubles and the impact that his role as commander-in-chief has played in intensifying the spotlight on his son. Those fears grew after a plea deal over separate gun charges against Hunter collapsed last year, resulting in a guilty verdict in June.



If a judge now accepts his plea on the tax charges, he could face additional prison time, on top of the 25-year maximum linked to the gun charges.

"This plea is not just a smart legal move," said Anthony Coley, a former Biden Justice Department official, who pointed to elements of Hunter's own memoir that he said had bolstered the government's tax evasion case. "If the judge accepts it, it would spare the younger Biden from a spectacle in the court of public opinion."

Biden pledged in June not to pardon or commute Hunters convictions, saying he was satisfied that the trial had been fair.

I am not going to do anything, he said on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. I will abide by the jurys decision.

On Thursday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would keep his vow in the wake of Hunter's latest plea.

No, she said in response to a question about whether Biden was reconsidering at all. Its still no.

Jean-Pierre would not say if Biden knew beforehand that Hunter planned to change his plea. The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether she would consider a pardon if elected.

Biden during his presidency has largely refrained from weighing in on Hunter's legal troubles beyond expressing pride in his son's recovery from substance abuse and efforts to rebuild his life after years of addiction struggles. But should a judge accept the new plea, allies predicted the development would prompt relief within the Oval Office.

Biden was irked by the length of the five-year federal investigation into his son and expressed concern about the impact it would have on Hunter. Compounding the frustration, Democratic allies said, was the widely held belief that some of Hunter's crimes would not have been treated nearly as harshly if his father wasnt president.

Should the judge accept the changed plea, it could offer the president a final five months in office largely clear of the investigations, court dates and legal wrangling that played out in the background of his administration.

Biden has vowed to make his final stretch in office as productive as any other period of his term, pushing aides to speed up implementation of his signature domestic accomplishments and intensifying efforts abroad to secure a cease-fire in the Middle East and reinforce America's standing across the globe.

Those goals aim not only to strengthen his legacy, aides said, but to boost a Harris campaign whose success could determine how much of that legacy remains intact.

Since Biden decided to abandon his reelection campaign in July, he has continued to insist in public and private that he could have won if he chose to persevere, even as he's offered Harris vocal and unfailing support and expressed a sense of acceptance for the way his political career will end.

But in one area, three people close to him say, Biden is unequivocally at peace with his decision to step away. As he put it to one of them: "Maybe it will make it easier for Hunter."
Russia has moved 90% of its aircraft used to attack Ukraine outside of a 300-kilometer zone from the Ukrainian border, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a press briefing on Sept. 4.

"The argument that somehow, you just give them ATACMS and tell them they're gonna be able to hit the majority of Russian aircraft and airbases that are, in fact, used to strike them, it's not true, it's a misconception," Kirby said in a response to a journalist's question.

The U.S. began providing Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range of up to 300 kilometers (190 miles) in the spring of this year.

While the weaponry has been used in Russian-occupied Crimea, Washington's restrictions do not permit their use on Russian soil. Kyiv has lobbied Washington to lift these restrictions and allow Ukrainian forces to strike airbases and other military targets beyond the border zone.

When asked whether the U.S. is considering any changes to the policy, Kirby said, "I don't have any policy change to speak to today."

Kirby's statement confirms a claim made by a Wall Street Journal article in August. The outlet wrote that, according to an undisclosed U.S. official, Russia has transferred 90% of its military aircraft to bases outside the reach of long-range ATACMS.

President Volodymyr Zelensky complained in May that Western partners are deliberating on key decisions on military support for too long.

"Every decision to which we, then later everyone together, comes to is late by around one year," Zelensky said.

After prolonged pressure, Washington has permitted Ukrainian strikes with certain U.S.-supplied weapons on Russian territory but only just across the shared border.

Ukraine has been scaling up domestic defense production in order to strike key targets in Russia without regard to Western restrictions, developing its own long-range capabilities such as ballistic missiles or Palianytsia missile-drones.

Read also: Ukraine says it has a new ballistic missile  heres what they do

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Biden administration said Thursday it had secured the release of 135 unjustly detained political prisoners in Nicaragua on humanitarian grounds, including 13 members of a Texas-based missionary organization.

The freed individuals released also include students, Catholic laypeople, journalists, and others who Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo consider a threat to their authoritarian rule, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, said in a statement.

The United States welcomes the leadership and generosity of the Government of Guatemala for graciously agreeing to accept these Nicaraguan citizens. Once in Guatemala, these individuals will be offered the opportunity to apply for lawful ways to rebuild their lives in the United States or other countries through President Bidens Safe Mobility Office initiative, Sullivan said.

The Nicaraguan nationals have already arrived in Guatemala, where they will have the ability to apply for lawful pathways to resettle to the United States or elsewhere and begin the process of rebuilding their lives, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

It is the second major prisoner release in Nicaragua secured by the Biden administration, after 222 political prisoners were released by authorities in the Central American nation in February of last year.

A joint statement issued by Guatemala and the United States notes that the latest prisoner release was the culmination of months of negotiations.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Eric Jacobstein told reporters in a call on Thursday that the U.S. government would not change its policy toward the Ortega regime in response to the prisoner release, vowing to continue to promote accountability in Nicaragua going forward.

Generally speaking, the prisoners were in good health and spirit upon their release, all things considered, Jacobstein said.

Managua was not offered anything by the U.S. in exchange for the release, Jacobstein added. The Nicaraguan regime got nothing from this, he said. This was a unilateral action.

In his statement, Sullivan said that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are grateful to President Bernardo Arevalo for his continued leadership across the region in addressing humanitarian issues and championing democratic freedom.

The United States again calls on the Government of Nicaragua to immediately cease the arbitrary arrest and detention of its citizens for merely exercising their fundamental freedoms, Sullivan added.
In our Reality Check stories, CDT journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability. Read more. Story idea? cdtnewstips@centredaily.com.

A month after a controversial resolution to limit public comment at Bellefonte Borough Council meetings was passed, the changes are now null and void, with the boroughs manager apologizing for how they were put into place.

The resolution, which was passed on Aug. 5 by a vote of 5-4, required borough residents to register and show identification at the beginning of each meeting in order to speak during public comment. It also gave Borough Council the option to shut down or defer public comments if it determined they were unusually long, the atmosphere has become unruly, or the comments become repetitive.

The vote on the resolution was conducted without public comment, which councilwoman Joanne Tosti-Vasey  one of those who voted in opposition  said ran afoul of Pennsylvanias Sunshine Act. According to that law, agencies must provide a reasonable opportunity for residents and/or taxpayers to comment on an issue before a decision takes place.

Per the recommendation of solicitor Jeffrey Stover, the resolution is now null and void, Tuesdays agenda stated. Rules for public comment revert back to the previous public comment ordinance, which had not been changed since 2021. The policy allows public comment from Bellefonte residents, business owners and their employees, and representatives of nonprofits that affect the borough.

Borough Manager Ralph Stewart apologized for allowing the now-rescinded resolution to be passed.

On Aug. 5 we passed a resolution that went to a vote, and I knew that we were making a mistake but I did not say anything and I apologize to council for that, Stewart said. It was kind of a heated meeting, we were kind of off our game, so to speak, and I do apologize for that  I shouldve caught it and said something to the council president, but I did not, and I wanted to publicly apologize for that.

The proposal and passing of the resolution came after Julys council meeting, where about 12 people spoke for about 45 minutes to push for a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Melissa Melewsky  media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, of which the Centre Daily Times is a member  previously told the CDT that the policy itself was consistent with state law, but she questioned how it came about.

The aspect that I find disturbing here is the fact that it appears to have been enacted as a result of public comments that the agency members might have found objectionable. Public comment policies must be reasonable and cannot be used as a means to discourage public comment, Melewsky wrote in an email last month. The fact that this policy was only enacted after public comment that apparently had the disapproval of elected officials raises a red flag.

Borough resident Peter Serefine, who filed a lawsuit against Bellefonte borough for the alleged Sunshine Act violation, said during Tuesdays meeting that the manager and council members who allowed the resolution to go through should still face consequences.

The actions of the borough president, vice president and manager during the last meeting were deeply concerning. The three of you pushed through a resolution without allowing for public comment, even after you were warned that that was a violation of the Sunshine Laws, Serefine said. That raised a critical question: If youre willing to do that in a public meeting on camera, what are you doing when the public cant see you?

He called for Stewart, council president Kent Bernier and vice president Barbara Dann to step down from the current positions. Serefine said he plans on moving forward with his lawsuit.

The next Bellefonte Borough Council work session will take place at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 16, followed by a business meeting at 7:30 p.m.
rito54

Hello! Silly question but how do we know that we have to divide by 24 and not 90. Could someone please explain I get confused every time with this kind of exercise not knowing which value I should divide with.



I know the formula New - Old / Old.



but how does it work here?



Help is much appreciated thank you!

When we want to know by what percentage one value is "greater than" another, we divide by the value that comes after "greater than" in the question.This approach makes logical sense because the reference value, or "old" value, is the one that the other value is greater than.In this case, if we were to divide by 90, then 90 would be the reference value, and we would find the percentage of 90 represented by 24, which is not what the question asks for.Rather, we need to find the percentage by which 90 is greater than 24.So, when calculating percentage change, always divide by the reference value. The reference value is the "old" value, or the value such that the decrease or increase is from that value.The reference value is often named by what follows "greater than," "less than," "percent of," or "change from" in the question.
Why there are legal friends who want the Uinta railway

Two organizations in support of a controversial railway project that connects the remote Uinta Basin and its vast natural resources to the National Railway line lent their legal support to push toward a favorable U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The American Forestry Resource Council and Western Energy Alliance submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and Uinta Basin Railway, LLC v. Eagle County, Colorado et al.

The foundation led by counsel Ivan London and Grady J. Block prepared and filed the petition on behalf of the two associations, whose forestry products and oil and natural gas members operate on federal lands and are affected by how the federal government conducts National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, analyses. They accuse anti-development groups with using NEPA litigation as a way to delay or halt projects.

We are really interested in this case because it is the first time in two decades that the Supreme Court has taken up the scope of NEPA. The Supreme Court so rarely takes up a NEPA case it becomes an opportunity to address those issues, said Kathleen Sgamma, president and chief executive officer of the Western Energy Alliance, serving independent oil and gas producers in the West  including Utah.

NEPA is a tool to analyze impacts within its authority  greenhouse gasses they have no control. It is a way of using NEPA as a weapon to stop projects, she said.

Sara Ghafouri, American Forestry Resource Council general counsel, added: This case presents an opportunity for the court to enforce critical limits on NEPAs scope and prevent further weaponization of the statute, and to reinforce congressional intent that the responsible development of Americas natural resources is the public interest.

A proposed freight train fraught with controversy

Since the Uinta Basin Railway project was first pursued as a big-ticket money item under the umbrella of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, its main commodity has been controversy.

The 85-mile line that is proposed to begin in oil-rich Duchesne County would connect to the National Railway system and provide an alternative to transport oil out of the basin other than the only other economically feasible way  over U.S. 6 to the refineries in Salt Lake and Davis counties.

That route has its its own problems with heavy-duty diesel truck emissions, rollovers, tanker truck spills that block traffic at best or despoil water and the environment at worst.

But critics see the railway as another desperate attempt for Utah to cling to fossil fuels as part of it energy portfolio and as a tradition that has long outlived its time.

Conservation groups say state law was violated when the Utah Community Impact Fund Board granted nearly $28 million in public money to fund the planned railway to ship oil from the Uinta Basin to other states.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Living Rivers filed the lawsuit in federal court in Salt Lake City asserting the movement of money to the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition to facilitate development of the railway was unlawful. The coalition is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear certain aspects of the case following a lower court decision.

As reported in The Colorado Sun, Colorados elected officials have been in an uproar given the amount of crude that would pass through their state  as much as 5 billion gallons a year  along a route that in part traces the Colorado River corridor. Eagle County, Colorado, in fact, teamed up with environmental groups in litigation to derail the project.
The new Mission Control unit tasked with overhauling Britains electricity supply takes its name from John F Kennedys hugely ambitious moonshot programme in the 1960s. But it might have been better named after a Tom Cruise movie  Mission Impossible.

Headed up by Chris Stark, former chairman of the Climate Change Committee, the team has a single, gargantuan task: get Britains National Grid to net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

It will be impossible, says David Newbery, director of the Energy Policy Research Group at the University of Cambridge.

The target, set by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), is five years earlier than the one laid out by Rishi Sunaks government.

In August, Stark and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband wrote to the director of Britains National Grid Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) asking for an outline of the pathways to meet the target.

It will necessitate an enormous ramp up in Britains renewable energy capacity, a total revolution in the planning system and major innovation in new technologies. Regardless of whether or not Labours pledge will be undeliverable, Miliband will have to completely transform Britain to even try to get there.

Electricity generation in Britain has been getting greener, but it is still heavily reliant on natural gas.

In the year to June 2022, the share of electricity provided by zero carbon sources jumped from 42pc to 52pc, according to Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) data. Gas still makes up around a third of energy production.

August was a good month for renewables. Britain got 60pc of its electricity supply from zero-carbon sources. The largest of these was wind, which generated nearly a third of the nations electricity (31.8pc). Solar generated 8pc while nuclear provided 18pc. But gas was still needed to supply around a sixth of the nations electricity.

Just as the Government is racing to decarbonise the grid, the demands on it are expected to balloon as the country switches to electric vehicles and heat pumps to hit net zero by 2050. The Climate Change Committee expects electricity demand in the UK to rise by 50pc by 2035 and to double by 2050.

To get to a net zero grid, Britain will have to roughly triple the amount of renewable energy that it produces by 2030, says Newbery.

Labour knows it, and made a manifesto pledge to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind production in the next six years.

The first problem is that this will not be logistically feasible, analysts warn.

It was just about conceivable by 2035, to do it five years early is not, says Newbery.

So much has to change in the short run, he adds. The consenting approach, the planning permissions, the overcoming of local objections, and managing that through the political process. I just dont see it happening [in time].

Currently, it takes around 14 years just to build the electricity transmission lines needed to connect wind farms to homes. The Governments independent electricity networks commissioner Nick Winser has said this time frame can be cut to seven years. But even this will be too slow for Labour. Were in 2024, 2030 is six years away, says Newbery.

Making anything meaningful happen will depend heavily on Labours promise for a planning revolution, particularly in terms of how the rules are overhauled in favour of renewable development, says Newbery.

Its just unbelievably difficult to do anything in this country in a reasonable timescale and at a sensible cost, he adds. But maybe we can transform the world so that we can do it.

The bottom line is that change will happen only if Labour is willing to overrule MPs representing angry constituents opposing electricity pylons.

They have a sufficiently large majority that they can afford to have a bunch of dissident MPs and say too bad, we are just going to do it. Its a climate emergency, Newbery says.

Ramping up offshore wind production will mean more pylons. The offshore wind expansion will mean landing cables in the North East of England, East Anglia, along the south coast, the Cornish coast and in the Welsh sea. These will then have to travel to London and the South East.

But the first thing that will be most visible is more solar panels and onshore wind farms, which can be built much more quickly than offshore wind projects.

Solar panels are easy to install and can be rolled out rapidly. Recent central government moves to overrule local objections to big solar farms also suggest that it will be doable to get a large number of these through the planning system reasonably quickly, and the energy is cheap. Building them in East Anglia, which has a low population density and is primarily agricultural land, to supply London and the South East would be an obvious option, says Newbery.

But even if renewable production can be massively ramped up, the road to net zero will hit a wall.

Massively upscaling renewables production will not be able to solve the problem alone, says Carole Nakhle, chief executive at Crystol Energy. You also need back-up generation to compensate for the intermittency or volatility of power generation from the sun and wind.

Ben McWilliams, an affiliate fellow at Bruegel, a European think tank, adds: There is a four week period in the winter where everything goes against you. Its not windy for a few days, its cloudy every day, and everyone turns the heating up. That is the difficult bit.

It will be decarbonising the last 15pc of Britains grid that will be the biggest challenge.

In theory, nuclear energy could plug the gap, but production is very expensive to switch on and off in response to demand, says McWilliams.

Hydrogen electricity generation, by contrast, is much more elastic and can be stored underground like gas. But it is expensive. The technology is proven, its just a question of the economics, he adds.

Storage could plug the gap but the tech is not yet good enough, McWilliams says. Lithium batteries used in electric vehicles can hold electricity for a few days but are not good at storing energy for months.

Scientists are experimenting with using molten metals and other materials for different types of batteries, but this research is so far in nascent stages, he adds.Its in university labs or small demonstrations, it is all very kind of pie in the sky stuff.

Another option would be to rely on importing green energy from Europe, namely more nuclear power from France, or solar power from Germany, he says.

In reality, the Government may be forced to pursue a carbon offset programme for the last chunk, says Richard Green, a professor at Imperial College Business School.

That obviously has to be a genuine reduction in emissions elsewhere and not just a nice bit of greenwashing to salve the conscience.

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Wednesday brought news that, once again, multiple hostile nations are attempting to influence a U.S. presidential election. The Department of Justice indicted two employees of R.T., Russias state broadcaster, who are accused of paying $10 million to a Tennessee-based network of heterodox YouTube influencers to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation across social media to U.S. audiences, in the words of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. (Some journalists have deduced that the unnamed network is Tenet Media, which features right-wing blowhards such as Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Lauren Southern.) Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Iran has created several fake but legitimate-seeming news websites aimed at tilting the race in Kamala Harriss favor.

But Iran and Russia might not be the biggest sources of misinformation in the 2024 election. A month ago, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, or CCDH, reported that false statements posted or reposted by Elon Musk on Xthe social media platform that he has been slowly ruining since purchasing it two years agohave been viewed a staggering 1.2 billion times. And Musk has only grown more brazen since that report was released. Over the weekend, he posted an A.I.-generated image of Kamala Harris wearing a red pantsuit and hat emblazoned with the hammer and sickle. Kamala vows to be a communist dictator on day one. Can you believe she wears that outfit!? he tweeted. The post has been viewed more than 80 million times.

The fact that one of the worlds wealthiest people is using one of its largest social networks to spread lies to help Trump is obviously bad. And yet, there is a silver lining of sorts. Yes, Musks blatant propaganda has received more than a billion views, but it has also largely been ineptand theres no evidence that anyone beyond his MAGA-pilled followers is buying it.



The threat is real. Musk may have reneged on a reported pledge to donate $45 million a month to Trump, but he has made clear that he intends to use his influence to elect Trump, whom he prefers for a host of policy and cultural reasons. Hes attempting to do so largely via dubiously sourced claims, outright lies, and pitiful attempts at humor on X, proving fears that he would turn the social network into a fever swamp of reactionary social and economic ideas are well founded. What Musk is doing is creating a sort of Colosseum-style spectacle of encouraging, amplifying and himself spreading disinformation, Imran Ahmed, the CEO of CCDH, told NBC News last month.

For example, in late July, Musk posted an A.I.-generated advertisement with a voiceover in which a fake Harris said she was a diversity hire who doesnt know the first thing about running the country. Both this video and the image of Harris in communist garb violated Xs policy on manipulated content; neither received a community note, in which the social networks users fact-check false posts.



Though malicious, and certainly cause for concern, such efforts reflect the pro-Trump camps larger struggle to definemore specifically, to tarnishHarris among undecided voters. In early July, before Harris became the Democrats presumptive nominee, her unfavorability rating was through the roof17 percent more voters disapproved of her than approved. That number currently sits at 0.4 percent, a shocking reversal.



Musks attacks on Harris have largely focused on three areas: her competence (and, relatedly, the fact that she became the Democratic nominee without competing in a primary); her supposed radicalism (see above); and her immigration platform (which doesnt really exist). His attempts have been histrionic, pathetic, and ineffective. An A.I.-generated image of Harris wearing Communist-ish clothing is hardly a brutal attack. Its barely even an advertisement for Musks bespoke A.I. tool Grok, which generated it. Instead, it suggests a desperate attempt to label a candidate running a middle-of-the-road campaign as some kind of dictator in waitingtheres no sign that anyone is buying it.



Harriss joyful campaignthe theme of which is Freedomhardly comports with the caricature being put forth by Musk. To the extent that there are criticisms of it, they are that Harris hasnt done enough to break with Bidens conservative immigration policy and embrace of Israel. Musks criticisms of her immigration policy are in many ways more disgusting. Arguing that Harris and other Democrats are welcoming undocumented immigrants to win their voteswhich is both a wild lie and logically absurd, since noncitizens cant voteechoes the racist great replacement theory. But Musks attacks are so outlandish that they can only be expected to resonate with other adherents to this theory.



Musks efforts to attack Harriss qualifications and competence are more closely aligned with the approach taken by the Trump campaign. Trump has recently become obsessed with Harriss claim that she worked at McDonalds, alleging that its made up. (McDonalds doesnt keep records from Harriss time there, which was 40 years ago.) The idea seems to be that Harris is a big phony whos lying about her work experience in a shameless effort to appeal to normal voters. But this also feels overdetermined, an effort to undermine a claim that resonates politically. Harriss campaign portrays her and her running mate, former teacher and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as normal people who understand normal peoples problemsas opposed to the weird Trump and Vance. Its workinghence the desperate attacks.



As the election nears and Trumps (and Musks) desperation grows, these attacks will likely grow more frequent, hostile, and disgusting. The question is whether they will gain any purchase in the media and among undecided voters.



In 2016, Trump succeeded in muddying the waters, but only thanks to genuine controversy: His efforts to portray Clinton as sinister, secretive, and corrupt were aided by the reemergence of the FBIs investigation of her use of a private email server in the final days of the campaign. Four years later, he launched similar attacks against Joe Biden based on material found on a laptop belonging to Bidens son, Hunter. Those efforts largely failed.



Why did they fail? One argument is that the media, sensing a foreign influence campaign, largely didnt cover the material on that laptop. But theres another compelling explanation. Whereas the attacks on Clinton played into a narrative the right wing had been pushing for more than 30 years, with Biden they were making up a new narrative on the spot. The audience had not been primed to believe it, and the notion that Biden was involved in a massive, corrupt conspiracy wasnt compelling to boot.



Rest assured, though, that Trump and Musk will keep trying. Theyre thick as thieves, and suffer equally from main character syndrome. They both have a bottomless need for attention, and default to flooding the zone in attacking their rivals. For now, they are both floundering in doing so against Harris. Its quite possible or even likely, though, that she will face some version of the Hunter Biden laptop story in the final weeks of the electiona right-wing pseudo-scandal aimed at taking over the news cycle and taking down her campaign. But the rights failure to create a damaging narrative about her thus far suggests that this too will fall flat on its face. One billion views may seem like a lot, but not when its a tale told by an idiot.


Protesters hold signs and shout into bullhorns in front of the California Institution For Women in Chino on April 14. The group, comprised of USC students and members of the California Coalition For Women Prisoners and the Women's Liberation Front, was protesting recent sexual abuse allegations against a few of the wardens and guards in the state prison system. (Mark Boster/For The Times)

Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced a civil rights investigation into sexual abuse of women behind bars in two California prisons, citing numerous reports of groping, inappropriate touching and rape by correctional workers.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation violated the rights of women at the Central California Womens Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino by failing to protect them from sexual abuse by prison staff.

The move comes after dozens of women held at the two prisons in the last two years brought multiple lawsuits against the corrections department, alleging that they were subjected to sexual harassment, molestation and rape by prison staff under the color of authority.

More than 30 current and former correctional officers have been named in the lawsuits, which graphically document allegations of sexual abuse stretching back more than a decade. The complaints also allege that, when they were at their most vulnerable, the women were punished and sometimes abused further for reporting their assailants.

Since 2014, at least 17 correctional officers accused of sexual misconduct in California women's prisons have been fired, have resigned or retired, according to records. Prison sexual abuse data, however, show few disciplinary consequences for the correctional staff despite hundreds of complaints  with most of the allegations not being sustained.

Read more: Guard at 'rape club' prison faces new charges of sexually abusing inmates

"No woman incarcerated in a jail or prison should be subjected to sexual abuse by prison staff who are constitutionally bound to protect them, said Assistant Atty. Gen. Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. Every woman, including those in prison, retains basic civil and constitutional rights and should be treated with dignity and respect. California must ensure that the people it incarcerates are housed in conditions that protect them from sexual abuse.

"Correctional staff at both facilities reportedly sought sexual favors in return for contraband and privileges." Ill note that the correctional officers named in these allegations range in rank and have even included the very people responsible for handling complaints of sexual abuse made by women incarcerated at these facilities."

In a statement responding to the investigation, CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber said, Sexual assault is a heinous violation of fundamental human dignity that is not tolerated  under any circumstances  within Californias state prison system. Our department embraces transparency, and we fully welcome the U.S. Department of Justices independent investigation.

Clarke said the investigation will examine reports from hundreds of women of inappropriate touching, groping and forcible rape.

Sexual abuse and misconduct will not be tolerated in prisons, said Martin Estrada, U.S. attorney

for the Central District of California.

More than two dozen protesters marched in front of the California Institution For Women in Chino in April 14. (Mark Boster / For The Times)

Concern about the physical safety of people inside California womens prisons is not new, said Phillip A. Talbert, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California. Media coverage, state audits, advocates efforts and private litigation have sought to draw attention to an issue often unseen by many in the community."

Clarke said that at this stage, no conclusions have been drawn. However, federal prosecutors painted a dire picture of allegations made by the women California holds in the two prisons.

The federal action comes as a lawsuit accusing a former correctional officer at the Central California Women's Facility of widespread sexual assaults is slated to go to trial in a California court. Filed on behalf of 21 women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women, the lawsuit included allegations of forcible rape, groping and oral copulation, as well as threats of violence and punishment with abusive conduct, from 2014 to 2020.

Read more: As inmates swelter, California prisons remain unprepared for extreme heat

In addition, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed over the last decade making similar accusations against officers at the Central California Women's Facility, Clarke said.

The legal actions pending against state correctional officers provide a road map of alleged depravity and inaction by prison authorities for federal prosecutors to pursue. For example, a lawsuit accuses a sergeant at the Chino prison of more than 40 often-violent rapes and other sexual misconduct in 2015. And a former officer at the Chowchilla prison, Gregory Rodriguez, awaits trial on 96 counts of sex crimes against nearly a dozen women held there.

Sexual abuse of incarcerated women is a widespread problem in facilities nationwide, with government surveys suggesting that more than 3,500 women are sexually abused by prison and jail workers annually. And it's a problem in federal prisons as well as state lockups.

In April, the federal Bureau of Prisons closed the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif., where more than half a dozen correctional officers and the former warden have either been charged or convicted of sexually abusing female inmates. The prison was so plagued by sexual abuse that it was known among inmates and workers as the rape club."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A tiny Italian island is being terrorised by a population of beach-dwelling wild boars that are attacking tourists, recently biting a boy on the genitals.

About 80 wild boars live on Spargi, a small island in the Maddalena archipelago of Sardinia, known for its dazzling white sand beaches and turquoise bays.

In the sixth documented boar attack on the island since June, a nine-year-old boy was bitten in the groin last month, leaving him with injuries that required six stitches in a local hospital.

The attack prompted Fabio Lai, the local mayor, to order a cull of the wild and aggressive swine.

The proposed slaughter has led to a bitter row between local authorities and environmentalists, who say it is not the boars which are to blame, but tourists who offer them food.

The island, which lies off the north coast of Sardinia, is uninhabited, but during the summer, people arrive by boat to swim, snorkel and have picnics.

Signs were recently erected on the island telling tourists not to feed the swine, with fines of up to 2,065 (1,740), but the ban is difficult to enforce.

The hogs now associate human visitors with food and have become emboldened, with some snatching sandwiches and other treats from beachgoers.

There have been six documented boar attacks on the island since June - Image Professionals GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

The clash between pigs and people is part of a broader problem of uncontrolled tourism on the picturesque island, according to Claudio Denzi, the president of a local sailing association, who is opposed to the cull.

Each day, around 6,000 tourists arrive on the island, bringing with them umbrellas, bags, food, cigarettes, without any regulations. The more irresponsible give the boars food so that they can take a selfie. Its certainly not the fault of the boars, he said.

The problem is linked to a level of tourism that is no longer sustainable, with boats that pollute the sea and deliver thousands of people to the island.

The large number of day trippers is leading to the erosion of the islands beaches. Every person who leaves the island unwittingly takes with them an average of 93 grams of sand, he said.

Piera Rosati, the president of LNDC, an animal welfare organisation, said that culling the boars was a useless spilling of blood.

The National Association for the Protection of Animals said in a statement: Killing these animals in some sort of vendetta will not resolve anything. The boars are guilty only of being approached and disturbed by tourists.

The culling was due to begin in late August, but the association temporarily blocked the operation with an injunction.

Local authorities should have acted long ago to rein in the bad behaviour of tourists who feed the animals, it argued.

It suggested that rather than shooting the boars, there were other means of controlling their numbers, such as sterilising the males.

Eleonora Evi, an MP with the centre-Left Democratic Party, is also opposed to a cull, saying that the animals should not be punished for the thoughtless behaviour of visitors to the island. The boars are not to blame, she said.

Across Italy, there are an estimated 2.3 million boars. Each year, they cause 200 million of damage to crops, as well as traffic accidents when they are hit by vehicles while crossing roads.

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A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

Extraordinary

Im not sure were close to getting our collective heads around the malign influence of foreign governments in U.S. elections even as we are in the midst of the third consecutive presidential election cycle in which it is a significant dynamic.

Even if you were to somehow set aside the unprecedented nearly-decade-long willingness of Donald Trump and the Republican Party to accept, encourage, and benefit from foreign election interference, it would still be an enormously complex, difficult, and hard-to-combat national security issue.

The details that emerged yesterday in the new federal indictment announced by the Justice Department in the most high-profile of ways offers an extraordinary glimpse of how brazen Russias influence operations within the United States have been  and of the extreme gullibility of right-wing influencers who were the highly paid alleged victims of the Russian-backed scheme.

It helps to remember that the Justice Department has two roles here: prosecuting criminal wrongdoing and thwarting future attacks on the U.S. election system, which is what these foreign interference campaigns amount to. In service of both parts of its mission, the Justice Department released highly detailed charging documents that go well beyond whats needed to establish the elements of the alleged crimes. In doing so, its trying to expose the full extent of the kinds of methods Russia uses in order to scuttle future Kremlin efforts. One former U.S. official called the charging documents an absolute intelligence gold mine.

Among the right-wing commentators who were allegedly duped by the lucrative-to-them Russian scheme are some familiar names: Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, and Dave Rubin.

Tucker Carlsons Overt Shilling Was Too Much Even For Russia

My favorite part of the indictment:

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1831427285196603639

Trumps Arlington Cemetery Fiasco

I joined my former colleague Greg Sargent, now at The New Republic, on his podcast The Daily Blast for a lively conversation about authoritarianism, the MAGA threat, and Trumps outright denial that any kind of altercation took place between his campaign staff and an Arlington National Cemetery staffer trying to enforce the rule against political activities. My thanks to Greg having me on:

Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen: Politics has no place at Arlingtons Section 60

New reporting this week from NPR on the lead-up to the incident:

A source familiar with the event said the cemetery staff worked with the staff of Republican Congressman Brian Mast of Florida, who joined Trump at Arlington. Arlington Cemetery staff dealt directly with Masts chief of staff, James Langenderfer, briefing him extensively on the rules, which include no campaign events at the cemetery. They also reiterated that only an official Arlington National Cemetery photographer  and no campaign photographer  could be used at Section 60. The source said Langenderfer told them the Trump campaign agreed to these rules. NPR reached out to Masts staff and asked if Langenderfer was briefed and relayed that information to the Trump campaign. They did not address the questions but instead released a statement, which said: President Trump conducted no politics at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Racist Jihad Against Non-Citizen Voting

The NYT joins the party on the GOPs pretend obsession with the noncitizen voting, which isnt allowed and doesnt happen in federal elections. The story does a good job of not accepting the premise  false theories, supposed scourge, they claim, inaccurately,  but it doesnt fully the capture how the GOP jihad is rooted in and appeals to racist xenophobia.

Yes, it can also be a pretext for new voting restrictions that may have broader effects on voting, but at its core its a rallying cry against immigrants that echoes elements of the Great Replacement Theory.

Thats why it has campaign appeal to Republican electeds and why the House GOP is threatening a government shutdown during the stretch run of the election over noncitizen voting.

2024 Ephemera

CNN/SSRS poll: Among likely voters in the battleground states: Wisconsin : Harris 50%, Trump 44% Michigan : Harris 48%, Trump 43% Georgia : Harris 48%, Trump 47% Nevada : Harris 48%, Trump 47% Pennsylvania : Harris 47%, Trump 47% Arizona : Trump 49%, Harris 44%

Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) announced that she will vote for Kamala Harris for President.

After milking the issue for a few days, Kamala Harris has agreed to the terms of the ABC News debate with Donald Trump: The candidates microphones will be muted when its not their turn to speak.

Trump Prosecution Watch

Jan. 6 case : U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is holding a status conference this morning, the first time shes convened the parties since the Supreme Courts notorious decision on presidential immunity. TPMs Kate Riga is at the DC federal courthouse and will spearhead our coverage.

Mar-a-Lago case : I didnt pay much attention to the amicus brief filed by CREW with the 11th Circuit that urges it to remove U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, but Roger Parloff makes a convincing case that the brief deftly threads the needle of avoiding the weakest arguments for her removal while bolstering the strongest ones.

Hush money case: Trump is still scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, but all eyes are on Judge Merchan to see whether he postpones sentencing until after the election, as Trump has requested.

Stark

The number of federal criminal trials faced before the November election:

Hunter Biden: 2

Donald Trump: 0

Ginni Thomas Privately Praised Anti-SCOTUS-Reform Group

ProPublica: Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, privately heaped praise on a major religious-rights group for fighting efforts to reform the nations highest court  efforts sparked, in large part, by her husbands ethical lapses.

Remember This One?

A few weeks ago, I flagged the QAnon brain worms infesting a small town police department outside of Nashville. Yesterday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation raided the police department at Millersville City Hall and also searched the home of the assistant police chief:

The exact focus of the investigation is not clear, but reporting from NewsChannel 5s Phil Williams offers some potential clues:

Two local district attorneys have previously confirmed to NewsChannel 5 Investigates that the TBI has been asked to investigate the possible use of sensitive law enforcement data to dig up dirt on potential political enemies. The TBI is also investigating possible perjury of a Millersville detective, stemming from his testimony in what appears to have been a botched child predator sting.

All of this comes against the backdrop of the police chief and assistant police chief espousing extreme right-wing QAnon-flavored conspiracy theories, which of course means that now the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is in on the conspiracy.

Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
Prominent right-wing influencers including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson are claiming to be the victims of a fraudulent Russian political disinformation scheme exposed by the Justice Department on Wednesday.

In an unsealed indictment, the DOJ charged two Russian citizens, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyev, with acting as unregistered foreign agents and of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both individuals are employees of the state-controlled Russian media outfit RT.

The Justice Department has charged two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, in a $10 million scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

According to a press release issued by the DOJ, Over at least the past year, RT and its employees, including Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, deployed nearly $10 million to covertly finance and direct a Tennessee-based online content creation company.

In order to carry out RTs secret influence campaign in the United States, Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva operated under covert identities, with Kalashnikov posing as an outside editor and editing the companys content, monitoring its funding and hiring, and introducing Afanasyeva as a member of his purported editing team. The indictment further alleges that two unnamed founders of the company created a fake investor profile under the name Eduard Grigoriann in order to dupe potential participants.

The indictment describes the company as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues. CNN confirmed on Wednesday that the description refers to Tenet Media, a media company that distributes political content from independent creators across multiple platforms.

Among the creators in its roster are Pool, Rubin, and Johnson, as well as right-wing podcaster Matt Christiansen, alt-right figure Lauren Southern, and commentator Tayler Hansen. None of the creators hired by Tenet Media have been charged with criminal offenses related to the scheme.

Since Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, conservatives have become increasingly oppositional to U.S. aid to Ukraine, and viewpoints supporting Russias position in the war have become prevalent throughout right-wing media. Wednesdays indictment is by no means the first time Russian state agents have attempted to weaponize this dynamic in their own favor. In 2022, a leaked Kremlin memo revealed that the Russian government urged state-friendly media outfits to rebroadcast clips from the show of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson  a pattern that remains in place despite Carlsons exit from the network.

Several of the creators have denied having any knowledge that the funding for Tenet, and the payments they received from the company, were linked to a Russian influence operation.

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed, Pool wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company. TCW is a separate company not associated with Timcast.com or other properties. It exists solely for the production of the Culture War Podcast.

Rubin echoed the sentiment, writing in a statement on X that tThese allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.

Johnson falsely claimed on X that the indictment had been leaked, writing that a year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated.

We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise, he added.

Several of the creators involved with Tenet claimed that they have not been contacted by law enforcement or the Justice Department on the matter. Conservative lawyer Harmeet Dhillon issued some coincidentally timed advice in a tweet on Wednesday: Remember, friends, dont talk to law enforcement without counsel. Just trust me on this.

More from Rolling Stone

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There are two months until the Nov. 5 election, when voters in Wisconsin and across the country will head to the polls to elect the president, vice president, members of Congress and other lawmakers.

Early voting has already started in some states, like Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In Wisconsin, early voting can start two weeks before Election Day, though it's up to each city, town or village to decide how many days and locations to offer.

Early voting is also called in-person absentee voting, because voters go to a designated location and cast an absentee ballot there. That's different than voting absentee by mail. Voters who have already requested an absentee ballot via mail should receive their ballots soon after Sept. 19, which is the deadline for Wisconsin clerks to send them.

Here's what to know about key voting deadlines for the November election in Wisconsin, including when you can register to vote, the timeframe for early voting and how late you can request an absentee ballot. A full list of deadlines can be found at myvote.wi.gov.

When is early voting in Wisconsin?

Oct. 22 through Nov. 3, though dates vary by municipality.

State law allows for early voting to take place no earlier than 14 days before Election Day  in this case, Oct. 22  and no later than the Sunday before the election, or Nov. 3. There is no in-person absentee voting on the Monday before the election, Nov 4.

Each city, town or village decides how many days, times and locations they want to offer early voting. You can check whether early voting is available in your community by entering your address here, or by contacting your local clerk.

When and how can I register to vote in Wisconsin?

As late as Election Day, but by Oct. 16 online.

Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, so you can register to vote at the polls Nov. 5. Make sure to bring a proof of residence document, like a driver's license with your current address, a utility bill or a bank statement.

However, if you want to register to vote online or via mail, the deadline to do so is Oct. 16. You can register to vote online at myvote.wi.gov. Registering by mail involves filling out and printing a registration form and mailing it to your clerk.

You can also register in-person at your local clerk's office during their business hours. The deadline for that option is the Friday before Election Day, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.

When can I request an absentee ballot in Wisconsin?

Now through Oct. 31, for most voters.

Voters in Wisconsin can request an absentee ballot be mailed to them at myvote.wi.gov. Voters can request an absentee ballot for any reason. If you make a request after Sept. 19, clerks must fulfill it within 24 to 48 business hours.

The last day for most voters to request an absentee ballot, however, is Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. Your clerk must receive your request by that time.

The deadline for indefinitely confined, military and hospitalized voters to make an absentee ballot request is slightly longer. More information is available here for those voters.

What's the last day to return an absentee ballot in Wisconsin?

Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. at the latest.

Clerks must receive your absentee ballot by Nov. 5 at 8 p.m., which is when polls close in Wisconsin. However, the U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing back your absentee ballot at least a week before Election Day, or Oct. 29, so it gets to your clerk in time.

There are other options for returning your absentee ballot instead of mailing it, but those also differ by municipality. Some communities, like Milwaukee, will offer absentee ballot drop boxes after the state Supreme Court reversed a past decision that banned them.

More: Brookfield residents speak in favor of ballot drop boxes, but Common Council says no

Other options for returning your absentee ballot include bringing it to your clerk's office, your assigned polling place or a central count location. You can check with your clerk to see which options are available in your community.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Key dates and deadlines for voting in the Nov. 5 election in Wisconsin
Wisconsin man sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for repeated offenses of child pornography

(WFRV)  U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced on Wednesday that a 39-year-old Wisconsin man was sentenced to 150 months (12.5 years) in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Brandon Gerry of West Bend is a repeat offender, with a prior conviction of distribution of child pornography dating back to 2018, which he served five years of prison for.

Cocaine, facsimile gun & cat found in fleeing Wisconsin drivers vehicle, 2 arrested near large quarry

Court records show that investigators identified multiple online accounts in 2023 that were found to be used by Gerry. The accounts had been in possession and were distributing CSAM via numerous platforms such as Discord and Reddit.

His accounts also had numerous sexualized conversations surrounding children. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman noted at the sentencing hearing the serious nature of his offenses with the need to deter others from committing similar crimes.

Wisconsin woman arrested & banned from zoo after climbing fences and attempting to enter animal enclosures

Gerry will also spend 10 years on supervised release and must continue to be registered as a sex offender under state and federal law.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
BEAVER DAM, Wis. (WFRV)  A 62-year-old Wisconsin motorcyclist was hospitalized on Wednesday with severe injuries after crashing with a school bus at an intersection.

According to a release, deputies with the Dodge County Sheriffs Office were sent to State Highway 33 near North Crystal Lake Road in Beaver Dam shortly after 3:45 p.m. for a report of a crash involving two vehicles.

42-year-old Manitowoc man arrested for 4th OWI offense

A preliminary investigation revealed a 62-year-old man from Beaver Dam was traveling east on State Highway 33 on a motorcycle, and a school bus, operated by a 54-year-old man from Beaver Dam, was traveling north on North Crystal Lake Road. The school bus and motorcycle collided at the intersection.

The motorcyclist was immediately transported to a nearby hospital with what deputies say appear to be serious injuries. The school bus driver was uninjured, and no other occupants were on the bus at the time of the crash.

Boil Water Advisory for St. Cloud in Fond du Lac County lifted, safe to resume normal usage

State Highway 33 was partially closed for about 30 minutes to keep the scene safe for those working and investigating the crash.

This incident remains under investigation by the Dodge County Sheriffs Office. No additional details were provided.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
WMEs Brandt Joel met by Zoom with agents in the motion picture and talent departments to apologize for and clarify the comment that he posted and then removed from an unofficial WME WhatsApp group chat, a source with knowledge of the situation tells The Hollywood Reporter.

Joel found himself at the center of scandal Sunday, when his incendiary text made headlines following news that Israels military said it has recovered the bodies of six hostages killed by Hamas militants in Gaza.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

In an unofficial Jewish affinity group showing solidarity with Israel, WMEs Nancy Josephson and Katie Slater, among others, remarked on the tragedy of the murders. Per screenshots obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Joel then texted in response to the news, Screw the left kill all. He deleted the message a few minutes later.

Joel told the group this week that he wanted to address what had happened, expressed remorse for what he had done, said he deeply regretted it and holds himself responsible. He said he did this in an emotional and irrational moment when he was heartbroken at the news about the hostages. When he realized he had crossed a line, he took it down.

Though his original brief message lacked clarity, Joel noted his text was directed at Hamas, the terrorist organization.

Joel apologized for a lack of judgment, said he had created a big distraction and put a target on the group. He added that he loves the company and his colleagues, according to the source, and said hes going to seek out different viewpoints and get counseling to address his impulsive behavior.

In the aftermath of the texts fallout, Mahershala Ali has been reassigned and may be leaving the agency. The agent also represents Justin Timberlake, Jason Momoa and Matthew McConaughey.

A source told THR last weekend that this wasnt the first time Joel has sent divisive messages in the group chat, and shared a previous text where Joel had said WME had been weak on clients who had spoken out about the ongoing war in Gaza. We have been weak every department has clients we should have fired and we didnt and it shows we are weak and we have tolerated abhorrent behavior, Joel texted, although it is unclear which clients he was directly referring to and what behavior he deemed abhorrent.

Joel added, This is all polyanna crap. Nobody took a stand on this chat that Im aware of except Richard and addressed it. Thankfully there are very few outliers yet we have not fired one and its shameful.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

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Woman booked in jail connected to shooting death of 55-year-old Greene County man

A woman accused in connection to the shooting death of a 55-year-old man in Greene County is now in jail.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Janel Nelson, 52, was booked in the Greene County Jail just after 1 a.m. Thursday morning, according to online jail records.

As News Center 7 previously reported, police found a man shot to death inside a house in the 1800 block of Maple Lane in August.

Police previously identified the victim as Michael Corrigan, 55.

TRENDING STORIES:

Neighbors previously told News Center 7 that Corrigan was the homeowner.

Oh, we were we were really startled. We didnt know what to think, Corrigans neighbor Cuthbert Cornette said.

Cornette told News Center 7 about what he and his wife witnessed right across the street.

It was just a bunch of, emergency vehicles coming with their lights on, Cornette said.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 55-year-old man killed in his home; Woman arrested over 700 miles away

News Center 7 obtained the 911 call that brought police to Maple Lane.

I have a person thats deceased in their house, and theres blood in the back of their head, the caller said.

The caller said she is engaged to Corrigans brother, and they came to the house to check on him when he didnt call to work.

She said the last time anybody talked to him was a couple days ago and that his ex-girlfriend was in town.

Tuesday afternoon, Beavercreek Police Department Captain Scott Molnar said police arrested Janel Nelson, 52, in connection to the shooting death in Omaha, Nebraska.

>>RELATED: Police, BCI investigating suspicious death in Greene County

Police said their understanding from the family is that Corrigan and Nelson had an off and on relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend for the last 15 years.

Omaha police arrested Nelson on a warrant for felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and voluntary manslaughter.

According to Molnar, police used a social media post to figure out where Nelson was.

They also used license plate readers to confirm her whereabouts at the time of the crime and as she traveled towards Nebraska.

Officers seized evidence from Nelsons car, including the gun they think she used in the crimes.

News Center 7 will continue to provide new information.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




A suspect in a Greene County homicide appeared in court Thursday, hours after police brought her back to Ohio and booked her into jail.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

TRENDING STORIES:

Janel Nelson, 52, is accused of killing her on-again, off-again boyfriend Michael Corrigan, 55, in his Beavercreek home last month.

Beavercreek Police say they found the handgun they think Nelson used in the killing in her car.

Nelson was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska on Aug. 27 and was extradited back to Ohio and booked into the Greene County Jail around 1 a.m. on Thursday.

Just about 12 hours after Beavercreek Police flew her back from Nebraska in handcuffs, Nelson appeared in Fairborn Municipal Court by video from the jail.

You have the right to require the state to prove each and every element of the charges against you beyond a reasonable doubt, Judge Beth Cappelli said.

Nelson is facing charges, including voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, in connection to Corrigans death.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, Corrigans family spoke off-camera at court and said today would have been his 56th birthday.

Nelsons lawyer asked the judge for a reasonable bond. Prosecutors and Corrigans family asked for a $500,000 bond.

Prosecutors argued the charges are severe, and added Nelson lives in Wisconsin with her husband, was found and arrested in Nebraska, is accused of killing a man, and has no ties to the Miami Valley.

Considering all factors as required in determining a bond, including that she is out of state as a residence, and the allegation that she did leave to go to Nebraska following the alleged incident, Im setting bond in the amount of $500,000, Cappelli said.

News Center 7s John Bedell could hear Corrigans family quietly celebrating in court when the judge announced that decision.

Currently, Nelsons next hearing is set for next week but that could change if shes indicted by a Greene County grand jury before then.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




UPDATE: Her Probable Cause and Detention hearing has been reset for September 13. She will appear before Magistrate Judge Annie T. Christoff.

***

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The woman charged with a plot to sell Graceland will try to get out of jail Friday.

Lisa Findley, 53, of Missouri, has been in federal custody for three weeks following her arrest last month. She has a federal court date set for Friday in Memphis.

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection to an alleged scheme targeting Graceland and Elvis Presleys family.

Previous story: Woman charged in Graceland foreclosure sale scheme

Prosecutors say Findley assumed a number of different identities as she tried to convince a judge to auction off Elvis Presleys estate in Memphis to pay an alleged $3.8 million debt owed by his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

The Justice Department says the entire story was made up.

Findley will face a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud if she is convicted.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
(FOX40.COM)  A woman died on Tuesday at Sutter Roseville Medical Center about one week after police say another patient allegedly assaulted her at an assisted living facility in Northern California.

The Roseville Police Department said the victim, 90, was allegedly assaulted by a 77-year-old memory care patient at a facility in Roseville on Nob Hill Court. Officers said the woman suffered significant facial injuries before being taken to the hospital for treatment.

Sacramento domestic violence victim dies after 2 days in hospital

Our hearts go out to the family and the loved ones of the victim during this incredibly difficult time, Roseville Police said. The Roseville Police Department remains committed to ensuring a thorough and transparent investigation and will continue to support the victims family and the community as this process unfolds.

Police added that the suspect was taken to a different facility and the case was passed on to the Placer County District Attorneys Office for review.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
ST. LOUIS  A U.S. District judge sentenced a woman to prison on Thursday for stealing over $165,000 from her employer at a St. Louis-area comic book publishing company.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of Missouri, Sarah Lynn Tweedie, 49, used a company credit card to make personal purchases and then fled to Scotland to be with her long-distance fiancee.

Prosecutors said she pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft after using the company card and a former employees card without their knowledge. Tweedie admitted that while working for the comic book company she planned to steal from her employer.

Stranger arrested after swim in St. Louis County homeowners pool

She used the two cards to make $138,137 in purchases, including a Scottish kilt and a premium seat upgrade on her flight from Chicago to Glasgow, Scotland. She additionally used the company account to purchase $6,400 in Amazon gift cards, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said she even increased her annual salary from $80,000 to $110,000 and prompted $16,086 in expense reimbursement, to which she was not entitled. In total, she stole $165,239 from the publishing company.

Tweedie began a long-distance relationship in 2015 with a man who lived in Scotland, and they got engaged in March 2017, a month before she started working at the publishing company, according to court documents.

In December 2017, she told her employer that her fiancee was injured in a car accident and she left to be with him. Prosecutors said in reality, she had received a visa to live in Scotland and was not planning to return.

Tweedie was arrested on July 9, 2019 by Scottish authorities. She fought deportation until her final appeal was denied in March 2024.

Tweedie pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. She was sentenced to 45 months in prison.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
A 28-year-old Florida cold case has been solved.

The Manatee County Sheriffs office, with the assistance of the Delaware State Police, charged 72-year-old Stephen L. Ford with the 1996 second-degree murder of Doris A. Korell, a 45-year-old St. Petersburg woman found dead in a ditch along U.S. 41 in Palmetto.

Ford stabbed Korell, who was his girlfriend at the time, 83 times, according to authorities.

The Delaware State Police took Ford into custody on Aug. 16 during a traffic stop near his home in Georgetown, Delaware. He was brought back to Florida and booked into the Manatee County Jail on Aug. 30, deputies say.

On Dec. 15, 1996, Manatee sheriffs deputies saw a body floating face down in a Palmetto drainage canal. Divers retrieved the body of an unidentified woman wearing a gold ring on her right index finger. The woman had trauma to the right side of her neck and face and an autopsy revealed she had several stab wounds, according to arrest records.

The autopsy, as well as later DNA samples, found no evidence of sexual assault, detectives say.

How the Florida murder case unfolded

Detectives in Manatee County say they were unaware at the time that the St. Petersburg Police Department was looking for Korell, who was reported missing a few days earlier.

On Dec. 11, Korells daughter reported her missing after Ford called her to ask if shed seen her mother. Ford told her daughter that Korell left their shared St. Petersburg duplex to go shopping after an argument, according to arrest records.

St. Petersburg police say they found Korells red Mazda RX-7 at the Pinellas Square Mall a week later but discovered no evidence that a struggle or attack took place inside the car. However, investigators say they believe Ford parked the car there and wiped it down.

Ford denied any involvement in Korells disappearance when questioned by detectives. When asked what should happen to the person who killed Korell, Ford told them, An eye for an eye and said, If I killed her, I should get the death penalty, according to the sheriffs office.

Detectives also said they noticed Christmas gifts at Fords home had been opened days before the holiday as if he expected his girlfriend wouldnt be found.

When detectives returned to Fords duplex on Christmas Eve 1996 for a follow-up interview, they said they made entry through an unlocked window when Ford didnt answer the door and discovered him semi-conscious and foaming at the mouth after he ingested bleach in an apparent suicide attempt.

Detectives say they identified the body discovered in the Palmetto ditch as Korells a few months later through dental records. Thats when detectives with the Manatee County Sheriffs Office and the St. Petersburg Police Department realized they were working on the same case, however, due to a lack of physical evidence and leads in the months to follow, the investigation went cold and Ford moved to Delaware, according to a news release.

New information leads to arrest, deputies say

In 2017, a cold case detective with the Manatee County Sheriffs Office reopened the case and began reexamining files from both Manatee County and St. Petersburg police, according to a news release.

Over the next six years, the sheriffs office said new information came to light leading to Fords arrest, including acquaintances of Korells saying she feared Ford and that the couple were having domestic and financial problems.

Cold case detectives said Fords behavior showed a clear pattern of consciousness of guilty, according to a news release.

Ford is facing a charge of second-degree murder with a weapon and is scheduled for his first court appearance on Sept. 6, according to court records.
Woman missing from Mobile  have you seen her?

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Police need help finding a woman last seen in mid-August, News 5 has learned.

Woman accused of killing boyfriend at Mobile apartment complex pleads not guilty

Karli Sanford, 29, was reported missing this afternoon, according to the Mobile Police Department.

Karli Sanford (Courtesy of Mobile Police Department)

She was last seen Aug. 16, 2024, in the 3000 block of Airport Boulevard, according to an MPD news release.

Since then, loved ones have taken to social media searching for answers.

I need your help, Sommar Key said in a Facebook post, adding, my daughter, Karli Bliss Sanford, has been missing for three weeks from Mobile, Alabama. None of the family has heard from her. She was without her car, cell phone and money.

The post said Sanford was last seen at La Quinta Inn and Suites on Airport Boulevard.

Sanfords post has received 17,000 shares as of this writing.

Prichard Police detective arrested on perjury charge

Anyone with information on Sanfords whereabouts can call 251-208-7211.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A woman who was living in the United States illegally will plead guilty to assuming the identity of an American citizen and using that identity to vote in different elections and obtain U.S. passports.

Angelica Francisco, 42, of Russellville was previously charged with false claims of citizenship in connection with voting, false statements in application for a United States passport, use of a United States passport obtained by false statements and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona said in a statement.

Leeds student taken into custody following social media post

According to her plea agreement, Francisco had been in the country illegally since 2008 from her home country of Guatemala, but assumed the identity of a United States citizen around 2011. She then used that false identity, along with their birth certificate and Social Security number, to obtain a U.S. passport later that year and traveled to and from Guatemala in 2012, 2015 and 2018. In 2016, Francisco registered to vote in Alabama and subsequently voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary elections. In 2021, Francisco used the same false identity to apply for and receive a renewed passport, which she used to travel to and from Guatemala in 2022.

Francisco faces up to 10 years in prison.

Francisco will enter her guilty plea in court at a later date.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
FILE - This image provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota, shows cash from a bag that was left at the home of a juror in a massive fraud case, June 2, 2024, outside Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota via AP, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A Seattle woman pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to bribe a Minnesota juror with a bag of $120,000 in cash in exchange for an acquittal in one of the country's largest COVID-19-related fraud cases.

Ladan Mohamed Ali, 31, dropped off a cash bribe in a plan that involved tracking a juror to her home and promising more money if the woman agreed to return a not guilty verdict in the fraud case. Ali is one of five people charged in the attempted bribery of the juror, a scheme prosecutors have described as something out of a mob movie. Officials have also said rare attempts to bribe jurors threaten foundational aspects of the judicial system.

Ali wiped away tears while answering questions from prosecutors before U.S. District Judge David Doty. She said was pleading guilty because she "wanted to take responsibility for my actions. Alis attorney, Eric Newmark, did not immediately return a call seeking an additional comment.

Court documents revealed an extravagant scheme in which Ali and her co-defendants are accused of researching the jurors personal information on social media, surveilling her, tracking her daily habits and buying a GPS device to install on her car.

The four others charged with crimes related to the bribe are Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Said Shafii Farah, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah and Abdimajid Mohamed Nur. Nur, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a juror in July. The other three defendants have pleaded not guilty.

The group hatched the bribery plan in mid-May, records show.

Nur admitted to recruiting Ali, who delivered the bribe money to the jurors home. She flew from Seattle to Minneapolis in May to meet with Nur and allegedly agreed to deliver the bribe money later that month to the home of Juror #52 in exchange for $150,000, prosecutors said.

In new details revealed in federal court Thursday, prosecutors said Ali was concerned the plan would fail and that she would not get paid. So Ali came up with a separate plan to steal some or all of the bribe money.

Ali lied to Nur and said she had approached the juror at a bar, according to prosecutors. Ali claimed the juror wanted $500,000 in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict, and that the juror had instructed her to deliver the money when she'd be home alone. In reality, Ali had never spoken to the juror, prosecutors said.

On June 2, Abdiaziz Farah instructed Nur to meet at Said Farahs business to pick up the bribe money, court records say. When Nur arrived at the business, Said Farah gave him a cardboard box containing the money. Nur gave the money to Ali after picking her up in a parking lot later in the day. Hours later, Ali and Abdulkarim Farah drove to a Target store and purchased a screwdriver, which they used to remove the license plates from Alis rental car before driving to the jurors home.

Ali knew Abdulkarim Farah had planned to follow her and film the encounter at the juror's home, but when he insisted on driving Ali rather than taking separate cars, she abandoned her separate plan to steal all of the bribe money.

Nur had given Ali $200,000 in cash, all of which was intended to be used to bribe the juror. Ali knocked on the juror's door and was greeted by a relative. Ali handed the gift bag to her and explained there would be more money if the juror voted to acquit. But Ali only delivered $120,000 and kept the remaining $80,000 for herself.

The juror called the police, setting off an an FBI investigation that led to the group's arrest. Authorities believe the defendants targeted the woman, known as Juror #52, because she was the youngest and they believed she might be sympathetic to the defendant, as the only person of color on the panel.

Five of the seven people charged in the pandemic fraud trial were later convicted. The defendants in that case were accused of coordinating to steal more than $40 million from a federal program that was supposed to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than $250 million in federal funds were taken overall in the scheme, and only about $50 million has been recovered, authorities say.

Abdiaziz Farah and Abdimajid Nur were among five people convicted in the pandemic fraud trial in June while Said Farah and another person were acquitted. Abdulkarim Farah and Ali were not involved in the original fraud case.

Ali will be sentenced at a later date.
FOREST CITY, N.C. (WSPA)  Police are asking for the publics help in locating a woman who allegedly stole a purse and wallet from a Forest City Italian restaurant.

According to the Forest City Police Department, the larceny occurred on August 28 at Babbos Italian Kitchen.

Officials said the suspect took a Michael Kors purse and wallet from the victim.

The woman was described by police as Black with a lighter complexion, being around 20 to 21 years old.

The suspect was also wearing a white sweatshirt, black shorts, yellow crocs with two roads of braids in her hair at the time of the theft.

Anyone with information about the sticky-fingered suspect is asked to contact Detective Shawn Keeter at (828) 245-5555, or dispatch at (828)-286-2911.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
(NewsNation)  A woman who filed a defamation lawsuit over her portrayal in the film Sound of Freedom, now faces up to 20 years in a Columbian prison.

Kely Suarez was convicted Monday of pimping a child under 14 by a court in Colombia, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

In February, Suarez filed a civil suit against Tim Ballard, the films writer and director, and production company Angel Studios, claiming they falsely portrayed her as a villain in the movie.

The film follows Ballard, a former U.S. government agent who quit his job to rescue children from sex traffickers. Suarezs suit stems from a 2014 sting in Colombia that Ballard participated in where he and others posed as rich Americans looking for a child sex party.

Notorious Pillowcase Rapist to be released from prison

Suarez was depicted by Ballard in several speeches as a former beauty queen who sold children into sexual slavery, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Filmmakers said she inspired the movie character Giselle, who poses as a modeling agent to traffic children.

In her lawsuit, Suarez claims she was never involved in child trafficking and was herself a trafficking victim. She and others, aged 13 to 30, were allegedly paid by Ballard to attend a Facebook-promoted island party, where she was mistaken for another organizer.

Her suit argued that she had not been convicted of a crime years after the police raid.

However, on Monday, Suarez and three others were convicted of pimping, a decision Ballard said proves the allegations against him are baseless, per The Salt Lake Tribune.

This conviction proves the value of our work to protect innocent children and continues an unbroken string of failures in cases against me, which courts consistently dismiss for lack of evidence, substance, or consistency, Ballard told the outlet.

Hunter Biden to change plea to guilty in tax fraud case: Lawyers

Suarezs attorneys in Colombia are appealing the conviction, arguing that evidence shows her innocence. A Columbian investigator testified that Suarez was a passive participant and was put on the table by organizers to make the island party happen.

Obviously, Ms. Suarez, her partner and her mother, are devastated as she is facing twenty years in a Colombian jail. However, victim advocates from around the world are donating their money for Kely to appeal this matter to the Colombian Supreme Court with the best appellate attorneys in Colombia, her attorneys said in a statement Tuesday.

The attorneys claim all party attendees were above the age of consent and Ballards group paid them to attend, creating the demand for trafficking.

Her U.S. attorneys are confident in the civil case, emphasizing that the felony charge of pimping in Colombia is different from human trafficking, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

CTE Agents testified at trial that Kely was being trafficked, not (taking part in) trafficking, they wrote in a statement. The youth were paid to attend the party by Ballards team, not by the alleged traffickers.

Ballard is still facing two sexual assault lawsuits from six women, KSTU-TV reported.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Woman Sues Ozempic Manufacturer After Alleging Medication Led to Colon Removal: 'It Could Happen to You'

"I had no warning," Juanita Gantt claims, adding that she now lives with an ileostomy bag

CBS Mornings/YouTube Juanita Gantt has sued the manufacturer of Ozempic

A woman has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of the popular diabetes drugs marketed under the the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, claiming that the drugs labeling doesnt adequently warn about the potential side effects.

One of those side effects, Juanita Gantt claimed on CBS Mornings, impacted her colon, which she asserts had to be removed as a result of the medication.

Novo Nordisk has responded to the claims, saying the suit is "without merit."

Gantt says she was first prescribed Wegovy, and then Ozempic, because her doctor thought she was at risk of developing diabetes. As she told CBS, the 62-year-old weighed 242 lbs.

At first, she said, "I was feeling fine. I enjoyed the days that I didn't have to worry about my appetite. I didn't have cravings. I just felt like I was doing something positive for myself.

Related: Ozempic and Wegovy May Be Linked to Increased Risk of Rare Form of Blindness  but More Research Is Needed

But in October 2023, Gantt says her husband found her unconscious on the floor.

She told CBS that parts of her large intestine had died and needed to be removed; While recovering from surgery, she went into cardiac arrest.

She now lives with an ileostomy bag. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, its the result of a surgery that changes the way your body excretes waste.

Poop exits your body through the new hole and collects in an ostomy bag that sticks to your skin, the outlet says.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Gantt, however, told CBS, "I had no warning that this was even a possibility.

Semaglutide and liraglutide  the key ingredients in Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs  are GLP-1 receptor agonists, which can delay food digestion if taken for extended periods of time.

Last July, the medications potential impacts on digestion made headlines when others who took the drugs said they developed gastroparesis  or stomach paralysis  which slows the process of digestion to a harmful point.

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Stock image of Ozempic and Wegovy

Related: People Are Combating 'Ozempic Face' Side Effect with Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss

A representative for Novo Nordisk told PEOPLE in a comment, "We are aware of the health challenges this patient has experienced and are sympathetic to her health journey. Patient safety is our top priority at Novo Nordisk, and we work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines."

"However, Novo Nordisk believes that the allegations in this lawsuit is without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend against these claims. GLP-1 medicines have been used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) for more than 19 years, and for the treatment of obesity for almost 10 years. This includes Novo Nordisk GLP-1 products such as semaglutide and liraglutide that have been on the market for more than 13 years. Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of clinical experience."

"The known risks and benefits of semaglutide and liraglutide medicines are described in their FDA-approved product labeling. Novo Nordisk stands behind the safety and efficacy of all of our GLP-1 medicines when they are used as indicated and when they are taken under the care of a licensed healthcare professional."

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Read the original article on People.
PARKERSBURG, WV (WVNS)  A man from Wood County was sentenced to prison for production of child pornography.

According to a press release, 29-year-old Jon Ryan LaFever, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 to 25 years in prison, followed by 15 years of parole, for production of child pornography, and he will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Nearly 20 people arrested during U.S. Marshals warrant roundup in Raleigh County

Court documents stated that LaFever uploaded a photo of a female minor on the Kik instant messaging mobile app around March 16, 2023, and that he later got a message from a Kik user who asked about the girl.

LaFever revealed that he messaged the Kik user, stating that the girl was 7 years old, and that he had access to the minor, and that he then sent more photos to the person using private messaging. The press release stated that the photos LaFever sent involved images of the girl in her underwear and with her legs spread open, as well as two images of a girls nude genital area.

Not only did the press release state that LaFever sent photos of the female minor to the Kik user, but that he also sent videos where he touches the girls buttocks while she was asleep on a bed, tried to pull her shorts and underwear aside to expose her genital and pubic area, and stops when the minor appeared to be waking up.

Man pleads guilty to assaulting a police officer

Members of law enforcement carried out a search warrant at LaFevers house in the Parkersburg area of Wood County on March 20, 2023. During the search, LaFevers phone was seized by law enforcement, where it was discovered that there were photos and videos of the female minor on the bed in his house, including the videos taken on March 16, 2023.

LaFever went on to reveal that not only did he send videos on the messaging app, but that he was also in possession of around 50 images or videos of the girl while she was asleep in her underwear.

According to the press release, LaFever medicated the girl, as well as an adult who was also in the house, to make sure that they would not discover the sexual abuse. The press release went on to state that LaFever also sent the photos and videos to pedophiles online, in exchange for receiving child pornography that showed the abuse of children across the world.

Fayette County man sentenced for the felony crime of fleeing in a vehicle with reckless indifference

LaFever admitted that hundreds of images and videos of child pornography were in his possession, some of which were of prepubescent minors that he kept on an online file-storage account, as well as his phone.

The press release stated that the two close-up nude images that LaFever sent to the Kik user were cropped from child pornography in his possession and were not of the female minor that LaFever had access to.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who thanked the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their work on the investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
By Kirsty Needham

SUVA (Reuters) - The World Bank's board has approved a $68 million programme to prevent Pacific Island nations from being cut off from the international financial system that underpins tourism, trade and aid flows, the lender's President Ajay Banga said on Thursday.

Access to the global financial system is paramount for several small island economies at risk of losing access to U.S. dollars and euros as Western banks exit the region.

Banga met the leaders of Tonga, Fiji, Nauru, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia in Suva. Bank officials said the announcement would be made on Friday. He is the first World Bank chief to visit Fiji in 50 years.

"The first phase is making sure we can continue to provide correspondent banking by subsidising the cost of doing so, but we have to get past the subsidy to a business rationale for it," Banga said in the meeting.

"That can only happen with scale: Together you have scale, separately it will be a problem," he added.

The funding includes $9 million each to eight Pacific Island countries to establish a service that steps in to keep cross- border transactions flowing if a country loses its last international banking relationship.

Nauru and Marshall Islands face the imminent exit of the last international bank in their small economies.

In many Pacific Island countries, remittances sent home from workers overseas in Australia, the United States and New Zealand contribute over 40 per cent of gross domestic product.

These remittances, as well as trade, tourism and disaster relief flows would be at risk if cross border transactions were stopped, the World bank said.

Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Baron Waqa said "de-banking" had become a serious issue for the region, which between 2011 and 2022 lost 60% of its correspondent banking relationships, where Western banks hold deposits on behalf of a local one to make payments in international currencies.

"We have banks leaving some of our smaller Pacific countries because we are too small and unprofitable," Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said in the meeting.

Under the World Bank deal, countries would also be assisted to comply with international financial standards, including money laundering regulations, one of the factors that has led to the exit of risk-averse Western banks.

The World Bank said the funding programme was a step towards creating a long-term market solution for the island states that would aggregate payments across small countries.

Banga, a former chief executive of global payments company Mastercard, said he would draw on his financial services experience to help, but also urged the Pacific Islands to work together. The Pacific Islands Forum, the region's diplomatic bloc, will administer the program, with commercial banks bidding to run the emergency facility.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Suva; editing by Miral Fahmy)
FILE PHOTO: Aftermath of a landslide due to heavy rainfall, in Kampala

KAMPALA (Reuters) -The World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD) have given Uganda more than $600 million to fund infrastructure development and manage waste in the capital Kampala, the government and World Bank said on Thursday.

Ugandans have complained about waste management and the poor state of the roads in Kampala, which suffers chronic underfunding from the central government.

Last month a garbage landslide at a landfill site on Kampala's outskirts buried houses as residents slept, killing at least 35 people.

A total of $566 million worth in funding, much of it credit, will come from the World Bank, and $42.7 million will be provided by ADF, the statements said.

"Rapid urban expansion has exposed significant gaps in infrastructure" the World Bank said.

Last year, the World Bank said it would stop lending to Uganda after the east African country passed a harsh anti-gay law.

In an emailed response to a Reuters' query the World Bank said the ban was still in effect but that the latest credit extended to Uganda was approved before the ban.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Hereward Holland and Barbara Lewis)
By Kirsty Needham

SUVA (Reuters) - The Pacific Islands, with the highest death rates globally from non-communicable diseases, could better tackle its health crisis with region-wide services, World Bank President Ajay Banga said in Fiji on Thursday.

Diabetes is the top cause of death in Fiji, where an amputation is performed every 8.5 hours according to the chief surgeon.

Pacific leaders last week elevated the health impact of non-communicable disease as a priority for the Pacific Islands Forum, whose 18-member states range from remote atolls to regional hub Fiji.

Speaking in Fiji on Thursday, Banga said a key to boosting health services was to build greater scale.

"Because the Pacific Islands are small in population, I think having larger communities capable of providing mutual infrastructure is one of the solutions," he said, after visiting a health clinic in Nuffield in Suva experiencing staff shortages.

"The Pacific Islands as a community has to do this together."

The World Bank has committed to reach 1.5 billion people by 2030 with better primary health care facilities, expanding its remit from maternal and child health to the rise in non-communicable diseases throughout the adult population.

"One of the things we want to do in this region is prioritise healthcare," he said.

Banga later met with leaders of five Pacific Islands countries, saying he wanted to enlist their voices to argue that wealthy nations must lift contributions to the global lender's fund for poverty alleviation.

Donors including the United States, Japan, China, Germany, Australia and Britain will meet in December to replenish the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) with new funding pledges.

"We need to fight that case hard and prosecute it hard... Between now and then, your voice will count," he said in the meeting with a dozen Pacific Island countries that are IDA recipients.

The World Bank has cut its average approval time for projects from 19 months to 16 months, but wants to move faster, he said.

To speed up its work, the bank will look for bigger scale projects.

"If we do small projects, and many of them, it takes longer. If we do larger projects and focus, it is much quicker," he said in the meeting.

Tonga Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said island leaders wanted to see more focus on "building resilience with the education and health sectors, in terms of labour and capacity, technology, innovation and climate-proofing infrastructure".

"This is why we support your efforts to replenish the [International Development Association] as this will provide us with financial support required by our region," he said.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Suva; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Adversary air company Top Aces' F-16 Vips, the only ones currently in the hands of a private operator, are now flying with podded infrared search and track (IRST) systems.

Private adversary air company Top Aces F-16 Vipers, the only ones currently in the hands of a private operator, are now flying with podded infrared search and track (IRST) systems. This follows Top Aces adding an internally integrated IRST to some of its A-4 Skyhawk jets and reflects a broader trend among commercial providers of red air aggressors amid growing demand for more advanced threat sensor replication for training and testing purposes.

Top Aces

The system that Top Aces has now integrated onto its F-16s consists of a Northrop Grumman OpenPod, a modular, open-architecture design, equipped with Leonardos SkyWard, a long-wave IRST sensor. Coherent Technical Services Inc. (CTSi) and Seger Aviation LLC were also involved in the integration process, according to a press release today from Top Aces.

Skyward was originally developed by Selex ES (a subsidiary of Finmeccanica that eventually merged fully into Leonardo) and a variant is also integrated internally on Saabs Gripen E fighter. The War Zone previously noted that the IRST now found on some Top Aces A-4s also looks to be a version of this sensor.

A look at the integrally integrated Skyward IRST on a Brazilian Air Force Gripen E. Saab

A Top Aces A-4 with an integrated IRST sensor. Top Aces

Were delighted to add this advanced IRST capability to our ADAIR training portfolio, Russ Quinn, Top Aces President and a retired U.S. Air Force officer with experience as an aggressor pilot, said in a statement. Fitted with Top Aces open architecture Advanced Aggressor Mission System (AAMS), our F-16 AAF [Advanced Aggressor Fighter] will continue to rapidly integrate a range of high-tech sensors to meet evolving customer requirements.

Top Aces began receiving its F-16s, which are ex-Israeli Air Force F-16A/B Netz variants, in 2021 and subsequently upgraded them to the AAF configuration. The AAMS is the core of that upgrade package and includes an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a Link-16-enabled datalink, and the ability for the pilot to use the Thales Visionix Gen III Scorpion helmet-mounted display system. You can read more about AAMS and the F-16 AAFs in greater detail in this past War Zone feature.

The War Zone has noted in the past that the AAMS has an open-architecture design specifically intended to allow for the relatively rapid integration of additional capabilities, including IRST systems. After the first of Top Aces IRST-equipped A-4s emerged in January, we also raised the question of whether a similar capability could be coming to the companys F-16s.

IRSTs spot and track targets via their infrared emissions and are therefore not impacted by a target that may feature a reduce its radar cross-section (stealth). This also makes the sensors immune to radio frequency electronic warfare jamming. Since IRSTs operate passively by default, targets are not alerted to the fact they have been detected and are being tracked.

IRSTs can also be used to cue or otherwise be tied to other sensors, including the AESA radars found on Top Aces F-16s, creating a fusion of data that can provide higher fidelity tracks of multiple targets, as well as just better overall situational awareness. The IRST-equipped OpenPod allows the Top Aces pilot to select and slave one advanced sensor to another, optimizing their ability to challenge 5th Generation tactics across various phases of air-to-air combat training engagements, the companys press release notes.

One of Top Aces F-16 aggressor jets. Jamie Hunter

IRST systems have long been and continue to be in use on aircraft in service with a number of potential U.S. adversaries, including near-peer competitors China and Russia. As such, the need to be better able to replicate those threats to challenge stealthy fifth-generation fighters, like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a key reason why IRSTs are increasingly appearing on red air aggressor jets, and not just ones belonging to Top Aces. The desire for more advanced sensor replication in training exercises, as well as for test and evaluation activities, in general, has also been driving demand in recent years to add more modern AESA radars to adversary air jets.

Tactical Air Support F-5AT aggressor jets with TacIRST sensors in their noses. Tactical Air Support

For pilots of fifth-generation fighter jets, the combination of Top Aces highly maneuverable F-16As and their new active electronically scanned array [AESA] radar is exactly what the USAF needs, Todd T-Bone Robbins, Top Aces site lead for the company at the U.S. Air Forces at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, told The War Zone last year.

I flew a dissimilar basic fighter maneuvers [BFM] mission [in an F-16 AAF] a few weeks ago against an experienced F-22 Raptor pilot, Robbins also said at the time. After the mission, he told me it was the highlight of his year! We will take that feedback any day.

U.S. military demand for advanced aggressor capabilities and overall capacity is only likely to keep growing as Americas armed forces continue to shift their primary focus to preparing for future high-end first, especially a possible one against China in the Pacific. This has led to increasingly large aerial combat exercises conducted over ever-broader areas, which in turn has created additional requirements for adversary air support, whether it be provided organically or by contractors like Top Aces.

There has been a resurgence of interest in IRSTs in the U.S. military and elsewhere in the West in recent years as the prospect of squaring off against stealthy targets, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, as well as missiles, has grown. The U.S. Air Force notably evaluated an IRST-equipped OpenPod as an option for its F-15C/D Eagles, but ultimately decided to acquire Lockheed Martin Legion Pods fitted with a sensor system of this kind instead. The U.S. Navy has also been working on fielding an IRST system for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets integrated into a modified drop tank. Legion Pods and other IRST systems have also been used extensively on other crewed and uncrewed aircraft in support of various U.S. military tests.

A modified Rockwell Sabreliner business jet with a podded version of the TacIRST system, along with Tactical Air Support F-5ATs and a General Atomics Avenger drone, take part in a test in 2022. Jose Ramos/TacAir via GA-ASI

Overall, Top Aces F-16s getting IRST-equipped OpenPods points to this sensor capability not just being valuable for better replicating advanced threats, but also increasingly a standard requirement for contractor-operated aggressor jets.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
The Boeing 737 Max had two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 and a door panel on the same model blew out at 16,000ft earlier this year - Matt McKnight/Reuters

Hong Kongs flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, has cancelled dozens of flights after a service from Zurich was forced to turn around due to an engine component failure.

The airline says it has now inspected all 48 of its Airbus A350s  which use Trent XWB-97 engines made by British firm Rolls-Royce  and found 15 with faulty parts that needed to be replaced. The jets will need to remain grounded until the repairs are completed, so more cancellations are expected.

The safety of our customers guides every decision we make, said Cathay Pacific. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.

There is no indication that faults exist with other A350s, a model used by numerous airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. However, Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines, two others that operate A350s, have confirmed that they are carrying out checks. The latter added it is in contact with Airbus and Rolls-Royce on the ongoing issue with the Trent XWB engines.

Rolls-Royce, whose XWB exclusively powers the A350, said it is committed to working closely with the airline, [Airbus] and the relevant authorities to support their efforts. It added: [We] will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate.

In a statement, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it is monitoring any information coming out of the technical investigation and will take decisions on any fleet level action as required.

Cathay Pacific has temporarily grounded its fleet of A350s following an 'engine component failure' on a flight to Zurich this week - Peter Parks/AFP

Cathay Pacifics problems come with aviation already under the spotlight over safety. Airbuss arch-rival Boeing has endured a torrid few years, including an FAA investigation into the botched development of the short-haul 737 Max 8. Some 346 people died in two separate disasters in 2018 and 2019 when first a Lion Air Max 8 and then an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 crashed shortly after take-off. Boeings woes deepened earlier this year when a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max blew out at 16,000ft.

The A350s flawless record

Nevertheless, it should be noted that flying has never been safer. Last year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), was the safest on record, with just a single fatal accident involving a commercial passenger plane (the crash of Yeti Airlines Flight 691, which killed 72 people). Thats despite there being 37 million aircraft movements in 2023, an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year. For comparison, on average 148 people die every hour in road accidents, according to UN figures.

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Furthermore, the A350, which was introduced in 2015, ranks as one of the safest models ever built, having experienced just a single hull loss in its decade of service: an airport-safety-related accident on January 2 2024, when a Japan Airlines jet collided with a smaller coastguard plane on the runway at Tokyo Haneda.

Only seven major models can boast a flawless record: the Boeing 717 (out of production since 2006), the Bombardier CRJ700 series (favoured by airlines around the world for regional services), the 747-800 (the jumbo jets final series), the A380 superjumbo (out of production since 2021), the Airbus A220 (originally developed by Bombardier as the CSeries), the A330neo (introduced in 2018), and the Boeing 787. Thats according to Boeings own data, covering the period from 1959 to 2023.

Where does the 737 Max rank?

The stats dont quite look so rosy for the 737 Max. Those two fatal crashes early in its existence mean it has a hull-loss with fatalities accident rate of 0.7 per million departures  above the average of 0.55 for the 64-year period in question. However, with 1,586 737 Max aircraft now built, and thousands of flights landing safely every week, that ratio is quickly improving.

Passengers should be comforted by the extraordinarily low accident rates on other popular aircraft. For the 777, Boeings long-haul workhorse, the rate is 0.13. The 737 Next Generation family? 0.08.

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Other models might give pause for thought. The A310 family, out of production since 1998 but still in the fleets of little-known airlines including Iran Air and Ariana, has a hull-loss with fatalities accident rate of 1.89 per million departures  still small, but markedly higher than more modern jets. For the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, another rarity in 21st-century skies, it is 1.58. For the Fokker F28, now almost entirely absent from the heavens, it is 2.31.

What about Concorde?

Boeings data, the source for the table above, only includes aircraft that have operated commercially in the past five years  which means no Concorde, Comet, 707, Trident, VC10, DC-8 or 747-100/-200/-300/SP, among others.

The figure for the DC-8, not built since 1972 and now little more than a museum piece, is around 4. For the 707, out of production for over 40 years, it is 4.28. And Concorde would certainly sit near the bottom of the table. It was involved in just one fatal crash but only flew 90,000 times  thats 11.36 per million departures.

What about Soviet-era aircraft?

Statistics for such aircraft are hard to come by, but some of the most popular models from the Soviet era would almost certainly make the lower end of our table. The Tupolev Tu-104, for example, the first Soviet jet airliner (of which 200 were built), was involved in a remarkable 33 hull-loss accidents resulting in 1,028 fatalities, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The Ilyushin Il-18, of which an estimated 678 were made, had 97 hull-loss accidents resulting in 2,483 deaths.

Since the end of the Cold War, Russian manufacturers have been unable to compete with the Boeing-Airbus duopoly, and few Soviet-era aircraft are still in service. However, Moscow firm Sukhoi, historically associated with military planes, has attempted to revive the fortunes of Russias civilian aircraft industry with its Superjet 100. This new model, like the 737 Max, also had a troubled introduction.

How to find out your aircraft model before you fly

Some airlines only use one model. Ryanair sticks with the 737-800 and (more recently) the 737 Max. EasyJet only uses the A320 family. But most fly a variety of jets. BA, for example, has the A320, A350, A380, 777 and 787 on its books.

To find out which model your next flight will be using, simply visit seatguru.com and enter your airline, date of departure and flight number. BA Flight 183, for example, flying from Heathrow to JFK on Friday night, will use a Boeing 777. The website also offers advice on the best seats onboard  and those to avoid.

FlightRadar24 is another option. Using its flight search tool you will discover that Fridays 6.55am BA departure from Heathrow to Paris CDG will use an A320. Or more precisely, aircraft registration G-EUYU, which has already visited Copenhagen, Faro, Nice, Venice and Madrid this week.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD)  The Wyoming Police Department says an assault suspect was taken into custody Thursday afternoon after an hourslong search.

Around 11:30 a.m., the suspect  a man wanted for assault  ran away from police in the area of Clyde Park Avenue SW and Oakcrest Street SW, according to a release from the police department.

Police spent hours searching for the man. Around 2:45 p.m., police say they found him on the 3900 block of Clyde Park Avenue, near Brockton Woods Drive SW, and took him into custody.

Video shared with News 8 by viewer Mya Sullivan shows a man sprinting across a yard with police hot on his tail. One officer dove and caught the edge of the mans shirt, bringing the suspect to the ground, the video shows. Officers quickly handcuffed him.

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The police department said it informed local schools of the search.

Amid the heavy police presence, Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Craig Hoekstra told News 8 that Oriole Park Elementary, which is on 40th Street SW between Clyde Park Avenue SW and Burlingame Avenue SW, went into passive lockdown as a precaution. Activities continued as usual, but no traffic was allowed in or out of the building.

St. John Vianney Catholic School, located off Clyde Park Avenue SW south of 40th Street SW, also went into lockdown, according to a message sent to parents.

At both schools, students were safe, leaders said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Xi pledges $50 billion in support for Africa over next three years

China's President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Johannes Neudecker/dpa

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday criticized the role of Western powers in Africa's development as he addressed leaders and representatives from some 50 African nations at a forum that aims to bolster Beijing's relationships on the continent.

"The Western modernization process has brought deep suffering to many developing countries," Xi said in the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi painted China as the preferred development partner of choice for Africa, pledging 360 billion yuan ($50 billion) in loans and investments on the continent over the next three years.

The major boost in financing from the world's second-largest economy comes after Beijing slowed its investments in Africa during the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi said that China is ready to work with Africa to foster 10 partnership areas, including military, education and training, trade, agricultural development and renewable energies.

He said all African states that have diplomatic ties with Beijing should have their relationship elevated to "a comprehensive strategic partnership."
Xi pledges $50 billion in support for Africa over next three years

China's President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Johannes Neudecker/dpa

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday criticized the role of Western powers in Africa's development as he addressed leaders and representatives from some 50 African nations at a forum that aims to bolster Beijing's relationships on the continent.

"The Western modernization process has brought deep suffering to many developing countries," Xi said in the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi painted China as the preferred development partner of choice for Africa, pledging 360 billion yuan ($50 billion) in loans and investments on the continent over the next three years.

The major boost in financing from the world's second-largest economy comes after Beijing slowed its investments in Africa during the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi said that China is ready to work with Africa to foster 10 partnership areas, including military, education and training, trade, agricultural development and renewable energies.

He said all African states that have diplomatic ties with Beijing should have their relationship elevated to "a comprehensive strategic partnership."

China's trade tactics

Beijing has been a critical trading partner for Africa for the past 15 years - and has secured access to Africa's raw materials and markets in the process.

African countries benefit from infrastructure development, loans with few conditions, and investments in sectors such as energy, said Claus Soong of the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin.

But there are simmering problems in the relationship, namely that several countries are in financial distress as they struggle to pay back high debts to China.

Between 2000 and 2022 alone, China lent more than $170 billion to 49 African countries and regional institutions, according to political scientist Theo Neethling of South Africa's University of the Free State.

He singled out Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia as being in a "debt trap."

The Forum for China-Africa Cooperation takes place every three years and comes as China and Western powers, like the United States, compete for economic and political influence in Africa.

The Chinese government says it is an advocate for Global South and that the forum should be seen in that light.
In what appears to be a pointed rebuke of renewed allegations of forced labor, legislators in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region put into effect on Monday a resolution that condemns U.S. sanctions against local businesses and pledges legal and promotional support for those affected.

The Standing Committee of the 14th Xinjiang Regional Peoples Congress said that measures such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which effectively bans from entry into the United States any goods made in whole or in part from Xinjiang, are in fact political manipulation and economic bullying under the guise of human rights protection.

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The resolution, which the committee passed in late August, said that the rights of Xinjiang workers, regardless of ethnicity, are guaranteed, allowing them to lead harmonious lives. By neglecting these facts and such progress, the United States maliciously slanders the human rights conditions in the province while impeding the role of industries such as textiles, clothing and silicon-based solar products in promoting employment, income creation and high-quality development, it added.

The UFLPA Entity List, which names sanctioned firms linked with human rights violations against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities both within and outside Xinjiang, has more than doubled in size from 30 companies in January to the current 73, though advocacy groups and some U.S. lawmakers say it needs to grow much faster. Beyond flagging companies with a manufacturing nexus to Xinjiang, the multi-agency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force has blacklisted businesses that may have participated in state-sponsored labor transfers of Uyghurs, a scheme that experts say that beyond creating a low-paid workforce also severs them from their cultural and religious roots.

We shouldnt look at this as [only] economic exploitation, Elfidar Iltebir, president of the Uyghur American Association, said at a panel with the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Forced labor is a tool for the Chinese government to continue their Uyghur genocide while bringing thousands of Uyghurs to inner China. Theyre bringing more Han Chinese immigrants to our region to dilute our population also.

But the Xinjiang resolution said that the sanctions were unwarranted. It urged the Biden administration to restore a fair market environment for blacklisted enterprises, a development environment that allows Xinjiang citizens to pursue a happy life and a fair economic, trade and rule of law environment for the international community.

The legislators also asked that local governments help sanctioned firms expand their domestic and international markets and promote their products. Judicial authorities, too, they said, should be actively supplying legal support to these companies to help defend their rights.

The resolution comes on the heels of an update by the United Nations human rights office that China still maintains many problematic laws and policies regarding the treatment of ethnic groups in Xinjiang. The agency, which released a report two years ago warning that Beijing could be committing crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, said that it continues to call on authorities to take prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, to clarify the status and whereabouts of those whose family members have been seeking information, fully investigate any allegations of human rights violations such as torture, and to undertake a complete review of the countrys national security and counter-terrorism legal framework so that it doesnt discriminate against minorities.

Last week, the U.S. Department of State expressed disappointment that China continues to reject the UN human rights offices findings and that the United States remains gravely concerned by the nations ongoing repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.

Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, said that the resolution reads as nothing more than propaganda that serves as a deliberate response to the UN and Department of States recent statements. He noted that despite the resolutions strong language, nearly no leading American fashion brand or retailer openly claims to use Xinjiang cotton anymore. Chinese cotton, too, has suffered a blow, with the latest Office of Textiles and Apparel data revealing that just 12.2 percent of U.S. cotton apparel, in terms of value, hailed from China in the first seven months of 2024. Thats less than half of the 27-28 percent that averaged before the UFLPAs implementation.

Despite calling for support for companies negatively affected by the UFLPA, the resolution does not mention any specific measures, fiscal resources or designate any government agency to lead the initiative, he said. Likewise, as a provisional-level policy document, this resolution does not have the same binding legal effect as a law or regulation and it does not carry much weight beyond the Xinjiang region.
Last week, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation publicly released its official comments on the Department of the Interiors (DOI) Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians casino project in Vallejo, CA.

The Yocha Dehe tribe, which has strong ancestral ties to the region, criticized the EA as an inadequate and deeply flawed document that fails to meet the basic requirements of federal environmental law, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, who do not have ancestral ties to the Vallejo area, first proposed building the off-reservation casino with the backing of Las Vegas developers in 2016. The EA was published on July 8, 2024.

In its critique, the Yocha Dehe tribe described the EA as an indecipherable mess consisting of outdated information, incomplete data, and numerous inaccuracies. The tribe also highlighted that some of the site plans included in the EA were so poorly drafted that they depicted water flowing uphill.

According to a statement, the tribes primary concern revolves around the projects potential to cause irreversible environmental damage and desecrate a Patwin cultural site.

The Yocha Dehe argues that the EAs analysis was rushed and aimed at reaching a pre-determined outcome rather than conducting a genuine assessment of the environmental impacts.

The tribes comments assert that the EA grossly overlooked the projects effects on endangered species, wetland habitats, and air quality. The analysis of traffic impacts was based on nearly two-decades-old data, leading to significant misrepresentations of the potential congestion and safety hazards.

The Yocha Dehe asserted that EA also failed to address critical issues related to grading, drainage, stormwater management, and wildfire risks and that the projects engineering plans are physically impossible.

The tribe further stated that the EA excluded the voices of Patwin tribes and neglected to incorporate important Indigenous knowledge into its analysis.

The tribe also criticized the EA for omitting mention of the Solano Ranch project, a mixed-use development that is proposed for the same site, as well as a planned hotel and residential homes.

Yocha Dehe has joined a coalition of local tribes, municipal and county governments, and environmental groups in calling on the BIA to prepare a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement.

Such an assessment, the tribe argues, would provide a more thorough and unbiased evaluation of the projects potential impacts and consider less damaging alternatives.

Yocha Dehes comments come amid increasing opposition to the Scotts Valley casino project. Governor Gavin Newsom recently voiced his concerns, adding weight to the calls for a more rigorous environmental review.

Native New Online reached out out to the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians for comment but did not hear back by press time/

About the Author: "Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. "

Contact: kberg@indiancountrymedia.com
Correction: The Black studies curriculum will be available to all New York City public schools. A previous headline contained incorrect information.

All New York City public schools will be able to utilize a new Black studies curriculum this fall, spanning prekindergarten through 12th grade.

The coursework was created by Columbia University Teachers Colleges Black Education Research Center along with other partners in the Education Equity Action Plan (EEAP). It was funded by the New York City Council.

The curriculum, which was already implemented in a portion of the citys schools, will be available to all schools this month as students return to class.

This is not a curriculum about a particular racial group, necessarily, but about the history of inequality and stratification hierarchy in the United States, Sonya Douglass, a professor of education leadership at Columbia Universitys Teachers College, told ABC News.

When young people, as well as teachers, who may have not even had access to this content in their own training and education are grounded in that history and grounded in perspectives that may be different than their own, I think it helps us to better understand the challenges that were facing currently as a society, Douglass added.

The new coursework will aid the existing school program, offering a range of additional units, activities, reading lists and lesson plans.

New York Citys utilization of the new curriculum comes as other states, such as Oklahoma and Texas, have looked to remove books in school libraries. The proponents of those efforts have said certain materials in regard to gender and race could bring students shame.

Were in the midst of a struggle over the minds of our children and how we choose to socialize them into American society, Douglass told ABC News. So, I see all of this is very much connected in terms of some states who want to limit the teaching of the truth, and others that want to create a more accurate and expansive accounting of our history and contribution.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
New York grand jury convened for possible new charges against Harvey Weinstein

The Manhattan district attorney's office has begun presenting evidence to a grand jury that could return a new indictment against Harvey Weinstein  as soon as Friday  over an alleged sexual assault that occurred sometime in a four-month time period between late 2005 and mid-2006 in a lower Manhattan residential building, according to a transcript of an unannounced court hearing this week.

Prosecutors also indicated during a hearing on Tuesday they were aware of two other potential offenses: a sexual assault in May 2016 in a hotel in Tribeca and a potential sexual assault that occurred at the Tribeca Grand hotel.

PHOTO: In this July 9, 2024, file photo, Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Supreme Court in New York. (Pool via Getty Images, FILE)

Providing notice to the defense of potential offenses does not guarantee what charges a new indictment might contain. The grand jury's term is scheduled to end Friday, at which point prosecutors could put potential charges to a vote.

MORE: Harvey Weinstein's NYC sex crimes retrial set for after Labor Day

A spokeswoman for the Manhattan DA's office declined to comment.

Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, signaled during the hearing that Weinstein could testify himself before the grand jury.

"Mr. Weinstein is very, very seriously considering going -- wheeling himself into the grand jury and letting the grand jurors see what he looks like these days," Aidala said, according to the transcript.

Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing and has said his sexual encounters were consensual.

The New York Court of Appeals, in a 4-3 opinion, overturned his 2020 rape conviction. He remains held at Rikers Island while he appeals a conviction in Los Angeles.

MORE: Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction overturned in New York; DA will attempt to retry

The Manhattan DA's office signaled this summer it would retry Weinstein and prosecutors revealed they had spoken to other alleged victims whose accounts were not part of the original case.

The trial is tentatively scheduled for this fall.

New York grand jury convened for possible new charges against Harvey Weinstein originally appeared on abcnews.go.com


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1952-present

Harvey Weinstein Now: Convicted Media Mogul Pleaded Not Guilty to New Sexual Assault Charge

Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to a new sexual assault charge in a New York City court on September 18. Prosecutors charged the former media mogul with criminal sexual act in the first degree over an alleged 2006 assault of a woman in a Manhattan hotel.

The new indictment, which was under seal until Weinstein recovered from a recent heart surgery, comes just months after the New York State Court of Appeals overturned his felony sex crime conviction in April. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled Weinstein hadnt received a fair trial. That case is scheduled to be retried this fall, with a tentative start date of November 12. The latest charge is expected to be included in the retrial.

Weinstein, 72, has already been convicted of sex crimes in California and is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence. Earlier this month, prosecutors in the United Kingdom dropped two indecent assault charges against him. They said the case had been discontinued because there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.

Who Is Harvey Weinstein?

Harvey Weinstein is a former movie producer and convicted sexual criminal. In 1979, Weinstein and his brother established the Miramax Films Corporation that went on to produce critical and commercial hits like Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare In Love. The brothers found more success after launching The Weinstein Company in 2005. In October 2017, media reports alleged Weinstein had a history of sexually harassing women, including some female employees. The movie mogul became a prime example of the #MeToo movement, lost his professional standing, and was faced with a series of criminal and civil lawsuits. In 2020, he was sentenced to 23 years in New York prison for a now-overturned conviction. Two years later, he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault charges in a separate case in Los Angeles. He is scheduled to be retried in New York in November 2024.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Harvey Weinstein

BORN: March 19, 1952

BIRTHPLACE: Queens, New York

SPOUSES: Eve Chilton (1987-2004) and Georgina Chapman (2007-2021)

CHILDREN: Lily, Emma, Ruth, India, and Dashiell

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Pisces

Early Years

Harvey Weinstein was born on March 19, 1952, in Queens, New York, as the older son of Max and Miriam Weinstein. Harvey and his brother, Bob, developed their business sense from Max, a diamond cutter, along with a love of the movies shaped through Saturday afternoon trips to the theater together.

After graduating from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1973, Weinstein remained in the area to launch a concert promotion business. He purchased a theater in downtown Buffalo, where he began airing concert films.

Miramax and Weinstein Company Movies

Getty Images

In 1979, Harvey and Bob founded the Miramax Films Corporation, named after their parents. Initially designed to distribute small, art-house-type films, Miramax soon developed into a major player in the industry. Within a decade, the studio had released such critical successes as My Left Foot (1989) and Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), with Harvey serving as the outspoken face of the company.

Even after the Walt Disney Company acquired Miramax in 1993, the Weinsteins oversaw a string of acclaimed releases. Pulp Fiction (1994) and Good Will Hunting (1997) struck box-office gold, and The English Patient (1996), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Chicago (2002) all took home the top Oscar prize of Best Picture.

The brothers departed Miramax in 2005 to found The Weinstein Company, a new venture that produced similar results. The Kings Speech (2010) about King George VI and The Artist (2011) both claimed Best Picture honors at the Academy Awards, while Silver Linings Playbook (2012), The Butler (2013), and Lion (2016) also found receptive audiences.

In late 2013, Harvey and Bob reunited with Miramax through a co-production and co-distribution deal.

As he rose to the top of the Hollywood food chain, Harvey fashioned himself as a champion of progressive causes. He was a top supporter of Democratic presidential candidates, hosting fundraisers for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Additionally, he was among the backers of a Rutgers University faculty chair named for feminist icon Gloria Steinem. However, a series of disturbing allegations soon put Weinstein in an unfavorable spotlight.

Sexual Harassment Scandal

In early October 2017, The New York Times published a report of Weinsteins alleged history of sexual harassment. According to the Times, Weinstein had made unwelcome advances on numerous women, including actor Ashley Judd, quietly reaching settlements with at least eight of them. The story gained steam with a subsequent report in The New Yorker, which offered an account of Weinsteins predatory behavior from Italian actor Asia Argento.

Weinstein, who initially threatened to sue the Times, brought in a team of lawyers to combat the charges. Among them was Lisa Bloom, daughter of noted feminist lawyer Gloria Allred, who rejected many of the claims as patently false, but also referred to the studio head as an old dinosaur learning new ways. Bloom resigned as Weinsteins adviser days after the scandal broke.

Weinstein said in his defense, I came of age in the 60s and 70s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. That was the culture then. I have since learned it is not an excuse.

He added he would take a leave of absence from his studio, and a corresponding statement from The Weinstein Company stated that its troubled co-founder would seek professional help as the board launched an investigation into the matter. However, amid growing accusations of alleged sexual misconduct, the board fired Weinstein on October 8, three days after the initial Times article. Weinstein technically remained a board member before later resigning from that post.

As Weinstein reportedly headed off to an Arizona rehab facility for sex addiction treatment, the dominoes continued to fall in his professional and personal lives. Famed actors Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie also came forward to reveal their experiences with the former studio chief.

On October 14, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors convened for an emergency session and voted to expel Weinstein from its ranks. Meanwhile, police in New York and London raised the possibility of criminal charges with the news that they were investigating some of the harassment claims.

On October 30, another Times article brought forth a new round of accusers, some of whom recalled Weinstein forcing himself on them during his days as a concert promoter in the 1970s. On November 7, the same publication reported that Weinstein had gone to great lengths to try to prevent both the Times and The New Yorker from publishing the articles that first revealed his damaging history of allegations. His efforts involved hiring a team of detectives, lawyers, and undercover agents, at least one of whom attempted to ingratiate herself with one of Weinsteins most outspoken accusers, actor Rose McGowan.

A dramatized version of the Times investigation into Weinsteins past, led by reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, formed the basis of their book She Said and the subsequent 2022 movie adaptation starring Carey Mulligan and Zoey Kazan.

Read or watch She Said about the investigation that led to Harvey Weinsteins downfall

Lawsuits

On November 27, 2017, British actor Kadian Noble filed a civil suit in New York alleging that Weinstein forced her into sexual acts at his hotel room during the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Because another producer from the company allegedly told Noble to be a good girl and do whatever [Weinstein] wished, the suit also accused The Weinstein Company of violating federal sex trafficking law by benefiting from, and knowingly facilitating its founders habit of using foreign business travels as an opportunity to coerce women into sexual activity through the promise of movie roles.

His legal problems continued to mount; on December 6, a group of six women announced they were taking legal action against Harvey and Bob Weinstein, The Weinstein Company, Miramax, and other individuals, alleging they were subjected to unwanted sexual conduct and lived in fear of being blacklisted. One thing is clear: to create a permanent change in the culture, we need to send a message to the powerful and wealthy individuals, companies and industries that feted their Harvey Weinsteins, instead of protecting the victims, said a joint statement released by the group.

Weinsteins lawyers later sought to have a judge dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that the alleged assaults took place too long ago and failed to offer facts to support claims of racketeering. The attorneys cited earlier comments from Meryl Streep about how Weinstein was always respectful in their relationship, a line of defense Streep called pathetic and exploitative.

The disgraced mogul attempted to keep a low profile in the following months but was back in media headlines in January 2018. Late that month, a former Weinstein assistant named Sandeep Rehal filed a federal lawsuit against the disgraced producer. Along with accusing Weinstein of sexual harassment, Rehal alleged that she was required to facilitate his sexual encounters, including providing erectile dysfunction drugs and cleaning up semen from his couch. The suit also named as defendants Bob Weinstein, The Weinstein Company, and its former human resources director Frank Gil.

New York Attorney Generals Suit

The next month, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit against Weinstein and The Weinstein Company, saying in a release that the company repeatedly broke New York law by failing to protect its employees from pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination.

The attorney generals office said it filed the lawsuit partly due to reports of the companys imminent sale, saying it believed such a transaction would complicate matters for the victims involved. News of the legal action reportedly torpedoed a deal, with a group led by businesswoman Maria Contreras-Sweet said to be close to taking control of the studios assets, before backing off.

After The Weinstein Company announced it would file for bankruptcy, negotiations were rekindled and a new arrangement was reached with Contreras-Sweets group at the beginning of March. However, the on-again, off-again deal soon fell through one more time, after the buying group discovered at least $50 million in undisclosed liabilities. The Weinstein Company subsequently went through with its bankruptcy filing later in the month, with Lantern Capital eventually emerging as the winning bidder for its assets.

Ashley Judd Lawsuit

At the end of April 2018, Weinsteins legal woes thickened when he was named in a Los Angeles County Superior Court lawsuit filed by actor Ashley Judd. The suit claimed that the studio head had torpedoed her career after she refused to accept his sexual advances by spreading lies about her professionalism. Director Peter Jackson had previously offered his account of the situation, saying he decided against casting the actor in his blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy after Weinstein called her a nightmare to work with.

A spokesman for the producer disputed that claim, insisting that Weinstein not only championed [Judds] work but also repeatedly approved her casting for two of his movies over the next decade.

A judge dismissed Judds sexual harassment claims in January 2019, ruling that she had failed to adequately support her case under the existing civil code at the time her suit was filed. However, the judge added that the actor could move forward with her defamation case against the producer.

Additional Claim and Settlements

In August 2018, a German actor filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles, alleging that Weinstein had raped her during the Cannes Film Festival in 2006. According to CNN, she was suing the producer for violation of human trafficking laws, assault, battery, and false imprisonment.

In late May 2019, Weinsteins lawyers announced that they had reached a tentative $44 million settlement to resolve civil lawsuits over his alleged sexual misconduct, though negotiations ultimately fell apart. In December, reports of a new $25 million settlement emerged, a sum that would be paid to the alleged victims by the insurance companies representing The Weinstein Company. Additionally, the terms of the agreement precluded Weinstein from having to admit to any wrongdoing.

In June 2020, his survivors were awarded an $18.875 million settlement, as part of a class-action lawsuit. Later in September, Queen Elizabeth II revoked Weinsteins honorary title as a commander of the British empire, one rank below knighthood.

Arrest and Criminal Charges

Getty Images

On May 25, 2018, Weinstein turned himself into the New York Police Department. He was arrested and charged with rape, committing a criminal sex act, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct. Still under investigation in Los Angeles and London for alleged sex crimes, he paid $1 million in cash to post bail, surrendered his passport, and was issued an ankle monitor.

Days later, a New York City Grand Jury indicted the producer on charges of rape in the first and third degrees and a first-degree criminal sexual act. His lawyer said Weinstein would plead not guilty and vigorously defend against these unsupported allegations that he strongly denies.

On July 2, 2018, Weinstein was indicted with three additional felony sex charges arising from an 2006 incident involving a third woman. Weinstein was indicted on one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and two counts of predatory sexual assault.

On January 6, 2020, the producer was charged with four new felony counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County. District Attorney Jackie Lacey said she expected Weinstein to face the charges in California following the conclusion of his New York trial. That April, an additional charge of sexual battery by restraint was levied against Weinstein in Los Angeles, in connection with an alleged attack against a woman in a Beverly Hills hotel in May 2010.



Convictions and Sentences

The same day that Weinstein was initially charged with crimes in Los Angles, his trial for rape and sexual assault charges began in a New York City courthouse. On February 24, 2020, Weinstein was found guilty on two counts: criminal sexual act against Miriam Haley and rape in the third degree. He was found not guilty on two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of rape in the first degree against Jessica Mann.

Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison in March 2020 and ordered to register formally as a sex offender. Following his sentencing hearing, he was admitted to Manhattans Bellevue Hospital for chest pains. He was then transferred to the Wende Correctional Facility outside of Buffalo, New York, where he was temporarily held in isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus.



In December 2022, Weinstein was additionally convicted on charges of rape and sexual assault against an actor and model identified as Jane Doe 1 in the Los Angeles case. He was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison. Weinstein again denied the allegations at the sentencing: I maintain that Im innocent, he said. I never knew this woman, and the fact is she doesnt know me.

New York Conviction Overturned

Weinstein was in the midst of serving his 23-year sentence at the Mohawk Correctional Facility when the New York State Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 conviction on April 25, 2024. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled Weinstein hadnt received a fair trial in part because the judge allowed women to testify about allegations unrelated to the case. It is an abuse of judicial discretion to permit untested allegations of nothing more than bad behavior that destroys a defendants character but sheds no light on their credibility as related to the criminal charges lodged against them, the majority ruled.

The Manhattan district attorneys office is planning to retry the case and, in September, charged Weinstein with an additional count. Prosecutors argue he committed a criminal sexual act in the first degree for assaulting a woman in a Manhattan hotel room back in 2006. The imprisoned former mogul has pleaded not guilty and is expected to head to trial in November 2024.

Life in Prison

Currently, Weinstein is incarcerated at Rikers Island, a New York City jail, as he awaits a new trial.

His health has declined somewhat since he began serving time in 2020. He has been hospitalized three times in 2024, initially just after his April court appearance then again in July. His second hospitalization was for a COVID-19 diagnosis and double pneumonia. A prison consultant told reporters, via Weinsteins publicist, that the disgraced mogul was also being treated for diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal stenosis, and fluid on his heart and lungs. In early September 2024, Weinstein successfully underwent emergency heart surgery after experiencing chest pains.

Ex-Wives and Children

Weinstein was twice married. He wed Eve Chilton, his assistant at Miramax, in 1987. The couple had three daughtersLily, Emma, and Ruthbefore divorcing in 2004.

Around the time of the split, Weinstein began dating fashion designer and actor Georgina Chapman. The couple married in 2007 and had two children together: a daughter named India and a son named Dashiell.

Days after the initial New York Times investigation published, in October 2017, Chapman announced she was leaving Weinstein. Their divorce was finalized in 2021. Chapman received primary custody of their two children as part of the settlement.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us!

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President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Germany to attend the Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Sept. 6, German news outlet Der Spiegel reported on Sept. 5.

The U.S.-led group, consisting of over 50 countries, including all 32 NATO members, convenes at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The meeting on Sept. 6 will be the group's 24th meeting since its establishment in April 2022.

According to Der Spiegel's sources, Zelensky wants to attend the meeting in person to outline how serious the battlefield situation is and to ask for more weapons deliveries, "especially long-range missiles and more air defense."

During a press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Zelensky said on Sept. 2 that Ukraine has not yet received all the weapons promised by the West.

"We need not only permission, but we also need (the actual weapons). We have not received everything we want to use," Zelensky said.

Zelensky was referring to the fact that while Western countries have largely allowed Ukraine to use their arms in the Kursk incursion, the U.S. and the U.K. have maintained their restrictions on the use of long-range missiles like ATACMS or Storm Shadow to hit deep inside Russia.

Permission to use certain long-range arms on Russian soil depends on the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany, which have relevant drones and missiles, he added, adding that "he permission alone is not enough today."

Read also: Undistracted by Kursk offensive, Russia cuts deeper toward Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a press conference with Irish Simon Harris (not seen) outside Horodetskyi House, the Office of the President, in Kyiv, Ukraine, as Ireland announces millions in new funding for Ukraine. Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his "deep gratitude" to Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis for the imminent transfer of a Patriot air defence system.

It is a significant contribution to protecting Ukraine "from Russian missile terror and further proof of the genuine friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries," Zelensky wrote on X.

Iohannis signed a resolution by the Romanian parliament facilitating the transfer, which was announced in June.

Zelensky has repeatedly asked Ukraine's partners for more air defence systems in order to better protect his people from constant Russian air and missile attacks.

Ukraine already has four complete Patriot air defence systems as well as additional launchers from the Netherlands. Three of the systems come from Germany, while Kiev received another from the US.

Further systems from Israeli stocks were under discussion, but the current status of the negotiations is unknown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to personally request further arms supplies from Western partners during a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format, to keep fighting against Russia.

Source: European Pravda; Spiegel

Details: It is expected that next Friday, Zelenskyy will participate in the Ramstein format meeting at the American airbase of the same name in Germany.

Berlin has stated that Zelenskyy's visit to the meeting of defence ministers from countries supporting Ukraine aims to clearly highlight the seriousness of the situation.

Additionally, the Ukrainian president wants to request new arms supplies for his army, in particular, long-range missiles and more air defence systems.

The visit to the US Air Force base in Ramstein, where German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is also expected to appear, is unusual. Since the start of the full-scale war in 2022, ministers have regularly met in the Ramstein format, where they, along with military officials, discuss joint efforts to provide Ukraine with as much military equipment as possible.

Until now, the atmosphere of these meetings has been rather workmanlike, but Zelenskyy's visit is likely to add a political dimension to the event.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has been meeting Kyiv's most important allies for several days. This evening, he will meet with Pistorius in Berlin, where the main issue will likely be whether Germany can provide additional arms packages in the coming months despite a tight budget situation.

Umierov had previously travelled to Washington for negotiations.

However, the Biden administration emphasised during the visit that it wanted to insist on further expanding the country's air defence system at the next Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. The US and its partners will continue to provide Kyiv with critically important equipment needed to defend against Russian aggression, stated US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He condemned the recent Russian attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

Background:

The 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format, will take place on 6 September at the US Air Force base of the same name in Germany.

This is the first Ramstein-format meeting since 13 June. The previous meeting focused on ways to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.

The Ukraine Defence Contact Group brings together defence ministers and chiefs of defence from more than 50 countries who coordinate steps to provide Ukraine with the assets it needs to defend its sovereign territory.

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BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday asked the attorney general's office to investigate the $11 million purchase of Pegasus spy software, which he said could have been used to spy on opposition politicians during the previous administration.

Spyware technology, including Pegasus, has been repeatedly found to have been used to hack into the phones of civil society, political opposition and journalists in the last decade.

Pegasus spyware in particular - built by Israeli firm NSO - was found on the phones of various people globally, including human rights defenders.

"How does $11 million in cash leave the country on a plane, or two, from state offices ... to go to Israel to buy software that spies on cell phones, private communications, politics, perhaps for months?" Petro said during a televised broadcast, citing documentation detailing the purchase from the Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF).

The president questioned if he or other politicians had been targeted and under what legal justification.

Petro requested the director of the UIAF and the head of the police turn over relevant documents and the software to the attorney general's office so that citizens can be content that their rights are respected by the state.

"We have to get to the bottom of the matter," Petro said.

(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Oliver Griffin;Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Specialist 'carbon nanotube' AI chip built by Chinese scientists is 1st of its kind and '1,700 times more efficient' than Google's

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Unlike conventional TPUs, this new chip is the first to use carbon nanotubes  tiny, cylindrical structures made of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal pattern  in place of traditional semiconductor materials like silicon. . | Credit: Getty Images/sankai

Scientists in China have built a new type of tensor processing unit (TPU)  a special type of computer chip  using carbon nanotubes instead of a traditional silicon semiconductor. They say the new chip could open the door to more energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI).

AI models are hugely data-intensive and require massive amounts of computational power to run. This presents a significant obstacle to training and scaling up machine learning models, particularly as the demand for AI applications grows. This is why scientists are working on making new components  from processors to computing memory  that are designed to consume orders of magnitude less energy while running the necessary computations.

Google scientists created the TPU in 2015 to address this challenge. These specialized chips act as dedicated hardware accelerators for tensor operations  complex mathematical calculations used to train and run AI models. By offloading these tasks from the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU), TPUs enable AI models to be trained faster and more efficiently.

Unlike conventional TPUs, however, this new chip is the first to use carbon nanotubes  tiny, cylindrical structures made of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal pattern  in place of traditional semiconductor materials like silicon. This structure allows electrons (charged particles) to flow through them with minimal resistance, making carbon nanotubes excellent conductors of electricity. The scientists published their research on July 22 in the journal Nature Electronics .

Related: Razor-thin crystalline film 'built atom-by-atom' gets electrons moving 7 times faster than in semiconductors

According to the scientists, their TPU consumes just 295 microwatts (W) of power (where 1 W is 1,000,000 W) and can deliver 1 trillion operations per watt  a unit of energy efficiency. By comparison, Googles Edge TPU can perform 4 trillion operations per second (TOPS) using 2 W of power. This makes Chinas carbon-based TPU nearly 1,700 times more energy-efficient.

"From ChatGPT to Sora, artificial intelligence is ushering in a new revolution, but traditional silicon-based semiconductor technology is increasingly unable to meet the processing needs of massive amounts of data," Zhiyong Zhang , co-author of the paper and professor of electronics at Beijings Peking University, told TechXplore . "We have found a solution in the face of this global challenge."

The new TPU is composed of 3,000 carbon nanotube transistors and is built with a systolic array architecture  a network of processors arranged in a grid-like pattern.

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Systolic arrays pass data through each processor in a synchronized, step-by-step sequence, similar to items moving along a conveyor belt. This enables the TPU to perform multiple calculations simultaneously by coordinating the flow of data and ensuring that each processor works on a small part of the task at the same time.

This parallel processing enables computations to be performed much more quickly, which is crucial for AI models processing large amounts of data. It also reduces how often the memory  specifically a type called static random-access memory (SRAM)  needs to read and write data, Zhang said. By minimizing these operations, the new TPU can perform calculations faster while using much less energy.

To test their new chip, the scientists built a five-layer neural network  a collection of machine learning algorithms designed to mimic the structure of the human brain  and used it for image recognition tasks.

The TPU achieved an accuracy rate of 88% while maintaining power consumption of only 295 W. In the future, similar carbon nanotube-based technology could provide a more energy-efficient alternative to silicon-based chips, the researchers said.

The scientists plan to continue refining the chip to improve its performance and make it more scalable, they said, including by exploring how the TPU could be integrated into silicon CPUs.
Helena city commissioners are now required to attend at least half of public meetings in person.

It's part of a batch of new rules Helena adopted Aug. 26 after a July 1 state law required all public meetings be recorded with audio and video.

However, the biggest change circles the commissioners themselves.

Despite making virtual meetings more accessible for the public, the commissioners and other elected city officials are expected to attend as many meetings in person as possible.

Specifically, theyre forbidden from attending more than half of meetings online.

In a year like 2024, which has 58 meetings for city commissioners, that would mean attending no more than 29 via Zoom or similar.

There are exceptions to this rule, where absences are allowed if theyre because of things like military service, illness, sudden work obligations or a death in the family.

The city commissioners attending online would also be forbidden from voting on the following: adopting a budget; reducing personnel; establishing, increasing or renewing an assessment or fee; approving a major subdivision; or addressing a quasi-judicial matter.

However, the new rules dont list how this will be tracked or enforced, City Commissioner Melinda Reed pointed out Aug. 26.

That, combined with concerns with who these rules would impact, led to an impromptu debate between commissioners.

The new rules unfairly create barriers to public office, Reed said, especially when public office is usually only a part-time job.

In particular, she thinks of people with children, unreliable transportation, disabilities or jobs that require them to travel.

Reed, who has a child, was able to participate in 2022 thanks to Zoom options, she said. Without the online options, shed have to choose between putting a child at risk of COVID-19 and serving her city.

Reed suggested reducing the required 50% in-person participation to 25% or allowing online commissioners to vote on important topics.

But Mayor Wilmot Collins argued the online participation was new.

Many city officials have young kids, he said, and yet before the COVID-19 pandemic, all were consistently able to make in-person meetings.

Online meetings should be designed to benefit public access, not as an accommodation for commissioners, he said.

The commissioners knew the time demands when they ran, he said. Hed consider tweaking the rules later but would not bend on its spirit.

Civil service is both a privilege and a sacrifice, Collins said. No one should be discouraged from running for office, but they should also come with an understanding of the dedication and demands 

City Commissioner Sean Logan said the rules were a healthy compromise. Billings, Bozeman and Missoula have arguably stricter requirements for their own local representatives, he said.

Discussion isnt as effective online as in person, Logan added. Hed rather see online be the exception, not the rule.

City Commissioner Emily Dean said the exceptions listed already give flexibility to commissioners and elected officials. She said its hard to imagine a good reason a commissioner would miss over half the meetings without a significant cause.

A Helena resident at the meeting said shed rather see stricter rules for in-person representation.

Its concerning, she said, for citizens to be unable to interact with the people making decisions for them.

The rules, which will also impact the citizens council, were passed 4-1 on Aug. 26, with Reed as the sole no.
FORSYTH  The future of the Applebees restaurant in Forsyth remains unclear after the Macon County Health Board voted against reinstating its food permit.

It would be a legal process that would take place, Macon County Health Department Administrator Lindsey Munsterman said Wednesday. That would be something that would not be completed through this group of practice in public health. That would go beyond us to a higher level.

During a special meeting on Tuesday, the health board voted 4-to-3 to uphold the revocation of Applebees food permit after the restaurant violated the county's food sanitation ordinance by having two permit suspensions in a 12-month period, the most recent occurring Aug. 26.

A comment by board president Mark Scranton at the end of the meeting indicated it will be up to the restaurant to make the next move.

You guys will have to look at what your future options might be, he said. As of right now, you guys will not be allowed to reopen at this time.

Scranton, Jeff Entler, Carolyn Wagner and Marsha Webb voted in favor of the revocation. Debbie Hill, Cody Parks and Dr. Jeff Smith voted against the revocation.

Several attempts to get comment after Tuesday's meeting and Wednesday from the local franchisee and the corporation about any steps they might take to reopen the restaurant were unsuccessful.

Brian Woods, environmental health director for the Macon County Health Department, inspected the restaurant on Monday, Aug. 26, and determined there were issues maintaining proper temperatures in the business' walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and a reach-in production cooler.

The outside temperatures were 90 degrees that day, he said during Tuesdays special meeting. I was able to observe food in un-cold conditions. I recorded the temperatures mostly in the 60s to 70s for the walk-in cooler and the walk-in freezer.

The conditions were determined to be a health hazard. Therefore, the health department closed the business that day.

The restaurant at 1275 S. Route 51 had a violation earlier in the month involving a roof leak above a food preparation area in the kitchen.

Kevin Allardice, franchise owner, admitted the struggles were embarrassing to the restaurant.

We will absolutely take all these things that weve learned from this, because this is a learning experience for us, he said. This isnt fun for any of us.

Although the Applebees staff presented evidence that repairs were made to the roof and ceiling as well as the coolers and freezers, the board was not convinced the restaurant management had an action plan to avoid similar situations.

The restaurant has been serving diners in Forsyth for more than 25 years.

Forsyth Village Administrator Jill Applebee said the administration is willing to help the restaurant in opening again.

We have offered whatever help we can do to get them wherever they need to be, she said. That isnt much, unfortunately.

23 Decatur restaurants from our past Blue Mill Brown Jug Carlos O'Kelley's Chili Parlor Country Cupboard Dante's Restaurant Elams Root Beer Stand Jimmy Ryan's Lone Star Mr. G's Ponderosa Steak House Rax Restaurant Red Wheel Restaurant Redwood Sandy's Shaw's Restaurant Shenannigans Stoney's Restaurant Swartz Restaurant Tater's Tokyo Garden Tom's Grill Tops Big Boy
Complying with the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on migration policy would be tantamount to scrapping border protection "and the country would be full of wandering migrants", the prime minister's security advisor told public news channel M1.

What good would border protection be if migrants were to be transported to camps? Hungary would also need to assess 25 percent of the applications submitted in the EU, which would lead to the formation of migrant ghettos," Gyorgy Bakondi said.



"The government is unwilling to do so, in line with the will of its citizens," Bakondi said.



It will also sue the European Commission to receive compensation for the 800 billion forints (EUR 2bn) on border protection, he added.



Noting that the CJEU fined Hungary to 80 billion forints and an additional 400 million for every subsequent day of non-compliance with its migration policy, Bakondi said the fine was seven times the amount originally sought by the EC.



The Hungarian and Serbian authorities had cooperated to push migrants -- who were often violent and toting guns -- from the Hungary-Serbia border, and they had now moved towards the Bosnia-Croatia border, he said.



Bakondi said the fact that some migrants were carrying knives or guns showed that illegal migration posed a threat to the county's security.



European countries were currently looking for alternative solutions, with Italy transferring migrants to Albania, Bakondi said. The United Kingdom had planned to airlift them to Ruanda but the new government had scrapped the idea, "and the flood of migrants instantly restarted across the Channel", he noted.



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The biggest dog festival of the year is coming this September with 3 stages, 16 dog experts and nearly 20 dog-related activities, all dog owners, dog professionals, future owners or simply dog lovers are more than welcomed!

The free open-air events will give visitors the opportunity to learn about a wide range of dog breeds, get information from representatives of different breed clubs, and enjoy a variety of dog shows.



They can also take part in pack walks, explore dog sports, get veterinary advice and check-ups and even learn about adoption.



In addition to the free programmes, dog owners (or prospective owners) and professionals working with dogs should also book tickets for the presentations of the performers on the open-air stage.



Here, dog trainers, ethologists, animal welfare experts and veterinarians will talk about the latest developments in their profession in an interactive setting. And for those who want to dig deeper into veterinary medicine, ethology or dog training, a ticket to the professional conference at the Hungarian House of Music will give them access to in-depth knowledge from eminent representatives of the professions.



Date:

Saturday 7 September, 2024



Venue:

City Park (Varosliget, Nagyret), Budapest



More information in Hungarian here.



Surce: dailynewshungary.com - republished with permission



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The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below.
Teachers' pay is almost doubling and the scale of the rise is unprecedented in Hungary, a government official said.

From Jan 1, teachers' wages have been raised by 32.2 percent, and a further rise of 21 percent is scheduled from next year, Bence Retvari, the interior ministry's parliamentary state secretary, told a press conference, adding that their salaries have risen by 10 percent each year over the past two years.



Over the space of four years, their pay will have risen by more than 93 percent during a single parliamentary cycle.



Domestic and EU funding has paid for the wage increase, with about 8 percent of EU funds and the rest used for this purpose until 2030, Retvari said, adding that the EU component got the ball rolling sooner.



The government considers it important to show that teachers are recognised socially, morally, and financially, he said.



New career rules adopted by MPs also encourage young people to choose the teaching profession as it will be possible to earn a relatively high salary "even at a young age", he said.



Meanwhile, Gov't Aiming to Take All School Children to National or Historic Memorial Sites

The government is expanding its remembrance education programme to take all Hungarian school students to a historic national memorial site at least once, the deputy prime minister said.



The initiative would reach some 78,000-80,000 students in the 7-11th grade, in some 3,000 classes, who will visit one of 47 national memorial sites, Zsolt Semjen added.



The 1 billion forint (EUR 2.5m) scheme which brings together history lessons, good practices of teaching remembrance at the historic sites and team building in classes will be reviewed after a year. If successful, the government will pursue it further, he added.



Source:

MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.



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New Delhi: The much-anticipated re-release of the acclaimed film Tumbbad is just around the corner, hitting theaters on September 13, 2024. The new trailer, presented by Eros Now, has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among fans, who are eager to revisit the films hauntingly imaginative world on the big screen.

Tumbbad, starring Sohum Shah, is renowned for its unique blend of horror and fantasy, offering a chilling yet captivating cinematic experience. As the re-release date approaches, social media is abuzz with excited reactions from netizens:

One fan took to X, expressing their excitement: #Tumbbad is back, and its more epic than ever! Cant wait for the re-release experience!

#Tumbbad is back, and its more epic than ever! Cant wait for the re-release experience!  Keshav (@Keshav_Raja_) September 4, 2024

Another wrote, #Tumbbad 13th September ko vapas! Horror aur suspense ka ek aur adbhut anubhav!

#Tumbbad 13th September ko vapas! Horror aur suspense ka ek aur adbhut anubhav! pic.twitter.com/f3i8BbRKnB  abhi (@abhivirat103) September 4, 2024

A third fan shared their excitement: The #Tumbbad trailer has me hyped! Ready to be amazed once again on the big screen!

The #Tumbbad trailer has me hyped! Ready to be amazed once again on the big screen!  (@aavya_hegde) September 4, 2024

Another eagerly anticipated viewer commented, The world of #Tumbbad is calling, and Im ready to dive back in! First day, first show, here I come!.

The world of #Tumbbad is calling, and Im ready to dive back in! First day, first show, here I come!  Saket Jadhav (@saketjadhav2024) September 4, 2024

With high expectations, one fan predicted, #Tumbbad movie will break many records on box-office.

#Tumbbad movie will break many records on box-office pic.twitter.com/UcH8X6NggP  Aapki Aditi (@Yours_Aditi32) September 4, 2024

Finally, another fan added, Nothing beats the chills from #Tumbbad! 13th September ko ready raho!

Nothing beats the chills from #Tumbbad! 13th September ko ready raho! pic.twitter.com/X6CKs7nara  Urvashi Bhide (@G_urvashiee) September 4, 2024

As the re-release date approaches, Tumbbad is set to draw audiences back to theaters for a renewed cinematic experience.
Many people aspire to be like Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy who steered the company towards becoming a global IT powerhouse. With the same desire to emulate him, a 12-year-old student asked Murthy, "What should we do to become like you?". In response, Murthy said, "I do not want you to become like me...I want you to become better than me for the greater good of the nations."

Infosys founder During Teach for India's Leaders Week, Murthy addressed students at Mount Everest school, Byatarayanapura, emphasizing creating one's own path and making a difference.

During his session with students, Murthy also shared five valuable lessons from his personal experiences.

A lesson in discipline

Murthy recalled his school days and said that he excelled in science and mathematics but struggled with history, civics, and geography. His father instilled in him the importance of discipline and continuous improvement which motivated him to secure fourth rank in the SSLC exam.

A lesson of sharing

Murthy said he learned the joy of giving from his mother after receiving a national scholarship of Rs 900 in 1961. He handed the entire amount to his mother requesting her Rs 50 to buy some clothes. His mother later asked him to give the clothes to his elder brother. Murthy was initially resistant but was moved after watching a play about Karna, a mythological character known for his sacrifice. This experience taught Murthy that true joy lies in sharing and caring for others.

A lesson in citizenship

In 1961, Murthy learned about citizenship from his SSLC class headmaster. During a chemistry experiment, the headmaster added common salt, which he considered community property. The headmaster emphasized the importance of responsibility and respect for communal resources. This lesson influenced Murthy's approach to founding and running Infosys.

A lesson in teamwork

Murthy also recalled his stint as a chief systems programme officer at IIM-Ahmedabad when he experienced a heartbreaking incident when a colleague used inappropriate language during a debate. From this incident, he later learned that the lesson learned was more important than the communication. This insight taught him the importance of gaining lessons from teamwork which has helped him maintain strong relationships and focus on team-benefiting decisions.

A lesson in responsibility

Murthy recalled another incident when in Paris he made a critical mistake while testing a program, causing the computer to erase its memory. He called his boss, Colin, who helped him restore the system after 22 hours. Colin praised Murthy's dedication but taught him a leadership lesson of taking full responsibility for failures and sharing the glory with the team.

At the end of the session, Murthy defined success as bringing a smile to others' faces.
The Lalbagh ka Raja Trust is preparing for an extraordinary Ganesh Mahotsav with the highly anticipated Lalbagh ka Raja Ganesh statue.

This renowned statue from Mumbai will be displayed once again in New Delhi. It first made its appearance in Delhi in 2015.

A press conference at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Monday unveiled the details of the event.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari, a member of the organising committee, announced the festival.

"People from across the country travel to Mumbai to have darshan of Lalbagh ka Raja. Since 2015, we've also brought the Lalbagh ka Raja to Delhi. I invite everyone in Delhi NCR to join us," Tiwari said.

The Ganesh Mahotsav will be a grand affair, running from 7th to 16th September. Tiwari elaborated, "The pandal will cover an area of 600,000 square feet, featuring complete wooden flooring and can accommodate approximately 500,000 people. It will include dedicated sections for discourses by Baba Bageshwar Ji and Aniruddhacharya Ji Maharaj, as well as cultural programmes and musical performances in the evening. The venue is conveniently located near a metro station."

Rakesh Bindal, Chairman of the Lalbagh ka Raja Trust, also provided insights into the festival.

"The celebration will feature a giant adventure wheel and various attractions, expected to draw between 100,000 and 500,000 devotees. Attendees can enjoy cultural programmes, musical performances, and a wide range of food stalls offering regional dishes," he said.

The Mahotsav will be held at the DDA Ground, near Sanat Nirankari Samagam, Burari, from 7th to 16th September.

The Ganesh statue will be an exact replica of the Mumbai idol, crafted at the same location as the original. It will be an eco-friendly statue, to be immersed in a specially prepared pit at the event site.

Meanwhile, ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, the preparation for the festival has begun with great pomp and show.

Idol makers are making eco-friendly statues of Lord Ganesh, with the market bustling with full festive fervour in the city.

Sculptors are busy giving final touches to the idols of Lord Ganesha. Idols of different sizes, designs, and colours are available in the market.

Buyers are visiting shops to book their favourite idols. However, there is a high demand for eco-friendly idols, prompting sculptors to use less plaster of paris and more clay in most of the idols.

Along with this, they are decorated with herbal colours, which do not pollute water like chemical colours
New Delhi: In light of a barrage of serious allegations against SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch, the Indian National Congress (INC) on Thursday called for a probe into the matter, asserting that an independent inquiry is in the national interest. "Several investors, both domestic and foreign, have expressed concern to us over the series of charges against the market regulator.

There is an erosion of trust and credibility in Indias stock markets. The Congress party wants a strong and robust stock market with significant participation from both foreign and domestic investors. It is not in the nations interest to have clouds of doubt, fear, and uncertainty hanging over the market regulator," said Praveen Chakravarty, Chairman of the Professionals' Congress and Data Analytics at the grand old party.

Only an "objective, independent inquiry," with the SEBI Chairperson "stepping aside until then," can restore trust and confidence in the countrys stock markets as well as the economy, he added. Citing a news article, Chakravarty said the INC also learned that Buch was employed at Greater Pacific Capital during her tenure at ICICI Bank between 2011 and 2013.

His statement followed days after the INC launched a salvo at the SEBI Chairperson, providing alleged details about her past association with ICICI Bank and demanding urgent clarification from Buch, the market regulator, as well as the Centre. The INC, along with several voices including journalists and other professionals, has demanded that the SEBI Chairperson step aside.

Instead, "Cabinet ministers and BJP MPs came to Ms. Buchs rescue when the allegations were against an individual and her family. On September 2, 2024, the Congress Party revealed with documentary evidence that Ms. Buch was eligible to receive income from ICICI stock, which was regulated by SEBIa clear conflict of interest.

Again, ICICI Bank, which is indirectly implicated, responded to this charge while Ms. Buch, the primary accused, remained silent. Why did ICICI respond on behalf of Ms. Buch, when in a similar case with Ms. Chanda Kochhar, it did not defend her and instead set up an independent inquiry?" Chakravarty asked.

(The above story originally appeared in Zeebiz.com https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-hindenburg-vs-adani-saga-congress-praveen-chakravarty-demands-independent-investigation-inquiry-into-matter-asserts-it-is-in-national-interest-to-313113)
New Delhi: Some entrepreneurs must navigate difficult pathways and overcome obstacles to succeed. Nevertheless, despite several setbacks and difficulties, they persevere in their battles and realize their dreams. One such businessman who overcame all obstacles to success is Dr Akram Ahmad. It is incredible how Dr Ahmad, raised in a family of humble farmers, left his Rs 6 lakh job to create Academically Global, which brings in Rs 2 crore a month revenue.

Early life and struggle of Akram Ahmad



Akram Ahmad, born into a farming family in Uttar Pradesh, aspired to become a pharmacist and open a medical store. His academic strengths led his father to enroll him in medical education, leading him to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy at Annamalai University. Once during a discussion with a US speaker at his university, Ahmad came to know about the opportunities available abroad for medicine aspirants and professionals.

Exploring opportunities abroad



After pursuing several chances, Ahmad landed his first job in Malaysia as a pharmacology lecturer. Eventually, he made a good living working in Sydney and Malaysia.

Ahmad was studying for a PhD at the University of Sydney when he noticed that medical professionals from India and other nations relocated abroad in pursuit of better job opportunities in the medical field. But because they were ignorant of resource materials, licensing exams, and the routes to better, higher-paying careers in the healthcare sector, they were forced into menial labor.

The Birth of Academically Global

While working as a research manager at Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Dr Ahmad started sharing knowledge on YouTube about exams for foreign medical job opportunities, gaining a large following on the online platform.

Akram Ahmad Quit Rs 6 lakh/Month Job, Now Earns Rs 2 Crore Monthly



In 2022, quitting his job of Rs 6 lakhs a month, Dr Ahmad launched Academically Global, a healthcare EdTech platform based in Sydney and India, offering medical professionals courses to prepare for licensing exams for higher-paying foreign medical jobs.

Started with an investment of about $50,000 Academically Global witnessed a dramatic increase in applicants. Currently, the EdTech platform serves students across 75 countries helping them clear licensing exams. The EdTech platform startup is also earning Rs 2 crore in monthly revenue.

Dr Ahmad is dedicated to ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background.
New Delhi: Many of Indias major brands started with humble beginnings driven by the vision and determination of their founders. One such inspiring rags-to-riches story is that of Vadilal Gandhi, the founder of Vadilal Ice Cream. What began as a small venture has grown into a household name, bringing smiles to millions across the country.

The Early Days

Vadilal Gandhi, coming from a middle-class background began his journey in 1907 by selling soda from a small fountain shop in Ahmedabad during pre-Independent India. His shop quickly gained popularity in Gujarat and he soon started offering ice cream sodas, a mix of soda and ice cream that became a hit across the state. In 1926, Vadilal took a big step forward by opening his first ice cream outlet in the country.

Family Expansion

The business was passed down to Vadilal Gandhis son, Ranchod Lal Gandhi who expanded the family venture by importing an ice cream machine from Germany before Independence. Later, Ranchod Lals sons, Ramchandra and Laxman Gandhi took charge and by the 1970s, Vadilal had grown to include 10 outlets in Ahmedabad.

Diversification and Global Reach

In addition to being one of India's largest ice cream brands, Vadilal has expanded into the processed food market. It offers pre-cooked curries, bread, and other vegetarian products. Today, Kalpit Gandhi, a fifth-generation entrepreneur from the Vadilal family serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company. Vadilal has also made its mark internationally, becoming the top-selling Indian ice cream brand in the United States.

A Legacy of Success and Market Impact

Starting from a humble street soda shop in 1907, Vadilal has grown into a legendary and trusted ice cream brand in India. Today, Vadilal Industries boasts a market cap of Rs 30,000 crore, reflecting its incredible journey and success.
New Delhi: SEBI employees protested outside their office on September 5, expressing frustration with the top management. According to zee news sources, the employees are upset about a five-page statement shared with the media.

The note dismissed claims of an unprofessional work culture at SEBI as misleading, stating that external influences had encouraged junior employees to demand higher salaries despite poor performance. SEBI staff are angry that this information was shared publicly. Earlier, around 500 employees had sent a complaint letter to the Ministry of Finance, raising serious concerns about the top management and outlining their issues.

Silent protest was held to express opposition

SEBI employees held a 15-minute silent protest to express their opposition. They stated that this demonstration is just a mock drill and will continue in the future if their demands are not met. The protest is against SEBIs toxic work culture, they said, and if the issues remain unresolved they will keep protesting.

Out of SEBI's 1,000 employees, about 500 had already sent a complaint letter to the Ministry of Finance on August 6. The letter accused SEBI's top leadership of fostering a toxic work environment, setting unrealistic targets and micromanaging employees. During the protest, a 15-minute silent demonstration was also held and the complaint highlighted concerns about the management's aggressive working style, including shouting at employees.

Essel Groups Chairman had also made similar allegations

SEBI employees have demanded the resignation of SEBI Chief Madhabi Puri Buch and called for the withdrawal of an official email issued by SEBI. In their complaint, employees mentioned that shouting, scolding, and publicly humiliating staff have become common during meetings.

This controversy has surfaced amid accusations against SEBI Chief Madhabi Puri Buch regarding a conflict of interest in the regulator's investigation of the Adani Group. Earlier, Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra had also accused her of corruption.

Minute-by-minute monitoring of activities

In a letter titled "Grievances of SEBI Officers - A Call for Respect," employees pointed out that the leadership team, under Madhabi Puri Buch, uses harsh and unprofessional language with team members. Additionally, their activities are monitored on a minute-by-minute basis. This marks the first time in SEBI's history that its officers have raised concerns about unfriendly employee practices.
CHANDIGARH: After being denied tickets for the October 5 Assembly elections in Haryana, scores of BJP functionaries, including a sitting minister, a legislator, former ministers, and party leaders, announced their resignation on Thursday, a day after the state's ruling party announced its first list of 67 candidates. Power Minister Ranjit Chautala, who contested the 2019 Assembly elections as an Independent but was later inducted into the Cabinet, announced his decision to resign as Minister as well as from the primary membership of the BJP after meeting his supporters in Rania on Thursday.

Addressing his supporters, Ranjit Chautala said that being the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, he cannot compromise in any situation. I will contest the elections as an Independent nominee from Rania. The BJP offered me a ticket from Dabwali, but I turned down the proposal. I am resigning from the Cabinet and the primary membership of the party, he said.

In the 2019 elections, Ranjit Chautala contested as an Independent candidate after the Congress denied him a ticket. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, he joined the BJP after resigning as an MLA. He contested the Lok Sabha polls from Hisar but lost to Congress' Jai Parkash.

In Ratia, the party has given ticket to former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Duggal was denied re-nomination from Sirsa where former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar was fielded by the BJP. Tanwar, however, lost to Congress veteran Kumari Selja. Joining a league of rebels, sitting BJP legislator from Ratia (SC) Lakshman Dass Napa quit from all positions in the party after being denied a ticket. Speculation is rife that he will join the Congress after meeting former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 67 candidates, fielding Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district. Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as the Chief Minister in March this year, is currently the MLA from Karnal. BJP's key OBC leader Karan Dev Kamboj, who was denied a ticket from Indri, also resigned from all party posts on Thursday.

Me and my family have been part of the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. I have worked with a lot of dedication, but now the party has adopted Congress' culture, Kamboj told the media. Without mincing words, he said the Congress would form the next government while BJP's dream will just remain a dream.

Upset over denial of nomination from Sonipat, former minister Kavita Jain was in tears at a meeting with her supporters, giving the party high command an ultimatum to change its candidate Nikhil Madan within three days. Jain also claimed that she was cheated after senior party leaders assured her of a ticket.

In Safidon in Jind district, former MLA Bachan Singh Arya resigned after JJP rebel Ram Kumar Gautam was fielded from the seat. Arya will now contest as an Independent. Gautam had joined the BJP earlier this week. Interestingly, Sunil Sangwan, the prison officer who granted parole to rape convict Ram Rahim six times before resigning from his position, has been given a BJP ticket, raising questions about the party's stance on women's safety.

Meanwhile, supporters of former minister Savitri Jindal, mother of Kurukshetra BJP MP Naveen Jindal, met her at her residence in Hisar on Thursday and urged her to contest as an Independent after the BJP retained Health Minister Kamal Gupta as its candidate. Savitri Jindal and her son Naveen Jindal had joined the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. She was seeking a BJP ticket from Hisar.
New Delhi: Hindu right-wing groups staged a massive protest outside Chaura Maidan, near the Vidhan Sabha, demanding the demolition of an "illegal" mosque in Sanjauli.

The area was packed with hundreds of demonstrators, many of whom displayed Hindu religious symbols, including saffron flags and banners with images of Lord Ram.

Dev Bhumi Shatriya Sangathan President Rumit Singh Thakur, who had called upon "Sanatanis" to gather in Shimla, as per PTI, stated that people from across the state responded to his call, showcasing "Sanatan unity."

Thursday's protest was a reaction to an incident on August 30, in which a businessman in the Malyana area was allegedly attacked by members of the Muslim community.

On Sunday, individuals gathered in Sanjauli, demanding the demolition of a mosque and urging action against those responsible for the Malyana attack, which they allege involved an attempted murder.

On Thursday, Thakur alleged that a large influx of outsiders is entering Himachal Pradesh and demanded that the government verify their identities and register their trades.

He stated that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had called him the day before and assured him that action would be taken on the issue.

Sukhu on Thursday said that all residents of the state have the same rights and he has respect for all religions.

"Peaceful protests are permitted but nobody will be allowed to take law into his hands," he said, PTI reported.
In the ever-evolving financial services industry, the role of stock brokers is undergoing a significant transformation. No longer just executing trades, modern brokers are becoming comprehensive financial advisors. Rupeezy, a forward-thinking Indian stock broker is playing an important role in this shift. With Rupeezy Invest, its dedicated mutual fund platform, the company empowers investors with the tools and insights they need to plan and secure their financial futures.

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Analytics with MF Lab

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Increased Precision with Impact Analysis

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Diversification with Portfolio Overlap

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For instance, if you already have significant exposure to large-cap equity funds, the Portfolio Overlap tool will alert you to potential redundancies when considering similar investments. This ensures that your portfolio remains diversified, minimizing risk and enhancing long-term stability.

Smart Explore: Data-Driven Decision Making

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For those aiming to build a portfolio aligned with specific goals, such as Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE), Smart Explore pinpoints funds that match your desired risk level while offering competitive returns. This data-driven approach is particularly useful for investors focused on achieving precise financial objectives.

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Why Rupeezy Invest Stands Out

In a saturated market, Rupeezy Invest distinguishes itself with a unique blend of advanced analytics, user-centric tools, and affordability. The platform is designed to cater to a wide range of investors, from beginners to seasoned professionals seeking to optimize their portfolios.

Rupeezy Invests focus on data-driven insights and its comprehensive suite of features make it a standout option among stock brokers in India. Whether youre building a diversified portfolio, analyzing the impact of new investments, or exploring mutual funds aligned with your risk profile, Rupeezy Invest provides the tools and resources you need.

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Rahul Gandhi In Maharashtra: Rahul Gandhi, who was in Maharashtra, on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in the Sindhudurg district in the poll-bound state. While addressing a gathering, Gandhi cited a few reasons behind PM Modi's apology, saying that an apology is sought by a person who makes a mistake. He said that PM Modi might have felt that instead of giving the contract to build the statue on merit, he gave it to a person associated with the RSS.

The Lok Sabha LoP further stated that the PM could have felt that the person to whom he awarded the contract did corruption in the construction of the statue and cheated the people of Maharashtra. The PM should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person of Maharashtra, he said.

"This is a truth; an apology is sought by a person who makes a mistake. The person who has not made a mistake, what should that person apologise for? A few days ago here a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was built, and I read in a newspaper that the Prime Minister said that I apologise to Shivaji Maharaj. Now I want to understand why the Prime Minister sought an apology. There can be several reasons for that," Rahul Gandhi said.

"The first could be that the contract to build the statue was given to someone associated with the RSS. May be the PM is saying that he made a mistake; he should not have given the contract to a RSS person and should have given it on merit. The second mistake could be that there was corruption during the development of the statue; may be the Prime Minister was apologising thinking that the person to whom he gave the contract did corruption and cheated the people of Maharashtra. The third reason could be that PM got the statue erected in the honour of Shivaji Maharaj and failed to ensure that it remains intact," he added.

"I give you a guarantee that Kadam ji's (late Congress minister Patangrao Kadam) statue installed will be here even after 50-70 years... Shivaji Maharaj's statue was installed, but only a few days later the statue fell. This is an insult to Shivaji Maharaj. The PM should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person of Maharashtra," he further stated.

PM Modi had unveiled the statue in December last year during the Navy Day celebrations in Sindhudurg district. The statue collapse took place on August 26.

Days after the incident, PM Modi apologised to Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and those hurt by the statue collapse. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. For us, He is our deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity, Modi said.
Modi In Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a unique pitch to global business leaders, invited them to invest in Kashi (Varanasi), his parliamentary constituency, while highlighting one of the city's most famous delicaciesBanarasi paan. Speaking at the Business Leaders' Summit in Singapore on Thursday, PM Modi referred to the traditional Indian treat made from betel leaf, famously associated with Varanasi, to add a personal and cultural touch to his call for investment in the historic city.

Whenever there is a discussion of paan in India, it remains incomplete without mentioning Varanasi. I am an MP from Varanasi, said PM Modi, drawing a connection between the citys rich cultural heritage and its potential as a hub for investment. In a lighter moment, he added, If you want to enjoy eating paan, then you must invest in Kashi.

Banarasi paan, synonymous with the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, holds a special place in Indian culture, often featured at weddings and celebrations. Its fame has extended to popular culture, including Bollywood, where it has been referenced in songs and films, further enhancing its legacy.

Interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore. We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation. pic.twitter.com/3xkFllIJyw  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

The Prime Minister's remarks came as part of a broader message to business leaders and CEOs in Singapore, where he highlighted ongoing reforms in India designed to boost investment and innovation. Modi emphasized the deepening economic ties between India and Singapore, particularly with the upcoming launch of an Invest India Office in Singapore, which will assist Singaporean investors in exploring opportunities in India.

Interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore. We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation, PM Modi shared in a post on X.

Addressing the India-Singapore business roundtable meeting. https://t.co/UusHam08N6  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024

During his visit, the Prime Minister also met with Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister of Singapore. Modi noted the value of their discussion, saying, We had extensive discussions on ways to add momentum to the India-Singapore friendship. His experience and expertise are highly valued.
Stressing that India and Singapore have "multidimensional relationship", Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaideep Mazumdar, said on Thursday that the two nations complement each other and need each other to develop further.

While addressing a special briefing on PM Modi's visit to Singapore, Mazumdar said that India and Singapore have "strong relations" and have frequent exchanges between military establishments, navies and air forces.

Mazumdar said, "We have a very multidimensional relationship. We have very strong relations in the defence side as well, where we do joint exercises together. We have very frequent exchanges between our military establishments, between our navies, our air forces, our leaderships of all three services interact very frequently. We have ship visits, we exchange domain awareness information."

"We would like to also cooperate further in maritime domain awareness. So, this is one area where we cooperate very closely and the other of course is in all the areas of economy, trade and investment. Singapore is our biggest foreign investor since 2020. Since 2000, Singapore has invested nearly 100 and 60 billion dollars in India. Last year, Singapore was the biggest foreign investor in India. We are going into the next stage of sustainable technologies, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing such as semiconductors and also in health and in skilling. So these are all areas where we have great complementarities. We complement each other and we need each other in order to develop further."

Stressing that Indian diaspora plays a bridge between India and Singapore, he said, "I think the diaspora is also a great bridge between us and therefore you see see it in the business environment here you see it in the leadership. Here you see the warmth that is there across the leadership. So, I would say that Singapore has also been a safe, secure place for Indians and people of Indian origin to grow and prosper. So the more we get closer together. I think it will only benefit them."

He stated that the discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leadership of Singapore focused on how India and Singapore can play a big role in making it a ASEAN century. He said that free and open commerce, free sea lines of communication and overflight, are important for both India and Singapore.

On being asked whether China was discussed between PM Modi and Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong with regards to furthering ties between India and ASEAN, Mazumdar said, "The discussions between the leadership of Singapore and our Prime Minister focused on how India and ASEAN, and with Singapore as one of our most important partners in ASEAN, can play in making this an ASEAN century. There is so much that we have in common. We are two of the fastest-growing regions in the world."

"We have huge populations between us. We have young populations which is also so important and for both of us, peace is very important for us to grow and for us to grow together. Free and open commerce, free sea lines of communication and overflight, these are issues that are important for both us and for Singapore and these are some of the areas which we both sides feel that are important for maintaining the growth that we see in each other's countries and the importance these play in making us leap forward to the next stage in our relations between India and can so in that respect, of course, all issues that are important, all global issues, all regional issues that can either help or hinder in this we also discussed," he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday and exchanged ideas for further strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Former Singapore PM Lee Hsein Loong hosted lunch in honour of PM Modi. The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release.

In a press release, MEA stated, "Recalling their earlier meetings, Prime Minister and Senior Minister Lee expressed satisfaction at the progress of India - Singapore relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."

"They agreed that there exists substantial potential to do more, particularly under the pillars of cooperation identified during the two meetings of India - Singapore Ministerial Roundtable. They exchanged ideas for further strengthening bilateral cooperation and on regional and global issues of mutual interest," it added.

Sharing details regarding his meeting with Singapore's senior minister, PM Modi on X posted, "It is always gladdening to meet my friend and former PM of Singapore, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong. He has always been a strong votary of close India-Singapore ties. His insights on various matters are also very enriching. We had a great discussion on how our nations can work together in futuristic areas such as green energy, FinTech, etc."

India and Singapore elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, on Thursday, during the visit of PM Modi.

PM Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore on Thursday. The two leaders, along with their delegations, held the bilateral meeting. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductors, skill development and healthcare.

During the talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India - Singapore bilateral relations. The leaders called for expanding trade and investment flows between India and Singapore.

"Given the breadth and depth of bilateral ties and immense potential, they decided to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This would also give a major boost to India's Act East Policy," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

PM Modi and PM Wong also discussed the outcome of the 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable held in Singapore in August 2024. The discussion also covered the celebration of 60th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2025.

PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Singapore, visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility.

At the facility, PM Modi and Lawrence Wong also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha's World Skill Centre undergoing training in Singapore, as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore

India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM, according to MEA press release.

PM Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after concluding his two-day visit to Brunei. Singapore's Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugham received PM Modi at the Changi Airport. He also received a warm welcome from the Indian community.
Shivaji Statue Collapse: Kalyan, Thane: Sculptor and contractor Jaydeep Apte, wanted in connection with the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot fort last month, was arrested from Kalyan in Thane district on Wednesday night, according to a senior police official.

Apte, 24, had been the focus of a search operation by Sindhudurg police in Maharashtra since the statue he created collapsed on August 26, just nine months after its inauguration. Police had formed seven teams to track him down.

Following the incident, Malvan police filed a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offences. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur last week.

The statue's collapse has sparked significant political controversy ahead of Maharashtra's assembly elections, with the Opposition criticizing the Eknath Shinde-led government.

In response, BJP leader Pravin Darekar stated, "Those who were critical of our government must keep quiet now. It's true that police took a little longer to arrest Jaydeep Apte. We are not claiming credit for the arrest, but the police did their job."

Conversely, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushama Andhare remarked, "The state government should not take credit for Aptes arrest as it is their duty. He was not an underworld don He should have been arrested sooner."

A joint technical committee of five members visited the fort in Malvan and examined the site during the day. Additionally, police have sent samples of the materials used for the statue and its platform to a forensic science laboratory for analysis.

State Congress chief Nana Patole accused the administration of misusing funds, alleging that only Rs 1.5 crore was spent on the statue's construction despite Rs 236 crore being allocated for the project. In response to Chief Minister Shindes claim that the opposition was politicizing the incident, Patole said expressing anger over an insult to Shivaji Maharaj should not be labeled as politicizing the matter.
J&K Election 2024: In a surprising turn of events, National Conference (NC) Vice President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has filed his nomination papers from two constituencies for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. After an unexpected defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, Omar appears uncertain about his chances in the assembly polls. Previously, he had stated he would not contest assembly elections until statehood was restored. Nonetheless, Abdullah has now submitted his papers for the Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies.

In response to BJP leader Ram Madhav's allegations that the NC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are allegedly seeking support from militants and ex-terrorists for the elections, Omar Abdullah has demanded solid evidence to support these claims.

Abdullah stated, Its quite ironic for Ram Madhav to say that the NC is benefiting from ex-terrorists. Given that we know who these independents are and who will benefit from their participation, I urge him to show us where we are supposedly taking support from terrorists. He emphasized that the campaign has only just begun and expressed confidence that Madhav has access to intelligence reports that could clarify the matter.

Commenting on the broader implications of Madhav's accusations, Abdullah remarked, I was under the impression that what Delhi did had rendered these individuals neutral and that they no longer held any influence. If Ram Madhav suggests these people still hold sway over voters, it implies that whatever actions were taken post-2019 have achieved nothing.

Regarding his decision to contest from two seats, Abdullah rejected the notion that it reflected any insecurity. Our workers requested that we fight from Budgam as well. After the Baramulla election, my colleagues wanted to demonstrate that we are contesting from a position of strength. Contesting two seats is not a sign of weakness but rather a show of power.

In response to the Congress party's recently released chargesheet, Abdullah commented, We will use the assembly platform to express our disagreement with the decisions made in J&K. All allegations of corruption will be thoroughly investigated.

Abdullah also addressed expected changes in voter participation due to constituency redistricting. This election will be different. Some Muslim-majority constituencies have been redrawn to favor the BJP, but we expect significant public participation. It was suggested that NCs past wins were due to a boycott, but since there was no boycott in the parliamentary elections, we won 2 out of 3 seats.

Finally, Omar Abdullah criticized the awarding of contracts to non-locals in J&K, countering the BJPs narrative on the issue. Show me where any non-local gets a contract in Ladakh. There are no outsiders who can buy land or win contracts there, so why is it different for J&K? We have a right to our own resources.
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: In a shocking turn of events, the family of a doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata last month has accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to cover up the case. During a protest at the state-run hospital, the doctors parents revealed that police officials hurriedly cremated the body and even attempted to bribe them to keep quiet. These explosive accusations have added fuel to the ongoing protests across West Bengal, with medics and the public demanding justice for the victim.

Family members of a doctor joined the protesting medics at RG Kar hospital on Wednesday and accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of the doctor. Participating in the protests at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the body of their daughter was recovered on August 9, the parents demanded justice and accused a senior police officer of trying to bribe them after the incident came to light.

The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined, the father of the deceased doctor said.

The Calcutta High Court ordered the handover of the case to the CBI in the second week of August. The parents of the postgraduate trainee stated that they joined the protest to support the junior doctors fighting for justice for their daughter.

Since August 10, protests have erupted across the state, with people from various sectors demanding justice for the victim. On Monday, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.

On Tuesday, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed a state anti-rape bill seeking capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and a life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.
Haryana, J&K Elections 2024 Live Updates: The stage is set for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, with political parties intensifying their campaigns and finalizing candidates. In Haryana, the Ruling BJP on Wednesday fielded Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from the Ladwa seat, shifting him from Karnal, and rewarded several recent entrants to the party with poll tickets as it released the first list of 67 candidates for the elections to the 90-member assembly. Meanwhile, the Congress and AAP have begun seat-sharing talks.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress and National Conference are fighting the polls together, with the NC contesting 51 seats and the Congress contesting 32. The PDP has ruled out any alliance with the BJP. Kickstarting the Congress' election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said restoring statehood to J-K will be the first decision of the INDIA bloc when it comes to power at the Centre if the Modi government fails to so after the assembly polls.

Addressing rallies in Dooru and Banihal assembly seats, Gandhi alleged that the Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir is acting like a "21st-century king" and all benefits are being given to people from "outside" the UT.

The voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5, while Jammu and Kashmir will vote in three phases - September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes for both states will be held on October 8.
Kerala Lottery Results Thursday 05-09-2024 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "Karunya KN-537" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya KN-537, September 05, 2024. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2024 for "Karunya KN-537" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Karunya KN-537 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KN-537 results today.

Kerala Lottery Result 05-09-2024 Aug: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA PLUS KN-537 Draw

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LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE:

PN 649722

PO 649722

PP 649722

PR 649722

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PX 649722

PY 649722

PZ 649722

(For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below)

LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 0042 1237 2282 2783 2807 3319 3605 5696 5961 6379 7090 7396 8221 8332 8397 8454 8956 9532

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LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0048 0059 0222 0998 1130 1424 1516 1564 1694 1868 1915 2153 2191 2359 2502 2641 2685 2817 2864 3218 3291 3410 3412 3451 3540 3910 3926 4138 4351 4453 4526 4564 4579 4677 4773 4851 5352 5393 5523 5703 5853 5951 5958 6038 6135 6176 6262 6610 6650 6655 6661 6879 6897 6910 6955 6963 7121 7138 7498 7581 7583 7729 7803 8030 8117 8489 8546 8682 8734 8925 8944 9170 9296 9335 9350 9389 9398 9542 9570 9788

LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0010 0110 0118 0161 0281 0343 0371 0421 0452 0518 0531 0537 0607 0764 0776 0861 0866 1075 1280 1356 1498 1599 1607 1769 1778 1913 2142 2159 2173 2218 2312 2440 2564 2758 2826 2848 2871 2961 3008 3025 3073 3168 3245 3473 3536 3595 3772 3791 3812 3963 4021 4038 4257 4315 4343 4359 4381 4437 4551 4654 4704 4732 4749 4887 4889 4978 5105 5355 5503 5609 5622 5665 5687 5715 5939 6019 6047 6122 6196 6228 6349 6420 6423 6538 6646 6729 6850 6904 6982 7065 7081 7170 7194 7206 7279 7419 7422 7517 7534 7564 7831 7844 7895 8104 8157 8244 8401 8441 8446 8563 8574 8611 8615 8849 8941 9037 9141 9150 9162 9180 9455 9534 9714 9768 9829 9852

KERALA LOTTERY RESULT TODAY 05-09-2024 September: KARUNYA PLUS KN-537 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS

1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakhs

2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakhs

3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh

4th Prize: Rs. 5,000

5th Prize: Rs. 1,000

6th Prize: Rs. 500

7th Prize: Rs. 100

Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000

(NOTE: Lottery can be addictive and should be played responsibly. The data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or encouragement. Zee News does not promote lottery in anyway.)
Gadchiroli: In a heartbreaking incident, a couple from Aheri taluka had to carry the bodies of their two young sons, who died from fever after allegedly not receiving timely medical treatment. They were carrying the bodies back to their village on their shoulders due to the absence of an ambulance. The couple walked a distance of 15 km, navigating through muddy forest paths to reach their home in Pattigaon.

A disturbing video of the parents, struggling to carry the bodies of their sons, both under 10 years old, surfaced online. This was shared by Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar. He highlighted the tragic reality of healthcare in Gadchiroli, where Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis serves as the Guardian Minister.

The two brothers had a fever but didnt receive proper treatment in time. Their condition worsened rapidly, and within hours, both passed away, said Wadettiwar in a post. He also shared the video of the grieving parents.

Wadettiwar further stated, "There was no ambulance available to transport the childrens bodies to their village, forcing the parents to make the long trek through rain-soaked, muddy paths. This incident lays bare the grim state of healthcare in the region."

The Congress leader also criticized the state government, pointing out that while Fadnavis oversees Gadchiroli as Guardian Minister, Dharmarao Baba Atram of the Nationalist Congress Party holds the position of FDA Minister in Eknath Shinde's government.

Wadettiwar remarked, These leaders make grand claims about development in the state, yet they seem blind to the harsh realities faced by people in areas like Gadchiroli, where such tragedies continue to occur.

This tragic incident marks the second such case in the Vidarbha region within a week, as highlighted by the Congress leader. Earlier, on September 1, a pregnant tribal woman, Kavita A. Sakol, died along with her stillborn child in Melghat, Amravati, after an ambulance failed to arrive on time.

Kavita went into labor and her family called for an ambulance, but they were told it would take four hours to reach them. She delivered at home as there was no choice left. Unfortunately, the baby was stillborn. As her condition worsened, her family rushed her to a local health center in a private vehicle, but despite being transferred to larger facilities, both mother and child died.

The deaths of Kavita and her child were a result of the poor health infrastructure and negligent officials in Melghat. The government, which spends money on vote-seeking schemes, could have better invested in ambulances that could have saved lives, Wadettiwar added.

Both incidents have sparked outrage on social media, though there has yet to be an official response from the authorities.
PM Modi In Singapore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two nations. Modi is on a two-day visit to Singapore at Wong's invitation.

Before their official talks, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament House and signed the visitor's book. The meeting holds significance as it marks the first interaction between the two leaders since Wong took office as Singapore's premier and Modi began his third term as India's prime minister. The two countries signed four MoUs.

#WATCH | Several MoUs signed between India and Singapore in the fields of Digital Technologies, Health and Medicine, Educational Cooperation & Skills Development and India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore pic.twitter.com/mowXSLxzaB  ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

Ahead of the talks with Wong, Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor's book there. "A new chapter in - ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.

"The leaders agreed to elevate the - ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability," he said. The meeting between the two leaders comes days after Wong took over and Modi began his third term as prime minister.

Later in the day, PM Modi will meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Several agreements are expected to be signed between India and Singapore, covering areas like digital technologies, healthcare, education, skills development, and semiconductor collaboration.
The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday withdrew the previous Congress government's decision to provide a power subsidy of Rs 3 per unit for domestic consumers, which will yield Rs 1,500-1,800 crore per annum to the state exchequer.

However, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said 300 units of free electricity per month for the domestic category will continue.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties condemned the AAP government's move to withdraw power subsidy, saying it will put an additional burden on the electricity consumers.

In November 2021, the then Charanjit Singh Channi government slashed the power tariff by Rs 3 per unit for domestic consumers, having a connected load of up to 7 kW (kilowatt).

The decision to withdraw the previous government's decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here.

Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, Cheema said the previous government had reduced the power rates by Rs 3 per unit for domestic consumers, having up to 7 kW load. "We withdrew that decision today," he said.

But 300 units of free electricity, started by the AAP government, will continue, he added.

Asked how much the state government will earn following the withdrawal of this decision, Cheema said it will lead to Rs 1,500-1,800 crore of revenue.

On why the state government gave a shock to those who consume over 600 units in two months and pay their electricity bills honestly, Cheema said it was not a shock.

Rather, people would be encouraged to judicious electricity consumption, he added.

"Why do they (domestic consumers) use over 600 units? If they reduce the use of air conditioners and other electronic gadgets, then their electricity consumption will be below 600 units (in two months). We have tried to benefit them and not to punish them," he said.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring hit out at the Bhagwant Mann government for withdrawing the subsidised power tariff, saying it is a "blatant betrayal" of the common people, who are already grappling with the ever-increasing cost of living.

"The AAP government's decision to raise electricity rates by Rs 3 per unit is nothing short of outrageous," Warring said.

"While they continue to boast about providing the first 300 units of electricity for free, this steep hike for additional consumption creates a substantial financial burden on households. The illusion of relief offered by the initial free units is quickly shattered as families and businesses are forced to pay exorbitant rates beyond this limit," he added.

He further said the AAP government, under the guise of boosting state revenue, has been "relentlessly" imposing a financial burden on people.

Merely two weeks ago, they increased the motor vehicle tax, pushing the cost of cars and two-wheelers out of reach for the middle class and economically weaker sections, he said.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, while condemning the move of the government, said, "Ever since the AAP assumed power in the state, it has been running its routine activities with the borrowed funds. The outstanding debt in Punjab is estimated to touch Rs 3.74 lakh crore by the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year. The way the AAP government is handling the economy demonstrates that Punjab has been swiftly moving towards bankruptcy under the 2.5 years of the AAP regime".

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia said the withdrawal of the power subsidy, which allowed consumers to have loads of up to 7 kilowatts, would affect lakhs of consumers.
The Supreme Court on Thursday began hearing crucial pleas against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is seeking bail in the now-scrapped excise policy case. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday extended his judicial custody until September 11. Kejriwal intends to challenge the Delhi High Court's decision, which upheld his arrest by the CBI. On July 30, the CBI filed its fourth supplementary chargesheet against Kejriwal, Satyendar Jain, Amit Arora, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur, and P. Sarath Reddy.

Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan will take up his petition challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and his separate request for bail. Recently, the Supreme Court granted bail to senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, BRS leader K. Kavitha, and AAP's former communications chief Vijay Nair in the excise policy case.

Kejriwal, through his special leave petition to the Supreme Court, is challenging his arrest and the subsequent remand orders, while also pushing for bail in the corruption case. On the other hand, the CBI argues that Kejriwal is trying to make the case a political spectacle. They claim that various courts have already accepted the charges, and the CBI has noted that Kejriwal played a key role in the formulation of the new excise policy.

The CBIs affidavit before the Supreme Court asserts that Kejriwal, even though he no longer holds a ministerial role in the Delhi government, still directs and influences major decisions both in Delhi and across the country where AAP operates. They also pointed out that Kejriwal was deeply involved in the decisions surrounding the new excise policy along with then-Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Excise Manish Sisodia.

On July 12, the Supreme Court had ordered Kejriwals release on interim bail related to a money laundering case from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). However, he remained in custody because of his arrest by the CBI.

Meanwhile, a court has taken note of the CBI's charge sheet against Kejriwal and others in the alleged liquor policy scam. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja has issued a production warrant for Kejriwal for September 11 and extended his custody until then.
Shimla: Two employees of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 21-year-old student in a bus here, police said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the victim boarded an HRTC bus from her educational institute to the Sunni area, they said. According to police, one of the accused is a driver and the other is a mechanic. Both are employees of the HRTC.

The victim, who is a student in a private institution, in her complaint alleged that the accused boarded the bus from a nearby place. Later, one of the accused approached her and asked for her mobile number and social media handle, police said.

When she resisted, another accused came and sat on the adjoining seat and also tried to sexually assault her, police said.

SHO Police Station, Sunni B R Sharma said that a case under sections 75(2) (sexual harassment), 78(2) (stalking)and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered and further investigation is underway.
Intelligence isn't just about excelling in exams or solving complex puzzles; it can be subtly communicated through body language. While most people focus on verbal communication, nonverbal cues can reveal a lot about someones cognitive abilities. Certain lesser-known body language signs may indicate high intelligence. Lets explore eight of these subtle indicators that smart people often display, even if theyre not aware of it.

1) Mastery of Eye Contact

One of the most telling yet overlooked signs of intelligence is the ability to maintain the right level of eye contact. Intelligent people tend to find the perfect balance between too little and too much. Too little eye contact can make a person appear disinterested or untrustworthy, while too much can feel overbearing or aggressive. However, those with high intelligence know how to strike the right balanceholding eye contact just long enough to communicate sincerity and confidence, without making the other person uncomfortable.

2) Confident Yet Humble Posture

Posture can reveal a lot about a persons intelligence. Smart individuals often exhibit a confident but humble stance. They stand tall with their shoulders back, signaling assurance, but without arrogance. This posture invites engagement and signals openness to new ideas, even though they may already be well-informed. An intelligent persons posture conveys, "I know what Im talking about, but Im also open to learning." It reflects a balance of self-assurance and humility.

3) Mirroring Behavior

Mirroring is an unconscious act where one person mimics anothers gestures, tone, or posture. Its a subtle but powerful sign of intelligence because it fosters rapport and demonstrates empathy. Studies have shown that when someone mirrors another persons body language, it activates mirror neurons in the brain, which are associated with social cognition. This suggests a heightened ability to understand and relate to others, a hallmark of emotional and social intelligence.

4) Expressive Hand Gestures

Intelligent people often use expressive hand gestures to complement their speech. These gestures help them articulate complex ideas and thoughts more effectively. Its as if their thoughts are too rich to be conveyed solely through words, so their hands step in to help. When someone uses hand gestures in sync with their speech, it shows that they are thinking deeply about what theyre saying. It also helps the listener better understand and engage with the conversation.

5) Active Listening

Active listening is a sign of both emotional and intellectual intelligence. It involves fully focusing on the speaker, showing interest through nodding, maintaining eye contact, and providing thoughtful responses. Rather than waiting for their turn to speak, intelligent individuals listen to understand. This not only makes others feel valued but also demonstrates a capacity for absorbing and processing new information. Intelligent people are often excellent listeners, showing a respect for the thoughts and opinions of others.

6) Mindful Silence

In a world filled with noise and constant chatter, silence is often undervalued. However, intelligent people understand its power. They use pauses to think before speaking, allowing them to formulate well-thought-out responses. Mindful silence conveys that a person is reflecting deeply on the topic at hand, rather than rushing to speak for the sake of filling the void. When an intelligent person finally speaks after a pause, their words often carry more weight and insight.

7) Leaning In During Conversations

Leaning in is a body language cue that signals engagement and attentiveness. When someone leans in while speaking or listening, it shows they are fully invested in the conversation. Intelligent individuals often use this subtle sign to demonstrate interest in the subject or the person theyre interacting with. It helps build rapport and trust, making the conversation more meaningful for both parties.

8) Controlled Facial Expressions

Highly intelligent people tend to have good control over their facial expressions. They are aware of how their emotions can be perceived and manage their expressions accordingly. Whether its maintaining a neutral face during a heated discussion or knowing when to smile, their facial expressions are often aligned with their intentions. This control doesnt mean theyre emotionless, but rather that theyre intentional about how they present themselves in different situations.

The Power of Nonverbal Communication

Body language is a powerful form of communication that can reveal a persons level of intelligence. These subtle signs, such as mastering eye contact, mirroring behaviours, or using mindful silence, offer a glimpse into their cognitive abilities. While these cues are not definitive proof of intelligence, they are valuable indicators of how someones mind works. Paying attention to these nonverbal cues can help you better understand the people around you and appreciate the different ways intelligence manifests in everyday life.
New Delhi: Anushka Sharma made a stunning appearance at an event in Mumbai and for the first time, she spoke about her kids Akaay and Vamika Kohli. Anushka who is living in London after the birth of her second child Akaay along with Virat Kohli mentioned about cooking meals for both their kids. At an event, Anushka spoke about the importance of cooking food by themselves," We had this discussion at home that if we dont make the food our moms made at home, then we wont be passing these recipes on to our kids. So, sometimes I cook, and sometimes my husband cooks, and we really try to replicate the way our mothers did. I cheat a little by calling my mom to ask for recipes, but its so important. Its like youre passing on something valuable to your children."

The actress even spoke about how she has the same routine for her kids no matter where they are. "I'm very particular about routine. We travel a lot as a family, and my kids experience many changes in their lives. So, by creating a routine for them, I am giving them a sense of control. Meal times are fixedno matter where we are, we eat at the same time and sleep at the same time. It helps them regulate themselves much better."

Anushka and Virat are one of the happiest couples in B Town and they are staying away from the hullabaloo of the media and this is something no other celebrity couple has done before. Anushka looked gorgeous at the event and her radiant glow left fans stunned and wondering if she was a mother of two.
Bengaluru: Amid the ongoing row following the Justice Hema Committee report, actor Sanjjanaa Galrani met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday and also requested to form a women's committee to ensure safety in the Kannada film industry.

Sanjjanaa Galrani handed over the letter to Karnataka CM.

In a post on X, Sanjjanaa Galrani shared a post on her Instagram handle.

Sexual assault allegations against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry followed after the Justice Hema Committee report disclosing some shocking details of crimes against women in the industry was made public.

Filmmaker Ranjith, actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh, and actors Edavela Babu, Baburaj, Jayasurya, and Siddique have been charged with various sexual harassment complaints.

Last month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on the harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of women professionals.

The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinarayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.

The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the hardships faced by women in the industry.
Mumbai: Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan sent a meltdown to their shippers as they were spotted together at a Call Me Bae special screening starring Ananya Panday. The ex-lovers were seen talking and hugging each other at the screening and the fans only wished they would get back together. Several videos of Kartik and Sara have been going viral on the internet where in one video Kartik is seen staring at Sara continuously and this leaves fans wondering if he still feels for her.

Watch the video of Kartik and Sara hugging and talking to each other as they get papped together at the special screening of Call Me Bae.

Sara and Kartik looked extremely comfortable with each other, and only that the Chandu Champion actor was seen bonding with Sara's brother Ibrahim Ali Khan too.

Sara had appeared once on Karan Johar's show Koffee With Karan 7 where the actress spoke about her break up with Kartik. Later she even spoke about being friends with her ex as they work in the same industry. " I don't want to say that ya, it's all easy because then it comes across as a little more frivolous than it is. It isn't always easy. When you are involved with anybody, whether it's friends, professionally, or romantically, especially if I am, I get involved and invested. It is not like, Oh yeah, it doesnt really matter, whatever its today, whatever its tomorrow'. It's not like that. It does effect you. But ultimately you have to rise beyond that".

All said and done, Sara and Kartik looked extremely pally and seems like they have let the bygones be bygones.
New Delhi: Reliance Jio customers are in for some lovely treat as the company is celebrating its 8th anniversary.

Reliance Jio is offering special recharge plans and exclusive benefits worth Rs 700 for customers recharging between September 5th and 10th. These special offers are available with the Rs 899, Rs 999 quarterly recharge plans and Rs 3599 annual plan.

Here Is the Details Of Reliance Jio 8th Anniversary Offer



OTT and Data Pack

Rs 175 value voucher with subscriptions to 10 OTT platforms

10 GB of additional data

28 days validity

3 months Zomato Gold Membership

AJIO Voucher

Flat Rs 500 discount on purchasing items worth Rs 2999 or more



Benefits Of Jio Recharge Rs 899, Rs 999 Quarterly Plans And Rs 3599 Annual Plan

Both Rs 899 and Rs 999 recharge plans offer 2GB/day data. Rs 899 plan has validity of 90 days while the validity of Rs 999 plan is 98 days. Jio's Rs 3599 annual plan offers 2.5GB/daily data.
However, there's a growing trend of people seeking dental implants Turkey as a more affordable and high-quality solution. But why has Turkey become such a popular destination for dental work? Let's dive into the reasons, benefits, and what you can expect when opting for dental implants in Turkey.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a popular solution for replacing missing teeth. They are designed to look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The process involves inserting a titanium post into the jawbone, which acts as the root of the artificial tooth. This post is then topped with a crown that mimics the appearance of a real tooth.

The benefits of dental implants are numerous:

Natural look and feel : Dental implants closely resemble natural teeth, both in appearance and function.

: Dental implants closely resemble natural teeth, both in appearance and function. Long-lasting solution : With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime.

: With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime. Improved oral health : Implants do not affect neighboring teeth like bridges, which rely on surrounding teeth for support.

: Implants do not affect neighboring teeth like bridges, which rely on surrounding teeth for support. Enhanced confidence: A beautiful, complete smile can significantly improve self-esteem.

However, despite these benefits, the cost of dental implants in many Western countries can be prohibitively high. This is where dental implants Turkey comes into play as a viable and affordable option.

Why Turkey for Dental Implants?

Turkey has become a leading destination for dental tourism, particularly for dental implants Turkey. The country offers a combination of high-quality care, state-of-the-art technology, and experienced dental professionals, all at a fraction of the cost found in countries like the United States, the UK, and other parts of Europe.

1. Affordable Prices

One of the main reasons people opt for dental implants Turkey is the cost. The price of dental implants in Turkey is significantly lower compared to Western countries. While the cost of a single implant in the UK or the U.S. can range from $3,000 to $5,000, in Turkey, you can expect to pay as little as $500 to $1,500 per implant. This price difference is due to lower operating costs, reduced labor expenses, and favorable currency exchange rates.

2. High-Quality Dental Care

Despite the lower prices, the quality of care in Turkey is on par with, or even exceeds, that found in many Western countries. Turkish dental clinics adhere to strict international standards, with many of them being accredited by international healthcare organizations. Clinics specializing in dental implants Turkey use cutting-edge technology, such as 3D imaging and digital planning, to ensure precision and safety.

3. Experienced Dentists

Many of the dentists in Turkey are highly skilled, with years of experience in implantology. They often undergo extensive training both domestically and internationally, ensuring that they are well-versed in the latest techniques and technologies. Patients can feel confident that they are in the hands of experts when opting for dental implants Turkey.

The Dental Implant Procedure in Turkey

If you're considering dental implants Turkey, it's important to understand the procedure involved. Typically, getting dental implants is a multi-step process that takes place over several months. Heres a breakdown of what to expect:

1. Consultation and Planning

The first step involves a thorough consultation with the dentist. X-rays or 3D scans are taken to assess the condition of your jawbone and to determine if you're a good candidate for dental implants. In some cases, bone grafting may be necessary if there isnt enough bone density to support the implant.

2. Implant Placement

Once the planning is complete, the dentist will surgically insert the titanium post into your jawbone. This post serves as the root of the artificial tooth. After the implant is placed, a healing period of 3 to 6 months is required for osseointegration to occur, which is the process of the bone fusing with the implant.

3. Abutment Placement and Crown Fitting

After the implant has successfully integrated with the bone, the dentist will attach an abutment to the implant. This serves as the base for the dental crown. Finally, a custom-made crown is placed on top of the abutment, completing the process.

All-on-4 Dental Implants in Turkey

For patients missing most or all of their teeth, the All-on-4 technique is an increasingly popular option. This method involves placing four implants in each jaw to support a full arch of teeth. The All-on-4 technique is faster and less invasive than traditional implant methods, and it provides patients with a fixed, natural-looking set of teeth in just one or two visits. All-on-4 dental implants Turkey are particularly cost-effective and efficient, making them a great choice for full-mouth restorations.

Why Dental Implants Turkey Are Safe

Some potential dental tourists may have concerns about safety when traveling abroad for medical procedures. However, the dental industry in Turkey is highly regulated, with many clinics meeting international standards of care. Additionally, dentists are required to undergo rigorous training, ensuring that they are well-qualified to perform procedures like dental implants Turkey.

Moreover, many clinics provide warranties on their implants, giving patients peace of mind that their investment is protected. The use of high-quality materials from globally recognized brands like Straumann and Nobel Biocare also adds to the reliability and safety of the procedure.

Dental Tourism: More Than Just Dental Work

One of the added benefits of choosing dental implants Turkey is the opportunity to explore a beautiful country. Turkey is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. Many dental clinics offer packages that include airport transfers, accommodation, and even guided tours, allowing you to combine your dental treatment with a vacation. Whether you want to visit Istanbuls Grand Bazaar, the ancient city of Ephesus, or relax along the Mediterranean coast, Turkey has something for everyone.

Final Thoughts on Dental Implants in Turkey

Choosing dental implants Turkey offers a perfect balance between cost, quality, and care. With affordable prices, highly skilled dentists, and world-class clinics, Turkey has established itself as a premier destination for dental treatments. If you're looking for a reliable and cost-effective solution to replace missing teeth, dental implants Turkey could be the answer youve been searching for.

Before making your decision, its essential to do your research, consult with qualified professionals, and ensure that the clinic you choose meets international standards. But rest assured, Turkeys reputation for providing top-notch dental care at affordable rates makes it a great option for anyone conesidering dental implants.

(This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Lts sponsored feature, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the article.)
PM Modi Singapore Visit: In a bid to boost bilateral ties, India and Singapore on Thursday signed memorandums of understanding for cooperation in semiconductors, digital technologies, skill development, and healthcare during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit. He is in Singapore on a two-day visit at the invitation of Wong.

This came as PM Modi held a productive meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong, during which the two leaders agreed to elevate the ties to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.'

PM Modi, who arrived in Singapore after concluding his Brunei visit on Wednesday, was received by his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong and accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Singapore Parliament. From there, the two leaders headed for delegation-level talks.

Briefing about PM Modi's meeting with Lawrence Wong, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said, "A new chapter in (India-Singapore) ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM@LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today. The leaders agreed to elevate the (India-Singapore) ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalization, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability".

Key MOUs Signed Between India And Singapore

Key Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of digital technologies, semiconductors, health cooperation, and skill development were signed between India and Singapore, which will further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.

The MOUs are  MoU between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore on the India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership; MoU between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information of Singapore on Cooperation in the field of Digital Technologies; MoU between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India and the Ministry of Education of Singapore on Educational Cooperation and Skills Development; MoU between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health of Singapore on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.

PM Modi Hails India-Singapore Partnership

PM Modi hailed the strategic partnership between India and Singapore, saying, "The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism."

In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude and thanked Wong for the warm welcome.

"This is our first meeting after you assumed the post of premier. Many congratulations to you from my side. I am confident that under the leadership of 4G (the fourth-generation leaders), Singapore will progress even faster," he said.

"We also want to create many Singapores in India, and I am happy that we are working together in this direction. The ministerial roundtable that has been formed between us is a path-breaking mechanism."

He stated that the partnership between the two nations in skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, Artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, sustainability, and cyber security has become an identity of this mechanism.

Following the talks with Wong, PM Modi took to X and said, "The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong, continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations".

Ahead of the talks with Wong, Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor's book there.

PM Modi To Meet Singapore President

Later in the day, PM Modi will also call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee is set to host a lunch for the Prime Minister.

He will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the countrys semiconductor ecosystem.

(With agencies inputs)
Bangladesh Unrest: Mohammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, has criticized former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for making political comments from India, stating that it is inappropriate. Yunus also mentioned that Hasina should remain silent unless Dhaka formally requests her extradition to avoid straining relations between the two countries.

In an interview with PTI, Yunus said, "If India wants to keep Hasina until Bangladesh requests her return, the condition should be that she must remain silent." He emphasized that while Bangladesh values strong relations with India, New Delhi should move beyond the narrative that portrays political parties other than the Awami League as Islamic and suggests that the country would be akin to Afghanistan without Hasina.

Hasina resigned from the Prime Minister's office amid ongoing protests and sought asylum in India, leading to Yunus's appointment as the head of the interim government. Yunus expressed discomfort with Hasinas statements from India, noting that her remarks are causing issues. He said, Everyone is uneasy with her stance because there is a desire to bring her back for prosecution... Her statements from India are problematic. If she had remained silent, we could have overlooked it. But she continues to speak and issue directives, which is unacceptable.

Yunus was likely referring to Hasinas August 13 statement calling for justice and demanding identification and punishment for those involved in recent acts of terrorism, killings, and brutality. Yunus remarked, This is not good for either India or us. It is causing trouble.

Hasina has been in India for about four weeks, fueling speculation in Bangladesh. When asked if Bangladesh had communicated its stance to India, Yunus confirmed that a firm oral message had been conveyed that she should remain silent. He added, Everyone understands this. We have firmly stated that she should be quiet. This is unfriendly behavior towards us. She has sought asylum there and is running a campaign from there. She did not leave under normal circumstances but fled after peoples revolt and public outcry.

Yunus stated that the interim government is committed to ensuring justice for the people of Bangladesh and that it is crucial for Hasina to be brought back to face trial for the atrocities she has committed. He emphasized, Yes, she must be brought back; otherwise, the people of Bangladesh will not find peace. She should face trial here for the atrocities she committed.

Yunus also discussed the future of relations between India and Bangladesh, expressing a desire for good relations but stressing that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that only Hasinas leadership can ensure the countrys stability. He said, To move forward, India must move beyond this narrative. The narrative that everyone else is Islamic, that the BNP is Islamic, and that the country will become Afghanistan without Hasina. India is enamored with this narrative. India needs to move beyond it. Bangladesh is just another neighboring country.

In response to recent attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and India's concerns about them, Yunus dismissed these as mere excuses. He noted that amidst the chaotic environment in Bangladesh, Hindu shops, properties, and temples have been vandalized.

On improving relations between India and Bangladesh, Yunus suggested that both countries need to work together as the current relations are strained. He said, Relations are currently poor, and we need to work together to improve them.

Regarding the future of bilateral agreements with India, Yunus mentioned that there are calls for reconsideration of agreements such as the transit and Adani power deals. He stated, Everyone says there is a need. We will see what the documents say and what the ground reality is. I cannot answer specifically. If a review is necessary, we will question it. The BNP has said that if it comes to power, it will review and reassess the suspicious Adani power deal signed during the Awami League administration, as it is putting too much pressure on the people of Bangladesh.
During a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his worries about the safety of people in Bangladesh and the future of its democratic institutions. The White House disclosed this information, with National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby addressing the media on Wednesday.

Kirby explained that Biden and Modi shared their concerns about recent developments in Bangladesh during their conversation. "President Biden clearly conveyed his concerns regarding the safety of people in Bangladesh and the future of its democratic institutions," Kirby said in response to a question.

The call took place on August 26, but the White Houses initial statement did not mention Bangladesh. However, Modis social media post on X (formerly Twitter) and a statement from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) highlighted that the issue of Bangladesh was discussed during the call.

The PMO noted, Both leaders expressed shared concerns about the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasized the need to restore law and order in the country and ensure the safety of minorities, especially Hindus.

In his post on X, Modi added, We discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed the importance of restoring normalcy quickly and ensuring the safety of minorities, particularly Hindus.
On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, as France's new Prime Minister, ending over 50 days of a caretaker government. The 73-year-old Barniers appointment comes after weeks of intense efforts by Macron and his team to identify a candidate capable of rallying support in parliament and withstanding potential attempts by the opposition to swiftly bring down the newly-formed government, which Barnier will now lead.

Barnier succeeds Gabriel Attal, who stepped down on July 16 after snap legislative elections resulted in a divided and hung parliament, throwing France into political uncertainty. A statement from Macrons office confirmed Barniers appointment, stating he has been entrusted with forming a unifying government to serve the nation and the French people.

This appointment comes after an unprecedented cycle of consultations during which, in accordance with his constitutional duty, the president ensured that the prime minister and the future government would meet the conditions to be as stable as possible and give themselves the chances of uniting as broadly as possible, the statement said.

Who Is Michel Barnier?

Michel Barnier is a seasoned politician with deep pride in his humble origins in Frances Alpine region of Haute-Savoie. Born on January 9, 1951, Barnier has had a long and distinguished career in both French and European politics. He gained international recognition as the European Unions chief negotiator during the complex Brexit negotiations with the UK.

Over a political career spanning more than 50 years, Barnier has held various key roles, including French Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Environment, and Agriculture, as well as serving twice as a European Commissioner. Despite his extensive experience, he had never pursued a leadership position like president or prime ministeruntil now.

French Ministerial Roles: Barnier has held several prominent ministerial positions in France. He served as Minister of the Environment (19931995), Minister of European Affairs (19951997), and Minister of Foreign Affairs (20042005). He was also Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (20072009).

EU Commissioner: Barnier has had a significant presence in European politics, serving as European Commissioner for Regional Policy (19992004) and later as Commissioner for Internal Market and Services (20102014). His work focused on financial regulation after the 2008 global financial crisis.

Brexit Negotiator: Barnier gained international prominence as the EUs chief Brexit negotiator from 2016 to 2021, leading complex and often contentious negotiations with the UK to secure a deal that maintained the EU's interests during the UK's departure.
The dairy industry is one step closer to having a vaccine available for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). Last week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that USDA has authorized the first field trial of a vaccine for the virus.

Several groups have been working on developing a vaccine for this novel concern that was first confirmed in March, he continued. All trials have so far been conducted in contained research facilities, such as the one at the National Animal Disease Research Center, a USDA facility in Ames, Iowa. This approval will allow potential H5N1 vaccines to instead be tested in environments that more closely resemble todays dairy farms.

It is an important development in equipping dairy farmers with a plan of attack against the disease. Since March, 193 cases have been confirmed in 13 states. Fortunately, spread has slowed this summer, with just 20 new cases in five states confirmed in the last month.



While cows that contract the disease have not been as severely impacted as poultry that do, milk production and feed intake are affected, leading impacted herds to cull cattle even after they recover due to lingering effects. There are also concerns about the disease spreading to humans after a handful of farm workers who have been around sick cows experienced mild disease symptoms.

No vaccines against the disease have been developed for poultry. Vilsack expressed optimism that with information from a field trial in dairy cattle, a vaccine that is safe and effective could be developed in the near future.

Research has been crucial because the movement of the virus to dairy cattle was not expected. As this timeline from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates, forms of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus have been detected in multiple species around the world for more than a century. There is much still unknown about how it spreads and mutates. In dairy cattle, it appears to be developing in the udder, which contains many potential receptors for the virus. This is in contrast to how influenza viruses typically infect the respiratory system.



Until a vaccine is tested and approved, a dairy farmers best protection against the disease is to continue taking biosecurity measures to prevent new contaminants from entering the farm.





To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024

September 2, 2024
Singtel collaborated with AI-native GPU cloud platform provider GMI Cloud to combine their GPU resources and infrastructure and expand GPU capacity in the US and Asia Pacific.

The companies claim the collaboration extends Singtel and GMI Cloud's reach into previously untapped markets.

GMIs GPU platform will be integrated with Singtels Paragon orchestration platform to leverage Singtels Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPU capacity in Singapore.

Singtel plans to launch its GPU-as-a Service later this year and is expanding its network of Nxera data centres across Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. These facilities feature Nvidia GPUs that manage AI workloads.

Collaborating with GMI Cloud expands capacity and availability zones in Asia Pacific, complementing our own GPUaaS points of presence, comments Singtel Digital and Nxera CEO Bill Chang.

This will give enterprises the flexibility and scalability they need as they harness supercomputing power to accelerate innovation.

GMI Cloud's expertise in providing scalable, telecom-optimised GPU solutions complements Singtel's robust network perfectly, comments GMI Cloud CEO Alex Yeh.

Our flexible deployment models and experience with high-volume, low-latency workloads position us uniquely to support the telecommunications industry's AI initiatives.

This collaboration follows Singtel's partnership with GPU cloud platforms Vultr in the US and Nscale in Europe to provide customers with flexibility and infrastructure.

Singtel also recently announced a strategic partnership with Bridge Alliance to bring its GPUaaS to enterprises across the Southeast Asia region.
ICT solutions provider ZTE has collaborated with Orange Liberia to build new communication sites called RuralPilot EcoSites to enhance network coverage in rural areas in the country.

ZTE says the project consisting of 128 communication sites was completed in three months. They employ wireless base station equipment supporting 800MHz and 900MHz bands.

The network offers 2G voice services for users in remote areas and supports 4G data services. Each site integrates solar energy and smart lithium batteries, enhanced with PowerPilot AI software.

ZTE claims the infrastructure will provide network access to 580,000 subscribers in rural areas.

"The newly built communication sites will provide strong support for the economic and social development of Liberia's rural areas. Orange Liberia remains dedicated to offering convenient and high-quality communication services to its customers," stated Orange Liberia CEO Jean Marius Yao.

"Despite facing challenging conditions, including underdeveloped infrastructure and harsh climates, the delivery teams from both companies overcame numerous unforeseen obstacles to ensure the project's successful completion, concluded ZTE Orange MEA account CEO Zhang Guanzhen.
GUEST EVENT: ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corp. and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, today announced its CyberCon Roadshow Australia 2024. These highly anticipated events will bring together IT professionals, security experts, and industry leaders for a series of in-depth sessions, interactive discussions and hands-on workshops focused on the latest trends and innovations in cybersecurity and IT management.

Coming to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Hobart, Brisbane, and Auckland, the CyberCon Roadshow aims to empower IT professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape. Attendees will gain insights into the latest best practice solutions including IT security, endpoint management, and network monitoring, ensuring they stay ahead of emerging threats and tightening compliance requirements.

ManageEngine country manager Vinayak Sreedhar said that the impact of cybercrime to Australian organisations is at an all-time high. As such, its more important than ever for IT professionals to stay informed and equipped with the best tools and strategies.

ManageEngine has been delivering comprehensive cybersecurity solutions to businesses across the globe for many years, serving a wide range of industries such as retail, manufacturing, finance, government and more. Were bringing this event to Australia and New Zealand as organisations continue to navigate previously unchartered and increasingly dangerous waters, Sreedhar said.

CyberCon 2024 will be an opportunity for IT professionals to connect with industry peers and experts. The event is designed to provide valuable insights and practical knowledge that attendees can immediately apply to their organisations to enhance their security posture.

CyberCon will include forums and sessions covering unified endpoint management and security solutions (UEMS), security information and event management (SIEM), identity and access management (IAM), privileged access management (PAM) and more.

According to Tech Research Australia principal analyst and executive consultant Mark Iles, cybersecurity is going to be front-of-mind in 2025 as organisations look to cement IT spending.

"Following a number of high-profile breaches, organisations across Australia and New Zealand are looking to shore up their understanding of cybersecurity, risk, compliance, and more. Opportunities like CyberCon Roadshow are a great resource for IT professionals to learn best practices from business and cybersecurity experts."

Iles will be joining the panel of experts at CyberCon Roadshow to discuss the state of cybersecurity in the region. With the latest research on the cyber landscape in Australia and New Zealand, Iles will provide insights into cybersecurity frameworks, the role of Zero Trust, and more, to provide actionable insights to enhance cyber resilience.

CyberCon Roadshow 2024 is a must-attend event for IT administrators, security professionals, and business leaders committed to safeguarding their digital environments and optimising their IT operations.

Registration is now open, and attendees are encouraged to secure their spots early due to limited availability.

Event Details

Sydney: Date: 10 September

Time: 9am5pm

Venue: Four Seasons, Sydney

Melbourne: Date: 12 September

Time: 9am5pm

Venue: Sofitel, Melbourne

Adelaide: Date: 17 September

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: Hilton, Adelaide

Perth: Date: 19 September

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: QT, Perth

Canberra: Date: 24 September

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: Crowne Plaza, Canberra

Hobart: Date: 26 September

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: Tasman Marriott, Hobart

Brisbane: Date: 1 October

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: Westin, Brisbane

Auckland: Date: 3 October

Time: 9am2pm

Venue: Sofitel, Auckland

Find more information and register here.

About ManageEngine

ManageEngine is the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation. Established and emerging enterprisesincluding 9 of every 10 Fortune 100 organisationsrely on ManageEngine's real-time IT management tools to ensure optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, endpoints, and more. ManageEngine has offices worldwide, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, India, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, China and Australia, as well as 200+ global partners to help organisations tightly align their business and IT. For more information, please visit manageengine.com, follow the company blog and get connected on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
GUEST OPINION: As financial institutions continue their transition to multicloud, its becoming critical to harness AI to ensure that the infrastructure runs smoothly.

As Australias banking system has become increasingly digitised, several trends have emerged.

First, theres been a gradual decrease in the number of branches and a corresponding rise in the use of internet banking websites and apps; together with a decrease in the use of notes and coins in favour of contactless and cashless payments. Recent figures show that 99.1% of total transactions are now made via online or banking apps.

Second, banks are moving to end-to-end digital processes, where the entire transaction is self-served by customers with the aid of protective guardrails but little, if any, manual intervention is required by bankers - think the current cross-industry effort around digital home loan origination, application and approval.

And third, regulators and policymakers have taken an increased interest in digital banking service resiliency, availability, uptime and performance. This emphasis is being driven by not infrequent outages that impact digital services or the infrastructure that powers them. These are often acutely felt by customers, who may be left stranded, unable to transact at a point-of-sale while the issues occur.

Behind-the-scenes, there have been changes, too. While Australias banking sector has historically been forward-thinking in its adoption of cloud services to enable customer-facing digital experiences, supported by groundwork laid by several larger institutions in collaboration with regulators, its only recently that cloud has really started to make its mark on core banking systems.

In cloud migration journeys, the refactoring of core banking systems to run natively on cloud-based infrastructure is gaining steam.

One reason for this timing is that its only been in the last couple of years that the benefits of the cloud have begun to outweigh the argument for keeping many core banking workloads on-premises, which has driven an accelerating shift to the cloud. The core is naturally the most architecturally complex part of the bank from a technology systems perspective. Not only have there been easier parts of the bank to migrate to date, but also core migrations to the cloud require considerable planning, design and resourcing to complete.

An added layer of complexity is that building resilient environments often means being multicloud, rather than simply cloud-based. While its possible to architect for resiliency in a single cloud ecosystem, there have been edge cases in the broader Australian financial sector where multi-region and multi-availability zone setups with a single provider have not been enough to prevent downtime. This raises the spectre of banks wanting some ability and capacity to operate services across one or more clouds simultaneously.

Given the wide range of cloud services available to financial services firms, it is already common to see banks with workloads distributed across multiple as-a-service and public cloud environments.

All of which is proof that multicloud strategies provide financial services institutions with the agility and scalability to stay ahead, innovate faster and continually optimise digital services.

A modern approach to multicloud monitoring

To operate in multicloud requires more than just good planning; theres also an acute need for operations teams to be able to manage the performance of the infrastructure, to be able to detect degraded performance and keep the infrastructure in an optimal state.

Doing so requires clear, end-to-end observability to be established over the multicloud environment. However, this can be easier said than done.

Each new cloud platform tends to favour its own native monitoring solution, such as Amazon CloudWatch or Azure Monitor. As a result, cloud operations teams are grappling with a growing range of tools that they must layer on top of traditional monitoring solutions to track activity throughout their IT infrastructure.

Our research shows that financial institutions rely on 10 different monitoring solutions, on average, to manage their technology stacks. For operations teams, that means a lot of manual crosschecks between different dashboards to manage multicloud infrastructure effectively, and to diagnose and resolve issues that may be flowing through to digital services at the frontend.

As is the case in other financial services domains, the answer to this challenge may be the use of artificial intelligence.

The most impactful approaches apply causal, predictive, and generative AI techniques to observability data to empower IT teams with a more intelligent approach to multicloud infrastructure monitoring. This gives teams actionable insights that can be used to gain deeper visibility into their environments, and proactively anticipate and address issues.

Through this, operations teams can eliminate blind spots by continuously discovering and instrumenting multicloud infrastructure as the environment changes. It also enables the same teams to automatically triage alerts that indicate a potential disruption to the digital experience, and find precise answers on how to resolve the detected issues before they impact users and customers.

Finally, IT teams can understand the cause of any issues within their multicloud infrastructure and prioritise them according to their predicted impact on the business. That enables teams to solve the most critical issues first and refocus their efforts on tasks that accelerate the delivery of high-quality, innovative, and reliable financial services experiences.
SPRINGFIELD  As chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin quite literally has a front-row seat to the high stakes of the 2024 presidential and U.S. Senate elections.

Democratic control of the upper chamber has enabled the confirmation of more than 200 federal judges nominated by President Joe Biden to lifetime appointments since the beginning of his administration in 2021.

More than 230 federal judges were confirmed during former President Donald Trump's single term in office, when Republicans had control of the Senate.

If Trump wins back the White House or if the GOP takes control of the Senate, or if both occur, there will be a wide-ranging and long-term impact on the makeup of the federal bench, Durbin told reporters on Wednesday after an unrelated event in Springfield.

"It makes a serious difference as to whether or not the Senate is under Democratic control," Durbin said. "The appointment of future judges and their attitude toward the Constitution and our country really can make a difference."

An example of this diverging judicial philosophy came as recently as Friday, when a Trump-appointed federal judge in Rockford ruled that banning the concealed carry of firearms on public transportation is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston relied on a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court case from 2022 that established that gun laws must be consistent with conditions found in the late 1700s when the Bill of Rights was composed. No regulation on where weapons could be carried existed.

Illinois became the nations last state to approve concealed carry in 2013. The law established a number of places that were off limits to guns, such as public arenas, hospitals, buses and trains.

"There seems to be a real turmoil in the courts now as to whether that law is acceptable," Durbin said of the Illinois law. "It's going to take some resolution, some appellate work, before we finally know the answer."

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is reviewing the decision, but indicated that he will likely appeal.

Raoul noted that until theres a final judgment in the matter, gun owners should continue to abide by concealed-carry provisions; Johnstons ruling currently applies only to the four plaintiffs who brought the lawsuit.

Durbin called larger reforms proposed by Biden  such as a constitutional amendment to make clear that no American president is immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office, and 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices  as "largely constitutional questions that are not going to be resolved by the end of the year."

"Let's focus on ethics and get it right," Durbin said, referencing legislation he is sponsoring that would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct, among other provisions.

Durbin said control of the U.S. Senate, currently 51-49 in favor of Democrats, "hangs on one or two seats around the country," with the majority party defending competitive seats in Republican-leaning states like Montana and Ohio and in several swing states.

He also acknowledged that the presidential contest between Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris will be "a very close race."

"Most presidential elections are close these days, and this one is going to be extremely close," Durbin said, predicting that "there are enough people undecided to make a difference" in such a close contest.

Early voting begins in some states as early as Sept. 23. It begins in Illinois on Sept. 29.

Time for ceasefire, Durbin says

Days after six hostages were killed in Gaza, including 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American Israeli citizen with Chicago ties, Durbin renewed his call for a ceasefire to hostilities between Israel and Hamas, and an agreement to bring home the remaining captives.

There have been massive protests in Israel over the killings, with many blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the lack of progress in securing a peace deal. Durbin was similarly critical.

"Israel has the right to defend itself, but their defense of their country has gone too far," Durbin said. "I believe that's what President Biden has said, and I join him in saying that. It's time for us to bring this bloody war to an end."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County has chosen a New Jersey economic official with Triad roots as its president and chief executive.

The council said Thursday that Samantha Howard, a Mount Airy native, assumes her new duties on Sept. 23. Her resume includes working for Legal Aid of Winston-Salem and being a Winston-Salem State University graduate.

Howard becomes the councils first Black female president and chief executive. Randy Eaddy was the first Black person to serve in both roles on an interim basis that lasted from August 2018 to December 2020.

Howard also becomes the councils third top executive in about six years. She has served as executive director of the Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation in Bayonne, N.J., since 2015.

I am passionate and results-driven with extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations like Arts Council, Howard said in the news release.

Howard mentioned her efforts in organizing partnerships across public, private and non-profit sectors, including collaborations with Amazon, Costco and United Way, to co-create and implement sustainable solutions to demonstrate my capacity to unify diverse stakeholders around common goals.

My husband and I are thrilled to return to Winston-Salem, where we have family, Howard said.

Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is widely known and respected on a national level for its groundbreaking accomplishments. I look forward to doing my part to assure the organizations success and impact for many more years to come.

Howard was hired after a national search for the councils top official that followed the Feb. 16 departure of Chase Law. Howard Upchurch, the Board of Trustees vice chairman, served in both roles on an interim basis.

Law submitted her resignation to accept an undisclosed new position in Millburn, N.J., that aligns with my background in theater and fundraising, and to be closer to her daughter.

We believe that Samantha is the ideal executive to lead the Arts Council toward a very bright future, board Chairman Chad Cheek said.

We look forward to working closely alongside Samantha to further the momentum and excitement that the Arts Council staff has created as we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary this year.

The council said Howards efforts with the Bayonne foundation transformed and rebranded the organization to become a high-performing agency, increased services and met compliance standards.

In addition, she implemented emerging technologies and streamlined financial donations. Howard also championed a design-thinking and evidence-based approach for the foundations grantmaking and program development, securing and allocating multi-million-dollar funds for a wide range of innovative projects.

Howards resume includes being director of community development for the city of Bayonne, deputy clerk of Superior Court in Dobson, and a paralegal and private attorney initiative coordinator for Legal Aid of Winston Salem.

Howard received a Master of Business Administration degree from Centenary University in Hackettstown, N.J., a Bachelor of Science degree from Winston-Salem State University, and an Associates of Applied Science degree from Surry Community College in Dobson.
For about two years now, starting at about six or seven oclock in the morning, people yelled profanities and blew their horns when they drove by Bobby Brinkleys home.

Some stopped or slowed down to take pictures of the property, which lay just outside the official town limits of Rural Hall, on Broad Street. They would post them to Nextdoor, a chat-based app for neighborhoods, and then bring complaints to town employees or Forsyth County officials.

A house, which looked like it had been hit and mangled by a hurricane, stood on the land next to another shelter, built around a camper where Brinkley, 67, and his wife Lindsay Childress lived.

Have you seen that dump close to the bowling alley? Childress remembered one Nextdoor message saying. Man, it looks like a dump.

The house had already been condemned in March 2023 by the county, which had ordered the propertys numerous heirs to tear it down. Since then, Brinkley, the only heir who lived on the land, progressively ripped the house apart himself while a real-estate developer acquired a majority interest in the land. A letter eventually told him about the developers decision to sell the property in a public auction, which will take place sometime in the future.

As months passed, neighbors, Rural Hall residents, and passersby watched Brinkley turn the already debilitated structure turn into a loose, wooden skeleton with a tattered roof and a yard full of scattered planks and beams.

A lifetime of working construction, combined with COPD and brutal emphysema stopped him from making any meaningful progress on the houses demolition or efforts to find work. Other factors, such as the loss of his old Chevrolet truck or any other vehicle that couldve hauled away debris limited much more than his ability to clean up the place.

Childress, a former waitress who had her own disabilities such as a broken back, could only do so much to help him. They tried to do little things to clean up the place, like planting a row of flowers on the front of their home. When he got his strength up and could reasonably breathe, Brinkley could mow the front of the lawn. Both of them knew the house could be torn down in a day and the property cleaned if only they had a team of men to help.

Trust me, I want it to look good, Childress said. Ive got how I want it to look in my head. Its just getting there.

Brinkley, a slender and quiet man, wanted to reply to Nextdoor messages that accused the couple of squatting, but didnt. He grew up on the property and still owns a 1/12 interest to it, through the will of a family member.

Decades ago, when the houses flaking green paint was fresh and its walls and roof still intact, Brinkleys grandmother raised him there when he was a baby. She was a tobacco farmer and owned much of the land in the area.

Brinkley worked in the tobacco fields as a kid, earning 35 cents an hour and trading in his quarters for a 16-ounce bottle of Pepsi at corner stores. He returned to his familys house again and again after calamitous losses in his life, such as the deaths of his two former spouses.

I dont got nowhere else to go, Brinkley said. Im on Social Security now. I cant afford to pay rent anywhere else.

Because the couple have no running water or air conditioning, and rely on a generator for power, they spend most of their time in the camper so they can stay out of the heat. Brinkley and Childress usually wait for a monthly Social Security check to come through so they can go out, charge their phone, and buy food and supplies.

When asked about Brinkley and Childress, their neighbors told stories of a mysterious, curly-haired man who walked up and down Broad Street from his home, often lugging a wheelbarrow full of gas cans or other supplies.

Brinkleys most immediate neighbor, who wished not to be named, said that he was mostly on friendly terms with Brinkley and Childress. But the appearance of their property had pretty much ended his ability to put on yard sales, which people wouldnt attend anymore.

Up the road, Bill and Kelly Newsom of Bills Bargains, a home goods store, remembered Brinkley heading up on foot to the shop to buy ice coolers. His mode of transportation devolved over time from his Chevrolet truck, to a moped, to the wheelbarrow with a rope tied along to it, they said.

Most nights Brinkley and Childress said they have hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner, cooked on a grill. Brinkley buys mountains of dog food for Dollar, his 150-pound pit bull that watched over the property. Their dream is to tear down Brinkleys family house and build a tiny home on it.

But Brinkleys inability to comply with the countys demolition order poses an existential threat to his presence on the land.

It has also become a key question for those who want to clear the property.

When somebody has no money and no motor vehicle, its hard to answer the practical question of How do you hold somebody accountable? said Minor Barnette, a Forsyth County environmental assessor who has dealt with Brinkleys property on and off for about two years.

Brinkley and Childress are one of 7,000 households in Forsyth that dont use the countys garbage collection service, a statistic that Barnette and county staff must constantly monitor for solid waste violations.

Brinkley and Childress were right to think that the house could be demolished in one or two days, Barnette said, but that process would typically cost in the ballpark of $10,000 to $15,000. When Brinkley heard that he had to tear down his family home himself, it saddened him.

I dont have the heart or the strength to take it down, Brinkley said.

Through the years, county staff eventually reached a point in which they had to resort to seeking a misdemeanor criminal summons to get Brinkley to appear in court for violating the countys solid waste disposal code. But Brinkley failed to appear, causing a judge to issue an order for his arrest in April, which would put him in jail with a $500 cash bond.

When told about the order for his arrest on Aug. 23, Brinkley said he had no idea about it.

But Brinkleys potential arrest isnt even his biggest problem. That came in the form of a letter from an attorney sent on Aug. 19.

The letter informed him that the property on which Brinkley currently lives is now owned in majority by a real estate company named Eastjeff LLC, which has decided to sell it at a public auction.

A court-ordered administrator, George Payne, said that there is currently no set date for the sale, but that it could take place in several months. Eastjeff LLCs attorney, Steven Smith, did not respond to requests for comment.

A sale and the introduction of a singular property owner could help streamline the countys efforts to get the house demolished. But it could also deprive Brinkley of a home.

In 2022, the beginning of the countys effort to deal with the property, the countys staff sent out letters to all of the heirs they could identify. Most of them said on the phone that they didnt want anything to do with the property, or Brinkley.

But now, most of those heirs have sold their share to Eastjeff LLC. But because theres still a lack of clarity as to who is the sole owner of the property, whom the county would ideally work with to demolish the house, the process of dealing with the demolition order has been held up, deputy county manager Kyle Haney said.

When the sale of the property takes place, the proceeds will be divided to each co-tenant, which means that Brinkley will get a share.

Brinkley, however, doesnt understand why he cant stay on the land that his family left him in a will. With nowhere else to go, and more than a years worth of work trying to demolish his familys home himself, he has accepted the call to fight for his home.

Im gonna stay here as long as I can and fight it, Brinkley said.
In an effort to reduce anxiety and a mandatory reading list, Lincolns Silent Book Club is helping to rewrite the rules of literary gatherings.

Lori Miller and Hanna Pinneo, the co-presidents of the local club, work together to create a space of community while fostering the love of reading.

Pinneo first joined in 2018 and shortly after took over when the clubs founder stepped away. She said she found the club appealing for the ability to read alone while also being part of a community.

Unlike with a typical book club, where people usually read the same book, participants in Silent Book Club choose their own books.

I got into Silent Book Club because I love to read and I wanted to talk to others about what Im reading without having to read things I didnt want to read like you do in a traditional book club, Pinneo said.

The club has participants of all ages with a large variety of book interests.

We have people join us who read all different types of things, and we introduce each other to new genres and authors. Since were all book lovers, I think some of us like that aspect best  learning what our next great read is going to be, Miller said.

The group meets several times a month, with Miller running the weekday meetings, which primarily meet at The Mill Coffee & Bistro at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The location has provided ample parking and drink options for attendants to enjoy while reading.

Pinneo organizes the weekend events, which had been at Indigo Bridge before the bookstore announced its closing last month. In the meantime, they plan on meeting at locations such as Saro Cider and other local bookstores.

At each meeting, the group reads for about an hour in each others company and then ends with an optional chat session for the last 30 minutes.

You can talk about your books youre reading, you can talk about anything, Miller said. You can stay for that, or you can up and go. If youre just coming to read and have a drink, then thats great.

The Lincoln charter group is part of the worldwide Silent Book Club organization with more than a thousand chapters in 50 countries that are all led by local volunteers. According to the international website, there are 10 chapters across Nebraska.

The Omaha chapter is massive, Miller said, and even requires advanced registration to make sure there is enough space.

Miller is still fairly new to the Lincoln group and is part of several other more traditional book clubs. Throughout her time in the different clubs, shes noticed that the Silent Book Club is a place where introverts can thrive. It's especially good for new readers who dont have to worry about what level they are at or what the discussion questions might look like, she said.

Sometimes book clubs are a little intimidating, Miller said. Silent Book Club is more of your own journey, and it helps you foster that love of reading without the pressure of trying to fit into another group because everybody fits in.

Book clubs often have been used as a way to escape from busy lives, but Miller said she still feels as though there is an element of homework and stress that come along with traditional clubs.

You have to read this book, you have to go kind of with an expectation of talking and using your social battery. Weve done that all day, Miller said.

The Silent Book Club aims to create a space for people to take time for themselves while enjoying reading, Miller said. Its something that cant be accomplished at home where people can be distracted with laundry, dinner, family time and chores.

This really forces you to just sit down and take a break, Miller said. Unfortunately, we have to put it in the frame of a calm so people will take that break that they so need, but its just hard to do it on your own. So this really helps everybody say, Lets take a break together.

In addition to choosing their own books, members choose different media to enjoy their books. Some bring books or tablets to read, while Miller said others have brought audio books to listen to while crocheting.

I look at it as more of a self-care (thing), than it is a social event, Miller said. Its more like you time.' That way you dont have to prepare for anything; theres no guilt.

Top Journal Star photos for September 2024
Papillion-La Vista South High School announced Tuesday that one of its students died in a Southern California traffic collision.

The student, a sophomore, was identified as Jada Johnson in an email to families of the school's students. Principal Jeff Spilker said Johnson was new to the school.

"Jada Johnson, a sophomore who was new this year to PLCS, passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a traffic accident over the weekend in California," Spilker said in a statement. "Though Jada was new to our school, she had already begun to make connections within our community, and her loss will be deeply felt. During this difficult time, our priority is to offer support to our students, staff, and families."

A report by KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, California, said Johnson, 15, was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash Sunday on Interstate 10 near the Blythe Airport. The crash was reported to the California Highway Patrol at 5:55 p.m. PST at the Mesa exit of the freeway.

Spilker encouraged parents to be particularly sensitive to their childrens emotions in the coming days, as they may be processing grief in various ways. He said counseling services will be made available for students and staff who may need support.

For additional information on how to support a child during a difficult time, Spilker recommended visiting the school district's online mental health resources.

Blythe is about 112 miles east of Palm Springs.

Top Journal Star photos for September 2024
1. Yes. They look better and require less maintenance. Most high-end housing areas have them.

2. Yes. Wood fences can weather and look unsightly, plus masonry walls help to block sound.

3. No. Residents should have a choice of what kind of barriers are put up near their homes.

4. No. Allowing a variety of materials will be better for aesthetics, and costs may be lower.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say. Masonry walls may be sturdier, but mandating them is problematic.

Vote

View Results
KEARNEY  When Bruce E. Whitacre worked as the executive director of an arts organization called Theatre Forward, he struck up a friendship with actor Richard Thomas.

The nonprofit was an allegiance of regional theaters in New York and Thomas, who gained fame as John-Boy in the 1970s TV series, The Waltons, served as the honorary chairmen.

He was there for about 10 years, Whitacre said. We worked a lot together and became good friends. He is, of course, a huge theater fan and a very eloquent spokesperson for theater.

Whitacre, a former Kearney resident who now lives in New York City, retired four years ago from his role with Theater Forward. The poet began to talk to Thomas about working together on an audio book.

At the time, he was doing a two-year tour with the Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird, which closed in June, Whitacre said. It was the most successful tour of a play, ever. We were kind of waiting for that to end. It turned out that Richard is in Our Town on Broadway this fall.

Whitacre, who has taken up poetry, published The Elk in the Glade: The World of Pioneer and Painter Jennie Hicks in 2022 and presented poems from that book a year ago during a reading tour of Nebraska. The poet will return to his hometown with a new collection, Good Housekeeping, published in April by Poets Wear Prada. He plans to present a workshop at noon, Structuring the Memoir, a Theatrical Perspective, and free reading at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Kearney Public Library.

Registration for the workshop is $10. Please register in advance.

Whitacres publisher for The Elk in the Glade, Crown Rock Media, will release an audio book of that collection with Thomas as the narrator.

Hes such a fabulous person, Whitacre said of Thomas. Hes an incredible leader and hes so smart and so generous. Im really, really grateful that he was able to spend the time on this project.

To fund the audio book, Whitacre had to raise enough money for the production.

I reached out to friends, he said. A lot of people who funded it had seen Richard on tour. He has a definite positive impact on the work he does. Thats one of the reasons Im very grateful that he did it. I thought he was the perfect voice for this. Its written from my point of view, an older great grandchild remembering his life in Nebraska  and remembering the adults in his life and their stories of childhood.

Whitacre found himself getting emotional while listening to Thomas narrate his poetry.

He has the perfect persona for this, as an actor, Whitacre said. He reads it so intelligently. Listening to him really brought back all those memories for me. There was such nice distancing when Richard read the poems so I could kind of enter into them again from a different perspective. I hope that people who have read The Elk in the Glade will enjoying listening to it. It is a different experience.

Whitacre felt that Thomas brings a deepness and richness to the text.

Just to hear someone who speaks so well, dealing with this language, deepened the experience, he said. I dont think there were character discoveries or anything like that, but just the way his voice and persona works, it makes it come across with a different level of experience.

Recently, Whitacre won the 2023 Nebraska Poetry Society Open Poetry Contest with a poem he wrote called Murder, Mayhem and Me.

Ill be reading that poem at these readings, he said. It all centers on Nebraska and stories like that. Ive just been doing the poet thing, sending out my poetry and getting 90 percent rejections. Its really just a numbers game. Its important to me that the poem got that recognition in Nebraska. Im looking forward to sharing it with people.

In April, Whitacre participated in a poem-a-day project where he wrote a new piece of poetry each day.

It was shocking to me how much of Nebraska kept coming into my poems, he said. Memories of Georges Grocery Store or milking cows with my uncle or all of these things I remember, now many, many years ago  its a very key part of my practice, keeping Nebraska alive. The support Ive received from the culture folks  the bookstores, the libraries, the historic centers and the readers  its so gratifying. Having not been in Nebraska for any working level for 50 years, to come back and find all of these cultural institutions thriving, its so rewarding.
(Korea Tip of the Day)

Restaurant cultures vary across countries, and Korea also has its own unique ways. To navigate your best restaurant experience, check out these 5 helpful tips about Korean restaurant culture.

 No tipping: Unlike some countries, tipping is not customary in Korea. When youre ready to pay, walk up to the cashier or counter to pay your bill. Simply say:  (Gyesan-halgeyo), which means I will pay in Korean.

 Calling the server: Many Korean restaurants have a small bell on the table to summon servers. The bell is usually placed at a corner or under the table. If you dont find a bell, you can raise your hand and say  (Jeogiyo), which means Excuse me in Korean.

 Check business hours: Some restaurants close for a break from 2 or 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Make sure to check the restaurants hours on Naver Map before heading out, especially if you plan to dine during these hours.

 Unlimited side dishes: One of the beauties of Korean dining is the variety of free, refillable side dishes served with meals. Feel free to ask the server for refills if you want more side dishes. Many restaurants also feature a self-service bar where you can help yourself with the side dishes and refill them without needing to call the server.

 Ask for a phone charger: Most restaurants offer a free phone charging station. Even if they dont provide a specific charging service, its very common in Korea to ask to charge your phone at the restaurant if needed. Feel free to ask the staff to charge your phone while enjoying your meal.

Speakin Korean: Speaking Korean for using at restaurants
Ryan and Daisy Ruberg, who live in the Winona, Minn., area, have purchased Lokens Sawmill Inn hotel at 809 E. Cedar St. along Hwy. 16/76 in Houston, Minn., and renamed it The Sawmill Inn.

They bought the 14-unit inn  which has 10 hotel rooms and four one-bedroom apartments  from Eileen Loken on June 25. Eileen and her late husband John Loken opened the hotel in 2005. John passed away in 2023.

When the hotel opened, John told me that his grandfather, Martin Loken, operated Lokens Sawmill at the site for many years, but that the sawmill was long gone.

Ryan Ruberg was raised in Rushford, Minn., and Daisy Ruberg was raised in the Winona area. We are already into real estate and thought this would be a fun challenge, Daisy said of their decision to buy the Houston hotel, which is the only one in that community. We own a mobile home park and (several) long-term rental homes, she said. We wanted to try something a little different.

The Rubergs have launched a new website, a new Facebook page and the hotels first Instagram page. For more information, call 507-896-7050 or visit www.the-sawmill-inn.com or the new Facebook and Instagram pages.
Zhang Ziyi, member of the 81st Venice Film Festival Jury, poses at the photocall in Venice, Italy, Aug. 28, 2024. The 81st Venice Film Festival will run from Aug. 28 until Sept. 7 at the Venice Lido island in Italy. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chinese traditional culture is a valuable resource for the country's film industry, playing a significant role in bringing in a global audience, film professionals attending the 81st Venice Film Festival in Italy have said.



"Promoting Chinese culture globally through traditional cultural elements is an excellent strategy," said Marco Muller, former chairman of the Venice International Film Festival, in an interview with Xinhua.

Traditional Chinese ink paintings possess a modern visual language that resonates with international audiences, particularly younger viewers, Muller added.

The 81st Venice Film Festival, which began on Aug. 28 in Venice, featured several Chinese traditional cultural elements, including the short film "Du Yao Mao" ("The Poison Cat") from China in the Short Films Competition.

Director of "Du Yao Mao" Guan Tian explained to Xinhua that myths and legends from China's diverse regions have universal appeal. His work draws on a myth from southwest China, he explained. "The contemporary relevance of these ancient stories is significant for connecting with current global cultural trends, and resonating with audiences worldwide," he said.

Modern technology also amplifies the global reach of traditional Chinese culture. Liz Rosenthal, a consultant for the Venice festival's section for virtual reality (VR) works, emphasized the success of last year's Chinese piece "Chen Xiang VR", depicting the folk tale "Lotus Lantern."

"It was truly epic and distinctly Chinese in style," she said. "The immersive experience, featuring giants, dragons, and sacred mountains, was astonishing."

Muller also highlighted the success of the Chinese AAA game "Black Myth: Wukong" as an example of how traditional Chinese cultural IPs can become global cultural phenomena, blending the poetic and imaginative spirit of Chinese culture with universal appeal.

Paolo Bertolin, a consultant for the 81st Venice Film Festival, said Chinese directors are increasingly mastering commercial cinema, and producing films with international appeal. Many of these works, despite being set in traditional contexts or lesser-known regions, explore universal themes such as betrayal and loyalty, making them accessible to global audiences.

Reflecting on the success of Italy-China film collaborations, Roberto Stabile, head of Special Projects at the Directorate for Cinema-Italian Ministry of Culture at Cinecitta, pointed to ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation between producers from both countries.

"Chinese movies are always very welcome in Italy," Stabile said. "It's important to find the right stories from our shared histories, as both Chinese and Italian cultures are immensely rich. There's much we can achieve together."
A study led by Portuguese paleontologist Pedro Mocho has identified a new species of sauropod dinosaur that lived 75 million years ago in Cuenca, Spain, the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FCUL) announced on Wednesday.

The newly discovered species, named "Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra", was identified through the analysis of fossils unearthed during construction of the Madrid-Levante high-speed railway. These fossils form part of one of the most significant collections of Upper Cretaceous vertebrates in Europe, from the Lo Hueco deposit in Cuenca.

According to Mocho, a paleontologist at the Dom Luiz Institute of FCUL, this species belongs to a lineage of medium-large sauropods, suggesting that this group arrived on the Iberian Peninsula later than other dinosaur groups.

FCUL noted that "Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra" is one of the most complete sauropod fossils ever found in Europe, including vertebrae from the neck, back, and tail, along with parts of the pelvic girdle and limb elements.

The name of the species incorporates geographical and cultural references to the Cuenca area, honoring both the region's history and the legacy of Spanish painter Antonio Saura.

Sauropods are characterized by their enormous size and long necks, with relatively small heads. A part of the dinosaur's skeleton is currently displayed at the Castilla-La Mancha Paleontology Museum in Cuenca.
Join us for an insightful webinar in which Mike DeFeo of Signarama, in West Palm Beach, Florida, will explore the unique challenges he has faced as printer franchise owner. These include implementing technological advancements, managing market competition, and meeting changing customer demands. DeFeo will also highlight how investing in more versatile and productive wide-format printing solutions helped expand his business. Whether youre a franchise owner, or a person considering entering  or expanding services in  the printing business, this webinar will provide valuable strategies and insights to help you thrive in a dynamic market.

In this session, you will learn:

Strategies for facing current challenges in the wide-format segment

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Why changing customer demands provide entre to higher-value services

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or give us a call at (215) 238-5300.
Famous American actress Nicole Kidman appeared at the premiere of the new series "The Perfect Couple", in which she played the main character, in an exquisite outfit. The 57-year-old celebrity emphasized her figure, choosing a fitted black dress with an open neckline.

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Nicole Kidman went public in a black shimmering floor-length dress, the interesting element of which was a bold V-neckline. The actress did not overload the image with massive accessories, only added a pair of gold earrings.

A special femininity to the appearance of the actress gave an elegant hairstyle. She chose for herself loose hair with a side parting, harmoniously combined with makeup, made in nude shades.

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In the new crime miniseries of the American company Netflix Nicole Kidman will appear in the role of a rich writer Greer Harrison Winbury. Because of the combination of popular star cast, detective plot with murder, tense relationships between the characters and the entourage of an expensive wedding, "The Perfect Couple" is already considered a future hit.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who devoted her life to helping the sick and the poor, has died at the age of 87.

She died of a heart attack at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta shortly before 1700 BST.

The nun from Skopje, Macedonia, had been battling ill health for some years, and in March stepped down as head of the order of nuns she founded.

She was revered by many around the world as a living saint for her work with the dispossessed.

The Pope often praised her work and a Vatican spokesman told reporters he was deeply hurt by the news of her death.

The Pope believes she is a woman who has left her mark on the history of this century, he said.

The head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, Cardinal Hume, said she was an enormously significant figure  everyone knows who Mother Teresa is.

Born Agnes Bojaxhiu in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire later Macedonia, she took the name Sister Teresa in Ireland, where she began her training as a nun with the Loreto Sisters.

She founded her order in 1948 and went out to work in the slums of Calcutta.

She was sometimes accused by Hindus in her adopted country of trying to convert the poor to Catholicism by stealth and criticised by liberals who disliked her conservative stance on abortion and contraception.

But her biographer and friend Navin Chana said she would be remembered as someone who gave the word compassion a new dimension.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Tens of thousands of people lined the route of Mother Teresas funeral procession in Calcutta a week later.

Her successor as head of the Missionaries of Charity was Sister Nirmala.

In 1997 the order which Mother Teresa had run for almost half a century was 4,000-strong and established in 130 countries.

It cared for 7,000 children and treated about four million sick people each year.
Macaus tourism industry is on the rebound, showing signs of robust recovery following the pandemic.

Recent statistics reveal hotel occupancy rates soaring to between 80% and 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with a notable influx of visitors from Asian markets.

This revitalization is further supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), which has launched a promotional campaign titled Limited Edition Macau, aimed at attracting tourists from regions beyond the mainland.

MGTOs initiatives come as Macau seeks to broaden its visitor demographic beyond traditional markets.

A significant focus is on the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector, bolstered by the Hengqin-Macau connection, which simplifies travel between the two regions.

This integration is expected to enrich the tourism experience, especially with Hengqins theme park attractions, which are currently absent from Macau.

However, a hotel association highlighted a distinct performance gap between integrated resorts on the Cotai Strip and hotels on the Macau Peninsula.

Speaking to the Times on the sidelines of the FMCC Charity Gala Dinner 2024 press conference yesterday, vice chairman of the Macau Hotel Association, Rutger Verschuren, shared his insights on the evolving landscape of Macaus tourism.

The Cotai Strip benefits from a very strong identity, Verschuren noted. Cotai is brand new, its gaming, its shopping, its dining, it emulates Vegas.

These factors, coupled with the inclusion of non-gaming attractions, have drawn a larger share of visitors.

In contrast, hotels on the Macau Peninsula face challenges stemming from properties that possess more heritage as opposed to those that place a greater emphasis on gaming.

This disparity has led to a notable trend where day-trippers dominate visitor numbers, although there is a gradual increase in the length of stay as families choose Macau as their travel destination.

Verschuren said the upcoming Golden Week is anticipated to further boost hotel occupancy rates, with expectations of reaching near-full capacity during peak days.

Major events, including concerts and trade shows, have historically provided a significant influx of visitors, benefiting hotels across the city.

Looking ahead, the Macau Hotel Associations vice chairman predicts Macau could fully recover to 2019 visitor levels by the summer of 2024, driven by a more diverse mix of tourists from outside the Chinese-speaking market.

Verschuren also touched on the potential introduction of new air routes, such as Emirates from Dubai, could open doors to emerging markets like India and the UAE.

This diversification is crucial as the city aims to establish itself as a premier destination for international travelers.

Leveraging attractions and addressing challenges

Despite its array of attractionsincluding the iconic Macau Tower and various museumsthe Macau Peninsula has not fully capitalized on its potential.

Verschuren said creating a distinct identity for the peninsula, such as Friendship Avenue, could help to differentiate it from the Cotai Strip.

He proposed more walking tours for foreign tourists to get an idea of Macaus essence and showcase the peninsulas unique culture and history.

For example, it [Friendship Avenue] could be a walk that stretches from the ferry terminal all the way to Senado Square offering all sorts of cultural, historical and architectural delights, such as the cultural center, the Lotus Square, shopping at One Central, MGM, Wynn. Theres a lot to see, both left and right, said Verschuren.

Transportation challenges remain a significant hurdle for visitors, he said.

Slow taxi services and a complex bus system have made navigation difficult, particularly for tourists unfamiliar with the area or with such long Portuguese names. Nadia Shaw
Cambodias Defense Ministry said yesterday that China is giving its navy two warships of the type it has had docked for months at a strategically important base being expanded with Beijings funding, which has raised concerns of China establishing a permanent naval presence on the Gulf of Thailand.

Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata told The Associated Press that China would give Cambodia two newly built Type 56 corvettes, smaller vessels typically used for coastal patrols, next year at the earliest.

She would not comment on reports that China also planned to hand over to Cambodia newly expanded facilities at Ream Naval Base, including a lengthy new pier capable of accommodating much larger naval vessels than Cambodia has in its own fleet. Maly did say the final phase of construction would soon be completed.

The United States and others have expressed concerns about Chinas navy establishing a base at Ream, which would give it easy access to the Malacca Strait, a critical shipping route between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Those concerns grew after two Type 56 corvettes docked at the newly built pier in December, and have maintained a presence there on-and-off ever since.

Cambodia has said one of the reasons the Chinese corvettes have been there for so long was that it was considering similar warships for its own navy, and for training.

Maly said the two corvettes being given to Cambodia, the Type 56C variant, came after Cambodia requested Chinas support.

It is in the aim of strengthening the capacity and ability of Cambodia to protect and maintain peace, stability, security as well as for supporting search and rescue operations and other humanitarian activities, she said.

Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry would not comment on the ships or the report that Beijing would turn over the newly expanded Ream base facilities to Cambodia, telling the AP in a faxed reply to a query that were not aware of the relevant information.

Controversy over the Chinese activity at the Ream base initially arose in 2019 when The Wall Street Journal reported that an early draft of a reputed agreement seen by U.S. officials would allow China 30-year use of the base, where it would be able to post military personnel, store weapons and berth warships.

Cambodias then-Prime Minister Hun Sen denied there was such an agreement, emphasizing that Cambodias Constitution did not allow foreign military bases to be established on its soil.

Chinese work on the base has continued and Hun Sens successor as prime minister, his son Hun Manet, has insisted the same thing.

If Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, were to be granted preferred, or exclusive, access to Ream in exchange for the warships it is giving Cambodia and for its work on the base, it could be a deft way to work around the constitutional issues, said Euan Graham, a senior defense analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Its quite a smart move, as it allows Cambodia to maintain its line that it hasnt deviated from the constitution by creating a foreign base. And China has no shortage of warships to donate, he said.

I expect that China may retain a naval complement on board the corvettes, post-transfer. The real question is what level of access the PLAN will have to Ream, and whether that access is exclusive, Graham added.

China currently only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, in the impoverished but strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, but many believe that its military is busy establishing an overseas network.

The U.S. has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Thus far, only Chinese naval vessels have been given permission to use the new pier. In February, two Japanese destroyers were routed instead to the nearby Sihanoukville commercial port. A Royal Australian Navy frigate was also directed to Sihanoukville for a port call ending yesterday.

Maly said Cambodia had the right to promote cooperation with all partners for its benefit, so long as constitutional regulations were followed.

Cooperation has to comply with the goals and the principles of the Cambodian Constitution especially the protection of its sovereignty, integrity and independence, Maly said.

Cambodia is Chinas closest ally in Southeast Asia, while China is Cambodias most important ally and benefactor, with a strong influence on its economy.

Beyond military projects, China funds numerous others in Cambodia  particularly infrastructure, including airports and roads, but also private projects such as hotels, casinos and property development. Some 40% of Cambodias $11 billion in foreign debt is owed to China. SOPHENG CHEANG & DAVID RISING, PHNOM PENH, MDT/AP
One by one, the students, lawyers and others filed into a classroom in a central Tokyo university for a lecture by a Chinese journalist on Taiwan and democracy  taboo topics that cant be discussed publicly back home in China.

Taiwans modern-day democracy took struggle and bloodshed, theres no question about that, said Jia Jia, a columnist and guest lecturer at the University of Tokyo who was briefly detained in China eight years ago on suspicion of penning a call for Chinas top leader to resign.

He is one of tens of thousands of intellectuals, investors and other Chinese who have relocated to Japan in recent years, part of a larger exodus of people from China.

Their backgrounds vary widely, and theyre leaving for all sorts of reasons. Some are very poor, others are very rich. Some leave for economic reasons, as opportunities dry up with the end of Chinas boom. Some flee for personal reasons, as even limited freedoms are eroded.

Chinese migrants are flowing to all corners of the world, from workers seeking to start businesses of their own in Mexico to burned-out students heading to Thailand. Those choosing Japan tend to be well-off or highly educated, drawn to the countrys ease of living, rich culture and immigration policies that favor highly skilled professionals, with less of the sharp anti-immigrant backlash sometimes seen in Western countries.

Jia initially intended to move to the U.S., not Japan. But after experiencing the coronavirus outbreak in China, he was anxious to leave and his American visa application was stuck in processing. So he chose Japan instead.

In the United States, illegal immigration is particularly controversial. When I went to Japan, I was a little surprised. I found that their immigration policy is actually more relaxed than I thought, Jia told The Associated Press. I found that Japan is better than the U.S.

Its tough to enter the U.S. these days. Tens of thousands of Chinese were arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year, and Chinese students have been grilled at customs as trade frictions fan suspicions of possible industrial espionage. Some U.S. states passed legislation that restricts Chinese citizens from owning property.

The U.S. is shutting out those Chinese that are friendliest to them, that most share its values, said Li Jinxing, a Christian human rights lawyer who moved to Japan in 2022.

Li sees parallels to about a century ago, when Chinese intellectuals such as Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, moved to Japan to study how the country modernized so quickly.

On one hand, we hope to find inspiration and direction in history, Li said of himself and like-minded Chinese in Japan. On the other hand, we also want to observe what a democratic country with rule of law is like. Were studying Japan. How does its economy work, its government work?

Over the past decade, Tokyo has softened its once-rigid stance against immigration, driven by low birthrates and an aging population. Foreigners now make up about 2% of its population of 125 million. Thats expected to jump to 12% by 2070, according to the Tokyo-based National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Chinese are the most numerous newcomers, at 822,000 last year among more than 3 million foreigners living in Japan, according to government data. Thats up from 762,000 a year ago and 649,000 a decade ago.

In 2022, the lockdowns under Chinas zero COVID policies led many of the countrys youth or most affluent citizens to hit the exits. Theres even a buzzword for that: runxue, using the English word run to evoke running away to places seen as safer and more prosperous.

For intellectuals like Li and Jia, Japan offers greater freedoms than under Chinese leader Xi Jinpings increasingly repressive rule. But for others, such as wealthy investors and business people, Japan offers something else: property protections.

A report by investment migration firm Henley & Partners says nearly 14,000 millionaires left China last year, the most of any country in the world, with Japan a popular destination. A major driver is worries about the security of their wealth in China or Hong Kong, said Q. Edward Wang, a professor of Asian studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Protection of private property, which is the cornerstone of a capitalist society, that piece is missing in China, Wang said.

The weakening yen makes buying property and other local assets in Japan a bargain.

And while the Japanese economy has stagnated, Chinas once-sizzling economy is also in a rut, with the property sector in crisis and stock prices stuck at the level they were in the late 2000s.

If you are just going to Japan to preserve your money, Wang said, then definitely you will enjoy your time in Japan.

Dot.com entrepreneurs are among those leaving China after Communist Party crackdowns on the technology industry, including billionaire Jack Ma, a founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, who took a professorship at Tokyo College, part of the prestigious University of Tokyo.

So many wealthy Chinese have bought apartments in Tokyos luxury high-rises that some areas have been dubbed Chinatowns, or Digital Chinatowns  a nod to the many owners work in high-tech industries.

Life in Japan is good, said Guo Yu, an engineer who retired early after working at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Guo doesnt concern himself with politics. Hes keen on Japans powdery snow in the winter and is a superfan of its beautiful hot springs. He owns homes in Tokyo, as well as near a ski resort and a hot spring. He owns several cars, including a Porsche, a Mercedes, a Tesla and a Toyota.

Guo keeps busy with a new social media startup in Tokyo and a travel agency specializing in onsen, Japans hot springs. Most of his employees are Chinese, he said.

Like Guo, many Chinese moving to Japan are wealthy and educated. Thats for good reason: Japan remains unwelcoming to refugees and many other types of foreigners. The government has been strategic about who it allows to stay, generally focusing on people to fill labor shortages for factories, construction and elder care.

It is crucial that Japan becomes an attractive country for foreign talent so they will choose to work here, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier this year, announcing efforts to relax Japans stringent immigration restrictions.

That kind of opportunity is exactly what Chinese ballet dancer Du Hai said he has found. Leading a class of a dozen Japanese students in a suburban Tokyo studio one recent weekend, Du demonstrated positions and spins to the women dressed in leotards and toe shoes.

Du was drawn to Japans huge ballet scene, filled with professional troupes and talented dancers, he said, but worried about warnings he got about unfriendly Japanese.

That turned out to be false, he said with a laugh. Now, Du is considering getting Japanese citizenship.

Of course, I enjoy living in Japan very much now, he said.

Yuri Kageyama, Tokyo, MDT/AP



EDITORS NOTE: This story is part of the Chinas New Migrants package, a look by The Associated Press at the lives of the latest wave of Chinese emigrants to settle overseas.


Japan and Australia agreed today (Thursday) to increase joint military training exercises as their government ministers shared concerns over Chinas recent incursions into Japanese airspace and territorial waters.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara met for a regular summit with their Australian counterparts, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles in the Australian coastal town of Queenscliff.

They discussed greater security cooperation in the context of the ministers shared support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and concerns over Chinas increasingly asssertive territorial claims in the South and East China Seas, Wong said.

The ministers agreed on more engagement in training exercises involving the two air forces after F-35A Lighting II stealth fighters from both countries joined in combat training over Japan last year in Exercise Bushido Guardian, Marles said.

Next year, Australia will participate for the first time in Orient Shield, the largest annual field training exercise between the U.S. Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Australia and Japan also plan to involve the Japanese Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, a marine unit of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, in annual training rotations of U.S. Marines in the northern Australian city of Darwin.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Japan and Australias cooperation should not disadvantage any third country.

China believes that defense and security cooperation between countries should be conducive to maintaining regional peace and stability and enhancing mutual trust among regional countries, and should not target third parties, Mao said at a daily briefing in Beijing.

Chinas increasingly assertive activity around Japanese waters and airspace has caused unease among Japanese defense officials, who are also concerned about the growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces.

Japan lodged a formal protest through the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo against what it called an incursion by a Chinese survey ship in its waters last weekend.

This followed Tokyos protest after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entered Japans southwestern airspace on Aug. 26. It was the first time the Japan Self-Defense Forces detected a Chinese military aircraft in Japans airspace.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said later his country had no intention to violate any countrys airspace.

Kihara confirmed the incidents were discussed with the Australian counterparts.

We have shared very strong concern over these incidents and, for the East China Sea and South China Sea, any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or by coercion, we have put forward our strong opposition, Kihara told reporters through an interpreter.

Marles said he and Wong did express our support for Japanese sovereignty in that moment.

It really underlined our shared commitment to asserting the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, in our neighborhood, Marles said.

The countries of the region and indeed the world want to be in a world where disputes are resolved not by power and might but by reference to international law, Marles added.

ROD McGUIRK, MELBOURNE

MDT/AP

Related
A middle-aged mainland Chinese man was discovered dead in a Cotai hotel room today. The Judiciary Police (PJ) is investigating the incident as a potential suicide.

Emergency services were alerted at 11:10 a.m. by the Fire Services Bureau. Upon arrival, police observed no signs of struggle or theft. A preliminary examination showed no visible injuries that suggested foul play.

According to the PJ, the hotel manager received a call from a friend concerned about the victims well-being. Hotel security went to the room where the deceased was staying, but received no response.

This marks the seventh body discovery case in the region in just six days. NS
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today (Thursday) that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the countrys waters.

Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following Chinas accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory. Malaysias Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on Aug. 29.

We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory, Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo island.

The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijings controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea. The diplomatic note also expressed Beijings displeasure over Malaysias oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.

Anwar said it wasnt the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it shouldnt mar a strong relationship. Anwar had called China a true friend during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

We have said that we will not transgress other peoples borders, Anwar said. They know our position  They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory. But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.

Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijings claims to almost the entire South China Sea. Unlike the Philippines which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysias government prefers diplomatic channels. It rarely criticizes Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysias waters. This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysias top trading partner since 2009.

MDT/AP

Related
A dismissed town mayor who fled the Philippines after being accused of helping establish an illegal online gaming and scam center catering mostly to clients in China has been arrested near Indonesias capital, officials said yesterday.

Indonesian authorities arrested Alice Guo at a house in Jakartas satellite city of Tangerang just before midnight on Tuesday, according to Khrisna Murti, chief of the international division of the National Police.

Guo was in custody and awaiting deportation to the Philippines, Murti said, adding that her arrest was the result of cooperation between Indonesian and Filipinos police.

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked the Indonesian authorities.

Let this serve as a warning to those who attempt to evade justice, Marcos said and added that arrangements were being made to bring Guo back to the Philippines where she faces a slew of criminal charges.

After Guo fled the Philippines in July, she was tracked in Malaysia and Singapore before turning up in Indonesia. Two companions, who reportedly slipped out of the Philippines with her without going through normal immigration and clearing procedures, were recently arrested in Indonesia.

Guo ran as a Filipino candidate in 2022 elections and won as mayor of the rural town of Bamban in Tarlac province north of Manila. She was accused of helping establish a massive complex with several buildings near the town hall as a hub for an illegal online gambling and scam outfit that catered mostly to clients in China, where gambling is forbidden.

A Senate committee ordered Guo arrested after she refused to appear in hearings looking into the illegal gambling business that flourished under Marcoss predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who nurtured cozy ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping while often criticizing the United States and European countries.

Guo has also been accused of concealing her Chinese nationality to run for public office, which is reserved for Filipino citizens only. At the time, a few senators suggested she may be working as a Chinese spy.

Guo has denied any wrongdoing but was dismissed from her post for grave misconduct by the Ombudsman, an agency that investigates and prosecutes government officials accused of crimes, including graft and corruption.

In July, Marcos ordered an immediate ban on widespread and mostly Chinese-run online gaming operations, accusing them of involvement in human trafficking, torture, kidnappings and murder.

The crackdown on the Chinese-run online gambling outfits  estimated to number more than 400 across the Philippines and employing tens of thousands of Chinese and Southeast Asian nationals  was backed by Beijing.

It resulted in the shutdown in the Philippines of sprawling complexes, where authorities suspect thousands of Chinese, Vietnamese and other nationals mostly from Southeast Asia have been illegally recruited and forced to work in dismal conditions.

Philippine senators say the massive online gambling industry has flourished largely due to corruption in government regulatory agencies and big payoffs to officials.

Indonesia and the Philippines signed an extradition agreement in 1976. JIM GOMEZ & EDNA TARIGAN, JAKARTA, MDT/AP
This photo taken on Nov. 5, 2023 shows a Mercedes-Benz E300L sedan (front) displayed at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

Germany's leading luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz announced on Wednesday that, along with its Chinese partners, it would invest an additional 14 billion yuan (1.97 billion U.S. dollars) into the Chinese market, increasing its product portfolio in the country.



The German automaker has plans to release an array of new models onto the Chinese market, some of which will make their debut as early as 2025, the company said in a press release.

The new models include the all-new long-wheelbase electric CLA, a long-wheelbase version of the GLE SUV, as well as a luxury electric van model based on the Van Electric Architecture.

Mercedes states that it is planning long-term investments in the Chinese market and is committed to transforming China's automotive sector.

"China has always been a key pillar of our global strategy and is at the forefront of our electric transformation and intelligent innovation," said Ola Kaellenius, chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

Developed as part of a new range of long-range electric vehicles, the new CLA will be specifically tailored for the Chinese market. The new models will roll off the assembly line at the Beijing Benz Automobile Co. plant as early as 2025.

Part of the additional investment will go to Fujian Benz Automotive Co. to fund the development of a luxury electric van model. The new SUV will be developed locally in China and marketed in China exclusively.

The total investment by Mercedes and its Chinese partners in China surpassed 100 billion yuan (14 billion U.S. dollars) between 2014 and 2023.

"Together with our Chinese partners, Mercedes will continue to invest in China and inject new growth momentum to the development of its business in China and innovation worldwide," said Hubertus Troska, a member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG responsible for China activities.
The city is already experiencing significant disruptions to its air and sea traffic as Typhoon Signal No. 8 is set to be hoisted at 10 p.m. tonight, while bus transportation will have some routes operating until 11 p.m.

The Macau International Airport has reported the cancellation of 28 flights from Macau scheduled for today and five for Friday, with a total of 55 flights canceled due to the passage of the typhoon.

The majority of these flights are operated by local flag carrier Air Macau, along with Spring Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Vietjet, and Cebu Pacific Air. According to the website, the latest flight that took off was at 5:18 p.m. en route to Bangkok.

Flights to Chongqing, Kaohsiung, Manila, and Beijing still have check-in counters open, with departures scheduled between 6:55 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Additionally, Starlux Airlines announced the cancellation of at least 10 flights between Taiwan and Macau for today and tomorrow. Ferry travel services have also been halted.

The last ferry from the Outer Harbor to Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, departs at 4 p.m., while the last ferry from Taipa to Sheung Wan departs at 2 p.m.

Ferries from the Outer Harbor to Hong Kong International Airport will be canceled tomorrow.

Additionally, passenger ferry services between Macau and Shenzhen, as well as sea tour services from Macau, have been suspended due to a tropical cyclone. The shipping company may also cancel or adjust specific flights on Saturday, according to the Marine and Water Bureau.

According to a Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau statement earlier today, it is expected that winds in Macau will gradually strengthen tomorrow during the daytime with thunderstorms becoming more frequent.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai Bridge will close at 9 p.m., with the last bus scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

All other bridges will close 90 minutes after Signal No. 8 is issued, and bus services will gradually cease operations.

Bus operators TCM and Transmac have announced their last bus arrangements. The last bus from TCM will operate from 9:40 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., depending on the route.

The last bus from Transmac will depart between 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.

In Hong Kong, the Observatory announced that Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 will be issued at 6:20 p.m. as Super Typhoon Yagi approaches the region. According to the forecast track, Yagi is expected to pass approximately 300 kilometers to the southwest of Hong Kong tonight and tomorrow morning. The Strong Wind Signal No. 3 has been in effect since 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday.

*The Macau Daily Times will not be published tomorrow (Friday) due to Typhoon Signal No. 8 weather conditions affecting printing and distribution.
Speaking at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, Donald Trump invoked China 14 times. In the course of a 92-minute address, the former president recycled his widely criticized term China virus for the COVID-19 pandemic, said China was stealing auto jobs, and touted how his administration had China beat on a variety of fronts.

China also made it into the major addresses at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. On the first night, President Joe Biden said that on coming into office, the conventional wisdom was that China would inevitably surpass the United States.

No one is saying that now, he added.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris echoed this sentiment on the final night, claiming that if elected she would ensure that America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.

As an expert on how China is represented in U.S. media culture and politics, I believe the fact that China is edging into the election rhetoric is of little surprise  nor is the imbalance in emphasis given to the country by the Democratic and Republican tickets, respectively.

A tried and tested election ploy

Since Bidens exit from the presidential race, the Democratic candidates have seemingly limited their references to China on the campaign trail, in contrast with their Republican counterparts.

Trump and his Republican allies have long mobilized the use of China to position themselves as anti-Communist and to burnish their America first credentials. For Trump, especially, it is a tried and tested electoral ploy. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Trump invoked China so frequently that The Huffington Post produced a mashup video of the candidate repeating China 234 times.

This has continued into the current election cycle.

Aside from the frequent mentions in the speeches by Trump and others, the 2024 GOP platform emphasizes Secure Strategic Independence from China as a key commitment, through limiting trade and investment as well as countering China to return Peace through Strength. In contrast, other perceived adversaries such as Russia and Iran received no mention in the official Republican platform.

Meanwhile, Project 2025  the conservative Heritage Foundations policy plan often associated with Trump, although his campaign denies the connection  mentions China no fewer than 483 times in a 922-page document. The projects official website even highlights the goal to take on China on the About page.

Neither dragon slayer nor panda hugger

It was not, therefore, surprising that Trump-supporting elements of the U.S. media pounced on news that Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota chosen to be Harris running mate, has previously taught in China and traveled there an estimated 30 times since 1989, including on his honeymoon.

Although Walz has said he is neither a dragon slayer nor a panda hugger' when it came to China, conservative commentators painted Walz as a Marxist who would make Communist China very happy. Fox News host Jesse Watters even called for Walz to undergo an FBI background check due to his China links.

On Aug. 16, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee chair, Republican James Comer, opened an investigation into Walzs longstanding connections to China.

The Great Walz of China? Hardly

The ties that some Republicans find suspicious include Walzs running Educational Travel Adventures with his wife, Gwen Walz, from 1994 to 2003. The company they founded helped students from small-town America travel to China to learn about the countrys history and culture. Walz also served on the human rights-monitoring Congressional-Executive Commission on China during his time as a House representative.

While consistently critical of the Chinese government, Walz has also recognized that the relationship between the U.S. and China does not have to be an adversarial one, and there can be many areas of cooperation.

Despite his extensive China-related experiences, the Democratic vice presidential nominee has yet to mention China during major campaign speeches  China didnt make it into his party convention address, unlike the speeches of Harris, Trump and Walzs rival for vice president, JD Vance.

Walzs apparent reluctance to highlight his knowledge about China also contrasts with the action of a previous Republican presidential hopeful, Jon Huntsman, who served as an ambassador to China and is fluent in Chinese. During his campaign in 2011, arguably a different time in U.S.-China relations, Huntsman repeatedly demonstrated his ability to speak Chinese and was often praised for doing so.

Harris great leap forward, not back

One reason behind the difference in emphasis on China between the two presidential tickets is, I believe, the different framing of the election. To the Democrats, the upcoming vote is about movement  they are projecting the choice between going backward or going forward. Taglines such as Harris were not going back position the United States and its people as marching toward a future of unity, promise and opportunity that, in their view, leaves behind the chaos, division and repression of the past.

In this framing, the role of China as a threat is anchored primarily in the area of high-tech competition; Harris mentions of China in her convention speech were in regard to the future on space and artificial intelligence.

By contrast, the Republican campaign is premised more on protecting an imagined Americanism from foreign forces, which is why you hear more from Trump and Vance on the much dramatized invasion of immigrants illegally crossing the borders and bringing drugs and crime.

The same logic, I would argue, informs the GOPs frequent invocation of China as a geopolitical and economic threat.

After all, Trump has long attributed a great number of actions to the Chinese government, from calling it a creator of the Wuhan virus to blaming it for producing the hoax of climate change. In his convention speech, Vance linked China directly to the illegal cross-border drug trade. At a rally in Michigan on Aug. 27, he also accused Harris of using tax dollars to pay the Chinese Communist Party to build factories on American soil, omitting the fact that the Republican-led legislature had developed the program.

This characterization of China fits what I called the racialization of the Chinese state in my book Disorienting Politics. The rhetoric depicts China as a powerful agent that carries out nefarious acts that can only hurt America.

Make it all about China

Over the past two decades, parts of the American media have conflated Chinas Communist Party rule with totalitarianism.

That rhetoric in the U.S. over the Chinese virus during the pandemic triggered a spike in reported anti-Asian racist attacks, showing that manufactured fear of a distant place like China can also sow hatred toward people perceived to have come from that place.

In this sense, Walzs reluctance to invoke China perhaps corresponds to a refusal to oversimplify the complex society of China. The best way to study about people is to hear them tell what it is like where they live, said the former social studies teacher back in 1991, while discussing a U.S.-China pen-pal program with a local newspaper.

As the election season unfolds, the specter of China is likely to return even as more urgent geopolitical conflicts continue to dominate the headlines.

After all, even one of Walzs former students  a self-described dormant Republican attempting to defend Walz against Republican attacks on his character  still advised the Trump campaign to focus on policy and make it about China.

By Fan Yang, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

MDT/The Conversation)
The Venetian Macaos Presidential Suite has been awarded Macaus Leading Hotel Suite 2024 at the World Travel Awards, marking its third consecutive win in this category. This recognition highlights the suites exceptional quality and the hotels commitment to excellence in a competitive market.

Kris Kaminsky, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Sands China Ltd, expressed gratitude for the award, emphasizing the dedication of the hotel team in achieving such esteemed accolades. This is the third time The Venetian Macaos Presidential Suite has received this award, which, in a highly competitive market, is an honor worth celebrating. We are grateful to the World Travel Awards for recognizing our continual pursuit of perfection, said Kaminsky.

The Presidential Suite, spanning 720 square meters, features four luxurious bedrooms, stunning views of the Cotai Strip, and a range of opulent amenities, including a private bar, sauna, Jacuzzi, and dedicated fitness and media rooms.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of Ukraines most recognizable faces on the international stage, submitted his resignation yesterday ahead of an expected major government reshuffle. Russian strikes, meanwhile, killed seven people in a western Ukraine city, a day after one of the deadliest missile attacks since the war began.

Kuleba, 43, didnt give a reason for stepping down. His resignation will be discussed by lawmakers at their next session, parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said on his Facebook page. Four other Cabinet ministers tendered their resignations late Tuesday, making the Cabinet reshuffle likely the biggest since Russias February 2022 invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated last week that a reshuffle was imminent, with the war poised to enter a critical stage and as its 1,000-day mark looms in November.

Zelensky needs to keep up Ukraines morale amid the grinding war of attrition with its bigger neighbor and steel the countrys resolve for what will be another hard winter. Russia has been smashing Ukraines power grid, knocking out some 70% of generation capacity and rupturing heat and water supplies. And yesterdays deadly attack on Lviv  a city near the border with NATO member Poland and far from the front lines  underscored how all of Ukraine is at the mercy of Moscows long-range capabilities.

The Ukrainian armys risky incursion almost a month ago into Russias Kursk border region raised Ukrainian sprits and countered months of grim news from the front line in eastern Ukraine. The incursions ultimate goals are unclear, though Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants to create a buffer zone there that would prevent cross-border Russian attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin remains bent on pushing his army deeper into eastern Ukraine, meanwhile. Russias onslaught in Donetsk, where Ukraine is short of troops and air defenses, and long-range missile strikes that repeatedly hit civilian areas of Ukraine signal that Putin will remain uncompromising and unrelenting in his efforts to crush Ukrainian resistance.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said late Tuesday that Putin believes Russia can slowly and indefinitely subsume Ukraine through grinding advances and that Russia can achieve its goals through a war of attrition against Ukrainian forces and by outlasting Western support for Kyiv.

Zelensky is also keeping in mind the U.S. presidential election in November, which could bring a shift in key U.S. military support for his country.

During the war Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in carrying Ukraines message and needs to an international audience, whether through social media posts or meetings with foreign dignitaries. In July, Kuleba became the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to visit China since Russias invasion. He has been foreign minister since March 2020.

Kulebas successor is not yet known but is expected to be announced on Thursday. Several Ukrainian media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said Kulebas deputy, Andrii Sybiha, would become the countrys chief diplomat.

The new foreign minister will likely accompany Zelenskyy to the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week, which is an opportunity to lobby global leaders for their support.

More than half the current Cabinet will undergo changes, said Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelenskyys party in the Ukrainian parliament. Ministers will be resigning yesterday and new appointments will be made Thursday, he said.

Zelenskyys five-year mandate expired in May. He remains in power under the provisions of martial law.

Meantime, the nighttime strike on Lviv injured 52 people as well as killing seven, Ukraines Rescue Service said. The strike was carried out with a Kinzhal missile and drones and targeted defense industry enterprises, Russian news agency Tass said, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

Local officials disputed the targeting claim. Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi and the Ukrainian Catholic University published a photo of a family whose mother and three daughters were killed in the attack that struck their home. The father survived but was in critical condition, Sadovyi said.

The eldest daughter, 21-year-old Yaryna, was a program manager at the European Youth Forum, a platform of the continents youth organizations, her colleagues wrote on Facebook. We will neither forget nor forgive the attack, they said in the post.

Another Russian attack injured five people in Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyys hometown, regional head Serhii Lysak said.

Kuleba said the Lviv and Kryvyi Rih attacks showed Ukraines need for more Western support. To put an end to this terror, Ukraines partners must promptly deliver the promised air defense systems and ammunition, as well as strengthen Ukraines defense capabilities and allow us to launch long-range strikes on all legitimate military targets in Russia, he wrote on X.

Zelenskyy reacted to the attacks by urging Ukraines allies to give Kyiv more range to use Western weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory.

The attack happened a day after two ballistic missiles blasted a military academy and nearby hospital in Poltava in eastern-central Ukraine, killing 53 people and wounding almost 300 others, Ukrainian officials said.

The missiles tore into the heart of the Poltava Military Institute of Communications main building, causing several stories to collapse.

Poltava is about 350 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Kyiv, on the main highway and rail route between Kyiv and Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border. ILLIA NOVIKOV & EMMA BURROWS, KYIV, MDT/AP
Dozens of African leaders gathered today (Thursday) in Beijing for a summit that signals Chinas influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against a U.S.-led global order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised the leaders billions of dollars in loans and private investment over the next three years, and proposed that relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the strategic level.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests, he said at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

China has become a major player in Africa since the forum was founded in 2000. Its companies have invested heavily in mining for the resources Chinese industry needs, and its development banks have made loans to build railways, roads and other infrastructure under Xis Belt and Road program.

African leaders have welcomed Chinas assistance but are pushing for a closer alignment of aid with the continents development goals. They are seeking to industrialize their economies and expand agricultural exports to reduce a trade deficit with China, which has become sub-Saharan Africas largest bilateral trading partner.

In the context of our industrialization effort, the portfolio of private investments in Africa should be sufficiently diversified to extend beyond the traditional field of mining and energy resources, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the African Union Commission, said, addressing the forum in French.

In a reflection of Chinas broadening relationship with Africa, Xi outlined 10 partnership actions that included training for African politicians and future leaders, further opening of Chinese markets, agriculture demonstration areas, vocational and technical training, green energy projects and 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in military assistance grants.

Xi said China would eliminate tariffs on products from most of the worlds poorest countries, including 33 in Africa, in an expansion of existing exemptions.

While commending the overall progress so far achieved, we also appreciate the announcement of further areas of partnership actions, said Tanzanias President Samia Suluhu Hassan, speaking on behalf of eastern Africa. We salute a new characterization of China-Africa relations.

China is training more military professionals in Africa than anyone else, and its widespread leadership and governance training gives the country an extra layer of influence by putting it in touch with consecutive generations of politicians, said Paul Nantulya, who specializes in relations with China at the African Center for Strategic Studies in Washington.

The relationship has moved beyond trade and investment to take on political overtones.

Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries, Xi said. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries. Since the end of World War II, Third World nations, represented by China and African countries, have achieved independence  and have been endeavoring to redress the historical injustices of the modernization process.

China has tried to position itself as a leader of the Global South, a catchphrase for the developing world. While others dont necessarily see China as the leader, its message of rewriting the international order resonates with African nations that feel frustrated and abandoned by their traditional Western partners.

Many African nations have been openly critical of the U.S. role in the war in Ukraine and refused to condemn Russias invasion, taking a non-aligned stance that has led to political frictions with the U.S.

As our history demands, South Africa will continue to pursue progressive internationalism, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said during talks with Xi earlier this week. Building on the firm foundation of solidarity, we continue to provide support in promoting our interests, those of the African continent and the Global South.

Chinas development loans to Africa have fallen sharply from a 2016 peak, though they bounced back from COVID-era lows to $4.6 billion last year, according to the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University.

The drop-off came partly in response to government budget crises in several recipient countries that are unable to repay their loans from multiple lenders.

Many heavily indebted African countries cannot meet the basic needs of their populations, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the forum.

This situation is unsustainable and a recipe for social unrest, he said, highlighting the need for deep reform to what he called an outdated, ineffective and unfair international financial system.

Kenya is seeking financing to finish a partially built rail project that was meant to connect the port city of Mombasa to neighboring Uganda, but it is unclear whether China would agree.

BY KEN MORITSUGU & MONIKA PRONCZUK, BEIJING

Related
A Madison man will spend the rest of his life in prison without the chance for release, a Dane County judge ruled, calling the rape and killing of a 20-month-old girl ghastly and far beyond what anyone would consider cruel.

Those two crimes alone carried mandatory life sentences for Marshawn D. Giles, 26, but the question for Circuit Judge Mario White was whether Giles would someday have the chance to ask for release from prison, after a minimum of 25 years. Sometimes, White said, its appropriate.

This is not one of those times, he said.

Giles was convicted in April of first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree sexual assault of a child causing great bodily harm for the rape and killing of his then-girlfriends daughter. He ripped the girl away from her mother and took her to a bathroom in the womans Schroeder Road apartment, where Giles had been living, swung the girl around and struck her head against walls and fixtures.

The level of violence against her was ghastly, White said.

The killing, in the early morning hours of April 25, 2022, came at the end of about 13 days of bizarre and violent behavior to which Giles had subjected his former girlfriend, her daughter, and her two young sons. According to testimony at his trial, he struck the children, brandished and fired a gun he was not allowed to have as a felon and threatened to kill the woman. He also told her to kill herself.

Giles also sexually assaulted the woman before killing the girl. The Wisconsin State Journal is not naming the woman and members of her family because the woman is a victim of sexual assault.

The jury found Giles guilty of 15 felony and misdemeanor charges, then ruled later he was not suffering from a mental disease or defect when he committed the crimes.

Assistant District Attorney Tracy McMiller sought sentences that would keep Giles in prison for the rest of his life. Giles attorney, Michael Covey, argued that there was mitigation to be found in the terrible circumstances of Giles upbringing. Covey argued that Giles should be made eligible to seek release after 25 years, when a judge could determine whether Giles had proven he had been rehabilitated.

White rejected that argument.

My sentence, quite frankly, is not for your rehabilitation, White said. It is for punishment, to protect the public and for the protection of (the victim) and her family.

White said hes not holding against Giles the fact that he didnt testify at his trial or give a meaningful statement about his crimes to a state probation officer writing a presentence report on behalf of the state Department of Corrections.

But it also means that you dont get the benefit of doing either of those things, he said.

I dont know if you know why you did what you did, White said. Youre going to have a lot of time to think about it.

Broken hearts

White recalled the testimony of the girls mother during the trial, noting how well she remained composed as she talked about the things Giles did to her. But when she was asked about her daughter and was shown her picture, that changed.

There was no air in the courtroom during that testimony, White said. We had to take a break. There were jurors holding each other.

Speaking in court Thursday, the woman said her daughter would have been 4 years old and on her way to pre-kindergarten today.

And this is so hard because my family ... are just missing her dearly, she said. And its not a day that goes by that we dont think of her and try to keep her spirit alive.

She said she is afraid of what might happen to her or members of her family if Giles is ever released.

I know this because he has taken away something thats very special to me, part of my heart, my soul, and thats my baby girl, she said.

Addressing Giles, White said that after the trial had ended, he had surgery that fixed a congenital hole in his heart.

I dont think the hole in (the womans) heart will ever be fixed, White told Giles. Mine was a birth defect. Hers is because of you.

Giles spoke briefly, telling the family of the girl and her mother that he wanted to express his condolences.

I feel grief as much as they do, even though theyre probably never gonna believe it, he said. I never meant for nothing like this to happen and Im still lost to the fact and still dont understand whats going on or why its going on and I still go through it every single day as well.
Entrepreneurs eye opportunities in northeast China's emerging industries

Xinhua) 08:20, September 05, 2024

Participants communicate during an industry transfer promotion event in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 1, 2024. (Xinhua)

HARBIN, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Xu Shaochun, an entrepreneur from Shenzhen in south China's economic powerhouse of Guangdong Province, traveled all the way to Heilongjiang Province in the country's northeast, driven by his enthusiasm to explore the region's emerging industries.

As the board chairman and CEO of Kingdee International Software Group Co., Ltd., a leading provider of cloud computing services for enterprises, Xu expressed his aspirations to achieve greater milestones in collaboration with local enterprises.

"Heilongjiang strongly supports the development of the digital economy, hence we are optimistic about the prospects for the digital industry's growth here," he said.

Xu attended an industry transfer promotion event held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province. Entrepreneurs from across China gathered at the event, sharing their visions and confidence in the province's emerging industries, including the digital economy, high-end equipment manufacturing and new materials.

This year, Xu's company has increased its investment in its 25-year-old Heilongjiang branch and upgraded it to a limited liability company, aiming to capitalize on the key opportunities in northeast China's burgeoning digital economy.

"Heilongjiang is more than just a traditional industrial stronghold and a major agricultural hub. It is also a cradle of emerging industries like cultural tourism," said Zhao Yang, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Data Exchange.

"This diversity yields a wealth of industrial data resources and application scenarios, which are essential for fostering the growth of the data sector," Zhao added.

Praising the province's active planning and construction of comprehensive data infrastructures, he noted that the data exchange plans to establish multiple data element workstations in Heilongjiang to enhance data circulation and empower key areas such as modern agricultural operations.

Li Junfeng, vice president of iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., a technology company specializing in intelligent speech and technology, highlighted the solid foundation laid by Heilongjiang's abundant scientific and educational resources for the development of the digital economy.

The iFLYTEK has established a joint laboratory with the Harbin Institute of Technology and carried out multiple research programs in the field of artificial intelligence, according to Li.

"The local government departments have played a crucial role in fostering strong connections with numerous operational enterprises, allowing us to successfully establish a presence in Heilongjiang," said Hu Zhenpeng, deputy general manager of the National Graphene Innovation Center.

Hu traveled from Ningbo, a port city in east China's Zhejiang Province, to participate in the industry transfer promotion event. Noting that Heilongjiang boasts a favorable business environment, he expressed his hope to introduce more innovative graphene products to the province for further industrial development.

According to Heilongjiang's provincial department of industry and information technology, the event facilitated the signing of 172 projects, with a total contract value of 256.56 billion yuan (about 36 billion U.S. dollars). Notably, projects in strategic emerging sectors accounted for 69.4 percent of the total.

Going ahead, the province plans to continue to optimize its business environment and industrial policies, working with all parties to generate momentum for more inclusive industrial cooperation, according to local authorities.

The northeast China region, deemed the country's oldest industrial base, was once called the "rust belt," due to the challenges it faced in economic transformation and development. In recent years, the region has intensified its industrial upgrading initiatives, drawing increased investment and talent.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, has signed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Bank of Mauritius, the PBOC said on Wednesday.

The total value of the agreement is 2 billion yuan (about 281.1 million U.S. dollars), or 13 billion Mauritian rupees, the PBOC said in a statement on its website.

The agreement is valid for three years and can be renewed upon mutual consent, according to the statement.

The currency swap arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Mauritius, expand the use of the two currencies, and promote and facilitate bilateral trade and investment, the statement said.
D.L. Evans Bank announces winners of 2024 scholarship program

On Tuesday, D.L. Evans Bank announced the sixteen winners of the 2024 D.L. Evans Bank Scholarship Program and the 2024 D.L. Evans Foundation Scholarship Program. Each year, the scholarship program awards a total of $32,000 to graduating high school seniors, offering $2,000 each. Students can use the funds at any accredited college, university or trade school located in the U.S. Through this initiative, the bank supports future innovators, leaders and dedicated workforces, recognizing that student working towards a goal need support.

Two of the years scholarship program winners hail from the Magic Valley. Kasey Hendren from Richfield will attend University of Montana Western, and Taylor Miller from Burley will attend Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Additionally, each year D.L. Evans Bank awards a $2,000 scholarship to an eligible graduating high school senior who has a parent, sibling or grandparent who is employed at D.L. Evans Bank. This years winner is Chloe Anne Watts from Burley, who will attend Utah State University.

Dexter Col Morrison from Ketchum received a $1,100 scholarship awarded by the D.L. Evans Foundation. Morrison will attend University of Utah.

Also:

Pop Art Studio is hosting a Kinetic Collisions workshop

for the Leave Normal Behind womens group from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at 132 Main Ave S. in Twin Falls. The group is open to women who want to become the best version of themselves and meet other women who are doing the same. Guests will network, converse and build connections that will prosper personal and professional well-being. Refreshments will be provided. Guests aged 18 and older can attend with the exception of younger guests who have a parents permission slip.

Meet Seattle-based mixed media artist Sophia Quinn at Jensen Jewelers Art Gallery from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Quinn recently returned from Florence, Italy, where she attended the Lorenzo de Medici Institute of Art. Guests can meet Quinn and discuss her inspirations, artistry and more. Refreshments will be served. Her art will be on display in the gallery until Sept. 30.

Learn traditional Oaxacan dance and song at Hailey Public Library this fall. The library has invited traditional dancer Dirce Flores to teach a free dance class for adults in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Flores was born in a small town 30 minutes away from Oaxaca de Juarez, the capital of Oaxaca. Each year, Oaxacan dance and music from local regions is celebrated during a grand, month-long cultural festival called the Guelaguetza. Inspired by the cultural richness around her, Flores grew up learning dance and later became a professional dancer in the genres of ballet, contemporary dance and Mexican folk dance. The three-part series will feature traditional Oaxacan dances and songs on Thursdays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26 at Town Center West from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Spots are limited for the class. To register, email kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org. For more information, contact the library at 208-788-2036 or visit https://haileypubliclibrary.org/.

 Times-News
AIA Philippines, formerly Philam Life and one of the countrys largest life insurance companies, announced the appointment of new members to its board of directors.

The new board members are AIA Philippines chief executive Melita Teo and ABS-CBN Corp. president and chief executive Carlo Katigbak. They are joined by industry veterans Gregorio Yu and Aurelio Montinola III, who also recently became part of the board.

- Advertisement -

Teo brings over two decades of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to assuming the position of AIA Philippines CEO in January 2024, she served as chief customer and digital officer at AIA Singapore.

Katigbak was appointed independent director of AIA Philippines in April 2024, bringing 30 years of leadership experience to the board.

AIA Philippines is delighted to welcome Melita and Carlo to our board of directors. Melitas proven track record in digital transformation and customer experience in a competitive economy like Singapore is a huge asset to the insurance industry in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Carlos business expertise and intricate understanding of the local market will help us reach more Filipinos and fulfil our Purpose of helping people live healthier, longer, better lives, said Leo Grepin, AIA Group regional chief executive.
China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that the United States should rectify its wrongdoings and immediately remove all additional tariffs on Chinese goods.

The remarks were made by spokesperson He Yongqian in response to a media inquiry about the United States recently delaying again an announcement of decisions on increasing tariffs on imports from China under Section 301.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has already ruled that the Section 301 tariffs violate WTO rules, and the spokesperson said the U.S. move to increase the additional tariffs on China would only compound the mistake.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative had previously sought public opinions on the results of the Section 301 tariff review. The majority of the opinions either opposed the imposition of additional tariffs or requested broader tariff exemptions.

"This shows the Section 301 tariffs are unpopular among the U.S. public," said the spokesperson.
HONG KONGCathay Pacific plans to resume full operations by Saturday after replacing defective engine fuel lines on its Airbus A350 planes, the airline said Wednesday, a problem that forced it to cancel dozens of flights this week.

Hong Kong-based Cathay, one of the largest operators of the A350 jetliner, grounded 48 planes for checks on Monday after a Zurich-bound flight had to return to the city shortly after take-off.

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The inspection found that components on 15 of the A350s, powered by engines from the British manufacturer Rolls-Royce, had to be replaced.

Fifteen aircraft were identified with engine fuel lines that require replacement. Of these, six have already undergone successful repairs and are cleared to operate, Cathay said in a statement.

The remaining nine aircraft will be repaired and are expected to resume operation by Saturday.

When Cathay initially raised the alarm Monday, it said the component was the first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide.

The incident prompted other airlines in the region to carry out similar checks on their A350-900 and A350-1000 models, which are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 and XWB-97 engines, respectively.

Cathay has so far cancelled 90 flights between Monday to Saturday, mainly regional routes including connections to Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo and Bangkok.

Aboard a Cathay A350-900 plane to San Francisco on Wednesday, a Hong Kong passenger surnamed Yuen told AFP that he was worried but I dont know who I can ask whether this aircraft has been checked.

I would feel better if Cathay could send us a message saying the plane has been checked but they never did that, Yuen texted from the runway.AFP

Japan Airlines confirmed that three of their A350 jets turned up no issues, while two more were undergoing inspections Wednesday.

A Thai Airways spokesperson said Wednesday the airline was using their A350 planes as normal, while Singapore Airlines said they had carried out checks and there was no impact on flights operating with their A350-900 fleet.

In Europe, Air France  which uses A350-900 models  said it was in contact with Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

Both firms have not advised or mandated airlines to perform any checks, it said.

French firm Dubreuil, owner of the Air Caraibes and French Bee airlines thatmainly operate A350s, including five A350-1000 long-haul aircraft, said that to date, no return or action has been required on the aircraft in service with the airlines, which have noted no engine incident of this type.

In the Middle East, Qatar Airways said there has been no impact on the operation of any Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000s, adding that it was monitoring the situation.

With 24 aircraft in its fleet, the Gulf state carrier is the worlds largest operator of the A350-1000 model  the same type of aircraft Cathay had to return en route to Zurich.

Airbus and Rolls-Royce have said they are cooperating with Cathay, but could not comment further pending the investigation.

Hong Kongs Civil Aviation Department said Wednesday that it had contacted the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other relevant aviation authorities about the case.

EASA has not publicly released any specific information on the engines powering the A350, and did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Terence Fan, an aviation expert at Singapore Management University, said defective engine lines could affect fuel flow, which is urgent and of critical importance.

This seems to be a mechanical issue one would definitely not want the same to be found in two out of two engines on the same aircraft mid-air, he told AFP.

Fan said a mechanical problem could be fixed quickly by replacing parts, though he called it a bad sign the issue had hit one-third of Cathays A350 fleet.

The A350 is often deployed in long-haul flights that traverse oceans and sparsely populated areas with few airports to divert to if there are issues.

Last November, Emirates chief executive Tim Clark expressed concerns about the durability and longevity of A350 engines.

Qatar Airways also had a long-running dispute with Airbus over its jets, which was resolved in 2023.

Qatar grounded the jets in 2021 after paint started peeling on the exterior of some of its A350 planes. Its regulator said there could be a threat to the jets lightning protection.

Rolls-Royce has defended its Trent XWB-97 engines and said it was taking steps to improve their durability. AFP
Century Pacific Food, Inc. (CNPF), one of the leading food and beverage companies in the Philippines owned by the Po family, is expanding its coconut business with the acquisition of the 100-percent stake in Coco Harvest Inc.

Coco Harvest owns a coconut processing facility in Misamis Occidental which has the capability to produce higher value coconut-based products such as coconut water, coconut milk, desiccated coconut and virgin coconut oil.

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CNPF said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Thursday it would spend roughly $40 million to acquire Coco Harvest and expand its facility.

The acquisition and expansion would be funded by the companys internally-generated cashflow from operations.

CNPF president and chief executive Teodoro Alexander Po said the deal is an accretive acquisition.

More importantly, it marks a significant milestone for the company. Our coconut business, encompassing both domestic and export, has grown substantially these past few years on the back of burgeoning trends in health and wellness. The additional capacity from Coco Harvest will bolster our capability to serve rising demand, with room for expansion as the business grows, Po said.

Po said CNPF planned to further grow its coconut business moving forward as it sees continued growth in demand.

We are encouraged by the long-term growth trajectory of our coconut business. From where we started, it has evolved to become globally competitive in the category through the teams commitment to excellence and innovation. Its a platform where we believe we can create more value for the company as well as the local coconut farming industry, Po said.

CNPF signed a new expanded long-term agreement with The Vita Coco Company Inc., a global leader in the coconut water category in March. The agreement indicates increased volume commitments from Vita Coco amounting to about 90 million liters over the next five years.

CNPF also launched its own branded coconut business serving the domestic market.

Built in 2016, the fully-integrated facility of Coco Harvest sits on a six-hectare property and is strategically located to capitalize on the abundance of coconut supply in the region.
Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. led by businessman Enrique Razon Jr. signed a P5-billion loan agreement with Land Bank of the Philippines to partially fund the development of its water, sustainable energy and waste management infrastructure projects.

Prime Infra said in a statement the loan is intended to partially finance its working capital requirements and for bridging of syndicated term loans for projects in sustainable and renewable energy, water and bulk water supply, and waste management and sustainable fuelsthe companys three core markets.

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This partnership with LandBank is a significant step forward in our commitment to developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure. It will enable Prime Infra to further accelerate the progress of our projects in sustainable energy, water supply, and waste management, said Prime Infra president and chief executive Guillaume Lucci.

We are grateful for the trust as Prime Infra continues to build better lives and resilient economies through critical infrastructure, he said.

LandBank president and chief executive Lynette Ortiz said the bank forged a new partnership with a recognized leader in building critical and socially relevant infrastructure.

Our common goal of enhancing lives and fostering resilient economies makes this loan facility a truly mutually beneficial endeavor, Ortiz said.

Sustainability is a key priority and [a] mandate for LandBank, and were looking forward to further growing this relationship, she said.

Prime Infras projects are focused on helping ensure water security, providing dependable energy, and implementing proper waste management solutions.

The company achieved significant milestones this year such as strengthening its position in the water market through east zone concessionaire Manila Water Company Inc., the start of the impounding process of its Upper Wawa Dam project that will provide water supply benefiting 3.5 million Filipinos, the inauguration of its first solar power plants that will supply up to 128 megawatts of renewable energy and the inauguration of the Philippines first automated materials recovery facilities in Cebu and Pampanga.

Prime Infra said that in the medium term, it would focus on completing the Upper Wawa Dam to start commercial operations, developing two pumped storage projects tagged by the Department of Energy as energy projects of national significance, drilling wells to continue indigenous gas production through subsidiary Prime Energy and scaling up the industrialization of its waste management business.

We take pride that our diverse portfolio of projects not only positions us as a key infrastructure player but also helps contribute to the countrys economic growth and in fostering a more sustainable future, said Lucci.
The Philippine and Indonesian governments are discussing a potential exchange of custody for Alice Guo with an Australian drug suspect wanted by Jakarta following the dismissed Bamban mayors arrest.

In a now-deleted message to reporters, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla answered affirmatively after being asked if complications in Guos deportation involved Jakarta polices request to swap Guo with Haas.

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Yes, what I mentioned earlier, Remulla said in the deleted message yet to be clarified.

Haas was arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Cebu on May 15.

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said the DOJ has yet to receive any formal communication from Indonesia on the potential swap request as reported by Indonesian media.

We are hopeful that Mayor Guo will be brought home at the soonest possible time and this possibility of a prisoner swap wont serve as an obstacle to that, Ty said in an interview with The Big Story on One News channel on Wednesday night.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) denied reports that Indonesia demanded for the extradition of fugitive Australian drug trafficker Gregor Johann Haas in exchange for dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.

In an interview over Teleradyo Serbisyo Thursday morning, PAOCC Executive Director Usec. Gilbert Cruz said it was never discussed with their Indonesian counterparts.

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He said they only talked about the arrangements for the deportation of Guo and the return of Indonesians that PAOCC rescued from a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu recently.

There is no confirmation about that (prisoner swap demand). It just surfaced in media reports, Cruz told veteran broadcaster Noli de Castro, citing the latest conversation he had with an officer from the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines.

We have not discussed anything about it. What we discussed is the arrest of Alice Guo and the Indonesians that we rescued following the raid at a POGO site in Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, the PAOCC official said.

Cruz noted the Indonesian authorities thanked the Philippine government for rescuing their citizens. The Philippines through President Marcos also publicly acknowledged the support extended by Indonesia, which led to the arrest of Guo.

Haas has been in the custody of the Bureau of Immigration since May this year. Cruz said Indonesia has been requesting for his extradition, since he is facing serious charges, but it was not part of any discussions related to Guos deportation.

Meanwhile, the PAOCC official revealed they are now in hot pursuit of the individual, who provided assistance for Guo and her cohorts during their escape. Cruz described this person as their boss identified as a certain Mr. Wu, who reportedly heads their entire operations.

That is who were after now. We are not the only ones interested in him, even the international authorities are interested in him because of his significant participation and involvement in money laundering, not just in our country but worldwide, Cruz said in Tagalog.

Cruz said they are expecting Guo to return to the Philippines anytime within the week and as the weather permits. Manila is experiencing inclement weather this week attributed to the southwest monsoon rains enhanced by a recent severe tropical storm.
Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo is expected to arrive in the Philippines from Jakarta, Indonesia around by late evening this Thursday, multiple government agencies confirmed.

Guo is onboard a chartered flight, which is expected to land at a private hangar in Pasay City, where law enforcement authorities from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other organizations are waiting.

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Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. and PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, among other government officials, escorted Guo on her way back to Manila via a private plane.

They were earlier estimated to arrive in Manila around 6:00 in the PM, but their flight had been delayed. Their estimated time of arrival was pushed to between 11:00 PM until midnight.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Guo will be detained by the PNP, but will be turned over later to the Senate, where she has a standing warrant of arrest after being cited for contempt.

An arrest warrant was also issued versus Guo by a regional trial court in Capas, Tarlac over graft and corrupt practices charges filed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Guo was arrested by Indonesian authorities on Wednesday morning.

In a Facebook livestream, Abalos reported that police-to-police agreements have been signed between the Philippines and Indonesia to facilitate the transfer of Guo back to Manila.

We are going to fetch her today. Her travel papers have been arranged. The immigration officials of the Philippines and (Indonesia) are here. Of course, we prepared her travel authority Everything that is needed have been accomplished, Abalos told reporters in Tagalog.

Abalos and Marbil landed at the Soekarno Hatta International airport in Jakarta on Wednesday night to pick up Guo, who was under the custody of Indonesian law enforcement authorities.

Guo is facing numerous complaints in connection with the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry.
Actress, producer, and Quezon City Film Commission (QCFC) executive director Liza Dino served as a jury member for the inaugural Karre Mouy Short Film Producer Program in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

As part of the jury, Dino worked alongside filmmakers Aditya Assarat from Thailand and Davy Chou from Cambodia, offering insights to young Cambodian filmmakers during the programs final pitching event.

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Dino also had the opportunity to discuss with film producer Loy Te from Kongchak Pictures how government support can help Cambodian cinema thrive. They reflected on Tes participation in last years QCinema Project Market, where Dinos invitation helped him recognize the importance of a program that equips Cambodian filmmakers with tools and knowledge about the global film industry.

Im really humbled to know that my work with the FDCP and now in QCFC is being recognized and that the success we had is inspiring other industries to follow suit. It means more to me than words can express, Dino wrote in an Instagram post.

Theres so much we can learn from the growth of the Philippine film industry, particularly its increasing presence on the global stage. Im hopeful that together, we can explore new ways to support and uplift local productions in Cambodia, she added.

The Karre Mouy Short Film Producer Program is organized by production companies Kongchak Pictures and Anti-Archive, aimed at training young Cambodian producers and filmmakers in the various stages of film production.
On September 4, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva announced that China will donate 25.6 million to Cape Verde. The announcement followed a meeting in Beijing with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who detailed the new donation, equivalent to $28.5 million, on Facebook.

During the meeting, Correia e Silva highlighted Chinas rapid transformation and its dedication to developing human capital, particularly in knowledge, research, and innovation, as vital components for national progress.

The Prime Minister is leading Cape Verdes delegation at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which began Wednesday and runs through Friday in Beijing. He emphasized the importance of FOCAC as a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation, which has strengthened the relationship between Cape Verde and China, evolving into a strategic partnership.

Looking ahead, Correia e Silva noted that Cape Verde and China will mark 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, an occasion he views as an opportunity to further enhance strategic cooperation. He stressed Cape Verdes commitment to economic recovery, resilience, and diversification, with China as a key partner in these efforts.

The Prime Minister outlined priorities including education, health, public security, the blue economy, the digital economy, and environmental and climate policies. Joining him at FOCAC are Cape Verdes Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Health, Internal Administration, and Trade, Industry, and Energy.
China's first near-Earth asteroid (NEA) defense mission is expected to observe an asteroid closely before impacting it to alter its orbit around 2030, according to a key engineer in the country's space industry.

The blueprint for the country's asteroid defense involves two spacecraft -- an impactor and an observer -- launched into space with one rocket, said Tang Yuhua, deputy chief designer of Chang'e-7 Mission on Thursday.

The observer will first move around the small asteroid to be targeted, for the purposes of detection, before guiding the impactor from afar to strike it. After the kinetic impact, the observer will further have an accompanying flight with the very asteroid that changes its orbit, according to Tang.

In September 2022, a single NASA spacecraft slammed into an asteroid in a test called DART to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. About two weeks later, NASA confirmed that the DART mission changed the asteroid's motion.

The potential impact of near-Earth asteroids on Earth is a major threat to the long-term sustainable development of mankind, and the research and development of defense technology is an important initiative to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in outer space.

The Deep Space Exploration Lab (DSEL) is currently conducting on a global campaign soliciting proposals for more plans for asteroid defense design and modeling, including target selection, orbit design and specific solutions.

"We sincerely look forward to your active participation, integrating your creativity and ideas into these tracks," said Wu Weiren, director general of the DSEL, in the invitation letter.
The 21-year-old daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma is set to marry Eswatinis King Mswati III out of love, according to a spokesman for the last absolute monarchy in Africa. Nomcebo Zumas engagement to the king was officially announced earlier this week, concluding the annual eight-day reed dance ceremony, a traditional rite of passage for young women.

King Mswati III, 56, is currently in a polygamous marriage with 11 wives and has been married a total of 15 times. Alpheous Nxumalo, a spokesman for Eswatini, rejected any claims that the marriage would serve as a political alliance, emphasizing that love knows no age and can occur between people of any age, regardless of constitutional norms.

Jacob Zuma, who served as South Africas president from 2009 to 2018, and King Mswati are already connected through marriage. Critics argue that King Mswati, who has ruled by decree for 38 years, lives in opulence while many of his citizens face poverty. Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has a population of 1.1 million and suffers from one of the worlds highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection.
The African Energy Chamber has announced on Wednesday September 4 that the Angolan government is nominated for the Reformer and Changemaker of the Year Award, alongside South Africa, the Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Egypt. Sonangol is competing for the ESG Leader of the Year Award, and Galp is in the running for Exploration and Production Leader of the Year.

The Reformer and Changemaker of the Year Award, presented from November 4 to 6 in Cape Town, honors a government or public entity showing exceptional leadership in reforming Africas energy sector and fostering an environment for energy growth and economic development.

Sonangol is also a contender for the ESG Leader of the Year Award, which recognizes companies excelling in environmental, social, and governance principles in natural resource development. This award highlights leadership in sustainability, social responsibility, and corporate governance.

The awards, part of the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy, celebrate those shaping Africas energy future. The African Energy Chamber, which organizes the event, aims to boost energy investment on the continent. The Chamber notes that Africa should more than double its share of the global natural gas market by 2050 and quadruple its renewable energy capacity by 2030, with significant contributions expected from Mozambiques Cabo Delgado province.
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has been discharged from hospital after sustaining an injury during a confrontation with police. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, was reportedly hit by a tear gas canister in the leg during a meeting with supporters in Bulindo, requiring surgery to remove fragments.

The incident has heightened tensions between the opposition and President Yoweri Musevenis government. Wines National Unity Platform (NUP) characterized the event as another attempt on his life, while his lawyer claimed that police intentionally targeted him. The police, however, stated that they were trying to stop Wine and his team from marching down a road, leading to the altercation.

This event is part of a broader pattern of restrictions faced by Wine, who challenged Museveni in the 2021 election. He has been subjected to numerous house arrests and his party rallies have often been forcibly dispersed. The situation has drawn attention to issues of political freedom and human rights in Uganda.

Recent months have seen crackdowns on anti-corruption rallies and protests against oil projects in Uganda, with many demonstrators arrested. As Wine recovers, the incident serves as a reminder of the challenges facing opposition movements in the country and the ongoing struggle for political reform.

The NUP has expressed concerns about attempts by operatives to access Wines hospital room, highlighting the tense political atmosphere surrounding the opposition leader.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

An Alabama man died last month when a surgeon in Florida mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen during an emergency procedure, his family said.

William Bryan, 70, and his wife Beverly, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, were visiting their property in Okaloosa County, Florida, when he started feeling pain on the left side of his abdomen, personal injury firm Zarzaur Law said in a statement.

He was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital in Miramar for spleen abnormalities.

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a general surgeon, and Dr. Christopher Bacani, the hospital's chief medical officer, persuaded Bryan to undergo surgery at the hospital on Aug. 21.

Beverly Bryan claims that Shaknovsky said her husband's spleen was diseased, oversized and moved to the opposite side of his body.

But according to the law firm, the surgeon removed his liver instead, which caused "immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death."

Shaknovsky made a similar error in 2023 when he removed parts of a pancreas instead of an adrenal gland, the family's attorneys allege. That case was settled privately.

The hospital said in a statement Wednesday it's "performing a thorough investigation" into the death and takes allegations like the one made by the Bryan family "very seriously."

The Walton County Sheriff's Office said it's also investigating Bryan's death.

2024 New York Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

One of California's two programs for training nurse-midwives has stopped admitting students while it revamps its curriculum to offer only doctoral degrees, a move that's drawn howls of protest from alumni, health policy experts, and faculty who accuse the University of California of putting profits above public health needs.

UC-San Francisco's renowned nursing school will graduate its final class of certified nurse-midwives next spring. Then the university will cancel its two-year master's program in nurse-midwifery, along with other nursing disciplines, in favor of a three-year doctor of nursing practice, or DNP, degree. The change will pause UCSF's nearly five decades-long training of nurse-midwives until at least 2025 and will more than double the cost to students.

State Assembly member Mia Bonta, who chairs the health committee, said she was "disheartened" to learn that UCSF was eliminating its master's nurse-midwifery program and feared the additional time and costs to get a doctorate would deter potential applicants.

"Instead of adding hurdles, we need to be building and expanding a pipeline of culturally and racially concordant providers to support improved birth outcomes, especially for Black and Latina birthing people," she said in an email.

The switch to doctoral education is part of a national movement to require all advanced-practice registered nurses, including nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners, to earn doctoral degrees, Kristen Bole, a UCSF spokesperson, said in response to written questions. The doctoral training will feature additional classes in leadership and quality improvement.

But the movement, which dates to 2004, has not caught on the way the American Association of Colleges of Nursing envisioned when it called for doctorate-level education to be required for entry-level advanced nursing practice by 2015. That deadline came and went. Now, an acute need for maternal health practitioners has some universities moving in the other direction.

This year, Rutgers University reinstated the nurse-midwifery master's training it had eliminated in 2016. The University of Alabama-Birmingham also restarted its master's in nurse-midwifery program in 2022 after a 25-year hiatus. In addition, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Loyola University in New Orleans, and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas added master's training in nurse-midwifery.

UCSF estimates tuition and fees will cost $152,000 for a three-year doctoral degree in midwifery, compared with $65,000 for a two-year master's. Studies show that 71% of nursing master's students and 74% of nursing doctoral students rely on student loans, and nurses with doctorates earn negligibly or no more than nurses with master's degrees.

Kim Q. Dau, who ran UCSF's nurse-midwifery program for a decade, resigned in June because she was uncomfortable with the elimination of the master's in favor of a doctoral requirement, she said, which is at odds with the state's workforce needs and unnecessary for clinical practice.

"They'll be equally prepared clinically but at more expense to the student and with a greater time investment," she said.

Nurse-midwives are registered nurses with graduate degrees in nurse-midwifery. Licensed in all 50 states, they work mostly in hospitals and can perform abortions and prescribe medications, though they are also trained in managing labor pain with showers, massage, and other natural means.

Certified midwives, by contrast, study midwifery at the graduate level outside of nursing schools and are licensed only in some states. Certified professional midwives attend births outside of hospitals.

The California Nurse-Midwives Association also criticized UCSF's program change, which comes amid a national maternal mortality crisis, a serious shortage of obstetric providers, and a growing reliance on midwives.

According to the 2022 "White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis" report, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation and needs thousands more midwives and other women's health providers to bridge the swelling gap.

Ginger Breedlove, founder and CEO of Grow Midwives, a national consulting firm, likened UCSF's switch from master's to doctoral training to "an earthquake."

"Why are we delaying the entry of essential-care providers by making them go to an additional year of school, which adds nothing to their clinical preparedness or safety to serve the community?" asked Breedlove, a past president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

"Why they have chosen this during one of the worst workforce shortages combined with the worst maternal health crisis we have had in 50 years is beyond my imagination."

A 2020 report published in Nursing Outlook failed to find that advanced-practice registered nurses with doctorates were more clinically proficient than those with master's degrees. "Unfortunately, to date, the data are sparse," it concluded.

The American College of Nurse-Midwives also denounced the doctoral requirement, as have trade associations for neonatal nurse practitioners and neonatal nurses, citing "the lack of scientific evidence that  doctoral-level education is beneficial to patients, practitioners, or society."

There is no evidence that doctoral-level nurse-midwives will provide better care, Breedlove said.

"This is profit over purpose," she added.

Bole disputed Breedlove's accusation of a profit motive. Asked for reasons for the change, she offered broad statements: "The decision to upgrade our program was made to ensure that our graduates are prepared for the challenges they will face in the evolving health care landscape."

Like Breedlove, Liz Donnelly, vice chair of the health policy committee for the California Nurse-Midwives Association, worries that UCSF's switch to a doctoral degree will exacerbate the twin crises of maternal mortality and a shrinking obstetrics workforce across California and the nation.

On average, 10 to 12 nurse-midwives graduated from the UCSF master's program each year over the past decade, Bole said. California's remaining master's program in nurse-midwifery is at California State University in Fullerton, south of Los Angeles, and it graduated eight nurse-midwives last year and 11 this year.

More than half of rural counties in the U.S. lacked obstetric care in 2018, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

In some parts of California, expectant mothers must drive two hours for care, said Bethany Sasaki, who runs Midtown Nurse Midwives, a Sacramento birth center. It has had to stop accepting new clients because it cannot find midwives.

Donnelly predicted the closure of UCSF's midwifery program will significantly reduce the number of nurse-midwives entering the workforce and will inhibit people with fewer resources from attending the program. "Specifically, I think it's going to reduce folks of color, people from rural communities, people from poor communities," she said.

UCSF's change will also likely undercut efforts to train providers from diverse backgrounds.

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Following acute kidney injury, damaged cells interact within disease-promoting microenvironments, a process that may lead to chronic kidney disease. Credit: Michal Polonsky

A study published in Nature Communications provides new insight into how damaged cells interact within disease-promoting microenvironments following acute kidney injury, or AKI. With limited treatment options, AKI frequently progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD), which affects more than 1 in 7 U.S. adultsan estimated 37 million people.

The new findings may contribute to future efforts to prevent CKD, which can lead to kidney failure.

The study brought together scientists from Andy McMahon's lab at USC and Long Cai's lab at Caltech.

In the study, co-first authors Michal Polonsky from Caltech and Louisa Gerhardt from USC leveraged a cutting-edge tool, called seqFISH, developed in the Cai laboratory. With this tool, researchers can gather information about genetic activity and study cellular interactions in intact kidney tissue in mice with AKI. This allowed the scientists to analyze the precise expression of over 1,000 genes in the injured kidney tissue, identify microenvironments associated with injury, and predict cellular interactions associated with the progression to CKD.

"Dr. Cai's seqFISH technology provides unprecedented insight into the cellular interplay in the kidney following injury," said McMahon, who is the W.M. Keck Provost and University Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at USC and will join the faculty of Caltech in October. "A better understanding of kidney injury is needed to identify targets for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease."

Cai, who is a Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering, added, "We're thrilled that our technology has enabled a deeper understanding of kidney injury and disease. This study exemplifies the importance of cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary collaborations to advance biomedical research."

In the kidney's outermost layer, the scientists identified a likely pathological microenvironment, which they dubbed "ME-5." This microenvironment contains a type of kidney cell particularly vulnerable to injury, known as a proximal tubule cell or PT.

In ME-5, injured PTs and neighboring connective tissue cells, known as fibroblasts, exchange signals that could drive injury progression. Key signals involved the genes Clcf1 and Crfl1, which encode proteins that can promote inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring. Additional signals detected in ME-5 could contribute to recruitment of immune cells, thereby further contributing to the development of inflammation, fibrosis and other pathological changes.

The scientists also identified another important injury-associated microenvironment, which they named "ME-16," featuring aggregations of various immune cell types called tertiary lymphoid structures that are known to contribute to chronic inflammation. Rather than being confined to a specific region of the kidney, ME-16 was distributed throughout the injured organ.

To share their discoveries, the team constructed a comprehensive map of cellular, molecular, and structural changes following AKI, which refines our understanding of the transition to CKD. This map is publicly available.

Additional co-authors are Kari Koppitch from USC; Jina Yun, Katsuya Lex Colon, Henry Amrhein, Matt Thomson, and Barbara Wold from Caltech; and Shiwei Zheng and Guo-Cheng Yuan from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

More information: Spatial transcriptomics defines injury specific microenvironments and cellular interactions in kidney regeneration and disease, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51186-z Journal information: Nature Communications
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Young women worldwide face problems like unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The 1.8 billion adolescents and young people (age 15-24) of both sexes worldwide account for 42% of new HIV infections.

Providing sexual and reproductive health education to young women is a priority in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 80% of young people globally living with HIV reside. Lesotho, a poor mountainous country in southern Africa, has the second-highest HIV prevalence in the world at nearly 23% of the population. The country is challenged by critically low numbers of health care personnel and a terrain that makes face-to-face interactions difficult.

In a study published in BMC Global and Public Health, researchers from the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, collaborating with Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, University of Oklahoma and South Africa's Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, have used conversational AI technology to successfully disseminate sexual and reproductive health information.

"Our results support the use of e-health solutions to address the challenges of providing high quality, evidence-based health education to young women in low-income countries where this education is needed most," said study lead and first author Elizabeth Nkabane Nkholongo, Ph.D., and the executive director of the Lesotho Boston Health Alliance (LeBoHA), a partnership between BU's medical school and the Lesotho Ministry of Health.

"In Lesotho, it could even lead to e-health 'leap-frogging' face-to-face health education," added Nkholongo.

People are familiar with the technology known as chatbots, but AI-empowered embodied conversational agents (ECA) go further in engaging the user with software technology that creates a screen persona that can mimic interactions with real people by conversing in the natural language of the target audience along with familiar gestures and other body expressions.

In the Lesotho study, researchers adapted an ECA model known as "Gabby" that had been used successfully to disseminate sexual and reproductive health information to African American women in the U.S. The Lesotho model employed the hairstyle, complexion, facial expressions and mannerisms recognizable to young Lesotho women and built the persona of Nthabi, a professional nurse midwife.

In this case, the choice of ECA technology was possible due to the rapid diffusion in Lesotho of mobile technologies like smart phones and tablets. Researchers constructed a Nthabi app that could be downloaded to mobile devices without relying on the country's spotty Wi-Fi coverage.

To analyze Nthabi's effectiveness, researchers recruited 172 young women with a mean age of 22.5 years to use the app. They measured participant knowledge before and after their discussions with Nthabi on family planning, folic acid use (a B vitamin important in preventing birth defects of the brain and spinal cord) and healthy eating. The number of correct pre- and post-test responses were then compared.

"Young women enrolled in this study demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge about family planning methods and preconception of folic acid use after interacting with the Nthabi," the report concluded. For example, the total percentage of correct answers to questions on the use of folic acid rose from 45.3% in testing before the use of Nthabi and 71.6% in post-use testing.

According to the researchers, Nthabi might help overcome the barriers inherent in traditional face-to-face education, especially in areas like Lesotho that have fewer health care workers and tough geographic challenges, but also to counter the stigma surrounding discussion of sexual reproductive health issues.

"The potential of utilizing Nthabi as a population health education tool is a game-changer as the world works towards achieving Universal Health Coverage," said LeBoHA President Brian Jack, MD, and BU professor of family medicine.

More information: Elizabeth Nkabane-Nkholongo et al, Change in sexual and reproductive health knowledge among young women using the conversational agent "Nthabi" in Lesotho: a clinical trial, BMC Global and Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s44263-024-00091-0
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Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are a major global health issue, characterized by their chronic nature and long-term impact on quality of life. NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), and musculoskeletal disorders, contribute significantly to mortality and disability worldwide. In China, a country with a vast population and rapidly changing socio-economic conditions, understanding the extent and distribution of NCDs is essential for developing effective public health strategies and interventions.

To address this, a research team from Shandong University and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a comprehensive analysis to assess the impact of NCDs on China's health system over the past three decades. The study, led by Professor Maigeng Zhou, was published on August 28, 2024, in the Chinese Medical Journal.

The study assessed the impact of NCD using mortality rates and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), key indicators of disease burden. By analyzing these trends, the study intends to highlight significant areas of concern, evaluate the progress made in addressing NCDs, and offer data-driven recommendations for public health strategies.

The study used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021, including model-estimated figures on NCDs across various regions and sexes in China. It analyzed both absolute and age-standardized mortality and DALY rates for NCDs, comparing these with global averages and examining regional and sex-based variations in disease burden.

Prof. Zhou says, "In 2021, NCDs accounted for 91.0% of deaths and 86.7% of DALYs in China. Although age-standardized mortality and DALY rates have declined, the absolute numbers of deaths and DALYs have increased, indicating that, despite advancements in disease management, the overall burden remains high due to population growth and aging."

CVDs were the leading cause of NCD-related deaths, accounting for nearly half of all such deaths. In 2021, China's CVD mortality rate (357.4 per 100,000) and DALY rate (7043.3 per 100,000) were significantly higher than global averages. Contributing factors include hypertension and excessive salt intake. While age-standardized rates for cancer mortality and DALYs have decreased, the burden from neoplasms remains substantial. China has advanced in cancer prevention through surveillance and screening programs, but challenges persist due to risk factors like smoking and alcohol consumption.

CRDs ranked third in NCD deaths, with a notable mortality rate. Recent improvements in air quality, thanks to government initiatives, have reduced DALY rates. However, regional disparities, especially in high-altitude areas, continue to present challenges. Musculoskeletal disorders have seen a significant rise in DALYs, contributing more to disability than to mortality. This highlights the need for attention to aging populations and work-related conditions.

"Economically developed regions, such as Hong Kong SAR and Zhejiang, have a lower NCD burden compared to less developed areas like Qinghai and Xizang. This disparity reflects differences in health care resources, health literacy, and living conditions. The burden of NCDs was also found to be heavier for males than females," explains Professor Zhou. Specific conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders, have a higher impact on females, likely due to physiological factors and life stages like pregnancy.

The study provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of NCDs in China. It highlights the major contributors to disease burden and offers a comparative perspective with global data. It also highlights the progress made in certain areas, such as cancer prevention, while identifying ongoing challenges. The findings inform public health policy and resource allocation, helping to prioritize interventions for the most impactful conditions.

Despite the valuable insights provided, the study also has several limitations. The reliance on model-estimated data introduces some uncertainty, and there is a need for more specific data from remote and impoverished regions. Future research should focus on collecting more granular data, exploring emerging risk factors, and assessing the effectiveness of targeted interventions.

This research offers a comprehensive overview of the NCD burden in China, emphasizing the need for continued and targeted public health efforts. By understanding the trends and regional variations in NCDs, China can better address the challenges posed by these diseases and improve overall health outcomes. The study serves as a vital resource for guiding future health policies and research initiatives.

More information: Hanxiao Liu et al, Burden of non-communicable diseases in China and its provinces, 19902021: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, Chinese Medical Journal (2024). DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000003270

Provided by Chinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co.
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Among progressive neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's is one of the most common and most heartbreaking. It robs individuals of their memories and self-sufficiency and can even alter their personalities.

Nearly 7 million Americans over age 65 are living with Alzheimer's, and that number is projected to nearly double by the year 2050 as the population continues to age.

Jonathan Lovell, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University at Buffalo, is developing a novel immunotherapy approach to Alzheimer's treatment. He leads a research team that is working on a vaccine that targets multiple sites within the key polypeptides of both pathogenic hallmarks of the disease: amyloid-beta (A) and tau.

The immunotherapy concept, which was published in the August issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, suggests that the body can mount an immune response to multiple epitopes of A and tau, which are parts of those proteins that the immune system can recognize.

"What distinguishes our approach is that we're not just targeting one epitope in Alzheimer's, we're targeting multiple ones," Lovell said. "By targeting multiple epitopes simultaneously, we aim to train the immune system to recognize and attack these problematic proteins more broadly."

He has been working with researchers at the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), a New York State research entity based in Staten Island, to show that the immunotherapy can prevent and reduce Alzheimer's-like changes in mice that have been genetically modified to develop a condition similar to Alzheimer's.

The team also collaborated with the Buffalo startup POP Biotechnologies, which was co-founded by Lovell, and universities and hospitals in Canada, Japan and Korea.

Plaques and tangles

In an Alzheimer's patient, the brain has two main disease hallmarks: amyloid plaques, made of mainly amyloid beta (A), that build up outside brain cells, and neurofibrillary tangles of the protein tau inside the brain cells. Together, they affect memory, the ability to find words, work with numbers, make decisions and follow familiar routes and directions.

"The idea with this immunotherapy is that the patient will make antibodies that will either clear these plaques and tangles or slow their progression," Lovell said. "The ultimate goal of this approach is to reverse disease progression."

The immunotherapy, which Lovell and his team developed, includes epitopes from both A and tau proteins. These are mixed with special liposomes, or tiny fat bubbles, which help deliver the vaccine and boost the immune response.

"What we've found is that the mice that received the immunotherapy early on showed fewer signs of Alzheimer's-related brain damage and performed better in cognitive tests," Lovell said. "The vaccine appears safe and didn't cause unwanted side effects."

The plan is to eventually get FDA approval to test the vaccine in human trials.

Longtime study of Alzheimer's

Lovell started working on this immunotherapy concept over five years ago. He recently connected with the researchers at IBR who have expertise in the disease. Now, he and a few graduate students in his lab regularly send different iterations of the vaccine to the institute researchers to test on the mice.

"It was catalytic when we connected with the institute because they have the appropriate experience in the Alzheimer's animal models to test our vaccine," he said. "It's been an exciting collaboration."

IBR researchers have been studying Alzheimer's disease for more than 40 years, noted Cheng-Xin Gong, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at the institute and one of the corresponding authors of the study.

"Our former chair of the Department of Neurochemistry of IBR discovered tau as the protein constituent of tangles in the 1980s, and since then, we've been working on finding treatments," Gong said. "Immunotherapy has been very hot recently. Almost all of the studies are attacking one single target, which is why this study is unique.

"Most cases of Alzheimer's are sporadic, rather than genetic," Gong explained. "They have more than one cause. If we can target more than one pathological protein, theoretically, this could be more effective."

Currently, no FDA-approved active immunotherapies exist that are specifically designed to treat Alzheimer's disease. Rather, most of the treatments that have recently been approved for Alzheimer's are focused on symptom management and have only shown small to modest gains.

Moving toward human trials

While the researchers originally administered the vaccine early on, before the mice developed significant symptoms of dementia, they are now testing it on older mice with the disease to see how they fare.

"We're now working to test this active immunotherapy approach in a therapeutic setting," Lovell explained. "We're also working on the logistics of figuring out how we could move this vaccine from mice into humans as soon as possible."

If all goes well, he predicts human trials could become a reality in the next few years and possibly overseas.

"The underlying technology of this immunotherapy has already been tested in humans in Korea for a COVID-19 vaccine, and we would support working with partners there to advance the translation of the technology there," Lovell said.

The first step is to establish manufacturing standards, he said. Once that is established, they will move forward on improving important metrics such as safety testing prior to human testing.

"Alzheimer's is such a devastating disease that we need bold solutions to address it," Lovell said.

More information: Yiting Song et al, A pentavalent peptide vaccine elicits A and tau antibodies with prophylactic activity in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.08.028 Journal information: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
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The Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of an mpox outbreak, on Thursday received its first vaccinesalmost half of 200,000 doses donated by the European Union and due to arrive by the end of the week to fight its spread.

The DRC has recorded more than 19,000 mpox cases and over 650 deaths, according to the latest figures from the health minister.

"The vaccines have arrived in the DRC. They are now on their way to storage areas and the vaccination campaign should begin at the end of the month," Laurent Muschel head of the EU's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) told AFP.

Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba and Muschel were present at Kinshasa airport when the plane carrying 99,100 vaccine doses landed, an AFP journalist said.

The doses left the Danish capital Copenhagen on Wednesday evening.

"These are expensive vaccines that we cannot buy as a country... and for which we fought," Kamba said.

Mpox is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.

Sometimes deadly, it causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions.

The remainder of the 200,000 doses donated by the EU are set to arrive in Kinshasa on Saturday.

The World Health Organization declared an international emergency on August 14, concerned by the surge in cases of the new Clade 1b strain in the DRC that spread to nearby countries.

Muschel said 560,000 doses will be given by the EU and some of its member states to the DRC and other affected countries.

Mpox is now present in 13 African countries, including Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The vaccines arriving in the DRC this week come from the Danish pharmaceutical laboratory Bavarian Nordic.

It is the only vaccine approved in Europe and the United States and is only intended for adults.

Logistical challenge

Trials are currently being conducted for potential use on children over the age of 12.

Bavarian Nordic recently filed an application with the European Medicines Agency to extend the approval to children aged 12 to 17, the company said in a statement.

Another mpox vaccine is authorized in Japan, which has promised a significant number of doses to DRC.

"DRC has secured the Japanese vaccines which are for children, we are in discussion with Japan on this subject," Jean Kaseya, the head of the health agency for the African Union's Africa CDC said on Thursday.

Some 3.6 million mpox vaccine doses have been secured for African countries, according to the Africa CDC, with the DRC being a priority.

Sixty two percent of the mpox cases in DRC have been registered in children, according to the Africa CDC, who also account for four out of five deaths.

According to international health authorities, Kinshasa plans to start its vaccination campaign as early as October.

But DRC will face a major logistical challenge in a territory four times the size of France with poor roads, shambolic infrastructure and erratic power supplies.

The Danish vaccine must also be stored in special conditions, "at minus 20C, the temperature of a freezer," Muschel said.

"We have very large experience in conserving vaccines correctly and we have the logistical means," Kamba said, recalling that the country had dealt with both Ebola and COVID before.

The 2022 epidemic was caused by Clade 2 which is still circulating in many countries, including in the West.

But the epidemic in the DRC is caused by the Clade 1 strain, and the situation is becoming more complicated with the appearance of a new version of this subgroup, variant 1b.

The danger and level of contagion of the variant are difficult to assess.

The WHO said cases due to Clade 1b have increased rapidly but "relatively few deaths have been reported".

Formerly called monkeypox, the virus was discovered in 1958 in Denmark in monkeys kept for research.

It was first discovered in humans in 1970 in Zaire, the previous name of DRC.

 2024 AFP
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The nurses came to make a point. Many dressed in red and carried signs. Their message to the federal government: End what they say is a national hiring freeze that has led to thousands of vacancies across the veterans' health system, affecting patient care.

Leaders overseeing the federal health system say medical facilities are hiring, but are being more "strategic" based on need and demand.

Recent announcements of plans to cut 10,000 jobs across the national Veteran Affairs system due to expected budget shortfalls has also raised questions and concerns among employees and lawmakers.

"What we see at our VA and across all VAs is a failure to veterans and those of us who care for veterans," Bill Frogameni, a registered nurse who works at the Miami VA Medical Center and is the director of National Nurses United Miami VA chapter, told the Miami Herald in a phone call ahead of the demonstration.

"If you're going to care for veterans," he said, "you have to invest in people who care for veterans."

The Aug. 21 rally outside the Miami VA, 1201 NW 16th St, was part of a series of demonstrations across the country calling for safer staffing levels by National Nurses United, a union that represents more than 15,000 registered nurses at 23 VA facilities.

A similar demonstration was held in front of the Tampa VA. The registered nurses union, in a news release, said the VA hiring freeze, which has been in effect since Jan. 30, has "contributed to more than tens of thousands of vacancies across the health system, including thousands of RN positions."

"According to the VA's own inspector general, 82 percent of VAs are experiencing critical nurse shortages. Some of the hardest hit patient care areas include ICUs, units where the sickest patients receive life-saving care," the union said.

"Due to the hiring freeze ... there are not enough RNs to cover patients coding, rapid responses, or routine transportation and testing needs. Due to the short staffing in the critical care units, RNs without critical care specializations are being floated there. As a result of short staffing, beds in these units are closing, limiting patient care for veterans."

VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes, in an emailed statement to the Miami Herald, disputed the union's claims and said there is "no nationwide hiring freeze on VA nurses" and that the VA has continued "to strategically hire nurses where needed to provide the care that Veterans deserve."

Every year since 2014, nursing positions in the health system have experienced a "severe shortage," although there has been some improvement, with fewer facilities reporting a nurse shortage for fiscal year 2024, according to the most recent inspector general report.

"Over the past three years, VA has aggressively hired nurses nationwideincreasing our nursing workforce by 14,000 nurses to a total of 122,000 nurses, the largest nursing workforce in the country and in the history of VA," according to Hayes. "VA is also retaining our great nurses, with turnover rates currently at 3.4%far outperforming the private sector."

Hayes said the VA's hiring efforts has led to "more care to more veterans than ever before, outperforming non-VA care, and veterans trust VA care at all-time record rates."

After a hiring spree, VA cuts jobs

The hiring spree was fueled by an increase in veterans seeking care after President Joe Biden in 2022 signed the PACT Act into law, expanding health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, which owns and operates all VA hospitals in the country.

An expected historic $15 billion budget shortfall through the end of September 2025 has pushed the department to find ways to reduce costs. In March, it announced plans to cut about 10,000 jobs.

When you consider the VA's 400,000 employees, the cuts are "not much greater than traditional attrition," Veteran Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said in May while testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee about the department's fiscal year budget requests for 2025 and 2026. McDonough, in response to questions by lawmakers, said the VA is seeing historically high retention and historically low quit rates "due to various pay enhancements," which will make trimming jobs "a little tough."

Hiring decisions will be made by local leaders based on facility needs, he said. Agency leaders in a February news conference said the department won't need to hire as many workers this year due to the recent hiring spree and will focus on need and demand.

And while agency leaders previously declared front-line workers who provide care to veterans would be largely protected from cuts, staff including psychologists and clinical social workers have seen cuts, CNN reported. Some prospective employees have had job offers rescinded.

Frogameni, the director of the registered nurses union at the Miami VA, said the veteran's hospital saw a stream of new hires last year after the union secured a contract with more competitive wages in May 2023. He said hiring has slowed to a standstill in recent months. The VA says it is still hiring.

"At the Miami VA, we have seen year-over-year growth, with a 14.9% increase year to date," said Hayes, the VA press secretary. "In addition, we currently have more than 51 nurses in some stage of the hiring process. We completed our annual staffing methodology, and we will hire staff to meet patient care needs. "

This year's inspector general report, which relies on survey responses from facilities, said the VA health system has more staff this year compared to last year. But, the report said, there are still shortages. The top five clinical positions with "severe" staff shortages in the VA health care system this year are psychology, practical nurse, psychiatry and nursing assistant, with medical technologist and primary care tied for No. 5.

Is there a nursing shortage?

At the Miami VA, retaining trained and experienced staff has been a concern for unionized employees. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic may be officially over, the country is still facing a nationwide nursing shortage with hospitals competing to hire and retain nurses to staff their units. And the shortage is expected to intensify as adults born between 1946 and 1964, the baby boomers, get older and need more health care, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

There's no one answer to as why there's a nursing shortage. The nursing association says there's a variety of factors causing the shortage, including nursing school enrollment not growing fast enough to meet projected demand, retirement, and insufficient staffing leading nurses to leave the profession due to high stress and lack of job satisfaction. Others, like National Nurses United says the shortage isn't because of a lack of nurses, but rather because nurses want better working conditions, STAT News reported.

Besides sufficient staffing, Frogameni says the Miami VA's nurses are calling for the federally run agency to invest in updating and fixing the more than 50-year-old veteran's hospital. Workers have complained about roof leaks, sagging ceilings and broken and malfunctioning equipment inside the building, including a faulty A/C that broke down last year amid South Florida's summer heat.

The AC meltdown forced the hospital to move some patients to other floors and temporarily suspend elective surgeries. A fix for the A/C is on the way, but it will take years, with the Miami VA saying that two "significant HVAC infrastructure projects" are expected to be completed by 2027, as the Miami Herald has reported.

For veteran and registered nurse Shardrick Ridley, who works at the Miami VA and attended the rally to call for the end of the hiring freeze, "coming into the hospital and seeing that we are not investing fully like we should in our veterans really really hurts."

"We are here to demonstrate and say, 'Hey, let's make a change,'" Ridley said. "We should be doing all that we can to invest in our veterans and make sure the care they are being provided is being provided in a safe manner."

2024 Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A research team from the School of Public Health and the School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), Duke-NUS Medical School (Singapore), and the University of British Columbia (Canada) found that extending Hong Kong's statutory paid maternity leave from 10 to 14 weeks in 2020 led to a significant improvement in maternal mental health.

The study revealed a 22% decrease in postnatal depressive symptoms among mothers and a 33% reduction in mothers reporting that baby care interfered with their emotional well-being. The findings were published in the health care journal Health Affairs.

Hong Kong's Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 extended statutory paid maternity leave from 10 to 14 weeks to meet international standards. International Labor Organization (ILO) standards recommend a minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.

In 2021, the duration of maternity leave was at least 14 weeks in 120 countries (Korea: just 13 weeks; Mainland China/Japan: 14 weeks; Singapore: 16 weeks; the United Kingdom/ Canada: about 52 weeks).

Currently, only 52% of women in Hong Kong participate in the workforce, compared with 64% of men. Retaining female employees can thus help address the labor shortage. Women of child-bearing age (2534 years old) have the highest workforce participation rate (80%), making them the most likely to benefit from the minimum 14-week maternity leave policy.

Postnatal depression is a common and serious mental disorder affecting mothers up to 12 months after childbirth. About 30% of new mothers in Hong Kong experience postnatal depression, significantly higher than the global average of 18% (14% in Mainland China and just 3% in Singapore). The leave-extension policy could have important implications for public health, including improved maternal mental and physical health and higher breastfeeding rates.

Research findings and significance

The research team recruited 1,414 eligible mothers who gave birth before (August 2020 to December 2020) and after (December 2020 to July 2022) the policy implementation. Participants had a mean age of 32 and worked mostly in skilled occupations.

The study found that 33% of respondents had probable postnatal depression and required a health assessment. The policy was associated with a 22% decrease in mothers experiencing postnatal depressive symptoms (40.2% pre-policy versus 31.5% post-policy). There was also a 33% drop in the number of mothers who reported that their baby care during the first two months after birth had been affected by their negative emotional well-being.

According to Dr. Quan Jianchao, Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, HKUMed, the extension did not lead to more mothers exiting the workforce. The new policy thus supports the retention of highly skilled and educated female workers.

"Even a modest change in policyan additional four weeks of paid leavewas associated with significant mental health benefits," said Dr. Quan.

"Despite significant improvements after the policy extension, maternal mental health in Hong Kong remains concerning. One-third of the participants in our sample had probable postnatal depression, while other estimates have put the figure at 16% to 30% of Hong Kong mothers, depending on the timing of the assessment. All these estimates are high compared to other Asian and Western societies."

Neighboring governments are increasing funding for paid parental leave as part of family-friendly initiatives.

"On 18 August 2024, the Singaporean Prime Minister announced plans for an additional 10 weeks entirely paid by the government, bringing total paid leave to 30 weeks (7.5 months) by 2026," said Dr. Ellie Bostwick Andres, one of the principal investigators, and a Senior Research Fellow in the Lien Center for Palliative Care at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.

More information: Ellie Bostwick Andres et al, Extended Paid Maternity Leave Associated With Improved Maternal Mental Health In Hong Kong, Health Affairs (2024). DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00742 Journal information: Health Affairs
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At-home blood-pressure monitor cuffs may improperly fit many adults in the U.S., according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2024 and simultaneously published in the journal Hypertension. The meeting is held in Chicago, September 58, 2024.

Researchers investigated the cuff size available with home blood pressure monitors. They estimate that for as many as 18 million U.S. adultsnearly 7% of the adult populationthe cuffs are too small or too large and may not provide accurate blood pressure measurements. A separate recent clinical trial found that a cuff that is one size too small or one size too large can over- or under-estimate blood pressure readings.

"Most popular blood pressure devices we tested had the same cuff size coverageto fit arms with a circumference from 8.7 to 16.5 inches (22 centimeters to 42 centimeters). We estimate that these one-size cuffs would not properly fit approximately 18 million U.S. adults potentially providing inaccurate blood pressure measures," said senior study author Kunihiro Matsushita, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, a professor in the department of epidemiology in the division of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

According to the American Heart Association's 2024 Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other complications.

The 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults classifies high blood pressure as having top or bottom blood pressure measures greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg.

The Association recommends all people with high blood pressure monitor their blood pressure at home with a home blood pressure monitor between office visits to help their health care professional know if treatments are working. Upper arm cuff devices are preferred over wrist devices, according to an American Heart Association/American Medical Association 2020 joint report.

For this study, researchers reviewed 10 of the most popular blood-pressure monitoring devices sold through a large online retailer. Nine of the 10 devices offered a cuff-size range of 22- to 42-centimeters (8.7 inches to 16.5 inches) in circumference. Although several manufacturers offer additional cuff sizes at an extra cost, the researchers focused on the cuffs that come standard with the blood pressure devices because most consumers are likely to use those default cuffs.

After comparing the circumference of the devices against data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 20152020 and extrapolating that representative data on to U.S. Census data, the researchers concluded:

6.7% of U.S. adults (17.3 million adults based on the 2023 U.S. Census) could not use these devices because their arm circumferences were less than 8.7 inches (22 centimeters) or greater than 16.5 inches (42 centimeters).

The proportion of adults whose arms would not fit in these devices was highest among Black adults (11.8%), compared to white adults (6.6%), Hispanic adults (5.2%) and Asian adults (1.8%).

"This disparity in sizing is particularly concerning given the already high and increasing prevalence of high blood pressure among Black adults. To increase equity, manufacturers should prioritize the development and affordable sale of blood pressure measuring devices that accommodate arm circumferences greater than 42 centimeters, and health care professionals should measure patients' arm circumferences to help them select an appropriate cuff size when purchasing a home blood pressure device," Matsushita said.

"Addressing the size disparity in device design is crucial for quality and equitable high blood pressure diagnosis and management."

Study details, background or design:

The researchers reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 20152020) database for 13,826 adults who were 18 years or older and not pregnant. This database was also the source used to quantify how many people would be ineligible to use retail devices due to arm circumference.

Participants' average age was 47 years-old; 51% self-identified as women and 49% as men.

Participants were considered to have high blood pressure if they had blood pressure readings of 130/80 mm Hg or higher, a self-reported physician diagnosis of high blood pressure, or if they were taking blood pressure medication.

Researchers searched a large online retailer's automatic blood pressure category in January 2024 to identify the most widely used devices by referencing their ranking, number of purchases and number of ratings in the previous month.

Please note: The data in this news release are updated and therefore do not match the data in the abstract but do match the data in the simultaneous publication. The update has been confirmed by the researchers.

The study's limitations included its restriction to a single large online retailer and only 10 devices. The researchers had planned to review 16 devices. However, six devices were unavailable for purchase.

"This study is interesting, important and provides very practical information. Use of an incorrect arm cuff size is one of the more important sources of systematic (predictable) error during blood pressure measurement," said Paul K. Whelton, M.B., M.D., M.Sc., FAHA.

"This research found that the number of U.S. adults expected to have an arm size larger than routinely covered by the cuff size provided by the manufacturer (16.5 million) was much larger than the number expected to have an arm size smaller than that routinely covered by the manufacturer (0.8 million).

"Thus, the use of a routinely sized cuff is far more likely to result in overestimation of hypertension rather than underestimation of hypertension. The best solution is to have cuffs of different sizes available, so a cuff that is of correct size for the patient can be chosen."

Whelton is the Show Chwan Chair in Global Public Health in the department of epidemiology at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans and president of the World Hypertension League, as well as chair of the American Heart Association's 2017 Hypertension Practice Guidelines and a member of the writing committee for the Association's 2021 Scientific Statement on Management of Stage 1 Hypertension in Adults.

"In addition to selection of the correct cuff size, other sources of systematic (predictable) error should be excluded by preparing the patient, choosing an appropriate BP measurement site and using clinically validated BP measurement devices," Whelton said.

More information: Moderated Poster Presentation MP23 in Session MPS04 Social Determinant of Health and Blood Pressure is Friday, September 6, 2024, at 10:10 am CT. Journal information: Hypertension
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For children and adolescents who have anxiety, going to school can feel like a nightmare. Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States for adults. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety that interferes with daily life has risen in young people, making everyday activities like going to school and socializing difficult and more stressful.

In Massachusetts, the upward trend in anxiety-related disorders has led to more students missing school, sometimes labeled chronic absenteeism or school refusal. This leaves parents, families, and caregivers scrambling for solutions, like educational accommodations and mental health counselingall of which are limited, with long waiting lists to even get in front of a health care provider.

"The mechanisms underlying anxietylike intolerance of uncertainty, changes, and distressall went up during 2020, and they haven't come back down to pre-COVID levels," says Alyssa Farley, a BU College of Arts & Sciences research assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences. "This raises the question about whether children have really recovered from the experiences of those years."

Farley is a clinician and supervisor at BU's Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders (CARD) Child & Adolescent program, where she and her colleagues treat children ages 3 to 17 for various clinical anxiety disorders, such as separation anxiety, phobias, and selective mutism, which is when a child will not speak in certain settingscommonly schoolbut will speak comfortably in other environments. The clinic also offers guidance for caregivers to help kids succeed.

"I think a lot of the things that we recommend can feel counterintuitive to parents," Farley says. "For example, instead of accommodating avoidance or enabling children to escape a situation that's causing them anxiety, we say to gradually work with them to face their fears."

Farley wishes there was better understanding of anxiety both at home and in schools, since it can be overlooked until a child starts missing school.

The Brink sat down with Farley to discuss why anxiety in children is interfering with school, why it's so difficult for parents and kids to access resources, and how to support an anxious child.

Based on your work at CARD, how do you make sense of the heightened levels of anxiety among kids and rising school absenteeism?

There are a lot of different factors that contribute to that. There was the period of the COVID pandemic, 2020 to 2021, where kids weren't in school, and they weren't facing things that might be challenging for them under normal circumstances. So, for example, a child predisposed to social anxiety could have spent critical developmental years without having any playdates and not going to school in person.

Now school is back to normal, but some kids missed out on key opportunities to practice facing social challenges. For kids that were in their preschool years during the COVID lockdown, they would have started practicing talking with teachers and other kids, and they have really struggled due to missing out on that time.

Another element is screen time. I hear a lot of parents saying their child is completely addicted to their phone or tablet, and that it's really hard to get them to do other things. For that same period during COVID, daylong screen use became normalized. I think that might be another contributor to school absenteeism now. If school is a factor that causes a child to feel extreme and impairing levels of anxiety, then of course they want to avoid it and stay home instead.

Screen time is just another pull to avoid anxietyit can be very hard to put aside and go to school instead. A lot of times when we're trying to get families to help their children attend school more regularly, we have to ask them to remove that reinforcement at home.

How is missing school addressed in the clinic, and what are the options families have?

A lot of times, we work with families to remove the enabling patterns that contribute to school refusal and build skills to help the child attend school more consistently. For example, an anxious child might say they have a stomachache every week and start staying home a lot. Over time, we might realize that anxiety is making them feel physically unwell, or there is something making them really nervous about school that they're trying very hard to avoid. The source of this anxiety should be addressed, and the family should help the child make it to school as consistently as possible.

We're always trying to prevent school refusal from becoming a more persistent pattern, because the longer you're not doing something, the harder it is to jump back into it. When we see children with persistent school refusal, we're often recommending more intensive treatment than standard outpatient therapy, since that typically won't be sufficient for a child who has long-term, chronic school refusal.

There have been reports of parents struggling to get accommodations and support for their children who are refusing to go to school because of impairing anxiety. Why do you think that is the case?

It's typically thought about in terms of internalizing versus externalizing. Externalizing disorders cause behaviors that are disruptive to the class and interfere with the teacher's flow of the day. Internalizing disorders like anxiety and mood disorders cause inward distress, and are less likely to affect the classroom.

For example, we treat kids who are highly perfectionistic and afraid of making mistakes. They're at school every day, handing in perfect assignments, which can be positively perceived by teachers and school staff. But, that can actually be driven by a significant underlying anxiety, one that doesn't call out for a need for help.

As another example, a student with social anxiety or selective mutism might struggle to participate or speak in class. While those are signs of impairment, they can still be easy to overlook because they are not disruptive in nature.

Is there a fear that those students could fall through the cracks, because it's not behavior that is disrupting the classroom?

Absolutely. With school refusal, it's common to see that schools will start intervening and making plans when it gets to the point that there is concern about educational neglect. Then measures and steps that need to be taken can seem quite punitive to families. I have worked with kids who have gone to court because they've missed too many days of school. But that's not addressing the underlying problem.

How would you like to see schools improve the way students are supported?

I would wish for greater awareness of what anxiety looks like and the ways that it can interfere. Anxiety can actually be really impairing and prevent a child from reaching their potential in a range of ways. I'd like to see more training on how to identify signs of anxiety for both families and school staff. There's a lot of misidentification and misunderstanding of anxiety disorders that--until a child is not showing up for school--can cause them to be overlooked.

Teachers are often well-positioned to identify a mental health concern. To address this, we have made efforts to support them, such as through the development of online trainings designed in our team's collaboration with Jennifer Greif Green, a professor in special education and a child clinical psychologist at BU's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. The training helps with identifying the different signs that a child might be struggling with their mental health and how to check in with the child in an effective and supportive wayand also how to refer them to school- or community-based mental health services if needed.

Is there similar training for parents and caregivers who have a child struggling with anxiety?

That's something I would like to develop. At the clinic, we provide parents with education around ways they interact with their child, so that they can be more effective in helping their child overcome anxiety. And it's oftentimes not intuitive. Maybe they're providing their child with a lot of reassurance all the time, or they're jumping in whenever they see their child starting to feel a little bit anxious, or they're saving them from hard situations or allowing them to avoid them. We call those the "parent traps," since that is what parents often naturally do when they have the very best intentions. It's in the effort to protect your child and can be helpful in the short run, but it can maintain and exacerbate anxiety in the long run.

If you were to give general tips for parents and caregivers, what would they be?

Acknowledge your child's feelings and express confidence in their ability to do hard things. There can be a tendency to minimize anxiety by saying things like, "Oh it's going to be so easy, nothing to worry about, relax it's fine"but that language doesn't really help. We encourage parents to label their child's feelings, empathize with their emotions, and provide encouragement. You might say, "I can tell that you're feeling really scared and I get it. I know that this is really hard. But you've got this. You can do it."

I would also say, help your child to challenge their own anxious thoughts. Support your child in gradually facing their fears. Notice and praise instances of bravery, and practice modeling braverykids pick up on all their parents' cues.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Mpox clade I, one of two types of the virus formerly called monkeypox, is spreading quickly in Africa. Mpox clade I causes more severe illness and death than the other typempox clade 2. More than 18,000 cases have been reported this year, many of them children, according to an article published in Nature. At least 600 deaths have been reported.

The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern last month, due to the rapid spread of mpox clade 1.

Mpox clade 1 is believed to be more infectious and more deadly than mpox clade 2, which caused the global outbreak in 2022 and 2023.

We asked Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital, to answer questions about this latest outbreak.

What is a clade and what is the difference between clade 1 and clade 2 of mpox?

In biology, a clade is a group of organisms with a common ancestor. The World Health Organization has confirmed that there are two distinct clades of the mpox virus: clade 1 and clade 2.

Mpox clade 2 is what caused the global outbreak of mpox in 2022 and 2023.

Mpox clade 1 is what is circulating now in Africaincluding African countries that haven't reported cases of mpox in the past. As of Sept. 3, 2024, cases have also been reported in Sweden, Thailand and Pakistan after travel to Africa.

What are the signs and symptoms of mpox?

Common symptoms of both clade 1 and clade 2 mpox are:

Rash

Fever

Sore throat

Headache

Muscle aches

Back pain

Low energy

Swollen lymph nodes

For some, the first symptoms will be similar to influenza or COVID. But the development of the rash is hard to miss. See photos of the mpox rash. The lesions can appear on the hands, feet, chest, face or genitals. It starts as macules, which are flat lesions.

Then it forms a firm nodule. From there, it becomes a blister, then a pustule (a blister containing pus) and then it scabs over. It can be painful or itchy. Symptoms typically last two to four weeks, but may last longer in those with weakened immune systems.

How long does it take before symptoms appear?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incubation period (the time from when one is infected to when symptoms appear) for mpox is one to 21 days after exposure. During this incubation period, people who are infected may feel fine and have no symptoms. People may be contagious one to four days before symptoms appear and can stay infectious until the skin rash scabs and heals over.

How is it transmitted?

Mpox is transmitted through close person-to-person contact. This can be through talking or breathing close to one another, touching or sex and through sharing contaminated materials such as clothing or bedding (see the CDC's tips for cleaning and disinfecting). Pregnant people can transmit the virus to their fetus. People can also contract it from infected animals, either by being scratched or bitten, or by eating meat from an infected animal.

Is there a vaccine for mpox?

Yes, JYNNEOS is a two-dose vaccine developed to protect against mpox and smallpox. It can be administered to adults or to patients under 18 years of age (but it is not part of the regular vaccine schedule for children). People need to get both doses of the vaccine for the best protection against mpox, if they have been exposed.

The second dose should be given four weeks after the first dose. You can start to have an immune response after the first dose of JYNNEOS, but it takes two weeks after the second dose to be the most protected.

If the vaccine is given within four days of exposure, it protects about 85% of the time. Even if the vaccine is given up to two weeks after exposure, it may modify the disease, making it less severe.

In addition, there are some antivirals and immunoglobulins that are available to treat mpox. For patients under six months of age, Vaccinia immune globulin intravenous (VIGIV) is an option, according to the CDC.

Is there a way to test for mpox?

If a health care provider suspects that a patient has been exposed to mpox, they can get a sample of a lesion and send it to the state for testing. If it turns out positive, the result will be confirmed at the CDC.

How do you treat mpox?

Most patients recover with supportive care and pain control.

Tecovirimat is an antiviral therapy that is available for mpox treatment. It is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and is generally used only for those with severe infection, or at risk for severe infection.

Antiviral treatment is generally given for patients with severe disease such as infection of the eye, neurologic complications, heart inflammation, mucosal lesions (occurring in the mouth, rectum, genitalia and urethra), or uncontrolled viral spread. Treatment may also be indicated for those who are at increased risk for severe disease, including those with weakened immune systems or some skin conditions such as eczema.

What should someone do if they think they have been exposed to someone with mpox?

In most cases, monkeypox is not a medical emergency, so patients should not go to the emergency department. Evaluation to determine if monkeypox testing is needed can be scheduled by contacting a primary care physician's office or via urgent care clinics, usually as same-day appointments. Patients with difficulty breathing, altered level of consciousness, decreased vision, uncontrollable pain or other severe mpox manifestations should seek medical care immediately.

More information: Sara Reardon, Mpox is spreading rapidly. Here are the questions researchers are racing to answer, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-02793-9 Journal information: Nature
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a study that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family members.

The results of the ELVIS-Kids randomized controlled trial were presented by Professor Steve Cunningham from Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, UK.

He said, "Children have up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections, what we refer to as colds, per year, which have a big impact on them and their families. There are medicines to improve symptoms, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, but no treatments that can make a cold get better quicker."

ELVIS-Kids Chief Investigator Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam, consultant virologist, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK, had noted that salt-water solutions are often used by people in South Asia, as nasal irrigation and gargling, to treat a cold and wanted to explore if this clinical benefit could be replicated in a large study.

The research team recruited 407 children aged up to six years for a study where they were given either hypertonic saline ~2.6% (salt-water) nasal drops or usual care when they developed a cold.

Overall, 301 children developed a cold; for 150 of these, their parents were given sea salt and taught to make and apply salt-water nose drops to the children's noses (three drops per nostril, a minimum of four times per day, until well) and 151 children had usual cold care.

Professor Cunningham explains, "We found that children using salt-water nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days. The children receiving salt water nose drops also needed fewer medicines during their illness.

"Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. Chloride is used by the cells lining the nose and windpipes to produce hypochlorous acid within cells, which they use to defend against virus infection. By giving extra chloride to the lining cells, this helps the cells produce more hypochlorous acid, which helps suppress viral replication, reducing the length of the virus infection, and therefore the duration of symptoms."

When children got salt-water nose drops, fewer households reported family members catching a cold (46% vs. 61% for usual care); 82% of parents said the nose drops helped the child get better quickly and 81% said they would use nose drops in the future.

Professor Cunningham added, "Reducing the duration of colds in children means that fewer people in their house also get a cold, with clear implications for how quickly a household feels better and can return to their usual activities like school and work etc.

"Our study also showed that parents can safely make and administer nose drops to their children and therefore have some control over the common cold affecting their children."

Professor Alexander Moeller is Head of the ERS Pediatric Assembly and Head of the Department for Respiratory Medicine at the University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, and was not involved in the research.

He said, "This is an important study that is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of salty nose drops in children with colds. Although most colds usually don't turn into anything serious, we all know how miserable they can be, especially for young children and their families.

"This extremely cheap and simple intervention has the potential to be applied globally; providing parents with a safe and effective way to limit the impact of colds in their children and family would represent a significant reduction in health and economic burden of this most common condition."

The team hope to further investigate the effect of saltwater nose drops on wheeze during colds, after initial results from this study showed that children who received the drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheeze (5% vs. 19%).

More information: Abstract no: OA1985 "A randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nose drops as a treatment in children with the common cold (ELVIS-Kids trial)", by Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam et al; Presented in session "Advancements in paediatric infectious respiratory health" at 15.45-17.00 CEST on Sunday 8 September 2024. k4.ersnet.org/prod/v2/Front/Pr  ?e=549&session=17869

Provided by European Respiratory Society
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Covid-19 vaccination syringes Credit: Jurgen Gocke / University of Freiburg

Esoteric attitudesespecially with regard to complementary and alternative medicinehave an influence on the willingness to be vaccinated. Dr. Sebastian Jackle and Dr. James K. Timmis, both from the Department of Political Science at the University of Freiburg, have demonstrated this in a study published in August in the journal npj Vaccines.

The researchers show that respondents who view conventional medicine positively have on average one more vaccination dose against coronavirus than respondents who view it negatively. Respondents who are in favor of Waldorf education and homeopathy are significantly less likely to be vaccinated (a second time).

"People with a positive view of homeopathy received an average of 0.4 fewer coronavirus vaccine doses than those who do not trust homeopathy," explains Jackle. "With a maximum of four vaccine doses possible up to the time of the survey, these are very substantial effects." The study included more than 7,000 people across Germany and was carried out in 2022.

Varying motivations for vaccinations

The study also sheds light on the different motivations of respondents to get vaccinated against coronavirus: Those who were in favor of conventional medicine stated that they followed medical advice and the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) or focused on protecting others.

Those in favor of Waldorf education and homeopathy were motivated, among other things, by being able to participate in public lifesuch as going to restaurantswithout any problems when vaccinated.

Furthermore, the analyzed data indicate that positive attitudes towards esotericism, complementary and alternative medicine not only lead to a lower number of coronavirus vaccination doses, but also negatively influence the view of childhood vaccinations in a very similar way. This finding differs from study results from the U.S., which showed that attitudes towards coronavirus vaccination and pediatric vaccination differ.

"This knowledge can help to better measure the willingness of the population to be vaccinated and to plan vaccination campaigns in a more targeted manner," says Timmis.

More information: Sebastian Jackle et al, Esoteric beliefs and CAM impact SARS-CoV-2 immunization drivers, uptake and pediatric immunization views in Germany, npj Vaccines (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00928-7 Journal information: npj Vaccines

Provided by Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg im Breisgau
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Dr. Zihao Ou, assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, holds a vial of the common yellow food coloring tartrazine in solution. In an article published in Science, Ou and his collegues report that they made the skin on the skulls and abdomens of live mice transparent by applying to the areas a mixture of water and tartrazine. Credit: University of Texas at Dallas

In a new study, researchers made the skin on the skulls and abdomens of live mice transparent by applying to the areas a mixture of water and a common yellow food coloring called tartrazine.

Dr. Zihao Ou, assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, is lead author of the study, published in the Sept. 6 print issue of the journal Science.

Living skin is a scattering medium. Like fog, it scatters light, which is why it cannot be seen through.

"We combined the yellow dye, which is a molecule that absorbs most light, especially blue and ultraviolet light, with skin, which is a scattering medium. Individually, these two things block most light from getting through them.

"But when we put them together, we were able to achieve transparency of the mouse skin," said Ou, who, with colleagues, conducted the study while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University before joining the UT Dallas faculty in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in August.

"For those who understand the fundamental physics behind this, it makes sense; but if you aren't familiar with it, it looks like a magic trick," Ou said.

The "magic" happens because dissolving the light-absorbing molecules in water changes the solution's refractive indexa measure of the way a substance bends lightin a way that matches the refractive index of tissue components like lipids. In essence, the dye molecules reduce the degree to which light scatters in the skin tissue, like dissipating a fog bank.

In their experiments with mice, the researchers rubbed the water and dye solution onto the skin of the animals' skulls and abdomens. Once the dye had completely diffused into the skin, the skin became transparent. The process is reversible by washing off any remaining dye. The dye that has diffused into the skin is metabolized and excreted through urine.

"It takes a few minutes for the transparency to appear," Ou said. "It's similar to the way a facial cream or mask works: The time needed depends on how fast the molecules diffuse into the skin."

Through the transparent skin of the skull, researchers directly observed blood vessels on the surface of the brain. In the abdomen, they observed internal organs and peristalsis, the muscle contractions that move contents through the digestive tract.

The transparent areas take on an orangish color, Ou said. The dye used in the solution is commonly known as FD&C Yellow #5 and is frequently used in orange- or yellow-colored snack chips, candy coating and other foods. The Food and Drug Administration certifies nine color additivestartrazine is onefor use in foods.

"It's important that the dye is biocompatibleit's safe for living organisms," Ou said. "In addition, it's very inexpensive and efficient; we don't need very much of it to work."

The researchers have not yet tested the process on humans, whose skin is about 10 times thicker than a mouse's. At this time it is not clear what dosage of the dye or delivery method would be necessary to penetrate the entire thickness, Ou said.

"In human medicine, we currently have ultrasound to look deeper inside the living body," Ou said. "Many medical diagnosis platforms are very expensive and inaccessible to a broad audience, but platforms based on our tech should not be."

Ou said one of the first applications of the technique will likely be to improve existing research methods in optical imaging.

"Our research group is mostly academics, so one of the first things we thought of when we saw the results of our experiments was how this might improve biomedical research," he said.

"Optical equipment, like the microscope, is not directly used to study live humans or animals because light can't go through living tissue. But now that we can make tissue transparent, it will allow us to look at more detailed dynamics. It will completely revolutionize existing optical research in biology."

In his new Dynamic Bio-imaging Lab at UTD, Ou will continue the research he started with Dr. Guosong Hong, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford and a corresponding author of the study. Ou said the next steps in the research will include understanding what dosage of the dye molecule might work best in human tissue.

In addition, the researchers are experimenting with other molecules, including engineered materials, that could perform more efficiently than tartrazine.

Study authors from Stanford, include co-corresponding author Dr. Mark Brongersma, the Stephen Harris Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The researchers have applied for a patent on the technology.

Dr. Zihao Ou earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Science and Technology of China and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His doctoral research focused on electron microscopy, an imaging technology that uses beams of electrons, instead of light, to produce high-resolution, magnified images of biological and nonbiological specimens.

"I know my field very well, but after I finished my Ph.D., I wanted to do something that would have more of an impact on more people, rather than limit myself to materials science," Ou said.

"So I decided to learn some biological imaging techniques and bring my background in physics and materials science to biomedical science. As a postdoc, I believe my background in physical science brought a unique perspective to our biological imaging research."

Ou said he came to UT Dallas for that same cross-disciplinary experience.

More information: Zihao Ou et al, Achieving optical transparency in live animals with absorbing molecules, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adm6869. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adm6869 Journal information: Science
Its not that McCall Lazalde was in a dark place when she saw Bigfoot.

She was on a hike with her brother and his fiance about a year ago, only slightly third-wheeling. It was easy for her thoughts to wander with their chatter, her mind tugged back to a familiar conflict.

No, it wasnt a dark place  it was more confusing. She was struggling with her place in a church she'd grown up in, as she had for years.

Why did she have to talk to God through a man? Wasnt she enough, even if she was a woman? Was she going to hell for having doubts?

She blinked away the thoughts until they were a tight little ball in her stomach and focused on the hike.

And thats when it happened.

A primal alertness surged within. Her vision tunneled to a clearing in front of her where a tall stone obelisk sat. Next to it was what looked like a burnt pine, blackened and pointed.

Its a tree, her mind supplied.

No, it's not, her instincts whispered back.

As her eyes flickered over the shape, trying to make sense of it, a peacefulness washed over her. She took a breath, suddenly aware of the two people still talking behind her, and she turned to tell them about it.

But as soon as she turned back, it was gone. And yet, she knew exactly what it was.

I knew their heads were pointed, conical, and theyll turn to their side as a camouflage technique, she told her enraptured audience, months later. They leaned in from their seats on a sandy trail. I think he sensed my intentions, knew I was peaceful.

Nowadays, 29-year-old Lazalde hosts something called Bigfoot Believers hikes. Fellow cryptid, or urban-legend creature, enthusiasts coordinate on Facebook and meet for a nature stroll a few times a month.

She started the group in late spring as a way to make friends after moving to Helena from the Bitterroot Valley.

She wanted to make a place for herself. Lazalde had joined some witch-themed Facebook groups, but nothing clicked. Despite the supernatural themes, no one really believed, she found.

And worse, they kinda made fun of people who believed, Lazalde said.

There was a ripple from her religious struggles, the people whod told her not to think beyond what she was told, and it felt sour.

When she began posting the Bigfoot Believers hikes on Facebook, judgment was at the top of her concerns.

This would be a place for people to speak freely about their curiosities, whether they were a stalwart believer or not. It would also be open to all levels of hikers. The clicks built up, and the hikes began.

On an Aug. 22 hike she had one of her biggest groups yet at eight people. Around 50 people lurk on the Facebook page, but getting people to commit is one of the hardest parts.

From the first few steps on the trail, the group launched into their respective supernatural wonders.

It was a healthy mix. Some wanted to believe but didnt have any hard evidence. One woman had gone camping at the top of mountains, waiting to be abducted by aliens.

No dice, she said solemnly.

Others had their own encounters. On a break toward the end of the hike, one man described the chest-rattling roar hed heard in the woods.

Hed grown up in Montana wilderness, but when he saw the red-and-black fur, heard the high-pitched wail layered over the deep growl, he knew it wasnt any bear or moose.

People didnt believe me, he said.

Another hiker shook her head.

They see an illusion, she said. You saw what was real.

Poor muggles, he replied with a small chuckle.

Muggles are nonmagical people in the children's book series Harry Potter, but the word has grown to mean anyone outside of a group.

As people spoke, there was a constant but gentle probing, asking for more details but not demanding. Listening skills were important. Reassurance was, too.

Thank goodness weve got an expert leading us, a less-experienced attendee said as the hike weaved off the common paths. Ive got a terrible sense of direction.

The woman next to them turned her head sharply.

No, no, no, dont say that, she said, waving her hand. Youre learning.

That woman is learning to rephrase things nicely for herself, too.

By the end of the hike, bright pink skies had faded to blue twilight, the rest of the city twinkling not too far away. Civilization, they scoffed.

Lazalde watched the conversation wind down with a smile. Its nice to see people just being people. It was nice to be listened to.

I dont know why childhood wonder needs to die after you find out Santa Claus isnt real, she said. The world is so much more. I cant wait to be a part of it.
A Browning man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Wednesday to having sexual contact with a girl on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and sending nude images of himself via social media to minor girls, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Treston Lane Kickingwoman, 28, pleaded guilty Tuesday in front of Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris in Great Falls to felony counts of abusive sexual contact and two counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor.

Kickingwoman faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release for the abusive sexual contact charge. For the other two charges, he faces a possibility of a 10-year prison sentence, $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, officials said in an email.

The defendant and prosecutors reached a plea agreement that said the prison sentence would be between 10 and 15 years. Sentencing was set for Jan. 15. Kickingwoman was detained pending further proceedings, authorities said.

Court documents state that in 2022, a victim told law enforcement when she was about 6 years old the defendant touched her sexually, and when she told him she would tell he implied he would hurt her.

Documents state an undercover FBI employee acting as a girl began communicating with Kickingwoman on Facebook in 2023.

The defendant sent nude photos of himself to the undercover FBI employee, and a search of his Facebook found he did the same thing to multiple accounts, including two minors, documents state.
On Tuesday, the Suffolk Superior Court in Boston heard details regarding the brutal murder of Margaret Mbitu, allegedly committed by her boyfriend, Kevin Kinyanjui Kangethe.

Kangethe appeared in court on September 3, 2024 for a hearing after extradition from Kenya on September 1, 2024, where he had fled to evade capture.

During the proceedings, the prosecution revealed that authorities discovered Mbitus body on October 31, 2023, inside an SUV at Boston Logan International Airport while searching for the missing woman.

Allegedly, Kangethe took a cab from his home in Lowell to Mbitus workplace, where he met her as she left the office. He then drove her home in her car, which was reportedly registered in his name.

While driving, Kangethe attacked Mbitu, stabbing her 10 times in the face and neck with a knife. Prosecutors disclosed that after the attack, Kangethe answered two phone calls from Mbitus family and coworkers inquiring about her whereabouts. He falsely claimed that she had suffered an injury and was unable to answer the phone herself.

How Detectives Tracked Kevin Kangethe

Following the attack, Kangethe disposed of her phone in a dumpster in Chelsea, a decision that detectives used to track him down through surveillance footage.

Thirty hours later, authorities found Mbitus body face down in the cars front seat, which had been reclined. Prosecutors stated that her body had been covered with items to avoid raising suspicions.

In court, Mbitus family expressed hope for justice as they shared their pain over the loss of their loved one. Mbitus cousin, Mary Kinyariro, spoke on behalf of the victims sister, emphasizing their determination to hold the suspect accountable. We will not tire until justice is served, she declared.

It has been a long journey coming. Today gives us hope and represents a step forward toward justice, Kinyariro said, as quoted by NBC Boston.

We will continue to fight until this coward is locked up and never sees light again or harms another family.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden described the start of the court proceedings as a beacon of hope for achieving justice.

She was deeply loved, a caregiver, a nurse cherished by every patient she serveda beautiful soul, a wonderful daughter, and a loving sister, Hayden stated.

Kangethe pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and has been denied bail. The case is set for a mention on November 5.
The government has introduced a new levy on contractors to boost tax revenue as collections decline. Beginning September 1, suppliers providing goods and services to national and county governments are required to pay this levy, as detailed in the Public Procurement Capacity Building Levy Order 2023.

In a notice authorized by John Mbadi, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) informed all public sector stakeholders of this new directive.

Under the Levy Order, 2023, suppliers must pay 0.03 percent of the contract value, excluding taxes, on all agreements with procuring entities. This levy is applicable to all procurement contracts signed from September 1, 2024, including any extensions, renewals, and variations. The notice emphasized that the levy will apply to contracts and modifications signed on or after this date.

The government expects to generate at least $2 million (Kes.295.5 million) from this levy, considering that public procurement accounts for roughly 10 percent of Kenyas gross domestic product (GDP). Despite the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) collecting Kes.2.407 trillion in the financial year ending June 2024a growth of 11.1 percent from the previous yearit still missed its revenue target by Kes.130 billion.

The new levy will impact contracts involving national and county governments, state corporations, publicly-owned companies, and other entities as defined by the Public Finance Management Act, 2012. Treasury introduced the levy in 2023, asserting that it aims to strengthen public procurement systems and increase revenue collection. The levy was formally adopted after public feedback was invited on the proposal.

According to the PPRA, the levy is intended to improve public procurement practices by funding capacity development for procurement and asset disposal personnel through training, mentoring, and technical assistance. This initiative follows the PPRAs recent efforts to streamline public tendering, including implementing a new procurement platform for publishing contract awards and tender notices. The levy will also cover long-term contracts, where Local Service Orders (LSOs) or Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) are issued as orders are placed.

Procuring entities must remit the levy through the eCitizen platform by the 20th of the following month, with a 5 percent penalty for late payments. Additionally, they must file monthly returns on deducted and remitted levy amounts with the Public Procurement Information Portal to ensure transparency and accountability.

To facilitate a smooth transition, the PPRA plans to hold stakeholder sensitization forums starting in September 2024, along with ongoing engagement and collaboration to enhance compliance with the Levy Order 2023.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja expressed confidence that his administration will exceed its record revenue collection target of Kes.12.8 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year. He conveyed this optimism during a key entry audit meeting with county executives and representatives from the Office of the Auditor General.

Sakaja emphasized that the countys commitment to transparency and compliance in revenue collection would drive this anticipated increase, crediting the full digitization of the countys revenue streams as a major factor.

This year, we are aiming for even higher collections, Sakaja said. I urge our County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) to go above and beyond to meet these goals.

The governor also highlighted the empowerment of various county departments, including hospitals and the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC), to independently collect revenue. He pointed out that this strategy has significantly bolstered the countys financial health, with NWSC alone generating over Kes.10.8 billion in the previous financial year.

We believe in empowering these institutions to generate more revenue, Sakaja added. This autonomy not only enhances decision-making but also ensures that more funds are available for service delivery to our people.

Sakaja underscored the importance of transparency, setting clear deliverables, and maintaining openness with the Auditor Generals office. He stressed that these meetings are crucial for ensuring the Nairobi City County Government operates efficiently and manages its finances responsibly.

I urge everyone to take this meeting seriously, the governor stated. We must be transparent with our people and deliver on our promises. The Auditor General needs to fully understand how we collect and spend public funds.

Representatives from the Office of the Auditor General commended Governor Sakaja for initiating this open audit process. They praised his dedication to transparency and noted that he had set a precedent in Nairobi County by hosting the entry audit meeting.

This marks the beginning of a new era of openness in county finances, remarked an officer from the Auditor Generals office.
The State is seeking to extend the Kenya Revenue Authoritys (KRA) Tax Amnesty Programme through the Tax Procedures (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aiming to bring more Kenyans into the tax bracket.

This Bill proposes extending the tax amnesty period from June 30, 2024, to June 30, 2025, allowing additional taxpayers to benefit while enabling the government to collect unpaid principal taxes during the extra year.

The new proposal also introduces a provision for tax recovery relief, which allows the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury to grant relief when tax recovery becomes impossible, unduly difficult, expensive, or inequitable. In this proposal, the Commissioner will refer such cases to the Cabinet Secretary, who can approve either partial or full relief.

The Cabinet Secretary must publish the names of taxpayers granted relief and the reasons for these decisions every four months in the Gazette and present these notices to the National Assembly for approval or annulment.

According to a public notice, The Bill presents an opportunity for the government to amend the proposed provisions to extend the amnesty to cover taxes that have accrued after December 2022.

This extension would come in response to pressure from small traders and lobby groups advocating for the continuation of the successful program.

The Finance Act of 2023 initially introduced the tax amnesty program, allowing taxpayers to apply for amnesty on penalties and interest related to tax debts incurred up to December 31, 2022. The program ran from September 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, providing essential relief to taxpayers with outstanding obligations.

During this period, KRA collected Kes.43.9 billion from 1,064,667 taxpayers while waiving penalties and interest totaling Kes.507.7 billion, benefiting 3,115,393 individuals. Under the amnesty program, taxpayers only need to pay the principal amount of their outstanding tax debts. However, those liable for tax avoidance penalties do not qualify for the program, which allows only the waiver of interest and penalties.

KRA acts as the sole authority to approve the amnesty, requiring no specific reason for its granting; the program applies only to taxes accrued up to December 2022.

In contrast, the proposed tax relief from the Cabinet Secretary would consider all taxes, including principal amounts, for relief. This relief requires approval from both the Cabinet Secretary and the National Assembly, with the Commissioner obligated to provide reasons for proposing the relief.

Additionally, the relief is not limited to a specific accrual period. The Bill also proposes changing the computation of time for lodging objections to exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, termed excluded days.
Lawyer-turned-civil activist Morara Kebaso is eager to continue his criticism of the government, revealing on Tuesday that his mobile money account reached its limit after receiving generous contributions from supporters.

On Monday, the prominent critic of President William Ruto appealed to the public for assistance in raising Kes. 1.2 million to purchase a public address system for civic education and good governance campaigns. By Tuesday evening, he reported that his mobile account, which has a limit of Kes. 500,000, was full, prompting him to ask contributors to pause while he sought alternative ways to receive donations.

Kebaso also mentioned that he had already purchased a presidential address system to support his national visits.

Good evening. I thank you all for your contributions towards our mission. The mobile money account is full and the transaction limit has been exhausted. Kindly i request you to stop sending until tomorrow. Please, he informed his followers on social media.

Kenyans have bought me a super clear presidential address system. Boy oh boy. You should see me use it. I will educate and educate and educate. I will walk around with translators like a pastor in a crusade.

Kebaso also emphasized his determination to challenge Rutos administration, claiming that the regime employs fake accounts to undermine his character, with the latest accusation alleging that he is uneducated.

Those twenty Youth that operate from KICC (Kenyatta International Conference Center) ballroom and sometimes from Mudavadi Centre, I know them. I know they have registered not less than 50 X accounts each. I know they use a software called Tweetdeck to trend their hashtags like Mulika Morara. I am familiar with that game. Sadly, you are funding them using our taxes. Are those the jobs you said you will create on the digital highway? he asked.

If you thought you have bought the affordable opposition and compromised parliament and that now you have earned a license to sweep the treasury clean, you should think again.
The government announced a new pay rise for all civil servants on Tuesday, effective retroactively from July 1 of this year. This decision comes as a significant relief to workers who were planning to go on strike.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi disclosed that the Treasury approved Ksh 1.5 billion to fund this initiative.

The State Department for Public Service will utilize the approved budget for FY 2024/2025 to ensure that our civil servants receive fair compensation and remain motivated to serve Kenyans with excellence, he stated.

Our aim is to foster a performance-driven culture that will boost productivity and restore public confidence in our services, he added.

Principal Secretary Amos Gathecha issued a circular to the Auditor General, the Controller of Budget, and all county commissioners, including their deputies, regarding the new salary adjustments.

The second phase of the new basic salaries and house allowances will impact employees in job groups CSG17 to CSG4. All employees receiving house allowance for the cluster category will adopt cluster three rates, the circular states.

Gathecha further noted that house allowance for the cluster 4 category will cease to apply starting July 1, 2024. Job groups are generally classified based on an employees level of education, skill set, and certification.

Under the new pay structure, civil servants will see a salary increase of Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 3,000. The lowest cadre, CSG 17, will see their monthly salary rise from Ksh 16,920 to Ksh 19,340.

Employees in CSG 16 will earn between Ksh 18,250 and Ksh 21,940 each month, while those in the highest-paid Grade 4 category will receive between Ksh 182,890 and Ksh 339,780 monthly.

Job group B1 represents the lowest tier and includes low-skilled laborers such as Officer III, Support Staff, Operator III, and Attendant III. Conversely, job group E4 represents the highest tier in the civil service, comprising highly skilled and specialized personnel in high-level management positions.

In other categories, civil servants in Grade 15 (CSG15) will earn between Ksh 19,340 and Ksh 23,520, while those in Grade 14 will receive between Ksh 20,560 and Ksh 25,420. Employees in Grade 13 will earn between Ksh 25,420 and Ksh 32,000, and those in Grade 12 will make between Ksh 28,620 and Ksh 35,720.

Grade 11 salaries will range from Ksh 34,420 to Ksh 44,410, Grade 10 salaries will range from Ksh 41,420 to Ksh 54,680, and Grade 9 salaries will fall between Ksh 46,120 and Ksh 62,930.

Employees in Grade 8 will receive salaries ranging from Ksh 52,330 to Ksh 92,030, while those in Grade 7 will earn between Ksh 92,030 and Ksh 127,340.

Grade 6 employees will make between Ksh 105,570 and Ksh 175,070, and individuals in Grade 5 will receive salaries ranging from Ksh 146,360 to Ksh 245,000.
Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang reaffirmed the ongoing ban on social activities in schools during the third term.

In a circular issued on Wednesday, Dr. Kipsang emphasized that activities such as prayer days for national exam candidates and school visits will remain prohibited throughout the term.

Kipsang directed regional, county, and sub-county education directors to strictly enforce this ban.

This circular serves as a directive to ensure that schools do not conduct any of these activities. Please ensure all schools under your jurisdiction are made aware of this, he instructed.

The ban on third-term social activities was initially introduced in May 2016 by former Cabinet Secretary for Education Fred Matiangi. The prohibition covers prayer days, visiting days, half-term breaks, sports, prize-giving ceremonies, and annual general meetings.

This measure was implemented to minimize contact between candidates and outsiders, aiming to reduce cheating during the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

Matiangi highlighted that prayer days in the final term were often misused as opportunities to exchange materials, which were later used by candidates to cheat during the exams.
Governor Johnson Sakaja has launched an ambitious program to revitalize the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and give the city center a much-needed facelift. He made this announcement Wednesday during a crucial entry audit meeting with the county executive and representatives from the Office of the Auditor General.

Sakaja emphasized that the countys record revenue collection of Ksh 12.8 billion will play a vital role in funding the CBD restoration project.

We will embark on restoring the CBD, starting with the installation of strategically placed dustbins to ensure cleanliness, he stated.

Governor Sakaja assured the public that the project will be implemented during the 2024/2025 financial year.

In addition to installing trash bins, Sakaja confirmed that the restoration plans will include tarmacking all roads within the CBD that require it.

We will ensure that our roads within the CBD are upgraded, creating a better Nairobi for all road users to enjoy. We must make this work, he asserted.

The Governor also announced plans to install streetlights in areas lacking proper lighting, particularly focusing on dark spots that pose security risks.

We need to restore the city as a capital and bring back the glory it deserves, Sakaja reiterated.

He assured representatives from the Auditor Generals office that all projects will strictly adhere to the law, emphasizing his commitment to transparency and accountability throughout the restoration process.
 Flash

Four people were killed and nine wounded in a campus shooting at a high school in the U.S. state of Georgia on Wednesday, local authorities said.

The four deceased are two students and two teachers at the Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, about 70 km north of Atlanta, Georgia's biggest city.

The shooter has been identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the high school, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Chris Hosey told a briefing Wednesday afternoon.

Gray opened fire at the high school shortly before 10:30 a.m. He surrendered to police as soon as he was confronted by a school resource officer, Hosey said.

Multiple law enforcement agencies and emergency responders were dispatched to the school following the shooting.

The shooter will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult, Hosey said.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said he is not aware of any connection between the suspected shooter and the victims.

Hosey said part of the investigation is looking into every aspect of the shooter, his connection at the school.

Another nine people injured in the shooting have been taken to hospitals, Hosey said. In addition to the patients with gunshot wounds, five people were hospitalized with panic attack symptoms, a hospital spokesperson said.

The school was put on a hard lockdown after the shooting took place. Schools in Barrow County will be closed for the rest of the week, according to Dallas LeDuff, the county's superintendent.

The deadly school shooting has prompted officials to step up patrols around campuses in Atlanta.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he is mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to "senseless gun violence."

"What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart," he said.

The president called on lawmakers to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers.

Over 380 mass shootings have occurred in the United States in 2024 so far, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more victims are shot or killed.
 Flash

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the BRICS summit scheduled to be held in the Russian city of Kazan in October, Haberturk daily reported on Wednesday, citing presidential sources.

The report followed a statement by Russian presidential aide on foreign policy Yury Ushakov, who said, "Turkiye has applied for full membership. We will review the application."

On Tuesday, Omer Celik, the spokesperson for Turkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party, said that Turkiye's request to join BRICS is clear, and the process is ongoing. "If there are any concrete developments, they will be shared," Celik added.

BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market cooperative mechanism that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In January, the mechanism expanded its membership to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Ethiopia.
Idowu (Jola) Ajibade grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, a low-lying city built around a lagoon bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. Flooding is a routine occurrence during the rainy season.

It was bad, Ajibade recalls of living on the ground floor of a building during her early childhood. We would get inundated with water until my family relocated to the upper level in a rental apartment. I dont have many childhood photos or videos like most people. Our belongings got flooded out yearly  we replaced some items, but some things are just irreplaceable.

These experiences are part of what drove Ajibade, associate professor in Emorys Department of Environmental Sciences, to become an environmental and human geographer. She explores how climate change is transforming the lives, livelihoods, social-cultural landscapes and housing access for low-income groups and historically marginalized communities.

Nature recently published a commentary by Ajibade and Sameer Shah from the University of Washington considering whether futuristic settlements on water, so-called climatopias, are viable ways to build resilience in coastal communities.

As urban populations boom, even as climate change exacerbates flood risks in coastal areas, governments are working with developers, architects and engineers to try to make their cities more resilient.

Many leaders are promoting showcase climatopias as viable solutions. Ajibade and Shah, however, take a more cautious approach in their Nature commentary.

Ultimately, climatopias can become technical solutions to a complex global challenge only if stricter planning processes, impact assessments, ecosystem protection and justice for communities are at the heart of any coastal future, the authors write.

Examples of climatopias abound.

The Maldives Floating City is a development of modular floating platforms taking shape in the Indian Ocean, set for completion in 2027. The development aims to help the Maldives, one of the worlds low-lying nations, survive the effects of rising sea levels.

Maasbommel in the Netherlands offers an example of an amphibious climatopia. The 32 amphibious homes of Maasbommel are anchored to the ground but also fastened to flexible mooring posts that allow them to move upward by more than five meters and float during floods.

Reclamation, or the practice of creating new land from oceans by filling the water with rock, cement and other materials, forms the basis for other climatopia projects worldwide. One famous example is Eko Atlantic, an enclave of sleek, modern skyscrapers rising on a two-square-mile platform of reclaimed land on the Lagos waterfront.

Dredging for Eko Atlantic began in 2009, and construction is still underway. When completed, Eko Atlantic will comprise offices and luxury condos expected to house 250,000 residents, who will be protected from storm surges by an eight-mile-long, 20-foot-tall wall of concrete and granite.

Developers laud Eko Atlantic as a way to attract transnational investment, drive economic growth, combat the effects of climate change and house more people in one of the worlds fastest-growing megacities.

Getting multiple perspectives

While working on her PhD as a graduate student at Western University in Canada in 2012, Ajibade returned to her hometown to research community vulnerability and resilience in Lagos, a city sharply divided between the rich and poor.

I talked to people who lived in slums and those in wealthy areas to get both their perspectives, she says. There was torrential rainfall during my visit and, at one point, I had to wade through chest-high water.

She notes that construction on the Eko Atlantic project has been blamed for displacing some communities and for diverting water in ways that increase the flooding burden on the poorest of the poor. Others counter that poor communities have caused the increase in flooding by building shanties on drainage systems and filling them with trash.

Some believe that Eko Atlantic will benefit low-income people by providing service jobs. Others doubt that the economic boon of the pricy new real estate will trickle down in ways that benefit those who need it most.

So is Eko Atlantic worth the billions of dollars that have already been invested in it during the past 16 years?

It depends on who you ask, Ajibade says.

Improving the drainage infrastructure throughout Lagos, including in the poorest areas, might be another solution that could benefit more people.

We need to invest in projects for low-income groups because they are the most impacted by climate change, she notes. Climatopias cant be the focal solution, and they should be carefully considered so that they dont damage fragile ecosystems, accelerate ocean colonialism or create even more problems for people who are already living on the margins of society.
This September, theres no better way to welcome the fall semester than by immersing yourself in the arts on campus. Between cinematic offerings, literature readings, live music and exciting performances, there are plenty of arts events to kickstart the academic year.

Watch thoughtful cinema

The Emory Cinematheque kicks off its fall 2024 programming with a screening of  A Streetcar Named Desire  on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The Cinematheque, currently in its 43rd season of programming, is a series of free film screenings open to the public.

This seasons series is Southern Gothic, curated by Lydia Fort, assistant professor in theater studies. All screenings are held on Wednesdays in White Hall, Room 208, at 7:30 p.m. This months Cinematheque screenings will also include Night of the Hunter  on Sept. 11, The Young One  on Sept. 18, and HushHush, Sweet Charlotte  on Sept. 25.

Alongside the Cinematheques screenings, the Center for Ethics presents  Bulls and Saints  at 7 p.m. in White Hall, Room 207, on Thursday, Sept. 26, as a part of their Ethics at the Movies series. Tickets must be reserved ahead of time.

For documentary fans, Oxford College will show Saving the Chattahoochee  on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. in Humanities Hall, Room 202. The film dives into the life of Sally Bethea, a fierce advocate for the Chattahoochee River who is one of the first women riverkeepers in the U.S. Focusing on how Bethea stepped up to protect the river as the city around it quickly developed, the film also details her partnership with former Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin and how the pair changed the course of the rivers future.

Enjoy compelling live performances

In September, The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta (ECMSA) kicks off its 2024-25 season. The first Cooke Noontime Series concert happens Friday, Sept. 6, at 12 p.m., featuring a performance by the Vega Quartet. The free program is in Emerson Concert Hall of the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts.

The Emerson Series opens with a 40th anniversary performance from ECMSA founder William Ransom on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. This special program will be in the Schwartz Centers Emerson Concert Hall and is free to attend.

The Schwartz Centers Candler Concert series opens Friday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m., featuring Sarah Chang on violin and Sonya Ovrutsky Fensom on piano. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time.

Emorys Department of Music hosts various performances throughout the month. These include cellist Roee Harran on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m.; mezzo-soprano Victoria Vargas Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m.; a showcase featuring Emory voice faculty and artist affiliates on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m.; guitarist Luther Enloe Sunday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m.; music ensemble The Sebastians Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; and organist Jack Mitchener Sunday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m. Each program takes place in the Schwartz Centers Performing Arts studio and is free to attend.

Emory Dance faculty member Julio Medina presents return//de vuelta a los ancestros, a concert featuring Aztec dance, Folklorico and contemporary dance. Performances take place Friday, Sept. 20 , and Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Dance Studio. Tickets are required for this event.

Telugu Studies and Asian Art at Emory host Songs of Praise , a South Indian Dance Performance about the Telugu Poet Tallapaka Annamayya, on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. in the Emory Performing Arts Studio. The event is free and open to the public.

Also on Saturday, Sept. 21, the Center for Native and Indigenous Studies welcomes the all-Native American stand-up comedy show Good Medicine to campus. Two ticket slots are available; one at 7:30 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. The show will be held at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Theater Lab.

Oxford College will showcase plenty of live programs as well  and theyre each free and open to the public. Storyteller Andy Irwin will perform at Oxford Colleges Tarbutton Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Hear live music at An Evening of Music with Peter and Brendan Mayer  at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Greer Forum. Or, enjoy classical guitar with Duo Cantanza on Thursday, Sept. 26, a t 7 p.m. in the Oxford Chapel.

Pay a visit to the Carlos Museum

Experience the Carlos Museum in a sensory-friendly way during a Relaxed Morning on Saturday, Sept. 7, beginning at 10 a.m. Relaxed Mornings occur on the first Saturday of each month and are designed for adults who prefer a calmer and quieter museum experience. Sensory-friendly bags will be provided, which include fidget toys, emotion/needs cards and noise-canceling headphones.

The Carlos Museums Student Studio, held Friday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m., invites students to create a collage button out of recycled materials in the Tate Room. The studio is inspired by the Carlos upcoming exhibit Come Ruin or Rapture, which opens Thursday, Sept. 19, and features works by La Vaughn Bell. Materials will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Admission to the Carlos Museum and access to the Student Studio is free for all Emory students.

Listen to artist conversations

As part of the Billops Hatch Artist & Influence Programming series, The Rose Library will host actresses Anna Maria Horsford and Victoria Rowell on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. The event will take place in the Jones Room of the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

On Friday, Sept. 20, the Emory campus will host a series of workshops, exhibits, conversations and readings as a part of the dECOlonial Feelin Symposium. This series of workshops will run throughout the day beginning at 9:45 a.m. and will include a short story reading by Emory creative writing professor Tiphanie Yanique.

The creative writing program hosts 2022 American Book Award winner Phillip B. Williams in a reading of his latest novel,  Ours ,  on Monday, Sept. 23, at 1 p.m. A book signing will follow. Come back the next day, Tuesday, Sept. 24, for a colloquium on the novel at 1 p.m. in the Callaway Centers Kemp Malone Library.

Additionally, join the Carlos Museum and Guatemalan poet and scholar Daniel Cano (Q'anjob'al) for a reading of his poetry at the Carlos Museums Ackerman Hall, on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. The reading will be conducted in Qanjobal Maya, Spanish and English. Stick around afterward for a conversation between Cano and Emil' Keme (K'iche' Maya Nation), professor of English and Indigenous Studies. Registration will be required for this event.
VMPL Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 5: The Ms. World Universal Pageant recently concluded with a spectacular display of elegance, talent, and determination, attracting participants from around the globe. Held in America, this prestigious event brought together women who embody not only beauty but also strength, intelligence, and a commitment to social impact. Known for its rigorous standards and high-profile judges, the pageant celebrates womanhood in all its dimensions, recognizing those who inspire others through their achievements and character. Participants in the Ms. World Universal Pageant competed in a series of challenges designed to test their grace under pressure, intellectual prowess, and dedication to making a difference in the world. The competition was fierce, with contestants representing countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, England, and India. Each round, from the evening gown showcase to the talent performances and interview segments, highlighted the unique strengths of each participant, making the selection of winners a truly challenging task for the judges. Among the standout moments of the event was the crowning of Dr. Florence Helen Nalini, a Chennai-based educationist, as ' Ms Spirit of World Universal 2024'. Dr. Florence's journey to this title is nothing short of extraordinary. Having faced significant personal challenges, including a near-fatal battle with COVID-19, she demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination. Her victory is a testament to her unwavering spirit and multifaceted talents, which encompass her accomplishments as a psychologist, entrepreneur, and business leader. Adding to the excitement of the evening was the triumph of her daughter, Sariha Chowdhary, who was awarded the Miss World Universal title. At her young age, Sariha has already made significant strides in the fields of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and entrepreneurship, becoming one of India's youngest NLP practitioners and the CEO of Shreya's Global Academy. Her success at the pageant underscores the values of hard work, dedication, and the legacy of excellence passed down from her mother. The Ms. World Universal Pageant, with its focus on celebrating the full spectrum of what it means to be a successful woman, has once again proven to be a platform where true stars are born. The achievements of the titleholders not only bring pride to India but also inspire women around the world to pursue their dreams with passion and perseverance. Their journey at this pageant serves as a powerful reminder that beauty is not just skin deep--it is found in strength, intellect, and the courage to overcome challenges. For more information visit:- https://www.instagram.com/florencehelennalini?igsh=YzljYTk1ODg3Zg== (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PRNewswire Singapore, September 5: Singapore Design Week (SDW) returns this year from 26 September to 6 October in an 11-day celebration of Singapore's distinctive brand of design and creativity. Organised by DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), Asia's premier festival will traverse the city-state with a rich and thought-provoking programme curated around this year's theme "People of Design". It will celebrate the everyday visionaries that shape our society through design, united by their collective aspiration to enhance how we experience life. Refreshed content aligned to festival pillars Anchored by a suite of engaging key programmes that reflect the festival's three defining pillars: Design Futures, Design Marketplace and Design Impact, Dsg is working closely with leading industry experts to inform, intrigue and inspire at this year's SDW. Design Futures will explore the future of design through Singapore's forward-looking lens, aiming to prototype a better future for us all. Upholding this pillar is SDW's flagship Design Futures Forum, which returns with an expanded format that will be held across two days. Speakers from diverse fields will respond to this year's theme, 'Designing Our Collective Future'. The theme emphasises design's role and impact in emerging technologies, sustainability, and care - vital areas for shaping shared and resilient futures for all. Design Marketplace will unite lifestyle trends from around the world with the fast-growing design community of the Southeast Asia region. FIND - Design Fair Asia, Asia's largest design trade fair, presents its third edition at Marina Bay Sands from 26 to 28 September 2024. In addition, EMERGE @ FIND, Dsg's talent showcase dedicated to Southeast Asian contemporary design, curated by Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, returns with the theme of "These Precious Things". The curatorial provocation opens up a critical examination of the concept of value in an era of excess and environmental urgency as over 50 emerging and established designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam present new works that explore ideas of both internal and external value. Design Impact will inspire with innovative and impactful design solutions that tackle society's biggest questions. The Future Impact 2: Homecoming Showcase is a key event of this pillar. It debuted at Milan Design Week 2024 featuring seven designers. The much-anticipated return to local shores will see the exhibition run for eight weeks at the Asian Civilisations Museum with some designers refreshing their pieces for this special return show. Expanded footprint of design districts Following a successful introduction last year, this year's design districts will span a greater area within Singapore's dynamic districts of Bras Basah.Bugis, Orchard and Marina. Each district will present special commissions, exhibitions, experiential activations, installations, workshops and more, reflecting the individual charm and character of the local community. Continuing Dsg's ongoing efforts to champion homegrown talent, the three design districts will also see a network of creatives, communities, and partners collaborating to present Singapore's distinctive brand of creativity. Bras Basah.Bugis Design District A collective, led by internationally acclaimed designer, educator, and three-time recipient of the President*s Design Award, Hans Tan, and comprising Singapore designers such as Atelier HOKO, Forest & Whale and gideon-jamie, will be shaking up Bras Basah.Bugis Design District, Singapore's arts, heritage, and design precinct with their creativity. Tan's curatorial vision for the People of Design Showcase Series will see commissioned designers and studios reimagine everyday activities - eating, sleeping, reading, commuting, and more - through a series of specially created site-specific, experiential installations shaped to offer fresh perspectives across multiple venues. Marina Design District This year, the expanded Marina Design District will feature Marina Central for the first time, alongside the iconic Marina Bay area. Helming curatorial duties at Marina Central is Nathan Yong, founder of the eponymous multidisciplinary studio. As one of Singapore's most recognised and awarded designers, Yong will present Neufolk: Bridging Tradition and Future in Design, a series of activations which merges the collective spirit of communities with the future-thinking vision of Singaporean design. Orchard Design District Over at Orchard Road, visitors can look forward to Re-Route: Orchard (RR:OR) curated by Singapore-based inter-disciplinary group PLUS Collaboratives. Taking the theme of "Be Here Now", it brings an investigative design lens to enhance visitor experience of Singapore's famed shopping belt. Through curated interventions and design installations, visitors are invited to discover spots along this iconic street and delve into the continual evolution of the district's character. City-wide festivities This year, Dsg will present two Friday Late events; expect after-hours programming on 27 September across the Bras Basah.Bugis design district and on 4 October at Marina Central. SDW 2024 will also feature over 70 ground-up events across the island from the design community, ranging from exhibitions, talks and panel discussions to workshops, tours and retail pop-up experiences. Press Assets: High-res images are available for download HERE. Singapore Design Week 202426 September to 6 October 2024 sdw.sg#SDWSG24 #SingaporeDesignWeek About Singapore Design Week One of Asia's premier design festivals, Singapore Design Week (SDW) celebrates Singapore's distinctive brand of creativity, exploring design through three defining festival pillars: Design Futures (the design of the future and the future of design), Design Marketplace (lifestyle trends with a spotlight on Southeast Asia) and Design Impact (innovative solutions for a better world). Organised by DesignSingapore Council, SDW is a celebration of creativity and innovation, championing thought leadership and showcasing the best of design from Singapore and beyond.sdw.sg About the DesignSingapore Council The DesignSingapore Council's (Dsg's) vision is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city by design. As the national agency that promotes design, our mission is to develop the design sector, help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. Dsg is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.designsingapore.org (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 5: MoEngage, an industry-leading, insights-led customer engagement platform, celebrated a significant milestone in its history. In the dynamic and constantly changing world of technology, it marks ten years in business, empowering customer experience, and pioneering brand growth globally. MoEngage is committed to helping brands succeed with its comprehensive platform. It provides cutting-edge technology solutions with best-in-class marketing automation features. Its platform empowers brands to create personalized, omnichannel experiences that resonate with their audiences and drive business growth. This approach has propelled enterprises worldwide to unlock remarkable success. MoEngage is a privately held company that began with the note-worthy entrepreneurial spirit of our two visionary Co-founders, Raviteja Dodda (Chief Executive Officer) and Yashwanth Kumar (Chief Technology Officer), who brought all their experience, knowledge, education, and skills to establish MoEngage. Ten Years of Milestones and Achievements This dedication to customer success has translated into impressive growth for MoEngage. The company has experienced a remarkable growth: 1. A 9X Uplift in Revenue over the last five years. 2. 1200+ new customers added, out of which over 150 are enterprise (large-scale) brands, including Domino's, Unilever, PNB, SBI Securities, TATA Digital, Tanishq, BigBasket, IndusInd Bank, The Indian Express, Wynk Music, Nestle, Samsung, 7-Eleven, McAfee and more. 3. Customers present in 56 countries as of April 2024 and expanded into the LATAM region in the last five years 4. Partnered with over 257 partners, including 170 tech integrators, 45 resellers, 30 agencies, and 12 Global System Integrators (GSI). These include big names like EY, Digitas, mParticle, AWS, Meta, and Infosys. 5. Onboarded a team of over 750 talented individuals across various functions 6. Created a robust security infrastructure with 6 data centers globally 7. Garnered security compliance certifications like Philippines NPC Seal of Registration, PIMS ISO 27701: 2019 Certification, BCMS ISO 22301:2019 Certification, ISO 27001:2022 Compliance, SOC 2 Type 2 Attestation, CSA STAR Level 2, CCPA Compliance, GDPR Compliance as well as HIPAA Compliance 8. Operating at a massive scale, processing 1 Trillion+ Data points per month, sending 80 Billion+ Messages per month and 1 Billion+ Emails per month, and engaging 900 Million+ MAUs per month 9. Evolved the product with ground-breaking innovation, and purpose-built offerings like MoEngage for Financial Services, Server-side Personalization, Warehouse Audiences, and Merlin AI (our generative AI engine), among others 10. Expanded to over 12+ channels, including Mobile Push, Web Push, Email, SMS, RCS, Facebook Audience, Google Ads Audience, and Connectors, among others, providing consumer brands with access to the latest tech (and channels) with minimal downtime MoEngage is also deeply invested in fostering a thriving community. The company has been empowering marketers and product owners through initiatives like: * #GROWTH community with insightful summits, mixers, roundtables, masterclasses, and a dedicated content hub for customer engagement best practices, has brought together over 50,000+ growth and marketing professionals. Additionally, since its inception in 2019, the #GROWTH academy, a peer-to-peer learning community for product, marketing, and growth professionals worldwide, has grown exceptionally well * Customer Engagement Leadership Program (CELP), a cohort-based program to impart customer lifecycle management and strategy knowledge via CRM and Growth leaders These initiatives have not only provided valuable educational resources and facilitated knowledge exchange but also enabled businesses to connect with industry veterans Marking a Decade of Superior Enterprise Customer Engagement As MoEngage celebrates its 10th anniversary, the company looks towards a future of continuous innovation and unwavering dedication to customer success. With a focus on enterprise-centric solutions, MoEngage is well-positioned to empower businesses of all sizes to thrive. The platform is designed for scale, accommodating the growing needs of large enterprises. "Our commitment at MoEngage transcends mere product offerings; it is our unwavering dedication to our customers' success that distinguishes us. We've consistently received praise for our platform's speed, agility, and the ease with which it integrates with their Martech stacks. This ensures that enterprise businesses can modernize their infrastructure with MoEngage without facing major disruptions. In addition, our purpose-built features and functionalities enable large-scale businesses to swiftly adapt to evolving customer needs and market trends," reflects Raviteja Dodda, Founder of MoEngage. MoEngage's 10-year journey is a testament to its unwavering commitment to driving exceptional customer experiences. With a focus on scalability, security, and fostering a thriving community, the company is poised to continue its impressive growth trajectory and remain a leader in the enterprise customer engagement landscape. MoEngage MoEngage is an insights-led customer engagement platform trusted by more than 1,200 global consumer brands such as Ally Financial, McAfee, Flipkart, Domino's, Nestle, Deutsche Telekom, OYO, and more. MoEngage empowers marketers and product owners with insights into customer behavior and the ability to act on those insights to engage customers across the web, mobile, email, social, and messaging channels. Consumer brands across 35 countries use MoEngage to power digital experiences for over 1 billion customers every month. With offices in 13 countries, MoEngage is backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, B Capital, Steadview Capital, Multiples Private Equity, Eight Roads, F-Prime Capital, Matrix Partners, Ventureast, and Helion Ventures. MoEngage was recognized as a Customers' Choice Vendor in the 2022 Gartner Peer Insights 'Voice of the Customer' for the Multichannel Marketing Hubs Report and a Strong Performer in the Forrester Wave: Cross-Channel Marketing Hubs, Q1 2023 Evaluation. To learn more, visit www.moengage.com For more information please contact: Pooja Poddar Jain Lead Communications @ MoEngage Mobile: +91 9886748912 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
SMPL New Delhi [India], September 5: Synergy Steels, India's leading stainless-steel long product producer, welcomes the recently released government data indicating a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.36% in the total finished stainless-steel consumption over the past five financial years. This positive trend highlights the growing demand for stainless-steel across various sectors, driven by its sustainability, longevity, and affordability. Subhash Chand Kathuria, Managing Director of Synergy Steels, stated, "The steady growth in stainless-steel consumption reflects the industry's resilience and the increasing adoption of stainless-steel in sectors such as architecture, process, and automotive industries. This shift is evident in the changing demand for drivers from FY 2021, with process industries at 25-27%, architecture at 18-20%, and automotive and railway at 8-10%. Stainless-steel's sustainability, longevity, and affordability are driving this shift. We look forward to a positive outcome of the government's review of the National Steel Policy (NSP) 2017 and the development of a dedicated stainless-steel and green steel policy, which will further enhance the industry's competitiveness and contribute to the nation's economic growth." The government's proactive measures have created a conducive environment for the industry. Anubhav Kathuria, Director of Synergy Steels, commented, "The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for specialty steel and the Domestically Manufactured Iron & Steel Products (DMI&SP) Policy have been instrumental in fostering growth. Looking ahead, we expect the stainless-steel market in India to grow at a CAGR of 8.80% from 2024 to 2032, driven by transition finance for cleaner technologies, by a sharp shift towards EVs, and increasing demand in the automotive sector. With investments in process and digital technologies expected to reach USD 2.7 billion by 2030, we anticipate sustained momentum in both production and demand, supported by these advancements and a favourable policy environment." A rise in consumption from 2.39 million tonnes in 2020-2021 to 3.75 million tonnes shows an uptick in the growing recognition of stainless steel as a metal of choice. This growth is supported by government measures protecting domestic production from imports through anti-dumping measures and initiatives to boost production. Targeted government support in these areas will be critical to advancing decarbonization goals and demand-led growth in the steel and stainless-steel industries. Established in 1973, Synergy Steels specializes and leads in long stainless-steel products in India. The company's diverse product portfolio includes billets, wires, wire rods, stainless steel rebars, bright bars, etc, among other products. Synergy Steels operates state-of-the-art facilities across India, boasting a combined capacity exceeding 250,000 tonnes. Emphasizing quality, the company upholds rigorous safety standards. Synergy Steels' products cater to sectors such as construction, infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing, supplying to renowned processing mills across India and global markets. Committed to social responsibility and sustainable practices, the company prioritizes Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. Certified with ISO 9001:2015, Synergy Steels Limited maintains cutting-edge industrial infrastructure featuring advanced, technology-driven machinery. To know more, please visit https://synergysteels.com/. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PRNewswire Taipei [Taiwan], September 5: Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, today announced significant updates to its S14I semi-rugged laptop, expanding its product line supporting modern-day data-intensive tasks. With the performance of Intel Core Ultra processor, this AI-powered 14" semi-rugged laptop exceeds expectations by delivering a powerful, premium performance and exceptional user experience. Durabook also produces the Z14I fully rugged laptop, the world's most durable and reliable fully rugged PC designed specifically to support demanding AI applications in the field. Twinhead's CEO, Fred Kao, said: "AI technology has emerged as an important tool to handle and maximise data and create new, more capable and powerful systems. Durabook aims to equip our mobile computing devices with optimum capability for professional users in the field. Our customers can exploit these advancements to their advantage and greatest benefit with laptop solutions delivering up to 100 TOPS with AI accelerator." This enhanced S14I model has been elevated to produce a superior device for professional users seeking prolonged productivity. Its premium functionality, durability, and performance make it ideal for operatives working across various sectors, including utilities, automotive and public safety, as well as governmental agencies and organisations looking for a superior semi-rugged laptop. Superior CPU performance and AI functionality Upgrading the S14I's CPU with an Intel Core Ultra processor is significant as it marks the launch of another powerful and performance-packed AI PC laptop within the Durabook product lineup. Perfect for professionals, the S14I has a dedicated NPU built into every Intel Core Ultra processor, providing users unrivalled access to enhanced reliability, productivity, and efficiency. With the dedicated Microsoft Copilot key, users can effortlessly activate edge AI features, boosting real-time interaction and teamwork in their workspace, offering support for multiple languages, and enabling the smooth automation of routine tasks. Durable design for uninterrupted operation Tough yet stylish, the S14I breaches the boundary between semi-rugged and fully rugged devices. Certified with MIL-STD-810H, 4-foot drop and IP53 resistance, the S14I is built to withstand the most hazardous environments and can remain operational in extreme temperatures ranging from -29C (-20F) to 63C (145F). Its dual removable battery design with optional dual hot-swappable battery technology enables users to hot-swap batteries in the field without any downtime. Additionally, its ultra-long 12-hour battery life can be extended to 24 hours on dual battery mode for a superior performance. In addition, S14I features a 14.0" Full HD (1920 x 1080) DynaVue sunlight readable display with optional capacitive multitouch screen and enhanced brightness up to 1,200 nits. Extreme versatility meets exceptional security Durabook has designed the S14I to meet the needs of users requiring exceptional flexibility. An optional dedicated NVIDIA RTX A500 transforms the S14I into an ultimate solution for specific tasks such as graphics rendering, architectural illustrations and AI applications, delivering up to 100 TOPS with AI accelerator. Equipped with up to two NVMe PCIe SSDs, including one with quick-release design, professionals can also run RAID 0 and RAID 1 easily. Advanced security support, such as Intel vPro and TPM 2.0 come as standard, as well as smart card reader, RFID/NFC reader and fingerprint scanner as additional options. Moreover, it features a 5.0 MP infrared camera with shutter design, supporting Windows Hello facial recognition, and Windows 11 Secured-core PC. Cutting-edge connectivity for the modern workforce Durabook knows that powerful connectivity is essential in the modern environment. Equipped with powerful dual Thunderbolt 4 and enhanced with advanced wireless capabilities, including cellular options of 4G LTE or 5G, Intel WI-FI 7, Bluetooth V5.4 and optional GPS, the S14I makes connecting the modern workspace more flexible and simpler than ever. The S14I is also equipped with two additional USB 3.2 Type-A ports, dual SIM, two RJ-45 ports by default, HDMI 2.1 port, up to two RS-232 serial ports and optional ExpressCard 54 slot, making it the most versatile 14" semi-rugged laptop on the market. The new updated S14I is available for purchase now. For full specs and more information, please visit: https://www.durabook.com/en/products/s14i-laptop/ To find out more about becoming a partner, please visit https://partners.durabook.com/register or contact sales@durabook.com. Follow the DURABOOK brand The Durabook product family of rugged laptops and tablets can be followed on various social media channels including LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube. About DURABOOK Durabook is the core brand of Twinhead International Corporation in Taiwan, a world-renowned manufacturer of rugged mobile solutions for more than 40 years. All Durabook devices are designed, manufactured and tested to the highest standards to ensure maximum quality and reliability. Committed to engineering and service excellence, Durabook products have been widely adopted by government and enterprise customers including oil and gas, utilities, field service, military, and public safety for more than two decades. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
A regional meeting of the northern States and Union Territories (UTs) -- Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh, chaired by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, is scheduled to take place on September 6, in Chandigarh. Organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, the meeting will focus on key issues such as labour reforms, the eShram National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW), Building and Other Construction Workers (BoCW), and employment generation. According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the session will be attended by Secretary, Labour and Employment, Sumita Dawra, along with senior officials from both the central and state/UT governments. This meeting is part of a series of nationwide consultations organized by the Ministry with States/UTs. The first regional meeting in this series was held in Bengaluru on August 30, with participation from southern States/UTs including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Puducherry, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. These consultations will continue until October 4. Key topics to be discussed include the harmonization of draft rules under the Labour Codes, the establishment of the e-Shram portal as a 'One-Stop Solution' for providing social protection to unorganized workers, expanding coverage of Central welfare schemes to BoC workers, linking with educational institutions to create employment opportunities, measuring employment, and the National Career Service (NCS). (ANI)
India and Singapore agreed to cooperate in the development of the semiconductor ecosystem, the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore said in a release on Thursday. Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the sector. The MOU was exchanged in the presence of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during Prime MinisterModi's Official Visit to Singapore. The MoU aims to support India's growing semiconductor industry while facilitating Singapore's ecosystem of semiconductor companies and related supply chains to participate in the fast-growing Indian market, the statement added.Under the MOU, Singapore and India will leverage complementary strengths in their semiconductor ecosystems and tap into opportunities to build resilience in their semiconductor supply chains. This will include government policy exchanges on ecosystem development, supply chain resilience, and workforce development. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will establish a Policy Dialogue to facilitate discussions, oversee the implementation of the areas of collaboration, and exchange best practices. A parallel business-to-business Cooperation Forum will be established and led by Enterprise Singapore and the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) to encourage and catalyze more private-sector partnerships between both countries. PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Singapore, visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility. The visit comprised a sharing led by the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA) on the development of Singapore's semiconductor industry opportunities for mutual collaboration between Singapore and India partners, and a tour of AEM's facilities. Prime Minister Modi also engaged with ecosystem players and institutions such as APP Systems, Century Water, Ecsal Technologies, NexGen Wafer Systems, PEP Innovation, and Temasek Polytechnic. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said, "This MOU signals India's and Singapore's commitment to work together in the field of semiconductors to address the demand from industries around the world. This will also strengthen semiconductor supply chain resilience and create new markets and opportunities for businesses in ourcountries." (ANI)
NewsVoir New Delhi [India], September 5: Esri India, the country's leading location intelligence software and solutions provider, today announced the availability of 'Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst,' a location intelligence solution suite designed to aid government organizations in making data-driven smart decisions. Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst for India includes a variety of location-based datasets, such as points of interest; road network; administrative boundaries at various levels like village, PIN codes, district, state, etc.; socio-economic and demographic data; and data available from the Indian edition of ArcGIS Living Atlas, while providing the flexibility to the users to add their own data. The solution has the potential to greatly enhance the efficacy of government departments by offering precise insights into spatial and demographic factors. Using the solution, government agencies can make data-driven decisions, optimize resource distribution, and customize efforts to achieve more effective outcomes in public safety, economic development, community assessments, city development, and more. They can make a greater impact on the lives of the citizens using the available data as the developmental efforts become more targeted and reach the maximum number of beneficiaries. Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India, said, "Location intelligence plays a crucial role in government decision-making by providing invaluable insights derived from geographic and spatial data. 'Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst' is a unique solution that provides insights into population density, demographics, site suitability, and other critical factors. Using these insights, government stakeholders can enhance the impact of their functions around socio-economic development, emergency management, healthcare, public safety, workforce development, and more. By leveraging location intelligence, government departments can make more informed, data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, responsiveness, and overall quality of life for citizens." The power of location intelligence and analytics is being recognized all over the world. Data availability and sharing are now easier in India. With enabling policies like the National Geospatial Policy and the Geospatial Data Guidelines in place, the availability of geospatial data has improved. Being a leader in providing solutions based on geospatial technologies, Esri India has launched Indo ArcGIS Business Analyst to enable Indian government organizations to optimally utilize Indian datasets for carrying out location-specific analysis and achieve high levels of efficacy in their initiatives. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcome banquet for international guests attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 4, 2024. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted the banquet here on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the "stellar example" of China-Africa relations as China rolled out the red carpet for African leaders and other guests attending a grand summit expected to further elevate ties.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, held a welcome banquet at the Great Hall of the People for the guests who are in Beijing to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the largest diplomatic event hosted by China in years.

The summit, drawing the attendance of over 50 African leaders and the UN secretary-general, runs from Sept. 4 to 6.

Addressing the banquet, Xi said he has been to Africa 10 times.

The China-Africa community with a shared future sets a stellar example for building a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.

The China-Africa community with a shared future is deeply rooted in the traditional friendship between the two sides, Xi said, adding that the friendship remains robust and is growing stronger through generations no matter how the world changes.

"We have together built roads, railways, schools, hospitals, industrial parks, and special economic zones. These projects have changed the lives and destiny of many people," Xi said, noting that the China-Africa community with a shared future thrives on the strength of win-win cooperation.

Noting that the China-Africa community with a shared future grows in step with the times, Xi said the two sides have maintained close cooperation and coordination on major international and regional issues, and together have made the voice of the Global South stronger.

He expressed confidence that as long as the 2.8-billion-strong Chinese and African people are united, "we will accomplish new and even greater feats together on the way toward modernization, spearhead the modernization drive of the Global South, and make greater contributions to a community with a shared future for mankind."

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, co-chair of FOCAC, expressed gratitude for the hospitality of the Chinese people on behalf of the African leaders.

Both Africa and China stand for a more equal, orderly, mutually beneficial and inclusive world, he said.

Faye said that China, under President Xi's leadership, has not only achieved its own rapid development but also made important contributions to promoting world peace and growth.

The African side, Faye said, is ready to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China, deepen the Africa-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and better safeguard their common interests.

International guests attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) are greeted by children on their way to a welcome banquet held by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 4, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the event.

After the banquet, an artistic performance titled "Joining hands for a brighter future" was staged for the guests.
SMPL Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 5: Nikshan Electronics, a leading name in the electronics and home appliances industry, has been awarded the prestigious title of 'Iconic Brand in Digital and Home Appliances' at the Times Business Awards Kerala 2024. The award ceremony, held in the vibrant state of Kerala, saw Nikshan Ahamed, the Executive Director of Nikshan Electronics, proudly receiving the honor from renowned Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty. This accolade is a testament to the brand's consistent excellence, innovation, and customer-centric approach. The Times Business Awards Kerala 2024 is a distinguished platform that celebrates and recognizes excellence across various industries, honoring brands and individuals for their outstanding contributions and leadership. Nikshan Electronics' recognition in the digital and home appliances category underscores its significant influence and leadership in the electronics market. The brand has been at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge technology and high-quality products, making it a household name in Kerala and beyond. Nikshan Electronics continues to thrive and grow, expanding its footprint with new showrooms and initiatives that cater to the evolving needs of its customers. The launch of Nikshan Digital marks a new chapter in the company's journey, focusing on providing a seamless digital experience for its customers. This recent accolade highlights the company's ongoing commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, reinforcing its position as a leader in the digital and home appliances sector. The award not only recognizes Nikshan Electronics' past achievements but also sets a high standard for its future endeavors. It reflects the brand's dedication to maintaining excellence and driving growth in the competitive electronics market. Nikshan Electronics remains committed to enhancing customer experiences through a wide range of products that combine advanced technology with reliability. For more information about Nikshan Electronics and its wide range of products and services, please visit their official website. https://nikshanonline.com/ To watch the coverage of the award event and other related highlights, tune in to Asianet News https://www.asianetnews.com/video/money/times-business-awards-2024-first-edition-held-at-kochi-bolgatty-palace-sigdwq (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
In a social media post on 'X', HAL stated that the airshow held at the historic desert skies of El Alamein.

As part of its efforts to expand into international markets, HAL demonstrated the capabilities of the Dhruv MkIII, a multi-role helicopter designed for both military and civil operations.

"HAL's ALH Dhruv MkIII showcases its versatility in the desert skies of El Alamein at the first Egypt International Airshow 2024 as HAL explores international markets" said HAL.

The event also witnessed the visit of Ajit Gupte, Ambassador of India to Egypt, to the India Pavilion, where he toured the stalls of HAL and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

The participation of Indian defense companies' highlights India's growing presence in the global aerospace and defense sectors. The defence capabilities of India are enhancing continuously, with the government also give major push to boost the domestic defence manufacturing.

Recently the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the proposal for procurement of 240 aero-engines (AL-31FP) for Su-30 MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under Buy (Indian) category from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at an estimated cost of Rs 26,000 crore.

As per the Defence Ministry, the delivery of these aero-engines would start after one year and complete over a period of eight years. The engines will have indigenous content over 54 per cent, enhanced due to indigenisation of some key components of aero-engines. These would be manufactured at Koraput division of HAL.Su-30 MKI is one of the most powerful and strategically-significant fleet of IAF.

The supply of these aero-engines by HAL would meet the fleet sustenance requirement of IAF to continue their unhindered operations and strengthen the defence preparedness of the country. (ANI)
NewsVoir New Delhi [India], September 5: The Eduverse Summit India 2024 concluded on a high note, marking a significant milestone in global education discourse. Held at the prestigious JW Marriott Aerocity in New Delhi, the two-day summit brought together over 700 dignitaries and attendees, representing a diverse range of stakeholders from education, government, and industry sectors. Key Highlights * Eminent Dignitaries and Keynote Addresses: The summit featured powerful keynote speeches from distinguished leaders, including: * Stewart Wheeler, Acting High Commissioner for Canada in India* Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, National Skill Development Corporation, India* Neha Grover, Senior Director, Trade and Investment, Australian Trade and Investment Commission* Jugnu Roy, Director of Engagement - East Asia & India, Education New Zealand The event was supported by 17 nationalities, showcasing a vibrant international community and backed by over 60 institutions from across the globe. This diversity fostered rich dialogues and collaborative opportunities among participants. The summit offered engaging panel discussions on global education trends and innovations, hands-on workshops designed to inspire and educate, and insights from more than 50 speakers from around the world. Celebrating the successful completion of Eduverse Summit India 2024, Mr. Raghwa Gopal, CEO at MSM Unify, commented, "Attending Eduverse Summit India 2024 has been an inspiring experience. The summit is not just a gathering but a global movement that unites education leaders and innovators to address the pressing challenges of our time. MSM Unify is proud to be part of this transformative dialogue, as we continue to leverage technology to simplify global higher education and foster meaningful collaborations worldwide." The Eduverse Summit Series 2024 has been a monumental success, spanning four continents and cities, including Lagos, Sao Paulo, Vancouver, and New Delhi. The series has brought together over 1,350 dignitaries and attendees, nearly 150 speakers, and has been supported by over 20 nationalities and 100 institutions globally. Through numerous workshops and panel discussions, the series has advanced the global dialogue on education, establishing itself as a cornerstone for transformative change in the sector. The Eduverse Summit Series 2024 has not only set new benchmarks in educational conferences but has also strengthened global collaborations that will continue to influence the future of education. As we look forward to the next editions, the Eduverse community remains committed to driving impactful change and fostering a brighter future for global education. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
NewsVoir Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 5: G Square, South India's leading plot promoter, has announced the launch of a unique initiative, the first of its kind in the industry: Come Home Express, which introduces E-Cars for customer site visits. This innovative initiative allows customers to conveniently visit G Square sites across the city and book their dream plot for their future home. As the first phase of this initiative, G Square has launched a fleet of 10 E-Cars exclusively for its customers and potential homebuyers, with plans to add more vehicles in subsequent phases. The company's strategic move to use E-Cars underscores its commitment to environmental sustainability by ensuring that these vehicles are eco-friendly and do not contribute to pollution. Speaking on the initiative, Bala Ramajeyam, Managing Director of G Square Realtors Private Limited, stated, "We see our customers as part of our family. The Come Home Express initiative is all about providing a holistic plot purchase experience--from the moment they start thinking about their dream home, through their visits to our sites, and all the way to the purchase of their ideal plot." He further added, "These E-Cars will be available at their convenience, allowing them to visit any of our G Square sites across the city and book their dream plot with ease. We are also extremely pleased that these cars are eco-friendly, produce zero emissions, and have a reduced carbon footprint, contributing to a cleaner future. Notably, we are proud that this is the first initiative of its kind in the industry, setting a new standard for customer service and environmental responsibility. However, this is just the beginning, we are under plans to introduce more vehicles in the initiative's upcoming stages." The brand is already in plans to launch the campaign in their other operating zones such as Coimbatore, Pollachi, Trichy, Ambur, Dindigul, Udumalaipettai and Theni. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
SMPL Moscow [Russia], September 5: The Russian Federation continues to solidify its position as a pivotal player in global geopolitics, actively participating in leading international associations such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). These platforms, alongside prestigious forums hosted by Russia--including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Russia-Africa Summit, the Eastern Economic Forum, the World Youth Festival, and the "Eurasia is Our Home" exhibition--serve as critical venues for shaping new economic and political agendas while fostering international relations. These events provide a platform for discussing key global challenges, exchanging expertise, and forging mutually beneficial agreements among nations. They are integral to promoting sustainable sovereign development and enhancing the effectiveness of integration initiatives. Russia-India Cooperation: A Growing Partnership Among the many countries that engage with Russia on these platforms, India stands out as a significant partner. The collaboration between Russia and India spans various sectors, with a shared commitment to building a more just and equitable global order. Both nations are working toward establishing equal and transparent partnerships, reinforcing the foundations of a new world architecture that values cooperation and mutual respect. In the realm of education and culture, there has been a notable surge in Indian students pursuing higher education in Russia, highlighting the effectiveness of this bilateral relationship. Over 25,000 Indian students are currently studying in Russia, with the Mari State University emerging as a prominent institution in this regard. This university, located in the Republic of Mari El, has become a leading destination for Indian students, particularly those pursuing medical education. Mari State University and Rus Education: A Strategic Partnership in Global Education Mari State University has been at the forefront of promoting Russian education in international markets, particularly in collaboration with its strategic partner, Rus Education Pvt. Ltd. This partnership has been instrumental in expanding the reach of Russian educational programs to a global audience, with a strong emphasis on attracting international students, especially from India. Together, Mari State University and Rus Education have actively participated in a variety of global events and forums, working hand in hand to enhance the visibility and appeal of Russian education. Their joint initiatives have focused not only on the export of Russian education but also on improving the overall experience and well-being of international students studying in Russia. One of the key milestones in their collaboration was achieved in 2023 during the "Eurasia is Our Home" international exhibition in Sochi. At this event, Mari State University and Rus Education signed a strategic agreement aimed at promoting the Republic of Mari El and its capital, Yoshkar-Ola, as a university city. This agreement underscores the shared commitment of both institutions to fostering international cooperation and positioning Russia as a leading destination for higher education. Their partnership is not limited to promotional activities. Mari State University and Rus Education are also deeply involved in developing programs and support systems that address the unique needs of international students in Russia. These efforts include creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, providing academic and cultural support, and ensuring that students have access to quality education and resources. In March 2024, representatives from Mari State University, including Indian students, actively participated in the World Youth Festival held in Sochi. This event provided an excellent opportunity for cultural exchange and showcased the university's vibrant international community. It also highlighted the ongoing efforts of Mari State University and Rus Education to enhance the global presence of Russian education and foster a strong sense of community among international students. Eastern Economic Forum 2024: A Platform for Regional and Global Dialogue From September 3 to 6, 2024, Vladivostok will host the IX Eastern Economic Forum, a crucial event focused on addressing global and regional challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. With an agenda centered on creating a new, equitable multipolar world, the forum is expected to attract approximately 6,000 participants from 76 countries. It will serve as a robust platform for strengthening trade and investment ties, integrating economic spaces, and advancing humanitarian cooperation between Russia and the Asia-Pacific region. Mari State University will be actively involved in the forum's proceedings, with plans to discuss collaboration in education and science. A particular focus will be on attracting Indian students to study in medical disciplines, further cementing the university's role as a leader in international education and cooperation. Additionally, this forum will provide yet another platform for Mari State University and Rus Education to continue their collaborative efforts. Both institutions will explore new opportunities for expanding the export of Russian education and further enhancing the experience of international students in Russia. Their joint participation in such high-profile events is a testament to their commitment to building a global reputation for Russian education and ensuring that it meets the highest international standards. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) has been agreed upon between the City of London Corporation and the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), it can be announced today, marking the strengthening of financial and professional services partnerships between the two nations. The initiative leverages the UK's expertise in structuring and phasing major projects in order to unlock sustainable infrastructure investment into India. The UKIIFB will have a steering committee, also announced today, which includes representatives from HM Treasury, Aon, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Clifford Chance, Sequoia Investment Management Company, Department of Economic Affairs, Larsen & Toubro, Sorin Investment Fund, Economic Laws Practice and AECOM India Private Limited. The UKIIFB Steering Committee will focus on accelerating the mobilisation of international private-sector investment in Indian sustainable infrastructure. It will provide policymakers with recommendations to address barriers to such investments, while also working collaboratively to develop knowledge and best practices that enhance the attractiveness and investability of sustainable infrastructure projects for international investors. Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said, "I am delighted to today sign the UK India Infrastructure Financing Bridge, welcoming a new chapter in the extensive business relationship between our two nations. The UK's expertise in professional services, finance and scaling major projects makes it a natural partner to meet India's growing infrastructure needs, showcasing the City of London's position as a global city. "Additionally, our leadership and talent in green finance can facilitate the development of India's ambitious sustainable projects, providing climate solutions in the push to net zero. "We look forward to further developing this new and exciting partnership." BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, said, "The UK India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), jointly announced by the Hon'ble Finance Minister of India and the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the UK, represents a significant collaborative effort spearheaded jointly by NITI Aayog and the City of London. This initiative underscores the commitment of both nations to work together in unlocking major infrastructure investment opportunities in India. This is a game-changer that not only accelerates India's economic ascent but also strengthens its position on the global stage. It is not limited to connecting the two nations; it connects India to its aspirations of becoming a global powerhouse." Vikram Doraiswamy, the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, said, "The team at the High Commission are delighted by the establishment of this financing bridge today. Announced as an objective at the last India - UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in September 2023, this structure is the culmination of over a year of shared effort. "The UKIIFB is a striking testament to the complementarity of our bilateral economic relationship. It is a means for India and the UK to use the respective strengths of their systems--the UK's sophisticated and well-resourced financial sector, and India's world-leading capacity to generate sustainable and high-value returns in the long-term--to offer each other the benefit of growth-based partnerships for the long-term. As India's NITI Aayog and the City of London implement the UKIIFB, and thereby jointly design large infrastructure project proposals in a manner that benefits private capital inflows, India and the UK will broaden and deepen their relationship by contributing to each other's lasting and sustainable growth." Simon Harris, Managing Director for International Development Services at Mott MacDonald, said, "Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure will play a key role in supporting India's rapid economic and social development. The United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) is an excellent opportunity for investors to collaborate with India's project shapers to accelerate investable and sustainable infrastructure development." Sowmya Parthasarathy, Director of Urban Design & Masterplanning, Arup, said, "Infrastructure is the foundation for India's economic growth. Today's announcement of the United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) comes at a pivotal moment. It is a unique partnership bringing the UK's expertise in structuring and phasing major projects in order to help unlock sustainable infrastructure investment into India." Mark Courtneidge, Director, Construction and Infrastructure, Aon UK, said, "There are major opportunities under development in India within the area of sustainable infrastructure, so Aon is very pleased to be part of the steering committee for UKIIFB. I'm sure that our local and global expertise in providing risk solutions will both support and facilitate the team's ambitions." Anurag Gupta, Chief Risk Officer, Sequoia Investment Management Company, said, "India's rapidly growing sustainable infrastructure demand must be met with adequate project and risk management expertise. Sequoia Investment Management is extremely pleased to be part of the steering committee for UKIIFB and I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome of our collaboration in this series of projects." (ANI)
PNN Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 5: The mellifluous flow of words he is known for held the audience that gathered at a hotel in Kolkata in thrall when Congress MP Shashi Tharoor juggled his wit and wisdom while reading out from his latest book "A Wonderland of Words: Around the Word in 101 Essays" on Sunday. It was a bright sunny day in Kolkata after days of heavy rains and Tharoor uplifted the spirit of bibliophiles with his subtle humorous punch, drawing a portrait with his captivating words and eloquent presentation of what they could expect from his book that he described was not at all 'political'. During the event, 68-year-old Tharoor also launched the Kolkata-based non-profit trust Prabha Khaitan Foundation's book rack at Taj City Centre New Town. "Prabha Khaitan Foundation is an organisation with which I have been involved with for many years," the Congress MP said. "They have done some terrific work around the country in promoting books," he said. Speaking on the book rack launch initiative, Tharoor said: "They will be unveiling the book rack which they will have across hotels, centres or institutions which will host their events." "Doing something for Prabha Khaitan is always fun because they are always committed to books," he said. He praised the members of the foundation for keeping alive the book-reading habit at a time when the world was enthralled with mobile phones and other electronic gadgets. "Several women readers are associated with the organisation and this is indeed fascinating in this world where we are more used to laptop, television or mobile phone screens. We no longer pick up books and read them," he said. Tharoor, who returned to the Indian Parliament for another term this year by clinching victory in the Lok Sabha polls from the Thiruvananthapuram seat, said he hopes to see his readers enjoying his new book. "This book is a slight departure from my usual kind of recent writings. It is not at all political," he said. "It is all about joy and use of words. I hope you will enjoy it. The book is meant to be accessible and entertaining and in the process, if it can inform and educate then its purpose will be served," he said. The book is published by Aleph Book Company. Among others who attended the launch event included industrialist Harshvardhan Neotia, Mallika Verma, Gouri Basu, Manisha Jain, Anindita Chatterjee and Indranil Ray. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 5: Anant Ambani's Vantara Foundation has extended its support to the Namibian government in response to the severe drought crisis. Vantara, dedicated to protecting endangered species, is stepping in to make a significant difference, not only in animal welfare but also in benefiting society at a global level. As per the recent news doing the rounds, Namibia is planning to kill more than 700 animals including elephants, zebras and hippos to distribute meat to people struggling with food insecurity as Namibia grapples with the worst drought in 100 years. A letter from the CEO of Vantara, has been addressed to the Namibian authorities expressing serious concern about the potential culling of wildlife and possible solutions and measures that could be adopted to address the impact of the drought. In light of the harsh measures that have been implemented, Vantara has proposed an alternative strategy for animal preservation. The letter stated, "Our Vision at Vantara is to overcome challenges and protect every animal from any threat to their welfare and survival". Deeply concerned about the struggles faced by Namibia's wildlife, Vantara has offered its full support and assistance to look into the matter of animal reduction. The foundation has arranged facilities to provide lifelong care and shelter to affected animals thus offering viable solutions that would help to do selective harvesting and preserve the wildlife welfare. The letter concluded saying "We request that you please set aside some of your valuable time to hear and consider various options and proposals that our team has prepared" thus urging the Namibian government to include compassion and sympathy in their approach. Vantara has made a major impact on animal welfare, managing initiatives across 3,500 acres with the support of over 2,000 experts. These experts work in advanced facilities, including world-class hospitals and research centers, providing care for more than 2,000 species. Anant Ambani's Vantara is committed to conserving animals not just within India but across the globe. With a focus on protecting wildlife and preserving biodiversity, Vantara aims to make a lasting impact on animal conservation efforts worldwide. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
M Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, said on Thursday, "All of us are aware that India's robust banking system is getting ready to meet the needs of Viksit Bharat." Delivering the keynote at 'FIBAC 2024' organised jointly by FICCI, and IBA on the theme 'Banking for Viksit Bharat', Nagaraju added, "Viksit Bharat 2047 is the government's ambitious vision to transform India to a developed country by 2047." He pointed out that realising this vision demands dedication along with belief in the potential and talent of the Indian people. The union budget supported this vision by laying emphasis on mahila, yuva and annadaata.Nagaraju noted that banks continue to be the major source of funding for the Indian economy. Every sector has an important role to play to achieve a GDP of USD 30 trillion by 2047. He further stated that banks help in promoting inclusive growth by reaching out to the underserved, empowering MSMEs, and facilitating initiatives in key areas such as healthcare. The government, on its part, has introduced various schemes, such as the PMJDY, to foster inclusion of all segments so that everyone can contribute to the growth of the country, noted the secretary. Nagaraju observed that the difference between the financial sector and the fintech industry is gradually evaporating. He advised banks to leverage the potential of fintechs to reach the last mile. "India stack is a great story for all of us," he added, calling upon banks to build on that. But with the great emphasis on technology, banks also need to be cautious of cyber threats. He advised banks to strengthen their systems to mitigate operational risks. Nagaraju further highlighted that post economic liberalisation in 1991, India built a tremendous brick-and-mortar infrastructure. Since that time, the country has seen tremendous change. We bridged the divide by going digital. Digital infrastructure has enabled everyone to be connected. Even so, he felt, a large section of the population still belongs to the middle- and low-income bracket. "Aspirations are huge, because everyone is connected. The banking community needs to take that into account. The 2047 goals are vast, but banking is the base on which everything will be built," he emphasized.The Secretary stated that it was necessary for banks to be careful, yet agile in building robust credit systems so that a strong base is created. All sectors would need adequate capital, and infrastructure would need to be enhanced. "A lot of infrastructure of the past is aging and needs to be replaced," he observed. A key area of focus would be the MSME sector. India has about 40 million registered MSMEs, but only 40 per cent of them are in the formal financial system. "Imagine the impact it will have if we step up to 80 per cent," he added. Nagaraju also suggested that efforts should be made to educate the youth in entrepreneurship at an early stage. Many start-ups find themselves unable to sustain the start-up ecosystem. "We need to educate them at the college stage. Banks need to encourage the younger generation to dream and do something big in their lives," he stated. Highlighting the importance of the SME sector as large providers of employment, he underlined that it is therefore important to ensure that they are empowered.Nagaraju called for more initiatives in green financing, and for all sectors to be conscious of climate change when building portfolios. He hoped that banks would continue to maintain their support.Proposing a vote of thanks, Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive, IBA, acknowledged the suggestions given by Nagaraju. He appreciated his ideas, particularly his direction for green financing. "IBA has created various forums to create awareness and has developed a road map to reduce carbon emissions. We will take your guidance very seriously," he assured. (ANI)
Singaporean companies from diverse sectors committed an investment of over Rs 5 lakh crore (around USD 60 billion) in the next few years during a roundtable with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. PM Modi interacted today with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability, and logistics. Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam of Singapore participated in the event. Appreciating their investment footprint in India, PM Modi acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and Singapore. To further facilitate their collaboration with India, the Prime Minister announced the setting up of an INVEST INDIA office in Singapore, a PMO release said. He further added that the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations. PM Modi noted that India had made transformative progress in the last ten years and would continue on the same path given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, Ease of Doing Business, and its reform oriented economic agenda. It is set to become the third-largest economy in the world over the next few years. Talking of India's impressive growth story, its skilled talent pool, and expansive market opportunities, he highlighted that India is contributing 17 per cent to global economic growth. Prime Minister spoke about various initiatives to enhance India's participation in global value chains through programmes such as Production Linked Incentive scheme, India Semiconductor Mission and establishment of 12 new Industrial Smart Cities. He called upon the business leaders to look at opportunities in India in the field of skill development. For businesses looking for resilient supply chains, PM Modi noted that India is the best alternative given its strengths. He assured that India will increase the pace and scale of infrastructure development in his third term and apprised the CEOs of new opportunities in railways, roads, ports, civil aviation, industrial parks and digital connectivity. Prime Minister invited Singaporean business leaders to look at investment opportunities in India and to increase their presence in the country. PM Modi came to Singapore from Brunei in the second leg of his two-nation visit. (ANI)
Senior Chinese official calls for enhancing cooperation between Tianjin, Dubai during UAE visit

Xinhua) 08:32, September 05, 2024

Chen Min'er (L), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, meets with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (R), vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates at Zabeel Palace in Dubai on Sept. 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

ABU DHABI, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Under the strategic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bilateral relations have developed rapidly in recent years, setting a model for relations between China and Arab countries in the new era, a visiting senior Chinese official has said here.

Chen Min'er, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE at Zabeel Palace in Dubai.

Chen noted that China is willing to work with the UAE to take the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to actively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in governance and modernization, and advance the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Chen, who is also the secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, said that Tianjin is ready to give full play to its advantages to strengthen cooperation with the UAE, especially Dubai, in fields such as economy, trade, investment, free trade zone and port construction, thereby contributing to the development of bilateral relations.

For his part, the UAE vice president and prime minister said that his country attaches great importance to developing relations with China and is satisfied with the sound development momentum of bilateral exchanges and cooperation in fields such as politics, economy, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

The UAE, especially Dubai, is willing to further deepen the docking of development strategies and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields with China, so as to promote greater development of bilateral relations, added Mohammed bin Rashid, who is also ruler of Dubai.

At the invitation of the UAE government, a CPC delegation led by Chen visited the Gulf state from Sunday to Wednesday, during which they also met with UAE Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman and chief executive officer of DP World.

During the visit, Chen also attended the 2024 "Invest China" Tianjin Session and facilitated the signing of several cooperation agreements, including a memorandum between the Tianjin Free Trade Zone and the UAE's Jebel Ali Free Zone, and a cooperation agreement between Tianjin Port Group and DP World.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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Editor's note: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, proposing that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. Here, China.org.cn presents highlights of President Xi's insights.
Sean Chiao Group CEO Surbana Jurong heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "exceptional leadership." Speaking to ANI after the business leaders' meeting with PM Modi on Thursday in Singapore, Surbana Jurong also expressed his desire that PM Modi encourage more collaboration with Singaporean companies and investments. Jurong also highlighted India's growth as a global major player and being the fifth largest economy in the world under PM Modi's leadership. "It is very exciting to meet PM Modi in person. His leadership is exceptional. This is his third term. For the past two terms, you can see that India has become one of the major players globally and the fifth-largest economy in the world. I would encourage him to open up the market to consider some of the new policies or improve some existing policies to encourage more collaboration with Singaporean companies and investments," Jurong said. PM Modi paid an official visit to Singapore on September 4-5, 2024. The current visit was the fifth visit of PM Modi to Singapore. Singaporean companies from diverse sectors committed an investment of over Rs 5 lakh crore (around USD 60 billion) in the next few years during a roundtable with PM Modi on Thursday. PM Modi interacted today with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability, and logistics. Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam of Singapore participated in the event. Appreciating their investment footprint in India, PM Modi acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and Singapore. To further facilitate their collaboration with India, the Prime Minister announced the setting up of an INVEST INDIA office in Singapore, a PMO release said. He further added that the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations. The Prime Minister invited Singaporean business leaders to look at investment opportunities in India and to increase their presence in the country. (ANI)
Sanjjanaa Galrani handed over the letter to Karnataka CM.

In a post on X, Sanjjanaa Galrani shared a post on her Instagram handle.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_hsxb2vw1b/?

Sexual assault allegations against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry followed after the Justice Hema Committee report disclosing some shocking details of crimes against women in the industry was made public.

Filmmaker Ranjith, actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh, and actors Edavela Babu, Baburaj, Jayasurya, and Siddique have been charged with various sexual harassment complaints.

Last month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on the harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of women professionals.

The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinarayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.

The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the hardships faced by women in the industry. (ANI)
Calling it a direct challenge to India's sovereignty, film director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri said on Thursday that he declined an invitation by the Oxford Union and found the theme of the debate--"This House Believes in an Independent State of'Kashmir" meaningless. In a conversation with ANI, he shared, "They invited me and I received many follow-up calls and emails while I was thinking whether I should attend the event or not. I knew this debate would be meaningless if I didn't attend it... Pakistanis were also invited to the debate. The issue is that when Pakistan does not have any stake in Kashmir, then why should anyone listen to their point of view... Even though we have become independent, the colonisers still think we do not deserve this independence. This is why they create narratives all the time to disturb India." "Oxford Union debates are like an Oscar for filmmakers and authors. There is nothing more prestigious. This does not mean you surrender to untruth," he added. Elaborating on the reason for declining the invitation, he added, "The problem is that the motion was that the House believes, first of all, the word 'believes', the House believes that Kashmir is an independent state. How can this question be raised? Because India is a sovereign country. After Article 370 was removed, the question was over. And if you look at the original constitution of Kashmir, then it is written in its preamble that we pledge our integrity with India and something like to sovereignty of India." "It is such that I sit in Banaras Hindu University or JNU and debate that Texas should be an independent state or I can say anything about any country. I can say that Wales should be an independent state. I found it very offensive. I felt that today when India is strong, so why is this being done?" he added. Agnihotri said that he found the theme of the debate "offensive, anti-India, and anti-Kashmir." In a post X, he wrote, "I was invited by the prestigious Oxford Union to debate on Kashmir. I found the theme offensive, anti-India, and anti-Kashmir. On principle, I have declined the offer. PFA my decline letter.@OxfordUnion" He also posted a copy of the invite sent to him by Oxford Union, and a copy of his response declining the invite. https://x.com/vivekagnihotri/status/1831557021033709767 'The Kashmir Files' director recalled an incident and shared, "In 2022, Oxford Union invited me to an event which got cancelled a few hours before I reached there. The reason was that a few Pakistani boys protested against it... I am not afraid to debate against anyone but I am against this sinister politics of degrading the image of India." Further speaking about the scenario of Kashmir, he shared, "I had been to Kashmir a few months ago. Kashmir's future is slow, but there is a very strong foundation on which it is standing. Terrorism is also declining sharply. I feel that good days are about to come."(ANI)
Mexican cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, who is known for 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and 'The Irishman', will be honoured with the Distinguished Filmmaker Award at the 26th annual Emerging Cinematographer Awards (ECA), according to The Hollywood Reporter. The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG) made an announcement recently. Cinematographer M David Mullen will also be awarded the ASC Mentor Award. The ace cinematographer has been nominated for four Academy Awards for his work on 'Killers of the Flower Moon', 'The Irishman', 'Silence' and 'Brokeback Mountain'. He is also popular for his work in projects such as 'Barbie', 'The Wolf of Wall Street', 'Argo' and '8 Mile' Rodrigo was also nominated for a 2024 MTV Video Music Award for his work on Taylor Swift's 'Fortnight' music video. His feature film directorial debut is an adaptation of Juan Rulfo's novel Pedro Paramo. On the other hand, Mullen was honoured with two American Cinematographers (ASC) Awards and three Emmy Awards for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as well as two IFP Independent Spirit Awards nominations for Twin Falls Idaho and Northfolk. "The filmmakers receiving special awards at this year's ECAs represent the pinnacle of excellence in cinematography, and we're thrilled to celebrate them," said ECA Chair Steven Poster, ASC. "We're excited for an event that highlights both the work of our emerging filmmakers as well as the career achievement of our special awards recipients." Prieto will receive the award at the ECA on September 29, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
According to new research, patients who experience a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following a total hip replacement have a five-fold greater risk of death within a ten-year period. The findings of the research were published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Researchers from ICES, Sunnybrook Research Institute, and the Department of Surgery at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto examined the long-term (10 year) mortality risk of PJI for 175,432 adults receiving their first hip replacement in Ontario, Canada. This is one of the largest studies to date of patients with PJI following total hip arthroplasty (THA). ICES and Arthritis Society Canada provided funding for this study. About 1 in 7 Canadian adults live with osteoarthritis, a number that is expected to grow as baby boomers age and life expectancies increase. Joint replacement procedures can lessen pain and improve quality of life for people who are dealing with this progressive disease. "Most hip replacement surgeries are very successful, but unfortunately, about one to two percent of patients develop infections of the prosthetic joint. It is well established that such infections impact patient health over the long-term, but this research provides compelling evidence that it can even lead to death," said lead author Dr. Raman Mundi, an assistant professor in Temerty Medicine's Department of Surgery and a surgeon-scientist in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The researchers found that among adults receiving their first hip replacement from 2002 to 2021, 868 patients (0.5%) required further surgery for a PJI within one year of hip replacement. Patients with a PJI within the first year had a significantly higher 10-year mortality rate than those who didn't develop an infection (11.4 per cent versus 2.2 per cent) "Our findings underscore the need for arthroplasty surgeons and infectious disease experts to work together on prevention efforts and follow best practice guidelines for patient care," said senior author Dr. Bheeshma Ravi, an adjunct scientist with ICES, surgeon-scientist with the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and assistant professor of surgery at Temerty Medicine. The authors provide several reasons for why they believe the association between PJI and mortality is likely causal and not correlational. First is that the association was quite strong, with the authors controlling for variables such as age, sex, income and health status. Second is that there is precedent that major orthopaedic events (for example, hip fractures) can directly increase risk of mortality. And finally, this study builds on existing evidence that used smaller cohorts of patients and shorter follow-up times. "Ultimately, we need to develop effective strategies to prevent and cure these infections to reduce the long-term risk to patients," added Ravi. "Joint replacement surgery is the mainstay of definitive management for millions of patients living with end-stage osteoarthritis. Although the risk of infection is quite low for the individual patient, given that tens of thousands of hip replacements are performed annually in Canada, and 70% are directly due to arthritis, it is crucial from a public health perspective to find strategies that reduce infection risk even further. Funding this research has allowed us to quantify this risk and provides necessary data to inform future prevention strategies," said Dr Sian Bevan, Chief Science Officer at Arthritis Society Canada. (ANI)
In a phone conversation on Wednesday evening, CM Majhi expressed his condolences to CM Saha for the devastation caused by the recent natural calamities in the state. During their discussion, the Odisha Chief Minister offered a hand of cooperation for post-disaster recovery and pledged assistance of Rs 5 crore to support Tripura's relief efforts, Tripura CMO stated.

CM Saha expressed his gratitude to the Odisha CM for his generous support and commitment to helping Tripura during this challenging time, the statement added.

Notably, in addition to the previously sanctioned Rs 2 crore, an additional Rs 10 crore will be released for flood relief from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Tripura CM Manik Saha announced on Wednesday.

Several individuals and organisations from various sectors--including banks, social organisations, and other groups--have stepped forward to contribute to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the Chief Minister's Office said.

State Bank of India donated Rs 25,00,000, Tinku Roy, Minister donated Rs. 50,000, Biswa Bandhu Sen, Speaker contributed Rs 63,000, Bikash Debbarma donated Rs 62,000, National Law University, Faculty and Staff donated Rs 70,000, All Tripura Community Health Officers donated Rs 20,000, Bru Songrongma Mthoh donated Rs 10,005, Prabin Angan donated Rs 5,000, Siksha Bhavan Montessori School donated Rs 30,000, AGMC Teachers Forum Rs 3,72,300, Mina Rani Sarkar, MLA Rs 30,000, CMO stated.

Following continuous rainfall and unprecedented floods since August 19 in the state, 31 people have lost their lives, and over 72,000 people have been displaced so far, according to a press release by the State Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Department.

As per a government statement, a total of 492 relief camps had been set up by the district administration, providing shelter to the people displaced by the floods. Clothing has also been distributed to about 300 needy people in the Amarpur and Karbook sub-divisions. (ANI)
Claiming the "huge success" of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has said the Centre "wants" to extend it for another 10 years. The central government had launched the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme on October 21, 2016, to make air travel affordable for the people. "..We have observed the huge success that the RCS UDAN scheme has achieved. So, we want to extend it for another 10 years and see what gaps are there and try to address them...Right now, we have 157 (airports), in the plan of Viksit Bharat for 2047, we are planning to improve these 157 airports to 400 airports - including waterdrome airports, heliports and everything," said Naidu on Wednesday. "We still feel that India has an opportunity to double the airports that are there today, and we are going to work on it..." he stated. The union civil aviation minister indicated that India will soon enter into aircraft manufacturing to make India a global hub for aircraft manufacturing. "We want to inform the industry that the government is strongly pushing into the idea of India manufacturing its own plane," he said. The minister emphasised that the government aimed to expand this initiative dramatically not only to meet domestic demand but also to position India as an exporter of aircraft. "Our intention is to build the final plane here in India," Naidu stated. He acknowledged that while there might be a need to source certain components or engines from other players initially, the goal was to develop a self-sustaining ecosystem where every part could eventually be manufactured within the country. "To give a push to regional transport aircraft, we are forming this SPV. In the next five years, we will sit down and address all the critical concerns," he assured. When asked whether international giants like Airbus and Boeing would be part of the SPV, Naidu confidently replied, "We are a major client for them, and they have a strong inclination to partner with us. We will involve everyone in terms of know-how and expertise." (ANI)
In a post on X Spear Corps Indian Army shared, "Lt Gen AS Pendharkar, GOC #SpearCorps, visited an #IndianArmy formation in Sigar Military Station, #ArunachalPradesh and reviewed their operational preparedness and combat readiness. The GOC witnessed #NewGeneration equipment and numerous innovations that aid in enhancing combat potential in forward areas. The Corps Commander interacted with all ranks and complimented them for their professionalism, dedication, and high morale."

Earlier, the Spear Corps said that GOC Indian Army visited Lohit Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, interacted with the troops deployed in forward locations, and reviewed their operational preparedness.

"The Corps Commander paid homage to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in line of duty at the Kibithu War Memorial. The GOC complimented all ranks for their professionalism, motivation and dedication and exhorted them to strive for greater excellence," Spear Corps shared.

The Corps Commander was briefed on technological initiatives employed to enhance combat potential. The GOC interacted with the troops and commended them for their professionalism and high morale.

Earlier Lt Gen AS Pendharkar, GOC Spear Corps, reviewed the operational readiness of the Dao Division during his visit to Dinjan Military Station in Assam.

"Lt Gen AS Pendharkar, GOC Spear Corps, reviewed the operational readiness of the Dao Division during his visit to Dinjan Military Station. The Corps Commander witnessed a display of new Generation Equipment that bolsters operational readiness and achieves battlefield dominance. The GOC commended the exemplary professionalism and high morale of all ranks, further emphasising the need to be ready to meet the emerging security challenges," Spear Corps posted.

Lieutenant General Abhijit S Pendharkar assumed the responsibility of General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the elite Spear Corps from Lieutenant General Harjeet Singh Sahi on August 10. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma announced a new policy to offer insurance coverage up to Rs 1 crore for state government employees on Wednesday, the Chief Minister's Office said. In a post on X Assam Chief Minister's Office shared, "HCM Dr @HimantaBiswa announces a new policy to offer insurance coverage for State government employees -- Rs 10 Lacs for Life Insurance, Rs 1 Crore for Personal Accidental (Death), Rs 1 Crore for Total Disability and Rs 80 Lacs for Partial Disability." The Chief Minister's Office said that in historic meeting of the Assam Cabinet, we resolved to introduce a new insurance policy that will offer upto Rs 1 crore coverage for State Govt employees. The CMO shared, "We resolved to introduce a new insurance policy that will offer upto Rs 1 crore coverage for State government employees. Offer 20% bonus for Assam Tea Corporation Ltd employees & workers. Extend Rs 200 crore Power subsidy to APDCL for the benefit of economically weaker consumers. Establish Assam's third Taj Hotel in Jagiroad. Amend the State's Startup & Industrial Policy." CMO said that the Assam Cabinet key decisions include enhanced insurance coverage for state government employees. The CMO further said that to ensure financial stability of State Govt employees and/or their family members in the unfortunate event of their death or disability, Cabinet has accorded approval to signing of an MoU with State Bank of India or any other Scheduled Commercial Bank having salary account of State Govt employees to provide zero-premium based insurance coverage with the following details: "In case of accidental death: Rs 1 crore, In case of permanent disability: Rs 1 crore, In case of partial disability: Rs 80 lakhs, In case of death in service due to any illness: Rs 10 lakhs. This insurance coverage will be over and above the regular benefits applicable to State Govt employees," the CMO added. Earlier, CM Himanta Biswa Sharma briefed the media on the historic decision of the Assam Cabinet to accept 57 of the 67 recommendations of the Justice (retd) Biplab Sarma Commission on the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. "Today marks a historic milestone for Assam as the Cabinet has approved 57 out of 67 recommendations from the Justice (retd) Biplab Sarma Commission. This stands as one of the most significant efforts since Independence to protect the rights of the people of Assam," the CMO shared. (ANI)
He will spend approximately two hours there. He will also visit and offer prayers at Hanumangarhi and Ram Lalla.

Additionally, he will participate in events organised at Ramsevak Puram and Karsevak Puram.

He will inaugurate a Shiva temple at Ramsevak Puram, built at the site where Ram devotees performed havan for a month during the Ram Temple movement. He will also offer the final oblation (purnahuti) in the ongoing yajna for the consecration of the temple and hoist the flag atop the temple.

The Chief Minister will also attend a program marking the birth anniversary of the late Ashok Singhal, the founder of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and one of the key figures of the Ram Temple movement. He will honour the best Vedic school, the best Sanskrit teacher, and the top-performing student in the country at this event.

The Chief Minister's helicopter is expected to arrive at Ram Katha Park at 10:30 AM on Thursday.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday distributed appointment letters to 1,334 junior engineers, computer technicians and foremen selected by the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC).

Speaking at the event in Lucknow, CM Yogi took a dig at Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav, accusing them of doing "vasooli" during their government.

"Why didn't people earlier get appointment letters? The reason was that their intention was not clear. 'Chacha-Bhatija' was in a race of doing 'vasooli'," CM Yogi said. (ANI)
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 Flash

China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will dispatch a Marine Corps detachment to Brazil to take part in a multilateral joint exercise, following an invitation from the Brazilian military.

The exercise will primarily concentrate on joint landing and anti-landing combat drills.

It aims to strengthen the friendship and collaboration between the Chinese military and its counterparts from the participating nations as well as to bolster their collective capacity to tackle security risks and challenges.
Police also arrested two persons in connection with the case.

Lalbiakthanga Khiangte IGP (Law & Order) of Mizoram police said on September 2 night, Zokhawthar Police Station team, while conducting random checking at the outskirts of New Hruaikawn Village, halted one vehicle bearing registration number MZ-01AA-3824 plying from Bulfekzawl towards Champhai on suspicious ground.

"On conducting thorough checking of the said vehicle, they recovered and seized 2.557 kg (220 soap cases) of heroin with an estimated value of Rs 7,671,000 and 5.742 kg (50500 tablets) of methamphetamine with an estimated value of Rs 7,464,600 from the possession of two persons," Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.

The senior police official also said that, police arrested two persons, and they were identified as David Rosangliana (30 years old) and Lawmsangzuala (27 years old).Zokhawthar Police Station Case No. 80/24 dated 03.09.2024 u/s 21(c)/22(c)/25/29 ND&PS Act was for further legal action and investigation on backward and forward linkages. (ANI)
In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court held that poker and rummy are games of skill, not gambling. The judgement was passed by a division bench comprising Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Manjeev Shukla on Wednesday, on a petition filed by DM Gaming Private Limited, which challenged an earlier order from the Agra City Commissionerate denying the company permission to operate poker and rummy as a gaming unit. DM Gaming Private Limited had filed a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, challenging the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Commissionerate of Agra, on January 24, 2024, which denied the company permission to operate poker and rummy as a gaming unit. The petitioner argued that the denial of permission was based solely on the presumption that these games might disturb public peace and harmony or be considered gambling. Citing precedents set by the Supreme Court and other High Court rulings, it was contended that poker and rummy are games of skill, not gambling. The petitioner further argued that the refusal to grant permission was based on the assumptions that such games could disturb peace and harmony or they may be considered gambling. Citing the decision of the Supreme Court and other orders of the High Court, the Allahabad High Court said that poker and rummy are games of skill and not gambling. The primary legal issue before the court was whether poker and rummy could be classified as gambling or recognized as games of skill. The petitioner''s counsel argued that the denial by the DCP was based on conjecture, with no factual basis for the assumption that allowing such games would disturb peace or encourage gambling. It was argued that such assumptions do not constitute a valid legal ground for refusing permission. The bench stressed that the authorities should thoroughly examine the matter and not deny permission based on conjecture alone. The court ruled that refusal of permission on the basis of mere speculation by the concerned officer cannot be sustained. The court further said that refusal to allow recreational gaming activities must be supported by concrete facts presented by the officer. Granting permission to operate poker and rummy gaming units would not prevent the authorities from monitoring the premises for illegal gambling activities. The court directed the concerned authority to reconsider the matter and issue a reasoned order after giving the petitioner an opportunity to be heard within six weeks from the date of the judgment. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Teachers' Day greetings on Thursday and expressed "gratitude to all teachers who shape young minds." The Prime Minister also paid tribute to former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary. In a post on 'X', the PM said, "Best wishes on #TeachersDay, an occasion to express gratitude to all teachers who shape young minds. Tributes to Dr. Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary." Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah wished 'Teacher's Day' to all the teachers and said that they not only build the lives of students but also contribute to building a great nation. In a post on X, he said, "On #TeachersDay, I bow to all the teachers who not only build the lives of their students but also make invaluable contributions to building a great nation." "On the Jayanti of Bharat Ratna, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, I bow to the former President of India and extend my heartfelt greetings to all our hard-working teachers." The Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also conveyed greetings to teachers and offered tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and said, "Hearty greetings to all the teachers who guide the youth of the country and remove their ignorance and respectful tributes #shikssk_divs the eminent educationist, former President 'Bharat Ratna' Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan ji on his birth anniversary." "Teachers give us meaningful direction in our lives with their vast knowledge by introducing us not just to bookish knowledge but to the true meaning of life. Let us, on the occasion of Teachers' Day, honour our teachers and pledge to follow the true path shown by them," he added in a post. Every year, Teachers' Day is celebrated on 5 September. It's a day dedicated to teachers and the role they play in shaping their students' lives. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of scholar and Bharat Ratna recipient Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was born on this day in 1888. He was the first Vice President of the independent India (1952-1962). He was also the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. (ANI)
The Bengaluru police on Wednesday submitted a charge sheet in a secure box to the court against 17 accused in the Renukaswamy murder case, including star Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda, Bengaluru Police said. Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru B Dayananda, said that a 3,991-page charge sheet, which includes seven volumes and 10 files, has been submitted to the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court. The police statement said that a strong charge sheet had been prepared after a thorough investigation of the case from all angles. "The chargesheet contains 231 witness statements, technical and electronic evidence, and a massive investigation," CP B Dayananda said. 17 people have been arrested in this case, and they are now under judicial custody. There are three eyewitnesses, 27 witnesses have given their statements before the court, and other witnesses have recorded their statements before the police. Earlier actor Darshan was shifted to Bellary Jail after his purported photograph of hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, in the lawns of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Karnataka went viral. The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court ordered to shift Darshan to another jail amid VIP treatment row. Other accused Pawan, Raghavendra and Nandish will be shifted to Mysore Jail. The police are also preparing to shift the accused Jagdish to Shivamogga and Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail. Actress Pavitra Gowda, who is also accused in the murder case, will remain in Bangalore jail. Three special teams were formed to investigate three cases related to special hospitality in the jail. Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda responded to the matter. He said, "If this person is being given extra privileges, it is wrong. Officers who have facilitated such privileges should be held accountable, and action should be taken against them." The Karnataka government earlier suspended seven prison officials after purported picture of Darshan from the jail circulated online. In the image, the actor was seen holding a cup in his right hand and a cigarette in the other. The officials were suspended following the directions of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who instructed the state Director General of Police (DGP) to immediately transfer Darshan and others to different jails. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara termed it as a lapse and assured it would not be repeated. (ANI)
Former Director General of Police (DGP) and then Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Jammu, SP Vaid, reacted to the recently released Netflix's web series IC 814 and said that the series has no proper mention of the ISIS, such as to clarify their involvement behind this hijack and said that the series should be banned if not rectified. The former DGP also spoke on the release of terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar from Kot Bhalwal jail during the hijack and said that he had a "disgusting smile" on his face when he went to release him. "One of the terrorist's was Masood Azhar. When I went to get him out for release, Masood had a very disgusting smile on his face. Mann toh karta tha kisi tarah se yeh zinda yaha se na jaae," stated the former DGP. Speaking to ANI, the former DIG recalled the 1999 Kandahar hijack and said, "I have heard that there is no proper mention of ISI, such as to clarify ISI behind this hijack. Terrorists use Hindu names for a purpose. They want people to think that Hindus executed these attacks. It is the responsibility of Netflix's management to show their real names and clarify who executed the hijack." "It is a good thing that the head of OTT platform Netflix India, Monika Shergill, had a meeting with the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Wednesday regarding certain contentious issues on the web series based on the hijacking of IC-814. It should be banned if not rectified," he said. The former DGP also stated that there was a lot of hard negotiation with the terrorists for the safety of the 176 passengers onboard. "After a lot of negotiations, the terrorists first demanded the release of many terrorists. All these demands were made at the behest of the ISI, but there was a lot of hard negotiation, all our people who were involved in this and there was a very hard negotiation. Ultimately it was decided that 3 terrorists would be released," said SP Vaid. The Netflix series 'IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack' trigged a row on social media over the depiction of the hijackers. Additionally, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court by Surjit Singh Yadav, Chief of Hindu Sena, seeking a ban on the Netflix series. The PIL alleged that the series distorts the actual identities of the terrorists involved in the hijacking. The petition claimed that the miniseries erroneously assigns Hindu names such as "Bhola" and "Shankar"--names associated with Lord Shiva--to the real hijackers Ibrahim Akhtar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir. After triggering a row on social media over the names of the hijackers in the series , Netflix updated its disclaimer with the real and code names of the hijackers. "For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of story-telling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation," said Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India. The Hijack drama is created by Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Shrivastava. It stars actors Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Arvind Swamy, Patralekhaa and Dia Mirza. The six-episode series is based on the events of December 24, 1999, when an Indian Airlines flight IC 814 en route to Delhi from Kathmandu was hijacked after takeoff from the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal shortly after it entered Indian airspace. (ANI)
All women police station (AWPS), Trichy Fort, Trichy arrested the accused booked under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Notably, the accused's mother the headmistress of the school was also taken into custody for allegedly helping to cover up the offences. They were sent to 3-day judicial custody.

The incident came to light after a distress call was made to the child's helpline number. Following the call, the District Child Protection Officer, along with other officials, conducted interviews with the students after which it was revealed that the accused had been assaulting students for several months during his consultations.

Earlier, as well in a similar kind of incident two four-year-olds inside their school in Badlapur, Maharashtra were sexually assaulted by the school staff.

The case of the alleged sexual assault triggered widespread outrage across the state, leading to numerous protests nationwide. (ANI)
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel acknowledging the social responsibility of teachers in shaping society contributed to the Teachers' Welfare Fund on the occasion of Teachers' Day. September 5 is celebrated across India to honour the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a lifelong teacher. Students from St. Xavier's School and the School of Achievers in Gandhinagar visited the Chief Minister's residence to collect voluntary donations for the fund. Chief Minister Patel acknowledged the importance of teachers and expressed his gratitude by making his contribution. During the interaction, Patel spoke to the children, shared his respect for teachers, and highlighted their contribution to individual and societal development. He encouraged everyone to support the welfare of teachers by contributing to the fund. "Today, on the occasion of Teacher's Day, the children of Gandhinagar schools expressed their gratitude to the teachers by contributing to the Teachers' Welfare Fund. The interaction with the school children and teachers on this occasion was very enjoyable," the CM said. The event was attended by District Collector Mehul Dave, District Development Officer J.B. Patel, District Education Officer Dr. Bhagwanbhai Prajapati, and Primary Education Officer Piyush Patel, along with other officials and school representatives. Earlier in his message on Teachers Day, the Gujarat CM said, "A teacher is not just someone who teaches textbooks in classrooms. A teacher is the architect of a country's future. A teacher is the key to the progress of mankind. Happy Teacher's Day to all the teachers who instill knowledge, skills and virtues in students. Former President of India, great educationist, Bharat Ratna, in whose memory this day is celebrated. Greetings on the birth anniversary of Sarvapalli Radhakrishnanji," Bhupendra Patel posted on X. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on the occasion, "On Teachers Day, I bow to all the teachers who not only build the lives of their students but also make invaluable contributions to building a great nation. On the Jayanti of Bharat Ratna, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, I bow to the former President of India and extend my heartfelt greetings to all our hard-working teachers," the Home Minister posted on X. (ANI)
The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the Central Government to provide Uttarakhand cadre IFS Officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi with documents related to his empanelment. Specifically, the court has directed the respondents to disclose records concerning the process and decision-making of his empanelment at the level of the Joint Secretary, who made the decision on November 15, 2022. The disclosure is to be limited to documents pertaining only to Chaturvedi's empanelment. A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Alok Kumar Verma passed these orders on September 3rd on a writ petition filed by the officer in which he was arguing his own case. The order says, "Keeping in view that the petitioner has sought his own record, a direction is being given to the respondents to give the record relating to the process and decision making of the empanelment of the petitioner at the level of the Joint Secretary, who took the decision on November 15, 2022." The order clarified that "only the records relating to the petitioner's empanelment shall be supplied to the petitioner." These orders are first of its kind passed by any Court regarding supply of documents related to empanelment to aggrieved officer. Central Government had passed an order on November 15, in 2022, which had said that 'Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has not approved', empanelment of Sanjiv Chaturvedi for 'holding the post of JS/equivalent at the Centre'. In his petition, Chaturvedi cited his 'consistent outstanding grading', four presidential orders passed in his favour during his Haryana tenure, appreciation of his performance as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) in AIIMS by the Union Health Ministry as 'exemplary' and various orders of the Uttarakhand High Court, Delhi High Court, as well as the Supreme Court, making favourable observations about his credentials. He also claimed of being 'relentlessly persecuted by powers that be, for years and years, for discharging his official duties honestly and fearlessly, in accordance with the law of land and the present petition is the result of a never-ending series of such events.' Initially, he had filed a petition in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in December, 2022. However, the Petition was dismissed in May this year on the ground that, 'disclosure of the records pertaining to ACC and CSB being confidential documents is prohibited as per Section 8(1)(i) of RTI Act.' Chaturvedi challenged this order before Uttarakhand High Court in June, claiming that orders of Tribunal 'has been passed on the basis of prima facie baseless, fictitious, factually incorrect and unsubstantiated submissions made' by Central Government. The petition mentioned that proviso of Section 8(1) (i) of RTI Act was completely ignored by the tribunal, which says that, 'the decisions of Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete, or over.' (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday paid tribute to former President, educationist, and philosopher Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary by offering flowers to his picture at the Chief Minister's residence. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also wished all the teachers on the occasion of Teacher's Day. He said that teachers are the true nation-builders. "Teachers play an important role in building the character of students and making them worthy citizens. Teachers not only make an important contribution to nation-building by educating the students, but they also have a big role in giving a new direction to the society," CM Dhami said. "Teachers also have an important participation in the successful implementation of the schemes run by the state government for the development of education," he added. The Chief Minister said that only those countries and societies move forward where the teachers are respected. "We have to make the great Indian tradition of respect and reverence towards our teachers even stronger," he added. On this occasion, the Chief Minister called upon the students to follow the Indian tradition of respect and reverence towards the teachers and participate in the development of the country and the state by becoming the best citizens. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Teachers' Day greetings on Thursday and expressed "gratitude to all teachers who shape young minds." The Prime Minister also paid tribute to former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary. In a post on 'X', the PM said, "Best wishes on #TeachersDay, an occasion to express gratitude to all teachers who shape young minds. Tributes to Dr. Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary." Every year, Teachers' Day is celebrated on 5 September. It's a day dedicated to teachers and the role they play in shaping their students' lives. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of scholar and Bharat Ratna recipient Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was born on this day in 1888.He was the first Vice President of the independent India (1952-1962). He was also the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended greetings to the people on the first International Solar Festival and said that the day brings the whole world together to celebrate the sun's impact and that the festival will encourage everyone to build a better planet. The Prime Minister said that in the past years, India has taken many massive strides in green energy and that the country's solar energy capacity has increased 32 folds in the past 10 years. "This speed and scale will also help India achieve 500 Giga Watt non-fossil capacity by 2030," said PM Modi. In a video message on his social media handle on X, the Prime Minister posted, "I am glad to welcome you all to the first International Solar Festival. I congratulate the International Solar Alliance for this wonderful initiative." "The Vedas were texts composed thousands of years ago. One of the most popular mantras of the Vedas is about the Sun. Even today, millions of Indians chant it daily. Many cultures across the world have respected the sun in their own ways. Most regions also have festivals related to the sun," he said. "This International Solar Festival brings the whole world together to celebrate the sun's impact. This is a festival that will help us build a better planet," said PM Modi. "Additionally, 19 more countries are ratifying the framework agreement for attaining full membership. The growth of this organisation is important for the vision of one World, one Sun. In the past few years, India has taken many massive strides in green energy. We were the first G20 nation to achieve the Paris commitments in renewable energy. The remarkable growth of solar energy is the key reason for making this possible," he said. Adding further, PM Modi said, "Our solar energy capacity increased 32 folds in the last 10 years. This speed and scale will also help us achieve 500 Giga Watt non-fossil capacity by 2030." The Prime Minister said that the progress of the country's solar sector is the result of a clear approach and that the solar option has become affordable through specific schemes and incentives. "India's growth in the solar sector is the result of a clear approach. Whether in India or in the world, the mantra to increase solar adoption is awareness, availability and affordability. We increase awareness about the need for sustainable energy sources by encouraging domestic manufacturing. In the solar sector, we increase availability. Through specific schemes and incentives, we also made the solar option affordable," said PM Modi. "ISA is an ideal platform for exchanging ideas and best practices for solar adoption. India has a lot to share as well. For a recent policy intervention, a few months ago, we launched the PM Suryagarh Muft Bijli Yojana," said the Prime Minister. "We are investing Rs 750 billion in this scheme. Our target is to help 10 million households to install their own roof of solar panels," added the PM. (ANI)
 Flash

On an ordinary day, a bus packed with Egyptian engineers rolled into the bustling Central Business District (CBD) of Egypt's new administrative capital.



Their destination heaves into view -- a state-of-the-art training center where the Egyptian branch of China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) gives hands-on lectures.

Here, the engineers will sharpen their expertise in the art of skyscraper construction, gaining insights from industry leaders as they help shape the skyline of Egypt's future.

"Up We Build (UWB) College" is an on-site training center established by CSCEC Egypt, which has built the 20-tower CBD in the heart of the desert some 50 km east of the country's capital city of Cairo, including the 385.8-meter-high Iconic Tower, the tallest skyscraper not just in Egypt but in Africa.

Having been working with CSCEC Egypt for seven months since graduation, Fahmy Reda, a 25-year-old Egyptian electrical and mechanical engineer, depicts his current job as a big boost to his career.

Although he didn't work in the Iconic Tower, he was keen to attend the lecture to learn about the technologies used in its construction.

"The idea of having a lecture on the Iconic Tower is very useful, as I can learn how other parts of the project were carried out and know about the experiences and technologies used in the Iconic Tower construction," the junior engineer told Xinhua.

Fady Hany said that he gained a lot of expertise from working on the CBD project, "especially since it is the first time in Egypt to have such tall skyscrapers, including the tallest in Africa."

"The lectures held by the company are free for everyone, whether workers or engineers, where Egyptians and Chinese get to know each other and exchange cultures and expertise," said the 26-year-old Egyptian engineer.

The lecture was given by a 30-years-old Chinese instructor Li Luoluo, the Iconic Tower technical engineer, who has been working on the project since six years ago when the place was mostly desert.

"When I look at these high-rise buildings, I feel very proud, not only because I participate in such a world-class large-scale project, but also because it is a symbol of friendship and cooperation between China and Egypt," said the Chinese engineer.

Li has participated in seven or eight training courses and trained more than 200 Egyptian engineers in the company's UWB College. "Everyone was very excited to learn about the Chinese construction technology," he said.

The CBD project is not only a key project of Egypt's national rejuvenation plan, but also a flagship project under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Li Binghong, head of the UWB College, said that the principle of the training center goes in line with the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, which is supported by the BRI.

"I hope that through UWB we can train more outstanding Egyptian engineers so that they can not only work on our projects but also various projects in the future, and make greater contributions to their country," he added.

The CBD project consists of 20 towers that were all built simultaneously, along with a Central Utility Complex (CUC). The 20 high-rise buildings include 10 office towers, five residential towers, four hotels, and the Iconic Tower, according to Ahmed El-Banna, the CBD project manager from international consulting company Dar Al-Handasah.

"By the end of this year, we will deliver 15 towers, including 10 office towers and five residential ones, and we will also deliver the CUC," he added, noting that the remaining four hotel buildings and the Iconic Tower are scheduled to be delivered in 2025.

"These towers had an impact on the construction industry market in Egypt and the people who worked here benefited from the experience they gained," said the Egyptian project manager, referring to the CBD as the "crown jewel" of the new capital.

"We expect the CBD to be an attractive area for foreign investors and to see international companies here in its towers with a high employment rate," El-Banna told Xinhua.
Ahead of the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari asserted on Thursday that Congress will bring back Jammu and Kashmir's statehood after coming into power in the state. "Our leader has promised as soon as we get the opportunity, we will bring back the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference is with us in this," said the Congress Rajya sabha member. 'It is shocking that the status of a sensitive state on the border of the country, has been reduced to a Union Territory from the staus of the state, the senior Congress leader added. Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government's decision of changing Jammu and Kashmir's statehood status, he said that the decision shows the shortsightedness of the BJP. "It was a very unjust step of the BJP towards the people of the state. This injustice by the BJP shows their short-sightedness, " the congress leader said. In August 2019, the government of India abrogated Article 370, effectively ending Jammu and Kashmir J&K's special status and reorganising into two Union Territories (UTs)--Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. On Wednesday, ahead of the assembly polls in the Union Territory, the Congress released "Kya khoya, kya paya Jammu and Kashmir charge sheet sab kuch khoya, kuch nahi paya," alleging the BJP's betrayal over issues like unemployment, agriculture, education, health, and statehood. The document released by the Congress targeted Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, alleging that the voice of the people in J-K is being suppressed. "An unelected Lieutenant Governor (LG), appointed from Delhi, holds all power and, despite promises, the restoration of statehood has been denied to the proud people of J-K, treating them as second-class citizens. Outsiders are being allocated land, resources, and jobs, while the locals grapple with rising prices, high taxes, water shortages, poor electricity supply, and excessive billing through smart metres," it said. The document also highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country, double the national average, with 65 per cent of government posts remaining vacant since 2019. "Corruption is reportedly being encouraged from the top, starting in the LG's own office, with mining, liquor, and construction contracts awarded to cronies. Moreover, those who attempt to expose corruption face ruthless prosecution," the Congress' document added. Earlier, BJP National General Secretary and Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Tarun Chugh said that Congress has played havoc within the region for the past more than 70 years Chugh also mentioned that the Congress, NCP, and PDP have been depriving people of Jammu and Kashmir of development and progress "The Congress has played havoc within the region for the past more than 70 years by playing in the hands of across-the-border forces. The Congress, in league with the NC and PDP, has been waging a proxy war in J&K to spread violence and disturbance to deprive the youth of employment opportunities. It has been a calculated design of the Congress to support divisive forces and to let down the Kashmiri pandits. There have been signals that the Congress is mostly speaking the language of the cross-border forces led by ISI," Chugh said on Wednesday. The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections will see 219 candidates in the fray, with voting scheduled for September 18. This will be the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. (ANI)
West Bengal Legislative Assembly LoP Suvendu Adhikari wrote to President of India Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting them to withdraw/forfeit the President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal, presently Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, alleging shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. In a post on X Suvendu Adhikari shared, "I have written a letter to the President of India Droupadi Murmu Ji requesting her to withdraw/forfeit the prestigious President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal; IPS, (West Bengal: RR - 1994), presently Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, in connection with his reprehensible, deplorable and shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the Resident Doctor of RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata." He further alleged that Goyal's complicity in the destruction of material evidence and deliberate inaction during the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the night of 14th August, 2024 has been well documented in the media. "His brazen attempts to sabotage the investigations into what is possibly the most heinous and sensitive crime in the country today to pander to the whims of the political executive of the state, with an intent to camouflage the financial and moral racket running in the health sector in West Bengal, makes him unworthy of retaining such awards," he claimed. Adhikari said that the Commissioners actions have tarnished the redoubtable reputation of the Kolkata Police, built assiduously over 168 years, and brought shame to the West Bengal Police. "His activities carried out with the intention of shielding certain influential individuals has further aggravated the already precarious Law & Order situation in West Bengal. He has brought great shame to the state and to the nation and the state is on the boil with the civil society perceiving him as embodiment of all that is wrong in the state of West Bengal," he added. West Bengal Legislative Assembly LoP said that he had also urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene in this regard. "I have also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah Ji, requesting him to intervene in this regard and also to kindly censure the State Govt of WB for failing to take appropriate steps in terms of the notification issued vide memo no. 11026/02/2017-PMA dated May 29, 2017 of the Police Division-I, wherein the State Governments were directed that any incident of non-adherence to the guidelines related to withdrawal/forfeiture of President's Police Medal and Police Medal would be considered as a serious lapse," Adhikari added. In the latest development in the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, a member of the family of the victim accused the Kolkata Police of trying to offering them money when they were crying and sitting with the mortal remains of their daughter inside the house. "When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police?" said the aunt of the deceased doctor. These allegations came while addressing media persons after the family of the deceased doctor joined protests at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday night. Accusing the Kolkata Police for "not fulfilling their responsibility," the aunt of the deceased doctor said that as soon as the last rites were performed, the police personnel left the family alone and became completely inactive, but before the rituals, around 300-400 police personnel surrounded the family. (ANI)
Following BRS working president KT Rama Rao's statement on Rahul Gandhi criticising bulldozer justice as unconstitutional, Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar said that KT Rama Rao was contradicting Gandhi's statement in regard to bulldozing governance in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Kumar said that KTR had been using this particular statement, stating that Rahul Gandhi, who had talked about bulldozer justice in Uttar Pradesh, needs to speak about the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA) that demolishes illegal buildings in the state. "KTR is contradicting Rahul Gandhiji's statement yesterday in regard to the bulldozing governance in Uttar Pradesh. KTR was using this particular statement, saying that Rahul Gandhiji, who is talking about Uttar Pradesh, has to also talk about Telangana regarding the HYDRA, which is demolishing illegal houses," he said. Kumar further explained that the Telangana government had been demolishing the buildings to save the people from climate change and the environment and further stated that they are also bringing down illegal construction, whereas, in Uttar Pradesh, the government was bulldozing the houses of the people who were convicted, which the Supreme Court ruled against. "The Congress party in Telangana is demolishing the buildings to save the people from climate change and the environment in the rainy seasons, where the rich people and some builders have illegally constructed... Whereas in Uttar Pradesh the Supreme Court has given this particular verdict saying that the government should not bulldoze the people who have been into conviction... So I want to tell KTR that whenever you compare any incident, it should be something realistic," Kumar added. This came following KTR's post on X in which he took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, where he said that Gandhi criticising the bulldozer justice in Uttar Pradesh was ironic despite the same done in the state of Telangana under the Congress rule. He further stated that it was hypocritical of Congress to do such a thing and that "double standards are glaring." "I welcome and thank the Supreme Court of India for its observation on "Bulldozer Politics" as a blatant assault on people's lives. It is strikingly ironic that Rahul Gandhi Ji criticises bulldozer justice as unconstitutional yet remains silent about the ongoing destruction under his party's rule in Telangana. Under CM Revanth Reddy, Congress persists with the same injustices," his post read. "Is Congress truly powerless against one man in Telangana, or are they simply masters of hypocrisy? The double standards are glaring, and the people of Telangana deserve much better," KTR said in the X post. (ANI)
In a sharp rebuttal to Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Himachal Pradesh's Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister, Aniruddh Singh accused Owaisi of acting as a "Team-B" for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Singh claimed that Owaisi's politics revolves around a single community and that he is out of touch with the issues affecting Himachal Pradesh. "The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh focuses on development and ensures that every action is lawful. This isn't an issue of the temple or mosque but rather of legal and illegal constructions," said Singh, referring to the ongoing controversy over unauthorized structures. He made it clear that the government is taking action based on law and does not need Owaisi to intervene or politicize the matter. While Singh noted his personal respect for Owaisi, he criticized the MP for promoting communal politics and neglecting development issues. "He does the politics of a particular community and has nothing to do with development," Singh remarked. Regarding the presence of immigrants in Himachal Pradesh, Singh pointed out that the Muslim community has peacefully coexisted in the state for generations. However, he expressed concern over the recent influx of people from other states, emphasising that the primary issue is ensuring proper verification of newcomers. "There is no difference between Hindus and Muslims among those coming from other states. The real concern is that we must verify those coming to Himachal Pradesh to prevent any security risks," Singh explained. Singh also noted the arrival of individuals from other countries and suggested the need for a thorough investigation into the background of these newcomers. He called for vigilance in ensuring the safety and security of the region. "The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh focuses on development and ensures that every action is lawful. This isn't an issue of the temple or mosque but rather of legal and illegal constructions," said Singh. "He does the politics of a particular community and has nothing to do with development. We need to investigate where they're coming from. There are people coming from Bangladesh, and this is a concern for the entire country. We need to keep a check on this," he stated, urging for more stringent regulations to prevent illegal activity. Singh continued to stress the importance of proper verification, warning of the potential risks posed by unchecked migration. "This is not about Hindus or Muslims, it's about ensuring the law is followed. People who come to Himachal Pradesh for business or other purposes must go through proper checks. Even if they have a criminal," he added. The Sanjauli Mosque row continues to stir political debate in Himachal Pradesh, with both BJP and Congress leaders expressing their positions on the issue. (ANI)
Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha flagged off a Namo Express special train on Thursday ahead of the Ganeshotsav for the Konkan people to get a chance to go to their village to celebrate the festival. The train was flagged off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Speaking on the occasion, Lodha said, "The arrival of Lord Ganesh is a matter of enthusiasm not only for his devotees in Maharashtra but everywhere. Thousands of people bring Lord Ganesh to their homes. This time, we have arranged a special Modi train for the people of Konkan. This train has been named Namo Express so that Maharashtra and Konkan also move forward at the same pace as the country is moving forward under the leadership of PM Modi." Taking to social media platform X, Lodha expressed his pleasure of hosting the Namo Express every year for this occasion. "Like every year, this year also on the occasion of Ganeshotsav, the Namo Express railway train organised for Konkanians was flagged off from CSMT. It gives me great pleasure to host Namo Express every year. For us Ganesha devotees, Ganeshotsav is a festival of faith and enthusiasm. Through Namo Express, thousands of Ganesha devotees get a chance to go to their village in Konkan and have darshan of their beloved Ganesha. BJP has always been committed to Hindu festivals," he said. Speaking on the arrest of sculptor Jaydeep Apte in the Sindhudurg statue collapse incident, Lodha said, "Very strict action should be taken against him. It was his mistake and due to that, such a big incident happened, which hurt the sentiments of all the followers of Shivaji." Earlier, a 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district collapsed on August 26. (ANI)
The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) staged a protest on Thursday over the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. They demanded the death penalty for the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh. Pramod Pandey from INTUC said, "Today is Teacher's Day. We demand the death penalty for the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh. He should be given the death penalty immediately. Today 22 to 23 days are over and till now the accused has not been sentenced. A case of forgery has been registered against him. He has not been accused in the main crime yet which happened at the RG Kar Medical Hospital." Former Principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court decision that ordered the CBI probe into the graft case against him. His plea has been listed on September 6 before a bench led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud. The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh on September 2. Dr Ghosh was under investigation for alleged corruption and financial irregularities at the college and hospital, following a directive from a single bench of the Calcutta High Court, which ordered the CBI to probe the matter. He was sent to 8-day police custody on Tuesday. Meanwhile, West Bengal Legislative Assembly LoP Suvendu Adhikari wrote to President of India Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting them to withdraw/forfeit the President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal, presently Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, alleging shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. In a post on X, Suvendu Adhikari shared, "I have written a letter to the President of India Droupadi Murmu Ji requesting her to withdraw/forfeit the prestigious President's Police Medal and Police Medal conferred upon Vineet Goyal; IPS, (West Bengal: RR - 1994), presently Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, in connection with his reprehensible, deplorable and shameful conduct during the course of investigations into the rape and murder of the Resident Doctor of RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata." In the latest development in the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, a member of the family of the victim accused the Kolkata Police of trying to offering them money when they were crying and sitting with the mortal remains of their daughter inside the house. "When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police?" said the aunt of the deceased doctor. These allegations came while addressing media persons after the family of the deceased doctor joined protests at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday night. (ANI)
A large number of people gathered outside the Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla to protest against the alleged illegal construction of the Mosque on Thursday. The protestors included locals, party workers from the BJP, and various members of Hindu organizations. Protestors were seen raising slogans along with holding the tricolour in their hands, against the illegal construction. One of the protestors, Ankush Chauhan, who is also a BJP worker demanded demolition of the mosque and called it "illegal". "This mosque has been built illegally. The four floors of the mosque are illegal. If we construct anything illegally, it is immediately demolished. It has been 10 years, but no action has been taken on the mosque. This illegal mosque should be demolished," said Chauhan. He further said that the whole Hindu community is present in the protests. Chauhan said, "The entire Hindu, Sanatani community is protesting. It has nothing to do with BJP or Congress. Hindu Samaj is fighting against this. The reason behind the protests is that on the day before yesterday, some Muslim men attacked one of our Hindu brothers in which he sustained injuries and this protest is a result of that incident. An investigation should be done on the increasing number of Muslims in the state, whether they are Rohingyas or Bangladeshis." Earlier, Regarding the presence of immigrants in Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh Minister Anirudh Singh pointed out that the Muslim community has peacefully coexisted in the state for generations. However, he expressed concern over the recent influx of people from other states, emphasizing that the primary issue is ensuring proper verification of newcomers. "There is no difference between Hindus and Muslims among those coming from other states. The real concern is that we must verify those coming to Himachal Pradesh to prevent any security risks," Singh explained. Singh also noted the arrival of individuals from other countries and suggested the need for a thorough investigation into the background of these newcomers. He called for vigilance in ensuring the safety and security of the region. "The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh focuses on development and ensures that every action is lawful. This isn't an issue of the temple or mosque but rather of legal and illegal constructions," said Singh. Singh continued to stress the importance of proper verification, warning of the potential risks posed by unchecked migration. "This is not about Hindus or Muslims, it's about ensuring the law is followed. People who come to Himachal Pradesh for business or other purposes must go through proper checks. Even if they have a criminal," he added. The Sanjauli Mosque row continues to stir political debate in Himachal Pradesh, with both BJP and Congress leaders engaging in a blame game on the floor or the assembly. (ANI)
BJP West Bengal MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, on Thursday requesting the CJI to expedite the trial proceedings of the cases related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. In his letter, Mahato wrote, "I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Hon'ble Supreme Court for taking suo motu cognisance of the tragic and heinous rape and murder of a young doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata... However, I humbly request that the proceedings in this case be expedited. The delay in hearings and the postponement of the case are causing immense disappointment and frustration among the people of West Bengal and across the nation." He further requested action be taken against the Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Vineet Kumar Goyal and other officials for their alleged involvement in tampering with evidence and obstructing justice. He also accused them of "mishandling of evidence, the undue haste in certain procedural matters, and the overall lack of transparency have all contributed to a growing sense of injustice." "The role of the Kolkata Police in this case has been deeply troubling... The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Vineet Kumar Goyal, has been at the centre of this controversy... His role in these cases has brought disrepute not only to the police force but also to the administration of justice in West Bengal... The mishandling of evidence, the undue haste in certain procedural matters, and the overall lack of transparency have all contributed to a growing sense of injustice. In light of these concerns, I earnestly request that the Hon'ble Supreme Court consider making the alleged police officials, including the Commissioner of Police, and others involved in tampering with evidence and obstructing justice, accountable for their actions," he added. On August 9, the body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after the trainee doctor's body was discovered. The CBI has also arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. The gruesome incident also led to the West Bengal Assembly passing unanimously the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024' on Tuesday. The bill has provisions for increased punishment for crimes against women. The bill requires that a probe into rape cases be concluded within 24 days of the initial report. (ANI)
Addressing the event, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the Ayodhya Dham and Tamil Nadu have a special bond.

"Ayodhya Dham and Tamil Nadu have a special bond. It is a thousand-year-old ritual," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.

"Thousands of years ago, Lord Ram rested and worshipped Lord Shiv at a holy place in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, while he was on his way to Sri Lanka in search of Mata Sita," the UP CM said.

"It is said that Mata Sita worshipped at Sri Ramanathaswamy temple when she was returning from Sri Lanka with Lord Ram," he added.

He will inaugurate a Shiva temple at Ramsevak Puram, built at the site where Ram devotees performed havan for a month during the Ram Temple movement. He will also offer the final oblation (purnahuti) in the ongoing yajna for the consecration of the temple and hoist the flag atop the temple.

The Chief Minister will also attend a program marking the birth anniversary of the late Ashok Singhal, the founder of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and one of the key figures of the Ram Temple movement. He will honour the best Vedic school, the best Sanskrit teacher, and the top-performing student in the country at this event.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday distributed appointment letters to 1,334 junior engineers, computer technicians and foremen selected by the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC).

Speaking at the event in Lucknow, CM Yogi took a dig at Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav, accusing them of doing "vasooli" during their government.

"Why didn't people earlier get appointment letters? The reason was that their intention was not clear. 'Chacha-Bhatija' was in a race of doing 'vasooli'," CM Yogi said. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing controversy over the legality of the under-construction Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh said if the mosque is 'illegal' then action will be taken. Vikramaditya Singh also raised the issue of immigrants and called it a "matter of concern for the people of Himachal Pradesh." Notably, the fate of the mosque will be decided in the Municipal Commissioner's court. The case has been scheduled to be heard on September 7 in which it will be decided whether the 'unauthorised construction' should be demolished or not. "For a long time, the issue of building a mosque in Sanjauli is gaining momentum. The govt is taking action as far as structural illegality is concerned. Since this matter is under Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner, it is under consideration and has been pending there for a long time. If it is illegal, then action will be taken against it and immigrants are a matter of concern for the people of Himachal Pradesh, said Vikramaditya Singh. "Some communities have come to Himachal from outside, especially from Uttar Pradesh and some law and order problems have also been created here but the police are taking action in that. CM has given strict orders to the DGP and SP. The police are fully alert to prevent any kind of untoward activity and to ensure that the atmosphere does not deteriorate," he added. Vikramaditya Singh also clarified that that the state government spending crores of rupees for the maintenance and reconstruction of the temples in Himachal but stressed upon keeping a balance with every community "But we also have to keep in mind that no one's sentiments should be hurt...There is no doubt that the Congress government has given crores of rupees for the maintenance and reconstruction of the temples here. But it is also very important for us to maintain a balance in the state and everyone, whether they are Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists or even minorities...," said Vikramaditya. Meanwhile, HP Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh speaking on the issue said, "As far as the mosque in Sanjauli is concerned, I want to emphasize that illegal construction should not be tolerated anywhere in Himachal Pradesh...The matter regarding the mosque was brought before the Municipal Corporation in 2010, and there have been around 44 hearings in the courts. Despite this, the construction was carried out illegally. When ordinary citizens violate regulations, they face immediate action, so why has this issue been overlooked for so long? Illegal is illegal, whether it's a temple or a mosque." "People of various communities live harmoniously in Himachal Pradesh, they taught us to maintain brotherhood in every city...We've urged the Chief Minister to maintain records of illegal immigrants and to verify their police backgrounds, whether they're coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even within India. If these individuals are arriving from outside, we must understand what criminal activities they might be involved in...," he added. Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha witnessed a heated debate on Wednesday regarding the construction of mosque in Sanjauli. (ANI)
 Flash

Cai Qi, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Thursday met with Gambian President Adama Barrow, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

At the opening ceremony of the FOCAC summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the elevation of the overall characterization of China-Africa relations to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, along with 10 partnership actions for modernization. This was warmly received by the attendees, said Cai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

The implementation of the summit's outcomes is a top priority for China-Africa cooperation at present and for the foreseeable future, Cai said, adding that China is willing to work with Gambia to implement the new measures unveiled during the summit and advance China-Gambia relations to a new level.

Barrow said President Xi's speech at the opening ceremony is of great significance, sending a strong signal to advance Africa-China relations and boosting the confidence of African countries. Gambia will firmly abide by the one-China principle and join hands with China to implement the summit's outcomes and further advance bilateral relations.
Keeping in mind the importance of reading books, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Vanche Gujarat' campaign for the citizens of Gujarat. During his tenure, he planned to enrich all the libraries of Gujarat with scriptures. Moving in the same direction, under the leadership of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, a historic decision has recently been taken to start government libraries in 50 talukas of 21 districts of the state. It is worth mentioning that every year September 6 is celebrated as 'National Read a Book Day' i.e. 'National Book Reading Day'. The aim of this day is to celebrate the joy of reading, and also to encourage people to take interest in the activity of reading. Libraries are also planned in all the tribal taluks of the state with the aim of awakening the interest in reading among the people of the tribal communities living in the tribal areas of the state and motivating them to read. Under this, permission has been given to start libraries in 14 talukas of 7 tribal districts of the state. As a result, all tribal communities in every tribal taluka of Gujarat will get 100 percent benefit of reading service. The Gujarat government has also thought about starting libraries in rural areas of Gujarat. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, the state government has planned to start more and more subsidised libraries in the state this year so that the reading-loving citizens of the society can easily get the facilities of public libraries. It has been decided to start a government taluka library. It is worth mentioning that this decision to allow such a large number of libraries in one year is historic since the establishment of the state till date. A policy on accreditation and grants-in-aid for public libraries has been laid down for the establishment and development of public libraries throughout the state with the objective of inculcating interest in reading and spreading knowledge among the people through books, periodicals, articles and pictorial teaching aids. Grant-in-aid from the State Government has been allowed to increase grant-in-aid on 100 per cent basis by exempting the grant-aided libraries from Lokphala from the year 2023-24. That is, 100 percent grant will be made available by the state government, exempting the libraries from the 25 per cent public contribution they had to pay earlier. Apart from this, the State Government has also allowed to increase the rates of grant based on the type of libraries, such as special libraries, city libraries, women and children libraries, village libraries, etc. It is planned to start more and more grant-aided libraries in the state. The Government of Gujarat has also increased the award amount to the winning libraries and the librarians of the winning libraries in the scheme for Shree Motibhai Amin Granthalaya Seva Award and Uttam Granthalaya Seva Certificate. The scheme has also added categories of expert libraries and special libraries, which will maintain a competitive environment in providing library services among state-aided libraries. (ANI)
The 10th INTERPOL Liaison Officers (ILO's) Conference, organised by CBI, was inaugurated by the Home Secretary at the CBI Headquarters in Delhi. The conference was organised on the theme 'Strengthening International Law Enforcement Partnerships', by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on the eve of the upcoming UN International Day of Police Cooperation. The event involved the participation of senior officers from all Central, State and Union Territory law enforcement agencies and International Police Liaison Officers from several countries. The inaugural session was joined virtually by law enforcement personnel across India and across member countries of the INTERPOL, EUROPOL and GloBE networks. In his inaugural address, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan emphasised the importance of international police cooperation in tackling the rapidly evolving landscape of technology-enabled crimes that transcend borders. Stating that the spectre of transnational crime and organised crimes require real-time international police cooperation, he asserted. "The international dispersal of crime and criminals has enhanced the need for investigation abroad. Prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crime is increasingly reliant on digital evidence and foreign located evidence," he added. He further added, "New age crimes, including cyber-enabled financial crimes, online radicalization and transnational organised crime networks, are not confined by borders. In an increasingly interconnected world, the importance of international police cooperation cannot be overstated". Mohan emphasised the need for close coordination and real-time cooperation among law enforcement agencies globally to the imminent threats posed by terrorism, transnational organised crime networks, online radicalisation, illicit flow of drugs, arms peddling, cybercrime, online child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, wildlife and environmental crimes, economic offences, laundering of proceeds of crime, terror financing, etc. need close co-ordination and real-time cooperation among law enforcement agencies globally. He stressed that the safe havens for crime, proceeds of crime and terrorism anywhere in the world, pose a serious threat to every country. An increasingly interconnected world needs internationally connected policing. Criminals and fugitives from the law should not receive safe havens by exploiting differences in international jurisdictions and bring to justice. The Union Home Secretary further dwelled upon the importance of combating crimes, including terrorism and quoted from the address of the Union Home Minister during the Closing Session of the 90th INTERPOL General Assembly, who had emphatically stated, "I firmly believe that terrorism is the biggest violation of human rights." On the changing nature of crime, he said, "During this period characterised by a revolution in data and information, the nature of crime and criminals has changed. Today crime has become borderless, and if we want to stop this kind of crime and these criminals, we all have to think beyond conventional geographic borders, so, we have to think and act upon it". Stating that India has been one of the early members of INTERPOL, Union Home Secretary said that with the approval of MHA, a working arrangement with EUROPOL was signed by CBI in March 2024 to strengthen law enforcement cooperation between India and EU, CBI Academy joined INTERPOL Global Academy Network in August 2023 for enhancing police capacity building and India joined the International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database of INTERPOL, providing a critical tool for fighting against child sexual abuse and exploitation. He also underlined the significance of the Global Operation Centre, set up by CBI in 2022 and stated that this centre is handling 200-300 requests for assistance, including both incoming and outgoing, on a daily basis. Referring to various sessions organised during the conference, including on International Mutual Legal Assistance in criminal matters and the MHA portal, he added that ILOs play a key co-ordinating role in executing Letter of Requests and Mutual Legal Assistance Requests. The MHA, as the central authority of India in this regard, transmits and receives all requests for assistance either directly or through diplomatic channels, he added and said that the MHA has issued comprehensive guidelines providing detailed outlines for examination of witnesses and templates for drafting meaningful requests. He also referred to the online portal launched in December 2022 which was developed by MHA in consultation with ILOs and CBI and emphasized that the portal has been a game-changer in onboarding all stakeholders on a single platform which has user friendly interface. Addressing the participants, Praveen Sood, Director, CBI, stated that "the world today faces a multitude of grave and globalised poly-crimes and threats like terrorism, online radicalisation, cyber-enabled financial crimes, online child sexual exploitation, corruption, drug trafficking, terror financing and organised crime. Police in India have been at the forefront of addressing these challenges through a combination of robust legal frameworks, innovative initiatives, leveraging technology and proactive international cooperation." He added that "Law enforcement professionals need to be well acquainted with various means of coordinating international assistance in criminal matters." He informed that the Global Operation Centre of CBI handled 17,368 international assistance requests in 2023 and as many as 100 red notices were issued by INTERPOL on criminals and fugitives wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies, the highest ever in a year. He also informed that with INTERPOL and with international law enforcement partners, as many as 29 wanted criminals were brought back to India in 2023 and 19 so far in 2024. Emphasising the need for international cooperation in the light of technology-enabled offences becoming more prevalent, he stated, "Criminals are no longer constrained by borders, and neither should our efforts to combat them." The participants were briefed on intricacies related to extradition, provisional Arrest and Local prosecution by MEA officials. Sessions were dedicated on operationally leveraging INTERPOL channels, the GloBE Network and the investigation of complex transnational crimes. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the National Central Bureau (NCB New Delhi) for INTERPOL in India, connects all law enforcement agencies in India, both at the Central and State/Union Territory level, through designated INTERPOL Liaison Officers. CBI has been organising the ILO's Conference since 2003 with a view to significantly enhance the utilisation of formal and informal means of international police cooperation to combat crime, criminals and proceeds of crime. (ANI)
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday addressed the apex leadership of the Indian Armed Forces at the Joint Commanders' Conference and commended their invaluable contribution to safeguarding national interests. "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the apex leadership of the Indian Armed Forces on Day 2 of JCC 2024 in Lucknow. He commended their invaluable contribution to safeguarding our national interests and realising the vision of AtmanirbharBharat," the Ministry of Defence, Government of India stated. The Joint Commanders' Conference, with the theme 'Sashakt aur Surakshit Bharat : Transforming the Armed Forces', held at Headquarters, Central Command in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, from September 4 and 5, 2024. The first Joint Commanders' Conference (JCC) commenced at Lucknow on Wednesday. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan alongwith Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhari led the convocation which brings together the apex-level hierarchy from the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces. Reviewing the current security situation and the defence preparedness of the Armed Forces, the CDS emphasized the importance of Jointness and future plans for enhancing integration across various domains, which is crucial for adapting to the contours of future warfare and conduct of effect-based operations. Gen Anil Chauhan complimented the three Services for initiating numerous measures along the roadmap for integration. He stressed that it was a step by step process, beginning with Cross Service Co-operation leading to a 'Joint Culture' and finally achieving integration of forces for conduct of joint operations, as per the release. Deliberations also focused on the establishment of command and control centres with the requisite infrastructure to facilitate decision making. General Chauhan stressed the need for operational preparedness to meet emerging challenges, underscoring the imperative need of modernisation to stay ready and relevant and achieve strategic autonomy. It provides an opportunity for the commanders to review modernisation plans of the Armed Forces and discuss ways to improve the nation's defence capability through jointness and enhanced synergy among the three services. (ANI)
"Along with BJP National President respected JP Nadda ji, handed over the copy of membership renewal under 'Bharatiya Janata Party - National Membership Campaign 2024' to guide of all of us respected Lal Krishna Advani ji," Dushyant Kumar Gautam posted on X.

Earlier on September 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP's 2024 membership drive by renewing his membership.

The new membership drive was launched here with PM Modi getting the certificate for the renewal of his membership from BJP president JP Nadda.

PM Modi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party's membership drive isn't just a ritual but an expansion of the family and also an ideological movement.

"The membership drive and the organisational structure that will be established during this period will coincide with the implementation of 33 per cent reservation in Legislative Assemblies and Parliament," he added.

"This very membership drive isn't just a ritual. It's an expansion of our family...It isn't a game of numbers. It doesn't matter the numbers we achieve. This membership drive is an ideological and emotional movement," he added.

PM Modi received his BJP membership renewal certificate from party president JP Nadda at the 'Sanghatan Parva, Sadasyata Abhiyan 2024' here.

The membership drive will be conducted in two phases--September 2 to September 25 and October 1 to October 15. Each phase will target specific milestones, ensuring a comprehensive reach across the country. (ANI)
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, in the day, sharing details of his aerial survey, Chouhan said that "Today, I will visit Vijayawada and other flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and will talk to the brothers, sisters, and farmers there. I will also hold a meeting with officials in Vijayawada to assess the damage caused in the flood-affected areas." On the second day, Chouhan will visit the Khammam district in Telangana and other affected regions. Chouhan will be accompanied by a team from the Union Agriculture Ministry. "Our officials will hold meetings with state government officials to assess crop damage," he said, adding that the central government is closely monitoring the situation. "In this hour of crisis, the central government stands fully with the people of the flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and will provide all possible help to them in overcoming the crisis," Chouhan assured. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan announced on Wednesday that drones are being used to provide food and water to flood-affected areas in the state. He also donated Rs 1 crore to the Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF). "Drones are being operated to supply food and water in flood-affected areas. Yesterday, I announced a donation of 1 crore rupees to the CM Relief Fund," Kalyan said. He added that 19 people have died, 200 animals were found dead, and over 600,000 people have been evacuated. Heavy rains have particularly affected the Krishna and Guntur districts, damaging roads and waterlogging 129 hectares of land. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu urged the public to support flood relief efforts, saying, "We have supplied enough food and transportation. Everything is available now." The state has received help from the central government, with 30 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and helicopters assisting in rescue operations. Over 2.3 lakh food packets, 2.5 lakh milk packets, and 5 lakh water bottles have been distributed. (ANI)
BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya has cited a letter dated August 10 allegedly signed by Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Hospital, which appears to show the hospital's attempt to cover up the crime scene of a trainee doctor's rape and murder. Malviya claimed that the letter proves the West Bengal government and hospital lied about when renovations began near the crime scene. He demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation and a fair investigation. In a post on X, Malviya stated, "This is explosive. Yet another piece of evidence, which establishes that Dr Sandip Ghosh, now arrested, disgraced former Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, ordered repair/renovation of toilet, near the Seminar Room (scene of crime) on 10th Aug, a day after the young lady doctor was brutally raped and murdered (she was killed on the intervening night of August 8th/9th)." "It means the claim of renovation starting prior to the date of crime was an OUTRIGHT LIE. The WB Govt and the hospital LIED. Kolkata Police even filed complaints against those, who shared the video of the broken wall," he added. Malviya further targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the hospital administration and the Kolkata Police regarding the letter and accused that three of them "colluded" to destroy all evidences and "sanitised" the scene of crime. "This is evil and raises further questions on their motives," he said. Malviya retierated the demand for the Chief Minister's resgination and alleged that "much of the evidence" have already been destroyed. "I repeat: Unless Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal, Commissioner of Kolkata Police step down, free and fair probe is not possible. Much of the evidence has already been destroyed. Call records of the CM and Kolkata CP, for 72 hours after the crime, should be put in the public domain. Their conversations investigated," Malviya said. "Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal must be subjected to polygraph test to unearth the truth. The movement for justice will continue," Malviya stated. In the alleged letter dated August 10, the Executive Engineer was ordered to take up repair/renovation/reconstruction of on duty Doctors' Room along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata on an urgent basis. The letter stated that there are "deficiency" of on duty Doctors' Rooms and separate atatched toilets in various departments. The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
After the BJP released its first list of 67 candidates for Haryana Assembly polls, Congress MP Kumari Selja Congress launched a scathing attack on the BJP's candidate list for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, citing concerns about the party's selection process and leadership. She characterized the list as a reflection of the BJP's desperation, alleging that the party is grappling with a dearth of viable candidates. She also mentioned that the BJP has been in power for the last 10 years and people are now leaving them, due to which they have to make outsiders as their candidates. After the meeting, Selja said, "In that (BJP's list for Assembly election candidates) you can see the frustration of the BJP. It's like that land which has gone infertile, they haven't got good candidates. They have been in power for the last 10 years and people are now leaving them and they are importing people from outside. They have already accepted defeat... Their senior leaders are missing. The CM himself won a seat four months back and that too with a good margin then what is the reason that he is going to contest from another seat? There must be some weakness." Further, speaking on whether she will contest the elections, the Congress MP said, "Whatever decision is taken will be that of the high command." Meanwhile, according to the BJP list, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will contest from the Ladwa constituency. Other prominent leaders included in the first list Gian Chand Gupta will contest from Panchkula, Anil Vij from Ambala Cantt, Kanwar Pal Gurjar from Jagadhri, Sunita Duggal from Ratia, Bhavya Bishnoi from Adampur, and Tejpal Tanwar from Sohna. The voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5, with the last date for filing nominations being September 12. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. On August 31, the Election Commission of India (ECI) revised the polling date for the Haryana Assembly elections from October 1 to October 5, and moved the counting of votes for both the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies from October 4 to October 8. (ANI)
The IAF said the evacuation was carried out using the Mi17 V5 helicopter.

The rescue operation was a typical joint operation, said the IAF.

The Indian Army jawans had lifted the survivors from the crash site to the Karcham helipad. Then they were swiftly airlifted by an IAF helicopter with in-flight medical aid to Shimla, the Indian Air Force said. (ANI)
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel honoured 28 state teachers with the 'Best Teacher Award' during a grand ceremony organized by the Education Department at Tagore Hall in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Governor Devvrat stated that the impact of a teacher is unparalleled and that there is no nobler act than education. He noted that it is the teacher's role to shape exceptional people, declaring that teachers are vital in building nations, societies, and families and that the foundation of happiness and peace depends on them. Additionally, certificates were presented to 10 students who benefited from the Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Scholarship and the Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship. Recognising that even the youngest children have a great capacity for understanding, the Governor encouraged teachers to ignite their students' potential, helping them to overcome ignorance and embrace their significant responsibilities. "As the Prime Minister works towards building an 'Atmanirbhar' and 'Viksit Bharat,' if educators commit to the mission of shaping the best people, India can achieve its goal of becoming a Vishva Guru," he said. On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel emphasized the crucial role these teachers play in aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision that the 21st century will be shaped by knowledge, with India leading the charge. CM Patel stated that a truly impactful teacher not only imparts knowledge but also inspires students to unlock their full potential. Given that children spend substantial time with their teachers, it is essential for teachers to address their curiosity and support their development. "A teacher never retires; the passion for teaching remains ever-active," he added, advocating for a lifelong commitment to the profession. The Chief Minister spoke about Gujarat's pivotal role in realizing the Prime Minister's vision of 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi,' by integrating the heritage of ancient universities like Vallabhi, Takshashila, and Nalanda with contemporary advancements such as Artificial Intelligence and Google. He referred to the National Education Policy (NEP), developed under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a crucial factor in building Viksit Bharat. He also acknowledged the significant contributions of the teaching community in advancing educational initiatives such as Kanya Kelvani Abhiyan, Shala Praveshotsav, Mission Schools of Excellence, and Teachers University in Gujarat, in line with the Prime Minister's vision. Education Minister Dr. Kuber Dindor, while welcoming the state's prominent teachers, remarked that teachers are society's greatest asset. He noted that Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, honoured on Teachers' Day, was a teacher before becoming the President of India. (ANI)
The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday granted bail to nine accused persons in a transnational cyber fraud case. This case is linked to an alleged fraud committed against US citizens worth USD 15 million. In July this year, the CBI arrested 43 accused people from a Gurugram call centre in connection with the case. Special CBI Judge Amitabh Rawat allowed bail pleas of Dhruv Khattar, Ritesh Kumar, Ravindra Gupta, Hazim Imtiyaz, Mir Gazanfar Gul, Arpit Singh Chatwal, Mayank Verma, Yashu Prasad, and Abhishek Bisht. The court granted bail on the furnishing of a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of the like amount. The court noted that all offences are magistrate triable and the accused persons have been in custody since July 24, 2024. While granting bail, the court considered the argument that the accused are young and have no criminal record. Nothing has been shown to indicate that they are a flight risk or that they can tamper with the evidence. This case is essentially document-based, and digital devices have already been seized. It was argued by the counsels for the accused that the arrest of the applicant is illegal, arbitrary, perverse and violative of Section 187(1) BNSS, Section 47 BNSS and Article 22 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of India and mandate of law as prescribed by the Supreme Court in a catena of judgements and the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. CBI had filed a reply stating that the present case had been registered on July 22, 2024, under sections 120-B r/w 420, 467, 468 & 471 of IPC and Section 66D of IT Act, 2000, against unknown accused persons, on the basis of source information. The allegations, in brief, are that during the period from November 2022 to April 2024, unknown accused persons in criminal conspiracy with each other operated illegal call centres from New Delhi and adjoining areas an intent to target US nationals and subject them to tech fraud. It is further alleged that during the said period, the accused persons operated under pseudonymous identities, 'Ellie Thomas,' 'Max Rogers', 'Jason Watson' and 'Rick Taylor', etc., and targeted US citizens by using virtual TextNow contact numbers. During the said period, the accused persons targeted the US nationals by delivering pop-up alert messages on their computer screens as if the same were sent by Microsoft. When the US victims contacted the numbers displayed in the said pop-up messages, they were connected to the accused persons, the CBI alleged. Thereafter, the accused persons impersonating Microsoft tech support falsely informed the US nationals through virtual contact numbers via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that their computers had been hacked or their identities had been stolen/ misused, it added. In furtherance of the said criminal conspiracy, the accused persons induced the US victims to download remote utility software to have remote access to their computer systems under the guise of repairing their computer systems, agency alleged. The accused persons further induced the US victims to access their bank accounts under the cover of verifying if any fraud had been committed in their bank accounts by hacking their computer systems. In this way, the accused persons got unauthorized remote access to the bank accounts of the US victims, the agency alleged. The accused persons further induced the US victims to wire transfer the funds from their bank accounts to the Federal Reserve to protect their funds from hackers. In this way, the accused persons targeted the US nationals and subjected them to tech fraud to the tune of USD 15 million during the said period, agency further alleged. The court said that no doubt, there are serious allegations of an illegal Call centre being run from the raided premises from Gurgaon and foreign nationals have been cheated by delivery of pop-up messages on the computer screens as if sent by Microsoft, gaining remote access to their computer systems, wiring transfer of funds from bank accounts to Federal Reserves in the guise of prevention from hacking and transfer of funds with accused adopting pseudonymous names. "However, as per the FIR, the period under investigation is November 2022 till April 2024. As per the reply filed, the call centre was operated from Noida and same was closed in October 2023 and illegal operation began in the name of Innonet Technology OPC Pvt Ltd at Gurgaon in 2024," the court observed. "Thus, the role of the accused in reference to the period under investigation and the place at Gurgaon or Noida needs to be specified. On being asked, it was apprised that hard-disc data pertaining to Noida is still to be retrieved to find connection with the accused," the court pointed out. Advocate Bharat Arora, along with Vikhyat Oberoi and Nishita Gupta, appeared for accused Abhishek Bisht and Arpit Singh Chatwal. The CBI had arrested 43 people, including 4 women in this case, from Gurugram. It is alleged that US citizens were defrauded of USD 15 million. (ANI)
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi jointly announced here on Thursday the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Botswana diplomatic relations. Both sides should firmly support each other and strengthen cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture, mining, clean energy, education and health, Xi said when meeting with Masisi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

China and its African brothers get together again, aiming to connect the development of China, Africa and the world more closely and achieve fruitful results, he said.

Masisi spoke highly of the keynote speech delivered by Xi at the opening ceremony of the summit on Thursday.

The partnership action plans announced by President Xi in his speech to jointly advance modernization with Africa, including measures to open China wider to African countries, are exciting and encouraging for the African side, he said, expressing confidence that the vision outlined at the summit will surely be realized.

Masisi said Botswana is willing to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to promote the development of bilateral relations.
Launching a blistering attack on the Congress-AAP alliance for the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Thursday that both parties are completely indulged in corruption and just want to fill their pockets. "Congress and AAP both are corrupt parties. There were scams during the Congress era, and Aam Aadmi party came to power saying that it was a corruption free party, but unfortunately both the corrupt parties have joined their hands. Their agenda is not to work for the welfare of the people of Haryana, their agenda is to indulge in corruption and fill their pockets," Saini said while speaking to the media. Commenting on the Congress party's decision to offer tickets to Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, Saini described it as a 'political move'. "Congress does politics in the name of athletes, youth, farmers, and the poor, but has never done anything for them. It just exploits them," he said. Exuding confidence over BJP's victory in the upcoming elections, Saini said that the people will support the PM Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 by making them win in the upcoming elections."People of Haryana will vote for BJP for the third time and we will form the government with a huge majority. The double-engine government has worked extensively in the state. It is PM Narendra Modi's vision to have a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and I have full faith in the people of Haryana that they will support this vision and take it forward with conviction. We are going among the people and telling them about the work done by our government," Saini said. Meanwhile, BJP also initiated a "Jan Samvad" campaigning program in the State just ahead of the Assembly polls. BJP leaders and in-charges of Haryana have been given the responsibility to hold public dialogue with the people and give information about the public interest schemes of the government. The government will make all the answers to the questions related to the beneficiaries available to the public domain. An introduction booklet will also be prepared which will be distributed among the people. The voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5, with the last date for filing nominations being September 12. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. On August 31, the Election Commission of India (ECI) revised the polling date for the Haryana Assembly elections from October 1 to October 5, and moved the counting of votes for both the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies from October 4 to October 8. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing controversy over the legality of the under-construction Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday that the state government has no intentions to disturb any community, adding that the local MLA and ministers are in talks with the people of the area. "We have no intentions to disturb any community. We will not let any incident happen in the state. Political protests keep happening but no political worker has any right to disturb law and order in the state. Our local MLA and ministers are holding talks there," CM Sukhu told ANI. Reacting to Asaduddin Owaisi's statement, the Himachal Pradesh CM said that no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands. "As per the Constitution, anyone can stay anywhere in India...We have to ensure that no person from any community is disturbed. We will fulfil this responsibility well. No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands," CM Sukhu said. Earlier, Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Congress over its stance on the issue, asking, "Is the Himachal government run by BJP or Congress?" "There is only hatred in Himachal's 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan'! In this video, the Himachal minister is speaking the language of the BJP," Owaisi said, sharing Anirudh Singh's speech on X. Notably, the fate of the mosque will be decided in the Municipal Commissioner's court. The case has been scheduled to be heard on September 7, in which it will be decided whether the 'unauthorised construction' should be demolished or not. The Sanjauli Mosque row continues to stir political debate in Himachal Pradesh, with both BJP and Congress leaders expressing their positions on the issue. (ANI)
Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda on Thursday handed over a renewed BJP membership certificate to veteran party leader Murli Manohar Joshi, in Delhi as part of the party's membership drive. "Today I met senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party and our guide, respected Shri Murli Manohar Joshi ji at his residence and gave him a copy of membership renewal under 'BJP - National Membership Campaign'. Your life dedicated to public service and nation-building is an inspiration for millions of BJP workers.," Nadda said in a post on X. Earlier today, BJP chief JP Nadda, along with party General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam, also handed over the BJP membership certificate to veteran party leader LK Advani in Delhi as part of the party's membership drive on Thursday. On September 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP's 2024 membership drive by renewing his membership. The new membership drive was launched with PM Modi getting the certificate for the renewal of his membership from BJP president JP Nadda at the 'Sanghatan Parva, Sadasyata Abhiyan 2024'. On the occasion, PM Modi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party's membership drive isn't just a ritual but an expansion of the family and also an ideological movement. "This very membership drive isn't just a ritual. It's an expansion of our family...It isn't a game of numbers. It doesn't matter the numbers we achieve. This membership drive is an ideological and emotional movement," he said. The Prime Minister said from the days of Bharatiya Jana Sangh till now, "we have made all possible efforts to bring a new political culture in the country." "Another round of 'Sadasyata Abhiyan' is beginning today. From Bharatiya Jana Sangh till now, we have made all possible efforts to bring a new political culture in the country. The organisation or political party through which people give power, that unit, that organisation, that party... if it doesn't follow democratic values, if internal democracy doesn't live in it, then a situation arises that is faced by several other political parties today," the Prime Minister said. "The membership drive and the organisational structure that will be established during this period will coincide with the implementation of 33 per cent reservation in Legislative Assemblies and Parliament," he added. The membership drive will be carried out in two phases: September 2 to September 25 and October 1 to October 15. Each phase will target specific milestones, ensuring a comprehensive reach across the country. (ANI)
Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding in Andhra Pradesh, with roads and houses submerged. The continuous rain, triggered by a land-based cyclone, resulted in heavy precipitation over just 24 hours, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This extreme weather was fuelled by moisture from the Arabian Sea and heat from the eastern parts of the country. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with central forces and local officials, is working to provide relief. Helicopters are being used to deliver essential supplies such as food and water to the affected areas. The flooding, caused by a cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, has led to rising water levels at the Prakasam Barrage and inundation in several regions. Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh had previously announced the use of drones for the first time to assist in relief efforts, which has improved the efficiency of aid distribution. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation at the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, also added that protecting lives and property is a top priority. The heavy rains have resulted in major damage, with 29 to 34 cm of rainfall causing traffic disruptions and train cancellations. Areas such as Singhnagar and Nandamuri Nagar are submerged, displacing approximately 200,000 people. Naidu has requested central government assistance, leading to the deployment of additional NDRF teams and resources. He also assured residents that all possible measures are being taken for their relief and urged them to stay resilient. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, following instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. Chouhan visited Vijayawada and other regions and plans to speak with residents and farmers to assess the damage. "In this hour of crisis, the central government stands fully with the people of the flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and will provide all possible help to them in overcoming the crisis," Chouhan said in a post on X. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan donated Rs 1 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF). "Drones are being operated to supply food and water in flood-affected areas. Yesterday, I announced a donation of 1 crore rupees to the CM Relief Fund," Kalyan said. The floods have claimed many lives, affected animals, and displaced over 600,000 people. The central government has deployed 30 NDRF teams and helicopters for rescue operations, distributing over 230,000 food packets, 250,000 milk packets, and 500,000 water bottles. Chief Minister Naidu has urged the public to support the relief efforts, and said, "We have supplied enough food and transportation. Everything is available now." (ANI)
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, on Thursday targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government over the rape-murder of trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and said that the law is there but it not being implemented properly. Governor Bose also alleged that a portion of the police is criminalised and politicized. He said, "Parents (of the victim) have told me certain things which is very, very heart-breaking. They also gave to me in writing that I have taken up with the Home Minister. Within two days we started seeing action. Their feelings we understand. What they want is also justice. The entire Bengal society seeks justice. Justice will be done. Justice should be done. What I see in Bengal today, especially the administration is going from wrong to wrong. They should realize two wrongs, even if they are mutually contradictory, will not constitute one right." He further emphasized that the government has to act and it has to take the people in confidence. "The wrongdoers should be brought to book. Punishment should be given. People should feel that they can expect justice from the government, now that feeling is not there. This is the condition of Bengal today- the law is there but it is not being implemented properly or certain people are given protective discrimination by law. The police, a portion of the police is criminalised, a portion is corrupt and a portion of it is politicised," the Governor added. The West Bengal Governor also warned the state government not to test the patience of the people. "That's where the people has come forward. I am sure that the voice of the people is the voice of the god. People want action, not an alibi for an action. Don't test the patience of the people," he said. Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya cited a letter dated August 10 allegedly signed by former principal of RG Kar Hospital, Sandip Ghosh ordering renovation of the incident site a day after the trainee doctor was raped and murdered. Malviya dubbed it as "explosive" as he alleged that the West Bengal government and the hospital lied regarding the date of renovation. Malviya reiterated the demand of the Chief Minister's resignation and alleged that "much of the evidence" have already been destroyed. "Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal must be subjected to polygraph test, to unearth the truth. The movement for justice will continue," Malviya stated. Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged renovation order at RG Kar Hospital that was cited by BJP earlier. "Mamata Banerjee's people were saying that the renovation order (of the room near the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital) was given to PWD before 9th August but today it has come to light that the order was received on August 10," Suvendu Adhikari said. The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Thursday highlighted the key role of teachers and said that when teachers perform their duties with dedication and honesty, they can drive significant societal change on the occasion of Teachers Day. Speaking at the 'Best Teacher Award' ceremony held here, he said, "It is the teacher's role to shape exceptional people, and they are vital in building nations, societies, and families. The foundation of happiness and peace depends on them." Governor Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel honoured 28 teachers with the 'Best Teacher Award' during the ceremony organised by the Education Department. Additionally, certificates were presented to 10 students who benefitted from the Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Scholarship and the Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship. Education Minister Kuber Dindor and Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya were present at the event. Devvrat, who dedicated 35 years as a Gurukul principal teaching education, culture, and health, referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's book Kelave Te Kelavani (If It Enriches You, Its Education). In it, the Prime Minister notes that teachers who neglect their duties can have severe repercussions for families, society, and the nation. The governor urged teachers to go beyond basic instruction, stressing that teachings on virtues such as non-violence and truth should be imparted in a way that deeply influences students' lives. He also drew on the example of Maharishi Uddalak and King Ashvapati Kaikeya, highlighting that King Kaikeya's kingdom, influenced by dedicated teachers and principals, was free from thieves, addicts, illiterates, miscreants, and misers and that daily worship was practiced in every home. The governor conveyed his belief that teachers have the potential to foster such positive conditions in the state. Recognising that even the youngest children have a great capacity for understanding, he encouraged teachers to ignite their students' potential, helping them to overcome ignorance and embrace their significant responsibilities. As the Prime Minister works towards building an 'Atmanirbhar' and 'Viksit Bharat,' the Governor congratulates the teachers, noting that if educators commit to the mission of shaping the best people, India can achieve its goal of becoming a Vishva Guru. (ANI)
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia calls for higher teacher salaries to build a developed India by 2047 and emphasises the crucial role of teachers in shaping India's future. As the chief guest, he urged that teachers' salaries surpass those of IAS officers and Cabinet Secretaries, citing international examples of developed countries to stress that elevating the status of educators is key to achieving a developed India by 2047. Chief guest Sisodia, along with other dignitaries, inaugurated the 'Nigam Shikshak Samman Samaroh, 2024' on Teachers' Day at the Civic Centre by lighting the ceremonial lamp. The event began with the national song, 'Vande Mataram', followed by a welcome speech from the Additional Commissioner of the Corporation. The children then captivated the audience with a cultural performance. The program was presided over by MCD Mayor Shelly Oberoi, with Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohammad Iqbal, and Leader of the House Mukesh Goyal attending as special guests. At the 'Shikshak Samman Samaroh', CM Manish Sisodia addressed the audience of teachers, and said "I extend my heartfelt thanks and respect to all the teachers present here. Wishing you all a very happy Teacher's Day." Manish Sisodia, said, "For the past 15-20 days, I have been extremely busy. I always looked forward to Teacher's Day during my tenure as Education Minister for 8-9 years, and I treated this day like a personal celebration. The day before yesterday, I received a call from Shelly Oberoi asking if I could make time for this event. I couldn't resist and made every effort to be here with you on this important day."He continued, "It is my privilege to honour teachers on Teacher's Day. It is, in fact, the reverse. By honouring a teacher, we feel that we are being given the honour. To stand on stage and hand over an award to a teacher may seem like a small gesture, but being able to do so on Teacher's Day is the greatest honour one can receive." "I stand here today with pride, feeling fortunate that I have been given the opportunity, thanks to all of you, to honour some of our teachers. It is a matter of great pride for me," said the former Delhi Education Minister. Manish Sisodia further added that so much has been written and said about teachers in poetry and programs--they are truly amazing. When I speak of a teacher, I don't only refer to those who teach but also to those who teach us how to learn. A teacher's role is not limited to imparting knowledge and leaving us to figure out the rest. They teach us how to keep learning throughout life. This is why teachers hold such a crucial place in our lives. "A doctor may treat a wound or an ailment, and once it is healed, we return to our normal activities. Similarly, a lawyer, a manager, or a journalist handles specific areas of our lives. But a teacher touches every aspect of life, all 360 degrees of it, and continues to influence us at every moment," shared Manish Sisodia. The former Education Minister mentioned, "There will never be a moment in life where I live in a way that hasn't been influenced by what my teachers taught me. Until my last breath, I will continue to learn, and I will learn in the way my teachers taught me. This is why Teacher's Day holds such great significance for me." The former Deputy CM shared, "Today, I have been given the opportunity to be here and share my thoughts. Over the past year and a half, I have faced some of the most challenging times of my life. However, I never found them to be truly difficult because, even when I used to sleep on a newspaper at Jantar Mantar during protests, I didn't feel it was a struggle. In jail, too, I had a fan and a small cell, so it didn't seem too hard." He further added that there were obstacles in the work he was doing here, and he mentions this because when we are in good conditions, we remember the lessons you taught us. But it is during difficult and trying times that your teachings are remembered the most. Especially the social and age group you deal with--teachers of 12th graders may not see immediate results from teaching mathematics, but the lessons taught by primary teachers are invaluable throughout life. "Calculus may not have helped me, but the foundational education given in primary school has always been useful, especially in both good and tough times. This makes your role even more important to me. When I faced a difficult situation, I saw it as an opportunity. My teachers had taught me how to read, and since I didn't have much time for reading in my political life, I embraced this challenge and spent the past year and a half reading a lot," mentioned Manish Sisodia. The former Deputy CM said that we look at history through the lens of war and economy, but we should also look at it through the history of education. Then only can we progress. The foundation is in your hands right now. The person who's going to be 30-35 in 2047 is in school right now. You are shaping the India of 2047. I want to thank you all for truly constructing India. He said, "A teacher is the pilot of a child's life. We politicians or bureaucrats are just the facilitators. You are the pilots of 2047's India. In my research, I have observed that the nations we aspire towards, all have teachers at their foundation. Education is at its foundation. I am not advocating for their education policies but just for reference, we would have to look at the world through the eyes of the history of education." The former Education Minister shared, "America, of whom the world talks about for its progress, was aiming towards enrolment of all girls in education in 1890. India started aiming for universal education around 1911. Singapore was a newly independent and poor country just 60 years ago with no natural resources. Its PM decided to make Singapore an educated country and left what's next after they've achieved this level of education. They had a policy that could be debated and was radical. They gave incentives to graduate mothers and less educated women. As a result, more women got into education. The children of these educated parents are the new Singapore. Any country that we call progressive and aspire to go to for work or education, has teachers at its core." Manish Sisodia also highlighted a trend in developed countries where teachers are paid more than administrators. "Using the Indian context, a teacher's pay scale in a progressive country is more than an IAS. We often tell teachers that it's in their hands to shape the future of the country, but we policymakers also have to do our part. In Germany, a teacher's average annual income is approximately Rs72 lakhs and the bureaucrats are paid Rs71 lakhs on average. It's similar in Switzerland. Those countries are ahead because they invest in teachers. In India, teachers are paid Rs12-15 lakhs and we need to do something about it," he added. "If we want to build 2047's India and we expect from teachers that it will begin from the classrooms, then we have to make a resolve that the teachers in our country are paid more than any bureaucrat. We have to make this rule either now or sometime later but we have to. I am not suggesting that teachers must be made district magistrates, that is for the IAS since they come with that qualification. But a teacher who's been teaching for five years should be paid more than an IAS who becomes a DM in five years," the Ex Deputy CM said. Manish Sisodia mentioned that he didn't have the internet but he asked his team for books about education in the world and he researched. In India, the 'guru' (teacher) comes before the god, and he said it's a uniquely Indian concept and he couldn't find it anywhere else in the world. "India also should send this message to the world that we don't just sing these hymns but we put teachers before God in reality. And the teachers' salaries should also reflect that. It would also incentivise more students who look for high-paying jobs to become teachers," he added. The former Deputy Chief Minister said that everyone is talking about a developed India in 2047 and that can not happen without giving this respect to the teachers, which is reflected in our culture, as well as in the balance sheet. Then no one can stop India from becoming a developed country. Meanwhile, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said that teachers give proper guidance to children so that they bring glory to the country in future. "Students studying in MCD schools come from middle-class or poor families. Many children's parents are also not educated. Therefore, MCD teachers have to take care of the children as well as their parents. For the last one-two years, we have been organizing Mega PTMs," Oberoi said. The Delhi Mayor shared, "I went to these PTMs and talked to many parents. Our teachers also counsel the parents of the children and explain to them the importance of children's education. The work of teachers is not limited to only imparting knowledge of subjects. Your struggle and dedication are much bigger. Teachers also teach moral values and integrity along with the social and personal development of children. Children listen to teachers quickly. Therefore, when the foundation of a child is being prepared, a teacher teaches him right and wrong." Shelly Oberoi further added that just as there has been a revolution in education in Delhi's government schools under the leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, we want to bring a similar revolution in MCD schools. Till now MCD schools and its teachers were ignored. The salaries of the teachers of MCD schools did not come on time. Therefore, our biggest objective was that your salaries should come on time. In which we have succeeded. Now all the teachers are getting their salaries on time. "Many batches of our principals have been sent for training to IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Kozhikode, Kerala. Today we have more than 1500 schools in Delhi, in which thousands of teachers are teaching. Last year, we passed a proposal in the House that now the teachers of MCD schools should be sent abroad for training. We will try to send the first batch of teachers abroad soon. It was only with the help of the Delhi government that our teachers were able to go for training. We stand with you in the times to come as well," mentioned the Delhi Mayor. On Teachers' Day, Delhi Manish Sisodia honoured the teachers and principals of MCD schools who performed excellently. Principals of MCD schools Brajesh Kumar Jadoun, Meenakshi Trehan, Raj Rani, Anita Rani, Mohammad Azam Khan, Meenu Agarwal, Seema Rani, Nisha Gautam, Shruti Dhingra, Neeru Bala Sachdeva and Rahul Kumar were honoured. Also, primary school teachers Kamlesh Rani, Aarti Rani, Meena Devi, Sachin, Vaishali Chaddha, Ritu Tyagi, Shilpa, Neelam, Deepak Yadav, Hitesh, Mukesh Kumar, Reena Devi, Vaishali Jain, Deepika, Ruby Gupta, Ekta Shridhar, Monica Rawat, Santosh Kumar Bairwa, Savita Panchal, Rakesh Kumar, Seema Panwar, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Ritu, Beena, Smriti, Nisha Munjal, Pankaj, Jyoti, Sushila, Poonam Beriwal, Neha Mahalwal, Annu Tyagi, Neetu Goyal, Mukesh Kumar, Beena, Anju Rana, Renu, Mamta Pingolia, Sonia, Pinky, Geeta Gera, Anju Garg, Rajni Rani, Virendra Mukhija, Sandesh, Bharti Modi, Amit Dabas, Meenakshi, Devendra Kumar Sharma, Richa, Dharmendra Kumar, Anuja Gulati, Meenakshi Kumari, Gurpreet Kaur, Pappi Kumar, Ravinder Kumar, Sarla Singh, Fauzia Begum, Mandeep, Anju Rana, Preeti Sharma, Monica, Sunayana, Ashok Kumar and nursery teachers Anu Khatri, Geeta Arora, Kanchan Sharma, Shweta Tuli and Swati Rani were felicitated. Apart from this, mentors Devendra Rana, Shipra Sharma, Vishal Bansal, Sanjeev and special teacher Nidhi Malhotra were also awarded. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren affirmed that the BJP is the only party intending to develop the state, adding that no one can stop the party from forming the government in Jharkhand. Soren also vowed to work for the welfare of the Adivasi, indigenous people and the Dalits of the state. "BJP is the only party that has the intention to develop Jharkhand. BJP is the only party that can protect 'Adivasi asmita'. We will work for the welfare of the Adivasi, indigenous people, and Dalits of the state. No one can stop the BJP from forming government in Jharkhand," Champai Soren said. Champai Soren joined the BJP on August 30 at an event that was attended by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi, among other state BJP leaders. Soren resigned from all positions and the primary membership of JMM on August 28. He became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM before being arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a money laundering case. In less than two months, Soren had to step down to allow the return of Hemant Soren to the chair following the latter's bail in the case. The development comes as the state is set to witness an election to the 81-member legislative assembly later this year as the current government's tenure ends in 2024. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is yet to announce the dates. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed happiness over the single window system operated under the Ease of Doing Program in the state receiving the Top Achievers category award in the country. According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, the state has been awarded this award for the initiative taken in this field for the years 2022-23. These awards were presented by Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, in the Udyog Samagam programme organised with the industry ministers of all the states at Yashobhoomi Convention Center, New Delhi, on Thursday. On behalf of the state, the award was received by Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal and Secretary Industry, Vinay Shankar Pandey, as the representative of the Chief Minister. Under the Ease of Doing Program in the state, various problems faced by investors are identified. Favourable policies are prepared to identify the problems and resolve them. A portal has been prepared for the implementation of policies and to make all types of approvals available to investors through online mediums. All information related to enterprise establishment and industry-wise information on legal clearances/approvals is available on the portal. Under the Single Window Act, clearances related to industry establishment and operation are made available to investors within the prescribed time limit, the release added. Uttarakhand has been the first state to integrate with the National Single Window System developed by the Government of India. This award has been given by the Government of India in view of the information available on the portal, the legal time limit prescribed under the Single Window Act, integration with other departments, integration with the National Single Window, online redressal of complaints, and dedicated helpline features, it added. The Chief Minister has described this award as motivating entrepreneurs to invest in the state. He said that due to entrepreneur- and investment-friendly policies in the state, a large number of entrepreneurs have been attracted to invest in the state, it added. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday released its list of star campaigners for the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, which is scheduled to be held on September 25. The list of star campaigners includes party's prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The party has also chosen Union Ministers including JP Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nitin Gadkari, Manohar Lal Khattar and G Kishan Reddy. Along with them, Himachal Pradesh LoP Jai Ram Thakur, Union MoS Jitendra Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, MP Anurag Thakur will also campaign for the party in the second phase of J-K polls. The list of 40 star campaigners also includes former Amethi MP Smriti Irani. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on September 6, as per party sources. Shah is expected to arrive in Jammu around 2 pm on Friday, where he will release the manifesto at the BJP's media centre in the city. According to party sources, on the first day of his visit, the Home Minister will meet with the core group of the state's BJP unit to review the party's election preparations and ground-level activities. On the second day, Shah will hold discussions with party leaders to ensure the success of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections will see 219 candidates in the fray, with voting scheduled for September 18. This will be the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. The second phase will be held on September 25, and third on October 1, with the results announced on October 8. The abrogation of Article 370 led to the revocation of the state's special status and its bifurcation into two Union Territories in 2019. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to pay Rs 20 lakh in compensation to the legal heirs of a mother and son who tragically died after falling into a waterlogged open drain near the Ghazipur area. This order comes as a result of the court's findings related to the incident. The bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had agreed to pay Rs 20 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased, Tanuja and Priyansh, as a humanitarian gesture. The DDA's counsel stated that this payment was made without prejudice to its rights and contentions and without admitting any liability for the incident. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had expressed strong dissatisfaction with the functioning of civic agencies and their officials. The court stated that there has been criminal negligence by the civic authorities in the case and emphasised that they must be held accountable and booked for their actions. Earlier, the court had expressed serious concern over the incident where a woman and child died after falling into a waterlogged drain in Ghazipur. The court criticised the civic agencies for their negligence and described the situation as indicative of broader issues with civic management. The plea also sought accountability from the contractor responsible for the drain and requested a comprehensive audit of ongoing drain construction projects, including flood mitigation measures. The petirioner Jhunnu Lal Srivastava also gave directions to the respondents to frame and adopt policies to address and mitigate the mayhem of the flood-like situation in Delhi for rainfall and further to cover all open drains in Delhi with immediate effect with proper signage educating the common public to stay away from the drains. A woman and her child drowned on Wednesday after falling into a waterlogged drain in the Ghazipur, near Mayur Vihar area of East Delhi, following heavy rainfall in the national capital. The deceased were identified as Tanuja (22) and her child, Priyansh (3), residents of Prakash Nagar Khoda Colony. Plea alleged that DDA has acted in blatant violation of its own circular No. 135 dated 26.02.1986, wherein it was directed to all engineers to strictly ensure that there should not be any gap on deep covered drains and no manhole should be left uncovered in order to avoid any mishap or accident. The lack of a comprehensive flood management policy and the presence of uncovered drains violate the fundamental right to health and safety of Delhi's residents. The respondents, despite frequent fatalities due to waterlogging and clogged drains, have failed to take corrective steps, which are leading to further loss of lives, plea stated. (ANI)
As per an official release, the meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral relations, ensure better coordination, and address various border-related issues.

The BSF delegation was led by Manoj Kumar Barnwal, DIG, Sector HQ BSF Shillong while Md Saiful Islam Chowdhury, Deputy Director General, Sector Commander BGB, Sylhet, Bangladesh led the BGB delegates.

During the meeting, the commanders of both the border guarding forces discussed on various border-related issues such as Coordinated Border Management Plan and other matters of mutual interest.

As per the release, at the end of the conference, both sides expressed satisfaction with the meaningful and cordial discussions, which reflect friendly bilateral relationships between the two countries.

Both commanders reiterated their commitment to fostering a secure and peaceful border environment and praised the ongoing efforts of their respective forces in maintaining tranquillity in the region.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both parties agreeing to hold regular coordination meetings in the future to ensure continued cooperation and the smooth functioning of border management. (ANI)
As per the MHA release, the agreement has been extended for a period of one years with effect from September 8, 2024, to September 7, 2025. The agreement was signed on September 6, 2021.

On signing the ceasefire agreement in 2021, the MHA stated that more than 200 cadres of NSCN-NK joined the peace process. It further stated that the initiative is fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "insurgency free and prosperous North East".

On April 6, 2023, the centre extended the ceasefire agreement with three Naga groups for one year namely National Socialist Council of Nagaland-NK (NSCN-NK), National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Reformation (NSCN-R) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland-K-Khango (NSCN-K-Khango).

All these groups are breakaway factions of NSCN-IM and NSCN-K and signed ceasefire agreements with the government over the years. (ANI)
The Indian Army recovered one heavy calibre launcher, one 12-bore double barrel rifle, one.177 rifle+magazine, two pistols, one pompi gun, five grenades, ammunition and war-like stores.

"In a significant push towards restoring peace and stability in Manipur, the Indian Army ramped up its search operations across the region to counter the surge of violent activities. In coordination with Manipur Police, the Army successfully executed a joint operation on 05 September 2024," as per a press release from the PRO Defence, Manipur.

The operation, based on precise information, resulted in the discovery of a substantial arms cache in the sensitive areas in the fringes of Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts, giving a major blow to the miscreants threatening peace in the state, the release stated.

The discovery comes after a recent attack on unarmed villagers in Koutruk, Imphal, where Kuki militants allegedly used drones, bombs, and sophisticated weapons.

Following the attack, Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba constituted a high-level committee and held meetings with its members to investigate the incident.

The Manipur Police also confirmed the reports of the usage of drones in the attack in Kotruk, " In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation." (ANI)
In a historic move to strengthen Indian education in the UAE, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched its first Regional Office (RO) and Centre of Excellence (CoE) outside India, situated in Dubai. The milestone was marked with a special orientation session on Teachers' Day between CBSE officials, representatives from the Indian Mission in Dubai, and principals from 78 schools across Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The session provided a platform to discuss the new office's goals, scope, and its expected impact on the region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the opening of the CBSE RO & CoE in Dubai on February 13, 2024, during his visit to the UAE, and operations of this office officially commenced on July 2, 2024, at the Consulate General of India, Dubai, UAE. During the orientation, Dr. Ram Shankar, Director of CBSE RO & CoE in Dubai, presented a detailed overview of CBSE's mission in the region. He highlighted the board's key objectives, particularly its role in promoting learning outcome-based education and fostering new dimensions in teaching. He emphasised that CBSE would adopt a model focussing on outcome-based learning and offer subjects at multiple levels to meet varying student capabilities. The board will also promote art-integrated learning and health education as part of a more holistic educational approach, alongside the introduction of new skill subjects aligned with global educational trends. The CBSE Regional Office is also engaged in a series of assessment reforms designed to make education more competency-based and student-friendly. This includes the implementation of case-based and competency-focused questions, strengthening internal assessments, and developing Annual Pedagogical Plans. The board also aims to promote experiential learning through innovative methods such as sports, storytelling, and toy-based learning. The new regional office in Dubai will play a crucial role in overseeing examinations in the region. The Centre of Excellence will focus on in-service teacher training, equipping educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to stay ahead of educational innovations and global teaching methodologies. In his address, the Consul General of India in Dubai, Satish Kumar Sivan, emphasised the importance of this new development, stating, "The Centre for Excellence will empower teachers with cutting-edge training, enabling them to stay updated on best practices and innovative technologies. "This will enrich the learning experience for students." He added, "The office will significantly enhance CBSE's support and resources for students, educators, and parents in the region. It represents the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of thousands of stakeholders who will benefit from its operations. The CBSE office will serve as a beacon of excellence and a hub for academic support for years to come." (ANI)
Congress leader Shabir Ahmed Khan emphasised the importance of the alliance between Congress and the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC). "I want to urge the people of the valley to strengthen the alliance formed by Congress and JKNC. Our alliance will solve all problems of the people of J-K. The people of India announced their decision in the parliamentary elections by not giving a majority to the BJP," Khan said. Congress and the National Conference are fighting the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir together. According to a seat-sharing agreement, the National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of the 90 seats, and the Congress will contest 32. The two parties will also contest five seats against each other. One seat each has been allocated for CPI (M) and Panthers Party. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has also extended its support to the Congress and National Conference alliance in the J-K polls. The voting in the Union Territory is scheduled to be held in three phases: September 18, 25 and October 1. Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). The counting of votes will be on October 8. It is the first assembly poll since the abrogation of Article 370. (ANI)
Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Thursday alleged that the BJP leaders have the "habit of demeaning opposition leaders." "CBI is doing the inquiry (in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case). The culprit has been arrested. The Supreme Court is supervising it under its direction and observation. I would say to the BJP leaders who are putting forth their findings to malign the state government to start conducting their own court. BJP leaders have this habit of demeaning opposition leaders," Rashid Alvi said while speaking to ANI on Thursday. Earlier, a letter allegedly signed by former Principal of RG Kar Hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh has surfaced that suggested an attempt to alter the crime scene where the trainee doctor was raped and murdered. BJP reiterated the demand for the Chief Minister's resignation stressing a fair investigation. In the alleged letter dated August 10, the Executive Engineer was ordered to take up repair/renovation/reconstruction of on duty Doctors' Room along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata on an urgent basis. The letter stated that there are "deficiency" of on duty Doctors' Rooms and separate atatched toilets in various departments. BJP West Bengal General Secretary Locket Chatterjee also hit out at the Kolkata police and said, "Earlier we have seen that Kolkata police was sending summons to the people saying that they are spreading fake news. Now, we can see that Kolkata police itself is spreading fake news." Locket Chatterjee demanded a probe against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she alleged that the rape and murder of trainee doctor in Kolkata was an "organised crime." Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, BJP MP from Purulia, wrote to the Director of CBI, urging arrest of DC Indira Mukherjee and other officials of Kolkata Police involved in tampering with the RG Kar evidence. The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said that the Environment Department will use drones to monitor air quality at pollution hotspots as part of a 21-point plan to curb air pollution during the winter session. "In a first in Delhi, the Environment Department will use drones for real-time air quality monitoring at pollution hotspots as a part of the 21-point Winter Action Plan to curb air pollution in cold months, announced Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday," as per a press release from Office of the Environment Minister, Delhi Govt. Addressing a press conference today at Delhi Secretariat, Gopal Rai said that, 35 departments attended an important meeting regarding the Winter Action Plan to combat air pollution in cold months in Delhi. "Gopal Rai said that the Kejriwal government will prepare a winter action plan based on 21 focus points to deal with air pollution. For the first time, drone monitoring will be done to reduce pollution at hotspots. Also, a special task force will be formed. The departments concerned have been instructed to submit their action plan on the winter action plan by September 12," the release stated. The meeting held in the Delhi Secretariat was attended by officials of the Environment Department, DPCC, Forest Department, Development Department, Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), CPWD, DDA, Delhi Police, DTC, Revenue Department, DSIIDC, Education Department, DMRC, PWD, Transport Department, Delhi Jal Board, DUSIB, NDMC, etc. "The Environment Minister said that all the departments concerned have been assigned different responsibilities on 21 focus points, according to which the winter action plan will be prepared," as per the release. Environment Minister Gopal Rai gave information about the decisions taken in the meeting through a press conference. He said that all the departments have been directed to submit detailed action plans and suggestions under the Winter Action Plan to the Environment Department by September 12. "This time, for the first time, pollution will be monitored by drones at 13 hotspots to reduce pollution. Also, a special task force will be formed to prevent pollution. The 2024 Winter Action Plan includes hotspots, vehicle and dust pollution, work from home, stubble and garbage burning, industrial pollution, upgrading the war room and green app, dialogue with the central government and neighbouring states, and preparation for odd-even and artificial rain as emergency measures," he said. Gopal Rai said that the government has intensified its preparations to deal with the problem of pollution in the winter season. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, our government has continuously taken strict steps to reduce air pollution in Delhi, resulting in a reduction of about 30 per cent in pollution in the last 9 years. "The number of good, satisfactory, and moderate category days increased from 110 in 2016 to 206 in 2023," he said. (ANI)
Former Haryana Minister Karan Dev Kamboj, who held the post of state BJP OBC Morcha chief, announced his resignation from all the posts of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and said there has been injustice with workers in the distribution of tickets. The BJP on Wednesday released the first list of 67 candidates for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections. Kamboj expressed dissatisfaction with the party's decision, apparently about Indri constituency. "My family and I have been part of the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. I have worked with a lot of dedication. Now Congress culture has come into the BJP as well...Yesterday, a few people who created so much trouble were made to join the BJP and were given tickets...I worked for 5 years and made the maximum OBC community join the BJP...This is cheating on the rest of the party workers. We will object to this," Kamboj told ANI. On the BJP's prospects to form the government for the third time in Haryana, he said, "Congress will form the government here and the BJP's dream will remain a dream..." The development is being seen as a setback for the BJP for its preparations for the assembly polls. The BJP has fielded Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Ladwa and former state home minister Anil Vij from Ambala Cantt. Other prominent leaders in the first list are Gian Chand Gupta, Kanwar Pal Gurjar, Sunita Duggal, Bhavya Bishnoi, and Tejpal Tanwar. Gian Chand Gupta will contest from Panchkula, Kanwar Pal Gurjar from Jagadhri, Sunita Duggal from Ratia, Bhavya Bishnoi from Adampur, and Tejpal Tanwar from Sohna. Voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5, with the last date for filing nominations being September 12. Votes will be counted on October 8. (ANI)
A letter allegedly signed by former Principal of RG Kar Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, has surfaced that suggested an attempt to alter the crime scene where the trainee doctor was raped and murdered. BJP reiterated the demand for the Chief Minister's resignation, stressing a fair investigation. In the alleged letter dated August 10, the Executive Engineer was ordered to take up repair/renovation/reconstruction of on-duty doctors' rooms along with separate attached toilets in all departments of RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata, on an urgent basis. The letter stated that there are "deficiencies" of on duty doctors' rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments. In a post on X, BJP National Spokesperson Amit Malviya stated, "This is explosive. Yet another piece of evidence, which establishes that Dr Sandip Ghosh, now arrested and disgraced former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, ordered repair/renovation of the toilet near the seminar room (scene of crime) on August 10, a day after the young lady doctor was brutally raped and murdered (she was killed on the intervening night of August 8th/9th)." Malviya claimed that the letter proved the West Bengal government and hospital lied about when renovations began near the crime scene and accused that three of them, including the state police, "colluded" to destroy all evidence and "sanitised" the scene of crime. Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, urged to investigate the Chief Minister's mobile phone for call records on the date of the incident. "Mamata Banerjee's people were saying that the renovation order (of the room near the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital) was given to PWD before 9th August but today it has come to light that the order was received on August 10," Suvendu Adhikari said while speaking to reporters on Thursday. "Rapists will be hanged but what will happen to those who protect rapists? We had demanded an amendment regarding this but they (state government) did not agree. Take Mamata Banerjee's mobile phone and check the call records of August 9 and 10, everything will come out," he added. This development came amid the victim's family coming out against the Kolkata police regarding the ongoing investigation into the case. "When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police? The police were saying that they have fulfilled all their responsibilities, is this what is called fulfilling the responsibility?," the aunt of the deceased doctor said while speaking to reporters during a protest staged at RG Kar Hospital. "Till the last rites were not performed, 300-400 policemen surrounded us but after it was performed, not a single policeman was seen there. What would the family do? How would they go home? The police took no responsibility. Police were active till the last rites were performed and after that, they became completely inactive," she added. BJP West Bengal General Secretary Locket Chatterjee also hit out at the Kolkata police and said, "Earlier we have seen that Kolkata police was sending summons to the people saying that they are spreading fake news. Now, we can see that Kolkata police itself is spreading fake news." Locket Chatterjee demanded a probe against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she alleged that the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata was an "organised crime." West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose alleged that a portion of the police is criminalised and politicised. "Parents (of the victim) have told me certain things, which is very, very heartbreaking. They also gave to me in writing that I have taken up with the Home Minister. What they want is justice. The entire Bengal society seeks justice. Justice will be done. Justice should be done," Governor Bose said. "The wrongdoers should be brought to book. Punishment should be given. People should feel that they can expect justice from the government, now that feeling is not there. This is the condition of Bengal today--the law is there but it is not being implemented properly or certain people are given protective discrimination by law. The police--a portion of the police is criminalised, a portion is corrupt and a portion of it is politicised," the governor added. Earlier, Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, the BJP MP from Purulia, wrote to the Director of CBI, urging the arrest of DC Indira Mukherjee and other officials of Kolkata Police involved in tampering with the RG Kar evidence. The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said on Thursday that President Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should look into the crimes against women happening across the country. The TMC leader further claimed that on average 90 such cases take place in the country everyday. "A minimum of 90 brutal crimes against women are happening on average, daily. The union HM and the president must look into it," Ghosh told reporters. His comments come amid the nationwide outrage against the murder and rape of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Ghosh said that CBI has not given any breakthrough update of its investigation into the murder-rape case. "The investigation is on, but only one arrest has been made, and that by Kolkata police. The CBI has not given any breakthrough update to us," he said. "An allegation is being raised that a police officer on duty offered money to the victim's family. A video has also surfaced in which the family is saying that nothing like this has happened, these are baseless. "I don't want to comment on that; I am with the family. I have just one point, there are two videos When CBI has taken their statement, was this gross allegation there in their statement or not?" he added. Meanwhile, BJP West Bengal General Secretary Locket Chatterjee demanded a probe against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she alleged that the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata was an "organised crime." Speaking to ANI on Thursday, the BJP leader said, "Earlier we have seen that Kolkata police were sending summons to the people saying that they were spreading fake news. Now, we can see that Kolkata police itself is spreading fake news." "The CM should be enquired first to get to the truth. It was an organised crime. Sandip Ghosh has big names with him; even Kalighat is linked with it. Why did the TMC government send 21 advocates to the Supreme Court?," she added. Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya cited a letter dated August 10 allegedly signed by former principal of RG Kar Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, ordering renovation of the incident site a day after the trainee doctor was raped and murdered. Malviya dubbed it "explosive," as he alleged that the West Bengal government and the hospital lied regarding the date of renovation. The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in a program organised in Ujjain on the occasion of Teachers' Day and emphasised the crucial role a Guru in life, explaining that the word "Guru" signifies one who guides us from darkness to light. CM Yadav made the remark while addressing the Shikshak Samman Samaroha-2024 organised at Government Higher Secondary School of Excellence, Madhav Nagar, in Ujjain on Thursday. Speaking at the function, the CM highlighted that former President of India, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, dedicated his birthday to honouring teachers. While extending his Teacher's Day wishes to all educators across the state, he praised their dedication to shaping a better generation through their diligent efforts. "Goswami Tulsidas contributed to establishing and honouring Hindi and Sanskrit as the primary languages of Indian society. Our dialects evolve into languages over time. The significant contributions of noted litterateurs Shri Madhavrao Sapre and Makhanlal Chaturvedi to the development of Hindi as a national language," CM said. CM Yadav explained that the word "Guru" originates from Sanskrit, emphasising that by upholding the Guru-Shishya tradition, we remain connected to Sanatan culture. "The Guru plays a vital role in guiding us from darkness to light and a Guru's wisdom is essential for transforming bad governance into good governance," he said. He also expressed his satisfaction with the government's decision to rename the title of Kulpati (Vice Chancellor) to Kulguru. Teachers of Ujjain district who gave 100 percent results in high school and higher secondary board examinations were honoured by the Chief Minister with shawls, shriphal, and certificates. Besides, 11 ISO-certified cluster principles of Ujjain were also honoured with ISO certificates on the occasion. In his address, while remembering former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan CM Yadav noted that dialects gradually evolve into full-fledged languages. He remarked that Hindi has undergone significant development over the past thousand years. The Chief Minister further highlighted that, despite being a Sanskrit scholar, Goswami Tulsidas played a crucial role in establishing Hindi as the language of society. By composing the Ramcharitmanas in Hindi, Tulsidas ji brought the Ramayana into every home, he said. (ANI)
Congress leader Ajay Singh Yadav on Thursday affirmed that the Congress does not need an alliance in Haryana as the popularity of the party is at its peak, adding that the Aam Aadmi party can cause no loss in the upcoming Assembly polls. "Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi are the ones who will decide whether we need to form an alliance or not. As far as my personal opinion is concerned, Congress does not need an alliance in Haryana. The popularity of Congress is at its peak. AAP can cause no loss to Congress. Why should AAP be allowed to enter Haryana," he said. After attending the sub-screening committee, held today in New Delhi, Congress leader Ajay Yadav said that he has recommended two candidates who can win. "We have deliberated on our OBC candidates who can win. I have also given recommendations on two candidates who can win," he said. Earlier, AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria confirmed talks with AAP for the Haryana polls. He said that apart from the AAP, INDIA bloc partners, including the Communist Party of India (CPIM) and the Samajwadi Party have also approached them to fight the assembly elections together in the state. "Currently we are speaking to the Aam Aadmi Party. One or two other parties have also approached; we will respond in a day or two. CPI (M) and the Samajwadi Party approached us. They are expecting a very small number. They want to make their presence felt in the state. We are also looking for a seat that is convenient for us and them," Babaria stated. According to sources, Rahul Gandhi has sought the opinion of Haryana Congress leaders over the possibility of an alliance with AAP for the forthcoming Haryana Assembly elections during the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting held in the national capital on Monday. Arvind Kejriwal had earlier stated that his party would contest the Haryana Assembly polls in all 90 seats on its own strength. The elections in Haryana will be held in a single phase on October 5, and the counting of votes will happen on October 8. (ANI)
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, Congress leader Rashid Alvi said that the BJP leaders have been trying to malign the West Bengal state government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "CBI is doing the inquiry (in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case). The culprit has been arrested. The Supreme Court is supervising it under its direction and observation. I would say to the BJP leaders who are putting forth their findings to malign the state government to start conducting their own court. BJP leaders have this habit of demeaning opposition leaders," said the Congress leader on Thursday. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia targeted West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee, alleging that an environment of terror, fear, and violence has been created in West Bengal. His remarks came amid the growing outrage over the alleged murder and rape of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 in the West Bengal's city of Kolkata. "...In our scriptures, it is written that where women are worshipped, god lives there. Sadly, an environment of terror, fear and violence has been created in West Bengal under the rule of TMC's Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee), where women are not only exploited but also murdered," he told reporters on his way to Sikkim at Bagdogra airport in Siliguri, West Bengal, on Thursday. He added, "Today, no one, including women, youth, businessmen, and common people, is safe in West Bengal... What is the relevance of such a government under the leadership of a woman CM, if the women are not safe here?" The body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the hospital on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested shortly after. The CBI also arrested Dr Sandip Ghosh, for alleged financial misconduct at the medical establishment. (ANI)
Stating the need to "ban assault weapons," the White House has called on the Congress "to do something" after four people, including two students, were killed in a shooting incident at a high school in the US state of Georgia. After extending condolences to those affected by the high school shooting, White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre said, "We need universal background checks...We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, invest in prevention programs, and pass a national red flag law." Two students and two teachers were killed while nine others were wounded at the shooting incident at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, authorities said. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris has condemned the shooting incident as "outrageous." "It's just outrageous that every day, in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire. In a message posted to social media, former President Donald Trump also said: "These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster." One suspect, a 14-year-old student, was alive and taken into custody following the gunfire at the school, Georgia Bureau of Investigation director Chris Hosey said at a news conference late Wednesday afternoon. The suspect surrendered to law enforcement immediately after being confronted, Hosey said. He was cooperating with authorities and will be charged with murder and handled as an adult, according to Hosey and Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith. "He gave up, got on the ground and the deputy took him into custody," Smith said. Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school. The investigation was still "very active," Hosey said. A motive was unclear. Smith said he was not aware whether the victims were targeted or whether there was a connection between the shooter and the victims. The school shooting was just the latest among dozens across the US in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws. (ANI)
Expressing condolences for the victims of a shooting incident at a school in Georgia, President Joe Biden has called on Republicans to work with Democrats in the US Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence in the United States. At least four people, including two students, have been killed and nine others were injured when a fellow student opened fire in a high school in the US state of Georgia on Wednesday, CNN reported. Biden described the shooting incident as "another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart." "Jill (Biden) and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart," Biden said in a statement released by the White House. The US president lamented that students across the country are "learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write." "We cannot continue to accept this as normal. We are closely coordinating with officials at the federal, state and local levels and are grateful for the first responders who brought the suspect into custody and prevented further loss of life," Biden said. Further, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the gun violence epidemic in the US and highlighted his efforts to address the issue, including the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. "Ending this gun violence epidemic is personal to me. It's why I signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act--the most meaningful gun safety bill in decades--and have announced dozens of gun safety executive actions. I also established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. We've made significant progress, but this crisis requires even more," the US president said. Biden called on Republicans to work with Democrats in Congress to pass gun safety legislation to help prevent future gun violence and stated that 'enough is enough.' "After decades of inaction, Republicans in Congress must finally say 'enough is enough' and work with Democrats to pass common-sense gun safety legislation. We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines once again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. These measures will not bring those who were tragically killed today back, but they will help prevent more tragic gun violence from ripping more families apart," Biden said. US vice president Kamala Harris also took to X and expressed condolences for the people who are impacted by this shooting and describe it as a "senseless tragedy." "Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. This is a senseless tragedy -- and it does not have to be this way. We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for," said Kamala Harris. Georgia Governor Brian P Kemp also posted on X and stated that "I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state." "We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation." he added. Meanwhile, the suspected gunman is in custody and was identified as 14-year-old Colt Cray, a student of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, about an hour outside of Atlanta. Two of those killed were students and two were teachers. Law enforcement agencies are still investigating the shooting and the motive behind it. The high school had received an earlier phone threat, multiple law enforcement officials told CNN. The phone call Wednesday morning warned there would be shootings at five schools, and that Apalachee would be the first. It is not known who placed the call. Officials tell CNN they are investigating the call and where it originated. The US has suffered at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. That's an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings every day. (ANI)
On the second day of his visit to Singapore on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to tour a cutting-edge semiconductor facility in the city-state alongside his Singaporean counterpart. PM Modi, who reached Singapore on Wednesday, is slated to hold numerous engagements in the city-state on Thursday as well.This visit is poised to further bolster the bilateral ties between India and Singapore. This visit has underscored the growing significance of the semiconductor sector, which holds promise for expanding India's technological capabilities and fostering deeper economic ties between the two nations. The day will begin with a ceremonial welcome for PM Modi at Singapore's Parliament House, followed by a meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, and the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). Subsequently, PM Modi will visit AEM Holdings Ltd's semiconductor facility with Singapore's Prime Minister, after a lunch hosted by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He will also meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Following a business meeting with CEOs, PM Modi will return to New Delhi. PM Modi's visit to the semiconductor industry is significant in terms of enhanced trade opportunities between the two friendly countries, as Singapore, despite being a small city-state, has a well-developed semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry opens opportunities for India in many aspects, including collaboration in talent development as Singapore universities have developed customised courses for the semiconductor sector, and knowledge sharing about best practices of managing semiconductor industrial parks (called Wafer Fab Parks in Singapore). In terms of factors of production, Singapore has limitations for land and labour. India, with abundant land and skilled labour, can be part of Singapore's semiconductor value chain. Semiconductor companies in Singapore can be encouraged to consider India for their expansion plans. Singapore also has semiconductor equipment and material manufacturers. For the development of the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India, engagement and collaboration with such companies may also be helpful. As per data collated here by the government, Singapore, the city-state in Maritim Southeast Asia, contributes to around 10 per cent of global semiconductor output, 5 per cent of global wafer fabrication capacity and 20 per cent of semiconductor equipment production. The semiconductor sector contributes to 8 per cent of Singapore's economic growth. The data mentions that nine out of the 15 top semiconductor firms have set up shops in Singapore. Singapore has players in all three segments of the semiconductor value chain--i) IC Design: MediaTek, Realtek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Maxlinear, AMD; ii) Assembly, packaging and testing: ASE Group, Utac, STATS ChipPack, Silicin Box. iii) Wafer fabrication: GlobalFoundries, UMC, Siltronic and Micron, and iv) Equipment/ raw material producers: Soitec, Applied Materials. In the 1960s, US chip makers, looking for lower labour costs with a sufficiently skilled workforce, started to offshore parts of their production process to Southeast Asia, including Singapore. Singapore actively facilitates such investments as it creates well-paying jobs in the manufacturing sector, in its otherwise service-dependent economy. Factors that contributed to the development of Singapore's semiconductor industry are infrastructure and connectivity, stable business conditions, a critical mass of leading companies based in Singapore covering the value chain (from design to wafer fabrication to assembly and testing), and human capital. Semiconductor plants in Singapore are currently clustered in four wafer fabrication parks that span 374 hectares, where the Singapore government offers customised infrastructure solutions to investors. To develop talent, Singapore universities are offering majors in microelectronics, and IC design and are collaborating with semiconductor companies by having their employees do PhD research. Singapore is now getting the benefits of a global focus on de-risking and improving supply chain resilience, as it appears to be a safe bet in the era of US-China rivalry. In 2022, Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corporation announced an investment of USD 5 billion to set up a semiconductor fab. It is expected to begin operations in 2024. In September 2023, GlobalFoundries inaugurated its new USD 4 billion fabrication plant in Singapore. This plant is capable of manufacturing speciality chips at 28 nm node technology (most advanced in Singapore). In June 2024, NXP Semiconductors and TSMC-backed Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp announced a USD 7.8 billion joint venture for a Singapore plant (named VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) that will make 40 to 130 nm chips for the automotive, industrial, consumer, and mobile market segments. Construction will commence in the second half of 2024, with production starting in 2027. Singapore's semiconductor industry is limited to "mature-node chips" (process node technology of 28 nm or more), which are used in appliances, cars, and industrial equipment. It is not equipped to make high-end logic chips like the one used in the AI sector (AI chips have process nodes of 7 nm and smaller, and thus require specialized production methods). Singapore's semiconductor industry is not expected to drive into AI chips. One thought is that the market for mature-node chips is much larger with stable growth prospects, so Singapore need not focus on AI chips. Another angle is that manufacturing AI chips needs huge investments, existing companies in Singapore are not capable of committing to such investments and big players like TSMC, Samsung and Intel have already committed their investments elsewhere. The cost of production is increasing in Singapore, forcing semiconductor companies to move up in the value chain and diversify low-cost and labour-intensive operations out of Singapore. Several countries are offering massive incentives to attract semiconductor investments. Singapore has not announced any matching scheme. Singapore appears to be relying on its inherent strengths. It is possible that such competition from other countries will drive down Singapore's share in global semiconductor production in the long run. Singapore has carved out a niche space for itself in the global semiconductor value chain over several decades. Singapore continues to invest in both hard and soft infrastructure to sustain its position. However, changes in the global situation led by the US-China rivalry and growing attention to de-risking are leading major economies (including India) to have their own semiconductor industry. This may not have an immediate impact on Singapore, but coupled with the increasing cost of production and limited resources (land and labour) in Singapore, it can pose a serious challenge to Singapore's current position in the global semiconductor industry. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi received ceremonial welcome at Singapore's Parliament House on Thursday. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong welcomed PM Modi and the two leaders warmly greeted each other. He signed the visitors book at the Parliament House. PM Modi and Lawrence Wong met ministers and delegates from each other's countries. PM Modi, who reached Singapore on Wednesday, is slated to hold numerous engagements in the city-state on Thursday as well. This visit is poised to further bolster the bilateral ties between India and Singapore. During the day, PM Modi will have a meeting with Lawrence Wong, and the two nations are expected to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). Subsequently, PM Modi will visit AEM Holdings Ltd's semiconductor facility with Singapore's Prime Minister, after a lunch hosted by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He will also meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Following a business meeting with CEOs, PM Modi will return to New Delhi. PM Modi met his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on Wednesday. He expressed his happiness on meeting Lawrence Wong. Sharing a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Happy to have met my friend, PM Lawrence Wong. Had an excellent discussion on a wide range of issues. India cherishes the friendship with Singapore." Wong also shared a picture of their meeting on X and welcomed PM Modi for dinner at Istana, the official residence and office of the president of Singapore. In a post on X, he stated, "Welcome PM Narendra Modi to Singapore! Delighted to have the chance to catch up over a meal at the Istana, before the official meetings tomorrow." On Prime Minister Modi's Singapore visit, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the visit will further fortify ties between the two nations. "Fortifying India-Singapore bonds of friendship. PM Narendra Modi warmly hosted by PM Lawrence Wong at the iconic Sri Temasek in Singapore. An evening cherishing the deep and long-standing India-Singapore ties awaits," he posted on X. Singaporean Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugham received PM Modi at the Changi airport on Wednesday and received a warm welcome from the Indian community. PM Modi was seen giving autographs to diaspora members outside the hotel. He also tried his hand at playing the dhol there. Sharing from pictures, PM Modi later posted on X and said, "Thank you, Singapore! The welcome was truly vibrant." Before his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. During his visit, he held "wide ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. During their talks, both the leaders discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties. On Tuesday, PM Modi inaugurated the new Chancery of the High Commission of India in Brunei's capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan. The Prime Minister also visited the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesday as a part of his historic visit to Brunei. (ANI)
In a major blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his key ally Jagmeet Singh's New Democratic Party withdrew support from the Liberal Party putting Trudeau's minority government at risk an year ahead of the next general elections, CBC News reported. The party made the announcement in a video posted to social media Wednesday afternoon. The deal was scheduled to run until June 2025. Jagmeet Singh, who helped Trudeau keep his minority government in power, attacked the Canadian PM for caving to "corporate greed" and claimed that the Liberals have "let people down." "Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don't deserve another chance from Canadians," Singh said in the video," Singh said. "There is another, even bigger battle ahead. The threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts. From workers, from retirees, from young people, from patients, from families -- he will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs," he added. According to a spokesperson for NDP, the plan to end the agreement was in the works for the past two weeks -- and that the party would not inform the Liberal government of its decision until an hour before the video was scheduled to go live online. CBC News reported, citing a senior government source, that the Prime Minister's Office was informed at 12:47 pm ET, while Singh posted the video on social media at 12:55 pm ET. In his first reaction to Singh withdrawing support, PM Trudeau said his government is more focused on tackling the issues of affordability crisis and climate change. Speaking in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador, Trudeau said, "These are the things that we're focused on. I'll let others focus on politics," Trudeau said at a event in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador. "I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics." Trudeau further affirmed hope that the next election will not happen "until next fall" so that his government has time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care, and school food programmes. Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Singh's announcement a "stunt" and criticized him for not saying whether he would vote non-confidence in the government, CBC News reported. "He came out and claimed that he was wrong, that the coalition was a bad, costly idea, but he refuses to commit to voting for a carbon tax election," Poilievre told reporters in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Poilievre called on Singh to commit to voting for an election at the earliest opportunity when the House of Commons returns. "Right now, we don't have a calendar to indicate when we can put forward a motion," he said. "After Sellout Singh did this stunt today, he is going to have to vote on whether he keeps Justin Trudeau's costly government in power, or whether he triggers a carbon tax election." Jagmeet Singh has also said that his party, the NDP is ready for an election. In a media release accompanying his announcement, Singh said, "The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure." A by-election in the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, formerly held by the Liberals, will be held on September 16. The NDP kept the minority Liberal government in power through the confidence-and-supply agreement, in exchange for movement on key priorities such as dental care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants, and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, as reported by CBC News. But some of the promises made to NDP by the Liberal government are yet to be fully realised. Pharmacare legislation hasn't passed the Senate, and a bill to implement Elections Act changes is still before the House. Additionally, the promised Safe Long-Term Care Act has yet to be tabled. However, the end of the confidence-and-supply agreement doesn't necessarily mean an immediate election. The Liberals could seek the support of the Bloc Quebecois or try to continue negotiating with the NDP on a case-by-case basis, CBC News reported. (ANI)
The United States government imposed sanctions against 10 individuals and two entities from Russia in response to Moscow's "malign influence efforts" targeting the 2024 US presidential election. The US Department of Treasury on Wednesday (local time) announced a joint effort to target with sanctions and criminal charges what the Biden administration says are Russian government-sponsored "attempts to manipulate US public opinion" ahead of the November election. "Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated US government response to Moscow's malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 US presidential election," the Treasury Department said in a statement. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced charges against two employees of the Russian-backed media network RT accusing them of conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in the Southern District of New York. The US alleged that Russian "state-sponsored actors have long used" a variety of tools, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) deep fakes and disinformation, in an attempt to undermine confidence in the United States' election processes and institutions. "Starting in early 2024, executives at RT--Russia's state-funded news media outlet--began an even more nefarious effort to covertly recruit unwitting American influencers in support of their malign influence campaign. RT used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government in content meant to influence US audiences," the Treasury Department further stated. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the action underscores Biden administration's ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions "Today's action underscores the US government's ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions," said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L Yellen. "Treasury will not waver in our commitment to safeguarding our democratic principles and the integrity of our election systems." Later, during the White House briefing on Thursday, when asked if high-level Russian officials were clued into RT's activity, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the US believes Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware. "We believe Putin is weighing in on these actions," Kirby said. The State Department also announced three related actions, including, a new visa restriction policy imposed on individuals the administration said were acting on behalf of Kremlin-supported media organisations who use those organisations as cover for covert activities. A senior State Department official said it's also designating six RT affiliates that operate in the US as "foreign missions" as well as offering a reward of up to USD 10 million for information regarding potential foreign efforts to interfere in US elections. US intelligence agencies have previously assessed that Russia wants to interfere in the 2024 election and flagged RT as a source of Russian propaganda and disinformation and required it to register as a foreign agent. (ANI)
Lawrence Wong welcomed PM Modi at the semiconductor facility. The two leaders were seen interacting with the officials at the semiconductor facility. The officials at the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd also took pictures with PM Modi. PM Modi''s visit to the semiconductor industry is significant in terms of enhanced trade opportunities between the two friendly countries, as Singapore, despite being a small city-state, has a well-developed semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry opens opportunities for India in many aspects, including collaboration in talent development as Singapore universities have developed customised courses for the semiconductor sector, and knowledge sharing about best practices of managing semiconductor industrial parks (called Wafer Fab Parks in Singapore). In terms of factors of production, Singapore has limitations for land and labour. India, with abundant land and skilled labour, can be part of Singapore''s semiconductor value chain. Semiconductor companies in Singapore can be encouraged to consider India for their expansion plans.Singapore also has semiconductor equipment and material manufacturers. For the development of the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India, engagement and collaboration with such companies may also be helpful. Singapore has players in all three segments of the semiconductor value chain--i) IC Design: MediaTek, Realtek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Maxlinear, AMD; ii) Assembly, packaging and testing: ASE Group, Utac, STATS ChipPack, Silicin Box. iii) Wafer fabrication: GlobalFoundries, UMC, Siltronic and Micron, and iv) Equipment/ raw material producers: Soitec, Applied Materials. Earlier in the day, PM Modi held a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong and talks focused on boosting cooperation between two nations in various sectors, including skilling, healthcare, artificial intelligence. Taking to X, PM Modi stated, "The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations." India and Singapore exchanged four significant Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on Thursday, during the day-two visit of PM Modi in the island country. The agreements encompass collaboration in digital technologies, a partnership in the semiconductor sector, joint initiatives in health and medicine, and cooperation in education and skills development. The MoUs were exchanged in Parliament House of Singapore by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong. Earlier in the day, PM Modi received the ceremonial welcome at Singapore''s Parliament House on Thursday. Wong welcomed PM Modi and the two leaders warmly greeted each other. He signed the visitors book at the Parliament House. PM Modi and Lawrence Wong met ministers and delegates from each other''s countries. Before his arrival in Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. During his visit, he held "wide ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. (ANI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the announcement of Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre to be opened in Singapore. She said this will help in promoting and maintaining the Tamil language, civilization and culture. "PMO announced that a Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will open in Singapore. Thanks to PM Modi for announcing the establishment of a Thiruvalluvar Cultural Center in Singapore to promote and maintain the Tamil language, civilization and culture," Sitharaman stated in a post on X. Prime Minister Modi, who is on a visit to Singapore, during his bilateral meeting with Singapore PM Lawrence Wong, announced that India's first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will be opened in Singapore soon. He also appreciated the teachings of Saint Thiruvalluvar. "I am very happy to inform you that India's first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be opened in Singapore. The great saint Thiruvalluvar has given guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language, Tamil. His composition Tirukkural was written almost 2 thousand years ago, but the ideas given in it are still relevant today," the Prime Minister said. "He has said, 'Nayanodu nnnri purinnd payanudaiyar panbu parattum ulagu', that is 'The world praises those who are known for justice and service to others'. I believe that millions of Indians living in Singapore are also inspired by these ideas and are contributing to strengthening the relationship between the two countries," he further added. Notably, Nirmala Sitharaman was part of the Indian delegation during the India-Singapore ministerial roundtable held last week. During the meeting, both countries discussed and emphasised ways of further enhancing cooperation in emerging and futuristic areas. Meanwhile, India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. Prime Minister Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore on Thursday. The two leaders along with their delegations held the bilateral meeting. At their talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India - Singapore bilateral relations. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductor, skill development and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Lawrence Wong to visit India which he accepted. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attended the lunch hosted by Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The two leaders shook hands and warmly greeted each other. PM Modi and Lee Hsien Loong were engaged in talks as they sat to have lunch together. PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Singapore, visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility. PM Modi invited Singapore's semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition set to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13. During the visit to the semiconductor facility, PM Modi and Lawrence Wong were briefed about AEM's role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and its plans for India, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release. At the facility, PM Modi and Lawrence Wong also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha's World Skill Centre undergoing training in Singapore, as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM. Prior to the visit to the semiconductor facility, PM Modi and Lawrence Wong held a meeting and the talks focused on boosting cooperation between two nations in various sectors, including skilling, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "The discussions with my friend, PM Lawrence Wong continued today. Our talks focused on boosting cooperation in areas like skilling, technology, healthcare, AI and more. We both agreed on the need to boost trade relations." India and Singapore exchanged four significant Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on Thursday, during the day-two visit of PM Modi in the island country. The agreements encompass collaboration in digital technologies, a partnership in the semiconductor sector, joint initiatives in health and medicine, and cooperation in education and skills development. The MoUs were exchanged in Parliament House of Singapore by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong. Before the meeting, PM Modi received the ceremonial welcome at Singapore's Parliament House on Thursday. Wong welcomed PM Modi and the two leaders warmly greeted each other. He signed the visitors book at the Parliament House. PM Modi and Lawrence Wong met ministers and delegates from each other's countries. PM Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after concluding his two-day visit to Brunei. (ANI)
A local journalist working for a news agency was killed in Mastung area of Pakistan's Balochistan on Wednesday, Dawn reported. Nisar Ahmed Lehri was heading to his home when armed men opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. Police reached the site after receiving information regarding the incident and shifted the body to Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital. According to police, Nisar Ahmed Lehri was murdered due to a tribal clash over a land dispute. A senior police officer stated, "We are investigating the incident." The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) strongly condemned the killing of Nisar Ahmed Lehri, according to Dawn report. The PFUJ and BUJ urged the government to arrest the killers of the journalist. In separate statements, PFUJ president Afzal Butt, Secretary General Arshad Ansari and the BUJ president slammed the Balochistan government's claims of protecting journalists, citing the number of journalists killed in the region over the years as proof of its failure. They stressed that the killing of Nisar Lehri, who also served as the press secretary of the Sarawan Press Club in Mastung, would increase fear among media persons in the province. They stated, "It appears that both remote areas of Balochistan and main towns have become highly unsafe for media personnel." They stated that the incident could have been prevented if the government apprehended and punished the perpetrators of previous journalist murders, according to Dawn report. They further said, "We demand that the government arrest all killers, including those responsible for Lehri's murder." Earlier in August, a local journalist was killed in the Ghotki district in Pakistan's Sindh, Geo News, reported, citing police. The locals have blamed dacoits for the killing of journalist Bachal Ghunio, Geo News reported. According to the police, the deceased was attacked while he was in his fields. The police said that the journalist's body was taken to Taluka headquarter Ubuaro hospital and an investigation is being conducted. Bachal Ghunio's family held a protest outside the office of the senior superintendent of police in Mirpur Mathelo. They called for the arrest of the suspects, according to a Geo News report. Speaking with Geo News, the deceased journalist's minor son said there was enmity between his father and some members of the community. However, Ghunio was killed despite the issues being decided upon. He further stated that opponents had also targeted his father a few years back. Taking notice of the matter, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had issued orders for the immediate arrest of those responsible for the killing, Geo News reported. He also ordered the intensification of operations against dacoits in the riverine area. Earlier in July, reporter Malik Hassan Zaib was shot dead by unknown assailants in the Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while he was travelling with his brother. On May 15, Ashfaq Ahmed Sial from Muzaffargarh was shot by two motorcyclists. Muhammad Siddique Mengal of Balochistan was killed in a bomb attack on May 3. (ANI)
The opposition leaders in Pakistan; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Omar Ayub Khan raised the issue of rising discontentment in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urged the government to have dialogue with estranged youth, Dawn reported. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday called for adopting a political path to address the grievances of the people of the respective provinces in Pakistan. It seems the Pakistan government has lost writ in the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa areas, where armed people were ruling and collecting taxes and toll fees, he remarked. "They are going to villages, patrolling the streets, and are armed with rocket launchers and special equipment," he said. Pointing out that both sides had taken extreme positions, he said, "One party goes to the extent of talking about separation, while the other vows to deal with them with full force and to go to any extent to protect the state." He said such attitudes only raised questions over the country's security. Referring to the August 26 terror attacks in Balochistan which killed dozens of people, the JUI-F chief regretted that parliament had "not taken matters seriously". Rehman added that prominent, sagacious and experienced political leadership was being sidelined despite the fact that politicians could resolve such issues, as reported by Dawn. Rehman further noted that Pakistan had become a battleground for a proxy war (between the US and China). He said obstacles had been created in the way of megaprojects planned under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Referring to the issue of missing persons -- amid repeated cases of enforced disappearances -- the JUI-F chief said some families were still waiting for their loved ones who had gone missing some 20 years ago. They were unaware if those missing persons were dead or alive or whether they were in jail or had fled the country, he said. "Wherever they are, it is the government's responsibility to inform their family of their whereabouts," he asserted. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan also stressed the need to address the grievances of people and suggested that a fact-finding mission should visit the areas of Balochistan to help tackle the situation, Dawn reported. He also proposed formation of a committee to talk to the people of Balochistan. He said the Baloch youth did not want to talk to them as they believed they were "compromised". He said the grievances of the people of Balochistan were 100 per cent genuine. "They had not been pushed to wall, rather had been immured in the wall," he remarked. (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that India, China and Brazil could mediate in potential peace talks over Ukraine, Reuters reported. Putin said a preliminary agreement reached between negotiators of Russia, Ukraine during the talks held in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for talks. The two nations held talks in Istanbul during the first few weeks of war in 2022. Notably, Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in a conflict since February 2022. India has called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. Earlier on August 23, PM Modi visited Ukraine, first by an Indian PM to the European nation. During the bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, PM Modi emphasised India's position of peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. "India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace," PM Modi told Zelenskyy. He said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress. During PM Modi's visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed confidence that India had a role to bring peace to the conflict ridden region. Speaking to ANI, in Kyiv, the Ukrainian President said, "India will play its role. I think that India began to recognise that this is not just conflict, this is real war of one man and his name is Putin against whole country whose name is Ukraine. You are a big country. You have a big influence and you can stop Putin and halt his economy, and put him really in his place." Earlier in July, PM Modi visited Russia and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. During his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July, PM Modi said that there is no solution on the battlefield and added that peace talks do not succeed amid bombs, guns and bullets. During his talks with Putin, PM Modi said, "As a friend, I have always said that for the bright future of our coming generations, peace is of utmost importance. But I also know that solutions are not possible on battlegrounds. Amid bombs, guns and bullets, solutions and peace talks do not succeed. We will have to follow the path to peace only through talks." During his meeting with Putin, PM Modi said that everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is a loss of lives. He further stated that it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children are dying. PM Modi had said, "Be it war, conflicts, terror attacks - everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is loss of lives. But when innocent children are murdered, when we see innocent children dying, it is heartbreaking. That pain is immense. I also held a detailed discussion with you over this." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the setting up of an Invest India Office in Singapore, which will be hand-holding office for Singaporean investors in diverse areas, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Citing the "fast and folding opportunities" in India, MEA Secretary East, Jaideep Mazumdar, said it is an "opportune time" for the CEOs of leading companies in Singapore to get first-hand understanding from PM Modi on what is being offered by India. He also elaborated on the various meetings and interactions by Prime Minister Modi during his two-day visit to the island nation. "Four MOUs were exchanged, and these are in cooperation in semiconductor ecosystem, in digital technologies, in skill development and education, and in health care. The next stage in our bilateral relations has been set by the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable that met recently and which identified six pillars of our futuristic cooperation, and the above 4 MOUs address 4 of those six pillars," said in a special briefing. "India and Singapore relations have been made future ready and accordingly, both Prime Ministers decided to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership," he added. Mazumdar informed about PM Modi's announcement on 'Invest India Office' in Singapore. "To boost trade and investment, PM also announced setting up of an Invest India Office in Singapore, which will be hand-holding office for investors from Singapore in many diverse areas of interest identified in the 6 pillars above," he stated. The MEA also informed that later in the day, PM Modi will be visiting the CEOs of leading Singaporean companies, who have "substantial investment" in India and are looking to scale up their presence. "Looking at the fast and folding opportunities in India, this is an opportune time for the CEOs to have these first-hand understanding from India's Prime Minister as to what is being offered by India, its political stability, policy predictability, and the freshly-oriented, reform-oriented economic agenda," Mazumdar said. The MEA further elaborated on Prime Minister's visit to the AEM Holdings in Singapore "Prime Minister Modi also visited AEM, which is a leading Singapore company in the semiconductor space and in electronics. He was briefed about AEM's role in global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India, and given our efforts to develop our own semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem and to match Singapore's strengths in this area, there were a number of other senior company leaders who were present, as well as those involved in skilling and skill-upgradation in this sector," Mazumdar said. "At the facility, the two prime ministers also interacted with a group of interns, both from India and Singapore, who had undergone skill training as part of bilateral programs...Prime Minister Modi also invited the semiconductor-related CEOs present today to the Semicon India exhibition and conference, which is being held from 11th-13th September," he added. In terms of people-to-people contact, the MEA Secy said, both sides have discussed increasing the flight connections between the two countries and PM Modi announced the first ever Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre to be set up in Singapore. India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Singapore and discussed avenues to broaden and deepen India-Singapore cooperation. He also attended the lunch hosted by Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Prime Minister Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore on Thursday. The two leaders, along with their delegations, held the bilateral meeting. At their talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductors, skill development, and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Lawrence Wong to visit India, which he accepted. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister of Singapore and former Prime Minister of Singapore. Sharing a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Met Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister and a widely respected statesman." "We had extensive discussions on ways to add momentum to the India-Singapore friendship. His experience and expertise are very valued," the post on X added. Prime Minister Modi also noted that Emeritus Senior Minister Goh started the "India Fever" in Singapore and paid special attention to India-Singapore ties when he was the Prime Minister of Singapore. His efforts laid a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations, MEA in a press release said. PM Modi also appreciated Goh's support for India during and after his premiership. The two leaders also shared thoughts on recent developments in India-Singapore relations and exchanged views on avenues to take bilateral cooperation to a new level. MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that PM Modi appreciated Chok Tong and asserted that the two discussed ways to boost India-Singapore relations. In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, "PM Narendra Modi met Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore today. PM appreciated Emeritus Senior Minister Goh's contributions in starting the "India Fever" in Singapore. They discussed ideas for further strengthening India-Singapore ties." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1831607108489347111 Meanwhile, PM Modi announced the setting up of an Invest India Office in Singapore, which will be a hand-holding office for Singaporean investors in diverse areas, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Citing the "fast and folding opportunities" in India, MEA Secretary East, Jaideep Mazumdar, said it is an "opportune time" for the CEOs of leading companies in Singapore to get first-hand understanding from PM Modi on what is being offered by India. He also elaborated on the various meetings and interactions by Prime Minister Modi during his two-day visit to the island nation. "Four MOUs were exchanged, and these are in cooperation in semiconductor ecosystem, in digital technologies, in skill development and education, and in health care. The next stage in our bilateral relations has been set by the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable that met recently and which identified six pillars of our futuristic cooperation, and the above 4 MOUs address 4 of those six pillars," said in a special briefing. "India and Singapore relations have been made future ready and accordingly, both Prime Ministers decided to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership," he added. India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Singapore and discussed avenues to broaden and deepen India-Singapore cooperation. (ANI)
The Chinese administration has intensified its interference in the reincarnation process of the next Dalai Lama, a practice the Tibetan culture has upheld for centuries, a report by the International Tibet Network (ITN) claimed on Wednesday. The 30-page report titled 'Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and the Geopolitics of Reincarnation' provided evidence of China's plans to use the passing of Dalai Lama as a 'strategic' and 'historic' opportunity for Beijing to end international support for Tibet's cause, signaling their desire to exclude the Dalai Lama from playing any role in his own succession. The report cited two Chinese policy documents that reveal an ominous strategy designed by the country to control the matters of Tibetan religious identity and target the Tibetan people and the broader international Buddhist community as a means to "secure authority in Tibet and build influence across the Tibetan Buddhist world." The ITN report claimed that, in 2011, after understanding Chinese propaganda, the 14th Dalai Lama had issued a written document concerning his succession in which, he stated that he may appoint someone as his successor while he is still alive, a practice that has been rooted in tibet's history for centuries. However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rejected the document, claiming that "only Beijing can approve his successor". According to the report, "China's 'Sinicization' of Tibetan Buddhism and its interference in the reincarnation system has far-reaching implications and seeks to finally break and reshape Tibetan identity. Sinicized Tibetan Buddhism aims to break the deep connection of Tibetan people with the Dalai Lama and involves a dystopian system of high-tech surveillance and policing of monasteries and nunneries. Thousands of monks and nuns have been expelled from religious institutes, and some subjected to extreme "patriotic re-education" campaigns that have involved "torture and sexual abuse," the report added. Previously, in 1954, Mao Zedong famously told the young Dalai Lama that "religion is poison". Since China's invasion of Tibet in 1949s and 50s, it has destroyed thousands of monasteries, burnt religious texts on great pyres, tortured religious teachers and forced them to undergo "patriotic re-education" and "hard labour". China continues to annihilate Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet by demolishing religious structures, enforcing ideological education on the monks, and unleashing its virulent campaigns against the Dalai Lama labelling him as a "splittist" and a "wolf in monk's robes". The ITN report cited the findings of the internal CCP briefings, which state that Beijing has developed a public relations strategy targeting Western governments and media outlets involving a plan to end international support for Tibet in what they term the 'post-Dalai era'. Part of this plan includes installing their own Dalai Lama candidate. China views control over Tibetan Buddhist reincarnation as a critical component in its efforts to secure authority in Tibet, eliminate Tibet's linguistic, cultural, and religious identity, and build influence and dominance across the Buddhist world. A precedent was set in 1995 by Beijing's seizure and disappearance of the young boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognised by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama, and the installation of their candidate, Gyaltsen Norbu, in its place. China has intensified political education and indoctrination efforts, targeting not only monks and nuns but also lay Tibetans at local levels to break existing loyalties to the exiled spiritual leader. However, Beijing's intensive focus on controlling the Dalai Lama's succession reflects its frustration at its own lack of legitimacy among Tibetans. Despite the harshness of the Chinese Communist Party's campaigns against religion, loyalty to the Dalai Lama among Tibetans remains constant. The Dalai Lama has made it clear that only he has authority over his reincarnation, an authority that is accepted by Tibetans, by followers of Tibetan Buddhism worldwide and by the international community. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with business leaders and CEOs of Singapore and highlighted the reforms underway in India that will encourage investment and innovation. PM Modi also said that he discussed ways to enhance economic relations between the two nations. Sharing a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore. We talked about ways to deepen economic linkages. I highlighted the reforms underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1831632166498828409 PM Modi on Thursday also met Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister of Singapore and former Prime Minister of Singapore. Sharing a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Met Mr. Goh Chok Tong, Emeritus Senior Minister and a widely respected statesman." "We had extensive discussions on ways to add momentum to the India-Singapore friendship. His experience and expertise are very valued," the post on X added. Meanwhile, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that PM Modi expressed his appreciation for Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong during their meeting. The two leaders engaged in discussions on strengthening bilateral ties between India and Singapore. In a post on X, Jaiswal wrote, "PM Narendra Modi met Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore today. PM appreciated Emeritus Senior Minister Goh's contributions in starting the "India Fever" in Singapore. They discussed ideas for further strengthening India-Singapore ties." Also, PM Modi announced the setting up of an Invest India Office in Singapore, which will be a hand-holding office for Singaporean investors in diverse areas, the MEA said on Thursday. Citing the "fast and folding opportunities" in India, MEA Secretary East, Jaideep Mazumdar, said it is an "opportune time" for the CEOs of leading companies in Singapore to get first-hand understanding from PM Modi on what is being offered by India. He also elaborated on the various meetings and interactions by Prime Minister Modi during his two-day visit to the island nation. "Four MOUs were exchanged, and these are in cooperation in semiconductor ecosystem, in digital technologies, in skill development and education, and in health care. The next stage in our bilateral relations has been set by the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable that met recently and identified six pillars of our futuristic cooperation, and the above 4 MOUs address 4 of those six pillars," said in a special briefing. "India and Singapore relations have been made future ready and accordingly, both Prime Ministers decided to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership," he added. India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. (ANI)
The arrest of artist Gao Zhen and journalist Zhang Zhan by the Chinese government as per the human rights advocates is the latest tactic employed by China to inflict a crackdown on dissent in the country, Voice Of America (VOA) reported. Gao, a prominent sculptor, was detained by Chinese police on August 26 this year for "slandering Chinese heroes and martyrs." Over 30 police personnel raided his studio and confiscated pieces of artwork related to Chinese leader Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution, a turbulent period for China from the 1960s to 1976 initiated by Mao. The VOA report quoted the statement of Gao Zhen's brother and main artistic collaborator Gao Qiang stating that Zhen's wife had received a notification from northern Hebei province's Sanhe public security bureau on August 27. The notification informed about him being detained under the charge of insulting and slandering Chinese heroes and martyrs, a law passed in 2018 that carries a maximum sentence of three years. "The police mainly targeted artworks critiquing the Cultural Revolution, but these works were created more than 10 years ago, which predate the law that came into effect in 2021," Gao Qiang said in a written response. Reportedly, the artist had returned to China to visit family with his wife and son in June from the US. His friends and family had also warned him about the probable security risks of going to China. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the Gao brothers are known for expressing critical views of Mao and his time in power. As a counter the Chinese police had shut down exhibitions of both and had confiscated some of the sensitive artworks in the past, but the artist brothers did run into major problems previously. The two Chinese brothers had obtained a permanent residence in the US in 2011, after which, Gao Zhen moved to New York with his family in 2022. Gao Qiang also in the statement given to VOA mentioned that while the motivation for his brother's arrest remains unclear, he believes the incident shows the space for free expression has further shrunk in China. "He is nearly 70 years old and is naturally prone to melancholy, so I'm very concerned about his physical and mental health in detention," Qiang told VOA, adding that the artist's lawyer had mentioned that his brother had raised complaints about persistent back pain. Additionally, the artist's wife and children were also banned from leaving China as they had tried to fly back to New York on Tuesday. Currently, Zhen's son is an American citizen, and his family members have been seeking help from the US Embassy in Beijing over the matter. While responding to the critical situation, several prominent Chinese writers and artists, including Ma Jian had previously written an open letter, urging the Chinese authorities to release the captured artist and set his family free. Meanwhile, in another incident, a Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who was released in May after serving a four-year sentence for covering the severe Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan from 2020. Reportedly, Zhan was reportedly been detained by Chinese authorities at the Pudong Detention Center in Shanghai, the VOA claimed quoting Chinese news site Weiquanwang individuals knowing the arrest. The VOA report further stated that Zhang during her recent detention, was travelling to Gansu Province of China to meet the mother of an activist who was arrested by Chinese police. Currently, it remains unclear whether Zhang has been put in administrative detention, usually lasting for 15 days, or criminal detention, which has a much longer sentence. Just like Gao, concerns about Zhang's physical and mental well-being have also sparked. Previously, Zhang during her Covid-19 coverage prison sentence, had staged a months-long hunger strike that had caused her weight to drop to an alarming under 40 kilograms. Since her release in May this year, Zhang has been openly speaking for other detained Chinese activists remaining critical of Chinese policies implemented for crubbing Western social media platforms such as X and YouTube, which China has banned. According to the VOA report, Zhang had previously written on the Chinese social media platform WeChat in June that local authorities in Shanghai had threatened to re-arrest her if she "crossed the red line" and said in a YouTube video in July that she possibly had been followed. Moreover, some analysts say other dissidents' experiences also point out that Chinese authorities impose harsher prison sentences on them if they were arrested for a second time. Which according to them could happen to Zhang. The VOA report quoted Yaqiu Wang, research director for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at Freedom House stating, "If Chinese activists continue to stand up for freedom after their releases, the Chinese government definitely won't tolerate that. She on a phone call further added that she has an "ominous" feeling about Zhang's situation. According to her views, "Gao was merely visiting China, and the works used as evidence against him were created more than a decade ago. This symbolizes a step further in terms of Beijing's crackdown on dissident community, and I remain extremely worried about the fate of other Chinese dissidents," Wang said. Other than Wang, Zhou Fengsuo, a former Tiananmen student leader and executive director of the New York-based organization Human Rights in China was quoted in the VOA report stating "The arrests are part of the larger trend of Beijing adopting more forceful measures to control civil society and this situation will indeed increase the risks that Chinese activists face." (ANI)
With a view to further strengthen security and defence cooperation, the European Union (EU) organised in Europe a three-day study visit for senior Indian officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). Senior Indian officials from MEA and MOD briefed on EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) during visits to EU institutions in Brussels, Belgium and EU Naval Force Operation (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA headquarters in Rota, Spain, from September 2-4, 2024 Facilitated by the EU Delegation to India and the EU co-funded Enhancing Security Cooperation In and with Asia (ESIWA) project, the visit aimed to familiarise Indian officials with the EU's security and defence mechanisms while exploring potential cooperation in CSDP missions and in the Indo-Pacific, a press release by the delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan said. Notably, the Indian delegation was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary, Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division, MEA, and accompanied by Captain (Navy) Fabrizio Falzi, Defence Attache of the EU Delegation to India. The Indian officials' three-day study mission began with detailed briefings and discussions at the European External Action Service (EEAS), in particular the Directorate for Security and Defence Policy, the European Security and Defence College and the European Union Military Staff. Representatives from the European Maritime Security Agency and FRONTEX also engaged with the Indian delegation to further define possible areas of mutual interest and cooperation between the EU and the Indian Coast Guard. Herve Delphin, Ambassador of the EU to India, highlighted that the visit emphasises the commitment by India-EU on boosting security and defence relations. He said, "This visit highlights the shared commitment of India and the EU to strengthening security and defence ties. Maritime security is a common concern and prime focus for cooperation, as exemplified by the EU NAVFOR and Indian Navy respective operations in the Indian Ocean." He added, "Through such visits we can build a deeper mutual understanding, which is essential for advancing cooperation. To take our partnership to new heights, we aim to establish more permanent staff-to-staff interactions, including with military personnel. This will boost our joint operational effectiveness in tackling challenges we face at sea, but also on land and in cyberspace." Commenting on EU NAVFOR operations, Delphin added that the Indo-Pacific area is strategically crucial for India and the EU. "The Indo-Pacific region is a vital hub of strategic importance to both India and the EU due to the growing interdependence of global economies and the importance of maritime supply chains. We're committed to forging stronger cooperation with India to ensure free, open, inclusive, and rules-based maritime order, address common security challenges, and promote peace and stability in the region," Delphin said. The EU's CSDP enables the Union to take a leading role in peacekeeping operations, conflict prevention, and international security. EUNAVFOR ATALANTA is a key component of the EU's CSDP and naval diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific. India remains one of the most relevant actors and partners in the security and defence cooperation, including maritime security in the Indo-Pacific Region, the release said. Notably, Indian and EU officials benefitted from peer-to-peer exchange and a deeper understanding of each other's strategic and operational frameworks in the context of the CSDP, as well as a better understanding of the EU's collective efforts in peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and strengthening international security, as set out in the EU's strategic vision for an EU-India Strategic Partnership. The visit to the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Operation's headquarters in Rota, Spain, highlighted the EU's maritime CSDP activities in the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean, rounding off the Indian delegation's visit with an opportunity to see first-hand the EU's maritime security operations centre. In August 2023, the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA flagship, ITS Durand De La Penne, conducted a joint activity at sea with the Indian destroyer INS Visakhapatnam in the framework of the EU's strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The cooperation between EUNAVFOR ATALANTA and ASPIDES with the Indian Navy is fundamental to further enhance the security and freedom of navigation in this strategical area, both for India and the EU. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], September 5 (ANI) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural International Solar Festival 2024 today, emphasizing the need for democratizing solar manufacturing and technology to support developing nations. The festival, organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA), aims to advance solar power as a key driver for a sustainable and carbon-neutral future as per an official press release by ISA. In his virtual address, PM Modi underscored the importance of addressing the global imbalance in green energy investments. He stated, "The world must collectively address the imbalance in concentration of green energy investments to ensure an energy transition. Solar manufacturing and technology must be democratized to help developing countries. Empowering the least developed countries and small island developing states should be a top priority, and inclusion of marginalized communities, women and youth is crucial." Pralhad Joshi, India's Minister of New and Renewable Energy and President of the ISA Assembly, reiterated India's commitment to supporting global clean energy initiatives. He remarked, "India, as a founding member of the ISA, is committed to supporting the global community, particularly the Global South, in advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. The International Solar Festival reflects India's innovative spirit and commitment to a sustainable future." Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General of the ISA, highlighted the festival's role in promoting solar energy worldwide. He noted, "The International Solar Festival 2024 celebrates the world's collective journey to a solar-powered future. Solar, growing at 20% annually, is empowering communities, uplifting economies, and driving global transformation." Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay spoke about the impact of ISA's support in his country. He said, "For Bhutan, the International Solar Festival 2024 marks a pivotal milestone in our united journey towards a sustainable and low-carbon future. The festival is a call to action, providing a crucial platform for young people, businesses, policymakers, and communities to unite in our shared vision of promoting solar energy." Mauritius' Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth praised the ISA's programs for aiding his country's energy needs. He stated, "The International Solar Festival is testament to the power of collaboration and shared purpose. The ISA's programs are playing a key role in Mauritius, a small island developing state at the frontlines of the climate change emergency." The festival also featured addresses from other international representatives including Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez, Philip Green, Arunkoemar Hardien, and Damien SYED, highlighting the global commitment to solar energy. The two-day event includes keynote sessions, technical discussions, and showcases of innovative solar solutions, aimed at fostering global cooperation and accelerating the transition to clean energy. The festival will also feature cultural performances by artists like AR Rahman and Yohani, adding a celebratory touch to the proceedings. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a global intergovernmental organization dedicated to advancing solar power adoption for a carbon-neutral future. ISA aims to unlock solar investments while reducing technology costs and financing barriers. Based in India, ISA collaborates with various stakeholders to deploy affordable solar solutions, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). (ANI)
Spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, reached Mauritius on Thursday as part of his four-day visit. Upon his arrival, he was received by the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Prithvirajsing Roopun and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar discussed a range of topics, including the preservation of Mauritian culture and the shared vision of achieving a drug-free Mauritius during a meeting with the Prime Minister. He also met with the President, where he emphasised the importance of youth empowerment, the promotion of harmony through stress elimination programs, the introduction of Ayurveda to Mauritius, and the various ongoing Art of Living programs including the Prison Program which have made a huge impact. As per the schedule, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed to continue the Art of Living's Prison Programs in Mauritius, owing to their proven effectiveness. "Their worst brings them to prison, but spirituality brings out the best in them. They become good citizens and contribute positively to society," Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said speaking about the program. On first day of his visit, the spiritual leader addressed a public event that featured wisdom, chanting, and meditation. Thousands of Mauritians attended the event, alongside the President, members of the opposition, and key government officials. Speaker of the National Assembly Adrien Duval, High Commissioner of India Nandini Singla, wife of the former President of Mauritius Sarojini Jugnauth, Leader of the Opposition Arvind Boolell, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alan Ganoo, Minister of Public Infrastructure Bobby Hureeram, Minister for Civil Service Affairs Anjiv Ramdhan, Minister of Cooperatives Navin Ramyead, and Minister of Health & Wellness Kailesh Jagutpal among others attended the event. During his four-day visit, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is slated to address several public gatherings, filled with wisdom, music, chanting and celebration at various locations,, including Pailles, Goodlands, and Wooton. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singaporean counterpart, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, expressed their appreciation for the work of their ministers in shaping a framework for bilateral cooperation, centred around six pillars -- sustainability, digitalisation, skills development, healthcare and medicine, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. Notably, PM Modi paid an official visit to Singapore on September 4-5, 2024. The current visit is the fifth visit of PM Modi to Singapore. Both sides also welcomed the second meeting of India - Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held last month in Singapore. They noted that the ISMR has contributed to fostering an open dialogue to set a new agenda for the India - Singapore partnership. In the sector of sustainability, both Prime Ministers underscored the potential of increasing cooperation in the areas of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia and welcomed the collaboration between Indian and Singaporean companies in this area, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release. Both Prime Ministers also tasked their teams to work towards a mutually beneficial cooperation framework pursuant to Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement between both governments. PM Wong appreciated India's decision of granting exemption for the export of non-Basmati white rice to Singapore. In response, PM Modi also assured India's support to Singapore's efforts to strengthen food security. PM Modi appreciated Singapore's participation in the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuels Alliance, initiatives launched by India. Both Prime Ministers agreed that India and Singapore can work together to further promote sustainable development. The leaders also welcomed the signing of the MoU on cooperation in the field of Digital Technologies and affirmed common interests in data, artificial inrtelligence (AI), and cybersecurity. Building on this, both agreed to deepen collaboration in the digital space, including in facilitating trusted cross-border data flows, cybersecurity, and the interoperability of digital systems. Both sides have initiated discussions towards the establishment of a bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue and look forward to the conclusion of the renewed MOU on Cybersecurity Cooperation between the Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team and India's Computer Emergency Response Team. Both Prime Ministers commended the success of UPI-PayNow Linkage and other digital collaboration initiatives such as ONDC - Proxtera Connectivity, and Trade Trust (an initiative to enable Singapore and Indian banks and their respective clients to use interoperable electronic Bills of Lading (eBLs) in their Letter of Credit transactions), the release added. Both the leaders agreed to explore cooperation in the area of critical and emerging technologies. Under skills development, both Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the MoU on cooperation in the field of educational cooperation and skills development and to explore further collaboration in skills certification. They also reaffirmed the progress in skills development cooperation with the establishment of five skill centers in India, where Singaporean institutions provided consultancy services and undertook turn-key projects, the press release said. The leaders also welcomed the signing of the MoU on cooperation in the field of health and medicine and agreed to strengthen cooperation in healthcare, medical education, research, and human resource development in both countries. Acknowledging the potential in human resource development in the health sector, both Prime Ministers called for an early conclusion of the proposed MoU on Nursing Talent Skills Corporation between the Government of Assam and Singapore India Partnership Office and MOH Holdings Pte Ltd of the Government of Singapore, the MEA release said. The leaders also agreed that advanced manufacturing, particularly in developing resilient semiconductor supply chains, can be a new pillar of bilateral cooperation, and therefore, welcomed the signing of the MoU on India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership. Noting the potential to enhance cooperation in the maritime and aviation sectors between India and Singapore, including areas such as green shipping and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), both Prime Ministers welcomed investment from Singapore in the Indian Civil Aviation Sector and expressed their hope that this will lead to improved connectivity between the two countries. Recognising the growth in travel demand between the two countries, both leaders encouraged the civil aviation authorities of India-Singapore to discuss expanding the bilateral Air Services Agreement to enhance air connectivity. Both the leaders reaffirmed the importance of trade, investments, defence cooperation, culture, and people to people exchanges in overall bilateral cooperation. PM Modi, during his visit to Singapore, also met Senior Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, and Emeritus Senior Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong. PM Modi also had an interaction with CEOs of leading Singaporean companies. PM Modi and PM Wong acknowledged India and Singapore's shared history, long tradition of friendship based on trust and mutual respect, and extensive cooperation across a wide range of areas. They reviewed and expressed satisfaction over the progress in the bilateral relationship, in the areas of political, economic, security, technology, education, people to people and cultural links. It is interesting to note that India and Singapore will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year. Against this backdrop, both Prime Ministers agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level of a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership', to deepen and broaden bilateral cooperation. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brunei and Singapore is a significant advancement in India's Act East policy, reflecting a deepening of diplomatic and economic ties with these Southeast Asian nations. "Prime Minister@narendramodi's visit to Brunei and Singapore is a significant step in our Act East policy early in his third term," posted Jaishankar on X. Notably, PM Modi announced that the ties between India and Brunei have been elevated to level of Enhanced Partnership. This was the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The historic visit of Prime Minister coincides with the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei. "The first bilateral PM's visit saw an elevation of our ties to Enhanced Partnership with Brunei," said Jaishankar. In Brunei, the visit resulted in the elevation of the bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Partnership. This new status signifies a robust framework for increasing collaboration across various sectors. The 'Enhanced Partnership' will focus on expanding trade, investment, and technological cooperation. Both nations have committed to leveraging their respective strengths to foster economic growth and innovation. Brunei, with its rich natural resources and strategic location, offers significant opportunities for Indian investments, while India's technological prowess and investment capabilities are expected to bolster Brunei's economic diversification efforts. Modi's visit to Singapore ushered in a new era of bilateral relations as the two countries agreed to upgrade their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This elevated relationship is designed to foster deeper cooperation in key areas such as defense, technology, and economic development. "With Singapore, the evolution to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership marks the new phase of our ties. The visit to the semiconductor testing facility is one facet; the establishment of a Thiruvalluvar center another. Heartening to hear appreciation for the reforms of the last decade. Equally, the enthusiasm to deepen cooperation in the third term," posted Jaishankar on X A key highlight of the visit was the Prime Minister's tour of a semiconductor testing facility, underscoring the growing importance of technology and innovation in the partnership. Singapore's advanced technology sector and India's growing tech industry are expected to benefit mutually from this collaboration. Additionally, the establishment of a Thiruvalluvar center in Singapore represents a cultural and educational initiative aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties and enhancing mutual understanding. The visit also provided an opportunity for mutual recognition of the significant reforms undertaken by India over the past decade. Leaders from both Brunei and Singapore expressed their appreciation for India's progress and reforms, which have been pivotal in transforming India into a global economic player. There was a shared enthusiasm to deepen cooperation and expand the scope of bilateral engagements in the years ahead. This visit has also been marked by the reaffirmation of India's commitment to the Act East policy, which aims to enhance India's strategic presence in the Asia-Pacific region. By strengthening ties with Brunei and Singapore, India is positioning itself as a key player in regional stability and economic development. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla underscored the importance of regular parliamentary exchanges between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strengthen bilateral ties, during a meeting with a visiting UAE Parliamentary Delegation at the Parliament House Complex. Notably, the delegation was led by Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, head of the Committee on Defence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs. On this occasion, citing the history of India and the centuries-old civilisational and cultural relationship between India and the UAE, Birla noted that there has been a significant increase in people to people contact between the two countries since independence. As a result, a large number of Indian citizens reside in the UAE and are contributing to its progress and prosperity. He underlined the need to further enhance people-to-people contacts and partnership between the two countries. Mentioning the strong possibilities of cooperation in technology, innovation, and investment in India, Birla opined that due to collective efforts, India has become the fifth largest economy in the world. Referring to his visit to the UAE in 2022, Birla expressed the view that regular discussion and dialogue between the parliaments have led to excellent understanding between the two countries. He described the understanding between the two countries on global and regional issues as the basis of strong relations between the two countries. Birla also stressed on regular exchange of parliamentary delegations between the two countries to strengthen bilateral relations. Om Birla also shared pictures on X and wrote, "Warm and friendly meeting with the Parliamentary Delegation from the UAE, led by H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Head of the Committee for Defence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs. Referring to our historic and strategic ties, emphasized the need to further strengthen cooperation in trade, technology, and people-to-people contacts. Also underlined the imperative of increasing parliamentary cooperation between the two nations." https://x.com/ombirlakota/status/1831667283132838322 Obeserving that India and UAE are leveraging the development and prosperity of their nations through technology, Birla suggested that through mutual dialogue, the Parliaments of that the two countries can share their achievements and best practices. He suggested that regular discussions and dialogue between the parliamentary committees of the two countries should be enhanced so that both may learn from each other's experiences. Highlighting India's spirit of 'Vishwa Bandhu', Birla observed that India prioritises mutually beneficial forms of progress. He was happy to note that both countries are taking the tradition of cultural and trade exchanges to new heights. He hoped that tourism between India and the UAE would get a further boost. Referring to the Indian community in the UAE, Birla expressed happiness at the construction of the Swami Narayan Temple facilitated by the UAE government. He hailed this achievement as proof of strong cultural ties. Speaking on the occasion, Al Nuaimi praised the spirit of fraternity between the two countries. He said that India and the UAE share centuries-old historical relations. Emphasising people-to-people contacts, he said that both the countries should strive to elevate their bilateral relations to the next level. He also commended the visionary leadership of both countries for their strong commitment to trade, technology, and cultural contacts that lead to development and prosperity. (ANI)
The United Kingdom and India have officially launched the United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), a new initiative designed to strengthen their financial and professional services collaboration, an official press release by the City of London stated. This agreement, signed between the City of London Corporation and NITI Aayog, aims to channel sustainable infrastructure investments into India, leveraging the UK's expertise in managing and structuring large-scale projects. A key component of the UKIIFB is the newly announced steering committee, which includes representatives from various prestigious organizations such as HM Treasury, Aon, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Clifford Chance, and Sequoia Investment Management Company. This committee will oversee the implementation of the initiative, focusing on projects such as national highways, regional rapid transport systems, and renewable energy ventures. The steering committee will work on several objectives, including accelerating the mobilization of international private-sector investment into Indian infrastructure, providing policy recommendations to address investment barriers, and developing best practices for sustainable infrastructure projects. Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "I am delighted to sign the UK India Infrastructure Financing Bridge welcoming a new chapter in the extensive business relationship between our two nations. The UK's expertise in professional services, finance, and scaling major projects makes it a natural partner to meet India's growing infrastructure needs, showcasing the City of London's position as a global city." BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, highlighted the significance of the UKIIFB, saying, "The UK India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), jointly announced by the Hon'ble Finance Minister of India and the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the UK, represents a significant collaborative effort spearheaded jointly by NITI Aayog and the City of London." "This initiative underscores the commitment of both nations to work together in unlocking major infrastructure investment opportunities in India. This is a game-changer that not only accelerates India's economic ascent but also strengthens its position on the global stage. It is not limited to connecting the two nations; it connects India to its aspirations of becoming a global powerhouse," he continued. Vikram Doraiswamy, the High Commissioner of India to the UK, remarked, "The team at the High Commission are delighted by the establishment of this financing bridge today. Announced as an objective at the last India - UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in September 2023, this structure is the culmination of over a year of shared effort. The UKIIFB is a striking testament to the complementarity of our bilateral economic relationship." Industry experts also weighed in on the partnership. Simon Harris, Managing Director for International Development Services at Mott MacDonald, noted, "Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure will play a key role in supporting India's rapid economic and social development. The United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) is an excellent opportunity for investors to collaborate with India's project shapers to accelerate investable and sustainable infrastructure development." Similarly, Sowmya Parthasarathy of Arup added, "Infrastructure is the foundation for India's economic growth. Today's announcement of the United Kingdom-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) comes at a pivotal moment." Mark Courtneidge of Aon UK and Anurag Gupta of Sequoia Investment Management Company also expressed their support, emphasizing the potential for the UKIIFB to facilitate significant infrastructure advancements in India. (ANI)
John Kirby, the White House's national security communications adviser, dismissed as "ridiculous" the allegations made by a senior Russian official that the United States had interfered in India's 18th Lok Sabha elections, which took place in May this year. The remarks by Kirby came as he held a press briefing alongside White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday. When asked about a senior Russian official's claim in May that the US was attempting to interfere in India's elections, Kirby said, "It's not true! it's a ridiculous claim." In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged in May that the United States was attempting to disrupt India's domestic political landscape, aiming to complicate the country's general parliamentary elections. She had said, "...The reason is the desire to unbalance the internal political situation in India in order to complicate the general parliamentary elections taking place in the country. Of course, this is part of interference in India's internal affairs," Zakharova said. During the briefing, Kirby also spoke on Russia's "attempt to interfere" in the 2024 presidential election and said, "The Department of Justice, the Department of Treasury, and the State Department took a series of coordinated actions against foreign actors associated with the Russian government who are attempting to covertly influence our elections." US have found that RT (Russia Today) was being used by the Russian government to spread propaganda, influence elections, and shape policies in the US and other countries. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP won 240 seats on its own. In the 543-strong lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority figure. PM Modi's leadership of the NDA was formally endorsed, with crucial support from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United). Notably, PM Modi is the second Indian leader to win a third term after founding prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday and held talks that focused on key sectors including skill development, sustainability, technology, innovation, and connectivity. The talks between the two leaders focused on the full range of bilateral ties between India and Singapore. Sharing a post of the meeting with Shanmugaratnam, PM Modi wrote, "Had a very good meeting with Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the President of Singapore. Our talks focused on the full range of bilateral ties between our nations." "We discussed the key focus sectors like skill development, sustainability, technology, innovation and connectivity," the Prime Minister said. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1831646658976702551 Both PM Modi, and Tharman discussed bilateral and global issues of mutual interest during the talks. "The Prime Minister also appreciated President Tharman's passionate support for the India - Singapore partnership. The two leaders discussed bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. They noted the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries, which is based on trust, mutual respect, and complementarity," the Prime Minister's Office said in an official press release. Shanmugaratnam, is an Indian-origin economist and civil servant, who became Singapore's President last year. He served mainly at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, before joining politics in 2001. He has also served as Minister for Education and Finance and was Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019. The two leaders also shared thoughts on how India and Singapore can expand their cooperation to new areas such as advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. "Prime Minister conveyed that he looks forward to welcoming President Tharman to India next year," the press release read. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi attended the lunch hosted by Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The two leaders shook hands and warmly greeted each other. "It is always gladdening to meet my friend and former PM of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong. He has always been a strong votary of close India-Singapore ties. His insights on various matters are also very enriching. We had a great discussion on how our nations can work together in futuristic areas such as green energy, FinTech, etc," the Prime Minister stated after meeting Lee Hsien. PM Modi, also visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility. PM Modi invited Singapore's semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition set to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13. "It was wonderful to interact with interns from Odisha's World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM Holdings. Such cooperation is indeed special and celebrates human talent as well as innovation," PM Modi stated after visiting the facility. Meanwhile, India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. Prime Minister Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore earlier today. The two leaders, along with their delegations, held the bilateral meeting. At their talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductors, skill development, and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Lawrence Wong to visit India, which he accepted. (ANI)
According to Taiwanese YouTuber Potter King, who revealed this in June, China has been recruiting influencers to travel and film content in Xinjiang, Taiwan News reported.

A second group of internet celebrities is expected to make the trip to highlight the region's local environment and public safety.

Cabinet Deputy Spokesperson Hsieh Tzu-han stated at a press conference on September 5 that Taiwan is collecting information on China's activities. She warned Taiwanese citizens of the potential risks associated with traveling to China, noting that their actions could have personal repercussions and impact Taiwan's reputation.

Potter King mentioned that influencers with substantial followings were targeted for recruitment. In the content created, influencers have reportedly praised Xinjiang, claiming that the local people are friendly and that it is a safe destination, reported Taiwan News.

Taiwanese YouTuber Ariel, who has 1.1 million subscribers, has denied any invitation from China. She clarified that her recent trip to Xinjiang was a pre-planned vacation with friends, and she did not profit from the content she posted.

Despite these assurances, many netizens on Threads have criticized the influencers, suggesting that China's hospitality is a strategy to mask its repression of minority groups in Xinjiang.

Chen Li-fu, President of the Taiwan Professors Association, described China's use of celebrity endorsements as a new form of publicity, arguing that such messages are more convincing when delivered by Taiwanese rather than appearing as mere propaganda, Taiwan News reported.

Additionally, China's Taiwan Affairs Office hosted a group of Taiwanese businesspeople in Xinjiang in August to promote investment and industrial development opportunities.

Another delegation of Taiwanese businesspeople is scheduled to visit Xinjiang in September to explore investment prospects in key industrial supply chains. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his Singapore visit on Thursday, and emplaned for New Delhi following an outcome-oriented visit to the city-state. "A successful visit concludes! PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi after an outcome oriented visit to Singapore," the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said, sharing a post on X. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi said that he had a fruitful visit to Singapore. He said that it will not only bolster India's ties with Singapore but also benefit the people of both nations. "My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth," PM Modi wrote on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1831657820640682262 Earlier today, India and Singapore also elevated their bilateral relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Thursday. Prime Minister Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore earlier today. The two leaders, along with their delegations, held the bilateral meeting. At their talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductors, skill development, and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Lawrence Wong to visit India, which he accepted. PM Modi, also visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility. PM Modi invited Singapore's semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition set to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13. "It was wonderful to interact with interns from Odisha's World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM Holdings. Such cooperation is indeed special and celebrates human talent as well as innovation," PM Modi stated after visiting the facility. The Prime Minister also called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam earlier today and held talks that focused on key sectors including skill development, sustainability, technology, innovation, and connectivity. The talks between the two leaders focused on the full range of bilateral ties between India and Singapore. Sharing a post of the meeting with Shanmugaratnam, PM Modi wrote, "Had a very good meeting with Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the President of Singapore. Our talks focused on the full range of bilateral ties between our nations." Both PM Modi, and Tharman discussed bilateral and global issues of mutual interest during the talks. Shanmugaratnam, is an Indian-origin economist and civil servant, who became Singapore's President last year. He served mainly at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, before joining politics in 2001. He has also served as Minister for Education and Finance and was Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019. The two leaders also shared thoughts on how India and Singapore can expand their cooperation to new areas such as advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. Before his visit to Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. Earlier in the day, PM Modi held "wide ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. During their talks, both the leaders discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Delighted to meet His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Our talks were wide ranging and included ways to further cement bilateral ties between our nations. We are going to further expand trade ties, commercial linkages and people-to-people exchanges." PM Modi inaugurated the new Chancery of the High Commission of India, in Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan. The Prime Minister also visited Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesday, as a part of his historic visit to Brunei. Brunei's Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin received him at Mosque and Brunei's Minister of Health Dato Haji Mohammad Isham was also present, according to a statement by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A Ministry of External Affairs release said that Brunei is an important partner in India's 'Act East' Policy and Indo-Pacific Vision. It said India and Brunei enjoy a friendly relationship that is marked by mutual respect and understanding on bilateral and multilateral issues. The two countries are linked by history, culture and tradition spanning a millennium. This was the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The historic visit of the Prime Minister coincided with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei. During the visit, the Prime Minister engaged in bilateral discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations and cooperation with Brunei leadership and explored new areas of collaboration. (ANI)
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of elected representatives who were protesting against the provincial government for not releasing development funds since the establishment of local government in the province about three years ago, Dawn reported. According to the Dawn report, the local governments, including tehsil, village, and neighbourhood councils, were established following the local body elections held in December 2021. However, since their installation, no funds have been allocated to them for development projects. The demonstrators claimed that the provincial government failed to transfer administrative powers to the tehsil level following the abolition of the district tier in the local government system. Around 500 chairmen from tehsil, village, and neighbourhood councils gathered from various parts of the province at Jinnah Park, Peshawar. Among them were the Mayor of Peshawar Zubair Ali, Pishtakera Tehsil Council's Haroon Sifat, and Pabbi Tehsil Council's Ghayyur Khattak. The report further stated that the protesters chanted slogans criticizing the provincial government for being opposed to local governance. They organized a procession from the park and marched along the Khyber Road to the Chief Minister House, where they planned to stage a sit-in. As the demonstrators approached the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly building, the police closed the road with a security gate to prevent their movement towards the Chief Minister's House. Despite this, the protesters broke through the gate and continued their march towards the Chief Minister's House. One of the protesters, a Member of the Tehsil Council Pabbi, Taimur Kamal, told Dawn that with the abolition of the district government, the provincial government had decided that some important departments would be devolved to the tehsil level. Government services in KPK often face challenges related to outdated infrastructure and inadequate facilities. Many offices and service centres lack the necessary resources to effectively serve the public. (ANI)
As per details, the bail plea was heard by the two-member bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) and soon after, the court approving the plea, ordered the concerned authorities to not arrest CM Gandapur in any case registered against him.

Yesterday, a Sessions Court in Islamabad issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in an arms and liquor recovery case.

It came in connection with a case dating back to 2016, where police claimed to have found weapons and liquor in Gandapur's car. During the recent court hearing, the judge denied Gandapur's request to be excused from appearing due to health reasons, leading to the issuance of the arrest warrants, as per ARY News.

The session court judge, Shaista Khan Kundi, heard the case and ordered the SHO of Bhara Kahu police station to arrest Gandapur and present him before the court on September 5.Earlier, the court summoned KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur in an arms and liquor recovery case.

According to ARY News, the District and Sessions Judge also sought replies to nine questions from Gandapur, directing him to appear before the court in person.It is important to note here that the police claimed to have recovered weapons and liquor from Ali Amin Gandapur's car on 30th October 2016.

Ali Amin Gandapur's car was stopped and searched at a check post at the Rukhsana Bangash road when he was going to the residence of Imran Khan in Bani Gala, according to the police.

The weapons were displayed at Bara Kahu police station of Islamabad, which included four Kalashnikovs, ammunition, tear-gas fire gun and bulletproof vests. (ANI)
Sharjah [UAE], September 5 (ANI/WAM): Sharjah Museums Authority has announced its first collaboration with the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts for the upcoming exhibition, "Roots and Modernity: Contemporary Mediterranean Arab Art." The exhibition at the Sharjah Art Museum will run from September 18 to November 24, 2024, offering visitors an unparalleled opportunity to explore the vibrant world of contemporary art from the Mediterranean Arab region. Promising a rich tapestry of artistic expressions, the exhibition will feature over 80 artworks of painting, sculpture, and mixed media. This diverse collection highlights the distinctive blend of traditional influences and modern techniques that define the region's art. The exhibition will showcase masterpieces from the permanent collections of Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, including works by renowned artists such as Saliba Douaihy (Lebanon), Fateh Moudarres (Syria), Mohammed Melehi (Morocco), and Suleiman Mansour (Palestine). Displayed works poignantly reflect the profound cultural, social, and political changes that have shaped the contemporary Mediterranean Arab art scene. "We are delighted to present this landmark exhibition, which underscores our commitment to fostering cultural exchange and showcasing the rich artistic heritage of the Mediterranean Arab world," said Aisha Rashid Deemas, Director-General of Sharjah Museums Authority. "Through this collaboration with the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, we aim to offer our visitors a deeper understanding of the region's contemporary art and its roots in tradition," she said. Dr. Khalid Khreis, Director-General of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, said that "Roots and Modernity" is an exhibition from the permanent collection of the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, featuring artworks by the most prominent figures in contemporary Arab art from the Mediterranean region, including the Levant, Egypt, and North Africa. The exhibition reflects diversity and unity, as well as the search for artistic and contemporary identity. In addition to the exhibition, Sharjah Museums Authority has planned a dynamic lineup of accompanying museum programmes to engage audiences of all ages and to develop their artistic skills. Among the programmes is Clay Art, which teaches students, individuals with disabilities, and other participants how to use the properties of clay and stone to express their thoughts and feelings by creating unique artworks. The Etching Art programme, targeting the same groups, allows participants to explore the endless possibilities of etching art with hands-on guidance and direction from a specialised team. Additionally, the Blending Watercolour and Ink programme offers students across varied academic levels and people of determination, a unique experience in learning how to blend and layer watercolours and ink to create stunning effects using different techniques on Yupo paper. (ANI/WAM)
The US has condemned China's demand for the removal of a Taiwan reference from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) communique, calling it an attempt to limit Taiwan's international presence. On Wednesday, a US government spokesperson highlighted Beijing's ongoing efforts to limit Taiwan's international presence, Focus Taiwan reported. The PIF, an intergovernmental organization consisting of 18 member countries, convened its 53rd summit in Tonga last week. Although Taiwan was not a formal participant, it has been actively engaged as a "development partner" with the forum since 1993. The Pacific Islands Forum -- a group of 18 island nations, plus Australia and New Zealand -- initially included a reassertion of the standing of self-governing Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, in a public communique Friday outlining leaders' agreements after their weeklong annual meeting. Taiwan's involvement has been recognized and reaffirmed in various PIF communications, notably in the 1992 PIF Leaders' Communique, with subsequent affirmations in 1999 and 2010. The summit concluded on August 30, and the PIF initially published a joint statement that included a reaffirmation of the established arrangements concerning Taiwan. The original communique included a statement in paragraph 66, which read: "Leaders at the forum reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders' decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China." However, the communique was removed from the PIF website later that evening, only to be republished the next day with paragraph 66 removed, reported Focus Taiwan. Before this change, New Zealand media reported that during the summit, PIF Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown had assured China's Ambassador to the Pacific, Qian Bo, with the comment, "We'll remove it," regarding the reference to Taiwan. Qian Bo remarked to journalists that the mention of Taiwan "must be a mistake" and needed correction. Shortly after, the document was updated to exclude the reference to Taiwan. In response to the incident, a US State Department spokesperson confirmed in an email that the US has been monitoring reports about changes to the PIF communique and the removal of references to Taiwan, reported Focus Taiwan. This episode underscores the ongoing geopolitical struggle over Taiwan, rooted in the Chinese Civil War. The conflict began in 1949 when the Communist Party established the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan, continuing to assert sovereignty over all of China. The tumultuous conclusion to the annual summit, where member nations stressed regional unity and resisted great powers' attempts to exert influence, highlights the daunting challenge faced by some of the world's smallest countries as they navigate the competing demands of larger nations that view them as strategic pawns in the global geopolitical landscape. (ANI)
Dubai [UAE], September 5 (ANI/WAM): The United Arab Emirates chaired the meetings of the 114th session of the Arab Economic and Social Council (AESC), held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo, Egypt. The ministerial meeting of the Council, chaired by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, focused on enhancing joint Arab cooperation in economic and social areas. The discussions included strategies for implementing executive decisions from previous sessions, considering the current regional and international developments. At the outset of his speech at the Council, Bin Touq thanked Yousef Alshamali, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for his sincere efforts and distinguished role during Jordan's presidency of the previous session of the Council. He also thanked the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, represented by Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General, for the exceptional efforts exerted in preparing and organising the current session. Abdullah bin Touq stressed that AESC represents one of the prominent Arab platforms for discussion and coordination of joint efforts to create new economic and development opportunities that enhance the growth and sustainability of Arab economies. "The meeting of the current session of the Council is an important platform to push development efforts among member states to higher levels, contributing to the growth of joint development activities and achieving Arab economic and social integration," he added. (ANI/WAM)
Sharjah [UAE], September 5 (ANI/WAM): Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, honoured the 11th Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA 2024) winners on Thursday. The event, organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), took place at Expo Centre Sharjah, coinciding with the conclusion of the 13th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2024), themed 'Agile Governments... Innovative Communication'. During his speech, Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of SGMB, remarked, "Over the past eleven years, SGCA has not only recognised outstanding efforts but has also been a catalyst for positive change. It supports those committed to advancing government communication and aligns with Sharjah's vision to create a new paradigm in government communication, contributing to community development." He added, "The award, designed to honour and acknowledge leading innovations in government communication, has evolved beyond a celebration of excellence. It has become a symbol of transformation and leadership. Today, its impact sets new benchmarks for the future of communication, locally and globally. Each year, it reveals success stories to inspire the next generation of government communication leaders to become agents of change, building a future defined by greater transparency and connectivity. It has been instrumental in strengthening the dialogue between governments and communities, driven by innovation and creativity." "Today, SGCA stands as a beacon of development and progress, encouraging institutions and leaders to explore new horizons and achieve greater impact and effectiveness in government communication. We are not just keeping pace with the future; we are actively shaping it, crafting a government communication framework built on trust and transparency," Allay concluded. On behalf of the SGCA jury committee, media personality Mona El Shazly said, "SGCA has consistently played a key role in improving the performance of government institutions and raising public awareness about the importance of transparent and innovative communication. The award promotes best practices, encourages exchanging ideas and experiences, and elevates government messaging to be more effective and responsive to society's needs." SGCA has consistently played a key role in improving performance and raising public awareness of the importance of transparent and innovative government communication. The award promotes best practices, encourages exchanging ideas and experiences, and elevates government messaging to be more effective and responsive to society's needs. She continued, "In its eleventh edition, the award has continued to evolve in response to the rapid global changes in communication. This year, we expanded the award categories to include entries from around the world, transcending borders to ensure diversity among participants and enriching government communication with fresh perspectives and ideas." El Shazly highlighted the impact of these developments in this exceptional edition, which saw a 230 per cent increase in submissions compared to the previous year, underscoring the award's broad influence and global reach. She emphasised that SGCA recognises communication as a universal language without borders, where the success stories of individuals and companies deserve recognition and celebration through this prestigious global platform. The winner of the Best Integrated Communication System is KSA's Ministry of Tourism. The Best Campaign Targeting Cultural Identity and Arabic Language award went to the Arab Youth Centre in UAE. Best Campaign Positively Impacting Youth Awareness and Practices was awarded to the Department of Community Development - Abu Dhabi. Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) won the Best Communication Program Supporting Emerging Projects and Youth. The Best Communication Strategy Dealing with Crises award's public sector category winner is UAE's Al Ain Municipality, while KSA's Matarat Holding received the private sector category award. The Best Communication and Media Content award's private sector accolade went to Jordan's Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans, while its public sector recognition was given to the Information and Decision Support Center - Egypt. The winners of the Best Communication and Humanitarian Practices Supporting Social Responsibility award in the Public Sector is Sharjah Broadcasting Authority - UAE and Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Subaie and Sons Charitable Foundation (Gross) - KSA from the private sector. The Best Communication Project Targeting Children and Adolescents award for the public sector was scooped by the Child Safety Department - UAE, while the private sector accolade was won by Arab Nation - UAE. Best Communication with Artificial Intelligence Technology in Service of the Community awarded to JAIS Initiative. The winner of the Best Investment in Soft Power to Support Communication Programs award is COP28 Presidency. (ANI/WAM)
The delegation, comprising senior officers from both India's civil services and defence forces, as well as representatives from friendly foreign nations -- Australia, Bhutan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Oman, and the USA arrived in Nepal on September 1, 2024.

Led by Rear Admiral Sandeep S Sandhu, NM, Senior Directing Staff (Indian Navy), the delegation paid courtesy calls on several high-ranking Nepali officials, including Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, and Defence Minister Manbir Rai.

The team also met with Lieutenant General Ashok Raj Sigdel, the Officiating Chief of Army Staff of the Nepali Army, to discuss issues of bilateral military cooperation.

The visit underlined the strong military ties between India and Nepal, with a focus on enhancing defence cooperation. The discussions centred on bolstering existing military engagements and exploring new areas of collaboration between the two countries.

The National Defence College of India is recognized as a premier institution globally, offering advanced training to senior defence and civil service officers on national strategy and higher-level defence management.

Officers from friendly foreign countries also attend the prestigious course. The delegation's visit reaffirmed the longstanding educational and defence cooperation between the two nations, with several senior Nepali officers, including General Prabhu Ram Sharma, being alumni of the institution. Currently, four officers from the Nepali Army are enrolled in the NDC course.

In addition to their official meetings, the delegation visited the Nepali Army Headquarters in Kathmandu and the Western Division Headquarters. These interactions fostered discussions on various aspects of defence cooperation aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between India and Nepal.

The National Defence College, with its long-standing history of training senior military and civilian leaders from India and abroad, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping international defence collaborations. Its alumni have gone on to occupy crucial positions in their respective countries, strengthening global defence networks. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Delhi on Thursday after concluding his three-day visit to Singapore and Brunei. PM Modi shared a video of his Singapore visit on X and stated, "My visit to Singapore has been a very fruitful one. It will certainly add vigour to bilateral ties and benefit the people of our nations. I thank the government and people of Singapore for their warmth." Earlier today, PM Modi and Singapore PM Lawrence Wong met at the Parliament House in Singapore. The two leaders, along with their delegations, held the bilateral meeting. At their talks, both leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations. Following this, the two sides exchanged four MoUs in the areas of digital technology, semiconductors, skill development, and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Lawrence Wong to visit India, which he accepted. PM Modi also visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd. Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong accompanied PM Modi during his visit to the semiconductor facility. PM Modi invited Singapore's semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition set to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13. "It was wonderful to interact with interns from Odisha's World Skill Center who are visiting Singapore and interns from Singapore who have been to India as a part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. I also met a team of Indian engineers working at AEM Holdings. Such cooperation is indeed special and celebrates human talent as well as innovation," PM Modi stated after visiting the facility. The Prime Minister also called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam earlier today and held talks that focused on key sectors including skill development, sustainability, technology, innovation, and connectivity. The talks between the two leaders focused on the full range of bilateral ties between India and Singapore. PM Modi and PM Wong acknowledged India and Singapore's shared history, long tradition of friendship based on trust and mutual respect, and extensive cooperation across a wide range of areas. They reviewed and expressed satisfaction over the progress in the bilateral relationship, in the areas of political, economic, security, technology, education, people-to-people and cultural links. It is interesting to note that India and Singapore will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year. Against this backdrop, both Prime Ministers agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level of a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership', to deepen and broaden bilateral cooperation. Before his visit to Singapore, PM Modi was on an official visit to Brunei. PM Modi held "wide-ranging" talks with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah at Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan. During their talks, both leaders discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Delighted to meet His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Our talks were wide-ranging and included ways to further cement bilateral ties between our nations. We are going to further expand trade ties, commercial linkages and people-to-people exchanges." PM Modi inaugurated the new Chancery of the High Commission of India, in Brunei's capital city Bandar Seri Begawan. (ANI)